Another chapter!
Lance: ^-^
Ash: More championshipping! Yay! And it’s not lemon!
Phantomness: Don’t rejoice too soon, dear…
Disclaimer: If I owned pokemon, the series would be championshipping or at least Mirageshipping. In any case, pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic that I own and it belongs to me. Okay? Okay!
CLAMP and Kodansha own Angelic Layer.
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon
talks
Chapter 3
Scizor.
“Jigglypuff, you did well. Clefairy… Fire Punch.”
Sure, split the TMs. It worked, didn’t it?
Poor Ernest, but Ash felt no pity. He showed no mercy, and now he didn’t deserve any. It was time to show him how strategy beat brute strength.
And… you don’t need force to win.
That’s not the best way to win anyway, you might be hated.
Ash smiled brightly as Onix appeared.
“Ice Punch again.”
And thus, victory was sealed.
Ernest cursed. * Wait a minute… I can still beat him up! That ‘promise’ means nothing, Hahaha… *
Ash’s eyes widened as Ernest lunged towards him, fists extended to strike. He would have run but was frozen in shock.
How could his brother be this dishonorable?
That was when there was a metallic *clang*.
Ash stared in shock as Lance – it was him, yes – blocked Ernest’s blow. Flesh hit metal, hard.
Ernest yelped, clutching his bleeding knuckles.
“Keep your filthy hands off my Deus.” Lance spat, steel wings shining in a brilliant arc as two long gashes appeared on Ernest’s chest.
“That’s enough, Lance.” Ash said, laying a hand on the angel’s arm.
“Hai, Deus.”
Ernest looked panicked.
“Wait…”
Lance’s eyes glowed golden, once, and then Ernest blacked out.
“What did you do?”
“Amnesia wave.” Lance said calmly. “I have learned a great many more attacks from observing during your pokemon battles. It is very similar to what used to happen in the Layer. Its only a much better form of amnesia.”
“I see…”
“I’m only here to keep you safe, Deus.” Lance said, before he glowed. Ash sensed this and took his arm.
“No, I don’t hate you, I’m just surprised.”
Lance stopped.
He would have gone back to doll form and let Ash think it was another dream, but his Deus seemed sincere.
“I can’t really remember anything from my last life, but I feel I should trust you.”
“I was your Angel.”
“I guessed that.” Ash said. “Were we…” He blushed. “Lovers?”
“In a sense, I suppose. You gave me life, so of course I loved you, and I love you still…”
“I see…”
Lance gave Ash a quick hug. “I won’t do anything to you, don’t worry. I won’t jump you in the night or anything like that.”
“I know you won’t.” Ash said. “Because I trust you… my angel.”
Lance smiled.
That was the way things were. Even in this new world, he would always serve his Deus. That was his life.
“So you’re like a pokemon?”
“In a way. But I’m a human angel, I always was. But I fought pokemon angels all the time.”
“I see…”
“So if you want, I can fight for you here?”
“Maybe.” Ash chewed his lip thoughtfully. “But you don’t’ have to.”
“You don’t understand. I’m made for fighting.” Lance said. “But I’ll just be your bodyguard and keep you safe.”
‘I’ll need it.” Ash sighed.
“Was he really your brother?”
“I’m adopted.” Ash said. “He hates me.”
“Why?”
“I have no idea, he always used to be more popular and better at pokemon training… so why?”
Lance pondered for a few minutes. “Because you’re the sun and you shine and he never will.”
“… What?”
“Your kindness shines like a light. People are drawn to it. Your brother does not have that power.”
“But it’s nothing!”
‘No, he knows deep down that he is wrong and that you will win in the end. So while you are still weak, he tries to break you. It is a common enough tactic.”
“… Oh.”
“Truth is all that it is.” Lance said quietly.
“What now?”
“It is not safe if you stay here, is it?”
“No.” Ash said simply.
“Can you leave?”
“I can’t leave my mom alone with him! I don’t know _why_ he hates her as well… she never did anything!”
“Ah.”
Lance smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you. First of all…”
Ash looked on in amazement as Lance tapped several sports on Ernest’s body. “What are those?”
“Well, one is ultimate weakness spot, another is never refuse a challenge spot, and the last one is cat’s tongue.”
“Huh?’
“He will be extremely weak, weaker than a newborn, and his body will be as sensitive as a cat’s tongue. So anything can cause him great pain. Also, he will never be able to resist a challenge and thus will bring about his own defeat. It is fair.”
Ash smiled. “Thank you.”
Ernest deserved it.
End Chapter
Completed 7/8/04
Some of the pressure points are from Ranma 1/2