How odd things turn out.
Quote – Do not study for a final based on heresy! (And this was taken from our Final Advice study sheet posted in every bathroom. I assume they meant hearsay? Cough)
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*
Chapter 5
Ash finished whatever meal it was – he was not too sure how to keep track of time here, in this odd place, as one moment the sun was shining brightly and the next it was night. What weird magic was this?
His town had not believed in Wild Magic, but he had heard the old men tell stories of their travels in far off regions of the world where Magic was common, or at least accepted…
Did he have Magic? Was that why…
He looked at the stones again. One was clear now. The other two were still red and blue. He looked at Raikou. The electric dog snuffled.
Could it be…?
With a frown, he held out the other two stones in his palm and willed them to become empty. There were two bright flashes of light, and there!
A red dog, and a blue dog…
“Entei…” The red dog growled. It felt hot. A fire? It felt like flames…
“Suicune…” The other purred. This one was more like a cat. It was probably a girl. It sounded that way.
Lance was watching, and he smiled.
“Did you know that I had these… creatures? These monsters…”
“I guessed.”
“Is that why people hate me?”
“Indeed.”
“But why? You have them too, don’t you? And my mother sells necklaces and bracelets made out of these glass beads…”
“I know not.” Lance said. “They fear your power, Ash.”
“Power? I don’t have power! You mean the monsters? But they didn’t even come out when I had these!”
“I believe that some people would know what they were. They are common Wild Magic, after all…”
“Then everyone who has magic has these monsters?”
“Yes. There are no exceptions.”
“Interesting.” Ash said thoughtfully, for a child at least. “So you must have it too.” The place they were in was too pretty to be Earth.
They had to be somewhere else. And to craft a World took Magic, strong Wild Magic; everyone knew that!
He had learned it not in school but in drunken bar tales, yet the truth waxed all the brighter for it.
Sometimes, the spirits made men truer than a man would be.
Lance raised an eyebrow. “You believe I have Wild Magic?”
“Maybe you don’t, but you wouldn’t be able to control a magic sword without Wild Magic!”
“And how did you know?”
“It sings.” Ash said promptly. “It’s pretty, and it sings stories.”
Lance looked startled. He hadn’t thought Ash had noticed it. How very interesting…
Yes, the Dragon Blade told of legends past, but Lance had a feeling that it was meant for him, just as it had been meant for other heroes, once upon a time, eons before.
He slid it out of its sheath and inspected it. The sapphires set in the silver hilt – eyes in a dragon’s head, glittered.
Well, he still knew not its secrets, but he knew that if the proper incantation was spoken, it could become a blade of frozen ice. But why would one want that?
It would probably be important in the future.
“Are you still hungry? I can whip something up if you would like that.” He had to remember that this was a child, and not versed in subtle talk.
Ash grinned. “Yes please!”
“Very well.”
He visualized himself elsewhere and vanished. Magic came so much easier in this Realm of Dreams, as it acted as a natural amplifier for a Wild Magic Gift.
He stepped into the kitchen, mixed chocolate with pale dough, stirred and mixed, and watched it puff into sweet buns in the oven.
No child would be able to resist.
True, cooking was a woman’s art, but it was ever so much easier to poison men when one hid it with an excellent repast.
The culinary arts had served him well in his chosen path.
Ash groomed Suicune awkwardly with a bone brush. It was crude, but it was all he had. He’d only managed to stuff his pockets with a few possessions before fleeing…
One of them was a delicate pink glass ring his grandfather had left him. He missed grandfather Blaine… but Grandfather had gone to the land of happiness that lay beyond the clouds.
It would be unfair to call him back.
“Ash.”
Ash looked up at his name. His eyes lit up at the sight of the sweet buns Lance held. They smelled so good!
“Enjoy these. I will go prepare the rest of our meal.”
“Thanks Lance!”
The boy was so cheerful, even after near-death. Perhaps he represented innocence, for only in innocence could creatures be brought forth.
Lance doubted he could create creatures. His hands were already soaked in blood. If he tried, they would mold into misshapen black forms, so loathsome he would feel nothing but disgust for them after their creation.
That would not be the correct path to walk.
But he had never before been shown such affection. It seemed boundless. It made him want to react to it.
So he cooked and he taught the boy small tricks of illusion, for the time being, and did not inquire of his past, nor talk of his future. They would have time for true training later. For now, it was a period of rest, a period of grace.
And if Ash’s magic never woke, well, it was a life of peace for them. Truly, Lance would not mind that very much.
He had lived years walking the knife-edge of honor and deceit, and never fallen. But balancing was so tiring; it would be nice to let another hold the burden for a while, even if it was just a child.
Was that selfish of him?
End Chapter
Completed 4/16/06
WAHA! I am so glad finals are over!
Short chapter? Hai! Deal with it…