There’s got to be some angst in this fic…

Disclaimer: Phantomness does not own pokemon. Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me. Don’t take my work!

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks

A lake glistened.

Lance gritted his teeth as he used his twin blades to cut a thin slash across each arm, blood dripping onto the snow.

“I, Lance Dragyn, summon by sacrifice the twin dragons!”

Two elegant Dragonair appeared, twining their long bodies around their Master.

You summoned us, master?

Not Gyarados like last time?

“Yes. Gyarados isn’t enough for what we have to do.” Lance smiled. “I need you two to freeze this lake… for now. Then, when the enemy is approaching, shatter the ice and bring them death…”

His dragons smiled. We know.

Hopefully, that way they could avoid fighting.

Misty watched from the trees with the other knights as Lance’s dragons froze the lake. Afterwards, they vanished underwater.

“So, you fight for Kanto? Why should you? They’re not your people, right?”

Ash cast her a sideways glance.

‘I’ve heard of you. You’re the great Ashura Ketchum. Too noble and great to be a mere human.”

He did not reply.

“Why do you fight for them? They aren’t your people.”

“Lady, shut up.” Ash said. “You know nothing of me.”

Lance returned, skimming across the ice silently. Ash nodded in silent acknowledgement as they waited.

And waited…

Sure enough, the Houen army drowned – all of them. But with power comes a price…

He had to work hard to not look at or listen to the sounds of the Dragonair eating the corpses. How could Lance stand summoning those creatures?

Still… if they won, so be it.

The Rapidash sped towards the wall. Two days passed. Pidgeot reported that Brock, Bruno, and the group had made it safely there by taking a shorter road, but now the main army of Houen was coming.

Ash and his knights were almost directly in the path.

Lance did not look at Misty. She’d been needling Ash ever since he rescued her. How his commander had the patience to put up with the vile woman he would never figure out.

It didn’t matter.

As soon as they got home they’d be free.

Maybe he should take Brock’s advice. Orange islands might be fun. At least he’d be far away from here.

To hell with Houen and the Cerulean forces! They wouldn’t be his concern any longer. He’d finally be free.

An arrow hummed.

Lance ducked as it sailed overhead.

Ceruleans sprung up all around. Overhead, a dragon – was it a dragon? Appeared. Rain began to pelt down mercilessly.

Ash cursed. Fighting was bad enough, fighting in a torrential rainstorm was worse. Grabbing his sword, he slid off his horse as the warriors attacked.

Morty silently wished Brock and Bruno had been with them. They could use the extra hands. His daggers whistled through the air as Ceruleans began falling. At least he had twelve…

Unsheathing his sword, he caught it against an axe blade just in time. Phew.

He kicked the man in the groin and then plunged his sword through his chest. One down, who knows how many left?

Raining.

Falkner didn’t like rain. Pidgeot didn’t like the rain either. Rain could make arrows fail in their flight.

Rain hid sight.

Drawing his sword, he charged into the fray. Blood splattered on his armor as a woman was disemboweled, but there was no time to waste on pity.

Had to fight and win, or else they’d never make it home! Never!

Slash, block, and strike.

The Rapidashes were all sent away. They were especially weak to water attacks of any sort.

Ash gritted his teeth. No use. “Lance! Cover me!”

Twin blades flashed as his second nodded. Ash hated summoning, but…

It had to be done. He had the only spirit capable to destroy the huge flying dragon above… if it were one.

Cutting a shallow gash on one arm, he summoned his spirit.

“PIKACHU!”

A small yellow mouse appeared, as thunderbolts fried the spirit above. It keened and suddenly, the rain stopped. Puddles dried up and vanished.

Threat gone, the battle continued in earnest.

Bugsy ducked a clumsy overhead swing, kicked in the man’s knee, and slit his throat as he fell.

He needed help though.

“Beedrill! Scyther!”

Two spirits – bugs, appeared next to him, charging into battle.

Minutes later, it was over.

Lance glared at Misty.

She glared back.

“Will you continue protecting her, Ashura? She led them here.”

“I can’t just kill an innocent woman!”

“Innocent?” Morty laughed, chillingly. “Innocent? The day she’s innocent I’ll kill myself.” He calmly sheathed his throwing daggers.

“Innocent?” Falkner asked. “Pidgeot sees what I do not, but we both see the filthy pit her soul is.”

“Innocent?” Bugsy’s voice sounded incredulous. “Her?”

“Innocent…” Lance laughed. “I wish. Oh, how I wish.” That was all he said before he crumpled.

“Ah! Lance!”

End Chapter

Completed 12/27/04

Lance: How clichéd.

Phantomness: *sigh* It’s hard to come up with original ideas sometimes…

Pika-chan: yawns