Despite what authors may say, you can only _focus_ on one fic at a time. That is not to say in a space of two weeks you can’t finish four fics at various times…
DISCLAIMER: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic belongs to me under international copyright laws! So there! Do _not_ take my work…
Red = Ash from other world, Ash = anime Ash
Started 9/9/04
Chapter 10
Red and Lance stayed at Ash’s house for two days before they decided they were abusing said trainer’s hospitality and left.
Misty wanted to tag along, but doing so might possibly betray those feelings she would rather keep secret, so…
It was not a good situation…
Thus, she took after Ash again. The trio put the two odd people they had met out of their minds, and…
Didn’t expect to see them again.
Red sighed. * Lance… how can I ever prove myself to you? * He didn’t think there was _anything_ he could do.
That made him more depressed.
What to do?
Acting sweet wouldn’t accomplish anything – he had tried it, but it was too fake! Lance could tell…
That was only _more_ deception!
Was he doomed now?
No! He couldn’t give up hope! An opportunity would present itself eventually. He had to believe that…
Giving up
hope would imply he had lost and wasn’t up to this challenge… I can’t lie
though, and truthfully, I’m not sure what to do!
“Lance, do you hate me?”
“No.”
“But do you love me?”
“Why are you asking me?” Lance put down his fan. “Are you testing me?”
“N-no!”
“Good.” Lance said, before he slipped into silence again. Red frowned, but he had to take this chance.
“I’m sorry…”
Lance shivered at the unexpected embrace and subsequent action. “Red… Ash… I’m not trying to hurt you… it’s just that, I don’t want to get burned again.”
Red nodded miserably, deepening their contact. “I know…” But just one moment, let us forget that…
Please…
He let himself lose his heart again in that kiss. So long… just grant me one last kiss, and he let himself drown…
Nice…
Lance finally broke it off, sighing. * I do love him. But why must he be such an impetuous child? Until he learns patience and trust… *
I still love him, but I want to change him also… is that selfish of me?
He wasn’t sure anymore. However, he did know he was sick of playing the martyr for love…
If he breaks my trust again I _will_ punish him.
This was Ash’s second chance. Lugia forbid he fall again, but if he did, then he deserved whatever punishment he got.
That was only fair, ne? So they drifted over the lands, not really training, but just trying to create anew what had once been peace and friendship. It wasn’t easy, and when they dropped by Cerulean perhaps two months later, Ash was tired of trying to mend their relationship if Lance was going to be stubborn and unresponsive.
Unfortunately, ideas brewed in the cauldron of brain fever seldom turn out well. In this case, jealousy was not a leaning factor.
A psychiatrist might suggest winning someone’s heart using jealousy. Pity it didn’t work with Lance…
He stepped backwards, the golden seals of dragon power flashing into being on the backs of his hands. Teleport shimmered, and he vanished.
He was sick of playing this game of love.
I’m going _home_, where I belong.
< My child. >
< I’m home, Father. > He said simply, as he stood before Lugia, the whirling tides of Whirl Islands outside. < I’m sorry. >
< Nonsense. I’m glad you are home. I worry about you. >
< I am sorry for making you worry. >
< Were it not part of your nature, I would fret. But you can take care of yourself well enough, when you are not clouded… >
< Hai, Father. >
< Go now… > Lugia watched as Lance calmly walked in the direction of his room. Oh, he needed no eyes to see _that_; it was part of him… just like the dragon’s dance. You cannot take the dragon’s dance away from the Dragon Master because it is a part of him, almost written in his DNA as it were.
Losing? No, now that was not an option. This style of fighting is slightly different. If you know you will lose, do not bother wasting your energy. Instead, wait and bide your time.
Then you’ll win in the end and have lost nothing. Dragons are immortal, so what’s a few years?
Foolish.
Lance flopped down on his bed, watching the crystals sparkle. He couldn’t see them, but then, they were nice flashes of light behind closed lids.
No, you need no eyes to see.
He could feel their auras so close they were practically one, blending and wrapping and weaving and enmeshed in each other as tightly as woven thread. Sight not required for embraces this close, and why not?
Red had loved Misty back in their world – now he loved her double.
Folly, folly! To think he might have gotten over it.
Lance took a deep breath, no, you do not just release anger on random objects; that accomplishes no goal.
Reap what you sow, if you choose wrongly, Red dear, I’m not bailing you out of this mess.
You got yourself in; you can get yourself out.
Misty shivered, “I feel cold.”
“So do I.” Red cast a worried look around. “Maybe we should get back to Cerulean.” They had been near the area of Bill’s cottage…
“Yes, maybe we should.”
A stronger wind blew up, so they ran for it.
End Chapter
Completed 9/10/04