I highly recommend reading ‘Wanderer’ first…

DISCLAIMER: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic belongs to me.

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

Chapter 2

It was sunny. Sunny days, keeping clouds away…

Sunny weather was nice. It helped him forget… somewhat. Lance was right though, here, he didn’t have to think about fighting.

At least not really…

“Oh~!” A girl squealed, latching onto Ash’s arms. “You’re so cute!”

Ash shot a helpless glance at Lance, who ignored him, being as he couldn’t exactly _see_ it.

“Itai! Lance!!!! Help!!!”

“You can’t extricate yourself from the problem, Ash?” Lance teased. “As a teacher, I’m disappointed in you…”

He fanned himself idly, waiting.

It was a nice fan, he had made it himself… black paper, but the core was made out of steel and not paper, as it looked. That was why it was so good for hitting pressure points…

Silence ensued.

Ash stepped back, carefully.

“You used the sai, dipped the tips in sleep powder, didn’t you?”

“How did you know?”

“My hearing’s not as good as Agatha’s, but I’m close to you. Nothing else makes that slight whistling noise.”

“Oh.”

“Besides, you’re only carrying the sai and the two-tailed whip, correct?”

“Hai!”

“Shall we go?”

Ash presented their tickets and they went on board.

It was swarming with trainers of every size and color, as well as pokemon. A little ring was set up for battles.

A man’s Raticate had just finished defeating a little boy’s Starmie.

“Does anyone else want to battle?”

Red looked surprised as Lance stepped up. “I will.”

“All right, and your name is?”

“Lance Dragyn.”

“Very well! Send out your pokemon!”

Ash looked slightly worried, but squashed it again. There was no way Lance would lose…

Lance smirked, whistling. Suddenly, a brown blur shot into the ship and stopped in front of him.

Aerodactyl preened.

“Raticate, use Bite!”

“Ptera… Razor Wing…”

Aerodactyl’s wings swept raticate up, slashing deep into his soft underbelly, before the air pressure following tossed it into its trainer’s arms.

“Done.” Lance said, as Aerodactyl landed on his shoulders.

“Wow…” Ash shook his head. * I didn’t know Lance was that good… and he can’t even _see_ right now… *

That was his fault though…

He quieted down and looked morose. Just then, Lance winced and dropped to his knees.

“Lance! Are you sick?”

Lance shook his head. “No… I shouldn’t have done that…”

“Done what?”

Aerodactyl hopped off, looking worried. Master Lance? Your eyes… what happened? How did…

“Don’t ask,” Lance said, coughing. He was starting to turn pale. Was he seasick?

Master Lance! You can’t fight the Call! Otherwise…

“I know!” Lance said, before he fainted. Ignoring a dragon’s call, especially as Dragon Master, was a disaster in the making. No resistance now… Ash clung on to him, not willing to let him pull another vanishing attempt, when suddenly they both vanished.

What…

The reappearance was in a cavern. It was a very nice cavern, done in sparkling colors of silver and white, sharp bits of clear crystal glinting from the walls in a display of molecular structure, but…

There was nothing really subtle about the giant pokemon waiting there for them.

< Chosen. >

Lance stirred, sitting up as Ash watched him anxiously. < … Father? >

< Who else would it be, you impertinent child? You drive me frantic with worry! I’m glad he came to his senses and saved you from that whole nobility spiel! What if you had died in there? Do you know what the consequences would have been? You have to stop acting the best friend! >

< I’m sorry… >

< Oh, quit shirking. You know you have enough power to wipe Kanto and Johto off the face of the earth and possibly much more as well. I really don’t know why you love him, but… if he makes you happy… >

Ash quietly did not intrude in the conversation.

It would not be proper in this instance.

< Sometimes I worry about you, Lance. Insane… I could go stir crazy trying to keep an eye on you! >

Lance bowed his head meekly as Lugia continued to rant for a good ten minutes. Finally, he sighed. < I’m just glad you are safe… >

< Hai, father. >

< And if _anyone_ hurts you, tell me! >

< I promise I will. >

< Plus, if Ash makes you cry, I’ll beat him up for you! >

Lance sweatdropped. * Well… * < Thank you, Father. >

< One moment. What of your eyes? >

< I’ll keep them this way. >

< Are you certain? I can heal them easily. >

< No… > Lance laughed bitterly. < He will not remember the past, so I will remember the Seven for him. >

< Very well, child. Take care of yourself. >

Lugia then whisked them off. In a flash, they were back on the S. S. Anne, although in a private cabin.

Ash hadn’t been eavesdropping on a private conversation, but he had happened to hear one or two of the last phrases.

Lance was… staying blind by choice? Why?

Maybe he’d better not ask though, if it were supposed to be private.

He’d do his best to take care of Lance.

I promise.

Even if I have to sacrifice something of my own, I won’t let you die. Lance… you’re all I really have. Truly.

End Chapter

Completed 9/2/04

Started 8/31/04