Villains Never Win, eh? Who’s the Villain then?
Chapter 4
Three weeks later, Houen was in a state of uproar. Over fifty trainers had lost their pokemon, but had no recollection of how. Not to mention that among those attacked were three gym leaders!
Flannery, Liza and Tate, and Wallace – all right, four gym leaders, had gone missing…
Steven and the Elite Four were trying to keep control, but people were fleeing by sea, grabbing any water pokemon possible and trying to get away, and only after a dozen children drowned on the back of a Wailord did the panic ebb slightly.
What to do?
That left… Electric. Normal. Flying – no, Winona had gone missing that very morning. Fighting. Rock. And the Elite Four…
“We cannot let them take this land from us!”
“We won’t!”
“You don’t have much of a choice here…”
“Damn it all, Giovanni! You have Kanto and Johto! When will your greed end? When the world is yours?”
“Perhaps…”
“Damn it all! I won’t let you do-urk!”
Steven tried to turn his head, but the rope around his neck was quite restricting… He finally managed and met emotionless gold.
… Gold?
Yes, gold under a fringe of pink hair. “… Wait a minute… you look kind of familiar…”
Yes, she did, even in the white outfit of a team rocket member. Now where had he seen that face before…
It hit like lightning. “Lance?!”
“You’re the first person who’s figured it out, Steven. I applaud your deductive skills.” The dead voice whispered. “Should I kill him, Boss?”
“Oh no, that would be a waste of a good trainer. Use Duskull.”
“Duskull, Dream Eater and then use Nightmare…”
And Steven’s world dissolved in bright flashes of hatred and pain…
“You’re dismissed, Lance.”
“Yes, Boss.”
She walked outside the Elite Four’s Residence – Ever Grande City, right? Releasing her Dragonite, she climbed on and flew back to Viridian. It was quick. Efficient.
Ash was waiting for her with a glass of cream soda and a plate of vanilla cookies. She blinked for a few minutes in incomprehension as she landed.
“You’ve been busy all morning with father, so I thought you could use a snack.” He grinned.
How thoughtful – and how unexpected… But then, Ash was still a nice, naïve child… “Thank you.”
“No problem!”
He watched as she sat down next to him and they shared the cookies – it was kind of nice, like a date a little bit, and then she took him for a ride on her Dragonite, which was a bit of a squeeze, causing several tense glances from Ash, but really – why would he be so concerned?
Oh yes. He wasn’t a born and bred Rocket, and they certainly hadn’t put him through he training regimen she had gone through. Most of the gym leaders had volunteered, so they were lighter… of course, they didn’t even have to wear the cuffs. And the collar. The blasted things…
Lance didn’t feel their weight much anymore, but she still hated looking at them.
It meant that she wasn’t really well… how to put it? It was like she was a pet, just like a pokemon.
Controlled…
But she wouldn’t let them have her power. Never. She would heal and kill for whom she chose, and it *wasn’t* Team Rocket!
Now, though, Ash was being very quiet…. She recalled Dragonite as they dismounted and frowned.
“Ash? What’s wrong?”
“You remind me of someone… I didn’t’ remember until I saw the Dragonite…”
“Do I?”
“Yes… but you can’t be him….”
“Him?” She had a good idea where this was going now. “Who told you that Lance the Dragonite Trainer was a boy?”
“Well, no one, but I saw him before, and!”
“And?”
“He looked like one!”
“I think I know my own gender better than you do.” Lance said dryly.
“Eh?! So you are… him… er… her?”
“Mm.”
A pause. There was a longer pause.
“Lance? Why are you with Team Rocket? Not that I think it’s a bad thing, but I thought you were part of the Kanto League…”
“But the League belongs to Team Rocket now, doesn’t it?”
“I know, but I thought…”
“You thought what?”
“I thought the Elite Four were leading the resistance – not that I believe in it, of course, but!”
“The Elite Four is dead.”
“WHAT?!”
“Lorelei and Agatha are truly dead, in the literal sense. Bruno isn’t worth living – and as for me? I’m not alive either.”
“… You’re a zombie?” Ash gulped.
“Dear Lugia, no! I’m just not there.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m a doll, Ash – I’m a beautiful mechanical doll. That’s what your father said.”
“You’re not a doll! You’re a human!”
“Am I?”
“Of course you are… I mean, well, you chose to be here, right?”
“Oh no, I didn’t choose anything except not to die.”
“What do you mean?”
“Bruno was always with Team Rocket. He’s the one who killed the Elite… and he’s the one who made me who I am now, really.”
“Lance, I don’t get it.”
“You don’t have to.” She kissed him lightly on the cheek, watching as he blushed. “Now then! Do you have anything to do today?”
“Huh? No, not really, classes are already over…”
“Then I’ll take you flying. Where do you want to go?”
“Oh! Mount Moon! Let’s go see the dancing Clefaries!”
“All right…”
They flew off together, Ash successfully distracted from that line of questioning.
From behind a pillar, Tyson clenched his teeth…
End Chapter
Completed 7/3/05
Phantomness: K, another chapter done
Kairo: Zzzz…