Another chapter. ^-^

Disclaimer/Notes: See previous chapter

Ash: Interesting, but when’s the romance?

Phantomness: I am _trying_ not to rush things…

Pika-chan: Oh! Go me! I appear again!
Lance: Yes, now is that good or bad?

Kairo: *laughs* depends of if there is food around.

Shoyko: Ahahaha! No darkness yet! Vacation for me, woohoo!

Chapter 5

“Ash-san?”

Ash looked up from where he was perched on Lance’s bed. “Eep! I’m sorry!”

“May I inquire as to why you are in my bedroom?”

“I wanted to talk.”

Lance looked surprised, but nodded. “As you will.”

“I… Lance, are you using card magic?”

“Very good. You figured it out.”

“I did? But… you don’t have a staff or anything! What’s going on? How can you do magic?”

Lance chuckled, smiling. “Ash-san, if you would… look into my eyes and tell me what you see.”

A bit perplexed by the strange request, Ash did.

… Stars?

No, it was like stars in darkness, but… glimmers of silver in black, was that magic? Or was it something else?

How odd…

< You’re! > That came from Pika-chan.

“Hai.” Lance smiled, before he undid the clasps on his armor, letting it fall to the floor. Ash covered his eyes, before realizing Lance was wearing a black shirt underneath. However, his discomfort was obvious when Lance pulled that off as well.

On his chest a magic circle glittered, in lines of gold and black and blood-red, while on his hands shone silver.

Alchemy… and…

“Is that blood magic you’re using?”

“Not precisely…”

< The cards! Ash, think! They’re inside of him! >

“WHAT?!”

“I see you are quite surprised by this…”

Ash gulped. “Doesn’t it hurt?”

“Why should it? They are all energy, are they not?”

“So they’re a part of you?”

“Hai, very good….”

Ash fainted.

“Was that really necessary?” Pika-chan asked in English.

“Well, he should know, correct? I’m only telling him the truth.”

“I suppose…”

< Don’t worry… if he really loves me, than this will not even affect him. >

< All right… >

She hoped it was trustworthy.

“But since Ash is out, how did it happen?”

“It just did…” Lance sighed. “They were afraid I would really fade. I needed magic, so… besides, they were moon-type, like me…”

“They sacrificed themselves?”

“To some extent, yes… in a way, this is better… I can take care of all of them…”

Pika-chan looked worried but nodded.

If he thought it was right, then… well, she shouldn’t judge. Lance was a lot more powerful than she was.

A lot.

She wasn’t going to meddle. That was suicide.

Pfft.

Ash woke up a few minutes later, still feeling like he had been slapped in the head with a halibut.

“Lance…”

Did he hate him now? It didn’t seem to fit. No, not hate…. The glow was still in his heart, waiting.

But he was glad Lance had told him.

It would have been a nasty shock to find out _after_ he had told him. How embarrassing and heartbreaking!

It wasn’t really so bad. Besides, he should talk to Lance instead of making conclusion jumps.

Lance poured him a cup of raspberry tea. Ash sipped slowly, and finally started talking. “Lance… how? What is going on?”

“Well, it’s complicated… I’ll shorten it.” Lance smiled. “It has to do with magic.”

“I know that!”

“Well, you create your own magic, starlight… yes?”

“Hai.”

“Since I’m a dark guardian, I draw my power from the moon and the darkness, but the moon waxes and wanes so my energy levels fluctuate as well.”

“Hai…”

“It is… very taxing to maintain the cards, as I am sure you well know. I blacked out several times and came close to dying, since I ran out of magic…”

Ash’s eyes widened. * That’s terrible! *

We wanted to help…

It was still Lance speaking, but it wasn’t _him_.

I am Dragonite…

“Oh!”

We wanted to help…we do not making this decision to save the life of our Chosen. We hope you will understand as well, and not judge him…

Dragonite faded away as Lance’s eyes returned to gold. They had turned blue for an instant there…

“I think I see…”

“That’s very admirable of you.”

“Did it hurt?”

Lance chuckled. “Only for the first ten minutes before I passed out… it took two weeks to recover.”

“Ouch!”

“I’m fine now.” Lance said, as Ash finished the rest of his tea. Ash smiled, and quietly left.

He felt better now. He didn’t know why, he just did.

And… it was nice.

End Chapter

Completed 7/28/04