Come to me, Plotbunny!

Disclaimer: Don’t own pokemon but I wish I did!

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

Warnings: Shonen-ai Championshipping (Ash x Lance), incest, darkfic, angst

Chapter 3

 

            Within hours of capture, Mewtwo had been shipped off for Oak to study, along with Mew. Ash was not too happy with this development (I caught them, so they should be mine, right?), but he was overruled.

            After all, he was still a child, and his mother agreed with Professor Oak that it was unsafe for Ash to have such a dangerous pokemon in his possession. She also scolded him for becoming a Pokemon Master and not telling her about the consequences.

            But that had been his dream!

            Still, he would have to spend six months a year at the plateau… that sucked. And meetings. Boring, boring meetings, as he quickly found out.

 

            “I’m bored…”

            Lance gave him a sardonic grin. “Well, that’s the problem, isn’t it? What happens when you’re Champion and you have no goal left to strive for?”

            Ash sighed. He had captured all one hundred and fifty-one known species of pokemon. He had all the badges. There was no one else to fight, really…

            He was bored.

            He wanted to do something. Anything. He was sick of being stuck at the Plateau and it had only been what, a year almost? He was busy reading Lord of the Rings – The Two Towers, but even that was losing its appeal. Somehow, magic was so boring compared to pokemon…

            What to do?

            Lance closed his text on neurotoxins. “So tell me, Ash, what would you rather do?”

            “Explore?” he suggested hopefully.

            “It’s February, dear… we won’t be able to leave until June.”

            Ash deflated. “I know. That’s why I’m so bored!”

            “You could go online?”

            “No!” Ash shook his head firmly. “Last time…” He colored brightly.

            “Oh? Something happen? Were you hacked?”

            “Not exactly, no…” Ash was turning pinker by the second. “Um… you know how our pokedexes all have some sort of identifying tag?”

            “Yes…”

            “Um… see, I…I…. Someone saw who I was and sent me a… a…”

            “A what? Don’t tell me that someone sent you a death threat? A piece of annoying legislation, maybe?”

            “A marriage proposal!” Ash burst out.

            Lance laughed. “Don’t take it seriously, dear.”

            “B-but I can’t marry! I’m only fourteen- urk.”

            “That is considered old enough.” Lance smirked. “Why? A special girl in your mind?”

            “No!” I was true. Sabrina and Erika and Misty were only considered friends, and besides, Sabrina was going out with this young man named Morty from far off in Johto…

            Speaking of Johto…

            They were talking about creating a new League there… and Johto had lots of new pokemon… perhaps Oak would allow him to go there? Lance’s voice suddenly broke violently into his reverie...

            “You’ve been reading for hours, rest your eyes. Come with me. We can go out and get something to eat. The cafeteria food does wear on you after a while.”

            “Lance?”

            “What is it now?”

            Ash put a scrap of ribbon in the fantasy story and pulled on his red-and-white long-sleeved jacket. “Why… why do you care about me so much?”

            “What sort of question is that?” He responded with slight confusion.

            “I mean… um… Lorelei and the others just ignore me…. Is it because I’m a kid?”

            “You are Champion… they still feel shame for their defeats I imagine.”

            “But you don’t?”

            “It was a fair fight, after all… why should I be jealous?”

            “Er… never mind!” This was getting way too confusing… but Lance was right. Maybe he should spend some more time online, learning something new…

 

            Lance talked to the guards at the door of the Plateau, and was told to be back in two hours or else the police would be informed.

            They may be revered trainers, but they were really prisoners to the glory of the league. Hah!

            If only those children who strove to become the Champion knew…

            If only…

           

            “So, what would you like to eat?”

            “Ice cream.” Ash replied promptly.

            “… It’s February, it’s snowing, and you want ice cream?”

            “Well, for dessert… um… can we go there?” Ash pointed to a rather upscale establishment. Soft candlelight filtered through lacy green curtains. Scented air of roses, wine, and roast boar filtered out, mixed in with subtler touches of cream and chocolate.

            “I suppose.”

 

            Ash grinned. “Arigato, Lance…”

            “You don’t need to thank me every time I do something for you.” A thought struck him. “Didn’t your parents ever do anything of this sort for you?”

            “Well, mom was nice, but most of the time she just let me sit in my room and watch television.”

            “I see…”

            “She was always over at Oak’s lab though.” Ash sighed.

            Ah… so the rumors that Delia Winters and Samuel Oak were going out were not idle speculation it seemed…

 

            ‘I’m worried, though…”

            “About what?” He poured himself a glass of chardonnay. “Would you like a sip?”

            Ash colored as he stared into his clam chowder. “Mom’s… she’s not really my mother. I’m adopted.”

            “That’s nothing to be ashamed of…”

            “I know, but… do you think she loves me?”

            What was going on? This wasn’t normal characteristic behavior of said Pallet town trainer “Ash, what’s wrong? You can talk to me…”

 

            “I’m so lonely.” He whispered, dunking a French bread chunk into his clam chowder and biting it viciously. “I feel so lonely… it’s like I’m all alone… locked up in the Plateau…”

            “Ash, I-!”

            “I know! You four are as trapped as I am, if not more. I’ve heard that the limitation was nine months stay for the Elite, not six like Champion.” He froze, seeing Lance’s face. “It’s true, isn’t it? You’re not just at the plateau because you ‘feel like it’.”

            “Yes…”

            “Why? Why didn’t you escape? Why…?” He felt like crying for some reason, as he angrily dabbed at his eyes with the long green napkin he had been given. * Why didn’t you just leave? Why couldn’t you have… then at least I’d have hope that I could manage it too! * So it was irrational, but…

            Lance glared at the approaching waitress, who hastily set down their entrees and then made a hasty exit. This did not look good.

            Ash sniffled as he plowed through his steak and fried shrimp, but recovered and requested crème brulee for dessert.

            Lance sighed inwardly. What was going on with the boy?

           

End Chapter

Completed 4/22/05

Lance: …

Phantomness: *Smirks* this is fun~!

Ash: *sighs*