So in order to celebrate the creation of S.S. Kingdra by KuraOkami13(who is the reason I've written any MistyxLance story including this one), I decided that another MistyxLance story needed to exist. It's not as shippy as Love Finder or Fairytale because this meant to focus on a different dynamic with our two favorite red heads.
Disclaimer: I don't own Misty, Lance, or Pokémon. The OC is mine though.
Eight year old Nixie frowned as she looked at the two pictures before her on the wall next to her bed. The first was a picture of a Squirtle, the traditional water type starter Pokémon handed out in the Kanto region. The second was a picture of a Dratini, the dragon type Pokémon usually given to trainers from the Dragon Clan in Blackthorn City. The girl knew that two years would go by quickly, so she needed to make a decision soon. What type of trainer did she want to be, a Water specialist or a Dragon specialist?
"She's certainly putting a lot of thought into this," Lance mused to his wife as they watched their daughter look between the two pictures. "At this rate I'd say she's overthinking it."
"Like you did when you were thinking of proposing?" Misty smirked. "You know she doesn't get it from me."
"I wanted things to go perfectly," Lance defended himself from Misty's teasing once more on his marriage proposal, which had not gone to plan at all. "Besides, I was worried you'd decide that eight years is too much of an age difference after all and turn me down."
"You know better now," she smiled softly before giving him a light peck on the lips.
"Indeed I do," he smiled back before pulling her into his arms to return the favor.
"Eww! Not near my room!" Nixie scrunched up her face when she realized her parents were standing in the doorway. They merely laughed before walking in and sitting down on either side of her.
"Nixie, you don't have to make a decision now," Lance assured his daughter. "You have time to decide."
"You don't even have to specialize in one type," Misty pointed out. "Your father and I haven't exactly stuck to our specialties in the past so there's nothing wrong with having different types of Pokémon."
"I know that," Nixie grumbled, reminding Misty of her younger self. "But Water and Dragon types are the best! The mighty Dragons standing against the toughest opponents!" She hopped off her bed, a fiery passion blazing in her eyes, eyes that she had inherited from her father. Briefly she blew her bangs out of her eyes before resuming her speech. "Dragons command respect and honor from both their trainers and their opponents. Even Ice and Fairy types tremble in fear before them! But Water types are so beautiful and graceful and strong! They might not all look intimidating but that's their opponents undoing in the end when they realize they're going up against a powerful wave and not a harmless stream."
"Most Dragon types are also hard to work with," Lance reminded Nixie. "The older and more experienced they are, the harder it is to work with them unless you have a strong understanding."
"And Water types can be temperamental at times," Misty added. "Even the sweetest of my Pokémon have had their temper tantrums."
"But I still don't know which one to pick," Nixie groaned as she plopped back down between her parents. "I can't be a Gym Leader if I don't specialize in one type and most Champions at least have a preference."
Lance and Misty exchanged glances over their daughter's head. It seemed there was more to this than merely picking a type to specialize in. Neither of them had talked about Nixie following in either of their footsteps, both content to allow her to forge her own path toward whatever goal she aimed for.
"Nixie," Misty began only to be cut off.
"I know I don't have to but I want to be like you guys," she explained, knowing where her mother was going with that train of thought.
"Nixie, you're only eight," Lance ruffled her hair, which looked like her mother's. "You're allowed to change your mind. I didn't even think about trying to become a Champion until I was fifteen. From the moment I left Blackthorn until that point, I merely travelled and challenged gyms for the sake of doing something. My Pokémon were the ones to encourage me to try and challenge myself after training for so long." Nixie was silent, processing her father's words before eventually nodding in understanding.
"Okay, but I still don't know which type to start with."
"I know the perfect Pokémon for you," Misty smiled at her daughter, finally realizing there was a Pokémon that would eventually be both a Water and Dragon type. "In fact, it's the same kind that your Aunt Clair started with." Lance mentally smacked himself for forgetting about his cousin's Kingdra that had once been the Horsea she challenged him with when they were younger.
"That's right!" Nixie's eyes lit up with joy. "A Kingdra's perfect for me! It's a Water type for Mom and a Dragon type for Dad!"
"Now you just need to wait two years to get a Horsea," Lance smirked at his daughter, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "In the meantime, I think we need to fix someone's serious mood, don't you Misty?"
"Oh yes," Misty knew exactly where her husband was going with this. At once the two began tickling their daughter, whose shrieks of laughter were music to their ears. All worries about what was down the road for the family were forgotten in favor of savoring this happy moment, something all three would be able to back on with fondness.
Please review! Also, according to a website I usually rely on for character names, Nixie means "water sprite". If there had been a "water dragon" I would have used that instead, but alas, 'twas not to be.