De Viridian Grove

By: Crystal

Summary: My first Grantedshipping, Lance x Yellow, fic (Hey! I like this pairing so don't flame me if you don't like it! I'm one of the few Grantedshippers out there!)

I can't really think of a summary at the moment so just read on!

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon Adventures!

Lance felt weak.

The red-haired boy propped himself against a tree, panting hard, one arm pressing the other tightly against his side, trying to staunch the flow of blood. Damn that girl! His punched a tree, wincing at the pain it caused him, his mind automatically recalling your memory. When he lost to that girl…Yellow…and the disgraced Leader of the Viridian Gym and Boss of Team Rocket, Giovanni.

He thought back to the first time they met.

"Hyper Beam."

A yellow-orange beam shot from Dragonair's horn, firing into the city. The effect was instantaneous; buildings were ripped apart, reduced to nothing but heaps of rubble, people were screaming in pain and fear. Lance frowned, unaffected by it. He felt no remorse. Why should he?

Humans were scum after all.

Scum that he wanted nothing more than to destroy.

His cool, amber-colored eyes searched the city. Where was he? The Thunder-badge Holder…shouldn't he have revealed himself by now? Even if the man was former Team Rocket, he should at least wanted to defend this smoking hole where a city once stood.

"Come forth and show yourself!"

This was met with silence. Lance snorted, "You ran away already? Coward." He looked down at Dragonair, "Let's go."

Lance was first aware of her existence when he felt Dragonair's surprise. He looked down, following his Pokemon's gaze. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked of the Pikachu that was hanging onto the Dragon-type's long neck. It was then Lance noticed the Trainer

'He' had tied a fishing line around Pikachu, and was surfing after the Dragon master, hanging on by q Good Rod. Lance slid down, scooping up the Pikachu in one arm, and glared at the Trainer.

"Why did you follow me?" he asked, tossing the Pikachu to the Trainer, who caught it, arms wrapping around it protectively. "The city-! Why did you-? You destroyed it!" the Trainer shouted accusingly.

"I was looking for something and the buildings were in my way. Too bad I didn't find what I was looking for in the end." He glanced at the mystery Trainer who was gaping up at him. "Don't worry. They weren't killed. That surfing contest is a huge event for the city; no one should have been within its borders.

"A Trainer or two might have been caught up in that attack by mistake, but oh well," he glanced at the Trainer, "Since you followed me here…" He shifted into an attack stance. Why he had felt the need to comfort the Trainer, he had no idea. But whatever. Pikachu's Trainer was as good as dead anyway…

"I'll just have to add you to the death count!" Dragonair wrapped itself around the Trainer's body. "I knew Team Rocket used Pokemon for evil purposes but this is-" Dragonair's body tightened around the Trainer, cutting off the words.

"Idiot! Team Rocket?" Lance chuckled, "Don't make me laugh! As for evil, look at this from a Pokemon's point of view; would you like to be kept as somebody's pet in a suffocating city like that?"

The Trainer glared at him, struggling to escape, one arm already free. Lance sighed, then hollered, "Pokemon and humans have different needs, not the same! All Trainers, except the elite, must be eliminated! That is the goal of Lance, the leader of the Shitenou!"

At his last word, Dragonair's body squeezed harder, and the Trainer's head pitched back, hat flying from her head as she screamed in pain. Lance caught a glimpse at long blonde hair, kept in a high ponytail.

The Trainer grabbed for the hat, jamming it back on her head, and looked down again, surprised, "We're floating?" she asked, voice full of disbelief. Lance nodded.

"Of course," he said, "Dragonair can skim the skies as easily as it skims the water. The ability of Lance of the Shitenou-my ability-is the ability to control the Dragons!"

Dragonair raised its head to the sky and the girl watched as dark storm clouds appeared in the sky. Lightning flashed overhead, and rain started to pour down. "Did Dragonair cause this storm?" she asked, looking at the dark clouds overhead.

"You catch on pretty fast," Lance slid forward, and now stood over the girl, "Yes. With Dragonair's powers, even the heaven's obey my commands!" He took the girl Trainer's chin in one of his hands, forcing her to look at him, stroking her cheek, "Would you like to know the goals of the Shitenou?"

She said nothing, glaring at him in response.

"The Shitenou's goal towards the world's Pokemon Trainers…" he continued pleasantly, smiling at her now, "Is to kill them all!"

Her eyes widened, and Lance started to say more, when a loud cry of "Pika!" cut him off. He turned as the Pikachu hurled itself at him, preparing to charge an electric attack.

A yellow-orange streak stopped it in its tracks. Pikachu spun, trying to evade Dragonair's Hyper Beam. Lance snickered, "Dragonair's Hyper Beam coming from any direction…" Pikachu spun on him again, this time too slow, and Hyper Beam slammed into it. "It doesn't matter, how many times you evade it…It'll always get you!"

The girl Trainer watched with horror as Pikachu crashed into the waters. "Don't worry," Lance reassured the girl, still stroking her cheek, "I didn't use my full powers, so its injuries aren't life-threatening." Lance glanced at the Pikachu again.

That scar…!

Lance laughed, "Ha-ha! That's it! That's the Pikachu that Agatha and Lorelei were chasing!" He looked down at the girl, "Lorelei just couldn't believe the fact that you and that Pikachu escaped from her, and then you escaped Agatha as well!

"You are Yellow de Viridian Grove!"

Yellow looked shocked for a moment, but then that shock gave way to anger as Dragonair suddenly released her, dropping the girl into the water, and wrapped its tail around Pikachu.

"No!"

"It would be very nice of me if I delivered Pika to them," The Dragon Master smirked, "But I'm Lance! I could care less anyways!" Dragonair's body squeezed tighter around the Pikachu and the Electric Mouse screeched in pain.

"Pika! No! Please!" Yellow screamed, then her eyes brightened, an idea dawning. What now, Lance wondered.

"Substitute!"

Lance was nearly thrown from Dragonair's head, recoiling as Pika's Substitute charged him, small claws biting into his cheek. Lance staggered backwards a step, regaining his balance. This was getting annoying.

"I told you before I wasn't using my full power, didn't I?" Lance glowered somberly at the girl in the waters below. He didn't want this, but if he had too…"You should have just asked me to kill you in the first place! Dragon Rage!"

The girl screamed as the red-purple energy jolted into her, and she slipped beneath the water. Lance looked away, "It's over."

That girl…Yellow…that fool! Lance's jaw tightened. He had just defeated, maybe even killed the only enemy standing in the Shitenou's way. Why did he feel like this, like as if he had done something dirty?

"Gomenasai."

"Stop!" That now-familiar voice-She was still alive? "You stubborn twit! Stop chasing me, dammit!" Lance yelled, spinning to face Yellow, who was after him, riding a…Surfboard?

Pikachu's body glowed, arms held out straight in front of it, and that's when Lance realized, "Pikachu's HP is…It used Substitute to create a water-repelling surfboard?"

"Now, use Thunderbolt! Pika!"

Lance gestured wildly to Dragonair and the Pokemon dived down, just as Thunderbolt exploded in the spot where he had just been standing. He saw as Yellow surfed away, a dark spot on the water above.

He waited a few seconds longer, then placed his hand on Dragonair's head, pointing upwards. The Pokemon nodded and rose. Lance head broke the water's surface, and he looked around, spotting Yellow, now just a spot on the horizon. The Dragon Master smirked, and murmured:

"Scary…so scary…little Yellow-chan."

Lance continued stumbling through the forest, leaving small puddles of blood in the dust behind him. He could barely summon the energy to walk. That last attack had really done it, blasting him all the way back to the Viridian forest. All the way from the Cerise Island…

"You've been brooding a lot recently, Lance," Lorelei smirked at the red-head, and the fifteen-year old looked at her, "Huh?"

"Are you still upset that the girl and Pika escaped?" Lorelei asked, her smirk condescending. Lance returned it with his best fake-innocent look, "No, but apparently you still are Lorelei-san."

Lorelei's face turned bright red and she ripped into him, but Lance paid no attention to Lorelei's angry screaming, his attention already turned elsewhere.

Yellow…

He hated her. He wanted nothing more than to wrap his hands around her skinny neck, wanting nothing more than to watch the light fade from those beautiful, gentle brown eyes. But yet…

His stomach lurched at the idea. He didn't want to see her hurt, or dead, or anything bad ever happen to her. He wanted to see her again. To see her ruling the world at the Shitenou's side. To see her free…

"Yellow…"

"Hey! Lance, are you even listening to me! Lance!" Lance looked up, seeing Lorelei standing above him, preparing to go into yet another screaming fit.

"They are starting to feel the coming of our power." Lance stated. Lorelei took a step backwards, her face confused, "What?"

"The Pokemon here, they can feel that we are going to soon make our move." He stood up, releasing his Pokemon, "We'll meet soon Yellow. Until then, enjoy your life, for the day soon approaches, the day I'll take you life!"

He didn't want to kill her. If she refused to see the perfection of his new world, then he would force open her eyes and make her take it all in.

It wouldn't have been all bad. Over time, the pollution caused by the humans would dissipate, and the few chosen humans that remained would repopulate the planet, and their kids would grow up respecting nature and Pokemon alike. They could all finally be in harmony…

The world pitched at his feet and Lance fell to his knees, blackness eating at the corners of his eyes. He smiled. So this was it…his end…he was expecting it now…it was all over. Darkness overtook him as he recalled their final battle.

Lance watched his prey with interest. Hiding in the shadows, the red-haired boy was nearly undetectable. All he would have to do is wait and when the perfect time came…He closed his eyes, savoring the thought.

He would have no one standing in his way.

Yellow sat up, having been awakened by the older man, nearly knocking him over as she shot up, her hands flying to her head, then realized her hat was lying on the cave floor several feet away.

She jammed it on her head, "Let's just say this hat makes me feel covered." she said. The old man gaped at her, "Y-Yellow-kun? Are you really a-" he shook his head, "No, now isn't the time. We have to find Red-san!"

"Yeah." Yellow agreed, following the old man deeper into the cave. Lance tailed them, sticking close to the shadows.

The old man turned suddenly, "Yellow-kun! Shine a light into the cave!" Yellow nodded, "Okay, Blaine! Pika, use Flash!" She stared up at leering redhead, shocked, "You-! You're alive!"

"No, I'm a ghost! Boo!" Lance said, smirking. He watched as Yellow reached for a Pokeball, only to be stopped by Blaine. "Allow me. To beat Lance we need to combine the powers of two people. Yellow-kun, your powers are impressive, but…Allow me to test something out so we won't be defeated in the first attack."

Blaine jumped at Lance, "Now watch his battle style closely!" he shouted. Lance frowned, "Only one person? Pitiful." He pointed at the old man, "Aerodactyl! Use Hyper Beam!"

The beginning of the end. He was drifting now, beyond pain.

She was pretty tough; he had to give her that much. To have actually come this far. But it was all over now. Lance knew one of them would die here. He shrugged his torn cape from his shoulders, watching the girl coolly.

"That was a pretty good strategy you two had going there, but it's too bad." Yellow watched as Aerodactyl sliced through the Pokeballs lying on the ground, "Between that 'Psywave' and the 'Energy Spoon' my situation could've been pretty bad if I hadn't been able to release any Pokemon."

"They're empty!"

"The remaining Dragon Pokemon you tried trapping in their Balls," Yellow stared, stunned, as Dragonite and Gyarados burst from the ground, "Are right here!"

"They were underground! So that's how you-so the rumble from the earth was really caused by-" Lance took her chin again, finishing for her, "That's right. These two were what pushed you up from inside the caves. These two had already left their Pokeballs long before you attacked them, hiding underground to cause tremors."

Lance smiled feral-looking, "The same Pokeballs you risked your very lives to destroy were already empty! My Dragonair, Gyarados, Dragonite, Aerodactyl-this is my Dragon Army. Now what will you do, Yellow-chan?"

Yellow rose shakily to her feet, glaring at her rival defiantly. Mewtwo leaped at him, Energy Spoon in hand, only to be blocked by Gyarados's tail. Lance smiled at the Pokemon, "So it seems you're prepared to fight to the death, Mewtwo."

"Mewtwo!"

"Good of you to kill off your partner too," Mewtwo's jaw clenched as it looked back at the unconscious Blaine. "Your connection with Blaine, did you think I didn't notice? You may be able to inflict damage on me, but the cost would be…fufufu…Blaine's body is just about done for."

Suddenly, Mewtwo's body vanished and a Pokeball bounced on the ground, only to be picked up by Yellow, "You say that we can't afford to hurt Blaine anymore?" She demanded the Pokemon.

She placed the Pokeball onto her belt. "Blaine and Mewtwo brought us this far," She removed a pair of Pokeballs from her belt, "Now it's all up to us!"

"What are you going to try now, Yellow-chan?" She raced at him, screaming, as her Pokemon burst from their 'Balls. "That is the team you're planning on fighting me with?"

"That's right!"

"Then how come none of them are evolved?" If there was ever a moment for the Dragon-master of the Shitenou to look floored, it was then. "Because I cancelled their evolutions!" Yellow gloated.

"You're a pretty weird girl, Yellow! Okay, then. I'm not going easy though!" Lance said, as Dragonite soared upwards. Yellow looked at her Pokemon, "Okay, guys! Let's go!"

Dragonite swooped down suddenly, the wind from its wings sending Yellow and her Pokemon flying. "This won't be like Vermillion again." Lance said, "Ah, but Aerodactyl and Dragonair received quite a bit of damage from Mewtwo. I should heal them."

Yellow watched as the Dragonair and Aerodactyl's wounds closed up right before her eyes, "Then you're-?"

"A child of the Viridian Forest? Yes." He smirked at her as Dragonite burst upward, leaving Yellow with a very shocked expression on her face. He flew towards the volcano.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Fufufu. This is the volcano at the center of the island, kinda like Cinnabar's old dormant volcano. However," he gestured at the bubbling lava below him, "Since Dragonite and Gyarados burrowed underground, disturbing the volcano, it's close to erupting now."

"Lance-" Yellow began, but was cut off by Lance's raised hand, "Isn't my stage for our last battle just perfect?"

Yellow stumbled backwards as Dragonite dropped down in front of her, "Strength!" Yellow rolled aside as the spot where she had stood exploded into a pile of rubble. "Hot! Hot! Hot!"

Lance stroked his Dragonite's head, "Aren't they amazing? Dragons are amazing, their strength is unparalleled with a little hard work." He looked down at Yellow.

"Dodosuke! Peck! Ra-chan! Super Fang!" Lance sighed, "It's no use." Dragonite twisted, smacking away the Raticate and Doduo as easily as if they were flies.

"Damn! Omasuke, Water Gun! Golsuke, Take Down! Pisuke, String Shot!" Again, Dragonite knocked them away. Yellow stared at her Pokemon sadly, watching them as they climbed to their feet. "Everyone-!"

Lance frowned, "It's pointless, idiot. Just give up! My Dragon's armor can't be pierced." He frowned at her. Run away, run away, why don't you? "So you're done for!"

"I'm not gonna give up! If I were stupid enough to give in right now, all of Kanto would be destroyed!" Lance felt her courage was admirable, but rather foolish. "It won't be destroyed, silly girl. I, Lance, will rebuild it after the Shitenou eradicate the humans from this world. Then the world will be ready for all the Pokemon to live freely!"

Yellow's eyes widened at his words. "Eradicate…the humans?" she said the words quietly, barely more than a whisper, and tears started rolling down her cheeks. "N-no! Don't you see that's wrong? It's true that humans have taken things from

Pokemon. I've seen that on my journey!"

She shouted up at Lance, "But that doesn't give you the right to destroy cities and kill people! Pokemon aren't tools for you to murder with!" Her head bowed and the tears were flowing harder now, "This little war that you have been waging, has not only hurt humans, but it's hurt Pokemon too!"

"I'm trying to help Pokemon!"

"No. Just a minute ago, you were healing your Dragonairs and your Aerodactyl, right." She wiped the tears brimming at her eyes, "Your powers that you possess are magnificent, so why are you using them to destroy? Why use it for the purpose of destuction? Why use them for evil?"

"You think what I'm doing is evil!"

Yellow ignored him, cradling her Raticate, "When I was first introduced to Pokemon, a person told me something! 'If you care for them with all your heart, they'll always be your friend'! Aren't you a friend of Pokemon too?"

I'm sorry for this Yellow, truly, but if you stand in my way, you can only be my enemy. "Now you will die in the pits of lava. Dragonite, Fire Blast!"

Lance heard Yellow scream, then watched as a glowing surfboard underneath her. He exhaled with a sigh of something like relief. But he wouldn't start showing mercy, never.

"Ingenious. Using a Substitute surfboard as a lifeboat." Lance smiled down at her, "But you only bought yourself a few minutes. Below you is nothing but lava. Now make your move, Yellow!"

"Let's go!" Lava arced through the air as Yellow took aim at Lance. "Smart! Using 'Surf' to cross the lava!" Dragonite dropped down behind Yellow, "But not smart enough!"

Lance extended an arm towards Pika, reading the Pokemon's thoughts. He grinned. "Excellent! So you and Pika both grew up in the Viridian Forest!" Pikachu sent an electric charge spiking into the air. "Hyper Beam!"

The explosion sent Yellow sprawling on her board, landing hard on her knees. "Hyper Beam!" Lance ordered. Attack them while they're down.

"Thunderbolt! Send it back Pika!"

"Yellow. You're young, but no doubt one of my best opponents." Lance smiled at the girl, "So far in this battle. I've used the powers of four Dragonairs."

"Four?"

"That's right." Lance continued. "One to cross not only the sea, but the skies. The second to change the direction of the energy blasts. The third, to control the weather itself. And the fourth, to combine it's attack and fight the opponents Usually I only use the two and the third is saved for stronger opponents. I've only had to use all four a few times."

It was over.

"But the Dragonair only make up a fraction of my power!" He flew at her. "How many limits could I have with all five Pokemon at my disposal?" She won't feel a thing. That thought only made him feel worse, though.

"You won't have time to answer! It all ends here!"

Goodbye…

"Surf!" What was she doing now! "You're running through the lava away from me?" Lava spun into the air, forming a lava whirlpool. It was like Mewtwo's ant-lion trap from before, but with lava this time. And Yellow was right at the center of it.

"Let's go!"

"You idiot! It's sucking me in!" Lance raised a protective arm over his face. "Now, surrender or else! Promise me you'll never attack anyone again!" Dragonite burst through the lava. "You can't defeat me!" Lance yelled.

Was this the end…?

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

He wouldn't allow her to win. The Pikachu had countered his last attack, sending him almost off his Dragonite. The sun was rising.

"Bubblebeam."

Yellow turned, "Lance!" Lance moved aside and the bubbles disappeared. Yellow flew backwards, "What?" she cried, looking around. He hadn't ordered an attack-what had he done?

"Pisuke! String Shot!"

"So you figured it all out, huh?" Lance looked around at the threads of silk, "The colors of the bubbles are the same colors that make up the light. You can't see them for that reason."

She was pretty smart.

"Now Pika! Ra-chan!" Lance gaped at the two Pokemon. But apparently she just couldn't get it through her thick skull. "Oh no, you don't!" The Bubble exploded just as Pikachu dodged aside.

"A trap! But!"

The Doduo flew at Lance. "Here comes our combo attack! Drill Peck!" Doduo bounced away. "It didn't work?"

"The plan was good." Lance admitted, and Yellow's gaze locked on him. "I'll admit, you're thread trap slowed me down, just like you wanted it to. But in the end you didn't have the power to defeat me! Hyper Beam!"

It was all over.

Wait…what?

As the smoke cleared, Lance noticed a second person-shaped form along with Yellow. "It's you-!" Lance cried, dumbstruck for a moment. What was he doing here? Pika snarled at the man, making Yellow grasp the Electric Mouse harder. Well, well, well, things keep getting more interesting…

The man made the universal gesture for 'Bring it'.

"This must be some sort of trick!" Lance muttered, "No matter! Nobody gets in my way and lives! Bubblebeam!"

"Rhyhorn! Horn Attack and then use Stomp!"

The bubbles were visible now, covered in dust and sand. "And now that we're visible, we've won." the man said, taking a Pokeball from his belt, "Nidoqueen! Use Scratch!" The bubbles burst around the two enemy Trainers.

"Burst the main Bubble!"

"Someone's a little overconfident." Lance muttered as Nidoqueen bounced off, "The bubble protected me from lava. Nothing can penetrate it! My turn! Hyper Beam!"

Perfect hit!

Then why was the man smiling? Lance looked down, realizing a second too late. A Beedrill flew from it's 'Ball and the man said, "You left yourself wide open. Twineedle!" He was falling now. He crashed down to the ground, impact softened by the sticky threads that wrapped themselves around his arms and torso.

"You're the Viridian City's Gym Leader," Lance ground out. The man grinned, "That's right." The Beedrill was at Lance's throat now, pressing just hard enough to draw a bead of blood.

"Mister-! Please!" Yellow protested.

"You must think that our organization is on the verge of destruction, don't you?" The Beedrill's drill pressed down harder seemingly punctuating the Gym Leader's words; Lance very nearly giggled at the thought, but a gasp of pain cut him off, more blood welling from the cut.

"You and the others in the Shitenou, trying to take over Kanto as it lies in near ruins now." the man continued, sneering at Lance in a way that made the redhead's blood boil, "You see, I can't let you do that. Because it'll only be me who will control it with my underlings…We will crush you!"

Lance grinned up mockingly at the Gym Leader, "What a powerful Gym Leader, and such a strong desire to rule this land." Lance's grin grew wider, "No, I should be saying that you really live up to that title of Team Rocket, shouldn't I, Giovanni?"

Giovanni ignored the bait. "Now. This game is over." he said. At that moment a noise like rumbling filled the air and Yellow could hear Lance's voice in her head. No, the voice whispered, it's just beginning. A light appeared, radiating from the inside of Giovanni's suit jacket, pulling him forward.

"What the-!"

The Feather Badge tore loose and the hollow of the volcano literally seemed to explode in white light. "A Trainer Badge!" Yellow cried. Lance looked at the girl, expression unreadable for a moment, climbing to his feet then shifted his gaze to the Rocket Leader. "Giovanni. You know what this must mean. After all, you are a Gym Leader. You gain power to control Pokemon based on the number of Badges brought together. And I had seven right here!"

"Your insane!" Lance flinched at her words, unable to hide the pain on his face. He shook his head wildly, trying to regain his composure.

"Yes! And now, the energy gathered from the eight badges keeps rising." The rumbling grew louder as the light began to take form, "The ultimate weapon will be the Legendary Beast that appears over this island when the sun rises!"

Giovanni looked up, "Well, what a clever plan you devised there…indeed." The Rocket Leader turned suddenly and Lance watched as the man high-tailed it down the mountain. "Feh! Giovanni is a coward, but at least he brought me the final badge!"

Lance's Aerodactyl appeared from it's Pokeball and the redhead prepared to board, only to be stopped by Yellow, who had latched onto his arm, crying out to him, "Lance! Don't do this!"

He wrenched his arm free from her, feeling his jaw clench involuntarily at the hurt look on her face. Might as well pursue this till the bitter end. "Why wouldn't I? I'm going to meet the Legendary Pokemon!" Even if it makes her start believing that I'm a monster.

He had to.

"This has been my plan from the very beginning! To take control of the power told about in legends!" He pointed to the light, which had taken the form of a gigantic bird, "If I can control this, I can not only erase the human race from not only Kanto, but the entire world as well!"

He surged upwards, ignoring Yellow's anguished cries. If he couldn't make her see the beauty of his new world, if she closed her eyes and refused to see it he would force open those same eyes and make her take it all in!

She appeared in front him, leaping into the air, Pokeball in hand. "What do you think you're doing?" Aerodactyl fired a Hyper Beam and it struck the girl. The smoke cleared.

Yellow kneeled behind her Metapod, "Metapod?" Lance yelped. Yellow nodded, "Now that I don't have my Pokedex, I can no longer stop their evolutions." An Omastar, Dodrio, and Golem emerged from their Pokeballs; a Butterfree broke free from its cocoon. "It ends here! Lance!"

I couldn't have said it any better myself, my little Yellow-chan…

"I'll show you that you're wrong! Humans and Pokemon are friends! I'll protect both races!" We're like yin and yang, Lance thought, his Pokemon gathering around him for the final attack. Good and evil, black and white, the desire to protect and the desire to do harm.

"Kill them all!" he ordered. His Pokemon flew at the girl, who screamed, "I'll show you the truth!" Attacks were slicing through the air. Lance couldn't even tell who was attacking who anymore.

"Pika! Rage!"

Pikachu flew at him, only to bounce of harmlessly. "Pathetic!" he gloated, watching Yellow catch Pika. She flew at him once more, determined. She would not let him do this. She couldn't, plain and simple.

"Megavolt!"

And that's the last thing he remembered.

Everything hurt.

When he came too, he found himself lying at the base of a huge tree. He sat up, but the pain it caused him nearly made him black out again. Blood oozed from a deep gash on his right arm and one of his ankles had twisted into an unnatural angle, obviously either sprained or broken. His Pokeballs were gone.

He got up and began making his way through the forest.

Lance's eyes flew open.

He sat up suddenly, hand touching the bandages on his chest, "I'm alive?" he asked. "H-hey! Be careful! Do you want your wounds to open up again?" He looked at Yellow, who was sitting on the floor next to him.

Or maybe I died and went to hell.

"You saved me?" he asked. Yellow nodded, "I couldn't just leave you lying there to die. So I brought you home and bandaged your wounds."

"But I'm your enemy."

Yellow shook her head, "You still don't see it, do you? Humans, even though they can do evil things sometimes, are some of the most compassionate beings. I think Aero-kun and Dra-kun realized that. They helped me bring you back here after all." A Dragonite and Aerodactyl hovered over Lance, the relief on seeing their master okay obvious on their faces.

"My Pokemon?"

"I found them a little while before I found you. Here." She placed two Pokeballs into his hand. "I healed them up for you. Your Dragonair and Gyarados are resting. I healed them up too."

Lance was stunned. Why had she, his enemy, helped him, instead of leaving him there to die? She had carried him all the way back here and not only helped him, but his Pokemon! Why? Wasn't he her enemy, for Arceus's sake? Shouldn't she hate him?

"You're not my enemy."

Lance looked up to see Yellow leaning down, inches from his face. His mouth opened slightly as the boy found himself caught off-guard. Had she read his mind?

"You were hurt. I couldn't just leave you there." Yellow squatted down in front of him, grasping Lance's hands. He felt a blush creep slowly over his cheeks. "But why?" he asked, "I was going to destroy everything…kill people. Even people you loved. So why?"

"Because it was…the right thing to do." Yellow was crying now, tears streaming down her cheeks, "I couldn't just leave you there. I don't agree with what you were trying to do…but, I just couldn't…let you…die…"

He watched as she collapsed, sobs wracking her body, his hand clutched tightly in hers. His other hand stroked her long, blonde hair. She glanced up at him, wiping away the tears on her cheeks, and then said the six words Lance never thought he would hear:

"I just love you too much."

Lance gaped at her, "What?" he yelped. She looked up, her eyes blazing with determination now, "I love you, Lance-kun. I wouldn't have ever let you die."

Lance smiled, pulling her tightly against him. The girl looked up at him, stunned and a little afraid, "Lance?" she asked. What was he going to do now? The Dragon Master was totally unpredictable sometimes. Had she-made a mistake? "Yellow," he whispered.

"I love you too."

Yeah, my first Grantedshipping. My other ones in the future are gonna be better so be patient! (Oh yah, if you look on the actual Pokemon Special site, for the HGSS saga. It's in Japanese. I couldn't read a single thing sadly, but it looks like Lance is gonna be in it! At least it looks like Lance. Who else has that curl-bang-thing and owns a Dragonite and is the Leader of Johto's Elite Four?)

Adieu, Crystal