Penitence 001: Taedium

"You should really give the human race another chance…"

Those same words kept resounding in Lance's head as he tried to sleep through the night. After the young trainer left, the dragon trainer, along with his Pokemon, found some shelter in a cave deep in the Viridian Forest. He knew he was guided there by the wonders of the forest; otherwise, he would have found himself sleeping in plain sight against that tree.

Why should he? Humans were…

Lance stirred and woke up once more, sweat pouring from his forehead. Small puffs of air came out of the dragon trainer's mouth as he tried to calm himself down. Eventually, he brought his hand to his face to try and calm himself.

What in Arceus' name did that child do to him?

That warm sensation budding in his chest was unlike anything he has ever felt in his twenty years of living. Sure, he's felt numerous emotions. That was in the case of being human. There was no escape from that; however, this feeling... whatever that blasted child did when they used their power on his chest, his heart felt something long forgotten. He could not describe it.

Of course, that is not to say Lance would ignore it. No, he had to know what it was that the child did. The child would have no intentions trying to assassinate him; otherwise, they would have done so when he was extremely vulnerable, especially while good amounts of blood poured out of his wounds.

BEEP BEEP BEEP

Startled, Lance broke away from his thoughts and took out his PokeGear from his back pocket. Funny, he would have thought it stopped working when that kid hit him with that Megavolt. Oh well, the forest is too merciful to him.

Lance read the name of the person who was trying to get in contact with him.

(411)3879-4501

Lorelei

Lorelei, the ice specialist of the Kanto Elite 4 or, rather, presumably ex-member now from the looks of it. Lance kept staring at the beeping screen, contemplating on whether to answer or not. He was still pretty tired and... ah, well, looks like he just missed the call.

In all honesty, was he even ready to face anyone at this time? He did just lose to a pipsqueak who, judging from his battles with the kid, barely started Pokemon battling. It would be humiliating, especially with his pride as the leader, well, ex-leader, of the Kanto Elite 4, for him to face any of his team members.

However... Lance never liked any of them. Maybe Lorelei was an exception, but that's it.

Agatha. She was just a terrible person all around but she did share the same passion of hate against humanity; though, her intention to rid humanity still remained a mystery to him and the rest of the Kanto Elite 4. She could have been the leader of the Kanto Elite 4 but she chose against it and allowed for Lance to take charge. He did not complain against her decision but he was curious as to why.

Perhaps, if things did not go her way, she could always blame it on him? It seemed like it, especially with her mysterious and sudden disappearance. She never informed anyone where she would be going or what her true intentions were with the elimination of humanity. It just seemed she was just a grumpy old hag. Not that he cared for her.

Then there's Bruno. Lance did almost feel some sympathy towards him because he did not consent to these plans. Almost.

Last, there was Lorelei. Lance was never certain if he did hate her or felt that she a human who truly felt compassion towards Pokemon. Albeit, Agatha did recruit her not only because of the powerful potential she saw but because she had a similar background to the young dragon trainer.

Lance never did go into any details of Lorelei's past or Agatha's. They did not ask about his in return as well. He just needed their support to accomplish his plan in the eradication of the human race.

As Lorelei's name faded from his receiver, Lance could see there were a couple of calls made to it moments before he found the cave he was in. There were twenty received and missed calls in total all from Lorelei.

What was that woman thinking?

Surely, she had to understand that using the PokeGear would have to be limited so as to not be traced by the people now on the search for them. Surely, she would be smart enough to know that. Surely, just surely she should know...

Lance shook his head. What an undependable woman. He stared at his PokeGear, contemplating whether or not he really needed it. Of course, he answered his own questions. There would be those trying to track him down. Only Arceus knew what would happen if he did get caught.

He is a fugitive now.

Lance knew the repercussions of the plan if things did not fall into place. Of course he knew that the eradication of mankind is a grave sin, but he figured that the reward of eliminating his own species would be just what he wanted. Well, he would not experience that as he is hiding out in a cave deep in the Viridian Forest.

Dropping the PokeGear on the ground, Lance proceeded to crush the device under his boot. He could not have anyone track him down. He had to get away from the Kanto region as soon as possible without getting spotted. Knowing that the young child knew his whereabouts, Lance had to flee.

Calling the Pokemon one by one into their Ultra balls with the exception of Dragonite, Lance quickly clasped his cape around his shoulders. He looked around the cave and made sure there would be no traces of him to be found. With that, he climbed onto the back of his most trusted companion and without another word, silently left the Viridian Forest.

"Hopefully... the next time we meet again, we will be fighting on the same side..."

...

Darkness still shrouded the time of morning as Lance made his way over the border of Kanto to Johto. His father's homeland. The land he despised so much and yet found himself hiding for the time being.

How ironic.

Checking the surroundings, Lance made sure they were swift and quiet as they swiftly traveled through the dark morning sky. Even without the PokeGear, Lance knew the exact hour just by looking up at the sky and observing the stars above. So, the young dragon trainer did not need any assistance from modern technology. If anything, Lance needed it to communicate with the members of the Kanto Elite 4. Since they disbanded, there's no use for it anymore.

Silence filled the night sky as Lance traveled through the skies of Johto. This did not bother him. In fact, the young dragon trainer mused to himself, figuring that he may need this silence to himself.

Maybe the silence was needed to help the villain reform his evil ways?

Ha! Lance knew that he was right. Humans were despicable no matter what anyone says. He knew that he could only be seen as the bad guy because the humans would not like the very idea of being eradicated.

Who would anyways?

Maybe Lance did go a bit insane. Just hearing his plan of taking out the entire human race over and over in his head sounds very... far off. Sure, it might have sounded really cool and daring as a child; however, the more he pondered on this, the more he felt stupid for coming up with something that... extreme.

Of course, he knew he was not wrong in saving Pokemon from the cruelty of mankind. Maybe the dumb kid was right. Maybe he was a little misguided in his solution to give Pokemon better lives.

Or maybe whatever the little brat did to his chest a few hours ago was making him think like this.

"I must be out of my mind..." Lance murmured under his breath. That pipsqueak's words were ringing inside his head and he could not get them out. It was the reason why he could not sleep even through just one hour!

Dragonite's antennae perked up at the voice of his master. Lance noticed and shook his head while he placed the palm of his hand on his Pokemon's head. The dragon trainer knew why Dragonite was getting worried.

'Do not fret...' Lance reassured the flying Pokemon, 'Let's find us a place to hide out for the time being...' He ordered and off they flew into the large mountains of Johto.

As they traveled in the dark morning sky, Lance could not shake the feeling that they were being followed.

...

Eventually, Lance arrived in front of a giant cave entrance. He could sense the aura of the place. It was more than perfect. As the young dragon trainer took in the surroundings, he felt that the Pokemon in the area were extremely powerful. It was a great place to stay in hiding for the time being. The wild Pokemon would deter any amateur trainers from where he planned to hide. As well, this area was deep in the mountains and only extremely powerful trainers like himself could survive out here.

Although... Lance did not like the idea of hiding from the world. Sure, it was nice to be away from the cruelty of mankind. However, he felt that he was chased here like a Rattata being forced to hide from its predators.

Pinching the bridge between his eyes, Lance made his way into the cave's large entrance. This was where he was going to stay for the time being. It would be lonely. There would be no one to talk to but his Pokemon as well as the wild ones that inhabited the place. It may drain him of his sanity or not. It may give him the solitude and thinking he needs after his battle on Cerise Island.

This time to himself... without human interaction would help him see if he was truly right or if that child was right. Staying away from the human world would bring his mind to peace. Humanity is just too cruel one way or another, whether it was their relationship to Pokemon or even to each other.

Humanity was simply tainted, plain and simple. Lance needed to get away from the world to recuperate his thoughts. Perhaps he stayed in the human world too long and that's what made him go through with his plans to eradicate humanity altogether.

However, Lance needed to make sure that he would not be found. He could not afford to have anyone following him; otherwise, it would only cause unnecessary trouble. Sure, he could take this trouble on. He is a powerful dragon trainer who did claim a seat in the Kanto Elite 4.

But...

It was not worth the risk. Lance was too tired to remain with the humans for too long. He knew that deep down, the child did have a point. Although, he had too much pride to admit that right now. This time to himself... it may be just what he needed to see the rights and wrongs of his thinking.

Lance could feel it. The presence of something... someone following him. He had to admit. Whoever was trailing him, they had been doing a good job; however, it was not that good if Lance could sense it from quite a distance away.

Whoever is following him, Lance decided... needs to be eliminated.

Options ran through his mind as he came to this conclusion. Sure, it could be the small child Yellow following but... what other motive would they have in tracking him down? If anything, Yellow could have dragged him to the authorities given that chance back in the Viridian Forest. Heck, Yellow could have brought the authorities with them to the Viridian Forest.

It could not be Lorelei. Lorelei was trying to get in contact with him and immediately Lance destroyed that infernal device so that she would not be able to track him down. In all instances, Lorelei would just give up on the matter altogether. If anything, she would be in hiding herself too. There would be no benefit for her if she wanted to track Lance down and hide out with him. She always had her home in the Sevii Islands. It would be beneficial for both of them if hid alone, separately. It would make it much harder for authorities to find them that way.

Clair. Could it be Clair? Clair, his cousin from Blackthorn City and the city gym leader. She had the great capabilities of tracking anyone down if she wanted to. That determination and fierce will is what got her the gym leader position of Blackthorn City after all. However, even she could not track Lance no matter how hard she tried. Lance knew her all too well. He knew where her weaknesses and strengths lie. One of them was her inability to keep tabs on him. Lance knew how to evade her and for her, Mt. Silver would be one of the last places she would check. Heck, Clair may be searching Kanto for the time being. Once she realizes he is not there anymore, she will move to Johto and by that time, Lance would be gone.

Who else could it be? Lance concluded that it would have to be someone he did not know but that person knew him. That person knew what he had done regarding the Cerise Island incident. As well, this person most likely had a connection to the PokeDex holders if they were trailing him. This was the only deduction he could make. The news of the Cerise Island incident has yet to reach the public.

As well, this person most likely wanted something from him. What could it be?

As much as that question slightly intrigued the young dragon trainer, Lance did not have the time to deal with it. He wanted that alone time. Getting away from mankind is what he needs right now. He needed to figure out his own path from here on out. He did not need to be pestered by the humans.

With that settled, Lance looked to the mountains outstretched before him, "Hyper beam." Once the order left his lips, Dragonite's hyper beam shot towards the general direction Lance was facing. It was a mere seconds before that general direction blew up into flames and falling debris.

The presence of being followed disappeared made Lance smirk. Now that that was out of the way, the dragon trainer turned back to the entrance of the cave entrance. Even though for the time being there's no one following him, Lance made sure to seal the entrance of the cave by having Dragonite use Rock Slide once he was inside the cave.

Darkness quickly engulfed the young dragon trainer and his Pokemon as soon as the rocks sealed up the cave entrance. This did not bother him nor his Pokemon. The darkness felt... inviting. Away from the light of the world that blinded him into his hatred of humanity.

It had been a while for Lance to train in an environment such as this. He could remember his training at Blackthorn City when he was with the Dragon Clan. For him, it was harsh, especially at an age of ten. However, survival was key if he were to hide from the world for a while.

Lance released one of his Pokemon from their ball, "Dragonair, I need you to create for me a small light."

The orb on Dragonair's neck emitted a soft glow for its trainer. Lance nodded in thanks to his Pokemon before advancing further into the cave. Dragonair stayed in the front to guide its trainer while Dragonite watched the back in case there may be any sneak attacks from the wild Pokemon of the cave.

Through some silent wandering, Lance came across an injured Pokemon on the ground before him. He wore a quizzical look at the condition of the green Pokemon. It took the young dragon trainer a little bit to register the species of Pokemon that lay before him.

Larvitar.

Lance released a soft sigh as he knelt before the Pokemon. As bitter as he was about his earlier defeat, Lance's love for Pokemon still reigned overall. He could see that there were burn marks on the Larvitar's rock body. Soft gold light emitted from the palm of Lance's hands and shone on the injured Pokemon.

During the healing process, Lance accidentally stumbled on the Pokemon's memories. It was one of the effects that happens while healing a Pokemon, even when the healer does not have any intention of revealing those memories.

Abuse. Pain. Bitterness. Anger.

Those were the emotions contained in the memories Lance was reading. He could see a young man around his late teens abusing the Pokemon. Lance could only assume that this trainer abandoned this Larvitar. He could see how much the abuse affected the Pokemon not just physically but especially mentally.

"You're weak...! You'll never be like my other better and stronger Pokemon! Why don't you evolve already?! You're so tiny and frail, you can't even stand up against a Magikarp...!"

Lance started to grit his teeth the more Larvitar's memories poured into his head. This was the very reason why he hated humanity! While he did want to get away from the world, these memories did not help in giving him the solitude he needed.

Although...

Maybe there was a reason why Lance met this particular Larvitar. He could not answer why he met this one but it did reaffirm one thing... his deep hatred against humanity. Why was that child so adamant about protecting humanity? What good had they done? If there were only a few in the world who were truly good to Pokemon, then why not get rid of the majority who just see Pokemon as tools?

What gave humanity the right to live?

The golden light that emitted from the dragon trainer's palms slowly faded away. Larvitar looked up at Lance with a sincere look of thankfulness. Lance could see that there was also a hint of fear towards him, most likely because of the Larvitar's abusive past with its ex-trainer.

Humans are truly...

"Don't worry... I won't harm you..." Lance chided, "If you would like, you may accompany me with the rest of my team for protection. Like you, I am also on the run."

Larvitar looked up at Lance with a hint of worry but then it shook it off. The Pokemon nodded in agreement which led to Dragonite pulling the smaller Pokemon on top of its head.

Watching a small friendship form between Larvitar and Dragonite, Lance could not help but smile to himself. Pokemon were truly interesting creatures. He loved them dearly. Nothing else could compare to how he felt towards Pokemon in general. That was when he felt the hatred in his heart grow even more.

Lance then nodded his Dragonair to lead them deeper in the cave. His thoughts on humanity still remained the same. That child was wrong. Foolish even. Maybe one day when they meet again, Lance would show the brat how cruel humanity can be. If they were alike, then Lance could even chide the child onto his side. Because after all, humans are...

...disgusting.

TBC

A/N: So I decided to upload the first chapter with the prologue so that at least we can see Lance's journey start off even if on a very rocky start!

* If you believe Lance is OOC that was not my intention. In my eyes, I honestly view Lance as someone with a very twisted sense of self-righteousness. He believes he's always right about everything and I hope as his journey progresses, we'll be able to see why his thought process is such.

* I don't want to give out so much away but I will say that I do intend to follow on Lance's journey. We will be seeing the other characters soon enough but for now, it'll be Lance and solitude. I do intend to tie his story with the main events that happen in the manga so keep a lookout for that!

As always, thank you for taking the time to read and if you have any comments, reviews, or even constructive criticism I'll be glad to hear them all!

- Pochi