Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Satoshi Tajiri, Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*
Notes: () for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks.
Chapter 2
"You have a plan," Lance repeated. Perhaps she had finally snapped and was talking to a very intelligent and introspective delusion.
Red nodded. No matter how he acted, he was not a complete idiot, and until Lugia had shown him the Tree of Life, he had gone over scenario and scenario obsessively in his mind, trying to figure out a way to return his Mate to life. He had suspected it after the first few months, even without Sabrina's prompting, for how could a near-immortal Guardian and Chosen one die from something as stupid as a car accident without forethought, and furthermore, without choosing to die?
Lance could scry just as well as Charlotte could, and even if she had not seen, he knew that his soul-sister would have carried the message. She was the messenger, after all. No, when he had spoken to Lugia, the dragon had only confirmed what he already knew, deep in his heart of hearts.
He knew he was not perfect, and perfection was impossible to obtain, even for a Guardian, but he would take her as she was, sharp edges and all.
She had sworn herself to him by calling upon the power of the spirits of the ancient world. He had never appreciated what Eternity really meant, but now, he had a better inkling. And he did not care if it cost him his soul in exchange – he would not betray her again.
The only thing that could stop power was not more power. It was love, cliché as it was. Lance's problem was that she allowed the rage, the anger, the frustration, the pain and despair to eat away at her until there was nothing left. He would not let that happen again.
Suicide was a very selfish choice, the Sword even more so, as deadly – as necessary as it was. He would not let his egomaniacal, self-centered actions drive her away until there was only eternal peace left.
Red nodded resolutely. "We are going to fix this."
Lance blinked at him for several long moments. That was it?
"Several of the main branches are corrupted." He explained. "There is one branch where I leave Pallet Town at age ten with a Pikachu, or even another starter, that has spawned dozens of horrible variations. There are other branches were I leave Pallet Town with Bulbasaur and Poliwhirl, after getting one of Professor Oak's few pokedexes, and you seek to cleanse the world by harnessing the power of the Gym Badges and Lugia's power of destruction, but it fails due to outside intervention and the fact that I am not by your side as I should be."
He looked thoughtful. "And it is far better for one such as you to hold power. It corrupts far too easily, and it does not make me happy. I have seen that it would be wiser of I gave my power to you, for your duty to the Realm is never swayed, no matter the circumstance, while mine is."
She stared. "Red, this is foolishness in itself!"
"No," He shook his head, smiling. "I do not think so. I prefer simpler pleasures, and the task of balancing the Realm should not lie in the hands of a brainless child."
"This is tantamount to brainwashing," She warned.
"No," Red repeated. "This is what I choose, for the Realm, yes, but I choose it for you, so you will be happy, and you will not love in vain."
It would not be an easy transition to make. Indeed, he was idly surprised that Serebii had not descended upon them in holy wrath. However, as he studied her, he saw the faint flickers in her soul that mirrored his own.
"Your Cards… you still hold them within your heart, do you not?" He questioned.
She laughed; the sound slightly sharp. "Yes, as you carry yours, Guardian." A brush of her fingertips in the air brought the three Pokemon into view. Palkia, Dialga, and Giratina were silent, tangible power suffusing the air. But he knew that these were no mere shadows as the cards were, but the Pokemon themselves, bound to her by her power as Dragon Master. This was power enough to create a world – or destroy another.
"And Serebii knows of this?" He questioned.
"No," Lance studied him from beneath her eyelids. "There are certain secrets I still keep; no matter how much she may twist the threads of fate to her advantage. It is easier to pretend to be weak and suicidal."
That way, when the attack finally came, there was no warning.
If they went through with this plan, all would be exposed. And would that be so bad, he wondered, for him to choose to live as an ordinary Trainer with a wonderful Mate, and no longer dance on the puppet-strings that his sister and lover were bound to?
And they could rewrite the Prophecy…
No, that was going too far. He would not wipe everything clean and start anew, for as powerful as the Chosen were, with their Pokemon at their side, the higher legendaries were more powerful still. Even one such as Arceus, a mockery of the true Creator, would quail in fear and fall to trembling before the true trinity.
They would simply have to edit those timelines that invariably led to betrayal, death, and destruction. He would not enjoy being Ash, but that was also a step in redemption.
"Will you meet up with Misty and Brock, then?" She questioned, slightly curious.
"No," Red replied quickly. "There is too much potential there. I shall just visit them once to get the Badges."
The web of lives was so tangled at times that a single misplaced thread might destroy the entire pattern. He refused to weave anything but violet for himself and Lance, though she wove much better than he.
Misty was temptation, even though he should know better, considering how she had been MissingNo's host in more than one life. Even Brock could seduce him, as disgusted as he was to admit it.
Being Ash was a road fraught with peril. Even a friendly face he had met once could become something more, though whether Lance took direct action or not depended on if she found his choices acceptable. That had also been a revelation, one he was not sure he liked. Certain people, in her mind, he could live happily ever after with and she would do nothing to either herself or him, but others, well… He supposed that it was lucky he had seen the consequences, or else he would be in over his head!
Even now, he felt a little like he was drowning. But if he had to drown, he would rather drown in Lance's warped romance, than elsewhere.
Before he knew what was happening, she was holding him.
"Red… you have to understand, there are still many shards out there." Lance said quietly. "You may not like the person I am going to be."
At the moment, he only saw duty and affection, and those were more positive aspects of her character. Would he still want her when she was complete?
He tightened his grip on her. "I don't care, Lance-chan."
She inhaled sharply. That nickname…
He nodded. "I am not going to leave you, Lance-chan. Ash might break his promises, but I will not. I swear by the spirits of the Ancient World, on my position as Realm Guardian and all the power I possess, that I will never leave you again."
It was not at all eloquent, but both of them felt the swell and crest of the binding magic as it took hold, cementing his words into reality.
Her eyes softened, just a little, as she felt him tuck his head underneath her chin, in the ultimate gesture of submission.
For a long while, they just held each other, before Lance reluctantly pulled away.
"Well," She drawled, and he could sense the beginning of hope in her tone, "If we're going to fix this mess before the whole tree collapses, we'd better get started."
And he followed.
End Chapter
Started 11/25/12
Completed 11/27/12
