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.

References to 'Never Know' and 'Go Fish'

Warnings: Gender-bending

Chapter 3

It was best to collect the more difficult shards first, Lance thought, and Red did not protest. They watched silently, as Serebii sealed the Sacred Sword within her – no, his heart, but he would scarcely allow something as mundane as gender to keep himself away from his Mate. He noticed her unease, however, and he squeezed her hand.

"I always wondered if it was my fault," Lance murmured.

Red frowned. "What was your fault?"

"The fact that I took you as a man… it opened up the door to alternative pleasures…" She looked at him steadily. "Did you have interest in Gary or Richie before I molested you?"

He gaped at her. "I love you irregardless of gender, and you most certainly did not turn me gay! I like being taken." He said the last part with a blush. In addition, Lance was almost chaste with him, the perfect gentleman – or lady, as it were. Maybe it was because they had not had passionate sex non-stop that he had gone looking elsewhere for it?

He sighed, not wanting to dwell on it.

She chuckled, then. "I see…"

Watching the events unfold was almost as bad as living through them once more. He could not stifle a gasp as he watched Lance cut her hair short, and then brutally murder her human parents with scissors for engaging her to a rich old man. He tried not to flinch, but the fact that she had used scissors reminded him all too keenly of how he had almost driven her to suicide in a separate life, when he had mastered the entire Unown alphabet.

If only he had not been so foolish! But his admiration for the Dragon Master had almost become his downfall, and he had discovered that while he could force Lance to love, it was not love at all.

He did not want to think too closely on that.

Then, he watched as she and Charlotte were gathered for duty, and he himself became Destiny. Next was the revelation of Team Rocket's scheme. Finally, as the Guardians used their ultimate attacks, he saw Lance reach out and capture a black shard of soul in her cupped hands. He saw Serebii's cold dismissal of the sacrifices made and he heard himself claim that the Chosen would be something other than puppets…

But he forgot, didn't he, and it was so easy for him to forget how imperfect his life was, as reincarnation spun its wheel. His burden was not to carry the memories, but to be naïve and innocent and bring hope.

It made him sick.

Innocence all too often was a vice and not a virtue, because of the unending stupid mistakes it caused.

Lance hissed slightly as she absorbed the energy, and then turned to him. Rage flared in her eyes and he had to steel himself to meet her gaze.

It was not hard to guess which heart shard that had been.

"I am a killer, Red," She reminded him.

"So am I," He replied, as he watched her form shift. It made sense, after all. She had been male in this life so she was a man again.

He stepped up to Lance and kissed him hard, trying to convey the depth of his love. He was not wholly surprised when strong arms clamped around him in a punishing vice-grip, crushing him against the older Master's chest.

Lance kissed back, golden eyes alight with madness.

He bore his throat in submission. If this was what his Mate needed, then he would gladly offer up his body in payment. However, although he could feel evidence of the man's arousal, Lance released him swiftly, turning away.

He had more honor than that…

He might kill, but rape, at least in this life, this time, was unacceptable.

Red was surprised, but he did not push the issue.

That was not how he wished to show his love. He wanted to show Lance that he respected him, and trusted him, and loved him, but it would take time. He wanted to erase the past and future both and rewrite it anew, but that would be cheap.

He knew that at the core, it was his lust for variety and multiple sexual partners that had driven the Dragon Master to suicide, more than once, and instead of learning from his mistakes or at least trying to make amends, his sins grew heavier and heavier until they finally were too much to bear. Even nigh-omnipotent power was not an adequate substitute for love.

He had started out with innocent flirtation, and kisses, even marriage, but he knew that he had swiftly degenerated. Was it the freedom of being a teenager, he wondered? Or, more troubling, was it because he did not give a damn about anyone else's feelings?

Red sighed. He wondered if it was still acceptable to court Lance, in this stage. He certainly did not want to solve things the way he used to, by jumping into bed with the older Chosen, and Lance would probably castrate him first, or at the very least be cold and distant.

What a fool he was! Sex was not love.

Red wondered just how he could prove himself. Although his mind had several enticing suggestions that would be fun for both of them, he quashed the lustful thoughts and turned his attention to Lance. What he needed was to do was spend time rebuilding their friendship, first. There needed to be some kind of foundation for their future besides lust.

He nodded resolutely.

Lance looked at him, as though sensing his thoughts.

"Would you like to have dinner with me?" Red asked, before he lost his nerve.

The redhead nodded slowly.

It was a date, then. Red grinned as he found a small café that looked quite nice. They found a table in the back. The owner, a plump, motherly woman with curly brown hair, brought them hot chocolate, as it was snowing lightly outside. Lance brushed the melting snowflakes out of his hair, while Red tried hard not to think about ice in connection with punishment or emotionless shells. The hot chocolate did help, though.

Lance sipped the warm drink with a faint smile. He was not so far gone that he could not bring up any pleasant memories, though sometimes it was easier not to, to protect himself. He knew that the best way to rewrite the life-lines would be for Red to take over Ash and make sure that Destiny was not an idiot.

Well, time would tell.

He lapped at the whipped cream as he studied the menu. Food was certainly a pleasure, so he would try to appreciate it.

Red tried to hide his nervousness. He was still a little surprised that Lance had not vented his anger on him. It would make sense for him to do so, but maybe Lance was so used to being kind that he turned all his anger inward until it led to depression and suicide. That was not healthy at all!

"What would you like?" The waitress asked, a few minutes later.

Lance paused. "I think I will have the turkey and avocado club on wheat bread and a side of clam chowder."

He looked at Red.

"Um, a BLT with cheese for me, and French fries, please," Red ordered. He tried not to fidget. This was ridiculous! Why was he acting so shy?

Lance raised an eyebrow. Was Red trying to seduce him by acting like a shy little virgin? He did not want to play any more games.

Then again, he supposed that at least in this life, they had not dated much, or even consummated their love. The Cards had occupied most of their attention, what with that and their duty as Realm Guardians… well, he would be the first to admit that he had planned almost everything they had done as a couple. Perhaps he had been too much of a control freak. Could it be that the lack of romance had turned Ash – Red – away?

He wanted Red to take the initiative, though, and prove that he wanted a real relationship, not just a quick fuck.

Red drank his hot chocolate. He could not make any mistakes! Then, Lance might leave him for good!

But he still wanted…

No! He could not give in to his lust. Because then, Lance would decide that all he wanted was sex, and truthfully, in many of the tainted lives, that was not so far off the mark. He had chosen to stray even with a girlfriend, or worse, a wife, because he could not control his hormones. He shuddered.

It was too difficult to make conversation at the moment, so they both ate dinner in silence, but the food was tasty, and it was a start.

Afterwards, they got a room with a bunk bed at the Pokemon Center, and slept. Tomorrow was another day.

Tomorrow was another day, but would it be a good day?

Red hoped so.

End Chapter

Started 11/27/12

Completed 12/17/12