Timeline: 13 days later
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*
Thank you, Link Masters and SS2 Megami-sama. I really appreciate your support.
Notes: Red does not know Lance is female. As a result, he will use incorrect gender pronouns!
Chapter 4: Mercury and Glass
Red had gotten used to the situation more, and Lance usually just stayed in the necklace and occasionally interspersed in his thoughts.
It was kind of like a voice in his head, but he wasn't schizophrenic.
At least he hoped he wasn't yet.
Still, it was helpful. The other had not tried to make him do any crazy things, and usually just stayed quiet. And once, when he had been nervous and unable to think of a strategy during a battle, the Dragon Trainer had instructed him on what to do.
So it was kind of like mutualism.
Right now, the spirit was sitting behind him, embracing him around the shoulders, while he ate his cereal.
"Lance? What's it like being dead?"
The Dragon Master raised her eyebrows. "That's a strange question."
"Well… um… we haven't talked very much, and so…" He continued to stammer a little. A faint blush tinted his cheeks. After all, nobody besides his mom ever hugged him, and she was usually out of town at work with Devon Corp.
"Oh." Lance said. "Hmm… well, you can't taste anything, and you don't really feel… I'm slightly solid, and if I use enough power, I can assume a body temporarily… it's different. But in a way, it is very peaceful too."
"No stress?"
"None whatsoever, which is a plus… Right now, I'm just here to protect you." She told him reassuringly.
Red felt better as he finished eating his cornflakes and chocolate milk. He peeled an orange as he pondered another question. "But what are you doing about your Pokemon?"
He had not abandoned them, had he?
"They're here with me…" Lance said. "It's one of the Dragon Master's powers."
"Oh!" Red looked intrigued. "I See."
Lance pressed slightly harder down on Red as she activated her powers. More flashes heralded the arrival of her Dragon Pokemon team, who all happily chatted with their Trainer and her new companion.
He continued to blush faintly as he felt Lance put his arms around him. This was getting a bit strange. "Uh… Lance?"
"I have to keep somewhat in contact with you, or it drains off a lot of my energy." The trainer explained.
"Oh…"
Red felt much more relieved after that explanation. Fact always beat idle speculation! Lance would be crazy to have a crush on him! Besides, he was too young. And he had liked Blue for a bit, but he didn't mind her being with Green. They were still friends.
Happy now, he finished eating the orange section by section and then put his dishes in the sink, washed them, and put them in the dish rack to dry.
"Are you ready for another day?"
Lance's eyes crinkled up slightly in a half-smile. "Yes."
The pokemon who were still eating nodded. The others gave cheerful yells.
The day awaits us! Let's go!
Fly! Fly! Fly!
Yay! Fresh air!
I'm ready for battle whenever you are!
Let's go! Pika repeated, jumping up and down.
Red checked on the plant pokemon roaming his yard outside. He found the large Victreebel family (almost seventy members, counting the young Bellsprouts) feeding themselves on poke chow and any wild food that ventured into their hunting grounds.
"Hmm… I could just take one of you and leave the others here. It's much more comfortable without a computer box, don't you agree?"
Many nods came from the pokemon.
One of the leader Victreebel raised a vine to indicate his assent, and he nodded as he placed him in a poke ball, before clipping it to his belt.
Benefits!
He hated the popularity of being Champion sometimes, but on the plus side, Devon and Silph always sent him plenty of items and sometimes cash. It was advertising, obviously.
Right now, he was wearing a special, rare, developed for researchers Poke Belt, which could hold up to five hundred pokemon through some strange time-space bending. Still, he wasn't complaining. It gave him ample room for his entire team and even almost four hundred free slots. The Bellsprout family took up a lot of space.
That is, if he came across any interesting new specimens…
Lance was back in the necklace resting at the moment. Smiling, Red checked his supplies, confident that there was enough to last a month, before he climbed on Aerodactyl's back and they flew off to search for more adventure.
Moments later, Red sighed as they passed over a barren area. All the trees had been cut down, and no reforestation attempts had passed through the Indigo Governing Council yet.
The heavy rains had turned it into a place lurking with mudslides and boggy pits. Only a select few species of Pokemon, including the invasive Barboach species, were able to make their home in what was once a rich example of life.
"People keep destroying the environment like this, and there's nothing I can do about it. The Council still thinks I'm a kid… but what will happen when all of the Pokemon habitats are gone? Will they die too?"
The thought saddened and sickened him.
Pika licked his cheek, reminding him that he and Red's pokemon were still there and very much alive. With a small smile, he hugged the little pokemon to his chest.
Maybe in time, people would realize what they were doing.
He thought back a little farther, before he realized he had a question.
"Lance?"
(Yes, what is it?)
Red grabbed hold of Aerodactyl's neck to steady himself, almost losing his balance. "Woah! What was that?"
(I'm talking in your head. It's more convenient that way. Besides, you look like you're talking to yourself.)
(I do?) He crimsoned in embarrassment.
(See? Isn't this much easier?)
He nodded in understanding and kept an eye out for danger as Aerodactyl flew on. That was weird…
(The Elite Four… I know Bruno didn't agree, but the other three of you wanted to clean this earth… right?)
(I know Lorelei and Agatha told you our goals. If you do not agree with them, I can understand.)
Red chewed on his lip meditatively. (But you were right…)
He continued to muse as Lance's eyes took on a slightly hopeful light. * So soon? Maybe you are right, Lugia. *
Maybe he is my reflection…
End Chapter!
Completed 4/5/04
Edited 5/9/09
Lance is hopeful, but I think she has a right to be! Red might eventually turn out pretty cynical *cough*. And if it was for the Pokemon, well…
And to clear up, Lance did not want to destroy the world! He wanted to wipe out humanity except for a few select Trainers.