Author's Notes: Well it's been a while. I would have updated sooner, except that the computer I was using had some problems. At least now the computer is back fine and nothing was lost. Anyway, on to the next chapter!
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Lanacan smiled, as he walked through the mountains. The search had ended earlier than it usually did, much to Lanacan's disappointment. Lanacan figured that there were only a few places that Ash's girlfriend would go to. Either Ash's hometown, or her hometown. Either one would be easy to learn if asked the right questions to the right people. It'd probably be difficult, but Lanacan knew that he'd have a much better time with it, because this was what he was best at. Information gathering.
Lanacan just hoped that the dangers that came with that occupation wouldn't be realized. Especially since he knew that he had a limited amount of time, even though he didn't know how much was left. Lanacan just hoped that he'd be able to be completely ready for Ash when he came knocking at his door. Lancan paused for a moment, as he reached the top of the rise he had been climbing. Achmed's other student, Lachlan would probably be a threat to him in a few more years, but Lanacan figured that he'd probably be able to remove that possiblity when Ash found him, since Lanacan knew that they'd be traveling together. Lanacan smiled to himself as he couldn't see anything go wrong. As, even others who were threats in their own right were still hindered by the simple problem that was quite common. Even though most knew of his main weakness, they hadn't been able to overcome the part of them that would make that weakness effective, and Lanacan couldn't see anyone doing that. Things were going much better than he had hoped, or could have planned.
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Ash stared at Brian for a minute. He was certain he had heard Brian wrong, but Ash could also see Lachlan just as speechless as he was. "Surely you're joking," Lachlan protested.
"Unfortunately I'm not," Brian answered. "Although, if you actually think about what I said and take it a step further, then you'll be able to notice something else about it, but I don't really expect either of you to actually be able to figure that out. As I figured, talking with you both was just a waste of time."
"Wait!" Ash cried, as Brian stood to leave. "Please, at least give me a chance."
Brian stopped, and just looked at Ash so intently that Ash was getting really uncomfortable under the scrutiny. After a minute Brian looked out the window and said, "Well, I don't have to get back immediately. You have until noon."
"To do what?" Lachlan asked.
"You have to figure that out yourselves," Brian answered, and with that he left before Ash or Lachlan could think of anything else to say.
After he was gone, Ash turned to Lachlan and said, "So, what do you think he was meaning?"
"How should I know?" Lachlan snapped. "I mean, we come all this way, and tried really hard to meet Brian, and now we have this to deal with as well as a headache!"
Ash sighed. He figured that Lachlan would be pretty upset, but he had hoped that he would be wrong this time. No such luck. "Well, we might as well try to figure something out," Ash replied. "There really isn't anything else for us to do."
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Brian sighed. He was wondering if he really did what was right. Even though this was the first time he'd gone on about Lanacan's weakness this way, Brian still wasn't sure that he should be doing this. Those boys came a long way to ask me, and now I've probably gotten them to just head off towards Lanacan without being adequately prepared, Brian thought to himself. I just hope that I won't regret doing this to them.
Brain continued walking, not really thinking about where he was going. He just wanted to find a place where he could think. Not something that he usually did to the point of spacing out, like he was this time. Eventually Brian found a bench that was vacant and sat down without really realizing the change in his surroundings. Though, out of that entire exchange with Ash and Lachlan, he was certain about one thing at least. They would leave without having figured out what he told them to. They might not ever figure it out, but Brian knew that no matter if he did eventually regret what he said to them, there wasn't anything that he could do to change that fact, and so he shouldn't let it affect him.
Brian just wished that he could easily ignore it, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to eventually if he did eventually regret that conversation. Brian just wished that things were much simpler. That he didn't have to be the only one who knew Lanacan's weakness. Or that Lanacan had lost his head long ago. If that had been the case, then he wouldn't have lost so many friends that he had held dear to him. Brian sighed. He just wished that he could tell what he should have done, instead of just wondering if he made the right choice or not. But only time would let him know the answer to that.
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Ash sighed. They'd been at it for a few hours. The time was constantly getting closer to noon, but they still weren't anywhere near what they were trying to figure out. "Then what else could it be?" Lachlan asked.
"Well, I don't know, but the sooner that we figure out what Lanacan's weakness is, then the sooner I can get back to Misty," Ash answered. Ash knew that he wasn't focusing, but he couldn't help but being bored when they still hadn't gotten anywhere. Lachlan was then silent for a moment then suddenly he seemed to realize something.
"Wait, Ash. You've been distancing yourself from her since this whole ordeal began. Do you think that that might be something that'll help us?" Lachlan asked. Ash shrugged his shoulders and Lachlan continued. "Well, you care most about Misty, so technically haven't you already killed her?"
Ash gave Lachlan a look that clearly stated that he was going insane. "Maybe we should just give up and get some rest. You've obviously gone out of your mind," Ash suggested.
Lachlan shook his head. "No. I mean that wouldn't how you care for her be in a way related to Lanacan's weakness?"
Ash stares at Lachlan before replying, "How would that be part of his weakness?"
"Because he plays on that to get his opponent distracted from the battle," a voice said from next to their table. Both Ash and Lachlan jump in surprise. Brian had come next to them while they were talking and they didn't realize it. Ash quickly looked at the clock only to realize that it's already noon. "He basically kidnaps someone that's close to his target," Brian continues, "and he makes it clear that that person's survival depends on if the target can defeat Lanacan. Sometimes after the battle, Lanacan kills his hostage, but most of the time, he lets his hostage go." Brian paused for a moment. After taking a deep breath, Brian continues, "I think that it mostly depends on if Lanacan is satisfied with the battle or not. I'm not exactly sure, but that's how it really seems to me."
Ash and Lachlan are both still recovering from Brian suddenly appearing without them realizing it. "So, does that mean we figured out what you wanted us to figure out?" Ash asked, uncertainly.
"What did I want you to figure out?" Brian asked Ash.
"What you just told us," Ash replied.
Brian laughed. "Either way, you'll now need to find out where Lanacan is, right?"
Lachlan nodded before saying, "Wherever he is, we'll find him."
"Or more likely, he'd find you," Brian answered. "Usually he seems to follow his target years before he even lets his target know about him. For a time Achmed had been his target, but when Achmed's wife was killed in a fire that Lanacan started, Lanacan knew that he wouldn't be able to target Achmed without putting himself in serious danger as well."
"So that's what you meant by what you said earlier," Lachlan said.
Brian nodded. "Right now, he's currently residing in Gringy city. I don't know how long he'll be there, but that's where you should be able to find him."
"Thanks," Ash said, and left with Lachlan to find a ferry to take them in that direction.
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Author's Notes: Well, I'm sorry for taking so long to get this up and have it so short, but I couldn't think of anything else to put. Anyway, I now have about three or four chapters left until this is over. So please be patient as I finish it off. And please review. To get this finished sooner, I need as many reviews for this as I can get. So, even if you have to flame, please review!