Chapter 3
Lance
Author's note: So has anyone figured out who the father is yet? Please R&R thanks for reading I hope you enjoy. I do not own Pokémon in any way, shape or form.
We made it about half way home before we had to set up for camp. I called out all of my Pokémon and Vulpix helped me make the fire. At first Evee and Ponyta didn't seem to trust Vulpix and seemed to exclude her. When they did Vulpix ran to me and leaped into my lap. Evee and Ponyta watched me calm her down before approaching her and befriending her.
"I'm glad they get along." Misty said as she sat down beside me. I stared into the fire thinking over the past day's events. "So you seem to like fire." Misty said. "I am more of the water type." I looked up at her wondering how she knew. "Well two of your three Pokémon are fire and you sure like looking into that fire. So are you going to use the moon stone or what?"
"That's right I almost forgot." I opened my back pack and placed the stone beside me then continued rummaging.
"What's wrong?" Misty asked.
"The Pokémon snacks are gone." I looked over at Vulpix who was pulling treats from the bag and splitting them between the happy Ponyta and Evee. I raised my eye brow and the three slowly looked up at me. The three grabbed what they could, seeing that they didn't have disposable thumbs and ran away from me. Hiding in the bushes their eyes watching as if hoping I wouldn't notice. Pikachu walked up to them.
"Picka." He said and they handed him a treat and he ate it walking past me to Ash, rubbing his stomach happily. Misty laughed and said.
"The professor warned you she was a trouble maker." I smiled and let out a laugh and the Pokémon came back sensing I wouldn't be angry. I held out the stone to Evee who approached it curiously. She sniffed it before running away.
"Come on what's wrong?" I asked her and Ash chimed in.
"I don't think she wants to evolve." Evee meowed confirming it. I sighed and put the stone in my bag maybe she will change her mind. The rest of the night was spent talking and I listed to Ash, Misty and Brock as they told me stories from their adventures. The next day we all woke up I stretched and reached out to pet Evee but instead found that Evee was standing a few feet away from me tensed in a fighting position.
"What's wrong Evee?" I asked as I yawned and wiped sleep from my eye. Suddenly the bush in front of Evee shook and I heard a brief flutter of Wings. I froze momentarily and debated whether I should wake the others. No you can handle this. Part of my mind whispered. Capture the Pokémon and become stronger. Make dad proud. I pulled an empty pokeball from my belt and prepared for it to emerge. Suddenly a piggy flew out of the bush I braced my stance and the piggy stared at Evee and me preparing for attack.
"Evee tackle." I declared and with a growl Evee jumped for the bird. Piggy swerved out of the way and rushed at Evee. "Quick doge!" I yelled and Evee jumped out of the way of the speeding furled of feathers. "Bight!" Evee grabbed onto the bird as it passed with an iron grip. The Piggy cried out in pain and Evee anchored it to the ground. Evee stepped back and I threw the pokeball. In a flash of red light the piggy was gone and the ball began to blink. Once…twice…three times before it fell silent. I smiled proud of myself and picked Evee up.
"Great job Evee!" I explained and she purred loudly as I pet her. The sun began to rise on the horizon and I heard the three sleeping bags behind me move and a sleepy voice ask.
"Hey Claire why are you up?" Ash asked.
"I saw a Piggy."
"Where I don't see anything." I held up the pokeball and could not conceal the large grin that spread across my face. The three swarmed to me like moths to a flame and I released the Piggy. They got really happy for me. We watched in awe as Piggy flew through the sky at high speeds twirling and spinning looking almost as if it were dancing. I was amazed I had never seen something like that before. I am beginning to see the point in this. Being a trainer I mean. I turned back to Brock who had left us to make food. Misty walked away and began packing up all of our gear. Ash began getting the Pokémon food ready and within the hour we were back on the move headed toward home.
I had returned Evee, ponyta and Vulpix already. I couldn't help it. For some reason I was eager to get home. Eager to show dad and Ruby my new Pokémon though I knew dad was gone. Soon the city came into view. It wasn't very large or even very popular but it was home. Ash and I ran to the gym to find a sign posted.
Gym leader is out come back in a week.
Ash sighed in despair and I frowned. "Come on," I said to Ash. Misty and Brock had left to the Pokémon center deciding for Ash to meet his sister as a family moment. We ran around to the back of the building and I fumbled with my key to unlock the door. I was kind of happy if you go in through the front you have to deal with the puzzle se for opposing trainers. The floor tiles send you down the hallway and unless you go to the right ones you will never get back to where my dad normally waits AKA the entrance to where Ruby and I live. I opened the door and we were in a large room designed like an arena. I led Ash to a set of stairs that led down to my house below the gym. We emerged in a kitchen and since dad didn't cook it was normally stocked with microwave meals and snacks.
We walked back through a hallway to where it split into different rooms. My room, Ruby's room, and the bathroom and Dad's room which was forbidden to us and almost always locked. It had been a rare occasion I found it unlocked when I was a girl and snuck in finding the picture of mom in a waste basket. I knocked on Ruby's door and it flung open almost instantly. She was only a bit shorter than me and had black hair like Ash's. Deep brown eyes and was wearing a red blouse and Jeans. She looked at me then at Ash and a look of confusion crossed her face.
"Hey Ruby. I'm back." I forced a smile and she just stared. "Ruby this is Ash….he is my twin." Ruby looked as if she were about to faint. She went really pale before staggering back and sitting on her bed. I waved for Ash to come in and I sat beside her but Ash just stayed standing not knowing what to do.
"You actually found mother?" Ruby asked after a few minutes of being in a daze. I nodded. "But a brother? He can't be your twin he doesn't even look like you."
"No he really does look more like you." I said and she shook her head refusing to believe it.
"We don't have a brother." She said but didn't sound so sure. I walked her over to the mirror in the corner and had her and Ash stand side by side. The resemblance was remarkable both of them looked a lot like father and if it wasn't for the slight difference in height then they could have been twins. I tried not to get jealous and I had to remember I was the only one who looked like mother so I don't have to be upset. I mean it's not like I am bad looking…I just don't fit in. if I stand next to Ruby sometimes people actually have to ask if we are sisters or friends. Ruby took a deep breath taking it in before she sat back down on the bed.
"It was a shock for me to." Ash said trying to ease the tension. Ruby didn't look at us didn't say a word for a minute before looking up and smiling.
"It's ok I understand. It's just a shock…that's all." I let out a sigh of relief that she didn't flip out.
"Looks like you have to go." I told Ash as I glanced at the clock. "Misty and Brock are waiting." Ash waved as he left the way he'd came and I began to follow to see him out but Ruby caught my arm her forced smile vanishing and in a angry menacing tone she whispered into my ear.
"What have you done?" her words sent chills up my spine and I called to Ash.
"Hey Ash I will meet you at the center alright?"
"Ok." He called back and I turned back to Ruby.
"What do you mean Ruby, aren't you happy we found a brother that I met mom."
"You ruined it we were all perfectly ok now you ruined the balance we were fine without them. Dad will be furious when he finds you disobeyed him and went to mom." Ruby said anger rising in her voice.
"She's our mother we have a choice if we want to meet her. She is nice there is no shame in wanting to meet her." I said defensively.
"What does it matter? She abandoned us and I will never forgive her for that."
"What choice did she have? Her and father didn't get along. They had to split custody."
"I haven't needed her; my entire life Claire and you know what I don't want her now." I sighed and asked.
"When will dad return?"
"Probably day after tomorrow." I nodded and walked away to catch up with Ash. I met him at the center Ruby's words haunting me." Ash and his friends were already packed to leave.
"We are gonna leave ok Claire?" Ash said. I nodded.
"Nice to finally meet you." I said.
"I will come back some other time to meet dad but for now I have to go we don't want to waste time getting to the next city." I nodded understanding and he walked out the door and I thought everything would go back to how it used to be. But I was wrong.
I headed back home to find some boy dressed in black walking around my house. I raised an eyebrow and ran up to him.
"The gym is closed." I stated. The boy looked at me he had a black cape and a black hat black pants and black shirt. Is outfit concluded with a black scarf that hid everything except his eyes, which I noticed were a brilliant beautiful blue. He looked at me for a second a bit off guard before he ran into the forest directly behind my house. And because I think stuff like that is suspicious I followed him. Without even thinking about it I found myself racing after him through the forest my legs going faster than I ever could have imagined. There was a small clearing ahead of us and when we reached it the boy spun around to face me his scarf fell and I saw a boy maybe only a year older than me. For a moment I was caught off guard but I regained my posture and he asked.
"Who are you?"
"I am Claire Ketchum, who are you?" I said harshly.
"I am afraid I can't tell you that." the boy replied.
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice you were the ne snooping around my home you owe me an explanation." I pulled Vulpix's pokeball off my belt and he stared me in the eye for a moment, studying me before he said.
"You don't want to do that. My name is Lance. Perhaps you have heard of me."
"I never heard that name before in my life." I responded. For a split second he seemed shocked then added.
"I am the Pokémon league champion."
"I don't believe you." I said refusing to be lied to. He pulled something out of his pocket and threw it at me. I caught it and saw it was an ID. And a certificate as Pokémon champion. I stared at him with disbelief and shock for a moment."How do I know that's really you when your dressed like that." he pulled off his hat and slowly unraveled his black scarf to reveal black hair and I saw the same boy in the picture. He smiled at me revealing a mouth of perfect white teeth. "What do you want?" I asked as I put the pokeball back aware it would be useless to fight him. He took a step towards me and I stepped back.
"Don't worry I won't hurt you." He said his voice sounded very kind and caring. As he approached me. He stopped a few feet in front of me and reached out to me. I realized what he wanted and handed him the ID. He was just a little taller than me and he smiled down at me. I looked into his Sapphire eyes and couldn't stop myself from thinking how amazing they looked; I swallowed hard trying to get rid of the lump in my throat.
"What do you want?" I asked again. "Why are you here? What biasness does the Pokémon champion have in a small town like this?"
"That's none of your concern." He said calmly and I responded.
"You can tell me." I assured.
"I prefer not to get citizens involved."
"Involved with what?" My curiosity growing. He examined me for a few minutes then sighed.
"I am helping Officer Jenny with something."
"What can I help? Please." I pleaded he gave me a sympathetic look before turning away.
"Sorry kid. You can't." he ran off through the forest. I stared at him without noticing that I was chasing after him. I didn't want to be left alone. The forest was thick and I could barely follow his figure another moment and he would be gone but then there was a clearing. With a building. I was startled I never knew about the building it wasn't even a full two miles from town it was just covered by a thick forest. I saw Lance run inside taking to the shadows, barely making a sound. I quickly ran in after him without thinking. I couldn't put my finger on it but the building made my blood run cold, gave me a sense of uneasiness. I followed Lance down a dimly lit hallway he stopped before the corner and checked to see if anyone was coming before he turned and was out of sight. I turned the corner only to see it split into two hallways and Lance nowhere in sight. I picked one and my pace quickened with each step until I was nearly running. The hallway split again and I ran down another and again. This place is a maze. I thought. Then I heard footsteps headed my way and I had nowhere to hide. I began to panic and turned around to run but couldn't remember witch hall I had taken.
I turned to face the footsteps coming toward me I saw a shadow and a figure just about to turn the corner before I was grabbed from behind. A strong arm wrapped around my waist and another hand clamp tight around my mouth silencing my scream. I was yanked back into the shadows of the hallway behind me and he crouched down to the ground. I struggled but couldn't break free. I tried to grab my pokeball but I couldn't reach. The figure ahead of us turned the corner and I stopped struggling and stared blankly at the person dressed in a tight black jump suite black hat. The person walked past without seeing us and down the other hallway. And once the sound of the footsteps disappeared down the hallway the person behind me released me. I leaped to my feet and spun to face him. Lance stood there a grim expression on his face. The darkness covering him partly casting eerie shadows across him covering ½ of his threatening face.
"What are you doing here?" he asked menacingly."
"I, I, I followed you." I stuttered taking a step back. He stepped towards me and I looked up into his eyes they had changed from their kind Sapphire to a hard cold blue as they bore their way deep into mine. I suppose they revealed more of my fear and shock then I wanted because after a minuet he relaxed and closed his eyes with a sigh. "Lance?" I started as I took a step towards him as if to see if he was alright. He suddenly broke the quite by saying.
"Get out. You don't belong here. Take that hallway it will split take a right until you reach the next hallway then a left. Go straight past the next fork and then another right. You got that? Right, left, straight, right. That corridor will lead you to the door." He turned his cape flapping at his heals as he took a step down the corridor.
"No." he stopped dead in his tracks. "I…I won't leave you." The honest truth of it all was that I was scared. I don't know where I am and what if someone else comes? I can't battle my way out. And I don't want to be alone. He stood there for a moment then he sighed and turned back to me.
"Come on. I guess I can't exactly leave you to find your way out of this place. Stay close it's like a labyrinth." We walked together in silence for a few minutes until we came to an intersection of two halls a group of people walked towards us and at the sight of us they were alarmed. Lance pushed me behind him protectively and prepared to face the trainers.