The cold winds of the Johto region whipped against his skin, and even though the high altitude should have left him shivering and frozen, sitting on Vhagar's back was like sitting next to a furnace, so he wasn't cold at all.
He felt giddy, and his heart was racing with the thrill of riding on such a powerful dragon. Realizing it would be a good while until he got a dragon of his own that could carry him, he wanted to milk the experience for all it was worth.
Attempting to see any landmarks below him was futile, they were flying too fast. Lance had set a grueling pace for the Dragonites.
Ash could only glimpse the tips of the mountains before they blasted past them, and soon after, they neared a cluster of mountains painted by snow. Finally, Dragonites slowed down, and he could finally see something in the distance. It was a valley nestled between mountains with an ancient stone city built inside it. It could only be Blackthorn.
But to his surprise, they flew past, going even further north. "Where are we going?" Yelled Ash over the sound of the wind.
Lance smirked, whistling at Sunfyre to land. His loyal Dragonite did so, slowing the beats of his wings before eventually stopping at the bottom of a long stone stairwell. Lance jumped off the saddle in a smooth movement before pressing a button on the reins, making them turn back into a small capsule with a flash of light.
Vhagar landed with a powerful thud, and Ash slid off the saddle in a not-as-smooth movement, glaring at the Champion when he tried to cover up a chuckle with a cough, and turned his own saddle into a capsule and pocketed it into his messenger bag.
Lance coughed again to clear his throat and rummaged through his own bag, before pulling out a thermos and tossing it to Ash. "Catch!"
The youth fumbled with the surprise throw and ended up dropping it. "What was that for?"
The Champion chuckled before answering. "It's herbal tea, good to drink after a flight so your throat doesn't get sore from the cold winds. It should still be warm."
Ash huffed in displeasure and opened the thermos, taking a brief inhale of the fragrant scent. "It smells good."
"It does, it's brewed using an ancestral recipe and ingredients that grow here, at the foot of the mountain."
Ash inhaled again before having a small sip. Then he coughed. "Ugh! It's bitter!"
Lance nodded, making a motion with his hand at the youth to toss the thermos back. "It's bitter, but it gives a good kick to your immune system, not only your throat, your whole body should feel better, and the stiffness from sitting on the saddle should be going away."
The youth was about to throw the thermos back to the Champion before stopping mid-toss with a frown on his face. "Huh... you're right. I do feel better." He mused before re-opening the thermos and taking a bigger sip.
He coughed again, but he could feel warmth spreading through his body, as if he'd just had a hot shower. "This is incredible..." Muttered Ash in amazement, before tossing the tea back to Lance.
The Champion caught it, before opening it and taking a swig of his own. Then reluctantly he gave it to Sunfyre, who growled happily before downing whatever else was left in one go.
The youth looked at the scene in disbelief, before glancing at Lance. "Umm..."
Lance just rubbed the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "He likes it, don't ask why."
Sunfyre, after finishing the tea, growled in offense at the words of his trainer.
"Yes, yes, apologies your majesty." The Champion waved off the complaint and walked to the first step of the stairs, before calling for Ash to do the same. "And now we climb."
Ash eyed the stone steps, before giving Lance the stink-eye. "There has to be like a hundred steps."
Lance just hummed in agreement. "Sure are, more like 80-something actually. But it's a rite of passage, at least the first time, you must walk under your own power into the Dragon's Den."
"The Dragon's Den huh?" Muttered Ash. "What is it, exactly?"
The Champion scratched his chin in thought. "Well, in ancient times, all the different ruler families would go into the Den for different reasons."
Ash sighed through his nose. "Are you trying to be cryptic and vague on purpose?" He then shook his head and started to quickly climb the stone steps. "See you at the top, old man."
Lance just sputtered before quickly recalling Sunfyre and Vhagar, who were lazing around after the flight. He then ran after the youth, but at a slower pace. "This damn kid, making me run after him all day..." It was a good-natured complaint though.
His legs burned as he climbed up the stairs, and even though he was getting tired, he kept the same pace. He wouldn't stop. Couldn't stop. There were embers inside him, and they had to be fanned into a flame.
"How can I become a strong leader if I can't even do this much?" He muttered between pants. "I can't afford to give up." And he meant it, he had neglected his studies and physical exercises in favour of goofing off and messing around. Moving to Blackthorn meant a new beginning.
So focused he was on his thoughts and climbing the stairs, that at some point the steps disappeared and he almost fell face-first into a set of double doors. "Woah!" Ash windmilled his arms trying to regain balance.
"That was close!" He then leaned his hands on the big ironwood doors that had the symbol of Blackthorn carved into it, and traced the patterns of the wood.
It was a jagged mountain with a snow-capped tip, and what seemed to be a stylized Dragonair coiled around it protectively, with their characteristic head wings enlarged to form a protective shield. It was aged, and the silver and bronze details of the Dragonair's eyes and wings having long-since faded due to age and the harshness of the weather.
Ash put his hands against the doors and gave an experimental push with all his strength. "Hnng!" But they didn't budge, and his feet almost slipped from the smooth stone floor before a strong hand held him in place.
"Easy there, kiddo! You don't want to fall down the stairs, do you?" Joked Lance, who seemingly had caught up to him. Then he walked up beside Ash and gave the doors a strong knock. "The doors are closed from the inside either way, so we have to wait."
The youth hummed. "They look heavy. Is it because they have to defend the super-duper-important secret meeting place of the Blackthorn ruling families?"
The Champion laughed at that. "Well, it was never a secret meeting place, but it IS a sacred place. Our historians believe that the first Dragonair ever, was born in this cave as a Dratini, and defended the whole mountain range by himself, which made other dragons flock to him for protection. Humans that came later to settle down nearby had to bargain and prove their good intentions or be forced to leave."
"Why a Dragonair and not a Dragonite?" Asked Ash, tapping his chin in thought. "Shouldn't a Dragonite be more powerful?"
Lance was delighted at Ash's perceptiveness. "Good question. What do you think?"
The youth sat down on the stone steps and looked towards the mountain range in front of him, full of caves, crevices, cliffs and all other sorts of hiding places. "This whole area is pretty big, so he would need to move quickly from one place to another, and while Dragonite is a fast pokemon, they are also big and lumbering, probably good for short bursts of speed, but not for sustained flight."
The Champion nodded in reply. "Very good kiddo, keep going."
"Food would be a problem as well, Dragonite needs more food than a Dragonair to function, and would have a harder time fitting in those little caves and crevices, while a serpentine Pokémon like Dragonair could just slither inside. Both for shelter and to catch prey."
Lance nodded and clapped his hands. "Most of what you said is correct, or at least as correct as speculation of thousand years-old scrolls based on myths can be." He then shrugged his shoulders. "I've never put much stock into it, but there is also belief that the founder Dragonair was so strong that no other Pokémon could match him, and thus force him to evolve."
Ash just hummed in reply. He could see in his mind's eye an enormous Dragonair fighting off invaders and shrugging off attacks from weaker Flying-type Pokémon that would just end up becoming his dinner. "I'd like to read those scrolls."
"Some of them are up inside, so we'll grab a couple eh?" The Champion said, mussing up Ash's hair. The youth just grumbled at the habit that Lance had picked up and was becoming annoying very quickly.
Their talk was cut short by a loud groaning sound, and the double doors slowly started to open inwards, letting light filter out and almost blinding Ash. Beside him, he could hear Lance curse when he too got blinded. "Bloody doors, I always forget about them because I just fly in with Sunfyre."
The youth stiffened a laugh and lowered his hand from his eyes when the groaning of the doors finally came to a stop. He could see a man walking towards them, looking fairly old, but no less impressive, if anything, he looked strong because of it.
"Ah! Esteemed Champion Lance! It has been a while, hasn't it?" He asked, coming to a stop before them, and Ash could observe him closely.
He was bald, with some long-faded scars on his head and face, and piercing yellow eyes. And he was well armed and armored, wearing an orange scale mail with a black tabard underneath, with what looked like the pommel of a dragonbone sword hanging from his waist. He did not wear armored bracers or greaves, opting instead for leather boots, leaving his arms bare.
Lance walked forward with a smirk and clapped the forearm of the old man in a warrior's handshake. "Elder Kato, it's good to see you still alive and kicking!"
The old man rumbled a laugh at the response. "And for many more years! Bahahaha!" He then looked to the side, seeing the youth next to Lance. "And who's this? Don't tell me you've picked up a little apprentice!"
Ash grumbled at being called little, but walked forwards at Lance's encouraging pat on his back and introduced himself, with his right hand over his heart and a small bow of the head, as was the ancient custom of his people. "I'm Ash Blackfyre, of the Draconid Tribe of Hoenn. Nice to meet you Elder Kato."
The elder just put a meaty hand over his shoulder and led him inside. "Nice to meet you too lad, now come along, there are all sorts of interesting things for you to see." He rumbled out with another laugh.
Lance shook his head and followed them inside.
The mountain hall was old and majestic, an enormous open space completely carved from bare rock. Dratini, Dragonair and Dragonite statues stood guard against the massive columns that held stone arches in place, with torches lining the walls and giving the whole place an eerie look.
Ash had never seen anything like it, and inwardly seethed at how much their own culture had degraded in comparison to Blackthorn, whom carefully had kept theirs as close to ancient times as possible. The Draconids were just like a bunch of bums living in tents and wooden huts on a desert beach.
His head was on a swivel as he tried to take in every detail, of how the Dratini and Dragonair statues coiled around columns, and the patterns on the scales that shone against the green torchlight.
He stopped briefly to look at one of the torches, mesmerized by how the flame wavered in the mountain breeze.
Lance stopped at his side and briefly touched one of the sconces that held the torches against the wall. "A bit over the top, isn't it? Those green flames are lit everyday by using the Dragon Breath move."
The youth pursed his lips and opened his mouth to reply, but couldn't think of a good reply, certainly not with how annoyed he was.
"I know what you're thinking Ash, but don't be fooled, this is all a front. A facade, meant to intimidate those who don't belong to the ruling families, and in the ancient times, it was as bad as being an outsider."
Ash just sighed, tearing his gaze from the torches and slowly walking again. "Was it really that bad?" He asked hesitantly.
"I'll tell you more about it someday, once you've read some of the ancient scrolls." The Champion put his hand on Ash's shoulder to encourage him. "You must figure things out for yourself. It wouldn't do you any good to just hear my side of the story, and the things I was taught."
The youth hummed. "I think I get it. I have to make my own conclusions and my own path forward." He put his fist against his chest and exhaled deeply.
Lance smiled at him approvingly. "Well said. And I'll help you as much as I can, that is my promise."
They kept pace until they arrived at another set of double doors, which was guarded by another guard dressed like Elder Kato, who just nodded at them and opened the door.
The doors led into a gatehouse that kept watch over an even bigger cavern, but unlike the previous chamber, where the influence of humans could clearly be seen, this underground chamber was all mother was an enormous jagged hole on the ceiling, allowing for sunlight inside and that hinted at a ceiling collapse at some point, and all that stone had fallen into a lake, forming a flat platform in the middle.
Ash was fairly sure that it was used for Pokémon battles and training, and judging by the mist and water drops which were slowly freezing, used to toughen up Dragon-types against the ice and cold.
But that was not all, and resting on another smaller stone platform that was connected by a rope bridge to the bigger plateau, was an ancient Johto style shrine, with a sloped roof made of orange tiles, and wood walls painted a fading white color.
It likely housed the people who took care of the Pokémon living inside the Den. Speaking of which, if he paid attention over the sound of rushing water, he could hear some of the cries of the Pokémon nearby. He smiled to himself. "I can't wait to meet them."
Kato had led them to the shrine, and after a couple of knocks, they had been let in by another old man. And unlike the warrior-like Kato, this one looked like a sort of a monk, with grey robes that had sewn blue scales, and a small orange scarf to protect themselves from the cold. Ash guessed they were the caretakers of the Pokémon.
The atmosphere inside the shrine was solemn and a bit stifling as they walked toward the main hall, where a man who looked remarkably like Lance was deep in discussion with a couple of monks.
Unlike the Champion, who was both tall and strong, the man who likely was his father was shorter and more lean, but still looked fit, with only the crow's feet around his eyes and a few laugh lines on his mouth hinting at his true age. He was dressed in a more elaborate version of the monk robes, but also wore an orange scale mail and a bronze circlet, with two dragonbone dirks sheathed at his sides.
As they approached, the older man glanced up, his expression shifting from focus to surprise. "Lance? What brings you here? Your mother and I haven't heard from you in a while..."
The Champion scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about that. I uhhhh am back from Indigo, but only for a couple of days."
His father frowned at that. "What do you mean?"
Lance sighed. "The whole thing is too long to tell, but to cut it short. I had to go to Hoenn, and ended up bringing someone back."
It was then that the older man noticed the teenager fidgeting slightly behind Lance. He was dressed in desert gear, with a ratty brown hooded cloak covering most of it and a messenger bag slung across his chest. His hair was black, wild and spiky, very reminiscent of Lance, and his eyes were caramel brown flecked with silver.
"Father, I'd like you to meet Ash Blackfyre," Lance said, gesturing toward Ash, who slowly walked forward next to him, uneasiness evident on his face. And he couldn't blame him, after the disastrous first meeting with Clair. "He will be staying in Blackthorn for a while. To foster with us, and learn about our culture and traditions." He then gestured to his father. "Ash, this is my father, and the current head of our family, Jaeryon Wataru."
Jaeryon's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he studied the youth. "Blackfyre, you say? I heard about them when I was younger. Nowadays your kin is known as the Draconids, yes?"
"Yes, sir," The youth replied, trying to maintain his composure under the weight of the older man's scrutiny. "We are the Draconid Tribe from Hoenn. And a couple of days ago there was a disaster, a big earthquake collapsed a part of the mountains surrounding our territory." He clenched his fist, trying not to show what he was feeling, and continued with a flat voice. "My parents are dead, and I'm to be the next ruler. I need to learn about my own culture, and yours, to be a proper leader."
Jaeryon's expression softened. "I am sorry to hear that such a disaster has befallen our distant kin." He then approached Ash and warmly put both hands on his shoulders. "Rest assured, here in Blackthorn you will have everything you need to thrive and succeed."
Ash's voice was choked and could barely manage a "Thank you, sir."
The older man then turned towards his son. "I assume that he will live in your old house? You should arrange for a caretaker to cook and clean a couple of times a week. He will make due for the rest."
"Absolutely." Lance assured him. "Ash has great potential, and I believe he will become a strong trainer with our help."
Jaeryon nodded, crossing his arms as he faced Ash again. "Very well. You'll find that the old ways of the Dragon are both challenging and rewarding. We hold our traditions close, but we also know how to adapt to the modern times. I'll be following your career with great interest." He then turned back to the monks to resume their discussion.
Lance and Ash both slumped in relief, before the Champion clapped the youth in the back and smiled. "That went even better than I expected." He then walked out of the main hall, motioning for the youth to follow him.
Ash just exhaled. "I thought he was a bit scary."
The Champion nodded in agreement. "I thought the same when I was younger. But then I discovered that it's just a part of his personality, he is stern, but fair. And like dragons do, he defends his loved ones fiercely."
The youth hummed at that. "Loved ones huh... I... really can't say that I knew my father well. I barely saw him on most days, because he was always doing something or other at the Meteor Falls." He then clenched his fist in anger. "I know what he wanted, what everyone wanted."
Lance sighed, remembering the conversation he had with Ash's grandmother about Rayquaza, the meteor keystone and Mega-Evolution. He tried diverting Ash's attention from the matter. "Sooo, you see, I got your whole daily routine planned out. Wanna hear about it?"
Ash perked up. "What is it?" He asked excitedly. "I want to get to reading those ancient scrolls as soon as possible."
The Champion laughed. "We'll grab some scrolls, but you'll have to go to school in the mornings."
The youth recoiled as if he had been slapped. "School? No way." He crossed his arms in the universal gesture of denial.
"Yes way kiddo, you'll go to Trainer School four days a week. You can then do some training by yourself, and then read the scrolls before you go to bed."
Ash stopped on his tracks. "Wait... Trainer School? I never heard anything about that. Back at the tribe I was homeschooled alongside Zinnia by her mother, who is the current Lorekeeper and the most knowledgeable person in the village."
"Trainer School is way better than being homeschooled. It's focused on preparing young trainers for their journey beyond Blackthorn, learning about the Johto region, about Pokémon battling, healing, foraging for different foods, herbs and many other things." Lance nodded sagely, as if imparting some great wisdom to Ash.
"That sounds... too good to be true?" Asked the youth hesitantly.
Lance chuckled in response. "Nah, kiddo. It's as good as it sounds, it's an initiative spear-headed by yours truly on behalf of the Pokémon League."
Ash hummed. "That must have cost an enormous amount of money. What's the main reason for it?"
The Champion's face lost some of its usual mirth. "Trainer survival rates, for the most part. Did you know that some years back, the age for a trainer to start their journey was 10 years old?"
The youth went speechless at that, before shaking his head. "Sounds beyond irresponsible. What parents would send their children out in the world at such a young age?"
Lance agreed with the sentiment. "We managed to raise the mandatory starting age to 13, and even then it was like pulling teeth. It took a lot of bribes and deals under the table to get enough people to vote for it."
"So, the Trainer School prepares trainers for 3 years as best it can before they go out into the world?"
The Champion nodded. "Yes, instead of going out at 10, they enter the school, and if they pass the final exam and graduate, they become licensed trainers, being allowed to start their journey."
"What does that mean for me? I'm already 12. I'm going to have to catch up on a lot of stuff..."
Lance just mussed his hair playfully.
"Don't worry kiddo, I believe in you. You are smart, and perceptive, and the Trainer School subjects, while important, are very dull. You'll knock it out of the park."
Ash smiled shyly at the Champion's confidence in him. "Fiiiine, I'll go to the stupid Trainer School."
The Champion just smiled at that. "Excellent, we'll stop by the gatehouse for a couple of scrolls and then we'll go to the city proper, so you can settle down in my old house."
The youth wasn't fully on board with the Trainer School, but he sure as heck wanted to read those scrolls.
They walked down a wide, rocky pathway, and Ash still couldn't see much of Blackthorn in the distance, as pointy crags blocked his view of the city proper. He then stopped for a moment and looked around, before humming in thought.
"What is it?" Asked the Champion.
"That big hole in the ceiling, inside of the Den."
Lance grinned. "Ah, so you noticed. Good observation skills."
Ash huffed in amusement. "Pretty big hole, one would have to be blind to not see it."
"Indeed. So, what do you want to know?"
The youth tapped his chin to gather his thoughts before replying. "From what you said, you usually fly on dragonback when you visit the Den, right?"
Lance nodded in agreement. "I do, it's much faster than doing this infernal climb and then trekking back down." He then sighed. "I used to enjoy it much more in my youth, but I don't have the time for it nowadays."
"So did your ancestors also do the climb when they had to bring supplies to the Den?"
The Champion laughed at that. "No way. Dragonite are incredibly strong and resilient, they could carry heavy loads and directly bring the supplies to the Den through the hole."
Ash nodded. "That's what I thought, it's a perfect spot for defending against attacks."
"It was. Back then, Blackthorn was barely a village made up of clans and families who didn't get along very well." Lance explained. "So besides the obvious symbolism of the Den being a sacred place, it was where the chiefs would gather to prepare for war."
The youth looked upwards, back to the path they'd already walked. "It would be difficult to climb this whole path with dragonfire and other attacks raining down on you."
"Well, our enemies had dragons too. And like us, they hungered for conquest."
Ash hummed at that. "Huh, so at some point Blackthorn wasn't the top dog around here?"
The Champion chuckled. "Oh we very much were, but other clans and families would make alliances to try to take us out." He then smirked. "Usually it would end up quite badly for them."
"How did they even have access to dragons?" Asked the youth quizzically.
Lance stroked his chin as they kept walking down the path. "Blackthorn didn't have a monopoly on dragons, you know. There were many wild dragons living around these mountains, so if someone managed to tame a dragon, they would attempt to breed it with another dragon.
Ash nodded, he'd already gotten a similar explanation from Lance on their trip from Hoenn to Johto over the sea.
But then the Champion's face hardened. "It wasn't only that though, we also had to deal with traitors."
"Traitors?"
Lance nodded. "People unhappy with Blackthorn, they would get very tempting offers from our enemies. Power and wealth."
The youth hummed. "I could see it, even if you had your own dragon, citizens not belonging to the ruling families probably had it difficult."
The Champion sighed. "That's how feudalism used to be, kiddo. But nevermind that, we're almost there, just a bit further."
Shortly after the rocky path and crags gave way to an open terrain that was still surrounded by mountains, but it was unmistakably a city. With houses made out of stone and bereft of any monuments or landmarks. There was only a square for people to meet and chat, maybe even celebrate.
There was of course a Pokémon Center and a PokéMart, but they had been carefully touched up to look older than they were, to not stick out from the rest of the houses. Which were barely half a dozen. The sound of running water from a river snaking on the side of the city was soothing. He could see some people walking to and from the river, carrying big clay jugs of water for daily usage.
Ash stopped for a second to take it in, before turning to the Champion. "It's... rustic."
Lance thumped him playfully on the shoulder whilst chuckling. "Don't hold back on my account, I know it's ugly to look at, but it has been this way for centuries."
The youth glanced around and frowned. "There's barely any people, you made it sound like more people lived here. I don't even see the supposed Trainer School."
The Champion nodded approvingly. "Good catch, but let's go to my house first, I'll show you afterwards."
Ash huffed at that. "Lead the way then, oh-so Esteemed Champion!"
Lance did just that, and after a couple of minutes they arrived at the part of the city where the few houses were located.
They did not look like much, Ash thought, they were basic and functional, built like short, stone towers with terraced roofs. But they also looked like they had stepped out of a painting from hundreds of years ago.
"I really hope it has at least a real toilet..." The youth murmured.
Lance led them towards a house that was similar to the rest except for the heraldry shown on a banner that was hanging from the roof. It showed two Dragonair coiled around one another forming an infinity symbol.
Ash stifled a chuckle at the design.
The Champion just rolled his eyes and sighed. "Yes, yes, my ancestors were very creative. Laugh it up."
"S-Sorry, but I liked the Blackthorn heraldry better." Said the youth between laughs. The Champion cuffed him on his head in revenge.
"Anyway, here we are. Home sweet home." Lance then pulled an ancient-looking key from his belt pouch and opened the heavy door. "After you." He said, motioning for Ash to go in first.
The interior was sort-of cozy, with not a lot of furniture, just enough not to feel cramped. He could spy a well-worn, comfortable leather sofa, and a dining table alongside a couple of chairs on what charitably could be called a kitchen, which only held a sink for washing the dishes, and a wood stove with pots on top for cooking. The rest of the rooms, Ash assumed, were upstairs.
"Not bad, I kinda like it." Said the youth, plopping down on the sofa and dropping his messenger bag on a small coffee table nearby.
The Champion walked in after him before pointing to the wooden stairwell. "Your room is upstairs, first door to the left, the other one leads to the terrace."
But Ash was barely paying attention, dozing off on the comfortable sofa. Lance just shook his head.
"This kid..." He then turned around and walked out before yelling back. "I'm going to see Clair! Take a small nap if you want, but I'll wake you up for dinner!"
The youth made a half reply and waved his hand whilst falling asleep.
The air inside Blackthorn's gym was tense as the next Gym-Leader to-be paced, her blue cloak flowing behind her with each agitated step.
The Champion, in contrast, was leaning against the wall, with his arms crossed, and watching her with the long-acquired patience needed to deal with Clair and her tantrums.
"Why did you even bring the brat here, Lance?" Clair griped, turning abruptly to face him.
Lance sighed. "You should know better than to judge people for their appearance by now." He then stepped forward, his tone even but firm. "His life has been completely flipped around, his parents are dead and he has been forced to move to an entire different region." He closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose and seeing in his mind's eye the absolute mess they'd had to deal with on Meteor Falls. "He needs time to adjust."
Clair turned away, her voice laced with frustration. "I know that, but Blackthorn doesn't have time for someone who has to adjust. We carry the future of the clan. It's a heavy weight, more than most could carry, and if we aren't careful, it will crush us too." She knew she was being obstinate and petty, but Lance's bleeding heart, as usual, wasn't letting him see the bigger picture. "Do you even have time to properly train him? To teach him to be like us?"
The Champion opened his eyes and pinned his cousin with a serious gaze. "Ash doesn't need to be like us. He has his own responsibilities, and he will become his own man, he just needs some guidance."
Clair crossed her arms, her frustration still palpable, but there was a flicker of hesitation in her blue eyes. "Guidance? What could we possibly teach him? Leading his tribe is nothing like ruling over a clan like ours."
"He is smart, he will become strong, but he is still naïve in many ways. And I brought him here because his grandmother asked me to. The Draconids entrusted him to me, and I'm asking you to give him a second chance."
Clair's lips pursed as she stared at the stone floor. "What if he can't handle the weight of it? He will have to toughen up, to become ruthless in the face of his enemies. What if he fails?"
Lance chuckled, looking at his cousin with nostalgia. "Then we help him. We guide him, like we were guided." He then cracked a smirk and jabbed her with his elbow. "Surely you remember the good old times, how rough we were around the edges. And the daily explosions of Mt. Clair."
The Gym-Leader to be rubbed her forehead in annoyance at such ancient history being dredged up to basically emotionally blackmail her. "Fine, I'll give him a second chance. But he will have to prove himself."
The Champion nodded. "You won't be disappointed, I promise."
Clair sighed in defeat, before turning around and walking away towards the sleeping quarters of the Gym before yelling over her shoulder. "You need to do something about his wardrobe! I will not tolerate any unkept trainers! And much less sand and mud being trod inside the gym."
As Lance shook his head in amusement and was about to leave himself, he saw a flash of green on the corner of his eye. Quickly swiveling his head towards it, only to see the tail end of a mane of green hair disappear behind one of the columns. He stood there slack-jawed for a second, before chuckling quietly. "So, she might be interested as well... excellent. See you soon, Grand Master Rhea."
He then raised his arms and cracked his spine, sighing in relief at having been able to convince his cousin to even do this much. But the hardest part was not over, he still had to make a call, so he just walked out of the Gym, searching for a nice spot near the river, to avoid being overheard.
Lance stared at the PokéNav in his hand, letting his mind wander. The upcoming conversation might very well make Drake fly off into a rage, because if there was anyone with a more volatile personality than this cousin, it would be Drake, Hoenn's Elite Four member, and fellow Dragon trainer.
He took a deep breath and tapped Drake's contact. The phone rang, and Lance waited, and after a few seconds, Drake's familiar gruff voice answered. "Lance? What is it now? Do you realize it's the middle of the night?"
"There is something you should know. Something that I was told very recently."
Lance could hear Drake's exhaling in annoyance and puffing on his cigar to rein his temper in. "Don't bloody beat around the bush. Tell me what this is about or I'm hanging up."
The Champion tapped the railing of the cliff that overlooked Blackthorn's river. "A couple of days ago... I received an SOS from Hoenn, so I went there with my G-Men. We were called to the Draconid Tribe's village-"
Drake interrupted him with a growl. "It's called Sahaluna, none of that Draconid garbage."
Lance blinked in surprise. "I... see. Right, anyway, an earthquake collapsed a good chunk of Meteor Falls, and we went to help, and retrieve the bodies." He was silent for a moment. "There are about 30 dead, including the son and daughter-in-law of the current Elder."
Drake said nothing, there was only the puffing of his cigar.
The Champion waited for a few seconds to see if his fellow Elite Four said anything, and then went on. "I spoke at length with the Elder, she told me you know each other, and to bring her grandson back with me to Johto."
"What about him?"
"This is where things get sort of complicated." Lance exhaled. "The elder told me that he's also your grandson-" But he was interrupted by a slam from the other side of the call. Drake had likely smashed his fist on a table.
"I have no bloody children, you damn fool." The line was silent for a few seconds. "How in Arceus' name did she even come up with that conclusion?"
The Champion winced and rubbed the bridge of his nose, tired of all the annoying conversations he'd had to deal with today. "She... did not intend to tell you... at all. Until now."
Lance heard a snort, then a chuckle, and then a full belly laugh. It went on for several moments, before Drake finally spoke again. "So she's still pissed at me..." The tap, tap, tap of a cigar on an ashtray filled the silence. Another puff of the cigar. "What else did she say?"
"She asked me to teach him, to help him" Lance replied. "She asked me to give Ash a proper Dragon-type starter... but I think it should be you who gives him one."
There was silence, and then the clink of a lighter and then more puffs of a cigar. "So after all these years, she remembers I exist." Drake laughed sardonically. "You want me to give an egg to the kid? Is that it?"
"Yeah, that's it, nothing more and nothing less." Replied Lance, still cautious and surprised that his fellow Elite Four wasn't yelling at the request. "Do you... want to see him? Or I could tell you a bit about him?"
Drake huffed in reply. "No, not yet at least." The chair he was sitting on groaned from shifting his weight around. "I will give you the bloody egg, but I will see him on my own terms, on a battle."
The Champion laughed. "That's very much like you. Alright, just send over the egg, and let the results speak by themselves."
"Have it your way then." Drake then hesitated for a moment. "Did she say anything else?"
"She said that you can call her if you want the details."
"Good, expect the egg in a couple of days." Then Drake hung up.
Lance grumbled in response. "Not even a goodbye, rude old man."
He then scratched his head in relief at being done with all the bullshit, he then could surprise Ash in the morning, and tell him to expect something cool in a couple of days.
Excellent, he thought, patting himself in the back.
It's still the 25th somewhere in the world, so technically a xmas day update.