Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Painted Smiles ❯ Chapter 13

And… another chapter!

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to 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

 

Chapter 13

 

The next morning, Red headed off to Indigo Plateau bright and early, whistling merrily as he handed the receptionist his eight badges and was allowed in.

Lorelei was eating a bagel and coffee when Ash strolled in.

“Are you going to challenge us all, or just try to dethrone the champion?”

“Hmm… I think I'll try one-on-one with Lance.”

“I'll call him.”

 

Lance blearily reached out from underneath his covers, trying to locate his ringing cell phone. “Hello?”

“Hey little cousin, you've got a challenger.”

“Little? I'm only two years younger than you! I'm not that little!”

“Whatever, just get out here.”

“I'll be there.”

 

A brief flash of light and psychic energy later, Lance was clad in a form-fitting black bodysuit and his normal cape, silver dragon adornments hidden underneath. With a thought, he appeared in the room where the challenger waited.

< Ah… >

Lugia's presence rose in his mind with a feral smile. < Defeat him, and free my siblings… Dragon Master… >

< I am yours to command, Lugia-san. >

 

Ash blinked as the Champion appeared next to him in a flash of blue light. Lance was psychic? Well, you learn something new every day…

 

“So you wish to challenge me for my position as Champion?”

“Yes!”

“Very well. Will a three on three battle suffice?”

Ash nodded confidently, three poke balls in his hands. “That will be plenty.”

Lance's smile was positively feral as he threw out his first pokemon. “Aerodactyl, I choose you!”

Rock/Flying… Ash smirked. This would be easy. “Articuno, Blizzard!”

“Tsk, tsk….” Lance reprimanded. “Protect!” Aerodactyl was faster in any case, and Articuno's attack missed. Irked, the ice pokemon ignored Ash's orders and shot like a streak towards Aerodactyl, who dodged down and shot a Hyper Beam into the ice pokemon's stomach.

Articuno fell, but righted in midair and retaliated with Ice Beam.

Aerodactyl hastily brought out his Rock Throw attack, the rocks frozen in midair now, but no matter…

Another Hyper Beam shot from his mouth. Articuno hid, but to her dismay and shock the Hyper Beam followed her every move before finally smashing her into a wall. She lay still…

 

“Not so easy, is it?” Lance asked. “What's your next pokemon?”

 

“Zapdos, go! Thunderbolt!”

“Relying on pokemon you've freshly caught is usually not wise…” Lance remarked, as Aerodactyl took the Thunder attack without any expression, before another Hyper Beam slammed into Zapdos.

< Why doesn't he need to recharge? > Ash asked no one frantically. Of course, there was no response.

Zapdos cawed madly, Drill Peck…

Aerodactyl's skin was rock, so drill peck didn't do much, and at close range a Bite attack to the throat was quite damaging…

“Zapdos!”

Zapdos crackled madly with lightning, trying to get the dinosaur to release its hold on his neck, but he was already bleeding badly and soon passed out from blood loss. Aerodactyl looked ready to collapse as well…

“You did well, Aerodactyl.” Lance said fondly. “Return.”

He could heal his pokemon now, but it wasn't time to show off…

 

“Moltres!”

“Hakuryuu!” A Dragonair appeared in midair, keening voice high. Lance smiled. “Dragonbreath!”

“Flamethrower!”

The two attacks hit, but Dragonbreath had only been a diversion as a Bubblebeam attack smacked Moltres upside the head.

As Moltres got angry, Sunny Day came into effect weakening water attacks.

Dragonair shrugged and called out a lightning storm. The fire avian didn't last long.

 

< Finish him… > Lugia hissed madly in Lance's mind. < Make him pay for what he has done… >

Lance frowned. Needless killing wasn't going to solve anything…

< What? You dare defy me, Dragon Master? > Lugia's energy crackled around Lance, psychic waves skittering off in all directions. < Kill him! >

< We haven't even determined his true extent of crime yet. >

< He caught the legendaries! He disrupted the balance! He is no Chosen One! If you will not kill him I will! >

 

Lance's eyes abruptly went pure blue as the `angel' wings reappeared, tearing his top to shreds in their attempt to get free.

Ash's eyes widened in fear as Lance pounced at him.

< Betrayal means Death, Chosen One! > Lugia shrieked, sharp claws growing out of once-human hands and tearing into Ash's skin.

< You will die for your sins! >

 

Something abruptly grabbed a hold of Lance.

< Calm yourself, Lugia. > Mewtwo commanded. < The boy has done no harm. >

< No harm?! No harm?! Are you insane, you false god! He has disrupted the balance! He will destroy the earth! He-! >

< He did not know the prophecy. > Mew interjected quietly. < The balance will be restored once your siblings are free. Besides, has he not helped us in the past? >

< Help! His help nearly killed my Dragon Master! >

< At that time, we did not yet know he was dragon master. And he took the dragon blades for our sake. Leave him be. >

< Never. >

 

Suddenly, Lance's eyes blazed golden again as the Champion took over. His eyes were dilated and he looked ready to pass out, but with determination, he broke the silversteel chain of the dragon pendant he wore and tossed it to Mewtwo, effectively canceling Lugia's hold on him.

With a howl, Lugia materialized out of the jewelry. < You dare defy me, Dragon Master! Face my wrath! >

Lance's body jerked upwards in a sickening motion, as the silversteel bracelets he still wore dug into his flesh, deeper and deeper…

Mew and Mewtwo stared in horror as the Dragon blades appeared, right through the body of the Dragon Master, as he collapsed…

< Worthless fool. > Lugia spat, before he launched an Aeroblast at Ash. Mewtwo grabbed the boy, nodded at Mew, and teleported out.

This was not good…

 

End Chapter

Completed 2/23/05

Phantomness: Whee! Psycho Lugia!
Ash: O.O I'm going to die…
Lance: I'm already dead!

Kairo: So… dark.

Shoyko: Phantomness is in a bad mood since she didn't do tell well in physics…