Semi-Summary: What if Red had lost to Green at the Indigo League finals? It’s not so bad being second place…as Red discovers, spawning a new adventure into pokemon.

 

Disclaimer: No, I don’t own pokemon. Ok? Okay! Pokemon belongs to Nintendo, this is non-copyright infringing fanwork by me, non-profit also. Don’t take it. I make up what is mine.

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks.

Pairings: Championshipping (Red/Ash x Lance)

Timeline: Pokemon Adventure/Special manga-verse (end of Book 3)

Red is 12, Lance is 16

 

Prologue/Chapter 1

 

            His eyes were blurred as Green’s Charizard fell. It was finally over. The long journey to victory…

            But then…

            He was completely unprepared for the pain that shot through his body as one last attack came.

            It wasn’t aimed at his pokemon.

            Red cried, a wordless scream, as Alakazam attacked.

            Black.

 

 

            Lance closed his eyes.

            “You lost.” Lorelei chided.

            “He would have won if not for Green’s extra pokemon.” Agatha noted. * Of course, my grandson… *

            Bruno grunted.

            “That’s fine.” The Dragon Master said. “It will only make it easier.”

            The other three blinked various expressions before Lance slipped out of the stadium. It was time to plan.

            Yes…

            He smiled. * The board is set, the pieces move now. *

           

            Red woke up in the hospital groggily, the dehydration caused by sleeping for two straight days jangling in his throat.

            His arms and legs were in a variety of bandages, his torso looked okay.

            Well, that was the danger of pokemon training.

            Of course, that was when the truth slammed into him with a force worse than Alakazam’s psychic attack.

            “I…lost at the Championships?”

            Truth hurts.

            It was lucky it was three A.M., so no one saw his shameful tears. His pillow was still wet in the morning.

            The nurse did not remark on it.

            He stayed there for two days, before he was released.

            Back in Pallet town…

            He stared at the poke balls lying in neat rows on his shelves and wondered just where it had gone so wrong.

            Is it true, then, that I have no skill? No strategy?

            My thunderstorm strategy worked… until he used Alakazam. Why wasn’t I paying attention?

            Pika licked his cheek to try and cheer him up, but it was no good.

            Simple gestures would not be able to crack that depression for a long time. He just held his little pikachu and sighed.

            Why was life so hard?

            Was his dream too far? Did he fly too near to the sun and wind up melting his wings of wax, the escape that became death?

            What went wrong?

 

            As Poli and Aeroy and Venus and Pika and Eevee and Gyra all sat in a circle around him, he couldn’t find an answer.

            Am I… really that bad of a trainer?

            I wanted to fly, to soar to a dream, but now… it’s broken and I’ve fallen down, and my wings are shattered.

            I can’t fly anymore.

            It’s not fair, losing is bad enough but everyone seeing you lose on T.V… who would care now?

            Green… he has hope and a future. I’m just another challenger.

            Fallen.

 

            While Red brooded, his pokemon tried to find a solution.

            They knew their Master was a good trainer, only had to recall his victories to see that. But…

            What a debilitating defeat.

            The only way to overcome it would be with a victory of the same magnitude.

            But how could that happen?

            The championships were not for another year.

 

            That night, Aerodactyl woke up, tingling.

            It was the Call.

            Impossible! The Dragon’s Call came this early – but… no, it was the call, and he had to heed it.

            He and Gyarados and Dragonair flew off, after notifying Pikachu. He would explain.

            Hopefully.

            They had their dragon pokemon roles to play.

 

            Sure enough, it was the Call, and a month passed before the ceremony was over and they could return home.

            Red was glad to see them alive.

            And yet…

            Aeroy shifted as he remembered what the Dragon Prince had warned him about.

            Was Red going to die?

 

***************************Flashback************************************

            < You must be careful, ancient one. >

            Aeroy jumped, startled. He was being spoken to directly?

            Golden eyes focused brightly on him. < Yes… your trainer, if he continues on his destructive spiral, will only bring pain to himself. >

            I… I don’t understand!

            < He… > Here, there was a pause. < You must tell him to be careful. The darkness isn’t pretty like he thinks it is. I will try to stop him, but there is only so much one Chosen can do against another. >

            Aeroy stayed frozen as his mind tried to process what exactly was being said.

*********************End Flashback**************************************

 

            Red hummed as he brushed his hair back into its custom spikes.

            Why was he happy?

            Did nothing matter anymore?

            Oblivion waited, and then there wouldn’t be anything else to distract him…

 

End Chapter

Created 4/9/04

Completed 4/12/04