Ooh, another darkfic from phantomness! *Waves*

 

Disclaimer: Nintendo owns pokemon, and I do not. I only have what I create.

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics for pokemon speech.

Warnings: Shonen ai, Championshippy, BAMRN

 

Prologue

 

            It was only a little kiss, trembling and hushed behind the stands during the Indigo Championships. The barest of touches, and a fond memory to keep, nothing more then that…

            Unfortunately, Misty and Brock, his so-called friends, hadn’t seen it that way.

            He had been eating breakfast, a spoonful of cereal halfway up to his mouth, when he got the news.

            The bowl clattered to the floor and shattered, milk and cheerios staining the tile. He wanted to cry, but as he slowly made his way to the phone, it was too late.

            Like vultures, the media descended, prying and prodding and poking, and they wouldn’t accept the fact that there had been nothing between them. Nothing at all!

            He felt his heart wither and die though. That one moment in time, frozen in the autumn gold… it had been everything and nothing.

            He was gone.

            Dragon Master who took his heart away…gone.

            Cold eyes stared at the ones who betrayed him as he limped up the stairs, back in Pallet. Who knew amber could freeze to such a cold, dark shade of brown, almost black?

            He watched the blood drip down his fingers as he stared at the fragments of the broken picture frame.

            It wasn’t even a formal picture, just the group shot taken with Mikey back in Stone Town, but the sight of their smiling faces filled him with molten anger.

            How dare they.

 

            He attended the funeral, of course. Watched as the boring epitaphs were read, watched as the coffin was sealed, those ocean blue eyes forever closed.

            Watched… and waited.

            He laid a small bundle of lilies and blue cornflowers on the grave after the mass of humanity had left.

            “I wish I could have had time to love you,” He whispered to the wind.

            Wind that teased him and tantalized him, wind that was free unlike he was.

            He would have laughed at that, hugged him tightly, and they would have stood on the hills to watch the stars together, while the night wind sang.

            It was one more wish that would never be granted.

 

            He wouldn’t leave his room. Misty and his mother pleaded, begged, cursed, and threatened. No use.

            He watched the sunrise and sunset each day.

            He watched the blood red sun bleed into the night.

            The pretty darkness that would come and take him away, and yes, get him away, safe, safe…

            He waited.

            He could wait forever.

 

            Five years passed.

 

            “Ash!” Misty said, as she answered Mrs. Ketchum’s frantic phone call. “What do you mean he’s gone missing?”

            “You know how he walks around Pallet Town every day and spends a little time training his pokemon but never leaves?” Mrs. Ketchum asked. “Well, today Professor Oak had been helping him, actually the other way around, they were cleaning the reserve, but suddenly this giant bird scooped Ash up and flew off with him. I’m not kidding.”

            Misty’s eyes bulged out. “That’s insane. Sounds like science fiction.”

            “I know! But it’s on camera. Can you spend a couple of days in Pallet to look for clues?”

            “All right. He was my friend once.” Hanging up, Misty turned to her fiancée Brock. “Well, let’s go.”

            Brock sighed. “He’s still so childish, isn’t he?’

            The two climbed on Onix’s back and began tunneling there.

 

            On an island somewhere in the middle of the Shamouti Chain…

            “I’m home.” A voice called.

            Charlotte got up from where she had been playing solitaire against her computer. “Welcome home, Ash.”

            Ash smiled. “Is he?”

            “I’ll show you.” Charlotte said. They walked down the halls until they came to a room with a blue door.

            Curled up in sleep on the little bed was a boy about Ash’s age, with crimson hair tipped in golden spikes. A pair of steel wings folded neatly around him.

            Ash trembled and walked over. “Lance-chan?”

            “Shh.” Charlotte warned. “Yes, in a sense.”

            Ash frowned, not liking the implications. “Is this an illusion then?”

            “No, no,” The fire trainer placated. “Nothing like that. He’s just… blank, for lack of a better word. No memories.”

            Ash froze. According to the prophecy, Lance was supposed to keep his memories. So…

            “Charlotte, you used Phoenix, right?”

            Charlotte nodded. “Yes. I know it’s illegal. But, you two deserve some peace together. Sacrifice Phoenix to bind the dragon to the earth.” Her sightless white eyes stared at him.

            “Y-you…”

            “It’s for the best and you know it.” She replied. “Get some rest, because this time, you’ll have to seduce him.”

            “WHAT?!”

 

            “You have a better plan, little brother of mine?”

            “I’m going to faint…” Ash sighed.

            “Maybe.”

            “Charlotte, exactly what did you do?”

            ‘Resurrection using my Phoenix powers.” Charlotte replied. “Good luck, you’ll need it. The maps and directions are all on my desk. I’ll be seeing you later.”

            She vanished, leaving Ash clueless but hopeful.

 

End Chapter!

Created 1/2/04, completed 1/4/04