I am really trying to wrap up all my fics before writing new ones. Really!

DISCLAIMER: Pokemon belongs to Satoshi Tajiri. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me! Do not take my work!
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks

Chapter 2

 

            They first met nine years after the initial choosing. They were all close to age ten, or pretty close. The youngest was only eight, while the oldest fourteen.

            Lance was eleven.

            He yawned half-asleep, while he waited for the legendaries to finish talking. It was easier to tune them out.

            Father would tell him what he had missed later. Besides, the legendary pokemon were so pretty!

            Shiny. Lance smiled as he watched Latios and Latias fly around. How pretty!

            Koga and Aya were meditating and trying to keep calm while Raikou and Registeel were embroiled in an argument. Well, those legendaries weren’t ‘theirs’, but better to play it safe.

            Whitney had started playing the Red Flute, before Entei had shushed her. She might accidentally break up Moltres and Zapdos. That would _not_ be good…

            Brendan was amusing himself by counting the ice crystals on Regice’s body.

            < Well? Have we come to a conclusion yet? > Celebi inquired.

            < We are working on it. > Honou yawned while Rayquaza stared him down.

            < Technically, it would make sense to keep them all in one area. >

            < However, if we do that, then they are especially vulnerable to attack and exploitation, correct? >

            < Yes. Still, if they scatter to the winds they may be otherwise occupied when sorest needed. >

            < Oh, this is a pickle. >

            < Come to the point! > The more short-tempered Zapdos was already getting bored with the negotiations.

            He received several glares.

            < What?! >

 

            “When do you think they’ll finish?” Lance asked Aya. He wasn’t too concerned about the length of time, but he was bored.

            A nap had already been taken in either case.

            “Never?” Aya bantered.

            “Oh, I hope not!” Whitney replied earnestly, mistaking the sarcasm for truth.

            Koga rolled his eyes and resumed his meditation. * They’re all children… *

            Truth be told, he was the oldest. However, the reader can rest assured he will not be a stuffy old bore, at least not yet.

            Lance took out a deck of cards and started a game of Gin Rummy with Aya and Whitney and Brendan.

 

            It began to rain outside.

            Obviously, more than one legendary was in a bad mood… as the weather began to change drastically, snow, fire, rain… you name it.

            Lance began humming Lugia’s flute song underneath his breath. Lugia wasn’t the one creating the storm, but still…

            Maybe father can calm them all down?

            < Don’t worry child… >

            “Hai.” Lance said out loud, ignoring the odd look Brendan gave him.

            “What?”

            “Whom are you talking to?” Whitney asked politely.

            “Father.” Lance said quietly.

            “Oh…” Whitney nodded. Entei said Lance was an orphan.

            She felt sorry for him, but what would pity do?

 

            Finally, two days later, they came to an agreement. Each child stayed where he or she normally did with their respective legendary (or legendaries).

            However, in cases of emergency they would all be summoned to Sky Pillar, regardless of what else was happening at that time. It was a bit like slavery, but...

            They understood it was necessary.

            After all, what else could be done?

           

            Lance was happily playing the blue flute one day by the sea when along came a trainer who wanted to capture Lugia.

            Sylvia blinked, then shrugged. “Hey! If you think you’re going to capture Lugia, then I challenge you!”

            Perplexed eyes met hers. Lance put down his flute. “What?”

            “I challenge you to a pokemon battle!”

            “But I don’t have any pokemon.”

            “You don’t? Then what are you doing in Whirl Islands?”

            “I live here?” The child asked petulantly. He tucked the flute into the belt of his robe and glared at Sylvia.

            “You’re kidding! Then you must be a pokemon! Charmeleon, I choose you! Use Flamethrower!”

            Lance froze in surprise, before common sense kicked in and he dived into the water to evade the fire attack. He wasn’t too lucky though, since he did get burned.

            Sudden application of cold water to an open wound is quite painful…

 

            < Father! > Panic rose to the forefront of the brain.

            < Breathe. > Lugia instructed, and Lance did so, surprised that he could breathe underwater, but he’d deal with that later. < Now, child, come home. Do not worry. >

            Lance nodded as he swam in the general direction of Lugia’s cave. He got lost, but a helpful Tentacool pointed the way and so he was cleared without incident.

            < What happened? > Lugia asked, as he took at look at Lance. Not too bad, a few days rest and regular application of specially formulated saltwater would heal the wound.

            < I was outside playing my flute and a trainer suddenly attacked me for no reason! > The boy spluttered angrily.

            < Didn’t I warn you about humans? >

            < I know, but aren’t I one? >

            < NO. You are different, Lance. You are a Chosen, one of the five flutists. You are not any ordinary bum on the street. >

            < So what should I do? >

            < Do not go back outside again unless the coast is clear. This is for your own safety. > Lugia didn’t like putting restrictions on, but…

            It was necessary in this case!

 

            Somewhere else…

            “Miltank, I choose you! Use Attract!” Whitney said proudly.

            “Oh no! My Geodude!” The Hiker wailed. * That’s the third of my pokemon that’s fallen to that weird move! *

            “Do you give up?”

            “I guess I’ll have to.”

            Whitney took out the Red Flute and played it, now that the battle was over Attract was no longer needed. “Great work, Miltank!”

            Thank you. From the cow

 

            Entei watched from the grasslands near Whitney’s farm, which was located between Ecruteak in Olivine.

            His Chosen was being a good girl. That was quite interesting, though, how she was thoughtful enough to undo attract after each match.

            At least it showed she was kind-hearted.

            Whitney milked her Miltank, and then went back towards the house. “I hope Aunt Jenna made something good for dinner tonight!”

            Me too! The miltank proclaimed.

 

            “Golbat, use Wing Attack!”

            “Weezing, use Poison Gas!”

            Koga and Aya always fought as a team. They had always been trained together, so that was the way it was.

            Bryon’s Roselia and Camerupt both went down…

            “No way!”

            “What? Double battles are pretty standard here in Houen, are they not?”

            “Yes, but!”

            “It looks like-.”

            “He is unwilling to pay.” Aya finished Koga’s sentence.

            “Indeed. Should we-?”

            “Punish him?”

            They had also gotten into the strange habit of finishing each other’s sentences. Latios and Latias understood partly, they were also siblings.

            “Yes.” Both intoned in unison. Bryon gulped.

 

            What was odd was how Koga and Aya, who were originally from Kanto, now lived in Houen. They had adapted and hardly remembered their own home.

            The problem would be if a situation requiring assistance occurred in Kanto with no flutist present.

            Well, the legendaries would try their bests…

 

            “Grovyle, use Leaf Blade!”

            “Ack! My Plusle!”

            Brendan hugged his Grovyle. “Guess I win, don’t I?”

            “Grr…”

            The Yellow Flute holder didn’t play much, since Deoxys was usually too busy to check on him. Besides, he had a gym leader as a father, so…

            “Brendan, it’s getting dark!” Norman called.

            “Coming!”

            Yes, at the moment, relative peace was everywhere. What a pity if it should suddenly come to an end…

 

End Chapter

Completed 10/17/04