Whee! New plotbunny! Actually, old plotbunny! Started 9/4/03

Disclaimer: This is non-profit fanfiction written by me. Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri and Shogakukan Comics. My writing does not infringe on their copyrights, and since I wrote it, it’s mine under international copyright law and taking my work will be plagiarism!

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

Summary: Alternate Universe. A plane crash kills one and lets another live out the life she wanted to, but what of the dupe?

“Mrs. Ketchum?”

Pain and Agony and horrible, horrible rawness crawling up deep inside of her and all over and-!
“Don’t worry, we’ll get you to the hospital immediately!”

Black and white and blur and…

Nothing?

Nothing?

Who am I?

Who am I?
Help me…

Where…

Squeaky rattle of wheels as the cart was pushed down slick linoleum, red heels tap-tap-tapping against the floor, efficient white-garbed players waiting to pronounce judgment.

Tape wrapped around ruined flesh, quick, efficient decisions made and papers signed.

Then blackness and pinkness and rebirth came.

Five months later…

Lance studied her reflection in the mirror. She looked like a mirror image of a grown-up Misty Waterflower, but she wasn’t.

She had tried telling Ash during the restoration phase, but he kept brushing it off as amnesia. Even without memories, she knew she wasn’t Misty.

It was instinctive hatred.

He was awfully oblivious to it though.

Pikachu liked her, she had saved the little electric mouse during the plane explosion when Misty died, so that was why they thought ‘he’ had died and ‘Misty’ had lived. It was kind of ironical in a way.

Yes, it was… no matter though. Mistaken identity was a plus in this case, like it or not.

“Misty?”

She looked up, putting down the hand mirror as she stood up, feeling the black material of her silk jumpsuit settle itself against her body comfortably, like what she used to wear before she became ‘Misty’. She had only regained her memories recently, but Ash still insisted.

Oh, he was remarkably blind, that child, but she didn’t think he was dense.

Her dark red hair was prettier than Misty’s anyways, especially when brushed out so the gold and silver streaks showed. But that might just be personal vanity.

Still…

She had won, right?

He was waiting for her outside. “Come on, Misty. We need to go to the league ball.”

She nodded, and narrowed her eyes slightly, before the silver adornments clothed her in armor and she followed him.

Master of illusions indeed…

Well, Ash saw what he wanted to see, and what he saw was a Misty changed by near-death experience to become a perfect wife.

He refused to acknowledge anything else.

That was fine with her. She could play the role as long as the little one was _hers_.

No one else’s, he was hers alone.

True, she had just – only just – come home from the hospital after extensive surgery, but it was enough.

Her face was changed, was her past as well now?

He didn’t pry. Champion, he lived alone – and she had known this, as Dragon Master – with only his pokemon for company.

And then, _her_!
Oh yes, but now the one was gone now.

Lance smiled slowly. * It doesn’t quite matter anymore. *

Maybe she was going as mad as he was.

She wasn’t sure.

“Hi Ash!”

Ash waved to Gary, as Misty placidly followed him. So calm… it was strange, to see a roaring spitfire turn into this.

But he liked the new Misty.

She was quiet and good and didn’t go off on wild shopping sprees. Pikachu liked her too.

So it was perfect, right?

… Right?

Sometimes, it seemed too perfect to be true.

She was the perfect wife, he acknowledged, as she made small talk, danced a few dances, stayed by his side…

And… that dark blue did look really good on her. But he kept feeling like something was hidden, hidden away. It wasn’t something _bad_, just not out in the open.

Blue eyes locked with his for a second and then lowered demurely.

It had to be his imagination.

“Misty?”

“Hai?” She asked politely. He took her hand and they danced the steps of the waltz to the classical music filling the air.

She was such a good dancer. When had she improved?

He wasn’t quite sure.

She had lost weight too, in the hospital, but that was to be expected. What did they feed the patients, bread and water? Horrible! At least she wasn’t skeletal…

That dress did look good though.

They shared lemonade together during a break in the dancing, and she smiled at him. He smiled back.

Had almost-death finally made her realize what she had? Because she wasn’t arguing with him, even though his hair wasn’t the neatest.

Still, it was nice.

Afterwards, they went home, each to their separate rooms. Even if Misty had changed, the thought of sleeping with her made his blood curdle.

She had turned out to be a spiteful, hateful, little ____.

Lance shook off the illusions and then swiftly left.

< I’m not sure how long I can play this role. > There. It was out.

Lugia looked sympathetic as she knelt down in front of her guardian pokemon. < Chosen… >

< It’s all a lie! I love illusions, I really do, but sometimes he’s just so annoying blind that I want to knock him over the head with the truth! >

< He can’t accept the truth. >

< Then decorum be damned, I’m not living a lie. >

< Chosen… >

< Lugia-san, what am I supposed to do? > Lance asked. < I’m at my wits end. At first, it was a perfect opportunity, or so I thought, but now… >

< I can’t change time. >

< I know. >

< What do you want me to do, Chosen? I’m a legendary with limited powers. >

< I want you to lock me. >

< WHAT?! Chosen! That’s cowardly of you! It’s just running away from your problems! >

< So? Maybe it will give him the shock and time he needs to grow up. > Lance snapped. < He has to learn sometime. >

< Very well then… > Lugia sighed. < Close your eyes. >

Lance nodded, and then the silver armor she wore began solidifying around her. < Let’s just do two months… >

< Hai. >

“Misty?”

Ash and Pikachu ran through the house, still searching. No use. She was gone. Why? Sometimes in the past when they had fought, she would vanish, but…

Where was she?

Pikachu sniffed. Not here.

“We have to find her!”

They searched, but she was not there. That night, Umbreon and Espeon scoured the nearby cities, but she was not there either.

How could someone just vanish into thin air?

It’s no use. Pikachu told Ash. Just give up on it.

“But this was our second chance…” Ash sighed.

Umbreon and Espeon exchanged looks. They were psychic and dark and seers. < Master Ash? >

< That wasn’t Misty. >

“What do you mean? Of course it’s misty! She just has amnesia or a change of heart!” Ash said.

< No, you are very dense. > Espeon said bluntly as she flicked her tails. < That was Lance. >

“Espeon, this is no time to joke around. Firstly, I know that Lance is a _male_, and secondly, he’s dead!”

< Oh, if only it were that simple. > Umbreon flopped down on the ground. < Should we pound it through his thick skull? >

< I think we’ll have to at this rate. >

The two nodded, and then Ash gasped as he was thrown into a backlash of memories, which weren’t him.

Smoke and fire and pain and darkness and light and fire and pain and oblivion and ITAI! Had to get away, before the fires came, but she couldn’t leave the little one to die, no, no, not the innocent ones, and the dragons called up rain and everything was fine until the front collapsed on her…

But in the end the little one turned out to help because pokemon were pokemon and electric types could do certain things…

And she was all right.

Then it was white and silence and squeak, squeak, squeak and then darkness and black again.

Pain.

Terror.

Die.

Reawaken, it’s not pretty, no, no, and the bandages cover every inch but it’s better than death, so much better, but…

Who am I?

Let me go! Let me get away! Leave me alone!
But the bind and they tear and they won’t break and she can’t move…

Leave me alone…

Darkness.

So pretty, pretty, pretty isn’t it? And the lights are dancing in the sky again like they’re supposed to, and yet…

How do I know that?

Why am I here?

I want to leave…

Then. Silence.

I… I think I love you.

Come back, its lonely here.

Please?

The loop broke off abruptly then, as Ash stared at Umbreon and Espeon. “What was that?”

< _Her_ memories, of course. >

< What else would they be? >

“That’s impossible! They aren’t that similar, are they?”

< You yourself remarked that ‘Misty’ changed when she came back. And she didn’t lie to you, she kept saying she wasn’t Misty but of course you wouldn’t believe her. >

“But I don’t love her.” Ash said. “I thought she was Misty.”

< Pity, that. > Umbreon concluded. * I sense dark clouds on the horizon. *

“On the other hand,” Ash thought, as he took a sip of water. * I could learn to fall in love with her. *

She _was_ perfect, oddly enough, or very close to it. But where was she now?

That was strange.

But then, why would anyone care? To the world, Lance was dead, wasn’t he – er, she? Yes…

So she had gone somewhere to hide! That had to be it, yes…. Maybe it was pressure? No, being dead when you weren’t dead could not possibly be fun.

But where was she now?

He was so confused.

< Well, at least you’ve realized it. > Espeon said placidly. < That ought to help the situation at hand. >

< You go talk to Lugia. > Umbreon said.

< Me? Why? >

< You know how insanely-protective he is… he’d probably be willing to listen to you instead of me. psychics and dark and all that… >

< Fine, fine. >

Espeon teleported off, as Ash blinked in more confusion. * And what is going on? I’m so confused… *

But… hopefully _someone_ would explain.

< Lugia-san. >

< Oh, a child of light here? > The legendary blinked, then settled back down. < Hello. >

Espeon smiled nervously. < Lugia-san, I have a request. >

< A request? Well, speak up. What is it. >

< Master Ash really misses Master Lance, and I was wondering if I could bring her back with me? >

< I’m terribly sorry, but that’s not possible yet. > Lugia said gently. < Lance is still ‘locked’, as the term is. >

Espeon’s eyes widened. < Sleep of death!? >

< Correct. She will not wake until the time is past. Tell that to him, but did he send you? >

< No. I came of my own will. I think he really needs her, guardian, although he may not know it. >

< Well, I hope he finds out soon enough then. > Lugia said, as Espeon nodded and vanished.

< For both their sakes… >

Umbreon looked at Espeon anxiously. < Did it go well? >

< Well enough. >

< Well? >

< She won’t be back for a while. > Espeon said flippantly. < We’ll just have to take care of Master Ash until then. >

Umbreon sighed. < All right… >

They found Ash and Pikachu already fast asleep, worn out from searching. Smiling, Espeon and Umbreon also curled up on his bed and fell asleep.

Time passed.

Three months.

The last of the silver faded, as Lance stretched, wincing at the pain in her wings. < Lugia-san. Thank you. >
< Take care of yourself, Chosen. > Lugia reprimanded.

Lance nodded, then began flying back to Pallet. Mist hid her form as she landed on Ash’s balcony.

Ash was sitting at his desk, furiously typing up his (gasp) English paper. He had taken a few college courses to take his mind off, well, everything, but that might have been overkill.

Pikachu sat on his shoulder.

Ash, get some rest.

“I need to turn this in tomorrow…”

Lance slipped open his window and landed silently behind him. Pikachu’s ears twitched, but he didn’t notice.

Lance smirked, before she glomped Ash and allowed the Mist to fade away.

“Gah!”

He regained his eyesight a second later. “Lance?”

“Did you miss me?”

Ash did not bother to reply before he kissed her passionately, taking her breath away. “Hai.”

Pikachu snickered. He was moping like a sad Pikachu that’s lost his ketchup. [1]

“Pikachu!”

“You really missed me?” Lance asked, putting the emphasis on that particular word.

Ash nodded.

“You can finally accept it that Misty died and I lived?”

“Hai.”

“You love me for me, not her?”

“You’re the kind of person I could grow to love.” Ash said truthfully. “I… enjoyed our time together.”

Lance smiled. “Very well then.”

And she kissed him back.

Whatever happened after that is left to your imagination, but sooner or later all romantic gestures are forgotten. It just so happens that spending the rest of his life with Lance instead of Misty was the best choice to be made, and that was it.

End Chapter

End Fic!

DONE!!! ^-^

Completed 6/17/04

[1] A reference to the fruit’s basket manga, something the cat says to the rat