Title: Shot
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping/WataShi (Lance x Ash)
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #36, Shot
Rating: PG-13
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

Warnings: Shonen-ai, violence

“What’s wrong, Lance?”

“Nothing.” The Dragon Master said smoothly. “Just pondering.”

Ash blinked in confusion. “Is it something important?”

“Relax.” Lance told him, half-smiling. “If it were, I would tell you.”

Ash felt slightly more reassured, but as he studied Lance, he couldn’t help feeling as though something was wrong. He wasn’t quite sure – maybe it was because today Lance was wearing pure black instead of his normal black and red bodysuit, but for some strange reason, it disturbed him.

Lance had no reason to lie to him, but if he wanted Lance to tell him the truth, would he?

Suddenly, a sharp sound rang out. Lance’s eyes narrowed, and he hissed for Ash to stay in the room before he rushed out, releasing his Aerodactyl as he went. Ash blinked, before deciding that he was a trainer too so he was going to go and help. He released Pidgeot and jumped out the window, before realizing what the commotion was.

A man stood there, several men, all wearing blindingly white robes. Ash vaguely recognized them as from the Society for the Protection of Pokemon, but why were they here? The Elite Four weren’t hurting pokemon, were they?

“It is diabolical of you to use these creatures as weapons!” The leader shouted, leveling his gun at the Dragon Master. “The first shot was a warning. If you know what’s good for you, you will surrender now!”

“As if,” Lance hissed. “What do you fools think you are doing?”

“You are the misguided one!” Another of the hooded figures shouted. “If you do not repent of your folly, we shall be forced to destroy you and the creatures you have corrupted!”

Lance smirked. “You asked for it.” With that, he snapped his fingers.

Aerodactyl was a blindingly fast blur, and the four figures dropped to the ground, the one in the lead staring in horror at the stump of his arm and the others bleeding from deep gashes through their torsos.

Ash watched all of this in horror, blinking madly. That was when one of the other figures noticed him and fired. Pidgeot easily evaded the attack, before whipping up a Gust attack, trapping the figure in a whirlwind. As she crashed to the ground several feet away, her hood was blown off and Ash saw it was a woman, not that that made any difference at this point in time.

He hadn’t done anything wrong! Pokémon were his friends!

“Ash! I told you to stay inside!” Lance cried, before he snapped out an order for Reflect. Dragonite exploded from the ground beneath their feet, a clear shield dropping into place around them for protection. Ash hesitated, before he resolutely joined Lance behind the shield.

More figures in white began to appear, and Lance set his teeth. He would have preferred for Ash not to know about these events, but now it seemed there was no going back. Lance half-smiled, before nodding to his two dragons.

“Hyper Beam.”

Ash was vaguely aware of screaming, though he knew not from whence it came. He squeezed his eyes shut as he felt Pidgeot move her wings, probably attacking on her own, without orders…

When it was finally quiet, he cracked an eye open, seeing red and white strewn all over the ground, and felt violently ill. Lance held him as he heaved, not saying a word, but afterwards, made him tea and told him quietly he should have never come.

Ash couldn’t help but feel the rebuke was justified.

Why were those people so crazy?

For now though, he let Lance hold him and pet his hair, because even though it seemed like something his mom would do, it felt nice and he was still scared.

Maybe Lance would protect him. Lance was always looking out for him, after all, and had rescued him in Johto and Houen…

He closed his eyes and nodded. He’d let Lance protect him from the crazy people with guns too, just in case, and that was that.

End Fic

Completed 3/7/07

So many fics to write… *Eyes shimmer* but eventually, I will prevail! Championshipping will win! And there’s not really romance in this story because I think Ash doesn’t get it. *Cough*