agonotheta.

Over the years, he’s come across formidable challengers. Quite a fair few reached his chambers, but only a handful had the battling prowess to defeat him for the title. Lance remembers these Trainers, for some of them are just in their teens. It boggles the mind that these kids are able to command strong, high leveled Pokemon and utilize them well in battle. It’s one thing to raise them to such a level, it’s another to have them be battle worthy.

The winners are forever inducted in the Hall of Fame, and granted the title of Pokemon League Champion. Most are content with just the glory, for actually becoming the Champion involves a lot of work and responsibility. These Trainers, who have had the chance to travel and grow, wouldn’t want to limit themselves with this position. Lance understands completely. 

Though, there are the rare few who expressed their interest in the actual position. One of them happens to be a young girl named Lyra. Someone who he first met during a raid through Team Rocket’s base. He didn’t expect her to hold her ground so well, albeit there were some close calls that he luckily intervened. She left an impression then, and then deepened it when she reached the League, battled him and won.

Lance had expected her to continue on with her journey, but instead she showcased a desire to uphold the Champion’s mantle. Of course, it’s not simply a matter of foisting off the responsibilities to her. There are a lot of things to learn, which Lance is willing to teach. If she’s going to one day take over his position, then he’s going to impart everything that he knows.

Which is why he invited her for a meet up at the Indigo Plateau. Lance wants to give her the rundown on what being a Champion actually entails, so she knows exactly what she’s getting herself into. He’s set aside his schedule for the rest of the day to make way for this. It’s a chance for him to get out of his office and stretch his legs.

Lance waits at the Plateau entrance, decked in his usual outfit until he spots that familiar poofy hat from a distance. Lyra eventually reaches him, offering a sheepish little greeting that he returns with a small yet warm smile.

“It’s fine. I wasn’t waiting for long,” he replies then makes a gesture at an area to their right. “Shall we?”

When Janine finally spoke up, he placed down the file and listened intently to her words. Inwardly, he had to admit that it was like looking at a reflection of himself. Usually, she was the complete opposite of him so seeing her speak like this showed that she had grown more than he realized. Lance had been so absorbed with what’s in front of him that he didn’t notice the actual people that worked with him, it seemed.

“Yes. I’ll be making copies to distribute during the meeting. I understand that there will be displeasure towards my foolish secrecy, but as you said, this is a united front.” Lance was also prepared for a loss of trust. He just have to work hard in order to regain it again. His League members, the people and the regions deserved a better Champion, so he will have to live up to that the proper way this time around.

“Building a solid foundation and working from there...” Lance smiled faintly, eyeing Janine with a tiredly proud look. “I couldn’t put it any better. It’s like listening to a leader making plans for a better future. The Hayashi clan is in good hands, it seems.” Speaking of clans, this wake-up call changes how he look at things. Perhaps when things calmed down, he’d look at his own clan.

Lance gathered up all the files and stored them in the box again. Once done, he leaned back in the chair, heaving out a deep sigh. Now that they have a plan to work with, his body once again reminded him that the antitoxins still needed time to properly neutralize the poison. He should really get some rest, but with his mind buzzing, he didn’t think sleep would come easy.

His original plan had been to make some personal purchases in Goldenrod City, but then he just so happens to stumble upon a shady scene. A lucky glance in an alley allows him to spot some figures skulking way back, and his curiosity prompts him to make a detour. Then he sees that two men were ganging up on a young girl.

Lance would have interjected nonetheless, but he spots a very familiar insignia on one of their shirts and he briefly sees red. How many times do they have to return and be a thorn in his side? His brief moment of pause ends up costing him, for one grunt spotted him. He glares for a moment, then his eyes widen in abject horror.

“Shit! It’s him!” As slippery as they’ve always been, the man yanks at his companion and the pair booked it further down the alley. Lance utters a soft curse, wanting nothing more than to give chase, but he has to be certain first that the girl is alright.

They reached the theater and bought their tickets with twenty minutes to spare. Lance considered on getting a small snack to munch on -- that’s what people usually do when they watch movies, right? -- but decided against it when he realized just how tired he was. Right now, he was functioning on that above minimum threshold that helped him get through the day, and while the long sleep helped erased most of the sleepiness, he still had a lot of sleep debt to make up.

The inside of the theater was dark and cool, the sort of atmosphere that would make it easy to doze off in. Lance would try his best not to, for Green’s sake. This was supposed to be their hanging out time, and it wasn’t fun if only one party was awake to enjoy it. They settled in their seats, not too close yet not too far. There were enough leg room for a guy like him, but the seat itself was a little too tight for his tastes. It wasn’t anything to fuss about, though.

Lance tugs his cap down, frowning a little at the teasing comment, cheeks slightly warm. It wasn’t his fault that his casual look made him appear as such a character. And while there is a grain of truth to it -- he had participated in fake drug deals a few times during his active days in the G-Men -- the man still grumbled slightly. “I know that. It’s just... when I go out, I just don’t want to be disturbed by all the attention. I know that... there are fan clubs dedicated to me. Karen showed me a couple of online forums and...”

He grimaced at the memory of seeing some of the more... outspoken comments about his appearance and what they’d like to see specifically. “I’d prefer to keep as much anonymity that I can.” A pause, then a little softer, more childish for a man of his composure. “And don’t call me Larry.” It wasn’t like he hated anyone named Larry, he just... didn’t like the name associated with him. It reminded him far too much of a fool of a man that he met once, many years ago. 

Larry Butz... may he never see him again in this lifetime. 

Lance nodded at Will’s awed words with a mild surprised look of his own. He understood that the Leavanny had skills, for it was the reason they had fitted clothes to wear, but to think it was capable of making shoes as well. You’d think a wild Pokemon wouldn’t possess this level of intelligence, but he dismissed that thought as soon as it came. He didn’t know everything about Pokemon, so who was he to decide what it should reasonably be able to do?

Will at least understood the value of Leavanny’s work, for he set about in making crude drawings on the ground. Lance leaned in, trying to make heads and tails of it. Their tailor seemingly knew what Will wanted, as it quickly set about with the leftover scraps of cloth, mixing it with leaves and its own silk. Lance merely watched the transformation in front of his eyes as what would be considered as useless materials became a water pouch.

“That’s... really smart of you, wow,” Lance finally said. Leavanny immediately worked on another item. “I wouldn’t have thought about that. While we can’t filter water, at least we have a place to store it. That’s better than nothing. Maybe instead of river water, we can store rain water instead. Though, I would prefer that be an option where we would have found shelter.” He didn’t want to get soaked like last night, thank you very much.

While Leavanny constructed a satchel for them, Lance followed Will’s cue and tried on the makeshift shoes. It felt a bit different than what he was used to wearing. It was soft, more pliable than a sandal but it covered the soles of their feet. Lance didn’t know how sturdy it is, but assuming that that the Leavanny spun its silk as a base multiple times, it might be just stand up to the terrain they will have to go through. 

It didn’t take long before they have a makeshift satchel. This time, Lance uttered a grateful thank you as well to the Pokemon. While this encounter had been unexpected, they got some useful items that would help them survive better in the wild. He got to his feet, taking a moment to breathe through a wave of lightheadedness. With a deep breath, he went to stand by Will, watching a small horde of Sewaddle filling the area.

“That’s true,” Lance responded with a soft snort. “I can’t imagine how long the wait would be if our tailor had worked on different orders first.” All jokes aside, it was time for them to head out into the wilderness. He can’t deny the nerves that coursed through his veins, but if they wanted a shot of getting back to normal, they needed to return to civilization. Lance still had to get back at the thieves that landed them in this mess in the first place.

With a firm nodded, he made a step outside. “Let’s go.”

Within the first hour, Lance can definitely say that walking with a purpose was almost as bad as when they walked aimlessly yesterday. Now that they know where to go, just staring at the mountain peaks from the openings in the canopies filled him with a sense of dread. At the very least, they only had to walk through the forest. But now, they were expected to get through the mountain range, a decidedly tougher journey.

Having shoes that didn’t make them stumble made walking a whole lot easier, but that didn’t mean they could be reckless with it. There were still plenty of roots that jutted out from the ground, or small holes obscured by foliage. Lance himself had accidentally stepped into, but fortunately it wasn’t too deep to sprain his ankle or worse. It did sour his mood, which had been steadily growing the longer they walked.

Since it was daytime, they had better vision to see their immediate surroundings. This made hiding from wild Pokemon a bit easier, though no less stressful. Already they had to make themselves smaller than they were when a herd of Bouffalant passed by. He wasn’t too familiar with the Pokemon, but assuming they were the same as Tauros, then they had to assume these bulls were highly territorial. 

Lance had instinctively pushed Will behind him and covered him with his own body, controlling his breathing as he cautiously peeked out from the tree they hid behind. Thankfully the wind didn’t carry their scent downward, so once the Bouffalant disappeared, they were free to move about again. Lance wiped the sweat from his forehead, not really taking note that he felt warmer than usual. 

“I think the coast is clear. Let’s continue on.” This time, Lance grabbed hold of Will’s hand, in the event that he had to yank him along if they needed to run. They can’t get separated, not this deep into the woods. Right now, he was only focused on going down the straightest path to the mountain range. 

At Will’s pondering, he mentally nodded. Prior to that, they would have to get their Pokeballs fixed. If they were on a time crunch and needed to storm the base themselves, they must have their Pokemon with them. He believed that despite being this size, his team would still recognize him, especially Validus. They’d been together since he was six years old. His trusted Dragonite wouldn’t fail him.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed that Will was exiting their little shelter. Lance wanted to follow suit but he was still stuck as Leavanny’s mannequin. Despite its cheeriness in making them clothes, he didn’t think it was wise to have his back to it after he angered the Bug-type. He never forgot the danger on what those scythe like appendages could do, regardless if it proved nothing more than a capable sewing needle right now.

Will assured him that he’d be fine, and while it wasn’t enough to placate him, Lance did stayed put. Not like he had a choice in the matter. Hazel eyes glared pitifully at the Pokemon, who remained oblivious to his inner plight. Another reminder on just how defenseless he was right now. His lips pinched into a deep frown. No matter how much he despaired over that fact, he needed to get over it. Contemplating on his powerlessness will only make him even more vulnerable.

Not wanting to go down that rabbit hole, he tried to think of something else. Hopefully, they wouldn’t face too much of a trek heading back to civilization. Their shortened limbs already hindered them in walking speed, and their miniature bodies meant that they should stay on solid ground. They could probably climb over obstacles if need be, but Lance would prefer for them to minimize their energy expenditure, at least until they have a decent supply of food and water.

Before he could recall what sort of berries he knew were edible, a loud crack caught his attention, followed by the sound of something heavy crashing to the forest floor. His eyes widened, heart rate picking up. “Will!” He cried out, worry for his friend nearly overriding his instinct to stay still in the face of a dangerous Pokemon. Scratch that, he would have immediately run outside, if not for the Leavanny keeping him in place with one long appendage.

Lance nearly growled at the Pokemon, itching to fight it for preventing him from checking up on Will but one look from the Leavanny made him back down. It wasn’t angry, per se, but it did have that you better stay in place or so help me sort of look. Lance couldn’t risk it, as much as he wanted to. He wouldn’t be of any use if he was severed in half. 

He stewed inwardly, a fierce scowl on his lips. It didn’t distract the worry from his eyes as he sent glances at the exit. 

God, you better be alive damn it. 

While it felt like hours had passed, not even fifteen minutes had elapsed before Will showed up with a weary sigh. Lance thought he might have exploded from his pent up feelings, being this close to say fuck it and risk getting sliced on the back, but physically seeing Will present and alive helped diffuse some of it. It didn’t make him feel any better, not by a long shot, but he wasn’t about to burst into angry, concern fueled yelling at least. 

Lance opened his mouth to say something but fell silent when Will reported his findings first. Despite his feelings, he had to prioritize, so he made mental notes on Will’s descriptions. A goddamn mountain range, huh? Lance can’t say he had a good grasp of Unova’s landscape, but he didn’t expect that they had to traverse through rocky, dangerous terrain before they could reach safety. Forests were still manageable but a mountain range?

Flashes of Mt. Silver went through his mind. Oh, they were in for a rough time. Assuming that Twist Mountain was Unova’s version of Mt. Silver, the terrain was one of many things to worry about. Wild Pokemon that lived in these sort of areas were often strong, much too strong for a regular Trainer to battle if they came across one. There was a reason that one of the advice for taking on Mt. Silver was to be a League winner at least. Maybe then they’d stand a chance against the fierce wildlife. 

But a couple of kids with no Pokemon to their name? Lance sincerely hoped that their wits would be enough to keep them alive through the first night.

“If you believe that’s our best shot, then... I suppose we just have to go through the mountain range,” Lance finally responded, frowning still. He mused on some thoughts for a moment longer before Will’s question snapped him out of it. He’d been so busy trying to stamp down his worry and not fight the wild Pokemon to really pay attention on what the Leavanny was doing.

Lance took the opportunity to look down. It seemed that the Bug-type had cut off some scraps of cloth from his original outfit to make him a kid-sized version of a T-shirt and pants. As they fitted his form, he had no problem moving when he experimentally stretched his arms and legs. The Leavanny had stepped back, chirping in what he assumed was pride at its creation. 

He had to admit, despite his wariness, the Pokemon did a good job. Lance nodded his thanks, stepping off of the stump that acted as a pedestal for this past half hour. His body felt sore and achy, with a headache pounding lightly behind his temples. It’s just the uneasy sleep and uncomfortable position talking. Lance would be fine in time.

The miniature Champion joined his Elite, taking a seat on the forest floor. “Alright, so we have a direction to head to. What we require now is supplies to help keep us moving. Food and water should be a priority, water even more so.” Lance frowned. “But even if we found food and water, it would be difficult for us to carry them all by hand. I’m not looking forward to our attempt at traversing through a mountain range. We need a reliable way to carry them.”

He then looked at his feet. They were dirtied from walking barefooted, but remained unharmed. That wouldn’t be the case when they walked on gravelled land. “Our shoes were useful to help us walk, but they only worked because we were walking on relatively even ground. It’d be a liability for us, trying to walk with oversized shoes. We can’t totally ditch them, cause they do provide protection.”

He looked up, listening more to what Will had to say. His gaze flickered to the Leavanny, who seemed to be busy with making Will some clothes. It did make sense, but you could never tell with wild Pokemon. While it might be harmless now, who could say that it wouldn’t suddenly attack them later? It had plenty of opportunities and Will might be content with his reasoning, but Lance couldn’t bring himself to agree so easily. 

His body tensed when the Leavanny approached Will, seeing it raised those sickle like arms to his vulnerable friend. Lance’s body jerked forward upon seeing it descend above Will’s head, but he stumbled to a stop when it was merely letting go of the binds. Leavanny might have gotten a tiny bit of his trust when it stopped Will from falling to the ground, but his suspicion were not easy to put to rest. 

Lance subtly moved closer when Will was set down beside him. His elite was busy admiring the clothes that Leavanny made from the scraps of his old ones, and he had to privately admit that they looked quite good. At the very least, it was far more practical than wearing clothes several times larger than he was. His attention snapped back to the Pokemon when it set its eyes on him. His body tensed on its own accord as he stared back.

Leavanny started to circle him, seemingly inspecting his frame just like it did to Will, but in his eyes, it felt like a predator circling its prey. His mind was one flip away from switching into flight or fight mode, until Will’s voice forcibly yanked him back to reality. Right. Leavanny had so far proven to be... friendly. Provoking it right now wasn’t a good idea when it hadn’t shown any hostility. The least he could do was... go along with this.

Lance didn’t let it use him as it pleases, though. He took off his oversized clothes and nudged it towards the Pokemon with his foot. If it took offense to his gesture, it didn’t show it. It looked like it was happier to receive more clothing and lifted it to compare it over his body. The Champion stood with his arms stretched, letting it get the measurements it needed. The sooner those beady eyes were off of him, the better.

Will’s questioning helped distract him from the uncomfortable experience, at least. It gave his mind something else to focus on. “I... can’t say for certain. Going by how rivers usually worked, it is plausible that we’ve been swept downwards. probably towards the sea...” Had Lance not found the strength to swim back to shore with Will in tow, that might have very well been the case. They would have died if they were swept out to the vast ocean.

“Logically going about it, we should, at the very least head back north. If anything, going back in the direction we came from would bring us back to Driftveil City. Our goal right now is to find some sort of civilization. That way, we can finally get some proper help and fix our Pokeballs. We might have been turned into kids, but I still know the numbers to call for backup,” Lance spoke, coughing slightly at the end. His throat felt a little sore, but that was probably because they haven’t had anything to eat and drink yet.

“But... what we really need now is food, water, shelter and a way to tell where north is.” He paused when the Leavanny turned back to him, taking more measurements before returning back to its work. Lance wanted to tell it that he still wanted his cape, but that was the least of their concerns. “Hopefully, any berry trees we come across would be the edible kind. Water... is a bit trickier since we can’t boil it. The risk of getting sick from river water isn’t worth it. It’s a last resort, at least.”

When he finally came to, the first thing that would catch his attention was how heavy his limbs felt. For a moment, he’d be struck by extreme confusion. What did he do yesterday that left him this utterly knackered? Lance was pretty sure he merely battled a couple of Gym Leaders at the PWT, and while that could be quite tiring in of itself, it shouldn’t warrant this bone deep tiredness that reminded him of harsh training sessions as a kid.

It was that particular comparison that finally sparked a connection. Suddenly, a wave of memories pierced through the fog surrounding his mind, and he remembered. The suspicious individual in the warehouse. The attempt at a surprise attack, only to be caught off guard by a falling container. A distinct feeling of burning from within, only to wake up and find himself... reversed back into a child. The river, the current, the Furret.

Will.

With a silent gasp, his eyes snapped open. For a moment, Lance merely stayed there, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, reminded that they took shelter in an empty hole at the base of a tree. A sluggish headache pounded behind temples, and he still felt distinctively awful, but he pushed down those feelings in order to force himself into sitting up. It seemed that the Furret had left and as for Will--

Lance turned to his side, forcibly snapping his mouth shut when he caught side of the Leavanny and Will. From his position, he could just make out the silk threads that hung from a low branch, attached to Will’s hands. The Leavanny, seemingly occupied with something, paid no attention to his Elite. It looked like Will too realized his predicament, for he started to struggle, making his heart dropped to his stomach.

Making unnecessary movements like that would draw the Pokemon’s attention-- and he almost cried out when Leavanny turned its head towards Will and lifted one of those scythe liked arms. Before Lance could make a last ditch effort to shove it into missing the strike, it seemed that it did nothing more than tap Will’s forehead. It made insect like chirps, sounding nonthreatening but Lance couldn’t take that chance.

Will was still trapped, face to face with a Pokemon who could still tear him to pieces. Lance slowly got to his feet, his clothes a heavy weight on his body but it didn’t stop him from slowly approaching. He had nothing on him to actually fight against the Leavanny, but he hoped a surprise rush would at least give Will some time to free himself. Lance didn’t focus on what the Grass-type was doing. He only had his eyes on freeing Will. 

But then his Elite shouted at him, revealing his position when the Leavanny turned to have its beady eyes staring at him. Lance stared back, heart racing but refusing to show fear. Will continued on talking, initially being a little hard to believe at first. This Pokemon was making him new clothes? Then was it completely necessary to make it look like he was trapping Will as if he was nothing more than insect prey?

The Leavanny stared at him, before it lifted up what looked to be a makeshift shirt. He recognized the cloth from Will’s usual uniform, which seemed to add credibility to the story. Lance had a stare down with it, before he finally gave a cautious nod. That seemed to appease the Leavanny as it went right back to work on sewing the clothes. Lance took this opportunity to approach Will and see his condition for his own eyes.

It wasn’t an easy sight, seeing him trapped and displayed as such. Too similar to a forced capture, and the sight of those bruises-- Lance almost decided to tackle the Leavanny right there and then, thinking that it was the cause for it. But rationality took hold at the last second, allowing him to observe with a clearer head. Those bruises looked ugly, but it didn’t look like it fit the handiwork of a Leavanny. 

Lance switched his gaze from Will to the Bug-type, and then back again. His lips were pursed, fist clenched but it didn’t look like he was about to charge the Pokemon. His rising anger stemmed from a feeling of helplessness, which did little to help the pounding headache. Will was in this situation because of him. He almost died yesterday because of him. He couldn’t do anything viable to save him right now, if the Leavanny turned out to be an enemy.

He was just a kid in this world, unable to do anything useful with his diminished strength. Lance still had his mind, but that meant nothing in the face of the harsh wilderness. The feelings stewed for a moment before he forcibly shoved those down too. Now wasn’t the time for a one man pity party. He needed to ensure whether he could help Will, at least.

Lance cautiously approached him, keeping an eye out on the Leavanny. It was when he felt confident it was busy sewing that he looked up at Will. 

Lance read through the summary, finding himself intrigued with the concept. A nature style documentary that followed the growth of four Pokemon within Johto-- one of which featuring a Dratini. He blinked at that, sitting up a little straighter. The only natural Dratini habitat would be his clan’s Dragon Den. Since when did the filmmaker got the permission from the clan elders to film what they consider as sacred grounds?

Well, now he’s practically obligated to watch it. Lance wanted to know at to what depths they were able to film. The deeper areas, especially the shrine were off limits unless the outsider had explicit permission from any high ranking clan member. He blinks once more, realizing that Green is waiting for an answer. “I think I’d like to watch this movie. It sounds interesting to see how these Pokemon grow in their natural habitats.”

Lance flashes Green a small smile, then rising to his feet. “We have about forty minutes before the movie starts. Let me go change into something more appropriate, and we can head over to Saffron City.” There’s a fonder smile, now. “Feel free to raid my closet for anything-- just not the capes that’s in its own section.” Those are his special, battle made ones. The rest are free game for Green to swipe, if he wished to.

With that, Lance went to his closet, grabbed a change of clothes before disappearing into the bathroom. He’s not self conscious, and it’s not the first time Green would have seen him in a state of undress, but it just felt better at the moment. Five minutes later, Lance exited, now wearing a pair of black slacks, a maroon zip jacket atop of a simple white T-shirt, and a cap with the word Johto emblazoned on it that mostly covers his recognizable hair while obscuring his features a little.

This particular style definitely made him look younger than his thirty years of age. Like one of those hip kids, even. 

Their clothes meant that trip ups were becoming a factor of life, and keeping his Elite close to him only added to it. Will seemed to be having trouble moving, his limbs uncoordinated and weak. Each time that he reluctantly let go at Will’s request, Lance hovers close by when he inevitably collapsed after a few steps. At one point, he almost flat out refused, but reminded himself that Will just wanted to help him out. He can understand that feeling, at least.

The longer they walked without finding proper shelter, the more on edge that Lance gets. The few potential shelters ended up a bust, for they were far too risky to stay at. Thankfully, the wild Pokemon that they stumbled on were more spooked than anything else, so they avoided being ripped apart for the most part. He can’t say the same for the state of their clothes. Trudging through the forest floor with oversized clothes trailing at their feet pretty much led to rips and tears all over.

If Lance went his way, he just wanted to find some any old hole and stay there until his body stopped aching. But then logic kicked in, plus the reminder that he had Will with him. He at least deserved a proper resting spot after the whole almost dying thing. The small Champion once again violently shoved down that particular thought, instead focusing on his surroundings. Though, it seemed his mind had wandered else where, for suddenly, they were sliding into a hole.

Lance made an alarmed noise at the back of his throat, his free hand immediately digging into the soil to prevent from sliding further downwards. His other hand held on tightly to Will’s. If anything, he wouldn’t be letting his Elite go. Once Will found traction, he took the opportunity to observe, and found an empty hole in the base of a tree that looked like it could fit them both. Slowly and carefully, the pair made their way down to give it a better look.

It seemed unoccupied, and by that point, exhaustion outweighed his paranoia. They just had to take the chance and hope that no Pokemon would return to this spot. Lance crawled in, resting his back against the somewhat mossy bark, letting out a huge sigh. With the rain no longer pelting on their backs, it gave him a bit of relief, though they were still soaked and shivering. Now they had at least a chance to dry up.

Lance’s eyes had involuntarily drifted shut, but the faint cry from his friend had them snapping open. The question he was about to ask died on his lips when his gaze fell upon the creature peering at them from the entrance. Arceus, can’t they even have a few minutes of peace? A shiver of fear trailed down his spine when he realized that they were trapped, but Lance won’t just roll over and let it do what it wants.

He kept his eyes on the creature, one hand inching forward until he managed to grab Will’s shoulder. With strength he didn’t know he had left, Lance pulled his Elite back and pushed him behind him, pressing his body against his. He knew if the creature decided to attack, they were both done for but he wanted to hold onto the hope that if that happened, he’d be enough of a distraction to give Will a chance to escape.

Lance continued to stare defiantly at the eyes, his heart racing in his chest. When the creature moved, he barred his teeth, trying to show that he wasn’t afraid of this thing. Its head moved in, and that’s when he managed to get a better look at it. Imagine his surprise that what he thought was a big, scary Pokemon turned out to be a curious looking Furret. Its beady eyes blinked at the pair, before making its way in.

Still, no matter how harmless it looked, the Furret could still harm them easily. Lance pulled Will with him as they circled around the edge, towards the exit but their path got blocked by the Furret’s long body. It continued to look at them, no hint of malice in its eyes but Lance couldn’t afford to let his guard down. They needed to get out of here. It’s a shame they had to let go of the shelter they just found but it’s better--

Lance tensed up when the Furret suddenly pressed its body against them. While the feeling of warm, soft fur felt heavenly on his cold, achy body, he was still worried for their safety. It’s only when the Furret started to lick them that he had different thoughts. He grumbled at his hair being licked, shoulder tense but it genuinely looked like the Furret had no intention of harming them. In fact, it looked like it was trying to warm them up.

Its head gently bumped against Will, since he’s the closest to lay back against its long, furry body. It uses its tail to do the same with Lance. A part of him wanted to escape still, but the majority who had faced through hardship after hardship today wanted nothing more than to give in and rest. He’s cold, the Furret is warm. He wants to sleep, and there’s nothing softer in this forest right now that this Pokemon’s body.

Against his will, Lance felt his eyes sliding shut once more, the exhaustion finally overpowering his stubbornness. Before he truly slipped into deep slumber, his hand finds Will’s, giving it a weak squeeze. 

Then he saw those eyes slowly opening, followed by a little sound. Lance paused, hope slowly rising within him. Will.... was awake. Quiet, confused but awake. He blinked once, seemingly focused on him before he started to cough. Lance fell back, partially out of shock, though he’d like to imagine it was to give Will room to turn over and hack out the water in his lungs. His small body shook with each painful cough and ragged breath, which was a good sign, but a terrible image to witness.

A small voice at the back of his mind nudged at him to do something. Maybe supporting Will, or rub comforting circles on his back. Just-- anything, other than sitting uselessly like this. Lance took soft, shallow breaths, gaze locked onto his Elite without moving an inch. His hands itched to move, but something in his brain locked his limbs in place. Was he frozen in shock? Horror? Surprise?

Lance couldn’t properly described what he was feeling. He was unaccustomed to feel so... much and so strongly. It was easier to push his feelings down, plaster on a stoic look and went about his day until he had privacy to slowly let it out. That was how he managed his feelings as an adult, and while that might have made relations with a few people more difficult than it need to, it was what he used and worked.

Now though, even if he was adult in mind, he was a child in body. Regardless of how he wanted to feel, he could do nothing but let what felt natural for this body, which stoked the fire that he had for this situation. He hated being like this, hated this abject feeling of powerlessness. Lance wasn’t able to do anything for Will. He almost saw his friend die before his eyes. If that had happened, he didn’t know what he’d do.

Would he be stuck in this state forever? Lost in the woods? Leave Will’s body behind? While that would never came to be, his mind had entertained it. Just the thought that he was so close to being completely, utterly alone with the knowledge that he had been this close to completely failing his friend... even Lance couldn’t pretend to be okay from it. 

Lost in his own turbulent emotions, he failed to notice that Will was speaking to him, until he posed the question. Snapped out of his thoughts, he looked at the other, small and frail but whose expression showcased his concern towards him. Lance didn’t want that. He never wanted to put that particular expression onto anyone’s faces. He was the picture of strength and dependency, the one people could go to with full confidence that he could anchor them.

Right now, he felt adrift, just like their swim in the river, only the scenery had changed to a stormy sea. Lance felt nothing and everything at once, drawing the air out of his lungs. A distant part of him urged at him to assure Will, but opening his mouth only gave way to a choked sob. The tears that stung at the corners of his eyes finally fell, mixing with the rain as it rolled down his childish cheeks.

He ducked his head in a futile attempt to hide it. No matter how much he wanted this stupid body to stop crying, it still betrayed him by pushing out more sobs. Lance wasn’t even sure what he was crying over, frustratingly enough. All that he could do was bite back sobs, sniffle and hiccuped as he forcibly tried to stop himself from flat out bawling. 

When the fit finally passed, he kept his head duck while his arm furiously rubbed at his eyes. His cheeks burned with embarrassment for losing control to this extent, especially in front of his Elite. Lance only cried in front of him once, and he wanted that to be the first and last time. He rubbed until his eyes stung, sucked in a deep, shaky breath before finally looking up.

Lance felt guilt for putting that expression on Will’s face, but what’s done is done. He must’ve looked ridiculous in his oversized clothes, red eyes, splotchy cheeks and generally looking like a drowned rat. His gaze flickered away for a moment, seemingly unseeing before they fell back on Will. 

“Come on, we should find some shelter before the rain picks up again,” Lance suggested, his voice raspy and soft. He didn’t give an answer to his previous question. They both know that he wasn’t fine, but it was easier to pretend that he was. Staying unsure and indecisive only exposed them to the elements even longer. They need someplace dry to stay in before the sun completely dipped over the horizon.

They were exhausted, chilled to the bone kids. Nothing in their arsenal could fend them off against wild Pokemon. Thankfully, he still had his belt with his Pokeballs, but the mechanism still wouldn’t work, so they were on their own. Lance slowly got to his feet, his legs shaky from exhaustion but he managed to stay upright. 

He silently offered his hand to Will. When his Elite was upright, he quickly found that his limbs were stiff and uncoordinated, like he didn’t have full control over them just yet. Maybe it had something to do with the flash he saw earlier, but no matter. Lance knew of Will’s aversion to prolonged physical contact, but it was a necessary evil for them to get moving. He pressed himself against Will, one arm wrapped around his waist. 

A bit awkward but manageable. Lance then started to walk, testing how they worked with their tired limbs and soaked clothes. Slow and difficult, with the danger of tripping multiple times but the riverbank was soon behind them as they entered the unknown forest.