Tempered Skies (A Pokémon Fanfiction)

Chapter 1: Encounter at The Lighthouse

He nodded before departing the Battle Arcade. Lance passed through groups of elite and ace trainers, their eyes tracking his movement. Recognizing him, whispers and murmurs escaped through their lips. Used to spotlight, Lance scampered further away. Thankfully, any tabloid-related shenanigans were kept minimum in the Battle Frontier for the sake of privacy. It would serve as nothing but a diversion from the challenges.

On the contrary, Johto was a lot more reserved in their adoration for him than Kanto. Lance was secretly grateful for that. He suspected it was because of his major presence there than in his home region.

Outside Frontier Access, Lance chucked his poké ball. "Dragonite!"

A flash of light flew out of the device, exhibiting his most trusted companion. He let out a cheerful cry, spreading his small wings.

"Hey." Lance gave gentle pats on Dragonite's head. "We're heading somewhere new, Olivine City. Are you up for it?"

Dragonite nodded, arching down so his trainer could climb up. "Excellent, let's go." Once Lance settled in a comfortable position, he commanded Dragonite to take the skies.

Soaring through clouds, with the wind brushing against his carmine hair and black lead cape, Lance mused on Dahlia's statements. He wasn't involved with the Johto region as much as he thought. More so due to Kanto being urban with more opportunities. It was why, as he reminisced, he left Blackthorn City. Traveling to another region would give him a wider outlook on what his goals were. When he was young, the Elders of the Blackthorn clan were not fond of him leaving to travel. It took much persuasion for his grandfather, the clan's leader, to grant leeway. The Master was hesitant to have Clair take care of the clan's duties while Lance was away. His grandson was persistent and stubborn to give up on his goals.

Even with his grandfather's permission, Lance made a vow to be part of the Blackthorn's prestigious clan. To master the dragons which were revered as mythical beings. His family's lineage traced back to generations of working with dragon pokémon whom they were of close kin. The special relationship between the members and their dragon companions was unbreakable. Lance was bestowed to continue the tradition, to which he had no complaint. Not when he was gifted a dratini at a young age. Now a giant and strong dragonite who dutifully served his master.

It was a stepping stone to leaving Blackthorn to becoming one of the most recognized and best trainers in the world. Being a champion was no easy task, years of traveling across regions along with leading Kanto's Elite Four at one point brought him to now. Nonetheless, Lance eventually returned home. His family was more than impressed with what he achieved. It strengthened his position as the next leader of the clan. Truly, Blackthorn's rising star.

His stardom came to a halt when two boys from Kanto gave him the biggest defeat of his life three years ago. An utter blow to his confidence. One child was now a gym leader in Viridian City and the other disappeared into the deep tundra of Mt. Silver. Lance could never forget them. Blue and Red served as a lesson that the title of being at the top only inflated the ego. To stay at the top was fleeting.

Humbled, he would come back eventually. Only this time, as the champion of Indigo Plateau.

Dragonite's top speed had Lance hanging in the sky for several minutes. They landed straight in front of Johto's famous city port. Lance thought of whether to put Dragonite back into the capsule but ultimately decided to have him stay. He set his poké ball back in his pocket. "How about you stick around, Dragonite? No missions or battles. Just a time of relaxation. You deserve it."

The flying dragon let out a small cry of joy. His master smiled.

Lance stepped on the hard tiles that decorated the sidewalk. Each tile was under a circular design, with an optical illusion that they were spinning. Its sleek look marked a staple of Olivine's infrastructure, along with the misty sea air and sandy terrain. Not far was the ocean, but it would take a few blocks to arrive down at the beach and the dock of the S.S Aqua. Olivine was a fairly populated city for Johto, but not of the same caliber as Goldenrod.