A Second Chance

Chapter 13

92 VIEWS!!!!!!!!!! I never thought that many people would actually want to read my writing. I think I already mentioned this, but it's because of you all that I keep writing (although a comment, or follow, or like or something would be really nice. . . hint hint), and it's SO COOL that I might actually reach 100 views. I promise, I will update more regularly now that first quarter's over. PLEASE tell me if things are going too fast between Lance and Yellow, and PLEASE let me know it there's something I'm actually doing right. I'm not a very experienced writer yet, so any advice is helpful. 

Damn writer's block!!!! The story usually just tells itself, and all I have to do is type, but now it's so hard. . . I don't know what happens next! Maybe after this chapter, it will go back to being easy. Ugh. Some comments/ likes would help, too. . . 

Lance was back at his old base. This was where he'd hid when training got too rough, when his grandfather was displeased with him (which had been depressingly often at first), and later, where he had come to train. Now Yellow was here with him. 

Lance helped her through a rough spot on the underground path leading to the main training area, even through she could have managed it by herself. 

When the two of them got to the main cavern, Lance turned to see Yellow staring around her. 

"It's. . . amazing", she told him. The huge cave had rough, craggy walls, which Lance had painted targets on. Years of training here had blasted holes in the walls on and around the targets. Tree stumps wrapped in frayed rope adorned one corner of the cave, and bags of sand hung from the ceiling, along with large, thick rings, and knotted ropes. 

He smirked. "It's a mess." Yellow shook her head, not sure of how to convey her feelings to him. 

"Maybe, but the atmosphere is so hard core, and it's clear you do so much training here. That's what makes it so awesome", she said. 

A corner of Lance's mouth lifted slightly. He was glad that Yellow felt that way. "Let's get started."

"I don't think I can do it. . . " Yellow said, looking with trepidation upon the long, knotted rope descending from the ceiling. She could barely reach the first knot, and the second looked so far away. . . 

"Both you and your pokemon need to train for you to get any better", Lance said. His pokemon and her's were practicing accuracy and agility on the other side of the cave. He himself was hanging easily from a different rope. 

"Okay. . . " Yellow said nervously. She jumped up, caught the first knot, and slipped, landing heavily on her back. "Ow", she complained. 

"Try again. You can't be afraid to fall, or else you will", Lance encouraged. 

Yellow jumped again, and this time, her grip was firm. 

"Good", praised Lance, "now work your way up to the next one."

She reached up painfully, grasping the second knot, and heaving her body up after her so that she could straddle the rope and put her feet on the first knot. She pushed hard, but her feet slipped and she fell again, dangling by her arms. 

"Take it easy. Don't rush to the next one, but remember to keep a firm grip on the rope while you're moving up", Lance said. He was now hanging upside down, having found a loop in the rope to put his leg through. He appeared to be doing hard core sit-ups, going directly upside down, then pulling himself up to touch the ceiling, and going back down again. 

Yellow grunted in response, then pushed her feet onto the bottom knot again. She eased her weight onto her feet, stretching up to reach the next knot. She pulled her legs up after her, straddling the rope to keep some of her weight off her hands, then started all over again. 

Yellow had made it about halfway up the rope when she took one hand off to wipe off the sweat so she could grip the rope better. That was all it took. Her feet slipped with the extra strain on them, and the sudden yank on her remaining hand tore it right off the rope. 

She was falling again. All the memories of her time in the Masked Man's lair came rushing back, faster and harder than the ground rushing up at her. 

"Yellow!" came Lance's voice. She snapped out of it. No way was she dying like this. There was too much to live for! She stretched out, trying to grab her rope again, but it was too far away, and she couldn't. 

Everything was moving so fast, and it had been barely a second since she fell, but time seemed slow for some reason. She was falling, and then. . . she wasn't. Something had stopped her fall. 

She opened her eyes to see Lance holding onto her rope with one hand, and her wrist with the other. 

"I just can't stop saving you", Lance said. Yellow blushed, wrapping her other hand around Lance's wrist to strengthen the grip. By this time, their pokemon had reached the scene, and Aerodactyl grabbed the two of them, carefully setting them on the ground, before flapping a few feet away to give them some space. 

"Thanks, Aerodactyl", Lance said. His pokemon, clearly not used to much praise, fluffed out its wings happily. Yellow laughed at its proud expression before turning to Lance. 

"You saved me. Again. Thank you", she said. 

"I couldn't just let you fall. I'm the one that made you climb that rope", he said. 

"Yes, and I'm glad you did. I need to have more confidence in myself", Yellow told him. Lance seemed to be acting slightly strange. He kept glancing down at. . . her lips? She glanced at his, and that was all the time it took before they were kissing. 

Much later, they separated. Lance griped her shoulders gently, and looked deep into her eyes. 

"No more falling", he said. She couldn't keep from laughing, and it helped to ease the pent-up tension in her chest.  

Yellow tried again, and this time, Aerodactyl made sure to keep a close eye on her. She made it to the top, and Lance climbed up after her. 

He pushed on the ceiling, and a large chunk of flat rock lifted up so he and Yellow could crawl through the opening. Above them, stars flecked the velvety, midnight sky. The sun was setting in the distance, lighting up Yellow's dark gold eyes. 

"Is this why you wanted me to climb that rope?" she asked him. He nodded, sitting back on a patch of grass. Yellow settled in beside him, staring around at the rugged, strangely pretty island they were on. "It's so beautiful here."

Yellow squeaked as she felt Lance's hands around her waist. He lifted her gently, setting her between his legs, and then draped his cloak over both of them. 

"It's chilly tonight", he told her, but they both knew that it wasn't, not really. 

A feeling tensed along her spine, a beautiful feeling. She'd felt it before, but only with Lance. Leaning back on him, Yellow closed her eyes and sighed contentedly. 

Lance set his chin on her head, closing his eyes, too. She was his Yellow, and he wouldn't let anything happen to her. He realized that was the first time he had thought of Yellow as 'his' before, but it just seemed to fit. 

They were made for each other. Nothing could tear them apart now. 

It's back! I can write normally again, and the story flows. I wasn't going to throw any Lance- Yellow stuff in this chapter at first, but the two of them just snuck that moment in. Sneaky. Anyway, make me smile (AKA do a victory dance for 10 strait minutes/ embarrass myself in front of everyone in the room) and press that star at the bottom of your screen.