Chapter 276 -
Whenever Lance was in the grand meeting room of the Blackthorn Clan, he had to hold his urge to punch its walls after listening to the shouts of elders.
Lance tried to calmly sit. Around him were the elders of the clan. His sister Clair, the Blackthorn Gym Leader, sat to his right. She kept her expression neutral, but her fingers tapped quietly against the arm of her chair.
At the very head of the table sat the grand elder. He was Lance's grandfather, the current head of the Blackthorn Clan.
His white hair fell long over his shoulders, and his eyes carried the weight of many battles. The biggest seat in the room belonged to him. Everyone waited for him to speak first, but today the elders could not hold their tongues.
One elder said, "We need to get the two legendary dragons from the Vortex brat."
Another elder, thinner and older, nodded quickly. "Only our great clan can have the honor of raising those two dragons. Latios and Latias belong with true dragon masters, not some upstart businessman and a gym leader."
A third elder slammed his fist lightly on the table. "Only our clan can truly use those dragons' true power. We are the ultimate dragon clan. Our bloodline has commanded dragons for generations. It is our right. It is our destiny."
The room filled with murmurs of agreement. An elder with gray streaks in his beard spoke next. "Think of the strength we would gain. Latios and Latias are legendaries. With them under our control, the Blackthorn name would rise higher than ever. No other clan or league faction could challenge us."
Another added, "The boy has no right to them. He is not of dragon blood. Those dragons deserve trainers who understand their ancient heritage. And if they had agreed to be with the boy, they could surely see us as better trainers for them."
The discussion grew louder. Voices overlapped as elders listed reasons why the legendary dragons should belong to the clan.
They spoke of old legends, of pacts made with dragon spirits long ago, of how the Blackthorns had guarded dragon secrets for centuries.
Lance tried his hardest not to glare at the elders in rage. His hands clenched under the table. He kept his breathing steady, but inside he felt a storm building.
'They still live in the old ways. They need to understand that the world now does not revolve around our clan. We might have the military might with us, with our dragons and our training grounds, but with the league system our political power has reduced by a lot.'
'The dragons might still be mighty, but with the reveal of the Fairy type, they are not as mighty as they were. Fairy moves cut through Dragon attacks like nothing. The clan refuses to see how the balance has shifted. They cling to pride while the world moves forward.'
'The league watches us closely now. Any aggressive move against a respected gym leader like Gladion would bring investigations, sanctions, and maybe even loss of our gym status. If the elders act foolishly, they could drag the entire clan down. I have spent years building alliances and respect as an Elite four and now as a Champion. I will not let these old fools destroy everything.'
Lance was still thinking how to get the elders to change their views and live in the modern world when one elder said something outrageous.
"We should send a message to the boy to hand over the two legendary dragons. He should comply, or there would be consequences."
"I agree," the grand elder said for the first time. "Those dragons belong to us. The Blackthorn Clan has guarded dragon lore for centuries. Latios and Latias are part of that legacy. The Vortex family has no claim to them. Gladion may have formed a bond, but bonds can be broken. We will remind him of his place. If he refuses, we will take steps to ensure the dragons return to their rightful home. Our clan has the strength and the right. It is time we exercised both."
Someone else added quickly, "We should have Lance send it. As the Champion, he could easily get his way. A simple letter or a visit from the Champion would make the boy see reason."
That was the final fuse for Lance.
He stood up so fast his chair scraped loudly against the stone floor. "Have you all gone senile? You are trying to take Pokemon from someone. Have you no shame?"
The room fell silent. Every eye turned to him. His grandfather locked eyes with Lance. A frown deepened on the old man's face. A heavy dragon aura leaked from him, thick and oppressive, pressing against everyone in the room. Lance met it head-on. He released his own dragon aura in full force. The two powers clashed invisibly. Lance pushed back hard, refusing to yield even an inch.
"We helped you become Champion," an elder snapped. "That is how you repay us?"
Lance let out a dark chuckle. "You helped me? I agree that you gave me political support. You spoke in meetings, pulled strings in the background. But we all know that to become Champion, political strength does not matter. It is the personal strength that matters. And I and my Dragonite can crush each of you in a battle. Do not pretend you made me Champion. I earned this title with my own hands, my own dragons, and my own will."
His grandfather finally spoke again. His voice carried the weight of authority. "You are trying to protect someone who is the grandson of Maren Vortex? Do you know how many of our clan members he killed in the Infinite War? His son and grandson also revealed the Fairy types and reduced our standing further. The Vortex family has been our enemy. We cannot let them hold dragons that belong to our bloodline."
Lance shook his head. "I am saying what must be said. And protect? I do not have any need of protecting him. No. I am protecting you people from offending the single most strongest trainer in all of the league. Those two legendary dragons have recognized Gladion as their trainer. They would no doubt protect him and have formed a deep bond with him. If Gladion Vortex feels like it, he very much can storm into our city and destroy it like he destroyed the Team Rocket base. Do you remember the reports? He walked through their defenses like they were nothing. His Pokemon tore through everything in his path. Do not fool yourselves into thinking we could stop him if he came for us."
The elders shifted uncomfortably. Some looked away. Others clenched their fists.
Lance took one last look around the room. "I once again would advise the clan to not do anything stupid. Because if you do, you can forget about me backing you."
With that, Lance turned and walked toward the heavy doors.No one dared to stop him. The elders sat frozen. His grandfather watched him go with narrowed eyes, but even he stayed silent.
-----Author Notes------
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