Disclaimer: Don’t own pokemon or Gankutsuou or Count of Monte Cristo!
Chapter 29 – Breakdown
I can’t…. I can’t be in love with him. I can’t be!
It’s impossible…
Yet….
Lance sighed as he watched Ash sleep. After the initial kissing, one thing had led to another and well…
He sighed.
What to do now?
Giovanni was on the path to destruction. At this very moment, Lorelei was denouncing him before the Paris council.
Gold… his daughter Janine was now in a coma… his wife denounced as a poisoner…
And Danglars had run off.
Two down, then… his eyes glittered with – tears? Joy? Lust? It wasn’t easily identifiable what it was. No matter.
He rose silently from the bed, feeling wings of silversteel grow from his shoulders, armor ribbons winding down his porcelain flesh, and went out to fly.
He needed some time alone to think.
Ash yawned sleepily as he finally came to. Amazing… he hadn’t ever thought that two men could…!
He pushed back the covers and padded out to the waiting bath. After a good, long soak, he was feeling more awake and dressed in a clean suit and red silk shirt.
Half-slitted golden eyes slid open.
“Um… hello?” Ash asked.
Lance hid a smile. “Good morning, my dear viscount. Did you sleep well?”
Ash nodded, blushing furiously. Crimson spread over his cheeks as he looked down. * Wow… *
“I’m glad you enjoyed my company.”
“Are you leaving?”
“Heavens, no… whatever gave you that idea?”
Ash blushed. “I was afraid you would be angry with me.”
“Of course not.”
“Then… you… I…”
“Do I love you?”
A startled squeak made its way past his lips as he made a mad dash for the door. He didn’t get very far.
“I love you.”
“… What?”
“You wished for my answer, did you not, my dear viscount?”
“Y-yes!”
“Then…” He moved to Ash’s side silently, wrapping his arms about the younger man’s waist. “You have mine…”
“I do….” Ash breathed out slowly, fighting down his rising desire. “Count…. I…” He froze as Lance placed his fingers over his lips.
“Shh… one day in the future, I shall ask you that question again. I wonder if you will still answer the same?”
“What…?” That shocked him out of silence.
“Soon… you will understand everything…”
“What?”
He closed his eyes fondly. “Tis nothing. Shall we go hunting?”
Ash beamed as he belted on a pair of pistols. “Pheasant for dinner tonight then?”
“Of course, assuming we actually catch any.”
“I’m not that worthless of a shot, Count!”
“Then we shall see it proven.”
They laughed as they exited the house, making their way into the dense forest nearby. Sure enough, they had soon bagged a good variety of pheasants.
Dinner that night was delicious as always. Another day passed peacefully enough. The day after, they spent fishing for salmon and trout, which took forever, but between brief bouts of fish catching, they cloud-watched and basically basked in each other’s company.
The next day, however…things were different…
The door burst open as a man on horseback raced inside.
“Master Ashura!”
“Florentine!” He recognized his valet. “What’s wrong?”
“Please! Your mother sent you this! You must come back to Paris immediately!” The man cried, thrusting a letter into Ash’s hands.
Ash read the two lines and then promptly collapsed, Lance barely caught him in time. So it seemed that the verdict had finally been decided…
Florentine looked uncomfortable. “Should I…”
“You must be tired from your long journey.”
The valet nodded. It had taken him two days to get here. He was quite ready to pass out on his feet. Silver led him off to a guest room whereupon he immediately embraced the shores of dreams.
Lance picked up the letter and opened it. Tear-blurred lines replied.
‘Your father is dead, our family dishonored. Please return, Ash. Mother.’
Interesting…
He paused, slipping the vial of red liquid back into his robes. No, he wouldn’t use that method to wake Ash up. There were better ways…
He laid Ash on a convenient divan, embroidered with flourishes of silver spangled over blue cloth. The boy stirred little as he was moved.
“Now…. You will finally know the truth, it seems.” He sighed, as he closed his eyes and met Ash’s lips for what would be the last time.
Pulling away, he watched as brown eyes widened in fear. “I’m sorry! But I must leave, this letter is urgent….”
“My carriage is at your disposal, my friend, but there is a faster method.”
“There is? I must return immediately…”
Lance withdrew a shrunken poke ball from his jacket. “You know that pokemon inhabit some regions of the eastern lands.”
“Yes…?”
“Here.”
Ash accepted the poke ball, watching as it grew to full size. Of course the Count might have pokemon…
“Go, poke ball!” He said, and then blushed as he realized just how childish and immature that must have sounded. * Oops. I did not mean to do that! * Brilliant red light coalesced around an unfamiliar form, but it resolved into a magnificent sapphire-blue eastern dragon.
“Dragonair!”
“Go on,” He urged, watching as the viscount awkwardly climbed on. “She’ll bear you swiftly home, in moments. Be not afraid, Ash. The dream is over, and now you must move on and embrace reality. Now go!”
Before Ash had time to interpret Lance’s cryptic words, Dragonair had taken off.
A single tear trickled from his left eye as they left. He hastily wiped it away and frowned.
Crying was for weaklings. He would not do it again…
It was time for the evil to fully become recognized, and for the circle to complete.
“We’re going back.” He told Silver with a predatory grin. “Back to the capital where evil flourishes!”
Silver hid a shudder. “Yes, I know… everything has finally fallen into place,” * and how I hate it… *
What was left now?
End Chapter
Completed 4/30/05
Almost there…