Plotbunny fic! Thank god for a subconscious… my dreaming mind often provides rather entertaining tidbits that can be used as fics…
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon; it belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic belongs to me. I own my writings under international copyright laws…
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks
Summary: ‘Friend’ and ‘enemy’ can be such vague terms taken out of context. In the proper context, everything’s flipped.
Um… yes, I don’t own King of Hell either, except for book 1 of the manga, and I’m lifting a little bit of plot, and taking liberties and all that good stuff fic authors can do…
Chapter 1
He had never imagined himself in his current position.
He supposed that at any other time he might have been grateful, but now was not one of them, until abruptly, the pressure was gone.
“They’re gone.”
Ash got to his feet slowly, wincing slightly. His leg hadn’t been completely healed yet, but it was getting there. It was certainly better than being broken in two places as it had been seven weeks ago.
“It is no longer safe here.” Lance was not looking at him. “The ten will be back tonight.”
“Lance…”
“They’ll burn this to the ground.” A sweep of the hand indicated the white walls and glittering roof of the house. “There is nothing you can do. It is better to be safe and escape while you still can.”
Golden eyes avoided looking at him.
“Yes, let’s go.” Todd spoke up, his voice worried and low. “We’ll die if we stay here.”
“I’ll be fine,” Lance said, answering his unasked question. < But you must escape. There is still life for you left. >
He nodded, pulling on the last of his adornments and armor. “Thank you.”
He didn’t look back as he and Todd fled.
The next morning, flames still flickered between ashes.
So he didn’t think about it. But memory couldn’t be suppressed easily, even when he casually fulfilled his duties as Messenger.
He had to remember eventually.
So he quit fighting it, and remembered…
**************Flashbacks and Musing**************************************
“Hi~, Pryce-sama, what’s up?”
“What’s up?!” The old man sitting hunched behind an ornate desk covered with piles of paperwork roared. “What took you so long?”
Ash shrugged. “Ran into a tempest over the ocean…”
“Well, get back to work!”
“Hai!”
Ash sighed as he left the office. “Sheesh! I should get paid more for this…”
“Hard day?”
“Todd, you’re so lucky…”
The boy laughed nervously. “Well, taking pictures is easy…”
“I know, even though its surveillance.”
“Off to work now?”
Ash smiled wanly. “Hai.”
He was out of the buildings in a few minutes, gray-edged wings slightly skimming the air as he flew to his next destination.
“Dear….” Professor Oak gasped, lying on a bed. “I think my time has come…”
“Don’t say that!” Agatha scolded. “You’re simply still sick!”
“But… there is someone here for me…”
Ash waited, as he yawned slightly.
Soon enough, Oak died, and he took the man’s spirit to the underworld.
That was his job after all.
It wasn’t that bad, he supposed, except Pryce was a completely annoying dictator. He just sat around all day while Ash and others worked, collecting the souls, sending them off to the Testing Room, and then throwing the truly horrible ones in the Demon-o-Matic. It saved money, time, and resources.
In any case, Kanto was Ash’s realm, and he was busy, flying all over during the day, except that Gareth took over at night.
At least it gave him twelve hours of rest before the next exhausting shift.
Ah, the work of a Messenger… besides collecting souls, he often delivered messages between the various kingdoms.
Shadow… Dream… and Astral…
It could have been worse though.
How much time had passed since he had accepted the position as Messenger? He wasn’t quite sure, perhaps a hundred years… give or take twenty…
It didn’t matter, as he had always been alone and always would be.
Of course, delivering messages had it’s own hazards… such as the one that had led to… the unspeakable.
Well, since he was already thinking about it, might as well continue. Oh yes, he had been delivering a message to the King of Astral…
“Ah…” Bane scanned the letter, frowning.
Ash waited for the reply.
What he didn’t expect was for some spirit in black armor to attack him with a long sword. “What the- OW!”
He had barely escaped, but he couldn’t go back to Shadow for the time being. He’d get fired – or worse!
Why was it his fault if he got attacked? Well, Pryce wouldn’t believe him no matter what…
What to do?
“Ash? Why are you hiding under my desk?” An observer on guilt asked.
“I need your help, Todd.”
“Why?”
Ash quickly gave him a two-sentence version of what had happened. Todd frowned.
“You can’t stay here!”
“I know.”
“Bane will find you. I don’t know why he hates you, but you’d better stay in hiding until this blows over.”
“Where?”
“Where _wouldn’t_ they look for you?”
Ash considered, before a half-smile broke across his face. “I’ve got it. But even so, it would be risky…”
“I know, trust me, I have the perfect disguise.”
End Chapter
Completed 7/21/04