Maybe this will be the last chapter unless I find a counter-plot?

Disclaimer: Angelic Layer belongs to CLAMP and Kodansha. Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics! I own neither!
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts

Chapter 8

“He won?”

“Yes, sir.” The tech said.

Jacques immediately booked the next flight back to Viridian.

“Why are you here?” Delia asked coldly. Ash was upstairs, having locked himself in his room again.

He had been morose ever since he won – did he think she would be angry? The prize money had gone into his own account, mostly, but he did insist she take some to pay for household expenses.

She was proud of him!

But he didn’t seem to listen…

Jacques cautiously pushed open the door, it having been left unlocked. He saw Ash lying on the bed holding his angel tightly to his chest.

“Ash?”

Ash didn’t seem to be paying attention to him, he was still talking softly to the angel.

“Ash!”

At this, the boy jumped and looked up. “Why are you here?”

“I just came to say that I’m very proud of you.”

“Don’t give me that!”

“It’s true!” Jacques said, wondering why Ash was so jumpy.

“You just want Lance’s attacks…” Ash said bitterly, as he tucked the angel inside of his jacket protectively.

“Well… I would like to know what you did.”

“I won’t tell!”

“Ash, I’m your father.”

“No you’re not!” Ash spat. “You gave that up when you left mom and me! I don’t need you anymore!”
Something inside the man broke. * He really believes that… *

“After all, I have Lance to keep me company.” Ash said fondly, looking at the angel. Jacques walked over, and Ash did not even notice. He was too busy running his fingers over the angel’s face gently.

The champion recoiled in horror and went downstairs.

“Refused, didn’t he? What more do you want?” Delia sniped.

“He’s talking to his angel!”

“You only noticed now, _dear_? He’s been doing it for years.”

“Yes, but!”

“Even if it’s a doll, it didn’t leave him like you did.”

Jacques scowled. * I’ll figure out another way then, if you don’t come willingly that only makes it worse. *

He wanted his son’s power to claim as his own. Ash was his son!

So he had to fight for him.

< I’m scared. >

< Don’t worry, Lance. I won’t let him take you. > Ash said.

Lance nodded and shifted back to human form, and let Ash reassure him and caress him and pet him until his worries were gone.

It felt nice.

They fell asleep soon after, Ash didn’t want to deal with his father in either case, and he was tired…

So sleepy…

He woke up to feel cold.

“Shh…”

< Lance? >

The doll nodded. < We’re somewhere dark, but I don’t have night vision so I can’t see. >

< Shimatta! My father wasn’t kidding! >

< Your father did this? >

Ash winced as he felt pain – from cuts on his arms and legs? Ah, he couldn’t walk…smart of his father.

But…

< We have to get out of here, Lance. >

< I know. >

The doll transformed back into human and spread his steel wings, the sharp edges quickly cut through the chains around Ash’s wrists and ankles.

Cutting the manacles too would be too dangerous.

Clinging to Lance, Ash began walking out, and soon, they reached the entrance. Six guards with machine gun rifles stood there.

< Close your eyes, Ash. >

< What are you going to do? > Ash asked, running through all the attacks he had taught Lance mentally.

< Dragon’s Dance is too slow. I’m using Thunder. >

Ash covered his ears as well.

Why should he care? He hated his father anyway. The hate flooded through the mental link to his doll, and it responded properly.

When Jacques showed up fifteen minutes later after a distress call had been sent out, he saw that someone had set Ash free.

Apparently they had snuck out without the guards noticing. No, that wasn’t it. All six were paralyzed.

Wood had more response when prodded.

But how had it happened? Ash hadn’t been carrying anything except his doll; he had been in his pajamas for Christ’s sake!

What was going on?

Was there something – well, something strange was going on, and he had to get to the root of it.

His mansion! Rubble now.

He went to see Ash again.

To his shock, the boy was not alone.

“So, dad, I guess kidnapping me was the last resort, huh? I certainly didn’t get endeared.” Ash said calmly. “And I won’t help you.”

The other boy – he looked about seventeen – had red hair and strange yellow eyes. He had his arms around Ash’s waist.

Jacques glared and pulled a tranquilizer gun out of his pocket. “Listen, Ash, if you know what’s best for you and your fag boyfriend…”

Lance looked at Jacques in confusion, Ash in anger.

“Don’t you dare say that about Lance…” Ash hissed. “He’s always been here for me when you haven’t.”

He felt his angel preparing for battle. < Yes, go ahead… I’ll direct you, koi, so don’t worry about a thing… >

As Jacques fired, Reflect flared into being around them both.

“What the?!”

< Dragon Dance. But don’t kill him. >

< Hai, Deus. >

Lance smirked, as he started. By the time he was done, Jacques Ketchum was immobile.

But he was not dead.

“What are you?” Jacques spluttered, trying to rise but failing miserably because of all the pressure points Lance had hit.

“You haven’t figured it out?” The angel laughed, as he spread his wings.

Jacques’s eyes bulged. “Impossible! You’re just a doll! A machine! You have no real will!”

“Yes, I was. Ash was the only person who ever treated me like a real person, and of course I wanted to help him…”

With a little help from Melvin, dedication was rewarded.

“And he’s all I want.”

Jacques backed away, or at least cringed, as Lance walked closer, a blade of shimmering steel appearing in his hands.

“Wait.” Ash said. “He doesn’t deserve death.”

The angel turned puzzled eyes to his creator. < Why not? >

“I’m not going to sink to his level. Instead…”

Lance nodded as Ash whispered something to him. < Understood. >

Jacques paled as Lance took out a pair of needles and jabbed two points on his back. “YEOW!”

Stepping back, Lance smiled at Ash, who gave him a kiss, standing up on tiptoes, before Lance shrank back to doll form.

“Have fun in the future, _father_.” Ash said, walking away.

“WAIT!” Jacques yelled.

But who would believe him if he said his son had an angel that came to life? They’d probably pass it off as jealous delusions.

Jacques gritted his teeth as he realized that Ash was too smart for him to deal with. And he had left him!

I lost…

He could have been mine. Now, all I have is Robert, and even so…

Robert had been grievously injured in a rock-climbing accident just two days ago. Still in a coma, the doctors weren’t sure if he would recover.

What did he have left?

It was hours before feeling returned to his limbs. His mansion was gone, destroyed in the earlier escape while he had been at his office.

He couldn’t go back to his old family. And his angels… Giovanni and Mewthree had been in his bedroom with his wife and new daughter, and that had been wiped clean, nothing but ashes there…

Jacques cried bitterly. What did he have left now? He had lost everything.

If only he hadn’t left his wife and son, maybe this would not have happened.

If only.

End Chapter

End FIC!

I was going to do a few lemon scenes, but decided against it since there might be underage kids reading this…

Completed 6/12/04

Lance: Lemon? *eyes sparkle*

Phantomness: Unfortunately, I don’t think most of the crowd would like that.

Ash: I would…

Phantomness: *raises eyebrows* I’ll write some more one-shot P-W-Ps then. Or Bonus sections at the end of fics…

(BONUS LEMON SECTION! WARNING: Contains material rated NC-17/R! Do not read if underage! This part is not needed to understand the story!)

It was the first night after Lance had turned out human. Ash cuddled up against his angel’s body, before a mischievous thought struck him.

So Lance was human now?

He had better check to see if anything was missing then.

Lance woke up to feel blood rushing part to a part of his anatomy that he wasn’t quite familiar with, and…

He gasped as vision came into play, his Deus’s face alight with hunger and something else he couldn’t identify, as his lips moved over the soft flesh, suckling and licking and…

And then, there had been that feeling welling up inside him, as if he had been through an explosion attack, but…

His Deus was smiling now, and kissing him, and there was a strange, pleasant taste on his lips.

“… Deus?”

“Shh, Lance. It only gets better.”

He had nodded, trusting the other knew what he was doing. It felt nice.

Something hard made itself known against his hand and he paused, looking down at his Deus.

Ash nodded, and Lance obligingly ran his fingers over it, as his Deus’s breath hitched and caught in his throat, when he stopped, worried.

“Deus? Am I hurting you?”

Ash shook his head. “Keep going…”

He nodded, and then continued massaging the swollen flesh, and soon, his Deus cried out his name fiercely, as warm wetness covered his hands.

He frowned, confused, brought one hand up and tasted experimentally. It was sweet. Very sweet…

“Yes, that’s very good…” His Deus said, resting a hand on his chest. “Now, I need you to lie back down.”

He nodded. He would never disobey his Deus. Ever.

His Deus scooted slightly, and then there was warmth between his legs, as something slid inside, but it didn’t feel bad, no pain…

“Yes…” His Deus whispered, voice fogged with pleasure. “Yes…” A rhythm developed then, hips thrusting up and down in quick movements before warmness filled him again and his Deus smiled.

“You’re so good, Lance.”

He wasn’t sure what his Deus meant but he nodded.

He kissed his Deus a bit daringly, afraid, but his Deus didn’t get angry.

Ash’s arms rested around his shoulders as he smiled. * Perfect Angel, really… he’s perfect in every way… and that’s why I love him. *

Perfect.

It was a pity he was still feeling energized, what was a hormone-crazed teenager to do? His cock still begged for attention.

He wouldn’t hurt his angel though. It had been surprising somewhat, but Lance was very flexible. That was good.

Lance waited for further orders.

He might as well…

“Lance? I want you to do this.” He said, transmitting a mental image as Lance nodded.

Ash stood up, letting the blankets fall away from his nude figure as he walked to the wall, Lance following meekly.

The angel knelt down in front of his creator, taking the heavy shaft in his hands as he suckled, before Ash had his angel take down the entire length.

Angels – no, Lance was human somewhat – but he didn’t’ need food and those necessities, so it was fine, what they were doing because it wouldn’t hurt him – were too perfect.

Still, he didn’t mind.

He came twice in quick succession, shooting his seed deep into his angel’s body, as Lance waited anxiously for his approval.

Finally, he seemed satiated.

Ash pulled out and smiled. “We should go to bed now, Lance. Tomorrow’s another day of battling.” His fingers rested on top of those brilliant crimson hairs, guiding the boy to bed.

Lance nodded, smiled, and obligingly followed his Deus into sleep.

< Love you, Deus. >

< I know, my angel. I love you too. >

(END LEMON SEGMENT! If you were underage and read it, it’s your own fault. If you didn’t like it, sorry, but I write what I like.)