Sometimes when Shadow really can’t think of a plotbunny, she picks the name of the fic first and then spins a story off that. Sometimes it works…

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri and Shogakukan Comics. All I have is a copy of Crystal version, and this non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic! Don’t take my work.

Angelic Layer belongs to CLAMP and Kodansha and some other companies…

Besides, why would anyone _want_ to? I’m not some great writer like Ace Sanchez…

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks

Warnings: Shonen-ai championshipping

Fic Timeline: Spins off after ‘Illusion of Weakness’, AU life after

Chapter 1

 

            It was the prettiest little doll ever.

            Ash smiled happily as he picked it up. “Kawaii!” The price wasn’t too steep either. Plus, it was so cute!

            “Do you like it?” The antique shop owner asked.

            Ash nodded. “I’m surprised though. This isn’t a toy shop, so how did you get this?”

            “I believe it was my great-great grandfather’s. Do you want the accessories too?”

            “Accessories?”

            “Yes.”

            “Sure, I’ll take them!”

            “Be careful though, this is a cursed item.”

            Ash blinked.

            “If anyone other than the rightful owner takes it, it will vanish.”

            “O-okay…”

            But still, Ash paid an extra twenty dollars for clothes and such and then took the doll home.

            So cute!

            The doll gazed up at him with golden eyes that sparkled from beneath a fringe of dark red hair.

            It seemed to smile at him.

            “Curses, whatever.” Ash said. He gave it a bath in the special solution he had bought, and then dressed it in the shellacked dark blue armor.

            Wow…

 

            Supposedly, a long time ago, there had been a game where players could control their dolls. But it had gotten lost in the sands of time.

            Was this… one of the fabled ‘Angels’?

            There had been ones much like the pokemon that existed now, so the pokemon were named after them in their honor.

            Yes, like Pikachu… Mewtwo… gyarados… it was strange, very strange…

            But human-type angels were rare! Most people had used pokemon models. And then, when there were real pokemon, well… that was more fun.

            So the game had lost popularity and faded.

 

            It seemed old enough to be an Angel, but in perfect condition. Wait, almost perfect… on the doll’s stomach he could see what might have been a crack, but patched.

            So it _had_ been used for battling! How cool!

            He brushed out the hair and before he went to bed, impulsively gave the doll a kiss, before falling asleep.

 

            The next morning, he woke up to find someone in his room. Well, it was more like four A.M…

            “Who’s there?” He asked, reaching for Jigglypuff’s poke ball. She might be small, but she was vicious when provoked.

            “Master Ash…”

            “Who are you?”

            A faint golden glow surrounded the figure, and Ash gasped in surprise. It couldn’t be! Dolls don’t come to life!
            “Have you forgotten me, my Deus?” The angel – it had to be him – sounded sad. Lonely…

            “I-I what are you talking about?”

            The doll sighed. “I should have known.”

            “Known what?”

            “Do you remember when you died? I tried to save you, but… there was nothing I could do. I’m not a medic. And you were only twenty-two… still so young… but I had to wait, because I hoped I would see you again. Maybe, the wish you were granted would come true in the future…”

            “Huh?”

            “Never mind.” Resignation laced the tone with bitter agony. “Forget this ever happened then.”

            In a blur, he was facing a doll again.

            Just like any other doll…

            Ash decided it was a nightmare and went back to sleep.

 

            It hurt.

            Why can’t he remember? Is it because humans forget during rebirth? But… how could he forget?

            Did my love mean so little?

            I… what did I do wrong?

            Why doesn’t he remember me?

            It didn’t matter though, he would always obey his Deus.

            If he wants me to leave I will…

            Golden eyes closed as the spirit faded back into the metallic body.

 

            Two days passed.

            Ash went out training with his Jigglypuff and Clefairy, and took the Angel along. It was good to show off with.

            But really, maybe it was a good-luck charm? He hadn’t lost a battle since he got it. Even against Miguel…

            So maybe it was lucky he had bought it.

            Besides, it was still a very pretty doll.

           

            His older brother Ernest said dolls were girly, and he only trained tough pokemon like Golem and Machamp, but Ash didn’t care.

            He liked being original.

            His nature did not like brute force. He preferred strategy and cute pokemon.

            Stupid older brother… why couldn’t he understand?

            But it didn’t matter.

            It was himself. he wouldn’t sell his soul out just to win. He wouldn’t! That wasn’t his training method.

            No, he would stay straight no matter what.

 

End Chapter

Completed 7/8/04