Whee!

Disclaimer/Notes: See previous chapter

Lance: I hate you Phantomness…

Chapter 5

 

            That night, they got back around eight. Ash was euphoric – seeing all those dancing Clefaries and hiking had been fun! Then they’d built a fire and toasted hot dogs and marshmallows but he wasn’t sure father would let him stay out all night since he had school in the morning, so it was all right!

            Now though, he waved goodnight to Lance and then went to his room to finish his homework. He still had a bit left.

 

            Tyson was waiting when she came back. He didn’t even bother to speak as he pushed her down, angry eyes, possessive eyes. She closed her eyes and stilled her motions and made him do all the work.

            She wouldn’t let them win a heart…

            She wouldn’t let them win her heart….

            She would make them suffer for what they had done, eventually, and she would not let them break her completely. Never.

            But Ash…

            He was different.

            He was worth saving.

            If the world should perish in flames, she would save him. No one else that was still alive deserved it. Clair was dead.

            She would live… and she would be fine.

 

            “I’m fifteen….”

            “You’re old enough.”

            His birthday was only days later.

            He blushed as she kissed him. “We… we shouldn’t do this…”

            “Consider it an early present from your father and me.” And once they passed beyond the realm of thought into the realm of sensation, he was more than eager to comply. So easy…

            Still, as she watched him sleep after their consummation, she remarked mentally at how… well, it had actually felt nice for once.

            Of course, maybe it was because he wasn’t a domineering prick like Giovanni or Tyson, but no matter…

           

            He wasn’t angry the next morning, although he felt so shy!

            It had been nice though…

            “Lance?”

            “Mm?”

            “Thank you.”

            At least he was polite too. He wasn’t so bad… she could learn to live with it. It didn’t hurt as much either.

 

            “She loves me, she loves me not…”

            “What are you talking about?”

            Ash turned to face Jessie. “Hi.”

            “Hm. So what’s up? You look happy.”

            “I’m in love…”

            “Oh? Now that’s exciting. Tell me!”

            Ash grinned stupidly. “She’s perfect…”

            “You’re going to have to be more elaborate than that, Ash… who is she? Domino? Erika? Sabrina? Maybe… that new girl Flannery?”

            “Lance.” Ash grinned.

            Jessie choked.

 

            Ash blinked and hastily pounded her on the back a few times. “What’s wrong, Jessie?”

            “Did I hear you say correctly that you’re in love with Lance?”

            “Yes, why?”

            “Oh your poor naïve idiot…”

            He frowned. He didn’t like the sound of that. “She’s nice! And she’s pretty!”

            “Oh, I know that well enough. She’s a good battler too. But Ash, don’t you mind sharing?”

            “…Sharing?”

            “You do know that she technically belongs to your father, don’t you?”

            There was a dreadful caesura, before Ash turned blue and raced for the toilet. Jessie clucked her tongue sympathetically as he fled.

            “Poor kid…”

 

            Ash came out of the bathroom still feeling shaky and drawn. She… had… and his Father? That was just very, very disturbing.

            Why hadn’t she told him?

            On the other hand, it really was better off not to know about these things… but why? Lance’s words from earlier seeped back into his psyche as he pondered…

            He shuddered. Was this what she meant by death?

            How scary…

            But for anyone, rape was a fate worse than death, wasn’t it? Now he really, really wish he hadn’t found out.

            Did his father… have his father? He couldn’t imagine Lance going through that willingly, even if Giovanni was nice to him….

            Besides, he did treat her oddly. And what about her partner?

            By now, Ash was starting to feel ill… quite ill…

 

            “So he’s figured it out.”

            “Hm.”

            “Jealous, are you?”

            “Should I be?”

            Lance shrugged. “Whatever you say…”

 

            Damn! How had she gotten so good at reading people? He was jealous!

            However, for now, she was still his….

            Lance began to daydream while Tyson began his dirty dealings again…

 

            I will never belong to you.

           

            < She’s doing well. >

            < So you say. >

            < You know this is necessary… >

            < Doesn’t mean I have to like it! >

            < Twenty-seven chances, and then a test to see if they can earn twenty-seven more. >

            < I notice that my child is suffering more than yours. >

            < Isn’t that always the case? >

            < I’m not going to argue fairness with you. I just hope it ends soon. It breaks my heart to watch, but my hands are tied! >

 

End Chapter

Completed 7/3/05