Chapter 2 : Ashley, I choose you!
There was a lot of people in the bus; a handful of trainers focusing on their smart pokedex, some older citizens trying to give advice to the young ones ignoring them and a man who kept staring at Ash who was uneasy with sudden shopping trip. The man was easily in his forties, raven black hairs and stubble beard, tall and in good physical shape. Uncomfortable, Ash kept fidgeting with a lock of his wig and blushing. Ash turns over to his mom, but her smile, at the man, was even more disturbing.
She turns over to her son, says sharply "Ashley, this is our stop." and pulled him out of the bus by the wrist. Delia was walking pretty quickly and Ash had trouble to follow the pace. Ash looked behind them and noticed the man had also got off the bus.
The shopping promenade was heavily busy with people. Ash was still trying to walk fast behind his mom, pulled by the wrist, and looking back to see if the man kept following them. In a lapse of attention, Ash tripped, almost losing his wig. Delia turned back hastily and hurried to help him stand up. They both looked around for a moment, but the man was nowhere seen and had disappeared in the crowd.
Ash stood up and his mom took out a brush from her purse and adjusted his wig while he was dusting off his dress. Ash thought they were safe from whatever danger that man was, but Delia was looking really anxious and got startled when Ash called her out.
- Mom?
- I... I'm sorry. You're okay?
- I'm fine.
They have walked for a moment in the crowd, Delia looking around as terrified. Ash tried to get some words from, but she only kept smiling back at him and saying : "Don't worry dear, I'm trying to find us a good store to shop." Her smile vanished away and she pulled her son toward an elegant clothier store. Ash tried to talk to his mom :"M...mom, I don't think that would...", but she wasn't listening and just kept pulling.
They were almost there and Delia reached for the door handle when someone grabbed it first. They both were surprised, it was the mysterious man. He looked at Ash for a moment and turned over his mom.
- Evening Delia. We need to talk...
Delia simply pushed him away and entered the store pulling Ash inside. The man waited outside for a moment, thoughtful, before he enters the store behind them, but got stopped by the manageress who witness Delia's distress. The man simply moved outside and sat on the bench in front of the store.
Ash just couldn't take his eyes off the man waiting outside as his mom kept stuffing his arms with dresses, blouses ans skirts to try. Clearly, his mom was trying to flee something, and that something stood and walked away after looking at Ash for a moment and smile.
to be continued...