A/N: Okay, sorry it took me so long people. But hey, that's life. Anyway, now we begin with the first romance request. I must say, this crack pairing took me a while to work out, but here it is! The first Ashley/Waluigi story!
Circumstance
Ashley/Waluigi Romance
Nobody knew. In retrospect, perhaps they didn't know either at first. When did it start? They don't know even now. But they did know how it got a chance. Two people, each with wants and services that that the other had and wanted. Perhaps that's how any relationship begins.
He first came because of his friend. He was doing great in the video game business and now it was time to join in the party. Waluigi couldn't guess why Wario didn't invite him in the business in the first place. Perhaps he was afraid he would be so clever that he'd take over the company. But either way, he was in Diamond City now. But there was a problem. Wario wouldn't let him join, and he didn't exactly have enough funds for an apartment. He was outraged because he wasn't going to stop until he joined WarioWare, but where could he stay in the meantime?
Like many people, her problems lied in funds. Being a witch in training is no easy feat. While the teaching system did siphon off ingredients for her, they're not always enough. She would run out due to failures and they won't send her more. If she didn't keep up with the lessons, she would fall short of any chance. But ordering the ingredients charges a pretty penny. She figured it would be a simple matter. After all, she did own a mansion. There were many rooms she doesn't touch so why not rent them off? Perhaps because of the abnormally creepy atmosphere and the occasional destructive spell. She charges cheap now, but still nobody figured it was worth the surroundings. This was the only real way she could get any funds thanks to her stingy boss, but who would be desperate enough to stay there?
They were both surprised to find that the other was their answer. The cost was cheep enough for him to stay and he's dealt with enough to cope with the living conditions. He was the only one who seriously was considering the lodging, so she wasn't going to complain. Everything was set and Waluigi had officially begun living with Ashley.
At first, all was calm. Waluigi stayed out of her way and didn't annoy her, and in return she even provided some small meals. A bonus was when he and Red hit it off, and so the devil would often spend time with their guest when he could. Red had unknowingly become the first major bridge between them. Through Red, Waluigi learned of Ashley's work, her financial situation, and even some of the mechanics of witchcraft. While at the other side, Ashley had learned of Waluigi's tales of crime and overall nastiness. She discovered his connection to Wario and what he hoped to do. She also learned that he had occasionally used a whip, particularly in soccer. Interests began to spark and they could not be ignored.
It finally happened one night during dinner. They were silently eating that night's dinner: Parmesan ghoul-lash. They were keeping to themselves, making no more contact than disinterested roommates. But they were interested, so it wouldn't last long. Ashley was looking over her assignment for that week: the Spurned Soul Potion, plant version. That version is the first step for trainees, made to transform any given plant into a twisted form. It would be dark, thorny, and require less sunlight due to a new dark disposition. She had sent Red to the basement (aka the stockpile) to set aside the ingredients required. She was going over the procedures and events of the transformation, trying to determine what the purposely unmentioned ingredient would be to get it right.
Waluigi was watching his landlord, her studies proving to be more interesting than the taste on his tongue. "So, whatcha reading?"
Ashley looked up, hiding her slight surprise at his sudden interest. Perhaps this could be her chance to get to know her tenant more. "I'm reading my spell books about a potion."
"What's it called?"
Ashley was a bit nervous. Never really able to call herself social, she was rather uncertain as to how to go about this. She decided that the best way was to lay the book out before him. His bagged eyes gazed over the recipe and quivered an eyebrow over the small line of question marks that were at the bottom of the ingredients list.
"What's with the mystery item?"
"That's what I have to figure out. I have to guess what it is to make the potion work."
Waluigi wondered how difficult that must be for students of witchcraft. He gazed through the passage, looking for the answer.
The Spurned Soul potion is a curiosity in performance, especially at this, the easiest and most basic form. The purpose of the potion is to alter the chemical messages of the subject's cellular matter, transforming the subject's general mindset and behavior. This is what results as the physical changes. The potion penetrates into the nucleus of the cells and rearranges the messages and affects of the DNA and RNA to make the subject more prone to negative emotions, especially anger. The subject first undergoes a spark of general anger, which then develops into a mental requirement to find something the subject does not like about anything and everything so as to hold contempt and hatred for everything around them. This leads to the subject taking measures to attack everything out of spite. On the biologic level of plants, this is best shown by the unusual growth of thorns on the whole of the trunk.
It should be noted that the missing ingredient is responsible for starting the flame of anger, and for beginners to the potion, it is surprisingly more common than one would think.
Waluigi couldn't help but get an idea. After all, what did he know that would cause a 'flame' and is common?
"Have you thought of a Fire Flower?"
Ashley, looking further in the recipe, raised her head with a surprised face to look at her tenant's narrow face. "…No. I haven't. It seems a bit too easy though…"
"It's worth a shot though, right?" he persisted; now leaning back in his chair.
Ashley twiddled with the end of one of her hair braids, imagining how the spell would turn out. Looking over the book didn't reassure her; for such an advanced textbook, why make such a simple clue? Still, Waluigi's payments have totaled up to a large emergency ingredient fund, so it wouldn't be too much of a loss if she had to dip into it.
She nodded to herself and bookmarked her page and began to leave. Waluigi watched her leave, having a small mental battle.
Aw, what the heck? This is my chance I guess…
"Would you like some help?"
Ashley paused in the doorway, not turning to him. A small battle of her own began in her head.
It might bring him too close. Besides, he has no experience in witchcraft! He might ruin the spell!
'But did you not already risk that by accepting his suggestion? Besides, you must risk closeness to achieve it. The door is open to you, and by him! Take it!'
She let out a silent sigh and turned to him. "Come with me into the library."
"WAH-CHOO!" Ashley only raised a tissue which Waluigi took to blow his Pinocchio nose. "Thank you. You know, you may need to consider dusting this place."
"Hmm. I tried that once. By the time I was finished, the place where I started from was even dustier."
"Cauldron's boiled and ready Ashley!" Red reported as the two arrived. He noticed the extra man that came with her and smiled to himself. Well it's about time!
Ashley attended to the cauldron, occasionally giving orders to her two assistants on how to prepare the ingredients. She kept the mixture churning while the two poured in the ingredients accordingly. Soon, they arrived at where the mystery ingredient was to be used. She took a deep breath to calm herself.
"Waluigi, the Fire Flower!"
Waluigi finished grinding the item and added a couple of drops of water to mix. He came over to the cauldron, the potion inside bubbling and a color of hot pink.
"…Is a potion of hatred supposed to be that… frilly?"
"That's what the book says. Now sprinkle it in."
He slowly shook the powder into the cauldron and she swiftly stirred it in. Soon enough the particles dissolved into the liquid. Ashley stopped stirring and pulled out the large stick she was using, laying it at the side. They watched with bated breath, waiting for the results. Suddenly, a large bubble formed and when it popped it erupted in a pillar of demonic, black fire. It dissipated mid-air, the mixture now left in a frightening blood red color.
"…"
"…"
"… That was pretty cool."
Ashley chuckled at her guest's words and snapped her fingers. Red responded with an iron cast ladle, drawing from the cauldron into a wide flask. He handed it to her and the trio went to the side where an innocent bonsai tree sat, radiating happiness. Slowly, Ashley allowed a small amount to trickle at the base of the tree. She stood back to see the results of the final test.
There was a moment of silence, then an unholy roar rumbled and the transformation occurred before them. The leaves shook wildly as they faded into a sickly shade of pale yellow. The bark jutted out, becoming rigid, rough, and black. The roots grew out with an aura that promised to strangle most anything it could snare. Finally, large black spikes shot out of the trunk, adding the final touch to what was now an example of a warped mind.
That still wasn't as amazing however as Ashley who then jumped up and down in excitement at her success. Followed shortly by her swinging her assistants around in a wild frenzy. She let them go in just as fast an instant and practically danced in joy around the room.
"Does she always get like this when she finishes?" the n00b to Ashley gasped, still trying to stop the spinning in his head.
"Actually, no! This is the first time I've seen her do this!" Red gasped before fainting from dizziness.
Waluigi looked at his landlord, who at this point had arrived to sit down beside him. He couldn't help but feel happy for her. She looked back at him with her small smile, her red eyes shining happiness. He decided to gamble a bit and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She was surprised for a moment, but then calmed herself enough to return her smile and leaned into him.
That moment of eye contact relayed everything to each other.
"Hey, Ashley, want to plant that tree later?"
As the last of the soil was packed around the base, Ashley grabbed Waluigi's hand, prompting them both to stand up. They stood back to look at the tree, a sign of something else blooming. Each knew that there were to be countless trials, but they never exactly agreed with general society before so this wasn't going to be anything new.
"So," Waluigi began as they walked back inside, "what should the date be?"
"Why not the movies?" Ashley suggested. "There's that new horror one that I've wanted to see, and no one would notice the age difference."
He smirked. "Yeah, an adult man taking a young girl who's probably not even ten yet to an R rated movie. No one would give us any weird looks."
"Does it matter?"
"…No. I guess not."
"Good. In the meantime, I'll try to see if we can 'convince' Wario to hire you."
They shared a laugh, unaware of the shocked eyes and gaping jaw of Wario. (And considering how large it can be, that's saying a lot!) He was draped over the wall gating the mansion and Red sat beside him smiling and holding out his hand. The stunned man only slipped a fifty dollar bill to the demon, still unable to comprehend what he just saw.
Looking back, especially on the day a few months later when they revealed their relationship, they wondered just how they could be together. How could they grow so close and in such a manner, even more curious as to how so fully? They both decided it was just a lucky case of circumstances.
The Unknown Alias's status: Signed out.
Date of Update: 11/26/2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
