Alright I believe I should warn you it does get kinda dark in this one, but it changes things up, okay. So stick with me! thanks a a lot!
Ash's Secret Love Affair
Chapter Six
Ash didn't know what to do, he had lost.
He didn't know what to feel, he knew he should feel happy for Ritchie,
But he had to admit it to himself, he felt hurt. He couldn't shake it.
Last time he felt this way, he tried to walk it off and look where it got him,
Cornered by three older guys who could have hurt him.
The thought makes him want to throw up.
So no, a walk did not seem like a good idea.
He decided just to stay in his room, he wanted to sleep,
When he slept he dreamt,
That was a way he discovered for him to escape the pains of the real world.
So that's what he did. he spent the whole day laying on his bed,
He did not want to get up, he did not want to see anyone.
All he could think about was how he had lost,
Charizard had embarrassed him in front of Ritchie.
That's what hurt the most, that he knew Ritchie thinks less of him as a trainer,
"He must think i'm a total loser" Ash muttered to himself,
He hadn't eaten all day, he had no appetite to eat.
Brock and Misty had tried to get him out of bed, but he didn't budge for them,
They didn't understand how much it hurt, they don't know how it feels,
"Ash?" Came his mothers sweet, calming voice,
"Honey it's alright, you did so well, let's go have some dinner, just you and me okay?"
Ash thought that sounded nice, some time alone with his mother might make him feel good again
"Okay, just you and me right?" Ash answered.
Deliah took Ash too a lovely restaurant, it was lunch time,
Which means Ash slept through an entire day and a half,
He felt pretty guilty about it.
So he decided to try to smile for his mother, he knew she worried about him.
They had their meals, and laughed about small things. Ash was starting to feel better again,
His mother could always do that to him. It was like she was his special superhero.
Ash decided he wanted to show her the park where he spent so much of his time in this trip,
He lead her through the trees and into the field,
"It's lovely Ash!" She gasped,
Ash smiled, he loved it when she was happy, when she was happy he knew everything would be alright,
Ash began to realise this was the park Ritchie brought him too after he was grabbed by those boys,
It made him queazy to think about it,
"Ash? Are you alright?" Asked his mother, feeling very concerned
"Uh yeah i'm okay, I just need to sit down, feeling a little dizzy" He lied
She sat him down on the park bench and held him close to her,
It was times like these that made him want to be back in Pallet Town.
A rustle in the bushes drew Ash's attention, and two baby Nidorans ran out and were playing with each other,
"Look mum" Ash laughed as he pointed them out to her, she smiled,
They continued to sit like that watching the Nindorans for some time,
Until Ritchie came walking through the clearing, and Ash's heart stopped,
This is the last thing he needed,
Ritchie looked over and saw them, and he stopped where he was.
Ash didn't know what to do, he couldn't face Ritchie in the state he was in, let alone with his mother with him,
Ritchie just stood there, looking awkward,
"Hey honey, I have to go do some things with Professor Oak, I'll leave you two alone, I love you honey" Deliah whispered to Ash's ear
Ash just watched her go, until she was out of his sight, then he looked back at Ritchie,
He still had not moved from where he was standing,
Ash patted the seat next to him where his mother was moments ago.
Ritchie smiled and walked over and sat next to him, not quite sure of what to say.
"How are you?" He asked, Ash didn't know what to say to that.
That he is miserable he lost the competition? That he is so embarrassed he had to lose the way he did?
That he is so messed up inside he doesn't know what is going on with him and Ritchie..
"Uh.. I'm fine, Ritchie" Ash gave him a small smile.
"Look Ash" Ritchie said turning to him, and grabbing his hand,
"Come with me" He said pulling Ash to his feet and out of the field, into and through the busy marketplace,
"Ritchie where are you taking me?" Asked Ash,
"Shh! Just wait and see!" Exclaimed Ritchie, he kept his tight hold on Ash's hand, for fear he may let go.
Ritchie took him to, and around the stadium, down the pathways and through some fields,
Some time later Ash and Ritchie walked out into a beautiful field, filled with lush trees, and green grass.
He found it hard to take in the beauty of the area.
"Ritchie" Said Ash, turning to the grinning boy, "This is beautiful and all, but why did you bring me here?"
Ritchie's smile faded slightly, "You don't remember do you?"
Ash felt his face go red, he looked around, trying so hard to remember, desperate as to remember what this place is,
And why it meant something to Ritchie,
After a couple of minutes he gave up, he felt a wave of embarrassment hit him, he couldn't look Ritchie in the eyes.
"I'm so sorry Ritchie, I don't remember this place.. Please tell me what it is.." Asked Ash, looking up into the boy's eyes,
Ritchie just let out a small giggle, trying hard to conceal it from Ash,
"It's the field were we landed after we rescued Pikachu! Remember silly!" He yelled laughing out loud,
Ash felt his cheeks go red again, but had a look around for the second time,
He saw the place where he collapsed into Ritchies arms, where he lost control of himself.
He never saw the beauty in the place the first time.
The entire time it took Ash to take all this realisation in, Ritchie studied him, with that same grin on his face.
He grabbed Ash's hand and pulled him out into the field,
Ash was beginning to get used to Ritchie grabbing his hand, he found he liked it.
"I thought we could hang out here today, just you and me" Said Ritchie, to which made Ash catch one of Ritchie's smiles,
"Considering I am leaving tomorrow.." Ritchie continued and trailed off.
He saw the smile leave Ash's face, and pulled him into a hug.
"Don't be sad, we have all day together to have loads of fun!" He exclaimed,
It was true, so Ash tried to forget about everything else, it was just him and Ritchie, together all day.
The two boys soon found themselves wondering the fields, it was larger then they had thought,
They found a lake and took turn skipping stones across it.
They watched a group of Pidgey flutter around their mother Pidgeotto.
And they raced each other across the fields, pushing and shoving to beat each other to the edge,
Ritchie tripped over a root sticking out of the group and fell onto Ash,
Causing them both to tumble down the side of the hill, laughing all the way,
Til they came to a gentle stop at the bottom of the hill. Their laughter fading away.
Ritchie ended up on top of Ash, with Ash being pinned underneath him,
Their breathing returned to normal and they found themselves staring into each others eyes once again.
Ash forgot how lost he got in his eyes, how deep he found those crystal blue eyes to be,
"Now you know what it's like, being pinned down like I was in the elevator by you" Ritchie said,
Which caused them both to burst into laughter once again.
Ash found himself unable to stop laughing and thought, this, this is the best day, I have ever had.
He didn't even notice until he felt Ritchie's lips on his,
In that moment, the world, everything ceased to matter,
The wind had calmed to a mere stop,
The Pidgeys had slowed down so much Ash could swear, he could hear each movement of their wings,
Everything was perfect.
In that moment, he realised, he was so very in love with Ritchie.
Ritchie's lips were perfect, the way they were so soft, yet so firm with him
How they fit so perfectly against his. He couldn't think of a more perfect moment.
As they parted lips, he looked up at Ritchie, the sun, outlining his perfect shape,
The wind tousling his hair, just so slightly.
He reached up and ran his fingers through Ritchie's hair, it was so soft.
Ash pulled Ritchie down on top of him, and wrapped his arms around him,
He never wanted this moment to end, he thought,
If he held Ritchie tight enough, he could stay like this, forever.
They did stay like that for a very long time,
Just laying next to each other, Ritchie's head resting on Ash's chest.
Not making a sound, both fearing it would ruin the moment, and shatter whatever this was.
Of course they had to return to reality at some point, and Ritchie pointed out the time,
Saying they should get back to the stadium.
Ash was so love drunk, he couldn't help agree with anything Ritchie said,
So they walked through the paddock, hand in hand,
Leaving their perfect place behind.
It took them a while to get back to the stadium, stopping once or twice, for their own reasons.
Once they eventually got back to the stadium Ritchie wanted to sit inside, one more time.
It did not even occur to Ash it may be one of the last moments he had with Ritchie.
So they sat together for a while, seemingly coming off their highs.
It was at this point when the questions started returning to Ash,
What the hell just happened back there?
This question, he had to have an answer too.
"Ritchie.."
"Yeah Ash?" Asked Ritchie,
"What happened back there? In the field?" Asked Ash carefully, in case he risk ruining what ever it was.
Ritchie looked forward, thinking, he didn't know how to respond to that,
Ash saw the look, he started to get nervous, he didn't like getting nervous,
It always ended in him breaking down.
Ritchie looked at Ash with a look he will never forget, it was almost, fear.
"Ash, look I don't know what that was, okay. Your like my best friend, and i'm not sure if that was a in the moment thing,
Or if it maybe meant something else, I have no idea" Replied Ritchie,
Looking almost as if he was going to be the one to cry,
Ash could not believe what he was hearing, he,
Only just coming to the conclusion that he was in love with Ritchie hours ago,
Was now telling him he didn't know what it was. He started to feel cold,
He knew what followed after that,
"Ritchie, please, just look at me, we can talk about it. Okay, Ritchie look at me" Ash panicked,
Ritchie wouldn't look at him.
"Ash.. I.." Ritchie tried to mutter out. Ash knew there was something he wasn't telling him.
"R-Ritchie, what's going on?" Asked Ash.
The next moment Ash would never remember clearly.
It's the moment he felt his whole world being ripped apart,
As if his soul had been ripped from his chest, and crushed into dust right in front of his face.
His body went ice cold, his hands, numb.
He tried to stand but couldn't find his feet, so he sat there,
Feeling everything crashing down inside of him,
Not even able to muster a tear to cry.
"Ash, I'm so sorry, I should have told you sooner! It's just that I was confused,
And didn't know what was going on with us, and she told me herself it was over"
Ritchie tried to stammer out excuses,
"I love you."
Ash felt every single fibre of his being shatter into tiny pieces when Ritchie muttered those three words.
He eventually found his feet, and rose slowly, unless risk collapsing on to Ritchie,
Which would be the worst thing to happen.
Ritchie reached out to grasp Ash, to console him,
But to Ash, it was far beyond that point now.
He walked, not bringing himself to look back, even if he wanted to, he doubted he could.
So he left the stadium, left Ritchie behind, left his soul behind too,
Ash was a boy without love.
He could not think, or even decide where he was going, he was just walking.
Once again found himself somewhere he did not know, only that his feet were blistered and sore.
He reached out, and felt something beneath his fingers, it was a wall.
A wall would not collapse in on him, it allowed Ash to collapse onto it, and sit there,
And let the tears finally fall.
Hours had past and Ash still remained against the wall,
He had no concept of time, only that is was very late.
That's when he heard them, familiar voices that rang danger in his ears.
"Hey Mark, that's Ash! Over there!" One of them gasped.
The one known as Mark reached down to Ash's level,
"Ash, are you okay?" Ash recognised it as the 'leader boy' Ritchie had beat up for him,
Oh god, the thought of Ritchie caused Ash to shake violently.
"He's in terrible shape, guys we need to get him somewhere warm" Said Mark.
"I got you Ash" He said as he lifted him from the ground and cradled him in his arms.
Ash didn't know where they were going, or who else was with Mark. He just felt safe in some ones arms.
When Ash opened his eyes, everything was still foggy. But he was in a home, on a comfortable couch.
He looked up and Mark was standing in front of him,
"He's awake guys, shh.. Hey buddy. How you feeling, we found you in pretty bad shape,
So we brought you back to our place." It barely registered in Ash's brain, but he nodded his head anyway.
"Okay good, look you look pretty bad man, here drink this, it'll warm you up" Mark said as he handed Ash a cup full of a dark liquid.
Ash just looked at the cup, then back up to Mark,
"Hey it's not going to hurt you man, here i'll show you!" Mark took the cup and took a sip for himself,
"See, i'm fine!" Exclaimed Mark.
Seeing the older boy drink the liquid made Ash realise just how thirsty he was,
So he took a large mouthful of the liquid.
It burnt his throat, and made him gag, but Mark didn't lie,
It did make him feel warmer and a little bit better.
Ash set down the mug and looked around,
Instantly he noticed Mark, and the two boys that followed him the other night,
He knew he should be worried but found himself quite relaxed.
He also noticed two other boys he didn't recognise,
"Oh don't worry Ash, these are just some of my friends" said Mark, with a smile on his face.
Ash nodded and reached for his mug and took another swig. This time he felt different from the first mouthful.
The room started to spin slightly, it made him dizzy.
He knew he had to leave, he started to feel scared but when he tried to get up, he nearly collapsed onto the table in front of him,
Mark held him up though, and even though he wanted to get away from him, his arms wouldn't move.
"Heyy, Ash calm down, your a bit upset I know. Come with me, i'll take care of you" Mark said
Ash then felt everything go upside down as Mark lifted him up onto his shoulders and carried out to wherever they were going.
While they walked in silence, Ash hoped and prayed Mark was taking him home, back to his cabin,
Returning him to Misty and Brock.
When Mark finally put Ash down he felt the cool grass beneath him,
He knew Mark wasn't taking him home.
He tried so hard, he could not get up.
"Hey, hey Ash, calm down. It's alright, I told you i'm going to look after you" Mark whispered in his ear.
The next moments of Ash's life he will never forget,
The pain he felt.
The helplessness.
It was terrifying being so small and not being able to stop him.
When Mark bit into Ash's neck, he wanted to cry out, but nothing came out.
It ripped at his skin as Mark tore off his clothes,
He could not understand what was happening, or why Mark was doing this to him.
He tried to talk, to beg Mark to take him home, but nothing came out.
Ash hated the boys hands on his skin, they felt like acid.
He had never known a feeling like this,
To be so small, and feel so insignificant,
Yet he still had the worst coming.
He wanted to get up and crawl away when Mark flipped him over onto his stomach.
But his legs wouldn't move.
That's when he felt it, he thought Mark was stabbing him with a searing rod.
The pain was unlike any Ash had felt.
He asked himself what he did to deserve this.
He begged for Mark to kill him, to end this pain he was experiencing
It probably didn't sound too much like words,
Mark slammed Ash's back into the earth
Ash was seeing red,
He managed to look up at Mark,
All he could see was a monster.
That's all Ash felt before he blacked out.
Ash's eyes opened slightly, and he saw a blur of someone standing over him,
He was sure it was Mark, and the pain would continue.
But no pain came,
Just gentle hands, hands of someone he knows, and trusts.
But Ash couldn't make out the blur of who was carrying him,
He gave up and blacked out once more.
Alright! That was probably the most emotionally draining piece i've ever written! But I feel quite proud of it all the same, I know it's fairly dark, but hey. When is life fair honestly. Well anyway let me know what you guys think of this chapter! I'm really keen to hear what you think, any comments or such just review it or email them to me at fanfictionstories at live . com thanks! and have a great day! :)