Chapter 12: Pleasured Pains
The new day had started as Ash, Sakura and Pikachu came to a lake. Ash eyed the lake as he journeyed onto the pier. He looked out to the lake as he envisioned Corrin and Azura coming together. He heard the song Azura played in his head. "The ocean's great waves…" he remembered. "I wonder if the waves she mentioned are our actions." As he had a mental picture of Corrin and Azura meeting each other. Sakura played with Pikachu, running along the pathway. Pikachu ran up Sakura's back and leaped high into the air. Sakura positioned herself under Pikachu, catching him with barely any effort.
"So playful about you!" she cooed. "How I wish to have a Pokémon as playful!"
("There are some if you look,") Pikachu giggled. Sakura's smile shared Pikachu's. The two were together last night. Ash wasn't paying attention as he had his eyes closed in deep thought.
'It's almost the same way Pikachu and I met Sakura and Elise,' he minded. 'Then again, it's also how I met Misty. Man don't I have a way with finding people near water…' While he reminisced, a yelp echoed. It broke Ash out of his mindset and turned to Sakura holding her foot while lying sideways on the ground with Pikachu in some shock.
("Princess!") he gasped. Ash rushed from the pier to Sakura's downed body.
"Sakura!" he called. Sakura's whimper told Ash that she was in pain. "What hurts?" Sakura grasped her foot to condense the pain.
"My foot!" she winced. Seeing the clutched foot, Ash acted fast and undressed the stocking to her injured foot. Sakura gawked in shock as she had Ash undressing her leg. He examined the foot's condition and noticed it being a bit red around the ball of the ankle. He rubbed the red splotch and she winced.
"Looks like you twisted your ankle good." He began to massage the foot around the ball of the ankle. He rubbed and jostled the foot to straighten and loosen any discomfort while Sakura's face bled red at Ash having contact with her. He tore one of his sleeve off, then sliced the sleeve the long way before dunking the piece in water. After about a minute, he returned to Sakura and wrapped the ankle. "That should be it for now. How do you feel?" Sakura's face was blood red and she couldn't mutter a word. This puzzled Ash and Pikachu. "Uh, Sakura?" She remained silent, still horribly shocked. Pikachu patted Sakura's arm but she didn't react. To Ash, a twisted ankle may not have been her only injury. "How about your other foot? Is it twisted or-"
"Stop!" she snapped. Ash stopped before touching her other leg. She looked about to cry. "I-I'm sorry… I-I haven't really… recovered from yesterday's bath. I'm so incredibly nervous!" Ash sighed before standing up.
"Let's get you back to get medicine for that ankle. Can you stand?" He offered his hand to Sakura before she reached out. Lifted, Sakura was on her feet for a split second. She couldn't put weight on the foot and she fell onto Ash's chest. He caught her and held her up with all his strength. This made Sakura shriek. Her body shook wildly to the embrace of herself and Ash together. "It's okay! Calm down!" Sakura took deep breaths. After a minute, she hugged Ash. After a minute, Ash slung Sakura's arm around his neck with the wrapped foot hanging up off the ground. "Think you can put some weight on your foot?" Sakura looked to her foot and gingerly lowered it to the ground. She pressed her foot down. She ached at the pain but it wasn't as cringing.
"I think I can walk but it still hurts." Her verbal status allowed Ash to help her back.
"Alright, let's take it one step at a time. I won't drop you."
"Please, don't." The two walked side-by-side as Sakura's foot started to gain strength. Just as Felicia saw the two with Pikachu behind, she noticed the foot wrapped up.
"Princess!" she gasped as she ran to Sakura's aid… only to trip and fall on her face. She recovered and soon reached Sakura. "What happened?"
"I was playing with Pikachu when I twisted my foot," she admitted. "It's not as bad as when it happened." They entered a house where Felicia examined the injury as Hinoka and Ryoma arrived.
"Sis!" she gasped. Everyone turned to the new arrivals as Hinoka reached Sakura.
"Hinoka, it's okay!" she tried to reason. "It's my fault, I twisted my foot and hurt myself. Ash treated my injury and I'll be fine." Hinoka and Ryoma breathed a sigh of relief.
"I dare not stain Rajinto with the blood of an innocent," he warned. Hinoka knelt down to see Pikachu.
"You didn't do anything brash that hurt our sister, did you?" she pondered. Pikachu's fear rose to any punishment she would give him.
("D-Don't h-hurt me…") he nervously gulped. Hinoka grabbed Pikachu and lead him outside.
"Let's go for a ride…" she sneered. Pikachu's face read dread. A little later on, Sakura's foot seemed healed as she watched Hinoka flying on her Pegasus with Pikachu on its head. Ash joined Sakura after receiving a javelin from Subaki.
"You look a lot better," he noticed. Sakura yelped before turning around. Her reddened face saw Ash.
"Oh… You were with Subaki, I heard," she noted.
"I was and he let me practice with the javelin. He even went on to say that 'the javelin is the perfect weapon for such the arm that bestows the might and accuracy such as yourself'!" Hearing his imitation of Subaki made Sakura laugh. She calmed down to admit something.
"I've never been as happy as the time Big Brother returned home. Suddenly, he vanishes and here you are. In fact, ever since Elise and I met you and Pikachu… I've taken more of a shine, maybe brighter than the clothes I've donned." Ash awed Sakura's confession. Despite her words, Sakura blushed. "I-I'm never good with words… Why is it only with you?" Ash laid a hand on Sakura's shoulder. She yelped before turning to Ash.
"You're already a great person and a great caretaker to your brothers and sisters. You've done so much that it's no wonder how much respect you've earned here." In a flash, Sakura's arms wrapped around Ash and she hugged him.
"Th- Thank you!" She began to turn her head and her lips were near his cheek. Just before her lips met his face, a shriek echoed. Sakura noticed where it came from and who screamed it. "Hinoka!" Hearing Sakura, Ash gasped at who was with Hinoka.
"Pikachu!" The two rushed to find Hinoka, Pikachu and the Pegasus in a net. Ash and Sakura arrived and spotted the three in a net. A laugh sent their heads to Team Rocket. "Them again!?"
"Like we'd leave Pikachu so prepare for trouble!" started Jessie.
"And we'd ever give up in a target Pokémon?" mocked James. "Make it double!"
"But we won't say anyting else!" warned Meowth. Sakura became fearful of what could happen to Hinoka and her Pegasus but Ash was laughing hard about Jessie's shorter hair than when she was blasted away from Nohr.
"Jessie, that's so ridiculous!" he cackled. Jessie seethed at Ash's laugh of her crimson hair having a tiny ponytail. "I'll admit, it's not as bad as the time the Scyther Swarm gave you that haircut in the Orange Islands."
"Oh, you know well enough what happened!" she snapped. "Besides! We now have Pikachu with interest!"
"Now what are you gonna do!?" challenged James. "I know you'll use Thunderbolt on us!" Ash saw the Pegasus and knew not to take the bait.
"You will not take the Pegasus with you!" demanded Sakura. Team Rocket laughed at them.
"Please… why would we listen to a twerpette with shaky legs?" mocked Jessie. She brought out another bazooka.
"Now who's gonna save yas now!?" sneered Meowth. With a laugh, Team Rocket believed they had the upperhand.
"And people say I'm dense…" he sneered back. "Grovyle, Swellow, I choose you!" Ash threw his Pokéballs and released his Pokémon. Jessie grabbed her balls.
"Seviper, let's show this twerp a lesson!" she commanded. From her ball popped a black snake with a zigzag body and a purple blade for a tail.
"Cacnea, let's fight!" ordered James. Hs Pokéball opened and revealed a round cactus with spikes for legs and small cacti for arms. It also had a crown on top before it hugged James, the needles jabbing into him. He winced in pain. "I said fight, not hug!" Jessie and Meowth looked on with groans. It provided enough of a distraction where Ash unsheathed his sword and sliced the net to shreds, freeing everyone. Sakura's face read delight as Ash helped Hinoka back onto her feet.
"Swellow, use Wing Attack!" he called out. Swellow flew and nailed the snake with a wing, smashing it into Team Rocket. Ash pulled Hinoka and Pikachu from the mess.
"Clever, Ash…" smirked Hinoka. Team Rocket soon rose to their feet, rather upset as Reina came flying in.
"Oh, you'll pay for that!" snarled Jessie. Ash palmed his face.
"Come on, Jessie," he snapped back. "Talk about old!" James removed the living round cactus from his face.
"I know, but we have a reputation!" he claimed.
"Perhaps you need a new reputation," Reina scoffed. Her kinshi stomped on both Jessie and James, pinning them to the ground. Meowth gawked to the giant bird.
"Dat's too big for me to eat!" he stuttered, forgetting Pikachu behind him.
("I'll do something new,") he grinned. When Meowth turned around, Pikachu smashed the Alley Cat Pokémon in the head. He was out on impact as Ryoma entered the fray.
"Are they Nohrians?" he asked.
"Not quite," Ash answered with Sakura by his side. "They're after rare and valuable Pokémon like Pikachu."
"I see… I won't kill them but I'll skin them of the fur they wear." Team Rocket gawked to Ryoma's issue as he drew Raijinto. All that could be heard were screams. About an hour later, the trio were in a far away cell, buck naked and bald. Jessie's screams had no known language to it as James and Meowth hid in the corner and away from her wrath.
"I tink it would've been better off if we stayed at dat other city," Meowth shuttered.
"No, they would've fed us to the wyverns," James hushed. In front of Ryoma's chamber, the Hoshidans gathered around Ash who stood in front of Ryoma.
"Ash, you've done so much for us here in Hoshido," he presented. "You've aided us and even protected the animals that reside around here, including Hinoka's Pegasus, despite the fact that Pegasi hate men." He unsheathed Raijinto while Ash knelt to him. "Ash, as a member of Hoshido, we're bequeathing a title for you: Yūki no shishi, the Lion of Courage." He tapped Raijinto on Ash's right shoulder before swinging it over to his left as Pikachu watched from Mozu's arms. "It is an honor to have you as a Hoshidan, Ash." The Hoshidans cheered in accepting Ash as one of their own. They even had a banquet in his new honor. After dinner, night fell and everyone headed for their rooms and beds. Sakura, exhausted, fell asleep easily. She began to thrash around.
(Dream)
Sakura watched from the back as Corrin, Azura, Ash and her siblings faced a veil of darkness with glowing yellow eyes. Sakura remained in the back. "We will not fall to this monster!" demanded Ryoma. "Charge!" Out of nowhere, the dragon-like silhouette sprayed volleys of spikes. Hinoka and her Pegasus were skewered repeatedly, Takumi had a few pierce his torso, Ryoma had four embedded through his body and head. Sakura gasped in horror to the carnage placed among her family. Even Corrin and Azura fell to piercing spikes, Corrin in his dragon form and going all over his body. All that stood between Sakura and the monster was Ash as everyone else had perished.
"You need to run, Sakura!" he demanded.
"I can't leave your side, my love!" she pleaded.
"I can hold this thing off to let you-" A shard sliced through Ash's hip and he dropped to a knee. Ash turned back to Sakura. "RUN!" Sakura's legs weren't moving. That's when a spike tore into Ash's chest. Ash's body collapsed, dead from the spike. The silhouette's eyes closed as Sakura's came to Ash. Thinking he could still live, Sakura shook Ash.
"My love! Wake up! Wake up for me!" Ash didn't move. He was dead. Horrified, Sakura let out a blood-curdling scream. "NOOOOOOOOOO!"
Sakura's body sprung from the dream, more of a nightmare. She panted in fear, sweat drenching her b. She struggled out of bed. No blood, no loose limbs… She stepped outside. Darkness was illuminated by the moon shining down on Hoshido. She heard snores from Hana, Mozu and Takumi as well. However, she rushed to where Ash was. His light was barely visible through the only window. Inside, Ash and Pikachu were just preparing for bed.
"That was some title Ryoma gave me," Ash reflected. "Lion of Courage… I'm not sure which sounds better for me: that or Dragonheart that Xander offered?"
("Yeah, I'm on the fence between those two,") Pikachu shrugged. Ash did have a bit of regret.
"Probably a good thing I didn't mention seeing Team Rocket in Nohr. Could you imagine their reaction? They would've killed all of us." Pikachu gasped to the reality.
("Why me!?")
"We were in Nohr before coming here. I could've easily lied and said that Jessie, James and Meowth were from there. They would've died by Ryoma's hand. Sure, it would mean no more of those three chasing you around… but they helped us a few times, it wouldn't be right." Pikachu realized Ash's point.
("True… but still, they're getting their just desserts.") Thinking it was still relief for Pikachu, Ash huffed a chuckle.
"At least they're incarcerated… and I think I've seen enough skin for a few years…"
("Yeah, seeing naked Jessie's good enough.") Just as Ash lifted a bedsheet, a knock at the door. Ash blinked before approaching the door and opening it, revealing Sakura, her labored breath apparent.
"Sakura? What's up?" Rather than answer, Sakura wrapped her arms around Ash in a tight hug.
"Thank gods~!" she cried. "You're safe!" She cried on Ash's shoulder, making Ash and Pikachu concerned.
("Sakura, what happened?") asked Pikachu.
"I saw you getting killed! By some monster!" She removed her head from Ash's shoulder. "It was bigger than a Faceless! I wanna say that it was a dragon, an evil dragon! It slew my siblings and then you! It felt so real! I had-" Ash grabbed Sakura's head and lowered it to his chest.
"It's okay…" he assured. "It was just a bad dream."
"But-"
"Just breathe… I'm right here, and so is Pikachu." Sakura sniffled to the relief.
"I don't wanna go back. I wanna stay here. Is that okay?" Pikachu listened and believed she should stay.
("She's trusting you more, partner,") he squeaked.
"I know, Pikachu," he nodded. Ash lifted Sakura's head. "It'll help you if you did stay with us tonight." This brought a smile to Sakura's face.
"Thank you, Ash…" she teared up as she snagged his head and brought it to her face. Her lips made contact with his zigzag under the eye. When she realized where her lips were, she backed her head away. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-" Ash laughed to the sudden kiss.
"What's to be sorry about?" With a happy sigh, Ash guided Sakura to bed and under the sheets. Inside, Sakura wrapped her arms again, holding Ash firmly to herself. Pikachu hopped on top after turning the light out. As a tear trickled down her face, Sakura looked to Ash and noticed his warmth.
'So, this is what it's like to be sleeping with him… I'm surprised that Reina didn't do anything that one night… I wish this is what the future holds… I want him for life. I want to face any Nohrian who wants him, even Princess Elise.' The rest of the night went peacefully. Sakura's now in peace with Ash… and wouldn't want it any other way.
TO BE CONTINUED…
(As some of you have noticed, I've closed the poll. When I get done with one of these two stories, the winner, which is "Dinosaur King," will be the next story. Speaking of dinosaurs, I wanna give a big shout out to the Toronto Raptors for their first NBA Championship.)
