Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of Pokemon, its characters, locations, or names. All of them, with the exception of the original characters and ideas, belong to Nintendo.
Credits: Luna and "the wanderer" belongs to me. Paran belongs to The Elemental Sorceress and Fox belongs to Shadow Fox 05.
AN: And here is the second version of chapter one. Faint, I finished rewriting it pretty quick, within a day of the prologue. ;D Haha. Anyway, I like this one a lot better then the first one. It's less random looking, for one thing, and the characters seem a little truer to how they should be in this series. Less playing around for no reason...ahem.
Warning: Even though it really doesn't fit for this chapter, I'll repeat this anyway. There will be shonen-ai/yaoi/slash in this later on (read: next chapter...kinda. Sorta). And since I am giving warnings such as this each chapter, if I get flamed for having yaoi in here - I will be telling their sorry ass off, considering they could have avoided reading it by their own free will.
I'm not some little wanna-be that'll cry her eyes out and run away because some 'bad, bad!' person needs to make themselves feel better by belittling others. Yes, I've seen people on sites like deviantART do that and the odd person here on FFN, where they whine and cry about it, rather then either ignore it, or fight back. If I haven't seen them, I've heard of them, mainly through...dA. Huh. I'm on dA too much I think. Rawr. I better shut up now, before my notes get longer then the fan fiction.
- Chapter One: Luna's Request -
"Aren't you two finished yet?" Tapping his foot on the floor, Ash scowled, getting odd looks from the shopkeep. He was getting antsy, having to wait for both his daughter and wife to return. How do they manage it? Surely you can only look in one store for so long before you get bored!
"I'll be just a little while longer. You know she likes playing with everything new." With a smile, he turned to look at his partner, blatantly amused. "I know you are getting impatient."
"No, I'm just getting very bored waiting around for you. How much is it this time?" Ash asked, "How much is being taken out of my paycheck, Maid Marian?" Just as he finished speaking, he had to block the punch that was aimed solely at his chest, his smile unwavering. The taunt had been one that had started when Luna had pointed out the similarities between the character's name and her mother's name. May was reminded of the fact at least once a month.
"One, you get more then you deserve for doing nothing and looking pretty. We aren't going to go broke anytime soon." May started, poking him in the shoulder, "Two, stop calling me Maid Marian! I'm not a maid!"
Turning to walk away, putting his hands up defensively, Ash tilted his head back. "Yeah, you're right, you're not." he said, keeping his voice low and playful, "You're an old maid."
"An old maid? What's that make you?" Crossing her arms, May glared at him, causing him to laugh, covering his mouth to try to stifle it. "You're older then me, you moron!"
"Well, I can't be too old." She stared at Ash, unsure whether she wanted to hear the next part of the statement. "I'm just too gorgeous." May shook her head, disbelief etched across her face.
"Only in a wanna-be female sort of way." she said scathingly, "You are one of the most arrogant fools I've ever had the misfortune of having to be with. How I ended up with you is beyond me." Nodding slowly, chewing on his lower lip thoughtfully, Ash carefully stepped back over to her, hands tucked behind his back.
"You say that, yet, here you are, still hanging around. Who's more of a fool...me, or you?" Ash asked, glancing back toward the front counter where the shopkeeper was adding up his till. Smirking, he took another step, planting a quick kiss on her nose as he took hold of her. "I know you like having me around, no matter how much you say you don't...and it would seem we have an audience," he added, noting the small group that had entered the shop, and was giggling at the sight of the two of them.
"Don't you do enough of that at home?" a small voice hissed. Looking at each other, then around, they spotted the dark head of a girl sticking out from behind one of the multitudes of statues that littered the store, her eyes narrowed menacingly – an expression she had most likely picked up from Ash. "And you make fun of me for saying I was friends with a guy! Friends!"
Shrugging nonchalantly, Ash stared at her briefly, before putting his sunglasses on and putting his hands in his pockets. "What's it to you?" he replied, sticking his tongue out at Luna, "You were off goofing off and then came over here to bug us." Rolling his eyes, he look at May. "'Friends!' she says, meaning 'Actually, I'm lying to Daddy because I don't want him to know I do in fact like someone.'"
"I do not!" Luna whined, edging to get behind May. When safely behind her mother, she blinked. "Mom...um...did you two go at it last night or something, Daddy is too happy today."
"He's just really needy, but no, we didn't." the brunette said, watching with great amusement as her husband's expression changed from playful, to shocked, then finally to sour very quickly. "I suggest you better run, before we have something exploding in here."
Nodding quickly, eyes wide, Luna handed the bag over to May, and dodged past and out the door, not wanting to see what was about to happen. "That little snot.." Ash growled.
"Don't start getting temperamental. She just knows you all too well." Smiling, May bit her lower lip. Ash gave her a cold look, before glaring at the group. They went silent, sensing that they most likely would be witnessing a massacre if they didn't. "I was being serious though. You are needy. Needy, stubborn, and reckless."
The emotionless mask finally broke, as he frowned at her; the sunglasses blocked her view of her eyes, which were probably a dark copper colour. "I'm not needy," he protested, sounding less like a full-grown man, and more like a pouting child.
"Stop denying it, you are. You act like you've been neglected if I don't hug you before you have to go to a meeting, for gods' sake." Wrapping her arms around him, she pressed her cheek against his shoulder. "If that isn't being needy, I don't know what is."
"I'm not. Where do we need to go next?" Knowing all he was doing was trying to change the subject – unsubtly – May snickered, taking his hand. Letting the issue drop to ease up on the discomfort it was obviously causing, she shrugged.
"Well, we're done here, so I think we can go on home. Unless you had plans?" she asked, looking at him curiously. Thinking over it, Ash shook his head, not having any made and not needing anything from the city. They walked out of the store in silence.
"What trouble where you lot planning for this time around?" Ash said as Luna rushed back over, waving back to the group of kids she had been talking to. He glanced at her, when her expression turned to one of innocence. May grinned at the young girl. Eyeing her, Ash continued walking.
"As long as it doesn't involve me and kimonos, go for it. Just leave me out of it." Luna stared at him then May in shock, her mouth hanging open. Her mother shrugged, getting an evil smile and following the departing man.
"How'd he do that?" she said, before trotting after them.
- - -
"I hear music!" Luna peered back, hand on the sound adjuster on her stereo, as the redhead entered the bedroom. Turning it down, she smiled.
"Hi, Misty. I'm just looking for a song." Raising an eyebrow, the woman sat down on the bench next to her, and glanced at the paper sitting on the small side table. A knowing look came over Misty's face, and she grinned.
"Okay young lady, what are you up to?" she asked, getting a stare from the dumbfounded child. Luna's smile faltered.
"Nothing. I'm just making a list...why, is that suspicious?" Misty pushed the paper back toward the dark haired girl, lips in a thin line.
"When you are the one doing it? Yes it is," the Water Master replied, "Whose the unfortunately victim this time around?"
Giggling, Luna shook her head, glancing past to make sure no one was spying on them from in the hallway. "Daddy. There's a contest in Indigo City for best singer, and I wanna sign him up. I need a song though."
The two stared at each other for several minutes in silence. A slow, fiendish smirk appeared on Misty's face. "I suppose you are going to wait until you find one before asking?" she asked, twisting a stray strand of hair between her thumb and index finger, looking at it.
"Um, yes, I was. I don't even know if Daddy would agree to it. Probably not." Frowning, Luna quickly went somber. Just as fast, however, her good mood returned when Misty bent down next to her, lowering her voice to a whisper.
"Leave your father to your mother and me, we can get him to do just about anything we want. And if all else fails us, your puppy eyes can manage it." Misty hugged the girl softly, standing up and stretching. "In fact, I'll go find them now, unless they are off making out like they usually are." She made a face. "I am amazed they haven't gotten bored of each other yet. It's been ten years, and yet here they are acting like horny rabbits most of the time."
Laughing, Luna grinned at Misty. "I told them they hung onto each other too much. Mom just said he's 'needy'...what's that mean?" she asked.
"Hmmm." Misty frowned in concentration, trying to think of an explanation that would fit the situation. "Probably meant about how touchy-feely Ash can be. I think going all those years in the war and the fight with Kiall with little to no affection from another person caused lasting damage."
Luna nodded, getting a dawning look on her face. Misty sighed, and smiled. "Time to get our butts in trouble again. I'll let you know how this goes."
As the adult passed, ruffling the girl's hair as she passed, Luna snickered. "Thanks, Misty."
- - -
Sitting and listening to Paran talk about the vacation she had been on with Fox for a pre-marriage-proposal honeymoon of sorts, Misty wondered how to broach the subject of Luna's contest without alarming anyone. If she could get both of the other women that lived in the household to help, there wouldn't be any problem getting the hardheaded Shadow Master to break...
"Hey, would either of you two like to help me in talking to Ash?" she asked, getting curious looks from both Paran and May. "Neither of you know about Luna's idea?"
Shaking her head, May blinked. "No. I had known she was up to something, but I didn't know what it was...so what is this idea of hers?"
"A singing contest, if you can believe it. It's in Indigo, and she wants to sign up the fool for it. With a little luck we could probably manage to rope Fox and Lance into it, too. Make this worth while for the gal." Paran laughed at the thought.
"Our boys? In a singing contest?" Paran said, smiling, "They would probably rather be eaten alive by flesh eating piranhas first...though...that's why it's our job to convince them, hm?"
"Very much so. I actually told her I'd try to talk him into this, along with trying to get you to help." Misty looked at them devilishly, her eyes glinting. "So, where are our men at? Off taking turns trying to hurt each other?"
"I'm not sure, to be honest. I haven't checked." May said, rolling her eyes, "All I know is that Ash said he didn't want to have to listen to us 'chatter'...as if he can talk, the big mouthed idiot. He talks more then i do."
"None of them can talk," Paran snickered, then went quickly serious. "How do we get them back here? We can't-"
"Leave that to me. I can get them to wander back in," May said, raising a hand to silence them both. Leaning back into her seat and closing her eyes, the Light Master concentrated solely on finding her opposite partner, and letting him know he was wanted back home. "The link comes in handy sometimes."
"Oh yes, you and him can get to each other through that mind link of yours, can't you?" the blonde said, as the back door banged open and they could hear three sets of footsteps coming through the house.
"You called, milady?" a quiet voice said, as May suddenly felt something – or someone – touch the top of her head. Twisting to look at Ash, who had one hand on the back of the chair and the other moved to her shoulder, she smiled. As Lance and Fox sat beside their respective companions, she pulled him down to sit in the chair with her, swinging her legs up over the arm of the chair.
"Yes, because there is something I want to discuss with you, and so does Misty and Paran." Ash, clearly uneasy, looked at the other two men, unsure of whether it was smart of them to return. May scowled. "We aren't going to hurt any of you, geez."
"Yeah, can't say the same of everyone else though," Misty said under her breath, grinning.
"...what the hell are you lot planning?" Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, Lance eyed May, Misty, then Paran. May took a deep breath, figuring out a way to word their request without getting them all killed, and shrugged.
"Nothing really. Ash?" she asked cautiously, "Do you remember...when Luna was little, how you'd sing for her?"
"I still do." Ash looked at her strangely. "What about it?"
"Well, the thing is," Paran started, "is that we...we want you to enter a singing contest. Or something."
Blanching, Ash's eyes widened. "You...you're serious, aren't you?" he asked, amazed. Nodding, all three women looked up toward the second floor. The reason immediately clicked in their minds, and it didn't surprise any of them: Luna. "But, why? My singing voice...it...I suck."
"So does mine, so don't even think of involving me in this," Lance muttered, scowling at them. Ash glared at him, before twisting his lips into a evil smirk. If he was going to get dragged into some contest he didn't want to be in, he'd bring Fox and Lance in with him! The former put his hands up.
"Don't look at me, I have to be with him on this one," Fox said. The smirk turned into a full blown, toothy grin; his two only male friends fidgeted uncomfortably under the bright eyed gaze of the Shadow Master, knowing that they wouldn't get out of the conversation unscathed. May looked up, seeing Luna hanging over the railing to eavesdrop on them, and gave her a thumbs up.
"To hell with you two!" Ash glanced at them. "I'll agree under only one condition. These two jerks have to sign up with me." They went pale. Lance shook his head, sighed, and then glared at the smirking Master.
"Only if I can be a back-up," he grumbled, resisting the urge to smile at the happy cries Misty gave. Fox nodded in agreement. "Only then!"
Ash shrugged. "Fine by me." He tilted his head to look up. "You have your group. Now pick your song!"
They exchanged smiles and laughs as they heard the excited screech from above, as Luna bounded down the stairs, and flew down the hall, flinging her arms around her father's neck and squeezing. "Thank you Daddy!" she yelled.
"You three owe me!" Ash mouthed silently, looking over his giggling daughter's bobbing head, glaring heatedly at the women that made up half of his "family". "Go on now, you have work to do!"
- - -