Eh, I'm not done with chapter 4, but I've got a good portion of it written. So I figure, eh, since school has up again, I'll post it here while I have time in Geometry. I'd rather do that than my actual homework. So here we are, chapter three!
Freak on a Leash
Ch. 3-Sometimes I Cannot Take This Place
"Did you ever think Giovanni is watching the kid?" Jesse said to James one day.
"He's always watching Ash. He watches all of us. He's like some sort of super-stalker or something…"
"Not like that!" she said, hitting him on the head. James clutched his scalp in pain, sniffling as she continued. "I mean, more closely than usual…"
"Jesse, you just worry too much," Meowth said anxiously, as if hiding something. "It's all in your head."
"Right…" she said. "Hope you're right."
"Why, Jess. What's up?"
"Well," Jesse said, looking back at Ash in his cage. "If this keeps up, I have a feelings something bad is going to happen…"
"Really, really bad."
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the missing link between Pokémon and humans. The boy who mysteriously appeared on Earth, with no lineage whatsoever. Born from the ashes, here is Ash!"
He sat in his cage as the announcer thrusted his arms, pointing in his direction. Ash merely sat there, watching the people gather around him like flies to urine. Why couldn't everyone just leave him alone?
But Ash saw from the distance something worse was about to happen. There, making his way up the stage was his true tormentor, Giovanni.
"Ladies and gentlemen. I have something else in mind for today." He took a Pokeball from his belt and in a spark of bright light, a Nidoking appeared. A giant Nidoking. A really pissing looking Nidoking.
"Today, the boy from the ashes will try to calm the raging beast, so we can see what he is truly made of."
"Son of a…"Giovanni stepped back and pressed a button, and Ash's cage had been opened. In its place, however, the stage became surrounded by bars, as if it were an arena. The clanking of them chilled Ash to the bone. "This won't end well…"
"Begin!"
Nidoking looked enraged. It took an earth shattering step forward, and Ash stepped back in fear. He immediately started whispering in the language of the Pokémon.
"I'm not here to hurt you."
"Yeah, but I am to hurt you."
"Why? What did I ever do?"
"I'm not sure, human. The Meowth told me…"
"Jesse and Jame's Meowth?"
"Yes, and he said that if I did not attack you during today's match, we'd both be in for it."
"You're kidding me…"
"I kid you not."
The Nidoking had now backed Ash into the edge of the circular stage and swiped its paws at his chest. Ash ducked, but his limited space only made it worse, as Nidoking's sharp claws scratched against his face. Nidoking then hooked his right arm and hit Ash square in the jaw. The spectators gasped as they heard Ash's cries of pain as he fell to the ground.
"I don't understand. Why are you doing this?"
"I told you already, human, it was Giovanni's orders."
The Nidoking swung again at Ash, stepping forward onto his foot. As Ash shrieked in pain, unable to move, Nidoking bent down and charged, aiming for his stomach. As his sharp horn pierced through Ash's flesh, he writhed in agony at the sharp sting of the air meeting his wound. Nidoking then grabbed him and shoved him to the ground.
"Please…stop," Ash muttered, the dirt covering his face and going into his mouth. Nidoking rose, glaring at Ash. "Now, it is over." And he stepped away, leaving Ash face first in the dirt. Ash turned his head slightly, his neck still tingling with pain. The audience looks perturbed, some were even crying. He tried to move, but soon felt two strong arms pick him up off the ground.
He didn't feel any safer though. They kept moving, and Ash's eyes opened and closed, the salty liquid from his eyes hitting the man's arm, staining the expensive suit he wore.
Ash heard a door open and was thrown to the ground. He squeaked in pain, and gasped for air as the voice over him boomed.
"You little brat."
He felt a foot connect with his side and he arched forward, trying to get away.
"I do all of this for you, and this is how you repay me!"
Another kick to his side.
"Giovanni, stop! Please!" Ash pleaded, voice slurred from the sting of his wounds. "I'll do anything, just stop all of this! Please!"
"Stop seeing those people then. That red head with the Togepi, her lover, and her stupid, insolent brother!"
Ash sneered. "Gary is not stupid," he whispered, obvious rage clouding his shrill voice. Giovanni kicked him again in the side, and then knelt down, grabbing Ash's hair. "Unless you want a second beating, then you'll do as I say!"
Ash's eyes went wide again. He grew cold as another dream, or perhaps a memory came surging into his mind.
He saw Giovanni. He was pulling his hair just like this. "Do it, or else I'll have my people deal with her."
"No, leave her alone!"
"Then do as I say, or else face the consequences."
Ash felt the hot tears run down his face, and then he was brought out of his memories by a swift slap on the cheek.
"Are you listening to me?" Giovanni sneered.
Ash lowered his head. Somewhere in his life, he had met Giovanni before. This man had so much power over him. And he was completely helpless.
"Yes…I'll do it."
"Good boy. I knew you'd understand," he snickered. "James!"
A purple head of hair peeked around the corner. "Yes, sir?"
"Take him back to his cage. And keep a close eye on him."
James sent an empathetic look Ash's way, before his demeanor changed completely and he nodded at Giovanni.
"Yes, sir."
"Geeze, Ash," Jesse said, rubbing some iodine on a cloth in her hands. "I don't know exactly what you did to get Giovanni all fired up, but you definitely did something."
Ash looked blankly at the ground as she rubbed the cloth against his stomach. He winced at the burning feeling and bit his tongue, unable to speak.
"You're lucky none of these wounds are that serious."
"Uh-huh."
"Is something bothering you."
Ash was silent. He didn't want to force his problems onto Jesse and James. Not after they were bandaging him up and trying to make him feel better.
"Seriously, Ash. Tell us what's wrong," James ushered. Jesse pulled away the cloth.
"Or we won't help fix you up."
As the air hit his stomach wound, Ash froze. The pain was searing through his gut; it had felt much better when the chemicals were on it when there was absolutely nothing there.
"Giovanni found out about Misty visiting me during the day. He threatened Meowth…"
"Meowth is part of this?" Jesse interrupted, obviously furious. "Wait until I get my hands on that little…"
"No! No! Jesse, Giovanni threatened Meowth into telling him what happened, and then told him to go tell Nidoking what happened. Apparently, Nidoking was acting under Giovanni's orders, and if he didn't listen then he'd be in for it too."
Jesse stopped, and then took the cloth out again, digging in the medical kit for the bandages. "He still shouldn't have sold you out like that…"
"And I see no problem if Misty still visits you, just as long as Giovanni doesn't catch her," James finished. "You both can still be lovebirds!"
"Speak of the devil," Jesse said, pointing to the east. Misty was coming down the dirt path right now.
"Hey Ash!"
Ash smiled. This would definitely cheer him up. He waved back, only to have James grab his hand in mid air, as he pointed in the other direction. Over in the corner sat Giovanni, watching Ash very closely. He froze, and as Misty approached, he looked helplessly as he tried to think of what to do.
"Ash, what happened? You're a total mess!"
"He got beat up," Jesse said back to her. "It's really none of your concern."
"Of course its my concern, Ash is my friend."
Ash sighed in defeat. He had to fake his way through this. "I'm sorry, Misty."
"No, I'm not."
"What?"
"I said I'm not your friend. I'm just some guy who helped cure your Togepi after a stomach ache, which shows that you're an incompetent trainer for letting it eat all that crap and then not figuring out for yourself that it was just a stomach ache."
"Ash, I…"
"Just get out her already, will you? You've become nothing but a nuisance."
Misty looked like she was ready to cry. "You…you jerk!" she said before running off.
Ash sighed again. As soon as he had gotten his first friend, he had lost her. This really made his day.
"You alright, Ash?" James asked.
"Yeah, just peachy."
"You know you did the right thing. You don't want her getting mixed up with Giovanni. She just doesn't understand."
"Right," Ash sighed in defeat. "Right."
Ash was asleep or at least appeared to be asleep. He heard the approaching footsteps and, thinking it was Giovanni checking up on him, curled into a tighter ball. He then felt someone grab him, as his bruised skin scraped against the metal bars, he gasped in pain. He had been dragged up, and was now face to face with Gary.
"You bastard."
Ash just glared up at him. "Let go of me."
"I don't know what the hell you did to my sister…"
"She's an insignificant brat and so are you!" he spat back. "But hey, I guess the loser gene runs in the family."
"You son of a bitch."
"At least my mother wasn't a slut."
Gary was fuming now. He thrusted his fist through the bars, making a loud, eerie clattering noise and punched Ash square in the face. "My mother never, ever was with anyone besides my father!"
"Then why does you little sister look so different? Is she telling you something different?"
"You shut your mouth, Ash! You're fucking dead!" Gary screamed, preparing for another punch.
"Who's out there?"
Ash's heart stopped. Giovanni's voice came booming from the distance. He stuck his arm through the cage and pushed Gary away. "Get the hell out of here!" he whispered, as he heard the footsteps growing closer, and closer…
"What was that noise?"
"What noise?" Ash responded, faking a drowsy state.
"Don't mess with me, Ash," Giovanni scowled. "I heard you clattering at your bars. The whole fucking staff heard it."
"I was having a dream and my chains clinked against the bars. It was nothing."
Giovanni reached through the cage and pulled at Ash's hair, dragging him again to face a person he didn't really want to see or deal with. "You better be right," he reached at his belt with the Pokeballs on them, "or I'll beat the information out of you."
"It was nothing!"
"You better hope so for your friend's sake. Because if I find out otherwise, you'll both get a beating." He threw Ash to the cage and wiped his hands on his pants, as if he were disgusted by merely touching the boy. "Get back to sleep."
Gary had hidden underneath the cage, his rage finally settling. Ash was being an asshole in order to protect himself and Misty from this lunatic? Why would he submit himself to such torture? Finally letting out a breath and creeping out from under the cage only when he knew Giovanni was gone, he faced Ash again. This time, he looked troubled.
"You're…"
"Yeah."
"And he…"
"Yeah."
"But…why?"
"Because," Ash said, "I couldn't live with myself if Giovanni did anything to hurt you or Misty. And I had to get you guys out of the picture so…all the stuff I said…"
"I can't believe how stupid you are."
"What?"
Gary sighed. "Ash, friendship means you stick with each other through thick and thin, for better or for worse. We would've taken it if it meant that you would be a bit happier than you used to be. It'll take more than an angry guy like him to separate us."
Ash dwelled only for a moment on what Gary said. Then, sighing in defeat, he lowered his head into his arms and put himself in a fetal position.
"Gary…"
"Hmm?"
He sighed again, a tear falling from his face. "Sometimes I cannot take this place."
"I don't blame you. This place is horrible."
Ash sniffled.
"Are you okay?"
Another tear fell. Ash was so upset. Good Lord, it had taken so much for Giovanni to finally break him, and now, in front of all people, he had to break down in front of Gary. He looked up to find the brunette, only to discover he was gone.
"Great," he whispered to himself. "Now he thinks I'm just a big baby."
"I would never…"
Ash turned his head around sharply. There, sitting on one of his blankets, was Gary.
"Yeah…when I was hiding from Giovanni, I found a latch underneath the cage. I…"
His words were stopped. Ash had scooted over to him and embraced him, and was now muffling his cries in Gary's jacket. Gary just sat there and let Ash cry, rubbing his hand up and down his back, calming him down like a parent would a child. "Shhhh….it's okay now…tell me what happened…"
Ash lifted up his shirt and took it off in front of Gary. He revealed the bandages on his chest, and as he stepped into the moonlight Gary could easily see the bruises on his face and arms. He reached out his hand to touch Ash's stomach, as Ash closed his eyes, preparing for impact.
It hurt. But Gary's touch was different. It was soft, gentle, kind, and…warm. Ash moaned softly as the brunette caressed his wound, something which sent Gary a little too far over the edge. His knee went between Ash's legs, brushing against his length. Ash moaned again, this time a little louder.
"Woah, what was that?" Gary thought. His mind was being clouded with this feeling he'd never felt before. He stared deeply into Ash's eyes and without thinking logically or any warning, his lips pressed firmly on the other boy's.
Only for a brief moment though.
His train of thought finally kicking back into gear, he pulled away.
"Sorry," he muttered, backing away from Ash.
"No, Gary, I…"
"I'll be back tomorrow. I…I need to go think….."
"Gary, wait…"
"Ash, you have to understand," he whispered, cupping the boy's hands into his own. "If I stay…I don't know what I might do to you. I promise I'll be back tomorrow. I just need to really think about what I just did."
"You…you promise?"
"You have my word," he said, offering his pinky to the boy. Ash just stared at him in utter confusion.
"Do as I do. Hold your pinky out like this."
Ash did as he was told, and Gary locked the two together. "Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye."
"Don't do that!"
He laughed. "It's just a saying, silly." He pulled Ash over to him and gave him a peck on the cheek. Ash could feel his face burning as it grew redder and redder.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
And with that, Gary lowered himself from Ash's cage and ran off into the darkness of the night.
TBC
Chapter 4 Preview
"That's horrible!" James said. "Are you alright, Jess?"
"Yeah, just pissed is all. God, I can't stand working here anymore! James, we need to quit!"
"We can't, Jesse. We have nowhere else to go. We're stuck here until…until…"
"Until we die!" Jesse screamed, heading into the tent. She muttered to herself, James chasing after her. "Jesse, wait!"
Ash looked frightened at all of this. Giovanni had gotten upset because two men were together? But that didn't make sense. He had never seen him go off his loop when he had seen other couples go into the ride. Unless…were two men not supposed to be together?
And that is the next chapter. Not much to say, except always check your gas tank before you leave your house, and ALWAYS make sure you have money if your gas tank isn't full so you don't have to call home a million times and FINALLY have your cousin bail you out. Well, read and review, over and out! -Nibzo