Set Me Free - Chapter 8
Rated: T
Collide
Chapter Summary: Ash and Johnny literally run into each other and Johnny makes a proposition Ash isn't sure she's ready to accept.
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A British-accented voice she was certain she'd never hear again suddenly filled her ears; it was the only thing she detected past the roaring pulse drowning out pretty much everything else around her. The roar of cars as they passed, muted conversations of passerby's that fluttered through the air, and the various heaviness of footsteps as people circled around the two of them. Both had come to a dead halt on this crowded street corner; a moment in which two worlds literally collided after a month absence that she was certain would be permanent.
Yet another twist of fate Ash entirely wasn't prepared for.
The porcupine swallowed, her ears clearing for only a moment to the sound of crinkled paper bags hitting the ground before light footsteps approached her downed form. Blue eyes reluctantly peeling open only to see the exact same kind brown eyes that she had been recalling earlier that morning; they were now right smack dab in front of her and she wasn't sure what to think anymore.
Johnny was staring down at her with heavily furrowed brows showcasing more concern than she had probably ever received from pretty much anyone else in her short life. The sensation of his hand (that had to have been there almost the whole time) came next; feeling simultaneously light yet all too heavy on her shoulder as he slowly knelt on the cement next to her.
"...Johnny?" she gasped out, hating how her voice cracked for a split second. Ash had no idea why she even spoke in those moments but it appeared her mind was not at all cooperating with her body today.
"'ello." he greeted kindly with a small smile, "…are you alright?" he continued but this time, she didn't answer. Her eyes straying to the paper sacks of groceries he must have been carrying were now scattered about their feet.
It dawned on her that he was so worried about her that dropped them; making sure he checked on her before he even bothered to make a move to pick them up even as a few items rolled dangerously close to the the edge of the sidewalk.
"Ash, are you okay?" he regurgitated the question. Voice louder and more concerned than she cared to hear right now. Ash met his eyes just as he removed his hand from her shoulder (almost as an afterthought) before he offered it palm-up to her.
Ash stared at his hand for a moment; strange sense of Deja-Vu she wasn't sure what to do with went right over her head as she stared down at his proffered palm. Pushing that away, Ash reluctantly accepted his hand; gently, he grasped her paw and helped her to her feet. Once she was steady on her own two feet, Johnny picked up her guitar, dusted it off and handed it back to her before even thinking about his most likely ruined produce and various other items laying haphazardly around them.
The crowd around them gratefully walked around the scattered items.
"Yeah…" she finally answered even if it wasn't probably a valid answer at this point.
Ash just stood there; wiping a quick paw across her face and nose to make sure it wasn't bleeding. Grateful it was not but it was a bit pained yet she said nothing. Her hand lowering as she stared at him mostly in shock for a long time; watching him going about and slowly picking up his dropped groceries. A few animals even stopped to help pick a few items up (in retrospect she wondered why she hadn't), placed them in the paper sacks and Johnny was sure to thank them with a toothy smile before they returned it and went about their day.
Watching the scene, her mind wandered. Just this morning, she was certain she'd never see any of the theater group ever again. In this city of over a million animals, what were the fucking odds of literally running into one?
…especially the one who had confounded and intrigued her in the exact same breath…?
It was simply maddening…so much so that Ash wasn't sure what to think. As if her day wasn't already strange enough. Was this some sort of sign that some higher power was messing with her?
If so, it wasn't funny in the least…
"Thank you, sir. It's very much appreciated." Johnny thanked, accent thick. Ash saw it directed to a kind sheep in a green wool sweater that helped him pick up some more items.
"You're very weeee-lcome." the sheep brayed before walking away.
That cringe-worthy sounds broke whatever respite fell over her and Ash couldn't help but speak out.
"So…Where's your truck?" she asked the most blatantly strange question; mostly just to fill the silence and blood roaring in her pulsating ears.
Not even bothering with pleasantries or the normal, "Hey, you should have watched where your going! There are smaller animals you know!" like she was sorely tempted to.
Perhaps it was seeing Lance and Becky every time she blinked that was not helping the state of her scattered mind. Without much else to do, she dusted off her skirt if only to give her free hand something to do - anything to do. She was surprised that she hadn't just taken off yet…
"Oh! It's uh, back at the gara-I-I mean, my house." he caught himself, lopping a pack of saltine crackers back in the bag; catching her eye for a second before going back to his task.
"Why aren't you driving it? Wouldn't carrying your groceries be easier with it?"
"It would but, eh - um, bills made it kinda tight money-wise for this month. It was either I buy petrol for my truck or not eat the rest of this week….My stomach spoke for me I suppose." he chuckled; gathering the rest of the bruised apples and placing them back into the brown sacks filled with ramen noodles and other like generic brand items.
The clouds over her mind just had her giving him a strange look; connotations of that statement flitting throughout her mind but any reply or questions lingering around it left the second he continued speaking.
"Besides, it's a beautiful day for a walk! I couldn't pass that up. A-Anyway, enough about me. How have you been?" His attempts at redirection of the conversation didn't go unnoticed but the second Johnny glanced down to the guitar case, it was pushed to the back of her mind, "Oh! H-Have you booked a show?" he asked.
Ash, broken out of her questioning she was going to expand upon, looked down to the guitar and just shrugged, "Eh…Kinda…I'm workin' on it." she decided upon.
"That's wonderful! I'm sure you'll find one soon." the confidence in his voice annoyed her for some reason.
"Yeah…" Ash shrugged, feeling more uncomfortable and claustrophobic the longer she stood here. Her emotions jarred from seeing Lance and Becky; side by side on a stage where she used to be. It was like a slap in the face in pretty much every way except the physical sense of the word. It had been over a month since she saw her ex-boyfriend and it was so much easier not to have to see him (ripped pictures or belongings not counting). But having to confront the very reality of him seemingly moved on and happy with a new person in his life (a girl he cheated on her with) did something to her; the fact Becky was performing with him made it all the worst.
Five years of her life spent by his side and who the hell was she kidding to think she'd get over it in less than a month?! She wasn't heartless like that bastard Lance who seemingly was happy with the high-school slut instead of his girlfriend of five years who poured every ounce of her heart and soul into that relationship even as he just sucked her heart and soul dry.
How dare he just get over it without any repercussions; any care as to what he'd -
"So, where are you headed to next?" Johnny asked suddenly breaking her out of her thoughts. Barely even noticing that her hand was cramping because of how tight it was wound around the guitar case handle..
Ash's eyes flicking to him where he had finished filling the bags back up and was staring down at her curiously. A part of her wanted to lie to tell him she was going to go find work or elsewhere, but damn, she just wanted to be back home right now…
"My apartment." she answered with the barest hints of a shrug.
"Oh really? Um, would you mind if we walked together? My place is in the same general direction." he asked.
"I don't think so" was temptingly pulling at her tongue but the all-encompassing loneliness and oncoming-depression was clouding over her and perhaps a kind face and encouraging words, which Johnny readily supplied, was probably what she needed right now.
"Sure. Knock yourself out." she finally replied with a shrug; without bothering to wait for him, she began heading toward the direction of her apartment.
Guitar and gut feeling heavier than she could ever recall, Ash was inundated with the image of her ex and his new girlfriend every time she had to blink. A strange hollowness burrowing into her gut and soul as she slowly walked back home. Johnny being at her side was ignored at first; his steps lighter than she thought was possible for an animal of his size (even if he was still quite small for a gorilla, he was still massive to her). His steps were soft; almost muted with the drum of her pulse hammering away in her ears and shuttering breaths she valiantly controlled. She dared not cry; she'd wasted far too much time already crying over Lance and she dare not do it again.
That loser was not worth any more tears…
After two blocks of uncomfortable silence, Ash weirdly felt obligated to speak if only to break the silence; to think about anything other than her situation and the trauma she just went through.
"So…what have you been doing?" she may as well be pleasant or it was going to be a long, tense walk otherwise. And Ash did not feel up to being lost in her clouded head the whole time and speaking to her walking partner was the only way to break that.
"Nothing much." Johnny replied as soon as they made it to a crosswalk. The bags making a crinkling noise when he adjusted them in his arms so he could press the walking sensor button. The stoplight now showcasing red counting down numbers before they could walk across the street. "Just trying to figure out what to do next I s'pose." he finished a moment later.
"Me too." Ash agreed - weren't they all?
"Yeah…But today something quite interesting happened." Ash halfway expected him bringing up literally running into her but he continued before that thought gained any traction, "I was just catching up on some errands when I saw Rosita at the supermarket."
"Really? Hmm. Small world." Ash replied; half listening but focusing more on the countdown of the 'don't walk' signal.
The sooner she got home the better - small talk was definitely not her strong suit.
"Isn't it though?" he chuckled, "Yeah. She, um asked me how you were doing and since I guess technically, out of our group, I was the last one to see you." Johnny answered with a shrug. "I told her you were alright…i-is that okay?"
"...she did?" Ash, totally ignoring his question, seemed surprised. The barest sense of guilt filling her gut for the only one on her mind lately was herself, her own problems, or a certain asshole ex-boyfriend and his slutty new girlfriend. "…how was she? You know - Rosita."
"Mm-hmm." Johnny gave her a toothy smile and she dutifully ignored how her stomach twisted at seeing it, "Rosita said she was doing well; seemed happy enough. She was even shopping with three of her boys! Something about them having tummy-aches and skipping school but seeing them today, something tells me they were probably not telling the truth. Such rambunctious children." he said with a kind chuckle, "I don't really know how she handles 25 of those little tykes..." Johnny started walking across the street once the white 'Walk' signal ignited.
Ash ran to keep up with his longer strides.
Rosita had 25 kids? …wow, she really hadn't been paying attention at all, had she?
Even as the woman was comforting her in her horrendous time of grief, Ash could think of no one but herself and her own break-up troubles. Little did she know what the woman comforting her had been going through in her own life…you wouldn't know it by her gentle smile and constant kind words.
"Anyway, she was telling me some other things too." Johnny started speaking again, taking Ash away from her thoughts of Rosita and to focus on what the gorilla walking by her side was saying, "I haven't been kept too much in the loop but from what I understand, the other performers want to find Mr. Moon. Rosita, Gunter, and Meena are determined to locate him and think we should try to coerce him to have the concert anyway."
"...why?" Ash muttered, her focus now completely focused on him; even as much as her staring up at him whilst they continued down the street. The competition was over; there was no money, no reward, no career opportunity, so why the hell would any of them even bother?
Johnny shrugged, "What have we got to lose?"
"..." Saying Ash was surprised at his words would be a severe understatement. Her mouth opened and closed numerous times as she tired to figure out exactly how to reply. Him continuing halted any thoughts to do so.
"Besides, Rosita heard around from Miss Crawly and Eddie that Buster has been rather depressed about the whole situation. Understandably so." Johnny sighed, "Refuses to leave the house; just sleeps, eats, and plays video games all day in his jammies…I mean, I guess could see why - the man has lost…everything. His entire life's work, dreams and hopes of restoring the theater to its former glory…That place meant everything to him and all he wanted to do was revitalize it with a competition. It's just…too bad it had to be destroyed that way…"
Johnny sounded so downcast and sympathetic of Buster's situation but Ash's heart refused to budge inside her heaving chest.
"Buster lied. Lied to all of us." Ash argued; familiar anger building in her gut from the utter betrayal Buster had caused them - the money, the fortune, promise of a career - it was all a hoax.
And she was supposed to feel sorry for him!? That sure as hell wasn't going to happen.
"I know he did…but I-I really believe he had the right intentions -"
"Hah! The road to hell is paved with good intentions. You seem to forget that he almost got us KILLED!" Ash interrupted with fire in her icy blue eyes. "We all could have easily died in that damn flood! D-Doesn't that bother you!?" Ash was all too aware her voice was probably louder than intended but she was upset. "We could have all of drowned for the promise of 100 grand when it was nothing but a chest full of junk!"
Johnny was silent for a long time before his mouth finally opened to speak, "That's true," he sighed, "but we didn't…and technically, it was the bears' fault the flood happened at all…" Johnny shrugged, face flushing a bit as he averted his eyes from her direction.
Did this guy's optimism have no bounds?
"Heh. That's a small discretion. It doesn't matter. He lied to us so it was his fault; even giving that Mike a chance was a bad mistake… Anyone who looked at him knew he was nothing but trouble."
"...Everyone makes mistakes…I think Buster's paid enough for his." Johnny replied and Ash was grateful for another red light. She stopped and stared up at him; the confusion and wondering just what the hell this guys deal was were the only things on her mind. At least it got her mind off of Lance if only for a moment…
How could Johnny or anyone want to give Buster another chance so easily?!
There was nothing to gain from it!
"So, y-you're gonna try to convince him to what - Rebuild? Have a concert? …what exactly is your plan here!?"
"Heh. Kinda. In a way, I suppose." he stuttered around the words, "Well, if we go to the place he's staying next weekend like we planned and actually coerce him to do something, Rosita was perhaps proposing we host a fundraiser concert of some sort. Just to bring people's attention to the Moon Theater - and if successful enough, there'd be enough money to re-build it? Maybe even getting the news media involved to bring attention to it; something along those lines."
"But what would that mean for any of us? Just perform for free?"
"Why not? We were doing it for the competition?" Johnny shrugged.
"Heh. That was different. We had a goal of prize money and a possible career on the line!"
"That is true but maybe performing now could at least get us some more recognition. May make finding some performing gigs a bit easier." he spoke, his brown eyes flicking to her guitar case and she ignored any connotation he may have meant by that.
"What makes you think he'll even listen?" Ash sighed; desperate to change the subject.
"...I don't know if he will but I think it's at least worth a shot."
Ash grew silent for a long time; uncomfortable as she readjusted the heavy guitar to her other hand before she began walking across the street once the crosswalk signal ignited.
It was at least a block before she spoke.
"Well, have fun with that."
Johnny seemed utterly shocked by her answer. "What? Y-You wouldn't want to come with us? Maybe you can help convince him to try it again." Johnny asked, not even bothering to keep the confusion from his voice.
"Try what?" she grumbled bitterly, "The theater is gone! Where are we going to perform? In the rubble? There's literally nothing for us there; no prize, no audience, no money in it! Why would I do that if there's nothing in it for me?" she hated showcasing her selfishness but she didn't care - after a life full of Lance, Lance, Lance, she damn well deserved to be selfish for a change!
"...because you love to sing. Isn't that the whole reason you joined the competition?"
Damn, this guy was all rainbows and butterflies, wasn't he?
"Truthfully? No." Ash replied, "I joined mostly for the opportunity at a future record deal and let's face it - all that money wouldn't hurt." she left out the part where she wanted to rub it in Lance's beaver-tooth face when she won but she didn't feel like muttering it out.
"...but doesn't it at least interest you to get another chance? Perhaps help Buster get back on his feet in the process?"
"Look, Johnny." Ash stopped in her tracks; the people walking behind and in front now having to reluctantly walk around them as they stopped in the middle of the block. "I have my own problems - rent, bills…life… I just don't…" she sighed, voice tapering off as she tried to collect her thoughts. Her blue eyes averting momentarily, she looked up and was surprised when she saw her building was only one more block over.
Had they really been walking that long already? It was probably because she had to be hoofing it to keep up with his long strides.
"Those will always be there though." Johnny replied after he realized she wasn't going to continue.
Ash sighed; ignoring how logical his statement was. He still just didn't understand any of this - no one understood how hard this was for her and how moving on from all of this was imperative to her mental health. She couldn't keep backtracking - it simply wasn't healthy.
…she needed to move on and that was it.
"...I don't think so." Ash spoke once they approached her building; she wasn't sure if Johnny was walking extra slow to keep up with her pace or because he wasn't ready to end this conversation. "Well, see ya." Ash said, her eyes straying anywhere but him as she began moving up the stairs toward her apartment door.
"Ash. Wait." his voice rang out and her earlier sense of Deja-Vu came back with a spine-chilling vengeance.
Instead of opening the door and ignoring him, Ash turned to look at him from where he walked up a few steps to approach her.
A sudden strange mix of curiosity and wondering if she should even bother further conversing with this guy swiftly plagued her thoughts. She really didn't plan to see him again…did she? If not, what was she even doing giving this guy another thought or moment of her time? Yeah, he got her guitar back but it all seemed to be forgotten or distant water underneath the bridge by this point; she had no further obligation, so why had she stopped to listen?
Johnny had already been taking enough space in her subconscious since they met what felt like a lifetime ago already - giving him more leeway in her brain was only going to make it worse in the end.
Ash ignored those doubts for now and muttered out a "Hmm?" as if reluctantly telling him to continue.
"Um," he cleared his throat, "b-before you leave -" he continued, adjusting the groceries in his arms so he could reach into his jacket inner pocket and took out his cell phone - tapping the screen with his thumb a few times before proffering it to her.
Ash stared at the bright screen of his smartphone curiously; hands still firm at her sides.
"Would you mind if I get your number? I-I'll just send you a text so you can have mine too." he asked.
The confusion that was completely plastered on her face didn't seem to be enough so she looked back up at him and muttered, "Why?"
Johnny's face flushed slightly and she hated the sensation of butterflies that fluttered against her stomach wall when she seen the expression.
"You know, j-just in case you change your mind about going with us to talk with Buster next weekend. Maybe it will give you a chance to think about it - perhaps reconsider." Johnny stuttered out an explanation and she sensed he wanted desperately to scratch at the back of his head like he tended to do when he was nervous…wait, where did that come from?
"I dunno." she finally spoke out; head shaking of its own volition.
"But what if you decide to and you can't get a hold of us? I mean, because what are the odds that we'll literally bump into each other again?" Johnny laughed and she hated accepting just how light and nice it sounded; the fur in the back of her neck prickling with the sensation.
Ash's eyes gravitated back to the phone offered to her and in a gap of fleeting logical thought, she grabbed it and quickly typed in her phone number. Once it was in and saved onto his phone, Ash quickly plopped it back in his hand and without sparing him a glance, unlocked and opened her apartment door.
"Oh. I-uh-Thanks! I'll see you later!" Johnny said a rather confused farewell but Ash didn't care to look at him; just 'um-hmming' out a response before she closed the door behind her.
A few moments passed and she started to feel foolish. What was she thinking? Ash sighed; hoping it would be over and done with; after all, perhaps she'd typed it in wrong and the whole Moon Theater saga and all the others it entailed would soon be a distant memory.
That hopeful thought fleeted with her phone pinging from her pocket. Ash sighed, reaching for her phone and saw a new number pop up with a message.
"Hey. It's Johnny. Is this Ash?" it read.
A half-smile formed on her face when she saw it. I guess he thought she may trick him. Sad to say, that didn't work this time. Ash was tempted to type back - "sorry wrong number" just to mess with him, but for some reason, she didn't.
"Yeah. It's me" she typed back instead. In retrospect just wondering why she was prolonging her agony.
There was only one thought that went though her mind when her cell phone pinged with Johnny's reply of "Thanks Ash."
…what in the actual hell was she doing?…