Chapter 36
Ash is now sitting beside Alice's bed, Alice hasn't woken up after Ash managed to carry her back into the bed, and inside the shield, he can also see the aura inside like some sort of turbulence.
"Pikachu, what if I transfer some of the Violet Depression inside me? Do you think I will be able to save Alice from it?" Ash asks.
"What are you talking about?" Pikachu gasps in horror. "If you do that, then your aura is going to hurt you..."
"Do you think I'm going to care about that? Alice is my girlfriend, it will be painful for me to watch her go like this. I want her to be my Crowned Princess, and I want to marry her..." Ash says.
"But what about proving your innocence? We have traitors to take care of." Pikachu continues to ask.
"We've already made them suffer, remember what happened back in Fiero City?" Ash asks.
"Right, you have Lillie suffer a little to get your revenge on Cilan. And now who's left?" Pikachu asks.
"You know, we've already pranked all of them. And there is still Golly's plan in motion." Ash says. "But right now, Alice's health is important to me..."
"We know that Violet Depression needs the gems to cure, but isn't there some way to put off the death time?" Pikachu asks.
"Put off the death time..." Ash says. "If the Hazardness of the Violet Depression is reduced, will it put off the death time?"
"What do you mean?" Pikachu asks. "Like some sort of transfer?"
"There are no statistics about what will happen if I transfer Violet Depression to another person... Alice is my other half, then I'll be the one to take her other half of Violet Depression. I am willing to try."
Pikachu knows that he can't stop Ash, he can hope that everything goes well. Ash puts his hand inside the barrier, holding Alice's hand as he starts to exchange some of their aura. Ash feels pain because of it, but he doesn't want to give up. After feeling the winds gone, Ash lets go of Alice's hand and rests on the floor.
"That sure is painful...I wonder how Alice is able to endure everything..." Ash gasps a little.
"So what is going to happen then?" Pikachu asks. "I don't feel your aura attacking me."
"It might mean that the Violet Depression will still try to kill us, but not going to harm others." Ash says as he deactivates the aura shield forming around Alice, and much to their delight, Alice's aura isn't attacking them.
"I'm glad that worked..." Ash says with a sigh of relief. But then he starts to remember what happened before Alice is unconscious. "But how am I going to let Alice know that my heart is hers? Before she falls unconscious, she has been thinking that I don't love her anymore... because of the disease, she thinks I'm better with another person instead of her."
Pikachu thinks for a second before rushing towards his room, after a while, he manages to bring a music box. Ash turns the winder and then some music comes out, Ash says, "I know this song...I have to against all odds if that is what I am going to take..."
Suddenly, he feels that the courage is flowing in his mind, and he knows what to do. Ash says, "Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything...With music, I can communicate with others...and I could reach Alice's heart. Good idea, Pikachu."
Then Pikachu starts to spin the winder and then the music comes out. As the prelude is playing, everyone in the castle, including the Ketchum siblings and the Masho family, hears it and they are confused.
Mark, Gladion, and Trenor are inside their room playing chess, just as they hear the sound, Mark asks, "Trenor, do you know what is that sound?"
"Sounds like a winder, but who is using it?" Trenor says.
Lillie, Golly, Minami, and Insey are also playing poker in their room as Minami says, "Is it just me, why am I hearing a tune?"
"I heard it as well...what's going on?" Lillie asks.
"Sounds like it is coming from Alice's room. Is Ash trying to do something?" Golly says.
Back in Alice's room, Ash starts to go with the music and starts to sing.
"How can I just let you walk away
Just let you leave without a trace?
When I stand here taking every breath with you, ooh ooh
You're the only one who really knew me at all..."
Ash strengthens his resolve and sings, "How can you just walk away from me
When all I do is watch you leave
'Cause we've shared the laughter and the pain
And even shared the tears
You're the only one who really knew me at all..."
Ash stands up and looks at Alice, and he starts to sing the chorus, "So take a look at me now
Well there's just an empty space
And there's nothing left here to remind me
Just the memory of your face
Ooh, take a look at me now
Well there's just an empty space
And you coming back to me is against the odds
And that's what I've got to face..."
Ash frowns as his voice is not reaching Alice, considering that she isn't moving or shaking a little. But he isn't going to give up as he continues to sing.
"I wish I could just make you turn around
Turn around and see me cry
There's so much I need to say to you
So many reasons why
You're the only one who really knew me at all..."
At the same time, everyone manages to come to the hallway outside of Alice's room, and they notice the Aura shield around Alice is gone and Ash is still inside the room singing.
"So take a look at me now
Well there's just an empty space
And there's nothing left here to remind me
Just the memory of your face
Now Take a look at me now
'Cause that's just an empty space
But to wait for you is all I can do
And that's what I've got to face..."
Alice's body starts to shiver a little as Ash knows that Alice is about to wake up, he can't give up as he continues to sing, "Take a good look at me now
'Cause I'll still be standing here
And you coming back to me is against all odds
It's the chance I've got to take..."
Ash then walks back to Alice's bed, holding Alice's hand as he sings the last line of the song, "Take a look at me now..."
And after that moment, Ash manages to kiss Alice on the lips, causing her to wake up a little. "Ash..." Alice says in a weak tone, and Ash is delighted.
"Alice! You're awake!" Ash says as he hugs Alice, everyone is worried that Ash might be attacked by the aura, but much to their confusion, nothing has happened.
"Alice, how are you doing now?" Ash asks with concern as she tries to sit up.
"How long did I pass out? What about the League inspection?" Alice asks.
"About that, you've been sleeping for 7 days." Ash says. "Your aura was out of control because of the Violet Depression, but now I guess it is quite stable for now."
"Violet Depression..." Alice says, "Did you find a way to cure it?"
"No, your Violet Depression is still there. But your aura won't try to attack anyone else, because I managed to transfer some of the aura in me." Ash says, causing everyone to widen their eyes. Ash and Alice also notice that they are not alone, and the others are worried for them.
"What were you thinking about, brother?" Minami asks. "You transferred some of Alice's Violet Depression inside you? That means you are going to be affected by it as well!"
Ash says, "I know it, but I am not going to leave Alice alone. Alice is the love of my life, and I am not going to let her go. If she goes, then there's no reason for me to continue staying here. I know it sounds selfish, but I already lost my chance and I don't want to let go of my second chance."
"Ash..." Alice feels touched, Ash is doing everything just for her. Ash turns to Alice and says, "Alice, I heard your singing a few days ago. Ever since you realized you got the Violet Depression, you have been scared to stay with me. And with what the crowd talked about how suitable they are with me as the Crowned Princess, you were also jealous at the same time."
Alice blushes a little, as she didn't believe that Ash had heard her singing, not to mention that he might have seen her dancing alone. She asks in a shy tone, "You heard that..."
Ash nods and holds her hands, he says, "Yes. You want to reach out to me, but you are afraid I will leave you. But please trust me, I will never leave you, and it is natural to think like this. You are the only Crowned Princess I am going to choose and no one else will be able to replace you."
Ash then leans forward and gives her a kiss once more, Alice is getting used to the kiss as she wraps her arms around him. After parting the kiss, Ash says, "Please Alice. If you still have doubts about me, I will make you understand. I am a boat and you are my ocean, and my heart sails on you."
Alice looks into his eyes once more, and she starts to feel guilty about everything. Why did she doubt him as he had already set his mind that he is going to be with her forever? Why can't she accept him as Ash did to her? She cries on his shoulder as Ash embraces her, "I am sorry, Ash...I didn't want to doubt you..."
"Don't worry. Right now we also have a way to save ourselves from the Violet Depression, we're going to get cured together." Ash says.
Alice nods, and then Golly coughs, "Now that both of you are awake, we have some things that we need to talk about as well."
This causes everyone to look at her with confusion. Golly says, "I was just back from the International Police since I wanted to know about the murderer of the ones who killed Alice's bullies."
"My bullies?" Alice asks, starting to tremble at what she's heard.
"Don't worry about them, they are already killed." Ash says. "But who killed them is still a mystery."
"Indeed. However, after taking hours of searching, I think I might have found some interesting news. All 18 of them are actually killed in 2 years before Brother is framed as a murderer."
Everyone widens their eyes and Alice says, "When I dropped out of school, Ash was just finished his Kalos League. That means after a year, they were killed?"
"Looks like we have another mystery that we need to find out." Ash shakes his head as they decide to chat for some more.
And here is a new chapter, Alice finally wakes up, and Ash also gets the Violet Depression from Alice, even though their auras won't hurt others, they still have a time limit. I hope you like this chapter and the next chapter will be more interesting stuff.
