A Shadow's New Heart
"Hold still, dear. Your bed head is pretty bad today." Ash let out a small chuckle as Ruby combed his hair. It had been two days since he was nearly killed while defending Ruby from an assassin from her clan and he was almost no better than before. The Hadoken attack had left his body below his face heavily bruised and sore. Just standing up would put Ash in agony, leaving him bedridden. The muscles in his upper body were in slightly better shape than his lower, so he could still use his arms and hands.
Ash looked down on his belly at the sight of his daughter, Sapphire; drawing away with crayons that Nurse Joy had given her to keep her entertained. He grinned at the little tune she was humming while gently kicking her legs in rhythm. He thought she was so cute with her little tail wagging. He knew that she adored him and that the news that his survival rate from the Hadoken attack was less than 1% had hit her just as hard as it hit her mother. She had been with him at almost all times since his body had stabilized and could only be separated from him while asleep.
Ash could not quite make out what Sapphire was drawing. She had her back to him and was blocking his view of the picture. He felt it was rude to interrupt, so he just kept quiet. That is, until she looked over her shoulder at him.
"Daddy, look what I drew!" Sapphire handed her father the picture she had just finished. It was nowhere near the quality of what one might see at an art museum, but Ash could still make out who the people in it were. He saw a human boy with a light blue jacket and a hat with what seemed like half of a Poké Ball on the front, a Rukario who was holding the boy's hand, and two smaller Rukario that were seated on the boy's shoulders. That was when it hit him. Two?
"Sapphire, who are those?" Ash pointed at the two smaller Rukario in the picture. Sapphire giggled, "That one's me, and that one's my baby brother!" Ruby dropped her comb at that remark. She looked over Ash's head and saw the picture.
"Awww, that's very sweet, Sapphire. Did you make that for Daddy?" "Yep!" Little Sapphire was beaming that her mother liked it. Ruby also noticed the second Rukario child on Ash's shoulder. She grinned to herself, knowing that it was only a matter of time before she went into heat again. Ash would have little choice but to impregnate her once more when it happened.
"OK, Sapphire. I have to do some errands, so keep an eye on Daddy, OK?" Sapphire squealed in delight. It would just be her and Ash. Just as she turned to leave however, Ruby stopped. "Oops, almost forgot something." Before anyone could react, Ruby was on top of Ash, trying to not apply too much pressure on his sore body. Ash got the hint and joined lips with his lover. Ruby was delighted that she could still kiss him. She made many pleasure-filled sounds as she swirled her tongue around Ash's, mixing their saliva and arousing each other. All too soon for her tastes, Ruby broke the kiss and gently stroked Ash's face, "You don't know what it means for me to be able to kiss you like this. See you later, sweetie." With a seductive wink, Ruby glided out the door with a small pouch in hand.
With a sigh, Ash began to wonder how Ruby had become so happy and strong. She was almost constantly smiling or grinning and her self-esteem had skyrocketed. In a few months, she had gone from a timid little girl to a bold and protective girlfriend. He felt bad that he could not defend Ruby with his own strength, but took comfort in knowing that she was much tougher than she looked. Suddenly, he noticed Sapphire had crawled up to his face.
"Daddy, kiss me like you kissed Mommy!" Ash was surprised that Sapphire would ask for a kiss with such haste, but he agreed. Slowly, because his arms were still sore, he lifted Sapphire close to his face and pressed his lips against hers. She squirmed in delight as she held onto her father's face, but let out a sigh of disappointment when it ended. Ash noticed and asked, "What's wrong? Did I not do it right?"
Sapphire yelled, "That wasn't it! You and Mommy did something with your tongues! Why didn't you do it to me?" That threw Ash for a loop. Sapphire wanted him to kiss her in a very intimate manner! Ash blushed at the thought. Could his infant daughter really be in love with him? Or was she purely curious?
Ash asked, "Uh, I don't think you'll like it. You're pretty young for that kind of stuff. But why do you want me to kiss you like that?" Sapphire replied, "Because I love you! DOITDOITDOIT!!!" Ash almost laughed at his daughter's innocent answer.
"OK, OK. Just relax." Ash gently lifted Sapphire to his face and pressed his lips against hers. A second later, he licked at her lips to gain entry. Sapphire understood and slipped her tongue out to meet her father's. At first, she was shocked by the texture of Ash's tongue and the strange taste of his saliva, but quickly grew to like it. Likewise, Ash was also enjoying the taste of his daughter. Her tongue felt so small, he was almost afraid that he would swallow it. Sapphire closed her eyes as she slowly broke the kiss, a string of their saliva dangling from their lips for a second before breaking.
With a sigh, Ash spoke, "So, did you like it? .......Sapphire?" Ash glanced down at his daughter to see that her mouth was slightly hanging open while her eyes seemed very sleepy. He gently stroked her face, "Sapphire, are you OK?" To his surprise, her mouth turned into a sedated smile as she began to blush.
A moment of awkward silence passed before Sapphire slowly crawled up to Ash's face and embraced him, "That felt good, Daddy. I love you." Ash let out a sigh of relief. He gently embraced his daughter as she cooed at his touch. A moment later, Max walked into the room.
"Man, Ash, Sapphire sure seems to like you." Ash did not even notice Max walk in and jumped slightly. Sapphire did not seem to care either way. She just wanted to enjoy the moment with her father. Max grinned at the sight of Sapphire curled up in Ash's arms. Ash then noticed something, "Hey, Max, whatcha got there?"
Max handed Ash a book, "I brought a picture book for Sapphire to read. I thought she could use something to look at." Sapphire looked up and was enthralled by the colorful cover. She immediately snatched the book from Max, lied down at the end of the bed and started looking through it. Max laughed, "I guess she's eager to learn!"
As Max watched Sapphire explore the book he gave her, he noticed something and asked, "Hey, Ash. Have you ever noticed that Sapphire doesn't look that much like a Rukario? Something about her just doesn't add up." Ash was curious too and reached for his Pokédex, which was on an end table near his bed. He searched through the data until he came to Rukario again. He looked back and forth from the Pokédex's screen and Sapphire and quickly noticed some key differences. Sapphire's ears were much shorter than a Rukario's and had only two dreadlocks while Rukario have four. Her arms were entirely covered with blue fur while Rukario have their hands covered in black fur. Her upper torso was also completely black while Rukario have dull yellow fur in that area. What was more; Sapphire had a small messy tuft of hair above her forehead, possibly acquired from Ash's genes.
"Hm, I see your point, Max. Maybe she isn't a Rukario at all. Let's see..." As soon as Ash pointed his Pokédex at Sapphire, it spoke, "Riolu, the Ripple Pokémon. Also the pre-evolved form of Lucario. No further data available." Max almost laughed at the sight of Ash's face. "All this time and I never knew what Sapphire is? I've even been pronouncing Ruby's species' name wrong!"
"Don't worry about it. We all make mistakes. Hey, Sapphire. Do you want some breakfast?" Max was surprised to see Sapphire look at him with a gaze of fear. "Oh come on, I'll be nice. Let's go." Max started to pick Sapphire up, but stopped when he noticed she was clutching the bed's railing. He strained at her resistance for a moment before she finally let go. However, as soon as Sapphire lost her grip on the bed, she let out a scream of panic and flailed about wildly! Max was so badly startled, he almost dropped her!
"Max, put her down!" As directed, Max set Sapphire down on the bed, only to watch her scramble onto Ash's chest while sobbing. With a stern glare, Ash said, "Max, I think you should leave us alone for a while." Not wanting to make the situation worse, Max left the room in a hurry.
Ash gently cuddled his daughter in an effort to calm her. He could feel tears building in his own eyes as he listened to her crying. After a moment, Sapphire finally gazed up at her father, her cute little face matted with tears. She pleaded, "Don't go, Daddy... Don't go away..."
Ash was certain he knew why she was so upset. When Shadow attempted to kill him, Sapphire saw everything. She saw him almost die in her mother's arms. She nearly lost the most important boy in her life. She did not want to ever leave him again, or the other way around. Ash held the little Riolu close to his face and whispered, "I promise. I'll never leave you. I'll always be here for you. I love you, and I never want to see you cry. You are my little treasure, my Sapphire." At the sound of his voice, Sapphire stopped crying entirely. For a moment, she just stared at him with her gentle brown eyes. Then she nuzzled against his neck while embracing him. "I love you too, Daddy."
Just to the west of Lilycove City, Ruby was searching the groves of trees for wild berries. She had already collected quite a sum of them and stashed them in the pouch she brought along. She was certain that they would help Ash get some proper nutrition, and any leftovers could be used by May for some Pokéblocks. "Ash must be pretty sick of that hospital food by now. These should perk him up really fast!" Ruby giggled at the thought of Ash stuffing his face with the berries. However, someone was watching her. Someone who Ruby knew all too well.
Ruby decided to search near the Safari Zone when she noticed that her pouch was getting rather heavy. After searching one more bush, a voice came from behind her. "Ruby, I think you might need these." Ruby turned around and gasped at the sight of Shadow, the Lucario who had tried to kill her a few days before. But instead of fear, Ruby was filled with rage. With a sudden Mach Punch, she sent Shadow flying backwards!
"Ow! Ruby, I'm just trying to-WHOA!!!" Shadow was cut off when he had to roll out of the way of a Focus Punch that was aimed at his face! "Ruby, I don't wish to harm you! Just listen to..." Shadow had no time to speak as Ruby began pounding him with brutal and quick blows. He could not even begin to understand how Ruby acquired such strength. Seeing that Ruby was not going to listen, Shadow tripped her with a leg sweep and tried to make a run for it!
"I don't get it... How could a no self-esteem runt like her be so fierce?!" Shadow did not get far before Ruby dropped out of the trees and heel-dropped his face into the ground! After another quick beating, Shadow pleaded, "I'm serious! I will not fight you!" He then surprised Ruby by dropping to his knees, a sign of surrender.
"Why should I spare you? What makes you think I'd not try to kill you after what you did!?" Shadow looked her directly in the eye, "Because I know what it is like to almost lose someone precious to you from an attack that was meant for you. My father suffered the exact same wounds Ash did while defending me and my mother. I could never bring myself to kill someone who would make such a noble sacrifice."
Shadow's confession only added fuel to the fire. Ruby was livid that he expected her to forgive him after she nearly lost her future husband by his hands. "You're lying! You could never understand the pain I felt when I learned that his chances of surviving his wounds were less than 1%! How could you even hope to understand?!" Shadow let out a sigh and held out something. It seemed to be a chest spike from a Lucario. However, it was charred and chipped. "This is proof of what happened. When my father took the Hadoken attack that was meant for me and my mother, the spike on his chest, this spike, was torn from his body by the impact. He told me to keep it, to remind myself of the sacrifice he nearly made for his family. I'm ashamed that I completely forgot about it when I encountered you." Ruby stared at the spike. It was true. That kind of damage could only be caused by an incredibly potent attack.
"Look, I know I don't have the right to beg for forgiveness, but I wish to help you. Here." Shadow handed Ruby a handmade pouch sewn from leaves and animal hides. Inside were many rare and nutritious berries, even kinds that Ruby had not seen before. "These did wonders for my father. They promote healing and are packed with nutrients. They should speed up the healing process considerably for Ash."
Ruby glared at Shadow for a moment, and then sighed, "Fine. I guess it's a fair trade, but I'm not letting you off the hook. You still have to apologize to Ash. He's the one you hurt, not me." With a grip of iron, Ruby grabbed Shadow by the tail and gave it a sharp tug, "Let's go." Shadow thought to himself, (Dang, she's scary when she's mad. I almost feel sorry for the poor kid.)
Several minutes later, Ruby and Shadow were right outside the Pokémon Center where Ash was recovering. "Sapphire might not like to see you, so wait for me to get her outta there first. Huh?" When Ruby looked through the window to Ash's room, she saw that Sapphire was very snuggly curled up in Ash's arms. It was going to take some coaxing to move her. That was when Ruby had an idea. Taking both breasts in her hands, she gently weighed them and found that they were tight and heavy. "I'm pretty sure Sapphire is hungry by now. You wait here."
Ash was almost ready to fall asleep when he saw the door open. "Looks to me like Big Daddy wants a nap." Ash blushed at Ruby's playful comment. After opening the window wide, Ruby walked over to Ash and asked, "Do you mind if I take Sapphire outside for some fresh air?"
Sapphire heard her mother's question and yelled, "No, Mommy! I wanna stay with Daddy!" Ruby then asked, "But aren't you hungry?" As if to answer that, Sapphire's stomach let out a loud gurgle, causing her to blush. "Don't worry. Daddy will be right here when we get back. I promise." Reassured, Sapphire jumped into her mother's arms. Ash smiled as his fiancée and daughter left the room.
As soon as he heard the door close, Shadow leapt through the open window. Ash was shocked to see Ruby's assassin and struggled to get up, only to collapse in pain. He then yelled, "Guy's! It's..." Shadow covered Ash's mouth, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to help you." Shadow opened the pouch he had to reveal the many rare berries inside. "I know that you must hate me after what I did, but just hear me out." Ash calmed down and asked, "What do you want?" Shadow took a seat and continued, "You reminded me of what my father went through when he protected me and my mother from a traitor. You have my utmost respect. I brought these berries to you so they could speed up your recovery. I'm not asking you to forgive me, but please understand." Shadow let his head hang down. To his surprise, he felt Ash running his fingers through his fur. He adjusted his angle to reach Shadow's neck, making the Lucario pant in pleasure.
"That was enjoyable." Ash grinned, "I don't hold grudges very easily. The only guy I hold a grudge against at all is Gary Oak. I don't have enough room in my heart for two." After a quick snicker, Shadow spoke, "I'll have you know, you, Ruby, and your daughter are safe now. I told my clan's Alpha male that Ruby had put up a tough fight and I had to resort to destroying her entirely with the Hadoken. I then chose to leave the clan."
Ash could not understand why Shadow would leave his clan when he was such a revered member. Shadow seemed to know exactly what Ash was going to ask and explained, "I...um, how do I say this? I wanted you to...become my.....what are they called? Tamers? Masters? What do they call you...it's on the tip of my tongue..." Ash asked, "You want me to be your Trainer?" Shadow smiled, "Yeah, that's it! I have always had a wild side that messes with my judgment. I also want to repay my debt to you. What do you say?"
Ash was blown away. A rare specie of Pokémon wanted him to become his Trainer! "You bet! I'll be the best Trainer you could ask for!" Shadow grinned, but was shocked to see Ash hold out his arms. "It's OK. I just want you to know that I trust you." Nervously, Shadow embraced Ash, but quickly learned to like hugs. He was careful to not apply too much pressure on Ash's bruised body. Ash was surprised to feel Shadow's chest spike pressing against his skin, but relaxed when he knew that Shadow was being careful to not hurt him.
"Shadow, what're you gonna do for now? I can't train you until I get out of the hospital." Shadow smiled, "That's why I brought those berries. Eat up!" Ash did as instructed and found that they tasted very sweet; except for a few sour ones that made his lips pucker. Once he was finished, Ash did indeed feel somewhat better.
That night, Shadow went outside to keep an eye out for any signs of members from his clan. If they learned that Ruby was still alive, he would be marked for death as well. Suddenly, he felt a northern wind blow by. A quick movement in the brush outside the city caught Shadow's eye. A large canine-like Pokémon was staring in his direction. He could just barely make out the eyes of the creature, but was puzzled to see overwhelming sorrow in them. In an instant, it was gone. Shadow felt about ready to turn in for the night, knowing that the area was not part of his clan's nocturnal hunting grounds. Still, he could not help thinking about the identity of the creature he just saw. Little did he know, that Pokémon was searching for someone of great importance. A ghost of the distant past...
Ash looked down on his belly at the sight of his daughter, Sapphire; drawing away with crayons that Nurse Joy had given her to keep her entertained. He grinned at the little tune she was humming while gently kicking her legs in rhythm. He thought she was so cute with her little tail wagging. He knew that she adored him and that the news that his survival rate from the Hadoken attack was less than 1% had hit her just as hard as it hit her mother. She had been with him at almost all times since his body had stabilized and could only be separated from him while asleep.
Ash could not quite make out what Sapphire was drawing. She had her back to him and was blocking his view of the picture. He felt it was rude to interrupt, so he just kept quiet. That is, until she looked over her shoulder at him.
"Daddy, look what I drew!" Sapphire handed her father the picture she had just finished. It was nowhere near the quality of what one might see at an art museum, but Ash could still make out who the people in it were. He saw a human boy with a light blue jacket and a hat with what seemed like half of a Poké Ball on the front, a Rukario who was holding the boy's hand, and two smaller Rukario that were seated on the boy's shoulders. That was when it hit him. Two?
"Sapphire, who are those?" Ash pointed at the two smaller Rukario in the picture. Sapphire giggled, "That one's me, and that one's my baby brother!" Ruby dropped her comb at that remark. She looked over Ash's head and saw the picture.
"Awww, that's very sweet, Sapphire. Did you make that for Daddy?" "Yep!" Little Sapphire was beaming that her mother liked it. Ruby also noticed the second Rukario child on Ash's shoulder. She grinned to herself, knowing that it was only a matter of time before she went into heat again. Ash would have little choice but to impregnate her once more when it happened.
"OK, Sapphire. I have to do some errands, so keep an eye on Daddy, OK?" Sapphire squealed in delight. It would just be her and Ash. Just as she turned to leave however, Ruby stopped. "Oops, almost forgot something." Before anyone could react, Ruby was on top of Ash, trying to not apply too much pressure on his sore body. Ash got the hint and joined lips with his lover. Ruby was delighted that she could still kiss him. She made many pleasure-filled sounds as she swirled her tongue around Ash's, mixing their saliva and arousing each other. All too soon for her tastes, Ruby broke the kiss and gently stroked Ash's face, "You don't know what it means for me to be able to kiss you like this. See you later, sweetie." With a seductive wink, Ruby glided out the door with a small pouch in hand.
With a sigh, Ash began to wonder how Ruby had become so happy and strong. She was almost constantly smiling or grinning and her self-esteem had skyrocketed. In a few months, she had gone from a timid little girl to a bold and protective girlfriend. He felt bad that he could not defend Ruby with his own strength, but took comfort in knowing that she was much tougher than she looked. Suddenly, he noticed Sapphire had crawled up to his face.
"Daddy, kiss me like you kissed Mommy!" Ash was surprised that Sapphire would ask for a kiss with such haste, but he agreed. Slowly, because his arms were still sore, he lifted Sapphire close to his face and pressed his lips against hers. She squirmed in delight as she held onto her father's face, but let out a sigh of disappointment when it ended. Ash noticed and asked, "What's wrong? Did I not do it right?"
Sapphire yelled, "That wasn't it! You and Mommy did something with your tongues! Why didn't you do it to me?" That threw Ash for a loop. Sapphire wanted him to kiss her in a very intimate manner! Ash blushed at the thought. Could his infant daughter really be in love with him? Or was she purely curious?
Ash asked, "Uh, I don't think you'll like it. You're pretty young for that kind of stuff. But why do you want me to kiss you like that?" Sapphire replied, "Because I love you! DOITDOITDOIT!!!" Ash almost laughed at his daughter's innocent answer.
"OK, OK. Just relax." Ash gently lifted Sapphire to his face and pressed his lips against hers. A second later, he licked at her lips to gain entry. Sapphire understood and slipped her tongue out to meet her father's. At first, she was shocked by the texture of Ash's tongue and the strange taste of his saliva, but quickly grew to like it. Likewise, Ash was also enjoying the taste of his daughter. Her tongue felt so small, he was almost afraid that he would swallow it. Sapphire closed her eyes as she slowly broke the kiss, a string of their saliva dangling from their lips for a second before breaking.
With a sigh, Ash spoke, "So, did you like it? .......Sapphire?" Ash glanced down at his daughter to see that her mouth was slightly hanging open while her eyes seemed very sleepy. He gently stroked her face, "Sapphire, are you OK?" To his surprise, her mouth turned into a sedated smile as she began to blush.
A moment of awkward silence passed before Sapphire slowly crawled up to Ash's face and embraced him, "That felt good, Daddy. I love you." Ash let out a sigh of relief. He gently embraced his daughter as she cooed at his touch. A moment later, Max walked into the room.
"Man, Ash, Sapphire sure seems to like you." Ash did not even notice Max walk in and jumped slightly. Sapphire did not seem to care either way. She just wanted to enjoy the moment with her father. Max grinned at the sight of Sapphire curled up in Ash's arms. Ash then noticed something, "Hey, Max, whatcha got there?"
Max handed Ash a book, "I brought a picture book for Sapphire to read. I thought she could use something to look at." Sapphire looked up and was enthralled by the colorful cover. She immediately snatched the book from Max, lied down at the end of the bed and started looking through it. Max laughed, "I guess she's eager to learn!"
As Max watched Sapphire explore the book he gave her, he noticed something and asked, "Hey, Ash. Have you ever noticed that Sapphire doesn't look that much like a Rukario? Something about her just doesn't add up." Ash was curious too and reached for his Pokédex, which was on an end table near his bed. He searched through the data until he came to Rukario again. He looked back and forth from the Pokédex's screen and Sapphire and quickly noticed some key differences. Sapphire's ears were much shorter than a Rukario's and had only two dreadlocks while Rukario have four. Her arms were entirely covered with blue fur while Rukario have their hands covered in black fur. Her upper torso was also completely black while Rukario have dull yellow fur in that area. What was more; Sapphire had a small messy tuft of hair above her forehead, possibly acquired from Ash's genes.
"Hm, I see your point, Max. Maybe she isn't a Rukario at all. Let's see..." As soon as Ash pointed his Pokédex at Sapphire, it spoke, "Riolu, the Ripple Pokémon. Also the pre-evolved form of Lucario. No further data available." Max almost laughed at the sight of Ash's face. "All this time and I never knew what Sapphire is? I've even been pronouncing Ruby's species' name wrong!"
"Don't worry about it. We all make mistakes. Hey, Sapphire. Do you want some breakfast?" Max was surprised to see Sapphire look at him with a gaze of fear. "Oh come on, I'll be nice. Let's go." Max started to pick Sapphire up, but stopped when he noticed she was clutching the bed's railing. He strained at her resistance for a moment before she finally let go. However, as soon as Sapphire lost her grip on the bed, she let out a scream of panic and flailed about wildly! Max was so badly startled, he almost dropped her!
"Max, put her down!" As directed, Max set Sapphire down on the bed, only to watch her scramble onto Ash's chest while sobbing. With a stern glare, Ash said, "Max, I think you should leave us alone for a while." Not wanting to make the situation worse, Max left the room in a hurry.
Ash gently cuddled his daughter in an effort to calm her. He could feel tears building in his own eyes as he listened to her crying. After a moment, Sapphire finally gazed up at her father, her cute little face matted with tears. She pleaded, "Don't go, Daddy... Don't go away..."
Ash was certain he knew why she was so upset. When Shadow attempted to kill him, Sapphire saw everything. She saw him almost die in her mother's arms. She nearly lost the most important boy in her life. She did not want to ever leave him again, or the other way around. Ash held the little Riolu close to his face and whispered, "I promise. I'll never leave you. I'll always be here for you. I love you, and I never want to see you cry. You are my little treasure, my Sapphire." At the sound of his voice, Sapphire stopped crying entirely. For a moment, she just stared at him with her gentle brown eyes. Then she nuzzled against his neck while embracing him. "I love you too, Daddy."
Just to the west of Lilycove City, Ruby was searching the groves of trees for wild berries. She had already collected quite a sum of them and stashed them in the pouch she brought along. She was certain that they would help Ash get some proper nutrition, and any leftovers could be used by May for some Pokéblocks. "Ash must be pretty sick of that hospital food by now. These should perk him up really fast!" Ruby giggled at the thought of Ash stuffing his face with the berries. However, someone was watching her. Someone who Ruby knew all too well.
Ruby decided to search near the Safari Zone when she noticed that her pouch was getting rather heavy. After searching one more bush, a voice came from behind her. "Ruby, I think you might need these." Ruby turned around and gasped at the sight of Shadow, the Lucario who had tried to kill her a few days before. But instead of fear, Ruby was filled with rage. With a sudden Mach Punch, she sent Shadow flying backwards!
"Ow! Ruby, I'm just trying to-WHOA!!!" Shadow was cut off when he had to roll out of the way of a Focus Punch that was aimed at his face! "Ruby, I don't wish to harm you! Just listen to..." Shadow had no time to speak as Ruby began pounding him with brutal and quick blows. He could not even begin to understand how Ruby acquired such strength. Seeing that Ruby was not going to listen, Shadow tripped her with a leg sweep and tried to make a run for it!
"I don't get it... How could a no self-esteem runt like her be so fierce?!" Shadow did not get far before Ruby dropped out of the trees and heel-dropped his face into the ground! After another quick beating, Shadow pleaded, "I'm serious! I will not fight you!" He then surprised Ruby by dropping to his knees, a sign of surrender.
"Why should I spare you? What makes you think I'd not try to kill you after what you did!?" Shadow looked her directly in the eye, "Because I know what it is like to almost lose someone precious to you from an attack that was meant for you. My father suffered the exact same wounds Ash did while defending me and my mother. I could never bring myself to kill someone who would make such a noble sacrifice."
Shadow's confession only added fuel to the fire. Ruby was livid that he expected her to forgive him after she nearly lost her future husband by his hands. "You're lying! You could never understand the pain I felt when I learned that his chances of surviving his wounds were less than 1%! How could you even hope to understand?!" Shadow let out a sigh and held out something. It seemed to be a chest spike from a Lucario. However, it was charred and chipped. "This is proof of what happened. When my father took the Hadoken attack that was meant for me and my mother, the spike on his chest, this spike, was torn from his body by the impact. He told me to keep it, to remind myself of the sacrifice he nearly made for his family. I'm ashamed that I completely forgot about it when I encountered you." Ruby stared at the spike. It was true. That kind of damage could only be caused by an incredibly potent attack.
"Look, I know I don't have the right to beg for forgiveness, but I wish to help you. Here." Shadow handed Ruby a handmade pouch sewn from leaves and animal hides. Inside were many rare and nutritious berries, even kinds that Ruby had not seen before. "These did wonders for my father. They promote healing and are packed with nutrients. They should speed up the healing process considerably for Ash."
Ruby glared at Shadow for a moment, and then sighed, "Fine. I guess it's a fair trade, but I'm not letting you off the hook. You still have to apologize to Ash. He's the one you hurt, not me." With a grip of iron, Ruby grabbed Shadow by the tail and gave it a sharp tug, "Let's go." Shadow thought to himself, (Dang, she's scary when she's mad. I almost feel sorry for the poor kid.)
Several minutes later, Ruby and Shadow were right outside the Pokémon Center where Ash was recovering. "Sapphire might not like to see you, so wait for me to get her outta there first. Huh?" When Ruby looked through the window to Ash's room, she saw that Sapphire was very snuggly curled up in Ash's arms. It was going to take some coaxing to move her. That was when Ruby had an idea. Taking both breasts in her hands, she gently weighed them and found that they were tight and heavy. "I'm pretty sure Sapphire is hungry by now. You wait here."
Ash was almost ready to fall asleep when he saw the door open. "Looks to me like Big Daddy wants a nap." Ash blushed at Ruby's playful comment. After opening the window wide, Ruby walked over to Ash and asked, "Do you mind if I take Sapphire outside for some fresh air?"
Sapphire heard her mother's question and yelled, "No, Mommy! I wanna stay with Daddy!" Ruby then asked, "But aren't you hungry?" As if to answer that, Sapphire's stomach let out a loud gurgle, causing her to blush. "Don't worry. Daddy will be right here when we get back. I promise." Reassured, Sapphire jumped into her mother's arms. Ash smiled as his fiancée and daughter left the room.
As soon as he heard the door close, Shadow leapt through the open window. Ash was shocked to see Ruby's assassin and struggled to get up, only to collapse in pain. He then yelled, "Guy's! It's..." Shadow covered Ash's mouth, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to help you." Shadow opened the pouch he had to reveal the many rare berries inside. "I know that you must hate me after what I did, but just hear me out." Ash calmed down and asked, "What do you want?" Shadow took a seat and continued, "You reminded me of what my father went through when he protected me and my mother from a traitor. You have my utmost respect. I brought these berries to you so they could speed up your recovery. I'm not asking you to forgive me, but please understand." Shadow let his head hang down. To his surprise, he felt Ash running his fingers through his fur. He adjusted his angle to reach Shadow's neck, making the Lucario pant in pleasure.
"That was enjoyable." Ash grinned, "I don't hold grudges very easily. The only guy I hold a grudge against at all is Gary Oak. I don't have enough room in my heart for two." After a quick snicker, Shadow spoke, "I'll have you know, you, Ruby, and your daughter are safe now. I told my clan's Alpha male that Ruby had put up a tough fight and I had to resort to destroying her entirely with the Hadoken. I then chose to leave the clan."
Ash could not understand why Shadow would leave his clan when he was such a revered member. Shadow seemed to know exactly what Ash was going to ask and explained, "I...um, how do I say this? I wanted you to...become my.....what are they called? Tamers? Masters? What do they call you...it's on the tip of my tongue..." Ash asked, "You want me to be your Trainer?" Shadow smiled, "Yeah, that's it! I have always had a wild side that messes with my judgment. I also want to repay my debt to you. What do you say?"
Ash was blown away. A rare specie of Pokémon wanted him to become his Trainer! "You bet! I'll be the best Trainer you could ask for!" Shadow grinned, but was shocked to see Ash hold out his arms. "It's OK. I just want you to know that I trust you." Nervously, Shadow embraced Ash, but quickly learned to like hugs. He was careful to not apply too much pressure on Ash's bruised body. Ash was surprised to feel Shadow's chest spike pressing against his skin, but relaxed when he knew that Shadow was being careful to not hurt him.
"Shadow, what're you gonna do for now? I can't train you until I get out of the hospital." Shadow smiled, "That's why I brought those berries. Eat up!" Ash did as instructed and found that they tasted very sweet; except for a few sour ones that made his lips pucker. Once he was finished, Ash did indeed feel somewhat better.
That night, Shadow went outside to keep an eye out for any signs of members from his clan. If they learned that Ruby was still alive, he would be marked for death as well. Suddenly, he felt a northern wind blow by. A quick movement in the brush outside the city caught Shadow's eye. A large canine-like Pokémon was staring in his direction. He could just barely make out the eyes of the creature, but was puzzled to see overwhelming sorrow in them. In an instant, it was gone. Shadow felt about ready to turn in for the night, knowing that the area was not part of his clan's nocturnal hunting grounds. Still, he could not help thinking about the identity of the creature he just saw. Little did he know, that Pokémon was searching for someone of great importance. A ghost of the distant past...