Story Notes:
This may become a bit of a Naruto crossover, but no characters from the series will appear, this I promise.
A New Start
Long ago, in the kingdom of Rohta, there lived a direct ancestor of Ash Ketchum. His name was Ashton. He was the only son of a wealthy family of viscounts. However, he lost them both at a young age to an unknown virus. However, that didn't stop him from becoming one of the most respected swordsmen in the kingdom. At the young age of fifteen, he became an independent knight after graduating from the academy. He watched over his family's estate while frequently mingling with the commoners.
One day, Ashton was walking by the harbor when he noticed an oddly designed ship that was docked. He recognized the design. It was from the Far East. He noticed a middle aged man seated near a large cage. Curious, Ashton approached them. When Ashton walked up to the man, he stood up and bowed. With a heavy eastern accent, he said, "Welcome, Sir Ashton. May I interest you in my wares?" He replied, "That depends. What are you selling?" With a snap of his fingers, the old man made a curtain that was covering the front of the cage rise. Ashton gasped in awe at what was behind the bars.
About a dozen black and blue canine like Pokemon were testing each other's strength. They stood on two legs and seemed quite skilled in the use of eastern combat styles. The old man spoke, "These are Lucario, specie of Pokemon from my land. As you can see, they are much skilled in battle. Although they are only four feet tall, they can support much more weight than we can. Do they interest you?" Ashton raised a hand to his chin. "Indeed. I would like to purchase one." In his native tongue, the old man barked an order at the Lucario. Immediately, they lined up against the wall. After the door was unlocked, Ashton stepped inside. "Choose whichever one you desire." After a moment of evaluating the Lucario, Ashton noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Huddled in a corner was a young female. He noticed that she did not have the three spikes that the others had. He stepped outside to have a word with the merchant.
"That female over there. What is wrong with her?" The merchant shook his head, "The poor child. She is malformed. Lucario grow three spikes on their bodies. However, she did not grow them. They place great pride and value on their spikes. Because she has none, the rest view her as worthless." Ashton looked over at her and stepped back inside. The Lucario watched as he walked over to her. He kneeled down next to her and rested his hand on her shoulder. "I want you." The young female raised her head and looked at him. She had beautiful red eyes. Ashton spoke, "They may see you as worthless, but I disagree. Come with me, and I'll show you that you're not worthless."
Halfheartedly, the young female Lucario stood up. Ashton held out his hand to her. He reassured her, "It's all right. I won't hurt you." Nervously, she grabbed his hand. As Ashton walked her out of the cage, she could feel the anger filled eyes of the other Lucario glaring at her. Out of fear, she gripped his hand tightly. Ashton responded by placing his hand on her shoulder. The merchant smiled, "She is a good choice. Because no one else would buy her, I give her to you as gift." Ashton bowed, "Thank you. What is her name?" The merchant frowned, "She does not have one. You will have to name her yourself." Ashton thanked him again and went on his way with his latest acquisition at his side. Many villagers stared at him while he kept his hand on the Lucario's shoulder. Still, Ashton had a very compassionate soul. However, he was a demon when enraged, earning him the title, "The Vulcan Warrior" since he could be quiet and dormant one minute, and then erupt with devastating rage! His gentle nature prevented him from easily becoming angry, though.
When they arrived at his manor, Ashton escorted the female Lucario to a guest room. In one of the drawers of a dresser, Ashton pulled out a custom-made dress for her. "Tomorrow, I will show you your new duties. Now, what would be a good name for you?" Ashton began pacing the floor while the female Lucario watched. He saw her eyes again. Just then, it hit him. "Young lass, how does the name "Ruby" sound to you?" The Lucario was silent for a moment. She surprised him when she spoke, "Do you prefer it?" After a moment of awkward silence, Ashton replied, "You can speak?" She nodded. "Hmmm. Well, I think the name suits you. Now, Ruby, please come with me."
Ashton led Ruby to a bathroom. "You seem rather dirty from the long ride on that vessel. Trust me. You will feel much better after a hot bath." With a turn of a valve, hot water began to come from a metal pipe. Ashton's manor was constructed near hot springs. After a few minutes, Ashton closed the valve. Steam quickly filled the room. "It's ready. Do you want me to help you?" Ruby slowly nodded. She had never actually bathed before. Ashton noticed her grip the thick blue area around her waist. "Um, are those pants?" She nodded. "Oh, well, excuse me." Ashton turned his back while Ruby undressed herself. A moment later, he heard a sigh of relief and a gentle splash. He looked at the tub and saw Ruby seated with the water up to her shoulders. He also noticed the upper parts of her breasts sticking above the surface.
"Well, now that you are comfortable, let me get some shampoo and soap." Ashton began looking through a wooden box nearby. He pulled out a block of soap and a wooden container of shampoo. He walked back over to Ruby and took a seat on a stool. "Are you comfortable?" She remained silent. "Please speak. I don't know what you have gone through in your life, but I promise you that you will be respected here." Ruby's face slowly began to smile. To her surprise, Ashton commented, "You have an attractive smile." She finally spoke, "Yes, this water is very pleasant." Ashton gently scratched the top of her head. "OK, first, submerge your head so it gets wet." Ruby did as she was told and dunked her head in the water. She could not take the heat for long and resurfaced quickly.
Ashton poured a small amount of shampoo into his hand. "Please close your eyes. It will sting if it gets in them." A second later, Ruby said, "I'm ready." She sighed when she felt Ashton begin to scrub her scalp with his hands. He made sure to not miss anything. "You have very fine fur. I'm surprised that it still holds much of its quality after being filthy for so long." Ruby replied, "Thank you." After scrubbing her head and back, Ashton moved around to her front. Very nervously, he began to wash the fur on her chest. He jumped when Ruby gasped. "I..... I'm sorry if I offended you. I was only trying to be thorough." Without opening her eyes, Ruby spoke, "It's all right. That was a gasp of pleasure. Please, go on." After breathing a sigh of relief, Ashton continued bathing her. The whole time, she would frequently moan in pleasure at his touch.
Once she was cleaned, Ashton helped Ruby out of the tub while trying to not look down. He then wrapped her in a towel. "You look much better now. Hm?" He saw her give him an odd look. "Are you feeling all right?" While holding back tears, Ruby replied, "You..... You are the only person in the history of my life who has ever treated me with such kindness. I'm not accustomed to such treatment." Ashton walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Well, you had best get used to it. From this moment on, you will be a new member of my 'family'." She looked at him, "There are others?" Ashton frowned, "Well, no other humans. I lost my family as an infant to an unknown disease. Friends of my parents raised me. I inherited this manor when I turned 13. Still, I'm not the only person here." After clothing Ruby in a silk robe, he said, "Come. Let me introduce you to my family." Ruby was very curious of what his family members were.
Their first stop was the kitchen. Standing next to a counter was a female Zangoose. Clad in an apron, she seemed to be focusing. Ashton whispered to Ruby, "That is Zandria. She is the chef of the manor. She is also a bit of a showoff. Observe." A second later, Zandria catapulted a bunch of meat and vegetables into the air! She then jumped after them and began slicing away at them with her claws. A second later, she landed in front of Ashton and Ruby. The diced meat and veggies landed in neat and even piles behind her. She then stood up and bowed, "Good afternoon, Lord Ashton. Oh?" She noticed the female Lucario standing next to him. "Zandria, this is Ruby. She will be a member of the family starting today. Please be sure to make an extra batch of food for her." She bowed, "Indeed, I will. Welcome, Ruby. If you'll excuse me." Zandria went about gathering extra ingredients for dinner.
Next, Ashton escorted Ruby to a laundry room. When he opened the door, a mass of bubbles poured out, engulfing the two! After brushing the bubbles aside, Ashton walked into the bubble filled room and yelled, "Serenade! What did I say about using too much soup?!" A young woman's voice called out, "Oh please, Ashton! You should know me better!" A path appeared in front of the two and a female Gardevoir stepped forward. "Ahem. Yes. Anyway, this here is Ruby. Ruby, this is my closest friend, Serenade. We were born on the same day, so she has been with me all my life. As you can probably see, she has quite a sense of humor. She also handles the laundry in the manor." She bowed, "Welcome to the Ketchum estate. I hope you will enjoy your life here, Ruby." Ruby bowed in response. Before they left to tour the rest of the manor, Ashton spoke, "Oh, Serenade? Could I trust you to wash these?" He handed her Ruby's blue shorts. "Of course. They should be clean by dinner."
Ashton led Ruby down into the cellar in the basement. When he led her to a door, he stopped, "Now, I must warn you, it is quite cold inside. Are you ready?" Ruby nodded. When Ashton opened the door, a blast of freezing wind blew him in the face, covering his face with frost! Ruby had to choke back a laugh. After a moment, a female Absol walked out of the cellar. When she noticed her master standing there half frozen, she blushed. "Lord Ashton, I'll thaw you out in a moment." She used Flamethrower to quickly thaw him out, but used low heat. "I seem to have the worst timing down here. Anyway, Ruby, this is Cassandra. She preserves our unused food down here in this cellar with her Blizzard attack. She is also in charge of gardening." Cassandra asked, "I must ask, Lord Ashton. Does your mercy know any bounds? She is the fifth Pokemon servant that you have purchased, if I recall correctly. Not that I mind it." He smiled, "Thank you for the compliment. Come, Ruby. There is one last person I want you to meet."
Ashton escorted Ruby back up to the floor where she had bathed. "The last person I want you to meet can be hard to find. She performs her duties well, but her sense of humor is even greater than Serenade's. Now, where is she?" As if to answer his question, a bucket filled with water dropped right on his head! This time, Ruby couldn't stop herself from laughing. After pulling the bucket off of his head, Ashton spoke, "HA HA HA. Very funny, Laura. Now show yourself! I want you to meet someone!" While giggling, a Latias with yellow and white feathers appeared from nowhere. "Oh, Master Ashton, I just can't get enough of joking with you!" She then embraced her master and nuzzled him. After trying to pry her loose, Ashton gave up and said, "Ruby, this is Laura. She is in charge of cleaning the higher areas of the manor since she can levitate. Laura, this is Ruby. She will be with us from now on." Laura let go of her master and faced Ruby. "You are very lucky to have Lord Ashton as a master. I have never met a human more generous than him. Well, I must be going! See you at the dinner table!" With that, Laura flew down the hall and disappeared. "She's a handful. If I didn't know better, I would suspect that she has a crush on me!" Ruby giggled at his reply. "Well then, now that we have the introductions out of the way, let's show you to your room. Ruby, come." Ruby did as she was told and followed Ashton back to the same room where he first took her.
When they arrived, Ashton asked Ruby to try on the maid uniform that he showed her earlier. While Ashton looked away, Ruby removed her robe and slipped into the uniform. "Lord Ashton, I'm wearing it." He turned to face her and smiled. "It suits you well. Except one thing is missing." He pulled a small headdress out of the same drawer and placed it on her head. "Now it's complete. Take a look." Ashton pointed to a full-length mirror. When Ruby stood in front of it, she almost didn't recognize herself. She even smiled at her new look.
"Lord Ashton, Ruby, dinner is served." The two turned to see Zandria push a cart into the room. There were two metal domes covering two platters of food that smelled delectable. "Mmmmmm, that smells delicious. Zandria, may I ask what is on the menu tonight?" Ashton could almost hear his stomach growl at the aroma. Zandria grinned, "Certainly. For you, we have fresh shrimp sautéed in butter and garlic with a side dish of sautéed carrots and spinach. And for Ruby, I have prepared a roasted duck with a side dish of spinach and calamari. For dessert, we have orange sherbet. Please enjoy." Zandria opened a folding table and pulled up a pair of chairs to it. She then placed the two covered platters on the table and uncovered them, releasing a cloud of steam in the process.
Ruby could not help but ask, "Is that really for me?" Zandria giggled, "I made it just for you. You look like someone who likes the taste of poultry." Ruby took a seat at her meal. She was about to reach for the duck with her hands, but noticed the silverware next to the platter. Ashton spoke, "Let me show you how to use those." Taking a fork in one hand and a knife in the other, he showed Ruby how to cut and eat using the silverware. "There are exceptions for these, but silverware is used for nearly all foods." Ruby took her silverware in hand and cut a chunk of duck from the body. When she took her first bite, she began to cry at the flavor. Zandria gasped, "Oh my. No one has ever thought that my cooking was good enough to bring tears!" Ruby swallowed and replied, "This tastes much better than any food I've ever eaten. I can't describe how I feel." Taking a napkin, she wiped her tears away. Ashton smiled, "Zandria, will you leave us for a moment?" "Yes, my lord." Zandria left the room, leaving Ashton and Ruby to enjoy their dinner in peace.
After a half hour, Ashton finished his meal, but Ruby was taking much more time while trying to savor the flavor of every bite. Ashton chuckled, "You don't have to eat like this is the last time you will eat Zandria's cooking. We always eat her cooking everyday." Ruby looked up, "You mean, I can stay here?" He smiled, "Of course. What's more, this room belongs to you now. You may do as you please with it." Ruby looked down, (A room of my own. I actually own something now.) Ashton saw Ruby crying again. "Ruby. Please don't cry. I'm sure that there has been little joy in your life up until now, but there is no reason to cry now." She finally looked up at him, "Lord Ashton, I can't thank you enough. The last twelve years of my life have been filled with little more than suffering, but you didn't just end my suffering. You gave me a better life as well. I..... I..." She began crying again. Ashton stood up from his chair and walked over to Ruby. He gently picked her up in his arms and laid her down on her new bed. While embracing her, he whispered, "I know how you feel. Zandria, Cassandra, and Laura all had this problem when I welcomed them into my home at first. They all had difficult lives. I have been healing their wounds ever since. Now I must heal your wounds as well. I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you." Ruby tried to stop crying right there. After embracing her new master for a few minutes, she finally stopped crying.
Zandria came back with dessert and beverages. "I hope you don't mind some orange juice with your orange sherbet." Ashton nodded, "That's fine. I've been feeling as if I'm coming down with scurvy anyway!" Ruby did not understand what scurvy is. However, she did enjoy the sweet and tangy flavor of her treats. Once they finished, Zandria took the plates away on the cart. A moment later, Serenade came to the room with Ruby's pants. "I apologize for taking a little longer than I claimed, but they're clean now. Filthiest piece of clothing I've ever dealt with, to be honest." Ashton turned away while Ruby slipped out of her uniform and back into her pants. She marveled at how smooth and clean they were.
Finally, it was time for bed. After the oil lamps in the house were put out, Ashton came by Ruby's room to check on her with a candle in hand. "Ruby, are you awake?" There was still an oil lamp illuminating the room. She was sitting on the bed looking worried. "Good night, Ruby." Ruby looked up at Ashton and smiled back, "Good night, my lord." With that, Ashton blew out the oil lamp flame and proceeded down the hall to his room. However, he did not go far before he heard a wail and the sound of footsteps coming his way. When he pointed his candle back down the hall, he saw Ruby running towards him! She leaped into his arms while sobbing uncontrollably.
"Ruby, what is wrong?! Are you hurt?!" Ashton tried to calm his new servant. She calmed down enough to speak, "I was so scared. I thought I would never see you again. Please don't leave me!" Ashton could not help but chuckle, "Very well. You may sleep with me until you develop enough confidence to sleep alone in your own room. Come with me." The whole time they walked to his room, Ruby held Ashton's hand tightly, as if he would forever vanish into the darkness if she let go.
"Well, this is it. My bedroom." The light lit the room up enough for Ruby to see that it was about twice the size of hers. There were a few paintings of Pokemon on the walls. In fact, there were only four, and they depicted Ashton's four servants! "I painted that myself. Would you like me to paint your portrait tomorrow?" Ruby blushed, "I would like that." Ashton set the candle on a corner table next to the bed and helped Ruby climb in. He then got in on his side and pulled the covers over both of them. He then blew out the flame, only to feel Ruby clutch him tightly. "It's all right. I'm right here. Just because you can't see me doesn't mean that I'm not there." Ruby calmed down, "Sorry. I'm fine now. Good night, my lord." Ashton threw an arm over her side, "Good night, Ruby." They fell asleep in each other's arms. However, in time, their relationship would forever change the way that humans and Pokemon coexist.
One day, Ashton was walking by the harbor when he noticed an oddly designed ship that was docked. He recognized the design. It was from the Far East. He noticed a middle aged man seated near a large cage. Curious, Ashton approached them. When Ashton walked up to the man, he stood up and bowed. With a heavy eastern accent, he said, "Welcome, Sir Ashton. May I interest you in my wares?" He replied, "That depends. What are you selling?" With a snap of his fingers, the old man made a curtain that was covering the front of the cage rise. Ashton gasped in awe at what was behind the bars.
About a dozen black and blue canine like Pokemon were testing each other's strength. They stood on two legs and seemed quite skilled in the use of eastern combat styles. The old man spoke, "These are Lucario, specie of Pokemon from my land. As you can see, they are much skilled in battle. Although they are only four feet tall, they can support much more weight than we can. Do they interest you?" Ashton raised a hand to his chin. "Indeed. I would like to purchase one." In his native tongue, the old man barked an order at the Lucario. Immediately, they lined up against the wall. After the door was unlocked, Ashton stepped inside. "Choose whichever one you desire." After a moment of evaluating the Lucario, Ashton noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Huddled in a corner was a young female. He noticed that she did not have the three spikes that the others had. He stepped outside to have a word with the merchant.
"That female over there. What is wrong with her?" The merchant shook his head, "The poor child. She is malformed. Lucario grow three spikes on their bodies. However, she did not grow them. They place great pride and value on their spikes. Because she has none, the rest view her as worthless." Ashton looked over at her and stepped back inside. The Lucario watched as he walked over to her. He kneeled down next to her and rested his hand on her shoulder. "I want you." The young female raised her head and looked at him. She had beautiful red eyes. Ashton spoke, "They may see you as worthless, but I disagree. Come with me, and I'll show you that you're not worthless."
Halfheartedly, the young female Lucario stood up. Ashton held out his hand to her. He reassured her, "It's all right. I won't hurt you." Nervously, she grabbed his hand. As Ashton walked her out of the cage, she could feel the anger filled eyes of the other Lucario glaring at her. Out of fear, she gripped his hand tightly. Ashton responded by placing his hand on her shoulder. The merchant smiled, "She is a good choice. Because no one else would buy her, I give her to you as gift." Ashton bowed, "Thank you. What is her name?" The merchant frowned, "She does not have one. You will have to name her yourself." Ashton thanked him again and went on his way with his latest acquisition at his side. Many villagers stared at him while he kept his hand on the Lucario's shoulder. Still, Ashton had a very compassionate soul. However, he was a demon when enraged, earning him the title, "The Vulcan Warrior" since he could be quiet and dormant one minute, and then erupt with devastating rage! His gentle nature prevented him from easily becoming angry, though.
When they arrived at his manor, Ashton escorted the female Lucario to a guest room. In one of the drawers of a dresser, Ashton pulled out a custom-made dress for her. "Tomorrow, I will show you your new duties. Now, what would be a good name for you?" Ashton began pacing the floor while the female Lucario watched. He saw her eyes again. Just then, it hit him. "Young lass, how does the name "Ruby" sound to you?" The Lucario was silent for a moment. She surprised him when she spoke, "Do you prefer it?" After a moment of awkward silence, Ashton replied, "You can speak?" She nodded. "Hmmm. Well, I think the name suits you. Now, Ruby, please come with me."
Ashton led Ruby to a bathroom. "You seem rather dirty from the long ride on that vessel. Trust me. You will feel much better after a hot bath." With a turn of a valve, hot water began to come from a metal pipe. Ashton's manor was constructed near hot springs. After a few minutes, Ashton closed the valve. Steam quickly filled the room. "It's ready. Do you want me to help you?" Ruby slowly nodded. She had never actually bathed before. Ashton noticed her grip the thick blue area around her waist. "Um, are those pants?" She nodded. "Oh, well, excuse me." Ashton turned his back while Ruby undressed herself. A moment later, he heard a sigh of relief and a gentle splash. He looked at the tub and saw Ruby seated with the water up to her shoulders. He also noticed the upper parts of her breasts sticking above the surface.
"Well, now that you are comfortable, let me get some shampoo and soap." Ashton began looking through a wooden box nearby. He pulled out a block of soap and a wooden container of shampoo. He walked back over to Ruby and took a seat on a stool. "Are you comfortable?" She remained silent. "Please speak. I don't know what you have gone through in your life, but I promise you that you will be respected here." Ruby's face slowly began to smile. To her surprise, Ashton commented, "You have an attractive smile." She finally spoke, "Yes, this water is very pleasant." Ashton gently scratched the top of her head. "OK, first, submerge your head so it gets wet." Ruby did as she was told and dunked her head in the water. She could not take the heat for long and resurfaced quickly.
Ashton poured a small amount of shampoo into his hand. "Please close your eyes. It will sting if it gets in them." A second later, Ruby said, "I'm ready." She sighed when she felt Ashton begin to scrub her scalp with his hands. He made sure to not miss anything. "You have very fine fur. I'm surprised that it still holds much of its quality after being filthy for so long." Ruby replied, "Thank you." After scrubbing her head and back, Ashton moved around to her front. Very nervously, he began to wash the fur on her chest. He jumped when Ruby gasped. "I..... I'm sorry if I offended you. I was only trying to be thorough." Without opening her eyes, Ruby spoke, "It's all right. That was a gasp of pleasure. Please, go on." After breathing a sigh of relief, Ashton continued bathing her. The whole time, she would frequently moan in pleasure at his touch.
Once she was cleaned, Ashton helped Ruby out of the tub while trying to not look down. He then wrapped her in a towel. "You look much better now. Hm?" He saw her give him an odd look. "Are you feeling all right?" While holding back tears, Ruby replied, "You..... You are the only person in the history of my life who has ever treated me with such kindness. I'm not accustomed to such treatment." Ashton walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Well, you had best get used to it. From this moment on, you will be a new member of my 'family'." She looked at him, "There are others?" Ashton frowned, "Well, no other humans. I lost my family as an infant to an unknown disease. Friends of my parents raised me. I inherited this manor when I turned 13. Still, I'm not the only person here." After clothing Ruby in a silk robe, he said, "Come. Let me introduce you to my family." Ruby was very curious of what his family members were.
Their first stop was the kitchen. Standing next to a counter was a female Zangoose. Clad in an apron, she seemed to be focusing. Ashton whispered to Ruby, "That is Zandria. She is the chef of the manor. She is also a bit of a showoff. Observe." A second later, Zandria catapulted a bunch of meat and vegetables into the air! She then jumped after them and began slicing away at them with her claws. A second later, she landed in front of Ashton and Ruby. The diced meat and veggies landed in neat and even piles behind her. She then stood up and bowed, "Good afternoon, Lord Ashton. Oh?" She noticed the female Lucario standing next to him. "Zandria, this is Ruby. She will be a member of the family starting today. Please be sure to make an extra batch of food for her." She bowed, "Indeed, I will. Welcome, Ruby. If you'll excuse me." Zandria went about gathering extra ingredients for dinner.
Next, Ashton escorted Ruby to a laundry room. When he opened the door, a mass of bubbles poured out, engulfing the two! After brushing the bubbles aside, Ashton walked into the bubble filled room and yelled, "Serenade! What did I say about using too much soup?!" A young woman's voice called out, "Oh please, Ashton! You should know me better!" A path appeared in front of the two and a female Gardevoir stepped forward. "Ahem. Yes. Anyway, this here is Ruby. Ruby, this is my closest friend, Serenade. We were born on the same day, so she has been with me all my life. As you can probably see, she has quite a sense of humor. She also handles the laundry in the manor." She bowed, "Welcome to the Ketchum estate. I hope you will enjoy your life here, Ruby." Ruby bowed in response. Before they left to tour the rest of the manor, Ashton spoke, "Oh, Serenade? Could I trust you to wash these?" He handed her Ruby's blue shorts. "Of course. They should be clean by dinner."
Ashton led Ruby down into the cellar in the basement. When he led her to a door, he stopped, "Now, I must warn you, it is quite cold inside. Are you ready?" Ruby nodded. When Ashton opened the door, a blast of freezing wind blew him in the face, covering his face with frost! Ruby had to choke back a laugh. After a moment, a female Absol walked out of the cellar. When she noticed her master standing there half frozen, she blushed. "Lord Ashton, I'll thaw you out in a moment." She used Flamethrower to quickly thaw him out, but used low heat. "I seem to have the worst timing down here. Anyway, Ruby, this is Cassandra. She preserves our unused food down here in this cellar with her Blizzard attack. She is also in charge of gardening." Cassandra asked, "I must ask, Lord Ashton. Does your mercy know any bounds? She is the fifth Pokemon servant that you have purchased, if I recall correctly. Not that I mind it." He smiled, "Thank you for the compliment. Come, Ruby. There is one last person I want you to meet."
Ashton escorted Ruby back up to the floor where she had bathed. "The last person I want you to meet can be hard to find. She performs her duties well, but her sense of humor is even greater than Serenade's. Now, where is she?" As if to answer his question, a bucket filled with water dropped right on his head! This time, Ruby couldn't stop herself from laughing. After pulling the bucket off of his head, Ashton spoke, "HA HA HA. Very funny, Laura. Now show yourself! I want you to meet someone!" While giggling, a Latias with yellow and white feathers appeared from nowhere. "Oh, Master Ashton, I just can't get enough of joking with you!" She then embraced her master and nuzzled him. After trying to pry her loose, Ashton gave up and said, "Ruby, this is Laura. She is in charge of cleaning the higher areas of the manor since she can levitate. Laura, this is Ruby. She will be with us from now on." Laura let go of her master and faced Ruby. "You are very lucky to have Lord Ashton as a master. I have never met a human more generous than him. Well, I must be going! See you at the dinner table!" With that, Laura flew down the hall and disappeared. "She's a handful. If I didn't know better, I would suspect that she has a crush on me!" Ruby giggled at his reply. "Well then, now that we have the introductions out of the way, let's show you to your room. Ruby, come." Ruby did as she was told and followed Ashton back to the same room where he first took her.
When they arrived, Ashton asked Ruby to try on the maid uniform that he showed her earlier. While Ashton looked away, Ruby removed her robe and slipped into the uniform. "Lord Ashton, I'm wearing it." He turned to face her and smiled. "It suits you well. Except one thing is missing." He pulled a small headdress out of the same drawer and placed it on her head. "Now it's complete. Take a look." Ashton pointed to a full-length mirror. When Ruby stood in front of it, she almost didn't recognize herself. She even smiled at her new look.
"Lord Ashton, Ruby, dinner is served." The two turned to see Zandria push a cart into the room. There were two metal domes covering two platters of food that smelled delectable. "Mmmmmm, that smells delicious. Zandria, may I ask what is on the menu tonight?" Ashton could almost hear his stomach growl at the aroma. Zandria grinned, "Certainly. For you, we have fresh shrimp sautéed in butter and garlic with a side dish of sautéed carrots and spinach. And for Ruby, I have prepared a roasted duck with a side dish of spinach and calamari. For dessert, we have orange sherbet. Please enjoy." Zandria opened a folding table and pulled up a pair of chairs to it. She then placed the two covered platters on the table and uncovered them, releasing a cloud of steam in the process.
Ruby could not help but ask, "Is that really for me?" Zandria giggled, "I made it just for you. You look like someone who likes the taste of poultry." Ruby took a seat at her meal. She was about to reach for the duck with her hands, but noticed the silverware next to the platter. Ashton spoke, "Let me show you how to use those." Taking a fork in one hand and a knife in the other, he showed Ruby how to cut and eat using the silverware. "There are exceptions for these, but silverware is used for nearly all foods." Ruby took her silverware in hand and cut a chunk of duck from the body. When she took her first bite, she began to cry at the flavor. Zandria gasped, "Oh my. No one has ever thought that my cooking was good enough to bring tears!" Ruby swallowed and replied, "This tastes much better than any food I've ever eaten. I can't describe how I feel." Taking a napkin, she wiped her tears away. Ashton smiled, "Zandria, will you leave us for a moment?" "Yes, my lord." Zandria left the room, leaving Ashton and Ruby to enjoy their dinner in peace.
After a half hour, Ashton finished his meal, but Ruby was taking much more time while trying to savor the flavor of every bite. Ashton chuckled, "You don't have to eat like this is the last time you will eat Zandria's cooking. We always eat her cooking everyday." Ruby looked up, "You mean, I can stay here?" He smiled, "Of course. What's more, this room belongs to you now. You may do as you please with it." Ruby looked down, (A room of my own. I actually own something now.) Ashton saw Ruby crying again. "Ruby. Please don't cry. I'm sure that there has been little joy in your life up until now, but there is no reason to cry now." She finally looked up at him, "Lord Ashton, I can't thank you enough. The last twelve years of my life have been filled with little more than suffering, but you didn't just end my suffering. You gave me a better life as well. I..... I..." She began crying again. Ashton stood up from his chair and walked over to Ruby. He gently picked her up in his arms and laid her down on her new bed. While embracing her, he whispered, "I know how you feel. Zandria, Cassandra, and Laura all had this problem when I welcomed them into my home at first. They all had difficult lives. I have been healing their wounds ever since. Now I must heal your wounds as well. I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you." Ruby tried to stop crying right there. After embracing her new master for a few minutes, she finally stopped crying.
Zandria came back with dessert and beverages. "I hope you don't mind some orange juice with your orange sherbet." Ashton nodded, "That's fine. I've been feeling as if I'm coming down with scurvy anyway!" Ruby did not understand what scurvy is. However, she did enjoy the sweet and tangy flavor of her treats. Once they finished, Zandria took the plates away on the cart. A moment later, Serenade came to the room with Ruby's pants. "I apologize for taking a little longer than I claimed, but they're clean now. Filthiest piece of clothing I've ever dealt with, to be honest." Ashton turned away while Ruby slipped out of her uniform and back into her pants. She marveled at how smooth and clean they were.
Finally, it was time for bed. After the oil lamps in the house were put out, Ashton came by Ruby's room to check on her with a candle in hand. "Ruby, are you awake?" There was still an oil lamp illuminating the room. She was sitting on the bed looking worried. "Good night, Ruby." Ruby looked up at Ashton and smiled back, "Good night, my lord." With that, Ashton blew out the oil lamp flame and proceeded down the hall to his room. However, he did not go far before he heard a wail and the sound of footsteps coming his way. When he pointed his candle back down the hall, he saw Ruby running towards him! She leaped into his arms while sobbing uncontrollably.
"Ruby, what is wrong?! Are you hurt?!" Ashton tried to calm his new servant. She calmed down enough to speak, "I was so scared. I thought I would never see you again. Please don't leave me!" Ashton could not help but chuckle, "Very well. You may sleep with me until you develop enough confidence to sleep alone in your own room. Come with me." The whole time they walked to his room, Ruby held Ashton's hand tightly, as if he would forever vanish into the darkness if she let go.
"Well, this is it. My bedroom." The light lit the room up enough for Ruby to see that it was about twice the size of hers. There were a few paintings of Pokemon on the walls. In fact, there were only four, and they depicted Ashton's four servants! "I painted that myself. Would you like me to paint your portrait tomorrow?" Ruby blushed, "I would like that." Ashton set the candle on a corner table next to the bed and helped Ruby climb in. He then got in on his side and pulled the covers over both of them. He then blew out the flame, only to feel Ruby clutch him tightly. "It's all right. I'm right here. Just because you can't see me doesn't mean that I'm not there." Ruby calmed down, "Sorry. I'm fine now. Good night, my lord." Ashton threw an arm over her side, "Good night, Ruby." They fell asleep in each other's arms. However, in time, their relationship would forever change the way that humans and Pokemon coexist.
Date:Aug 8 2013 Chapter:A New Start