Story Notes:
This may become a bit of a Naruto crossover, but no characters from the series will appear, this I promise.
A Fugitive Unveiled
Garyson approached the Crimson estate with his rapier at his side. When he came within view of the manor, he saw Ashton seemingly kneeling to the right of the steps that led to his front door. When he started to push the iron gates open, the creaking metallic sound startled Ashton as he turned around swiftly. "Garyson?" His friend smiled, "Surprised to see me?" The viscount replied, "Actually, yes. Last I checked, our previous duel was three weeks ago. You're about ten days early." Garyson nodded, "True, true. But seeing as how you were gone for about three months, I decided to make up for lost time by showing up a bit early to compensate for our missed duels. Is that fine with you?" Ashton nodded, "Sure. Just give me a moment to retrieve my blade." He then made his way inside while Garyson leaned against one of the stone walls that encompassed the manor grounds.
About two minutes later, Garyson saw Ashton come back outside. "Well then, shall we...wait a minute." Garyson noticed that Ashton was not carrying the Flamberge, but a smaller sword in a black scabbard. "What's that? Looks like a hand-and-a-half sword." But Ashton replied, "Not quite. It's more of a broadsword. The hilt is long enough for two hands to grip it as opposed to just one hand and a few extra fingers for additional support." Garyson nodded, "OK, but why the change in weapons?" Ashton shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. Just felt like trying something different this time. This weapon is a gift from the emperor of the Far East himself." Garyson then unsheathed his sword, "I see. But that doesn't mean I'll be going easy on you." Ashton drew the sword from its scabbard and set the empty sheath down, "I wouldn't have it any other way. En garde!" Garyson took a stance with his spare hand on his hip while Ashton gripped his sword with both hands.
Garyson struck first by making a few quick thrusts while Ashton dodged to the sides and made a wide slash with his blade. He then made a quick lunge forward and swung downwards, creating quite a gash in the ground while forcing Garyson to leap backwards. "Touché." Garyson said as he regained his footing. But he then made a few quick movements that resembled dance moves when Ashton made a few more swings, but lost balance when he tripped on a pebble. Ashton then proceeded to perform an overhead swing, but Garyson threw up his blade to block the blow. After defending against the strike, Garyson made a thrust for Ashton's leg, realizing that he was within range. But a moment passed before the two knights noticed that the strike had not connected.
"Hm? Wasn't that supposed to hit?" Ashton asked as he saw Garyson's arm outstretched. Puzzled, Garyson raised his hand to his face and inspected the hilt of his rapier. "What the..." Except for about one inch, the entire blade was missing! "What happened?! Where's the rest of it?!" Garyson looked around frantically, but then saw the rest of the blade at his feet. When he picked it up, he found that the blade had been very cleanly sliced off. Remembering the overhead swing Ashton made, Garyson asked, "Ashton, just what is that sword made of? Only your zweihander could break this rapier, and even then it would only cause the blade to shatter, not split in two! What kind of sword is capable of cutting through another sword?!" Ashton blushed in embarrassment, "I guess the legendary kind."
Garyson gave Ashton a weird glance, "Legendary kind? Are you saying that sword is a sword of legend?" Ashton nodded, "Yeah. This is the Kusanagi, otherwise known as the Grass Long Sword. It is a weapon that is known far and wide in the Far East." Garyson's face went blank as he stared at the sword. "Now I'm jealous." But Ashton smiled, "Don't feel so down on yourself. I don't think I'll ever get the hang of using this. I just got lucky this time." After sheathing the Kusanagi, Ashton asked, "How about I invite you to lunch as payment for breaking your sword?" Garyson smirked, "Fine, but I'll be expecting payment in cash if it ever happens again." He then followed his friend into the manor.
A few minutes passed as Garyson waited in Ashton's bedroom while sitting at a table. Ashton had gone to the kitchen to ask Zandria to prepare Garyson a meal. During his wait, Garyson looked around the room and saw that Ashton had completed his collection of paintings of his eight servants since his last visit. A moment later, Ashton entered and took a seat next to Garyson at the table. "Zandria's cooking up a dish she learned in the Far East. Hope you don't mind." Garyson shook his head, "Not a problem. I know that everything she cooks up is delicious." Just then, Laura came into Ashton's room. "Hope I'm not intruding. Just need to tend to the art." She then floated up to Ashton's paintings and went to work with a feather duster and a dry rag. But as she dusted, Garyson noticed a slight bulge in her abdomen. Ashton saw Garyson giving Laura an odd stare and asked, "Something wrong, Garyson?" Garyson quickly shook his head, "Oh, it's nothing. I guess I was just seeing things." But when Laura finished her work, she flew down to Ashton, "Just one more thing." She then gave Ashton a fierce kiss as she embraced him. Garyson's face went blank with shock at her brazen display of affection. But to his further surprise, Ashton closed his eyes and embraced Laura before pressing into the kiss. A tad disgusted by the sickening amount of affection, Garyson turned away. A moment later, he heard the two lovers break the kiss before seeing Laura fly over to the door. She then turned around and gave Ashton a wink, "If you need anything, just let me know." After she left, Garyson looked over at Ashton and saw that the young viscount had a deep blush on his face. "Ashton, I know Laura is devoted to you, but... Wow." Ashton gave him a toothy grin, "Yeah. Lucky me, huh?"
A moment later, Garyson looked down and noticed Laika at Ashton's feet. She seemed to be napping and was curled up in a cute position. "She's always so quiet; it's easy to forget she's there." Garyson said. Ashton nodded, "That's what makes her so suited for the role of a guardian." But Garyson then noticed a bulge in Laika's belly. He then turned to Ashton, "Um... Are you're servants suffering from some sort of abdominal infection?" The viscount gave Garyson a strange stare, "Not to my knowledge, no. Why do you ask?" Garyson gave Ashton a disturbed gaze for a moment, but then looked away, "Nothing. Just wondering."
Several minutes later, there was a knock at the door. "Ashton, Garyson. Lunch is served!" Zandria then entered the room with a cart of food. Garyson took a deep breath, "Just smell that aroma! I can't wait to dig in!" Zandria smirked, "If it smells good to you, just wait until you taste it." She then removed the large metal dome from the platter and placed two large bowls of soup onto the table. Garyson recognized some of the ingredients, such as the shrimp and scallops, but he did not recognize most of them. He then raised some noodles from the broth with a fork, "What kind of pasta is this?" Zandria explained, "Those are soba noodles. They're made from buckwheat flour." Garyson nodded and took a taste. A moment later, he sighed, "Such an exotic flavor. I should visit the Far East myself sometime." He then started to slurp away at the soup while Ashton started on his.
As Garyson enjoyed his soup, Cassandra came into the room. "Sir Garyson is visiting?" Zandria nodded, "Yep. I guess they had another duel today." The Absol asked, "Who won?" Ashton stopped eating for a moment, "I did. The Kusanagi cut right through his rapier." Cassandra winced, "Ooh. I'm sure no one saw that coming. Ah!" Cassandra gasped for an instant. Zandria asked, "What's wrong?" Cassandra jumped up to Ashton and smiled, "It kicked!" Ashton asked, "Really? Let me feel." He then brought his hand to her underside. A moment later, he felt a tremor. "It's kicking." Cassandra blushed, "Oh, Ashton, it's wonderful!" She then gave him a quick kiss. Garyson saw this and laughed, "You sure are popular with the ladies, Ashton!"
A moment later, Ruby walked in while wearing her maid uniform. "I heard Sir Garyson is visiting. May I serve you some tea?" Garyson nodded, "I would appreciate it, Ruby." The Lucario then walked over to the table with a teapot and poured them a cup of tea. But while she was pouring the tea, Garyson noticed that Ruby also had a slightly bloated belly. In fact, hers was a bit more swollen than the others. He also noticed that Cassandra's belly was hanging a tad low as well. He even saw a slight bulge in Zandria's furry belly. Once Ruby had finished pouring the tea, Garyson took his cup in hand and asked, "Ashton, I'm starting to get a bit concerned." Ashton gave Garyson a curious glance, "Concerned? About what?"
Garyson proceeded to explain, "Each of your servants have bloated bellies. That can't be just some coincidence. Are they ill?" Ashton calmly replied, "Nope. Just pregnant." Garyson suddenly choked on his tea at Ashton's confession, "Pregnant?! Really?!" Ruby, Cassandra, and Zandria nodded in unison. Garyson added, "What about Serenade, Chiara, and Aurora?" Ashton nodded, "Yes, them too." Garyson chuckled, "I never would've imagined that you would hire a breeder, Ashton." But the viscount replied, "Actually, they all share the same mate." Garyson gave him a surprised glance, "Really? I know this is none of my business, but who is their mate?" As Garyson took another sip of his tea, Ashton gave Garyson a relaxed smile, "You're looking at him."
At Ashton's response, Garyson spewed his tea, spraying the viscount. Ashton closed his eyes and did not move as he was soaked with the liquid. A moment later, he opened one eye and asked, "Was that really necessary?" After a moment of gasping from choking on his tea, Garyson raised his voice, "Are you out of your mind?! The townspeople will not overlook this!" But Ashton nodded, "True, but only if they discover it." But Garyson replied, "But you more than anyone should know that it is forbidden to marry a Pokémon!" Ashton nodded again, "Yes, but only at the moment. Once solid proof has been found that Pokémon have souls like humans do, the queen will have no choice but to decree their equality." Garyson calmed down slightly, "Yes, you may be right about that. But how in the world are you going to marry them all? Last I checked, you can only marry one person." Ashton smiled, "True. And I have chosen my bride." Ruby then came closer to Ashton and threw her arms around him. "Ruby here is my fiancé."
Garyson brought a hand to his chin, "Ruby? I guess I can understand that. She is quite cute." But he then asked, "But what about the rest? If Ruby is your bride-to-be, why are the other seven pregnant with your children?" Ashton blushed, "Uh, I think they can explain that better than I can. Cassandra?" The Absol nodded and faced Garyson, "To be honest, all eight of us desired Ashton, but he could only choose one. And when he chose Ruby, the rest of us were heartbroken to learn that we would never have Ashton as a husband. But..." She then blushed deeply as she smiled, "Ashton..... What an angel... He offered us the privilege of bearing his children as a consolation prize of sorts. And we all agreed. So now..." She then looked back at her swollen belly, "We are anxiously awaiting our little ones."
Garyson's face had turned red with a blush as he listened to Cassandra's confession. He quietly set his teacup down, "Ashton, words cannot describe how jealous I am of you right now. Eight lovely ladies and pregnant at that. I wish I was as open as you." Ashton chuckled, "What can I say? I couldn't just leave them depressed like that. I hold each of them very dearly to me." Zandria and Cassandra let out an aw as they gave Ashton a group hug. Garyson asked, "But what is it like being a lover to eight separate women?" Ashton gave his friend a very content smile as he embraced Ruby, Cassandra, and Zandria at once. "All I can say is this. Welcome to paradise." Ashton then gently nuzzled their faces, "I have never been happier. To know I am so dearly loved and have at least eight beautiful children on the way brings absolute bliss to my heart."
Garyson smiled, "You most certainly do look at ease with so many lovers." But Garyson's tone became very serious a moment later, "But you do know the consequences of what will happen if the people of Rohta discover this, right?" Ashton nodded, "I do. And I have taken precautions to prevent such a thing from happening." Garyson sighed, "I admit that I do not view Pokémon as exact equals, but I respect them as individuals. If I had never met you, I probably would've ended up viewing them the same way everyone else does." Garyson gave Ashton a tender gaze, "I will do what I can to keep this a secret." Ashton nodded, "You have my thanks, Garyson." But the knight added, "However, if the townspeople get word of this somehow, there will be nothing I can do to protect you. Understand?" Ashton was silent for a moment before replying, "I am aware of that. And I will do everything in my power to protect my family." Garyson smiled, "Glad to hear it." He then raised his teacup, "Let's have a toast. To the future of the Crimson family." Ashton raised his teacup as well, "To the future. Cheers!"
That night, Ashton slept in his bed with Laika and Ruby at his sides. Now a couple, Ruby had moved into Ashton's bedroom as his bride-to-be. But at around midnight, Laika suddenly awakened when her ears picked up a faint noise. She raised her head, her ears twitching to pick up the direction the sound was coming from. Fearful for the child in her womb, she quickly dismissed it as a possible threat and growled slightly. But she suddenly felt a hand on her neck. "Don't. If you die, our child dies with you."
Laika turned to face Ashton, who was looking at her with one eye. "Is it hostile?" Laika stood still and listened more closely. "There.....are many. Dozens. They are shouting..." Ashton then sat up in bed, "I'll handle them. You stay here." But Laika whispered, "I am your guardian. It is my duty to protect you from all threats." But Ashton shook his head, "Not until our child has been born. Even if you survive, one stray attack to your womb may mean the death of our child. It's too risky. Leave this one to me."
A short while later, Ashton stood outside the iron gates of the estate clad in a breastplate and shoulder pads with the Flamberge in hand and the Grass Long Sword on his hip. He silently waited for any intruders. But it did not take long for the light of torches to be seen coming closer as they moved along the forest path towards his manor. A minute later, a mob came within view while shouting and raising various weapons into the air. When they came close enough, Ashton called out, "It's very late right now, so this better be good!"
The mob came to a stop roughly thirty feet from Ashton. One of the men at the front called out, "Ashton, what a surprise! Didn't think we'd find you awake at this hour!" The viscount replied, "I wouldn't have heard you coming if it wasn't for my guardian." But one of the men shouted, "Guardian? Don't you mean concubine?!" Ashton gave them a shocked and slightly baffled stare, "A what?!" The same man explained, "We know of your activities, Sir Ashton! Every single servant you command is female! And they are all Beasts!" Ashton gave him a sharp glare, "Watch it, or you're dead."
One of the thugs shouted, "We know of your sick interests in female animals, you freak!" Ashton grumbled, (Do they know? Did Garyson talk?) Another thug shouted, "Come on, just admit it! You have been messing about with them, haven't you?!" Ashton gulped, (Seems that they are not entirely sure. Maybe they showed up out of suspicion.) But just then, Laika burst out of the manor and dashed over to the gates, only to find that Ashton had them bound shut. "Ashton, let me help you!" The viscount turned to her, "I told you to stay out of this! Don't you get it?! If you die, our child dies as well!" But a few seconds later, Ashton's face went pale, "Oops..."
One of the thugs laughed, "Ah ha! So you admit it! What do you have to say for yourself, Ashton?!" The viscount only slowly turned around and glared at the mob, his eyes a scary red and the Z-shaped markings under his eyes now bold. "What do I have to say for myself? I say what I do is none of your concern unless it directly harms you!" He then pointed the Flamberge at the mob, "Even if my servants are carrying my children, you have no right to criticize me for it! They are my family! And those who would dare hurt my family must get through me first!"
The thug at the front of the mob shouted, "I say this lunatic has gotten off easy long enough! Come on, lads! Let's slaughter this freak and burn his home to the ground and his wretches along with it!" The rest of the mob shouted in unison as they raised their torches and weapons into the air. Ashton gritted his teeth in rage as he prepared himself for battle. "Charge!" The mob made a dash for Ashton with pitchforks and lances at the front. But when they came close enough, Ashton made a sudden wide sweep with the Flamberge, breaking the weapons and sending the mob falling backwards from the force of the strike. As they regained their footing, a pair of wings composed of rainbow flames emerged from Ashton's back. "That was a warning. If you thugs try that again, I will slaughter every last one of you!" But the mob simply charged Ashton again with battle cries filling the air. But a voice shouted, "That's quite enough! All of you stand down!"
The mob came to an abrupt halt as they heard a voice command them to stop. Ashton recognized it right away and calmed down to the point where the Eternal Flame returned to its dormant state. The mob began to step aside as a lone figure pushed its way through the crowd. "Garyson?" The knight then walked over to Ashton with his rapier in hand. "Ashton Redford Crimson, you have been found guilty of bestiality under Rohta law. By order of the queen, you are hereby placed under house arrest! You are forbidden from leaving your home without the queen's consent." He then turned to the mob and ordered, "You heard me! The criminal has been imprisoned! Now get lost!" With disappointed grumbles, the mob slowly made their way back towards Green Mile.
Ashton breathed a sigh of relief, "Garyson, you have no idea how glad I am to see you." Garyson sheathed his rapier and sighed, "I'm so sorry about this." Ashton asked, "Did you talk?" Garyson silently shook his head. "I didn't think you did. That mob sounded as if they had shown up on a hunch. But how did you know? And this decree of house arrest?" Garyson nodded, "After leaving you're home, I decided to stick around in Green Mile for the day. But a few hours ago, I noticed a large number of folks taking up weapons and gathering at the town square. I overheard them discussing a raid on your estate. I then went to the queen and demanded an audience with her, claiming it was of grave importance."
Garyson sighed, "When I told her about what you had done, she showed no ill will towards you and even seemed proud of you. But she also knew that the people of Rohta would not be so forgiving. So she did the only thing she could to protect you. Now that you are under house arrest, the townspeople should stop harassing you. But you still cannot leave your home without being directly summoned by her." Ashton patted Garyson on the back, "Don't be so hard on yourself. I'm grateful you tried so hard to help us. And we still have quite a large amount of food left, so we won't starve." Garyson replied, "I know, but I still feel like this is partially my fault."
Ashton undid the lock on the gate and patted Laika on her head. "Garyson, this is only a temporary setback. Once proof has been found of Pokémon's sentience, I will be freed." Garyson gave Ashton a wave, "True. Even so, be on the lookout for any vigilantes. There's no telling if the townspeople will sit by quietly, even though you have been imprisoned." Ashton nodded, "Doesn't surprise me. I'll keep my wits about me. And thanks again, old friend." The two knights gave a friendly wave to each other before Ashton entered his manor for the night. Still feeling a bit down, Garyson made his way back to Green Mile to find an inn.
Over the next two days, Ashton made certain that his eight lovers did not go outside due to the ever-present threat of vigilantes launching an assault on his home. And everyday, Ashton would arm himself and wait atop his manor to watch for anyone who may try to harm his lovers and their unborn children. He would always sleep at night, but Laika would be exceptionally alert for even the least unusual sounds beyond the manor grounds. It was a time of tension for them, and Ashton was always on edge.
On the third day since Ashton's arrest, the city of Verdant was enjoying a prosperous day as the marketplace bustled with activity at noon. But standing atop the great stone walls at the south of the city were a few guards who were watching for any potential threats, such as bandits or rampaging Pokémon.
One of the guards suddenly spoke up, "Who do you suppose that is?" One of the other guards looked to the south and could make out a lone figure walking along the path towards the city. Although he could not make out any significant features, the guard could make out a very large sword in the person's left hand. "I can't say for sure, but it is carrying a very large sword. Most likely a zweihander." But the other guard replied, "But the only knight in the kingdom whose primary weapon is the zweihander is Ashton! And he was placed under house arrest a few days ago!" One of the guards replied, "If he is here, then he is violating his imprisonment. I will see to him." He then quickly made his way down a ladder and stood at the city gates.
The guard held a sword in his hand while waiting just out of sight. When he heard the clanking of metal greaves, the guard jumped out into the open and spoke, "Ashton, you are under house arrest! You should not be here! Unless you want me to place you under arrest, I advise you....." The guard froze in terror at the sight of the being that stood before him. "Who...who are you?! No... What are you?!" In a voice that did not sound the least bit human, the entity asked, "Is the Vulcan Warrior here?" The guard shook his head and then made a dash inside the city, "Sound the alarm! There's a monster at the gates!"
The hulking knight savored the moment before the military would attack him. "Yes... Come to me. Offer your souls to me!" He then looked to the sky and shouted, "The time is near! Come to me, Ashton of Green Mile! Come to me, so I may devour your soul, and the Eternal Flame that lies within!"
About two minutes later, Garyson saw Ashton come back outside. "Well then, shall we...wait a minute." Garyson noticed that Ashton was not carrying the Flamberge, but a smaller sword in a black scabbard. "What's that? Looks like a hand-and-a-half sword." But Ashton replied, "Not quite. It's more of a broadsword. The hilt is long enough for two hands to grip it as opposed to just one hand and a few extra fingers for additional support." Garyson nodded, "OK, but why the change in weapons?" Ashton shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. Just felt like trying something different this time. This weapon is a gift from the emperor of the Far East himself." Garyson then unsheathed his sword, "I see. But that doesn't mean I'll be going easy on you." Ashton drew the sword from its scabbard and set the empty sheath down, "I wouldn't have it any other way. En garde!" Garyson took a stance with his spare hand on his hip while Ashton gripped his sword with both hands.
Garyson struck first by making a few quick thrusts while Ashton dodged to the sides and made a wide slash with his blade. He then made a quick lunge forward and swung downwards, creating quite a gash in the ground while forcing Garyson to leap backwards. "Touché." Garyson said as he regained his footing. But he then made a few quick movements that resembled dance moves when Ashton made a few more swings, but lost balance when he tripped on a pebble. Ashton then proceeded to perform an overhead swing, but Garyson threw up his blade to block the blow. After defending against the strike, Garyson made a thrust for Ashton's leg, realizing that he was within range. But a moment passed before the two knights noticed that the strike had not connected.
"Hm? Wasn't that supposed to hit?" Ashton asked as he saw Garyson's arm outstretched. Puzzled, Garyson raised his hand to his face and inspected the hilt of his rapier. "What the..." Except for about one inch, the entire blade was missing! "What happened?! Where's the rest of it?!" Garyson looked around frantically, but then saw the rest of the blade at his feet. When he picked it up, he found that the blade had been very cleanly sliced off. Remembering the overhead swing Ashton made, Garyson asked, "Ashton, just what is that sword made of? Only your zweihander could break this rapier, and even then it would only cause the blade to shatter, not split in two! What kind of sword is capable of cutting through another sword?!" Ashton blushed in embarrassment, "I guess the legendary kind."
Garyson gave Ashton a weird glance, "Legendary kind? Are you saying that sword is a sword of legend?" Ashton nodded, "Yeah. This is the Kusanagi, otherwise known as the Grass Long Sword. It is a weapon that is known far and wide in the Far East." Garyson's face went blank as he stared at the sword. "Now I'm jealous." But Ashton smiled, "Don't feel so down on yourself. I don't think I'll ever get the hang of using this. I just got lucky this time." After sheathing the Kusanagi, Ashton asked, "How about I invite you to lunch as payment for breaking your sword?" Garyson smirked, "Fine, but I'll be expecting payment in cash if it ever happens again." He then followed his friend into the manor.
A few minutes passed as Garyson waited in Ashton's bedroom while sitting at a table. Ashton had gone to the kitchen to ask Zandria to prepare Garyson a meal. During his wait, Garyson looked around the room and saw that Ashton had completed his collection of paintings of his eight servants since his last visit. A moment later, Ashton entered and took a seat next to Garyson at the table. "Zandria's cooking up a dish she learned in the Far East. Hope you don't mind." Garyson shook his head, "Not a problem. I know that everything she cooks up is delicious." Just then, Laura came into Ashton's room. "Hope I'm not intruding. Just need to tend to the art." She then floated up to Ashton's paintings and went to work with a feather duster and a dry rag. But as she dusted, Garyson noticed a slight bulge in her abdomen. Ashton saw Garyson giving Laura an odd stare and asked, "Something wrong, Garyson?" Garyson quickly shook his head, "Oh, it's nothing. I guess I was just seeing things." But when Laura finished her work, she flew down to Ashton, "Just one more thing." She then gave Ashton a fierce kiss as she embraced him. Garyson's face went blank with shock at her brazen display of affection. But to his further surprise, Ashton closed his eyes and embraced Laura before pressing into the kiss. A tad disgusted by the sickening amount of affection, Garyson turned away. A moment later, he heard the two lovers break the kiss before seeing Laura fly over to the door. She then turned around and gave Ashton a wink, "If you need anything, just let me know." After she left, Garyson looked over at Ashton and saw that the young viscount had a deep blush on his face. "Ashton, I know Laura is devoted to you, but... Wow." Ashton gave him a toothy grin, "Yeah. Lucky me, huh?"
A moment later, Garyson looked down and noticed Laika at Ashton's feet. She seemed to be napping and was curled up in a cute position. "She's always so quiet; it's easy to forget she's there." Garyson said. Ashton nodded, "That's what makes her so suited for the role of a guardian." But Garyson then noticed a bulge in Laika's belly. He then turned to Ashton, "Um... Are you're servants suffering from some sort of abdominal infection?" The viscount gave Garyson a strange stare, "Not to my knowledge, no. Why do you ask?" Garyson gave Ashton a disturbed gaze for a moment, but then looked away, "Nothing. Just wondering."
Several minutes later, there was a knock at the door. "Ashton, Garyson. Lunch is served!" Zandria then entered the room with a cart of food. Garyson took a deep breath, "Just smell that aroma! I can't wait to dig in!" Zandria smirked, "If it smells good to you, just wait until you taste it." She then removed the large metal dome from the platter and placed two large bowls of soup onto the table. Garyson recognized some of the ingredients, such as the shrimp and scallops, but he did not recognize most of them. He then raised some noodles from the broth with a fork, "What kind of pasta is this?" Zandria explained, "Those are soba noodles. They're made from buckwheat flour." Garyson nodded and took a taste. A moment later, he sighed, "Such an exotic flavor. I should visit the Far East myself sometime." He then started to slurp away at the soup while Ashton started on his.
As Garyson enjoyed his soup, Cassandra came into the room. "Sir Garyson is visiting?" Zandria nodded, "Yep. I guess they had another duel today." The Absol asked, "Who won?" Ashton stopped eating for a moment, "I did. The Kusanagi cut right through his rapier." Cassandra winced, "Ooh. I'm sure no one saw that coming. Ah!" Cassandra gasped for an instant. Zandria asked, "What's wrong?" Cassandra jumped up to Ashton and smiled, "It kicked!" Ashton asked, "Really? Let me feel." He then brought his hand to her underside. A moment later, he felt a tremor. "It's kicking." Cassandra blushed, "Oh, Ashton, it's wonderful!" She then gave him a quick kiss. Garyson saw this and laughed, "You sure are popular with the ladies, Ashton!"
A moment later, Ruby walked in while wearing her maid uniform. "I heard Sir Garyson is visiting. May I serve you some tea?" Garyson nodded, "I would appreciate it, Ruby." The Lucario then walked over to the table with a teapot and poured them a cup of tea. But while she was pouring the tea, Garyson noticed that Ruby also had a slightly bloated belly. In fact, hers was a bit more swollen than the others. He also noticed that Cassandra's belly was hanging a tad low as well. He even saw a slight bulge in Zandria's furry belly. Once Ruby had finished pouring the tea, Garyson took his cup in hand and asked, "Ashton, I'm starting to get a bit concerned." Ashton gave Garyson a curious glance, "Concerned? About what?"
Garyson proceeded to explain, "Each of your servants have bloated bellies. That can't be just some coincidence. Are they ill?" Ashton calmly replied, "Nope. Just pregnant." Garyson suddenly choked on his tea at Ashton's confession, "Pregnant?! Really?!" Ruby, Cassandra, and Zandria nodded in unison. Garyson added, "What about Serenade, Chiara, and Aurora?" Ashton nodded, "Yes, them too." Garyson chuckled, "I never would've imagined that you would hire a breeder, Ashton." But the viscount replied, "Actually, they all share the same mate." Garyson gave him a surprised glance, "Really? I know this is none of my business, but who is their mate?" As Garyson took another sip of his tea, Ashton gave Garyson a relaxed smile, "You're looking at him."
At Ashton's response, Garyson spewed his tea, spraying the viscount. Ashton closed his eyes and did not move as he was soaked with the liquid. A moment later, he opened one eye and asked, "Was that really necessary?" After a moment of gasping from choking on his tea, Garyson raised his voice, "Are you out of your mind?! The townspeople will not overlook this!" But Ashton nodded, "True, but only if they discover it." But Garyson replied, "But you more than anyone should know that it is forbidden to marry a Pokémon!" Ashton nodded again, "Yes, but only at the moment. Once solid proof has been found that Pokémon have souls like humans do, the queen will have no choice but to decree their equality." Garyson calmed down slightly, "Yes, you may be right about that. But how in the world are you going to marry them all? Last I checked, you can only marry one person." Ashton smiled, "True. And I have chosen my bride." Ruby then came closer to Ashton and threw her arms around him. "Ruby here is my fiancé."
Garyson brought a hand to his chin, "Ruby? I guess I can understand that. She is quite cute." But he then asked, "But what about the rest? If Ruby is your bride-to-be, why are the other seven pregnant with your children?" Ashton blushed, "Uh, I think they can explain that better than I can. Cassandra?" The Absol nodded and faced Garyson, "To be honest, all eight of us desired Ashton, but he could only choose one. And when he chose Ruby, the rest of us were heartbroken to learn that we would never have Ashton as a husband. But..." She then blushed deeply as she smiled, "Ashton..... What an angel... He offered us the privilege of bearing his children as a consolation prize of sorts. And we all agreed. So now..." She then looked back at her swollen belly, "We are anxiously awaiting our little ones."
Garyson's face had turned red with a blush as he listened to Cassandra's confession. He quietly set his teacup down, "Ashton, words cannot describe how jealous I am of you right now. Eight lovely ladies and pregnant at that. I wish I was as open as you." Ashton chuckled, "What can I say? I couldn't just leave them depressed like that. I hold each of them very dearly to me." Zandria and Cassandra let out an aw as they gave Ashton a group hug. Garyson asked, "But what is it like being a lover to eight separate women?" Ashton gave his friend a very content smile as he embraced Ruby, Cassandra, and Zandria at once. "All I can say is this. Welcome to paradise." Ashton then gently nuzzled their faces, "I have never been happier. To know I am so dearly loved and have at least eight beautiful children on the way brings absolute bliss to my heart."
Garyson smiled, "You most certainly do look at ease with so many lovers." But Garyson's tone became very serious a moment later, "But you do know the consequences of what will happen if the people of Rohta discover this, right?" Ashton nodded, "I do. And I have taken precautions to prevent such a thing from happening." Garyson sighed, "I admit that I do not view Pokémon as exact equals, but I respect them as individuals. If I had never met you, I probably would've ended up viewing them the same way everyone else does." Garyson gave Ashton a tender gaze, "I will do what I can to keep this a secret." Ashton nodded, "You have my thanks, Garyson." But the knight added, "However, if the townspeople get word of this somehow, there will be nothing I can do to protect you. Understand?" Ashton was silent for a moment before replying, "I am aware of that. And I will do everything in my power to protect my family." Garyson smiled, "Glad to hear it." He then raised his teacup, "Let's have a toast. To the future of the Crimson family." Ashton raised his teacup as well, "To the future. Cheers!"
That night, Ashton slept in his bed with Laika and Ruby at his sides. Now a couple, Ruby had moved into Ashton's bedroom as his bride-to-be. But at around midnight, Laika suddenly awakened when her ears picked up a faint noise. She raised her head, her ears twitching to pick up the direction the sound was coming from. Fearful for the child in her womb, she quickly dismissed it as a possible threat and growled slightly. But she suddenly felt a hand on her neck. "Don't. If you die, our child dies with you."
Laika turned to face Ashton, who was looking at her with one eye. "Is it hostile?" Laika stood still and listened more closely. "There.....are many. Dozens. They are shouting..." Ashton then sat up in bed, "I'll handle them. You stay here." But Laika whispered, "I am your guardian. It is my duty to protect you from all threats." But Ashton shook his head, "Not until our child has been born. Even if you survive, one stray attack to your womb may mean the death of our child. It's too risky. Leave this one to me."
A short while later, Ashton stood outside the iron gates of the estate clad in a breastplate and shoulder pads with the Flamberge in hand and the Grass Long Sword on his hip. He silently waited for any intruders. But it did not take long for the light of torches to be seen coming closer as they moved along the forest path towards his manor. A minute later, a mob came within view while shouting and raising various weapons into the air. When they came close enough, Ashton called out, "It's very late right now, so this better be good!"
The mob came to a stop roughly thirty feet from Ashton. One of the men at the front called out, "Ashton, what a surprise! Didn't think we'd find you awake at this hour!" The viscount replied, "I wouldn't have heard you coming if it wasn't for my guardian." But one of the men shouted, "Guardian? Don't you mean concubine?!" Ashton gave them a shocked and slightly baffled stare, "A what?!" The same man explained, "We know of your activities, Sir Ashton! Every single servant you command is female! And they are all Beasts!" Ashton gave him a sharp glare, "Watch it, or you're dead."
One of the thugs shouted, "We know of your sick interests in female animals, you freak!" Ashton grumbled, (Do they know? Did Garyson talk?) Another thug shouted, "Come on, just admit it! You have been messing about with them, haven't you?!" Ashton gulped, (Seems that they are not entirely sure. Maybe they showed up out of suspicion.) But just then, Laika burst out of the manor and dashed over to the gates, only to find that Ashton had them bound shut. "Ashton, let me help you!" The viscount turned to her, "I told you to stay out of this! Don't you get it?! If you die, our child dies as well!" But a few seconds later, Ashton's face went pale, "Oops..."
One of the thugs laughed, "Ah ha! So you admit it! What do you have to say for yourself, Ashton?!" The viscount only slowly turned around and glared at the mob, his eyes a scary red and the Z-shaped markings under his eyes now bold. "What do I have to say for myself? I say what I do is none of your concern unless it directly harms you!" He then pointed the Flamberge at the mob, "Even if my servants are carrying my children, you have no right to criticize me for it! They are my family! And those who would dare hurt my family must get through me first!"
The thug at the front of the mob shouted, "I say this lunatic has gotten off easy long enough! Come on, lads! Let's slaughter this freak and burn his home to the ground and his wretches along with it!" The rest of the mob shouted in unison as they raised their torches and weapons into the air. Ashton gritted his teeth in rage as he prepared himself for battle. "Charge!" The mob made a dash for Ashton with pitchforks and lances at the front. But when they came close enough, Ashton made a sudden wide sweep with the Flamberge, breaking the weapons and sending the mob falling backwards from the force of the strike. As they regained their footing, a pair of wings composed of rainbow flames emerged from Ashton's back. "That was a warning. If you thugs try that again, I will slaughter every last one of you!" But the mob simply charged Ashton again with battle cries filling the air. But a voice shouted, "That's quite enough! All of you stand down!"
The mob came to an abrupt halt as they heard a voice command them to stop. Ashton recognized it right away and calmed down to the point where the Eternal Flame returned to its dormant state. The mob began to step aside as a lone figure pushed its way through the crowd. "Garyson?" The knight then walked over to Ashton with his rapier in hand. "Ashton Redford Crimson, you have been found guilty of bestiality under Rohta law. By order of the queen, you are hereby placed under house arrest! You are forbidden from leaving your home without the queen's consent." He then turned to the mob and ordered, "You heard me! The criminal has been imprisoned! Now get lost!" With disappointed grumbles, the mob slowly made their way back towards Green Mile.
Ashton breathed a sigh of relief, "Garyson, you have no idea how glad I am to see you." Garyson sheathed his rapier and sighed, "I'm so sorry about this." Ashton asked, "Did you talk?" Garyson silently shook his head. "I didn't think you did. That mob sounded as if they had shown up on a hunch. But how did you know? And this decree of house arrest?" Garyson nodded, "After leaving you're home, I decided to stick around in Green Mile for the day. But a few hours ago, I noticed a large number of folks taking up weapons and gathering at the town square. I overheard them discussing a raid on your estate. I then went to the queen and demanded an audience with her, claiming it was of grave importance."
Garyson sighed, "When I told her about what you had done, she showed no ill will towards you and even seemed proud of you. But she also knew that the people of Rohta would not be so forgiving. So she did the only thing she could to protect you. Now that you are under house arrest, the townspeople should stop harassing you. But you still cannot leave your home without being directly summoned by her." Ashton patted Garyson on the back, "Don't be so hard on yourself. I'm grateful you tried so hard to help us. And we still have quite a large amount of food left, so we won't starve." Garyson replied, "I know, but I still feel like this is partially my fault."
Ashton undid the lock on the gate and patted Laika on her head. "Garyson, this is only a temporary setback. Once proof has been found of Pokémon's sentience, I will be freed." Garyson gave Ashton a wave, "True. Even so, be on the lookout for any vigilantes. There's no telling if the townspeople will sit by quietly, even though you have been imprisoned." Ashton nodded, "Doesn't surprise me. I'll keep my wits about me. And thanks again, old friend." The two knights gave a friendly wave to each other before Ashton entered his manor for the night. Still feeling a bit down, Garyson made his way back to Green Mile to find an inn.
Over the next two days, Ashton made certain that his eight lovers did not go outside due to the ever-present threat of vigilantes launching an assault on his home. And everyday, Ashton would arm himself and wait atop his manor to watch for anyone who may try to harm his lovers and their unborn children. He would always sleep at night, but Laika would be exceptionally alert for even the least unusual sounds beyond the manor grounds. It was a time of tension for them, and Ashton was always on edge.
On the third day since Ashton's arrest, the city of Verdant was enjoying a prosperous day as the marketplace bustled with activity at noon. But standing atop the great stone walls at the south of the city were a few guards who were watching for any potential threats, such as bandits or rampaging Pokémon.
One of the guards suddenly spoke up, "Who do you suppose that is?" One of the other guards looked to the south and could make out a lone figure walking along the path towards the city. Although he could not make out any significant features, the guard could make out a very large sword in the person's left hand. "I can't say for sure, but it is carrying a very large sword. Most likely a zweihander." But the other guard replied, "But the only knight in the kingdom whose primary weapon is the zweihander is Ashton! And he was placed under house arrest a few days ago!" One of the guards replied, "If he is here, then he is violating his imprisonment. I will see to him." He then quickly made his way down a ladder and stood at the city gates.
The guard held a sword in his hand while waiting just out of sight. When he heard the clanking of metal greaves, the guard jumped out into the open and spoke, "Ashton, you are under house arrest! You should not be here! Unless you want me to place you under arrest, I advise you....." The guard froze in terror at the sight of the being that stood before him. "Who...who are you?! No... What are you?!" In a voice that did not sound the least bit human, the entity asked, "Is the Vulcan Warrior here?" The guard shook his head and then made a dash inside the city, "Sound the alarm! There's a monster at the gates!"
The hulking knight savored the moment before the military would attack him. "Yes... Come to me. Offer your souls to me!" He then looked to the sky and shouted, "The time is near! Come to me, Ashton of Green Mile! Come to me, so I may devour your soul, and the Eternal Flame that lies within!"