Story Notes:
This may become a bit of a Naruto crossover, but no characters from the series will appear, this I promise.
Reopened Wounds
The sun had begun to rise over the town of Green Mile as the townsfolk began to wake from their nightly slumber. In the Ketchum estate, Zandria was busy preparing breakfast for everyone in the manor. One she had filled up the cart with trays for everyone, she set out down the hall. However, when she arrived at Cassandra's room, she stopped at the sound of strange moans coming from within. To get a better listen, Zandria pressed her ear against the door.
"Oooooo...yes...Lord Ashton...that's it...harder...harder...take me...please!" Zandria panicked at what she was hearing and burst into the bedroom. "Lord Ashton! I love you more than she does!.....wha...?" Zandria stood there aghast at the sight of an embarrassed Cassandra with her right paw inserted in her flower! "Uh...Zandria?" However, Zandria was red in the face at this. "CASSANDRA! You almost made me faint with your masturbation!" Cassandra blushed, "I'm sorry. I just had to know what it would be like to have him..." Zandria sighed, "I know. I've wondered that myself. Anyway, shall we have breakfast together?" Cassandra smiled, "Of course! But please save mine for last so the others don't get cold." Zandria nodded and headed down the hall with the cart loaded with trays of food.
After stopping by Laura's, Ruby's, and Aurora's bedrooms, Zandria came by Ashton's bedroom. "Lord Ashton, are you awake yet?" A voice replied, "Yes, you may enter." Zandria nudged the door open, but stood there at the sight of Laika lying at his feet while he read a message. "Lord Ashton, why is she still here?" Laika glared at Zandria and replied, "I have been assigned as the guardian of the estate. Therefore, I am to stay by his side at all times." Zandria grumbled slightly that another girl would be with Ashton more than her, but sighed, "I see. Well, make sure he stays safe."
As Zandria set out the trays of food for Ashton and Laika, she noticed Ashton writing in the message. "My lord, what are you doing?" Ashton grinned, "I'm registering for a battle tournament today. It should be a good way to test my skills, as well as to get a little extra income." Zandria smirked, "That tournament is as good as over with you there." Ashton frowned, "I wouldn't be so sure. These invitations have been sent out only to the deadliest fighters in the kingdom. I may have my work cut out for me."
As Zandria turned to leave, Ashton spoke, "Oh yes! Zandria, you've been invited as well!" Zandria looked back at him with a skeptical stare, "Seriously?" "Yes. There will be a special match at the start, and another Pokemon is needed. They can't have a fight with only one, you know." Zandria grinned, "OK! I'll sign!" Zandria took the ink quill and wrote her name on the line. "When do we leave?" Ashton rolled up the messages and tied them together and slipped them into a pouch that was being worn by a Pidgeotto on the windowsill. "We'll be leaving at noon. Be sure to tell the other girls." Zandria bowed and made her way down the hall to deliver breakfast to the rest of them.
Once she was done making her rounds, Zandria headed back to Cassandra's room. "Cassandra, breakfast is served." Cassandra looked away from the mirror, which she was using to observe her long silver tail, and asked, "Many thanks, Zandria. Shall we?" Zandria nodded and uncovered their trays, which were lined with roasted poultry and fresh fruit. "I'll say it again. I'm sorry for what I did to you yesterday." Cassandra shook her head, "Don't be. I understand why you want Lord Ashton to yourself. He's such an angel!" The two girls giggled and chatted while enjoying Zandria's cooking.
"Zandria, may I ask you a question?" Zandria looked up at her with a piece of duck still in her mouth. "What would you name them? Your children, I mean." Zandria slowly swallowed her food and said, "You surprise me. Well, yes. I have thought up names for them. Should my child happens to be a boy, I will name him Atlas. But should it be a girl, I was thinking Anibal." Cassandra sighed, "Those sound like such good names." Zandria spoke, "Thank you. What about you? Did you think up names for your kids?" Cassandra blushed, "Oh yes. I've thought of only the most beautiful names for my children, as they will be sired by the most beautiful man in the kingdom. I'm certain it will be a girl, and her name will be Isis or Cleopatra, or just Cleo for short."
Zandria burst out laughing, "Beautiful indeed! Those are the names of royalty!" Cassandra giggled, "Yes, I know." Zandria finished up, "Well, anyway, Lord Ashton will be taking part in a tournament today at noon, so be prepared to leave." Cassandra screamed, "LORD ASHTON IS GOING TO GO TO BATTLE?! I WON'T LET HIM!" Zandria grabbed Cassandra as she tried to run into the hallway, "That's enough! You know Ashton isn't an ordinary knight. Tell you what, if anyone in the tournament manages to hurt him, I'll bake you your favorite dessert tonight. Whaddaya say?" Cassandra calmed down and asked, "Triple Chocolate cake with caramel filling?! Well.....uh...you're on!" Zandria grinned, "Then it's settled. I'm not expecting to win, but either way, let's cheer Ashton on."
At around noon, Ashton, along with all his servants, made their way to town for the tournament. It was a fairly warm day in the middle of June, so Aurora was gently caressing the group with a northern wind. Ruby was staying close to Ashton's side while Cassandra joyfully bounded after him. Zandria was riding him piggyback with her arms around his neck while Laura was floating just above him. Serenade had hooked her arm around his left to keep him from getting too far ahead. Laika was at the front of the group to defend them from any threat that dared attack.
Just when they were about to enter the marketplace of Green Mile, Chiara asked, "Lord Ashton, where is the Flamberge?" Ashton chuckled, "Oh, I didn't bring it. They should have weapons provided anyway, so there's nothing to worry about." Soon, the sound of commerce was heard as they made their way through the marketplace. Ashton kept a tight grip on Ruby's hand to prevent her from getting abducted like a few days ago. However, Ruby wasn't the target this time.
Suddenly, Ashton heard Cassandra scream, "Lord Ashton, help me!" With a reflexive move, Ash lashed out with his right leg, nearly throwing Zandria off him. There was a death scream as a splash of blood sprayed along the ground. Ashton bent down over Cassandra and whispered, "Thank you. If you hadn't called out just then, I would have had a difficult time finding you." Cassandra wiped away a tear and gave Ashton a little kiss on the cheek. Zandria pretended not to notice. The townsfolk who had witnessed the rescue backed away at the fact that Ashton had just killed a thug with a single slash with the tip of his boot. This reassured Cassandra's faith that Ashton would come out of the tournament unharmed.
As they approached the coliseum, Ruby marveled at all the people who were filing into the arched doorways. "Ah! Is that you Ashton?!" Ashton turned to face the source of the voice. "Good day, Garyson! I take it that you're here for the tournament as well?" His old friend nodded, "Indeed. I'm also looking forward to seeing how the chef of the Ketchum estate does. Follow me." Garyson motioned for them to proceed to the lobby where the other five fighters had gathered. Once they arrived, Ashton became the center of attention when all of them looked towards him. They all looked like tough customers, but the one that caught Ashton's eye was a figure standing against a corner in the shadows. The person was heavily cloaked and wore a hood to hide the face. Even though it wasn't doing anything, Ashton could feel intense malice coming from it.
"Now then, everyone is accounted for, yes? Then let me begin." The staff member displayed a chart showing who would face who. Just then, Ashton noticed that a name had not been selected for his opponent. "Excuse me, but who will I face in the first round?" The staff grinned, "Oh that. You will face whichever wins the preliminary match. We already have one. Now where is the creature known as Zandria?" Ashton frowned, knowing that if Zandria won the match, he would have to fight her himself.
Zandria dropped down from Ashton's neck, "That would be me." The man looked her over and said, "Hm, so I see. Now then, all friends and family may proceed to the designated seats to enjoy the battle. Once the preliminary bout is finished, the real fighting will begin. Gentlemen, I wish you luck."
Garyson personally escorted Ashton's servants to their seats that were right up to the wall of the battlefield, the best seats in the entire stadium. "Oh my, nothing to obscure our view? Ashton made sure we got the royal treatment, I see." Aurora pointed out. Laura was too excited to sit still, "OH YES! Lord Ashton is gonna mop the floor with these fools!" Serenade shushed her, "Perhaps, but we have to wait for Zandria's match to end first." They didn't have to wait long as Zandria dashed out onto the field for her match.
"OK! Who do I get to sink my claws into?!" A voice came from behind, "You mean me?" Zandria turned to face the owner of the voice, but all confidence left her face at the sight of him. "Yeah, you remember now. You could never forget me, my little toy." Zandria was staring at the very same Machoke that had raped her just before she met Ashton over a year before. He still had a greedy look in his eyes.
"You...stay away from me!" Zandria screamed as tears of fear began to fill her eyes. "Heh, you always were too weak to refuse anyone. The master has changed his mind about letting you go. He wants you back, and after I defeat you, the staff will turn you over to him. And you know what'll happen next, right? I gotta say, even after all this time, you're still the best runt I've ever been told to help breed. I can't wait to have myself inside you again." This only frightened Zandria more. She could still remember the pain.....
"NO, PLEASE! I DON'T WANT THIS!" A Zangoose screamed in her native tongue as a Machoke removed his belt, revealing his already aroused member. "Tough luck. Whatever the master says goes. Now hold still. It'll hurt less if you relax." The Zangoose struggled to break free from the shackles that bound her arms to the wall, but to no avail. "Just hold still." The Machoke grabbed her body and lifted her up while still holding her against the wall. The Zangoose looked down at the Machoke's stiff member as arousal dripped down it. "Please.....I don't want this...I'll do anything..." The Machoke sneered, "Sorry, but orders are orders!" With that, he thrust into her. Hard.
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! It hurts!!!" The Zangoose screamed as she was steadily raped by the muscle bound male. "Oooooo...now you're a prize. I've never bred a female that felt as good as you!" The Machoke steadily thrust into her in a slow rhythm. The Zangoose was in great pain as blood flowed down his member after piercing her hymen. The Zangoose cried, "It hurts...it hurts so much!!! Stop, please!!!" The Machoke groaned, "Awww...but it feels so good to me."
A minute had gone by that felt like a hellish eternity to the Zangoose. She felt as if she was dying...going insane. Suddenly, she could feel the Machoke's member throb as he neared orgasm. She couldn't stand the thought of being forced into pregnancy and whispered, "Please.....just let me die..." The Machoke groaned, "Yeah right! You're the best! Erf...here it comes!" However, just as the Machoke was about to release his sperm into the Zangoose's womb, there was a crash as something slammed into his face! The force sent him flying a short distance, dislodging his penis from the Zangoose. It was at that moment that he released his sperm, which was wasted as it was sprayed along the ground.
"What do you think you're doing?! Why did you stop my breeder from mating with that runt?! If she's no good for anything else, what's wrong with breeding it?!" The Zangoose managed to raise her head to look at who her master was yelling at, but was shocked to see that her savior was not a Pokemon like her. What stood before her was a young boy who looked no older than fifteen. His eyes were gentle, yet furious.
"Well, what's your problem?!" The boy growled, "I should just kill you here and now, but this time, I'll just be taking her." The master yelled, "What was that?!" The boy frowned, "Fine, if it will shut you up, I will buy her from you." He then walked over to the man and slapped a handful of gold coins into his hand. "That should suffice." As the brute stared at the amount of money he had just received, the boy came over to the Zangoose and whispered, "I'm getting you out of here." With a precise hit, the boy broke the shackles that bound her with his hand. "Come." He then picked her up and carried her out into the town towards his home at the edge of it. As the townspeople stared at the boy carrying the filthy Zangoose, they had no idea that a number of similar rescues would earn him the title of, "Madman of Green Mile."
"Did you enjoy your nap?" The Zangoose awoke as she felt a human hand caressing her head. She was up to her chin in hot water as she had her very first bath. "I'm surprised you didn't wake up on the spot. You must have been exhausted." The boy stared at her with a look of fascination and relief. He seemed to be much kinder than any other human she had seen before. He even stopped her from being forced into pregnancy. Why would he, a human, care so much for her wellbeing?
"Come. It is about time for dinner." The boy reached out his hand for the Zangoose. "My name is Ashton Ketchum, of the Knighthood of Rohta." The Zangoose had her doubts, but took a chance and grabbed his hand. He then helped her out of the tub and wrapped her in a towel. "You look like someone who prefers poultry, yes? I'm sure we have some duck here." As the Zangoose stayed next to Ashton, she felt a kind of peacefulness she had never felt before.
"Serenade, are you there?" Ashton spoke as he opened the door to the kitchen. The Zangoose looked ahead and saw a female Gardevoir with a feather duster in hand. However, she lacked the two red plates on her chest and back that most other Gardevoir have, meaning she was deformed. "Oh my, who are you?" Serenade glided over to the Zangoose, but stopped when she saw her hide behind Ashton, her pink eyes filled with fear. "Lord Ashton, why is she like this? I've never met a Zangoose so timid."
Ashton looked down at the Zangoose, "She was raped while being bound to a wall. I can't blame her for being so distrustful." Serenade was silent in pity, but said, "You are in good hands with Lord Ashton. Oh?" Serenade gently took the Zangoose's left hand and closely examined it. "Serenade, what is it?" She looked up at him, "The claws in her left hand are missing. It's as if they were never there." Ashton frowned, "So she was born without them? What about her right hand?" Serenade examined the right hand and applied pressure to force the claws out. This time, claws extended. "It seems she does have claws on her right hand." Ashton patted the Zangoose on the head, "Well, one's better than none, eh?" Ashton was startled by a sudden giggle from her. "I do believe she likes you, Lord Ashton." He blushed, "Oh please, it was nothing! Well, I'm going to start on dinner. I'll be a short while, Serenade." She bowed, "Thank you. I made sure the supplies are fresh, so don't worry about any spoiled goods."
Ashton had set to work preparing his, Serenade's, and the Zangoose's meal. As he hummed a little tune, he noticed the Zangoose had been watching him cook very closely. "What? Do you want to try?" Ashton stood aside and let the Zangoose hold the handle of the frying pan. The smell of sautéed duck and veggies was absolutely wonderful. Just then, she tossed the food and expertly caught it in the pan. She then did it a few more times before looking back at Ashton, who stared in awe. "My word, you're a natural! I believe you have potential to surpass me! How would you like to prepare my meal and Serenade's?" The Zangoose gave a big smile and a happy shriek, as she was fascinated by the art of cooking and was eager to learn. "Very well! I'll work on your meal, so don't worry about it."
Ashton specially prepared a set of roast duck, vegetables, and fresh lemonade for the Zangoose, all the while looking over his shoulder at his little friend having the time of her life cooking for the first time.
Once the meals were prepared, Ashton and the Zangoose headed down to Serenade's bedroom and knocked. "Serenade, dinner is served." Serenade answered, "Thank you. Please enter." When they entered, Serenade was sitting at a small end table with a candle lit, as it was starting to get dark. "Mmmmmm.....that smells wonderful, Ashton." Ashton corrected her, "Actually, our little friend here cooked for you tonight." Serenade looked surprised, but her attention was turned towards the tray that the Zangoose was carrying over to her. "Well, I won't turn down such a sincere act, but I'm not expecting this to be a masterpiece." Serenade took her knife and fork and carved a piece of duck and began to consume it. After a few seconds, Serenade's face and eyes looked as if she had just tasted something horribly bitter.
"Serenade, is it no good?" Serenade swallowed the duck, but turned and smiled, "Quite the contrary! This is divine! She truly has talent! I am very grateful to you for this fine feast." Serenade gave the little Zangoose a hug to show her gratitude.
In his bedroom, Ashton was equally astonished by the flavor of the Zangoose's cooking. "Mm! This is fantastic! Little one, as a reward for this, I'm going to teach you something." Ashton went over to a bookshelf and yanked down a book. "I'm going to teach you how to speak English." The Zangoose looked puzzled, but nodded, as she was hoping this would be enjoyable, whatever it was.
"Yes. Aaassshhhhhtttaaaannnnn. Can you say it?" After only ten minutes, the Zangoose had made progress in saying the alphabet, but had not yet said any words. Thinking of something that might help, Ashton asked, "My name is Ashton. What is your name?" At first, the Zangoose struggled, "Zaaaa....Zaaaaannnn..." Ashton listened closely, "Don't hurt yourself. If you want, we can put this off for anoth..." "Zandria!" Ashton jumped at the shout, "What was that?!" The Zangoose spoke, "My...name is...Zandria." Ashton smiled, "Zandria...I very rarely meet anyone with a name that beautiful." She blushed deeply and asked, "Lord...Ashton...favor?" Ashton looked at her and listened. "May...I...with you...please?" Ashton gave her a sweet gentle grin, "Of course you may stay. And you may cook all the meals here if you want to. I'm looking forward to you living with us, Lady Zandria." The little Zangoose ran forward and embraced her new friend, knowing that this was just the beginning of her joys.
"So, what do you say? Will you surrender and spare yourself the pain, or will I have to rough you up a bit?" The Machoke asked as he waited for his answer. Zandria, having remembered what Ashton had done for her then, climbed to her feet and said, "Take a hike." The Machoke, having never been addressed so rudely, yelled, "What was that, you little runt?!" Zandria glared at him and smirked, "You heard me. I will never accept you as my mate. I have decided. There is only one man who I will allow to impregnate me." Zandria threw up one finger. "Only one! I will never return to my previous life! My days as a breeder have ended! What's more, I still have a bone to pick with you." She then held her right hand up vertically and extended her claws. "I've become quite skilled in the cooking arts. I'm gonna cook you nice and slow over a hot fire."
"What the...what was that about?! You know you can't take me on!" Zandria widened her stance, "I never go back on my word. I have vowed to bear the offspring of one man, and you're not him! And I WILL be using your body for tonight's meal!" She then charged the Machoke, bent on making him pay for what he did to her.
"Oh yeah?! Well let's see ya try it!" The Machoke dashed at her with his fist ready for a Focus Punch. "Forget you! I'm gonna smash ya to pieces! RAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" When they met in the center, they blazed past each other for a distance and stopped, but Zandria looked like a blur as she went. After a moment of them standing there, looking like they had lashed out on the run, the Machoke felt a wetness on his chest and looked down. There was a gaping hole in his chest with blood spilling down it. When he looked behind him, Zandria had his heart skewered on her claws. "I told you I was gonna cook you nice and slow over a hot fire. Just be glad you won't be alive to feel it." With that, the Machoke keeled over dead.
The audience burst into applause at the artistry of the kill. As Zandria hauled the corpse towards the lobby, Chiara choked, "I honestly believe she overdid it. Couldn't she have carved his heart out afterwards?" She looked a little green in the face. "Yeah. That was gross!" Ruby gagged. However, Cassandra was worried. (Lord Ashton...what will you do when you face Zandria?)
Back in the lobby, Ashton patted the head of Zandria, "Well done. To take him down with a single strike is not what I'd expect from anyone!" Zandria blushed, being grateful that he didn't hear their conversation. The announcer spoke, "Now that all contestants have been decided, shall we move on to the main event? First of all, does everyone have a weapon?" Everyone but Ashton and Zandria raised a hand. "I see. Well, Lord Ashton, allow me to present you with a variety of weapons to choose from. Bear in mind that you will have to return it in the end." The announcer led Ashton over to a wooden rack of many weapons. Ashton browsed them, eyeing short and long swords, daggers, spears, axes, even a few katana imported from the Far East. But at the end, he saw what he was looking for. A Claymore rested at the edge of the rack and seemed to be in good condition. About the same size as the Flamberge, it was a great sword designed as an anti cavalry weapon. Ashton picked it up and tested its weight. "This will be my weapon of choice."
The announcer continued, "Now then, Sir Ashton, you and your servant are up first, so out you go!" Ashton nodded and headed out to the battlefield with Zandria in tow. The crowd went wild at the sight of the most renowned knight in the kingdom dressed in light blue armor. Ashton always chose to wear lighter armor, choosing mobility over defense, preferring to use his weapon to defend instead of letting attacks hit him.
Once Ashton and Zandria were about 100 yards apart, the announcer shouted, "Let the first match begin!" Ashton took the Claymore in hand and said, "Well then, would you prefer me to go easy on you, Zandria?" However, she shocked him with a bloodthirsty glare. In a flash, she slammed into him with a Mach Punch, causing him to drop his weapon and roll a good distance away!
"LORD ASHTON! DON'T LET HER WALK ALL OVER YOU!" Laura screamed as Zandria closed in. However, when Ashton sat up, Zandria was in front of him with claws extended! He closed his eyes to prepare for the pain. However, he soon felt something touch his lips and opened his eyes in curiosity. He almost gasped to find Zandria kissing him gently. After a moment, she broke the kiss and looked endearingly at him and whispered, "Don't lose." With that, she collapsed weakly at his side.
The announcer came over to check on the two fighters and asked, "What happened?" Ashton shook his head, "She just passed out. What now?" The announcer chuckled and shouted, "The winner by default is Sir Ashton!" The crowd burst into applause as Ashton carried Zandria back towards the lobby. He whispered, "Why did you forfeit?" Zandria looked up at him, "I could never bring myself to hurt you. You should know that by now." Ashton chuckled at her feelings for him, knowing that he would have tried to avoid hurting her as well.
When the three of them got back to the lobby, the announcer stopped, "Oh my! What happened?!" With the exception of the mysterious cloaked figure, all the fighters were unconscious and looked injured. In a quiet voice, the figure spoke, "Some drunken thugs stormed the room during the match. I managed to send them packing, but they knocked out the rest." The announcer tried his best to awaken the unconscious fighters, but they were out like a light. "Hrrrmmmm...I suppose we have no choice but to proceed to the final match. Sir Ashton, you will be facing this fellow. Come with me." As the announcer and the cloaked figure headed out to the battle field, Ashton instructed Zandria to head up to the seats with the other girls.
Just as he was turning to head out to the field, something grabbed Ashton's ankle! "Ashton...wait..." It was Garyson. "What happened?! How could a bunch of drunkards hurt you like this?!" Garyson groaned, "That demon...the cloaked one did this to us...it used poison to make us sleepy and then attacked us. Whatever it is...it wants you..." Garyson fell asleep just then. Ashton took to heart that the opponent he was about to face was not a typical warrior.
When Ashton arrived at the center of the battlefield, Zandria had just made it to the seats. "Did I miss anything?" Cassandra gave her the evil eye, "You little sneak! I saw what you did!" Zandria then teased her, "Triple Chocolate cake with caramel filling." This wrecked her train of thought. "Oh yes! Don't forget! You hurt him, so I win!" "Yeah, yeah, I know! Now let's enjoy this battle!"
The announcer shouted, "Due to an unfortunate display of poor willpower, we have moved on to the final match. I know that you must be disappointed, but rest assured this will be a fight to remember! BEGIN!" The announcer ran to the sidelines to allow the two warriors to begin.
Ashton brought the Claymore to his side in order to slash the opponent if it attacked, but it suddenly spoke out, "Ashton, forfeit now. You can't defeat me." Ashton chuckled at the request, but calmly replied, "My apologies, but I can't do that. I was told to win, and that is what I shall do." The figure was silent for a moment, but began to quietly laugh. "And I suppose one of your pets told you that?" Ashton scowled at the cloaked figure. "Well, Beasts shouldn't be taken seriously, you know." Ashton clutched the hilt of his sword tightly. "I'll have you know that everyone who has called my family 'Beasts' has been slain by my hands. Soon, you will join them."
The mysterious figure reached inside its cloak and laughed, "You're every bit a caring fool that I've heard." It then drew out a pair of wave swords and curled them along the sides of the forearms. "Looks like I'll be claiming the prize money, as well as your bounty." Ashton gasped, "So, you took out all the other contestants just so you would face me sooner! And my bounty.....are you working for the Black Wing?!" The assassin laughed, "Not directly. But I will hand over your head to them for quite a bonus. Now then, Vulcan Warrior, are you ready to dance?" The figure then dashed towards him with the wave swords out at the sides! "The Dance of Death?!"Chapter End Notes:Further updates will take a while. I only updated this story due to oweing a friend in exchange for a beautiful pic
"Oooooo...yes...Lord Ashton...that's it...harder...harder...take me...please!" Zandria panicked at what she was hearing and burst into the bedroom. "Lord Ashton! I love you more than she does!.....wha...?" Zandria stood there aghast at the sight of an embarrassed Cassandra with her right paw inserted in her flower! "Uh...Zandria?" However, Zandria was red in the face at this. "CASSANDRA! You almost made me faint with your masturbation!" Cassandra blushed, "I'm sorry. I just had to know what it would be like to have him..." Zandria sighed, "I know. I've wondered that myself. Anyway, shall we have breakfast together?" Cassandra smiled, "Of course! But please save mine for last so the others don't get cold." Zandria nodded and headed down the hall with the cart loaded with trays of food.
After stopping by Laura's, Ruby's, and Aurora's bedrooms, Zandria came by Ashton's bedroom. "Lord Ashton, are you awake yet?" A voice replied, "Yes, you may enter." Zandria nudged the door open, but stood there at the sight of Laika lying at his feet while he read a message. "Lord Ashton, why is she still here?" Laika glared at Zandria and replied, "I have been assigned as the guardian of the estate. Therefore, I am to stay by his side at all times." Zandria grumbled slightly that another girl would be with Ashton more than her, but sighed, "I see. Well, make sure he stays safe."
As Zandria set out the trays of food for Ashton and Laika, she noticed Ashton writing in the message. "My lord, what are you doing?" Ashton grinned, "I'm registering for a battle tournament today. It should be a good way to test my skills, as well as to get a little extra income." Zandria smirked, "That tournament is as good as over with you there." Ashton frowned, "I wouldn't be so sure. These invitations have been sent out only to the deadliest fighters in the kingdom. I may have my work cut out for me."
As Zandria turned to leave, Ashton spoke, "Oh yes! Zandria, you've been invited as well!" Zandria looked back at him with a skeptical stare, "Seriously?" "Yes. There will be a special match at the start, and another Pokemon is needed. They can't have a fight with only one, you know." Zandria grinned, "OK! I'll sign!" Zandria took the ink quill and wrote her name on the line. "When do we leave?" Ashton rolled up the messages and tied them together and slipped them into a pouch that was being worn by a Pidgeotto on the windowsill. "We'll be leaving at noon. Be sure to tell the other girls." Zandria bowed and made her way down the hall to deliver breakfast to the rest of them.
Once she was done making her rounds, Zandria headed back to Cassandra's room. "Cassandra, breakfast is served." Cassandra looked away from the mirror, which she was using to observe her long silver tail, and asked, "Many thanks, Zandria. Shall we?" Zandria nodded and uncovered their trays, which were lined with roasted poultry and fresh fruit. "I'll say it again. I'm sorry for what I did to you yesterday." Cassandra shook her head, "Don't be. I understand why you want Lord Ashton to yourself. He's such an angel!" The two girls giggled and chatted while enjoying Zandria's cooking.
"Zandria, may I ask you a question?" Zandria looked up at her with a piece of duck still in her mouth. "What would you name them? Your children, I mean." Zandria slowly swallowed her food and said, "You surprise me. Well, yes. I have thought up names for them. Should my child happens to be a boy, I will name him Atlas. But should it be a girl, I was thinking Anibal." Cassandra sighed, "Those sound like such good names." Zandria spoke, "Thank you. What about you? Did you think up names for your kids?" Cassandra blushed, "Oh yes. I've thought of only the most beautiful names for my children, as they will be sired by the most beautiful man in the kingdom. I'm certain it will be a girl, and her name will be Isis or Cleopatra, or just Cleo for short."
Zandria burst out laughing, "Beautiful indeed! Those are the names of royalty!" Cassandra giggled, "Yes, I know." Zandria finished up, "Well, anyway, Lord Ashton will be taking part in a tournament today at noon, so be prepared to leave." Cassandra screamed, "LORD ASHTON IS GOING TO GO TO BATTLE?! I WON'T LET HIM!" Zandria grabbed Cassandra as she tried to run into the hallway, "That's enough! You know Ashton isn't an ordinary knight. Tell you what, if anyone in the tournament manages to hurt him, I'll bake you your favorite dessert tonight. Whaddaya say?" Cassandra calmed down and asked, "Triple Chocolate cake with caramel filling?! Well.....uh...you're on!" Zandria grinned, "Then it's settled. I'm not expecting to win, but either way, let's cheer Ashton on."
At around noon, Ashton, along with all his servants, made their way to town for the tournament. It was a fairly warm day in the middle of June, so Aurora was gently caressing the group with a northern wind. Ruby was staying close to Ashton's side while Cassandra joyfully bounded after him. Zandria was riding him piggyback with her arms around his neck while Laura was floating just above him. Serenade had hooked her arm around his left to keep him from getting too far ahead. Laika was at the front of the group to defend them from any threat that dared attack.
Just when they were about to enter the marketplace of Green Mile, Chiara asked, "Lord Ashton, where is the Flamberge?" Ashton chuckled, "Oh, I didn't bring it. They should have weapons provided anyway, so there's nothing to worry about." Soon, the sound of commerce was heard as they made their way through the marketplace. Ashton kept a tight grip on Ruby's hand to prevent her from getting abducted like a few days ago. However, Ruby wasn't the target this time.
Suddenly, Ashton heard Cassandra scream, "Lord Ashton, help me!" With a reflexive move, Ash lashed out with his right leg, nearly throwing Zandria off him. There was a death scream as a splash of blood sprayed along the ground. Ashton bent down over Cassandra and whispered, "Thank you. If you hadn't called out just then, I would have had a difficult time finding you." Cassandra wiped away a tear and gave Ashton a little kiss on the cheek. Zandria pretended not to notice. The townsfolk who had witnessed the rescue backed away at the fact that Ashton had just killed a thug with a single slash with the tip of his boot. This reassured Cassandra's faith that Ashton would come out of the tournament unharmed.
As they approached the coliseum, Ruby marveled at all the people who were filing into the arched doorways. "Ah! Is that you Ashton?!" Ashton turned to face the source of the voice. "Good day, Garyson! I take it that you're here for the tournament as well?" His old friend nodded, "Indeed. I'm also looking forward to seeing how the chef of the Ketchum estate does. Follow me." Garyson motioned for them to proceed to the lobby where the other five fighters had gathered. Once they arrived, Ashton became the center of attention when all of them looked towards him. They all looked like tough customers, but the one that caught Ashton's eye was a figure standing against a corner in the shadows. The person was heavily cloaked and wore a hood to hide the face. Even though it wasn't doing anything, Ashton could feel intense malice coming from it.
"Now then, everyone is accounted for, yes? Then let me begin." The staff member displayed a chart showing who would face who. Just then, Ashton noticed that a name had not been selected for his opponent. "Excuse me, but who will I face in the first round?" The staff grinned, "Oh that. You will face whichever wins the preliminary match. We already have one. Now where is the creature known as Zandria?" Ashton frowned, knowing that if Zandria won the match, he would have to fight her himself.
Zandria dropped down from Ashton's neck, "That would be me." The man looked her over and said, "Hm, so I see. Now then, all friends and family may proceed to the designated seats to enjoy the battle. Once the preliminary bout is finished, the real fighting will begin. Gentlemen, I wish you luck."
Garyson personally escorted Ashton's servants to their seats that were right up to the wall of the battlefield, the best seats in the entire stadium. "Oh my, nothing to obscure our view? Ashton made sure we got the royal treatment, I see." Aurora pointed out. Laura was too excited to sit still, "OH YES! Lord Ashton is gonna mop the floor with these fools!" Serenade shushed her, "Perhaps, but we have to wait for Zandria's match to end first." They didn't have to wait long as Zandria dashed out onto the field for her match.
"OK! Who do I get to sink my claws into?!" A voice came from behind, "You mean me?" Zandria turned to face the owner of the voice, but all confidence left her face at the sight of him. "Yeah, you remember now. You could never forget me, my little toy." Zandria was staring at the very same Machoke that had raped her just before she met Ashton over a year before. He still had a greedy look in his eyes.
"You...stay away from me!" Zandria screamed as tears of fear began to fill her eyes. "Heh, you always were too weak to refuse anyone. The master has changed his mind about letting you go. He wants you back, and after I defeat you, the staff will turn you over to him. And you know what'll happen next, right? I gotta say, even after all this time, you're still the best runt I've ever been told to help breed. I can't wait to have myself inside you again." This only frightened Zandria more. She could still remember the pain.....
"NO, PLEASE! I DON'T WANT THIS!" A Zangoose screamed in her native tongue as a Machoke removed his belt, revealing his already aroused member. "Tough luck. Whatever the master says goes. Now hold still. It'll hurt less if you relax." The Zangoose struggled to break free from the shackles that bound her arms to the wall, but to no avail. "Just hold still." The Machoke grabbed her body and lifted her up while still holding her against the wall. The Zangoose looked down at the Machoke's stiff member as arousal dripped down it. "Please.....I don't want this...I'll do anything..." The Machoke sneered, "Sorry, but orders are orders!" With that, he thrust into her. Hard.
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! It hurts!!!" The Zangoose screamed as she was steadily raped by the muscle bound male. "Oooooo...now you're a prize. I've never bred a female that felt as good as you!" The Machoke steadily thrust into her in a slow rhythm. The Zangoose was in great pain as blood flowed down his member after piercing her hymen. The Zangoose cried, "It hurts...it hurts so much!!! Stop, please!!!" The Machoke groaned, "Awww...but it feels so good to me."
A minute had gone by that felt like a hellish eternity to the Zangoose. She felt as if she was dying...going insane. Suddenly, she could feel the Machoke's member throb as he neared orgasm. She couldn't stand the thought of being forced into pregnancy and whispered, "Please.....just let me die..." The Machoke groaned, "Yeah right! You're the best! Erf...here it comes!" However, just as the Machoke was about to release his sperm into the Zangoose's womb, there was a crash as something slammed into his face! The force sent him flying a short distance, dislodging his penis from the Zangoose. It was at that moment that he released his sperm, which was wasted as it was sprayed along the ground.
"What do you think you're doing?! Why did you stop my breeder from mating with that runt?! If she's no good for anything else, what's wrong with breeding it?!" The Zangoose managed to raise her head to look at who her master was yelling at, but was shocked to see that her savior was not a Pokemon like her. What stood before her was a young boy who looked no older than fifteen. His eyes were gentle, yet furious.
"Well, what's your problem?!" The boy growled, "I should just kill you here and now, but this time, I'll just be taking her." The master yelled, "What was that?!" The boy frowned, "Fine, if it will shut you up, I will buy her from you." He then walked over to the man and slapped a handful of gold coins into his hand. "That should suffice." As the brute stared at the amount of money he had just received, the boy came over to the Zangoose and whispered, "I'm getting you out of here." With a precise hit, the boy broke the shackles that bound her with his hand. "Come." He then picked her up and carried her out into the town towards his home at the edge of it. As the townspeople stared at the boy carrying the filthy Zangoose, they had no idea that a number of similar rescues would earn him the title of, "Madman of Green Mile."
"Did you enjoy your nap?" The Zangoose awoke as she felt a human hand caressing her head. She was up to her chin in hot water as she had her very first bath. "I'm surprised you didn't wake up on the spot. You must have been exhausted." The boy stared at her with a look of fascination and relief. He seemed to be much kinder than any other human she had seen before. He even stopped her from being forced into pregnancy. Why would he, a human, care so much for her wellbeing?
"Come. It is about time for dinner." The boy reached out his hand for the Zangoose. "My name is Ashton Ketchum, of the Knighthood of Rohta." The Zangoose had her doubts, but took a chance and grabbed his hand. He then helped her out of the tub and wrapped her in a towel. "You look like someone who prefers poultry, yes? I'm sure we have some duck here." As the Zangoose stayed next to Ashton, she felt a kind of peacefulness she had never felt before.
"Serenade, are you there?" Ashton spoke as he opened the door to the kitchen. The Zangoose looked ahead and saw a female Gardevoir with a feather duster in hand. However, she lacked the two red plates on her chest and back that most other Gardevoir have, meaning she was deformed. "Oh my, who are you?" Serenade glided over to the Zangoose, but stopped when she saw her hide behind Ashton, her pink eyes filled with fear. "Lord Ashton, why is she like this? I've never met a Zangoose so timid."
Ashton looked down at the Zangoose, "She was raped while being bound to a wall. I can't blame her for being so distrustful." Serenade was silent in pity, but said, "You are in good hands with Lord Ashton. Oh?" Serenade gently took the Zangoose's left hand and closely examined it. "Serenade, what is it?" She looked up at him, "The claws in her left hand are missing. It's as if they were never there." Ashton frowned, "So she was born without them? What about her right hand?" Serenade examined the right hand and applied pressure to force the claws out. This time, claws extended. "It seems she does have claws on her right hand." Ashton patted the Zangoose on the head, "Well, one's better than none, eh?" Ashton was startled by a sudden giggle from her. "I do believe she likes you, Lord Ashton." He blushed, "Oh please, it was nothing! Well, I'm going to start on dinner. I'll be a short while, Serenade." She bowed, "Thank you. I made sure the supplies are fresh, so don't worry about any spoiled goods."
Ashton had set to work preparing his, Serenade's, and the Zangoose's meal. As he hummed a little tune, he noticed the Zangoose had been watching him cook very closely. "What? Do you want to try?" Ashton stood aside and let the Zangoose hold the handle of the frying pan. The smell of sautéed duck and veggies was absolutely wonderful. Just then, she tossed the food and expertly caught it in the pan. She then did it a few more times before looking back at Ashton, who stared in awe. "My word, you're a natural! I believe you have potential to surpass me! How would you like to prepare my meal and Serenade's?" The Zangoose gave a big smile and a happy shriek, as she was fascinated by the art of cooking and was eager to learn. "Very well! I'll work on your meal, so don't worry about it."
Ashton specially prepared a set of roast duck, vegetables, and fresh lemonade for the Zangoose, all the while looking over his shoulder at his little friend having the time of her life cooking for the first time.
Once the meals were prepared, Ashton and the Zangoose headed down to Serenade's bedroom and knocked. "Serenade, dinner is served." Serenade answered, "Thank you. Please enter." When they entered, Serenade was sitting at a small end table with a candle lit, as it was starting to get dark. "Mmmmmm.....that smells wonderful, Ashton." Ashton corrected her, "Actually, our little friend here cooked for you tonight." Serenade looked surprised, but her attention was turned towards the tray that the Zangoose was carrying over to her. "Well, I won't turn down such a sincere act, but I'm not expecting this to be a masterpiece." Serenade took her knife and fork and carved a piece of duck and began to consume it. After a few seconds, Serenade's face and eyes looked as if she had just tasted something horribly bitter.
"Serenade, is it no good?" Serenade swallowed the duck, but turned and smiled, "Quite the contrary! This is divine! She truly has talent! I am very grateful to you for this fine feast." Serenade gave the little Zangoose a hug to show her gratitude.
In his bedroom, Ashton was equally astonished by the flavor of the Zangoose's cooking. "Mm! This is fantastic! Little one, as a reward for this, I'm going to teach you something." Ashton went over to a bookshelf and yanked down a book. "I'm going to teach you how to speak English." The Zangoose looked puzzled, but nodded, as she was hoping this would be enjoyable, whatever it was.
"Yes. Aaassshhhhhtttaaaannnnn. Can you say it?" After only ten minutes, the Zangoose had made progress in saying the alphabet, but had not yet said any words. Thinking of something that might help, Ashton asked, "My name is Ashton. What is your name?" At first, the Zangoose struggled, "Zaaaa....Zaaaaannnn..." Ashton listened closely, "Don't hurt yourself. If you want, we can put this off for anoth..." "Zandria!" Ashton jumped at the shout, "What was that?!" The Zangoose spoke, "My...name is...Zandria." Ashton smiled, "Zandria...I very rarely meet anyone with a name that beautiful." She blushed deeply and asked, "Lord...Ashton...favor?" Ashton looked at her and listened. "May...I...with you...please?" Ashton gave her a sweet gentle grin, "Of course you may stay. And you may cook all the meals here if you want to. I'm looking forward to you living with us, Lady Zandria." The little Zangoose ran forward and embraced her new friend, knowing that this was just the beginning of her joys.
"So, what do you say? Will you surrender and spare yourself the pain, or will I have to rough you up a bit?" The Machoke asked as he waited for his answer. Zandria, having remembered what Ashton had done for her then, climbed to her feet and said, "Take a hike." The Machoke, having never been addressed so rudely, yelled, "What was that, you little runt?!" Zandria glared at him and smirked, "You heard me. I will never accept you as my mate. I have decided. There is only one man who I will allow to impregnate me." Zandria threw up one finger. "Only one! I will never return to my previous life! My days as a breeder have ended! What's more, I still have a bone to pick with you." She then held her right hand up vertically and extended her claws. "I've become quite skilled in the cooking arts. I'm gonna cook you nice and slow over a hot fire."
"What the...what was that about?! You know you can't take me on!" Zandria widened her stance, "I never go back on my word. I have vowed to bear the offspring of one man, and you're not him! And I WILL be using your body for tonight's meal!" She then charged the Machoke, bent on making him pay for what he did to her.
"Oh yeah?! Well let's see ya try it!" The Machoke dashed at her with his fist ready for a Focus Punch. "Forget you! I'm gonna smash ya to pieces! RAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" When they met in the center, they blazed past each other for a distance and stopped, but Zandria looked like a blur as she went. After a moment of them standing there, looking like they had lashed out on the run, the Machoke felt a wetness on his chest and looked down. There was a gaping hole in his chest with blood spilling down it. When he looked behind him, Zandria had his heart skewered on her claws. "I told you I was gonna cook you nice and slow over a hot fire. Just be glad you won't be alive to feel it." With that, the Machoke keeled over dead.
The audience burst into applause at the artistry of the kill. As Zandria hauled the corpse towards the lobby, Chiara choked, "I honestly believe she overdid it. Couldn't she have carved his heart out afterwards?" She looked a little green in the face. "Yeah. That was gross!" Ruby gagged. However, Cassandra was worried. (Lord Ashton...what will you do when you face Zandria?)
Back in the lobby, Ashton patted the head of Zandria, "Well done. To take him down with a single strike is not what I'd expect from anyone!" Zandria blushed, being grateful that he didn't hear their conversation. The announcer spoke, "Now that all contestants have been decided, shall we move on to the main event? First of all, does everyone have a weapon?" Everyone but Ashton and Zandria raised a hand. "I see. Well, Lord Ashton, allow me to present you with a variety of weapons to choose from. Bear in mind that you will have to return it in the end." The announcer led Ashton over to a wooden rack of many weapons. Ashton browsed them, eyeing short and long swords, daggers, spears, axes, even a few katana imported from the Far East. But at the end, he saw what he was looking for. A Claymore rested at the edge of the rack and seemed to be in good condition. About the same size as the Flamberge, it was a great sword designed as an anti cavalry weapon. Ashton picked it up and tested its weight. "This will be my weapon of choice."
The announcer continued, "Now then, Sir Ashton, you and your servant are up first, so out you go!" Ashton nodded and headed out to the battlefield with Zandria in tow. The crowd went wild at the sight of the most renowned knight in the kingdom dressed in light blue armor. Ashton always chose to wear lighter armor, choosing mobility over defense, preferring to use his weapon to defend instead of letting attacks hit him.
Once Ashton and Zandria were about 100 yards apart, the announcer shouted, "Let the first match begin!" Ashton took the Claymore in hand and said, "Well then, would you prefer me to go easy on you, Zandria?" However, she shocked him with a bloodthirsty glare. In a flash, she slammed into him with a Mach Punch, causing him to drop his weapon and roll a good distance away!
"LORD ASHTON! DON'T LET HER WALK ALL OVER YOU!" Laura screamed as Zandria closed in. However, when Ashton sat up, Zandria was in front of him with claws extended! He closed his eyes to prepare for the pain. However, he soon felt something touch his lips and opened his eyes in curiosity. He almost gasped to find Zandria kissing him gently. After a moment, she broke the kiss and looked endearingly at him and whispered, "Don't lose." With that, she collapsed weakly at his side.
The announcer came over to check on the two fighters and asked, "What happened?" Ashton shook his head, "She just passed out. What now?" The announcer chuckled and shouted, "The winner by default is Sir Ashton!" The crowd burst into applause as Ashton carried Zandria back towards the lobby. He whispered, "Why did you forfeit?" Zandria looked up at him, "I could never bring myself to hurt you. You should know that by now." Ashton chuckled at her feelings for him, knowing that he would have tried to avoid hurting her as well.
When the three of them got back to the lobby, the announcer stopped, "Oh my! What happened?!" With the exception of the mysterious cloaked figure, all the fighters were unconscious and looked injured. In a quiet voice, the figure spoke, "Some drunken thugs stormed the room during the match. I managed to send them packing, but they knocked out the rest." The announcer tried his best to awaken the unconscious fighters, but they were out like a light. "Hrrrmmmm...I suppose we have no choice but to proceed to the final match. Sir Ashton, you will be facing this fellow. Come with me." As the announcer and the cloaked figure headed out to the battle field, Ashton instructed Zandria to head up to the seats with the other girls.
Just as he was turning to head out to the field, something grabbed Ashton's ankle! "Ashton...wait..." It was Garyson. "What happened?! How could a bunch of drunkards hurt you like this?!" Garyson groaned, "That demon...the cloaked one did this to us...it used poison to make us sleepy and then attacked us. Whatever it is...it wants you..." Garyson fell asleep just then. Ashton took to heart that the opponent he was about to face was not a typical warrior.
When Ashton arrived at the center of the battlefield, Zandria had just made it to the seats. "Did I miss anything?" Cassandra gave her the evil eye, "You little sneak! I saw what you did!" Zandria then teased her, "Triple Chocolate cake with caramel filling." This wrecked her train of thought. "Oh yes! Don't forget! You hurt him, so I win!" "Yeah, yeah, I know! Now let's enjoy this battle!"
The announcer shouted, "Due to an unfortunate display of poor willpower, we have moved on to the final match. I know that you must be disappointed, but rest assured this will be a fight to remember! BEGIN!" The announcer ran to the sidelines to allow the two warriors to begin.
Ashton brought the Claymore to his side in order to slash the opponent if it attacked, but it suddenly spoke out, "Ashton, forfeit now. You can't defeat me." Ashton chuckled at the request, but calmly replied, "My apologies, but I can't do that. I was told to win, and that is what I shall do." The figure was silent for a moment, but began to quietly laugh. "And I suppose one of your pets told you that?" Ashton scowled at the cloaked figure. "Well, Beasts shouldn't be taken seriously, you know." Ashton clutched the hilt of his sword tightly. "I'll have you know that everyone who has called my family 'Beasts' has been slain by my hands. Soon, you will join them."
The mysterious figure reached inside its cloak and laughed, "You're every bit a caring fool that I've heard." It then drew out a pair of wave swords and curled them along the sides of the forearms. "Looks like I'll be claiming the prize money, as well as your bounty." Ashton gasped, "So, you took out all the other contestants just so you would face me sooner! And my bounty.....are you working for the Black Wing?!" The assassin laughed, "Not directly. But I will hand over your head to them for quite a bonus. Now then, Vulcan Warrior, are you ready to dance?" The figure then dashed towards him with the wave swords out at the sides! "The Dance of Death?!"Chapter End Notes:Further updates will take a while. I only updated this story due to oweing a friend in exchange for a beautiful pic