Precious Doll in This Ugly World [Pokemon Fanfic, 2015 PKMNWatties]

I'd Love to Change the World, But...

The meeting for the top Team Flare members, as well as her small talk with Lysandre, hadn't gone on too long. It had started around 6 and then ran into evening around 8-ish. From there, she debated with herself until she snuck over to Siebold's home. Lights were off, but she wasn't too concerned with that. She knew that it was an early day tomorrow for Siebold, so tonight he would go to sleep early. Ash liked to go to sleep at the same time, so she might be sleeping, but...

She found Ash's room from the outside, and rapped her knuckles against the glass panes of the window sharply. She heard a muffled sound from inside, before she saw Ash at the window. Grinning, Malva waved cheerily and pointed to the window. Ash only hesitated a moment, before she opened the window and Malva could talk to her better.

"Hey, you not sleeping yet?"

Ash shook her head, offering a small grin. "I was just grooming Pikachu. I can't sleep anyway."

Malva's grin widened. "Wanna sneak out and come with me somewhere?"

She hadn't expected Ash to shy away at that moment, looking at Malva warily. The usually cheery girl (though Malva suspected Ash had used to be more outgoing and happy than she was now) was suddenly looking at Malva like she was a Seviper that was going to bite her.

Malva's grin faltered and softened to a more reassuring smile.

"I won't hurt you and I won't let anyone hurt you," Malva silently promised to it. "Come on, Ash. You know me. It'll be fun! Maybe reckless, but you know I'm a crazy, reckless person," she winked at the girl.

Ash smiled a little, and Malva claimed that as a small victory for herself. She slowly reached out a hand to her, and Ash stared at it before looking at Malva.

"Where are we going?" she whispered.

Malva hid her flinch. "It's...a secret," she reluctantly said, hoping it wouldn't set Ash back.

Ash frowned, but then surprised Malva by carefully getting out of her window and then she was next to the older woman. Pikachu jumped out of the window and landed onto Ash's head, almost slipping off before he scrambled on to a more secure position.

"Okay," Ash still sounded hesitant. "Lead the way."

So Malva grabbed Ash's hand and tried to play up the playfulness to help Ash worry less. Outside of Siebold's villa, she had to hail down a cab before they were then moving away from Siebold's home and to Café Soleil.

"Let's have some ice cream sundaes first," Malva decided, thinking that maybe that would help loosen Ash up.

This was looking suspicious and she didn't want to upset Ash or make her afraid of her, even if for a second. Unfortunately, Lysandre was already in the café and at a table of his own, near the café's entrance and in front of the large window.

Malva gently directed Ash towards Lysandre's direction, feeling the girl stiffened up under her hands.

"Ash, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine and who you might recognize. Or at least his name. This is Lysandre from Lysandre Labs? He owns and created that company," Malva stopped right in front of her boss.

Lysandre gave a friendly smile, holding out his hand. Ash flinched at the movement. Though Lysandre noticed, he said nothing and didn't move his hand away, keeping it there until Ash eventually uncertainly reached out and shook it quickly, before snatching her hand back.

"It's nice to meet you, Ash," Lysandre said solemnly. "Malva's told me a lot about you."

But Malva, with a sinking feeling, noticed that Ash was starting to breathe heavily, was nervously glancing all over the café and repeatedly towards the café's entrance/exit the most, and was starting to ring her hands.