26: The Fool's Tower

Hellbent

Chapter 26

The Fool’s Tower

Blake burst into the backyard where Andreas sat.

Blake: “I just called the Malones! Fucking Makayla rocked up and Ashley ran off somewhere! No one knows where he went!’

He huffed.

Blake: “I knew something was wrong when he didn't call today!”

He exclaimed.

Blake: “I knew something would happen. I knew I shouldn't have let him do this!”

He kicked up the dirt. Andreas rushed up to Blake.

Andreas: “Don't panic, Blake! Remember what I told you!”

He assured him, placing his hands on his shoulders.

Blake: “I know… Ashley needs to carve his own path.”

Andreas: “That's right. He's more capable than you think. He will be okay, Blake. I promise you!”

Blake: “How do you know?!”

He knit his eyebrows.

Andreas: “I just have this hunch…”

His voice trailed off, shuffling his cards.

Blake: “Tell me what's going on, Andreas…”

He laid out the cards with that intention set. He flipped over the cards to reveal ‘The Three of Swords’ ‘The Tower’ and ‘The Chariot’

Andreas: “His heart is hurting…”

He held up the Three Of Swords.

Blake: “Boy howdy. That bitch stabbed him in the heart and she went up there to finish the job.”

He huffed bitterly. Andreas pursed his lips at the three blades in the heart.

Andreas: “I don't think she's the only one...”

He sighed. Blake gave him an incredulous look.

Andreas: “Something is about to come crashing down...”

He held up ‘The Tower’

Andreas: “I wonder if it's what I predicted when we first met…”

He pondered, thinking back to that reading where he drew the Fool, the moon, and the tower for him.

Blake: “God, I hope it's that clown.”

Andreas: “Me too.”

He nodded, picking up the final card. Andreas: “He is riding into battle...”

He explained, holding ‘The chariot’

Blake: “Ash?! The pacifist doormat?! I think you picked the wrong card.”

He laughed. Andreas turned to Blake.

Andreas: “Are you sure about that?”

He placed his hand on his shoulder.

‘The two of cups’ fell out of his deck. Andreas smiled and held it up.

Andreas: “Rest assured, Ashley is in good hands. He has someone in his corner.”

Blake smiled with relief.

Blake: “You're right, he has Yvette there with him!”

He smiled a bit, feeling reassured.

Andreas: “I dunno… I get a weird vibe about her…”

Blake laughed and shrugged.

Blake: “Haha, yeah, she's a bit weird but harmless. She's a nice girl and she's good for Ash.”

He stated.

Andreas: “I don't know about that…”

Andreas stroked his chin, glancing down at the cards.

~

Ashley rode in Jaxon’s red 1985 Toyota Celica convertible with him as he sped through the streets beaming with Christmas lights. Ashley held his cat tightly as their long hair blew in the summer night breeze. Jaxon slammed his brakes as they reached the gates of the Malone Mansion.

Jaxon: “MAXXY MALONE!”

He rasped, tooting his horn. The security guard approached them.

Ashley: “He's with me.”

He held his hand up. The security guard nodded and let them in. Jaxon zoomed up the driveway and pulled up at the door. He scrambled out of the car and marched up to the door.

Jaxon: “GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!”

He bellowed as he barged in with Ashley, who cradled his cat in his arms, numbly staring down at his feet.

They heard a tiny gasp, followed by small footsteps rushing down the stairs. Ashley raised his gaze to see Yvette rushing towards them.

Yvette: “YOU FOUND HIM! It’s a Christmasu miracle!”

She screamed and wept, running towards them. Ashley brightened when he saw how much she cared.

Yvette: “YOU FOUND MY JIRO-KUN!”

She screamed, throwing her arms around Jaxon beside him and bawling into him. Ashley’s jaw hit the floor and he gaped at Jaxon. It was as if he had been kicked awake again.

Ashley: “WHAT?! YOU’RE JIRO?! Ohhh, you have GOT to be kidding me!”

He huffed, stomping his feet. Jaxon pulled away to examine her.

Jaxon: “...NARIKO?!?”

He awkwardly shifted his eyes.

Yvette: “YES, my love! I’m so happy you came back to me!”

She beamed, wrapping her arms around him. Jaxon yanked away from her.

Jaxon: “No, Nariko. I’m NOT coming back to you!”

He snapped. Yvette knit her eyebrows.

Yvette: “W-what?! B-but we were destined to be together!”

Her bottom lip trembled.

Jaxon: “Pfft. We were arranged to be together. I NEVER wanted to marry you!”

He huffed bitterly. Yvette trembled and broke down.

Yvette: “B-But, I love you, Jiro-Kun! I came all this way to find you!”

She cried. Jaxon staggered back, shifting his eyes.

Jaxon: “H-How the hell did you find me?!”

He gaped at her.

Ashley interjected.

Ashley: “Oh. She saw my missing posters around Selene Valley that I made with your photo on them…”

He began numbly. They both turned to him.

Jaxon: “WHAT?! There are posters around your city with MY face on them for SEX BEEST?!”

He rasped. Ashley sighed and pursed his lips.

Ashley: “Yeah… and when she realized you were Jiro, she got close to me to find you. When she figured out you were here in Swanton she wanted to come on this trip with me.”

He laughed bitterly. Jaxon gaped.

Jaxon: “Goddamn…”

Ashley: “...That’s what Makayla was trying to tell me before on the lawn…”

He pursed his lips.

Ashley: “You weren’t angry at that tape because of what Makayla did to me… you were angry because you saw HIM with someone else!”

He pointed at Jaxon and laughed bitterly.

Yvette: “NOOOO! THAT PROSTITUTER DRUGGED HIM! THAT’S WHAT MAYUMI SAID!”

She baweld.

Jaxon: “Prostitute?! My MOTHER?! How DARE she and how DARE you! Celeste is NOT a prostitute! I… I LOVE HER!”

He pouted.

Yvette: “NO! SHE DRUGGED YOU AND STOLE YOU FROM ME!”

She screamed. Jaxon gaped at her.

Jaxon: “NO! I LEFT YOU BECAUSE I DIDN’T WANT TO MARRY YOU!”

He snapped back at her.

Yvette: “NOOOOO! I don’t want you to marry HER!”

She bawled, falling to her knees.

Jaxon: “I don’t want to marry anyone!”

He snapped and groused.

Yvette: “GOOD, because she’s a prostitute! You don’t want to marry anyone else because you want to marry me!”

She sobbed. Jaxon glared at her.

Jaxon: “How DARE you speak about her like that! You’re a MEAN girl!”

He snapped at her.

Yvette: “I’m NOT mean! Makayla is mean! She hurt Ashley!”

She cried, pointing at Ashley. Ashley gaped at her.

Ashley: “YOU HURT ME, TOO! YOU LIED TO ME AND USED ME!”

He snapped, stepping closer to her. Yvette jolted, taken aback by his response.

Yvette: “Don’t be upset with me, Ashley! I-It’s nothing personal!”

She warbled, waving her hands around.

Ashley: “Not personal?! I cared about you and I thought you cared about me, too! You manipulated my feelings! How is that not personal?! Makayla was right, you are mean!”

He cried and embraced his cat in his arms. Yvette sobbed.

Jaxon: “Damn… that’s mean, Nariko.”

He added.

Yvette: “I’m not mean! I didn’t manipulate! Please don’t be upset with me, Ashleyyyyy!”

She bawled. Ashley gaped at her.

Ashley: “How can I NOT be upset?! YOU WANTED TO DRESS ME UP LIKE A WEIRD VIKING MAN LIKE YOU DID TO HIM! You were trying to make me into HIM!”

He cried through hot tears, gesturing to Jaxon. Yvette staggered back. Jaxon fumed.

Jaxon: “HEY! I’m NOT VARG either! I DON’T want to be a stupid Viking either!”

He huffed bitterly.

Jaxon: “Wow. She pulled her weird fetish crap on you, too?!”

He huffed at Yvette. Ashley drew a breath and nodded.

Yvette: “IT’S NOT A FETISH!”

She whined, stamping her feet.

Jaxon: “Whatever. I HATE that stupid Viking and his STUPID big feet!”

He bellowed at her. Yvette gasped at him.

Yvette: “DON’T YOU DARE INSULT VARG!”

She screamed, pulling out her feather sword and holding it up at Jaxon’s neck. Jaxon froze and held his hands up.

Jaxon: “...P-put that away, Nariko…”

He pleaded with her.

Yvette: “Say you’re SORRY and marry me!”

She commanded. Jaxon swallowed hard, feeling the tip of her feathered blade pressing against his neck.

Jaxon: “You don’t love me, you love that stupid big-foot Viking, so why don’t you marry that thing?!”

He hissed. Yvette tickled his neck with her feather sword in a cutting motion as if she were cutting his neck.

Jaxon: “Haha h ah aha ahaha AHAHA STOP THAT!”

He trembled to his knees. Yvette climbed on top of him and pulled off his Chelsea boots.

Yvette: “PEE-YEW! Your feet stink, Jiro-kun!”

She teased, pulling out a tiny fan and fanning her face.

Jaxon: “DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, NARIKO!”

He rasped. Yvette ripped his socks off his feet and tickled her feather sword all over his feet.

Jaxon: “HAHAHHAHAAHAA AHAHAAH GET OFF ME! STAAHAHP!”

He wailed and squirmed, scrunching his feet. Yvette brushed the feather sword up his shirt and across his toned tummy.

Jaxon: “NOOHOHOHOHO! HAHAH HAHA STAHAAHAHAHAP!”

Ashley cupped his mouth and reddened, shifting his eyes.

Ashley: “O-oh wow… haha. I think I miiiiiight have a tickling kink.”

He bit his lip under his hand and chuckled.

Ashley turned to his cat in his poncho.

Ashley: “We should let them duke it out together, Keke…”

He turned on his heel towards the stairs.

Ashley: “Let’s grab our stuff and get out of here!”

He stroked her head. Keke meowed as if she understood.

Yvette: “NOOOOO! YOU RUINED YOUR PERFECT BODY WITH A TATTOO! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO MEEEE?!”

She screamed at his dragon chest tattoo.

Yvette: “NOW YOU’RE GOING TO GET IT!”

She tickled him more intensely with her feather sword. Ashley rushed up the stairs as Jaxon’s laughter and whining filled the room.

Jaxon: “NOHOHOHOHO STOP! NARIKOHOHOHO! FUCK OHOHOHOHOFF!”

He rasped between laughter.

~

Ashley sauntered into his hamburger room, hastily packing away his belongings into his suitcase. He gently put Keke into her cat carrier with her blanket and smiled at her. He picked her up in her carrier and suitcase. He pursed his lips at the Viking tunic, hanging in the closet, leaving it behind as he headed for the door. Suddenly, he was halted by a fuming Maxx blocking the door.

Maxx: “OHH, NAH-AH, A-RAD! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING, YOU TRAITOR?!”

He screamed. Ashley felt the blood rushing through his body when he saw him.

Ashley: “AWAY FROM YOU AND YVETTE AND MAKAYLA!”

He cried, shoving past him with his cat and suitcase.

Maxx: “YOU BROUGHT JAXON HERE?!”

He screeched, blocking his path in the hallway.

Ashley: “Yeah, I found your missing bandmate. You’re welcome.”

He huffed, trying to shove past him again.

Maxx: “NAH-AH! YOU BETRAYED ME, A-RAD!”

He fired back. Ashley glared at him.

Ashley: “No. I outed your LIES! You have NO loyalty so you don’t know what betrayal is!”

He huffed and his breathing hitched.

Ashley: “YOU betrayed ME!”

He hissed through clenched teeth, gesturing to his chest.

Ashley: “I am SO done! I never want to see you again! I wish I never helped you! I was happy before I met you. You broke me!”

He snapped and swallowed hard, staring down at his hands and Sunshire tattoo as he trembled in agony. Maxx’s jaw dropped and he blocked his path.

Maxx: “NAH-AH! YOU CAN’T LEAVE ME, A-RAD! YOU OWE ME, FOR TRYING TO KILL ME, YOU MURDERER!”

He screeched and pointed his finger in his face. Ashley paused.

Maxx: “IF YOU LEAVE ME, I’LL TELL DA LAW AND YOU’LL GO TO PRISON!”

He screamed. Ashley drew a long breath.

Ashley: “...I don’t care anymore… So be it. I’d rather spend a lifetime in prison than another day with you, Maxx.”

He said calmly and shoved past him. Maxx gaped at him, bewildered.

Maxx: “W-WHA?! B-BUT! Y-you’re my best buddy, A-rad! You wanna rock out with me!”

He pleaded desperately. Ashley shook his head.

Ashley: “No… that ended when you flooded my home and you lost my mother’s necklace… the only reason it continued was because you threatened my life… not because I liked you. I don’t even like you AT ALL.”

He snapped in his face. Maxx gasped at him.

Maxx: “NAH-AH! YOU LOVE ME!”

He wailed. Ashley froze when an awful feeling dawned on him, a sinking feeling in his stomach.

Ashley: “...WAS it MY fault? Or was it just another MAXXIPULATION?!”

He clenched up and turned around on his heel to face him. Maxx gaped and scoffed at him.

Ashley: “I didn’t want to think you’d do that to me… but now I know your true colors and you totally DID! You knew I was done, so you ate my peanut cookies to flip the tables on me and make me look like a murderer!”

He snapped at him. Maxx gaped at him like one of those carnival clown games.

Maxx: “W-WHA?! NAH-AH! NO I DIDN’T! DON’T BLAME ME, A-RAD! YOU’RE A MURDERER!”

He shrieked, pointing his finger at him. Ashley drew a breath and shook his head.

Ashley: “That’s not going to work on me anymore. I’m not a sheltered, naive little hippie anymore. He’s dead now and I’m done with you.”

He huffed and shoved past him, marching down the stairs.

He entered the hall where Jaxon’s laughter greeted him as Yvette continued to tickle torture him.

Yvette: “MARRY ME!”

She pleaded with Jaxon.

Jaxon: “NOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!”

He wailed between short breaths as she tickled his feet with her feather sword.

Jaxon: “HEHEHELP MEEEEEHEHEHE!”

He pleaded to Ashley, looking up at him with tears. Ashley placed his suitcase and cat carrier on the floor to help Jaxon.

Ashley: “Come on, Yvette. That’s enough.”

He sighed exasperatedly, grabbing her shoulders to pull her off him. It had been a long day of intense emotions and he was tired and done.

Maxx swooped in, grabbing Keke’s cat carrier

Maxx: “NAH-AH! YOU’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, A-RAD!”

He waved his finger at him. Ashley froze and his heart sank.

Ashley: “KEKE! G-Give her back!”

He pleaded with him, marching up to him.

Maxx: “AH-AH! Only if you are my best buddy 4 lyf and NEVER leave me, A-Rad!”

He grinned, waving his finger at him and staggering back.

Ashley: “NO! GIVE HER BACK, YOU EVIL CLOWN!”

He cried, rushing up to him. Maxx glared at him.

Maxx: “NAH-AH! I’M NOT A CLOWN! NOW YOU’RE NOT GETTIN’ HER BACK!”

He shrieked and scurried through the house with her carrier in his arms.

Ashley: “KEEEEKEEEE!”

He cried as he chased Maxx through the house. Maxx ran through the French Doors leading into the backyard.

Ashley ran after him into the backyard. It was a large stone-tiled area with a luxurious diamond-shaped pool with water spouts shooting up on each side of the pool. Manicured lawns and hedges surrounded them as far as the eye could see.

Maxx stood on the other side of the pool.

Maxx: “NA, NA, NA, NA! You can’t catch me, FATTY!”

He cackled like a hyena, panting between short breaths.

Ashley: “You’re more out of breath than ME!”

He huffed and panted, glaring at him.

Ashley: “GIVE ME MY BAMBINA!”

He hissed through clenched teeth as he chased him around the pool like a cat chasing a mouse.

Maxx: “NAH-AH! YOU OWE ME, FATSO!”

He waved his finger at him, holding her carrier over the water. Ashley’s heart sank and he cupped his mouth in horror.

Ashley: “NO! KEKE! I HATE YOU!”

He screamed, throwing himself at Maxx, smacking her carrier out of his hands onto the lawn, and shoving them into the pool with a big splash.

Ashley and Maxx sank into the pool. Bubbles violently swarming around them. Maxx tugged at Ashley, sinking him deeper and drowning him with him. Ashley struggled against his pull and broke free of his grip, pushing him away from him as he swam back up to the surface. Ashley gasped for air as he broke free from the water’s surface. He swam over to the poolside, struggling to wrench his body out of the water.

Ashley: “KEKE!”

He cried and beamed. The sight of his beloved cat gave him the final ounce of strength he needed and he managed to wrench himself out of the pool. He rolled onto the ground, panting limp with exhaustion. He opened her carrier and held her in his arms, crying into her fur.

Ashley: “My little shining star and hope in the darkness!”

He cried, holding her close in his arms.

He looked over at the pool and noticed the water was now a dirty shade of orange from Maxx’s fake tan. A yellow object bobbed along in the pool, catching his eye.

Ashley: “W-what the?!”

Ashley picked it up and his face recoiled in horror when he realized what it was. Bubbles rose to the surface, followed by a loud gasp as Maxx emerged from the water, pale and bald with a buzzcut. Ashley cupped his mouth, wide-eyed.

Ashley: “...Wow… not even your hair was real. Everything about you was FAKE!”

He laughed bitterly and shook his head, presenting his tattered yellow wig to him. Maxx’s heart sank with a loud gasp.

Maxx: “WHAT?! NAH-AH! NOOO!! MY SEX BEEST MANE! GIVE IT BACK, B-FAT!”

He cried, covering his buzzed head in shame.

Maxx: “DON’T YOU DARE TELL ANYONE! I WILL DESTROY YOU, FATLEY!”

He seethed, splashing everywhere. Ashley shook his head and rose to his feet, standing over him as he bobbed in the pool.

Ashley: “Nah-ah. You can't blackmail me anymore. You tell the world what I did, then I tell everyone about your wig."

He said firmly, holding up the wig. Maxx glared at him.

Maxx: “HMPH WHATEVER! GIMMIE BACK MY SEX BEEST MANE, FATLEY! GO EAT YOUR STUPID HAMBURGERS!”

He whined and splashed around in the pool. Ashley shook his head.

Ashley: “You really knew nothing about me… but I know everything about you. As a ‘fatty’ like me would say, we're through like a drive-thru.”

He huffed and threw the wig at his head. He then picked up his cat and headed inside the house with her.

~

Ashley entered the main hall where Jaxon was on the verge of passing out from Yvette’s tickle torture.

Jaxon: “HAHA HAHAHOHO NO! I DOHOHON’T WANT TO MARRYY YOOOOU!”

He rasped between short breaths. Ashley sighed and gave him a sympathetic look. He empathized with being forced into a relationship he didn’t want as Maxx had done the same to him. He put down Keke’s carrier and marched over to Yvette.

Ashley: “He doesn’t want to marry you, Yvette!”

He said firmly and tickled her underarms to pry her off him.

Yvette: “HAAHAH ahheheHAHAH HEY!”

She gasped and fell back, rolling off Jaxon. Jaxon panted, catching his breath.

Jaxon: “THANK. YOU.”

He panted between exhausted but relieved breaths. Ashley knelt to him and helped him to his feet.

Ashley: “Let’s get out of here.”

He grabbed his cat and suitcase.

Jaxon: “I’m NOT leaving until I kick some clown ass!”

He huffed, clenching his fists, looking around for Maxx. Ashley frowned.

Ashley: “He’s not worth it, dude!”

He pouted bitterly. Jaxon hastily threw his socks and Chelsea boots back on.

Yvette rushed over to the door, blocking their escape.

Yvette: “NO! You’re NOT leaving me!”

She cried, holding her feather sword to them. Jaxon shuddered and swallowed hard, grabbing Ashley and huddling behind him. Ashley sighed.

Ashley: “Step aside, Yvette! Don’t make me use my ‘Ticklewondo’ on you!”

He huffed, holding his hands up. Yvette shifted her gaze to Ashley.

Yvette: “Hehehe! Oh, Ashley, you’re so sweet and funny like a kitten! I wish Jiro was as sweet as you and didn’t get corrupted by evil metal music and drugs!”

She giggled, holding the feather sword to Ashley’s neck. Jaxon rolled his eyes.

Yvette: “I wish you were more manly like Jiro though! If you and Jiro were one man smashed together, you would be the PERFECT man!”

She chirped, smashing her hands together. Jaxon gaped at her. Ashley shifted uncomfortably.

Ashley: “...I don’t want to be manly.”

He pouted.

Yvette: “Maybe I could marry you both and have a sexy Viqueen harem?!”

She stroked her chin, looking up at the ceiling. Ashley awkwardly shifted his eyes.

Ashley: “Wow… I can’t believe how wrong Blake was about you.”

He laughed awkwardly.

Jaxon: “Hmph. Why don’t you marry Varg The Viking?!”

He huffed bitterly. Yvette gasped.

Yvette: “Oooh! He can join us! I’ll make a robot Varg!”

She exclaimed. Ashley laughed awkwardly. Jaxon blinked mutely.

Jaxon: “Okay. That’s enough ‘crazy’ for today!”

Suddenly, Ashley and Jaxon were grabbed by the security guards. Susan came stomping into the room, mad as a hornet, holding a drenched Maxx in her arms, trembling from the cold pool water. His wig was back on his head, dripping with water. Jaxon burst out laughing at him.

Susan: “THEY TRIED TO DROWN MY SWEET MAXWELL! I’LL SUE YOU AND RUIN YOU!!”

She screamed and wailed, clicking her fingers at the door. Maxx grinned smugly.

Ashley: “Nice hair, Maxxy…”

He reminded him.

Maxx: “NAH-AH! GET THEM OUT OF HERE! NEVER COME BACK, FATLEY! IT’S OVER! WE’RE THRU LIKE DA DRIVE-THRU!”

He shrieked, flopping his hands at him.

The security guards dragged them both outside, throwing them outside. Ashley sighed and stroked his cat caught up in a paralysis of racing thoughts. Now what? He thought. What do I do, where do I go?!

Jaxon slid across the hood of his car as if he were in a movie and climbed into the driver’s seat.

Jaxon: “Fuck this, I’m going clubbing. Wanna come?”

He grinned at Ashley, putting his aviator sunglasses on.

Ashley: “No thanks… I need to be alone right now, but thank you.”

He flashed him a smile.

Jaxon: “Alright, suit yourself. Sayonara!”

He grinned and waved, zooming out of there.

Ashley: “Arrivederci, Jaxon.”

Ashley sighed and watched him go, waving him off. He felt like he just closed a chapter in his life and nothing would be the same again now.