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The gift
After Ash's defeat and imprisionment, he began to try to lead a normal life. He had little money, no real home, only a walking stick that he owned, and useually a poorly paid job. This was the life of a big loser. He had lost pratically everthing. Reputation, Frends, and comrades. Many even did not know he lived, presuming that when he was beaten, he was killed. After numarous years, he began to wind down untill he was an old dog, by anyones standards. The only thing going for him was his health, mainly created in the years of keeping fit. Eventually, however, even this began to fail. One day, his legs finaly gave way, and he had to use a wheelchair, permantly on loan from the health service, as he could not afford his own. Eventually He had to give up his walking stick due to not using it. This ment a few things to him: He had to sell the last thing that linked him effectivly with his past, and he was ready to give up. the money he got for the stick effectivy paid for the wheelchair untill his demise. Having nothing but regrets, he began to welcome his end.
However, it was not nessasaraly to be. A week after having found out the worst at a medical clinic (He had at most a few months to live), he accepteed his fate. But fate was not as straightforward as that. A few days later he receaved a package specifically addressed to him (He lived in an old Furry home at this stage). Inside it he found what would appear to most an odd gift; A short letter, and the following stones; Amber, Chiaslalite, Moonstone, Dendritic Agate, Garnet and Quartz. Ash had to think a few days before he worked out the connection. As to the letter, the meaning and Author were crystal clear. All the letter said was "What do you think you are doing here?" Once Ash relised that together the stones could reverse his biological age, he had serious thinking to do. He had come to accept Death and even welcomed it, but this gift offered a risky alternative. It was risky because if he hadent the energy in his old age to pull off the stunt, it would drain him compleatly, untill there was nothing left. One of the main concerns that flowed through his head, however, was his past mistakes. For one, he could repeate them. He eventually decided that he could put them right, and attempted the effect. Suprisingly it worked quite well, leaving only the Shrapnel in his right foot, as it was metal. However, the whole process, drained him like nothing else had ever done...