Biggest shout-out to Jesus Christ, who saved a wretch like me. 🙏

Big shout-out to Serendipity's_Stock_Exchange for improving this with some rewording. Drastically improved the quality. A truly kind soul. Check out his story, "Out of Place and Out of Sorts." MHA fic, just so you know.

I hope you like this Christmas bit I did. It is completely non-canonical to any story I've written or anyone else has written. Entirely stand-alone. I've been stuck on my other fics, so this was a good break.

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"BRR! Wow, this got cold!" Ash commented with a hearty shiver, hanging on to Garchomp while cursing his lack of foresight to bring a proper jacket.

"Pika," his companion grumbled in his lap, his yellow fur being practically covered in snow despite Ash's best attempts to shield him.

The sight made him feel terrible, but even more so with the dragon they were currently riding, who wasn't overly fond of the freezing temperatures.

Casting an annoyed glance at the sky, Ash wiped some of the slush off of Garchomp's back and asked, "Hey, buddy, you holding up alright?"

The dragon gave a slight rumble in response, carefully concentrating on navigating them through the snowstorm that hit from out of nowhere, something Ash didn't quite understand. He'd been to just about every region in every season, but Johto was the one place where he didn't expect snowfall of this severity, except for maybe Alola or Hoenn.

The fact that it was quite dark outside did nothing to help, and he wondered what prompted him to even attempt to fly in this kind of weather.

Oh yeah, my mother.

Whatever caused this weather anomaly, however, he couldn't say, but he certainly hoped it wouldn't impede his journey. It was Christmas Eve, after all, and he was expected to be home for the holiday. No "World Monarch" title was going to save him from the wrath of his mother's sharp tongue if he missed it.

Sadly, it seemed the weather had other plans, and a massive gust of wind hit from nowhere, blowing the three to side the with the fury of a Legendary. It took all the willpower and skill of both Ash and Garchomp to prevent the former from falling off, and Pikachu would have also been blown away if it weren't for Ash reaching out and grasping his tail at the last moment.

As they leveled out once more, Ash held Pikachu close with one arm and quickly said, "That was close! Is everyone alright?"

Garchomp gave a careful nod despite the fact that he was clearly struggling, and Pikachu grunted out another, "Pika," which Ash interpreted to mean he was alright, but probably not too fond of his tail being grabbed like that. This was confirmed as Pikachu squinted at him before inspecting the appendage, and finding it relatively unscathed, settling back into Ash's lap.

"Sorry, buddy," Ash apologized, earning a shrug from the mouse. Pikachu had forgiven him, but if the trainer had been more careful and better prepared, it wouldn't have happened at all.

Resolving to do better, Ash scratched the back of Pikachu's neck as he looked over the side of Garchomp's body, seeing almost nothing through the pelting flurry.

As he opened his mouth to say something to Garchomp, they were hit by another gust of wind, and then another, and then another. If he wasn't so focused on making sure both he and Pikachu didn't fall off, he'd be tempted to say the gusts were deliberately pushing them.

But to where, and why? What could possibly want him to-

"Grow a spine, Chosen One, and return. Consider this a professional courtesy."

A mighty voice grumbled in his head, and he was left stunned before one more blast of wind finally managed to overcome Garchomp, sending them hurtling towards what he feared to be the surface of the water.

This was confirmed when Garchomp managed to level out mere feet above what sounded like splashing waves, although it was so dark that he was unable to tell if they were still flying above the coast, or over the ocean.

Deciding that finding his bearings was more important than figuring out the source of the voice or where exactly it commanded him to return to, Ash began struggling to come up with some sort of plan when he noticed what looked to be the soft glow of lights in the distance.

Were they near a town or city?

It certainly didn't seem likely, given what he remembered from the area, but perhaps he was mistaken. In any case, it seemed like it was a place where he and his Pokemon could rest. Firmly tapping Garchomp's shoulder, he shouted, "See those lights, Garchomp? Let's see if we can't get there, and get us all out of this cold!"

"Gar!" The dragon enthusiastically roared and began angling himself in that direction. As the lights became a little clearer by the second, Ash couldn't help but notice that the sound of the waves didn't seem to go away, and they didn't sound like they were slapping against the coast. Rather, it seemed like the trainer and his Pokemon were flying over open water, which didn't make sense to him in the slightest.

If they were headed for a city, why hadn't they noticed the lights before they were blown over the water?

The thought filled him with a sense of unease as a memory tickled the back of his mind. Canals, a Garden…the girl.

No…no, it couldn't be, he thought, now beginning to squirm above Garchomp, much to Pikachu's annoyance.

"Pikapi…" The mouse irritably said, prompting Ash to softly rub the top of his head.

"Sorry, pal, just thinking about something," he apologized as he stilled himself to the best of his ability. Even so, part of him really hoped they weren't headed back to the place he suspected. The amount of unresolved feelings associated with that city…

Is that what that voice was telling me to do? He thought as he bit his lip, doing his best to ignore the cold that was making its way through the relative warmth of his jacket. "Grow a spine and return…professional courtesy?" From who?

He didn't get much opportunity to think about it much more, as they soon arrived at the source of the lights, making him grimace with unease. As he suspected, they were in the one city he had hoped he could avoid: Alto Mare.

"Alright, Garchomp, there should be a plaza down there," Ash said in a resigned voice. "Let's see if we can't land there and get us all to a Pokemon Center."

The dragon gave a huff in acknowledgment while Pikachu looked up and asked questioningly, "Pika?"

He rubbed his head again and murmured, "Alto Mare, buddy. Alto Mare."

Pikachu stared wordlessly at him before snorting with a shake of his head as if to say, "Good luck."

Ash didn't need to guess what his partner was referring to; he expected his trainer to go back to them. But could he? After all this time? As the uncertainty came back with a vengeance, Ash couldn't help but think about the reactions he would likely receive if he tried to reunite with them. Disappointed, maybe. Hurt he took so long, most likely. Happy? Highly doubtful.

Holding back a sigh, he decided that these problems could wait until after the Pokemon Center, where he could hopefully have a very warm cup of cocoa and a seat that didn't threaten to chafe through his pants and groin.

Fortunately, both of these were about to be fulfilled soon, as it took no more than a minute for Garchomp to arrive at the plaza itself, startling the few people in the area as they looked up to watch their careful descent. Fortunately, the landing was smooth enough that Garchomp's weight didn't endanger the concrete's integrity.

With carefully practiced movements, Ash dismounted from the dragon and onto the snowy surface below.

What he hadn't practiced, however, was keeping his footing. The moment he touched the icy surface, he slipped and landed unceremoniously on his backside—hardly the dignified image his title suggested.

The onlookers winced as he groaned in pain, while Pikachu pointed and laughed at him as he, too, jumped down from Garchomp. In an act of karma, the mouse also slipped on the snowy surface, although he was considerably less hurt than he could have been due to his low center of gravity.

It did stop the mouse from laughing, however, and as Ash accepted Garchomp's helpful claw, Pikachu climbed up his body to resume his usual position on his shoulder.

"Thanks, Garchomp," Ash said gratefully, giving the land shark an affectionate rub on the nose, earning a gentle nibble in response. "Let's get you to that Pokemon Center. Rotom, if you would?"

The phone, carefully tucked away in his jacket, flew out and immediately floated in front of him with a map and directions to the nearest Pokemon Center already displayed on screen.

"Thanks, Rotom," he said before pulling out a ball and pointing it at Garchomp. "Return!"

Once Garchomp was recalled, he pocketed the ball and began following the directions provided by the Rotom, ignoring the stares of the people around him, hoping fervently they wouldn't recognize him. While it was unlikely with his current state of dress, he knew that an avid fan could recognize him outside of his standard televised get-up.

Still, given the few people in the area, Ash felt he didn't have much to fear. Hurry to the Pokemon Center, relax for a bit, then decide what to do about that particular family. But first…

"Rotom, would you call Mom, please?" He asked quietly, the phone obeying almost immediately. As it dialed, Ash kept his head somewhat down, only glancing up to make sure he was still following the phone.

"Honey?" His mother's voice came through, prompting him to look up to see her worried face. "Where on earth are you? You were supposed to be on your way back here."

"Sorry, Mom," he apologized, rubbing the back of his neck. "We were on our way back, but…"

"Grow a spine, Chosen One, and return."

"...we ran into a bit of a snowstorm," he continued, electing to not tell her about the voice, knowing it would not help her nerves. She was already looking concerned at his words.

"A storm? I thought you were flying through Johto," she responded in confusion.

"We were," he confirmed with a nod. "Up until the wind blew us…here," he finished lamely, earning a frown from her.

"Where is 'here'? Are you two alright?"

"We're alright, Mom," he replied, Pikachu nodding from his shoulder. "Just taking Pikachu and Garchomp over to the Pokemon Center to get them warmed up. The snow hit Garchomp pretty hard, and you know how he is with snow."

"Yes, I've helped that poor dear several times," she replied before pressing again, "but where are you? You never answered that."

Ash hesitated to reply; she knew how conflicted he felt about Alto Mare and certain people in it. Still, lying wouldn't do a thing for him, and he sighed before saying, "Somehow, the storm blew us all the way to Alto Mare."

'Somehow', yeah right.

His mother frowned in bewilderment. "That must have been quite the storm for you to end up there. I'm glad you're safe, though... how do you feel?"

Quite the question. How did he feel?

"...Alright, I suppose," he eventually said. "Just trying not to think about the last time I was here. Haven't run into any of them, yet."

"You aren't planning to, are you?" She guessed in a disapproving tone, making him wince from her perceptiveness. Sometimes, it didn't pay for her to know him so well.

"Er, probably not," Ash admitted, earning a swat from Pikachu's tail and a severe look from his mother.

Shaking her head, she sighed and continued in that same disappointed voice, "Ash Ketchum, I don't care how many trophies you win and what titles you have. You be a man, find them, and talk to them. For crying out loud, you have that drawing over your bed, don't you?"

"...Yeah…"

"Then you take that thumb out of your mouth and tackle this head-on. They deserve that much. And you do, too."

Ash hung his head and nodded in resignation. Unfortunately, she was right. He had to deal with this, and even if it made him uncomfortable to do so, he owed an explanation to them. Getting over his conflicted feelings would be another plus.

"Alright, Mom, I'll do it," he sighed in defeat. "But only after the Pokemon Center. I'd like these guys to get warmed up first in case we get a door slammed in our face later on."

"Don't be so dramatic," she chided. "I doubt they'd slam a door in your face just for staying away for so long."

Ash couldn't find himself agreeing. Bianca tried to get Latios to kill him just for being in the garden, although he couldn't exactly tell his mother that.

"You don't know Bianca like I do, Mom," he all but whined, earning a small smirk from her.

"Oh, I know I don't. But maybe once you actually talk to her, I can meet her."

He didn't like the way she said that, nor the implications. However, he couldn't confront her about it, or she'd undoubtedly start making things worse with nonstop teasing.

"Sure, Mom, I'll see what I can do," he muttered, earning a soft laugh from her.

"You learn fast, dear. Now hurry up with everything! I still expect you to be here by evening tomorrow. Have fun in the meantime!"

Ash shook his head and replied, "Sure, Mom. I'll try. I'll talk to you later. I love you."

"I love you, too, sweety. Bye, Ash! Bye, Pikachu!"

"Pika!"

"Bye, Mom!" Ash said, pinching the brow of his nose once the call ended. Glancing at Pikachu, he muttered, "Well, I guess that settles that. Looks like we're seeing them, not that I know how to find them."

"Pika Pika-chu."

Ash looked affronted and replied, "Hey, even if it hadn't been so long, I still wouldn't be able to find my way back. This place is confusing! Although…maybe Nurse Joy can help?" He wondered aloud, not knowing if the healer was privy to certain people's addresses. It was then that they turned the corner, seeing the red glow of the Pokemon Center just down the street.

"Awesome!" He cheered, giving a nod to the floating phone. "Thanks, Rotom, I can take it from here."

In a blur, the haunted device was tucked back into his jacket, and Ash began power-walking his way to their destination, eager for some proper warmth.

He shot through the double doors, scattering snow across the welcome mat as he brushed off the accumulated flakes. Pikachu shook the snow from his fur as well, and together they left behind an impressive puddle of slush.

Ash immediately cringed and looked towards the counter in guilt to see a bored Nurse Joy rolling her eyes as she waved them in.

"Don't bother with the Growlithe eyes routine," the woman snorted dryly. "We are an island city with canals; do you really think we would forget to account for this?"

"Er…"

Truthfully, Ash did think that, and it was only when he glanced at the puddle that he noticed the water was already being drained away via cleverly hidden holes in the floor.

How did I ever become World Monarch?

Rolling the question around in his mind, Ash began making his way towards the counter, pulling out Garchomp's ball in the process.

"Hey, Nurse Joy, could you take a look at Pikachu and Garchomp, please?" He asked as he placed the ball on the counter, Pikachu jumping off of his shoulder and landing beside the sphere a moment later.

The nurse nodded as she gave him another glance, which turned into a double-take even as she began reaching for them, seemingly finally recognizing him.

Ash winced at this, his hopes of being at least somewhat incognito dashed into the ground like a Flying-type under Gravity. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair as she began, "You're—"

"Yeah."

"Here, in Alto-"

"Mare. Yup."

"...Why?" She then managed to ask, still not moving from the desk despite Pikachu looking greatly annoyed.

Ash shrugged and replied, "The snowstorm. Blew us all the way from the coast to here. Well, close enough to here that we saw the lights, anyway—but you seem very calm about this."

She gave a wry smile at his comment. "Pays to be professional. Literally. And while I admit that I'm currently freaking out on the inside with you being in my lobby, I imagine you'd rather I take a look at your Pokemon. That icy wind must have hit Garchomp harder than you liked. I'll take a look at both of them, then."

Joy gave him another wide-eyed glance as she took his Pokemon and headed into the treatment room, leaving Ash alone in the lobby. While he still had misgivings about being away from Pikachu, he knew better than to get in the way of a nurse, no matter what titles he had. As such, he had little choice but to wait.

Fortunately, there were plenty of seats open. In fact, all of the seats were open, which explained Joy's boredom.

"Can't imagine many people or Pokemon that need treatment on Christmas Eve," he muttered, drumming his fingers on the table in front of him. Of course, his very presence was a testimony to the opposite effect, but still, working during the holidays must suck.

In fact, he-

-froze, seeing a mural on the wall opposite of him. He hadn't seen it at first, due to his wandering thoughts, but now…he couldn't help but wonder what he and Pikachu were doing on the wall. Especially with his Alolan attire. Could it be…?

As he continued to stare at the mural, Nurse Joy was already walking out of the room with the ball in hand and Pikachu in tow.

Ash tore his eyes away from the painting in time to see Pikachu run up, perching on his shoulder with a wave of his tail. "Hey, buddy," he greeted. "Looks like you guys weren't all that banged up after all if you're already back!"

"Indeed," the nurse agreed as she handed him the ball. "Garchomp is quite lucky, I'd say. Or just exceptionally tough, which I'm inclined to believe. Barely any damage to his skin, although you should be careful in case he catches a cold. Likewise, Pikachu should try and stay as warm as you can keep him. If you'll be staying the night, I can prepare a large tub of warm water for them both," she offered.

Ash hesitated for a moment, pursing his lips as he gave it some thought before nodding. "Sure, that sounds good."

"Excellent, then I'll book you into the system," the nurse said as she turned and moved back to the desk and began punching his information into the system.

As she did so, Ash once more stared at the mural, this time prodding Pikachu and pointing it out.

"Check it out, Pikachu. That's us, for some reason…"

"Oh, that?" Nurse Joy said from behind, getting their attention. "Yeah, that was done a few years ago by a rather skilled young lady. Wanted to do something for a rather bare wall, and I agreed."

Ash blinked at this information, only for her to continue with a small snort, "Then, you go and win that World League Whatsit, and she comes in that same day and glares at her own painting before storming off again."

"That…sounds like Bianca," he chuckled awkwardly, calling upon his memory of her glaring at him when he attempted to follow her. However, he was unsure how to react to this information. She painted him…and then glared at the painting when he claimed the title of World Monarch?

Talk about confusing.

"Oh, you know her?" Nurse Joy asked in surprise as she looked up from her computer.

"Yeah, we were…" He began, only to trail off. Acquaintances? Friends?

A gentle kiss near his lips, a ghost of unknown feelings before the sound of feet slapping on wood faded into the distance.

…More?

"...we met," he finally said, feeling discomfort in his words.

Nurse Joy pursed her lips as she glanced between him and the mural before going back to what she was doing on the computer.

"I see," she said in a thoughtful voice. "We've talked about a few things, here and there-"

Probably about Latias.

"-but you were always a source of confusion for us both, I must admit," she said, catching his attention.

"Confusion? How so?"

Joy narrowed her eyes as she thought about her answer. "Well, I never really know what she thinks about you," she finally said. "And I don't think she does, either. I'm not going to spill her secrets, but I could never tell what she was so angry about. But if you two have met, I can only assume you did something to make her upset?"

"Does not coming back for eight years count?" He asked delicately.

She stared at him upon hearing this with the driest look he has ever seen. They only broke eye contact when she rested her forehead in her hand, massaging it. In a defeated voice, she asked, "I can only assume you were at least friends, then. I think I can also assume you never bothered to contact her in any way in these eight years."

At least friends…

"Er, friends, yeah," he awkwardly responded. "And…no, I haven't."

"Pika."

Joy took a deep breath and held it for a few moments, and slowly released it as she shook her head. "...What are you going to do now?"

Ash tilted his head at the unexpected question. "Er, try and find her, I guess? Her and her family," he quickly added, prompting both Joy and Pikachu to snort.

"Good," she replied in a satisfied voice. "Because if you don't, I'm going to contact every Pokemon Center within the next two hundred kilometers and tell them to ban you from entering. Not your Pokemon, just you."

Ash blinked at this. "But I'm the World Monarch."

"I don't care," Joy said flatly. "Now, you probably need the address, don't you? Unless you know of any other place where they could be."

Immediately picking up on what she was laying down, the trainer pushed aside both the threat and her knowledge of the Garden and shook his head. "Unfortunately, I don't remember how to get there. It's been too long."

"And who's fault is that?" She questioned, eyes flashing at his response. Before he could reply, she bulldozed ahead in a resigned voice, "In any case, I'll upload the directions to your phone, if you brought it with you."

Wincing at her accusation, Ash nonetheless nodded, even as the Rotom phone once more flew from his jacket and over the counter, where Joy held up another device to it. After a subtle beep, Rotom flew back to him and resumed a map-ready position in front of and above his head.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," he said, getting a small nod from her.

"Don't mention it," she said. "Or do, so she'll come by and paint more of these walls as thanks. Heavens know they need them, and she's the only one I trust to do it. Good luck, now."

"Thanks!" Ash said once more, before turning and heading to the doors. Moments before he was about to step outside, she treated him to a few more stern words.

"Oh, and another thing," Joy said, making him squirm as he glanced back at her. "If you disappear from their life again with no form of contact, I'll still have you banned. Have a good night."

Pikachu snickered as Ash ducked his head in embarrassment, although the nurse was now pretending he didn't exist, leaving him to give one last awkward goodbye before stepping out into the cold night.

As the doors closed behind him, the trainer couldn't help but scuff his feet before slowly moving himself in the direction Rotom provided, his mind swarming with thoughts.

Bianca never forgot him, it seemed, although her being angry with him wasn't exactly a fantastic alternative. Furthermore, in a rather paradoxical manner, she still saw fit to paint his likeness on the Pokemon Center wall. Was this of her own volition, however, or was she paid or ordered to?

"That seems to be the most likely case," he mused to himself, ignoring Pikachu's inquisitive look. "She doesn't want to paint me, but she had to. That has to be it."

While it made sense, it did nothing to ease the feeling in his stomach. Rather, it made it worse, and his feet scraped mindlessly through the snow as he tried to sort himself out, unsuccessfully.

What if this was some kind of mistake? If she's angry, then why am I going back? Was it the voice? My mom? Guilt? What if they really don't want to see me? What if she doesn't want to see me?

As doubts and insecurities began plaguing his mind, Ash cursed himself with everything in him. Why couldn't he have just grown a spine to begin with instead of being told to by an ethereal voice years after it became relevant? He braved countless dangers, but talking to the Alto Mare family after his departure sent him running for the hills?

As he debated deliberately slipping and knocking himself out, they stepped back into the open plaza, and Ash took a moment from wallowing in his cowardice to have a proper look at the sight.

It would be impossible to not appreciate the city, particularly with the snow. The last time he was here, it was in the warm summer months, and the thought of snow was almost laughable.

Now, though…

"It's beautiful…" He whispered, taking in the sight of the lamps softly glowing through the snowfall, lightly illuminating the buildings they were mounted upon. The Christmas tree in the center of the plaza looked especially impressive, the antique lights proving to provide a much more homely sight over the glaring LED bulbs he was accustomed to with most other trees this time of year.

Perfectly completing the picture were the people and Pokemon playing around the area, the children laughing and giggling as they ran around in the snow alongside their companions. The adults watched on with smiles, with some even joining in on the fun.

Yet, despite the warm feelings sparking in him at the sight, it was just another shovelful on his growing heap of shame.

Did he really miss all of this? How many times could he have seen something like this had he just… come back?

Then again, how often did it snow in Alto Mare? Johto was often at least mild in temperatures, and while it was certainly a little chilly in the winter, it didn't seem like a region that could provide snow to this capacity.

As Ash dipped into a side street, he was somewhat relieved to find that snow was having a little more difficulty in piling up, likely due to the close quarters environment and roof—FWOOMP!

What felt like a gust of air zipped by, which had the unfortunate side effect of losing a section of snow and causing it to fall straight onto both trainer and Pokemon, with only Rotom managing to detect and dodge the oncoming projectile.

Ash lay on the ground and stared into the sky, vaguely wondering if this was somehow karma for not coming back as Pikachu struggled to crawl his way out of the pile of snow. Given the supernatural wind that had blown him here in the first place, he also considered the possibility that whoever that had been was responsible for this.

"Great," Ash grunted as he began picking himself up off the ground. "The very wind itself is being petty. Pikachu, I'm not liking our chances."

"Pika Pikachu," the mouse accused as he shook himself off.

His partner's words made him grimace. "My chances. Thanks for reminding me," Ash muttered as Pikachu climbed up his back, the two resuming their journey, battling the urge to turn around and run away. Yet, Ash felt himself wanting to continue. It was as though a magnet was pulling him along.

But what was the magnet?

The boat pulled to a stop next to the docks, and a twelve-year-old Ash climbed out in time for a girl—either Bianca or Latias—stopped just in front of him, panting, clutching a rolled-up paper. As she handed it to him, the girl then leaned forward and placed a kiss on the corner of his lips, before pulling back and smiling at him affectionately. Then, she took off once more, only sparing a final glance back at him before disappearing into an alley.

Unrolling the paper revealed a wonderfully drawn work of art, depicting him with Pikachu perching on his shoulder.

Ash bit his lip at the memory. He still had that particular piece, of course, pinned just above his bed. A constant reminder of his adventure in the city, and the kiss he received along with it. A kiss that, despite pulling him to Alto Mare, also kept him away.

Because to this day, he still had no idea who kissed him.

If it was Latias, then this reunion could get really awkward. He really liked the time he spent playing with the energetic Legendary, but not that much. Plus, she was a Pokemon, and while he valued them just as much as people, dating one…Well, it wasn't exactly his thing. Plus, she was sixty years old and still acted like a kid. Not only would she outlive him many times over, but by the time he died, would she even mature beyond that childlike nature? On top of it being weird and creepy on his part, it wouldn't be fair for her, either.

No, he wasn't going down that route. However, if it was from Bianca…

Well, it still didn't exactly reduce the likelihood of an awkward reunion, sadly. If she got over her affection, then…he didn't know what to do, if she had even felt that way towards him. They'd probably dance nervously around each other, not knowing what to say. If she hadn't gotten over her affection, they would…probably still dance around each other.

Then again, what Nurse Joy said about the artist glaring at his mural didn't exactly give him the impression that she had any fondness towards him, despite the fact that she painted it.

Then, Rotom beeped, signaling that they had arrived at their destination, and the phone retreated back into his pocket, leaving Ash alone with his thoughts and a rather silent electric rat as he stared at the door.

What was he going to do?

Ash lifted his hand to knock, which he failed to steady as it shook nervously. He let it drop and took a few heavy breaths, trying to calm himself. He can do this.

He raised his hand again…and then let it drop. He tried again, only for the same thing to happen. It was at this point he could feel Pikachu slowly turn his head towards him and glare, which was a warning to hurry up.

Then, he received the shock of a lifetime, and it wasn't from Pikachu.

"You know, it's not going to knock itself," a familiar elderly voice suddenly sounded from behind him, making him whirl around to face the source of it.

There, standing ten feet from him, was Lorenzo, sporting thick flannel and a cane upon which he heavily leaned. The portly man hadn't changed much in the past eight years, although his face featured more wrinkles than Ash remembered, and the man was now looking up at him rather than the reverse.

"L-Lorenzo!" He managed to stammer out. "It's good to see you again. How are you, and…er, the girls?"

"Well enough, I suppose. I'm getting older; they're getting older." Lorenzo replied as he slowly hobbled closer, carefully inspecting the trainer after stopping in front of him. "Meanwhile, you look like you've barely aged a day, apart from you being taller than me now."

"Er, yeah," Ash laughed nervously. "I guess I've gotten a little taller."

Lorenzo huffed. "A 'little', huh? I see Pikachu has also hit the gym. Seems you've had some developments since you've been gone these past eight years."

Ash winced at that, immediately understanding what the man was really saying. It didn't help that he felt Pikachu's own judgmental stare from his position on his shoulder. He didn't have any kind of defense that would fly, either; he doubted his reasoning would be accepted to any degree.

Instead, he merely sighed and nodded, responding in an even, albeit shameful tone, "...Yes. Um, sorry about that."

The poor excuse of an apology made him wince even as it came flying out of his mouth. He was going to have to provide something a lot more heartfelt than that, and from the expression Lorenzo was giving him, it was clear the older man was of the same opinion.

Fortunately, it seemed Ash wasn't going to be grilled quite yet, as Lorenzo simply grunted before jerking his head towards the door. "Well, in we go, then," he said. "I know a couple of girls that would like to see you again."

As Lorenzo hobbled past him and began unlocking the door, Ash suddenly shivered as a wave of unease struck him out of nowhere. The man could have either meant it genuinely, or he was in danger of getting gutted.

My fault for not having the courage to come back for so long, I suppose, Ash thought to himself as the door then swung open, letting in the panting Lorenzo. The man waved away Ash's concerned expression, calling out, "Bianca! We have a guest here. Come on down."

As he carefully stepped into the house and closed the door behind them, Ash's stomach formed a slight knot as a vaguely familiar voice shouted back from the staircase in confusion, "What do you mean, a guest? We never have guests."

There was the sound of a bedroom door opening before the inevitable footfall as the girl he hadn't seen in eight years began making her way down the stairs, each second filling Ash with greater unease.

He saw her legs first, obviously, before more of her came into view even as she grumbled, "I swear, if she got into…trouble…" Bianca trailed off as she came off the last step and turned towards them, staring straight at Ash with an unreadable expression.

He was likewise staring at her, unable to properly form words. He could admit to himself that he considered her cute back then, but now…

"Um, hi," he finally managed with a small wave, barely registering the slight smack as Pikachu facepalmed. Bianca didn't say anything, and after a few more seconds of staring, she slowly turned and walked back up the stairs as if in a trance, dragging Ash's eyesight along with her until he remembered Lorenzo was there.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Coughing into his fist, he looked away from her departing form and didn't even dare to look at her grandfather until the unmistakable sound of a door closing filled the now silent air.

Lorenzo merely snorted and remarked, "It might be some time before she's ready to come down. In the meantime, hang out down here while I go fetch the other one. She'll be a lot more receptive, I think."

Ash nodded mutely as the man hobbled off, biting his lip as he wandered over to the sofa and sat down. As much as he'd like to go to the Garden himself, something prevented him from asking to go along. What it was, he couldn't say.

He glanced at the staircase again as Pikachu jumped from his shoulder and began exploring, ignoring his trainer's contemplative expression. He knew he had been gone a while…alright, a lot longer than just "a while", but nonetheless, her reaction was…somewhat surprising. Lorenzo had said both Latias and Bianca would want to see him again, but given the latter's behavior, Ash was almost convinced the only reason she wanted to see him was to knock him upside the head.

Hopefully Latias wasn't of the same mindset.

Tapping his foot, Ash looked away from the stairs and finally took in his surroundings, appreciating the care that was put into the house for the holiday. The many decorations were tastefully placed, and a good portion even appeared to be hand-crafted, and he vaguely wondered if Bianca made some of them.

The trainer walked to the fireplace and gently picked up a small figurine set amongst several others: a woman, cradling a baby. He didn't know the significance of it, but nonetheless, he carefully set it back where he found it.

His eyes then wandered over to the tree, the true centerpiece of it all. Much like the tree in the plaza, the strings of lights appeared to be of an old make, giving off a pleasant light source that didn't attempt to destroy his retinas. The ornaments also looked to be hand-made, and-

What…is that?

Getting up, he approached the tree and leaned in, staring at one particular ornament that was smack-dab in the middle of the tree. A typical spherical ornament, with the image being anything but typical. A small painting depicting him holding up the trophy he won at the end of the World Coronation series, marking him as the new World Monarch.

It was very well done, but what confused him was that it was there at all, considering how the one he suspected made it was behaving. First he hears she wants to see him, then she retreats when she does, then he finds an ornament of himself on the tree that was most likely painted by her?

What was going on in that brain of hers?

"Hey Pikachu, come look—OOF!" He began to say, only to grunt as a large ball of something impacted him from behind, nearly knocking him into the tree and the presents that were stacked below. At the same time, there was a strange tickling sensation in his brain before a loud voice echoed in his head.

"AASSHH! You're back!"

Blinking away the disorientating feeling, he looked down as a squeezing sensation became apparent around his midsection. Immediately, he smiled and laughed as the two red and feathery paws loosened just enough for him to turn around and face Latias, who nuzzled into his chest.

"Hey, Latias! It's so awesome to see you again! And… you talk, now?!" He exclaimed excitedly, deducing that the voice in his head could only have come from her.

Backing off somewhat, the dragoness beamed and nodded, letting go of him only to do a few rolls in midair.

"Mhm! Sure can! And it's awesome to see you, too!" She cooed as she stilled long enough to clap her paws together. "And here I was thinking you'd never come back! Same with Bianca, really. Actually, where is she?" Latias asked as she spun around, not seeing Ash wince as she looked around for her friend.

"Er, she went back to her room after she saw me," Ash replied, bringing Latias' attention back onto himself.

Tapping her index claws together, Latias giggled nervously. "Ah, yeah, I'm…not really surprised. Don't worry, I'll go get her. Then you can tell us what you've been up to! BI-AN-CAAA!"

Ash couldn't help but laugh as Latias called out in a sing-song voice, floating over to the staircase. His laughter stopped a moment later when Bianca's strained voice echoed down, "Not now, Latias!"

It was both familiar and alien to him; he could remember just about everything she said to him, and the way she said it. Hearing her sound so…

He didn't even know. How could he presume to know what she was feeling based on a voice he hadn't bothered coming back to in years?

A subtle movement to the side brought Ash's attention to Lorenzo, who had made his way back into the house and was now listening with an amused and knowing expression.

Latias, on the other hand, puffed her cheeks in a pout and began literally flying up the steps as she shouted, "Young lady, if you don't come out of that room right now, I'll drag you out myself!"

"Oh, I'm so afraid—hey, wait!"

Bianca's sarcastic comment was cut short by the sudden slam of a door flinging open, accompanied by a startled squawk and angry shouts. Her voice raging out, "Let me go! I don't want to go down there right now!"

"Yes, you do," Latias countered as they floated into view, literally, as Bianca was a foot off the stairs with a blue hue surrounding her twisted expression and crossed arms. Ash didn't know whether to laugh or run away, although he was very much tempted to do the latter when Bianca pointedly looked away from him when she noticed his presence.

"You know, Latias, I was hoping she would come down herself," Lorenzo remarked with a snort, getting a snort from the dragoness.

"Please, we both know she would have spent the entire time sulking up there if I hadn't intervened," she replied, before cooing as Pikachu came around the corner, scooping him up. "There's my little electric mouse!"

"Pika Pikapi…"

"So cheeky! We already have one person with a bad temper."

Her comment earned a glare from Bianca as the artist snapped, "And for good reason. Of all times, he chooses now to come back? Do you think you're some sort of gift to us or something?"

Ash flinched at that, feeling cowed as Bianca finally looked at him, knowing the real reason he was here was so much worse than her presumption. Yet before he could open his mouth, Latias interjected with a cheerful voice, "I don't know; he seems like a pretty good gift to me."

Her comment nearly made him grimace, thinking back to his maelstrom of emotions on the way here. Please let it not have been Latias…

"Of course you'd think that," Bianca replied with an eyeroll before once more glaring at Ash. "You didn't answer my question, so I'll ask it plainly this time: Why did you choose now to come back?"

Ash closed his eyes in resignation, hoping it wouldn't have come to this so soon. Sadly, it did, and he opened his eyes to face the music, sighing in a defeated voice, "I…I didn't."

The look of anger on Bianca's face had momentarily turned to one of bewilderment, and Latias was likewise looking confused.

"What do you mean, you didn't?" The dragoness asked as she cocked her head.

Her innocent voice brought back all the accumulative guilt from the past eight years, and Lorenzo must have picked up on what he was getting at, hobbling into the kitchen and muttering, "I'm going to need a stiff drink."

"Well?" Bianca demanded as her grandfather disappeared, making Ash bite his lip. Pikachu was giving him a very judgmental and expectant look, as if to say, "Well? You dug your grave; now lie in it."

Taking a deep breath, he looked at both Latias and Bianca and confessed, "I didn't choose to come here. I was on my way home, and the storm…the storm blew me here."

The peculiar nature of said storm was of little importance, and he doubted it would have eased the girls' growing looks of hurt and anger to any degree.

"You're here…by accident?" Bianca all but raged, gritting her teeth as she stared at him with angered disbelief.

Latias, meanwhile, drooped in the air, her wings sagging as she tearfully asked, "You…you didn't even mean to come back?"

Ash's silence was all they needed.

The dragoness sagged further in the air, looking away from him and down at the ground. Bianca was shaking, and he half wondered if she was about to run or start raining fists upon his face. He was almost relieved when she chose the former, as he didn't think he could bring himself to stop her.

However, she was immediately halted in her tracks by Lorenzo's cane, and they turned to see the man calmly sipping a glass of whiskey.

"Let me leave, Grandpa!" Bianca hissed as she tried to move the cane out of the way.

"No," Lorenzo simply said, earning a glare from his granddaughter as her eyes began watering at an alarming pace. "We're going to talk in the kitchen, you and I. Latias, go with Ash into the living room."

Latias glanced at the man before nodding slowly, drifting past them and snagging Ash's sleeve along the way, not looking at him as she dragged him into the living room. At the same time, Lorenzo managed to convince Bianca to follow him into the kitchen, and the man began speaking in a voice that was too quiet for Ash to hear.

When the dragoness had taken the trainer where she wanted him, she gently pushed him into a seating position before backing up some distance and leaving the two in relative silence.

Pikachu sat at a respectful distance, although Ash had to resist the urge to shoot his Pokemon a glare after the mouse gave him another look of, "Your fault."

Then, Latias finally spoke.

"So…why didn't you want to come back?" Latias asked in a voice that betrayed her persistent pain, her eyes searching his for answers.

"I..." Ash began, feeling a little lost as he tried to find the words. "I failed you," he finally admitted. "All of you. If I had just been a little bit faster, I could have-"

A claw on his lips stopped him there, and Latias looked at him with a gentle sadness. "Hey," she softly chided. "We already told you that you aren't responsible for my brother's death. There was always a risk of death involved with this job."

"Yes, but—"

"But nothing," she interrupted. "Both of us knew those risks, and both of us were willing to die to protect this city. Thanks to you, his sacrifice wasn't in vain. You may not have prevented his death, but you prevented tens of thousands more, and I know which one he would have preferred."

Ash let out a heavy breath as all the guilt he had carried with him was taken off of his shoulders, and he sagged into her feathery chest as she gently hugged him.

"Thank you," he mumbled, getting a gentle giggle in response.

"You're welcome, but stop doing that; it tickles," she teased, and he pulled back with a quick apology. She waved it off, and he was relieved to see the hurt was gone from her eyes as she looked at him gently. He was a little less relieved when she asked, "Since that's out of the way, is there any other reason you didn't find your way back?"

His cheeks slightly warmed as he thought about his response, glancing between her and the kitchen before mumbling, "Er, it's…um…well…"

Her gaze never let up, although the hurt was now tempered by curiosity at his embarrassment.

Steeling himself, Ash finally muttered, "I was…confused, and…and I didn't know how to deal with the kiss."

"The…kiss?" Latias slowly said, before snorting violently. "Wait, so you're telling me that little kiss kept you away all this time?"

"Er, yeah," Ash admitted. "I'm not very good at that kind of stuff, and also…I honestly didn't know if it was you or Bianca that did it."

Latias' head pulled back a little at this, her feathers ruffling as she spluttered, "You seriously couldn't tell?"

"Er, no? Both of you were pretty friendly to me…at least once Lorenzo vouched for me."

She stared at him for a few moments before glancing towards the kitchen. When she looked back at him, she gently grabbed his jacket in her claws and pulled him in the direction of the staircase, murmuring in his mind, "I want to show you something."

"Okay…?" Ash murmured, allowing himself to be pulled up the stairs, unsure of what to say. Pikachu trailed closely behind, exchanging a glance with him as they ascended. Latias finally stopped when they reached a room with its door slightly ajar.

"Go on and have a look," Latias prompted, gently shoving him forward and making the door creak as he was pushed into the room. What he saw left him frozen in surprise.

"Uh…" Ash muttered as he stared at the contents of her room, at a loss for words.

It wasn't necessarily the sheer amount of paintings that left him in such a state; those he could understand and connect with in a way. Rather, it was the fact that at least half of them were of him, many depictions of him and his Pokemon mid-battle at his various league battles. The two biggest paintings in the room were of his Alola and World Coronation victories, the latter easily being as wide as he was tall.

Latias stifled a giggle behind him as he blinked in stunned disbelief at the scene before them, the dragoness clearly delighting in his bewilderment. However, their attention was drawn away as they heard Bianca yelp as she thundered up the stairs, "Get out, get OUT!"

Ash barely had time to react before she grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the room, causing him to stumble and nearly step on Pikachu's tail as the door slammed shut behind them. Regaining his balance, he looked up to find Bianca standing firmly in front of the door. Her face was flushed a deep red, her expression a mix of anger and embarrassment, as she stared at the floor with such intensity it seemed as though she might set it alight.

The only thing that broke the awkward silence was Latias' muted giggles, to which Bianca responded with a glare as she gritted out, "You sent him up here, didn't you?"

"Oh, I sure did!" Latias said impishly. "How could he not see all that hard work you've been putting in?"

"You…!" Bianca began angrily, before drooping with a sigh, casting a resigned glance at Ash as she muttered, "You saw it, then?"

He nodded and rubbed the back of his head guiltily. "Er, yeah…I'm sorry I looked without your permission. Curiosity got the better of me."

Bianca snorted at that, her expression ever so softening as her voice as she murmured, "Seems like a reoccurring theme with you. I guess it can't be helped." She straightened up and pursed her lips as she stared at him with conflicted eyes, only to quietly say, "I suppose there's no time like the present. Could you…actually come inside, please?"

Ash blinked as she shuffled her feet and continued in a strained voice, "I'd like to talk with you. Alone. If that's alright with you, that is."

"Er, I don't mind," Ash replied automatically, earning a grateful look from Bianca while Latias grinned deviously.

The dragoness was immediately met with another glare as Bianca warned, "And you! Don't interfere."

"I promise not to interfere unless absolutely necessary," Latias assured, receiving an irritated scowl from her friend as she was pushed away.

"Alright, off with you, then. We shouldn't be long, I hope," Bianca instructed as she pulled Ash towards her and into her room, firmly closing it behind him and barricading both her friend and Pikachu from entering.

Ash wasn't sure how he felt about his best friend of ten years being kept out, but judging from the way Bianca was pointedly not looking at him as she prodded him towards the bed, he decided this was probably important enough to warrant it.

Why the bed, however, he couldn't say.

On the bright side, the awkwardly stretching silence gave him ample opportunity to look at each painting without fear of being tossed out of the room, for which he was grateful. Now that he was closer, he could clearly see the individual brushstrokes, each coming together to form truly impressive pieces of art.

As he was appreciating her hard work, he couldn't help but notice something…odd.

While all of the art was well done, any piece with him in it seemed to be more detailed, somehow. They looked like more care was put into them than the others, especially the ones depicting his victories. They were nearly lifelike, if it weren't for the fact that they showed him in a much more impressive light than he felt was warranted. It wasn't like he was the one battling, after all. He was only directing his Pokemon.

Deciding it was time that he say something, he coughed into his fist awkwardly and gestured at her art. "These are all really cool, by the way. They must have taken forever."

"...Thank you," she simply said, sounding as though she didn't know what else to say.

He nodded, then pointed out, "Er, a lot of them…have me in them. What's…up with that?"

Bianca looked away and declined to respond, and they fell into another awkward silence that seemed impossible to break, up until Ash noticed something at the foot of her bed—what looked to be a blank canvas, propped up like all the others.

However, the canvas appeared to be dusty, as though it had been sitting untouched for quite some time.

Pulling himself together once more, he nodded at the canvas and asked, "So, what are you going to do with that one?"

Ash almost immediately regretted asking, as when Bianca turned and saw what he was referring to, her angry expression tightened even further.

He wasn't sure whether to prepare for more sullen silence, or a fist across the face, until she finally spoke.

"Do you have any idea," Bianca began in a tense voice, "what I'm feeling now that you're back?"

He really didn't, and he wasn't sure what that had to do with an empty canvas, but judging from everything she's said and done ever since she laid eyes on him, it probably wasn't something particularly positive. As such, he couldn't muster up anything beyond a simple, "Uh, no."

She huffed, shaking her head as she turned her face from him.

"Of course not," she muttered. "You show up one day, save our lives, and then leave with nothing but a vague promise that you'll be back. Except you never did come back, did you? Not until now, when I had given up hope. And only by accident."

Ash flinched at the bitterness and hurt in her voice, finally beginning to realize what was wrong. He also felt just how foolish he had been in neglecting to return; even with his schedule and uncertainties, he had made a promise, and failed to fulfill it until an accident forced him to.

Unfortunately, the girl wasn't done heaping the guilt upon him.

"After you left," she said as her hands clenched, "I waited. I knew it could be a while, so I was patient. Months went by, and then I saw you on the television. We watched your match and the league, and how you lost…I thought that since it was over, you would visit us again. It looked like you had the time. But you didn't."

Shame was now clawing at him, making him want to run yet simultaneously rooting him in place and forcing him to listen to what he failed to do.

Bianca slightly lowered her head as she continued, "I figured, 'Surely, he's trying. He had to leave early last time because he was in the middle of a journey, but maybe he was preparing for a long visit.' So still, I waited."

There was but a momentary pause before she pressed on in a harder voice. "Then months later, you show up on the news, stopping two cults in Hoenn, then again in the league. And then again, no sign of you coming back. Again and again, month after month, year after year. No Ash, just a face on the television and a fading memory of a promise."

Her voice had become shaky, and the back of his neck was now stinging with heat as she vented.

"Imagine my surprise when you enter that World Coronation, and emerge the victor," Bianca all but whispered, barely audible. "Despite all that disappointment, all that waiting…'This time for sure,' I said. 'He has all the time in the world.' And yet, no Ash. No you, until two years later, when you come here by accident," she hissed.

"Not a planned visit, but an emergency trip. You came back because the weather forced you here. Do you know," Bianca said, her hurt now coming back as her voice was slightly raised, "how that makes me feel?"

Ash glanced down into his lap, barely managing to muster the energy to say, "No. No, I don't."

"I don't know, either!" She practically yells in frustration, shooting up to her feet. "I've had this… this image of you in my mind." She brushes a hand against the painting of his coronation. "Ash, the battle enthusiast." Her gaze shifts as she moves past a painting depicting their triumph over Team Rocket back in the museum. "Ash, the hero." She pauses, her voice growing heavier. "Everything I knew, clashing with the only thing I've seen since." Finally, she stops before the last canvas—nearly blank, except now he could just make out a few half-hearted pencil strokes. "Ash, the absentee. By all rights, I should hate you for that…"

Bianca trailed off as she approached, making him stiffen in shock as she crawled onto his lap, her legs on either side of his as she practically pressed against his frozen form.

"...and yet I can't help but fall in love with you and your stupid face," Bianca said as she carefully cupped his head. "Every little thing that should make me rage and scream at you instead makes me want to hold onto you and never let go. Ridiculous, isn't it?" She asked as she stared into his eyes, her own threatening to spill over with tears.

…I guess it wasn't Latias, Ash thought dumbly as he swallowed thickly before shaking his head, not looking away as she leaned in closer.

"I can't expect you to feel the same way," she said, clenching her legs against his. "But for just a few moments," she whispered as she curled her arms around his neck, staring down at him intently, "could we pretend that you love me, too?"

A cacophony of emotions whirled inside him, so fast that he couldn't identify any of it. Of all the things he could have expected, this most certainly wasn't on that list. And yet, despite that, he felt himself slowly nodding. There was a flash of satisfaction in her eyes before she leaned in closer, their foreheads grazing.

"Thank you," Bianca murmured, before closing the distance and pressing her lips to his.

Ash had been kissed a number of times before. Once on the cheek by Melody, a greeting designed to make Misty jealous. A peck on the lips by Serena, telling of a hopeful crush.

This kiss was nothing like them. This spoke of a desperate longing mixed with hurt, the deep taste of peppermint screaming her affection as her lips captured his own. Most notable were the hot tears that wrote her pain across his face that betrayed the fact that she truly did not expect anything from him after this.

Ash wasn't sure what he expected, either. All he knew was that the kiss seemed to last for ages while also ending far too soon, although she hadn't made much effort in putting any more distance between them than necessary.

Her forehead was once more pressed against his, and it wouldn't take much more than a twitch for her lips to once more meet his, for he could feel her tongue graze his lips as it swiped up the line of saliva that briefly connected them.

Her breath would have been warm against his face if it hadn't already been burning up from her actions. He attempted to find something, anything to say, but was incapable of doing so, a fact she took full advantage of as he suddenly found himself being pressed flat on the bed, being kissed once more.

This time, her touch felt less desperate, carrying an affectionate tenderness as she lingered with him… Yet, without warning, she pulled away, breaking their fervent kiss. He caught a fleeting glimpse of her deeply flushed and bashful expression before she swiftly moved away, rolling off him. She retreated to the balcony doors, threw them open, and gripped the railing, her breaths heavy and labored.

Ash swallowed hard, his chest rising and falling as he drew in steadying breaths. Sitting upright, he tried to untangle the emotions surging within him.

On one hand, he wasn't prepared for today to go this way and in no way planned to be locking lips with someone on their bed.

On the other…

He glanced at Bianca and carefully stood, following her… compelled by something he couldn't quite name. Closing the doors behind him, he approached her, and together they stood in silence, gazing at her backyard. The quiet hung delicately in the barely perceptible space between them. She seemed unsure how to respond to his presence—one moment leaning towards him, the next pulling away.

However, her shivering betrayed her condition, and only her embarrassment spared her from freezing. He wasn't much better off himself, yet all he could think to do was remain by her side, finding an unfamiliar warmth in their shared defiance of the cold.

After a brief silence, both searching for the words, Bianca appeared to resolve her feelings about their proximity. She forced herself under his arm, leaned against him, and murmured, "Hold me, please."

He complied, securing his arms around her as she pressed her face into the curve of his neck. They stood there, entwined, each lost for words, while the heavy snowfall similarly embraced them in quiet stillness.

"Thank you," Bianca tenderly breathed against his neck, sending shivers down his spine unlike any chill, battle, or challenge he'd faced. And yet, some part of him relished the feeling, compelling him to hold her just a bit tighter.

The pair enjoyed their embrace for a while longer, up until Bianca slowly let go and cleared her throat.

"I suppose we should head back—eep!"

As she attempted to move away, Ash pulled her back, preventing her from getting far. Her hands grasped onto his shirt as she looked up into his eyes, both wary and hopeful.

In truth, he wasn't sure what had compelled him to act, nor why his mouth opened.

"Um…" he began, clearing his throat before continuing, "we can…do that again, if you want."

Bianca stared for only a few moments before crashing her lips to his once more, keener than ever. It was only natural that he attempted to respond in kind, and the tears that fell—those of joy—told everything he needed to know.

The intensity at which she kissed him surpassed earlier, and he felt a vague sense of fear, like he was going to be torn apart from the force of her affection. She began pushing him towards the doors, greatly surprising him with her strength, as after a moment of fumbling with the handle, she sent them spilling back into her room.

The back of his legs hit the end of her bed, and her weight pushed him into a sitting position, where they remained lip-locked for a few more seconds until she pulled back. He felt disappointment at the thought of it being over, until she closed the doors and pushed him back down on the bed, where she once more fell atop him and they resumed their passion.

As before, the kiss was sloppy and unpracticed, as neither party had been in this type of scenario. Yet, that did nothing to stop them, and only drove the desperate woman to try harder.

They were so busy, they couldn't hear the door open, nor the exclamation of shock before the door slammed shut once again, leaving them in their situation once more.

They could have been that way for minutes or hours or days, and by the time they parted, neither particularly cared how long they had been kissing. The only thing on their minds was holding each other, two strangers having learned to fall in love again.

Some point while they cuddled one another, Bianca murmured in his ear, "Where will you be sleeping?"

Her words made his stomach dance, and he struggled to reply. "Erm, I already booked a room in the Pokemon Center for Pikachu and Garchomp," Ash finally said, now regretting that choice.

Yet, Bianca didn't seem perturbed at all, instead nodding as she shifted her head enough to look into his eyes. "Well, in that case, I'll just come with you," she whispered, and Ash had the vague sense she wasn't just talking about the room.

"...I certainly won't stop you," he eventually managed, making her snort.

"As if you could," Bianca replied, brushing her lips against his neck. "After what you just pulled, you're never getting away from me again, do you understand?"

He stroked her hair as he chuckled, "I suppose I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"No," Bianca simply said, leaning into his hand. "You really don't."

The artist squeezed him once more, and they were content to stay that way until Latias invaded their minds and snickered, "I think it's time you guys come down, now."

The pair glanced at the door, then at each other, their faces becoming scarlet as though their actions had just caught up to them.

"Well," Bianca began as she slowly rolled off of him, much to his disappointment. "I suppose we should face the music."

Ash nodded as he sat up and gave her a wry grin. "Maybe it won't be as bad as we think."

It was significantly worse than he thought.

"What I want to know," Lorenzo calmly asked as he swirled the whiskey in his glass, "is how my granddaughter went from wanting you out of the house, to trying to tie both of your tongues together on her bed."

"Grandpa!" Bianca squealed, covering her face in her arms while Latias choked with laughter. Ash was trying to open a hole in the couch and fall through so no one would see his dangerously red face.

Upon going downstairs, Pikachu, Latias, and Lorenzo were all waiting expectantly in the living room, the two Pokemon trying and failing to cover up their laughs. Lorenzo had been bemused and in disbelief as he "invited" them to sit on the couch, which led to the current interrogation.

Truthfully, he didn't have an answer for the man, mortifying phrasing aside. Ash himself barely recalled the conversation between Bianca and himself, and he was too embarrassed to admit that what followed was still occupying his mind.

Nonetheless, even from what he could remember, he didn't understand the events leading up to it.

The anger, hurt, and what seemed like borderline hatred had been turned on a dot to become…whatever they were now. A couple? A soon-to-be couple? Friends with kissing benefits?

Okay, that last one was ridiculous.

Ash was taken out of his train of thought as the man took a measured sip from his glass, looking at him with narrowed eyes and making the trainer squirm in his seat. Lorenzo then asked expectantly, "Well?"

Before Ash could open his mouth to say something even moderately relevant, Bianca beat him to the punch.

"That was my doing, Grandpa," she confessed shyly. "I…may have made the first move…and second. And maybe the third one, too."

With each addition, she grew redder, tapping her forefingers together in a way that seemed uncharacteristic of her from what Ash had so far seen.

Latias bared her teeth in a grin, although she said nothing as Lorenzo snorted and took another drink, asking gruffly, "So, is it safe to say you two are together now?"

Ash and Bianca glanced at each other, although they were unable to maintain eye contact for long.

"Well," Ash began nervously, "if that's what she wants, then…yes."

Lorenzo said nothing, while Latias looked joyfully at him, albeit with what Ash felt was an undeserved eye roll. It was only when Bianca face-palmed that it occurred to him just how stupid that sounded.

"Ash," she began, looking at him with a red yet serious face, "I pushed myself onto you and kissed you. If you don't think this is something I want, then I'm going to ask Latias to knock some sense into you."

"And I'll do it," Latias giggled. "Don't think I won't."

"Yeah, I kinda realized that after I said it," Ash laughed awkwardly, Bianca giggling as she glanced away.

Lorenzo pursed his lips thoughtfully and nodded slowly, then asked, "Forgive me, but I do want to know why you feel this way, given how long you've stayed away."

Ash winced at that, knowing he deserved it, although he still felt obligated to ease the man's worries. The Alto Marians listened as he began to speak.

"Despite my…extended leave," he said, feeling itchy under the dry looks he was receiving, "I care quite strongly about Bianca. That never went away. I can't quite explain it, but I feel…content with her. More so than anyone else, by a long shot. So while I don't quite understand love as much as I should, I know that I don't want to leave her behind ever again."

Despite his simple words and less than stellar delivery, it didn't fail to make Bianca tear up and throw her arms around him, squeezing him as she practically sobbed, "Th-thank you. I'm going t-to hold you to that."

"As will I," Lorenzo said sternly, although there was a glimmer of pride and happiness in his eyes nonetheless. Latias gave an affirming nod of her own, although she didn't try to hide her joy, and threw her arms around the both of them.

He allowed them to hug a few moments later until he finally coughed meaningfully, and the three parted. Bianca, however, let her hand drop into Ash's, and he gave it a gentle squeeze.

This did not go unnoticed by Lorenzo, although the man barely gave their hand-holding more than a glance before pressing, "And what about long-term plans? Don't think we've forgotten that you are the World Monarch. You are probably the most famous person on the planet. How will you balance that with Bianca's needs, whatever they may be? Or will you let the weather decide that, too?"

"Grandpa!" Bianca protested angrily, even as Ash winced. "That's in the past now; do you really have to bring it up?"

There was a moment of silence as both Lorenzo and Latias slowly turned to stare incredulously at her, only for that silence to be broken by Latias nearly falling out of the air as she howled with laughter. Lorenzo continued to simply stare, and only when Latias calmed down did he say, "You spent years angry that he didn't come back. Now that you've locked lips with him, it's all good?"

Bianca buried her face in her free hand, mumbling through her palm, "...Yes."

Lorenzo stared, snorted, then downed the remainder of his drink, setting the empty glass down on the table as he shook his head and glanced at Ash. "I don't know what kind of magic lips you've got there, young man, but if you hurt her like you have again, or in any other way, I'm going to cut them off. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!" Ash said quickly, earning an approving nod from the man.

"I'm glad," Lorenzo stated with a smile. "I like you, Ash. You've got a good head on your shoulders, and despite your…how did you put it, 'extended leave?' Well, you have a heart that more people in this world need. So, if you can promise to take care of Bianca to the best of your ability…then all I can say is, welcome to the family."

"Thank you, sir—mmph!" Ash began to say, only to be interrupted as Bianca gave him a long kiss on his lips, looking happier than ever. However, when Latias gave him a kiss on his cheek, that look of happiness immediately turned to one of indignation, and she pushed the Pokemon's head away.

"Hey, he's mine!" Bianca protested, earning a laugh from Latias as Ash blinked in confusion.

"Sorry, Bianca," Latias said, not sounding sorry at all. "But earlier, he thought it was me who kissed him on the docks. I just wanted to see what all the fuss is about."

As the two bickered, Lorenzo shook his head, and as he got to his feet, he grunted, "All three of you are a gigantic pain. Ash, will you be going to the Pokemon Center, or staying here for the night?"

"I booked a room so that Garchomp and Pikachu could relax in a warm tub…" Ash admitted, his words making Latias sigh in disappointment and Lorenzo nod.

"In that case, I suppose we can open gifts tonight," Lorenzo mused. "After that, we can discuss…well, the obvious."

Ash nodded, knowing he was referring to Bianca's newfound relationship with him and where that was going to take her, both literally and figuratively. However, there was a more pressing concern on his mind.

"I, uh…don't have any gifts to bring," he said apologetically, only to feel a reassuring hand on his back.

"Ash, I'm not bothered by that," Bianca reassured him. "You being here is a gift in and of itself."

As he smiled at her appreciatively, Latias quipped, "Speak for yourself; he's giving you sugar. What about me?"

"Latias, shut up!" Bianca hissed with a red face, only making Latias laugh harder at the pair's misery.

However, as mortified as Ash was by the dragoness' teasing, the point still stood; it was Christmas Eve, and he didn't have a gift for any of them. What was he to do?

As he cupped his chin and began tapping his leg, he felt something in his pocket: Garchomp's pokeball. He was instantly struck by an idea. A great and terrible idea. Garchomp didn't have as much practice with it as he liked, but that was his own fault. He just hoped it wasn't in poor taste.

"Um, can you give me a few minutes? I have an idea," he said as he quickly stood, receiving suspicious looks in return. He added quickly, "You'll like it; I just gotta show Garchomp something, and then you'll see what I mean."

"You know, Ashy, if you try to run, I can catch up to you very quickly," Latias warned, although the curiosity gleaming in her eyes told him she was more concerned about his idea.

Ash shook his head. "I'm not going to run, I promise. Especially after…er, right," he said, stopping himself. Nonetheless, Bianca's bashful expression told him she knew exactly what he was referring to. The fact that Lorenzo coughed into his fist and Latias was giving him a sly grin all but confirmed they picked up on it, too, and he wanted to curl up and die.

Nonetheless he retreated towards the door and yanked it open, letting him walk out. "Should only take a few minutes. I hope."

Then, he closed the door behind him, and he let out a heavy breath. "Please let this work," he prayed, pulling out Garchomp's ball and giving it a light toss into the air.

In a flash of light, Garchomp was released, and the mighty dragon glanced around their environment before giving Ash a look that screamed, "Are you serious?"

"Sorry, Garchomp, I know I said we'd get warm," Ash said apologetically, getting a huff in return. "It's just that I came across some people, and…I want to try that thing for them. The one we practiced with Dawn a year ago?"

He got a nervous look from Garchomp at that, and he nodded as he acknowledged, "Yeah, I know. It took a while to learn, and you're not perfect at it quite yet. But I really want to try it, for them, and I know you can pull it off."

The dragon grumbled and shifted his feet over the snow, then gave him a slow nod, much to Ash's relief.

"Thanks, Garchomp," he breathed. "Rotom, could you come out for a moment, please?"

The phone obeyed, hovering close to them and waiting for further instructions.

"Alright, Garchomp, here's what I want you to do…"

A few minutes later, Ash was poking his head back inside the house. "Alright, I think it's done. You guys can come see it now."

Immediately, all three began making their way outside, Latias stepping effortlessly into her disguise, almost making her and Bianca indistinguishable if it weren't for how they looked at him.

Bianca blushed and smiled as she passed him, while Latias had a much more cheerful and teasing grin on her face. Lorenzo raised his eyebrow at him and said, "I hope this is fast; I still have to make dinner."

"It should be," Ash said, although he wasn't quite sure himself. He then turned to the other two and said, "Er, right, then—" His hesitation made even him wince. "—I hope you like this…It's not much, but…it's all we have for you."

"As long as it comes from you, that's all I need," Bianca replied, sending red to his cheeks as Latias snickered. The artist then looked around before asking, "Wasn't your Garchomp supposed to be a part of this? Where is he?"

Ash nodded and pointed up, and while they followed his finger, the night and snow made it difficult for them to see Garchomp carefully circling their location above.

"He is; he just has to get into position," he said, making them all nod. "Are you ready?" He asked nervously, and they all nodded again, looking at him with curiosity.

Alright, now or never.

Taking a deep breath, Ash looked up and called out, "It's time, Garchomp! Give 'em the light show!"

"Light show…? Oh!" Bianca began, only to exclaim in shock as a bright blue light began emitting from Garchomp's mouth, wisps of it trailing behind the dragon as he started making passes.

Taking a glance at the three Alto Marians, he could see sparkles in their eyes as they watched curiously. They seemed to enjoy it so far, but what about the next step?

He brought his gaze back to Garchomp and said, "Alright, buddy. You ready?"

"GAR!"

"Show them!"

At once, Garchomp began spewing light all over himself, the heavily modified Draco Meteor binding to himself and yet dealing no damage. Ash was never more thankful to Gary and Kukui for showing him the composition of certain attacks and to Dawn for helping him create this particular variation.

The only question is, could Garchomp get the proper shape with this one attempt?

"I don't understand; what's he doing?" Lorenzo said as he watched.

"Just keep looking," Ash merely replied. Once more, he could only hope they liked it; otherwise…well, he didn't look forward to the alternative.

Then, as the shape began to manifest, Ash glanced down at the three family members, and watched as their curious looks transformed into ones of shock. Tears began to fall from their eyes as the creation was then completed, and the artificial Latios flew through the sky above them.

Latias immediately cried out and abandoned all subtlety, shedding her disguise and flying up to soar side by side with "Latios".

Neither Bianca nor Lorenzo attempted to stop her, and both began crying heavily as they watched.

"Th-that's…" The artist tried to speak, not taking her eyes off of the spectacle. "But..h-how?"

"One of my friends is a Coordinator," Ash said with a small smile. "We've helped each other out with a lot of things, and...this was something she helped teach Garchomp. He had trouble with Draco Meteor as a Gible; it was too unstable. When he finally evolved, she had the idea to turn the attack into a coordinator's move."

Bianca sniffed and hugged him tightly, pulling back only to apply a soft kiss to his lips that he was more than happy to accept. Turning her face back towards the sky, she whispered, "Thank you. I…I don't have words."

"I agree," Lorenzo added with a smile, having never looked away from the flying duo. "Thank you, Ash."

The trainer gently squeezed Bianca and replied, "I'm just glad you like it. I was worried it might have been in poor taste. Or that it'd misfire and go off towards Sinnoh."

Bianca looked at him with a frown as she asked, "Wait, what do you mean by that?"

"Oh, well, back when he was a Gible, his Draco Meteor would also malfunction and would strangely track her Piplup like some kind of magnet. The last time it happened was when we developed this move. I'm sure glad it hasn't... oh no," Ash started to say, only to grimace as Garchomp's light show began to pulse. "Hey, uh, you should come down now," he called out to Latias.

The dragoness looked between him and the pulsing "Latios", and after a moment, decided to follow his instructions, turning back into Bianca as she landed.

"But I was having so much fun flying with Latios again," Latias whined, looking at him with a frown. "Even if it isn't really him."

"I know, but I'm pretty sure Garchomp's attack is about to—"

The light surrounding Garchomp promptly exploded, although the force wasn't significant enough to cause any damage to either the dragon or the buildings below.

"—self-destruct," Ash finished unnecessarily, the three Alto Marians staring into the sky in shock.

A moment later, Garchomp gently landed beside him, not looking worse for wear. Nonetheless, he gave Ash a dry look as his trainer gently rubbed his nose.

"Sorry about that, buddy," Ash apologized regretfully, the dragon nudging him in response. "I guess we should practice that a little more before we go trying to impress anyone," Ash sighed as he pulled out Garchomp's ball. "Let's get you back to Nurse Joy…and hope she doesn't kill me."

Garchomp huffed before being sucked into the ball, Ash turning to the three with a grimace, being met with watery smiles from Bianca and Latias, although Lorenzo was still staring at the sky with a small frown.

"Say, Ash, should anyone be concerned about that?" The man asked the trainer, bringing the attention of both the girls and Ash as they tracked his gaze to see a small orb flying into the distance, in the direction of…

No, even a powered-up Draco Meteor can't reach that far. They should be fine.

"Probably not," he replied confidently. "It's not that strong, and it shouldn't get anywhere without fizzling out first.

"If you say so," the man grunted, still looking doubtful. After a few more minutes of staring into the sky, Lorenzo began to hurry them all back into the house, citing his fears that Latias might have been seen.

As Ash was following behind Bianca, he felt a sudden tickle in the back of his mind that whispered, "Good job, kid."

Then it was gone as quickly as it appeared, and he was left wondering if it even happened at all. It was only when Latias shivered and looked around in confusion that he understood. Ash gave a silent vow to himself, only to get a poke in his back from Lorenzo's cane. Uttering an apology, the trainer followed the girls into the living room as Lorenzo closed the door behind them.

There, they were encouraged to open gifts and enjoy one another's company while the man busied himself with preparing their dinner. Having given his gift, Ash excused himself and helped Lorenzo despite the man's protests.

Ash resisted, however, and finally convinced the man that he was going to help, thus cutting down the prep time considerably. Every so often, calls of gratitude and cheer echoed from the living room, earning smiles from both men.

Once their meals had been prepared, they were once more gathered together, giving solemn thanks before digging in.

At some point, Latias and Pikachu looked as though they were about to wrestle over a ketchup bottle until Bianca stepped in and took it from both of them, getting reproachful glares in return. Lorenzo and Ash shared amused looks, and their dinner continued and ended with no further incidents.

Perhaps another hour had passed when Bianca finally grabbed Ash and began dragging him up the stairs, earning a variety of expressions from the ones left behind, all of which were ignored by her.

It was enough to make him blush, as the way she was acting made him think they were going to continue where they left off. He didn't know what to feel about that, but his doubts were proven to be unfruitful when she sat him down and began posing him until she was satisfied.

He could only watch nonplussed as she grabbed the blank canvas and set it between them, just off-center so he could still see her teasing expression as she said, "I might've forgiven you, but you're gonna sit there, completely still, and help me finally finish this."

Ash laughed a bit in his stiff pose, earning him a sharp look from Bianca that cut his laughter short. As she began to set up the canvas and paint, he couldn't help but ask. "So what are you going to draw?"

She peeked over from behind the canvas with an almost coy smile. "Our future…"

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Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small house, one that excelled at hiding the absurdly popular star within.

"Merry Christmas, everyone! Well, Eve, that is!"

Dawn's cheerful laugh resonated throughout the room, and people and Pokemon alike joined with her in celebration.

Piplup was especially pleased, although it would be more accurate to say he was "cocky". For the avian Pokemon, it was hard not to be, given the second win in a row in the Grand Festival, brought about by Piplup himself.

And of course, his trainer.

So naturally, he was on cloud nine, or would have been, if Dawn (in her infinite humbleness) hadn't chosen to make the Christmas celebration all about…Christmas.

Would it have killed her to prop him up tonight? If they hadn't won that cup, there would be considerably less cheer going around. Yet, there they were, celebrating the birth of someone.

Who? Piplup couldn't be bothered knowing.

What he could be bothered by is fetching a glass of eggnog, or getting someone to fetch one for him, and talking to whoever would listen about how he pulled such a victory.

Two times in two years!

However, as he lifted his beak and began waddling towards the kitchen, the feathers on his back began to ruffle as a cold chill ran up his spine.

A rather familiar cold chill.

Panting, Piplup abandoned all thoughts of strutting and eggnog and bragging, instead looking around in a panic. He couldn't see it, but he could certainly feel the impending doom it brought. But that was impossible.

It can't be here; he's probably off on the other side of the world!

And yet, the chill remained and only got stronger. Now hyperventilating, Piplup began running around the house, to no avail. His actions finally caught the attention of Dawn, who looked at him like he'd gone mad.

"What's wrong, Piplup?" The woman asked with a tilt of her head.

"It's coming for me! It's coming for me!" He cried in desperation, waving around his flippers.

Sadly, no amount of Poke speech could be understood by people without a psychic, and she was left flabbergasted as he tore into the living room. Where was it?

Then, just over the din of the occupants, he heard it. An ever-so-slight whistling, and his head turned slowly to the window, and he watched in horror as a small speck of light became bigger very fast.

In one final vain attempt to get away, Piplup turned away and began running to the kitchen, only for the sound of a window breaking and Dawn shrieking to reach his ears a moment before a searing pain on his back sent him sprawling across the floor.

The guests all yelped in shock even as Dawn rushed to his side.

"Oh my-! Piplup, are you okay?" She asked with concern, everyone gathering around him as he raged.

"Curse you, Garchomp! I hereby vow, you will rue this day!"

"-That Ash Ketchum, I swear! When I get a hold of you-"

"Behold, a true Top Coordinator! And I, Piplup. Your fears made flesh!"

"-I'm going to call that man and ask him what he's doing launching that damned attack at this time of night.-"

"Solid of scale you might be, foul dragon. But I will riddle with hikes your rotten hide. WITH A HAIL OF ICICLE SPEARS! WITH EVERY LAST DROP OF MY BEING!"

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Author's Note: Let me know what you think of this with a review, please. Lets me know what I need to fix, and also gives me a confidence boost on what I do right.

No promises on a new chapter of YMI anytime soon, sadly.

This fic has been inspired by the songs "Faithfully" and "Open Arms", both by Journey. If you don't see it, I'm not surprised, cuz It wasn't a heavy inspiration. If you would like a link to Serendipity's_Stock_Exchange server and talk to the gigachad himself (Him, not me), here's the link. Note: It is mostly MHA, not Pokemon. If you are Christian like I am, there is a channel for it. Also, there's weird people in it. Like me.

/vpZam5TFP8

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a productive new year!

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

-Matthew 5:3