This shall be the last chapter of this fanfiction. But despair not, fair readers, for another seed of ingenuity has been planted in my head, and soon it shall blossom forth… as soon as I'm done with this.

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Ash awoke in his room. He pulled himself up from his bed and looked around, everything was the same as the last time he had seen it. He was back. Ash Ketchum was back. He grinned and hurtled down the stairs, where he found his mother sitting at the kitchen table.

"Mom!" He yelled, throwing his arms around her.

"Oh, Ash." She cried, tears falling from her face, "It's so good to have you back. I missed you so much."

"I know." He pulled back.

Delia Ketchum smiled, "There's some other people in the living room who are glad to see you."

They went to the living room to find Brock passed out on the floor with a bottle of beer in his hand. May was asleep on the armchair, Paul and Cynthia were snoozing softly on the sofa, collapsed over each other.

Ash raised an eyebrow, "What's with that?"

Delia smiled, "Paul confessed that he'd always really admired you, and Cynthia was devastated. She believed that your disappearance was her fault. They found comfort in each other and Paul proposed last month."

Ash whistled quietly, alerting a small, yellow mouse to his presence. Pikachu shot across the room from Paul's lap into Ash's waiting arms, who smiled as his oldest friend licked his face.

"Pikachu!"

"I missed you buddy!" Ash's eyes fell on May and he froze. Pikachu, sensing his predicament, dashed over to the sleeping coordinator and poked her awake.

"Huh?" She moaned, waking up, "What is it Pikachu?"

"Pikapi!" The electric mouse jabbed furiously in Ash's direction.

May tripped over herself and stumbled into Ash's arms. She smiled as she buried her face in his shirt, sobbing with happiness. Ash put a finger under her chin and tilted her head up. Then he kissed her. After a long while, he pulle back.

"I love you." He said.

May smiled, "I love you too." She said, hugging him.

"Bravo." Paul said, chewing on a bagel.

Ash and May both looked at him. He was standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

"When…"

"In the time that you two were kissing, I got up, woke Cynthia, toasted a bagel, cured Brock's terrible hangover, and ate the aforementioned bagel." He said, finishing the last of the circular bread roll.

"Well," Ash said with a smile, "It's good to see you Paul."

Paul smiled sincerely, then rushed forward and gave Ash a man-hug, "You too."

Delia and Cynthia smiled from the kitchen.

"Those two are going to get married within the month you know." Cynthia said.

"Indeed, but I'll savor it while it lasts." Delia answered, "Having Ash back, that is."

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Six months later

"Well, that was a nightmare." Ash said as he fell onto the bed.

"Oh, come on, Ash." May teased, "Getting married wasn't that hard."

Ash just sighed.

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Three months later

"You mean it?!" Ash asked excitedly.

"Yes!" May squealed, "We're having a baby!"

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Seven months later

"Congratulations, Mr. Ketchum, you are the father of a newborn boy." The doctor said, smiling.

"YES!" Ash pumped his fist, then turned to Paul next to him, "Pay up."

Paul rolled his eyes and dug into his wallet.

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Ten years later

He was falling, falling so far he would never be able to climb back up. Then he awoke. Ash bolted upright in his bed in a cold sweat. Then his panicked expression faded. He knew who he was, and where he was. He was in his home in Pallet town, next to his loving wife. He got out of bed and walked through his house. He stroked the sleeping, now-middle aged Pokémon that had been his friend for more than twenty years, along with his mate and their litter, he passed the slumbering giant that had kept his solace in those long, dark years. He walked past his son's bedroom, then double back and entered, kneeling by the bed and stroking the child's hair.

"Sleep well, Daniel." He whispered, before kissing the boy's brow and leaving the room.

As he returned to his room, he felt at peace. He would never forget those most important to him ever again.

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And that is how it ends. So, that's all for this story, but never fear, I will post a new one by… tomorrow, or maybe Monday. It all depends on how I'm feeling. But it will be written. And it will (read: might) blow your mind.