Chapter 6/Final: Puffing Kiss

Ash and his friends reached the next Pokémon Center where Nurse Joy told the recovering trainer that he got a phone call from the doctor. Getting to the video phone, the doctor who treated him had some disturbing news. "Ash, I see you made it to the next town!" she noticed.

"Yeah, is something wrong?" Ash wondered.

"Yeah, how can I put this? The hearing-aids you have were the wrong prescription." This caused Ash to blink in confusion. The hearing-aids he got were not the ones to fit? "The hearing-aid devices were an experimental creation that my colleagues wanted to try for field work with underwater Pokémon from above the water's surface. It just so happened that the hearing-aids I ordered after I diagnosed your hearing loss got mixed up with the device you have." Ash sighed at how the aids got switch. Then again, getting the wrong device was more of a blessing in disguise.

"If it helps, these 'experimental' aids did help stop Team Rocket." A big smile brimmed from the doctor. While not really meant for Ash, he did prove the device's capable range.

"So that's what the fuss was about from some of my co-workers. Now those villains won't bother you again, I hope." To Ash, it's too soon to celebrate no more Team Rocket.

"I wouldn't sleep too comfortably. Knowing them, Team Rocket will find themselves out of any security prison before we can blink." The doctor could hope that it's not the case.

"Anyway, I'll stop by the Pokémon Center tomorrow with the proper hearing-aids as well as an exam to see how your head's holding up."

"Sounds like a plan. Who knows? I may not really need it." The doctor had a laugh from Ash's overwhelming confidence.

"Still as enthusiastic... Okay, I'll be there in the morning." Both hung the phones to end the conversation. Ash sighed at how humiliated the doctor had to be for giving him untested hearing-aid devices and not prescribed ones. At least he'll get the right ones until his hearing does return. Serena, Miette and Pikachu came by to get the update.

"What did the doctor say?" Serena asked. Turning, Ash pulled out the aid from one ear.

"Turns out these hearing-aids were not the ones prescribed to me," he pointed out. "These were actually meant for research with Water-Type Pokémon below the ocean or lake surfaces. It got mixed up with the proper hearing-aids designed for me." As disappointing as getting the wrong hearing-aids sounded (no pun intended), Miette smiled to the switch in a good side.

"Well, if you had the right pair to being with, I'd say we all would've fallen for the hole and you'd be in dire straits," she thought up. Ash and Serena blinked a couple of times in some confusion.

"What do you mean?" Serena questioned.

"With Ash recovering from his concussion, another blow to the head could cause permanent brain injury or even death." That frightened the Pallet Town and Vaniville Town trainers and Pikachu so bad, shivers shook their bodies. To have Ash die by Team Rocket wasn't something the intended victim or his friends wanted to experience.

"I wish you didn't scare us like that," he shuttered. Pikachu agreed like the Pokémon partner he was.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to." Still holding the device, Ash contemplated how long he would be with devices like the hearing-aids. After some more time sitting, it was best for the four to retire for the night. Late the next morning, Ash's friends waited patiently for Ash as he got a visit from the doctor. The door to the center opened and Ash came out with the most confident strut that Pikachu had ever seen.

"Well?" Clemont asked. Ash showed the hearing-aids in his hand. What he did next told his friends the current condition: he flipped the hearing-aids to the doctor. To his friends, Ash's hearing returned.

"That's amazing, Ash!" Serena cheered. "You can hear again!" Ash's recovery astounded the doctor.

"Ash still has some lingering effects from the concussion but his healing is remarkable," she informed. "He still needs to take it easy for a few more days but I know he'll chase Gym Badges like no trainer's business." With his recovery and no more Team Rocket for the moment, all Ash needed to worry about was his Gym Battle with Korrina in Shalour City. The kids and Pokémon proceeded down the new route.

"So, Ash," Bonnie spoke up. "What was it like being without hearing for the while?" Ash pondered the experience being without ears for the couple of days.

"Quiet..." he replied. Of course it was quiet, that's what being deaf was about!

"That's actually the basis of being without ears, or is that how you felt while in the hospital?" Clemont joked.

"I guess a little of both. Sure, I couldn't hear a peep from anyone and it would've sucked if Team Rocket came by to steal Pikachu while I was recovering, but I had that moment to think clearly and to relax myself." The insight gave the girls a picture in their heads. They saw Ash relaxing on a meadow with hardly a breeze.

"Not a care in the world," Miette concluded. "And with Team Rocket out-of-the-way, that's how we should all be feeling." Considering the conversation with the doctor, having Team Rocket in jail wouldn't last long.

"I wouldn't put it past them just yet. They'll find a way out of jail and come after us again." That's when Serena flashed a smile.

"Then you should take a look at this," she spoke up as she gave Ash the paper with Team Rocket with separate mug shots for each, all wearing black and white stripes. The headline above the pictures pretty much explained Team Rocket's fate.

"TEAM ROCKET FACE LIFE."

Ash gawked at the headline. He read the article. "Three members of Team Rocket, the criminal organization known from the Kanto Region, are facing consecutive life sentences in a maximum security prison in an undisclosed place in Kalos for a list of crimes as long as five average-length Onix strung together from head to tail," he reported. "Crimes include multiple charges of Child Endangerment, Robbery, Assault and Battery on minors, Stalking on minors and Pokémon, Pokénapping, Kidnapping, False Imprisonment and Attempted Murder among other charges. On top of that, the two members known only as Jessie and James had their Pokémon Trainer licenses permanently revoked and their Pokémon of Pumpkaboo, Inkay, Meowth and Wobbufett confiscated. They were freed and returned to the wild. While proclaiming themselves as Team Rocket, an anonymous source told reporters that the three had no connection to the organization." This was devastating. Jessie, James and Meowth would no longer go after Pikachu... or any other Pokémon for that matter. To Pikachu, the nightmare that began in Viridian City back near home has finally come to an end.

("No more of those Electric-Proof traps...") he squeaked. While one organization suffered a huge blow with a few members no longer among them, Serena knew more were out there.

"Just because they're no longer after us, other members of Team Rocket could replace those three," she warned. Ash would agree with some extra incentive.

"Not only that, there are other organizations that can give Team Rocket a run for their money," Ash added. Nothing comes easy for Ash and his friends.

"Who cares!" Bonnie laughed as she leaped on Ash's back. Ash caught her and struggled to stay standing with their Pokémon on his shoulders and the little blond sister asking for a Swinub back ride. "We'll just take them out like we took Team Rocket out!" It's as if nothing could ever change with Ash and his party: protect the Pokémon and keep evil organizations from dominating the world.

"Take it easy, Bonnie!" Clemont warned. "He's still recovering!" Bonnie gasped at her own action. She forgot what the doctor told everyone. Ash knelt and let Bonnie off. She came around Ash to apologize.

"I'm sorry. I got caught up in the moment." Ash petted Bonnie to say that he understood her feelings.

"It's okay," he smiled. "We're all a little happy that Team Rocket's no longer on our tails." With all that said, the focus was now on Miette.

"So what's your next plan, Miette?" Serena questioned. Miette pondered what her next move was.

"Well, I don't have any immediate plans," she shrugged. "I'll hang around with you tonight, cook dinner and the next morning, I'll head home and see what I could do next. From all I know, I'll find out about the next PokéChef contest." Plans were set and soon, everyone arrived at the next town just one route from Shalour City.

"I was meaning to ask," Ash opened up. "What was that invention you threw on Team Rocket?" Clemont gawked at Ash's interest.

"That?" he hiccuped. "I could make an updated version of that invention for you to try, but not until you're 100-percent recovered." Everyone remained alert of Ash's injury. Even Ash had to be aware of his own head.

"I see. I wasn't hoping to try it out immediately." They all entered the Pokémon Center just as the sun set. The Pokémon had PokéPuffs from the girls and dinner with some help from Ash. They ate and soon enough, Ash found himself on the battlefield behind the Center. He's focused on his Gym Battle with Korrina. Ash released all of his Pokémon and had Fletchinder and Froakie on one side while Pikachu and Hawlucha faced off from the opposite end. "Okay, Froakie... I want you to use Double Team and combine it with Cut. That way, it should simulate Mega Lucario's Bone Rush. Fletchinder, you too with your Double Team and Flame Charge." Froakie and Fletchinder understood the commands. "Pikachu, Hawlucha, you'll need to dodge their attacks. They'll come from everywhere so stay focused." Pikachu and Hawlucha readied themselves for the barrage. Fletchinder flew a loop before copies of the Fire Bird Pokémon popped up. Froakie also charged with copies of his own. Seeing each Froakie and Fletchinder, Pikachu and Hawlucha watched for where the attacks would come from. A flaming Fletchinder swooped in from Hawlucha's left. "Hawlucha, from your left!" Hawlucha dove clear of the copy's move. A Froakie sneaked behind Pikachu, the kunai-like knife in his frog hand. "Pikachu, tail end!" Pikachu turned to see the Froakie's attack and leaped as he swiped. A near miss. Miette and her Slurpuff came out to see Ash and his Pokémon training for the Gym Battle. Each Flame Charge attacking Fletchinder, while dodged every time, kept getting closer and closer to Hawlucha while the Cut attacks started getting blocked by Pikachu's Iron Tail or missing by inches. After a minute, the Double Team faded to just one of each Pokémon. Froakie, Fletchinder, Hawlucha and Pikachu were wiped. "I think we're ready for Mega Lucario at the Shalour Gym. That was an awesome practice session." The Pokémon sounded pleased. Miette and Slurpuff approached the group but the chef focused on Ash.

"Didn't the doctor tell you to take it easy until you're fully recovered?" she advised. To Ash, this was him being... well, him.

"Consider this my way of recuperation. If I can train my Pokémon, I'm healing more by the moment." Miette chuckled at Ash's stoicism. "Besides, if there's a headache I'm actually glad is gone, it's Team Rocket. Perhaps the other regions like Sinnoh and Johto can breathe easy knowing that the pests their 'boss' sicked on me for Pikachu can't terrorize anyone else." It was a figurative headache but Pikachu squeaked in agreement.

"Pikachu and every Pokémon, for sure." Ash's other Pokémon and Miette's Slurpuff chimed at the relief. That's when Miette wanted to come clean about her feelings. "Do you remember the day before the PokéPuff contest? When we talked about you and Serena?" Ash blinked, seemingly forgetting the conversation.

"Not really." Disappointed, Miette let out a sigh. Of course, that concussion might have had something to do with why Ash didn't remember.

"I brought up that Serena needed to step up and tell her feelings about taking care of you, sort of like how Bonnie wants someone to take care of her big brother. I warned Serena that if she doesn't, I might take you for myself. In all honesty, I want you to help Serena as much as possible." Hearing her admit, Ash stepped forward and did something that seemed out of character: he hugged Miette. The blue-haired chef blushed quickly at the snap hug. "Um, Ash?" Breaking from the hug, Ash let out a breath of frustration.

"Thank you... for all you've done to take care of me while I was hurt." A soft chuckle coughed from Serena's rival.

"Yeah... of course!"

"And I'll watch over Serena. I know I still have a long way to go but I'll help her with whatever she needs." Miette nodded, satisfied with how Ash will deal with his future in Kalos.

"You're too much, you know that?" Now Miette embraced Ash in a hug but decided to add one more ingredient: a kiss on the lips. Ash stood a bit shocked while the Pokémon watched on. Finally, he closed his eyes and accepted the love from her. The next morning, the group exited the Center and appeared going on their separate ways.

"So, you're heading back home?" Clemont recalled.

"That's right. I've got some training to do, as well as Slurpuff. And Serena, if I get word on another PokéPuff contest, you'll be the first to know. We still have a score to settle." Serena's head bobbed to the challenge.

"You know I won't back down," she snapped back. Now Miette turned to Ash, his battle with Korrina at hand.

"And Ash, I wish you well on your upcoming Gym Battles." Now Ash lofted a nod of his own.

"You got it, Miette," he huffed. "And I'll make sure to help Serena when she needs it." Serena's face blossomed red from Ash's retort. Despite the feelings towards each other, they still had appointments to meet. Bonnie and Dedenne raced ahead toward the route that lead to Shalour City.

"Let's go, everyone!" she ordered. "I wanna see Ash get his third Gym Badge!" All heard the small blond girl and the Antennae Pokémon and waived fond farewells. The journey continues for Ash and his posse... but the relationship of three people may stick with them for a long time.

THE END