A/N: This is it, the end. Thanks to your votes, WATER will finish Volume 4.
Shipping: JohtoSailorShipper

One-Shot 12/Final: North Pole Position

The North Pole: once believed as a land of frozen myth was discovered by Ash on an adventure no one could fathom. Ash, Misty, Brock and the Pokémon friends helped one of Santa's little helpers, a Jynx, back to his workshop in the North Pole. Hearing about one of Ash's stories after stopping Team Rocket from kidnapping Lugia and Silver, he, Ritchie, Luka, Oliver and the Pokémon sailed toward the North Pole after finding a path that extended around the Johto Region. "I can't believe that all this time, Santa Claus really exists," Ritchie awed. "And that you, Misty and Brock met him." Sparky also acted surprised to learn their counterparts had the chance to meet Kris Kringle... or Old Saint Nicholas... or whatever nickname people called him.

"I know," Ash scoffed. "I did feel bad trying to catch it without knowing what was going on." Pikachu also squeaked softly in the guilt.

"You guys didn't know at that moment. I'm glad everything cleared up before anything bad happened." Luka, steering through the waves, still had some skepticism about Santa being real.

"Hey, I didn't believe Santa was real when I was nine," she offered an opinion. "I always thought my parents got me those presents around Christmas time." Funny how the truth can come out.

"If it is real, I wanna see it!" Oliver hoped. To Ritchie, only having Ash and Pikachu felt small.

"Too bad Misty and Brock couldn't join after your Top Eight finish in the Silver Conference," he pointed out. "I mean... you did tell me they were on their way back home to their gyms like Pewter and Cerulean Cities." It wasn't his fault that Ash and Pikachu were alone.

"After Nurse Joy fixed Misty's bike and both she and Brock got phone calls about how their families were doing," he explained. "They headed back home while I wanted to search for a new Pokémon League to try out. Before I could ask Professor Oak, Oliver and Luka called me, saying that Misty told him about Santa after we all stopped Team Rocket's operations." This would explain the trip to the North Pole.

"Well, thank goodness I chose to get coats to keep us warm," Luka praised herself as she waived a coat.

"And that I picked up some hand-warmers as well," Ritchie added with packs in hands.

"You guys came prepared," Ash complimented. As the boat sailed, Luka spotted glaciers drifting in the waters.

"We got ice," she reported. The boys turned to the windows, eying the glaciers floating as well as a big Lapras who spun to see the vessel. Pikachu saw the Transport Pokémon, thinking it may be the same one that saved Ash back then. He raced from the bridge and called out to it.

("Lapras!") he shouted. Lapras swam toward the vessel and this was no ordinary Lapras.

"Pikachu, is that you?" she wondered. The telepathic creature studied the excited Electric Mouse Pokémon. "Then Ash is on the bridge as well?" Pikachu squeaked to tell her that he's on the boat. Ash and Ritchie stepped from the bridge to meet the Water Pokémon. The two boys didn't confuse Lapras as he face Ash, sure that it's him. "Welcome back, Ash, and it seems you brought a sibling along." Ritchie gulped at being labeled as Ash's relative.

"I'm not his brother," he corrected. Lapras giggled at her presumed wrong guess.

"I was sure! You two look so much alike and that you have a Pikachu each."

"It's okay, Lapras," Ash understood. Lapras focused back on the subject.

"Are you going to the North Pole and Santa's Workshop?" Ash nodded to Lapras' presumption.

"We are. Little Oliver inside wanted to see Santa Claus. We aren't coming at a bad time, are we?" Now Lapras shook her horned head.

"No, you and your friends are always welcomed at his workshop. Follow me." Acknowledging the motion, Lapras led the boat and Luka steered around the glaciers. Suddenly, they spotted a carved glacier that had icy spikes protruding around. To Ash, they're close.

"Soon enough, we'll dock in the North Pole," he informed. With some more sailing through the cold ocean, snow on a giant patch of land told Ash to bundle up as he threw his coat on, Pikachu tucked in.

"I'm guessing Santa's workshop is here?" Luka pondered.

"Well, why else did he get his coat?" Ritchie pointed out. Once docked and bundled up, they disembarked the boat and praised Lapras for her help. The humans journeyed through the icy desert. Ten minutes since departing the boat, they came across a giant wooden house.

"We're here," he identified. He knocked on the door and a Jynx opened it.

("Who is it?") the Human Shaped Pokémon wondered. Ritchie and Oliver were surprised to see a Pokémon like this.

"It's a Jynx?" Oliver gulped.

"Talk about a rare Pokémon," Ritchie awed as he presented his Dex.

"Jynx, the Human Shaped Pokémon and the evolved form of Smoochum," it computed. "Its Lovely Kiss attack will knock opposing Pokémon to sleep." The trainers stayed cautious around the greeting Pokémon. That's when Jolly Old Saint Nick came to the door.

"Ho Ho Ho!" he laughed. "Ash, you're back! What brings the return trip to my workshop?" An itching to the back of Ash's head started the thought process.

"Misty told Oliver about finding this place before when one of your Jynx got stranded on a beach," he explained. Jynx confirmed the assumption, prompting Santa to realize who Ash referred to.

"Well, as you can see, Jynx is fairing much better since the escapade last time. Come on in, the missus is brewing up some hot cocoa." As they entered the workshop, they got a view of the Pokémon Santa had working... or on a lunch break. Jynx, Smoochum and Mr. Mime Pokémon throughout the shop below the catwalk the humans stepped on.

"You have Smoochum and Mr. Mime to join you?" Ever so jolly, Santa laughed at Ash's curiosity.

"Ho Ho Ho! Let's just say that a group of the Mr. Mime Pokémon wanted to help out the Jynx. I may have borrowed some lessons from Brock's breeding and before long, Smoochum hatched. Needless to say, they've also been a huge help in making toys for the good boys and girls around the world." Talk about great little helpers. The humans gathered in a small room with sofas. "So what can I do for you, young Oliver?" Everyone turned to the youngest boy.

"You see... after we saved Lugia and Silver from Team Rocket," he started. "Luka got me home and my mom and dad were... mad. They wondered where I was for the while when Team Rocket caused havoc to all the Pokémon around the islands." Is it safe to say that Oliver was with Luka and the two look-alikes, and away from his parents again? Santa pondered as Mrs. Claus brought the hot chocolate and Pokémon food to the guests.

"Sounds like you want to make a present to give to your parents," she guessed.

"I do... if you can help me with it." The request sounded heartfelt to Santa.

"What do you think, deary? He means well." Santa pondered his reply.

"Well, we are ahead of schedule." Ash and Ritchie got nervous about Santa's answer. "If this is to help resolve matters with your mother and father, I'd be more than happy to help out." Oliver's face brightened, thankful that the Jolly One offered his assistance.

"Hey, we'll help, too," Ash added to the aid, referring to himself and Pikachu.

"And me, too," Ritchie chuckled.

"And me as well," Luka spoke out. Oliver couldn't believe how much help he was getting.

"You guys are the best!" he giggled with a hint of embarrassment. Santa nodded, satisfied with his friends participating in making gifts to Oliver's parents.

"Well, now," he clapped. "Once we finish the hot cocoa, we'll start making those presents."

"Okay!" the rest agreed. Once the cups emptied, everyone entered the workshop to start making Oliver's gift to his parents.

"Do you know what you want to make for mom and dad?" Luka questioned.

"A new canoe," he decided. The trainers were ready for building a canoe.

"Let's make it a big canoe," Ash suggested. Everyone took measurements to see how big they should make the canoe. 16 feet long, 33 inches wide, four feet tall. The team and the Pokémon started carving the canoe's shape. The Jynx used Confusion to mend the boards' span and extend it. Ash and Luka pounded nails on the underbelly, the two holding two nails of each in their mouths. After hammering the last nails in, both breathed in relief. Without thought or warning, Ash laid his arm down with Luka's hand falling on top. Feeling both warmed hands, Ash and Luka looked toward each other. Their cheeks slowly bled red, unsure what to say. Mr. Mimes pulled the hammering duo from the underbelly. The large canoe looked complete after an hour of work. However, all they did was built it and felt not finished.

"Guess this needs a paint job," Ritchie suggested. Not a problem to the owner of the workshop.

"We have plenty of paint," Santa offered. "How else do we put color on your toys?" Point taken... The Smoochum swarm gathered paint for the visitors. Paint brushes on hand, the kids splashed white, blue, red, yellow, green and pink splotches around the handmade vessel. Lines of color streaked up and down the hull while sky blue coated the seats and white underneath. When the last drop smeared the canoe, the boat looked like a rainbow of different colors. "Ho Ho Ho! That is a marvelous canoe!" The Pokémon agreed.

"Now that was a team effort," Mrs. Claus chuckled. "Too bad Christmas is more than two months away." There's always time for more presents in the next two months.

"This is more of an 'apology' present," Oliver clarified. "It's for my mom and dad." Mrs. Claus understood the issue.

"I see. I'm sure your mom and dad will be happy to know you still love them." Oliver nodded in hope Santa's wife was right.

"Now how about we ship this ship back to the Johto Islands?" Luka joked. All wanted to help out. Getting the canoe out of the workshop proved a minor issue thanks to Jynx using Psychic. Once outside, everyone put the canoe from its side to up-right.

"Thanks for letting us use your workshop!" Oliver praised.

"Ho Ho Ho!" let out Santa. "I'll be seeing all of you around Christmas Eve!"

"Be good boys and Luka!" added Mrs. Claus. "Take care!" The couple and the Pokémon waived farewell to their friends as they waived back. With help from the ice, the group easily dragged the canoe back to Luka's boat and tied a rope to tow the handmade vessel back home. Luka's boat sailed for a little while when the sun set. She anchored the boat and made a meal for all, including Pikachu and Sparky.

"It's not Brock-material but at least it's good," she reassured. No one complained and continued to munch down. After the meal, the boys headed below deck to sleep. Luka stayed up to feed her Magikarp that helped drag the vessel from harm. The wood creaking woke Ash to rise on deck to check the noise. Luka heard the trapdoor and found the trainer who she accidentally held a hand to. "Sorry. I was feeding my Pokémon."

"I see," he bobbed. On deck, he reached starboard to look at her Margikarps.

"I'll say this: it was the first time I held someone's hand like that." Ash remembered that moment when his hand got snagged.

"It's okay... really! It's not your fault. I never built anything like that, let alone a boat like Oliver's gift." Luka nodded as she wrapped her arm around Ash's shoulders.

"Thanks. At least I'm not the only one." There's a first for everything. "So what are your plans after we bring this baby to Oliver's home?"

"I need to talk to Professor Oak about any new Pokémon Leagues for me to try out." Ash's quest to becoming a Pokémon Master only began.

"If you do find a new League, you can call me and I can give you and Pikachu a ride there." How about that, Ash has his own private boater. "In all honesty, I don't like Brock. He's a little too pushy for a relationship with anyone like me." Ash felt hurt by how Luka treated his friend, the upcoming Pokémon Breeder.

"You don't have to hurt his feelings like that. He means well."

"Yeah, but he's not as patient as you." She gave Ash a hug, keeping him and herself warm but also some tender care. Smooth sailing awaited for Ash but at least he's got some company.

END of WATER, END of VOLUME 4.

(Thanks to all of you who voted and made four series of AshMas. This series, much like the other three, couldn't have been done without your help. I'll be taking the rest of the year off and will start back in 2015. Don't forget to check out the two other stories, one with the ponies journeying Johto and the other with the trainers teaming with the demon hunters in a world full of women and having two womanizers getting chased. Merry [late] Christmas and have a Happy New Year!)