Misty stared at her ceiling. The day had come, and she wasn't quite sure how to handle it, so she had decided simply to count all the little specks of sparkle on the ceiling and procrastinate as long as she could, because otherwise she thought that the impending panic attack might take over. In just a few short hours she was going to be married. She couldn't quite wrap her head around it. And so rather than try, she had made it up to 573 sparkles on her ceiling. That is until two smiling faces popped into her vision and two pairs of hands started hoisting her out of her bed.

"Let's go sleepy head," May said.

"Yep, you can't get out of this," Dawn added as they pulled her to her feet.

"Alright girls, here's the itinerary," Delia announced upon entering the bedroom, "First, Misty: shower. Now! Once we get to the wedding venue: Iris and Serena, you two are on hair duty. Dawn and May, you two are getting the dresses ready. Sensational sisters, you're doing makeup. Lucy and I are supervising and getting things ready."

Serena piped up, "We'll have an extra set of hands! Bonnie just texted and her plane has just landed. She'll meet us there!"

Misty raised her hand, and through a groggy haze announced, "Before anything else happens: Coffee!"

Ash clutched the edges of the bathroom sink as Gary pounded on the door. But Ash couldn't really hear his friend. He couldn't really hear anything but the pounding of his own heart and his heavy breathing. He. Was. Getting. Married! That thought was kicking his mental butt and he couldn't quite get himself to step into the shower that had been running for the past few minutes, waiting for him to get in.

"Dammit, Ketchum, I'm going to break down this door if you don't answer me!"

Ash finally acknowledged the loud pounding at the door to the bathroom and flung it open. He'd forgotten he was about to step into the shower, and so Gary got the entire show.

"AGH!" Gary yelled and covered his eyes. "Put that away, Ketchum, geez!"

"Ah shit," Ash said and jumped behind the shower curtain, smarting a bit at the slightly too hot water that hit his skin.

"For crying out loud, Ketchum, I probably saw you naked before Red did! Why me?" Gary moaned. "This is what I get for helping you get ready to get hitched."

"I didn't ask for you to supervise, Gary," Ash responded from behind the shower curtain.

"No, your mom did. I'm beginning to think Iris has a point about you being a kid!"

"Settle down in there you two," Brock called out from the hotel bedroom as he laid out the tuxedoes for each respective groomsman.

Ash finished his shower and Gary happily shut the door and plopped down into the armchair in the corner of the hotel room. Brock and Tracey were accounting for all of the tuxedoes while Drew, Barry, Clemont, and Max laid out corsages and cufflinks.

After several more minutes, Ash finally emerged in a pair of black slacks and a white t-shirt. Brock couldn't help but notice Ash's mood seemed different. He looked almost shell-shocked as he took a seat on the edge of the bed and pulled on his shoes.

The rest of the guys all began to mull around the room as they slowly but surely put on their tuxedoes, slacks, shoes, and corsages. Brock's suit had a little bit of flair to it as the best man, while the rest of the guys had light blue shirts and slightly darker bowties under their tuxedoes and suit coats. Brock checked the mirror and, in his estimation, the group of them looked pretty damn good.

He turned from the mirror and was shocked to see Ash still sitting on the edge of the bed with only his black slacks, shoes and a white undershirt on.

"Ash, you've got to get ready man," Brock urged, "you're getting married in a couple hours."

At that Ash stood and grabbed his Pokeball belt and rushed to the balcony, throwing the door open and releasing his charizard.

"I've got to get some air!" he yelled as he jumped on the orange lizard's back and took off.

"ASH!" Brock yelled after him.

The rest of the guys were stunned silent and were all taking turns looking at each other, and then looking to Brock for guidance.

"Gary," Brock said, thinking quickly, "Do you have your aerodactyl with you?"

"Uh, yeah," Gary said hesitantly.

"Let me borrow him."

Gary pulled off the pokeball and Brock approached the balcony and released the ancient pokemon.

"Listen to him for a while, buddy," Gary instructed.

Brock told the flying type to follow the charizard in the sky, and Aerodactyl took off faster than Brock was used to.

"What are you doing, Ash?" Brock mumbled.

Misty felt numb. Iris had done her hair over the course of about an hour which had given Misty a good hour to just sit and stare straight ahead which had provided her far too much time to stew in her own thoughts. A feeling of restlessness and panic had begun to set in and she had excused herself from the group and had simply sat in her room in the dark. She didn't know how long she'd been in there, but it was long enough to start hearing knocks from the other side and her friends had begun to sound concerned. But she found herself unable to stand.

She was fully decked out and ready for her wedding. Her light blue dress was beautiful and sparkled in the light. Her hair was immaculate and was formed into a beautiful pattern with pearls weaved in. Her shoes matched her dress and the heels gave her another two inches in height. Dawn and May had oohed and aahed and repeatedly told her how beautiful she looked. Iris said she was a little jealous that her dress hadn't even looked that good at her wedding. Leaf and Serena had both been quiet, but looked as if something had been weighing on their minds. Bonnie had been a ball of energy ever since her flight had come in, and she had shown the most exuberance regarding the whole event.

But Misty was full of doubt and anxiety. And then she found Delia seated next to her suddenly, and was slightly shocked as she could have sworn she'd locked the door.

"Misty, it's almost time," Delia said softly and placed her hand on Misty's.

Misty took a shaky breath and squeaked out, "Okay." But she still didn't move.

Delia, of course, could sense Misty's mood, and so quietly and patiently sat next to her soon-to-be daughter-in-law to offer her some comfort with her presence. They were close, the two of them. Their shared affection for Ash and their relatively close proximity had formed a natural bond, and the two had spent many years worrying, hoping, and cheering Ash on together, even before they were a couple. They would meet often to chat over coffee. Misty would help Delia with things around her house and Delia would visit the gym when she could. Delia had always sensed Misty's infatuation with her son, and she had always been fond of the young fiery redhead. Their relationship had naturally formed into something akin to a mother-daughter bond. They loved each other like family, so they both considered the official paperwork almost extraneous.

But Misty was scared, and she needed advice from her…from her mother.

"I don't know how to do this," she finally confessed, so softly that it barely registered as a whisper. But Delia heard her.

"Do what, dear?"

"I didn't have a mom or a dad. I never saw how a family was supposed to work. I don't know how to be a wife. I've relied on myself for so long…. I don't know if I'm ready to rely on someone else…to have them rely on me," Misty subconsciously tightened her grip on Delia's hand.

"Oh, Misty, dear," Delia cooed and pulled the bride into a hug. "But Misty, don't you realize you've already done all of that?" Delia asked. "When you two traveled with each other, you relied on each other in various ways, didn't you? When you decided to pursue this relationship, you both began relying on one another, even from long distances. I mean how many times did you save my son's life?"

Misty smiled, "I guess more than I can count."

"Misty, dear, I know you two already love each other dearly. I wouldn't have suggested such a brief engagement if I didn't think that. That's not just what you feel in here," she pointed to Misty's stomach, "but it's also what you've done. You're loyal, you're patient, you're devoted, and you two have moved mountains for one another. I don't believe you when you say you don't know how to be a wife. I think you've known how to be a wife for years."

They were silent for a while until Misty turned to Delia and smiled. "Thank you so much….mom," she said and embraced her mom (well she may as well have been). Delia returned the hug and squeezed her new daughter tight. They separated and stood and Misty was finally ready. No more doubts and fears penetrated her psyche, only a deep determined love for the one she would soon be bound to forever.

Brock finally caught up with Ash on top of a grassy hill just outside of the city. The younger man was sitting in the shade of a tree with his starter pokemon in his lap as he stared off into the distance. Aerodactyl landed about twenty yards away and Brock asked it to wait there as he slowly approached his friend.

Cautiously, Brock asked, "Hey buddy, what's going on?"

Ash turned to him briefly and then looked back off into the distance. "I was starting to feel like I couldn't breathe in there," Ash responded. "I don't know what happened. I got queasy, started to sweat, and I felt like I just needed to get out or I was going to pass out. I was just thinking of the wedding and boom!"

Brock nodded knowingly, "Sounds like a panic attack to me."

Ash's face scrunched up at that and he gave Brock a sideways look, "A panic attack!? I don't have panic attacks!"

Brock sat down beside his friend and took in the pleasant view of Kanto, "Well what do you think is going on then?"

"I've placed highly in seven league tournaments, Brock," Ash said, "I've battled in some of the most intense pokemon matches I can imagine. Some of them have been life or death situations! And you're telling me the prospect of marrying Misty gave me a panic attack over all those!?"

"Apparently," Brock said through a grin. "Are you nervous about it?"

Ash sat for a moment and considered the question thoughtfully before replying, "I guess maybe a little. Maybe more as the wedding gets closer."

"Why?" Brock asked.

"Well," Ash paused and looked for the right words to say, "I mean this is it for only relying on myself, right? Instead of just Ash Ketchum, it's now going to be, now and forever, Ash and Misty."

"Is that a problem?"

"NO!" Ash yelled, and then reigned it in, "No. It's just…different. I don't know. Am I ready for that responsibility? I know I don't deserve Misty, and I don't want to let her down."

"Ash, you've always been selfless," Brock said, placing his arm around his younger friend. "You always have been sure to place your friends' hopes and dreams before your own, even if it hurts you. Now you just get to focus on doing that with one person especially. I don't think you two have anything to worry about. You're perfect for each other and you both deserve to be happy. You're my best friends! Would I ever lead you guys astray?"

"No," Ash said.

"I think a lot of people start getting nervous before their wedding, bud," Brock said.

Ash sighed and smiled. Brock had always been able to help him feel better. He supposed it was second nature after helping raise nine siblings.

"Thanks Brock," Ash said and stood up.

"Well let's get back, you still have to finish getting ready, and then you have a certain redhead to get married to," Brock said with a wink. He looked at his watch and his demeanor changed from pleasant to panic in an instant. "Ash! You only have 15 minutes before it starts!"

"WHAT!?" Ash yelled and quickly called out Charizard and climbed on his back.

Cutting it close. An Ash Ketchum specialty.

Serena smiled as she and the rest of the girls put the finishing touches on the bride. She glanced at her watch and saw that they only had 15 minutes, and that the ushers (Todd Snap and Ritchie [who had both been able make the wedding on short notice]) were probably almost done seating everyone. She excused herself from the group and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. At least in part. She also just needed a moment alone. She and Misty were now close friends, but it hadn't started that way. In fact, there had been a time when Serena didn't like Misty at all when she barely even knew her. Not only did their personalities clash at first, Misty being very type-a and extroverted (Serena would have even said she was pushy at one point), and Serena being quieter, more reserved, and introverted. But there was also the issue about their mutual affection for Ash Ketchum.

Serena checked her makeup and added a dab of lipstick. She was happy for the wedding couple; her good friends. But there was something in the pit of her stomach that was still unsettled. She'd look at the two of them together and the reality that someone she cared deeply about could never feel the way she had felt for him. Her relationship with Clemont was great, and she cared for him a lot, but Ash had been her first crush. She'd pined over him for years. And then the opportunity to travel with him had given her a hope that never came to fruition. She'd only grown more enamored with the budding pokemon master as they traveled through Kalos together. She'd fallen in love with him. And when they parted; he heading home to Pallet town, she traveling to Hoenn to try her hand at pokemon coordinating, she had tried to let him know just how she felt with a kiss.

She had been down slightly when he didn't seem to reciprocate her gesture, but she had hoped he just needed some time to process it. She knew he was relatively dense when it came to romance at the time and hoped some time apart gave him an opportunity to think about what the gesture meant. But then came the Christmas party at the Ketchum house a little over three years ago.

Three years ago:

Serena and May had arrived the day before for the party. The reunion with Ash and Brock (who Serena was eager to meet as he was the person who had traveled with Ash the longest) was pleasant and cordial. She had hugged him and he seemed unfazed about the physical contact, but he gave May a hug as well. Oh well, she had several days before she had to head back to Hoenn with May for the next big contest. She'd see where she stood at some point.

Her time as a Pokemon Coordinator in Hoenn had been exciting. She'd met some of the most interesting people, and all of them seemed to have some connection to Ash. She met May at the first contest she attended. She hadn't participated, but had attended to get a feel for the competition. They were quite a bit like the Pokemon Showcases she participated in in Kalos with slight differences she'd have to adjust to.

She'd also met Drew, who clearly had it bad for May, and Dawn, who hung around a dedicated group of friends as well. It seemed both former female traveling companions of Ash weren't that interested in him romantically, though Serena thought there was a slight sparkle in Dawn's eye when he came up as a topic of conversation. She met Paul, who she really thought woke up on the wrong side of the bed most days. Zoey, Solidad, Harley, the list went on and on. The coordinating scene was huge in Hoenn. She'd have to train hard to make any impact. Luckily, she'd begun to travel with May who had taken her on as something of an apprentice, and was advancing nicely.

The first day at the Ketchum house that holiday, Serena, May, and Brock were the first to arrive. Brock was everything she'd been told and then some. She laughed at his stories of his time with Ash and made sure to be around the object of her affection as much as possible. Flirting was not really her strong suit, but she was a young woman after all. She did have some skills in that department, and she used them. To her chagrin, however, Ash didn't seem to really react one way or another when she'd laugh at his dumb jokes, place her hand on his shoulder, brush against his hand, or blink her large eyes seductively. She thought maybe Brock had given her a sideways glance or two every once in a while when she did turn on the charm, but sometimes it was hard to tell what he was looking at.

They had a lot of fun catching up, joking, talking, relaying stories from their journeys. Brock talked about his time as a member of the Kanto Elite Four. May and Serena let the two guys know how all of their friends in the coordinating scene were doing. They even went to a burger joint. Serena was having a great time, and Ash seemed happy to be with them all. He seemed happy to be with her.

They all slept in sex-segregated rooms. Ash and Brock slept on the couch and chair in the living room while May and Serena took over Ash's room. May let her sleep in Ash's bed (SQUEEEE) while May took an air mattress on the floor.

"Serena," May said with a slight grin on her face, "is it just me or is one of us flirting with Ash?"

Serena was a bit surprised. She didn't think anyone had really caught on. "Uh…which of us are we talking about?"

May rolled over to face her, "Oh come on, you're literally the only one who has ever laughed at that stupid pirate story of his."

Serena was glad it was dark, because her face was surely beet red, "I…uh…maybe?"

"HA! I knew it!" May laughed, "Why didn't you tell me you had a thing for him?"

"I don't know. I'm still a little shy about it and it never really came up," Serena answered.

"Well you should know you're not going to get through his thick skull with simple flirting," May said, "I'm not even sure he'd realize what romance was if someone kissed the guy."

Serena stayed quiet for a moment and May seemed to catch on, "Oh my gosh! You've kissed him, haven't you!?"

"Y-yeah."

May sat up and plopped down on the end of Ash's bed, prompting Serena to suddenly sit up herself. "Okay, when did this happen!?" May demanded.

"We were at the Lumiose airport and were saying goodbyes after the Kalos League and were all saying goodbye. I wasn't really thinking, but I wanted him to know how I felt. I couldn't bring myself to say anything, so I…kind of just kissed him and left."

May had placed her chin in her hand and had a big grin on her face, "Well this is big. Huge!"

"I'm just feeling him out right now," Serena continued. "I'm not really sure where we stand, honestly. He hasn't mentioned it and doesn't seem to respond to my advances one way or the other."

"Like I said," May laughed and pointed to her own head in lieu of Ash's, "he's dense."

"You…you don't…like him like that, do you?" Serena probed carefully.

"HA!" May guffawed. "No no. Gosh that would be like dating myself. Weird. Plus, Drew would pout too much if I dated some other guy."

"What about Dawn? She always seemed to light up when Ash would come up."

"Eh," May said waving her hand, "I think she had a thing for him at some point, but she's got a lot of guys competing for her heart in her group of friends. Barry, Kenny, and even Paul. I think she'll end up with one of them."

That was music to Serena's ears. No competition from either one of Ash's close female friends!

"Misty though…" May said and tapped her chin.

"Huh!?" Serena said shocked.

"Oh, Misty. The first girl who traveled with Ash. She had it bad for him," May said, "but it was always something she told me never to mention to him, and I'm not sure that she's still interested after all this time. Last I heard she'd gone out a couple times with this Georgio guy. I'm not even sure if she'll make the party tomorrow. She's pretty busy."

"Every time Ash talked about Misty with me," Serena said, "he always seemed fond of her. But he also mentioned how they fought a lot."

"Yeah they were both pretty precocious kids back in the day," May reminisced. "I dunno, I kind of thought something was going on between them whether they knew it or not. But she's not here and you are," she said pointing to Serena, "so there's no reason for you not to try, am I right?"

Serena nodded relieved. Tomorrow was a new day and a new opportunity to win the heart of the boy she'd fallen for.

The next day started much the same as the previous day, only the decorating had shifted into full swing. Serena had opted to help Ash's mother cook the Christmas Eve dinner while Brock worked on the cookies. Ash and May had been setting up various Christmas decorations around the house and were now working with Charizard to hang lights on the trees in the yard. Iris and Cilan showed up next, and after a while longer, Drew and Max showed up. Finally, Ash's friends Ritchie and Tracey pulled in and the party got started.

She roamed around the party for a bit and tried to meet as many of Ash's older friends as she could. Tracey and Ritchie were very friendly. Iris and Cilan were inseparable and often held hands. There was clearly something going on there. Drew was a little standoffish and hung around May for the most part, and Max was precocious and clearly a knowledgeable young pokemon trainer. She learned that Clemont, Bonnie, and Dawn had all regrettably had to cancel. Dawn was visiting with Barry and his family, while Clemont and Bonnie had both decided to spend Christmas with their dad.

The food was great and as the night went on she was able to spend more and more time with Ash. She'd even taken to grabbing his arm every once in a while as they talked to friends. She was for sure this time that some eyebrows were raising, especially Brock's.

And then entered the last two people to attend the Christmas party that year. A tall young man with spiky brown hair and an unforgettable swagger about him threw the front door open and made an entrance that he was sure everyone noticed, and he was followed by a girl who was wrapped up in several layers to avoid the cold air.

"Ashy-boy!" the young brown haired man grabbed Ash away from Serena and enveloped him in a big hug.

"Gary," Ash grunted out under the pressure of the bearhug, "glad you could make it, buddy!"

"Me too, and I picked up Red for you like you asked," he said and gestured to the young woman who had peeled off her heavy coat and was now in a simple green form fitting sweater that was definitely kind to her shapely assets, and a pair of tight blue jeans. Her hair was indeed shockingly red and it was pulled up into a long side ponytail that fell just past her shoulder. It swung while she walked toward the three of them, hips swaying as each high-heeled boot clicked against the tile floor. Her cerulean green eyes glistened as she revealed a broad smile. Serena did not like this girl already. Not. One. Bit.

Ash pulled away from Serena and Gary and quickly made his way to the girl and, to Serena's dismay, enveloped her in a huge hug that the girl readily returned. And then Serena's world seemed to freeze as the girl reached up with her face, her eyes, her LIPS, and placed them on Ash's. It was brief, but it was clearly sensuous and it sent shockwaves through Serena's entire psyche.

She shook her head to clear the shock. No one else seemed to have noticed the kiss. The various partygoers approached Ash and the girl, who now stood conspicuously close to each other, and excitedly exchanged pleasantries with her. May gave her a hug, as did Brock and Tracey, and the others were clearly close to her as well. Serena was beginning to feel invisible.

"Misty!" a loud squeal erupted from the kitchen as Delia rushed out and enveloped the girl…Misty…into a huge hug. Misty laughed and returned the hug.

"Hi Mrs. Ketchum, it's good to see you!" she said affectionately.

"Misty, you know good and well it's Delia to you," Ash's mom said as she cupped Misty's face in her hands and looked her over. "You look beautiful, Misty," she said and elbowed Ash. Oh no, what did that mean!?

"You're looking well too," Misty said through a bright genuine smile.

Serena suddenly found herself alone on the other side of the room with crossed arms and scowling at the attention the newly arrived girl was receiving, especially from Ash. It looked like her hopes of not having any competition for Ash's affections were suddenly dashed. What was the story here? Were they dating?

Suddenly, she realized the redhead was walking right to her, hips doing the same annoying sway as when she walked into the room, with a bright smile.

"Hello! You must be Serena!" she said excitedly, reaching out her hand to shake Serena's. "It's nice to finally meet you. Ash has told me so much!"

"Oh?" Serena said, somewhat bashful all of a sudden. It took her a second, but she finally returned Misty's handshake. "Really? How much?"

Misty looked a little taken aback, not expecting the curt and atypical greeting from the pretty blonde. But Serena wanted to know if this girl knew what happened at the Lumiose airport, and Misty recovered quickly and continued with her amicable introduction.

"Oh a lot. He told me about you and Bonnie and Clemont and how much you all helped him out. I know he appreciated it being so far from home."

"He mentioned you a few times, but we were pretty busy," Serena replied.

"Oh," Misty said and shuffled slightly uncomfortably, "uh yeah, we'd been out of touch for a few months at that point."

What followed next was one of the most awkward silences Serena could remember having been party to in her entire life. She finally decided to excuse herself from the room altogether.

"I'm, uh, going to go see if Mrs. Ketchum needs any more help in the kitchen," she said and hurried out of the room.

May watched the exchange between Misty and Serena with some interest, and some dread. She had assumed Misty, the freaking leader of the Elite Four, would be far too busy to make a simple small-town Christmas Party at the Ketchum's. But here she was, and she seemed as familiar as ever with everyone, especially Delia, who was treating Misty like her own daughter. But what did that mean?

She glanced over to Ash, who had taken up residence next to Iris, Cilan, and Tracey and was chattering away happily. She then glanced back to Misty and Serena and saw the latter hurry out of the room while Misty looked befuddled after her. Then the redhead turned and made her way over to Ash and took up residence very very close to him.

Oh shit, May thought as a feeling of dread rushed through her. She quickly made her way over to Misty, "Hey, can you come help me with…my hair?"

Misty looked bemused, but giggled and nodded and followed the brunette to the bathroom. May closed the door behind them and locked it and then started in: "Are you and Ash dating!?"

Misty's bemused look changed to one of surprise, "Uh…well…yeah. We weren't really telling many people yet. How did you guess?"

"Well for one, you're the busy leader of the Elite Four and you made it to this dinky little Christmas party," May started, "and two you're both awfully close to each other tonight. Though I may have been the only one watching…"

"Yeah, I guess I didn't really think about it…" Misty said, still not sure where the conversation was going. "Is this a problem?"

"For me?" May said. "Hell no. But I…uh….may have told Serena that I didn't think you were interested in Ash anymore…"

"Serena? Wait, does she have a thing for Ash?" Misty queried.

"Oh does she!" May answered, "Has Ash seriously not told you about it?"

Misty's eyes narrowed, "No, he hasn't."

Serena walked back into the living room with a tray full of crackers and dip and set it down on the coffee table and told everyone to dig in. She took a look around the room and noticed that the redhead she'd taken an immediate disliking to (which she did feel slightly guilty about) was gone. Ash was, at the moment, talking with Tracey. She took a deep breath. She may not get another chance. She had to know.

"Ash," she said feebly as she approached him. His brown eyes met hers and he smiled.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Could I talk to you? In private?"

Tracey immediately looked uncomfortable, but Ash, as always, was unfazed, "Sure. Be right back, Trace."

They left the room and Serena quickly dragged Ash through the kitchen and then out the back door onto the deck of the Ketchum house. She turned to him, trying to fight the nervousness while looking for the right words to say.

"Look, Ash," she started, "uh…remember the last time we were together in Kalos?"

Now Ash started to look a little uncomfortable, "Uh, yeah."

"I did something because of the way I feel about you, but I'm not sure if you got it. You've been really nice and a good friend, but…" she stopped. She didn't know how to finish. She didn't know what to say, so she defaulted to what Kalosians did best. She stepped up to him and kissed him again.

Then, in quick succession, several things happened rather quickly. Ash gasped and moved back slightly. She fell forward and grabbed hold of him to steady herself. The back door opened and revealed a seething redhead and a horrified brunette.

For a moment, Serena thought Misty's head was going to explode. It turned bright red and she thought she could make out every vein in her forehead. But Misty stopped and closed her eyes and took several deep breaths before calmly stepping forward.

"Serena, I guess this is our fault," she pointed to herself and Ash, "we probably should have told everyone that we're dating."

Serena's shoulder slumped and her face fell.

"Also," Misty said through gritted teeth, glaring at Ash, "Ash never told me about the history between you two."

"History!?" Ash protested. "We're just good friends!"

"Ash, she told May that you two kissed before! I never knew that!" Misty said crossing her arms and standing next to the two girls.

Suddenly Ash was keenly aware he was being ganged up on.

"I didn't think it was that big of a deal! I'm sorry, Serena! I was really confused after that and I didn't know exactly what it meant. And I didn't think it was relevant to us, Mist!"

Poor Serena had tried to hold back her tears, but there was just too much going on at that moment. Ash and Misty beginning to argue and the stunned May next to her, as well as the revelation that her long-time crush was with someone else pushed her over the edge. She didn't like to cry in front of people. She wasn't a weepy person either. But the whole situation was terribly emotionally charged, and so, embarrassed and devastated, she placed her hand on her mouth, turned her back to the group, and began walking away while the sobs ripped through her body.

Misty watched wide eyed as the blonde girl she didn't even know began to break down in front of her because of something she had done. Of course, Misty had no reason to feel bad about her position. She had no reason to feel any shame for being with Ash. But looking at Serena evoked a deep sympathy for the girl who had just kissed her boyfriend, and Misty knew why. She was seeing what could have been her. Just a few months ago herself she had made herself vulnerable and told Ash how she felt about him. He could have rejected her, and, though Misty would not have cried in front of him, she would have cried. She would have been crushed. She would have seen years of yearning and waiting wasted. Her heart would have been broken, and looking at Serena at that moment through her slightly misty cerulean eyes, she could only imagine all those feelings. But Serena was experiencing them.

Misty knew Serena probably didn't want much at all to do with her: the girl who got in her way, but she didn't care. She felt so bad for Serena and she couldn't simply stand there and watch her cry, so slowly and deliberately, Misty approached Serena and gently pulled her into a hug. And for a moment, Serena sobbed in the redhead's arms.

Serena soon realized what was going on after having taken solace in the arms that had embraced her, and a strange mixture of emotions rose from her gut. There was slight gratitude, but even more so was pride and anger. Anger that this girl who caused her grief would suddenly show her sympathy. And so she pushed the redhead off.

"I don't want your sympathy," she said, though not as strongly as she had wanted.

"I-I know," Misty said, "but I wanted to give it. I'm so sorry that you're going through this."

May had approached and gently placed her arm around her relatively new friend, but Serena didn't want anyone hugging her at that moment. She just wanted clarity, and then she wanted to go home.

"Can I talk to Ash alone?" she turned to Misty and asked. Misty looked skeptically for a moment, but then nodded. Ash needed to clarify whatever was going on so people could move on and so healing could begin.

Misty and May walked inside slowly, upset that meeting this new person who was clearly important to both Ash and May had gone so wrong. But they both knew themselves that it was very hard to have one's heart broken.

Serena had calmed down enough to turn to Ash and look him in the eye. She made it a point to square her shoulders and stand up straight.

"Ash, I have to know if there could ever possibly be something between us. I know there can't right now, but how serious is this? Do you love her?" she motioned to the house.

"Serena…I…yes. I love Misty very much."

Serena nodded and closed her eyes as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I never meant to lead you on, Serena. I honestly didn't know you…felt like this!" Ash said through a pleading tone as he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "But, I don't feel about you like that."

"Okay," she said, her voice shuddering as she began to walk to the house in order to collect her things and leave.

"But you are important to me, Serena! You're one of my best friends!" Ash called after her.

But that was the problem, wasn't it? Hearing that hurt even more. She knew he meant well by it, but the fire she felt burn her insides upon hearing they were just friends, that he would never share the love she felt for him, it was too much to bear at that moment.

It didn't take her long to collect her bag of things and then step into the living room and approach the front door. Of course most everyone was in the living room, and she had to endure the confused stares of all of Ash's friends. How she wished Clemont and Bonnie had gone with her at that point. She yearned to see the bespectacled young man and his precocious sister more than anything right at that moment.

Ash, May, and Misty let her clear the front door and followed her out, not wanting to subject her to the embarrassment of having the whole group hear their goodbyes. Not to mention Ash and Misty weren't really ready to blab about their relationship to the world.

"You don't have to go," Misty plead with her, though she knew that if she were in Serena's shoes, she would have been long gone herself.

"I know," Serena replied sadly, "but I really have to."

"I'm so sorry, Serena," May cried softly and embraced her. "This is all my fault. I told you to…"

"May, you're a good friend. You were trying to help," Serena said and returned the hug.

"Do you want me to go back to Hoenn with you?" May asked as they pulled apart and she rubbed the tears away from her eyes.

"I'm not going back to Hoenn," Serena replied. "Not right now at least. I'm going home. I'll let you know when I'm coming back."

Ash cringed as he heard the possibility of Serena ending her dreams. "Please don't quit, Serena!" he yelled louder than he meant to. "I'm not worth it! Really!" Ash was developing tears in his own eyes.

"Well, Ash," she said and smiled softly at him, and then at Misty, "I think there are two of us here that disagree with you there. But I'm not quitting. I just need a break.

"I have to get to the airport soon, guys, or I won't be able to catch a flight," she said, the grief still threatening to overtake her again.

"Are you going to be okay?" Misty asked.

"No," Serena shook her head. "Not yet."

And that was that. She began her trek toward the airport with nothing but sadness flowing through her. She had to move on at that point, though, so she grabbed her phone and typed in a familiar number. The phone only rung once until a voice that actually got her to smile streamed through the earpiece.

"Hey, Clemont," she said, "I'm coming home early. Can you pick me up at the airport?"

Serena wasn't fine for several weeks, but she kept moving forward. She continued to improve herself, and a month later she found herself back in Hoenn traveling with May. A month after that, she and May even met up with Misty and the two of them were able to start over. There was still a healing wound that hurt when she met the redhead, but Misty was so nice to her she just couldn't bring herself to dislike the girl. They eventually even became friends. And later, very good friends, and Serena found there were certain perks to being good friends with the leader of the Kanto Elite Four.

A month after meeting Misty, another surprise awaited her when she and May reached Slateport City to watch that year's Grand Festival. Clemont had flown all the way in, and announced nervously that he had come to watch the festival with her. That ignited a fire that soon became a relationship between the inventor and the performer.

Present day:

Even today, standing in front of the mirror and knowing that Ash was about to marry Misty, and that she of all people was going to be a bridesmaid in the wedding, there was just the hint of a still-healing emotional wound. Something deep within her still hurt. But it was dull. It wasn't as noticeable as it once was. And the thought of a certain inventor raised her spirits and made her strong. Someone did love her. Was it the one she had initially wanted? No. But he was there when she needed him, and he was the one that mattered. She smiled with determination at herself in the mirror and then confidently joined the other girls as they all made their way to the vestibule. The wedding had already started.

Delia sat livid in the front pew of the huge church that Samuel Oak had been able to procure for her son's wedding. But her son wasn't there. The groomsmen (Gary, Cilan, Clemont, Drew, Tracey, Max, and Barry) and bridesmaids (Daisy [maid of honor], Lily, Violet, Serena, May, Dawn, Iris, and Leaf) were all standing nervously just outside the entrance to the sanctuary, but Ash and Brock were nowhere to be seen. Ash was fifteen minutes late to his own wedding. She should have known.

Suddenly, the front doors of the church could be heard slamming open, and a rush of wind blew through the sanctuary as all the guests (who consisted of various friends, friends-of-friends, and acquaintances of Ash and Misty that could make it on short notice) turned in their seats. Ash could be seen climbing off his larger-than-normal charizard, followed by Brock as he returned an aerodactyl and handed the ball to Gary.

The groomsmen all gathered around Ash and made sure to straighten his bowtie and tuxedo. Ash then winked and gave the officiant a thumbs up. The priest rolled his eyes and then gestured to begin the service.

Delia rubbed her nose, but figured that late was better than never. Not only was Ash running late, but the entire cadre of the Kanto media had gathered outside the church and had made it a royal pain to filter in the actual invited guests. Add to that the fact that she knew several people who weren't invited had made it in. She figured as long as they didn't make much of a scene it wouldn't be that big of a deal, but really. The nerve of people. Just because her son and soon-to-be daughter were celebrities it didn't give them the right to crash their wedding.

The orchestra began playing, signaling the groom and officiant to come to the front of the chapel. Ash smiled at his mother as he passed her and Delia felt the tears begin to well up in her eyes. Next, the groomsmen escorted the bridesmaids down the aisle. Brock made it a point to smile at Lucy as he and Daisy passed by as the best man and maid of honor. Then Togekiss began floating down the aisle spreading flower petals with Pikachu riding on its back as the ring bearer. Delia thought it was the best-looking wedding party she'd ever seen.

Then the music changed. The entire congregation stood. Ash stopped breathing. And the doors opened revealing Professor Oak with the beautifully adorned Misty on his arm. The wedding march played and Delia lost it and began sobbing. Misty herself was having trouble keeping it together, but Professor Oak patted her hand and guided her down the aisle slowly, keeping in step with the music as they'd practiced the night before.

Misty and the Professor reached the end of the aisle and the music stopped. The officiant signaled for everyone to be seated and then asked, "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"

"I do," the Professor answered, and Misty wiped a tear from her eye as she reached over and hugged the man who was like a grandfather to her.

He handed her hand to Ash and she stepped up to face him. He looked like he was turning purple, so she leaned in and quietly reminded him to breathe. He did, and smiled at her.

"We are gathered here today for this joyous occasion of Holy Matrimony. Of the joining together of Ash Ketchum and Misty Waterflower in this most sacred of unions. It is a joyous occasion, but not one for any of us to take lightly, for in joining together, Ash and Misty have agreed to certain responsibilities to each other. I charge you both to love and respect each other now, and for the rest of your lives!

"Do you, Ash, take Misty to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

Ash swallowed what seemed like a tennis ball, but gazing into his bride's eyes, all trepidation and anxiety suddenly left him, and he knew there was only one answer he could have ever given to those questions: "I do!"

"And you, Misty, do you take Ash to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

Misty's smile lit up the entire chapel. Her happiness was contagious as several bridesmaids and certainly Ash's mother could be heard crying, she herself was having to wipe tears away periodically. But she too could only have ever answered those questions in one way: "I do."

"The couples have written their own vows for each other, and we will now take this time to allow them to read each other their promises."

Ash pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and began nervously, "Mist, I really didn't know what to say a few hours ago. It just seemed like not that much was changing. We're still best friends, and we've never been the kind of couple who left anything quiet between one another. Well except for the nearly ten years we hid our crushes." Multiple people chuckled at that. "I've never been good at this kind of stuff, but you somehow through your patience and love for me have made me what I am today. I wouldn't have done any of what I've accomplished if you hadn't fished me out of that river on the day I started my journey. I'd have been no one without your immediate guidance in my life. You saved my life, Mist. It's always been you, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'll love you forever."

Misty laughed and cried as Ash read his vow. It was simple, yet endearing. Just like him. She wouldn't have had it any other way. She pulled out her vows next and began to read.

"Ash, I knew I loved you when I was ten years old. Most people would have called it a silly crush, but a boy as kind, thoughtful, loving, devoted, and rambunctious as you is not easy to forget. You destroyed my bike, but captured my heart, and I knew as soon as you caught that caterpie that my life wasn't ever going to be the same. And even when we were apart, I knew that I couldn't love anyone like I love you. I was lost the day we met. Depressed and frustrated. You brought a new purpose to my life, and encouraged me to continue striving for my dreams. Then you helped me accomplish them. Thank you so much for loving me. I'll always love you."

"May I have the rings?" the priest asked, and Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder and handed him the rings as everyone laughed.

He handed them to the bride and groom and then said, "Place this ring on the third finger of Misty's left hand and repeat…"

"With this ring, I thee wed."

Misty replicated the action as well.

"If anyone here present objects to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace," the priest said quickly.

He turned the page of his guide and began to issue the final pronouncement…but…

"Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To advance the virtues of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the starts above!"

The lights went out except for three spotlights. One on Ash and Misty, and the other two on a magenta haired woman and a purple haired man who were posed in the most awkward way imaginable.

"Jesse."

"James."

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or…oh who are we kidding!?"

"Meowth! That's…hey you screwed up the one shot we get at saying this!"

James ran up to the befuddled couple and grabbed their hands, "Why didn't you invite us!? After all these years, you don't even invite dear old Team Rocket!?"

"Yeah," Jesse said and approached James and then grabbed his hand (which had a ring on it), "you'd almost think you twerps didn't like us or something!"

Misty's face had turned red and every vein imaginable was popping out of her forehead, "What are you two doing!? You're going to ruin our wedding!"

"Oh far from it, girlie," Jesse responded winking, "we're going to make it fabulous!"

"Alright, you're invited," Misty said through gritted teeth, "now SIT DOWN!"

At that, the three former crooks plopped down next to Delia, who looked just as bemused as the rest of those in attendance, and the lights suddenly came back on.

The priest adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat and then said, "Well then, if there are to be no more distractions, Now that Ash and Misty have given themselves to each other by the promises they have exchanged, I pronounce them to be husband and wife. Ash, you may now kiss the bride."

Ash smiled broadly, taking Team Rocket's interruption in stride (after all, he was used to it), and embraced Misty. She forgot all her anger at the TRio and melted into his arms as their lips met and those in attendance applauded. Ash thought this moment was even better than after his championship victory. He and Misty had each other, and life was perfect in those moments, and nothing could go wrong.

A/N: So guys, this is where I rant against The Pokemon Company execs. So what's the best way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of a long-running piece of fiction with memorable and beloved characters? Why you spit in the fans' faces by retconning those beloved characters and replacing them with characters nobody knows or cares about.

Seriously, though, the people who made that call at TPC can all go f#$% themselves. Like what the hell!? They're actively losing money with this decision. This will draw no one who wouldn't have seen the movie. I haven't watched a Pokemon movie in years. But I was GOING to see this one because I assumed we were going to see characters I loved. NOPE! I was going to take my kids to this movie to introduce them to Pokemon. NOPE!

I can't imagine the focus groups they went through for this, because none of them represented those who watched this show in its heyday.

So to spite TPC, I give you an Ash and Misty wedding, all your favorite characters, and I slam them not-so-subtly in Ash's vows. He's not who he became if not for Misty and Brock. Screw you Pokemon Company.

I hope you caught some of the subtle humor about some of the characters. As always, let me know what you think!