Chapter 13/Final Chapter: Entering a new Era

A successful date and a newly declared love continued the next morning as Ash and Zoe slept in her room. The sunlight bled through green curtains and beamed at the two. Zoe, lying on top of Ash, felt the sunlight and threw the blanket over them while her sweat glistened. She's awake but smiled at seeing Ash's sweat-covered face, knowing the ordeal. "Oh, Ash…" she whispered to herself. She leaned to his face and kissed his lips as her arms and legs coiled around his sweat-covered torso and waist. After a minute of locked lips, Ash stirred to Zoe's kissing and whispers. "Don't leave me…" Ash sighed to Zoe's wild wishes.

"I'll always be with you," he giggled. Zoe giggled as she continued her locking of lips.

"I know, sweetie… and I'm sorry for drenching you." Ash felt his body soaked from his torso to his feet.

"Is it morning or were you anxious to continue?" A giggle from Zoe hinted to Ash.

"A little of both." Again, Zoe smothered Ash's face with kisses. After an hour in bed, Zoe escorted Ash to have breakfast with Pikachu, Bushy, Paris and Reese. As they had breakfast, Max, Rex and their dinosaurs arrived for a debriefing.

"After I heard the full detail, it seems the Alpha Gang were trying to age you so that you couldn't protect your dinosaurs," Reese studied. "Talk about dodging a bullet, or a beam shot…"

"That's for sure," Rex gulped. "And that stone that was broken had to have powered it." The rest of the kids and the dinosaurs knew that it could've easily been them who had their youths absconded instead of Jessie and Ursula.

"Well, those old ladies should be the least of our worries," Ash referred to.

"Yeah, and they can't complain that they're not," Max joked. Agreeing, Ash bumped fists with Max.

"So true…" he laughed. That's when Spike entered.

"Ash, good timing…" he called. "I thought Reese would've sent you home already." Everyone wondered about Spike's sigh of relief.

"Dad, what's up?" asked Max.

"Aki told me she wanted to say her farewells before Ash left," Spike explained. "…And I rushed over to see if he was still here." Ash awed Aki's wish to see him leave.

"I'll be right back," he excused himself before joining Spike to see Aki. As they left for outside, Zoe picked Pikachu from the ground, startling the Pokémon.

"Say, can you keep an eye on Ash and make sure no other girl falls for him?" she requested. Pikachu blinked in confusion.

("No other girl?") he squeaked. Max and Rex joined Zoe and Pikachu to assure the former.

"After yesterday, I doubt another girl will steal his Thunderbolt," Max assured while giving Pikachu a petting. Zoe's face became red with embarrassment.

"Too soon, Max!" she yelled. Max wove his arms up in defense.

"I meant his charm, not-" Before he could clarify what he said, Zoe smacked him in the head with a Pokéball. Max fell to the ground in a heap. Zoe wanted no more of Max's word. Outside, Ash was with Aki while Spike viewed from the door.

"I know you weren't here for long but I feel like I'm losing a son in the process," Aki teared up. Ash understood the meaning.

"Max feels the same way," he recalled. "He did call me a brother to him." Aki nodded with a sniffle. Before forgetting, she hugged the trainer for the last time.

"Ash, thank you for the time we've spent together. I have complete faith Reese will get you back home and be with your mother. She'll love the gift that you've gotten her." Ash wrapped his arms around Aki's underarms.

"Thanks, Mrs. Taylor. And thanks for our talks. I know you'll be strong like my mom." They broke and Spike lead Ash back inside. Seeing Max back in the lab with a bruise to his temple, Ash had one question. "Do I wanna know?" Rex patted Ash in the back while Zoe pouted, facing away from Max.

"Let's just say Max chose his words wrong," Rex simplified. Ash cringed to what Max could've said to deserve the injury. "Anyway, Ash… It was fun to have you around. Now that I have a Pokémon growing up, I'll need to train myself for when the Alpha Gang regroups." He released Stream as Max and Zoe released their Pokémon for the farewell. Ash knelt to the D-Team's Pokémon.

"Bushy, Stream, Scorch…" he named. "I know you've got a lot of responsibility with your trainers. I want to see you three stronger the next time we meet." Scorch extended his claw with a grin. To Ash, it was a handshake and he clasped the claw of Max's Charmeleon. Bushy extended a vine and patted Ash on the shoulder. Ash petted Zoe's Ivysaur in reply, much to Bushy's praise. Stream showed Ash a fist and smiled. Ash bumped fists with Rex's Wartortle. Max stood up to Ash.

"I guess, this is it, Ash," Max said.

"Guess so," Ash confirmed as they both bumped fists.

"Maybe next time we meet, we can have a Pokémon Battle." The idea made Ash grin.

"I'll be ready for it." That's when Max gave Ash a shoulder hug, a brief bump of shoulders before Zoe had her turn.

"You know, if not for the dinosaurs and the Alpha Gang and Max's dad's buffoonery," she listed. "I'd totally would go with you back to Pallet Town and stay there to become a trainer… and travel the world with you to stop Team Rocket… and make love every night." Ash giggled to Zoe's confessions.

"Zoe, you're more than welcomed to come by at anytime," he assured. "Besides, you beat everyone to my lips and gave me a new look on life." Zoe sniffled before she kissed Ash once more, tongues tying inside as Chomp, Ace and Paris watched on. Reese finished programming the algorithms. Ash knelt to the dinosaurs to pet as well and had them promise to help the D-Team's Pokémon.

"We're all set," she informed. Ash stood up and Pikachu joined on his shoulder. Reese handed Ash the Dino Holder to use. "Ash, all your gear is stored. Pikachu, watch over him."

("Always will,") the Mouse Pokémon acknowledged. Reese had her finger over the "ENTER" button.

"Farewell, you two," she finished as she hit the button. In a flash, Ash and Pikachu vanished. They reappeared back in Pallet Town. The two looked around, finding themselves in front of their house.

"We're back home," Ash noticed. As he checked his surrounding, he saw none of the D-Team, not even Zoe. "I guess it's back to normal. I can't wait to see Mom with my gift." Pikachu reached back and presented the tulips he and Reese found at the carnival.

("What about these?") he squeaked. Ash huffed a laugh.

"Nice… Mom will like those."

("Well, she's my mom as well.") Ash laughed to Pikachu's explanation.

"And we can share the cheese we got from Sturgeon Bay… and your Packers jersey." That's when the door opened and Delia spotted Ash and Pikachu.

"You're finally back!" she greeted. She hugged Ash while Pikachu scooted to Ash's head. "I was so worried when you disappeared!" Ash hugged Delia back.

"Sorry about all that," he apologized. When Delia broke, she saw Aki's work on Ash's hair.

"Oh my goodness! Is that what Reese did to you?" Ash blinked before correcting.

"No, Max's mom did… but how did you know about Reese?"

"Funny, she called me last night after your date with Zoe. Still, I remember that haircut after your sixth birthday. It looks so cute!" Ash sighed to his mother's favoritism.

"Anyway, Pikachu and I brought home some cheese from our trip to Wisconsin. Several different flavors like aged cheddar." Delia took the grocery bag from Ash.

"I'm gonna put my culinary arts to work for these cheeses." That's when Pikachu presented the bouquet of tulips. Seeing this, Delia's heart fluttered. "Oh, Pikachu… these are lovely!" She took the Mouse Pokémon and the bouquet before kissing Pikachu on the forehead.

("MOM!") he happily squeaked. Remembering his gift, Ash brought out a case for Delia.

"Yeah, I got something else," he spoke up before handing the case to Delia.

"Ash, I know you're my son," she spoke up. "But aren't you a little young to get married? And aren't you starting to date Zoe?" A sigh from Ash told Delia that she was off.

"It's not a ring, mom!" Hearing this, Delia opened the case. Inside was a gold necklace with a locket which had a tiny picture of Ash as a toddler getting a kiss from Delia. She gasped in sheer nostalgia.

"It's better than a ring! Thank you, Ash!" She then kissed Ash in the face repeatedly.

"MOM! HEY! STOP!" The kisses have started to tickle him to make him laugh.

(2 Months Later…)

A blimp began to land at a square field strip. When it steadied, a staircase descended and five kids walked out with Pikachu. One looked like Ash in a sweat-tee and a new red baseball cap. Another raven-haired kid was shorter than Ash, wore glasses, a green polo and shorts. The last boy was a teenager, tanned skin and a dark spiky brunette with a light brown jacket and cargo pants. Two girls were with these boys, a redhead in a yellow track-like suit and some hair in a ponytail. The other was a brunette girl wearing a red bandanna and t-shirt with black biker shorts. They soon got off and turned to the redhead.

"So, it's back to Cerulean City, Misty?" the shorter raven-haired asked.

"It is," the redhead, Misty, confirmed. The tanned teen crossed his arms.

"It's gonna be different at the gym without Togetic around," he mentioned. Ash nudged his arm as the sky began to flux in color.

"Brock, inappropriate!" he urged. Brock irked to Ash's snippy remark.

"Ash, it's okay," Misty eased. "I know you mean well." Suddenly, there were stomps that shook the ground. Everyone tried to stand their ground, literally. Suddenly, Brachiosaurus lifted his head to the kids below. Everyone but Ash and Pikachu gawked to the sight.

"What's that!?" the brunette girl gawked. Seeing the Brachiosaurus, Ash and Pikachu laughed.

"Brachiosaurus, hey!" called up Ash. Everyone gawked to Ash's knowledge to the Brachiosaurus.

"Ash, that's not a Pokémon!" the shorter raven-haired warned.

"Max, it's okay," Ash assured as Brachiosaurus lowered his head. "Hey, it's been awhile." He petted the snout.

"You know, I heard there were dinosaurs running around Pallet a couple of months ago," Brock recalled. "I think this was one of them." That's when Zoe and the D-Team's dinosaurs emter.

"ASH!" she called out and hugged Ash. Everyone gawked to seeing Zoe rush Ash.

"Zoe, hey!" he replied. Zoe leaned back before leaning back in and give Ash a kiss to the lips. Misty and the brunette gawked to Zoe's affection for Ash.

"What!?" they shrieked. The brunette Max entered with Rex as Pikachu had Chomp follow him to see raven-haired Max.

"Zoe, do you have to do that every time?" wondered brunette Max. "I understand that you're boyfriend and girlfriend." The brunette girl blinked to hearing brunette Max sounding a lot like Ash.

"Wait, you mean that Ash had a twin?" she guessed.

"I… I'm not sure, May," Misty shrugged. Brunette Max came to Ash after the kiss.

"Ash, our Starters evolved again," he reported. Ash smiled to the news.

"Scorch is now a Charizard, huh?" he believed.

"He is, but I was rather surprised, not really disappointed. I was expecting a ferocious dinosaur." He released a giant orange winged lizard with two horns. "Not a dragon like this." Ash laughed to Max's surprise.

"Well, that's the surprise about Pokémon."

"So we've noticed," Zoe giggled as she released a large blue dinosaur-like creature with a palm tree on its back. "Bushy's now a Venusaur and Stream's a Blastoise."

"Bushy looks more of a dinosaur than Scorch," Max sighed. May joined Ash and the D-Team while holding Chomp.

"You're named Max?" she asked. Max turned to Max a little surprised.

"Yeah, I'm Max Taylor," he confirmed. Raven-haired Max blinked to the name.

"Great, he has Ash's voice and my name?" he gulped.

"It can't be that bad, Max," Brock assured. To May, it didn't bother her too much.

"I guess I can have a Max as my brother, and maybe a love interest," she compared as she kissed Max on the lips. Rex gawked to May's kiss. Max looked rather stunned.

"Can't say I was expecting that," he muttered. Brock and little Max soon gathered as Misty held Paris in her arms.

"At least May got over Ash quickly," she huffed. "Ash, who are they, and are these Pokémon?" Ash was ready to explain.

"That's actually a dinosaur, Misty," he started. "Sure, they're not like Brachiosaurus but trust me. This is my girlfriend, Zoe Drake. May's apparently new boyfriend is Max Taylor and the other is Rex Owen. They form the D-Team in hunting dinosaurs who've awaken to cause a ruckus."

"And on top of that, we're also Pokémon Trainers on the side since Team Rocket and the Alpha Gang are still working together, despite Jessie and Ursula's early retirement," big Max added. "In fact, let's show them off." With a throw, Max released a Heracross, a walking palm tree with faces on melons, a red and white ball with eyes, a cluster of orbs with magnets and a red turtle with white rims on the holes including one at the top.

"Hey, a Heracross, an Exeggutor, a Voltorb, a Magneton and a Shuckle!" little Max recognized.

"Seems Taylor is one for defense," Brock studied. Zoe decided to make her turn.

"Well, aside from Bushy, I have these!" she cheered as she threw her balls up and released her Pokémon. There was a pink egg-shaped creature with an egg in the pouch, a brown fox pup with white fur around the collar, a purple butterfly, a green humanoid creature with a grass skirt and flowers on its head and a small pale pink balloon with a tuff of hair. Little Max recognized Zoe's Pokémon.

"Chansey, Eevee, Butterfree, Bellossom and Igglybuff!" he named.

"So Zoe's a Support Trainer," Brock surveyed. Finally, Rex had his turn.

"And here's mine!" he shouted as he released a three-headed brown wingless bird, a black dog with a skull helmet, a red mantis, a shellfish with cannons on its back, a black crow with hat-shaped feathers and a blue four-legged insectoid with a yellow fin on top. Misty shrieked as the last one.

"I've heard of Surskit and they're adorable!" she cooed as she picked Surskit up. Little Max became skeptical.

"Misty, I thought you're skittish around Bug Pokémon," he remembered.

"That's true, but Surskit's also a Water-Type," she countered. "And I believe it being a Water-Type overrules its Bug-Type. Although…" Looking to the shellfish, she became enamored. "I think I found a trainer after all for me. Not Rudy or Danny, and Ash is already taken." She came to Rex who sensed a pattern.

"I, uh, guess it's my turn now?" he stuttered before Misty planted her lips onto his. The dinosaurs and Pokémon gawked in humor. Brock collapsed in defeat.

"Ash has a girlfriend, Misty has a boyfriend and May has a boyfriend," he whined. "Can't I once get some love?" Little Max heard Brock and offered something to console.

"There's always Natalie," he reminded.

"But I want someone older than Natalie!" cried Brock. That's when a tank rolled in. The military tank had a red R on it. Ash cringed as he realized the danger's not over.

"Great, and we just dealt with Hansen at the Mirage Kingdom!" whined May. Out came two adults in black Team Rocket outfits.

"Prepare for trouble and make it double!" a blond woman demanded as she had her hair in long pigtails. The teal-haired man gawked to the blond's jump.

"Cassidy, I'm suppose to say 'Make it double'!" he roared. The blond ignored the teal-haired.

"To infect the world with devastation!" she continued.

"Aren't you listening!?" the teal-haired called out.

"Then say your lines, Bob!"

"IT'S BUTCH!" The kids groaned and knew what to do.

"And before you go butchering the motto anymore!" shouted Ash. "It's time we made you history!" The D-Team had their Dino Holders out. Chomp, Ace and Paris became cards before the D-Team swiped with the skies shifting colors again.

"Dino… Slash!" they cried out.

"Triceratops!" called out Max. "Roar!"

"Carnotaurus!" shouted Rex. "Let's blow 'em out!"

"Parasaurolophus!" cried Zoe. "Bloom!" Chomp, Ace and Paris became their giant forms. Ash had his partner join in the process.

"Pikachu, let's show Team Rocket we're way out of their league!" he grinned.

("Let's!") the Mouse Pokémon agreed. The dinosaurs charged to the now-scared pair. While Max now has a May, and Rex received some Misty, Ash and Zoe have found the past and present to work in harmony as the pair of love would go eternal.

THE END

(That caps off this for 2019. I'll start the next story at the start of 2020 as well as finish Aladdin. Coming real soon is Volume IX. Keep the votes coming!)