Hello and hey there! You've stumbled (or have known) about this special fic of mine. In case you didn't know before clicking on it: this is a wedding fic! More specifically an Amourshipping wedding fic! I haven't seen many…or any…so I figured, hey, let's do it! Of course, this will be set in my Ancienverse, and I have to warn you, I am not someone very well versed in the world of weddings, but I've done some research, and I hope, at the very least, I can entertain you, at least enough to pull you away from USUM. That said, enough of this note, and onto the fic!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokémon.
It was going to be the biggest event of the year.
One could have all of the regional Leagues taking place at the same time. They could even throw in Champion and Elite Four matches with it, and it still wouldn't reach the level of the event that was taking place. There was no possible way, especially with just two weeks left to go before what was going to happen in Pallet Town. Everyone knew it, too. The event hadn't exactly been advertised, but still, almost all of the regions knew just what was going to occur that summer day.
In the end, there wasn't a single soul that didn't know that former Kalos Queen Serena of Vaniville Town was about to marry Pokémon Master Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town.
It had already been in the news for months, despite the couple's want to keep it all under wraps. From headlines of newspapers to Malva outright announcing the engagement on television, it was a topic of much discussion and complete excitement. The whole world had its eye fixated upon the intrepid couple and their impending nuptials. To them, hearing that childhood heroes, or simply saviors in a sense, were finally to be wed to each other after so much talk and speculation was like setting the world on fire.
Naturally, leading up to their engagement the previous year, rumors had been swirling around the couple from all of the media storms regarding their respective accomplishments, with their large number of friends declining to answer anything. Whether that was from respect or ignorance, the media never knew, but it at least meant they couldn't get their grubby claws all over the sordid details. It didn't stop them from speculating, though. From taking snapshots of any time Serena was caught discussing anything with another man (usually Clemont or Gladion) to outright claiming they had broken up when Ash had disappeared for about six months. Then again, they had no way of knowing that Ash called often enough to prove he was alive, let alone still dating Serena.
In either case, the news of their nuptials and Ash's proposal made the media pretty quickly. Thankfully, to the engaged couple, in this case "quickly" meant that it took about two months before Bonnie cracked and spilled the beans entirely. She never apologized once. Not even as the media trucks rolled up outside the couple's Aquacorde residence, one they had bought upon announcing their engagement to their respective parents.
"If you ever get married, Bonnie," Serena scolded the girl, the lemon blonde teenager's tongue sticking out in a teasing manner, "I am going to use my full power as a former Kalos Queen to make sure everyone knows and follows you all the time."
"Wouldn't that be an abuse of power?" Bonnie teased right back, but Clemont quickly grabbed her with his Aipom Arm and began dragging her away. "I expect to be a bridesmaid, Serena!"
That just hit Serena with the heavy reality of how much there was still to do in the ten months before she and Ash were to be married. It wasn't going to be easy, she realized, and though she had already started thinking about it, the list of what needed to be done suddenly grew and grew and grew. She even shared this with Ash one night at their residence, while he just stared ahead blankly. It was a little adorable how he seemed to completely zone out about this kind of stuff, though she did wish he could actually help a little more.
That night, he did.
"Just relax, Serena," Ash told her, throwing his hands behind his head. "I know there are a lot of things to do, but we've been through a lot worse."
"Ash, I know that, but this is our wedding," she told him, eyes wide with near panic. Her hand raised itself up and began ticking off all the little things that were needed on her fingers. "We need to decide our wedding party, besides Lillie of course, venue, what size reception, guests, the cake, the-mmph!"
"Serena…" Ash now told her warningly, keeping her held against his chest. She just swallowed, nestling into his warmth, just before he decided to elaborate on what he was clearly about to say. "We'll figure all of that out. And if you're worried about where, that part's easy: Pallet Town, of course!"
"Pallet Town?" Serena questioned, her voice muffled against Ash's shirt. It took her a moment, and quite a few seconds of blinking, for the honey blonde to realize how simply perfect the idea to hold it there was. After all, it had been the very place they had met, on top of being Ash's hometown, with more than enough space to hold whatever army was about to be a part of the wedding. She was quite happy with that idea.
Soon after that was settled, things began falling into place. Of course, the couple still had a number of engagements to attend, each of them pertaining to their work in other areas, but they still found time on multiple occasions throughout the weeks in order to plan a little more of the wedding. In that time, the media hubbub only continued to grow exponentially. There were already talks of gatecrashers for the reception, and media gawkers for the ceremony itself. It added an extra layer of stress for everything to be determined as, one by one, all the different items on their checklist began to be crossed off, much to Serena's immense relief…and Ash's elation that each step brought the overbearing effort closer to being finished. Even Pikachu would often be found collapsed on their kitchen table.
Still, Serena found that she could still feel a sense of satisfaction when they ticked off item after item. As the months drew on, the day growing ever closer, that satisfaction both increased and waned, occasionally replaced with nervousness and utter glee at the thought she'd be married once this was all over. More than that, she'd be married to Ash. If one had told her past self, before Ancien City, she'd have laughed nervously, blushed and proceeded to steam until fainting from disbelief. Now, however, what was once a dream was about to become sheer reality. That reality got even better in the last six weeks before the wedding, just as they were preparing their invitations to the massive number of guests that would be attending.
"And now, a special live message from the Aether Foundation, regarding the upcoming Ketchum nuptials," a reporter was speaking, her face barely containing the glee of what she was saying. Serena sighed loudly and slammed her head to the table, causing Ash's hand to slip and messily write Paul's name on his invitation.
"I hate gossip…" Serena whined loudly. Ash frowned at the messed-up invitation while Pikachu laughed loudly, rolling around on his back.
"Don't you laugh, Pikachu! You still have yours to finish!" Ash proclaimed. That made Pikachu pale, and he ran for a stack of invitations, himself, putting his paws to work furiously. Ash chose to shrug; Serena may have minded a little, but she also seriously doubted that Paul would care about the invitation itself, much less how well it was written. Moments later, the announcement from the Foundation splayed itself across the screen.
But it wasn't Gladion there, despite the fact that he'd been invited already. It was a far more crazy, grinning face, barely restrained by his former admin.
"Yo! This is your boy, Guzma, speaking for the Foundation!" Guzma's voiced boomed from the speakers, the man pointing to himself. He was surrounded by a bunch of his family members, all of them moving into different poses as he spoke. "I hear y'all be messin' with my boy, Ash. Well, I'm gonna say this once: there won't be no gatecrashin'! Official security detail as bouncers is gonna be handled by Guzma and Family here!"
"Come up with a new name," snarked Plumeria under her breath, but she smirked, as if sending the message to the couple that they would have it all covered. Serena lifted her head up from the table now and looked to Ash with complete and utter elation in that particular moment. He laughed alongside Pikachu, almost falling off his chair before Serena righted him. For all of Guzma's antagonism years ago, he was certainly a rather standup guy these days…for the most part.
"Oy, no talkin' back to the boss, Plumeria! Oh, and you owe me now, Ketchum! I'll accept an opportunity to kick your ***!" Guzma declared, pointing at the screen before the studio suddenly seemed to get wise of what he was saying and cut the transmission off.
"Well, one less thing to worry about, and one less invitation to send!" Ash said happily, taking one of the cards and proceeding to rip it in half. Serena would have scolded him, but she had to admit that she was grateful for Guzma's assistance in the matter. It only left the complicated amalgamation of other tasks left to complete before everything could be ready.
To that point, the remaining time left until nearly two weeks before the wedding practically flew by, right up until the impending bride and groom arrived with bags packed inside Ash's family home.
"Oh, my little boy is getting married!" Delia called excitedly, practically smothering Ash when he'd arrived there. "I can't believe it! I mean, I can believe it, but still!"
"Thanksh mom, nish to shee you, too…" Ash groaned out, his cheeks squished against her. Delia let go at that moment, patting her son down before walking straight over to Serena and taking her in a hug as well. The honey blonde dropped her suitcase and hugged back. Ash grinned over at her. "Just think: a couple weeks and you'll be part of the family."
"Oh, hush, Ash," Delia scolded her son. He took a step back, Pikachu leaping from his shoulder to greet his mother. "Serena's been a part of the family for a while. This just makes it official. I'm sure you must both be nervous."
"A little…" Serena admitted, emulating Ash in scratching at the side of her face. Ash didn't show any such nervousness or embarrassment, but he usually showed so little, she figured he wouldn't display it even if he did feel the same. "But at the same time, I'm very happy."
"Me, too," Ash admitted. Delia seemed to take pride in hearing her son say those words, and she quickly grabbed for the both of them, roping them into a large hug. To Serena, it really felt like Mrs. Ketchum was welcoming her to the family even more with those wide arms. Ash grinned his usual smile across at her.
"Well, I know the whole town's growing very excited!" the mother stated after letting them go. She seemed to lead them over to the kitchen at that point, jabbering on excitedly about the whole state of affairs. "I've agreed to help do the catering with some guests of yours. That Mallow is a fierce cook, and Brock and Cilan have agreed to help out, as well. We'll be pulling double duty until it's time for the reception. Meanwhile, it seems Samuel and Gary are busy working with some decorators. Your Pokémon are so excited, Ash, I think they're planning to help set up the pavilion and altar and everything."
"Since when did Gary know how to decorate anything…?" Ash asked. Delia just waved it off with a laugh, and while Ash continued to look confused at that, Serena chose to shrug it off. For now, they still had a number of tasks to complete.
Therefore, that night, the engaged couple sat down to make sure they went over their checklist of everything needed for the day that was approaching too fast for Serena's liking. She believed there was still so much that could be done that no amount of planning would ever cover it all.
"Okay, so, we have your mom working on catering with Brock, Cilan and Mallow, all three confirmed on the guest list…well…hard not to when Brock is your Best Man, and Cilan is a groomsman," Serena noted to her fiancée, despite the fact he seemed to be nodding off faster than usual. He was absentmindedly scratching a tired Pikachu behind the ears, but she still continued on. "Miette and Shauna will be arriving with the cake early next week in time for everything to really kick off, so that's good."
"We're having Kalas do the whole reception thing, right?" Ash asked with a yawn, now scratching at his exposed stomach. Serena nodded at that, checking off that little mark on her sheet. "Wait…who's doing the whole ceremony?"
"Professor Oak," Serena noted, feeling her own eyelids starting to droop. Her hands raised up to slap her face, making sure she wouldn't fall asleep quite yet. The sound shocked Ash awake, though Pikachu was already dozing in his lap. "He's the most qualified, after all, and he said he's done this before, apparently."
"Another thing I didn't know…" Ash grumbled out. Serena giggled at her fiancée's trepidation over this new fact, and continued on with the list. Most of the stuff on it was already taken care of, such as the invitations to the ridiculous number of people being invited to the wedding. Most of them had already RSVP'd to the entire event, save for a few that Serena decided she was going to assume were coming anyway. Already, their guest list for the ceremony looked to be ascending to near two hundred (alongside shutting down entire Leagues for the day). Although, it came with a more manageable one hundred for the reception. Professor Oak was gracious enough to open his lab's backyard for that event, too.
"Okay, so…Dawn says the dress alterations will be here soon, too, along with your suit," Serena continued, checking off yet more on the list. "And the wedding party will be here the full week before. That includes Brock, Clemont, Cilan…and you chose Gary for your fourth…with Pikachu, of course. While my group is Shauna as my Maid of Honor, with Dawn, Lillie and Bonnie as bridesmaids."
"Only because Bonnie would kill you if she wasn't a bridesmaid," Ash stated. Serena wasn't going to argue with that particular point whatsoever. Bonnie had already thinly veiled her threats in reference to any future actions were she not be named as a bridesmaid, which was the exact reason they had expanded their wedding party to four instead of three. "And then Oshawott practically begged to be the ring bearer…this wedding stuff is so complicated."
"I think it's adorable," Serena stated out, stifling yet another yawn to hide her exhaustion.
"Sure, but there's so much I don't get. Like, why can't I see your dress? Why are Trevor and my old friend Todd gonna be following us and the guests everywhere with cameras?" Ash asked, throwing his hands in the air before slumping on the couch. "The only thing that does make sense is the whole vow thing."
"I don't want to hear it!" Serena said loudly, slapping him with her checklist before covering her ears. "You can't see my dress because I want it to be special, and you can't say your vows because I want that to be special, too!"
"Oh…well, yeah, so do I…but it's soooo complicated…" Ash groaned once more. Serena looked to her list one more time. Everything else seemed to be checked off and good for the most part, other than the light rehearsal dinner they would be doing later; even down to her father coming to walk her down the aisle was taken care of. It seemed it would all go well enough, and with her current state of exhaustion, Serena truly didn't want to think about it anymore. She tossed the pad on the table and turned to her fiancée, placing a hand on him and snuggling against him. Her engagement ring glittered in the faint light.
"Well, once we're married, it'll be less complicated. So, keep your chin up until then…for me?" she asked, peering up at him. He turned his head, smiling, before he leaned down and pecked her on the lips before grinning. She melted at his moment of uncharacteristic romance.
"Well, since it's you," he eventually replied. And with Ash's agreement, the two soon fell into an easy sleep upon the couch.
With all of the checks done, and everything seeming to be running smoothly for the soon to be married couple, Ash had expected things to calm down at least a little bit before the guests began to arrive. However, that was definitely not the case, as he soon found out. If anything, it all got even busier than expected. That all started with the arrival of Brock in a car from Pewter City, the doctor currently on leave…and carrying his entire family in the back, including his mother and father.
"Pikachu, did we invite all of them?" Ash asked of his partner the day that his best man arrived. Pikachu shrugged, having clearly not paid any attention to the vast number of invitations they had signed. All Ash remembered from that was the faint, dull ache which rested in his hand from that activity. Not that it mattered much, as Brock jumped out of the car upon stopping it and slung an arm around Ash.
"Ash! Good to see you!" he said with a grin. Ash agreed, throwing an arm right back. "Just a few days now, huh? Must be excited."
"For sure," Ash agreed, pumping his free hand into a fist. From the car, Brock's family seemed to all send their well-wishes before making their way to what looked like a veritable campsite that was slowly being established on the outskirts of town. Not that any of the guests had arrived, but all of Ash's Pokémon had been doing double duty, with Charizard delivering the tents while Greninja, Infernape, Sceptile, Krookodile and Decidueye took the time to set them up, aided by others like Hawlucha. Some were successful. Others, like Noivern…not so much. "How about you, Brock?"
"Thrilled! I get to see Ar-not now, Croagunk!" Brock immediately called to the Toxic Mouth Pokémon that had emerged behind him, orange sacs expanding and contracting threateningly. "I have my duties as a Best Man to fulfill, starting with a Bachelor Party tonight! Clemont and Cilan should be here by then, right?"
"Er…Bachelor Party?" Ash asked. While he'd definitely been keeping up on all of the wedding stuff that Serena had planned, this seemed to be one of those things which had completely escaped his notice. Brock didn't falter once, however, continuing to grin while his shut eyes brimmed with absolute joy.
"Don't worry, nothing crazy! Just reliving the good times, maybe some Pokémon battles!" Brock insisted. Ash's eyes lit up excitedly alongside Pikachu's; he didn't quite know what a Bachelor's Party was, but if it involved battles, then he was definitely down for it. "Tried calling Paul, but even with the enticing idea of battling you, he said that he and Reggie would only come for the ceremony and reception. That's just like him."
"Yeah, it is," Ash laughed out, and the two seeming brothers began to walk off to talk about the upcoming catering for the ceremony. Naturally, Serena was also being greeted by her own bridesmaids, it seemed, one of whom had arrived with the cake, while another came with the dress. It was that sole bluenette that had planted her Mamoswine right outside the door, preventing all access to the interior when Ash had returned to the house. Serena just smiled apologetically at that, but Dawn was far less forgiving. "Come on, Dawn, it's my home…"
"Not for the next week, it's not!" Dawn demanded, putting her foot down on the issue. "I've worked hard on Serena's dress, gotten from her mother and altered by me, that I'm not about to let you see it and ruin the whole thing. You're the first of us to get married, so try not ruining it."
"And what exactly happened to 'no need to worry'?" Ash demanded, trying to find a way to skirt around Mamoswine, but being stopped by its large tusks. He felt vaguely annoyed by that.
"A wedding is definitely a time to worry. So, no peeking for the whole week. I think you can wait that long," Dawn stated with a final huff, hands planted on her hips resolutely. "Serena tells me that the poetry professor has opened his lab up for you to rest in."
"Sure…but it's not the same," Ash mumbled. He also realized, however, that he didn't really have a choice when it came down to this. Knowing that, he waited as Serena ran back inside to grab his things, gave him a kiss and then sent him and Brock back on their merry way to Professor Oak's lab. About halfway there, Ash had come to a rather annoying realization. "I didn't even get to see the cake…"
"Hey, at least you didn't have to pick it out," Brock said, though it didn't do much to placate Ash, who felt just a little bit annoyed.
Regardless, the raven-haired trainer decided to make the most of his situation, and faced forward with the positive attitude that he usually liked to pour into everything. Brock made the whole thing extremely easy through the rest of the day, checking up on the food for the reception (something Ash found was better than his mother and Brock's usual recipes, as though they quadrupled their efforts) and overall making everything feel like a party until later that evening, when Clemont and Bonnie finally arrived from the Viridian airport.
"It was absolutely crazy there…" Clemont sighed out liberally when he'd arrived at the lab, fanning himself. Gary, as it turned out, was also there, having just completed his assistance with the setup of everything decoration-wise for the wedding. As the lemon blond spoke, Ash noticed said researcher apparently checking the weather, all to make sure he wouldn't need to get a Pokémon with Sunny Day or find a Rayquaza to cancel weather effects entirely. "I swear, if you guys hadn't sent the car for us, we would have never gotten here."
"Glad we did, then," Ash stated, hugging Clemont and showing how glad he was that the inventor could make it. Cilan had yet to arrive, likely caught up in one of his many connoisseur angles, but Brock wasn't all that concerned. For the first time, though, Clemont's words truly made the reality of what was happening here settle into Ash: he was getting married. To Serena. To the woman he loved as much as he did Pikachu (though definitely not in the same way). It was such a frighteningly free thought to him, and he found a nervous smile actually stretching across his face. "Guess the whole world is watching, huh?"
"Something like that, Ashy-boy," Gary commented, wheeling away from the weather to show a news report on the computer screen. Professor Oak was nowhere to be seen, presumably leaving the lab to the use of the four men that were gathered there. Brock walked closer to Gary, and the fridge that seemed to be nearby. "You're definitely all over the news. It's all anyone can talk about. From half the Aether Foundation setting off from Alola this evening to the Champions leaving tomorrow, you've got a whole parade coming for this thing. I think at least four regional Leagues are shutting down for days just to hold this. Any of our weddings would never turn out this way."
"Yeah, well…it's not like we wanted it to…" Ash bemoaned. He flopped back on the couch he'd be sleeping on the remainder of the week, sighing outwards. "We actually wanted it to be kind of small, but it turned into this. Serena looks happy, though, so I'm okay with it."
"Pi!" Pikachu agreed, as if proud of Ash's response before dashing for the backyard to join with all of the other Pokémon. Gary smirked at him, leaning back lazily while Clemont addressed that particular issue at hand.
"Well, it's really no surprise. I mean, you and Serena are two of the most well-known figures in the public eye. Having a big wedding between you two was inevitable. I'm just glad you asked me to be a part of it," the inventor stated, adjusting his glasses with a small grin. Gary now slammed onto his feet, rising up from the chair.
"Me, too, Ashy boy," Gary said with enthusiasm. "Never thought I'd say it, but I'm glad to be standing with you when you get married. Long as you don't screw it up, of course."
"Hey!" Ash countered back, and then he heard Brock clapping loudly. That drew all of their attentions, and soon Ash found a can of soda come spinning towards him, the raven-haired trainer catching it deftly. Once he had, Ash looked to Brock, the man spinning a small disc on his finger and facing to the backyard.
"If the three of you are done, let's get this manly party started! Ash may somehow be getting the girl before me, but that's all the more reason to celebrate! Come on!" Ash looked to his other two groomsmen in the room, and they all shrugged. With a slight grunt, Ash swung himself off of the couch and made to follow Brock to the backyard. Naturally, it only took seconds for his overexuberant Tauros to come charging in and bowl him over, but once he had recovered, Brock was speaking again. "I asked your friend Maka for some help while she's putting together your wedding video for the reception, compiling some great moments just for us guys! Let's get our party started, boys!"
"Croagunk!" the Toxic Mouth Pokémon called, surprisingly as invested in the events as his trainer, even snapping a party hat on before staring at his reflection in the projector that was displaying images on the wall. His own call appeared to summon all of Ash's other Pokémon, each of them moving to join their group, with Charizard seating himself right in front of the screen as the smaller Pokémon climbed on top of him and Torterra.
With a great flourish, and an opening of the cans beside Ash, he seated himself in for an exciting ride. Despite being such a stern doctor when it came to patients, Brock soon proved himself to be a born entertainer, showing some of the best (and even some pretty bad) parts of Ash's former journeys. From regional Leagues to the Kalos Team Tournament, it was a wild ride contained all in pictures and videos, with each of his Pokémon seeming rather proud at having taken part in each of them. Especially Charizard, who tipped his head back and sent a flame roaring to the sky at the image of himself taking down Gary's Blastoise.
"We had a pretty great battle, huh?" Gary remarked, tipping back his can of soda and downing it quickly. Ash continued watching the finishing projections proudly before the last shot ended on an image of he and Serena in their match against Kukui and Akela back in Alola, clasping hands together. Brock's sly smirk said it all.
"Yeah, we did!" Ash proclaimed, finally recovering enough to answer Gary's question. Twisting his body, Ash grinned down his former rival in challenge. On his other side, Clemont's eyes also alit with challenge. All of Ash's Pokémon could feel it, the level of tension and the air of battle. Greninja and Infernape seemed to become almost antsy, while Hawlucha and Buizel stared each other down, clearly wanting to battle, as well. "How about we go for one right now?"
"You're on!" Gary said with a smirk. Their hands clasped one another, pulling themselves up and readying for battle.
It was those battles that lasted until well after the sun had set. While Ash knew (from some of Brock's remarks) that most people would get drunk and party on nights like these, battles replaced any form of alcohol for the young men. They quickly became intoxicated on adrenaline for the whole evening, with each of Ash's Pokémon getting their chance, from Palpitoad all the way to Totodile. Things got even crazier when Cilan arrived and he, Clemont and Brock appeared to enter into a three-way battle for "best male companion" …whatever that meant. It had been close, from what Ash saw, but Brock and Croagunk eventually took the prize. Not that Ash understood what it was, of course
It was such a fun night that Ash didn't want it to end, but eventually he and the other four males fell asleep under the stars that night, surrounded by all of Ash's Pokémon. The raven-haired trainer, for his part, continued staring up for a moment longer, Pikachu curled on his chest and Charizard's wings around him, thinking about how grateful he was to have such supportive friends. Then he slipped off to sleep just a couple hours before dawn.
That was the last bit of peace and "fun" he figured he would get before the wedding, especially when the next morning ramped up with numerous arrivals, not to mention Serena coming to get him for other reasons.
"Mom's bringing the gifts today, so we'll want to make sure everything's in order," she explained while they waited for her parents to arrive. In the time they were waiting, more and more people landed in Pallet Town, getting tickets (of all things) to reside in the campgrounds that were now set up. Ash nodded to her, finding that she looked rather flushed, and wondered if it had anything to do with the night before. "Lillie will be getting here tomorrow, so with the entire wedding party, we'll do the rehearsal for the wedding."
"There's food involved with that, right? Because I have a feeling I'm going to need it," Ash said. Serena laughed, patting him on the back as though she completely understood. "But uh…what happened last night to make you all red?"
"Nothing!" Serena squeaked. Ash didn't push the issue, but considering he saw that Miette and Sawyer appeared to have shown up since last night, he had a sharp guess as to what it was. Placing his hands behind his head, Ash just decided to sit back and wait, watching as everyone flocked to Pallet Town in what seemed like a small trickle but, owing to the large number of guests, really wasn't.
First was the Aether Foundation arriving in full force, Guzma and his family knuckling Ash on the head (it hurt) before setting up a perimeter around Pallet Town on the ground and in the air. Only Plumeria seemed to have the intelligence alongside Gladion to not act like buffoons. Although, Gladion seemed less than enthused, even if it had nothing to do with the wedding. Ash had a very strong guess as to the reason when the blond muttered something about "that idiot". That confirmed to Ash that his former rival wasn't happy about his sister arriving with Hau, even though the two had clearly been finally dating for almost a year now.
Shortly after that was another influx of people, starting from Team Nova, Seamus leading the pack before he was followed by the two parents that were Bethany and Christopher, introducing their little daughter, Thea. Rocky looked a little more disgruntled, but appeared to light up at the sight of Astrid also arriving in town, accompanied by Korrina, Alain, Mairin and the whole contingent of people from Kalos. It was enough to make Ash's head swirl, even as Mairin practically squealed with joy over the thought of Serena getting married. It even made Korrina contemplative, clearly wondering if or when Clemont would propose to her. Despite the man being one of Ash's best friends, had no answer to that. Not even Bonnie did, for all her pestering.
It was a flurry of meet and greets from that moment forward, while Ash and Serena continued to wait for Grace and Y to arrive with the gifts. Scores of Ash's former rivals from Unova, most of which he hadn't seen since his journey there, came in large droves, with even Trip taking some pictures of the area, remarking on its natural beauty with a rather sheepish expression. That surprised Ash, but he had to already turn away in order to greet May, arriving with Max and her parents.
"I have to admit, I'm surprised that you're getting married," Max commented on the situation. Ash wasn't sure what to say to that, but May slapped her brother up the head, and neither of her parents said a word as they shook Serena's hands.
"Be nice, Max," May said before huffing out. After she'd done so, taking an additional moment to affix a smile to her face, May moved in and embraced Serena in a tight hug. "I can't believe it's finally the day! It's so romantic!"
"I certainly hope so!" Serena said. "We've done so much just to get ready! But, er…Drew isn't with you?"
"I think he said he'll be coming later," was May's response. Ash shook his head, greeting both Norman and Caroline, who moved off to reserve their camping site. Max, on the other hand, remained nearby, the now older teen adjusting his glasses with a rather embarrassed expression.
"Is she here?" he asked. Ash blinked, but quickly realized just who the younger trainer was talking about, chuckling before he answered.
"Yeah, Bonnie's been here since yesterday."
"Good. I need to settle the score. May, let's go!" Max snapped, grabbing ahold off his older sister's hand and dragging her off. May rolled her eyes and began to wave, even while being dragged off.
"Looking forward to the wedding! Don't screw it up Ash!" May called back to the couple, just before righting herself properly. "And you slow down, Max. I know you want to see your girlfriend, but really…"
"She's my rival!" Max snapped in protest and correction. "And I still owe her for that defeat she gave me in the Kalos Team Tournament last year!" Their voices soon faded from earshot, though it didn't make the chaos calm down in the slightest. If anything, it picked right back up.
Misty arrived shortly after all of that, noting that her sisters were out of the region, as per usual. Ash actually found himself grateful at that fact; the Sensational Sisters would not make the already impressive media presence any better. That seemed to be proven exceptionally so with the next group of arrivals that featured some members of the Alolan Elite Four, containing Kahili, whose first action was slinging an arm around Ash and ruffling his hair.
"Aw, look at you, getting married!" she practically crooned. Ash grimaced at her, but allowed her to go through her motions. Sometimes, Kahili just had too much fun with him. "I'm not sure whether to feel proud you're tying the knot, or mortified because Serena has to live with your battle-hungry stomach forever."
"I can handle it. Besides, he has to deal with my love for performing, which seems to bore him when it isn't me or one of our friends," Serena said to Kahili. The golfer retracted herself from Ash and moved to hug Serena before drawing back and slinging her bag over her shoulder. She was interrupted mere moments later.
"Reena!" cried the chipper voice of Acerola, running through to pretty much bowl Serena over. Ash put on a bemused expression and took a few steps away with Kahili.
"I am proud of you, Ash," Kahili stated a little more quietly. "It takes a lot to commit to marriage. Goodness knows I haven't been able to."
"Last I checked, you never dated anyone," Ash reminded her. She elbowed him, but clearly appreciated the jest, thanks to the smile that was on her face. "Hapu, Mina and the others coming along?"
"They'll be arriving with Hau and Hala's group tomorrow. Mina wandered off for a painting again." Ash nodded his head; that definitely sounded just like Mina. In any case, Kahili's words made him feel that almost nervous anticipation once again. Knowing that everyone was gathering in Pallet for this event made Ash swallow the ever-growing ball in his throat, even if he'd never willingly admit it. "Now, your mom's here, yeah? I think I should introduce myself! Catch ya later!"
Ash would have tried to stop her from doing so, knowing just how crazy Kahili could be (and knowing how willing his mother would be to accept Kahili as a tertiary member of their family), but was prevented in doing so by Grace and Y finally arriving. Serena was the first to greet them, extricating herself from the ever-hyperactive Acerola to do so, indicating their presence to Ash. He stepped closer to his fiancée, and the usual busyness of the whole affair ramped up yet again.
With Serena's parents were all of the wedding gifts that Serena had mostly worked on deciding, only getting the occasional input from Ash. It was quite extensive, even if a good three quarters of them were more or less trinkets. Only a few were actually big gifts, for the bigger guests like the Champions and their closest friends. It was these gifts that Ash helped Y carry in when they reached the Ketchum household.
"Must be very exciting," Serena's father said. Ash flicked his eyes over to the man. A lot of people had been saying that, and Ash couldn't deny that it was, even if every single one of those comments was making him feel even more nervous about it all. Gratefully, it was no longer the case for Y to set him on edge, even after he'd shaven and looked more like Michael than usual. He still kept some of his facial hair, at the very least.
"It is, but a lot of work," Ash admitted. Y nodded, as though he knew the exact same sentiments while the two males entered into the house. Ash looked around, noticing that Dawn had taken special care to hide Serena's wedding dress, and the cake was likewise sequestered in the kitchen. The only thing left around was his mother, dusting the place down and not having noticed them quite yet…well, at least until Kahili came out of the bathroom.
"I understand that. Grace and I didn't have nearly as large a wedding, but it was still incredibly stressful," Y said. Ash was glad to hear that, knowing it wasn't any different for anyone else. Looking over to his mother, he wondered if she had gone through the same thing. Despite having told her about his father's death years ago (she'd had a few tears, but said nothing, as though she'd long accepted it), he never really asked about their wedding. Though, now that he thought about it, she had shared some details about him as the years ticked on by. "Not getting cold feet, though, are we?"
"Not at all!" Y liked that answer. It was also an answer that attracted his mother's attention to the whole situation.
"Ah! Welcome!" Delia exclaimed, tossing her duster to the side and moving to greet Y. Ash knew she had met him once before, at their engagement party months ago, but when Grace stepped in the room, it was obvious the two mothers were far more familiar with one another. Kahili smirked to Ash on her way out. "Do stop by any time, Kahili! I'm glad my son has an older sister like you in his life?"
"S-sister? !"
"That's right, little brother," Kahili stated with a smirk, tapping him playfully on the nose. Ash felt like his head was swirling from that, and without Pikachu to reassure him (his partner helping out with his other Pokémon at the campsite) he felt almost liable to pass out. "It's not for real, Ash. Get your head on straight."
"I'm trying to, but all my mind can think right now is 'wedding'."
"Then it just means you're ready," his mother called to him after greeting Serena's parents. Ash wasn't so sure, but he drew encouragement from Serena's smile in his direction, and Y's rather stealthy nod. Grace was less stealthy, but watched him with an approving gaze. "Your father would be very proud of you, I think. You're handling a much bigger wedding than him with extreme talent."
"That's because I have Serena, and she's awesome at this stuff," Ash said, pointing to his fiancée to indicate just who'd truly done most of the work. Her parents glanced to each other, as if they found it humorous that Ash was admitting such things, but he felt it was perfectly natural. As Serena returned to his side, offering him a hug, each of the parents there all seemed to have any last traces of doubt completely vanish from their minds regarding the union.
Finally, the rest of the process started to go smoothly.
Not that "smoothly" meant "easy". Not in the slightest. Between the Champions arriving that evening, bringing the media helicopters with them, and Lillie arriving with Hau and the rest of the big names in Alola, it was simply crazy. Lillie was a little apologetic at arriving so late, but Ash was just grateful that Guzma's little power force prevented too much craziness from happening. Even with Gladion dragging his sister's boyfriend off (likely to threaten him), none of the general jubilation faded away.
"Don't worry about it, Lillie," Serena told the blonde at her brother doing so, she and Ash both taking her into a big hug. That was all that needed to be said. At long last, everything was set for the wedding to begin, and Ash moved on practical rote to see it all done.
That last thing that truly needed to be done was the wedding rehearsal, something which had Ash breathing just a little more than usual. It wasn't quite like a Pokémon battle, no matter how much he wanted to pretend it was. The anticipation was for more than he could bear, and it hardly played to his strengths. However, being able to feel Serena's hands as they were going through the motions of the ceremony, he knew she was the same. That was, in some way, comforting. It helped him to realize he wasn't alone in feeling this way, and knowing that their parents and friends were all overjoyed at the final thing being taken care of made him feel…ready.
He was ready to marry Serena.
He was ready to truly be with her forever. No matter what.
It was something that gave him peace inside, even though there was still that small twinge of natural nerves inside his stomach. Even through the barbeque that Professor Oak and Tracey held for the wedding party, and some other friends, that evening, along with some of the speeches, Ash never wavered in that. Dawn said it the best at her own speech that closed off the evening.
"I've known Ash for a long time now, about a decade," Dawn said. Piplup was standing next to her, nodding with every single word. "So, when I say that I consider him to be my best friend and like a big twin brother to me, I mean it. I want the best for him the same way I know he'd want the best for me. And…well…Serena really is the best for him. I've known her about…what, eight years now? You really couldn't meet someone kinder, sweeter or more devoted than her, and she's definitely someone who can help to curb Ash's streak of recklessness. I've thought they made a great couple since they first got together eight years ago and I'm…I'm really happy to be a part of it for one…no, two of my best friends.
"So, all I can say is that, when it comes to the two of them together…no need to worry! They'll be together forever!"
If there was any doubt in anyone's mind before that moment, Dawn had all but obliterated it with her own little tears of joy. No one was questioning the marriage whatsoever, and the excitement for what was to happen all but reached its peak. Small parties broke out in the midst of the campsite those last couple days, and some sent fireworks into the air, even as others sat quietly by or challenged some to friendly battles. That was about the only sight that all of the news choppers were able to get, all the way up to that wedding day.
The anticipation for what was about to happen was so thick that one couldn't even cut it with Pikachu's Iron Tail. However, Ash just felt blossoming joy in his breast as Pikachu stood with him the night before the ceremony, looking out over Professor Oak's backyard to the pavilion where it would all happen.
"Tomorrow, buddy," Ash said to his eternal partner. His mind quickly realized that as of tomorrow he'd officially have a second eternal partner. "I'm marrying Serena tomorrow."
"Pipika, Pikapi, kachu pika pika." Ash grinned at his partner's enthusiasm and approval. Ash closed his eyes and breathed in. He spoke no other words, feeling that nothing else needed to be said, his eyes drawn to his house, where Serena was likely unable to sleep with the same pre-wedding jitters. He reached his hand out in that direction, feeling like he was clasping hers.
He was definitely ready to be married.
Then, he took Pikachu in his arms with a grin, and returned inside.
The next day, one of the biggest events in history was set to happen.
Author's Note: So, not quite the wedding, but we're just about to begin with it. I'll admit, there was a lot to put into this chapter. I probably missed some stuff, or just decided to not mention every character arriving, but that's because I tried to focus on the most important aspects of it all, so hopefully that ultimately worked out for you. Same with my choices in the wedding parties and all that extraneous stuff. Part fun, part torture to get it right. Either way, the wedding ceremony is next chapter, which will probably be shorter (ha ha…ha…), but hopefully very nice. Until then, please Review and Dare to Be Silly.
Author: Epicocity
Rating: T
Pairings: Amourshipping, mainly
Rating: T
Pairings: Amourshipping, mainly
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokémon.
Love in the Time of Matrimony
An Ancienverse Wedding Fic
Part 1
The Preparation
An Ancienverse Wedding Fic
Part 1
The Preparation
It was going to be the biggest event of the year.
One could have all of the regional Leagues taking place at the same time. They could even throw in Champion and Elite Four matches with it, and it still wouldn't reach the level of the event that was taking place. There was no possible way, especially with just two weeks left to go before what was going to happen in Pallet Town. Everyone knew it, too. The event hadn't exactly been advertised, but still, almost all of the regions knew just what was going to occur that summer day.
In the end, there wasn't a single soul that didn't know that former Kalos Queen Serena of Vaniville Town was about to marry Pokémon Master Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town.
It had already been in the news for months, despite the couple's want to keep it all under wraps. From headlines of newspapers to Malva outright announcing the engagement on television, it was a topic of much discussion and complete excitement. The whole world had its eye fixated upon the intrepid couple and their impending nuptials. To them, hearing that childhood heroes, or simply saviors in a sense, were finally to be wed to each other after so much talk and speculation was like setting the world on fire.
Naturally, leading up to their engagement the previous year, rumors had been swirling around the couple from all of the media storms regarding their respective accomplishments, with their large number of friends declining to answer anything. Whether that was from respect or ignorance, the media never knew, but it at least meant they couldn't get their grubby claws all over the sordid details. It didn't stop them from speculating, though. From taking snapshots of any time Serena was caught discussing anything with another man (usually Clemont or Gladion) to outright claiming they had broken up when Ash had disappeared for about six months. Then again, they had no way of knowing that Ash called often enough to prove he was alive, let alone still dating Serena.
In either case, the news of their nuptials and Ash's proposal made the media pretty quickly. Thankfully, to the engaged couple, in this case "quickly" meant that it took about two months before Bonnie cracked and spilled the beans entirely. She never apologized once. Not even as the media trucks rolled up outside the couple's Aquacorde residence, one they had bought upon announcing their engagement to their respective parents.
"If you ever get married, Bonnie," Serena scolded the girl, the lemon blonde teenager's tongue sticking out in a teasing manner, "I am going to use my full power as a former Kalos Queen to make sure everyone knows and follows you all the time."
"Wouldn't that be an abuse of power?" Bonnie teased right back, but Clemont quickly grabbed her with his Aipom Arm and began dragging her away. "I expect to be a bridesmaid, Serena!"
That just hit Serena with the heavy reality of how much there was still to do in the ten months before she and Ash were to be married. It wasn't going to be easy, she realized, and though she had already started thinking about it, the list of what needed to be done suddenly grew and grew and grew. She even shared this with Ash one night at their residence, while he just stared ahead blankly. It was a little adorable how he seemed to completely zone out about this kind of stuff, though she did wish he could actually help a little more.
That night, he did.
"Just relax, Serena," Ash told her, throwing his hands behind his head. "I know there are a lot of things to do, but we've been through a lot worse."
"Ash, I know that, but this is our wedding," she told him, eyes wide with near panic. Her hand raised itself up and began ticking off all the little things that were needed on her fingers. "We need to decide our wedding party, besides Lillie of course, venue, what size reception, guests, the cake, the-mmph!"
"Serena…" Ash now told her warningly, keeping her held against his chest. She just swallowed, nestling into his warmth, just before he decided to elaborate on what he was clearly about to say. "We'll figure all of that out. And if you're worried about where, that part's easy: Pallet Town, of course!"
"Pallet Town?" Serena questioned, her voice muffled against Ash's shirt. It took her a moment, and quite a few seconds of blinking, for the honey blonde to realize how simply perfect the idea to hold it there was. After all, it had been the very place they had met, on top of being Ash's hometown, with more than enough space to hold whatever army was about to be a part of the wedding. She was quite happy with that idea.
Soon after that was settled, things began falling into place. Of course, the couple still had a number of engagements to attend, each of them pertaining to their work in other areas, but they still found time on multiple occasions throughout the weeks in order to plan a little more of the wedding. In that time, the media hubbub only continued to grow exponentially. There were already talks of gatecrashers for the reception, and media gawkers for the ceremony itself. It added an extra layer of stress for everything to be determined as, one by one, all the different items on their checklist began to be crossed off, much to Serena's immense relief…and Ash's elation that each step brought the overbearing effort closer to being finished. Even Pikachu would often be found collapsed on their kitchen table.
Still, Serena found that she could still feel a sense of satisfaction when they ticked off item after item. As the months drew on, the day growing ever closer, that satisfaction both increased and waned, occasionally replaced with nervousness and utter glee at the thought she'd be married once this was all over. More than that, she'd be married to Ash. If one had told her past self, before Ancien City, she'd have laughed nervously, blushed and proceeded to steam until fainting from disbelief. Now, however, what was once a dream was about to become sheer reality. That reality got even better in the last six weeks before the wedding, just as they were preparing their invitations to the massive number of guests that would be attending.
"And now, a special live message from the Aether Foundation, regarding the upcoming Ketchum nuptials," a reporter was speaking, her face barely containing the glee of what she was saying. Serena sighed loudly and slammed her head to the table, causing Ash's hand to slip and messily write Paul's name on his invitation.
"I hate gossip…" Serena whined loudly. Ash frowned at the messed-up invitation while Pikachu laughed loudly, rolling around on his back.
"Don't you laugh, Pikachu! You still have yours to finish!" Ash proclaimed. That made Pikachu pale, and he ran for a stack of invitations, himself, putting his paws to work furiously. Ash chose to shrug; Serena may have minded a little, but she also seriously doubted that Paul would care about the invitation itself, much less how well it was written. Moments later, the announcement from the Foundation splayed itself across the screen.
But it wasn't Gladion there, despite the fact that he'd been invited already. It was a far more crazy, grinning face, barely restrained by his former admin.
"Yo! This is your boy, Guzma, speaking for the Foundation!" Guzma's voiced boomed from the speakers, the man pointing to himself. He was surrounded by a bunch of his family members, all of them moving into different poses as he spoke. "I hear y'all be messin' with my boy, Ash. Well, I'm gonna say this once: there won't be no gatecrashin'! Official security detail as bouncers is gonna be handled by Guzma and Family here!"
"Come up with a new name," snarked Plumeria under her breath, but she smirked, as if sending the message to the couple that they would have it all covered. Serena lifted her head up from the table now and looked to Ash with complete and utter elation in that particular moment. He laughed alongside Pikachu, almost falling off his chair before Serena righted him. For all of Guzma's antagonism years ago, he was certainly a rather standup guy these days…for the most part.
"Oy, no talkin' back to the boss, Plumeria! Oh, and you owe me now, Ketchum! I'll accept an opportunity to kick your ***!" Guzma declared, pointing at the screen before the studio suddenly seemed to get wise of what he was saying and cut the transmission off.
"Well, one less thing to worry about, and one less invitation to send!" Ash said happily, taking one of the cards and proceeding to rip it in half. Serena would have scolded him, but she had to admit that she was grateful for Guzma's assistance in the matter. It only left the complicated amalgamation of other tasks left to complete before everything could be ready.
To that point, the remaining time left until nearly two weeks before the wedding practically flew by, right up until the impending bride and groom arrived with bags packed inside Ash's family home.
"Oh, my little boy is getting married!" Delia called excitedly, practically smothering Ash when he'd arrived there. "I can't believe it! I mean, I can believe it, but still!"
"Thanksh mom, nish to shee you, too…" Ash groaned out, his cheeks squished against her. Delia let go at that moment, patting her son down before walking straight over to Serena and taking her in a hug as well. The honey blonde dropped her suitcase and hugged back. Ash grinned over at her. "Just think: a couple weeks and you'll be part of the family."
"Oh, hush, Ash," Delia scolded her son. He took a step back, Pikachu leaping from his shoulder to greet his mother. "Serena's been a part of the family for a while. This just makes it official. I'm sure you must both be nervous."
"A little…" Serena admitted, emulating Ash in scratching at the side of her face. Ash didn't show any such nervousness or embarrassment, but he usually showed so little, she figured he wouldn't display it even if he did feel the same. "But at the same time, I'm very happy."
"Me, too," Ash admitted. Delia seemed to take pride in hearing her son say those words, and she quickly grabbed for the both of them, roping them into a large hug. To Serena, it really felt like Mrs. Ketchum was welcoming her to the family even more with those wide arms. Ash grinned his usual smile across at her.
"Well, I know the whole town's growing very excited!" the mother stated after letting them go. She seemed to lead them over to the kitchen at that point, jabbering on excitedly about the whole state of affairs. "I've agreed to help do the catering with some guests of yours. That Mallow is a fierce cook, and Brock and Cilan have agreed to help out, as well. We'll be pulling double duty until it's time for the reception. Meanwhile, it seems Samuel and Gary are busy working with some decorators. Your Pokémon are so excited, Ash, I think they're planning to help set up the pavilion and altar and everything."
"Since when did Gary know how to decorate anything…?" Ash asked. Delia just waved it off with a laugh, and while Ash continued to look confused at that, Serena chose to shrug it off. For now, they still had a number of tasks to complete.
Therefore, that night, the engaged couple sat down to make sure they went over their checklist of everything needed for the day that was approaching too fast for Serena's liking. She believed there was still so much that could be done that no amount of planning would ever cover it all.
"Okay, so, we have your mom working on catering with Brock, Cilan and Mallow, all three confirmed on the guest list…well…hard not to when Brock is your Best Man, and Cilan is a groomsman," Serena noted to her fiancée, despite the fact he seemed to be nodding off faster than usual. He was absentmindedly scratching a tired Pikachu behind the ears, but she still continued on. "Miette and Shauna will be arriving with the cake early next week in time for everything to really kick off, so that's good."
"We're having Kalas do the whole reception thing, right?" Ash asked with a yawn, now scratching at his exposed stomach. Serena nodded at that, checking off that little mark on her sheet. "Wait…who's doing the whole ceremony?"
"Professor Oak," Serena noted, feeling her own eyelids starting to droop. Her hands raised up to slap her face, making sure she wouldn't fall asleep quite yet. The sound shocked Ash awake, though Pikachu was already dozing in his lap. "He's the most qualified, after all, and he said he's done this before, apparently."
"Another thing I didn't know…" Ash grumbled out. Serena giggled at her fiancée's trepidation over this new fact, and continued on with the list. Most of the stuff on it was already taken care of, such as the invitations to the ridiculous number of people being invited to the wedding. Most of them had already RSVP'd to the entire event, save for a few that Serena decided she was going to assume were coming anyway. Already, their guest list for the ceremony looked to be ascending to near two hundred (alongside shutting down entire Leagues for the day). Although, it came with a more manageable one hundred for the reception. Professor Oak was gracious enough to open his lab's backyard for that event, too.
"Okay, so…Dawn says the dress alterations will be here soon, too, along with your suit," Serena continued, checking off yet more on the list. "And the wedding party will be here the full week before. That includes Brock, Clemont, Cilan…and you chose Gary for your fourth…with Pikachu, of course. While my group is Shauna as my Maid of Honor, with Dawn, Lillie and Bonnie as bridesmaids."
"Only because Bonnie would kill you if she wasn't a bridesmaid," Ash stated. Serena wasn't going to argue with that particular point whatsoever. Bonnie had already thinly veiled her threats in reference to any future actions were she not be named as a bridesmaid, which was the exact reason they had expanded their wedding party to four instead of three. "And then Oshawott practically begged to be the ring bearer…this wedding stuff is so complicated."
"I think it's adorable," Serena stated out, stifling yet another yawn to hide her exhaustion.
"Sure, but there's so much I don't get. Like, why can't I see your dress? Why are Trevor and my old friend Todd gonna be following us and the guests everywhere with cameras?" Ash asked, throwing his hands in the air before slumping on the couch. "The only thing that does make sense is the whole vow thing."
"I don't want to hear it!" Serena said loudly, slapping him with her checklist before covering her ears. "You can't see my dress because I want it to be special, and you can't say your vows because I want that to be special, too!"
"Oh…well, yeah, so do I…but it's soooo complicated…" Ash groaned once more. Serena looked to her list one more time. Everything else seemed to be checked off and good for the most part, other than the light rehearsal dinner they would be doing later; even down to her father coming to walk her down the aisle was taken care of. It seemed it would all go well enough, and with her current state of exhaustion, Serena truly didn't want to think about it anymore. She tossed the pad on the table and turned to her fiancée, placing a hand on him and snuggling against him. Her engagement ring glittered in the faint light.
"Well, once we're married, it'll be less complicated. So, keep your chin up until then…for me?" she asked, peering up at him. He turned his head, smiling, before he leaned down and pecked her on the lips before grinning. She melted at his moment of uncharacteristic romance.
"Well, since it's you," he eventually replied. And with Ash's agreement, the two soon fell into an easy sleep upon the couch.
With all of the checks done, and everything seeming to be running smoothly for the soon to be married couple, Ash had expected things to calm down at least a little bit before the guests began to arrive. However, that was definitely not the case, as he soon found out. If anything, it all got even busier than expected. That all started with the arrival of Brock in a car from Pewter City, the doctor currently on leave…and carrying his entire family in the back, including his mother and father.
"Pikachu, did we invite all of them?" Ash asked of his partner the day that his best man arrived. Pikachu shrugged, having clearly not paid any attention to the vast number of invitations they had signed. All Ash remembered from that was the faint, dull ache which rested in his hand from that activity. Not that it mattered much, as Brock jumped out of the car upon stopping it and slung an arm around Ash.
"Ash! Good to see you!" he said with a grin. Ash agreed, throwing an arm right back. "Just a few days now, huh? Must be excited."
"For sure," Ash agreed, pumping his free hand into a fist. From the car, Brock's family seemed to all send their well-wishes before making their way to what looked like a veritable campsite that was slowly being established on the outskirts of town. Not that any of the guests had arrived, but all of Ash's Pokémon had been doing double duty, with Charizard delivering the tents while Greninja, Infernape, Sceptile, Krookodile and Decidueye took the time to set them up, aided by others like Hawlucha. Some were successful. Others, like Noivern…not so much. "How about you, Brock?"
"Thrilled! I get to see Ar-not now, Croagunk!" Brock immediately called to the Toxic Mouth Pokémon that had emerged behind him, orange sacs expanding and contracting threateningly. "I have my duties as a Best Man to fulfill, starting with a Bachelor Party tonight! Clemont and Cilan should be here by then, right?"
"Er…Bachelor Party?" Ash asked. While he'd definitely been keeping up on all of the wedding stuff that Serena had planned, this seemed to be one of those things which had completely escaped his notice. Brock didn't falter once, however, continuing to grin while his shut eyes brimmed with absolute joy.
"Don't worry, nothing crazy! Just reliving the good times, maybe some Pokémon battles!" Brock insisted. Ash's eyes lit up excitedly alongside Pikachu's; he didn't quite know what a Bachelor's Party was, but if it involved battles, then he was definitely down for it. "Tried calling Paul, but even with the enticing idea of battling you, he said that he and Reggie would only come for the ceremony and reception. That's just like him."
"Yeah, it is," Ash laughed out, and the two seeming brothers began to walk off to talk about the upcoming catering for the ceremony. Naturally, Serena was also being greeted by her own bridesmaids, it seemed, one of whom had arrived with the cake, while another came with the dress. It was that sole bluenette that had planted her Mamoswine right outside the door, preventing all access to the interior when Ash had returned to the house. Serena just smiled apologetically at that, but Dawn was far less forgiving. "Come on, Dawn, it's my home…"
"Not for the next week, it's not!" Dawn demanded, putting her foot down on the issue. "I've worked hard on Serena's dress, gotten from her mother and altered by me, that I'm not about to let you see it and ruin the whole thing. You're the first of us to get married, so try not ruining it."
"And what exactly happened to 'no need to worry'?" Ash demanded, trying to find a way to skirt around Mamoswine, but being stopped by its large tusks. He felt vaguely annoyed by that.
"A wedding is definitely a time to worry. So, no peeking for the whole week. I think you can wait that long," Dawn stated with a final huff, hands planted on her hips resolutely. "Serena tells me that the poetry professor has opened his lab up for you to rest in."
"Sure…but it's not the same," Ash mumbled. He also realized, however, that he didn't really have a choice when it came down to this. Knowing that, he waited as Serena ran back inside to grab his things, gave him a kiss and then sent him and Brock back on their merry way to Professor Oak's lab. About halfway there, Ash had come to a rather annoying realization. "I didn't even get to see the cake…"
"Hey, at least you didn't have to pick it out," Brock said, though it didn't do much to placate Ash, who felt just a little bit annoyed.
Regardless, the raven-haired trainer decided to make the most of his situation, and faced forward with the positive attitude that he usually liked to pour into everything. Brock made the whole thing extremely easy through the rest of the day, checking up on the food for the reception (something Ash found was better than his mother and Brock's usual recipes, as though they quadrupled their efforts) and overall making everything feel like a party until later that evening, when Clemont and Bonnie finally arrived from the Viridian airport.
"It was absolutely crazy there…" Clemont sighed out liberally when he'd arrived at the lab, fanning himself. Gary, as it turned out, was also there, having just completed his assistance with the setup of everything decoration-wise for the wedding. As the lemon blond spoke, Ash noticed said researcher apparently checking the weather, all to make sure he wouldn't need to get a Pokémon with Sunny Day or find a Rayquaza to cancel weather effects entirely. "I swear, if you guys hadn't sent the car for us, we would have never gotten here."
"Glad we did, then," Ash stated, hugging Clemont and showing how glad he was that the inventor could make it. Cilan had yet to arrive, likely caught up in one of his many connoisseur angles, but Brock wasn't all that concerned. For the first time, though, Clemont's words truly made the reality of what was happening here settle into Ash: he was getting married. To Serena. To the woman he loved as much as he did Pikachu (though definitely not in the same way). It was such a frighteningly free thought to him, and he found a nervous smile actually stretching across his face. "Guess the whole world is watching, huh?"
"Something like that, Ashy-boy," Gary commented, wheeling away from the weather to show a news report on the computer screen. Professor Oak was nowhere to be seen, presumably leaving the lab to the use of the four men that were gathered there. Brock walked closer to Gary, and the fridge that seemed to be nearby. "You're definitely all over the news. It's all anyone can talk about. From half the Aether Foundation setting off from Alola this evening to the Champions leaving tomorrow, you've got a whole parade coming for this thing. I think at least four regional Leagues are shutting down for days just to hold this. Any of our weddings would never turn out this way."
"Yeah, well…it's not like we wanted it to…" Ash bemoaned. He flopped back on the couch he'd be sleeping on the remainder of the week, sighing outwards. "We actually wanted it to be kind of small, but it turned into this. Serena looks happy, though, so I'm okay with it."
"Pi!" Pikachu agreed, as if proud of Ash's response before dashing for the backyard to join with all of the other Pokémon. Gary smirked at him, leaning back lazily while Clemont addressed that particular issue at hand.
"Well, it's really no surprise. I mean, you and Serena are two of the most well-known figures in the public eye. Having a big wedding between you two was inevitable. I'm just glad you asked me to be a part of it," the inventor stated, adjusting his glasses with a small grin. Gary now slammed onto his feet, rising up from the chair.
"Me, too, Ashy boy," Gary said with enthusiasm. "Never thought I'd say it, but I'm glad to be standing with you when you get married. Long as you don't screw it up, of course."
"Hey!" Ash countered back, and then he heard Brock clapping loudly. That drew all of their attentions, and soon Ash found a can of soda come spinning towards him, the raven-haired trainer catching it deftly. Once he had, Ash looked to Brock, the man spinning a small disc on his finger and facing to the backyard.
"If the three of you are done, let's get this manly party started! Ash may somehow be getting the girl before me, but that's all the more reason to celebrate! Come on!" Ash looked to his other two groomsmen in the room, and they all shrugged. With a slight grunt, Ash swung himself off of the couch and made to follow Brock to the backyard. Naturally, it only took seconds for his overexuberant Tauros to come charging in and bowl him over, but once he had recovered, Brock was speaking again. "I asked your friend Maka for some help while she's putting together your wedding video for the reception, compiling some great moments just for us guys! Let's get our party started, boys!"
"Croagunk!" the Toxic Mouth Pokémon called, surprisingly as invested in the events as his trainer, even snapping a party hat on before staring at his reflection in the projector that was displaying images on the wall. His own call appeared to summon all of Ash's other Pokémon, each of them moving to join their group, with Charizard seating himself right in front of the screen as the smaller Pokémon climbed on top of him and Torterra.
With a great flourish, and an opening of the cans beside Ash, he seated himself in for an exciting ride. Despite being such a stern doctor when it came to patients, Brock soon proved himself to be a born entertainer, showing some of the best (and even some pretty bad) parts of Ash's former journeys. From regional Leagues to the Kalos Team Tournament, it was a wild ride contained all in pictures and videos, with each of his Pokémon seeming rather proud at having taken part in each of them. Especially Charizard, who tipped his head back and sent a flame roaring to the sky at the image of himself taking down Gary's Blastoise.
"We had a pretty great battle, huh?" Gary remarked, tipping back his can of soda and downing it quickly. Ash continued watching the finishing projections proudly before the last shot ended on an image of he and Serena in their match against Kukui and Akela back in Alola, clasping hands together. Brock's sly smirk said it all.
"Yeah, we did!" Ash proclaimed, finally recovering enough to answer Gary's question. Twisting his body, Ash grinned down his former rival in challenge. On his other side, Clemont's eyes also alit with challenge. All of Ash's Pokémon could feel it, the level of tension and the air of battle. Greninja and Infernape seemed to become almost antsy, while Hawlucha and Buizel stared each other down, clearly wanting to battle, as well. "How about we go for one right now?"
"You're on!" Gary said with a smirk. Their hands clasped one another, pulling themselves up and readying for battle.
It was those battles that lasted until well after the sun had set. While Ash knew (from some of Brock's remarks) that most people would get drunk and party on nights like these, battles replaced any form of alcohol for the young men. They quickly became intoxicated on adrenaline for the whole evening, with each of Ash's Pokémon getting their chance, from Palpitoad all the way to Totodile. Things got even crazier when Cilan arrived and he, Clemont and Brock appeared to enter into a three-way battle for "best male companion" …whatever that meant. It had been close, from what Ash saw, but Brock and Croagunk eventually took the prize. Not that Ash understood what it was, of course
It was such a fun night that Ash didn't want it to end, but eventually he and the other four males fell asleep under the stars that night, surrounded by all of Ash's Pokémon. The raven-haired trainer, for his part, continued staring up for a moment longer, Pikachu curled on his chest and Charizard's wings around him, thinking about how grateful he was to have such supportive friends. Then he slipped off to sleep just a couple hours before dawn.
That was the last bit of peace and "fun" he figured he would get before the wedding, especially when the next morning ramped up with numerous arrivals, not to mention Serena coming to get him for other reasons.
"Mom's bringing the gifts today, so we'll want to make sure everything's in order," she explained while they waited for her parents to arrive. In the time they were waiting, more and more people landed in Pallet Town, getting tickets (of all things) to reside in the campgrounds that were now set up. Ash nodded to her, finding that she looked rather flushed, and wondered if it had anything to do with the night before. "Lillie will be getting here tomorrow, so with the entire wedding party, we'll do the rehearsal for the wedding."
"There's food involved with that, right? Because I have a feeling I'm going to need it," Ash said. Serena laughed, patting him on the back as though she completely understood. "But uh…what happened last night to make you all red?"
"Nothing!" Serena squeaked. Ash didn't push the issue, but considering he saw that Miette and Sawyer appeared to have shown up since last night, he had a sharp guess as to what it was. Placing his hands behind his head, Ash just decided to sit back and wait, watching as everyone flocked to Pallet Town in what seemed like a small trickle but, owing to the large number of guests, really wasn't.
First was the Aether Foundation arriving in full force, Guzma and his family knuckling Ash on the head (it hurt) before setting up a perimeter around Pallet Town on the ground and in the air. Only Plumeria seemed to have the intelligence alongside Gladion to not act like buffoons. Although, Gladion seemed less than enthused, even if it had nothing to do with the wedding. Ash had a very strong guess as to the reason when the blond muttered something about "that idiot". That confirmed to Ash that his former rival wasn't happy about his sister arriving with Hau, even though the two had clearly been finally dating for almost a year now.
Shortly after that was another influx of people, starting from Team Nova, Seamus leading the pack before he was followed by the two parents that were Bethany and Christopher, introducing their little daughter, Thea. Rocky looked a little more disgruntled, but appeared to light up at the sight of Astrid also arriving in town, accompanied by Korrina, Alain, Mairin and the whole contingent of people from Kalos. It was enough to make Ash's head swirl, even as Mairin practically squealed with joy over the thought of Serena getting married. It even made Korrina contemplative, clearly wondering if or when Clemont would propose to her. Despite the man being one of Ash's best friends, had no answer to that. Not even Bonnie did, for all her pestering.
It was a flurry of meet and greets from that moment forward, while Ash and Serena continued to wait for Grace and Y to arrive with the gifts. Scores of Ash's former rivals from Unova, most of which he hadn't seen since his journey there, came in large droves, with even Trip taking some pictures of the area, remarking on its natural beauty with a rather sheepish expression. That surprised Ash, but he had to already turn away in order to greet May, arriving with Max and her parents.
"I have to admit, I'm surprised that you're getting married," Max commented on the situation. Ash wasn't sure what to say to that, but May slapped her brother up the head, and neither of her parents said a word as they shook Serena's hands.
"Be nice, Max," May said before huffing out. After she'd done so, taking an additional moment to affix a smile to her face, May moved in and embraced Serena in a tight hug. "I can't believe it's finally the day! It's so romantic!"
"I certainly hope so!" Serena said. "We've done so much just to get ready! But, er…Drew isn't with you?"
"I think he said he'll be coming later," was May's response. Ash shook his head, greeting both Norman and Caroline, who moved off to reserve their camping site. Max, on the other hand, remained nearby, the now older teen adjusting his glasses with a rather embarrassed expression.
"Is she here?" he asked. Ash blinked, but quickly realized just who the younger trainer was talking about, chuckling before he answered.
"Yeah, Bonnie's been here since yesterday."
"Good. I need to settle the score. May, let's go!" Max snapped, grabbing ahold off his older sister's hand and dragging her off. May rolled her eyes and began to wave, even while being dragged off.
"Looking forward to the wedding! Don't screw it up Ash!" May called back to the couple, just before righting herself properly. "And you slow down, Max. I know you want to see your girlfriend, but really…"
"She's my rival!" Max snapped in protest and correction. "And I still owe her for that defeat she gave me in the Kalos Team Tournament last year!" Their voices soon faded from earshot, though it didn't make the chaos calm down in the slightest. If anything, it picked right back up.
Misty arrived shortly after all of that, noting that her sisters were out of the region, as per usual. Ash actually found himself grateful at that fact; the Sensational Sisters would not make the already impressive media presence any better. That seemed to be proven exceptionally so with the next group of arrivals that featured some members of the Alolan Elite Four, containing Kahili, whose first action was slinging an arm around Ash and ruffling his hair.
"Aw, look at you, getting married!" she practically crooned. Ash grimaced at her, but allowed her to go through her motions. Sometimes, Kahili just had too much fun with him. "I'm not sure whether to feel proud you're tying the knot, or mortified because Serena has to live with your battle-hungry stomach forever."
"I can handle it. Besides, he has to deal with my love for performing, which seems to bore him when it isn't me or one of our friends," Serena said to Kahili. The golfer retracted herself from Ash and moved to hug Serena before drawing back and slinging her bag over her shoulder. She was interrupted mere moments later.
"Reena!" cried the chipper voice of Acerola, running through to pretty much bowl Serena over. Ash put on a bemused expression and took a few steps away with Kahili.
"I am proud of you, Ash," Kahili stated a little more quietly. "It takes a lot to commit to marriage. Goodness knows I haven't been able to."
"Last I checked, you never dated anyone," Ash reminded her. She elbowed him, but clearly appreciated the jest, thanks to the smile that was on her face. "Hapu, Mina and the others coming along?"
"They'll be arriving with Hau and Hala's group tomorrow. Mina wandered off for a painting again." Ash nodded his head; that definitely sounded just like Mina. In any case, Kahili's words made him feel that almost nervous anticipation once again. Knowing that everyone was gathering in Pallet for this event made Ash swallow the ever-growing ball in his throat, even if he'd never willingly admit it. "Now, your mom's here, yeah? I think I should introduce myself! Catch ya later!"
Ash would have tried to stop her from doing so, knowing just how crazy Kahili could be (and knowing how willing his mother would be to accept Kahili as a tertiary member of their family), but was prevented in doing so by Grace and Y finally arriving. Serena was the first to greet them, extricating herself from the ever-hyperactive Acerola to do so, indicating their presence to Ash. He stepped closer to his fiancée, and the usual busyness of the whole affair ramped up yet again.
With Serena's parents were all of the wedding gifts that Serena had mostly worked on deciding, only getting the occasional input from Ash. It was quite extensive, even if a good three quarters of them were more or less trinkets. Only a few were actually big gifts, for the bigger guests like the Champions and their closest friends. It was these gifts that Ash helped Y carry in when they reached the Ketchum household.
"Must be very exciting," Serena's father said. Ash flicked his eyes over to the man. A lot of people had been saying that, and Ash couldn't deny that it was, even if every single one of those comments was making him feel even more nervous about it all. Gratefully, it was no longer the case for Y to set him on edge, even after he'd shaven and looked more like Michael than usual. He still kept some of his facial hair, at the very least.
"It is, but a lot of work," Ash admitted. Y nodded, as though he knew the exact same sentiments while the two males entered into the house. Ash looked around, noticing that Dawn had taken special care to hide Serena's wedding dress, and the cake was likewise sequestered in the kitchen. The only thing left around was his mother, dusting the place down and not having noticed them quite yet…well, at least until Kahili came out of the bathroom.
"I understand that. Grace and I didn't have nearly as large a wedding, but it was still incredibly stressful," Y said. Ash was glad to hear that, knowing it wasn't any different for anyone else. Looking over to his mother, he wondered if she had gone through the same thing. Despite having told her about his father's death years ago (she'd had a few tears, but said nothing, as though she'd long accepted it), he never really asked about their wedding. Though, now that he thought about it, she had shared some details about him as the years ticked on by. "Not getting cold feet, though, are we?"
"Not at all!" Y liked that answer. It was also an answer that attracted his mother's attention to the whole situation.
"Ah! Welcome!" Delia exclaimed, tossing her duster to the side and moving to greet Y. Ash knew she had met him once before, at their engagement party months ago, but when Grace stepped in the room, it was obvious the two mothers were far more familiar with one another. Kahili smirked to Ash on her way out. "Do stop by any time, Kahili! I'm glad my son has an older sister like you in his life?"
"S-sister? !"
"That's right, little brother," Kahili stated with a smirk, tapping him playfully on the nose. Ash felt like his head was swirling from that, and without Pikachu to reassure him (his partner helping out with his other Pokémon at the campsite) he felt almost liable to pass out. "It's not for real, Ash. Get your head on straight."
"I'm trying to, but all my mind can think right now is 'wedding'."
"Then it just means you're ready," his mother called to him after greeting Serena's parents. Ash wasn't so sure, but he drew encouragement from Serena's smile in his direction, and Y's rather stealthy nod. Grace was less stealthy, but watched him with an approving gaze. "Your father would be very proud of you, I think. You're handling a much bigger wedding than him with extreme talent."
"That's because I have Serena, and she's awesome at this stuff," Ash said, pointing to his fiancée to indicate just who'd truly done most of the work. Her parents glanced to each other, as if they found it humorous that Ash was admitting such things, but he felt it was perfectly natural. As Serena returned to his side, offering him a hug, each of the parents there all seemed to have any last traces of doubt completely vanish from their minds regarding the union.
Finally, the rest of the process started to go smoothly.
Not that "smoothly" meant "easy". Not in the slightest. Between the Champions arriving that evening, bringing the media helicopters with them, and Lillie arriving with Hau and the rest of the big names in Alola, it was simply crazy. Lillie was a little apologetic at arriving so late, but Ash was just grateful that Guzma's little power force prevented too much craziness from happening. Even with Gladion dragging his sister's boyfriend off (likely to threaten him), none of the general jubilation faded away.
"Don't worry about it, Lillie," Serena told the blonde at her brother doing so, she and Ash both taking her into a big hug. That was all that needed to be said. At long last, everything was set for the wedding to begin, and Ash moved on practical rote to see it all done.
That last thing that truly needed to be done was the wedding rehearsal, something which had Ash breathing just a little more than usual. It wasn't quite like a Pokémon battle, no matter how much he wanted to pretend it was. The anticipation was for more than he could bear, and it hardly played to his strengths. However, being able to feel Serena's hands as they were going through the motions of the ceremony, he knew she was the same. That was, in some way, comforting. It helped him to realize he wasn't alone in feeling this way, and knowing that their parents and friends were all overjoyed at the final thing being taken care of made him feel…ready.
He was ready to marry Serena.
He was ready to truly be with her forever. No matter what.
It was something that gave him peace inside, even though there was still that small twinge of natural nerves inside his stomach. Even through the barbeque that Professor Oak and Tracey held for the wedding party, and some other friends, that evening, along with some of the speeches, Ash never wavered in that. Dawn said it the best at her own speech that closed off the evening.
"I've known Ash for a long time now, about a decade," Dawn said. Piplup was standing next to her, nodding with every single word. "So, when I say that I consider him to be my best friend and like a big twin brother to me, I mean it. I want the best for him the same way I know he'd want the best for me. And…well…Serena really is the best for him. I've known her about…what, eight years now? You really couldn't meet someone kinder, sweeter or more devoted than her, and she's definitely someone who can help to curb Ash's streak of recklessness. I've thought they made a great couple since they first got together eight years ago and I'm…I'm really happy to be a part of it for one…no, two of my best friends.
"So, all I can say is that, when it comes to the two of them together…no need to worry! They'll be together forever!"
If there was any doubt in anyone's mind before that moment, Dawn had all but obliterated it with her own little tears of joy. No one was questioning the marriage whatsoever, and the excitement for what was to happen all but reached its peak. Small parties broke out in the midst of the campsite those last couple days, and some sent fireworks into the air, even as others sat quietly by or challenged some to friendly battles. That was about the only sight that all of the news choppers were able to get, all the way up to that wedding day.
The anticipation for what was about to happen was so thick that one couldn't even cut it with Pikachu's Iron Tail. However, Ash just felt blossoming joy in his breast as Pikachu stood with him the night before the ceremony, looking out over Professor Oak's backyard to the pavilion where it would all happen.
"Tomorrow, buddy," Ash said to his eternal partner. His mind quickly realized that as of tomorrow he'd officially have a second eternal partner. "I'm marrying Serena tomorrow."
"Pipika, Pikapi, kachu pika pika." Ash grinned at his partner's enthusiasm and approval. Ash closed his eyes and breathed in. He spoke no other words, feeling that nothing else needed to be said, his eyes drawn to his house, where Serena was likely unable to sleep with the same pre-wedding jitters. He reached his hand out in that direction, feeling like he was clasping hers.
He was definitely ready to be married.
Then, he took Pikachu in his arms with a grin, and returned inside.
The next day, one of the biggest events in history was set to happen.
Author's Note: So, not quite the wedding, but we're just about to begin with it. I'll admit, there was a lot to put into this chapter. I probably missed some stuff, or just decided to not mention every character arriving, but that's because I tried to focus on the most important aspects of it all, so hopefully that ultimately worked out for you. Same with my choices in the wedding parties and all that extraneous stuff. Part fun, part torture to get it right. Either way, the wedding ceremony is next chapter, which will probably be shorter (ha ha…ha…), but hopefully very nice. Until then, please Review and Dare to Be Silly.