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The Kingdom of Illusions (Pokeshipping) - Complete
- Thread starter Skiyomi
- Start date
Part 11.
Ash and Misty shuffled uncertainly across the dance floor. Ostensibly, Ash was leading, but he’d never danced much except when he couldn’t avoid it. Misty was just letting herself be swayed along, her expression guarded and skeptical.
Finally she spoke to him in a calm, but firm voice. “Ash?” she tried.
“Hmm? Yes?” Ash answered, looking up sheepishly from watching his feet.
“I know you said that this isn’t a pity dance,” Misty began, “but that’s… really what it feels like. If it is then it really won’t make me feel any better, so if that’s what this is then we should just stop right now.”
“It’s not that,” Ash said again. “It’s…” He clenched his teeth and groaned. “I just don’t know… what are you supposed to do when someone tells you that they love you?”
“What you do when—?” Misty repeated, caught off-guard. Even when Ash was clued-in, he was clueless. She wasn’t mad, but she was tired. She sighed and looked away, toward the dancing lights of the candles that lined the room.
“It’s… pretty simple, Ash,” she said weakly. “If you love them, then you tell them that you love them back. If you don’t love them…” Her step faltered slightly, but recovered. “...Then you tell them that too—kindly, politely, and gently—but you tell them so they won’t be mistaken about how you feel. Because it’s just not fair to lead people on.” Like by asking them to dance with you…
“But… what do you do if you just don’t know?” Ash asked.
A dismal, beaten look was on Misty’s face. “Ash, if you don’t know if you love me or not then you probably don’t,” she murmured.
“But that’s the thing,” Ash said anxiously, “I do know that I love you.”
“Then you should just,” Misty began on autopilot, but then abruptly stopped. She stared up at him. “What?”
“Of course I love you,” Ash said a little too easily for Misty’s comfort. “You were the first person I met on my journey—we were together for a long time.” He paused. “Sometimes we fought, but I always knew you had my back and were supporting me—and if I messed up, I knew you wouldn’t hesitate to set me straight.” He looked at her, straight in the eye. “You’re my best friend.”
“But,” Ash went on in a turn that Misty had expected but nevertheless stole the wind from her sails and left her plummeting earthward, “…I don’t know if the way I love you is the way you love me.”
Misty cast her eyes down. “I get it, you know,” she said in a shaky voice. “If you only want to be friends then you should just say it. I know the way you feel about me isn’t different from how you feel about any of your friends—it’s not special. So you don’t have to—”
“Misty!” Ash cut across her, frustrated. “That’s not what I said at all! You are special, but…” He looked at her helplessly. “I just don’t know about these kinds of things. How are you supposed to know if you’re in love—that kind of love—or not?”
“You just know,” Misty answered stubbornly.
Ash’s face fell. “Really?” he asked in disbelief and disappointment. “Was that… was that how it was with you? You knew from the beginning?”
“Umm… well, no, actually,” Misty was forced to admit. “In fact, I… kind of thought I hated you back then.”
“What?” Ash repeated, tripping over his own feet in surprise. What had he ever done that was hateable?
“You have to remember,” Misty went on, eyebrow twitching irritably, “that back then you were a real upstart, obnoxious kid who always barreled in without thinking things through or bothering to get the facts.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “…Actually you’re still that way a lot of the time,” she muttered.
“I’m not!” Ash replied, almost on automatic. His expression was getting dangerously close to a pout. “If you thought all that stuff then why would you think you love me?”
“Well, I…” Misty began, past irritations fluttering around her thoughts. “In case you hadn’t noticed I kind of picked up my entire life to follow you. That’s a little overboard for bike theft.” She shook off her annoyed tone. “Before I knew it I couldn’t imagine myself leaving. And I knew I was just… making excuses for myself by acting like I didn’t like you. You may have been immature but… I was impressed even then by how much you just… cared—how you dreamed even when people tried to cut you down—even when I tried to cut you down. I just…” She closed her eyes. “I guess when I realized that, I decided that deep down I really did love you—and by the time I was willing to admit that to myself it was no surprise.”
“Misty…” Ash trailed off.
“Anyway,” Misty said, somewhat embarrassed, “I guess you could say that’s when I knew.”
“So,” Ash began, trying to come to grips with a situation he was completely unused to, “when you fall in love with someone… it starts out with hate?”
Misty shook her head violently. “No, not really—not always at least. I guess it’s just… different for everyone.”
Ash was silent. ‘Different for everyone’ didn’t provide him much context.
“Look,” Misty said, her eyes somewhat dewy “it’s okay,”—it wasn’t—“If you don’t feel the same way I do about you then you can’t… you can’t make yourself. I understand.”
“Misty…” Ash began. “When I get into Pokemon battles, sometimes I don’t have the benefit of knowing everything. I don’t know what my opponents going to do, or if my strategy is going to work. When that happens to a lot of trainers they stick to their strategy, or play by the book, or whatever, but if I have a hunch… I listen to it. It doesn’t always work out but…” He shook his head. “I’d rather trust my intuition than ignore it.”
“Right now,” Ash went on, “I don’t know what this is or what it could be—if all I could ever feel for you is friendship or something else, but,” he reached up and adjusted his league hat, “I’ve got a feeling that if I just walked away from this without ever finding out… that would be a mistake.”
*****
Dawn nursed her drink with a dull expression. She’d been watching Marcus and the so-called Duchess dance before, but it had started to feel… creepy. So she’d pulled away and headed for the buffet. Piplup had lodged himself in a tray of kippers and seemed disinclined to pry himself away from it. Dawn had just picked up a champagne flute and wandered around from there. Ash and Misty were, hopefully, otherwise occupied, and Sara had a bunch of duties to perform as hostess. She didn’t know anyone else, so she was just sort of… aimless. There was always the vague hope that a handsome prince or a dashing count or even a passably attractive bureaucrat would ask her to dance, but then again, there always was.
She walked on and had a surreal feeling as she passed her reflection. …Except of course that the reflection’s hair was in a different style from hers, in a different dress, and wearing a completely independent expression from her.
That’s… no mirror…
“Dawn?” the doppelganger asked, as though this were the most pleasant of surprises. “Is that really you?”
“Princess… Salvia?” Dawn asked.
“Oh, Dawn! It is you!” Princess Salvia gushed, taking Dawn’s hands in her gloved ones. “I can’t tell you how gratifying it is to see you in person again after all this time!”
“You too,” Dawn answered awkwardly. It was nice to see Princess Salvia again, but all that refinement coming from a person who looked just like her always made Dawn feel rather unsophisticated.
“I never expected to see you here,” Salvia continued. “Are you a friend of the royal family?”
“Well, sort of,” Dawn said. “I know Sara… that is, Queen Sara, but we only met a short time ago.” She put a hand behind her head and gave a nervous smile. “It’s a long story.”
“Oh, I’m a friend of Queen Sara’s as well,” Salvia went on. “Isn’t she just the kindest, wisest person you’ve ever met? I came here on a diplomatic trip with my father when I was seven and met her, and have since then always looked up to her.”
“Oh wow,” Dawn said, blinking. “You’ve known her that long?”
Salvia nodded. “Yes, I have.” She folded her gloved hands neatly behind her back. “I simply had to make time for her engagement party, because she’s such a very dear friend. …I haven’t met her fiancé yet and…” She struggled. Dawn could tell that Salvia never said an unkind word about a person if she could help it. “I admittedly hadn’t heard very good reports of him. But I’m sure if Queen Sara is marrying him then he must be someone very special indeed.”
“He’s… he’s special alright,” Dawn answered noncommittally.
“Oh, Dawn,” Salvia exclaimed, changing conversation tracks, “I can’t tell you what a proud thrill I felt when I saw you win the coveted Top Coordinator prize at the last Grand Festival.” She looked in awe at her. “It was a genius exhibition and I must congratulate you on it.”
“Well, thanks,” Dawn said, blushing under the praise. “I never could’ve done it without all of Togekiss’s help, so I really owe you a lot for that.”
“How is Togekiss?” Salvia pressed.
“She’s doing just fine,” Dawn said with a smile. “In fact, she was the one that led us here in the first place.”
“That doesn’t surprise me at all,” Salvia answered. “She was probably born in the paradise. Most Togepi are, before they spread out and journey across the world as they grow older.”
A pang of sorrow stabbed at Dawn’s heart. All those empty nests in the Togepi breeding ground… what would become of all of them now? Would they come back and continue their lives if Sara could truly get the lurking figure of Marcus out of the picture? Or would they have been more likely to come back if Sara had married Marcus and stabilized the kingdom? …Then again, Marcus didn’t really seem to appreciate the Togepi at all so…
…It was all so complicated.
“Dawn,” Salvia said, cutting into her thoughts.
“Yes?” Dawn asked, abruptly coming back to reality.
“I…” Salvia began with a bit of uncertainty, “Well, it was really remarkable to see you win at the Grand Festival, as I’ve already said, but… I couldn’t help but notice that I haven’t seen you on the contest stage since then.”
“Oh, well… you know,” Dawn trailed off, slightly embarrassed. “I guess I just… thought I’d sit back for awhile now that I’ve finally won. And maybe give some of the younger coordinators a chance to win the prize. The goal of Top Coordinator was very important to me growing up. Now that I’ve got it, I don’t want to take it away from anyone else.”
“I suppose I can understand all that,” Salvia said. “But Dawn… was being Top Coordinator the only reason you participated in contests?”
Dawn was struck silent at that.
Salvia pressed her hand to her heart. “That wonderful day you gave me back then… when you and I switched places… I knew it would only be that one time that I’d get the chance to live out my coordinator dreams. So I didn’t have any hopes of going on to win as Top Coordinator.” She smiled. “But that was okay. Because I loved what I was doing. I loved being on stage and making Togekiss shine for the crowd. …Don’t you feel that way?”
“Well, of course I do,” Dawn said, finding her voice. “I live for that feeling, but now…”
“Now?” Salvia prompted.
Molly’s words echoed in Dawn’s head. What did contests really count for? For her…
“…I just don’t know if I belong there anymore,” Dawn finally concluded. “It’s like… they give you the prize and then suddenly you’re done… and even though it was a long road and you think you’re proud of what you’ve achieved… it’s all over much more quickly than you thought it would be… and maybe you liked that long road and now that you’ve reached you’re destination… well…”
Salvia put an understanding hand on Dawn’s shoulder. “I don’t think it’s over, Dawn,” she said. “I think there’s still time for you to get back on stage.”
*****
Ash and Misty danced and talked. When they got tired of dancing, they simply sat and talked. Oh, they didn’t talk about that nebulous idea of love. They didn’t try to define what it meant for Ash to simply ‘not walk away.’ If they’d tried, neither of them would’ve had a very good answer. So they talked about safe things. They talked about the friends they’d traveled with—reminiscing over times past and doing some more catching up with current events; they talked about family; and of course they talked about Pokemon.
Ash caught Misty up on some of the new Pokemon he’d caught since he’d seen her last—the progress that he’d made with them and the training challenges still ahead. Misty told him about the Pokemon back at the gym: about Psyduck’s graduation from an intertube to water-wings, about Gyarados major role in their latest underwater ballet, and about Politoed’s brief employment as the pep squad leader at the local high school. They both shared battle dirt. Ash had quite a few victories to brag about, and Misty, being a gym leader, had plenty to share as well.
They talked so long that before they knew it, the hall was emptying, the band was packing up, and the serving people were giving anxious looks to the guests still picking at the remnants of the buffet.
“Well,” Misty said, “I guess… I’d better be heading off to bed.”
Ash was trying to look for cues in an unfamiliar world; he was pretty sure this was one. “I’ll walk you,” he said. “It’s on my way.”
“Alright,” Misty said, still giving him that look of vague concern. She didn’t really know how to react to Ash’s decision because she wasn’t sure what it was and was convinced that he didn’t know either. She didn’t know whether to be angry or relieved or fearful or… happy.
They walked along in silence, brushing past counts and dukes and princesses and heiresses, until they reached the main staircase. They didn’t look very much at one another until they arrived at Misty’s door.
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” Misty said, opening the door and peering at him from behind it.
“I guess,” Ash echoed her.
They stared at each other for a moment, trying to feel out one another’s next move.
“Good night then,” Ash said finally, turning around and walking a few steps toward his room.
“Hey Ash,” Misty said nervously.
Ash stopped and turned around.
Misty cast her eyes down, a somewhat furious blush spreading across her nose. “If… if you wanted to kiss me… that would be okay with me. …But you don’t have to if you don’t want to. I don’t want you to if you don’t want to.”
Ash looked back at her for a moment, a similar blush crossing his face—only Ash’s default reaction to embarrassment was not annoyance. He took one step forward, stopped, and then took another.
She’d closed her eyes. His brain screamed at him that he didn’t know what he was doing. Very slowly he leaned down—hadn’t she been taller than him way back then? Had things changed this much?—and brought his lips to hers with all the Casanova-technique of a ten-year-old whose only seen kissing done once or twice and pointedly looked away.
He drew back about three seconds later, but not in a quick, jerky movement. He withdrew slowly and somewhat ponderously like he’d only just started to sense the solution to a problem.
She opened her eyes and looked back at him. She smiled and he felt a tremendous sense of relief.
“What happens now?” he breathed.
She kept smiling, but shook her head and curled her fingers around the door. “Baby-steps, Ash,” she said gently, backing into her room. “Baby-steps.”
*****
The next morning Ash, Misty, and Dawn were gathered once again in the great hall for a late breakfast. There wasn’t much conversation. In fact, they all were staring into their oatmeal as if they could somehow read the uncertain future through the patterns in the crushed oats. If such a method of divination existed, then none of them were very good at it.
Dawn noticed that Misty and Ash were looking at each other—not at the same time though. Misty would look at him out of the corner of her eye, then Ash would look up at her and she’d immediately go back to her staring contest with breakfast… which of course meant it was Ash’s turn to try to pretend he wasn’t looking at her, then Misty would look up and the entire process could begin again. Dawn sighed and ate a spoonful of her breakfast. She wished her problems were as easy to solve as the one those two had invented.
Their Pokemon ate the food they’d be provided without sighing or giving each other goo-goo-eyed looks, but that’s because Pokemon are somewhat less angst-prone than humans.
Everyone looked up as Queen Sara strode rapidly into the room, her mouth set in a hard line and a steely glint in her eye. She swooped over to her throne and surveyed her crowd of staff members and castle guests. “I’m afraid I have some rather upsetting news,” she informed them.
This set off a buzz of whispering, but an explanation was put off for a moment by the crash as the door to the hall was thrown open and nearly off its hinges. A cloaked figure stormed across the tiles.
“Where is Prince Marcus?” the cloaked advisor demanded. “What have you done with him?!”
The Queen blinked slowly at the figure. “I’m sorry… you’re His Highnesses advisor, are you not? I’m afraid I haven’t done anything with your Prince, but someone has, as I was about to say.”
“What are you talking about?” the advisor growled suspiciously.
“I’ve received reports from a trusted emissary close to the Hoenn border that Prince Marcus and the Duchess of Defae, Her Grace Margaret Fincher, were seen at the Mathrage Church. I’m afraid the report goes on that they’ve eloped.”
The buzz from before had been nothing. The crowd erupted into energetic, emotional, and panicked chatter. Dumping your fiancé and eloping with another woman on the very night of your engagement announcement is… bad form to say the least. Add to that that all involved parties were royals or nobles and well… certain gossipy types were fanning themselves furiously at the level of juiciness. Misty was especially incensed. She was already telling Ash that she just knew something like this would happen with a rotten apple like Marcus.
Dawn watched Sara. She’d won. She’d really won. And she was playing her part so well. Could she really get away with it?
“You lie!” the advisor shrieked furiously.
“I wish that were the case,” Sara said calmly. “But everything I’ve said is true.” She touched her forehead with a weary expression. “And that is why I cannot dine with you all today. There’s… much to work out after this unfortunate situation.”
There were murmurs from the crowd that she needn’t worry—that she should go lie down and take it easy after such a heartbreak—that she shouldn’t work herself so hard.
“Just a minute!” the cloaked advisor shouted, lunging toward Sara as she turned to make her leave.
“I’m very sorry about what your master did,” Sara said to him, “but I really must go. I’ve called an emergency meeting with the counsel to decide how best to deal with this matter and I mustn’t keep them waiting.”
“Do you think they’ll find another candidate for you to marry?” Dawn wondered. She looked surprised. She hadn’t meant to say this out loud, but she’d just started to worry that this whole thing might be for nothing.
“I doubt it,” Sara answered her. “After that man left our country at the altar… well, I don’t think any of us want to expose Mirage Kingdom to any more embarrassment. In fact,” she said quietly, “I think I shall have to try very hard to persuade them not to invade Verum for this.”
“You,” the cloaked figure pointed at the queen. “You’re behind this scheme! It has your manipulative fingerprints all over it. You and those brats cooked something up—I just know it!” He turned his attention to Ash, Misty, and Dawn. “Yes! Just like ten years ago, you’ve come back to deny me my second chance at this kingdom, and Marcus was too weak to resist the trap. You will not prevail—I meant to take my prize by guile, but force will work just as well.”
“Ten years ago?” Misty repeated, as Togetic flew in front of her protectively.
“What’s he talking about?” Dawn asked.
Ash stood up and gave the cloaked figure a fierce look. “Who are you?” he demanded.
With that, the figure whipped off the hooded cloak, revealing an aging man with steel-grey hair, a pointed moustache, and a look in his eyes that was both ambitious and insane.
Misty took a step back. “You’re…”
The Queen gave her old enemy a hard look. “…Colonel Hanson,” she said.
Ash and Misty shuffled uncertainly across the dance floor. Ostensibly, Ash was leading, but he’d never danced much except when he couldn’t avoid it. Misty was just letting herself be swayed along, her expression guarded and skeptical.
Finally she spoke to him in a calm, but firm voice. “Ash?” she tried.
“Hmm? Yes?” Ash answered, looking up sheepishly from watching his feet.
“I know you said that this isn’t a pity dance,” Misty began, “but that’s… really what it feels like. If it is then it really won’t make me feel any better, so if that’s what this is then we should just stop right now.”
“It’s not that,” Ash said again. “It’s…” He clenched his teeth and groaned. “I just don’t know… what are you supposed to do when someone tells you that they love you?”
“What you do when—?” Misty repeated, caught off-guard. Even when Ash was clued-in, he was clueless. She wasn’t mad, but she was tired. She sighed and looked away, toward the dancing lights of the candles that lined the room.
“It’s… pretty simple, Ash,” she said weakly. “If you love them, then you tell them that you love them back. If you don’t love them…” Her step faltered slightly, but recovered. “...Then you tell them that too—kindly, politely, and gently—but you tell them so they won’t be mistaken about how you feel. Because it’s just not fair to lead people on.” Like by asking them to dance with you…
“But… what do you do if you just don’t know?” Ash asked.
A dismal, beaten look was on Misty’s face. “Ash, if you don’t know if you love me or not then you probably don’t,” she murmured.
“But that’s the thing,” Ash said anxiously, “I do know that I love you.”
“Then you should just,” Misty began on autopilot, but then abruptly stopped. She stared up at him. “What?”
“Of course I love you,” Ash said a little too easily for Misty’s comfort. “You were the first person I met on my journey—we were together for a long time.” He paused. “Sometimes we fought, but I always knew you had my back and were supporting me—and if I messed up, I knew you wouldn’t hesitate to set me straight.” He looked at her, straight in the eye. “You’re my best friend.”
“But,” Ash went on in a turn that Misty had expected but nevertheless stole the wind from her sails and left her plummeting earthward, “…I don’t know if the way I love you is the way you love me.”
Misty cast her eyes down. “I get it, you know,” she said in a shaky voice. “If you only want to be friends then you should just say it. I know the way you feel about me isn’t different from how you feel about any of your friends—it’s not special. So you don’t have to—”
“Misty!” Ash cut across her, frustrated. “That’s not what I said at all! You are special, but…” He looked at her helplessly. “I just don’t know about these kinds of things. How are you supposed to know if you’re in love—that kind of love—or not?”
“You just know,” Misty answered stubbornly.
Ash’s face fell. “Really?” he asked in disbelief and disappointment. “Was that… was that how it was with you? You knew from the beginning?”
“Umm… well, no, actually,” Misty was forced to admit. “In fact, I… kind of thought I hated you back then.”
“What?” Ash repeated, tripping over his own feet in surprise. What had he ever done that was hateable?
“You have to remember,” Misty went on, eyebrow twitching irritably, “that back then you were a real upstart, obnoxious kid who always barreled in without thinking things through or bothering to get the facts.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “…Actually you’re still that way a lot of the time,” she muttered.
“I’m not!” Ash replied, almost on automatic. His expression was getting dangerously close to a pout. “If you thought all that stuff then why would you think you love me?”
“Well, I…” Misty began, past irritations fluttering around her thoughts. “In case you hadn’t noticed I kind of picked up my entire life to follow you. That’s a little overboard for bike theft.” She shook off her annoyed tone. “Before I knew it I couldn’t imagine myself leaving. And I knew I was just… making excuses for myself by acting like I didn’t like you. You may have been immature but… I was impressed even then by how much you just… cared—how you dreamed even when people tried to cut you down—even when I tried to cut you down. I just…” She closed her eyes. “I guess when I realized that, I decided that deep down I really did love you—and by the time I was willing to admit that to myself it was no surprise.”
“Misty…” Ash trailed off.
“Anyway,” Misty said, somewhat embarrassed, “I guess you could say that’s when I knew.”
“So,” Ash began, trying to come to grips with a situation he was completely unused to, “when you fall in love with someone… it starts out with hate?”
Misty shook her head violently. “No, not really—not always at least. I guess it’s just… different for everyone.”
Ash was silent. ‘Different for everyone’ didn’t provide him much context.
“Look,” Misty said, her eyes somewhat dewy “it’s okay,”—it wasn’t—“If you don’t feel the same way I do about you then you can’t… you can’t make yourself. I understand.”
“Misty…” Ash began. “When I get into Pokemon battles, sometimes I don’t have the benefit of knowing everything. I don’t know what my opponents going to do, or if my strategy is going to work. When that happens to a lot of trainers they stick to their strategy, or play by the book, or whatever, but if I have a hunch… I listen to it. It doesn’t always work out but…” He shook his head. “I’d rather trust my intuition than ignore it.”
“Right now,” Ash went on, “I don’t know what this is or what it could be—if all I could ever feel for you is friendship or something else, but,” he reached up and adjusted his league hat, “I’ve got a feeling that if I just walked away from this without ever finding out… that would be a mistake.”
*****
Dawn nursed her drink with a dull expression. She’d been watching Marcus and the so-called Duchess dance before, but it had started to feel… creepy. So she’d pulled away and headed for the buffet. Piplup had lodged himself in a tray of kippers and seemed disinclined to pry himself away from it. Dawn had just picked up a champagne flute and wandered around from there. Ash and Misty were, hopefully, otherwise occupied, and Sara had a bunch of duties to perform as hostess. She didn’t know anyone else, so she was just sort of… aimless. There was always the vague hope that a handsome prince or a dashing count or even a passably attractive bureaucrat would ask her to dance, but then again, there always was.
She walked on and had a surreal feeling as she passed her reflection. …Except of course that the reflection’s hair was in a different style from hers, in a different dress, and wearing a completely independent expression from her.
That’s… no mirror…
“Dawn?” the doppelganger asked, as though this were the most pleasant of surprises. “Is that really you?”
“Princess… Salvia?” Dawn asked.
“Oh, Dawn! It is you!” Princess Salvia gushed, taking Dawn’s hands in her gloved ones. “I can’t tell you how gratifying it is to see you in person again after all this time!”
“You too,” Dawn answered awkwardly. It was nice to see Princess Salvia again, but all that refinement coming from a person who looked just like her always made Dawn feel rather unsophisticated.
“I never expected to see you here,” Salvia continued. “Are you a friend of the royal family?”
“Well, sort of,” Dawn said. “I know Sara… that is, Queen Sara, but we only met a short time ago.” She put a hand behind her head and gave a nervous smile. “It’s a long story.”
“Oh, I’m a friend of Queen Sara’s as well,” Salvia went on. “Isn’t she just the kindest, wisest person you’ve ever met? I came here on a diplomatic trip with my father when I was seven and met her, and have since then always looked up to her.”
“Oh wow,” Dawn said, blinking. “You’ve known her that long?”
Salvia nodded. “Yes, I have.” She folded her gloved hands neatly behind her back. “I simply had to make time for her engagement party, because she’s such a very dear friend. …I haven’t met her fiancé yet and…” She struggled. Dawn could tell that Salvia never said an unkind word about a person if she could help it. “I admittedly hadn’t heard very good reports of him. But I’m sure if Queen Sara is marrying him then he must be someone very special indeed.”
“He’s… he’s special alright,” Dawn answered noncommittally.
“Oh, Dawn,” Salvia exclaimed, changing conversation tracks, “I can’t tell you what a proud thrill I felt when I saw you win the coveted Top Coordinator prize at the last Grand Festival.” She looked in awe at her. “It was a genius exhibition and I must congratulate you on it.”
“Well, thanks,” Dawn said, blushing under the praise. “I never could’ve done it without all of Togekiss’s help, so I really owe you a lot for that.”
“How is Togekiss?” Salvia pressed.
“She’s doing just fine,” Dawn said with a smile. “In fact, she was the one that led us here in the first place.”
“That doesn’t surprise me at all,” Salvia answered. “She was probably born in the paradise. Most Togepi are, before they spread out and journey across the world as they grow older.”
A pang of sorrow stabbed at Dawn’s heart. All those empty nests in the Togepi breeding ground… what would become of all of them now? Would they come back and continue their lives if Sara could truly get the lurking figure of Marcus out of the picture? Or would they have been more likely to come back if Sara had married Marcus and stabilized the kingdom? …Then again, Marcus didn’t really seem to appreciate the Togepi at all so…
…It was all so complicated.
“Dawn,” Salvia said, cutting into her thoughts.
“Yes?” Dawn asked, abruptly coming back to reality.
“I…” Salvia began with a bit of uncertainty, “Well, it was really remarkable to see you win at the Grand Festival, as I’ve already said, but… I couldn’t help but notice that I haven’t seen you on the contest stage since then.”
“Oh, well… you know,” Dawn trailed off, slightly embarrassed. “I guess I just… thought I’d sit back for awhile now that I’ve finally won. And maybe give some of the younger coordinators a chance to win the prize. The goal of Top Coordinator was very important to me growing up. Now that I’ve got it, I don’t want to take it away from anyone else.”
“I suppose I can understand all that,” Salvia said. “But Dawn… was being Top Coordinator the only reason you participated in contests?”
Dawn was struck silent at that.
Salvia pressed her hand to her heart. “That wonderful day you gave me back then… when you and I switched places… I knew it would only be that one time that I’d get the chance to live out my coordinator dreams. So I didn’t have any hopes of going on to win as Top Coordinator.” She smiled. “But that was okay. Because I loved what I was doing. I loved being on stage and making Togekiss shine for the crowd. …Don’t you feel that way?”
“Well, of course I do,” Dawn said, finding her voice. “I live for that feeling, but now…”
“Now?” Salvia prompted.
Molly’s words echoed in Dawn’s head. What did contests really count for? For her…
“…I just don’t know if I belong there anymore,” Dawn finally concluded. “It’s like… they give you the prize and then suddenly you’re done… and even though it was a long road and you think you’re proud of what you’ve achieved… it’s all over much more quickly than you thought it would be… and maybe you liked that long road and now that you’ve reached you’re destination… well…”
Salvia put an understanding hand on Dawn’s shoulder. “I don’t think it’s over, Dawn,” she said. “I think there’s still time for you to get back on stage.”
*****
Ash and Misty danced and talked. When they got tired of dancing, they simply sat and talked. Oh, they didn’t talk about that nebulous idea of love. They didn’t try to define what it meant for Ash to simply ‘not walk away.’ If they’d tried, neither of them would’ve had a very good answer. So they talked about safe things. They talked about the friends they’d traveled with—reminiscing over times past and doing some more catching up with current events; they talked about family; and of course they talked about Pokemon.
Ash caught Misty up on some of the new Pokemon he’d caught since he’d seen her last—the progress that he’d made with them and the training challenges still ahead. Misty told him about the Pokemon back at the gym: about Psyduck’s graduation from an intertube to water-wings, about Gyarados major role in their latest underwater ballet, and about Politoed’s brief employment as the pep squad leader at the local high school. They both shared battle dirt. Ash had quite a few victories to brag about, and Misty, being a gym leader, had plenty to share as well.
They talked so long that before they knew it, the hall was emptying, the band was packing up, and the serving people were giving anxious looks to the guests still picking at the remnants of the buffet.
“Well,” Misty said, “I guess… I’d better be heading off to bed.”
Ash was trying to look for cues in an unfamiliar world; he was pretty sure this was one. “I’ll walk you,” he said. “It’s on my way.”
“Alright,” Misty said, still giving him that look of vague concern. She didn’t really know how to react to Ash’s decision because she wasn’t sure what it was and was convinced that he didn’t know either. She didn’t know whether to be angry or relieved or fearful or… happy.
They walked along in silence, brushing past counts and dukes and princesses and heiresses, until they reached the main staircase. They didn’t look very much at one another until they arrived at Misty’s door.
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” Misty said, opening the door and peering at him from behind it.
“I guess,” Ash echoed her.
They stared at each other for a moment, trying to feel out one another’s next move.
“Good night then,” Ash said finally, turning around and walking a few steps toward his room.
“Hey Ash,” Misty said nervously.
Ash stopped and turned around.
Misty cast her eyes down, a somewhat furious blush spreading across her nose. “If… if you wanted to kiss me… that would be okay with me. …But you don’t have to if you don’t want to. I don’t want you to if you don’t want to.”
Ash looked back at her for a moment, a similar blush crossing his face—only Ash’s default reaction to embarrassment was not annoyance. He took one step forward, stopped, and then took another.
She’d closed her eyes. His brain screamed at him that he didn’t know what he was doing. Very slowly he leaned down—hadn’t she been taller than him way back then? Had things changed this much?—and brought his lips to hers with all the Casanova-technique of a ten-year-old whose only seen kissing done once or twice and pointedly looked away.
He drew back about three seconds later, but not in a quick, jerky movement. He withdrew slowly and somewhat ponderously like he’d only just started to sense the solution to a problem.
She opened her eyes and looked back at him. She smiled and he felt a tremendous sense of relief.
“What happens now?” he breathed.
She kept smiling, but shook her head and curled her fingers around the door. “Baby-steps, Ash,” she said gently, backing into her room. “Baby-steps.”
*****
The next morning Ash, Misty, and Dawn were gathered once again in the great hall for a late breakfast. There wasn’t much conversation. In fact, they all were staring into their oatmeal as if they could somehow read the uncertain future through the patterns in the crushed oats. If such a method of divination existed, then none of them were very good at it.
Dawn noticed that Misty and Ash were looking at each other—not at the same time though. Misty would look at him out of the corner of her eye, then Ash would look up at her and she’d immediately go back to her staring contest with breakfast… which of course meant it was Ash’s turn to try to pretend he wasn’t looking at her, then Misty would look up and the entire process could begin again. Dawn sighed and ate a spoonful of her breakfast. She wished her problems were as easy to solve as the one those two had invented.
Their Pokemon ate the food they’d be provided without sighing or giving each other goo-goo-eyed looks, but that’s because Pokemon are somewhat less angst-prone than humans.
Everyone looked up as Queen Sara strode rapidly into the room, her mouth set in a hard line and a steely glint in her eye. She swooped over to her throne and surveyed her crowd of staff members and castle guests. “I’m afraid I have some rather upsetting news,” she informed them.
This set off a buzz of whispering, but an explanation was put off for a moment by the crash as the door to the hall was thrown open and nearly off its hinges. A cloaked figure stormed across the tiles.
“Where is Prince Marcus?” the cloaked advisor demanded. “What have you done with him?!”
The Queen blinked slowly at the figure. “I’m sorry… you’re His Highnesses advisor, are you not? I’m afraid I haven’t done anything with your Prince, but someone has, as I was about to say.”
“What are you talking about?” the advisor growled suspiciously.
“I’ve received reports from a trusted emissary close to the Hoenn border that Prince Marcus and the Duchess of Defae, Her Grace Margaret Fincher, were seen at the Mathrage Church. I’m afraid the report goes on that they’ve eloped.”
The buzz from before had been nothing. The crowd erupted into energetic, emotional, and panicked chatter. Dumping your fiancé and eloping with another woman on the very night of your engagement announcement is… bad form to say the least. Add to that that all involved parties were royals or nobles and well… certain gossipy types were fanning themselves furiously at the level of juiciness. Misty was especially incensed. She was already telling Ash that she just knew something like this would happen with a rotten apple like Marcus.
Dawn watched Sara. She’d won. She’d really won. And she was playing her part so well. Could she really get away with it?
“You lie!” the advisor shrieked furiously.
“I wish that were the case,” Sara said calmly. “But everything I’ve said is true.” She touched her forehead with a weary expression. “And that is why I cannot dine with you all today. There’s… much to work out after this unfortunate situation.”
There were murmurs from the crowd that she needn’t worry—that she should go lie down and take it easy after such a heartbreak—that she shouldn’t work herself so hard.
“Just a minute!” the cloaked advisor shouted, lunging toward Sara as she turned to make her leave.
“I’m very sorry about what your master did,” Sara said to him, “but I really must go. I’ve called an emergency meeting with the counsel to decide how best to deal with this matter and I mustn’t keep them waiting.”
“Do you think they’ll find another candidate for you to marry?” Dawn wondered. She looked surprised. She hadn’t meant to say this out loud, but she’d just started to worry that this whole thing might be for nothing.
“I doubt it,” Sara answered her. “After that man left our country at the altar… well, I don’t think any of us want to expose Mirage Kingdom to any more embarrassment. In fact,” she said quietly, “I think I shall have to try very hard to persuade them not to invade Verum for this.”
“You,” the cloaked figure pointed at the queen. “You’re behind this scheme! It has your manipulative fingerprints all over it. You and those brats cooked something up—I just know it!” He turned his attention to Ash, Misty, and Dawn. “Yes! Just like ten years ago, you’ve come back to deny me my second chance at this kingdom, and Marcus was too weak to resist the trap. You will not prevail—I meant to take my prize by guile, but force will work just as well.”
“Ten years ago?” Misty repeated, as Togetic flew in front of her protectively.
“What’s he talking about?” Dawn asked.
Ash stood up and gave the cloaked figure a fierce look. “Who are you?” he demanded.
With that, the figure whipped off the hooded cloak, revealing an aging man with steel-grey hair, a pointed moustache, and a look in his eyes that was both ambitious and insane.
Misty took a step back. “You’re…”
The Queen gave her old enemy a hard look. “…Colonel Hanson,” she said.
legend_trainer
Living with legends.
Oh! Did NOT expect Hanson there... That was clever.
Here's the very last chapter!
Part 12.
“Yes, it is I, Queen!” Hansen cried, reaching into the depths of his cloak and pulling out three Poke balls before lobbing them at the ground. “Shedinja, Ninjask! Your commander calls you for battle!”
The scabby, haloed form Shedinja floated serenely in the air, flanked by two Ninjask, beating their wings aggressively and darting about as though searching for something to stab.
Jason rushed in front of Sara, who was already being pulled back by Miranda and her other attendants, with his sword drawn. “Men!” he called out to the guards stationed at the entrance to the hall. “Seize him!”
“That won’t work!” Hansen roared. “Ninjask! Shadow Ball!”
“We’re not going to let you get away with that!” Ash declared. “Pikachu!” he said, turning down to his Pokemon who had long ago left the breakfast table to take up a battle stance by his side, “Thunderbolt!”
Pikachu gave a fierce nod and summoned up his electricity. “Piiii-kaaaa-chuuuu!” he screeched, sending the jolt directly toward the Ninjask, still building up energy for their attacks.
…And it might have worked if Shedinja hadn’t flown in the path of the electricity and taken the attack harmlessly.
“No way!” Dawn exclaimed.
The Ninjask let out a cry and fired their Shadow Balls, not, as Ash had expected, at the guards making their way toward Hansen, but at the ceiling above them. The blast cut a hole through the roof and sent the overhanging architecture crashing down in front of the entrance, forming a makeshift blockade that the guards could not climb over.
“And now you can no longer escape,” Colonel Hansen said, leveling a dangerous gaze at the queen.
“So what will you do now?” Sara asked, leaning over Jason’s protective stance in front of her to face Hansen. “Your marionette has cut his ties from you and run off—any chance you had to claim the throne by proxy is gone; what do you have to gain by fighting?”
“Everything,” Hansen answered. He narrowed his eyes at her. “You’ve improved much from the sixteen-year-old whelp who stole my throne away from me, but you’re still a weak ruler. How else could I have gotten this close to usurping you once again? The Mirage Kingdom needs a strong hand to guide it, but you’ve let the priests get so strong that they control you and not the other way around. You have no right to call yourself Queen, so I will take your place.”
“You wouldn’t look as good in a tiara,” Misty shouted mean-spiritedly at him.
Hansen gave her a fierce look, but quickly turned his attention back to the queen. “If you think these brats will help you win a second time then you’re wrong. All I have to do is take you out, and then in the chaos the people will turn to the only one who can possibly steer this great kingdom… the exiled regent whose love of this country is second to none and whose power to crush all who oppose him is undeniable; the man who ruled this kingdom in all but name during the last few years of your father’s reign. They will turn to me.”
“You’re insane!” Misty shouted, relieving Sara of the effort of answering this claim. “You really think we’re going to let you hurt Sara?”
“Yeah,” Ash said, pumping his fist. “If it’s a battle you want then it’s a battle you’ll get. You’re not going to hurt anyone anymore!”
“Big talk from a couple of brats,” Hansen scoffed. “But can you three get past… my Shedinja?” he asked as the Pokemon floated in front of him.
“No problem,” Dawn declared confidently. “A Top Coordinator, a Gym Leader, and a Champion-in-the-Making against just you? You don’t stand a chance!”
“It’s not going to be that easy,” Ash admitted to Dawn, a bit put out that he was the only one of the three with a title that was still in progress. “His Shedinja’s got Wonder Guard. Most attacks won’t do a thing against it.”
“That’s right, boy,” Hansen sneered. “You might as well not even bother—you’d only be wasting your energy.”
“But,” Ash added harshly, glaring at Hansen, “we’ve gotten through that before and we’ll do it again, just like last time. Your Shedinja doesn’t stand a chance against Misty’s Gyarados!”
For a moment Colonel Hansen looked caught off guard, though, to be fair, so did Misty.
“Umm… Ash,” Misty tried.
“Her Gyarados will flamethrower your Shedinja into submission just like last time,” Ash taunted. “Isn’t that right, Misty?”
“Uh… right,” Misty said, her eyes cast downward and her fists clenched. Togetic flew around her looking vaguely concerned. “That’s what I’d like to say,” she muttered, “but Gyarados is back at the gym.”
“What?!” Ash exclaimed as Hansen grinned triumphantly.
“I don’t know what you’re acting so surprised about!” Misty hissed at him. “I told you Daisy was working with Gyarados for the next underwater ballet! Don’t you listen to a word I say?”
“Well… I… I did but I just forgot,” Ash replied sheepishly.
“It doesn’t matter,” Dawn cut across them. “We’ll break through his guard anyway. I know just the attack and I know just the Pokemon.”
“Oh, do you, little brat?” Hansen asked, turning to look at Dawn. “You and I haven’t crossed paths before, but one brat is the same as another. Let’s see what you think you can do.”
“Togekiss!” Dawn called out, summoning the soaring Pokemon. “Let’s protect the Mirage Kingdom! Use Sky Attack on Shedinja!”
“Kiss!” Togekiss trilled, her body glowing white as she flew toward Shedinja, leaving a trail of afterimages as she swooped.
“That’s a flying type move,” Ash observed hopefully. “If it makes contact then it can break through the guard!”
“‘If’ being the operative word,” Hansen snarled, pointing outward toward his Pokemon. “Ninjask, both of you, Hyper Beam!”
“What?” Dawn said, caught by surprise.
“Kiss?” Togekiss murmured as the two fleet-winged Pokemon fazed into view on either side of her.
With the buzz of a thousand cicada-fueled famines the blasts fired, each hitting Togekiss dead on.
“Togekiss!” Dawn cried out, as the Pokemon crashed to the ground in trail of smoke. She ran toward her.
Pikachu’s fur stood on end and he was ready to wreak rodent vengeance on his friend’s attacker, but Togetic was quicker, barreling through the air like a tiny, rage-powered missile. The Ninjask it had been aiming for didn’t even have to break a sweat to send it flying back the way it came with one slash.
“Togetic! I’ve got you!” Misty yelled, racing toward the place Togetic was falling and catching him in a move that would’ve made the Electabuzz team manager itch to recruit her. “Togetic are you alright?”
His tiny white form was bruised and battered. But when he looked up at her his black eyes radiated determination… as well as desperation.
Hansen laughed mockingly at Ash. “Two down and I haven’t even gotten warmed up yet. What will you do now? Your Pikachu couldn’t even hold his own against my Ninjask, let alone break through my Shedinja’s defenses. Your fight is all but lost.”
Ash ground his teeth together. Much as he hated to admit it, Hansen had a point. His Ninjask were fast, and very powerful—and they wouldn’t even be able to touch them until they could take out Hansen’s Shedinja. But with Wonder Guard in effect, none of Pikachu’s moves could affect it at all. They might have had a chance with Togekiss, but… Ash looked over his shoulder were Dawn was crouched at the grounded Togekiss’s side. It had taken two hyper beam blasts at once… there was no way it could fly, at least not now. And Togetic, spunk or not, was pretty banged up too.
Ash clenched his fist. “Maybe we are at a disadvantage, but quitting’s not our style, right Pikachu?”
“Kaa!” Pikachu declared, electricity arcing from the pouches on his cheeks.
As the two were gearing up to fight, they hadn’t notice the quiet conversation going on between Misty and her injured Togetic.
Misty closed her eyes and reached into her pocket. “We’re in a tight spot…” she said, “I can give you an option, but…” she trailed off, gripping something in her fist, “…I can’t make the decision for you.”
“G-getic?” Togetic murmured, trying to get himself upright.
Misty opened her hand solemnly, revealing a gem that sparkled green and yellow and orange in the changing light. The shiny stone.
“Dawn,” Ash called out, not taking his eyes off Hansen’s hovering Pokemon. “How’s Togekiss?”
“I think her wing’s broken,” Dawn answered, her voice wavering as she patted Togekiss’s head. “Ash, I’m sorry, but she just can’t—”
“I know,” Ash said heavily. He turned to Pikachu. “Come on, buddy,” he said. “Just you and me.”
Before Ash could make his futile counter-strike against Hansen, a blinding white light drew everyone’s attention away from the battlefield. Everyone turned to the source of the glow, right in front of Misty. When the glow faded it left…
“Togekiss!”
The fleecy, elegant form of a Togekiss appeared from the blinding light, gliding confidently in mid-air.
“But that’s—” Ash started, confused as he turned to Dawn’s wounded Togekiss and then back to the Togekiss in front of Misty. He remembered the stone she’d uncertainly carried with her for so long. “Oh!”
“You can do it, Togekiss!” Misty called out to her newly evolved Pokemon.
Hansen snorted. “Another Togekiss? They may be protectors of this land—but it won’t be any trouble for me to take out another one.”
“Ash!” Misty called out to him.
“Right,” Ash returned, nodding at Pikachu.
Misty’s Togekiss swooped forward, his broader wings increasing his speed from his prior form. He dived toward Pikachu who deftly hopped on his back.
“You can do it guys!” Dawn cheered, as her Togekiss looked hopefully on at the battle.
“Togekiss, Sky Attack on Shedinja!” Misty commanded.
“The result will be the same!” Hansen predicted. “Ninjask—both of you—hit the Togekiss and Pikachu with Hyper Beam!”
The Ninjask’s wings hummed ominously as they prepared their attack.
“Not this time!” Ash declared, stomping forward and twisting his hat around backwards. “Pikachu, Electro Ball times two!”
“What?!” Hansen demanded.
Pikachu jumped off Togekiss’s back as the flying Pokemon soared forward. It did a somersault in the air as it descended, lobbing one ball of pure electricity at the first Ninjask, still charging up, and then flipped again to send one toward the second.
“No!” Hansen shouted, as the balls of energy smacked into his Ninjask, covering them in clouds of smoke. The frantic buzzing of wing-beats had stopped.
But it wasn’t over yet. Togekiss continued his arc forward, his whole body steaming with white energy as he plowed straight into the unguarded Shedinja.
“Kiiiiisss!” Togekiss trilled triumphantly, whipping around the falling carapace as it doubled back and caught Pikachu before he could hit the ground.
Hansen’s Pokemon weren’t so lucky. Their impact with the ground was punctuated by the sound of painfully cracking exoskeletons.
“No,” Hansen said, softly, disbelievingly as he stared at his fainted, still-smoking Pokemon. “No!” he yelled louder. “The Mirage Kingdom was mine—mine! I was so close to reclaiming it!”
Sara stepped forward, past Jason’s protection. She looked down at Hansen with a hard, disappointed expression. The rubble behind Hansen stirred as the guards that had been chipping their way through from the other side began to break through.
“It was never yours to begin with,” she told him.
*****
An attempted rebellion never quite ends at the battle’s close. Hansen still had to be seized, disarmed and contained by the guards before being dragged down to prison. But all that was only temporary; a tribunal had to be held to decide what was to be permanently done with the would-be usurper, the council had to be informed, and the public had to be addressed. As Queen, Sara, and as captain of the guard, Jason, both had a lot on their plates. But as for Dawn, Ash, and Misty… they stayed out of all that. They had different priorities to concern themselves with, namely, the health of their Pokemon, particularly Dawn’s Togekiss who had been injured the worst.
They needn’t have worried too much. The Mirage Palace had its own private selection of doctors, both for humans and Pokemon, along with quite a few of those handy Nurse Joys. They took Dawn’s Togekiss into their care and worked all the wonders that occur between handing off your Pokemon to them and hearing the blessed words ‘your Pokemon have been fully healed.’
Since Togekiss’s injuries were severe, she wasn’t one hundred percent fighting fit even several days later as the gang sat around the sitting room, but she could fly again. The wing was tender and couldn’t take heavy use yet, but it was healing and the Joys pronounced her to be on the road to recovery.
“Togekiss looks like she’s doing a lot better,” Ash observed, as the feathery Pokemon took a seat on the floor in front of Dawn’s chair.
“She definitely is,” Dawn said, reaching down to pat Togekiss. “It was a dirty trick of that Hansen to hit her with so much, but she’s gonna recover and be even stronger.”
“It was a tough fight,” Ash agreed. “But he relied too much on his defenses. Once we cracked through those it was over.”
Dawn looked at Ash and Misty sitting on the—and she had to smile at this—loveseat. “It was all thanks to you two that we won—and to Pikachu and Toget—I mean, Togekiss.”
“Two Togekiss, huh?” Ash said, scratching his chin thoughtfully as Misty set down her cup of tea. “That could get confusing.”
“The more the merrier, I say,” Sara said, stepping into the room with Jason at her side.
“Sara!” Misty said, standing up and greeting her. “I thought you’d be busy all day with meetings.”
“I’ve another one in a fifteen minutes,” Sara confided, sinking into an armchair. “But I thought I’d stop by and chat with you three.”
“So… how’s it going?” Ash asked. “Is Hansen in jail?”
Jason took that one. “He is,” He said firmly. “He’s our highest security prisoner.”
“He made a fuss about that, too,” Sara commented. “He said if I were any kind of good ruler I’d have already had him executed.”
“He can… complain about that?” Dawn asked disbelievingly.
“Do you think this is going to be the end of it, Sara?” Misty asked. “Or are there going to be more problems?”
“Hansen’s not getting out of jail again,” Sara said firmly. “That much is solved. I think dealing with the council will be a bit easier for the moment. For one thing, their scheme has been an embarrassment that nearly gave a fanatic the throne, for another, I now have the people on my side… at least for now.”
“Why’s that?” Dawn asked.
A small, but nevertheless sly smile crossed Sara’s face. “They’re feeling rather sorry for their queen, who was disgracefully left at the altar.”
“Oh.”
“I have some goodwill right now—it never lasts, but I intend to use it while I have it,” Sara said practically. “The Togepi nests are still empty and the only thing I can do to encourage the Togepi that left to come back is to make the Mirage Kingdom the happiest of all Kingdoms.”
“I hope they come back,” Misty said sounding concerned. She put a hand on her Togekiss’s head. “But they’ll always have you to protect them, right?”
“Kiss!” her Togekiss agreed.
“You all have done such a great service to me and to the Mirage Kingdom,” Sara said fondly. “I wanted to know how I could possibly repay you… perhaps… a knighthood?”
Ash exchanged glances with Dawn and Misty and thought that they felt the same as him. “Thanks a lot, Your Maj—I mean, Sara, but we helped you because we wanted to, so there’s no need to reward us. Anyway,” he said thoughtfully, “I think it’s about time we all got back on the road again.”
“I thought you might say that,” Sara answered, getting up to leave once more. “But always remember that any time you come back to the Mirage Kingdom you will receive a hero’s welcome.”
“We’ll definitely come back to visit,” Dawn promised. “Right, Togekiss?”
“Togeee,” Togekiss answered, but she sounded somewhat uncertain.
“I’ll look forward to that day,” Sara said, at the door. “Good-bye Misty, Ash, and Dawn. I can’t thank you enough for all that you’ve done.”
A chorus of good-byes were said and then the door closed as the queen left—off to a busy day of meetings and speeches.
“Hey, Ash,” Dawn chirped excitedly once Sara had left, “I know we said we were going to travel together for a little while longer, but would you mind if I split off from here? I’ve kinda had a change of plans.”
“Sure, that’s fine,” Ash said, blinking slightly confusedly. “What kind of change of plans?
“Oh, I’m heading over to the Pokemon Fan Club to see about some contests,” Dawn answered in a purposefully vague tone that left the door open for more questions.
“What?” Ash asked. “But you already won Top Coordinator. Is it fair for you to compete again—at least so soon?”
“I’m not going just to compete—I’m going to organize one!” Dawn burst out excitedly. “And it won’t be just a regular contest either! It’ll be a battle royal made up entirely of past Top Coordinator winners!”
Ash whistled. “That’d be some fight to see. What would they be competing for? Tippy-Top Coordinator?”
Dawn laughed. “No, this time I think it’s better if we’re not competing for a prize like that. You see,” she got up and folded her hands behind her back, walking toward the window, “I love contests. They’re a great way to show off your skills, entertain people, and I can’t deny that I thrive off the competition. But I think… I think it’s time contests did a little more worthwhile than just that.” She turned around dramatically. “So that’s why, in this competition, all the Top Coordinator competitors will be playing for charity.”
“Wow!” exclaimed Misty. “That’s a great idea, Dawn!”
Dawn grinned. “With all the attention contests usually get, I think we can really do some good. I just hope I can get the contest committee to go for my idea.”
“I’m sure they’ll love it,” Ash answered. “A contest where everyone’s a top coordinator? That’s gonna make for some awesome events.”
“Piplup!” Piplup cheered from Dawn’s shoulder.
Dawn laughed again. “Well, I know Piplup’s looking forward to helping out.” She looked down at Togekiss. “You too, right Togekiss?”
Togekiss said nothing and looked torn.
“Hmm? Togekiss?” Dawn tried again.
Togekiss stood up and took flight gently, so as not to strain her wing, and then glided over to where Misty’s Togekiss sat. “Togekiss,” she said, by way of explanation.
“I think…” Misty said slowly, “I think she wants to stay here too.”
“Huh?” asked Ash. “But why?”
Misty jabbed him painfully in the side with her elbow and nodded to where the two Togekiss sat, curled up closely together.
Ash rubbed his side ruefully for a minute and then looked at the Togekiss. “Oh,” he said after a moment. “Oh.” He pulled his hat brim down slightly so it covered his eyes. “One of those things.”
Dawn kneeled down by Togekiss. “You really want to stay here?”
“To, kiss,” Togekiss answered, her tone somewhat guilty.
Dawn stared for a moment at her longtime friend and then finally smiled. “I understand,” she said, reaching out to pat her on the head. “We’re all moving on to the next thing, I guess… but we’ll always be friends.”
“Kiss!” Togekiss agreed, sounding relieved.
“And if both these two stay here,” Misty realized, “then the nesting grounds won’t be empty. They’ll recover, even if it’s just a bit at first.” She took a knee and poked her own Togekiss in the side playfully. “You little Casanova,” she teased, “you’re lucky you’re better at this than Ash.”
Ash immediately colored. “Hey, I’m trying.”
“I know, I know,” Misty said to him. “I’m just kidding around.”
She turned her gaze back to Togekiss and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m going to miss you so much,” she said. She drew back from the hug and surveyed him. “You’ve gotten so big—but to me you’re still the same little Togepi I could hold in my arms.”
“Gekiss!” her Togekiss answered.
As Misty and Dawn both rose, Dawn began to ask something she’d been wondering about for awhile: “So…” she tried, “I know what I’m gonna do—and it looks like our Togekiss have made up their minds about the future. So… what are you two gonna do?” she asked in a tone that seemed to hope that the answer was ‘get married, buy a house with a picket fence, and crank out 2.5 children.’
Misty waited for Ash, but an answer didn’t seem to be coming, so she went ahead. “Well… I guess I’d better head back to Cerulean City,” she said. “If I stay away for much longer my sisters will start handing out gym badges for free again.” She sighed. “I’m the youngest—I shouldn’t have to babysit them.”
“And?” Dawn pried. “What about you, Ash?”
Ash took a minute to reply. “I’ve been thinking… I’ve been thinking…” He took a deep breath. “I guess that it might be a good idea to check out that gym leader try-out in Vermillion. I’m not totally giving up on being a Pokemon Master or anything,” he added aggressively, “but I figure it’s time to try something new—at least for a little while.” He sighed. “Traveling’s fun, but it’s nice to have a place to hang your hat every once in awhile. And I’d still get to fight strong trainers—they’d just come to me instead.”
Misty’s grin was so wide it nearly left her face. “How do you come up with these amazing ideas?” she ribbed him.
“And,” Ash said, clearing his throat. “Vermillion’s not that far away from Cerulean.”
“It’s not,” Misty answered, still smiling. “And we could travel back that way together.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” Ash said a bit sheepishly.
Pikachu was jubilant at the news and climbed up on Misty’s shoulder with a cry of “Pika!”
“So do you like that Pikachu?” Ash asked his Pokemon companion, now looking up at him from Misty’s shoulder. “You ready to try the gym leader life?”
“Ka pikachu!” Pikachu answered in the affirmative.
“Well then, I guess the Vermillion City gym will have to get used to having a Pikachu around instead of a Raichu,” Ash said with a smile.
Pikachu shrugged as if to say that it was impossible to know what the future held.
“What? Have you let go of your rivalry with Raichu?” Ash asked, perplexed. “Where’s that Pikachu pride I know?”
Misty laughed. “I think you’re both growing up,” she said. “Slowly—very slowly—but surely.”
Dawn clapped her hands together excitedly. “This is so wonderful!” she said. “You’re going to make a great gym leader, Ash. I know it! And I know you’ll like being closer to home.”
Misty breathed in a cleansing breath and then let it out. “It’s a new beginning,” she said fondly, “for all of us.”
“I’ve had a lot of new beginnings,” Ash said reflectively. “But now that I start looking back at them they were all sort of… the same. But this…”
“I know,” Misty said. “This is different.”
Ash looked at Misty. It wasn’t just the prospect of being a gym leader that would change his life—it was her. He didn’t have much more than a vague notion of what he’d face on this mystery road he would have to walk if it meant staying with her. Was he ready for whatever it meant? He still wasn’t sure.
“There’s going to be different challenges this time around,” he said doubtfully.
“Oh come on,” Misty said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Since when does Ash Ketchum back away from a challenge?”
He smiled that familiar smile—that one that contained more joy than a battle that had been won—it was the joy of a battle yet to be won. “Well,” he answered, “when you put it that way…”
There’s nothing wrong with dreaming—if Ash, Misty and Dawn hadn’t dreamed then they wouldn’t have gotten as far as they’d gotten and earned and experienced all they had without their dreams. But all those that dream must know when to wake up; must know the difference between reality and mirage.
And it took a kingdom of illusions to teach them that.
The End.
Part 12.
“Yes, it is I, Queen!” Hansen cried, reaching into the depths of his cloak and pulling out three Poke balls before lobbing them at the ground. “Shedinja, Ninjask! Your commander calls you for battle!”
The scabby, haloed form Shedinja floated serenely in the air, flanked by two Ninjask, beating their wings aggressively and darting about as though searching for something to stab.
Jason rushed in front of Sara, who was already being pulled back by Miranda and her other attendants, with his sword drawn. “Men!” he called out to the guards stationed at the entrance to the hall. “Seize him!”
“That won’t work!” Hansen roared. “Ninjask! Shadow Ball!”
“We’re not going to let you get away with that!” Ash declared. “Pikachu!” he said, turning down to his Pokemon who had long ago left the breakfast table to take up a battle stance by his side, “Thunderbolt!”
Pikachu gave a fierce nod and summoned up his electricity. “Piiii-kaaaa-chuuuu!” he screeched, sending the jolt directly toward the Ninjask, still building up energy for their attacks.
…And it might have worked if Shedinja hadn’t flown in the path of the electricity and taken the attack harmlessly.
“No way!” Dawn exclaimed.
The Ninjask let out a cry and fired their Shadow Balls, not, as Ash had expected, at the guards making their way toward Hansen, but at the ceiling above them. The blast cut a hole through the roof and sent the overhanging architecture crashing down in front of the entrance, forming a makeshift blockade that the guards could not climb over.
“And now you can no longer escape,” Colonel Hansen said, leveling a dangerous gaze at the queen.
“So what will you do now?” Sara asked, leaning over Jason’s protective stance in front of her to face Hansen. “Your marionette has cut his ties from you and run off—any chance you had to claim the throne by proxy is gone; what do you have to gain by fighting?”
“Everything,” Hansen answered. He narrowed his eyes at her. “You’ve improved much from the sixteen-year-old whelp who stole my throne away from me, but you’re still a weak ruler. How else could I have gotten this close to usurping you once again? The Mirage Kingdom needs a strong hand to guide it, but you’ve let the priests get so strong that they control you and not the other way around. You have no right to call yourself Queen, so I will take your place.”
“You wouldn’t look as good in a tiara,” Misty shouted mean-spiritedly at him.
Hansen gave her a fierce look, but quickly turned his attention back to the queen. “If you think these brats will help you win a second time then you’re wrong. All I have to do is take you out, and then in the chaos the people will turn to the only one who can possibly steer this great kingdom… the exiled regent whose love of this country is second to none and whose power to crush all who oppose him is undeniable; the man who ruled this kingdom in all but name during the last few years of your father’s reign. They will turn to me.”
“You’re insane!” Misty shouted, relieving Sara of the effort of answering this claim. “You really think we’re going to let you hurt Sara?”
“Yeah,” Ash said, pumping his fist. “If it’s a battle you want then it’s a battle you’ll get. You’re not going to hurt anyone anymore!”
“Big talk from a couple of brats,” Hansen scoffed. “But can you three get past… my Shedinja?” he asked as the Pokemon floated in front of him.
“No problem,” Dawn declared confidently. “A Top Coordinator, a Gym Leader, and a Champion-in-the-Making against just you? You don’t stand a chance!”
“It’s not going to be that easy,” Ash admitted to Dawn, a bit put out that he was the only one of the three with a title that was still in progress. “His Shedinja’s got Wonder Guard. Most attacks won’t do a thing against it.”
“That’s right, boy,” Hansen sneered. “You might as well not even bother—you’d only be wasting your energy.”
“But,” Ash added harshly, glaring at Hansen, “we’ve gotten through that before and we’ll do it again, just like last time. Your Shedinja doesn’t stand a chance against Misty’s Gyarados!”
For a moment Colonel Hansen looked caught off guard, though, to be fair, so did Misty.
“Umm… Ash,” Misty tried.
“Her Gyarados will flamethrower your Shedinja into submission just like last time,” Ash taunted. “Isn’t that right, Misty?”
“Uh… right,” Misty said, her eyes cast downward and her fists clenched. Togetic flew around her looking vaguely concerned. “That’s what I’d like to say,” she muttered, “but Gyarados is back at the gym.”
“What?!” Ash exclaimed as Hansen grinned triumphantly.
“I don’t know what you’re acting so surprised about!” Misty hissed at him. “I told you Daisy was working with Gyarados for the next underwater ballet! Don’t you listen to a word I say?”
“Well… I… I did but I just forgot,” Ash replied sheepishly.
“It doesn’t matter,” Dawn cut across them. “We’ll break through his guard anyway. I know just the attack and I know just the Pokemon.”
“Oh, do you, little brat?” Hansen asked, turning to look at Dawn. “You and I haven’t crossed paths before, but one brat is the same as another. Let’s see what you think you can do.”
“Togekiss!” Dawn called out, summoning the soaring Pokemon. “Let’s protect the Mirage Kingdom! Use Sky Attack on Shedinja!”
“Kiss!” Togekiss trilled, her body glowing white as she flew toward Shedinja, leaving a trail of afterimages as she swooped.
“That’s a flying type move,” Ash observed hopefully. “If it makes contact then it can break through the guard!”
“‘If’ being the operative word,” Hansen snarled, pointing outward toward his Pokemon. “Ninjask, both of you, Hyper Beam!”
“What?” Dawn said, caught by surprise.
“Kiss?” Togekiss murmured as the two fleet-winged Pokemon fazed into view on either side of her.
With the buzz of a thousand cicada-fueled famines the blasts fired, each hitting Togekiss dead on.
“Togekiss!” Dawn cried out, as the Pokemon crashed to the ground in trail of smoke. She ran toward her.
Pikachu’s fur stood on end and he was ready to wreak rodent vengeance on his friend’s attacker, but Togetic was quicker, barreling through the air like a tiny, rage-powered missile. The Ninjask it had been aiming for didn’t even have to break a sweat to send it flying back the way it came with one slash.
“Togetic! I’ve got you!” Misty yelled, racing toward the place Togetic was falling and catching him in a move that would’ve made the Electabuzz team manager itch to recruit her. “Togetic are you alright?”
His tiny white form was bruised and battered. But when he looked up at her his black eyes radiated determination… as well as desperation.
Hansen laughed mockingly at Ash. “Two down and I haven’t even gotten warmed up yet. What will you do now? Your Pikachu couldn’t even hold his own against my Ninjask, let alone break through my Shedinja’s defenses. Your fight is all but lost.”
Ash ground his teeth together. Much as he hated to admit it, Hansen had a point. His Ninjask were fast, and very powerful—and they wouldn’t even be able to touch them until they could take out Hansen’s Shedinja. But with Wonder Guard in effect, none of Pikachu’s moves could affect it at all. They might have had a chance with Togekiss, but… Ash looked over his shoulder were Dawn was crouched at the grounded Togekiss’s side. It had taken two hyper beam blasts at once… there was no way it could fly, at least not now. And Togetic, spunk or not, was pretty banged up too.
Ash clenched his fist. “Maybe we are at a disadvantage, but quitting’s not our style, right Pikachu?”
“Kaa!” Pikachu declared, electricity arcing from the pouches on his cheeks.
As the two were gearing up to fight, they hadn’t notice the quiet conversation going on between Misty and her injured Togetic.
Misty closed her eyes and reached into her pocket. “We’re in a tight spot…” she said, “I can give you an option, but…” she trailed off, gripping something in her fist, “…I can’t make the decision for you.”
“G-getic?” Togetic murmured, trying to get himself upright.
Misty opened her hand solemnly, revealing a gem that sparkled green and yellow and orange in the changing light. The shiny stone.
“Dawn,” Ash called out, not taking his eyes off Hansen’s hovering Pokemon. “How’s Togekiss?”
“I think her wing’s broken,” Dawn answered, her voice wavering as she patted Togekiss’s head. “Ash, I’m sorry, but she just can’t—”
“I know,” Ash said heavily. He turned to Pikachu. “Come on, buddy,” he said. “Just you and me.”
Before Ash could make his futile counter-strike against Hansen, a blinding white light drew everyone’s attention away from the battlefield. Everyone turned to the source of the glow, right in front of Misty. When the glow faded it left…
“Togekiss!”
The fleecy, elegant form of a Togekiss appeared from the blinding light, gliding confidently in mid-air.
“But that’s—” Ash started, confused as he turned to Dawn’s wounded Togekiss and then back to the Togekiss in front of Misty. He remembered the stone she’d uncertainly carried with her for so long. “Oh!”
“You can do it, Togekiss!” Misty called out to her newly evolved Pokemon.
Hansen snorted. “Another Togekiss? They may be protectors of this land—but it won’t be any trouble for me to take out another one.”
“Ash!” Misty called out to him.
“Right,” Ash returned, nodding at Pikachu.
Misty’s Togekiss swooped forward, his broader wings increasing his speed from his prior form. He dived toward Pikachu who deftly hopped on his back.
“You can do it guys!” Dawn cheered, as her Togekiss looked hopefully on at the battle.
“Togekiss, Sky Attack on Shedinja!” Misty commanded.
“The result will be the same!” Hansen predicted. “Ninjask—both of you—hit the Togekiss and Pikachu with Hyper Beam!”
The Ninjask’s wings hummed ominously as they prepared their attack.
“Not this time!” Ash declared, stomping forward and twisting his hat around backwards. “Pikachu, Electro Ball times two!”
“What?!” Hansen demanded.
Pikachu jumped off Togekiss’s back as the flying Pokemon soared forward. It did a somersault in the air as it descended, lobbing one ball of pure electricity at the first Ninjask, still charging up, and then flipped again to send one toward the second.
“No!” Hansen shouted, as the balls of energy smacked into his Ninjask, covering them in clouds of smoke. The frantic buzzing of wing-beats had stopped.
But it wasn’t over yet. Togekiss continued his arc forward, his whole body steaming with white energy as he plowed straight into the unguarded Shedinja.
“Kiiiiisss!” Togekiss trilled triumphantly, whipping around the falling carapace as it doubled back and caught Pikachu before he could hit the ground.
Hansen’s Pokemon weren’t so lucky. Their impact with the ground was punctuated by the sound of painfully cracking exoskeletons.
“No,” Hansen said, softly, disbelievingly as he stared at his fainted, still-smoking Pokemon. “No!” he yelled louder. “The Mirage Kingdom was mine—mine! I was so close to reclaiming it!”
Sara stepped forward, past Jason’s protection. She looked down at Hansen with a hard, disappointed expression. The rubble behind Hansen stirred as the guards that had been chipping their way through from the other side began to break through.
“It was never yours to begin with,” she told him.
*****
An attempted rebellion never quite ends at the battle’s close. Hansen still had to be seized, disarmed and contained by the guards before being dragged down to prison. But all that was only temporary; a tribunal had to be held to decide what was to be permanently done with the would-be usurper, the council had to be informed, and the public had to be addressed. As Queen, Sara, and as captain of the guard, Jason, both had a lot on their plates. But as for Dawn, Ash, and Misty… they stayed out of all that. They had different priorities to concern themselves with, namely, the health of their Pokemon, particularly Dawn’s Togekiss who had been injured the worst.
They needn’t have worried too much. The Mirage Palace had its own private selection of doctors, both for humans and Pokemon, along with quite a few of those handy Nurse Joys. They took Dawn’s Togekiss into their care and worked all the wonders that occur between handing off your Pokemon to them and hearing the blessed words ‘your Pokemon have been fully healed.’
Since Togekiss’s injuries were severe, she wasn’t one hundred percent fighting fit even several days later as the gang sat around the sitting room, but she could fly again. The wing was tender and couldn’t take heavy use yet, but it was healing and the Joys pronounced her to be on the road to recovery.
“Togekiss looks like she’s doing a lot better,” Ash observed, as the feathery Pokemon took a seat on the floor in front of Dawn’s chair.
“She definitely is,” Dawn said, reaching down to pat Togekiss. “It was a dirty trick of that Hansen to hit her with so much, but she’s gonna recover and be even stronger.”
“It was a tough fight,” Ash agreed. “But he relied too much on his defenses. Once we cracked through those it was over.”
Dawn looked at Ash and Misty sitting on the—and she had to smile at this—loveseat. “It was all thanks to you two that we won—and to Pikachu and Toget—I mean, Togekiss.”
“Two Togekiss, huh?” Ash said, scratching his chin thoughtfully as Misty set down her cup of tea. “That could get confusing.”
“The more the merrier, I say,” Sara said, stepping into the room with Jason at her side.
“Sara!” Misty said, standing up and greeting her. “I thought you’d be busy all day with meetings.”
“I’ve another one in a fifteen minutes,” Sara confided, sinking into an armchair. “But I thought I’d stop by and chat with you three.”
“So… how’s it going?” Ash asked. “Is Hansen in jail?”
Jason took that one. “He is,” He said firmly. “He’s our highest security prisoner.”
“He made a fuss about that, too,” Sara commented. “He said if I were any kind of good ruler I’d have already had him executed.”
“He can… complain about that?” Dawn asked disbelievingly.
“Do you think this is going to be the end of it, Sara?” Misty asked. “Or are there going to be more problems?”
“Hansen’s not getting out of jail again,” Sara said firmly. “That much is solved. I think dealing with the council will be a bit easier for the moment. For one thing, their scheme has been an embarrassment that nearly gave a fanatic the throne, for another, I now have the people on my side… at least for now.”
“Why’s that?” Dawn asked.
A small, but nevertheless sly smile crossed Sara’s face. “They’re feeling rather sorry for their queen, who was disgracefully left at the altar.”
“Oh.”
“I have some goodwill right now—it never lasts, but I intend to use it while I have it,” Sara said practically. “The Togepi nests are still empty and the only thing I can do to encourage the Togepi that left to come back is to make the Mirage Kingdom the happiest of all Kingdoms.”
“I hope they come back,” Misty said sounding concerned. She put a hand on her Togekiss’s head. “But they’ll always have you to protect them, right?”
“Kiss!” her Togekiss agreed.
“You all have done such a great service to me and to the Mirage Kingdom,” Sara said fondly. “I wanted to know how I could possibly repay you… perhaps… a knighthood?”
Ash exchanged glances with Dawn and Misty and thought that they felt the same as him. “Thanks a lot, Your Maj—I mean, Sara, but we helped you because we wanted to, so there’s no need to reward us. Anyway,” he said thoughtfully, “I think it’s about time we all got back on the road again.”
“I thought you might say that,” Sara answered, getting up to leave once more. “But always remember that any time you come back to the Mirage Kingdom you will receive a hero’s welcome.”
“We’ll definitely come back to visit,” Dawn promised. “Right, Togekiss?”
“Togeee,” Togekiss answered, but she sounded somewhat uncertain.
“I’ll look forward to that day,” Sara said, at the door. “Good-bye Misty, Ash, and Dawn. I can’t thank you enough for all that you’ve done.”
A chorus of good-byes were said and then the door closed as the queen left—off to a busy day of meetings and speeches.
“Hey, Ash,” Dawn chirped excitedly once Sara had left, “I know we said we were going to travel together for a little while longer, but would you mind if I split off from here? I’ve kinda had a change of plans.”
“Sure, that’s fine,” Ash said, blinking slightly confusedly. “What kind of change of plans?
“Oh, I’m heading over to the Pokemon Fan Club to see about some contests,” Dawn answered in a purposefully vague tone that left the door open for more questions.
“What?” Ash asked. “But you already won Top Coordinator. Is it fair for you to compete again—at least so soon?”
“I’m not going just to compete—I’m going to organize one!” Dawn burst out excitedly. “And it won’t be just a regular contest either! It’ll be a battle royal made up entirely of past Top Coordinator winners!”
Ash whistled. “That’d be some fight to see. What would they be competing for? Tippy-Top Coordinator?”
Dawn laughed. “No, this time I think it’s better if we’re not competing for a prize like that. You see,” she got up and folded her hands behind her back, walking toward the window, “I love contests. They’re a great way to show off your skills, entertain people, and I can’t deny that I thrive off the competition. But I think… I think it’s time contests did a little more worthwhile than just that.” She turned around dramatically. “So that’s why, in this competition, all the Top Coordinator competitors will be playing for charity.”
“Wow!” exclaimed Misty. “That’s a great idea, Dawn!”
Dawn grinned. “With all the attention contests usually get, I think we can really do some good. I just hope I can get the contest committee to go for my idea.”
“I’m sure they’ll love it,” Ash answered. “A contest where everyone’s a top coordinator? That’s gonna make for some awesome events.”
“Piplup!” Piplup cheered from Dawn’s shoulder.
Dawn laughed again. “Well, I know Piplup’s looking forward to helping out.” She looked down at Togekiss. “You too, right Togekiss?”
Togekiss said nothing and looked torn.
“Hmm? Togekiss?” Dawn tried again.
Togekiss stood up and took flight gently, so as not to strain her wing, and then glided over to where Misty’s Togekiss sat. “Togekiss,” she said, by way of explanation.
“I think…” Misty said slowly, “I think she wants to stay here too.”
“Huh?” asked Ash. “But why?”
Misty jabbed him painfully in the side with her elbow and nodded to where the two Togekiss sat, curled up closely together.
Ash rubbed his side ruefully for a minute and then looked at the Togekiss. “Oh,” he said after a moment. “Oh.” He pulled his hat brim down slightly so it covered his eyes. “One of those things.”
Dawn kneeled down by Togekiss. “You really want to stay here?”
“To, kiss,” Togekiss answered, her tone somewhat guilty.
Dawn stared for a moment at her longtime friend and then finally smiled. “I understand,” she said, reaching out to pat her on the head. “We’re all moving on to the next thing, I guess… but we’ll always be friends.”
“Kiss!” Togekiss agreed, sounding relieved.
“And if both these two stay here,” Misty realized, “then the nesting grounds won’t be empty. They’ll recover, even if it’s just a bit at first.” She took a knee and poked her own Togekiss in the side playfully. “You little Casanova,” she teased, “you’re lucky you’re better at this than Ash.”
Ash immediately colored. “Hey, I’m trying.”
“I know, I know,” Misty said to him. “I’m just kidding around.”
She turned her gaze back to Togekiss and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m going to miss you so much,” she said. She drew back from the hug and surveyed him. “You’ve gotten so big—but to me you’re still the same little Togepi I could hold in my arms.”
“Gekiss!” her Togekiss answered.
As Misty and Dawn both rose, Dawn began to ask something she’d been wondering about for awhile: “So…” she tried, “I know what I’m gonna do—and it looks like our Togekiss have made up their minds about the future. So… what are you two gonna do?” she asked in a tone that seemed to hope that the answer was ‘get married, buy a house with a picket fence, and crank out 2.5 children.’
Misty waited for Ash, but an answer didn’t seem to be coming, so she went ahead. “Well… I guess I’d better head back to Cerulean City,” she said. “If I stay away for much longer my sisters will start handing out gym badges for free again.” She sighed. “I’m the youngest—I shouldn’t have to babysit them.”
“And?” Dawn pried. “What about you, Ash?”
Ash took a minute to reply. “I’ve been thinking… I’ve been thinking…” He took a deep breath. “I guess that it might be a good idea to check out that gym leader try-out in Vermillion. I’m not totally giving up on being a Pokemon Master or anything,” he added aggressively, “but I figure it’s time to try something new—at least for a little while.” He sighed. “Traveling’s fun, but it’s nice to have a place to hang your hat every once in awhile. And I’d still get to fight strong trainers—they’d just come to me instead.”
Misty’s grin was so wide it nearly left her face. “How do you come up with these amazing ideas?” she ribbed him.
“And,” Ash said, clearing his throat. “Vermillion’s not that far away from Cerulean.”
“It’s not,” Misty answered, still smiling. “And we could travel back that way together.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” Ash said a bit sheepishly.
Pikachu was jubilant at the news and climbed up on Misty’s shoulder with a cry of “Pika!”
“So do you like that Pikachu?” Ash asked his Pokemon companion, now looking up at him from Misty’s shoulder. “You ready to try the gym leader life?”
“Ka pikachu!” Pikachu answered in the affirmative.
“Well then, I guess the Vermillion City gym will have to get used to having a Pikachu around instead of a Raichu,” Ash said with a smile.
Pikachu shrugged as if to say that it was impossible to know what the future held.
“What? Have you let go of your rivalry with Raichu?” Ash asked, perplexed. “Where’s that Pikachu pride I know?”
Misty laughed. “I think you’re both growing up,” she said. “Slowly—very slowly—but surely.”
Dawn clapped her hands together excitedly. “This is so wonderful!” she said. “You’re going to make a great gym leader, Ash. I know it! And I know you’ll like being closer to home.”
Misty breathed in a cleansing breath and then let it out. “It’s a new beginning,” she said fondly, “for all of us.”
“I’ve had a lot of new beginnings,” Ash said reflectively. “But now that I start looking back at them they were all sort of… the same. But this…”
“I know,” Misty said. “This is different.”
Ash looked at Misty. It wasn’t just the prospect of being a gym leader that would change his life—it was her. He didn’t have much more than a vague notion of what he’d face on this mystery road he would have to walk if it meant staying with her. Was he ready for whatever it meant? He still wasn’t sure.
“There’s going to be different challenges this time around,” he said doubtfully.
“Oh come on,” Misty said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Since when does Ash Ketchum back away from a challenge?”
He smiled that familiar smile—that one that contained more joy than a battle that had been won—it was the joy of a battle yet to be won. “Well,” he answered, “when you put it that way…”
There’s nothing wrong with dreaming—if Ash, Misty and Dawn hadn’t dreamed then they wouldn’t have gotten as far as they’d gotten and earned and experienced all they had without their dreams. But all those that dream must know when to wake up; must know the difference between reality and mirage.
And it took a kingdom of illusions to teach them that.
The End.
Once again, why doesn't' this have more reviews?
Anyway, I really liked the beginning, you're the first to really deal with the idea of Ash having a midlife crisis. No one ever really addresses the idea of if he doesn't make it, and what kind of effect that has. Pokemon has always been my "realism" anime actually. When ever I get fed up with the traditional shounen hero becoming super powerful, blowing everyone out of the water, making his friends obsolete, and his rival struggle to keep up, I always have Pokemon where I can watch Ash lose to random trainers, his friends, his rivals, and actually fail at the big tournaments. XD Okay, I don't want to see him lose all the time, I would like to see him actually get somewhere, but it's still nice to some normalcy.
You also addressed how being obsessed with Pokemon has affected him. His whole life has been dedicated to training, he hasn't had much time for anything else. Dawn actually had a life and eventually completed her goal. Ash can't even drive. XD That's something I would like to see at some point, a fic where he learns driving. XD Erm... anyway, you really got into something we see, but is never actually touched on in the show. The way Ash has trouble with relating to people, he can relate to them but Pokemon always takes his attention, so he's left with neglected relationships with his friends.
I like the way you had Jessie twitch like that. It's just like the anime.
Misty's introduction was pretty good. You contrasted the chemistry between him and Misty versus him and Dawn. I also liked that Misty and Dawn got along, MIsty doesn't go after girls just for existing, only when she thinks they're a treat. So they were fine until Dawn's line had double meaning. That's another thing, I like the way you use Dawn in this fic. She's her own character that can contribute to the plot, and you didn't have her thrown off in another pairing. You don't have to everyone together just so a boy and girl can have a platonic relationship. It makes no sense.
I liked Ash and Misty's discussion, I love the way they interacted there. I like it when they have deep discussions like that, well Ash tried to turn it into an argument, but Misty stopped that. then they had an actual real serious argument. I like the way you flavored it with shipping, Ash's always present but unknown jealousy, and Misty's frustration, but didn't turn it into a wagnst fest.
Though I have to wonder when Misty realized he wasn't getting it, why didn't she just spell it out directly. "You know, you would would probably be good at something like that... If you wanted to give it a try." Ash needs things spelled out directly.
Also, personally I don't agree with the whole Misty Gym Leader issue, but that's another issue for another time. It has nothing to do with your fic, just I that wanted to point out a difference in opinion.
The reaction from the serious argument is Ash and Misty. That's who they are. Serious issues are met with stubbornness, not wagnst. XD Poor Dawn, caught in the middle.
Ash's solution to the Togepi problem is really hilarious. Ditto lol. I admit to using it though. ^ ^;
Oh God, Ash kept on and almost made her give him the "talk". ROFL
I had been wavering on writing a parody fic where Brock and Misty get into a bizarre argument about "tasteful romance" when it comes to magazines and books. Ash of course overhears this and is almost scarred for life. You're really tempting me now.
Of course it's Hanson.
Gardening, really? Oh who am I kidding? Of course they would.
I love intelligent villains, and you've certainly made Hanson like that. His plans are almost creepily reminiscent of actual history.
Ash and Misty talk about sex? Oh hilarious. Misty's fantasy was funny. XD Her blunt response afterwards was too.
Poor Ash.
You know I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one who noticed Gary so... I remember wondering about all those times he entered his cheerleaders in a swimsuit competition, when on a cruise withh them, spent the night in the hotel with them, and I just the Japanese version of "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokemon" and he waved to them and said "Arigatou Girlfriend taichi." Um, yeah.
The message though was good too, I've often seen either wait until marrige or it we're free do whatever we want as consenting adults, but I've never seen the middle ground. It is a personal choice, there's no point in doing it just because.
Molly is awesome. I mean, she's one of the best characters I've seen in a while. She's so grandiose, and cynical, out for number one, that wow. I love characters like that, especially in a show like Pokemon. Sometimes you have to have someone with a jaded view and selfish intentions to clash with the kids perfect moral view of the world, to them it's black and white. Misty was more of the cynical ones, but even she wouldn't understand Molly. TR would though. In the back of my mind I'm playing a bizarre scenario where TR, Molly, and Marcus meet... I want Jessie versus Molly now. XD
Okay, the moment where Misty finally cracks. This certainly one of the more interesting confessions I've read, it's not love filled at all, it's frustration. She finally doesn't care anymore about the consequences, because it seems hopeless.
Ash's reaction is awesome. I mean, I get tired of reading where he reciprocates right away with ease. The confusion, that's exactly how he would be like. Everyone assumes that he would get it when he gets older, but how? That's what I keep asking. Certain behaviors and experiences are learned, and if he avoids them all the time, how is he going to know how to react when it comes.
I like how Misty takes the lead, Ash has no idea what he's doing, so she's definitely going to be the one guiding conversations like they had. His struggles to communicate and understand are perfectly in character.
Sara, you made her so competent here. It's nice to see someone who isn't so moral either, but can see the picture. She's like the opposite to Molly.
Yay! You wrote a battle. Nobody ever writes a battle, not in shipping fics anyway. It was good too.
Hmm... the ending is nice but. How did Ash just suddenly come to that conclusion? He did not understand what she was saying back in chapter three, and now he suddenly does? That's a letdown. The first three chapters built up where you were really going to address his issues with career, and how he would cope with that, and then it was suddenly dropped? I mean, you addressed the shipping really well. You made it make sense in its progression. But here it's like totally random. I don't see Ash coming to a decision like that easily, especially with all the issue he had before hand coping with it earlier in the fic. I thought after they got their act together Misty would sit down and bluntly talk to him about it, without skirting around the issue the way she did the first time. I just have a hard time seeing Ash let go like he did.
That would be my criticism of this fic. Other than that I really liked it. Keep writing.
Anyway, I really liked the beginning, you're the first to really deal with the idea of Ash having a midlife crisis. No one ever really addresses the idea of if he doesn't make it, and what kind of effect that has. Pokemon has always been my "realism" anime actually. When ever I get fed up with the traditional shounen hero becoming super powerful, blowing everyone out of the water, making his friends obsolete, and his rival struggle to keep up, I always have Pokemon where I can watch Ash lose to random trainers, his friends, his rivals, and actually fail at the big tournaments. XD Okay, I don't want to see him lose all the time, I would like to see him actually get somewhere, but it's still nice to some normalcy.
You also addressed how being obsessed with Pokemon has affected him. His whole life has been dedicated to training, he hasn't had much time for anything else. Dawn actually had a life and eventually completed her goal. Ash can't even drive. XD That's something I would like to see at some point, a fic where he learns driving. XD Erm... anyway, you really got into something we see, but is never actually touched on in the show. The way Ash has trouble with relating to people, he can relate to them but Pokemon always takes his attention, so he's left with neglected relationships with his friends.
I like the way you had Jessie twitch like that. It's just like the anime.
Misty's introduction was pretty good. You contrasted the chemistry between him and Misty versus him and Dawn. I also liked that Misty and Dawn got along, MIsty doesn't go after girls just for existing, only when she thinks they're a treat. So they were fine until Dawn's line had double meaning. That's another thing, I like the way you use Dawn in this fic. She's her own character that can contribute to the plot, and you didn't have her thrown off in another pairing. You don't have to everyone together just so a boy and girl can have a platonic relationship. It makes no sense.
I liked Ash and Misty's discussion, I love the way they interacted there. I like it when they have deep discussions like that, well Ash tried to turn it into an argument, but Misty stopped that. then they had an actual real serious argument. I like the way you flavored it with shipping, Ash's always present but unknown jealousy, and Misty's frustration, but didn't turn it into a wagnst fest.
Though I have to wonder when Misty realized he wasn't getting it, why didn't she just spell it out directly. "You know, you would would probably be good at something like that... If you wanted to give it a try." Ash needs things spelled out directly.
Also, personally I don't agree with the whole Misty Gym Leader issue, but that's another issue for another time. It has nothing to do with your fic, just I that wanted to point out a difference in opinion.
The reaction from the serious argument is Ash and Misty. That's who they are. Serious issues are met with stubbornness, not wagnst. XD Poor Dawn, caught in the middle.
Ash's solution to the Togepi problem is really hilarious. Ditto lol. I admit to using it though. ^ ^;
Oh God, Ash kept on and almost made her give him the "talk". ROFL
I had been wavering on writing a parody fic where Brock and Misty get into a bizarre argument about "tasteful romance" when it comes to magazines and books. Ash of course overhears this and is almost scarred for life. You're really tempting me now.
Of course it's Hanson.
Gardening, really? Oh who am I kidding? Of course they would.
I love intelligent villains, and you've certainly made Hanson like that. His plans are almost creepily reminiscent of actual history.
Ash and Misty talk about sex? Oh hilarious. Misty's fantasy was funny. XD Her blunt response afterwards was too.
Poor Ash.You know I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one who noticed Gary so... I remember wondering about all those times he entered his cheerleaders in a swimsuit competition, when on a cruise withh them, spent the night in the hotel with them, and I just the Japanese version of "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokemon" and he waved to them and said "Arigatou Girlfriend taichi." Um, yeah.
The message though was good too, I've often seen either wait until marrige or it we're free do whatever we want as consenting adults, but I've never seen the middle ground. It is a personal choice, there's no point in doing it just because.
Molly is awesome. I mean, she's one of the best characters I've seen in a while. She's so grandiose, and cynical, out for number one, that wow. I love characters like that, especially in a show like Pokemon. Sometimes you have to have someone with a jaded view and selfish intentions to clash with the kids perfect moral view of the world, to them it's black and white. Misty was more of the cynical ones, but even she wouldn't understand Molly. TR would though. In the back of my mind I'm playing a bizarre scenario where TR, Molly, and Marcus meet... I want Jessie versus Molly now. XD
Okay, the moment where Misty finally cracks. This certainly one of the more interesting confessions I've read, it's not love filled at all, it's frustration. She finally doesn't care anymore about the consequences, because it seems hopeless.
Ash's reaction is awesome. I mean, I get tired of reading where he reciprocates right away with ease. The confusion, that's exactly how he would be like. Everyone assumes that he would get it when he gets older, but how? That's what I keep asking. Certain behaviors and experiences are learned, and if he avoids them all the time, how is he going to know how to react when it comes.
I like how Misty takes the lead, Ash has no idea what he's doing, so she's definitely going to be the one guiding conversations like they had. His struggles to communicate and understand are perfectly in character.
Sara, you made her so competent here. It's nice to see someone who isn't so moral either, but can see the picture. She's like the opposite to Molly.
Yay! You wrote a battle. Nobody ever writes a battle, not in shipping fics anyway. It was good too.
Hmm... the ending is nice but. How did Ash just suddenly come to that conclusion? He did not understand what she was saying back in chapter three, and now he suddenly does? That's a letdown. The first three chapters built up where you were really going to address his issues with career, and how he would cope with that, and then it was suddenly dropped? I mean, you addressed the shipping really well. You made it make sense in its progression. But here it's like totally random. I don't see Ash coming to a decision like that easily, especially with all the issue he had before hand coping with it earlier in the fic. I thought after they got their act together Misty would sit down and bluntly talk to him about it, without skirting around the issue the way she did the first time. I just have a hard time seeing Ash let go like he did.
That would be my criticism of this fic. Other than that I really liked it. Keep writing.
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ChloboShoka
Writer
I really enjoyed reading the fic. I thought it was really well written and nicely balanced.
Thank you both so much for your comments I'm glad you liked the story!
It's weird, but I almost can't see him getting into any major relationship before he has a midlife crisis. I know what you mean about 'realism' in Pokemon, and it's kind of strange because the show has such an absurdly optimistic thrust, but Pokemon, for me, is the series I like to pair with real world stuff and it strangely seems to work.
I think she was hoping that she'd at least plant the seeds, which she did. I don't know, it's something I see a lot inguys some people that it's better to just hint at a suggestion and let them stew on it for awhile until they come out thinking it was there idea in the first place. It's easier than actively trying to convince some people.
I don't really have one view of Misty's feelings toward being a gym leader. There are a lot of plausible options available depending on what her day-to-day life is like. In fact, I was having trouble remembering exactly how I portrayed her attitude toward gym leading in this one...
Doooo iiiiiiitttt. Romance novel conventions are so fun to play with and poke fun at.
It's too bad the middle ground isn't more popular. It seems like as far as popular culture is concerned, you're shamed if you do and shamed if you don't. Well... at least for girls.
I'm glad you liked her, because she was fun to write. She's basically a giant reference to Daniel Defoe's Moll Flanders.
I worried I was taking too many liberties with Sara's character since, in the episodes she was in, she was generally very sweet and moral but... well, I figured having a taste at ruling a kingdom for ten years might give her some idea of the grey areas in life.
Well, like I said, I think the seeds were planted in chapter three (it was three, right? The one where Misty talked to him about the gym) and I think everything that was going on sort of shoved him in the direction of re-evaluating is priorities. Misty's idea (which he took for his own) gave him something new to latch onto, and a chance to develop an actual long-lasting, deep human relationship, which was something he was just on the precipice of... and something he wouldn't get the opportunity to follow up on if he kept traveling around. Plus, I think Ash has just been, from the beginning of this fic and on, tired.
That said, I wouldn't be remotely surprised if the ending of this came out rushed. To be perfectly honest I was waaaay burnt out on this fic long before the last chapter came along and I couldn't wait to finish it and be done with it once and for all X_x
I'm glad you liked the story!It's weird, but I almost can't see him getting into any major relationship before he has a midlife crisis. I know what you mean about 'realism' in Pokemon, and it's kind of strange because the show has such an absurdly optimistic thrust, but Pokemon, for me, is the series I like to pair with real world stuff and it strangely seems to work.
I think she was hoping that she'd at least plant the seeds, which she did. I don't know, it's something I see a lot in
I don't really have one view of Misty's feelings toward being a gym leader. There are a lot of plausible options available depending on what her day-to-day life is like. In fact, I was having trouble remembering exactly how I portrayed her attitude toward gym leading in this one...
Doooo iiiiiiitttt. Romance novel conventions are so fun to play with and poke fun at.
It's too bad the middle ground isn't more popular. It seems like as far as popular culture is concerned, you're shamed if you do and shamed if you don't. Well... at least for girls.
I'm glad you liked her, because she was fun to write. She's basically a giant reference to Daniel Defoe's Moll Flanders.I worried I was taking too many liberties with Sara's character since, in the episodes she was in, she was generally very sweet and moral but... well, I figured having a taste at ruling a kingdom for ten years might give her some idea of the grey areas in life.
Well, like I said, I think the seeds were planted in chapter three (it was three, right? The one where Misty talked to him about the gym) and I think everything that was going on sort of shoved him in the direction of re-evaluating is priorities. Misty's idea (which he took for his own) gave him something new to latch onto, and a chance to develop an actual long-lasting, deep human relationship, which was something he was just on the precipice of... and something he wouldn't get the opportunity to follow up on if he kept traveling around. Plus, I think Ash has just been, from the beginning of this fic and on, tired.
That said, I wouldn't be remotely surprised if the ending of this came out rushed. To be perfectly honest I was waaaay burnt out on this fic long before the last chapter came along and I couldn't wait to finish it and be done with it once and for all X_x
AquaMilotic
yay
We already talked about this in our VM's, but I'll give you a rate here as well. I'll mention the things I liked first, then what I didn't like, and then a conclusion.
THINGS I LIKED
- Back when I started reading this fic, I disliked Dawn. However, in this fic, her appearance didn't put me off at all. It convinced me to not dislike Dawn (and May and Iris) anymore. I didn't realize why I hated them before reading this: they had the position Misty (my favourite character, who I'm obsessed with) once had, in the glory days of the OS. But thanks to this fic, I don't hate the other PokeGirls anymore.
- I like how Misty keeps visiting Togetic frequently.
- It was nice to see Dawn and Misty meet, it's something I would've liked in the anime.
- I like Misty really loving Ash and being open about that.
- You stayed in character very well, for all characters. That is one of the things making me love this fic so much!
- Sara being forced to marry was horrible, I am strongly against forced/aranged marriage, but it provided an interesting subject to the plot. And I'm happy that Sara didn't marry Marcus in the end.
- Even though I'm a die-hard JoyShockShipper, Togetic x Togekiss is a cute shipping and I like the idea.
- Ash asking Misty to dance was cute.
- "about Psyduck’s graduation from an intertube to water-wings." That was so awesome, and it's nice that you referred to Psyduck.
- I liked Dawn organizing a charity contest. That's a very nice thing of her.
- It's nice that you wrote about the Mirage Kingdom, and Togetic.
- I felt a strong emotional bond, I teared up a few times, but in a good way, if you understand what I mean.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE
- I didn't like Misty's Togetic evolving. Sure, it was needed to beat Hansen, but still... I think Togetic is a nicer Pokemon than Togekiss, and I think Togetic fits Misty better.
- It was sad to see Dawn's Togekiss go.
- The story end was quite predictable. After reading a few chapters, I expected Dawn's Togekiss to leave, I expected Sara not marrying Marcus and I expected Misty's Togetic to evolve (because of the Shiny Stone Misty had).
CONCLUSION
We also talked about other things I didn't like about it, but after talking about it in our VM's, I'm fine with those, so I didn't put those in my rate. And as in our VM's, I'll rate this with 10/10! There are flaws, but two of the three are very personal, and the last one doesn't change the fact that this fic is awesome, entertaining and very interesting to read.
THINGS I LIKED
- Back when I started reading this fic, I disliked Dawn. However, in this fic, her appearance didn't put me off at all. It convinced me to not dislike Dawn (and May and Iris) anymore. I didn't realize why I hated them before reading this: they had the position Misty (my favourite character, who I'm obsessed with) once had, in the glory days of the OS. But thanks to this fic, I don't hate the other PokeGirls anymore.
- I like how Misty keeps visiting Togetic frequently.
- It was nice to see Dawn and Misty meet, it's something I would've liked in the anime.
- I like Misty really loving Ash and being open about that.
- You stayed in character very well, for all characters. That is one of the things making me love this fic so much!
- Sara being forced to marry was horrible, I am strongly against forced/aranged marriage, but it provided an interesting subject to the plot. And I'm happy that Sara didn't marry Marcus in the end.
- Even though I'm a die-hard JoyShockShipper, Togetic x Togekiss is a cute shipping and I like the idea.
- Ash asking Misty to dance was cute.
- "about Psyduck’s graduation from an intertube to water-wings." That was so awesome, and it's nice that you referred to Psyduck.
- I liked Dawn organizing a charity contest. That's a very nice thing of her.
- It's nice that you wrote about the Mirage Kingdom, and Togetic.
- I felt a strong emotional bond, I teared up a few times, but in a good way, if you understand what I mean.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE
- I didn't like Misty's Togetic evolving. Sure, it was needed to beat Hansen, but still... I think Togetic is a nicer Pokemon than Togekiss, and I think Togetic fits Misty better.
- It was sad to see Dawn's Togekiss go.
- The story end was quite predictable. After reading a few chapters, I expected Dawn's Togekiss to leave, I expected Sara not marrying Marcus and I expected Misty's Togetic to evolve (because of the Shiny Stone Misty had).
CONCLUSION
We also talked about other things I didn't like about it, but after talking about it in our VM's, I'm fine with those, so I didn't put those in my rate. And as in our VM's, I'll rate this with 10/10! There are flaws, but two of the three are very personal, and the last one doesn't change the fact that this fic is awesome, entertaining and very interesting to read.
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I was going to make a great pun... but apparently you stole it in your Fuzzy review. Sad day. Anyway, here we are, straight from the Review Game, a review! (how astonishing!)
Well, that was great. Wow. Two wows for extra-ness, so... Wow. As admitted, I only intended to read between a chapter or three, but instead, you hooked me to read all 12. Bravo.
Just pointing it out, aside from the occasional grammatical mistake, usually being just commas or capitalization, with the occasional forgotten quotation mark, your grammar was superb.
Also, the opening... Like I mentioned, I wasn't terribly interested in the concept, I had to bring myself to do it, as reviews are mighty helpful. But that first part, even... it just grabbed me. I wanted to know what happened next. Same goes for all chapters; you knew how to create dramatic suspense, you toyed with it, and manipulated with it like as if it was a cat and you were a laser pointer.
The characters were portrayed with an essence of mastery. I got the hotheaded vibe from Misty. I got that 'No need to worry!' outlook from Dawn. And Ash is his same old dopey self. But I must say, I loved how you just gave them so much life, even after ten years, made them all question their life and stuff.
And for relationships... From the first part, I didn't get much of a Pokéshipping vibe, but from the rest, it was as important as the main plot. Made me root for them, wonder, and have hopes just as much as the central plot did. And for a shipping story, that was definitely great. Ash was so hopeless and dense... but it all worked out, so yay for them!
On that note, the plot. My, that was original. It brought several filler episodes and really milked the little bits out of it. Definitely something I'd never see coming, and you kept creating devious little plots and twists along the way, making it suspenseful and dramatic, as I'd imagine as was the intention.
So, overall, that's all I had to say. I'll look forward to reading more of your works in the future. Keep it up! (yay)
Well, that was great. Wow. Two wows for extra-ness, so... Wow. As admitted, I only intended to read between a chapter or three, but instead, you hooked me to read all 12. Bravo.
Just pointing it out, aside from the occasional grammatical mistake, usually being just commas or capitalization, with the occasional forgotten quotation mark, your grammar was superb.
Also, the opening... Like I mentioned, I wasn't terribly interested in the concept, I had to bring myself to do it, as reviews are mighty helpful. But that first part, even... it just grabbed me. I wanted to know what happened next. Same goes for all chapters; you knew how to create dramatic suspense, you toyed with it, and manipulated with it like as if it was a cat and you were a laser pointer.
The characters were portrayed with an essence of mastery. I got the hotheaded vibe from Misty. I got that 'No need to worry!' outlook from Dawn. And Ash is his same old dopey self. But I must say, I loved how you just gave them so much life, even after ten years, made them all question their life and stuff.
And for relationships... From the first part, I didn't get much of a Pokéshipping vibe, but from the rest, it was as important as the main plot. Made me root for them, wonder, and have hopes just as much as the central plot did. And for a shipping story, that was definitely great. Ash was so hopeless and dense... but it all worked out, so yay for them!
On that note, the plot. My, that was original. It brought several filler episodes and really milked the little bits out of it. Definitely something I'd never see coming, and you kept creating devious little plots and twists along the way, making it suspenseful and dramatic, as I'd imagine as was the intention.
So, overall, that's all I had to say. I'll look forward to reading more of your works in the future. Keep it up! (yay)
I tend to steal people's thunder
It's a bad habbit.Right off the bat, thanks so much for this lovely review--and for reading the whole thing! That must've taken quite an investment of time. I didn't expect it and I definitely appreciate it!
Yeah, I'm aware that there are a few typos and general brain farts in this thing. That seems to be the case in a lot of these, and a lot of times things just don't get fixed because fixing mistakes here means fixing them in 3-4 other places. Someday I really do intend to do a mass clean-up of everything I've written...
I'm really glad to hear that I was able to retain the suspense. This piece is more character-driven then it is plot-driven, and I know that can create a tendency for parts that drag. I'm glad I was able to avoid that pitfall.
Character is hugely important to me, and I was worried about writing everyone at age 20, since I really didn't want to have them change in any unbelievable ways. I was particularly worried about Dawn because I've had less exposure to her than the other two. Glad they worked out.
Yeah, the PokeShipping thing took awhile to build. Part of the problem with that is that there are so many set-pieces to get in place early on and part of it is that I'm always slow moving when it comes to relationship writing ^^; I'm glad it finally did end up getting going, though, because getting Ash and Misty to have an awkward conversation about sex was probably more than 50% of the reason I wrote this XD
Once again, thanks so much for the lovely review! This was one of those fics that I felt fought me most of the way, so it's great to hear that the fight was worth it