I'd like to thank my Celestial Evolution for beta-ing and helping me polish this. You were a big help!
A weary figure approached the serene three-story residence of Delia Ketchum. At the sight of it, his heart lightened a little, though his steps remained heavy against the dirt road. Freezing winds bit at his exposed arms, and he wished he had thought to wear long sleeves. But it had never crossed his mind, maybe because the humid climate in Hoenn had spoiled him, or maybe because he just wasn't very good at thinking such things through. Personally, he preferred to think it was the first one.
He glanced at the Pikachu on his shoulder. The electric mouse was shivering, too. "Sorry, buddy. I guess I've been away so long, I forgot just how cold it gets in winter here."
"Pika, chu." Pikachu offered a smile to let his trainer know he forgave him. Then he froze. His ears twitched, as if he had heard something familiar. He leaped down to the ground to look at a figure approaching in the distance. "Chu?"
"Hey, Ash! Is that really you?
The thirteen-year old trainer immediately recognized the older girl walking toward him. But then, it was hard to mistake her for anyone else, with her bomabadier jacket and leather biker boots, coupled with her orchid-colored tights and denim skirt. A fashion choice not many other people would attempt in the coldest months of the year.
She smiled at Ash, and he waved in return. "Synthia! How's my big sister doing?"
"Fine, just fine. Good to see you back home. And Pikachu, too," Synthia added, before plucking Ash's Pokemon Federation cap from his head and ruffling his dark hair. "More importantly, guess what I heard?" Without waiting for an answer, she continued. "I heard someone has been accepted into the Johto League Gold Division. You get to compete again!"
"Word travels fast, huh?" Ash snatched his cap back and redonned it. His gaze wandered back to his house. It was covered in lights and wreaths, and the front yard was littered with a variety of decorations. Everything from red-nosed Stantler cutouts to inflatable snowmen. Pikachu was examining a row of plastic candy canes as if he was trying decide whether they were edible or not. "Looks like Mom's been busy. I can't wait to see this stuff when it's all lit up."
"Yeah, she goes overboard every year." Synthia placed her hands on her hips and surveyed the decorations. "But now that you're back, maybe you can get Pikachu to light everything for us. It would save a pretty penny on the electric bill."
"Yeah, it would." Ash started towards the house, motioning for her and Pikachu to follow. "Now can we go inside, before my feet go numb?"
When they entered the cozy dwelling, they were greeted by a round, pink creature that Ash recognized as a Jigglypuff. The bug-eyed creature waved its small arms and exclaimed happily, summoning the household's matriarch to the door. Delia took one look at her son and gasped in surprise.
"Ash? You didn't mention that you were coming home!" She kissed Ash on his forehead and embraced him. "I'm so glad you could make it back for Christmas. I've missed having the whole family together, ever since your father died and you've been traveling..."
"Synthia's here," Ash pointed out, extricating himself from his mother's grasp.
"Not often, with work," Synthia corrected. "My boss doesn't like giving time off. We're only getting about a week for the holidays, starting Monday."
Synthia looked to where Pikachu and Jigglypuff were playing. The Pok mon chased each other into the living room, leaping over furniture and racing around the coffee table. She smiled, then addressed her brother. "So, how long do you get to stay? You know, before you have to head out to Johto for the Gold Conference."
Ash looked between his mother's and sister's cheerful faces. The truth was that he didn't have long; just enough time to spend Christmas with his family and to get the Pok mon he needed from Professor Oak, then it would be straight to Johto. But he couldn't ruin their good moods by saying so. "It will be a little while," he said, then reached for his bag. "By the way, my friend May asked me to give you something."
Ash handed Delia a tin of homemade cookies, prepared by his traveling companion from the Hoenn region. Delia took the offering graciously. "That's so nice of her. Next time you see her, you'll have to thank her for me."
The rest of the evening passed by in a blur of talk and laughter. When night fell, they all went outside to see if Pikachu really could light everything. Much to everyone's delight, a single jolt of electricity was enough to make the house and yard burst into bright color.
When Ash headed up to his bedroom for the night, he didn't go to sleep immediately. He stood in front of the frost-covered window, polishing a pok ball and listening to Pikachu snore from where he was curled up at the foot of the bed. The sheets were crisped and smelled of detergent. Home sweet home, he thought.
"Am I interrupting anything?"
Synthia stood in the doorway in her nightgown and toesocks. "I noticed your light was still on, so I thought I'd check on you. Everything okay?"
"Oh." Ash set the pok ball on his nightstand and sat down on his bed. Pikachu stirred, but didn't wake. "No, everything's fine. I'm just not really tired."
"All right, then. Just checking." Synthia folded her hands behind her back and studied Ash. She giggled.
"What?" Ash gave her a confused look.
She sat down beside him and nudged his shoulder. "Sooo are you and May going steady?"
Ash's eyes widened. "Are we- of course not! She has a boyfriend back in Hoenn named Brendan."
"Liar." Synthia playfully pokes his nose. "You're so silly!"
He looks down at the floor. "I haven't had a girlfriend since Misty and I went our separate ways, after the Silver Conference."
Synthia's expression turned serious. She placed her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. Do you miss her?"
"Yeah. A lot. There's this one song- "It Might Be You," by Stephen Bishop- and every time I hear it I think of her. I don't know if I'll ever forget."
"It's rough, trust me. I've been through it. If there's anything I can do, just say the word, okay?"
They sat in silence for a moment. Pikachu rolled over in his sleep, half his body now dangling off the edge of the bed. Ash looked at him, then back at Synthia. "There's something else I've been thinking about."
"What is it?" When Ash hesitated, she added, "Come on, you can tell me."
Finally, he gave in. "Okay. I've been thinking about...Dad. I mean, do you think he knows we're okay? And that we miss him?"
"Of course he does," Synthia said, with full conviction. "I remember how he used to tell us that no matter what happened, he loved us. And that still applies."
"I don't remember him saying that," Ash said. "I don't remember much about him at all."
"You were too little."
"I wish he was still here." A single tear rolled down his cheek. Synthia reached over and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly as he cried.
"I know, little brother," she soothed. "I know."