It seems last time was relatively well received. This time, however, is the wedding itself. I hope it turned out well. I'm admittedly a little apprehensive about it, but I hope you enjoy! Part 2 time!
Part 2
The Ceremony
The day of the wedding ceremony dawned bright, with plenty of sunshine and a breeze that rippled across the plains and forests of Pallet Town. The air buzzed with excitement, almost creating a sort of ordered chaos in the campsites that was held back by the Champions, themselves. Meanwhile, near the borders of a forest in the town, one that was all too familiar to Serena, was the wedding pavilion, with rows upon rows of chairs set up in front of it and stretching far back. The only thing breaking that seating up was the long carpet of royal blue that split it in two, leading all the way back, signifying where the wedding processional would begin and end.
Even in those early morning hours, some of the guests were looking to get seats that hadn't already be reserved for the families and close friends. It made Serena feel almost shocked, like this was actually happening. Right now. She was about to officially be married.
"Just relax, Serena," Shauna assured her, patting her on the back as she stared at herself in the mirror, eyes wide. Not that she was going to back down for a second; they'd been through too much, and done too much, to back out of something they had both been waiting for. It didn't stop reality from settling in, though. "You're ready for this. It's no different than a performance, right? You go up there and look as beautiful as ever, do what you need to do and walk away hand in hand…only with your husband instead of your Pokémon."
"Brai," Braixen agreed, nodding her head wholeheartedly. Serena swallowed, taking comfort from both Shauna and her Pokémon's words. Like with Ash's teammates, all of them waiting in the crowd, and Pikachu on his shoulder come the time for the ceremony, Serena had asked for all her Pokémon to be with her. Some would be near the front, but Braixen was to be right at her side with her other bridesmaids.
"Th-thanks…" Serena breathed out. Whipping her hair a bit, Serena looked back into the mirror while Shauna reached over and clipped it back with light pink clips, adorned with flowers on their surface. It accented Serena's face and her blue eyes, making her near shoulder-length hair not stick out too much. After doing that, Shauna moved along and set some things on the table before her. Just as Serena was about to take a look, the door was knocked on.
"Serena, is it all right to enter? Your father and I are here." Serena breathed again, and Shauna called for them to enter. The door cracked open and Serena turned to see her mother and father striding in, looking like the married couple they probably were before Y had left on his adventures. She was glad to see them like this, even if it was just for this and not a constant thing. That they could be here together for her wedding was enough for her. "No dress yet?"
"We don't want to ruin it," Serena admitted. Grace nodded, and then looked to the table. Y hung back, hands in his pockets as he was dressed in a suit with a light carnation upon it. He looked a little nervous, himself, as though embarrassed to be doing something so public again. Serena sent him an apologetic smile, but looked over to the objects on the table.
"It's looking like you're all set. Earrings from Shauna, the clips are from Miette for the ceremony, yes? And…" Grace said, trailing off at the end.
"My ribbon," Serena confirmed, touching to the fabric that had been through everything with her. "All for the good luck of the ceremony. Have you seen Ash?"
"Nope," Y said. "Though…I've been avoiding the lab and that whole area until the ceremony. Only because those two, Lionel and Aidan, arrived. I'm just trying to be careful. It may have been a long time ago, but I certainly don't want to mess up my daughter's big day."
"It's our big day," Serena said in correction. It simply sounded wrong to make the day all about her when it was just as much about Ash and all the people and Pokémon which had brought them there. "But thank you. And…thanks for…you know, giving me away."
"I wasn't around for your childhood. This is the least I can do, Serena." As if to confirm that was how he felt, Y leaned in and kissed his daughter on the cheek. She smiled with that. "Though, Grace, you should probably get to your seat and check things over, yourself…wouldn't do for you to not be there."
"Mm, you're right, honey. I'm sure Delia's already there…well, if she's not checking on Ash," Grace agreed, patting her husband on the shoulder and turning from the room. Y gave another sharp nod, and then he, too, exited from the room. Mere moments later, Dawn and Lillie arrived in the bedroom, along with a surprise Aria, bedecked in her own special formalwear and carrying the rather beautiful wedding dress. Serena couldn't help it as tears actually started coming to her eyes.
"I'd imagine you're going to look beautiful in this," the former Kalos Queen and friend said. Her eyes were twinkling with her own happiness.
"Thank you for coming, Aria." The pinkette nodded, and Serena got the sudden feeling that she'd be saying those words over and over again to every guest that had come to the wedding. Dawn stepped further in, and Serena stood while her bluenette friend winked at her.
"Well, enough talking about it. We bridesmaids still have to get dressed, too, so let's get this dress on. What do you say?" Dawn suggested. Serena rather liked that idea, and all of the women in the room got to work in getting Serena dressed. That, in and of itself, was an event. It didn't help that the process was continually interrupted by those coming to congratulate Serena on the wedding that still hadn't taken place. Eventually, Dawn and Bonnie (who had arrived in her own pale pink bridesmaid dress) kicked them all out and stuck a sign on the wall until Serena was fully dressed.
When she was, every woman in the room, including those who had worked on the dress, gasped with awe and light applauses. Serena was almost scared to look at herself in the mirror, even though she knew what she'd look like. It was only when Lillie spoke that she felt good enough to do so. "I hope I'll look so good at my own wedding!"
"Serena really does pull off the whole blushing bride look," Shauna said. Finally, Serena cracked her eyes open and got a look at herself, adorned with everything and ready to fully be married.
Something caught in her throat, like it was the final confirmation Serena needed that she was well and truly getting married. Her mother's old dress, changed to fit her own figure, was resting on her body. While it was a rather simple white dress, Dawn had altered it in a beautiful way, making Serena know she could have chosen no better. White flowers adorned her neckline in lace, the gossamer material reaching up to cover her shoulders like a beautiful shimmer, akin to tiny wings. The whole dress seemed to be made of that same shimmering lace that covered her legs, and ruffled itself before flowing into a wedding train. In her hair, holding the small length of it up, was her ribbon, while the earrings that Shauna had bought for her decorated her ears. Turning a bit, Serena could see the dress glimmer in the light of Ash's old room.
"Thank you, everyone!" she suddenly cried out, unable to help herself. All of her friends had truly outdone themselves in making her look beautiful. Dawn gave her a thumbs up, while Shauna put a hand on her shoulder, as though reminding her not to cry. Serena then bit at her lip and held her tears in, nodding to her Maid of Honor.
"Why don't you all get dressed? I'll keep Serena company," Aria offered to those that weren't yet dressed. Shauna agreed with that notion, and helped to usher Lillie and Dawn out of the room. Bonnie and Aria remained behind. "You're feeling ready?"
"Yes," Serena said with confidence. "I think I really am."
"It's gonna be so awesome!" Bonnie called, throwing her hands to the air. Serena then noticed that Dedenne was atop her head, sitting on top of a flower clip that was adorning the teenager's hair. "Like, I'm way excited. I mean, Ash and Serena! The reception will be even better. And then there's after…"
"Bonnie…" Serena scolded her friend. The lemon blonde just offered a sly grin in her direction.
"I'm just saying. Everyone knows what comes after the wedding. Well…maybe Ash and Clemont don't, but they're dense. I bet you had to hold his hand through your first-"
"On that, we'll wait downstairs," Aria stated, patting Bonnie to maneuver her out of the room. Bonnie continued shooting her sly grin at Serena, who blushed at the implications. She really hated the time that the girl had spent with Lionel all those years ago; she imagined that Meyer did, too.
"Now, Serena's really a blushing bride!" Bonnie cheered. Then, she and Aria were gone, leaving Serena alone in her dress with her thoughts. She swallowed again and looked out of the window, over to the lab, and could see where everyone was starting to be seated by the ushers (which were really just Greninja, Infernape, Krookodile and Sceptile in bowties, with Snivy pushing and pulling chairs alongside Bulbasaur and Bayleef, who was stiff, but mellow enough). It would all start in just a few short moments.
"Braixen, are you ready, too?" she asked of her partner, the fox having helped with the dress, but remaining silent otherwise. It was like she was a guardian presence, and one that Serena was grateful to have. Braixen nodded, adorning her own head with a crown of flowers. "Thank you for being with me for this. You've always been one of my best friends. Now, please stay with me for this next chapter?"
"Brai brai!" Braixen said, smiling with her eyes. Serena reached forward and hugged her first ever Pokémon tightly. Just as Pikachu had always stuck by Ash's side, Braixen was always with her, just as she was and always would be. Serena was eternally glad for all the love and support from the fox (and all her Pokémon, of course). Once she'd finished, Serena straightened herself, Braixen taking hold of her wedding train and walking her down the stairs to join her bridesmaids, each adorned in a light pink that matched Bonnie, similar to the dress the Performer had worn in Kalos. Once the bouquet was in each of their hands, Serena smiled at them and at her father, who was standing by near the door.
"Everyone, thank you for everything," she said to them, smiling at each in turn. They returned the smile. "I think I'm ready to be married."
"Oh, my little boy looks so handsome!" Delia cooed at the sight of her son, reaching out to ruffle his hair, but stopping herself. Ash was grateful. He already felt uncomfortable enough in the suit that he'd picked out (or Brock had helped him pick out). Clemont and Gary looked just as uncomfortable, though Cilan didn't, while Brock seemed to approve of his own look, reminding the raven-haired trainer of their party at Ancien City, following the Team Tournament. That was a moment Ash couldn't forget, especially not today. However, he pushed it aside in time to see Croagunk was doing much the same as his trainer in admiring himself in the mirror, the little bowtie clashing horribly with his skin color. "You almost look just like your father on our wedding day, but so much more mature!"
"Is that possible?" Gary snarked. Ash glared at the brunet, who laughed, before proceeding to adjust his suit in order to make it fit better. After a sigh, Ash turned back towards his mother.
"Really?" he asked.
"Yes, very much so. Your father was quite the handsome man, after all," his mother said. Ash nodded, reaching up for the locket that was still around his neck, the gold chain hidden underneath his off-white (some may have said a pleasing gray) suit. He could feel the pictures there encouraging him, in a way. It was like his father was fully approving of his marriage, making him ready to face it fully. Hearing his mother tell him that he was handsome enough for the wedding made him feel that way, along with Pikachu on his shoulder, dressed in a little suit of his own.
"That's good to know. I bet Buneary will be head over heels for you, Pikachu," Ash said to his partner. The joke was evident, but Pikachu began sweating a little at the implication of it. "Well, anyway, I am totally psyched for this!"
"You look it, Ash," called a voice from the front doors of Professor Oak's lab. The raven-haired trainer's eyes lit up at the sight of the two men walking through, with another two people trailing behind them, obviously to visit the groom before the big event. "Goodness knows how long we've been vicariously following your engagement. Good to see you, Mrs. Ketchum."
"Er…yes?" Ash looked over as his mother wore a rather bemused expression at not noticing the two men approaching. Granted, one was completely silent and only offering a nod to the groom and Gary, but they were both recognizable to most there.
"Lionel, Aidan, you were able to make it?" Ash asked of his father's best friends. He stepped forward, careful not to trip in his wedding outfit, until he reached the darker-skinned of the two men and hugged him. "I'm glad."
"Please! Missing your wedding? Even a stick in the mud like Aidan wouldn't miss it," Lionel said, slapping Ash on the back as they withdrew. In the process, Ash saw the other two that had arrived with the pair of men, the first of them being Maka. The young woman was bounding over to his mother, handing her what looked like a small drive that contained something for the reception. Ash didn't pay attention to the details. He did look at who her companion was, though: Keoni, scratching the side of his head with exhaustion of either the day or other work. On second glance, his own suit complimented Maka's dress quite well. Aidan narrowed his gaze on Lionel.
"I was the one who reminded you," Aidan said. Lionel just laughed, but the blond finally adorned his own face with a smile. "Congratulations, Ash. Thank you for the invite. I'd…er, imagine that Seamus is around?"
"Yeah," was Ash's reply. That seemed to be all that the two men needed, prompting them to not stay long. With another brief hug and a wave farewell, Lionel and Aidan departed past Maka and Keoni, with the young male stepping forward. Ash noticed that his mother was still wearing a perplexed expression in the wake of Lionel and Aidan, but crossed it off her face like usual from the strange assortment of guests as Professor Oak descended from his lab's upper level, dressed in a suit that said he was ready to officiate the wedding.
"Ash," Keoni said. Ash watched him for a moment, his attention now drawn to the young man, and even Clemont had stopped moving. The other three groomsmen were speaking amongst each other, Cilan's particular way of speech being the most noticeable, yet Ash was solely focused on Keoni. "She's a great lady…and you're…pretty good with her. So, uh…take care of her and…uh…congrats. Yeah."
"Aw, Keoni's such a softy!" Maka said, reaching forward to grab her "date's" hand, and begin pulling him away. "Come on, let's get seats!"
"Maka, stop pulling! It's not like I'm your boyfriend!" Keoni protested, but allowed himself to get dragged along, anyway. Ash shook his head with a light laugh, and Professor Oak finished stepping down into the lower level while Tracey returned from the backyard.
"Everything is set for the reception this evening, professor!" the assistant (though Ash always felt he was an equal by this point) called over. Professor Oak clapped his hands together excitedly.
"Well, let's get this show on the road then!" Oak announced to the group there. "I already got word that the whole bridal party is ready. Are you all set, Ash?"
"You got it, professor!" Ash told him, fighting down the small nervousness with a thumbs up. Pikachu flexed his fist.
"Pikachu!" Ash breathed in at his partner's excitement, and all of his groomsmen drew close to him, with Cilan clapping him on the shoulder.
"Yes, his voice is filled with a lemony zest that speaks to his excitement of filling his life with this particular spice!" the connoisseur spoke. Oak nodded his head, and clapped his hands one more time, leading the way towards the exit from his lab. Ash's mother slipped close, taking her son's arm with a light smile and squeezing it. He felt her encouragement and pride, and the pair of mother and son began to walk after Professor Oak. Tracey also did, splitting off the second they were outside and running for the site of the wedding over the hills and plains. Behind Ash were his groomsmen, Brock leading the pack with a grin.
Their own party continued walking until they reached a spot just at the end of one of the rolling hills. Ash knew that directly over it was the crowd of people there for the wedding. He could hear them just beyond the light embankment, but couldn't see them, and they couldn't see him. It was obvious, though, by the sight of Trevor and Todd to the sides, snapping quick photos. Most important, however, was the group of women now approaching, with Shauna in the lead, and Dawn, Lillie and Bonnie trailing behind her ecstatically. The only ones not there were Serena and her father.
"Well, it would seem that we're all gathered here, then," Oak said. He was grinning from ear to ear, showing how utterly excited he was for the events that were to come. Ash could share in that excitement as Shauna and Brock hooked arms. The others all followed suit behind them, with Dawn paired up with Gary, Lillie with Clemont, and Bonnie looking just a little annoyed at Cilan.
"I'd rather be paired up with Max…" the youngest of them complained. Clemont chuckled a bit, but stopped when his sister glared at him. "No funny thoughts, Clemont!"
"Come on, all of you. This isn't about the wedding party," Brock reminded them all sternly. Ash knew that insistence would probably fly out the window the second he saw Aria, Cynthia or Diantha, but for the moment he appreciated his friend's efforts. Ash's mother squeezed his arm tighter, and Oak stood up a little straighter.
"If we're ready then, I believe it's time to begin!" the professor stated triumphantly, his voice rising over the hills and plains of Pallet Town. Beyond, the crowd quieted, clearly realizing that the ceremony was about to begin. Ash also realized it, and he squeezed his own mother's arm while Pikachu patted his face with a paw. "As we rehearsed, Ash, my boy."
Ash couldn't quite form words at that moment, so he jerked his head up and down a little. That was enough for the professor, who spun around and began walking forward, up the hill. Despite his older age, he was still as spry as ever, and the general sound of chairs moving across grass mere moments later showed that the guests had seen him coming.
The music started. Ash breathed in. Pikachu stood up straight on his shoulder, and then his mother tapped her foot. It was time to move. With an almost trembling step forward, Ash's foot hit the grass, carrying him and his mother up the small hill, soon arriving in view of all of the guests at the ceremony. Though there were so many of them there, watching him, from Paul (who looked mildly uncomfortable) to Kahili (who just looked odd in a dress, despite the familiar proud smirk), that Ash found confidence with every step forward. The band, led by his old rival Nando and a group of Chatot and Kricketune, continued on with their steady pace, not wavering once.
Neither did Ash, arm clasped with his mother's.
He continued walking onto the carpet that led to the altar, where Ash stared ahead at Professor Oak. The man was smiling warmly as he waited, and for a second, Ash allowed his gaze to drift. He saw his gathered friends there, all of them looking nice, and took notice of Diantha, who nodded at him. Close to the front row, Ash blinked a little, seeing three familiar individuals, dressed in worse disguises than he knew they were capable of, but bawling their eyes out at the sight. Ash smiled at their presence there, feeling it wouldn't have been complete without them. Around the borders of the wedding setup were Ash's Pokémon, each of them full of clear excitement and exuberance, with some even dressed for the occasion. Ash breathed out, and finally he reached the edge of the path to the altar. Pikachu tapped him with his tail from behind, prompting Ash to go through all of the things they had rehearsed. He let go of his mother and gave a slight bow to her, allowing her to shuttle off to the side.
By this point, Grace had stood on the bride's side of the family, and Ash took her hand and bowed to her. It seemed like a strange tradition, but Ash was all right with it as Grace gave him her approving look before sitting down once again. Ash then swallowed and finished making his way up to the altar. He wanted to run, but forced himself to slow, taking in the sight of the beautifully adorned archway, layered with flowers. Light blossoms floated up on the air, too, wafted up by the soft breeze as Ash took the position that was marked for him. Knowing he had nothing left to do for the moment, Ash turned to watch the rest of the procession while Pikachu adjusted his bowtie on his suit. Both were pretty sure that Buneary swooned next to Iris and May. Piplup just pouted that he wasn't up there with his best friend.
Within moments, Brock was walking forward with Shauna, both of them ramrod straight, though Ash's Best Man couldn't seem to help but wink at Aria in the crowd. She giggled, while Misty's fingers looked to be twitching, the same as Max's. Thankfully, Croagunk, who was stealthily sliding along at his trainer's side, restrained himself, and the two soon reached the altar. They were quickly filed in with a more graceful pairing of Dawn and Gary, an embarrassed pair of Lillie and Clemont (with Hau's mouth covered by Gladion to prevent any comments, as Hala shook his head and Kukui and Burnet laughed), and finally a rather exuberant pairing in Bonnie and Cilan, who almost seemed to forget they were at a wedding for a moment until Professor Oak cleared his throat. That made them shape up real quick, but Bonnie decided to be a tease and wink to Max in the crowd, as though taunting him that she was up there and he wasn't. Ash wasn't sure Max cared, but he did seem to flush with embarrassment.
The band continued on, and murmurs were coming through the crowd of guests, all of them turning to see the next member of the procession, who happened to be Oshawott, the little Pokémon running forward with his scalchop held in his flippers, the two wedding rings settled upon them.
"Osha!" he cried as he began running down the aisle proudly, his chest puffed out. Some of the females in the seats, such as Acerola, appeared to find the Sea Otter Pokémon adorable, and he ran with that perception. Ash quirked an eyebrow as he heard Paul and Trip snort (the latter quieter than the former), but the Water type kept trying his best. At one point, he almost tripped, until an arrow flitted through to lock him in place until his balance was regained. Once he had, he started forward. "Osha osha wott!"
"Thank you very much, Oshawott," Brock stated, bending down to take the rings and patting him on the head. Looking very proud, and getting a smiling nod from Ash, Oshawott left the altar to join Snivy and Pignite, both looking proud of him, as well. Then Ash saw Sylveon, and his heartrate spiked. They were getting closer.
"Sylvie! Sylvie!" Sylveon called, a basket secured to her head with one of her ribbons while the other ribbon flicked the flowers out onto the carpet. She smiled at all of those watching her, to Ash's own sense of pride. It was proof of how far Serena and she had come that Sylveon wasn't even batting an eye at more or less performing, prancing along the corridor between the chairs, in front of so many people until, finally, she finished her flowery procession, and darted to the bride's side of the guests. There, she joined with Primarina, Sandshrew and Pancham, all of them turning to face the back. In fact, everyone did so, and Ash looked to Pikachu. It was time.
The band suddenly faded, and then changed up with a different tune, one that Ash had so far only heard on television.
Like a loud sound of clattering, everyone stood while the band swelled, staring for the point at the crest of the hill that Ash knew Serena was about to finally walk over. It took a few minutes, but at long last, she did.
He'd never thought about it before, and it had rarely affected him, but in that moment, Ash was surprised at the fact he'd had his breath stolen away. Maybe it was because Serena was naturally so beautiful to him. Maybe it was because he was just so used to seeing her in natural clothes. Or maybe it was just the atmosphere of it all. Regardless of any of that, what Ash knew right then was that Serena looked absolutely gorgeous in her wedding dress, and he felt his body heating up, cheeks flushing, and every bit of him was tingling with the excitement. She, too, was wearing her usual radiant smile that was enough to make everyone melt under it. Some did, while others gasped at how beautiful she looked.
Even with all that, Ash could see how little vanity his bride-to-be held, nodding at all of them graciously, while gripping to her bouquet of familiar flowers. Ash had never been surprised that she'd chosen those particular ones for this day. On her arm, walking her down the aisle, was her father, looking like he was as proud as could be. His own gaze was held on Ash, as if reiterating what was shared between them just a few days before. That made him stand straighter, continuing to stare at Serena's utterly angelic figure. He really couldn't imagine her any more perfect as Braixen made sure her train didn't cause her to trip. The closer she got, the more that Ash saw she was actually wearing a light veil, slightly obscuring her beautiful golden locks, until, finally, she reached the end of the aisle.
There was a brief moment of silence as the band began to fade into the quiet, and Serena turned to face her father, smiling at him. Ash beamed to Pikachu, both of them realizing how much this moment meant to her, not only as a father giving away his daughter, but also as a sign of just who her father was. It was, therefore, heartwarming when Y lifted her veil and kissed her on the head, and then both cheeks, before lowering it once again, allowing her to finally step up onto the altar. Shauna reached forward and took her bouquet of asters, zinnias and lilies, before she stepped forward. Pikachu nudged Ash, and he did the same, the two finally meeting while everyone began to sit.
"Hey," she breathed, looking flushed with all the excitement that only this situation could bring. Ash couldn't bring himself to say anything. He did know that he wanted to kiss her, but remembered that he couldn't. Instead, he reached out to take her hands and squeeze them before smiling. She smiled right back, some of her teeth showing.
Bonnie suddenly hissed out, "Shouldn't you be at the top? Stop being googly eyed."
"Bonnie!" Clemont whispered harshly. Of course, in the wide-open space, it carried over the entire crowd, making some of them laugh. There were a few raucous ones from those of Guzma and Family. Ash couldn't help but let himself laugh at well, easing whatever tension there was inside him, dispelling it almost entirely. Taking Serena's hand tightly, the engaged, soon to be married, couple ascended the last of the distance to stand before Professor Oak, who observed the both of them with his ever-warm smile. The professor cleared his throat, offering the couple a chance to breathe.
"Dearly beloved, family, friends, guests and many others besides," he began, clearly trying to encompass everyone, "we're gathered here today, as you all know, to celebrate the joining of Ash Ketchum and Serena in holy matrimony. This is a big milestone for any couple, and especially for the two here, after having braved much, even chronicled by many of you here. To that, I and this couple invite you to be attentive in remembrance for this event, and the joining of two lives as one. In fact, for this very moment, I've prepared a haiku."
"Professor…" Ash muttered under his breath, not realizing that the man had actually gone this far in preparing for the ceremony. Dawn looked taken away behind Serena, though, eyes shimmering while Gary shrugged in amusement. Serena just squeezed Ash's hand.
"Two hearts beating one, Ash Ketchum and Serena, a wedding most bright," the professor said sharply, clearly proud of himself for what he had come up with. Some of the crowd seemed to laugh at the professor's words, but somehow, Ash seemed to recognize just what they meant to himself. His eyes briefly traveled to the forest beyond, where he'd met Serena so long ago. It lent all the more meaning to Oak's words. "Now, before we begin the ceremony here, I'd like to express my own gratitude at officiating the ceremony for these two. I've known Ash since he was a small child, always playing around, and I remember Serena quite keenly from my own Summer Camp here in Pallet Town.
"I never thought they'd end up marrying one another back then, but from my perspective, neither are more suited for one another. It gives me great joy to see such two young people grow and flourish as a couple, ready to take the step forward that is marriage; one which many of you here may know, and likewise, many of you have yet to discover. Yet, as Kanto's leading professor, I have had to be attentive through much, and I ask you to do so here for Ash and Serena, just as Pikachu and Braixen will be witnesses for these two."
"Pika pika!" Pikachu called out, raising a paw, as if to confirm that what Oak said was true. Braixen also agreed with it, though was far less vocal than Pikachu.
"Now, a moment for those who could not be here today, if you please," Professor Oak said, and the weight hit Ash tightly. Serena continued to squeeze his hand, sharing in the weight, like she was lifting that burden from him. He really loved that about her, the way she was always so willing to take on burdens and make people lighter, but knew how to moderate herself, typically. Knowing all too acutely the loss of his father, he appreciated her always being there for him.
Bowing his head, Ash looked over to his mother as she wiped tears from her eyes, looking up at the altar with a smile. He knew: she wasn't crying because Jack Ketchum wasn't here, but because Ash Ketchum was. After that brief moment of silence passed through the crowd, each of them raised their heads, prepared to go on with the ceremony, allowing Ash one more chance to see the amalgamation of familiar faces that included members of various Elite Fours, and even those two guys from the event eight years ago that had led the couple here. Once he'd finished that glance, Professor Oak began to speak once more.
"Mm-mm, well, with that, I believe it's time for us to wed these two, don't you think?" Professor Oak asked, though it appeared to be less directed towards the crowd, and more towards the couple themselves. "Ash and Serena, standing before me here, grown up adults that have guided the waves of the world, fought against its merciless tide and come out on top, both of you are ready for the commitment that is upon you, I'd imagine. Of course, marriage isn't something to be taken lightly, but after all you've done for each other, supporting one another in times of weakness, despair and danger, all while being a positive force for good in the other's life, I don't think this is much of an issue for either of you to make this commitment in this moment."
"No, it's not," Serena insisted. Ash gave a slightly crooked grin from the side, while Professor Oak nodded sharply. He agreed with the bride's words, and looked more than happy to have heard them from her.
"As someone who's had the pleasure of knowing you both, I am sure that myself and many others here can agree that your relationship is one of the strongest bonds, only surpassed by those held with your Pokémon." Pikachu and Braixen called out, as did the rest of the couple's combined Pokémon in the crowd, signifying their own agreement of the statement. "Ironically, as I can also tell you, it is these same important bonds that are needed for a marriage. Trust, belief, care, concern, love; all of the very qualities that have helped transform you into tremendous Pokémon trainers, the likes of which can have a wedding as large as this, are the same ones needed for a strong and healthy marriage. Do you agree?"
"We agree," Ash and Serena spoke together. There were some flashes of the cameras in the crowd, ones that Ash had only noticed once before, and a little bit of happy sighing, but Ash ignored it. Already he could actually feel a little hunger, but pushed it away. Yet, Serena knew these things all the same while Professor Oak bristled, ready to move on.
"Before moving on, I suppose I should ask for any objections…?" Ash raised an eyebrow, turning back for all of a second to see if there, in fact, would be any. Bonnie had turned, too, glaring at the crowd alongside Dawn, as if daring them. Ash's groomsmen were far less prone to it. Either way, not a single word was uttered in objection. Though, words were spoken.
"Would we really be here if there were objections? Get on with it," Paul called from the back, clearly bored. Ash would have expected no less from his rival, and the same with the purple-haired man's brother, elbowing him for curt rudeness. Although, the murmur that cascaded through the crowd seemed to show agreement with Paul's ideas.
"Very well, since there are none. Brock, could I have the rings?"
"Here they are," Brock said, holding his hand out to display the two wedding bands that Oshawott had delivered. The Sea Otter still looked utterly proud of that moment, moreso than any battle. It seemed to elicit a giggle from Mairin, who'd been paying attention to him from somewhere in the crowd next to Alain and what looked like Ash's old acquaintance Anabel. The professor took the rings, and held them up for Ash and Serena to see, the raven-haired groom now facing firmly front again with embarrassment. Pikachu shook his head.
"These rings serve as the physical representation of your marriage, blessed as it is, and it is with these you will wed each other, to signify and symbolize the eternity of your love," Oak continued on. Ash was listening raptly, trying to remember all of the parts of the rehearsal and what was coming next. His body grew jittery with the anticipation, but remembering Serena's presence there helped calm him. "By entering into marriage, as my haiku so perfectly illustrated-"
There was a cough in the crowd from what sounded like Samson Oak, clapped on the back by Kukui and sounding oddly like, "Show off". Oak passed it off, ignoring his younger cousin.
"By entering into marriage," he stated again, this time with more emphasis, "you will become two hearts beating as one. Here, you claim your commitment on this journey together as one in spirit. This is, of course, your commitment in coming here today. And it is for this reason that Ash and Serena have their own vows to share before we can finally wed these two! So, that said, if you could exchange your vows."
Ash swallowed once more and turned, facing Serena, and taking her other hand in his. From that position he had a far better view of the wedding party and the guests beyond. Dawn and Lillie looked to actually be holding back tears, while Shauna smiled, almost bouncing up and down with the bouquet. In the crowd, various others that knew them best had begun to tear up as well, while the obvious trio that was Team Rocket (plus Wobbuffet) were practically bawling.
"Da twoip wrote his own vows!"
"Hush, you two. I don't have much romance these days, so I need it!" Jessie snapped. Serena laughed a little under her breath, yet held it in nonetheless. Ash looked to her, staring into her beautiful blue eyes, and wondered if he should go first in sharing the lines. For some reason, he quite forgot the order of things from all those rehearsals. Thankfully, his soon-to-be better half let go of his hand and touched him lightly on the cheek, the coolness of her engagement ring lingering there.
"Ash Ketchum," she said, voice carrying across to a now quieting crowd, even with the sniffles dotting said expanse of people. "I met you when I was just five years old, a scared girl in the woods, frightened of a Poliwag. When you appeared before me that day, you were like a knight in shining armor; one that I would never forget. Years later, we reunited, and my feelings of love for you only grew. With everything you did, you inspired me, and helped me to grow as both a Pokémon trainer, and as a person. Without you, I would not be who I am, let alone standing here with you."
"Brai," Braixen agreed, cutting across a pause in Serena's words. Bonnie, for all her lack of decorum, placed her hands behind her head and grinned at that action. In the crowd, Ash could faintly see Miette smirking, while Sawyer watched the exchange from next to her with wide eyes. Serena breathed in and out.
"The day I told you that I loved you was a freeing day, but at the same time, it was this day of clarity for me, because it helped me realize how I truly felt about you, wanted to stay with you forever, and what that meant," Serena continued on. She looked right at him, smiling up at him and holding back even her own tears. "Ash Ketchum, from Ancien City on, I promised to love you, cherish you, protect you, inspire you, and at the end of the day, care for your entire being, even when you choose to not do so for yourself. I promise to love you until there's no more breath in my body or beating in my heart. Even beyond that, I will always be there for you. Because nothing we do in our marriage the rest of our lives will be a waste of time.
"I love you, Ash. I love you, and no matter the hardships before us, be it a family, a battle or anything the world throws at us, I will continue loving you with every fiber of my being. Forever."
"Yeah, she does!" Bonnie stated, giving a sly grin over to Miette, who seemed to wink at her. There was a light clapping in the crowd from her statement. Clemont rolled his eyes, clearly refraining from scolding his sister further. James and Meowth appeared to start actually crying louder than Jessie, talking about how their "twerp had grown up", despite the fact Ash hadn't said a word yet. Jessie showed remarkably more constraint, dabbing at her eyes with the romance of it all, like a movie actress. Ash just raised an eyebrow at the three of them, subtle and unnoticeable as it was, but couldn't stop grinning. He did wait for all of the females to settle down from Serena's vow to him, one that made his heart swell inside with love for the woman before him, and watched as Professor Oak wiped some sweat from his brow. When everything quieted, the guests all waiting for Ash to speak, he did so. Pikachu's cheeks sparked a little to encourage him.
"Serena, you're the best, most amazing person I know," Ash started. He knew it didn't sound overtly romantic or sappy, but Serena stood there patiently, waiting for him. She was always waiting for him. "I love you, because of so many things I can't even say. For the way you took my hand in Ancien City. From how you always believed in me at my worst. The ability to see the best in me at those moments is what makes you so amazing. That you put up with my empty stomach, and my long training sessions. And my recklessness, which I always try to not have but somehow end up having it anyway!
"Chupichu…" Pikachu agreed, shrugging a bit. Serena laughed at the thought of it, showcasing yet again how beautiful her laugh was. It urged Ash to go on with his less than eloquent vow, but one spoken from the heart.
"You're…a beautiful person. Not only on the outside, because you are, and I love seeing your smile and hearing your laugh and everything you do, but also on the inside, because you always strive to help someone else," Ash assured her. She smiled to ensure he was saying all the right things, her eyes watering as she slowly understood the point he was getting at, just as she always did. "To ease their burden when they need it. Yet, you're sometimes vulnerable, and when I see that side of you, it helps remind me of a lot of other reasons I love you. That you're not someone perfect. You can get frustrated when things go wrong, and you scold me when I'm doing something not so great. And it's those moments where I love you more, because…I think the moment I really fell in love with you wasn't when we fought together in Ancien City, but the moment that you were crying on the battlefield after losing, even if I didn't know it then. I think that's it because…that's when I wanted to protect you most.
"Not that marriage is all about protecting, but I love you, and that's what I promise to do. I promise to protect you, support you and our family in everything we or you do, inspire you, push you forward, and take every step together, even if it's just a baby step. We could be having a hard time or a great time, but it's nothing different from any journey we've taken together. I promise to always walk that next journey with you forever. And…I'll never give up on loving you or us until the very end."
"Ash…" Serena whispered, the tears now well and truly forming in her eyes. Bonnie, for once in the entire ceremony, seemed to stop grinning and raised a hand up to rub at her eyes. Dedenne peered down, but she brushed him aside. Ash looked behind to Brock, Clemont, Gary and Cilan, all of them looking moderately impressed with the vow. Serena was what truly mattered, though, and she looked to be restraining herself from throwing her arms around him. In the crowd, Lionel gave an audible chuckle, all while shaking his head and wiping at his own eyes. Aidan said nothing. Serena stepped forward, and the two leaned to touch their foreheads against each other.
"Forever," they both said without thinking, and a small smattering of claps rose from the crowd by Korrina and Meyer.
"Their vows made, we now take these rings and wed Ash and Serena to each other," Professor Oak said, grabbing the couple's attention once more, displaying the pair before them. The professor looked insistently at Ash, and he got the message, remembering the next part from the rehearsals clearly, now that the memory of his vow was in the back of his mind. As another camera flash went off, he grabbed the ring and took Serena's hand.
"This ring is my promise, Serena, to never give up until the very end, and love you forever and ever. So, with it, I marry you," Ash said, unable to stop himself from grinning, but proud that he could remember, as he slid her engagement ring off, fitted the wedding band around it and slid it back on. Serena reached for his ring.
"And this is my promise to you, Ash, to always love and cherish you, no matter what. To never giving up, myself, and never giving into any despair. With this, I marry you," she said, her chest rising and falling with the sheer tension of the moment. Ash could feel it permeating the crowd, as well, as she slid the ring on to his finger and let it simply rest there, cold against it. Their hands both shook as they turned one final time to Professor Oak, the researcher beaming like a madman in the moment. Ash never thought he'd see him so excited for something that wasn't strictly Pokémon-related.
"With our couple having now made their vows fully to one another, I and the power of the regional authorities vested in me, and all life on our good world, human and Pokémon alike," the professor began, taking a deep breath with the same smile, "pronounce you, Ash and Serena, to be husband and wife from here on and forever more. I do believe this is the kissing part."
"Yeah! Kissy kissy!" Bonnie cried, finally getting over whatever tears she was having.
"Denenene!" Dedenne called, clearly just as eager to see the events. Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder, joining next to Greninja, who was narrowly avoiding Braixen's gaze, but nodding approvingly as he adjusted his bowtie.
Ash turned to Serena again, not letting the smile drop from his face. It was almost nerve-wracking to think about what was next, but the hard part was done. After so much time, they were finally married. Serena, however, leaned in.
"You do still have to kiss me, you know?" she stated, sending a chill down his spine, but a rather pleasant one. Drawing back, she appeared to swallow, and Ash knew she was just as nervous. "So…go for broke."
"You got it!" he said under his breath, and in one smooth motion, he reached forward and pulled her veil back before grabbing hold of her and kissing her. It was just a singular moment, but one that they vanished into.
The crowd cheered wildly. Talonflame led all of Ash's fliers through the air with an explosion of fireworks. Sylveon threw flowers up into the air. People stood and cheered loudly. Team Rocket clutched on to one another and started bawling loudly. Ash's mother shook with tears and laughter of joy, while Serena's parents held each other closely. The wedding party all clapped while Ash spun Serena around a moment, hardly thinking, but instead just living in the moment. Charizard sent a belching flame into the air in celebration. There were so many guests that it would have been impossible to count, but to the newly married couple, it didn't matter: they were in their own world.
"Yeah! Ash and Serena are married!" Bonnie called, as if announcing it to the world. Funnily enough, that was almost exactly what she was doing, and the cheers agreed with it. "Woohoo!"
"Ah! Bonnie!" Clemont cried, diving for his sister as she made to leap on to the married couple.
"Serena, I think you'll want this!" Shauna called, inserting the bouquet in for Serena to grab before Bonnie could cause a pileup on the altar. Papers, likely from Professor Oak's notes for reciting the wedding ceremony, flew everywhere as he tossed them. As the wedding party all made to give a great hug to the couple, surrounded by both the bride and groom's Pokémon, someone snapped a picture.
And while they didn't know it then, that one picture of them, surrounded by their family, became the couple's most cherished picture of their wedding for the rest of their lives.
Author's Note: And so, they're married! I worked pretty hard to give a great ceremony, and I hope it didn't feel too dry. I mean, sure, I could have had something go wrong, but that would just seem so utterly cliché for this moment where all the fun quips and moments will be at the coming reception. I wanted this to be very focused on the couple, with only snippets of others that were there. Hopefully their vows and the rest of the ceremony was as beautiful as I hoped it would turn out. And hopefully I didn't miss too much, either.
Anyway, that out of the way, time for my listing of thanks for people, given there was a chapter before this: 7roop3r, AmourshippingSatoSereCanon, Asucru, BlazingEdge, Catboy41, ChaosOverlord65, ChipmunkOfOz, Citylover96, Darren1138, DeadlyToxic777, Don't nV me, DrTheris, FrivMasterAnthony2, Gryffindor-Sword, HunterZX, Kevin the Amourshipper, LoreilDarksky00, MANbearPIG01, Maurice Elias A. Nigma, Rokudosatoshi, RougeClyde, SarahHaaa, SnoekTheAmourshipper, Takso708, TheRyanito, TheShapeH31, YokaiShoubiao, fivetro, jlogan2748, Kirbykid13, matthewzelesky, micro0951 and smashfighter57 for favoriting; ArtisticFoxCat1, Burning-soul17, Demon Shadow5000, EquinoxWolf, GunnersFan55, Paleb05, dudethatsfunky, jn512, miga330 and princelotor81 for following; and a really huge thanks to Eldergi, Amourshipper1306, Tenzalucard123, RWBYSanctum, Amourshiper35, FantasyLover88, Rajiv A. Rajiram, StacheKing, Gehatik, TheEnigmatic97, M, ChE clarinetist, Mike, AdvancedAlto, ultimateCCC, XDiamondX90, Omegaz, potat lasaro, aliensinnoh, AmourshippingCanon and 5 guests for reviewing! Stick with me for the reception that is coming next time for a little more fun! Until then, please Review and Dare to Be Silly.
