Guys, this is my absolute favorite chapter of this project. Yes, I pick favorites, and this is the best one, I swear. I just love it so, so much. Maybe because it's based off of the most shippy song on the CD? Either way, I just really love it, so I'm really excited to have you guys read it :D
This is based off the seventh song on the CD: Under the Mistletoe.
Under the Mistletoe
There's a feeling I'm getting,
I just can't explain,
Makin' me glad tonight.
Maybe it's Christmas,
Maybe the snow,
Maybe the mistletoe.
Ash was confused.
He couldn't, for the life of him, figure out why his mother was standing on a step ladder, hanging up some silly looking plant in the doorframe. It was kind of a sad looking decoration, especially compared to the beautiful Christmas tree standing in the corner of the living room.
It was a bit intrusive, too. After all, his mother was hanging the stupid plant on the top of the doorframe that separated the living room from the kitchen. And Ash wanted to get into the kitchen. That's where the Christmas cookies that his mother had baked were.
Ash glared up at that stupid plant. It was in his way. It was the reason his mother was standing on that step ladder, and blocking his path into the kitchen. It was the reason for his raging hunger.
Or maybe it was just his "unsustainable appetite" that his mother always went on and on about. Ash had no idea what that meant either.
As if on cue, his stomach growled, loudly enough for everyone in the house to hear. Fortunately, the only two in the house were him and his mother. Ash's cheeks turned red, an uncontrollable habit, while his mother peered down at him and giggled airily.
"Oh, is my sweet little boy hungry?" Delia asked.
"Yes, Mommy!" Ash nodded furiously, the blush on his cheeks subsiding just as quickly as it had appeared.
Delia descended the step ladder and folded it up, temporarily leaning it against the wall with the intention of putting it back in the closet later. Her young son came before all else, of course.
"And I can just guess what you're thinking of!" Delia's eyes were sparkling. "Those delicious sugar cookies I made earlier! Am I right?"
"Uh huh!" Ash nodded once more.
"Well then, I suppose we'll just have to go into the kitchen and get some!" Delia announced.
This was certainly enough for Ash. He started giggling wildly, overjoyed at the prospect of having some tasty cookies. His mother's cooking was the best, and her baking was even better. Ash loved sweet things, even if they could sometimes make him act like a wild Pokémon. Without much more thought, Ash made a mad dash for the kitchen, running as fast as his little four year old legs would take him. Unfortunately for the boy, he was stopped in his tracks by none other than his mother, who had grabbed the child by the back of his dark blue sweater.
"Mommy!" Ash whined, struggling to escape from the woman's hold. "Let go! I'm hungwy!"
"In just a second, sweetheart," Delia cooed before leaning down to give the boy a kiss on his cheek.
This stopped Ash's still moving legs instantly. He turned his head, staring at his mother in horror as though she had just slapped him…not kissed him.
"BLECH!" Ash wailed, rubbing furiously at his cheek to get the wetness off. "Icky!" Staring up angrily at his amused mother, Ash demanded, "why'd you kiss me?!"
"Because, dear, we were standing under the mistletoe!"
"What the heck is that?" Ash grumbled, not at all propitiated by the answer.
"That's the mistletoe," Delia smiled, pointing up at the same plant she'd just been hanging on the doorframe. Ash narrowed his eyes at the object. That plant. That stupid plant.
It was worse than he had thought.
"Why's it there?" Ash huffed.
"Because it's a Christmas decoration," his mother replied sweetly. "And it's just perfect for the party!"
"What pawty?"
Now it was Delia's turn to frown. "Oh, sweetheart, don't tell me you forgot about the party."
"I dunno," Ash shrugged, his pure innocence overtaking him.
"I invited a bunch of people over to the house for a fun little Christmas party," Delia answered helpfully, finally making her way into the kitchen. This brought a smile to Ash's face, since the child knew he'd soon be getting his beloved cookies. "You know; Auntie Katherine, Mr. and Mrs. Hale with baby Molly, Professor Oak and Gary-"
"Gawy Oak?" Ash spat, his joy disappearing all over again.
"Yes, Ash, Gary Oak," Delia picked up a Christmas tree shaped cookie and handed it off to her young son. "And you'd better be nice to him, young man! Otherwise, Santa isn't going to bring you any presents."
Delia skirted out of the kitchen, her back towards Ash as the boy once again looked up at the hanging plant in order to glare at it.
He hated the mistletoe.
There's a secret I'm keepin',
That no one can hear,
A feeling deep in my heart.
Maybe this Christmas
My true love will show,
Under the mistletoe.
"Boy, this party sure is crowded!"
Ash was visiting his mother in Pallet Town for the holidays, where she was hosting what had become their annual Christmas party. Ash had invited some friends, however, so the house was a little more packed than usual.
"Hey, wait a minute! There's Christmas cookies over there! Let's go get some, Pikachu!"
"Pika!" Pikachu, who was sitting atop his master's head in order to see over the throng of people, squeaked in delight.
Ash started to make a dash towards the table full of holiday treats, when he was immediately stopped by the figure of a slim, beautiful girl with sparkling emerald eyes and obviously tinted cheeks.
"Hi, Ash," Misty greeted a little shyly.
"Oh, hi Misty," Ash murmured, pulling his lips into a smile. He was happy to see his best friend, especially after having gone quite a while without seeing her, but right now he was very hungry, and those Christmas cookies were really calling his name.
"Great party, huh?" Misty questioned, trying to make small talk with the raven haired teenager standing before her.
"Yeah," Ash nodded certainly, hurrying out his words as he motioned towards Pikachu, "we were just going to get something to eat."
"Hey, did you see Nurse Joy?" Misty questioned with a small laugh, desperate for Ash not to get away.
"Yeah," Ash's smile became a bit more genuine. "Maybe you should go tell Brock."
"Maybe not," Misty giggled, slowly becoming more sure of herself. After that, some more silence slipped in between the old friends, however, and any of Misty's gained confidence disappeared.
"Anyway…" Ash finally broke the silence, trying to make it less awkward, "can we squeeze past you? We're pretty hungry."
"Oh, sure," Misty frowned, knowing there was no stopping her longtime friend. She still wanted to get him to listen to her, however, and that wasn't going to happen unless she got the right words out. "Okay. Um…aah!"
Before she knew it, Ash had pushed past her, his eyes still ravenously set on the food table. Misty glowered after the boy, but knew she had to drop the anger in order to get him where she wanted him. So, while Ash was busy stuffing his face with cookies, Misty made her way towards the doorframe that separated the living room from the kitchen and stood by the wall, waiting for Ash to finish his snacking.
Meanwhile, the future Pokémon Master felt accomplished in his task, having successfully eaten a total of ten Christmas cookies. He was still a bit hungry, but Ash didn't want to fill up before his mother's famed holiday dinner. Speaking of which, he figured he'd wander into the kitchen and see what was currently on the stove. Maybe he could sneak a bit and test it out before anyone else got to try the food. He made his way to the doorframe, but stopped when he saw Misty leaning against the side of the entry way. Ash smiled sweetly at her and stopped for a small chat, understanding that he had slightly dissed her before and should probably make up for it.
"Hi, Ash," Misty greeted once more. "Did you get something to eat?"
"Yeah, sure did," Ash beamed at the teenaged girl.
"Um, Ash…" Misty looked down at her foot, which she was nervously scuffing against the hardwood floor, "did you realize we're standing under the mistletoe?"
"Huh?" Ash slowly turned his gaze upwards, where, just as Misty had said, he found the menacing little plant hanging between them. "Waaa!" With that, he tried to run into the kitchen, but was quickly stopped by Misty, who had grabbed onto his shoulders. She blushed upon feeling just how much broader they had gotten.
"Ash!" Misty chastised, not willing to let go of the boy. "Where are you going?"
"Uh, I'm getting some more Christmas cookies!"
"But you just got some cookies!"
"Yeah, I know! Come on, Pikachu!"
Pikachu, however, was not about to give into his trainer once again. He could sense what Misty wanted, and Pikachu wanted it for the both of them. He was sick and tired of Ash's oblivious attitude. So, getting as defiant as he possibly could, Pikachu gave the boy a small shock before leaping off of his hat covered head, flicking the trainer on the shin with his lightning bolt shaped tail before scurrying away.
"Ow…" Ash complained, trying to shake out the electricity that was still flowing through his veins. "What the heck was that about?"
"He realizes that you have a problem," Misty folded her arms, giving Ash a dark look.
"Huh?" He blinked, confused as to what Misty meant.
"I've been trying to talk to you, and all you keep doing is running away to eat," Misty narrowed her eyes.
"Because I'm always hungry!" Ash tried.
"That doesn't excuse the fact that you're being rude to me," Misty finally spoke her true feelings. Ash seemed taken aback by Misty's comment, and after a few seconds, he seemed to look a little…hurt.
"I'm…I'm sorry, Mist," Ash's voice was genuine. "I wasn't trying to hurt you. Honest."
Breathing out, Misty gave the teenager a weak smile and replied, "I know you would never hurt me on purpose, Ash. You're too good of a friend to do that."
Once again, Ash was surprise. "You…you think I'm a good friend?"
"The very best," Misty nodded.
Ash really looked happy now. Misty was blushing heavily, and Ash couldn't figure out why. Then, looking up, he realized that they were still underneath the mistletoe.
"Oh…" Ash blinked, slowly lowering his eyes back onto Misty. She was giving him a sweet smile, and Ash decided to return the action. Her entire body visibly trembling, Misty leaned forward, her lips pursing in preparation. Feeling just as nervous, Ash closed his own eyes, anxious to see what was coming. It wasn't what he had expected, however. And it wasn't even what Misty had been expecting.
She had gotten too nervous to kiss him on the lips. So, instead, she had given him a kiss on the cheek.
As soon as her lips left his cheek, Ash opened his eyes, and found himself staring into Misty's green orbs. The two smiled feebly at one another before Misty departed, floating into the kitchen without another word to the bubbly Ash.
He was starting to think the mistletoe wasn't so bad.
Jolly ol' St. Nicholas
Before the night is through
There's something very special that
I'd like to say to you
Merry, merry Christmas
I'd like you to know
I'm hoping that I meet someone
Under the mistletoe
Ash peeked into the kitchen, chuckling quietly to himself. He was staring at three different figures, all huddled around a pot on the stove.
It was his mother's annual Christmas party, and the house was full of people and holiday cheer. Everyone was dressed up, and the smell of his mother's delicious cooking was filling the air. Ash couldn't wait to get his hands on dinner.
And something else, too.
One of the figures turned around, causing Ash to squeak and press himself further against the doorframe that separated the kitchen from the living room. A seemingly permanent smile was set on his face. The young man was waiting, and no one dared to disturb him from his mission.
The first of the figures, the same one who had just turned around, suddenly appeared in front of Ash, with the intention of walking into the living room. Instead, Ash grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around, giving the surprised woman a kiss on her cheek.
"Ash, what in the world?" Delia giggled, her russet eyes bright with glee.
"You know what," Ash smirked, motioning upwards. Delia glanced up and started to laugh once again, her cheeks glowing a light shade of pink.
"Oh, Ash. Aren't you just the cutest thing!"
"I try," Ash replied smartly. "How is dinner coming along?"
"I knew you would ask me that question," Delia winked. "Just perfectly! Especially with my two wonderful assistants helping me out!"
"That's great!" Ash chuckled. "You might want to refill the cookie tray, by the way. I kind of-"
"Went through all of them?" Delia interrupted, a knowing gleam in her amber eyes.
"Heh…kinda!"
"It's no problem," Delia smirked, giving her son a gentle tap on the nose. "I'll go get some more cookies and fix that tray right up! But this time, you stay away from there! Save some for the rest of the guests."
"Yes, Mom," Ash chuckled, knowing his mother was fully serious.
As soon as the older woman retreated back into the kitchen, her presence was replaced by one of another familiar figure, this one a little more expectant of the Pokémon Master's intentions.
"Well, well, look who's standing in the ominous doorway!"
Ash's grin became even cheekier. He was now showing off the pert, lopsided grin that only this girl could get out of him. It was because he saved it, special for her.
"You didn't even have to shock me this time," Ash winked.
"I haven't had to do that for quite some time," Misty purred, wrapping her arms around Ash's neck.
Humming delightfully, Ash held his red headed beauty by her waist, pulling her in for a deep, loving kiss. She got the most passionate kisses under this old holiday tale, although Ash loved to give them all their special kisses.
"Mommy, Daddy?"
The couple both laughed and pulled away, looking down by their feet. A little red head had run up to them, the third figure from around the pot. She was so small and young, wearing a sleeveless, red lace dress with three red roses lining the front at her stomach. The way she stared up at both Ash and Misty was completely innocent; not at all understanding of what was happening.
"Hey there, little princess!" Ash greeted, lifting the child up in his arms. Already, this was her third Christmas, but it was the first one where the little girl was really grasping the whole idea of the holiday. If only slightly. So, pointing up, Ash asked the girl, "do you know what that is?"
Michelle tilted her head back so she could stare at whatever it was her father was talking about. It was a small plant, with dangling green leaves and a red ribbon tied into a bow around its stem.
"No," Michelle answered spritely.
"That's called the mistletoe," Ash explained to his daughter. "We hang it up every Christmas. It's a tradition. And do you know what happens when two people are under the mistletoe together?"
"No," Michelle replied again.
"They have to kiss!" Ash gasped playfully. Michelle's eyes widened and she covered her mouth, causing Ash and Misty to burst out laughing. "What's the matter, Shelly? Afraid of a little kiss?"
Michelle nodded, her long red hair rubbing against her bare arms.
"Even a kiss from Daddy?" Ash teased, puckering up his lips and friskily kissing the air a few times. Michelle started to laugh behind her little hands, squirming in her father's arms. "Daddy is going to kiss you!"
"No!" Michelle cried, laughter still wracking her body.
Disregarding the toddler's protests, Ash started giving the child what seemed like a thousand kisses all over her face. Michelle's roaring giggles filled the air, Misty watching amusedly from behind her young daughter. Just the sound of her giggling, in fact, was enough to make Ash smile and laugh himself.
He loved the mistletoe.
The middle story was the one based entirely off the song. The first and last ones just sort of frame it and Ash's evolution of feelings concerning the mistletoe ^^
If you review any of these chapters, do this one! I want to know what you guys thought! The next chapter will be coming your way tomorrow :)
