Chapter 13: Reunions
Later that evening,
Ash had made it back to Pallet Town. He was tired.
"I wonder if I'll feel like this when Ashley leaves for her journey." Ash said to himself as he made it to his house.
"I'm home!" he called.
No answer.
"Where is everyone?" Ash asked.
He went to the refrigerator and found a note.
ASH,
GONE TO PROFESSOR OAK'S. CALL US IF YOU NEED ANYTHING.
MOM
"Probably for the best." Ash sighed as he went upstairs.
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A few hours later,
"So, we end up MARRIED?" Drew asked after May told him of their most recent adventure
"Apparently." May told him.
"I wonder if Ash is home yet." Delia said.
"Pikachu!"
Pikachu hopped off of Misty's shoulder and ran up the stairs to Ash's room.
"Pikapi?"
Pikachu heard the deep breathing of his sleeping trainer.
"Chu?" Pikachu asked after hopping over to Ash.
Ash remained asleep.
Pikachu curled up next to Ash and drifted off to sleep.
0000
The next morning,
"Morning Mrs. Ketchem. Morning Miss. Ketchem."
"Good morning Brock." Delia and Christine said as they entered.
"I made pancakes." Brock announced.
"Chocolate chip." Christine observed. "Dan's favorite."
"And Ash's." Delia added.
"That's why I made them." Brock confided in them. "I figured Ash had a rough day yesterday."
"True." Christine said.
"Morning." A tired Ash said yawning as he entered the kitchen.
"Morning Sweetheart." Delia said. "How are you doing?"
"I'll be fine." Ash said. "I've done it before."
"But Charizard never called you "Daddy"" Brock said under his breath. He started laughing at the thought.
"What's so funny?" Misty asked as the rest of the group entered.
"I was just thinking…" Brock said. "It's not important."
"Go on Brock. I could use a laugh." Ash said.
"No."
"Go on. We ALL need a laugh." Dan said.
"Well, I was thinking of the different times you gave up a pokemon and I realized that Celebi was the only one who called you "Daddy". Then I got to thinking if Charizard had called you that."
Silence. (Even though Misty was having trouble not to laugh at the thought of Charizard thinking Ash was it's parent)
"THAT'S why I didn't want to say anything." Brock added.
"It's okay." Ash said as he looked at the stack of pancakes.
"Why don't you eat something?" Dan said to his son
"I'm not hungry." Ash said leaving the table.
"Wow." May and Max said.
"I think it was a good thing you came back." Misty told Pikachu. "If he acts like this about a baby Celebi, I'd hate to think how'd he'd react to you leaving. Especially now that you're closer."
"PIka."
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"I won't forget you." Ash said as he sat on the steps of the porch thinking about Celebi. "Why can't I let go?"
"Are you okay?" Misty asked as she joined him.
"To tell you the truth, I'm not sure." Ash said.
"You will be." Misty confirmed.
"I don't understand it, Mist. I've done this before. Why is this the hardest?"
"Because you were Celebi's "Daddy". It took me weeks to get over Togetic's departure. I STILL cry over it."
"I'm a wimp." Ash said.
"No. You're human. That's one of the things I like most about you. If you weren't…well, we wouldn't have much of a future together, would we?"
Ash managed a small laugh.
"Thanks Misty." He said putting his arm around her.
"Chicku!"
"Lebi!"
"You know, I can still hear Celebi." Ash said.
"Funny. I do too. AND Togetic."
"That's funny. I heard Togetic too."
Suddenly, both trainers were plowed into by different Pokemon.
"Le BI!"
"Chicku"
"Celebi?"
"Togetic?"
"What are you doing back?" Misty asked her baby
"Toe chicku to."
"Another Togepi evolved?"
"Chicku"
"I'm so glad your back." Misty cried hugging the pokemon.
"What are YOU doing back?" Ash asked his baby.
"Le bi." Celebi said grabbing one of Ash's pokeball and enlarging it. She then opened it up and got herself captured.
"I think Celebi would rather stay with you." Misty said.
"Let's go tell everyone!" Ash said excitedly.
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The two got to
the entrance to the kitchen to hear the others talk.
"Don't tell Ash." They heard Christine say. "But apparently, there were two Celebi eggs. One hatched in the wild, and the other one was the one Dan rescued."
"So, Ash never had to give up Celebi? He could have kept her?" Max asked.
"That's why she came back." Misty whispered.
"Hey guys!" Ash said as he entered the kitchen.
"Ash!" Christine said closing her laptop.
"You'll never guess what just happened." Misty told them.
"Psyduck learned to swim?" Brock suggested.
"I wish." Misty said.
"A pokemon came up to me and captured itself." Ash said.
"How?" Dan asked.
"It grabbed a pokeball, enlarged it, and opened it." Ash said holding out the pokeball.
"What is it?" Max asked.
"Should I?" Ash asked Misty.
"Go ahead." Misty said.
"Come on out!" Ash said releasing the pokemon.
"Le Bi!"
"Celebi!" Max exclaimed.
"But how?" Brock asked.
"She just flew right into me." Ash explained. "Literally"
"She thought she was ready, but wasn't." May said.
"No. She just missed Daddy too much." Misty teased.
"Well, I think a certain someone missed Mommy too much."
"What are you talking about?" Drew asked.
Misty released Togetic.
"Togetic!" Brock exclaimed.
"Chicku!" Togetic said flying around Pikachu in greeting.
"Pipipi!"
"We're just having a real reunion." Dan said.
"Guys!" May said after nodding at Drew.
"Yes May?" Ash said.
"I have an announcement to make!" she said. "I'm going to Johto."
"You are?" Max asked.
"Yes. I need to discover my own style." May said.
"We'll meet again." Ash said. "Good luck."
"What about you?" Max asked.
"I think the next stop is Sinnoh. Find out who this "Aunt Dawn" is."
"Good idea." Misty said.
"We'll leave next week." Ash said.
Everyone gave Ash a look. He was known for leaving as soon as possible.
"What? Can't I have time with my parents?" he asked.
Delia smiled.
"Okay." Misty said almost reluctantly.
"That's one more week of hot showers." Ash told her.
"Why don't we stay another month?" Misty suggested.
Everyone laughed.
"LEbi!" Celebi said to Pikachu.
"Pikachu pik pikapi Pikachu."
"CHiku toe."
"What did they say?" Drew asked.
"Celebi said that she's happy to be home. Pikachu then responded that he was glad to, because everyone missed her."
"And Togetic welcomed her as a sister." Misty added.
"That's right." Brock said. "Since both Togetic and Celebi think of you two as parents, then they're siblings!"
"Thirty-two and grandparents." Christine teased her brother.
"Now I know how Mom and Dad felt." Dan said jokingly.
"Soon," Brock told the older Ketchems, "you two will be REAL grandparents."
"Not THAT soon." Both Ash and Misty told him.
The End