Get ready for the greatest (not really) Christmas Special of all time.

I received a review from Guest (thanks) predicting something about mistletoe. I wasn't considering it, but we'll see now.

Anyway, I'm done rambling. Let's get going.

Chapter 14: Holiday- the Holiday (In April)

"Kids," breakfast will be ready in 10 minutes!" Grace shouted from downstairs. After a while she heard no response. "Fletchling, go wake the kids up."

Grace has pretty much adopted Ash into her home. It's been over a week, and the events of the Winter Formal have glazed over. Everyone was bright and cheery, and ready for a fun day, as soon as they actually woke up.

Ash has been enjoying himself here as well. Him and Serena had gotten closer, but more as friends. Was this a problem? He wasn't sure yet. Gary had some intense researching for Oak to do over Holiday, so he wasn't actually available. Shame. Anyway, he and Grace got along well. He even screwed up a few times, calling her 'mom'. He's gotten over that, for the most part.

Fletchling flew upstairs, and noticed both kids asleep. (In different rooms, don't get excited) It was confused. He always went for Serena's room, but now there were two. Where does he go first? He concluded on Serena's room. If a system ain't broke, don't fix it. He flew in and landed on Serena's head, who was still sleeping. He then did the thing he learned how to do- peck.

Ash was a heavy sleeper, but woke up when he heard a scream from down the hall saying, "I told you not to wake me up like that!" Ash ran down over to Serena's room. He didn't go in, but outside the door asked, "Are you ok in there?"

Serena ran out. "Yeah, I'm fine, it was just Fletchling. Wow, you came quickly."

Ash turned a bit red. "Uh, reflexes, I guess. I think your mom said breakfast was ready. I'll be down soon."

"Ok, see you there!" Serena said, smiling at him. Ash went over to the bathroom first. He looked at himself in the mirror. Christmas is tomorrow, he said. You need to get something. He had to find a time to get out of the house without Serena. They'd done everything together for the whole time, so getting to be alone would be an issue. Then, an idea popped into his head.

At breakfast, Grace asked them, "Hey, what are you two doing today?" Well, what a way to start. The question implied he was going out to do something with Serena, how does he take it and move it the other way around? She can't know what he's getting her, mainly because he doesn't know yet.

Then, he got an idea. It was a bold move, but it might work. "Actually," Ash said. "I was going to train. I was thinking about challenging the Santalune Gym before I go back. If you don't mind, I work well training alone."

Serena looked hurt. Why wouldn't he want to spend Christmas Eve with her. Maybe they weren't so close after all. He couldn't know her stress from hearing that though. She could never interfere with his dreams. "Oh, well, ok. I hope you do well."

Well, it worked well. Kind of. He got what he wanted- a day alone to look for presents. He was certain he could beat the Santalune Gym. It was an easy one to do, and the leader there only uses two pokemon. Pikachu would do great. The only downside is now he'd have to go through the day knowing Serena was hurt. Crap.

Nathan landed in Blackthorn Town. He couldn't believe this timing. He still had five days to beat the gym and make it back to Kalos. It was a dragon gym too. Pyro would do well, and Foren could take the kingdra. Maybe moonblast would have been useful. Oh well.

He went into the pokemon center, to take a small break before moving on, when someone approached him. "Are you Nathan?" they asked.

"Yes, why are you here?" he asked brutally.

"I have a call for you from Sinnoh. You know anyone there?"

Nathan shrugged. "No one of significance. I guess I'll take the call. Could be urgent."

"She said it was urgent."

"She? No matter, hand it over," he demanded. He pulled up the screen to see a too familiar face. "What could you want? I have a gym battle in an hour."

"Wow, hello to you too," Verity responded. "I thought you'd be done by now."

"I was planning on it," Nathan said, "but I had to rescue some slowpoke from a gang. Don't ask."

"Ok, mister hero," Verity teased.

Nathan stared her down. "You called, saying it's urgent. What is it?"

Verity laughed. "Oh, that. I just did it because it was the only way you'd pick up. I guess those mind reading lessons are working."

Nathan's eyes widened slightly. "That's not how were they were supposed to work, but ok. I'd like to train soon, so please, put the flirting aside and tell me what you wanted."

Verity got red. "I'm not flirting, you know who I like."

Nathan pointed out, "Did you not give up?"

"No," Verity said. "I thought I did but I regressed. I guess I wasn't over him. I just don't want to put Serena through that again, so I made a better strategy."

"Oh?" Nathan asked, curious.

"I'm having Tierno flirt with Serena. I think it's going well, but I really don't know. I'm hoping Ash will get mad and leave Serena. What do you think?" Verity was truly in need of answers.

"Won't work," Nathan said blatantly. "Too indirect. Honestly, there's nothing you could do that would work but also not tarnish your friendship with Serena. I say you just figure out your priorities. Take a risk, or don't. Depends on what you want. But think about this: What will actually help you?"

Verity stared emptily at the words that he just said. Nothing. Should she tell Tierno to stop? What does she do form here? "Uh, thanks."

Nathan nodded. "Can't believe I had to tell you that, but alright. Now, why did you call?"

Verity scowled at him. "I just wanted to say 'Merry Christmas' to all my friends."

Nathan nodded again. "Ok, seems you did what you needed to do."

Verity sighed. "You really need to get out more."

"I'm literally travelling a region."

Verity sighed again. "I give up. Goodbye," she said as she hung up.

Nathan looked at the dark screen. "That was weird. Well, time to go."

"You're not going anywhere," a different familiar voice said.

"Of course you're here. Please Lyra, I have a battle to go to." Nathan was getting quite annoyed.

"Well," Lyra said. "I'm just saying that tomorrow's Christmas. If you want to tell her how you feel, now would be the best time to do it."

Nathan looked at her. "So, what you are saying is if I like her, I should tell her now?"

"Yes!" Lyra said. "Call back and tell her! What are you waiting for?"

"You're right," Nathan said. "What am I waiting for?" he said as he walked out the door. Lyra stood there, facepalming.

Ash went to the stores in Santalune to find something. Pikachu was with him, unsure of why they weren't training. "Well," Ash told his friend, "I want to get something for Serena, but it would kill the surprise if she went with me, so I needed an excuse to get out. You're welcome to train by yourself." Pikachu thought about it, then decided to get back on Ash's shoulder.

He looked all over. There was literally nothing. What would peak her interest? He thought about getting her a new hat, but that didn't make much sense. He had no idea what a girl wanted. This was hard.

He walked into another store. It was a decorating store. There were ribbons, and some other things. Ash sighed, hopelessly. He had been out for hours with nothing to show. And to top it off, Serena was upset he ran off this morning. What a catastrophe. He looked at presents he had gotten so far, well, the one. It was a bottle of ketchup for Pikachu. Nothing else. He remembered Serena suggesting that to him.

"Serena, if I was to get something for Pikachu, what would I get?"

"Well," Serena said, "He likes ketchup, right? Why don't you get him that?"

How was it that easy? She literally pulled that answer out of thin air. Maybe if he did the same thing, then it would work. What did Serena like?

Performing.

Her friends.

What else? There had to be something else. Then he remembered. What Miette had said in the car. That was it! That was the answer!

He ran over to the register. "I'll take the ribbon up there," he said, handing over the sufficient funds.

"That's it?" the cashier asked.

"Uh, and that pen," Ash said.

It was Christmas night. They were all done getting all the presents that had been giving out.

Serena had gotten a cool hat from Shauna, and a book from Miette. But the best thing she'd gotten was a dress from her mom. "It's for when you start performing," she said.

"But I thought you said-" Serena started.

"I gave it a second thought," Grace said, cutting her off. "You've been trying very hard lately, and I think you deserve a chance."

Ash had got a few presents from his family in Kanto, but since not everyone knew he was not in Kanto, he didn't get a lot. Seeing this, Grace stood up. "Ash, I think I forgot to get you something."

"That's ok," Ash said. "I didn't-"

"No," she said, "I had something picked out. I wanted you to always have Kalos with you, so I got you this." She handed him a pokeball. Ash threw it, sending out what was in it, a froakie.

"It's one of the starters here in Kalos," Grace said. "This one in particular loves to battle, so I know it will be just right!"

"Wow," Ash was speechless. He then got up and went to his bag, which had one box left in it. Pikachu was currently enjoying his ketchup he had received. Ash pulled out the small box, and handed it over to Serena. "Uh," he started, "I got this for you. Sorry I was gone all day looking for it, but it would have ruined the surprise if you had known."

Serena realized why he was gone. "That's ok Ash. I forgive you." She opened up the box, to reveal a blue ribbon. "Oh! It's beautiful, I love it! Thank you, Ash!"

She then realized there was something in the ribbon. A piece of paper, that read:

Meet me in the park in 20 minutes
-Ash

Serena looked around. She just realized Ash was gone. Clever boy.

"Well," said Grace, realizing the time, "I think I'll turn in. It's late." She then went up to bed. Serena sat there, for ten minutes, anticipating what Ash was doing there. Was he finally going to say something? Was her conflict with Verity truly over? She sure hoped. She liked Verity, she was a great friend, but what she did was lowkey unforgivable, and you can't forgive someone for that.

"Ash?" Serena called to what appeared to be an empty park. "I'm here."

"Over here," called Ash, who was sitting in the pavilion. "I'm glad you made it. It would have been really awkward if you didn't."

"True," Serena laughed. There was then a period of awkward silence, which Serena broke. "So, uh," she started, sitting next to him. "Why did you, you know, call me out here?"

Ash was quiet for a moment, then responded. "Oh yeah, that." He then leaned over to Serena and pressed his lips up against hers. Immediately, she grabbed the back of his head, implying they'd be there for a while.

That was fine with Ash.

That was the goal, anyway.

After a solid few minutes, Serena finally let go. "So," Ash said, "Did you like your present?"

Serena got red. (Please recall from the snow scene last chapter that the weather determines whether or not the other character catches the blush. It's nighttime, so don't count on it.) "Well, uh,"

No, Serena. This is what got you into the problem with Verity in the first place.

"I loved it," She said quietly. "What made you think of it?"

Ash looked at her. "You really want to know?"

"Yes!" Serena said, excited.

"Well, so I was looking for a present for you, and I couldn't think of anything. Then I remembered that you just pulled the ketchup idea for Pikachu out of thin air, because you said he liked it. So," Ash went on, "I thought, 'What does Serena like that her friends and family won't think about?'"

"You," she answered quietly.

"I know," Ash said.

Well, this looks like an inconvenient time to wrap this up.

Few notes:

1. Did you really expect Nathan to do something? You've learned nothing about me if you did.

2. Please remember the whole froakie thing is ok because the events of XY/XYZ never happened, aka Ash never got Froakie.

3. The story is far from over. This was a small climax. Also, once this is done, I'll do the Secret Mega again, which you should read. I think it'll be good once things get going. Also, once this story is over, I'll announce my plan for after that.

As always, like comment, and subscr- crap hold on...

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See ya'll soon.