He didn't know whether the slight cool of the late winter air was of comfort or pain to him. His shoulders and arms still hurt. The burns were raw and every movement he swore caused a scraping across them with his clothes that just might drive him mad with pain. He felt he'd experienced worse… but it also felt like it was taking forever to get downhill.

It was probably because he was so restricted on how he could move his arms.

"How you doin', buddy?" the trainer checked, tired eyes sliding off to the side to get a peek of his partner pokemon. The little yellow mouse trotted beside Ash on all fours, tail dragging behind him and ears a little limp. Exhaustion weighed heavily on both of them and, unfortunately, the adrenaline of what they'd just done could no longer fuel them. It was only the discipline of someone who was familiar with traversing the wilderness and the will to survive which spurred them on.

It seemed fate would smile upon them once more, though.

"Dreee!"

Ash looked up, squinting to recognize the dark little shape headed towards them. In short order, though, it was clarified. It was a Misdreavus! And, judging by the personality, the same one he'd indulged to battle up on the mountain.

Ash grimaced as she fluttered around them, oblivious and giddy. "Not now, Misdreavus… we're trying to get to the Pokemon Center."

"Mis?" she inquired before floating down by Pikachu. The two exchanged words before her countenance changed. Worry flooded her voice and she rushed forward, path diverging from what Ash originally had planned as their route down. "Dre! Dre dre!"

"Pikapi pika," the mouse assured before following Misdreavus.

"... you're gonna show us a short cut?" Ash realized, smiling. "Thank you!"

So, their journey continued. Though it took them through thick woods and for times Ash worried if he would need to battle thanks to the distant grunts and growls of other wild pokemon. Misdreavus scared them off with ghostly wails. It was likely Ursaring-which would fare poorly for Ash and Pikachu's sake, but worked out nicely against a ghost type. The bears wouldn't waste their time with her, after all.

Eventually, her short cut proved its worth by shaving a whole hour of travel time off their journey! The slopes were gentler as well and therefore easier on the heroic duo.

Sighing as he spotted the orange roof of the Center in the distance, Ash looked to Misdreavus. "Thank you. We owe you big time!"

He was about to walk off when the little ghost let out a whine. "Misdreavus…" She floated in front of Ash, frowning. "Misdrea! Dreavus dreavus!"

Blinking, Ash put two and two together. "Oh! You wanna come with us." He looked towards his arms, wincing as he lifted one to try and reach into his bag. Shrugging it off his shoulders with no promise of relief seemed insane. "I… can't right now." He hung his head before thinking better as pain shot through the chaffed skin on his neck. "Gah!" An epiphany reached him. "Wait! You're a ghost! Hey, if you can float through my bag and get into one of the empty pokeballs, you can come with us right now! If not, I'll catch you once I get patched up!"

It was worth a shot, Misdreavus supposed. Phasing through the cloth of Ash's bag, she searched for a moment. Ash tensed as a distinct clinch marked a pokeball opening. He prayed she hadn't released anyone while the bag was still on his back. However, a wiggling motion told him otherwise. When a ding clarified her successful capture, he breathed a sigh of relief. However, as quickly as that happened, a slight weight was removed from the bag.

"Guess she's in the PC right now. Let's go get patched up and then introduce her to the team, huh, Pikachu?"

"Pika," the mouse agreed, mostly looking forward to the treatment. Misdreavus could be properly introduced after his bruises were treated.


Days had gone by with little ruckus in the Pokemon Center, routines seldom interrupted by little more than wild pokemon stopping by to be fed. No scars to tend to, and no bottomless stomachs to feed. Nurse Joy had found things to be remarkably easy. Though, that did make things a bit dull in the small hospital. Currently sorting and ruffling files behind her desk, Joy could hardly anticipate what was about to walk through her glass doors.

The fresh, clean aroma of the center was intruded upon by the smell of sweat and burnt clothes, quickly turning the pair of sapphire eyes toward the front entrance. A gasp left the woman's lips, worry building when she spotted Ash limping into the small building. Lacking the usual spring in his step, he made his way to the front desk, resting an arm on the counter top.

"Uh… Nurse Joy?" He started, ignoring the pain that surged through the extremity. "The two of us could use a lil' help." That was quite an understatement, of course, but that was Ash for you.

"Pikachu." Ash's companion leapt onto the counter, though, with unusual difficulty.

"My goodness!" Though the nurse should hardly be surprised; he'd stumbled into the center in less than stellar shape a number of times before; judging by his charred clothing, this had to be the worst case so far. "What on Earth happened to you two!? Here, let me take Pikachu."

She cradled the electric type, clicking her tongue at the bruises and burns that adorned his yellow fur. "Chansey! Please bring a stretcher and accompany Pikachu to treatment!" She called, lightly scratching under the mouse's chin. "You've been through quite the trial, haven't you? Well, your condition is hardly fatal. Just try to relax, and we'll take care of you."

The helpful Egg pokemon scurried in with the appropriate equipment, taking possession of Pikachu before lightly setting him down on the flat surface. "Chansey~!" It chimed, wheeling Pikachu off towards the area where he would be properly treated.

"Hang in there, buddy! I'll see ya soon!" Ash called, answered by a wave of Pikachu's paw. Turning back to the Nurse, he flashed a sheepish smile. Even he was aware of the reputation he'd picked up for getting tied into danger.

"Now you, I'll have to take care of myself. Somehow, you seem worse off than even your pokemon. Take a seat in the other room and show me your injuries? I can't have you leaving in this condition." The Nurse chided, gesturing to a small treatment room for humans down the hall.

"It's pretty wild, huh?" Ash managed a chuckle before regret washed over, punished by an ache in his neck. He sluggishly made his way over to the room, leaving his scorched red jacket behind.


As a nurse, particularly as a nurse at such a remote vista, this particular Joy had seen more than her fair share of misery. This particularly battered case was more chipper than usual. Then again, she'd discovered that the boy in red was the sole source of sunny bliss on that mountain.

Too bad he'd been blistered by a brighter warmth. "There. Now, you may need to go make some calls… you'll need to make sure those bandages are changed on the regular." Beginning to clean up after the process, she clicked her tongue. Despite his injuries, he kept a smile as wide reaching as the burns he sported.

"Sure thing, Nurse Joy!" The teen chimed, seeming eerily happy to have come back from what could qualify as second degree burns. He was in pain, there was no doubt about it - but his spirits had soared, thanks to the very conflict that had scarred him so. When the reality of who he'd have to speak to crossed him, however, his smile seemed to fade, worry setting in. "Man, Mom's gonna kill me when she sees me like this… But, wait till I tell her that I got it beating a Moltres!"

"Well, I can only imagine how upset your mother would be. You really should be more–excuse me?" The nurse looked up from where she was putting away the waste, carefully into the bio-waste bin. "Did you just say Moltres?" Surely he was joking. Right?

Her shock earned one of his typical grins. He hadn't even mentioned that, had he? Ash has recited the fact so many times in his head that whether or not it passed his lips escaped him. "I sure did! Right up near the top of the mountain, it was in one of the caverns! Somehow, Pikachu ended up being the lucky one! He came out of it just fine!" It was hard not to boast about the stunning abilities his partner displayed, returning only with a few bruises and burns. Nothing like what Ash had suffered. It sufficed to say he was just that tough, right?

"That does make sense," she muttered. She frowned. "…that explains why this part of the mountain is strictly off limits to the average trainer, harshness of it all aside." A momentary burst of pride filled her. She was sort of a guardian, wasn't she, then? This cheer in her heart, she nodded. "Right, right, well, you'd better go call your mother. When you're done, your team will be all rested up. I suppose I should get dinner ready for everyone, too…" She did have wild pokemon who knew she was trustworthy to look after, too, after all. The lonely little center was a busy one.

"I can see why. I can't remember the last time I came across pokemon that powerful!" Awed as he was, the observation did serve as a boast; he'd been up in the caverns and heights for months now, and the nurse knew that. He'd survived. Just as much as pride served his ego, though, his stomach needed nourishment too. His eyes lit up at the mention of dinner, and he was quick to hop up off the table, reprimanded for his haste by a sharp pain in his still tender skin. Moving more carefully to the phone, he was quick to dial in his home phone number, waiting not-so-patiently for his mother's image to appear on the screen.

Back in warmer Pallet, Delia had just finished dinner. The only thing that captured her attention more than keeping up with local affairs–when was the next block party?–was the ringing of the phone. More often than not, it was not her ever busy baby boy, but this time…

This time she lucked out.

The screen flashed through, Delia's curious expression blossoming into livid excitement. "Ash! It's so good to see you, honey! How are you? Are you warm? Are you changing your underwear regularly?"

"Hey, Mom!" The boy beamed, thrilled to see his mother's face again. After so much solitude, pardoning his own pokemon and the wildlife, seeing someone dear to him was definitely refreshing. "I'm doing pretty great!" That was answered smoothly enough, though the mention of her embarrassing reminder led to a quick raising of his hands, showing he was quick to try to dismiss the topic. The sudden movement left him with another surge of pain, however, his arms and voice faltering with him. "Mom, I… Told you, I remember to do that now!" He finished with a wince. His t-shirt hid the numerous bandages, but would he be able to keep that agony under wraps?

Motherly instincts ran strongly in Delia–well, the protective, nurturing kind. If there was no need to act overly protective, she was much more relaxed. This was not one of those times, however. "What's wrong?" she inquired, eyes zeroing in. He'd winced when he was moving his arms… "Did you get a broken bone again? What'd you fall off of?!" At least he was at a center, she reminded herself. He'd gotten help. Wait, no, he didn't have a cast. "What happened?"

"I, uh… None of those things! Nothing's broken!" He winced again, this time in the true manner of a scolded child caught doing something wrong. "I just, uh…. Kinda got burnt up a little!" Nervous laughter followed - a sign that he knew that didn't come out sounding nearly as good as he'd hoped. "…But it was from a really intense battle! Nurse Joy said as long as I'm careful, I'll be alright in no time!" It wasn't exactly a lie… Sure, she'd said he should stay off his feet for a bit, but details were details.

"And, how did you get burnt?" Trust a mother to zero in on the loose details. "Who did it? Did you report them? They should really work on the aim of their fire types." She knew training was a fairly dangerous profession, yes, but this was her child and the statistics and expectations of any career be damned for that.

"Well, it… Wasn't exactly a trainer! There are hardly any of them up here!" He was sure Professor Oak had mentioned that when describing the area before he'd decided to come. "The thing is… Pikachu got into a battle with Moltres! We got a little beat up, but we won! Pretty impressive, huh?" Though that did serve as a distraction, he did want her to be proud. After all, he'd defeated a pokemon of legend with a Pikachu! That was no small feat.

"… Moltres…?" Like on the islands. Delia seemed quite for a moment, got up, walked off screen, and was quiet for a moment. There was the distinct sound of angry screeching (why must the universe have cursed her with both a reckless child and then burdening him with… with, destiny?! Fate?! Something!) though muffled through a few rooms. Composure regained, Delia was proud. Not as much as she was concerned, but all the same. "That's fantastic, honey! You certainly deserve a break! Why don't you, Pikachu, and all your pokemon come back to Pallet for a spell?" Her words seemed like an invitation… but they were phrased the same way the offer of a jacket on a cold day was as much a warning as a sentence of concern.

He could even feel himself wince when the scream was heard from the other room. It didn't exactly come as a surprise; while the boy had little to no sense of self-preservation, it wasn't out of this world for someone close to him to worry about his ridiculous exploits. "A break…? But we've been making so much progress lately. Thanks to training here, we were strong enough to do what we just did!" A pout had fixed itself on his lips. Why stop working when it was giving such fantastic results? Heck, if he kept it up, maybe he'd be a Pokemon Master long before he thought he would!

"Aw, but you shouldn't bu–butt up against so many good things at once!" Smooth recovery, Delia. "Besides, aren't you supposed to be recovering, right now?" How prepared was Ash to go up against Mom-logic, anyway?

"I… Guess so." Deflated and defeated, even Ash knew that she had a point there. It was normally his style to rush back in as soon as it was marginally safe to do so. But, with that win under their belts… Maybe it was time for a break. "I just thought I'd keep at it… But, if it'd be best for all of my pokemon, then I guess I'll come home."

She hated to exploit his natural urge to tend to his companions… but she really was worried. "After a rest, you all will be able to fully charge into a new adventure." She winked, trying to encourage him. "Besides, who's going to notice your might up on that silly old mountain? You should be showing off down here!" Where she could keep a better track of him, admittedly, but a part of it was a selfless desire–he wanted to be recognized for his skills, didn't he? Well, that would require witnesses. And, witnesses did not trek through the blinding blizzards of that mount.

"Hey… You're right! I wanna show the world what I'm made of, now!" He chippered up immediately. Hook, line, and sinker. "With all the hard work we've put in here, the next league is ours!" Which one that would be was anyone's guess. Maybe back home? "Alright, Mom… You win! As soon as everyone's fixed up, I'll come home! Besides, I've got two new friends here I want ya to meet!" New pokemon, that was. And not just any wild catches!

"As long as they've got house manners, they're more than welcome here, sweetheart." Satisfied with this outcome, Delia figured she wouldn't press her luck on inquiring about where he was going to challenge next. "Well, if that's all, should I let you get back to taking care of business? …Oh, and don't let me forget! You're going to need a new outfit when you start traveling again!"

"Yeah… I've gotta check on Pikachu and tell him the good news!" The mention of a new outfit… Was actually spot on. He probably shouldn't mention that his red jacket had been thoroughly charred, but she'd find out when he got home. "Oh, right! You think you could, uh… Make the one I wore up here? I've almost outgrown it by now, and it looks pretty cool!" The world hadn't seen it yet, after all. He might as well get to show off on his new journey!

Well, he'd worded it right. The proud parent nodded. "Oh, you are just growing up! I thought so, but I wanted to see in person to be sure! Of course I'll make you a bigger version! I'll make sure your measurements are right once you're home!" Now she'd be occupied while waiting, at least. She'd have to make sure she had the right fabrics.

"Great! Alright, Mom! I'll see ya soon! I'm gonna go tell Pikachu!" He waved to his mother through the screen, eager to head to check on his partner as soon as the call ended. Their training had truly been put to the test, and now they were going to have some much needed rest!

Right on time. The nurse's Chansey tottered around the corner, apparently looking for their guest. She pointed towards the dining area, indicating dinner was ready. If Ash didn't want to lose his portions to a frequenting Machoke, well, he should probably book it.

But, when did Ash ever not get his share at meal time?


A scorching battle and a call home led Ash to conclude his training up in Mt. Silver's heights, finally calling the headstrong trainer home. After a surprisingly difficult goodbye with the Nurse Joy who had tended to him and his team for so many months, the boy and his Pikachu headed home for Pallet Town. Unlike their usual journey home, this one took little time, only requiring a relatively short flight on Pidgeot.

However, Ash was puzzled by the scenery as they left… how long, exactly, had they been on Mount Silver?! Pallet was lightly dusted with snow, powder and soft. After thanking and returning the loyal flying type, Ash and Pikachu walked towards the porch, snow squelching under Ash's feet the whole time.

"Mom!" he cheerfully cried as he knocked on the door.

"Pika chu!" the electric type chimed after.

In short order, Delia answered the door, letting out a happy giggle as she threw her arms around her boy. "Ash! You're home!"

Struggling to swallow a yelp, Ash hugged her back. "H-Hey, it's good to see you, too…"

Not at all fooled, Delia stepped back, eyes squinting. "You're still hurt. …~It's fine, Mom's gonna take great care of you! Come in and have a rest, I'll put some mint in a towel and put it in the freezer, that should feel good-you said it was your back that was hurt? What about you, Pikachu? Ash may want ice for his healing burns, but what would you like? Maybe a heating blanket, hm?"

Though not quite sore anymore, Pikachu let out a squeak of delight at the thought of having a nice electric blanket to doze on. The luxuries of civilization were long missed!

Ash laughed, listening to his mother. He and Pikachu plopped down on the couch, intending to rest just a moment… but before he realized it, Delia had put his bag away and was asking for his shoes and jacket.

"Huh? Why?"

"You're not going to wear shoes in my house, but you don't have to get up, so I'll take them. Plus, your jacket is soaked!"

Blushing a bit at how much his mother was obviously worrying and doting over him, Ash did as he was asked before turning on the TV, admitting to himself that he was rather eager to catch up on currents.

Returning with the electric blanket for Pikachu, Delia's good mood showed no signs of slowing down. "You want a snack, dear?"

"Oh, boy, would I!"

Giggling, the Ketchum lady returned in short order with decorative cookies and milk.

"Is this Santa and Stantler?" He frowned, recalling the Ponyta cookies that used to come out at- "Is it Christmas?!" Ash barked, shock flooding over him.

"Almost!" Delia assured. "We're about a week away, still! Don't worry! I was waiting on you to come home to sign some Christmas cards for your friends! Professor Oak and Gary are going to come over to spend the day with us, too!" She suddenly frowned. "You've been gone for a while, honey… And, I hope being hurt like you are won't really take the party out of you."

Trying to put her at ease, Ash stood up, waving his arms with only mild irritation in his shoulders as his reward for it. "Hey, hey, I'm fine, see? Haha, I missed you, Mom, so, let's just focus on having a great time!"

Delia's smile softened after the initial shock of Ash's outburst wore off. Then, she reached to his hat, taking it off and gently ruffling the hair under it. "You know, you've gotten pretty tall. You really did need a new outfit." The gentle moment of a mother realizing her child was growing passed almost (almost) as quickly as it had come. "Oh, my! Look at your sideburn-oh, no, those are bangs! Haha, your hair's gotten so long! Tell you what, I'll give you a quick hair cut until the shops open back up after the new year in Viridian!"

Ash reached up, touching the new locks considerately. "Mm, I kinda like 'em. I got used to 'em while I was on the mountain."

"That's fine, but you're definitely going to shave, young man! You look like a poorly written action hero!" she teased, rubbing his cheek so that he could hear the signature scritch-scratch of stubble against skin. "Okay, you can keep that if you really want, but you're going to need to groom it if-"

"No!" he interrupted. He blanched, not quite used to that much change yet. Maybe when he was older he'd grow a beard or something, but right now… earlier this year he'd been without even peach fuzz! That was a little too much change too quickly! Would anyone even recognize him?! "Yeah, I'll shave, I'll shave."

"Heheh, better a late bloomer than never, huh?" the mother tutted before heading to the freezer to fetch the minty towel. "You know you're supposed to wait until the new year for a new look!"

"To tell ya the truth, I never really thought about looks, before now!" Ash rubbed the back of his head, bearing a sheepish smile. Though, as quickly as that thought came, it left in favor of Ash's niche. "Oh, Mom! I've gotta show you the new pokemon that I caught while I was up there!"

"Oh, of course! I'm sure you made some wonderful friends while you were up there! It'd be great to meet the ones who kept you company! Now, as long as they're well behaved…!"

"Of course they are! Just wait till you meet Misdreavus and Tyranitar!" Ash scrambled for his pokeballs in his backpack, eyes glimmering with excitement.

"T-Tyranitar!?" The mother sputtered, already put in panic mode. "Not in my garden! Oh, it'll just ruin all my flowers and vegetables and herbs! Not to mention the damage a pokemon that big would do to the house…! You'll have to take it outside, honey! But, Misdreavus can stay!"

"Aw, Mom. He really isn't that bad! But I guess you're right." The big softie was six… Seven feet tall? The small home wasn't equipped for such a giant. "Alright, then. Misdreavus, come on out!"

A pokeball was tossed inside the living room - much to Delia's horror - before bursting open, spitting out a flash of light. The product quickly took form, appearing as a shadow before fading away. Earning a few turned heads, the ghoul floated about before appearing right in Ash's face.

"Mis!" The pokemon chirped, once more becoming visible. A small, blue specter with pink flowing tips, and a series of red jewels, the pokemon was content to nearly scare Ash out of his socks. "Misdreavus!" She orbited Ash and Pikachu, both regaining their composure.

"Man, you scared the he…" Dark hues darted on Delia before Ash continued. "...Heck out of me!" It was clear that the pokemon had a playful side. "Misdreavus, this is my mom! Mom, this is Misdreavus! She helped me and Pikachu get down the mountain after we battled Moltres!"

"Oh, you did?" Delia liked this little one already. "Well, thank you so much, Misdreavus! It's good to know someone's looking out for my babies. The two of them are always getting into trouble!" Delia remarked, much to Ash's dismay. The matriarch attempted to give the pokemon a hug - to little avail, as her arms passed right through the creature. Quickly recovering from embarrassment, she continued, chipper. "Well, Misdreavus, consider yourself more than welcome in our home!"

"Mis! Mis!" The pokemon chirped, happily floating about, even caring to circle around Delia.

"Now, why don't we take your other friend outside?" she suggested.

That was more than enough to send Ash and Pikachu scurrying, the second pokeball in hand. "You've got it, Mom!" Rushing out the door, Ash moved from the neat and tidy yard - even in winter, Delia kept her garden orderly - to the spacious sprawl of unclaimed neighborhood space. "Alright, Tyranitar, I choose you!"

A flash of light illuminated the area as Delia and Misdreavus followed them outside. As Tyranitar materialized, it looked around before suddenly seeming confused. This place looked almost like the mountain! Wasn't the rest of the world supposed to not be cold like the mountain?! Pouting, the goliath pokemon curled his tail around his legs as he sat down.

"Aw, he looks sad," Delia noted, walking past Ash to pat the rock type's knee.

Tyranitar tensed up, looking frantically at Ash as if to ask if this person was safe.

"Tyranitar, that's my mom!" he clarified. "She won't hurt you - she might put us to work hauling firewood if the weather gets much worse, but she's fine!"

Cocking his head, Tyranitar decided to accept Ash's words and leaned over to give Delia quick nuzzle which resulted on her falling on her rear. Misdreavus attempted to catch Delia, but she fell through as humans tend to do with ghosts.

Laughing, Ash walked over to help his mom up as Tyranitar panicked, letting out little growling noises as an obvious apology. However, the growling continued after Tyranitar was soothed by Delia's assurances that she was fine.

"Hey, I'm actually getting kind of hungry," Ash mumbled.

"Mime!" Having opened a side window, Mr. Mime called out to everyone, making it clear that dinner was ready. Before they could even get in the house, the psychic type was carrying a big pot of pokechow outside.

As Ash headed inside to his own dinner, where the smaller pokemon would also eat, he couldn't help but laugh at how funnily Tyranitar reacted to the pokechow. He'd always survived on wild foods, hadn't he?

"Hm! This must be what it's like when a grandmother gets all of her grandchildren for the holidays!" Delia mused. "... and my memory's acting like it, too! Remind me after dinner that you got some letters in!"

Naturally, Ash's mind was on the food. He was happy to wait until after dinner to get his letters.

One in particular was quite interesting he decided. Riley, of all people, had sent him a letter.

The first portion started cordially enough. Riley was oddly formal, as if he had business experience. There was naturally the small talk and Ash couldn't help but smile as Riley talked about how well his Lucario was doing. Then, the wording got… weird. He kept going on about old business and ancient affairs, a dying trade… A shared ancestry, even. It weirded Ash out, the way Riley seemed to be making no sense…

Until he remembered and realized what the man was talking about.

Aura! They had that in common! With this connection in mind, Ash realized Riley was talking about the rare power the two of them shared.

And, that he was inviting Ash out to train it. All in vague wording, still, but with one riddle solved the other subtexts were spelled out even to one who wasn't as book smart as Ash. Riley required no response, wanting to keep the whole affair as confidential as possible due to the secrecy of their skill.

While that was settled, the invitation did have an expiration date. Riley would expect him there for training by mid-spring at the latest. By that time, Ash would need to be training in full for the League. However, if he left sooner, he might be able to press through whatever Riley had to show him - he'd always been a fast learner - and be back in time to train.

The only matter was talking to Delia about it. She didn't even know.

Never controlling, Delia hadn't asked about or looked at the letter until Ash put it down and noticed the solemn look on his face. "Is everything okay, sweetheart?"

"I, uh, got an invitation for some training."

Her lips pursed. "...You just got here."

"I wasn't gonna go until the new year," he clarified, carefully treading the waters. While by no means did he really need to ask permission - he was, by all concerns of Kanto's government, an adult - but… it felt wrong to just leave, to ignore how Delia felt about the whole matter. He wanted her blessing on the voyage just so that she wouldn't worry and he knew things were still good between them.

"You already went off to train - unless it's somewhere in Kanto?" she pressed. If he was staying somewhere local a while, maybe she could get someone to take over weekend shifts and she could take little vacations to spend time with him.

"It's in Sinnoh."

The expression on her face was momentary betrayal, but she quickly grew curious. "Who's the letter from again? Who's asking you to train? Is it Dawn? Oh, it's been awhile since I spoke with Johanna! Oh, you mentioned that you'd gotten to get along okay with that Paul boy; does he want to hang out?"

Shaking his head, Ash did admit that it would be a bit easier on him if it were the case with Dawn. They both loved training and their moms could keep each other company.

"It's Riley."

Mere confusion was upon her face.

Ash took a breath before looking to Pikachu. "Hey, you can't hear anyone else, like, walking up to the house, can you?"

"... Pika." The coast was clear, except for members of the family.

"... He's an aura guardian." Ash spoke again, quickly, before Delia could ask what that had to do with anything. "I'm an aura guardian."

The woman put her hand upon her heart, forced to process this information on the spot. The legends were scarce - the art was all but seen as a myth, but having grown up in Kanto, she'd heard a few stories. But, for Ash to actually be involved in the legend, himself!? "Oh dear…" She managed a smile, however worried she still appeared. "It seems you can never stay out of the surreal, can you?" This just seemed to be the fate of her baby. First being the 'chosen one,' and now a disappearing clan of superheroes. It seemed this was a fate they just couldn't avoid.

At the very least, she was very proud of her son. Accepting his condition, she continued. "Mm, so, how long will you be gone? You're still trying for the League this year, right?"

"I've got until mid-summer," Ash assured. "I've got a ton of time!"

The woman crossed her arms, flicking her eyes to the side. "... you can go, on four conditions."

"Shoot."

"One, you can't leave until after New Year's. You are going to spend Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and New Year's itself with me, Professor Oak, and Gary."

"Sure, I will! Long as you don't make me and Gary do one of those duets like you used to do…"

"That's fine, dear! You are growing older, after all." Such silly days, she knew, were long gone. "Condition number two: you must keep me updated on what you're doing! Not every day… but I just want to make sure you're safe while you're doing all this aura business."

A soft smile crossed the boy's face. "Sure, mom."

"Three! If you happen across Johanna or Dawn, let me talk to them!"

Here, he snickered. "Mom, don't you have their house number?"

"Yes, but Johanna said Dawn's out and about too, so if they're together it'll do me good to know Dawn went home some for the holidays. There's no good mother who doesn't want her baby home during the holidays!"

Deciding the simple albeit silly request was acceptable, Ash nodded with a chuckle.

"Four: when you get back to Kanto, come see me. That's all."

"I can do that!" And, with that matter settled, they were free to enjoy their winter festivities.


The sun still labored to climb over the horizon, a blurred and flattened buttery yellow blob across an infinite stretch of pale gray-blue melting into the rich abyssal navy of night. The brightest of the stars remained in the sky, ever defiant yet fading in the presence of the sun. Mirroring this, the waters below remained dark, lit only by the eerie distant gleam the jewels of curious young Tentacool and the quick moving light of Chinchou-likely hoping would be passengers might drop their breakfasts off the dock so that it would become theirs.

In this pale ashen blue light, our hero and his beloved starter stood beside Delia, chattering excitedly as the ship began accepting passengers.

"Make sure to call me when you make it!" Delia chided, once again eyeing Ash's bags and wondering if she'd helped him pack efficiently enough. "And, Sinnoh's cold, remember, so, do like you did on Mount Silver!"

Ash let out a laugh, somewhere between knowing he'd miss her and bursting with excitement. The energy had to come out somehow. "Right, right. I'll be fine, Mom, but I've got to go now!" Giving her a quick hug and her giving him a quick peck on the forehead, Ash then darted away… Or, tried to. He still had to show his ticket and Pokédex for identification before boarding.

Still, after he got on the ship, before heading to his room, he quickly looked back over the railing.

And, there she was. His mother stood, tall and beautiful but gently smiling for him. He would be heading north of her. That was how he oriented himself, by judging where he was in accordance to home, to her. It was always "going back home", not just to Pallet Town. She was his launching point, the safe port in a storm.

He hadn't realized how emotional he'd gotten until the ship lurched, departing from the wooden port. "When I get back, I'll show you something cool, okay?!" Ash shouted, struggling to be heard over the massively loud horns announcing the beginning of the journey.

Perhaps Delia heard him. Perhaps she just knew her son well enough to know he was making a promise to come home and see her once more. She believed him, as always. So she waved until the ship was out of sight, swallowed up by the haze upon the ocean the glittering waves caused. The sun had risen now, lighting the world, seeming to apologize for the absence of her own son, as if it might serve as a temporary replacement.

Then she turned and headed home.

Meanwhile, on the ship, Ash composed himself. They'd spent all the holidays together, right? Eating good food and-

His stomach growled. Loudly. The scent of the breakfast buffet they'd set up had been nagging him since he set foot on the ship-never mind the breakfast his mother made him-and he'd only ignored it because his love for his mother outweighed his gluttony. Now that he could do no more right now to express such, the stomach would be attended to.

"Alright, let's drop off our bags and head down to the chow!" Ash cheered, whooping as he ran along, nearly colliding with another passenger. Pikachu only let out an amused sigh.