Forever After
Misty walked through the palace halls, but was stopped by a hand pulling on her wrist. "Misty." A deep voice murmured. She turned around to face the king.
"Father." She bowed her head in respect. "I-I can't believe I just did that…" She said quietly.
"No-it was something that had to be done." He replied soothingly.
"B-but she was family!" Misty countered.
"No. Family is people who help you out and care for you-who love you. That family is we, Ash, Delilah, I, and some members of the royal court. But, those two creatures are not family. They used your father and you, and that's why they had to be punished. You, Misty, have taught my son, and I, where the true problems of Kanto/Jhoto lie. We know, now, what is wrong with the country and how we can fix it. And it was you who stole my son's heart-rescuing him from the cold box he had hidden it in. My wife and I thank you to our cores. You are our family now, too." He hugged her, which surprised the new princess, for she thought Lance was a very strict man. "My wife and everyone else thinks I am cruel, but you helped me become happy by making my son happy. Thank you." He whispered in her ear, then released her. "Now, go. Ash is waiting for you in your bedroom. He said something about where you were going to live."
"Oh, yes." Misty looked up at him and smiled, tears coming to her eyes. "Thank you, father, for loving me like you would a daughter of your own, and for letting me love your son." She bowed her head again.
"No, no more of that." He lifted her chin up. "You needn't bow your head. From now on, you look down and back up. You are my equal, and you taught me that. I, for a very long time, thought that women were lesser than men, they couldn't think or imagine. But I was wrong, and I want you to know that you taught me that women do think and do imagine."
"I-I-I…" Misty didn't quite know what to say. "Thank you." She said with a smile. She looked down at the ground, then back up at the king, and turned to leave. She made it through the corridors, till she nearly ran into the queen. "Ah, Delilah!" She said with a smile and a curtsy.
"Misty. What you did less than an hour ago was very amazing. You were so strong…and I'm sorry for making you do it." Delilah said, her voice wavering.
"Oh, no. You didn't make me do it, I made myself do it. I took ten long years of her forcing me about to do as she pleased-it was about time I took control." Misty smiled, reassuring the queen of what took place in court. "I…I want to thank you. If it weren't for you, Ash, and the king, I would still be at the manor, being forced about by Malena. And now, I can live a happy life with my love." She jumped. "Oh, I'm supposed to go see Ash!" She started off down the hall. "I'll see you at dinner!" She shouted over her shoulder as she dashed away.
Delilah merely chuckled.
~!~
"Where is she?!" Ash asked himself as he paced across the rug. A few minutes later, he heard the sound of footsteps running and seconds later, the door opened.
"Ash, I'm so sorry! Your father…and your mother…" She huffed out. She collapsed into his arms, and he happily held her and carried her over to the bed to sit.
"It's alright, love." He kissed her forehead. "I just wanted to discuss where we're to stay till we become the rulers of the kingdom.
"Well….I had an idea….But I need your help…" She said with a smile.
~!~
"Brock…really?!" Daisy gasped. The man she only knew for a week was on his knee in front of her, with a gold band in his hand.
"Yes. I know you're the one for me…please, will you marry me, Baroness Daisy Waterflower?" He asked with a small smile.
"Oh, but of coarse!" She helped him up and gave him a long, passionate kiss.
~!~
"So, you want to live on the third story in the west wing? You want all of it kept to yourself? I can do that…but you'll need guards for when we move around during the year. You'll get half the ones now-"
"No, I want Brock and his squad. I want all my Pokemon brought here, and they'll protect us, shall the need for it ever arise." Ash interrupted. "The Pokemon get the first and second floor, and they can have, of coarse, the garden."
"Yes, that shall do. And servants?"
"The ones from the Waterflower Manor shall do just fine, along with a few cleaners. But…Misty has….her own way of handling them…." Ash trailed off and looked at his father. "She said she'd worry about hiring them, and we to not discuss it."
"Yes, well, that's fine. This all sounds fine to me, you shall get the largest room in the west wing of the third floor, and it shall be off limits to anyone without your permission. You'll get all the rooms there, and I want a few available for my," He coughed, "grandchildren."
Ash smiled at his father, and also blushed. "We'll..um…work on that." He said with a complex look on his face.
"Very well. I like this arrangement. Brock and Daisy, of coarse, can move in here, too, you know."
"No. Brock and Daisy want to take over the manor, which Misty happily agreed to. But, they'll stay here once in a while." Ash turned to leave.
"I shall get some servants to move the clothing and other things today, if you want your privacy…" Lance offered.
"Again, Misty is dealing with it. All she needs is your consent. I'm going now to tell her we can move rooms." Ash left the room, and Lance smiled.
"They're going to make great rulers-a perfect balance, as prophesized."
~!~
"Well, Ash and Misty. It's goodbye for now. But, we'll see you again in a few months. Till then, be good, and watch over Cerulean, will you?" Delilah asked as she hugged her son and daughter in law.
"We will, mother." Ash said, putting an arm around his wife's waist.
"I expect you put those couple months of privacy to good use?" Lance inquired, raising his eyebrows.
Ash blushed and chuckled, as did Misty. Delilah looked at her husband in mild disapproval. "Lance." She warned.
"Well, You Highnesses, Jeinine and Joyce have told me to expect a little one in about 7 months, give or take…so…you must return in no more than 6 months. I want you here, Delilah, to help me." She held the queen's hands and pleaded with her eyes.
"Of coarse! I wouldn't miss it for the world, and you know it! I'll be back here in 5, no matter what." She promised, and sealed it with a kiss to the young woman's cheek. She did the same to her son. "I love you both, now, see you in a few!" She got into the carriage and waved them goodbye till the two rulers got to the palace gates.
"Well, Misty, what should we do first? Visit the newlyweds or tour our new land, or even celebrate?" Ash inquired, leaning closer.
"Celebrate later tonight, and I think Daisy wants a bit of 'alone time' with Brock, since they just married but a few days ago, and I've been wanting to see the palace grounds so much since I came…would it kill you to take a walk around it?" Misty asked, hugging his arm.
"No, my dear, it won't kill me. I just don't want you poor feet to swell, like did my mother's when she had me in her."
"Oh, Ash. Jeinine told me about my mother's pregnancy and all her symptoms. They were little things, like dizziness and fatigue. Her feet never ached, only in the later months, about 8 or 9. And I'm not nearly that far, so let's go. I want to see my Pokemon. Eevee's probably dying to see me."
"Yes, Pikachu probably wants to have the ability to roam the grounds, as will Eevee."
"And we'll give it to them. They deserve it." Misty countered as they walked.
"Of coarse! I will give that to all my Pokemon here. They are all loyal to me, and they'll leave the third story west wing alone. Come on, let's race." He stopped her, and got into a starting position.
"Oh, you're going to lose this one, Ketchum." Misty said with a smirk.
"Oh, really, pregnant Ketchum? Don't be so positive….go!" He shouted, and they both took off. Misty won, of coarse.
~!~
"Misty, do you know what you're going to name your child?" Daisy asked her stepsister as they drank afternoon tea.
"Well, If it's a girl, then Rose, after my mother. But, if it's a boy-"
"If it's a boy, he's getting named after his father." Ash cut in as he walked up next to his wife.
"Yes, Ash Satoshi Ketchum Junior." Misty said with a smile.
"So, the baby's coming any day now, right?" Daisy inquired.
"Yep. At least, that's what Jeinine and Joyce think. Jeinine helped my mother through childbirth, but Delilah insists we hire a trained professional. So, we have a doctor who is helping. She says it'll be any day now, and the sooner the better. My back is aching!" She reached behind to rub her lower back, but Ash massaged it instead. "Thank you, love." Misty said with a sigh.
"Misty!" A happy voice sang out across the garden.
"Hello, mother!" Misty replied happily. She tried to stand to greet Her Majesty, but Ash put his hand on her shoulder.
"No, you sit still." He ordered with a small smile.
"Oh, honestly! I'm not dying. I can walk around and such." Misty responded with a sigh.
"No, you sit still. You walked around and such for the first eight months and few weeks. Now it's time for you to sit and let other's serve you, for once." The prince told her sternly.
"Yes, your majesty." The red head replied with a heavy accent.
The queen had reached the chairs they were sitting at, and she smiled at her son and daughter-in-law's playing. "Ah, I see you're doing well, today, Misty?"
"Yes, mother, I am. The baby's kicking quite a bit, but that's not surprising."
"No, the baby's probably as active as the mother!" Daisy said with a chuckle.
"Yes, and I hope this child decides to come out soon- I want to get back up and move around! The over-protective husband here thinks I'll die if I get up to walk." Misty said, nudging Ash's side.
"Well, can you blame me? I don't want my love to get hurt, and I sure don't want the baby to get hurt, so I must protect them." Ash said, looking at his beautiful wife.
"Ash, you're to sweet." Misty reached for his hand and took it, rubbing circles on the outside with her thumb.
"I wanted to know if you wanted to come inside. Lance needs Ash to go over plans for the party that's to be held after the baby's born. And I want you to come with me, Misty, to see the newly decorated baby room!" Delilah squealed, making Misty smile.
She started to get up, but Ash swept her up in his arms and set her down on her feet. "Thank you, Ash." She kissed his cheek. "Now, let's go." Daisy, Misty, and Delilah started for the west part of the palace. Ash and Brock (who'd stayed quiet the whole time) started for the east part.
"So how come you stayed quiet the whole time, Brocko?" Ash asked his best friend as they walked through the garden.
"Oh, well, I'm still thinking on a name for Daisy's and my child. She's due in about three months, but I can't think of a name if it's a boy."
"How about you name it after your father, I'm sure he'd be honored." Ash suggested.
"Yeah, Flint would be good, but I want something special, you know, a name of it's own…"
"Well, you keep thinking, buddy." Ash patted his friend on the back. "You'll think of something."
~!~
"Uh-oh. The baby wants out, now!" Misty said, clutching her stomach. It was a few days afterward, and she was in the library with Ash, reading.
"Ok, I'll carry you to bed." Ash hurried over and picked up his wife. Her water had broken, and was all over the floor. As he rushed through the halls, Misty screamed and balled her hands into fists. "Mother! Father! Servants! Anyone!" He shouted as he ran. A servant appeared next to him, running alongside. "Get the king and queen, and the doctor, and Jeinine and Joyce, and Tracey, and Brock, and Daisy." He rambled. The servant nodded, and turned around to the king and queen's quarters. Ash, though, continued to the west wing, where he put Misty in the first room, one unoccupied by anyone. He gently put her on the bed, and waited for everyone else to come. Lance and Delilah arrived first, and went about ordering the servants following them to get clothe and water and such. Tracey came next, with Professor Oak, but they were told to wait outside-only the women and Ash were allowed during the birthing.
"The men can't handle it." Delilah said as she shooed them and her husband out. The doctor then came, then Joyce, Jeinine and Quincy, and finally Daisy and Brock, who had to stay out with the other men. Eevee snuck in when Brock was being shooed out. The lithe Pokemon jumped up onto the bed and nuzzled her mistress's neck.
"Oh, Eevee…" Misty started, then screamed. She gathered the pain, and then continued. "I'm having the baby." She said with a smile. The Pokemon nodded, and curled up by her head.
~!~
Tracey, Oak, Brock, Quincy, and Lance all paced the hall in front of the door. "What's taking so long?" Tracey asked no one, staring at the door.
"Tracey-birthing can take up to 12 hours, so it could be a while." Oak told his apprentice.
"Yes, but I do wish they'd hurry." The young man replied, getting a chuckle from the others.
~!~
"Ok, Mist, here it comes. Now, squeeze my hand, ok?" Ash smiled down at his wife. The sweat plastered her long hair to her face, most of which was pulled into a ponytail at the top of her head.
"Ok, m'lady. Now….push!" Jeinine ordered. She and the other doctor, Susie, were all set for the baby to come.
"Uuuuuuunnnn." Misty groaned. She gritted her teeth as she felt the baby come out, and screamed at the pain. "Ahhh!!! It…hurts!!!" She said, squeezing the life out of Ash's hand. With his free hand, he took a cold, wet washcloth and rubbed it around her face. "Thanks." She murmured, then went back to screaming and pushing.
"Ok, we see the head." Susie said. "Now, push harder."
"Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!"
"Harder."
"AAAAAaaaahhhhh!!!!"
"Once more!"
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
"Ok, he's out!" Jeinine said happily. "Great-"
"Wait. There's another!" Susie said, dumbfounded.
"Another?!" Everyone in the room asked.
"Yes, I can see it. Ok, come on, Misty. You gotta push again." Susie handed the baby to Jeinine, who cleaned him and wrapped him in a nice, soft blanket.
"Noooo!!" Misty screamed.
"Harder!"
"AAAAAhhhhhh!!!"
"You can do it Mist." Ash's soothing voice whispered into her ear, calming her.
"Push."
"Un……." She pushed, this time without screaming.
"Last time, I promise." Susie said, helping to pull the baby out.
"Uuuuuuuhhh."
"She's out!" Susie exclaimed. She handed the baby to Joyce this time, who cleaned her off.
"Mist, you did it!" Ash told her as he wiped her forehead with the damp cloth.
"Would you like to see you new children?" Jeinine asked, walking up with the boy in one arm and the girl in the other.
"My babies." Misty said with a smile, fighting the sleep that was washing over her.
"Here, let her hold them before she falls asleep." Ash said, taking the girl and handing her to Misty.
"Rose." Misty said with a smile. Ash handed her the boy, whom she held in her other arm. "And Ash Jr." She smiled and sighed. "You're going to grow to be amazing people, but…. I did a lot of work getting you to this world, so I need my sleep." Ash picked up his son while Delilah took Rose.
"Rest, Mist. You need it." Ash kissed his wife on the forehead, and carried his son out of the room to show the men, his mother following.
"Congratulations, m'lady." Jeinine said as she left. The other women followed, except for Daisy.
"You did great Misty, and I know you'll be a great mother." With that, Daisy left the room to see her niece and nephew.
~!~
A party was held a week later, honoring the twins. Misty was already up and running about getting ready for it. She had exercised after she woke up, so she still fit in her old dresses. But, she didn't wear them. She wore a new one Delilah had tailored specially for the princess. It was pink with a royal blue trim. There was a square-cut neck, and the long, flowing sleeves that barely swept the ground. There was red thread that was embroidered into the front, making the royal insignia right below Misty's chest. It was a fairly simple dress, but she liked it like that.
Joyce and Jeinine helped Misty get ready- brushing her long hair and getting her into her dress. Her stomach still wasn't as thin as it used to be, but she was working on it. Misty worked on training Ash's Pokemon in the art of dancing, which was great exercise.
Joyce put on Misty's crown and smiled. "There, you're ready. Now, I believe your husband is waiting for you in the babies room." She told her maiden, who rushed out of the room. Misty entered the room adjacent to her and Ash's bedroom. It was a small room, with 2 cribs and a dresser for the babies' clothes. It had other things, gifts from around the country, and they were placed about the room. Ash was in-between the cribs, playing with both the babies.
"Ash, I think your mother and father want us down at the party, not up here, playing with the children…" Misty said with a smile as she walked over to her husband.
"Look…" He whispered. He was looking down at Rose, who was laughing. "She has your hair and your eyes and your nose, but my laugh. And Ash Jr. has my eyes and my hair, but your nose and your smile." He stared in awe at his children. "I can't believe that less than a year ago I just met you."
"No, we met when we were young, but only once. But, yes, it is amazing that we got this far in such a little amount of time." Misty wrapped her arms around her husband's neck. "But I'm glad."
"Me, too, love." He whispered back. He kissed her lips, and wrapped his arms around her waist, dipping her back and deepening the kiss.
When they broke a few minutes later, the red head smiled. "I think the public would like to meet the twins." Misty said as she gently picked up Rose. Ash agreed by picking up his son, and they walked out of the small room, and out of their bedroom. They glided through the halls, and stopped before the courtyard entrance. Delilah, who was going to announce her children's presence, along with her grandchildren, was waiting patiently for them to appear at the back entrance, from the west wing of the palace. She saw Misty's flaming hair and smiled.
"Excuse me." She said loudly. Lance motioned for the music to stop, and everyone turned to face the royal queen. "It gives me great honor in presenting to you the prince and princess's children- Ash Satoshi Ketchum and Rose Kasumi Ketchum." Ash and Misty walked forward and stood atop the royal dais, next to the queen. Lance stood up and took his scepter. He stood in-between Misty and Ash and looked down at his grandchildren.
"I am not going to place crowns atop their heads, for they are but week old, but I am going to crown them. Prince Ash and Princess Rose, children of Prince Ash and Princess Misty, are the newest members of the royal family." Ash and Misty, who were told what to do, kissed the child they were holding's forehead and then held them up for the crowd to see. (I know, this crowning is different than Misty's, but the children were born into royalty, Misty wasn't, so they're different, got it?)
The applause was deafening, which made Misty smile. Her children were a hit, that was for sure. Her and ash brought the children down and carried them around to the 2 small cribs that sat between the princess and prince's thrones. Joyce and Jeinine had, by that time, made it into the room and sat behind the cribs, on comfortable chairs of their own. Quincy was else where, serving food. Misty and Ash placed the babies in the cribs, where the 2 women would watch them, and faced each other.
"Would you like to dance?" Ash asked, his arm outstretched.
"I wouldn't think of anything else." Misty replied, taking his arm and walking out to the dance floor. The gypsies were, again, invited to the party. And Duplica and Todd were, no doubt, wanting to talk to them. There were many lower classes there, too. Servants were allowed-no, forced to come. The new policy in the court was- the better dressed and treated your servants were, the better treated you were. That was a policy Misty made, of coarse ^_~.
Ash and Misty danced a bit as the king and queen watched, but Misty got pulled off the floor by the teal-haired gypsy after a bit. "Your Highness-"
"Misty." She corrected.
"Yes, Misty, thank you so, so much." Duplica curtsied in her new dress. "You are a heroine to my people, and to the countries. And, I want to tell you that Todd and I have had our little one, but he's back at the camp. He was born a month ago. I just…wanted to tell you."
"Duplica, that's great! I'm so glad you're happy. You're welcome here any time, we have plenty of rooms, trust me, and I want to meet your son, he's probably terribly adorable, am I right?"
"Oh, yes, he's so sweet." Duplica agreed.
"Then come, let's dance with our love." Misty said, turning back to the dance floor. Duplica agreed, and went back to Todd. Ash and Misty danced more, but when it grew late, they went over to their children.
"I think we should take them up to bed." Joyce said, gently scooping up Rose.
"Yes, they are tired, and I want them in comfortable beds." Jeinine agreed.
"We shall be up later. We need to stay till the party ends." Misty told her friends.
"That is fine. We shall have the prince's Pokemon stand guard outside your door, and Eevee would be delighted to sleep with Rose, as Pikachu will with Ash." Joyce said with a smile.
"Thank you." Misty said with a nod. "After they're asleep, come back down and you can dance."
"We will, m'lady." Jeinine said. The two left.
"Misty?" A small voice inquired from behind the couple.
"Hmm?" Misty turned around and faced her handmaiden in the Royal Court, Daisy. "My sister!" She hugged the pregnant woman. "Have you danced yet?"
"Yes, Brock and I have. But, my doctor, Eve, has used some of her psychic Pokemon on the baby, to see what it is, and she said the Pokemon detected a female mind!" Daisy squealed with happiness.
"Oh, that's great! You've always wanted a girl!" She hugged Daisy again. Then, Misty laughed.
"What is so funny?" Daisy asked with a smile.
"I was just thinking of something….Duplica had a boy a month ago, and you're about to have a girl, and Ash and I had a boy-girl twin set…I was just thinking of what might happen when they're older, the romantic interests and all…" Misty trained off and looked away.
"Wouldn't that be great if your daughter and Duplica's son got together, and your son and my daughter-oh, that would be amazing!" Daisy laughed.
Ash, who was overhearing the conversation laughed, too. "You two…" He trailed off. "Mind if I danced with your sister?" Ash asked Misty, who smiled.
"If I can dance with your best friend." She replied. Brock was making his way over to the trio. "Come, Brock! We're going to dance!" Misty swept him away while Ash and Daisy waltzed.
"Ah, aren't they amazing, Lance?" Delilah asked, staring at her children.
"Yes, they are. I can't wait for them to rule this country. I know they'll make some great changes."
"Yes, they'll bring this country to its golden age, the one we were supposed to bring to it." Delilah playfully punched her husband in the upper arm.
"Ah, yes, well, I let my heart ice over, but Ash won't let that happen, not with Misty and his son and daughter." They watched the two 20 year olds (yes, 20. Misty was 19 in the beginning, but she had her b-day while she was pregnant.) dance about in silence for a while, but it was broken. "Would you like to dance, my queen?"
"Of coarse, my king."
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Ok, that is the END of this series!!! I'm so sorry for telling you all I'd continue, but I can't! I know I can write more stuff or adventures, but that, to me, is pointless! Why continue writing and make the story, possibly, worse when I could end it and keep it great? I'll consider highly about writing about the children's lives as they grow up, or something like that (I'll include Ash and Misty and all of them, seeing as they are their parents and all), but only if I get, like, fifty reviews on this chapter! I know that's a lot, but I often tell others (my friends) about stories I've read that I absolutely adore (like Nightfall's 'The Kiss', which I suggest you read if you like Harry Potter), so you all can tell people about my story, and you can tell them to review, too ^_~. It doesn't hurt to fill in that little box below, I swear! Now, my thanks-
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I'd write a personal review to all of your guy's reviews, but I need to send this into Fanfiction, ok? I wrote little things on a few of the peep's names cuz their review was 'special'. Thank you all for reviewing and keeping me happy, even though I think
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