"Just think, Pikachu," Ash told his Pokémon on the way back from checking on the construction of the new Pallet Town gym. "Pretty soon we're going to have the best Pokémon gym in all of Kanto."
"Pika," the Pokémon nodded in agreement.
As the pair passed by the small white house that had been Ash's childhood home and would be his and Misty's after their marriage, Ash impulsively dashed up the sidewalk and rang the doorbell.
"Ash!" gasped Lily as she answered the door. "You're not supposed to be here!"
"Yeah, it's bad luck to see the bride on the day of the wedding," Violet added as she appeared behind her sister.
"Sorry. I just wanted to see how Misty was doing." Ash tried to peer around the two women blocking his way. "Is she around?"
"She's upstairs with Daisy, getting ready for the wedding," Lily said, shoving him out the door.
"So you just get on out of here and leave everything to us." Violet slammed the door in his face.
"Well, there goes that plan," Ash told Pikachu as he headed back down the sidewalk. The two started back towards the Oak Pokémon Research Laboratory where Delia had insisted that Ash spend his last as a bachelor.
"Hey, Ash!" called a familiar voice.
Ash turned around and saw a man about his age with spiky brown hair and an Umbreon at his heels approaching.
"Hey, Gary!" Ash smiled as the two clasped hands. "So you made it back from the Garnet Coast in one piece, huh?"
"Yeah. Spencer and I got back a couple of days ago. We discovered a new subspecies of Zapdos that have the ability to use some psychic-type attacks."
"Speaking of which, where's your better half?" Ash grinned mischievously.
Gary rolled his eyes. "She and her mother are in Houen visiting colleges. I'll be so glad when Molly leaves home and finds someone else."
Ever since Gary had joined Professor Hale's lab as a research assistant several years ago, Spencer's daughter Molly had developed a huge crush on him. Gary had hoped that over time her interest in him would wane, but it hadn't.
"I'll be sure to toss Misty's garter your way so we can plan yours and Molly's wedding next," Ash teased.
"Do that and I'll kick your ass," Gary replied as the two headed down the road in the direction of the Oak lab. "So how's life in Pallet? I saw that gym of yours on the way over. That place is larger than Grandpa's lab. Speaking of which, what's Sami into these days?"
"Muk slimed her and AJ this morning. When I left, Mom was busy trying to clean them up. Speaking of which…"
"Gary!" Sami, who was now freshly-scrubbed and wearing her flower girl's dress, came running down the hill and threw herself into Gary's arms.
"Hey, kiddo," Gary grinned as he gave her a hug. "You look great, although I wish I could've seen what you looked like earlier when you were covered in slime."
Even though Sami was technically Gary's half-aunt, she regarded him as a big brother. "Oh, it wasn't Muk's fault. We were playing tag and he got carried away. But Mom got me and AJ cleaned up." She pointed to the Pikachu at her heels, who was wearing a blue bow tie.
Gary stifled a laugh at the sight of the uncomfortable-looking Pikachu. "Uh-oh, I forgot to bring Umbreon's top hat for the ceremony."
His Pokémon gave him a "you've got to be kidding" look.
Sami seized Gary by the arm and began dragging him towards her house. "Don't worry. I've got an extra bow tie Umbreon can wear. Come on!"
Ash nearly doubled over in laughter as Umbreon gave him a "save me from this kid" glance backwards.
"Oh, don't worry, Umbreon. Pikachu's going to be wearing a top hat and tails," Ash called out at Umbreon's retreating form. "Speaking of which, we'd better get back to the house and get ready."
Back inside the lab, Delia was busy fussing over the latest arrival.
"Now you just sit right there and take it easy, May," Delia said, helping the girl to a nearby chair. "Is the morning sickness any better?"
"Actually, I haven't thrown up the last two days," May replied. "I'm hoping that maybe I'm finally getting over this."
"Well, you're almost four months along now, so that's about right," Delia said. "But you still need to take it easy."
"I'm fine, Delia. (May couldn't get used to calling someone as young as Delia "Grandma".) The doctor said that everything's going great."
"Well, that's good to know," Professor Oak smiled at his granddaughter as he came into the room. "But Delia's right. After all, you are carrying my first great-grandchild, so you need to take good care of yourself."
"Oh, don't worry, Grandpa," May said, giving him an affectionate kiss on the cheek. "Tracey's taking care of all that. He'll be up in a minute." (Tracey and May lived in the house behind the Oak lab that had once been May's and Gary's childhood home.)
"Hey, look who I found in the middle of the road!" Ash shouted as he, Gary, and Sami came bursting through the front door.
"Gary!" May leapt up from her chair and gave her brother a huge hug.
"Hey, Sis." Gary eyes widened with amazement as he noticed the slight bulge in his sister's midriff. "You're finally starting to look pregnant now."
"How are things in Greenfield, Gary?" Professor Oak asked, giving his grandson a friendly thump on the back.
"Spencer and I just got back from the Garnet Coast the day before yesterday. He said that he was sorry that he couldn't make it to the wedding, but he's got to get caught up on everything that's been going on at the lab while we were away for the last three months." Gary reached into his backpack and pulled out a present. "He said to give this to Ash and Misty and wish them all the best."
"Oh, that's so sweet of Spencer," Delia said, taking the gift from him and adding it to the growing pile of presents on the table next to the doorway.
"Where's that husband of yours?" Gary asked his sister. "Where's ol' Professor Sketchit?"
"Right here, Gary." Tracey had just entered the lab via the back door. "And you can still call me Tracey."
Professor Oak's former lab assistant had recently completed his Ph.D. and was now his partner in running the operations of the Oak Pokémon Research Laboratory.
"Tracey's still not used to having people call him 'Professor Sketchit'," May explained, giving her husband a kiss. "When he starts teaching this fall, he's probably going to be correcting his students."
"Ash, honey, you'd better get upstairs and get ready," Delia said, looking at her watch. "It's getting late."
"And I'll go get that bow tie for Umbreon," Sami said, dashing upstairs to her room.
"Bow tie for…?" Professor Oak gave Gary a disbelieving look.
"It was Sami's idea," Ash explained with a grin. "Since AJ and Pikachu are getting dressed up for the wedding, she thought that Umbreon should look nice too." He gave the miffed-looking Pokémon standing next to Gary a playful pat on the head.
"And you need to get upstairs and into your tuxedo right now, mister," Delia ordered, pointing in the direction of the steps. "You are not going to get married in a filthy pair of blue jeans and an old T-shirt."
"Yes, Mom," Ash said, giving her a kiss on the cheek before heading upstairs to the guest bedroom.
To be continued…