"Nervous yet, Ash?" Tracey asked while helping Ash into his tuxedo.

"No, not really," Ash said calmly, smoothing down his spiky hair, which, as usual, was refusing to cooperate.

"I was the same way the day May and I got married," Tracey smiled knowingly. "I was fine until they started playing the music before the ceremony started. Then my legs started shaking so badly that I nearly keeled over in the aisle. Professor Oak saw me starting to go down and made Brock run back to the lab to get the oxygen bottle. He remembered it from when he got married."

"Payback time, huh?" Ash chuckled. "Oh yeah…now I remember. I was checking on the food and when I came back into the dressing room, you were propped up in one of the chairs, pale as a Dewgong, and Dad was checking your pulse or something like that."

"I brought the oxygen bottle upstairs with me in case you need to use it, Ash," Tracey said. "It's in the corner."

"Thanks, Tracey, but I'll be fine. That is, if Brock ever shows…"

"Sorry I'm late," Brock gasped as he burst through the doorway. "Just making sure everything's in order for our man's big day." He thumped Ash on the shoulder. "Nervous, buddy?"

"Tracey and I just had that talk," Ash replied. "And I'm fine."

"Hey, the oxygen bottle's here," Brock said, noticing it in the corner. "Looks like you're all set."

"Don't tell me you passed out on your wedding day too, Brock?" Ash said in disbelief.

"No. Just threw up a couple of times, that's all."

"Speaking of throwing up, I'm gonna kill you for making me drink all that beer last night," Ash said, tossing a sock in his friend's direction. "My stomach's been acting up all day."

"Come on, you didn't drink that much last night," said Brock, catching the sock and flinging it back in Ash's direction. "Are you sure it's not nerves?"

"Did you eat anything this morning?" asked Tracey.

"I had some tea and one of Mom's pancakes," Ash replied. "I didn't feel like eating anything else with my stomach the way it is."
"Nerves," Tracey and Brock said in unison.

"Will you two cut it out! I'm not nervous!" Ash insisted. "Look, I feel the same way I do before a big Pokémon battle, and I always do fine. Today's no different."

"Well, just to be safe, be sure to write down your vows on a piece of paper and stuff it in your sleeve," Tracey advised, handing Ash a note card. "I was so nervous that I blanked out during the ceremony and forgot all the words. And May still hasn't let me forget it. Speaking of which, I'm going to go downstairs and see how things are going." Tracey gave his friend the thumbs-up sign. "And don't forget about the oxygen."

"Maybe you guys got cold feet on your wedding day, but I'm fine," Ash said, studying his reflection in the mirror. "I'm as cool as an Articuno. Right, Pikachu?"

"Pika," Pikachu replied, also giving Ash the thumbs-up sign.

"You look even better than Ash, Pikachu," Brock said, grinning at the sight of the Pokémon dressed in a top hat and bow tie. "Watch out or Misty might marry you instead."

"Pika?"

"Lemme help you with that, Ash," Brock volunteered, noticing that Ash was having a problem getting his tie on straight.

"I hate ties," Ash muttered. "Feels like a Vine Whip being wrapped around your neck."

"Don't worry," Brock said, grinning mischievously. "It'll be off soon enough. Speaking of which, I have your plane tickets right here in my pocket. You're all set for an unforgettable honeymoon at Sunset Island. And do you have the 'instruction book' we gave you at your party last night?"

Ash turned bright red. "Brock, I think I know what to do on my honeymoon."

"True, but you ought to try out some of the 'advanced techniques' in the book we gave you. You'll leave Misty begging for more."

"This coming from the guy who used to beg women to let them make you their boyfriend?"

"Those days are over, buddy," Brock said, picking a stray thread off of his friend's jacket. "And yours will be too, in just a couple of hours. There. You look great. Misty won't even recognize you."

"You have Misty's ring, right?"

"Right here in my pocket, next to the plane tickets," Brock said, patting his jacket. "So all you need to do now is kick back, relax, and sniff a little of the oxygen if you need to. I'll be back in a little while to drag you kicking and screaming to the altar."

"Hey, thanks for everything, Brock," Ash smiled gratefully at his longtime friend.

"What's a best man for?" Brock smiled back. "And as best man, one of my duties is to check on the wedding party, so I'm going to visit the ladies now. "

"Just keep your hands off of my future wife," Ash called out as Brock headed down the hallway.

My wife…

Ash smiled to himself at the thought and leaned back onto his bed. Pikachu came over to his side and peered into his trainer's face.

"I'm not nervous at all, Pikachu," Ash said, scratching Pikachu's head. "Matter of fact, I might just take a little nap right now and…oh man, not again." Ash clutched his stomach and headed for the bathroom once more.

"Pikachu?" the little Pokémon asked worriedly as Ash emerged from the bathroom once more.

"It's okay, Pikachu," Ash replied, flopping down on the bed. "I think the nachos I had at the party last night didn't sit well with the beer I had. I think I'll just rest for a little while before it's time for the ceremony."

Ash closed his eyes and Pikachu curled up next to his trainer.

To be continued…