Memory Lane
One shot with Ash all grown up and remembering when he was a kid. Makes poor Jade reminisce – it's been years and years since I wrote my first fic… which just happened to be a pokémon one.
Pokémon and all related characters are the property of their respective owners.
"And you remember that time, when I jumped from that cliff…? Wow. I sure was suicidal as a kid, huh?"
Pikachu simply smiled that little smile he always shared with his trainer and answered with his happy, "Pika!"
And as Ash reached out to fondly pet the head of his long-time friend, the little electric mouse didn't have to worry about not quite understanding what the man was saying, or fretting that his trainer wouldn't catch the meaning behind the repetitions of his 'Pi-ka-chu!'. Because they had known each other so long – the words weren't even needed anymore.
"Then there was the time when Team Rocket took you away, you remember?"
Pikachu did. And he remembered how Ash had never ever given up no matter how hopeless the situation.
Ash laughed slightly as Pikachu bumped his head against his hand. Grinning still, he scooped up the electric mouse and pointed out a coloured photograph in the album he held open on his lap.
Misty, Brock, and Ash stood frozen in time, laughing and joking as the photographer (who Ash recalled to be Tracy) took the picture. They all looked so young; it was hard for the man to believe that time had ever existed.
Smiling faintly at the memories, Ash turned another page of the album, laughing when Pikachu let out an excited, 'Kaaa!' at its contents.
"Yeah," Ash grinned. "That's Togepi as a baby. You guys always played together back then, didn't you?"
At Pikachu's glance, Ash laughed again and nodded his head in compliance. "I know! I played back then, too."
Ash flipped the pages of the album, hovering over certain pictures and reminiscing with his friend about when they had done this, and when they had done that, and then laughing at just how stupid they were. And brave.
It was close to an hour later when the black-haired man flipped the book shut and gave Pikachu another pat on the head. "We sure were irresponsible, but we had fun."
A snort from across the room caught both man and pokémon's attention. Misty stood in the doorway, hands on her hips and a fond smile on her face.
"You boys are still just as careless as ever," she said, hanging her head in mock disbelief. "What happened to setting the table?"
Ash and Pikachu shared a sheepish glance before the pokémon hopped down to jump into Misty's arms in greeting and the man sat the album aside, heading for the kitchen.
"While we're going down memory lane…" Misty grinned, poking Ash sharply in the arm as he passed her. "I don't think you've ever paid me back for that bike you broke when we were kids."
Ash winced, stifling a nervous laugh as the woman smirked at him. She had laughed it off the next moment, however, hooking her arm in his and dragging Ash to help set the table as she launched into a discussion of her own memories during their travels.
It wasn't long before dinner was being eaten and both were reminiscing with reckless abandon, joking about how clueless Ash had been or how bad Misty had been at hiding the fact she liked a certain-someone.
And as the dishes were cleaned to be put away, Ash smiled faintly at Pikachu and Misty.
Sometimes he thought he'd give anything to be back on the road, childish ambitions as his only guide. But then he would think of these memories and wouldrealize that, no, giving 'anything' wasn't an option.
Because he could never give up these memories made with his friends.
And his friends… there were all that had ever mattered.
