Okay, sorry I haven't updated in a while. I haven't had much time to get on the computer as I would like.

Anyways, here's the newest chapter. Return to Pallet Part 1.
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Chapter 35

After their little romantic incident, Ash and Misty returned to the rest of the gang. They had been gone for quite a while, so Brock was a bit worried about them. Lunch was just about ready when he saw them return. He smiled at them.

"Well, where have you two been?" Brock asked.

"Oh, somewhere!" Misty said, showing them the ring she was wearing.

The entire group was shocked when they saw the ring.

"Ash! Is Misty saying that…" Max started to say, but he didn't want to finish.

"Yep! Me and Misty are officially an engaged couple!" Ash answered, knowing what he was about to say.

May smiled happily at them with glee. "This is great! And so romantic!" She said.

Brock just gave them a near laughing smirk. "I knew it all along!" He said triumphantly.

Ash and Misty were shocked to say the least. "Brock! You knew?" Ash asked.

"How could I not notice? Ever since I saw you two fighting over something as pointless as getting lost, I had a feeling you two would end up together. Of course, I easily knew better just to sit back and wait for it to happen. I just sat back and watched it all happen, only stopping you when I knew things would get out of hand. Of course, you two quickly forgot about the fights. It was as if it never happened, and yet you were strangely a little bit closer to eachother. I knew it would come one day. I just had to wait for it to happen." He said, remembering how often he saw them act like the close friends that they are.

"Know so much about romance, and yet have the lack of knowing how to act the right way in front of a girl!" Misty said, a bit surprised.

Brock just laughed nervously, knowing Misty was right about him.

Meanwhile, at a white house along a dirt path, a lady who seemed to be in her late teens and had red hair that was tied in a ponytail, knocked on the door. The door was answered by an older woman with brown hair, and had several wrinkles on her face.

"Hi! Is this the Ketchum residence?" Asked the red haired woman innocently, though she had a feeling she was at the right house.

"Why yes it is!" The brown haired woman said with a smile.

"Is Ash home? I heard he just became the greatest Pokemon Master in the world, and I thought that he might be home by now."

"No, but I have a big surprise for him when he gets home!" The pitch in her voice changed to have that of a little schoolgirl. "I'm so proud of my Ash! He has accomplished his dream of becoming a Pokemon Master!" She said with glee.

"You're Ash's mom?" She asked, being a bit surprised.

"Yes! My name is Delia." Mrs. Ketchum said as she brought out her hand to greet the lady.

"I'm Macey, a friend of Ash's." She said shaking her hand. "And if things work out, his soon to be wife!" She thought as she gave a hidden evil smirk.

Ash and Co continue on their way to Pallet Town. This time with both Ash and Misty leading the way, holding each other's hand. Next came Max, then May, and finally Brock, bringing up the rear. Pikachu was riding on Ash's shoulder, and Jirachi was also out, enjoying the view over Max's head.

Jirachi was let out when it was lunchtime. After the lunch, they were about to head out when Jirachi pretty much begged Max not to let him be inside the pokeball anymore. He pretty much hated being in there, and enjoyed being outside way more. Max was against this at first, as to the fact of what people would think if they saw Jirachi with him, but after some thought, he believed it was better for Jirachi to be out. Max learned long ago from Ash that the best way to be friends with your pokemon is to make them happy in spirit, and Max saw just how happy Jirachi was being outside with him. Everything else against it just seemed pointless in the end.

Jirachi, however, was a bit annoying. He constantly asked questions that his curious mind kept having. The questions were pretty much along the line of "What's that?" Max easily explained everything he asked. Of course, there was one point where Max was kinda hesitant to answer a question.

"Hey Max, just curious, do you have a girlfriend?" Jirachi innocently asked out randomly.

"Uh, no, not really!" Max answered with a blush.

"Then why are you blushing? Come on! Tell me!" He said in a begging tone right in front of Max.

Max decided to tell him. "Okay! There is one girl that I do have a crush on!" He said, scratching the back of his head, being a bit nervous.

"Oh? Who?"

"Uh, her name is Vivi Winstrite. I met her not too long after I met you. We pretty much hit it off, but it really didn't last." Max said the last part in a sad tone.

"What happened?"

Max let out a sigh. "We had pretty much just met, but we were having a pokemon battle. I was not really a trainer, so I asked Ash if I could use his Corphish. Corphish didn't obey and knocked out her Marril. It was over pretty quickly. She pretty much said that she hated me after that. My heart was broken and I was miserable for a while. I still have feelings for her."

"Well, did she blush when she said she hated you?"

"Um, I think she did." He said, thinking nothing of it.

"Then there might be hope for you two yet." The pokemon said as he floated way ahead of Max, leaving him with a puzzled look. Max didn't think anything of it and just continued on.

They soon reached the top of a hill, and the entire group looked down on an all too familiar town. Nearly the whole place was filled with houses for a small number of people to live in. The only kind of road that existed for such a town was one made of dirt.

Recognizing his hometown, Ash immediately ran as fast as he could down the road. The rest of the group followed him. They all tried their best to keep up with Ash, but he easily outran them. In fact, he was running so fast, Pikachu was having a hard time holding on to him. He soon stopped in front of a white house down the dirt road. The rest of the group caught up to him, each one of them panting heavily.

"Ash! Did you have to run so fast?" Misty complained.

"But Misty, you knew I couldn't wait to get home!" Ash said in a rather serious tone.

At that point Ash opened the door. "Hey, Mom! I'm home!" Ash announced when he walked in.

Right at that point someone came up and hugged him, but it wasn't who he was expecting it to be. He looked at the girl hugging him. She was about his height, only slightly taller. She had red hair, which was tied in a ponytail along her back, and was hugging Ash so tight, that he couldn't even breathe. He immediately recognized the girl.

"Macey? What is she doing here?" Ash thought to himself. "Can't breathe!" He managed to say.

Macey immediately let go of him. "Sorry about that!" She said with a nervous laugh.

"What are you doing here, Macey?"

"I came to see you, silly!" She said with a bright smirk. "Oh, we have so much catching up to do, and I've got the rest of the day planned for us!"

"And I bet I know what they are!" Misty thought to herself angrily.

"Come on, Ash!" Macey grabbed Ash by the arm. "No time to waste! We've got a lot to…"

Misty getting right in front of Ash and breaking her grasp cut her off.

"Sorry, but Ash is permanently booked!" Misty said to her face.

"Oh look who it is, his coach!" Macey said angrily when she saw Misty. "Sorry, but you can't tell Ash how to live his social life!"

"True, but you're gonna have to cancel your plans with him!"

"Yea right! You just know that I'm going to win in the end!"

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure if I were you!" Misty showed Macey her ring.

Macey was completely shocked. "You mean… you're his… his…"

"Yep! I'm his fiancée!" She said triumphantly. "Sorry, but you lose!" She teased.

Macey suddenly had tears streaming down her eyes. When she couldn't take it anymore, she cried loudly and ran out of the house, shoving Ash down in the process. Ash immediately got back up.

At that point, they heard another voice. "Is that my Ash?" They heard another woman say. A woman with brown hair immediately ran up and hugged him tightly. "Welcome home Ash!"

"Mom! Can't… breathe!" He said from the second suffocating hug that he got that day.

His mom immediately let go of him when she realized she was suffocating her own son. "Oh I'm sorry, dear! I'm just so glad that you're home!"

"I'm glad to be home too, mom!"

"Well, I've got something special planned for my little Ash!" She said, pinching her son's cheek.

Ash just squealed in pain a bit. "Mom! Do you have to embarrass me like this in front of my friends?"

Brock couldn't help but snicker, trying his best to hide it, as he looked at his friend's predicament.

"Well, make yourselves at home! I've got a lot to do before…" She cut herself off, realizing she was about to ruin the surprise she had in store for her son. "I mean, I'll get dinner ready!" She took off before anyone could say anything, as Ash wanted to tell her about the recent engagement.

"Hey guys!" Brock began, getting everyone's attention. "Let's head over to Professor Oak's while waiting for Ash's mom to get everything done."

"Yeah, I guess my announcement can wait." Ash said under his breath.

They leave the house, and head to Professor Oak's.

---End Chapter 35---
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Well, there ya go.

Next up, Part 2.

Summary: The gang arrive at Professor Oak's and when Jirachi is introduced, who knows what might happen?

Sorry, I'm not gonna spoil it too much.

Anyways, please review.