Chapter Eleven
Happy Reunion
After an hour or two, Charizard landed outside the Pokémon HQ Lab, and Tobianna and Young Ash could tell that Cyril and Rachel had reached it already, because Cyril's flying machine was sat on the immaculate lawn at the front. Tobianna set off at a run, eager to go and see her parents and reassure her mother in particular that she was allright. Young Ash followed her, also at a run.
As she ran in the doors, the woman at reception took one look at her, and reacted with such a loud scream that Tobianna was surprised that all the glass in it didn't shatter. Jumping up from her desk, she ran very fast into the door on Tobianna's left behind her.
"What's up with her?" asked Tobianna. Then as Young Ash ran in behind her, she was reminded of the attire they were both wearing. "Oh yeah, right. Cipher kidnapped Professor Krane from here about nine years ago, didn't they? I guess the same woman must have been on reception then and recognised the outfits."
"Yeah, well I hope someone here has clothes to fit us." Young Ash stated. "I've sweated into this thing, and it stinks, and I don't imagine you smelling much sweeter, gorgeous though you usually are." Tobianna lifted one of her arms to sniff an armpit, and wrinkled her nose.
"Faugh! I reek too!" she said, just as Professor Krane, Cyril, Rachel, and both of Young Ash's parents came out, the four trainers holding poké balls. The receptionist was cowered behind them, and said
"There's two of them now!"
"That's okay, that's our children." said Rachel. "I thought your father told you two to head for Phenac?"
"That would have taken too long." Young Ash said. "Tobianna reminded me that we could fly here on Charizard because I'd been before, so we thought to spare having to send John out, and meet you here. I guess we should have called, huh?"
"Yes, indeed." Said Female Ash, as Professor Krane turned and explained to the receptionist that the two had escaped from Cipher, and were not there to raid the HQ Lab. "You gave the lady there quite a turn."
Professor Krane had finished explaining to the receptionist, and asked her to take Young Ash and Tobianna down to somewhere they could shower, and find them some clothes.
Tobianna remembered Lovrina running her hands through her hair and shuddered. "That sounds like a good idea. I feel tainted after being in Lovrina's presence." she said. "Not to mention that you can probably smell the pong from these uniforms from back there.
"Perhaps you have something they could wear in your machine, Cyril?" the Professor asked. Young Ash groaned as he imagined having to don some of Cyril's green, pink, and purple garments, but Rachel said "I'll go, and you come too, Male Ash. If you can find fairly sombre things to fit you, they'll fit your son. I'm sure you're both of a size." The receptionist took them downstairs.
"There's two bedrooms over there-both Michael and Jovi are away at the moment, and you can rest there once you've showered." She handed them both some big fluffy towels. "The showers are there, and there'll be clean clothes on the beds when you come out." She left, and both Young Ash and Tobianna wasted no time in stripping off their revoltingly sweaty and smelly Cipher uniforms, and stepping into the big shower, which comfortably accommodated them both.
As the warm water cascaded over both of them, Tobianna's big brown eyes looked into Young Ash's eyes, which were also a warm brown.
"I love you, Ash, and I've missed you." she said, stepping forward and closing the distance between them. She slipped her arms around his waist and clasped him close, and he held her too.
They stayed like that for some time, and by the time they exited the shower, the receptionist had had more than enough time to bring down clothes for them and put them on the bed.