Season: This chapter is brought to you by the sheer determination I have to bring you guys updates because like Ash even when I'm knocked down I rise back up. Can't stay down for too long when you have fluff to write!

I can't believe we are soooo close to the end. Just one more chapter and it's like WHAT!? Better get to writing if I want it to be ready by the end of the year at the rate I'm going.

Love you all. Thank you for being so patient and understanding especially this past year and a half with everything going on. Things really got rough for me but I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

If any of you are wondering I'm doing good. Not fully back to myself but we're slowly getting there and that's what matters!

Plotting what my next story venture will be once I finish this but we'll discuss that once I do finish. I'm sure you're all tired of me by now lol

Hope you enjoy this chapter and all the small references I sprinkled in. The Try Not To Cry challenge is now in effect. Let me know if you shed as much (happy) tears as I did near the end.

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Stupidity Does Not Earn You Heaven

by: Season Of Magic

{~}

Johanna and Delia stood in the middle of the garden with microphones in their hands.

"Hello everyone. Thanks for coming tonight." Delia said with a smile.

"I almost didn't make it but I wouldn't have missed it for the world." Johanna said.
"But you must be wondering who we are."

"They know who I am." Delia said. "Don't you guys?"

There were various chorus of 'yes.' and one 'unfortunately.'

"I heard that Ash."

'Sorry mom.'

"As all of you heard I'm that ungrateful son's mother."

Ash gasped. "Mom!"

"At least I can now say I will have a wonderful daughter and granddaughter."

"Hey they're mine." Johanna pretended to pout.

"Didn't we agree we'd share?" Delia asked her.

"I suppose we did." Johanna sighed. "Just like we're sharing the cost of this party."

"Hey, I should be the one sighing! I'm not famous nor rich like you." Delia couldn't help but to point out.

"This is what I get for having a cute daughter. No choice but to end up paying the dowry." Johanna pretended to sigh again. "At least I'm getting a nice son out of it."

"See? Someone thinks I'm nice! Thanks mom I love you." He blew a kiss.

"I take it back you can keep him." Delia said crossing her arms.

"Family means that no one gets left behind!" Brianna uttered.

"That's my granddaughter." Delia said.

"Get your own." Johanna stated. "... Fine. She's ours."

Delia coughed. "Anyways." She continued. "We are here today to celebrate the soon-to-happen union between my son and his fiancée—my beautiful soon-to-be daughter, Dawn." She smiled brightly. "And of course adding to the family the wonderful bright girl that is my soon-to-be granddaughter, Brianna."

Everyone clapped and cheered.

"We're thankful that you can join us today and hopefully you can also join us to celebrate their union again in a month." Johanna said. "As I've been told, I'm paying for half of it so you know...the fewer that show up the more money I'll save. KIDDING! Please show up. As Ash likes to remind everyone; my daughter only gets married twice."

Ash burst out laughing at that. "Hopefully there won't be the need for a third."

Dawn swat his arm with a napkin. "There will if you keep poking fun at me about it."

"They argue so much like a married couple already that I'm sure this one will last." Delia assured Johanna.

"Let's hope so Delia." Johanna quipped back. "I'm not sure I can handle a third."

Delia laughed. "Well, everyone there is food, the music is great and the company is even better. Let the party begin!"

"And that is how you fold the napkin to turn it into the Swanna:" Brianna finished her demonstration.

"You lost me at the fourth fold." Lucas grumbled.

"I didn't even make it past the half folding stage." Barry complained. "I'm fining you!"

Ash's crumpled napkin was proof that he couldn't even begin. Dawn didn't do much better and the rest didn't even try it.

"Again; this is only for people who have skills and a eight-year old that has nothing else to do." Gary mumbled.

May raised her napkin. "Ha! Says you."

"That looks NOTHING like a duck."

"I at least tried." She stuck out her tongue.

Gary took the napkin. "This is what I think about that." And he hid it under the table.

"Just like your feelings huh?" Tracey couldn't help but utter.

"I didn't hear anything you said." Gary uttered with his arms crossed.

"Of course you didn't."

May blinked. "Hmm?"

Tracey shook his head. "Nothing May." He passed her a plate of cookies. "Just eat this."

She took the plate. "... Alright."

Johanna and Delia clapped their hands to get everyone's attention. "This is the time we interrupt to say that we a surprise for the couple."

Earlier they had brought in a box that was waiting for them.

"If it's a new car we'll take it." Ash said. "What!? My van is old."

"It's not a car." Johanna said laughing. "But it is something old."

"And something new." Delia said.

"How can something be new and old?" Dawn wondered.

"Come up here and see." Johanna winked. "We'll start with you Dawn." She and Delia stretched out their arms in invitation to Dawn. Dawn walked to their side, her curiosity had been piqued.

"So you probably noticed this box right?" Delia asked.

"Yeah." Dawn mumbled. "Doesn't look like it's a car. Sorry Ash."

Ash shrugged. "They said that one is yours, so I'm still hopeful."

Dawn laughed. "Right."

Delia smiled. "Well, remember how I'm making your dress?"

"Yeah, you seriously didn't have to."

"Shush. I wanted to." Delia held Dawn's hand.

Dawn smiled and then glanced to the box. "No way... you finished it already?"

Delia laughed. "I'm good but I'm not that good. I'm still working on it but it's almost ready I promise."

"She did however, with my help thank you very much," Johanna stated, "finished one important piece of it."

"And it's something that I thought—" Delia began but Johanna interrupted.

"—That we thought," Johanna said with a slight cough. "Couldn't be just be made and over with. We wanted to make it special."

"Well, honestly we were fighting back and forth on it." Delia admitted. "And the solution we came up with was..."

"To mix our ideas together." Johanna finished.

Dawn was even more curious now. "You two lost me."

"What's the most important piece of a wedding?" Johanna asked her daughter.

"According to Ash it's that the bride doesn't go missing." Dawn quipped.

Ash gasped. "So you can make the joke and I can't!?"

"Yes."

Johanna and Delia grinned. "You two are seriously meant to be together." They said.

"Everyone knows it's the dress." Brianna squealed. "So sparkly and beautiful!"

"Yes dear, but we're not showing all of you her dress. It's not even finished yet and besides you're not supposed to see it until the day of the wedding." Delia uttered.

"It's the veil!" Johanna yelled. "There I said it."

Dawn was even more confused now. "What does that have to do with..." she glanced to the box. "Are you saying the wedding veil is what's in the box?"

"Something new—" Delia said.

"—And something old." Johanna interrupted.

Dawn sighed. "Can you just tell me and stop being so cryptic?"

Johanna and Delia walked her over to the box.

"See for yourself." Delia said.

Dawn nodded and went to open the box. She looked inside and gasped. "So it is a veil!"

"Our gift to you." Delia said.

"But of course if you don't like it... there is time to alter it." Johanna promised.

Dawn carefully lifted it up. "It's beautiful."

"I made the veil." Delia said.
"That's the something new."

"The something old is—" Johanna began to say but Dawn interrupted her.

"—The crown." Dawn said. Her hands carefully over it. "I recognize it from your wedding photo mom. The crown is from your veil isn't it?" She whispered with tears in her eyes.

"Yeah..." Johanna whispered back.

"I love it." Dawn teared up even more now. "I get to have something from both of you on my special day." She went to hug them both. "Thank you."

There was not a single dry eye in the crowd at that moment.

Brianna, as usual, wanting to lighten things up; stood up with her hands on her hips. "What about me?" She joked. "Ash is apparently getting a car. Mom gets a beautiful veil and am I supposed to be just there, looking pretty?"

Delia and Johanna called her over.

"No. You also get a veil too you know." Delia said.

"The opposite really." Johanna stated. "Your flower girl veil was made from Delia's crown and my veil. A way to honor both grandmothers."

"Really!?" Brianna gasped.

Dawn looked inside the box again and lifted up another veil. "Seems like it munchkin."

Brianna eyes turned sparkly. "Wow."

Ash stood up, bringing napkins to them all. "I still don't think a car could fit in there."

Delia laughed as she wiped her eyes. "You're not getting a car honey."

"One could only dream."

Dawn was still looking through the box and called Ash over. "Come and see for yourself."

Ash went over and leaned into the box. "I don't see anything here."

Brianna and Dawn were now placing the veils back in the box. They didn't want to ruin them.

Delia grinned. "That's because it's not there." She passed over a smaller box to Ash. "Here you go."

"That doesn't look like a car." Ash mumbled.

"You should seriously give up on getting a new ride dad." Brianna said with a sigh.

Dawn nodded in agreement. "Yeah, how else are we supposed to go on road trips if it's not on the whoever isn't here say I van?"

Ash shook the box lightly "Fine." He mumbled as he went to open it. "Whatever this is, thanks mom." He didn't want to sound ungrateful but since he didn't know what it could be he didn't know how else to respond.

"Don't thank me." Delia said with a wink. "Thank your—"

"...—Dad..." Ash gasped as he saw what it was and lifted the brooch up. "Mom is this seriously dad's..."

"Your father's wedding brooch? Yes." Delia whispered. "I know he'd want you to have it on your special day."

"Mom." Ash was the one tearing up now. "Thank you." He lifted it out the box to look at it only to place it back and close the box, holding it tightly to his chest.

Dawn knew how he was feeling. That's the same feeling she had with the veil. "Is it better than what you thought it was going to be?" She asked, trying to cheer him up, resting her head on his shoulder. She passed him one of the napkins.

Ash nudged her head with his. "Are you kidding!? This is WAY better than a car." He said wiping his tears.

Everyone laughed at that. He seriously wasn't letting that go huh?

"Leave it to Ashy boy to make me almost want to cry." Gary uttered.

"You were crying even before that moment." May stated and poked him.

"S-shut up." Gary said.

"Gives you total Side Character Syndrome doesn't it?" Tracey mumbled.

"Main Character Syndrome you mean." Lucas piped up. "But I get it."

"I don't." Barry mumbled. "I'll fine you."

"It means that it makes you want to call your parents and ask if they have any mementos from their wedding." May interpreted for Tracey. "Which I'm totally going to do after this!"

"Does it look like we have any parents?" Gary uttered, taking a sip from this drink.

"Neither do we." Misty said.

"Join the club!" Melody replied.

"I'd rather not." May said. "But are you all okay do I have to call someone?"

"We have siblings." Brock said. "That counts for something right?"

"We're all fine." Lucas muttered, biting a cupcake.

"All our problems got resolved when mister hero over there saved the world." Melody stated. "Or something."

"Or something." Gary uttered.

"You can only save the world so many times before it gets boring." Ash piped in.

"Or it changes the fabric of reality as we know it." Professor Oak stated.

"Dimensional travel is only possible when something huge triggers it." Professor Rowan agreed. "Best you stop dealing with it."

"It's not our fault we get sucked into some big corporate scheme." Lucas mumbled.

"At least you got a Poketch out of it." Barry said.

"All I got was emotional damage." Lucas couldn't help but reply. "I'm fine. I'm fine."

"Is this what being a trainer is like?" Brianna couldn't help but ask. "Please tell me coordinators have it better?"

"I agree with Lucas." Dawn said. "I too got emotional damage."

"Says the one who—"

"—Ran away from her wedding before she made a mistake. We get it Ash." Gary said.

"I don't sound like that." Ash mumbled.

"Dude, you got the girl quit bringing up trauma while you're ahead."

Dawn placed her hands to her mouth, barely containing her giggles. "And he said he wasn't the supportive best friend."

Gary glared. "You're lucky this is your party or I'd have thrown you one of those cupcakes by now."

Brianna burst out laughing as well. "You're too old for a food fight."

"I can take you on anytime munchkin."

"Is this seriously what the new generation is like?" Professor Rowan whispered to Professor Oak.

Professor Oak simply nodded. "Our future is in good hands." He whispered back.

Johanna coughed to get their attention again. "There's still one final gift for Ash."

"At this point you could tell me Deoxys is invading again and I wouldn't care about it because I already have everything I could have asked or wished for."

Johanna chuckled as she passed over her own small box to Ash. "I know you have your father's brooch but I hope you also have enough space left for something else as well."

Ash's face went from joking jovially to curious and frowning lightly as he took the box. "Of course." He nodded. "If it's from you the space is already there." To him, that was obvious. She didn't even have to ask.

Johanna shook her head. "Not from me specifically..."

Dawn's breath stopped as Ash went to open the box. Even without him opening she knew what it had to be. "Mom? Is that what I think it is?"

Johanna took Dawn's hand in hers, placing the other on Ash's shoulder. "It's something I believe will be better in his hands than mine. After all, it's meant to be treasured and I think he will do it justice."

"You didn't give it to—..."

"—Paul? No. There was a reason why after all."

Ash's curiosity was getting the best of him, but he paused opening the box. "What could be so valuable that you're giving me but didn't to someone your daughter dated for years?"

"I'm pretty sure that what's inside that box is my father's wedding bracelet." Dawn whispered. "It's true, Paul never even knew about it."

Ash's hands felt like he was holding burning coal. "W-what?" He almost dropped it but caught it just in time.

Johanna pretended not to notice. She once again patted his shoulder. "In a little over two years you gave my daughter the love, support, attention and respect that someone couldn't even muster up over the span of multiple years. Trust isn't given, it's earned. With actions instead of simply words. That's why I know my husband, wherever he may be, would agree with me that it's yours if you accept. Just as you have taken in our family, ours takes you in as well."

Dawn squeezed her mother's hand and let go, reaching for Ash's. "You don't have to..."

Ash's face turned into a bright smile. Conviction and resolve shone in his eyes as he closed the partial opened box and leaned in to take both of the woman's hands and placed it on top. He reached over for Brianna's as well and did the same. "I'd love nothing more than to wear it on our wedding day. Then and only then will I actually open it." He promised. "Your father deserves to be a part of it as much as mine does, and he'll be there. They both will."

Everyone thought the tears had stopped but the dam had broken and the flood of tears poured in even more than before.

"Darn it Ash I'll get you that damn car. You can even have mine if you want." Gary mumbled.

"I don't think he actually wanted a car you stupid idiot. He was trying to make a joke because he didn't know what they were going to get." May said.

"Besides I highly doubt you'd give him your car." Tracey piped in.

"He wouldn't give anyone his sweet baby." Brock stated.

"Side Character Syndrome?" Barry asked, wiping away his tears.

"Side Character Syndrome." Melody replied.

"I'm a main character thank you very much." Lucas grumbled.

"That's what they all say." Professor Rowan mumbled.