Delia sighed to herself. Ash wasn't budging about his opinion towards his father, and they had another six hours on this flight.
"Say something to her." Delia whispered harshly, jabbing her husband in the ribs.
"So Ashlynn, how's your training been going?" Richard asked.
"You don't have to pretend to care." Ash said dismissively. "If you have to force it, then just stop."
"I'm sorry. I wasn't in a good headspace when we met." Richard apologized. "What I said, and what I did, those are unforgivable. If there's anyway I can make it up to you, I want to know."
Ash turned his back to his dad, this was going to be a long flight.
"So do you have a boyfriend or?" Richard asked.
"Seriously! That's what you ask?!" Ash snapped.
"I don't know how this!" Richard said, emphasizing Ash's current look. "Works, okay."
"I'm not an alien, just different, you wouldn't understand." Ash sighed.
"Then help me understand. We have six hours together. After that you can continue ignoring me." Richard relented.
"Fine." Ash said digging through his carry on, and pulling out his phone. "Her name's Serena." Ash said showing a photo of them before they tried to leave for prom.
"I should've been there." Richard said.
"Why? To keep me from wearing the dress." Ash said with annoyance.
"To give her a good talking to about what'll happen if she hurts you." Richard laughed.
"Like you did to mom?" Ash pointed out.
A silence fell over the Ketchum family, Ash had made a strong argument at every turn.
"Switch with me." Delia said to her husband.
"Thank you, that'll make this flight less awkward." Richard sighed.
"No you'll be going back after I finish with Ash." Delia scolded. "Ash, now it's fine to have negative opinions on your father."
"Hey!" Richard exclaimed.
"But he's trying to find some common ground with you, and you aren't giving him a fair chance like you promised." Delia said.
"A fair chance would have been finding out you two were back together over lunch, or even a weekend visit. I'm literally stuck with him for the next few hours!" Ash argued.
"Talk about your adventures, the two of you traveled the world for years, you have to have experienced at least one thing in common." Delia said.
"If he got my letters, he knows enough." Ash said with annoyance.
"The letters!" Richard exclaimed.
"Yeah, or did you burn those up?" Ash snarled.
"He forwarded them to me." Delia said. "I'll let you two talk about those."
"So that one about your Charizard and the fake Entei?" Richard asked.
"Oh don't even get me started on how many psychic types seem to be out to get me." Ash began.
Delia smiled as the two began comparing their strangest adventures, and most dangerous battles. Several hours later, Ash was curled up with Pikachu in his lap, the both fast asleep.
"I think you made some serious progress with them today." Delia said softly.
"He, err she, has far more in common with me than I realized, maybe I should've spent more time at home." Richard said. "All I can do now is be there for them in the future. So Serena is she a he, or he a she, or something else?"
"She's a lovely young lady, and I'm sure you'll meet her soon enough." Delia said calmly.
After landing
"Just hold still." Chloe argued.
"It's fine." Ash said.
"How you sleep in one of those chairs is still beyond me." Chloe said, readjusting Ash's shirt.
"Okay everyone, here are your passes for the Corvinight Cabs. They will be taking off in an hour so don't get lost." Professor Cerise explained.
"Now just let me touch up your lip gloss a bit and…". Chloe tried saying to Ash.
"Enough! I'm fine as is, it's not like anything is going to happen in the meantime." Ash argued. "What, what are you guys looking at?" Ash asked seeing Goh and Chloe grinning.
"No clue, maybe you should turn around." Serena said.
"Serena!" Ash exclaimed, leaping into her arms.
"I thought you said she wasn't going on the trip?" Ash said looking at Professor Cerise.
"I said she wasn't coming with us. Technically she came on her own with her mom from Kalos." Professor Cerise said.
"Sorry, we were told not to say anything." Chloe apologized.
"Ashlynn, aren't you going to introduce me?" Richard asked.
"Right, I guess I should. Dad, this is Serena, my girlfriend. Serena, this is my dad, he's been given another chance by my mom." Ash said.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Richard said extending his hand.
"I'm aware of who you are and what you've said." Serena said sternly. "Understand that whatever you do to Ash I will do to you." Serena threatened.
"I feel like that's usually the fathers line to say." Richard tried joking.
"Daddy, stop it." Ash said lightly hitting him.
"Daddy?" Richard said.
"Ashley…" Serena said cautiously, as she stepped back.
"Nope, but if he wants to try and be my dad again during the time I was going to be my mom's daughter, that's what he's going to get too." Ash said. "I've missed you." Ash added wrapping his arms around one of Serena's leaning into her.
"Laying it on thick?" Serena asked.
"Little of me just missing you, and a little of making sure it isn't an act." Ash said.
"So does anyone know where in Galar we're headed?" Serena asked.
"The Tundra to the far south. I've rented most of the floor of a hotel for us." Professor Cerise said. "If you haven't already, bundle up, the landing point is covered in snow this time of year, and then it's a mile hike to our destination."
A collection of groans was heard from some members of the group, mostly the younger kids and their parents at the idea of that long of a hike.
"Glad I brought Rhyhorn." Grace remarked.
"And I've got Golurk." Goh said happily.
"Ashlynn, do you by chance have something a bit more suitable for getting us through the snow?" Richard asked.
"Who do you think is making sure everyone else makes it safely to the site?" Ash pointed out.
"I guess that's a fair point." Richard said.