Disclaimer: No ownership of Pokémon
Dawn's Last Dress
It was a trying day for Ash, Goh, Chloe, Dawn and the Pokémon as they figured out what was causing nightmares causing insomnia to the people of Sinnoh. It was then, discoveries of Darkrai and Cresselia on Fullmoon Island brought the trainers to face Team Rocket, but it was more than Jessie and James. Forced to a wall, Pikachu, Piplup, Eevee and Cinderace helped protect Cresselia from Matori and the Team Rocket grunts. Chloe and Dawn treated Cresselia of its injuries it suffered from Team Rocket while Eevee and Piplup became fast friends. After fending off Team Rocket, Darkrai bid farewell to Cresselia and the trainers. The trainers camped for the night. "I'm actually surprised that you two were together at one time," Chloe awed. Pikachu, Eevee, Grookey and Piplup shared foods together. Buneary also emerged and snuggled by Pikachu, making the Mouse Pokémon blush.
"Well, I did say that I had some friends help me," Dawn corrected before turning to Ash. "Speaking of friends, how's Brock doing?"
"He's still studying to be a Pokémon Doctor," Ash informed. "Also, Iris is the Unova Champion so that's something I thought she could do, especially her Haxorus." Dawn gasped to the news.
"Her Axew is fully evolved?" she believed. "Oh, I wish I could see it."
"As for Brock, he's interested in Akkala Island's Kahuna, Olivia," Ash added. Dawn, Goh and Chole blinked to the name and location.
"Akkala Island?" repeated Goh. "In Alola? Where we saw your little brother?" The reply made Dawn blink.
"Wait, didn't you say that you're an only child Ash?" questioned Dawn.
"It's more of a family I helped make in Alola with Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet in which when I came to visit, I met Lei and I was given the title of big brother," Ash clarified. Chloe awed the title Ash was given.
"So, Lei's an infant?" she guessed.
"He is," Goh answered.
"Oh, if I had known," Chloe sighed. "I would've gone and probably offered to babysit."
"Not to mention see most of his classmates at the Pokémon School," Goh added. "Who did Professor Kukui said wasn't there? Lillie?" Ash nodded.
"Yeah, she and Gladion are looking for their dad," he briefed.
"I can imagine," Dawn pondered. "Of course, you and I never really had a dad to grow up with, right?" Ash sighed to Dawn's point.
"I hate being reminded," he murmured.
"Hey, no need to worry," Dawn comforted. "Besides, you've got plenty of friends." Ash smiled at the reminder, believing her. "By the way, I do hope to see you at the World Coordination Series in Wyndon." Ash nodded, hoping friends would be there. That's when Dawn had an idea. "Oh, Goh, Chloe… could you watch over Pikachu and Piplup?" Goh and Chloe wondered about the ordeal.
"Sure… but why?" accepted Goh. Dawn smiled while wagging a finger.
"Personal reasons," she cited. "Come on over, Ash." Hearing his friend from Sinnoh, Ash seemed befuddled but complied.
"Yeah…" he gulped. As they left Goh's and Chloe's sight, all they could do was wonder.
"If Dawn says it's for 'personal reasons'," Goh started. "Why would she need Ash?" Chloe smiled to the thought.
"I had a feeling Dawn wanted to show Ash something personally," she believed. Now, out of sight, Ash faced Dawn.
"So, what's up?" he asked.
"Well, I wanted to give you a little something that…" hesitated Dawn. "I probably should've done before you left Twinleaf to go back to Pallet… maybe even before we left Undella Town… and that Piplup was right to Peck me for not listening." Ash started becoming curious.
"Oh, man… is it that Piplup wanted to stay with me and Pikachu?" Blushing cheeks formed on Dawn's face.
"Piplup isn't the only one. I thought I threw away all of my chances to tell you. I held onto to it for a long while, believing that… I'd see you again. Now look, we're back together." This puzzled Ash.
"Dawn, I don't think I've given you anything to remind me."
"Of course not. Now that we're together, I'm ready to show you. Give me a few minutes."
"Okay…" Permission granted, Dawn walked to the side. Pikachu and Grookey came over to check on Ash who laughed. "Hey, no need to worry, you two." Pikachu acknowledged and turned to Grookey.
("It's nothing for us,") he squeaked. The Pokémon left Ash to wait for Dawn. Soon enough, Dawn reemerged.
"Sorry for the wait," she apologized. Ash turned around to see Dawn and gasped. He accidentally tripped over his own feet and fell onto his buttocks at the sight of Dawn's outfit. It was a pearl white sleeveless wedding gown with white high-heeled Mary-Janes barely seen under the gown's skirt. She also wore a white veil held by a pearl tiara. Ash sat in shock.
"Da- Dawn?" he stuttered. "Is… that…" Dawn fluffed a nod.
"I wanted to reveal it to you the next time I saw you which was today after I showed Chloe my new Pokémon Contest outfit. Besides, each time I had a chance ever since what happened on Mount Coronet, I forget… I held onto it for when we saw each other at Cynthia's Villa and spaced out… but that ends now." To Ash, and remembering the events with Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet, Dawn wanted to marry him.
"Wait, are you… proposing to me?" The guess made Dawn laugh.
"Proposing seems a bit much… but if anything… my proposal is that I love you and I want to be your girlfriend." The confession made Ash awe while Goh and Chloe watched, keeping a bit of a distance to not be discovered. Pikachu and Grookey were on Goh's shoulders while Chloe held Eevee and Piplup perched on her head.
"I didn't think you ever wanted a boyfriend, Dawn… you want more and I'm surprised that you want me to… I want to say be your husband." The guess from Ash made Dawn keel over in laughter but remain on her feet.
"You've always been one to think big!" Calming down, Dawn stood up and wiped a tear from her white arm-length glove. "But you're not wrong." She heeled herself to Ash, reaching and removing his cap. "And I wouldn't want it any other way. So, would you be my boyfriend, then my fiancé… and maybe my husband?" The proposal had Ash smiling.
"There's a lot of dedication to you that I would share, so…" Suddenly, a caw from above. Everyone looked up to find Cresselia returning. It placed itself in front of Ash and Dawn. "Cresselia?" Their attention on the Lunar Pokémon, Darkrai sneaked behind Ash and Dawn, but Ash sensed the Pitch-Black Pokémon. "Darkrai?" Cresselia nodded to Darkrai who placed hands onto Ash's and Dawn's heads. Goh sensed there was a problem.
"They're in trouble!" he snapped before rushing to help. Cresselia spotted Ash's friend but used Psycho Cut, stopping Goh in his tracks. Darkrai helped Ash and Dawn to the ground where they fell asleep as Chloe and the Pokémon checked on Goh. Then, Cresselia placed its wings onto Ash's and Dawn's chests, the two now holding hands by Darkrai's help. Darkrai nodded to Cresselia as the Lunar Pokémon began to glow, illuminating to share with the two fallen.
"What are those two doing?" questioned Chloe. In a moment, Ash and Dawn had entered a dream.
A stadium took place in the dream and everyone had filed, not only in the seats around the bowl, but in seats that formed like pews in a church. Everyone had come and dressed for a day like today. Before long, Misty and Tracey emerged, then Brock and Olivia, followed by Max and Bonnie, followed by May and Drew, then Iris and Cilan, followed by Goh and Chloe. Each one walked down the carpeted aisle as Sonia and Leon joined the parade, then Viola and Grant. Each boy or man mentioned wore a sea blue tuxedo while each girl or woman wore a pink sleeveless dress. Then came Ash in a white tuxedo and Delia who came down the same aisle with Delia wearing a yellow sleeveless sundress and high heels. When they reached the front of the stage, mother and son exchanged a final hug. "My dream has come true…" she muttered.
"That makes three of us," Ash joked. Delia nodded before finding a seat in the front. Once seated, Ash turned to a young man in a white robe and clerical collar while a little girl in a white dress spread white flower petals down the aisle from a wicker basket. Then, the music changed. Everyone seated on the floor stood and faced the bride in the same gown as Dawn revealed to Ash. In fact, barely visible through her veil was Dawn. Johanna, in her green dress, walked aside her daughter down the aisle. Before long, they arrived and mother and daughter shared a hug.
"I'm glad to see you found the right man," Johanna smiled.
"Like I told you, no need to worry," Dawn whispered.
"And I worry when you say that," Johanna warned.
"Now, it's my husband who needs to worry," Dawn shared. Johanna giggled before sitting at the front. The music ended and everyone sat back down in their seats. The man in the robe made himself noticed. The Pokémon around the stadium floor watched on. Ash and Dawn now faced the man in the robe.
"Ladies and gentlemen and Pokémon, welcome to this glorious moment," he greeted. "We are here, gathered to witness the union of Ash Ketchum and Dawn Berlitz. It all started with Team Rocket kidnapped Pikachu and Dawn saving him to bring back to his trainer. Since then, the two have worked together in improving their skills and developing feelings among each other. They officially began dating as Ash was on the cusp of becoming the Pokémon Master he dreamed he would be. Now, these two are hereby advancing their relationships from friendship to dating to engaged and now we are here." A boy came over with rings on a pillow. "Ash, take the ring for Dawn." Ash reached down and removed a ring from the pillow before standing back up. "Now, repeat after me. I, state your name…"
"I, Ash Ketchum…" copied Ash as he slipped the ring onto Dawn's ring finger.
"Give this ring to the woman you chose to marry…"
"Give this ring to Dawn Berlitz to marry and be my wedded wife…"
"To have and to hold from here to eternity…"
"...To have and to hold from here to eternity…"
"For rich or for poorer…"
"...For rich or for poorer…"
"In sickness and in health…"
"...In sickness and in health…"
"To love and to cherish…"
"...To love and to cherish…"
"Until death do us part…"
"...Until death do us part…"
"By the heavens and Earth and faith of every Pokémon…"
"...By the heavens and Earth and faith of every Pokémon…"
"And thereto pledge thee myself and my love to you…"
"...And thereto pledge thee myself and my love to you." Satisfied with Ash's following of instructions, Dawn was next as she removed the other ring from the pillow.
"Dawn, it's your turn to repeat after me," the robed man started. "I, state your name…"
"I, Dawn Berlitz…" she copied as she slipped the ring on Ash's finger.
"Give this ring to the man you chose to marry…
"...Give this ring to Ash Ketchum to marry and be my wedded husband…"
"To have and to hold from here to eternity…"
"...To have and to hold from here to eternity…"
"For rich or for poorer…"
"...For rich or for poorer…"
"In sickness and in health…"
"...In sickness and in health…"
"To love and to cherish…"
"...To love and to cherish…"
"Until death do us part…"
"...Until death do us part…"
"By the heavens and Earth and faith of every Pokémon…"
"...By the heavens and Earth and faith of every Pokémon…"
"And thereto pledge thee myself and my love to you…"
"...And thereto pledge thee myself and my love to you." Satisfied again, the robed man turned to the soldout crowd from the chairs on the floor to the bleachers in the stands.
"The heavens and Pokémon have acknowledged Ash Ketchum and Dawn Berlitz's vows!" he declared. "Anyone who has objections, doubts as to why these two cannot be together… will remain silent. Today is not your day!" The crowd burst in laughter to the robed man denying any objections. Even Ash and Dawn couldn't stifle their laughs. A minute later, the robed man had the floor once more. "This stadium is full of witnesses from ladies, gentlemen, boys, girls and Pokémon who see these two become one. Ash, unveil Dawn to all." Ash lifted and allowed himself to see Dawn, not a blemish in sight.
"You like?" she asked.
"Always liked…" replied Ash.
"This is the pair, this is the new couple as I officially pronouce you, husband and wife. Ash, Dawn is yours. You may kiss the bride." On command, they kissed. The crowd exploded cheers to the new couple. It was a sight that pictures and video would show how these two evolved in love.
Despite Darkrai rendering them unconcious, Ash and Dawn kissed as if they did get married. Goh, Chloe and the Pokémon smiled, knowing that Cresselia and Darkrai's intent was not malicious. "I guess Cresselia and Darkrai wanted to give Ash and Dawn a present for what we did to stop Team Rocket," Goh believed.
"That's a relief," Chloe sighed. She came over with a blanket which Darkrai draped over Ash and Dawn. "Oh, thanks Darkrai… and you too, Cresselia." The legendary Pokémon acknowledged Chloe before they disappeared. Dawn's wedding gown may be a sight to behold, but the dream Ash and Dawn had was fashioned for the potential future.