AUTHOR'S NOTE

Guys. We made it. This is it: the last chapter. Because I have other things I want to address in the closing note, I'm going to say right up front that this ending does gloss over some details, and that not everything people might be expecting to see happen has been resolved. I chose to write it that way because that's what happens in real life too. People forget details, and life continues on past happy endings. That being said, I still hope I managed to fit everything in that you guys wanted to see. This chapter feels a bit rushed in the reading, but it was a long time coming in its creation, and it does finally pull Intoxicated to the close I always wanted it to have.

CHAPTER 23
A Piece Of Cake!

"Bonnie, aren't you a little young for coffee?" Clemont had just come into the kitchen, his eyes immediately focusing on the tall lightning bolt patterned mug his sister was holding close to her, and the grumpy expression she had on her face.

"Coffee is gross," she replied, wrinkling her nose. "This is tea."

Clemont made a face, trying to ignore that Bonnie was drinking tea out of what was so clearly a coffee mug. As a home that favored many different hot beverages, he had specific mugs he chose to enjoy each out of, and it pained him in ways he could not explain to the rest of his household when he saw them being used for the wrong one.

"Don't tell me you think I'm too young for tea, too," she said with a slight sneer, and Clemont looked at her in worry. Sitting at the counter and drinking tea out of the wrong mug she was gripping so tightly her knuckles were turning white was bad enough, but now she had a most un-Bonnie-like tone to her voice, and she was glaring at him in a way that told him she would rather be left alone, but did not want to tell him to go away.

"Bonnie," he said carefully, choosing to stand across the counter from her. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine, Clemont," she lied, holding her mug closer to her.

This was not the first time over the past couple weeks that she had been behaving strangely. She had been spending more time in her room, for one, and when she did come downstairs she was quite surly, not usually responding to anyone in more than one or two words. She was quite close to being a teenager, Clemont realized, but even he with his shyness did not recall going through an untalkative, surly phase in his younger years.

"I don't think so. It's fairly obvious that everything is not fine. Is there something we need to talk about?"

"No," she said shortly, holding the mug closer and turning away from him as she shut her eyes tightly. This, too, was a lie. It was not that she did not have something to say, but simply that she could not bring herself to say it. For all she had tortured Clemont for his inability to share a secret, and how forthcoming she was with everything, she found it amazing that she could now be seized by reluctance like this when her words really couldn't wait; couldn't be postponed any further or it would be too late.

"Okay." Clemont crossed his arms, tapping his foot thoughtfully. "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. But I'm not the only one noticing your behavior lately." This was only a guess, since Ash was as oblivious as ever, and Serena was more likely to have gone straight to Bonnie if she had any concerns. Bonnie opened one eye to glare at him, and he frowned. "You remember what I've told you about honesty..."

"It's the best policy," she recited in time with him. "I'm not a little girl anymore, Clemont. Stop treating me like one."

"Who's treating you like a little girl?" Clemont demanded, the comment feeling rather personal. "You're my sister! If I don't tell you these things -"

"Then I'll learn them the hard way. Or maybe I'll never learn them, and I'll pay for them later in life."

It was quite possibly the most grown-up thing that had ever come out of her mouth, and Clemont's expression softened. Bonnie was always so exuberant it was easy to forget that she was growing up, many life lessons already under her belt with more on the way that he was not as likely to be involved in. "You're right," he said, and she looked at him in surprise. "I'm sorry."

It was the first time she could remember him backing down from anything he considered to be his sworn duty as her brother, and suddenly it seemed possible for her to tell him what she needed to, and not just to tell him, but to have him understand. "I'm old enough to be a trainer," she said in a quiet voice. "I have been for a few years now."

The first thing it made him wonder was why she hadn't registered to be one already. But he knew the answer to that. When she had reached age ten, they were still traveling with Ash, and as such she had not had the opportunity to register in Lumiose City at that time. When they returned for the Kalos League, there was too much excitement surrounding Ash's battles and his subsequent victory that it completely slipped their minds. Once it had already been pushed off for so long, it was too easy to keep pushing off again and again.

"It's my dream because of you," Bonnie told him, with more determination than before. "I've always admired you, holding your own in battles and caring for your Pokemon. You have such a way with them. I want to learn that, too."

"Then you should," Clemont told her honestly. He could feel the beginnings of tears in his eyes. "We can get you registered today even, if you like. And then you can start out on your journey, right here in Lumiose City."

"There's more," Bonnie said, taking a deep breath. Now or never. "Clemont...I'm not staying in Kalos. I'm leaving."

He felt his jaw drop before he could stop himself, her words striking him like an arrow through the heart. "But...why? You could learn everything here," he said, trying to hold back the rush of emotions. "I could teach you. Ash could teach you."

"I know," Bonnie said, looking down at the floor. "But I can't. As long as I'm here, you'll just see me as your little sister. And I always will be," she reminded him gently, in case he had somehow forgotten. "That will never change. But I'm not really all that little anymore. I need you to see that. And I don't think you can if I stay in Kalos."

Clemont sighed. She was right, of course. He might have been smart, but Bonnie was insightful in ways he could never hope to achieve. It was too much to ask for, that she stay in Kalos, when he would be there to help her with every jam she found herself in, never letting her figure things out for herself. She had to be able to start living her life. "Have you decided where you're going?"

She looked down into her mug and swirled the contents for a moment. It was a decision she had made some time ago when thinking about the path she wanted her life to take, one that a friend had helped her with. She smiled softly. "I hear Alola is nice this time of year."

There was a lot of ruckus around the house on the day Bonnie was going to the airport to start her journey. Though she had gone down and registered for a Kalos Pokedex, and Clemont had officially transferred Dedenne into her care, she had not changed her mind about starting her journey in Alola. "I like warm weather," she told him when he had asked her why. "And beaches, and sand, and the sun, and…"

"Okay, okay," Clemont had finally told her, his hands up in defeat. "I understand!" He had a suspicion that the real reason she had chosen Alola was not so much because of her love of those things - though she did love them - and had more to do with his aversion to them. He liked being around the technological advancements that came with city life, and he always burned too quickly in the sun.

This knowledge did not make it any easier for him as he helped her wheel out her suitcases, packed to the brim with fashionable clothing and keepsakes from home. To his credit, he did not say anything about how much she had chosen to bring with her, even though he was not the only one holding pink, flowery suitcases and bags that Bonnie intended to haul onto the plane. One could only hope the airline would admonish her for her abuse of their free luggage policy before she was forced to lug all of them by herself throughout the Alola airport.

"Hurry up!" Meyer called to them from the other room, laden with bags himself. They were all going down to the airport to see her off; both of them, Ash, Serena, and Calem. "The plane won't wait forever, you know." He laughed, and Clemont rolled his eyes. Prism Tower was not all that far from the Kalos airport, after all, and they had several hours before it left.

They hurried their way to the airport anyway, sighing in relief as everyone who was holding bags - that is to say, everyone but Bonnie herself, who was looking around with satisfied pride - was able to set them down in one gigantic pile.

"Ugh, Bonnie, why'd you bring so much?" Ash asked, shaking out his hands and wrists. "You know you're just gonna buy stuff when you get there." He had never packed all that much with him on his journeys, preferring not to be weighed down with any kind of baggage - real or emotional - when he took off for the next region. Aside from a change of clothes, a couple care items for Pikachu, and some spare Pokeballs, he did not usually bring anything with him at all.

"Because," she answered in a singsong voice, resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at him. You're a grown-up now, she reminded herself sternly. It would simply not do to act childish on the day of her departure.

"Promise me you'll be safe," Clemont said to her, his eyes shining with tears. He bent down, giving her a hug, wondering when the next time he would be able to do so was. "I'm going to be worried about you out there, all alone."

"I won't be alone!" Bonnie said, grinning at him. "I have Dedenne!" Dedenne, who had become accustomed to not being inside his Pokeball, peeked his head out of her bag. "And..." she said, her grin becoming even wider as she looked around, apparently spotting someone and waving at them. "That's not all!"

"Sorry I'm late!" a voice called from behind them, and they turned around to see Todd running towards them, his backpack slung messily over one shoulder and his camera around his neck. "I had to make an extra stop for something this morning."

"Todd?" the group cried out, and he nodded.

"Surprised?" he asked, grinning at them each in turn, and he could tell by the looks on their faces that they were.

"Yay, you made it!" Bonnie said brightly, running up to him and twirling once. "Is that really all you're bringing with you?"

"I travel light," he said with a wink. "As long as I have my camera, I'm all set." He waved it at her and the group, who was still trying to recover from their shock. "Oh, and this cutie, of course." He took out a Pokeball, and Whimsicott burst out of it, looking around happily at the group who admired her with awe.

"You adopted her!" Bonnie squealed, ignoring the pained looks from Todd, Clemont, and Ash, who all knew the transfer of Pokemon partners was not quite the same as adoption. "Can I brush her when we're on the plane? Please?" She took hold of Todd's wrist and batted her eyes at him hopefully.

"A boy?" Meyer asked, towering over her suddenly, giving her a stern look. "First Clemont, and now you? Am I always the last person to find out about these things?"

"Dad!" she whined, embarrassed. "It isn't like that!"

"Todd's a good guy, Meyer," Ash told him. "He's been a friend of mine for years! Bonnie will be in good hands, I promise."

"A friend of yours?" Meyer asked him, looking skeptical for a moment before smiling. "Well, alright then!" He stuck out a hand to Todd, who shook it with good nature, looking amused about the whole thing.

'Todd, are you really going with Bonnie?" Clemont asked. "But what about Pokemon Time?"

"I'm going on sabbatical for a while," he replied. "I love working for them, I really do. But I need to take a little time for myself and remind myself what my dreams are. Alola seems like as good a place to do that as any!"

"I'm going to miss you both," Ash told them, giving them both hugs. "But have fun on your next great adventure! I kind of wish I was going with you guys," he said, with a glance at Clemont. "But I'm not ready to leave Kalos quite yet."

"Bonnie," Serena said then, coming forward. "You're going to be an amazing trainer, I just know it." Her eyes were filled with tears as she bent down to give her friend a hug, burying her face in her shoulder. "Don't be a stranger, okay? I want phone calls every night!"

There were more tears, hugs, and goodbyes than Clemont could ever remember in his life, as everyone wished Bonnie and Todd well, and he found himself grateful that he did not have to face the same fate with Ash, who could have easily left Kalos after the League was over. If he had not won, he was sure he would not have stayed, and his life would be very different now if that was the case. He reached over and held Ash's hand, even as he waved up at the plane which was now making its way over to Alola with Bonnie and Todd on board, and felt a smile coming on even through his tears. He was here, surrounded by the people he loved, at least in spirit if not physically, and he would not have it any other way.

~ EPILOGUE ~

"Clemont, stop! It looks fine."

"It's crooked," he complained, continuing to adjust his bowtie in the mirror. "No matter what I do, it doesn't look right."

"It was straight before you started fiddling with it," Ash said with a puff of air, then grinned. "Maybe you just need to start over again. Or, you could just do your whole outfit again. I think we have time…"

Clemont looked up at the wickedly grinning face of his partner, and gasped. "Don't you dare! I don't want to even be a second late!"

"It's not like they can start without us, anyway," Ash said, leaning in close. He pulled Clemont in for a kiss, and smiled at how readily he returned it. "Let them wait."

A knock on the door interrupted them, and without waiting for an answer, Serena poked her head in, giving both of them a stern look. "Are you two almost ready?" she said irritably. "They're all starting to get restless down there."

"Almost," Clemont said apologetically. It felt like old times, with her there. She had left for the Hoenn region with Calem about a year ago, becoming quite a success with a new set of Pokemon Contests to win people's hearts in. The apartment had felt empty without her, and without Bonnie, who had also returned temporarily from her journey in Alola.

"It's my fault," Ash told her with a wink, and she rolled her eyes at him tolerantly.

"Okay, well, just remember most of the people down there are your friends," she said. "I guess I'll just tell them to keep trading embarrassing stories about you until you show up!"

She closed the door, giggling about the flabbergasted expression that had appeared on Ash's face, and he turned to Clemont in horror. "You don't think they're really doing that, do you?"

"That depends," Clemont told him matter-of-factly. "How many embarrassing stories do you have, and how many of your friends enjoy conversing with absolute strangers?"

Ash thought briefly of his friend Brock, who would likely be speaking to every single girl there about absolutely anything that would keep them listening, and felt the color drain from his face. "We better get out there," he told him in absolute seriousness. "Fast."

Later on, Ash would only have the haziest of memories of his wedding ceremony. Naturally, it took place in the Lumiose Gym, which Ash had become an official second gym leader of only several months prior. They had closed normal operations for the day, and the stands, typically seating cheering crowds or left completely empty, were full of friends and family.

Ash had never realized how much of an extended family Clemont had until they started arriving from all over the world in the days leading up to the ceremony. They were all quite eccentric, with a keen interest in Pokemon and electronics, and he never knew whether he was going to run into Clemont's shy personality or a boisterous one like Meyer and Bonnie had. His own family, in comparison, was quite small. With an estranged father, no siblings, and grandparents who all passed away before he was born, it had always just been him and his mother.

He tried to put the thought of his mother out of his mind as he looked around at all the beaming faces. He had always chosen his friends with care and thought of them as family, and most of them were in attendance. This was an area in which he tended to shine, being outgoing and generally likeable, and he had been genuinely surprised to learn that Clemont did not have a circle of friends. He had explained that he did not need to make friends when he could build them, and if he desired non-mechanical companionship that was what Pokemon were for, but it was something Ash would never understand, and that was okay. They may have been different, but that was part of what made them so good together.

Though there were many things Ash should have been focusing on as he walked arm in arm with Clemont on their battlefield-turned-wedding venue, he found his mind drifting to Clemont's proposal the year prior. He could not believe how bold his soon-to-be husband had become; though he had stuttered terribly when asking and had managed to fall in the mud and drag Ash with him before he even had a chance to answer, he had asked, and that in itself was a miracle Ash had not been expecting. Marriage wasn't something he had given a lot of thought to before, preferring to simply go with the flow of life, but he knew it was right for them - which was a good thing, considering he said yes without even really thinking it over. The answer was always yes with anything involving Clemont, he had discovered; his impulsive nature rarely giving him any time to think of an objection. Besides, he knew Clemont would have always done his research before asking him something anyway, and if he had found any potential problems, he wouldn't be as likely to ask.

Their vows, extremely non-traditional and involving something about time travel and going into space per Clemont's request, were read out before Ash even had time to process what was going on, and he had hardly even been aware he said "I do" until cheers were heard around the room. Later, Clemont would tell him he had a smile on his face the whole time, and said his line correctly at the right time too, but the ceremony itself wasn't really all that important if he was being honest. Pledging himself to the person he loved was the important part - and he would have vowed to do that, ceremony or not.

The ceremony was much shorter than Ash had expected, but the reception was much longer. Rather than make either of them suffer through dancing in public, they had decided that traditional dances would be replaced with one on one Pokemon battles. They opened up the floor with a Bunnelby versus Pikachu battle that ended in a draw - mainly so both of their Pokemon partners would be able to enjoy the rest of the party with them. There was cake, pictures, other battles to watch, and countless hugs from friends and family, all of which seemed to breeze by to Ash. He only had eyes for Clemont, who had never looked so happy before when surrounded by people, and as long as he was having a good time, it was all that mattered to him.

It was late when they finally said their goodbyes, riding the elevator up to their apartment while everyone else rode it down to go back to their homes or the Pokemon Center. While some of their guests were flying out the next day, some of them were opting to stay and visit for longer, and they didn't mind postponing their honeymoon a few extra days for it. After all, it was rare for them to meet up with everyone in person.

"That went well," Clemont said on their way up the elevator, much in the same way as he might have reflected on the results of an experiment. "Everyone seemed quite happy for us."

"Of course they were," Ash replied. Clemont's clinical observations didn't bother him, as he had noticed him go somewhat on auto-pilot about halfway through the reception, which meant he was feeling overwhelmed. "They wouldn't have come if they weren't happy to see us get married."

"Married," Clemont repeated with a dazed expression, and he patted Ash's arm cautiously. "You're still real, right?"

"Yes!" Ash exclaimed, laughing. He had only had to reassure Clemont about this every day since the proposal. "I'm real. And excited about our honeymoon," he said, hoping to prompt Clemont into a less-existential line of thought.

They had chosen to honeymoon in Kanto, seeing as Ash had never had the opportunity to show Clemont where he grew up. They had planned a shockingly similar route to the one Ash had followed when he first set out on his adventure, and he was almost as excited about reliving it as he was about sharing it with Clemont. In a way, it felt like things were coming full circle for him, and he smiled at the thought.

"I am, as well," Clemont admitted, as the elevator finally dropped them off in their apartment at the top of Prism Tower. "I want to learn everything about you, Ash. I would follow you anywhere. You know that."

"I sure do," Ash said, with a grin. "But you're not just following me, and I'm not just leading you. We're going together, as equals. I love you. I always will."

"I know," Clemont told him, holding him close. And as they kissed, fireworks lit above them, spattering the Lumiose City night skyline in bursts of color and celebration for their future together.

THE END

In a way, I'm really sorry to see this story come to an end. Writing this has been a huge part of my life for the past couple of years, but more importantly, this is the most friendly and welcoming community I have ever had the pleasure of writing for, and I'm really going to miss you guys.

Unfortunately, this really is the last chapter - no spin offs or sequels planned (though, if anyone wants to write about Bonnie & Todd in Alola, be my guest - I'm not familiar enough with that setting to do it justice). That doesn't mean you won't see any more work out of me though - I may pull out the chapter additions into their own story (especially since I had five or six more that I never managed to finalize enough to include), and a holiday one-shot has been kicking around in my mind. Also, as I've read back through this story, I've found mistakes I want to go back and correct. As I sort through those and re-upload chapters, you might get notifications, but don't expect any major reworks of the story - I just want it to be free of typos and repeated words.

I truly appreciate all of you sticking this out with me through the end. I have never written a story this long before, and I am so honored by the comments and feedback you gave me throughout the process. You have all made me a better writer, and I can never thank you all enough for it. I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you all so much for every contribution, whether intentional or not, you have made to this story.

While our time together has come to a close, I want to leave you with the playlist I used for inspiration on this story every time I sat down to write.

WRITING PLAYLIST

I Am Machine by Three Days Grace

If You Only Knew by Shinedown

The Walker by Fitz & The Tantrums

Believe by The Bravery

Can't Help by Parachute

Everytime We Touch by Cascada

Start A Fire by Ryan Star

Hold On Forever by Rob Thomas

Everywhere by Michelle Branch

All Or Nothing by Theory of a Deadman

Must Have Done Something Right by Relient K

Feel Invincible by Skillet

Original Game Soundtrack / Fan Remixes - Pokemon Red, Blue, & Yellow

Original Game Soundtrack / Fan Remixes - Pokemon X & Y

Theme Songs & Endings - Pokemon XY / Pokemon XYZ the Series