TDBigJ's message: *Sad sigh* Man, it's hard to believe this story is already coming to an end. How in the hell does three months pass by like that? I don't know but it did and this story is in it's final legs. But I'm thankful for how this story went and the reception it got from all of you guys. Thank you all so much but I will leave some of you my personal thoughts of thanks after this chapter is over. In the last week, I've been having a lot more fun playing Pokemon Moon. I've caught two more Pokemon to add to my roster. I've caught a Wingull (Don't know why the hell I caught one of those, but it's an addition I'll be fine with) and a Growlithe (One of my favorite Pokemon) to add to my team that already contains a Pikipek (Which just last night evolved into a Trumbeak) and my starter Litten (Which just recently evolved into a Torracat). It's an awesome game and I've completed one of the seven island trials, which was Captain Ilima's. Pretty darn easy if I say so myself. But now, let's focus on the story. When we ended last chapter, Ash and Serena got married much to the joy of their families and friends and had their first dance together. This chapter will reveal what has happened since the wedding and what they are up to now. Let me just tell you, a BIG surprise is in store this chapter. With that, let's get to the chapter. Since this is the final chapter, I won't be responding to reviews. So let's wrap this up.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or it's characters, they are owned by Nintendo, Game Freak, and… whoever else.
One Year Later
Ash was in the kitchen, waiting for something to finish. Who knew it took this long for it to finish? It had been going for about a minute but still with thirty seconds left. He had constantly did this twice in the past but you couldn't say third time's the charm, but giving what it was for, it was perfectly fine with him.
It had been one year since he and Serena had tied the knot, and everything was not good, not great, but perfect for them. They were both now 28. Serena was eternally happy over the last twelve months, and Ash was beyond grateful that he had married the one person who had been there for him through the thick and thin since his childhood, and even during the sixteen years they were apart. Tristan and Bellamy were now five and six respectively and were gleaming with happiness that they now had another mother figure in their life, and their lives for the past year had been the best for them, no doubt.
Finally it had finished and Ash took it out and shook it, placing his hand over the top and giving it a good shake. He walked over to Serena, who was sitting on the couch, looking out the large window at the bright orange morning sky. Tristan and Bellamy came rushing down the stairs, sounds of their feet on the granite tile of the stairs pounding throughout the room.
"Daddy… daddy… where is-" Bellamy shouted before Ash put a finger up to his lips.
"Sshh. Quiet." Ash said silently. Tristan and Bellamy instantly quieted down, knowing who was in the room. Ash continued walking over to the couch. As soon as he got to the side, he looked at Serena…
And the little bundle of joy she was holding in her lap.
Yeah it's true. Just a couple of weeks ago, Ash and Serena welcomed the newest addition to the family: Their son Julian Ashton Ketchum. The little guy was sound asleep in Serena's lap as she held him with her left arm.
"Is he still sleeping?" He asked.
"Yeah." She replied.
They both loved the name that they gave their newborn son. Ash came up with the name Julian because you don't hear that name a lot these days and he wanted to name him something original. When it came to his middle name, Ash didn't want to give him a name that was almost similar to his, but Serena liked the idea of giving him the name Ashton because she wanted at least one part of his name like Ash's because she thought he was remarkable, just like his dad, so Ash thought that was okay and it became official.
"He's so cute! I can't believe this is my brother." Bellamy whispered, looking at Julian.
"Well technically, he's your half brother." Ash replied, keeping his voice low.
"What do you mean "half"?" Tristan asked.
"A half sibling basically means… Well let me put it this way. In this case he has the same father as you, but different mother. The same applies the other way around." Ash explained.
"Okay, I think I get it." Tristan responded.
Over the last couple of weeks, Tristan and Bellamy had gotten very accustomed to having another sibling to be around with. It wasn't something they had expected to happen when his dad and Serena got married, but it was something they were happy with, and they grew fond of the little guy.
A few months after Ash and Serena got married, Serena got pregnant with Julian and broke it too the kids, their mother's, and all their friends. Everyone was ecstatic at the news, and were happy for the two of them that they had planned to expand their family. But Ash and Serena both remembered the day that the topic of having a kid came up. It was during their honeymoon.
Flashback, almost one year prior
Ash and Serena had returned from sightseeing on their tenth day of their honeymoon. Once they entered their room, Serena fell down on the bed while Ash fetched them a couple of glasses of wine.
"Man, I'm bushed." Serena commented, spread eagled on the bed, with her eyes closed.
"Me too. I'm calling it a day." Ash said as he took a bottle of wine out of the refrigerator, opened it, and poured some into two wine glasses he had just taken out.
"What do you think we should do tomorrow? We've still got four more days of our honeymoon left." Serena asked.
"I'm pretty sure we will think of something between now and then, it's only six right now and we've got time before we go to bed." Ash replied. "Seeing as how we've been here for almost two weeks, I wonder how the kids are doing."
Serena was wondering the same thing, the kids had been on her mind basically every day of this trip. But there was one other thing, the word "kids" brought something to her mind, and it was something that was a little too early to think in a marriage. Ash handed her a glass of wine and took a drink of his own.
"Hey Ash?"
"Mmhm?" He replied, still sipping his wine.
"I know we just got married and it might be a little early to think this, but… do you think we will ever… expand our family? You know, having a kid?"
It was at that moment that Ash spit out some of the wine that was in his mouth, spraying a mist and a little bit of it landing on Serena's face.
"Whoa… um… well… why would you bring that up?" He asked, swallowing whatever wine was in his mouth and wiping his lips off with the back of his hand.
"Over the last few days, I was thinking that you already had two kids with your ex-wife. But I was wondering… if you and I will ever decide on having one together." She explained.
"Gee… um… well… I…" Ash couldn't find the right words to say. He never expected her to ask a question like that this early in their marriage, but he had a feeling she was going to ask it sometime.
"It's okay if you don't. I'll understand." She added.
"Serena, it's just… I didn't think we would talk about it until at least a few months after we got married." He stated. "But… I wouldn't mind it."
"Just one Ash. I know you already have your hands full with Tristan and Bellamy, but… I want us to have at least one kid together. Three kids, that's it. After that, we will be done. Is that okay?" Serena explained.
Ash sighed before answering. "You know what, yeah, that would be great. To be honest, I thought that if I ever got married again I would want to have at least one more kid. So, I would like to have another kid someday, but let's leave that for a later date."
Serena smiled. "Oh, thank you so much! I would be delighted to have another kid in my life. But are you one hundred percent sure?"
"Completely."
"All right then, it's a plan."
End of flashback
And now look! They have a kid now, just one year later. Neither of them could be more happy. The little guy that had been brought into this world just two weeks ago was a treasure to them. When Serena got pregnant a while back, Ash had wanted a girl, but Serena wanted a boy. Guess who got their wish?
"He's a good looking baby isn't he?" Serena asked, looking at Ash while feeding Julian, who had just woken up.
"Just as good as Tristan did when he was born." He replied. Tristan took this as a compliment, seeing as his dad said he was a good looking baby when he was one. Now, he wondered how good he would look as an adult.
"Ash…"
"Yeah?"
"You and me… leading up to this moment. All we've been through… back then and now."
The two of them looked at Julian. It was true. Twenty plus years of history led up to this moment. They started as friends at a summer camp… then as travelling companions in Kalos… then friends as adults… then in a relationship… and now married with a kid. They continued looking at their newborn son, now starting to reflect back on what has gone on between them since the day they first met.
Flashback-Summer Camp
"It still hurts, I can't stand up!"
"Never give up until it's over. Okay? Come on." Ash stated as he held out her hand. She grabbed his hand and he heaved her up, the two embracing each other for the first time.
And then the time they met up again
Flashback-First meeting in Kalos
Ash bends down, struggling in his battle against Viola. He looks down as he tries to come up with a strategy. Serena comes up to him, bends down, and hands him his handkerchief. Ash sees her, smiles and takes it from her. Serena stands back up, then looks to her left, then asks the daring question.
"Ash, do you… remember me?"
And came the first compliment
Flashback-Morning after first showcase
Serena came back to the group after being gone all night, showing off her new look. Clemont and Bonnie were beyond shocked, but Ash had other words to express.
"I think it looks kind of cute." Serena commented.
"Yeah, I think so too." Ash responded.
"Aw, thank you Ash!" Serena replied, glad to hear those words from her crush.
"Wait is that-" Ash started, pointing at the ribbon on top of Serena's shirt.
"Yeah. It's the present you gave me." Serena added.
"You're wearing it. It looks great!" Ash complimented.
"Pikachu!" The yellow mouse added. Serena blushing at Ash's kind words
And then came another compliment
Flashback-Serena's first showcase victory
"I'm sorry I tore the outfit Valerie gave me. I guess I'll have to tell her how sorry I am."
"You know, it really looked great on you." Ash complimented.
Serena gasped, blushing at the compliment. "Oh, thank you Ash!"
And then their first fight
Flashback-Snowbelle City forest
Serena chucked a couple of snowballs at Ash, after stating how good of a leader he is and that he never gives up until the very end.
"You're not acting like the Ash I know." She yelled, the two snowballs hitting Ash and knocking him over, making him trip over the log and landed with a hard smack onto the snow.
"Give me back the real Ash! Cause you sure aren't him!" She added, yelling again with a whine present in her voice, on the brink of tears. She turns around and runs away, starting to cry. Ash looks up, not necessarily at the sky, hearing what Serena just said.
"Real Ash? Whoa." He said, and then realized how stupid he had been acting. "AW MAN!"
And then came the first time they met up… as adults
Flashback-First meet up in sixteen years
Serena put her phone back in her pocket but as soon as she tucked it away, she bumped into someone and fell to the ground. She felt a hard but quick pain as she landed.
"I'm so sorry." She said to the person.
"It's quite all right." The voice, sounding like it belonged to a male as they got up. "Here, let me help you up." He said, reaching his hand out. Serena grabbed it and the man pulled her up.
"Thank you so much." She thanked. She looked up after she had picked up what she dropped. But she then had a surprised expression after she saw who it was.
"Ash?"
"Serena?"
The two then hugged, and it sure was a long one. Since they hadn't seen each other in sixteen years, it was long overdue. They separated when the hug lasted longer than thirty seconds and people started to stare at them.
"Oh my gosh, it's so great to see you. It's been too long." Ash commented.
"Yeah, I know. Sixteen years?" Serena asked.
"Yeah, but who's counting?"
And then their first vacation together
Flashback-Orange Islands vacation
The four of them then walked inside the stadium. Surprisingly is was still well maintained. To the kids and Serena, it was a great looking stadium, to Ash, it looked like it hadn't changed a bit in the last decade and a half.
"Did you make some good memories here dad?" Tristan asked.
Ash bent down and put his arms around his kids. "I sure did Tristan. I sure did."
"Do you think you could battle here again one day for us?" Bellamy asked.
"I could do that. After all you kids love seeing me do it." He responded.
Tristan and Bellamy turned around and hugged Ash, who returned the hug. Suddenly, they heard a camera shutter. They all looked and saw that Serena had taken it with her camera.
"One for the memory books." She said.
And then their first dance together
Flashback-Ball
As the two of them danced, Serena realized that Ash wasn't really making a mistake. That was odd. When they were young, Ash had always been an unbalanced dancer. The guy had cinderblocks for feet it seemed like, but tonight, Ash had been flawless in his dancing. He must have improved over the years.
"Wow Ash, I've never seen you seen you dance this well. What changed?"
"Before Denise and I got married, I told her that I was a sloppy dancer, couldn't carry a move, so we took lessons every so often so I could better myself. When our wedding came around, I never once stumbled. I felt pretty good about myself for improving." Ash explained.
"Well, I'm proud of you Ash. You don't have a pair of left feet anymore." The two of them shared a laugh.
"Believe me, I even surprised myself."
And then when they started dating
Flashback-Ash makes a bold move
"Hey Serena, can I talk to you for a sec?"
"Oh, sure Ash."
The two of them went over and sat down on the couch.
"So, what do you want to talk about?" She asked him.
"I just wanted to ask you something, and it's really important. Just promise to hear me out, okay?"
"Okay, I'm listening."
"It's been a little over two months since I met up with you again, and it means a lot to me that you come over often and see me and my kids." Serena was wondering where Ash was going with this.
"And… I was happy to see my childhood friend once again, but as of late, I've just been feeling… different. My mind had been going through something that I haven't felt in a while. And there was something that I feel like I'm ready to ask again, but I'm not sure how you would feel about it." He continued.
Serena was beginning to get hints of where Ash was heading towards. She was hoping that it really was it, but she didn't want to get too confident that it was it, so she let him continue.
"Go on."
"The one thing I'm feeling different towards… is you. When I first met you again, I didn't feel it, but within the last few weeks, something's changed, but I feel like now is a good time to ask. You can say no if you want, I'll understand."
"What is it, Ash?"
Ash took a deep breath. "Would you like… to go out sometime?" And now Ash was feeling nervous. It wasn't like him on most occasions, but this was a rare instance.
Serena couldn't speak. Did she really hear what she just heard? Her crush had just asked her out… on a date. She had to blink a few times to confirm that it wasn't a dream. Nope, it wasn't, it was reality.
"Are… you asking me out… on a date?" She asked.
"Well… yeah. So… do you want to?"
Serena had been waiting for this moment to happen for nearly two decades. Her crush, her CRUSH just asked her out. She always thought it would be the other way around, but this way, it felt better somehow. She just couldn't believe it. She now felt like pinching herself. But if she blinked a few times and he was still in front of her, it was no dream, no matter how hard she tried.
"Ash… by all means yes." She replied.
And then when they told everyone they were dating
Flashback-Breaking the news to Delia
"Well, mom, there is another reason I came here. There was something I wanted to tell you." He started.
"Okay, I'm listening."
"I hope you don't think it's too early…"
"What do you mean?"
"Mom, about a month and a half ago… Serena and I started dating."
And right when that was said, it sent a shock up Delia's spine, but left her motionless. Now that was something she wasn't expecting. She knew that her son was dating again, but more or less his childhood friend. She didn't know how to react, so she just simply got up from her seat and went started walking away, towards the stairs.
"Excuse me, I… uh… I need to… um… go… think… for a moment." She said and started walking up the stairs. This left Ash and Serena both confused. Now they were a little worried. Was this too much for her? Was it too early? Was it a little late for her liking? What made her react this way?
"This must be pretty big news to your mom." Serena stated. "From what I saw just now, I'm not sure if it's good or bad."
Ash sighed. "I'll go talk to her."
Serena didn't try to stop him. She knew Ash wanted to talk to his mom about dating again, and thought it was the best option for him to talk to her first. Ash got up from his seat and went up the stairs to his mom's room. She had apparently shut the door, so he gave it a few light knocks.
"Mom… you okay?" He said from outside the door. She didn't respond right away, but after about twenty seconds of silence, he heard her speak up.
"You can come on in honey. I'm fine." Delia responded. Ash turned the knob and walked inside and sat down next to her on her bed.
"I'm sorry mom. I didn't think that news might have be a little too much for you." Ash stated, concerned for her.
"It wasn't too much honey. I'm happy that you're dating again. It's just… I'm a little surprised that it's Serena." She replied.
"Why are you surprised it's her?" He asked.
"The reason is because you and Serena have a history. You two have known each other since you were six or seven, so seeing as you two are now in a relationship is kind of… it's kind of sweet to see something like that." Delia explained.
"Sweet how?"
"Just imagine that you two have known each other since you were little and now are dating each other, it's like… you're childhood sweethearts. And I like that idea." Delia stated.
"You do, huh?"
"One hundred percent honey."
Now that was something Ash had never heard before: "Childhood sweethearts." The idea of that concept was new to him. He never thought he would hear it, especially if it was about him and his relationship.
"Ash…"
"Yeah mom?"
"I know it may be early in your relationship with her, but I already think that she would be perfect as your next wife."
Ash raised his eyebrows. "Really? How?"
Delia chuckled. "What can I say that I haven't said already?"
And then came the hard times
Flashback-Ash's big mistake
"Ash, are you okay with what she said?" She asked him.
Ash took a moment to respond. "Yeah. But… it's… just…"
"Just what?"
Ash sighed deeply, getting ready to say something that he knew would bite him in the butt at a later time.
"I feel… as if… I still have feelings for her." He finished.
This line surprised Serena, and the kids a little bit as well. This wasn't something any of them were expecting. The kids didn't think their dad would say something like that… And Serena didn't either. Serena thought something over for a second and then decided to speak up.
"Ash, come with me for a second." She said and walked behind a corner of the building so they could talk in private. Once they saw that they were alone, Serena went ahead with what she was going to say.
"Ash, what do you mean you still have feelings for her?" She asked.
Ash felt Butterfrees in his stomach. This was going to be hard to explain, but he had to. "It's just that… seeing her for the first time since we've been divorced has put second thoughts in my head. It's not something I'm comfortable with, but it's just… I don't know." He said, not really being able to think of anything else to say. Now it was time for Serena to get her point across.
"Look Ash, listen to me…" She started, her tone now dead serious, which was not something she did a lot. Ash noticed it, and it was something he hadn't seen her do since that time when they were in the Snowbelle City forest when they were younger.
"I'm not the one to usually complain about my man still having feelings for his ex, but I'm nowhere near okay with hearing you say that. It hurts me actually." She explained.
"Plus, I know you two can still be friends, and I'm okay with that. But if you still have feelings for her in some way, not to sound selfish or anything, but I don't know what that means for me." She explained some more. Ash was hit hard by these words. He knew she was right, but what could he do?
"Look I'm sorry you feel that way, but it's a thought that popped up in my head. I didn't think before I said that." Ash stated.
Serena covered her eyes with her right hand for a brief moment before continuing. "Ash if you still have feelings for your ex-wife… then… I don't know if we can have a future together." She then thought of one last thing to say. "If you want to stay with me, then I want you to prove you're over Denise." She started walking away but stopped a few seconds later. "I'll see you guys later. I'll be heading home." She then walked away, out of sight, tears welling up in her eyes. Tristan and Bellamy came up to Ash, who was holding his head down in shame.
"Daddy, why is Serena leaving?" Bellamy asked.
Ash closed his eyes. "Because daddy made a big mistake." Tristan and Bellamy then had blank expressions on their faces.
And then came the big moment
Flashback-Popping the question
He looked at the exact same spot where the ring landed. He knew there was no getting it back, but right now, he didn't have a care in the world. He didn't want to live that life anymore. He felt Serena's hand touch his shoulder.
"I'm proud of you Ash. It looks like you have proven you are over her." She stated.
"Yep. I have to stop living in the past and look forward to the future." He added.
"It's good to see it that way." She took her hand off of his shoulder and placed it over her other one in her lap.
"That chapter of my life is done…"
"And it's time I start the next."
Ash reached in his right pocket and took out a small black box and got down on one knee, his right to be exact. Serena noticed this and faced him, her heart now started to race at a thousand miles per hour.
"Serena… I love you to the moon and back. You and I go way back. We have a history together and I want that history to continue. I couldn't think of another girl I want to be next to for the rest of my life. So…"
He opened the box with his left hand. "Serena… Will you marry me?"
Serena felt like she was going to drop dead right then and there. Her heart was now racing at ten thousand miles an hour. Was this really happening? Did her longtime crush just propose to her? The World Champion? It felt like a dream, but it was anything but that. She covered her mouth with both of her hands, hardly being able to restrict a squeal. She had been waiting her whole life for this, and now it was actually happening. She couldn't hold it in any longer.
"YES! YES! A MILLION TIMES YES!" She yelled, wanting the whole world to hear her happiness. She went up to him and hugged him, tears of joy flowing from her eyes and trickling down her scarlet cheeks. After about ten seconds of embracing, she let go of him. He stood up and took the ring out of the box and grabbed her left hand with his and slid the ring onto her finger. She held her hand out and looked at it so she could get a better look at it. It was beautiful. It had three diamonds on it and was about a quarter of an inch thick. He then cuffed both her cheeks with his hands and planted a deep, passionate kiss on her lips. She closed her eyes and let the kiss go on, wrapping her arms around his neck as he continued to kiss her. They didn't even care that they couldn't breathe, they both wanted this to last forever.
And then came the biggest moment of their lives
Flashback-Wedding Day
Five minutes later into the ceremony, the minister finally got to the part where the two of them would recite their vows.
"Now, the bride and groom have written their vows and will now tell them to one another."
Serena, being the bride, went first. "Back when you helped me in the forest at Summer Camp a long time ago, I had a feeling that you and me would end up together one day. You have always had a special place in my heart since that day. Day in and day out, you've made me laugh, you made me cry, you comforted me when I needed it most, and you made the bad times good." A few tears escaped as she continued. "My life would have never been the same now if you weren't in it. The day we met is the day life changed for me and I started seeing things differently. And now seeing that I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you, I now know we've changed history, and I'm ready for what we have planned for the future."
Now it was Ash's turn. "Serena, from the day we met, I thought we were going to be great friends for life. But little did I know that we were going to be much more someday, and today proves that. When I was a kid, I most likely would have never been keen on the idea of romance, but I'm glad I changed. You are the one that opened up the door for me to get out there again, and I'm glad you helped me out. But after many, many years of being just friends, we became boyfriend and girlfriend, then engaged, and now… we're husband and wife. I'm glad my eyes finally opened to see that you were the one that was always there for me and always will be. I will say this… You could do a thousand times better than me… but I could never do a thousand times better than you."
Now Serena was very touched by that last line. Although to her, it was the other way around. It's like to him, she was the only that should've been truly with him all along.
"Okay, if there anyone that believes that these two should not be married, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace." The minister started. And since no one said anything, here came the golden words.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
Ash grabbed Serena's cheeks and leaned in and kissed her, much applause coming from the crowd. When Ash released from the kiss, the two held hands and walked halfway down the aisle. They stopped and Serena did the tradition of covering her eyes and tossing her bouquet behind her for one of the bridesmaids to catch. The fortunate one to catch it was Dawn, who as soon as she caught it, looked at Kenny who was sitting near the end of the front row of the right. Ash and Serena then continued and exited the room.
End of flashbacks
It had indeed been a long journey that the two of them had been through for over two decades. All the way from their childhood to this, it was a beautiful thought to cherish. Childhood sweethearts they were, and childhood sweethearts they would be until the day they died.
"This is just another chapter in our lives…" Ash said.
"And many more to come." Serena added.
"What now, daddy?" Bellamy asked.
"Yeah, dad, what now?" Tristan asked.
Ash and Serena looked at the kids, then each other, and then at Julian, who had just fallen back to sleep.
"I'm wondering that too, honey. What is next for all of us?" Serena asked.
Ash continued smiling, knowing what the answer was.
"So much more." Ash answered.
Julian, who had just woken up once again, laughed at the conversation. The four of them looked at him, and all laughed as well. It had been a good time for all four of them.
They were all one big happy family, together forever.
Author's note: Now that should wrap it up. Thank you all for supporting this story from the start. For those of you who came on a little later from the start, thank you as well. Actually, it doesn't matter when you came on, if you read this story, thank you so much! Your guy's ongoing support is what fueled me to complete this story (If I haven't said that before). Those of you who read and reviewed, you deserve a lot of thanks. For those of you who gave me kind and considerate words every so often, you gave me the inspiration and drive to go on. Believe me, it's not that easy writing a chapter and releasing it within one week's time, but hey, everyone's thoughts and support got my motors running. Well, that should finish my thankful words towards you, the readers. Oh, sorry if I forgot some of the words to a few of the flashbacks. I did the best I could at that. I knew I wouldn't get all of them, I just got what I could. That should finish up the words I had to say. But if you think that I was done right there, oh no, I've got a lot more to tell you guys before I close this story out for eternity. Cause remember, once I hit that "complete" button, there's no going back. Well hey, not like I would anyway. But hey, enough of that. Let me get to the first order of business and that is on my upcoming weeks.
Now that this story is done, I need some time to focus on working on my next story. If you want to know what it is, it's a little ways down but read the next couple of sections first before reading them. No no, don't skip down. I've actually got two more ideas that I'm going to be releasing in the future, but for the time being, I'm going to be working on my next one. And when it comes to my break, I've taken seven week breaks between stories but seeing as I've been working for most weeks of the past year, it's become a little exhausting for me, so I hate to tell you this, but this time around my break will most likely not be just seven weeks. I'm planning on taking a 10-14 week break this time around. I know, I hate to leave you guys hanging that long but a writer needs to take a nice long break every once in a while. But don't get me wrong, I'm not just going to sit around the house and do nothing for that long, I'm going to be working on my next story. My goal is during my break is that I want to have at least ten chapters done before I release the story so that way I won't feel stressed out before I release a chapter. So you will probably see me back in two months at the least, and three months at the most. I really don't want to leave you all waiting for me to be back, but I want to get some work done this time around. But hey, you never know, I might come back sooner than ten weeks, maybe seven weeks if I change my mind. I'll give it some thought, but just settle for a ten week minimum for now. So expect me to be back between March 17th and April 17th, or maybe the 17th of next month if I change my mind.
Author's note-2: And now, for my next order of business, and probably the most important: It's time to thank you all. Yep, you all deserve to be thanked when it comes to this story being completed. And I'm going to thank every… single… one… of… you. I swear, I'm not going to leave anybody out. Whether you favorited, followed, reviewed, or all three, you're going to be mentioned.
1-Gave this story a favorite
2-Gave this story a follow
3-Gave this story a favorite AND a follow
4-Reviewed all/most chapters
5-Gave this story a favorite, follow, AND reviewed all/most chapters
7-Oliverqueen01-Thanks for giving this story a read and being here for the ride. I'm glad you came back after Love You Now, Love You Always and gave this story a try. It was great talking WWE with you again and seeing what your thoughts were after each chapter. I'm glad I have you as one of my loyal readers and I hope you'll be back for my next story. But it's up to you if you want to read it. Again, thanks and I'll see you soon.
7-Mad Ass Dragon-I was happy to see you back after reading both of my previous two stories. I love reading your reviews and I'm sorry for killing you with sweetness again. I'll never forgive myself for that. You being one of my loyal readers is something I'll be forever thankful for. Oh, and one more thing. Your review to the final chapter of Love You Now, Love You Always gave me the idea for the plot of this chapter. Again, thank you!
7-Brig nodrm2347-Wow! Was I glad to see you reading one of my stories again. Reading your review for each of my chapters makes my day. I am grateful for you being a loyal reader of mine. I hope you like one or both of the ideas I have for future stories when you read them below. Thank you so much for the support and I hope you will be back in the next story. See you then!
7-TheAztecKing-I'm glad you got on board. Just like Brig nodrm2347, reading your review for every chapter made my day, and you being hopeful for me becoming a writer someday only makes me happier. Your comments for this story and me possibly writing a future book stories is something I love to see as it only fuels me to become a writer even more. Thank you so much and I'll hope you'll be back reading my next story when it comes out.
7-Darkaura808-You rock! Let me just say that right now. Glad you could join the ride and give this story a try. I thank you for leaving your thoughts and giving me the positivity I needed to get each chapter out, because getting a new chapter out every week is not easy for me but you are one of the people that help me get it out. Thank you so much and I hope you'll be back reading my next story, but it's up to you if you want to read it.
4-That one random guest-Glad to see you back reading this story after reading both In or Out and Love You Now, Love You Always. I never thought I would have a guest as loyal as you. I hope you will be back for my next story and thank you so much! Since this story is over, the crossover will be updated more frequently than it has been, I promise you that.
7-Roger0326-Thank you for being there with this story when it has been through the thick and thin. I am grateful for you leaving your thoughts after each chapter that you read. I hope you will be back for my next story but it is up to you if you want to read it. Again, thank you so much!
7-Espeon44-Thank you again so much for giving one of my stories a read. It was good to see you back reading one and thank you for letting me be a part of your community.
7-Shadic4566-I was happy to see you back giving this story a try. Thank you so much for leaving your thoughts and being a loyal reader. I hope you will read my next story when it comes out but it's totally up to you if you want to read it.
4-Wolves22 (Guest)-I love the fact that you are a guest and that you are such a loyal reader. Much thanks are in your favor and I hope I will see you again reading one of my future stories.
2-AMOUR WORSHIPPER
3-Aaaaaaab7
2-AdvancedAlto
.luna
3-Armorshippingfan
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3-DragonEmperor999
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2-Frostcloud
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2-Norse Kode
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3-Pikachu 4564
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3-ThePatronSaintOfTheDenial
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1-Aipom4
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1-Donix
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1-Hairyapple
1-Halo Knight Zero
1-InazumaVJ
1-Lord Elidio
1-Omnistar
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1-pokemonloverr
Author's note-3: Thank you all for being here for the past three plus months. I had a blast writing this, and I hope you guys had a blast reading it. Now let's get to the next thing. I'm going to tell you what types of stories I would like to write for and types of stories I wouldn't give a second thought about writing for. For those of you who have read one or both of my last few stories would know what I've put at this part after the story part of the final chapter.
Types of stories/subjects/pairings I will be willing to write about
Humor: I have never written a story that was mainly humor, but I would love to write one, if I ever came up with an idea. If you guys have any ideas of a humor based story that you would like to see, feel free to shoot me an idea and I will get right to it.
Adventure: For me, an adventure story would be a challenge to make, but I'm always up to doing a challenge. And for an adventure fic, it would be longer than fifteen chapters. There'd actually be way more for that. If I were to ever write an adventure story, it probably wouldn't update weekly, but it would be updated at least two or three times a month. This would probably be a once every two years kind of project for me, but I am always open to the idea.
Pokeshipping: I'm not that huge of a fan of this pairing, but it's a very popular one in the Pokemon universe, so if you want me to make a one-shot about it, give me a suggestion and I'll get right to it.
Advanceshipping: This is probably my third favorite pairing in Pokemon. Ash and May are almost like each other so it would probably be easy to write about them. If you got something, tell me and I'll write it.
Pearlshipping: This is my second favorite pairing behind Amourshipping. Ash and Dawn always seemed so close despite their occasional bickering, I heard this pairing is the most popular in Japan, and it seems very popular with the rest of the world, so I'd like to make a one-shot or multi-chapter story about it in the future.
Negaishipping: Like most people, I'm not too keen in this pairing, mainly because of Iris' "You're such a kid" line, but for those of you who do like this pairing, I would make a story about it. Believe me, I would rather write about this pairing more than some others.
Abilityshipping: Despite the fact that Anabel was only in two episodes out of the entire anime, I like this pairing a decent amount, since she is the only character other than Serena that has a canonical crush on Ash. I'd like to make a story about this pairing sometime.
Lagomorphshipping: Out of all pairings that involve two Pokemon, I'd say this one is my favorite. I think it is adorable (Yeah, I think this, so what?). I think Pikachu and Buneary would make a good Pokemon couple, so if you want me to write a story about these two, let me know.
Pokemon x Pokemon: I'd basically write for any Pokemon x Pokemon pairing. There aren't very many of these here on fanfiction and I've never read one before and it might be a challenge for me, but like I've said before, I like a good challenge, so if there is one of these you want me to write, go ahead and tell me.
The types of stories/subjects/pairings I will NOT write about, no matter what
Geekchicshipping: I ABSOLUTELY EXTREMELY despise this pairing. When it comes to pairings involving Serena, I only support Amourshipping, nothing else. I like both Serena and Clemont as characters but I completely dread the idea of them as a couple. Just… no! It's a good thing this couple will never become canon. Please don't ask me to write a story about this pairing.
Yaoi or Yuri: I don't like the idea of writing for a gay or lesbian pairing, but if you think I'm a homophobe, don't get me wrong, I'm not against homosexuality. I just wouldn't feel comfortable writing for a gay or lesbian pairing, especially for Pokemon. Come on, most of the characters are kids for crying out loud, that just doesn't seem right. So please don't ask me to write a story about either.
Lemon: I'm not comfortable writing a lemon, and I'm not sure if I ever will be, so don't come to me asking me to write a lemon of any sort. I will never write a lemon about a Pokemon couple, especially for Amourshipping. Like I said before, most of the characters are kids, writing a lemon about kids would be too creepy. So yeah, no lemons.
Any combination of the two above: Don't EVER come to me asking to make a yaoi or yuri lemon. I couldn't even get past one paragraph, let alone one sentence if I were to do so. I'd rather stick myself to a lemon juice covered cactus than write such a monstrosity. No homosexual lemons, ESPECIALLY for Pokemon characters. I can't stretch that enough. So yeah, don't ever ask me to make such a thing.
Yandere: Yeah, I read one of these once, kind of freaked me out. I could never see myself writing one of these. I like to keep the characters as canonical to the anime as I can, so writing them as a total opposite of what they are would be too hard, challenging. This is actually one challenge I couldn't see myself doing. Just saying.
Human x Pokemon: Okay, who in the hell would think this is a good idea? Who? I sure as hell don't. Who would think it's fine to write about a human being with a Pokemon? Don't you people think this could be regarded as bestiality, which I do not approve. So if you came to me asking me to make a story about this, here is my response: Not a chance in hell!
So here you have a general idea of what I will and will NOT write about. If you ever have an idea that you want to throw by me, come back here and look at this list or just look at my profile which will have types of stories/subjects/pairings that I would and wouldn't write about. Look at it first before making suggestions, because I would like to get more stories out there. I mean, I only have seven stories in four and a half years, and I'd like to entertain people some more here, so I'd like to contribute to the community. Remember, I always like to make someone's day.
Author's note-4: Well, there is that section. But things don't end there, I've got one more thing to run by you people, and it's regarding my future stories. After In or Out was finished, I had two more stories lined up to make. Now that those two stories are done, I am moving on to other projects. For the majority of the run of this story, I had nothing else planned to do after this story was over other than continue working on my crossover fic, but I wanted to do more than that. But within the last month, I came up with two more ideas for stories, and they are two ideas I hope you guys will like and warm up to. If you want to know what they are, read on below, you're bound to like at least one of them.
The Part of You That Stayed Behind: Ash, 28, is World Champion, is married to Serena, and has three kids. But one day, a couple of days after winning a battle against a tough competitor, someone claims that Ash used an illegal tactic in the battle and assumes Ash cheated in order to win, turning not almost his whole fanbase against him, but the entire world. After failing to convince everyone he didn't cheat, Ash says goodbye to his family and goes into hiding. Twenty four years later, he still hasn't returned. Serena and his kids are devastated, seeing as he's been in hiding for almost two and a half decades. Every day, Serena, now 52, sits at a park bench waiting for his return. While she waits, she tells other people the story of how Ash rose to fame and what transpired the days leading up to his disappearance.
Every Corner I Turn: When she was ten, Serena gave up on her dream of being a performer and aimed to be a coordinator. Five years later, now 15, she is a star coordinator but is constantly encountered by the press, stressing her out. Not wanting to be bugged anymore by the press, she slightly alters her appearance and changes her name to Malina. But when that almost isn't enough, one day, fortunately, she runs into Ash. A day later, she asks Ash to help her in avoiding the paparazzi, who gladly accepts. But being out in public constantly and the fact that someone out there is suspicious that Serena really is "Malina", the task of avoiding the press is easier said than done.
These are the next two stories I have planned to write, and it is going to start with The Part of You That Stayed Behind. Like all three stories have been so far, they will each be fifteen chapters. Personally, these are two ideas I like, but if you guys don't like the idea of one or both of them, feel free to tell me, and I will seek other ideas for stories to write. With The Part of You That Stayed Behind, I had thought of in the past that I would never write a story featuring characters who are kids in the show and making them older, but I warmed up to the idea and this story proved otherwise, so if I can make one about young adult versions, I am more than willing to write one about them up in the middle-aged to senile years. And with Every Corner I Turn, I kind of liked the idea of Ash helping out Serena when fame becomes too much for her, seems like an original idea, but if it isn't, oh well, I want to make my own twist on it. So these will be my next two stories, but like I said before, if you don't like one or both, tell me and I will come up with other ideas.
Well that should just about do it. Thank you all for reading this story. I can't believe it's already been fifteen weeks since this all started. But you know what they say, when one door closes, another one opens, and by that I mean on to my next story. I will see you all in at least ten weeks, or seven if I change my mind. Once again, thank you all for being here to read Against All Odds. It's been one heck of a ride. I will see you all in The Part of You That Stayed Behind. Until then…
TDBigJ out!
"Come on Bonnie! My inventions don't always blow up you know!"
-Clemont, Under the Pledging Tree