Cerulean City Gym was bustling with activity for their annual summer water show, starring the four beautiful gym leaders and all their different water pokemon. It was super crowded, but Jessie and James had made sure to buy their tickets ahead to get good seats.

A toddler peered through the aquarium glass in amazement at all the water type pokemon inside. A Pikachu walked up to her and smiled. "Pika!"

The girl smiled back. "Hi! Pikachu!" She gave it a hug. Pikachu hugged back. But then as he tried to get free, she squeezed him tighter. As he struggled, his cheeks started to spark. He really didn't want to shock her, but his natural defenses were starting to work.

"Gah! No!" Meowth ran and shoved her away just in time to get a shock from Pikachu. Pikachu sweatdropped as the girl ran off with Meowth sizzling on the ground.

A young man ran over to the scene.

"Pikachu! What's going on?...You should know better, she's just a little girl and a Meowth..." Pikachu lowered his ears in shame.

"Ah! Daddy! Pikachu!" the girl ran up to James, practically jumping into his arms as he held her on his hip. He wore glasses and his hair was in a ponytail with a few pieces hanging around his face. Curiously, he looked to be in his 30's but had a noticeable white streak in his hair. The little girl looked just like him, with pinkish-lavender hair and bright green eyes. James approached the man, sweatdropping.

"I'm so sorry, I hope my daughter didn't cause any trouble."

The man shook his head. He was looking down at Pikachu, his baseball cap covering his face. He looked up with a smile. "Don't worry about it. I'm glad you're daughter is okay." He had messy black hair, brown eyes, and permanent dirt on his cheeks."

James stepped back, his face turning white. "You're..."

Meowth gasped. "Da-mmph!" James deftly leaned down and covered his mouth, and set down his daughter. She She promptly ran off at full speed, and Meowth who was hiding behind James ran off after her, shooting James a glare.

The man offered a friendly smile, and Pikachu jumped up on his shoulders. He took a ticket out of his pocket. "A-16..." he looked at the seat numbers.

James gulped and took out his tickets. They had A-12 through A-15.

"Look at that! I guess your daughter and my Pikachu are going to be friends today...My name's Ash, by the way." He stuck a hand out.

James looked at him in disbelief.

"Ash? Ash Ketchum? I knew it!" A stampede of children almost knocked James off balance as they rushed to the man.

"He looks just like on TV!"

"His Pikachu is so cute!"

The kids chattered excitedly, and Ash gave them a friendly smile.

Jessie ran up angrily and shouted at the kids. "Don't just run off like that!"

James turned to look at her, the shocked expression still on his face. "We have a problem."

She sighed dramatically. "What now?"

He pointed behind him. Jessie gasped. There was Ash, talking with the group of excited kids.

"The twerp...did he recognize you?"

James shook his head. "I don't think so."

They heard Ash ask the children how old they were. "Ten." the twins replied.

"I started my Pokemon journey when I was 10. Are you going to start your journey soon?"

"Yes!"

"No one said you could go!" Jessie and James shot back in unison, getting a glare from the twins and an embarrassed chuckle from Ash.

"They're not going." James pouted.

"Right." Jessie nodded. Then she sighed, and spoke quietly to James. "They are ten, though...I can't believe it went by so fast. And look at him now." she motioned to Ash.

James nodded sadly. "You're right." Then he got a thoughtful look. "You know, if our kids are twerps now, and the twerp is an adult...what does that make us?"

"Stop, James." Jessie growled. "We do not age."

James pointed to the streak in his hair.

"Fine. You age, but I don't!" she punched him in the head, sending his glasses flying and knocking the ponytail loose.

"Hey, Brock." said Ash. "You made it."

James looked up, and saw Brock. Him and Ash were now around the same height, and he had barely changed.

"Who are all these children?" Brock chuckled. Then he noticed James staring at him in shock.