Chapter 12: No Need for Runaways

Everyone waited as Sasami faced Ash, ready to tell him her feelings. It had built up since they first met just outside the Masaki household when they started to realize their feelings, introduced Ash and Pikachu to everyone and saw what they did or didn't do. "I… wanted to confess," Sasami started. "Ever since I met you outside after you got lost, I learned more about you and now… my feelings are ready to come out." Ash prepared to hear Sasami as Ryo-Ohki and Pikachu circled around to get a better view. "Ash, I… never had this around Tenchi. I had it for some time and it grew when you were within arm's reach." Ash noticed Sasami trembling. He had to voice up.

"Sasami…" he spoke. Sasami turned to Ash, a bit surprised to hear him call her name. "Relax… Just let it out." The advice had Sasami nod.

"Relax…" she repeated.

'Sasami, I know you can say the right thing,' Ayeka minded. 'You've been in love with Ash as have I with Lord Tenchi.' Ryoko felt equal about Sasami's supposed love to Ash.

'You got this, kid,' she minded. 'In all honesty, I'd rather have you as the next queen of Jurai, not Princess Snobby.' Sasami took a deep breath.

"Ash, you've done a lot after you and your Pokémon got lost," she resumed. "Maybe when we first met, it was special." Ryo-Ohki heard something, causing her to tremble.

"I could say that it was," Ash brought up. "I mean, I didn't have these feelings until I met you." Sasami awed Ash's admittance.

"You did?" she realized. "I guess this makes this a bit easier. What I mean-" Out of nowhere, Ryo-Ohki leaped at and tackled Sasami into Ash, knocking them both down with the younger princess on top of the trainer. Everyone else worried about the two.

"ASH!" gasped Ryoko, Tenchi, Nobuyuki and Washu.

"SASAMI!" gasped Ayeka, Kiyone and Mihoshi. Sasami soon started to rise and found herself on top of Ash. Ryo-Ohki gawked, realizing a mistake. Sasami looked about to cry. She jumped up, turned and ran.

"I'M SORRY!" she cried as she ran out of the household. Ash barely sat up as he saw Ryo-Ohki and Pikachu chase after Sasami.

"Ash, are you okay?" asked Washu. Ash wasn't worried about his condition.

"Sasami!" he called out as he pursued her, Pikachu and Ryo-Ohki. The others started going after as well but stopped when they saw black clouds. Suddenly, booms of thunder were heard.

"A storm?" guessed Nobuyuki.

"Maybe that sound of thunder is what made Ryo-Ohki jump and attack Sasami," Washu believed.

"I got to make sure they're okay," Tenchi voiced. Nobuyuki gasped to his son's decision to chase the younger folk.

"Tenchi, wait!" he halted. Tenchi turned to his father as he tossed a furled umbrella to him.

"Got it!" he accepted as he caught the umbrella. He took off but the rain began to fall. He unfurled his umbrella to stop the rain from falling onto him. Ash was without his cap, but did have his jacket. He began to reel from getting soaked, but he wasn't worried about himself.

"SASAMI!" he shouted. "RYO-OHKI! PIKACHU!" He searched by the street leading up to the household. He looked but he didn't see anything. He raced back up the staircase. He continued to search, calling their names throughout. Sasami cried in a small cavern with Pikachu and Ryo-Ohki by her.

"He hates me!" she sobbed.

("He doesn't hate you,") Pikachu assured. Ryo-Ohki mewed to Sasami to calm her down.

"SASAMI!" shouted Ash. "PIKACHU! RYO-OHKI!" Hearing Ash, Pikachu urged a little out.

("WE'RE OVER HERE!") he squeaked. Ash heard his Pokémon and raced in the direction. He soon found the cave and Pikachu in front.

"Pikachu!" he cheered. He raced to see the others. "You stayed with Sasami until someone found you three?"

("I like her too much to let her go,") Pikachu claimed. Ryo-Ohki mewed as well. Ash reached and palmed Sasami's face.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Tears running down her face, Sasami looked up to Ash as he dripped rainwater.

"Ash?" she whimpered. She sniffled, still upset at her confession being ruined. She saw Ash drenched from head to toe. "You're soaked to the bone."

"I'll be fine," Ash assured. "It's you I worry about. Everyone is." Sasami and Ryo-Ohki whimpered to the mess created.

"But Ash," Sasami sniffled. "I wanted to tell you in front of everyone and… and…"

"It's all okay," Ash eased. "And Ryo-Ohki, I now know that you got spooked by the thunder. It gets a lot of us at times." Ryo-Ohki mewed with a sigh of relief.

"You're too much for me," Sasami started to cry.

"It's all good," Ash promised as Sasami cried. Ash placed a hand on Sasami's shoulder. "Let's get back and out of the rain."

"Okay…" she agreed. Ash helped Sasami up to which she scooped Pikachu and Ryo-Ohki into her arms. Although his jacket was soaked, Ash took it off before he and Sasami left the cave and walked back as the jacket was a makeshift umbrella. "Thank you, Ash… I wanted to tell you that." Suddenly, a thought came to mind. "If it was Washu or Mihoshi, would you still do it?"

"Of course I would," Ash admitted without a second thought. "After all, we're all friends and a bit of family."

("That's how selfish Ash is not,") Pikachu squeaked. Tenchi heard Ash and Pikachu before they reached with his umbrella.

"Sasami!" he called out. "There you are!" He reached the rest.

"Tenchi!" she awed.

"Thank goodness that you're okay, Sasami!" smiled Tenchi. "Let's get back inside and get you out of those wet clothes!" Agreeing, Tenchi led everyone back inside. There, Ayeka rushed to Sasami in relief.

"Sasami!" she cried as she hugged her little sister.

"Ayeka!" sobbed Sasami.

"Thank goodness that you're okay," Ayeka smiled. Tenchi furled the umbrella and hung it up.

"I'm sorry!" cried Sasami. Ryoko patted the somewhat wet hair on Sasami's head.

"No one's mad at you, kiddo," she promised. "Everyone was as worried as Ayeka." Nobuyuki came to Ash, noting how drenched he was from going to look for Sasami.

"Ash, you look like you were caught in a tidal wave!" he joked. Ash softly laughed.

"I care for Sasami as much as you guys," he replied. "Even Ryoko." The Space Pirate laughed to the claim.

"Anyway, I do have some of Tenchi's clothes when he was your age," Nobuyuki offered. "It should keep you dry until we get your clothes cleaned."

"DAD!" snapped Tenchi. "Why did you keep my clothes from so long ago!?"

"Emergency situations," Nobuyuki claimed. "And when your grandchild reaches that age." Tenchi mulled to Nobuyuki's plans for the future.

"I don't know if I should be upset or worried about what you'll do to my child when we reach that point," he gulped. Nobuyuki laughed while getting some clothes for Ash. His clothes were a pair of slacks and a blue robe-like shirt with a white undershirt.

"How do those feel?" asked Nobuyuki.

"It fits like a glove," Ash realized.

"Okay, it looks good on you," Tenchi surrendered. Ash turned to Sasami with an idea.

"Say, do you want to watch over Pikachu tonight?" he offered. Sasami gasped to the request.

"Are you sure?" she wondered.

"Of course!" he confirmed. "After all, Pikachu was also worried about you after what happened."

("Can I sleep with you, Sasami?") added Pikachu. Realizing the circumstance, Sasami smiled.

"You're always welcomed to sleep with me," she accepted. Pikachu and Ryo-Ohki cheered. At night, Sasami had Pikachu and Ryo-Ohki joining her in her futon.

"Are you feeling better, Sasami?" asked Ayeka.

"A little," Sasami replied as she petted Pikachu. "I didn't mean to cause all of that panic. I wanted to tell Ash how much I've admired him and how much he's grown since they got separated from their friends."

("You're part of the growth,") Pikachu pointed out. Sasami giggled while Ryo-Ohki mewed happily.

"Hearing what you wanted to say," Ayeka believed. "I'd assume that you wanted to confess that you love him." Sasami blushed while Pikachu gasped.

"I mean, I wanted to be honest to Ash," Sasami admitted. "Maybe even offer him and Pikachu a chance to see Tsunami."

("The goddess?") guessed Pikachu.

"Maybe you will," Ayeka hoped. "Besides, it may be a blessing." Sasami nodded, hoping to fulfill that wish. They fell asleep.

A church housed a moment as Sasami had grown up. She wore a diamond-like shoulder-less bridal gown. Scores of many friends and family, including Tenchi, Ryoko and Ayeka altogether, filled the pews as well as Delia, Misty and Brock. With her bridesmaids, Sasami walked down the aisle. Ash and his groomsmen waited at the end. When Sasami reached the end of the aisle, the wedding commenced. "Princess Sasami Masaki Jurai," the pastor greeted. "And Ash Ketchum… we have arrived at this moment: from the first seconds of love up to today to become forever bonded. Ash, do you take Sasami as your wife and become the heir to the kingdom of Jurai?"

"I do," Ash replied.

"Sasami, do you wish to have Ash as your husband?" the pastor continued. "And as the prince of the kingdom of Jurai to rule when the day comes?"

"I do," Sasami accepted.

"If there's anyone who opposes this wedding," the pastor proceeded. "For any reason that they should not wed, speak now or forever hold your peace." There was no noise. "Very well… Prince Ash, Princess Sasami, I now pronounce you with all of these witnesses husband and wife, and heirs to the kingdom of Jurai. You may now kiss the bride." Ash and Sasami kissed as the audience cheered wildly. They celebrated the bonding of families.

Sasami's dream made her smile as she woke to see Pikachu and Ryo-Ohki. They yawned as they all woke to the rising sun. "I can't wait to tell Ash and maybe he'll accept," she wished. Pikachu pondered what Sasami was going through before she stood up.

("Did you have a nice dream?") he guessed. Sasami scooped Ryo-Ohki and allowed Pikachu to be on her head.

"I'm gonna cook something unique for Ash," Sasami thought. "I'll make sure you're fed as well." Ryo-Ohki mewed to food. They reached the kitchen, but Ash wasn't there. This worried the three. "Did Ash sleep in?" She looked to the door. "Or maybe some early morning training with Grandpa?" She walked to the door when another door appeared from Washu's lab. Ash emerged but he looked pale and groggy. He slouched about. Seeing the trainer's flushed face, Sasami and the creatures became fearful. "Ash!?" He took a couple of steps.

"Hungry…" he groaned before he crashed the floor.

"Ash!" yelped Sasami. They reached Ash and turned him over to find his face red and his half-dead appearance. "Oh no!" Ryoko appeared from thin air.

"Sasami, it's too early in the morn-" she mulled before seeing Ash and realizing the issue. "Ash!?" She lifted Ash's head, but there was no response. "Hey, buddy! Come on!" She palmed Ash's head and gasped. "Don't tell me he's sick!" Others around the household heard Ryoko and came to see the situation. Ash was sick, but why?

TO BE CONTINUED...