Chapter 26: No Need for Reunions
It had been weeks since Ash and Pikachu broke away from his friends. With Pietra's help, they found a way to break into the new land. Togepi was in Misty's arms as she was with Pietra, Brock, Delia and a clown-like creature with sticks for arms and legs while having big hands and feet down the same path Ash and Pikachu took. "I'm sorry that you had to come down to see us, Mrs. Ketchum," Brock apologized.
"This is my son, Brock," Delia explained. "I'm worried about him as much as you are."
"Trust us since I do take blame for what happened with the cave," Pietra apologized with a round blue mouse in her arms which had a blue ball on its long tail.
"He's probably gotten into some trouble," Misty sighed. "It's not enough that he still needs to replace my bike." That's when the area around her shifted. "Why does it feel like the air has gotten heavy?" She turned to Delia who had the aura and appearance to kill. Misty shrieked in fear as Brock took Togepi away from the scene.
"YOU MEAN THAT ALL THIS TIME YOU'VE BEEN WITH ASH IS OVER A BIKE!?" yelled Delia.
"I didn't mean to spew it out loud!" cried Misty. Before Delia could raise a hand…
("EVERYONE!") cheered Pikachu. Everyone turned to see Pikachu running up.
"PIKACHU!" they cheered as Pikachu leaped into a now-excited Delia's arms. She embraced a hug on Pikachu.
"What a relief!" awed Pietra. "It's a good sign to see Pikachu!"
"And that means Ash has to be okay as well," Brock summarized. Tenchi came by following Pikachu.
"HEY!" he shouted. Everyone turned to Tenchi, now confused.
"Hello!" greeted Pietra. Tenchi turned to Pikachu.
"I guess these are your friends, Pikachu?" he asked.
("They are!") confirmed Pikachu. Brock started to picture the scene.
"Knowing how happy Pikachu is, Ash must be in good shape," he guessed.
"Oh, he is," Tenchi informed. "Come, you'll see." He started to lead the way. About half an hour later, they reached the top where they saw Ayeka with Misaki and Ryo-Ohki. Ayeka turned to see the group.
"Tenchi, did you get Pikachu?" she asked.
"He wasn't the only one," Tenchi joked. Brock eyed Ayeka and came to her, clasping hands together.
"A marvelous beauty such as yours should not be doing these chores," he swooned. "Instead, they should be done by a love that will do anything for a young woman-"
"GET YOUR GRUBBY HANDS OFF ME, YOU KNAVE!" snapped Ayeka as she threw her hands, breaking Brock's grip. "You should know better than to put your hands on a princess!" Brock gawked, realizing her title. Misty, who paused at hearing Ayeka, resumed to grab Brock by the earlobe as she handed Togepi to Delia.
"The only thing you'll be is a royal pain in the neck!" she argued as she pulled Brock away.
"Ayeka, just a gentle denial would've sufficed," Misaki advised. "Besides, aren't you still after Tenchi?" Ayeka hiccuped before shyly turning to Misaki.
"I'm sorry, mother," she apologized. "I just lost my composure for a brief moment." Togepi squeaked a little, alerting Ayeka to turn. She quickly became infatuated with the Spike Ball Pokémon. "Oh my goodness! You must be Togepi Ash showed us!" She scooped Togepi up before getting a good look at it. "You look like an infant ready to see the world." Togepi shrilled at the good word.
"I can't decide which is cuter: Pikachu or Togepi," she giggled. Ryo-Ohki climbed onto Ayeka's shoulder for a better look. She mewed to Togepi who chirped back.
"What in the world is that?" wondered Delia. The clown also wondered.
"This is Ryo-Ohki," Ayeka identified. "She's a cabbit." Pikachu hopped onto Delia's shoulder to see the cuteness with Togepi and Ayeka. "And that she and Pikachu have been really close as have Ash and my little sister." Misty gasped as she returned with a delighted Delia eager to know about the ordeal.
"Your… little sister?" repeated Pietra. Inside, Ash was with the others inside celebrating the engagement of Ash and Sasami. Azusa and Ash seemed to be talking to each other when Delia stepped inside.
"ASH!" she called. Ash and Azusa turned to see Delia.
"MOM!?" he gasped as he dashed to and hugged his mother.
"I'm so glad that you're okay after what Misty and Brock told me!" she cried. Sasami came to see the reunion of mother and son. Ash gently broke from the hug.
"Mom, I didn't separate from them on purpose,"Ash tried to reason. "Although, it did help me meet someone special." Misty and Brock came in while Togepi was back in her arms.
"Oh it did!" teased Brock. Ash turned to see his other friends.
"Hey guys!" he greeted. "You're actually here!"
"Duh, we've been trying to get through that blockage for some time," Misty scoffed.
"Now, Misty…" eased Brock. "There's more going on than a princess and her little sister."
"Oh, that would be me," Sasami voiced. The trainers and Delia turned to see Sasami as she eyed Togepi and shrieked. "Togepi! You're really here! I wanted to see you so bad!" Togepi shrilled at the wish.
"It's so cute seeing it this close-up!" cooed Mihoshi.
"Can I hold it?" requested Sasami. Misty thought there wasn't a problem with Sasami holding Togepi.
"Of course!" she agreed before giving Togepi to Sasami. The young princess couldn't believe she was holding a baby Pokémon in her arms.
"I can only imagine what Ash's and my child will look like," she giggled. Togepi shrilled while Misty, Brock and Delia gasped.
"Sasami, let's first get the wedding done before we think about having a family of our own," Ash snickered. The news made Misty gawk.
"You're kidding!" she snapped. "You're getting married!? And to her!?"
"Yeah, her father, King Azusa, gave his blessing to have her hand in marriage," Ash explained as Azusa came forward.
"There's no way someone like you has an idea about love, let alone able to marry!" snapped Misty. "How could you throw your Pokémon Training for a girl like her!?" Delia cleared her throat, catching Misty's attention.
"That's funny," she scoffed. "Just several minutes ago, you didn't even care about Ash at all. You were more concerned about your bike." Misty gulped to being called out. Ryoko appeared with her head down and arms crossed.
"That's one way to get your gears to shift," she muttered. Misty whined, sweat pouring down her head as Pietra turned to Ash.
"But this is true?" she questioned. "You two are engaged?"
"We are," Ash replied. "My fiancée, Princess Sasami Masaki Jurai."
"Hi!" greeted Sasami. Delighted, Delia pounced on the two with a massive hug.
"I can't believe that my son has a cutie to marry!" she cried. Misty continued to whimper while Brock wasn't sure how to react.
"Gee, I thought I'd get a girl before he did," he irked. Ryo-Ohki returned in her little girl form holding a large carrot.
"Seems like Ryo-Ohki wants to give you something, Misty," Ash alerted. Misty started to recover before seeing Ryo-Ohki's new form.
"Ryo-Ohki?" she repeated.
"Yeah, she has a habit of transforming," Ryoko clarified. "She can even transform into a spaceship." Misty gulped to Ryo-Ohki's talents. Looking at her, the carrot was within arms' reach.
"For me?" she asked. Ryo-Ohki mewed to confirm. 'I'm sure Ash told everyone that I hate carrots… at least, raw. Still, it would be rude to not accept a gift…' Surrendering, Misty took the carrot. "Thank you! You know, ever since Brock came along, I've been slowly accepting carrots." Ryo-Ohki mewed curiously while pointing to Brock. "Yep, that Brock." Ryo-Ohki mewed before walking over to Brock to mew praise.
"I'm a little embarrassed, but thanks," Brock accepted. Ryo-Ohki accepted before turning to Togepi. She mewed to the Spike Ball Pokémon before Togepi agreed with shrills. They walked off as Kiyone hid behind a doorway.
"My goodness!" awed Nobuyuki as she confronted Delia. "If I didn't know any better, I thought Achika had been waiting to see all of Tenchi's girls." Tenchi gawked and snapped.
"DAD!" he snapped. "Not appropriate!" This made Delia curious while Pikachu was in her arms.
"Who's Achika?" she asked. "And you're Tenchi's father?"
"I am," Nobuyuki acknowledged. "I'm Nobuyuki Masaki." He took a heavy sigh. "Achika was my late wife. She passed from an illness when Tenchi was only five." Delia gasped before bowing her head to Nobuyuki.
"I'm sorry about that," she apologized before turning to Tenchi. "And I'm sorry about your mother." She hugged Tenchi who seemed surprised, but he accepted the embrace.
"Thank you…" he muttered. Mihoshi saw the hug and smiled.
"Such a big heart," she smiled. Brock and Sasami were cooking different meals.
"I've never seen that technique before," Sasami awed.
"I developed this while I took care of my brothers and sisters," Brock offered. "Still, you've got some delicate hands to cook like a pro."
"I've always enjoyed cooking!"
"Probably what attracted Ash to you, huh?"
"Partly. After all, Ash doesn't push a relationship and I started to have feelings for how caring he was to everyone, even to Ryoko, Ayeka and Washu."
"No surprise, he's not one to wants any bloodshed among people. I'm just jealous that Ash has a fiancée while I'm still searching." Viewing from the doorway again, Kiyone observed Brock's skills with the kitchen.
'He can cook?' she awed. 'I'm usually the one with the backbone, but I'm having problems with facing him straight?' Brock looked to Sasami, a little startled.
"So Ash learned to cook from you?" asked Brock.
"He did," Sasami answered. "He remembered how you were sick that one time." Brock shyly chuckled to the story.
"Yeah… and I talked to Misty about the wasted ingredients."
"I could teach her if she wants. Who knows, there may be someone fit for her."
"I'm still looking for someone fit for me." The two cooks snickered. Ash and Delia were with Azusa and his wives. Delia's nose had a drop of blood slowly leaking down.
"Wow, I can only imagine what Jurai's like," Delia awed.
"Fortunately, you won't need to imagine for too long," Funaho promised. "We were making arrangements to prepare for Ash's and Sasami's wedding to take place."
"Unlike laws on Earth, and using our powers as the first family of the Masaki House of Jurai," Azusa started. "We can arrange marriages with the parties involved."
"It took me a while for me to understand the king's meaning, but just knowing that the person I quickly fell in love for at first sight," Ash admitted.
"You fell for Sasami at first glance?" repeated Delia. "I mean, that sounds like Brock territory from what Misty mentioned."
"I did notice when he did that with my eldest," Misaki agreed. "But Mrs. Ketchum…" She pointed to her nostril, indicating that Delia had something dangling. Ash looked, finding the blood starting to trickle. Delia looked confused before she wiped under her nose. She looked to see the blood, blushing as red as it.
"It seems as though you also favor our husband," Funaho giggled. Delia's embarrassed face tried to hide behind her bangs.
"I can be a handsome devil at times," Azusa assured. "So there's no need to feel ashamed." Ryoko saw something from her side and started to laugh.
"There's a girl who isn't ashamed of her actions," she hinted as she thumbed a direction. Pietra and Delia were the first to look as the others came. They saw Ryo-Ohki in her adult form and a nightgown with Togepi in an arm and a book in her lap. It appeared as if Ryo-Ohki was reading a story to Togepi.
"My goodness!" irked Pietra as she tried to stifle her laugh. "That is so adorable!" Misty came to see before looking away, also having a hard time trying not to laugh.
"I didn't think Ryo-Ohki could read," Ryoko quietly squealed.
"This image alone is enough to make me lose it!" squeaked Misaki. Togepi fell asleep, rolling onto Ryo-Ohki's lap. The cabbit-turned-woman giggled as she petted Togepi. Outside, Washu checked on the condition of the ships. Azaka and Kamidake came out of Azusa's.
"What does it look like?" she asked.
"Lord Azusa's ship is ready for transport back to Jurai," Azaka reported as Delia entered with the clown-like creature.
"Mrs. Ketchum?" alerted Kamidake. Washu turned to see Delia on the approach.
"I wanted to meet you after Ash told me of your adventures," she greeted as she saw the clown-like creature. "And you're her Pokémon?"
("She's my master,") he mentioned.
"Mimey has been there for me for sometime," Delia brought up. "And these are…" Washu nodded as she turned to Azaka and Kamidake.
"Ayeka's guards, Azaka and Kamidake," she introduced as Yosho arrived. Azaka knelt to Delia.
"You're Ash's mother?" he guessed. "I'm actually surprised. However many years you've had raising your son has done little to your complexion." He kissed Delia's hand he held towards himself.
"Azaka, must you," Kamidake softly scolded.
"Am I wrong?" questioned Azaka.
"No, but you're treating her like she's one of Lord Azusa's wives," Yosho compared. "Not like my father needs another one." Delia nodded to the rebuttal.
"Your half-sister did tell me about your family dynamic," she recalled. "Though I still find it hard to believe since you do look a lot older than your parents. No offense."
"None taken, Mrs. Ketchum," Yosho eased. "This was mostly my fault and it's the burden I bear with until my time comes."
"Perhaps. Still, all of the women here are… not from this world?"
"And one came to find me with how long I've been away from the planet. Still, I'm going to remain here while my little half-sister and your son become one. If this was Tenchi, it would be a rather different story."
"No one is enforcing you to go, Grandpa," Mihoshi smiled as she emerged from the Galaxy Police ship. Yosho nodded to the easement.
"What about you?" he asked.
"Since this is involving the royal family," she addressed as she saluted. "Kiyone and I will be there to escort the royal family back to Jurai." While Azaka and Kamidake acknowledged Mihoshi's mission, Washu thought there was more.
"I also heard that you'll be having Ash on board as tradition with weddings," she brought up. Mihoshi nervously laughed. Everyone exited to the ships after they were cleared for takeoff. Azusa addressed the group.
"As is tradition, the bride and groom will be in different ships so as not to taint the process," he started. "Because of this, the Masaki royal family will board our ship. The others can board the Galaxy Police vessel." Kiyone sensed a problem.
"With all due respect, your highness," she spoke up. "There isn't enough room in our ship." Azusa wasn't bothered.
("Ryo-Ohki is our last hope,") Pikachu pointed out. Ryo-Ohki agreed and mewed confidently.
"Oh yeah!" realized Ash. He held Ryo-Ohki in his palms. "Ryo-Ohki can help." Misty became skeptical.
"Exactly… how?" she asked.
"Well, watch and learn," Ash prepared. With a flick, Ryo-Ohki was thrown to the sky. That's when she transformed into the spaceship. Misty, Brock, Delia and Pietra gawk at the sight of Ryo-Ohki's transformation.
"Now I wish we had Duplica on hand!" gulped Brock.
"I know her Ditto can transform into anything, but that's a bit too big for that!" trembled Misty. Nobuyuki came out to give those going to Jurai a farewell.
"Well, I hope you kids have a good time on Jurai," he offered. Delia turned around to see the father.
"You're not going to come?" she guessed.
"I got work to do," Nobuyuki replied. "Now, have fun!" With the Masaki royal family and Azaka and Kamidake in their vessel, Misty, Delia and Pietra joined Mihoshi and Kiyone in the Galaxy Police vessel and Ryoko, Washu, Tenchi, Brock, Ash and Pikachu board Ryo-Ohki. They all leave Earth before starting a light-speed trip to Jurai. The next journey: Ash's and Sasami's wedding.
TO BE CONTINUED...