The following days, Ash avoided the Kanna's, not just the Sakaki's. But he ate, especially when Arabella made Miso soup like she said she would, but for the most part, he was in his temporary room.

It wasn't necessarily that he hid away because of Silver's comment – he's still a stalker for all Ash cares – he was sick for real. The Hanahaki blossomed more than normally, and he felt more drained than normally. Like soil that was ruined by monoculture farming. But he figured that having his window open, the cold air weakened the flowers. They can't handle cool chills. Sure, it was cold, especially when the snow fell, but it helped against the flowers, so he just accepted it.

"Now I understand why you're so frustrated, Ariana. He ignores us as well now. He barely interacted with us.", complained Arabella to her daughter.

"You have to understand, he is used that his step father's family don't accept him, and are rather, well-"

"You don't need to use Violet's code with us, we know what you mean.", said Giovanni annoyed. "Yes, Delia and her husband were abusive."

"So, he's sick in the membrane like your brother Nanu?", asked Rowan his son-in-law.

"Not sick, parse, just burned by others metaphorically?", answered Giovanni. He tried not to complain about the insult of his brother. "Maybe it was a bad idea to bring him here so early. Maybe we should have celebrated alone this year like we planned to?"

"Mm, no! We need to force him to socialize with us, not enable him like Violet's parenting.", demanded Rowan having lost his patience. His daughter-in-law looked at him, having her hands-off parenting style insulted. "I waited over a decade for my second grandson. I did my waiting, twelve years of it, for Satoshi! We need to show him we aren't like these Kanto c-"

"Rowan!", scolded him Violet. She does not want to risk that her angel hear any cussing, even if they aren't in the same room.

One reason why Ash hid in the room was because Ariana and Giovanni were constantly trying to check on him and his health, which became annoying very fast. This was the case when, after Jodie and Luke constantly knocked at his door to crux him out of the room to play video games with him, Ariana used the opportunity. When Ariana saw he was out of the room, she swept in and took his temperature and checked his eyes. This made Ash nervous, nervous that she'll notice the Hanahaki ("Oh Ash, you smell quite floral.") so he joined Silver's cousins. The adults watched them teaching how to play Minecraft.

Jodie started to explain the game. Well, she didn't. Her sentences made no sense for anyone but her. Even Luke, who apparently sat though multiple disjointed talks, was annoyed by her constant switching between copies and over-complicated sentences.

"You know how to play Minecraft, right?", asked Luke.

"Actually no, I never played a video game.", admitted Ash.

The siblings were quite shocked, as if he said the most unbelievable thing on earth. "What? How? Why?", asked Jodie shocked. "Did you really never play a game?"

"Never. At most I watched my half sister Riko playing something, but I never played myself.", he answered, "So, never."

"Is Riko another cousin?", asked Jodie upon hearing the name.

"No, she isn't.", said Ash.

Luke asked, "Why didn't she share her games with you? I constantly have to share with Jodie. And Ruthie when she is old enough to play."

"Well, like Silver and I have different mothers, Riko and I have different fathers. Besides that she simply didn't want to and wasn't demanded to share by our mom, I wasn't allowed to use anything paid for by her father. Which was pretty much everything Riko owns.", explained Ash to the two kids. "My mom didn't bother to work, because her husband would pay for her. That and because Giovanni didn't send child support, I virtually had nothing of note."

"I paid! More than asked, even!", chimed Giovanni angrily in.

"Oh, really? Why did Riko then attend a private school while I attended a trashy public school? You clearly could have afforded another tuition.", countered Ash, feeling as if he outsmarted Giovanni. "Why did Riko have multiple Nintendo systems while I have none? If you would have paid like you claimed, Delia could have afforded that. Eh, I leave, you're just gonna claim you did like always." He then left to his room.

"Something's fishy.", stated Kai.

Violet told her kids, "Go to your room! You can take the Switch with you but don't break it!" Jodie and Luke took the Switch and rushed off to their room as well.

"Giovanni, I don't want to call you an idiot, but I think this Delia used Ash's money on Riko.", stated Kai.

"Oh, really, Mr. Obvious.", answered Giovanni, "I already know that."

"So you just let it happen? Anyway, your brother was a custody lawyer, right?", asked Kai.

"No, Nanu is a cop... his sister is, though.", explained Giovanni. "Do you think I should ask her? It is not like I could hire any other lawyer."

"But Wikolia is one of the best and most ferocious lawyers in Alola.", chimed Maria in. "You can try to ask her, at least."

"I... fine. My other lawyers don't want to deal with Delia anyway, I would need to contact a new lawyer anyway.", said Giovanni. He took out his phone and called Nanu's number, as he does not have Wikolia's.

"Hello? Officer Nanu speaking?", he heard his brother ask, as monotone as always.

"Is that how you greet your brother, Nanu?"

He heard Nanu sign annoyed. "Isn't it a bit too early for you and Maria's bi-yearly calls? Christmas and my birthday, the later not being for another six months.", said Nanu, "What do you want?"

"I need your sister, Wikolia. She's a custody attorney right?"

"Lawyer. But yes. Uh, why, issues about Silver?"

"No, issues about Satoshi. Apparently his mother had been using his money for her other child.", explained Giovanni. "I want revenge for how she neglected Satoshi."

"I doubt you're much better, Giovanni. He is your affair child, right? You noted that late if it is true.", said Nanu. "Listen, I will give you Wikolia's info, but she won't be available until after new years. But please, stop calling me after this. Wait, you're in contact with SatoshI?"

"Yeah, I got sole custody of Sato a few weeks ago.", said Giovanni happily, "Finally."

"Oh, well. I call my sister then. Bye." Nanu then ended the call.

"You know, this would explain why Delia just didn't give Ash to me. The payments would stop.", he said.

"Now you're the Mr. Obvious.", said Kai, rolling his eyes.

One day, Ash was just resting on his bed. He laid on his back, breathing deeply, as deep as the flowers in his lungs allow it, and had his eyes closed, but he didn't sleep. But then his peace was interrupted when Jodie and Luke knocked on his door.

"Ash! Can you play Minecraft with us again?", asked Luke.

"Sure!" He left his room and the two dragged him to the living room.

They passed Silver who asked insulted, "Hey! Why don't you ask me?"

"You're boring to play with!", was Luke's answer. They arrived in the living room, where the adults were watching a telenovela – on Violet and Arabella's demand – all where surprised when they saw Ash there. "We wanted to play Minecraft with Ash, can we?"

"Magic word, Luke?", asked Violet.

"Please?", said Luke, elongating the ea sound.

"Okay. The TV is yours.", said Arabella.

Luke started to set up the console and TV, he gave Ash and Jodie a controller and then they started playing. While each build a house – albeit Ash's was more of a wooden box – Jodie asked her new cousin, "Ash, do you ever wanted a system of your own? What you said about your sister made it sound like you would."

"I... don't know. But I guess I would like a mobile system.", he answered unsure. "Playing on the go – albeit I would be worried to loose it considering how often I witnessed Riko loosing hers - not necessarily needing a TV."

"Like a Switch?", asked Giovanni, butting into the kid's talk.

"No. More like a 3DS, the ones that can be closed like a clam.", explained Ash. "Mainly because I saw Riko play one game, some sort of trainer simulator but with crazy plots, like fighting evil teams. These looked fun."

"Oh, the Pokemon Trainer Simulations? Albeit they aren't exactly simulators...", asked Kai. His kids constantly talk about it, but that is his fault, he introduced them to it. "Do you remember which version your sister played? Which ones did you prefer to watch?"

"Mm... the Unova ones! Albeit the Kalos editions looked interesting as well.", he said. "In general, the ones in pixel optic."

"Boring!", chimed Jodie in. "Ash, what are your favorite food, color and Pokemon?"

"Are you interrogating him now?", asked her brother annoyed.

"Uh, Miso soup, blue and I would say my favorites are... the Charizard line, Pikachu and Absol.", he replied.

"Absol? Why didn't you choose it when you could?", asked Silver. Then the realization hit, "You didn't because of my reaction to it, right?"

"Uh, yeah.", confirmed Ash. "And I didn't want to groom that much fur.", he added, remembering how annoying just grooming Pikachu and Spriga is.

"Wait, the Charizard line are standard starters, why didn't you choose one?", asked Luke.

"My old school ran out of starters before I could. I choose a year later and had a few, eh, restrictions to what I could choose, so no Charmander for me.", he explained, "And at my new school, Silver forced me to take Sprigatito. Albeit, when that happened, I wanted to choose a Trubbish."

"A Trubbish? That is hilarious!", laughed Jodie.

Giovanni left the house, saying he'll do some last minute shopping, which Arabella used as a chance to give him a long shopping list for groceries she thinks will run out soon. In other words, Ash was nervous. He only felt somewhat comfortable here – and in Giovanni's villa for that matter – because Giovanni is his blood relative. He is supposed to keep Ash save. But with him gone, he felt as if the Kanna's could hurt him any moment now. Sure, Silver is here. But it is just Silver.

His nervousness showed itself at lunch, as he didn't eat that much. Not that this was much out of the ordinary for Ash the last few weeks. They were eating lunch, when Jodie asked a question, one worthy of an angry stare by Violet, "Ash, are you sick like our grandma?"

"Jodie!", shouted Violet, "Stop asking that!"

"Uh...", was all that Ash could answer, as he has no idea what 'like grandma' refers to.

Luke picked up on his clueless state, so he explained, "Grandma Daisy was sick, similar symptoms to you, she was send to live somewhere else to recover, but she died. You remind Jodie of how Daisy was."

"Oh, uh, no, I am not sick like this.", he replied. Then the lunch continued inn awkward silence.

After lunch, Violet approached him, "I am sorry for my daughter's questioning, Ash."

"It isn't a problem, Violet.", he replied to her.

Before he could walk off, she asked, "Are you excited for tomorrow?"

"No, why should I?", he replied.

"Tomorrow is Christmas!", Violet answered all excited.

"Eh, not really." He wasn't excited for Christmas while living with his mom – albeit he rarely spend it with them to begin with – so why being excited now? If anything it will be worse as he is in the same building with them.

Ash, Pikachu and Sprigatito where just sleeping in peace, when Silver suddenly jumped onto Ash, waking him in the process. And pushing the two starters off the bed.

"Ash! Wake up! Wake Up!", said Silver very loudly, nearly yelling.

"No.", was the answer he received.

"You have to get up!", yelled Silver.

"I thought we aren't leaving yet.", answered Ash groggily, "I am not leaving the bed just now. Try it in three hours, Silver."

"Come on!"

"Fuck off, Silver. And let me sleep!", said Ash rather grumpily. "It is way too early."

"D-Did you just cuss?!", asked Silver in disbelief.

"Yes, and I will tell you a few other words if you don't leave me alone and let me sleep!", yelled Ash, pushing himself from the mattress to stare at his half brother angrily. "Seriously, it is earlier then when we leave to school."

"But it is Christmas!", said Silver as if this would convince Ash to leave the bed. "Presents!"

"It may surprise you, but I do not want to spend my morning watching you guys open presents.", argued Ash. "Also, you act like a child."

"But we got presents for you as well!", countered Silver.

Ash wanted to say he doesn't care, but then he felt the flowers blossoming. "Fine, I go down, but first I need to go to the toilet.", he said instead.

"Okay!" Silver left the room and Ash walked slowly to the bathroom, before ridding himself of the next charge of flowers. Then he walked to the door of his room and closed it, before returning to his bed.

Not even ten minutes later, Jodie and Luke where knocking on his door, repeating his name in union, "Ash! Ash! Ash! Ash! Ash!"

Luke then yelled, having remembered that his cousin reacted when Uncle Giovanni used it, "Satoshi! Come down!"

"Great, someone told them I react more easily to that name. Maybe I can sleep when they are busy with their gifts.", he mumbled as he opened the door. The siblings then dragged him to the living room. Pikachu and Sprigatito followed their owner. The Piano, now awkwardly standing in the foyer, was replaced by a white Christmas three, decorated in green, red and gold. 'What an ugly tree.', he thought. He didn't dare to share than answer.

"There you are!", said Ariana, "But before we open any presents, we'll eat breakfast."

"Can't we do that afterwards?", asked Silver disappointed. Luke and Jodie agreed with their oldest cousin.

"No, now eat.", said Ariana sternly, "See it that way, this is probably the most sugary breakfast we ever made this year."

"Okay!" This was convincing enough for Jodie.

At the breakfast table, Ash only ate a fruit salad, he just isn't used to so much sugar. And when watching Jodie, Luke and Silver, maybe that is better so. Doesn't change that Jodie looked at him judgmentally. He listened to the adults sharing stupid stories.

"... Anyway, despite me and Mike from accounting warning him, that idiot walked into the same glass door a third time!", said Kai laughing at his story. "Since then, doors either have to be made from wood, metal or be arches in my office building, because of idiots like him. Ari, you any story to share? We see us so rarely."

"Mm, Lore could tell you about it as well.", said Ariana.

Lorelei chimed in, "Oh, you want to tell him that? Well, your son caused it, so you tell."

"Fine. You see, Lore was in trouble with the cops the last week of school. You see, we asked her to pick up Ash and spend time with him until Silver is done with his extra curricular, but Ash didn't have any of that, so he decided to walk home. When Lorelei noticed he wasn't coming, she called us, Giovanni then called Ash. He told Ash to wait where he is for Lorelei to pick him up. Well, as soon as Lore arrived, he started to leave.", told Ariana the tale. "Lore tried to drag him off-" "Admittedly too aggressive in hindsight.", added Lorelei into the story. "-but Ash didn't budge. This attracted the attention of two police men. Because Ash claimed they aren't related, they cuffed Lorelei and Ash continued his way on foot."

Ash said, "In my defense, Lorelei was a total stranger to me. We aren't related, something even the cops saw on first glance." He then stopped talking, as fear fell over him of what will come now, now that the Kanna's know he framed Lorelei. But instead the adults and Luke laughed at the story.

"You got tricked by a kid, Lore!", said her brother laughing. "What kind of Elite Four are you!"

"Someone who got tricked by a teen. I get it, hilarious.", replied Lorelei. "Now, I am sure the kids want their presents.

"Mm, I just want to go to bed.", said Ash.

"Oh, no. You aren't going to flee the scene, Satoshi.", said Giovanni sternly.

"Wait, you told us he wants to be called Ash. Why do you call him Satoshi?", asked Kai.

"You see, Sato calls me by my given name. Like you can guess, I do not like that, so I call him Satoshi until he stops.", explained Giovanni to his brother in law.

Before Kai could mock him for that, Ash answered with a question, "What, do you want that I call you Mr. Sakaki instead?" Kai then lost it laughing.

"No! No! Don't!", said Giovanni in panic. "If you do that where the CPS can hear us, it is over."

"Isn't that good?", asked Ash. "It sure is for me."

"What are you talking about?", asked Violet, "Do you have problems with the CPS?"

"Yes, they have.", answered Lorelei. "They are on thin ice in regards of Ash. Long story. One we tell you after the presents."

"Finally!", chirped Jodie.

The family and Ash spread around the seats and couches surrounding the tree. The Sakaki's and Ash where on an l shaped couch, Ash snug himself far in the corner, behind Giovanni, Silver and Ariana who were on the long side and Maria who was on the short part. Ash hid on the cross section. Ash cuddled up in a few blankets and pillows and tried to fall asleep. Pikachu and Sprigatito slept instantly.

Jodie and Luke got a game called "Pokemon Trainer Simulator Paldea Violet Edition" for Luke and "Pokemon Trainer Simulator Kanto Let's Go Series Eevee Edition" for Jodie, as well as two sleighs. These titles get longer and longer for these games. Even if you use the shortened PTS for each game. Silver got a new VR headset and Gaming PC – even though that VR headset does not require a PC – and Giovanni got his joke watch. Maria got perfumes from everyone, the same was for Giovanni but in form of colognes. Ariana got jewelry, Lorelei hand made custom Pokeballs and Pokeball capsules to style her already used ones.

"And now Ash's gifts!", said Silver. He picked a big box he wanted to give Ash, but he saw Ash dozed off. "Seriously, he is sleeping?!"

Ash sat up and said, "I was trying to sleep, but that is a bit difficult when you're so loud."

"Here!", said Silver, giving him the big box.

"Uh..." stopped working, trying to process he got a present. "This is pretty heavy, what is this?"

"One of your presents, open it!", demanded Silver. "Do it.", he said, referring a certain movie series Ash probably didn't saw. He then gave ash a second, far smaller box. "Oh, and that one! They kinda belong together?", said Silver, not even sure himself if they really do.

Ash slowly opened the small box on the couch and took out a manga. "My Hero Academia, Volume One.", he read. It was the kantonian original version. Not bad, but he'll like any possibility to practice his Galarian, so that he can leave the Sakaki's and Kawashima's far behind. He aims for Unova or even better, Alola. Far away. Alola is just out in the nowhere and Unova is so densely populated, he'll have an easy time to just vanish there. And change his name.

"Open the second box!", demanded Silver.

So Ash did. In there were not one, but seven books. Seven books in English. The Harry Potter series. "Huh? Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stonejourner, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Surperior, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Aether, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Moltres, Harry Potter and the Order of the Talonflame, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Gallade, Harry Potter and the Yveltal Hollows.", he read the title, surprising the Kanna's with his Galarian skills."

"I picked them myself!", said Silver proudly. "I've heard from a few friends that you frequented the school library." Ash didn't exactly look excited at these. "D-Do you like them?"

"Uh, Silver, I'm actually not much of a reader, I just frequented the library to catch up on the curriculum and because it was a silent place to be.", explained Ash to Silver. "But thanks anyways, the thought counts, right?"

"Yeah...", agreed Silver. That's it, he'll never listen to Paul and Trip again when it comes to gift giving advice. Or any advice when it comes to Trip. He should have asked Alain for advice.

Maria then gave him a small box, a phone. "Giovanni said he'll get you a new phone, but so far he hadn't done a thing."

"Isn't it normal for him to do nothing in regards of me?", he countered, "Thank you, Maria."

"You're welcome."

"I do something! You two... Anyway.", he said annoyed, then he gave Ash a box. That box contained a blue and black New Nintendo 2DS and pretty much all the PTS games in can play. "I don't get why you wanted such an old system, but you showed interest in it, Satoshi."

"Thank you, Giovanni!", he said, now very surprised by his sperm donor's efforts.

"Even after that you still call me by my name?", Giovanni asked in frustration, "Anyway, um, Ariana also has something for you." Ariana then gave him an envelope.

"Documents aren't good gifts.", muttered Rowan. His wife gestured him to shut up.

"Oh, did you change my name back?", he asked hopefully.

"Changing back? What do you mean?", asked Luke.

"Your aunt and uncle changed my surname without my permission or even knowledge.", explained Ash, "Which, Kai, Violet, is one reason why they have trouble with the CPS." Violet looked to Ariana and Giovanni with judgment in her eyes. Ash then opened the envelope. "A-Adoption papers... Ariana..."

"Considering Delia gave you up, I thought maybe...", she started to say, but stopped when she heard paper ripping. Ash ripped the papers apart. He then stood up and left to his room with the Manga and phone. Pikachu followed him puzzled, but not looking at Ariana with an empty stare.

Started: 17th August 2023

Edited: 28th August 2023/

Finished: 18th August 2023

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