Happy Father's Day, everyone! I wanted to do something a little different for this one shot, and I wanted to focus on Ash and Michelle's relationship, so I came up with this idea that I thought was very cute!

Aiden and Michelle: 4 and a half years old


Father's Day Dance

"Ah, Ash, just the person I wanted to see!"

The Pokémon Master stopped in his tracks and slowly turned his head. He'd been walking down a hallway of the League headquarters at Indigo Plateau, minding his own business, but Mr. Goodshow (senior) had popped his head out of a nearby office to call out to him, and Ash was a little startled by it, as was Pikachu who was riding on his shoulder.

"Oh, sir," Ash breathed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You scared me a little there!"

"Pi…" Pikachu agreed.

"Hoo, sorry about that!" Mr. Goodshow chortled. "Certainly wasn't my intention!"

"What're you doing here?" Ash asked. "It's not very often we see you around here, ever since you retired."

"I came to give my son my latest idea," Mr. Goodshow proudly replied. "He may be good at his job, but his creativity is sorely lacking."

Ash smirked at the old man's comment. "I'd agree with you, but I like working here. So, what idea did you have? Does it have to do with our next conference?"

"No, not quite," Mr. Goodshow refuted. "It was more of an internal idea! I thought it'd be wonderful if the league threw a father daughter dance for the employees, especially since Father's Day is coming up."

Now Ash was just confused. It was a nice idea, but it was extremely…random. He didn't think Mr. Goodshow would show up to discuss something unrelated to the Pokémon League. "Oh…where'd ya get that idea from?"

"I'd like to say my own head, but it more or less came from my daughter-in-law," Mr. Goodshow answered.

"Goodshow's wife?" Ash clarified before furrowing his brow. "Uh…I mean…other Goodshow. Your son, Goodshow."

Mr. Goodshow laughed. "Yes, indeed! She confided in me that she wishes he would spend more time with their daughter. And then I realized most of the fathers here probably feel the same way! So, we discussed it and she presented me with the wonderful idea of a father daughter dance."

"Sounds cute," Ash chuckled.

"You have a young daughter, don't you?" Mr. Goodshow asked.

Ash's eyebrows rose before a big smile appeared on his lips. "Oh, yeah! She's four now-well, four and a half; she insists the half is very important. She's super cute and kind and she's really smart! She tells me all kinds of things I had no idea a little kid like her could even know. She impresses me all the time."

"You certainly are a proud father!" Mr. Goodshow crowed. "I'm sure you and her would have a lovely time at an event like this!"

Just as quickly as it had appeared, Ash's smile faded. "Oh…that's a nice thought! But she's not really a girly girl or anything like that. She hates wearing dresses. And she's also super shy and gets nervous around too many people she doesn't know. So I don't think she'd have too much fun at that kind of thing."

"Children are very flexible," Mr. Goodshow noted. "She might have more fun than you'd think!"

Ash smiled warily. Mr. Goodshow was a kind man, but he didn't know Michelle the way Ash knew Michelle. "I'll see what I can do!"

"Excellent!" Mr. Goodshow crowed. "I look forward to seeing you both there!"

He retreated back into the office he'd emerged from, leaving behind a nervously laughing Ash.

"I wouldn't count on it…"

XXX

When he came home from work that evening, Ash was not expecting to be greeted by his wife standing less than two feet away from his face, causing him to shriek and stumble backwards, landing on his behind in the doorway. Pikachu, who had panicked as well, managed to jump off of his trainer's shoulder and land on all fours, running from the foyer deep into the living room.

"Are you going to take Michelle to that father daughter dance?!" She asked excitedly.

"Nice to see you too," Ash grumbled, rubbing his throbbing backside.

"Sorry," Misty giggled, reaching down to help him back up. "I'm just really excited!"

"I can see that," Ash breathed. "How'd you know about that anyway? You weren't at Indigo Plateau today."

"I talk to people," Misty replied simply, shrugging her shoulders.

"Right…" Ash sighed, walking over to the couch so he could sit down on something softer than the floor he'd just landed on. "I don't think so."

Misty suddenly appeared very disappointed, scurrying over to him. "What?! Why not?!"

"Come on, do you really think she'd be into that?" Ash asked, raising an eyebrow as he scratched Pikachu's head, who had just hopped up beside him. "It's kind of everything she doesn't like. Getting dressed up, being in a big crowd surrounded by people she doesn't know, dancing…"

"Those are all things you don't like either, except for the big crowd thing," Misty noted, taking a seat next to him.

"I guess, but we're not talking about me," Ash calmly argued. "I don't want to make her upset."

"I just think you two would have so much fun," Misty sighed dreamily, clasping her hands together. "Michelle adores you; it would just be the cutest thing! She might even love you enough to not care about wearing a dress."

Ash was not convinced. "You were a tomboy growing up. Would you have put on a dress to go to a dance with your father?"

"Of course, if he was ever around," Misty muttered, rolling her eyes. "I never would've had the chance to do anything like this with him. I wish I did."

That seemed to give Ash pause. Pikachu murmured softly and crawled onto Misty's lap, much to the young woman's appreciation.

"I guess it couldn't hurt to ask," Ash relented.

"Really?" Misty breathed, her excitement returning.

"Yeah, maybe you and Mr. Goodshow were right, maybe she'd really like to go," Ash replied. "But if she says no, I'm not forcing her."

"Fair enough," Misty commented.

"Besides, it would be pretty cute if Michelle got all dressed up like a little princess for one night," Ash mused with a little smirk. "I like that she's more of a tomboy, because I don't know how I'd handle having such a girly girl."

"Good thing you don't have to worry about that," Misty giggled.

"Daddy!"

"Daddy! Daddy!"

Ash chuckled as the twins came running into the living room, both of their arms full of different toys.

"Oh, you two want to play, don't you?" Ash asked with a laugh.

"Yeah!" Aiden shrieked, tossing a soccer ball at his surprised father.

"You normally don't want anything to do with this," Ash noted, holding the ball up. "Also, this isn't even supposed to be in the house. How'd you sneak this past Mommy?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Misty murmured, taking the ball from Ash and examining it as Aiden laughed wildly.

"I'm –neaky!" Aiden crowed.

"You definitely are sneaky!" Ash agreed. "But if you want to play with the soccer ball, we have to go outside, okay?"

Aiden beamed and nodded his head.

"What do you have, Shelly?" Ash asked, turning his attention onto his daughter.

"Bubbles!" Michelle squeaked, holding up the blue plastic bottle.

Misty groaned and rested her head in her hand. "Seriously, how are you two getting all the outside toys inside without me seeing?"

"-neaky," Aiden repeated, still quite proud of himself.

"Well, it'll be fun to go outside and play for a bit!" Ash tried, grinning at the twins. "It's really nice out! And Mommy can play with us too!"

"Uh, I have to make dinner," Misty reminded him.

"We can just order something tonight," Ash scoffed. "Take a break for a change!"

"I don't know, you really think the kids just want to eat pizza for dinner?" Misty teased, knowing what the response would be.

"PIZZA!" Aiden and Michelle both squealed, alarming the electric mouse on their mother's lap.

"Well that took a lot of convincing," Misty quipped sarcastically.

Ash snickered, but stopped when he suddenly remembered something. "Oh, wait! Before we go outside, I have to ask Michelle something!"

The little girl looked up at her father and tilted her head. "Me?"

Ash grinned. Her squeaky little voice was just too cute. "Yeah, you!"

"What, Daddy?" Michelle chirped.

"The Pokémon League is going to have a father daughter dance," Ash began. "Do you know what that is?"

Michelle twisted her mouth and shook her head.

"It's a big party for all the daddies who work there and their little girls," Ash explained.

"A party?" Michelle repeated. "With cake?"

"Yeah, they might have cake!" Ash laughed.

Michelle thought about it for a moment before exclaiming, "I like cake!"

Ash chuckled softly. "So, do you want to go with Daddy?"

"Yeah!" Michelle declared.

Both he and Misty appeared surprised. Somewhat nervously, Misty informed her daughter, "You'll have to get dressed up for it. Is that okay with you?"

Michelle grimaced, but she soon relaxed and answered, "uh huh."

"Really?" Ash questioned, earning a light elbow in the side from Misty.

"Yeah, cause I want cake!" Michelle confirmed.

Ash nearly fell on his face, causing both of his children to laugh. Picking himself back up, Ash rubbed the back of his neck and whined, "Don't you want to have fun with Daddy?"

"I always have fun with you, Daddy!" Michelle cried.

"Aw, that's really sweet, Shelly," Ash cooed. "Thank you!"

Aiden blinked and turned towards his mother. "Do I go too, Mommy?"

"No, sweetheart," Misty replied kindly, ruffling the boy's hair. "It's only for daddies and daughters! But we can do something fun together instead. Sound good?"

"Yeah!" Aiden crowed. "I really don't wanna go to that."

Misty let out a short laugh, shaking her head. "Well, no one could ever say you're not honest, little man!"

XXX

"Aren't you just the most beautiful little girl in the whole wide world?"

Normally, Michelle would've vehemently disagreed and thrown a fit over being dressed up, but for once in her life, she was okay with it. In fact, she seemed downright happy.

Misty had picked out a sleeveless white dress with a full skirt and a royal blue lace overlay, with an intricate rhinestone pattern around the neckline. She was fully expecting Michelle to hate it (especially considering she offered to have Michelle pick a dress out, but the little girl refused) and was basically shocked when Michelle went wide-eyed over it.

"I look like a princess, Mommy!" Michelle exclaimed. Her mother had accessories the outfit with a pair of shiny silver ballet flats and a rhinestone headband.

"You do!" Misty agreed.

"Daddy calls me princess," Michelle noted, turning around in a circle as she continued to examine herself in the mirror.

"Yes he does," Misty giggled.

"I want to show Daddy!" Michelle declared, finally facing her mother and beaming.

"We can!" Misty assured her, getting up off the floor from where she'd been sitting.

"Do you think he'll think I'm pretty?" Michelle asked hopefully.

"Oh, Michelle," Misty cooed. "Daddy always thinks you're pretty! He tells everyone all the time how pretty you are. And how sweet and loving and kind and smart you are! He loves you very much."

Michelle giggled wildly, her cheeks turning a delicate shade of pink. "Daddy loves me!"

"Of course!" Misty confirmed, watching as the still giggling Michelle flitted out of her and Ash's bedroom. The little girl bounded all the way down the hall and to the stairs, grabbing onto the railing and holding on tight as she slowly descended each step.

Ash was fully dressed up as well, in a nice, dark suit, and was waiting downstairs with Aiden and Pikachu, who were playing happily together. Ash was beginning to grow a bit impatient, and kept glancing towards the stairs, waiting for Misty and Michelle to come down.

"Daddy, can you bring me cake?"

Ash blinked and finally turned his attention onto Aiden, who was staring back at him with wide eyes. "Yeah, I'll try and bring you back some cake, champ."

Aiden let out a cheer and pumped his fist. "Alright! We're gettin' cake, Pikachu!"

"Pi-ka!" Pikachu crowed.

Ash chuckled at the pair's exuberance. He loved that the kids and his Pokémon got along so well!

"Daddy! Daddy!"

Ash's head snapped back up, and his eyes widened. Michelle had briskly reached the end of the stairs and turned abruptly to face her father, the full skirt of her dress billowing as she whipped her body around.

"I was hoping to give a bit more of a formal introduction, but I guess Michelle was too excited to wait," Misty giggled, shrugging as she appeared behind their young daughter.

"Nah, that was perfect," Ash refuted, sounding in awe as he stood up from the couch. "Shelly, you look like a little princess!"

"Do you like my dress?" Michelle squeaked, pulling at the skirt.

"Yeah, it's very pretty!" Ash replied. "But you're even prettier!"

Michelle began to giggle wildly again, burying her face in her hands. Ash seemed a little confused by her reaction, but glanced up when Misty helpfully informed him, "Michelle sure gets flustered when someone compliments her! She was hoping you'd think she looked pretty. I bet she's a little overwhelmed, even though I told her you would!"

"Of course," Ash crooned, walking over to Michelle and lifting the little girl into his arms. "You're always pretty, Michelle! You don't have to get all dressed up for me to think you're pretty. In fact, you're the most beautiful little girl in the whole wide world!"

Michelle finally pulled her hands away from her face. "I am?"

"You sure are," Ash confirmed.

Michelle beamed and, without any warning, flung her arms around her father's neck. "I love you, Daddy."

Ash smiled and squeezed her more tightly, replying, "I love you too, Shelly."

Michelle pulled back to look at her father, continuing, "I'm more excited to dance with you than for cake!"

"You are?" Ash gasped playfully. "Well that makes me very happy! I can't wait to dance with you either!"

Misty watched the two with the biggest smile on her face, unable to contain her joy. She had always known Ash would make an amazing father, but actually watching it happen in front of her was better than anything she could have ever imagined. It was beautiful and sweet and touching and magical all at once. She might have teased Ash about being dense or doing some foolish things, but this was one thing where he could really do no wrong.

As soon as Ash put Michelle down so she could scamper towards the front door, Misty gently grabbed Ash's shoulder and pulled him close to her, whispering in his ear, "Michelle is so lucky to have you as her daddy."

Ash smirked, and without missing a beat, he countered, "Actually, I think I'm the lucky one for having a daughter like her. And a son like Aiden. I might just be the luckiest dad in the whole world."


Awww :)

By the way, Ash and Misty having the little exchange about not worrying about having a girly daughter is 100% foreshadowing of Elizabeth. They literally have no idea what awaits them in their future ;)