Six months later, a date in June had been set for the wedding of Ash Ketchum and Serena Durand. They wasted no time at all with it and everything had been thoroughly prepared for straight after Christmas last year. Everything was ready for them now. All the invites had been sent out, the venue had been chosen and booked and outfits were picked out. Serena wanted a traditional wedding, so she was very particular about her wedding dress being nothing too fancy and she wanted Ash to be quite conservative too.

Serena had taken charge for most of the wedding details and Ash was happy to leave it up to her. All he requested was that the reception be held at the gym, with all of his and Serena's Pokemon present. (Well at least a fair handful of Ash's Pokemon). The rest of the details were trivial to him. All he cared about was making his queen happy and finally fulfilling the wedding of her dreams. He did, however, have a part to play in the selection of the most important roles. They both unanimously agreed that Brock would be Ash's right hand man on the day and Shauna would be Serena's maid of honour. The ring bearer didn't take much thought either, as they agreed Pikachu and Delphox should deliver the rings together, both being their first and most loyal Pokemon. The only slots left to fill after that were the Flower Girl and Page Boy. Even though Serena was very particular about traditions, she insisted Bonnie should be the Flower Girl. She was at least five years too old to be one, but they could break a few rules, for the sake of family. Bonnie was still like a little sister to Serena after all. And the Page Boy was of course Max, with him being the youngest male at the wedding.

As the day finally approached on the 7th of June, everyone was waking up after the hen and stag nights. All of Ash's guy friends had been invited and were absolutely buzzing for him. But Serena's guest list was quite surprising. Amongst the expected bunch were three women Serena had previously felt threatened by; Misty, Sophie and Miette. She had beaten all three to Ash's affections already, so she felt there was no reason not to invite them. And in a way, it was quite satisfying to have them there, knowing she was the one marrying Ash and that they had failed to tempt him away from her. But she was also still friends with them - well maybe not so much Misty. But there was no reason they couldn't become friends now. The three of them being present wasn't the biggest surprise, however. A lot of things had changed since they had last all seen each other.

As everyone made their way to the venue, (Ash and Serena arriving at different times of course) the boys and the girls met up outside of the venue. The usual couples linked arms and kissed each other. But there were some very different ones, including a few mystery men. One man who was very recognisable however, was Tracey, who made his way straight over to Sophie. It wasn't too surprising to most, but some had no clue they were actually together now. It seemed Serena's matchmaking at Brock's wedding had worked perfectly. And Sophie had never looked happier in her life. The next man was one only Ash and Tracey would know. Rudy, Gym Leader of Trovita Island, made his way over to Misty and slapped her ass playfully. Misty giggled and kissed him. They had met again in unforeseen circumstances and Rudy had reignited his strong interest in her, to which Misty was very keen to reciprocate. She had well and truly gotten over Ash now. The last surprise of the morning was a dark-haired tall man, nobody knew, who appeared to be with Miette. They didn't kiss or look in love, however, but it was clear they were accompanying each other today. A bit on the side if you will. All of Serena's previous competition for Ash's heart had completely disappeared. Not that anyone else could possibly have won it though, of course.

Serena would have fought tooth and nail for Ash, but she really never needed too. Ash was completely and beautifully meant for her. Most had a partner or a plus one, as they entered the venue and took their seats. Even Shauna had a boyfriend now, as he kissed her goodbye and sat down with the others and waited for her. Shauna of course, was duty bound to help Serena with her final last minute adjustments to herself. They had barely seen each other since Serena had left Kalos and their reunion at the Kanto showcases, but their friendship was strong enough to survive that. Serena had made sure to stay in regular contact with Shauna and filled her in with everything she had missed, including the flashy proposal last Christmas. Shauna was brushing Serena's hair, when she looked up in the mirror and smiled at her.

'Soooo. How are you feeling, babe?'

'Nervous! Very nervous!' replied Serena very instinctively. She laughed shakily.

'Pfft! You ain't got nothing to worry about, girl! This is literally gonna be the perfect wedding you see in all of those soppy rom-coms you like. And Ash is the most dedicated guy I've ever seen. You two are so in love, it's sickeningly adorable haha!'

'Haha! I know. I know, Shauna. It's just… being so close to marrying him now after all this time and everything we've been through… It's making my heart thump right out of my chest! It just won't stop beating!'

'Aww, babe. I get that. But that's all perfectly natural. I'm sure Brock and Olivia felt the same way when they got married. But you'll be fine once you get out there and see him at the altar waiting for you, like a knight in shining armour,' joked Shauna, in a sing-songy voice.

'Oh, Shauna! Stop it!' Serena giggled.

'What! That's how you always used to go on about him, before you finally told him how you feel! I heard it all, remember! All the yearning, indulging and extensive talk of the deepest of fantasies with him!' Shauna laughed.

'Haha, that's true. I did have my head in the clouds a lot back then.'

'Oh you sure did, babe! You were obsessed! But it all worked out in the end, didn't it?' Serena nodded. 'And it's only going to get better from here.'

Serena thanked Shauna for her comforting words. Calming Serena's anxieties with humour was exactly what she needed now and allowed her to continue getting ready for the big event. Meanwhile, Ash and Brock had just about finished up their pre-wedding last checks and were making their way down a corridor towards the front of the venue, where everyone was waiting. Ash had something in his hand as they walked down.

'You alright, Ash? Any last minute jitters?' asked Brock.

Ash turned back around just as his hand reached for the door handle and smiled at his brotherly friend confidently.

'You know what? No! I'm good! I was nervous when I woke up today, but now I'm actually here, I just can't wait to marry her!'

Brock smiled back at him and patted his shoulder proudly.

'Well, you're doing much better than I was in this position. And honestly? You and Serena are the strongest couple Olivia and I know, mate. So you marrying each other really is a no-brainer. You're gonna be so happy together. I just know it, bro.'

'Thanks, Brocko. I know we are too.'

Ash was about to walk through, when he paused for a second. He raised his hand up, which was clutching a tattered old hat. But not just any old hat; it was his very first hat he had shown Serena all those years ago before they set off on their showcase journey. It held so many special memories and Ash would never ever let it go for anything. Ash nodded at Brock and then they pushed the doors open. Everyone immediately turned around and clapped and whopped. Half of them almost couldn't believe this was the same Ash they had known many years ago when they first met him. He hadn't even looked at a girl twice, let alone be romantically interested in any. But now he was about to marry the only one he'd ever noticed and loved unconditionally.

Delia and Grace were at the front with Professor Oak and Mr. Mime and looked back at him just as proudly as Brock had done. Especially his mother, who was unsurprisingly already struggling to keep her emotions in check. Professor Oak handed her a tissue as a precaution, but she was determined not to ruin her makeup she spent hours doing, so she declined and held the tears back. On their right, was Pikachu and Delphox, who looked just as elated for him. Ash smiled at his oldest friend and put the hat on Pickahu.

'Look after that for me please, buddy.'

Ash patted his head and Pikachu gave him a thumbs up. The hat meant more today than ever before. It was "something old" for the wedding and represented all of Ash's hopes and dreams for the past, present and future. Ash was ready. He took his position at the front and greeted the registrant waiting for him. Then Brock joined him at his side. Now they were just waiting for the bride. A couple minutes later, Grace's phone suddenly rang. She quickly got up and made her way out.

Back in the dressing room, Shauna had just finished brushing Serena's hair. She placed the hairbrush down on the dressing table. Over to the side of it, was Serena's queen tiara she had not worn since the day she won it. Shauna held it up with two hands and gently placed it on Serena's head. It had been truly fit for her since the day she was crowned. And now it was the crown of a very deserving bride.

'There, perfect. You really are worthy of this, you know.'

'Aww. Thank you, Shauna. I appreciate you saying that. But you could have easily won it too, you know.'

Shauna smiled and hugged Serena from behind.

'Oh, I know. But it's yours and you really do look like a Disney princess when you wear it. So own it, girl!'

Shauna kissed her cheek and Serena blushed with delight. That's exactly what she wanted. She was just about ready now, but there was still one more thing left. Ash had the "something old" and next in the tradition was "something blue." It wouldn't take much for anyone to figure out that it was currently tied in her hair right now. The very same ribbon Ash gave her at the Pledging Tree ceremony. Like Ash's hat, she would never dream of letting go of it, even though it was becoming frayed now. And there was no day more important than now to wear it. Most wouldn't understand the deeper meaning of it, but it was clear to Ash and Serena just what it meant. Serena tightened it on with one last pull in the mirror. Then she took a deep breath and stood up.

'Okay. I'm ready,' she said.

Shauna linked her arm with Serena's and escorted her outside, where Grace was waiting to take over. Grace bowed in thanks for everything Shauna had done for her daughter. Shauna bowed back and then went on ahead and took her position to the other side of Brock.

'Well… will I do?' asked Serena.

She gave a little spin for Grace to see how she looked. Grace examined her and made one final motherly adjustment to the dress, pulling it up a little.

'Oh, honey! Of course! You look out of this world!' gushed Grace.

'Oh thank you, mumma!' Grace nodded at her proudly.

'So, are you ready to go through now?' asked Grace, holding out her arm.

'As ready as I'll ever be, mumma,' replied Serena.

She seemed to be considerably less nervous than before now.

'Okay! This is it then, my darling…'

'Right, yes… Allons-y!'

Serena linked her arm with her mother's and stepped over the threshold. Music immediately started playing. Everyone, except Ash - who had to wait a little longer to see her - got up and applauded the charming bride entering the room. She had a veil covering her face, but everyone could tell she was looking a million dollars, including a very awe-struck-looking Tierno who had a seat nearer the back beside Trevor. Ash really was a very lucky man. Many men would be turning their heads for Serena right now. And Ash was fighting the urge to do just that. Then the lyrics of the song playing began to kick in, after the instrumental part had finished:

She comes in colours everywhere

She combs her hair

She's like a rainbow

Coming, colours in the air

Oh, everywhere

She comes in colours

The songs being played today were at the special request of Ash and Serena and the first few songs as the wedding commenced, were Serena's personal choice. Serena walked down the aisle slowly, being careful not to trip on her dress. Max rushed over to lift the end of it off the floor, to assist Serena safely up to the altar. Then Bonnie leapt up from her seat and danced around Serena, sprinkling rose petals up and down the aisle. Serena giggled and thanked Bonnie for her infectious enthusiasm and Max for his help. When Serena had made it the whole way there with the aid of their services, Bonnie and Max sat back down and were praised by their very proud big siblings.

Ash was absolutely giddy, as he looked over to his side to see his fiancée for the first time today and grinned wide. Serena turned to Ash too and immediately blushed hard. He looked more handsome than usual and she really couldn't believe she was marrying someone so unbelievably perfect for her.

'Hey, Rena?' whispered Ash.

'Hmm?' replied a suddenly, increasingly more nervous Serena.

Actually being up here now was terrifying her far more than she ever was before just thinking about it. She didn't want to mess a thing up and disappoint her Ash.

'You look… stunning. Absolutely stunning.'

'Oh. Th-thank you, Ash. You look very handsome yourself.' Ash chuckled.

'Well, it's a big day. So I did my best...'

Ash looked over at Serena again and started to notice she was looking petrified. He also saw she was clutching something in her right hand very tightly and shaking ever so slightly. Ash took her left hand and rubbed a thumb on it.

'You okay, baby?'

'Er, y-yeah. Just a little nervous.'

'Aww, no. Please, don't be. I promise, everything's going to be fine. I'm here now, mon amour.'

Ash lifted her hand up and kissed it. Serena's eyes twinkled like the puppy dog eyes emoji and she instantly felt her nerves float away.

'Thank you, Ash. I needed to hear that.'

'No problem, Rena.'

They looked into each other's eyes, but then the registrant cleared her throat suddenly and the music paused for the cause. Ash and Serena looked away from each other, to see the registrant smiling at them. And then they smiled back at her.

'Hello. I'm Gwen and I'll be your registrant for today. Are we ready to begin now?' she asked.

'Yes!' said both Ash and Serena confidently.

'Okay. Let's begin then…'

Everyone stopped talking and put their full attention forward to Ash and Serena.

'Now. We are gathered here today to witness and to celebrate the union of Ash Ketchum and Serena Durand in marriage…'

Gwen went through all the legal and logistic details of the wedding and asked if they were lawfully free to marry each other, which of course they were. As she was waffling on about the boring stuff, three hooded figures snuck in and took a seat at the back, without anyone noticing. And then a big moment came:

'Now. If there is any person here present who knows of any lawful impediment to this marriage, then they should declare it now…' said Gwen.

The room fell silent for a minute as everyone looked around, to see if anyone would say anything. Most knew Ash in particular had had a few admirers in the past in this room. But it was unlikely they would care much now. Perhaps if they had got married four or five years earlier, there would have been some kind of protest from someone. But not a soul spoke. Misty was arguably the most likely to speak up, but she simply just smiled and rested her head on Rudy's shoulder. After a minute's silence, Gwen continued.

'Well. In that case, it is now time for the vows. If you have them prepared?'

'We do,' answered Ash.

'Okay. Please read yours first, Ash.'

'Uh. Okay, here goes...'

Ash reached into his pocket and took out a scrunched up piece of paper. Ash's love for Serena knew no bounds, but there was no way he was going to remember everything off the top of his head and he wanted to get this right. He cleared his throat.

'Er. Serena. Rena,' he began. 'You are the most special, amazing, gorgeous person I have ever met. And most importantly, you're my best friend. You've always been there for me through my best and worst times. I genuinely don't know where I'd be without you. You're the reason I've achieved all my dreams so far. And my dream now is to be with you for as long as you want me. Now everyone knows I'm not the best with words, but I love you with all of my heart, Rena. And that can't be expressed with words. Only through kisses, cuddles, laughter, trips to the local mega mart, dates at our favourite places, creating unforgettable memories, standing out together on the balcony over Lumiose Tower and all the macaroons I can eat that you bake for me!'

Everyone laughed. It was always obvious food was the key to Ash's heart. And Serena had been carving a gradual pathway towards it since their very first days together in Kalos. In more ways than one too.

'No, but seriously! I mean it all, baby. Describing just how much I love you is almost impossible to say only in words. But I'll say it like this… My greatest passion in life has always been the journeys I've taken flight on. And everyone here knows I've been on many many adventures. I mean, I've travelled with most of the people in this room and made so many friends along the way. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss all the travelling… But being with you is by far the greatest adventure I could ever dream of. It's an adventure of a lifetime with you, babe. A pleasure and a privilege. From the day we became friends, to the day we became lovers and beyond. And I vow to always be by your side forever more. For richer, for poorer and in sickness and in health. Love you, Rena.'

Ash put the paper back in his pocket and hoped it was good enough. Serena just stared at him open-mouthed for a second and then shut eyes tightly to stop herself from crying.

'A-Ash… That-that was so incredibly well written! Your words really spoke to me there! Thank you so much!'

Ash looked down and blushed and even had to stop himself from welling up.

'Er, y-yeah. You're welcome. I put a lot of effort into it…' he said gruffly, trying to keep it together.

Ash and Serena had a little silent moment between them, until Gwen continued the ceremony.

'Okay. That was lovely. Well done, Ash. Now it's your turn, Serena.'

'Right, okay. That's gonna be hard to follow. But here goes… Ash. You are the man of my dreams. Not only are you insanely handsome, you are also the sweetest, kindest man I know. I love how you can be so brilliantly positive about anything and everything, even in the most difficult of times. And you've truly made me who I am today because of that. Because you helped me when I needed you, all those years ago at the summer camp when we were just five years old. You showed kindness to a complete and utter stranger, when you really didn't have to. You saw me in trouble and you were there like an angel sent from above. So if you don't know this already, you really are my hero!'

Ash smiled and looked down again, feeling a bit overwhelmed by Serena's words too.

'And the one thing I remember most about that day is this handkerchief you gave me to bandage up my knee…'

Serena opened her hand up to remind him once again. (Not that he needed to be reminded now he'd known how long Serena had kept it for. But it had still been a while since he saw it). Ash looked back up and flashbacks of that day immediately played in his mind. And that completed the list of items needed for a traditional wedding. What was particularly special about this item though, was that it doubled as something borrowed and something old at the same time.

'I kept it all that time until we met again in Kalos. And I still have it now. As a reminder of all that we've been through together, Ash. But today, I'm using it as a symbol for the pledge I make to you now. I promise to be yours faithfully and lovingly for the rest of our days. And I'll always be by your side too, through thick and thin. No matter what. As long as I'm breathing, I will never ever stop loving you, Ash Ketchum…'

Serena took a deep breath and relaxed into a relieved smile. She was glad to finally be able to say it all, having also given her vows a great deal of thought too.

'Oh, that definitely topped it,' said Ash, giggling and smiling.

'Well, that was all from the heart like yours was… And like my ribbon, this means everything to me.'

Serena held their handkerchief out for Ash to touch. He wrapped his hand around it and then so did Serena from the other end, until their hands touched in the middle. Ash lowered his head down to kiss her hand.

'And you're my everything, baby.'

Everyone awed and marvelled at how adorable they were. Then there was a little ripple of applause.

'Aww, well I have to say! That's one of the sweetest things I've ever seen in my whole time as a registrant! Your future together certainly looks bright!'

Ash and Serena thanked Gwen and then she continued.

'Okay. With the vows finished, it is now time to conclude the ceremony with your final words of commitment to each other. Now, please repeat after me. Ash, you first…'

Ash nodded and repeated everything word for word.

'I call upon these persons here present… to witness that I… Ash Ketchum… do take thee Serena Durand… to be my lawful wedded wife.'

It was Serena's turn now as she repeated just as Ash did.

'I call upon these persons here present… to witness that I… Serena Durand… do take thee… Ash Ketchum…. to be my lawful wedded husband.'

'Excellent. Now it is time to seal the contract of love you have just bound together, with the presenting of the rings…' continued Gwen. 'If the ring bearers could present them now, please?'

Ash and Serena beckoned for Pikachu and Delphox to come up and deliver them. They both had the rings on a pillow and held them up for them. Delphox had Ash's ring and Pikachu had Serena's. Ash and Serena took the rings and thanked them. Then the two Pokemon sat back down.

'Okay. Now, repeat after me again, Ash...'

'Serena Durand… I give you this ring… As a symbol of all that we have promised… and all that we share.'

Ash slipped the first ring on Serena's ring finger. And then once it was all the way on, Gwen asked Serena to repeat the same thing after her too.

'Ash Ketchum… I give you this ring… As a symbol of all that we have promised… and all that we share.'

Serena completed the ceremony and slipped the second ring on Ash's ring finger. And then it was all confirmed.

'You have both just made a declaration of a lifelong promise to one another, forged by law, in the presence of your witnesses, esteemed guests and I. It therefore gives me great pleasure to pronounce you are now husband and wife. And now ladies and gentlemen… I give you… Mr and Mrs Ketchum! Congratulations! You may kiss the bride.'

Gwen raised her arms into the air jubilantly. Ash turned to Serena and lifted the veil up. And then there was the face Ash had fallen so deeply in love with. He almost lost his breath, but he needed all of it now. He wrapped his arms around Serena and she wrapped hers around him, to seal the marriage with the most passionate kiss they had ever had. Everyone stood and clapped the newly weds and then the music started again. But this time it was Serena's favourite song:

Somebody crowd me with love

Somebody force me to care

Somebody make me come through

I'll always be there

As frightened as you to help us survive,

Being alive, being alive, being alive, being alive

Ash and Serena pulled apart and held hands as they turned back to everyone else. They had the biggest cheesiest smiles on their faces, as they took the moment in, full of pure uncontrollable emotion. As did their mothers, as they blew into tissues and wiped away tears of joy. Delia couldn't hold them back now and then that set off Grace in no time.

Ash and Serena were officially man and wife now, as they skipped happily down the aisle, with Bonnie throwing more and more petals up in the air and all around them. They were about to go through the big double doors, leading outside, when Ash stopped suddenly and his smile faded. He had just noticed the three hooded figures at the back and frowned. Serena hadn't noticed yet though and looked over at Ash worriedly.

'Hey. What's wrong, Ash?'

'Nothing, babe. I just don't think these three are on the guestlist… Who are you?!' questioned Ash.

Everyone turned around to see what was going on and looked very confused at the presence of the mystery uninvited guests. The three figures sniggered and seemed to be enjoying the attention on them.

'Oh, I think you know exactly who we are,' said a raspy female voice.

'No, I don't. Show yourselves!' retorted Ash.

'Ooooo, the suspense is killing me! I can't wait any longer!' said a high-pitched male voice. Ash raised an eyebrow.

'Let's show 'em then!' said the last one.

Ash was starting to recognise the voices now. And then three cloaks flew high up into the air.

'Prepare for trouble!'

'And make it double!'

It was none other than Team Rocket as they recited their motto and shocked everyone. No one had heard or seen any sign of them for years. The last time Ash and Serena saw them was just before he won the Pokemon League trophy. He had always wondered where they had got to, but just assumed they had given up their mission or changed their ways. But here they were now, on his wedding day. After all this time. For unknown reasons.

'Team Rocket! What are you doing here?! You weren't invited!'

Pikachu and Delphox immediately rushed to their trainers' defence and jumped in between them and Team Rocket, ready to fight. But then Team Rocket suddenly got on their knees and started begging.

'Oh, please, please! Let us stay!' pleaded James. 'We just wanted to see you happy after all of these years! Believe it or not, we've come to actually care about you, twerp.'

'Yeah and we're sorry for everything!' added Jessie. 'Since you won the league and settled down with the twerpette, we haven't done anything wrong! Well - maybe a few things - but we're trying to change! We promise! So please let us stay!'

'Hmm. I don't know…' pondered Ash.

'We promise we're telling the truth! Cross our hearts!' blurted out Meowth 'We've watched over you every now and then and saw how happy you are with your twerpette and we didn't wanna ruin it! Honest!'

'Yesss! That's the complete truth! I mean, who are we to get in the way of true love!' cried James dramatically.

'Exactly! I always thought you two would make a great couple,' said Jessie.

'Er - well… thanks I guess,' said Ash awkwardly. 'But how do I know this isn't just another sneaky plan to steal Pikachu?'

'Pika, pika!' shouted Pikachu in agreement. Meowth tried to calm Pikachu down.

'Hey! Chill, buddy! It's really not like that at all! We won't cause any trouble, honest! We just came for the reception party.'

'Yeah. We just wanted to be part of your big day,' said James, twiddling his thumbs.

'Oh, really?' questioned Ash.

'Yes! Really! Weirdly enough, it wouldn't feel right if we weren't part of it, considering the history we share! And if we were to try anything, you'd just send us blasting off anyway! Especially now you're a Pokemon Master…' said Jessie.

'Hmm… That's true I suppose.'

They had a convincing argument to be fair and seemed pretty genuine. Ash stroked his chin and then Serena grabbed his arm.

'Jessie's got a point, babe. If they're lying, then we'll just send them blasting off like always. So, let's just give them the benefit of the doubt. Yeah?'

'Hmm, well okay then. But any sign of funny business…'

'Oh, no. No!' said James.

'None at all!' said Jessie.

'Alright, you can come to the party.'

'Thank you, thank you, thank you!' said Team Rocket all together.

They got back to their feet and shook Ash and Serena's hands to congratulate them. Ash shook his head in disbelief that this was even happening. He told Pikachu to stay close though, as he still didn't trust them regardless. Gwen looked bewildered on the other side of the room, but quickly re-established some order to the day.

'Er, okay… Well, that's the ceremony over! If you'd all like to head over to the reception party across the road now, please. Thank you, ladies and gentleman.'

Everyone followed the newly-weds over to the Celadon Gym, gossiping along the way about Team Rocket and whether they believed them or not. It wasn't really that important though. All anyone wanted to do now was party.

The gym had been rented out for the day by Ash's request. It was his workplace, but also like a second home to him by now. Since moving to Celadon, he had been working as an Assistant Gym Leader and even filling in for a few gym battles, when the Gym Leader wasn't around. Being a Pokemon League champion, he found no trouble in applying for it. But for today, they had converted a large room into a reception hall. It was decorated half and half, with the left side draped in blue banners and balloons and the right with pink ones. On the tables were Pikachu and Delphox themed napkins, cups and plates. Each according to their trainer's side. The food was mainly of Ash's choosing to no one's surprise, as everyone salivated at the abundance of different things to eat laid out in front of them. Team Rocket in particular were very impressed by it all and couldn't wait to dive in. But they were respectable and waited patiently. Bonnie and Max were keeping a close eye on them, as Team Rocket grinned a little mischievously at them.

Meanwhile, Ash and Serena made their way to the very end of the room to take their throne-like seats. Tracey was tasked with the music again, as he was at Ash's victory party. He connected his laptop to a speaker and began playing the first track. Then everyone chatted and socialised, until Ash and Serena were ready to make their post-wedding speech. Ash stood up to speak first. He signalled to Tracey for the music to be paused and picked up a microphone. Everyone turned their attention to him.

'Hello, everyone! We'd just like to see a few words before the party starts,' he announced. 'Thank you so much for coming to our special day. We really appreciate and love every single one of you. Thank you for being such amazing friends to us over the years! And that's it from me. Now, over to Re- MY WIFE!'

Everyone clapped and whistled in response. Then Ash handed the microphone over to Serena. She took it and stood up.

'Okay. I'll keep this short and sweet. Firstly, I want to reiterate what Ash just said. And I just want to say thank you to all of Ash's friend's who made me feel welcome. I didn't know most of you before his victory party. But Ash- I mean my…'

Serena looked over at Ash and smiled.

'… my husband - really does pick good company! And thank you to all the friends and family I already had along the way, for always supporting me and being there for me. But let's not get too soppy now…' Serena handed the microphone back over to Ash.

'Haha! Well my wife and I will try not to get too emotional…' Everyone laughed. 'But there are two people that we would like to say a very special big thank you to. And that's the best man and the maid of honour. Brock and Shauna! Would you guys like to say a few words?'

Brock put his hand up first, got up and walked over to them. Ash handed him the microphone and sat back down.

'Well, well well. If I'm being honest with you folks, I never thought Ash would ever settle down like this! He's always been a bit of a thrill seeker for adventure. And while I was busy trying to find my girl, he was more interested in becoming a Pokemon Master!'

Everyone sniggered, some more than others as they saw it first hand.

'But in all seriousness, he's really grown up a lot since I knew him as a kid. And I'm super proud of him for everything he's achieved. He's certainly come a long long way. And I'd go as far as to say he's like a little brother to me...' (Everyone awed at that.) 'And I'm just so so happy he's found his real happiness with you, Serena. I mean, I didn't think any girl could tempt him away from travelling and gym battles! But you're clearly very, very special to him. I mean, he really couldn't stop talking about you and was constantly asking me for advice when you first got together!'

Ash laughed nervously and blushed a little.

'Ash just really loves you, Serena and we can all see how much you love him too. And anyone who makes our Ash as happy as you do, is surely the perfect wife for him. So here's to many happy years together! Congratulations! To Ash and Serena!'

Brock raised his glass and everyone clapped and toasted to them too. Then Brock hugged Ash and sat back down. Shauna walked up next and took the microphone. She smiled and waved shyly, not knowing most of the people in the room. But her boyfriend gave her a thumbs up in support to give her the confidence to speak. She smiled and cleared her throat.

'Well, okay. Where do I start? For those of you who don't know me, I'm Serena's best friend, Shauna. I competed alongside her in her journey to become Showcase Royalty. And guess who was also there with her through it the whole time?' (Everyone murmured the same thing.) 'That's right! Ash! Wherever Serena is, Ash usually isn't far behind! And as Serena's bestie, I can tell you for free that this girl never, EVER stopped talking to me about him! And still does now actually!'

Everyone laughed. Serena looked down, feeling a little embarrassed, but smirked because she knew it was true.

'So naturally, it really didn't take me long to figure out that she was head over heels in love with this man! Now she, of course, didn't admit it straight away. She didn't tell a soul! But it was so obvious to see that she had to admit it eventually. And I kept telling her time and time again - JUST. TELL. HIM! Just tell him how you feel, girl! But it wasn't until we met again in Kanto that she finally did confess to him. And thank god she did, eh! Cause there's no one else I know that deserves to be as happy as she is now with Ash. Serena truly is such a beautiful human being and like Brock said, she and Ash are just the perfect fit. They're both very good people. And they've just always bounced off each other and brought the very best out of the other. Especially when Serena became Kanto queen. So if Serena is a queen, Ash surely is her king.'

Shauna turned to face the king and queen.

'Ash. Serena. I wish you both a very happy marriage. The sky's the limit for you two. So, continue to be the very best you can be together! And Congratulations!' Shauna raised her glass.

'To days to come,' she signed off.

Shauna put the microphone down and then Serena lifted her head back up and gave her a very emotional look. She could flood into tears right now, but she held it back and just mouthed a "Thank you" instead. Shauna blew her a kiss and nodded at her.

'To days to come,' repeated everyone.

'Okay! Thank you, Brock. And thank you, Shauna,' began Ash. 'It really has been the best day so far! And it's only going to get better… cause it's time to party now!'

Ash punched the air excitedly. Everyone cheered and then the music was turned back up to the max. They all ate as much as they pleased and then Ash and Serena took to the dance floor for their first dance. It started with a slow dance in the most traditional way, which again, was exactly what Serena wanted. But then after that, the rule book was thrown completely out of the window, to Ash's delight. He didn't mind the slow dance at all and still liked it, but he just wanted to have fun now with no more traditions. Tracey's playlist remixed smoothly into pop songs that got everyone moving on the dancefloor. Serena was happy for it too, as it loosened her and everyone up. Getting married was a special thing of course, but a lot of hard work had to go into it all, so it was a massive relief to be able to just enjoy themselves now. The gym turned into a bit of a nightclub, as everyone (including a very joyful Team Rocket) boogied down and swayed to the music. Then one particular banger came on that sent the place into a frenzy.

'Cause all I need

Is a beauty and a beat

Who can make my life complete

It's all 'bout you

When the music makes you move

Baby, do it like you do

'Cause you

Body rock

Girl, I can feel your body rock (aye-aye-aye)

Take a bow

You on the hottest ticket now (aye-aye-aye)

We gonna party like it's 3012 tonight

I wanna show you all the finer things in life

So just forget about the world, we young tonight

I'm coming for ya, I'm coming for ya

This one was certainly for all the couples, as they got up close and personal with one another. Serena even got a little carried away and grinded against Ash a little. It wasn't like anyone would notice anyway, amongst the excitement and wiggling limbs. And she was the bride, so she figured she could do whatever she liked on her wedding day. She poked her tongue at Ash and winked. And Ash was enjoying it just as much, pulling her a little closer, until he had her waist under his full control. Serena giggled cheekily and Ash too along with her. They were having a blast and didn't have a single care in the world, singing the song lyrics to each other and allowing themselves to be as silly as they wanted to be with each other.

While some danced, Max decided to get a camera out and film everyone dancing. He figured there would be a few funny moments Ash and Serena could look back on later in the future and laugh about. Memories were already being created and captured though, as Delia and Grace had been taking pictures all day of their son and daughter. It was cliche to say and they probably didn't even exist, but this was as good as a perfect wedding you could get. Misty even got her happy ending too, as she finally caught the bouquet this time. And Rudy had always wanted Misty from the day he laid eyes on her, so now another wedding could definitely be on the cards soon.

A couple hours later, after lots of dancing, drinking and nibbling on nibbles, the reception party was nearing an end. No one wanted it to end, but it had to end sometime and it was evident to see by some of the drunken dancing (from Sophie and Misty in particular) that was on display on the dancefloor now. What was perhaps most surprising though, was the fact Team Rocket were genuinely 100% true to their word and their intentions were completely pure for once. Well, either that or they were just having too much fun to care about anything else. Bonnie and Max had been squinting their eyes at them for a while, trying to suss them out. But now they were having fun too and there was nothing but good vibes surrounding the whole place.

Ash and Serena were back at the front on their thrones, with Serena resting her head on Ash's shoulders while he stroked her hair.

'Hey, babe,' said Serena. Ash looked down at her.

'Yeah?'

'It still hasn't sunk in, you know.' Ash laughed.

'What? What hasn't sunk in?'

'That you're actually my husband now. There was a point I never thought I'd even have a chance in hell of being your girlfriend. But now we're actually, really married. I just can't believe it.' Ash laughed again.

'Oh, Rena. I know I was a clueless idiot before about how you felt about me. But the truth is, I've never ever considered being with anyone else. It's always been you, Rena. Even if it took me a while to realise it. So believe it, baby. We really are endgame now.' Ash kissed her head.

'Ugh, you're so fucking sexy when you talk like that, Ash.' Serena bit her lip and moaned.

'Hehe. Well we both know it doesn't take much for me to turn you on now, does it?' teased Ash. Serena lifted her head off Ash and scoffed.

'Hey! That's cheeky!' she teased back.

Serena slapped his chest and smirked. Ash smirked back, full of smugness.

'Oh, don't give me that look! It's not like you can keep your hands off me either, you know. Especially if I'm in a nice dress like this…'

Serena laid back in her chair and winked. Ash was about to open his mouth to protest, but he really couldn't argue with that. He found himself staring at her and groaning instead.

'Hmm. I can't lie. You do look really good right now.' Ash bit his lip and Serena grinned.

'Oh, I can't wait to get you all alone later tonight on our honeymoon.'

Ash raised an eyebrow at the enticing prospect of honeymoon sex. He licked his lips.

'Hmm. Alone, huh?…' he said, failing to resist his tempting wife.

'Yup. All alone. All night, baby,' she elongated slowly. 'And I've got the perfect wedding gift waiting for you…'

Serena rubbed her hand across his lap under the table. Even though nothing was actually said, the flirting was getting absolutely filthy now and the marriage had to be consummated sooner rather than later. Plus getting married hadn't stopped the bubbling chemistry between them one bit.

'Okay…'

'Well, does that sound good to you?'

Ash tried to think about something else, but it was impossible now Serena had said all that. He bit his tongue and contemplated it all.

'Alright, yeah! Should we just go now then?' Serena grinned and giggled.

'Oh, I thought you'd never ask! Come on! Let's go!'

Ash nodded and stood up. He extended his hand to help Serena up. Like so many times before, Ash grabbed Serena's hand and ran out with her onto their next journey together. Everyone was surprised to see them leaving so suddenly and rushed off after them. The final song of the night played as they eloped onwards together and it followed them outside. So much so, that the lyrics became ingrained into their heads, as a reminder of the promise they had made to each other on this day and what was to come next in married life.

Anything you feel, put it all on me

All of your thoughts, I want everything

And when you get sad, like you do sometimes

Put it all on me

Put it all on me

I'll lift you when you're feeling low

I'll hold you when the night gets cold

You'll never have to be alone

And that's all you need to know

No love lost, we've got you and I

No clouds, we shoot 'em out the sky

You'll never have to be alone

And that's all you need to know

And that's all you need to know

And that's all you need to know

The song summed everything up in a lyrical, never ending, never dying love. Such is the way of a long happy marriage. Ash's Charizard was waiting for them outside and excitedly roared at them, blowing fire into the air that swirled into fiery love hearts. Serena clapped for him in appreciation and then Ash ran up to hug him and thanked him for coming. He'd agreed to be their chariot and fly them over to the airport, as their honeymoon could only ever be where it all began for them. Ash mounted himself onto Charizard's back first and then helped Serena up. She held on tight to Ash's waist and put her head on his shoulders. Then Charizard flapped his wings and took to the air. Everyone looked up and shielded their eyes from the hot summer sun, as Charizard created a blazing eclipse.

'Leaving so soon, guys?' shouted Brock, smiling up at them.

'Haha! Well, you know me, Brocko! Once I get the itch for adventure, I just gotta go! And now we're going on the greatest one yet!' Brock chuckled.

'Oh, of course! I wouldn't expect anything less from you, my friend!'

He sent Ash off with a salute and Ash gave him one back. Then Shauna ran forwards.

'Take care, you guys! Enjoy your honeymoon!' she shouted.

'Yeah, you two look after each other now!' implored Delia.

'Of course we will! Bye mum,' said Ash.

'Yes, please do! Take care, Serena! Take care, Ash! I'll see you both soon!' chimed in Grace.

'We will! Bye, mum. Bye Shauna! Bye everyone!' shouted Serena.

Charizard was about to take off, but just then, Professor Oak came running out towards them and waved his hands up frantically.

'Wait! Wait! Don't forget your wedding gift from me!' Charizard stopped immediately and Ash looked over at him.

'Oh. What is it, Professor?' asked Ash.

'Here, catch!' Professor Oak threw a Pokeball up at them and Ash caught it. He looked down at it and then back at the Professor.

'Huh. What Pokemon is this then?'

'Oh, you'll see! I thought it could be your something new.' Professor Oak winked at them.

'Oh, okay. I see. Thanks, Professor! Bye!' Professor Oak said his goodbyes too and waved at them.

'Merci!' called out Serena.

It was time to go now, as Charizard began to fly up again and then they waved goodbye to everyone one last time. And with that, they took to the skies in a flash, ready for whatever was lying ahead of them. A new horizon awaited, yet being married really didn't change anything at all. They were still going to be their same old selves and their relationship wasn't too much different either. It was just solidified further now and paved the way to other major life events together. They were simply young and in love and there was still plenty more to come for the two adventurers, zooming through life full speed ahead. The world was truly their oyster now. Not just Kanto and Kalos. Next stop: Everywhere.