Hello :P It is Wednesday and I am back with the last PokeShipping Month chapter of Pikachu Tales. This one was so much fun to write. It's just pure Ash and Misty fluff after their twins, Ben and Katie, have been born but it features some of their antics as well. It was nice to write another one so similar to how I began on FanFiction over 6 years ago now. So I hope you all enjoy!
Ages:
Ash: 19
Misty: 19
Disclaimer: I own the story and the OCs mentioned :3
I giggled gleefully as I trotted on ahead and when I glanced back at Ash and Misty with a smile on my face, I felt lightness in my heart that I could get used to. The sky was beginning to grow dark in the late winter of Kanto and the ground below my feet was chilly and slightly damp also. But I didn't care. Really, I didn't care at all. The love I had in my heart for the people I was with and the joyful occasion that had happened to us all warmed me from the inside out. Like a roaring fireplace, the recent events had ignited me and thawed me right the way through.
Just less than a week ago, Misty had given birth to her and Ash's lovely little twins. I had adored them when they were in her belly. I attended every scan with excitement tingling my skin and a lump in my throat. I helped Delia select clothing patterns for the arrival of her Grandbabies and chattered ecstatically away to her too. I stayed near Misty's stomach at each and every opportunity. I nuzzled her bump with such tender love. I promised to adore them. I had no idea how much I would adore them until I laid eyes on them and I saw them (loudly) take their first breaths.
The raven haired little boy came first. His face was all scrunched up and he was tanned and crying but he was beautiful. He was named Benjamin Ketchum not long after his arrival. And not long after his arrival also, was his red headed twin sister.
She came second. Her nose was wrinkling and she was porcelain skinned and crying but she was beautiful as well. She was soon named Katie Ketchum. Benjamin and Katie. Ben and Katie Ketchum. My heart thudded with love each time I simply thought about those names.
They were like a joyful tune in my ears. They were pure simplicity. They were pure happiness. They were my family. All of us – Ash, Misty, Ben, Katie and me – we were all such a little family.
I briefly kept my eyes on the path while I walked a few paces more but soon enough, I couldn't stop myself from turning my head back to look at my family. I adored them. I adored them all so much. Just looking at them bought me such happiness. And hearing their antics made me feel as light as a feather. I knew that I would always be home whenever I was with them all.
My raven haired best friend laughed to himself and continued guiding Misty down the wintery path, his own expression filled with glee. I softened even more. He had had his reservations about being a father due to his relationship with his own father but as soon as he laid eyes on his children for the first time, he knew that he didn't just need to be different, but he had to be. And he would be. He already was so different. I had watched that man grow up from a ten year old kid and it filled me with every kind of emotion witnessing him being a supportive boyfriend and gentle father too.
He had such a spring in his step and his own lightness in his heart as he carried a (presumably) sleeping Ben and Katie in their carry seats, his girlfriend's hand on his shoulder. He hummed to himself and absentmindedly looked down to the contraptions he was holding his children in before he couldn't stop himself from playfully looking back at Misty. He was trying to rush on ahead.
"C'mon, Mist, you are being so slow!" he said to the orange haired female airily and he prolonged the sound of the last word he spoke for effect. After he did so and after he imagined that she rolled her eyes or raised an eyebrow, he snickered teasingly to himself and continued grinning. "It's going to be midnight by the time you get your butt down there."
I tilted my head on one side and stopped to watch. I listened too. I had witnessed their antics for rolling on a decade at that point and I knew that because the raven haired male had pointed out the speed she was going, the orange haired female was certainly going to go even slower. Or stop altogether. I was right. I was so right. I had an idea that Ash predicted that coming from his girlfriend as well.
She folded her arms over her chest as she stopped in the middle of the path and pretended to look up at the sky. She then tightened her grip around herself. She pretended to jut her chin out stubbornly but she couldn't stop herself from smirking sensing that Ash was joyfully hopping from one foot to the other and beaming at her.
"Well excuse me for wondering why on earth my boyfriend and father of my two children suddenly suggested a family walk and then somehow convinced me to let him blindfold me." Misty retorted to Ash and I noticed how she couldn't help but smirk even more at her choice of words. My raven haired best friend did as well and he wiggled his eyebrows playfully. The Water Type trainer could sense this from behind the bit of material covering her eyes because she promptly shoved him lightly in the chest before continuing. "I'm going as fast as I can without bumping into anything."
"Well you could go a little bit faster." Ash informed the slightly older female and with a joking eye roll before he took hold of her hand all over again and placed it back on his shoulder. He then turned on his heel and continued leading his lady love down the correct route. He soon couldn't help himself and jutted his chin out like she had done but his was in a smug manner. He shrugged. "Actually, you could go a lot faster. I'm the one carrying two newborn babies."
I continued walking but I remained tilting my head on one side. I had resumed looking back at the path but my ears stayed honed in on the conversation of Ash and Misty. I listened out for any whimpering from the two infants also. I was quickly wired to do that soon after their arrival. It became second nature and I loved it.
"Ash…" Misty finally responded to her boyfriend after a good pause that lasted a moment or two and it was obvious that the raven haired male had forgotten to expect an answer because of the way he turned back to his girlfriend from trying to march on ahead all over again. The orange haired female kept a straight face while she reminded him. "You could go a bit slower. I'm the one who, less than five days ago, pushed out those two newborn babies!"
Misty's voice got louder for effect but she was still being light-hearted. But it was almost comical how the way that Ash heard her words and he automatically stopped on the path and spun around to her. He tried to show off a stubborn expression but soon enough, that softened to concern and then admiration. His girlfriend's hand hadn't slipped off his shoulder but he briefly put Ben in his carrier down to hold Misty's hand all over again and make sure she was holding him. He earnestly smiled at her and she could feel it through the blindfold.
"You really are incredible." He found himself telling her and he lifted her hand up to press a kiss to it before he picked Ben up all over again and started marching at a slower pace with his family. I slowed down to join them while smiling to myself. Ash really did intend to walk at a gentler stride but he was just so excited! And he admitted this to us all with gentleness in his eyes and truthfulness in his voice as he scratched his cheek sheepishly. "I just can't wait to get there with you! And soon enough, you'll see why!"
The raven haired Pokémon Frontier Brain had tried his hardest to be respectful and slow and gentle but his innocent and excitable nature soon took over when he just had to run ahead all over again. He left Misty in safe hands, however, when he saw that I was pushing my tail against her leg so she could follow me without tripping. We were almost there.
The new mother couldn't help but gasp at Ash leaving her all over again but she soon giggled alongside himself and me when she heard him loudly humming one of their tunes while speed-marching and holding his children in their carriers all in one. She really believed that he was one of a kind. She had met nobody else like him. Really, she believed - or rather, she knew – there was nobody else like Ash Ketchum.
He was so selfless and encouraging in life and with his friends and with his Pokémon that she had no doubt in her mind that that would translate perfectly to fatherhood. And she was so right. After just five short days of being a parent, he was tired and he was sometimes weary but he was full of beans also. He was tired from lack of sleep but he was energised with the love and purity of two new little beings. She had never met anybody else like Ash. And she had never before felt such intense love as when she met little Ben and Katie.
I knew that we had arrived at the special location as soon as we did so. I of course had my eyesight but the truth was, I was watching Misty the entire time and I was watching her smile increase at the sounds and presence of her boyfriend. However, I knew that I would know when we got there and I would know even without Ash bellowing. But of course, the raven haired male being exactly who he was, he did exactly this. He tried to do it in a sing song voice but it was more of a caterwaul.
"Dear Mist!" he called to her from a few metres ahead, putting Ben and Katie's carry seats on a dry spot on the floor and hopping from one foot to the other all over again. He then did a few laps in circles before sprinting back over to his girlfriend, thinking about spinning her around even though she was still blindfolded. Naturally, he was still beaming. "We're here. We are here."
Such excitement from the raven haired male suddenly softened to untouchable sincerity and sweetness when he grabbed hold of his girlfriend's hands all over again. She nodded her head at him in a way to ask if she could take the material away from her eyes and before he could nod his head back, he didn't stop himself from reaching out to stroke both of her cheeks. He then pinched them. Following that, he gave her his approval. With words.
"You sure can take it off now, my Mist." He told her and if his affection before wasn't enough, he leaned in to kiss her nose for good measure. The orange haired female blushed and giggled to herself as she squeezed his fingers back before reaching behind her head to try and untie it herself. Ash continued, his look of love getting all the more after he glanced ahead a few metres at me sat between the two twins. "You can let your eyes see all over again. And you can enjoy a very special place with your family."
I watched as Misty, all of a sudden, hesitated taking off her blindfold. I didn't even have a chance to furrow my brow and wonder why because when I saw her shake her head and lovingly smile to herself, I understood why. The truth was, she had completely forgotten that Ash promised to take her and the twins to a special place. The reason for this was, whenever she was with the raven haired love of her life, she was always in a special place. And now that their children were there too, just a simple thing like a walk had been a lovely adventure. She had forgotten that there was most likely an end destination. She felt very lucky indeed.
Ash's fingers itched to be back entwined with his girlfriend's all over again while hers were occupied with undoing her blindfold but he knew that he just had to be patient. He would get to, all in good time. And he was right. Misty was right also. She was very lucky indeed. She felt so very lucky. And when she saw her surroundings, she was going to feel even luckier.
She took the blindfold off and didn't care when it dropped to the floor and the wind pushed it a few centimetres to the right. Ash didn't care either. All he cared about was his girlfriend and the twins and me. All he cared about was his family. He smiled, his eyes filled with hope and his breath finally holding for that reason when he watched Misty take everything in. She had to take a step back. She was in awe.
The young Pokémon Trainer had taken his Water Type Trainer girlfriend to the lake of their first meeting with their twins. And not only that, but he had decorated it all heart-warmingly too. The special chairs for them to sit at and the picnic blanket placed already on the water's edge were a nice touch. The fairy lights draped all in the trees were too. They were glowing all sorts of colours and you could feel the slight heat from them but this still didn't keep Misty's eyes dry. They pricked with tears and then they suddenly watered. She didn't hesitate to throw her arms around her boyfriend's neck, forgetting the soreness in the lower part of her body. She sniffed.
"You've gone to so much effort. This is such a surprise." She murmured into his ear just for him to ear and even though I heard every word, I looked away and occupied myself with checking on the babies. I was happy to. It was their moment. They both embraced and held one and other lovingly. Misty held onto Ash tighter than ever and pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek before nuzzling into his neck. "I really don't know what to say. This is perfect."
Ash could feel his heart and mind soaring at the approval of his girlfriend and the fact that the surprise had been well received and he begun to feel giddy all over again. He broke into another warming and happy grin as he squeezed Misty before pulling away from the hug. Their fingers soon found one and other's and became entwined.
"You don't have to say anything. The look on your face and just being with you is enough." He told her somewhat shyly but truthfully as he squeezed her hand. She shook her head in lovingly disbelief and pressed a kiss to each of his fingers while Ash ran off his adoring energy. He couldn't stop himself from tugging her all over again to be closer to myself and the twins. He was buzzing. "Gary and Cameron and James I guess helped with the decorations and chairs but I did most of it. I did. I wanted to. I wanted it to be perfect for my Mist and my boy and my girl."
I rolled my eyes fondly at my best friend blowing his own trumpet but like the orange haired female, my own eyes were just a fraction moist. I sniffed. We were both right. We were both so right about him. His enthusiasm and kindness in friendship translated so perfectly into fatherhood and being a boyfriend too. He was an all-round wonderful human being. I was so proud to be his best friend. I was so proud to be Misty's best friend too. And I was overjoyed to witness and share each and every of their treasured interactions.
"I absolutely love coming here, Ashy, it's my favourite place to me." Misty mumbled to her boyfriend sincerely as she moved close to his side and nuzzled his neck all over again. Their hands didn't leave one and others. They looked ahead out to the water together. I did too. But those two were most definitely connected. They were connected in life and they were connected in destiny.
Ash made sure that their fingers were connected even more after he pressed kisses to all of the pads of hers like she had done to his a few minutes prior. He held just one of her hands in both of his. He didn't let her go. He would never let her go.
"Me too, Mist. Me too." The raven haired male told his girlfriend wholeheartedly and he was about to press a lingering kiss to her cheek like she had done to him also when, all of a sudden, their romantic and couple-y moment got interrupted. That was going to become a common theme in their lives for the next few years.
Out of the blue and greatly drowning out the rustling of the leaves all around us, one of the babies started crying from their carry seats. Neither of us could tell at first who it was becoming from because the blackout flap was pulled over to protect them and, despite the fairy lights that the boys but mostly Ash had worked hard putting up; it was getting dark at the lake side.
Or so we both though that we all couldn't tell which of the two baby's was crying. It turned out that Ash and I were the odd two out when Misty gasped lightly and didn't hesitate to squat on the ground next to them, just touching the handle of one of the carriers at first.
"Oh dear, little Katie isn't very happy at the lack of attention she's getting." The orange haired female cooed in a motherly voice before she lifted the black-out flap of the baby seat on the left and proceeded to lift a grizzling Katie out. Ash almost rolled his eyes and smirked thinking that his girlfriend was just taking a guess but was left impressed when it was proved that she knew exactly which child was wailing. She held her close to her body and patted her back. "Even though the attention isn't fully on you, it kind of is, my love. This place is yours. This place is all of ours. It connects each and every one of us. It's our beginning."
The maternal nineteen year old young woman proceeded to sway her daughter side to side after she lifted the baby closer to murmur into her ear and even though she was talking to her, her eyes wandered over to her boyfriend. They wandered to Ash. They smiled and her mouth did as well. He got the message right away. His cheeks blushed lovingly a sweet pink and like his girlfriend had done, he didn't hesitate to reach into the other carry case for Ben. He lifted him out and picked him up and held him close even though he was not grizzling but was sleeping instead.
"It is our beginning, Mommy's right, you guys." Ash nodded his head and looked back at Misty with the same tender expression before he held his son even closer to his chest and started to move himself towards one of the chairs to make himself comfy. He prompted his girlfriend to do the same. After they were both seated very near to each other and holding one baby each and with me at their feet, my best friend continued. "Mommy is right. And it's a great story too."
Upon hearing this, I looked up at Ash and then I looked up at Misty too. They both looked down at me and they both gave me an inclusive pat on the head before, needless to say, they shared some eye contact with one and other. They looked at each other knowingly and lovingly.
The orange haired female didn't even need to tell her boyfriend twice. She didn't need to encourage him. As Ash leaned back and with little Ben snoring on his chest, he didn't hesitate to recount the tale of how he met the love of his life. He began by pointing out that they weren't exactly the loves of each other's lives at first!
While I listened, I pictured it all and I remembered it all is if it was just yesterday, not almost ten whole years ago. So much had happened since. So much had happened since Misty pulled Ash out of the lake that we were sitting on the bank of and all of it was for the best, I knew it. There had been some rough times. There had been some hard times. But there had been some truly heart tingling and mind blowing ones as well.
There had been some very interesting hellos. There had been some very sad goodbyes. There had been wins. There had been so many wins. There had been so many losses. But those losses had been just as important as the wins, if not even more so. We had been through a lot. Together, we had been through a lot and made lots of friends. We had made lifelong friends. We had become companions with people we never dreamed of. It had been wonderful. And it started all because Misty pulled Ash out of a river. What a funny story. What a crazy, mad and funny story. But a joyous one too.
After telling the two of his children about the day that he had met their mother and some stories from times afterwards too and Katie had quietened down a good length of time ago, Ash leaned back on his chair thoughtfully. His eyes were soft but they were full of reflectiveness. But when Misty held his hand and he looked at her face, he gave her a smile and he spoke huskily to her.
"We are so lucky, aren't we, Mist? It was hard. At times, it was so hard. But here we are now. With two beautiful little children. A boy and a girl. One each. And a whole life ahead of us." The raven haired male shook his head in loving disbelief and held his boy and his girlfriend's hand tighter. "There were times when we wondered if this would happen for us. But it did. And it happened perfectly."
The orange haired female's eyes grew as reflective as her boyfriend's had done previously. She would have been smiling at the outcome anyway but because she was looking at his face, of course she had a smile for him. She nodded her head. She breathed out. She squeezed his hand. She didn't feel as though she could add anything heartfelt enough to his words so she just kept quiet. She kept quiet while wholeheartedly agreeing with him. Soon enough, Ash said more words so she didn't have to. His eyes were sparkling even more with luck and love.
"And it all began right here. It all began at a lake and with two ten year olds. This is our story. And our story continues. We are so fortunate." Ash expressed to his girlfriend and he reached to pull her hand to his mouth so he could kiss the top of it without waking his son up from his slumber. Misty smiled even more and still kept quiet. Her heart fluttered with love. Mine did too.
I felt so lucky as well. I felt so fortunate to know all of their stories and witness all of their stories and share all of their stories. And I felt lucky to share them with everybody else who was interested in them also.
It was true that it could be said that Ash and Misty were often two rather loud and expressive people. But in that moment, the raven haired male, although he was expressing his feelings, he was not being loud. He was being hushed. And in that moment also, Misty certainly wasn't being loud. She wasn't saying anything. She was just glad to be in the presence of her loved ones. She was just enjoying basking being in the moment. And because of her quietness, Ash spoke a third time after he pressed another kiss to her hand and cheek too.
"So do you really remember the day we first met in great detail like I do too?" he asked her with a head tilt and a smile like he was waiting to hear loving answers from her. He looked at her the same way as he had always done and I knew that that would never change. Not ever. His eyes twinkling even more only further proved this. "Do you remember it all?"
"Well, I try to forget." Misty couldn't stop herself from telling him in a serious voice and teased him but after his face momentarily fell and his chocolate brown orbs widened with disappointment, she didn't hesitate to gasp and quickly lean to press a kiss to his lips. That gesture caused Katie to fuss and it caused Ben to wake but he didn't fuss. He didn't notice the dramatic change in scenery either. "Of course I remember it, Ashy. I remember it very well. And I will never forget it. I never forgot you even when we were apart. And I most certainly will never forget all the love and kindness you've shown me. You're one in a million."
My raven haired best friend had gotten used to the quietness from his girlfriend and was actually quite enjoying it because he got to say everything that he felt in his heart. So he was surprised when she said some of her own honest words and needless to say, they made his eyes fill with loving tears right away.
Misty had always loved that about Ash; how open and emotional and genuine he was. It had led to a lot of her edges softening and walls coming down. And this was evident by the way that after the sweet couple shared another kiss on the lips while holding one of their infant children each, the orange haired female reached out to stroke his cheek and had more truthful words for him. She felt bashful because it still wasn't completely natural for her but she knew it was necessary.
"Really, Ash. I can't thank you enough for everything that you do for me. And I don't just mean tonight and with this lovely surprise. You've been so loyal and encouraging and kind and truly one of a kind. Every day with you is an adventure. And I can't wait to be on this one with you forever."
It goes without saying that the raven haired male wasn't expecting more touching words from his girlfriend but of course he appreciated them so very much. He broke out into a loving smile and after touching both of her cheeks back and pinching them too, he nodded his head at her. He nodded his head at her truthfully. He nodded his head at her sincerely.
"Like I said before and have said many times before; you never have to thank me, Mist. Loving you is what I love to do." He told her as he planted a kiss to her forehead and Misty didn't hesitate to shut her eyes when they filled with more tears and she breathed out. She nuzzled against him while he kissed her. But she couldn't do that for long. Because he didn't do that for long. He pulled away and held Ben closer and more tenderly to him while he looked at Misty with secret eyes and a secret smile. "But there is actually a reason that we're here tonight, my Mist. And it's not just for a picnic and a look out into the lake with our children, even though that would be nice."
Right away, the orange haired female's eyelids fluttered open and while her boyfriend stood back up off his chair, she looked up at him with curious eyes. Once again, she had gone back to speaking and only conversing with expressions and gestures. Ash caught on right away. He didn't hesitate to inform her. He didn't hesitate to prompt her, his own expressions getting even more quietly excited and secretive.
"If you follow me, Mist and Katie too, then you shall see." He told both of his girls and looked down at me to come as well and I didn't hesitate to trot over with him and Ben to the picnic blanket that was spread out carefully with a picnic snack basket by the lake front. The raven haired male seated himself down gradually near the edge but not too near while he held his son close to him. He occupied himself with stroking his cheek while Misty made herself comfy next to him and continued looking at her boyfriend with intrigue filled eyes.
"What have you got planned for us now, Ash?" she asked in a quiet voice but a curious one, holding their orange haired daughter in the crook of her arm and stroking her cheek too when she began to softly fuss all over again. Ash couldn't stop himself from smirking slightly at his daughter's constant interruptions and wanting to be heard but then he proceeded in informing his girlfriend with almost vulnerability and importance in his eyes.
"This." Was all he uttered softly as he pressed a kiss to Ben's forehead before he held him out to Misty for her to take too. She blinked at first but, needless to say, soon enough she accepted him and held him in the crook of her arm also. Ash smiled to himself and nodded his head.
He knew that if he had explained his plan to his girlfriend and asked if she wanted to be the one to hold the twins or him, then she would have replied that she should so she could properly watch him doting on them. She had said that a lot since they came along. He thoroughly enjoyed that. No, not just that - it made him feel alive.
Misty and I watched as, after Ash pressed a kiss to Katie's forehead too so she wasn't left out and the little girl continued wailing, my best friend gently scooted closer to the water front before he dipped his hands in. It was icy and it made his fingertips feel blue but he didn't care. He moved back closer to his family and let the water drip off them. He hoped that the warmth of his love would heat it. The orange haired female continued blinking but after my favourite couple met eyes all over again, Ash began to explain. Or rather, he began to talk.
"I want to wipe some of the water on all of us, Mist. I said myself that our story began here and part of me thinks that the lake agrees. I hope the lake agrees anyway." He informed his girlfriend bashfully but certainly and then, after wiping some of the water on mine, her and his foreheads and cheeks too, he dipped his fingers back in the water for more. And after he had lifted them out to drip warm once again, he met her eyes all over again. His gaze was shaking. But it was loving.
"Our journey began here, Mist. Benjamin and Katie, me and your Mommy's journey began here. And what a journey it's been. There were many proper Pokémon Journeys and then we had to go our separate ways and that was a journey too. Quitting travelling was a journey too. Having all kinds of new people in my house was a journey as well. Moving in with them all into apartments just before you were born was a journey and a craziness that I can't explain." Ash told his twins and me too and even though he was speaking to us, he was looking at Misty. And because she knew something unfeigned was coming, she already had tears in her pretty eyes. She was right.
"But the biggest journey of all is being a boyfriend. And another biggest journey of all is going to be raising the two of you with my best friend and the love of my life – my Mist. And let me tell you this right now, I absolutely cannot wait for that journey to start. Because it's going to be the most important and worthwhile one of my life."
My raven haired best friend informed us all with a tear trickling down his cheek before that tear joined the droplets on his fingers. And Misty watched, silent but her heart hammering with love as Ash didn't hesitate to wipe the water on a sleeping Ben's forehead and cheeks too and a wide eyed Katie's forehead and cheeks as well. And then our whole family didn't hesitate in engaging in the most joyous and uniting hug that we'd ever had.
We held one and other. We embraced one and other. We felt one and other. We inhaled one and other. We enjoyed being close to each other. And as I had my body pressed against each and every one with my body, only one notion was coursing through my body.
Ash was right. Our biggest journey was only just beginning. It had only happened because of their beginning. It had only happened because of Ash and Misty's beginning. Our biggest journey was only just about to start. And it was going to be like nothing we had ever experienced before. And somehow, it was going to bring us even closer. Ben and Katie made us firmly family. And nothing could ever take that away from us.
The End.
There you go! Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed :3 I haven't written about Ash and Misty this young in a really long time but it was a lot of fun to do. I've had a good time with the themes this year and even though they've been challenging as well, I'm pleased with the outcomes. Ash and Misty will forever be - not necessarily easy - but natural for me to write. Like I said, it's how I began! Thanks again and I will be back on the 28th with a PokeShipping Month themed chapter of "Dear Daddy". See you then!
AmyBieberKetchum signing out :3