Twelfth Night A Amourshipping and Rocketshipping Story Chapter 17, a pokémon fanfic

By the time Satoshi, Serena, Sonia, Timothy, James, Jessie, Nando, Coovers, the priest, Sonia's attendants, and Satoshi's men arrived at the Magnolia estate, word spread throughout Sonia's staff that she had eloped. Sonia went inside her home to find butlers, maids, cooks, and other staff applauding and congratulating her while simultaneously greeting the new count. Their applause was quickly followed by silently bowing upon discovering that the Duke of the Kanto region was with Timothy and Sonia. Satoshi waved his hand to the staff to silently say, "As you were," while Serena walked beside him, holding his arm. But while Nando went inside, Jessie and James opted to stay outside and have Sonia's attendants retrieve Giovanni.

Satoshi, Serena, Timothy, Sonia, Nando, and Coovers waited at the grand hall with the staff until Giovanni was brought to them. Giovanni hurled insults at the attendants bringing him to Sonia, and threatened to punish them for their cruelty against the future count. When Giovanni saw Sonia waiting for him, he immediately stopped his insults. He straightened his jacket, trying to look calm and collected despite his mistress hearing him, and his clothes were dirty and torn. Sonia was taken aback by her steward's inappropriate appearance and demeanor as Giovanni bowed to her and Satoshi and gave Timothy a cold glare, thinking he was the page Satoshi sent to woo Sonia.

"Dear Giovanni, what's happened to you?" Sonia asked.

"Madam, you have mistreated me. Scandalously mistreated me," Giovanni said coldly.

"Mistreated you? I would never do that to you or any of my staff," Sonia said.

"Madam, you have wronged me, and the world will know about it," Giovanni said. "You put me in a dark room and let your fool and a priest torment me, but I've still kept my sanity and am no more crazy than you are."

"Er, do forgive me, Giovanni, but I find that difficult to believe. You weren't acting like yourself when last we spoke and you're still dressed grisly," Sonia said.

"I only acted and dressed in such a way because you wanted me to!" Giovanni shouted before he took the letter from his pocket and held it to Sonia. "I have your letter proving that I am innocent and you are guilty."

Sonia looked at the letter and then at Giovanni, befuddled. She took the letter and read it carefully while everyone watched in curiosity. Giovanni smirked, confident that showing the letter would prove his innocence and lead to Sonia admitting her feelings for him in embarrassment. However, his hopes were dashed upon hearing Sonia snort and cover her mouth to hide a giggle. As Sonia put the pieces together, Nando tried not to laugh upon watching Giovanni's face fall.

"Giovanni, this isn't my handwriting," Sonia said. "It looks like mine, but it's actually Jessie's. She can mimic my handwriting almost flawlessly. Now that I think about it, she was the one who first told me you were crazy when you came in smiling and acting in the way this letter instructed you to act. I fear you might have been tricked into thinking I have feelings for you."

"You lie! You have nothing to prove that I was pranked," Giovanni hissed.

"Oh, but I fear you have been, crazy old Giovanni," Nando said before turning to Sonia. "I confess on behalf of Sir James, Sir Faba, Jessie, and myself that we tricked Giovanni because of his arrogant and rude behavior. Jessie wrote the letter and we took advantage of Giovanni being self-entitled to make it look like he had gone mad for our prank. When the full extent of our joke was completed, we dubbed Jessie the Queen of Pranks, and Sir James rewarded her by marrying her."

"Cousin James married Jessie? I'm hurt that they didn't inform me or invite me to watch them be united in holy matrimony. Then again, I didn't invite him when marrying Timothy," Sonia said. "In any case, when were you planning to reveal to Giovanni that you tricked him? Were you going to leave him in the dark forever?"

"Oh, no. We planned to let Giovanni out shortly after Sir James and Jessie married, but then we bumped into Sir Faba on the way back and encountered the real Timothy. That's when Faba came crying for help," Nando said. "We were going to reveal to Giovanni that we were behind this when we let him go, but then you asked us where he was."

"But, what about Sir Topas the Priest? Are you saying you convinced a man of the church to torment me?" Giovanni asked.

"Ah, if you've bothered to know the church leadership very well while escorting Lady Sonia to mass, you'd know right away there is no Topas but the character I created," Nando said before adding in his Sir Topas voice. "Only one color, but not one size. Stuck at the bottom, yet easily flies. Present in sun, but not in rain. Doing no harm and feeling no pain."

Giovanni's eyes widened upon hearing Sir Tobas's voice coming from Nando. He took several steps back and looked down with his hands on his head, remembering Nando dressing as a priest when entertaining Sonia and her father and brother at parties. Finally, Giovanni's shock turned to anger, and he looked at Nando with a cold glare.

"You truly have some nerve, you great fool," Giovanni growled. "This time, you and Sir James have gone too far in messing with your superior. What's more, you have corrupted Lady Sonia's lady-in-waiting with your antics. To think you'd trick me into thinking the mistress is in love with me."

Sonia's staff looked at each other, wondering if they heard Giovanni correctly before they burst out laughing. Some butlers and maids leaned on the walls or put their hands on their fellow employee's shoulders to keep themselves from falling to the floor laughing. Even Serena hid her face behind Satoshi's shoulder to hide a giggle. Timothy, Coovers, Satoshi, and his men stared at Giovanni with confusion and disgust that the man a couple decades Sonia's senior sought to marry her.

Giovanni's face turned red in embarrassment and rage. He glared at Nando, who smirked and bowed like an actor who finished a play. Sonia looked at Giovanni in sympathy, though part of her wanted to join in the laughter.

"Oh, Giovanni, I'm afraid your pride has become your downfall. You have been a good and devoted steward to my father, brother, and me, but I could never feel that way about you," Sonia said before moving to Timothy's side. "And besides, fate has led me to marry Timothy not three hours ago."

Giovanni's look of rage turned into shock in an instant. He turned to Timothy, who nodded to confirm what Sonia said while wrapping his arm around her. After a moment, the steward's shock turned into disgust, as if Timothy was the one wearing dirty and torn clothes instead of him.

"Madam, have you gone mad? You've become so obsessed with the duke's page that you married him?" Giovanni asked.

"Actually, the Timothy you know was me in disguise," Serena said before adding in her Timothy voice. "I disguised myself as my brother, thinking he was dead and was hired to be Satoshi's page."

Giovanni scoffed in disbelief and said, "A woman disguised as a man?! Great duke, why haven't you imprisoned this wretch for deceiving and addressing you so personally?"

"Serena's been forgiven for tricking me, and she has my consent to call me by my first name," Satoshi said venomously. "Also, you will be the one imprisoned and tortured if you call my fiance a wretch again."

Giovanni's eyes widened, and his mouth hung open. Satoshi pulled Serena to hug him while still facing Giovanni with a dark look, as though he were facing a thief trying to steal his most precious jewel. Giovanni stared at the duke and his fiancee and then the countess and her husband before he shook his head in contempt.

"I don't believe this. Two people of nobility marrying far below their rank without a hint of shame," Giovanni said. "I can't imagine how you could make fools of yourselves without considering the respect you'd lose from fellow nobility. Even if you could never love me, my lady, I have enough renown as the steward of a highly respected member of the court that makes marrying me far more practical."

"I may have only met Timothy, but he's sworn to be there for me after what I've been through, and that's all I can ask for," Sonia said.

"And Serena had my heart even when I thought I had let her go for good," Satoshi said. No matter what she is, fate has brought her back to me, and I will never let her go again."

Serena gave Satoshi a loving look, then kissed his cheek while squeezing him before resting her head on his shoulder. Such a display of affection to a duke in front of others was considered improper even if Serena was his fiance, but she didn't care. The man she loved was hers now and forever. Timothy tightened his hold on Sonia's waist as if to back up Sonia's words. Giovanni looked around to find that Satoshi's men, Nando and the rest of Sonia's staff showed no concern or embarrassment over their superiors' unnatural decision. Finally, Giovanni scoffed again, then straightened his jacket, and wiped the dust from his hands.

"Fine! Taint your bloodlines with filthy peasants! I wash my hands from this madness!" Giovanni roared. "But know this; I will get my revenge on the lot of you. I swear by the stars you will rule the day you made a fool of me!"

Without another word, Giovanni turned around and stormed to his bed chamber to pack his things with his head held high. The butlers and maids whispered amongst each other, quietly expressing their excitement of never seeing the pompous, stiff-necked steward ever again. Nando smirked as he watched Giovanni leave and hoped he'd get to tell Jessie and James the news. Sonia, however, watched the man who served her family for many years sympathetically before turning to Satoshi, Timothy, and Serena.

"I suppose Giovanni's arrogance was going to be his downfall sooner or later, and perhaps it's for the best that he leaves if he can't support our marriages," Sonia said. "Still, I can't believe how he was notoriously abused for a prank."

"Aye, it is cruel, but the deed is done," Satoshi said. "For now, let us go back to business regarding finances so we may move on to more valuable things like the golden time that awaits you and me with the Durbin twins."

Sonia smiled and took Timothy by the hand.

"Aye, I am ready for such a time with my twin," she said. "In fact, while waiting for Timothy to return from the inn, I decided we should throw a feast to celebrate our marriage. Why don't you and Serena join us, and we can celebrate your engagement, too?"

"Of course. We wouldn't miss it," Satoshi said before turning to Serena. "That is if my beloved wishes to go."

Serena's face lit up, and she said, "I wouldn't dream of missing it. Although, I don't have any attire appropriate for a high-class party."

"That's not a problem. I shall arrange to have a dress for you tonight," Satoshi said. "In fact, you may pick as many dresses as you want for your new wardrobe."

"Really? As many as I want?" Serena asked in a giddy voice.

Satoshi chuckled with a toothy grin and said, "You're going to be a duchess, Serena. It's only fitting to treat my wife like the queen who has my heart forever."

Serena put her hand on her heart, feeling it melt from Satoshi's sweet words. She pulled Satoshi into a tight squeeze and decorated his face with kisses, making Satoshi laugh. Maids "aww" ed as they watched the happy couple while the officers smirked, amused with how their master behaved with his future wife. Timothy chuckled at his sister's demeanor until Sonia approached him with a kittenish look.

"Come to think about it, I think the duke has the right idea about attire. We should get you clothes fitting for a count while the staff prepares the feast," Sonia said. "You're going to try every outfit I like until I'm satisfied."

"Er, don't I get a say in what I wear?" Timothy asked. "I would like to be comfortable in what I'm wearing."

"Too bad. You're my husband, and you're going to look handsome however I wish," Sonia said.

"I'd accept your fate if I were you, Timothy," Coovers said, smirking. "Take it from a fellow married man. The wife's word is law even if she's wrong."

Timothy turned to Coovers in disbelief, not expecting him to take Sonia's side. He turned to Satoshi, who smirked and shrugged as if silently saying, "It's true." The new count of Viridian City stuttered as he tried to further protest before he sighed in defeat and took Sonia's hand with a smile while still having his other arm around her waist.

"Well, I did vow to make you happy to the end of our days, so it seems I have no choice but to trust your judgment," Timothy said.

"There's the man I married," Sonia said. She pecked Timothy on the cheek before turning to her staff. "Now, let's not waste any time. Prepare the feast at once."

The butlers, maids, and cooks applauded, happy to set up a party for the first time since Sonia lost her brother and father. Then they dispersed to make preparations while Sonia, Satoshi, Serena, Timothy, Coovers, and the officers walked to the Magnolia estate treasury to settle accounts for the Unovian sailor. Satoshi and Serena walked beside each other with Serena's arms around Satoshi's arm. Serena kissed Satoshi's cheek, and he looked at her with a smile before their lips connected. Though one may say they should only be so affectionate when alone, the Duke of the Kanto region and his beloved had no desire to resist their urges to hug or kiss. The time they wanted to be together was long, even when Satoshi was chasing another woman, and even if they didn't say it, they craved to make up for the time they didn't have together with their sweet love.

For the next several hours, the Magnolia estate was livelier than it had been for over a year. The staff set up the ballroom while the cooks got started on the food. Attendants spread out all over the city to invite people of high class and good renown like Professor Cerise. Those invited were baffled that Countess Sonia Magnolia was suddenly married and holding a celebration on short notice, but they were otherwise delighted to come.

While the celebration was being set up, Giovanni packed his things and left the Magnolia estate for good. The staff that saw Giovanni leave while they were working silently celebrated, with some biting their thumbs at him while he wasn't looking. Some guessed that he would look for work in a different part of the region or sail to a new region altogether, but the staff didn't care as long as they never saw him again.

An hour later, Faba returned to the estate after buying a ticket to his island to grab his things before staying the night at the inn closest to the dock. Like Giovanni, he left in foul mood, grumbling and pouting like a grumpy 7-year-old. As far as both Giovanni and Faba were concerned, they were robbed of a woman and a title they believed they deserved, and believed Kanto was doomed with the ruler of the region and a well-respected countess marrying commoners.

Meanwhile, Timothy and Sonia paid what Coovers owed the duke, then Timothy filled Coovers's purse with what he owed plus extra before giving it back to him. Satoshi begrudgingly shook Coovers's hand again to officiate that the matter was settled. Afterward, Coovers went to buy a ticket to sail to Unova the next day while the new couples went shopping.

Timothy struggled not to show his discomfort wearing fancy suits, even if his wife loved seeing him in them. Satoshi, however, loved seeing Serena enthusiastically try every dress she liked. By the time they were done, Satoshi had bought so many dresses that his officers each had to carry several dresses to the Ketchum estate. When they got home, Satoshi had Brock and his pages set up a bedroom on the top floor for Serena to sleep in until she and Satoshi were married.

A few hours later, Serena put on her new pink and red dress in her new room for the party. When she went to the main entrance to meet Satoshi before they left, Satoshi gave her a silver tiara for the party. Serena knew duchesses didn't wear crowns, but it was clear Satoshi wanted her to wear it to make her feel like the queen she was in his eyes.

When Satoshi and Serena returned to Sonia's estate, Timothy and Sonia were waiting for them by the gate. Together, the new couples entered the Magnolia estate ballroom, where their guests were waiting. Timothy and Sonia came in first for the countess to announce the arrival of Duke Satoshi Ketchum and his betrothed. The high-class guests applauded for their ruler, then got in line to congratulate Satoshi and Serena personally.

Upon meeting Timothy and Serena, the guests were confused, having never seen or heard of them before. When some asked where Timothy and Serena were from and their parents' rank, the Durbin twins simply said they were from Kalos and refused to say more. The wealthy and the high class thought it improper for fellow members of the court to not discuss their family, but it was clear that they wouldn't get any more information and it would displease the duke and the countess to try. Ultimately, they accepted that it was enough to know that Timothy was the new count, which made Satoshi's fiance nobility.

After the guests met the count and the future duchess, Sonia had her staff bring the food. The new couples sat beside each other, with Coovers sitting next to Timothy and Sonia. Satoshi and Sonia had to help Timothy and Serena, respectively, restrain themselves from stuffing themselves, for the former street performers had never enjoyed such fine food nor been able to eat more than they could afford during their previous lives.

After supper, the band began to play so the duke and the countess of Viridian City could have their first dances with their significant others. Timothy and Serena were not familiar with the high-class dances considered proper at the time, but they knew how to waltz, which suited their loved ones fine. Sonia smirked flirtatiously as she and Timothy danced, impressed with how her husband knew how to lead. Serena smiled blissfully as Satoshi held her close while they danced. The future duchess of Kanto felt like she was living a dream by dancing with her beloved, wearing a beautiful dress and a tiara. When the song ended, the couples stopped dancing beside each other and kissed while their audience applauded.

When they parted, Satoshi and Sonia hugged Serena and Timothy, respectively. Sonia sighed as she blissfully rested her head on Timothy's shoulder with her eyes closed while Satoshi held Serena as though she were the most valuable thing any man could love and cherish. As Timothy and Serena hugged Sonia and Satoshi back, they looked at each other and smiled while holding hands, happy to be reunited and knowing the best time of their lives had just begun.

Unbeknownst to anyone, Nando was watching by the ballroom entrance. He was dressed in his traveling clothes and had his musical instruments and spare clothes in his brown bag. The Magnolia fool smiled as he watched his mistress celebrate joyfully with her husband and in-law/future-in-law. Then, he picked up his bag and gave one last look before he walked to the front entrance.

Nando went outside and walked a few steps before he realized a carriage was in front of him. The coachman was feeding his horses while the footman loaded the carriage. James was handing the suitcases to the footman while Jessie stood behind, ready to get in. Upon hearing him exit the building, Jessie and James turned to Nando and smiled sadly. Nando sighed before walking to his friends with a smile that mimicked theirs.

"Off on another journey, are you?" Jessie asked.

"Well, our mistress has a husband, a sister-in-law, and soon a brother-in-law. I doubt she will need a fool for a while, so I'm going to play my music throughout Johto this time," Nando said. "Lady Sonia kicked you two out?"

"No, actually. We decided to leave," James said. "We explained to Cousin Sonia our side of the story of what happened to Giovanni in further detail when she came home from shopping, including us finding out how Giovanni wanted her for sinister reasons. She understood that we thought it necessary and agreed that Giovanni needed to be taken down a peg, but she was otherwise upset that we took things so far and lost her family steward."

"Don't forget attacking her husband again when you already angered her for fighting him the first time," Jessie said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, yes. Mustn't forget that," James said begrudgingly. "In the end, we apologized and announced that we were leaving. We chatted after Giovanni was freed and decided that since we're married, we'll go somewhere where we can be alone together."

"How did Lady Sonia take your decision?" Nando asked.

"She was surprised and didn't like that she was losing her lady-in-waiting and cousin on top of her steward, but she ultimately respected our decision," James said.

"Where will you go?" Nando asked.

"To my hometown," Jessie said. "With the money I saved up and the money James got from Sir Faba while he was staying, we're going to buy a cabin in the woods to spend the rest of our lives there. Maybe get a cat."

"Sounds like quite the change from living in a nice estate for so long and the cakes and wine to go with it," Nando said.

"It's for the best. We're starting a new life together, and we should let Lady Sonia and her husband do the same," Jessie said. "Besides, the less wine and ale James drinks, the better our new life will be."

Nando chuckled and said, "You really think you can manage that, Sir James?"

"Well, we'll be living somewhere that doesn't have a wine cellar, Jessie is going to have complete control of finances, and I do aim to make her happy, so I have to, no matter how much I'll miss it," James said. "To tell you the truth, old boy, I'm more concerned about how things will go with Cousin Sonia and the duke with their marriages."

Nando furrowed his brow and said, "Sir James, you don't mean you're upset that Lady Sonia didn't marry a nobleman on top of Duke Satoshi being engaged to a street performer. Are you?"

"If I was still concerned about class, I'd be a massive hypocrite of a knight after taking a lady-in-waiting as my wife," James said with a light chuckle. "Nay, I fear they've gone the right way for more trouble with suddenly marrying people they don't know or barely knew. At least Jessie and I have known each other for years, and I wanted Sir Faba to spend time with Cousin Sonia before getting married. In the end, they'll realize how foolish it is to let their desires get the better of them after days of confusion and deception leading to disaster."

Nando's frown deepened, and he turned left, where the ballroom could be seen. He saw Timothy and Sonia dancing with their guests through the windows, laughing as they held hands while dancing. Meanwhile, Satoshi and Serena went outside to sit on a bench in the courtyard to take a break from dancing. They held each other tightly and exchanged life stories to make up for the time since they last saw each other. The edges of Nando's mouth curled up again as he witnessed the joy and thankfulness of Satoshi and Serena being together.

"Nay. I don't think they will," Nando said. "It might not be easy, I grant you, but I think fate dictated that Duke Satoshi and Lady Sonia take the twins to be their spouses. Lovers brought together through confusion and deception, yes, but they are still together with the desire to love. In the end, three couples, including you two, are about to live happily ever after."

Jessie and James looked at each other, befuddled, before the former said, "That's quite the rosy opinion coming from you, Nando. I would think a fool like you would come up with witty remarks regarding how silly their decisions are."

"I may be a fool, but I've seen enough to know how the world is sillier than me," Nando said. "God gave us a world where the sun shines, the wind blows, and the rain falls on both the good and the wicked. A person blinded by their pride relishes in their superiority before they are humbled and humiliated. A man longs for a woman he doesn't know until he finds the woman who had his heart even when she was forgotten. A woman loses everyone she loves, then suddenly gains more loved ones. A woman who loves in secret finds herself loved in return. On and on, life gives us madness, grief, confusion, and love in ways that can only make sense through perspective. There will always be problems, but people go on and live their lives anyway. Lady Sonia and Timothy and Duke Satoshi and his beloved Serena will have their problems. I think we both know you two will encounter hardships also. Still, as long as life goes on, love will flourish, so the challenges don't matter at the end of the day."

Jessie and James stared at their longtime friend, processing his words. Then they turned to the ballroom, where Sonia and Timothy were still celebrating, and then to Satoshi and Serena, who were locking lips. The knight and the former lady-in-waiting smiled, silently agreeing that they married knowing there were hardships ahead. James held his hand, and Jessie took it before turning to Nando.

"Do us a favor, old boy. Look after Cousin Sonia and her new family when you return," James said. "I wager they'll need a fool wiser than he acts to pull through the problems you speak of."

"And keep an eye out for mail when you get back, too," Jessie added. "We'll be sure to give you our new address. You are welcome anytime."

"May God deal with me ever so severely if I do not fulfill such requests from my dear friends," Nando said with a fond smile. "Until then, godspeed to you.

"Godspeed, Nando," James said.

James and Nando shook hands, with James patting Nando's shoulder with his free hand. Then Jessie stepped in to give Nando a hug. The newlyweds got into the carriage, with James letting his wife get in first just as the footman finished loading their things. The footman climbed to his spot at the back of the carriage before the coachman used his straps to get the horse to pull the carriage.

Jessie and James waved goodbye through the carriage window, and Nando replied with a smile and a salute. The fool waited until the carriage exited through the gate and turned left before he gave Satoshi, Serena, and everyone inside the ballroom one last look. Then, he walked to the gate and saluted the guardsman before he went through and took a right heading south.

As he walked down the streets to the end of the borders of Viridian City, Nando looked up at the evening sky, pondering his own words and how they reflected all that had transpired in the past few days. Nando's smile stretched to the sides of his face and he chuckled with his mouth closed as the series of silly events made him think of a song he hadn't sung for a long time. He waited until he exited the city and was on the road toward Indigo Plateau to stop momentarily and take out his guitar. After adjusting the strings, Nando the fool played an upbeat tune as he began walking again. He walked down the path with a skip in step and let out a joyful laugh before he began to sing.

When that I was and a little tiny boy,