It' almost a month late, but I finally got Aiden and Michelle's birthday one shot done! Better late than never, eh?
Aiden and Michelle: 7 years old
Birthday Outings
Both Aiden and Michelle wouldn't hesitate to tell you that they didn't always like being a twin. They loved one another, but they had to deal with a few things that most other siblings didn't.
The most notable one was sharing a birthday.
In fairness, their parents tried their best to make each of them feel special, even when they had to share the day and, typically, their birthday party. Once the twins became a bit older, Ash and Misty would take them each for a day all their own, that they didn't have to share with one another and pick whatever it was they wanted to do.
For their seventh birthday, Michelle had chosen to go to a Pokémon painting class.
Inside of a small art studio in downtown Cerulean City, Michelle beamed excitedly at the blank canvas before her.
"I've never painted on one of these before!" Michelle squeaked, glancing between both of her parents. "It's so fancy!"
Misty giggled at her daughter's exuberance. "You know, I don't think I ever have either! Have you, Ash?"
The Pokémon Master had been distracted, looking around the room. There were various paintings hung on the walls, obviously done by real artists. Turning towards his wife, Ash smiled goofily and replied, "Nope! I bet it'll be fun though!"
Pikachu, who was sitting on his trainer's lap, began pawing at the paintbrushes on the table. They started to roll towards the edge, which Ash noticed out of the corner of his eye and managed to reach out and catch before they landed on the floor.
"You're filling in for Aiden, huh?" Ash teasingly asked his partner.
"Pi-ka…" Pikachu murmured sheepishly.
"Nah, Pikachu behaves a lot better than Aiden!" Michelle laughed, reaching over to pick up the Pokémon. "You can help Daddy paint!"
Ash furrowed his brow. "Hey, who said I was gonna need help painting?"
Michelle shrugged her shoulders. "It's okay to need help!"
"Oh, so if you need help, will you ask me?" Ash playfully inquired.
"No way!" Michelle cried, looking aghast by the suggestion. "I'm an artist, Daddy. So I can help you too! But I won't need help."
Misty laughed lightly. "You certainly can't say she's lacking confidence anymore."
Ash kept staring at Michelle but inclined his head, silently agreeing with his wife. Michelle had really started to come out of her shell and was showing off more and more of her personality. She'd never necessarily been shy around her parents, or the rest of her family, but even with them she tended to be more reserved in public. This was becoming more of the norm, however, and it was a welcome sight for Ash and Misty. They thought it was wonderful to see her becoming more social and less afraid of other people.
"Look, Pikachu! You're in the painting!"
Michelle was holding the electric type above her head so he could see the painting the group would be tackling on display. Pikachu did, in fact, see his likeness on the canvas, and let out a delighted "chaaa!"
"Is that why you picked this one?" Misty asked sweetly.
"Kinda," Michelle admitted with a giggle. "But it's got an Eevee too! They're playing together, see?"
"I do," Misty confirmed, nodding her head. "It's very cute!"
"And I can hang it in my room when I'm all done!" Michelle continued. "That's what real artists do when they make fancy paintings, right?"
"Hang them in their bedrooms?" Ash asked, sounding a bit bewildered. When Michelle grinned at him and enthusiastically nodded her head, however, Ash melted. "Yep, they sure do!"
Misty scoffed and shook her head. "You're so soft."
Ash's eyebrows shot up. "Me?!"
"Yeah, you," Misty giggled. "This little girl could tell you the grass was red, and you'd agree!"
"It's because she's so cute," Ash calmly defended himself.
"I'm cute!" Michelle agreed with a chirp, beaming at both of her parents.
"You sure are," Misty cooed, gently grabbing her daughter's chin.
By the time the painting had actually begun, however, Ash's puddle like state for his daughter quickly began to dissolve. Art wasn't exactly his forte, nor was patience, and he was finding it rather difficult to follow the instructor and focus on his own work…which he was less than pleased with.
"My tree looks like a giant blob," Ash fretted.
Michelle quickly looked over from her own canvas. "You just need to make the lines straighter!"
"Straighter?" Ash repeated. "How am I supposed to do that?"
"You gotta not hold the brush so tight," Michelle replied, holding up her own for emphasis. "Your hand shakes more that way!"
Ash was thrown off. "That's pretty good advice. How do you know that?"
"Uncle Tracey taught me," Michelle squeaked, lifting her head ever so slightly as she dragged the bristles of her brush up the canvas.
"He could spend all day talking about art techniques with Michelle," Misty sighed. "It's cute until you can't get her to leave and then you get stuck listening to Tracey rant about different brush strokes for 20 minutes."
Ash blinked. "There are different ones? I thought you just…brushed."
"No, that's just what the rest of us who aren't talented artists do," Misty teased, winking at her husband.
While Ash was distracted talking to Michelle and Misty, the instructor had moved on to another part of the painting, causing Ash to panic. "Ah! I wasn't done with my tree yet!"
Michelle giggled as her father rushed to finish. He was pretty silly, but she liked that about him! It made him really fun to be around, especially since he didn't take himself too seriously.
The next part of the painting to complete was the Pikachu, which naturally excited Ash's electric type partner. Before Ash could even dip his brush into the yellow paint, Pikachu pointed at it with his paw and began chattering excitedly.
"Hmm?" Ash hummed. "Oh, you want to help me?"
"Pi!"
Ash grinned. "That's a great idea! After all, who could be better at painting a Pikachu than you?"
Pikachu saluted his trainer before throwing his paw down in the yellow paint. That got Michelle laughing audibly now, and Misty's eyes to go wide. Happily, Pikachu began patting the paint onto the canvas, building up a blobby yellow shape.
"Yeah, great job, Pikachu!" Ash cheered.
"Pikachu's a really good artist for a Pokémon," Michelle agreed. "Almost as good as a Smeargle!"
"Pi-ka…" Pikachu squeaked bashfully, rubbing the back of his head. He stilled, however, before slowly moving his paw forward, revealing that he had touched his head with the paw that was covered in paint. Ash, Misty, and Michelle all laughed at this, thoroughly amused.
"At least the paint is the same color as your fur!" Misty reassured the Pokémon.
Ash chuckled once more before patting his partner's head. "Don't worry, buddy, I'll wash you up when we get home."
Pikachu let out a relieved sigh, and Michelle giggled once again. Misty took notice and smiled, leaning down closer to her daughter. "Are you having fun?"
"Uh huh!" Michelle chirped, her eyes sparkling. "The most fun ever!"
XXX
Aiden's choice was a trip to a trampoline park that was open to both humans and Pokémon. While Aiden was still too young to have Pokémon of his own, he always enjoyed getting to see other people with their Pokémon. Even better, going with his parents meant getting to jump around with their Pokémon, too.
The boy went bounding into the place, holding an equally excited Pikachu in his arms.
"This place is so cool!" Aiden gasped, jumping up and down.
"Whoa, buddy, save some of that jumping for the trampolines!" Ash chuckled, coming up behind his son.
Misty, on the other hand, looked out with a bit of trepidation. "This place looks like an accident waiting to happen."
Ash chuckled. "Come on, Mist, don't worry so much! Kids are all over this place, they wouldn't keep it open if it was a death trap."
Misty didn't seem convinced.
"I won't get hurt, Mom!" Aiden assured her, looking up with a big grin on his face.
"You say that a lot, buddy," Misty sighed through her own smile. "And yet…"
"Nuh uh, I haven't gotten hurt in a really long time!" Aiden argued.
"Aiden's gonna be just fine because he'll have us and our Pokémon with him," Ash added. "We'll all keep an eye out!"
Misty's smile transformed into an odd smirk. "I know I'm just being a little overprotective."
"A little?" Aiden prodded, raising an eyebrow.
Misty shot her son an exasperated look. "I can't help it that I worry. You're my little boy!"
"I'm not little," Aiden refuted, scowling.
Ash growled playfully and picked the boy up, surprising him. "Maybe you're not as little anymore, but I can still pick you up and bring you where I want!"
"Where's that?" Aiden chirped, opening his arms to allow Pikachu to jump onto Ash's shoulder.
"To the trampolines!" Ash declared.
"Alright!" Aiden cheered.
The trio removed their shoes and placed them in nearby cubbies, after which Ash and Misty began to release their Pokémon. They had only brought a few smaller ones: Ash had taken Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Oshawott, while Misty had picked Vaporeon, Corsola, and Politoed. Aiden, of course, was perfectly happy with the group…although he did have one inquiry.
"Mommy, how come you didn't bring Gyrados?" Aiden asked.
Misty giggled at the question. "I think he's a bit big to go on a trampoline, don't you? Plus, he doesn't have any legs to jump on! That would look pretty silly, wouldn't it?"
Aiden laughed at the image before adding, "He could use splash!"
"My Gyrados doesn't know splash you crazy boy!" Misty guffawed.
"I bet he did when he was a Magikarp!" Aiden cried excitedly.
Ash's eyes lit up. "You been brushing up on different attacks again, buddy?"
"Yep!" Aiden replied, looking around the room as he shifted from foot to foot.
"That's my boy," Ash cheered, pumping his fist.
"Your boy is getting a bit restless," Misty noted, nodding towards their son as he continued to rock back and forth. "I think we should start bouncing before he explodes."
"Good idea," Ash murmured.
Bulbasaur sidled up to the child, who laughed as soon as he saw the grass type. The seed Pokémon gently nudged the boy's leg, urging him to follow. Aiden understood and went running after the grass type, with the other Pokémon following suit.
"Such a rambunctious little group," Misty remarked, a smirk on her face.
"Hopefully this place is still in one piece when they're done with it," Ash replied, winking at her.
On the trampolines, Aiden laughed wildly when the Pokémon began to bounce around him. He soon started to bounce too, disrupting the Pokémon's jumps and sending them in all different directions. Aiden only began to laugh harder, and it proved to be infectious as the Pokémon started laughing too.
Ash and Misty soon joined in as well. Ash bounced close to Aiden and practically sent the boy flying, much to his delight. Misty panicked for a second when Aiden went shooting up in the air, but as soon as he landed on his butt and continued shrieking with laughter, she relaxed.
"Dad, I can make you fall down too!"
"Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try!"
Aiden got to his feet and jumped as hard as he could. Ash gasped and dramatically fell over, causing Aiden to laugh again and Misty to smirk adoringly.
"See?" Aiden crowed, continuing to bounce up and down around his father.
"Yeah, you got me good!" Ash chuckled. He tried to sit up again, but when Aiden landed another bounce near him, he toppled back over, and Aiden's wild giggles only increased.
"I don't think he's ever gonna let you get back up," Misty teased.
"Help me, Mom!"
Misty blinked and looked over at Aiden. "Help you? With what, buddy?"
"We have to jump together to keep Dad down!"
Ash glanced up hopefully at his wife. Misty, who noticed this, scoffed playfully and replied, "How can I say no to the birthday boy?"
"Wait, wait-"
Ash's pleas were interrupted as Aiden and Misty began to bounce around him. Now he actually couldn't get up, and was flopping around like a Magikarp. This amused his and Misty's Pokémon, who soon joined in with Aiden and Misty to keep Ash down.
"Guys, come on!" Ash cried. "I want to jump too! And not on my back…"
"Head butt!"
Aiden threw himself down on top of Ash, knocking the air out of him.
Misty sighed and knelt down next to her husband, quipping, "I told you this place was an accident waiting to happen."
"That was no accident!" Ash wheezed.
Aiden giggled and lifted himself off his father, instead choosing to jump after Politoed, who was hopping around and clapping his hands together.
"Well, our son and our Pokémon sure are having a good time," Misty noted, watching with a smile as Aiden caught up to Politoed and earned even more excited applause from the frog Pokémon.
"I would be too, but I think my internal organs are bruised," Ash muttered. "Could you please help me up?"
Misty playfully rolled her eyes before grabbing Ash's arms and pulling him up, the man letting out a pained breath.
"He's just the sweetest thing."
Ash raised an eyebrow when he realized Misty was watching, and referring to, their son. "You saw him land on me before, right?"
"He was just playing," Misty dismissed. "Besides, you know he didn't mean to hurt you! He's always been so excitable and full of energy. I think it's adorable. It's what makes him Aiden, you know?"
Ash watched as the boy jumped around sporadically, his and Misty's Pokémon following after him. The creatures were eventually able to jump on the boy and pull him down, much to Aiden's enjoyment. He loved Pokémon, adored them in fact, and nothing made Ash prouder. Except for the fact that his son was also very friendly and funny and kind. Maybe that made him even prouder.
Aiden had managed to wriggle his way out from beneath the Pokémon and hopped back over to his parents. He lunged at both of them, which caused Ash to wince, but this time, it was to give them a hug.
"Aiden, what's this for?" Misty asked sweetly.
"Thanks for taking me here!" Aiden chirped, beaming at his mother and father. "I'm having the most fun ever!"
"Most fun ever?" Misty repeated, remembering that Michelle had said the exact same thing.
Aiden's grin somehow widened, and he nodded his head. Before Ash or Misty could say anything, Aiden pulled away and started bouncing again. "Come on, let's go jump!"
Ash and Misty exchanged looks before smiling and getting to their feet, following after their enthusiastic son and the equally excited Pokémon.
