A stiff breeze blew against my face and I breathed in deeply, taking in the smells of summer. The sun was still high above and it made my blue fur tingle with unpleasant warmth. I pushed a little of my power outward through my body and felt the air hiss with a sudden burst of cold. I breathed a small sigh of relief and then turned around as I heard my love mew happily. My eyes widened as I saw her ribbons blowing elegantly in the wind. She looked at me with her magical eyes and thanked me for the burst of cool air. I blushed and replied I was happy to be of assistance.
She took a few steps forward and I walked alongside her. We continued our afternoon meeting, discussing some of the goings on of the other Pokémon. I was so glad that my love had recovered from being violently ill. After I had learned of what had happened and Gengar's responsibility, I had vowed to repay the ghost's malicious action. Like the angel she is, my love had told me to let the master trainer take care of things and to forgive Gengar rather than repay one dastardly act with another. It had been hard for me to let the matter go, but getting to spend several days with my love while our trainers were away had greatly helped smooth things over.
As we approached the top of a grassy hill, I made a small mention of how two nights ago my love had wrapped her ribbons around me and rubbed her neck against mine. I loved watching her blush as I reminded her of the sweet moment. She then told me that she'd been enjoying the stars that night, but when she'd read my feelings, she'd found something much more beautiful than the twinkling lights above.
As her words reached my pointed ears I felt a sudden burst of heat inside my freezing-cold inner core. Giddiness and joy surged through my legs and I felt drawn to her like never before. I squealed something which I hoped was romantic and took a couple of quick steps forward, wishing to feel my lips press against those of my love.
She smiled sweetly and then, with my face just a step from hers, she used her ribbons to gently stop my forward progress. I felt disappointed but my love looked to the side and reminded me that other Pokémon were watching.
I followed her gaze and saw a dozen or more of the reserve's residents going about their daily business. I immediately felt silly and took a step back. I started to apologize but she shushed me with a flick of a ribbon. She then told me that, next time, if I was more tactful, she wouldn't stop me at all!
I couldn't help but smile and promise her that I would do exactly that. We shared an admiring gaze and then heard Bulbasaur loudly croaking for all to hear that Lopunny's big moment was finally here! We looked across the grassy field, like many of the other Pokémon, and saw the diplomat was waving its vines to get attention.
My love let out a joyful cry and expressed her happiness for Lopunny. She bounded forward and demanded I follow her to observe the miraculous event. I didn't need any urging. I would follow my love wherever she went.
We quickly crossed the hills and reached the small, sheltered area near the edge of the forest. There was already a small crowd gathered surrounding Lopunny and his mate. The two of them were beaming and thanking everyone for the constant stream of congratulations they were receiving. At their feet were just over two dozen eggs, all faintly glowing and slowly pulsing with energy. I let out a gasp of amazement at the sight of so many eggs. I'd known that Lopunny had been busy creating the next generation, but I hadn't known the extent of their commitment.
My love teasingly asked if I'd ever seen a little one hatch and I told her that I indeed had. I'd just never seen so many at one time. Abruptly, the eggs started to glow brightly and a hush fell over the entire gathering. Tears of joy ran down the Lopunny's faces and they held tightly on to each other.
The bright light of hatching Pokémon caused me to squint, but a moment later, the light began to fade and on the grass sat over two dozen Buneary. All of the onlookers smiled and started to greet the youngsters. Then, with a massive burst of movement, Lopunny's offspring reacted to their new gift of life in every way conceivable.
Some began to cry rivers of tears, some started to hop in place, others shouted at the top of their lungs, a few sat looking confused, however, most of them used their brand new, youthful legs and began to bounce in every direction imaginable. The scene instantly became one of chaos and calamity.
The mother of the Buneary scooped up two of her sobbing young ones, in her arms and tried to calm them. The father tried to grab a few of the ones acting up but his efforts were completely inadequate. With eager cries, the Buneary began to scatter, happily bouncing across the backs of nearby Pokémon. A few of the bystanders attempted to help out Lopunny in corralling their children. Unfortunately for the Pokémon lending assistance, the Buneary quickly learned that their ears could pack quite a punch. Strong, fuzzy ears smashed into jaws, faces, stomachs and other more sensitive organs leaving the two parents mortified and begging for forgiveness on behalf of their rambunctious offspring.
A few paces away from me, Bulbasaur was smashed to the ground as a Buneary landed atop its bulb. The diplomat loudly voiced distress and my love promptly snatched up the offending Buneary with her ribbons. She began to rebuke the little one and tell it that it was wrong to hit others and bounce around recklessly.
I nodded my agreement and stepped up so I could add my words to those of my love. I looked the little one right in the eye and told it firmly but gently that it could make lots of friends, but it needed to behave and treat others with kindness. As I spoke those words I couldn't help but watch my love's reaction. I hoped she would approve! I hoped that it would give her an insight into how I would act as a mate!
The Buneary looked up at me with a curious expression and voiced puzzlement. I smiled, my love smiled, everything was perfect! Then the Buneary cried out in youthful exuberance and thrust one of its ears forward, socking me right in my nose and causing stars to explode in front of my eyes.
The world spun around me and I felt lightheaded. I fell to the ground and found myself looking up at the beautiful, blue sky. A moment later my love stood above me, looking down with a concerned expression. She asked if I was okay and I told her I was fine. At least that's what I thought I said. My love raised an eyebrow and asked why I was talking about snow cones and how many ribbons she was holding up. I stared at the six ribbons floating above me and asked her when she'd grown two new ones.
My love sighed and bent down so she could nuzzle my face with her nose. As she did this I heard more crashes, smashes and shouts of dismay. Bayleef loudly cried out for someone to get the master trainer, just as the two Buneary she'd enwrapped with her vines punched her simultaneously, sending her sprawling flat on her back.
Ash chomped down on a biscuit and then tried to address Serena with his mouth full of food. The two of them were sitting at the kitchen table and she looked at him with an expression of amusement.
"Mpphhh ahh goog tah gerk ahn thaw avveee….."
Serena sniggered and smiled kindly at Ash. "You're eating too fast again," she said in a chastising tone.
Ash hesitated and looked a little embarrassed. He swallowed twice and then chugged some water.
"I said I'm gonna go work in the cave later today," he said with an amused smile.
"Mmmm," Serena hummed, sarcastically. "I figured it was either that or you were learning to speak like Krabby."
Ash chuckled and Serena followed suit. She playfully brushed her leg against his and they shared a happy look. Serena felt a small tingle of desire well-up inside her and she swayed her shoulders slightly before leaning closer to Ash.
"You know," she began in a low voice.
At that moment, there was the sound of something crashing outside. Both of them looked toward the backdoor, curious as to what was going on. Several seconds ticked by and then they heard the sound of various Pokémon crying out. The backdoor suddenly opened and Pikachu dashed into view.
Ash smiled and then frowned as his buddy skidded to a stop and started voicing distress while waving his arms frantically. The electric Pokémon pointed toward the back door, but just then, a Buneary soared into view, landed on top of Pikachu and slammed him flat against the ground. The small rabbit-like Pokémon then bounced back into the air with a cry of excitement.
Ash and Serena let out surprised shouts and leapt up from the table. Serena promptly snatched the little Buneary out of midair and held it fast.
"Hey! You don't go bouncing on other people's heads!" she said sharply.
The Buneary looked shocked. Its eyes suddenly teared up and it began to cry.
Serena looked a little puzzled at the reaction and Ash leaned in to take a look. He instantly noticed that the Buneary was much smaller than usual.
"Hey, is that Buneary newly hatched?" he asked.
Serena cocked her head to the side and examined the wailing Pokémon. "It kinda looks like it," she said.
Ash thought for a moment. "There were a couple of Lopunny expecting their eggs to hatch pretty soon. I wonder if that happened?" he commented.
Pikachu groaned and stood up. Ash's buddy nodded in response to his trainer's speculation.
More sounds of chaos erupted outside. Ash and Serena looked at each other and then dashed through the backdoor. They came to a halt and took in the sight of many small Buneary bouncing left and right. Countless Pokémon were running this way and that, trying in vain to corral the youngsters.
Serena looked tense. "How many eggs did they have?!" she asked in shrill voice.
"More than I thought," Ash replied.
At that moment, a female Lopunny dashed up to them, fell on her knees and started begging them with folded hands. It didn't take a translator to figure out what she was saying.
Serena handed the little Buneary to its mother and then put on a determined expression. "Okay, looks like we've got some Pokémon to round up," she said.
Ash grinned, eager to work with the woman he loved. "Yep," he replied.
They shared a smile and then dashed forward, into the chaotic scene.
Once Ash and Serena set their hands to the task, things soon got under control. Serena was able to calm many of the rowdy Buneary and get them to mind their parents. Ash, meanwhile, grabbed a pair of Caterpie and went to work dealing with the uncooperative ones. String Shot attacks were soon flying and any Buneary which didn't listen to reason found itself enwrapped in a sticky cocoon.
Several of the Pokémon who'd taken a beating at the hands, or ears, of the hatchlings gloated as the little ones were carried away by their furious parents. Ash and Serena met behind the building and looked pleased at their work. They were sweaty and breathing hard after all the exertion but the Buneary had been taken care of. Or so they thought.
Just as they were about to head back inside, a Sandshrew with a black eye came running up, chirping in distress. Ash and Serena looked at the creature and watched as it pointed emphatically toward its home at the edge of the forest. The ground type then dashed away in the direction it had pointed and the two trainers followed after it.
After a short jog, the Sandshrew reached a couple of burrows and started jumping up and down, looking very distressed. Ash and Serena shared a quick glance and then set to work investigating. Ash took out a small flashlight and stuck his head down into the burrow. He immediately spotted a trembling Buneary hunkering in the tunnel connecting the burrows.
"Ah, looks like we missed one," he said.
Serena stuck her head down into the other burrow and spoke in a kind voice. "Hey there little one. Do you wanna go back to your family?"
The Buneary looked back and forth between them and started to wail in distress.
Ash frowned. "It looks pretty upset," he said. "Can you reach him?"
Serena grunted and pushed herself down into the burrow. "Almost…" she croaked. She reached for the Pokémon and it promptly recoiled from her.
Ash got an idea and pulled his head out of the burrow. "Hey, do that again and see if you can drive him to me."
Serena nodded. "Okay," she grunted. She awkwardly twisted her body and pushed toward the Buneary a little more. "Hey there," she said sweetly.
The Buneary again cried out and scampered away from Serena.
"A little more," Ash said.
Serena groaned and repeated her actions. The Buneary retreated yet again and was suddenly snatched from behind by Ash's quick hands.
"Gotcha!" he said happily, raising the crying and squirming Pokémon out of the burrow.
Ash smiled and rocked the youngster, trying to calm it down. "Don't cry, it's okay," he said softly.
At that moment, the female Lopunny, who was searching for her missing offspring, passed near enough to hear the cries. She ran over to Ash and profusely expressed thanks to him. She bowed in gratitude and then quickly left with her little one in hand.
Ash let out a satisfied sigh and stood with his hands on his hips. "Well, that worked out for the best," he said to Serena.
He waited a moment for her to reply. When no response was forthcoming, he turned around and saw Serena still had her entire upper torso still stuck in the burrow. She wiggled and strained a little, but she couldn't pull herself free.
"Uh, Ash," she said, her voice muffled because her head was underground. "I'm stuck!"
Ash held a hand up to his mouth to keep from laughing. The sight of Serena, with her posterior sticking up in the air and her head under the ground was quite hilarious. He quieted his laughter, walked over to her and spoke in a kind voice.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
Serena wiggled her body again, but couldn't get free. "Yeah, I'm just stuck," she replied.
Ash examined the situation and couldn't help but notice that, because Serena was partially inverted, her shirt had slipped down to where he could see the bottom part of her bra. Additionally, with the angle her butt and legs were at, her shorts had slightly slipped down and he could see the top of her panties peeking out.
Ash grinned and bent down so he could look more closely at Serena's exposed midsection. "Do you think you can get free on your own?" he said.
Serena grunted in frustration. "That's what I've been trying to do," she said. "Could you help me out?"
Ash smiled and eyed the girl he loved. "Okay," he said. He stood up and moved so he was standing just beside Serena. He suddenly got an urge to do something sneaky. Serena loved teasing him; it was about time he returned the favor.
"So, do you want me to try and pull you out?" he posed.
Serena repositioned her feet and her back sagged slightly. "Yeah, if you don't mind," she said.
Ash nodded and stepped forward. "So, where should I grab you?" he asked.
"Huh?" she replied.
Ash felt excitement shoot through him as he reached out and placed a hand on Serena's lower back. "Maybe here?" he said.
"Uh?!" Serena answered uncertain as to what was happening.
Ash then reached underneath her and placed a hand on Serena's exposed stomach. "Or maybe here?"
Serena flinched and yelped at the touch. She laughed nervously, realizing the position she was in and then replied in a tense voice. "Yeah, okay, just pull me out, Ash."
Ash felt really naughty and hesitated a moment. He never did stuff like this and it was immensely fun. He couldn't resist one more tease. He reached sideways and rested his hand on Serena's posterior, using her butt as something to lean his weight against. She flinched again and squeaked in surprise.
"You know, Serena," Ash said in suggestive voice. "This is a really precarious situation!"
"I'm sure it is," she said warily. "Could you please pull me out!"
Ash gave Serena's behind a small pat and then smiled. "Okay," he said. He shifted his stance and briefly thought about how he could rescue his 'secret wife' from her predicament. He moved so he was standing behind her, braced his feet and reached out so he could grab on to her hips.
"WOAH!" Serena shouted abruptly as she flailed her legs.
Ash backed off and froze for a moment. "Is everything okay?!" he asked.
It took a second for Serena to reply. When she spoke, she sounded a little embarrassed. "It's fine," she said. "I just thought you were doing…. something else."
A puzzled looked briefly crossed Ash's face, but after a moment, he reached out and grasped hold of Serena's hips yet again. He gave a gentle yet firm tug, and after some effort, Serena started to break free of the burrow.
With a final effort, Serena's head emerged from the hole, dirt falling from her clothes and hair. She groaned and tried to brush the crud off of her. She shook her head and then sighed.
Ash smiled and looked at her. "You okay?" he asked.
Serena glanced over at him and glared playfully. "I am now. Thanks for taking so long by the way!"
Ash smirked. "No problem," he replied.
Serena chuckled at Ash's behavior and started brushing off her clothing.
Ash sniggered for a moment and then opened his mouth to speak. "So, why'd you freak out for a second?"
Serena suddenly looked embarrassed and blushed slightly. "Well….. I thought you were gonna pull my shorts off and… do…. something….."
Now it was Ash's turn to look a little embarrassed. "Out here in the open?!" he squawked indignantly.
Serena giggled and her face reddened some more. "Well…. that's what it felt like for a second."
Both of them stared awkwardly at each other for a few moments. Ash was the first to speak.
"Is that one of those things you secretly hope I do to you?" he asked.
Serena giggled some more. She held a tense breath for several seconds before she replied.
"Well… like you said, not out in the open." she said coyly.
Ash sniggered some more and Serena joined him in the amusement. She then looked at his state of dirtiness and her own crummy clothes. The naughtiness of their conversation and the teasing Ash had inflicted on her all came together in her mind and formed a plan. Serena suddenly smiled as excitement welled up inside her. It was time for some fun!
Ash eyed her smiling face and raised an eyebrow. "What are you thinking about?" he asked.
Serena pursed her lips and then coughed nervously. "Well….. I was just thinking that since we're both dirty, and the day is almost over, maybe we could quit early and take a shower?"
Ash thought for a moment and then inclined his head in agreement. "Yeah, sounds like a good idea."
Serena's face turned a little redder and she held her breath a moment before she continued. "Except… I was thinking that…. we could shower…. together!"
Now it was Ash's turn for his face to redden. His eyes went wide and then he smiled. "You really wanna do it….. in the shower?"
Serena chuckled and then shook her head slightly. "No, but maybe we could get warmed up in the shower before we head upstairs."
Ash chewed on his lower lip before he smiled broadly and nodded. "Okay," he said trying to keep his excitement contained.
Serena chuckled nervously and then glanced toward the back door of the main building. Both of them turned and started the trek to return home.
Serena's heart rate was through the roof as she and Ash walked through the back door of the main building. She saw Ash flash her a silly smile and head toward the laundry room. Part of her couldn't believe she was going through with this but it was too late to turn back now! The words had been spoken and things set in motion. She could only see the plan through to the end.
Ash gathered up a change of clothes and then looked at Serena with an eager expression. Serena blushed and worked her mouth in a bashful moment of hesitation. She finally grinned and spoke in a hushed voice.
"Why don't you go ahead and get in first," she said. "I'll be along in a minute."
Ash's eyes gleamed with desire and anticipation. "Okay," he said enthusiastically. He started walking toward the bathroom, twice glancing over his shoulder and staring at Serena.
Serena laughed and blushed a deep red. She waited until the shower had started to begin gathering her clothes and then she waited until she could hear that Ash had entered the shower before she made her way to the bathroom. Serena paused just in front of the door, took a breath and stepped forward.
Serena closed the door once she was inside and felt excitement spiral up her spine. Ash was in the shower just a short distance away. Hot desire and nervousness surged inside her chest and for a moment Serena considered disregarding her plan and actually joining Ash in the shower. The thought of being naked and sharing a close space with the man she loved was very appealing, but this was simply too good of an opportunity to pass up. Serena set her clothes on the small linen cabinet and then quietly made her way to the shower.
When Professor Oak had built the bathroom he'd done so with practicality in mind. The room was quite large for a bathroom, allowing big Pokémon to be brought in and cared for. Additionally, there were water shut-offs for all of the facilities, in case something got damaged by a careless creature.
Serena stepped up to the shower and eyed the towel rack with trembling hands. She glanced to the side, and through the shower curtain, she saw the heavily blurred view of Ash as he moved inside. Her mouth watered with sexual longing but she stuck to her mission. She silently pulled the towels off of the rack and then gingerly stepped to the side.
"Hey, Serena," Ash spoke up suddenly, causing her to nearly jump in fright. "Are you gonna get in?"
Serena took a quick breath to steady herself and then replied in a teasing, girlish voice. "I'll be right there. I'm getting naked!" she said, putting as much innuendo into the word 'naked' as she could.
Serena heard Ash giggle and she couldn't help but grin. She still couldn't believe she was doing this. She took another breath to steady herself and then she reached up and twisted the valve to shut off the hot water in the shower. She held her breath for several heartbeats and then she heard Ash cry in dismay as the water suddenly turned ice-cold.
"Agh! What the‑" he grunted. Serena listened as Ash flailed around in the shower. She struggled mightily to keep from laughing out loud.
"Serena, did you do something!?" Ash shouted abruptly.
Serena sniggered and then swallowed hard to keep frivolity out of her voice. "Is something wrong Ash?" she said in a sweet and caring tone.
"Yeah, the hot water just stopped!" Ash said bluntly. A second later, the sound of the shower ceased as Ash shut off the icy flow.
Serena held her sides and it took all of her effort to keep from bursting out laughing. She gasped in a breath and then spoke in a thoughtful tone. "Well, maybe the hot water heater broke," she posed.
Ash started to reply but then stopped short. Serena heard him mutter something and she could tell he'd figured out why the hot water had stopped flowing. After a few seconds passed, he spoke up.
"Har, har! Okay Serena, you can turn the water back on," he said.
Serena hesitated. She hadn't thought this far ahead in her scheme. She'd thought of how to get Ash into the shower and how to shut the water off, but not what to do after all that succeeded. She considered her options and then she replied.
"I don't know what you're talking about Ash," she said, unable to keep all of her amusement out of her voice.
Ash muttered again and then sighed. "Please, Serena," he said.
Serena was sorely tempted to turn the water back on…. but this was too much fun.
"Seriously, Ash, I don't know what's going on," she replied.
Ash muttered some more and then Serena heard the shower curtain rustle. She watched as Ash stuck his dripping, wet arm out of the shower and grasped for one of the towels which were currently draped over her neck. She grinned manically as she watched him pat his hand up and down the wall in a fruitless search for the missing towels. More, louder muttering followed and Ash's arm retreated back inside the shower. Several seconds passed and then Ash spoke in a resigned voice.
"Okay, you got me, Serena. Give me a towel."
Serena wasn't sure what to do. She really wanted to keep this going. "You know, Ash," she said ebulliently. "This is a really precarious situation!" she said, echoing his tone and delivery from outside a few minutes ago.
Ash grumbled and then collected himself.
"Are you planning to join me?" he asked.
Serena's heart jumped as the thought of getting into the shower naked again crossed her mind. All that could wait for some other time though. How often did she get to prank Ash like this?
"Well, there's no point in taking a shower if the hot water's busted!" she said flippantly.
Ash grumbled some more and then sighed. "Come on, Serena, give me a towel," he groaned.
Serena grasped the corners of the towels she had draped around her neck. She considered handing one of them over but then her eye caught one of the small hand towels next to the sink. This plan just kept getting better and better!
Serena grabbed one of the small towels and took a step toward the shower. "Okay, Ash, here you go," she said in a helpful tone.
Ash let out a sigh of relief and reached an arm out of the shower. Serena guided the tiny towel into his open hand and barely contained a laugh as he grasped hold and pulled it back into the shower. A moment later, she heard Ash's relief turn to frustration and annoyance. She clamped her mouth shut but she couldn't stop herself from sniggering as her boyfriend muttered under his breath and hissed in displeasure.
"Serena!" he growled unhappily.
Serena giggled and then steadied herself. "You said you wanted a towel, right Ash!" she said innocently.
Ash sighed and muttered a bit more. "Please, Serena!" he begged.
Serena felt bad for Ash. But at the same time, she absolutely loved torturing him like this.
"You've already got a towel. I don't see what the problem is," she said.
Ash sighed again and a few seconds passed before he spoke. "Come on, Serena. Gimme a towel," he said, annoyance creeping into his voice.
Serena considered her responses and bit the tip of her tongue out of nervous enjoyment. "Well, you can always come out here and get one," she suggested.
Ash groaned but didn't say anything else.
Serena struggled to keep from laughing as the tense seconds ticked by. She was just about to offer Ash a proper towel when suddenly she heard the shower curtain being pulled aside. Her heart instantly began to race, her skin started to burn and sexual excitement coursed through her body. Was Ash about to step out of the shower wearing only his birthday suit?!
She watched with wide eyes as Ash first put one leg out of the shower and then completely stepped into view. He wasn't without a covering however. With one hand he held the small, white hand towel over his nether regions and with his other he gripped the side of the shower to keep his balance. Serena's eyes tracked up from the towel to meet his gaze. Ash didn't look too pleased at the situation but she didn't care. Her gaze tracked downward again and she took in the sight of his glistening pectorals, abs, biceps and everything else. She knew it was usually guys who were turned on at the sight of their partner in a state of undress, but right now her blood was boiling and her mouth was watering. Nearly naked Ash was a sexy sight indeed!
Ash took an unsteady step forward and reached toward Serena, his gaze locked on the towels draped over her shoulders. "Gimme a towel!" he said bitterly.
Serena felt a thrill shoot through her and she quickly took a step backwards. She blew out a hot breath, her gaze locked on the attractive bits of her dripping wet man.
"I…. don't know, Ash," she said, her voice somewhere between a pant and a gasp. "I kinda like this situation!"
Ash growled and tried to grab for a towel. Serena yelped excitedly and sidestepped, the large bathroom giving her just enough room to maneuver.
Ash lunged again and stumbled briefly as his wet feet slipped on the tile floor. Serena dodged and giggled as she briefly got a look as Ash's uncovered behind. He quickly turned around to face her and again grabbed for a towel.
"Come on, Serena!" Ash grumbled. He tried to keep a serious expression, but the corners of his mouth betrayed that he was mildly enjoying this game they were playing.
For the next several seconds, the two of them scurried and stumbled around the bathroom. Serena repeatedly got away and Ash came so close to grabbing a towel. Finally, Ash succeeded in gripping the edge of a towel and Serena squealed in excitement. She tried to get away but Ash held fast. However, the sudden movements caused him to lose his footing on the slippery surface. To keep from falling, he instinctively grabbed hold of the thing nearest him, Serena.
Both of them stumbled for a moment and then they regained their footing. Serena was still holding on to the towels and Ash was now holding on to Serena…. with both his hands. The small white towel had fallen to the floor and the only thing protecting Ash's modesty was the fact that he'd pulled Serena against his chest and she couldn't look down to see the much desired goods.
Serena grinned and giggled softly as Ash held her fast. She playfully looked downward as if she could see through his body. Ash glared at her and then used his left arm to pin her against his chest. With his right arm, he yanked a towel off her back and started wrapping it around his waist. He released Serena, finished securing the towel and then backed off a step so he could glare at her. Ash shook his head and turned to walk out of the bathroom.
Serena pursed her lips and couldn't resist one final parting comment. "So, you're all done?" she asked.
"Yep," Ash said bluntly.
Serena grinned. "Did you leave any hot water for me?" she said coyly.
Ash simply groaned and left the room.
The door shut and Serena covered her mouth to keep from laughing uproariously. She took a few gasping breaths to steady herself and then moved to turn the hot water back on. She stripped off her clothes, stepped into the shower and began washing herself. She didn't know if Ash would try and pull the same prank on her and shut off the water. If he did, she'd already made up her mind that she'd simply step out of the shower to confront him, only she wouldn't bother with getting a hand towel. It would be the ultimate reversal of a prank. Part of her hoped it happened. She wanted to see Ash's reaction to her soaking wet nakedness!
Ash finished drying his hair with the towel and pulled on a clean shirt. Now that the moment had passed, he thought everything Serena had done was quite funny. However, her actions demanded that he get her back in some way. He needed to prank her to even up the score.
He heard the shower start up and considered shutting off the water on her, however he disregarded the idea. It wasn't clever or creative. He needed to get her back with his own, unique prank. Something which was his style.
A smile slowly formed on Ash's face as ideas started to coalesce into a plan.
The days which followed the 'shower incident' were full of teasing and barely contained laughter. Ash made a few attempts to appear annoyed at Serena but it was clear to her that he'd gotten over any hard feelings and was just putting on an act. Before long they were back to planning their first time, however, there was now quite a bit of tension surrounding the anticipated act.
Both of them were now suspicious that the other was plotting a practical joke of some sort. Ash didn't want to get pranked again, especially with something involving sex. He could only imagine what sort of diabolical plan Serena might come up with for the bedroom.
Serena, meanwhile, got the distinct impression that Ash was planning some sort of revenge. She occasionally saw a mischievous look in his eye and barely contained grins which were there for one second and then gone the next. She was suddenly extremely wary of accepting an invitation to go to bed with Ash. She now regretted that during one of their steamy phone conversations she'd told him several kinky things she'd like to try and a few others she wanted to avoid. She worried that Ash was now planning to spring one or more of the undesired acts on her and exact repayment for what she'd done to him.
With the mind games in full swing, three days passed before they found themselves alone in the barn one evening. The day was drawing to a close and the two of them were working to stack some hay bales which had been delivered earlier that morning. As they worked, they waded around a bunch of loose hay which was already littering the floor of the barn. Serena playfully kicked some of it at Ash and he quickly kicked a pile back at her.
It didn't take long before the two of them were in a full-on hay fight. They laughed, they tussled, they shoved each other and the dried grass flew. Eventually Serena crammed a fistful of the scratchy stuff down the front of Ash's shirt and he quickly responded in kind. Serena squealed in excitement and dismay as plenty of hay was stuffed down her collar and some made its way into her bra.
Ash grinned and Serena glared as she yanked the dried grass out of her shirt and made an effort to shake the unwanted material out of her undergarments. It was hopeless however, and so, with a smirk on her face, Serena simply removed her bra while keeping her shirt in place, all the while with Ash looking on. Serena gave the front of her torso a few good brushes, causing her boyfriend's eyes to widen and then she said that she thought it was time for them to head inside.
What followed next was an unparalleled level of teasing. As they walked to the main building, Serena occasionally twirled her bra around one of her fingers, reminding Ash that her modesty was protected by only her shirt and nothing else. By the time they reached the back door and prepared to take showers, Ash couldn't tear his eyes away from her.
As Serena gathered her things, she tempted Ash with opportunities to look down her collar at her uncovered breasts. She would slightly lean forward but not enough to show anything. She feigned taking her shirt off and then abandoned the action. She also, at one point, reached a hand up under her shirt and brushed away any remaining bits of hay. She grinned as Ash's eyes were completely fixed on the jiggling flesh just beneath the T‑shirt fabric. Despite all the teasing, Ash failed to catch a glimpse of her lovely mounds of flesh, and Serena locked herself in the bathroom, flashing him a wide grin as she did so.
By the time dinner was ready, their desires were thoroughly aroused, and once the meal was finished, they were ready for a dessert which would be not cold and delicious but hot and sizzling. Serena was fully prepared to walk hand-in-hand with Ash up to his bedroom but then, when she put away some leftovers in the refrigerator, she saw the chocolate syrup.
It immediately caught her eye because they didn't usually have chocolate syrup on-hand. They occasionally had the stuff on ice cream, but neither of them were a big fan. She didn't even remember the last time they'd bought it. However, Serena remembered very clearly that she'd told Ash chocolate syrup was on her list of things to avoid in the bedroom. She stared at the small plastic bottle and became suddenly paranoid. Was this what Ash was planning as his revenge?! Was he going to wait until she was enthralled in the joys of sex and then get some payback for the shower incident?!
"So, Serena, what are you doing tonight?" Ash said with a sly look and veiled enthusiasm.
Serena flinched slightly, shocked out of her brief trance-like state. "Uh, well," she stammered. "I'm….. not really sure."
Ash grinned and leaned closer to her. As he did so he glanced down at her chest, savoring the sight of the two lovely mounds of flesh which Serena had teased him with so much earlier that evening. Serena's mind instantly envisioned them in bed, Ash staring at her uncovered chest…. and then….. the chocolate syrup came into play. Serena smiled back at Ash, but it was a tense, forced smile. She suddenly wanted to get back home quickly and avoid what was assuredly a night of sticky, sweet revenge for her boyfriend.
Ash looked her right in the eye and spoke in a sultry voice. "Would you want to….. spend some time on the couch?"
"Uhhhhh," Serena hesitated. "Actually… I kind of need to get back home," she said in a tight voice.
"Oh, really," Ash said, still speaking in a suggestive tone.
Serena felt sweat start to bead on her torso. She nodded emphatically. "Yeah….. I promised my Pokémon I'd…. do their hair…. and read them a story."
Ash chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "Really?" he replied, skeptically.
Serena nodded again and took a half-step toward the exit. "Yeah, I did," she said quickly.
She gave Ash a small peck on the cheek and kept walking toward the exit. "I'll see you tomorrow," she said kindly. "Love you!"
Ash put his hands on his hips and looked at her with a perplexed and curious expression. He didn't say anything though as his secret wife waved goodbye and quickly skedaddled out the front door.
Serena walked at a brisk pace away from the reserve. Part of her felt bad for ditching Ash so abruptly, but she didn't want to give him the chance to deploy his plan. She shivered at the thought of syrup running across her body and let out tense chuckle. She'd have to talk with Ash about this sometime. She was okay with certain kinky things, but not others. It was another part of their life they'd have to work out.
Serena returned home and was greeted by Delia. The two of them spend a short time talking about the events of the day. The conversation suddenly became more personal when Delia asked Serena about her and Ash's relationship. Ash's mom expressed how happy she was that Serena was there and that she hoped that Serena would one day be a part of the family. Serena was a little surprised by the frankness of the words and she teared up out of appreciation and love. They talked for a while about Ash and the future and then Serena decided that it was time for bed.
Serena bid Delia goodnight and climbed the stairs to her room. She found her Pokémon waiting there and she smiled as they happily bounded forward to embrace her. She spent some time with them, telling them about her day and brushing their fur. She enjoyed Sylveon's nuzzling her and Delphox pressing her cheek against hers. Pancham also sat happily, as the minutes ticked by.
After a while, Serena started telling all of them a tale about one of her misadventures when she was a child. She'd used that as an excuse to get away from Ash and she didn't want it to be a total lie.
Eventually, Serena wished them all goodnight and they headed downstairs. Serena then walked across to the bathroom, took a shower and then returned to her room wearing her pajamas. She sat down on the bed, let out a happy sigh, sent Ash a steamy goodnight text and then slipped underneath the covers of her bed. She turned out the light and closed her eyes. It was the end of another wonderful day!
Just as Serena was about to drift off to sleep, she suddenly felt the air in the room stir. She opened her eyes, wondering if one of her Pokémon had returned and she hadn't heard the door open. The door was still shut and the room was in near-darkness. She glanced around, puzzled at what had caused the disturbance. Then, Serena heard a very faint whispering sound and the temperature of the room started to drop.
Serena felt her heart begin to pound as she felt the same sensations she'd experienced when she'd encountered ghost Pokémon in the past. She'd been terrified back then and right now was no different. She glanced around the room, trying to locate whatever was inside her room.
She heard a bump and nearly cried out in fright. She looked across the room and saw a cup holding her pencils start to scoot across the desk, being pushed by some invisible hand. Serena gripped her covers tightly and struggled to keep from whimpering. She really, really hated scary things!
Then, as abruptly as it had started, Serena felt the presence leave the room and the temperature return to normal. She held her breath for nearly a minute and only once she was satisfied that whatever it was had left did she take a gasping breath.
It took more than an hour for Serena to fall back to sleep. She hoped whatever had paid her a visit would never show itself again.
Serena was a little groggy when she descended the steps the next morning. She'd kept waking up all during the night, worried that some specter was going to pay her a visit. She slumped down at the table with Delia and let out a small groan.
"Hmmm, rough night," Ash's mom said sweetly.
"Um, you could say that," Serena said, feeling a little hesitant to say that she'd been visited by a ghost during the night.
Delia smiled and walked into the kitchen. She returned a few seconds later with a steaming cup of tea and a hot muffin.
"Here you go," she said, offering the breakfast to Serena.
Serena felt so loved. She happily accepted the food and drink. "Thanks Delia!" she said sincerely.
Ash's mom smiled and let out a happy chuckle. She sat down at the table and took a sip from her own glass. She eyed Serena for a few seconds and then spoke in a kindly tone.
"Did you have a bad dream?" she asked.
Serena chewed and swallowed a bite of the muffin. "No, not a dream," she replied. She sighed and then continued. "I just felt really weird last night," she said in unhappy voice. She decided to not mention the haunting she'd experienced.
Delia's expression suddenly lost all joy. "Oh," she said quietly. "I see." She didn't say anything more and instead got a look of contemplation on her face.
Serena thought it odd that Delia hadn't asked her for more information. The other woman was always interested in whatever she was doing.
"Is everything okay?" Serena asked tentatively.
Delia sighed softly and folded her hands on her lap. Her expression became somewhat sad and several long moments passed before she replied.
"It's just something of an anniversary today," she said slowly. "A sad one!"
Serena felt her heart suddenly ache. She rarely saw Delia unhappy. She hesitated a moment and then spoke in a compassionate voice. "Did something bad happen?" she asked.
Delia was quiet for a time and then spoke up in a soft voice. "You know how Ash's father left shortly after he was born," she began.
Serena nodded somberly. She and Delia had talked about it a few times.
Delia sighed again and spoke words which clearly pained her. "Well, it was a few months after he left that I suddenly had this awful feeling come over me." Delia sniffed back a tear and then continued. "I knew right then, in my heart, that Ash's father was never coming back home."
Serena gasped in a sad breath and raised a hand to her mouth. "Oh, Delia, I'm so sorry!"
Delia nodded in acknowledgement. "I raised Ash on my own, all the way until he left on his Pokémon journey. I never thought anything of it, but then one night, on the anniversary of when I had that terrible feeling, I felt a presence come round the house."
Serena felt an icy hand of fear clutch at her heart. "Wh-what…. happened!?" she stammered.
Delia shrugged and looked at a loss for words. "I don't know how these things work, but I think it was Ash's father coming round looking for his son."
Tingling fear began to spiral up Serena's spine. Had the ghost of Ash's father visited her last night?!
"Wh-wh-why do you th-think it was Ash's father?" she stammered.
A thoughtful expression crossed Delia's face. "On one of the anniversaries, Ash was home, in between adventures. I felt the presence arrive but it wasn't upset, like it had been in the past. Instead it just visited Ash while he was asleep and then left."
Serena tried to swallow the lump in her throat but couldn't. "S-s-so, you think that gh-ghost is here for A-Ash?!"
Delia eyed Serena and her behavior. "Serena, did something happen last night?" she said directly.
Serena swallowed again and then spoke in a shaky voice. "S-something, was in my r-room last night!"
Delia's eyes widened and she raised a hand to her mouth. "Oh, Serena, I'm so sorry! Were you frightened?"
Serena chuckled nervously. "Uh, a little," she said, greatly downplaying the fear she'd experienced.
Delia glanced at the calendar and then back at Serena. "The anniversary is today, so he must have arrived a day early."
Serena swallowed yet again. "O-okay!" she said, a shiver going through her body.
Delia let out a sigh and looked unhappy. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything. It hasn't been a problem the last few years. I don't know why that happened."
Serena let out a nervous laugh and reached a hand across to reassure Delia. Ironically, she was probably the one who could use some reassuring.
"It's fine," she said in a trembling voice. "Nothing bad happed. It was just a little scary."
Delia smiled in appreciation and patted Serena's hand with her own.
Serena thought for a moment and then continued. "Just the same, I think I'll sleep up at the reserve tonight," she said with an anxious smile.
Delia's eyes suddenly widened and she blushed slightly. "Oh!" she chirped in an embarrassed tone. "Uh…. well, I suppos‑"
Serena felt her face get hot from embarrassment. "I MEAN, in the barn!... With the Pokémon!" she said a little louder than she meant to. Internally, she kicked herself for accidently implying she was going to sleep with Ash. It was going to happen sooner or later, but she didn't plan to broadcast the event, especially to Ash's mom of all people.
Delia froze for a second and then got a somewhat sheepish expression on her face. "Right…. of course," she said with a somewhat relieved smile.
Serena let out a tense laugh and then stood up from the table. That conversation had gone from sweet to cringe inducing in seconds.
"Well, I think I'll be getting going," she said in a distracted tone.
Delia was quiet for a moment and then spoke just as Serena was about to step away. "Serena," she began.
Serena turned back around. She hoped she hadn't screwed something up with her poorly chosen words.
"Yeah," she replied.
Delia looked a little embarrassed but she pressed forward. "I know this really isn't my business, but….. have you and Ash…" she let the implied question hang in the air.
"Oh," Serena replied, surprised at Delia asking such a question. Ash's mom didn't usually talk about such things or pry into private matters. Serena suddenly felt grateful that she could answer honestly and not feel fear or nervousness.
"No, we actually haven't yet," she said with a small, nervous chuckle.
Delia smiled warmly and nodded. Her eyes teared up slightly before she continued.
"I'm so proud of the two of you," she said in a loving voice. "You have so much self-control."
Serena let out a short, tense laugh. If only Delia knew.
"Well, it… hasn't been easy," she said.
Delia nodded. She pursed her lips and then spoke again. "Serena, you know my attitude about the bedroom. I just wanted to let you know that you and Ash have something that's really special. If you two decide to be together before you're official, I think that's okay."
Serena felt a lump suddenly form in her throat. She'd always been worried about how Delia would respond to the news of her son bedding a woman before they were married. Now, it seemed Delia had given them her blessing. She really was a wonderful mother.
A few tears formed in Serena's eyes and she was speechless for a moment. "Thank you," she managed to say in an appreciative voice.
Delia nodded. "You two truly love each other and that's what's important."
Serena nodded and then wiped at her face. The two women shared a meaningful stare and then Serena turned to leave.
The rest of the day was quite an experience for Serena. She could tell Ash was planning something. The ever-present glint in his eye and barely concealed smirk gave it away. She checked the fridge twice to make sure the chocolate syrup hadn't disappeared. She started to worry that he might just ambush her out-of-the-blue and squirt the stuff all over her. That seemed to be more in-line with Ash's personality rather than waiting for fun time in bed.
Serena found herself checking around corners and looking over her shoulder at the day wore on. By the time evening rolled around, she felt exhausted. She wove a tale about wanting to keep an eye on the newly hatched Buneary as her reason for staying in the barn. Fortunately, Ash didn't ask too many questions and Serena was able to settle down into the old wooden structure without issue. Unfortunately, between the haunting, the chocolate syrup and a suspicion that Ash was plotting to prank her, it took her quite a while to fall asleep. Finally, though, sleep did come and there was no ghost, syrup or revenge which interrupted her.
The next day began a little differently than usual. Serena trotted down to the Ketchum household to wash up, not wanting to expose herself to Ash's possible reprisals while she was vulnerable in the shower. She had another friendly chat with Delia and told her that she'd be sleeping back in her room that night. She then headed back up to the reserve to begin the day's work.
Paranoia was now the order of the day. Serena could swear that Pikachu was looking at her strange too. She didn't know what was up, but every nerve in her body was on-edge. She didn't know when Ash was going to spring his plan on her, but she'd started to think of ways she could get him back. Two could play the kinky game and she had lots of ideas she could fire back with if Ash tried to get the better of her.
To Serena's surprise, nothing happened all day. There were several moments where she swore she was going to get pranked, but it was all for naught. Once dinner was finished and she and Ash spent some time kissing and hugging, she headed for home, wondering if perhaps she'd completely misread the situation. Maybe Ash wasn't planning revenge and the chocolate syrup was just a coincidence? She'd have to ask him.
Once she was back home, she had a fun chat with Delia and told her a little of the day's events. Later, she brushed her Pokémon, tucked them in downstairs and then headed up to bed. She felt relieved all of the day's stress was now behind her. She took a warm shower, glad that she didn't have to worry about the hot water getting shut off on her.
Serena changed into her pajamas and sat down on her bed. Her eyelids already felt heavy and she spent a moment letting the tension flow out of her body before she picked up her phone and sent Ash a steamy goodnight text. She smiled as she reread the words she'd typed, then set the phone aside and laid down on the bed. She turned out the light, slipped under the covers and let out a happy sigh. It had been another busy, yet fulfilling day. She closed her eyes and let sleep whisk her away in its restful embrace.
Serena was just about to completely pass out when she heard a small but noticeable thump. Her eyes instantly snapped open and a flood of adrenaline brought her fully awake. Her heart began to pound and she glanced around the room, listening intently for any more sounds. After nothing had happened last night, she'd hoped whatever had visited her two days ago had moved on. Perhaps that was not the case!
She took shallow breaths and didn't move a muscle. She hoped if there was something there, it wouldn't notice her. A moment later, she heard the wooden rattling of a pencil rolling across her desk and then heard it clatter to the floor. She swallowed and her mouth felt extremely dry. She tried to slip further below the covers but then she felt the air in the room stir and she instantly froze.
Serena felt every hair on her body stand on end as she felt the room's temperature suddenly drop and she had the distinct impression a presence had just entered. She started to tremble as icy terror coursed through her veins and fear filled her mind. She wanted to run, but she felt paralyzed by whatever horror was visiting her.
The room's temperature dropped a bit more and Serena heard and saw the chair next to her desk suddenly scoot sideways several inches, moved by some sort of invisible, spectral hand. The harsh sound of the wooden chair scraping across the wooden floor seemed deafening in the dead silence of her haunted bedroom.
It took all of Serena's will to not whine in fear. She trembled beneath her covers as whatever it was bumped into a couple more objects and then everything became quiet. Serena's could feel and hear her heart thumping inside her chest. Her eyes darted around the room and she hoped and prayed the thing had left, just like it had before. To her extreme dismay, she heard a faint, raspy voice, speaking from the beyond, cut through the silence of the room.
"ASSSSSHHHHHHHH…." the spirit seemed to call out.
Serena swallowed and didn't dare make a noise or twitch a muscle. She hoped the thing would simply go away.
Several seconds of silence passed and then the thing called out again.
"ASSSSSHHHHHHHH…."
Serena remained motionless even as her terror increased. This had to be the ghost of Ash's father. He was here looking for his son, just like Delia had said.
"ASSSSSHHHHHHHH…."
Serena thought quickly. Perhaps if the ghost realized that Ash wasn't here, he would leave her alone. With her lips trembling, Serena opened her mouth and squeaked a reply.
"H-h-hell-o!"
A moment of stillness passed and then Serena heard what she could only describe as a dismayed, spectral groan. The air in the room swirled and then the raspy voice spoke again. This time tinged with anger.
"Yooouuuurrrrr nooooooottttt ASSSSSSSHHHHHH!" the voice said.
Tears started to flow from Serena's eyes and a scream began to work its way up her throat. Finally, she bolted from the bed, cried out in terror and scampered for the exit. She wrenched open the door, practically tearing it off of its hinges and ran faster than she'd ever moved straight for Delia's bedroom. Without pretense, she barged into the room and began shrieking to wake Ash's mother.
"DELIA, IT'S HERE!" she wailed, stepping to the bed. "THE ASH'S GHOST'S OF DAD'S!" she said, unable to put words together. "IT'S HERE LOOKING FOR‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑"
Serena yanked the covers away and completely froze at what she saw. There in the bed, instead of Delia, there was only a small voodoo doll, with auburn hair and a small face which somewhat resembled Ash's mom. It was wearing a mock nightgown that looked just like the real one Delia wore.
Serena instantly grasped the horrifying reality of what had happened. The ghost had first visited Delia and exacted some kind of revenge on her. It had cursed her and turned her into a voodoo doll. Now, that ghost was just one room over and surely coming for her!
Serena pulled at her hair, her knees shook and she wailed in fear. A moment later, she heard another thump and her survival instincts took over. She screamed again and ran for the stairs. Still wearing her pajamas, she stormed through the living room, burst out the front door and started to run toward the reserve as fast as her bare feet could carry her.
Serena covered the distance to the reserve in record time. She dashed up the stairs, taking them three at a time, and raced headlong toward the front door. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she slammed the door open and ran toward the stairway.
"ASH!" she screamed. "IT'S HORRIBLE! WAKE UP! IT'S COMING!"
She reached the top of the stairs and charged into his room. She lunged for his bed and grabbed hold of the covers.
"GET UP! WE NEED TO‑‑‑‑‑‑"
As she flung the covers aside, she was suddenly confronted with another voodoo doll. This one bore the face of the man she loved and it had a small head full of black hair.
A shuddering gasp racked Serena's body as shock and horror coursed through her. She took a couple steps away from the bed and started to shriek in terror. Her entire world was being taken from her by the ghost of Ash's father!
Then, without warning, the lights snapped on and the closet door popped open. Serena jumped in fright and turned to see Ash, Pikachu, Delia and Mr. Mime all emerge from the small room.
"I gotcha!" Ash said with a satisfied smile on his face. A moment later, Gengar floated through a wall, grinning and nodding in approval.
Serena stared wide-eyed at the five of them. Her knees wobbled and her chest heaved as she struggled to breathe. She took several shuddering gasps and managed to squeak out a reply.
"You're okay…" she wheezed.
Ash grinned and giggled, proud that his prank had gone so well. Delia looked on with a tense expression.
Serena started to take ragged breaths. She held a hand to her chest and sagged as the adrenaline in her system started to dissipate.
"That….. was all Gengar…." she croaked.
Gengar let out a belly laugh and was clearly pleased with itself.
Serena looked down at the floor and started to slowly shake her head as she put together the pieces of all that had happened. Her expression became more placid as the fear drained from her face.
"Okay," she said in a quiet voice. "Everybody but Ash should leave now." She took a breath and then continued. "I'm about to be very, very mad."
Ash's expression suddenly became a little apprehensive. Delia looked amused. She, Pikachu and Mr. Mime started to walk toward the door.
"Well, I did warn you," she said in a sweet yet chiding tone. She reached the door and turned to face her son. "Good luck, dear," she said kindly, speaking the words in the same way one would address someone facing certain doom.
Mr. Mime and Pikachu both walked through the door, jokingly waving and wishing him goodbye as if this was the last time they would see him. Gengar let out a final chuckle and then floated away through the inside wall.
Ash was now alone in the room with Serena. He pursed his lips and waited to see how his girlfriend would react to his prank.
After several seconds, they heard the front door shut and silence descend on them. Ash glanced toward the doorway and then looked back at Serena. She was still slightly trembling. Her hands were clinched into fists and her lips were tightly pressed together. She looked like was straining to contain an explosion of emotions.
Ash felt a little nervous and smiled wryly. "So….." he began.
Serena's nostrils flared and anger flashed in her eyes. She took several powerful strides toward Ash and let out an angry squeak. As she did this, she raised her fists and started beating on Ash's chest, not hard enough to hurt him, but with enough force to get her point across.
Ash froze for a moment, not sure what to do, and then he raised an arm to protect himself. He took the blows on his right forearm and stammered a reply. "Uh….. okay!" he said uncertainly.
The beating went on for several seconds and Serena made several high-pitched squeaks and grunts as she vented her anger and fear on Ash. The world's greatest Pokémon trainer thought her actions were a little humorous but he didn't dare smile or chuckle. She might start punching him for real!
"Uh….. Serena," he said hesitantly. "You know it was a prank right?"
Serena landed two more blows and then let out a distressed squeal. "It wasn't a funny prank, ASH!" she shrieked. "I thought we were being haunted! I thought something terrible happened!"
Ash briefly bit his lip. "Well, at least I didn't trap you in the shower," he said flatly.
Serena snorted. "If you're gonna pull a prank, at least make it sexy! Not scary!" she said sharply. "You know I hate ghosts!"
At this, Gengar let out a dismayed cry and the front half of its body suddenly floated through the interior bedroom wall. The ghost was wearing a big, sad frown and looked at Serena with a hurt expression.
Serena glanced at Gengar and stopped short in her rebuke of Ash. "No! Not you!" she said forcefully, addressing Ash's Pokémon. "The other kind of ghost!"
Gengar's expression suddenly became happy and it nodded in approval.
Serena turned back to Ash and then stopped short again. She whirled around to face Gengar, an indignant expression on her face.
"HEY, NO EAVESDROPPING!" she shouted angrily.
Gengar's eyes suddenly widened in fear and the ghost let out a distressed yelp before zipping away.
Serena briefly glared in the direction of the departed ghost and then turned back around toward Ash. She saw him mildly smiling at her and she turned her glare on him. The smile promptly vanished but Serena raised her fists to deliver another barrage of blows. This time, though, Ash gently grasped hold of her wrists and pulled her close to him. He looked into her eyes for a moment and then spoke in a low and sincere voice.
"I'm sorry if all that frightened you," he said.
Serena tried to stay angry but she just couldn't. She loved Ash too much. She let out a deep sigh and let her head fall forward so it rested against his chest. She breathed in her boyfriend's scent and then let out another sigh.
"I'm just glad you're okay," she mumbled.
Ash let go of her wrists and wrapped his arms around her torso. Serena followed suit and enveloped Ash in a hug. The two of them held each other for several long seconds and then pulled apart. They stared into each other's eyes and Serena finally chuckled.
"I guess it was kinda funny," she said softly. "You got me pretty good."
Ash finally dared to smile and they shared a happy moment. Serena let out another deep sigh and looked down at the floor in contemplation. Ash thought as well and spoke a moment later.
"I'll keep the pranks sexy in the future," he whispered.
Serena mused and smiled before her expression became more serious. She looked up at Ash and nodded. "Yeah," she said in a distant voice. She let out another sigh and suddenly her shoulders slumped as if a great burden had been laid atop her. "Hey, Ash, can we talk for a minute?" she said in a quiet voice.
Ash nodded. "Yeah, of course," he replied.
Serena glanced at the bed and led Ash over to it. She sat down and took a deep breath. She brought her hands up to her face and rubbed at her cheeks. She then turned her head to look at Ash, her expression suddenly apprehensive.
"Ugh, Ash….." she hesitated. "There's something I've been needing to tell you and worrying that I'd lost you made me realize that I just have to say it."
Ash looked puzzled. "Okay," he said.
Serena suddenly looked much more apprehensive and she took a deep breath before tensely blowing it out. "Do you remember when you were unconscious in Unova?" she began.
Ash looked a little sheepish. "Uh…. well….." He obviously didn't remember the time he was unconscious.
Serena shook her head and dismissed the silly question. "You know how I changed your clothes, right?" she said tensely.
"Yeah," Ash replied.
"And you know how I took a peek at you, right?"
"Yeah."
Serena started to turn a little red and her cheeks slightly puffed out as she held her breath. She finally exhaled and opened her mouth to speak.
"Ash, I… did a little more than just peek at you," she said slowly.
Ash squirmed and stared at Serena. He'd suspected that she'd done more than peek but he hadn't been able to get any kind of answer out of her until now.
"What'd you do?" Ash asked hesitantly, a little worried at the answer he might get.
Serena looked down at her knees and appeared mortified by what she was about to say. "When I saw you, it was so amazing," she began in a soft voice. She looked up at Ash but struggled to hold his gaze.
"It's hard to describe, but I just… wanted to know more about…. you," she said. "And so…. I touched you."
Ash felt both embarrassed and turned on. He swallowed but didn't say anything.
Serena sighed and struggled to continue. "I loved how you felt, Ash," she said softly. "I touched you some more. I felt your….. um," she struggled with words. "Your two…. you know," she mumbled shyly.
Wide-eyed, Ash nodded, completely at a loss for words.
Serena paused a moment before she could continue. "And then, I guess after all my touching, you started to….. you know….. grow….. bigger," she said with an embarrassed chuckle.
Ash coughed and struggled to keep his thoughts in order. He couldn't believe all this had happened.
Serena smiled briefly and her expression was one of excitement and embarrassment. "I couldn't believe what was happening. You were just so amazing. And feeling your….. thing… in my hand was… uh," Serena's voice tapered off.
Ash sent her a look, imploring her to continue.
Serena chuckled softly and then grinned sheepishly. "I just…. holding you made me….." She closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. When she looked at Ash again, her expression was more determined.
"I don't know what came over me Ash, but I just wanted to feel what it would be like to….. have you… inside me!"
Ash's jaw practically fell open. "You…. uh….. you… did….. uh," he stammered.
Serena's mouth twisted up in a mortified expression. "I'd already taken my shirt and shorts off cause they were wet," she said quietly. "So I just slid my panties to the side and…..." her face suddenly turned very, very red.
Ash's jaw was now hanging completely agape. He had no words.
It took Serena a moment before she could continue. "I thought it would just be for a second," she said in an apologetic tone. "But it just felt sooooooo good," she said in a throaty voice, "that I kept you in me and I started… you know… going up and down a little."
At this point, Ash had half of his right hand inside his mouth and was absently gnawing on it. He couldn't believe what was being described to him. How had he slept through all this?
Serena's expression became a bit helpless and she nervously chewed on her lower lip. "I don't know how long I did that, but it was too long." Serena hesitated and then continued. "All of a sudden…. I felt it happen!"
"What…. happened?!" Ash mumbled in a barely coherent state.
Serena smiled kindly and pursed her lips. "Your… thing….. uh….. did its thing," she said softly.
Ash suddenly fully realized what she was describing. "INSIDE YOU!" he shouted.
Serena gave a series of somber nods.
With a shocked expression on his face, Ash brought his hands up to his head and felt like he might faint. How had all this happened while he'd been asleep? How could Serena have done this? Had he really had sex with her and completely missed out on the event?!
"Ash," Serena said softly.
Ash turned back to her as he realized that she had more to say. "Huh," he replied, barely able to put two thoughts together.
Apprehension and guilt weighed heavily on Serena as she spoke her next words. "The second I realized what happened, I tried to…. clean up… I really did…. but…."
Silence hung in the air for several seconds. "But, what," Ash finally said.
Serena looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. She took a heavy breath and looked up at Ash.
"I took a test yesterday," she whispered. "Ash….. I'm pregnant!"
It took a couple seconds for the words to fully sink in and then Ash felt the weight of the world come crashing down on him.
"Oh, gosh!" he groaned, hugging his chest. A second later he reached up and pulled absently at his jet black hair. "Oh, man!"
A thousand thoughts began to spin within his mind. For a while, he'd envisioned his future with Serena being a family with children, however this was all completely unexpected and way too soon. He wanted to be mad at Serena for being so irresponsible, but at the same time, she was carrying his child. He couldn't be mad at her!
As the seconds ticked by, Ash squirmed and writhed. More thoughts raced through his head. He felt immensely disappointed that he'd missed out on the act of impregnating Serena. Deep down, he'd secretly been looking forward to that event. Additionally, there was the matter of the house they were building. It was still far from complete. How long would Serena be able to help him work on it? Could he get it finished in time? Probably not. He'd have to set up a nursery in the main building until the house was finished. Also, where would Serena live now? She'd probably move into the main building. What was his mother going to think of all this? It wasn't technically his fault! Would she be mad at him?!
Ash felt like he might pass out and he took a few slow breaths to steady himself. "It's okay Serena," he said, more to reassure himself than her. "I'll make this work! I promise!" Summoning his strength and determination, he looked up at her. "No matter what it takes‑‑‑"
Ash stopped mid sentence as he saw Serena was staring back at him with a smug and conceited smile. He hesitated, not sure what to make of her expression. There was a long, pregnant pause and then Serena spoke in a low teasing voice.
"Gotcha back," she sang in a gloating tone.
Once again, it took several seconds for the words to fully sink in. When they did, Ash suddenly sagged as the weight of the world lifted off of him. He started to nervously chuckle. His emotions were such a mess that he was unable to do anything else.
After a moment, Serena started to giggle and then laugh. Ash sent her a playful glare and lightly punched her in the arm. Serena laughed even harder and a few tears started to flow from her eyes.
Ash took a breath and coughed to clear his throat. "So, you're not pregnant?" he asked.
Still giggling, Serena shook her head. "Nope," she replied.
Ash sighed in relief and shook his head in amusement. He sent Serena a sidelong glance. "You're terrible," he muttered.
Serena laughed again and then leaned over so she could hug Ash. "I love you too," she said sweetly.
Ash giggled and wrapped an arm around Serena. The two of them spent a minute giggling and letting their emotions calm down. Eventually, Serena sighed and looked over at the clock on Ash's nightstand.
"Ugh, it's still the middle of the night. I need to try and get back to bed," she said in an unhappy tone.
Ash looked at the clock and nodded. "Yeah, me too," he replied.
Serena gave him a small peck on the cheek and then stood up. She smiled warmly at him and then started to walk toward the door. A thought suddenly entered Ash's mind. Maybe now he could finally get an answer to the question that had haunted him since Unova.
"Hey, Serena," he began.
Serena turned around to face him and hummed happily.
Ash considered his words for a moment. "So, what did happen while I was asleep in Unova?"
Serena's eyes widened and a smile of pure enjoyment spread across her face. She grinned for a moment and then spoke in a teasing girlish tone.
"You'll never know!" she said confidently.
Ash felt both helpless and intrigued. He tried to come up with a reply but Serena giggled and zipped out the door without another word.
Ash sighed and slumped on the bed. It had been quite the night. Both of them had gotten the other pretty good. But he still wondered. What had Serena done to him while he'd been asleep!? Would he ever know?!