Chapter 1: Love Sucks
(Kanto Region, circa 1500)
Ash Ketchum sat in his room, taking deep breaths to try and calm his nerves. In just under an hour, he would be facing the most important event of his life. His companion Pikachu sat next to him, trying to keep him focused.
"Pika Pi?"
"Sorry pal, I'm just nervous. But when I see her coming down the aisle in that beautiful dress…"
"Why wait? Why not take a look right now?"
Ash looked up to see the most beautiful woman in the world (at least in his mind) standing before him, her honey blonde hair done up in a bun covered by a veil.
"Serena? What are you doing here?"
"What? I can't drop in on my husband to be?"
"No, but it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding day."
Serena rolled her eyes as she sat down next on his lap and pulled him into a hug.
"You seriously believe in that superstition?"
"Hey, you're the one marrying a vampire!"
Serena laughed, and kissed him.
"And I wouldn't take you any other way."
Ash smiled, his fangs glistening in the moonlight.
Yes, Ash Kethcum was a Vampire. A prince, to be exact, soon to take up the throne of the monster world. But despite what one might at first believe, Ash was not a terrible blood-sucking beast. While he did need blood to survive, he wasn't preying on the weak and helpless. Instead, he sought to barter with other tribes, offering protection for the occasional offering of blood. Never would he drain someone dead, unless they wish to become a vampire themselves, as was the case with Serena.
Ash smiled, staring into the beautiful blue eyes of his lover. Being a vampire made it difficult to find love. Aside from only being awake when most would be asleep, most would flee the second they saw his fangs, or call him a demon and try to stake him through the heart. Not Serena, though.
Oh sure, she was afraid at first, but given her own unique situation she had no place to judge. She was a witch, sentenced to death for "worshipping Giratina" and taming "savage beasts" to do her bidding. Only one of those were remotely true, but one could hardly consider her Sylveon a mindless beast. But like vampires and witches, Pokemon were both feared and hated by normal townspeople, which may be why Ash and Serena bonded so closely with their partners.
Ash had found her tied to a stake in the woods, left to be eaten by Pokemon and any other monster that may come across her. Once she had stopped freaking out long enough to realize he had freed her, Serena followed him back to his castle, where he offered to let her stay for the night. That night turned into a week, then a month, until they fell in love, their partners following suit. And now they were an hour away from eternal love.
Serena looked into Ash's eyes, before laughing.
"What?"
"I'm sorry, its just…this is what you're going to get married in? You're a mess!"
Pikachu fell off the bed laughing. Ash huffed, turning his head away to try and hide his blush.
"Well, you try getting ready for the most important day of your life when you don't have a reflection!"
Serena rolled her eyes and began fussing about.
"Oh, I'm just teasing! Here, let me help you out…"
After a few minutes of straightening out his suit, she nodded in approval.
"There! Now you're fit to be seen."
Ash shook his head, but pulled her in for a kiss.
"What would I do without you?"
"Well, it's a good thing you won't have to find out!"
Before they could continue, someone knocked on the door, and a tanned man with black spiky hair entered.
"Thirty minutes left till we begin. Ash, we need to get you to the altar. Serena, Shauna and Miette insisted on getting you ready."
Ash nodded, reluctantly letting go of his bride to be and heading towards the door.
"Thanks, Brock. Until then, my love."
"Until then."
A half hour later, and everything was set. The moon was high in the sky, casting a beautiful beam of light into the castle's main hall. Candles lined the interior, giving the room a fittingly spooky atmosphere.
Ash stood at the altar, waiting impatiently for it to begin. Brock, his best man, placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him.
"Nervous pal?"
"Like you wouldn't believe."
Brock nodded in understanding.
"I know the feeling. It's exactly how I felt when I married Lucy."
"How'd you manage?"
"I just told myself that today is the beginning of the rest of my life."
He then chuckled, reminiscing fondly.
"Of course, my case was a bit more literal, since I was the one being turned, but…"
Ash smiled, and laughed.
"Thanks, pal."
"Pika!" Pikachu smiled, patting Ash on the leg. Delila smiled at her son.
"I'm proud of you, sweetie."
"Thanks, mom."
Just then, the funeral march began to play, and the doors swung open. There stood Serena, radiating beauty as Oak led her down the aisle, her Sylveon gracefully following behind. It was only a minute until she and Ash were holding hands, but to him it felt like an eternity.
"Nervous?" Serena asked him.
"Only because I don't know what I did to deserve you."
Serena smiled.
"Same."
Delila began her speech, but the two barely paid attention, their eyes focused solely on each other and their love. At last, the all so important questions came.
"Ash, do you take Serena to be your wife, for all eternity?"
"I do?"
"And Serena, do you take Ash to be your husband, for all eternity?"
"I do."
"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now bite the bride."
Serena smiled, pushing aside her veil and exposing her neck. Ash smiled, cradling her in his arms as he bent down to claim her…
Only for the wall behind them to explode, sending bricks and wood everywhere as everyone ducked, Ash shielding Serena with his body. The pain was intense, but better he take the brunt of it than her.
"What's going on?"
Looking up, Ash saw a swarm of bloodthirsty villagers waiting to invade.
"An attack."
"Kill the demons! Lord Arceus's will must be upheld!"
Rolling his eyes, Ash turned to his guards, only to find them charging in to defend the castle. Picking up a sword, Ash ran to join them.
"Serena, stay back! Pikachu, Sylveon, can I count on you?"
"Pika!"
"Veon!"
"Be careful!"
Ash nodded, before running into the fray, slashing and cutting into any attacker who dared to try and ruin this important night for him. He wasn't a violent man ordinarily, but he'd sooner be damned to the distortion world than let his friends put their lives on the line while he sat back.
"Back, foul demon! Back to the hell from which you came!" A village shrieked, only to be cut down by Ash's sword.
"Shut up," he snarled as the life left their eyes. Ash wasn't proud of himself, but he knelt down and helped himself to some of their blood. He did, after all, need to keep his strength up.
No sooner had he done so did he hear the telltale sound of a crossbow bolt flying overhead, missing him by inches. Turning around, he found an attacker cursing their luck, and trying to prepare another round. Not willing to let him do so, Ash closed the distance, sinking his teeth into the man's neck and draining him dry, the man's screams echoing into the night. Realizing their attack was pointless, the remaining attackers fled, allowing Ash to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Phew. Now we can-"
"Ash."
Ash turned, and gasped. Serena was on the ground, the bolt meant for him sticking out of her chest, her snow white dress quickly staining with blood.
"No. No, no, no, no!"
Immediately, Ash ran over to her, scooping her into his arms.
"We can pull it out, we can stop the bleeding! Medic, quick!"
But Serena shook her head.
"It's too late. Poison."
Ash cursed in his head. Poison, one of the few things that could kill him.
"If I hadn't been crouching down, I-"
"Ash, stop. It was a freak accident, don't blame yourself."
Ash felt his tears welling up, pulling Serena close.
"This isn't how this was supposed to go. We were supposed to get married, start a family! Together forever."
"We will, one day. I'll reincarnate, and we'll be together again."
"How can you be sure?"
Serena took the ribbon out of her hair, and broke it in two, pouring some magic into it before handing one half to Ash.
"Bury me with one half, and my reincarnation will have the other. When they connect again, my memories will be restored."
Ash nodded, and grasped her hand.
"I love you. I love you so much…"
"I…I love you too…"
With that, Serena closed her eyes, never to open them again as Ash wept.
The next night, Serena's funeral was held. Ash was the main pailbearer, gently laying his love's casket into the ground, along with a smaller one, Pikachu watching sadly as his love was buried was Serena's familiar, and as such her life force was tied to hers. With Serena gone, Sylveon passed away the next morning in his arms, promising to reincarnate as well. Ash knelt down, and hugged his partner.
"I know pal, but we'll see them again someday. And when that time comes, we won't have to say goodbye again."
Pikachu nodded, hugging Ash tightly as he silently cried, the two mourning their lost love as Ash got up to speak.
"Serena may not have been one of us, but I know she touched your hearts just as much as she had mine. She had so much love in her heart, and I don't know how I'll recover. But one day she'll return, and until she does I shall remain vigilant."
The crowd quietly dispersed, but Ash turned to look back at the graves one more time.
"I love you, Serena. Until we meet again."