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9
The glass is cold against Ash's cheek and nose as he presses against the window. "Awww," he moans loudly, "There is still no snow!" Daisy giggles at him from where she is playing a game of Pokemon Cards with Gary.
"Get off the window, Ash, it never snows in Pallet Town," Gary commands. Ash sticks his tongue out at Gary.
"Pallet Town is close to the equator, boys, so it rarely gets cold enough for snow," Daisy says absently. She puts down a card and wins the round with a smile. Gary shouts with dismay and collapses to the ground with a moan. His complaints that he always beats Ash are muffled by Delia's sudden shout from the kitchen.
"Ash Ketchum, are you smudging my window!?" She calls. She steps out of the kitchen door with a wave of heat and sets a large serving pan on one of the empty restaurant tables. "You can go ahead and wipe down all the windows while you clean that up," she commands. A humanoid pokemon follows her with several Christmas meals carefully balanced on an invisible platter. The Mr. Mime sets the food down and pulls out a rag and spray bottle to hand to Ash.
"Sorry, Mom," Ash says begrudgingly. "Thanks, Mimey." Gary snickers at Ash wiping the window and Ash tosses the rag at Gary's face.
"Ash!" Delia interrupts as Gary moves to tackle Ash and start play wrestling, "The Oaks are our guests for Christmas, and I expect you to treat them that way." Gary has his back to Delia so she can't see his face, so he uses the chance to stick out his tongue at Ash. Daisy has snuck behind Delia to start help packing the different boxes of Christmas meals that Delia sells this time of year.
Professor Oak looks up distractedly from where he is reading a research paper. "Oh, yes," he says, "Thank you so much for inviting us to celebrate Christmas together again, Delia." Delia politely demures.
Ash checks the height of the winter sun through the window. It's not even noon. "I can make the deliveries for you, Mom!" Ash says, "I'm nine now!" He puts his fists on his hips and stands up straight to show her how big he is.
Delia purses her lips around a laugh. "You're a big boy now?" She asks. "Are you sure you can handle all these deliveries?"
Gary jumps up with a scowl. "Ash is a baby," he says, "I can deliver more than he can!" Ash takes predictable affront.
"I can deliver them all without spilling or anything! You'd just make a mess!"
Delia finishes preparing the last carefully wrapped foil platter. "You boys can both help with the deliveries," she said, "and help each other. Remember, Santa is watching."
Ash and Gary gave each other challenging glares for a pouty second. Then their expressions melted away in shared determination as they sidled up in front of Delia, shoulder to shoulder, with matching smiles sweet enough to belong to a gingerbread man.
10
Goldenrod City sparkles with a thousand lights brought down to earth. Ash leans against balcony railings and stares across the city, because it doesn't matter if he is home in Pallet Town or far away in Johto. Ash will always reach out to catch the stars. His friends are laughing and shouting as they hang decorations and prep tables, and he imagines he can hear the cries of his pokemon exploring the slush ridden streets below him. Everything is going to be perfect for Christmas, even if Ash won't have his Mother's cooking or Mimey's cookies or Professor Oak's limited edition posters or Daisy's knitting or Gary's stupid judgemental face.
It took a month of planning and begging to get Brock and Misty to agree to Ash's plan, but together all three were just barely able to afford to rent the rooftop for the night.
Ash jumps in surprise and slips on the icy concrete of the roof. There is a shout and a crash behind him, and when he turns he can't believe his eyes. Team Rocket are dragging a raggedy pine tree up the fire escape that is the size of a snorlax. The trio are trying to turn over a new leaf for Christmas, and Ash knows he shouldn't give them another chance. He wants to believe that Christmas miracles could be real. 'Tis the season of forgiveness, and all.
"Ash," calls Misty from the buffet table Brock somehow set up. "Come on! We need to finish setting everything up before the Pokemon get back!"
Ash grins and runs forward. "Yeah!" He shouts. "Watch out world. I'm gonna be a Pokemon Master and a Christmas Master!"
11
Norman's Pokemon Gym is a carefully maintained and lush tropical forest. Broad leaves dip with the weight of warm water droplets, and the air is filled with the loud calls of primates. Ash watches Norman's carefully trained Gym Pokemon run and play through the habitat with the same love of the mysterious creatures he had when he first saw a Pidgey fly out of the grass. White fur ruffles and powerful arms swing as a set of Norman's energetic Vigoroth play tag through the Nanab Berry trees. They run over a branch with perfect balance as the limb bounces with their weight, and the Slakoth sleepily hanging upside on the branch falls off as their long claws slip. Ash shouts and jolts, but before he can jump forward the small Pokemon has caught itself on a neighboring branch and swung to a safer branch in a burst of movement. Ash laughs in joy even as the large Slaking guarding over the entire troop yawns and scratches its large, muscled torso.
Ash remembers the troop of Mankey and Primape that roam in Professor Oak's research park. Those monkey Pokemon were constantly competing for a position in their troop, but would fly into a collective rage if they felt like a single member was threatened. The park is full of green grassland and scattered groups of trees where different Pokemon will gather. Everything in Hoenn is different and new, even though it still has the Pokemon and Adventure that Ash loves.
Even Christmas is different but the same. A whole new Holiday, with the same meaning and feeling that makes Ash feel like he has been powered by a hundred Pikachu batteries.
Ash brushes the leaves and twigs off his borrowed 'nice clothes', and tries to clap the wet dirt off his hands. He runs towards the door of the habitat. He still has the whole week to enjoy on his way to become a Pokemon Master.
12
Being home for Christmas is like an egg fresh from a Chansey. Ash feels brand new and full of energy. The world is exactly the way it should be, with brisk winds to wake him up as he visits the many Pokemon he has sent to live on Professor Oak's ranch. Professor Oak is happy to give Ash a never ending list of chores and work that needs to be done for the Pokemon and use his assistant Tracy for other science-y things. His mother gives Ash a brisk understanding hug and then shuffles Ash into Mimey's care. The restaurant gets more and more busy every year.
On Christmas Day Ash sits at the group of tables he and Gary pushed together in the center of Delia's Diner. His mom sits at the head of the new center table, and Professor Oak sits across from her at the other end. When Ash was younger he could barely see everyone's faces past all the food and the presents carefully organized at each person's spot. Now he is big enough to reach the food and serve himself. He has traveled the world, and he still knows who he is and what he wants. Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town will become a Pokemon Master. Failures and losses are just a part of that.
Ash watches Gary open his presents. Gary getting attention doesn't make Ash burn with the desire to say or do something bigger and better. Or maybe he is just better at controlling that desire. Ash wonders if he is maturing or if he just doesn't consider Gary a real rival anymore. Gary exclaims over an old prototype Pokedex from Professor Oak, and gets distracted talking about how his research on Pokemon Evolution has gone. They've chosen to travel different paths in life. As usual, Gary races towards success with all the speed of an Arcanine. Ash continues to fail at battle after battle, league tournament after league cup, impossible wall after unfair legendary Pokemon. He is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. Just like the Dodrio will crow every morning, Ash Ketchum will continue to chase his dream. What is important is the friends he makes and the path he chooses.
13
Ash sits at the front of the audience with Bonnie and Clement and cheers as loudly as he can. Serena is on stage with her Pokemon, and they are all wearing matching Christmas costumes. The Pokemon Musical is joyful and festive and exciting.
Clement ducks Ash's waving hands with a laugh and fixes the Santa hat perched on his head. Bonnie has a matching headband with fake elf ears. Ash stuck a Stantler antler headband on his head to match them, and the selfie they took together with Serena outside the Concert Hall is one of his favorite pictures.
At the Pokemon Center his friends have piled together all the presents they have for each other. Clement made a special wrapping machine for everyone to share that is so cool, and Ash's presents have never looked so pretty. He even used it for the presents he mailed, with a special card explaining how amazing Clement is.
Bonnie has been trying extra hard to get Clement a Christmas date, so Ash and Serena have been trying extra hard to distract her. It has been so fun to take a break from the adrenaline of battles and just play in the snow like a kid again. Clement keeps whispering heartfelt "Thank you"s with stars in his eyes that leave Ash and Serena breathless and blushing. Then Pikachu gets one of the boys in the face with a snowball, and everything turns into a great big snowball fight until they are so tired they collapse inside the nearest shelter for Serena's Secret Recipe Hot Chocolate.
Serena's performance finishes with a bang of confetti and tinsel and the smell of cinnamon chocolate. Ash yells so loudly for her he feels his throat go sore.
He loves Christmas. He loves his friends.
14
Ash bounces from foot to foot. The bright Alola sun feels like the heat from an oven, and Ash's hat feels hot to the touch. The salty breeze ruffles his hair. He is so excited.
Ash squints against light. Any second he will see the plane coming toward the landing strip. His mother, Delia, and Mimey are spending Christmas in Alola with Ash. He is so excited.
Ash will bring Delia home to cook a fantastic Christmas feast with Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet. They can sit together and share stories and presents. Ash can run packages of his mother's cooking to share with his friends. He is so excited. Mallow will probably want to cook with Delia. They can visit the restaurant together before Christmas Day and crowd around a booth.
Ash can't wait to show Delia all the best beach spots with Lana. This is supposed to be his Mom's vacation. He is so excited. He can bring Lillie along. She always keeps things calm. Mimey is the nicest, sweetest Pokemon. He is sure to get along great with Lillie. If Ash gets distracted by an adventure with Lana, Delia can go shopping with Lillie.
Sophocles already agreed to help Ash with an amazing present for his mom. Sophocles and Rotom-Dex will make the best vacation video for Delia. They won't miss a single moment. They can even record Ash's battle with Kiawe. He will show his mom how much he has been learning. He is so excited! Ash hears the roar of a plane engine and sees shiny metal bloom in the sky as Delia's plane approaches. He should invite Kiawe's family to eat with his mom and the Professors. He should throw a whole Christmas Party for everyone at the school and their families!
15
Stars light up the sky like twinkling ornaments. They combine with the bright lights of Vermillion City to shine through the floor to ceiling windows of the Ichinose Family apartment. Ash stirs shiny curry in a china bowl with a silver spoon, and smiles brightly up at Goh. His friend flushes around a spoonful of warm spicy curry.
"Thank you again, Ash," he says, "I was so worried when I realized I lost the present. I hope this didn't ruin your Christmas."
"I love spending Christmas with you," Ash says easily. He takes a big bite of his curry and gives Grandma Ichinose a thumbs up in appreciation. The star shaped slices of carrot dance through the bowl with the motion of Ash's spoon, and he loses himself to the easy joy of eating food made with love. Christmas is meant to be spent with friends, and family, and loved ones.