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Today was the day that Ash had returned to Pallet Town, from his journey in the Kalos region.
It was a tradition that repeated roughly every year or so; word would spread around town that Ash was on a flight or a boat ride home after competing in the latest league. Whether victorious or not; usually not, as his first win had been at home; he was returning to his stomping grounds, after many months on the road, with a new band of friends, and a new band of partners who conjured rumors and intrigue, back at the ranch.
There was always excitement over the new blood they'd be bringing into their ranks, and what they might be like. Gossip, if some had returned already, or if Ash had let something slip during his calls with Delia, or Tracey, or Professor Oak. There would be bets over what the old roster would find, or they'd vy for dibs on who got to challenge who first. Last time around, it'd been rather sensational; Ash had caught a legendary Pokémon, and a mythical one, apparently.
This time, there were whispers of a heroic Greninja who could fuse with Ash, or something. Whatever the hell that meant. 'Something, something, they'd saved the world.' That didn't really mean much to Ash's Pokémon, at face value. They'd all been there and done that.
No, all of that buzz and hub-ub would find its context later, after they'd had the chance to ask questions. For now, everyone was just excited to see their beloved trainer, back from another wild adventure, with stories to tell, and hugs to give. Especially hugs to give. He didn't dare think that he'd walk away from the Laboratory without being crushed, trampled, burnt, frozen, bitten.
It was halfway a roster-wide tradition. One particular Pokémon, though, excelled at her hugs. Meganium, better known as Juliet, these days, had made knocking Ash to the ground in a smorgasbord of affection her trademark. Now, unlike say, the Tauros, it'd had intention.
Juliet had loved Ash. From the day they'd met, he'd been the apple of her eye, and frankly, he'd never really spurred her advances — unless they were in the middle of a battle, which was fine. She wasn't the least bit shy about flattening him with her Body Slam, after he'd grown used to it.
Granted, she'd also had to nurse her feelings in the aftermath of her implicit rejection. Ash had found affection in one of his human traveling companions; that girl from Sinnoh, named Dawn. Juliet had wanted to hate her. Were she a few years younger, she definitely would have. But at her age, she just couldn't find it in her. Dawn had been kind to her, when they'd met, mere weeks before she and Ash confessed to each other, apparently. She'd shown no jealousy in the slightest when she'd tackled him, back in Celadon City. So, it felt petty and wrong to hate her.
Juliet had resigned to crying her pain away by the time she spoke to Ash next. And, she had. They'd had something of a bittersweet conversation about it, and he'd even acknowledged her love for him. She wasn't sure what he'd planned on saying, but she'd cut him off.
Digging into that wound might've hurt, and she didn't want to make him feel guilty. She accepted Dawn, and made some throwaway joke offering herself if that didn't work out. She didn't expect anything to come of it. Having Ash as a loving and talented trainer would be enough for her.
She did still tackle Ash to the ground when he returned in that vaguely square-ish orange-red hat he'd worn to Kalos, and that blue and white vest that looked a bit small on him. She did nuzzle his face and welcome him jovially. It wasn't an affront to his boundaries. It was tradition.
She'd taken her one moment among the crowd of other Pokémon; most of them smaller than her and less bulky, which worked to her advantage; to do what they did, because they were friends. The way he smiled still made her feel like she had her role in his party, even platonically.
That was what she told herself, anyway. It was impossible not to let it set her mind abuzz when Ash broke the routine, and flicked his dark chocolate hues about, checking to see if anyone was listening too closely. Juliet tilted her head. Did he mean to ask for a rescue from the crowd?
No, that didn't come. Instead, he'd whispered something in her ear.
"I wanna have a talk just with you, later, okay? Meet me 'round sundown. In the grove past the pond."
Dumbfounded and disoriented, Juliet had nodded, and plastered on a happy-go-lucky smile, to say "Sure thing, Champ! I'll meet you there, on the dot and on the double!"
He'd smiled at that in such a way… It wasn't a calm, satisfied smile he'd put on when he was being straightforward. No, it was that coy look of intention he got, when he was scheming something. Juliet knew him far too well not to recognize it. He'd failed to hide a grin with her, averting his eyes when she'd stared too hard. There was something behind those eyes.
The day had gone on. They'd greeted Talonflame, Hawlucha, and Noivern; a strange measly band of three off a region's journey. She liked them. Hawlucha was apparently a Champion in the ring. Typhlosion had nominated Juliet and he to square off; the idea was quickly nominated as a popular one, beyond those looking to get first blood, like Floatzel. Juliet was excited, and she did agree to it, vaguely promising that they would throw their weights around soon.
But, Ash had gone home, because he was understandably exhausted from a flight that eclipsed half a day. Sitting still in a cramped space that long sounded agonizing, and Juliet respected his time. But, even as she frolicked and socialized, she was never fully in it. How could she be?
Well, she could be reasonable and mature, and temper her own expectations. What was she supposed to hope for, really? Ash was taken. Which, to humans and some other species, apparently meant something. She liked Dawn, and even if she didn't, she cared about Ash. Hoping he'd spill tears just to give her a shot felt crude and gross. She couldn't celebrate that.
There was also the more likely possibility that he had something innocuous to tell her; maybe a new strategy he'd thought of concerning her, or a new move he wanted to teach her. Both of those would be nice, certainly — a welcome distraction from her dwelling!
But, it wouldn't explain why he asked to see her alone.
For the sixtieth time, maybe, Juliet had shook her head and disciplined herself for yearning. There was only one way to quell her thoughts, and that was to just sleep in the grove Ash had asked her to meet him at. Nestled in the privacy of some dense shrubbery, she napped soundly. The scents of freshly-growing Oran Berries eased her senses and calmed her nerves, and the cool shade did its part to ease her into a state of rest. Grass-types were invigorated by the sun. Juliet didn't need any extra energy, at the moment. She curled up, and enjoyed the cool solace.
The next thing Juliet felt was a tender hand grazing over her neck. It was a touch she involuntarily leaned into and trilled, before she started to come to. She blinked sleepily, not quite with it, right away. The pinks and oranges making it through the grove told her it was sunset.
"Wake up, sleepyhead." Ash's voice sounded, indulgently low and sweet as honey. She could hear the smile in his voice, and smiled too, shaking her head out to wake herself up. Ash was crouched beside her, chuckling at what he'd found. "You nod off waiting here, just for me?"
He'd come in the same pants he'd worn overseas, but left the jacket behind for just a black and white patterned t-shirt. He'd abandoned his hat and gloves; a sure sign that he was out of traveling mode and content to relax for a bit. That was reassuring. He'd left for Kalos so quickly.
The way he was talking was a little unfair. It was like something out of a fairy tale.
"Well, I was so excited to see what the big surprise was, that I thought I'd nap until it comes," she joked. Or, at least she meant it to come off like one. "I'm too curious for my own good!"
Ash ran a hand along the back of her head, smiling at her words; a bittersweet one, with his brows turned up. That had to be pity, right? "Well, nap no longer, Juliet, 'cause I made it! Sorry, heh. Kalos did a number on me, even before the plane ride. Otherwise, I could've come sooner."
"I can imagine! I heard you saved the world, again," Juliet tutted.
"Uh-huh. I also slept for like, two days after we were done," Ash laughed, leaning back to sit in the grass, resting his weight on his hands. "That was exhausting."
She frowned. "We need to get a handle on whatever's getting you into so much trouble… Oh, and I heard you won the League! Congratulations; that's your second one, now!"
Ash brushed his index finger over his nose. "Aha, thanks, I…!" He paused, suddenly looking more serious. "Listen, Juliet. I'd love to do small talk later, but I came here for a reason."
The Meganium stayed seated with her arms and legs tucked in, but held her head upright, listening intently. She got the message, and didn't dare interrupt. Her curiosity demanded it.
"...Do you remember that conversation we had, before the Indigo League Conference?" Ash asked, rubbing his arm. "About how, y'know, you'd be around if I was available, again?"
Juliet tilted her head, then gasped. "You don't mean…! Ash, I said if things didn't work out!" She hopped up on all fours, and jostled Ash by his collar with her vines. "You didn't break up with Dawn, did you!? You better get back to her right now, and sort this out!"
Her cries were tearful and forceful, as her instincts clashed. Inevitable success at their expense? Evidently, her better nature had won over, as she shook the poor man.
"Juliet! Easy! Easy! Take it… down.. a notch!" Ash protested. He took hold of her vines, surprisingly stopping her from stirring him like a milkshake any further. "We didn't break up."
Relief and disappointment sobered the Grass-type all at once. She stopped shaking him, but hadn't quite let go, either. "...Okay. That's, good. You two seemed so happy together." Her words burned on the way out, like biting into a tamato berry whole. But, she meant them.
"We were, and we are," Ash said. "It's… actually complicated. And I'm not sure how to explain it. But, I don't want to beat around the bush." His thumbs firmly, but gently held the bud ends of her vines. "Dawn and I are still a thing; good as ever. It's a whole story, but this is the root of it."
Juliet felt the nerve bundles in her vines tingle like electricity, from their buds to their ends, and all the way up her spine. The way he met her gaze, now, had her enveloped, as if he'd used Whirlpool. Much like a Whirlpool, it felt dangerous. Her buried affections were being torn out of the earth; the muddy barrier between them and Ash washed away as if it were nothing.
"Dawn visited us while we were in Kalos. We got around to talking about you, and well, everything that went on between us. She… told me I should go for you, too."
Juliet blinked slowly. "...Pardon?" She couldn't be hearing that right, surely?
"I'm serious!" Ash insisted, leaning forward with furrowed brows and a steely gaze. He quickly became sheepish, though, looking off anxiously. "I mean, if that's even okay with you. Or, if you still feel the same way, hah. Sorry, that sounds really arrogant, huh? It was just all I could thi-"
Juliet tackled Ash into the grass before he could finish his rambling. There was no room for anxious words and hastily filled silence. He only had room for the upwards of 200 lbs eclipsing and pinning him to the ground. His lips were occupied by Juliet, denied any more prostrations or apologies. She tilted her head to meld their mismatched mouths, unable to ignore her heart jumping into her throat. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks.
Ash leaned into her, tilting his head for several more pecks. Stubborn and unyielding, as if he'd been waiting for this as long as she had.
They didn't stop kissing, and she didn't stop crying. Not until both of them felt their lungs were about to burst. She felt Ash's shoe tapping her side, as if to cry 'uncle,' and she pulled back.
"Ah… sorry… breathe…" He gasped out, short of breath and red in the face. It wasn't even a proper sentence. His eyes were half-lidded, staring up at his Meganium as if she were the most beautiful, radiant thing in the world. Right now, she was. "...You taste nice."
She couldn't think of something clever to say, back. All Juliet could do was stare down at Ash and sniffle, still spilling tears practically by the gallon. Her cheeks were puffed out and tinted red, her noble, rounded gold eyes trembled, and her lip quivered. She was beside herself. Her heart raced so rapidly that it hurt. Words were beyond her.
Ash seemed to piece that together. His face screwed up with guilt, and he reached to tenderly stroke her cheek. "...You never did stop, did ya?"
She shook her head, flinging tears this way and that. "Not once."
He threw himself up at her to the small extent he was able, wrapping his arms around her broad neck in an embrace. "I'm so sorry, girl… I feel awful. All that waiting…"
"Don't." She sniffled, and laid further into him. Were Ash not superhuman, she might have crushed him, then and there. But he'd long since adapted to her Body Slams. "I don't need apologies. I'm…" Her breath hitched again. "I'm happy. So, so happy. And I want to be happy."
She nuzzled her forehead against his. "I want this to be happy."
"...Okay." Ash resigned, though he didn't sound entirely convinced. He nuzzled her, and then leaned his face into her neck. "...Can I at least give ya an explanation? I kind of owe you."
Juliet trilled, indulging in the fire in her belly she'd nursed and then ignored for years on end. She felt like she might explode. "Okay. But only if we keep hugging and kissing."
Ash laughed under her, however strained from her compressing his chest. "Deal." He squirmed a little under her, and leaned up to leave kisses along the corners of her mouth, all while affectionately running his hand along the back of her head. "This good for you?"
"Very!" She chirped, blinking away the last of her tears. She was sure they'd start again, though. "I feel like this is going to be a long story. So, I'm expecting a lot."
"It is!" Ash laughed. He seemed to be lifting into better spirits, which made her happier, too. "Right, so… I guess the easiest thing would be to start from the beginning, huh?"
Juliet craned her neck back to steal another kiss from Ash. "The beginning, meaning…?"
"The beginning, meaning us, 'Miss Kisses her Trainer on the Cheek, Day One.'"
"Was that wrong? It got your attention," she rebutted. "...Eventually."
"Nah. I like my gals and guys straightforward," he chuckled. "It was only 'eventually' 'cause I was a stupid twelve-year-old. I really didn't think anything about it until that fight we had."
"...Oh, right. That day."
That day had been a whirlwind of strong feelings; good and bad. Mostly bad, at first.
"...Listen. I just want you to know. Everything that happened that day, I meant it. It was weird. I, like, knew that you wanted me, and I wanted you back. I didn't even think twice about it." Ash nestled into Juliet's neck, gently running his hand along the other side of it. "I don't want you to think that I was blowing you off, there."
"...Hm? Of course you knew it." Juliet leaned back, tilting her head. "Ash, we were in love. You say that like you ever didn't know about it." Her brow furrowed. "I'm lost, here."
Ash stared up at her, blinking. Then he took a deep breath, exasperated. "Oookay. I've got something to explain to you. So, you remember when I left home for Hoenn, right?"
Juliet nodded.
"So, here's the thing. When I was in Hoenn and Sinnoh, I started acting weird. When it came to love, and kissing, and dating, and all of that fun stuff, I just totally shut down. I memory holed it. Like I didn't even know it existed."
The Grass-type's brows furrowed. "...How?"
"I don't know! I just, pretended at first, really," he shrugged. "Faked it until I made it, and it just wasn't on my mind, even when people were talking about it. It got real bad. Even Dawn got annoyed with it at one point, looking back."
"If she were after you, I'd imagine!" The Meganium giggled.
"No, that's the thing. She was just as dumb about that stuff," he laughed. "But me? Well… It wasn't actually being dumb. I was doing it on purpose. And I eventually figured out why."
Ash clung to his Pokémon again, wrapping his arms tightly around her wide torso. "Once we left Johto, something was missing. Misty was missing… you were missing." He hid his head in her fragrant pink flower petals, embarrassed. "I got pretty mopey."
Juliet sat up somewhat, staring down at him, wide-eyed. "...No."
"Yes!" He gestured outward. "I missed tradin' barbs with her, every day. Every time I let out my Pokémon, I was waiting for you to come and tackle me! And it just… didn't come. I remembered I left you and the others at home, and it just, wasn't fun to think about, anymore."
"...Are you saying you threw a tantrum because you missed me?" Juliet asked, incredulous. She even gestured a vine towards herself, as if it were a hand.
"Oh, yeah. I was actually a complete bitch for a while," Ash laughed. "Ask May, Max, or Brock. I was acting out, left and right. I was moody, and just… didn't wanna think about love. About missing you, or Misty, or anything! So, I didn't. I sat my ass down and plugged my ears."
Juliet had started to sniffle again. "You… you dummy. You could've just called Professor Oak and transferred me over! I would've been there for a Body Slam before you could blink!"
"Okay, you've met stupid twelve-year-old," Ash laughed. "Now meet stupid thirteen-year-old." He rolled his eyes, seemingly oblivious to her quivering lip. "How about that? You won the Heartbreaker Badge."
She fought choking sobs again, and only then did Ash realize he'd made her cry. Again. "I… I… I don't wanna be a heartbreaker!" She threw her weight down on Ash all at once, knocking the wind out of him. "Who needs that badge!? I don't want to hurt you, ever!"
"Ack… I…!" Ash choked from beneath her. He grit his teeth, and clutched her sides. With the strength of a Machamp, he hoisted her weight up. "I don't wanna hurt you, either!" He buried his face in her neck. "We can call it even stevens!"
"Well, I don't want to hurt you!" She forcefully used Body Slam, pinning Ash back down. It left her free to pace back and see eye-to-eye, peppering his face with kisses. "So, there!"
"Aha-ha…! Yeah…?" He laughed, squirming under her, ticklish. "Well, I… don't wanna hurt you!" With another grunt of effort, Ash hoisted Juliet's entire body up, and flipped her on her back.
The ground shook with a 'thud.' Before Juliet knew it, she was laying in the grass, looking up at Ash, who smiled down at her triumphantly, hands pinning her chest down. He was victorious.
She smiled, eyes half-lidded. She was too happy with this to care. "Well, at the very least, it looks like you're beyond that, now… Good." She huffed pridefully, satisfied. "But, that begs the question. You clearly got over that, by the time that Dawn got to you. So, what happened?"
"Oh, that!" Ash blinked, holding his thumb to his chin. "Actually, it was Misty. I talked to her when we were comin' back through Kanto. I acted like a total dope, trying to impress her. All those feelings came back, and she called me out on it, hah. She told me she'd moved on."
"...Ouch," was all Juliet could think to say.
"Yeah. I mean, it was embarrassing, but I needed to hear it. It all clocked me, and I decided to leave that attitude behind. Then, I…" Ash's eyes widened. His face was suddenly burning.
Juliet squinted. "...What is it?"
"...That was before we had the Gym Battle with Erika. Aw, shit, why didn't I think of this, then!?" He slapped a palm to his forehead. "Aw, that's two years I could've… I'm so stupid!"
Juliet's vines wormed their way out of her pink flower, moving nimbly and gently to wrap around his hand, and gently pull it away from his face. They held him tenderly. "Ash… It's okay. As nice as that would've been," she giggled, "I knew you, during that time. You weren't ready for this."
Ash blinked dumbly, then conceded with a grunt. "...Yeah. I guess you're right. Now that I think about it, I remember Jimmy tellin' me him and Marina were open. That idea scared the hell out of me," he laughed.
"Well, there you go!" Juliet giggled. It felt nice to know that her belated love had been a product of circumstance, rather than anything gone wrong between her and Ash. "It's just bad timing."
"Hah, yeah." Ash smiled softly, and leaned back into her chest, nestling in. He was so warm. "...Actually, I guess that brings me to explaining Kalos to you. Talk about a great segue."
Juliet smiled. "I'm curious. Did Dawn just bring the idea up, out of the blue? Did you miss me that much~?"
He chuckled at her teasing, and left a kiss on the side of her neck as an apology. "It was a lil' more complicated than that, I'm afraid. So, there's this girl I was traveling with, named Serena."
"I think I've heard her name, once or twice!" Juliet recounted.
"Well, you're gonna hear a lot more," Ash said, laughter leaking into his voice. "So, here's the thing about Serena. She's really nice. Really driven. Really talented… And, she was really down bad for me, when we were traveling."
"Oh, I've heard this one before," Juliet shot back, smiling.
"Oh, cut it out!" Ash laughed, playfully shoving her. "Give me a break, here."
"Go on!"
"Right, so I was not ready to acknowledge that when we were on the road with our friends, Clemont and Bonnie. But then Dawn came along to visit, and… hoo, boy. The cork popped on that one, real quick."
Juliet gasped. "Was there a catfight!?"
"Not even! It just… all fizzled into this big mess. I felt awful, Serena felt awful… and, I guess that's where I admitted to myself that I liked her back. So, I had to tell her and Dawn about it."
"Well, I'm glad you're learning from your mistakes!"
"Oh, c'mon," Ash sulked.
"I'm not being mean!" She aggressively nuzzled him. "I'm serious. I don't want you or them getting hurt, if you don't have to."
"Well, thanks." Ash snorted. "Me too. And, that was how we ended up talking about. And, then we just… decided we'd all date. It was really as simple as that!"
"Well, I could've told you that."
"Well, you were the smart one."
Juliet tilted her chin up proudly. "And, how did that come to me, then?"
"Oh, yeah. Within like, the day we all went on a date, I had to ask them about you. We were real busy sorting that mess out, but once the air was clear… I couldn't stop thinking about you."
The Grass-type looked up at him in awe, eyes aglow. "You mean it…?"
Ash laughed. "I mean it! I just… felt so bad. More than that, I guess I just really wanted to tell you, and finally see the smile on your face when we cleared the air."
"Oh, you are SO SWEET!" Juliet gushed, tearfully locking lips with Ash, once more. He gave in faster than the first time, leaning into his reliable partner without a care in the world.
They carried on, until they'd had their fill. Ash leaned into Juliet, and she sighed happily.
"...You really thought about me, right away?"
"As soon as I realized what might be on the table? Right away."
"That makes me so, so happy."
"Hey, you deserve it. The gals were like, begging me to tell you, by the way."
"...Good. I think I like this Serena."
Ash snorted. "Remind you of yourself?"
"Yeah."
He laughed. "...Okay, can I clear the air on something?" Ash sat up, frowning. "I felt really weird telling you to use Return, back at the League."
Juliet was taken aback. Unable to quite hug him as she was, she gently wrapped her vines around Ash's midsection. "Did you? It wasn't even your idea, you know. It was Hadassah's."
The wily and strong-willed Lopunny had put that idea forward of her own volition, she recalled.
"I know. I wouldn't'a even suggested it on my own," Ash scoffed. "I felt like such a jerk. Using a move powered offa your love for me, you know? We were kicking Max's ass up and down the field, but honestly? All I wanted to do was give you a hug— ack!"
Juliet constricted the poor man in a tight hug with her vines, nuzzling her face into his. "Aww, you are the sweetest! Ash, I didn't know… I'm so sorry!" She tilted her head, smiling sadly. "You know… I actually wanted to use that move, if it makes you feel better."
"You did?" Ash blinked, sitting up about as much as he could while constricted. "Really?"
She nodded. "She told me it was a way to let my love and frustration out. That it was better than bottling it all, you know? Even if it hurt a little… I still loved you. I'm not hiding that part of me."
It was Ash's turn to sniffle and blubber, nuzzling into her. "Aw, you are the best! I don't know what I did to deserve ya, Jules."
"...Jules. I like that," she giggled, cheeks tinted red. "And you've done plenty. Although… Think about it! Now you can use Return anytime, now! Guilt-free~," she sing-songed. "And, who knows? I bet you it's stronger than ever now. Between the two of us, I bet it'll be unstoppable!"
"Aha, you're right!" Ash chuckled giddily. "Y'know, sooner or later, I'm gonna take a shot at the Champion's League, again. I'm thinkin' maybe next year. Give myself some time off, first." He leaned in to kiss her cheek a couple more times. She giggled and shifted around a little, making him smile wider. "Wanna give it a test run there and kick some ass?"
"You betcha!" She laughed. "I like fighting with you, Ash. I may be your girlfriend, but I'm still on this team! We've got work to do!"
"Well, good!" Ash grinned. "I know you've got plenty more fight in you… Oh! Speaking of that! I guess this kinda got lost in everything," he chuckled, nervously scratching his cheek. "It wasn't just Serena. There were a few more gals I've met… one guy. Couple of 'em were Pokémon."
"Wow! Look who's been busy," Juliet teased, nudging Ash's chin with her snout. "You must have lots of stories to share with me! So, don't think you're getting up, anytime soon~"
"Aha, hey, hey! I know! I won't be!" He laughed, shoving against her to give himself some breadth. "C'mon, that tickles! Okay, so you know that cool Greninja everyone's been—"
"Oh, I've heard nothing but about him, the past couple weeks. So, he's one of them?"
"Uh-huh! We went through this whole thing…"
"Isn't he the one who you, uh… merged with, or something? I was honestly a little jealous."
"Oh, come on! Why does everyone take it that way!?" Ash groaned, laying himself out on the Meganium's chest. He nestled his face comfortably into the fragrant flower around her neck. "Huh… I guess we did make a promise under the full moon, and everything…"
"Oh, that's so romantic! Sheesh, when are you going to take me on a moonlit date?"
"Well I can, now that you've asked!"
"Excuses, excuses~"
"Oh, I am so getting you! C'mere!" With raucous laughter, Ash sat up before tackling Juliet, resuming the play-wrestling they'd started, a short time ago. They rolled and laughed in their little hideaway grove, covering their hides and clothes in grass stains. They startled and undermined each other with peppered kisses, and playful words of affection. There was no grand romantic prose; no sonnets, or elegant settings, or well-thought-out declarations.
But, that was Ash, and that was Juliet. That brash innocence was them to a tee.
The tears that were spilled that night would nurture the soil, just as those pains renewed had tended to the seeds of their old, tentative and unspoken relationship; immature, and innocent in nature. They'd seen bitter winters, and painful droughts, but feelings long dormant endured. It was as the old gardener Haruno had said to Ash, on that fateful day, six years ago:
If you raise them with love, trees and flowering grow splendidly in response to those feelings.
The same is true for Pokémon.
Some bonus art of the last scene!