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Snow had started falling over the small Unova town sometime after sunset.
It wasn’t a heavy storm, just a soft, steady drift that dusted rooftops and the edges of the streetlights as festival lanterns glowed warmly across the plaza.
Ash barely noticed the cold.
“Pikachu, Thunderbolt!”
Pikachu leapt forward, electricity bursting around him as the attack streaked across the square.
“Pika-CHUUU!”
A loud explosion followed.
Smoke billowed across the festival stage.
And out of that smoke-
“BLASTING OFF AGAIN!”
Three familiar shapes shot into the sky.
The crowd cheered.
Ash laughed.
“Team Rocket never learns.”
Pikachu nodded proudly.
“Pika!”
The smoke cleared just as a familiar balloon drifted back down behind one of the festival stalls.
Ash blinked.
“…Wait.”
The balloon bounced once.
Then again.
And finally collapsed sideways.
Ash sighed.
“…Never mind.”
Sure enough. A moment later Jessie burst out from behind the stall.
Her hair was slightly singed.
Her coat was covered in snow.
And she looked furious.
“THAT was supposed to work!”
Meowth stumbled out behind her.
“I told ya the wiring looked suspicious!”
James poked his head out of the balloon basket upside down.
“I think the wiring looked explosive.”
Ash laughed.
“You tried to steal Pikachu again, didn’t you?”
Jessie spun toward him instantly.
“Don’t act so smug, twerp!”
Ash shrugged.
“You guys do the same thing every time!”
“And one of these days it’s gonna
work!”
Pikachu snorted.
“Pika.”
Jessie pointed dramatically.
“You just wait!”
Ash grinned.
“You’ve been saying that for years.”
James climbed down from the balloon basket.
“Well technically it hasn’t been years for every region-”
Jessie shoved him aside.
“Not helping!”
Ash crossed his arms.
“So what was the plan this time?”
Jessie tossed her hair.
“A flawless festival infiltration.”
Meowth gestured toward the wrecked balloon.
“Flawless until the explosion part.”
Jessie glared.
“Details!”
Ash looked around the decorated plaza.
Snow drifted through the lights strung across the buildings.
Music played somewhere down the street.
Families and trainers moved between food stalls and winter games.
“…You picked a weird place for a kidnapping scheme.”
Jessie scoffed.
“It was strategic!”
James nodded enthusiastically.
“Everyone is distracted by holiday cheer.”
Meowth added,
“And warm snacks.”
Jessie folded her arms.
“Exactly.”
Ash laughed.
“You guys are unbelievable.”
Jessie stepped closer.
“And you’re still standing there like
you’ve already won.”
Ash raised an eyebrow.
“…Because I did.”
Jessie’s eyes narrowed.
“You always say that.”
“Well it’s usually true.”
Pikachu giggled.
“Pika pika.”
Jessie took another step toward him.
“You’re awfully confident tonight.”
Ash shrugged.
“You guys didn’t even get close this time.”
Jessie pointed upward suddenly.
“Oh really?”
Ash blinked.
“…What?”
Jessie’s smirk slowly returned.
“You’re awfully confident for someone standing exactly where you are.”
Ash frowned.
“…Where I am?”
Jessie tilted her head slightly.
“You might wanna look up.”
Ash glanced upward.
Right above the small wooden archway
where they stood, hung a sprig of mistletoe.
Tied neatly with a bright red ribbon.
Ash blinked.
“…Oh.”
Pikachu followed his gaze.
“…Pika.”
Jessie crossed her arms with a satisfied grin.
“Well well.”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck.
“…That’s unfortunate.”
James gasped dramatically.
“The mistletoe!”
Meowth leaned closer.
“Ooooh this is good.”
Ash looked back at Jessie.
“…We could both just move.”
Jessie didn’t move.
“Why would I?”
Ash gestured behind her.
“You’re literally Team Rocket.”
“And?”
“And I’m not kissing a villain!”
Jessie scoffed.
“Please.”
Ash blinked.
“…Please what?”
“You should be so lucky.”
Pikachu covered his mouth again.
“Pika pika…”
Ash sighed.
“…This is a trap.”
Jessie’s grin sharpened.
“You walked into it, twerp.”
And judging by the look in her eyes, Jessie was about to turn this into a competition.
Ash looked up at the mistletoe again.
Then back at Jessie.
Then up again.
“…This is ridiculous.”
Jessie didn’t move an inch.
Her arms stayed crossed, one boot planted confidently in the snow like she had absolutely no intention of leaving.
“Well?”
Ash blinked.
“Well what?”
“Aren’t you going to do something about it?”
Ash gestured wildly around them.
“Yes!”
“Then go ahead.”
“I’m trying!”
Jessie stepped sideways.
Blocking him.
Ash stared at her.
“…Did you just block me?”
Jessie shrugged.
“You were escaping.”
“I was leaving!”
“Same thing.”
Pikachu leaned forward on Ash’s shoulder.
“…Pika.”
Behind Jessie, James clasped his hands together dramatically.
“Oh this is delightful.”
Meowth nodded.
“Best holiday entertainment we’ve had all year.”
Ash groaned.
“Don’t encourage her!”
Jessie smirked.
“You don’t need encouragement when you’re already winning.”
Ash raised an eyebrow.
“How are you winning?”
Jessie pointed upward.
“You’re still under the mistletoe.”
Ash looked up again.
“…That’s not a win condition!”
“It is tonight.”
Ash rubbed his forehead.
“You’re unbelievable.”
“You keep saying that like it’s an insult.”
Ash tried stepping around her again.
Jessie mirrored the movement instantly.
Blocking him again.
Ash stopped.
“…Seriously?”
Jessie tilted her head smugly.
“What?”
“You’re treating this like a battle.”
Jessie laughed.
“Well obviously.”
“This isn’t a battle!”
“Everything is a battle.”
Meowth leaned against a nearby stall, watching eagerly.
“Technically she’s right.”
Ash pointed at him.
“You’re not helping!”
James nodded.
“Oh no, we’re absolutely helping.”
Pikachu whispered to Meowth,
“Pika…”
Meowth grinned.
“Oh I know how this ends.”
Ash sighed heavily.
“This is so dumb.”
Jessie leaned closer slightly.
“You’re the one who’s hesitating.”
“I’m not hesitating!”
“You’ve been talking for two minutes.”
Ash crossed his arms.
“That’s because this is ridiculous!”
Jessie smirked.
“So you’re scared.”
Ash blinked.
“I’m not scared!”
“Oh really?”
“Yes really!”
Jessie leaned in just a little closer.
“Then prove it.”
Ash stared at her.
“…Prove what?”
Jessie pointed upward again.
“The rule.”
Ash groaned.
“Why are you like this?”
Jessie grinned.
“Because I don’t lose to you.”
Ash raised an eyebrow.
“This isn’t a competition.”
Jessie’s eyes gleamed.
“It is now.”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck.
“…You are impossible.”
“And you’re still here.”
Ash looked around the plaza again.
A couple trainers had slowed down to watch.
Someone whispered something and laughed.
Ash groaned.
“Great. Now we have an audience.”
Jessie didn’t even look bothered.
“If anything that makes it better.”
Ash stared at her.
“You’re enjoying this way too much.”
“Obviously.”
Ash glanced up at the mistletoe one more time.
“…You’re bluffing.”
Jessie raised an eyebrow.
“You think so?”
Ash opened his mouth.
And that’s when Jessie leaned closer.
Not kissing him yet.
Just enough to make Ash freeze.
Pikachu’s ears shot straight up.
“PIKA?!”
Jessie smirked.
“You gonna move?”
Ash blinked.
“…No.”
Jessie tilted her head.
“Good.”
Ash frowned.
“…Why good?”
Her grin widened.
“Because if you won’t move…”
She grabbed the front of his jacket.
“…then neither will I.”
Meowth whispered dramatically,
“Oh boy.”
James clasped his hands.
“This is escalating beautifully.”
Ash stared at Jessie.
“…You’re not actually going to-”
Jessie’s smirk widened.
“Oh twerp.”
“…I absolutely am.”
And judging by the look in her eyes, Jessie had already decided she was winning this round.
The plaza suddenly felt very quiet.
Not because the festival had stopped, music still played, people still moved between stalls, but because under the archway, the tension between Ash and Jessie had narrowed the world down to about three feet of space.
Jessie still had a fistful of Ash’s jacket.
Ash still hadn’t stepped away.
Snowflakes drifted lazily between them.
Pikachu leaned forward on Ash’s shoulder.
“…Pika.”
Behind Jessie, James held his breath.
Meowth was practically vibrating with excitement.
Ash swallowed.
“…You’re bluffing.”
Jessie raised an eyebrow.
“Oh really?”
Ash nodded quickly.
“Yeah.”
Jessie tilted her head slightly.
“You sure about that, twerp?”
Ash tried to sound confident.
“Because you’d never actually-”
Jessie didn’t wait for him to finish.
She pulled him forward.
And kissed him.
It wasn’t gentle.
It wasn’t shy.
It was quick, bold, and completely
reckless, exactly like everything Jessie ever did.
For half a second Ash’s brain stopped working.
Pikachu’s eyes went wide.
“PIKA?!”
Jessie let go immediately and stepped back like nothing unusual had happened.
She brushed imaginary snow off her coat.
“There.”
Ash blinked.
“…There?”
Jessie crossed her arms again.
“You were taking too long.”
Ash stared at her.
“You just-”
“Yep.”
“You kissed me.”
“Yep.”
Ash ran a hand through his hair.
“…You didn’t even hesitate.”
Jessie scoffed.
“Please.”
“You were stalling!”
“I was not stalling!”
“You were monologuing!”
James finally exploded.
“OH THAT WAS MAGNIFICENT!”
Meowth nearly fell over laughing.
“I can’t believe ya actually did it!”
Jessie pointed at them without even looking.
“Quiet!”
Ash was still processing.
“…You can’t just-”
Jessie raised an eyebrow.
“Just what?”
“…Do that!”
“I just did.”
Ash opened his mouth again.
Nothing came out.
Pikachu slowly leaned down and patted his cheek.
“…Pika.”
Jessie smirked.
“What’s the matter, twerp?”
Ash finally found his voice.
“That was cheating!”
Jessie laughed.
“Cheating?”
“You didn’t give me a chance!”
“You had five minutes!”
“You grabbed me!”
“You hesitated!”
Ash groaned.
“This is unbelievable.”
Jessie tilted her head smugly.
“Still under the mistletoe, by the way.”
Ash looked up again instinctively.
“…Oh come on!”
Meowth wiped tears from his eyes.
“This is the best Christmas ever.”
James nodded.
“Absolutely unforgettable.”
Jessie turned slightly, already beginning to walk away toward the plaza.
“Well, that settles that.”
Ash blinked.
“…Settles what?”
Jessie glanced back over her shoulder.
“I win.”
Ash pointed at her.
“You do not win!”
Jessie shrugged casually.
“I made the first move.”
“That doesn’t mean you win!”
“It means you hesitated.”
Ash folded his arms.
“You ambushed me!”
Jessie grinned.
“You walked into it.”
Ash shook his head, still half stunned.
“You’re unbelievable.”
Jessie smirked.
“And you’re slow.”
Pikachu snickered again.
“Pika pika.”
Ash looked at him.
“You’re supposed to be on my side!”
Pikachu shrugged.
Jessie tossed her hair dramatically.
“Come on, boys.”
James and Meowth immediately followed her.
“Where are we going?” James asked.
Jessie gestured toward the festival stalls.
“Dinner.”
Meowth perked up.
“Oh now that’s a plan I can support.”
Ash stared after them.
“…You’re just leaving?”
Jessie looked back one last time.
“What?”
Ash gestured helplessly at the mistletoe.
“That just happened!”
Jessie smirked.
“And?”
Ash opened his mouth again.
Nothing came out.
Jessie turned and kept walking.
Ash groaned.
“…I hate Team Rocket.”
Pikachu laughed so hard he nearly fell off Ash’s shoulder.
And somewhere in the plaza behind them.
The mistletoe swayed quietly in the falling snow.
Ash stood under the archway for a few more seconds.
Snow fell quietly.
Festival lights shimmered across the plaza.
Pikachu leaned forward on his shoulder.
“…Pika.”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck.
“…Yeah, I know.”
His brain was still trying to catch up with what had just happened.
Jessie had kissed him.
Just like that.
In the middle of the festival.
In front of half the plaza.
Ash groaned.
“…This is never going away.”
Pikachu nodded sympathetically.
“Pika.”
Then…
“HEY TWERP!”
Ash looked up.
Jessie was standing halfway down the street near one of the food stalls.
She had one hand on her hip and the other holding a steaming cup of something warm.
James and Meowth stood beside her.
James waved cheerfully.
“We got cocoa!”
Meowth pointed dramatically.
“And snacks!”
Ash stared at them.
“…You’re inviting me?”
Jessie rolled her eyes.
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
Ash walked over anyway.
Pikachu hopped down from his shoulder and ran ahead toward the food stall.
“Pika!”
James handed Pikachu a small pastry.
“Careful, it’s warm.”
Pikachu cheered.
“Pika pika!”
Ash stopped beside them.
“…So.”
Jessie sipped her drink.
“So.”
Ash gestured awkwardly between them.
“…About earlier.”
Jessie didn’t even look at him.
“What about it?”
Ash blinked.
“What do you mean what about it?”
Jessie shrugged.
“It happened.”
“You kissed me!”
“You were under mistletoe.”
“That doesn’t mean-”
Meowth interrupted loudly.
“Oh it absolutely means that.”
James nodded.
“Tradition is very important.”
Jessie glared at them both.
“Quiet!”
Ash crossed his arms.
“You’re acting like that was normal!”
Jessie raised an eyebrow.
“You’re the one making a big deal out of it.”
Ash stared at her.
“It was a big deal!”
Jessie scoffed.
“Please.”
Ash pointed toward the archway behind
them.
“Half the plaza saw it!”
Jessie shrugged again.
“Then they saw it.”
Ash opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
“…You’re unbelievable.”
Jessie smirked.
“You keep saying that.”
Pikachu finished his pastry and wiped crumbs off his cheeks.
“Pika pika.”
Meowth leaned toward him.
“Ya gotta admit, kid’s still processing.”
Ash pointed at him.
“I heard that!”
Jessie finished her drink and tossed the empty cup into a nearby bin.
“Well don’t think too hard about it.”
Ash blinked.
“…What?”
Jessie folded her arms.
“It was mistletoe.”
“And?”
“And that’s the rule.”
Ash rubbed his forehead.
“That’s not how rules work!”
Jessie tilted her head smugly.
“Worked for me.”
James clasped his hands dramatically.
“I still can’t believe you actually did it.”
Jessie shot him a glare.
“Would you stop talking about it?”
Meowth snorted.
“Too late for that.”
Ash laughed despite himself.
“This is ridiculous.”
Jessie turned away slightly, watching the festival crowd.
“…You didn’t complain.”
Ash blinked.
“…What?”
Jessie shrugged casually.
“You didn’t pull away.”
Ash froze.
Pikachu leaned forward slowly.
“…Pika.”
Ash rubbed the back of his neck again.
“…That’s not the point.”
Jessie glanced sideways at him.
Her smirk softened just a little.
“Sure it isn’t.”
Then she suddenly straightened.
“Well.”
James perked up.
“Oh!”
Meowth grinned.
“Time for the exit?”
Jessie nodded.
“Time for the exit.”
Ash blinked.
“…You’re leaving?”
Jessie tossed her hair.
“Team Rocket doesn’t linger after a performance.”
Ash laughed.
“That’s what you call tonight?”
Jessie grinned.
“Oh absolutely.”
James dramatically struck a pose.
“Prepare for trouble!”
Meowth jumped beside him.
“And make it double!”
Ash sighed.
“You guys are unbelievable.”
Jessie pointed toward him.
“Don’t forget tonight, twerp.”
Ash raised an eyebrow.
“…How could I?”
Jessie smirked.
“Good.”
A moment later, the familiar balloon launched into the air.
“TEAM ROCKET’S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!”
Ash watched the balloon disappear into the snowy night sky.
Pikachu jumped back onto his shoulder.
“Pika.”
Ash chuckled.
“…You know what?”
Pikachu tilted his head.
Ash looked back toward the archway where the mistletoe still hung quietly in the snow.
“…That was definitely the weirdest mistletoe moment I’ve ever had.”
Pikachu nodded firmly.
“Pika pika.”
And somewhere high above the plaza Jessie stood in the balloon basket with her arms crossed.
Trying very hard not to smile.