Hello, my readers and/or anyone stopping by to check this out along the way. For those that have been following along Revival at the Champions League, my current multi-chaptered AbilityShipping story, I mentioned that I wasn't going to write any additional stories since I would be mainly focused on the aforementioned.

However, I couldn't resist making this one-shot after finally finishing final exams week and getting to spend Christmas with my family, which also includes my brother being able to come over and visit us. Speaking of which, part of my desire to writing this includes MisterP.

(If you didn't know, he's my older brother in real life who once was a writer here; the name is what he goes by here, I don't actually call him that…)

The adventure in the Kalos region for Ash and Pikachu had been a wonderful process of learning, experience, and growth. Despite traveling in the foreign region for a short amount of time, Ash met and befriended many native people and Pokémon, few of which were actually traveling with him for the rest of the way. Among them included Clemont, the talented if not clumsy inventor and Gym Leader of the Lumiose City Gym, Bonnie, Clemont's energetic younger sister that loves meeting Pokémon, and Serena, a fashionable young girl who actually knew Ash for a short time years ago at Professor Oak's Pokémon Summer Camp.

In short, these four youth found themselves and decided to travel together to continue learning more about the relationships between humans and Pokémon while pursuing their own goals. Recently, they had arrived to a rather small and cozy-looking town right as a snowstorm was revealed to be crossing through Kalos from the north. As a result, their travels would have to be put on hold until the regional blizzard calmed down.

Of course, the snowstorm couldn't have come in at a more convenient time…

"The holidays are here! The holidays are here!" Bonnie exclaimed in glee with Dedenne leaping out alongside her in celebration.

The group was currently residing in the humble Pokémon Center of the small town with a few other Trainers here and there. Nurse Joy and Wigglytuff attended to them while Ash and his friends sat at an empty rectangular table by a window. Aside from Bonnie and Dedenne's cries of excitement, the Center was overall quiet and peaceful.

"It's getting to be that time of year," Clemont commented offhandly, smiling at his sister's innocent joy. "I can't help but feel this joyous too."

"I hear you, Clemont," Ash agreed. "This'll be the first time we get to spend the holidays here in the Kalos region and with you guys. Isn't that right, Pikachu?"

The Pallet Town Trainer turned his head to his long time buddy hanging around on his shoulder, who gave out an equally enthusiastic cheer before leaping right onto the table and gingerly went over to the last member of the group next to his Trainer.

"I'm going to get Bonnie," Clemont announced, leaving his seat.

With the Lumiose City Gym Leader taking a temporary leave, Ash decided to turn his attention on the remaining person who seemed to be lost in thought as she stared into the window, watching the snow falling around the blanketed town. Pikachu seemed to be switching glances from her to the window before ultimately settling to watch the outside as well. The mystical winter scenery the outside environment gave out was no doubt mesmerizing.

"So Serena, what's on your mind?" Ash asked.

"… Hmm?" Serena mumbled, discovering that she was being spoken to by Ash and facing him somewhat guiltily, accompanied with a mild red blush. "Oh, sorry about that, Ash. I seemed to have spaced out a bit. I just thought that the snow falling outside and the fact that it's dark with lit streetlights make such a gorgeous display."

"Yeah, it does look nice," Ash passed off. "But I want to get to the next Gym already and have a Gym battle."

Serena seemed to frown and gave off a heavy sigh before looking back to the outside.

"Ash, there's no way we can all travel in this weather," Serena pointed out. "Maybe you would be able to brave this incoming snowstorm until the next town, but the rest of us don't have that kind of experience or endurance. There's Clemont's… physical limitations to consider."

"I guess that's true. We really needed a break anyway after Team Rocket's last attack. Plus, there's the holidays coming up. Anything special you do for the holidays, Serena?"

Hearing the question appeared to have sparked additional life into Serena, so much so that when she faced Ash again, he could actually see the vibrant radiance sparkling out of her blue eyes, much to his initial shock and sheepishness to her sudden mood turnaround.

"That's right! This is the first time we're spending the holidays together, isn't it?" Serena inquired eagerly, to which Ash nodded back tautly. "Wow, I can't imagine this. This is the first that I'm actually away from home." She then jumped to her feet with a resolute look on her face. "I've got to call Mom! I know that there are some family traditions that we would always share with friends. I got to remember which ones they were."

With that said, she bolted off to find the nearest holo-phone booth. Both Ash and Pikachu blinked in succession as they stared off into Serena's wake, surprised by the spirit she gave off concerning the holidays. However, her behavior and mention of the word 'tradition' suddenly sparked something within Ash's mind, an impression that he never thought about in his previous journeys with previous companions since most of the time he was more interested in getting to the nearest Gym or training his Pokémon for the next challenge.

"Hey, Pikachu?"

"Pika?" Pikachu replied back.

"Everyone seems to be getting into the holiday spirit," Ash remarked, a small grin forming on his face. "I think we should chip in too. I've actually got something we can do for the others. It's not really big or complicated to do, but it meant a lot to me before I left Pallet Town to go on my journey. I completely forgot about that little tradition ever since I started." He lowered his head and even pulled the visor of his cap over his eyes. "Well, just because I missed out doing it with my past friends doesn't mean I can't make it up for my new friends."

"Pika Pikapi?"

Ash calmly stood out of his seat, sharing a similar look Serena had minutes ago as he tilted his cap back up. Pikachu leapt back up on his best friend's shoulder, eager to learn what he had on mind and what he used to do for the holidays before picking him up from Professor Oak's laboratory.

"Pikachu, I'm going to need your help for this," Ash said, taking a momentary glance to the snowing outside. "By the rate this snowstorm's going, we're definitely going to be here for a while before it stops and the roads get cleared off. I need your help in making a little something for our friends. Will you do it?"

"Pika Pika-chu!"

"Great! The Pokémon Center should have what we need. Let's get started!"

The Next Day…

The snowstorm had calmed down to a regular snow fall, but many of the roads had built up on snow and ice overnight. Workers and their Pokémon were called in to clear the paths and according to them, the roads should be ready for safer travel possibly by tomorrow if the snowstorm would stop completely by tonight. Fortunately, they took the courtesy of clearing out the entrance of the Pokémon Center so that there would be less inconvenience for Pokémon Trainers coming and going.

It also gave Bonnie the opportunity to go outside and play in the snow.

"Let's go, Clemont!" Bonnie yelled out as she ran for the entrance, already dressed in her winter gear. Dedenne, Chespin, and Bunnelby eagerly ran ahead and went outside to play along. "The snow's not going to stay there forever if you keep lagging behind!"

Clemont emerged out of the hallway, also appropriately dressed for the frosty outdoors and somehow already out of breath, much to Bonnie's embarrassment.

"I'll catch up in a moment, Bonnie," Clemont panted, wiping a bit of sweat from his forehead with an arm.

"Oh, brother…"

"I heard that!"

The little sister shrugged before resuming her holiday cheer and ran outside after her brother's Pokémon. Once Clemont had regained his breath, he casually made his way to the entrance, but not before spotting Serena going in and out of the Pokémon Center's kitchen. Out of curiosity, he went over to where she was.

"Hey, Serena!" Clemont called out with an additional wave, to which the young girl smiled back. She had an apron on and appeared to be carrying a metal cookie sheet. "What're you up to? Don't you want to join us in the snow?"

"Not right now," Serena replied. "With the holidays practically here and us spending this time together, I figured that I'd take the opportunity to carry out some family traditions to share with you, Bonnie, and Ash."

"So I'm guessing that you're baking something?" Clemont inquired.

"That's right! My mom and I would bake a variety of delicious treats around this time of year," Serena explained. "But this time around, it's Fennekin who's going to be my little helper in making them for tonight."

"That's a really nice tradition you have, Serena," Clemont commented. "Usually in the past years, I'd take a break from inventing and play with Bonnie whenever there's snow. It seems like there's going to be a plentiful amount for her to bury me in this year."

"Yeah, I loved playing in the snow when I was her age, especially while riding my mom's Rhyhorn through giant piles of them. By the way, have you seen Ash this morning? I actually haven't seen him since yesterday."

The Lumiose City Gym Leader was caught off guard by the sudden question while at the same time noting the concerned expression Serena held with her face.

"Funny, I was about to ask you if you've seen him," Clemont replied with a rather uneasy chuckle. "When I woke up, he was already out of bed, strange as it seemed. I'd imagine that he would sleep in for a bit longer."

"I think he's gone out to train," Serena suggested, sounding rather wistful on the thought while looking away. "He mentioned to me last night that he wanted to get to the next Gym as soon as possible. I wish he'd take it easy now and then and spend some time with me−I mean, us! Yeah…"

Clemont thought that her particular outburst on her last set of words was peculiar, but he didn't want to push the matter any further than it was willing to go. She was certainly the most concerned over Ash out of him and Bonnie, and speaking of the latter, she was, with no doubt, waiting for him to join her and their Pokémon in the snow.

"Right, anyway, if I catch Ash outside, I'll be sure to bring him back," Clemont promised. I think I might have one invention ready to help make it up to the both of you tonight…

He then ran off to the exit goofily to make sure his younger sister didn't lose her patience for him for spending time with Serena. The young girl, on the other hand, attempted to clamp her mouth down to prevent laughter from escaping as a result of Clemont running. The thought of Ash missing had managed to quiet her rising amusement over Clemont's antics. She then turned to the cookie sheet she held in her hands before her.

"I hope everyone will enjoy these treats," Serena whispered to herself as she went to where Fennekin waited in the kitchen. "Especially you…"

Meanwhile…

"Alright, we got what we needed," Ash announced, holding up a couple of small vials filled with an opaque liquid extract with his fingers. "We've got to thank Nurse Joy for letting us use this place when we see her again."

"Pika Pi-ka!"

"Froah!"

"Fleh-tchling Fletch!"

Ash and his Pokémon were inside a small, warm wooden shack provided by Nurse Joy. The room they were in, to be exact, conveniently resembled a kitchen with the countertops, sink, and a fully functioning stove and oven. A Wigglytuff was overseeing their operations to make sure everything remained orderly and that no one would get hurt, even though such chances would be very unlikely. It still didn't hurt to be cautious.

"Pikachu, Froakie, and Fletchling, I want to thank you guys too for your help in making this possible," Ash said, smiling to his Pokémon stationed around him on the counter. "You know, despite not making this for a long time now, I actually still remember the exact recipe behind this as Mom used to do. We've got the ingredients and now we just need to bring them in."

"Pika Pika?" Pikachu asked.

"We'll come back here tonight to finish so that when everyone gets together, it should be freshly heated up and ready to be given out," Ash explained, grinning as though there wasn't a care in the world. "I'm so excited. I can tell this'll turn out awesome."

Later into the Evening…

The gang had reunited for dinner in spite of having gone their separate ways earlier in the day. Since everyone, the Pokémon included, appeared to be in bright spirits, there felt no need for questioning about who did what at the moment. This time, they picked a round medium-sized table close to the Pokémon Center's fireplace to sit at. A couple of other Trainers were sitting around there in front of the fireplace, a boy and a girl to be specific, talking about their journeys and the Pokémon they've met. The interaction appeared to be normal and casual, except when under a specifically observant eye of Serena.

The young boy Trainer had his hand on top of the girl's on the cushion they shared in front of the fireplace, and at some point, their cheeks seemed to give off faint traces of red blush.

Serena strangely had a wistful longing inside of her, in which it made her turn to Ash, who was already zealously devouring his second full plate of food. She kept a smile on her face and returned to her own meal, thinking that the time will be soon once dinner would finish and the treats she and Fennekin made would be ready for her friends.

"Man, that hit the spot," Ash sighed in contentment after finishing his plate and patting his filled stomach. "Anyway, I've got something to do. Pikachu, come with me."

"Pika!" Pikachu called out, leaving behind Froakie, Fletchling, and the other Pokémon to be with Ash.

"Now hold on," Serena intervened, suspicious of Ash's behavior. "Where are you heading off to now? Will you at least be back for dessert?"

"No need to worry," Ash replied, smiling back in assurance. "I'm just going to take my plate in and finish up some split ends."

"Don't you mean 'tie up some loose ends'?" Clemont corrected.

"Tie up what?"

"Never mind…"

"I'll be back soon, guys, promise," Ash reassured before leaving the table behind.

"Don't tell me he's going off to train again," Bonnie wailed, upset to see Ash leave them again. "It's the holidays! He should be spending more time with us!"

"Don't worry, Bonnie," Clemont said, smirking cleverly as he readjusted his glasses. "I've got something that'll take care of everything. The future is now, thanks to science!"

"Is it another invention of yours?" Serena asked, to which the Lumiose City Gym Leader broke out of his confident stance.

"I first got to get it out of our room," Clemont admitted. "I better hope Ash isn't around to see. It might ruin the surprise. Be right back!"

Clemont then took his plate to turn in to be washed before running off to his room in quite the rush, hoping that Ash didn't already decide to retire for the day there, leaving behind Serena and Bonnie with their Pokémon. Serena smiled and stood out of her chair, much to Bonnie's surprise that another was leaving the table.

"Now where are you heading off to?" Bonnie cried out.

"I'm going to get dessert," Serena announced. "Hopefully by the time I return, so would Ash and Clemont. Bonnie, would you mind watching over the Pokémon? Fennekin will help you out."

"Of course!" Bonnie chirped up. "I'd love to! I'll watch over them very carefully until you get back!"

With that taken care of, Serena took her leave. Bonnie then got out of her seat and entertained the Pokémon while her brother and their friends were out with the help of Fennekin and Froakie overseeing that none of the other Pokémon got too out of control. As far as any of them were concerned, the worst thing that could happen would simply be Chespin having its tendencies of stealing the others' food to satiate its voracious appetite take over.

In five minute, they heard two sets of footsteps approaching them. Bonnie looked up after petting Dedenne to see Serena and a Pokémon Center Wigglytuff both sporting pointed red hats, each with a white pomp hanging on the tips and the rims decorated with white fluff. They were holding trays and bowls filled with many baked treats, ranging from simple decorated cookies of colors red and green and thick fudge brownies to fluffy pastries that are filled with crushed Berry marmalade. At that point, Bonnie's eyes were seen practically as wider than the trays.

"Voila! We're back!" Serena sang as she and the Wigglytuff placed the desserts all around their table. "I can already tell you're gonna love this."

"They look… so good!" Bonnie moaned, drooling on sight in front of the table. "Did you make all of this today?"

Fennekin leapt up into Serena's arms once her hands were free from carrying the treats. The Fox Pokémon snuggled into the embrace while Serena used a free hand to stroke down its head. At the meantime, the Wigglytuff left to resume its normal responsibilities in the Pokémon Center.

"It's a tradition my mom and I used to do back in Vaniville Town for the holidays every year," Serena explained. "We'd always invite friends over and share freshly baked, homemade desserts to everyone. We'd have gumdrops, freshly made chocolate, gingerbread, fruit-filled pastries, macaroons, warm croissants with butter, cinnamon buns, and so on. We'd get comfy around the fire while sharing stories of experiences or adventures throughout the year."

"So that's why you couldn't join Clemont and me outside today," Bonnie surmised, her childlike innocence radiating from her adorable expressions and gestures. "That's a wonderful tradition! Me and Clemont would always go out and play in the snow in Lumiose City. You should see the streets covered in snow! It's like a magical winter wonderland, especially with all the city lights! I always get Clemont to chase me around the city after throwing a couple of snowballs at him to get him started. And then when he would trip over into the snow either from exhaustion or just because, I'd wind up burying him up to his head in snow."

Serena giggled to herself. This was certainly the kind of thing she liked, friends coming together and sharing warm stories of their past and sharing a good laugh and tender moment with one another. For her since growing up, togetherness had been an integral part whenever celebrating something of great importance, especially for the holiday season. Now if only Ash was a bit more cooperative…

"Once again, the future is now, thanks to science! Clemontic Gear on!" a familiar voice called out, catching both Bonnie and Serena's attention. They found Clemont standing in front of the hallway with another large compact device on a set of wheels next to him. He readjusted his glasses once more and took another confident stance upon presenting his latest invention. "This is what I like to call the 'Yuletide Haulover Machine'!"

"Uh, 'Yuletide Haulover'…?" Bonnie repeated in a deadpan manner while Serena looked on curiously; the only response they were missing was Ash's, who would otherwise be in complete awe every time the Lumiose City Gym Leader showed off a machine of his during their journey.

"Ladies, this neat machine has been specifically designed for the holiday season," Clemont began, kneeling down and placing a hand on his special invention. "While this Pokémon Center already has the 'cozy cabin' atmosphere to it, I got permission from Nurse Joy to be allowed to decorate it with the Yuletide Haulover Machine. She said she was planning to get on decorating the Pokémon Center anyway."

"What does it do?" Serena asked.

"The Yuletide Haulover Machine can produce every iconic holiday item and decorate a whole building within record time," Clemont explained. "Such items include green wreaths, red ribbons and stockings, ornaments, silver bells, multicolored lights, you name it! And it can even release special scents that are capable of emulating what one would expect of the season, like that of a pristine sparkling spruce to simple apples and cinnamon."

"That is pretty impressive."

"Now then…" Clemont leaned close to the activation switch. "Yuletide Haulover Machine, go!"

The invention came to life, evident with the various LED bulbs placed around it lighting up in patterns. Two extendible arm coils with clamps on the ends sprung out from the sides with the front of the machine opening up. The robotic arms then dug inside the space and pulled out a couple of festive bells and greenery. It then mobilized into action, moving about on its miniature set of wheels and placing the decorations in their remarkably appropriate places. At the same time, a nozzle emerged from behind the machine, spraying out the fragrance of fresh wintery spruce trees in its trail.

"Not bad, Clemont," Serena remarked.

Clemont, Bonnie, Serena, and a few other Trainers that were hanging around the Pokémon Center observed silently the efficiency of the Yuletide Haulover Machine in its purpose. The girls were smiling at Clemont at the great invention as it had covered about every corner in the main lobby and was about to conclude its decorating by the fireplace when they heard a loud bang. They turned to see the Yuletide Haulover Machine beginning to short circuit as its robotic clamps were inside it to pull out the last decorations; it appeared to have gotten stuck.

"Uh-oh," Clemont groaned, apprehensive of what was going to happen next.

"I hope I didn't speak too soon," Serena interjected, equally worried as Bonnie held onto her.

The Lumiose City Gym Leader tried to act by heading to the machine with a screwdriver on hand. He then attempted to fix whatever went wrong with his holiday invention, only for it to self-destruct in his face. The machine collapsed, some parts and holiday items were sent flying, and Clemont wound up with a curly blond afro, including the lightning-shaped strand of hair standing out from the top. Fortunately, the explosion was mild enough not to cause any actual damage to the Pokémon Center.

"That… didn't go as planned," Clemont coughed out, dejected over his unstable and now ruined holiday invention.

"But look on the bright side, Brother," Bonnie chirped up. "The Pokémon Center really looks pretty with all the holiday decorations it did put up."

"This is definitely the perfect atmosphere to enjoy our night here in the Pokémon Center now," Serena added, looking about the lobby in awe. Aside from the previous mishap of Clemont's machine going awry, the other Trainers staying in for the evening and even Nurse Joy and her Wigglytuff were admiring the handiwork of the Yuletide Haulover Machine. "If only Ash would return and be together with us again…"

"You called?" the voice that she hoped to hear again called out.

She, Clemont, and Bonnie turned to where Ash's voice came from, finding out that the missed Pallet Town Trainer finally returned from what he was doing. What he was actually doing now was holding two sturdy medium pitchers with both hands with the assistance of a Pokémon Center Wigglytuff holding a bowl of miniature marshmallows. Pikachu was on Ash's shoulder. Both he and his Trainer were grinning keenly. Froakie and Fletchling saw them and started cheering upon seeing the pitchers with steam arising out of them.

"A-Ash! Where've you been?!" Serena questioned, inadvertently sounding too excited over his return.

"What're those you got there, Ash?" Clemont asked, intrigued by the pitchers he and Wigglytuff were carrying.

"Glad you asked, Clemont," Ash replied, leading Wigglytuff to their table where Serena's baked treats were. "You see, it's been a little tradition that I used to have back in Pallet Town when I was younger. It started a few years before I even met Serena at Professor Oak's Pokémon Summer Camp."

"Wow! Even more traditions!" Bonnie exclaimed offhandedly, clapping and hopping alongside Dedenne.

"During that time, my mom and other family friends in Pallet Town wanted to celebrate the holidays together in order to show how much our relationships mean to one another," Ash explained as he placed the pitchers down on the table next to Serena's gingerbread cookies. "So a bunch of us got together around Professor Oak's corral so that even the Pokémon would feel free to join in the party."

"Almost similar to what my mom and I usually did," Serena mused. "Only difference was it was not to the extent of the entire town getting involved."

"The Pallet Town Holiday Party wasn't really a yearly thing, but it happened now and then for other holidays," Ash clarified, receiving the marshmallow bowl from Wigglytuff. "Anyway, it was actually at my first holiday party that my mom revealed her super-secret and super special recipe for homemade peppermint hot chocolate. Before the town party started, I was curious on what my mom was making for it. I watched her make it from scratch and even had me as a taste-tester."

"And…?" Clemont drew out expectantly, with him and the girls leaning forward for Ash's reply.

The Pallet Town Trainer smiled sincerely as he poured the steaming cocoa from a pitcher into a free mug. At the same time, he took a handful of marshmallows and scattered them into his mug.

"It was one of the greatest things I've ever had in my whole life," Ash said with calm surety. The others looked at him with wide-eyed expressions and hanging jaws, amazed by how strong he felt for this simple, yet meaningful treat he had as a young child. "Everyone in Pallet Town loved it, but I think I can say that I loved it the most. My mom's peppermint hot chocolate was practically named the 'Pallet Town Peppermint Pick-Me-Up' because they say it can warm anyone in the coldest of nights. Kind of clichéd, yeah, but every year following the party, my mom would always make it for me during the holidays and even taught me her recipe. It took a while for me to master adding in the right amounts of peppermint extract, melting down the dark chocolate without burning it, and even sprinkling in marshmallows for extra taste. So far, it's only me and my mom that know how to make this awesome cocoa. Even though it's been a while since I made it prior to starting my Pokémon journey, it turned out pretty well today thanks to Pikachu, Froakie, and Fletchling's help. I wanted to share this with you guys since I remembered it."

The earnestness of his message reached out to them. It clearly explained why he was gone for most of the day as he was preparing it as a surprise for all of them, much like how Serena baked her variety of treats, Clemont sending out his holiday-specific invention to set the atmosphere prior to its malfunction, and Bonnie letting her innocent radiance and love for the holiday season shine out. In a way, all four of them had contributed their personal experiences from the same yearly event and combined them this day to make a new experience.

To be shared and enjoyed together as friends that could be practically considered as close as any loving family. That is a secret along the path to true lasting happiness.

"I wanna try! I wanna try!" Bonnie cheered.

"Me too!" Clemont concurred.

"Everyone, let's dig in!" Serena announced.

The four of them and their Pokémon each had separate plates to gather the various baked treats Serena had laid out while Ash took the liberty of pouring the special hot drink known as Pallet Town's most unique peppermint hot chocolate mix for his friends and the Pokémon. Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie received their filled mugs and held them up in a circle.

"Here's to celebrating the holidays together for the first time in the Kalos region," Ash proposed.

"To growing stronger and learning more about the world around us," Clemont spoke up.

"To meeting new and cute Pokémon and getting to travel with them!" Bonnie squeaked, standing as high on her toes as she could to reach the height of the other held mugs.

"To true friends that have each other's back… and to those that encourage us to never give up until the very end," Serena added, surreptitiously looking at Ash with a quick wink.

"To our journey in Kalos!" Ash concluded, accompanied with the cheers of his friends and Pokémon as they tapped their mugs together for the traditional commemorating pledge before taking gulps of their peppermint hot chocolate.

"Yum!" Bonnie hummed with her cheeks glowing in warmth.

"Is this the kind of exotic flavor Kanto has to offer with just one swig?" Clemont asked in wonder of the hot chocolate. "It's remarkable!"

"You've really put a lot into this, Ash," Serena said, her cheeks also blushing as bright as Bonnie's. "This peppermint hot chocolate also goes really well with these macaroons."

Even Pikachu and the rest of the Pokémon that partook in Ash's peppermint hot chocolate gave their euphoric consensus on how much they loved it upon first taste. The Pallet Town Trainer merely smiled at them all for their various compliments, only to see a few Trainers also staying in the Pokémon Center watching in amazement over their little celebration. Ash had a feeling of what they wanted.

"Hey, guys," Ash beckoned and waved to the watchers. "Come and join us. There's definitely plenty left to go around."

"You sure?" a young male Trainer asked.

"We don't want to intrude on you guys," the girl with a white female Meowstic said thoughtfully.

"Definitely!" Serena reassured.

"The more, the merrier," Clemont added encouragingly.

With their additional input, the observing Trainers nodded to each other and went to their table by the fireplace to help themselves to the pastries, treats, and peppermint hot chocolate provided by their gracious hosts. The Trainers enjoyed the various treats provided by Serena, taking a handful of cookies and macaroons, along with a fluffy pastry on the side. At the same time, Bonnie happened to fawn over the girl Trainer's Meowstic, commenting on how cute and well-groomed she was.

"I almost forgot," Ash mused aloud as he swallowed a macaroon. "I promised Nurse Joy a fresh cup of my hot chocolate as thanks for her letting me use her emergency shack."

"I got it, Ash," Clemont called out, already pouring into a new mug for the kind Pokémon Nurse.

Clemont was about done when he heard a delighted squeal from his younger sister, along with a couple of familiar words she often used when she wanted something. A feeling of dreading mortification grew in his stomach, unsettling so much so that it was currently holding off the warming effects of Ash's peppermint hot chocolate. He quickly turned to where Bonnie was, to see her kneeling on one knee with her arms spread out in front of the girl Trainer with the Meowstic. Both the Trainer and Meowstic didn't know how to react to her proposal.

"Please take care of my brother!" Bonnie exclaimed. "S'il vous plait!"

That just had to happen…

Clemont looked down at her blankly before silently activating his Aipom Arm to pick her up from behind. Why he was still carrying his large backpack was unknown, but it proved convenient to him in case Bonnie did try that particular stunt again.

"Come on, Bonnie," Clemont grumbled, walking away with her in the air while trying to hide his ever palpable embarrassment of his sister attempting to set him up with a girl against his will once again. "We're taking some hot chocolate to Nurse Joy. And I think it's time for you to go to bed."

"No!" Bonnie wailed dramatically before suddenly stopping, changing moods, and keenly looking back at Meowstic's Trainer. "We'll call you. Don't worry!"

The Trainer and Ash looked on at Clemont left with a waving Bonnie, grinning and passing off her interesting antics. Though in all of the amusement that went on, Ash looked to where Serena was sitting, on a long cushion in front of the fireplace. She only had her half-full mug in her hands while she watched the flames dance on the firewood. With an additional nudge from Meowstic's Trainer, he went to where she was.

"Serena, are you feeling all right?" Ash inquired as he took the seat next to her on her left; the young girl glanced at him with a soft smile.

"I may not be as enthusiastic as earlier, but this has been one of the best nights I've had in celebrating the holidays," Serena confessed, sporting a mild blush on her face. "I also enjoyed that hot chocolate you made for everyone. It was really delectable, so thank you for sharing this with us."

The scenario became one of her ideals come true with Ash joining her in front of a cozy fireplace. She placed the mug close to her feet to lessen the chance of spilling it if she had placed it on the additional space on the cushion. She then placed her hands on both sides of her and leaned back to use her arms as support as she watched Ash finish off his mug, giving off a sigh of contentment afterwards, and keeping the emptied mug on his left side.

"I'm glad you liked it. Maybe if we're still together next year for the holidays, we can do this again."

"Yeah… Maybe…"

Ash sounded rather lighthearted about it, but Serena wouldn't say no to that offer, even if he really wasn't serious about it. She loved watching Ash being so relaxed outside of battles, though she did also admire him in battle with his resilient attitude and complete harmonization with his Pokémon mid-battle. Meeting him at that Summer Camp was one of the many, but also one of the most inspiring steps in helping her grow as a person. She learned a lot from his selfless, courageous example, and hoped that she would one day return the favor by helping him understand outside simple Pokémon training, one good example being her current feelings for him.

She wasn't sure herself how strongly she truly felt toward Ash, but with given time, interaction, and her own intuition telling her right, something more might happen between them. But for now…

"Uh, hey, you two," Meowstic's Trainer called out to them. She appeared to have a mild blush on her face for some reason. "Have you guys… looked up yet?"

Ash and Serena did as she said, discovering a small sprig of mistletoe hanging on a crooked nail a few feet over the fireplace. The nail looked like it was shot forcibly from a distance. Regardless of how it appeared, it was enough to intensify the blush Serena already sported on her cheeks. She would be lucky to get away from Ash if he were to look at her glowing red face.

"Was that always there, Serena?" Ash asked.

"I think that might've been the last thing Clemont's invention put up," Serena reasoned. "Judging by how it was put in, it must have been when the machine blew up."

"Wow… So what is it?"

Serena looked at him, eyes widened from his incredulous question.

"… You're kidding, right?"

Ash looked down to her this time, carrying on that naive look in his brown eyes. Serena couldn't tell if this was to be a good thing or a bad thing. She overheard from Bonnie that he was completely clueless on certain social aspects, more specifically those pertaining to romance. She knew that they were all young and didn't have to concern themselves on such things at this point, even though Bonnie was the most into it out of them, much to her brother's annoyance. But really…

"Am I missing something here?" Ash responded, clearly perplexed by both Serena and Meowstic's Trainer's expressions concerning the mistletoe.

"That little plant hanging over us is called a mistletoe," Serena explained, leaning forward and closer to him. "Have you never really seen one before?"

"I've seen them time to time during the holidays," Ash replied with a shrug. "I don't really know what they're meant for."

As he relaxed his arms from the shrug, he inadvertently placed his right hand on top of Serena's left hand. Ash only noticed it after taking the time to feel its warmth and softness, looking down to where their hands were and back to see Serena's face. She appeared to blush again for some reason. Thinking that she might be coming down with a random fever, he was about to remove his hand. However, Serena kept it in place with her own hand.

"There's a special tradition behind the mistletoe that usually when a boy and a girl are caught under where one hangs…"

"Yes…?"

A mischievous thought came into Serena's mind, which gradually reflected itself off of her smile. Ash was slightly disturbed from seeing her smiling the way she was, which strangely reminded him of a fictional green character that originally sought to ruin the holiday season but had a major change of heart at the end. Meowstic's Trainer, who had been watching since pointing out the mistletoe to them, knew when she had to get lost. She gestured Meowstic away and decided to help herself to a chocolate-cream-filled croissant back at the treat table.

Suddenly, with quick and forceful tug through their intertwined hands, Ash fell close to Serena while she caught his falling head with her right hand. Their faces were close enough that she was able to fulfill the tradition behind the mistletoe:

*Smooch*

Serena sweetly kissed the startled Kanto boy on the lips.

With a tender grip on the back of his head, she pulled away from Ash after a few seconds, who still looked as naïve as ever. The only addition he had to his lost expression was how much red was visible on his cheeks, practically matching Serena's own blush from discovering the mistletoe overhead.

"That's what happens when a boy and a girl meet under the mistletoe," Serena concluded, grinning slyly. "Any more questions, Ash?"

"… …"

Ash will definitely need some time getting use to that.

"Merry Christmas, Ash…"

We've reached the end of the one-shot now. Anyway, it's time I explained what prompted me to write this. There's no easy way for me to say this…

But for those of you that knew or was familiar with MisterP…

…

Let's just say that he found his "Anabel"…

…

In other words…

…

HE'S ENGAGED! (YEAH! Don't worry, I got permission from him to let you all know, those who care at least…)

You'd think it would've been more fitting for me to make this one-shot with AbilityShipping in dedication to him as he was an avid AbilityShipper. Here's the thing. There's already Revival at the Champions League to fill that quota. And when he and his fiancée arrived last week (they dated for almost a year and I know her quite well, so in certain aspects, she is like Salon Maiden Anabel personality wise, at least in my story as a sympathetic, caring, but confident young woman), she made this awesome peppermint hot chocolate mix for our family and visitors, which was where I got the idea into making this.

Anyway, she and he are really perfect for each other and I couldn't be more proud of him than I am now. They're bound to be completely together by the end of April next year, as far as I know. He also told me that I'm free to follow what I believe in, not necessarily follow in his path. So in this case, I don't really desire in becoming a supposed "King of AbilityShipping," much less a "King of AmourShipping." I don't know if I said this yet, but all these supported pairings are like dating: you're free to choose and try out anyone you're interested in and not be completely exclusive until you're sure and committed to stick with it. That's always the tricky part, isn't it…?

At least now, my brother knows the basics of family life (… I just sounded like Trip here, didn't I?). He's moving up in the world. Personally, I'm still quite amazed that he did find this girl and at a young age too. But he knows what he's getting into, and no matter what, I'm supporting him just as he's supported me in all things I'm doing now, from what I'm to major in to what Pokémon pairing I support. Also, Clemont was fun to write, just so you know. Nothing against him, but from what the anime had set up for him, from the malfunctioning machines and resulting afros to Bonnie being the new Brock in terms of romance, I just couldn't resist.

Forgive me for the rambling, but this is turning to quite the holiday break for me right now.

Please review!

L-ater!

And Merry Christmas! I hope you're with someone this season, family, friend, significant other, and so on! If not, regardless! Enjoy life!