All I Want for Christmas is Ash

(Cubed Cinder)

Ash and Pikachu looked out the window at the snow that was falling from the morning sky. He had already felt it nice to come home, especially after a long journey through the Hoenn region that included competing in the Battle Frontier. Brock had gone home to Pewter City to be with his family (but promised to be with Ash when he was ready to depart for Sinnoh), and May and Max went back to Hoenn so May could prepare for her journey to Johto. Despite missing his travel companions, Ash put those thoughts by the wayside and instead focused on the snowy background outside his window.
“Isn’t it beautiful, Pikachu? Maybe we should make a Snorlax Snowman later!” Ash said with a smile. Pikachu shouted its name happily.
Then, Ash’s mother, Delia Ketchum, came walking up to Ash.
“Ash, you have a phone call from Misty.” Delia said.
“Huh? Misty?” Ash said.
“Yeah! That girl from Cerulean City you used to travel with. You know, she’s been calling a few times while you’ve been gone.” Delia said.
“Oh, okay. I’ll talk to her.” Ash said. He slowly got up and then walked over to the kitchen where the phone was sitting on the counter. Ash picked it up and spoke into it.

“Hello? Misty?” Ash said.
“Ash, is that really you?” Misty asked.
“Yeah, it really is me.” Ash said.
“Are you home? Your Mom called me a couple days ago saying you would be home soon.” Misty said.
“Yeah, I’m back in Pallet Town.” Ash said.
“I actually saw you on TV conquering the Battle Pyramid. I was cheering you on all the way!” Misty shouted.
“Heh, you were? That’s very nice of you.” Ash said.
“Well, anyway, the reason I was calling was… well… um…” Misty said, with a couple noticeable pauses between some words. Ash picked up on this.
“What is it, Misty?” Ash said.
“I’m… well, I’m all alone in my gym. My sisters went on some stupid vacation again. I was wondering if you’d care to visit and…” Misty said.
“Sure, I’d love to… er, I mean, I’d LIKE to.” Ash said, quickly correcting himself.
“Oh? You can come? Great!!! Oh, but Cerulean is pretty far from Pallet Town...” Misty said.
“It’s no problem, Misty. I can borrow a flying Pokemon from Professor Oak and be there in almost a flash.” Ash said.
“Right… I forgot. You probably have more than a hundred Pokemon to call upon.” Misty said.
“Well… maybe not that many!” Ash said.
“Anyway, I gotta go. I look forward to seeing you.” Misty said.
“Okay. Bye for now.” Ash said. After hanging up the phone, Ash walked over to his mother, who was sitting on a couch in the living room.
“Mom, I…” Ash said, but before he could say anything, Delia cut him off.
“It’s okay, Ash, you can go to Cerulean and see Misty. I know how much you mean to each other.” Delia said.
“Huh? Well… it’s not like we’re dating or anything.” Ash said as he blushed. Pikachu couldn’t help but giggle as it rested on top of Ash’s head.
“Just make sure you bundle up. It’s like an Articuno or something flew overhead!” Delia said.
“I will, Mom.” Ash said as he then went upstairs to his room.

A few minutes later, after getting into his Winter outfit, Ash came walking down the steps with Pikachu nestled in his arms.
“Okay, Mom. I’m ready!” Ash said.
“Ah, you look lovely as always! Just try and stay warm even though you’re wearing all that clothing.” Delia said.
“I will. I should be back by tonight.” Ash said. After the two kissed and hugged each other, Ash started to walk out the front door when…
“And don’t forget to change your underwear!” Delia shouted.
“Oy…” Ash said before he finally walked out the door.

It was only a short jog between Ash’s home and Professor Oak’s laboratory. Good thing too, as the snow was slowly starting to pick up in strength. Ash quickly walked inside the lab after the automatic doors slid open. He walked inside and saw Professor Oak and Tracey working on some kind of machinery.
“Professor Oak!” Ash said.
“Oh! Hello, Ash! It’s good to see you again.” Oak said as he walked over and shook Ash’s hand.
“Hey, no love for your Orange Islands tour guide!?” Tracey jokingly said. He and Ash then shook hands themselves.
“Hey, Tracey. Sorry I haven’t gotten in touch with you.” Ash said.
“Oh, it’s okay. I’m so busy here at the lab, sometimes I don’t think there’s anything else beyond Pallet Town.” Tracey said.
“So, Ash? What brings you here?” Oak asked.
“Well, professor. I was wondering if you had a flying Pokemon I could borrow. I need to get to Cerulean City ASAP.” Ash said.
“Hmmm… let me see what I can find. Stay here, Tracey, and keep an eye on my computer.” Oak said.
“Yes, sir!” Tracey said, watching as the professor and Ash headed to one of the back rooms.

For the next few minutes, Professor Oak was scanning the vast library of Pokeballs that were sitting on the various shelves. He had a device on hand to instantly tell him what Pokemon was inside each ball without opening it. After all, he didn’t want to have the Muk situation happen again where he was spraying the lab for days to get rid of the smell. Professor Oak then turned around and looked at Ash with a frown on his face.
“Sorry, Ash, I don’t see any flying-type Pokemon in rental status that will be of any use for your trip.” Oak said.
“Really? Not even a Skarmory?” Ash asked.
“I’m afraid not. Of course, your shiny Noctowl is smaller than a typical Noctowl, so that rules that out.” Oak said.
“I see.” Ash said. All of a sudden, Tracey walked in with another person, this one female.
“Excuse me, Professor Oak. This visitor insisted on meeting you.” Tracey said. Ash immediately recognized who this girl was.
“Oh, Winona!” Ash said.
“Ash? Well, well. Fancy meeting you here!” Winona shouted.
“Oh? Another friend of yours?” Oak asked.
“Actually, she’s a gym leader in the Hoenn region.” Ash said.
“Yes, I am. I’m Winona from Fortree City, the bird user taking flight into the world.” Winona said with a smile.
“I see. Thank you, Tracey. I’ll take it from here.” Oak said. Tracey nodded and then went back into the other room while Winona approached both Ash and the professor.

“So what brings you all the way out here… oh, wait! Does this have something to do with the Hoenn Pokemon League Visiting Tour?” Oak asked.
“The what?” Ash asked.
“Haven’t you heard, Ash? A couple times a year, all the Hoenn gym leaders travel to other regions to help spread the word about the Hoenn region and encourage trainers, particularly master ones, to come and test their skills against the Hoenn Pokemon League!” Winona said.
“I see.” Oak said.
“Though, I flew down here to Pallet Town so I could at the very least tour your laboratory.” Winona said.
“In all that snowy weather? Isn’t that kinda risky, especially for your flying Pokemon?” Oak asked.
“Nah, my Skarmory and I have seen and done it all. We even braved the volcanic Mt. Chimney as part of a training exercise!” Winona said with a smile.
“Oh my, that’s quite impressive! You sound more than qualified to be a gym leader!” Oak said.
“So what about you, Ash? You visiting the professor as well?” Winona said.
“Well, in a matter of speaking. The professor and I go way back. I was only here trying to borrow a flying Pokemon to get to Cerulean City quickly.” Ash said.
“Oh? Why there?” Winona asked.
“Just to see an old friend. Although I’m not having much luck.” Ash said. Winona then smiled.
“Hmmm… how about I take you?” Winona asked.
“Huh? You would do that?” Ash asked.
“Sure, why not!? My Skarmory’s bigger than normal. It can carry two people on its back. In fact, we can leave right now if you want.” Winona said.
“We… we can?” Ash said.
“Yes! Although it would be a one way trip. I want to fly back here to Pallet Town as soon as the trip is done so I can have that tour with Professor Oak.” Winona said.
“No need to rush it, Winona. I have no intentions of going anywhere. Anytime is a good time to give you and any other visitor a tour of my lab.” Oak said.
“Thank you, Professor! Come on, Ash, we better get going now before the snow really gets bad.” Winona said as she took Ash’s hand and gently led him back outside the lab.
“Have a good time, Ash!” Oak said.

Later, Ash and Winona were soaring through the snowy skies thanks to Winona’s loyal and faithful Skarmory. The group eventually touched down just outside the Cerulean City Gym. As Ash and Pikachu hopped off the Skarmory, he looked up at Winona who stayed perched on the Pokemon’s back.
“Why don’t you come with us, Winona? I’m sure Misty wouldn’t mind meeting you.” Ash said.
“I’d love to, but I REALLY want to take that tour of Professor Oak’s lab! Maybe once I’m done, I’ll come back.” Winona said.
“Okay then. Stay warm!” Ash said.
“You too! Alright, Skarmory, back to Pallet Town!” Winona said, with the Skarmory taking off for the air once more. As Ash watched the two fly away, he suddenly had to cover himself as a brief gust of wind made the chilly air even colder.
“Brrrrr! Come on, Pikachu, let’s get inside!” Ash said as he and Pikachu went running for the front doors underneath the large Dewgong sign that made the gym stand out in the city.

When Ash and Pikachu made it inside, there was nobody to greet him at the front entrance. Normally one of Misty’s sisters might be in charge of that task, but as Misty had told to Ash over the phone… the sisters were out on Winter vacation, whatever that meant to both of them. Nevertheless, Ash slowly made his way deeper into the gym, taking a cautious approach in case Misty had a surprise or two for him.
“Hello? Misty?” Ash finally said. He kept walking around slowly, making his way into the swimming pool area, which had a large Christmas tree (albeit with only half of the lights on) on the left side of the pool itself.
“Hi, Ash.” a familiar female voice said. Ash looked to his right, and that’s where Misty was standing.
“Oh!” Ash said, startled to suddenly hear Misty’s voice. He was also surprised to see the outfit Misty was wearing. Instead of one of her traditional outfits, she had a very Christmas-themed outfit on:

- Instead of tennis shoes, Misty wore red-laced sandals that obviously exposed more of her feet, including her toes.
- Instead of her blue shorts with suspenders, Misty wore a red skirt with a white trim circling the bottom. The skirt wasn’t as high up her waist as her shorts were, therefore exposing her navel.
- Instead of her yellow shirt, Misty wore a red top with a white cotton ball in the top center where her chest was. More interesting, or revealing depending on who you asked, was that the shirt had no straps. Misty’s shoulders were fully exposed.
- Even her hairband was different. Instead of a traditional blue wrap, Misty was now wearing a light green wraparound which was adorned with a small green plant and red berries.

The closer Misty walked towards Ash, the more shocked he was to see Misty wearing such an outfit.
“So, what do you think? I made this myself last week.” Misty said.
“You… you… you look amazing.” Ash said.
“Heh, I’m sure you would say that to any girl who wore this.” Misty said with a smirk.
“What? No! I mean…” Ash said.
“And how are you, Pikachu?” Misty said. Pikachu happily shouted its name, approving of seeing Misty again.
“Anyway, glad you like my new look, Ash. I actually made an outfit for you too!” Misty said.
“Huh? You did?” Ash said.
“I sure did! Follow me to my room, I’ll show you.” Misty said. As Misty walked her way towards her bedroom, Ash followed behind her.
Eventually the group made it to the bedroom, where Ash saw some clothes befitting an elf laying on her bed.
“Huh? Aren’t those elf clothes?” Ash said.
“Yep! I think they would look nice on you.” Misty said.
“Er… um…” Ash said.
“Well, go ahead! Put them on! You can change in the back!” Misty said.
“I don’t know…” Ash said.
“Ash, it’s the holiday season! Get in the festive spirit!” Misty shouted.
“Okay, okay! Since you put it that way…” Ash said. He picked up the clothes and made his way to the back, where Misty’s bathroom was that she normally used to shower, bath, and/or change in.

Eventually, Ash came out and brought a smile to Misty’s face. He was now essentially an elf, complete with elf shoes (with bells on the pointy ends), green shorts that went down to his knees, red gloves, a jacket colored white, red, and green (he still kept his black T-shirt on), and the green elf hat with red berry at the end that fit snugly over Ash’s cap.
“Teehee… just the way I imagined it! Even the cap. I knew you wouldn’t want to part with that hat of yours.” Misty said.
“Ho ho ho.” Ash jokingly laughed.
“Hold up… I’m the one dressed as Santa. That’s my line!” Misty said.
“Well, not that I don’t like this outfit because I do, but I’m hoping you didn’t call me here just for this.” Ash said.
“Oh, of course not. Come on, I fixed up some lunch in the kitchen. We can talk some more there. Oh, but first!” Misty said. She reached over for a camera that was sitting on a nearby shelf. Misty stood alongside Ash, prompting him to smile (which he did), and she took a picture, more like a selfie, of the two standing together all dressed up.
Finally, the two (along with Pikachu of course), made it into the kitchen. On the nearby table were assorted items of food, such as sandwiches, cookies, and rice balls.
“Oh? You made all of this?” Ash asked.
“Well, just the sandwiches. I bought all the other stuff from the nearby store.” Misty said.

The two then sat down and started eating away at their respective plates. During that time, they filled each other in on what had been happening since they last saw each other. Of course, I won’t bore you with the details. Instead, we fast forward to Ash finishing up his plate and not asking for anymore.
“You sure you’re all done eating, Ash?” Misty said.
“Yep! In fact, I could use a drink to wash all this good food down.” Ash said.
“I was hoping you said that. I made a special drink that I just know you’ll love.” Misty said. She got up from the table and then walked over to the kitchen counter where she reached over and picked up two glasses of blue-colored water.
“Huh? What’s this?” Ash asked.
“I call this the Horsea Special. It’s really good… I made it myself.” Misty said as she handed one glass to Ash.
“Really? So what’s in it?” Ash said.
“Well… it’s my secret recipe. I can’t even tell you… I don’t want my sisters to be stealing this recipe when they get back!” Misty said.
“Yeah, I understand. Still, it is safe to drink, right?” Ash said as he kept studying the blue color of the drink.
“Of course! I tasted it myself. It’s Misty approved and guaranteed to taste great. I even made a glass for Pikachu… because even my water Pokemon loved it!” Misty said.
“Well, okay. Bottoms up then!” Ash said as he started gulping down the drink. Misty smiled gleefully as he did this, knowing her secret wish was soon going to be coming true. She helped Pikachu drink down its own glass, and eventually the two had cleared out every drop of the glass.
“Hmmm… you’re right, that did taste very good! Do you have anymore?” Ash said.
“Nope, that’s all I made for now.” Misty said.
Just then, Ash felt the need to hold his head, as did Pikachu. He got up from the table he had been sitting at, only to suddenly have to lean on the nearby counter to correct his balance.
“Ooohhh… I feel woozy.” Ash said.
“Don’t worry, it’s from the drink. It should wear out very quickly.” Misty said.
“Oh!” Ash said. The head pounding seemed to intensify for both Ash and Pikachu… they both had to close their eyes in a futile effort to try and ease the pain.

As a result, neither noticed that they were shrinking in size. Misty smiled as she watched both Ash and Pikachu dwindle in size.
“Everything will be okay, Ash. Very very soon.” Misty said in a rather soothing calming voice. The smaller the two got, the more excited she felt inside.
Finally, Ash stopped shrinking at around 3-4 inches tall. Pikachu was even smaller, but proportionally the same size compared to Ash, which Misty expected all the way. At the exact same time as the shrinking stopped, Ash felt the pain go away and he opened his eyes.
“Hey, you’re right, Misty. It did go away quickly! I wonder what that was…” Ash said, only for him to stop when he first looked down and saw how close the floor now was. It wasn’t until he looked straight ahead that he felt the need to drop his jaw to the floor. In front of him were Misty’s feet. Not her head or even her chest. Her bare feet were smack in front of him, and he guessed he was roughly twice the size of her toes. Slowly he moved his head up until he saw Misty leaning down with a smile on her face.
“All I want for Christmas is you, my little Ash.” Misty suddenly said, then reaching down to pick up the shrunken boy. Ash had no time to react… as by the time he turned around to run, he was already stuck in Misty’s grasp. Ash felt himself being lifted up like he was on an elevator as Misty stood back to her full height and looked straight at Ash.

“M...Misty!? What happened!? What did you do to me?” Ash shouted.
“I spiked your drink, as well as Pikachu’s, with a couple MicroBerries.” Misty said.
“What? MicroBerries?” Ash said.
“Yeah, remember? Berries that shrink whoever or whatever that eats them. There’s also the red MegaBerries that enlarge instead. In fact…” Misty said. She then walked over to the refrigerator and opened it up. Ash was worried Misty was going to put him inside… but his worries were quickly eradicated as Misty instead pointed to a red drink inside a glass.
“Look! I already have a MegaBerry blend ready to go for you and Pikachu. You’ll both be back to your normal sizes when I’m feeling ready.” Misty said.
“Well, that’s good, but…” Ash said.
“But what?” Misty asked.
“...Why did you shrink us? We could’ve had a normal conversation about the holidays, or something like that.” Ash said.
“I know, but… I just couldn’t resist. Besides, I like having you in my hands.” Misty said. Ash still had an uneasy look on his face.
“But you know I won’t do anything to put your life in danger. I will take care of you through thick and thin.” Misty said. She started to lean her lips towards the tiny Ash, but stopped her leaning when she felt it wasn’t the right setting. Instead, she pressed Ash against the top of her chest. The warmth of both her hands and the skin on her chest seemed to soothe away Ash’s worries. In fact, when Misty pulled Ash away, he let out a small smile that immediately caught her attention.
“Oh, you’re feeling better already.” Misty said.
“Well, yeah. That felt good… that hug. It reminded me of my mother, for some reason.” Ash said.
As Misty smiled once more, she suddenly heard a ringing sound from outside. Misty recognized the bell as the signal whenever someone walks through the sliding doors at the front of the gym.
“Oh? I wonder who that could be… Wait here, I’ll be right back.” Misty said as she placed Ash on the nearby counter.
“Where would I go?” Ash asked.

When Misty approached the front entrance, thinking it was someone to challenge her to a gym battle, she instead saw two ladies that she immediately recognized from the Hoenn Pokemon League.
“Roxanne! Flannery!” Misty said.
“Hiya, Misty! Good to see you again!” Flannery said.
“So what brings the two of you here?” Misty asked.
“Well, we’re on a bit of a break from the Kanto tour, so we figured we’d stop by and say hello to a fellow gym leader, and you were the closest.” Roxanne said. Misty looked over the clothing of both ladies. Roxanne was all bundled up in a full length leather coat, but Flannery? She was the same as usual, right down to her short sleeved shirt that revealed a whole lotta stomach. This naturally caught Misty’s attention.
“Flannery… please please PLEASE tell me you didn’t walk through all that snowy weather wearing that!?” Misty said.
“Oh come on. It’s not THAT cold out there! Even then, you two forget that my skin is always pretty warm coming from Lavaridge Town!” Flannery said.
“But what if you catch a cold or something? And…” Misty said.
“All of us in Hoenn have tried talking Flannery out of it, but she won’t budge.” Roxanne said.
“That’s right! Never in a million years will I succumb to the wrath of sheer cold!” Flannery said with a grin on her face.
“Well, anyway. Why don’t you come to the kitchen? You two are probably hungry.” Misty said.
“I am, actually. Make sure I get something spicy!” Flannery said, prompting a laugh from the other two girls.
“By the way, Misty. Love the dress!” Roxanne said.
“Oh, thank you! It definitely adds to the Christmas atmosphere, wouldn’t you say?” Misty said.

Ash, meanwhile, sat down on the countertop, looking at Pikachu who was now resting on his legs.
“(sigh) I should be angry with Misty for shrinking me, but I’m not. Why do you suppose that is, Pikachu?” Ash said.
“Pika! Pikachu! Pika!” Pikachu said.
“Could it be because it’s the holiday season? A time for joy and peace with my friends and family?” Ash said. But before he could wonder any more, he suddenly watched as Misty returned to the room, and she wasn’t alone. On top of that, Flannery was quick to spot the shrunken Ash on the counter.
“Huh? Misty, what’s that?” Flannery said.
“Oh? That’s… um…” Misty said, trying to explain the presence of a tiny Ash, but before she could even use the old ‘new doll I bought’ excuse, Roxanne (now with her coat off and in her regular outfit) approached the shrunken boy.
“Ash? Is that you?” Roxanne said as she walked up to the counter and leaned forward to get a closer look at Ash.
“Yes, it’s me.” Ash said.
“Wow… look how small you are! My students would have a field day if they saw you like this!” Roxanne said, thinking back to when Ash and Brock visited her school where she teaches when not accepting challenges at the Rustboro City Gym.
“Er… yeah. Yes they would.” Ash said. Flannery was the next to step up and get a look at Ash. Eventually Misty was standing in front of him as well.
“Heya, Ash! Long time no see!” Flannery said.
“Heya, Flannery.” Ash said with a smile.
“Ash shrunk because I slipped some MicroBerries into his drink. It’s only for a little while. I already have a MegaBerry mixture ready for him in the fridge.” Misty said.
“Ah, yes. Every time I think of MicroBerries and MegaBerries, I think back to that dream I had one night.” Flannery said with a smile.
“Huh? What dream?” Misty said.
“She ate some MegaBerries and grew to a giant size, then played around in some cities.” Roxanne said.
“Don’t forget about me making Groudon and Kyogre my servants!” Flannery said.
“Right, right. I was just gonna mention that!” Roxanne said.

Ash, in the meantime, just looked up at the three giantesses and wondered what they would do with him next after they finished up their discussion.

At that moment, however, Misty heard the bell ring yet again.
“Oh? Another visitor? Wait here, girls, I’ll be right back.” Misty said. The water Pokemon expert stepped out of the kitchen, and as she approached the front entrance of the gym, that’s when she saw another girl walking in. She also immediately recognized this girl from the times she spent in the Hoenn region.
“Winona!” Misty shouted.
“Hi, Misty! Sorry to drop in so suddenly on you, but Ash said I should come visit you while I was here in Kanto.” Winona said.
“Really? Ash told you that?” Misty asked.
“Yeah! I gave him a lift to this city on my Skarmory. Where is he, right now?” Winona said.
“Well, follow me, and try not to be too shocked.” Misty said. Winona followed Misty back to the kitchen, wondering what she could’ve meant by that last phrase. Luckily, she didn’t have to wait along, as when she entered the kitchen, there was the tiny Ash standing on the counter. Of course, Flannery and Roxanne were happy to see one of their fellow gym leaders as well.

“Ah, Winona, so you decided to come visit too?” Flannery asked.
“Yeah! But… what happened to Ash? He’s so tiny!” Winona said as she approached the counter.
“And looking like an elf too.” Roxanne added as she finally commented on Ash’s outfit, much like she did earlier with Misty’s. Now with four giant girls looking down on him and Roxanne commenting on his new outfit, Ash could feel the sweat running down his head.
“Um… please, could you not use any small talk? Did you finish your tour of Professor Oak's lab already?” Ash said jokingly.
"Oh, he had to leave for Johto for some radio show, so he told me to come back another time." Winona said.
“Teehee! Even when shrunken, you’re still funny with the puns, Ash.” Misty said as she playfully poked Ash on his elf hat.
“So, Misty? Care to explain what happened here?” Winona asked.
“Ash shrunk because I slipped some MicroBerries into his drink. It’s only for a little while. I already have a MegaBerry mixture ready for him in the fridge.” Misty said, repeating what she said earlier to the other girls.
“I see… but why would you want to shrink Ash?” Winona said.
“It’s kind of a power thing. Some ladies feel more in control when they’re much, much bigger than a man. That said, that power can also be used to bring someone closer to you.” Roxanne said, answering before Misty could.
“Um… yeah. Something like that!” Misty said.
“Never mind that! Can I pick him up, Misty?” Flannery asked.
“Well, okay! Just don’t hurt him!” Misty said. As Pikachu jumped off Ash’s head and stayed behind (with a confused look) on the counter, Flannery wrapped her hand around Ash and picked him up off the counter.

“Teehee… you look even cuter up close.” Flannery said.
“Um… thanks. So, Flannery, is it true that you walked through the snow outside wearing just your regular outfit?” Ash asked.
“Yep! And you know what? I’m in such a festive mood today. I’d be more than happy to share my secret with you.” Flannery said.
“Oh? Didn’t you promise your grandfather, Mr. Moore, that you wouldn’t tell anyone else about what I think you’re going to share?” Roxanne asked.
“Well… yeah, but it’s not like Ash will be able to pull the move off… nor anyone else!” Flannery said.
“What move is that?” Ash asked.
“Yeah, I’m kinda curious myself.” Misty said.
“Okay... I have this natural-born ability to heat up my skin to as hot as I want. Heating up my skin was what kept me from freezing to death out there!” Flannery said.
“Huh? Really?” Ash asked.
“Perhaps a demonstration would be appropriate. Hold Ash for a moment, Roxanne.” Flannery said as she gave the shrunken boy over to Roxanne. Flannery walked over to the dining table and started moving the chairs one by one so they would line up. While Flannery was doing that, Roxanne took the brief time to converse with Ash.
“So, Ash? How are you feeling? Is it any different being 3-4 inches tall compared to your normal size?” Roxanne said.
“Well… I feel kinda lighter than usual, for one thing.” Ash said.
“Excellent! Tell me more… I may use this for a future lesson for my kids.” Roxanne said.
“Huh?” Ash asked.
“Oh, sorry. I guess I’m pushing it. Forgive me, Ash. You probably haven’t been small long enough to fully grasp the situation.” Roxanne said.
“It’s okay, Roxanne.” Ash said. Pikachu, wanting to reunite with its trainer, made a bold leap on top of Roxanne’s arm, running across it until the Pokemon was reunited with Ash.
“Oh, Pikachu! You should be more careful!” Roxanne said.
“Awww, don’t worry about Pikachu. It’s gotten used to running in high places.” Ash said. Pikachu happily shouted its name in response.

Before Ash and Roxanne could talk any further, Flannery was all done setting up the chairs. She laid down almost flat on her back, only leaning her head up so she could still see Ash, and using all five chairs as a de facto couch.
“Okay, ready! Roxanne, can you put Ash on my belly?” Flannery said. Roxanne did just that, walking over towards Flannery and setting Ash down on Flannery’s skin. Misty stood close by, wanting to make sure Ash wasn’t hurt with any of these games.
“So are we supposed to see something different? Like a glow around your body or something?” Misty asked.
“Or your butt catching on fire like that one story you told me?” Winona asked.
“Hey, come on! I was still learning back then on how to be a true gym leader! Anyway, you’re not going to see any flashes of light or bursts of flame. Ash here will let you know what’s happening.” Flannery said with a smile. Ash decided to set Pikachu down next to his feet so it could feel Flannery changing her body temperature as well.
“Okay, ready when you are!” Ash said.
Flannery nodded and closed her eyes briefly. Then she opened them up, and almost immediately thereafter, Ash could feel the heat rising.
“Oh! It’s like a hot spring all of a sudden.” Ash said.
“I’m just warming up, Ash! No pun intended, of course.” Flannery said. Indeed, Ash and Pikachu both could feel the heat rising even further. Misty reached down and placed her palm on Flannery’s stomach near Ash and Pikachu, but had to pull it away after a couple seconds.
“Yikes! She’s as hot as the surface of a frying pan.” Misty said.

Finally, though, it was getting too much for even Ash and Pikachu to take. They started jumping up and down trying to keep their feet off Flannery’s skin.
“Um… Flannery, you think you can stop now!? It’s getting too hot to handle!” Ash shouted.
“Teehee! I love watching you dance! It’s like dancing over hot coals!” Flannery said.
“Seriously, Flannery, you should stop so Ash doesn’t get burned.” Misty said.
“Don’t worry, just a few more minutes and…” Flannery said.
“NOW, FLANNERY!!!” Misty suddenly yelled out, even stomping her foot.
“Okay, okay! Chill out!” Flannery said. Just as she said that, she literally chilled out by mentally returning her body temperature. Ash and Pikachu felt this and stopped dancing around.
“Whew… thanks, Misty! I don’t know how much longer I could’ve danced like this… although it was kinda fun. How did you do that, Flannery?” Ash said.
“Like I said, it’s something I was born with… although my grandpa told me not to use that ability unless absolutely necessary.” Flannery said. Ash and Pikachu couldn’t rest for long, as Ash and Pikachu were both picked up by Roxanne next. Flannery then got up from the chairs and she and Winona put them back in their original positions at the dining table.
“So, now that you’re done with Flannery, I do have one more question I want to ask you, Ash, in relation to your size.” Roxanne said.
“Okay, what is it?” Ash said.
“I’ll need to put you on the floor first. Is that okay with you, Misty?” Roxanne asked.
“Well… okay. May I ask what you intend to do?” Misty asked.
“Don’t worry. I promise I won’t hurt him. I cross my heart.” Roxanne said.
“Okay, I trust you.” Misty said. With a nod from Misty, Roxanne kneeled down and placed both Ash and Pikachu on the floor, only a few yards away from her feet. Roxanne immediately stood back up, with Flannery and Winona standing behind her.

Ash simply looked up and marveled over how much bigger everyone looked from floor level instead of on a counter.
“Wow… they look so big, don’t they, Pikachu? But it could be worse… we could be even smaller.” Ash said.
“Pikachu…” Pikachu said.
“Tell me, Ash. Do I look like a real giantess from down there? Do I look like someone who could smash a building or two with their feet if they grew?” Roxanne asked.
“Well… yes, of course! It’s interesting you would have this thought, I have to admit.” Ash said.
“Well, it’s a bit embarrassing for me to say, but I’ve kinda had this dream of wanting to be taller one day. That way I could teach all the children of Hoenn all my knowledge and skills of the world… not just the ones in Rustboro City.” Roxanne said.
“Lemme guess? The skills to make them grow giant as well?” Flannery joked. Winona and Misty laughed, and Roxanne eventually laughed herself.
“Hoho, Flannery.” Roxanne said. Misty then approached the tiny Ash standing on the floor.
“How about me, Ash? How do I look, especially wearing this outfit?” Misty said.
“I… well… oh my…” Ash said as he suddenly felt himself spinning and he collapsed down on one knee but quickly stood back up.
“Haha! Looks like your beauty was too much for him, Misty.” Winona said.
“Yeah, I guess so!” Misty said, who then backed up and stood near the dining room table.
“Listen, Ash. Can you run? Run as fast as you can. I want to compare my stride to yours.” Roxanne said.
“Okay, whatever you say.” Ash said. He turned around and started running as fast as he could with Pikachu close behind. But despite running as if a pack of wild Tauros were right behind him, Roxanne easily made up much of the distance with just a couple steps. Roxanne watched as Ash tried to pick up the pace as he looked behind and saw Roxanne’s huge shoes right behind him.
“Poor Ash. Size really does make a difference, doesn’t it?” Roxanne said.

Ash looked back one more time at Roxanne’s feet, but suddenly felt himself falling forward. Turns out Misty stepped in his path and he tripped over her pinky toe and landed squarely on the top of her foot.
“Oooh! Nice catch, Misty!” Flannery commented.
“Hehe, thanks.” Misty said. She then reached down and picked up Ash (along with Pikachu who jumped onto Ash’s shoulder), holding him at chest level.
“But that’s enough running for Ash. I don’t want to scare him any further.” Misty said.
“Yes, Misty. I fully understand.” Roxanne said.
“By the way, Misty, I couldn’t help but notice that some of the lights on your Christmas tree were out.” Winona said.
“Oh, right. Actually they’ve been out for a couple years. My sisters are too lazy to buy new lights.” Misty said.
“New lights? Or maybe they just need to be re-energized.” Flannery said.
“Maybe. But every time I bring up the lights, they just shrug me off.” Misty said.
“Hmmm? Can I see these lights, Misty?” Ash asked the giantess from her hands.
“Well… okay, sure. Come on, everyone.” Misty said as she lead everyone out of the dining room and into the swimming pool, where the big Christmas tree was sitting.

Everyone looked to see indeed a little more than half the lights were out on the tree.
“That’s such a shame. It would be a very pretty tree otherwise.” Flannery said.
“Well, what if Pikachu could zap the lights back to life?” Ash said.
“Huh? How would that work?” Roxanne asked.
“Pikachu and I jump on one of the branches and walk inside the tree. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt and hopefully that brings one light back to life and its electricity spreads to the rest of the lights.” Ash said.
“Ash… that could be dangerous! You could fall from the branch and hurt yourself!” Misty said.
“Misty, please let me try. If I don’t, those lights may never get fixed, especially since your sisters won’t listen to reason.” Ash said.
“Hold on, I have an idea. One that will keep Ash and Pikachu safe. Misty, could you get both your MicroBerry and MegaBerry drinks?” Winona said.
“Okay, sure.” Misty said as she walked back to the kitchen. She later returned (with Ash and Pikachu now riding Misty’s left shoulder) with two separate glasses filled with liquids. One was blue colored, the MicroBerry blend, while the other was red, the MegaBerry blend.
“Okay, Winona, what do you have in mind?” Misty asked.
“I get my Skarmory to drink the MicroBerry juice, shrinking it down in size. Ash and Pikachu climb on Skarmory’s back, and Pikachu does its Thunderbolt magic inside the tree. Whether it works or not, Skarmory flies back out and then it drinks the MegaBerry blend, returning it to its normal size.” Winona said.
“Hmmm… that sounds like a good plan to me. Plus, I get to see these infamous MicroBerry and MegaBerry juices in action.” Roxanne said.
“I agree. Let’s go for it, Winona. Your Skarmory won’t mind?” Misty said.
“My Skarmory and I have been through the skies together. It will perfectly understand. Skarmory, come out!” Winona shouted.

Winona threw the Pokeball holding Skarmory up in the air, and it opened up to reveal the Pokémon. Misty promptly handed the glass of MicroBerry juice over to Winona, who walked over towards her Skarmory.
“Skarmory, I need you to drink this and help a friend of mine. I promise I will return you to normal as soon as possible.” Winona said. Skarmory nodded, seeming to understand its master’s request.
“A Pokemon that size is probably going to have to drink the whole glass in order to shrink to the right size.” Misty said. After Skarmory opened its mouth, Winona dumped the entire MicroBerry blend down the hatch. After Skarmory’s body briefly glowed blue, everyone watched as the normally tall Pokémon shrunk in size right before their eyes.
“It’s working! Skarmory’s shrinking!” Flannery shouted. Finally, Skarmory stopped shrinking at roughly 7-8 inches tall. It looked up at Winona as she kneeled down and held a hand towards the Pokémon.
“Don’t be scared, Skarmory. It’s still me.” Winona said. Almost as soon as she said that, Skarmory flew its way onto the palm of Winona’s hand. The gym leader whose specialty is in the flying type stood back up and carefully walked over towards Misty.
“That MicroBerry drink is amazing, to think it can shrink a mighty tall Pokémon like Skarmory.” Roxanne said.
“Heh, what I’d really like to see is a Wailord shrunk to that size with the MicroBerries. Wouldn’t that be something!?” Flannery shouted.
“Okay, Misty. Place Ash and Pikachu on Skarmory’s back.” Winona said. Misty did just that, taking Ash and Pikachu from her shoulder and very gently (knowing how easily a Skarmory could snap) placed them on Skarmory’s back. Skarmory did not flinch as Ash and Pikachu nestled themselves on its back.
“I’ll command Skarmory from out here. Okay, Skarmory, fly inside the tree!” Winona said. Skarmory flapped its steel wings and indeed flew inside the tree.

It was pretty incredible for Ash at first, seeing himself actually inside a Christmas tree thanks to his shrunken size. But he could not admire any longer, for he wanted to finish the task at hand and get back outside as soon as possible. He looked down and saw one of the lights that was out.
“Okay, Pikachu, Thunderbolt that light!” Ash said. Pikachu jumped off Ash’s head and ran over to Skarmory’s tail. It then charged up its red cheeks.
“Pi...ka…CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!” Pikachu shouted as electricity came flying from its body. It made contact with the light that immediately lit it up. Miraculously, the other lights on the strand followed suit and lit up one by one.
The girls outside watched as first the inside of the tree was lit up with electricity. And then the lights that were previously off came on one at a time until the tree was covered from top to bottom in lights.
“Oh, look at that!” Flannery said.
“It’s beautiful…” Roxanne said.

Not too long after, Skarmory came flying out with Ash and Pikachu on its back. It circled around once before it was able to locate Winona and land in the palm of her hand.
“Good job, Skarmory! I’m so proud of you!” Winona said. Skarmory let out a happy cry to show its gratitude; clearly it wasn’t bothered by being shrunken and in the hands of its own master. In the meantime, Misty walked over and took possession once again of Ash and Pikachu. She once again wrapped her hand around Ash (with Pikachu back riding on Ash’s shoulder) and held him in front of her face.
“Thank you, Ash. You’ve saved my Christmas.” Misty said with a smile.
“Heh, I don’t know if I’d go that far, but you’re welcome.” Ash said, smiling himself. As everyone looked over the brighter lit tree once more, Winona then reminded Misty of returning Skarmory to its normal size.
“Misty, we should return Skarmory to normal.” Winona said.
“Oh, of course!” Misty said. She moved Ash and Pikachu back to her shoulder and picked up the glass of MegaBerry juice that was next to her feet. Using a dropper that was sitting inside the container, Misty dropped three drops of the juice onto Winona’s hand, which Skarmory quickly licked up and gulped down. After briefly glowing red and being set on the floor by Winona, everyone including her watched as Skarmory started to grow in size. After about a minute, Skarmory was exactly back to its original size. Winona was very happy as she ran over and hugged her Skarmory.
“Yay! I’m glad you’re back to normal, Skarmory. You did great.” Winona said.
“So I guess it’s Ash’s turn to grow back to normal?” Roxanne said.
“Not yet. I want to keep him tiny for just a little bit longer.” Misty said.
“Good, I was kinda hoping to play with him a little bit more… safely, of course! As in no trying to burn him on my stomach.” Flannery said.

Suddenly, a beeping sound was heard throughout the area.
“Oops… that’s my PokéNav.” Roxanne said as she reached in one of her skirt pockets and opened it up. She heard a voice coming from the speaker on the unit, but the video screen stayed blank, telling her this was a voice call.
“Hello?” Roxanne said.
“Roxanne, how are you?” a male voice said on the other end, which Roxanne immediately recognized.
“Hi, Wallace! I’m doing just fine. And you?” Roxanne said.
“Fine. Where are you right now?” Wallace said.
“I’m in Cerulean City, visiting the gym and its leader, Misty.” Roxanne said.
“That’s good. Unfortunately, I need you to cut your visit short. All the Hoenn gym leaders have been summoned to the Silph Company Headquarters in Saffron City for the Central Gathering. I need you here as fast as you can.” Wallace said.
“Okay, I’m on my way, Wallace. Flannery and Winona are with me and we'll be arriving together.” Roxanne said.
“Good, saves me time and battery life on my PokéNav. I’ll see you soon.” Wallace said. When Roxanne heard the call disconnect, she closed her PokéNav and put it back in her pocket.
“Well, you heard the boss, girls. We have to get to Saffron City, pronto. Winona, can you have your Skarmory fly the three of us to Saffron?” Roxanne said.
“Of course! Unlike taxi cabs, my transportation is free of charge!” Winona said.
“Awwww… I wanted to stay and chat more with Misty, and play a bit with tiny Ash again.” Flannery said.
“Come on, Flannery. You know we never ever keep Wallace waiting, especially when it’s time for the Central Gathering anyway.” Roxanne said.
“She’s right, Flannery.” Winona said. Flannery then sighed.
“Oh, alright.” Flannery said.

Later, the group was making their way for the front entrance. After Roxanne put her coat back on (Winona was already wearing adequate clothing and Flannery has already shown her distaste for winter clothing), the three were getting ready to leave the Cerulean City Gym.
“Misty, thank you for your hospitality. Perhaps we’ll meet again very soon.” Roxanne said.
“I would like that! I always enjoy meeting other gym leaders from faraway regions.” Misty said with a smile.
“Goodbye, Misty!” Winona said, and the three finally left through the sliding doors (letting a little bit of the snow in). Misty watched from inside as Winona called her Skarmory out, and she, Roxanne, and Flannery all jumped onboard. Skarmory then took off for the skies and everyone headed for Saffron City. That left Misty all by herself again… except of course for the shrunken Ash and Pikachu on her shoulder, and that brought a smile to her face.
“Whew… finally.” Misty said.
“Finally?” Ash said.
“We’re all alone again. Just the way I want it.” Misty said.
“*gulp* You do?” Ash said.
“There’s just one more thing I’d like to do, my little Ash, and then...” Misty said.
“Then what?” Ash asked nervously. Misty this time didn’t say anything. She instead turned around and walked back into the swimming pool room.

Eventually, she made it all the way back into her bedroom. The first thing she did was gently pluck Pikachu from Ash’s elf hat, placing him on the nightstand next to her bed.
“Wait here for now, Pikachu. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt Ash.” Misty said. Pikachu just stood in its place, wondering what the giant Misty had in mind for its master. Misty, meanwhile, walked over to her dresser, complete with large mirror, and then stopped. She took Ash from her shoulder and held him with both hands in front of her face.
“So what’s happening now?” Ash asked.
“Ash… look at the top of my mirror.” Misty said. Ash did just that, and noticed something hanging from the top of the mirror.
“Oh? That’s…” Ash said.
“Mistletoe.” Misty finished. Indeed, hanging on top of the mirror was the famous Christmas-time plant that Ash immediately knew it meant. But instead, Misty reached over with one of her hands and turned on her CD player. An instrumental version of Silent Night started playing out of the player’s speakers:



Shortly after the music started, Misty now held Ash up against her chest and slowly moved herself back and forth with the music. The second time the chorus played, Misty sung the first part of the lyrics:

Silent night, Holy night
All is calm, all is bright
'Round yon virgin , mother and child
Holy infant so, tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Finally, when the music faded out, Misty, now with a bright blush on her face that was not the slightest bit lost on Ash, held the tiny boy in front of her face. That’s when she moved Ash’s upper body up to her lips and the two met. The kiss lasted almost 30 seconds, and as Ash was pulled away, he felt it was a good thing Misty didn’t like or wear lipstick.
“I love you, Ash.” Misty said. Ash was surprised… not that Misty said she loved him, but the fact her face was blushing and it even looked like there were tears coming down her eyes. He had to say the right thing or he wouldn’t live to see another Christmas.
“I love you too, Misty.” Ash said.
“I… I’m sorry… I’ll grow you back to normal now.” Misty said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She walked over to her nightstand and picked up the tiny Pikachu.

Eventually, she was back in the kitchen and placed Ash and Pikachu back on the counter. Misty opened the fridge and pulled out the same glass of MegaBerry juice she had used on Winona’s Skarmory when it was shrunken. Misty once again remembered the cure for shrinking after drinking MicroBerry juice was three drops (it was to be drunk like normal if a normal-sized person wanted to grow) of the MegaBerry blend. After putting three drops worth of the liquid on the counter, Ash and Pikachu got to scooping it up into their mouths. Once it was gone, their bodies glowed a bright red, and Misty watched as the two grew back to normal, with Pikachu jumping into Ash’s open arms.

Ash sat down on the counter and eventually hopped off as he felt the growing stop and he was back to his normal size.
“Whew… finally, back to normal! Isn’t it great, Pikachu?” Ash said.
“Pikachu!” Pikachu shouted happily. Ash then turned around and looked over at Misty. Of course, he didn’t have to look up at her anymore, instead looking straight on like two normal people. Misty clearly looked nervous about talking with a normal-sized Ash right now.
“I… I had a great time, Ash. I hope you did too and have a safe trip home and…” Misty said.
“Misty… if you want, you can come home to Pallet Town with me for the holiday break.” Ash said.
“You… you’d be okay with that? After what I did to you?” Misty said.
“Sure! You’re welcome to my home anytime. I just ask that we don’t do any more shrinking in Pallet Town.” Ash said with a smile.
“I promise. But… how are we going to get all the way to Pallet Town? Winona’s already left.” Misty said.
“I’m sure we’ll figure something out in the Pokémon Center. Come on, we should get going!” Ash said.
“Okay, just let me change first!” Misty said as she eventually ran out of the kitchen and back into her bedroom.

With Misty now wearing winter clothing on top of her ‘Santa’ outfit, which she couldn’t wait to show Delia Ketchum, she and Ash (with Pikachu bundled inside Ash’s coat) stepped outside the Cerulean City Gym. Misty had repeatedly assured Ash that the gym could go several days without a leader before being at risk of shutting down, because such an extended grace period was only available this time of year. The two walked through the snowy ground when Ash suddenly stopped walking. Misty stopped as well.
“Huh? Why did you stop, Ash?” Misty said. Then Ash walked directly in front of Misty. That’s when he locked his lips onto hers for about 30 seconds, just as long as inside the gym earlier. Ash pulled back and saw the blush on Misty’s face.
“Merry Christmas, Misty.” Ash said. Misty smiled and said one thing to herself as she stood and watched Ash get back to walking away from the gym.

“Merry Christmas, Ash Ketchum.” Misty said. She then ran up to Ash and caught up with him as the two made their way to the Pokémon Center.

END