Younger Years (ALTERNATIVE: SAVING HIM)

Of Picnics and Promises

Ash/Red

"A picnic?" Red asked as he and Cynthia walked away from the school.

"Yeah..." Cynthia replied, a faint blush on her face as she glanced at him, "I-I just thought that maybe you would..."

Red looked at the girl as she began to trail off, "Sure."

"Yay!" she smiled at him, "Meet me at my house in an hour." 

Red walked up the stairs of his porch as Cynthia ran off towards her own home. As he opened his door, Red noticed Serena was looking at him from her porch; a sad look in her eyes.

"What?" he asked coldly, walking into his house and shutting the door behind him.

"Ash?!" his mother called from the living room, "Is that you?!"

"Who else would it be mom?" Red asked as he walked into the room and sat on the couch.

"You're less mopey," Delia observed, "something good happen?"

"Huh?" he looked at his mother and shrugged, "I'm gonna be hanging out with Cynthia in an hour."

"Hmm..." Delia frowned, careful not to allow her son to see it, "And what will the two of you be doing?"

"Picnic." he told her, "Her idea."

"Well make sure you're back before seven, we're going somewhere tonight." she informed him, "And don't ask where, it's a surprise."

"Fine."

Pikachu hoped up on Red's shoulder, nuzzling against his trainers cheek.

"Hey buddy." Red smiled at his partner, "I'd have taken you with me this morning but you wouldn't wake up."

"Pi." Pikachu pretended to be upset with the boy, "Pi Pika Pi."

________________________________________________________________________________

"Serena!" Grace called out to her daughter, who was sprawled out on the couch in sweatpants and a sweatshirt.

"Yeah!?" the teenager called back.

"We have guests coming over tonight!"

"Who?!"

"Ash and his mother!"

Serena choked on her yogurt for a moment, "What?!" 

Grace could only giggle as her daughter bolted up the stairs in search of clothes to wear. A moment later she popped her head down the stairs slightly,

"When?"

"A late dinner so around eight."

Serena came down a few minutes later holding two outfits; one was a pink sundress and the other was a pair of skinny jeans and a tank top, "Which one?"

"The dress, it looks like the one you wore when you and Ash were kids."

"Alright."

Grace's eyes went wide, "What? Normally you hate my advice."

"This time..." Serena looked at her mother, "I'm pretty sure it was amazing advice."

Grace smiled at her daughter, pulling the girl into a hug, "You've got plenty of time, just relax for a while."

________________________________________________________________________________

Ash/Red

Red arrived at Cynthia's house, knocking on the door he waited for her to open it. When she did, he saw that she was already prepared to go; a short dress and sandals complemented her gleeful face. She held a picnic basket in one hand and the other grasped Reds as she began to make her way to the spot she had designated for the picnic.