Since I plan on seeing this in a few fanfics, here's the first crack ship I ever came up with for a fic for someone else. I didn't create the idea of them being a ship. It exists! Owned by me: storyline and OCs. T for language and alcohol usage.


Checklist

'Okay,' a mauve-haired teenager thought before picking up his checklist. 'Cake? Check. Drinks? Hm,' he thought as he opened the freezer. 'Chilled. Guests? ...outside.' Everything seemed to be in check. Her brother was there (even though her ex had to drag him there), her ex was there... and so were her other friends who started their journeys at the same time she did. Although it had been a few years since his time in Kanto, Paul Shinji knew what he was doing.

He even had a method for checking who was supposed to be sitting or standing and where. "Ash?" he called and Ash looked up from whoever who he was texting. Ash was in his designated spot next to Gary. After going through the remaining names on the checklist (Mack, Misty, Serena [a girl who had been in Pallet Town for a few weeks], Drew Myers [a trainer who left at the same time as she did]), he noticed one person was missing. *

Where was she? "It's not a surprise party," Paul mused, looking at the brunette. He and Ash were eerily similar in terms of their Pokémon teams and a few other things: both came from Pallet, both wore a hat and to make it more interesting, they had similar battle styles.

Mack cleared his throat. "I think I'm the last person she wants to hear from," was all he said.

Serena shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't get to talk to her that often," she said.

"On it," Ash said, fingers flying a mile a minute as he finished ...whatever he was doing and then he put his Pokégear up to his ear. "Hey, Leaf. Nah, not much. Where are you?"

There was a pause and Ash kept nodding his head. 'What could be going on? Where could she be?' Paul wondered. He had semi-formal as an option on the invitation and was surprised that Ash, Mack and Drew dressed up. Ash wore a yellow polo shirt (the same shade as a Thunder Stone) and a pair of steel gray pants. He wasn't even wearing a hat.

Then Mack wore a pair of chestnut pants with a jet black polo shirt and a cinnabar vest over it. He also wore a navy blue hat. **

Drew was the only one wearing shorts: a khaki pair to be exact and flip flops with a sea green golf shirt. With two hockey pucks in the corner. Serena wore a pink blouse with an off-white skirt.

The door on the Green family fence opened. "Happy birthday, Leaf!" Ash, Drew and Serena said.

"Happy birthday, sis," Mack said weakly before giving a cough.

Leaf wore a summer dress that was a turquoise in color that seemed to bring her eyes out. 'Leave it to Paul,' Leaf thought as she looked at her boyfriend who was clad in a dark red button up shirt and a pair of black pants. "Paul," Leaf began. "did you do this... for me?"

Paul walked up to her. "Why wouldn't I? You said you haven't had a birthday party in a while," he said giving her a hug.

Drew nudged Misty. "Oh yeah," Drew said with a grin. "Paul here pulled all the stops. Gary even had to drag Mack here. Literally!"

Mack rolled his eyes. "He even had checklists. I think that's better than how I keep track," Mack retorted giving Drew a side glance. The Viridian City native wasn't fazed.

"Checklists or not, I'm sure tonight's going to be the best birthday ever," Leaf said with a smile. "I hope you bought drinks?"

Paul nodded to Ash. "Actually, he and I made them. I think they're probably cold enough," Ash said and nodded to Gary. "We'll go get them."

Leaf noticed that one thing hadn't been checked off his list, which he left on the table behind him, but she waited. Once she had her wine glass in hand (with chilled Rosé in it), she called a toast. "To 23 years. To think of all the things I've been through," she began before slowly moving on. "I met some good people along the way and I think I'm lucky to have a boyfriend like you, Paul." The couple clinked glasses. Paul quickly placed his down after drinking it (and his was in a champagne flute. Then again, he did have a mimosa) before giving Leaf a kiss on the lips.

Once they broke the kiss, Paul said, "To 23 years. I think that's a milestone for all of us," he said and Mack nodded.

"True," Gary and Serena said at the same time.

Drew and Ash grinned at this while Misty just focused on her drink. "Yeah," Mack said with a smile.


Happy belated birthday, Dragon!

(*) Mack isn't an OC. He's gen 3's version of Red and there will be a story on him. Drew Myers is and his surname is subject to change.

(**) Yes, jet is actually a shade of black.

End A/N: Dragon Soul94 is the first writer I became a Beta for. He's not the first person I've opened up to, but he's one of the first who's been determined to reach out to me. Keep in mind that "Rise of a Legend" is still a WIP and I am going back to edit his previous chapters. Hope you had a happy birthday. Sorry this is 8 min

As always, r and r, fave and follow (if you want) vote and ask.

Ciao.

~Queen

PS Mimosa is a combination of champagne and orange juice. You usually serve champagne in a champagne flute.