Ash the Dragon Specialist

The Grand Festival - Part I

"Dad!" Celeste exclaimed as she thre herself into Wallace's arms. They were at the hotel the Sinnoh Grand Festival Team had arranged in Valor Lakefront for the coordinators. Celeste had been pacing in the room she had been giving to stay in with Ash, waiting for her father to make an appearance as he had promised. And he did, he and Steven had made it to her hotel room in disguise. "I've missed you so much!"

"Oh, my precious girl," Wallace sighed, tightening the hold around her waist, as he snuggled his face against her hair- the same color as his. "I've missed you as well. Calls are not the same and seeing you in the T.V while it fills me with pride, I cannot wait to see you perform live. You've made so proud. I cannot tell you how much. You should just ask Steven, I cried myself dry when you earned your fifth ribbon. Even my beauty Milotic had shed tears."

They finally let go of each other, allowing Ash to see the beaming smile on his best friend's face and the unshed tears of happiness in her eyes. Though, he had also noticed how she fidgeted, throwing glances towards Steven Stone's form. The Champion of Hoenn was only a decade older than the two young trainers, but to Celeste he would one day become her step-father.

"Hi, it's so nice to finally meet you," Steven stepped foward with a warm smile, his fondness as he looked at Celeste quite clear. "Wally has told me so much about you and I've seen your contests with him. I can honestly tell you how happy I am that Wally's talent has been passed on."

Celeste's eyes widened at the huge compliment from the Champion. It had her sniffling as some tears escaped her, and started rolling down her cheeks. Poor Steven started to panick, thinking he had said the wrong thing. After all, he had been so worried about meeting Celeste for a while. Everytime Wallace brings out his daughter, he spoke with pride and love, and Steven knew that she was the most important person in Wallace's life. Even more than him, and Steven was more than ok with that. He did not blame him, not when Celeste looked so much like her father and had his passion for contests.

Steven had only just met her, but he had been half-in-love with her since he had first seen her compete at the Chocovine Contest. How coulld he no? When she was her father's daughter and he loved her father so much.

But he had nothing to get worried about, not when he heard her laugh between sniffles. "Thank you. I've been wanting to meet you for a while too."

Wallace's heart was ready to give out, from how full it felt, as he watched his boyfriend and daughter hug. To center himself and not start crying as well, he turned to his daughter's best friend with a friendly smile. "Hi, Ash. How have you been?"

"Good," Ash smiled back. "I've got all my gym badges and we are ready for the Lily of the Valley Conference."

Wallace's smile widened at Ash's clear excitement. It reminded him of back then when he was doing the Hoenn Circuit and all the hard work he had put to become a Gym Leader. Being around Ash and Celeste reminded Wallace of his youth, it renewed a spark withinn him that Wallace had been unaware it had been extinguished. "Congratulations! Talking about being ready. I've got you what I promised you," Wallace turned to his daughter, who spun around and was practically vibrating with excitement. "Your gown for the Grand Festival, made by Lila herself! She has been my stylist for a long time and you've impressed her, she was more than happy to design a dress just for you."

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much!" Celeste jumped on Wallace's arms and practically ripped the gown from his hands.

Where Wallace had gotten it from, Ash had no idea and he was not going to ask. Still Ash smiled as Celeste went to the bathroom to change, before turning towards her father. "Will you be coming to the meet-and-greet event?"

"No, that is for participating coordinators," Steven answered.

"Not to mention, I am here not as Gym Leader or Top Coordinator Wallace, I am here as a father and will do my very best not to take away from those that have worked hard to be the center of attention," Wallace continued. "We've even rented Psychic-type pokemon from the Hoenn Pokemon League to keep our presence under wraps and not cause a scene." Wallace's attention turned back to his daughter when he heard the door of the bathroom being opened. "Oh my..." Wallace's eyes watered, as he gasped. "My darling girl... you look incredible! So beautiful!"