Note: It's been a while since my last story, but I'm back (refreshed and regenerated *giggle*). So... enjoy... and don't forget to review! ;)


Chapter 1 - Couriway Town

.

"Finally!" Clemont sighted when group stopped their movement.

His blonde hair was messy and dirty from long walk. His blue and yellow jumpsuit also took some traveling damage. He didn't even need to look at his black and white tennis shoes to know that they need washing as much as he did. He fixed his glasses, blinking tiredness from his blue eyes as he sighted again.

They just arrived in Couriway Town, a town connecting differences, as they called it.

"I thought that we would never find our way here." Clemont begged gang to take the train, but Ash Ketchum, always leader in their group, didn't want to hear none of it, so after long and tiresome walk, and getting lost, Clemont only wanted to take a shower and lie in bed. Of course, that didn't stop him in admiring the view. Town was placed in valley surrounded by mountains, but if that wasn't enough to take away your breath, town was surrounded by water on almost every side, water that was coming from those same mountains, creating majestic waterfalls. Town buildings looked like they were quite old, almost Tudor styled, but at same time they looked like they been renewed.

"Awesome!" Ash turned around to take a good look at everything. He adjusted his red and white hat so that his chocolate brown eyes could take in more of a view while his partner Pokemon Pikachu seemed to do the same. Ash's black hair seemed to find a way to escape from prison that was his hat and his locks swayed in light breeze. Ash was the one with the traveling experience, so his blue collared shirt and grey jeans stayed rather clean. His sneakers were mix of red and grey, just like his gloves, so mud was almost invisible.

"This place is amazing." Bonnie, youngest of their group, said in awe. She was blonde, just like her brother Clemont, but she was dirtiest of the group. Her dark brown blouse and black ribbon and black shorts took small damage, but her white skirt and pink shoes needed good washing. Being young and playful didn't helped either, so Bonnie looked like she was rolling in the mud, specially her yellow satchel that turn almost brown.

"Yeah, I think that we never visited such beautiful town before. This is definitely on top of my list." Serena replied. She was fourth and final member of their group. She was the reason why group came to town in the first place because she wanted to participate in Pokemon Showcase. "Now I can't wait for my performance." She touched her pink-red fedora that had black hatband. She was quite stylish girl. She wore a light pink dress over a grey tank-top and she had blue ribbon tied at collar of the dress. Over her dress, she had long red vest that had large pockets at sides. To complete her outfit, she wore dark grey stockings and brown boots. Aside from being stylish, she was also pretty, specially her deep blue eyes and honey coloured hair that was ending just below her chin, and that was reason why many young man took glance at her when she passed through city streets. Serena looked around to take everything around her. Her clothes were smudged in few places, but that was nothing noticeable because of her dark stockings.

"It start's tomorrow, so you still have time to prepare." Ash commented looking at massive waterfalls that were falling from mountain in distance. He then shook his head, like he's trying to clear his thoughts and turned back to others of his group. "I can't wait for tomorrow." Ash grinned.

"I know, but first things first," Serena smiled "I wanna take a look around. Come on, let's check Showcase stage."

"Do we have to?" Clemont moaned. "I'm tired. Can't we get some rest first?"

"Nope." Serena firmly replied and marched away. She rushed past old couple that gave her small glance and shrugged.

Ash chuckled and followed with Bonnie by his side, while Clemont frowned and rushed after them. When Serena decided something, only thing left to do is to follow her lead.

.

To say that stage for Showcase was amazing would be understatement. Stage was on open and just below multiple waterfalls. Stage itself seemed to be placed above water with central part surrounded by flowing water that was covered with thick glass. Viewers area was quite wide and it went almost around whole stage, leaving empty space only for view at waterfalls. Theatre was also decorated with metallic pink and purple trees that had yellowish lights on top of branches. Also, whole theatre had frame that went around and that made it look like it was melting into mountains.

Serena watched stage with her mouth open. She never saw more astonishing sight than that.

"You'll be on that stage tomorrow." Bonnie nudged her.

"Yeah." Serena breathed. She held Eevee in her arms. Eevee was fox like creature mostly covered with brown fur, only tip of its tail and large furry collar were cream-colored. Eevee's dark eyes showed fear, not amazement.

Serena noticed that Eevee looked afraid. "Hey, you don't have to worry. I'll be with you whole time." Serena smiled at her small friend.

Eevee looked at Serena and relaxed. "Vui." She chipped.

Bonnie looked at her brother. "We should go and find Pokemon centre. It's getting late and I think that my brother needs long rest."

That cough Serena's attention as well. "Oh, I guess that I was little overwhelmed to notice, but you are right, we should go and get some rest."

Clemont moved first, thankful that he'll be able to sit down and relax. Bonnie followed after her brother, but Serena looked at Ash who was still looking at waterfalls and who was unusually quiet.

"Ash, come on." Serena called and Clemont and Bonnie turned back.

Ash flinched and looked at them. "Go ahead guys, I'll be right behind you." Ash looked at group, but at same time his gaze seemed to be miles away.

Clemont and Bonnie shrugged, but accepted his words and started walking again. Serena stayed where she was, her look concerned. "Are you all right?" She asked in quieter tone.

Ash stuck his hands into pockets. "Yeah, of course that I am, I find this place very good for thinking."

"Do you want me to stay and keep you company?" Serena asked and took step closer to him, silently hoping that he'll say yes.

Ash looked at waterfalls and then at her. "You should go with Clemont and Bonnie. You need to rest for tomorrow. I have Pikachu to look after me."

Serena frowned. "All right, but don't take too long or I'll return and drag you away." She meant it.

"Sure." Ash replied and Serena slowly left. She took one more look back and saw him in same position as before. She shrugged it off and went in same direction that Clemont and Bonnie previously left.

.

Ash wasn't sure what got into him. He felt very nostalgic about something and it hit him as soon as they entered town. He looked at waterfalls and only thing that was on his mind was how beautiful they looked, but when he blinked, it seemed like small flash of red appeared in water. Ash blinked again and for moment he saw flash again, but this time it looked like flash reflecting from something.

"Pikachu pi." Pikachu said in small voice and Ash flinched. He didn't hear that in very long time and he knew exactly what Pikachu thought. Hearing those words, everything seemed to make more sense to Ash. He looked at his friend. Being rodent, Pikachu fit perfectly on Ash's shoulder, but still he was so powerful that he could take on some of strongest Pokemon. At same time, Pikachu looked quite adorable to anyone who saw him. Maybe it was because of his yellow fur, maybe because of his tail shaped like a lightning bolt, or maybe it was because of his red cheeks, but Pikachu always had admirers, specially in new regions.

Pikachu lowered his long pointy ears and his brown eyes looked sad. "Chu." Ash wasn't only one nostalgic, Pikachu was thinking about his best friend as well.

Ash smiled at his friend. "Yeah, I'm thinking the same. I guess that seeing so much water reminded me."

"Pika." Pikachu grinned and Ash went back to his thought. Now that he placed face to his thoughts, he couldn't stop thinking about it. Everything seemed to remind him of her, not only water, but also romantic side of whole scene that surrounded him.

"You know… it just came to me that this all is kind of romantic. She would laugh her ass of if she heard that." Ash chuckled and Pikachu started to roll in laughter.

"Pi! Pika chu pika." Pikachu laughed.

Ash rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, laugh all that you want." Ash looked at waterfall again and flash seemed to repeat, but now flash was bluish. He shook his head. "Did you saw that?" He looked at Pikachu.

"Pika!" Rodent nodded.

"You know what, we could go and check if that waterfall can be seen from some closer point. I wanna see what's making that light." Ash said.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu nodded and jumped from his shoulder, running ahead.

"Always so impatient." Ash sighted and followed.

.

"Where is he?" Serena frowned as she paced through their room in Pokemon centre. It was close to sunset, but Ash still didn't show up.

Clemont lied on his bed while Bonnie went to bathroom. "Relax, you know that he can do this sometimes."

"Not recently, he only did that few times when we started our travels." Serena put her hands on her hips. She knew that nature of Ash Ketchum was sometimes strange, but she thought that he only acted like that until he got to know them better.

Clemont shook his head. "Well, you are wrong in that one. Last time he did that was three weeks ago while we were in Anistar City. You already fell asleep when he got up and went out. I followed from curiosity and he stopped when he reached Sundial. I thought that he wanted to check Sundial, but he seemed to gaze into distance, into lake to be more precise."

Serena halted. "Lake?" Serena asked.

"Yeah, it happened each time when we got near lake or sea. He would gaze into it like his thoughts were somewhere far away. Don't you remember that he did that when we went into Sycamore's Summer camp?"

Serena nodded. "Yeah, he was sitting on the beach and he looked at water like he can see something else there." She replied. "What do you think, why is he doing that?" She asked.

"I donno. Maybe it helps him think, or maybe he's thinking about something." Clemont shrugged.

"Like remembering?" Serena asked. Sometimes Ash Ketchum seemed to turn into enigma that she couldn't solve.

"Could be. We know that he already travelled through five regions, maybe he gets nostalgic and thinks about that." Clement replied.

Nostalgic? Word seemed to stuck in Serena's thoughts. "So you say that I should leave him at peace?" Serena asked again.

"Yes. If he does want some space to think, that's fine by me." Clemont took his bag and started to dig through it. "I suggest you do the same. I know that you are worried, but that's Ash we are talking about. He'll be fine."

"Yeah, right." Serena frowned as she turned and looked at setting sun, her thoughts never settling.

.


Note no.2: First chapter's done! I hope that you liked it. I tried to improve my writing as best as I could and I hope that result is showing in this story.

.

Special note: I mentioned regeneration in my first note and I could say that I went through some kind of regeneration. My pen name has changed (previously known as "Oueen of time" and yes, that is O only because site didn't allow me to change it). Reason for different name is quite simple, I wanted to use name that was somehow connected to my favourite element - water.