So, I know I'm working on Voltron, but…I wanted this to be a thing. I loved watching Pokémon XY and XYZ following my playthrough of Pokémon Y. I'll be honest, I didn't particularly like Serena until she got some much needed character development. Then she got more. And more. Eventually, she was my favorite of essentially the entire series, and my love of Amour (the Ash x Serena ship) blossomed.

I began to wonder: will Serena ever show up again in the show? I realized that instead of waiting, I could just write my own story about it. I could write what I think should or could happen based on character personality and what has happened in Sun and Moon so far. Keep in mind that I only watch the English dub of Sun and Moon because name translation is too much of a hassle. Therefore, the landmark I'm choosing is Litten's evolution into Torracat. That happened very recently at the time of the writing of this fanfic.

Without further ado, I bring you my first attempt at a Pokémon fanfiction.

Old Friends in New Places!

"And the Hoenn Grand Festival Top Coordinator is…Serena from Vaniville town!"

Serena heaved a sigh of relief, letting go months' worth of tension. She made a mental note to visit a chiropractor to make sure she hadn't caused issues in her back from all of the stress.

She looked over at May, who had personally coached her upon her arrival in Hoenn, and received a double thumbs up and an incredibly excited expression.

I gotta hand it to Ash, she thought, May was a great reference.

Once Serena arrived in Hoenn, she discovered that she'd received a message from Ash at the Pokémon center.

"Hey Serena! I forgot to mention this before you left, but I know of a great coordinator in Hoenn named May! If you need any coaching or help getting used to Hoenn's contests, she's your best bet. I hear she recently became Top Coordinator in Johto and went back home to Littleroot Town in the southern part of the region to see her family. I sent her a message too and put in a good word for you. Best of luck!"

"Now boarding flight 383 for Vermillion International Airport."

"Welp, that's my flight. See ya later, Serena!"

That had been almost a year ago. She'd met up with May, who was happy to take on an apprentice, and had been competing all over Hoenn ever since. May insisted that Serena compete that year instead of her, despite admitting that she'd like to win in Hoenn after losing before.

"I don't want the two of us to be fighting," she explained. "The greatest satisfaction I can take in being your mentor is seeing you succeed, and that means stepping aside and letting you take your chance to shine."

Now here she was, surrounded by an adoring crowd, receiving the award she'd worked so hard for.

And the one thing on her mind:

I really need a vacation.

What's the best way to come off months of stress and anxiety? A tropical vacation, of course. And so, Serena used her unbelievable large winnings and headed off to the tropical Alola region.

"What do you mean you're not coming home?" Serena's mother yelled through the communicator at the airport.

"Mom, calm down, I can hear you just fine," Serena muttered, slowly uncovering her ears. "I just needed to get away for a bit, that's all. So, I'm taking a trip to Alola for a relaxing vacation."

"Without me?"

Serena sighed. "I should have known that's what this was about."

"What's a poor mother to do when her Top Coordinator daughter won't even use her prize money to take her somewhere nice?"

"Mom, I'm already in Alola. It's too late to bring you anyway."

Serena's mom feigned offense at the gesture, then laughed. "Alright, alright, enjoy your vacation. Just bring me some souvenirs, okay?"

"Got it. And don't worry. It's not like I'm staying here forever."

"Wake up Ash!"

"Rotom…don't you have some sort of snooze function?"

"I do, and you've already used it three times! Class starts in ten minutes!"

The young trainer sat bolt upright in an instant. "Ten minutes?! Crud, I'm gonna be late!"

"That's what I've been telling you for the last hour!"

Pulling clean clothes on, Ash only slowed down to put a sleeping Rowlet into his backpack before racing off to the school, toast in hand.

"I'm here!" He yelled, throwing the classroom door open. He was clearly out of breath. Kukui just shook his head with a smile, having expected as much when Ash hadn't gotten up by the time he left that morning.

"Ash, you should learn not to be tardy," Lillie scolded. "It's a horrible habit to have."

"Yeah Ash, the early bird gets the worm." Kiawe looked like he'd already been up for hours.

"That's easy for you to say," Mallow said with a yawn. "You have work to do on the ranch early in the morning."

"What's with you?" Sophocles looked at Mallow, concerned.

Lana, with a face as blank as ever, stated "she was attacked by an entire pack of wild Slowbro on the way here and they used yawn. It's a miracle she's even awake."

"What?" The entire class yelled.

"Kidding!"

"Alright, settle down. Ash, take your seat please."

"Yes, professor."

"Now that we're all here, we can begin today's lesson. We'll be learning about double battles."

Ash perked up. "Does this mean…"

"Yep! We get to go outside and battle!"

"Alright!"

"I don't think I've seen you around here before. Are you a tourist?"

Needless to say, Serena was surprised to see the smiling woman standing before her. She'd seen pictures of Professor Kukui, and this woman was certainly not him. So why was she at his lab?

"Oh, my name's Serena. I'm looking for professor Kukui."

"Ah, you must be a new trainer! But, hang on, you already have Pokémon?" Professor Burnett gestured to Serena's Pancham, which was chasing a wild Yungoos around the yard. "Pancham aren't native to Alola, so you must have brought it with you."

"Well you see, I'm from Kalos. I was looking for the professor so I could get an update installed on my Pokédex for the new region. Mine doesn't have data on many of the ones I've run into so far."

"I'm afraid the professor's teaching his class at the Pokémon School. My name's Professor Burnett. I'm Kukui's wife. Unfortunately, my field of expertise is somewhat different from Kukui's, and I wouldn't know how to help you with a pokedex from a different region without taking a bit of time learning about the 'dex itself, by which time the professor would be back anyway. If you come back in a few hours, I'm sure he'll be here."

"Professor Burnett, where is the Pokémon School? I've heard about it, and this is the perfect chance to pay a visit."

"Head up the hill and past the Pokémon Center. It'll be on your right. This is a good day to observe, since the students will all be outside practicing double battles. You might even be able to join in."

"Thank you!" Serena turned at left, taking a rather angry and scratched up Pancham with her. "You know, maybe if you hadn't chased him down, he wouldn't have surprised you like that."

Despite Pancham's complaints, Serena put it in its pokeball. "Come on, Pancham, I can't have you getting seriously hurt for no actual reason. I said you could walk with me if you played nicely, and you didn't. Now it's Sylveon's turn."

With the majestic Sylveon at her side, Serena made her way up the little slope towards town. She was excited to see just what was taught at the Pokémon school. It kept appearing in the guide book, being cited as a location where many of Alola's strongest fighters trained and learned. She'd grown much better at battling on account of the Contest requirements, but was always open to learning more.

Sylveon slowed down as they reached the gate of the school, sniffing the air. Serena looked at the pink and white Pokémon curiously. Suddenly, Sylveon burst into excitement, chanting its name and prancing around happily.

"What in the world…" Serena paused as the sounds of battle reached her ears.

"Marowak, use headbutt!"

"Steenee, launch Marowak with double slap!"

Serena watched in curiosity. She had been excited to see an Alolan Marowak after hearing that its appearance and type were different. Steenee was one she hadn't seen before, but she could tell that it was a grass type.

"Popplio, use hydro pump!"

"Snowy, freeze the hydro pump around Marowak with powder snow!"

Marowak was stopped as the white Vulpix froze the torrent of water from Popplio. Serena recognized it as the water type starter from Alola.

On the other side of the battle Serena spotted Professor Kukui, a short chubby boy with a similarly statured Pokémon, and-

"Ash?"

Now she understood why Sylveon was so excited.

Ash's attention was fixed on the battle in front of him, that same glint of excitement in his eyes as he watched the combination attacks.

Eventually, the battle ended with Popplio being the last Pokémon standing. It clapped its flippers proudly.

The dark skinned boy who was partners with Marowak sighed. "How is it that Popplio always gets out of these fights without a scratch?"

Ash ran over to the two girls who won. "Alright! That was awesome! You two worked together really well! Combing hydro pump and powder snow was genius!"

The blond girl with the big white hat just laughed. "I came up with that on the fly. Lana did most of the work."

The shorter girl, Lana, shook her head. "Stopping Marowak was much easier when it was frozen. Thank you, Lillie."

"Hey, you're new. What's your name?" Serena turned to find herself face-to-face with a taller girl with green hair. She was the one with that grass Pokémon. "I'm Mallow. Overe there's Kiawe, Sophocles is standing by Professor Kukui, and the girls who just won are Lana and Lillie. And the guy who's freaking out over nothing is Ash."

Ash turned and yelled "you're just upset because you lo—" He stopped, frozen in his tracks, and Serena's heart stopped. She hadn't been prepared for this. Not one bit.

Especially after her…special goodbye at the Lumiose Airport almost a year before.

She didn't regret kissing him. That wasn't it. She just worried that any chance she had at being with him would be dashed after such a bold move. Stuff like that could ruin a friendship without the right chemistry. Yes, the kiss had been the greatest thing she had ever done, but what was the cost? Don't give up until it's over. Well, she hadn't given up. The question was, was it all over?

"Hey, Serena!" Ash jumped with excitement, surprising Lillie and Lana. "Long time no see!"

She smiled. He was still the same Ash he had been a year ago. She almost wondered if he'd forgotten about the kiss entirely.

Ash ran up to Serena and wrapped her in a bear hug, taking everyone watching by surprise.

Mallow blinked a few times. "So, I take it you two know each other?"

Serena's face was red, but she smiled and nodded after Ash let go. "My name's Serena. I traveled with Ash through the Kalos region a while back. Almost a year ago."

"Has it really been that long?" Ash asked. Serena was about to respond, but she found herself shoved to the ground by a familiar yellow Pokémon.

"Pikaaa!"

Serena patted Pikachu's head. "Good to see you again too, Pikachu!"

As Serena stood up, the other students and Kukui gathered around the surprise visitor. Everyone greeted her in their own way.

Talking to Lillie was a bit difficult. The girl was a bit shy, and Serena wasn't necessarily the most outgoing person ever either. Finally, she decided to speak up.

"Hey, you're Lillie, right? I like your hat, and your Vulpix is really cute!"

Lillie smiled. "Thank you. I see you are also a hat wearer. Not many girls are."

Serena nodded. "I've personally always loved hats."

Ash put his hand on Serena's shoulder. "Even the first time I met Serena she was wearing a hat. A little straw hat."

"Oh, now you remember."

"Hey! I remembered after you told me!"

"Ash, did you forget about Serena?" Mallow put her hands on her hips.

"No no!" Ash backed up, waving his hands in front of him. "It had just been a really long time, years even, between when we met in Kalos and that time we had camp together in Kanto! I just didn't recognize her, that's all!"

Everyone laughed, and somehow, Serena knew everything would be okay.

"So, Serena," Kukui cut in, "What brings you here to Alola and to the school?"

"Well you see, I became the Top Coordinator of the Hoenn Contests just a few weeks ago, and wanted to take a little vacation with the prize money I earned!"

"You won? Yes! Go Serena!" Ash jumped in the air again, causing anyone close to step back so as not to get punched or kicked by mistake.

"Uh huh! Anyway, I had no idea Ash was here too. I actually came to the school looking for you, Professor. See, my Pokédex doesn't have access to the Alola Pokémon data. I was hoping you could update it for me?"

"Sure. Class is over in an hour or so. You're welcome to join us for some double battles until then."

"Thank you."

The rest of the day was fairly standard, especially as far as spending time with Ash went. Serena kicked butt in double battles and everyone had fun seeing her Pokémon. Serena's favorite among the Alolan Pokémon was definitely Lillie's Vulpix.

"So this Vulpix is an ice type?"

"Yep! Snowy here actually hatched at the same time a fire Vulpix did. We were so surprised at how different their personalities were!"

Serena was surprised at how well she fit into this group and just how quickly she got to know everyone.

"Well, in most stories," Lillie said thoughtfully, "the main character travels in a group of odd numbered people. I suppose we really needed a seventh."

"Unless we were going to get rid of someone," Lana said calmly.

The others looked at her suspiciously. Kiawe cautiously asked "Did…did you have someone in mind?"

"Yes."

Then silence.

"Kidding!"

"Oh Lana, you're such a jokester," Serena laughed.

Soon enough, it was time to leave school. The rest of the group headed home while Ash, Serena, and Kukui headed off toward the lab.

"So, you're living with the professor?"

"Yep! He's got a loft above his lab, so that's where I'm staying. It's kinda weird to be taking on the Island Challenge but actually having a home to return to instead of traveling and camping all the time."

"What exactly is the Island Challenge? I know it's different from the Pokémon Leagues, but I'm not super clear on what it really is."

"Let me explain. Each of the four islands of Alola has a Grand Trial that I need to pass by defeating the Kahuna of each island. In order to get a shot at the Kahunas, though, I need to complete the individual island trials. There's a different number on each island. Each trial is headed by what's called a totem Pokémon. It's like a superpowered Pokémon! It's huge compared to how it normally would be, and it glows with this weird aura!"

"Sounds exciting! I'll have to watch you take one on sometime, see if I can get a glimpse of this totem Pokémon."

"Did you manage to meet up with May once you got to Hoenn?"

"Yeah! By the way, she and Drew are very happy."

"I knew it was gonna happen eventually!"

"You? You're so blind to romance you wouldn't know it even if it hit you in the face!"

"Hey! It's not my fault. Back in Kanto, I traveled with this guy Brock who kinda skewed my view of romance. I know nothing about love."

Serena sighed. "I'm beginning to wonder if I'm the same way."

Ash looked at her, confused. "Serena, you—"

"Alright Serena," Kukui interrupted. Serena looked up to realize that they'd made it to the lab. "If you'll just come inside for a bit, I can update your Pokédex with the Alola information."

Serena followed the Professor into the basement, where Bernett was sitting comfortably on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate, her Munchlax happily eating away at some berries.

"Over here is where I keep my Pokédex supplies. If you'll hand me your 'dex, please?"

Serena handed over the Pokédex. "Ooh, I see you have the latest Hoenn model. Integrating the data should be a snap with this. I was worried I'd have to gift you with an entirely new one, but thanks to the work of Professor Birch, Pokédexes worldwide can be updated with new information. Hopefully we'll someday soon be able to do that update wirelessly so trainers don't have to visit the regional Professors each time they visit a new place."

"Thank you, Professor Kukui. This will make my stay much less stressful now that I know what Pokémon are friendly and which ones to avoid agitating."

"Now why don't you two go catch up? The sun is setting soon, and the reflection of the sunset on the water is simply breathtaking."

"Right. Thanks Professor!" Ash called, heading up the stairs with Serena close behind him.

Burnett smirked. "I can't believe you just told them to walk on the beach at sunset. That's so cheesy."

"Hey, you said yes when I proposed under the same conditions."

"So you think they could end up together?"

"Honestly? I have no idea. From what I know, Ash has grown up a lot since he left for his journey, what was it, seven years ago?"

"What, have you been talking to his mother?"

Kukui laughed. "It's my responsibility as a teacher to keep parents up to date on the well-being of my students. Ash's mother is really proud of the young man he's grown into. I think he might be ready to start a meaningful romantic relationship with somebody."

"You know, I'm kind of surprised. I would have thought you would pair him up with one of your students. You always have enjoyed playing matchmaker."

"That's right. And as a professional matchmaker, I deemed that none of my students really matched with Ash's personality. But as soon as he hugged Serena, I knew there was something special there. I just hope he knows it too."

"You have no idea how much I needed this vacation," Serena said exasperatedly. "Months of training and contests has left me incredibly wiped." She and Ash had abandoned their shoes back near the lab and had instead taken to walking along the beach barefoot.

"Vacation," Ash said. "That's what I came here for initially. I hadn't planned on participating in the Island Challenge. Then stuff happened, and I ended up staying. Who knows? Maybe you'll be able to stay too."

"Ash Ketchum are you asking me to stay in Alola with you?"

Ash flushed red. "I-I mean, it'd be nice if you could stay. Not necessarily with me, but I think Lillie has a lot of extra room. That is, if you have any reason you'd like to stay." Ash took a deep breath, composing himself, then flashing that winning smile. "Our adventure in Kalos was my favorite so far. It'd be awesome if you could stay here in Alola."

The setting sun seemed to touch the water. Gentle waves washed over Serena's feet as she thought about what Ash had said. She knew better than to read too much into it this time.

"I'll have to think about it," she said quietly, her expression serious.

Ash grabbed her hand. "If you decide to stay, will you please let me be the first to know?"

Serena couldn't help but smile. "I mean, I'll have to tell Lillie too if I plan on staying with her."

He laughed. "I suppose that's fair."

They continued to walk along the shore in silence as the sky melted from blue into orange. Serena knew she'd have to talk about that kiss with him at some point. In fact, in the coming time, she'd have a lot of decisions to make and things to think about, not just regarding Ash. But in that moment, everything felt calm. It was just her and Ash, the ocean, and the setting sun.

"Hey, Serena." Ash had stopped walking. He reached out and grabbed Serena's wrist. She turned around, looking at him curiously, surprised at his solemn expression.

"Yeah Ash?"

"What you said earlier, about knowing what love is…I think you're wrong."

"Huh?"

"You said you don't think you know what love is. But I think you do. And for one brief moment, you showed me what love is too."

"What are you—"

Ash used his grip on Serena's arm to pull her closer to him, allowing their lips to meet. This time, however, there was no escalator to pull them apart.

To Serena, it felt like they were only together for a moment. She immediately longed for him to kiss her again, but knew that hope would be in vain. Besides, the smile on his face was enough to make her feel warm inside.

"You know, I think I may have just found my reason to stay."

Bonus:

"Pay up, Lana."

Lana grumbled and reached into her pocket, handing the money over to Mallow.

"I can't believe we had to follow them around all day for that to happen," Kiawe said through a yawn. "Lillie's right, Ash is really slow."

"But at least it happened," Lillie commented. She looked overjoyed. "I've been shipping them ever since Ash first told me about her."

"Wait," Sophocles said, looking at Lillie suspiciously. "You already knew who Serena was?"

"Duh. Why do you think I had such a hard time talking to her today? I didn't want her to know that I already knew about her."

"And just when did Ash spill that bit of information?" Mallow asked.

"Let's see. It was back when we had Nebby with us. Ash had chosen to walk me home, and I, noticing his distant expression, asked what he was thinking about. I was a bit surprised at how willing he was to share that information, though."

"And you didn't tell the rest of us?" Kiawe looked hurt.

"It was Ash's story to share, for your information. It wouldn't have been right if I told you."

"Ugh, I guess you're right."

They all laughed together. Then Mallow spoke up. "This is going to make our adventure much more interesting."

YES I DID IT. All of this was written in one day. Being single spaced but adding a gap between each paragraph, this came out to 11 pages on Microsoft Word on 12 pt font with Times New Roman. It know it's not incredibly long by any means, but it's much longer than anything I normally write. I debated over having this be a one-shot or making it longer, but ultimately decided to keep it short because I want to put more focus on Full Dive. You know, for now. Who knows? Maybe I'll come back to this someday.

I'd like to thank everyone for your patience as I slam my head into my pillow trying to figure out what to write next. Writing is hard, guys!

I know a lot of people don't like Amour shipping. I also know that a lot of people do. A lot of my writing is prompted by passing thought that I happen to expand upon. I just happened to be watching Sun and Moon: Ultra Adventures today and was like, "What if Serena just…showed up?" I saw there, wishing for it to happen, then putting together what would happen. Then I realized that I could make it happen, at least for myself and a few readers out there.

Expect more like this in the future. I like writing based on spontaneous prompts. It's good practice, and I have a lot of fun doing it!