She still couldn't believe it. She achieved her dream of becoming Kalos Queen sooner than even Palermo anticipated. All the years of hardwork and perseverance finally paid off for the young performer.

Coming home towards her home in Vaniville Town, Serena was greeted by the inhabitants. They all congratulated her before announcing they would be holding a party the next day to celebrate her victory. Serena would've declined it but seeing that the town was already set up, she accepted it with a smile.

''Aren't you enjoying your party Serena?'' Her mother Grace asked her. She was proud of her daughters accomplishment at such a young age. Even though she was a famous Rhyhorn racer and a celebrity herself, this night would be all about Serena.

Serena sighed. She enjoyed the party given for her and the effort everyone went through, but the one thing she wanted more than this wasn't there. All the congratulations and praise were great, but there were a lot of boys who wanted to dance with her. Not really feeling it, she declined everyone of them because the boy she really wanted to see wasn't there.

''I'm happy you went through all the trouble mom, but it's just.'' Serena was truly grateful for the effort her mother, her friends and the inhabitants of Vaniville Town organized all this just for her. But how could she say she appreciated their efforts without telling them something's missing.

''You just wished Ash could be here though.'' Grace knew who she meant. How could she not. Serena took it hard when she had to leave Ash for the first time after summer camp and was sad for a long time. The boy opened a world to Serena that she never would've set out to discover on her own. Grace herself thanked Ash everyday for inspiring Serena to pursue a path and sticking with it.

''Is it that obvious?'' Serena wasn't exactly subtle in that regard. Whenever one of her friends mentioned him she would lose some sense of common thought and stutter a bit. She really missed him and his Pikachu. It just wasn't the same knowing he wasn't even in the region following her exploits.

''I'm sure he's happy for you Serena. And I'm sure he would be happy to hear you've become Kalos Queen.'' Bonnie was present at the party. Unfortunately her brother Clemont couldn't come because of duties inside his gym. Clembot was acting up again and Clemont needed to accept challenges with the League this close.

''I really hoped he could be here today. Would he be proud of me?'' Her thoughts were broken when she hear a voice calling out behind the three females.

''Excuse me ladies.'' They turned around and saw someone dressed in a suit wearing a Hawlucha mask. The boy held out his hand to Serena as if wanting to ask her something.

''Your highness. May I have this dance?'' There was something wrong with the tone the young man spoke. The words were meant to be chivalrous but it came out sounding forced and kind of sloppy. Serena wanted to refuse like she did with everyone else. She didn't like his tone and didn't want any more attention then she already had.

''I think it's a wonderful idea Serena. Maybe dancing will get your head cleared out for a few minutes.'' Bonnie took Serena's hand and put it into the masked boy's. He held her hand high guiding her towards the dance floor that was set up in the town. Grace made her way to the DJ and a slow song started to play perfect for waltzing.

The masked boy held her close as this particular style of dancing demanded, but kept his distance a bit not invading her personal space to much. He was surprisingly able to match the tone of the song pretty well. They moved around together in silence until Serena decided to make small talk. Somehow this boy managed to catch her interest.

''You're a good dancer.'' She complimented him.

''You should have seen me a few weeks ago. My instructor had to wear steel toed boots to teach me. But I know how much you love to dance, your highness.'' He chuckled.

''Please just call me Serena. I don't do this for the fame.'' Feeling a bit annoyed at the term he named her. She was Serena from Vanilville Town and be screwed if she let the fame ever get to her head. That wasn't why she did it for.

''Off course. It's because you want to make people smile. Congratulations Serena. '' The boy with the Hawlucha mask spoke.

''Oh. Thank you.''

''You really deserve it. Together with your Pokémon.'' She was surprised. Normally people would heap the praise on her before she would have to correct them saying if it weren't for Braixen, Pancham and Sylveon, she never would've succeeded.

''Your one of the few who actually gives them credit as well.''

''They worked just as hard as you did. Putting them down would put you down as well.''

They enjoyed each other's dancing before he spoke again.

''You've changed so much since the first time you entered a showcase it's hard to imagine it's actually you.''

''You seem to know a lot about me.'' Serena remembered her loss in her first Showcase. Her Fennekin tripped during a presentation round because she left out her ribbons to long. She cried that night thinking she screwed up and could never be a good performer. But that first loss was what she needed to test her resolve. And in the end, that loss proved more valuable than any win she had till now. She cut her hair to show it and since then went on a path of success.

''I've followed your career from close and far. You can say I'm your longest supporter.''

''Always happy to meet a fan.'' The boy noticed Serena kept a stoic face.

''Are you missing someone?''

''Someone I used to travel with. I really hoped he could be here tonight.''

''Don't be so down. I'm sure if he were here, he would not like it if you were sad on your big day. A sad face doesn't suit you. He would want you to smile. I'm sure he would be bragging about how great a person you are and that he travelled with the current Kalos Queen. And that he will be working harder to achieve his own goals.'' He was right. Serena thought that she couldn't be sad because Ash isn't here. He's out there chasing his own dreams and it would be selfish of her just to interrupt him during that.

''Thank you. I should not be sad he isn't here. I should be happy he's chasing his dreams as I did.''

They continued to dance in silence until the boy spoke up again.

''Serena?''

''Would you like to hang out with me? Just the two of us. No one else.''

''Did he just ask me out on a date?''

''Is it because I became Kalos Queen? Or you trying to get in my good graces?''

''There's something about you. Something that draws me to you. I can't explain it, but I need to know what you're doing. How you're doing. And how happy you are while doing things.'' She turned him down.

''I can't accept. I'm currently trying to get my life in order now. I wanted to see him first before accepting any request for what sounds like a date.''

''Since you speak so highly of him I'm willing to wait.'' He let go of her breaking their dance and pulled out a small box from his jacket.

''That's okay. I want you to have this though.'' He smiled.

''It's a present for inspiring me and everyone else. See it as a gift from an admirer.'' She accepted it and tried to open it. The clock struck late. It was getting late for most people and some of them were already leaving to get up early tomorrow. Deciding to leave the box alone for now, she thanked him for the dance and present.

''Thank you. But I never got your name though.''

''I'm sorry. But I have to leave. Diantha has need for me in the morning.''

''Could you at least tell me your name? It would only take 2 seconds.''

''It's like you would say. Don't give up. I'm sure you'll figure it out.'' Were his final words before he left her view and disappeared as swiftly as he revealed himself.

''Don't give up? Your using my words against me? '' She complained.

And with that the boy bowed and took his leave disappearing into the crowd. The nerve of that guy. She puffed her cheeks. She finally met a person here that could hold her interest and the jerk decided to leave her just like that. But she didn't understood his final words.

''Well Serena. Did you enjoy your time with him?'' Bonnie asked her.

''I guess. He seemed nice at first and then he just left me hanging.''

''Come on. Enjoy the rest of your night.'' Her mother told her. Soon the party died down and feeling tired from tonights events, Serena went to bed without opening the masked boy's box.

*The next morning*

''This is an exhibition match between Diantha, Champion of our region of Kalos and latest trails conqueror of the Alola region, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town.'' An announcer spoke over the TV they had on while Serena, Grace and Bonnie who stayed over for breakfast at her house. Serena was pouring a glass off MooMoo milk for herself when she dropped it hearing Ash's his name.

''Is that…Ash? What's he doing here in Kalos?'' Wasn't he in some far away region collecting badges or competing in a League of some sort? Then she remembered what the boy with the Hawlucha mask said last night.

''I'm sorry. But I have to leave. Diantha has need for me in the morning.''

Sheer coincidence. He could've been one of Diantha's film crew for a new movie or something to make preparations for. She looked at the TV and was waiting for which Pokémon he would sent out.

''Hawlucha. I choose you.'' A warm feeling washed over Serena. It really was him battling. His way of speaking and the mannerisms he used while throwing a Pokeball were unmistakably his.

''Was he the boy with the Hawlucha mask? He couldn't be. He actually knew how to dance pretty well.''

''You should have seen me a few weeks ago. My instructor had to wear steel toed boots to teach me. But I knew how much you love to dance, your highness.''

Serena remembered Miette complaining last time they had a dance party. Because of her Eevee's shyness at the time she went with Clemont's Bunnelby instead. She was a bit dejected she didn't get to dance with him. But she told Ash she wanted to dance a bit more with him. But later her rival told Serena she should've been relieved, she didn't got to dance with him. Ash was doing quite bad himself when he tried to copy Tierno's dancing against Korrina.

Serena remembered the box she was given last night. Hoping to confirm her suspicions she raced back into her room with breakneck speed and opened the box revealing the contents. What she saw inside pointed to that it was Ash last night. After all, who would give her something as simple as a ribbon for a gift without knowing its emotional value?

The color of the ribbon was blue. But this one was bit darker than the one she received before. It could be more described as a royal blue. A note was attached to the ribbon. She unwrapped it from the ribbon and opened the note. The handwriting was a bit messy but she managed to read it.

''I still want hang out alone with you. Call me, your highness.''

''He calls me? Your highness?'' But instead of getting annoyed like last night, Serena just got embarrassed at the title the supposed to be Ash gave her.

''You've changed so much since the first time you entered a showcase it's hard to imagine it's actually you.''

''You seem to know a lot about me.''

''I've followed your career from close and far. You can say I'm your longest supporter.'' It started to make sense now. He travelled with her through her home region and followed her performances even in another region. How else would he have known how much she changed?

''It's like you would say. Don't give up. I'm sure you'll figure it out.''

''Don't give up?'' All the subtle hints he gave her finally confirmed her suspicions.

''It was Ash all along!'' And the offer to hang out with just him?

''Would you like to hang out with me? Just the two of us. No one else.''

''Is it because I became Kalos Queen? Or you trying to get in my good graces?''

'' There's something about you. Something that draws me to you. I can't explain it, but I need to know what you're doing. How you're doing. And how happy you are while doing things.''

Her face turned red just realizing how close she was to him during their dance last night and was asking her to go with him alone. He also admitted he worried about her well being. Ash wanted her to be happy and he wanted to make sure knowing she was.

Her morning did start better than she could ever dream about. Serena took the box and laid back down on her bed.

Grace had followed Serena to her room and noticed her daughter was laying on her bed daydreaming and clutching the box close to her heart. She knew exactly what the reason was. Serena without knowing became more intimately with the boy she always admired. And in time gone past, Serena managed to get Ash to admire her.

''Absence really makes the heart grow fonder.'' Were her final thoughts before she went off to take care of the Rhyhorn outside.

Bonnie stood inside Serena's doorway and pretended she knew nothing. Their plan worked after all. As soon as the results of the Master Class were in, Grace told Bonnie she promised to contact Ash and for him to get over to Vaniville Town as quickly as possible for Serena's party.

''Everything okay, your highness?'' A sly smile made its way across Bonnie's lips. Serena was too far gone in dreamland planning her time alone with Ash.