~Serena's POV~
My head hurt. It hurt like never before and I didn't even open my eyes. It felt like as if I woke up from an intense dream, yet I didn't feel rested, I felt tired and everything hurt. With a blurry vision, I opened my eyes and was blinded. Now, I heard something. It sounded like an echo at first before I noticed that someone called my name. Seconds later, I was shaken by my shoulders which only inflicted more pain to me. Where was my mama?
Serena? ... Serena? ...
It felt like an eternity before I opened my eyes. For a few seconds I just stared at the face in front of me. It was mama's face. I still felt slightly stunned and my head hurt.
"Mama ..." That were the first words that left my mouth.
"Serena! Thank god that you're awake." My mother cried out and hugged me tightly before she noticed that she hurt me. She immediately loosened her grip and looked me into the eyes. "Serena, my seetie, how are you feeling."
"My head hurts." I replied. Only now, I noticed that I sat in a bed in a mostly white room. It was quiet and I couldn't remember how I ended up here. Looking back to my mama, I noticed that she wore a bandage around her forehead and she got many scratches and bruises on her face. Mama looked as if she had cried lot.
"Don't worry, sweetie. The pain will go away." My mum assured and caressed my hair, which also made me realize that I also wore bandages around my head as well as on my arms.
"What happened, mama?" I asked weakly.
Mum bit on her lips that started to quiver for a short while before she took a deep breath. " ... there was a small accident, honey ..."
I looked blankly at her, because I just couldn't remember or rather it hurt when I tried to.
"Listen, Serena." My mama said in a sweet tone. "We'll have enough time to talk about it, but for now, we should concentrate on your recovery. You need rest and should sleep, okay? As soon as you wake up, you'll get something to eat, okay?"
I just gave a nod. I was just six years old and I trusted my mama.
She then gave me my a plush Eevee that I took into my arms. I hugged it tightly because ...
*Knock* *Knock*
We heard knocks from the door and I was slightly startled. When the door opened, an unknown woman gave handsigns to my mum. After my mama adjusted my cover, she walked to the door to talk with that person. I didn't move an inch and hugged my plush Pokémon even more.
There were hectic noises of footsteps that came from the floor, so I could only hear a few parts of the conversation.
"How is the situation?" My mum asked fearfully.
"I fear ... it doesn't look so good; Mrs. Yvonne. Your friend lost a lot of blood ...and we just can't stop the bleeding ..." The woman said.
Mama didn't move anymore and she sniffed once. " ... how's he?" Mama asked.
"In a stable condition at the moment ..." The woman, I only now noticed that she was a nurse, said. "Mrs. Yvonne ... Delia asked for you ..."
"She's awake?" Mama blurted out before she turned to me. Without anything she turned back to the nurse to whisper something that I couldn't hear. Then the nurse closed the door again and mama walked back to me. She noticed my questioning eyes.
"Don't worry, sweetheart. Everything ... is okay." She lied to me. I didn't know how I knew it, but I just knew it. Not everything was alright. "Can you promise me to stay in bed and have some rest?"
I nodded quickly, because why should I refuse?
She gave me a quick peck kiss on my forehead before she messed up my hair a bit. With a smile, but sad eyes, she left th the room and left me on my own. I still sat in the bed. It was quiet again and the sun sent it last beams through the window of the room. It was evening.
I laid down again, pressing my plushy against my chest.
Thoughts over thoughts were swirling around in my head, but I couldn't catch any of them. It was as if I was just too tired to think straight. I bet it was better to get some sleep when my eyelids already felt heavy.
Slowly I drifted away to sleep.
/Serena's dream/
In awe, I stared at the large building in front of me that was larger than any other building I had ever seen. It consisted of white stone, I guess marble was its name, and it had such strange pillars everywhere as if it wasn't from this time.
I held on tight to the hand of my mama, who walked by my side. When I looked up to her, I saw a smile on her face. It made me smile too.
"Why are you so happy, mama?" I asked curiously. I didn't know much about the event of today, but mama insisted that I would need to dress the best I could.
"Why shouldn't I be happy, deer? Today, it's a very important day for my friend Delia. Oh ... not just for her, but for everyone, I guess." She replied, correcting herself.
"What's so important about that day?" I asked naively.
"I don't know how to explain it to you, honey, but be assured that you'll understand it as soon as you see it, okay?" She relpied, avoiding my question. Why shouldn't I understand her words? I didn't know.
There were actually quite a lot of people around her who entered this large medival building and I slid closer to my mama, almost clining to her skirt. I didn't know anyone here and strangers always gave me a disquieting feeling. I didn't know why ...
Apparently, my mama noticed it. "What's wrog, sweetie? You don't have to be nervous."
Instead of answering, I buried my face in her skirt.
"Serena?" She said and stopped before kneeling down to me and putting her hands on my shoulders. "You don't have to be afraid."
"But ... I don't know anyone here." I replied quietly, almost whispering.
"I wouldn't say it like that." My mum responded with a smile, confusing me a bit.
"Hey, Grace!" Someone called my mother. Shyly, I looked to the cause of the voice to see a person that I at least knew from seeing. It was a woman around my mother's age. She had longer brown hair and a beatiful dress.
"Delia! It's good to see you." Mama replied before she gave me a little push towards the woman.
"Oh, isn't that the sweet Serena? You have grown up so much since the last time I saw you. You have become very pretty." Delia said and gave me a smile. I just muttered a shy 'Thank you' as response.
"She's a bit shy." Mama explained, which made me go red a little. I felt a bit embarrassed. "Anyway, Delia, I'm happy that I found you. I feared that I wouldn't even have the chance to see you. It's such an important day for your family lineage after all."
"Not just for us, Grace. Your family has also an important place in it." Delia said. I didn't know what she meant though.
They continued to talk about stuff that didn't make any sense for me. I felt more uncomfortable by the minute and I hid behind my mama again.
"What's wrong, deer?" My mum asked again.
"I guess, our conversation bores her a bit." Delia said knowingly. "So, Serena, do you perhaps remember my son? You two already played together two years ago. Would you like to see him again?"
It took me a few moments to remember who she meant. The first thing I remembered was messy raven hair. Next, that I had a lot of fun playing with that boy I thought of. Subconsciously, I nodded, which meant to Delia that I wanted to meet her son.
She then quickly took us into the building where she walked with us to the second floor. On the top of the stairs, she looked around, searching for someone. "Ash-y, where are you?"
I snickered a little at that name.
I took a while before someone appaeared from out of one of those many rooms here. Within a blink of an eye, I saw the messy black hair of that boy and for some reason, I felt happy to see him here as if it was a salvation for me. A small smile appeared on my face.
'Ash-y' obviously didn't like his suit that he wore and he seemed to let out a dozen of sighs on his way to us.
Delia kneeled down to adjust her son's tie for his displeasure. "Listen, sweetheart, my friend Grace is here with her daughter. Could you spend the time with her while Grace and I look for the preparations?"
Ash threw a glance at me and I immediately turned away, feeling an strange uneasiness.
"Mum, do I have to wear this stuff?" Ash asked out of context.
"For the umpteenth time, Ash, yes you have to wear it. It's the traditional clothing for our family lineage. Anyway, don't dodge my question, sweetheart. Could you take care of Serena?" Delia said.
From my point of view, it looked like as if Ash shrugged before he muttered a 'okay' to his mother.
Once agan, I felt uncomfortable and I tried my best to appear as ordinary as possible. I even pulled my strawhat down to cover my eyes.
"Serena?" My mama said unexpectedly, startling me a bit. "You don't have to be nervous. You know that you and Ash had a good time last time. Just be yourself and enjoy it, okay?"
For some reason, I started to cling to my mum's skirt again. Was I really afraid? Mama removed my hands and gave me a peck kiss on my forehead before she followed Delia to some room. Now, I was alone with Ash, who just stood there, not knowing what to do either.
Suddenly, Ash jumped onto the railing of the stairs and balanced along it.
"Come down, Ash!" I exclaimed in worry. "That's dangerous."
"It's not." He replied casually. Now, he also balanced on one foot and my heart started to race. I was so afraid that he would slip and fall. I didn't know Ash that good, but I didn't want him to get hurt, o matter what.
"Please, come down!" I begged him.
Fortunately, with a sigh he jumped down from the railing and looked at me with blaming eyes.
"Why are you so afraid, strawhatgirl?" He said and I was taken back by the nickname that I hadn't heard for two years. It caused a feeling in me that consisted of embarrassment and ... something warm ... I didn't know.
"My name's Serena!" I answered harshly for some reason.
"I know that." He replied with a yawn.
"Are you not happy to see me again?" I asked fearfully. My emotions were weird today.
"I'm glad to see you again, strawhatgirl, but I'm not in the mood today for happy reunions. Sorry." He responded, looking away.
I felt a bit hurt, but I saw in Ash's brown eyes that something bothered him. "Does it have something to do with this event?"
He just gave a nod in response.
"What is it about anyway?" I asked cuiously.
"I don't know exactly and I don't care much. It is something about our family that will lead to a ceremony or such stuff. We have an important role in ... whatever ... and I just came here, because it was said that it has something to do with Pokémon." Ash explained and sat down on the carpet.
I sat down next to him and thought about the right words. "Are you a very important person then?"
"I hope not to be honest." He replied before he realized my frown. "I mean, I don't want to stand above other people or so."
I thought that it was perhaps the best idea to change the subject. "Well ... anway, how have you been?"
At first, Ash looked at me with puzzled eyes before he answered. "I'm good, I guess. How are you?"
"Same, I guess." I replied. I became a bit flustered then. "Do you remember how we played prince and princess?"
He let out a chuckle. "Don't remind me on that? We were so foolish back then."
"Hey! I liked it!" I shouted back, feeling a bit insulted.
He then smiled back at me, which confused me a bit. What was he saying with that. Did he like it as well or is he mocking me?
*BOOOOOOOOOOOM*
Suddenly, a loud bang shattered the whole building and I covered my ears with my hands before I realized that Ash was shielding me. Looking up to him, I saw the same shocked expression in his eyes that I surely had myself. After a few moments the shaking and rumbling noises stopped before it was replaced by panic-filled screams.
There was smoke everywhere and I begged my mama to come to me.
I the wink of an eye, Ash grabbed my hand and pulled me down the stairs before he leaded me out of the entrance. Dozens of people were fleeing the building and I scanned verything for my mama. What happened? What was this loud bang?
"Mama?!" I shouted.
Suddenly, I saw flames on top of the building and the heat of the fire almost dried the tears that I already cried. Many people stood here and wtahced the chaos, yet they didn't do anything.
Suddenly, Ash ran back into the building after he loosened the grip on my hand. I felt so alone all of sudden and I wanted to call for him, but there were no words coming out of my mouth. Placing a hand on my heart, I admired Ash's braveness, yet I feared for him and my mama. Clenching a fist above my heart, I had to decide.
Begging many people for help, I didn't find anyone who was willing to get back into the house.
I pulled on the throusers of some man, who just pushed me away and I fell onto the ground. With tears in my eyes, I looked at him and I almost froze. Dressed in mostly black clothes, that guy had such an emotionless expression that it scared me so much. Instead of helping, he just looked onto his mobile phone.
In anger and fear, I decided to look for myself. I ran into the building, although most of it was already up in flames. Many people called for me to stop, but I just ignored it.
"MAMA!" I screamed desperately, but I only heard the crackling of the fire.
I ran into, what seemed to me, to be the main hall of the building where the fire almsot enveloped everything in sight. Coughing due to the smoke, I tried to call for my mama and ... Ash.
When I spotted the silhouette of someone in the smoke, I ran up to him.
"ASH! I exclaimed in tears when I noticed him.
My expression changed drastically when I noticed that he tried to lift a broken timber of the ground. There was someone beneath it and I recognized her as Delia, Ash's mother. I clasped my hands in front of mouth, not wanting to realize what I saw.
She seemed to notice me and she looked with pleading eyes to me. "Serena! Please, take Ash and get out of here!"
I didn't responded.
Ash only now noticed me, but he kept on trying to free his um. "MUM! I told you that I won't get out of here without you!"
"For Mew's sake, ASH! Can't you just listen once to me? If you stay here, we will all be ..." Delia yelled in desperation, crying as much as she could. "Ash, ... I couldn't even get out even if you lift this timber! My legs are squashed."
"Then I'll just carry you!" Ash yelled back, pulling as hard as possible on this timber.
"You mustn't die, ASH! Listen to me!" Delia shouted.
I couldn't look on any longer and I tried to help Ash lift that timber. The heat of the flames burned on my skin and my lungs were filled with smoke, yet I couldn't leave. I thought that I heard a 'thanks' from Ash but it didn't matter.
"Serena, what are you doing? Get out of here!" Delia yelled even louder.
"I ... I don't want to." I replied with tears. Where was my mum though ...
*BOOOOOOOOOOM*
I didn't know what happened now. There was another loud bang and shattering and when I looked up, I saw how parts of the ceiling were crashing down onto me. This had to be my end I thought.
The next thing I noticed was that I was pushed away and I landed so hard on the ground that I almost collapsed. When I looked up, I saw Ash. It had to be him who pushed me away, but then he was covered by wood ... my ...
A dark layer covered my vision and everything went black. The last thing I noticed were the echoes of sirens ...
/End of the dream/
"ASH!"
I shot up and I thought I didn't get any air , I looked onto my hands. I was soaked with sweat. Now, I realized that I sat in the bed I was in before and my plush Eevee laid at the end of my covers. It was a dream, wasn't it?
No, it wasn't.
It happened. It really happened. That was why I was in the hospital.
Ash saved me. This thought made me blush a bit. Where was he?
The first few sunbeams shone through the window and I realized that it was dawn. I had slept the whole night, but I felt restless. There was a white curtain around my bed, so I couldn't see the rest of the room.
"Where is Ash? Where is his mum?" I whispered silently.
In the moment, I decided to stand up, I heard how the door opened. Out of reflex, I laid down again and pretended to sleep, facing the window. Why was I doing that?
I heard sniffing and sobbing ...
As soon as the door was closed, I heard how someone was sitting down on the bed.
I couldn't tell who entered the room or how many people it were.
"*sniff* ... Alexa, could you ..." That was definitely the voice of my mum, but who was Alexa. I decided not to do anything. My mum's voice was filled with so much sadness. How could I even say something ... What was the right thing to do?
"Of course." A woman's voice responded, which had to be Alexa's.
Suddenly, the curtain was pulled to the side, but I still didn't move.
After the curtain was pulled back, Alexa said as gentle as possible. "She's still sleeping, Grace. She looks peaceful right now."
"I'm so happy that she's okay ..." Mama said weakly. Didn't she sleep at all?
"Mrs. Yvonne, I recommend that you take a rest. You have been up all night." A third voice said. It sounded like the voice of the nurse from yesterday.
"I'm with her on that." Alexa added.
" ... No ... how could I sleep now ..." Mama replied with a sniff between almost every word.
"You are tired." The nurse said. "Just take a rest."
"How could I take a rest now?" My mum said a bit louder, startling me a bit. There was some anger in her voice. "I just saw my best friend die in front of me. How am I supposed to let it pass ..."
My heart stopped for a moment. Her best friend died? No, it couldn't be. Please, don't let it be.
"No one said you have to let it pass, Grace." Alexa answered calmly. "You will only overstrain yourself and your daughter needs you ..."
There was a short silence where I still couldn't believe what I had heard.
"I know ..." Mum said understandingly. "Why did something like that have to happen? ..."
"The police is still investigating the case, Grace. There will soon be answers." Alexa assured.
"It won't change anything regardless." Mama replied weakly. "Delia ... Why did you have to ..."
Ash's mum? No! I was frozen in place.
"Don't blame yourself, Grace." Alexa said with a comforting voice. "Nurse, how is the boy?"
Boy?! Does she mean Ash? I almost wanted to jump to my feet, but I just couldn't.
"He's out of danger." The nurse said and I felt relieved like never before. "It's just that he received major injuries on his head when parts of the ceiling landed on him. As of now, it seems that his memories will be gone."
"You mean, he will suffer from amnesia?" Alexa asked carefully.
"I fear that's the case and it's highly unlikely that he'll regain any of his previous memories. We try our best of course." The nurse explained. What did she mean he had amnesia?
"I see." Alexa responded.
"I'll leave you alone for a while. If there's anything I can do for you, just call, okay?" The nurse said before she disappeared through the door. There was a silence again where I didn't know what to do. On the one hand, I wanted to comfort my mum, but on the other hand, what could I do?
Thoughts of blame swirled in my head. Did Ash get injured because he pushed me out of harm's way?
"Alexa?" I heard my mum say.
"Yeah, Grace." She replied.
" ... I promised Delia something before she ... left. She didn't say it but she might have known that someone was after them ..." Mama said.
"Really? Then we have to tell the police!" Alexa said hectically.
"... Let me explain ..." Mama said, shushing Alexa. Apparently, she didn't want to wake me up. "I promised her to take care of Ash ... It was her wish ... I told her that Ash might have amnesia ... *sniff* ... she wasn't too sad about it ..."
Mama started to cry a bit louder and I felt bad.
"She said 'Even if it means that he mustn't remember me, please don't tell him what happened. It's the only way to protect him. You have to promise me.'"
Alexa didn't reply.
"Her last words were that she just wants Ash to grow up without worries ..." Mama said before she broke down in tears.
My tears had already soaked the bedsheet, but I just couldn't hold them back any longer. Why was I so useless? I couldn't help anyone to feel better. It was as if I would never be able to be happy again.
"Alexa ..." Mama said almost not audible.
"Grace?" She replied.
"I have to request ... something very important from you ..." Mum said, trying her best not to cry it out. "It's about the death notice ..."
"I see ..." That were the only words of Alexa.
"I promised her everything she wanted from me." Mama said after a few seconds of silence. "How couldn't I?"
I heard how someone stood up, then walked to the door. "Trust me, Grace, I'll help you with everything." Alexa said before she seemingly left the room. Was it the right time to talk to my mum now once she was alone? I wasn't sure.
What did it mean? I just couldn't get a straight thought.
It felt like an eternity until something happened at all. Suddenly, the curtain was pushed to the side again, but I still kept on not moving. Next, I felt a pair of soft lips on my cheek before I heard a quiet 'Serena'.
It was mama.
For a short moment, I kept on laying there before I pretended to wake up. "Mama?"
Before I turned to her I wiped my tears away with the bedsheet in hope that mama wouldn't notice. When I turned to mum, I was taken back. Her eyes were all red, her hair was a mess and her lips were still quivering.
She immediately pulled me into a hug. "Oh, Serena ..." She didn't say anything more. She just enjoyed the hug that I returned, because I needed this as well.
"Mama, where is Ash?" I asked after a while. I didn't want to sound rude.
"He's fine, sweetheart. Don't worry." Mama told me.
"Can I see him?" I asked further. After all what I had to hear, I just wanted to see something with my own eyes. I wanted to see him.
"Soon, honey." She assured me and I didn't need to ask why. Ash got hurt because of me. I was just glad he wasn't ...
"Serena?" Mama said quietly and I just looked at her. "Would you mind if Ash stays with us for a while?"
I should have asked why he couldn't stay with his mum to keep the illsioun alive that I had been asleep, but I didn't have the heart to do so. I knew why he couldn't be with her ...
"Really?" That was all I could mutter.
Mama nodded. "We'll be like a family. A family that is there for each other."
Family. This word was so warm and comforting. I embrassed my mum in a hug again, letting everything out now. There was no reason to hold back any longer. It was this outburst that had to happen sometime.
This moment seemed to have no end, but it eventually did.
"Serena?" Mama said and I listened carefully. "You have to promise me something though, okay?"
I kept on staring into space, just listening ...
...
...
...
...
...
"I promise ..."
~~ 8 years later ~~
It was early in the morning in Vaniville town on a summer day. The Fletchling chipred at the outside and most people were still in there beds. Unfortunately, if you were a pupil you had to get up now.
The wakening call of the early-bird-mum echoed through the house.
"Ash! Serena! Time t wake up! I won't allow you to be late on your first day of highschool. ... Serena, please remind your brother to change his - - - -"
"MUM!"
End of the prologue!
(A/N: A new story after an eternity, I guess. I don't have high expactations for this one at all, but I have to write something or else my English will get poor. I don't know about a second chapter yet, but perhaps it won't even be necessary. )
Don't add it your favorites yet. My stories have never been good at all.