Chapter 1
"Hi, welcome to the Lilycove Pokemon Centre!" Nurse Joy from the front desk greeted the trainer that just walked through its doors.
The trainer nodded and smiled to her pokemon at her side who smiled too
"Ah, that is not a native pokemon; isn't it?" Nurse Joy pointed out and she prepared the pokeball tray for the trainer.
"Tair na" chirped the pokemon as the pair reached the front desk.
"Good evening to you to!" replied Nurse Joy to the pokemon, indicating that she understood what the pokemon had greeted her with. She glanced at the trainer and smiled, "Are you staying for the night as well?
The trainer filled up the pokemon tray with four pokeballs and then took out one more and called her Tairenar to return into it.
"Yes, I am" The trainer replied. Nurse Joy received the tray and proceeded to type on her computer.
"In that case, can I have your pokedex please?"
The trainer complied and passed her Hoenn pokedex to Nurse Joy, who scanned it on her desktop.
"Pokedex: scanned… Trainer name: Serena… Hometown: Vaniville Town, Kalos Region… Pokemon Received: Five… Check in: …"
"Ser..ena.." Nurse Joy paused; she glanced at Serena then looked as though something clicked in her head.
"Yes?"
"Ah, it's nothing!"
"Well then, Serena – san; how many nights will you be staying?"
Serena glanced at the clock above the front desk and mentally noted that it was 9pm.
"Just for 7 hours…"
Nurse Joy pressed something on her computer and a slip of printed paper with aforementioned details slid out from the printer at the side. She handed the paper to Serena as well as a silver key.
"The room is 210; please take the stairs on your right up. Your pokemon will be treated and delivered to your room in an hour's time." Nurse Joy pointed to her left and did a little bow, "Have a good night, Serena-san!"
"Thank you so much, Nurse Joy!" Serena received both the key and the slip of paper, and watched as the nurse took her pokemon to the back for healing.
Serena found herself looking at the clock once more, it was 9.10pm. "It has gotten late… I hope Sensei is still awake…" She walked over to the free-access computers and pressed on a sequence of numbers that she could memorize by now.
Serena waited for the call to go through, but no one picked up - as expected. She gave a mental sigh then pressed on the 'end' button. If the competition had ended on time, she would have managed to call her earlier.
Serena placed the receiver back onto the holder and proceeded to climb the stairs to her room.
"Maybe I will give her a call when I reach Alola…"
Serena entered room 210 and closed the door behind her; she pressed the light switch on the right and was not at all surprised at the layout of the room which greeted her. The rooms in all the Pokemon Centres were decorated the same way even down to the bed sheets, table lamp and chairs. Serena placed her bag on the coffee table and plopped onto the bed. "Ugh" she stretched her arms upwards and leaned back, letting her body fall into the comfy cotton sheets.
"Ah… finally…" she whispered, and removed her pink hat and lens-free glasses; causally throwing them beside her.
The ceiling fan whirled above her, and Serena stared at the spinning blades absentmindedly. "It has already been a year…" a small grin formed on her face, as she recalled the feeling she felt on the first day she arrived in Hoenn. That determined and excited emotion, she would never let herself forget – and every day since then had been a roller coaster ride.
"A year…" Serena open her eyes, I almost fell asleep!
She pushed herself up from the sheets and shook her head slightly, I must have been really tired, to fall asleep like that without showering…yeesh…
She put her hands on her cheeks and rub them, "Can't sleep now, Serena…"
Her body felt heavy and reluctant to leave the comforts of the bed, she dragged her feet towards her bag and dug through the front pockets. Even without looking, she could locate the paper she was searching for since the texture was something very recognizable. She pulled it out and scanned through the details.
"Alola… time of flight… is 6am…" she whispered, and rub her fingers across her name. Only plane tickets have this waxy texture. Heh.
Serena peered to the clock hanging on the wall to her left, "It is 9.35pm…there is still half an hour more…"
"I should wait for everyone to come back before showering…in that case…"
Serena placed the ticket back and grabbed her pokedex, she scrolled up to a page with the words – 'inter-regional travel' and clicked on it, she scrolled down the new page with her details – "Name… yes, plane number… correct, Time…correct, Bags... 2 and Pokemon companion (s): 5
"Yep, all is in order!" Serena smiled and proceeded to click the blue button
A new question appeared on the screen: What is your purpose of travel?
"Eh… hmm, what should I put here…" Serena paused and put the back of her finger to her lips. But before she could ponder further, her thoughts were interrupted by two knocks from the door.
"Serena-san, this is Nurse Joy."
Serena jumped, "Yes, I am coming."
In her haste, she had forgotten two very important items.
Serena turned and opened the door, to see Nurse Joy waiting patiently outside her door; she held a tray of pokeballs in her hands.
"All of your pokemon have recovered and are as healthy as they could be." She announced professionally.
"Thank you so much!" Serena received her pokemon happily but before she had a chance to retreat to her room.
"Serena –san, erm…" She looked slightly and strangely embarrassed as well.
Serena peered at the Nurses' blushing face, and a realization hit Serena mentally. My glasses and hat!
"Can…can… you please sign this?" She squeaked and she held out a picture. She had been recognized!
Serena felt her face burn a little when she realized it was a picture of her, in her performance costume for the Master level pokemon contest held in Slateport city, a week ago.
"I… I…" Serena did not know where to look as she held the picture Nurse Joy passed to her. In her hurry, she had forgotten to be 'hidden'. And now that she was recognized… "Alright…" she said, as she took the pen that Nurse Joy also held in her other hand.
Serena felt abashed and awkward – it was common for a performer to be recognized in Hoenn since contest was very popular in this region. This was especially true if a performer had attended a highly anticipated event which in this case, was the master class competition which happened a week ago.
"Serena-san, thank you for this!" Nurse Joy grinned from ear to ear, pocketed the picture in her uniform and bowed.
Serena bowed a little as well, "You are welcome…" she replied.
Nurse Joy bounced down the stairs and disappeared around the corner, in obvious high spirits.
Serena breathed a sigh of relief…"Time to res…" She had only begun to enter her room, when she heard whispers erupt around her.
"Eh! Its serena-san, isn't it? The performer!" Shouts rang across the hall; it was by two woman who just left her room.
Another girl with a long pony tail jogged towards Serena, "It is you! I never thought I would bump into you here!" she began to rant, with excitement in her tone.
Serena peered at the people who were beginning to form around her, "Ah…"
Chapter 2
When Serena managed to close the door behind her, she checked the time from the clock on the wall.
"It is already 11pm" Serena shook her head slightly, and went towards the bed to retrieve her glasses and hat. I should have remembered about you.
She put the items onto the coffee table and next to her bag; removed her heels and slipped into her pink bedroom slippers.
Serena covered her mouth to subdue a yawn, and walked to the bathroom. She turned on the lights and sat down in front of the mirror. With ease, she removed the accessories in her hair and then let it down. She touched the ends of her hair, "It has grown long again, just like before…"
She then stood up, and turned her back towards the mirror. "Oh, it grew much longer than expected…"
"Oh, that's right!" Serena retrieved the pokeballs from her pocket and threw them upwards.
The pokeballs opened and flashes of light momentarily lit up the room.
"Taire na!" greeted the fox pokemon. "Yan cham!" greeted the panda pokemon who was wearing stylish red sunglasses on its head and "Phia!" greeted the last pokemon to burst out from her pokeball, a pink creature with ribbons and light blue eyes.
Another two pokemon appeared as well, "Raz!" said one and "Skip kip!" greeted the other.
Serena hugged all her pokemon tightly, "Everyone, welcome back!"
The pokemon were also pleased to see their trainer, and took no chance to show how much they loved her.
"Heh, ahhh… hahaha" Serena giggled, as her pokemon snuggled and tickled her sides.
"Nymphia, your ribbons are ticklish! You know that... Mizugorou, your whiskers as well!"
Then Serena looked at her pokemon, and then at the running water filling up the large bath tub.
"Do you all want to join in? She asked, pointing towards the bath.
Mizugorou jumped up in delight, and so did Nymphia and Ralts. Tairenar and Yan Cham shook their heads.
"Aw, but we haven't soaked in the bath for a long time!" Serena coaxed but the latter two didn't seem convinced.
Nymphia, Ralts and Mizugorou chased each other into the bath, causing a large splash; which Yan Cham narrowly avoided but jumping away quickly.
Serena smiled as she placed her clothes neatly on the rack and joined her pokemon in the warm bath. "The bath is soooo warm…"
Tairenar and Yancham exchanged quick glances.
"Wow, this pokemon centre provides bubble soap as well…" muttered Serena as she inspected one of the bottles on the shelves.
A while later…
"Tai tai! Tairenar said cheerfully, as she popped the bubbles that floated in front of her face. Yancham used its paws to create more bubbles from the soapy water excitedly. "Tairen!" cooed happily, when more bubbles were formed by Yancham, she blew the bubbles upwards.
Serena grinned as she watched her pokemon play with bubbles, she looked down and noticed Ralts had fallen asleep while clinging onto her chest. Nymphia was also resting on Serena's propped up legs, while Mizugorou was swimming in the water around them.
It has been a year since the beginning of their journey to Hoenn, we had been so busy performing, joining contest…
"…it had been so much fun and we learnt so much…" Serena whispered out loud without wanting to. She placed one of her feet on the other, and lowered her head slightly "And now…"
Nymphia turned its head and looked at Serena, "Phia?" Sensing a change in its trainer mood, the pokemon wrapped its ribbon around Serena's arm. "Phi Pi?"
"Eh?" Serena blinked, she looked at the ribbon and then to her pokemon … "Ah, Nymphia…"
"Tair?" The fox pokemon looked at Serena with a concerned look. Yan cham stopped pawing the bubbles, "Chama?"
"Tairenar, Nymphia, Yancham… it has been a long year since we started performing in Hoenn, and honestly we have learnt a lot from everyone around us… we have grown so much, that… that we even won the master level contest…" Serena stroked Nymphia on the head gently, "But… is it really… am I good enough?"
"Charma, charma!" said Yancham in a strong tone as though to affirm Serena that she already is the best performer, Tairenar nodded behind Yancham determined face.
"Yancham… Tairnenar… you guys…"
Nymphia extended one of its ribbons on Serena's head and patted it gently, "Phia Phia" it said softly
"I wouldn't have made it without all of you beside me… without you, I wouldn't have gotten this far…" Serena said quickly, tears forming in her eyes.
Mizugorou popped its head from under the water and looked at its trainer curiously; Ralts also woke up from its slumber.
Serena raised her hand and rubbed her tears away… "Ah… I am hesitating again…"
"Mizu? Mi Mi." said the blue pokemon, and it clambered onto Serena.
"Eh? Mizugorou?"
The blue pokemon, reached up towards Serena tear stained face and licked it gently. "Miz?"
Serena blinked, her face felt warm and more tears started to form.
Her vision started to get blurry; her pokemon looked like blurry fuzzy shapes and colours. "Everyone…thank you…"
Three days ago
"Eh? This is…?" Serena received the envelope from a front desk at Lilycove contest hall front desk.
The lady handed Serena, a hand written note. The handwriting was very familiar, "Sensei…?"
To Serena,
Firstly, congratulations on completing the master class pokemon contest in the Hoenn region. I have been watching your performance and you have indeed blossomed into a great performer. Enclosed in this envelope are online plane tickets to the Alola region. Come and meet me when you are ready.
Palermo
Serena opened the envelope and found username, passwords and website to book a plane ticket to Alola.
Feeling excited, she booked the tickets for a 6am flight, three days later without thinking much into it.
But as the day drew closer, she started to waver…
Two days ago
"What is with that face, Serena –chan?"
Serena looked at the familiar red haired girl in the computer screen, and shook her head. "Ah, nothing really…"
"Serena, it is not good to bottle up your feelings. Come on; tell me what is bothering you…?"
"Elle-san… actually…Miss Palermo…"
And after relating what the envelope contains, Elle-san gave a small smile. "And then?"
"Eh?" and then?"
"… Serena-chan, are you worried what will happen if you agree?"
"Ah…"
"Did I get it right?" Elle winked.
"It is like that…then again… it is not…"
Serena glanced at Elle, who frowned "Hmm?"
"Elle –san…am… am i…really…alrigh…"
" A~!"
"Eh?" Serena stared at Elle's slightly pouted face.
The red haired girl changed to a kind and softer look on her face, she breathed out a sigh and stretched out her hands and then back to the desk to prop her head.
"I am coming with you to Alola" she announced quickly, leaving no time for Serena to react. She asked the plane details from Serena and told her to meet her at the airport at 6am as stated. Before Serena could clarify any further, Elle gave her a big grin and told her not to worry about it and logged off. Leaving Serena staring at a blank screen, stunned at the sudden inclusion of Elle to Alola.
~ Hi everyone, it has been a long time since I last wrote. As you might be able to tell, I lack in practice so if the language used is not up to your standard. Please forgive me! ~