Author's Note: Whew. I began writing this quite a long time ago (not long after I got hooked on the XY anime series), and with all of the evolutions (pun! Ha ha?) coming up in the new season, I figured it was about time I started pushing it on out the door.
This will be multi-chaptered and is set sometime during Season 17. Please take note that it is in NO WAY an anti-Serena fic. I adore Serena and had a difficult time writing this without feeling sorry for her at times! I'm just calling it like I see it. How's that, you ask? Read on, if you want to... :P
Serena awakens to an enthusiastic embrace and an electric rodent's cheeks buzzing dangerously close to her left ear. She blinks. It isn't quite the kid - or the rodent, for that matter - that she'd been picturing in her dream.
"Bonnie…" she mumbles, rubbing sleep out of her eye. She sits up and pulls her hair back into a lopsided ponytail.
"Get up, silly!" Bonnie implores, grinning. "Or we'll leave without you!"
A small jolt runs through Serena's body and propels her out of bed. "Oh, get out of here and give me ten minutes," she manages to smile, rubbing Bonnie's hair affectionately.
"It'll take you at least twenty!" the younger girl scoffs, sticking out her tongue.
Serena smiles wistfully as Bonnie bounces out of the room, Dedenne in tow. Bonnie is one to talk – she must have been up for quite some time already, because normally it takes her just as long.
Her smile fades a little as the dream returns to her mind's eye. How many other girls have had the same dream about Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town of Kanto? She looks in the mirror, and Fennekin leaps onto the vanity to emulate her.
It's time to make herself pretty for one more shining day.
You never know if today could be the day.
Serena descends the stairs to join her traveling companions in the communal breakfast area of the Pokémon Center. Everyone is smiling and laughing.
Ash is eating what looks to be a burnt stack of…something?
"Eww!" says Bonnie. "I wouldn't eat that if you gave me ten new Pokémon friends to take care of!"
Ash grins through the mouthfuls. "Don't be ridiculous, Bonnie." Pikachu pokes at a portion of food uncertainly. "Clemont went to a lot of trouble to invent that – Whatchamacallit –"
"Super Breakfast Griller 3000?" Clemont volunteers, looking a bit embarrassed.
"Stupid name," says Bonnie.
"It could use a little work…On multiple fronts, really…" Clemont admits, laughing. "Ash, I'm similarly in disbelief that you're actually eating the result of what I consider to be…well, the morning's first failed experiment…"
"Nah, Pikachu and I don't like to waste food," says Ash. "Besides, it's not all that bad at all. Right, Pikachu?"
Pikachu eyes the plate forlornly and nods, backing away, sporting a fake smile. If he's lucky, he can get away without having to live up to his trainer's ideals in the breakfasting department today.
"Ahem," Serena announces herself. "Good Morning, everyone!"
"Fenn. Fennekin!"
"Aww, look at that, Pikachu," says Ash, clearly impressed. "Fennekin's got a little bow in its tail."
"Pikaa…"
"Nice job, Serena. Fennekin looks great."
Ash's beaming smile is too much, and too genuine, for Serena to really handle so soon after this morning's imaginings. She blushes, trying to hide the spark of resentment that also leaps somewhere inside. Did Ash even notice the matching bow that is clipped in her own hair?
"Grab some breakfast, Serena!" Bonnie takes Serena's hand and drags her toward the buffet counter, where she idly grabs a roll of bread and some fruit.
Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Ash and Clemont continuing to laugh and joke about something, probably still the charred food. She tells herself that this morning's entrance was progress. If Ash notices the effort she puts into Fennekin, he'll eventually notice her, too. Right?
The sun is high and the lightly wooded area is heady and sweet. Serena is happy to be here, right now… regardless of what Ash is doing or how Ash feels about the weather or anything else right now – She opens one eye stealthily to take in what exactly Ash is doing right now, because she can't lie to herself – it makes all the difference in her world.
Clemont is saying something, and Ash is rapt. "…So I invented these Cardio Shoes that boost my blood circulation whenever I travel at above a normal stride. The first incarnation was a shoe that simply lent additional thrust to increase my speed without any real effort on my part."
"But Clemont fell over face first when he tried them out for the first time!" Bonnie jabs. "I know! Because I was there!"
Clemont tries to shush Bonnie, flustered. "But I realized that it was a much better idea to enhance my body's own strength and stamina, so that over time, I could come to rely less on the shoes and more on my own strength."
"Wow, that's great, Clemont," says Ash, clearly impressed. "Did it work? Can you run faster without the shoes now?"
Clemont places his hand behind his head modestly. "Well, let's just say my body is still a work in progress. I only began wearing the shoes earlier this week, so it will take some time for the results to pay off."
"And they haven't exploded yet!" Bonnie chimes in with a pejorative grin.
"Bonnie!" chides Clemont. "Well, I suppose she's right about that, so, I'm crossing my fingers…" he laughs.
"I think it's awesome that you can use science to train your body to be able to run faster," says Ash.
"Well, maybe not faster, but for longer durations without needing to rest as much. That's the goal, at least."
"Either way, good for you!" Ash smiles, grabbing Clemont's shoulder in friendly affirmation.
Serena notices that shoulder-grab with laserlike vision.
And she notices Clemont's reaction to it.
If she is not mistaken, Clemont reacts with a twitch, one barely noticeable faltered step, a slight flush and exactly two drops of sweat beading on his left temple…
Serena stops.
She imagines that it had been her on the receiving end of Ash's friendly touch, and she realizes that Clemont's reaction would have been her own.
A short breath catches in her throat as Serena regains her pace. But her mind is racing. Could it be…Is there some possible way that...?
Of course she should revise her earlier gripe about all the girls Ash has ever known…Probably half the boys had been in love with Ash, too. Who couldn't love him? His earnest heart, his adorable mannerisms and his deep (obsessive?) love for all things Pokémon—and pretty much nothing else—Science? Serena sighs, fixated on the back of that lovely, confusing head of his—
"Serena!" calls Bonnie. "Come on, Serena! You're way behind! You're so behind I would've thought you were Clemont, but Clemont's way up here with us!"
Serena smiles bracingy at Bonnie, nods, and increases her pace.
That's where she should be – In stride with Ash, but somehow she has found that place less and less attainable, and she has run out of tactics, because none of them seem to work for long on Ash, anyway.
"Hey Clemont, watch where you're going!" shrieks Bonnie. "Your shoes are going crazy!"
Sure enough, the three of them collapse into a pile of smoke and twitching limbs. Serena stands behind them and looks on, unsure whether to laugh, smile, or cry.
It's battle time. The group has encountered another trainer out in the field, and Ash has stepped forward to accept her challenge.
Serena can only think about two things. If she were traveling alone, she'd be obliged to accept the challenges of these other trainers, but she's very glad that Fennekin doesn't have to battle right now. Because Ash is here. The other thing: The trainer challenging Ash is amazingly gorgeous. She has shining golden hair done up immaculately in plates that fall into loose curls. Her makeup and nails are flawless. Her skirt looks expensive…and short.
Serena huffs to herself and resists the urge to childishly stick her tongue out at the other girl. But over time, she has begun to feel less threatened, because she knows that Ash will not pay any attention to the opponent's appearance, no matter how polished, sexy, bizarre, beautiful or otherwise. For Ash, it's all about the Pokémon.
Sure enough, Ash doesn't waste a second in concocting a speech full of bravado that obviously isn't meant to impress the girl…One doesn't normally impress another by talking down her Pokémon battling abilities.
Ash sends Pikachu into battle, and the opponent chooses…Braixen. Fennekin, looking on from the security of her arms, snuffs a little "huff" as well, and Serena can't help but smile at that.
At the opposing trainer's command, the Braixen weilds its flaming stick and dashes toward Pikachu. It lands half a blow, but Pikachu rolls out of harm's way before very much damage can be dealt. Pikachu slides back into the middle of the arena with a forceful Iron Tail.
Braixen counters with an extraordinarily speedy Fire Spin attack. Pikachu is unable to break the barrier of flame with an electric attack.
"Ash!" calls Serena. "Pikachu's going to be toast!"
"Use it now!" Clemont cuts in.
Ash nods.
"Pikachu! Return!"
Pikachu looks back, confused. "Pika pi?"
"Err—No, don't return. Keep battling." Ash waves his hands, flustered. "Use the move 'Return'!"
Clemont has his face in his hand, shaking his head but also trying not to smile.
Serena waits with bated breath.
The attack unleashed by Pikachu is mighty indeed. With more than enough force to launch itself out of the grips of Fire Spin, Pikachu charges forth and bowls into the Braixen with what looks like a Slam or Tackle attack, but with more power than the two combined.
Braixen collapses hard. Pikachu lands on the grass and launches into a short victory dance before scuttling back to Ash's shoulder and nuzzling his face. Ash hugs him back.
Serena spots the girl trainer fleeing in embarrassment. "Sheesh. She could at least shake hands…"
But Ash is too caught up in his own victory to really notice or care. Serena hurries up to Ash to congratulate him, but he's in the middle of a series of high-fives and celebratory laughs and smiles with Clemont.
"Clemont, that was brilliant!"
"Oh, not really, Ash, I…"
Ash continues exclaiming. "I never would've thought of using TMs at all if you hadn't suggested it."
"Well, many trainers make strategic use of…"
"'Return'! How about that, buddy?" Ash pinches Pikachu's cheek.
"Pika!"
"What's going on?" asks Serena politely. "I was wondering, what kind of move was that from Pikachu?"
"It was 'Return'," explains Clemont. "Its strength is fully dependent upon the strength of the bond between the Pokémon and the trainer."
"Oh, neat! I get it…but when did Pikachu learn that move?"
"Very recently, actually. You see, I've been taking note of the deep bond between Ash and Pikachu for some time now, and I decided it was obvious that they could make excellent use of this TM, or Technical Machine, to channel that strength into an attack."
"Oh, I see…"
Ash hugs Clemont tight. "Thanks, Clemont! It worked perfectly! What a good ideeeee—" Pikachu is wedged between them, and cuts him off with a defensive electric shock that engulfs the three of them.
Serena watches awkwardly. Bonnie rolls her eyes.
Now apart, Ash continues dancing with Pikachu as if nothing had happened, while Clemont adjusts his glasses nervously and shakes some invisible debris off his clothing. Something catches in Serena's throat when she notices how red Clemont's face looks.
Before Clemont can compose himself, Ash is back, and hooks one arm around Clemont's neck. This time, Pikachu has the foresight to climb onto Ash's head to avoid becoming squished.
Ash "noogies" Clemont's head, and the static electricity generated is almost enough to rival Pikachu anyhow. They both fall back onto the ground and laugh.
Bonnie chastises Clemont for having almost fallen on top of the bag containing Dedenne, but also raves about the 'Return' attack and asks if Dedenne can someday learn it too. Serena looks on. Ash hasn't noticed Clemont's flustered state, but, of course, that's typical of Ash.
Serena breathes in and out. Her heart breaks – for herself, and, she will now admit, perhaps for Clemont as well.
There is no one more frustrating to have a crush on than Ash Ketchum. No one.
This morning, she had seen Clemont as just another friend, but now – Now she can't quite decide whether he will be a rival or an ally going forward. They might well be together as one in their love for a stubborn Pokémon trainer who makes each day so sunny and bright.
She adjusts her bow, checks Fennekin's too, and walks onward with the group as Ash leads them toward who knows what next… One thing is certain: She and Clemont, along with Bonnie, will continue to follow this boy relentlessly, because he's stolen their hearts in the most unintentional of ways.