Okay, now here is the SECOND of four options in my 2018 Story Focus Poll, and it's actually supposed to be released in tandem with another story but the companion story to this one is a mess right now, and it would be made as a separate story anyhow, so here is the intended second installment in the Road To Gold Trilogy, as the first one focuses on Ash, and this one focuses on Serena, so you can read either one in whichever order you like, I just thought I would let up on the focus on Ash and give you all a taste of what I have planned in store for Serena! Hope you enjoy the sneak peek of "Queen Of Hoenn!"
Pokémon: The Queen Of Hoenn!
Starring
-Serena Yvonne, and her Pokémon: Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon, Gogoat, Vivillon, and Taillow.
-Max Maple, and his Pokémon: Sceptile, Breloom, Ninjask, Shedinja, Gallade, and Heracross
-Dawn Berlitz, and her Pokémon: Piplup, Buneary, Mamoswine, Quilava, Pachirisu, and Ambipom
-May Maple, and her Pokémon: Blaziken, Venusaur, Blastoise, Beautifly, Skitty, Snorlax
-Gary Oak, and his Pokémon: Blastoise, Electivire, Probopass, Fearow, Gliscor, and Camerupt
Serena Yvonne, after losing the Master Class to Aria, arrives in Slateport City, in defeat. Contemplating giving up on her dream, Serena makes her way to the Pokémon Center, to check in and drop off her belongings. Her loss in Kalos wasn't the only thing that demoralized her. She had also allowed a golden opportunity slip in Kalos: Ash Ketchum. For years, she had been in love with him, if one could call it that. This was after she had been hurt, in a forest, after coming to Pallet Town against her will. She was startled by a Poliwag at 7 years old, and as a result, has an odd fear of them. But the other thing that happened that day, was that she met the boy of her dreams: a 7-year old Ash Ketchum. He guided her out of that forest, and had become her only friend in a foreign land. And then she left Pallet Town, and went back to Vaniville Town. Ash, from that day on, never forgot about Serena. However, when he showed up in Kalos, attempting to quell a Garchomp, atop Prism Tower, she saw him, and wondered if he was the same boy in Professor Oak's summer camp. She tracked him down, eventually catching up with him in Santalune City. And from that point on, until she had a dream of her own, she traveled with Ash, until they had to part ways, Ash to Kanto, and Serena to Hoenn. That day, she let her feelings for Ash be known. She kissed him on the lips, before disappearing, seemingly for good. Serena had only wished that he had done the same. Not the kiss, but the gesture behind it. She wished she knew how he felt about her. He knew how she feels about him, and now he may have been gone forever, focusing on a dream that had nothing to do with her...
Slateport City, Hoenn
July 5, 2004
Serena Yvonne walked through the streets of Slateport, going in search of these Pokémon Contest Halls, which were supposed to be similar to Performances in Kalos. She would be the judge of that.
However, she wasn't alone.
Dawn Berlitz had returned from the Unova Region, and briefly decided she wanted to follow May's example, and go through Johto as well. However, she had since done that, and now decided to go through Hoenn, where Pokémon Contests were rumored to have started. That's were Kenny said he was going, and she wanted to do what he did, because not only did she see him as competition, but she also saw him as a potential future husband...
(THUMP!)
"Ow!" Dawn and a honey-blonde girl wearing a pink hat, and a red and pink dress said at the same time.
"Oh, sorry!" Both girls said again.
"You go first!"
"No you!"
"I like Pokémon!"
"This is so weird..."
"I'm Dawn!" Dawn said, finally ending the cycle of both girls saying things at the same time.
"Serena Yvonne, nice to make your acquaintance!"
"Hold on, let me fix your hat." Dawn said, adjusting Serena's hat.
"Thanks. Oh, and let me get this for you... Is that a Poketch? I haven't seen one of those in at least a couple of years!"
"A couple of years?"
"Yeah, a couple of years! Us in Kalos are always on top of the newest thing!"
"This is a Holo Receiver! It's a way of communicating, except you can see who you're talking to, in 3-D!"
"Uh..." Dawn uttered, baffled not just by the advances in communication, but also how far behind she was.
"Not that practical, yes, but it's what we have in Kalos."
"Kalos?"
"It's my home region. The fashion capital of the world! Where are you from, Dawn?"
"Sinnoh. The snow capital of the world."
"You don't sound too excited about that. Just out of curiously, are you a performer?"
"No. I'm a coordinator. And I'm also thinking of a boy I used to know, that I traveled with in Sinnoh."
"A boy? I knew a boy that went through Sinnoh a couple of years ago. In fact, it was the 2002 Lily Of The Valley Conference. He made final four, but nobody forgot him after that."
"Did he have a Pikachu that always walks with him on his shoulder?"
"Yeah!"
"You know Ash Ketchum?"
"Yeah!"
"How do you know him?"
"I traveled with him in Kalos, but I'm actually a childhood friend of his!"
"Oh! That's great! How was he as a little boy?" Dawn asked.
"Oh my Arceus! He was soo cute! He was a little knight in shining armor! Especially when I needed him!" Serena gushed, starting to daydream about Ash, and how much she would like to be with him again.
"Ash? So he was always a hero..." Dawn muttered in awe.
"Hmm?"
"No, I remember that part of him too! He taught me everything I know!"
"He's a great teacher, isn't he?"
"I still remember everything word for word!"
"I'll take that as a yes!"
"Well, now. What brings you to Hoenn?"
"Well, in Kalos, we have Pokemon Performances which are supposed to be similar to contests, but with a Kalosian twist on it, because it's Kalosian, but I came here, first to see if it's as similar as they say it is, and second, to perfect my skills as a performer to become Kalos Queen!"
"Kalos Queen? Is that like a Top Coordinator?"
"What's a top coordinator?"
"Here, I'll show you."
Suddenly, Dawn and Serena were in front of a wall painting of May Maple as she appeared in Sinnoh/Johto.
"This is May Maple. She's the daughter of a Gym Leader, but she's also Hoenn's Top Coordinator. The highest ranked coordinator in all of Hoenn. Sinnoh has one, Johto has one, Kanto has one, and from the looks of it, Kalos has one too."
"So, Top Coordinator is the equivalent to Kalos Queen?"
"I guess? I mean, I've never heard that term before. Kalos Queen."
"Why are you here? I never did ask you that."
"I'm going back to Coordinating's roots. This is where the Concept of Contests started. Some say they were started by someone from Kanto, but that's where Battling started. Others say someone from Sinnoh, but that's where battling and Contests were refined. Truth is, nobody seems to know how it was started."
"Oh. That would be fascinating to figure out."
"Yeah, but the only thing is everywhere I've checked so far has led me back here. Kanto, Johto, Sinnoh, Unova, but I haven't checked Kalos yet."
"Maybe I can help you with that!"
"Of course! Maybe I can come with you on your journey to become Kalos Queen!"
"If you aren't doing anything else, I have no objection!"
"Alright then!" Dawn said as she pulled up her map of Hoenn on her Pokétch. "Now, the first Contest Hall that one can challenge is here in Slateport City! That's where most Coordinators start in Hoenn."
"How far is it from here?"
"Well, according to this map, it's right next to the Shipyard, which is next to the Poké Mart, and Pokémon Center!"
"Well, then! Let's do this!"
"Now? You definitely share something with Ash!"
"What's that?"
"His enthusiasm!"
"I remember that part of him..." Serena said, leaving Dawn to wonder exactly how close they were.
And THAT does it for the Queen Of Hoenn, or the first look at the Road To Gold Trilogy! Now tell me what you thought of this story, and what you want to see out of this story, and do the same on All-Stars! And go to the poll and tell me which of the four options you want to see get the Focus Of 2018! Till then, TAKE CARE, MAAAAN!