Writers note: Another chapter up guys! I just finished chapter 5 last night hope to it up very soon! Otherwise enjoy the newest chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. All Characters are the property of Nintendo, and this is a fanfiction purely made for fun and non-profit.

Chapter 4

"Is it her?"

"Flying Press!" Ash shouted out the Fighting/Flying type pokemon as it went up into the sky and struck its favorite pose. "Great Hawlucha!" its trainer shouted as it began its descent down. "Now Frogadier! Counter with Aerial Ace!" Ash commanded to his recently evolved water-type. The frog pokemon's hands began to glow blue and take on the form of knives as Frogadier lept into the air on a collision course with Hawlucha. The two attacks collided with a large boom the enveloped the battlefield in a cloud of smoke, clearing finally to show both pokemon on their feet ready for more.

"Ok guys that was great!" Ash clapped as he walked up to the two pokemon, effectively ending the contest. "You two are really strong you know that?" he said with pride as Frogadier and Hawlucha clasped hands with one another as a sign of respect. Despite previous dust ups in the past the two had a strong bond and complete trust in one another, even more so since Frogadier had evolved. "It's getting late guys, why don't we head inside get you all checked out by Nurse Joy and then grab some dinner?" he said as all pokemon cried in agreement. "Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed as it leaped onto Ash's shoulder while he returned the others to their pokeballs with a thank you.

"we're getting stronger everyday buddy" Ash said as he scratched Pikachu's ear and walked into the back of the pokemon center. "This time things are gonna be different, we're gonna win the Kalos League!" he said with joy as he closed the door behind him. "Pikachu!" the small mouse cheered as well.

Ash was at a small loss as to why his confidence was so high these days. Sure he never lacked confidence before, but for some reason this confidence was quite different. It almost bordered on arrogance, like he thought he couldn't lose no matter what. "What's so different this time?" he thought as he walked down the hallway. He began running through his mind his journey in Kalos up until this point. It hadn't started any better than his previous journeys, if fact the argument could made it started worse.

His first gym battle was a disaster, a massacre at the hand's of the Santalune City's gym leader Viola. He was completely outclassed and out strategized by her, beaten so badly he even began to question himself as a trainer and if he could ever truly defeat her. Not exactly the kind of start one would expect for an "experienced" trainer with goals of winning the Kalos League and ultimately becoming a pokemon master. But lucky for me Serena was able to help me win that one and get back on track" he chuckled to himself.

All of a sudden he stopped dead in the hallway, like he had hit an invisible wall. His eyes widened as if some part of his mind that was either dormant or never used before had burst to life. "Serena" he said softly and to no one imparticular. "Pika-pi?" Pikachu said looking at the expression on its trainers face with a puzzled look of its own.

Ash's mind was racing at this point, almost as if part of his very soul was waking up after a long slumber. "Is it her? Is she the reason I feel invincible all the time now?" he thought. He began thinking back to all previous moments he had shared with her since she came back into his life...

"Is this yours?" a young woman with honey blonde hair asked sweetly as she cradled his backpack in her arms, like she was holding her child afraid to drop it or let go if it..

"You said that once before you know?" she said as he wiped his face with the washcloth she had given him. "Never give up until the end! Its like you've never changed Ash!" she chuckled..

"Remember all the training you did with everyone!" she shouted from the sidelines as he desperately sought a solution in his rematch with Viola..

"You have you own unique rhythm" he remembered her words as battle against Korrina in his third gym battle..

"What would make you happy?" she asked him on the monorail. "The way I see it your pokemon are lot like you Ash" she said with a smile.

"Yes its the present you gave me" Serena said as she placed a hand over the blue ribbon on her chest that he'd given her a couple days earlier with a large blush on her face..

A smile came to Ash's face as he looked down to the floor. "How could I not have seen something so obvious Pikachu?" he said dissapointed in himself. "Pika-pi?" The mouse responded still confused as to what had just happened with his trainer. "I can't believe it took me this long to realize how important she is to me buddy." Pikachu finally smiled as it realized that Ash seemed to finally be having the breakthrough he hoped for. "Let's go get you guys healed up!" he said with huge smile as he resumed walking. "Sorry for making you wait Serena" he thought regretfully "But I'm gonna make it up you ten-fold!" He beamed as he walked up to Nurse Joy and handed over Pikachu and his other pokemon.

Once Nurse Joy had taken his pokemon, Ash walked over to the booth and saw Clemont still tinkering on his invention, oblivious to the world. Bonnie meanwhile had taken a seat on a nearby sofa with Chespin and Dedenne and was petting their heads. Upon seeing Ash, she give him a big grin and a wave and then resumed petting the two pokemons some more. Ash smiled and waved back before looking down at the booth and getting a small frown on his face. "where's Serena?" he thought as he glanced quickly around the small pokemon center looking for the honey-blonde hair girl, but to no avail. At first he thought maybe she was in the room they we're staying in together, but then remembered Clemon had given him the room key so she couldn't have been in there.

"Hey Clemont" Ash said slightly grabbing the gyn leaders attention. "Has Serena come back yet?" he said with a hint of worry in is voice. "Oh I'm sure she'll be back soon" Clemont responded nonchalantly while still tinkering "You know how Serena can get when she gets on a shopping mission." Ash frowned to himself but realized Clemont was probably right and figured Serena would return soon, so he dropped it for the moment. "I'm gonna go wash up and then grab some dinner" Ash said as he walked down the hall to the bathroom. "Mhm" Clemont muttered as he continued to work, hoping that his next big breakthrough in the future of science was upon him. As Ash walked the hallway he saw that the clock on the wall read Nine-Thirty. "I hope she gets back soon" he thought "we have a lot to talk about tonight" he said as he opened the door to the bathroom, trying to figure out what exactly he would say to the performer when he did her.

The green truck zoomed out of Starview Town with great speed, trying to make sure no one had seen it. "S-Slow down you idiot!" the passenger of the vehicle screamed "You want Officer Jenny to nail us?" he growled. "Relax..the Far'Fetched Company has a sterling reputation, no one is gonna bother us" the driver soothed devilishly. His partner wasn't so quick how ever to come down. "Your certain the girl was by herself? he asked, almost with of begging in his voice. "I already told you to relax!" the driver spat back. "I watched the girl leave the pokemon center by herself and walk the entire strip by herself" he boasted, clearly proud of his stealth skills and recon work. "No one ever approached her on the strip or came and went from her" he added with an evil smile on his face as the truck reached the shipping dispatch. "It's all going according to plan, just keep you head and we'll home clear in a couple of hours" the driver said mockingly to passenger who just pouted in his seat.

Ash had finished in the bathroom and was washed up as he walked back out into the lobby of the Pokemon center. "Perfect timing!" Nurse Joy exclaimed as Pikachu leap back onto his shoulder. "You Pokemon are perfectly healed and in great shape!" the nurse smiled as she handed Ash his remaining pokeballs. "Thanks alot Nurse Joy" he said back warmly as he made his way over too the small cafeteria on the side of the pokemon center. They we're going to be closing the cafeteria soon, so Ash decided to grab a tray of food for Serena as well since he hadn't seen her yet. "I hope she's in the mood for pasta" he thought as he saw the limited selection left due to the late hour. He filled up two trays and walked back over to the booth where Clemont was still lost in invention.

"Has Serena come back?" Ash asked again as he set the trays down on the table. Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder and down to the table where it began munching on some pokemon food Clemont had put out earlier for the other Pokemon. "Not yet" Clemont once again said without much behind it, as he continued to stare at his newest invention that was begining to take shape.

Ash looked up at the clock on the wall again and was instantly filled with worry. "Clemont its almost Ten o'clock" he said with a small amount of force in his voice bringing Clemont out of his trance and causing Pikachu to stop eating and look up at him. "She should have been back by now..." Ash said his voice riddled with concern. Clemont saw the look on Ash's face and began to grow a little concerned himself. "M-Maybe it was just a long walk back and she was carrying a lot of bags?" the gym said trying to stay positive. "No way!" Ash said back "Most of the shops should have closed at least an hour or two ago." "Even if she was walking back from the far end of the strip, she should still have been back by now' he explained. "Something must have happened..." Ash didn't want to give in to fear, but he knew the folly in hanging on to false hope. "Should we go and look for her?" Clemont asked as Pikachu also looked on with a worried look at its trainers expression. "Hmmm..." Ash thought for a moment as he folded his arms in thought for a brief moment before coming to a decision.

"I'm gonna go look for Serena" Ash said with a look of determination on his face. "You stay here with Bonnie in case she does come back" he said. "If we were all to go looking for her and she were to come back here and we were gone it would only compound our problems" Ash said as he picked up his backpack and put it on his shoulders. "I'll find her and bring her back safe" he said as he placed a hand on Clemont's shoulder. "I guess that makes the most sense" Clemont responded sadly, wishing he could be of more help than just sitting and watching. "One more thing" Ash added "If I'm not back with Serena tomorrow morning I need you to get Nurse Joy to call Officer Jenny" Ash said with a stern look on his face. "But why don't you call her now?!" Clemont asked, clearly taken back by the request. "I have my reasons" Ash simply responded. "B-But she could be a big help!" Clemont pleaded with him. "I really think we should ca.." "I need you to trust me Clemont!" Ash shouted back with fire in his eyes. Clemont looked on in amazement at Ash. He'd seen Ash's fire filled spirit before many times but this was different, it was as if his very soul was burning within him unable to be stopped.

"Alright Ash..." Clemont finally said in a defeated tone. "I'll do as you ask, promise to be careful" as he clasped hands with Ash. "You got it Clemont!" he said with a determined smile. "Let's go Pikachu!" he said as he turned to his beloved partner. "Pika!" the small mouse shouted with vigor as leaped onto his shoulder, the same look of determination on its face its trainer had. Like a flash Ash was out the door and running down the street.

"where's Ash off to so fast? and young voice said behind Clemont. "And where is Serena its kinda late..?" Bonnie asked with a hint of worry in her voice. Clemont hated lying to his sister, but at the moment he thought it was best not to worry her. "Ash just ran off to get Serena" he said "I guess she bit off more than she could chew shopping and needs some help carrying all her bags back" he lied hoping that would be enough to sell Bonnie. "Serena is so silly sometimes!" the little giggled as she ran off with Dedenne and Chespin again, much to Clemont's relief. "Phew..." he sighed to himself. "The last we need is Bonnie getting worried right now, she'd probably go running after Ash if she knew the truth" he thought sadly as he looked out the window into the night.

Ash ran down the street as quickly as he could, cringing to himself as a thought just kept playing in his mind over and over again. "Ash I'll be fine its just shopping" she said as she walked up to him and tried to reassure him. "By the time your done training I'll already be back..." Ash was instantly stopped falling to his knees and grabbing his head as the nightmare overtook him. "AHHHHH!" he screamed in agony is the image of her hugging him began to taunt him in his mind. "What was I thinking letting her go by herself?!" he shouted sadly as all he wanted to do was have that hug again, knowing Serena was safe as he held her. "Pika-pi.." Pikachu said as it patted Ash on the shoulder trying to reassure him. Ash looked and saw the expression on the mouse's face and smiled. "Your right buddy, I promised her" he said as he stood back up, the fire in his soul burning brightly again. "I promised I would always protect you" he remembered his words "I'm not gonna fail you, I'm coming Serena!" he thought to himself as he raced down the strip again.