A/N: ok this chapter I wanted to focus solely on Serena. I want to develop her more as a character and to what she had grown into. With that said, it is somewhat of a filler, but the purpose does serve large.

Responding to a guest: this is my first fic, so it is not perfect. I understand that people don't like Night being op with greninja and Jolteon's transformation and defeating Alain. I will admit he is a lot like Ash, but he is like that to give motivation to Serena that she needs Ash in her life and she needs to find him. With them being relatives, I found it as the easiest and less painful way to separate the two from having a romantic relationship that is meant for Ash and Serena. I antagonized Callem, his jealousy consumes him, but remember that this is my fic. Also, the case that he has a Darkrai just makes him more awesome in my opinion. I am keeping Team Draco mysterious so I am not giving a way too much on them just yet. Also, I think Night's jolteon transforming is just a foreshadow for other characters, if you know what I mean ;). Other than that, sorry dude, mu plot is unique in some ways that I want to keep it mine.

If you left a good review, I appreciate it and I will keep going!

Enjoy this episode, it contains indirect amourshipping!

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon

Chapter 7- Serena's Power

Flashback:

Serena stood at the edge of the docks at Coumarine City with her Fennekin and Pancham. Serena was devastated from her performance. She had not made it out of the first round and she knew that she would have to change something. Her eyes were blood red from the crying at the docks, but after reassurance from her pokemon, she remembered one thing: 'Never Give Up Until the End'. Serena widened her eyes. She knew that the old insecure Serena had to die. She had to kill off the Serena that would give up. She needed to kill her past.

Serena opened her backpack and found a case. In that case there was a pair of shears.

She was going to end it all right then and there… Not physically though, spiritually instead. With the sharp blade she pierced her hair and cut it killing her old self. (Fast forward a bit).

Serena was in her room and she decided to change her clothes as well. Serena took a red dress and put it on top. To finish it off, she needed something to remind her to 'never give up until the end'. She opened the gift her crush gave her yesterday, it was a blue ribbon that Ash had won after being the one millionth customer of the subway. She unrolled the ribbon which to her surprise, there was a stone in the end of it. She did not know what it was, but she decided to roll the knot over the stone and tuck it on top of her dress. The stone was hidden from everyone, but it did have meaning.

After that, she went to the lobby of the pokemon center to leave thus presenting the rebirth of Serena to her friends.

Flashback end

Pallet Town:

"Hey, wait for us!" Night exclaimed as he, Jolteon and Brock ran after Serena who had darted off.

"Serena, you don't know this place, how about I guide you?" Brock wheezed catching his breath offering to show around.

"He's right Serena, I don't know this place either, why don't you let him guide us?" Night asked.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon agreed.

"What are you talking about?" Serena asked, excitement in her voice. "It may have been 10 years since I was here, but I still remember this place like the back of my head!"

"Wait, what do you mean? I have never seen you here before," recalled Brock confused at the performers assertion.

As the gang walked over towards the town, Serena told them about camp.

"You went to camp here? Amazing!" Brock exclaimed. "Also I never knew you would meet Ash of all people."

"Small world," Night said chuckling. After leaving Pigeot off at a ranch near the house for her to recover, the trio had come to a house in the town to which Brock knocked on the door.

"Hello, you must be some friends of Brock, please, come in and make yourself at home!" welcomed Delia. Brock decided to invite them to Ash's home. It seemed that Serena recognised the woman but Night had no clue he was interacting with the mother of the "Fallen Trainer".

"Hey, if I recall aren't you that childhood friend that Ash talked about?" Delia said turning to Serena, Delia had remembered the party 2 years prior.

"Oh, yea that was me," Serena said blushing a bit. Serena had become more confident and lately she had been more open about intimate things, still every time someone mentioned that name she would feel her face burn.

"Huh? Wait, you know Ash?" Night asked in confusion to Delia. This made everyone fall flat, but it was not blameable, he never knew Delia was Ash's mother.

"You see sweety, i'm his mother," replied Delia trying to sound nice.

Night just sweatdropped, he done messed up this time… Jolteon and a Mr. Mime were laughing at Night's ludicrous assertion. "Jolteon, you know, if I never knew your mother and I asked her your relationship with her, I will laugh harder!"

Jolteon got a bit agitated, "JOL JOTEON!" and released a thunder right at Night.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Night screamed. "Fine… you win Jolteon." this caused everyone to burst out laughing.

Brock then turned to Night, "that reminds me, Night after I saw you performing CPR on Pidgeot I was wondering if you would assist me on being a paramedic tomorrow."

"Brock, I would be honored, by the way I already am a paramedic so you don't need to make me take a test of any sort," Night chuckled. "Wait, what is the occasion tomorrow?"

"Why tomorrow is professor Oak's pokemon camp!" Delia replied. This got Serena's attention. Was she going to camp again? "Serena, why don't you go tomorrow and escort the kids into an adventure in the forest during camp as an activity?"

"Ummm, are you s-"

"Serena you should do it! You can show them your pokemon too!" Night said.

"Alright I guess I can do that!" Serena said.

Serena still had some nervousness. She was going to be a leader and it was obvious that she needed to show she had changed. Unlike the old Serena, the new one would not be afraid of getting dirty and trying new things. She was determined to make kids more interested in pokemon tomorrow and she was hoping it would turn out alright.

Flash forward to next day:

The next day the gang went over to Oak's lab before the kids arrived. When they knocked on the door, the professor greeted them.

"why hello there! You guys are the volunteers I was told I was going to get!" Professor Oak chimed in interest.

"Right, Night and I will be here for taking care of children medically," replied Brock.

"I am here to help with the activities!" replied Serena, she had a lot of excitement this time around.

"Hey, professor, I have never been to Kanto before and I was wondering if I can see the pokemon on your ranch before kids arrive for camp!" Night pleaded with sparkles in his eyes.

"Jolteon!" Jolteon agreed.

"Sure thing, I have always loved to show around the pokemon to new people," Oak responded as he lead the trio to the ranch. When they got there they saw a lot of pokemon, so many that were foreign to the trio. "One thing is peculiar though, it seems that every week, 3 pokemon go missing but 3 come back. It is like someone is using them too."

"Peculiar, wait aren't those Ash's pokemon?" asked Brock confused.

Suddenly, Serena was tackled to the ground by a giant Goodra. "It is like I know you, wait I do! Goodra!" Serena hugged the beast covering her in sticky goo. She was not afraid of getting dirty anymore and she knew it. At the same time, a Noivern came over and hugged Serena in his large wings. "Noivern, it is you!"

"You know these pokemon?" Night asked in curiosity.

"When I travelled with Ash, he used these pokemon, it seems they recognise me," the Performer said as she petted the two dragons from Kalos. Night noticed that these pseudo legendary pokemon were in fact training from the way they moved and flew. Who was training them?

At that time, kids started to show up. There looked to be a group of about 20 children when they all showed up. To Serena one girl stood out in particular. That girl's name was, if she recalled correctly Holly. She wore a cute pink dress that did not look like for outdoor adventures and she had a yellow fedora. It reminded Serena of her old self.

"Welcome to my pokemon camp!" announced professor Oak once the kids got situated. "We will have lots of fun learning about new pokemon and interacting with each other! Who wants to have some fun!"

"I do!" everyone cheered as they started.

"For our first activity, we are going to learn to take care of pokemon!" Professor Oak explained. "Our volunteers here have brought their pokemon to show us how to groom and handle them!"

With that, Night, Brock and Serena split up. Night would handle how to handle pokemon while Serena would handle how to groom them.

Brock went over to a room and set up the materials that he and Night would use when Serena took out the kids on a stroll around the forest.

Night got Jolteon on his lap, it was the perfect pokemon to show off for handling. Night then started explaining to the group of children. "Hey, guys, I am Night and I am going to teach you about handling pokemon. Always remember that the pokemon gives consent and that you are careful. Jolteon here can become aggressive and when he does, he gr- OWWW!" Jolteon had demonstrated by sharpening his spikes thus piercing Night. This caused an outburst of laughter, especially from Jolteon.

"Is our paramedic going to need saving?" Brock asked with a chuckle as he ran over.

"No, just got a little surprised," Night responded turning back to the children. "Pokemon like Jolteon obviously can be hard to handle, so always make sure you are friendly and when you are given consent, you can play!" Night said as he petted Jolteon. "Who wants to pet Jolteon!"

"I do!" everyone screamed. One at a time, all the children petted Jolteon until Holly was the last one, she was still nervous.

"Hey, Holly come slowly," Night signaled and she came slowly. "Here, lemme show you."

Night showed her how to pet Jolteon, "You are so sweet." She replied causing Jolteon to come out and hug her.

"Looks like he likes you Holly, you will handle pokemon well when you are older!" Night said as Jolteon went back to Night's side.

Then the kids went over to Serena's station where they would learn to groom pokemon. Night had gone with brock to the small clinic. He was getting ready to be called out in the need of help.

"Hey kids, you guys ready to groom?" Serena said calmly.

"Yes!" the kids said.

"Ok, Delphox come on out!" Serena said as she revealed her partner to the children from the pokeball. "Now when I take this brush I can brush her hair, remember to be gentle and kind when you do it! Anyone want to try!"

"Me!" all the kids yelled in excitement.

"Ok, come up and try it!" Serena said as she handed the brush to a boy, his name was Johnny. Serena saw his curiosity and gave him the brush. After Johnny came more children until the last one was Holly again. She was unsure, but grabbed the brush and tried it.

"Delphox!" Delphox cried in pleasure. This made Holly feel better and she was enjoying herself. After the station finished, Serena recalled Delphox as professor Oak introduced the second activity.

"It is time to go into the forest and see the pokemon you can find there!" Oak said as he pointed towards the forest. "Serena here will guide you through and explain what she can about pokemon you encounter!"

Serena released Absol from her pokeball 'She will warn me of danger' Serena thought as she lead the kids into the forest.

"wow what is that?" asked a child.

"That is a Pikachu, I have a friend who has one, it is really strong!" Serena replied at the sight of the Pikachu.

After a while of encounters and explanations, it was time to go back.

Serena went off and dropped off the children for the last activity at camp until… 'seventeen, eighteen, where is nineteen and twenty?' Serena panicked, how could she have lost 2 children?

"Oak I will be right back!" Serena exclaimed as she darted into the forest with Absol next to her. Oak just took it and started the outdoor camping activity. Serena looked to her side, Absol had a troubled look in her face, she knew there was danger.

Absol suddenly tripped and fell. "Absol, are you ok?" Serena said as she knelt to help her friend when she noticed something. "It's beautiful," she said as she saw a sphere with a really nice black symbol in it. Serena picked it up and put it in her pocket, she did not know what it was or why it was there, but it called to her.

Absol then growled, she had found Johnny who was chasing a Rattata in the forest to find Holly.

Serena thought about getting them, but she then saw something and did not want to ruin the moment. It turns out Holly was hurt and Johnny put a handkerchief on Holly's leg and helped her up by saying to "never give up". Johnny pulled too hard and Holly got more into a hug like position.

As Serena watched this, she felt tears go down her cheeks. She had relived the most influential part of her life in the same camp.

"Beedrill!" suddenly, like 10 beedrill exclaimed as they started to attack the couple. Serena pulled a risky take by putting herself in front of the attack before the children got hurt.

"Serena!" the kids exclaimed as Serena was knocked back. The stone she had picked up earlier fell out of her pocket and Absol stepped forward and stood with a paw over the stone, in front of Serena and the children confronting the Beedrill. 'why did I pull such as Ash move?' Serena said as she remembered her crush by touching her blue ribbon. The ribbon she touched when she was nervous, when she was worried about someone, or… when she felt like she needed Ash by herside.

Then a bright light came through. Serena's ribbon spread some energy like light and then the stone that Absol held started to glow too. Then there was a transformation on Absol and and there was Mega Absol who used psycho cut and scared off all the beedrill.

"ABSOL SOL!" Absol cried as she attacked with a strong psycho cut that hurt the Beedrill thus causing them to fly off.

Serena stood there stunned as Absol returned to normal. "Let's go back to camp," she assured while picking up the mysterious stone and putting it in her pocket. She grabbed the children's hands and then made herself back to camp.

A while later at camp:

"Just a sprained ankle," Brock said as he examined Holly.

"Ice and rest will do," Night said as he went to go get the ice.

"Serena, thank you," said Holly grateful at the performer's act of heroism.

"I'm just glad you are safe," Serena responded.

With that, Holly made a new friend in Johnny and Serena has discovered an amazing power that she never knew she would posses. Who knew that Ash had not only given her a ribbon, but also a keystone!

Serena then found Night in the fridge getting some ice and she stopped him. "Night, do you know what this is? I found it with Absol and then Absol did something amazing when I tried to defend these children." Serena handed the stone to Night so he can examine it.

Night stared at the stone in awe. "It's an Absolite, amazing!" Night exclaimed as he returned the stone to Serena. "Make something for the stone to always be on Absol, then, you can use it in trouble, battles, and maybe performances!"

'Performances?' Serena thought. "Thanks for the help Night!" Serena said as she left to help with the last activity. 'This bond between me and Absol will take us far, I can't wait!' Serena thought to herself. She then got an idea of what she can do to make Absol hold the stone.

A/N: seems like we can see more of Serena's power and growth. Next time, back on the road to Mount Silver!