Moltres cawed with fury, twirling away from a lightning attack and retaliating with fire. Articuno slammed its body into Moltres, knocking the large fire type off course before receiving a direct hit from Zapdos' electricity. The three Birds zigged and zagged around one another, growing ever closer to Shamouti Island. Misty scowled as she watched the quarrel, inwardly cursing that man who attempted to capture them.

"If there's a dock, there's probably a boat," Misty said, clenching her fists. "Come on, let's find it."

She spun on the spot, the snow beneath her feet making that a simple task. Ripping her eyes away from the quarreling Birds had been harder than she'd thought. Despite their fighting, there was something majestic about the way they flew. So much power and confidence behind each beat of their wings. The energy in their attacks could almost be felt at her distance, and it scared her. These Pokémon were powerful, more powerful than a first glance would ever say.

One by one the group started to follow her, evident by the crunching of snow beneath their shoes. Misty had no clue where a dock would be on Lightning Island, but they had to find it. Whether or not any of them could do anything to stop the fighting, they had to try. They had to undo the damage Lawrence caused by angering such powerful forces of nature.

Suddenly the hairs on her neck and arms stood on edge. A feeling reminiscent of when Pikachu's static electricity would discharge close by her. Ash screamed, the ground quaked, and Misty barely had time to glance back before him, Pikachu, and Serena vanished over the edge of the crumbling cliff.

"ASH!" She screamed, slipping in the snow in an attempt to race to his aid. Brock caught her, but she used his momentum to throw herself forward and keep running. She stumbled again when the ground beneath her cracked with a sharp twang.

The group cried out in one consecutive shout when the ground split apart, shifting furiously and quickly. Bonnie clung to Clemont with her face buried into his torso. Team Rocket huddled together with a terrified cry. Brock slipped and landed beside Misty in the snow, who was looking around frantically trying to understand what was happening. Then it all stopped, and everything was still. She inhaled sharply, pushing herself upright to steady her spinning head. Aquamarine eyes grew wide as they traveled along a deep fissure in the ground, completely separating her and Brock from the others.

"Is everyone okay?" Clemont called out, adjusting his glasses as he looked around.

"We're fine," Brock called back, brushing the snow out of his hair. He spotted the fissure, and a deep frown soon followed. "That's not good. It looks like we're cut off."

Clemont studied the fracture in the ground as Bonnie finally pulled her gaze free from him. She timidly looked around, gulping at the sight of the fissure.

"It looks like there's no way across," Clemont noticed, seeing that Brock and Misty were completely trapped on the side with the cliff's edge.

Misty stood up, ignoring everyone else for the moment and heading to the place where Ash had fallen. She dropped to her knees, sliding across the snow and damp grass to the edge of the cliff. At the bottom of a thirty foot drop was a pile of rocks and snow, laying against the cliff face on a thin beach line. Her heart went cold at the sight, nerves tingling with a numbness she'd never felt before. A certain type of fear growing in her chest, one of sorrow and…death.

She quickly shook her head, whipping it back and forth violently in an attempt to rid that thought. Ash wasn't dead! Neither was Pikachu nor Serena. They were all just fine! Trapped, but fine, and they needed her help.

"I'm climbing down," Misty said to Brock, not turning around.

She expected him to argue, or to tell her she was crazy for wanting to attempt it, but instead he softly agreed with her. "We don't have a choice," he said. "We have to get down there as quick as possible."

Brock turned back to the others, raising his voice so they could hear him better. "You guys find a way around and find the dock," he told them. "We'll catch up once we've got Ash and Serena."

"Are you sure we should split up?" Clemont asked.

"We don't have a choice," Brock replied. "Just hurry, we don't have a lot of time."

Clemont swallowed, grit his teeth, and nodded. "We'll go as fast as we can. You guys be sure to have Ash and Serena ready when we find you again."

Brock closed his fist and raised a thumb Clemont's direction.

"Let's go, Bonnie," Clemont said to his sister, and she cast Brock and Misty a worried look before nodding back at him. Then sprinted off together, heading towards the Northern end of the Island. Team Rocket looked momentarily at a loss, casting glances back and forth between the vanishing siblings and Brock and Misty turning themselves to climb down the cliff side.

"What should we do?" James asked quietly to his companions.

"We follow the blonde twerps of course," Jesse said sharply. "If they find a boat, we'll need them to get off this Island."

"And as far away from the Boid's as possible," Meowth added.

James didn't look entirely convinced by the idea, something Jesse picked up on. "What?"

He quickly looked away, fidgeting with his hands while he stuttered to begin speaking. "I-I-I-It's just that...maybe the twerps are going to need our help this time? Those Legendary's seem pretty powerful."

"Unbelievable," Jesse spat. "You want to help them? Why would we help a bunch of goodie-goodies like them?

"We've done it before, Jesse," James pointed out. "And for far less dangerous circumstances."

Jesse opened her mouth to argue, but apparently decided against it. She closed her mouth and again and 'hmphed', turning her nose up away from James. "Whatever, let's just follow the nerdy twerp and puny twerp for now."

With that said, she marched off after Clemont and Bonnie. James and Meowth shared a curious look before they too started after them.

Misty watched them go as she searched for good footing with her right heel. Brock had his feet planted into the ground, with a firm grip around her wrist just in case she slipped hanging precariously over the side as she was. She couldn't hear what Team Rocket had been talking about, but she only hoped they wouldn't cause anymore trouble than there already was. Ash didn't need it.

She glanced down to the pile of rocks and snow far below her, and gulped. The climb down was going to be hard, and aggravatingly slow, but Misty had to do it. Ash needed her help, and she had to know that he was alright.


People gathered on the beach, more and more guests at the hotel coming outside to investigate the sound of detonations in the distance. At first, May ignored them, thinking they had something to do with a Shamouti tradition, until Tracey frowned and left the room to see for himself. Delia attempted to ask him where he was going, but she received no answer. Two more detonations later, then May and Delia decided to follow him outside.

They left the party room for Ash's surprise celebration and quickly noticed a small crowd of people making their way outside. To say May wasn't a little worried would've been a lie. It had been some time since Dawn and Gary left, and even Professor Oak had yet to return from wherever he had run off to. Earlier she had to console Delia over the fact that Ash hadn't returned from his trip to the other Islands. Something Brock had assured them wouldn't take very long.

"It's Ash!" May had exclaimed with a chipper tone. "He probably got distracted by a wild Pokémon or something. I'm sure they'll be back very soon."

Delia had relaxed, but then the detonations started, and May's confusion and worry only increased when her foot crunched against a thin layer of snow on the beach. As a chilling breeze stung her face, another boom blasted over them, much louder than any of the previous ones. Something akin to an angry Pokémon cry followed suit, and this time May couldn't convince herself it was a Shamouti tradition. Especially since the ocean was churning violently against itself, waves sloshing to and fro against the beach and carrying snow out to sea.

Nearly a hundred hotel guests whispered to one another, while the staff appeared utterly bewildered. They were Shamouti natives, and since they appeared so confused sent an alarming jolt through May's system. Something wasn't right, she'd been around Ash long enough to recognize the signs.

"Tracey," Delia suddenly called, spotting their friend. He stood a dozen feet away from them, staring up at the stormy sky with a deep frown. May hurried alongside Delia to him, and he spoke before either could ask.

"It's snowing," he half whispered in awe, staring at the flurries blowing with the breeze. "It never snows in the Orange Islands…"

"What's going on?" May asked, knowing full well she wasn't going to get an answer. And as expected, Tracey didn't reply.

Delia's gaze turned distant and she faced towards the Southern bend of the Island. Her hand traveled up to her heart, resting against her chest. Swallowing once, she whispered to herself, "Ash…"

May followed her gaze, realizing she was looking in the direction of the other Islands, even if they couldn't see them from their position on Shamouti. May did see something, however, and it made her squint to focus better. A petite girl was shoving her way through the curious crowd, her blue hair flying wildly as she sidestepped a much bigger man. In her arms, a blue penguin waved May's direction frantically.

"Dawn!" May shouted, getting the attention of Tracey, Delia, and even the bluenette in question.

She spotted them, and corrected her course to head their way instead of the hotel. May began Dawn's direction as well, hearing Tracey and Delia behind her. They apologized as they bumped into a few people of the crowd, and May had to abruptly stop when Dawn nearly toppled forward into her from sidestepping a small family.

"Whoa," May said, raising her hands to catch Dawn if she actually fell into her. "Are you alright?"

"We have to get everyone out of here," Dawn said almost too fast for them to hear. "The fighting is coming this way and everyone is in danger!"

Delia suddenly looked alarmed. "Fighting? What fighting? Is that where Gary is?"

It clicked for May that Gary had departed with Dawn, and he was nowhere in sight.

Dawn nodded vigorously, "He went to see if Ash and the others were in the middle of it, or to see if someone needs help. But that's not the point-" she shook her head to get herself back on track, "-The Birds are coming this way and we-"

"The Birds?" Tracey interrupted her with a frown, but it slowly started to fall. "You don't mean the Legendary Birds? Why would they be fighting?"

"Yes!" Dawn cried, squeezing Piplup in her arms. "I don't know what happened, but they blew some floating building out of the sky, and now they're attacking each other!"

"A floating building?" Delia questioned.

May didn't need to question that bit of info, she'd seen her fair share of floating structures during her time with Ash, Brock, and Max.

"You guys have to warn everyone," Dawn practically shouted. "Shamouti needs to evacuate, or prepare to fight back, or something!"

"Us?" May wrinkled her brow. It sounded like Dawn didn't intend to help them. "What about you?"

"I have to get back to the Shrine," she explained frantically. "Gary and the others might need my help."

Tracey shook his head. "If the Birds are really fighting, you can't go back there alone. You'll be putting yourself in the most danger."

"You two go with her," Delia's voice cut Dawn off before the bluenette could argue. Each of the three younger people looked towards the woman with a quizzical look. "I'll find Professor Oak and we'll warn everyone on Shamouti somehow," Delia continued. "You three find my baby boy and help him. If I know him as well as I think I do, him and the others will be right in the center of this. They'll need all of your help."

"Delia-" Tracey started to say, but the older woman cut him off by raising her hand.

"I'll worry about all of you, yes," she said. "But I couldn't live with myself if Ash or the others got hurt because they needed your help."

May looked between all of them, taking in their scared, determined, confused faces. None of them knew what was going on, and that thought frightened May more than anything. The weather was on the fritz, and now three powerful Legendaries of Shamouti were fighting? Hell, before right now, May wouldn't even have been sure if those Legendaries were even around Shamouti. All of it had been rumors she'd heard from the locals, but Dawn never lied.

"Go," Delia pressed, turning her amber eyes towards the raging ocean. "Help my baby."

Something in May's heart twanged. The same concern Delia felt for her son rising for her own family back in Hoenn, and Max in Sinnoh. Drew's worried face peering out the window at the ever growing worse weather conditions flashed in her mind.

"Let's hurry!" Dawn urged, spinning on the spot and heading the direction she'd came from.

May didn't waste any time, immediately stepping to fall in line behind Dawn. She heard Tracey say something to Delia, and Delia return his words. She didn't want to leave Delia alone, but May reminded herself that Delia was a strong woman. She'd find Professor Oak and they'd do what they could to help. Everything would be alright. It always wound up that way in the past right? It would again.

The three of them ran, barely apologizing for bumping into someone on the crowded beach. Suddenly, the sound of detonations in the distance made more sense to May. Attacks colliding and exploding, booming out across the vast ocean. How could she not have thought of that? After she'd heard that sound so many times in the past?

Hold on, Ash, she thought. Everyone is on their way!


A sharp crack forced his eyes open, which he regretted almost immediately. The world was spinning, a blur of white and brown that made him nauseous. There was light pressure on his chest, pressing his back into something jagged. When he groaned from the vertigo, the weight shifted and moved closer to his head.

"Pikapi?"

Yellow entered into the swirling of colors, beady eyes somehow staying still as they stared at him worriedly.

"Ash!" Serena's voice came to him. "Ash, are you awake?"

"Pikachu, Pikapi?"

Something cracked again, and a feminine Pokemon grunt followed. Slowly, the spinning stopped and Ash blinked a few times. A shiver ran down his spine, making him frown. He was freezing cold, surrounded on all sides by the uncomfortable feeling. A gentle hand rested on his shoulder, pressing into him.

"Come on, you need to sit up," Serena's voice said. "Go easy."

Ash obeyed, his spine popping as he let her hand guide his body motion. The weight on his chest dropped to his lap and shifted again. The first thing he noticed, besides the mixture of white and brown, was a light pink Pokemon on four legs with ribbons dancing around its body. Serena's Sylveon grunted, adjusting its footing as a light green shimmer flickered around it. Ash followed the trail of energy and noticed it completely surrounded him too.

But no where did he see his friends, the sky, or the ocean…they were buried beneath rock and snow…

"Ash…" Serena's voice suddenly went cold, and he looked at her.

Her hair was disheveled, with streaks of dirt running from it across her cheeks and nose. Small cuts adorned her red jacket, and her jeans had a large tear near the knee. He imagined he didn't look much better, that must be why she was looking at his arm with such concern….

His breathing stopped when he saw the amount of blood seeping down his forearm, dripping from his fingertips onto the white snow beneath him. As if suddenly realizing he was hurt activated the pain sensors, a sharp stinging pierced his muscles. He gasped from the pain, gritting his teeth together tight.

"See if you can move it," Serena demanded. "It's not broken is it?"

Ash grunted his compliance, curling his fingers before lifting his arm and bending it at the elbow. Another sharp wave of pain shot through him, but at least his arm wasn't broken.

"Pikapi, Pikachu pika pika," Pikachu cooed from his lap, nuzzling up against Ash's chest.

"I'll be alright," Ash said, hearing the croak in his own voice. Serena pulled her eyes up to his, fear dancing behind her blue orbs. "We can worry about me later," Ash continued. "Right now we have to get out of here."

He cast his gaze all around, studying what little surroundings he had. Thanks to Sylveon using Protect, a small bubble had been formed barely big enough for them to sit up.

"How-" Ash started to ask, but Serena answered before he could finish.

"Sylveon let herself out as we were falling," she said. "I think she's the only reason we weren't crushed…"

If that was true…then how many feet of rock were above them? How many layers of snow? And what about the others? Were they all alright?

Ash's eyes widened as he continued to study the snow surrounding them. If Sylveon was working this hard to keep them from being crushed, then who was going to dig them out? He couldn't release one of his Pokemon to assist. All of them were too big to fit into their tiny space. What if Charizard wasn't strong enough to lift the unknown amount of rocks? What if Buizel knocked Sylveon aside on accident and their Protect bubble vanished?

They were trapped…

Serena watched him silently, already have came to the conclusion he was currently getting to. She watched him swallow hard, and his eyes growing more panicked. His feelings radiated from him, his fear trickling into her own heart. He'd always had that affect on her, as if she could sense his very emotions. His mood was always contagious, whether he was happy, motivated, or sad, he affected everyone around him. That was one of the reasons why she admired him so much…

Pikachu's ears bowed, a visual representation of Serena's inner thoughts as Ash slowly slipped further into panic. The Birds fighting wasn't his fault, but she knew he would blame himself until they stopped. Their friends were God knew where. Were they injured? Were they trying to find Ash and Serena? How much weight was he putting on his shoulder's right now? The snow and rocks brought the weight of a thousand worlds down upon them, crushing them in bleak darkness. Something Serena couldn't allow Ash to do to himself. Not after everything they'd been through. Not after all the confidence and encouragement he'd given her in her times of sorrow.

Her eyes flicked down to his gash. His blue hoodie was ripped drastically, tattered and frayed around his bicep, turning a darker shade of blue with each passing second. The hand she currently still had on his shoulder gripped him tight, but not overly firm. Then she used her other hand to start peeling back the layers of torn fabric.

Her sudden touch on his arm caught his attention, and he swiveled his gaze to watch her work. With a gentleness worthy of a Mother, Serena pulled the torn pieces of hoodie away bit by bit. They clung to one another, sticky from the fresh blood soaking into the fibers. Her fingertips stained red as she folded them aside, but she ignored the coloring. Focusing solely on getting to the gash so she could do something about it. Not once did Ash utter a sound or groan, nor did he flinch from her movements, something Serena was grateful for. She hadn't finished forming her speech in her mind yet, and she wanted it to be exactly what Ash would need to hear.

Finally the wound revealed itself, and to her relief it didn't appear as bad the blood made it out to be. There was a jagged gash running diagonally from his shoulder halfway down to his elbow. If anything, it was just torn skin and bruised flesh from a rock crashing into him as they fell. Trickles of blood oozed from the breaks in his skin, and she frowned as she pondered over how to bandage his arm. Absentmindedly, her bloody hand reached up and touched the red ribbon tied directly beside her blue one.

She glanced down at the pair around her neck, feeling her heart quicken in pace at the sight. One a gift from Ash, a symbol of their friendship, the other a prize won together as close friends.

"Red alone signifies beauty and strength," the stall vendor explained as Serena received the ribbon. "The Fire of Moltres burns in your heart, and you're stronger than even you know. Whatever hardships may befall you, something tells me you'll pull through them stronger than before."

He had been exactly right…but the funny thing was…he hadn't been talking about her. It was a nice sentiment, and she desperately wanted to believe she was strong, but Ash was her strength. And he would pull through this, she would make sure of it. They would get out of their snowy prison, and they would help Shamouti!

As she gripped the red ribbon and undid it with one good pull, she said to him, "Don't give up until it's over."

His eyes widened as the words left her mouth. She kept her own pair locked onto his wound, taking the red ribbon and wrapping it around his arm. All the while, her motions were as gentle as ever, so much so that he barely felt her efforts. Once she had a good wrap around his arm, she looked up directly into his eyes as she tied it, "That's what you always say, right? I know it looks bad right this moment, but our friends are out there. Clemont and Bonnie, Brock and Misty. They'll come for us, and then we'll all go save Shamouti and stop the Legendaries from fighting."

Ash listened to every word with bated breath, somehow completely entranced in what she was saying.

"You know how I know?"

He didn't ask, and she raised a brow so that he got the hint. "H…how?"

"Because that's what you do," Serena replied like it was the simplest thing in the world. "You save people and Pokemon. It's in your nature…but sometimes, we all need saving of our own. We can't always be the savior, sometimes we get knocked down, but we have friends to help us get back up and push through. You taught me that."

Ash's eyes widened even more as his heart surged with a warm feeling. A sensation so overwhelming his eyes began watering. Her blue eyes looked at him with so much fire, so much determination the he almost couldn't take it. He bowed his head, hiding his eyes behind the brim of his hat.

She was right…he couldn't give up just because they were trapped.

A sniffle escaped him, making Serena reach out and place her fingertips under his chin. Slowly, he allowed her to bring his face back up into sight, and she greeted his amber eyes with a smile.

"The guy who gave us those ribbons," she said motioning to the red ribbon with a subtle nod. "He said I was stronger than I knew, that the Fire of Moltres burned in my heart. I think he gave the wrong person that ribbon. You're always so strong, and so passionate. There's no way a fire doesn't burn in your heart, that's why I lov-"

She hitched her voice, realizing what she was about to say. The realization nearly caused her heart to explode with the sudden increase in beats. Butterfree's erupted in her gut as his eyes flickered with a subtle knowing.

"That's….That's…" she repeated, inwardly cursing herself for being stuck on that word. Here she was, right in the moment, doing her best to encourage Ash to hold firm and never give up. To give it his all and never back down….and she couldn't physically say how she felt, even after showing him in Kalos. She wanted to scream, to grab her hair and bellow to the heavens. She wanted to share with him how he made her feel, how he encouraged her to do her best. To strive forward with a smile on her face. He gave her so much power within herself, and she couldn't return the favor…

His hand clasped around her shoulder, followed by the other on her other side. She hadn't realized her eyes closed, but when they snapped open, she spotted a gentle smile on Ash's face.

"I know," was all he said.

The Butterfree's exploded. Filling her entire system with a nervousness the likes of which she'd never felt before. Not when he smiled at her, or when he complimented her, not even when she kissed him in front of the entire Kalos Region. It was pure bliss to see that he understood her feelings!

"But…I don't feel the same way."

The Butterfree's withered and died as a pit formed deep within her soul. Her warmth fell inside, leaving behind only the cold of the snow.

"Don't get me wrong," Ash quickly added upon seeing her mortified face. If he was honest, the sight tore his heart in two. "I care about you, a lot. You're one of my closest friends, and I'll always cherish that. I like that we can laugh together and support one another. You encourage me everyday just with your bright and happy smile. Actually..." he trailed off, furrowing his brow for a moment and then chuckling. "I think I get along with you better than anyone else."

Surprising to herself, some of the warmth returned to her chest, but it was minuscule in comparison to before.

"I'm sorry I can't return your feelings," he continued, his tone growing somber. "I wish I could."

That wasn't a lie. Something changed inside Ash in this moment. Going from on the brink of giving up and accepting his fate to hearing Serena say such wonderful words about him could do that he supposed. The thing was, he could feel her feelings for him for the first time, and it made him feel like such a fool. All those hints throughout Kalos, that he was too dense to see, and she was as patient as ever. Waiting for him to catch on and realize he liked her back. Only…he liked Misty, that much he was certain of. And he was sure that if he'd learned of Serena's feelings before he found his own for Misty, he still wouldn't have been able to return them.

It put him in a position he didn't want to be in.

Here before him, pouring her heart and soul in an attempt to encourage Ash, sat such a sweet and innocent girl. Beautiful and courageous. Intelligent and compassionate. And he would've been a very lucky man to have her, but Ash was Ash. Even if he found a tiny portion within himself to return her feelings, he could never give her false hope. Not when Misty burned so brightly in his heart….a woman he couldn't have…

"I wish I could," Ash repeated. "I want nothing more than for you to be happy, Serena…but…I…there's…" How was he supposed to tell her? How was he supposed to break her heart into a thousand more pieces than he'd already did? His heart shrunk back at the thought, realizing why he'd been so dense to Serena all along. It was a defense, something he hadn't even realized he'd been doing, he never wanted to see her in such a shattered state. He bowed his head. "There's…."

"Misty?"

Hearing her name, Ash snapped his gaze back up to Serena, confirming the statement.

Serena swallowed hard, a tear leaking from her eye as her lip quivered. "It's because of Misty, isn't it? Well…How could it not be? She's beautiful, strong, independent. She's everything you are. How could I have ever compared to her…"

"That's not true," Ash blurted out a little harsh, surprising her to the point that she gasped aloud. "You're all those qualities too, and more. I can't say why I like Misty over you, I don't know anything about how all this is supposed to work, I just know how my heart feels."

He suddenly looked like he'd made an important connection.

"The stall vendor was right when he gave you that ribbon," Ash rambled. "You match Misty as far as a fire burning inside, you're just not as hard headed."

Serena blinked a few times at his words as they suddenly lost all thickness of emotion and sounded more excited. Like a kid trying to explain their enthusiasm to a parent. In fact, in a surprising twist even to her, the sudden change of tune brought a bubble up in her chest, and she giggled.

"I'm serious," he defended himself. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Serena. You're actually pretty awesome."

And just like that, the somber mood within her was gone. He'd done it again, somehow, someway. Ash brought out the best in her.

"Well, if you think so, then I suppose I must be," Serena said, pulling away from Ash so that his hands fell away. She leaned back against the wall of snow and rock. "You're pretty awesome too, you know."

Ash looked completely caught off guard by her sudden change in mood. "Wait…so you're not sad?"

Always on track and right to the point, another thing Serena admired about it. Well…'on track' might be an exaggeration for the brash boy in front of her.

"I am…" she told him honestly. "It really hurts to hear…but, if you love someone else, you love someone else. They must be pretty special to capture your attention."

A dozen different things that made Misty special popped into his head, causing his cheeks to turn a slight shade of red. But the red coloring changed its reasoning when he noticed Serena's little smirk and he realized she was poking fun at him.

"Hey! What do you mean to catch my attention?"

"Ohhhh, just that you have a pretty hard headed, one track mind."

"I do not!"

"You sort of do."

"Nope."

"Mhm."

Ash frowned even harder and opened his mouth to retaliate, but Serena spoke again, cutting him off.

"At any rate, Misty seems like a good person at heart. I guess I can't hold this against her."

Ash didn't know what to make of that statement. Did she mean that Ash liking Misty instead of Serena was somehow Misty's fault? He didn't know the ins and outs of romance, but he was pretty sure the responsibility of his own preferences fell on his shoulders. "Soooo," he started, not really sure what he was going to say, so he decided on, "were still friends right?"

She blinked at him a few times, and then let out a laugh. "Of course! Just because you don't feel the same way I do doesn't mean I want to lose you." Her voice grew much softer as she added, "Your friendship still means the world to me, Ash."

Some of the cold around him vanished as his heart warmed.

"Though, this does put you in a weird position, I imagine."

"Hm?" He panicked. Did she somehow know about the kiss?

"She's getting married tomorrow."

Oh, she didn't know that particular bit. Maybe that was something Ash would keep to himself. "Yeah…she is. But she's happy, and that's what matters, right?"

Silence fell around them as Ash's eyes fell. Serena shifted where she sat, watching Ash with curiosity and sympathy. Her own heart ached and screamed at her, but her admiration for Ash continued to only grow. She wanted to help him in some way, but what was there that could be done? Misty was spoken for. Who would want to break apart a relationship for their own gain? Nobody as pure as Ash, that was for sure.

Part of Serena wanted to play the situation for the long game, and perhaps find her way into Ash's heart, but she would never commit such an act. Especially not against the man that taught her the value of friendship and always trying your best. The value of honesty and compassion. Qualities she held near and dear to her heart

"Ash-" Serena started to say, not really sure where her train of thought would lead her voice, but Pikachu's ears suddenly twitched and he shifted.

Ash looked up too, frowning suddenly and squinting his eyes. When Serena held her breath to listen, she heard what had them acting strange. Voices! Calling out to them and shouting their names. A dull crack vibrated her rump, and then the sound of shifting rocks penetrated her ears.

"Ash? Serena?"

She recognized the voice now. It was Brock!

"Brock!" Ash shouted. "We're down here! Hey!"

Brock spoke again, but it was muffled, and another voice replied followed by more shifting rocks. Suddenly, light pierced through the veil of darkness and Serena had to squint to see. More rocks shifted and Sylveon let out a sigh of relief as the Protect flickered and died. A large blue head greeted their vision, beady eyes squinting down at them as more rocks were tossed aside. As their eyes adjusted to the light, the shape of a Blastoise became apparent.

"Ash!"

His heart jerked at the sound of her voice…Misty's voice. Blastoise cleared enough room for them to stand, and Ash gripped Pikachu before rising. The mouse scurried up to his shoulder, and not a moment too soon. An orange blur rocketed around the turtle Pokémon, slamming into Ash with such force that he fell back into a wall of rock. Misty had her arms wrapped around him, head buried into his chest as she clung tight. His brow shot up in bewilderment as relief mixed in on his expression.

"Are you guys alright?" Brock's voice asked.

"We're okay," Serena replied, standing up. "Ash got banged up, but he'll be alright."

Hearing those words, Misty pulled away from him and he caught a glimpse of her worried eyes. Still a shining aquamarine, despite the distress surging through them.

"I was so worried," Misty said. "I didn't know what we were going to find…"

"Serena and I have been through worse," Ash tried to reassure the red head before him. In truth, he was just as relieved to see her safe and unharmed. "How did you-"

He looked up into the eyes of the Blastoise that dug them out, and he recognized the Pokémon.

"You owe me a new pair of clothes, Ashy-Boy," cake a snarky voice. "Having to swim over here to save your sorry butt wasn't exactly a dry roller coaster."

Ash swiveled his gaze around, seeing the still stormy sky and raging sea. They stood on the beach at the bottom of the cliffside, surrounded by large chunks of rocks, and before him was Gary and Brock with equally worried faces. Despite his demeanor, Ash could clearly see the relief forming inside of Gary, though he was soaking wet from head to toe and looked utterly exhausted.

"Where is everyone else?" Ash asked, his tone dropping.

"We had to split up," Misty replied quickly, unlatching herself from Ash and taking a step back, though that didn't stop her from looking him over top to bottom as if she was scanning for more injuries. "They're looking for the dock right now."

"Dawn was on her way to warn the others when I left," Gary added. "They should be gearing up for the Birds right now."

At the mention of the Legendary's, Ash forced his gaze away from the worried eyes of Misty and found the Birds battling in the sky. Their attacks collided and detonated, lighting the storm clouds with a multitude of colors. They were almost to Shamouti, and only seemed all the more angry.

"Anyone want to fill me in on what happened?" Gary asked.

They all looked to Ash to explain, but he didn't. His mind was racing, trying desperately to think of a way to cease the battle.

"We're not really sure," Serena finally replied to Gary, answering in a slow voice, her answer having more than one meaning. She'd been watching Ash and Misty the moment the red head threw her arms around him, and in that moment she saw it. She wouldn't consider herself an expert, but she was knew romance, and Misty felt the same way about Ash as he did her. If Ash could finally see Serena's feelings for him, why had he not noticed Misty's? Or better yet, if Misty felt the same about Ash, why was she getting married to someone else?

"Which is the usual when this stuff happens," Brock chimed in. "I want to know how we're going to get over there if the others don't find the dock."

He motioned to Shamouti, and Serena followed his line of sight. He was right, what were they going to do if Clemont and Bonnie didn't find a boat?

"Blastoise can't carry all of us back in this storm," Gary said. "I doubt he could even carry me back right now, not after already doing that swim."

Blastoise grunted and nodded as if he were agreeing with his trainer. A soft purr pulled Serena'a attention down to her feet, and she realized Sylveon was still out of its PokeBall, looking completely drained of all its energy. As she quickly apologized and thanked her Pokémon before returning it, Pikachu's ears twitched once again. "Pi?"

Everyone else heard it too. A dull rumbling, like the sound of a motor, coming closer. Ash turned towards the sound, now facing Fire Island with a curious stare. Misty stepped up beside him, her hair getting blown to the side and tickling his neck. He shivered from the sensation, but it didn't last long as Misty suddenly shouted. "It's a boat!"

"Please tell me they're coming this way?" Gary drawled.

"It looks like it…" Brock replied, trailing off as he studied the boat, then he suddenly exclaimed, "Hey! It's Melody!"

Sure enough, Ash could see her long brown hair billowing in the wind as the speedboat sailed their direction, rocked back and forth by the waves. Misty's expression turned a little sour, and she said, "I can't believe it."

The boat jetted straight for them, and the motor suddenly cut off. Melody slowed the boat just enough to keep from beaching herself, and throttled the reverse to keep the ocean from the doing the same.

"There you all are!" She shouted over the wind and purring of her boat. "What happened? What was with that flying building?"

"We don't really know," Brock shouted back, cupping his hands to his mouth. "How did you find us?"

"I saw that thing come crashing out of the sky. I hoped all of you were alright…." She paused as her eyes glanced over each of them, pausing confusedly on Gary for a moment before asking, "where are the others?"

"They're fine," Misty answered. "They're looking for another way off the Island."

Melody turned her eyes upon Misty, and Ash had to blink a few times to register that he saw mischief in them. "Geeze, Misty! You just had to come chasing after your boyfriend didn't you?"

As expected, Misty's cheeks turned red and she exploded. "I've told you a thousand times before, he's not my boyfriend!"

"Well whats a girl to think when you talk about him more than Rudy?" Melody shot back, the mischief in her eyes growing.

Misty didn't have a reply, not for lack of trying. She opened her mouth and even raised her finger, but she paused as if what she was about to say frightened her. She hastily shot Ash a concerned look and then turned back to Melody. "We need to stop the Birds, do you think you can focus on what's important long enough to do that?"

Melody scoffed. "As long as you can keep yourself focused while your around Ash, then I can do my best."

"Maybe if-"

"Alright," Gary suddenly declared, stepping up beside Misty and glancing between the two women. "I've heard about enough of that as I can handle, Blastoise can carry us over to the boat, that's not nearly as far as Shamouti."

Blastoise grunted its agreement, even stomping its foot in the sand to enforce its point.

Serena quickly glanced between Gary, the two other women, and Ash, taking in each of their expressions. While Gary looked annoyed, and Melody entertained, Ash and Misty were like two sides of the same coin. Both looked equally embarrassed, but one was fuming and the other appeared shy. That settled it in her mind. There was something more going on between them, and each of them knew it too.

Suddenly, a song like roar erupted from the ocean, rippling the waves with its vibration. Melody staggered on the boat, almost loosing her grip on the reverse throttle. Pikachu stiffened on Ash's shoulder, digging his tiny nails into his jacket. Familiarity washed over Ash, and Gary even turned to him with wide eyes. It was the same sound the two of them heard the previous night.

"I think that's a sign we should get a move on," Brock offered, scanning the waves as if they'd hold the answer. Lightning flashed in the distance, followed by the epic clap of thunder.

"Agreed," Gary nodded. "Everyone load up. Blastoise is only making this trip once."

Serena watched Blastoise move into the shallows for a moment before turning her eyes to the Birds. Zapdos dodged an attack from Articuno, swooping low to the water and twisting away. Her mind reeled with information and questions. Why did everything have to happen at once? Why couldn't she have just kissed Ash back in Kalos and everything would've worked out how she'd always hoped?

That would've been too easy…

If that was one thing she'd learned in her life, it's that nothing worthwhile ever came easy. That was why after confessing to Ash, him having his own confession back, and her seeing that Misty did indeed return his feelings, she'd made up her mind. Once the current crisis was averted, Serena was going to do everything in her power to help Ash with his Misty situation. No matter how much it hurt.

He was her best friend, and he needed her support. Now more than ever.


And the Serena likes Ash, but he's too dense to see it even after she kissed him storyline comes to a close lol. Now if only Ash and Misty could get their BS together, we'd all be happy, right? ;)

Not much action this chapter, I know a lot of people were expecting it to take off this time around, but we needed to wrap up part of Ash and Serena's story before that could happen. Lugia's coming closer! I now a lot of you are counting down the moments until its epic arrival. Trust me, I can't wait either!

I hope everyone is enjoying 'The Power of One' so far. What do you all think of the characters? Believable growth? Drama? Thoughts and feelings? Does the story match their development well so far?

As always, let me know what ya'll think!