Chapter 9: Fear

"Ash..." Serena said, quickly grabbing his hand as the smoke enclosed around them.

Suddenly out of nowhere a giant metal arm flew from the smoke towards Ash, in order to dodge he had to separate from Serena, and Pikachu jumped to Serena in the confusion.

Before the couple could find each other again, a second arm came flying at Serena this time, grabbing her and Pikachu putting them in a lightning proof container on the back of a giant robot.

"Ash!" Serena yelled in vein, as the container was also sound proof.

"Alright what's going on here!" Ash finally said. As the smoke began to clear and could see the robot.

"Serena! Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed when he saw the cargo the robot was hauling.

"Prepare for trouble, its you know who"

"And make it dou-

"Greninja water shuriken on that container!" Ash yelled as he threw his pokéball out.

The water sliced the container off the robot freeing the captives.

"Hey that's cheating you have to let us finish!" A now angry Jesse yelled at Ash.

"I don't care how any times I have to beat you, but you will never be able to get away!" Ash yelled back.

"Greninja one more time at the cockpit, Pikachu use thunderbolt too!" The trainer yelled out.

A mix of water and electricity hit the trio harder than ever before, sending them blasting off again, and ending with a twinkle in the sky.

"This is your fault James" Jesse told her human partner.

"My fault?" James responded.

"Your the one who didn't finish your part fast enough!" Jess explained.

"We're blasting off again!" All three said at once.

"Serena are you ok? Ash asked while both running over to her and returning Greninja to his Pokéball.

"Ash I'm fine." Serena told him, brushing dust of of herself.

"Ok, well, let's get this stuff back to the Pokémon center now" he said pointing to the items they had set down before their kiss.

Once back they helped nurse joy put away the food items, then they prepared a quick meal for themselves because nurse Joy had already eaten, they also decided to eat in there room. They sat next to each other on the bed when they were done eating.

"Serena, I never had a chance to answer your question" Ash told Serena flirtatiously.

"Oh? What question would that be?" Serena also spoke slyly

"You seemed to want to know if I would do something again." He told her

"Oh, and what's your answer?" Serena said as she got closer and closer to him.

Once they were only centimeters away the door flung open.

"Ash, Serena!" Nurse Joy exclaimed, ignoring their obviously flustered and embarrassed faces, "the bridge's construction was delayed! You will have to go through the forest to make it in time for the festival!"

"Festival? Serena asked

"It was supposed to be a surprise" Ash said with a tinge of disappointment and anger, but those emotions were quickly replaced with fear, the festival only occurred every 8 years, he did not want to miss it.

"I'll let you two talk it out..." the nurse said as she shut the door behind her.

"Serena we have to go through the forest" Ash explained, "it only comes around every 8 years, and I really want you to see it!"

After a moment of decision in her head, Serena came up with a conclusion.

"Ok, but only if you promise to never let go of my hand, the entire time!" She said sounding almost like a nagging mom.

"I promise!" Ash told her leaning back in to continue where they left off.

Serena gladly excepted the invitation and pressed her lips against his, sending a shock down her spine, and a feeling of love in her heart.

That night Ash lay soundly asleep in the bed, but Serena was tossing and turning in her sleep. Tell suddenly she shot straight up, sweating, waking Ash up in the process.

"Serena what's wrong?" Ash asked groggily.

"Umm nothing, it was just a bad dream" she told him.

"You want to talk about? He asked placing his hand on her shoulder, calming her down a little.

"In my dream, we, we got separated, and I couldn't find you, and, and," Serena began to cry.

Ash pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear.

"I'm not going anywhere, ever" he reassured her.

"Now come back to sleep please?" He prompted.

"Ok" Serena whipped her tears.

This time when she layed back down, she snuggled up against Ash, feeling his warmth and security, and fell asleep with him.

Ohhhh it's about to get spooky!

Dun dun dun!

:D