Well, here it is the last chapter before we enter into Kalos. Boy is this a long one. Anyway, I really want to give you all a special thank you for making this story as big as it is. From those who read it, those that Faved it, followed it, or both. You all know I write for you. As usual, I like to thank Amourshiper35, Hall Gowrt, Rajiv A. Rajaram, AsunaLushieChase, and a Guest for reviewing/giving feedback.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Pokemon Franchise. Game Freak does and would always unless they get bought out then whoever owns it now does.
Serena walked to Ash with her Pokemon following her as she saw him giving Brock a goodbye hug. She paused as she let them have the moment as Brock waved bye to him as the former gym leader left the airport. Serena finally moved up to him as she saw that Ash had a bit of a sad expression on his face. "You're going to miss traveling with him aren't you?"
Ash gave her a slight nod as he thought back to the travels he had with his weird eyed friend. "You bet we been through a lot together." Ash had a light smile as he thought about it. "He basically my older brother if I ever had one." Serena joined in his smile having had similar thoughts when it came to Bonnie during there travels coming to see her as a younger sister.
Serena handed Ash his ticket for the plane to Kalos. "Oh don't forget you be needing this for tomorrow." Ash pocketed the ticket with a nod. Looking down Serena picked up Popplio in her arms as the group walked out of Viridian City airport. As they did Serena started to remember the last two times she was here.
The first time she remembered how upset she was about going to a summer camp almost halfway around the world, all because her mother used to know Professors Oak's daughter-in-law. The second time after camp was over she was crying about having to leave with the promise of being able to write and a handkerchief to soften the pain. 'Now I'm here with the boy that made me never want to leave.' Serena blushed as the two of them walked down the streets of Viridian City.
As they walked down the streets Serena's right hand moved to her side as she slowly took Ash's left hand with her own a small blush creeping on her face as she did so. Ash for his part thought nothing of this and just took her hand with his own. He had no idea why but it felt nice holding Serena's hand with his own.
Popplio turned her head to Serena as she saw this. "Does this mean Ash is my new daddy?" The question was pretty innocent and yet Serena couldn't help but picture her and Ash together with kids at this.
Pikachu looked at the little water type the mouse pokemon giving a shrug. "I don't know but you could ask him when he starts understanding us." At that thought, he turned to Lucario. "Speaking of which how long before he starts understanding us?"
The fighting-steel type shrugged at the electric types question. "I'll be honest it depends on the person and how well they can tap into it." So far the two of them went over the basics and from what can be seen Ash aura was kinda violat. It was raw, largely untapped, and kinda almost alive in its own way. Unless he had something made to help with it he expected Ash to have some difficulties with it. "I can say that once he does he may not be able to turn it off."
"... Why do I feel that isn't a good thing." Pikachu's expression caused Lucario to rub the back of his head with a sheepish smile.
"Well, normally it would be. He would collapse unconscious form over the use of his aura." Lucario waved his paws in front of himself as he could see Pikachu expression turn to one of fear at hearing this. "Hey don't worry about it, with the way his aura is I suspect nothing would actually change besides being unable to not turn off the translator."
Pikachu still held a bit of skepticism at the Aura Pokemon's claim. He may not know how aura worked but to Pikachu, it still didn't sound alright. "You sure about that? I mean you aren't an Aura Master remember, you said it yourself."
Lucario rolled his eyes at this. "Yes, I know that." He crossed his paws at the electric rodent. "I'm also a pokemon that can use Aura and I may have done most of it by hand but I did get taught a bit from my dad a Medicham, they can use Aura as well before you ask, so I have enough of an understanding of how it works." Ash looked back noticing the look that Lucario was giving Pikachu. He wished he could understand what they were talking about right now.
It wasn't long before they were in Route One the name for the usual path from Pallet Town and Viridian City. Overhead a flock of Pidgey, Pidgeotto, and even a few Pidgeot flew overhead. A smile formed on Ash's face as he knew who they were. "Hey, Serena you know my Pidgeot right?" Serena turned to Ash with a nod. She remembered what Ash had told her about his first flyer during the Lily of Valley Conference.
She raised her head to the flock above them as a smile formed on her face. "I'm guessing it's them then her flock?" While it was a question Serena was pretty sure that it was them. Ash confirmed it as he held out Pidgeots Pokeball.
"Yep." He tossed the Pokeball upwards as Pidgeot appeared in the sky. The flock caught sight of her and surprised were no the less happy to see their former leader. "Hey, Pidgeot why don't you take some time to catch up with your flock I'll be waiting for yeah at the ranch when you're done!" Ash yelled out to her.
"Alright then," Pidgeot answered back though only Serena and the other pokemon could understand what she had said.
Serena pulled out Braviary's Pokeball from her pokeball belt as she remembered she almost forgot to set him out. "Mind if Braviary joins you? He could use a good flight after being in his Pokeball for a few hours." Serena was meet with a nod as Pidgeot didn't mind. Serena tossed the ball upwards as it realized the Unovan flyer into the air.
"Finally I was copped up in there for far too long." He looked to his side and saw Pidgeot flying nearby. He then noticed the flock of nearby. "O-oh this is your flock I take it? I mean I don't want to assume." Down below Gardevoir and Braixen turned to each other with a knowing smile. It seemed Braviary had developed a crush on Pidgeot.
"Hey we're heading on to Pallet Town Pidgeot should be able to lead you to Oaks Ranch from here." Braviary broke from his staring at Pidgeot as Serena's words registered to his brain.
"Yeah, yeah sure. I'll cya there." Serena rolled her eyes at him. Pidgeot and Braviary soon flew off with Pidgeots old flock leaving the group to continue onwards on their own.
In the grasses, they could see a few pokemon moving around though mostly avoiding them whenever they saw the fully evolved pokemon besides them. For a time Serena was reminded of the fields around her home of Vaniville Town. She wondered if Ash ever tried to sneak out into the fields to play with the pokemon like she did.
Ash and Pikachu felt a bit of nostalgia come over them as they walked along the path. "You know the first time we walked through here I and Pikachu didn't get along." Serena had a raised eyebrow at those words. She looked at the pokemon on his shoulder.
After a few seconds what Serena said surprised Ash. "I can see it." Ash and Pikachu gave her stunned look. Usually, people they traveled with her meet just assumed that the two of were friends since day one. Serena had to surprise a giggle as she looked at the two of them. "Well, Pikachu did go behind your back and told me about your feelings."
The electric rodent shot her a glare after hearing her say those words. "Hey I helped you get together and this is how you repay me?!" Unfortunately for him, all this did was earn a giggle from Serena.
Ash turned to his buddy with a light glare. "Did you do that because you don't think I could confess my feelings?" Pikachu gave him a deadpanned look which made Ash's right eye twitch in annoyance.
Serena giggled at this causing Ash to huffed. So what if his best friend, Brock, and Dawn thought he didn't know what love or could confess his feelings. It wasn't like anyone else had similar thoughts right?
Gary Oak was blinking stunned as he stared at Ash and Serena. "So the news was right! I didn't even think you know what love was." Ash shot his former rival a glare. When they first arrived at Pallet Town they were greeted by Ash's old rival, turned friend Gary Oak.
Pikachu had a light sneaker at this though it only served to get a warning look form, Ash. "Yes, I know what love is." Ash clarified through he was fighting back both his annoyance and a bit of his anger. If this was how everyone was going to act to this he couldn't wait to head to Kalos.
Gary Oak rubbed the back of his head at this. "Well, I guess I should apologize for all the things I said about that." Gary decided to quickly change the subject before Ash could ask about what he meant by that. "So your Lysandre's daughter I feel like I seen you somewhere before…" Gary couldn't put his finger on it but she looked familiar somehow.
In a flash, he recalled his grandpa's summer camp. There was a girl who looked at Ash dreamily blush nearly all the time with him, yelled at him for making fun of him, and was crying when she was told she had to leave with her mother. It was only when Ash promised to write to her did she stop. Gary's mind soon overlapped that image of the little girl with the young woman in front of him and his eyes went wide. "It's you…" He was nearly speechless at this turn of events. "Your the girl from summer camp, the one who had a crush on Ash." Serena blushed at hearing this while Ash turned to her.
She was so embarrassed both at the memory and at the fact, her crush was that obvious even at such a young age. "Yeah, that was me." She turned away as she could feel both of them looking at her.
Gary started to think back to that. "Strange if I remember you were with your mother and you don't share your father's last name."
"My parents don't really get along." Serena was really uncomfortable with talking about this. Gary decided it was best that they just dropped it.
Ash however still looked at her as he recalled how she acted with him all the way back at summer camp. Looking back he had thought she was just being a good friend and all she did was because of their friendship. Now that he knew of her feelings for him did that mean she had a crush on him since summer camp? "Hey, Ash your mother with Grandpa in his lab."
Ash was brought out his thoughts by Gary as he gave him a nod. "Oh, ah way exactly?"
"They have been having tea together every month since we left on our journeys," Gary answered with a shrug. "Anyway I'm on my way to a new region for research, smell ya later Ashy-boy." Gary waved as he walked past the group heading her Viridian.
Ash waved back as Serena couldn't help but picture the Gary she met in camp and read about from Ash's letters in her head. "He's chanced hasn't he?" Ash had a smile as he thought about this.
"Yeah, he has." The two of them walked up the road to Oak's Lab as Serena took sight to Ash's hometown. It was quiet and rather peaceful with a few houses being built. Ash himself couldn't help but smile. He had noticed that in the years since he left Pallet Town seemed to be growing slowly but he didn't really take time to notice.
The two of them walked up the small hill that Oak's lab rested as Ash caught sight of Tracy with a bag of feed in his arms. The pokemon sketch artists saw Ash waving at him as he placed the bag down. "Ash your back that was quick I only saw you on the news a week ago." He blinked as he noticed Serena next to him. "Arceus you actually do have a girlfriend!"
Ash seemed to twitch for a moment of annoyance before he just sighed and slumped down at this in defeat. "I'm not going to win with this aren't I." Pikachu patted his back from his plack on his shoulder.
"Look at it this way Ash, at least you proved them wrong." Of course, Ash couldn't understand him fully but he got the gist of it. Ash was still a bit mad at him revealing his feelings to Serena though.
Tracy has a bit of a lighthearted chuckle at this. "Sorry, Ash but it is kinda easy to assume you know." He turned to Serena and gave her friendly smile. "Hello I'm Tracy Ash and I traveled together through the orange islands, you're Serena Yvonne right." He looked at the assembled pokemon around them. "I take it they are all with you?"
Serena nodded as she introduced them. "That's right." She introduced each of them to the pokemon most stretch with the exception of Milotec who was in her pokeball and Braviary who was flying with Pidgeot. "Sorry if I have more the six with me I kinda don't like putting them away see Juniper just kept them in their pokeballs and in a cabinet so.."
"Oh, understandable dear I've had a talk with Juniper before on how she handles trainers pokemon." Professor Oak walked down the steps to the two of them with Delia Ketchum Ash's mother close behind her. "Its partly why I'm offering to help with her storage problem." He gave her a smile as Delia walked down to the two of them.
Ash had a smile himself as he gave his mom a hug. "Hi, mom I'm back sorry about making you worry with that whole mess in Sinnoh." He had a sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his head at this.
"Oh don't worry honey you've gotten into enough dangerous things I'm sorta use to it." Delia looked at Serena and her face light up in joy. "I knew it was true my little boy has found himself a girlfriend!" Ash and Serena both blushed as they watched Ash's mother almost squeak in happiness. Delia gave Oak a smirk hand held out her hand. "Ok pay up looks like I was right."
Oak mumbled a bit as he pulled out the five hundred pokebucks he owed her. Ash just looked at the two of the feeling insulted. "You were beating on me?" Serena for her part also felt mad at this as it felt like an insult to her feelings for Ash.
Delia gave them an apologetic look. "Sorry, but it was Oaks idea." Oak turned to her with a glare. Ash had a feeling that his mother wasn't telling the truth and was about to call her out on literally beating on his love life when Delia decided to choose this time to tease him. "So I take it I should pack you protection for your nights together?"
The two of them went beet red as Ash just groaned at this. "Mom seriously we've only been together for a few weeks." Delia just giggled at this.
"I'm only teasing you now come inside I would like to get to know my future daughter in law." She gave Serena a wink as the honey-haired girl looked away. The thought of her marrying Ash had entered into her head.
She saw herself being walked down the aisle with Ash standing there and pulling the vial from of her eyes saying their vows to each other and then kissing under a Kaosian sunset. She was brought out of her daydreams by Braixen raving her paw in front of her face. "Serena are you still with us or are you daydreaming about Ash?" Serena had a bit of an annoyed look on her face as she was pulled from her little fantasy by her starter/honorary sister. Gardevoir had a light giggle at this. She really was smitten by the raven-haired boy.
Ash brought Serena out to see the ranch that Oak owned and was his pokemon usually stayed. Serena watched as a herd of stampeding Tauros raced off in the distance. "Funny story that whole herd is mine." Serena turned to Ash wide-eyed.
"All twenty of them?" Serena guessed the number giving how hard it was for her to count given the distance and how fast they were moving.
"Thirty actually." Ash clarified the number for his girlfriend, "And yeah, I kinda caught them in the Safari Zone." Well, it wasn't just him but he had the whole herd so in a way it just made sense to say he caught them. Overhead Pidgeot and Braviary were seen flying up to the ranch and landing in the part of the ranch where most of Ash's Pokemon hanged out. "Come on I want everyone to meet you and your pokemon." Ash dragged her along as her team followed from behind.
In the clearing Pidgeot landed on her branch as Staraptor and Swellow landed on a nearby tree. Braviary landed on a branch on the nearby tree. "Hey, Staraptor is that one of your teammates?" Swallow asked the Sinnohian flyer.
Staraptor shook his head at this. "No, I don't think he is."
Croconaw jumped out of the pound and stared recognizing him. "Oh, he's one of that girl that Ash meet at the league's pokemon, Mandibuzz right?"
Braviary shot the Big Jawed Pokemon a glare. "No, I'm not a Mandibuzz! I'm a Braviary!" Pidgeot giggled at this.
Serena and Ash soon walked into the clearing as Ash's other pokemon turned to see him and almost all at once they started to yell out to the few others. Serena looked as pokemon came out of the trees and the pound and even in the air. She recognized many of them from pokemon she saw on her travels and felt a bit overwhelmed as they all came running towards him. One voice rang out loudest out of all the others though. "Ash your back!" Racing past the group Meganium almost tackled him down. "Can you please let me travel with you!"
"Good to see you too Meganium." Ash had a bit of awkward look on his face as he gave her a hug. As soon as she got off him a living blog seemed to throw itself on him with a hug. "Good seeing you too Muk."
The blob got off of Ash as soon as he saw Serena standing nearby. Muk looked for a few moments at Serena then Ash and at Serena again. A huge smile formed on his sludge like face. "Ash got a mate! Haha, I knew the day would come!" The sludge monster wrapped his semi-formless arm around Ash's shoulder. "Hey listen, man, if you ever need a babysitter for the young I'm always welcome."
Serena blushed at the blob talking about kids in front of her. Ash pulled out the rest of his pokeballs and tossed out letting, Garchomp, Infernape, Charizard, and Sceptile out. The Sinnoh team turned to Garchomp with a surprised look. "Hey you evolved, when did that happen?" Garchomp turned to Gliscor.
"Oh I was fighting a Raikou and then I evolved and defeated him!" Garchomp boasted trying to make himself sound awesome. Of course, Braixen and Lucario rolled there eyes at this.
Unfortunately for his ego, Braixen decided to set the record straight. "No, he got defeated by the Raikou and left me and Lucario to finish him off." Garchomp turned to the fox with an expression that just screamed "why" as he slumped down his pride bruised.
"If it's any consolation Raikou was on his last legs when we faced him." That did help with Garchomps bruised ego. Plus he did take a bit of a beating before he evolved so yeah he was strong enough to defeat a legendary.
Ash raised his hands up as he decided to get everyone's attention. "Alright everyone settling down please!" The pokemon assembled quilted down as Ash could finally introduce Serena to them. "Everyone I like you to meet Serena and her pokemon." Braviary took that as his cue to fly over as Aegislash and Milotic were both released from their pokeballs to greet the group.
"Hello!" They all said although a few of them had already met her beforehand. Serena gave a smile as she and her pokemon, save Aegislash who was as dedicated as ever, waved back at the group.
Ash wrapped Serena shoulder with his arm as he before he gave them all a smile. "Serena is also my girlfriend." Those that had taken part in the Tobias crisis didn't act and neither did Muk who had called it. The other looked on with differing thoughts and looks. The newer ones from Sinnoh were quick to congratulate them. The older ones stared at her in surprise at hearing this. The one most stunned by this was Meganium who looked down in both defeat and devastation.
Sceptile placed his claws on her back. "You had to know this was going to happen eventually right?" To be honest, everyone here had similar thoughts on the matter when it came to Meganium crush on Ash.
Meganium sighed in defeat. She knew that there was nothing she could do about this even though she wished she could. "Yeah, I know." Meganium then picked herself up as she gave Serena a determined look. "You better take good care of Ash and if you break his heart. I. Will. End. You!"
Serena had a nervous laugh at this as Aegislash shot a glare at Meganium. The Royal Sword pokemon would let it slide but should she try anything he wouldn't hesitate to defend his Mistress. "So Serena what do you think?"
Serena turned to her pokemon as she took a look at Ash's. True to his word it appeared that Oak did allow pokemon to run out of their pokeball and in an expansive range. Her pokemon looked at each other as they knew that without Clemont's device She couldn't keep more than six on hand. "So I guess I have to choose."
As Serena was about to make the hardest choice of her life her pokemon decided to cut in for her. "No need deary I understand." Milotic placed her tail on her shoulder as she gave her best smile. "I'm not much use in Kalos so it would be nice to take some time off."
Braviary was next as he started with a cough. "I'm thinking of staying here for a while to you know practice flying maneuvers with Pidgeot." His excuse wasn't fooling anyone of her team yet Serena couldn't help but smile at this.
The next one to move forward was Serperior. "I would like to stay so I can train myself." She looked at the assembly of pokemon. "Don't get me wrong I would love to stay with everyone but I kinda need more of a challenge while training." Lucario placed his paw behind her back in understanding.
The last one to walk up was to Serena and really everyone's surprise Gardevoir. "I'll need to be in my pokeball I'm going with Charizard."
Serena blinked as she heard those words. "Why are you going with him exactly?" She did know the two of them had been talking ever since they fought together but she didn't what they were talking about and half the time she suspected it was a telepathic communication.
Gardevoir closed her eyes as she recalled the fight with Tobias. "I am in need of training." She sighed as she looked at her. "Serena I learned a new move after almost three years of only having the same number, I know we handled Tobias but we barely managed to defeat Plasma. Even then it was N who stopped Reshiram and Zekrom and disbanded the team." She removed her Gardevoirite from around her neck and handed it to Serena. "Charizard in need of someone to give him something of a challenge in the valley, I need someone to train me to be stronger for my family."
Serena could get what she was going on about. "So you agreed to travel with him so you both could have what you want." Serena pocketed the Mega Stone as she pulled out Gardevoir's pokeball. "Well, it's a good thing you know Teleport then." Serena turned to Charizard as she held the pokeball at the ready. "You better promise me that nothing bad would happen to my sister."
Charizard gave her a thumbs up and his best reassuring smile. "You have nothing to worry once the valley hears she's my training partner there wouldn't be any arguing with the idiots." Serena turned to Gardevoir and pointed her pokeball at her with a red flash she was returned to it as Serena held it for a moment over her heart.
Croconaw turned to Sceptile with a questioning look. "Hey was it just me or can she understand what pokemon say?" After seeing the exchange between her and her pokemon the others, save those that knew, had similar thoughts after seeing this.
Sceptile looked down at Croconaw and shrugged. "Well it's because she can, I'm not joking this girl can understand us." Sceptile revelation caused the pokemon to look at her all at once causing the Honey haired girl to give an embarrassed smile as she was stared at by most of the pokemon present.
With a flash, the transfer machine shut down as both Charizard and Gardevoir were sent off for there training. It took some convincing on the part of Ash and Serena but Liza decided that if Charizard was ok with it she guessed she could make an exception just this once. Oak walked into the room looking for two of them. "Oh Ash, Serena you mind coming with me for a moment."
"Sure what do you need professor?" Oak motioned for the two of them to follow him into the next room.
"So I was thinking about what the two of you told me about Serena having to use a way around the storage system." He activated the machine he had for scanning Pokedex as the two of them looked on. "You mind if I can see both of your Pokedex?"
Ash was the first to pull his out. "Sure thing Professor." Ash and Serena both out there different looking and made Pokedex as the professor placed them within the machine. Appearing on the screen was both of their registry numbers as he typed down on the machine. After a few minutes of work, the device produced two Pokedex that looked like an upgraded version of Serena's. The Professor handed the two of them their new Pokedexes.
Ash activated his Pokedex and saw that on the screen was an update as suddenly instead of a six pokeball slots there was not a whopping eighteen with seven already filled up. The seven in question being the six pokemon that are staying with Serena and Pikachu. "Ah, Professor I think something maybe wrong it says here that I'm allowed eighteen pokemon and I have Serena's pokemon."
Oak just waved his hand in a dismissive fashion at this. "My boy there is no mistake." He decided to explain what he had done as they both looked at him confused. "You see normally an extension is a lengthy and rather troubling process that only happens in the most extreme of certain stances. However, there is an interesting quirk within the local law that allows a trainer to have up to eighteen pokemon on hand." He pointed to Ash's Pokedex. "Go ahead and see who the dexes are registered too."
Serena activated her dex as Ash looked to see the owner of his. To the surprise of both of them, the Pokedexes had the same thing. "Trainer Ash/Serena?" Ash had a raised eyebrow as he said those things.
"Yes, you see the law allows a couple to register themselves as a single trainer when done with two who already trainers it instead adds there respective totals with an extra six." Oak gave the two of them a stern look, "Though this does mean you are only allowed to use six pokemon in any official battle especially outside of the Kanto and Johto regions " Oak gave the two of them a wink. "Consider this an early wedding gift." He had a chuckle as he saw the two of them groan.
As Oak walked out of the room leaving the two of them by themselves, though he started to talk a bit about thinking of doing so for Gary. Ash sighed as the old professor walked out of the room. He was getting sick of all this teasing. "This is just torture." Serena nodded in agreement with him. She was dreading when they meet her mother which was probably going to be not long from now.
Deciding to look on the bright side of things Serena turned to him having looked at the slots. "So who are you thinking of bringing with us?"
Ash had to think about that one. He was thinking of just going with Pikachu like usual yet he was starting to think that wasn't such a good thing. Part of it was Serena herself who up until now had taken great pains to stay with her pokemon, and another part was him looking at his team. Torterra was still struggling with his new size for instance. "I was thinking of bringing just bringing Pikachu like I usually do but now I'm starting to think that's a bit short-sighted."
Serena raised an eyebrow at this. "Wait for you only bring one of your friends with you too another region?"
"Well not exactly always. When I was traveling through Kanto, the Orange Islands, and Johto I kept routing my team but by Johto I practically had a new one near the end." Ash could see that wasn't' helping his case. "I did come to Sinnoh with Aipom though."
Of course, Pikachu chose that time to speak up. "Yeah after she basically stores away and kinda forced you too." Judging by how Serena's look didn't easy up Ash had a wild guess Pikachu explained how that happened.
"Who's side are you on?" Pikachu shrugged at this question.
"Technically I'm on your side but well you know what they say about couples and females." Pikachu pointed to him and then Serena and back again. "Its best to tell them the truth so you don't incur their wrath, and I remind you your choice of a mate can use Pokemon attacks." Ash didn't want to admit it but he could vaguely understand what Pikachu was saying and knew what he meant. He made a mental note to never piss his girlfriend off.
The next day the two were seen off by Delia, Oak and a few of Ash's pokemon as they walked down Route One heading for Viridian City and from there Serena's home region of Kalos. Most of Serena's pokemon choose to stay in their pokeballs leaving only Braixen out to walk alongside her and Ash with Pikachu walking next to them. After they walked around halfway Serena decided to strike up a conversation. "So Ash who are you bring with you to Kalos?" She gave him a questioning look as they walk down the path.
Ash raised an eyebrow at this. They now shared the same team, well kinda they both knew that they each had their own teams but officially they were a trainer according to the Pokedex so she should know. "You could just look them up on your Pokedex you know."
"I could but that's not really fair you know." It was weird thinking about this. Oak did it to allow them to carry more but this meant that technically Ash could use any of her team and she his and it was allowed thanks to a weird quirk in a law.
A majestic cry was heard overhead as the small group of travelers craned their necks skywards to see what caused that. Their eyes went wide as slowly descending before them was a pokemon that Serena and Braixen had seen featured heavily during there time in Johto and who Ash and Pikachu saw during their first day on this very path.
Landing with a gentle breeze under its wings was the Legendary Pokemon Ho-Oh. The group just looked at the legend in silence. The legendary pokemon opened its beak. "I see that you two have found each other and with it the very definition of Eternal Happiness."
Ash just blinked at this. "You spoke, you actually spoke." Usually, when he spoke to a legendary pokemon they would use a form of telepathy. This time the legendary pokemon was outright talking to them in his language without it.
Ho-Oh had a chuckle at this. "Yes long ago I learned how to speak your language, not many of my kind if you may call us that, have learned to do so like I have." She looked at Ash's surprised expression with curiosity. "Honestly after all your dealings, I'm actually surprised you're not used to it."
Ho-Oh turned her gaze from Ash to Serena. Ho-Oh could sense her powers hiding just below the survive. She was just about ready to blossom and right now she could even sense the growing connection between them courtesy of there feelings and their powers. "Tell me, young lady, why do you travel with him?"
Serena turned to Ash as her hand reached and took his. "It's because…" She blushed as she looked at the pokemon that people officially haven't seen in a hundred years. "It's because I love him."
Ho-Oh looked at her, the daughter of Zygarde and her declaration. She had no idea that her actions have given this young man. She recalled when one of Zygarde's Cores came to her messengers requesting a talk and asked her to help lead the boy to his daughter. It was then she appeared overhead and lead him through the path in hopes of meeting her. She was after all a sucker for romance and every one of her fellow 'legendaries' knew that. Turning her head back to Ash she questioned him. "Young Man, what is your goal in this world?"
Ash had to think about that one. He would have said Pokemon Master, yet from what he learned that what he had thought it meant to be a Master may not be the actual case. Turning to Serena he recalled her words inspired by his own beliefs. "Ho-Oh I want to become a Pokemon Master and I don't care what it means I will find my own way into being one."
To Ash's surprise, Ho-Oh chuckled at this declaration. "Aren't you a strange one." Ho-Oh ceased her chuckling as she gave him a curious look. "You act like you haven't fulfilled your dream and yet you already are the first Master in centuries."
Hearing those words seemed to have caused Ash's mind to stop. He was already a Pokemon Master, but that didn't make any sense. "What? What are you talking about?" He was sure that he didn't have a legendary pokemon following him around. Let alone one he managed to impress enough with his beliefs to make him their champion and join him in his travels.
Ho-Oh suppressed the urge to tell them both about it. It was really tempting but the legendary pokemon controlled herself. "You will know soon enough but I can say without a doubt it is not me or any other from the regions you have visited." It was vague enough of a hint to not spoil the surprise yet just enough to satisfy Ho-Oh need to tell him. "Now I ask that your pokemon step back a bit."
The pokemon did so as Ho-Oh held up her wings as rainbow dust fell from them. "If you don't mind me asking what are you going to do?" Ash was a bit nervous as asked the Rainbow Pokemon what it is she planned to do.
Ho-Oh have the two of them a smile. "Why I am going to bless the love you both share with each over, I use to do this to young couples when I roosted in the Bell Tower." She shot the two of them a knowing wink. "After all isn't love Eternal Happiness?" She moved her wings over the two of them as her rainbow covered Ash sparkled around them. "I who witness the young lovers before me, bless the bond they have formed from there love and wish them the greatest of lives happiness." With her blessing done she gave them a wink. "Have fun in Kalos flying overhead I can say without a doubt it's one of the most beautiful places in the world." Ho-Oh readied her wings for taking off before remembering one last thing. "Oh and Serena when you see him tell him, he's welcomed."
With that Ho-Oh ascended with gracefulness into the air and flew over the horizon. As the young couple watched the legendary pokemon flew over they didn't say a word. After watching her fade away the two continued there travel in silence and yet words couldn't describe how they felt at that moment in time.
Kalos a region rich in culture, history, and potential. Ash and Serena will be traveling by themselves, (outside the one or two temporary tagalongs you know) with Ash doing the gyms and Serena the Performances. Yet as you can see I've decided to twist the whole extension of pokemon trope so now any pokemon they catch could be used for either. Yes, what Oak did technically means they can use each other's pokemon but given how they spend years as separate trainers don't expect them to just do so without the others permission for who Ash picked to come with. Well, its a surprise.
Oh and that last part was because I figured that since she was working with Zygarde, Ho-Oh would be willing to appear before them and bless their love. I mean Ash has met (and befriended) pretty of legendaries and Serena is well... technically one herself. So yeah not like this isn't completely unbelievable.
Feedback is welcomed and I'll cya all next time.