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Pokémon Fan Fiction
The Adventures on the Crimson Isles
Rated 'M' for Language, Violence, and Suggestive Themes
Chapter 12: Serena's Crimson Isles Debut
Following their escape from Countess Melinöe, Serena and her friends set their sights on the Portabella Pokémon Showcase. As deeper feelings begin to develop between Iris and Hayden, the Professor's son is faced with explaining his violent outburst from the previous day. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Pokémon, GameFreak, or Nintendo.
Thanks to my beta reader, Wolf.
Fungal Isle - Portabella City
Hayden's eyes snapped open. His breathing was heavy, so he closed his eyes and waited for his heart rate to slow. His shirt was damp with sweat, and his hair was matted to his head. He rolled over and glanced at the clock. His vision was still blurry, but he made out the time: 5:32 a.m.
Shaking his head and brushing the hair from his eyes, he swung his legs off the bed and got up. Noticing Iris was still sound asleep, he walked across the room to the bathroom. Along the way, he snatched up his backpack and took it in with him.
Once inside the bathroom, Hayden closed the door quietly, and zipped open the front most pocket of his purple backpack, hands shaking. He rustled around a bit before finding what he was looking for. He withdrew a small orange bottle of pills.
Unscrewing the cap, he shook out two...no that wasn't enough. He'd need three if he wanted to make it through the day without losing it again. He pulled out one more and screwed the cap back on. Picking up a plastic cup aside the sink, Hayden filled it with cool water and took a few sips before tossing the pills back in his mouth and swallowing everything. The pills would keep him up for the rest of the morning, so heading back to sleep wasn't an option. He'd tried asking Hypno to send him back to sleep before, but to no avail.
Accepting the unfortunate, Hayden exited the bathroom to gather his clothes and take a shower. He was careful to turn the light off before opening the door, so as to not wake Iris, but when his eyes were finished adjusting back to the darkness, the Dragon Master was already sitting up in her bed, staring at the open bathroom door.
"Hayden?"
Hayden blushed in embarrassment, praying the darkness hid it. He glanced at the bottle of pills in his hand, and noticed Iris had followed his trail of vision. Grinning shakily, he held it up and rattled it.
"What're they for?" Iris asked quietly.
Hayden sighed and sat back down on his bed. Silence reigned as he gathered his thoughts.
"Yesterday...you asked what happened with Melinöe," he croaked, the morning still crippling his voice. "I never got around to telling you, between Vince showing up, and dinner, and..." His voice trailed off, realizing that the next thing he would've mentioned is how he fled back to his room right after dinner.
"You see...I'm...prone, to, erm, aggressive...outbursts. You see, this medication keeps me, er, mellow, I suppose. But I...I can't fall asleep right after I take them, so I was going to, erm, take a shower."
He chuckled. "I was hoping I'd be able to simply tell you all of my...condition, rather than having you see its effects first hand. I-It's fine if you don't want me traveling with you anymore. I-I'd understand."
"Stop traveling with us?" Iris repeated with a frown. "Why would you say that?"
Hayden shrugged, his shoulders sinking low on the decline. "I'm guessing you wouldn't want someone traveling with you who may just lash out for no apparent reason."
"Stop traveling with us?" Iris repeated again, seemingly in disbelief. "If I stopped traveling with anyone who seemed different, I never would've met the loads of good people I know today."
"This is different," Hayden responded. "This is...dangerous."
"Have you ever traveled with Ash before," Iris questioned. "The guy is like a beacon of danger. I bet if we weren't traveling with him, Team Pluto would just be a name in the news."
Hayden laughed. "I suppose you're right. I wonder why that is..."
"Wonder why what is?"
"Never mind. I suppose I should head to the shower now. I'm sorry for waking you up."
"Oh, you didn't wake me up. I just kinda...woke up."
Hayden chuckled. "Okay Iris."
The glaring sun woke Serena up, and the first thing she noticed was that Ash was no longer next to her. The bathroom was empty, and so was the second bed in the room. He was gone.
Serena's first thought was that Team Pluto took him...until she noticed the note sitting on the bedside table.
Morning babe-
I'm out right now, so don't worry, nothing's wrong. I'll probably be back by 8:30. See you then! Love ya
Ash
Serena glanced at the clock. It read 8:27. Well, that wasn't good.
Hastily, Serena rushed to the shower, but once the water was running over her, she took a moment to think. This was Ash she was talking about. Maybe he was taking longer than expected. What was he even doing up now? She remembered back on the Desert Isle when she had woken up before him. She had gotten up early to go shopping. Could he be doing the same thing? She didn't see any other reason why he'd be out and about.
Coming to this conclusion, Serena relaxed a little and finished her shower in a standard amount of time. After changing and applying her usual light coat of makeup, she departed for Iris and Hayden's room.
Serena knocked on the door several times, but no one answered, and she heard no movement inside. So...she was the only one that had woken up at a reasonable time today, which was ironic because it was her Showcase that should've had her up early this morning.
Now, Serena headed downstairs alone, deciding to see if Ash and Iris were battling again. However, when she got down there, Iris was indeed battling, although against Hayden.
Excadrill was currently facing Porygon-Z, but it looked like the Virtual Pokémon was winning, despite the type disadvantage. Porygon-Z unleashed a Double Team/Hyper Beam combo, sending a plume of smoke and sand up in the air. When it cleared Excadrill was left in the ground in a smoldering heap.
Iris stared at Excadrill, then at Hayden, then at Porygon-Z. "Excadrill, return!"
"You as well, Porygon-Z. Thank you."
Iris frowned in confusion at the crater where Excadrill had been. "How the hell did you get so strong Hayden?"
Hayden grinned. "Sorry, a magician doesn't give away his secrets."
"Oh, so you're a magician now?" Iris said with a smirk. Then she turned and saw Serena standing on the sidelines, and she walked over to her.
"Hey Serena, how long have you been there?" Iris asked.
"Oh, just long enough to see your Excadrill...yeah."
"Good morning Serena," Hayden greeted. "Ready for your Showcase today?"
"I think so," Serena replied. "Have you two seen Ash this morning? He wasn't in the room when I woke up."
"Yes, we saw-"
"No, no, no we haven't seen him!" Iris yelled, clamping her hand over Hayden's mouth. "We have absolutely no clue where he could be. None at all."
Serena cracked a smile. "Okay then, I'll just assume he's fine?"
"Great idea!" Iris piped. "Now why don't we go get some breakfast? C'mon Hayden, we needa fill Serena up for her Showcase today!" The Dragon Master practically pulled Serena inside to the cafeteria, Hayden following close behind.
After collecting their various meals and finding an empty booth, the quartet-minus-Ash began to eat engaging in small talk, and generally avoiding Hayden's actions from yesterday. It seemed to be agreed silently that they wouldn't discuss that until Ash returned.
And return he did ten minutes later. Pikachu was perched happily on his shoulder, and the boy himself seemed to be in an equally good mood. Upon spotting his squad, Ash walked over and slid in next to Serena, giving her a greeting kiss.
"Hey guys, glad you started breakfast without me," he said after pulling away from Serena.
"Your note said 8:30," Serena pouted. "It's an hour past that!"
Ash scratched his head nervously. "Yeah, sorry about that. I just couldn't find one I thought you might like."
"What? What might I like?" Serena asked.
"You guys didn't tell her, right?" Ash asked the other two.
Iris snorted. "Hayden almost did."
"Did not!" Hayden retorted. "I was just going to tell her that we saw him."
Ash grinned. "Thanks guys."
"Ash, what did you get?" Serena whined playfully.
"It's waiting for you upstairs."
From that point on, Serena shoveled food in her mouth as fast as she could; just as fast, if not faster than Ash, who was also wolfing down a stack of pancakes hayden had ordered for him.
They finished breakfast in a matter of minutes, and once their table was bussed, they rushed upstairs to see what Ash had gotten.
Serena hastily stuffed her keycard in the handle, and pushed the door open the moment she could.
On the bed was the most beautiful dress Serena had ever seen. It was purple and strapless, embroidered with a modest gradient of red that swept up the side. A gorgeous fabric rose was pinned on the left shoulder.
"Oh Ash," Serena breathed.
"So what do you think? This is the only one me and Pikachu agreed on."
"Pika-chu!" Pikachu chirped.
"It's beautiful."
Ash smirked. "No more beautiful than the woman that'll be wearing it."
Serena whipped around and her lips crashed into Ash's, and they shared a passionate kiss, not minding Iris's signature eye rolls and mock gags.
"This must have cost a fortune Ash," Serena said after pulling away. "How could you possibly have paid for it?"
"Oh you know, prize money, odd dollars here and there," he replied.
"I'm impressed Ash," Iris smirked. "You did well."
"Iris, we'd better leave these two alone to get ready for the Showcase," Hayden noted, nodding to a tuxedo hanging on the closet door.
Iris and Hayden departed the the sound of more gasps of disbelief from Serena and kisses from them both.
An hour later, the four of them departed the Pokémon Center and began their trek to the Showcase Hall. Small talk was made as they walked through the Mushroom County. Their conversation slowly spiraled to Hayden's outburst from the previous day.
"So Hayden…," Ash began. "What happened with Melinöe yesterday?"
Hayden's cheeks turned a crimson shade and he buried his fists in his pockets.
"Yes...about that," he muttered.
"Hayden, I can explain if you-" Iris offered.
"No, no I'll do it. It's not your responsibility." Hayden said, cutting her off. "As I told Iris this morning, I have a...condition in which I…occasionally...burst out in aggression."
Ash and Serena glanced at each other, then back at Hayden.
"Random outbursts of violence?" Serena questioned.
"Exactly," Iris confirmed. "He has pills he has to take, but they make him a temporary insomniac." She looked back at Hayden. "Right?"
Hayden smiled. "Yes, I suppose that explains it well. I've never thought of it that way."
Ash snorted. "That's it?"
Hayden frowned and looked at the raven-haired teen. "Yes, that's all."
"Well, that doesn't seem too bad." Ash commented.
"It's bad," Hayden said gravely. "The episode yesterday...that was minor."
"Minor?" Serena asked. "You...you threatened to...kill her."
Hayden turned red again. "I know, I know, but that was talk. Usually it's not."
"You've killed someone?!" Iris wheezed.
"No, of course not!" Hayden said quickly. "But...I have been known to tear up rooms, at my worst."
"When did it start?" Serena questioned.
Hayden scratched the back of his head. "I suppose it's been about a year since my first, erm, outburst."
"He offered to stop traveling with us," Iris interjected.
"What?" Ash demanded.
"I was simply saying that I wouldn't want to be a danger to you all," Hayden clarified.
"We're fine with it," Serena chirped. "Fine with your condition, I mean."
"Of course we are," Iris said, exasperated. "You guys do know he's not actually being serious about leaving us, right?"
"No, I was being quite-"
"Alright, bye," Iris said cheerfully, waving at the Professor's son.
Hayden paused, and the other three continued walking past a few steps. "Uh, I...are you…?"
"See? He's not being serious," Iris beamed.
"No, no, if you really want me-"
"Get your ass back next to me, and keep walking," Iris demanded.
Ash grinned, and exchanged a glance with Serena. "Well, that's charming."
Hayden cracked a nervous smile.
Everything that needed to be said had been said, so the quartet continued through the paved, vibrant Portabella City. It was around ten minutes later that they finally stopped in front of the Showcase Hall.
Up close, it looked like a grand palace, or church. The Showcase Hall was huge, taking up about nine city blocks total. The walls were built of light colored granite and the roof was domed and made of colored glass skylights. Ash thought it looked like a glorified Gym, but the stained glass windows that ran down the walls told a completely different story. The windows depicted various scenes of young woman and girls doing various forms of dance and performance. Ash wondered if they were based off real people, and if they were, if Serena would ever end up in a window like that.
"Shall we go in?" Hayden asked, seemingly unfazed by the grand architecture of the building.
"Yes," Serena muttered. "I think we shall."
The inside was just as grand, if not even more divine than the outside. The entrance lobby was packed with people, and waiters weaved in between the crowd serving drinks and small snacks. It was circular in shape with two velvet clad staircases leading up to the main auditorium. The sunlight filtered down from the skylights, casting a colorful glow upon the whole room.
Ash led Serena through the crowd, arm-in-arm, with Iris and Hayden following close behind. A waiter offered them a drink, and since Ash thought it was champagne, he declined. Serena gladly accepted a drink, which turned out to be cider, and as such, Serena sipped her glass happily while Ash stayed parched.
"Ah, bonjour Serena," a voice said behind them.
Serena turned to find herself faced with the man from yesterday, Vince. He was wearing what appeared to be the exact same outfit as before, and his hair was still a glossy white, of course. He took a long drink from his glass of cider before lowering it back down to his side.
"Hello Vince," Serena said, not knowing how to lead the conversation from there. Talking to a judge right before her Performance wasn't doing too well on her nerves.
"I see that you and Allen are dating," he commented. "How sweet."
"Ash, actually," the raven-haired teen corrected.
"Ah yes, Ash. Very well. What is it you say you did, again?"
"Uh, I'm training to be a Pokémon Master by defeating the Pokémon League here on the Crimson Isles."
Vince laughed. "I see. I assume you're here to challenge the Gym Leader of Portabella City."
"Yes, that's the idea."
Vince smirked. "Well, good luck with that," he said in a tone that suggested he didn't think Ash could win at all. He took a sip of from his glass. "Well, It's been lovely speaking to you, but I'm afraid I must be getting ready for the Showcase, as should you Serena."
"Yes, I think I'll get to that," she said awkwardly.
Vince gave a curt nod to Iris and Hayden before departing back into the bustle.
"What a jerk," Ash murmured.
Serena giggled. "Aww, Ash, don't be that way. He seems kind of nice."
Iris snorted. "Yeah, nice to you maybe."
"Ash and Serena, you'd better get situated backstage," Hayden reminded them. "The Showcase starts in twenty minutes."
Ash nodded. "Alright...I guess we'll see you guys later?"
"Meet back by the door?" Iris suggested.
"Deal," Serena confirmed.
"Good luck to you then, Serena," Hayden said. "I know you'll do perfectly."
"Yeah, good luck out there Serena," Iris said cheerfully, surging forward and giving her a hug. "Just focus on your moves. Pretend it's just practice."
"Thanks guys, but I'll be fine, really!" Serena beamed.
"Alright, we'd better get moving," Ash said, giving one last wave to his friends.
After asking several waiters and waitresses where the contestants were supposed to meet, Ash and Serena finally found themselves in the holding room. All around them, girls were tying up their hair, dabbing on last touches of makeup, and grooming their Pokémon. Finding a booth labeled "Serena Yvonne," the couple walked over to it, and the honey-blonde deployed her Pokémon. Delphox, Pangoro, and Sylveon appeared in a flash.
"Alright guys, it's time," Serena declared, and her Pokémon nodded in unison. "We're going to win this, without a doubt!"
Ash smiled. He had been devastated upon hearing that his departure from Kalos may have influenced Serena's lack of confidence, and he hoped to heaven that his presence would give Serena the gusto she needed to bring home her first Crimson Isles Princess Key.
"You guys'll do great, I'm sure of it," Ash grinned. "Serena…."
The honey-blonde turned to him, her aqua eyes reflecting like pools in Ash's hazel orbs. "I know you'll win." He planted a soft kiss on her head, and they embraced in a warm hug.
"Well, well, well, look what we have here," a smug voice said behind them.
Ash and Serena quickly broke off their hug after hearing the new arrival.
Miette stood, clad in a flowing emerald dress, smirking at the couple. "Well, it looks like Serena finally woke up and smelled the coffee."
"Miette! You're participating on the Crimson Isles too?!" Serena exclaimed, her face red from the bluenette's comment.
Miette sighed. "I am here, aren't I? So when you two start dating?"
Seeing as the girl refused to let the topic drop, Ash stepped forward, clasping Serena's hand as he did. "Oh, about a couple weeks ago. When'd you get to the Crimson Isles?"
"Yesterday," Miette replied haughtily. "But don't let that get your spirits up Serena. I've been practicing for a month now, and I'm walking out of here with a Princess Key!"
Serena scowled at the bluenette, their old rivalry quickly resurfacing. "Hah, we'll see."
"I doubt you'll be able to recover from that little losing streak of yours," Miette continued. "Oh...but wait, it wasn't quite so little, was it?"
"That's enough Miette," Ash said, stepping in between the girls. "I'm sure you have better things to be doing than antagonizing my girlfriend."
Miette blushed in embarrassment. "Oh c'mon, I was just kidding. Anyways, too-ta-loo!" With that, she disappeared back into the bustling crowd of the holding room.
Serena turned to Ash, who was still frowning at Miette's back. "Ash, you didn't have to do that. I can hold my own against her."
"Yeah, but you know me. I can't stand bullies," Ash responded bluntly.
Serena giggled. "Ash, she's my friend! We're rivals! You have tons of rivals, right."
"I guess you're right," Ash said, cracking a smile. "I'll lay off next time."
Serena smiled sweetly. "Thanks for protecting me, though." She giggled again. "You're so cute when you try and be intimidating!"
Ash scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I didn't mean to scare her. I was just trying to protect you."
"Well, it worked, didn't it?" Serena stood on her tiptoes and kissed her boyfriend, the warmth and spice of his lips invigorating her for her Performance.
"Good luck out there," Ash breathed. "You'll do great."
Serena pulled away and beamed, both of their cheeks tinged red.
"Salutations to all of you in the audience!" Monsieur Pierre thundered, his thick accent rolling throughout the auditorium like a majestic tidal wave. "Welcome to the Portabella City Pokémon Showcase! I am your host, Monsieur Pierre!"
The audience erupted into a cacophony of cheering, and Monsieur Pierre threw up a hand to silence the crowd.
"Quiet down, if you please," he called. "Now, please turn your attention to the big screen!"
Thirty-two feminine faces popped up on the big screen behind the Monsieur, and Ash quickly located Serena's and Miette's, watching the action unfold from a screen inside the holding room.
"These are the beautiful young ladies of today's event! I wish them all good luck, for today, they are completing for this one Princess Key!"
Klefki zipped off Pierre's staff, twirling around in the air before coming to a hover above Pierre's top hat. A large violet and gold key hung from Klefki's keyring, and Monsieur Pierre promptly motioned to it.
"This is the Venom Key," Pierre announced, the ornate cut of metal glistering above him. "The one Performer who wins today will collect the Venom Key, one of three needed to enter the Master Class! Now please welcome the current Crimson Queen, Sylviane!"
Another spotlight appeared and fell on a tall, slender female figure emerging onto the stage. She had dark skin, and wore a cream colored dress to contrast her skin tone. Her short hair was colored a bright lime color, and her partner Pokémon followed behind her as she made her way to the center of the stage.
"GIve it up for Princess Sylviane!" Pierre yelled.
Sylviane stared out at the audience as they cheered, their faces remaining stoic.
"Princess Sylvianne will be joining our panel of judges today, alongside Nurse Joy, as well as Portabella City's Gym Leader, Vince!"
The crowd roared, and Ash did a double take. Vince was Portabella's Gym Leader? That was odd; he seemed to despise Ash for being a Pokémon Trainer before. Or maybe he was just confident he could beat Ash.
Sylviane joined Vince and Joy at the judge's table, and Monsieur Pierre motioned back to the big screen. "Now, s'il vous plaît, look back to the big screen! The first Theme Performance is…!"
The screen flashed, and an immaculate pink Poké Puff popped up.
"Poké Puff baking!" Pierre roared, and the crowd echoed his volume back at him. "Now without further ado, let's see who our first quartet of girls are!"
The pictures of the girls reappeared, and they shuffled themselves into eight groups of four. Serena was participating in the fifth round, while Miette found herself in the first.
"Now, without further ado, let the Theme Performance begin!"
Miette, alongside three other Performers, rose onto the stage atop a platform, and the spotlight instantly cascaded down upon them. Thunderous clapping began, and the bluenette stared out at the vastness of the audience. She wasn't nervous. This wasn't new to her. Somewhere backstage, she knew Serena and Ash were watching, and he smiled a bit. This would be fun.
"Now, Performers, please enter your respective culinary stations. The baking competition will begin in 10, 9, 8…."
"3, 2, 1! Begin!"
Miette immediately zeroed in on a ripe bunch of Berries nestled behind a couple of pots. She snatched them up and commanded Meowstic to begin squeezing their juices into a bowl. Meanwhile, Slurpuff scouted out the creamiest milk, the sweetest sugar, and the fluffiest flour, and Miette herself fired up the oven and prepared various pots and pans on the stove.
The baking competition lasted a half hour, and at the five minute mark, Miette pulled her Poké Puffs from the oven. Having prepared a piping bag while her Puffs were baking, the bluenette called Meowstic forth.
"Meowstic, use Psychic now!"
Meowstic's eyes glowed, and a thick plume of steam shot from Poké Puffs. Quickly, it dissipated, and Miette smiled.
"Cooling...check!" She murmured happily. "Now, it's time to frost!"
Five minutes later, the hourglass above the four Performers vanished.
"Time's up!" Monsieur Pierre commanded. "Everyone step away from your stations, s'il vous plaît!"
The four Performers stepped forward from their stations, bringing their plates of Poké Puffs with them, their Pokémon following close behind. They delivered their Poké Puffs to the judges and stepped back to the middle of the stage.
Each judge's Pokémon took a bite of each Poké Puff. First, Vince's Seviper took a bite, followed by Sylviane's Lilligant, and then Nurse Joy's Chansey. Silence reigned in the auditorium as the judges discussed the winner in hushed whispers. A minutes passed before Sylviane stood and held up a small card.
"After a meticulous analysis of the four Poké Puffs, we have decided upon a winner," Sylviane announced, no hints of a smile ever appearing on her face. "The Performer moving onto the Freestyle Performance is...Miette."
Sylviane took her seat to the roar of the audience. Miette smiled and waved, the spotlight turning to her, cast off her three, sulking competitors.
Miette entered the holding room with a huge smile on her face. She was greeted with a chorus of claps and pats on the back, but it was Serena she wanted to see. She located the honey-blonde towards the back, Ash standing with her. They locked eyes, and Miette smirked as she waded through the crowd.
"Looks like I'll be winning this one," she teased.
Serena ignored the taunt, and simply crossed her arms. "We'll see."
Three more rounds passed by, each round having a winner siphoned on to the next Freestyle Performance. Finally, after an hour and a half of eagerly watching the screen, it was Serena's turn. Her name was called, along with three others, and they exited the holding room. Ash gave her a long kiss, whispered a few words, and she was off.
Serena's heart palpitated, despite having done this numerous times. Although she knew it sounded ridiculous, the fact that Ash was her boyfriend now made her upcoming challenge that much more daunting.
Pangoro rested a furry hand on her shoulder, while Delphox offered her hand, and Sylveon twirled a ribbon. They all gave her determined looks, and Serena felt her vision begin to blur.
Quickly, Serena dabbed the tears away, and shook her head, as of to stir up the confidence in her head. Then, the platform began to rise, and the honey-blonde closed her eyes.
Her vision turned white as the spotlights flicked on, and Serena opened her eyes. A rush of air flew from her feet as the platform came to a stop. The auditorium was enormous, and Serena had to remind herself it wouldn't just collapse in on top of her. She knew there were cameras trained on her. She knew her bloated head was right behind her on the big screen, but the reassuring touches of her Pokémon filled her with confidence. This was their dream. She'd have to do her part if she wanted it to become reality.
"Now, Performers, please enter your respective culinary stations!" Monsieur Pierre boomed for the fifth time today.
Serena walked over into her station, careful to hold up her dress so she wouldn't trip on it.
"The baking competition will begin in 10…."
She eyed a healthy bunch of Berries in the cooler. She decided to use the blue ones.
"9…."
There were three bags of sugar. Pangoro would have to sniff out the freshest one.
"8…."
Speaking of which, Sylveon would have to determine which Berries to use.
"7…."
What temperature was the oven supposed to be set to? Was it 300°, or 350°? She always forgot.
"6…."
Right. It was 350°. 300° was for macarons.
"5…."
What flavor was she going to go for? Sour? Sweet? Tart? A little bit of everything?
"4…."
Sour would be too risky. Sweet was too generic. Tart it was.
"3…."
Adding a sprig of oak as a garnish would give the Puff a nice woody taste. She wondered if she'd be able to find oak twigs in her mini kitchen.
"2…."
Assuming she couldn't find any twigs, she'd need a backup plan. Toasted nuts weren't a bad idea. They'd be a nice contrast to the tart pastry. Delphox could take care of that.
"1…."
It was showtime.
"Begin!"
Immediately Serena began shouting commands at her Pokémon, who scurried off to different corners of the kitchen, gathering ingredients and materials. Pangoro began scoping out the sugar, Sylveon closed its eyes and picked out the ripest Berries, while Delphox stood helped Serena gather pots and bowls.
"Sylveon, flour please!" Serena said, sticking out her hand as she cracked a couple of eggs in a bowl. Sylveon hefted the bag into Serena hand, and she carefully measured out the white powder, before dumping it into her bowl. Pangoro came forth with a bag of sugar, and Serena promptly took it, measuring it out as she had done with the flour. She poured it into the flour bowl, then slipped in her eggs. Delphox supplied a jug of milk, verified by Pangoro, and Serena glugged some into the bowl. Finally, she located a small bottle of red food dye, and squeezed in a few drops.
Plugging in an electric mixer, Serena began to mix. As the ingredients blended together, Serena thought to herself. Five minutes, and her cake batter was being mixed. That was pretty good time, considering she hadn't exactly focused on baking during her practices; she was mainly just rehearsing her Performance. In hindsight, practicing for round one more would probably be better than round two. After all, if she didn't make it past round 1, there was no moving on to round two anyways.
Serena flicked the mixer off. The batter was smooth and flowing. She dipped her rubber spatula in the mix and held it up. It dripped off in perfect consistency, not too goopy, but not too liquidy.
Next, it was time for vanilla. She whipped out a ring of various sized spoons. Locating the teaspoon one, she filled it up with the dark liquid and dumped it into the mix, more turning the mixer back on. A minutes longer of mixing, and her batter was done.
Her Pokémon handed her a muffin pan they had greased with cooking spray, and Serena poured even amounts of batter into three of the depressions. Her bowl was empty, and she tossed it in the sudsy bin of dirty dishes, to be cleaned by the maintenance staff when the challenge was over.
Serena opened the oven, a warm blast of heat hitting her face when she did. Not wasting a second, she slipped the pan in and shut the door, before setting the timer for fifteen minutes.
It was no time for resting though. She needed to prep the frosting. Finding a box of piping bags, she pulled one out, along with another large bowl to make the frosting. Her Pokémon had found a couple sticks of butter in the cooler, so Serena commanded Delphox to come forth.
"Delphox, soften now!"
The Fox Pokémon whipped out its wand and willed the tip to turn orange. She waved it all around the butter like she was roasting a marshmallow. When she was done, the tip faded and Delphox stepped back.
Serena squeezed the sticks gently. Delphox had warmed them perfectly; they were soft, but not squishy or oozing oil. And so she unwrapped them and dumped them in the bowl, followed by several healthy shakes from a shaker of cocoa powder, a hefty amount of powdered sugar, and a few squirts of red food coloring.
She flipped the mixer back on and the frosting began to blend. After about two minutes, she flicked it off. Personally, she would've liked to mix it a bit more, but she knew that mixing it for much longer may cause the butter to melt. So, she grabbed her piping bag and dolloped the frosting into it.
Thirteen minutes of anxiety passed before, finally, the Puffs were finished baking. Serena threw open the oven, an oven mitt already on her hand, and pulled the pan out. Carefully, she pried them out and placed them on a cooling rack. They came out flawlessly, so her Pokémon had greased the pan well. Finding a toothpick, she pressed it into all three of the Puffs. When she pulled it out, no cake was left stuck on it. They were baked perfectly.
Like everyone else in the competition, Serena had no time to wait for the Puffs to cool down naturally. Luckily, like Miette, she had a Psychic-type who could pull the most of the heat out; at least enough so the frosting didn't melt once she put it on the cake. Using Psychic on the Puff was an old Performer's trick, as she'd learned. Apparently Ice-types worked well too, and Serena noted that one of her competitors had a Vanillite.
Delphox extracted the steam with a concentrated flick of its wand, and Serena immediately began frosting. She commanded Sylveon to prep some nuts for Delphox to toast, and Pangoro to locate some purple Berries, and slice them up as well.
Once the frosting was complete, Pangoro added the Berries slivers along the side of the red frosted Puff, and Delphox used her wand to arrange the toasted nuts in a beautiful swirl pattern. Finally, Serena added a blue Berry on top.
"One minute to go!" Monsieur Pierre warned. "Get your Poké Puffs plated, s'il vous plaît!"
The three Poké Puffs were finished and plated, so Serena used the last minute to quickly prepare a powdered sugar drizzle, which she decorated the plate with.
"That's time! Step away from your stations, s'il vous plaît!" Pierre called.
Serena backed up and exhaled loudly. Before she could take a moment to marvel at her handiwork, she was already being called forward before the judges.
Being the Performer on the far right, Serena was the last to be judged. While the other three were receiving various levels of praise, Serena stood sweating bullets, the air conditioning chilling her skin, and making them produce goosebumps.
"Serena, bring your Poké Puffs forward for evaluation," Sylviane commanded in her standard, monotone inflection.
Serena walked forward, trying not to walk too fast, but also not trying to slug along. She placed her plate down on the far end of the table, in front of Vince, and his Seviper. The Gym Leader and judge gave her a cryptic wink before waving her back to her spot.
Vince broke off a piece of one of the Puffs, examining its inside before tossing it in Seviper's mouth. Seviper chewed it thoughtfully, not showing any signs of delight or disgust. Then, without warning, it lashed out onto the plate and devoured the rest of its Puff, along with the other two, meant for the other judges' Pokémon.
"Seviper?!" Vince said incredulously.
A frantic murmuring had arisen within the audience, and Serena felt her insides turning to ice. She found a spot on the opposite wall to look at until the commotion had died down.
"My apologies, fellow judges, as well as you in the audience," Vince apologized in a tone that suggested her wasn't sorry at all. "Since Seviper ate all three of Performer Serena's Poké Puffs, I'm afraid only I can vouch for her when the analysis commences. That being said, we will now begin. Please hold tight!" He shot Serena one last emotionless wink before rolling his chair so he could talk to the other judges in private.
Ice ran through Serna's veins. Seviper had eaten all of her Poké Puffs. That meant that they were really good. Unfortunately, it also meant that, like Vince had noted, only he could vote for Serena's Puff, no matter how good it was.
The minutes that passed by seemed like ten as Serena's feet began to tire, not from fatigue, but from sheer anxiety.
"After a meticulous analysis of the...four...Poké Puffs," Sylviane began. "We have come to the conclusion that Serena will advance to the Freestyle Round."
The spotlight over Serena's head brightened as the other three turned off. The audience erupted into a fearsome cheer, and Serena felt a smile tugging at her face. She allowed it on, and seeing her Pokémon waving to the crowd, she decided to throw up her hand as well. The crowd waved back, and Serena's heart filled with warmth, the sweet warmth of victory.
However, the dimming of the spotlight, and the lowering of the platform reminded her that she was only halfway there. She still had to beat out Miette and six other Performers in the Freestyle Round.
The platform hit the bottom, and Serena immediately surged forward down the narrow hallway that led back to the holding room. Like Miette and the other three Performers that had won before her, Serena was greeted with a chorus of congratulations and clapping. She spotted Ash among the crowd, clapping softly, a wide grin on his face, and at once, he was the only company she desired.
She walked over to him, and before she knew it, his hands were in her's and her lips were pressed against his, barely an inch of space between them. Serena's cerulean eyes rippled with love like a secluded pond in a beautiful forest. Ash's sharp, hazel eyes glistened back, taking a swim in the pond.
"I'm proud of you," he whispered, planting another kiss on her forehead. "So...proud."
"If Iris were here, she'd of gotten a heart attack," Serena said with a perky smile and a bubbly chuckle.
Ash smiled back. "She certainly would."
Three more Theme Performances siphoned out three more winners to continue on to the Freestyle Round, and it was after an hour and a half later before Monsieur Pierre took to the stage to begin introductions for the next round.
"Salutations, Showcase-lovers!" He bellowed. "Without further ado, let us begin the Freestyle Performance, in which the Performers will show us a truly wonderful sequence that reflects the strong bond between them and their Pokémon!"
The crowd roared, but Pierre managed to quiet them. "Now, for our first Performance, please welcome Vivian to the stage!"
A young girl emerged onto the stage just as Monsieur Pierre left, and the spotlight fell on her, and her Kabuki-styled Furfrou. Serena watched intently from the screen in the holding room, along with all the other Performers. Ash was behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist, his chin resting on her head.
Vivian executed a series of fancy flips and dance moves with Furfrou, and after a minute, their Performance came to close. The audience bid her a loud exit, and the next Performer was ushered onstage.
The next Performance finished, and Serena's name was called.
Her heart flipped, despite knowing that it'd happen eventually. She spun around to face Ash.
"Do good," he said softly. "Don't give up till it's over."
Serena grinned. "It doesn't work like that."
Ash smiled and kissed his finger, placing it on Serena's lips. "You know what I mean."
They locked lips, and when Ash pulled away, Serena was already being swept down a corridor that led to the platform.
There she stood with her Pokémon, among the darkness, listening to the echo and faint rumble of Pierre above them. She turned to each of her Pokémon and gave them a reassuring smile. Then, the platform began to rise.
The stage was dark, and Serena noted the rush of cold air that whistled towards her from the audience. The song she requested began to play, and the spotlights flicked on at the exact moment as her smile.
The next minute was a blur. She barely noticed as her Pokémon leapt all around her, dispelling graceful mists of various elemental attacks. One moment she was dancing with Sylveon, the next, she was being lifted by Pangoro's furry paw. In the final moments of the sequence, she looked to Delphox below her, who had just finished showcasing a Dazzling Gleam/Fire Blast combination display. The Fox Pokémon grinned at Serena and tossed her wand. Serena caught it flawlessly, thanking heaven that she had (since she'd dropped it more times than not during her practices), and waved it majestically, dispelling a beautiful red and pink flurry of embers. Sylveon laced its ribbons into a heart, Pangoro pumped its other fist, and Delphox's eyes lit blue, blazing with Psychic energy.
The crowd roared, and goosebumps spread across her arms, despite the stuffiness of the stage and film of perspiration across her whole body. They were cheering for her. She smiled and waved at the audience, and the crowd waved back, until the spotlights overhead turned off, and the platform began to descend once again.
"Great job you guys!" Serena squealed as the platform lowered. "We're going to win this for sure!"
"Delll-phox!"
"Pan-gorrro!"
"Sylll-veon!"
Her Pokémon cheered happily, and when the platform hit the bottom, Ash was already waiting for her in the hallway back to the holding room. Upon seeing her, he surged forward and immediately locked her in a fervent kiss.
"Oh c'mon, you haven't won yet!" Miette whined, her arms crossed, smirking. Her name had been called and she was next to go. Slurpuff and Meowstic stood behind her, all three of them coming down the hallway towards the couple.
They broke apart and turned to the bluenette, dark blushes both flowering their faces.
"And you're not going to win either," Miette continued. "I will."
"Just get to the stage!" Serena said, pushing Miette forward.
Ash chuckled. "Good luck!"
"It's not luck that wins a Showcase. It's skill," the bluenette called back.
Serena ran back and walked hand-in-hand with Ash back to the holding room.
From there they watched Miette and five other Performers' Freestyle Performances. All of them showed tremendous levels of creativity in their acts, but Serena remained confident. Finally, the eight lasting Performers were called back to the platform to be judged by the audience.
They all stood in a row, silent. Serena glanced at Miette. The bluenette was already smirking at her across two other girls, and he honey-blonde threw her a quick glare before the platform started to rise.
The octet of girls were greeted with a cacophony of bellowing, but Monsieur Pierre quieted them.
"Now, s'il vous plaît, locate the Glowcasters on the seat in front of you," Pierre asked, and the audience began pulling out their scoring shafts. "You, the audience, will be judging these eight fine girls. Each Performer corresponds to a color. Select the color on your Glowcasters to vote for the Performer you think deserves the Venom Key!"
Suddenly, wavering hourglasses appeared above all the Performers, and orbs of light began shooting from the audience into the hourglasses. As an unspoken rule, no one looked up at their hourglass, and the light continued siphoning above their heads. What seemed like whole minutes passed, and Serena's legs began to shake. This was taking longer than she remembered. Just when she was about to sneak a glance upwards, the lights ceased to come from the audience, and the last few still in the air made their way above respective Performers' heads.
"And taking the Venom Key home today, winning by a mere nine votes, is Performer...SERENA!"
Her heart did a backflip and tingles ran up and down her body. She had done it. A smile crashed onto her face and her head whipped up. True to Monsieur Pierre's word, she had only nine more votes than the second place Performer named Marilyn. Miette had come in third.
"Give it up again for Performer Serena!" Pierre prompted, and the crowd roared even louder than it had before. The other seven Performers departed offstage, and the Monsieur approached Serena, his Klefki staff in hand, the Key Ring Pokémon itself holding the Venom Key.
"As proof of your victory here at Portabella City, I present to you the Venom Key," Pierre said. Klefki flew off his staff and dropped the large gold key in his gloved hand. He then handed it to Serena. "Thank you for attending!"
Serena gripped the metal, admiring the violet skull on the tip. Or was it a bouquet of flowers? She couldn't tell. "Thank you," she said, just loud enough for Pierre to hear.
Pierre seemed to have turned off his microphone, because his voice could also barely be heard over the roar of the crowd. "Don't thank me, une amie. You and your Pokémon earned this together."
Then the stage went dark, and the Monsieur escorted Serena back to the holding room. The girls squealed, even though they didn't even know her, and Serena spotted Ash fighting through the herd to his girlfriend. She pushed forward, politely thanking those who thanked her, until the bustle had dispersed and the couple stood alone.
"Ash...thank-"
Ash seized her locked her in a passionate kiss. Serena's brain felt like half melted butter and her heart throbbed with love, sending tingles coursing through her body. He spun her around playfully and placed her back on the ground before grazing his fingers under her chin and lifting it to look at her.
"You're beautiful," he breathed.
Serena blushed. "Aw, stop Ash. If I'm not already embarrassed enough…."
Ash smiled and ran his other hand through her soft honey-blonde hair. "Iris and Hayden'll want to see you."
"Let's go meet them," she smiled, grasping her hand to his under her chin. They departed from the holding room holding hands tightly, back into the chaos of the lobby. As they waded through the crowd, Serena felt a hand close around her arm. She wheeled around.
"Bonjour Serena," Vince said casually, his Seviper coiled around his neck and arms. "Congratulations on your win today." As if on cue, Seviper licked its lips and hissed playfully, training its beady eyes on Serena.
"Thank...you Vince," Serena said, still unnerved by the calmness of the man.
Ash pushed forward. "Vince, you didn't tell me you were the Portabella City Gym Leader."
"You didn't ask."
Ash frowned and shrugged, a glare evident on his face.
"I must say Serena, your Freestyle Performance was truly something else. And, well, you know that Seviper here loved your Poké Puffs."
The Fang Snake Pokémon hissed again, and Vince snatched a Pokéball from his belt, beaming Seviper back inside and depositing the Ball back. He rolled his shoulders. "Ah, much better. So Aiden, I expect I'll be seeing you at my Gym in the near future?"
"Ash," the raven-haired trainer grumbled. "But yes."
"Splendid. I look forward to your challenge. Let's see if you can at least come close to your girlfriend's level of skill. Ta-ta." He was gone before either of them could respond.
"Don't mind him," Serena said, snatching up her boyfriend's hand and dragging him further into the crowd, towards the doors.
They found Iris sitting against the wall and Hayden standing, sipping from a glass of cider.
"Ah, Serena! Congratulations!" Hayden exclaimed upon seeing them. He gave her a quick smile and hug before stepping back to make way for Iris.
Iris stood up, stretched and walked over to the honey-blonde. "Well let's see the thing!"
Serena withdrew the keyring and Venom Key from her handbag, and showed it to the other three. It glistened like real gold somber lighting of the lobby, the sun having begun its descent an hour ago. Purple crystal of some sort was encrusted along its length, and as Serena had noticed earlier, a small sculpture of what looked to be a skull or flowers decorated the tip.
Iris glanced at the the Key, then to the honey-blonde herself. A grin broke across her face and she threw her arms around Serena.
"Congrats girl!" Iris said, pulling away.
Serena giggled. "Thanks Iris."
Ash suggested leaving before VInce could find them again, so that's exactly what they did. Although she hadn't seen Miette after she won, Serena decided she'd call her tomorrow. The short walk back to the Pokémon Center was merry, and when they arrived, they the couple quickly changed back into casual clothes to have dinner. After dinner, the quartet departed outside like clockwork, to help train for Ash's next Gym Battle.
They decided to end the night early, all of them heading off to bed around ten. As per usual, Iris pestered the couple, Hayden herded her into their room, and Ash and Serena took turns in the bathroom before curling up against one another in the same bed. Sleep quickly took them all, giving them a peaceful end to their wonderful day.
Next - Chapter 13: Breath of Love
Author's Note
As I said in one of my profile updates, I could've had this chapter out a while ago, but it was quite boring to write. That being said, please leave a review telling me if you'd like me to pencil in future Performances in as much detail as this one, or leave it a bit vaguer so I can fit more action-packed stuff in the chapter.
Speaking of updates, if for some reason you're living under a rock, the next two Pokémon titles have been released: Pokémon Sun and Moon! I don't know if I'll be incorporating any new Pokémon, regions, characters, and such in this story, if the games come out before this finishes, but we'll see.
As a final note, I know the Keys Performers get for winning don't usually have names; they're just called Princess Keys, but I wanted to spice things up a bit, so hopefully you guys don't mind.
As always, please review, follow, favorite, and I'll catch you in the next chapter.
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