Ash opened his eyes and didn't see Serena but he knew she was pecking him on the cheek. The only thing he could see from the corner of his eye were her long locks as her face is beyond his vision to see her response. She let her lips stay on his skin just a little longer to memorize the taste.

She pulled away with a happy smile. A little blush over her face she would've thought her world would end if she did it without explaining herself. Mentally slapping herself for waiting so long to do it she studied his face. A mix of confusion, shock and enjoyment all mixed into a expression of disbelief.

"You kissed me."

"I did." Confirming her action she put her hands on her back and leaned forward teasing him with a grin. Butterflies in her stomach she was drunk on happiness.

"You kissed me."

Again he said in disbelief as he let his hand run over the cheek she did it on. Serena giggled as her peck on his cheek did more damage to his nerve system than one of Pikachu's Thunderbolts. It may have overwhelmed him but she thought it was a bit of his old denseness where he wasn't used to this kinds of expressions of emotions.

She pecked him again this time on his other cheek not to leave it cold. Incredibly playful she felt a happiness she didn't feel since becoming Kalos Queen. She pulled away again looking at Ash studying his every movement. She got the same response like her first smooch with him processing the action.

"You kissed me again."

"You're addicting." Blaming him her feelings were overriding any rational thought or fear of rejection as Serena let it all go. Did it feel good not to hide her feelings anymore having gained the confidence to bear them out in the open for Ash to see and feel.

"Why did you do it?"

"Simple. I like you, you were so nice to me with the Pokeflute present and so patient during my shoot and so sweet before Miette interrupted us I figured you deserved a present of me to you. Did you like it?" Curious how he felt Serena was never more energized. The exhaustion of the day vanishing in thin air she felt she can pull an all night dancing.

"It was…nice…" He let his hand trace off his cheek. There was a small faint hint of her lip-gloss on his fingers after the makeup dried out.

"Nice huh?" She loved his response. He did admit he liked it but he still couldn't wrap his brain around it.

"I know that you had to kiss me eventually. I just wasn't expecting it so soon."

"You liked it right?"

"Yeah…"

"Do you want me to kiss you more?"

"I wouldn't mind."

"Then I'll do it more often since you like it." Hearing his reaction a lot more pecking will have to be done. A request she's more than happy to fulfill. He kept looking into her blue eyes. He felt himself drowning in them as they were just so beautiful. Just like the rest of her.

"I really am stupid huh?"

"You're not stupid." She defended him.

"I should've noticed it sooner about you. The blushes, the sometimes stammering, the hugs we share. I really am stupid." He felt incredibly guilty.

"Nobody is perfect Ash. You just weren't interested in those things. I'm glad you are now." This time she stood on her toes and pecked his forehead. Her lips touching his forehead again he began to shut down. She had this hold over him he was unable to break as he'd jump off a bridge for her.

"Come on. Nina and Madeleine are waiting. I don't want to worry them and I think I questioned you enough."

She took a hold of his hand as she pulled him gently down the road. Holding hands she was a bit disappointed his palms were blocked by his gloves. Still his fingertips were sending signals as he gently squeezed her hand letting her know he did not want to let go.

"Come on. It's getting late and I don't want to worry Nina and Madeleine." She wanted to give him time to process what happened. She felt that she forced herself more than enough for one day having made more progress than hoped for.

They walked in silence for about ten minutes before reaching Madeleine's home again. A bit sad their day came to an end they saw the two singers sitting in the large living room waiting for the two as they listened to music from Madeleine's large library.

The older singer saw the two holding hands a bit too close for just friends. Ash and Serena reluctantly let go off the other while smiling to the other. Madeleine turned off the music.

"My. What a nice sight."

"Congrats you two." Nina not knowing exactly what they did today had a pretty good idea on the ending of it turning her back to them cause it hurt to watch them.

"You can tell of course." Serena unable to hide her intentions from Nina due to her Battle Bond sight.

"Tell what?" Madeleine asked her not being fully aware of Nina and Primarina's true powers yet.

"Me and Primarina can see positive emotions and right now she's blinding us." She made a comment to Serena long ago that she has seen just married woman being less in love with others than her with Greninja's trainer.

"I assume your day was productive?" Madeleine asked Serena if she succeeded in her activities as Kalos Queen.

"Yeah. I went for the flute, then did my shoot, ran into an old friend and…" She slowed for a second as a blush grew on her face.

"We can tell."

"How did your classes go?" Ash having somewhat gained his composure went about asking how the two singers spend their noisy day.

"I rather let my teacher speak for it."

"Save your voice. You'll need it again tomorrow."

Madeleine warned her. Nina nodded silently as she took it to heart. Ash and Serena always a little stunned at how much control one of her teachers has over Nina and with Madeleine being a mega user it showed that Nina respected her enough to listen despite Altaria.

"She and the others are doing great."

"How did it go with Altaria?" Serena wondering if the Humming Pokémon is being seen as help instead of a hindrance

"Cautious. They listen to advice but don't want Altaria to close. The trust is not fully there yet." Madeleine noticed her pupil looking down as if she was ashamed.

"It will come in time. Strong relationships aren't build to last in just one day. For us it's only been three so we still have a lot of work to do. I'm sure we'll get there." Madeleine having faith that it will all work out in the end as they all were getting ready for bed and a new day.

The next morning in a Pokémon Center a young girl had a newspaper in her hands and ran towards her brother who was working on a new device in the middle of the building as they waited for their Pokémon to get healed by Nurse Joy.

"Clemont! Clemont!"

"What is it Bonnie?"

"Here!" She pushed a newspaper into her brothers face. The Gym Leader pulled it away as he adjusted the glasses and then read the tagline.

"Has the Kalos Queen finally found her knight in shining armor? After many rejections and broken hearts the Kalos Queen has been spotted with one of the key players in the Shalour Showdown. Witnesses report the Performer kissing the male with her who has been identified as Ash Ketchum."

The news report went in deeper on both from what they did. Having been spotted together since over two months ago at the Laverre City ball and that appeared to be good friends at first. As time together and more sightings appeared of the two rumors began to grow about them maybe being something else. Their display in the open road only fueled those rumors and certified them.

"She actually kissed him! She finally did it!" Bonnie jumped up and down in excitement happy for Serena. It's been an eternity coming and it finally happened.

"Now that Ash has a girlfriend it's time to look one for you!" Bonnie said loudly flustering Clemont.

"I thought we were going to look for Squishy!" Their little journey wasn't going to take a detour just because he needed a girlfriend. Bonnie would certainly wanted to search for her little green friend first.

"But after we find Squishy we'll find you a girl too!"

"Help me."

Clemont and Bonnie retrieved their Pokémon and on the road to Snowbelle City Bonnie looked in every bush and nearly climbed in every tree to look for a hint of her friend.

"Squishy! Squishy! Where are you Squishy!? It's me, Bonnie!"

"Bonnie. I don't think Squishy is going to come out by just yelling."

"But Squishy has parts of him all over watching over us. He has to know that we're looking for him." She reasoned that the cells Zygarde is made out off always looked out for her. There just had to be one around some by. Clemont told her prepared a new invention.

"The future is now thanks to science!" Bonnie always had a mix of dread whenever her brother sprouted his catchphrase. But she pushed it aside for today since it probably is a thing that will help them find Squishy.

It was a rebuild model of the machine Clemont made when Squishy was gone after their first encounter with Team Flare. A Zygarde core lookalike on one wheel began to beep and roll away looking for it's target. The machine began to rumble after hitting a tree and began to shake wildly.

"Not again!"

The robot exploded like so many did before as the Lumiose siblings covered their eyes. Their clothes clean now a wolf like Pokémon in a mix and green and black stood before the blondes having protected them from the blast.

"Squishy! I missed you so much!" Bonnie ran with tears in her eyes and launched herself at the neck of the Pokémon. Rubbing her head against it the skin was pretty rough compared to the squishy core she used to carry. Dedenne jumped out of her pouch and crawled over the back of the creature jumping up and down at seeing its old friend too.

"Hello Bonnie. It's great to see you as well." The canine like creature said telepathically.

"We really need your help Squishy."

"I am aware of your request. I have been watching and listening to what is going on so I know why you want help." The guardian of Kalos aware of the situation and who they were looking for. He had a pretty good feeling where to start.

"I am aware of the man with the Pokémon like Greninja. I tried to follow him but he fled into a place I'm unable to access. My cells normally have every corner of Kalos covered but for observation but one area out of Snowbelle City I have been unable to go into it. None of my body has made it in leaving me unable to watch there."

"Then l will accompany you on this search. I too want to know what lies in that area."

The canine form of Zygarde glowed and green from it launched into the forests and trees as the form grew smaller. It stopped glowing and all that remained is a tiny slug with a red core in its stomach and one large eye.

"There's the Squishy I know!" Bonnie picked him up and twirled him around. Scratching his red core it began to wiggle in her hands.

"Now you can fit in my pouch again."

She slowly put her friend into her pouch and began to hop. As she started singing her Squishy song with a spring in her step things could barely get any better. Using Nina's advice she sounded a little bit better and pure as Bonnie noticed the little green thing bobbing its head.

After the whole Team Union thing things were finally starting to look up.

Can't wait till about 3 to 4 chapters from now. I'm in a rut with this one and I think the writing shows it. Either I need a break or something else.

See you around.