a/n: Thanks for the support.
JN Ash in XYZ Pov:
"Serena, I can explain," Ash said
"No more excuses Ash, explain what on earth is going on, you've been acting so strangely! First, you start hanging out with the group less, then you stop using your team, it's been almost two weeks since I've seen Greninja! I'm worried about you Ash, and now you're sneaking out." Serena said worriedly
Ash took a deep breath, "Serena, I…. I'm from the future,"
A pause happened between the two for a moment before Serena spoke
"I know…" Serena said
"What? How?" Ash said
"I…. I overheard you and Clemont talking late at night in the forest when I got up to use the bathroom, Ash I'm hurt. Why…. why did you not tell me?"
"I….. I was going to, I just… it's complicated," Ash said
"What do you mean? I thought I was your best friend, Ash I thought you could tell me anything!" Serena yelled out
"You are! It's just….. I…" Ash sighed and said something he didn't really think through, "I don't want things to change between us," Ash said
A pause happened, and a tense silence emerged between the two
"What do you mean change?" Serena said slowly
"Something….happens in the future between us Serena," Ash said, before looking down at the ground, taking a deep breath and telling her the truth, "I…. I know about your feelings,"
Serena's face went from mad to devastated in a matter of seconds, she looked at Ash and turned her head. Serena started tearing up and ran away, sobbing as she ran away from Ash
"Wait, Serena, I-!" Ash tried yelling out
But she was gone
—-
"Oh boy I messed up," Ash said to himself as he walked down the halls of the tower.
Ash kept thinking negative thoughts and didn't see a pissed-off Bonnie tapping her foot angrily in front of him.
"Dedenne, zap him!" Bonnie yelled out
Dedenne enthusiastically complied, and sent its strongest shock towards Ash, and caused him to yelp in pain.
"Bonnie! What was that for?" Ash yelled out
"Look at what you've done! You made Serena cry! I heard her crying and running down the hallway, and it's obviously because of you!" Bonnie accused Ash
"I… I never finished what I was going to say!" Ash defended himself
"Girls are really sensitive about these things!" Bonnie yelled out, "You need to apologize to Serena right now! Now, go find her, and tell her that you're sorry, and tell her how you feel while you're at it," Bonnie yelled at Ash
"Okay, okay! Fine, I'll head out!" Ash said, as he ran off to find Serena, wherever she was
"Oh Ash," Bonnie said and Ash turned his head
"Break her heart, and I'll break your kneecaps," Bonnie said with a smile
Ash knew she likely wasn't kidding about that
"Uhhhh yeah, bye!" Ash said nervously as he ran off, desperately trying to find Serena.
—-
Serena ran out of the tower and kept on running and running. Through the city, dodging traffic and pedestrians as she looked for a place to hide and cry alone.
Eventually, her eyes settled upon a cafe that seemed to be empty
Serena ran into the building and sat down at an empty table, and started breaking down, she felt like she was just hit with an emotional train.
How…. how on earth did he know? Was it because of something in the future? Was he going to reject her? Would they still be friends?
Serena sighed and just looked out of the window. Maybe she had overreacted by running away. But Ash was not the person she'd go to right now. Maybe Bonnie? Well, maybe not because she'd force Ash to talk to her. Ughhhh she just needed to rant now, if only someone who she knew was right her-
"Serena? Serena? Earth to Serena?" A girl with cherry red hair and glasses spoke to Serena.
"Ari- I mean Ariana?" Serena said surprised
"Why are you all alone in a cafe at this hour?" Aria asked
"It's just….. I….. I may have made a mistake with one of my friends, and he…. Well I ran away," Serena said
"Hmmm, sounds like classic boy problems, nothing some coffee and a good rant can't fix, come on, sit. Talk to me, what happened?" Aria asked
"Well, umm," Serena said, thinking of any reason why she shouldn't tell her the truth. But, truth be told, Aria is just the person she needed
"There's this guy I travel with named Ash, and I've known him for a really long time," Serena said
Aria just nodded and waved down a waiter, "I'll have the usual please, and the same for her,"
Serena kept talking, "Anyways, I may or may not have had a huge crush on him,"
Aria nodded, "So did you confess and not get an answer you liked?"
Serena shook her head, "Quite the opposite actually, he told me a secret he was keeping from me that well… it was hard to believe,"
"So he was keeping it for a reason, so why'd you run?" Aria asked
"He…. he told me he knows about my feelings, and when he told me, I ran," Serena said
"But did he ever say his own feelings?" Aria said
"Oh…. I mean… not exactly," Serena said
"Then you don't know! What you need to do is go find him and get this sorted out," Aria said
"But what if he says no?" Serena said
Aria shook her head, "From what I've heard about Ash, he's nice. He wouldn't hurt you, and even if he does, it's not ok to live your life trying to avoid rejections and failures. Do you know how many performances I've bombed?"
Serena tried to stand up, "Well, you make a convincing argument, I guess I gotta go find Ash,"
"Sit down! We're having coffee now, your man can wait another five minutes," Aria said
Serena smiled and sat back down
The universe had a way of making things work out, didn't it?
—-
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city,
Ash flew around on Dragonite, flying through alleys and over houses, up and all over. After nearly a half-hour, Ash landed, recalling Dragonite to rest and he sat on a park bench.
"Oh man, I messed up, what on earth should I do? Aaaaagh," Ash threw his hands up in frustration
He was hungry, had a lost friend he was looking for, Pikachu was back at the tower and overall his day was NOT going good.
"Uhhh Ash?" a voice said from behind him
"Cilan?" Ash said in surprise as he saw the green-haired connoisseur smile and walk towards him.
"Why are you in Kalos?" Ash asked his old friend and traveling companion
"I wanted to see the sights, explore the region and meet new people and pokemon!" Cilan said
Ash nodded his head, "Yeah, that's always a good reason,"
"What seems to be the matter? You seem concerned Ash," Cilan said
Ash sighed, "Well, truth be told, I uhhh, I have a secret, an insane one,"
He took a deep breath, figuring he could trust Cilan
"Well, what's the secret if you don't mind me asking?" asked Cilan
"I'm from almost a year into the future, and I woke up in the past almost two months ago," Ash said
"Well, that's really not that surprising if you ask me, truth be told Ash, you have an exciting taste, one meant for adventures like this. Trouble has a way of finding you," Cilan said
Ash sighed and smiled, "Yeah, you're right about that,"
"So what's so bad about the past?" questioned Cilan
"That's not really the issue funny enough," Ash said with a chuckle, "It's how the past is too good, there's this girl I traveled or travel with, and she's amazing, I uhh I really like her,"
Cilan smiled at Ash happily, "Well, that makes me happy to hear, my friend Ash Ketchum finally got over his density and found a girl,"
"Well, we aren't together, I just know she likes me and I may have mentioned it when I confessed to being a time traveler," Ash said while scratching his head
Cilan slapped his forehead loudly, "You did what now! Ash, that's awful! You should have told her how you feel!"
"I was going to! But the moment I called her out on her feelings, she ran away crying, and I've been looking for her all day ever since then," Ash explained
"Well, fear not! We're going to find her together, an adventure across the city, just like old times!" Cilan said while putting his hands on his hips
"Let's go!" Ash said with a smile, and the two boys ran off
—-
A few hours later….
Serena had spent the day with Aria out around the city, going shopping for themselves and their pokemon, as well as getting lunch along the way.
"So Aria, I gotta ask, where's the source of all this advice coming from? Is there a special man in your life?" Serena questioned
Aria's cheeks flushed red and she looked down at the ground, "Well, truth be told, there was someone special, but he moved away from Kalos after we had a fight, and I haven't seen him since. Maybe I'll see him again one day?"
"And you haven't moved on," Serena questioned
Aria sighed, "I'm always busy with my…. duties and honestly, I need to take the own advice I gave you. Put myself out there some more, or maybe, I'm waiting for him to come back home and we can fix things,"
Serena nodded, "Well, you're a literal queen, so maybe you'll find a king along the way!"
"Haha, I find that unlikely," Aria said with a laugh
—
Meanwhile, in the Lumoise sewers
"You said this was a shortcut!" Cilan yelled
"It is, I just didn't know pokemon lived here!" Ash yelled as they were being chased by angry Muk who launched sludge bombs at them.
"Hey Cilan, wanna see a new trick?" Ash smiled at his old friend
"Whatever you can do that helps!" Cilan shouted, ducking beneath another sludge bomb
"Alright, lets go Gengar!" Ash yelled
Ash's ring started glowing, and he started doing a dance which caused Cilan to yell at him, "Now is not the time to dance Ash! Oh…. oh!"
A wave of energy went into Gengar, and the ghost type glowed before Ash pointed at the targets and he got the memo
"Gengar, use shattered psyche!" Ash commanded as Gengar launched a massive pink wave which knocked out the group of poison types
"Told ya I had a trick up my sleeve," Ash said, "Oh look, there's the shortcut!"
Ash opened the manhole by the tower and climbed out, not expecting to see Serena standing a few feet away.
Serena turned her head, and the two of them made awkward eye contact for a few moments
"Oh…..uhhh hi Serena,"
Ash stomped his foot on the rung below him, trying to send a message to Cilan
He climbed out of the manhole and looked at Serena with a nervous smile.
"Hi Serena….. Mind if I… mind if we talk?" Ash awkwardly asked
"Yeah, yeah I'd like that," Serena said
"So uh about earlier, I'm sorry," Ash said, "I've been looking for you all day, and I just wanted to say that-"
"No, let me talk first," Serena said
"I overreacted, and acted like a child, I'm sorry for making you run around the city all day," Serena finished
"Well, back to what I was saying this morning about the future," Ash said
Serena nodded, preparing her heart for war
"Something happens between us on the last day in Kalos for both of us, and you…. You kissed me right before you left," Ash said while scratching his head, "And, truth be told, not a day has passed since then without me thinking of that kiss,"
"Oh…." was all Serena could say
"Look Serena, I know you have feelings for me, and being honest, after not seeing you for almost a year, I didn't know what my feelings were for you, but traveling with you again, I think I get it,"
Serena's heart sped up to what felt like a million beats per second
"Serena, I like you. You're my best friend and I can't lose you again. I have feelings for you," Ash said
Serena pinched herself and looked for a window to make sure she wasn't dreaming
An awkward silence emerged, with neither knowing what to do now.
Serena just hugged Ash, and on the spur of the moment, Ash pulled her into a kiss
Ash's second and Serena's first.
After a moment which felt like an eternity, Ash pulled her away
"You smell awful," Serena said with a giggle
"I was just in a sewer trying to find you," Ash said with a laugh
Serena grabbed Ash's head and pulled him into a second kiss, this time lasting a bit longer
All was good.