Chapter Six - Inner Turbulence

More than an hour later, Serena looked up and saw Aria enter the spare bedroom. After dismantling the pillow fort for the night, everyone had dispersed to their bedrooms. All the while, Serena had heard the muffled sounds of Aria speaking at great length with Meyer behind the closed door of his office. Now that she had finally resurfaced, Aria looked drained. Serena had never seen Aria so tired.

"Are you okay?" Serena said, sitting up on her bed as Aria shut the door behind her.

"Exhausted, but yes," said Aria. She tossed her beret down on her bed and then plopped down on it, stooping over to remove her shoes. She was red in the face.

"Are… things okay?" said Serena.

"Yes, very much so, actually," said Aria.

Aria set her shoes aside. Serena met her eyes as she looked up again. There was a pause.

"What?" said Aria.

"You're very red," said Serena.

Drawing her lips tightly together at the corner of her mouth, Aria looked up at the ceiling as she removed the many pins from the tight bun atop her head. This time, when her hair fell free, it was not nearly as matted and gnarled.

"I didn't expect him to hug me," Aria muttered.

Serena snickered.

"He's like that," she said.

"Nor did I expect him to call me family. Or tell me I could stay here as long as I liked. Or offer me a job."

"Wait, what? A job?"

"Right here, in this room," said Aria. "He says he'll pay me to help clean it up and organize it all, to help me get out of Lumiose City and get a place of my own."

"How much did you tell him?"

"Everything."

"Everything?"

"Everything about Palermo, anyway," said Aria. "He was… angry? I don't know what to call it. He said he couldn't allow something so horrible to happen to a friend of his family, and that he would do everything in his power to keep me safe."

"That sounds like Meyer," said Serena.

"It was really embarrassing," said Aria.

"That really sounds like Meyer."

"How do Clemont and Bonnie deal with him?"

"He's not around much."

"Clemont and Bonnie don't have a mom, do they?" said Aria.

Serena slowly shook her head.

"That's… not ideal," said Aria.

"He's a good dad," said Serena. "He loves his kids. He works really hard to support them and the things they like to do. He's always welcoming to their friends. I work for him, too, you know. He's even a pretty good boss. He's disorganized, but he's also understanding."

Aria laid down on her bed and tucked both of her hands behind her head.

"I guess I'm just not used to being around adults I can trust," she said.

Serena thought for a moment.

"It's pretty new to me, too, actually."


Monday morning arrived, and Serena slipped past a sound asleep Aria on her way out the door to work. The day passed in a frenzy of activity, with Meyer apparently behind schedule on several repairs that were overdue for delivery. At lunchtime, he handed Serena a stack of packages and hurried her out the door for a lengthy delivery route. As such, it was later than usual when she returned home that evening.

She found the first floor deserted, with only the smell of a missed dinner lingering in the air. In the kitchen, she found a plate wrapped in foil waiting for her in the refrigerator, her name affixed to it with a sticky note. She took the plate from the fridge and began to unwrap it. As she did so, something caught her eye.

She noticed the video phone in the corner of the room. A thought occurred to her. After checking one more time that she was in fact alone on the floor, she sat down at the kiosk and dialed.

Serena heard the receiver pick up and waited for the picture to come in. As always, it was a game to see who would move first. Her mother never turned on the camera until she knew who was on the other end of the line.

"Hello?" said Grace. Her voice was disembodied, portrayed by screen static. Serena knew that some things would never change, and this was one of them.

"Hi, mom."

The screen flickered and came to life. The incomprehensible static on the screen transfigured into a more organized form, colors and shapes springing forth from the chaotic mess of gray to become the face of her mother. She found her mother as always sitting at the phone kiosk in the kitchen, her suspenders down and tied around her waist after a long day of work.

"Serena! It's good to hear from you! How have you been? How's the job? Everything going well?"

It was the predictable barrage of questions. Serena nodded and prepared the predictable answer.

"I've been doing well," said Serena.

But then, a thought came to her. She tried something new and added to her statement.

"How about you?" said Serena. "How have you been?"

"Oh, I've been fine," said Grace. She looked surprised to be asked. "Busy, of course."

"Were you able to get what's-his-name to work for you?"

Serena hid it well, but inwardly she smirked. She knew the boy's name. She also knew it would irritate her mother to pretend she forgot it.

"Calem was more than happy to accept the job offer," said Grace. "And just like I thought, his enthusiasm went away as soon as he figured out he wouldn't be working with you."

"Poor guy."

"If you want to pretend to feel sorry for him, let it be for his tender hands," said Grace. "He clearly hadn't worked a day in his life before he showed up on the doorstep last week. He's got horrible blisters. One weekend wasn't enough for them to heal. Rhyhorn has been slow to warm up to him, unfortunately."

"The only person Rhyhorn likes is you," said Serena.

"He likes you, too!" said Grace.

Vivid memories of being bucked off Rhyhorn's back, chased around the paddock, and almost trampled flooded Serena's mind.

"He has a weird way of showing it, then."

"That's just how Rhyhorn are," said Grace. "Calem has a lot to learn, though. Rhyhorn threw him halfway across the field last Wednesday."

"You always told me that builds character," said Serena.

"It does," said Grace. "I just can't help but feel sorry for the boy that this isn't what he expected at all."

Serena narrowed her eyes.

"Didn't you leave out the details on purpose?" she said.

"Yes, and I wish I hadn't," said Grace.

"You seemed to think it was funny when I was still there."

"Just because I'm getting older doesn't mean I can't learn," said Grace. "I've learned enough to know that sometimes it's worth thinking about the way you do things, even if it's the way you've always done them."

Serena tightened her lips and nodded.

"So," said Grace, adopting a mischievous look. "Any eligible coworkers at your new job?"

"Mom."

"Just asking!"

"It's just me and Meyer," said Serena. "And his Ampharos, too. He offered me a job because he needed an assistant, remember?"

"I know, I know," said Grace, waving a hand. "I was wondering if maybe he had hired anyone else to help. It sounded like there was a lot of work for you."

"There is," said Serena. "And, technically, he has hired someone else. She hasn't officially started yet, though."

Serena hoped the emphasis would deter her mother from prying further. She succeeded.

"Ah. Well, I hope he's not overworking you."

"He isn't. My job is pretty easy, actually. It's a lot of mindless busywork, but he's not really in a hurry to finish it."

"That's no excuse to slack off, though," said Grace.

"I'm not slacking off!" said Serena. "I don't even have time to! I spend most of my mornings sorting boxes of old parts and salvaging anything he can use from them. Most of my afternoons are spent running deliveries for him. I barely even have time to look at a clock."

"Deliveries?" said Grace.

"Yes. His business is… weird. It seems like all he does is collect old gadgets and take them apart for fun while he repairs electronics for people who don't know how. I've delivered laptops and stuff to people all over the city. And sometimes he fixes things that are super old, like those giant old TVs. He delivers those himself, though. There's no way I could carry one of them."

"I'm surprised there's a market for that in this day and age."

"Me too. I don't ask questions, though."

"Probably for the best," Grace said, accompanied by a subdued laugh.

A few seconds of silence passed during which Serena didn't know what to say. She wanted to get to the point already, but she had no idea how to do it without arousing suspicion. Her mother broke the silence.

"So, other than work, how have things been?" said Grace. "Been having a good time with your friends?"

"Oh, yes, I have."

"Has it been good to see them again?"

"Yes, definitely. We've been doing something fun almost every day."

"Oh really? What have you all been up to?"

"We've been to the movies a few times, been to a couple of outdoor festivals, go to the park every now and then. We hang out at Clemont's gym a lot. He's always working on his robot. Bonnie is a handful, as always, but Korrina is really great with her. They're both so energetic."

"A robot?" said Grace. "You mean the one Clemont told me ran the gym while he was away?"

"Yes. That's Clembot. He made one for Korrina, too."

"Is he still using that thing to run his gym even though he's back in the city?"

"Pretty much. He's always there with Clembot, but it's Clembot who does all the battling."

"Is Korrina is also using a robot to run her gym?"

"She is," said Serena. "She's been in Lumiose for a while. I think she got here about a month before I did."

"I really hope the two of them don't get in trouble for that," said Grace.

"For what?" said Serena. "Using robots to run their gyms? Clemont knows the league rules by heart. It's not against the rules. He even knows the numbers of the sections in the rulebook that cover it."

"It doesn't seem like it should be allowed, if you ask me," said Grace.

"Huh? Why not?"

"It's against the spirit of the challenge, don't you think?"

"Not really," said Serena. She shook her head. "Clemont made Clembot himself and he modeled it after himself. It acts just like him. In a way, it's still him who's battling everyone, you know?"

"I'm sure there are some trainers who really don't like that," said Grace.

Serena's mind drifted to the challenger who drew Korrina's wrath.

"Well, yeah, there are."

"I know you don't pay much attention to the news, but it was a bit of a scandal when he left town to travel with you all," said Grace.

"It was?"

"It made the news, anyway. It sounded like league officials didn't think it was a good look to have the gym leader in the largest city in Kalos take such a long leave of absence, but they were willing to excuse it because the robot at least fit with the theme of an electric-type gym."

Serena hesitated to respond. She blinked.

"I've never heard any of this before," she said.

"Clemont must have, one way or another," said Grace.

"He's never mentioned it."

"Maybe that's why he's devoting so much time to improving his robot, and why he's there with it all the time," said Grace.

"Maybe," said Serena. She wasn't sure. Not about Clemont and Korrina's robots, nor anything else.

"I hope he doesn't get Korrina in trouble," said Grace. "Maybe he can get away with it, but if she's left her gym unattended for so long, someone who doesn't like battling against a robot is bound to complain sooner or later."

"I hope not," said Serena.

"Plus, I'm not sure if anyone at the league office knows about those two," said Grace. She gave Serena an aside glance as if trying to keep a secret despite no one else being present. "I can't imagine they would take well to the two of them being together. Dating coworkers is a messy business."

Serena narrowed her eyes.

"Weren't you just trying to encourage me to do that?"

"Oh, it's not the same thing!" said Grace, her words followed by a dismissive wave of the hand. "It's no big deal when you're at someplace so small, like you. It's different when you're a public figure. You face a lot of scrutiny. There are expectations to meet, appearances to maintain. It's a tough life."

With her lips pursed, Serena nodded.

"I know," she said.

"Well, I'm glad you understand it," said Grace. "Honestly, it's a relief to me that you've given up on being a performer. I know some people crave it, but I've never understood people who wanted to see their own face all over the TV and the papers."

Serena measured her response.

"Me neither," she said.

Another few seconds passed in silence. Once again, Grace ended it.

"Well, I need to get cleaned up before bed. I'm a mess. You know how it is."

Grace ran a hand over her forehead. A smudge of dirt smeared across it. Serena nodded.

"Yeah, I do," said Serena.

"Alright, then," said Grace. "It was good to hear from you! Please, call whenever you like, okay? I'll always do my best to be available. I promise."

Tentative, Serena nodded again.

"Okay."

"Okay," said Grace. "Well then, have a good night."

It took Serena a moment to realize the conversation was coming to an end. When it occurred to her, she stumbled over her words, and her reply came out rushed.

"-Mom!"

"Hmm?"

Grace peered at Serena through the screen. Serena hesitated yet again.

"Have… Has there been any mail for me?" Serena asked.

Grace shook her head.

"No, there hasn't been. Not a thing. Were you expecting something?"

"No… just checking, that's all," said Serena. She was certain her mother saw right through her words. The way Grace's eyebrow raised ever so slightly was all she needed to see to confirm it.

"Well, if anything shows up, I'll let you know," said Grace.

"Thanks," said Serena. Even through the camera, she could not meet her mother's eyes.

"Okay, then," said Grace. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Serena saw her mother reach for the button to switch off the display. A moment later, Grace disappeared with a click, replaced by static again. The line went silent. Serena switched off the screen on her end, leaving behind only a dark, reflective surface. She saw herself faintly mirrored in it. She sighed and placed her elbows on the kiosk, and her chin in her hands.

There were many things she wanted, but what she wanted most of all was a way to contact Ash. She had never felt so far apart from him.


After reheating her dinner plate and scarfing it down alone, Serena ascended the stairs. She proceeded past Clemont's room. His door was ajar and the lights were off. From inside, she heard the sounds of a movie playing, pale light flickering on the walls. The door to Bonnie's room was open. Nobody was inside.

As such, Serena was doubly surprised to find the door to the spare bedroom shut and to find Aria laying there on the bed near the door. Startled by the unexpected entrance, Aria quickly sat upright and shut the book she had been reading.

"Oh! There you are," said Aria. "We were concerned when you weren't in time for dinner. Clemont saved you a plate."

"I know," said Serena. She stepped into the room and shut the door behind her again. "I found it. Sorry for being late. And for making everyone worry. And for startling you."

"That's quite alright," said Aria. "Busy day, I presume?"

"Yes, I-"

Serena took one step past Aria's bed in the direction of her own, then stopped in her tracks. The room was still a disaster, but the clear path to the other side of the room was much wider than when she left that morning. Several of the more precarious piles of parts throughout the room had been greatly reduced in size. The areas around both of the beds had both been completely cleared. On the far side of the room, Aria's Delphox carried a box. She placed it atop an orderly stack that had not been there the last time Serena had been in the room.

Her jaw hanging open, Serena looked at Aria. Looking rather pleased with herself, Aria smiled.

"I guess you had a busy day, too," said Serena.

"Why yes, I did," said Aria. "Thank you for noticing."

"Thank you for doing this," said Serena. "How did you do so much? This must have taken the whole day!"

"It did, actually," said Aria. "I only settled into bed for the evening a short while ago."

Amazed at the difference, Serena looked all around as she wandered to her bed and set her bag down on top of it. Taking another glance at Aria's Delphox, Serena dug into her bag and took a Poke Ball from it. She released her own Delphox, who materialized next to Aria's. The two of them exchanged an awkward greeting, one which was cut short when Serena's Delphox took notice of the stack of boxes beside which Aria's Delphox stood. Serena's Delphox tilted her head ever so slightly.

"Maybe this is weird, but I'm really impressed!" said Serena. "Korrina and I had no idea what to do with all this junk. We did our best just to make it so we could walk around in here. This mess is just so big. How did you even know where to start?"

"Honestly, all I did was pick a spot and dug into it," said Aria. "The rest just kind of happened along the way."

"You say it like it's so easy," said Serena. "This had to have been hard work!"

"You flatter me," said Aria. "It wasn't that hard. It didn't feel like it, anyway. If anything, it was an enjoyable change of pace. A change can be as good as a rest, after all."

Serena sat down on the edge of her bed. Aria continued.

"Also, I had some additional motivation. Aromatisse and Delphox are not fond of this mess. Even when we were residing in the abandoned dance school, we kept things more orderly than this."

On the other side of the room, Serena's Delphox pulled out her wand. She pointed it at one of the many towering stacks of junk. There was a glint of indigo light in her eyes, and then the top of the stack rose into the air. She transferred the pile from one stack to another, setting it down on top of a shorter stack.

Aria's Delphox said nothing. She watched, very still.

"That, and I doubt Korrina wishes to stay in Bonnie's room forever," said Aria.

"Oh, yeah," said Serena. "That's right. I almost forgot that… that was her bed before you arrived."

Serena awkwardly pointed at the bed on which Aria sat. Aria gave her a measured, serious nod.

"I have not forgotten, unfortunately," she said. "Even though everyone insists I am not imposing, I continue to feel as though I am. I spoke to Korrina again today and let her know that I was content to move to the couch downstairs if she wanted her bed back, but she wouldn't hear it."

"Korrina would never demand that bed back," said Serena. "She would give you the shirt off her back."

Aria tugged at the fabric of the tank top she wore. Along with the sweatpants covering her legs, Serena recognized them as the clothes Korrina lent Aria on her first night there. Aria raised one eyebrow.

"Literally, it seems," she said.

"Maybe that wasn't the best example," said Serena.

"One without a double meaning would be better, yes," said Aria.

Serena thought for a moment and came up with nothing.

"I can't think of a better way to say it, but all of my friends are kind people," said Serena. "None of them would ever think you were imposing. They're probably all really happy to have you here!"

"Is that so?" Aria said, her face skeptical.

"Well, I haven't asked them about it," said Serena. "But they've included you in stuff, haven't they?"

Immediately, Serena's mind turned to the movie playing in Clemont's room.

"Wait, did they not invite you to watch the movie?" Serena said, pointing in the direction of Clemont's room.

"They invited me. I declined."

"You said no?"

"That's right."

"Why?"

"Because things are still justifiably awkward between me and them, and I preferred the idea of having some quiet time to myself to trying to force interaction with them for a few hours."

"You don't have to force anything," said Serena. "They're really nice, I promise!"

"Be that as it may, you all know each other well already, whereas that is very much not the case between me and them. I am still the Kalos Queen to them, and I am still the person who deceived everyone and caused everyone a considerable amount of unnecessary trouble in Monego City. They would be justified in not trusting me."

"Well, yes, of course it's going to be awkward at first," said Serena. "Things got off to a weird start between you all, but once they get to know you, that will change. Everyone wants to be your friend!"

"Yes, because of what I am, not who I am."

"I'm friends with you because of who you are!"

"And our friendship is quite possibly the most forced friendship in history."

"No, it isn't!"

"I tricked you into liking me because I wanted you to!"

"And I continue to like you because I genuinely like who you are!"

There was a tense silence. Aria looked aside and pulled a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I know this is strange coming from me, but making friends is a new experience for me. I don't know how to do it."

"I don't, either," said Serena. Her reply drew a glance from Aria.

"You live here with your friends," said Aria. "I know they aren't your only friends, either."

"And for all of them, it just kind of happened," said Serena. "I had no idea what I was doing. I don't think anyone does. Honestly, I did a whole bunch of dumb things with them. I pretty much inserted myself into their lives."

"Did you really?"

"Clemont and Bonnie were already traveling with Ash. I went chasing after Ash. When I caught up with them, I kind of just… attached myself to their group. Ash eventually invited me to come along with them."

Aria went quiet. She thought for a moment.

"How long was it before you felt like everyone actually liked you?" she asked.

"Not that long," said Serena. "Honestly, I wasn't paying much attention because I was only concerned with whether or not Ash liked me."

Aria closed her eyes for a split-second longer than a blink, long enough that Serena was certain she was rolling them and trying to hide it.

"That's right," said Aria. "Your single-minded focus."

Serena was reminded all too well of the revelations from their conversation aboard Aria's yacht. She tightened her lips for a moment.

"I never gave up," she said. "Not then, and not now."

"Yes, I know," said Aria. "You don't do that, no matter what."

"No."

"I maintain what I said about him, you know."

Serena's brow creased.

"What about him?"

"You don't need him."

Serena's jaw tightened. Without realizing it, she clenched her fists.

"So what?" she said. "I want him. That's all that matters."

"He doesn't need you, does he?" said Aria.

"I don't care if he doesn't need me! I want him, and that's that!"

"And what if he doesn't want you?"

Serena jammed her hand into her bag. Furious, she pulled out the stack of Ash's letters and brandished it at Aria.

"You see these?" said Serena. "This is the number of times he's written to me while we've been apart! Every single one of these is signed Love, Ash. What part of that looks like him not wanting me?"

"The part where he chose to help another girl rather than help you."

Serena slammed the stack of letters onto the bed.

"I love him! He loves me!"

"For your sake, I hope he means it."

"I've got proof of it right here!" said Serena, pointing at the letters on the bed. "I'll show you the signatures!"

"Actions speak louder than words."

Incensed beyond words, Serena only stared, indignant and enraged as Aria rose from her bed. Aria tucked her pillow under one arm and gave Serena a grave look.

"You'll see what I mean. It's only a matter of time."

Aria picked up her book, then headed for the door. As she reached for the doorknob, she glanced at Serena one more time.

"I'll be on the couch tonight."

At that, Aria left. Before Serena had so much as a moment to comprehend what had happened, Ribombee burst from her ball inside Serena's bag. She hovered fretfully in front of Serena for a moment before zooming out the door and down the hall, appearing greatly distressed.

Without a sound, Aria's Delphox tiptoed across the room and slipped out the door. Serena's Delphox sent Serena a brief glance, then turned away. Serena herself flopped down on her bed. Her head throbbed.

So did her heart.


The next morning, Serena woke up alone. The very first thing she felt was a pang in her chest at the memory of her argument with Aria. She could not remember falling asleep, only covering her face with a pillow and seething with anger for an unknown amount of time.

Her daily routine passed with the slow inevitability of a funeral march. The entire day felt like sleepwalking, her thoughts dwelling endlessly on Ash, and on Aria's words. And so it was that day, and the next, and for the rest of the week. Aria slept on the couch every night. Outside of a few interactions with the others, during which they both pretended nothing had happened, they never talked. Meals, movies, and games passed without an ill word exchanged, all too easy to pretend that nothing ever happened.

The end of the week came. Somehow, it had taken both forever and no time at all. That Friday afternoon, Serena's delivery route was spoiled by rain. Despite her raincoat, umbrella, and boots from her trip to Kanto proving their usefulness, she still ended up drenched to the bone by the end of the day.

But worse than being wet, she was cold. For the first time since the previous winter ended, she saw her breath. With every step she took, she left a tenuous trail of vapor that vanished into the rain just as quickly as it appeared. Slowly, as she trudged through the city streets with her arms wrapped tightly around herself, the bag over her shoulder emptied of packages.

After hours outside, Serena delivered the final package. With her delivery bag empty, she descended the front steps of the residence and prepared to make the long walk home in the rain. Hidden beneath her big red umbrella, she kept her head down. She wasn't certain if it was her waterlogged stockings and skirt, or if it was something else, but she knew it had been a long time since she felt so heavy. Every step was a chore.

Amidst a sea of taciturn people standing at a street corner, waiting in a veritable forest of umbrellas for the traffic light to turn, a jolt of adrenaline shot through Serena's heart. She saw Aria's face among the crowd.

Serena blinked, certain her eyes deceived her. They did. The face she saw belonged to Aria, but it was not Aria herself. It was Aria in paper form, her face adorning the front page of a newspaper a businessman held folded and tucked under his arm. Serena tried to get closer to read the words beneath the photo, but before she could, the sea of pedestrians moved on without her. Disoriented, she stood there trying to dodge everyone as they passed.

Several confusing seconds later, Serena was left alone on the corner. Yet, Aria's face remained. A short distance down the block, Serena saw a newspaper dispenser, the same picture of Aria as before staring at her from behind the glass, drops of water trickling down the front of the case.

Serena approached it. Her jaw dropped as she read the headline.

The Missing Queen

Beneath the headline was a picture of Aria walking off the stage after a performance. Serena recognized the venue. She had been there. Below the photo, a caption.

Kalos Queen Aria, not seen publicly since defending her title (pictured), has vanished, Palermo says

Serena stood in front of the glass case and stared, neither breathing nor blinking until a gust of wind sent a shiver down her spine. Suddenly aware of her heart thundering in her chest and an overwhelming impulse to move, she dug into her bag looking for coins, her hands shaking. With great difficulty, she scrounged up the loose change she needed and inserted it into the dispenser, at one point running after a coin that missed the slot and went rolling down the sidewalk.

In the end, the glass case opened for her. She took the paper, shoved it into her bag, and ran home.


The Missing Queen

LUMIOSE CITY - Reigning Kalos Queen Aria, unseen in public since her successful title defense in May at the Master Class showcase in Gloire City, has abruptly withdrawn from public life, according to a new interview with colleague and former Kalos Queen Palermo.

Speaking in private earlier this week, Palermo confirmed in an interview that Aria has ceased all communications with the members of her inner circle as well as the general public. The revelation comes amid months of speculation regarding Aria's whereabouts, including rumors that negotiations for either a record deal or a big-screen debut were underway. Palermo's interview now casts doubt on those rumors and sheds new light on the events taking place off-camera in the life of the notoriously secretive Kalos Queen.

"After her successful title defense in Gloire City, our communication became less frequent and more tense," said Palermo, well-known as Aria's mentor and closest confidant. "I grew concerned for her, but even as I expressed my concern, she withdrew from me and everyone else. As much as success begets success, I worry that the pressure to succeed may have overwhelmed her."

When asked about the possibility of Aria breaking the all-time record of four consecutive years as Kalos Queen, a record now shared by her and Aria, Palermo downplayed the significance of the record and its role in Aria's retreat. "While [Aria] is no doubt aware of the record and its historical significance, breaking records has never been her motivation, nor mine. However, I believe in the power that narratives hold. In the minds of most, it is already assumed that Aria will easily defend her title once more. Living up to the expectations of so many, making that narrative into reality, can be a terrible burden for some. I worry that Aria feels that weight."

Speaking of the competition Aria faced at this year's Master Class showcase and is expected to face in her final title defense next year, Palermo questioned the strength of the field at-large and the effect that weaker competition has had on the Kalos Queen. "It has been noted by many that the last two years, particularly last year, have yielded the shallowest field of challengers Aria has faced in her reign. While I know that a weaker field would inspire some to rest on their laurels, Aria is not the type to grow complacent. Rather, I expect that she feels even greater pressure to win. I am concerned that the pressure has become too great."

Regarding the safety of the reigning Kalos Queen, Palermo stated that she is not concerned and does not believe that intervention from law enforcement is required on Aria's behalf, emphasizing that all signs point to Aria's withdrawal being voluntary and deliberate. Now, two weeks away from Aria's seventeenth birthday and her final year of eligibility for performance showcases, Palermo calls into question the chances that Aria resurfaces in time to defend her title for an unprecedented fifth time in May, a date now only six months away.

"Aria is, first and foremost, a fiercely independent young woman. That attitude is something she has remained determined to keep up through all her years as a public figure, all the way back to when we first began working together almost a decade ago. If she does not wish to return to defend her title, she will not. However, I believe I speak on behalf of the entire Pokemon performance community in saying that I hope she does return."

Considering that Aria has always kept her private life hidden from the camera, Palermo expects that speculation will run more rampant than ever. "The terrible part of silence is what people say to fill the hole it leaves behind. Already I have heard rumors of people spotting her vacationing alone in Monego, or, if you can even believe it, working at a cafe in Lumiose! I fully expect to hear that someone thinks she is living on the moon by the time this interview reaches the public. And I can assure you that every single one of those rumors is exactly as ridiculous as they sound."

As for Aria's current whereabouts and activities, Palermo is left to speculate with the rest of the Kalos Queen's fans. "She could be anywhere. Frankly, I doubt that she has chosen to remain in Kalos, though. Regardless, I hope that wherever she has gone, the change of scenery is helpful to her, and that she returns from her leave of absence feeling renewed and ready to compete once again."


Serena sat at the kitchen table with the newspaper sprawled out before her. With her head in her hands and her eyes out of focus as she stared aimlessly at the wall of text, raindrops pattered endlessly against the window. Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina filled the remaining seats at the table. Aria had locked herself in the bathroom upstairs.

"I never truly doubted the authenticity of Aria's claims about Palermo, but somehow I never understood the extent of what she described to us," said Clemont. "I never expected her claims about Palermo's influence over the media to be demonstrated to be true in such a dramatic manner."

"How can she get away with this?" said Bonnie. "It's all a bunch of lies! Dad's going to be so mad!"

"It defies all sound reasoning due to the staggering number of assumptions involved in it, but I don't know what other conclusions to draw from this other than that Aria was telling the truth and that her situation is even worse than what she explained to us."

"How does Palermo know all this stuff?" said Korrina. "Does she seriously have people watching the entire city? Has she been following us? She's gotta know Aria is here, right?"

"With the specificity she used in the interview, I think it is reasonable to assume she knows exactly where Aria is and wants to throw people off Aria's tracks so that she can make her next moves in secret," said Clemont.

"What is she going to do?" said Korrina. "Break in here? Raid the house and take Aria away?"

"What are we gonna do?" said Bonnie. "We can't just sit here and let her do this!"

"Exactly!" said Korrina. "We've got to stop her! Has anyone tried to stand up to her before? I bet no one has because of how famous she is! How strong could she be?"

Without looking up, Serena answered.

"Much stronger than you think," she said.

"She had that Pierre guy helping her out when you battled her, though!" said Korrina.

"In all likelihood, Palermo would have assistance no matter how one engaged her in battle," said Clemont. "It simply isn't likely that she would go anywhere unguarded."

"Plus, she caught Serena and Aria off-guard!" said Korrina. "It was an ambush! She's probably afraid to start a fair fight because she can't win one!"

Serena shook her head.

"There's no way I could have won," she said. "You didn't see what her Florges could do."

"That prissy thing?" said Korrina. "It's gotta be as old as she is! How can it possibly be that strong?"

"Given what some Pokemon lifespans are like in relation to those of humans, that's probably precisely how her Florges is as strong as Serena says," said Clemont. "If a Pokemon naturally lives much longer than humans, what looks like age may actually be more aptly characterized as experience."

"I still say we fight her!" said Korrina. "We've got Serena and Aria, who were able to hold their own, plus two gym leaders! And Lucario and I can use mega evolution! I'm sure if we make the first move, she wouldn't stand a chance against all of us!"

Serena shook her head.

"Aw, come on!" said Korrina. "How can you not want to fight her after all this?"

"I saw what she can do," said Serena. "I can't beat her. None of us can. Not even you."

Korrina appeared offended.

"Have you seen me and Lucario in action lately?" said Korrina. "We're on fire!"

"Realistically, I'm not certain Lucario has a good matchup against Florges," said Clemont. "Lucario's typing is a disadvantage, especially since most of the moves he knows are fighting-type. His steel typing would be advantageous, but it balances out to neutral when combined with his fighting typing and you don't have any evident way to exploit it."

Korrina threw her hands up in the air and then let them fall.

"Oh, fine! But if we can't beat her, then who can? She can't be the strongest trainer in the world, can she?"

Serena shook her head.

"No, she isn't. She's not invincible."

"How strong is she, then?" said Korrina. "Are we talking like champion level, or more like elite four level?"

Serena shrugged and made an apologetic face.

"I don't know," she said. "That's your field, not mine. All I know is that she's too strong for us to fight, and you've got to trust me on that."

"Well, if we can't beat her, do you think you know anyone who can?" said Korrina.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, now," said Clemont. "The last thing this plot needs is to get even more people involved in it. I think it would be in our best interests to reconsider all of the new information we have acquired and spend some time think-"

"Ash."

All heads turned toward Serena.

"Ash could beat her," she said.

Silence persisted for a few seconds while everyone else took in the words.

"But Ash isn't here!" said Bonnie. "What are we gonna do? Wait for him?"

"Maybe?" Serena said with a shrug.

"When is he gonna come back?" said Bonnie.

"I don't know," said Serena. "When he's done helping Lillie in Alola, I guess."

"What if he doesn't come back?" said Korrina. "We can't just wait around forever!"

"True as that may be, I am inclined to think that waiting is, at least for the time being, a far superior option to taking action without considering the risks," said Clemont. "Furthermore, I am inclined to think that Serena is correct that Ash is likely to return to Kalos after he completes his journey in Alola."

"Why wait, though?" said Korrina. "Can't we just call him or something and tell him we need his help right now?"

Serena looked down as she shook her head.

"No."

"There's gotta be some way to contact him, right?" said Korrina.

"Unfortunately, Ash is elusive whether he intends to be or not," said Clemont. "He's not exactly gifted with technology. You may recall him constantly being amazed by my inventions."

"Doesn't he have a phone or something?" said Korrina. "Anything?"

She received three shaking heads in response.

"Aw, come on, you guys!" said Korrina. "Really?"

"He doesn't even have an email address," said Serena. "The only phone number he has goes to his home in Pallet Town. I was lucky to even get that. He's written to me a bunch of times, but all the letters are addressed from different places. I tried to write back to him, but I don't think he ever got my letter."

Korrina looked up at the ceiling and groaned.

"Are we really just going to sit around and wait for him to show up?" she said.

"While I agree that this is not a satisfying solution, I'm afraid it may be the best one we have at the moment," said Clemont.

"We can protect Aria, can't we?" said Bonnie. "Palermo wouldn't really break in here, would she?"

"We have no way of knowing, unfortunately," said Clemont. "It certainly seems that she is not shy about using underhanded tactics, though."

Clemont paused for a moment. An idea seemed to come to him.

"Taking that into consideration," he said, "I suppose that is all the more reason not to attempt to engage Palermo in a so-called fair fight. We have no reason to believe she would fight fair."

Korrina sighed. She folded her arms on top of the table, pouted, and then slouched over, resting her chin on top of her arms.

"Oh, alright, fine," she said. "I won't try to fight her right now."

A few seconds passed without anyone speaking. Korrina then spoke again.

"What's the plan, though?" she said. "We need to protect Aria, don't we?"

"I suppose that necessarily becomes our next course of action," said Clemont. "We will need to remain vigilant. Luckily, we have some highly capable guards on our side."

Clemont pulled a Poke Ball from his pocket and opened it. Luxray emerged from it.

"Luxray's x-ray vision enables him to see through the walls," said Clemont. He looked pleased with himself. "He can easily observe any suspicious activity taking place outside without ever setting foot out of doors."

Luxray made a gruff sound of acknowledgment, as if in agreement. For a moment, his eyes glowed red.

"And for that matter, I'm certain that Luxray is not the only Pokemon we have who is well-equipped for the job," said Clemont.

Korrina sat upright again and held up a Poke Ball of her own.

"Hey, yeah!" she said. "Lucario can sense aura! He can tell who is outside without having to look!"

Serena shifted her eyes toward her bag. Once again, she felt a strange sensation of pressure in her head. Without thinking, she reached for Delphox's Poke Ball and wrapped her hand around it.

She pulled the ball from her bag and looked at it. Somehow, she already knew the answer to the question she had not yet asked. She opened the ball anyway. Delphox materialized in the kitchen beside Luxray. The two exchanged a brief greeting.

Then, Delphox looked at Serena. Their eyes met. Without looking at anyone else, Serena spoke.

"Delphox is psychic. She can sense others, too."


The discussion at the kitchen table continued for some time, Clemont belaboring the point about setting up a schedule for guarding the house and crafting contingency plans in event of an emergency. Serena only half-listened, her mind elsewhere. In part, her mind was in Alola, wondering yet again about Ash. A greater part of her mind dwelled on what she knew was about to come, an unenviable task which she dreaded.

And so, before she knew it, she stood in front of the bathroom door in the otherwise empty hallway. With dread in her stomach, she raised her hand to the door. Weakly, she knocked her knuckles against it three times in succession.

A few seconds passed without anything happening. Then everything happened at once.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take so long. I-"

Hurried footsteps were followed by the sudden opening of the door. Aria was already in the middle of an apology when her face appeared in the halfway-open door. As she switched off the lights and the vent fan, she cut herself off mid-sentence and looked up. Her eyes met with Serena's, and she froze.

Tentative, Serena broke the ensuing silence.

"Hi."

Right away, she felt like a fool for saying it. Aria looked confused, and perhaps even disgusted.

"Hi," Aria replied.

More silence followed. Aria opened the door the rest of the way, no longer hiding behind it.

"It's all yours if you want it," said Aria, motioning toward the toilet with a tilt of her head. She moved as if to step past Serena.

Serena held out a hand. Aria stopped, with Serena's hand hovering just above her arm.

"We need to talk," said Serena.

Aria backed up a step. Serena lowered her hand.

"About what?" said Aria.

"A lot of things," said Serena.

"What is there to say?" said Aria. "Palermo is going to do whatever it takes to get me back. She's ruined my life. I ruined our friendship. That's all there is to it."

"I want to say that I'm sorry," said Serena.

"You're sorry?" said Aria. "For what?"

Before Serena could draw breath to speak, Aria raised a finger and interrupted her.

"And don't say everything."

Serena swallowed the words in her mouth and searched for new ones.

"I'm sorry that all this has happened to you," said Serena. "You don't deserve it."

"It's not a matter of what I do or don't deserve," said Aria. "I don't want pity, either."

"I'm sorry I got mad at you."

"Don't apologize for that. You were completely justified in being angry with me. I'm the one who verbally eviscerated your relationship with your boyfriend for no reason beyond my own selfishness."

"It's not selfishness if you're thinking about others. I didn't like what you said, but you had a point. I know you really don't believe he's good for me."

"It is selfishness when you see a pretty girl sleeping on the other side of the room every night who is lonely because of a situation entirely of her own making and you want to help her see that, not because you have a caring heart and want the best for her, but instead because you want to cuddle with her more than anything in the world."

Serena found herself unable to reply. While she failed to find words, she felt a faint but distinct sensation of warmth both in her chest and on her cheeks. Aria sighed, looked up at the ceiling, and slumped back against the doorframe.

"That's selfishness," she said. "I'm basically a victim of human trafficking and I want a hug more than I want to stop Palermo. I don't want to fight anymore. I just want to feel like somebody wants me in a way that doesn't treat me like I'm an object. And yet, I'm doing exactly that to you."

Aria bit down on the insides of her lips and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and shook her head. With her eyes still closed, she spoke again.

"I don't know what I'm going to do. You see how it is now. You and your friends are the only people in Kalos who are on my side and know what's really happening. I'm trapped. I'm powerless against her. She's going to win. It's only a matter of time."

With a grimace on her face, Aria seemed to be looking upward again behind closed eyelids. She sank a few inches deeper against the doorframe, her knees buckling.

Serena wasn't sure why she did what she did next. All she knew was that it felt like the right thing to do, and before she could stop herself, it was too late to turn back.

She stepped toward Aria and wrapped her arms around her. Aria's eyes shot open as Serena pulled her upright. Serena pulled Aria in close, bringing her head to rest over her shoulder. She held Aria tightly, but Aria remained frozen and did not return the embrace. She felt rigid in Serena's grasp.

"I meant it when I said my shoulder was available," said Serena.

In the next several seconds, everything changed. Beneath her touch, Serena felt the stiffness leave Aria's body. Aria's head went from hovering over Serena's shoulder to being buried in it. Her hands went from refusing to touch Serena to holding onto her for dear life. Serena found herself struggling to stay upright as she supported more and more of Aria's weight, a task made all the more difficult by the sudden spasms of Aria's body as the tears began to flow.

Stunned, Serena stood there in the middle of the hall, holding Aria close as she sobbed bitterly into her shoulder. Despite the obvious efforts Aria made to restrain herself, her cries remained loud. Serena saw over Aria's shoulder that Bonnie and Korrina quickly peeked their heads out into the hall to see what was happening and then retreated again behind their bedroom door. They were not discreet. The sound of the door being shut hastily echoed through the hall. If Aria noticed, she did not care. Her cries continued all the while.

Time passed. Perhaps a minute, perhaps several. All Serena knew was that the shoulder of her sweater felt damp and her legs were getting tired. Aria tried to say something, but her first attempt was unintelligible. She gathered what little composure she could and tried again.

"Please…"

Serena hesitated to say anything, uncertain if Aria was done speaking, or if she should even ask. Aria spoke again before Serena could say anything.

"Please help me…"

Again, Serena was uncertain what to say. She was less confident with each passing moment that what she was doing was helpful, or even right.

"Please… I need you…"

Serena held her breath for a moment, terrified of what the consequences might be if she said what came to her mind. She bit her lip, then said it anyway.

"You don't need me."

"I need your help… I need a hero…"

Serena said nothing. Instead, she smoothed her hand over Aria's back, holding her until the tears stopped, the moment ended, and their embrace parted. She knew Aria was right. She needed a hero. The problem was that the hero she needed, the one everybody had in mind, was not the one she wanted.

Serena did not have the heart to tell her.