A girl stood in front of a crowd that seemed like an endless wave of people there, watching her. Cheering.
Her heart thumped loudly, vigorously. But her eyes drifted off towards the shining lights that reigned onto her. They looked dull, almost mechanical. A woman approached her with a fancy-looking box wrapped in her arms. On a red, silky pillow laid a shimmering tiara. The girl could remember the days she dreamed of even being on this stage, in front of all these people, and being named 'Queen'.
Those days were long gone for her. She felt nothing looking at the prize that seemed to be priceless. The woman carefully picked up the tiara, and gently rested it on top of her shoulder-length hair. It complimented her dress- one she spent blood, sweat, and tears with- and her shiny, blonde hair.
She heard the woman speak in a grand, proud voice, "I now announce Serena as Kalos Queen!" Cheers erupted across the stands. Millions of people were watching her and celebrated her as the new Queen of Kalos. Yet not a single bud of happiness came from her smile as she faced the audience.
I wonder what he's doing right now.
He was probably out there, battling. Gaining new friends. Getting stronger. Five years was no small time frame, after all.
His face was one she remembered from when she was still 12. As she headed down an escalator, her buzzing feelings led her to rush back up and give one last peck on the lips to the one she liked. She remembered his glistening eyes, which seemed to turn vibrant as she started descending again.
She waved to him with all her might. Despite the burning emotions inside of her, she remained as calm as she could and said goodbye to follow her dreams.
What dreams?
She was here. The stage she had once dreamed of. Yet, no matter how hard she searched within herself, she couldn't find that same dream.
Dreams are called that because they can only happen within your mind. The second it happens in real life, it can't be called a dream anymore.
But still, Serena wanted some sort of feeling- one of accomplishment. Where had all those hours of work gone? Her pokemon, who were happily cheering with the audience, didn't seem to notice her dread.
I'm probably going to stop performing from now on, huh?
There was nothing else for her to do but keep her title as Kalos Queen. Once she reached the top, there was nothing else to do but look down.
The woman's voice interrupted her thoughts again. "Serena, any words for your new start as Kalos Queen?" A microphone was handed to her.
She couldn't even hear her own words, as she spoke to the cameras that filmed her every step. Her mind was still revolving around him.
Did he still remember her? Did he even care anymore? Serena didn't know, nor did she think she'd find out. After all, she hadn't heard from Ash since he left back to pallet town in Kanto.
It's not like she blamed him for the lack of contact. She didn't contact him either concerning his determination to achieve his goals.
She still couldn't help but remember him, as though in mourning. She missed his bright smile and light-hearted words that could raise her from any sadness.
Where was he now? She was at a new low, and yet he wasn't there to say something. She wanted to hear his voice again, even if it was once more. To hear him say his cheesy yet honest lines, once more.
-
Kalos's National Tournament is coming back after another ten years! Trainers with over 8 gym badges can participate!
Serena sat on a train during dusk, scrolling through her phone. The Kalos Queen couldn't just walk out in regular clothes when fans were all around, so she had blended into the background with a trench coat, glasses, and a fedora. Thanks to her get-go, Nobody even glanced at her.
Ah, the Kalos National Tournament? I remember that back when I was a kid. Can't believe it's been ten years since that.
Serena hummed to herself as she clicked on the website regarding the tournament and scrolled through numbers and words full of information she didn't care for.
"I bet Ash would have enjoyed this. Maybe I'll ask Bonnie if she's going to" Serena paused. Her finger stopped scrolling as she stared at a name that was in the 'registered contestant' area.
Ash Ketchum, 17. Kanto.
Her heart skipped a beat. Ash? The ash? The same one she knew while traveling around Kalos? The same one she liked? The same one she.. kissed?
Her thoughts were a mess. Serena couldn't sit still while staring at the name of the person she liked after so long.
Is he here? In Kalos?
Where could she find him? She desperately wanted to talk, no matter the cost.
The second the train stopped at a station, the teen ran out in a rush. Serena had no plan, nor any idea of where she was- she didn't bother to listen for the stop name.
She had to take a moment to calm down. In an emotional buzz, she had stranded herself at a train station with the next train coming in half an hour. It was dusk. Kalos, a lively, beautiful region, was getting ready to greet the night.
Serena didn't have much time to think. If she wanted to find him, then she'd have to be quick on her feet and with her mind. Luckily, five years of training to be Kalos Queen alone had taught her to do that and a lot more.
If it's Ash, then he's probably…
She opened her phone and searched for the 'Kalos National Tournament location'. He would be there, no doubt. She remembered Ash to be the type who couldn't wait for a battle, no matter how early or late.
-
It had taken an hour to get to the building, including the wait for the train. She was lucky to have come off the train at that station because she would have been a lot farther if she didn't.
"Hello, and welcome to the Kalos Tournaments main building. Are you trying to register?" A man asks from the reception desk. Serena shook her head.
"I came here looking for a registered contestant named Ash Ketchum. Is he still here?"
The man looked a bit troubled, as though she was pressing matters that were out of his legal reach.
"I'm sorry ma'am, we cannot just state where a contestant is without some sort of way to identify your relationship with them.." he said, trailing off.
Serena raised her fedora and lowered her glasses enough for the receptionist to recognize her. "S-Serena? The Kalos Queen?"
She didn't like using her title as Kalos Queen like this, but she was a bit desperate. With a finger to her lips, the teen silenced the man.
"So, can I please know where he is? It's an important matter." She said in a hushed tone. The man was quick to let her know.
Turns out he was staying at a hotel, which was part of the building's upper floors. She had rented a room on the same floor as his, got the keys, and headed to the elevator. Her heart was buzzing with excitement.
I wonder how he looks now. Is he still the same old ash?
She watched the elevator level go up every five seconds. Her room was on floor 15, meaning she had only a few minutes or less until she was there. Yet, every second felt like a century for her. The only sound she heard was the soft hum of the elevator's machinery at work and her heartbeat.
The elevator door opened, and she was greeted with a long hall with windows on the sides. Peeking from them, she could see the whole building from high above. There was a hole in the middle of each floor leading down to the ground floor, where she could still see the reception desk, although people were like ants from up there.
She glanced at the hallway containing rooms 1540 through 1560.
He's right around the corner. Room 1547.
Her room was 1553, a few rooms down from his. But right now, she was focused on his room.
Serena could already imagine knocking on his door and seeing his face again. His tooth grin, his shining, determined eyes. She remembered all of it. And she loved all of it.
The teen found herself in front of his room before she knew it. A door stood in the way between her and Ash. It was up to her to knock, and for him to open.
Her sweaty palm hovered in front of the door, clenching and unclenching in stress. What was she so nervous about? They were friends! He'd recognize her.
Friends.
Her thoughts left a burning sensation in her heart. She didn't like it one bit.
On her belt, as though sensing its trainer's feelings, three pokeballs wiggled in a certain way that only Serena could understand what it meant.
Go for it!
A soft smile blossomed on her lips. She caressed the three spheres with feelings of gratitude.
"They don't call me the Kalos Queen for no reason!" She whispered to herself, before resolving to knock on the door.
Knock knock.
Serena held her breath. No, it was more like she couldn't find the time to breathe. Her mind was overflowing with thoughts and concerns to even consider breathing.
She could hear footsteps coming from behind the door, getting ever-so closer. Not even standing on stage was this unnerving for her.
Suddenly, the door opened.
The first thing Serena saw was his neck. Serena was used to looking at eye level with ash back then, so it was a shock that she now was at eye level with his chin.
"Huh? Serena, is that you?" A voice resonated in her ears, sending a shiver down her spine. Although it was a bit deeper, she still recognized the eagerness behind it. She didn't even have to see to know it was him.
It's Ash.
She finally glanced up at his face. Surprisingly, it had stayed similar to what she remembered. Though, there were still some differences. His eyes looked calmer, and his face was more.. defined? It was hard for her to tell from a small glance.
"H-hey, Ash." She stuttered. Serena felt the heat rush up to her cheeks as she realized how stupid she probably looked.
"Wow! It's been so long since I've seen you! How have you been?" He asked. He stepped aside as if letting her in. Serena's eyes shined with a new light.
"I've been great. How's your journey been going?" The teen stepped into his room, taking off her shoes and making a small distance between the two. She didn't have the mental strength to get up close to him right now.
The room was pretty basic for something so expensive. A dinner table, a small kitchen, an extra coffee table, a sofa, a TV, a bathroom, and a bed. Serena caught a glimpse of four pokeballs, and a sleeping Pikachu on the bed.
"It's been amazing. I have a lot of new Pokemon and have gotten a lot stronger." He said with a grin. Serena smiled seeing the boys grin after so long.
He's matured. A lot.
More than his appearance, Ash's personality had turned calmer and more level-headed. Serena couldn't help but find it attractive.
"How's your dream been going, Serena? With being a pokemon performer?" Ash asked. He sat down on a chair and invited her over to sit.
The teen sat down across from him, a small coffee table situated there. She placed down her purse containing her keys and other accessories.
Serena stayed silent for a moment. Seeing Ash ask her that question meant that he hadn't seen her being crowned as Kalos Queen. It hurt her feelings a bit.
In her 'grandest moment', her love hadn't been there to witness it. Her chest radiated a soft pain.
"Ash. I'm now Kalos Queen." She said with a strained voice. Her smile quivered a bit, her happy mood is stained.
Ash smiled and shook his head, "I know that- I saw it happen." Serena's widened eyes met Ash's soft, yet strong ones.
"Sorry about that, I worded it wrong. I meant to ask what you're aiming to do after becoming Queen."
"H-huh? Wait, Ash, you saw me become Kalos Queen?" Serena asked, her voice raising a bit.
"That's the whole reason I'm in Kalos. I just found out they were holding a tournament, so I decided to register here too." He explained. Serena felt a cluster of emotions well up in her throat.
"Why.. didn't you contact me?" The teen asked. It was a natural question to ask, but it sounded like she was hurt more than anything else.
"My phone broke a while ago, and I lost all my contacts," he explained, his expression growing with guilt. "I'm sorry I haven't contacted you since then."
It was hard for Serena to digest everything she'd heard. More So than her not wanting to believe it, she couldn't believe it. Half the heartfelt thrill that Ash had seen her perform and be crowned as the Queen, but it still left her feeling bitter that she couldn't share the moment with him.
"I tried to meet you after the event, but you were gone by the time I made it backstage." He muttered. Suddenly, as if realizing something, he looked up at the teen again with a serious gaze.
"Speaking of the whole performance, I wanted to talk to you regarding it." He said. Serena blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
Did he notice something during the show?
"Serena," he said with a small breath, as though not sure how to say something.
"Are you sure performing is the right thing for you?"
Serena was speechless. What kind of question was that? Of course, it was right for her- she wouldn't have become Kalos Queen otherwise. People say It was almost like her entire reason for being born was to be a performer- she was just that good. So what could Ash be saying?
"Of course it is. Why would it not be?" She asked, a little flustered. Ash's strong gaze, which she wasn't used to, made her feel unnerved.
"Ah, sorry, that was too sudden," he apologized, relaxing his gaze. He rubbed the back of his head in an embarrassed manner.
"It's just.. you didn't seem like the Serena I've come to know up there. You looked so robotic and unhappy." He said with a concerned expression. Serena's eyes widened again.
Did he notice? Was it that obvious?
No, she was confident in her ability to act. She's kept that unsuspecting smile on for long enough to know that she didn't show it.
Then it dawned on Serena that the only reason he realized was that he just paid that much attention to her.
Her bright, blue eyes shrunk as she blushed. She had embarrassed herself yet again.
"D-did I? I couldn't tell.." She muttered in a flustered way, throwing out Ash's concerned and sincere tone.
What am I saying?! That didn't even make sense!
"You couldn't?" Ash asked, surprised. "Serena, are you truly okay? What's going on?"
He leaned in closer. His body, which had now grown more bigger and masculine, caused Serena's heart to go ballistic.
"I-i'm fine! Just a bit.. flustered." She visibly shrunk back, unable to handle any more embarrassment. The poor ash was left thinking that she didn't like him being nosy.
"Sorry." Ash apologized again. It had started to get repetitive.
Silence fell upon the two. Serena thought back to what he had just said a moment ago.
She seemed robotic and unhappy to Ash back on that stage. While nobody seemed to notice, he did. He had noticed her predicament. He cared. The thought alone filled up her heart to the brim.
But it also struck Serena as funny that the whole reason she was so down was because of Ash. Now, the teen was innocently concerned about her feeling sad. This world works so weirdly.
"Is there something on my face?" Ash asked, pointing to his cheek. Serena was brought back to reality. "Huh? Oh, no."
"Really? You were laughing a second ago." He said with a stumped expression. It looked exactly like the one he used to make when Clemont how one of his inventions worked. Serena cracked up a bit.
"See, there it is again!" He said with a frown. Serena couldn't help but laugh a bit harder. His face looked so stupid.
"Sorry, sorry," Serena said between breaths, trying to calm down. Ash had a small blush on his face as he tried to fix his face.
Serena finally calmed down, and giddily placed a hand on her chin and glanced out the window, staring at the growing night.
From where they sat, a beautiful view of Kalos was visible. The building was basically in the middle of the region, so the view that showed trees and buildings as far as the eyes could see was a full capture of the region as a whole.
Despite living in Kalos for her entire life, Serena couldn't deny the view was still beautiful.
"Say, have you talked to Clemont or Bonnie?" Serena asked. Ash looked away from the view.
"Not yet. I planned to do that first thing tomorrow." He said.
"Tomorrow? Traveling there's going to take two days, even with a train," Serena mentioned.
"Hm? I meant calling them." He said blankly.
Serena furrowed her eyebrows. "Call them? Even though it's your first time meeting them in 5 years?"
"Yeah, though? What's the big deal?" He asked as though he said nothing wrong. With a twitching eyebrow, the teen stood and walked up to Ash, who nervously looked at her angry face.
"Listen up!" Serena dramatically pointed at ash, "You and me. We both are going to visit Clemont and Bonnie together." She said sternly, leaving nothing to discuss in between. Ash vigorously nodded, to not get her any angrier. It wasn't like he had an issue with traveling with her, anyway.
"Good." She nodded with a satisfied smile. Ash let out a relieved laugh, as the tense moment seemed to pass over the two.
Grumble.
They both froze. Serena's face reddened scarlet like never before. Back five years ago, she could have just blamed Clemont for it. But now, he wasn't here. She was caught red-handed.
"you're hungry, huh?" Ash chuckled. Serena silently screamed.
"I'll cook something up," Ash said while heading to the kitchen. Serena momentarily forgot about her previous act from astonishment.
"You can cook now, Ash?" She asked. He gave a small shrug, "A little. I'm not good with instructions, though." He said.
"Then, I want to watch." She stated, pulling a stool over and sitting. She carefully watched ash pull out ingredients from the full cabinets, wash them, and cut them up perfectly. His knife work was truly something to marvel at.
What wasn't, was his measuring.
"This much should be good, right?" He muttered to himself. He was making a side dish, and while it was starting to cook in a pot, Ash scooped up a handful of salt and began to pour it into the pot.
"Wha- Ash, NO!" Serena screamed in panic. But it was too late- the deed was done.
Serena, with exaggerated tears in her eyes, cooked the rest of the meal.
"Ash, please tell me if you're going to use up half the ingredients next time.." she moaned in despair. Ash rubbed his nape again, chuckling.
"I guess I'm not fit for instructions." He said with a dumb smile. Serena could only sigh- she couldn't get mad at someone like ash.
"Next time, I'll deal with the measuring and things that involve instructions. You just chop up ingredients." She ordered.
"Got it," he responded, "Us working together will save a lot of time when we travel." Ash grinned.
"Traveling.." Serena muttered to herself, lost in thought.
I miss the days when we could travel about. Clemont and Bonnie probably won't be able to anymore.
She couldn't be sure about herself either. After all, she was the Queen of Kalos. Her casually traveling around again would be a scene written in newspapers across the region.
"By the way, how long do you plan on staying?" Serena asked. They'd been talking a lot about traveling, but she didn't have a grasp of their time frame.
"Depends on when I want to go back. Mom and professor Oak is saying I'm at the age to do as I please, so it depends on what I choose." He shrugged. Serena's heart skipped a beat. Could he possibly be staying in Kalos from now on?
"Have you decided if you want to travel around the world again?" She asked, hesitantly. Serena was afraid to directly ask if he was going to leave Kalos again. She didn't want him to.
"Travel around the world? I don't know anymore. I've gone around and beat everybody and every tournament I can think of- except Kalos." He said, clenching his fist slightly. "I want to beat the Kalos League as well, and gain the name Kalos Champion."
Serena watched his calm eyes grow a steady, yet blazing fire within them. She had come to realize he may have grown more determined than before. A small smile grew on her face.
"That's our ash, I guess." She whispered to herself. Ash didn't hear the little whisper between the cooking pot of food and the noises of her mixing.
A silence resumed between the two, but this one was pleasant. Both of them sat comfortably as Ash watched her cook and Serena focused to fix Ash's big mess.
Food was done in a few minutes. Ash set up the plates and water, while Serena poured them both some food.
"Wow, this looks great!" Ash exclaimed. As always, the boy was very open about his love for food. Serena puffed her chest out a bit, bathing in the pride of fixing up such a disastrous start.
Before the two could start eating, a small noise startled the two in the room.
"Pika-pi? Pika!" A small yellow mouse, who seemed a bit groggy, woke up. After seeing an unknown figure beside its trainer, it grew weary, until it recognized her.
Pikachu jumped on the teen, nuzzling its cheeks against hers as a greeting. Serena laughed, grabbing the Pikachu gently and nuzzling against it as well. She missed the yellow mouse.
"Long time no see, Pikachu!" Serena exclaimed with excitement. The Pokemon returned her excitement with a yell of its own.
Ash warmly stared at the two, glad they were reuniting. "Pikachu, I set up some food in the kitchen. I know you're tired, so go eat up." He pointed at the small bowl on the floor. Ash had originally planned on doing his daily training, which he rarely ever missed. But right now, he had more important things to do.
The Pokemon nodded and hopped off Serena to go eat. The teen watched the cute thing scurry over to the food and scarf it down.
"Wow, Pikachu must have been hungry," Serena said with surprise, "I've never seen him eat so eagerly before."
"Really? He used to be eager to eat your delicious poke puffs back then, too." Ash reminisced, licking his lips. The poke puffs, although meant for Pokemon, were still delicious to Ash's taste buds.
"But yeah, he's tired. We traveled pretty far, after all."
Serena nodded understandingly. Travel was tiring, no matter the person. It would be weird if these two weren't out of juice for the day.
"Then, after dinner, I'll get going- It's dark now." She said, sitting back down. She took a bite of the food, humming in happiness. Today was a good day.
"True. We've got to get moving tomorrow again," Ash nodded, "But, you seem to be in a good mood, Serena."
She giggled a bit, as though that was a dumb statement. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be happy seeing you again?"
Her cheeks heated up a bit. Was she being too forward?
"I'm really glad to see you again. I never really managed to get it out of my mind ever since I left." Ash said, seemingly not realizing what he said.
They both froze. Ash's cheeks, like never before, flared up. "Oh."
The two teenagers, who had begun to approach their adulthood, were far more conscious of the opposite gender now. Ash, who was far denser back when he was 12, now could understand the idea of 'love' and 'attraction'. Serena, who had been half-aware of such terms, is now completely aware of them.
Things got awkward quickly. The only noise in the hotel room was of Pikachu finishing up its hefty meal, innocently unaware of the predicament its trainer was going through.
Serena's mind was circulating with blood faster than a bullet. The pistons in her head started to overheat.
he couldn't forget me.
She never thought such cheesy words would light her heart on fire like that. Yet, it comes from Ash, causing her to start seeing flowers blooming behind him as if she were in a romance manga.
Does Ash like me back..?
His reaction had invoked her curiosity. Plus, Ash had also implied that he remembered their kiss. Serena's face burned a dark scarlet like never before.
"S-sorry, I said something really weird." Ash apologized for the hundredth time that day. Serena reverently shook her head, making sure he didn't misunderstand.
"N-no, I feel really happy hearing you say that," She stammered, "I never forgot about you either, Ash."
The romantic tension in the room had bloomed to a new high. Both teenagers squirmed in their seats.
Ash seemed conflicted. He had never felt such a throbbing feeling in his chest before, not even in his most intense of battles.
Serena's face is so red.
He thought it looked cute. It dawned on Ash just how much more attractive the girl had gotten over the years. She wasn't crowned Kalos Queen for no reason, after all.
Suddenly getting up, Ash let out a small sigh. He needed to get himself together- letting his emotions run rampant wasn't the right answer. Serena flinched from his sudden action.
"Serena, let's go cool off." The boy pointed to the balcony, which stared off into the vast depths of space. The stars had awoken and shimmered brightly, dancing alongside the glowing moon.
The startled girl gave a small nod. Standing up, she quietly followed him out.
The crispy air brushed against her lightly dressed body. She had taken her trench coat, hat, and glasses off while in the elevator, so she was wearing a simple sweater and jeans.
She didn't think the view would mesmerize her as it did. The night sky, which she used to gaze at daily while traveling with the black-haired boy, caught her interest.
When had she truly stared at the sky like this in the past five years? She couldn't count a single time. Her mind, which had been swarmed and stained with stress and unwillingness, felt like it had cleared.
She had taken her first breath in a long, five years.
Hey, the author here. This is my first book, so id like to lay stuff out in the open to not cause much confusion to the small number of people who will read this. I don't have a schedule to update down but rather will update it whether I feel like it or not. Like I've said in the description, this is a venting of my thoughts. Nothing special.
I also would like any critique. Improving my writing is something that I'm always down for.
Anyway, that's all I got to say for now. Sorry if some parts are choppy, I didn't edit all of it. But, thanks for reading all the way through.