Hey, guys! Sentai Red here!
So, I was able to get this chapter out relatively unscathed. Although, the biggest hurdle was how to tackle Misty's relationship with her sisters. I hope this satisfies everyone! I also will say that I didn't expect myself to make this chapter so long. I was expecting to make it about 8K words, but this wound up being 12K - even HIGHER than contest chapter! I also saw the response to my Gaiden Episode and I'm happy it was well received! I do plan to make more, so I hope you all stay tuned!
With her arms crossed, Misty sits on her chair, staring at her sisters with a cold glare. She's not happy. Why should she? They just upped and grabbed her, taking her away from her friends! Right now, Serena is probably not in the best of moods, and she wanted to be there for her friend. However, here comes Daisy, Lily, and Violet, coming and dragging her away from everyone to take her to some restaurant. The restaurant screams high-class, and despite the status her sisters have, she surely can't compare to them or the others in the premise. Everyone is dressed up, regal and prideful, but here she is in her overalls and jean shorts, her usual attire. Here, her sisters look more in line with those in the restaurant. Luckily for Misty, the other patrons don't seem to care about her appearance, more caring about their own person and the people they're with.
"…"
The silence between the sisters and her was suffocating. It seemed like no one wanted to dare speak, let alone make a sound. The server poured them a glass of water with ice, giving them their menus, and left with a bow to give them time to decide on what to eat. Even the server was aware of the tension in the air as he didn't even speak. His own hands even shook as he poured the water, fearing some sort of repercussion should she dare aggravate one of them. Luckily for him, none of the tension was directed towards him, and they all had the courage to mutter a small token of gratitude to the man.
One he left, the small noise that they all uttered quickly dissipated back into the ether. No one spoke. Misty is still staring at her sisters, with her arms crossed, giving them a neutral countenance. She wants to see who cracks first under her gaze. Daisy sips her water awkwardly; Lily plays with her hair. Violet breaks the silence for once. Her eyes still puffy from the crying when they took Misty away. She gives a small sigh, not one of frustration, but one to get herself talking, "Misty…" she begins, her voice dry. Her voice cracking is a far cry from the jovial, if not condescending tone, she usually carries with her.
Misty glances at Violet, not making any noise.
Drinking her water, Violet regains some form of her voice, just without the tone, "I just wanted to say that… I'm sorry," she looks down, gripping her glass, "and I know that just saying that isn't enough, but after what you've told us and," she chokes a bit, "and how it affected you… I realized that, like, we should have been better sisters to you."
"Maybe you should've."
Misty's short reply was enough for Violet to tear up, nodding. "Yeah, we should have… I… I was jealous of you," Violet admits, shocking the sisters, but she continues, "I was the youngest one, at two, when mom and dad said I was going to be an older sister… and – and at the time, I didn't know what that meant… but I felt upset that I was no longer the baby and… and I didn't want to stop being the baby… and when you were born, I didn't want to be your sister…" Her tears fall and her lips quiver, "I was afraid that I'd be forgotten by everyone, and I took it out on you." She sobs, putting her arms on the table, and puts her head in her arms, crying openly. Daisy and Lily pat Violet's back sympathetically as she trembles in her own arms, her crying muffled.
"I'm truly sorry, Misty," Violet cries out in her arms, loud enough to be heard by them.
Lily closes her eyes, dabbing a tear threatening to escape her eye, "I suppose… I suppose it's my turn, huh?" She asks rhetorically, her own voice choked with emotion. Seeing Violet, one of her baby sisters and the headstrong one of them all, crumple into a mess like that makes her heart break. Yet, when she saw Misty's own breakdown, it tore into her very soul. Misty held all this resentment against her sisters. How could Lily let this happen? "I... I don't have any excuse, Misty. I should have spent time with you, but… I never did. I'm not the brightest sister, but even I know that I messed up. I should have been there for you. I should have encouraged you to dance with me, to perform with me, but I never did. I'm supposed to be the older sister, but I failed you and I failed mom and dad." She cries silently, gripping the helm of her skirt tightly, "I have no excuse!" She bows her head, crying vigorously.
Daisy rubs her younger sister's back. As the oldest of them all, Daisy holds herself strongly. She wants to cry, but she knows that mere waterworks won't cut it. Lily and Violet are out here pouring their hearts out to Misty, but she needs to be strong for them all. She cried already, but now this will be the time for her to make amends. She notices Misty's straight face crumpling slowly, but surely. Misty is still attempting to keep herself together, but seeing her sisters breaking down, is wearing down her façade. 'I've failed you all,' Daisy thinks to herself, frowning.
Misty looks over to her oldest sister, who looks back. Their eyes lock. Misty is the first to fold, looking away, the coldness in her eyes melting away. Replacing the distant look is a despondent child, a girl who has held in all her emotions, afraid to show who she truly is. Misty bites her lips and stares down at her lap, her bangs shadowing her eyes. With another thought, Daisy knew she failed not only her sisters, but herself as well. She was meant to be the one to bring the sisters in, forever guiding them, being the shining example of what it means to be a sister and a woman, but no. She didn't do that. She failed to keep her family strong. She tore her own family apart. And for what? For fame? For money? Or for her own vanity?
Deciding to go ahead, Daisy moves her hand over, to squeeze Misty's. This shocks the redhead, staring at her elder blonde sister.
"You've grown so much in two months," Daisy states with a small smile, "when you left, I didn't think much of it, but here you are: stronger, beautiful, and confident. I guess, we never saw it, nor wanted to see it. When you came home, we thought you were going to give up, but you held firm and when Magikarp became a Gyarados… when we ran, you fought. You, your friends, and your Pokémon… Misty, you've done so much in so little time, and it pains me to say this, but we're not your family anymore. You never needed us. We never treated you like you were one of us and it hurts seeing this be the reality."
She continues, looking up at the ceiling, "When you were born, I swore to be the best sister in the world for you all, but I failed." Her tears cascade down her face. "I promised you the world, but I gave you the dirt. I promised to protect you, but I left you fending for yourself. And… I'm ashamed to be a sister to you because you deserve a family: a real family." She looks over to Lily and Violet, both of whom have recovered from their crying, and they slowly nod. "We will always love you, Misty. Even if you were to leave and never claim us as your sisters, I think we would understand. We don't deserve your forgiveness."
The youngest of the four wipes away her tears, "I… You still don't get it," she mutters, "I want to still be part of the family, but… how can I trust you guys?" She whispers it, continuing to hold on to Daisy's hand.
Her eyes glisten, her own body trembling with emotion, "I… I can't ever forget what you've all done to me, but I want…" she chokes, "I still want you to be my family. As much as I want to hate you all and run away forever, I still care about you all and I still love you guys. I don't know why I still love you all, but I can't help it!" She whimpers. She coughs, prompting Daisy to make her drink from glass. Misty chugs the glass, some of the water dripping down her mouth, but no one cares.
"I don't think I'll be able to forgive you all. Not just yet."
Her sisters nod, their faces disappointed, but they understand where she's coming from.
"But."
Wiping away her tears, Misty's lips quiver, "I would like to start fresh. Maybe not now, but when I'm done with my journey… I'd like to heal these wounds of mine. I need time. Time to be myself as a person, to be with friends, and to grow into a better person."
She then smiles at her sisters, a genuine smile, "Please. Please wait for me."
Then, releasing all the floodgates, all the sisters cry openly. They all get up to hug one another. The other patrons stare awkwardly at the sisters, but they all turn away when all four of the sisters begin to glare at the others, as if saying 'Do you mind?'
Misty wound up, for the first time, enjoying spending time with her sisters. They all began to talk, make jokes, and tell stories of what they've been doing. From her fear of bugs to Lily's near-death experience because of a slip into the pool, they all spent time just being together. They would place their orders in, with Daisy stating she's paying for it all, which Misty tried to object. However, she eventually caved in, when Daisy said this will be a sign of them mending their broken relationship.
As they ate, Daisy explained to Misty that there's a school in the outskirts of Cerulean City. This school, as she explained, teaches kids how to battle, what to expect as a trainer, and how to become a better trainer. She told Misty to check it out, in hopes of seeing Misty finding something useful there. Misty thanked her sister for the information and stated she will relay the message to her friends. Eventually, the three sisters also asked to tell Misty if she could forward their apologies to Ash and Serena. Misty accepted their request.
When the topic of Gyarados came up, Misty offered to take it from them in hopes of training it. Despite their concerns, they ultimately gave Misty their blessing.
That entire night, for the first time in ages, the Wall Flower among the Water Flowers of Cerulean City felt like she belonged somewhere.
Episode 17: Pokémon Tech! Giselle – The School Beauty!
Route 5.
What's usually a bright and sunny day, the entire area is full of fog. The fog seems to spread across the entire route, suffocating even the trees. In all honesty, one might even think that this route was haunted. Serena, despite not feeling at all 100%, felt that way and began shivering in fright. She holds Ash's arm rather tightly. He tries not to wince at her nails digging into his skin, as to not let her feel terrible on top of being afraid. Pikachu and Froakie opted to walk on the floor, knowing how terrified Serena was. Although, they did hope they could get back on Ash's shoulder at some point. One may even claim they're being lazy, and some may even claim Ash has spoiled them by letting them hang on to his shoulder.
"This fog…" Serena mutters, shivering while holding onto Ash's arm.
"Yeah, it's weird," Brock agrees, staring at his tablet, "the weather was reported to have been sunny, with no chance of rain or clouds." He stares at his tablet, trying to see if there was something he was missing. It seemed odd that the weather forecast would just be completely wrong like that.
Misty groans, "And who knows how far this fog stretches. I was hoping we'd find the Pokémon Tech, but we may end up passing because of this fog." She whines, crossing her arms petulantly. She really wanted to see what this school was all about. Ever since she got to the Pokémon Center that night, she couldn't help but wonder what the institute was like. Waking up early in the morning, she explained everything to her friends, about how the dinner went with her sisters, how they all grieved, and what they said about the Pokémon Tech. She even mentioned to Ash and Serena that her sisters apologize for antagonizing them. While Ash and Serena were wary of it, they decided to accept it because it would keep Misty in high spirits.
However, this fog wound up putting everyone in foul moods.
Serena is terrified, Brock is desperately looking at his tablet, and Misty is upset about possibly missing out on something that she's interested in.
"Do we just continue moving forward then? I don't think this fog will let up anytime soon," Ash asks, looking at his companions and starters. "The sooner we get out of this fog, the better." Froakie and Pikachu both nod. They'd rather be on Ash's shoulders and the less time they're in the fog, the faster Serena will release her hold on their trainer.
"No way!" Misty responds, crossing her arms into an 'X' shape, "This is my journey as much as it is yours and Serena's, Ketchum! So, I say we go ahead and stay around and find Pokémon Tech!"
Serena shivers, the fog starting to get to her, "I don't know, Mist," she shudders as she imagines the fog circulating around her friends. She looks at them, but then pales as she imagines a face forming in the fog, "I… I'd rather just leave. What if this fog is actually a Pokémon? And-and this fog is its way of trapping us forever!" She begins to have her imagination run wild; her friends all begin to shudder at the thought. "And if we keep staying here, it's going to suck all our energy! Then when we're too tired to fight back, it eats us and sends us all to the Distortion World!" She shrieks, hiding in Ash's chest, with everyone paling and they all have their spines tingle.
"… I shouldn't have said that" she mutters, her voice muffled in Ash's chest.
"Pika…" Pikachu rubs the back of his head, wondering why Serena would even dare say such stuff aloud.
"I don't think that's true, Serena," Brock tries to comfort the girl, slowing down his own heartbeat. "I think it's just the weather being unpredictable; I don't really think a Pokémon can actually create fog like this, and if it does, we would have known something about it." He tries to console the girl, but her head is firmly planted in Ash's chest, making the boy feel uncomfortable. As much as he likes having Serena near him, her fear can get the better of her and can make her very clingy. Ash decides to comfort his best friend, rubbing her head gently.
"Brock's right," Misty adds on, recovering from the slight spook that Serena gave her, "it's probably just the weather. I say we just take a small break and eat some snacks, what do you say?" Misty proposes, with Ash's stomach rumbling at the mention of snacks. He laughs sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head, apologizing to them for that. Luckily, it seemed to have worked, as Serena pulled herself away from Ash slowly, digesting what both Brock and Misty said. With a reluctant nod, she decides to put her trust in both teens.
With a hum, Brock plops his backpack down on the floor, before setting everything up. He has long since owned a makeshift table and set of chairs for everyone to relax in. His backpack is huge, enough to carry a lot of stuff needed and still have room for the necessities. He pulls out some cups, "We all do need a little break, so why don't I throw a little something together?" He finishes up setting his table, much to everyone's amazement.
Ash whispers to Serena, "Judging by that set up, it looks like he's preparing for dinner." Serena swats Ash playfully on his arm, though she does agree with him.
Froakie tilts his head, wondering how a table can come out of such a backpack like that. It shrugs. Maybe some things are better left unsaid?
Brock pulls out something from his backpack and does a small, "Ah-hah!" noise as he plops everything he needs down on the table. "How about this? I figured since we're all on a journey together and it's been a while since I had this, why not try out some 100% Cerulean Coffee! I bought this the other day and I've been dying to have some of this again!" The coffee was already pre-made. He pours some of the coffee into his cup and takes a sip, enjoying the taste of it. "Such a strong taste! Nothing beats some good coffee!"
Serena raises an eyebrow, "Uh… I'm sorry, Brock, but it's noon? Isn't it a bit late to have coffee?" Growing up, Serena never cared for coffee as it wasn't really something she had. Her mom once had her try some, but she couldn't stomach it and wound up having her mom cover her mouth with a rag as she spat out the coffee into the rag. It wasn't the cleanest way of doing it, but she was only six, so it doesn't matter. She can drink tea any day, but coffee? That stuff is disgusting.
Brock waves off her criticism, "Ah, young kids wouldn't understand it. I do have something for you and Ash to try though!" He takes out a can of purple juice, "Try a can of prune juice!"
Ash and Serena give each other a look before Ash shakes his head. "I think we'll pass on that, Brock." Serena then adds on about them having tea instead. Ash shrugs at the suggestion. He likes some tea. He remembers his mom always making him tea whenever he was sick, to get him to feel better. While the taste tends to be bitter, he doesn't dismiss it as much as he would coffee. Although, if you were to give him sweet, iced tea, he'll surely be grateful for that.
"In that case, I do have a good tea set that can be used!" Brock pulls out more stuff from his backpack, this time a tea set. "Now, of course, the key to good tea is good water! Luckily for us all, I have a generous supply of sparkling, delicious Mt. Moon Pure Spring Water!" He takes out more things from his backpack, this some water bottles with a company that's using Mt. Moon for their logo. Lastly, he finally pulls out something more reasonable that could fit in his backpack: snacks. "And here," he says with a Kalosian accent, "'ze special snack, some Kalosian crepes! A-hon hon hon!" He twirls an imaginary, Kalosian mustache.
Serena crosses her arms, slightly offended by the fake accent. The laugh didn't do any favors. She turns to see Ash slightly giggling at it, but he stops the moment he sees her glare. He looks away, whistling innocently. "Tu parlez Kalos?" She asks Brock.
"Oui, oui!"
"Tu parles Kalos comme une vache espagnole," Serena deadpans, turning away from Brock. Said teen has a bead of sweat drop down as he tries to understand what Serena said. Judging by a laughing Froakie, he figures she just insulted him. He looks over to Ash, who just shrugs at him. Even Ash doesn't know what she said, and he's known her the longest. Serena realizes everyone is staring at her and she puts her hand on her hips, "Yes?" The only one to respond is Misty, who clasps her hands in adoration of everything Kalos.
"Oh, I just love Kalosian culture! I love the cities! I've always wanted to go there! Everything about Kalos is so romantic!" Misty gushes, her eyes becoming starry as she begins to imagine herself dining in a café in Lumiose City, the Prism Tower illuminating the entire city. Then as she continues to dream, she imagines someone sitting down with her and the two clink their drinks together, sipping away as they stare at one another. The two begin to lean in for a kiss. The daydream begins to chomp away as Ash appears in her daydream, munching on something. He continues to munch, which causes her to snap, and smack him upside the head. "You're ruining my fantasy, Ash!"
Brock stops the two, knowing they were about to argue, "Well, before I can even begin boiling water and making crepes, I need one of you to go grab some firewood for me. I can't do anything until we start a campfire."
Misty shoots her hand up into the air, a childish smile appearing, "What a great idea, Brock! I volunteer Ash and Serena go! I'll sacrifice the excitement of searching for firewood in favor of staying here and keeping you company!" Her subtle wink to Serena makes said girl lose her sassy behavior, blushing and turning away from the red head. Ash groans but relents.
"Guess it's you and me, Serena," Ash acquiesces with a smile, offering her a hand, "Let's go get some firewood. You coming, Froakie? Pikachu?" The two starters greedily jump into their trainers' shoulders, happy to be in their comfort area. Serena smiles, nodding. She takes his hand gently and he pulls her away from the campsite. The search for firewood was rather boring, as they just walk around the area, going through a trail that they think leads to nowhere. Ash resists the urge to put his hands behind his head, not wanting to disturb his relaxing starters. He turns to look at Serena, "You never really spoke to me in Kalosian before, it sounds so different."
Serena winks, "And you never spoke to me in Kantonian, so I think we're even." She then looks at him shyly, "Uh, but what did you think of my accent? It must have sounded ugly to you."
Ash shakes his head, "No way! I liked it a lot, it was very soothing!" He grins at her, "It sounds just as great as you normally sound to me! Whoever you marry down the road will be a very lucky person! I know I'd be!" He continues to look around for dry wood, Froakie and Pikachu giving Serena thumbs up and winks as a result of what he just said. Serena blushes immensely, trying so hard not to pass out from the complement of a lifetime. She never knew Ash was so smooth! Even if he didn't understand it, she'll still take what he said! It'll be all the sweeter when she one day confesses to him.
As they continue to look around, Serena almost gasps, backing away, "Uh… Ash?!"
Hearing the fear in her voice, Ash immediately gets into a defensive stance, ready to protect her. "What?! Who's there?!" Froakie and Pikachu both jump down, ready to also protect their trainer and friends. They see a couple of floating lights in the distance and Ash growls, "Show yourselves!" He and his Pokémon run straight towards whatever is floating, making Serena whine about having to chase a ghost.
"Ash, wait!" She runs after him, albeit with less energy than putting out in her screaming.
The duo and Ash's Pokémon watch as a boy is running on a treadmill, surrounded by boys his age. Each of the boys seem to hold candles in their hands, staring and smirking at the troubled boy. They seem to relish in the fact they're making him suffer. The leader of the group, a boy with orange spikey hair, pulls out a card in front of the honey-blond haired boy that's running on the treadmill. "Well, Joe, answer this question: What's the name of this Pokémon?" The card shows a Pidgey, but because the boy is holding up the card with his thumb covering most of the image, it's almost hard for anyone to really see it, plus the fog surely doesn't help.
"Uh, it's a Zubat, right?" the boy named Joe answers, seemingly unsure of his own answer.
One of the other boys, black hair cascading down to his lower back, sighs, "Just because it's foggy outside doesn't mean your brain has to be foggy, too."
"It's a Pidgey!" Joe answers, this time more confident in his answer.
The leader scoffs, unimpressed, "You got lucky this time. Now, tell us what its special moves are."
This time Joe was quick with his answer, "Pidgey's attack is Gust. At Level Five, it's Sand Attack and at Level Twelve, it's - "
Another boy, of the five around Joe, this one more plain looking than the others, interrupts him, "Everyone knows that. Answer this then, Mr. Know-It-All, what level does Pidgey evolve?" They boys wait, turning up the speed of the treadmill, wanting Joe to hurry up with his answer.
"Uh… I… I…" Joe doesn't seem to know. He tries to answer when he gets goaded into hurrying up. However, he trips, unable to continue running any longer. As a result, he's flown back from the treadmill and onto the ground, groveling in front of the kids in front of him. "I'm sorry… I forgot." The boys proceed to sigh in annoyance, shaking their heads in disapproval.
"You 'forgot'? And you call yourself a Pokémon Tech student? Well, forget about us ever helping you with studying ever again." The leader scoffs, turning his head away from the pathetic boy on the floor, who seemingly just bows his head further into the ground. Deciding enough was enough, horrified at the bullying happening in front of them, Ash and Serena rush in to defend the boy. Ash is livid, his own recollection of being bullied popping up. He clenches his fists as Serena helps the boy up.
"What the Hell is going on here?!" Ash growls out. Pikachu and Froakie glare at the kids in front of them, with Pikachu sparking his cheeks in anger and Froakie ready to use Bubble. The boys don't look too impressed, more apathetic to the danger that awaits them.
"What are you talking about?" The leader asks, his tone very snobbish and condescending. He waves his hand in front of Ash, telling said trainer with that gesture that it's not important to him. "Nothing is going on here, buddy. Mind your own business here."
Serena helps Joe up, supporting him on her shoulder, "Yeah, well considering you're bullying him and treating him like dirt, Ash and I have every right to stop you!" Joe looks up at her, surprised anyone would want to help him out at all like this. He looks away, his cheeks warming up from being so close to her. He subtly leans into her. She's nice…
"Bullying? Girl, you're out of your mind. We're simply doing a private training session." One of the other boys' states with a shrug. He then leers at Serena, "Although, I wouldn't mind having a tra-" He doesn't finish his sentence as Ash hoists him up, grabbing the kid by his collar. The boy glares at Ash but backs down when he sees Ash snarling like a beast. "Hey, let me go, you punk!" The boy tries to pull himself away from Ash, but Ash's grip is too strong for that. Ash's fist is raised up, ready to strike at the boy's face.
"Don't ever talk to Serena like that!" Ash was ready to punch him, but Serena grabbed his wrist. He turns his head to see her shake her head, he loosens his grip as a result and the boy runs to his friends for cover. Ash tries to calm down, but glares at the others, all of whom are ready to fight back. Serena puts her hand on Ash's back, letting him know she's fine. He closes his eyes for a moment, before opening them and the pure anger in his eyes disappears. Instead, he has his normal glare, acting normal again. Joe blinks at the sudden shift in Ash's body posture. One second, he was ready to tear everyone limb from limb, and the next, he's standing normal without the look of hatred on his face.
"Tch, let's go everyone," the leader scoffs, trying to regain his cool, "we're not cavemen like this brute here. Joe, you better straighten yourself out. Pokémon Tech doesn't need people like you sullying our name with losers who don't even know basic information like levels. We have standards to maintain." Joe nods slowly, looking back down at the ground in obedience. The boys leave, leaving the three of them in an awkward silence. Ash stares into the distance but turns his attention back to the kid in front of him.
"What was that about?"
"It seems like those were the kids from Pokémon Tech."
Everyone turns to see both Misty and Brock walking towards them, with Misty looking at where the five kids originally were. Ash frowns, "Where were you guys?"
Misty and Brock look sheepish, rubbing the back of their heads in a typical Ash-manner. Brock responds, "Well, we were about to intervene, but luckily, they decided to back down from the fight. When we heard you guys' scream, we figured something was going on and luckily, we weren't too far off from the beaten path to find you guys."
"So, they're tech students from that school you wanted to visit, Misty?" Ash asks incredulously. "Wow, talk about low standards." He murmurs to himself, before wincing from the jab given to him by Serena. Misty didn't really hear it, but she probably would have agreed. They all look at the flier she pulls out of her pocket, with Brock reading it aloud. It seems in their haste to find it, they never really investigated what Pokémon Tech even offered.
"Pokémon Technical Institute, a boarding school for serious Pokémon trainer preparation. All students are guaranteed to enter Pokémon League upon graduation. Pokémon Technical is the educational facility for exceptional students who want to be Pokémon trainers in a very short time, without having to travel on difficult badge collecting journeys." Brock recites. Unbeknownst to them all, Pikachu gets on the treadmill, with Froakie watching in fascination. Pikachu pretends to spar on the treadmill, thinking he's some sort of hotshot, with Froakie rolling his eyes at his friend. Then, to their horror, Brock leans towards the front, pressing buttons to start the treadmill at a steady pace. However, it is a steady pace for humans. For a short, stubby rodent like Pikachu? It was Hell on Earth. Froakie begins to laugh, rolling on his back as Pikachu desperately tries to stop the treadmill. "So that's what it is."
Then, Brock presses on the button to stop the treadmill, making Pikachu fly back. His eyes water in pain.
"Pikachu! Froakie! This is no time to play!" Ash scolds them, picking them both up in his arms. Froakie continues to snicker at his fellow starter, who just glares at an oblivious Brock. "Anyway, so you're telling me that if I were to enter this school, there would be a way for me to enter the Pokémon League without gym badges? That's just too easy."
Brock nods. He continues reading the flier, "And there's more. It says here that student entrant fees and tuition are in keeping with the high standards set by Pokémon Technical."
Misty just harrumphs, "You know what that means, right? It means it's one of those snobby, private schools only billionaire's kids go to." She looks at the flier in annoyance and mild disappointment. She knew it was too good to be true. Oh, well. At least her sisters meant well. She usually could tell if they were trying to set a prank on her, but they seemed invested in getting her stronger so she can forgive them for not reading the fine print.
Serena shakes her head. She's heard of these types of schools. Her cousin actually went to one before, but luckily for him, he dropped out and went back into public school. He had to fight tooth and nail with his parents to not continue enrollment. Calem's parents could easily afford it, and by proxy so can her mom, but her mom was always more down to Earth and preferred Serena to go to public school. Imagine dealing with bullies like them every day? She almost shudders at the thought. "Judging by these so-called 'training sessions', some of these kids think they're a lot more important than others and think they can get away with this sort of treatment."
With a groan, Ash shakes his head, "This is ridiculous. Where is this stupid place anyway?" Joe simply points in front of him, with Ash going "Huh?" Minus Joe, they all gasp as the fog begins to dissipate right in front of them! The fog that was terrifying Serena was just part of the school curriculum. How is that possible?!
Over the P.A., they hear a woman call out, "Today's special class, Fog Battle Techniques, is now ending. Tomorrow's lesson will be Snow Competition Secrets."
Joe sighs, pulling himself away from Serena, albeit reluctantly, "Oh well. I guess I'll be a snowman tomorrow… again."
Ash raises an eyebrow, "Do they treat you like this all the time?"
"Well, my friends just really want to help me, you know." Joe says, trying to defuse the situation. However, that did the opposite as they all stare at him with a look of outrage. Friends?! With friends like those, who needs enemies? That's what everyone thinks when Joe says that to them. Joe continues to defend them with a nervous smile, "But they did help me out by teaching me that Pidgey evolves into Pidgeotto at Level 18, learns Whirlwind at 21, and Wing Attack at 31. Then when it evolves in Pidgeot."
Serena blinks, "Levels?"
Brock shakes his head in disapproval, "As amazing as that sounds, the theory of 'leveling' is an abandoned theory, a way to mathematically describe a Pokémon's power level. What ended up making it debunked was when someone taught a Growlithe Flare Blitz, a move calculated for it to learn at Level 56. The dissenter taught a baby Growlithe that move, soon after it hatched. The fact this school is using an archaic system just shows how far behind it is."
Joe sighs, "I suppose, but I have to stay here. My parents worked so hard to get me here. They saved all their money for me to come here." Joe points at someone in the distance, sitting underneath a tree. The person he's pointing at looks incredibly old, older by most of their standards. The weird part is that he's still wearing the attire Joe is, meaning he's a student. "See him? These classes are so hard that some students are held back and sadly, no one wants to leave here without a diploma. He's in the same class as I am despite being so much older. He's in the Beginner Class, just like me."
Serena raises an eyebrow. "What's a Beginner Class?"
"Just someone who is on par with those who have two badges. If I were in the Intermediate, I would have the same qualifications as someone with four badges. Advanced with six and when you graduate, you can enter the Pokémon League." Joe explains. The fact he compared himself to Ash, kind of rubbed the raven-haired boy the wrong way. "Like with him over there, he's so much older than all of us despite being in the Beginner Class, so no one wants to really help him."
Everyone frowns at how things run here, with them sympathizing with the older student. Who knows how much money his parents, or him rather, must have spent to enter this school? When Misty asks about the teachers knowing about it, Joe responded that they weren't aware or pretended to not be aware. That began to make Ash even more upset. "This is just so damn stupid," he curses, surprising his friends with the cuss, "who the Hell is in charge here? I'd like to speak up on this garbage!"
Joe then pulls out a picture from his suit pocket, "Here she is."
Everyone congregates to the picture, with both Misty and Serena questioning, "A girl?"
To their shock, and Serena's horror, Brock and Ash both begin to blush. Brock was to be expected, but Ash?! Serena's mouth is wide open, her heart struck with an arrow as Ash has his eyes fixed on the girl in the photo. "A-Ash?" She stutters, almost heartbroken. Misty pats the poor girl's back. Not wanting to say anything to Serena, Misty can definitely see how one may be attracted to the girl in the photo. She has long, flowing dark maroon hair. She has a giant red bow tie on her uniform, but it doesn't detract from how beautiful she is to the boys gawking at her photo. Even if she looks like she has makeup, it doesn't detract from the fact she has a natural beauty to her as well.
Joe, in agreement with the two boys, nods, "Her name is Giselle. She's the Top Student of the Institute. She's also cute."
Both Ash and Brock nod, with Ash sounding incredibly dopey, "She sure is." What hurts Serena even more is the fact his blush magnified! Brock nods, with an even dopier smile on his face, drool dripping from his mouth.
"She can violate me anyt-"
Whack
Whack
Both Ash and Brock groan in pain, their hands on their heads as Misty smacks them upside their heads, "This is no time to be acting like dogs, you two! And you, Joe, how can you keep a picture of her if she makes your lives so miserable?!" What Ash didn't know was that Misty intentionally smacked him harder than Brock, because it was to make him stop ogling the photo of Giselle. Even though Brock's comment was a lot more inappropriate, he didn't have a girl that was pining for him right in front of him.
He simply responds with "I hate the way she treats us, but I like the way she looks."
Ash whispers, "Unlike some girls, who look weird and treat us badly." He pales when both Serena and Misty glare at him. Apparently, his whisper was quite loud enough, and he got the double whack attack from both girls. He just whimpers in pain, mumbling why Serena would hit him for that comment. He didn't mention her at all for that! He just hears a sad harrumph come from her and he blinks, looking at her as she walks away with a pout on her face. What's wrong with her? He turns to see both Froakie and Pikachu shaking their heads at him, running to comfort Serena. He frowns, did he mess up?
With her arms crossed, Serena decides to take action, "Well, while you boys are busy slobbering over that dumb picture, I'm going to find this girl and get this straightened out!" She walks, borderline stomping, her way to the campus. Misty follows suit, ready to raise some hell. Both Brock and Ash eye one another, before rushing over with Joe to the girls' sides. They both try to calm the girl's down, but the two girls ignore them, with Serena even huffing and turning away from Ash.
As they enter the building, they don't notice from afar that they are being watched. It's the bumbling trio that everyone loves: Team Rocket. Despite the failure from yesterday, they all watch with their binoculars the gang. To them, the building is nostalgic and tragic. Jessie is the first to say something, "This place sure brings back memories. Right, James?"
James sighs, remembering how terrible school life was for them. "Awful memories."
Meowth rolls his eyes and sarcastically says, "Tell me again the tale of your failures." He whispers, calling them idiots as they both have tears in their eyes. They begin to talk about how they studied for the final exam, confident they would have the best scores, but then when they played around instead of studying, they realized they had the lowest scores in the history of the school. Meowth just laughs, mocking them as they cry their hearts out.
"At least you guys were the top of the bottom, eh?" Meowth states, making the two hug him tightly. They shower him with praises for such sweet words, with him just staring blankly into space, wanting to just be killed off, once and for all.
While the Three Stooges have their moment, Ash and the gang walk through the corridors of the Institute. Joe talks about how Giselle is a Top Trainer in the school, always practicing and battling. He mentions that even if you beat her, it won't count because in Pokémon Tech, it's more about skill than winning a battle. He mentioned she's a Top Beginner, where she's more powerful than someone with three Gym Badges. This irked both Ash and Misty, but Misty was the first to call out such a notion.
"Hold on a sec, I'm a Cerulean City Gym Leader! According to this system, if we were to battle, that means you can beat me?" She asks, annoyed.
Joe simply shows them the simulation room. "You said Cerulean, right? Water Pokémon, right? Oh, man. I always beat them in the simulator." He plops himself down on the chair, playing a game where he uses Weepinbell against a Starmie. The others stare unamused with the flashing screen, with Ash leaning to whisper to Serena that Joe wouldn't last a minute in a real gym. Serena just shakes him off her and continues to huff at him, making him groan.
Enraged and insulted, Misty pulls Joe off the chair, "You think it's that easy, huh? Well, let's battle, mister! No one is going to insult my gym and get away with it!"
Joe simply smiles, "You'll be sorry."
He takes them outside, where he calls out his Weepinbell. Ash crosses his arms, observing the Grass-type. From what it looks like, this Weepinbell looks unsure of itself. It nervously gazes at Misty who silently calls out Starmie, freezing in place as Starmie flexes its limbs. "Joe lost," Ash states matter-of-factly. Brock nods, having the same opinion. Serena, despite trying to stay angry with Ash, nods as well.
The battle begins with Joe crying out for Weepinbell to use Razor Leaf.
The Flycatcher throws its leaves at Starmie, but at an incredibly slow rate. Misty rolls her eyes and tells Starmie to dodge it. Joe looks surprised, thinking it should have hit Starmie for massive damage! The simulator told countless times that Starmie can't take many super-effective hits.
"Water Gun, Starmie!"
Spewing out its Water Gun, Joe didn't have the reaction time needed to tell Weepinbell to dodge it. As a result, the match is over with Weepinbell passing out in one hit, much to Joe's horror. "I thought Weepinbell was strong against Water Pokémon!" Misty silently recalls her Starmie, who just looked disappointed at how easy the battle really was. Misty shared the same sentiment, but she also had a look of pride on her face. No one was going to insult her home like that. No one. Before she even tells Joe off, a girl walks in, making her presence known. Serena bristles noticing who it is, and she grits her teeth lightly.
Giselle walks over to Joe, a sway to her step that memorizes all the boys in the vicinity. Her posse included. She shakes her head at him, talking to him like a child. "That may be true, Joe, but she just said she was the Cerulean City Gym Leader. She clearly has the experience to beat you and your Weepinbell, you should have known that." She glares at the boy, who whittles down from that stare, "You're such an embarrassment." To the boys, her voice is soft, but firm. Her slight country accent endears all the boys. Despite the soft-spoken tone, she carries within her a venomous bite, always ready to verbally attack anyone and bring them down.
Despite being talked down to, Ash and Brock both ogle Giselle, much to Serena's annoyance. Ash whispers to Brock that Giselle is very pretty, with Brock agreeing and saying she looks like a movie star. 'A movie star, huh? I'll make sure they see stars.' Serena thinks, her eyes twitching as Ash continues to ogle the girl.
"I'm guessing you're the Giselle that everyone is talking about," Serena rhetorically asks, making her way to the front.
Giselle nods, turning around to face the newcomers to the building, showing off a sense of grandeur in her wake. She spins around, akin to that of a magical school girl transforming. Serena begins to dislike this girl more and more. "Oh, yes. That's me. The name is Giselle, some may call me a star, but I'm anything but that. I'm just blessed with beauty, talent, and a humble attitude. I simply just want to continue helping my classmates to be the best they can be, but not him." She points to Joe, "He's such a weakling, I can't help but pity him."
Joe looks down. She doesn't let up on her insult, with a glare being thrown at the boy, disgusted at his loss.
"If you don't straighten yourself out, you weak little thing, all your fellow students will just turn their backs on you. For good!" Giselle harrumphs, but Serena decides to step in. She's had enough of the treatment Joe is receiving by her! How can she be so cruel to her friend like that?! Clenching her fists, Serena takes a stand.
"You're such a despicable person," she yells out, stopping Giselle dead in her tracks, "You may think you're beautiful, but you're as ugly as they come! Inside and out!" Ash and Brock both 'ooh' silently, thinking to take Serena's side was the smarter option. Misty glares at them for acting childishly, prompting them to just stop. They straighten themselves up. Giselle glances over at Serena, smirking at the honey-blonde haired girl.
"Jealousy isn't all that pretty either."
Ash wanted to say something, but Brock stopped him. With a turn, Brock shakes his head in a sage like manner. "Wise men never get involved with cat fights, Ash." This only makes Ash more confused, but when he turns to see Serena fuming in anger, he decides that maybe Brock is right and shuts his mouth. They turn to see Serena declare her battle against Giselle, much to the shock of her group. Giselle shrugs, going to her side of the arena, not at all threatened by Serena.
Giselle eyes the girl in front of her, appraising her, checking Serena for all her worth. Serena gets a sense of déjà vu, remembering the Sensational Sister's and their oddities. The top student begins to chuckle. Serena realizes the laugh seems hollow, a mocking tone underneath it. "You're that girl from the Cerulean City Contest, the one that lost in the final round. Normally, I would find that impressive, but you were just lucky. I saw your performance and it was pathetic. I don't even know how the judges thought it was anything impressive; it was boring and amateurish at best. Your battling was also pretty mediocre. Had I been there, I would have easily mopped the floor with you and that weak Beedrill of yours and that's with its Swarm ability activating. Face it, your entire run was nothing but a fluke."
Serena growls, her fists clenched tightly. Misty decides that was enough, "You don't get to insult my friend like that! If you think you're such a great trainer, how about you battle me instead?" She sends out Starmie, who is ready to fight yet again.
With a small shrug, Giselle smirks, "Your funeral, Ms. Gym Leader. Maybe the Gyarados incident won't be the only embarrassing thing to have happened to your gym after I'm through with you." She pulls out a Poké Ball, kissing it and throws it out with a yell, "Come on out, my darling!" As the Poké Ball opens, out comes a Graveler, who smirks arrogantly at the starfish in front of it. It cracks its knuckles threateningly at it, its smirk increasing when Starmie does an involuntary step back. Misty begins to see red when Giselle insults her home. Without thinking, she begins with an offensive move.
"Starmie! Show this harlot your Rapid Spin!"
Starmie throws itself, spinning at high speeds towards Graveler. Giselle and her Pokémon have their eyes closed, waiting for the opportunity to strike. When Starmie gets close, Giselle and her Graveler both open their eyes. "Grab that stupid toy," she commands. Graveler obeys, lazily holding up his bulky arm and roughly grabs one of Starmies tendrils. It squeezes down. As a defense mechanism, Starmie spews Water Gun at the Rock-type. It hits it square in the face, but the Rock-type doesn't wince at all! It just continues to smirk.
"Wha… how?" Misty asks, stupefied. "Starmie, try to break free! Use Water Pulse in its face!"
"Kyah!"
"Graveler, release it and use Defense Curl!" Graveler slams its head against Starmie, causing the starfish to squeak in pain. It still gathers enough energy to throw a Water Pulse out, but Graveler was able to use the moment it squeaked in pain as the opportunity to escape. In response, Graveler curls up into a ball, increasing its defenses. "Now, my beautiful boulder, use Rollout and show Starmie the true meaning of a rapid spin!" She throws out a pun, laughing haughtily. Graveler uses Rollout, speeding around Starmie, leaving dust trails as it rolls around at high speeds.
"Starmie! Dodge!" Misty yells out in desperation.
Starmie attempts to dodge early, but as Graveler rolls in front of it, it launches itself into the air and collides into the center of Starmie's jewel! The jewel cracks and chips away. Giselle is far from finished, "Now, grab it and throw it!" The Rock-type eagerly grabs Starmie's tendrils yet again, squeezing hard. It spins once more in the air, taking Starmie around with it, and as it lands back onto the ground, it launches Starmie away! Starmie, completely dizzy, is unable to react and lands square against the wall with a sickening crack!
… It slides down the wall, more of its center jewel has chipped off.
Misty and her friends stare, horrified. Unable to breath, Misty collapses onto her knees, staring at where Starmie lays motionless. The only comfort in her mind is that she can hear the beeping noise Starmie does when low on health. At least it's alive. Misty swallows back some bile ready to come up. She blankly looks to where Giselle is, who doesn't seem all that impressed. The top student merely smirks, grunting at Graveler to come back to her.
"Little lesson for you, make sure you back up what you say," Giselle smugly comments.
Serena goes over to Misty, her hands over the redheads back, trying to soothe her friend. "Oh, and Ms. Little Contest Girl," Serena looks up to see Giselle sneering at her, "if you can't even fight back, you're even worse than her. From what I remember, Vaniville Town is in Kalos," Giselle harrumphs, "if your fashion and strength is what Kalos has to offer, then maybe you should go back there. At least you won't look like a total loser there." Serena looks down, ready to cry. Ash has had enough.
"You know what? You're pretty – pretty ugly," Ash remarks. Everyone turns to him walking past Serena and Misty, the two stare at Ash's backside. They notice his fists clenched, shaking with righteous anger.
"Am I? Weren't you just going gaga over me? Where was all this bravado when your girlfriend and her bodyguard couldn't even beat me," Giselle retorts, unimpressed with Ash's insult.
Scoffing, Ash traces the trim of his cap, "You're right. I have no excuse, but now? I can see, plain as day, you're as ugly as they come. You're nothing more than a bully, thinking high and mighty of yourself, but tearing everyone down," recollecting his own past, of Gary and his posse bullying Ash running through his mind, "and you know what? I'm done. The moment you hurt my friends, that's when I'm getting myself involved." Froakie and Pikachu both back him up, getting in front of their trainer.
"Pika!"
"Froakie!"
Giselle laughs, "Oh, please! If they couldn't beat me, then what makes you think you have a chance? Tell me, how many badges do you have?"
Ash narrows his eyes, "Two. What of it?"
"And how many Pokémon do you have?"
"Four."
Giselle fakes a gasp, "Only four and you have two badges? You should have a full roster by this point! Please tell me you've only started a week ago!" When Ash responds with him being on the road for two and a half months, she begins to laugh hysterically, "Two and a half months and this is all you have to show for? It's like they say, the weak follow the weak!" She and her crew begin to laugh, with Ash staring unfazed at her insults.
"Then let this loser of a trainer battle you. Tell you what, let's make this interesting," Ash calls out Butterfree, who flies around happily to be used, "I'll use Butterfree and you use Graveler. And let's make a bet." This catches everyone's attention. What is Ash betting? Giselle raises an eyebrow, motioning Ash to continue speaking. Ash obliges, "If I win, you apologize to everyone and you change your stupid system here in this school."
Giselle smirks, "Alright, but if – I'm sorry, when I win, you give up those two badges and go back to whatever backwards town you're from." Everyone tenses, even Giselle's own posse. That's career suicide!
Brock is the first to respond, trying to tell Ash to renege on the deal, "Ash, don't you dare! It's not that serious!" Both Misty and Serena voice their opinions, agreeing with Ash. However, Ash and his Pokémon look at Giselle with a devilish smirk. His eyes turn to fire, ready to continue. When he agrees to her terms, his friends stare in absolute horror as Butterfree is sent to the battlefield. Joe, mixed on all of this, looks over to see Serena staring at Ash with concern. Her hands clasped together and her breathing heavy. It was then he realized that the attraction he had for Serena the moment she helped him was gone, noticing her feelings towards the raven-haired boy.
Afar, Team Rocket watches in amazement, able to hear the agreement that went down. They stare at one another, almost impressed at the 'twerp'. They turned back to watch the battle that was about to unfold.
"Graveler, Defense Curl!"
Graveler curls up in a ball. It smirked right before it did so, trying to intimidate Butterfree. It slightly worked, but Butterfree shook it off. With a command, Giselle tells Graveler to begin with a Rollout.
"Butterfree, use Psybeam! Aim it at Graveler's path!" Ash orders, quick on his feet. Butterfree screeches, alighting the area with its Psybeam. Graveler continues to roll towards the bug, but the Psybeam hits it in the area where it was supposed to be, making it stumble lightly. The stumble was subtle that no one was able to notice, but Ash did. "Psybeam underneath it!" Butterfree continues its onslaught, unleashing its Psybeam underneath the Rock-Type.
"Graveler, continue to use Rollout!"
Graveler does so, but because it keeps needing to charge up, and the Psybeam hits where it's not only standing, but going, it keeps stumbling around.
It eventually got so bad for it, that when it did another Rollout, it falls over and slid onto its sides. It winces from the fall, scraping against the ground. Ash smirks, "Poison Powder!" Butterfree flies over Graveler. The poisonous dust gets inhaled by the rock, and it begins to get nauseous. It then has purple drool hanging over its mouth, swaying around in misery. Graveler coughs harshly, spitting out phlegm that looks just as purple as the drool hanging out.
"When did Butterfree learn Poison Powder?" Misty asks, Serena and Brock shrug. Even they were unable to answer that question.
"Pull yourself together, Graveler!" Giselle calls out, "Use Rock Throw!"
Forming energy around its hands, Graveler freely throws the rocks towards a flying Butterfree. The only thing making it a cake walk for Butterfree is that the poison is sapping its energy, making the rocks thrown be hurled rather slowly. With a lazy dodge, Butterfree taunts the Rock-Type, much to its chagrin. It continues hurling more and more rocks, all of which gets progressively slower. Having enough of this, Ash decides to end the battle. He thought the battle would have been better, considering Graveler took out a Starmie, the one that Ash had some trouble dealing with. But this? This is embarrassing.
"Now, use String Shot!" Butterfree spews webbing all over Graveler, leaving it immobilized. Ash stares at Giselle, "Give up?"
When she doesn't answer, Ash attacks once more, "Psybeam! Straight in the face!"
Another Psybeam, this time in direct contact, up the boulder's face. Graveler tips over, dazed, and unable to move. Ash smirks, "I won." Everyone watches in disbelief.
Giselle stares in shock, collapsing onto her knees as well. "My darling Graveler, defeated… by a mere bug?" She recalls it. She gives Ash a wary look, "I've trained my Graveler to beat Water-Types, but a mere Bug-Type won with only one attacking move? What kind of trainer are you?" Ash rubs Butterfree's head, whispering words of encouragement, to which it screeches happily. When Ash recalls his Butterfree, he coldly stares at the girl in front of him.
"The kind of trainer that put you in your place," he responds, "I may be taking my time being a trainer, catching Pokémon, but you know what? The ones I got? I made sure they're strong to handle anything and even if we lose, we'll continue fighting. That's what separates me from you and this school. You guys will never become real trainers if all you rely on are books and good grades to get into the Pokémon League. You may have surprised us with your cheap attacks, but when push comes to shove, you aren't much of a trainer yourself. I won our bet; you better hold up your end of the bargain."
Ash walks back to his friends, his attitude shifting back to his usual, albeit a tad remorseful. Before he could apologize, Team Rocket appears with an explosive entrance. Smoke covers the area, leaving everyone coughing. The trio laugh, their voices piercing through the smoke. They then do their motto in front of everybody once the smoke dissipates. Ash and the others call them out, with Giselle and the others looking at the Team Rocket members in confusion. She then recognizes who they are but doesn't say anything about as Team Rocket use a net launcher to grab her Graveler. "Graveler," she gasps as it's dragged away, "give him back!"
"Ah, but what's the point of that?" Meowth mocks her, "Especially since you got beat by a weak, little bug!"
"Oh, lookie here, the top student lost to the twerp?" James mocks her, "If you can't back up what you say, then don't say anything at all!"
Jessie crosses her arms, smirking at the girl, "If that's all you have, then count your lucky stars, being beautiful is the only thing you're good at!" They all continue to mock her, making her look at them with wide eyes. It was then she realized how hurtful those words are. She crumples up and when she looks to see her posse, they just run away, afraid to even dare fight back. She looks on, mystified, that the people that always stood by her just abandoned her.
"I…I…I…"
"Such an egotistical, young lady," Jessie wags her finger, "three 'I's in one breath? To think you had everything in the world in the palm of your hands, but look at you now? Groveling, crying, and looking oh, so pathetic to boot! What if we wipe away that makeup of yours? Or better yet, add more makeup and make you look like what you really are: a clown!" Jessie and her two partners laugh hysterically, beginning to call her a clown. They even make honking noises at her, squeezing an imaginary clown nose. She begins to cry, sobbing at the harsh words thrown at her. Karma hitting her hard.
"Leave her alone!" Joe screams out, everyone looking at him in surprise, even Giselle. "She may have been mean to us, but she's still a top student at this school! She may have lost, but that means nothing!" Joe turns to her, "Get up, Giselle! Show them what it means to be a strong trainer! Show them you're more than just a pretty face!" He calls out a Tangela, ready to battle for her. She just whispers his name, unable to believe that the boy she insulted moments prior is now defending her. Then, all of a sudden, Serena and Misty come to her aid. She whispers their names, asking why they would defend her.
"You may be a bully, but…" Serena stares at Team Rocket in anger, "you're still someone who needs our help, and I'm not going to let Team Rocket get away with taking a Pokémon!"
Misty nods, "No one deserves to lose their Pokémon to a bunch of crooks like them, not even you." The two girls call out Fennekin and Staryu, who are both ready to fight alongside Tangela. Team Rocket laugh, calling out their Ekans and Koffing.
"Ekans! Poison Sting!"
"Koffing! Smog, let's go!"
"Fennekin! Use Flame Charge!"
"Staryu! Use Water Gun!"
"Tangela! Vine Whip!"
Koffing covers the area with poisonous gas, making everyone cough and wheeze, but the Pokémon strike back. Fennekin charges at Ekans, hitting it square in the chest, with Ekans hitting back with Poison Sting. "Koffing! Headbutt!" Koffing lands a direct hit at Fennekin, making it fly, but Tangela uses its Vine Whip to grab Fennekin before she hits the wall. Serena mutters her appreciation to Joe. Brock and Ash then get involved, with Brock calling out his Geodude and Ash using Pidgeotto to get rid of the smog.
"No fair!" Jessie rants "That's five against two!"
Ash smirks, "And here I thought Team Rocket didn't like to play by the rules!" He then calls out Pikachu and Froakie to attack, with Pikachu using Iron Tail to cut the net holding Graveler. "Recall him, now!" Ash orders Giselle, making her snap out of her funk. She then recalls her Graveler, blankly staring at everyone who is helping her. "Do you have any other Pokémon you can use?" He asks the maroon haired girl. She brings out another Poké Ball, sending out a Cubone.
"Just this little guy," she says.
"Good enough," Ash states. He gives her a smile, "Come on, let's show them what it means to be a Pokémon Trainer."
With the words of encouragement and feeling grateful for the help, Giselle looks over to Team Rocket and smirks, her confidence fully restored. "Jessie and James. Two of the worst ever students in the history of Pokémon Tech. Constant skipping, never passing your classes, and always losing your practice battle seminars. Really, you all call me 'pathetic'? If that's what I am, then what are you two? If I were to open my dictionary up and find the definition for 'waste of space', it would pull you two up with your ugly mugs." Her words hit the two former students, making them wince.
"Bone Club!"
Giselle points at the trio, with her Cubone throwing his bone at them. At that point, everyone else unleashed their attacks. The Team Rocket trio pale, hugging one another at the impending doom that's about to befall on them. They scream in pain, before an explosion happens, sending them flying in the sky. Their last words were, "Looks like Team Rocket is blasting off again!" Followed by a ding.
Despite being rather early in the day when they entered the premises, time had passed so much that the sun was already setting. In honor of helping them out, Giselle gave them refuge for the night in the campus, giving them spare rooms. Giselle openly apologized for her behavior, bowing to everyone in the group, and to Joe specifically. Misty and Serena, while not fully satisfied, ultimately accepted the apology from her. Joe held no ill-will towards her and thanked the group for giving him the courage to finally stand up to the bullying. He even told them that he was going to leave the institute to focus on being an actual trainer, something they were all supportive of.
In their room, Serena lays on her bed, thinking about what Giselle has said prior to her apology. She then begins to think about her loss against Leaf. Then, she begins to think about Ash and how he acted today. With a frown, she turns to her side, biting her lips. Today was not her day. Yesterday or today were. She lost to Leaf, by an inch, and she was humiliated by Giselle! What's worse is that she had Misty fight her battle, to which she lost! And Ash was absolutely smitten by Giselle's looks, too! Luckily, he changed his tune, but that was after the fact! What if he's still attracted to her? What if he likes her now, now that she's nice?! What chance does she even have?
"Serena?"
She jolts, hearing her name called out. She turns over and sees Ash staring at her, sitting on the bed. His two partners were sleeping. Brock and Misty were busy, taking the opportunity to bask in what the institute had to offer. Despite their grievances with the curriculum, there were still some topics that may be useful to learn. She looks at Ash, before looking away, "What?" She asks him, her tone sharp. Ash sighs, rubbing the back of his head, not knowing how to respond.
"I'm sorry," he apologizes.
She rolls her eyes. "There's nothing to be sorry about, you have your own thoughts and feelings. Don't worry about mine." She rebukes his apology, not wanting to hear anymore of it. What's done is done and his feelings are known. Why does he have to bring this up now?
Carefully and slowly, Ash sits down on her bed, making her tense up. "You're right, but I care about your feelings too," Ash rubs her hair gently, "I shouldn't have let Giselle treat you and Misty that way. I was just stuck admiring her, that I didn't bother defending you guys until it was too late. Serena, what she said to you was nothing but lies. You're a strong girl and we both know it. You're strong, kind, smart, and everything that she could never be. Sure, she's turning over a new leaf, but she'll never be as good as you. Not ever."
Biting her lips, Serena melts at his words, but tries to steel herself, not wanting to be hurt any longer by his adoration towards another girl. "Ash, answer me this: am I pretty?"
Unexpecting the answer, Ash almost chokes in the air. He coughs, punching his chest to calm himself, "W-what's with the question like that?"
"Just answer it."
"Yes, you're very pretty." He answers, his answer genuine.
She pauses, absorbing his answer. "Is Giselle prettier than me?" Ash blinks, before realizing what this is about. He gives her a small smile, rubbing her hair gently. Serena tenses at the touch but begins to enjoy it. "Do you think she's prettier than me?" She asks again. Her timid personality gets the best of her, along with her insecurity. Ash knows this and decides to nip it before it grows even more. He then takes a deep breath.
"No. Serena, if this is about earlier today, then you have nothing to worry about. Sure, I think she's pretty, but she's nowhere close to how you look. You have a prettier smile than she does. You have nicer hair than she does. You have a way better fashion sense than she does! Serena, you're a very pretty girl and anyone you decide to be with one day will be very lucky! I may have gone overboard with it, but at the end of the day, if I must choose you or her, I choose you in a heartbeat." Ash declares firmly, rubbing her cheek a thumb. The thought of Serena leaving him for someone made his heart ache. He shoved that feeling aside for now, wanting to comfort his best friend. He'll worry about that feeling later on. Right now, Serena needs him.
Serena blushes lightly and she whispers, "I only want to be with you, though."
Ash doesn't hear her and blinks, "Huh? You said something?"
She shakes her head. She then gets up, sitting upright to match Ash's gaze. She smiles at him, "Thank you…"
Ash gives her a grin, "Anything for you, 'Rena."
She holds his hands, intertwining them. "Just one more question, Ash… please." Ash looks at her, his heart beating 100 miles per hour. Why is it beating so fast? Is it because she's holding his hands? He nods slowly, letting her know it's okay to ask another question. "What do you…" she bites her lips, "Do you think I have what it takes to be a Coordinator?" She asks, looking down at the bed sheets. "I lost to Leaf… I was just so close! And then, I lost… and it hurt… It still hurts, you know? All that training – wasted. My Pokémon put their hearts and souls into it, and I failed them… Ash, do you think I can do this?"
Ash takes in all her thoughts, realizing what everything was about. Her insecurity, her jealousy for whatever reason, and her fears… all compounded from her loss against Leaf. Ash never felt more like a horrible friend until today. Squeezing her hands, Ash stares directly into her eyes, to which he finds amazing. "Serena, all it takes is a single step. You just started and you fell. But do you know what we do when we fall? We get back up and continue. We don't let a fall like that bring us down. Serena, we don't ever give up. We push forward and every fall, we get back up, ready to try again. Not until it's all over. You lost, but you have plenty of chances to win. You've just started, but you did a great job! You heard what they said, it's rare to see two beginners win the Appeal Round and then get to the finals. Serena, even when you lost, I was proud of you – you did your absolute best and I just want to let you know that I'll always be there for you, ready to see you take those Ribbons and enter the Grand Festival. Just like how you support me with my badges."
Emotional, Serena wraps her arms around Ash, pulling him close to her. "Thank you… you always know what to say to me, Ash…"
With a mild blush, he wraps his arms around her waist, "Anytime, 'Rena…"
She pulls away gently, looking determined, surprising Ash at her sudden shift. "I think… No, I know I can do this… With you, my Pokémon, and our friends… with all of you guys by my side, I know I can do this. Ash, you're right. Just because I fell, that doesn't mean I should give up. No." She turns her head to the window, looking at the Moon, "My Pokémon and I, we'll get through this. We lost once, and we may lose again, but you know what? Until the very end, I will not give up. Our motto inspires me, Ash. I'm ashamed to have been so insecure, but you know… I needed this. This loss… it's inspiring me to train even harder!"
She grabs his hands yet again, putting them on her lap, "Ash, bear with me on this. Bear with me the burden I place on you guys as I train to become a Top Coordinator! I refuse to standby and be some damsel, or some weak girl. Ash, will you stay by my side and watch me grow?"
Mouth agape, Ash stares directly into her eyes. Her soul. And there it is, the flame within her iris burns bright. Unlike the fire in his eyes, hers are more comforting – passionate, but soothing. With a warm smile, Ash nods. "I'll always be by your side. There was never any doubt."
