Chapter Ten

"Serena."

Serena's vision blurred at the name, her heart racing with everything that had just happened. One moment she had been exhaustively hiking through the mountain– and the next she and her Pokemon had been attacked by someone she had thought she could trust. The rest had felt like a blur– Isla desperately fighting a match she could not win, Flambé fainting in the Meowth's claws, and the feeling of Jessie's nails digging into her arm still lingered on her skin.

Then suddenly help had arrived, her Pokemon were safe, and her mind seemed to be unable to catch up.

Now she was looking into a pair of bright brown eyes she had only seen in her dreams, his gaze so soft as he spoke her name, and she felt the tears coming. She knew exactly who he was– her mind was still trying to accept it– but she knew it was him. He had the same eyes and the same wild dark hair, his presence just as warm as the day she met him. The very reason she had come to Kanto was now right in front of her– and it felt like it was too good to be true.

She broke down sobbing, and Ash's arms immediately wrapped around her. She was pulled into his chest, the Pichu on his shoulder scampered away. She couldn't help but lean closer to him, just trying to take in everything that was happening.

"You remember me," she muttered against his shirt, this being the greatest relief that she felt.

Ash pulled back just enough so he could see her face. "What do you mean?" He asked softly. "Of course I remember you." He brought her back into a crushing hug. "You're here, you're actually here. You came to Kanto." His arms held her tighter. "I can't believe it– you're actually here– I've missed you so much!"

"Hou?" A small voice whined, and Serena opened her eyes to see a canine Pokemon peering up at them. The Houndour was watching her curiously, and Serena curled up slightly more.

"Houndour, this is Serena, my soulmate," Ash said softly. Houndour stepped forward, sniffing Serena's knee– before letting out a happy bark.

Soulmate. Her soulmate was here.

She had found Ash.

"Wait– soulmate?" The gym leader said, pausing from her pacing to stand in front of them. Her two Pokemon hovered at her side, giving her an intimidating presence. "She's your soulmate?"

"Yes."

"The one you haven't seen in like ten years? That you lost contact with as a kid?"

"Yeah."

"The soulmate from another region is this random girl we just rescued?"

"Yep!"

"...Ash, do you realize what the chances are?" Misty asked, rubbing her temples. "I mean, if you two had just met for the first time I would probably be less surprised, but..."

She pointed between them, and Ash just shrugged.

Ash's gaze turned back towards her, those gleaming brown eyes light with excitement, but his gaze instantly softened when he saw her expression. Her heart was still hammering in her chest, and the Houndour sniffed her knee.

"S-sorry," she whispered, trying to calm herself.

"I mean it's not that surprising if you think about it," Ash said, his arms still around her as he pulled her in closer. "We planned on journeying through Kanto together after all." He turned back towards Serena, smiling. "I'm just glad that we were able to get here in time, and that you weren't hurt."

"It's my own fault," Serena whispered. "I trusted them, even when my Pokemon didn't... I should have listened to Flambé, I should have–"

"It's no one's fault but those thieves," Misty growled, cutting her off.

"She's right," Ash said. "This was not your fault, so don't you dare blame yourself."

"Can you tell us anything about the thieves?" Misty asked. "Did they say anything? What did they tell you–?"

"Misty, not now," Ash said softly. "Let's just get out of this cave."

Misty gave a nod of agreement, turning her focus towards Serena. "We're aren't too far from Pewter. How are you feeling? Did they hurt you?"

Her arms felt sore from how she had been held by Jessie, but she doubted that she would even have bruises. So she shook her head, trying to calm her breathing. Ash still had an arm around her, and that alone seemed to make her heart stop thumping.

Ash was here.

"It shouldn't be too much of a hike then," Misty said with a short nod, and she glanced at the two of them. "...Whenever you're ready, let's head out. I'm going to make sure that those thieves don't come back this way."

With that Misty headed down the path, her Staryu hovering after her, leaving Serena alone with Ash and his Pokemon.

"Chu..." Pichu muttered, sneezing as he looked around the cave with distaste.

"Do you want to go back into your Pokeball?" Ash asked the small mouse– whose ears went flat against his head. The yellow Pokemon scurried towards them, climbing up Ash's legs, before darting into the inner pocket of his jacket. "Well, at least he isn't terrified of me anymore..."

Ash's eyes flickered over towards Serena, who had tears filling her eyes once more.

"Serena?" Ash asked softly.

"My Pokemon are going to hate me," Serena muttered, looking down at the Pokeball in her hands. "They... they were almost taken–"

Ash placed his hands on top of hers. "Hey, don't talk like that," Ash said, those brown eyes looked onto hers, and her head felt dizzy as they made eye contact. Warmth swelled within her– clashing against the guilt she felt. "Your Fennekin was so worried about you when he came to find us– he wanted to protect you, he doesn't hate you."

"He could have been taken, because of me," she whispered.

"Then he could have kept running to where those thieves would have never found him," Ash replied, curling her fingers around the Pokeball. "Instead I watched him race back to you when you were crying out for help." He smiled softly at her. "We'll get both of them to a Pokemon Center, and it will be like it never happened."

Serena gave a short nod, wiping away her tears with one arm. She glanced at Ash, before looking away.

She... she had no idea what to say to him.

It had been nearly a decade since she had last seen her soulmate– and now he was here. Right in front of her. The very reason she had come all the way to Kanto, the one she had been looking forward to finding for so long. She had dreamed of this moment, often wondered and imagined what she'd say when she saw him again, but right now she could only stare at her feet.

"That Rhyhorn you had," Ash said softly, smiling at her. "Are you doing races?"

Serena nodded her head. "Yeah, there's a racing track in Pewter City..."

Ash grinned. "Then it's a good thing we're turning around to head that way then, isn't it." He paused, hesitating. "It is okay that I'm going back with you, right?"

"Dour?" His Houndour tilted her head as she heard her trainer's hesitation.

Serena watched him for a moment, the boy so much older than she remembered... but holding that same concern she had seen when she had first met him. Despite what had happened, she couldn't help but smile softly, before reaching to pull off her backpack, looking around inside of it for a moment, before pulling out a small blue square of folded cloth from inside of the bag, which Ash blinked at as she pulled it out.

"Do... do you remember this?" She asked softly, and Ash took it out of her hands. It unfolded in his hands, the handkerchief a light blue, edged with a much darker blue. He held it up, brow furrowed in thought.

"Wait, isn't this what I used to wrap up your knee back at the camp?" Ash said, recognition lighting up his eyes after a moment, and he glanced at Serena. She gave a short nod, looking away. "You kept it all this time?"

He sounded touched, and Serena looked back towards him. His Houndour was sniffing it curiously, while Ash watched her with that bright gaze.

"It was all I had left of my soulmate," Serena said softly. "Of course I kept it, it was something he gave after helping me..." She looked up at the ceiling of the cave. "I always wanted to give it back once I found him again, to thank him for everything... maybe pay him back for helping me all those years ago." Blue eyes met brown. "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that he ended up helping me once more instead. He was always pretty protective in the short time we spent together."

Ash looked down at the handkerchief, chuckling, before smiling softly. "You know that you don't have to pay me back for anything, right? Being able to find you again... that's worth everything."

Serena looked away, her cheeks feeling warm, and Ash bumped shoulders with her.

"What do you say we get out of this cave?" Ash asked, pushing himself to his feet. "No point in staying here any longer."

He held out one hand towards her, the other still holding the handkerchief. She reached out, placing her hand into his, and just like many years before he pulled her to her feet, smiling at her brightly.

She smiled in return, feeling some hope for the first time that day.

"I'm afraid the cave is outside of city limits."

"Someone was cornered and robbed– and that's the only answer you're going to give me?"

"Mount Moon would be in Cerulean City's jurisdiction," the officer said calmly, even with Misty leaning over his desk. "I can't launch such an investigation, so as long as the Pokemon Center patched the girl and her Pokemon's injuries up– which has already happened– then all that can be done is done."

"We were on the Pewter side of the tunnels!" Misty shouted. "Don't give me this Tauros crap! The lights were out, apparently chewed up by an Arbok– and nothing was done? Have rangers been hired to patrol your city's side of the path?"

"Kid, don't talk about what you don't know–"

"I'm the Cerulean City gym leader!" Misty snarled. "I know what goes into maintaining the Mount Moon path!"

The officer peered over his glasses. "You? A gym leader?"

Misty gritted her teeth. "...Junior Gym Leader," she muttered after a moment. "Not that my sisters do any more work than I do– but I know how this works. I'm not stupid. There was an attempted robbery on your side of the tunnel, you need to do more than just file a report that it happened."

The officer smiled grimly. "Do you have any proof that this happened on the Pewter side?"

"...What?"

"In your statement it said that this took place off the trail, meaning you have no way of firmly determining that this took place on the Pewter side of the mountain, and not the Cerulean side. And if I were to launch such an investigation and it was on the Cerulean side that would land me in a lot of trouble. I'm afraid I can't help you."

Misty gritted her teeth. "I need to talk to Flint. Where can I find him?"

The officer smirked. "I'm afraid Gym Leader Flint hasn't been seen in several months now. His son, Junior Gym Leader Brock, is not allowed to do much more than host gym battles in his absence, I'm afraid."

Misty stared. "...Are you telling me that both the Pewter and the Viridian Gm Leaders are gone?" She asked in disbelief. "There are no active gym leaders on this side of Mount Moon? What in Mew's name is going on!" She closed her eyes. "What... whatever. Where can I find Brock? I can at least have him call his father–"

The officer snorted. "Good luck with that. If you want to talk to him you'll probably have to schedule a gym battle, and hope he'll even talk to you. The Harrison family... well, they tend to keep to themselves."

The officer turned back to his computer, making it clear that the conversation was over. Misty turned away, cursing under her breath as she approached where Ash and Serena sat near the front of the building. Serena was holding both of her Pokeballs tightly in one hand, having been silent during the whole exchange. Ash looked up at Misty, who was shaking her head in disbelief.

"And I thought things were bad in Cerulean," she muttered. "Come on– I have a gym match to get to, because apparently that's the only way we're going to actually get this taken care of."

"Y-you don't have to," Serena muttered. "I– I caused enough trouble for you guys already, and–"

"Serena," Ash said, reaching for her wrist as she turned away. "Serena, please don't talk like that. I... I know we haven't seen each other in so long– but you're my soulmate! We're supposed to help and support each other, and we're going to make sure this is taken care of– I swear."

"You were assaulted by thieves," Misty growled. "If you think I'm just going to standby, then you're dead wrong." They walked out of the police station, and into the sun. "This is why I left Cerulean City in the first place– my sisters have the gym leader title and do nothing with it! Well, technically it's Daisy, Violet and Lily are just allowed to step in as acting gym leader if Daisy's unavailable, but they still don't do anything."

"And it's no better here?" Ash asked as they followed Misty down the street.

"I have no idea what's going on here," Misty muttered. "Gym leader being inactive for months, with only a Junior Gym Leader hosting matches? That means there's not an adult in the gym. Then in Viridian the battles were being hosted by the acting gym leader. Which is better, that's their job, but still... then don't even get me started on that officer. A theft and he's doing nothing about it!" Misty stopped, before turning towards Serena. "I was planning on doing a gym battle here anyways– and if it means finding out what's going on here and getting you some justice, then all the more reason to have that battle."

"Thank you," Serena whispered, lowering her head, and Ash watched her in worry.

"Hey! You!" Misty cried, walking up to a man walking down the street. "Which way to the gym?"

"Serena?" Ash asked softly, turning towards her. "What's wrong?"

Serena closed her eyes. "It's just... I barely started my journey, and I already nearly lost my Pokemon. How am I supposed to be a good trainer when I can't even... Mother was right, maybe I wasn't ready to–"

"Hey," Ash said, stepping so he was standing in front of her. "Serena, listen to me– this was not your fault. You were lied to, and attacked– and a victim should never be blamed for that."

"Flambé– my Fennekin– he didn't trust them," Serena muttered. "I should have listened to him, but instead I put him in danger–"

"So you'll know to trust his instincts next time," Ash said. "That's why we're on a journey, isn't it? To learn?" He smiled. "And... well, if you still want to go on our journey together– you won't be alone from here on out. Me and you, traveling across Kanto– that's what we said, isn't it?"

Serena nodded.

Ash grinned in reply– and it was so easy to see the young boy she had once met. Standing tall, declaring words with such ease, lighting a spark within her as he had done so many years ago.

"So what do you say, Serena?" Ash asked. "Are you ready to start our journey together?"

"I... I would love that, Ash."

The boy threw her arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug– he was saying something excitedly, and while Serena was listening, her focus was more on the warmth in her chest. It flooded her whole body, giving her the sense of safety and home.

Was this the Knowing? The same force that had opened her eyes to the colors back in Pallet so many years before? That had allowed her to know just what colors she was seeing? It was something she hadn't felt in so long, with her soulmate a whole world apart.

But that was no longer so– and he was holding her tightly in his arms, the feeling of ease the most wonderful thing. After a moment she returned the embrace, and she could feel the heat in her cheeks. She didn't think too much of it though– because this was her soulmate after all.

"Come on you two!" Misty shouted. "I got directions!"

"Right behind you!" Ash called, pulling back, and Serena felt the urge to bring him in close once more. They had been apart for far too long, and she didn't want him to leave.

"Are... are you going to do a gym battle as well?" She asked him quietly.

Ash blinked at her, before smiling and letting out a small laugh. "Oh, no, I'm not doing gym battles– I'm doing Pokemon Contests!"

"Contests?"

"Yeah!" Ash said in excitement. "Not long after our summer camp together I saw them on TV, and–"

"Ash!" Misty called.

Ash scratched the back of his head. "I'll tell you about it later– come on, I'll race you!"

Serena watched as her soulmate bolted down the street. So much like the boy she had met nine years ago but yet... not. He had changed– and so had she. The idea of finding Ash once more had been something she had hoped to do by coming to Kanto... but there was still so much to find out about him.

Serena had a small smile on her face, and headed after the two Kantonians.

The Pewter City Gym was a dark place, the large double doors opening up with a loud creak. The outside of the gym had looked unmaintained– grass tall and weeds starting to sprout up, and the inside looked like they had just entered a cave. The lights low, the battle field up ahead made with rocky soil, large stones jutting out of the floor and the ceiling.

"Welcome to the Pewter City Gym," a voice said, and Serena jumped. The boy might as well have walked out of the shadows, but with how dark the gym was it wasn't unexpected. He seemed to be just about their age, spiky dark brown hair on his head. "Are you here to challenge the gym? We have enough time for one more battle before closing."

"Are you the gym leader?" Misty asked.

"I'm Forrest Harrison," the boy said, his tone sounding less than welcoming. "I can either schedule one of you to have a battle with Brock, or I can ask you to leave."

"I'm here to battle him," Misty said, stepping forward. "The others are just here to watch."

Forrest nodded. "Number of gym badges?"

"Two."

"Very well. This will be a tier three battle against Junior Gym Leader Brock," Forrest pulled a scanner from his belt. "Please scan your trainer card here."

Misty did so, and Forrest's eyes widened slightly upon seeing Misty's name, but didn't comment. He did eye the girl once, but his tone seemed a bit less harsh as he signed Misty up for a gym battle. Ash was watching everything with interest, and Serena found herself lingering back towards the door. She was peering out towards the battlefield, trying to make sense of what she could see in the dim light, when she heard a low rumble, followed by the smallest tremors shaking the ground.

She knew this sensation well, and turned to see a Rhyhorn slowly taking a few steps towards her. The Pokemon was sniffing the air as it came towards her, the Rhyhorn line having a better sense of smell than most people expected. She couldn't help but smile, kneeling down as the Pokemon came closer.

"Do you smell my Rhyhorn on me?" She asked softly, running a hand across its horn. The Rhyhorn snorted, before giving her a small nudge. Serena couldn't help but walk around the side of the creature, making sure to keep a hand on it so he knew where she was.

As her hand brushed against the stoney ridge that ran down the Rhyhorn's back she couldn't help but frown– smooth and worn. She looked over the Pokemon again, before sliding her hand behind the large head– where sure enough she found a leather collar resting near the neck.

"An everstone collar," she said, approaching the front of the Rhyhorn again. "You're a racing Rhyhorn, aren't you?"

The Rhyhorn tossed his head, letting out a snort of agreement. Serena was surprised to find a racing Rhyhorn in the gym– battling and racing were two very different professions for the rhino-like Pokemon, but at the same time it wasn't the most far-fetched idea, there was a racing track here in Pewter, and this was a gym home to rock types– who said all of them had to be for battles?

"His racing days will be temporary," Forrest said from behind Serena, and she couldn't help but jump slightly. The Rhyhorn raised its head, then trotted towards the teen, rubbing his head against his leg. "I want to evolve him for battles, but we can't right now."

"Is the everstone actively preventing his evolution?" Serena asked after a moment– as it usually took a lot of training for a Rhyhorn to reach a stage where evolution would be triggered. Most racers used an everstone collar as a precaution, not because their Rhyhorn needed it right that moment.

"Not sure, but he was pretty close to evolution before we started racing," Forrest said, before sighing. "Anyways, your friends are down by the battlefield. Either come and watch, or please leave, we don't need people wandering the gym."

Gym journeys were popular, and Serena wondered if it was glorified on TV, because this kind of attitude was not one she was expecting from an official gym. She followed Forrest towards the battlefield, while his Rhyhorn wandered back off into the shadows. Misty was standing on one end of the battlefield, Ash a few steps behind her, looking out eagerly at the battlefield. Forrest went to stand on the edge, while on the other end of the battlefield someone was standing. It was hard to make him out completely in the dim light, but with the same spiky hair as Forrest, Serena assumed they were family.

"This will be a three on three match between Junior Gym Leader Brock and Challenger Misty," Forrest declared. "The battle will be over when one side's Pokemon is unable to battle. Only the challenger is allowed to switch out Pokemon. Battlers, get your first Pokemon ready."

"Onix," Brock said quietly, a burst of red energy momentarily lighting up the dim gym. The Onix was released, the huge rock snake rearing its head up as she let out a deep bellow. Serena couldn't help but take a step back, awed at the beast of a Pokemon, which Misty regarded for a few moments.

"Butterfree!" She cried, throwing a Pokeball up into the air, letting out the small insect, who looked up at the titan of a snake.

"Challenger gets the first move!" Forrest declared. "Begin!"