A girl stood in front of an endless crowd. Cheers ruptured her ears, and lights blinded her eyes.
Her heart thumped loudly, vigorously. Adrenaline ran through her body as if she had just completed a marathon. The girl's breath was heavy and humid, as sweat ran down her forehead.
She gazed upward, staring up at the stage lighting that shone down, illuminating her and the outfit she wore like a divine being. Some said she was thanking Arceus for helping her here, and others said she was remembering all the hardships she went through to reach this point.
But they were all wrong.
Her eyes looked dull, almost mechanical. The surroundings were so loud, bright, and cheerful, but she couldn't feel anything but gray.
A woman approached her with a fancy-looking box cradled in her arms. On a red, silky pillow laid a shimmering tiara. The girl could remember the days she dreamed of even seeing this tiara in person.
A sigh nearly escaped her soft, pink lips. Those days were long gone for her.
Emptiness. That was all she felt looking at it. Even though it was considered priceless, the girl merely saw an accessory.
The woman carefully picked up the tiara and rested it on top of her shoulder-length honey-blonde hair. It complimented her dress well, which was something she spent blood, sweat, and tears on.
A grand, proud voice spoke up, "Ladies and Gentleman, I now announce Serena as Kalos Queen!"
More cheers erupted across the stands, ringing in her ears. Millions of people were watching and celebrating the new 'Queen of Kalos'.
She smiled. A smile that looked like an angel descending from heaven onto earth, with perfect white teeth and azure eyes worth the world. She looked happy. But, not a bud of joy blossomed within her.
I wonder what he's doing right now.
That special boy from her memories, one that never left. His toothy grin shined in her mind, causing a veil of warmth to spread through the blonde.
He was probably out there battling, Gaining new friends, And getting stronger.
Five years was no small time frame, after all.
The main memory the girl had of him was one from when she was still 12. As she headed down an escalator, her buzzing heart made her turn around and rush back up.
She proceeded to say something, but the girl could no longer remember what was said. Her mind was in tunnel vision toward him, and him alone.
The next few seconds were so quick, yet slow. Her lips crashed into his, giving him a small peck. his glistening eyes, which had turned vibrant, were painted vividly in her mind.
Despite the burning emotions inside her chest, telling the girl to stay, she waved to him timidly and turned around. She vowed the next time they met, her dreams would have been achieved.
What dreams?
She was here- the stage she had dreamed of standing on long ago. That ecstasy the girl thought she'd feel was not there.
Dreams are called dreams because they can only happen within your mind. The second it was achieved, it was no longer a dream.
From the depths of her chest, the girl's heart ached. Where was the feeling of accomplishment? Where was the satisfaction? All those years spent dancing till her feet couldn't move were wasted on what? This?
I'm probably going to stop performing from now on, huh?
She felt there was nothing else for her to achieve. The view from the top looked straight down.
The woman's voice interrupted her thoughts again, sounding excited and interested, "Serena, any words for your official start as Kalos Queen?" A microphone was handed to her. She gripped it weakly.
The girl couldn't even hear her words, as she spoke to the cameras that filmed her every step. Her mind wasn't on the stage, but rather pondering over him.
Does he still remember me? Does he even care anymore?
The person who Serena wanted answers from didn't respond. After all, he wasn't here, nor was he part of her life for the past five years.
It's not like she blamed him for the lack of contact. Even the girl didn't try to talk to him, concerned that she'd get in his way.
It was a regret she carried for a while. It was too late to message him now, after all these years. The gap was too large to cross.
Her mind let out another cry. Where was he now?
She wanted to hear his voice again, even if it was once more.
To hear him say his cheesy yet honest lines, once more.
To see him smile at her, once more.
-
Kalos's National Grand Tournament is coming back after another ten years! Trainers with over 8 gym badges can participate!
Serena sat on a crowded train, 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 the get-go, Nobody even glanced at her.
The last rays of sunlight, which were slowly whisking away, spread onto her arms. It was the 'magical hour.'
Ah, the Kalos National Tournament? I remember watching 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," She muttered, smiling to herself.
With a grin, he'd set out to join the tournament in a rush but barely register within the last hour. He would grin, rub the back of his head iconically, and apologize. Then he'd go back to asking Clemont for food.
Too bad she'd never see that spectacle ever again.
"Maybe I'll ask Bonnie if she's going to join-" 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? TheAsh? The same one she traveled around Kalos with? The same one she liked? The same one she.. kissed?
Her thoughts were a mess. Serena felt restless as well, seeing his name all of a sudden.
Is he here? In Kalos?
The girl's heartbeat resounded in her ears. Where could she find him?
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, not bothering 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. Plus, It would be dark soon. 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, She'd have to be quick on her feet and mind. Luckily, five years of training and traveling had taught her a lot.
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 at that station because any further would have cost her much more time and money.
When she entered the building, the smell of wood greeted her. Ironically, not a single thing in there seemed to be wooden.
"Hello, and welcome to the Kalos Tournament's main building. Are you trying to register?" A man asks from the reception desk, seeing the girl walking around. Serena shook her head.
It would be a bit awkward to suddenly ask about a contestant that was participating in the tourney, she had no choice but to be direct. Beating around the bush was a waste of time.
"I came here looking for a registered contestant named Ash Ketchum. Is he still here?"
The man looked troubled by her question, which pressed legal matters out of his control. He gave a strained smile.
"I'm sorry ma'am, we cannot just state where a contestant is without a way to identify your relationship with them.." He trailed off, something surprising him.
Serena had raised her fedora and lowered her glasses enough for the receptionist to see her face clearly.
"S-Serena? The Kalos Queen?"
The teen didn't like using her title and fame like this, but she wasn't trying to get kicked out. Plus, if he wasn't here, she'd have to get moving before it got too late.
"So, can I please know where he is?" She repeated, placing a finger on her lips. The receptionist involuntarily gulped.
"It's an important matter."
The man was quick to let her know everything she needed to.
It turned out that Ash was staying at a hotel that was part of this building's upper floors. She had rented a room herself, got the keys, and headed to the elevator. Her hands were shaking from nervousness.
There was too much going through her mind, which made her more anxious. She subconsciously gripped her belt, which held her Pokeball. It was a habit she had grown into over the years.
Serena watched the elevator level go up every five seconds. Her room was on floor 15, meaning she had only a minute or less until she was there. Yet, every second felt like a century for her. She only heard 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.
A hole was in the middle of each floor, leading down to the ground. She could see the reception desk, although the receptionist looked like an ant from so high up.
She glanced at the hallway containing rooms 1540 through 1560.
He's right around the corner. Room 1547.
The receptionist had given the Kalos Queen room 1558, a few doors down from his.
Serena could already imagine knocking on his door and seeing his toothy grin and shining, determined eyes.
He would be surprised, huh?
She would have appeared at his doorstep out of nowhere, after five years of no contact.
...wait.
If she gave it thought, the entire situation would be weird for Ash. Almost creepy. If someone she knew five years ago suddenly reappeared at her door front, she'd think they were a stalker.
"A-arent I acting like a stalker?!" The teen exclaimed to herself.
After learning out he was joining a tournament, she tracked down the location of the said tourney, then forced the receptionist into telling her where he was. From an outsider'spoint of view, everything she did seemed desperate and borderline cynical.
I'm the scum of this earth!
She couldn't face him like this. Not as a stalker who had tracked him down, nor as someone who acted so rashly. The amount of shame flowing through her was unbearable.
"I-I can message him later and try to meet up. There's no need to be so hasty," The teen said to herself, gripping her trench coat.
"Plus, my clothes are too weird! I seriously look creepy!"
The attire was put together to blend in with the crowd. If she had to converse with one person, it would seem odd.
Suddenly, from a few doors away, the noise of footsteps was audible. Serena glanced at the direction it came from.
The noise seemed to originate from room 1547.
...The same one Ash was in.
When the realization dawned on her, The blonde's face turned dangerously pale, and her eyes widened more than dinner plates. Her self-talk had been too loud, which attracted his attention. For the first time in years, Serena wished Ash wasn't so curious all the time.
Unfortunately, that wish never left her mind. The door to the room opened, revealing spiky black hair.
The girl couldn't move. She was frozen like a deer caught in headlights, except the headlights were now Ash.
His head turned from one side to the other, finally looking in the direction Serena was in.
Serena held her breath. No, it was more like she couldn't find the time to breathe. Her mind was overflowing with too many thoughts and screams to even consider breathing.
"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 surprise behind it. She didn't even have to see to know it was him.
It's Ash.
She stared into his eyes. While most of his face looked the same, there were some differences: His eyes looked calmer, and his face was more.. defined. It was hard for her to tell from a distance.
"H-hey, Ash." She said awkwardly. Serena felt the heat rush up to her cheeks as she realized how stupid she probably sounded and looked.
"Wow! It's been so long since I've seen you! How have you been?!" He asked, almost yelling every sentence. That level of eagerness was something she missed.
Strangely, the boy had no shirt on. He probably stepped out of his room right after a shower, because his skin looked slick and shiny.
The girl's eyes were caught in the fish hook: his abdomen. It wasn't particularly toned, but there was little to no fat on it. Ash wasn't one to work out, but his constant adventuring built his body well- nothing too fit, nothing too slim.
Serena would beg to differ. For an inexperienced teen who had never focused on a man's abdomen so intently, his muscles seemed to be a bulging six-pack.
H-he's ripped!
Unfortunately, he wasn't. Her delusions were a bit concerning.
"I've been... g-great." She responded, trying her hardest to not stare, but still attempting to take sly glances.
Ash noticed her constant peeking at his stomach and looked down. Maybe he had a stain on his shirt?
He was a bit surprised to see there wasn't a shirt on to greet him. In an embarrassed panic, the boy yelled, "W-whoops! Hold on!"
The door slammed shut, and the wind from the motion pressed against her face. Serena blinked.
"Dumb Ash, forgetting to put on a shirt like that..." She feigned annoyance, trying to ignore her disappointment.
I'm glad he's still the same old Ketchum.
A smile grew on her face. Despite the awkward and short conversation, she felt reassured and relieved.
Five years was enough time for people to change. Serena knew this best. And seeing how Ash was constantly traveling to different regions with different cultures, he had the most likely chance of changing as a person.
But, the headstrong teen seemed to be the same as she remembered. What wasn't there to celebrate about that?
"I should tell Clemont and Bonnie about this," The girl thought aloud. Those two had also traveled alongside her and Ash all those years ago, so they deserved to know about his return as well.
Before she could even pull out her phone, the door opened back up. Ash was standing there with a slight blush on his face, and a shirt on. "S-sorry about earlier."
"It's fine," She replied smoothly, trying to erase all hints of awkwardness in their conversation.
"How's your journey been going?" The girl stepped toward him, closing the big gap between the two. The smell of cologne and watermelon resonating from the boy and his room attacked her nostrils.
Ash naturally stepped aside, giving a small, "come in" as he let her into his room. She hesitated slightly but stepped inside nonetheless.
The room was pretty basic for something so expensive: A dinner table, a small kitchen, an extra coffee table, and so forth. Serena also caught a glimpse of four pokeballs and a sleeping Pikachu on the bed. Her stiff cheeks slackened slightly, seeing the electric mouse for the first time in a while.
"It's been amazing. I have a lot of new Pokemon and have gotten a lot stronger," He said with a smile. Serena smiled back, feeling nostalgic from his expression.
He's matured. A lot.
More than his appearance, Ash's personality had turned calmer and more level-headed. His responses weren't just excited yells anymore, but thought-out responses. Serena couldn't help but find it attractive.
"How's your dream been going, Serena? With becoming a pokemon performer?" Ash asked. He sat down on a chair and invited her over to sit.
Serena stayed silent for a moment. If Ash asked her that question, it meant that he hadn't seen her being crowned as Kalos Queen. Although she no longer cared for such a title, the idea that he wasn't there to witness it left a radiating pain in her chest.
"Ash. I'm officially Kalos Queen now." 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 eyes slightly widened. She stared at the teen, her eyes getting lost in his strong, bright gaze.
"Sorry- I worded it wrong." He muttered, rubbing his neck to ponder for a moment, "I should have asked what you're aiming to do after becoming the 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.
The words rang in the girl's ears. Ash had come to Kalos for the sole reason of seeing her be crowned as 'Queen.' He came all the way here just for her.
Serena felt a cluster of emotions well up in her throat. "Why.. didn't you contact me?"
Her voice was almost a croak like the words didn't want to leave her mouth. There was a sting in that question.
"My phone broke a while ago, and I lost all my contacts," he explained, his expression growing a guilty look, "I'm sorry I haven't contacted you since then. Five years is no excuse, after all."
It was hard for Serena to digest what she heard. How could she respond to something like that?
It wasn't a simple 'no problem.' It was something that resulted in years of radio silence, just like he said.
"I did try to catch you after the event, but you were long gone by the time I made it backstage."
Her heart felt like it cracked.
"You did? Oh..." She responded measly, looking down. Her fingers dug into her black trench coat.
"What, you thought I'd come all this way without saying hello?" Ash laughed, looking off somewhere.
"Honestly speaking, The old me might have."
Serena looked at Ash, "Did you say something?"
"Oh, no. Don't mind me," Ash waved his hand, deflecting the approach. Serena didn't respond, unsure of what to say.
An awkward silence reigned over the room. Her gaze turned back to the ground like she was trying to run away from the conversation.
"...Speaking of the performance, I wanted to talk to you about it." The black-haired boy spoke up, his tone being unusually serious. She could hear his hands clasp together and his body lean forward.
"S-so suddenly? What's wrong?" She sputtered out, backing up in her chair.
Something was bothering him about Serena, causing him to stare at her like she was committing a crime.
"Serena," he said with a prolonged breath, not sure how to say something. His fingers massaged his head.
"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.
There were people out there believing her entire reason for being born was to be a performer. She was that good. So what could have led him to ask such a strange question?
"Of course it is. Why would it not?" The girl asked, a little flustered. Ash's steel 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.
Serena felt like she was conversing with a maturing teenager. Calmer than a child, but too unsure and awkward to be an adult. His mental growth was quite slow.
"It's just... You didn't seem like the Serena I've come to know. You looked like a robot- moving and acting outside of what was expected." 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.
"It really dawned on me when you smiled after being crowned as 'Kalos Queen.' It felt like I was staring at someone else on that stage. Not you."
Ah, I get it now.
Her acting wasn't enough to get past Ash, who was watching her closely. Between the hundreds of millions that watched her that night, only he realized something was wrong. Only he reacted to her cries.
Her bright, blue eyes shrunk as she blushed. Her stomach grew butterflies, causing her heart to flutter.
"D-did I seem that weird? 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?"
He leaned in closer. His cologne, which smelled unnaturally good, 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. The phrase had started getting repetitive, but the boy couldn't think of any other response.
Silence fell upon the two yet again. The conversation, which had turned a bit too serious, was suddenly extinguished, leaving both with nothing to talk about.
The blonde felt happy. A warmth spread through her body, like fingers tickling her. A smile spread across her face.
Everything that had happened in this hour felt so colorful. Compared to the years that mixed like a bad soup, she could pick out specific moments and picture them so vividly the girl thought she was watching a movie.
She glanced at the cause- Ash. He was staring at the ceiling, a nervous smile on his face. It was an adorable expression that made her want to hug him, despite how shy she felt.
This world is so weird.
Just a week ago, the center of her despair was Ash. Now, he was back to make her smile again. It was almost ironic, considering she never expected to see him again.
"Is there something on my face?" Ash asked, pointing to his cheek.
Serena was brought back to reality, looking a bit startled. "Huh? Oh, no."
"Really? You were laughing while looking here a second ago." He said, rubbing his face with his hands, then inspecting them.
His stumped expression looked exactly like the one he used to make when Clemont explained 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 even harder. His face looked too stupid to take seriously.
"Sorry, sorry," Serena said between breaths. Ash had a small blush on his face as he tried to fix his face, desperately looking for the source of her laughter.
Once the teen finally calmed down, she giddily placed a hand on her chin and glanced out the window, staring at the glowing night sky.
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. It was a perfect scene of fall ending, leading to the greeting of winter.
Ah, I should probably take off this trench coat. I'll start sweating if I keep it on any longer.
"Say, have you talked to Clemont or Bonnie?" She asked after removing the coat. Ash was pulled away from the sky, which seemed to have consumed him with its beauty.
"Not yet. I planned to do that first thing tomorrow," He said matter-of-factly.
Serena raised an eyebrow, "Tomorrow? Traveling there will take two days, even with a train," she mentioned.
"Hm? Travel? I meant calling them," He replied.
Serena felt aghast at his response, which seemed so calm, "Call them? Even though it'll be your first time talking to them in 5 years?"
"Yeah, though? What's the big deal?" He asked as though he said nothing wrong.
The girl's shyness had evaporated into thin air. Her eye began to twitch slightly, something angering her a bit.
The teen stood and walked up to Ash, who had backed as much as he could into his chair, his sweat cold with fear.
"Listen up!" Serena dramatically pointed at ash,
"It's rude to suddenly call someone after so long out of nowhere, especially since your just a few towns away!" She exclaimed sternly, leaving nothing to discuss in between.
"Think about it! If a good friend of yours decided to call you after a week of ghosting you while being down the block, wouldn't you be mad?"
"..What?"
She glared more sternly.
"I-i mean of course! Gee, how horrible of them..!"
The honey-blonde nodded with her arms crossed, smiling a bit. Her sudden anger seemed to have quelled.
"Besides, the tournament is a while away, right?" She opened one eye, her azure jewels glimmering a bit.
"Uh, yeah." He responded blandly, a bit confused about where Serena was going with the conversation.
"Then how about we go visit them together? I'll clear my schedule as well, so we'll both be free." She bargained,
"Wait, is that okay? Aren't you busy?" Ash looked startled by her previous statement.
Serena grinned, wagging her finger, "There's no issue there- My manager will deal with it."
"I see! That's great!" He responded excitedly. The boy failed to understand the fate of her poor manager, who would probably have a hellish time clearing up the schedule.
Grumble.
They both froze. Serena's face reddened like never before, embarrassment coursing through her veins.
"You're hungry, huh?" Ash chuckled.
Seren felt like screaming.
"Don't worry, 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 in shock, watching him walk off.
He gave a small shrug, "A little since I traveled alone for a small period. I'm not good with instructions, though."
"Then I want to watch." She said, moving over to a stool by the counter.
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 currently making a side dish.
Ash scooped up a handful of salt and began to pour it into the pot cluelessly.
"Wha- Ash, NO!" Serena screamed in panic. But it was too late- the deed was done.
She moved him aside and stared at the pile of salt within the pot now. Ash moved beside her and stared into the pot like it was someone else's business.
"Wow, that's a bit too much salt."
"...You think?"
The girl took a little spoon of the salty galore and sipped it to see if it were salvageable. The results were not in her favor.
"Ack! Too bitter and sour!" She yelled, coughing a bit. Ash handed her a glass of water while laughing, resulting in him getting a smack on the shoulder.
Serena, with exaggerated tears flowing through 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 even more.
The constant sips of water Serena took while cooking made Ash crack up over and over again.
"I guess I'm not fit for instructions, haha," He said with a dumb smile.
Serena could only sigh- she couldn't get mad at him over something so small. While cooking, she kept talking.
"Next time, I'll deal with the measuring and everything else. You just chop up ingredients." She ordered. The heavy-load would be on her in the end, but it was better than cooking by herself.
I wonder if I'll be able to make Ash a proper cook while traveling. Is that even possible?
"Got it," he responded grinning again, "Working together will save a lot of time when we travel." Ash grinned.
A pleasant silence fell over them as the black-haired teen watched her cook. There was no awkwardness between the two anymore, as it had melted away while they were interacting like good friends.
"Traveling, huh?" Serena repeated to herself, remembering his words.
I miss the days when we adventured around like the dumb kids we were. Ignoring Ash, Clemont and Bonnie probably won't be able to travel 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 travel, but there was no time frame.
"Depends. Mom and Professor Oak are saying I'm at the age to do as I please, so it all comes down to what I want." He shrugged.
Serena's heart skipped a beat. Even if it were minuscule, there was a chance for the boy to say in Kalos.
No no, calm down- Ash still has his dreams and goals. I can't just pressure him to stay!
"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?" He parroted, pondering. It turned out to be a difficult question for him.
"Honestly, I don't know. I've gone around and beat nearly everyone I wanted to. Plus, I won all the tournaments across the regions 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. And then... Just maybe..."
Serena watched his calm eyes grow a steady, yet blazing fire within them. Ash had grown even more determined across these five years. A bright smile grew on her face.
"That's Ash, I guess." She whispered to herself. The boy didn't hear the little mutter between the cooking pot of food and the noises of her mixing.
I don't want today to end.
-
The food was done cooking in a few minutes. Ash set up the plates and water, while Serena served the meal. Steam whisked out of the food, filling the room with a delicious aroma.
"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.
She had managed to fix up the disaster the Pokemon trainer made, which was a feat the girl could be proud of.
"Hehe, thanks! Your cutting is really good, too." Serena giggled and pointed to the well-cut onions and meat.
Before the two could start eating, a small noise startled them.
"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, electricity buzzing off its red cheeks.
"Morning, Pikachu! Recognize her?" Ash pointed to Serena, grinning. The mouse's electricity ceased within a second, as a joyful yell came from it. Pikachu had recognized the honey-blonde.
He jumped on the teen, nuzzling his cheeks against hers as a greeting. It looked extremely excited, a twinkle in its eyes.
Serena laughed, grabbing the electric type 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 gazed at his bud and the girl, who were having a merry reunion late into the night.
"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. Both teens watched the cute thing scurry over to the food and scarf it down.
"Wow, Pikachu must have been hungry," Serena mumbled in 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. He'd have them any day of the week without hesitation.
"But he istired. We traveled pretty far, after all."
Serena nodded understandingly. Travel was tiring, no matter who was doing it. It would be weird if these two weren't out of juice after coming from so far away.
"Then, after dinner, I'll get going. It's dark now." She said, sitting back down at the table.
The girl took a bite of the food, humming in happiness. It tasted delicious- just as she'd expected from herself.
"True. If we want to reach Lumiose City with time to spare, we'll have to leave tomorrow morning." Ash nodded. He then turned to her with a gentle look.
"You seem to be in a good mood, Serena."
She giggled a bit, as though that was a dumb remark, "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be happy seeing you again?"
It was a bold line that made her cheeks turn rosy from the recoil.
"I'm also glad to see you again," The boy said with a bright smile, feeling happy from her words.
"I never managed to get you out of my mind ever since I left Kalos."
They both froze. Serena stared at the Pokemon Trainer with wide eyes, digesting what was said.
He seemed to realize what he'd said around the same time. 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 compared to themselves five years ago.
Ash, who was a dense twelve-year-old, now understood the concept of 'love' and 'attraction'.
Serena, who had been somewhat aware of such terms as a child, was now well engrossed in them.
His words had stirred up those lying feelings within each other, causing things to get awkward.
It was silent, other than Pikachu still mowing down his food. The clock on the wall ticked louder than ever before.
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 a cheesy line would light her heart on fire like that. The heat traveled across her body like a ripple.
His words had invoked her curiosity. The way he phrased the entire thing made it seem like he was referring to a certain... Moment. Serena immediately knew what it could be.
The kiss. It has to be that.
Her face had somehow grown redder, this time turning a deeper shade. It wouldn't be strange if she passed out from the lack of blood in other parts of her body.
"S-sorry, I said something really weird." Ash apologized for the hundredth time that day, panicking yet again. His face was unusually red, making it a spectacle to look at.
Serena vehemently shook her head, "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, unable to look each other in the eye.
On one hand, there was a conflicted Ash. The throbbing in his chest was more chaotic than it ever had been, beating out even his most intense of battles. The feeling confused and even scared him.
Thoughts that he never had before popped into his head.
Serena's face is so red.
The boy stared at her like he was in a daze. Her face looked cuter than before. Her azure eyes, which were just a nice blue hue before, looked more beautiful than a clear sky on a sunny day.
How had her face changed so suddenly?
If he looked closer, her skin seemed so much softer, even from a glance. He wondered how it felt to touch, just for a split second.
His eyes traced along her slim, elegant fingers, to her slender arms, and back to her perfect face. Other than the red skin tone, there was a plump pink part of her that remained unchanged. Her lips, which were quivering slightly. The boy felt a wave of warmth wash over him.
I wonder how it would feel...
Ash suddenly stood up, his chair rattling loudly. He needed to get himself together- letting his emotions run rampant wasn't the right answer.
Serena flinched from his sudden action, startled. She had been staring at his lips intently, off in daydream land.
"Serena, let's go cool off." The boy pointed to the balcony in a rush, no longer looking at her. His heated eyes seemed to cool off as he stared at the crisp night.
The girl turned in the direction of his finger, desperate to look away from him. The night sky ambushed the performer while her guard was down.
The deep vaccuum of space greeted her unprepared eyes, slowly sucking them into a trance at it's beauty. The honey-blonde knew that the moment she looked, it'd be hard to turn away
Serena gave a slight nod in response to his question, and stood up. Ash opened the door to the balcony, letting a cool breeze in. Her white sweater fluttered in the wind, like it was being whisked away.
They both stepped out, and a cool feeling enveloped their bodies. It wasn't just a breeze- the whole night was chilly. If it were slightly colder, they would be able to see their breaths.
Her eyes never moved away from the twinkling stars, which seemed so close from how high they were standing.
If she reached her hand out, would she be able to grab them?
She couldn't tell. The girl's arm raised toward a particularly bright star, and attempted to clasp it. Her closed fist blocked the star's twinkle.
But, the rest continued to shimmer, uncaring of her attempts.
Of course, they were too far to touch.
"Still trying to reach for the stars, huh?" Ash chuckled. He raised his hand and tried to grab one as well.
"Old habits die hard, I guess."
The familiar scene let memories flood through her mind.
Serena could vividly see the night sky again, but she was lying in a grass field this time. The moon's bright glow made the grass glow a soft hue of green, leaving a magical effect.
Bonnie rested next to her in the usual Tryantar onesie she owned, excitedly telling them about random stars and the constellations they made up. Clemont kept having to correct her, as the young girl was spouting nonsense to pass the time.
Serena found herself giggling while looking at the beautiful scenery. Even back then, as a clueless child, there was a small urge in her heart to treasure the night sky.
Maybe it was her future self's pleading, wanting to have a memory of a night sky she could no longer see.
Maybe that would have been her, right now.
The same old time popped into her head again: five years. Had it really been five years since she last looked at the sky like this?
Despite there only being darkness and light, it all felt so vivid and colorful, like every shade had mixed to create this painting. How could she not have seen it before?
The girl knew the answer to her question. The answer was standing right next to her, admiring the same beautiful scene she was.
It all felt so prolonged like it had been waiting for her to notice it all this time. But he was the one who removed the cloth from her eyes after all this time.
Serena glanced at the spiky black hair next to her, smiling softly. Her eyes shimmered like the star she had encaptured in her fist.
Thank you, Ash.
She had taken her first breath in a long, five years.
Hey, the author here. This is my first book, so I'd like to lay stuff out in the open so as not to confuse the small number of people who will read this. I don't have a schedule to update but will rather be updated depending on whether I feel like it or not.
What I can guarantee, though, is me finishing this story. It may take a while but I'll get around to it eventually. It's not planned to be that long in the first place.
Also, as 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. Thanks for reading.
See you in the next one.