Allison Illuminated

7/20/20

::

CALIBER

::

Yawning, Ash pushed himself up into a sitting position in his sleeping bag, rolling a snoozing Riolu off his chest onto his lap. He rubbed his sleep-laden eyes, running a hand through his bedhead. Mmm… Absently he reached out to Riolu and tickled his baby Pokemon's sleeping presence, breathing in the clean air as a cool breeze came over the lake.

He opened his eyes.

"Good morning!" exclaimed the girl leaning against the entrance to his tent. Yelling in surprise, Ash jumped out of his sleeping bag, rudely awaking Riolu, landing on Pikachu's tail, who cried out and electrocuted Ash. The electricity fried his already tired brain, leaving him twitching on the tent floor.

The girl tittered, hiding her mouth behind her hands. "Oops."

"Who are you?" Ash cried, pointing at the girl with a crispy finger. Pikachu raced around in circles, yelling apologies. Riolu mimicked Ash, pointing at the girl and barking out a "Riou!" which would have been adorable if Ash hadn't been in pain. "What are you doing in my tent?"

She sniffed, crossing her arms over her bikini top. "What are you doing on my beach?" Behind her, a curious Yamper sniffed its way into Ash's tent, took one look at Ash, and hid behind the girl.

"Oh, is this your beach?" Ash asked. He grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his neck – he hadn't even considered that the land might belong to someone, let alone so close to the professor's lab. "Sorry. I got in late last night, and I didn't want to disturb the professor, so I figured I'd camp out for the night and wait until morning to visit."

Sighing, the girl twirled the end of her long, orange hair in her finger. It tumbled over one side of her head in a ponytail and had little hearts scattered throughout. "Figures you're here to see Grandma," she said, leaning back against the door to Ash's tent. "Now I can't even be mad at you for poaching. And you electrocuted yourself before I got a chance – no fair…"

Pikachu made an apologetic face at Ash as the girl pouted.

"Uh…" What does she want from me? "Sorry?" Ash offered, confused. "You're Professor Magnolia's granddaughter?"

"Sure am," she said. "I'm Sonia. Nice to meet you!"

Ash shook Sonia's hand and grinned. "I'm Ash Ketchum. I moved to Galar a few days ago – Professor Kukui and Professor Oak both told me I should stop by, so here I am."

Sonia whistled. "Wow, you're connected. Aren't you the kid who won the first Alola league?"

"Yup," Ash declared proudly. "I'm working on the World Championships, now. But- Hey, you can't be that much older than me!"

Laughing, Sonia danced out of the tent, Yamper at her heels. "A lady never tells!" she called over her shoulder. "I'm going swimming. You need to fix your hair – it's a disaster!"

Grabbing his hat, Ash thrust it down over his poofy electrocuted hair, ducking out of the tent to yell after Sonia, "It's not that bad!"

Sonia grinned and waved from the water, tipping her sunglasses.

::

Ash decided that he really liked Sonia. She was hilarious, lounging in the waves at the edge of the beach as Ash prepared breakfast and corralled his rowdy team, entertaining Oshawott, who was fascinated by Sonia's sproingy ponytail. Sonia had taken to Oshawott good-naturedly, even when Oshawott had decided her little heart barrettes were dirt and started combing through her hair with his shell. He threw together eggs and some Pokemon food, and Sonia joined him for a quick breakfast and helped him strike his tent before disappearing into the lab to change out of her bathing suit.

After much wrangling, Ash managed to get Oshawott back into his pokeball, along with Infernape and Dragonite, but Bayleaf had stayed stubbornly glued to Ash's side. So, with three of his partners out for the ride, Ash walked into Magnolia's laboratory.

The family resemblance between Magnolia and Sonia was obvious; they had the same frizzy hair, the same mischievous eyes, a certain je ne sais quoi that screamed of the other. Professor Magnolia looked up from her desk when Ash entered and rose to her feet, taking her cane and hobbling over.

"Ash Ketchum," Magnolia said, meeting Ash's eyes. "Welcome to Galar. I've heard only good things from my colleague – lots of my colleagues. I swear half the certified regional professors responded when I mentioned you were coming. You get around, don't you?"

Bayleaf and Pikachu both made triumphant noises as Riolu yawned in Ash's arms. "Sure do," Ash said, smiling. "I'll be in Galar for a good while though, I hope. This region is awesome! Besides, I got a grudge match against Leon I gotta win."

Magnolia snorted, waving him over to the counter. "You and everyone else. Let's see what I'm to do for you, boy."

She picked up a clipboard and adjusted her glasses, squinting at the writing. Leaning against the counter, twirling Bayleaf's leaf with his hand, Ash waited patiently for her. Pikachu hopped up onto the counter and peered over the edge of the clipboard, tail waving in curiosity.

"Let's see…" Magnolia hummed. "You've… requested a team expansion from me, which has already been denied, ah, twice by both Oak and Kukui. Good try."

"Damn it," Ash muttered under his breath.

"You haven't applied for a Galarian Gym License, so that's less work for me… Let's see… I've already filed the paperwork for your research license here, so that's finished."

Ash frowned. "I quit my research job, though."

Leveling him a flat look over her glasses, Magnolia sighed. "Ketchum," she said. "You've single-handedly discovered and proved the existence of more legendaries and rare species of Pokemon than anyone since Oak himself did in his youth. People call you Oak's protegee. You've been racking up attributions since you were ten. It was an absolute coup when Cerise got you on his staff – a real shame that you've still got the battle itch, but I suppose that's inevitable…"

"Really?"

"Sure. I expect you to do my job for me, you understand?" Magnolia said. "I'm old. Sonia's nearly ready to take over for me, and Leon's been doing my legwork for years. If you come across rare Pokemon or strange occurrences, you're to scan and report them."

"Uh…" Ash and Pikachu exchanged a glance. She's blunt. "Sure?"

"Lovely," Magnolia said dryly. "Now, as a personal favor to Kukui I'll be taking care of any overflow Pokemon you catch here. Kukui also said to tell you that your Pokemon in Alola are doing well, and that he and Burnet are busy getting the league up and running. You're welcome."

Ash's heart swelled at the thought of Kukui and Burnet. He missed his Alola family, who had become like second parents to him during his time in the islands. I'll have to give Kukui a call later.

"I'm not planning on catching many Pokemon," Ash said honestly, patting Bayleaf's head. "My goal is to get my old team into top shape, take on Master Ball tier. But I appreciate it."

"There's always more Pokemon," Magnolia said. "Regardless, if you want to transfer your other Pokemon here so they're closer to you, feel free. You should have my number. Other than that, I don't have many other orders of business. Only a request."

Running a hand over his Rotom Phone – Cerise's Rotom was far quieter than Kukui's, and Ash often forgot there was a Pokemon within – Ash cocked his head. "What do you need me to do?"

"Slumbering Weald."

Ash and Magnolia looked up. Sonia stood on the second level of the lab, leaning on the balustrade, watching them talk with a thoughtful frown. Her hair was back to its glossy pristine glory; she wore an orange trenchcoat with a green top underneath. She descended the stairs, past bookshelves filled with tomes on Pokemon, and came to stand by a fish tank of Luvdisk and Finneon.

"Three days ago, we got a call from Leon," she explained, crossing her arms over her chest. "Two kids followed a stray Wooloo into the woods, and they got lost in some abnormally thick fog. Luckily, they found the Wooloo and they weren't hurt. But while they were in the fog, they reported experiencing strange hallucinations of a Pokemon we aren't sure exists. We don't know what caused it – it sounded like it could have been a Musharna, or some other psychic or ghost type, but Leon said the kids sounded like they thought the Pokemon had some kind of message for them. It's strange, and the Weald is dangerous, which is why we want you to investigate. Leon offered to go, but he's busy and we'd prefer someone to go sooner rather than later. In the next week or two would be best."

Ash chuckled, drawing a connection. "These kids wouldn't happen to be a girl with a green beret and Leon's little brother?"

Magnolia sighed. "They were supposed to be here yesterday. What did they do?"

"Gloria challenged me to a battle," Ash said. "I didn't want to turn her down, so I let her fight Riolu, who's a baby. Hatched less than a month ago. She's a novice, but she's got a lot of promise – I was impressed. They went back to the Pokemon Center for the night to heal Sobble up."

"Look at you playing with the baby trainers," Sonia cooed, smirking at Ash. "You'll do it, then?"

"Yeah, of course." Ash grinned, tipping his hat, jabbing a thumb at himself. "I never miss an opportunity to meet cool Pokemon and make new friends! I might not be able to make it there for a week, though – my friend Serena is arriving from Kalos tomorrow, and I have to catch a train back to Motostoke to meet her."

"We won't keep you, then," Magnolia said in a clear dismissal. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Ash. Come back whenever you need something."

"Sounds good," Ash said.

"Bye, Ash!" Sonia said, waving at him as he left the lab. "Welcome to Galar!"

Ash walked back out onto Route Two with his head held a little higher than when he'd gone into the lab. Explore the Slumbering Weald – now there was an objective he could get behind. It was sure to be an adventure, just like old times.

But no matter how excited he got to explore a dangerous and remote forest, Ash could hardly wait for Serena to arrive.

::

The plane rolled down the tarmac and came to a complete stop before where Ash stood amid a crowd of people waiting for it to arrive, the Air Kalos Fletchinder emblazoned across the tail gleaming in the morning light. Ash barely contained his excitement, which was coming out through his hyperness; he bounced where he stood, Pikachu cheering on his shoulder, waiting for the passengers to debark. Behind him, Infernape stood with a bored expression, holding a sign that read 'Serena Yvonne' in sharpie.

"Think she'll be different, buddy?" Ash asked Pikachu.

Pikachu chattered back, and Ash was content to let him talk.

Then there she was. Stepping out onto the stairs, Serena emerged, her honey blonde hair blowing in the decompressing wind, holding onto her pink hand with one hand and clutching an even pinker suitcase with her other. Her outfit was different, but around her collar, she still wore the blue ribbon that Ash had gifted her in Coumarine City. Ash waved; when Serena caught his gaze, her eyes lit up and she waved back, racing down the stairs.

"Ash!"

"Serena!"

They collided halfway between Infernape and the plane, hugging each other with enough force to dislodge Pikachu from Ash's shoulder. Serena laughed, her arms sneaking under Ash's backpack, and they starfished around the tarmac like they hadn't seen each other in a decade rather than just over a year. Ash's grin was earsplitting. She was so familiar in his arms; her hair still smelled like strawberries and he'd grown again, so she was the perfect height to lean her head against his shoulder.

"I missed you so much," Serena said, resting against his side. "You have no idea. Traveling Hoenn was nothing like Kalos – I would have had so much more fun if you'd have been there."

"Me too," Ash said simply, and hugged her tighter.

Finally, they broke apart and found they'd drawn a small crowd. Somebody wolf-whistled, and Serena blushed. She knelt down next to Pikachu. "Hi, Pikachu!"

"Pika!" Pikachu called, jumping up to nuzzle Serena. She laughed, scratching his tail, and stood back up. With Pikachu on her shoulder, Serena shot Ash a cocky look with a confidence she hadn't had before and turned away, waving at him.

"Well, this was fun, but now that I've got Pikachu I'll be going now," she said. "Have fun in Galar, Ash!"

"Hey!" Ash exclaimed, laughing. "Traitor! You're not allowed to like her better than me!"

Pikachu stuck his tongue out at Ash.

Serena lost her mock-calm and dissolved into giggles, coming back to Ash's side and heading for the terminal. Ash fell in step with her. "Pikachu does like me better, though," she said.

"Not true."

"He knows I'm right."

Shooting Pikachu, who was innocently avoiding Ash's gaze, an unimpressed look, Ash muttered, "Eight years, and just because she battled with you once…"

Serena scratched Pikachu's head. Pikachu melted. "Cha…"

Together, Ash and Serena approached Infernape, who was still holding the sign, looking every bit the bored chauffeur. The glass and steel industrial terminal loomed behind, the behemoth that was Motostoke International sprawling over several terminals and a huge field for Pokemon arrivals and departures. The only airport in Galar which was larger was Wyndon's airport, to the north. Galar was smaller, as regions went, but it had far more people per capita than most, save Kanto and Unova.

"Wow," Serena said, approaching Infernape. "Ash, this is your Infernape? It's nice to meet you," she told Infernape, offering him a hand. "I'm Serena."

Infernape shook Serena's hand and took her luggage, looking pleased with himself. Ash rolled his eyes. "Showoff."

Serena beamed.

"So," Ash asked, suddenly nervous. He rubbed at his nose with his finger. "Are you ready to go?"

Nodding, Serena looked over and met his eyes. Hers were blue, like the purest springs in Alola, and seemed to take on a special quality when she looked at him. Nobody else could make Ash feel so warm and at home just by looking at him. It's no wonder she's my best friend.

"Sure," Serena said, nonchalant. "How are we getting to your apartment?"

My apartment.

"Um…" Ash thought for a second, carding his fingers through his hair, then had an idea; he reached for his belt and drew a pokeball, turning it over in his fingers. "Well, we could go through the terminal and flag a Corviknight Taxi, or we can go the fast way."

"The fast way?" Serena asked, tilting her head.

Ash smirked.

"Dragonite, I choose you!"

Dragonite appeared on the tarmac with a loud roar, startling the passengers and onlookers around them, his wings fully spread, claws extended, posed for battle. When he realized he was not, in fact, on the battlefield – which caused him great mortification – Dragonite withdrew to Infernape's side, who slapped him on the back, and sheepishly scratched the back of his neck with a thick limb.

"Woah," Serena breathed. "A Dragonite. No way, Ash."

Ash, who felt as sheepish as Dragonite, did his best to hide it under a fake confidence that tried to be suave but came out hesitant. "Wanna take a ride?"

Serena blushed, but reached out a hand. Ash took it. "After you?"

::

When the ride was over, Serena's mock elegance was totally gone, replaced with a thrilled, wild expression. Her hair was a tangled mess from the wind, but she'd taken over piloting from Ash and they'd gone way faster than Ash was entirely comfortable with. Dragonite landed on the catwalk road outside Ash's apartment, and Serena jumped off, pumping her fist. "That was awesome!"

Groaning, Ash slid down Dragonite's back, clutching his stomach. "Y'know," he mumbled. "Sometimes I forget that you were supposed to be a professional Pokemon racer."

Dragonite looked as exhausted as Ash did. He handed Serena her luggage and promptly curled up on the catwalk to take a nap. Serena pulled up the handle for her suitcase and patted her pokeballs proudly – she had five of them, now. "Did I tell you that I took up racing again?" she asked.

"No, really?" Ash asked. "You're doing Ryhorn racing?"

"Ah, not Ryhorn." Serena's face was bright red, but she couldn't hide her mischievous grin. "And not professionally. But I might have gotten into extreme sports, cause there's so much water in Hoenn, and I was totally bored of waiting for ferries to go island hopping, so I might have gotten into Sharpedo racing?"

Ash stared at Serena. "You do Sharpedo racing?"

"Yup!" Serena exclaimed. "It's not as scary as it sounds, promise. And I have my own Sharpedo now too, and she's so cute and really good at contests."

"That's so cool!" Eyes sparkling, Ash stared at Serena in a whole new light. "You've gotta show me how to do that sometime!"

"You're on!"

As they chatted, catching up on each other's lives, Ash fumbled through his pockets until he found his house keys and let them into his apartment. Serena set her suitcase down by the down and looked around with wide eyes, taking in the small space.

"So here's the kitchen, and the living room," Ash said, gesturing around the central living space. "My room in back there, and then the spare room – well, your room – is in here." He led her into the small room, where there was a futon with a pair of pink sheets Ash had bought for her last night and a cardboard box with a lamp on it. "I know it's not much yet, but I figured we can go furniture shopping…"

"It could use a little work," Serena said, her tone a little strangled. "Really, Ash, I'm amazed that you have an apartment all by yourself. We're really adults now, huh? Although your interior design leaves something to be desired."

"Yeah…" Ash shrugged. "I kinda figured I'd be spending most of my time out camping. I haven't lived at home since I was ten and my mom always bought everything then."

Heaving an enormous sigh, Serena wandered back out to the main room and collapsed onto the couch. "We'll fix it tomorrow," she declared. "Right now, I'm so tired from the flight and traveling to Lumiose – I could eat a Tauros! Maybe we could just sit here."

"Sounds good to me." Without a second thought, Ash plopped down on the couch next to Serena, kicking his feet up on the coffee table and throwing his hands behind his head. Serena mimicked him, letting her eyes slip shut, moaning in satisfaction as she sank back into the cushions.

"So nice…"

"How have you been?" Ash asked. He felt ready to take a nap himself. "Not the stuck at home part. It's just you seem so much more confident. Better. Hoenn was really good for you, huh?"

"Yeah," Serena agreed. "I am more confident. Traveling alone meant I could do whatever I wanted, mostly, and I guess what I wanted was more adventurous than I thought. You rubbed off on me, I think. I went into cities sometimes and ran across some friends – Dawn, mostly, I really like Dawn – but I spent most of my time exploring the jungles and islands and training."

"That's incredible." Ash yawned. "You're lucky. I was in school the whole time."

"Oh, yeah, sure. You were just in school, which totally explains how you managed to win the Alola league, raise a legendary, and discover another dimension." Serena shook her head. "Really. And you made all sorts of great friends, didn't you? I learned a lot about myself in Hoenn, and I got to do things I never thought I would do, but I did it all alone. And I was really lonely, even with my Pokemon. You had your friends and the professors…"

Ash smiled at the mention of Kukui. "I miss Kukui."

"Tell me about him."

"I lived with him for the last year, right?" Ash said. "We ate all our meals together and he was my teacher. He taught me a lot about battling, sure, but I think Kukui taught me about other stuff in a way I've never really gotten before. Life stuff. And he got married, and then he turned out to be the champion… He's really something. You know I didn't grow up with a dad, right?"

"Me neither," Serena said. "Mom divorced mine when I was three."

"Yeah. I don't know what happened to mine." Ash sighed, taking his hat off, and glanced over at Serena. She gave him an encouraging smile. "I guess Kukui kinda felt like what I've always thought a dad should be, you know? I love Professor Oak, but Kukui was there in a way Professor Oak never was. And Burnet was like living at home with Mom again. I really love them."

Serena shifted closer to Ash, letting her head come and rest on his shoulder. "I'm really glad you got to have that," she murmured. "I know I complained about it a lot, but I feel lucky now I got to stay at home for so long. I was so afraid that I had waited too long and I would never be able to have a real journey, but now I've seen incredible things and done things I would have never dreamed of."

"And now?" Ash murmured back, resting his head on hers.

"I don't know," Serena said. "I'm here with you, aren't I?"

Neither of them questioned the casual intimacy between them. They had been younger before – younger and distant, less self-aware, living before Ash had learned that affection could be close and easy and Serena had learned what it was like to be apart. It was right they rested together, Ash listening to the soft sounds of Serena's breathing as he let his own eyes slip shut. The contact was new and strange, but natural.

They napped together for half an hour, then Serena set about unpacking (as much as she could into her spartan room). Ash made a run to the grocery store for food – Serena wanted tonkatsu, which Ash had not-the-slightest idea how to make, and had thrown an ingredient list at him. When he got back, Serena was tearing his kitchen apart, looking for something.

"I'm back!" Ash called.

Serena whipped around to glare at him. "Where are the bowls?"

"The bowls?" Ash paled, clutching his bags tighter.

"The bowls!" Serena cried. "And you only have one pair of chopsticks! And there's no soap in the bathroom, and you don't have a shower curtain, and I couldn't even find a tea kettle! How can you live here?"

"I- I don't know!" Ash panicked. "I only slept here one night before I went out into the Wild Area! I didn't realize I needed all those things; I wasn't expecting to have a roommate."

Serena facepalmed, exhaling. "Of course you just ran out into the wild without doing anything in the city," she muttered. She put her hands on her hips. "Ash Ketchum, this apartment is unlivable. Dinner can wait – we are going out right now and we are going to buy things until I have enough stuff to make dinner, take a shower, and pass out on that futon. Understood?"

"Yes!" Ash exclaimed.

He knew better than to argue with Serena when she set her mind to something.

::

An incomplete list of things Ash didn't know he needed until Serena bought them for him:

A plunger, a shower curtain, a soap dish, hand wipes, disposable napkins with little Binacles on them, cotton balls, q-tips, a duster, a vacuum cleaning, burn heals, antidotes, extra towels with little Horseas on them, a bath mat, placemats, bowls, platters, a pot, a rice cooker, extra glasses, dish towels, garbage bags, dish soap, laundry detergent, oven mitts with little Cyndaquils on them, pillows, tea cups, candles, snacks, dishes for Pokemon, a pack of stick-on glow-in-the-dark Miniors, five throw pillows, three tissue boxes, four Pokemon beds, thirteen throw pillows, balloons, a plaque that read "Home is Where the Light is" with a miniature Prism Tower in the background, and a giant plushie Snorlax that took up half of Serena's room.

::

"I can't believe we spent 100,000 poke shopping," Ash complained again

He finished the last of his breaded pork, pushing his brand new bowl away and taking a drink out of his brand new glass. He and Serena sat across from each other at his small kitchen table, sharing Serena's cooking. Their Pokemon took up the entire living room, eating from a medley of bowls and platters, barely squeezing into the small space all together.

Serena's Kalos team was all present, and they had been delighted to see Ash. Delphox, Pancham, and Sylveon were happily talking with Pikachu, the only one of Ash's Kalos team present, Riolu, who spent nearly all his time with Pikachu when he wasn't with Ash, and Bayleaf, who seemed to be happy in the presence of other female Pokemon. Dragonite and Infernape were eating together with the fifth member of Serena's team, a beautifully groomed Altaria, the two dragon types enjoying each other's company. Oshawott and Sharpedo were conspicuously absent.

"Trust me, that was the least of what we needed for this place," Serena said. She adjusted her pink hat and puffed up her bob, pushing her bowl away from her. "Really, though, trust me; it's good that we did this. Think of it like an investment – now that you own a lot of this stuff, you'll never have to buy it again. Doesn't this place feel a lot nicer now?"

Ash turned, casting a dubious look over the kitchen and living room. It's a lot busier, he thought. That's for sure. Did I really need this much stuff? "It's a lot of money," he said. "If I keep spending this much, I don't know how long my savings will last for. I was planning on riding out my prize money for a while…"

"Oh." Serena's expression fell, and Ash felt awful – he didn't want to make her upset when she'd helped him make the apartment nice, something he would never have managed on his own.

"It's fine," he backpedaled, waving his hands. "Really! Don't feel bad! We- we can get as many throw pillows as you want! Orr, um… Soap! You like soap- I mean, we need soap- I don't even know what half the soap we got is for, but I'm sure that-"

Her laughter interrupted Ash's frantic attempts. Serena gave him a self-deprecating smile. "We don't need more soap," she told him softly. "Truth be told, I hadn't really thought about money either. I've been living at home, and before that I got everything I needed at Pokemon Centers. I can pay next time we need to buy something, and I'll pay my share of the rent, too."

"The rent?" Ash echoed.

"Well, yeah." Serena met Ash's eyes. "We're gonna be roommates, right?" she declared. "That's what roommates do. I think."

"Are you sure?" Ash asked. "It's so spur of the moment, and I don't want you to feel pressured. I mean, I called you yesterday and here we are. If you need time to think about it, or if you don't want to live with me, I'd understand – I mean, I'm not planning to be here very often, and Mom says I'm a total slob, and-"

"Ash." Serena reached across the table and put a hand over his, effectively shutting him up. She gave him a look that made his chest feel strange. "I want this," she said. "I mean, I was ready to move to a different region on a day's notice, wasn't I? There's nothing for me in Vainville Town right now. I'd much rather be here with you."

Ash studied Serena's face. The warm light glowed on her skin. "Alright."

Serena smiled. "Besides," she said, "I'm not sure what I want to be doing, right now, but you do. You've always had a dream, and that's inspiring. I never knew what I wanted until I traveled with you; all I know is that if I'll find my next goal anywhere I'll find it traveling with you. To be honest, when I heard that you were going to become a professor with Cerise, I was… happy for you, but there was also a little part of me that was sad that you were settling down but I still didn't know what I wanted to do. Contests, performing…"

Stunned, Ash watched Serena, at a loss for words.

"I know it's selfish of me." Serena looked down at the table, blushing, reaching up to brush her hair behind her ear. "But when you called me, it made me really happy. If you're still fighting to become a Pokemon Master, then maybe I can find my way, too."

There were a million things Ash wanted to say to that. He wanted to tell her she wasn't being selfish; he wanted to tell her she would find her way; he wanted to tell her how strong she was, how beautiful she looked in the evening light, smiling a quiet, private smile across the table, her fingers still brushing his knuckles. He thought of the goodboye kiss they had shared on the escalator in the Lumiose Airport. But all that came out was a quiet "Thank you."

And that was enough.

::

[connection]

Ash sat cross-legged across from Riolu, their eyes closed, his palms touching Riolu's paws, glowing the lightest blue. Something infinitesimal stretched between them, glowing in his mind's eye with a [power] that shone bright. There were other lights too. All around them. They were the slumbering Pokemon in the living room, the distant sparks in the apartments and streets around, the [beacon] that was Serena's luminous presence.

He saw Rota. The sprawling forest, the glistening crystal lake, the towering castle that was his [home] over the cream parapets and the bronze forest. They walked along the ancient bridge spanning the lake, watching their reflections in the water. The reflections were memories, twisting the waters like Giratina's distortions, pulling them in.

Riolu's mind was a blank canvas – Riolu reached out with Ash, pawing in his mind with childish curiosity. He saw [wonder]. Ash enveloped Riolu with warmth and love and showed him Mewtwo, the created Pokemon, soaring over the skyline of Castelia City. But there was something there, a fog, a [block], that Riolu tried to pass but couldn't. Ash grew agitated. Why was there a block in his mind? What had Mewtwo blocked?

But before he could find out, he was falling, falling, and the Unown rose around him, rising up with Molly, Entei taking his mother – the Unown returned, spinning around the ruins in Sinnoh in tight circles, rising around the red chain, darting from Dialga to Palkia – Arceus was rising up before him, the [creator] glowing with a power too great for Ash to bear, the same [power] that existed between Ash and Riolu, brighter, brighter, until the universe was all and they were nothing but each other-

"Ash?"

Ash's eyes snapped open. Wildly, he spun around, raising his palm as though he could somehow defend against an enemy, not cognizant of the blue energy swirling around his palm. Serena stood in the doorway to the bathroom, an entire chest's worth of makeup piled in her arms, staring at him like a Deerling caught in headlights. "Serena?"

Slowly, Serena dumped her makeup and toiletries onto the counter. "You're glowing," she breathed, looking from him to Riolu.

Ash looked down at himself, then at Riolu. They were sitting cross-legged in the bathtub, and, sure enough, the entire tub was suffused with a soft blue light that cast rippling impressions across the tiled bathroom walls. He looked back at Riolu in awe. Riolu watched Ash with a simple conviction, a love so strong Ash could feel it loud and clear across their bond. Ash had hatched Riolu; he would [protect] him, [train] him.

"I am."

The glow faded. Ash scooped Riolu up in his arms and stood up, suddenly self-conscious that he stood in the bathtub. He hadn't meant to meditate in the bathtub – he had been getting ready for the day, and Riolu had come in pawing for attention, and it had just… happened.

He changed the subject, too close to the bond to explain it. It felt sacred. To mention it was to sully its intensity. "How do you have so much stuff?"

Serena's eyes lingered on Riolu, but she shook it off, rolling her eyes at Ash. "Honestly, Ash, have you never lived with a woman before?" she asked. "I know you've traveled with girls before. You traveled with me for a year! I'm a performer. I need my makeup and my hair care and my skin care, and then there's products for my Pokemon. Now, are you going to keep sitting in the bathtub or are you going to let me do my morning routine in peace?"

Ash considered that, then shrugged and sat back down in the bathtub. Serena groaned. "I never had to care about any of that," Ash said pensively, looking up at the ceiling. "The girls always had their own tent."

"Well, now there's only one tent," Serena huffed, grabbing her hair brush.

Humming, Ash sank down into the tub, Riolu scampering onto his head. "This feels just like old times," he said, shooting Serena a sidelong glance. "It's like we never went our own ways. What do you think Clemont and Bonnie are up to, these days?"

"Well," Serena said, leaning toward the mirror to slide a barrette into her hair. "I had lunch with Clemont the other day, and he said he's doing well, taking on challengers, making inventions, running the tower. Apparently they've upgraded his gym rank – he's third strongest now, after Korrina and Olympia. Wulfric took over Wikstrom's Elite Four spot when he retired. And Bonnie's going to turn ten pretty soon, so she's been in trainer school getting ready."

"And Dawn?"

"After I beat her in the finals?" Serena asked, and they both laughed. "No, she was a good sport. I think she's on the short list to become Sinnoh's Top Coordinator, or something of that nature – she was going to head back to Sinnoh, Hearthome, maybe, to train with Fantine." Applying her mascara, she shot Ash a quick, bright smile. "Dawn's a really amazing person. I've been meaning to thank you for introducing us, really – you have a talent for finding the best people. Really, she's incredible."

"I knew you guys would be good friends," Ash beamed.

"For sure. Can you believe she's only fourteen?" Serena shook her head in disbelief.

"Well, I did know her when she was ten."

"Anyways." Serena had moved onto face cream, which came out of an adorable Slurpuff shaped bottle. She dabbed it on her cheeks, rubbing it up her nose and onto her forehead. "What's our plan? I know you want to go out traveling – where are we going to go?"

Shrugging, Ash sat up straighter, perching his elbow on the side of the tub. "I want to explore Galar. But where we go in particular, I'm not sure yet. I'm not doing the gym challenge again – my only goal is to reach Master Ball tier, which means I've got the be the very best. I have to be strong enough to take on champions!"

"And you think you can do it?" Serena asked excitedly, setting her cream aside and applying it.

"I know I can." Ash spoke with deep conviction, a conviction that resonated with Riolu, that made it seem that he were speaking before a full stadium, not to Serena from a bathtub. "I've taken on opponent that are crazy strong and I've won, and now I've beaten a league, too! My team – this team – we might be rough around the edges right now, but we've got crazy potential, I just know it. We'll train and battle until we reach the top, and there's no way anyone will stop us!"

"How? Do you have a strategy?"

"Nope!"

Serena sweatdropped. "Don't most champions have a strategy?"

Ash shook his head. "Nah. Lots of gym leaders have strategy, but they've got weaknesses too, right? Champions aren't like that. I've seen them fight: Lance, Steven, Cynthia, Alder, Diantha, Leon. They're crazy strong, but they aren't champions cause they're strong – if they were, Tobias would be the World Champion. They're versatile. The way they battle, it's like one time you're watching them win with the craziest precision, and the next their attacks have so much brute force they can take the stadium down! That's what I want to be. And I'll be the next Pokemon Master. I will. I forgot that, for a while, but I remember now."

"That's really insightful," Serena said. "Looks like you did learn a thing or two in school. And you're still chasing that dream…"

"This feels right," Ash admitted. "I feel like I'm taking everything I've ever learned and using it. It's always changing, I think. My dream."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when I was a kid, I was kinda dumb," Ash said. He chuckled. "I thought that I had to catch every Pokemon to be the best trainer, and I made a ton of mistakes. I'm glad I grew out of that phase. Once I learned to actually train my friends and help them get strong, I was convinced I needed to win a league to prove myself, so I kept trying and trying and failing, over and over again. I had all these adventures and caught all kinds of incredible Pokemon, but when I lost, I kinda gave up, I suppose. I'd go home and leave everything behind and start fresh again."

Sitting down on the closed toilet seat next to Ash, Serena nodded, kicking her leg up onto the side of the tub. She seemed intent on everything he had to say. "Like with Kalos. You moved on. I copied you too, I think, by trying to go to Hoenn."

"Kalos was a turning point for me, though." He wanted Serena to understand why he felt so driven to accomplish his dream. I need her to know why. "Losing to Alain in the finals hurt," Ash said, his gaze distant, remembering the immense golden shuriken that had ended his ambition to take on Diantha. "I was so close. It almost felt like, if I was ever gonna win a league the old fashioned way, that was as close as I could get. I had Greninja and his powers, and Goodra, and our team had this incredible synergy, even though now that I look back on it I'd only trained them for what, a year? Noivern was practically a baby. But I fell short again. I think maybe there was a part of me that thought, well, if I couldn't win in Kalos, maybe I never would."

"But you did," Serena said. She perched on the toilet seat, her expression unreadable, spaced out. "You won the Alola League."

"But I wasn't trying to." Ash shrugged, reaching out to pet Riolu. "I went to Alola for a vacation. I was going to school. I did the trials and the league by accident, mostly, and what I really enjoyed was taking care of Nebby and my team. And then I got a job as a researcher. I phoned it in. And when Riolu hatched I had this moment where I woke up and I realized this isn't who I want to be. I don't want to settle, I don't want to accept that I'll never be as strong as the best even when I've won battles at that level before. That's not me."

Serena's eyes widened. "Not you…"

They stood in the snowy forest outside of Snowbelle City, bundled up in their winter coats. Serena had tears of fury streaming down her face; she lobbed the snowballs at Ash's head as hard as she could. "You're not acting like the Ash I know!"

"My motivations were all wrong. Everything I need to become a Pokemon Master I already have. My friends, my skills, my Pokemon. I don't need to criss-cross the world and cycle my team to take on the World Championships." Ash took a deep breath and looked at Serena. "Serena?" he asked quietly. "Can I tell you a secret? Something that I'm pretty sure only Misty and Brock know?"

Serena caught her breath. "Anything."

"On my tenth birthday," Ash murmured, "I saw Ho-oh. I didn't know what it meant for years, when I met Lugia on Shamouti Isle. They had a prophecy there. About me. They called me the Chosen One, and said that I would be the one to bring balance to the world."

"That's… Ash, that's insane."

"I know," Ash said. He closed his eyes, centering himself. "I know it's insane. That's why I've never told anyone about it. Even if it's true, I want people to see me, not some… role. But I've been a trainer for eight years, and the more I get to know Pokemon, the more my heart tells me it's true. Legendaries seek me out all the time. I've helped them, saved them, stopped them, resurrected them. I've watched the universe come apart at the seams and stitch itself back together again. I've traveled through time and space. I met Arceus. Azelf chose me to be his… I don't know. Avatar, I suppose, is the best way to put it. I can feel Azelf when I need to, when I focus. But in spite of all that, all I've ever wanted to do is protect them, protect Pokemon, life, I suppose."

There was a long silence between them. Serena was still, deep in thought, her eyes shimmering. "You sound older when you talk like that," she whispered eventually. "I was only there for some of it. Yveltal, Hoopa, Volcanion, Zygarde. But I think I understand."

"That's why I still want to become a Pokemon Master," Ash declared, rising to his feet. They were still in the bathroom, he realized; although really, they could have had this conversation anywhere and all Ash would have been aware of was himself and Serena. "I want to be able to protect them, no matter what. I've had moments where I've come so close to failing when it really counted. I can't afford to let that happen, so I'll keep going until I've hit the top. I'll become a champion, and I'll do it side by side with my team. I might not know how yet, but I'm using my iron resolve!"

He offered Serena a hand, and she daintily stepped off the toilet, giggling. "Is that your ability?"

Ash grinned, rubbing his nose. "Sure is."

"Riolu!" Riolu cried in agreement.

"Sounds like a plan, Mr. Pokemon Master," Serena said, bumping her shoulder into Ash's, grabbing her hat off the counter and leaving the bathroom. She clasped her hands behind her back and grinned at him. "You can count me in!"

In the main room, their Pokemon were in various states of wakefulness. Dragonite and Altaria were still snoring away together. Oshawott was sprinting in circles on the tabletop with a teacup on his head, and Pikachu was chasing after him. Sylveon, crying out a greeting, came over and wrapped her feelers around Serena's arm, one feeler snaking around Ash's ankle. He smiled down at Sylveon.

"The first step in to go to Slumbering Weald," he said, kneeling down to stroke Sylveon's soft fur. "Professor Magnolia and her granddaughter Sonia asked me to check it out for them. From there… who knows?"

"Sure," Serena agreed. "Can we spend a few days in Motostoke first, though? I want to see the city and settle in, plus I need to get furniture."

Ash considered it. The Professor did say it can wait a week… "Sure. We can wait a day or two to set out."

And so they did.

::

[A/N] This is the first of two chapters in July.

Serena arrives in Galar and immediately it's like she and Ash never parted. Best friends never have that awkward pleasantries stage when they reunite – it's always right back into old conversations and whatnot.

Sonia is such a good character. The games really did her dirty, imo, making her give exposition dumps endlessly. Hopefully we can get some SoniaxLeon action later, ya never know… Professor Magnolia is done with Ash before she even met him.

Altaria is a great match for Serena, imo, since she doesn't have a flying type and Altaria really rounds out her team well. Sharpedo… I just think it would be hilarious for Serena to have a Sharpedo lol. I need bushwhacking!Serena art stat for Serena in Hoenn omg. And I just love the idea of Serena and Dawn being good friends, I think they get along great. Serena and May seems like it would have more tension.

Caliber is everything I want to read in today's Pokemon fandom – I wrote this story because I wasn't seeing anything like it getting currently updated. It's a thoughtful examination of aura and Ash's role as a protector of legendaries, a slow and logical romance, and a 2020 take on a mature Ash – all in the context of Gen 8 and modern canon. We have enough history that we don't have to guess how Ash grew up, anymore. In all the ways that matter, the anime has a long, cohesive story arc about Ash rising to the top and becoming a Pokemon master, and I want to take the scope of that and turn it into something incredible.

Just like Ash is training a top-caliber team, my goal is to deliver you a top-caliber fanfiction. Please remember to favorite, follow, and leave a review!

This chapter was split in half because I forgot how long good battles are. Ash vs Marnie is coming later today.

Stay tuned, Allie