A/N: I'm beginning to get accepted to different universities and I'm feeling super happy for that. Four acceptance letters so far and counting! I got accepted to pretty good schools (especially in the sciences) ^_^
I'm currently preparing to present my research at a local science competition/fair for tomorrow. I hope I'll make it to the next round! I feel super excited, but of course, science takes precedence over writing. If my updating begins to taper off, it's most likely because I need to focus on my mentorship. I have to prepare for another presentation in about three months~
When someone speaks in another language, it will appear in italics. I will translate the statement by the end of the chapter.
I'd say we're finally going to get more Ash/Serena time together in this chapter. I hope you enjoy the fluffiness... and the more... serious interactions as much I had fun writing them~
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.
"Your perspective on life comes from the cage you were held captive in." -Shannon L. Alder
Chapter 17: Time to Talk
Ash and his friends were just finishing the breakfast Aurora made. They returned all of their Pokémon in their Poke Balls, all of which were fully healed and ready to travel. Ash held his head in slight pain. He knew that Ashton was angry at him, but He felt she needed a bit of space first. Ash and the rest of his buddies were about to head to the backyard to get Aurora, but she entered the center with another person.
She looked significantly better than earlier and looked happy. Conversely, the person whom she held hands with didn't look amused. She had shoulder length lilac-colored hair, brown eyes and was wearing a dressy suit. Aurora lightly pushed the lady in front of her and waved at them. The purple haired lady scowled.
"C'mon… introduce yourself." Aurora nudged.
The woman sucked her teeth and scowled. She grumbled under her breath. Bonnie decided to walk in front of the lady and brought out her hand. The lady looked at her with a slight sneer, but everyone could tell she meant no harm by it. Then, she surprised Aurora by shaking the blond girl's hand. Bonnie smiled happily.
"It's alright if you're a bit shy. I'll introduce us first. Hiya! My name is Bonnie!" Bonnie pointed to her blond older brother. "That's my big brother, Clemont." Clemont bashfully waved. She gestured to Ash and Serena next. "And these two lovebirds are Ash and Serena." Ash and Serena immediately blushed upon hearing the statement. Bonnie continued, "Tell us what your name is."
"I like how brazen this kid is. Too bad I don't sense any special powers in her. She'd be an interesting psychic." The lady mused in her thoughts. She spoke aloud, "Well, the name's Mirabelle, kid."
Aurora smiled. "She's one of my two best friends from when I was Ash's age. She's a psychic as well as one of the Elite Four members of the Hokori region, specializing in Psychic types."
"You're an Elite Four member? You don't look like one." Ash blinked in surprise, but said much harsher than he intended.
Mirabelle narrowed her eyes. Ash gasped as he started to float above the ground. Mirabelle's brown eyes turned stormy, "Je me souviens tu étais tres irritant, Ashton. Tu n'as pas du tout changé."
Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie all frowned upon hearing the statement. Ash was confused by this change. Serena told him what Mirabelle said and he annoyed. Mirabelle shrugged. Aurora snapped her fingers. Aurora severed the connection of the psychic grip with her own aura grip. Ash was released from Mirabelle's grip and thanked Aurora. She berated in Mirabelle's mind, "You don't need to go full blown French. That was a bit rude."
"I don't care if I was rude. The truth is the truth." Mirabelle retorted.
"Even still, there's no need to use the psychic grip on a well-mannered boy. He… just has a tendency to do things a bit harsher than he intends to." Aurora said.
"I wonder who he inherited that from…?" Mirabelle asked in mock innocence. Aurora didn't seem amused.
"Oh ha ha. For the record, he got that from both of us." Aurora snorted in response.
"You more so than him." Mirabelle retorted with a slight giggle.
To the unsuspecting teens, it looked like Aurora and Mirabelle were having a bit of a stare down. After a few moments, it appeared Mirabelle won the exchange. Aurora laughed nervously when she noticed Mirabelle snort and raise her nose up in the air. Aurora sighed and bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry. Mira Mira normally isn't like this…"
"I wonder why I would act like this if I said I didn't want to meet new people?" Mirabelle added with a growl. Aurora sweat-dropped slightly and raised her hands apologetically.
"Mira Mira? Je pense que je l'ai entendu parler de vous, Madame." Serena spoke up for the first time. Mirabelle raised an eyebrow in surprise, then looked intrigued. Serena continued, "Mirabelle 'Mira Mira' Neville. You used to be a famous fortune teller when I lived in the Hokori region. Everyone said that you can predict with precise accuracy. You can look into someone's mind and get a glimpse of what happened or what will happen in their lives. Although I'm a little afraid of the supernatural, things like that always interested me."
"You lived in the Hokori region?" Ash blinked in surprise. Serena nodded.
"Up until about six years ago," Serena responded.
"Très impressionnant, jeune hybride!" Mirabelle said with delight. Ash still looked lost. Mirabelle accounted for him accordingly, "Pardon me. I meant to say 'very impressive', Ashton. Not many people know about me or take an interest in the mind." She praised and turned to the honey-blond teen. "If you want, I can look into your mind: past or future, take your pick."
"I'm curious to see if what they say about you is true. Can you look into the past? " Serena gave her permission. Mirabelle nodded and glance at Serena. With one look, Mirabelle knew Serena's entire backstory. She closed her eyes and processed some of the info she just gained. Then, she frowned. Her eyes glowed a faint purple.
"My, my? Aren't you a special one? If I'm right, you have the mark of both a psychic and an aura guardian. One is on your chest and the other is on your cheek. Also… you were born to Grace Paschall and… hmm. Your pop isn't the cleanest knife in the draw, is he?" Mirabelle noted while shaking her head. A look of recognition marked her face. Serena suddenly felt scrutinized by Mirabelle and shook her head.
Mirabelle respected Serena's wishes, "I won't say anything else about him because he's a very touchy subject. I will say that you were born in Erudite City, but your mom moved you to Yousei City when you were about one. You stayed there for nine years. You sometimes visited Kanto and even went to a summer camp when you were smaller. Seems that's when you developed an infatuation for a certain boy…" Mirabelle glared at Ash. Ash glared right back, but then blushed slightly at Serena. "When you turned ten, Grace moved to Kalos. I think I've said enough. Everything I've mentioned should be correct."
"That's… scary accurate. How did you do that?" Serena said with peaked interest. Aurora chuckled quietly and Mirabelle looked eager.
"It's one of many reasons why psychics are better than guardians." Mirabelle winked at Serena. Both Ash and Aurora looked unamused by the statement. Mirabelle continued, "I could show you, but you wish to travel with Ashton to the Kanto region. If we see each other again, I'll show you. Heck, maybe I can teach ya a thing or two."
She gave Aurora a hidden message, "I see what you mean by special. I'll definitely train this chick. It seems she would be very receptive and fun to teach. But dude, a psychic guardian? Seriously? Where do you find these things?"
Aurora shrugged weakly. "To be honest, it happened completely by chance. I didn't know she was a hybrid until after my match with Ash."
"Auru, you hit the ultimate double whammy, traveling with the purest psychic guardian and the ultimate aura guardian. You and Ashton are just beacons for trouble..." Mirabelle sighed.
"I understand me, but Ash?" Aurora blinked in surprise.
"You have no idea of what he's attracted on his journey. I looked a little into all of their minds. So many legendary Pokémon met and regional villainous teams thwarted; his resume is ridiculous, yet incredible. He has a worse track record than you… and that's saying a lot. Didn't you look into his aura to see that?" She inquired.
"I could have. I didn't want to." Aurora replied somewhat indifferently.
"I'll respect the reason you decided against seeing your son's aura. However, Ashton and Serena being in a relationship makes me wary. You know of the psychic-guardian conflict." Mirabelle told her candidly. Aurora gave her a look that said, 'Seriously?'
"First Mom and Dad and now you. By rule, you and I are supposed to be enemies, but we prove how pointless the conflict is." Aurora replied.
"True. Also… Serena's father… I'll look into him a little more and tell you more about him later. I think you know exactly who he is, but because I don't want you to go aggro, I won't say anything yet." Mirabelle said.
"Why would I get mad?" Aurora asked with a suspicious voice.
"You have quite a bit of a temper when it involves anything Zurui related, but... I'll tell you once Ash and Serena are safe in the Tree of Beginning." Mirabelle said with a hint of sadness. Aurora looked thoughtful as well. She thought about who he was and why would she feel upset. She was curious to look into Serena's aura to find out herself, but she resisted the urge. They both looked like they would continue to converse, but Ash tapped them both on their shoulders.
"Aurora, what are you and Mirabelle talking about?" Ash asked her.
"We were talking about you and Serena," Aurora told him. "It seems Mirabelle has taken a shine to Serena and Bonnie, which doesn't happen often."
Bonnie and Serena had a small smile on their faces. Mirabelle shrugged slightly, but didn't deny Aurora's words. She then looked a bit closely at Ash. Ash noticed this. Though Ashton, he blocked off most of her attempt to find out more about him. She gasped slightly, then gave a grudgingly impressed smirk.
Ash's eyes turned red with his eyes narrowed, "Mirabelle, I won't let you peer inside my mind any more than you might have. I know how nosy you are."
"Hmm… I like your skepticism, kid. I was curious to see if you'd pick up on my presence. After all, you are the Ashton that actually remembers who I am." Mirabelle noted. She chuckled, "T'was all deliberate that all of this happened. The past and present are always deliberate, but the future is never completely certain. When I look at you, there's an air of uncertainty I can't explain. I can't predict your future. There are too many possible paths, both good and bad. This should unnerve me, but it makes me curious."
Ashton once again shifted to Ash. Ash began to think back on the nightmare he had two days ago. He thought about how distorted the dream was. It felt like it was a combination of the both the past and the future. Whatever future with the purple dragon, he didn't want any part of. He wondered what his good future would be. He imagined himself with Serena, winning a few championships, then settling down with her. He was determined to see that future through.
"Mirabelle, why did you come to Kalos all of a sudden?" Clemont himself spoke up for the first time. Mirabelle grinned. She wrapped her arm around Aurora's neck, bent her down and began rubbing her hair harshly. Aurora laughed heartily and was firmly locked in Mirabelle's grasp. She made no attempt in trying to escape.
"To help my buddy out, of course. She called me while you were eating and I noticed her distress. So, I teleported here to help her out. Thankfully, she's come to her senses… haven't ya, Auru?" Mirabelle snickered. She looked down at the now slightly struggling Aurora.
"Yeah. Stop, girl!" Aurora barely was able to say. Mirabelle nodded and let go of her. Aurora took a few moments to regain her composure. "I'm alright now."
"That's good. What were you and Aru arguing about in the first place?" Ash asked.
Aurora frowned and shook her head. "We… didn't see eye to eye on a recent issue and she kept pressuring me about something we still don't agree on." Ash knew she wasn't going to say anything else, so he decided not to pressure her.
"Well, I've got to bounce. I only came because of my friend and I do not need to be here any longer. It's been nice meeting you kids. It's a… pleasant… change from what I'm used to." Mirabelle clapped her hands together. Everyone had a little bit of a jolt afterward. Literally. Everyone felt a small static shock. "I want to make some extra money. I've got an appointment with another sucker who thinks he'll get lots of money in the future. Selfish prick. He wouldn't spend a dime on anyone but himself."
"I hear ya. Stay safe, Mira Mira." Aurora gave her friend a hug.
"Same to you, Ruru. Good luck and above all else, make sure this kid gets his memory back. It's insulting that he doesn't remember me or Raven, but it's interesting he's kept some of the same habits." Mirabelle stole a glance at Ash and made a small smile. She grabbed Ash's hand competitively. He noted that she had a really strong grip. She looked at him eye to eye, "When you reach the Hokori region, I hope you can give me and the rest of the Elite Four battles to remember. See you around, Ashton."
"The name is Ash by the way. I don't like to be called Ashton. My counterbalance is Ashton." Ash corrected her. Mirabelle snorted, then shrugged again.
"Same person. Same diff. See you around, Ash." Mirabelle emphasized the name change to the point where Ash scowled. She snickered as she waved Aurora off and teleported herself back to the Hokori region.
Aurora smiled and shook her head, "I'm really grateful to have met her. I care for her just as much as I do Raven."
"Who's Raven?" Ash asked.
"She's an aura guardian like myself, but she's pretty odd and candid. She's an expert on dark aura and stealth. Hidden like a shadow, but stings like a Mega Beedrill. That's always been her style." Aurora told him.
She went into her bag and took out a couple of small pictures that looked fairly old. The first picture showed a clearly teenage Aurora and Mirabelle in a forest arguing over something. Aurora and Mirabelle were glaring at each other while caught in a gray outline. Another girl with pale skin, black hair and gray eyes stood between the two. She wore a brown diamond patterned poncho and simple jeans. She had her arms out. It looked like all of her strength was taken from to prevent the two warring girls from duking it out.
The second picture showed a more peaceful time between the three ladies, but they looked slightly older, somewhere around eighteen. They were standing outside where some snow was falling in a city. They were standing right under a statue of Mew and a Pokémon Ash didn't recognize. The gray-eyed girl was wearing what looked to be the same poncho, but it looked like she grew into it more. She also wore a darker, but more tattered blue jeans than the first picture. Mirabelle was wearing a white and purple striped open collar long-sleeved shirt and white pants. Aurora was wearing a knee high blue skirt and a black turtleneck.
Here, they were all posing in different ways. The dark haired girl posed with a small peace sign while Mirabelle put two fingers behind Aurora's head. Aurora had her arms wrapped around both Mirabelle's and the black hair girl's shoulders and had a huge grin on her face. Aurora's hair only reached the middle of her back. Mirabelle's hair looked just as long as Aurora's. The black haired lady's hair was cut short and uneven, slightly below her chin, but it was curly. Mirabelle had just as much as a grin as Aurora and the other girl had a small smile. In both pictures, Aurora had her 'z' shaped marks, Mirabelle had a five pointed star mark on her chest and the black haired girl had a horn-like mark on the top of both of her hands. They all looked a little cold, but happy.
Aurora pointed to the black haired girl in the older picture. "This is Raven, Ash."
Ash inspected the pictures a little further. He looked at the background of the second picture. He knew he'd seen the background before, but he couldn't place where he'd seen it. Aurora picked up on Ash's frustration, "This is Yousei City in the wintertime. I've taken you here before. Is that what you're trying to figure out?"
"Yeah." Ash pointed to the unknown Pokémon. "Who's that Pokémon?"
"This is Verdania, the Purity Pokémon. She acts as the opposite pole to the Reptile Reaper. People in Yousei City praises Verdania because she helps protect it from the rest of the region's influences. They believe she's the most powerful Pokémon and believes her to have created the Pokémon World."
"I always thought it was Arceus," Clemont commented.
Aurora shrugged her shoulders, "I guess it depends on your beliefs."
Bonnie asked, "What do you guys believe in? Clemont and I are Arceusits. We believe he created the entire Pokémon world."
"I don't know what I believe in. Kinda undecided." Ash answered.
"I'm not sure either, actually," Serena responded as well.
"I am a Mewist. I believe Mew and Arceus worked together to make the world, but Mew came first." Aurora answered.
Ash didn't seem surprised at the responses. He was a bit skeptical, but he wouldn't interfere with whatever Aurora, Clemont, and Bonnie believed in. He thought everyone should have their own beliefs and be able to express them as well. He noticed that Arceusits were far more common, though.
Aurora decided to put away both pictures. She looked at nothing in particular, took a deep breath and exhaled. She had a small frown on her face. "Shall we get going? Unless there's something you want to do before leaving?"
"I still need to call my mom." Serena realized with a bit of a gasp. "I need to get permission to go to Kanto with Ash."
"I also should call my mom about Serena. You know…" Ash smiled at the honey blond girl. Serena nodded her head and made a small blush. She was nervous about meeting Delia Ketchum. Aurora frowned for the smallest of moments, but it quickly morphed into a genuine smile.
"Ash, I think any Ketchum will adore your relationship... but that's just me." She chuckled and made a toothless grin. Ash smiled warmly at the compliment. The amber eyed guardian started to walk towards the front door of the center. Aurora lingered at the door for a few moments. Then, she looked over her shoulder and said, "One more thing, young one."
"Yeah?" Ash answered.
"Give Delia my regards. I'm itching… no, dying to see her again. I'm curious to see how she's been." Aurora chuckled dryly.
"If you want to see her again, why don't you go by the video phones and talk to her with me?" Ash asked her. Aurora chortled and shook her head.
"Should I...?" Aurora pondered the idea for a few moments, but ultimately rejected it. "I can wait. I want us all together in the flesh. It'll be a... wonderful... family reunion. I'll be outside if you need me." Aurora said nothing else as she left the Pokémon Center.
"Let's follow her, big brother!" Bonnie abruptly stated.
"Wait, Bonnie!" Before Clemont could properly protest, Bonnie dragged him outside with her. Clemont didn't struggle, but he was flabbergasted at the small girl's strength. Bonnie winked at the two of them as she and Clemont also left the center. Serena chuckled slightly while Ash seemed puzzled.
When the brother-sister duo went outside, they noticed Aurora on the ground in a pretzel shape with her eyes closed. It looked like she was meditating.
Bonnie was astonished at how disconnected Aurora appeared. Bonnie waved her hand in front of her closed eyes, but that failed to illicit any sort of response. Somewhat curious and bored, Bonnie shook Aurora's body a little, but she once again did not budge. Feeling slightly frustrated, but also slightly bold, she shook her a little more roughly. Aurora's body began to glow yellow as Bonnie's body started to glow the same. The blond haired girl yelped as she was moved away from the raven-haired woman and gently placed right beside Clemont.
"Heh, if you can't beat them, join them." Clemont shrugged his shoulders. He sat down and tried to mimic Aurora. Bonnie decided to do the same. They both were fidgeting slightly from trying to remain still. Once they closed their eyes, Aurora lazily opened one of her eyes and chuckled to herself. She thought as the attempt as cute. Her face suddenly turned back to one of seriousness.
"Delilah… come at me..." She thought coldly as she closed herself off to her surroundings and focused on uncluttering herself.
And then there were two.
Ash and Serena headed to the video phones. Ash offered Serena a seat on the bench and decided to stay standing. Serena, appreciating the gesture, took his offer, then moved over so he could have space as well. Ash wanted to remain standing, but Serena insisted. Eventually, he relented and sat down beside her. He had a small wave of heat creep up on his face being this close to Serena. The heat magnified when she gave him a peck on his cheek.
Serena felt fluffy when Ash wrapped his arm around her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze. Ash had no idea what he was doing; he was just following his instincts and it was working to great effect. Time seemed to slow for both of them, but they knew they needed to call their parents. Serena decided to call her mother first. When she dialed the phone, Grace almost immediately answered. She regarded them both warmly.
"Hey, Mom!" Serena greeted with a smile.
"Hello, Serena and Ash." Grace greeted the both of them. She immediately noticed Ash had his arm around her shoulder. Grace was slightly intrigued at the gesture, but slightly anxious. She could tell that they didn't know of her conversation with Aurora earlier. She made a mental sigh of relief. She said with a small smile, "So… anything you two want to tell me?"
"Well… Ash and I are…"
"Well… Serena and I are…"
"Dating," Ash said at the same time with Serena. Grace was both surprised and amazed. She wasn't surprised by the responses. She was surprised by how frank they were and the emotion they had in their words. They were too innocent. It made her feel conflicted about what she said earlier. She didn't want to tear them apart.
She decided to focus on her positive emotions. A smile crept up on her face. She said with closed eyes, "I knew it from the day I met you, Ash. I just knew it would happen eventually." Her eyes opened up again with an intensity neither of them was used to. "And… I have a request from you."
"What is it?" He asked politely.
"Keep her close and keep her safe." Grace said with a gentle and firm voice full of warning. Ash blinked his eyes in surprise, then smiled warmly. He nodded his head almost immediately. Grace smiled and nodded in approval. "You have my blessing. Just… don't do anything stupid, you hear? I'm normally very lax, but if I find out you did something you weren't supposed to…"
Ash raised his hands up in defense and sweat-dropped slightly, "We won't do anything crazy."
"Good. I'm pretty sure your mother has many ways to punish you if you do." Grace warned.
"Mom's always been pretty relaxed. I can't imagine her too angry." Ash replied. Grace was surprised at the answer, but shrugged it off. She looked sympathetically at Ash for a split moment before looking happy again.
"Serena… is there something else you want to talk about?" Grace asked somewhat curiously.
Serena snapped her fingers, then told her, "Can I go to Kanto with Ash?"
Grace looked thoughtful at the two. She studied both of them for a few moments. Afterward, she smiled. "I don't mind it as long as you are careful."
"Of course, Mom," She responded immediately. Grace looked concerned.
"I'm serious. I want you to stay close to Ash. Let him guide you." Grace firmly stated. Serena nodded.
"Mom? One more thing." Serena asked in a serious voice.
Grace noticed a change in Serena's voice and had a feeling what she wanted to say. "Yes?"
"Over the past few days, I've been finding out a little more about myself. Did… you know I can use both aura and psychic energy?" Serena narrowed her eyes.
Grace closed her eyes, then made a ghost of a nod. Serena looked at her with a neutral expression, then it turned indescribable. Ash felt awkward and felt like he shouldn't be here. He stayed only because he could feel Serena's hand wrap around his own. He made a small smile at her and Serena looked up appreciatively.
"If you knew that I was a hybrid, why didn't you tell me?" Serena asked with a suspicious tone.
"I wanted to keep you safe, Serena. Since you have powers, you run the risk of being exposed to more danger. The more powerful, the more dangerous." Grace tried to tell her. She then looked at Ash, "Ash, many legendary Pokémon have you seen?"
Ash was confused by the question. Then, he thought about all the Pokémon he's helped in a six-year time frame. He rubbed behind his head bashfully, "Uh… I don't know. I lost track after the Hoenn region."
"And this is before you found out you were a guardian, right?" Grace pressed further.
"Yeah, but how do you know…?" Ash started, but Grace rose her hand to cut him off.
"I could be using my psychic power to peer into your mind or I could be reading your aura." Grace told him. She sighed, "That proves my point. Ash attracted powerful Pokémon without even knowing he's an aura guardian. I didn't want you to go through the same."
"Maybe… but you shouldn't decide for me what happens to me!" Serena grew irater. "I should be able to decide my fate. Not you or anyone else."
"Serena…" Grace tried to soothe, but Serena wasn't having any of it.
"Answer me this. What are you? Are you a guardian, psychic or both?" Serena narrowed her eyes. Ash kept looking at Grace and then at Serena. He'd never seen Serena so angry before, but they both looked menacing.
Grace narrowed her eyes right back. She replied somewhat sassily, "I don't care how grown you think you are, but I don't have to tell you anything. You absolutely know nothing about me or yourself and I intend to keep it that way… until you're ready. This is something we should talk about… alone."
Ash was about to stand up, but Serena forced him to stay in his seat. "You deserve to know just as much as I do, Ash."
"I like that you respect me, Ash. Even if you did leave, I wouldn't have told her." Grace acknowledged. She looked at Serena again, "The only reason why I'm considering this because I know I can't continue to hide your powers from you. You'll need to grow more as a psychic guardian in order to avoid future mishaps. You'll realize how much of a burden your powers is soon enough. Maybe by the time you reach Kanto, I'll tell you more, but you just aren't ready."
"Am I not ready or are you not ready?" Serena retorted back.
"Maybe it's a mix of both. You more so than me. You answer me this, then. How much do you really know about aura guardians and psychics? Do you even know anything besides any observations made of you?" Grace inquired.
"I…" Serena tried to think about her question. She looked somewhat perturbed at her mother, "I don't. How are you so accurate?"
Grace shook her head solemnly, "That's what I thought. You really don't know how powerful you are or what people are watching you." She kept shaking her head.
"What did you do? Why are you being so secretive?" Serena began to be surrounded by a bright pink aura subconsciously. Ash could feel her anger beginning to peak. Grace gasped, but made no verbal observation. Ash had to tap her shoulder to make her realize what she was doing. The aura subsided.
"I…" Grace took a deep breath before continuing, "I… did nothing other than kept your powers hidden from you, honey. Other forces came to play. I moved to Kalos so we can have peace and have a wonderful life away from..." Grace now had slightly glistening eyes. She blinked them away. "I have to go. I'm sorry if I added to your confusion, but I hope you'll come to appreciate the things I did for you when you get older."
With that, Grace hung up the phone abruptly. Serena just stared at the screen blankly. She didn't know what to say or think. Then, she began to shiver, both in anger and in sadness. Ash, not knowing what to do, decided to wrap his arm around her and rub her back slightly. He then began to hum a soothing tune to which Serena began to move back and forward without realizing it. Ash smiled in response. After a few moments, she was able to regain her composure, but looked at Ash in wonder. Serena smiled and gave him a kiss on his cheek. He had a small blush creep up on his face and started to rub under his nose.
"Thank you. I'm feeling a little better." She said with a small smile. Serena sighed sadly, "This makes me upset because I thought I knew everything about my mom. We did everything together, even things I hated. We were always together. I wonder how much she's hiding from me. I don't even know if I know her anymore."
Ash didn't know how to respond, so he let his expression do the talking. He tried his best to convey that her mother was most likely thinking in her best interest and that everything would be alright. He wasn't sure if he could say all that with just a face, but Serena could see the emotion in his eyes. She could see their softness slowly embracing her without them even touching her. His face was the epitome of beauty to her eyes. And it alone compelled her.
Wordlessly, Serena softly caressed his cheek. Ash opened his mouth slightly in surprise, but that's all Serena needed. She propelled her face forward, closed her eyes and met her lips with his. His eyes stayed open, completely caught off guard. He had a tingling feeling on his lips, but it only took him a few moments to fully acknowledge it. When the initial shock faded, Ash slowly fluttered his eyes shut, held her waist and became fully immersed into the kiss.
Serena was caught off by the mix of gentleness and power Ash had. He was like a calm river, but at the same time had a firm and stable hand. He displayed control and dominance that swept Serena off of her feet. She could barely keep up with his intensity. They both relied purely on instinct and the rest of the world didn't matter. Their faces and bodies grew hot. Their kiss reflected one passion, one love, one soul. It was blinding to both involved and it overtook them. In what seemed to have lasted for an eternity, they had to break apart. When they drifted apart for air, they pressed their foreheads against each other and looked at each other lovingly. They both looked out of breath.
Serena was the first to recover, "I… I don't know what came over me…"
"It's alright…" Ash said with a hint of a blush remaining. He rubbed under his nose slightly. His face got even redder when he commented, "I definitely enjoyed it."
"I… did, too." Serena also admitted with a blush.
Ash took the opportunity to hold her closer to him. He stroked her honey gold locks, placed his head on top of hers, and whispered into her hair, "Hey… if your sad or upset, know you can talk to me, alright? I'm not that good of this boyfriend thing, but the least I can do is listen." Serena looked up at him, surprised at his statement.
"Ash... you are amazing. Don't feel any different." Serena said with conviction, but added quietly, "Thank you…"
"No sweat. Remember, I'll always be there for you. We'll find out everything together." Ash kissed her on top of her forehead. Serena enjoyed being in his arms. Ash didn't realize how romantic he was being to her, but she would treasure this moment. It was like a dream she didn't want to wake up from. For a few minutes, they just sat there, enjoying each other's presence. After a while, they broke off from each other. Their bodies began to cool off.
Serena looked at Ash and asked, "So… are you planning on calling your mom still?"
"To be honest, I'm not sure. I do wonder where she was when Aurora and I lost our memories. Everything feels cloudy." He rubbed behind his head subconsciously.
"Maybe we should wait until we see her face to face. We can watch how Mrs. Ketchum and Aurora regard one another and see who's lying about what. Or maybe we shouldn't mention this to her yet. I'm not sure if your mom is going to act like my mom." Serena finished in a smaller voice.
"I agree. I won't say anything about my powers, but I'll definitely mention…, you know…, us." Ash said with a smile. Serena giggled in response. Ash took to time to call Delia's number. For a few moments, they heard ringing. Then, a face appeared on the screen. Both Ash and Serena screamed in surprise and cringed at what answered.
"Gah!" They both cried out.
Delia had her mahogany hair tied up in a messy bun while she had a whitish-green cucumber green face mask on. She had a white robe and looked just as alarmed as the teens. She chirped in surprise, "Oh my Arceus, Ash? And someone else is with you? Give me one second." Delia abruptly hung up the phone, leaving the couple muddled in their thoughts. Ash covered his eyes with his hat in embarrassment while Serena was trying to process what she had just witnessed. Once it fully processed, she had to hide a small chuckle at Ash's expense.
"Mom…" He muttered exaggeratedly under his breath. He sounded almost like an embarrassed kid again.
After a few minutes of waiting, they received a call from the video phone. Ash picked it up and noticed that Delia had taken off the face mask and tied her hair into its normal ponytail. Her face was beaming from the effects of the mask. She was still wearing her robe, but she looked a lot better.
"Now I'm ready. Hello, Ash. Who is this with you?" Delia said with a hint of something else in her voice and looked at Serena with interest.
"Uh, well, this is Serena…" Ash gestured to his honey blond companion.
"Hi." Serena waved her hand in greeting.
"Hello, Serena." Delia greeted warmly.
"… and well, she's super awesome." Ash continued.
"Go on…" Delia leaned forward toward the screen, highly amused. She had a feeling of what he wanted to say, but wanted him to say it himself. Serena was aware of this, but Ash felt uncharacteristically nervous. He started to rub under his nose.
"And well, she's my girlfriend," Ash said finally. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder to illustrate the point. Delia still looked amused and made an expectant nod.
She closed her eyes and smiled. Then, she opened her eyes and clasped her hands together, "I knew this day would come… oh, I'm so happy you're not that dense anymore!"
"Hey, I wasn't that dense!" Ash felt the urge to defend himself.
"Yeah, you kinda were and still are. Everyone seemed to know about my crush. Miette, Shauna, and even Bonnie noticed. Everyone knew except for you and Clemont." Serena added.
"Seriously?" Ash seemed very shocked at the revelation. Delia started to giggle slightly.
"That proves my point exactly. And I'm so happy that you aren't gay either." Delia expressed her emotions with a smile.
"What?" Ash blinked his eyes in surprise, slightly incredulous.
"You were traveling with Brock for a pretty long time and it didn't help that he seemed like he was a little bit of a pervert. I know it wasn't just me who felt that way." Delia admitted.
"Mom!" Ash's face turned as red as a beet. Serena could hide her laughter, even though she apologized under her breath.
"Sorry if I'm embarrassing you in front of your lady friend." Delia also began to giggle.
"Mom…" Ash didn't think he could get any more embarrassed.
"Hahaha. Sorry Ash. I'll try not to say anything else that will embarrass you, alright?" Delia said in a slightly compromising voice. Serena made a small reassuring smile.
"Thanks, Mom." Ash rubbed behind his head slightly.
"I really hope you're happy with Serena. It seems like you care about her a lot despite your den… er, lack of observation." Delia smiled as she carefully placed her words. She looked at Serena with a mix of different expressions. It was much different from the Mrs. Ketchum she'd seen just moments before. Serena couldn't tell how Delia was for a moment, but she noticed the tiniest of frowns and the most daunting of eyes. Delia's eyes felt like she was exposing her, but she didn't know why. Within the same moment, Delia regained the sweet smile she had before. Had she been seeing things?
Ash didn't notice the silent, nearly instantaneous exchange between the two ladies. He was still recovering slightly from his earlier embarrassment. Serena shook off the sense of fear she had from Delia and went back to smiling as well. She had a sinking feeling Delia knew that she was a hybrid from the knowing look, but didn't know why she felt alarmed by it. Ash broke off what seemed to be an eternity of silence between the two.
"Mom?" Ash asked with a hint of excitement.
"Yes, dear?" She asked.
"Can I take Serena to Kanto with me? It'd be nice for you to meet her face to face." Ash asked.
"I look forward to meeting her in person. I'd love to know learn about her. She seems very special." Delia looked at Serena with a sparkle in her eyes. Serena made a small blush in response. She continued, "Is that all you needed to tell me?"
"Yeah. Thanks, Mom." Ash nodded his head. Delia looked like she had a thoughtful expression.
"There is something I should tell you, though. Are you still with Aurora?" Delia asked.
"Yeah. Why?" Ash was confused by the question.
"There's something about her I should tell you. Both of you." Delia said in a serious voice.
"What is it?" Ash asked curiously.
"I'm pretty sure you know at this point that she's an aura guardian, but she's incredibly dangerous," Delia said in a warning tone.
Ash thought about the visions and the linked conflict he and Aurora has. He could tell that she wasn't to be taken lightly, but it made him a tad suspicious she would say something when he didn't even mention the raven haired woman.
"I wouldn't say this I didn't feel like you were endangered. She will..." Delia was about to continue, but Happy suddenly entered the Pokémon Center and jumped onto Ash's lap. Ash, Serena, and Delia all blinked in surprise. Happy squealed in excitement and snuggled under Ash. Ash decided to pet her head awkwardly.
"Happy? Why are you here?" Ash asked.
"I felt Aurora meditating, but I noticed that you and Serena weren't with her anymore. I grew curious, so I decided to check on you, but it seems you're only talking to this piece of sh… er, I mean... your mother. Delilah, it's been a while, hasn't it?" Happy said in a much colder voice than normal. The couple was surprised by the significant change in the normally jovial pixie.
"I told you and your trainer to call me by my real name." Delia scowled at the fairy type. Happy rose her nose in the air.
"Delilah is your real name, but I don't care what you think. Besides, speaking about my friend behind her back?" The Sylveon narrowed her eyes. Happy leaned closer into the screen with a fake amused expression. Her voice was dripping with sarcasm, "Go on, Delilah. Tell us what she would do to the one person she would never harm. Seriously, if she's so dangerous, we should be afraid, right?"
"Er… I'll tell you later, Ash. I know how Happy is when it comes to defending her trainer." Delia grumbled.
"OK, I guess. It was nice talking to you, Mom. Before you go, Aurora said for me to give you her regards. She seemed pretty excited to catch up with you." Ash noted.
"I'm sure she's very excited, Ash," Delia said dryly. Delia told him with a slanted smile, "It's been nice talking to you, too. Remember to wash your 'you-know-what's' and we will be good."
"Mom!" Ash's face grew even redder from embarrassment. Serena couldn't hide another giggle.
"Oh right. Sorry, Ash. I'm looking forward to seeing you, Serena, and Aurora in Kanto. Stay safe until then, sweetie." Delia said as she hung up the phone.
Serena continued to giggle at Ash's expense. Ash took a few moments to recover. His face was no longer red. Happy just shook her head and jumped off of his lap. Ash and Serena followed the fairy type until they were right in front of the door. Ash stopped the Sylveon before she could move too far. He called out, "What was all that about? Did Aurora send you?"
"No. I came out on my own." Happy immediately answered without looking back at the raven haired teen.
"Why did you come out?" Ash asked.
"Aurora and Delilah doesn't have the best relationship, Ash. I suggest you don't talk about Aurora to Delilah and conversely for Aurora." Happy said.
"What happened that made them dislike each other?" Serena asked curiously. Happy turned around to regard both of them and shook her head. She looked sad.
"What happened between them occurred when they both were teens. Don't get me wrong: Aurora still tolerates Delilah. However, Aru hates her with every fiber of her being. None of us Aspects like her either. She's a subject of controversy for them and I know you don't want to see either side angry." Happy warned. They both nodded.
"Why don't you like my mom?" Ash wondered. Happy made a bitter, dry chuckle. She shook her head sadly.
"If Aurora or Aru feels one way about someone, we will most likely have the same feelings depending on the person." Happy told him. He decided to press her further to see what he could find out.
"Did Mom have something to do with how I separated from Aurora?" He asked. Happy had a sad slanted smile.
"I wasn't there when you got separated, so I don't know completely. Besides, it's not in my place to tell you specifics, young master. Aurora deserves to show you more than anyone." Happy said nothing else as she went outside the Pokémon Center. She knew Ash would continue to bombard her with questions, and she didn't want to answer anymore.
Ash and Serena also followed. They wondered why Aurora didn't have her Pokemon with her in the past. If Happy truly wasn't there, she really couldn't tell him much. Ash also couldn't help be curious about the female Ketchums' relationship. They both seemed sweet, so he thought it was odd for them to have hostility toward one another. He hoped that they would make amends one day. Who knows? Maybe he'd be the reason they could make up.
Aurora had her fists pressed together, eyes closed, legs in a pretzel shape. She was perfectly still and completely closed off to anything that passed. Clemont and Bonnie were also sitting, in a similar position, trying to mimic Aurora. Bonnie was fidgeting too much while Clemont was thinking about too many things to make his mind clear. They both had their eyes open, but was surprised to see Ash and Serena come outside.
Happy ran to Aurora and licked her on her face. Aurora made no movement. She wasn't surprised. There was nothing that could break Aurora's concentration when she's meditating, except for one thing. Happy rummaged through Aurora's bag until she found what she was looking for. Happy placed a Poke Bar under her nose and wriggled it. For a few moments, nothing happened. Her nose then shifted slightly when she took a whiff of the snack in front of her. Aurora's amber eyes finally opened. Confusion danced on her face. Then, hunger. She licked her lips. Happy giggled as she gave her trainer the treat she'd been craving.
It looked like a reversal of roles. Happy turned into the trainer while Aurora was the Pokémon. She ate the snack almost immediately. Aurora giggled and rubbed the fairy type's head. Her expression turned more suspicious. She narrowed her eyes, "Happy, why did you come out?"
"No particular reason." Happy whistled. Aurora laughed, but it was sarcastic. Her eyes turned piercing.
"I can tell when you lie just as well as you can tell when I lie," Aurora said, unimpressed. Happy began to laugh nervously. "I know you better than that. Seriously, why did you come out?"
"You know how Delilah is and when I sensed Ash talking with her, I had to-"
"You had to do nothing, that's what you had to do." Aurora curtly responded. She continued in Happy's head, "Don't butt in! Got it?"
"But Aurora…" Happy tried to reason, but Aurora wasn't having it.
"Happy!" Aurora thundered in her head. Happy visibly flinched, lowered her ears and closed her eyes. Then, she opened them with a bit of trepidation. Aurora looked annoyed. Ash and his friends wondered what they were talking about.
"Yes, Mistress…" Happy said in a low and disappointed voice.
"And don't call me that!" Aurora groaned.
"Can you let me say this, at least?" Happy asked in a pleading voice.
"What is it?" Aurora replied irritably.
"I wasn't trying to be nosy. Even though I'm in my ball, Delilah's aura is so potent I can sense her presence if she speaks. She was about to lie about you to sow feelings of distrust in Ash. That's why I really came out." Happy explained herself. Aurora's eyes softened as she shook her head sadly.
"I figured as much, my adorable meddler. She knew I would want to travel with him, so she took this opportunity try to paint me as some sort of monster. I needed her to say something terrible." Aurora admitted. Happy looked at her trainer like she was insane.
"What?!" Happy asked, shocked.
"I planned this. I would have asked Ash to look into my aura. That's why I was meditating… to make my aura as pure as it could be at the moment. Auras don't lie. Words do." Aurora said with certainty. Happy widened her eyes in understanding. Aurora continued, "I wanted to expose Delilah to Ash, but it seems he's going to stay oblivious for a little while longer."
"I'm so sorry, Aurora. If I had known..."
"He'll know everything soon enough. Next time, trust me a little more."
"I will. Still, I'll never understand why you still tolerate that bit… I mean… her." Happy shook her head and cleared her throat. She wasn't used to feeling so negative about anything and it was starting to make her uncomfortable. Aurora noticed this and started to pet her head again.
Aurora chuckled slightly. "It's alright. I know how you all feel about her. To be honest, I don't understand why I still accept her. Maybe it's a piece of me that wishes for us to be close again."
"That piece is gonna get you killed one day if you don't take action." A third voice entered herself into the conversation. Happy looked slightly afraid while Aurora was indifferent. Aru regarded Happy first, "Don't worry, I'm not going to start a fuss." Happy visibly sighed in relief. She continued, "Personally, I'd always wonder what it would take for you to snap at her before the separation. Now I wonder what you will do if you see her again now that Ash is older."
"I'm not sure, actually," Aurora admitted. "I probably would try to talk before seriously fighting. However, if Ash dies because of her... I'm not sure if I'll be able to control myself. My eyes would definitely turn orange then."
If Aurora's eyes were orange, that meant both her and Aru were enraged. The combination of a balance and counterbalance's eyes is the most deadly form of an aura allegiance. The main draw is that they revert to their primal instincts and they lose their normal sense of self. This version lasts until they run out of energy or the person they sought to destroy was dead. It was nigh impossible to try to calm down an enraged Ketchum in an aura allegiance.
"Wow... and you're the pacifist compared to me. You would actually be willing to lose yourself to numb the pain?" Aru said with surprise.
"Delilah has two strikes. Ash is the final strike that will make or break her... and me as well." Aurora replied with a low growl. She could feel her body heating up and prevented herself from creating steam in her hands. She admitted, "Even though she's spiteful, I'm thankful that under her care, Ash grew up decently. I'm happy he had a good childhood."
"At least that's one thing she didn't screw up." Aru conceded. "However, I think Happy was right to be suspicious and I'm glad she stepped in on her own. Props to you, pixie."
Happy was surprised that she was getting praised by Aru of all people. She bashfully replied, "T-thanks, Mistress."
"Don't call me that, either. You aren't my slave or anyone else's." Aru said in a gentle voice. Happy was surprised once again. She said to Aurora, "Later, Aurora. The next time I'm out, I won't be so nice, so you best get yourself and those kids prepared." With that, Aru's presence diminished from her mind. Aurora and Happy nodded at each other with determined expressions.
"Aurora... what were you and Happy talking about?" Ash asked them.
Aurora got up from the ground and wordlessly returned Happy in her capsule. She pointed in the direction of the exit of the city. "We should be heading out now while it's still morning time. And… we were talking about how prepared you kids should be when we leave this city."
"Aru spoke as well?"
"Yes," Aurora answered immediately. She moved a few feet away from the teens and looked up at the sky, "To make this easier, maybe I shouldn't even travel with you kids anymore. I don't want to pose a danger to you guys and I know I will if you decide to keep me with you."
"Hey, I'm not one to abandon anyone," Ash said with a smile. "It may be safer, but… I don't want you to go."
"You… don't?" Aurora widened her eyes, then looked at him with an indescribable expression. Ash gave her an encouraging smile.
"I really want to get to know you better again. The last few things you've shown me are pretty fun and cool to use and I definitely want to learn more about my aura… at least, again." Ash curled his fists tightly and in response created a faint blue. He made the glowing stop. "Besides, we have a rematch soon, too. We can't do any of those things if you decide to leave. We're still linked, right?" Ash gestured for her to answer. Aurora nodded slightly. Ash put his hand out and smiled. "Then we're in this together."
Aurora looked down at his hand for a few moments. Then, she smiled and grabbed it, and shook it. She nodded her head and gave an appreciative smile. "Thank you, Ash."
"It's no sweat, Aurora. Is everyone else alright with her traveling with us still?" He looked to the rest of her friend. Aurora grew very anxious of the four younger people standing before her. She couldn't make eye contact with anyone of them. She didn't know how the rest of Ash's friends would respond and steeled herself for the worse.
"I want her to keep traveling with us! Besides, she made us breakfast this morning. That was super nice." Bonnie said cheerfully.
"I'm alright with it. After all, she did save us yesterday from being killed." Clemont added.
"Even with the counterbalance thing, Aurora's been really sweet I don't mind her saying." Serena chimed in.
"Well, it's settled then. Let's head on out." Ash said while gesturing everyone to follow him out of the city. Bonnie, Clemont, Serena followed his lead, while Aurora was slightly stunned at how accepting everyone was. The sanguine behavior was far and between in the Hokori region. It took her several moments to recover. Not wanting to lag too far behind, she caught up to the traveling teens as they made their way to Route 4.
The route was littered with flowers and trees. A patch of different colored flowers led into a relatively dense forest that would eventually lead into Lumiose City. The beginning path was filled with different flowers with wide petals. Some were short-stemmed while others were taller. Some flowers were blue, yellow, white, red or orange. Most of the flowers even resembled that of wild Flabébé. Bonnie giggled as she saw different bug type Pokémon like Ledyba pass by them from above. Ash and his friends walked through the flowery path. Then, they entered the forest.
After twenty minutes of walking along the straight path, Aurora hissed in pain and stopped in her tracks. She groaned and clutched her hair tightly. She slammed her eyes shut and clenched her teeth. Ash and company noticed her distress and knew immediately what was happening. Bonnie looked at her nervously, remembering what Clemont had told her about Ashton.
"N-no… I will not allow it! Just a little farther to Lumiose…" Aurora said with a quickened and panicked breath. Her eyes shifted to red.
"Girl, I've waited long enough." Her voice shifted to being much lighter than normal. Ash grew immediately on guard and stood in front of his friends protectively. Her eyes once again changed to yellow.
"I… can't allow… you to slip past… We're… halfway there…" Aurora tried to take a few steps forward, but she was paralyzed in her movements. Her body was shaking heavily. Her eyes flickered between yellow and red until it stayed red. She had an amused smirk.
"Eventually, all limits are meant to be broken." Aru cackled. She looked at Ash and his friends deviously. "How will you deal with a more sadistic Aurora? I can't wait to find out."
A/N: A few French sentences appeared, so I'll translate for those who won't understand French: 'Je me souviens tu étais tres irritant, Ashton. Tu n'as pas du tout changé.' = I remember you were very irritating, Ashton. You haven't changed at all. (Informal)
'Je pense que je l'ai entendu parler de vous, Madame.'= I think I've heard of you, Madame. (Formal)
'Très impressionnant, jeune hybride!' = Very impressive, young hybrid!
So there we have it. Verdania, like Nyxcipher, will not be touched upon too much until the next book. However, I will say that she is a Psychic/Fairy type and is known in folklore as the Verdant Defender. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and in two weeks, I'll see you when Aru rampages.
Next Chapter: Guardian Conflict: All vs. One
~SPG123~