CHAPTER 18: Cerulean Gym Part One!

I wake up to a light knock on the door.

Hilary's still in bed, so i quietly get up and open the door.

When i open it, i see Bill, standing with a bouquet of flowers.

"Hm? Bill?" I step outside.

"Hey Serena! I saw these on my run this morning and thought of you." He hands them to me, smiling.

"Thank you, Bill. These are gorgeous!"

And they are. There's every color under the rainbow in this assortment of flowers, from blue, to green, to even silver.

"Also, i was wondering if... maybe you wanted..." He kicks the ground with his toe a couple times, running a hand through his hair.

"Wanted to what?" I prod him gently, and he smiles warmly at me.

"Maybe wanted to go for breakfast with me?" He finishes, and i smile.

"Of course i would, Bill. I'll get dressed and meet you up front?" He nods, grinning ear to ear, and walks down the hallway.

I quickly open the door and quietly slip back in, but its to late.

"Who was that, Ser?"

"Oh god."

"WAS IT HIM!?"

Between wrestling Hilary back into her bed, and showering, i'm dressed and ready to go in a matter of ten minutes.

Bill is waiting outside, hands behind his back, as he rocks back and forth on the balls of his feet.

I notice his messy tousle of light brown hair is brushed back neatly, and he shaved, making himself look two or three years younger.

I had thrown my hair, which is blonde and just longer than my shoulders, back into a ponytail, and put on a short pink skirt and light blue blouse.

"Hey." I smile as i walk out, and his face lights up.

"Hey! Ready to go? I know a cute little place just around the corner!" He grabs my hand, practically dragging me to the restaurant, which is a nice little cafe.

We grab a window seat, and order coffees.

"So! Any plans for today?" He asks, sipping his drink.

"Yeah, actually! Today is the day i challenge the gym." I smile.

"Oh! Thats exciting! And after that?"

"Probably head to the next town, the next gym." I say, and i see his face drop.

"Leaving so soon?" He asks, trying to hide his frown.

"Well, actually. About that, I had a question for you."

His face lights up again.

"Of course! Anything!"

"How would you like to... come travel with us?" I ask cautiously.

His face drops again, and i try to save it.

"It doesnt have to be forever!"

"I cant leave my research here, Serena. I really wish i could."

"Thats okay! I have bird pokemon, i could always come visit. I dont want to take you away from the work your doing..." I stutter, finally trailing off, and his face picks up again.

"Flying! Thats it!" He smiles, leaning over and kissing me.

"HM?!" I pull away after a couple seconds, confused.

He laughs, brushing a wisp of hair out of his face.

"I have a Pidove, from Unova, that was trained as a messenger bird. She would love the time out, and could deliver messages for us." He smiles, and i lean in and kiss him again.

We sit there, nothing in the world could bother us, when he suddenly pulls away.

"Sit back!" He hisses, and i slam my back against the booth.

"Hey guys!" He smiles, waving to the two kids coming through the front door.

"Bill! Hey!" Misty walks up, sitting beside me, as Ash slides in beside Bill.

Bill gives me a playful yet Mareepish look, and turns to Ash.

"So a little Pidgey told me that you guys were going to challenge the gym today?"

"Yeah! Well, all of us except Misty." Ash replies, stealing a quick bite from the muffin in front of Bill.

"Hm? Why aren't you challenging?" I ask her, and she shrugs.

"Don't have to. Technically speaking, i am considered a Gym Leader here anyways, so i already have the badge." She shows us her badge case, and it has two shiny badges.

"Lucky!" I hug her, and she laughs.

"What pokemon are you guys going to use?" Bill asks, looking at me then Ash.

"Probably Pikachu, but i feel like that would be to easy. I might try to use Arnarra, but she only knows Teleport at the moment." Ash sighs.

Bill pats his shoulder, then looks at me.

"I will probably use the chicks- i mean, Belle and Bane, my Noctowl twins. I havent actually used Dream Eater or Nightmare in battle yet." I laugh as Bill looks at me confused.

"Noctowl cant learn those until way later on in their development, psychically." It's a question said as a statement.

"Brock gave me the TM's so i could teach them. Belle already has an exceptional grasp of her psychic power, and Bane is not to far behind. I'm hoping now that i have Mizara with us, she will be able to help them and Arnarra train their minds." I smile, and he nods his understanding.

"Mizara is here? Can me and Arnarra meet her?" Ash asks, standing up quickly, knocking the muffin he had been devouring off the table.

Laughing, Bill pays the bill, and we head out.

"She was still sleeping in the room when i left, but i'll see if shes up now."

They wait outside as i walk in, and go to our room.

Knocking lightly, i head in.

Hilary is just running a brush through her wet hair while humming a lively tune, Spexure and Daphne are curled up in the corner where they were before, snoring loudly, and Mizara is lightly dancing.

"Hey! How's it going?" Mizara quickly hugs me, then pulls me into her dance.

I have missed you girls, ever so much. She says in our minds.

"Oh Miz! We've missed you to!" I say as we twirl around.

How have you girls been, since... She goes quiet.

"Good, well, as good as we can be for the situation. We moved here, to Kanto, and Serena started her journey!" Hilary fills her in quickly.

You girls know, Christina would be so proud of you, as am I.

Me and Hilary both cringe at the sound of our mothers name.

"Thank you, Miz. Anyways, i have a question for you!" I stop twirling, as i'm starting to get dizzy, and sit on the bed.

Mizara crosses her legs, floating at eye level with me.

What would that be, my dear?

"We are travelling with a boy. His name is Ash, and he just caught an Abra, named Arnarra. Also, i have two Noctowl, owl pokemon from-"

You wish for me to help train them?

Sighing, i nod.

Of course, dear. Anything for you girls. May I meet this... Arnarra?

I nod, leading her out of the room.

I didn't realize that Spex and Daph had woken up, but they follow us out, Hilary taking up the back.

We head outside, and Brock is with the group.

All jaws drop as they see mom's pokemon.

"Oh wow! What a gorgeous Gardevoir!" Bill bows deeply, kissing Miz's hand.

She giggles quietly, placing her hand under his chin as he stands up.

She says something to him telepathically, and he grins wildly, nodding.

"Thank you, Mizara." He smiles, stepping back.

Next is Misty and Brock.

"It is very nice to meet you all!" The both bow.

And a pleasure for us, as well. Miz says in all our minds.

And finally, Ash.

"Hi! My name is Ash, and i have someone i would like you to meet!" He releases Arnarra, who immediately bows.

What an honor to meet you, Mizara. My name is Arnarra, and i hope to become your friend and student. Arnarra bows, head almost touching the ground, when Mizara answers.

The honor is all mine, dear. I can tell that you will soon surpass me in terms of psychic ability. Arnarra quickly stands up, face beaming.

Mizara pulls her in for a quick hug, and then turns to me.

May i meet Belle and Bane?

I'm not sure how she knows their names, then i remember that she is currently reading my mind, and she giggles.

I release the twins, and they automatically bow as well.

Mizara sighs, then tells them both to rise.

They converse for a minute or two, before Miz turns to me, smiling.

These pokemon are determined and strong. Are you allowing me train them as my own? She asks, and i nod.

"Please. You know more about this than i do." Giggling, Mizara takes Arnarra and the twins for a short walk away.

"Anyways! This is Spexure and Daphne-" both pokemon wave/shake their tails at their name "- or Spex and Daph, for short."

Ash runs up, hugging Spex.

"You remind me of my mom's Houndour!" He gasps, and Hilary laughs.

"That's because Spex is a Houndoom, the evolved form of Houndor. And Daphne here is a Breloom." She pats Daph's hat thing, and she twirls happily.

"Oh! Idea!" Hilary releases a groggy looking Jojo.

"Daphne, you like to dance, right?" Instead of answering, the Breloom jumps into a short one-person waltz.

"Would you like to teach Jojo here? She LOVES dancing!" As soon as the her name comes out, her ears perk up and away she twirls, the Breloom close behind her.

We all laugh as we start to make our way to the gym.

Mizara and her group float/glide close behind us, and Daph and Jojo disappear between buildings to reappear at the next alley-way.

... and remember, don't think of your abilities as a weapon to be wielded. Think of them as... an extension... of who YOU are. Like an extra arm, tail, wing.

I hear Mizara's voice faintly.

"So, Serena. What pokemon are you thinking of using for the battles?" Ash asks.

"Ace, i think." I nod, but Ash looks at me confused.

"You do know what the battle structure is for Cerulean Gym, don't you?" Misty asks.

"Hm? One on one?"

"No, Serena. It's a triple battle. Three versus three." Ash says.

"What? Oh... Okay. Thats fine. I'll use the twins, and Alto. Between Sing and Hypnosis, i should be able to put them all to sleep, and finish with Dream Eater and Nightmare." I strategically think.

Ash nods.

"I think i'll just use Pikachu, leave Arnarra out for now." He explains, a grunt coming from Arnarra's direction.

"Brock?" I ask, but he diverts his gaze to the ground.

"I... uh... I'm not sure. Maybe... Onix?" He stutters, looking afraid.

"Whats the matter, Brock?" Bill asks, placing his hand on Brock's shoulder.

"It's just... Water types... and Rock types..." Bill stops hi, rubbing his shoulder.

"Do you trust your pokemon?" He asks the disheveled rock trainer.

"Hm? I mean... yes."

"Then you have nothing to worry about." He pats his back.

I get a small dose of Deja Vu, having heard that exact sentence before.

We finally get to the front of the gym, and we all huddle up.

"They can only battle one at a time, so who wants to go first?" Bill asks.

I raise my hand, and the push me to the door.

"Bane, Belle, and Alto, follow me!" I trudge through the door.

It's pitch black.

"What the?" I turn around, but can only see the silouhettes of my birds, as the door is blacked out as well.

"Are you kidding me..." What a time to have a power outage...

Then the spotlight came on.

Then the second, then the third.

"EVERYONE... PLEASE PUT YOUR HAAAAAANDS TOGETHER, FOR THE BEAUTIFUL, THE INSPIRATIONAL, SENSATIONAL SISTEEEEEEEEERS!"

A loud rumbling PA bursts over the whole gym.

All three spotlights swivel and turn, before coming to land on three different points of interest.

Daisy, Lily, and Violet, all of whom are in beautiful, sparkling dresses.

Daisy is wearing a purple dress, Violet yellow, and Lily blue.

They all wave at the crowd, smiling.

Then, the spotlights all fly to where i am standing, one by one.

"AND TODAY'S CHALLENGER, A FLYING TYPE SPECIALIST OUT OF THE FAR REGION OF SINNOH, TRAVELLING WITH CERULEANS VERY OWN MISTY, PLEAS WELCOME, SERENA FLORAAAAA!"

The crowd goes absolutely bezerk.

I shield my eyes, as the main pod lights are slowly whirring to life, and i see lots of glittering fish pokemon swimming underneath me and around me.

One by one, the sister make their way to the middle battle field, waving and smiling the whole time.

As they reach the middle platform, they all strike a cute pose, and there is a trumpet blared, with glitter falling everywhere.

Giggling to myself, i confidently walk forward, and see the camera men around me.

"You got this Serena!"

"Come on girl, you got this in the bag!"

"Can i get your number?"

I quickly look over, and see Bill, who had somehow managed to get into the grandstands around me, which i hadn't noticed before.

I flick my hand in front of me, and all three birds flock to their positions like clockwork, and the crowd goes nuts.

All three sisters flick a pokeballs to the stage, and i see two Goldeen, and a... little yellow duck, who seems to be... holding its head?

A ref comes out beside me.

"You go first, they will follow. Be safe, Serena!" She smiles as she darts to the middle of the stage.

She holds her fingers up, over the sound of the crowd.

"FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE...!"

My birds take off.