Disclaimer: No ownership of Pokémon.
Summary: What was a peaceful morning turns upside down when Ash's friends are reunited with themselves from another dimension.
Evol fo Rirrom eht Gnicaf
Lunchtime. Ash, Serena, Bonnie, Clemont and their Pokémon friends ate at a restaurant on their way to Serena's next Pokémon Showcase. The trainers and the little sister enjoyed food they ordered as the Pokémon had PokéPuffs Serena made. "Do you know what you need to do in the Showcase?" wondered Ash. "I highly doubt the same thing from the Coumarie Showcase will happen." Serena didn't need a reminder about the debacle.
"There's no way I could make the same mistake," she laughed. "After all, Braixen did evolve so having an undercut ribbon won't be a problem." She couldn't make the same mistake now.
"What about your Showcase dress?" brought up Bonnie. The dark-blond seemed to have overlooked that concept.
"I haven't found anything to work with yet. When we reach the next town, I'll find something." Just before Ash could get another bite in, someone familiar entered and approach them. She looked so familiar...
"Serena?" he gawked. Serena wondered what Ash wanted, unaware of who stood by.
"What's up?" Little did Serena know...
"I believe he was calling for me?" the new girl voiced. The group turned to see... another Serena? The new Serena looked like what Serena started off as.
"You're from the Mirror World!" The new Serena scoffed at the now clued-in blond, before noting Serena's look.
"You prefer red and white with a cloak, you cut your hair and you have boots on?! What's the matter with you?" Serena didn't appreciate Mirror Serena's criticism.
"What's it to you?!" All Mirror Serena did was shrug her shoulders. To her, Serena's look was detestable.
"I shouldn't really argue. After all, you're not the reason I stepped away from my Ash, that crybaby."
"Wait... What?" Ash clear his throat to get their attention.
"Yeah, her Ash is the opposite of me," he clarified. "Ash over there is... less than ideal." This intrigued the siblings.
"So what do our mirror selves look like?" asked Bonnie. Ash tried to remember Clemont and Bonnie's mirrored caricatures.
"While Clemont over here likes to build stuff, Clemont over there uses 'magic' and relies on what path the stick falls to. Bonnie, I know you have some differences with Clemont. Your counterpart sticks by her Clemont through everything. I should also imply that Team Rocket over there are heroes while we chase away our Team Rocket." A handful of differences.
"That's a difference I need to see," Clemont laughed. Mirror Serena stepped to Ash's side, a hand slapping the table.
"Anyway, I want a rematch," she ordered. "It hasn't been the same since you beat me. Crybaby Ash couldn't find a way to use his Froakie or Frogadier properly or control his Pikachu, that useless wimp!" Ash shunned to think that his mirrored self couldn't do anything.
"If it makes you feel better, why not," he caved. Once they finished eating, they found a battlefield nearby. Clemont made himself the official.
"This is a Pokémon battle between Ash of Pallet Town and Serena of the Mirror World," he announced. "Each trainer will use one Pokémon!" Mirror Serena cleared her throat as a sign to correct the rule.
"Two Pokémon, Tinker Boy," she urged.
"Okay, two Pokémon! The battle is over when one trainer's Pokémon cannot battle! There is no time limit!" Mirror Serena got her Pokéball ready as did Ash.
"So I take it you have a Pancham as well," he believed. "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised." Mirror Serena snickered to Ash's gut instinct.
"Then you should know what you're facing," she sneered with a grin. "This won't be the same battle as back in my world. Pancham, go!" Mirror Serena released the Playful Pokémon but it wasn't in the giddy mood.
"Hawlucha, I choose you!" Ash released his Wrestler Pokémon, flashing his pose.
"Okay!" readied Clemont. "Battle, begin!"
"Dark Pulse!" commanded Mirror Serena. Pancham fired a ray of black energy.
"Karate Chop!" called Ash. Hawlucha chopped the black ray, dispersing black rings everywhere. "Now, use Flying Press to get close!" Hawlucha leaped high before barrel rolling in the air and straightening out to dive-bomb Pancham.
"No you don't! Use Stone Edge!" Pancham slammed the ground with hammer fists, in turn erecting pillars to slow Hawlucha down. To Ash, this was as planned.
"Thanks! I'll take those! Use the Stone Edge to close in!" With precision and accuracy, Hawlucha jumped from Stone Edge pillar to pillar. Arriving, Pancham looked cornered.
"I'll get the last laugh! Dark Pulse, now!" Pancham fired another Dark Pulse, this time nailing Hawlucha with a point-blank shot. The blast propelled the Wrestler Pokémon at the Stone Edge pillars where he received damage. Slowly, it clawed back to its feet.
"Nice! I see why you're tough... but don't expect me to throw in the towel." Mirror Serena grinned more, feeling like she's in control.
"Then give it to me! Arm Thrust!" Pancham powered up its paws.
"Wait for it..." Hawlucha knelt the knees. Pancham shot its arm, striking the Stone Edge and knocking the pillars down. "Now, Hi-Jump Kick!" The bird jumped forward and bashed the attack, the stones back at Pancham who dodged it. Hawlucha wasn't done, flying after Pancham who stood and gawked in shock. BAM! The kick scored on Pancham's face and it flew back near Mirror Serena's feet, knocked out.
"Oh, boy!" Clemont had to make the call.
"Pancham is unable to battle!" he ruled. "Hawlucha wins!" Hawlucha pumped its wings for the victory.
"Way to go, Hawlucha!" cheered Ash. Mirror Serena recalled her Pancham, a sigh that she had a tough road to beat Ash.
"I guess I should be surprised," she huffed. "But the battle's not over! Braixen, it's time!" She released her Fox Pokémon which growled intently. Hawlucha was a little intimidated, less a little exhausted.
"You wanna keep going?" Hawlucha cawed, ready to fight.
"Braixen, use Flamethrower!" Braixen pulled a twig from its tail, aimed and shot a stream of fire which Hawlucha leaped away but not fast enough as it got some feathers ruffled.
"Don't let that Braixen get a clear shot! Jump and use Karate Chop!" Listening, Hawlucha rose to the sky again but Braixen had the Wrestler down to rights.
"Hidden Power!" Braixen fired orbs that nailed Hawlucha. He fainted.
"No, Hawlucha!" Clemont was forced once again as the official.
"Hawlucha is unable to battle!" he surveyed. "Braixen wins!" Now both sides had one Pokémon left.
"You did great, Hawlucha! Get some rest!" After recalling Hawlucha, Ash pulled one more Pokéball out. "Frogadier, I choose you!" Released, the Frog Pokémon stood for action.
"Hidden Power!" called Mirror Serena. Braixen launched another blitz of Hidden Power which came at Frogadier.
"Use Aerial Ace!" The embers struck Frogadier but it vanished and reappeared, smashing at Braixen. "Follow it up with Bubble!" Frogadier spat bubbles, stinging the Fox Pokémon. She swatted the bubbles that came after.
"Scratch attack!" Braixen put its stick back on its tail before rushing in with claws.
"Use Cut!" Frogadier pulled two glowing kunai from its frubbles and raced in. The attacks met and passed each other. A moment of standing still to determine whose strike won. Finally, Braixen fell. Frogadier glanced back at the opponent who was done.
"No way!" Confident, Clemont made his ruling.
"Braixen is unable to continue!" he ruled. "Frogadier wins! The match goes to Ash of Pallet Town!" Frogadier returned to Ash and exchanged a fist-bump for the performance.
"You were awesome, Frogadier," he congratulated. Mirror Serena brought her Braixen back to her Pokéball.
"What is wrong with me?" she mulled. "I could destroy Crybaby Ash's Pokémon so why is this Ash so much of a pain?" Bonnie scratched her neck in nervousness, unsure how to answer.
"How can I put it?" she giggled. "Ash tries his best but knows how to take a loss." Mirror Serena blinked at Bonnie, confused with what came out of her mouth.
"Rewind that a few seconds." Clemont tried to help Mirror Serena out.
"Ash respects every trainer who battles with him," he explained. "When he loses, he takes it in stride." Mirror Serena scoffed to what made this Ash different from her Ash.
"So he takes a loss on the chin, huh?" she summed up just as she darted glaring eyes to Ash. Serena saw the eyes and became fearful of what her mirrored self was thinking.
"What do you want now, Serena?!" she snapped as she stood between the two. Mirror Serena approached and reached for Ash's chin.
"Maybe his chin or his backbone... I mean, this is someone I would want over the Ash I have to deal with. Wouldn't you say so, Serena?" Now Serena jumped in shock. Did her mirrored self taunt her about wanting Ash?
"I... don't know what you're talking about!" The denial brought Mirror Serena's hand to her face in frustration.
"How much more obvious can you be? It's so easy to read you, I should just show you how it works." Mirror Serena forwarded her head and lip-locked with Ash. The other three gawked at Mirror Serena's brazen action to their friend. Ash stood in stun. Serena grew incensed with her mirrored self's act. Mirror Serena broke away before wiping Ash's lips.
"How dare you do that to Ash!" Now Mirror Serena laughed.
"Then do something about it. Otherwise, I can give you my Ash in exchange." She let out a breather. "I saw your face back at the Reflection Cave. You want him." Seeing the two Serenas and their exchanges grew concern to the siblings.
"That Serena's right, Serena!" sided Bonnie. "It's like how I want someone to take care of Clemont! If you don't take care of Ash now that you're back with him, you'll never be able to take care of anyone!" Serena gulped at Bonnie's hypothesis, seemingly exaggerated according to Clemont.
"That was a little harsh," he groaned. Bonnie didn't think she was acting vindictive.
"It was?" Mirror Serena found the sun heading toward the horizon, realizing how much time she had to stay.
"Speaking of, I need to head back to my world," she announced. "But remember, Serena..." On that warning, Mirror Serena walked off and Serena collapsed. To her, this was a harsh truth that she needed to step up her game. To her, every girl would have their opportunity to claim Ash for themselves. Ash knelt to Serena, an attempt to comfort her.
"Everything will be alright," he reassured, Pikachu backing him up. "Let's focus on that Showcase before anything else." Though little, it did help Serena refocus.
"Yeah..." she whimpered. Clemont and Bonnie helped Serena back on her feet so they could start the next step of their journey through Kalos. Mirror Serena grinned at the renewed support Serena received.
"Why couldn't I have someone like him?" she pondered. "I mean... I do have someone on the surface but he's got that bone which I wanna pick for myself." Finally, she headed back to which she came.