I'm still here and working on it. Thanks to all who have commented, favorited, and viewed this! Your support helps me to continue!

Ash and Serena have just left the hotel to go to the Pokemon Center. There, Nurse Joy gives all of their Pokemon a complete checkup.

"You're Pokemon are good to go! Thanks for coming!" she says.

They both thank Nurse Joy and excitedly run out of the center into the Beruvian Forest to start their journey. It is still morning, and both of them are very glad to start their journey together.

Serena, after a few minutes of enjoying the beauties of the forest, says, "Ash, I know you want to help me to start a performing program here, but you don't need to sacrifice your gym battles and the Alola League to help me. I'm certain that we can do all of those things on our journey. Besides, I want to help you train as well."

Ash responds, "What do you mean by helping me train?"

"Well, performing is very fun, but I've never been a good battler, and it seems to be an important and basic skill of being a Pokemon trainer. Can you teach me?"

Suddenly stopping, Ash holds his mouth open. "You want me to help you learn to battle? Of course! I've been waiting for this moment for a while now!" He lifts her up and spins her around while they both laugh. Ash puts her down and scratches the back of his head. "Sorry. I guess I got 'carried' away."

Serena laughs. "That's fine." They continue to walk a little farther until Serena breaks the silence again. "So, when do you want to start?"

"Right now," as Ash runs towards a clear spot perfect for battling.

"Wait up!" Serena exclaims as she runs towards Ash and stops a few feet away. "Now, what Pokemon do you recommend I start with? What moves?"

Ash opens his mouth, stops, then closes it. He then sits down on the grass and says, "We start with sitting and talking."

Serena, a little startled, sits down as well, and goes into listening mode.

"Battling is a very important skill, you're right." Ash begins. "It can, no, it will help you with your performances because you can always experience something new. Each battle is different. So with that, you must have your Pokemon able to sense your thoughts and have you think the same thing." He stops and smiles. "But I guess you already have that down. So let's test it out. Bring out Braixen, and we'll see if Braixen can think the same things you are thinking." Serena brings our Braixen and Ash stands up. "So I'm going to have Pikachu use a move, and Serena, you are not going to give any commands to Braixen, but think of what you want Braixen to do, and Braixen is going to do the same thing you think of."

Serena nods. "I got it. Bring it on! Ready, Braixen?"

"Braixen!"

"Okay Pikachu, use thunderbolt!"

"Pika chuuuu!"

Serena is thinking "Braixen, use flamethrower."

Braixen uses flamethrower on Pikachu's thunderbolt.

"Pikachu, use electro ball!"

"Pika!"

Serena waits a bit, then thinks "Spin your stick around to deflect it."

Braixen grabs its stick and holds it in front of itself to block instead of twisting it.

"Pikachu, finish it with iron tail!"

Serena imagines Braixen using ember on the ground and stepping back so Pikachu can land on the embers.

Braixen does just that, but Pikachu misses the embers.

Ash stands still and says, "That was great, Braixen! Did you guys think of the same thing?"

Serena nods. "Yeah, just about!"

"Good! Not just good, great!" He grabs Braixen and faces her towards Serena several yards away. "Now when you can't think of the same moves because you can't see the same things, then it's time for Braixen to trust you." Ash brings Pikachu behind Braixen. "Now you can tell Braixen what to do because you can see Pikachu, but Braixen can't. I'll try using thunderbolt behind Braixen, and you have Braixen dodge. Or you could try to attack Pikachu without Braixen seeing."

"Got it!" Serena says, getting into battle mode.

Pikachu starts to use iron tail on Braixen, and Serena says, "Duck!" Braixen ducks, and the iron tail misses.

"Now use flamethrower to the right and towards the ground!" Braixen aims and misses because Serena was talking about her right, not Braixen's right.

Ash chuckles a bit. "That's all right. Just think of Braixen's right and left instead of yours." Serena nods. "Now use electro ball!" he shouts.

"Pika!"

"Cartwheel to your left!" Braixen does just that. "Another one is coming!" Serena shouts. "Close your eyes and turn around." Braixen hesitates a bit, then does it. "Use scratch...now!"

Scratch is effective to deflect the electro ball towards Pikachu.

"Pika...chu."

Ash jumps in the air. "Yes, yes yes! You guys have learned to trust each other!" He picks up Pikachu and runs to Serena along with Braixen. Braixen gets there first.

"Braixen braix!"

Serena laughs. "Yes, your moves really did work! I'm so proud of you!"

"Same here. You too, Serena. See, it's not just telling your Pokemon what to do. You are fighting along with Braixen watching and relying on each other. You two demonstrated that perfectly!"

"Thanks for showing me a bit of battling. This learning is just getting started!"

"Well, then can you teach me how you cook up a good meal? It's getting dark, and I want some food that we've both made!"

Serena smiles while walking to get the gear. "Of course. Knowledge in exchanged for knowledge. Pikachu can help make dinner too!"

They both go to make a nice dinner and set up their tent. (Yes, tent is singular!)

Only a few miles away, Owen is leaning against a tree facing a large platform stone with two of his Pokemon on it: a Leafeon and a Duosion. He conducts them in a few vocal exercises, then leads them in a song they've been learning. After the song finishes, Owen writes a few things in his music journal, then the Leafeon points to a Plusle behind the tree Owen is leaning on. Owen turns around, notices the Plusle, and asks, "Hello there! Would you like to join our choir?" Plusle stands there thinking about his offer for a bit, then nods yes.

To be continued! And to whom it may concern, this last part of the chapter is totally possible. Pokemon say their own names, and their names are just a bunch of vowels strung together by consonants. They say their names with changing pitch just like we do, so they can focus on one pitch and change that like us.