Notepont Town. A riverside town, a decent distance northeast of Gloire City. A myriad of water channels ran through the town square, coming together to form a fountain in the middle, where Water-type Pokémon would occasionally surface and play. Wooden arched bridges crossed each of the channels, allowing residents and passers by to cross without disturbing the infrastructure or the inhabitants within. Perhaps this was the inspiration of the city's namesake; an element in fragrances that helps others blend together harmoniously.
Ducklett and Swanna drifted leisurely on the currents, occasionally biting bunches of flowers hanging over the channels. Carrying bundles in their beaks, before an errant Combee buzzed by and shared in their bounty. But the waterfowl didn't seem to pay it any mind; they still had their pick, and were no less rich for it. Nature and human life weaved around one another and met together in organized tranquility. There was something to be said for sharing and finding a rich life in tune with your neighbors, wasn't there?
A thought that surely didn't cross the mind of a honey-blonde tourist, as her cowboy boots clacked down on a wooden bridge connecting one end of town to the next. Nor did the Braixen following just behind, tail wagging idly as she walked. She did sniff at the flowers in passing, but moved on, chirping a happy tune to her trainer.
"Braiii!"
"It is a nice town, isn't it, Braixen?" Serena tilted her head to her starter, flashing a smile. They were short a few of their usual companions, which had prompted her to call on her partner. "But, I'm starting to feel peckish… What do you say we find a cafe, before we get some shopping done?"
"Xen!" Braixen agreed, picking up her pace to trek down the town's next closest avenue; a brick road with a slight upturn, met by a rising slope at the end of the orange-red nose sniffed at the air, coming across a sweet scent that she just had to follow.
Serena giggled, following her. Their group had agreed to split up for a short time; Clemont wanted to shop for parts for new inventions, having been running low on gears and gadgets that haven't exploded lately. Bonnie had insisted on touring an icy cavern to the east of town, leading from one of the waterways into, according to a few locals, a habitat for a colony of Spheal. Naturally, Ash had matched her enthusiasm completely and had agreed to accompany her. That just left Serena to take in the sights, and hopefully shop for more clothing materials and confectionery ingredients.
"Braii! Ixen!" Braixen shook her prized stick at a nearby shop, gesturing for Serena to follow. She seemingly had her eyes trained on a strawberry shortcake that a young woman was munching on, on the other side of the decorated glass. Ruby hues sparkled at the sight.
"Well, I guess you've made our decision for us." Serena giggled, peering through the window. A cafe with ruddy red brick walls, like the road outside. A menu drawn on a chalkboard behind the counter, with an enclosed display case showing off all sorts of baked goods and deserts.
"This looks just perfect!" Serena said. "What do you say we head in…?"
"Empoleonnnn! Slow down!"
"Polll!"
"Hm?" Serena's ear tuned in on two shrill, panicked cries. Blonde locks flipping as she looked over her shoulder. To her astonishment, a crystalline path drawn of ice paved most of the way down the far-off slope, and even the brick road she now stood upon. Sliding down the ice was a large, penguin-like Pokémon she didn't recognize - that, or she didn't have the time to scrutinize, as it shot down the street with a panicking girl sitting atop its back. "Oh…!"
"We're gonna hit somebody! Pull belly-up, right now!" The girl screeched, seemingly just in time as the Pokémon pulled his weight up so that he was now skating on clawed, goldfinch yellow talons. Digging in their pointed ends for traction. This seemed to be slowing him down; unfortunately, the girl in charge was now left stumbling on the ice in pointed boots, which led to her clumsily clinging to the bird's back. This only served to add more weight to his momentum, sending him clumsily stumbling forward even after ice gave away for red brick.
All-in-all, a pretty comical scene. Or at least, it would have been, if this all didn't come barreling at Serena in the span of a few seconds. Braixen had yipped and jumped out of the way, but the young woman was all too entirely stunned to think of an escape, let alone act on it.
Before she knew it, the three had crashed, landing in a clumsy pile. It'd rocked Serena completely, knocking on her rear. "Owowow…!" She groaned, rubbing the top of her head after it'd definitely collided with something. To her astonishment, she felt the hair on her bare head; her hat was missing. "That… could have gone better," she exhaled. Still shaking off the sheer shock of it all.
"Ugh… Empoleon!" The girl groaned. She'd been laying atop the Pokémon - who Serena now knew the name of - before rolling off, frantically patting her hair into place. "I've told you not to go belly-skating in crowded areas. You'll end up hurting somebody…"
"Polll." The penguin snorted. Serena wasn't sure what he'd said, but it sounded like he was denying the blame, somehow or another.
"I'm… fine," Serena assured, looking up for the first proper scope of the strangers who'd collided with her. "Braixen?" She looked over to the fox, who was clearly fine, since she was chewing out this 'Empoleon' in her own native tongue. "Great… Are you all okay, then?"
"No need to worry!" Was the prompt denial, as the bird-accompanying girl hopped back on her feet; clearly a bit sooner than she should have, her legs a little wobbly before she found her balance. "I'm fine. Just fine… oh!" She stopped behind Empoleon, grabbing something before crouching to Serena. "You dropped this!" She beamed, holding out Serena's hot-pink fedora.
Scratch that. This was the first time Serena got a proper look at the clumsy stranger.
Shimmering eyes of sapphire were focused on the blonde. Her skin pale, and face framed by bundled up locks of deep blue, presumably held in place by a black headband with bow-like decorations on either side; something glimmering on its left side. A black blazer bundled at the sleeves covered a hot blink blouse and white tie, with a yellow satchel strapped over her shoulder. She wore a white and hot pink… Pokétch, was it? One of those on her left wrist, and a bracelet with lavender beads on her right. A pink skirt completed her main outfit, with black knee-high socks and pink, pointed calf-high boots.
Perhaps more striking than any of that, though, was the sunny smile pulling up on her lips, creasing at her dimples. A look of sure optimism and confidence, despite her clumsiness. An aid to her was outstretched. Something about those details swirling together cooperated to make Serena's heart pick up a few paces. Did she feel heat in her cheeks…? A hand touched idly at her rosy skin. She was feeling a sudden, and strong sense of deja vu.
She'd been in this spot, somehow, before.
"...Uh. Do you… want your hat?" The stranger blinked.
"Huh!?" Serena startled, going from a dusty rose to strong crimson. "Y-yes! Sorry! I just… spaced out! Thank you." She meekly accepted her hat, placing it back on her head. Seeing the other's hand outstretched, she held down her hat to prevent any further embarrassment, and took it to pull herself to her feet.
"Now, Empoleon." The blue-haired girl scolded, who Serena now realized was nearly half a foot shorter than her; maybe just a tad taller than Ash. "I want you to apologize to these two," she pointed at Serena and then Braixen.
After a moment of seeming stubbornness, the penguin bowed his head to both. "Empoleon."
"Braii-ii." Braixen still looked slightly miffed, but she conceded the point and accepted the apology.
"It's fine, really." Serena excused, giving a bashful smile, only to find the other staring at her. "...Uh?"
The stranger blinked her lashes, clearly touched up with heavy eyeliner. "...I recognize you!" She screeched out, pointing a finger at the blonde. "You're Serena! You were in the Master Class!"
"I…" Serena drawled off, glancing around her. She couldn't help but notice that she was getting a few stares for the other's commotion. Deciding to carry herself properly, she chuckled lightly, nudging up her hat. "I am! I appreciate you noticing-"
"Your performance was amazing! Your and your Pokémon's outfits; the stage choreography; the blooming Fire Blast…!" She cooed, eyes absolutely sparkling with wonder. Meanwhile, she was leaning awfully close into Serena's personal space in her excitement.
"Oh… thank you…!" Sereha gave a polite smile, leaning back just a bit. This girl certainly was intense, wasn't she…? "You… must be quite the fan of showcases."
"Huh?" She blinked, pulling back into her own bubble, the spell seemingly broken. "Oh. Not really. My aunt's involved in the industry," she said offhandedly, waving a hand in the air. "I just happened to be in the area because I'm here to meet someone, so I thought I'd check it out. Unfortunately, I missed seeing it in person…"
"Oh! If you're looking for someone, I really shouldn't keep you waiting," Serena insisted.
"Huh? C'mon! No need to worry," she'd said for the second time, waving her hand. "I'm not in a big rush. What do you say we get a bite to eat? I can see Empoleon's about ready to scratch at the windows," she teased, as her starter quickly peeled himself away, putting on an air of innocence.
"Oh! Well, sure," Serena agreed. This girl sure was flippant; taking everything as it came. "...I'm Serena, by the way." She introduced, holding out her hand. "And that's my partner Pokémon, Braixen."
"Great to meet you, Serena! And Braixen." The stranger beamed, taking Serena's hand in a firm shake. "You've met Empoleon… but, you can call me Dawn!"
A fairly large, round table had been secured by the party of four inside the cafe. Situated in a cozy corner away from the window, Dawn and Serena sat opposite of each other, while Empoleon and Braixen did the same, beside them. Dawn had ordered a cold, lightly oiled pasta dish with vegetables; one that Serena recognized as something more closely resembling eastern cuisine than what she was accustomed to. It looked a bit like something Ash preferred.
She shook off that thought, dipping a finger sandwich in a creamy mushroom soup she'd opted to share with Braixen. Empoleon had decided on sliced salmon.
"I really love your Braixen's fur!" Dawn remarked out of the blue, before twirling some pasta to slurp down. She idly waved her fork. "It looks really well-groomed."
"Braiiii~!" Braixen took well to the praise, cooing proudly before eating a small morsel dipped in the soup. "Braixen!" She flashed a toothy smile at Dawn, and gestured to her long blue locks flowing past her shoulders. "Xen."
"I think she likes yours, too," Serena giggled, before coughing, catching her error. "Er, I mean. Your hair! Not… fur. Eheheh…" She flushed. How mortifying.
"Aw, it's the thought that counts! She's got good taste," Dawn answered, brushing the faux pas off entirely in favor of the praise. "I don't know much about the species, but I know a healthy coat is the sign of good care!"
"Only the best for my Pokémon!" Serena answered cheerily. "Speaking of that, I can say the same for your Empoleon!" She turned her attention to the Water-type, looking his near jet black wings over. "His feathers are so glossy, they almost blend in with the… steel? He's a Steel-type, I take it?"
"Yup!" Dawn affirmed.
"Empol!" Empoleon proudly gestured to himself, before reaching over to give Serena an affectionate pat on the back. "Pol. Poleon." His feathers were cool to the touch, making her recoil just a bit. But she couldn't entirely be angry; he seemed to be saying 'this gal is fine by me.' Was it arrogant to think that? Probably, but from what she was discerning of his personality, so far… "I think our starters are similar," she laughed nervously, looking between the fox and the bird. Both were basking in the praise offered readily.
"I think so!" Dawn agreed. "It's a sign of healthy self-esteem."
'Is that it…?' Serena wondered to herself, briefly lost in her thoughts; enough to drop a triangle sandwich into her soup. Sending warm, gravy-like broth splashing out of the bowl. "Oh!"
"Braiiiii." Braixen whined in a huff, stomping her foot. "Braixen!" Pouting with furrowed brows, she tugged on her tail, showing off a splotch the mushroom soup had left on her perfect, pale blonde fur. This was a disaster!
"Oh, Braixen! I'm so sorry." Serena frowned, holding her hand over her mouth. That was going to be a hassle to clean out… and it wasn't as if it was practical to do so in the middle of a cafe. Her Fire-type friend was going to be so upset!
"That's going to need some serious washing out, if it's allowed to dry." Dawn frowned. Just as quickly, her eyes seemed to light up with inspiration. "Okay, Empoleon! You know the drill. Bubble Beam!"
"W-wait just a second!" Serena exclaimed, waving her hands in front of her. She and Braixen's loud protests went unheard, as a wave of sparkling foam was fired towards the fox. Had Dawn lost her mind!?
Braixen had turned to guard herself, pulling her strong orange ear fluff over her face to prevent it from being soaked in the process. She felt bubbles crash against her hide, although surprisingly, they didn't hurt. But that didn't suppress the fox's fury; her stick was pointed in a threatening gesture towards Empoleon. Ready for a Fire Blast. "Braiii…!"
"Wait! Wait! Braixen…!" Serena protested. Their commotion had already started a mild state of panic within the cafe, with several other tables looking ready to clear, lest they be roasted. "Before you do that, look at your tail!" She pleaded, pointing to the puffy fur that Braixen had pulled her weapon from.
"Xen…?" Braixen hesitated, looking over her shoulder. To her astonishment, her tail fur looked to be sparkling clean, free of any soup or grime. It even felt more plush against her claws, and it'd gained a healthy sheen. "Braixen…!" She cooed, marveling at her praised tail.
"That was… unorthodox," Serena laughed nervously.
"Braii…" Braixen looked off, cheeks streaked orange with embarrassment for her near-outburst. This only lasted a moment, though, before she chattered across the table to Empoleon. "Braixen! Braiiii!" Her eyes were glimmering. Another Pokémon with an eye for beauty was always welcome!
Serena watched the exchange with a smile. She was relieved that the situation hadn't escalated any further. "That's really impressive," she said to Dawn. "That you have such a quick and neat way of dealing with grooming. I never would've thought of using a move for that!"
"He's a doll, isn't he?" Dawn beamed. "It's a little trick Empoleon came up with. But as a Coordinator, being able to look your best at any time is totally essential!"
"Coordinator…?" Serena echoed, blinking. The term only sounded vaguely familiar.
"Oh, they don't have Pokémon Contests in Kalos, do they?" Dawn realized. A light seemed to shine in her eyes, as she saw the opportunity to swoop in and explain. "They're great! Coordinators compete in Pokémon Contests, where they do everything they can to show off their Pokémon's charm! It's my job to find that, and help them bring that out!"
"That sounds exciting!" Serena said, clapping her hands together. "That sounds… a little like showcases?"
"A little bit, but not quite." Dawn shook her head. "Showcases center around the performer a lot more, from what I can tell. In Contests? It's all about your Pokémon taking the spotlight! Plus, they have battle rounds, if you can pass the appeals. You need a good balance of charm and battle-smarts to outshine your opponents. Plus, you have licensed judges, instead of being put to a vote."
"That does sound like quite a difference," Serena agreed. How interesting… There were many different types of goals and competitions, beyond her home region. Although she was set in her dream, competitions like that did pique her curiosity. "You and Empoleon sound like you have quite a bit of experience."
"Well, not to brag," Dawn prefaced, leaning closer to her starter to proudly pet the top of his head. "But I have won the title of Top Coordinator, with my Pokémon! So, I'd like to think we're pretty knowledgeable." She said proudly, her and her starter wearing very smug matching smiles. One might imagine sparkles dancing off of each of them.
"That… definitely was bragging," Serena trailed off, a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek. Shaking off Dawn's eccentricity, she regained her smile. "It sounds like our professions do have things in common, but they're very different, when you get down to details! Battling sounds like quite the adjustment for us…"
"And I really can't imagine myself dancing on stage the way you do," Dawn added.
"Empol," Empoleon quickly agreed.
"You don't have to rub it in," Dawn pouted, narrowing her eyes at her starter.
On the other side of the table, Serena leaned her cheek into her palm, smiling around a finger sandwich that she'd just bitten down upon. Dawn and Empoleon were… certainly a pair. She giggled to herself at the thought.
"Well, that was nice!" Serena chirped, holding the door to the cafe open for Dawn and Empoleon to shuffle through after her. Once they passed, she let it go, setting off the little jingle strapped to the door frame. "...It was really nice meeting you, Dawn. Empoleon! But I'm afraid I should get back to my friends now. They're probably wondering where I ran off to."
"Right! Yeah." Dawn giggled, running a hand through her blue locks. "And I still have to go and find… Ash!"
"Ash!?" Serena echoed, startled.
"Serena!" Ash's familiar voice sounded from behind her. She spun around to face it. The raven-haired trainer was approaching, with Bonnie alongside him. An exhausted Clemont was struggling to keep up behind them, as usual. "There you are," Ash laughed, holding up the brim of his cap. "We were wondering where you ran off to… woah, Dawn!?" The trainer - and the object of Serena's affections - balked. Leaning over to look right past Serena, inexplicably focused on her newfound friend. Why did his eyes shine with warm familiarity…!? "What're you doing, here?"
"Pikaka!" Pikachu cooed. That was one of his nicknames, wasn't it…!?
Dawn giggled, skipping past Serena to hold an open hand high above her head. "Caught you by surprise, didn't I?"
Ash's chest puffed out under his jacket in ecstatic laughter, as his hand climbed the sky with enthusiasm Serena had rarely seen. The resounding clap of palm against palm seemed to echo throughout Notepont. At least, to Serena's ears, it had. "You sure did! Not a word of warning, or anything!"
"A… Ash…?" Clemont wheezed, resting his hands on his knees. Struggling to collect himself, he adjusted the thick frames of his glasses. "Is this someone you know…? I don't think I've seen her before."
Bonnie lingered by Serena, maintaining wide-eyed curiosity.
"Oh, right!" Ash beamed, skipping around so that he was aligned with Dawn, facing the rest of his group. "I should really introduce you guys. This is Dawn! An old traveling partner of mine."
'Traveling partner' did its part to lower Serena's heart slowly and gently into relief, a cautious smile returning to her lips. It made sense, she supposed, that Ash and Dawn had known each other at one point; their enthusiasm was contagious, and he'd reportedly been all over the world on his travels. Perhaps she'd jumped to conclusions.
Unfortunately, the following words seemed to pass the Trainer's lips in slow motion. Taking Serena's gently lowered heart, and sending it crashing and plummeting through the floor.
"And, well…. My girlfriend!"