Although she'd gone to great lengths to be more honest with herself and others, Serena couldn't deny that there was a certain girlish joy in keeping secrets under wraps, until the last second. Ash had asked more than once where she planned on taking them, and she'd wink and tell him he didn't have to wait much longer.
Much like when she took liberty in choosing her own outfits, rather than having her mother pick them out for her, there was something fun and freeing about taking the wheel, when you were often lacking in decisiveness, and getting to see the look on someone else's face at the results.
It wasn't as if the poor Palletonian would have to wait long. After all, the Pokémon Center wasn't a long walk from where they'd been, and the battle field adjacent to it was just a bit closer.
Potted plants and natural flora provided a modest and beautiful canopy for the open dirt field, with lines spray painted in the dirt to draw the boundaries of the publicly provided training ground.
Walking backwards on her heels towards the fray, Serena couldn't keep the silly smile off her face when she gestured to their next stop. "Ta-dah~!"
"A battlefield…?" Ash asked, tilting his head.
The walking Pokémon still accompanying them looked equally puzzled.
"Oh! I get it," Dawn chimed. "Do you want to battle one of us, Serena?"
That thought hadn't occurred to her, and it showed with her Deerling-in-headlights expression. There was a small nagging part of her that thought that it sounded fun. But, she shook it off, for now. It wasn't as if she'd be even the slightest match for the two of them. Maybe one day…
"That is a little tempting… But, it's not what I had in mind!" Serena winked. "If it's alright with you two, I've already decided. I want to watch both of you battle each other!"
"Watch us battle?" Dawn frowned. "Not that I'm against it, but you've already seen that."
"It wasn't exactly a good day for Serena, though," Ash pointed out. "Remember?"
"...Oh. Right."
"Ash is right," Serena agreed. It'd been quite the painful experience, but there was no point in living in the past. "I was too caught up in my feelings, that day, to appreciate it. I was jealous, and angry… all sorts of things. And I'm sure that was weighing on Ash's mind, as well."
The raven-haired young man rubbed his neck, proving her right with his silence.
"It's a brand new day, and our problems are behind us," Serena said, bunching her hands into fists. The sun shimmered in her eyes. "I just want to see you go all-out and have fun!"
"Well, I can't argue with that!" Ash cheered, pumping a hand into a fist.
"Me, neither!" Dawn agreed with her usual pep.
Then, Ash pointed out the obvious next step. "...But, who should we go in with?" Frowning, rubbing his neck, he looked to their present partners; Pikachu and Greninja were out, for his part, and Empoleon and Lopunny, for Dawn's. That didn't even account for who they had on their belts.
But, an itching feeling he couldn't quite shake crept up on Ash. An urge to finish what they'd started and mend his pride. "I know! We could have a rematch, with Greninja and Lopunny!'
"Piiika! Pikapi!" Pikachu scolded Ash from the ground, with his paws on his hips.
"...Oh, that's right. I did promise you that." Ash frowned, pulling down the brim of his cap to avoid eye contact. "Sorry, Buddy. I forgot."
Serena frowned. Forgetting was one thing, but she couldn't help but notice that Ash looked a tad ashamed of his blunder. He did love Pikachu, though, more than anything.
"You did promise that, Ash," Dawn agreed, raising a brow at him. "Besides, you ought to give yourself a break after what happened recently! It was fun and all, but that was just the other day."
"I third that motion," Serena huffed, taking Ash's palm and giving it a squeeze. "It's important to take care of health and pace yourself, as well as honor the promises you make. But, you know that, don't you?" Although she'd scolded him, she capped off said scolding with a chipper tone and a sugar-sweet smile.
"...Yeah, alright." Judging by the dying pout on Ash's lips, she'd successfully melted through his sour mood. "I get it, already. You're right. Think you can sit this one out, Greninja?"
"Ja." Greninja nodded, failing to show much emotion, one way or the other.
"Great! Alright, then, Pikachu." Ash knelt down to level with his starter, holding out a fist with a hopeful smile. "How about it. Ready to forgive me and go kick some tail?"
That seemed to satisfy Pikachu. He smirked, bashing his tiny fist against Ash's. "Pika!"
"Then, that just leaves me to pick who I'll send out," Dawn said.
"Poleon!" Empoleon volunteered, wing high into the air before she could finish speaking. Lopunny nudged Greninja and rolled her eyes, to which he nodded in agreement.
"Why, Lopunny, of course!" Serena volunteered.
"Pol…!" Empoleon lost all color, hanging his head to sulk.
"Sorry, Empoleon," she apologized. "But you have to remember that Dawn also promised that she could battle with Pikachu!"
"I did say that," Dawn recollected, beaming. "Thanks, Serena! You're right. It'd be totally unfair to her and Pikachu not to."
"You remembered that, with everything going on at the time…?" Ash stared at the blonde, wide-eyed. "Serena, you're amazing."
Perhaps all the turmoil had been worth it, Serena felt, to feel the warmth and heart-racing flattery she did in that moment. She winked. "It's important for a Queen to perceive and act with integrity, after aaaAH!"
For all of her regality, Serena hadn't prepared for Lopunny grabbing both of her hands, shaking and jostling them with far too much vigor for the Performer's own good. "Pun! Pun Lopunny~!"
"I… take that as a thank you!" Serena said, while working her wrists out to make sure nothing had been sprained. She didn't need that a second time after the Master Class.
"You guessed it!" Ash laughed. "Alright, gang! As long as we're battling, we might as well let everyone watch! Come on out, everybody!" He tossed his four Poké Balls into the air.
"Great idea, Ash! C'mon, everyone!" Dawn grabbed her Poké Balls and did the same.
"And I'll do the same! Pancham, Sylveon!" Serena giggled, tossing her two remaining.
The wider crowd of their Pokémon assembled on the sidelines, while Ash and Pikachu took one end of the field, and Dawn and Lopunny took the other.
"Oh! And I'd hate not to catch this on camera…" Serena took out the camcorder, humming in thought. There was no way she'd be able to capture the sort of angles to do this battle justice, nor was she fast enough to keep track of those two… "Talonflame! Could you come here?"
"Fai-yah?" Talonflame flew over, tilting her head at Serena.
"Could I ask you to get an aerial view and keep track of this battle? I think you'd be just the one to catch all the best angles!" Serena winked, holding up the handheld device.
"Aiyai!" Talonflame lifted her beak and puffed out her chest, accepting the request with pride.
"Thank you! Now, here…" She clicked 'record' and held the padded strap up for the bird to clutch with her talons. "See if you can keep the camera lens pointed towards the action. I'm counting on you!" Talonflame took off, and she waved to the competitors. "We're ready to go!"
"Perfect! That's what I'm talkin' about." Ash grinned, tucking on the cuff of his glove to fit it snugly in place. "Get ready, you two. Because this time, we're not losing!"
"I hope I don't hear you counting us out before the match has even started!" Dawn smirked, adjusting her headband. She flicked a hand through her deep blue locks. "Don't forget! We still have Mega Evolution on our side!"
"Pun!" Lopunny hopped from foot to foot, fluffy fisticuffs raised for battle. Clearly it'd just been for show, though, as she stood tall and brushed her ear behind her paw, winking at Pikachu. "Lop~!"
"Pi-ka…" Pikachu scratched his cheek, nursing a red streak across his nose. Deciding to reciprocate, he winked and flicked a finger her way with what was surely a flirtatious boast. "Pika-cha!"
"You do, don't you?" Ash asked. "On that note, let's skip the warm-up. I wanna see your full power right from the start! What do you say, Lopunny!?"
"Punny!" Lopunny shouted back, leaning into a fighting stance.
"I'd say that's a yes," Dawn agreed. "And I'm all for it!" She reached for the colorful Keystone embedded in her headband, tapping it with her index and middle fingers. "No need to worry… Because we've got a long way to go, before showing our way of taking the spotlight. Lopunny…! Mega Evolve!"
Once more, the blinding lights of Mega Evolution linked the Coordinator and her Pokémon; drawing on their bond to enrapture the latter in a veritable rainbow of hues. Lanky arms and sturdy legs grew more muscular, and coated themselves in greater volumes of fluff. A bottom-heavy, teardrop torso gained height and definition. Fluffy ears were captured in segments, with their own musculature and decorative cream.
All of this changed in but a few seconds. Lopunny's signature wolf whistle bellowed with twice the intensity and volume, heralding a burst of raw power that sent dust and harsh winds across the battlefield. She emerged from her transformation, its colorful insignia flashing before her.
"There it is, again… Mega Evolution!" Serena stepped back slowly to sit on a nearby bench, not wanting to miss a second of it all. 'Just like before, I can feel her raw power, even from a distance! How is Pikachu going to deal with that, all by himself!?'
The blonde shook her head. 'No. He's not alone. He has Ash with him.'
"Piiika…!" Pikachu grinned, leaning forward onto all fours. Sparks danced wildly from his cheeks, as he prepared himself for the upcoming battle.
"Oh, Dawn! Just one more thing!" Ash shouted. "This ain't an official battle. What do you say to scrapping the move limit? I want to see everything you and Lopunny have picked up!"
"I think that's a great idea, Ash!" Dawn agreed readily. "Be careful what you wish for, though! It might come back to bite you."
"No move limit…!" Serena mouthed those words, her pale blue eyes widening. She wasn't a stranger to the concept; she'd seen Ash cycle out Pikachu's fourth move for others, before, and he'd explained it all to her. It was a concept mostly native to official league battling that was foreign to the majority of trainers who hadn't hit that particular skill ceiling.
It was typical and customary for trained Pokémon to only keep track of four moves at a time, to avoid spreading their talents too thin, so to speak. Battling was an intensive sport, where mastery of what you knew was important at any given moment. Quality over quantity.
However, well-trained Pokémon with well-versed trainers sometimes had a habit of breaking that ceiling; of cycling more than four attacks in a Pokémon's repertoire. It was typical of Elite Four members, Champions, and the like, though it didn't stop at them, clearly. She knew Ash to be one of those trainers, from his many years on the road. All the time she'd been sitting at home, indecisive, he'd been building experience over various regions and continents.
But, that did raise a question of unfairness, and matters of simplicity. Pokémon Leagues, the world over, restricted Pokémon to only using four moves in a given battle that they had to commit to. There were apparently extraneous circumstances, like learning a new move during battle, but Serena didn't know much about that.
In fact, she'd never even seen a battle that broke the rule; Pikachu was the only Pokémon that she knew for a fact was capable of it. Evidently, Dawn and Lopunny could do the same.
'I should keep a close eye on this battle. This might be a very rare opportunity to see a kind of battle that most people only dream of!'
"Let's see if we can close the gap in speed, Pikachu," Ash commanded. "Use Agility!"
"Pi-ka!" Pikachu cried, and right before everyone's eyes, he stretched into a thin blur, and seemingly disappeared.
But, obviously that wasn't the case, so Serena scanned the battlefield carefully. She saw a splash of dust in the corner of her eye, and followed. Several more appeared haphazardly around the field. 'He's moving too fast for the naked eye to follow!' It was typical of Ash to try to dizzy his opponents with speed.
Something Dawn certainly knew as well. "Lopunny! Tag him with Ice Beam!"
"Punnnn!" In a beautiful display of a move Serena hadn't yet seen, Lopunny fired freezing rays of cyan from her mouth in a wide arc across the dirt battlefield.
"Dodge that!" Ash urged, waving a hand. Pikachu lunged out of the chilling light's range, and once again could be seen, hanging in the air. "Now, follow up with Electro Ball!"
"Pika-pika-pika-pika…!" Lightning gathered on the end of Pikachu's tail into a familiar golden orb. But, it didn't stop at its usual size, to Serena's surprise. It grew and grew, eclipsing its user several times over. She recalled it happening when Ash used the move in conjunction with Quick Attack, before, but never this much. "Chu-pi-ka!"
Pikachu swung his tail around, blasting the large crackling orb towards Lopunny.
"High Jump Kick!" Dawn cried, just as Electro Ball closed in. Lopunny howled, smashing the brunt of her shin into the orb. It started to bend and collapsed on itself, almost like something between a solid and a fluid, before careening quickly back towards Pikachu.
If he didn't act quick, he'd face its wrath.
"Quick Attack!" Ash urged. Silver light orbited the perimeter of Electro Ball, allowing Pikachu a very narrow escape from the move that flew just past his trainer; soaring into the sky before bursting far above Notepont's skyline. Like fireworks.
But, there was little time to marvel. When one fought Pikachu, there was no time to meander. When one fought Dawn's Mega Lopunny, there was perhaps even less. There were only silver streaks, dashing back and forth; stopping only for the slightest pause when Pikachu collided with Lopunny's body.
Her abdomen. Her back. Her side. Bursts of speed lost all of their momentum, and scattered from their epicenters every time Pikachu collided with Lopunny in a relentless assault. How long could he keep it up? How long would Lopunny tolerate being knocked around?
"Circle Throw!" Dawn shouted. The answer, evidently, was 'no longer.'
Staggering for balance, Lopunny darted her pink eyes every which way for her beloved. The next cloud of dust tipped her off, and her arms and ears hugged inwards in one swift snap.
Pikachu was brought into a bear hug. Crushed and immobile, there was little he could do as the rabbit cleared serious air with a hop of epic proportions. Once their momentum slowed, he expected the fate he'd seen his rabid rabbit deliver many times before; an unpleasant and deeply personal relationship with the ground below.
"Perfect!" Dawn cheered. "Now, follow that with a High Jump Kick!"
But, unlike her trainer, Lopunny wasn't currently interested in her beloved entertaining other relationships. The ground would have to wait its turn, as she released her hold on Pikachu oh-so-suddenly. She watched her darling mouse's eyes widen. The brief hesitation in his movements, as he processed what was coming.
She winked, and delivered an earth-breaking kick to Pikachu's side. Spiking him down towards their chosen field of battle.
It was a swift and breathtaking descent, and Pikachu was sure he felt at least several bruises being imprinted on the right side of his body; not to mention, losing most of the breath in his lungs. If he weren't the battle-hardened veteran he was, things would have been ugly. But, he was, and he collected himself enough to roll and skid across the dirt on all fours. "Pi…!"
"Hang in there, Buddy," Ash coached his starter with a hand thrown high. "Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu gathered his bearings, and fired a shocking flash towards the descending rabbit.
"Take it with your very own Thunder Punch!" Dawn cheered rowdily, punching the air.
Lopunny mirrored her trainer; her two fluffy gauntlets held above her head. Lightning crackled between them in a connecting current; just in time for her to hold them out to intercept the coming Thunderbolt.
Pikachu's lightning hit with more force than even she could've prepared for. Her arms and elbows buckled, forcing her to lose airtime fighting it back. Flippin' Arceus above, just how strong has Pikachu been getting!? She only fell more in love, but that wouldn't stop her from falling with grace. With a feral shout, she wielded his lightning on top of her own, igniting her fists twofold.
Her fists hit the earth in a dropping ax handle. The land eating the epicenter of the hit crumbled and caved, but worse yet, the lightning she'd stored between herself and Pikachu scorched and ravaged the land in front of her. Walls and stray bolts of lightning shot across towards her foe.
"Pi…!" Pikachu stumbled and shifted his weight, guarding his eyes from the coming dust and light. He could feel the charge in the air surge past him! It was enough to make his cheeks crackle involuntarily, as he stumbled on unsteady ground. "Pika-chu…!" Wiping away accumulating sweat, he smirked.
Pikachu would have to join her in the 'falling more in love' category.
"A… amazing!" Serena stammered out from the sidelines. She wasn't sure whether it was the air, unnaturally heated with lightning, the accumulating clouds of dust, or simply her own awe, but she found her throat dry, watching this spectacle unfold.
The speed both of these cuddly monsters sported; she couldn't fathom how quickly they moved, let alone how they stayed aware of everything they did, to say nothing of their power. But, that wasn't what caught her eye. Not entirely, at least. It was the momentum of the battle.
That was something Ash'd explained to her before, as well. More than damage, types, or numbers, controlling the pace of a battle was perhaps the most important thing to consider. And in hindsight, she had to compare this battle to Greninja's. Lopunny looked no less powerful now than then, but Pikachu didn't look like he was doing any worse than Greninja. If anything, he looked to be in a bit of a more comfortable spot!
'Ash and Pikachu have a better rhythm, no matter how strong Greninja is. Pikachu's been with him longer, and he must know Dawn and Lopunny's battling as well as Ash does!'
"How's that!?" Dawn boasted. "We picked up the idea of using an electric attack from Pikachu, but it's great to throw back at Electric-types, too!"
"Gotta say, Dawn, it was pretty awesome!" Ash praised. "But I hope there's more where that came from! We're not even close to done."
"Well, you asked for it!" Dawn threw a hand in the air. "Lopunny! Get up high, and freeze the field with your Ice Beam!"
The rabbit bounded high once more, twisting upside-down to begin vertically spraying the field with freezing beams. Twisting like an inverted ballerina, Lopunny made a beautiful display of cornering Pikachu with greater and greater volumes of ice.
It reminded Serena an awfully lot of Viola's strategy against Ash, she realized.
"Make a foothold for yourself, with Iron Tail!"
Solid steel shattered ice before it could spread any further. But, Pikachu still found himself isolated on a modest island in the middle of an icy sheet. "Pika…!"
"Now's our chance, Lopunny! Skate on in there with Dizzy Punch!" Dawn gestured grandly and elegantly, goading on her prized fighter.
Several elegant somersaults brought Lopunny to a safe landing. She kicked off the slick sheet of ice, skating a swerving path towards Pikachu; but not without a few dips, curves, and pirouettes for style points along the way. Her fluffy cuffs and ears took on a rainbow shine. "Lo… Pun!"
"Pikachu! Iron Tail!"
Pikachu's iron-clad tail smashed into the first strike of Lopunny's ear. "Chu… Pi-ka!"
"Another one coming in from the right!" Ash coached, while Pikachu heeded his warning, and tumbled off of the first ear to swing his hips around and disarm the second at one of its joints.
"Chuuu…!" Pikachu tumbled forth, smashing his tail into the indent between Lopunny's puffy brows. The rabbit recoiled, but retaliated with a snarl; an uppercut of her fist smashing into Pikachu's gut. Both Pokémon recoiled; Pikachu tumbling back onto all fours, and Lopunny drifting back across the ice.
"Come back around! Another Dizzy Punch!"
"Iron Tail, once more!"
The pattern continued as it had before; Lopunny would skate in to flank Pikachu, and his jagged tail would clash with her ears and fists. But, Lopunny was quickly picking up momentum and getting the better of their clashes. Each time, Pikachu was more and more disheveled.
Watching this unfold, Ash grimaced. "He has nowhere to go, so he can't build up speed. Dawn has us trapped right where she wants us! We've gotta change things up… Pikachu!"
"Pika?" Pikachu looked back to his trainer, awaiting commands.
"Let's make the stage ours! Use Magnet Rise!"
"Pi-kaaaa!" A blanket of static electricity washed over the icy field, prompting Lopunny to hop over the charge. After a brief pause, the earth trembled and started to break. Slabs of earth yanked free and hovered above the battlefield in isolation. Ripped free by the minerals mixed into the earth, a series of floating islands hung on the magnetic pulse Pikachu had cast.
The ice coating the floating land shattered, as well; too fragile to withstand the sudden break. Pikachu made himself comfortable atop one of the islands, smirking at his foe. "Pi-kachu!"
Lopunny, too, hopped atop one of the islands.
"It's been a while since I've seen that move!" Dawn shouted across the fray, smirking. "Are you guys ready for round two, then?"
"Maybe," Ash replied, grinning. From the sidelines, Serena could tell as well as Dawn could that the fiery trainer from Pallet Town had an ace up his sleeve. At the rate things were going, he was going to need it. "Pikachu! Double Team!"
"Pi-ka!" Pikachu cried, as a small army of clones spawned across the floating platforms.
"Now, don't tell me you think I can't see what you're up to, Ash." Dawn smiled, raising a brow at her gutsy boyfriend. "I thought you knew me better than that. Lopunny! Shock Wave!"
"Punnn!" Lopunny raised her two cuffed arms, firing a bright blue flash into the sky. Bolts of lightning rained down upon the many pillars, scorching one Pika-clone after the next. Some of the smaller, frailer islands burst into rubble, while others left scorched markings on their surface.
But, invariably, the army of Pikachu before Lopunny was incinerated.
"Perfect," Ash muttered to himself, gleefully throwing a hand into the air. "Catch it, Pikachu! Iron Tail!"
There was one Pikachu that remained, naturally; one that'd been poised on a floating stone behind Lopunny. Just the lone one. Bounding high into the air, he awaited his one prong of Shock Wave to come his way, and pointed his tail towards it like a lightning rod. Blue jolts passed through his tail, sending static rippling in currents across its metallic surface.
All in time for him to come somersaulting down towards his Mega Evolved beloved. "Chu…!"
"Thunder Punch! Right behind you!"
Lopunny's roundabout was swift and lethal. Swerving around in a brown and golden blur, Lopunny lashed out at Pikachu with both of her ears, coated in electricity. A whiplash of lightning and muscle crashed into Pikachu's tail, forcing a clash.
"Pi-ka…!" Pikachu grit his teeth and struggled, pushing down against Lopunny with all of his might. Through the gaps in her ears, he could see wide, gorgeous pink eyes with pinpoint pupils. With flickers of blue and gold reflecting in her black sclera… her ferocity was both stunning and terrifying.
Bolts of blue and gold snapped and scorched the air in the duo's immediate vicinity, highlighting the area in their dual hues. The platform Lopunny stood upon was starting to crack and tremble under the duress. Two superpowers gave it their all, without any clear signs of stopping.
"C'mon, Ash," Dawn taunted. "You didn't seriously think I wouldn't notice that you left one Pikachu on our side."
"I could say the same for you, Dawn!" Ash laughed, brushing his index finger over his nose. "Didja consider that we wanted you to catch on?"
"What!?" Dawn's eyes widened. What could that even mean!?
"Pikachu!" Ash shouted with confidence. "Slip over Lopunny's ears and get past her guard!"
"Chuuu…!" Pikachu did what he did best, and leveraged his tail to his benefit. Shifting his weight while his tail was bashed between Lopunny's ears, he pushed himself forward, and somersaulted down into the gap between her ears. Her baffled expression was a sweet victory.
Ash gestured a hand with such confidence, such triumph, that not Dawn, nor Lopunny, nor Serena could have possibly predicted the words that'd pass his lips. "...Now, hug her!"
"What!?" Dawn blurted out.
Serena uttered a sound of confusion that could only be described as a squeak.
"Ka!" Pikachu uncurled, and did as told; wrapping his arms and legs snugly around Lopunny's torso. He knew he had her attention when Lopunny abandoned her combative stance, and let out a flustered squeak.
Proud of how he'd turned up the charm, he looked up at his paramour, and winked. "Chu~!"
"Thank me later," Ash quipped. "Thunderbolt!"
"Chuuuu!"
The collective audience was made to guard their eyes from the golden flash. Lightning surged through Pikachu and Lopunny all at once, creating a halo of electricity around them that just didn't quit.
Not until the island beneath Lopunny crumbled and broke, at least, forcing the two to disengage. Pikachu somersaulted back several bounds, landing confidently on all fours.
Lopunny staggered and stumbled, forced to take a knee. Static danced along her form to accompany the new numbness she endured.
"Lopunny…!" Dawn gasped. "She's paralyzed."
"That was the plan!" Ash admitted, proudly adjusting his cap. "Lopunny being so fast and limber was a huge threat; even for Pikachu! I figured out, early on, that I'd need just one good shock to numb her a little. All I had to do was trick you into a clean shot! Not that you two made it easy."
"That was a really dirty move, Ash," Dawn accused. But, one could perhaps even hear the smile on her lips in her voice. "I didn't expect that kind of thing from you."
"Sorry, sorry." Ash laughed, brushing his index finger over his nose. "You can hang all the blame on us. After all, the Ketchum charm was bound to leave you both stunned!"
Pikachu, Lopunny, and most of their audience groaned at the pun. Dawn, however, giggled.
'To think we'd see that kind of warfare from Ash…' Serena thought, watching on. She knew him to be cheeky, but perhaps the taboo of romance had kept a whole part of him hidden from her. Still, for Dawn and Lopunny to take it all in stride… Their chemistry was plain as day. Their mutual love for battling, and pushing one another. She couldn't wait to see how it'd all end!
"Well, there's no need to apologize," Dawn continued. "Actually, we should be thanking you. All of that 'Ketchum charm' just put you in an even worse spot!"
"Say, what now!?" Ash exclaimed.
"Pika!?"
"Let's show them, Lopunny!" Dawn gestured forth. "Use Facade!"
"...Oh, no." Ash swallowed heavily, as a bright orange glow wrapped around Lopunny.
Tenacity kept the rabbit on her feet. Ferocity glimmered in her eyes. In a move of pure spite towards her unwell condition, Lopunny lunged at Pikachu and swung with all of her might.
"Dodge that!"
If only because of paralysis slowing her down, Pikachu only narrowly dodged Lopunny's fist by the width of the fur on his hide. He felt his fur ripple and his ears billow, all in but an instant.
He worked up a cold sweat, when he heard the earth break behind him.
Lopunny's fist punctured the battlefield, sending waves of pressure through the broken, partially frozen, and debris-ridden battlefield. The remaining slabs of earth were scattered, and those that still remained crumbled into rubble. She yanked her paw out of the ground and stood upright, trying to shake the numbness out of her legs.
Facade was terrifyingly strong.
"What… was that…?" Serena stammered out.
"Pretty awesome, huh?" Dawn boasted, flicking a hand through her blue locks. "Façade's an attack that does double the damage when a Pokémon has a status problem, like poison, burn, or paralysis! We were looking for new moves to power up and show off our charm, and I thought this one was just perfect! Lopunny's all about brawling and never giving up, even when the going gets tough! Getting brought down a peg just makes her hit back harder!"
"Dawn… You're amazing." Ash muttered out with widened eyes, as if his breath had been taken away. "No one does it like you two! But hey, as long as we're fighting all-out, what do you say to one last clash? We can end the battle in one shot!" Grinning, Ash didn't wait for an answer, throwing out his hand with gusto. "Pikachu! Volt Tackle!"
"Pi-ka!" Pikachu took off with a straightforward charge. Lightning bathed his form in a golden aura, scorching the earth as he steadily built up speed. "Pikapikapikapikapikapika…!"
"That's fine with me!" Dawn agreed. "Lopunny! One more Facade, let's go!"
"Puuh!" Lopunny crouched and steadied her center of gravity, before lunging forth. Clouds of dust kicked up due to her speed, and a bright, fiery orange consumed her, the same way Volt Tackle did Pikachu. Quickly approaching her darling, she grit her teeth and wound up a fist.
"Pi-KA!"
"Lo-PUNNY!"
Pikachu's skull bashed into Lopunny's fist, bringing both of their charges to an earth-shaking standstill. Wisps of light and gusts of wind flew wildly from the epicenter, where the two titans struggled and shoved against one another. After a brief stalemate, a deafening explosion swallowed the field.
Ash held down his cap, and Dawn secured her headband. The Pokémon watching had to stand their ground; Pachirisu even went flying, before she was caught by Noivern's wing. Serena had to hold down her fedora and her skirt, bracing herself.
The results were breathtaking, and blinding. Serena had never seen anything like it. But soon, it all came to an end, with the field clouded in dust. "Xerneas… I can't see a thing. Noivern! Could you clear up the field, please?"
"Ba-ohn!" Noivern screeched happily, and took to the air. A few flaps of his wings dispersed the dust clouds, and revealed the results.
Pikachu and Lopunny laid in a crater in the center, the latter having fallen out of her Mega Evolved state. With swirls in their eyes, they'd both been knocked out.
Ash peered over the edge. "It's…"
"...a tie!" Dawn finished.
Luckily, Serena had thought ahead. During the battle, she'd made sure to retrieve a few Sitrus berries from her bag for the aftermath. Now, she made use of them, jogging over and hopping into the aftermath. "Mon Dieu… Those two really did a number on each other, didn't they?" She crouched by Pikachu and helped feed him his berry.
Pikachu started to stir, and took the berry for himself, so she tended to Lopunny, next.
"You're not kidding!" Ash whistled, looking over with his hands on his hips. "You feeling okay, Buddy?"
"Pika!" Pikachu gave a thumbs-up. He was awfully sore, but he was doing alright!
"And what about you, Lopunny?" Dawn asked. "You were awesome!"
"Pun-pun!" Lopunny worked out her arm, sore from the collision. But, her mind didn't linger on that for long. She dropped her berry and lunged for Pikachu, scooping him up in a hug and nuzzling his cheek. "Pun-punny! Looo-pun~!"
Despite the red filling his face, there was nothing for Pikachu to do but to hug her back, chirping his own praises. She'd been amazing - just incredible!
"Now, that's good sportsmanship!" Ash laughed. "And, speaking of good sportsmanship…"
"You read my mind!" Dawn giggled, holding her hand up high.
Ash rushed to clap his hand against hers. "Good fight, Dawn!"
"Back at you, Ash!"
With the battle over and done with, their audience of Pokémon partners erupted into cheers!
Serena, meanwhile, retrieved the camcorder. "Thank you, Talonflame!" She said sweetly, petting the large bird's beak before ending the recording. "I can't wait to see it all on film! That was… it was just…!"
"Tell us how you really feel." Ash's hand came down on Serena's shoulder. The trainer greeted her with a cheesy grin. "No, really. I feel like I need to know! That whole show was for you, after all!"
"What I feel?" Serena echoed. It really made her think. "I feel just… flabbergasted! You're both so incredibly strong, and quick-witted. The way you showcased Lopunny, Dawn, I could see her beauty and brutality all in one! Now I know what to expect from a Coordinator. And Ash, the clever tricks you pulled at every turn…!" She exhaled, smiling to herself. "I feel like you're both so far ahead of me."
"Now, don't be like that! You've only just started!" Dawn said, taking Serena's free hand in both of hers. "You have a whole road ahead of you!"
"Yes, you're right!" Serena nodded, smiling brightly. "I'm excited to amaze people the way you do, but with my own flavor… In fact, I'm so pumped up, I don't really know what to do with myself!"
"Well, here's an idea!" Ash said, raising his index finger. "If you're feeling too pumped up, why don't we chill out, instead?"
"Chill… out?" Serena tilted her head.
"At the Spheal Cove!" Ash replied. "It's a nice little tourist attraction off to the east of Notepont. I took Bonnie to see it the other day! Remember?"
"Oh! A Spheal Cove… That sounds delightful!" Dawn gushed, clasping her hands together. "If it's a good habitat for them, it must be really cold, right? Oh, I could go for that! Especially with summer on the way in a few months… Is that okay with you, Serena!?"
"Erm…?" Serena looked to Ash with a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek.
Ash snorted, eyeing Dawn with something between amusement and exasperation. "Dawn really likes the cold. She was whining about the heat the entire time we were in Undella Town. It's the Sinnoh blood in her."
"Well, then!" Serena chirped, reaching for Dawn's hand. "I'd hate to leave such a striking winter flower to wilt in the Kalosian sun! Let's get going, mon cheri!" Just as she'd started pulling Dawn by the hand, she looked about her, and stopped in her tracks. "Oh. But…"
"But?" Ash asked, as he caught up to her.
Not only did they have to recall their Pokémon first, she realized, but their surroundings told a story. A story of broken glaciers, disheveled and scorched earth, and oh-so-much dust.
"...We should probably tell Nurse Joy about what we did to the training field."
A bead of sweat accompanied Ash and Dawn, each.
"Probably a good idea."
"Yeah, let's."
Notepont's water channels were as unobtrusive as they came. Crafted thoughtfully into the town's infrastructure, they passed under bridges and carried off into southern Kalos's wilderness without disruption.
It made finding the Spheal Cove easy, really. A stroll from cobblestone paths, to flowery fields, to dirt paths and natural stone kept the trio and their Pokémon on track, until they came to the scenic cavern that Ash and Bonnie had ventured to, several days prior.
"It's beautiful…!" Dawn cooed.
Slabs of gray stone melded into a cavern at the edge of a large body of water that passed into its mouth and out of sight. Bits of frost floated on the channel's surface; surely a product of horseplay between the Spheal that populated it and played about.
A few human onlookers remained, to watch the Pokémon lounge and roll about, but most had gone home with the waning sunlight dipping on the horizon.
"It's starting to get late," Ash noted, lifting the brim of his cap. "This'll probably be our last stop before we turn in the tape."
"Great point, Ash," Serena agreed. "Let's try not to linger too long! But, all the same…" She reached for her two remaining Poké Balls, and tossed them into the air. "Come on out, you two!"
Pancham and Sylveon appeared in a flash, alongside Braixen.
Ash and Dawn did the same, next, calling on the remainder of their teams.
The bunch scattered to lounge beside the water, or talk amongst themselves. Pikachu and Lopunny took to a secluded boulder near the cavern's mouth, where Pikachu sat in Lopunny's lap; evidently, a little date of their own. Empoleon, meanwhile, was quick to dive into the icy waters.
"Pol~!" He squawked, floating along on his belly with ease.
"Man." Ash breathed a gentle sigh, leaning towards Dawn. "You know who'd love to hop on in there?" The smile in his eyes was infectious; Dawn bore it, too, knowingly. They both answered at once.
"Rosa!" They laughed, leaning into one another. Serena could see the bond of years' past in their faces. Rather than threatened, she felt curious. "Rosa?" She asked.
"Remember when I told you about my Lucario?" Ash asked. "That's the one! Dawn and I raised her together."
"She was hatched near the icy waters of Sinnoh," Dawn boasted with pride. "She could probably swim in there for hours; she'd feel right at home!"
"You raised her, together…!? I never knew!" Serena felt like an idiot. Of course she hadn't. But, oh, to raise a baby Pokémon together…
"Serena?" Ash asked, frowning. He'd probably realized just why she hadn't heard about it. "You good?"
"Y-yes!" Serena shook her head, laughing nervously. 'Remember, Serena. Don't think so far ahead!' They'd have plenty of days ahead of them. For now, she'd like to avoid this embarrassment and cool off. "I'd love to meet her, someday!"
That seemed to satisfy Ash, thankfully. And it was a good excuse for Serena to take a breather, crouching by the chilly waters with her cheek in the palm of her hand.
The steady waters peddled a gaggle of carefree Spheal. Dense, short fur allowed them to simply roll off the current, revolving and spinning without a care in the world. One swat of a tiny flipper was enough to spend their friends into a twirl.
It made Serena smile.
"Watcha up to, Serena?" Dawn's voice snapped her back to reality. The Coordinator had crouched down beside her, resting her hands on her knees.
"Oh! Not much. It's just the Spheal." That didn't explain much, she realized. "They look like they're having so much fun! It got me thinking; I could definitely imagine a cute, round little Pokémon like that making their way into a performance! You know?"
"Oh, I know exactly what you mean!" Dawn beamed. "It's like a burst of inspiration!"
"Right! I guess it is," Serena chuckled bashfully. "It feels a little embarrassing to say out loud. But, Ash has a habit of saying that nothing you experience is pointless! So, I try to take inspiration from everything, if I can."
"No, totally," Dawn agreed. "Sometimes, I see something that inspires me to develop an appeal, or a combination. Heck, even an outfit, or accessory that I end up designing! Seeing inspiration everywhere is one of my favorite things about being an artist."
"An artist?" Serena echoed, eyes widening.
"Sure," Dawn chirped. "Poetry, fashion design, Coordinating, Performing… heck, even battles in their own way, are all art! Arceus was an artist when they crafted the world with their thousand hands. So I'd think that we'd only be doing them right by working in the same spirit!"
Serena watched the closest Spheal while considering Dawn's words. Sylveon had enraptured the giggling little orb with her ribbons, and began to spin them with quick flicks of her feelers. It was like a little ballroom dance on the water's surface.
Although she knew of Arceus, she knew little about them. But, that was besides the point. "You know… I'd never thought of it that way! But, I can't argue with that sort of beautiful language." A beat. Serena had an epiphany, held behind a smile she just couldn't quite hide. "I do quite think that Arceus outdid themselves, though, when they crafted the fine work of art before me!" With honey sweetness in her voice, she gestured up and down to Dawn.
"Oh, that was good!" Dawn giggled; rowdily so, in that a bit of her country twang leaked through. It was rich, like a Lumiose Galette, but not quite as smooth. She hadn't quite outgrown the charmingly awkward rasp in her voice, yet. She affectionately shoved Serena's shoulder, with just as little tact. "Did you take time to practice that one, Serena?"
"P-practice!? Surely, I didn't!" Serena sputtered out, fighting off a blush by staring at her boots. "I just… I've read quite a few romance novels. I was a real romantic growing up, even if I had no object for my affections. Then I traveled with Ash, where I did plenty of pining, and… well."
"Hey, Serena!" Speak of the devil. Ash was calling over from a flat island in the middle of the waterbank. He was waving the blonde over, looking excitable as ever. "C'mere!"
"Ash?" She asked, diverting her attention to him. "What're you…? Eep!"
"C'mon!" Dawn shoved her by the shoulder. "Go ahead!"
"Wait!" Serena stood, but she didn't feel comfortable just… leaving. "But, what about us?"
"Come on," Dawn goaded. "You just said it yourself. You've been waiting on this for ages. Go have fun! Indulge!" She beamed, shooing her date with a wave of her hand. "We can catch up later, okay?"
Serena held a hand over her heart. She'd have to thank Dawn properly for her thoughtfulness, but ultimately, she was right. She had waited quite some time for this. "Coming, Ash!"
"Oh! Bring the camera!" Ash added. Serena did just that, and stepped from one slab of rock to another to cross the chilly waters and reach Ash's island. It was conveniently just large enough for two people to stand upon it comfortably.
"I made it!" Serena announced, running a hand through her hair. "What is it, Ash?"
"I wanted you to see something." Ash pointed excitedly towards the mouth of the cavern, drawing Serena's attention. "Check it out!"
She had to squint a little. With the setting sun, it was hard to make out much within the cave.
A Sealeo could be seen at the light's furthest reaches, spitting a jet of water into the air. He was juggling several Sphealeo, who bounced off of the jet into a spin. It was an adorable sight.
Serena gasped, holding up the camcorder and starting to record. "Ash, that's adorable! How did you even spot this…?"
"I noticed him earlier, when I was down here with Bonnie," Ash explained. "Sealeo seems shy, compared to some of the others, so he hangs out towards the back. I was hoping I'd get to see him again! So, I hopped on over here. Pretty cool, huh?"
"I'll say… Pokémon are amazing." Serena kept the playful Pokémon in focus to the best of her abilities. "But, what about Dawn? Wouldn't she want to see this?"
"Honestly, I thought about calling her," Ash explained. "But, the thing with Dawn is… Well, she's clumsy as hell," he laughed. "Coming out on these rocks, in the middle of the water? I didn't want her to slip, or get hurt."
It was a thoughtful answer, Serena felt, until she connected the dots. "Out on the… Ash!" She scolded. "We shouldn't be out here, either! I can't believe I didn't think of that…"
"Aw, it's fiiiine," Ash assured, as he reached to take Serena's free hand with a grin. "I have you here! At least one of us is graceful on our feet."
Perhaps for the millionth time today, Serena's face was red. "R-right… You know. We never did get that dance at Pierre's party."
"Pierre's… Oh! Crud, that's right." Ash gasped. The reality of that day hit him, in hindsight. "You probably really wanted to…" He stopped himself there, squeezing her palm with his thumb. " Wanna make up for it, right now?" He smiled that cool, cheeky way he did, and it made Serena's heart flutter.
"Oh, I'd… love to, Ash." She tried to keep the camcorder focused on the shy Sealeo. She really did. But, a moment she'd daydreamed about for months, if not more, was right before her eyes. She used the same hand hooked in its grip to move his opposite one to her waist.
"Careful! I'm sure you know it by now, but I'm not the best ballroom dancer," Ash laughed nervously. "You saw how I managed with Miette."
"You did give Miette a hard time, didn't you?" Serena teased. "Well, don't you worry. It's like you said! You've got me-eeeh!" Tragically, her foot hit a snag; Ash had stepped the wrong way, causing her to trip… and stumble right into Ash. She reached for his jacket and clung to it, but it was no use.
There are lots of anecdotes of what it's like, when one's life flashes before their eyes. The world supposedly slows down around you; moving at a Sligoo's pace, while you process everything at once. Perhaps that was a bit dramatic, but Serena experienced something like it.
It was the camera hanging off of her wrist. The camera that was full of precious memories they'd made today, and would treasure forever. She felt the handle slip from her wrist, and snatched it in her fingers. Spotting the blood orange of Braixen's fur tuft in the corner of her eye, she tossed it.
"Braixe-"
She and Ash collided with the water. And Xerneas, was it freezing.
"Ack…! Ugh…" Ash emerged first, sitting up in water that he found to be knee-high, at worst. "Serena! Are you okay!?"
"Sheesh…!" Serena surfaced, clutching her arms. She felt like she'd walked into a freezer. "I'm f-f-f-fine…!"
"I guess this was my fault, huh?" Ash frowned, rubbing his arm guiltily. "Sorry about that."
"N-no… I share the blame for listening, in the first place," Serena replied between shivers. This would be the result when she was moments from that fairy tale moment again… Ah. "Braixen! Did you get the camera?"
Braixen, luckily, had caught the camcorder's strap on the end of her stick. "Brai!" She chirped, pulling it safely away from the channel.
"Hey, the camcorder! Nice save, you two!" Ash praised. "How'd you even manage that?"
"They're our… p-precious memories," Serena stuttered, forcing a smile. "I couldn't bear to lose them."
Ash only smiled in response.
"How did you two even manage that!?" Dawn asked, wading into the waters after them. Their Pokémon watched the scene with amusement and exasperation, but she'd been the first to come to their aid. "You ought to be more careful. C'mon."
For the second time, perhaps, Serena felt an acute sense of Deja Vu. A hand chivalrously extended to her when she'd been knocked down. A smiling face, with kind eyes. A peppy voice to go with it all. Unlike the first time she'd met Dawn, though, Serena could be honest with herself.
Serena hoped Dawn couldn't feel the heartbeat in her hand when she took hers, and allowed her to so kindly pull her to her feet-
"Wah!" Unfortunately, Ash was right about Dawn. Her constitution was less-than-good, and she too, was pulled into the channel with a horrid splash.
Serena blinked, and blinked again. Now, she was even more drenched than before, and she felt frigid. "Sheesh…! There's just no fairy tale ending to this, is there…!?" She whined, hanging her head.
"Eh? Fairy tale ending?" Ash frowned, wringing the water out of his hat. "What's that about?"
"Ugh, my hair…" Dawn was currently tending to her own soaked mane. "This is what I get for chiding you two, huh?"
"N-never… Achoo!" Serena sneezed. "Never mind… Let's just get back to the Pokémon Center and get into a… f-f-fresh change of clothes!"
The spring breeze was not doing her soaked self any favors.
The Pokémon Center's fireplace was a welcome relief. Even after changing into casual clothing; her hot pink tracksuit with white accents; Serena had still felt like she was on the cusp of hypothermia. But, the fire's warm glow and a blanket provided by Nurse Joy were both a welcome relief.
As were her two dates, huddled up beside her. Ash had slipped into his black t-shirt with the white shoulders and sleeves, and a pair of black sweatpants. He still shivered occasionally, but she didn't quite mind when he leaned into her for warmth. She let his fingers link with hers, and had no plans to deny him those comforts, anytime soon. Dawn ran a brush through her hair, seemingly unbothered by the cold.
"So," Serena broke the silence. "I take it this was one of those disaster dates you two mentioned, earlier?"
Ash and Dawn leaned past Serena to look at each other. Then, they both burst into laughter.
"W-what's so funny!?" Serena sputtered.
"Aha, man," Ash laughed. "Sorry, just…"
"It's not even close," Dawn finished.
Morbid curiosity won over Serena. "Not even close? I mean… Sorry! Not to say that this date has been bad. It's been wonderful. But, we just waded out of knee-deep freezing water. After tripping into it in public. How bad could it have possibly been?"
Ash looked over to Dawn, raising a brow. "Should we?"
"Duh! Don't you remember, Ash?" Dawn chided. "We have our policy of never keeping secrets!"
"Well, we did swear to never tell anyone about this… But, Serena's part of us, now!" Serena couldn't deny she felt a little bit special, hearing that. More so when Ash threw an arm around her. "So, you get in on the dirty deets."
"It all started around two years ago," Dawn explained, "when we were traveling through Ash's home region, together. We confessed that we liked each other, out on a beach! It was a really nice start, actually."
"Yeah, sunset and everything," Ash continued. "But, we had no idea what to do from there. So our Pokémon insisted that we go on a date. Like a date date."
"A fancy one," Dawn continued. "We went to this high-end restaurant on the boardwalk. They gave us funny looks for our bags, we didn't even know what was on the menu…"
"The food was gross. And the stuff that wasn't gross, Dawn didn't eat."
"Because I was told not to overdo it! Ugh…"
"You said it was something about not being ladylike?" Ash asked, making a face.
"I think so. But don't even get me started with you. Holding open doors, pulling out chairs…"
"Well, that part doesn't sound so bad," Serena interjected.
"It doesn't feel right coming from Ash, trust me," Dawn said. "He's a great man, but he's not a gentleman. I don't think I'd even want him to be that way. Especially not when he calls you darling."
That much did make Serena visibly cringe. "Okay, maybe that's a bit much… These behaviors seem a bit… outdated? Not quite as much by Kalosian standards, maybe, but they're the kind you'd see from out-of-touch adults. Older adults," she corrected. They were technically growing up, now, when she thought about it.
"A lot of the advice came from my Primeape, apparently," Ash explained. "His ex-trainer, uh, definitely needed some marriage counseling at some point."
"Empoleon, too. He read a few too many fairy tales, when he was with Rowan," Dawn explained, owning up to her end. "Or, at least that's what Rosa said."
"But wait, that wasn't even the worst part. Everything was so… stilted. We were both putting on this crazy act, to try to act like 'proper' boyfriend and girlfriend, or something. Then, we spilled something or another, and I tripped right on my face…! I was so embarrassed, I think I left the place in tears."
"Yeah, your makeup was running heavy," Ash agreed.
"Mon Dieu," Serena muttered. "I'm sorry, but that sounds… horrible. I can understand why you wanted to keep this story to yourselves."
"Yeah, it royally sucked," Ash replied. "But hey, it's not all bad! We recovered it from there. Dawn dragged me to this really great snack shack after, where they were having a tag battle tournament!"
"The truth is, I wanted to surprise Ash with it and confess to him there," Dawn continued. "But, with me and my big mouth, I kept brushing off Ash's flirting until he confessed, so I lost the chance… I was so bummed. But, you have to make lemons out of lemonade! We still just barely made it and entered."
"We ate what we wanted, did what we wanted," Ash continued, "and battled like hell! We planned our own combination moves and ran through the competition!"
"We faced this really tough couple in the finals," Dawn cheered. "They had two Meowstic, actually!"
"Meowstic…" Ash gasped. "Holy crap. They were imitating Olympia!"
"Olympia?" Serena asked. "The Anistar Gym Leader?"
Ash nodded. "They said they were banking on strategies from a Gym Leader in their home region. Aside from the Future Sight stuff, they used a lot of the same tactics… I can't believe I didn't see it, until now!"
Dawn giggled. "I guess you did get to see that mysterious trainer, after all!"
"Anyway," Ash continued, "we won first place. Even went and had our first kiss on the podium, too!"
"That's… awfully romantic," Serena cooed. She could see the big picture now, with stars in her eyes. "I think I understand, now, what you were trying to tell me. Trying to fit a mold is never the answer. Settling into others' expectations, rather than being yourself… But today, I feel like I have had the chance to be myself with both of you; awkward bumps and scrapes, and all!" She squeezed Ash's hand, and used her free one to take one of Dawn's. "Thank you, for sharing your deeply-held secrets with me, and for sharing this wonderful day with me."
Before either trainer could answer, the double doors to the Pokémon Center slid open. A Dedenne-toting Bonnie and an exhausted Clemont stumbled indoors.
"There you three are!" Bonnie huffed. "You said you'd meet us at the top of the hill!"
"You… were late…!" Clemont wheezed, resting his hands on his knees. "We've been looking all over…"
"Sorry, sorry!" Ash apologized, rubbing his neck. "Things went a little off-track."
"Oh!" Serena gasped. "The Poké Vision parlor has to be closing soon… We need to get moving!"
"C'mooon! Tell me how it went! Did you hold hands?"
"Not telling~!"
"Did you kiss? I bet you did!"
"You're just going to have to wait, Bonnie!"
"You're not being any fun, Serena!"
Serena giggled to herself as she approached the parlor's counter, with a pouting Bonnie in tow. The poor, mischievous child had been badgering her for deets essentially the entire walk over; to the point where Ash and Dawn had split off to stay quiet, and Clemont had entirely given up on lecturing her about minding her business. The little lemon sibling was entirely incorrigible.
But, again, there was a certain girlish joy in keeping sought-for secrets under wraps. And with a freshly-formed and well-kept secret under wraps, Serena wouldn't let all the repetition in the world kill her fun. "There's no fun in spoiling a surprise, Bon-Bon!"
She handed the camcorder and a page full of hand-written notes over to the lethargic-looking man at the counter. "So sorry for coming in late. We ran into a little trouble on the way here." She bowed her head, and slid a little extra change over to the man as compensation.
The few minutes the crew would need to chop and edit the Poké Vision were enough time for the gang to buy snacks from the vending machine in the lobby, and file into the cozy home theater set up inside the parlor. Red felt seats were set up in rows, where the gang of four and their walking Pokémon shuffled into. Serena took a center seat between Ash and Dawn. She could see Braixen's large ears peering over the seat before her.
Her eyes drifted between the raven-haired trainer on her left, who was already shoveling popcorn into his mouth. He caught her gaze, and offered her a handful, saying something or another with his mouth full.
"M-maybe once it starts," she muttered, fighting red cheeks. Being fed in mixed company under full exposure of fluorescent theater lighting felt like just a bit much.
On her right, Dawn was slurping on a strawberry soda. Her wide, beautiful blue eyes were fixed on the screen. When the lights went dim, Serena realized she should probably do the same.
The winding hand counted down with a flickering black and white screen. 3… 2… 1…
"Hello, everyone. I'm Serena! In a short time that feels like just yesterday, I became a Pokémon Performer. With Braixen, Pancham, and Sylveon, I've found my calling in sharing smiles and strength with others. All on my path to become Kalos Queen!"
Serena's voice was dubbed over a series of clips; she and Pancham patting the dough that went into the Poké Puffs, Sylveon whisking a bowl with her ribbons, and Braixen insisting on a twig topping being added to one of her own. Afterwards, a clip of her singing and dancing with the three of them in the karaoke booth. Pancham's Stone Edge at the beginning of her performance segued into he and Sylveon prancing up the steps, with Serena and Braixen following.
"But as far as I've come, I still have a lot to learn. There are many people to thank for my growth, but I'd like to bring my attention to a very special two!"
"This is Ash. A Pokémon Trainer from Kanto, who's aiming to compete in the Kalos League, with the long-term goal of being a Pokémon Master!"
Ash was shown diligently (and excessively) decorating Poké Puffs, teasing and prodding Serena about Miette, singing passionately into the karaoke mic, and throwing a hand out with gusto as Pikachu fired off his gigantic Electro Ball.
"And Dawn. A Pokémon Coordinator from Sinnoh, who aims to find all the beauty and appeal in her Pokémon, and share it with the world in the arena of Pokémon Contests!"
Dawn was seen carefully brushing and chatting with Braixen. Then, a dynamic shot of her Mega Evolving Lopunny, with flashing colors and showboating poses abound as the rabbit ascended to her stronger state. Lopunny could be seen from a bird's eye view, spinning and spraying the battlefield with her skillful Ice Beam.
"Ash has taught me many things; first and foremost, to never give up until the very end! His ever-enduring passion has led us through many a peril, and he's widened my scope of the world, as well. "There's nothing you can do that's a waste of time," he says!"
Ash was shown pushing the camera away from him, looking irritated, after he'd gotten prodded about losing to Paul. He was shown shouting passionately as Pikachu struck at Lopunny with his Shock Wave boosted Iron Tail, and then his full-on Volt Tackle. Finally, he and Pikachu were shown smugly boasting about the 'Ketchum Charm,' mid-match.
"I've only known Dawn for a short time, but her enthusiasm is already infectious! As a Performer, it's my aim to give back to others, but she's reminded me of something quite important; to remember to center my own feelings, as well."
Dawn sang High Touch with Ash on the stage, pushing and pulling each other along. Then, she was shown laughing and playing with a Spheal after she'd fallen into the bank, high-fiving Ash, and finally, pulling Serena up to the small karaoke stage to sing.
"We've had our joys and laughter…"
Dawn and Serena laughed, as Ash earnestly ate a Poké Puff. Ash and Dawn standing up to compete over their height, before Serena stood up to pull them in and flex on them both. Then, Serena pulling them both to dance on stage with her.
"And our share of trials and mishaps…"
The three of them all tripping and falling over each other on stage, complete with the camera falling in the process. The same process repeated itself when Serena and Ash fell from their rocky perch at the Spheal cavern; Dawn tripping in after them. Braixen had inadvertently caught it after salvaging the camcorder, it seemed. Finally, Ash ducking Empoleon's Bubble Beam after stealing a Poké Puff, and subsequently being toasted by Braixen's Fire Blast.
"But I know that, with them by my side, I'll only continue to grow, more and more!"
Serena and Braixen vaulted from the last of the Stone Edges from their earlier performance, gracefully sticking the landing thanks to Sylveon's colorful Fairy Wind.
"So, Ash and Dawn, I just want to say…"
Serena struck a pose alongside her team, followed by Ash and Dawn gesturing grandly to their date. Finally, the two stepped in closer to her, and left the blonde a blushing disaster by each kissing one of her cheeks. While she short-circuited, they high fived over her head.
"...Thank you!"
The lights flickered back on, afterward, with the Poké Vision coming to a close.
"...So!" Serena piped up. The rapid pitter-patter of her heart was hard to ignore, as she looked between her friends and her dates. "Ta-dah~! What do you think?"
"What do I think!? That was awesome!" Ash laughed, throwing an arm around Serena to pull her in. "That was like, totally professional!"
"Completely professional!" Dawn agreed, leaning into the two of them. "That was cute!"
"Pi-Pikachu!" Pikachu leaned over his seat to give his praises, followed by Lopunny's and Braixen's, as well. Greninja gave a curt nod, but said little else.
"I have to say, it was impressive!" Clemont said, adjusting his spectacles with a nervous smile. "The choreography, and your speech… It was quite an execution! I guess a 'congratulations' for you three is in order! Though, I have to wonder what kind of responses this will get…"
"That's a problem for another day," Ash replied.
"Who cares?" Dawn so tactfully added.
"I can't say for sure," Serena said, shaking her head. "I can only hope that everyone sees in Ash and Dawn what I do!"
"Yaaaay!" Bonnie cheered, waving her hands in the air. "Serena got to KEEP Ash and Dawn! Or… is Dawn the keeper? Or Ash?"
"Bonnie!" Clemont scolded. "You shouldn't be putting such possessive, arbitrary labels on a relationship!"
"C'mon, Bro! You're no fun!"
"And you have a meddling problem!"
"Being an older sibling seems tough," Dawn said, as the siblings squabbled among themselves.
"It involves an awful lot of responsibility," Serena agreed. "Or, so it seems."
"I don't think it's something an only child like any of us would understand," Ash joked.
The three of them shared their laughter while Clemont toiled with the little menace, their hands overlapping one another.
Notepont had been left behind, as the following days were spent on resuming the gang's trek to Snowbelle City. The mountains in the distance were coated with snowfall, and deciduous trees that thrived in winter climates. But before they could come anywhere close to them, Dawn's Pokétch started to ring.
She stopped in her tracks, as did everyone else, and accepted the call. "Hello…? Zoey!"
"Dawn!" The redheaded Coordinator appeared on screen. Ash seemed to recognize her, as he greeted her, too. "Hope I didn't reach you at a bad time." A beat. "Oh, hey, Ash! Long time, no see."
"Ha, likewise!" Ash grinned. "What's up?"
"Not to cut things short, but I called to talk to Dawn."
"...Oh, right."
Serena judged her to be a no-nonsense type.
"What is it, Zoey?" Dawn asked. "Is something the matter?"
"Nothing, yet. But I wanted to remind you to keep track of the Contest schedule. I didn't see you in any of the rankings in last week's cycle. Are you really still over there in Kalos?"
"Well, yeah!" Dawn replied. "It's been a real busy week. We were just on the way to watch Ash's Gym Battle in…"
"I'd put a moratorium on that, if I were you," Zoey interrupted. "There are only going to be so many Contests left in the season, Dawn. You do want to make it to the Grand Festival, right?"
"O-oh! You're right!" Dawn sputtered. "Man, time really has flown by… I guess I should get going."
"You should. And you really should learn to manage things on your own. Rivals can't hold each other's hands all the time, if they're going to meet head-to-head," Zoey replied.
"Yeah, I guess you're right…" Dawn huffed, but quickly regained her vigor. "Well, no need to worry! I'll head on back and swipe up those ribbons! You won't be the only one with a Grand Festival win for long, Zoey!"
The redhead on screen smirked. "I'll hold you to it, Dawn."
"And there's more! Since we got here, Ash and I-"
"Look, Dawn, I've gotta go. Candice is waiting on me for some training," Zoey cut her short. "How about you tell me about all that, next time you're in Snowpoint!"
Dawn grinned. "You've got yourself a deal!"
Then, the screen on her Pokétch went dim.
"So, that was Zoey…" Serena blinked. "I can see what you mean about rivalries, now."
"Yeah, she's like that!" Ash laughed. "That gal does not know the meaning of taking it easy."
"I have to admit, that was rather intense," Clemont sighed.
"That's what makes her such a good rival!" Dawn said. But, her pep started to fade, her smile dipping into a bittersweet one. She turned to face the group. "...But, yeah. It looks like it's time for me to get going, you guys."
"Aw, yeah. I was really hoping you'd make it to Snowbelle," Ash said, rubbing his neck. "I wanted you there to cheer me on!"
"Believe me, I was hoping for it too," Dawn replied. Then, she turned to Serena, taking her hands in her own. "Make sure to cheer twice as hard for me, okay!?"
Serena beamed, squeezing Dawn's palms. "Right! You can count on me!"
Once Serena reluctantly released Dawn's hands, Bonnie threw her arms around Dawn, burying her face in her blazer. She muttered something incoherent.
"Huh? What was that?" Dawn asked.
"Be more clear with your words, Bonnie," Clemont chided.
"I'm sorry I hated you when you first got here!" Bonnie shouted.
"Bonnie!" Her older brother chided.
"You told me to be clear!" Bonnie pouted, still clinging to Dawn.
"Hey, hey! No need to worry!" Dawn giggled, pulling Bonnie into the embrace. "It's not hurting my feelings; you were just looking out for Serena! If anything, I'm glad you took up for her!"
The small blonde looked up at Dawn, and squinted. "...You're still very weird." She sniffled, rubbing at her eyes. "Keep brushing Empoleon's coat for me, okay?"
Empoleon popped out of his ball upon being mentioned, proudly showing off his feathers. "Pol!"
"Hehe, I will!" Dawn giggled. While Bonnie hugged her big feathery friend, it occurred to her to call on a second Pokémon. She summoned Lopunny from her Poké Ball.
Pikachu hopped up to high-five Empoleon's wing with his tail, before coming face to face with Lopunny. He smiled sadly, rubbing his neck. "Pika-chu…"
Lopunny's pink hues started to tremble, and she swiped Pikachu into her arms with the patented Lopunny wolf whistle.
The lagomorph duo had their heartfelt goodbyes, with Bonnie shouting something about them being 'so cute!' in the background. Ash, Dawn, and Serena took the opportunity to talk amongst themselves, with Clemont gracefully backing away.
"Hey, so…" Ash rubbed his neck, smiling sheepishly. "I'm really sorry for all that grief, a few days ago. I hope it all evened out for you gals."
"Hey, we walked away from it all with this, didn't we?" Dawn chimed. "No need to worry!"
"That's when I worry the most!" Ash joked. Serena had learned in the past few days that those phrases were something of an in-joke of theirs.
"I have to agree with Dawn," she added, smiling. "It's like I said in the Poké Vision! We had our rough patches, but I can only thank you, Ash, for bringing me to where I am, now. And Dawn," she turned to her, "for teaching me to feel and express myself freely. It means the world to me."
"Hey, that's what we're here for!" Ash cheered.
"Hehe, yeah! Of course!" Dawn beamed.
Serena wore a strained smile, running a hand nervously through her locks. She felt like she should do something here. Something to give them a proper goodbye. She knew really what it was, but the uneasiness sitting in her stomach just wouldn't let her.
Ash and Dawn showed no such reservations, pulling each other into a kiss. Serena felt happy for them, but couldn't help but feel a certain emptiness in her. A feeling she didn't have time to dwell on, when Dawn let go of Ash and turned to her. "Hey, Serena!"
"Y-yes? Wha- mmph!" Dawn took her by the shoulders, and planted her lips on hers. She tasted like her strawberry gloss that Serena had learned she meticulously applied by the hour, and her touch was much softer than you'd expect, with her rowdy candor.
It stole Serena's breath away, by the time Dawn pulled back. If that kiss hadn't managed to kill her, her glowing smile came dangerously close. "It was great meeting you. Ash has my number, so give me a call sometime!" She winked, and turned her attention to the rest of the group.
"Thanks for looking out for us and cooking, Clemont. Your inventions were super-cool, by the way!"
"Oh! I-erm… thank you, Dawn!" Clemont laughed nervously, turning pink with embarrassment. "It was a joy to watch your combinations, as well! Have a safe trip home!"
"Heh, I will! Goodbye, Bonnie!"
"Bye, Dawnnnn! Remember what I said about Empoleon!"
Serena was still processing it all, and by the time she'd collected herself, Dawn was already headed in the opposite direction. Serena let a breath go that she hadn't noticed she was holding onto. What a magnificent, unruly presence. A living, walking, talking whirlwind, if there ever was one.
"She's really something, huh?" Ash startled Serena out of her thoughts, leaning into her, now. He felt the warmth of his fingers linking into hers, and saw the far-off adoration in his eyes. She could see the bittersweetness in his smile. It was hard to watch someone go. If Ash and Dawn had done it, then surely she and him would someday, too. They did have their own dreams to pursue, after all. She wouldn't dare change that. But, she did want to make the most of every moment she had with him.
"Serena?" Ash asked, head tilted. He must have noticed that she was deep in thought. "Hey, uh… thanks for sticking with me for, you know, all of that. I know it's been a lot, but-"
Nothing you experience is pointless, he liked to say. Carpe diem was, perhaps, an easier way to express the same thing. But, words wouldn't do her experiences justice, right now. She'd been taught boldness over this adventure. Over this week. She'd been taught to act, and seek her own happiness. All of that was enough, for her, to crouch down, nudge up Ash's cap, and brush her lips over his.
All of that, before she took off down their winding path, laughing. "Race you all to Snowbelle! Come on, Braixen!"
"Braiii~!" Briaxen cried out, running ahead to sprint beside her trainer. Her fox-like partner tilted a brow at her with something of a knowing smirk. She could see it on her starter's face. She'd changed, "Brai, xen?"
"What can I say?" Serena giggled, winking at her starter. "It must just be something about that Notepont fresh air. Don't you think?"
"Xen." Sure. That was it.
"Hey, that's playing dirty, Serena!" She heard Ash complaining, after he'd been left in the dust. "Haha, get back here! I call shenanigans!"
"You can call me at the finish line~!" Serena cooed, sticking her tongue out at him. "In Snowbelle." As if they'd ever run all the way to Snowbelle.
"Come on! You can't just drop something huge like a kiss and pretend it didn't happen! That's a load of crud!" Bonnie whined from even further behind.
"You guyyyys!" Clemont wheezed. "Can we please not run the whole way!?"
The noise all faded into the background for Serena, leaving her in her own thoughts. 'I still feel like I'm riding Ash and Dawn's coattails, honestly… I want to carve out something of my very own, with both of them.' She smiled. Her heart raced, this time with exhilaration, rather than terror, or pain. 'For now, though… I think I'm happy to just share something great with them!'
There was something to be said for sharing and finding a rich life in tune with your neighbors, wasn't there?