THIRTY-FOUR
Vaniville Town looked as new and foreign to Serena as it did the first day she came to the little town. As Charizard touched down on the ground in front of her house, Serena was struck by just how calm and peaceful it was: no hustle and bustle from the big city life she had grown accustomed to, no big crowds of people, and no sudden loud noises . . . up until the point where the ground rumbled as Rosie the Rhyhorn dashed out from the front yard to greet them.
Grace slid off of Charizard and stooped down to greet her old racing partner with gentle pats and strokes on the head. Meanwhile, Serena hopped down and walked around to give her Fire-type a long, heartfelt hug before recalling her. Having her Pokemon back – for good this time – felt right, natural, like a severed limb had been reattached. Serena swore to herself that she and her team would never be separated again.
When Serena entered the house, it felt like she was walking into a dream. Had she actually lived here a long time ago, in this house that was familiar but at the same time strange? Nothing had changed: everything in the living room was arranged the way she remembered it, the paint was still peeling slightly on the bottom step of the stairs, and the only thing different about the kitchen was the large stock pot on the stove and the aroma of simmering onions filling the air. She meandered through the living room, taking it all in while in the background Grace lifted the lid off the pot and stirred its contents.
Any minute now, she expected everything to unravel. Her being home would just be a ruse, some elaborate trick played on her by Pontmercy or even Team Flare. Malva could be the puppet master behind it all, for all she knew. Or for some reason Augustine told Pontmercy about Serena being responsible for Lumiose's destruction – if that was the case, she would never speak to him again. That was something she needed to say herself, on her own terms.
"Serena, honey?"
She jumped and whipped her head around to see her mother still at the stove, wooden spoon in hand and concern on her face.
"It smells good," she commented in regards to the contents of the stock pot.
"Kalosian onion soup," said Grace. "Augustine spent all morning chopping onions."
Serena's mouth formed a faint smile. "Where is he now?" she asked as she slowly walked back into the kitchen.
"Buying groceries. Apparently the bread I got a few days ago isn't fresh enough, and we can't have a proper onion soup without Gruyère cheese melted on top."
"You really can't," said Serena.
"He takes food and cooking seriously, doesn't he? I'm not complaining, because he's very good at it. And the house has never been cleaner."
Serena eyed Grace skeptically. "Augustine cleaned the house? The entire house?" She recalled his clutter-filled apartment and the dirty dishes in the sink.
Grace nodded. "In the week and a half he's been here and you've been in the hospital, I've mostly seen him either cook, clean, or play outside with Rosie. You have excellent taste in men, Serena. Hold onto that one, unless someone younger and better comes along."
"That's not going to happen," said Serena as she rolled her eyes. Her face was starting to feel warmer.
Someone knocked on the front door. Eager to remove herself from a discussion with her mother about her boyfriend, Serena rushed to the door and opened it to see Pontmercy, who wore a black trench coat over her suit.
"Ah, here you are!" Pontmercy exclaimed as she wore her best politician smile. "The hospital staff told me you went home already. How are you doing?"
"I'm, uh, okay. As okay as it gets," answered Serena.
"Good! It's fortunate you're out today, because I'm actually about to go to Anistar and give my address. The one I told you about? You said you would make an appearance and say a few words?"
"Oh, yeah! That! I'm not exactly suitable for public exposure right now, though," said Serena as she looked up and down herself. Although her sweater concealed most of her body, she thought of the scar tissue on her shoulder and chest, and the scratches and gashes up and down her arms and hands.
"It's not scheduled to start for another four hours. That'll give us time to fly there and for my personal team of stylists to make you camera ready." Pontmercy said confidently.
"Okay . . . you want to go now?" asked Serena. "Or do you want to come in for a bit?"
"I would love to, thank you," said Pontmercy. Serena stepped to the side and allowed the Governor to walk in and proceed to the kitchen, where she introduced herself to Grace.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" asked Grace while she and Pontmercy shook hands.
"I just came to visit before Serena accompanies me to Anistar City for the afternoon," said Pontmercy conversationally.
"That's right, you're giving that speech today," said Grace.
Pontmercy nodded in affirmation. "Serena, that reminds me. I took the liberty of having a speech drafted for you already, so you wouldn't have to worry about what to say. In difficult times such as these, I know it's hard to find the right words to express what you're feeling." She then reached into her coat pocket and pulled out some notecards that were clipped together, and handed them to Serena.
"Um, thanks," said Serena, not immediately sure of how to feel about her speech being written for her. She supposed it was a thing that politicians did all the time, to make themselves sound better and to sugar-coat important issues – and lie through their teeth, as was the case with Teleurac. She looked down at the notecards and started reading the words written on them.
Citizens of Kalos, the recent tragic events in Lumiose City have left my heart heavy, filled with the utmost grief. I mourn the thousands of lives lost: people with jobs and hopes and dreams of a brighter future, and the Pokemon who worked and lived and loved alongside them. They are all gone, but they will live on in the treasured thoughts and memories of their loved ones.
She stopped reading for a moment, waiting for her mind to clear itself of the guilty thoughts that popped up. Memorializing those that were dead thanks to her seemed odd . . . .
Those of us still here can learn from what has happened. It goes without saying that everyone affected by the tragedy now has a greater love and appreciation for the people in their lives, as well as a greater love and appreciation for life itself. We should all live each moment to its fullest. However, we must also do whatever it takes to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again. Alexandre Teleurac was delusional and power hungry, like his predecessor Lysandre Fleur-de-Lis. He was the one responsible for Lumiose's destruction. As you are all aware, I opposed his regime from the moment I learned that he was the new face of Team Flare. I don't know why he decided to destroy Lumiose rather than Castelia – was everything he had done up to then a front, an act? Had he given up on his plans to bring Unova under his heel? Had he given up on Kalos? We'll never know the answer to that question. All I know is that I tried to stop him, but I was too late.
Lies, Serena thought. All of it. Her hands started to shake. She didn't want to stand in front of all of Kalos and lie to them.
Although I was born and raised in Kanto, I now consider Kalos my home. I started my career as a Pokemon Trainer here, I became League Champion here, I fell in love here, and my grasp of the region's native language gets a little better with each passing day.
The bit where she "fell in love" better refer to Kalos and Pokemon, she thought irately.
From now on, I will do everything in my power to protect our beautiful region from any that may harm it, and I promise that I will not fail again. This is why I am allying myself with Governor Pontmercy, to help her seek out those members of Team Flare that are still at large and bring them to justice, so that we may have justice for Lumiose City.
Serena stopped reading there, for her mind was already made up. "I'm not doing it," she stated, dropping the notecards onto the floor.
Pontmercy's expression soured. "Why not?"
"Because . . ." Serena then remembered that she had never told Pontmercy the truth about Lumiose's destruction, but doing so now didn't seem like a smart idea. "It doesn't sound like me. I'm already a public figure, and – um – the public knows who and how I am. They'll know that those words don't sound like something I would say."
Grace stood back, watching her daughter and Pontmercy, and looking mildly perplexed.
"Then you can paraphrase it as you see fit. Just make sure to get in all the key points: how you're grieving with everyone else, how delusional he was, how you tried to stop him, and how you're teaming up with me to –"
"That's another thing, Governor. You want me to team up with you? Publicly support you, when I don't have a good reason to?"
Pontmercy scowled. "You have reason to, Serena. I'm the Governor of Kalos. I have made it my mission to find the rest of Team Flare and make sure they are punished to the fullest extent of the law. And I will."
"What is this, Governor? When we first met, you told me that I have every right to be suspicious of politicians. And now that I am acting on a gut feeling based on my suspicion and skepticism, you don't like it?" Serena said, mentally kicking herself. She shouldn't have said anything, or have made her mind up so quickly. This could have been her chance to confess what she had done.
"I suppose you're right," Pontmercy sighed. A long pause followed, in which she looked past Serena, eyes unfocused and mouth frowning as she got lost in thought.
"But Serena, the truth is I need your help. Every day, I get calls and messages from citizens, telling me I have no constitutional precedence to be Governor. They can't see that I want to protect them from those who would do them harm. Yet if I had you at my side, Serena – the people adore you, they'll listen to you –"
Serena shook her head. "Your reputation is not my problem. If you want people to be on your side, give them a damn good reason to be."
Pontmercy's eyes narrowed as her glare intensified. After a few seconds of quiet, she spoke. "You know, Serena, I didn't have to drop the charges against you. I did so out of the goodness of my heart, so you wouldn't have to go back to prison. And what you're saying and doing is a poor way of repaying my kindness."
"What are you going to do? Send me back to prison?" said Serena, her voice low. "That will definitely do wonders for your popularity. Also, I know how to escape."
It was a tense moment as the two women stared daggers at one another. Serena wondered if Pontmercy really would try to have her incarcerated for this, or if she would act out somehow against her mom and friends.
"So there's no way I can convince you to change your mind?" asked Pontmercy.
"Nope," answered Serena shortly.
Pontmercy sighed. "I see. Well, I suppose I should be on my way then." She nodded to Grace. "A pleasure meeting you, Madame Carlyle." From there, Pontmercy marched to the front door of the house, but when she placed her hand on the doorknob, she paused and looked back to Serena.
"But if you do come around, Serena, and decide to do the right thing, give me a call." With that, Pontmercy exited the house.
Serena watched from the kitchen window as Pontmercy flew northeast on the back of her Pidgeot. Once Pontmercy and Pidgeot were only a small dot in the sky, Serena made eye contact with her mother and said "She wanted me to lie about who really destroyed Lumiose, Mom. I couldn't do it."
"Well you didn't have to," said Grace. "You could have gone to speak but dramatically throw those note cards on the ground and give your own speech, like they do in the movies."
"I know." Life wasn't a movie, though. She watched as Grace lifted the lid off the stock pot and stirred the onions inside with a wooden spoon. The aroma of caramelizing onions wafted through the air once more.
"And the more I think about it, honey, I think that you won't be hated and reviled too much for it. Sure, lots of people will still be unhappy because their homes are gone and their loved ones are dead. But you had a good reason. I think they'll understand."
Was she just saying that because it was her duty as a mother? "You sure?" asked Serena timidly.
"Somewhat," said Grace, extending her arms forward towards her daughter. Serena accepted the invitation and stood with Grace in a hug for a few moments.
"You do plan on telling all of Kalos, right?" Grace inquired once Serena broke away from the embrace.
"Yeah, soon. Before the year's out. I just – right now doesn't feel like the right time. Maybe for now the focus should be on recovery and rebuilding and moving on. Placing blame and pointing fingers can wait . . . unless Pontmercy pulls some kind of stunt. I'll have to keep an eye on her."
Seeing the ruins of Lumiose on TV was one thing. Actually standing among them was another. When Serena set foot in Lumiose City, exactly two weeks after the blast, she could only stand transfixed on the spot. She had difficulty wrapping her head around the fact that the flat earth, covered in debris of stone and bricks and wood and plaster and metal, was once the largest and most vibrant city in Kalos. The horizon felt so barren without Prism Tower standing tall and proud; right now, cranes were the tallest things in the city as they were utilized to knock down structures that were mostly destroyed and beyond salvaging. Around the city, crews consisting of both people and Pokemon worked on cleaning up debris and carting it away for disposal. Tents and pavilions had been set up, to provide food, clothing, shelter, and medical care to survivors who had remained in the destroyed city because they had nowhere else to go.
She wondered if the news of what happened here had reached Unova yet. Did the people of Castelia City realize how close they were to suffering this fate? Would they ever learn or truly appreciate what it cost to save them?
From where she stood (in a clear spot that she assumed used to be where Café Soleil once stood) Serena watched the activity at the cluster of tents and pavilions several yards in front of her. A little girl near one pavilion received a sandwich from a volunteer and responded with a big smile, despite her missing front teeth. While eating, the little girl sat down on the ground, took a piece of bread from the sandwich, and gave it to her Zigzagoon to eat. Who was that little girl, Serena wondered. Where were her parents? Were her parents even still alive? Was Zigzagoon all she had left in the world?
She closed her eyes, hoping to keep in the tears that formed, and she bowed her head. What business did she have being here, since she was the one who chose to destroy the city and thousands of lives? Or maybe she needed to stand here and look upon the fruits of her labor. Nonetheless, she felt the strong urge to leave, now that she had seen it in person, although she knew that her friends would come join her very soon.
"Serena? What are you doing here?" Upon hearing Augustine's voice, Serena opened her eyes, looked to her right, and saw him walking her way.
"Seeing it for myself," she said as her voice cracked and a few tears rolled down her cheek. "What are you doing?"
"I was digging through the ruins of my lab, to see if I could save anything before cleanup crews showed up," explained Augustine. "There's not much. Not only did most of the building and things inside get destroyed during the blast, but Malva's Talonflame burned much of it down beforehand. I did recover a few Mega Stones from my collection, though, and a book or two, and – oh yes –" His hand dove into his pocket, retrieving a small box wrapped up in silver paper. It took a moment, but Serena recognized it.
"This was supposed to be your Christmas present," he said, holding the box out to her. "Go ahead, open it."
"Augustine, I can't take it," said Serena. She thought of the little girl and her Zigzagoon, and all the others like them who now had next to nothing.
"I promise it's not an expensive diamond ring or anything like that. It's . . . well, you'll see. Please, Serena." Augustine took one of her hands in his, opened up her palm, and placed the box in it. "If you want to punish yourself, find a more constructive way to do so."
Suspecting that he would only insist further should she refuse it again, Serena undid the ribbon on the box and gingerly tore off the wrapping paper. Underneath the wrapping paper was a small black velvet box that bore the logo of one of Lumiose's renowned jewelry shops, which she remembered as one that sold a variety of jewelry at a wide range of prices. She opened the box and saw a necklace with a silver chain and a crystal fire opal set in a circular pendant.
Her mouth gaped open, and she noted how Augustine watched her expectantly. "It's – it's beautiful," she said, tilting the box at a slight angle to watch the colors inside the stone flicker and dance and change in the sunlight.
"I thought you'd like it," Augustine said with a grin. He reached out towards the box, but before he could grab it Serena hand closed it and stashed it in her coat pocket.
"I'll put it on later," she explained. From there, she looked past him at the pavilions where volunteers mingled with survivors. The little girl she had seen earlier was now giving her Zigzagoon belly rubs while two adults stood nearby and watched. Her vision was soon obstructed by Augustine, who moved in to hug her. She hugged back, resting her head on his chest, enjoying how warm and close he was. It was another moment when she felt like things would be okay or at least somewhat normal-feeling, even though they were both standing amidst ruin and debris.
As Augustine held her, Serena once again thought about Lumiose City. She made up her mind to help rebuild it in any way she could, to suggest that a memorial be put in the center of Centrico Plaza, and to ensure that the victims did not die in vain . . . even if it meant teaming up with Pontmercy later on down the road. Admitting the truth was a given, as soon as she felt the time was right. For now, what gave her hope was the idea of Kalos coming together to become stronger and work to create the beautiful future that so many dreamed about.
Augustine softly spoke a few words in Kalosian, and Serena didn't catch them. Assuming they meant something endearing, she hugged him tighter and closed her eyes as he kissed the top of her head.
She heard the songlike cry of an Altaria above her head, and she looked up to see the Pokemon making its descent. Altaria bore Calem and Shauna, and they were followed by Tierno on Talonflame and Trevor on Aerodactyl. Serena broke away from Augustine and ran out to meet her friends as their Pokemon touched down on the ground.
"Hey guys!" she called out to them. Shauna hopped off Altaria and greeted Serena with a hug while Trevor and Tierno took their turns greeting Augustine.
"You got here early," remarked Trevor as he recalled Aerodactyl.
"I wonder why," said Calem flatly, glancing over to Augustine.
"How're you feeling, Lady S?" asked Shauna.
Serena smiled at her friend. "I feel . . . I feel fine."
"Just 'fine?'" pressed Tierno.
"Hey, 'fine' is a perfectly acceptable way to feel. It's slightly better than average," said Serena. "Say, you guys, do you all want to go somewhere tonight when we're done here? Just the five of us?"
Her friends responded with a chorus of "Yeah, sure!" and "Why not?"
"Good, thanks." Serena decided that evening, when it was just the five of them, was when she would tell her friends that she destroyed Lumiose, and very importantly why she did it. She tried with all her might to stave off thoughts of what their reactions might be, but she alternated between predicting that they'd react the way her mom and Augustine did or by being shocked and disgusted with her.
"Hey, guys, we're supposed to report to the pavilion in two minutes. We should get going," said Trevor as he pointed at the cluster of tents and pavilions.
"Which one is it again?" asked Calem as he took a step in that direction.
"I think I signed us all up as a cleanup crew for today, and we're handing out food tomorrow, so we'll want that orange one over there," said Tierno.
Before setting off with her friends, Serena rushed back to Augustine's side, pulled out the box that contained her necklace, and handed it to him.
"Hold onto this for me?" she said sweetly.
"Sure," he said, taking the box and sticking it back in his pocket.
"Merci, mon cher," Serena said, hoping she didn't sound too corny. "I want to try it on for you tonight." When she saw his smile, she couldn't help but smile as well.
With a kiss on the cheek and a "See you later," Serena left Augustine's side and rejoined her friends. Together, the five of them made the way to the orange pavilion Tierno mentioned, talking and enjoying one another's company as if they were the fresh, optimistic teenagers that set out on their journeys three years ago. Being with her friends in that moment, Serena felt as if the world was already a little more beautiful.
~ The End ~
A/N: Hey everyone! One last time, I just want to thank you all for reading the story, leaving reviews, offering to save Serena when she was in serious mortal peril, etc. I've had a good time writing this story, and I've been thinking of ideas for other stories. Right now, they're mostly ideas for drabbles, but I've also thought of giving Lysandre the "Wicked" treatment. So . . . my next thing will be posted when it's posted. May you all go out and find other fanfics to read, and have good lives!
- Kiki