Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon belongs to GameFreak, etc.
Part 2 of my XY One-Shot Series.
Ash turned over on his bed and groaned.
He wasn't groaning because he lost the Kalos League, though honestly he was disappointed with himself. He thought he surely had it in the bag this time with him and Greninja's special form which Bonnie nicknamed Ash-Greninja. Of course, Alain ruined their chance. He had no regrets though. He had tried his hardest, and he had failed. He was sure to learn from his mistakes.
He wasn't groaning because he had to leave Greninja just a few days ago, either. He had had good times with Greninja, starting all the way back from when it was still a Froakie and shielding them from Team Rocket's Woffubet's Mirror Coat. They had trained together, they had fought together. Their feelings had synchronised. But just recently he had to leave Greninja behind. He knew it was for the best for Kalos. Negative energy was creeping through the ground, creating destructive roots everywhere. The Zygarde Cores, or rather Zygarde, had sought Greninja's help in getting to the location of these roots to destroy them before they could cause harm.
He certainly wasn't groaning about Goodra. He knew that returning it to its home was what had to be done. Goodra didn't belong in a Pokeball, on a battlefield or at Professor Oak's ranch. It belonged at its true home from when it was just a little Goomy. Goodra belonged with its friends.
What Ash was groaning about was the fact that he had to leave his friends behind. Well, not exactly all of them behind. Serena was going to Hoenn. In a sense, he wasn't leaving her. They were leaving each other.
They had gone through so much together. They had been on so many different quests together, whether it be helping Diancie or rescuing Magearna and saving Azoth. They had ate, they had battled. They had cheered each other on.
Ash didn't want that to end. But that was how he felt before he left Kanto. Johto. Hoenn. Sinnoh. Unova. Each one of these places he had left with much hardship. He hadn't liked leaving Brock, Misty, May, Max, Dawn, Iris or Cilan. Even so, he had stayed strong. He had left them. This time it was no different. He would be leaving Serena, Clemont and Bonnie.
However, this time Ash did FEEL different about leaving his friends. Especially Serena. Clemont had given Ash good food. A good Gym Battle. Been a good friend. Bonnie had made him laugh. Looked after his Pokemon every so often. Also been a good friend. She had even saved him in a sense. Well, both Clemont and Bonnie technically saved him – and the rest of Kalos too. Bonnie calmed down Zygarde and Clemont had disabled Team Flare's machine. They had saved the world, meaning they saved Ash. He owed them so much.
But Serena had done much, much more. She had been his inspiration for him to win every battle he had. She was the reason he had won against Viola. Against Wulfric. She was the one who had opened his eyes after he lost to the Ice-type Gym Leader. She was the one who had supported him every step of the way on his journey.
And Ash was no different for her. She always saw him at her performances, cheering for her loudly, raising his Pokelume more enthusiastically than most people, helping her make her decision when it came to her future. Thanks to him, she had chosen her path. To not be Kalos Queen, but to be just a normal performer – except this time, she would give to the people, and her Pokemon. She had taken that first step a week ago when she set up the performance for the citizens of Lumiose.
Over time, the two of them had developed romantic feelings for each other. Serena always had them. And Ash, the one May and Dawn called Mister Osmium, was really never dense. He had always been open to love. He had just waited for the right girl.
Just for the day Ash had taken his own room instead of sharing with his friends. He needed time to think. Some alone time. He had found her. The one girl he ever had feelings for. But he still hadn't told her. Tomorrow, Ash promised himself.
Ash couldn't forget his Pokemon either. He really felt bad for them. He had to leave them at Professor Oak's ranch so he had room for new Pokemon from the next region he visited. That meant he'd only be able to see them around once a year. He shook off that feeling. It was the same for all his Pokemon. Why should his Kalos Pokemon be any different. Admittedly the three who were still with him, the flyers, Hawlucha, Noivern and Talonflame, had gotten him into the finals of them Kalos League – even almost won it. Without Hawlucha Ash could have lost to Alain's Weavile. Without Noivern he might have never made it past even Sawyer's Salamence. Without Talonflame, he would never have even made it past the Santalune Gym.
A few knocks on his door alerted Ash. He sat up, scratching the back of his neck.
"Who is it?"
"It's Bonnie. Clemont told me to get you down so we could have dinner."
Ash checked the time. Five to six. He was confused. He had been in the room since one in the afternoon. There was no way he could have taken almost five hours to think about his departure. I must've fallen asleep, he figured.
He swung his legs over to the side of his bed and slipped his red sneakers on. Opening the door, he found a very bored-looking Bonnie.
"Jeez, about time Ash. Thought you dozed off already."
"I would never sleep for food!" Ash claimed.
Bonnie just laughed as she led the way down to the table they were using. Ash saw many pots and pans. He wondered what was going on. He saw Clemont, using some heat proof gloves to lift one last dish onto the table.
"What is this?" He asked the inventor.
"It's to say goodbye and thank you for everything you've done, Ash." Serena's voice rang out from behind him. He turned around to see her combing her hair, which was still wet and led Ash to the conclusion that she had just taken a shower. Ash quickly stopped a naughty thought from going into his head.
If they were alone he might have said 'Serena, you look beautiful', but here in the Pokemon Centre, especially in front of Bonnie, he went against saying it. Even so he did think she looked nice indeed. As always, he thought.
"Thanks guys, but you didn't have to do this. My mother's already going to bombard me with fine dining when I get home."
"Hey, it's our last dinner together so we gotta make it special right?" Bonnie asked rhetorically.
"Well, since you've already done it I guess I can't stop it." Ash said sheepishly.
"Drink?" Asked Clemont, holding a bottle of ice cold water.
"No thanks. I think the drink is only going to slow me down. You three have nowhere near enough appetite to finish all this before midnight. You'll need me to be at my fastest." He joked.
In his peripheral vision he saw Bonnie squatting beside Pikachu's food bowl. She had a red bottle in her hand. He realised what it was, but he realised too late.
"Bonnie, no!" He shouted a few milliseconds before a flood of ketchup came out of the bottle's open lid. It oozed into Pikachu's Pokemon food and Pikachu let out a 'chaaa' of satisfaction.
"That's for being a good Pikachu on our journey."
Ash saw no point in reprimanding Bonnie. Pikachu had indeed deserved it. He would rather tuck into his own food instead of worry about Pikachu's food.
"Let's start!"
The four friends let out all their Pokemon who joined them while they ate. A lot of the food on the table Clemont had cooked before, but Ash devoured it all the same. He felt like he was in heaven.
Before long, they were all finished. Rather than clean up immediately, they sat where they were and began discussing their dreams one last time. Clemont wanted to be the best inventor in all of Kalos. He wanted to design even better technology than Orangics. Bonnie wanted to be a better trainer than Ash and a better performer than Serena. Clemont tried to tell her that it was impossible for a trainer to be better than Ash, Ash hastily told Bonnie to not give up on her dream and glared at Clemont, shaking his head. Essentially, he was saying 'don't ruin her dreams'.
Serena, as stated before wanted to be an ordinary performer who made people happy. Ash wanted to so badly tell her that no matter how much she thought she received, she definitely gave. She had already encouraged so many people, including Ash himself.
Finally, Ash's dream. When he was asked what would happen if he actually became a Champion, he burst into a laughing fit.
"No chance."
"Ash, how could you think so badly of yourself? Of course you can become a Champion!" Serena exclaimed.
Ash smacked his palm on his forehead. How could he worry her like that!
"No, no, I mean I don't WANT to be a Champion. Being Champion means you stay where you're needed, most of the time anyway, and you can't do what you want! Do I look like the kind of guy to be doing that? No!" Ash answered his own question.
"So...?" Clemont started.
"I'm going to win Leagues, beat Elite Four's but I won't be Champion. I just want to be a Pokemon Master."
"Ash, you already are a Pokemon Master. You care so much for them, after all. You look after each and every one of them you have. You even jumped off Prism Tower for Pikachu!" Serena said comfortingly.
"You almost broke your neck saving Eevee." He retorted.
"At least it isn't enough for people to broadcast!"
Clemont checked the time. Twenty to eight. He almost flipped the table.
"Time to clean up. Dad said he wanted us at home tonight. Before eight!" He almost yelled, panicking.
"Oh well. You know what, I'll do the cleaning, you go visit your dad."
"Are you sure Ash?" Bonnie questioned him.
"Certainly."
"I'll help." Serena offered.
"Thanks, Serena. That would be great."
"Alright, we'll be off then!" Clemont waved goodbye to Ash and Serena, dragging Bonnie with him through the glass doors of the Pokemon Centre. Bonnie was cheekily winking suggestively at Ash and Serena, who both blushed, though neither noticing each other's.
Rather than mentioning Bonnie's winking, they hurriedly cleaned the bowls, pan, pots, utensils, everything. At about fifteen past eight they finished. They had certainly used a lot of things from the kitchen.
Ash returned to his room, leaving Serena to return to hers. Before long she had fallen asleep while Ash had just showered. When he came out he heard Serena screaming, as if in pain. He put his clothes on and ran to her room. Luckily it was next door to his, meaning he didn't have to run a long distance. He took the extra key for her room from his pocket. Unlocking the door, he stumbled his way in to see Serena still sleeping but squirming in her bed.
Ash figured she was having a nightmare, and shook her awake.
"Ash? What are you doing here?"
"What do you mean what am I doing? I was concerned with you and your shrieking!"
"Oh, sorry. It's just that... I had a terrible nightmare and..." She trailed off.
"Do you want anything to drink?"
"I just want you to stay with me tonight. Please."
Ash was taken aback. She wanted him to stay with her, in the same room, alone? Phew, that was a lot to ask for, but Ash reminded himself he'd do anything to make her happy. He did as she pleaded and she drifted off into a dream again. But this dream was a good one. Knowing Ash was in the same room as her was enough for her to feel safe.
They both woke the next morning. Ash went back to his room to take his morning shower. He didn't want to intrude on Serena's privacy. Not yet, anyway.
He took his bag, left the room and pretty much fell down the stairs at the feet of Clemont and Bonnie who quickly stooped down, making sure he was fine. After hearing a grunt signifying he was alive, they straightened up again.
Ash also got up. He shook his head roughly.
"Well then."
Behind him, Serena was stepping down the staircase elegantly. She looked at the three expectantly.
"We going to eat breakfast, or what?"
Clemont spoke. "Yeah, I think we could go to that cake shop we went to when we first met Diantha."
And so they took Clemont's suggestion. Once again Serena and Bonnie managed to get them something, only this time the cake was a whole and not just a slice.
Ash smothered his lips in the chocolate sauce before wolfing down the rest of his quarter of the cake. Or rather, his fifth. He made sure Pikachu got some.
Ash leaned back in the chair and rubbed his stomach.
"That was good." He commented. Everyone nodded in agreement.
"But now it's time for us to say goodbye."
"It really is..." Ash said, depressed.
They made their way to the airport where Serena's plane to Hoenn had just landed and was switching pilots. They decided to let their Pokemon farewell each other as well.
Sylveon wrapped one of its feelers around Bunnelby's left ear, to say thank you for being its guardian when it was just an Eevee. Meanwhile everyone else was getting emotional. Hawlucha let out a few tears and tried to cover them, but most of the Pokemon saw. Luxray shook paws with Braixen. Sylveon, noticing Dedenne not joining in tried to cheer it up. Unfortunately for Sylveon this only made Dedenne wriggle out of Bonnie's grasp and run away.
"Dedenne!"
Bonnie chased after the little mouse, prompting Ash, Serena and Clemont to follow after her. When Bonnie lost sight of Dedenne, Pikachu used his electricity to detect it. Finding Dedenne hiding behind a large screen, Bonnie attempted to get it to come out.
"Dedenne, I know leaving our friends is hard. But you won't be alone! You still have me, Clemont and his Pokemon!" Bonnie squealed. Still drawing no reaction from Dedenne, she continued. "I want to become a better trainer than Ash. A better performer than Serena. I want to beat big bro in a Gym Battle! But I can't do it without you! I want you to be my partner for all this! I promise you'll meet our friends again!"
Dedenne ultimately saw sense and crawled out from its hiding spot. It bounded into Bonnie's awaiting arms.
"Oh, Dedenne, you're my best friend."
Yet to let go, Bonnie motioned for the others to return to where Serena's flight's boarding gate was. It was down a set of escalators.
"Well, I'll be leaving then. Clemont, Bonnie, Ash, you have all taught me so many things. Too many for me to count!" Serena said straightforwardly.
"Remember to keep in contact!" Clemont said.
"Serena, wait for Dedenne and I, okay?"
Serena nodded.
"Ash, I'm really glad I left on this journey with you. You are my goal."
You could say Clemont and Bonnie died laughing at this.
Ash, however, already knew what she meant.
"Next time we meet, I'll be a much more mature woman!" Serena said, winking at him.
"Yeah!" Ash replied, clenching his fist in agreement.
"See you all soon!" With this, Serena turned around and set foot on the escalator. Ash walked up to the start of it, as if he wanted to follow her. Serena was a quarter of the way down when she twisted her head back to look at Ash.
"Ash, can I have one last thing?"
Ash didn't know what she meant by this. He couldn't give her anything – her flight was closing boarding in five minutes.
She ran up the escalator in the reverse direction. Reaching the top, she leaned over to kiss Ash. Ash didn't hesitate to respond. He pulled her off the escalator and kissed her back for a good ten seconds. Serena's sea blue eyes widened in surprise, but she was enjoying their moment too much to say anything.
"Thank you." She whispered after they broke the kiss. She stepped backwards onto the escalator once again, scanning the looks on everybody's faces. Ash seemed content. Clemont's face had bewilderment scribbled all over it, while Bonnie's and Pikachu's faces practically said 'SO KAWAII!'.
"Goodbye, my Queen. See you soon." He mumbled inaudibly.
Serena smiled. Now she could go off to Hoenn, worry free with no regrets. Ash, Bonnie and Clemont watched her plane take off from the roof.
Before Ash could take Bonnie and Clemont to his boarding gate, Clemont asked for one last thing as well.
"Could we have one last battle?"
"Of course!"
They walked over to the battlefield behind them.
"Pikachu, you ready?"
"Pika!"
"Bunnelby, please!"
"Bee!"
"Thunderbolt!"
"Dig!"
Bunnelby dodged the incoming attack by going underground.
"Iron Tail the ground!"
Pikachu slammed a hardened and glowing tail into the rough earth. It did the trick and pulled Bunnelby out of its hole.
"Mud Shot!"
"Quick Attack!"
Pikachu was about to hit Bunnelby when an announcement came over the speakers.
"Mr. Ash Ketchum, please report to Gate 12 to board Dragonite Airlines Flight K91."
"Well, that's our flight. I'm sorry we couldn't finish our battle. Perhaps another time, Clemont. Goodbye, Clemont, Bonnie! I promise you, we will meet again!"
The Lumiose siblings waved as Pikachu hopped on Ash's shoulder and they sprinted down the stairs.
On his plane Ash kept having flashbacks of the good times he had in Kalos. Afterwards, he fell asleep. When he woke up, the plane was descending into Kanto. He now thought about Serena that morning. She really is a bold girl, he mused.
The plane landed and Ash slapped his cheeks. He could think about Serena later. Now was the time to go home to his mother and tell her all about his exploits in Kalos. Maybe even talk to her about Serena. Either way, he knew, it was good to be home.