What's up, everyone? GreJolteon here with Chapter 3. Time to kick Ash's power up a notch! Also, there is still slight Amourshipping, althought the Advanceshipping has been kicked up a notch as well (May: Thank God! After the last chapter, I was starting to wonder whether this was truly an Amourshipping fic in disguise.)
Ages in this chapter:
Korrina - 21
Alexa - 27
Viola - 25
Disclaimer: Still don't own Pokemon, sorry!
Lumiose City, 1 day after the Kalos Conference
A blonde haired girl started to stir as morning came over the Kalos region. She had forgotten to close the drapes over her window, and the sun beaming in her face forced her to wake up. She got up and decided to take a shower. After she had finished, she had put on her usual outfit, a black tank top with white collars and a red skirt. She matched it with long black stockings a pair of black shoes. Her trademark style, however, was the pink hat on top of her head. When she had finished, her stomach started grumbling, and with that she left her room to proceed to the cafeteria.
When she made it down to the cafeteria, she quickly spotted a blonde haired boy with glasses and blue overalls, and a blonde haired girl wearing a brown shirt with a white skirt sitting in a table way off to the side. The girl also had a Dedenne sitting happily inside her satchel.
"Serena, over here!", called out the little girl.
Serena grabbed some eggs and bacon and made her way over to the table.
After releasing her Fennekin and Pancham to dig into the breakfast, Serena finally addressed the two. "Hey guys, how'd you sleep?", Serena inquired.
"Great! Last night was kind of crazy, it felt like things were happening at a breakneck pace, you know?", said Clemont.
"I wonder how Ash must be feeling. I mean, he's like a celebrity now!", Bonnie added.
"Speaking of which, where is Ash?", the girl with the pink hat questioned.
"I don't know, we didn't see him at all this morning. Maybe he's still asleep?", Clemont pondered.
"Wow, that boy must really be pooped out if that's the case. I mean, it's almost 11 am!", Bonnie said as she motioned over to the rest of the cafeteria, which was almost empty due how late it was for breakfast times.
"I think I'm gonna go check up on him. He's usually ready to go early in the morning", Serena told the two as she got up to head to Ash's room.
Before she left the cafeteria, however, Bonnie quickly caught up to her with a sly smirk on her face. Clemont just looked puzzled as she saw Serena and her little sister walk out of the cafeteria, leaving only him, Serena's Fennekin and Pancham.
"And then there was one.", said the gym leader.
"So?", Bonnie started.
"So? So what?", Serena asked confused.
"You know what I'm talking about. How did things go with Ash?", Bonnie asked, still with the smirk in her face.
Serena quickly caught on to what Bonnie was asking, and slightly blushed. "Nothing happened at all! Ash looked like he was really tired, and so I just let him be.", Serena explained.
"So you didn't confess yet?", said the little girl, with Dedenne now on top of her head.
"No", she quickly replied, "And besides, I don't think I will", she sighed a little sadly.
Bonnie fell over anime-style upone hearing those words.
"What? Why not? You can't just back down now! I've seen the way you look at him all throughout our travels, and I know that look. You want to be more than friends with him, and I can't stand to watch you suffer any longer! You have to tell him how you feel!", Bonnie exclaimed, a hint of annoyance and rowdieness (is that even a real word?) in her voice.
Serena sat down in the lobby of the hotel, motioning for Bonnie to sit down next to her. She complied and sat down next to Serena.
"Bonnie, it's not that I don't wanna tell him, trust me, I wish I could. I really like him a lot, and it would mean the world to me if he returned my feelings for him.". Pausing for a bit, sighing again, but she continued undeterred, "But I know his heart already belongs to someone else, and I can't force him to love me, it wouldn't be fair to him or the person who captured his heart.", Serena finished.
Bonnie just had a confused look on her face, "What are you talking about? How do you know he's in love with someone else? Do you have proof? I don't remember him telling us about anyone.", the girl said.
"Bonnie, do you remember the story Ash told us about that half ribbon and how he got it?"
"Yeah, I think I do. Something about a good luck charm. Didn't he say he won it with a coordinator from the Hoenn region?", Bonnie asked, still not understanding where this is going.
"Yes, but you see, that's what he told US. You, me, and Clemont, but that ribbon means so much more to Ash than what he lets on." the girl with the pink hat said.
"How do you know this?", Bonnie questioned.
"Well at first, I didn't think too much about it either. But that was before Ash and I had... a personal talk. He told me how much it actually meant to him and then some. That's what confirmed my initial suspicion about where his feelings might actually lay.", Serena explained.
Laverre City, 3 months earlier
A raven-haired trainer stood in the balcony of a room in the Pokemon Center they were staying at. This Pokemon Center was one of the bigger ones in Kalos, and it had three floors.
The boy was just staring out into the night sky, his right hand shuffling in his pocket. He pulled out the contents of that pocket, to reveal a pink half ribbon. He admired it under the moonlight, and stared at it for quite a while.
A certain blonde haired girl noticed this. She came out onto the balcony and decided to keep him company.
"Hey, Ash.", the girl greeted him.
Ash turned around, and acknowledged her. "Oh, hey Serena. Hmm that's funny, I thought you guys would've already been asleep by now.", he simply said.
"Yeah, I was about to, but that battle you had with Valerie today was just so intense! My heart was pounding when Frogadier almost fell to Sylveon, but you came back with that clutch Water Pulse that confused Sylveon before she could fire Dazzling Gleam. That was truly amazing. I guess I just couldn't stop thinking about it, so I decided to get some fresh air, but you were here as well.", Serena explained.
Ash let out a small chuckle, "Yeah, that was one of the hardest gyms I've ever faced, mainly because I didn't know it was a fairy-type gym. I guess I didn't battle enough fairy-types before then, so I guess I just got lucky.", he rubbed the back of his head.
"Don't say that, Ash! You held your own against one of the strongest gym leaders in Kalos. You're one of the strongest trainers I've ever witnessed, and even Valerie said she sees a lot of potential in you.", Serena assured Ash.
"Haha, thanks Serena.", Ash sheepishly responded.
"Oh, is the future Pokemon master getting embarassed because of a heartfelt compliment?", Serena teased.
"I am not!", Ash's cheeks got slightly redder. "I'm going to bed, good night.", he bluffed.
"Nononoo, stay here, please?", Serena flashed her puppy dog eyes.
Once again, the great Pokemon master succumbs to the power of the eyes. You would think that after five regions, he would grow immune to it by now. After all, he had to deal with Misty, Dawn, Iris... and May.
'Those beautiful sapphire eyes that could mesmerize anyone staring deep within them... You did have the prettiest eyes... I always get lost when I stare into those deep cerulean pools', Ash thought. 'Wait, why am I thinking about this? My head is so messed up right now!', he exclaimed in his head. He unconsciously began to stare at the half-ribbon in his hand again.
Serena noticed this, a tinge of jealousy in her mind at the thought of Ash thinking about the brunette who had owned the other half of the ribbon . She had to know how much this girl had actually meant to him.
"Ash, I've noticed that you always keep that ribbon in your pocket or within arms' reach all the time. I know you told us about how you won it with that May girl, and how you've told us that she is one of your closest friends. But I always have this feeling that there's more to the story than what you've told us.", Serena confronted Ash without being too invasive.
At first, Ash seemed confused at what Serena just said. "Huh? What story?"
Serena then realized that she might being getting a little too personal, inquring about the girl, so instead she rephrased the question. "Never mind, Ash. But, tell me. Be completely honest with me. I've seen the way you stare at that ribbon mindlessly whenever you get the chance. And that's if you're not playing with it in your pocket. What does that ribbon truly mean to you, Ash?", she asked undeterred.
Ash finally caught what she was trying to ask, so he tried to describe its significance as best as he could. "Well, I split this ribbon with May back in Terracotta Town in Kanto, right before we ...went our separate ways." He tensed up a little, but continued. "She went to Johto to participate in contests there, and I went to Sinnoh to take on the Sinnoh league. I guess I've been holding on to it as a good luck charm, but it is also my main source of motivation. Looking at it reminds me that even though our paths to achieving our dreams may differ, in a way we're still in it together. This ribbon assures me that May will always be with me as I go through my adventures, even if she's not here in the flesh and blood, and I will always be with her as long as she keeps her half, no matter how far apart we are physically." Ash finally finished.
Serena was still processing everything that Ash had told her. 'He's never talked about any of his other friends like that before, not even Misty, Dawn, or Iris, the other girls Ash has mentioned', Serena thought. She suddenly felt jealous at the way Ash had described May to her, but she had to dig deeper to figure out just how much May meant to Ash. "So, she seems like she means a lot to you. Why aren't you travelling with her right now?", Serena asked innocently. She did not realize that she had hit a soft spot in the raven-haired trainer.
Ash's fists clenched upon hearing the question, and turned away from Serena to stare into the night sky once again. He stayed that way from several minutes, not responding to her question. Serena started to panic in her mind, not knowing what Ash was thinking about or why he hadn't answered her question.
'Did I say something wrong? Oh no, what if it's a sensitive topic? I don't want Ash to hate me because I got too snoopy!' Serena exclaimed in her head. However, her fears were supressed when Ash turned back to her, with a calm expression on his face.
"It was after the Unova League. I was back in Pallet Town, and I had a little reunion with some of my older friends, Misty, Tracey, Gary, and even May and her little brother Max showed up. The contest season in Johto lasted almost as long as both my Sinnoh and Unova journeys, so she had just finished up as well. However, May brought... a friend with her as well. A coordinator named Drew." At mentioning his name, Ash stiffened up yet again, which did not go unnoticed to the blonde girl beside him. "Anyways, I was actually about to ask May if she wanted to come to Kalos with me, but to my surprise, Drew had already asked her to come to Sinnoh with him beforehand... and she agreed. Just like that. Of course I couldn't ask her after she had already set a destination for herself, because I didn't wanna get in the way of her journey, and her dreams.", Ash explained.
Serena could only feel sympathy for the boy at the moment. She could only imagine what Ash went through at the time. Have your intentions set on travelling with your best friend once again, only to have fate and a little bad luck deny you that opportunity. She could've sworn she saw a tear fall out of Ash's eye, but decided not to pay too much attention to it.
"Anyways, that's why I came to Kalos on my own, at least until I met Clemont, Bonnie, and you." Ash then noticed the sad look in Serena's face. "But hey! Don't dwell on it too much! If May had come to Kalos with me, I might not have met you guys, and I would truly regret not being able to share a journey with you guys." He managed a weak smile. "Especially you, Serena. You've cheered me on at every single gym battle, and I don't think I would've survived without your support.", he lightly chuckled. At hearing this, Serena's face flushed red, but Ash hadn't noticed this due to the darkness. Suddenly, he let out an obnoxious yawn. "Well, I should really be getting back. We have an early day tomorrow. You need to get some sleep, too Serena. Good night."
Serena just silently whispered "Uhmm, g-good night, Ash.". She wasn't sure if he heard it, but she didn't care, there was a lot on her mind.
'May really means a lot to Ash, doesn't she?' Serena pondered. Suddenly, a new thought crept up in her head, 'Oh no, what if Ash has feelings for this girl? Did I ever really have a chance with him to start with, or has someone already stolen his heart?' she thought. This thought lingered in her mind for the rest of the night, as she finally tucked herself into bed after Ash had already passed out.
Back to the present
"Wow.", was all that Bonnie could mutter.
Serena just nodded her head. "That's not all. The reason I actually brought the ribbon up was because of what I saw last night." She explained the events from last night, from Ash staring intently at the ribbon, the faint tear escaping his eye, everything.
"Now do you see why I can't tell him how I feel, Bonnie? Last night fully confirmed to me that Ash still has feelings for May, even though he might not know about it yet.", Serena again said dejectedly.
Bonnie then finally spoke up, "Well then, screw May! She had her chance with Ash, and she threw that chance away by going with that Drew guy. She didn't even sound like she gave it a second thought! That means she probably didn't even care about what Ash was thinking, which tells me that their friendship might be one-sided.", she said with distaste in her voice.
Serena, surprised at the tone and the choice of words the younger girl had used, quickly responded, "Bonnie! We don't even know the full story. May could've had a very good reason for going to Sinnoh instead of with Ash. We can't just come to conclusions."
"Well, I don't know about you, but I've come to my own conclusion. Serena, do whatever you want to do, but I still think you should confess to Ash as soon as possible. Hey, you should do it at the party tonight!", Bonnie said excitedly.
Serena sighed, 'This girl is so headstrong', she mused.
"Anyways, I'm gonna go check on Clemont. We left him for almost 20 minutes, who knows what he could've blown up during that time.", and with that, Bonnie skipped back in the direction towards the cafeteria.
Serena watched the girl leave, and after that she went on to her original destination, Ash's room.
As she ascended the elevator to the 6th floor, where all their rooms were, she couldn't shake off what Bonnie had said about May.
'What if May was the reason why Ash was feeling so down last night? Was Bonnie right? Did the thought of May only cause Ash grief?' she pondered. 'No, I don't know the full story, I just can't assume. There has to be more to this.', she resolved, as the elevator reached the 6th floor.
She then walked down the hallway to Ash's room.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
No response.
Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!
There was no response again. However, she was surprised when the door slightly opened.
She opened the door a little bit more, and was a little surprised at what she saw inside the room. Ash was nowhere to be found, but gasped when she saw a large, red falcon staring right at her.
"Taaloon!", the bird shrieked.
"Talonflame, what are you doing here? Where's Ash?", Serena inquired.
"Talon!", the bird motioned to its claws. Serena noticed a small note tied to Talonflame's claw.
She untied the note and began to read it.
Serena,
I know you'd probably come looking for me sooner or later. I woke up at around 8 am and didn't wanna wake you, so I decided to eat breakfast and get started early. If you wanna come see me, I'm near the Skate Park on Route 5. Just ask Talonflame to give you a lift, he knows where I am. I know, you're probably wondering why I have Talonflame. I exchanged some Pokemon with some of my other ones from Professor Oak's ranch, and I only kept Pikachu and Charizard. Hey, if you come by, you can meet some of my other Pokemon too.
Ash
"Well Talonflame, I guess I have no choice, huh? Plus, it'll be cool to meet more of Ash's Pokemon. Let's go!", and with that, she quickly went back down to the cafeteria to bring Fennekin and Pancham along with her, and afterwards she got on Talonflame's back.
Talonflame then took off at a high speed, even startling Serena. "Talonflame, slow down!", Serena said a little nervously.
"Taalooon!", the bird cried in defiance, obviously wanting to reach their destination quickly. Serena had no choice but to hang on to her dear life.
After ten minutes of frantically panicking inside her head, Serena finally felt Talonflame slowing down, signifying that they are reaching their destination. When they got close, Serena was surprised at the sight. She saw Ash, with Pikachu on his shoulder, but she also noticed three women standing with him. She immediately recognized the two sisters, one of which was the gym leader of Santalune City, and a blonde girl in roller skating gear, the gym leader of Shalour City. Talonflame finally landed next to Ash, Serena on board.
"Great job, Talonflame, I knew you'd take Serena to us just fine.", Ash said, patting his bird Pokemon in the head. Talonflame cooed at the touch.
Serena then acknowledge the women with Ash. "Viola! Alexa! Korrina! Wow, its great to see you again!"
Alexa then responded, "Yes, its nice to see you too, Serena". Viola and Korrina then nodded in agreement.
Serena then got curious, "What are you guys doing here?", she said enthusiastically.
The girl in roller skating gear then stepped forward, "Well, first and foremost, we wanted to congratulate Ash on becoming the Kalos Champion. You guys might not look at it this way, but Viola and I technically work for Ash now.", Korrina giggled.
Ash then sweatdropped at the last sentence, "Please don't think about it like that. All this attention is still kind of new to me... it still seems unbelievable."
"Hmm, I bet it is. One minute I'm landing in Kalos with you after Unova, the next you become Champion. Damn, time flies.", Alexa said with a smile.
"Yes, yes it does.", Ash just rubbed the back of his head.
"You know Ash, when you lost to me the first time way back then, I knew right away that I wasn't battling the true Ash Ketchum I had heard about from my sister. My sister emphasized the bond you shared between your Pokemon, and even told me that I shouldn't take you lightly. Nevertheless, you beat me in our rematch, with this majestic Talonflame and that powerful Pikachu of yours, and ultimately became the champion. You've definitely come a long way, Ash. You too, Pikachu and Talonflame.", Viola complimented the trio.
Ash was starting to get slightly embarassed at the compliment, and just managed to sheepishly say "Thanks."
"Pika pika!", Pikachu exclaimed.
"Talonflame!", the red bird likewise responded.
"Anyways", Korrina continued, "the second reason why we came here is for this. She then reached into her satchel and pulled out a bracelet with a stone embedded in it.
Ash was shocked at what she had just pulled out, and was even more shocked when Korrina handed the item to him.
"Is this what I think it is?", Ash was still in awe.
"Yes, Ash. My grandfather said that with you becoming the Champion, you are finally ready for the secrets of Mega Evolution. The bonds you have shared with your Pokemon have grown that much stronger since you met him at the Tower of Mastery.". She then pulled out another item in her satchel, a big, round, shiny blue stone. "Ash, this is a present from me. It's a Lucarionite. Have a Lucario hold it during battle, and he will evolve into Mega Lucario for the duration of the battle.", and with that, she tossed the stone towards Ash, catching it easily with one hand.
"Thank you very much, Korrina!", Ash said excitedly. "You know, its kinda funny you gave me this right now, because I switched my Pokemon just this morning, and I just so happened to take this guy along with me.". He then threw a Pokeball high into the air, revealing a blue, black, and yellow canine Pokemon.
"Ash! When did you get a Lucario?", Serena exclaimed.
"Well, I met Lucario in Sinnoh while it was still a Riolu. I helped it escape from some thieves wanting to steal it, and eventually he decided that he wanted to travel with me, isn't that right buddy?"
"Yes, master.", Lucario responded in Ash's head, but to the others, they just heard Lucario's roar.
"But why did the thieves want to steal Riolu?", Alexa wondered.
"Well, my buddy over here managed to learn Aura Sphere as a Riolu, which is very rare.", Ash said with a small chuckle, hearing the gasp that came from the Shalour Gym Leader.
"Oh wow, that's truly amazing!", Korrina said in shock. Having a Lucario of her own just made the thought that much more exciting for her.
"Yes, that's very surprising. You know, you continue to amaze me more and more, Ash. I feel like the Kalos Champion always has something new up his sleeve.", Viola joked, while Ash sweatdropped.
"Why don't you try out the mega stone, Ash?", Korrina asked.
"Sure! You up for it, Lucario?"
"Yes master, I can't wait to experience this new transformation."
Ash put the Key Ring in his left wrist, and then threw the mega stone at Lucario. "Okay then, Lucario, mega evolve, now!"
At that moment, Lucario caught the stone, and its appearance changed. It's yellow fur grew considerably longer, and its paws and feet turned crimson red, and the black aura-sensing appendages on its head grew longer in length, now tipped red as well.
Ash couldn't believe the sight. He had finally possessed the power of mega evolution with Lucario.
Serena was also awestruck.
"How are you feeling, Lucario?", Ash asked.
"I feel so... alive, enlightened, and renewed. Like I can triumph over any adversity thrown at me!" his faithful canine replied.
"Glad to see it works just fine for you, Ash. My grandfather was right, you definitely have mastered Mega Evolution, due to your strong bonds with your Pokemon", Korrina acknowledged.
"Thanks once again, you guys.", Ash addressed all three women.
"No problem, anything for our champion", Viola once again teased, causing another sweatdrop from Ash.
"Anyways, we should be heading back into Lumiose to get ready for the party. All the Kalos gym leaders have been invited as well, and I, being Lumiose's top journalist, will be covering the story as well. We'll see you there tonight. Congratulations again, Ash.", Alexa said, and with that, the three women walked towards Lumiose City.
"Wow, that just happened.", Ash said quietly to himself, referring to his newly acquired power of mega evolution. He then remembered that Serena was still with him. "Oh, Serena, do you want to meet some more of my Pokemon?"
"Well that's kind of why I'm here, right?", Serena said annoyed, but in a joking way.
Ash rolled his eyes, but released three Pokemon from their Pokeballs. Out popped a green dinosaur-like Pokemon, a red monkey with a flame on its head, and a blue-and-yellow sea lion.
"Serena, I'd like you to meet Meganium from the Johto region, Infernape from the Sinnoh region, and Samurott from the Unova region. You already know Lucario.", Ash introduced.
Serena walked up to the three powerful Pokemon, "H-hey, I'm Serena, n-nice to meet you guys"
That's all she could say before she was tackled by a green blur. "Meganium, Mega Meganium!", Meganium was clearly excited at meeting Serena, while Infernape and Samurott just stood there coolly.
Ash sweatdropped at this, but for once he was glad it was her and not him that Meganium trampled affectionately.
"Wow, Ash. You've been to so many regions. Sometimes I still can't believe this is your sixth region already. You must really love travelling that much!", Serena pointed out.
Ash gave off a weak smile, but his thoughts immediately went back to what Diantha had said last night. '... your responsibilities as Champion might get in the way of your travels, if you decide to travel through another region again. I think it's for the best if you were to remain in Kalos as long as you are the champion...' Ash frowned at this thought. 'What if I had won one of my earlier leagues? What if I won the Johto league, for example? Would I have been in the same situation as I am now? I probably wouldn't have met all of my wonderful Pokemon friends if I had settled down. I don't think I'm ready for that yet. I'm only 17 years old, there's still so many new places to see, new people and Pokemon to meet, and... some old friends to see'. The first one to come to his mind was a very special brunette with a green bandana on her head. 'I wonder if May would be happy to see me the next time we meet up.' . He once again unconsciously played with the ribbon in his pocket.
Serena noticed Ash thinking to himself, and noticed his hand fidgeting in his pocket. 'Okay, he definitely has a problem, and I think I might know what it is. I'm gonna ask him about it later at the dance', she decided.
Shrugging off his thoughts for now and waiting until the dance to voice his opinions about his plan to Diantha, Ash called out to Serena.
"We should probably head back to Lumiose, the party starts in three hours.", and with that, he released Charizard from his Pokeball. "You can ride on Talonflame again. I don't want to have to force Talonflame to carry both of us, so I'm gonna ride on Charizard.", he said as he returned Lucario, Meganium, Infernape, and Samurott into their Pokeballs.
"Let's go, Talonflame!", Serena exclaimed. "Race you there, Ash!", and with that, Talonflame once again took off at a speed that even a Ninjask would be jealous at.
"Hey, no fair!", Ash shouted as Charizard frantically took off in pursuit of Serena.
Serena reached the hotel five minutes ahead of Ash, due to the fact that she had gotten a head start on him, and that Talonflame was naturally a much faster Pokemon than Charizard, which Ash made sure to remind her over and over again.
They then proceeded to get ready for the party/dance. Ash had decided to remove his hat, and put on a nice blue dress shirt and brown khaki pants. Of course, being somewhat of a formal event, he had to clean up a little bit, especially being the Kalos champion.
Serena had also removed her hat, and put on a simple black dress. Afterwards, she met up with Bonnie and Clemont, who had also dressed up for the event. The group later met up with Ash, and they all walked to the stadium together.
They had gotten there at around 8:30 pm. By then, the party was in full swing. Ash had gotten many loud cheers from the partygoers as they entered the stadium. Reporters had tried to pull Ash aside for interviews before he entered, but they were held at bay by security. Avicii had gotten on stage and "Levels" was now blaring all over the stadium. Ash, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie had decided to stick together as a group and just have fun, dancing to the music. Korrina, Alexa, and Viola had even joined them for a few minutes on the dance floor, but had to attend to other matters soon after. Clemont had tried to show off one of his lame moves, which got laughs from some girls, although one was smiling at him. Bonnie noticed this and immediately dragged Clemont to the girl against his will, probably to introduce him, leaving Ash and Serena on their own. Even at an event like this, Bonnie wouldn't pass up an opportunity to find Clemont a "significant other". Suddenly, the song "Outside" by Calvin Harris came on, and being a somewhat slow song considering it's a house song, Serena had asked Ash to dance with her. They went to the dance floor, and Ash took Serena's hands and motioned for her to follow his lead.
Serena took this opportunity to ask Ash what had been bothering him, as she probably wouldn't get another opportunity tonight.
"Hey, Ash?", Serena began.
"Yeah, what's up, Serena?", asked Ash.
"Have you been feeling okay lately? You don't seem so upbeat for someone who just became a league champion", the blonde questioned.
Ash thought about what Serena had just said. He had to admit, some part of him just couldn't relish the fact that his dream had finally come true. Its not that he didn't want to be happy, it's just something is preventing him from truly being satisfied.
"Uhmm", Ash thought about his answer for a second. Finally he responded, "I will admit, there is a part of me that doesn't feel truly satisfied with... all of this. Being champion, the glory, the fame. I can't seem to point my finger at the cause. At first, I thought it was because of the thought that I might have to settle down in Kalos, being champion and everything, but it feels deeper than that. Something just feels... empty inside me", Ash repeated his emotions from last night.
While Ash may not have understood, Serena thinks she knows what that empty feeling is, referring back to the scene she witnessed in Ash's room last night, and it involves a certain brunette who seemed very special to the Kalos champion.
"Ash? I have to be honest with you about something. Last night, when you had gone into your room... you didn't close your door all the way, and I saw you... staring at that ribbon again. I may not know exactly all the details, but I can now say I know exactly why you're feeling this way.", Serena then took a deep breath and decided to drop the bombshell there, "I think you miss May, and going deeper than that, I think you're in love with her.", the blonde girl finished.
Ash was left speechless after Serena's words. He just stared at her wide-eyed for a minute. 'In love with May? What is this girl thinking? I am NOT in love with her! What gives her the right to talk about something like that? She doesn't even know May in person!' He finally responded , "W-w-where did t-that come from? W-what are you talking about?" Ash asked nervously.
Serena decided to elaborate further on her claim, "Ash, remember when we had that talk in Laverre City, the night you won against Valerie?"
Ash could only mutter out a faint, "Yes", still partially stunned at what Serena had said earlier.
"Well, that night was really the first time I could tell. The way you were looking at the ribbon, the way you described its significance, and you always tensed up whenever you talked about separating with her... and travelling with that Drew person."
At the mention of Drew, Ash started gripping Serena's hand a little tighter. She had noticed this, of course, and decided to use it against Ash.
"Uhm, Ash? You're squeezing a little too tight...", she said, looking down at her hands.
Ash quickly loosened his grip and muttered "Sorry.".
But when he looked up at Serena, her face only had a sly smirk.
"You see what I'm talking about?", she smiled.
Ash was pretty red at this point. "Y-you don't know what you're talking about. I'm not in love with her. We're just good friends!", Ash defended.
"Uh huh, whatever you say, Ash. But you've got to admit, you definitely talked about your 'friend' in a very intimate way that night, wouldn't you say? Would you be able to describe your relationship with me, or say, Misty, or Dawn like that?", she referred to his other former female travelling companions.
Ash thought about it for a minute. He knew he was being backed against the wall. The Terracotta ribbon was one of the few items he had always kept on him, and he knew it bore more significance to him than any other possession he had, but of course, in the moment he didn't want Serena to know that, as it would just lead to further teasing.
The silence was enough for Serena to confirm, "That's what I thought.".
As Ash was getting redder and redder, he was saved from his dilemma by the former Kalos Champion.
"Hello, Ash.", Diantha greeted. "How are you feeling?"
"Good, I guess. This is a great party you put on for everyone in the Kalos conference.", Ash responded, letting go of Serena to converse with the gray haired woman.
"Yes, everyone seems to be enjoying it, even your gym leader friend over there.", she pointed at Clemont, who was awkwardly dancing with a blonde girl, under the watchful eye of Bonnie. Ash just chuckled at the sight.
"Well then", Diantha continued, getting down to business, "I hope you thought about what I suggested last night. I still strongly believe that it would be in your best interests if you stayed in Kalos and put a halt to your travels indefinitely."
Ash had thought about what to tell Diantha beforehand, "Diantha, I was put in the exact same position a few years ago as well, although it was on a smaller scale. Scott, the head of the Kanto Battle Frontier had offered me a position to become a Frontier Brain after becoming master of the Battle Frontier. I turned it down because there were still so many new places I had yet to visit, so many new people and Pokemon I had yet to meet, and I didn't want to miss out on any of that. To be quite honest, I still feel the same way today. Even as a champion, I don't think I'm ready to settle down yet. I'm only 17 years old, I know I'll have to stay put eventually, but now is not the time for that.", Ash said with a hint of nervousness in his voice.
Diantha just stared at Ash with an expressionless face, which unnerved Ash. "Diantha, I'm sorry if this wasn't the response that you wanted, but please try to understand. My dream of being a Pokemon master still burns deep within me, and I guess in a way, part of my 10 year old self is still within me. I want to know everything there is to know about the Pokemon world, and see as much of this world as I can.", Ash said determinedly.
They had stood there in awkward silence for a minute or two. Ash didn't know what Diantha was thinking at the time, but she didn't seem too impressed, and now he almost regrets ever opening his mouth to say anything. 'No, that needed to be said. It's important that she knows where my heart is."
Finally, Diantha opened her mouth to to break the silence. Ash had expected the worst, but instead she calmly spoke. "Well, I should've expected that answer from a teenager.", she said with a smile.
Ash was somewhat surprised at her response. "You mean, you're not mad?", Ash was still cautiously asking.
"Ash, why would I be mad at the fact that our 17 year old champion would want to live out his youth? We can't take that away from him. We all knew here at the Elite 4 that you will have to settle down eventually, but we shouldn't have pressured you into adulthood straight away. And ultimately in the end, it is your decision, after all, as you are the champion.", Diantha reassured Ash. However, there was still one matter they had to attend to. "I now understand that it is your wish to continue on your journeys, and we can respect that. However, should the time come when a challenger gets past the Kalos Elite 4 and I, we need a plan in case we need to get a hold of you."
"Oh, I have an easy solution to that!", Ash excitedly said. "Malva is an avid Holocaster user, right? She can just send me holograms whenever a challenger is ready to battle me!", Ash proposed.
"Hmm... I don't see a problem with that. Very well! I will add Malva's Holocaster code to yours now.". After Diantha had done that, she asked Ash one last question. "So Ash, where will you go from here? You definitely hinted that you wanted to keep travelling. I realize you've been to six regions at this point. So what's the next step for you?"
Ash pondered for a minute, finally replying, "To be honest, I'm not sure what I want to do next. I mean, everything has happened so quickly since last night", Ash responded, thinking about becoming champion, his newfound celebrity status in the Kalos region, and the ability to finally harness the power of mega evolution.
Diantha quickly came up with an idea, "If you don't have anything planned, why don't you go back to your home region for a bit? Kalos news does not reach the four eastern regions of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh very quickly, so if being recognized is your main concern, I'm sure you won't be swamped there to the extent that you are here. Plus, you can go visit your friends and family, which is always nice."
Ash gasped mentally. 'Oh man, I've been so busy with everything happening, that I forgot to call everyone! Not even my mom! Only Professor Oak knows about me becoming a Champion!' "Oh no, I guess in all the excitement, I completely forgot to call any of my friends and family after last night!", Ash sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.
"Well, why don't you just surprise everybody? I'm sure they'll appreciate if you told them ahead of time, but a surprise return from the new Kalos champion would be even flashier", Diantha suggested with a smile on her face.
"Hmm... I guess I don't really have much of a choice, do I? Okay, I'll book the next flight back to Viridian City and surprise everyone in Pallet!", Ash finally decided.
"Ash, don't worry about booking a flight. Did you already forget that you are the champion?", Diantha chuckled. "As champion, you get a private jet for you to use whenever you wish for your duration as champion, on top of your base salary of $150,000 per month, before incentives from battles and public appearances you may make in the future."
Ash was fully shocked at what Diantha had just told him, and nearly fainted, only to be stopped by a blonde haired girl in a black dress.
"Ash, are you okay?", Serena waved her hand in front of his face.
"He's just a little surprised, that's all. Well, I'll leave you in Serena's care, Ash. Looks like you'll be in good hands. I'll talk to you again soon.", and with that, Diantha made her leave.
Ash had finally come to his senses after Diantha had left. He still couldn't believe what being a champion came with. He wasn't complaining, but he was definitely still a little overwhelmed.
"So, Ash, what now?", Serena asked. The dance was finally starting to wind down at this point, and Clemont and Bonnie also started to approach them. They all walked out of the stadium, back towards the hotel.
"Well, I'm going to bed, and tomorrow, I'm going to head back to Kanto to visit some friends and my mom. What do you say, guys, you up for it? I really want to introduce the friends that helped me get through the region in which I finally won a league in", Ash proposed.
"Sorry Ash, but Bonnie and I were recently just called back to the Lumiose Gym to do some housekeeping, and to be honest I kind of miss battling competitively.", Clemont said. "We were just accompanying you until the Kalos League finished up, and then we were planning on staying put here in Lumiose City afterwards."
"Fair enough, Clemont. Well, don't worry, as Kalos champion, I will definitely be seeing you and Bonnie often when I eventually settle down in the future. Until then, you better train your hardest, because next time we meet, we're going to have a battle!", Ash said with fire in his eyes.
"Bring it on, Ash! I hope the champion will be able to keep up with a gym leader like me.", Clemont joked. They both shared a laugh.
Bonnie pulled Serena aside. "So, did you tell him?", Bonnie asked with a smirk on her face.
Serena knew immediately what she meant by that. "I already told you, Bonnie, I'm not going to tell him how I feel. After what happened tonight, he's gonna need all the help he's gonna get to land the one he really wants to be with, no matter how stubborn he gets", she finished.
Bonnie sighed in defeat, "Well, I guess I can't really do much to change your mind at this point. I hope you know what you're doing, Serena.", Bonnie said as she walked away from her.
When Clemont and Bonnie finally disappeared from sight, Serena felt a nudge on her arm.
"So, Serena, would you like to come to Kanto with me? I'd really like for you to meet all my friends, my mom, and all my otherPokemon", said the raven-haired boy.
'Okay Ash, as I said, you're gonna need all the help you can get. You're too stubborn to realize your feelings, so I guess I'm gonna have to force them out of you. Plus, with your friends helping me out, there is no way we could fail!'
"Sure, Ash! I'd love to meet all your friends and Pokemon!", Serena said with a smile.
"Great!", Ash said.
They had finally reached the 6th floor of the hotel, where their rooms were.
"Good night, Serena. Get some rest, We'll be leaving pretty early tomorrow", Ash said before closing the door.
"Night, Ash!", Serena called out across the hallway before closing her own door and shutting off her lights.
'Was everything Serena told me true? I can't be falling for her, can I? I mean, we're really close friends, that's it. Even then, we haven't even spoken in a long time, so we might not even be as close as I thought we were anymore. How will she react the next time she sees me? She probably hates me for not being able to keep in touch with her. Besides, she's got... Drew, who knows all about that romance crap. I'm sure they'd work out if they started... d-dating. Me? I'm not sure I even know what love is, so this feeling of emptiness I have can't be love (or lack of). Or can it? Goddamit, Serena, why did you have to complicate my thoughts? I just wanted some sleep, gahh!', the raven-haired boy grumbled before finally falling asleep a few minutes later.
We've finally come to the end of Chapter 3. Damn, this chapter was a big clusterfuck. To be honest, this chapter seemed "all over the place" in my eyes in terms of general plot direction, and at times, I even forgot what I was writing about in the first place (struggles of a n00b writer). Anyways, I'll try to be more straight to the point in future chapters.
Chapter 4 should be up by Sunday at the very latest, and will finally introduce us to some of the characters we all know and love.
Please review! I know I might get harsher reviews for this chapter, but I'm ready for it, so give me your best shot! (Cups hands over manhood "just in case").