A/N:
I likely won't be posting this frequently in the future, but if Chapter 1 was the prologue for our main heroes, then Chapter 2 is the prologue for our heroines. I had to follow it up quickly so we get a good idea as to where our main four protagonists stand.
Here's hoping I did them justice!
Calling Kairi miserable wouldn't even begin to describe her grief.
Even a month after Sora's disappearance, the Princess of Heart still felt like her heart had been forcibly ripped out of her chest and ground to a paste. She'd heard of the seven stages of grief in school, but having to live through them was one of the worst experiences of her life.
No. Not one of.
The worst experience of her life.
Kairi felt like she was living through the entire first half of the stages of grief all at the same time. Shock and disbelief. Guilt. Anger. Depression. All were viciously, hideously mixed and intertwined with each other into a swirling vortex of hopelessness. She hadn't realized just how much the spiky-haired boy meant to her until he was gone. Not off in another world slaying Heartless. Not fighting Organization XIII. Not even wandering the lanes in between with Donald and Goofy.
Gone.
"Kairi."
To their credit, her friends were trying their best to cheer her up and rescue Sora. Master Yen Sid and Ansem the Wise were proving invaluable in the latter regard as they poured through ancient manuscripts and various bits of research to find some way to bring back their missing Guardian of Light. They were making some progress, at least. They'd deduced that he was likely banished to another worldline, whatever that meant, and that he was probably still alive. However, no one had any inkling as to how to get him back to this reality. Until such a time, there was no way of guaranteeing that Sora would come back at all.
As much as she hated to admit it, it almost would have been easier to deal with if he was truly dead.
"Kairi."
At least then she might - somewhere down the line - move on and find some closure, but no. Fate, for whatever light-forsaken reason, decided to separate Kairi from Sora in the cruelest way possible. He literally no longer existed in her reality, yet was still alive somehow with no degree of certainty that she would ever see him again. It was like seeing the faint outline of a star in an otherwise star-less sky while stranded on an island, knowing that it's out there but completely unable to reach it.
That was so much worse.
"KAIRI!"
She snapped wide awake, hearing someone call out to her, and only then realizing where she was. She was sitting on the Twilight Town clock tower. On her right was Axel, Roxas, and Xion. Further down were Hayner, Pence, and Olette. On her left was Riku and Namine, the former having done the shouting to snap the redhead back to reality. She felt the front of her shirt and skirt wet for some reason. She looked down to see that the sea salt ice cream bar she'd been given had all but melted all over her clothes. She hadn't even taken a bite out of it yet. Gone before she could truly appreciate it.
Ironic.
"Huh?" Kairi asked as she turned to face Riku.
"I was going to say you should probably eat that before it melts, but too late now." Riku said, a frown crossing his features as he gestured towards the empty popsicle stick firmly grasped in her hand.
"Sorry guys." Kairi said regretfully. "What were we talking about?"
"Doesn't matter." Axel said, shaking his head. "We'll find him, little Red, so stop worrying."
"Y-yeah, I know." Kairi said, her eyes already beginning to water. She quickly brushed them away and put on a pained smile. "Thanks."
"Eh, don't mention it." Axel said casually, waving it off. Typical Axel, trying to act all cool. She still caught the sympathetic smile he gave just now, though. "You can thank me when we get him back."
Kairi felt a hand gently rest on her left shoulder. She turned to see Namine had gotten up from her seat and was looking at Kairi with a look that almost mirrored her own. "Come on, let's get you into a fresh pair of clothes."
Kairi solemnly nodded, getting up from her seat. She grimaced, as she could already feel the wet ice cream sticking to her skin. She took a second to look back and saw Xion and Olette following, each looking just as sympathetic as the others as their eyes met hers. Xion quickly took the lead, bringing the four girls to the apartment she shared with Axel, Roxas, and Isa. After Kairi took a quick shower, Xion provided her with a change of clothes. Now the quartet were sitting in the living room, waiting for the guys to join them.
"So Namine…" Olette said, breaking the awkward silence that hung in the air. "How are things going with you and Riku?"
Namine instantly turned tomato-red, much to Kairi's delight. Now this was a conversation she was looking forward to having. Honestly, she needed a little distraction from her constant worrying over Sora.
"W-we're doing j-just fine, thanks!" Her Nobody stammered in reply.
"Why do you sound so nervous?" Xion asked genuinely. "Everything looked fine between you two when Roxas and I saw you the other day at Radiant Garden. You know, when you two were - "
"XION!" Namine practically screamed, her crimson flush somehow becoming more and more red by the second. "Stop talking!"
Kairi giggled before she let out a content sigh. She was happy for her, and for Riku. Light knows both of them have gone through some of the worst of it, so they deserve a little happiness. Kairi was honestly kind of glad Riku wasn't still holding onto any feeling for herself that might have been leftover from their childhood. She may have been a child then, but she had her suspicions when it came to her two male best friends and the little "contests" they used to have between each other. The ones that suspiciously didn't have a prize worth mentioning.
Oh, she knew who the prize was.
"Alright, alright." Kairi said, giving a placating gesture with her hands. "Let's stop teasing Namine about her boyfriend. Poor girl's going to explode at this rate."
Namine let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Kairi."
Kairi arched an eyebrow. So she wasn't denying that Riku was her boyfriend now, huh? Kairi stored that little tidbit of information away for later teasing. She giggled. "No problem, Namine."
That seemed to break the tension at least a little, as the girls spent the next fifteen minutes chatting amongst themselves. Most of it was idle chatter, talking about some of the worlds they'd been to, the kind of food they'd had, and even what places they'd want to visit in the future. A few times, the conversation derailed when they'd talk about Roxas and Xion, or about Namine and Riku. Even Olette wasn't spared from any teasing when everyone was asking about where she stood with Hayner and Pence. Nobody said a word though, each of the three girls adamant about staying silent on the matter of their respective relationships, real or otherwise.
Ironically, the only one who would have come clean about her relationship was the one who couldn't have one.
Almost as if to head off that depressive train of thought, Kairi's gummi phone suddenly rang. At the same time, the guys all walked in and sat themselves down. Kairi answered the phone only to find the faces of Donald and Goofy staring right back at her.
They were a little too close to the phone, actually. The camera was starting to fog up.
"Hey Donald! Goofy!" Kairi greeted them, a warm smile on her face. Some of those around her stopped their conversations and leaned in a little, curious to see what the duck and the dog were calling about. "How are you guys doing?"
"Ah-hyuck! Heya there Kairi!" Goofy said, waving at the camera as he backed up a little. "We're doing just fine. How are you?"
"I'm…" Kairi hesitated, her smile faltering just a little. "I'm hanging in there."
"Aww…" Donald said with that characteristic rasp in his voice, his own smile drooping just a little as well. "I know, Kairi. We'll find him soon. That's actually why we're calling!"
"Really?!" Kairi said, her voice noticeably going up an octave or two in excitement. "Has anything happened? What did you find out? What do we need to do?"
"Whoa, whoa." Riku said as he came up from behind her. "Slow down a little. Go on, guys. What's new?"
"Well, we were talking with Master Yen Sid and he wants to talk to you two." Goofy explained, all the while slowly nodding his head. "He and Ansem the Wise might have an idea on how to find out where Sora is."
"Really? That's great!" Riku said, his normally stoic demeanor cracking a little to show a hint of joy underneath.
"He wants you to bring Roxas and Xion with you. Namine too." Donald continued.
"Well what are we waiting for?" Roxas asked, springing out of his seat. "Let's go!"
Xion stood up, a little more calmly than Roxas. She turned to Axel, Olette, Hayner, and Pence. "Sorry guys, we'll be back later. Tomorrow, probably. Axel, try not to bore them too much."
"Hey!" Axel cried out. "I happen to be a fantastic host. Got it memorized?"
Kairi chuckled to herself, still amused by Axel's trademark catchphrase. She stood up and joined Riku and Namine at the door. Xion and Roxas were soon to follow. They all waved goodbye to the others who were still lounging in the living room before walking out the door. Once again, they found themselves in the scenic alleyways of Twilight Town.
"I've got the gummi ship parked out in the forest. I'll drive." Riku said, leading the quintet towards the outskirts of town.
As they walked towards the forest, Kairi took one last look at the sunset sky that gave Twilight Town its name. It was beautiful, painting the scenic town in warm pastels and bathing the sky in equally welcoming shades of orange. Making sure no one else would hear her, Kairi placed a hand over her heart and looked up at the sky.
"I'll come back to you."
Serena was running late.
Not fashionably late. Late-late.
She was supposed to be at one of her favorite cafes here in Lumiose City, meeting with some old friends. They were here visiting Kalos for the first time and wanted to try their hand at performing in the showcases. Serena, being a runner-up during her debut year, was automatically their first choice to turn to for advice on showcases. Serena was only happy to oblige.
After all, they'd shown her the same treatment in the past when it came to Pokemon Contests. It was only fair that she returned the favor.
That was the plan, at least, until Serena made the mistake of appearing in public without her disguise.
Big mistake.
Apparently her three year-old title of "Kalos Princess" was still being thrown around, and her success in Pokemon Contests in neighboring regions had only compounded the issue of her fame. Naturally, when Serena left the hotel she was staying at and stepped outside without the safety of her sunglasses, she was immediately recognized and any paparazzi within a two mile radius came running.
Even three years of age and maturity weren't enough to keep her unrecognizable by the media nowadays, it seemed. In the years since her adventures in Kalos, Serena had matured into a beautiful young woman, her physical features having filled out with age and giving her a moderately curvy, yet still slim physique. She hadn't grown all that much in that time, now only measuring about five feet, six inches. She also still wore her hair relatively short, now keeping its length maybe an inch or two longer than it had been during the latter half of her Kalos adventure.
She'd long abandoned the vibrant pink fedora in favor of a light pink wide-brimmed hat, complete with a yellow ribbon tied to the base of its crown. She sported a thin red jacket that was clearly designed more with fashion in mind than actual insulation. Underneath her jacket she wore a white blouse, the neckline of which was topped off with her most treasured possession: a slightly faded blue ribbon gifted to her long ago by one Ash Ketchum. Completing the outfit was a pink skirt, black stockings, and brown boots.
None of that seemed to matter, though, given how instantly she'd been recognized.
It was only through the timely intervention of a familiar young blonde trainer named Bonnie that Serena had managed to escape. All it took, actually, was the young trainer to "spot" Aria just a few blocks down for everyone pursuing her to immediately abandon the chase and go running off to see the Kalos Queen herself.
Once Serena finally achieved her goal of becoming Kalos Queen - and she still very much wanted to - that was one aspect of the title that she was not looking forward to.
Bonnie's distraction afforded Serena the opportunity to duck into a nearby alleyway and finish donning her disguise, simple as it might be. She turned to the young blonde who she regarded as a little sister and smiled.
In the three years since she'd seen her, Bonnie had definitely grown. Where previously she had only come up to Serena's elbow, the Lumiose native now came up to Serena's shoulder. Her features had naturally elongated, as what was normal for someone of her age. Surprisingly, her vibrant platinum blonde hair had darkened somewhat, giving her a darker shade of yellow throughout her now-longer hair that reached the small of her back. She still sported that side-tail of hair on the left side of her head, but now it was noticeably longer and was tucked behind her ear.
Her attire itself had changed as well, as she was now wearing a loose shirt split towards the bottom which was the same color as her faithful companion Dedenne. Underneath was just a glimpse of a beige undershirt which was adorned near the neckline with a green bow. She sported a green skirt and shorts underneath and was now wearing orange sneakers, which Serena noted was much more suited for long-distance travel compared to her previous footwear.
"Bonnie!" Serena cried out happily, now taking the opportunity to embrace her surrogate little sister. "It's been so long! How have you been?!"
Bonnie wheezed as Serena almost crushed her in her Bewear-like hug. Dedenne quickly scampered up onto the top of the blonde's head to avoid getting caught in the middle. Once Serena released her vice-like grip on the young trainer, Bonnie smiled. "Doing great! Dedenne and I have been busy since you've been gone!"
Serena giggled. "I heard you've been making the rounds in both the battling and performing scenes! Top 8 in the Lumiose Conference and top 4 in the Masterclass? Impressive!"
"I just couldn't choose after our adventure across Kalos!" Bonnie exclaimed, giving a toothy smile. "Between you and Ash, I just knew I had to try my hand at both!"
Serena smiled gently upon hearing the name of her childhood crush. "Speaking of, I'm surprised you haven't made your way over to Alola to challenge him yet."
Bonnie shook her head and smiled. "Nah, I know I'm not ready to face him yet, at least not officially. When I do face him, I wanna give him the battle of a lifetime!"
Serena laughed. Ash had certainly rubbed off on the young trainer. She even had her fist up in determination, just like he was so prone to do. "You'll have to let me know when that happens. I want to see it!"
"You got it!" Bonnie exclaimed, her eyes full of fire. She lowered her fist as her posture relaxed. "So what are you up to, Serena? What brings you back to Kalos?"
Serena waved for Bonnie to follow as she walked down the street in the direction of the aforementioned cafe. "I'm meeting with some Coordinator friends, actually. I would've been there already if it weren't for the paparazzi. Thanks for that, by the way. You're welcome to join us! I'm sure they'd love to meet you!"
"Sure!" Bonnie said with a smile. "I've been thinking of trying Contests at some point since it's kind of a mix between performing and battling, so maybe I could pick up some tips from them! And from you too, of course."
Serena laughed and shot her surrogate sister a wink. "Of course, Bonnie. I'm always available for advice. Now come on, we're running late."
Free from the looming presence of the paparazzi, the two Kalosians quickly made their way over to the cafe Serena mentioned. It was a quaint little cafe, complete with outdoor seating and frilly embellishments, as was standard for the overall style of Kalosian architecture. Upon entering, Serena immediately spotted where her friends were seated and rushed over.
"I am so sorry!" Serena frantically apologized as soon as she reached the table. "I sort of, uhh, got swarmed by the press as soon as I left my hotel."
The two women at the table laughed, only smiling once their laughter had subsided. The brunette was the first to answer. "No problem, Serena. It's not like we were bored waiting for you. Who's your friend?"
"Oh, right!" Serena exclaimed, only now remembering that she'd abruptly brought a plus-one with her. "May, Dawn, this is Bonnie. She's Clemont's younger sister; she traveled with Ash and I when I first started my journey as a trainer."
She glanced downward and saw Bonnie shaking with what looked like excitement. She placed a hand on the young trainer's shoulder and gave her a quick shake of the head. She knew exactly what was going through Bonnie's mind. Apparently the younger Lumiose sibling was still trying to find suitors for her genius of an older brother. Bonnie seemed to catch onto Serena's silent warning and she visibly calmed down.
Dawn smiled as she looked over at Bonnie. "Any friend of Serena and Ash is a friend of mine. Nice to meet you, Bonnie! This is my partner Piplup."
"Lup!" Piplup called out as it crawled up onto Dawn's lap. He gave a wave with his flipper in greeting.
"So cute! Nice to meet you both too!" Bonnie exclaimed, donning yet another cheery smile. "This is my partner Dedenne!"
"Denne!" The antenna pokemon cried out in greeting.
"Hi Bonnie!" May greeted with a smile and a wave. "It's nice to meet you. Ash told us a little bit about you, so it's nice to meet you in person!"
Serena felt a twang of guilt in her heart. Regrettably, she hadn't had much contact with Ash over the years. Sure, they'd exchange text messages every so often but it felt like they'd drifted apart as friends since both were so busy. She couldn't exactly fault him for the lack of contact; surely he was busy with business as Champion of Alola. For her part, she'd been hesitant ever since their rather memorable goodbye those many years ago. She didn't want to come off as clingy or desperate.
"Nice to meet you too!" Bonnie returned, shifting her gaze over to May.
"Well, don't just stand there, take a seat!" Dawn said, gesturing towards the empty chairs.
The two Kalosians quickly took their seats. Over the next half hour, the four ladies chatted like old friends, with Bonnie fitting right in. Some of the conversation consisted of some reminiscing of shared adventures, with the occasional reference to some particularly hairy situations involving Ash. It seemed that was something all four of them had in common when it came to their journeys with him; trouble seemed to follow that boy no matter who he traveled with. Much to her chagrin, Serena could feel Bonnie's eyes suggestively glance her way any time Ash was mentioned.
Arceus above, that girl was still adamant on getting Serena and Ash together. Not that she really minded the idea, of course, but it was still embarrassing nevertheless.
The conversation shifted over to Dawn and May's upcoming journey through Kalos, both coordinators looking to try their hand at performing for a change. Serena, and to a lesser extent Bonnie, were more than happy to provide tips and advice for the novice performers, including recommended techniques, strategies, and how best to navigate the region when traveling between showcases.
Just as the conversation was starting to shift over towards contests, Serena's Holo Caster rang. Not exactly expecting a call, Serena curiously glanced at who could possibly be calling her. Due to her fame, she'd made it a point to keep her private contact information… well, private.
Her eyes widened as she read who the caller was. She looked up at the three women at the table, whose attention was now on her. "It's Palermo…"
"Palermo?" May asked. "Isn't she a pretty big figure in the performance world?"
"Yeah, she is." Serena responded hesitantly. It had been quite some time since she'd spoken with the reputed matriarch of Pokemon performances. "I wonder what she's calling for…"
"Go ahead and answer it, Serena." Dawn said, gesturing towards the Holo Caster. "We can wait. Must be important if she's calling you directly like this."
Serena nodded before answering. An image of Palermo was projected on the device. Serena counted herself lucky that the four of them were currently seated in a relatively secluded booth; something like this would undoubtedly draw unnecessary attention their way if anyone recognized Palermo's likeness on the device.
"Hello, Serena." Palermo's image eloquently greeted her. "How are you?"
"I'm doing well, thank you." Serena answered, her tone taking a noticeable turn as she formally addressed her elder and mentor. "How are you?"
"Much the same." Palermo responded cordially. There was a pause as she seemed to be carefully considering her words, or critiquing Serena in some fashion silently.
Serena wasn't quite sure which it was, or which was worse.
"I suppose you're wondering why I'm calling so suddenly." The woman continued, her ever-critical eye slowly studying Serena's features.
"Just a little." Serena said with a nervous chuckle. "Not that it's unwelcome, though! Just unexpected is all."
Palermo gave a faint smile. "You can relax, it's nothing bad. At least not regarding you."
The phrasing on that struck Serena as odd, but the performer wasn't about to pry for more information when Palermo clearly wasn't done speaking. Her mentor paused, her eyes darting back and forth, almost as if she was now observing Serena's surroundings.
"My apologies, dear. It occurs to me that I may have caught you at a bad time." She stated. It was clear she wasn't actually apologizing, but rather making a blunt observation.
"It's no problem." Serena said with an apologetic smile. "I'm just with some friends. You may have heard of them, perhaps: May Maple and Dawn Berlitz. I'm also here with Bonnie Ferrand."
"Oh." Palermo said, who seemed genuinely surprised given her arched eyebrow. "It seems I've caught you at a good time instead. This might interest them as well, since both of them are renowned Coordinators. Bonnie made quite the first impression last year as well during the Masterclass."
The three other girls leaned forward, taking Palermo's compliments to mean that they could be included in the conversation.
"The PCC has been contacted by the League with a rather… interesting… request." Palermo started, her words clearly having been chosen carefully and diplomatically. "They wish for our cooperation with what they're calling a philanthropic mission."
"Philanthropic mission?" Dawn asked. "What do you mean, Mrs. Palermo?"
Palermo sighed, which was something Serena was not accustomed to hearing come from the woman's mouth. "They want to extend a hand of friendship to the region of Orre. And you can just call me 'Palermo', dear."
Bonnie tilted her head in confusion. "Orre? Where's that?"
"Orre is a desert region located just northwest of Johto." Palermo explained. "Frankly, it's a desert wasteland and the people who live there are a rather unsavory bunch. Most of their cities and towns are rumored to resemble shantytowns rather than actual settlements. It's not a very pleasant place, with the only exception being Phenac City, which is the unofficial capital city of the region."
"Doesn't sound like a nice place to visit." May muttered.
"You would be correct, Miss Maple." Palermo responded, catching the brunette coordinator off-guard. "However, the League is convinced that we can help the people that live there through this philanthropic mission. To that end, they want the PCC's help."
"I suppose it makes some sense." Serena said, cupping her chin in thought. "The PCC prides itself on being able to bring entertainment and smiles to everyone, so if Orre is as poor and desolate as you say, they could certainly benefit from performers or coordinators."
"They're asking for the PCC to send one or two representatives to assist their ambassador in their mission." Palermo continued, but not before nodding at Serena's observation. "They've also contacted the PMA for a medical representative as well, to that effect."
"Ambassador?" Serena asked. "I wasn't aware such a position existed."
Palermo gave a faint smirk. "That's because it doesn't. Not officially, at least. A more apt title for the person they're sending would be 'Champion'."
Serena's eyebrows, as well as those of the girls around her, shot up in interest. The League was sending one of their Champions for this mission? Just what was so important about Orre that required the presence of a Champion? Bringing in someone like that meant enlisting some heavy firepower. Was Orre that dangerous? Better yet, who exactly were they sending?
"They're sending a Champion?!" May practically cried out before she quickly slapped a hand over her mouth. After a moment, she lowered her hand and her voice. "Who exactly are they sending? That's some serious muscle for a philanthropic mission."
Palermo smiled, again catching Serena off guard. Apparently this was something that was amusing to the woman, though Serena couldn't imagine why. "I believe you may all be familiar with this particular Champion, actually. He's one of two bi-regional Champions, so he's certainly more than capable."
Serena's mind raced. There were two bi-regional Champions? The only one she was aware of was Lance, who was the Champion of both the Kanto and Johto regions. She mentally went through a checklist in her head.
Steven was the Champion of Hoenn, May's home region. May had mentioned she knew the Champion personally, but never had she said anything about him holding the position in two regions at the same time.
Cynthia was the Champion of Sinnoh, for a number of years, actually. Dawn had also mentioned knowing Cynthia but, like May, never said anything about Cynthia being a bi-regional Champion.
Ash's friend Iris was the Champion of Unova, and while Serena had never met the Dragon-type specialist herself, she was pretty sure Ash would have mentioned her being a bi-regional Champion if she was one.
Ash himself was Champion of Alola. Serena had even watched him win the title on television, live, so there was no doubt there. It was a moment of pride and joy for her, especially, watching the boy she cared for so much achieve his dream. That said, why would he compete in the first ever Alola League Conference if he was already a Champion? It didn't make sense to her.
Leon was Champion of Galar, a relatively new region in the sense that they'd only recently joined the Pokemon League. Being so new to the team, so to speak, it was highly unlikely that Leon was Champion of two regions at once.
Serena blinked.
Ash was really well connected to some major figures in the world.
"Are they sending Lance?" Dawn asked, bringing Serena back to reality. "Between him being Champion and a member of the G-men, I would think he wouldn't have time to play diplomat."
"You'd be correct, Miss Berlitz." Palermo responded before her gaze focused on Serena once more. Her smile never faltered as she addressed the Kalos Princess. "They're sending Ash Ketchum."
Serena felt her heart skip a beat, both out of excitement and concern. Why was Ash the one going to Orre? If Orre was as dangerous as Palermo was making it out to be, Serena didn't want her friend and childhood crush anywhere near there. At the same time, though, she knew Ash was a capable man who'd faced down more than enough world-ending calamities for one lifetime.
She also realized that if she were chosen, Serena could join Ash for another adventure, albeit one in a less-than-reputable region like Orre. It was still at least a little exciting, though.
"Ash?!" Bonnie almost shouted, momentarily dislodging Dedenne from his perch atop her head. "He's Champion of two regions?!"
"Yes and no." Palermo explained. "Along with Alola, he's apparently also the Champion of the Orange Islands. It's a minor league, but a member of the League nonetheless."
Just when Serena thought Ash couldn't be any more impressive, he was Champion of two regions.
Wow.
"In any case…" Palermo said in an obvious attempt to retake control of the conversation. "They want one or two representatives from the PCC to go with him. Since I already have you four on the call here, I'll present you with the offer first. Do not feel any obligation to accept this request; there are plenty more capable performers and coordinators that the PCC can call upon."
The table was silent as all four girls started to think over the choice presented to them. Serena wasn't sure if May or Dawn would be willing to put a stop to their Kalos adventure so soon after arriving. Bonnie was a wild card; she was still a relatively new trainer so that sense of wanderlust and adventure might drive her towards accepting the offer, but it was also just as likely that she would prefer to go to a region that was comparatively safer.
For her part, Serena wasn't quite sure. She'd love the opportunity to see and travel with Ash again, but a part of her couldn't help but feel apprehensive about the nature of this mission. This wasn't like Team Flare, where their little family was thrust into danger and had to react to any obstacle thrown at them. If Orre truly was dangerous, Ash was willingly diving into it.
Then again, that was typical Ash.
"I'll give you girls the rest of the day to think it over." Palermo concluded, having seen the hesitation and deep thinking between the four girls. "Let me know as soon as you reach a decision."
With that, Palermo ended the call, leaving the four friends sitting in deep, contemplative silence.
"So we know Serena's going." Dawn said with a surprisingly serious face. "Who's going with her?"
"W-wait, what?!" Serena blurted out, her face tinged pink in embarrassment. "What makes you think I'm going?"
"Girl, we know you." Dawn said, shooting the Kalosian a mischievous smirk that rivaled Bonnie's. "It's obvious you're still holding out for a chance with Ash, even now. You always blush whenever he's even mentioned. You also made the mistake of telling us about that kiss of yours."
"Can't really say I blame her much." May added with a shrug. "He's always been a good guy, but now? I ran into him last year and let me tell you, he is fine. You can tell he trains with his Pokemon on a regular basis."
"May!" Dawn gasped with a smirk, half-heartedly smacking her friend on the arm. "What would Drew say if he heard something like that from you?"
While May attempted to play off the compliment like it was no big deal, Bonnie was outright laughing. Serena, for her part, could feel her face flushing with warmth. May wasn't wrong, per se, but that wasn't what initially made Ash so attractive in Serena's eyes. It was his character, his unwillingness to give up in the face of certain defeat. His constant support for everyone he met, especially his friends. That overwhelming optimism and positivity.
His handsome features were just icing on the cake, really.
She shook her head, desperately trying to rid herself of those thoughts. "What makes you all so sure I'll volunteer to go?"
May cocked an eyebrow. "So you're saying you're willing to let the man you love go off into a brand new region, one that's already rumored to be dangerous, alone?"
Serena opened her mouth but couldn't find anything to say. They were right.
She'd been beat.
"You're right." She sighed before she smiled and a look of fierce, fiery resolve took hold. "There's no way I'm letting him go out there by himself. I've grown stronger since I last saw him. Strong enough where I can help keep him safe and do my job as a performer and coordinator out there at the same time. I can do this."
"That's the spirit!" Dawn exclaimed, raising her fist with determination.
"I wanna go with!" Bonnie cried out, surprising everyone at the table.
"Uhh…" May stammered, casting wary glances at Serena and Dawn. "... is that a good idea, Bonnie? You've only been a trainer for a couple of years…"
"Sure, but I'll be with Ash and Serena!" Bonnie said with confidence. "If a bi-regional Champion and Kalos Princess can't keep me safe, who can? Plus, I want the opportunity to learn from Ash firsthand! Yeah, I learned a lot during our first adventure, but imagine the kinds of things he can teach me now that he's a Champion!"
Serena blinked. As much as she hated to admit it, the Lumiose native had a point. Ash was one of the only people on the planet with the kind of skill and firepower that would keep Bonnie safe in the face of most threats. While Serena wasn't anywhere near Ash's level, then or now, she'd grown as a battler through contests such that she could provide support in a pinch.
"You would be able to learn a lot from him." May mused, cupping her chin in thought. "He certainly taught me a lot during my time with him, and he wasn't a Champion yet. At least I think so. When the hell did he become Champion of the Orange Islands?"
"Who knows?" Dawn asked with a shrug, clearly paying little mind to this new information. "If you're going with her, Bonnie, that works for me. I've been itching to try my hand at performances."
"Same!" May exclaimed excitedly. Then, out of nowhere, she narrowed her eyes and looked towards her blue-haired friend. "I suppose that makes us rivals again, huh?"
"You're on!" Dawn retorted, a similar look of determination etched on her face.
Serena smiled. It would be just like the good old days when she, Bonnie, Clemont, and Ash explored her home region and made so many memories. While it was unlikely that Clemont would be joining them - he had Gym leader duties to attend to, after all - it would be nice to get most of the gang back together. Then there was the matter of whoever the PMA was sending as well; Serena silently hoped that they would at least be friendly enough to get along with their soon-to-be-reunited group. It would be nice to make more friends on another adventure.
There was, however, one matter to attend to before the girls could give Palermo their answer. Serena turned towards Bonnie as a smirk crossed her face.
"Shall we go see your brother?" She began, knowing full well how her surrogate sister would react. "I'm sure he'd be ecstatic to learn that his 12 year-old sister is going off to explore Orre."
Bonnie's eyes grew wide and her complexion noticeably paled.
"He's not going to like this, is he?"
Serena shrugged but couldn't hold back a mischievous smile of her own. "Probably not."
As Bonnie grumbled and Dawn and May began their new rivalry, Serena found herself tuning them out. This new adventure was sure to be exciting, albeit fraught with peril, but surprisingly she found herself looking forward to it. Somehow, she knew she'd now have much more freedom this time around. There was no Masterclass Showcase to hurriedly prepare for, no Grand Festival looming over her head, and no League Conference to push Ash (and Bonnie) along. Instead, she had an entire region to explore and experience with her surrogate sister, not to mention the man she still found herself head over heels in love with, and all the time in the world to do it in. She would undoubtedly have to submit reports every now and then, but this felt like more of a vacation than a mission. Probably not the best of locales, but she was not one to look a gift Ponyta in the mouth. A smile found its way to her lips.
She just knew this adventure would change everything.