Hi! Thank you for all of your lovely follows and favorites and review :)
So if you were familiar with the old story, here is were I completely changed course, but I promise it was all for the better.
Anyway, in this next chapter we learn more about Serena. Be patient for explanations though. I'm really trying to follow the characters, meaning as things are revealed to them, things will be revealed to you, lovely readers. People have complicated emotional complexes, and it's hard to always understand what it is we feel. Most of these characters are going through that, especially in light of the traumatic event that is losing a brother, best friend, or lover. So be patient and see if you can figure out somethings for yourself. It more fun for me and for you to discover than to simply be told ;) Anyway, enjoy and please review or follow!
Full Story Summary:
Ash is the world's most powerful Pokemon Master, but at a price. After years of annihilating his opponents, the bargain he's made for his power is catching up to him and he disappears, changed. Five years goes by and old friends continue to search for the boy they knew, but they find a man twisted and dark and possessed with a strange power that has tainted his heart as well as his pokemon. Meanwhile, Serena has been healing the pieces of her heart that were shattered by Ash's betrayal, but soon she realizes she's needed to help find Ash and bring him home before his soul is lost forever.
Chapter 2
Serena woke up that morning with a nervous stomach. There something unsettling about today, something she hadn't felt in a long time and wondered if the feeling was caused by the occasion.
Today was the Glorio Master Showcase, but Serena wasn't worried about whether or not she'd keep the title of Kalos Queen for the 3rd year in a row. Instead, it was the passing of another year that distressed her. Another long year had come and gone.
Serena looked around her master bedroom. It was a chamber within the Glorio city castle; adorned in red velvets, gold tapestries, crystal accents, and a view overlooking the sea. On a luxurious little mattress near one corner of the room, Sylveon and Pikachu slept, and the rodent snored like the boy she once knew. It hurt, but Serena managed a smiled towards the two, and she fell back on to her pillow, reluctant to push through the nausea that had begun to well up within her.
Perhaps three years of this luxury was enough, Serena contemplated, her eyes tracing the gold vines weaving themselves throughout the white ceiling. She possessed what many girls dreamed of; the title, the fame, the wealth.
None of it healed.
She was not the girl she used to be. It took her a while to realize that nothing could get that girl back.
"Oohh, Serena!" exclaimed Bonnie as she burst forth in to the bedroom, followed by Bella, the queen's personal attendant, who ran in with a panic.
"I'm sorry, my lady," Bella exclaimed, her plump form bent over to pant, "but it appears as though you have a rather insolent visitor. I can remove her at once if you need to get changed,"
"Bonnie! Oh my goodness," Serena cried and laughed as a twelve-year old Bonnie rushed up to jump on the bed, embracing her long-time friend. "I'm so happy you could come! You didn't tell me you were coming this year!"
"Well I thought I wasn't going to make it, but we were forced to take a detour! And I missed you!" Bonnie hugged Serena even tighter, and began spewing out all sorts of stories from her new travels in becoming a Pokemon trainer. She told her about all the Pokemon she caught, updated her about Dedenne, and chattered about some of the latest fashion shows going on around the region.
"Oh, but it is so good to see you," Bonnie sighed and threw her head on to Serena's pillow, "traveling is so hard sometimes. Even though I have Kaleb and my Pokemon keeping me company, it's still hard not to feel lonely at times, you know?"
Serena gave a small smile and took Bonnie's hand to give her comforting squeeze.
"My lady?"
"Oh!" Serena jumped, having forgotten that Bella was there, "It's alright, she can stay with me while I get ready."
Bella straightened out her uniform, and gave a solemn nod. "Very well. I'll have breakfast sent up right away."
"I forget about the hard a life you lead," Bonnie teased after the head mistress had left.
Serena threw a large pillow towards the young trainer, hitting her right in the face, and she jumped off the bed before Bonnie could retaliate. The two began to throw cushions at each other, and one managed to smack Pikachu and Sylveon sleeping in the corner.
Pikachu jumped up in shock. His red cheeks buzzed with static until he saw Bonnie and ran to her with a squeal.
"Oh, of course I've missed you too, Pikachu," Bonnie cooed, showering the tiny Pokemon with little kisses.
Serena watched Pikachu cheer, beginning to chase Bonnie around the room as a loose game of tag ensued between the two. Serena felt Sylveon come up and wrap one of its ribbons around her. She smiled down at her companion, both sharing in the comfort they received at the sight of Pikachu's good mood. These moments were rare. Most days, Pikachu wore his loss like a heavy grey cape, dragging it behind him wherever he went, and Serena could feel the sadness in her arms whenever she held him. And Pikachu would always crawl up to her, because she was the only one who understood.
As Serena moved towards the polished vanity across the room, Bonnie went over to the thick curtains and dramatically threw them aside.
"Oh!" she exclaimed as the light burst forth in glorious day, illuminating the gold and crystals all about the room. "I live for this view! I should just come and stay with you, Serena. I could stare at this ocean forever."
Serena looked over her shoulder as she brushed her hair and watched Bonnie open the glass doors to move onto the balcony. The salt-ridden breeze entered the room with a refreshing haste to rid the stiff air from the corners. Serena closed her eyes, and for a moment, let the wind consume her. She didn't have to peek out the balcony to know what the day looked like, as she had lived and stared through many of them before.
The sun was at its brightest. No cloud stood to hinder the rays bouncing off the old city's stone streets and buildings. The rock gleamed white against the shores, which crashed with water more clear than the windows of this castle. During this season, Wailords and Lapras could be seen in the horizon, returning from the south along the spring currents, feeding on the seaweed regrown upon their absence.
The people down below on the streets, dressed in purple, pinks, oranges, and yellows. They reflected the attitude of the showcases, upon which the city established its renown. The season brought vendors hulling all sorts of ripe and vibrant berries stacked upon a wooden cart or wheelbarrow. The children and Pokemon begged with their eyes to taste one, and feel the sweet juices on their tongues. And if Hal, one of the more popular vendors, was in a good mood, he'd give out a dozen free samples to anyone who asked through just a glance.
Serena opened her eyes and watched Bonnie through the reflection of her vanity.
"Haha! I see Kaleb down by the gate!" Bonnie giggled and shouted down to her traveling companion, but they were probably too high up for him to hear.
Just then, Bella wheeled in breakfast for the two. She placed both covered dishes upon a small dining table that sat before a large fireplace built in to the right side of the room.
"Alright, breakfast is served," Bella announced, then checking her pocket-watch with concern, "Serena, you are already behind schedule. Palermo expects you to downstairs in the ballroom in an hour for the meet-and-greet! Oh, and your Pokemon still need to be groomed-and have you tried on the dress for the ball tonight?! How are we supposed to know if it's to be hemmed!?"
Serena bit her lip to suppress her amusement. Bella always seemed to bear the weight of everyone's troubles, though it was her nature to be a mother to everyone.
"Yes, yes, of course," Serena rolled her eyes and floated over to her attendant, giving the old woman an affectionate kiss on the cheek, "don't worry about a thing."
"Every year you say that, and every year I'm practically driven to tears by your shenanigans," Bella huffed and wiped her forehead with a handkerchief. The head mistress spotted Bonnie on the balcony, and she called the young girl over. "You there! Make yourself useful, and help Serena with this hair! Heavens know she she too much of it. Perhaps we should chop it off again-,"
Serena shrugged. "Cut it off, I don't care,"
"No!" Bonnie exclaimed, and jumped at the chance to brush it, "it's too beautiful to cut. She doesn't mean it."
"Of course she does, but Palmero would never let her do such a thing," Bella snorted and stared at Serena, "I've never met a girl more apathetic towards herself. Sometimes it seems as though she doesn't care about any of this at all."
Serena winced. She looked down at her nails, pretending to pick at the cuticles, trying to block out the sudden flood of memories printed with visceral images of a kiss-a caress-lips on her neck.
She felt a finger draw her face back up, and saw Bella smile through the sadness within her wrinkled eyes.
"But I know you do care, sweet girl," the old maid said, kissing Serena's forehead, "be strong. Light cannot exist without the dark. From its depths the sun appeared. One day, you will see it."
Serena took Bella's hand and looked up. Serena felt nothing. Not even a stir.
She kissed the old woman's palm, and offered an empty smile.
"Yes, of course." Serena replied, and began to prepare to the day.
Brock and Clemont arrived in Glorio city that morning. They got off their ship and Brock immediately began heading for the castle. Clemont groaned, and pleaded for them to at least stop and grab a snack.
The streets were full of vendors and merchants coming from all over the region for the city's grand showcase. Small children ran by, twirling ribbons with their Pokémon, or flying kites in the sea breeze. Street performers captivated tourists with their pyrotechnics, balancing acts, and magic tricks. Clemont absorbed the scene, dazzled by the vibrancy of it all. He managed to grab a bowl of ramen at a food cart on the way, and slurped it up while Brock brooded through the crowd.
"Bonnie messaged me," Clemont said between bites, "she's already there."
Brock paused. "Is she with her?"
"With Serena?" Clemont nodded. "Yea,"
A silent apprehension settled between them. Brock wasn't in a particularly good mood. He didn't like the heat, or the sea, or large hills leading to pretentious castles…
"Brock," Clemont stammered, immediately regretting his decision to speak.
The broad gym leader turned around and waited.
"Yes?"
Clemont swirled the noodles within their bowl with his chopsticks. He dropped his shoulders and rubbed his eyes. He was tired, and afraid.
"Should we do this? I mean—," the blonde clenched his jaw, "I don't want to hurt her. Not again. Not anymore."
Brock watched Clemont run his hands through his hair, close to shaking from the conflict brewing within him.
"What if she doesn't want to help?" Clemont asked.
"She'll want to."
"How do you know?"
"I just do."
"Will she though?"
"I don't know."
They fell back in to silence. Clemont was too exhausted to keep fighting the task at hand, and Brock was too busy traversing deep though. The old gym leader was trying to remember Serena. He'd met her only a few times when Ash brought her in to Pallet Town so that she could meet his mom and everyone.
Brock remembered how shocking it was for everyone to see Ash so in love. He hadn't known the guy to be capable of such affection towards anything but his Pokémon, but Brock could tell that the two were serious. Even at seventeen. The relationship had sent the whole town swooning with curiosity.
Serena had been pretty cute, if Brock recalled correctly. She had watched Ash the way one watches the moon, with this bright wonder that reflected the light of the sun. Ash had watched her too, with a tenderness Brock didn't know the kid possessed.
"Brock you have to meet her,"
"Ash, can this wait? I mean, I have –,"
"No, it can't wait! She's here right now," Ash grinned, running out the door and dragging Serena behind him, "Serena, this is one of my oldest friends, Brock. Brock, this is Serena."
He greeted her and they made small talk. She was very warm, as though followed by a sense of comfort. The feeling clung to her eyes and to her hair and Brock noticed how people just gathered around her as one would around a fire. She told Brock that Ash talked about him all the time, that she practically knew him already, and they chatted a bit about Kanto. Brock smiled, and watched Ash take her hand, drawing her close.
The memory jumped to him and Ash having a conversation on someone's porch. He heard Ash say he loved her, and that he'd never met anyone like her; that he felt like she knew him, the real him, or something.
"I don't know, it's different with her. This feeling. It actually scares me a little."
"What scared you about it?" Brock asked.
Ash looked at him, as though searching for a way to translate what he felt. "It scares me. I don't want to lose her."
The memory ended. Brock had originally written the whole romance off as some teenage infatuation, but it must have been more. At the time it had been hard to believe that the Ash he knew could love like that. The relationship changed Ash. It made him grow up...but maybe too quickly. His words grew heavier, as though he was always trying to understand things no one put much thought in to. He began to overanalyze, causing him to doubt the relationship he had not just with Serena, but with all his friends.
Closer to the time of his disappearance, Ash would call Brock just to ask if they were still friends. Once Brock had answered yes, Ash would sign off. It was strange. Serena once reached out to Brock too, asking for help. She said Ash was changing and that she was worried. Again, Brock didn't give it much thought. He was getting over a rough relationship with a girl he'd been seeing in Sinnoh. Bitter, he told her people change, and to just let Ash go through whatever it was he was dealing with. It would be fine.
Brock looked back now and knew he had been an idiot. He had missed all the signs, had been checked out. He had let Ash down.
He took out the folded piece of paper written in Kalon. Ash must have written Serena's name on here less than a year ago. The ink had still been fresh when Brock tore it out of a journal, empty save for this one page. The journal, black and plain and half destroyed, had appeared on Delia Ketchum's front door. She had called Brock and Misty right away.
"I don't know what this means," she said, her eyes red and watered, "he didn't even leave a note, but I know it's his. I think he's in trouble."
Misty comforted the grieving mother, but her eyes were dead of all hope and Brock couldn't stand it so he looked away. He studied the journal and flipped through every page. Just one had the strange symbols, and Ash's name was written in the inside cover.
"He's not gone yet. He's fighting."
Ash was fighting. What he was fighting, Brock had no idea. He intended to find out. He needed to find Serena. He needed her side of the story.
Nearing the castle, the two began to tire. Clemont remarked about how excited Bonnie had been to see Serena again. It'd been a year, apparently, since the last showcase. Clemont and Bonnie tried to come to at least one of her shows every season, in order to support her. Brock appreciated and sometimes envied Clemont's enduring optimism.
For years, the kid searched for Ash in his own way. He went off to train, sometimes with Serena and Bonnie, in whatever region that led to any clue of Ash's whereabouts, but all leads fell through. Clemont said Serena got frustrated. She and Bonnie decided to go to Johto while he went back to Lumoise City as the head gym leader. He had been there for about two years finishing up his education when Brock found him and showed him the journal. Clemont had been the first to identify the symbols, saying he'd heard about them in one of his classes, but even the university didn't know much about the language except for where it originated.
Clemont was about to chatter on again when Brock's Xtransceiver rang.
"Oh no,"
"I hear you're in town," said a smooth, near arrogant voice out of the screen. Gary Oak had grown tall and slender. He'd always been considered charismatic and handsome, with thick auburn hair and dark eyes full of this ambitious drive that allowed him to wage success in most of what he set his mind to. Last year he was named as one of Kanto's top coordinators, and he always made it on to Trainer's Magazine as a part of the "50 Hottest Trainers under 25!". Brock loved and hated the man.
Brock smiled at the sight of his old friend, "You're in Glorio?"
"I'm here for the show," Gary smirked, "when all the hottest girls flock to one place, you know I'm just around the corner. Hey, let's meet up later,"
Brock sighed and leaned back in his chair. He and Gary had gotten close through Ash and by running in to each other all over Kanto. After their rivalry, Gary and Ash became like brothers. Always teasing each other, but encouraging one another to always be better. Besides Misty and Bonnie, Gary was the only other old friend of Ash's, who knew that Brock was still looking for him. Brock didn't want to bother any one else with questions or the chance to help because he knew the whole situation brought more pain and disappointment than anything. It was better for most of them to forget, maybe. Maybe it was better for them all to just forget and let go.
But Brock couldn't do that. Something inside him wouldn't let him give up or forget.
"Maybe," Brock said, "Clemont's here with me, and we're actually here for…there's something we have to do."
"I know," Gary nodded, "Delia and the professor have been talking about it…and I've been getting this weird feeling..."
Gary ran his fingers through his hair, his cool demeanor faltering for half a second.
"We should catch up is all," the smirk returned, "I'm sure whatever you have to do can wait until after the festivities. And maybe you'll need some more company. You look like you need a good time, you've grown too goddam serious,"
Brock chuckled in spite of himself. "Whatever, I'll think about it."
He signed off and Clemont looked unsettled.
"What?" Brock asked, watching the blond gym leader grow more uncertain about something.
"Brock, don't you think that this is all just…I don't know, kind of strange?" Clemont ask, "I mean, what are the odds that we find an old man at a random tavern, who happens to speak Kalon; that Bonnie and Kaleb have to take a detour, because of a huge snow storm in the north—where we just were, might I add—that Gary Oak shows up out of nowhere, talking about how he felt compelled to reach out because of some weird juju—,"
"Clemont, what are you getting at?" Brock grunted. He hated this sort of lunatic talk. "Coincidence? Are you talking about coincidence?"
"I think we're being set up," Clemont concluded, pushing his glasses farther on to the bridge of his nose, "that journal was a catalyst for something about to react. We're part of a chain reaction."
Suddenly the wind picked up, a hard gust blasting from the horizon. Turning their gaze to the ocean, both trainers noticed a huge, dark cloud forming over the distance. Though the sun still shone over the city, thunderous veins of a thick storm was reaching towards them, promising an imminent arrival.
Brock reached in to his pocket and pulled out the ink-stained note. The words glowed a dark blue, with smoke blowing out of the letters as if they about to ignite.
"Not good! Not good!" Clemont cried, running past Brock towards the castle, "Come on! We have to get to the others!"
Brock stared at the Kalon, dazed. He shook his head, muttering to himself as he sprinted after Clemont.
R&R