Chapter 2: 1st Soulmate
Inside the Ketchum home Ash along with mother Delia and his trusted poke companion Pikachu are all sitting in the kitchen around the table eating the breakfast Delia made for them leisurely, as is the routine every morning and has been for the years since Ash returned home.
"Mmmmm~ Yum~ Delicious as always, mom~ Your pancakes and scrambled eggs are the best!" says Ash scarfing down the food on the plate in front of him joyously
"Aww thank you dear~ Don't forget the bacon as well, hee hee" says Delia with a smile
"Oh of course I wouldn't. Everything is great!" says Ash with half his mouth full then pats on his chest almost choking on some of it
"Dear, don't talk and eat. Finish your meal first" says Delia
"Pika pii!" says Pikachu as he eats the pokemon food in the bowl placed on the floor nearby him
Ash grabs a nearby glass of orange juice and guzzles it down within seconds before putting the now empty glass back on the table before letting out a reliefed sigh. A minute later Delia stands up from her seat having finished and starts collecting the plates on the table.
"All done?" she asks walking over to Ash
"Yup! I'm stuffed now~" says Ash rubbing his stomach
"Good, good~" says Delia grabbing his plate and glass then turns and walks to the sink
"Just let me know if you want seconds"
Delia puts the dirty plates and glass into the sink and turns on the faucet, grabbing a nearby dish cloth then begins cleaning the dishes. As she does Ash remains seated at the dinner table deep in thought. He begins pondering about what he was told earlier from the mysterious being calling itself a deity in the form of Mewtwo. After a few seconds he looks up and breaks his silence.
"Hey, mom?" he says
"Yes, Ash dear?" she replies
"Um... I think... I might be going on a journey real soon..." says Ash
"Oh? Really? That's great, dear~ It's been so long since you've been on a journey! Have you decided where you'll go yet? What you'll be doing?" Delia wondered
"Well, honestly... I haven't worked out any of that yet. I'm still thinking about it..."
"Hmm? Oh I see. Well whenever you decide I'm sure you'll be ready. And if you ever need help with anything don't be afraid to ask, I'm always here to support you all the way"
"Yeah I know. Thanks mom"
Ash stands up and stretches briefly before walking into the living room and turning to the stairs.
"Well, I'm gonna take a shower now to wake myself up" says Ash starting up the stairs
"Ok dear. Try not to use too much hot water" says Delia looking back still washing dishes
"I won't!" says Ash at the top of the stairs heading for the bathroom
Meanwhile in the center of town, about 100 yards away from Ash's house, a person stood on a path facing the house viewing it in the distance. This person is a young adult female with honey blonde hair at about shoulder length, sky blue eyes, and fashionable but cutesy short skirt and blouse. This girl is none other than Ash's childhood friend, former traveling companion, and perhaps biggest admirer, Serena. The current reigning and 4 time kalos queen takes a few steps forward and tries to compose herself, determined to see her longtime crush for the first time in 6 years.
"So... that's his house there. I'm sure of it. it's been such a long time but now.. now finally I get to see him again. Ash.. I wonder, what he'll think when he sees me. What he's been up to. I have so many things I wanna tell him, I can't wait~ Oooh, how I've longed for this day. When.. I do see him.. I may not be able to hold myself back.. but.. I have to do this!~ I want to do this!~ Ok, let's go!"
A minute later Delia finishes up washing the dishes in the sink and turns off the water just as a knock is heard on the front door. Delia, hearing this, turns around wiping her hands on some nearby paper towels.
"Oh, who could that be? Yes, coming!"
Delia opens the door and faces the person standing on the other side of it. Recognizing who it is, she smiles.
"Ah! Hello there!"
A few moments later Ash emerges from upstairs just having finished his shower. He walks down the stairs with partly wet hair, reaching the bottom of the steps and turning to where the kitchen is.
"Mom, I'm done with my shower. There's still hot water so don't wo-"
He stops mid sentence noticing someone else in the room sitting on the couch, immediately recognizing them.
"Oh, Ash! Just in time~ We have a visitor here~" says Delia sitting on the loveseat facing her
"Se-" Ash mutters seeing Serena who turns her head and looks at Ash. Having seen him her face instantly glows up with a bright smile, and she quickly leaps up to her feet to face him
"Ash!~" Serena says gazing at him
"Serena? It's you!" says Ash with wide eyes
T-Thump
Ash's body instinctively reacts to seeing Serena standing in front of him. His heart starts racing abnormally, and he feels a sudden sensation pulsing through his body. It was almost as if a jolt of electricity was shot throughout his entire body. Seemingly the very sight of Serena has triggered something within him.
"w-what is this feeling? These feelings, this sensation... c-could it be?.." he thought to himself in the moment
"Ash~ It's so great... seeing you again~"
Later on Ash and Serena have left the house together and are walking through pallet town on one of the pathways, side by side looking at each other while talking.
"Well? Surprised to see me here, huh?" says Serena
"Oh yeah, really surprised. It's been ages since we last saw each other in galar. How have you been, Serena?" says Ash
"I've been great~ My pokemon performer career has really taken off since we last met. In fact Ash, I won the title of kalos queen for 4 straight years now"
"Whoa? Really? That's awesome! I always knew you were gonna be one of the best~ Even back when we were traveling together"
"Hee hee, thanks. Honestly though, I have you to thank for that, Ash"
"Huh? Me?"
"Mm-hmm. It was you that gave me the confidence to do everything I've done up to this point. You were my motivation, my biggest inspiration, Ash.."
"Oh, er- I-I see"
"So what have you been up to since? Anything big?"
"Not recently. I did win the Masters 8 tournament, but that was 6 years ago"
"Yes, I heard about what you did. You were amazing Ash~"
"Hehe, thanks. Though I haven't really done much of anything since. 6 years has gone and passed by so quickly. I often wonder if there's something else that'll come along for me to pursue"
"Oh, I'm sure there will be. Someone as incredible as you can do anything they set their mind to. hehe"
"Ahh, say Serena. Now that I'm thinking about it, what brings you here to pallet town? Are you visiting kanto and decided to stop by?"
"Well, actually... about that, Ash..."
Serena suddenly stops in her tracks, with Ash stopping as well looking back at her
"Hmm?" says Ash
"Really... I came here for one specific reason... and that was... to see you, Ash" says Serena making eye contact with him
"S-see me? You came all this way... just to see me?"
"Yes..Because... I have something very important I need to tell you. It's something... that I've been wanting to say for a long time but I never could before. But now, after all this time I now have finally worked up the courage to come to you and tell you. Tell you... about my true feelings"
"Serena..."
"Ash, I... I... I LOVE YOU!"
"Ah-! You-!.."
The sudden outburst confession left Ash wide eyed and completely speechless, as he started blushing uncontrollably overwhelm with emotion, same with Serena.
"I love you Ash! I'm in love with you! and I have been for a long time! Ever since we were younger, I've always admired you, adored you, wanted to be just like you! More than you know! I couldn't tell you before because I didn't have any confidence. I was afraid that I wasn't good enough, and I spend years improving and bettering myself so that I could finally tell you how I feel. and hope that, maybe, I could be somebody that you would love too. Ash... do you remember when we parted ways in kalos, and I told you that the next time we met you'd like the person I'd become? This is what I meant Ash. I wanted to be someone who was perfect for you. So... there it is. I've told you everything. So Ash... what do you think of me? Am I good enough?"
"I... Serena, I..." says a completely stunned Ash covering his mouth and part of his face with his hand taking in everything Serena just told him
"I had no idea... you felt that way, Serena. and you've been holding that in for all this time... I didn't know.."
He slowly removes his hand from covering his mouth as Serena looks at him intently.
"The truth is... I have feelings for you too, Serena"
She gasps, with eyes wide open.
"Thinking back on it I've had feelings for you back then as well, but I never acted on it because I thought there was no way a regular guy like me had a shot with a beauty like you. I've always thought you were beautiful, Serena. Both when we were traveling together, and when we met again in galar. But seeing you here today in front of me, you're 10 times the beauty you were back then. So don't devalue yourself by asking are you good enough, cause you're more than good enough. You're the perfect angel, Serena! In fact, listening to you here and seeing you, I'm convinced of it now. Serena, you are my soulmate! So I... I love you too, Serena!"
"Ash!..." says Serena blushing heavily and almost getting teary eyed hearing Ash's reply
"Hearing you say that makes me so happy!~ I'm so glad~~ So... will you please go out with me?!"
Ash looks at her in shock and still blushing before giving his answer.
"I should be the one asking you that... Yes Serena, I would love to go out with you~"
Serena's face quickly lights up with a joyful bright smile and she gleefully steps over pressing herself against Ash wrapping arms around him. Ash wraps his arms around her and the newfound couple embrace.
"Ash, Ash, Ash~~ I love you!~"
"I love you, Serena~"
Seconds later, Ash steps back from the hug and looks at Serena.
"So... I guess we're a couple now?" he asks
"Yes~" Serena answers happily
"Well... what should we do next?" says Ash
"Hmm... I guess since we're now boyfriend and girlfriend, we should make it official.. with.. a kiss~~" says Serena placing her finger on her lip looking at Ash lovingly
"A-... a kiss huh? Oh... ok" says Ash blushing even more
The pair stand right next to each other locking eyes with passionate gazes. Ash places his hands on Serena's shoulders and starts to lean in. Serena closes the distance and the two lock lips, engaging in a tender, passionate kiss. They pull apart and stare at each other once more.
"Ash~~"
"Serena~~"
"Congratulations, Ash Ketchum. You have found your 1st soulmate and bonded with them. But as you will soon find out, the quest isn't over. 13 more soulmates remain. good luck to you"
End of Chapter 2
Next time: Ash & Serena, a couple at last