Chapter 31: Ours
Serena took Ash and Pikachu window-shopping through the streets of Castelia City to make time until May finished her meeting with Wallace. Serena didn't want to shop without May because they planned to do it together. Ash and Pikachu patiently followed Serena as she hopped from window to window. Any time Serena saw something she liked or complimented, Ash agreed with the Kalos girl. It was rare for him to engage in such a way, but Serena seemed to bring it out of him without any complaints. It was reminiscent of when they window-shopped through Lumiose City.
In one of those moments, Ash did think about May. "I wonder what May is dealing with right now," Ash put his hands behind his head as they walked.
"I know," Serena thought of her friend. "When she spoke to Wallace the other night, he seemed interested in her unannounced performance at the festival. If I'm correct, I think the governing body for Pokémon Contests also requested an audience with her today," the blonde-haired girl noted. The unexpected call by Wallace and the governing body caught May off guard that night they talked in private.
Ash pensively crossed his arms, "I hope everything works out for her." The raven-haired trainer wanted people to stop leeching off May's abilities and charm.
"Me too. May deserves everything she wants," Serena agreed with a soft voice. She thought of Ash and May as a couple until Ash snapped her out of it.
The auburn-eyed trainer put his hand on her shoulder, "Serena, why don't we grab some desserts while we wait for May? We can window shop while we eat." Ash suggested; it sounded like the old days.
"Sure, Ash," Serena giggled over Ash's bottomless stomach.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu noticed the familiar area within Castelia City. He immediately tapped his friend.
"What's up, Pikachu?" Ash became puzzled by his behavior.
Pikachu leaped off his shoulder and ran. "Pi!" the mouse shouted, running ahead of his friends.
"What's gotten into Pikachu?" Serena was surprised by the Electric-type's sudden actions.
"Let's find out," Ash ran after his best friend alongside Serena.
Pikachu bolted through the city's bustling streets without a concern for who he almost tripped or who he made his friends almost bumped into. Then, the mouse ran the crosswalk on a green light. "Pikachu, wait up!" Ash thought his friend lost it.
Serena and Ash got honked by oncoming traffic when they crossed, "Sorry!" Serena nervously waved to the drivers.
"Watch where you're going! Jackasses!" a driver waved his fist at them, giving them a friendly Castelia City welcome.
"What's wrong with Pikachu?" Serena became annoyed with the mouse when they reached the other side. She saw Ash's Pokémon enter a building.
"I'm not sure," Ash frowned at his friend's peculiar actions. They nearly caught up with him when they entered the building. Suddenly, his frustration with Pikachu was replaced by nostalgia upon entering. He recognized the setting, from its regal staircase to the colorful hanging lamps shaped like cubes. So this is where you were trying to bring us, buddy, Ash realized when he looked at his best friend.
Pikachu stopped in his tracks to look at the pair. "Pikachu!" the Electric-type smiled.
"What was that about, Pikachu?" Serena put her hands on her hips with annoyance. Her anger also vanished upon noticing the beauty of the building's interior. She was just as mesmerized as Ash.
"Here you go," Ash happily handed Serena a vanilla ice cream cone. The trio sat at the ice cream bar near the hanging lamps.
"Thank you, Ash," Serena sweetly received the frozen treat.
Ash shared licks of his chocolate ice cream with Pikachu. The taste delighted the best friends. It was still as good as they remembered. "Chu!" Pikachu contently put his hands on his cheeks.
Serena also enjoyed her ice cream with every lick, but she still questioned Pikachu's behavior from earlier. "Ash, was Pikachu purposely trying to lead us?" Serena questioned.
Her friend nodded at her. "Yeah, I guess Pikachu recognized the area. It was our favorite part of Castelia City when I came with Iris, Cilan, and Axew during my journey in Unova. We always meant to return at some point because we liked it so much. Luckily, Pikachu remembered." Ash turned to his yellow pal, "You nearly got us run over, but thanks for bringing us, buddy."
Pikachu shamefacedly smiled when Ash petted the top of his head. "Oh, Pikachu," Serena warmly grinned at the Electric-type. Serena finished the last of her ice cream when she asked Ash, "What made you like this place so much?"
Ash licked the last of his cone. He threw out the napkin and then grabbed Serena by the hand. "Follow me. I want to show you something," Ash became eager when he got up from his barstool.
"Sure," Serena nervously responded. She intensely blushed as Ash pulled her. Pikachu knew where Ash was going and got a head start. They exited the building from a different door, revealing a scenic view of the Castelia City harbor. Ash let go of Serena's hand when they reached outside. There was an ice rink just outside of the glass building's entrance. A bit farther down was a small park with piers. One could admire the orange sunset from there. Serena saw as far as Liberty Garden and Virbank City across the river. The orange-red hues of the horizon beautified the scene. "This is gorgeous," Serena remarked with admiration.
"Isn't it," Ash agreed. His auburn eyes reflected the sunset as he took in the sights. Pikachu also stared at the scenery with a mesmerized expression. It is why Ash and Pikachu liked this part of Castelia City so much.
Serena's smile grew. "Let's get a closer view of the sunset!" Serena sprinted closer to the riverside. Ash and Pikachu ran closely behind her with big smiles, too.
The trio stopped when they reached the pier's edge, where a lonely Victorian lamp post awaited them. Ash, Serena, and Pikachu's eyes shimmered with awe. Serena clasped her hands together. "Sunsets are so beautiful," Serena admired the view.
"Yeah, I'm glad you had a chance to see this," Ash stated with his eyes fixed on the orange horizon and his ears focused on the sound of the water's waves.
Serena noticed Ash's hands hanging from his sides. A blush came to her face when she lowered her hands. You kissed him once; how hard can it be to reach for his hand? Serena could feel herself slightly shaking when she subtly extended her hand out. Almost there, Serena peeked at the distance she closed. Serena felt a light sweat come on. Then Serena mustered the courage to intertwine her fingers with his. Ash looked at her with some surprise. He saw the performer shyly smile at him. He returned a warm smile. The trainer appeared to overlook what Serena was trying to communicate, similar to when she kissed him goodbye in Lumiose City. However, that didn't stop them from holding hands while watching the sunset.
Pikachu noticed the interaction with a curious gaze. Ash told Pikachu what May said to him before they left for Laverre City, so the mouse knew May liked him even if she wasn't ready for a relationship, and it was clear that Serena had feelings for him, too. The Electric-type wondered if Ash was prepared for what would happen. Pikachu lamented that Ash appeared to still fail to interpret his feelings for May and Serena, and as a consequence, Ash got entangled in something he never intended for himself. The rodent sighed. He would have to wait and see what followed.
Ash and Serena didn't say anything for a while. They continued to stare into the distance with glistening eyes. Abruptly, the sounds of ice skating caught Serena's attention. Her ocean-blue eyes shifted to the ice skater on the rink. An idea came to her head. "Have you ever been ice skating?" the Kalos performer asked her friend.
"Not that I can remember," Ash tried to remember off the top of his head, but no memory came to mind.
Serena giggled. "Then come with me. There's a first time for everything," the blonde-haired girl led Ash by the hand to the ice rink. Pikachu hopped on Ash's shoulder. He was curious to see how this would go.
"I'm down!" Ash excitedly replied; he was never one to reject new experiences.
Ash sat on a bench, tying the laces on his ice skates. Serena approached him with what appeared to be a 3-foot-tall wooden carving of Prinplup with his wings sticking out like handles. "Do you want to use this skating aid since it's your first time?" Serena showed him.
Ash eyed the Prinplup. It was the first time he'd ever seen or heard of such a thing. He made an eager fist and nodded sideways, "Nah, I think I've got this."
"Are you sure?" Serena tilted her head a bit. She wondered if Ash knew what he was getting himself into.
"Positive," Ash confidently beamed. Serena nodded, respecting Ash's choice, but hoped he was ready. The trainer finished tying his skates. "Alright, let's go!" Ash got up but became wobbly on the skates. He flailed his hands to regain his balance, "Whoa," he corrected his posture.
Serena sheepishly grinned, "Be careful." The performer knew she would have to guide Ash for once. Pikachu chose to stand on the handrails to observe while his friends walked to the ice rink entrance. Ash wobbled the entire walk there, yet he refused Serena's help as he tried to find his balance. They stopped at the ice rink's entrance. They watched people skate as if it were the easiest thing on the planet. Serena turned to Ash, "Alright, things will get slippery. If you begin struggling, grab the rails or let me know."
"Thanks, Serena, but I think I've got this," Ash foolishly took his first steps into the ice rink. That's when he felt his feet slip, "Whoa!" Ash shouted. He felt himself fly in the air. His back fell on the icy floor. Fortunately, he didn't bump his head or damage his spine.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu covered his eyes. That fall didn't look pretty to the mouse.
Ash looked at the orange sky, absorbing the pain. "Ouch," Ash chuckled with embarrassment. He recognized he shouldn't have gotten so ahead of himself.
"Need some help?" Serena skated to him. She hovered her head over him with a smile. The performer anticipated this would happen, but Serena was patient with Ash.
"Yeah," Ash timidly admitted. He held his arm out for Serena to pull him up. The performer told him to watch his step as he slowly came up so he wouldn't slip again.
When she finished pulling him up, Serena asked, "Are you alright?"
Ash winced from slight pain. "I'm alright. Thanks, Serena," the raven-haired boy assured her.
"Want to keep going?" Serena questioned in case Ash didn't want to.
"Of course, let's try again! I won't leave here until I can at least skate around the rink on my own," Ash displayed determination through his eyes.
There it is, Serena happily nodded. That was the fiery spirit she'd grown to expect from Ash every time he faced a new challenge. She was glad she was with him for this new endeavor. "Alrighty, I'll show you how it's done," Serena skated around Ash as a demonstration.
"Sounds good," Ash cheerfully agreed. He admired Serena for how graceful and easy she made ice skating appear. The boy was excited to learn from her.
"Here, grab on firmly," Serena put her hand out for Ash to hold onto. Ash reached for Serena's hand. He held on tightly as instructed. "First things first. You want to put your less dominant leg forward at a slight bend. Then, you will gently push off with your dominant leg. The point is to glide across the ice, not walk it," Serena indicated as she led Ash. He calmly glided while Serena pulled him for the demonstration.
Ash followed Serena's instructions. He still held to Serena when he tried to use his right leg to push himself forward, but Ash lifted his right foot too high when he forced back. "Watch out, Ash!" Serena warned as he nearly fell over. Fortunately for Ash, Serena was balanced enough to keep them from slipping.
"Sorry," Ash bashfully apologized when he regained his footing. The boy adjusted his hat.
"When pushing back, don't lift your hind foot too high. Otherwise, you'll lose balance. You still want to lift, but not too high. Remember that you also want to push gently," Serena momentarily released Ash's hand to give another demonstration. Serena skated around the entire rink as Ash observed. When she returned to Ash's position, she lent him his hand.
Ash quietly grabbed her as he tried to repeat what Serena did. On his first push, he managed to glide a bit. His face looked incredibly focused as he tried to find balance with soft force. "That's it," Serena encouraged him after his first glide. Then she let him go so he could try again.
Ash tried to alternate legs, but he lost his balance. They were near the rails, so when Ash lost his balance, he prevented his fall by lunging at the rails to get a hold. Pikachu was near the rails Ash hung onto, "Pikachu pi," the mouse chuckled.
"Very funny, Pikachu," Ash smirked at his friend.
"Pi pikapi," the mouse apologized for laughing, but he encouraged his friend to keep trying.
"Good thing you grabbed onto the rails. You can try practicing along the rails if that helps. I think it'd be a good safety net, in case you feel you'll slip," Serena skated to Ash and Pikachu.
Ash rubbed the back of his head, "This is harder than I thought." He remembered how confident he was going into this. Nonetheless, he was determined to at least glide on his own for a bit.
"It takes practice, but you'll get there. You're Ash Ketchum!" Serena reminded him with a cheery tone.
He appreciated Serena for thinking so highly of him. He pulled the brim of his hat down again with fiery eyes. "Right, let's give it another go!" Ash declared.
Serena nodded. During the next hour, she would hold Ash's hand while leading him through the rink. At times, she'd let go to see how far he progressed. The boy from Pallet Town nearly embarrassed her when Ash almost bumped into a child and then a couple, but he managed to maintain his balance. At least he's falling less. Serena observed as she skated near Ash with her arms behind her back. She made sure he was doing alright.
Ash still had trouble alternating feet, but he was starting to get the balance of things. "Hey, Serena, I think I'm doing it!" Ash celebrated. He glided across with his left foot forward and his right foot pushing him off.
"That's it, Ash!" Serena clapped for him. She knew he'd quickly learn some of the basics. The performer watched Ash go around the rink with his newfound ability. It took several attempts, but he didn't give up. Despite his burning calves, Ash persisted and skated around the entire rink back to Serena's position.
Ash grabbed the handrails to stop himself. "How's that?" Ash enthusiastically spoke to Serena.
"You did it! You skated around the rink like you wanted," Serena closed her eyes and gave him a big smile.
"Pika!" Pikachu proudly raised his arms for Ash. He wanted to leap at him in celebration, but he worried he might make Ash lose his balance.
Serena reached for Ash's hand again, "Now, let's try to go around faster."
"Ok," Ash accepted with an uneasy smile but didn't want to diminish the enthusiasm.
The performer pulled Ash when she started to accelerate. He was a little behind her. It appeared they had things under control until Ash tried to keep up with Serena's pace. That's when the eager trainer lost his balance. This time, Ash also made Serena lose her balance. "Ash!" Serena screamed when Ash fell, pulling her down with him.
Ash fell on his back with Serena on top of him. He winced in pain, but he weakly laughed it off like before. Luckily for Serena, Ash's body protected her from any real pain during the fall. "Are you alright, Serena?" Ash looked at his friend.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Serena lifted her head to realize she was on top of Ash. Her ocean-blue eyes looked straight into his auburn eyes. A blush came over their faces. It was the closest their lips had been since Serena kissed him.
Serena snapped herself out of it by shaking her head. She cleared her throat and stood up. "Sorry about that," Ash felt guilty for making Serena fall with him.
"It's alright, it happens," Serena pulled him up. She didn't want Ash to feel shame for what happened.
"Even though I fall, at least I know I'm in the hands of a good teacher," Ash complimented his Kalos friend.
"I should be the one thanking you for bringing me out to such a nice place," Serena shyly retreated her head into her shoulders with a red tinge surfacing on her cheeks.
Ash nodded at her. "Thank you anyway for teaching me, Serena. I'm really happy that you enjoyed coming with us," his eyes glimmered when he stared into Serena's eyes.
"Me too," Serena agreed. Her eyes shined with equal affection as she looked into Ash's stare. They were oblivious to everything but themselves in that instant.
Nightfall arrived in Castelia City by the time the trio made it back to the outside entrance of the building, where they waited for May. "Man, May hasn't even given us a call. I wonder how much longer they'll keep her in there," Ash got worried. He had his hands behind his head, eyeing the entrance of the building.
"Chu," Pikachu lowered his ears. The mouse also became impatient.
"Do you think we should go inside?" Serena questioned her friend. She worried something happened to their Hoenn friend.
"I'm here!" May's voice announced. The trio turned their eyes to see the coordinator exit through the door. The brunette had a stern expression on her face.
Ash lowered his arms, relieved that she was out. "Hey, May. How did it go?" the trainer curiously questioned.
"Did everything work out?" Serena hoped May had good news.
"Ash, Serena, I need your help," May lowered her head with distress. Her gaze troubled her friends.
"With what?" Ash crossed his arms.
May lifted her head. "If I want to end my partnership with the governing body of Pokémon Contests and live my life as a regular coordinator, then I need to have an official double battle with Wallace the day after tomorrow. I don't intend to lose either." The brunette's eyes held an intense fire in them.
Ash, Serena, and Pikachu's eyes widened. They knew this was a big deal.
Note: If you're familiar with Brookfield Place in NYC, that inspired this chapter's setting.