Chapter 31:
Luxury Cruise III: Reciprocation
Luxury Cruise
Ash ran.
Where was he running to? He had no idea. The people walking through the deck, enjoying the pleasantly cool sea breeze, shot him looks of confusion, but the teen boy paid them no mind. Right now, his heart was a violent whirlwind of emotions: confusion, fear, awe, dizziness... while those recent words echoed inside his mind.
He didn't even realize that Pikachu was running behind him, calling him, given that the electric rodent felt that there was something wrong with his beloved trainer.
Ash, I like you! Like, a lot! And I don't mean just like a friend!
These feelings won't go away, and will only get stronger and stronger the more time I spend with you.
Would you like for us to be... boyfriend and girlfriend?
He left the deck and entered a small lobby, with nothing other than a pair of couches and a porthole, thankfully empty, since the boy could use some solitude in order to keep his thoughts straight. Panting and sweating a little from the impromptu run, Ash took a deep breath in order to calm himself down.
"Serena said she likes me. Serena said she likes me!" Ash said, unsure if that was something good or bad.
What could he say? All the good things Serena said about him prefacing her confession also applied in reverse. Serena was a wonderful person with plenty of positive, even praise-worthy qualities, and Ash couldn't feel luckier than a girl as great as her was both his friend and traveling companion.
Then again, he had similar feelings for his previous female companions, such as Dawn, and May, and Misty, and even Iris.
Ash wasn't somebody who used to think much about romance. He wasn't like Brock, who asked out every girl he met, or more recently Bonnie, on her brother's unwilling behalf. Even if Ash didn't actively seek romantic love, he didn't discard the possibility of one day having a girlfriend, if he ever found that special someone.
Yet it seemed that love did seek him out.
Could Serena be that special someone? Serena certainly felt that Ash was her special someone.
Now, only one question occupied his mind: how should he answer Serena's question. Could he really grow to like her the same way she liked him? What if he said yes, only to find that they weren't meant to be, ruining their friendship in the process? What if he said no, but then he realized he also liked her back, and missed his chance to be with her?
"Why is this so complicated?" Ash whined out loud to no one in particular. "If only I could ask somebody..."
But who? Brock was really crazy about love, but Ash doubted that his friend could give him good advice, given his lack of success with the opposite gender. Perhaps one of his previous female companions, like Misty or Dawn? Then again, it's not like they had that much experience on the topic either.
In the end, all his options were reduced to one. Sitting down on one of the couches and switching his Pokegear back on, he dialed a number. After a couple ringtones, a familiar face appeared on the screen.
"Hey there, mom," Ash greeted his mother, forcing himself to smile.
"Oh, hello Ash! I'm so glad to hear from you! How are you finding Tandor? What about your badges, did you get any more?" Delia excitedly asked. However, her excitement was short-lived, as a worried scowl appeared on her face. "Ash, you seem upset. Did something happen?"
"Eh, you could say that..." Ash replied, growing a little uncomfortable. "It's about Serena..."
"Did you two have a fight?" Delia asked, sounding preoccupied.
"No, no, it's not that! Serena and I are just fine!" Ash was quick to reassure her. "Well, it's that... Serena just told me she likes me. As in, she liked me more than a friend, you know what I mean?"
Delia gasped loudly, covering her mouth with both hands. "Oh my goodness, she really did? Finally! And what did you say?"
"Finally? What do you mean...?" Ash was about to ask something, but the answer came on its own. "You knew!"
"Yes, Ash, I knew."
"Did she tell you?"
"No."
"Then how-"
"I have eyes, Ash," his mother replied flatly. "Remember I had the two of you here in Pallet for a few days. And when we were all together, having lunch, dinner, or watching TV or playing a board game... the way Serena looked at you, how her body language shifted when you were close to her, the way her mood brightened when she talked about you... it was painfully obvious that that girl was crazy for you, Ash."
Ash wanted to reply that, despite traveling with Serena for more than a year, he didn't feel like she behaved differently with him than with other people.
Or maybe he didn't pay enough attention to her to notice the difference. After all, didn't Serena say that she has been in love with him for quite a long time? Then, another memory hit him.
I want to tell you something very important, and I don't want any interruptions, so I'm not taking any chances, like when Clemont called us when we were at the beach!
Ash would never forget that call, given the circumstances surrounding it. What were they doing before that? They were on the beach, Bonnie was playing with their Pokemon while Ash and Serena played in the water. They had been hit by a large wave, ending back on the sand, with her on top of him and...
And...
And...
"Oh goodness, I'm really stupid, aren't I?" Ash thought, as he now saw that moment with completely different eyes.
"Ash? Ash?" his mother's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Oh, sorry, mom! I spaced out there!" Ash replied, chuckling bashfully. "Did you say something?"
"I said what did you say to Serena when she told you that she liked you," Delia asked. "I'd like to think that you said yes and you were calling me to tell me you have a girlfriend, but I have the feeling that it's going to be more complicated than that."
"I... I didn't say anything..." Ash replied dumbly.
"...what?" Delia asked, tilting her head.
"I ran away," Ash blurted out.
"YOU WHAT!?" Delia shouted, startling her son.
"Oh... oh my goodness!" Ash yelped in realization. "Serena just poured her heart onto me, and I ran away like a total dumbass! This talk is pointless, I bet she hates me now!"
"Calm down, Ash," Delia said, taking a deep breath herself. "Yes, what you did was stupid. But I'm sure it wasn't enough for Serena to hate you like that. If you explain to her that you panicked and needed some time to put your thoughts in order, I'm sure she'll understand."
Ash wasn't so sure, but she didn't feel like arguing about that. Plus, there was a part of him that chastised him for being so ready to think the worst about Serena.
"I... okay," he replied. "Though, that's the reason for why I called you. I don't know what to say."
"Alright son, take a deep breath, keep calm, and answer this question," Delia calmly said. "What is Serena to you? How do you see her?"
"You know, I think I used to know Serena, but after this... it feels like she's a completely different person, you know?" Ash replied.
Delia shook her head. "It might seem like that now, but trust me, Serena is still the same girl you befriended at the beginning of your journey through Kalos, and once the shock wears off, you'll realize that. Now answer the question."
"Well, Serena is... she is, um, she's great. A great friend, and companion. I'm super happy that I met her when I did, and I think my journey wouldn't have been so great if she wasn't part of the group," Ash explained.
"And what would you think of the idea of the two of you being a couple? Do you find it appealing? Or you wouldn't like that?" Delia asked.
"I... I don't know. I think it would be nice?" Ash replied weakly.
"Okay, let's try a different approach," Delia said. "Ash, what would you think of Serena having a boyfriend? As in, a boyfriend other than you?"
"I'd be really happy for her!" Ash said without hesitation.
"You would?" Delia questioned, raising an eyebrow. "My, that's very mature of you, son."
"Of course! Serena is a great girl, and if she wants to have a boyfriend, she deserves to have one, no matter who!" Ash confidently declared.
Then, an image formed within his mind, that of Serena with another boy, one with a generic appearance. Holding hands. Laughing. Having fun together on dates. Kis-
Ash pushed that image out of his mind. Of course, not because it wasn't making him feel upset and uncomfortable, not at all!
"Anyway, this isn't about any other boy. Serena confessed to me," he put special emphasis on the last word. "Can we go back to what I should do?"
Delia smirked, amused, clearly not buying Ash's deflection, but thankfully willing to humor him. "Alright. From what you've told me, you aren't quite sure about either accepting or rejecting her proposal. You don't feel like jumping into a relationship with her, but at the same time you're afraid you might regret your decision if you don't. Am I right?"
"Yes, that's about it."
"Alright, in that case, my suggestion would be to accept, but take it slow," Delia said. "As in, go on casual dates with her. Whenever you visit a new town or city, try to do something just the two of you. Go to a nice restaurant. Go watch a movie. Do something fun together. Nothing too overly romantic or intimate, you know what I mean?"
"Yeah, something I'd do with any other friend?" Ash asked.
"Exactly. And, in time, you'll see what your feelings for Serena are. If you feel like you two are getting closer, then you can think about taking your relationship to the next level. If your feelings for her don't change, then you should simply remain as friends," the woman explained.
"Yes, that sounds great!" Ash said, smiling brightly for the first time. "Thanks for the idea, mom!"
Delia smiled back. "You're welcome, sweetie. And remember, don't be afraid if things don't work out between the two of you. One way or another you will always have Serena as a friend."
"I know. Thanks again, mom."
"Now you better go and talk to Serena. Given how you ran away when she confessed to you, you better not leave her waiting for much longer," she told him.
"Oh, right! Let's hope she isn't too mad at me," Ash said. "Until next time, mom!"
"Goodbye, Ash," she said, before the call ended and the pokegear's screen switched back to the main menu.
Ash took a deep breath, steeled himself, and exited the lobby.
"Alright Pikachu, time to talk with Serena!" he said.
"Pika!"
…
The first place Ash thought in looking for Serena was the same spot when he had left her. To no one's surprise, not even his own, she wasn't there. The next place he checked was the restaurant where they had had dinner, thinking that maybe she returned to Clemont and the others, looking for emotional support after he hurt her with his foolish reaction, but not only he didn't find her there, his other friends weren't there either.
"Just how long have we been talking?" Ash asked. He felt that he had only been talking with Serena and later his mom for a few minutes each, but apparently it was way longer than that.
He tried to locate her using the pokegear's GPS function, but found no signal. Guess she didn't remember to turn it on again. Not that Ash could have blamed her.
That only left one place Ash thought Serena would be: her cabin.
"She better be here, because if that's not the case, there's no way I'm going to find her on a ship this big," Ash internally grimaced. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door. "Serena, are you there? It's me, Ash!"
"Ash?" Came Serena's voice from the inside. The Kantonian trainer was relieved to hear that she was indeed there. The sounds of footsteps against the wooden floor was followed by Serena opening the door. She appeared to be happy, but Ash noticed that her eyes were wet and a little red. A knot formed on his stomach over the idea of causing Serena grief.
"Hey there, Serena. Can we talk?" he asked.
"Sure!" she said, opening the door of her cabin fully and pulling Ash inside. She led him towards a small loveseat, where the two of them sat down. Ash was going to say something, but Serena opened her mouth first. "Ash, listen, what I said before... let's just pretend it never happened, okay? It was dumb of me."
"Serena-"
"So let's go back to how things were before. It worked for us just fine, didn't it?" she said with no small amount of fluster.
"Serena-"
"No need to make things awkward between us. We have a beautiful friendship, and it was wrong of me trying to change that."
"Serena-"
"So let's enjoy what's left of this cruise trip and-"
"Serena!" Ash said, raising his voice enough to shock the honey blonde into silence. "Serena... I think that the two of us know that we can't ignore what happened before between us."
Serena didn't say anything, she just looked at Ash with an unreadable expression. Even if her lower lip was quivering.
"Though first of all... I want to say that I'm sorry for running away like that before," Ash began, averting Serena's gaze. "I... even if what I did has no excuse... um, I felt a bit overwhelmed and needed some time to put my thoughts in order."
"It's okay, Ash. I guess I didn't think how me dumping all my feelings onto you mightaffect you," Serena said.
"But after doing that, and asking somebody for advice, I think I'm ready to give you an answer," Ash said.
"You... you are?" Serena almost squeaked, looking at him with a glint in her eyes. Now that the veil had finally been lifted, Ash could see much better how Serena was feeling: hope that he would return her feelings, mixed with fear of getting rejected.
Hell, he swore he could hear her heart loudly thumping inside her chest.
"The last thing I want is to make you unhappy, Serena," Ash thought, before he began speaking. "I... I'm not somebody who thinks about, or understands romance much. I do think, though, that you're a great girl, and any boy would be really lucky to have you as his girlfriend," Serena was about to say something, but Ash held a hand to stop her. "And I feel really lucky over you wanting me of all people to be your boyfriend. But... I still have some doubts about this romance thingy. Can I really make you happy? Can I be happy with you? How can I know if this is going to work?"
"Ash...?" Serena asked, a little confused. "What do you want to say?"
"What I mean is... maybe I'm not ready to jump into a relationship just now-"
"It's okay, Ash. I understand. I'm willing to wait no matter how long until you can give me a definitive answer," Serena interrupted him.
"...you didn't let me finish," Ash gently chided her, making her look bashful. "What I want to say is, I'm not ready to jump into a relationship right now, but... maybe we could do something a little... smaller? Or simpler? Until we get there?"
"A-Ash? What are you suggesting?" Serena asked, her face quickly turning red.
"As in... taking things slow? Like, going on dates, but nothing too big and fancy. Go to dinner together just the two of us. Walk through a beach. Do something fun together," he began. "And then, if we see that things work, we can take the relationship up a notch? So, what do you say? Are you okay with it!"
"YES!" she yelled, as she threw her arms around Ash... before quickly pulling them back, her face red of embarrassment. "Oh, right, small steps...I mean... sure, I'm okay with that, Ash."
"Awesome!" Ash cheered. "So, there's one more day until the cruise ends. How about if we have our first date tomorrow?"
"Of course, I'd love to," Serena said. Her voice was even, but she was practically beaming.
"Cool!" Ash got up from the loveseat, and walked towards the cabin's door. "So, let's decide tomorrow morning what to do then. Oh, and guess we'll have to tell the others about...us." Ash said, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, I better go back to my cabin. Good night, Serena."
"Good night, Ash."
Ash closed the door behind him and went towards his cabin, two doors to the left, Pikachu trailing behind him. The boy felt so much relieved now.
"That went pretty good, don't you think?" Ash asked his starter. "I was afraid that Serena might be mad at me for running away, but mom was right. Also, tomorrow, I have my first date with Serena!" Ash said, feeling... something. Something that he couldn't quite put into words.
But he knew it was something good.
After Ash and Pikachu entered their cabin and closed the doors, what sounded like a high pitched squeal of joy muffled by a pillow could be heard coming from Serena's cabin.
…
The next morning came, and the group, plus Leona, gathered together to have some breakfast before deciding what they could do to pass the day. As the group were eating and making some small talk, Ash and Serena decided it was the time to tell them about their most recent development. While they weren't planning to leave the group anytime soon, they hoped the others wouldn't mind Ash and Serena wanting some time alone with each other from time to time.
Their reaction didn't take long to show.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Bonnie loudly squealed, grabbing her cheeks as she bounced on her seat, causing everybody else to jump.
"Bonnie, not so loud!" Clemont chastised her.
"It was about time!" Bonnie said, still happy, before frowning a little at Ash. "Do you have any idea how long Serena has been pining for you? And you were none the wiser!"
"Yeah... but I am all the wiser now!" Ash tried to rebuke.
"Well, I don't know the two of you for that long, but I'm happy for you two!" Leona said. "Hope one day I can find a boyfriend too!"
"Ehhh... Ash and I aren't boyfriend and girlfriend just yet," Serena clarified, her cheeks turning a little pink. "We're going to take things slow to see if things can work between us on such a level, before making it official."
"Though I don't see why things wouldn't work. You get along and share many things in common," Lilia pointed out, before smiling at them. "And personally, I think the two of you make a very cute couple."
Ash joined Serena in her blushing.
"Awww, look at them, they're even getting flustered in unison!" Leona cooed, before letting out a mirthful laugh.
"So, do you plan to do something special today?" Clemont asked, throwing them a lifeline from the girls' teasing.
"Well, I'm not really sure, I'm not that good at this romance stuff, hehe," Ash chuckled sheepishly, before he turned towards Serena, "So, um, how about a dinner, just the two of us?"
"That would be lovely, Ash," Serena replied. She looked calm on the outside, but was loudly squealing on the inside. A romantic dinner date with Ash! At last!
"Though, Ash, you won't plan to go to your first date in your usual clothes, will you?" Bonnie asked, looking at the older boy with a critical eye.
"Yeah. What's wrong with my clothes?" Ash asked, mildly offended, as he looked at his clothes.
"It's a date! You can't just go dressed like that! You should wear something nicer!" Bonnie shouted, throwing her arms in the air.
"Nenene!" Dedenne mimicked her.
"I don't think I have anything nicer than this..." Ash said.
"Well, that has an easy solution! This cruise has plenty of clothing stores, so we can buy you something for your date!" Leona chimed in.
"Guys, there's no need to-" Serena was about to say.
"We can buy something for you, while we're at it," Lilia said, smiling amusingly at the honey blonde.
Serena was going to protest, but found herself unable to. She was somebody who enjoyed shopping, even if it was just window shopping, and doing it with friends, with girl friends, made it even better.
"Alright then, count me in!" Serena cheered.
"Well, it seems you guys already have a plan for the day," Clemont said, laughing nervously. "I think my Pokemon and I will-"
"Oh, but you're coming with us, Clemont," Lilia said in a matter-of-fact way.
"Why? I don't need any new clothes!" Clemont protested.
"No, but since we're at it, I plan to buy one or two things for myself, and I'd want your opinion," Lilia said. She then gave him a disarming smile. "Plus, it would be a nice way for us to spend some more time together, don't you think?"
"W-Well, if you ask it like that, hehe," Clemont laughed nervously, as his cheeks turned a little red.
Bonnie just crossed her arms and huffed, but didn't say anything.
"Then it's settled! Today's shopping time!" Leona cheered.
…
And indeed, shortly after they were done with breakfast, the group quickly went from one clothing store to another, looking for anything to try on.
First they focused on Ash, since they wanted to pick something for him first so the girls could shop to their hearts' content without worry. Given that Ash and Serena made abundantly clear that their dates right now were meant to be more on the casual side, they picked something for Ash that was a little nicer than his usual clothes, but not too formal: a short sleeved navy blue shirt and dark gray long pants. A perfect balance between simplicity and elegance.
Once they were done with him, it was the girls' turn, and let's say they spent far more time choosing clothes for themselves, not just for Serena, than they did on Ash –not that the boy would complain, mind you. For him shopping for clothes was just as fun as swimming with a jacket made of bricks–. And just like Lilia said, she made sure to ask Clemont regularly what she thought of the clothes she put on, with the inventor trying to give a variety of compliments in an attempt not to sound repetitive.
On the other side, Serena didn't ask his opinion on the clothes she chose. Maybe she knew Ash didn't know that much about fashion. Not that the boy minded, since it was the truth.
"Then again, Serena looks really good in anything, so asking would be moot to begin with," Ash thought, as his mind replayed a series of memories of Serena wearing something other than her usual clothes, such as all the dresses she wore for her Performances, that Fennekin-like costume she donned for a Pokevision video, even something as simple and utilitarian as her Rhyhorn racing jumpsuit looked good on her.
Ash was suddenly filled with a desire to know what Serena would be wearing for their date tonight. Thankfully he wouldn't have to wait too long for that.
…
The group took the whole morning until the girls were satisfied with their shopping, each of them carrying several bags with all the new pieces of clothing they had bought. After having lunch, they decided to split in order to enjoy their last day on the cruise on their own. Ash went back to the main deck where battles were taking place, and challenged some of the people there, winning most of his matches, with only a couple losses.
Before he realized, the time for the date came, and returning to the cabin, he changed into the clothes the girls had selected for him.
"So, how do I look, Pikachu?" Ash asked, a bit unsure.
"Pi, pika!" the rodent said, giving his trainer a tiny thumbs up.
"Hehe, thanks," Ash said, looking at himself. "I don't think this kind of clothes suit me much, but if this is what you usually wear for a date..."
"Pi..." Pikachu shrugged.
"Hey Ash!" Bonnie said, as she entered his cabin, the thought of Ash maybe being in the middle of getting changed not even crossing her young and excitable mind. "Oh, you changed already! Good! Serena's waiting for you outside!"
"Awesome! Alright buddy, let's go!" Ash told the yellow rodent.
"Ash, you aren't thinking about taking Pikachu on the date, are you?" Bonnie asked, looking at the boy disapprovingly.
"Pika...?" Pikachu asked, tilting his head quizzically.
"I take Pikachu everywhere with me," Ash said, sharing his starter's confusion.
"Not on your first date! It has to be something only between the two of you!" Bonnie insisted. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of Pikachu while you and Serena are on your date!" the blonde promised.
Ash and Pikachu looked at each other. In the end Ash shrugged. "Well, sorry buddy, but if what Bonnie said is true..."
"Pi, pikapi!" Pikachu said, shaking his head as if telling Ash not to worry, while scurrying towards Bonnie's side.
"Great! Don't worry about Pikachu, I'll take good care of him! Serena's waiting for you outside! Go, go, go!" Bonnie urged, almost pushing Ash out of his cabin.
"I'm going, I'm going!" Ash said, trying not to lose his balance as Bonnie pushed him. "Sheesh..."
"Hey Ash. Ready to go?" Serena's voice asked.
"Sure thing, we can-whoa!" Ash was taken aback when he laid eyes on Serena.
In front of him was Serena, smiling bashfully. She was wearing a new ensemble consisting of a pink halter top with puffy sleeves, a white knee-length skirt, and a pair of short pink boots. Her hair was styled in a ponytail held by a bright red ribbon.
Serena blushed a little, but giggled. "I assume that reaction means you like what you're seeing?"
"Y-Yeah, you look really pretty in those clothes... I mean, it's not that you don't look pretty when you're wearing something else, you look really good no matter what you're wearing!" he quickly amended.
"Thank you, Ash," Serena replied, but kept giggling. She was enjoying Ash being flustered by her for a change. "You look very handsome too."
"Aw, thanks. I'm still not sure about these clothes, but if you think they look good on me..." Ash said, rubbing the back of his head.
"So, shall we go? I'm sure you must be pretty hungry," Serena said.
"Sure!" Ash said, as he grabbed Serena's hand and began to walk, but stopped when Serena let out a high pitched squeak. "Serena? Are you okay?"
"Y-Yes! It's just, I wasn't expecting you to hold my hand," Serena said, turning a little red.
"Bonnie told me that people do that on dates," Ash replied, scratching his temple. "Though if I'm making you uncomfortable..."
"Oh, no! It's fine! I simply wasn't expecting it," Serena reassured. "Come on, let's go."
And thus Ash and Serena headed towards the restaurant Serena had picked up –Ash really didn't mind which one as long as the food was good– in order to have their dinner date. The restaurant in question was called Camerupt's Cabin, and fittingly, there was a logo of a chef cooking over the fire produced by a happy Camerupt's volcano-like hump. The words "traditional Hoennian cuisine" were written under it.
"A Hoennian restaurant?" Ash asked.
"I was about to go to Hoenn before I changed plans, so I felt it was appropriate," Serena said, as she and Ash chose a small vacant table.
A waiter came, and the two made their orders. Once he left the couple to wait for their food, an awkward silence followed.
"Uh... should we talk about something?" Ash asked.
"Yeah, I believe we should," Serena replied.
Despite the statement, another awkward silence followed.
"Eh…" Ash began, as he started looking around. "So… are you enjoying the cruise?"
"Yeah. It's… it's been fun…" Serena said, tapping on the table with her fingers on both hands. "I always wanted to be on one…"
"I see. Well, that's good," Ash replied, chuckling awkwardly. "And, um..."
Ash humming went on for way too long without finding another topic to tackle. Serena felt that she needed to intervene, but her brain was drawing blanks as well.
Unfortunately, their stilted conversation ended there, as it was replaced by yet another awkward silence as the two of them tried and failed to find another topic to discuss, if only to fill the uncomfortable silence, as the tension in the air grew thicker and thicker. Eventually, Serena couldn't take it anymore, and was the first to break down.
"Ugh, sorry about this, Ash! I may not look like it, but I'm super nervous!" Serena admitted. "Not only I've never been on a date before, but I want this date to be perfect so you're left wanting for more! Yet here I am, unable to come up with a topic or carry on some small talk..."
"Hey, it's okay, this is something new to me too," Ash reassured her. "And no matter how this date goes, it won't change my opinion of you for the worse, Serena. So let's enjoy the dinner, okay?"
"Okay," she smiled, her nerves soothed by Ash's words. "Heh, you always know what to say, don't you? Guess that's one reason I fell in love with you."
"It still feels odd hearing you speaking about me like that," Ash said. "I never thought that I would be the kind of guy a girl would be interested in."
"Why do you think that, Ash? You have plenty of wonderful qualities, and lots of girls would love to be with somebody like you," Serena said, displaying an earnest smile at him.
"It's not that I think I'm somebody awful or anything, it's just that..." Ash began to scratch his cheek, as if trying to come up with the right words. "People tell me that I have a one-track mind? And I kinda see their point. I can get a little crazy when it comes to Pokemon battles."
"You're a passionate person. That's not something to be ashamed of, or something that would disqualify you from a relationship," Serena stated, now more gently, but still frowning a little. "And anybody who spends some time with you can tell that Pokemon battles aren't the only thing you think of.
"Plus..." Serena now grew a little bashful. "That passion of yours is also something I like from you as well. Not only does it drive you to be the best, it also inspires those around you, both people and Pokemon."
"I better start complimenting you as well, or else this is going to be a little one sided," Ash joked, chuckling awkwardly.
"That's what being in love is like, Ash," Serena replied.
"Love..." Ash repeated. Then, his face changed as if something clicked in his mind, a mystery that needed to be solved. "Say, Serena... your feelings for me... did they play a part in you deciding to come with us to Tandor?"
"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't the case," she replied, wiping back a strand of hair from her forehead.
"Guess it makes sense," Ash replied. "Clemont had that job at the power plant, and I didn't have any plans yet so Tandor was a destination as good as any other, but you already had plans to go to Hoenn. Though, what if there were no contests in Tandor? Would you have come anyway?"
Serena shook her head. "In that case no, I wouldn't have come."
"Oh," Ash said, sounding a little disappointed, even if he had no reason to be. Did he really think that Serena would follow him everywhere no matter what? "Even if you still liked me?"
"My feelings for you would have never wavered, Ash," Serena said, grabbing his hand. "You would always be my goal. But I still need to follow my path, even if that path would have taken me apart from you. But deep down, I know that we would have met each other again."
"But what if when we met again, I had a girlfriend? Or you fell for another boy?" Ash asked.
"While I don't know if I would have fallen for another boy, in case we met again and you found a girl that made you happy..." Serena averted her eyes for a second, Ash guessing that he really didn't like to even entertain the idea. However, she later smiled. "... guess I would be happy for you."
"That's something very mature of you," Ash said.
"What did you expect? That I would throw a tantrum or have tried to break you up?" Serena asked in a joking manner. "Though, had our paths took us in different directions after we left Pallet Town, I think I would have at least confessed my feelings to you. So even if you ended up with another girl, at least I wouldn't end up lamenting missing my chance."
"But if we went our separate ways, we wouldn't be able to go on dates like we're doing now," Ash pointed out.
"Maybe... but at least you'd know what I feel for you," Serena said, shrugging. "So even if this doesn't work out... Well, at least I'll be happy to know that I tried."
"Hey, don't knock yourself out so soon, this is just our first date," Ash gently said. "And I'm going to need more than one measly date to see if we can work out as a couple or not."
"I'll take the fact that you're looking forward to more of this as a good sign then," Serena giggled.
That moment, the waiter returned with their dishes: Fried rice with hot sauce and sauteed berries for Ash, and sweet potato soup with coconut milk for Serena. After thanking him, the two of them continued their conversation as they dug in.
"Heh, this is pretty good," Ash said, savoring each bite of his dish. "You have a good eye for restaurants!"
"Well, it looked nice, and the online reviews were mostly positive," Serena replied. "And I'm sure the one negative review was from somebody who wanted to pay with 'online exposure' rather than money, and was told no."
"This definitely matches the food Clemont makes," Ash said. "Not to the level of my mom, but I don't expect anybody to surpass her, haha," Ash laughed.
"Yeah, your mom's cooking was not of this world," Serena said, remembering Delia's homemade meals during their stay at Ash's house. "Wonder if most of Kanto cuisine is anything like hers."
"Still, but not even close!" Ash proudly replied. Then, a realization dawned upon him. "You know, despite being in my home region, we didn't get to see much of Kanto beyond a little of Viridian city, Pallet Town, and the way between the two places."
"...you're right," Serena said, reaching the same conclusion. "So, what do you suggest? For us to visit the rest of Kanto once we finish our trip through Tandor? Though, given that it's your home region and you have returned many times, maybe you'll want to go somewhere new."
"Eh, I don't mind. Like you said, Kanto is my home region, so it will be like returning home," Ash replied. "Besides, it's not like I won't have anything to do there. I can always challenge the gyms of Kanto and give the Indigo League a second run," Ash chuckled sheepishly. "Looking back, my first trip was kind of a disaster. Not only did I earn half of my badges without even defeating the gym leaders, but I barely trained for the league and even went with a Pokemon that didn't even obey me, and my league run... Well, it wasn't bad for a newbie, but back then I was quite the brat with an ego, and looking back now I see how things could have been better."
"Don't beat yourself up over that. We all have been beginners at one point. Remember the disaster that was my first Showcase?" Serena reminded him.
"Still, your first run was much better than mine. You never had another blunder like that, and you made it to the finals of the Master Class Showcase," Ash pointed out. "For your first big competition, you did really well!"
"Well... I had a lot of help from both you and Clemont and Bonnie. Had I started my journey on my own-"
"You would have done great, because you're also passionate and persistent, you have a lot of imagination for spectacular combination moves, work really hard, and are really kind to your Pokemon, who respect you a lot in return. " Ash finished resoundingly.
"I know, but I still got help. Heck, you're helping me a lot by teaching me about contests and sparring with me. If it wasn't for your spars, I wouldn't have gotten as good at contests so quickly," Serena countered.
"Maybe I helped you, but it was you and your Pokemon who put in the work and won those ribbons, so don't bring yourself down," Ash gently chided her.
"Guess the bitter taste of my last loss still lingers in my mouth..." Serena said. Though, fortunately, she decided not to follow that train of conversation, and returned to a previous topic. "Though if you're up for visiting Kanto, then count me in. You visited my home region, so it's only fair that I see yours, don't you think?"
"Yeah. Oh, and the best part, Kanto has contests too! So it's not like you'll be twiddling your fingers during the whole trip!" Ash pointed out.
"Even if that wasn't the case, I would have looked for something to do myself," Serena said. "Maybe I would have tried my hand at collecting badges."
That answer surprised Ash, whose eyebrows went up. "Really? That would be..."
"That would be what, Ash?" Serena asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, you have never shown any interest in taking part in leagues," Ash said. "Not to say that you'll suck at it or anything! It's just that it sounds odd coming from you."
"It would be a way to expand my horizons. Like that Nando friend of yours, who became a Top Coordinator and League Winner at once," Serena said, her lips slowly curving into a smile, as she was seduced by the idea. "Maybe I could do that next if I win the Grand Festival."
"What about being the Kalos Queen?" Ash pointed out.
"I haven't forgotten about it. Aria better watch out, because soon her crown shall be mine!" Serena boasted half jokingly.
"Serena Gabena, Top Coordinator, Kalos Queen, and League Winner. That would be quite the resume!" Ash laughed.
"...though maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself," Serena said, returning to reality. "I don't even have all the needed ribbons for the Grand Festival, and here I am, talking about winning a league and becoming Kalos Queen."
"Hey, being ambitious is good! You'll never reach the stars if you only aim for the clouds," Ash encouraged her. "Look at me! My aim is to be the best Pokemon trainer who ever lived!"
"I guess you're right. But for the time being, I think I'll focus on the now," Serena said.
"That's good too," Ash agreed.
…
The two of them continued chatting amiably about different topics as they finished their dinner. Then, once they felt it was late enough, they paid for the dinner and headed back to their cabins. Walking into the outer deck, they were greeted by yet another pleasant night without a single cloud in the sky, and a cool gentle breeze that softly blew.
"So, this was a date, huh?" Ash asked.
"Did you enjoy it?" Serena asked, eager to hear his opinion.
"I had a lot of fun, yes," Ash said. "Though..."
Serena tensed up. That didn't sound good. "Though...?"
"Well, given the way you and the other girls talked about it... I expected this to be... I don't know, more of a big deal?" Ash asked. "We had dinner together, we talked, we had a lot of fun. It's not that different from what we have done other times. The only difference is that this time it was just the two of us."
"That's how most dates are, really. Just two people who like each other doing things they like and having fun," Serena said.
"Sounds pretty simple to me," Ash said. Though his tone made it obvious he meant it as a good thing.
"Dates are also a way for two people who like each other to get to know each other better," Serena added. "Though in our case, with how long we've been traveling together, we know a lot about each other."
"Haha, true!" Ash agreed. "Though, no matter how long you've known somebody, you can always learn new things about them. For example, I never thought that you'd give Pokemon Leagues a chance!"
Serena giggled, but didn't say anything, and continued their walk in silence. The two of them then left the deck and entered the cabin's area, and after a few minutes, they reached their respective cabins.
"Thanks a lot for agreeing to do this, Ash," Serena said, as she stood next to her cabin's door. "I'll treasure the memory of this day forever."
"Hey, I had a great time too!" Ash stated. "And we can go on another date whenever you want."
"Maybe when we reach another town or city. The road is not a great place for dates," Serena said.
"Alright."
The two of them stood there, looking at each other awkwardly, as if they were waiting for the other to announce the official end of the date so they could go to sleep.
It was Serena who took the initiative, walked towards Ash, and much to his surprise, kissed him in the cheek. Her face flushing red, Serena quickly entered her cabin.
"Goodnight, Ash," she said, before closing the door with a gentle click, so as not to wake the others up.
Ash's hand went to the spot Serena had kissed, his own face heating up as well. A smile formed in his face, before entering his own cabin as well.
"Goodnight, Serena."
Author's Note: And that's Ash and Serena's first date! I hope you guys enjoyed it. And rest assured it will be far from the first one.
Yeah, Ash and Serena aren't going to refer to each other as boyfriend and girlfriend or kiss each other (at least in the lips, kisses on the cheek are fair game as shown here), since they still need to work a little on their fledging relationship before they can get to that point, and while Serena is ready for a relationship of that level, Ash certainly isn't (but rest assured that he will get to that point eventually). But they won't act anymore as simply friends, since not only they will go on more dates, but act in a more affectionate way to each other befitting a couple, such as holding hands.
The part where Ash mentions that he had been thinking in redoing the Kanto Gyms is a reference to one of the ideas I had for this fic, with Ash redoing his Kanto Gym Challenge while Serena would still be doing contests. It would have included plotlines the original anime didn't adapt from the game, like the Celadon City Casino or the Silph co. invasion. In the end, I decided against the idea since to say that Kanto is far from uncharted territory would be a massive understatement, and I wanted to do something more original, so I choose to adapt a fangame instead, even if it would mean a much smaller audience.
Thanks a lot to 61394, Jake, Fox McCloude, MegaSalamence64, Galladeknight21, Brightnova169, hirowriter, Wangbu and Viroro-kun for reviewing last chapter, as well as special thanks to Viroro-kun for his awesome job as a betareader, whose suggestions and edits made this chapter so much better.
Make sure to drop a review, given that this chapter is pretty important for Ash and Serena's development for obvious reasons, and I'm dying to see your opinion on this chapter.
And with this the Tandor Cruise arc comes to an end! Next chapter... ALIENS! (if you know, you know)