Author's Note: First of all, happy new year to all my readers! Let's begin the year with a bang, because this is a chapter that have been on my mind for quite some time, it's been already written for almost a year, and I've been dying to see it published! I'm pretty sure you're all going to love it ;)
Chapter 46:
A Night to Remember
"Here we are!" Serena happily said, enjoying the magnificent view of the city in front of her. "Venesi City!"
As it was common in Tandor, a sign greeted them into the city:
Welcome to Venesi City
The Beautiful Watery City
Just like Alain had told them, they managed to get to the city just as the sun was starting to set. Sure, they wouldn't have much time to do anything, but at the very least they'd be able to sleep on the comfy bed of a Pokemon Center rather than on a tent in the open.
"Whoa, it's so beautiful!" Bonnie squealed. "It's even better than in the pictures!"
"Nene!" Dedenne agreed.
Venesi City was the largest city of East Tandor, and the second largest in all the region, second only to Bealbeach City. Though, despite their similar sizes, both cities couldn't be more different: while Bealbeach City was a modern tourist city of tall skyscrapers of metal and glass, everything about Venesi City screamed classically: there were many multi-story houses made of solid brick, with their windows shaped in stylized arches, and roofs made of dark red tiles.
There were other, larger buildings made of bright white marble rather than bricks or stone, supported by massive columns with dome-shaped roofs of the same material.
However, what stood the most about the city were the many canals that crossed it. There were many gondolas driven by Floatzel slowly sailing through the canals, with couples of all ages, from young newlyweds to old marriages, and everything in between, comfortably sitting on the gondolas' loveseat.
Everybody, even somebody as unobservant as Ash, could notice the way Serena looked at the gondolas whenever they passed next to one, and made her best efforts to repress a squeal.
"Hey, look at those statues!" Bonnie said, pointing out to the roof of what appeared to be a cathedral, which was lined up with statues of a winged creature. "What Pokemon is that?"
The statue was that of a being with a feline body, but the head of a bird, as well as wings, and a long tail with an arrowhead-shaped tip, and a chestplate with an V-shaped symbol on it.
"Guess it's a Pokemon we haven't seen yet," Serena deduced. "But if they have statues of it here, I'm sure we'll be seeing the real deal soon."
"Maybe Rosalind uses one, given that-WHOA!" Ash gasped.
His friends mimicked the reaction, because all of sudden, one of the statues spread its wings and took off into the air.
"Did that statue just fly away!?" Bonnie shouted.
"Look, the other statues are also moving as well!" Clemont noticed, and indeed, one could see that the statues would shift in place or move their heads.
"I have the feeling that's not the statue of a Pokemon," Serena said, pulling out her Pokedex.
"Gargryph, the Gargoyle Pokemon. Rock. They spend most of their time standing so still they are often mistaken for statues. They perch on the rooftops of Venesi City, guarding it from outside attackers." The Pokedex explained.
"Guess we aren't the only ones who mistook them for actual statues, huh," Clemont pointed out.
"Well, guess if Nuclear Pokemon show up, those guys will help defend the city," Ash said, before adding: "Though hopefully such things won't come to pass."
"Way to tempt fate there, Ash," Bonnie deadpanned, rolling her eyes.
"Come on, let's find the Pokemon Center," Serena suggested.
…
The very next day, the group woke up completely rested and full of energy. After a good breakfast, they decided to head up to Venesi City's Pokemon Gym, given that Rosalind had told them to go there as soon as they reached the city so they could schedule a match.
"Alright, here we are," Serena said, who was guiding the group with a map of the city she had downloaded on her tablet.
"Wow. That's not your usual Pokemon Gym, isn't it?" Ash said, letting out a whistle.
"Piiiika," Pikachu agreed.
Because rather than a modern building, the Pokemon Gym of Venesi City was a massive, round-shaped building made of marble with a dome of the same material for a roof, with many Gargryph perched on it. If it weren't for the official logo of the Pokemon League hanging above the entrance, no one would think that it was a Pokemon Gym.
"Eh, it looks good, but our Gym is better," Bonnie said.
"Here it says that this building used to be a theater dating from several centuries ago," Serena said, reading from her tablet. "Before Rosalind converted it into a Pokemon Gym."
"It looks like it's still a theater," Bonnie piped in, pointing out to the sides of the entrance. "Unless those posters advertising plays are just there for show."
Serena went on to check on the posters, and noticed that they were genuine, announcing the plays that could be seen during the week. "Huh, you're right..."
"Some Tandorian gym leaders have some weird tastes when it comes to Gyms, don't they?" Bonnie said. "Davern built one on an abandoned mine, Tiko on an ancient temple, and Rosalind on a classic theater."
"How a Gym looks on the outside doesn't matter that much. It's what you find on the inside that you should care about," Ash said, as he walked towards the double doors. "And inside is where we're going now!"
They were greeted by the sight of a beautiful hall whose floor was covered in marble tiles and from the walls hung all sorts of paintings, though most of them depicted thespians of past times. At the end of the hall was a counter were a black haired woman, which they assumed was a receptionist, worked.
"Hello there!" Ash warmly greeted upon walking to the counter. "My name's Ash Ketchum, and I'm here to challenge the Gym Leader!"
"Ketchum?" The receptionist repeated, as if the name struck a bell. She typed something in her computer, and nodded. "Ah, yes! Ms. Rosalind anticipated your arrival so she made sure to have a spot for you. Though I'm afraid you'll have to wait for tomorrow, as she's currently in a contest in Rochfale Town."
"Aw, what a bummer," Ash deflated, as he slumped his head.
"Piiiika…" Pikachu consoled his trainer, patting him on the head.
"Wait, Rochfale Town is pretty far away from here," Clemont pointed out. "How is Rosalind going to get here in time in just a day?"
"Ms. Rosalind has several Pokemon that can Teleport," the receptionist explained matter-o-factly. "That's how she's able to balance her job as a contest judge with her responsibilities here."
"Guess that makes sense," Serena agreed.
"The match will be tomorrow at seven in the afternoon, but make sure to come with some time to spare," the receptionist told Ash. "There are preparations that need to be made before the match can properly begin."
"Sure, I won't be late!" Ash assured the receptionist, before he and his friends walked out of the Gym and headed back to the Pokemon Center. He looked at Clemont and asked: "What do you think she meant by 'preparations'?"
Clemont merely shrugged. "No idea. Maybe they need to get the battleground ready, since they apparently use it as a stage..."
"Pity, I was hoping to see Ash winning another badge today..." Bonnie said, placing her arms behind her head.
After a twenty minute walk, the group finally arrived at the Pokemon Center. Once they were in the lobby, Ash wordlessly took Serena to an area in the lobby away from people.
"Um, Serena, can I ask you something?" Ash said. "It's about our date today."
Serena's face unsurprisingly brightened. "Oh, sure! I can't wait to see what you have prepared this time around."
"Well, part of it involves dinner at a fancy restaurant, and I don't think our clothes are going to cut it out," Ash told her.
Serena nodded. "Oh, I see. You know, I saw some boutiques on our way to the Gym, so I may go and check them. I still have the dress I used for our first date, but given the occasion, I think I'm going to get something new."
"In that case, I guess I should buy something myself as well. Or else I'm going to make you look bad, hehe," Ash chuckled.
"Come on Ash, you would never embarrass me. The clothes you wore for our first date would suffice," Serena reassured him. "Though if you want to buy something new, that's your choice."
…
Just like Serena said, she spent the morning watching boutiques and clothing stores, hoping to find something elegant and beautiful to wear for their date that night. While Ash thought that the same clothes he used on their first date would work, perhaps he could add something to improve them, so he did something he almost never did on his own and went to buy clothes as well.
After that, the group reunited once again at the Pokemon Center, and after having some lunch, they decided to spend part of the afternoon training at the battleground just outside it.
"Greninja, Ice Beam!" Ash commanded.
"Counter with Energy ball, Coatlith!" Serena replied.
Greninja cupped his webbed hands, forming an orb of icy power between them, before thrusting them forward, releasing said energy in the form of a beam. Coatlith, meanwhile, opened her mouth and formed a large sphere of emerald light, before launching it forward. Both attacks collided in the middle, resulting in an explosion of white and green, followed by a cloud of smoke of the same color.
"Now Greninja, Aerial Ace!" Ash said.
"Parry with Drill Peck, quickly!" Serena urged.
As an aura of light appeared around Coatlith muzzle and began to spin like a drill, the cloud of smoke was split in two as Greninja blitzed through it, his limbs glowing white. In an instant, the Ninja Pokemon reached hand to hand range and delivered a pair of powerful swipes at the Forest Lady Pokemon, whose Drill Peck didn't find its mark.
"Wrap him with your tail and use Giga Drain!" Serena ordered.
"Greninja, get out of there!" Ash warned.
However, this time it was Greninja who wasn't fast enough as Coatlith's lower body coiled around his own, leaving him trapped, as her claws and jaws began to glow with a green light before sinking all of them into Greninja's flesh. Small emerald orbs of energy flowed from Greninja into Coatlith.
"Free yourself with Night Slash!" Ash ordered.
"Gre, ninja!" Greninja cried as he summoned a sword of pure darkness on his right hand and delivered several blows at Coatlith's head, forcing the jungle dragon to release him. Now free, the Ninja Pokemon hopped back to a safe distance.
"Come on Ash, you don't have to hold back!" Serena called him out. "This isn't like the time we started sparring, back when we just arrived at Tandor! The Grand Festival will gather the best coordinators this region has to offer, and I'm not going to be ready to face them if you still treat me with kid gloves!"
"Uhh... are you sure?" Ash asked, scratching his temple.
"Very sure! Come at me with everything you have!" Serena encouraged him.
"In that case..." Ash said, as he crossed his arms in front of his face. "Come on Greninja! Let's do it, together!"
"Gre!"
Ash brought his arms forward, and a spiraling torrent engulfed Greninja. The transformation only took a few seconds, and once it was done, the water around him condensed into a water shuriken that was strapped to his back.
Serena smiled. "That's more like it. Get ready Coatlith! This is an opponent unlike any we have faced before!"
"Co, coat!" Coatlith cried.
"So, you feel ready to take on us at our very best? Very well then!" Ash said, throwing a punch forward. "Aerial Ace!"
"Counter with Energy Ball!" Serena replied.
"Well, not that I think that Serena is a bad trainer..." Bonnie began, as she watched with utmost attention the exchange of moves in front of her. "...but she shouldn't have asked Ash to go all out against her. He's going to crush her."
"Serena knows her chances of winning against an Ash not holding back are slim," Clemont, sitting next to her, pointed out. "But victory isn't what she's looking for right here."
"Uh? Then why does she ask Ash to do that?" Bonnie asked.
"Pika?" Pikachu, sitting next to Bonnie, asked as well, tilting his head at Clemont.
Clemont pushed his glasses up, as he studied the match in front of him. "Pressure. Serena wants to test how well she reacts against a much superior opponent. Not only does this allow her to grow stronger, but to test her ability to think on her feet."
"Ah, I see! Also, if she's used to fighting Ash at her best, then her opponents at the Grand festival will feel easier!" Bonnie added.
"That's an added bonus, yes," Clemont agreed. "Though underestimating her opponents wouldn't do Serena any good."
"Now Coatlith, wrap your tail around Greninja!" Serena ordered.
"Not this time! Greninja, Double Team!" Ash countered.
Before Coatlith could trap Greninja the same way she had done before, countless duplicates spawned around the battleground, and the one she grabbed vanished into thin air. Serena, though, didn't look all that worried.
"Not bad, but I have a way to find who's the real one!" Serena boldly declared. "Coatlith, Grass Whistle! Sing to your heart's content!"
Everybody could see the jungle dragon brighten at such an order, as she began to intone her usual cheerful melody. Ethereal musical notes colored green and yellow began to float around the battleground.
"G-Gre..." one of the Greninjas croaked, as his legs began to wobble.
"That one over there! Let's go with a Solar Beam, Coatlith!" Serena said.
The red flower bud at the end of Coatlith's tail bloomed into a flower, as it quickly began gathering solar energy to launch the attack.
"Greninja, quickly, get out of there!" Ash urged his Pokemon. However, Greninja moved way too slowly to dodge the impending attack. "You have to snap yourself out of the drowsiness! Slap yourself awake if you have to!"
Greninja did so, giving himself a pair of slaps who seemed to wake him up. But by the time he had done so, the flower at the end of Coatlith's tail was glowing with a bright golden light.
"Too late! Fire away!" Serena declared.
"Coaaaaaaat-LITH!" Coatlith cried, releasing the stored solar energy in the form of a huge golden beam with green edges.
"Parry it with Night Slash!" Ash ordered.
Greninja summoned not one, but two swords of glowing purple energy, and crossed them in front of him in order to block the incoming beam.
"G-Greeeee...!" Greninja croaked as he struggled to keep the swords up while the sun-powered attack pushed him backwards. However, the Kalosian Pokemon managed to hold his ground, resisting the attack.
"Well done Greninja! Now, Water Shuriken!" Ash said, now more confidently.
"Greeeee...!" Greninja began, as he raised a webbed hand above his head.
A blue outline appeared around the Ninja Pokemon, before he was briefly engulfed by a spiraling torrent of water. Once the torrent disappeared, Greninja was holding a massive energy shuriken colored blazing orange.
"Pika!" Pikachu said, paying more attention to the match.
"Wait, I've seen that before! Is that...?" Bonnie began.
"Yes. Greninja used that variant of the Water Shuriken during the Kalos League finals!" Clemont began, sounding a little worried.
With a swift arm motion, Greninja threw the shuriken forward. All confidence disappeared from Serena's face as she saw the empowered attack barreling at lightning speed at her Pokemon.
"Coatlith, quickly, you have to dodge that!" she urged, but it was obvious that the Forest Lady Pokemon wouldn't be fast enough to do so.
However, before the attack could land, the orange shuriken began to shrink and crumble down, breaking down into orange sparkles.
"...huh?" Serena asked, still wondering what had just happened. "It didn't do anything..."
"Just like when he used it in the league finals..." Clemont said.
"ARGH!" Ash grunted, before falling to his knees.
"G-GRE!" Greninja croaked in pain, also falling to his knees, his transformation disappearing and reverting back to his base form.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu yelled.
"ASH!" Serena shouted, worried, as he rushed towards him. Clemont and Bonnie also got up and hurried to check on Ash as well. Meanwhile, Pikachu and Coatlith went to check on Greninja.
"Ash! Are you okay?" Clemont asked, helping his friend to get back to his feet.
"Y-Yes. That attack just took a lot out of me…" Ash said, standing on his own.
"Guess it was backlash caused by the bond between you and Greninja," Clemont surmised, as he looked at the Ninja Pokemon, being helped back to his feet by Coatlith Unlike Ash, he didn't seem to be recovering as fast.
"That giant orange shuriken... it was like that other time," Bonnie pointed out. "It looked all big and scary, but it failed to do anything to Alain's Charizard..."
"I guess I never had the chance to ask because of what happened with Lysandre and Team Flare right after that, and then it probably slipped my mind," Serena began. "But what was that attack?"
"I... I don't know," Ash admitted. "The more we fought while bonded, I started to feel like there was this hidden well of power deep within Greninja. I tried to reach and harness it but... well, you saw the result, guess I kinda screwed up, hehe."
"I understand that you got curious, but it's better if you don't try that again," Clemont said, his eyes still focused on the Kalosian starter. "Putting such strain on Greninja for an attack without any real application is simply not worth it."
"No. I know that there's a way to use that move properly. Greninja also felt it. In the end, I'm sure it's no different than any other move; all you need to master it is training," Ash insisted.
"I'm not sure. It could be dangerous," Serena said, a little worried.
"I'm sorry, but... well, I don't think neither Greninja nor I can rest until we figure that thing out," Ash told her. However, he smiled and added: "But I promise we will be careful, okay? I don't plan to hurt neither myself nor Greninja."
This seemed to placate Serena, who smiled back a little. "Very well. I trust you," she said. Then she looked at Greninja. "Though, we should call it a day for today's training, and take Greninja inside so Nurse Joy can give him a look."
"Yeah, good idea," Ash agreed.
"Maybe you should try to rest too," Serena said. "Leave the date for another time-"
"No way!" Ash said, probably louder than he intended. "I mean, don't worry, I'm okay! I only need to lie down a little and I'll be back in shape in no time."
"Alright," Serena said, almost knowing there was no point in arguing. "Come on, let's go back inside."
…
Right after the training was over, Ash and Serena went out to buy clothes for their date. Ash was the first one to return, having taken very little time to buy anything, while Serena didn't return until a couple hours later, though thankfully she returned with enough time to spare to prepare for the date.
"Phew! I'm on time!" Serena said, as she entered the lobby of the Pokemon Center and looked at the clock on the wall.
"Well, good to see that you weren't going to stand Ash up," Bonnie piped.
Serena gasped at the apparent accusation. "I'd never do that!"
"Don't worry, I know," Ash reassured her. He then looked at the many bags full of clothes she was carrying. "Though, I see you didn't waste any time."
"Did you buy all of that for the date?" Clemont asked, a bit perplexed.
"Oh no! I bought a new dress pretty quickly, but then I decided to do some window shopping since I had the time, and window shopping became actual shopping and... hehe," she chuckled bashfully. "Anyway, I better go up! I need to take a shower, do my hair and put on the dress."
"It's okay, just take your time!" Ash said as he watched Serena hurry upstairs to the room she shared with Bonnie. "You know, I think I better get dressed too."
After all, he preferred to wait for Serena rather than making her wait.
It didn't take long for Ash to get dressed. He was wearing the same navy short sleeved shirt and dark gray pants he had worn on his first date with Serena on the luxury cruise. But he was also wearing a jacket that matched his pants in color – East Tandor was a little colder than its western counterpart, so the extra protection was appreciated – and a red bowtie.
Looking at himself in the bathroom's mirror, Ash was satisfied with what he saw, but couldn't help but have some second thoughts over his choice of wardrobe. "So, how do I look, Pikachu? Fancy enough?"
"Pi, pikachu!" Pikachu happily said, giving him a thumbs up.
Even if Ash felt a little silly asking fashion advice to somebody who didn't wear any clothes, Pikachu's support made him feel a little more confident.
"Great! Then let's go down and wait for Serena," Ash stated.
Followed by his starter, Ash went down to the lobby. Clemont and Bonnie, sitting at one of the tables, quickly noticed his arrival.
"Hey, looking good, Ash!" Clemont complimented.
"Yeah! I was afraid you'd look like a dork, but those clothes make you look amazing!" Bonnie gushed.
"Uh... thanks?" Ash asked, tilting his head at the young girl.
"Are you going to take Pikachu with you this time?" Clemont asked.
Ash nodded, and looked at the yellow rodent. "If he wants, sure! Serena told me she doesn't mind if I bring him along. Plus, the restaurant Serena and I are going serves Pokemon too and-"
"Pi, pika!" Pikachu said, before scurrying towards Bonnie and sitting on her lap.
"Pikachu?" Ash asked. "Don't you want to come?"
"Chuuuu," Pikachu said, smiling and shaking his head.
"Awwww, look at that! Pikachu knows not to be a third wheel," Bonnie cooed as he began to pat Pikachu on the head.
Ash wanted to tell Pikachu that he wasn't that, but he had the feeling that he wasn't going to win this argument, so he decided to let the issue go. Bonnie has done a good job babysitting Pikachu while he and Serena were out.
Knowing that Serena would take longer than him to get ready, Ash took a seat on the same table the Lumiose siblings were sitting at, and engaged in conversation with the two of them. First he talked with Clemont, and the lemon blond told him about a project he was working on involving salvaged technology from Team Omega. After that, the conversation turned to Bonnie's excitement over the fact that there were only three months left until her tenth birthday, meaning that she could finally go on a Pokemon journey.
"So, what region are you going to explore first? Kalos?" Ash asked.
"Nah. I already traveled through Kalos once with you guys. I want to go somewhere new," Bonnie replied.
"But knowing Kalos already would be an advantage, given that it's a region you're familiar with," Clemont replied.
"And where's the fun in that? Kalos has no surprises left for me, and neither will Tandor once we're done with it. I want the excitement of tackling a region completely blind!" Bonnie told them.
"Nenene!" Dedenne agreed, nodding.
"Okay, I'm ready!" Serena's voice said from the stairs, followed by the soft clattering of heels. "Sorry for making you wait so much!"
"Hey, it's no big deal. Now that-WHOA!" Ash said in shock.
"Oh my..." Clemont said, his glasses almost dropping.
"Whoa indeed," Bonnie agreed, her eyes fixed on Serena.
"So..." Serena began, a little bashfully. "How do I look?"
To say that Serena was stunning could have been an insulting understatement. The Kalosian girl was wearing a crimson, knee length strapless dress, a pink shawl over her shoulders, silver-colored high heeled shoes that left her toenails visible, and a necklace of blue pearls around her neck. She wore her long hair loose, with two long locks falling down the sides of her face, but it was wavy and glimmered in the light.
"Whoa..." Ash repeated, his cheeks turning a little red. "Y-You look incredible, Serena."
"Thank you! I was hoping to impress you," she giggled.
"You did more than impress me," Ash said, before looking down at his clothes. "Seeing you like this makes me feel underdressed…"
"Nonsense," Serena said, as she walked towards him and adjusted his bowtie a little. "You look really handsome tonight, Ash. You made an excellent choice of clothes."
"Hehe, thanks. I don't go to fancy places often, so I had no clue if I chose the right outfit," Ash said, a little relieved. He then held his arm for Serena. "Shall we go?"
"Sure," Serena said, as she wrapped her arm around his. As they walked, she turned towards the Lumiose siblings. "We will be late, so don't wait for us, okay?"
"Don't worry. And have fun on your date!" Clemont said, waving them goodbye.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu waved them goodbye as well.
"Look at them go. In no time, they will be married," Bonnie said, before letting out a dreamy sigh. "They grow up so fast..."
…
"The city is incredible at this time of day, isn't it?" Serena asked.
The sun was slowly setting in the horizon, casting a soft golden glow over the watery city before opening the way for the night's mantle of darkness, making the urban scenery even more beautiful, meaning that twilight was a great time to take a walk through Venesi City.
Not that Ash was aware of this when he scheduled the hour at the restaurant, but he cheered internally for his good luck when Serena pointed this out.
"Yeah, indeed," Ash nodded.
"When I learned of Tandor and its many hallmarks, this is the city I wanted to visit more than any other," Serena said, as she took a good look at the buildings around them. "And so far, it's meeting all my expectations."
"I know. That's why I wanted to make sure that our date here would be one to remember," Ash said. The two of them crossed a bridge over a canal, just as a gondola carrying a middle aged couple sailed below them.
"Any date is worth remembering as long as it's with you, Ash," Serena sweetly said.
"Still, I feel like I should go beyond the bare minimum, hehe," Ash chuckled.
As they continued walking and chatting, they saw a large building rising above the rest, one that stood up not just because of its size, but also because of its modern design and bright colors contrasted wildly with the rest of the city's classic style and muted colors.
"Look Ash," Serena said, pointing at the building. "That's the Venesi City's Contest hall. Where the Grand Festival will take place in a little over a month's time."
"Boy, I can't wait for the Grand Festival to come. Seeing you and your Pokemon impress the audience and your opponents alike...and the best part, you walking out while carrying the Ribbon Cup," Ash added, before looking at Serena and asked: "Have you thought when are you going to put it?"
Serena chuckled lightly. "Ash, aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself? I may not win. Hell, I may not even get past the Appeal Round."
"With that pessimist attitude, you won't," Ash said in a lightly chastising tone. "The key to winning is to visualize yourself as the winner! Well, that, and training a lot, but we already have that part covered. Plus, you've never even lost an Appeal Round, and I don't think the Grand Festival will be any different in that regard."
"I guess you are right," Serena replied.
Recently, it had been a little harder for Serena to put a positive attitude and face her future challenges with a smile. Aside from the fact that she still couldn't take her last defeat against Sayaka from her mind, there was the whole issue with Oblivicorn. Serena knew that she didn't have any business in the Grand Festival if she was unable to uncover what had happened with the temperamental mare upon evolving that made her so upset at her trainer.
"But I can't give up. I won't give up. I must keep trying," she reminded herself.
"Oh look, here we are," Ash said, as they stopped in front of a building with large windows that allowed them to see many people sitting at tables and having dinner.
Serena looked at the restaurant's name, and raised an eyebrow. She looked at Ash, scowling a little. "Ash... is this some kind of joke?"
"What? No!" Ash replied, taking a look at the name. "I mean... I saw the name and took it for a good omen. Though, I checked and all their reviews are pretty good."
It was hard to judge Serena for her reaction given the name of the restaurant in front of them:
RISTORANTE LA SERENISSIMA
"Apparently that's how Venesi City used to be called in ancient times, or something like that," Ash explained.
"Alright, let's go inside then," Serena said, before looking inside the place from the large window. "At the very least, from here it looks pretty nice, joke name or not."
They both crossed the entrance, and found themselves in front of a mustached man in a tuxedo who was looking boredly at the computer screen in front of him. He quickly took notice of the two teens, though, and looked at them as if they shouldn't be here.
"Hey there!" Ash warmly greeted him.
The man's expression didn't change. "Benvenuti alla Serenissima. Have you made a reservation? Otherwise I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave."
"I made a reservation!" Ash happily replied. "Ash Ketchum."
The man turned to his computer and began to type something, probably Ash's name. He raised an eyebrow. "Oh yes, here it is. Please let me accompany you."
The maître led the young couple to the dining area, where other people were having dinner, though they stopped what they were doing to look at them as they were led to their table, probably not used to somebody as young as them choosing such a place to have dinner. Some people whispered to each other, but others, mostly women, giggled to themselves while gushing about how a cute couple Ash and Serena made.
Thankfully, their trek was short lived as they finally reached their table, next to a wall at the leftmost side of the dinning area. There were a pair of wooden chairs with red velvet padding on the seat and the back and a single lit candle in the middle.
"Allow me!" Before Serena could take a seat, Ash pulled her chair back.
She giggled, appreciating his gentlemanly showcase. "Thank you," she said, before sitting and removing her shawl. Ash also took his jacket off.
"Here are the menus," the maître said, placing a pair of leatherbound menus in front of them. "Whenever you're ready to order, signal for a waiter to take your order."
"We will. Thank you, sire," Ash told the maître.
His job done, the mustachioed man returned to his post at the lobby of the restaurant. Once gone, Ash made a silent but exaggerated grimace, making Serena giggle for a second time. She hoped the rest of the service would be better than that guy.
Thankfully her hopes weren't dashed, as the waiter who came to take their orders was nothing short of polite and helpful.
As they waited for their food, they engaged in conversation.
"So Ash, I remember you telling me you saw a few Grand Festivals, right?" Serena asked.
"Yup! In Hoenn, Kanto, and Sinnoh," Ash replied. "Though they aren't that different from normal contests, you know? There's simply a bigger public and more competition."
"That's still a noticeable difference. The Master Class Showcase may have looked similar to the other Showcases, but trust me, it was anything but," Serena said, recalling the intensity of that competition. "So many performers, such a massive audience, the idea of facing Aria..."
"Don't put yourself down. You managed to make it to the finals of your very first Master Class Showcase, you'll do just as good here, if not better," Ash tried to reassure her.
"Thanks. But I know for a fact that Sayaka will be there, and I'm sure many other coordinators will be just as good as her, if not better," Serena replied, sounding a little worried.
"Whether you're gonna face Sayaka or someone better than her, you'll make it to the top anyway," Ash said with a warm smile.
One side of Serena wanted to rebuke his overly optimistic statement, while the other was telling her to just smile and accept the compliment. But she couldn't let the issue go.
"What about the other girls you traveled with? May and Dawn," Serena asked. "Did they ever win a Grand Festival?"
"Eh, no..." Ash said, deflating a little, as he averted her gaze. "May got to the Top 8 in her first Grand Festival, and managed to get to the semifinals in the next one. Dawn was the runner up of the Sinnoh Grand Festival," he said, but he was quick to add: "But don't let that discourage you! I know you're going to win this Grand Festival! You were so close to winning that Master Class Showcase, and with how much you've improved, there's no way you won't win this time!"
The side of Serena that just wanted her to take in Ash's optimism and compliments won out this time.
"You always manage to keep such a bright look on everything, don't you Ash?" Serena asked gently. "Guess that's another reason that made me fall in love with you."
"Well, how else am I supposed to tackle the league, then? Maybe a positive attitude isn't all that's needed to win, but I can't see myself winning if I go thinking I'm going to lose," Ash began, smiling earnestly. "This is going to be my seventh league. Other people might have been discouraged at this point, but not me. Sure, I may lose, like I lost all my previous leagues, but so what? I can still try again. Visit a new region, catch new Pokemon... those are things I enjoy a lot, so even if in the end I don't return home with a trophy, I'll be taking home the new Pokemon I befriended, all the new friendships I made, and all the wonderful experiences I had."
Serena blinked a little as Ash's impassioned speech sunk in. Her facial expression relaxed, and finally answered: "Nothing we do is pointless, huh?"
"Exactly!" Ash replied. "So you should go into the Grand Festival thinking that not only you're going to win, but you're going to leave everybody dazzled by how amazing you and your Pokemon are. And if you don't win... Well, would you call your showcase run a waste of time just because you didn't beat Aria?"
"I see your point," Serena said smiling. Ash's words made her recall all the people she met, such as Shauna, Nini and even Miette, all what she learned, the sheer fun she had when she and her Pokemon were on stage... "And no, even if in the end I didn't win, I wouldn't trade my showcase run for anything in the world."
"See? That's what I mean!" Ash said. "I have met quite some people on my journeys that would think that not winning would make everything that came before pointless, but they couldn't be more wrong. Of course, that doesn't mean that I won't be aiming for the top."
Once again, Serena's thoughts turned to Sayaka. Recalling the last conversation she had with the ninja girl before their duel during the Legen Town Contest finals, Serena could tell that Sayaka would be among the kind of people Ash mentioned to her.
She couldn't end up being like Sayaka. And if that meant that she would never win a Grand Festival, then so be it. She wasn't going to give up who she was for fame and glory. She wasn't going to sacrifice her smile to reach her dreams.
"Your food," a waiter said, snapping Serena out of her thoughts, while placing a pair of dishes in front of them, then a bottle and a pair of glasses. "Thank you for your patience."
Ash had ordered a pizza margherita, while Serena had ordered a plate of spaghetti with tamato berry sauce and shredded cheese. To drink, they ordered mixed berry juice.
"At last! I was starting to worry!" Ash said, picking a slice of his pizza, which already came cut in slices, and took a big bite. "Ah, so good!"
Serena giggled and shook her head, before calmly eating her spaghetti. "Come on Ash, where is the hurry? Let's enjoy this nice dinner. Or were you that hungry?"
"I wasn't that hungry," Ash replied, while still chewing. He swallowed, and added: "Okay, I was that hungry, but that's not why I was worried about the time."
"Huh?"
"I planned something for after the dinner, and we'll have to be there at the scheduled hour," Ash told her. "Meaning that we can't stay here as long as we'd like."
"Oh," Serena replied. On one hand she didn't like the idea of having to rush a dinner she was enjoying so much, but on the other, she was clearly curious about what Ash had planned. "What are we going to do next, then?"
Ash smiled awkwardly, and averted her gaze. "Uhhh... I can't tell you, it's a surprise."
"A surprise," Serena repeated. That sounded like the kind of excuse somebody who was winging something would say. But then again, it wasn't like Ash had told her beforehand that they would be doing something after dinner, so he didn't have any need to lie.
"But it's a surprise you're going to love, promise!" Ash nervously added.
"Don't worry Ash, I believe you," Serena reassured her. "All our dates have been a joy, this one included. Whatever you have planned, I'm sure it will be great."
This seemed to placate Ash, who visibly relaxed and went back to his pizza. He then looked at his Pokegear. "Alright, we still have some time, so we won't have to swallow our food or anything."
"Good to hear that. I don't enjoy my food if I'm in a hurry," Serena said, bringing her fork wrapped in noodles to her mouth.
The two continued to eat their food as they fell into a comfortable silence. While they mostly focused on their food, from time to time they'd try to steal glances at each other while they thought the other wasn't looking, only to burst into giggles whenever they made eye contact.
"You know, I'm just remembering our first date at the cruise," Ash said, as he refilled his glass of berry juice. "And how we were so worried over not knowing what to talk about."
"Oh boy, don't remind me," Serena said, a little embarrassed, but her smile didn't disappear. "I remember that day as if it was yesterday. I was like 'I talk with Ash every day, we're just having dinner together, why it's suddenly so difficult!'"
"Haha, I was the same!" Ash laughed. "Thank goodness we managed to get past that!"
"After so many dates, if we didn't, then we had no business continuing this," Serena said, shaking her head. "So yes, I'm glad that we left it behind."
"Also, given that we've been dating for quite some time..." Ash began. He averted his gaze and pulled the neck of his shirt as if he was too warm. Was he actually nervous? "... is dating me at all like what you imagined?"
That question gave Serena pause. The raven haired boy wasn't somebody to worry over such a thing. Fortunately for him, the truth wouldn't hurt him.
"It was all that, and more," Serena replied as a warm smile adorned her face. She could feel Ash growing both more relaxed and a little happier upon hearing her words. "Why do you ask that? Were you afraid that you might not live up to the idea of you I had in my mind?"
"Eh... maybe a little?" Ash asked. "I mean... this dating thing is kind of new to me. I've been trying to do my best, but you can't see if you're doing good or bad like in a Pokemon battle."
"Let me assure you then, that you have nothing to worry about. Every single date we had has been a delight, and this one doesn't look to be any worse than those," Serena told him. "Though, why were you afraid that I might not like going on a date with you? It would be one thing if we barely knew each other, but we've been traveling together for more than a year. I had more than enough time to get to know you, Ash."
"Yeah well, but we've never done this before. We travel together, we train, we do fun stuff alongside Clemont and Bonnie... but we have never done things like, well, this," Ash said, spreading his arms a little, waving at the restaurant around them to drive his point home.
"You don't have to worry, Ash. You're doing great, promise," Serena insisted. "If anything, I should be worried if you're enjoying this as much as I do."
Ash choked, as if Serena had just said the biggest of absurdities. "You? Why? How?" he almost blabbered. "Any boy should feel super lucky that you want to go on a date with them, Serena. And the fact that you chose me of all people-"
"I think you're overvaluing me a little, Ash," Serena said, her cheeks turning pink. "I'm not that special..."
"Are you kidding me? You had so many boys in Kalos pinning for you! Trevor, Tierno, that rocker guy with that Pikachu..." Ash began.
"Come on Ash, it's not that-wait a minute," Serena said, confusion spreading over her features as a realization dawned upon her. "You knew those guys liked me?"
"Not at first. But after I started dating you, well... I started remembering things from our journey through Kalos, and realized that some things weren't what I thought the first time around," Ash said, sounding a little embarrassed, not unlike somebody who takes far too long to understand the punchline of a joke. "Also... Miette knew, didn't she? That's why she made those insinuations about you and me and you got so nervous when she was around."
"Yeah... she told me it was her way of pushing me into making a move," Serena replied. "Though I'm still not sure if she was pining for you or not... though, you haven't answered my question."
"Huh?"
"Are you enjoying going on dates with me?" the honey blonde repeated.
"Of course! I thought that was obvious," Ash said. "If that wasn't the case, I wouldn't have gone through so much effort to prepare today's date. Why would you ever think that?"
"Because it was me who started all of this, remember?" Serena reminded him. "I was the one who confessed my feelings for you on that ship. I was the one who wanted this. I was the one who couldn't just conform with us being friends, despite the fact that we had such a wonderful friendship-"
"And we still have it," Ash interceded.
"-my point being, it was me who dragged you into all of this," Serena continued. "And you've been doing such great work making sure that I'm having a great time, that sometimes I wonder if you're neglecting yourself."
Ash titled his head, and shot Serena a puzzled look. "Really? Do I really look like I'm having a bad time when I'm with you?"
"I don't mean that way, it's just that, well..." she began to look around. "Would a place like this be your first option if you wanted to have dinner?"
"Depends. If it's for a date like right now, absolutely. If you're worrying if I'd be happier at an All-You-Can-Eat buffet, I can always go to those another time," Ash replied.
Serena was about to say something, but shook her head and chuckled. "Oh boy, look at us. Worrying if the other is having a good time or not. Just what's wrong with us?"
"Yeah. Maybe we should stop worrying so much," Ash agreed. "If I didn't enjoy our dates, I would have said something by now. I feel like you would have done the same, right?"
"'We should stop worrying so much'," Serena repeated, and chuckled. "Maybe we should make that into our motto. Not just for our dates, but for our life in general."
And stop worrying they did. Which allowed them to enjoy the rest of their dinner way more.
…
Around forty five minutes later, Ash and Serena finished their dinner – they both shared a small chocolate cake as dessert – and went back outside. The night had completely covered the city in its mantle of shadows, with only the now lit streetlights and lights coming from open windows providing any illumination. The air was noticeably cooler than it was before, a jarring contrast with the warm temperature inside the restaurant, so they put on their jacket and shawl back, and felt lucky that they decided to bring it with them.
Still, that didn't make the city any less beautiful, or any less busy, given that plenty of people walked through its streets besides the duo, who walked hand in hand towards their next destination.
"So, how did you find the dinner?" Ash asked.
"One of the best I ever had the pleasure of having," Serena replied with a warm smile, which was matched by Ash's. "If you simply took me back to the Pokemon Center and told me that that was it, I'd consider this date a resounding success."
"Really? Heh, that's great! In that case, I can't wait for you to see what we are going to do next," Ash said, as he led Serena to turn a corner.
"So, where are we going now?" Serena asked, trying to find a clue by looking at the buildings they were passing by. She could discard the restaurants, because even if Ash's stomach was a bottomless pit, There was no way he would plan a second dinner after the first one.
"You'll see soon," Ash said, before stopping, and looking around. He looked a little disoriented, much to Serena's growing consternation.
"Ash, do you know where we are going, don't you?" the honey blonde asked.
"Eh, let me check the GPS..." Ash said, quickly opening the GPS app of the Pokegear. Upon seeing the map, his face lightened up, as if his worry disappeared. "Oh right, it's on the next block! Come on, I'm sure he's there already," he said, as he grabbed Serena by her wrist and led her to a street next to a canal.
"He? Ash, what are you planning?" Serena asked, as her mind went through the possibilities of any plan that involved a third person. While Serena would have been more than okay with Ash bringing Pikachu along, the idea of a third wheel wasn't exactly appealing.
"And here we are!" Ash said, upon reaching their destination. They were next to a canal, where a gondola with a Floatzel was waiting for them. "So, what do you think?"
"Ash, did you...?" Serena began, gasping, and covering her mouth with her hands. "Did you order a gondola ride?"
"How could I not? I heard you saying many times that you'd love to go on one, so I'd made sure to book one for the day we came here," he explained. "Do you like it?"
"Like it? Ash, I love it!" Serena almost squealed, beaming with joy. "I always wanted to go on a gondola ride when I first learned of them, but going on one on date with you... that goes even beyond my dreams!"
"I'm glad I got it right, then!" Ash said, as he hopped onto the gondola, and extended a hand to Serena. "Come on, all on board!"
Serena gladly took Ash's hand and stepped onto the ride. There was a loveseat where they would sit down, but it was so long that rather than sitting they were lying next to each other. Not that Serena minded that in the slightest.
"Flo, float!" The Floatzel cried to warn the two teens that they were ready to sail, as it picked up a long row and pushed the gondola forward.
The gondola ride lasted for a little over forty minutes. The two teens, lying next to each other on their comfortable loveseat, watched the city like very few people had the chance to. Naturally, they were far from the only couple who had ordered such a service, as they were passed by many other gondolas and their respective Floatzel navigators.
Aside from people, they also saw several Pokemon: from time to time, they'd see a Gargryph flying over the city, while a Tubjaw or Frynai would jump out of the canal before diving back in the water.
They barely traded a word as the ride lasted. Not that there was any need for it. Their mutual company was all the pair of teens needed right now.
…
Once the gondola ride ended, so did their date. Both Ash and Serena had a great time and wished the date would go on forever, but it was almost one in the morning, and Ash had a gym battle the next day. Sure, it was in the afternoon, but it would do him no good if he didn't get enough rest for such an important match.
Thankfully, Ash was able to convince the Floatzel navigator to leave them on a street that wasn't too far from the Pokemon Center, so they wouldn't have to walk too much. After a few minutes, they finally reached the Pokemon Center.
"Well, here we are," Ash said, stopping in front of the automatic doors. While most of the Center was dark, there was light coming from inside the lobby. "I hope you had a great time."
"'Great' doesn't even begin to describe it, Ash," Serena said, wiping a strand of hair back. "It was one of the best nights ever. I'll treasure it for the rest of my life."
"Hehe, wow!" Ash said, blushing a little, and rubbing the back of his head while looking to the side. "While I'm glad that you enjoyed it so much, I don't know what I'm going to do to top it. The next date is going to be kind of a let down."
"Ash," Serena placed a hand on Ash's face, gently making him look at her. "No date with you will ever be a letdown. I thought that we already made that clear."
Ash didn't say anything, and chuckled bashfully. Then, he finally looked at Serena. As if time froze, the two of them remained there, not moving a muscle, staring into each other's eyes.
"Serena...?" Ash asked, his voice slurring a little. "It's just me or... or... were you always this beautiful?"
"Aw, thank you Ash."
That's what Serena would have wanted to say but no words came out of her mouth. She instead put her other hand on the other side of Ash's face. Steeling her breath, she leaned forward, feeling as if her body was going on autopilot, but she didn't fight it. She began closing her eyes and pursed her lips, without even noticing that Ash was mimicking her.
Both Ash and Serena's faces came close to each other...
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...before their lips met in the middle, forming a kiss.
The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but for Serena it felt way longer. Yet, when it ended and their faces parted, she felt like it hadn't lasted long enough.
"OH MY GOODNESS, MY FIRST KISS! AND IT WAS WITH ASH! THIS MUST BE A DREAM!" Serena thought. "Wait a minute… I kissed Ash! Oh my goodness, did I go too quick? Did I screw up? How is Ash going to take it?
Blushing madly, the two teens stared into each other's eyes, not knowing what to do or what to say. Until the two of them suddenly broke into a fit of silly giggles.
"Soooooo..." Ash began, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "Did you... did you like it? T-The kiss?"
"Yes," Serena said, as she unconsciously touched her lips with the tip of her fingers. So Ash was also on board with the kiss, the thought alone brought her untold amount of relief. "Yes, I liked it. I liked it a lot," she replied, her cheeks turning redder and redder by the second. And while Serena looked calm on the outside, she was a storm of emotions on the inside.
"G-Good!" Ash said a little too loudly. "Because, um, because I kinda acted without thinking and then I was afraid that I crossed a line or something..."
"No, no! It was okay, I promise," Serena was quick to reassure. "If I didn't want you to kiss me I would have said something."
Ash sighed in relief, but didn't say anything, causing their short exchange to fall into a lull, albeit this one was way more uncomfortable than when they were at the restaurant or the gondola.
Serena couldn't take it anymore, and decided to let out of her chest the question that had been burning inside her. Given that Ash had just kissed her, she was sure of the answer, but she wanted to hear it from Ash's mouth. "So, Ash... does this mean that you figured out how you feel towards me?"
"I think?" Ash replied, his voice quivering a little. A knot formed in Serena's stomach. There's no way, no freaking way, that Ash couldn't have this figured out by now. Still, she decided to let him continue speaking. "The dates we had these past weeks... they were loads of fun. And the more we had, the more I enjoyed them, and the sooner I wanted to have another one. And I, I really like being with you, Serena. I'm not sure if that's love or not but, um... what I'm trying to say is, what we have been doing these weeks, not only I don't want it to stop, but I want even more. And when we kissed... my heart beat so fast and there was as if fire spread all over my body... it was what I feel when I'm competing in a Pokemon League, but somehow even better..."
As Ash talked about his feelings and what Serena meant for him, the knot in her stomach began to unravel, replaced by a warm feeling as her heart rate increased. Yeah, Ash wasn't somebody who had a way with words, but he was trying, and she could tell that he did love her.
"So Serena... would you like to be my girlfriend?" Ash asked.
Finally. He asked. Serena had lost count how many times she had imagined, had dreamed, had fantasized with Ash asking her that. It took a region and a half, but he finally said it. Her patience had finally born fruit.
Serena smiled widely. "Yes, Ash. I'd love to be your girlfriend."
And then the honey blonde placed her arms around Ash's neck and gently pulled him into a second kiss. Ash happily welcomed and returned the kiss, as his arms wrapped around her waist. The kiss was even longer, and somehow even better than the first.
After the kiss broke, Serena felt she could go for a third. And a fourth. And a fifth. And maybe... no wait, it was too soon for that. But alas, it had to end there.
"We better go inside. It's kind of late, and you have a big day tomorrow," Serena told him.
"Heh, I doubt any day will be bigger than this one," Ash said, his face still a little dreamy. Then, his face lit up as if he realized something. "Oh wait! Before we go, let's take a picture together! To commemorate our first kiss and becoming a couple!"
"Sure, that's a good idea," Serena agreed.
The recently formed couple bunched up, while Ash prepared to take a picture of them with his Pokegear. However, he was having a hard time framing the image so the two of them could fit. It was then that Ash noticed something about Serena that he hadn't realized before.
"Uh, Serena... since when did you become so tall?" Ash asked, a little surprised.
"Oh, the heels! I forgot I was wearing them!" Serena said, quickly taking off her high heeled sandals. "Try again."
"Alright," Ash said. This time, though, the two of them could fit inside the picture. But Ash didn't take it. "Hey, how are you still taller than me...?"
"Really?" Serena asked. "I never realized that..." she then stood in front of Ash, and used her palm to measure them. "Hey, it's true! I'm taller than you! Though, I'm sure you won't have a problem dating a taller girl, will you?"
"Of course I won't." Ash stated. "Is that, well, I never noticed that. Most of the girls I traveled with were shorter than me."
"Don't worry my little boyfriend," Serena giggled, patting Ash on the head teasingly. "Your big girlfriend is here to protect you and make sure no one steps on you by accident."
"Har har, you're so funny," Ash said, rolling his eyes a little, but his smile didn't disappear. "Also, we haven't taken the picture yet."
"Oh right!" Serena said, as she quickly went to bunch up with Ash again. "Come on, let's do it!"
This time, they managed to get the picture. A couple seconds later Serena's Pokegear pinged, and saw that Ash had sent her the picture they just had taken without having to ask him.
"There, now we have something to remember this day," Ash stated.
"I don't think I'll ever forget about this day, Ash," Serena replied.
No more words were exchanged for the rest of the night, and the newly formed couple silently entered the empty lobby of the Pokemon Center and went to their respective rooms.
It would take them more than an hour for the excitement of the day to fade from their bodies, allowing them to fall asleep.
Author's Note: At last! After much buildup and waiting, Ash and Serena not only finally become a couple, but they also shared their first kiss! The plan was always for them to hook up for good in Venesi City, since I felt the city provided the perfect atmosphere for a romantic upgrade. I hope the wait was worth it, and you liked this chapter almost as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Regarding the name of the restaurant Ash and Serena had dinner at, yeah, "La Serenissima" was the name of the city-state of Venice (what today is Venice City, and the inspiration of Venesi City in Pokemon Uranium) from 697 to 1797, so I felt it was a very fitting name for such a place that would preclude to Ash and Serena hooking up for good. It was Viroro, my betareader, who told me about this when we were talking about possible names for the restaurant.
On top of the date and the relationship upgrade, this chapter also opens up a couple more plots, such as Serena getting ready for the Grand Festival (though that won't happen until Ash gets his 7th badge) as well as Greninja using again that beefed up Water Shuriken that managed to do jack shit against Alain's Charizard. But who knows, maybe there's something more to that attack ;)
Thanks a lot to Firem78910, Fox McCloude, dmrm, MegaSalamence64, Guest #1, and hirowriter for reviewing the previous chapter, as well as special thanks to my betareader Viroro-kun, who helped me with this chapter in ways few other people would have.
Also, check the Ao3 version if you want to see a picture of the scene of Ash and Serena kissing in front of the Pokemon Center's doors.
Next chapter, Ash challenges Rosalind, and will find out why is she considered among the three strongest Tandorian Gym Leaders. In the meantime, be sure to leave a review with your thoughts on this chapter!