The next morning, Nick, Eevee, Froakie, Serena and Fennekin woke up at the Pokemon center on route 4, got ready and were currently eating breakfast outside. Serena was feeling happy because today was a special day in her book. The day they would finally reunite with Ash.
"So nice, no Rhyhorn to buck me off and no Fletchling pecking me awake. Such a relaxing way to start the morning." Serena said before stretching her arms. Fennekin saw this and thought she could do this to, before trying to mimic what her trainer was doing but wound up falling over.
Serena giggled at Fennekin's attempt before speaking, "Fennekin did you get enough?"
Fennekin barked yes before her trainer decided it was time to get going.
"Thank you for everything, Fenne." Both said before leaving.
"Santalune City is really close. Just a little further and I'll finally get to see you, Ash." Serena said before heading down the trail to Santalune City.
'I still remember it like it was yesterday.' Nick thought, recalling when he met Ash and Drake for the first time.
"Hey Serena, what have you done here in Kalos?" Nick asked.
"Well..." She said with some hesitation. "I've had a hard time figuring out what I want to do."
"Don't feel so bad, it happens to everyone." Nick said reassuringly. "I'm sure you'll find something else that you enjoy doing."
Meanwhile, after leaving the Pokemon Center Ash and the others were heading to the Santalune Gym for Ash's first gym battle.
"Alright Santalune Gym, look out because I'm gonna beat you and get my first Kalos badge." Ash said.
"Someone's confident." Drake said, looking at his younger brother.
"Is it wrong not to be?" Ash asked, while they both heard something.
"Hey guys can't you slow down please." Clemont said before falling over.
"Come on, get up Clemont!" Bonnie said, while trying to help her brother get up.
"One thing and it's kinda important, do you know where the Santalune Gym is?" Clemont asked.
Ash remained silent, implying he doesn't know where it is.
"You don't know, do you?" Drake asked.
"No clue." Ash confessed causing everyone to facepalm from embarrassment.
Everyone was embarrassed with the young trainer's antics while Ash went to a fountain in the center with Pikachu on his shoulder.
"I always figure out things best while on the move. Keep going and you can't go wrong." Ash said with pride while the fountain turned on making a great background.
'Can't go wrong until you realize that it does.' Drake thought to himself. He knew how his brother can be.
"That's the way we roll." Ash said, while looking at Pikachu when they heard what appears to be a camera shuddering.
"Thanks so much for the pic." A woman with blond hair said. She appeared to be around Drake's age and wore a white tank top, green jeans and brown ankle boots. She also had a camera hanging from her neck.
"I can tell you and your Pikachu are quite close." She continued. Surprised by this, Ash could only say thanks while Drake asked her where the Santalune Gym was. The lady then gave directions, which Ash was excited to hear about. They headed off, but Ash preferred to get there as fast as possible and took off.
'Sigh, here we go again.' Drake thought before running with him, with the others in tow. The woman looked at them and smiled in their direction.
"Here we are." Drake said, looking at a white building with a green roof on top. On the front was the Pokemon League symbol.
"Now if I remember my facts correctly, the Santalune gym specializes in Bug-Type Pokemon." Clemont said while they went ahead. As they were about to head in, a small yellow lizard Pokemon jumped out the front door as soon as it opened and landed on Ash.
"Helioptile." It said. Ash and Pikachu recognized it as a Helioptile. It then went back to it's trainer who was waiting at the front entrance. Since he didn't have a chance to scan it back on the Decolore Islands, now was a good time to do so.
Helioptile, the Generator Pokemon. When spread, the frills on it's head act like solar panels, generating the power behind this Pokemon's electric moves.
"Hey Ash, Pikachu." Ash recognized the voice.
"Hey Alexa, I'm surprised to see you here." Ash said.
"I knew you would challenge the Santalune gym, so I waited for you to come." Alexa said and Ash nodded in response. Alexa then spotted another familiar face.
"Hey Drake, you're still traveling with Ash?" Alexa asked.
"What can I say? Ash knows how to go to good places." Drake replied, causing Ash to laugh at his brother's comment.
Then Alexa saw three new people.
"So, I imagine these three are your new friends Ash?" Alexa asked, not remembering Andrew was on the plane with her and Ash.
"Ah wait, I know who you are now." Alexa facepalmed.
"Sorry." She apologized. "This happens every now and then because I don't pay attention when a lot is on my mind."
"I'm Clemont and this is my little sister, Bonnie." Clemont introduced them.
"Nice to meet you." The little girl replied until Clemont spoke.
"That's great, you and Drake already know the gym leader." Clemont said.
"Hate to break it to you Clemont, but she's not the gym leader." Andrew informed him. "Meet Alexa, she came to Kalos with myself and Ash."
"Yep the Gym Leader is actually my little sister, Viola." Alexa said, confusing the blond siblings.
"That would be me." A voice said from behind. Everyone turned around to see the woman from before. Ash was shocked that he already met the Gym Leader.
"I figured that since you're a reporter, you would know who the Sinnoh Champion is." Viola told her older sister. Alexa was a little embarrassed now and shot an unhappy look at her.
"I'm not the only one who gets too focused on something, you don't pay attention when you snap pictures of people, Pokemon and other things which causes you to be late to work sometimes. There was also this one time where you didn't get food from the store because you saw and wanted to take the "Perfect Shot" of something, leaving challengers to wait at the gym in a line that went all the way down to the Pokemon Center." Viola nervously sweat dropped. The group also sweat dropped from the exchange.
"Sounds like both of you need to break your bad habits." Drake told the siblings who sigh and hang their heads in agreement.
"You mean you're Alexa's sister." Ash said, surprised.
"Oh, so you guys already met one another?" Alexa asked.
"Yep, over at the fountain." Viola said.
"Wow, so Viola I would like to challenge you to a gym battle." Ash stated. Viola agreed and invited everyone inside.
The lobby was well designed. There were pictures of bug types hanging on the walls that captured everyone's attention.
"I'm glad Misty's not traveling with us, cause she would have lost her mind." The brothers imagine her reaction to seeing Bug-type Pokemon and sweat drop from the thought of it.
"Wow did you take these yourself, Viola?" Drake asked, but before Viola could answer Alexa spoke.
"Yep, my little sister has a great eye for photographing bug types." Alexa said, trying to mess with her.
"You know I don't enjoy being called little anymore, no matter how true what you just said is." Viola said, embarrassed by her sister's remark.
"She even helps me with reports from time to time." Alexa said, while shrugging off what her sister said. Viola agreed all is forgiven and smiled.
"WOW VIOLA YOU'RE A KEEPER." Bonnie yelled out.
"Please take care of my brother." Bonnie said while Dedenne got out of Bonnie's bag and climbed to the top of her head. This left everyone shocked especially Viola who's mouth hung wide open.
"We're a bit confused Bonnie." Drake said.
"What the heck are you talking about?" Andrew questioned the little girl.
"BONNIE I TOLD YOU TO STOP THIS A MILLION TIMES!" Clemont said, agitated and embarrassed at the same time.
"You know you need someone to take care of you. I think Viola will be a nice wife for you." Bonnie said.
"A nice wife!?" Viola asked, surprised.
"No this is very embarrassing, activate Aipom arm." Then, the mechanical arm reached over and grabbed Bonnie from behind.
"Would you please mind your own business." Clemont said, dragging her out the front door.
"Ha ha I hope you think about it Viola." Bonnie said, while being dragged away.
"That girl is very unique, isn't she." Alexa said.
"She reminds me of Brock, doesn't she." Drake whispered to Ash as the two picture Misty seeing Bonnie pull a Brock move on the women for Clemont in surprise hoping Brock had nothing to do with Bonnie acting like this or he'd receive the mother of all ear tugs from her soon enough. Elsewhere Brock suddenly felt a phantom ear pain and a foreboding feeling Misty herself had the urge to head to the Pewter Gym and pull his ear really hard for something he seemingly did. The brothers sweat drop at the thought.
"I was thinking the same thing." Ash said.
"So Ash how about that battle?" Viola asked, getting back to business.
"Great, Pika." They said.
There while walking to the battlefield Viola whispered to Alexa so the two brothers were unable to hear a thing.
"So, who's the trainer with Ash?" Viola asked.
"That's Drake, his older brother, why." Alexa said.
"N-n-n-nothing." Viola stuttered before speaking again.
"I just think he's kinda hot." Viola confessed with a pink blush on her cheeks, shocking Alexa as she grinned.
Meanwhile in the streets of Santalune City Nick and Serena walked towards the Santalune gym while thinking about the location of the gym and what about their reunion with Ash could be like.
"He's gonna be so surprised after all this time." She said while recalling a memory of a younger Ash.
'I wonder how he'll react when he sees me. I can't wait to find out.' She thought while walking towards the gym.
Meanwhile Ash and Viola were on opposite ends of the battlefield ready to battle with everyone else standing on the sidelines. The referee got in place and explained the rules.
"The battle between Ash the challenger and Viola the Santalune Gym leader will now begin. Each side will have the use of two Pokemon and the winner will be determined when both Pokemon are unable to continue. Only the challenger can substitute Pokemon." Both nodded and began.
"My lens is always focused on victory, Surskit go." Viola said as a Poke Ball opened up to reveal a blue bug with antennas for legs and colored yellow on top of it's body.
"So, a Surskit huh." Ash then took out his Pokedex to scan it.
Surskit, the Pond Skater Pokemon. It secretes a thick, sweet-scented syrup from the tip of it's head. It lives on weed-choked ponds.
"Alright Pikachu, let's go." Ash chose Pikachu, who went forward all ready.
Ash vs Viola: two on two
"Alright Pikachu let's start with Thunderbolt." Pikachu then jumped and charged up, then fired.
"Use Ice Beam." Viola said. Surskit then fired a blue beam towards the thunderbolt and canceled it out.
"Use Quick Attack." Ash said. Pikachu then glowed white and charged at Surskit.
"Quick dodge it." Viola said and Surskit dodged the attack successfully.
'That's fast.' Ash thought
"Alright Surskit let's do it, use Ice Beam on the field." Surskit then fired an Ice Beam overhead and it spread all over the field, freezing it. There Pikachu had a hard time gaining it's footing on the ice and slipped.
"Hang on use Iron Tail." Ash said. Pikachu's tail glowed and managed to successfully hit Surskit.
"Quick use Sticky Web." Viola said. Surskit then fired multiple webs at Pikachu.
"Jump." Pikachu then jumped out of the way, but he slipped on the ice when he landed.
"Perfect, use Signal Beam." Viola said. Surskit then fired a huge rainbow beam at Pikachu.
"Quick Pikachu get out of there!" Ash said, but it was too late as Pikachu slipped on the ice once again and Signal Beam hit it's target. Pikachu was then launched backwards and landed at Ash's feet, knocked out.
"Pikachu is unable to battle, Surskit wins." The referee announced.
"Aw Pikachu lost." Bonnie said, feeling sad about the mouse Pokemon's defeat.
"Viola can certainly use the field to her fullest potential and can manipulate it to suit her needs." Drake said.
"My sister is very strong, defeating her is no easy task." Alexa smirked along with Helioptile.
"Rest up buddy, we'll take it from here." Ash said as he put Pikachu by his side to rest.
"Your Pikachu is strong, but it still has a long way to go." Viola said.
"Alright Fletchling let's go." Ash threw the Poke Ball and released Fletchling.
"Good choice to use Fletchling because it's a flying type." Drake said.
"You're right. It can attack from the air and the icy battlefield can't do anything." Clemont said.
'I wouldn't say that.' Drake thought as he pictured several possibilities to use a field against a flying type. Meanwhile the entrance to the battlefield opened up and Nick and Serena then walked in while looking around, there she saw the person they had been looking for.
Nick and Eevee look towards Ash's side of the field after Pikachu was knocked out, and became concerned because from what they've seen on TV, Pikachu is one of Ash's strongest Pokemon on any team Ash has had over the years and to see him defeated already raises some serious red flags.
'This is not good, Ash is already at a disadvantage in this battle. He better do something to turn it around quick or he's finished.' Nick thought to himself.
'There he is, it's Ash.' Serena thought as she ran to him, not knowing a battle's underway.
Drake was starting to recognize Nick, and so was Alexa who remembered him from their ruin in back in Lumiose City.
"You're-" Alexa started to say.
"Can I help you?" Alexa asked, seeing the girl run towards the field. Serena then stopped and turned before speaking.
"I was wondering if I could watch them battle." She said, now understanding what was going on and if she kept going, she would be in a very awkward position right now.
"Sure you can watch it with us." Clemont said.
"Come on, it's getting interesting." Bonnie said.
"That's so nice of you, thanks." Serena thanked her, then took her place standing between Clemont and Drake as she and Nick watched the battle as well.
Back to the battle.
"Fletchling use Peck." Fletchling then flew up to gain momentum and came down to attack.
"Dodge it and use Ice Beam." Viola commanded. Surskit then slid to the side and fired an Ice Beam towards the bird Pokemon.
"Dodge it." Ash said. Fletchling did a circle maneuver to dodge.
"Ice Beam again." Viola said.
"Double Team, go." Fletchling then created a bunch of clones and then Ice Beam struck a copy. Ash then took a chance.
"Alright use Razor Wind." Fletchling then fired the attack which struck Surskit. It was super-effective. Viola gasped as the smoke cleared and revealed Surskit had been knocked out.
"Surskit is unable to battle, Fletchling wins." The referee said.
"Now the score is even." Clemont said.
"I hope Ash can still win." Bonnie said.
"If he can pull through, maybe." Drake said.
'Ash.' Serena thought with her hands clasped together.
"Alright Vivillon, come on out." Viola then released a butterfly Pokemon with pink wings and beautiful patterns with two antennas on it's head.
"What's that Pokemon?" Ash asked, then took out his Pokedex.
Vivillon, the Scale Pokemon. The patterns on this Pokemon's wings depend on the climate and topography of it's habitat. It scatters colorful scales.
"Alright Fletchling use Peck." Ash said. Fletchling then tried to go on the offensive.
"Use Psychic Vivillon." Viola said. Vivillon's eyes glowed blue and stopped Fletchling mid attack, then sent it to the ground.
"Fletchling are you okay?" Ash asked. Fletchling took major damage and struggled to get up, but eventually managed to do so.
"Alright use Steel Wing." From there Fletchling's wing glowed and tried to attack again.
"Quick use Gust." Viola said. Vivillon flapped it's wings fast enough to create strong winds. From there Fletchling was blown away and unluckily landed on one of the Sticky Webs earlier and got stuck.
"Oh no Fletchling." Ash said, worried Fletchling wouldn't be able to free itself. Fletchling tried to break free, but it was futile.
"Alright Vivillon use Solarbeam." Viola said. There Vivillon took in sunlight and charged up power in it's mouth then fired a huge beam at Fletchling which was a successful hit. Fletchling laid there, unconscious.
"Fletchling is unable to battle. Vivillon wins and the battle goes to Viola the gym leader." The referee said.
Ash then picked Fletchling up and was saddened that he lost.
"Ash quick, Pikachu and Fletchling need medical attention." Drake said. This broke Ash out of his trance and he agreed.
Before leaving he said, "I know I lost, but I'll come back prepared."
"Very well and when you do, I'll be here." Viola said.
Nick felt bad for Ash when he went by with a injured Pikachu and Fletchling and out the doors with Drake, Andrew and two blonde-haired people who he assumed were related to the Pokemon Center.
"Ash." Nick said wondering what they'll do to overcome this issue.
"Eh-Veh." Eevee comments sadly watching them leave.
There Ash, Drake, Andrew, Clemont and Bonnie rushed to the Pokemon Center. Serena was sad to see Ash lose and tried to talk to him, but couldn't let the words escape her mouth when he ran past her. Serena then hung her head until she noticed something laying next to a tree.
Then both noticed Serena walking towards them with a green bag.
"Is that..." Nick started to ask with Serena nodding to confirm his suspicions.
"Okay, let's go catch up with them at the Pokemon Center and give it back to him and maybe we can help cheer Ash up while we're there." Nick said to Serena who nodded and the two along with Eevee run out the gym doors to the Pokemon Center.
At the Pokemon Center Ash's Pokemon were being treated while they decided to relax outback. There Ash sat on a stone wall alone thinking about his defeat while everyone else was at one of the tables. Bonnie was feeding Dedenne and Drake did the same with Raichu and Pidgeot.
"Wow Drake, your Pokemon look strong and healthy especially Raichu." Clemont said.
"Thanks Clemont, one thing I forgot to mention about Raichu." Drake said, attracting the sibling's attention. "It's that my Raichu and Ash's Pikachu are brothers." Drake said, while the siblings were surprised to hear this.
"Just like you and Ash." Bonnie said.
"Yep that's why I bring Raichu along so he and Pikachu could be close." Drake said.
"Incredible, what are the chance of two brothers to have two Pokemon who are also brothers?" Clemont said.
"Almost impossible I believe, but somehow it was fate really." Drake said and everyone nodded.
Meanwhile Ash was still thinking about his battle.
'Man, Pikachu and Fletchling were totally unable to move freely on the field. If that's how it's gonna be how do I get past it? Man what am I supposed to do?!' Ash said to himself while someone disturbed his thoughts.
Later, Nick and Serena walk inside the Pokemon Center and spot the group at the Center's battlefield and walk out towards them.
"You go on ahead." Nick decided to let Serena see Ash first, then he'll come in to see Ash, as well as Drake and Andrew.
"Excuse me, I think this is yours." Serena said with Ash's bag in her hand. Ash realized he left it at the gym.
"Guess I forgot." Ash said, as everyone came over.
"Hey you're the girl from before." Bonnie said.
Confused Ash asked from where.
"She was with us during your gym battle." Clemont said
"My name's Bonnie and this is Dedenne." Bonnie introduced herself and Dedenne.
"I'm Clemont, Bonnie's older brother." Clemont introduced himself.
"Andrew, the Sinnoh Champion." Andrew was next to introduce himself.
"And I'm Drake, Ash's older brother." Drake was the last to introduce himself.
"Nice to meet you all." Serena said.
"What you know? Sorry I was focused on my battle and didn't see you walk in." Ash apologized and Serena forgave him.
"My name is Ash." He said.
"I know I'm Sere-" She said before being cut off by the Pokemon Center bell. Ash thanked Nurse Joy for healing his Pokemon and headed back outside. Along the way they met Serena's Fennekin who was overjoyed to meet everyone. There Drake decided to help Ash train for a rematch. They stood on opposite ends with Pidgeot ready and Pikachu and Fletchling were on the other end.
"Alright I'm gonna have Pidgeot use Gust while your Pokemon try to stand your ground, okay Ash?" Drake said.
"Got it."
"Alright use Gust!" Drake said and Pidgeot then flapped it's wings to create strong winds while Pikachu and Fletchling struggled to stand their ground.
"Stay strong you two." Ash said, trying to encourage his Pokemon. Unfortunately, the winds were too strong and the two were blown away. Ash then ran and caught them while getting hurt and dirty in the process. Ash then looked at his Pokemon and thought. 'Gust isn't the only thing to deal with here, there's Ice Beam and Sticky Web as well. How am I gonna get past it?' He thought while someone approached him.
"Ash here, use this." Serena said, offering a rag so he could clean himself up.
"Thanks." Ash thanked her, and cleaned his face up.
Serena then thought to herself, saying this is it.
"Here I go." She said to herself.
"Ash?"
"Yes?"
"D-d-do y-y-you?" Serena stuttered out.
"Yes?"
"Do you...remember me?" Serena finally said.