AN: Hi there! It's been more than three years since the first (and most recent) time I published a fic here. That was an Amourshipping one-shot set within a story idea I had already come up with and was toying with writing out in full. That never ended up happening... until now! I've worked on this story on and off ever since I first published that one-shot, but I never got around to starting to actually write the damn thing until now. I have a lot of extra time on my hands lately, though, and so I decided to start writing it.
Updates might be slow since, well, I work for a living, but now that I've actually gotten pen to paper on it I fully intend to write the whole thing. I've always been fond of stories that focus on Ash, but I wasn't really a fan of Journeys and would like to write a story where things go in a different direction. Anyway, that's enough rambling from me. It's worth prefacing this story with the fact that, while the story certainly will have Amourshipping at the center of it, this story is going to be fairly plot-focused so their relationship will probably develop much more slowly than a lot of the more romance-heavy fics you might be used to. Regardless, I hope you enjoy, and don't be afraid to leave a review. I'm always happy for an opportunity to improve or get someone else's perspective.
"Dark Pulse, Pancham!"
At his trainer's command, a small panda-like creature with a pair of red and blue sunglasses affixed to his forehead burst forward, jumping into the air as he charged a chain of dark purple rings. With a confident yell, the Pancham pushed the chain out toward a much larger creature on the other side of the clearing.
The little blue walrus wasn't exactly built for fighting in a forest clearing, although that fact proved to be no issue for him as he simply countered the incoming blast of energy with a shining, light blue beam of ice. When the two attacks collided, the icy energy quickly began to surround the purple ring before they started to freeze over. Just moments after impact, the rings had frozen into a physical form as the dark energy within writhed in an effort to break free.
A young woman with honey blonde hair stood between the two sparring Pokemon, eyes shining in delight at the result of the clash. She turned to her ice-type with a grin and called out a new command.
"Great job, Sealeo! Now, try and bounce it back to Pancham."
Sealeo honked in delight at the praise before doing a surprisingly acrobatic front flip into the air. Once his tail made contact with the frozen chain, he gently pushed it toward his partner. Fortunately, Pancham had already readied a counter of his own. The little bear's forepaws gleamed with orange energy as he thrust them forward at full force. The attack crashed into the frozen chain and immediately shattered the ice, causing a sparkling, light blue mist to fill the clearing and obscure the two battlers.
Now free from its shackles of ice, the Dark Pulse attack sped toward the ground, creating a brilliant flash of purple light on impact. The trainer quickly put her arm up to protect her eyes, and once she lowered it the mist was already beginning to fade. As the battlefield became visible again, she saw her Sealeo standing tall, clapping happily as Pancham balanced on his nose, sunglasses on and smirking.
"Yes! It finally worked!"
Serena couldn't contain her joy, jumping in the air and pumping her fist in excitement. She then turned to her Pokemon and beamed, clapping excitedly for the pair.
"Amazing job, you two! At this rate, I just know we're going to do great in our next match!"
Pancham hopped down from Sealeo's nose and preened at his trainer's praise, while his blubbery compatriot clapped his front flippers and barked happily. Serena quickly walked onto the field and knelt down in front of them before rubbing each of their heads and offering them a pair of small, colorful pastries.
"Here you go, you two. For all your hard work!"
Pancham immediately took the Pokepuff from Serena's hand and shoved the whole thing into his mouth, devouring it in seconds. Serena giggled at her first capture's antics and gently placed the second one in front of Sealeo, who chirped in gratitude and gobbled his treat up nearly as quickly. Once the pair were done, Serena pulled their Pokeballs from her bag and recalled them.
The Pokemon both instantly disappeared in a flash of red light, and Serena tossed the two orbs into her bag and zipped it back up. With a yawn, she reached upwards, stretching her arms before wiping the sweat from her forehead. Glancing up at the bright Hoenn sun beating down above her, she guessed it was the middle of the afternoon.
"Time for a break," Serena muttered to herself. She picked up her bag and made her way to the side of the clearing, where a large tree stood overhead. Once she was comfortably in its shade, she plopped down on the grass and leaned back against the sturdy trunk, closing her eyes with a sigh.
"Just two more battles to go…" she murmured, lost in thought as she relaxed under the tree. She'd come a long way since she left Kalos, and she was proud of what she had accomplished so far. Not only had she expanded her team, but even the three Pokemon she brought with her from Kalos were much stronger than they were when she arrived in Hoenn. Besides that, she had made some great new friends as she traversed the region's contest circuit.
It really hadn't taken her very long to collect the five ribbons necessary to enter the Grand Festival. She won five of the seven contests she participated in, after all. And now she was just two wins away from being the Top Coordinator in all of Hoenn…
The whole thing felt surreal to Serena, if she was being honest. Even though she understood, logically, that she had trained hard and performed well to get this far, she still didn't feel at ease as a coordinator at all. There's so much more emphasis on battling than there ever was in showcases, and that change was a difficult adjustment for her. Even now, Serena feels more comfortable training her team on flashy looking combinations for the appeals round than in anything that has a practical application in a contest battle.
The frustration and confusion she feels over her stagnation in terms of skill are only further amplified by the fact that her struggles haven't shown up in her actual performance. She certainly feels like she ought to be doing better, but how is she supposed to if she keeps winning? Serena won the first contest she ever participated in, earning the Lilycove Ribbon just days after she had arrived in Hoenn. And despite having gone from losing both of her next two contests to a winning streak that's led her all the way to the semifinals of this year's Grand Festival, she feels as though she's hardly done anything differently since she first started in order to earn that success.
Perhaps that would be fine with Serena if her goal was to simply become Top Coordinator. But that's never been her goal, not really anyway. This whole journey through Hoenn and her attempt to become a coordinator have been in service of her goal of becoming the next Kalos Queen. Palermo had told her when she turned down the older lady's offer to be tutored by her in performing that taking on the Hoenn contest circuit might be able to help her reach her goal, but through her entire time in the region Serena hadn't been able to figure out just how that might be. While her team has certainly gotten stronger, the strength of her team is hardly what's most important when it comes to performances.
"Hey, Serena?"
At the sound of her name, Serena's eyes blinked open as she snapped from her thoughts. She saw a pair of young women standing in front of her: one with dark blue eyes and matching hair tucked into a white and pink beanie, the other with similarly-colored sapphire eyes that contrast sharply with the mess of light brown hair that poked out from either side of her red bandana. Serena smiled at her friends and gave them a short wave.
"Hey May, hey Dawn. Were you two going to use this field to practice or something?"
The pair shook their heads before May spoke up. "No, we were actually looking for you! Since the semifinals won't start until tomorrow, we were wondering if you might want to go to dinner with us. Since my family lives here in Petalburg, my parents said they wanted to take me and my friends out to eat while we were all here. Um… sorry if we woke you, by the way."
Serena shook her head with a smile. "Don't worry, May. I am a bit wiped after training all morning but I was just thinking, that's all. And that's so nice of your parents! I'd love to come with you guys."
May grinned and flopped down next to Serena under the tree, lying on the grass with her arms behind her head. "Great! We have a reservation downtown in about… uh…"
As May trailed off, the bluenette took a seat beside her and cut in with a laugh. "...about three hours. C'mon, May. Norman told us on the phone like, fifteen minutes ago!"
May rolled her eyes, yawning. "Whatever, I just forgot! Anyway, that should give you plenty of time to wash up and get changed if you need to. As for me, I think I'll stay here and enjoy the shade until it's time to go."
The brunette's eyes promptly drifted shut and Serena almost immediately heard her let out a soft snore. She glanced at Dawn and the pair smirked at each other.
"And I thought I was the tired one!" Serena giggled, causing Dawn to snort in amusement. "I do think I should get washed up before we go to dinner, though… Dawn, would you mind keeping an eye on sleeping beauty?"
Dawn shook her head and giggled. "I think I can manage that. I had wanted to do a bit of battle practice with my Pokemon anyway. May sleeps like the dead, so I doubt it'll bother her."
Serena nodded, well aware of the fact that May was basically the human equivalent of a Snorlax, and stood up. She stretched her arms with a groan to loosen up after sitting for so long before stooping back down to grab her bag, only to realize that May had turned it into a makeshift pillow while she napped. The honey blonde girl sighed and rolled her eyes before checking the pockets on her skirt to confirm that she had her room key with her.
"Dawn, could you make sure May remembers to give my bag back when she wakes up? I've got my key, so it's not worth the fight to try and get it away from her."
Dawn had already released her team onto the field and smiled at her. "I can do you one better than that. Togekiss, use Psychic."
The angelic dove chirped agreeably as her eyes turned blue. After a moment, a blue aura surrounded May's sleeping form and gently lifted her just an inch or so off the ground, allowing Serena to swipe the bag from under her head without issue. Togekiss then gently placed May back on the ground, where she grumbled in her sleep for a moment but readjusted without stirring further.
Serena slung her bag over her shoulder and made her way over to Togekiss to give her a scratch on the head before smiling at Dawn. "Thanks, you two! Good luck with your training."
Dawn arched an eyebrow at her friend cockily. "Oh? Are you sure you should be wishing me luck? You do know who you're up against tomorrow, right?"
The honey blonde sighed and shrugged. "Yeah, I know. Too bad only one of us gets to go to the final, huh?"
Dawn's confident look softened at Serena's apparent displeasure about the situation. "Yeah, it's a shame. But look on the bright side: it also means one of us is guaranteed to be in the final!" The bluenette paused for a moment, glancing back at the snoozing young woman on the other side of the clearing. "You know… sometimes I can't believe that she, of all people, is Hoenn's Top Coordinator. But then I actually face her and her Blaziken…"
The two girls shuddered simultaneously, then laughed. Serena had to agree. "I know, right? Goes to show you can't judge a book by its cover, I guess! I should get back to my room, though. See you later, Dawn!"
The bluenette gave her a quick wave before turning back to her team to begin training. Serena strode out of the clearing, taking the path out of Petalburg Woods and back into the city.
"Lycanroc is unable to battle! One trainer stands alone as the first Alola Pokemon League Champion. And that trainer… is… Ash Ketchum!"
A young man with a mess of black hair and a red and white cap stood frozen as the crowd roared in excitement around him. He could faintly hear his friends cheering from the front row, and on the other side of the arena he saw his opponent, a young man with platinum blond hair dressed in a black sweatsuit despite the tropical climate, wearing a melancholic smile.
He knew that look all too well. It was the look of somebody who came up just short of their dream. It was the look he'd had just a year or so ago, when Greninja collapsed on the field of the Lumoise Conference Finals opposite Alain's Mega Charizard. It was the look he'd had when his team got slaughtered by Tobias and his squad of legendaries just as soon as he thought the Lily of the Valley Conference title might really be his.
That look was suddenly on someone else's face.
Ash blinked as the crowd continued to cheer around him, but he didn't truly process what had happened until Pikachu jumped into his arms, crackling with excited electricity. The look of sheer elation on his partner's face snapped him from his thoughts, and the gravity of what had just happened finally hit him.
He was a Pokemon League Champion.
As if a switch flipped in his mind, Ash's face went from one frozen with a look of mild confusion to one of pure excitement. He beamed and spun around, swinging Pikachu out in front of him as the pair laughed together. After all their journeys together, he and his best friend had finally conquered the obstacle that was hanging over them for nearly a decade.
"We did it, buddy. We really did it!" Ash's voice was almost a whisper, just for his closest partner to hear as he hugged PIkachu close. Pikachu chirped happily in his arms, and the raven haired champion felt the familiar jolt of static electricity as Pikachu nuzzled against his cheek happily.
Once Ash had gathered himself, he gestured for the mouse to climb onto his shoulder and jogged over to his own Lycanroc, who was panting in the center of the arena after the grueling battle. Ash reached down to touch the hound, scratching him between the ears with an elated grin.
"You did it, Lycanroc! I knew you could get the jump on Gladion's Lycanroc. Way to tough it out and send their Counter right back at them!"
Lycanroc let out an exhausted but happy whine and pushed his head into Ash's hand before shaking out his orange and white coat to get some of the dirt from the battle off of him. Seeing how tired the poor pup was, Ash wasted no time in returning him to his Pokeball. Placing the orb on his belt, Ash then made his way over to Gladion, who had already recalled his own Lycanroc.
"Hey Gladion," Ash said kindly, hand outstretched. "That was a really amazing battle. Let's have another one again soon, okay?"
Gladion looked up at Ash for a moment before taking his hand and giving it a firm shake. "You bet. Congratulations, Champion."
The few hours were a total blur for Ash. He found himself on a podium, hoisting a trophy, and then Professor Kukui was keeping a swarm of reporters at bay as his friends dragged him off the field. Next thing Ash knew, he was back at his home away from home with Kukui, Burnet, and all of his friends for a celebratory dinner… but the festivities seemed to be over in the blink of an eye, and soon he was just sitting on a couch in the living room with Kukui, who Ash suddenly realized was talking to him about something.
"...and so I told Hala that we needed to get a celebration going right away here on Melemele Island for the region's new champion. He's getting something set up for tomorrow, after our- I mean, your exhibition match with the Masked Royal."
Ash nodded, excitedly remembering that he'll get the opportunity to have an exhibition match against the most famous trainer in all of Alola tomorrow afternoon. After a moment, though, a thought popped into his head.
"Hey… Professor?"
Kukui looked at the young man, noticing an unusual tone in his voice. "What's up, Ash? Something wrong?"
Ash shook his head. "No, nothing's wrong. It's just… uh… what happens now?"
Kukui blinks at him in confusion, and Ash presses onwards. "I mean, when someone wins a league conference back home, they get the opportunity to face the region's Champion's League. If they manage to beat the region's elite four and champion, then they win the title of regional champion, which makes you the head of your regional league and all that stuff. But… Alola doesn't have any of that, does it?"
Suddenly understanding what Ash was getting at, Kukui shook his head. "Ah, I see what you mean. No, Ash, since Alola's Pokemon League is entirely new, you automatically become the regional champion. Or, at least you will once the International Pokemon League Executive Committee confirms Alola's incorporation later this month. Anyway, the point is there's no need to face anybody else."
Ash's eyes widened at Kukui's words. "Really? I'm regional champion, just like that? But, uh… I don't know how to run a league at all, Professor. I don't think I should be handling that stuff for the whole region…"
Kukui laughed and shook his head. "Oh, no Ash. Don't worry about that. You don't need to do any of that just yet. I suppose you'll need to appoint an elite four, but with the four kahunas already in place as local leaders it should be pretty easy for you to get experienced people in the door who can help. And of course Burnet and I are happy to take on whatever responsibilities you aren't ready for. We're already working with Samson to get the ball rolling on our submission to IPLEC."
A sigh of relief escaped Ash's lips almost immediately at his reassurance. He didn't know much about politics, and he definitely wasn't ready to learn. "Thanks, Professor. I knew I could count on you. But, uh… what's IPLEC?"
Kukui laughed. "Yeah, I guess I should've figured you might not know about it, since you've spent most of your time in the incorporated regions and all. IPLEC is a committee that's made up of the regional champions from all incorporated regions as well as Charles Goodshow, president of the entire league. Currently, that includes Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. Every ten years, IPLEC holds a vote to incorporate new regions. This year, Alola is up for incorporation alongside Unova and Kalos. We're a late entry into the process since our league was only just set up, but we think we have a strong case for incorporation..."
Ash felt his eyes beginning to glaze over as Kukui explained the legal process by which regions become incorporated into the International Pokemon League. He didn't really get much of what Kukui was saying, although he supposed that all this political mumbo jumbo did explain why he hadn't seen Mr. Goodshow since the Lily of the Valley Conference.
As Kukui wrapped up his spiel about why Alola was a strong candidate for incorporation, Ash stretched his arms and yawned. "Man, I'm beat after today…" he mumbled, rubbing one eye. "I think I'm gonna start getting ready for bed early. Good night, Professor."
Kukui bid Ash good night and the young champion climbed up into the loft to go to sleep. Despite how tired he felt from the whirlwind of a day, however, Ash couldn't fall asleep. His head was swirling with all sorts of thoughts, just like it had been all day. From the moment he hoisted the trophy onward, Ash felt stuck inside his own head—even when he was celebrating with his friends and Pokemon.
No matter how hard he tried, the raven-haired trainer wasn't able to stop the questions rattling around in his mind. Over the years, he had started to believe he probably wouldn't even win a conference until he was a young adult, and that he wouldn't be able to get to the point of being a regional champion until he was already a grown-up. 19 years old is a grown-up in some ways, but in others he still feels like a little kid who's hardly older than the one who left Pallet Town with an unruly Pikachu all those years ago.
But now, he very suddenly does have to face those questions. Questions of what comes next now that he's officially Regional Champion Ash Ketchum. Does that make him a Pokemon Master? If it doesn't, what's the next step? And what about all the administrative junk that comes with his new position? He knew that Kukui and Burnet were happy to help him with that part of the job, but… did he even want that sort of role?
Ash continued to lie there for hours, staring at the ceiling with the future weighing more heavily on his mind than it ever had before in his life, until he eventually dozed off.
Serena stepped out of the Pokemon Center and took a seat on a nearby bench, checking herself in a pocket mirror she kept in her bag to make sure she looked alright. She had changed into a sleeveless gray shirt with a matching gray hat and a dark pink miniskirt to go with a pair of black boots that went up to just below her knees. While she wasn't certain of the dress code for the restaurant they were headed to, she figured the darker colors would help to strike a balance between formal and casual.
After adjusting her hair and putting the pocket mirror back into her bag, Serena began to scan the crowds walking by for her friends. After a few minutes of waiting, she saw Dawn practically dragging May, who was obviously still half asleep, through the crowd by the hand. Laughing at the sight, Serena stood up and waved to them.
"Hey guys! Over here!"
Upon hearing Serena's voice, Dawn abruptly let go of May, causing her to stumble slightly. After glancing over to make sure the brunette hadn't fallen down, Dawn smiled at Serena and waved back, jogging over to her with May groggily lagging a few paces behind.
"Hey Serena! Oh man, I love your outfit. It's sort of like mine!" Dawn did a dramatic spin, flouncing around to show off her typical black and pink dress.
Serena giggled and nodded. "Well, I suppose if there's anyone I should be taking fashion advice from it's the girl whose outfits for her Pokemon spawned a whole clothing line!" Turning to May, Serena smiled sympathetically. "That nap doesn't seem to have done you much good, huh?"
The brunette blinked her tired eyes and let out a groan. "Ugh… worst decision ever." She reached out and pulled Dawn over to her, grumbling unhappily. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"
Dawn's face flushed and she took a step backwards, looking frustrated. "I did, you know! And then you told Munchlax to keep me away from you in your sleep!"
May yawned, and then nodded after a moment. "Oh yeah… I guess I did."
The pair made their way through downtown Petalburg, with Dawn and Serena chatting about battling techniques while May sleepily stumbled along beside them. After about fifteen minutes of walking, however, May seemed to suddenly snap awake.
"WAIT!" The brunette shouted, causing both of the other girls to stop in their tracks and turn to her in shock as she turned on her heel and pointed to their left. "I can smell the barbeque from here. It's this way, we almost missed our turn!"
With that, May began to sprint toward the building, leaving her two companions to do their best to catch up to her. The trio eventually made it to the restaurant, though now it was Dawn's turn to lean on May, using a hand on her shoulder to steady herself as she tried to catch her breath after running the past four blocks.
"I guess we should have known your stomach would wake you right up, huh?" Serena remarked with a barely suppressed giggle.
"Don't run… so fast... you… jerk." Dawn panted. After another moment or two, she straightened herself out to stand upright.
May blushed and scratched the back of her head with a sheepish smile. "Yeah… um, sorry Dawn…" Before she could say more, she spotted her dad waving the three of them over. "Oh! We're headed over there, c'mon."
The trio walked over to their table, though Dawn hung back for a moment to try and fix her hair. When they arrived at the table, the man at the table stood up and hugged May. He was a towering figure; Serena was hardly short, but the blue haired gentleman had at least a full foot on her.
"Hi Daddy! I've missed you." May said happily before embracing her Dad. As she did so, a woman with reddish-brown hair stood up from the table and walked over to give Dawn a hug as well.
"Dawn! It's so good to see you. It's been too long," she said, embracing the bluenette much to the poor girl's embarrassment. She let go of Dawn (who awkwardly took her seat at the table) to turn towards Serena. "Oh! And you must be Serena. I'm Caroline, May's mom. It's so nice to meet you!"
As Caroline gave Serena a welcoming embrace, May took a seat next to Dawn while her father walked over to Serena. With a warm smile, he extended a hand to her. "We've heard a lot about you from May, Serena! It's great to meet you. I'm Norman Maple, May's dad and the Petalburg City Gym Leader… though you're a coordinator, right?"
Serena stepped away from Caroline and took Norman's hand with a smile. "It's great to meet you both! And yeah, I'm a coordinator… Well, sort of. I mean, I'm in the semifinals of the Grand Festival with May and Dawn, so…"
As May's parents returned to their seats, Caroline clapped her hands together in excitement. "Oh my! And it's your first time through the circuit, right? That's very impressive!"
Serena took a seat next to Dawn, nodding. "Th-thank you! And, um, yeah. It's my first year. I was a Pokemon Performer when I traveled through Kalos, but that's… well, pretty different."
May interjected into the conversation, looking confused at the empty seat at the table. "Mom, Dad, where's Max? You said he was going to be here too, right?"
Caroline sighed in exasperation at the reminder of her son's absence. "Well, he's supposed to be here, anyway. But you know him, he's probably battling every trainer he crosses paths with between here and Rustboro."
May snorts and nods. "Yeah, that sounds like him. He might have opted to go to the Trainer's School for a couple years before getting started on his journey, but he still loves to battle more than anybody else I know… well, almost anyway, at least."
Serena couldn't help but grin, knowing exactly who May was talking about, and Dawn giggled at the comment as well. It had been quite the shock to her to realize that her new friends were some of the same friends Ash had always been talking about while they traveled through Kalos, especially since they had been traveling together for a week before the raven-haired trainer came up in conversation.
It didn't take long for both of her friends to realize Serena's feelings once they heard how she talked about him, though she hadn't told either of them about her goodbye to Ash at the airport. Almost immediately upon recalling the memory she felt her cheeks start to heat up.
"Serena?"
The honey blonde was snapped from her thoughts by Dawn addressing her. "Sorry, Dawn, what was that?" Serena asked sheepishly, embarrassed that she hadn't been paying attention.
Dawn smiled patiently and nodded towards May's parents. "I was just telling Norman and Caroline about how whoever wins our match tomorrow will face May in the finals."
After shooting her friend a thankful smile, Serena nodded. "Oh, right! Yeah, isn't it strange to think about how both finalists from this year's Grand Festival are sitting at this table, but we don't even know who one of them is yet?
Caroline nodded in agreement and Norman opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the sound of a boy's voice. "Sorry I'm late!"
The group turned to see a bespectacled teen with short navy hair rushing over to their table. Hastily taking his seat beside Norman, he took a long sip from the glass of ice water in front of him before speaking again. "Grovyle really wanted to battle this guy we ran into outside of Petalburg Woods, and well, you know how he gets…"
May rolled her eyes at her brother while Dawn barely suppressed a giggle. "Oh I'm sure, Max," the brunette responded, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Grovyle was definitely the only one who wanted to battle that guy."
Max scoffed at his sister before playfully punching her arm. The pair immediately went from bickering to looking away embarrassed when Norman cleared his throat pointedly, however.
"Well, now that everyone's here," Norman began, "There's something Caroline and I were hoping to talk to you all about. Aside from meeting Serena, of course."
Max's head whipped around toward Serena when his father gestured toward her, and he waved to her excitedly before whispering across the table. "You traveled with Ash, right? You gotta tell me about his journey through Kalos sometime! We don't get the Kalos league here in Hoenn, so…"
Serena giggled at the boy's enthusiasm and nodded to him, but their chat was cut short when Norman continued. "Were you girls planning to continue to travel together after the Grand Festival wraps up this weekend?"
Serena blinked in surprise. She hadn't really thought about her plans for after the festival, if she was being honest. Before she could open her mouth to respond, however, May quickly cut in.
"Yeah! Well, uh, at least Dawn and I are. After hearing Serena talk about it so much, we want to see Kalos! But Serena isn't sure if she's ready to go back and make another run at becoming Kalos Queen yet, so…"
Suddenly, all eyes were on Serena, and she quickly felt herself growing anxious. "Oh! Um, yeah. I'm not really sure what my plans are for after the festival. I mean, I started doing contests in hopes they would make me a better Performer, but I don't know if I've improved enough to dethrone Aria… so maybe I'd be better off pursuing contests in another region as well first. I haven't decided one way or the other just yet."
Caroline clapped her hands together happily. "Well, if you girls are going to Kalos, we'd really appreciate it if you'd bring Max along."
"WHAT!?" May and Max both shouted in furious unison. "I'M NOT TRAVELING WITH-" Suddenly realizing they were speaking in unison, the two siblings abruptly quieted down and glared at each other.
Norman sighed. "Max, we've been over this. If you want to start your journey somewhere other than Hoenn, that's fine, but we don't want you going to another region alone until you're more experienced as a trainer. The Trainer's School is very helpful, but that's a big leap, and your mother and I don't want you getting into trouble so far from people who can help you."
May suddenly cut in to defend her younger brother, though Serena suspected it was out of her own self interest. "Why would you worry about something like that? He traveled with me for like, two years before he was even old enough to have a Pokemon!"
"While that's true," Caroline admitted, "that was when he was traveling with not one, but two highly experienced trainers who had both been on the road for years. Brock was even a former Gym Leader, and if your father can't be there to keep you kids safe, that made him just about the next best thing."
Now it was Max's turn to protest. "But I don't even want to travel through Kalos! I mean, maybe someday, but I want to start my journey in Kanto! That way I can finally have that battle with Ash he promised me before I came back home to Petalburg. Why can't I just go there? I'm sure he'd travel with me!"
Norman raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. "Now Max, I know you look up to Ash, and I know he's your friend, but don't you think he has more important things to do right now than traveling with you?"
Max spun towards his father angrily. "What's that supposed to mean, Dad? I know he made it to the semifinals back in Sinnoh, but that doesn't mean I'm suddenly not worth his time!"
Norman blinked in surprise at his son's response before continuing. "Have you not heard the news? I got an email from the League this afternoon about it, so I figured you kids would have heard by now. Ash was crowned the regional champion of Alola last night."
A shocked silence fell over the group for a moment, and Serena felt her heart skip a beat. Had Ash really finally become a champion!? But… Did that mean he was going to stay in Alola forever? There aren't any showcases or even contests out there, as far as Serena knew. She tuned out the excited cheers of May, Max, and Dawn at the news of their friend's success and quickly stood up from the table.
"Um… sorry, I need to use the bathroom, I'll be right back!"
Before waiting for a response, Serena turned around and quickly walked from their table on the restaurant's patio into the building proper. Once she had located the ladies' room, she quickly went inside and locked the door behind her before leaning against the wall, breathing deeply to try and calm herself down.
Why was this bothering her so much? It's wonderful news! Ash had finally achieved his dream, and she knew nobody worked harder or deserved it more than he did. Despite feeling as though she should be over the moon to hear about Ash's success, however, Serena couldn't help but feel a pit forming in her stomach the more she thought about it. That time at the airport in Lumiose… she had never wanted it to be "Goodbye," only "See you soon." But what reason would she ever have to go to Alola? And if he was really a regional champion now, Serena couldn't possibly expect him to leave just to see her…
Serena swallowed hard and looked up, realizing as she stared into the mirror that tears were forming in her eyes. Screwing up her face, she shook her head as if to clear her mind and grabbed a paper towel to dry her eyes. This was no reason to be crying. Everything will work out the way it's supposed to. It's like Ash always told her: Don't give up 'til it's over. For all she knew, she might be a Top Coordinator in a few days. And while she was pretty sure showcases weren't popular anywhere other than Kalos, for all she knew maybe Alola had a thriving contest scene!
And even if not, that was no reason for her to give up on her dreams. She had found a new passion for showcases while traveling through Kalos, but that just added another dream to the one she had been carrying with her for more than a decade at this point: to be by Ash's side. She wasn't sure if her farewell at the airport before she left for Hoenn had gotten through to him, but even if it hadn't, that just meant she needed to keep trying.
After taking a moment to wash up, Serena exited the bathroom and walked back to her table with Dawn and the Maples and returned to her seat with a smile. "Sorry for leaving so abruptly everyone, but I'm back."
Dawn smiled at her, looking both amused and exasperated. "Don't sweat it Serena, they've probably already forgotten that you ever left." Dawn gestured to the Maples, who were still heatedly debating whether or not Max would be joining May and Dawn in Kalos. "God, I sure hope they can sort this out, though… I don't think I could stand those two bickering all the time, no matter how much I.. uh, like to travel with you guys."
Serena laughed, nodding in agreement, before an idea suddenly popped into her head. She cleared her throat to get the family's attention, but when that didn't work, she raised her voice slightly. "Hey, guys?"
The four Maples all stopped talking amongst themselves and turned to Serena, wearing varying expressions of embarrassment and curiosity, before she continued. "Well… like May said earlier, I'm not sure I'm ready to go to Kalos yet anyway. And before my mom and I moved to Kalos, I used to live in Pallet Town. So if Max really wants to go to Kanto… I wouldn't mind going with him, at least while he gets started."
Norman smiled at Serena, but shook his head. "That's very kind of you Serena, but we couldn't possi-"
Max cut him off before he could finish, jumping out of his chair in excitement. "Really!?" His eyes were shining with delight as he ran over to hug Serena, who yelped in surprise. "Oh thank you thank you thank you! Serena, you're the best!"
Norman's protests died when he saw how excited Max was at the prospect, and Caroline interjected. "Well, if you're really sure you wouldn't mind… you're certainly an experienced and trustworthy trainer."
Serena breathed a sigh of relief as Max let her go and stepped away awkwardly, offering him an embarrassed smile. "No, no! It wouldn't be a bother at all. I think it would be really nice to go back and visit my old region…"
"And a certain newly-crowned champion who lives there…" Dawn whispered so only she could hear. Serena's face heated up and she elbowed Dawn in the side as the bluenette snickered at her.
"Shut up! Besides, he's gotta be busy in Alola right now. He won't even be there."
May interrupted her friends by turning to her brother, eyes narrowed. "You better be good to Serena, Max. She's doing you a huge favor, you know."
Max rolled his eyes in response. "Please, May. I'm sure I'll be WAY easier to travel with than you."
"What was that!?"
"You heard me!"
The pair resumed their squabbling, much to the chagrin of their parents. The gym leader put a hand to his head in exasperation as his wife smiled tiredly. "I sure hope the food gets here soon…"