Hi all! We finally get to some conversations haha. Sorry you have had to endure the past few days in mild distress. I got a lot of messages from people worried about our OTP. But, dear readers, couples fight sometimes. Doesn't mean they're going to break up. But if you fight, it means you care. No one wants an apathetic partner…Anyway, I digress. Enjoy the next chapter! I won't be able to update for the next two weeks as I will be busy in the evenings and then out of town. So look out for the next chapter early July!
However, there will be an update on the one-shot collection later next week to satisfy you for the time being.
Happy summer 3
Chapter 23: Breaking and Mending
In the deepening shadows of the shipyard, Nemona and Penny scrambled forward, the only light a dim electric glow emanating from Pawmo's tail, casting eerie shadows as it flickered with electricity. The faint light allowed them only a couple of inches of visibility, enough to keep them from stumbling blindly but not enough to prepare them for what lay ahead.
As they turned corner after corner in the maze-like structure of the yard, Team Star grunts seemed to appear from nowhere. Each encounter was a sudden burst of chaos, with Pokémon lunging out of the dark to attack. Despite the ambushes, Lycanroc and Vaporeon reacted swiftly, their responses honed and precise, allowing them to fend off the attackers effectively.
Finally, after what seemed like an endless series of confrontations, Nemona and Penny burst into a large, open space, their breaths coming in heavy gasps from the adrenaline. The vastness of the area felt disorienting after the cramped passageways they had navigated.
"Their games are definitely way over the top," Nemona groaned, casting a glance behind to gauge their progress and the time, which she sensed was running dangerously low.
"They're not games," Penny responded grimly, her voice carrying a weight of understanding far beyond the current situation. "Star Barrages, the Code, the Bosses…they're defense mechanisms."
Nemona paused, meeting Penny's serious gaze, a hint of suspicion in her eyes as she began to question, "How do you know so much about—"
Before she could finish her thought, the area was suddenly flooded with blinding lights and the roar of an engine cut through the silence. Both girls squinted and shielded their eyes against the harsh illumination. As their eyes adjusted, they saw Giacomo, confidently astride his Starmobile, the engine idling with a deep, threatening rumble. His Pawniard jumped down from the vehicle, landing with a metallic clank on the concrete floor.
"Now, Miss Presidenta," Giacomo called out, a dark smile playing across his lips as his eyes gleamed ominously. He began to turn the discs on his turntable, each motion deliberate, enhancing the dramatic effect of his entrance. "I'm gonna show you why declarin' war on Team Star was a real bad move."
"But I'm not trying to declare war!" Nemona protested, her frustration growing as she felt the situation spiraling. She threw her hands up in exasperation. "I'm actually trying to help!" Her voice echoed in the open space, her plea falling on deaf ears as Giacomo signaled for his Starmobile to rev its engine, signaling an escalation of their confrontation.
"Fight now, reason later," Penny muttered, taking her own stance and tightening the strings of her hoodie so that her hood closed in around her face.
Nemona didn't have to be told that twice. "Alright, vamos. Lycanroc, use Accelerock!"
"Vaporean, Aqua Tail!" Penny shouted.
Lycanroc sprang into action, the Rock-type Pokémon charging up her energy to hurl her hardened body at Giacomo's Starmobile. At the same time, Vaporean unleashed a powerful Aqua Tail, aiming to keep Pawniard busy and disrupt its ability to support its trainer.
However, Giacomo was prepared. As Lycanroc launched her attack, Starmobile countered with a piercing Metal Sound, a noise so harsh and resonating that it visibly pained Lycanroc. The attack was super effective against the rock canine, causing her to falter in her charge and miss the opportunity to land her attack on the Starmobile.
Nemona clenched her teeth in frustration. She knew that Lycanroc's moves would be largely ineffective against the Starmobile, which she knew from her battle with Mela was powered by the Steel-Type Revavroom. Recognizing the need to switch tactics, she reached for her Pokéball to recall Lycanroc and make a change.
Before she could act, Giacomo smirked, scratching a loud, jarring sound at his DJ table. "I don't think so, presidenta. No recalls or subs!" His voice carried a tone of finality, blocking her move.
Nemona rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Why do I feel like you're making the rules as you go?"
Giacomo's eyes darkened, "I would never. Revavroom, Wicked Torque!"
The Starmobile revved again menacingly, its engines roaring to life with a threatening intensity. Dark and red energetic pulses emanated from its underbelly, the sinister glow illuminating the area as it moved aggressively towards Lycanroc and Vaporean. The Pokémon barely managed to dodge the oncoming assault, their movements swift and desperate.
"Watch out, guys!" Nemona shouted, her voice edged with urgency. Quickly recalibrating her strategy, she turned to Pawmo. "Pawmo! Help out and use Thunderbolt!" she commanded, directing the small electric Pokémon to intervene.
Pawmo stepped forward, her body sparking with electric energy. With a determined chirp, it unleashed a powerful Thunderbolt, the electricity crackling through the air towards the Starmobile. The sudden attack distracted the vehicle, pulling its focus away from Lycanroc and Vaporean for a crucial moment.
Giacomo, visibly frustrated by the interruption, stomped his foot atop the Starmobile. "What did I just say?" he bellowed, gesturing wildly in irritation at the unexpected turn of events.
"You said I couldn't recall a Pokémon, but Pawmo's been here the whole time!" Nemona shot back, her arms crossed over her glittering dress, a smug expression playing across her features.
"Pawmo!" the electric rodent chimed in with her own little crooked smile.
Giacomo, undeterred and adjusting his hat with a flourish, countered with a sneer. "Fine, doesn't really matter 'cause this beat drop'll bust your ears open! DJ Vice bringin' the house dooown!" With that, he pointed decisively towards Lycanroc and Vaporean. "Revavroom, again! Metal Sound!"
Another screeching, unbearable noise reverberated through the air. The noise was so intense that it forced Nemona and Penny to cover their ears, wincing in pain. Lycanroc howled in agony, her body shuddering as she entered a daze, overwhelmed by the sonic assault.
Giacomo saw his chance to press the advantage. A cunning smirk crossed his face as he commanded, "Pawniard, Metal Claw on that Lycanroc! Quick!"
The Sharp Blade Pokémon lunged forward with its claws gleaming menacingly under the Starmobile's headlights. It struck a critical blow to the incapacitated Lycanroc, who was already reeling from the overwhelming Metal Sound. The Rock-type canine, unable to respond or even move under the intense duress, stood no chance. Nemona's desperate commands were useless, lost amidst all the noise.
With a heavy thud, Lycanroc collapsed, unable to continue the fight, fainting from the force of Pawniard's precise and powerful strike.
Giacomo laughed triumphantly, basking in his momentary success. "Ha! How's that for an opening track?! I'll spin you up good, party crasher!"
Nemona, her heart sinking at the sight of her fallen Pokémon, quickly recalled Lycanroc to her Poké Ball. As she did so, she felt her fists clench tightly at her sides, her emotions swirling chaotically. In that moment, she found herself at a crossroads, torn between two compelling urges. One path led her to rise to Giacomo's provocation, to engage fully in the battle and assert her dominance, driven by a fiery need to overpower his bravado. The other path, however, called for a different approach, one that wasn't about confrontation but understanding.
She sighed deeply. Nemona knew Giacomo was hurt. She understood that after his attempts to improve the school had been rejected by the student council, he felt betrayed and isolated. If his intentions, misguided though they might have been, had stemmed from a genuine passion for student affairs—then that was something Nemona understood because she shared this desire.
"Look, I didn't actually come here to battle," Nemona started, spreading her hands in front of her. Her voice softened, trying to bridge the gap between them with empathy rather than enmity. "I really did come here to talk."
Giacomo froze, his face falling and a sweatdrop appearing behind his head. For a long while he was silent and no one moved on their makeshift battlefield. "…What? But you're…Nemona? All you care about is battling?" Giacomo grumbled, suddenly fidgeting with the headphones around his neck.
Nemona gave a little smile and placed her hands on her hips, "I do love battling," her eyes sparkled a moment but then settled and her grin widened, "but I would hate for people to think that's all I care about. I also care about my friends," Nemona glanced at Penny, who returned the president's grin with a small smile of her own. Nemona then turned back to Giacomo, "and I care about Team Star, and learning the truth behind you all, and apologizing for the Homecoming…and for my grades, and Blitz, and—,"
"He gets it," Penny murmured from the side of her mouth, trying to cut short Nemona's enthusiastic listing.
Giacomo looked visibly conflicted, scratching the back of his head. He eyed Nemona suspiciously, his emotions battling themselves as he tried to reconcile this new perspective with his previous assumptions. After a tense moment, he clenched his fists, set his jaw, and made a decision. "Well, come on, then. Prove it. Finish the show!" Before Nemona could respond, he jumped down from his Starmobile and barked out commands to his Pokémon. "Revavroom, Wicked Torque! Pawniard, Aerial Ace!"
Responding swiftly to Giacomo's orders, Pawniard struck Pawmo hard and fast with Aerial Ace. The Electric-Type Pokémon staggered under the assault but quickly recovered, springing back into action at Nemona's command. "Ahora, Thunderbolt!"
Pawmo released a powerful burst of electricity at close quarters, enveloping Pawniard in a crackling field of energy. The shock effectively paralyzed the Steel-Type, leaving it frozen from the intense voltage.
"Now, use Bite and then unleash one last Thunderbolt!" Nemona raised a fist to deal out the final blow.
The electric rodent grinned, her jaws turning silver as she latched onto Pawniard's leg. The Steel-Type tried to bring one of its blades down on Pawmo, but static enveloped its body. And soon, so did wild bolts of electricity.
Pawniard fell backwards, charred and fainted.
Before the dust could settle from this exchange, Penny suddenly yelled a warning, "Watch out!"
As soon as Giacomo returned his fallen Pokémon, the Starmobile surged forward with a menacing charge. "Vaporeon, Aurora Beam!" Penny shouted in the nick of time, her glasses flashing against the vehicle's headlights.
Vaporeon reacted instantly, unleashing a brilliant, multicolored beam from her mouth. The Aurora Beam struck the Starmobile head-on, stopping it mere inches from Pawmo. The beam's energy spread through the vehicle, turning the steel webbing a cool blue color and effectively neutralizing its momentum.
Nemona's eyes sparkled with excitement as she watched the successful attack, her voice ringing out enthusiastically, "Nice!"
Penny smirked and tipped her head slightly, signaling her readiness to press the advantage. "Let's finish this! Vaporeon, Water Pulse!"
Catching onto Penny's strategy, Nemona quickly chimed in, "Pawmo! Combine Thunderbolt with Vaporeon's attack!" The command was crisp, the coordination between the two trainers impeccable.
Vaporeon unleashed a powerful torrent of water surging towards the immobilized Starmobile. Almost simultaneously, Pawmo released pointed bolts of yellow lightning. The water acted as a perfect conduit for the electricity, magnifying the impact of the electrical attack. As the combo struck the Starmobile, the water soaked into every crevice of the machine, and the following surge of electricity rendered it completely paralyzed.
"Now, one last Aurora Beam!" Penny commanded, her voice laced with determination. Vaporeon, responding with pinpoint accuracy, released a final, freezing rainbow beam. The beam, super effective against the weakened Starmobile, struck with devastating force. The Revavroom inside the vehicle couldn't withstand the intense cold, fainting and signaling the end of the machine's operational capabilities.
The battle was finished. Smoke and clouds of frost rose and then dissolved in the air.
Giacomo let out a heavy sigh and resignedly hit some switches on a remote he held. Instantly, the lights in the shipyard flickered on, illuminating the entire area and revealing the extent of the battle's aftermath. Aliquis and Goh soon reappeared on the scene, both wearing expressions of surprise. They surveyed the damaged Starmobile, now silent and defeated, and their surprise deepened.
As Aliquis returned his Meowscarada, visibly worn out from the fray, he couldn't help but ask, pointing towards the defeated machine, "What the heck is that thing?"
Giacomo, who had been rubbing the Starmobile's bumper in a tender, almost affectionate way, responded without looking up. "The Segin Starmobile," he said with a hint of pride mixed with disappointment. "This will be the first time I've had to fix 'im up."
He then inhaled deeply and, flanked by a few of his grunts who seemed just as subdued, walked towards Nemona and her group. "Well, I guess that's that," Giacomo muttered, his tone tired but oddly relieved. His eyes briefly wandered upwards, staring at the stars fighting to shine even through the shipyard lights. After a moment, he shifted his gaze to Nemona, a hint of vulnerability showing through his usually Snubbull-like exterior. "I sure hope you meant what ya said earlier. About wanting to help. I don't think I can take another blow tonight. Or ever, really."
Sensing the sincerity in his words, Nemona responded with a raised fist, "I do! But also, all of us really want to apologize on behalf of the student body for what happened during Homecoming."
Aliquis and Goh nodded in agreement, the blue-haired trainer stepping forward, "Yeah, that wasn't cool. We're sorry," he added, reinforcing the sentiment of regret and the desire to make amends.
Giacomo's response was slow in coming as he looked down at the ground, his eyes fixating on something by his shoe. "Well, thanks. That does mean a lot." After a brief pause, he looked up, a trace of resolve returning to his voice. "Believe it or not, Team Star was started in order to stop things like that. Not instigate 'em…"
Nemona listened, her gestures open and inviting more explanation as she tried to reconcile the image of the gang with what she had always heard. "So what do you all actually do? When I spoke to Mela, she strongly denied the rumor that you all mess with Academy students during their Treasure Hunt…"
"Yeah, we don't," Giacomo's response was nonchalant, almost dismissive. He shrugged, "We just hang out, I dunno. We recruit—we make friends. Skip school 'cause it's a clown show."
"But if you all keep missing school, you'll get expelled," Penny whispered as though conflicted about whether to step in or not.
Giacomo squinted at her, a flicker of recognition crossing his features. "You sound familiar. Do I know ya?"
Penny quickly shut up and shook her head, practically melting into the shadows.
Seizing the moment to drive home a point, Nemona pressed further. "She's right. Why don't you guys just hang out and go to school?"
"Because people throw crap at us, remember?" Giacomo's tone hardened with a mix of defensiveness and bitterness. "Look, Team Star is made up of kids who are mostly outcasts. No one wants us, so we made a community to want each other. And we recruit guys and gals who feel like they've nowhere else to go."
Nemona paused. Was this really what it was all about? A bunch of misfits—victims—finding a safe place? Away from the people and things that hurt them or where they feel like they don't belong? She felt her heart drop at the thought.
"So…those codes you tried to enforce as student body president were…" she ventured cautiously, trying to connect the dots.
Giacomo's expression softened as he nodded, a trace of regret in his tone. "To try and stop a bullying issue that is clearly happenin' at Scarlet Academy. Look, I admit I didn't go about it the right way. I just figured the more strict and tight everything was, then the less likely people would mess with each other, yeah? Well that obviously didn't work and backfired."
"And then you were chased out…" Aliquis, who had been following the conversation closely, added with a wince.
Nemona's eyes softened as the real story came into clearer focus. Team Star weren't the troublemakers or instigators; quite the opposite actually. They were a community formed out of necessity, a sanctuary for those victimized by the school's mainstream. Her resolve hardened with this new understanding, and she turned to Giacomo with a burst of enthusiasm.
"We can fix this!" she began, her voice filled with a fervent optimism. "Come back to school, Giacomo! Help us make the school a safer place! Tell us what to do to make Team Star want to go back—to both Academies!"
Giacomo shook his head, the weight of his past attempts evident in his expression. "It's not that simple. I tried, remember? But the problem is no one ever wants to admit they might be part of the problem."
Nemona grimaced, gesturing towards the Team Star members gathered around. "I know. But look at all of your followers. And from both Scarlet and Violet Academy. This issue goes beyond rivalries. This just shows that you have so much support to tackle this issue if you all come back to school."
Penny nodded in agreement, daring to speak up again. "The problem is when people feel isolated. That's when they feel like they can't do anything. Maybe Team Star has done its job. It's raised awareness and garnered support…"
"And now it's time to take that support and channel it into a committee! Which you could lead, Giacomo!" Nemona added, her eyes alight with the possibility.
Giacomo hesitated, his doubt palpable. "I don't know…"
Aliquis interjected, "If you all stay isolated out here, then the bullies win. No one holds them accountable."
"I guess that's true," Giacomo sighed, his shoulders slumping. "And I did the best I could here, ya know. Wrote the Team Star code myself. No one here can tell anyone what to do. You can only be asked. I remember how proud the big boss was…"
"The big boss?" Nemona arched her brow.
"Yeah," Giacomo shrugged, a distant look in his eyes. "As it happens, Team Star's been actually waiting on a pal...though we don't know if they'll be coming back. They're only the strongest boss in all of Team Star. Like how there's a Top Champion who's the absolute number-one Trainer, y'know? They're the one who invited us other bosses to form the team. We call 'em the 'big boss.'"
Nemona couldn't help but push further. "Where can I find them?"
Giacomo chuckled dryly. "Wouldn't we all like to know. We haven't heard from 'em in, I dunno...must be a year and a half now. We thought that if we kept Team Star going, then they'd get back in touch one day. But the teachers keep pressin' us to call it quits, as you know, and then we got party crashers like you…" His face turned somber. "Maybe the big boss did ditch us. They were talkin' about breaking up the team before and all."
Nemona could feel Penny stiffen beside her, but she pressed on, digesting every word and leaning in closer, "But what about the other bosses? I hear there's five of you…"
Giacomo's response was dismissive of any orchestrated reunion. "Yeah, but we kinda all do our own thing now. Again, no one can tell anyone what to do. So if you're thinkin' I can get them to come back to the school with me to start up a committee, you're outta your mind."
"Does that mean you'll come back?" Nemona clapped her hands excitedly to keep from reaching out to take hold of the Segin squad boss's shoulders.
Giacomo smirked, his dark eyes flashing as he exchanged glances with the grunts beside him. "Like I said, I wrote Team Star's code myself. My days as boss are officially over since your challenge. So take my badge, would ya?" He offered Nemona a metallic pin shaped like an "S". "It's honestly kind of a relief. Felt kinda lost out here. Had no idea what to do next. And maybe I can get Mela to help me with this committee you're thinkin' about. Heard you did her in one too by the way, though she was definitely less cool about it."
Nemona grinned. "Well, Scarlet Academy would love to see you both back. And together, we can make the school a safe place for all Team Star members!"
Giacomo scoffed at the class president's enduring optimism. "You're all still eggheads at the Academy, ya know that right?"
Aliquis nodded and put a hand on Goh's shoulder. "Honestly, yeah. That's pretty accurate."
Everyone laughed at the gentle ribbing, except Penny, who couldn't quite share in the moment's lightness. Her thoughts were elsewhere, lost in memories and regrets.
As the sun set behind the cliffs, Serena, Ash, Gary, and Arven approached the makeshift camp within the small cliffside cavern where Brock and the Lumiose siblings had settled. The Pokédoctor was particularly relieved to see them all return safely, especially given the tumultuous events of the day. Clemont, showing remarkable resilience, was already up and about—leaning on a large stick, which he used as a crutch—busily helping with the fire while Bonnie secured wood with Dedenne and Croagunk.
Brock, momentarily pausing his dinner preparations, began a thorough check-up of everyone with his medical kit at hand. While everyone sported a few cuts, Serena was notably the worse for wear. Brock carefully tended to the cut on her lip, cleaning it, and then addressed her badly scraped knee. Serena, wincing a bit from the discomfort, peeled off her torn socks and accepted an ice pack from the Pokédoctor, which she placed over her wound to keep the swelling down. Bonnie and Dedenne rallied around her, discarding the ruined socks and sitting close to chatter and distract her.
Meanwhile, Ash and Gary were busy sorting through the researcher's camping supplies, trying to ensure everyone had what they needed for the night. While Brock, Arven, and Ash were well-prepared with sleeping bags luckily packed in their backpacks, the rest of the group, particularly the Kalosians, lacked proper sleeping arrangements.
"I have a tent with an inflatable mattress and a blanket which I think Clemont can use since he's hurt and will need to stretch out his leg. I assume he can share that with his sister," Gary was saying, rubbing his eyes, exhausted from the day, "And then, I have just my sleeping bag, which fits two people. What about you?"
Ash shook his head, also bleary eyed, "Mine just fits one."
Gary nodded, and with the utmost seriousness, he said, "Then we can trade and you can share mine with Serena."
Ash nearly stumbled at the suggestion, his face flushing, and even Pikachu seemed taken aback, nearly tumbling over in low chortles. "No, I can't. I—"
Gary simply lifted an eyebrow, "You didn't seem to have a problem climbing on top of her earlier."
"I was shielding her from falling rocks," Ash growled. Like, why did he have to even explain that?
The researcher clapped Ash on the shoulder, "You tell yourself whatever you have to in order to sleep at night, my friend."
Ash gripped Gary's arm, his expression troubled as he tried to find the right words. "Look," he began, "we're sort of…"
Ash didn't want to use the word "fighting" but he and Serena had spoken very little to each other after the encounter with Bombirdier, and it was clear that they were both agitated and tense. He knew he had a lot to say…she had hurt him. He felt betrayed. And she had gotten hurt, which just made everything worse. When he saw the blood on her lips and leg, he wanted to legitimately destroy something. He had never felt that way before. Ash had rarely felt the impulse to lash out, and it scared him. He was afraid of what might slip out if he let his guard down, but he didn't know what to do with his feelings and he was afraid of himself around her right now.
"Okay, well," Gary was not in the mood to deal with all of this, "if you want, I'll share with Ser—,"
Ash snatched Gary's sleeping bag out of his hands.
Gary smirked, raising his eyebrows while a little whistle blew from his lips as he exchanged glances with Umbreon. "Okay then…" the researcher waved Ash's weird behavior off. Whatever was going on between him and Serena, they'd figure it out. Really, they should just make out now and get it over with so that everyone could eat in peace.
"Um, by the way. Thanks for coming. You know, to help," Ash murmured, chewing on his lower lip. He was grateful, deeply so, for Gary having been there. It meant a lot that he could depend on him.
Gary's eyes softened ever so slightly on Ash and he blew out a long sigh, "Honestly, I didn't even do much, Ash." The researcher leaned back and ran a hand through his auburn hair. Really, he'd arguably brought Serena into even more danger by giving her a ride to Bombirdier's nest. But after some consideration, Gary decided not to mention that part…ever. "Serena handled her own out there. The only reason she almost fell off that cliff in the first place was because she was trying to save a friend—which is something you would have done."
The comparison did little to soothe Ash. The image of Serena falling haunted him, and his instinctive reaction—to want to protect her, to hold her close—was a feeling he couldn't easily shake off. He shuddered, pushing the fearful thoughts aside, trying to focus.
Ash glanced back across the campsite, his eyes seeking Serena once more. She was engaged in conversation with Bonnie, carefully wrapping her own knee in gauze. He was caught off guard, however, as the soft glow of the firelight illuminated her, casting a warm sheen over the gentle curve of her legs; the smooth skin beneath her thighs, which Ash followed—unknowingly—until they disappeared beneath her skirt…
"Um…hello?" Gary's eyebrows arched slightly as he watched Ash's attention drift repeatedly back to the honey-blonde.
Ash turned absolutely red, realizing what he'd been doing, horrified and sputtering. "Yeah, yeah, I'm listening," he responded quickly, his gaze flickering back from Serena to Gary.
Nearby, Pikachu smacked his face with his tiny paw and let out a dramatic sigh.
Gary narrowed his eyes, "Then what did I just say?"
Desperately seeking help, Ash glanced at Pikachu, hoping for some kind of rescue. However, the electric mouse only snickered, offering no aid. "Something about dinner?" Ash replied, grinning sheepishly, hoping to guess correctly.
Gary, following Ash's distracted gaze to where Serena was sitting and realizing what had actually captured his friend's attention, raised his eyebrows in slight approval before catching Ash's death glare. Deciding to shift gears, he grumbled "Arceus, here—" He pulled out another rolled sleeping bag from his pack, handing it to Ash, "I was just kidding earlier, I have an extra because I'm a prepared guy."
Ash growled before standing up with the sleeping bags to skulk over towards the fire. He was annoyed that he wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed.
Gary, Pikachu, and Umbreon all exchanged knowing glances as Ash walked away. Turning to Pikachu, Gary rolled his eyes, "Have fun with that mess."
Pikachu's expression turned pale, realizing the full weight of managing Ash's moods might just fall on his tiny shoulders tonight.
Meanwhile, Arven stood by the fire, his Mabosstiff lying at his side, while the botanist stirred a pot simmering with stew. The flickering flames reflected in his eyes as he poked at the firewood, his movements slow and contemplative. Each prod of the embers seemed to stir up more than just sparks; with it came a wave of frustration and self-reproach. He shook his head slightly, his thoughts heavy with guilt.
Not far from him, Ash was busy setting up the sleeping bags when he noticed Arven's distant demeanor. "Hey? You alright?" Ash came up beside him, two lines appearing between his dark brows.
Arven looked up, surprised by Ash's genuine concern and the small, understanding smile the young champion wore. It was a simple gesture, but it felt like a lifeline in the swirling sea of his guilt. "If by alright you mean drowning in my guilt for putting you all through that mess, then yeah; I'm just great," Arven rubbed his eyes and pushed the bangs from his face.
Ash's smile grew a little wider. "I get it; I've put my friends in a lot of danger countless times, and it never feels good. But I can't make anyone do anything. Sometimes, the people around me chose to put themselves in danger for me, because that's what friends do," he explained, sitting down beside Arven with a grunt.
A brief silence fell between them, punctuated only by the distant howling of a Lycanroc. The sound seemed to underscore the wild and unpredictable nature of their current situation.
"Well, I'm still sorry I put Serena in a lot of danger. It wasn't what I wanted for her," Arven finally broke the silence, his voice low and filled with a profound heaviness he nearly choked on.
Ash stiffened for a moment, his forearms flexing as he clasped them over his knees. He had been in those shoes many times before—feeling responsible for the well-being of his friends during their adventures. He understood that.
And Ash understood that his intense feelings for Serena, his need for her to be safe and protected, that made everything so much more complicated.
"Look, Arven," Ash began, turning to face him more directly, "what matters is that you care. And from what I've seen, you care a lot. We all took a risk today, but we did it together. That's what counts. We look out for each other, no matter what."
Arven nodded, the warmth from Ash's words slowly seeping in, tempering the chill of his own regrets. The fire between them crackled, casting a warm glow that seemed to physically lighten the shadows of the evening. Despite feeling a sense of solidarity in each other's company, it was a if the two were truly realizing what was at stake with all of this.
After a moment, Ash sighed deeply, removing his hat and turning it over in his hands, "It was her choice to go after you, by the way. You actually tried to keep us all out of danger. I can't really blame you for Serena choosing to what she did."
Arven watched Ash closely, his expression thoughtful, raising an eyebrow cautiously. "But do you blame her?" he asked, probing gently into Ash's conflicted emotions.
Ash ran a hand through his tousled black hair, his gaze distant. "I don't know…" he admitted, his voice trailing off. Again, his mind was numb with the image of Serena nearly falling off the ledge…but then his memories rushed to all the moments he'd fallen off things…like a building…cliffs…To save people or Pokémon.
Staring at the pebbles and their dancing shadows, Arven spoke again, whispering to the flames, "I have the Herba."
Ash turned sharply, a response already forming on his lips, but Arven held up a hand to stop him. After a brief, heavy silence filled only by the crackling of the campfire and the subtle sounds of the night, Arven carefully pulled out a glass container from his backpack. Inside, the Bitter Herba Mystica glowed with a strange, viridescent color, its luminescence casting eerie shadows on their faces.
Brock and Gary, noticing the unusual activity, paused their tasks and drew nearer, curious about the mysterious item that Arven had revealed. They leaned in to get a better look at the Herba, their expressions a mix of wonder and concern.
Brock rubbed his chin thoughtfully, piecing together the implications of what Arven had just shared. "So there was an Herba at the nest," he mused aloud, his shoulders drooping somewhat with relief.
Arven nodded, his movements deliberate as he set the case with the glowing plant down carefully. Turning to Ash, he said, "I want to give you some for Koraidon, but I'm going to need the rest." His gaze flickered intensely, then settled on the faces gathered around the fire—Serena and Bonnie had also come to sit by the glowing embers. "There are some people who know where my father is."
Serena gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in shock. "What? Arven—Who? Where is he? Why didn't you tell us before?"
Gary's body tensed as he listened, his expression hardening, though he chose to remain silent, his eyes locked on Arven, waiting for more information.
The botanist shook his head, a pained look crossing his features. "I can't tell you who they are—they've threatened you all—my friends. And I don't know what they'll do to my father if I reveal their identity. You just..." He paused, pushing his dirty blond bangs back with some angst, "You just have to trust me... I already feel like I'm putting you in terrible danger by even saying this, but I feel like I owe you all an explanation."
Serena moved closer to Arven, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Of course we trust you. We know you wouldn't have run off by yourself if you didn't feel it was absolutely necessary," she reassured him, offering him a kind nod.
Ash and Brock also nodded in agreement, their faces showing their support.
From a few feet away, Clemont's glasses flashed as he raised a curious finger, "Pardon, but how does the Herba have to do with these strange men who know of your father's whereabouts?"
Arven's lips puffed up as he exhaled carefully. "Well, they need the Herba Mystica for their own purposes."
Gary's response came a bit too sharply, a hint of accusation in his tone. "Why?"
Arven looked at him strangely before shaking his head. "I don't know. They wouldn't tell me. And I wasn't going to push them and get them angry when I finally had a chance to find my dad."
Serena looked down, shifting on her knees. This information did little to ease the turmoil swirling within her. Brock, sensing the need to vocalize the group's concerns, added, "Well, I can't imagine these people—if they're coercing you to help them—are going to use the Herba for anything good."
"I know for a fact that they're up to no good," Arven's response was filled with resignation. "But what can I do? My dad needs to be found."
The gravity of the situation hung heavily in the air, each friend wrestling with their own thoughts on how to proceed. Gary remained stiff and brooding, keeping to the shadows, his eyes sharp and observant. He hoped by keeping his mouth shut he might glean more useful information, though his concern for the group's safety—and his frustration with the unknowns—was clear. He also didn't like how messy this was all getting.
"Anyway, that's why I struck out alone," Arven looked back at everyone, his earlier determination still fighting alongside his doubts in a small frown. "And why I'm going to need to go after the other Herba Mystica by myself. I can't risk you guys getting hurt not just by the Titan Pokémon, but also by these shady people…"
At this, Brock laughed out loud, slapping Ash on the back with a friendly thump. "Hey, dealing with shady people has been Ash's specialty since he was ten."
Ash and Pikachu grinned, the young champion rubbing his nose. "It's true. And I still have shady people following me wherever I go." His eyes darted around playfully as if expecting the perennial troublemakers to pop up at any moment. "Say—I'm surprised that trio hasn't popped up yet."
Catching the moment, Serena placed a gentle hand on Ash's arm. She attempted to offer him a warm smile, but her eyes conveyed a deeper understanding of the risks and challenges they often faced. "And all of Ash's friends have had to get involved in some dangerous schemes and world crises because of it." She then turned back to Arven, her expression earnest. "Again, we're your friends, Arven. And we get to decide how we're going to support you, and we want to help you find Turo."
Brock nodded firmly, his arms crossed over his broad chest in resolve. "If that means hunting down Titan Pokémon and securing Herba Mystica—even if none of it sees the Academy—well, then, let's do it."
Overwhelmed by the solidarity and support, Arven felt his eyes prick with tears. He rubbed his nose furiously, trying to mask his emotions.
Bonnie, who had been standing beside Clemont listening, suddenly put her hands on her hips. "Are you about to cry?"
"No!" Arven barked a bit more sharply than intended. "I'm just about to sneeze and it's super uncomfortable!"
But Bonnie wasn't deterred. Skipping over to Arven with a bright grin, she surprised him with a warm hug around his neck. "Well, since you're friends with Ash and Serena, looks like we're friends too and we're going to help!"
Clemont sighed but allowed a small smile to grace his lips. Though he was not going to let Bonnie anywhere near a Titan Pokémon again, he couldn't argue with her about the first part of her statement. "Bonnie's right. I'm Clemont, by the way, and I've heard only great things about you from Serena. So, it's our pleasure to be your friend and help you find your father if you'd allow us." He placed a hand over his heart and made a slight bow with his head in respect.
Now the tears that Arven had been fighting back spilled over. "I don't deserve you guys! How on earth is it that I've met such amazing people like you right when I need you all the most?"
Mabostiff chortled and lifted Arven's hand with his snout.
Serena's laughter, light and reassuring, filled the air. "That's just another way friends work, they always come at just the right time."
Deeply moved and still with Bonnie clinging to his neck, Arven managed a sniffle and a grateful, "Thanks." The warmth of the fire and the company of new friends bolstered his spirits, reinforcing the notion that no matter the danger ahead, he wasn't alone.
As the evening wore on and the campfire dwindled to glowing embers, the group began the quiet process of settling down for the night. Everyone pitched in to clean up, stowing away the remnants of dinner and securing the campsite against the chill of the night air that funneled in from the mouth of the cave.
Serena rubbed her arms as she felt the coolness creep up her skin. She was about to approach Gary after he had set Bonnie and Clemont up in his tent, hoping he might have an extra sleeping bag, when Ash tapped her on the shoulder, causing her to turn with a start. He shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, holding something in his hands.
"Hey, um, here," Ash said, extending Gary's extra sleeping bag towards her. "He figured you'd need it."
Serena nodded mutely, taking the rolled item into her hands. Her eyes dropped to the floor, and the air between them was thick and tense. She glanced around the campsite, then back at Ash, her voice shy. "Where are you going to sleep?"
"Uh," Ash scratched the back of his head and began to stammer, "I-I'll set up next to you if that's okay?"
Serena's cheeks warmed, and she pushed a strand of gold hair from her face, trying to sound nonchalant. "That's fine, Ash. It's not like we haven't slept next to each other before." She cleared her throat, her breath quickening slightly with a strained nervousness. "I mean, when we used to camp that is—and we slept together—I mean, slept together but separately in different sleeping bags, obviously."
Ash's face turned a shade of crimson that matched her own. "Yeah, for sure," he agreed, trying not to make sure his voice didn't crack.
As Ash started to turn away, Serena reached out and caught his arm, her cheeks flushing with a warm glow. "I'm glad you'll be close to me," she confessed, her voice a soft murmur. Since their return to the camp, a noticeable distance had grown between them, a gap she desperately wanted to bridge. They had been physically close, yet emotionally distant, and it pained her to feel so far from him.
Ash's eyes softened on her, and he released a sigh that had been held in too long, laden with the weight of their recent estrangement. "Yeah, me too," he murmured back, low and earnest. He also felt how strained the air was between them and hated it; craving to be close to her again. To be on the same page.
Serena squeezed his arm gently and nodded, then chose a spot near the mouth of the cave to set up her sleeping area, a little away from the others on the opposite side of the fire. Ash followed suit, unrolling his bag a few feet away from hers. As he did, Serena brought over her satchel and started to get ready for bed. She pulled out a comb and began running it through her hair, which Ash noticed was almost past her shoulders now. He watched her for a moment—trying not to stare at her cut lip—before realizing he should probably get ready for bed too.
He rummaged through his bag and found an extra pair of athletic shorts and decided to sleep in his black undershirt. Stepping outside the cave for a moment to change, Ash left Serena to her own preparations.
She watched Ash leave before taking off the sleeveless cardigan she'd been wearing. She found a pair of pink shorts in her bag, slipping them on beneath her skirt before pulling the latter garment down.
When Ash returned, he glanced around the campsite. It seemed everyone else had settled down for the night; Bonnie and Clemont were tucked into their tent, Gary was already fast asleep near the back of the cave, and Brock and Arven moved about like exhausted zombies, each finding their own space to crash.
Meanwhile, Pikachu, Mabosstiff, and Umbreon were already contentedly snoring by the fire.
Serena exhaled slowly with relief and allowed a little smile at the sight of the Pokémon. She then shifted on top of her sleeping bag, her eyes fixed on the dimming firelight, when she heard something rustle off to the side. She turned her head just in time to catch Ash looking at her, half-way inside his bag, two lines etched between his brows.
"You okay?" Ash's voice was soft, carrying across the small space that separated them.
Serena nodded slowly, managing a small smile before slipping into the covers. They had set up their sleeping bags about three feet apart, close enough that she could extend her hand and brush his if she wanted to—which she did want to. So badly. But it still felt as though there was this divide—an invisible wall between them.
As the fire's glow waned and the cave was bathed in the faint silver of moonlight, sleep remained elusive. Both Ash and Serena shifted restlessly, each lost in their own whirlwind of thoughts. Feeling the heat of each other's proximity across the divide.
Eventually, Ash turned to face Serena. He could see the silhouette of her hair against the faint light, the distance between them gnawing at him. He hated this tension; he hated how the situation was eating away at him. Ash knew this probably wasn't the time, but he needed to talk through everything that just happened.
Before he knew it, he found himself whispering her name into the darkness between them, "Serena."
Serena's heart skipped a beat. She lay still, her eyes wide open as she stared into the shadows, acutely aware of Ash's gaze on her. She was dreading this conversation. She felt terrible. Her actions during their recent ordeal had seemed necessary at the time, but she knew they appeared hypocritical and unreasonable now, especially in light of their discussions just nights before. Yet, as she mulled over the events, her perspective on Ash—and what she needed from him—was shifting.
"Serena?" Ash's voice broke through her thoughts again, gentler this time, as if he sensed her inner turmoil.
"Yes, I'm here," Serena finally responded, her voice a whisper to match his. She twisted to face Ash fully, her hands tucked beneath her head. Her attempt at a smile faltered, dissolving into the thick air between them.
Ash squinted trying to search her eyes, clear and blue. "Why didn't you call me?"
Serena felt a sharp intake of breath sneak between her teeth. She could feel her stomach begin to churn. "I didn't have my phone. I forgot it at the apartment," she admitted, eager to at least explain that. "I…I was a bit frantic…after hearing about Arven."
Ash closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing. Even in the dark, Serena could see the muscles along his neck tightening, "But you knew it would be dangerous. Why didn't you call me right away? How could you forget to tell me even before you left?" He was trying not to get passionate; trying not to get angry. But he was hurt. Did she really just forget about him and everything they'd talked about in that moment?
Serena could hear how distressed Ash seemed and her eyes began to sting as she shifted uncomfortably, looking away into the darkness that seemed less oppressive than Ash's gaze. She hadn't meant to hurt him. "I... I didn't forget," she whispered back, her voice trembling. "I was... afraid. Afraid to tell you." She really hadn't meant to hurt him. "I…I didn't forget," she whispered softly, and she knew she had to be honest, "I was…afraid. Afraid to tell you."
Ash shot up, propping himself up by his arm to stare at her incredulously, "Why?" He ran a hand through his hair and gestured in front of him; his whisper becoming fierce. "We had literally just talked about trusting each other. How could you not trust me with this?"
Serena took a deep breath, sitting up as her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to find the words to explain the complex web of fears that had ensnared her. "I was afraid of what you'd say, Ash. Of how you would react. You didn't want me anywhere near a Terastal Cave, so what was I supposed to think you'd say if you thought I'd gone after a Titan Pokémon?"
Ash gritted his teeth, his jaw tight with tension. "This is way worse than going with me to a Tera Cave."
"That's my point, Ash!" Serena threw her hands up, her expression fraught with exasperation. "You would have told me not to go! Or you would have told me to wait for you when there wasn't time! Arven needed us right away!" She wasn't mad—just desperate for him to understand what drove her to make her decisions, even if they were wrong.
Ash huffed, frustration billowing out with each breath. "You should have told me, Serena. We don't keep things from each other. We're a team."
Serena's voice softened, regret seeping through. "I know, but… I really was going to call you once we'd gotten out here. I just couldn't have you changing my mind."
"That's not fair, Serena," Ash shot back, his voice stern. "You can't just think I would have done something when I didn't even have the chance to do it! You didn't call because you knew it was a really dangerous plan."
Serena sighed and looked out of the cave, her eyes following the moonlight pooling on the plateau. Ash was right, she hadn't been fair to not even give him a choice to respond to the situation. She had simply decided what he would do for him, and that wasn't right.
Looking back at him, the honey-blonde rose, kicking her sleeping bag away to come towards him, kneeling before the young champion, pausing before she gave in to the urge to take his hand. "I should have called," Serena whispered, wanting nothing more than to intertwine her fingers with his—to show him how sorry she was. How truly sorry. But, Serena still needed him to meet her halfway. "Be honest, Ash. If I had called you—right away—would you have been supportive of me going? Really?"
Ash stopped. He could hardly think with her looking at him that way. And honestly, he really didn't know how to answer her. On one hand, he completely understood the situation. If roles were reversed, he would have gone after Arven—any of his friends—in a heartbeat. He groaned, rubbing his face.
Serena's eyes flickered. "Arven needed us. I know none of us—Brock, Clemont, or I—are champions like you…" Gently, she leaned forward, trying to hold Ash's gaze. "We never wanted to actually battle the Titan. Our plan was to get Arven and leave."
Ash shook his head, a dry chuckle escaping him as he picked at the cavern floor. "That didn't work out too well," he muttered, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Sometimes, plans don't work," she whispered slowly, waiting for him—for his defenses to loosen and crumble.
Eventually Ash nodded, his expression somber. They sat there in the dim light of the cavern, enveloped in a heavy silence. He knew that Serena's intervention might have saved Arven's life, and he acknowledged internally that he would have done the same. But he felt like she didn't understand how much putting herself in danger had hurt him. And how not telling him right away about what was going on had hurt too.
"What if I had done what you did?" Ash's voice broke the silence, his tone edged with a raw earnestness. "What if I went to do something dangerous and didn't tell you about it? What if I had gotten hurt—had almost died? How would you feel?"
Serena's mouth opened, then closed, a wave of realization washing over her. She knew Ash had been up to a lot of dangerous things since they had left each other in Kalos, but it was different now that they were together. Because they loved each other, they owed it to one another to communicate.
"Terrible," she finally whispered, barely audible over the crackle of the dying fire outside.
As they sat in the flickering shadows, their gazes held onto each other through the dim light, pleading with the other in some way—to understand, to relent. Serena's voice was soft, her words earnest. "I'm so sorry, Ash. I really should have told you right away. That's what I would want you to do, whenever you have to do something dangerous."
"And reckless," Ash's response came with a small, knowing smile.
Serena blushed but her expression remained serious, determined even, as she looked down, unearthing the cavern floor for her next words. "Actually, Ash. I understand now. I understand how sometimes your recklessness is really courage." She paused, her eyes seeking him again in the dark. "Recklessness is putting yourself in danger for no reason. Courage is being bold in order to preserve something—something good and meaningful. Like a life, or something virtuous. After thinking about it, and hearing all of Brock's stories about you, and even thinking about how you saved Pikachu from the Prism Tower... Ash, you're so brave. And I want to be brave like you."
Ash didn't know what to say. He found himself shaking his head, speechless. And then, as he processed what she was saying, a strange conflict overtook him. On one hand, he swelled with pride at her words, encouraged that she saw his actions as brave and inspired to mirror them.
But, the other part of him—the part that loved her so much—was afraid. He loved her confidence and strength, but the idea of her continually putting herself in danger—even if it was for a good reason—unnerved him. Ash didn't want Serena to be sacrificing herself for everyone…even if that's what he did. He wouldn't be able to handle that. The thought of losing her to something else—even if it was noble and all—drove him insane. Ash didn't care if that was selfish or hypocritical…well, he did sort of care and hated that he felt this way, but he couldn't help it.
Regardless, Serena's words broke some dam in Ash and the feelings and passion he'd been holding back gushed out of him. He immediately closed the space between them, seeking her hands. He pulled on her, a little too ungracefully, and she nearly fell into him as he drew her close. His arms wrapped around her waist and he buried his face in her hair, breathing in the familiar scent of her floral shampoo, which always seemed to anchor him.
Serena's initial shock melted into a profound closeness as Ash drew her in tightly. With a little sigh, her arms acted almost of their own accord, wrapping around his neck, pulling him closer. Their bodies drew together and the sleeping bags fell away, discarded. Serena's skin pricked and her cheeks flushed feeling the heat of him. This was what she had wanted—his closeness, his touch, his reassurance.
Feeling Ash's breath weave through her hair, Serena's heart pounded with a deep yearning. She had been so scared. Terrified during the whole ordeal until Ash had come. And though he'd been angry with her, upon seeing him, Serena's heart had swelled with pride and love and comfort knowing he was there. She had known that everything would be all right then. She could keep being brave. In his arms, she was safe. She always would be.
She knew that she had never upset Ash like this before. So feeling him breathe into her, Serena nearly cried with relief. She hated that she'd hurt him, and she wanted to promise him that she'd never do it again.
And so she kissed him.
Her mouth was hot and insistent on his; and she felt Ash tunnel a hand through her hair, cradling the back of her head, angling her for a deeper kiss.
Ash broke away briefly, "You made me so mad, Serena." His lips found hers again, sealing the words between them with another kiss.
Serena, caught in a daze, shivered as he moved his other hand up her back. Her own breaths came out in soft, whispered admissions between their kisses. "I know," she nearly gasped, surprised to feel his lips trail to the tender corner of her mouth where she'd been cut. "I'm sorry," she whispered, each word punctuated by the gentle exploration of his kiss. "I'm sorry."
Ash pulled away again, shifting so that his long legs were outstretched on either side of her while she remained on her knees before him, her face positioned a little higher than his.
"I see what you were saying, though," Ash's lips began to pull into a small smile as he rested his hands on her shoulders to steady her, "About the difference between being brave and reckless. Serena, I am sometimes still just reckless and I'm going to work on that. Especially now that I know what it feels like to, well, be the one who sees the other get hurt. I don't want you to feel how I felt when I saw you falling from that cliff."
Serena placed a hand over her heart, "Ash…"
Ash's hands down to catch her fingers, "Serena, what you did was really brave. You were so strong. And I promise to get stronger so that I can support you when you have to be brave again. I do understand why you went after Arven, and I wish I could say that if you had called me, that I would have encouraged you. But I don't know," his eyes darkened at the thought and his gaze grew more intense on her, "I would have come right away though. I would have dropped everything and I wish you had given me the chance to prove that. The thought of losing you—of seeing you in danger or getting hurt…it's just really hard for me," he gripped her more tightly. "But I do believe in you. And I want you to always be brave. Even if it drives me crazy sometimes…"
Serena had no words to respond with. Instead, she simply cupped Ash's face and lowered her mouth to his, feeling his arms wrap around her lower back. "I'm going to get stronger too," she sighed, a promise whispered to him. She knew she would have to get stronger if life was going to always be dangerous beside Ash…
She pulled away, but not before tenderly outlining Ash's jaw with her lips. She felt him shiver beneath her.
"We do still need to make a plan for when the next time one of us is about to do something dangerous," Serena whispered, leaning back on her heels, flushed. "We need to set expectations that will help us trust each other and avoid hurting one another again."
Ash nodded, his mind suddenly obsessing over the idea of kissing more than just Serena's lips, and this made the young champion turn bright bright red. "Y-Yeah, sounds good," he cleared his throat and tried to focus his eyes on anything but her neck—her collarbone, her jaw. "How about," he finally came out of his trance with a rough shake of his head, "if we're about to do something dangerous, we call each other right away, no matter what?"
Serena smiled warmly, nodding and taking Ash's hands again into her own, "And if we're unsure about whether it might be dangerous, we still call. Just in case. Another difference between bravery and recklessness is being smart about everything. We can help each other see if something is really worth the risk."
"Also, when I can," Ash squeezed her fingers, staring down at their connection, "I want to be there for you whenever you're in danger, Serena. I want you to let me." He looked up at her, his eyes dark and earnest and Serena saw, for a moment, the boy he used to be as he flashed her one of his toothy grins.
Serena's breath caught and she nodded slowly, "I want you to be there." And then she leaned forward and cradled one of his cheeks, "But, Ash, I also want to be there…"
Ash's smile faltered slightly, but was quickly replaced with a determined look. He leaned into her hand—it was so soft, "I know." Ash leaned forward to plant a quick kiss on Serena's cheek, surprising her before pulling away and looking serious, "And I understand that better now. I'm willing to let you be there, but…just promise me one thing."
Serena paused, her eyes flickering back to his mouth then back to his eyes, "Yes?"
It was Ash's turn to cup her face, "Listen, if we ever find ourselves in a dangerous situation and things start to spiral out of control, I need you to trust me," he said earnestly. "If I tell you it's time to leave, promise me you'll get to safety, okay?"
Serena could feel the urgency in his request. Her hands followed the lines of his forearms, stopping at his wrists to tighten there. She nodded, her lips parting. "I trust you, Ash," she breathed, turning her face to kiss one of his palms. "I know you can handle tough situations, and if you think it's too dangerous for me, I'll trust you and get to safety."
It was a difficult promise to make, but Serena knew it was only a matter of time before they'd face battles that would be beyond her. And she truly believed Ash could handle anything. Her faith in him was unshakable; this made her vow possible.
In her words, so much love, so much relief flooded Ash's eyes. His hands then slid back from her cheeks, to hold the base of her neck as he brought his mouth to hers in a hard, passionate kiss that sent a jolt through the two of them. It was all Serena could do to not jump into his arms; but she lifted herself on her knees and pushed against him, her fingers immediately finding his hair, tugging gently in rhythm with their breaths. Suddenly, all that existed was the feeling of Ash's lips against hers, asserting with a tenderness that spoke of deep longing and affection.
Something in Ash shuddered and snapped again like it had the night they'd first kissed on the rooftop. Another small crack in that distant part of him. It was that same feeling Ash had felt when he had been on top of her in the meadow. When his eyes had followed the curves of her legs by the campfire. When he had wanted to kiss the place where her collarbone met the base of her neck. His hands moved down her back to her waist. He tried to move his lips again, his mouth chasing hers in some strange, new dance that seemed like the beginning of something Ash only understood vaguely.
"Ash," Serena whispered in between sighs, her own hands beginning to wander from his hair, down his neck, to his broad shoulders and then back. They were a blur of kisses; moving together until their lips began to feel raw, their breathing shallow from the exertion of wanting.
Ash's chest heaved as though he were trying to keep control of himself. Eventually their kisses lightened and slowed—dotting the other's lips with gentle, tender pecks while they remained wrapped in one another's embrace. They only wanted to feel each other right now, to memorize the sensation.
Serena eventually lowered herself to sit back on her heels, her face flushed; her skin hot. "We should…," her fingers tightened instinctively on Ash's arms, which still held her, "we should get some sleep."
Ash nodded. Despite this agreement, neither of them moved for some time, their breaths still heavy. In the silence, Ash's mouth eventually curved into a wide grin, "So…um, how am I doing with the whole, you know, kissing thing?" Ash winced, hot with embarrassment. He tried to recover, "I just, well, I really like kissing you, you know. So I want to be, uh, good at it!"
Serena nearly squeaked and had to cover her mouth—suddenly remembering the others. She looked around, mortified until it was clear everyone was still fast asleep. Eventually she let out a relieved sigh, wringing her hands nervously together. "Oh," she murmured and blushed, looking at him for a second before glancing away—surprised it mattered to him. "I would say you're getting better."
"Getting better?" Ash furrowed his brow, actually a little offended, "But I thought you said you couldn't think when I kissed you. I feel like I have to be pretty good to do that."
Serena balked and stammered, "Ash!" She didn't know why it all made her so flustered, "That was…I don't…I mean, there's still other things..." Serena turned absolutely red at the words leaving her mouth. It wasn't like she knew much about the "other things" either, but she had read things…heard things…
Ash scratched the back of his head, looking suddenly shy, "Um, well, you're a really good kisser—uh, where—or, with who—did you, um, you know…practice?" He wasn't sure why he was bringing this up now, but this had been a question bothering the back of his mind…one he hated so much that he needed it gone.
For a moment, Serena didn't understand; but then she caught on to Ash's worry. She offered him a timid smile, looking down at her hands, "You were my first kiss. And you're the only boy I've ever kissed."
Ash beamed, letting out a long pent up breath—one he hadn't known he'd been holding. "You're my first kiss too. And the only girl I've ever kissed." He meant a kiss on the lips; he was vaguely aware of being kissed on the cheek by some girls in the past, but he hardly remembered those and knew they weren't important.
They looked at each other for a while and then looked away, embarrassed but still smiling like children.
"But how did you get so good at kissing then?" Ash "Ash tilted his head, eyebrows raised.
Serena flushed, her cheeks turning a soft pink as she shuffled a bit with her sleeping bag, "Well, I—I guess I asked friends and read things in magazines…" Lisia had actually known a lot…and she had always been willing to share. "And, I—I don't know—daydreams?" Serena made a little dismissive wave.
"Huh," Ash sniffed, also sticking his legs back in his sleeping bag. It hadn't occurred to him to ask his friends for tips…actually, that thought sounded more like a slow form of torture. Was there more to kissing than they'd already done? Then he felt his stomach drop, "Who would you daydream about?" He didn't know what had gotten into him tonight—asking all these questions he wasn't sure he wanted the answers to.
Serena turned, at first embarrassed. But then seeing Ash's mild distress, she couldn't help herself. He looked so adorable—staring at her as if his momentary happiness were in the palm of her hands. She was more than willing to give him all the reassurance he needed. She leaned forward and brushed her lips against him, softly and chastely, just like she'd done in Kalos all those years ago.
"You, of course," she hummed, pulling away, "all the time."
Ash felt his chest swell, and he grinned so widely his cheeks ached. Without thinking—in his boyish enthusiasm—he practically lunged at her, his questions dissolving into laughter as he wrapped his arms around Serena again. He smiled wider when she giggled, and kissed her lips over and over again, not sure how else to show her how happy he was. How much he loved her and wanted to be with her no matter what.
Serena continued to laugh as Ash's pecks grew a bit inaccurate—falling onto the corner of her lips, then her upper cheek, her nose; and then he buried his head into the crook of her neck as if on instinct.
At this, Serena immediately stiffened, feeling a strange, almost uncomfortable sensation explode across her skin, blooming from her core, which suddenly tightened like a wound coil. She gasped.
Ash immediately pulled away, mortified by his own enthusiasm. "Are you okay?" he asked, oblivious to what he had done to her, too self-conscious by his own embarrassment to see it. "Sorry, I…," he didn't really have an explanation for why he'd done that. He just thought it'd be nice to bury himself in her; to hold her close. But now that he thought about it, maybe that was weird.
Serena nodded wordlessly, her flush working its way across her chest while she attempted to control her breathing. As quickly as the strange sensation grew, it disappeared, leaving Serena confused and wondering as she turned back to Ash, lying beside her and watching her, concerned.
"We should really get some sleep," Serena whispered, her tone betraying a reluctance to part from his warmth.
Ash nodded but didn't move. "I really can't wait to take you back to Pallet Town," he said suddenly, smiling in the dark, popping his head up on a hand to look at her.
"Hm? Really?" Serena turned on her side towards him, a strange sense of relief washing over her, "You're not…embarrassed?"
"Why would I be embarrassed?" Ash responded with genuine confusion, "Everyone's going to love you, Serena. You're amazing!"
Serena, half-amused and half-anxious, prodded further, "I mean, you're not embarrassed to have, you know, a girlfriend?" She chuckled lightly. "To have your mom tease you?" The thought of her own mother's reaction caused a slight shiver to pass through her.
Ash snorted. "My mom already likes you more than me—you heard her on the phone." He noticed the change in Serena's demeanor as she fell silent, her eyes casting downwards. Gently, he reached out, his hand finding hers on the cavern floor between them. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Serena bit her lip, her gaze averted. "It's nothing. It's just..." She paused, wrestling with her thoughts before deciding how it was best to just be honest. She didn't want any secrets between them. "Well, I just thought about my own mom. I don't think she is going to be thrilled about us."
Ash blinked. From what he remembered, Grace was awesome and super supportive of whatever Serena did. So was it him? "Wait, why? I thought she liked me," Ash looked at her, a small frown deepening his face.
Serena shook her head vehemently, her hair tickling the sides of her face. "She's just protective of me," Serena fidgeted and began playing with his fingers nervously. "She knows I've loved you a long time, except…she didn't think it was real love…but it was." The honey-blonde looked up at him determined; confident.
Ash felt his chest squeeze at hearing Serena's confession. Her words made him so happy for some reason, and he knew he had been oblivious to things like love for a really long time. But now, he couldn't imagine a time where he hadn't loved her. It was as though that side of him had been lying dormant until the right time. Until he could hold Serena like he did now.
Serena caught Ash's look and stuck out her lip in an attempt to pout but she began to laugh when she felt Ash squeeze her hands, "Why are you smiling, Ash Ketchum? This is serious!"
"I just like hearing you say that you loved me for a long time," Ash's face split open into a grin, "How long exactly? Why would your mom think it wasn't real?"
Serena sighed, her body relaxing as she shifted to lie back, staring up at the ceiling where shadows played across the rough stone. "Ash, I've loved you since the day you took my hand, I'm so sure of that now," she confessed, her voice steady but her eyes averted from his gaze, focusing instead on the flickering shadows. "But my mom said I was too young—even when I was thirteen and traveling with you—to know what love was; that all I had was just a childish crush."
She paused, the weight of those years of uncertainty pressing down on her. "So I began to doubt myself and then tried to let you go. She told me that it would be unrealistic for me to think that you loved me."
When she finally turned back to look at Ash, she noticed how his reaction had grown subdued and concerned. He shifted, moving over her; pressing his lips against hers. Serena was always so surprised by how soft his lips were, especially when every other part of him seemed to be sharpening and hardening in his maturity. And he always seemed to hold her with this shy tenderness that was both incredibly gentle and fiercely protective all at once. Yes, she loved these parts of him the world often didn't see—they were like secret promises shared only between them.
Meanwhile, Ash tried not to beat himself up about how dense he'd been for so long. He hated the idea that his obliviousness made Serena doubt her feelings for him—that her mom actually had a case for her argument. Most of all, he hated that he'd made Serena wait—that it took him so long to realize how much he loved her.
As they parted, Ash's eyes searched hers, a little pained. "Is that why you stopped wearing the ribbon?" he asked carefully, realizing that—ever since he'd given it to her—she had worn that ribbon every day during their travels in Kalos, and he noticed it without truly understanding what it symbolized.
He remembered giving it to her. Feeling nervous about giving it to her for some reason—fingers scratching his nose, palms sweating beneath his gloves, feet shifting from side to side.
Serena nodded, her blue eyes dilated from fighting the dark. She was surprised he still thought of the ribbon—had asked so much about it—when she had convinced herself that the pale fabric hadn't meant as much to him as it did to her. However, she was beginning to see that that might not be true.
"But I might start wearing it again," Serena whispered, feeling vulnerable in that admission, "If you would like that?" She wrapped her arms around Ash's neck, leaning into him. Something like ice melted off her mind at the relief she suddenly felt about having told Ash about her mother. She began to feel weightless.
"Yeah, I would like that," Ash grinned, his hands settling comfortably around her waist. "And I want you to wear it when we go see my mom. So she can see I've loved you a long time too...even if I didn't always know it."
Serena paused, suspended in a lake of surprise and happiness. With a little cry, she surged forward; Ash's hands shifting quickly to support her back as she threw herself into the kiss. Ash, caught off guard by her sudden enthusiasm, fell backwards, Serena landing softly on his chest. They both laughed, the sound muffled as they quickly hushed themselves with a glance around to ensure they hadn't disturbed the others. Seeing that they hadn't, they returned their gazes to each other, Serena's smile bright and unguarded.
She leaned down to plant one last kiss on Ash's lips before gently slipping off of him. "We really should get some sleep," she murmured.
"Yeah, okay," Ash chuckled in agreement, watching as Serena retreated back to her own sleeping bag. He then resettled himself in his own bag and tried to lie down, but found himself restless, shifting uncomfortably. He turned on his side to face the honey-blonde, the three foot gap—now reestablished between them—suddenly looked like an immense chasm in the darkness.
Ash continued to shift and shift, wondering why it was so hard to sleep with Serena right there when he'd done it countless times before.
After a few more restless minutes, the young champion sat back up, eyeing "the mile-wide void" (as Ash called it in his mind) between their sleeping bags. "Why are we so far apart?" he asked, playfully eyeing her with an arched brow. He flashed her a boyish grin.
Serena giggled, biting her sore lip. Shyly, she patted the ground beside her, her cheeks flushed a delicate pink. "Well, maybe you can come closer…"
Ash didn't need to be told twice. Still enveloped in his sleeping bag, he wiggled over to her, finally settling down right beside her. Propping himself on an elbow to see her better, his eyes following the lines of her face, his mouth unknowingly soon hovering over hers.
Serened turned and arched up into him, claiming his lips one last time. Her mouth moved very softly against his before pulling away with a smile that was bright even in the dark. "Goodnight Ash," Serena whispered, turning away so that he couldn't see her breathless.
Across the fire, Gary Oak lay wide awake, wincing every so often at the giggles, laughs, or the muted sounds of kisses from Ash and Serena's direction. He cursed under his breath for not buying a pillow with which to smother himself.
As the night deepened and the sounds finally ceased, Gary cautiously peeked over the dwindling flames to see Ash and Serena, now asleep—spooning, of all things—in their respective sleeping bags, Ash's arm thrown protectively over her. With a grunt, Gary settled back, relieved at the prospect of sleep.
He turned trying to find a comfortable position when he jumped, seeing Arven's eyes wide and frozen—awake next to him.
"Arceus!" Gary hissed through his teeth, "Why aren't you blinking!?"
"Because…I'm pretty sure I'm dead and my punishment is to overhear conversations that I really shouldn't hear," Arven deadpanned, not unaware of the fact that this had been his curse while alive as well.
"Oh, you all heard that?" A few feet away, Brock chimed in, his grin almost maniacal in the dim firelight, "Pretty cute, huh?"
Gary scrunched up his nose into a snarl, "No. Not when I'm trying to sleep!"
"I'm just glad they kissed and made up," Brock shrugged, resettling himself on his back. "But seems like Ash has a lot to learn about the kissing part."
Stuck between the two Kanto men, Arven briefly contemplated whether actual death might be preferable to this conversation.
"Yeah, well, he's practically on top of her right now, so I think they're skipping bases," Gary remarked dryly, swiping some dirt off his sleeping bag.
"I need you all to actually stop talking," Arven groaned, using Mabosstiff's tail as an impromptu sleep mask.
Brock immediately shot up to look at the couple and hummed clinically, "Huh, would you look at that?"
"They are literally just laying side by side after a hard day," Arven grumbled, his voice muffled under the canine's fur. Seriously, why was he even humoring this conversation though?
"Yeah," Brock smiled, glancing at Gary, "they're as pure as the driven snow. It's cute," he repeated.
Gary rolled his eyes, hissing, "I guess you didn't hear them making out!"
"Oh no, I heard," Brock quipped, wiggling his eyebrows. "And peeked. No tongue."
"La madre que me parió," Arven muttered. He was actually about to lose it.
"Hm" the researcher considered this, his arms suddenly crossing before his chest. "So, are you saying we're going to have to give Ashy-boy some pointers?"
"If he asks," Brock shrugged again, flopping back onto his sleeping bag. "Otherwise, I think he'll figure it out."
At his limit, Arven shot up, his voice a fierce whisper, "If you all don't shut up right now, I'm going to inhale the Herba Mystica, become a Titan version of myself, and literally bury you two in this cave!"
Gary and Brock blinked, exchanging a glance. "You know, I'd actually like to see that..." the researcher muttered, his lips moving to the side of his face.
"Goodnight!" Arven declared, grabbing his water bottle and dousing the fire. The cave plunged into darkness, the last flickers of light extinguished with a hiss.
Nothing cuddles and kisses can't fix, right? ;) Side note: I actually read a study that is a couple was upset with each other, that if they hugged for twenty to thirty seconds, their cortisol levels went down significantly, and conversations were infinitely more productive. That's the power of physical touch, people!
Anyway, looking ahead: Ash will head back to Artazon to see Brassius and we will see some developments to Ash's team. Serena will be wrapping up her Performance season and Contests will come to the forefront…and her team might see some changes as well! We will also see what Hamber and Amethio have been up to, not that we care….lol, and what has come of Guillermo's scheming? Time will tell.
Pallet Town is also a few chapters around the corner, so that is exciting :) So is the beach…
Again, Happy Summer!