After their meeting with Tweeny's family and the happy resolution, Ash and Serena continued their journey to Hillsette Town.
"Ahhh it's so nice to have a new Pokémon on the team!" Ash smiled, looking at the pokéball. Inside, rested the new addition to the family.
"I believe you, just like I did the other thirty-six times you've said it in the past two days!" Serena sighed with a smile.
"Heh, sorry, but it's been a while since I caught any new Pokémon. Even if I have so many, it never stops being a great feeling." he chuckled, putting the pokéball back on his belt.
And Serena knew this well. In addition to having heard about them when they were camping with Clemont and Bonnie in Kalos, she had met those other Pokémon herself.
However, he didn't often get too much into detail. He had spoken of his traveling companions, human or Pokémon, but rarely of his battles and conquests. As if they weren't really experiences he was proud of.
Personally, Serena thought that competing in six regional leagues and many other tournaments, and doing well, was already something awesome. Even if he didn't end up winning.
She still could understand somehow. She rarely mentioned her experience at the Master Class, as much as it was laudable to reach the finals at her first attempt.
She treasured that experience, but she could understand why Ash wasn't very keen on bragging about his league runs. It was frustrating to come so close and never reach the goal, and it was a feeling that not even the greatest spirit of optimism could defeat.
And of course, she wouldn't force him to talk about it if he didn't feel like it, as much as she would have liked to hear about all he went through.
"You've traveled to quite a few regions, haven't you?" Serena asked.
"Uh, yeah. Let's see... Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova… then Kalos with you. Oh, and I've also been to the Orange Islands." Ash remembered, thinking about all the adventures he had faced in those years, from his departure until that moment "Why?"
"I just remembered again about when you told Clemont and Bonnie and me that you never bring Pokémon from your old travels with you, except Pikachu."
"Hmm... but I did bring some back to the team for a while" the trainer corrected "In Sinnoh for example and even Charizard decided to come back to my team at some point."
Serena nodded, she remembered that "Have you ever thought about using only old Pokémon or trying the league of a region you've already been to again? You'd have a much better advantage."
It was a question she already knew the answer to.
It would have been easier, too easy for someone like Ash, who loved the thrill of a battle. "I probably would have thought about something like that when I started traveling and maybe even done it. But back then, my only thought was about winning, and then I started to appreciate the Pokémon battles themselves."
It made him laugh all in all. His Kanto self was a brat, but he wanted to win more than anything else and compared to today, he really couldn't say which version was closest to a Pokémon Master.
He certainly hadn't forgotten the desire to win, otherwise every defeat in the league wouldn't have pressured him so much to try harder the next.
And having found such important values in battling and his enjoyment certainly had allowed him to better digest failures and recharge for the next attempts.
"The point is that being able to bring out the best in every Pokémon that joins my team satisfies me. It's a unique experience with new friends. I think that if I were to ever win a league and qualify to challenge the Elite Four, then yes, I would take turns to give everyone a chance."
After all, he had many friends who deserved another chance and Pokémon that still had a lot of potential. He was sure that many of them wanted to battle with him again.
Serena nodded, "With so many Pokémon, I wouldn't know how to proceed. I can only imagine all the combinations you could come up with!"
"Well, I'm not the only one, you would also have plenty of opportunities in your performances." Ash said, imagining what Serena could do with his Pokémon. "You know, I could always lend you some of mine!"
He had always been quite jealous of his Pokémon, but in the end he had often had to use other people's Pokémon in certain situations… and he had to admit that he felt an unusual curiosity to see his Pokémon perform with her.
The girl blushed slightly, "Do you think I should catch more Pokémon?"
Her friend shook his head, "Not necessarily, I have many but you know why." He had been traveling for years, always rebuilding his team. "But having a smaller team can help you focus on the same Pokémon. My point is, if you ever need something specific for a choreography, the offer is always open!"
"Thanks… I'll keep that in mind," she promised. She wasn't sure if it would ever be necessary, but she really appreciated Ash's willingness to entrust her with his precious friends. "That goes for me too, even though you probably won't need it. You have a lot more options and they're definitely better prepared for battles."
"Thank you! But I don't think you have a weak team at all. Ultimately, it's a trainer's job to bring out the best in their teammates depending on what you want to do. If anything, mine would probably be really ungraceful…"
"Like trainer, like Pokémon?" Serena giggled, making Ash laugh too.
"Hey, I have two left feet and I could never put on a show like you, but I've been in a few Contests! I'm not that bad of a coordinator!"
"Better than me I bet…" the girl whispered, perhaps forgetting to hide that thought. By the time she realized it, it was too late.
Ash's head was whipped around and she couldn't help but tense under her friend's confused and shocked look. "Serena...?"
"We were talking about your old Pokémon... and your friends?"
"Serena..." Ash insisted, not buying his friend's attempt to pretend she hadn't said what he'd heard.
"Is that an injured Pokémon?" she said, raising her head slightly.
Ash didn't move an inch, while his eyes narrowed "Serena...!" He wanted to continue the discussion. Of course, it wasn't worth the girl's bad mood and discomfort, but...
"No, seriously, look!" she raised her finger, pointing a little bit into the distance.
Ash then looked around and sure enough, a few meters away, there really was a small injured Pokémon. A Wooper by the looks of it.
It was obvious that the conversation would end there, but the boy couldn't hold back his disappointment, letting out a look of displeasure towards his friend.
Serena returned it with a sad smile, starting to walk towards the Pokémon. She lightly tightened her hands around the straps of her backpack and hoped that the message was enough.
She didn't really want to talk about it.
At least, Ash respected that wish. Obviously annoyed and reluctant, but he did it and that was enough for her. In the end, she couldn't really blame her friend.
They both reached the little Pokémon and slowly bent down. "Hey, we won't hurt you," Serena reassured, holding out her hand, so that Wooper could make sure she didn't have any Pokéballs.
As soon as he had noticed, Wooper slumped down in exhaustion.
Serena inspected him "He doesn't look sick or seriously injured..."
Ash nodded "Looks like battle wounds. Maybe he got into a fight with some other wild Pokémon…?" he took off his backpack, rummaging around inside for some Oran Berries "Well, in any case, these should do the trick"
He managed to find a berry, perhaps the last one left, and handed it to the Pokémon. It ate, timidly, until it was finished and immediately fell into a deep sleep.
Looking at Wooper who was resting, the two exchanged a satisfied smile "At this rate we should get a small camper and open a mobile medical studio."
"Right" the girl chuckled. "What do we do? Stay here until he wakes up?"
"I guess we have no other choice" the trainer reasoned. They certainly couldn't leave it alone without making sure it was well again. "We could wait here or we could take him to the next Pokémon Center, what do you think?"
"If it belongs to a trainer, it would be better to take it to the Center, at least Nurse Joy could find it much easier and take care of Wooper in the meantime"
"Then I would say it's decided." Ash nodded, closing his backpack, while Serena took the Pokémon in her arms.
"HEY! STOP THERE!" A voice shouted, which alarmed both of them. They jumped slightly. "You can't catch that Pokémon!" the voice repeated urgently, getting closer and closer.
"We weren't trying to catch it" Serena immediately denied.
"Given how bad it looks, I find it difficult to believe it…" The voice commented again, clearly that of a young man. And from the tone, probably doubtful and inquisitive.
It was precisely the accusatory manner that made Ash put aside that sense of familiarity he had perceived, immediately going on the defensive "Hey! We only helped him!" He spun around, his mouth unable to stop despite his eyes slowly widening. "Could you at least…-"
"..." The other male teen returned the look of shock with equal astonishment, any feelings of hostility completely gone.
"Uh…?" Serena cocked her head slightly, dumbfounded by the sudden drop in silence. Everything suspended, out of nowhere.
Ash blinked, rubbing one eye to confirm he wasn't imagining anything. "Brock!?"
"Ash!?"
"Pika!" Pikachu jumped from the ground straight into the brunette's arms, immediately nuzzling his cheek. "Chupi, pika!"
Brock petted the mouse on the head, unable to contain his laughter of surprise "What a surprise! Do we always have to meet like this?"
Ash laughed with pleasure "Apparently! What is it… the fourth time?"
The two looked into each other's eyes for a moment, then approached and hugged.
They had spent more time traveling together than not, in their careers as trainers. However, it still seemed like centuries had passed instead of a handful of years.
It was like seeing all their adventures flash before his eyes in an instant.
How much time had passed since their first meeting… it seemed like their paths were destined to cross as many times as they separated.
After a final hug, the two trainers broke apart, carefully observing the changes that time had caused on their bodies. "Geez, how tall have you gotten? You were still a good bit shorter than me and now look at you!"
A grimace of irony painted Ash's lips "It was only a few centimeters!"
"A whole head I'd say"
"As you can see, it won't be long before I don't have to look up at you anymore. In fact, if my genes had been more generous, I would have already surpassed you!" he stood on tiptoe, raising his hand well above Brock's head.
"Yeah…" the older boy didn't reply, sighing nostalgically. It had been about two years since they had said goodbye after their journey in Sinnoh and although he hadn't changed much in his features, he felt like he was facing a completely different person.
He exuded a different air. More… grown up. He looked like someone who had experienced something completely different compared to their past adventures.
Perhaps that sense of nostalgia was stronger for Brock than for Ash, who remained undaunted in his happiness "I thought you were doing an internship!"
"Of course, that's why I scolded you… wrongly," he rubbed his head with a little embarrassment, and then bowed slightly, "I'm really sorry." He addressed the girl accompanying his friend.
It was obvious that if Ash was in front of him, whatever he was doing couldn't be bad. Ash wouldn't hurt a wild Pokémon like that, much less take advantage of the situation to capture it, just as he wouldn't allow anyone else to do so.
Serena shook her head, "It's no problem, you were just worried about Wooper. Doctor's instincts, right?"
Brock raised his eyebrows, calculating look, "Right so. I'm Brock, but it seems obvious that you already know who I am."
She giggled, "Yes, even if I couldn't recognize your face, Ash told me a lot about you! I'm Serena, it's a pleasure to meet you!" she held out a hand to the young man, continuing to hold the sleeping Pokémon with the other.
She expected a simple handshake, however when Brock's hand tightened around hers with delicacy and a certain passion, the girl was perplexed.
"Ah, what serenity in my heart. If anything, the pleasure is mine, and I regret not being as informed as you."
So perplexed.
"Unfortunately, fate wants that… well…"
Two grips grabbed him, one shoulder each. Turning to the left, he saw Pikachu glaring at him… and for a moment he felt like the mouse was really going to strike him down with one of his moves.
Now, that was something he had not missed; electric shocks.
He would have gladly avoided it.
When he turned to the right instead, his hand immediately detached from Serena's, sensing a certain sense of danger coming from his friend, who was staring at him with a certain intensity.
"Don't even think about it."
"B-But I wasn't…"
"Then take it as a warning." Ash smiled, but without conveying any sympathy. If anything, only a threat. "I thought you'd lost this bad habit!"
"You can't really lose love! And I wasn't doing what you think! I was just being polite…" from his offended tone, it seemed like the truth.
And indeed, Brock tended to aim for older girls, and never much younger than him. Proven by the fact that he had never hit on their traveling companions.
At least he had some decency.
While Serena was confused and Brock even more so, Ash's attitude wasn't strange at all for Pikachu. In fact, the Pokémon had felt compelled to help him in his attempt to mark his territory.
They hadn't even thought of giving Brock the benefit of the doubt. Knowing how his silly acts started, the alarm bells had immediately gone off and they had intervened.
"Uh, are you two okay?" Serena asked.
"Yeah, it's just that my friend here has a tendency to be a flirt," Ash explained, ignoring that little flame in his chest that had made him perhaps more irritable than usual.
Brock gasped "Me? A flirt!? I'm just a gentleman on a mission!"
The raven-haired trainer gave him a grimace that was similar to a sneer "Yeah, and I'm a three-headed Suicune."
"One day you'll understand…" Brock shook his head. No, he probably never would, but Ash might be the last person who would get down on one knee in front of pretty girls to find a wife.
Serena giggled at the two of them exchanging snarky remarks. It was obvious that they were completely familiar with each other. "Is he like Bonnie?"
"Exactly." Ash nodded. "But she's a child…"
"Hm?" Brock expressed confusion at the mention.
"A good friend of ours. She and her older brother traveled with us in Kalos." Ash explained. "I'd tell you more but we were taking Wooper to the Pokémon Center. You could come with us if you want?"
Brock shook his head and smiled. "Let's do it the other way around. You're on the edge of a reserve right now and our building has everything we need to take a look at it."
Ash and Serena nodded. "Okay then!"
"Great! That way we'll have time to chat!"
…
As soon as they arrived at the facility, Brock checked on Wooper and was happy to confirm that it would be released as soon as it woke up.
They let it rest in the medical room and went to a sort of dining room with a kitchen implemented.
With lunchtime now approaching, Brock wasted no time in having Ash and his friend sit down, while he started warming up the food behind the stove.
"I had already cooked something for lunch before going out to do the patrol."
After all, what better way to relax and catch up on their adventures than with lunch?
Ash didn't mind at all at the thought of eating something his friend had prepared. "Then we're in luck! Will there be enough for everyone?"
"Of course! Our travels have made me accustomed to always preparing more than I need to, so I'm forced to put away the leftovers and eat them for days. Thank goodness you're here and I won't have that problem today!" Brock laughed, filling a bowl with rice and curry.
He even remembered the right quantities.
"Well, that hasn't changed." Serena sighed with a smile.
"That's a good thing, otherwise there would be a natural disorder in our world." The cook nodded, placing the three steaming dishes on the table for them. Then he brought a smaller steaming bowl to Pikachu "Extra spicy for you, just the way you like it"
"Pikaaaa!" The little mouse squeaked with joy, immediately digging into the food.
"I'm sorry I didn't prepare anything forsian for you, but after eating lasagna for days I needed a change, to return to my Kantonian origins." He apologized, sitting down. Ash certainly didn't mind, but maybe Serena would have expected something more traditional to the region she was visiting.
"You don't have to apologize at all, you are hosting us and without notice. Besides, after tasting Ash's mother's I'd eat it more than happily" Serena downplayed, savoring the first bite.
Brock smiled in surprise "Ah, but then I might disappoint you. Delia is on a whole other level!"
"You underestimate yourself" Ash denied, pointing to his friend with a dreamy expression, who was holding her cheek with one hand. Serena nodded in response, agreeing. "See? She thinks so too!"
"Haha, I'm glad. So you went to Ash's house in Pallet Town? Where did you two meet?" The brunette asked curiously.
"Actually, we met at Professor Oak's summer camp when we were kids. Then a few years later Ash came to Kalos, the region where I lived and I saw him on TV while he jumped off the Lumiose City tower-"
"There was no need to mention that..." Ash mumbled with his mouth full.
"No surprises…" Brock muttered in exasperation.
Serena's expression twisted in concern, but all in all she had expected this news "Has he done things like this before?"
"He's done even worse"
"I thought so…" She shook her head "Anyway, when they interviewed him I immediately recognized him so I decided to go meet him again. And from there we traveled together throughout Kalos."
Ah, so they were childhood friends and traveling companions. Brock couldn't say anymore to be surprised that Ash was so protective. He had never mentioned her in their journeys, but after the reunion they must have rekindled a strong bond. "And after the end of your journey you went back to Pallet Town together?"
"Not really, I did, but Serena initially went to Hoenn." He paused for a moment, watching Serena's expression change from the corner of his eye. He then limited his explanation, "I stayed home for a while and probably my mom got tired of having me around, so she invited Serena and in a short time we decided to come here."
A very plain and perhaps altered version of reality, but there was no need to tell everything at that moment. Especially if they were things that didn't make sense to brood over.
"I see, so are you here just to admire the forsian settings or do you have any special plans?" Brock asked, "It's strange to see you traveling just to be a tourist."
"Actually, I'm here to help a colleague of Professor Oak with his research, but you know what I'm aiming for!" He had seen him try countless times after all. He had also mentored and supported him. "I love exploring, but while I'm at it I thought I'd try to try facing the league here too."
Brock nodded, that was exactly what he expected "How did it go in Kalos?"
The raven-haired man's shoulders tensed, and he avoided meeting his friend's gaze "Uh, pretty good I'd say…" Noticing Brock's silence, he knew he was expecting some more specifics "Runner-up…"
His friend's expression changed to pure pride and surprise. He already knew that Ash was a very strong trainer, the Sinnoh league had amply demonstrated that, despite the result and even though it was the best he had achieved in his presence.
He was a little sorry he hadn't witnessed such an achievement, even more so he probably would have felt it if he had actually managed to win.
However, he was even more saddened to know that he had come so close and then had to settle for second place.
For him, it was truly incredible and a great honor, but he could imagine how Ash felt, and the frustration of not being able to lift the cup.
At that moment, however, he felt that the last thing the boy needed was pity. "That's great! I would have really liked to see it! I didn't think you'd be there, but now that I think about it, I remember seeing some news about some sort of terrorist attack right after the league…"
And who was often in the midst of chaos to stop it?
"Yeah… I was there too…" Ash admitted with a sigh. Not that he enjoyed ending up in the midst of catastrophes caused by the crazy plans of ruthless criminal lunatics.
"You could use some therapy."
"I went!" Even if it wasn't exactly a complete therapy program. On the contrary. "Actually, when that mess in Kalos ended, Professor Sycamore and Clemont's father insisted that we see a psychologist."
Serena nodded. In truth, Clemont and Bonnie had continued their sessions and she had considered starting again after she returned from Hoenn. However, she had never worked up the courage to go through it. "You probably gave her an existential crisis."
"I'm pretty sure it was Bonnie's fault. She asked her to take care of Clemont like… six times"
"She still does at every session…" Serena shook her head. Poor Clemont. "She still asks Clemont and Bonnie about you."
"Aw! How kind of her!" the boy smiled.
"I don't think she's just asking out of kindness…" Brock commented, knowing full well that the woman was probably shocked and couldn't contemplate the idea of a teenager with the weight of the world on his shoulders and so careless of the emotional consequences that would fall upon him.
"Well, she was definitely surprised, but your faces were awesome too!" Ash laughed at the memory.
"I've kind of died four times, maybe…? Sometimes I feel like it was five… I think I lost count. But we stopped the end of the world many more times than that!" Serena repeated, still remembering the boy's exact words, with a disapproving expression "That's not normal!"
Ash crossed his arms "But it's true!"
"Yes, and now Bonnie thinks you're immortal!" the girl replied nervously.
"Come on! She knows I'm not!"
"She asked you what the secret to immortality is and you told her to make lots of friends among Legendary and Mythical Pokémon."
Ash tilted his head "Because that's how it was for me!"
"If Puni-chan hadn't already left, she would have tried to jump off the Prism Tower!"
"Nah, she wouldn't have done that, she's more reasonable than me. Besides, Puni-chan can't bring people back to life…" he replied with the same irony, even if that comment left a bitter taste in his mouth.
There had been victims in the Lumiose City attack and unfortunately they had seen how far the Legendary Pokémon's powers extended.
They both realized the direction the discussion was taking and how the topic was on a fine line between ironic and dramatic.
Not everyone lived it as a daily occurrence and were truly worried about their friend.
They still thought the same. Even though they expected crazy things from him, they couldn't help but feel that way.
Unfortunately for Ash, however, those were recurring experiences in his life, there was little he could do. He couldn't ignore a situation like that if he could do something about it. He talked about it as if it were little things, but he didn't like those things to happen either.
He tended to put his older experiences aside just so he wouldn't have to think about them, so he didn't see why he had to go back to thinking about traumatic experiences and feel bad about them if he could just move on.
Of course, as long as it was about himself. If it was about others however...
He was still dealing with the Team Flare issue.
"I'll take it in consideration for next time"
"That would mean more apocalypses," Brock grunted.
"Exactly." So it was better not to have them happen again.
At that moment, Brock had a strange feeling. There was nostalgia, but also a sense of incompleteness.
Ash wasn't one to talk too much about his past, he liked to live in the present and unless he was asked questions, he didn't stop to talk about things that didn't concern his battles.
His chattering so animatedly at that moment, that clear tone of appreciation he heard in his voice at the memories of the adventures he had had in Kalos... should have made him happy.
Instead, it disturbed him.
On one hand, Ash seemed to him like the same boy he had traveled with for years, on the other, he seemed like a totally different person.
Still cheerful, still a glutton, but aware and mature. He had the face of someone who had been through a lot and who knew he had, between joys and sorrows.
He had grown up.
He had watched him grow for years, accompanying him on his journeys, and yet at that moment it seemed to him that since they had been separated, Ash had made giant steps that Brock was struggling to metabolize.
"In any case, thank you so much for keeping an eye on him." The brunette bowed his head slightly in Serena's direction.
The girl, however, shook her head "Ash can do perfectly well on his own, if anything there have been many times when he has supported us. I think I speak for everyone when I say that you helped us change our lives for the better." She cast a sweet look towards Ash, who scratched his cheek in embarrassment.
"Nah... You could have done it just fine without me!"
"If it weren't for you, I probably would have never left home or found the courage to tell my mother that I didn't want to be a Rhyhorn racer!" At the end, Ash had been the reason she had started her journey. Or at least, one of her excuses. Then he had genuinely become a role model.
"You're a natural for Showcases! Eventually you would have discovered them anyway! And I'm sure you would have found the courage to try them!" Ash replied confidently.
"Showcases?" Brock asked.
"They're similar to the first stage of Contests, but the performers participate with the Pokémon and have to do choreographies together!" Ash explained enthusiastically, which piqued his friend's curiosity.
He had always been supportive of his friends in their competitions and had tried a few Contests himself, but to that extent?
Weird.
He spoke just as if he were talking about one of his best battles "And Serena is fantastic at that! She even made it to the finals when she participated in her first Master Class!"
"Hmmm… they look interesting! I've never had the chance to see one. I'd like to one day" Brock smiled, won over by his friend's enthusiasm.
Ash immediately turned to Serena "Why wait for a random day when we have Serena here?"
A bite of food almost went down her wrong pipe when she heard those words. "A-Ah, for a first experience, you could see something better…" she tried to dissuade from the idea, trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.
"Nah, don't worry! Even when you and your Pokémon practice, you're really good! Who better to introduce Brock to Showcases?"
The performer tried to argue, but she couldn't get anything out.
It's true that she had considered the idea of starting to perform again and certainly to participate in a showcase she would have had to start training again, but that sudden proposal had petrified her.
From someone who supposedly wanted to become a top performer, one would expect a certain determination.
She felt ridiculous…
She knew that it had been a short time since she had started traveling with Ash again and that it might take some time to regain the convictions she had lost in Hoenn, but she still felt guilty for not having been able to make up her mind yet.
Ash had found the strength to jump into his own field again, why couldn't she?
"Serena?" Her friend's voice seemed to bring her back to focus. "So?"
The boy's expectant eyes made her falter. She didn't have much of a choice…
And maybe performing in front of such a small audience would be ideal as a start.
"Okay." She managed to nod.
The boy didn't notice his friend's nervousness, so he just cheered, "Great!"
…
The look that Pancham, Sylveon, and Braixen gave her was a mix of shock, perplexity, and indecision, as they learnt they had to perform.
Not that they weren't excited about the idea, after all, it was what they loved to do with their trainer. What worried them, however, was the girl herself.
Despite this, they couldn't help but follow and support her, masking what they truly felt with a smile that they kept high throughout the walk to the back of the reserve.
It was a pitch with some logs to sit on, perfect for comfortably watching a small performance.
"Pipichu?" Pikachu approached Sylveon, while his trainer and Brock headed towards the seats. Maybe it was difficult for a human to notice someone's change of mood, but for a Pokémon it was much easier.
"Ve-..." Sylveon stiffened, but kept her perpetual smile. "Veon!"
"Pika…" It wasn't enough to convince the little mouse, who had learned to read his friend's behaviors by now. "Pipika chu pika pipi?"
The fox sighed, casting a look towards Serena, and Pikachu imitated her. "Syl veon syl…" She would have liked to say something, to get some help, but it wouldn't have been right to prevent her trainer from trying to get back on track. As worried as she might be.
It was important that she was able to get going again.
However, the reason for such importance was not for her to explain. "Veon." She shook her head, this time throwing a sincere smile at the electric mouse, trying to thank him as much as possible for his thoughtfulness.
"Pikachu? Sylveon? Are you coming?" Ash called, probably that moment in which they had stood aside had lasted too long.
Pikachu found himself forced to nod, knowing that there was neither time nor possibility to insist. He wished Sylveon good luck and ran towards his trainer, letting her reach hers.
The fox approached Serena and together with Braixen and Pancham waited for instructions, in a circle as they were used to. It was common for them to discuss like that before a Showcase.
They had lost that habit before the Contests, given the lack of Serena's participation in their choreography, so finding themselves there close together exchanging tips and encouragement was a pleasant feeling.
Very much.
"Okay, how about the choreography we did inFleurrh City?" the girl suggested, thinking it was the easiest to perform with the three of them, so it was the best choice for those who were still rusty. The three had no objections, but before Serena could stand up again, Sylveon's ribbons wrapped around her arm and pulled her back down.
Serena watched as the three, one after the other, placed their paws on her hand.
She felt the lump that had formed in her throat loosen slightly, while a feeling of warmth filled her chest.
Of course, she had her Pokémon. Whatever would happen, she would move forward with them.
With a determined smile she turned to the three spectators... who had now multiplied.
In fact, many Pokémon from the reserve had slowly come out into the open and sat nearby waiting to observe what, for them, was a curious novelty.
Serena took a deep breath, feeling her heart beating strongly in her chest, so vigorous that it almost hurt.
But with that smile looking at her... she felt like she could do it.
She gave a nod to Sylveon, who with the ribbon extended went to click the screen of Serena's pokétablet, starting the audio track.
Serena gave a small bow, then raised her arm, "Braixen, Flamethrower!"
The music started, and the Pokémon also rushed forward, jumping and spinning to the beat.
"Braiiixen!" Braixen launched her fire attack, and a circle of flames engulfed them all.
Visibility shouldn't be great from the front, considering that Serena and her Pokémon planned that choreography to be seen perfectly from the stands, despite the fiery wall. For this reason, Braixen held back from using her usual power.
"Sylveon, Fairy Wind!"
Sylveon unleashed her scented wind, carrying the flames with her in a vortex and lifting them into the sky.
Mirai no watashi ni wa donna iro ga niau?
Karafuru ni kimete issho ni tabe yo 1, 2, 3
The shades of red and pink colored everything around, spreading a warm air that seemed to cuddle those present like a caress.
And the performer felt a sweet sense of victory as she saw the smiles of Ash, Brock and the Pokémon around her.
Maybe she could do it.
She was doing it.
Yozora no nagareboshi negai o sagasu kedo
Mayotteru uchi ni dokoka e kieteku no
While Braixen and Pancham alternated positions with crossed somersaults, Sylveon and Serena spun together on the spot, as if following the spiral trajectory traced by the vortex.
"Come on Serena…" Ash whispered with a smile, nodding as he saw her twirling.
A glimmer of something… something she had seen missing for a long time…
Maybe he was seeing it, glimpsed as it slowly peeked out.
Demo ne yatto mitsuketa nda
Even though she couldn't hear it, as if called by him, the girl turned towards the spectators, intending to take a few steps forward.
As per choreography.
Hontou no watashi ga mune ni…-
But instead of focusing on the trainer, her eyes were caught by many other materialized people around him.
Where did all those people come from?
-tsumuji kaze o okosu
Abruptly her body stopped, while her gaze couldn't help but capture all those interested faces.
Some time ago those amazed faces would have spurred her on even more.
But she couldn't read that amazement, there were only so many blurry faces staring at her.
Her steps stopped abruptly and she almost lost her balance.
It would have been a disastrous interruption if Sylveon hadn't intervened with her ribbons to hold her up, as if it were planned.
Doridori doriimu pawaa! Doridori pawaa!
That feeling...
No, she couldn't allow it, she couldn't let it happen again.
Not again.
Not this time.
Watashi-tachi kiseki no chikara
Serena tried to resume her walk, but her legs remained still, heavy, as if trapped in a block of ice.
No, no, no, no.
Doriimu pawaa! Doridori pawaa!
At that moment, she looked for any safe point, but she couldn't escape from those gazes fixed on her.
Then her eyes met Ash's...
Worried, confused eyes...
Yes, for someone who had never seen a Showcase performance there wasn't much reason to question.
But Ash knew her routine well, he had seen her train every single day during their journey and he had seen all her performances in Kalos, to the point of probably remembering them by heart. Even if there had been improvisation, he could now read her movements.
He could very well understand that her standing still was not normal.
Yume mita toki kara hajimaru no
Desperately, she tried to turn her head away again, and this time she managed to focus her gaze on someone she hadn't seen before.
A Pokémon, a little further away, just outside the bushes.
A feeling of familiarity came over her and her legs came out of the stiffness that had gripped her until a second before.
She took a step forward, never losing sight of that… little leaf bud that was watching her shyly.
By now the only thing that was continuing with the performance was the music. Not even Serena's Pokémon were able to continue.
Especially with their trainer's attention so intently focused on the bushes.
They followed suit, hoping that there really was something that had distracted her.
Not only them, but also Ash, Pikachu, Brock and all the other collaborators of the reserve turned around. For most of them the performance had a reason for being interrupted.
An external reason.
"But that is..." Brock stood up surprised "Oh my-..."
"Huh?" Ash muttered confused. "Who is that Pokémon?"
The former gym leader answered with a mix of doubt and hesitation "It's a female Weepbud... a Forsian Pokémon-WAIT!"
Brock didn't even have time to finish. Serena was already heading towards the little Pokémon, then crouching down in front of the creature.
"Hey, hello! And who are you? Were you interested in the show?" the performer asked.
For a moment, everyone stood still, especially the workers. They almost seemed shocked, both in a positive and negative way.
The wild Pokémon's reaction surprised both Serena and Ash, but not so much Brock.
Terrified, she burst into tears, as if she had been hit or burned.
This startled all the Pokémon and humans, who covered their ears to try to resist those screams.
But that sound wasn't a simple cry of fear.
Serena felt it enter her chest, gripping her in a vice.
Then in an instant Weepbud disappeared into the bushes and its crying went away until it stopped.
Serena remained there kneeling, while Ash and Brock slowly approached "D-Did I do something wrong?" the girl wondered worriedly given Weepbud's strange reaction.
"It's not your fault." Brock said, noticing Serena's saddened face. "It's already a lot that you managed to get her out in the open."
"Is she afraid of people?"
"We don't know exactly what she's afraid of yet. In this reserve, we take in injured Pokémon so we can help them return to the wild."
"She seemed in perfect shape to me, though." Ash commented. From what little he had seen of her, she seemed healthy.
"Technically she is, Weepbud is ready to be released and has been for a long time. She was already here when I arrived. But she seems to be afraid of everyone. It's impossible for anyone to get close to her, even for me and Joy who take care of her the most." Brock confessed disconsolately. "Every time someone tries to interact with her, she runs away in terror and doesn't show up for hours. She doesn't react like this with the other wild Pokémon in the refuge, but she tends to stay away from them too."
Serena stood up "Her wounds aren't on the body…"
The doctor nodded "Unfortunately those are harder to treat."
At that rate she would be stuck at the reserve forever and while it wasn't that terrible of a life, it wasn't healthy for her to stay. It wasn't her life choice, she was chained by trauma.
"I'm sorry you were distracted during your performance, everyone was really interested" Brock apologized.
Serena's hands, right behind her back, fidgeted nervously. "Don't worry, these things happen."
For someone like Brock, who had only watched Contest, there wasn't much to worry about seeing the performer standing completely still and even if they had told him how it worked in theory, he could easily consider it part of her routine.
Only one person there couldn't be fooled, with whom Serena was trying to avoid eye contact.
She knew perfectly well that she was just stalling and that after that scene she could no longer convince him not to ask anything.
So she could run away, as much as possible, praying he would forget about it… a perfect plan, right?
She couldn't see Ash's expression, but she could feel his eyes on her and the disappointment he was probably hiding so as not to hurt her.
"It's still impressive that you managed to get her to come closer." Brock reaffirmed.
"Do you think it's impossible to do it again?" Serena asked genuinely this time.
She didn't know why, but she wanted to meet that Pokémon again.
She felt the need to do it.
"It's not impossible and we certainly can't give up on getting her closer to humans, but we should take small steps."
"So what do we do?" Ash interrupted.
Serena thought for a moment. Looking for Weepbud could also be an excuse to take some time alone, but wanting to find her was a genuine feeling.
There was something in the little creature's eyes that made her want to help.
"I'll go look for her." She declared decisively.
"Well then let's go," Ash nodded, however Serena raised her hand, as if to stop him, this time finding the strength to look him in the eyes.
There was a silent exchange between the two "If we all go she'll get scared, and since she was interested in my performance there's no point in looking for her separately." A fact that was only the tip of the iceberg.
Serena wanted to be alone.
This was clear as day for Ash.
"Okay, then… we'll wait for you here?" he attempted. "It's not a problem if we stay for a while, right? Brock?"
"Absolutely, in fact, if Serena could just convince her to come over for the medical check-ups that would be great." The older boy smiled "And it's a pleasure to be able to talk to you more, Ash"
"Thanks, then you two can chat a bit more! I'll try not to be late!" the blonde thanked, calling for her Pokémon, who joined her. "See you later!"
"See you later!" "Pikaaa!" the two boys and Pikachu waved, while Serena disappeared into the woods along with her three companions.
Brock was about to go back to the building, but noticing his friend standing still he asked "Are you okay? You seem pretty stuck in your thoughts"
"Hm? Yes, yes… everything is fine! So tell me… have you seen any of the others on your travels?"
…
In the middle of the woods, Weepbud was curled up next to a small stream. The refreshing freshness of that place always made her feel better.
And right now, she really needed it.
She had felt so lost when she had come face to face with that human.
She hadn't even been able to react until she had her a few inches away, even though she had seen her approaching.
And yet, as much as she should have felt… terrified by those attacks launched left and right, she hadn't felt the slightest urge to leave.
It was all too beautiful.
The way the three Pokémon moved with their trainer, the attacks that seemed to dance in harmony with them… how could something so risky be so wonderful?
She couldn't explain it. She had never felt anything like this before.
"Weepbud?" she heard a voice calling her, closer than she had hoped.
The wild Pokémon jumped up. No human had ever found her in that place and by now they had all given up on getting close. Only a few wild Pokémon, but they had never had too close contact.
But someone was there and from the voice it seemed…
"Weepbud? I don't want to hurt you… I just want to talk!" the voice repeated softly, slowly emerging from the bushes on the other side of the stream. "Oh, there you are!"
Weepbud immediately took a few steps back, prepared to leave "Wait!" the girl begged, immediately sitting down on the grassy ground, showing that she didn't intend to get any closer than the Pokémon wanted. "I promise I won't hurt you, I won't even come there to you, I'll stay beyond this stream"
"Wee…" the little creature murmured, uncertain. She didn't know what to do…
And for Serena, it was absolutely no problem. The girl sat there, not moving an inch, and neither did her Pokémon.
She would have waited hours if it had been necessary, to make the Pokémon understand that it could trust her.
She didn't know if it was something that the workers of the reserve had already tried, but it cost her nothing to try.
Not that she didn't appreciate the quiet anyway. "It really is a beautiful place, it really feels peaceful..."
"..." Weepbud remained in the same spot where she was for a few seconds, then, all of a sudden, she jumped away into the bushes.
"Ah..." Serena sighed. Too bad, she hadn't been able to convince her.
It did seem pretentious to want to succeed in something that not even those who were used to these situations had done. But she had hoped...
"I wish-..."
"Veo?" Sylveon bowed her head in confusion, followed closely by Braixen and Pancham.
Serena smiled at them "I can't explain it, but when I saw her… I had a strong feeling of being understood." she giggled, albeit faintly "Absurd, right? I've never seen her before, I was who knows how many meters away…"
Sylveon wrapped a ribbon around Serena's arm, sensing her frustration. "Syl…"
"I'm really sorry guys… it was going well and then for some reason…!" she shook her head, bringing her hands to her hair and closing her fingers around some strands "Why can't I go back to normal!?"
"Xen!" "Cham!" "Veon!" The three stood up and clung to their trainer, trying to disagree.
But all she could see was Ash's worried face, of all people. How could she forget that?
When they split in Kalos, she had told Ash that they would meet again one day, and she would be a much more attractive woman. A competent girl, with a future of her own making. Someone even he could admire as much as she admired him.
She had never felt so far away from that girl, not even when she first started performing.
She rested her head in her arms and began to sob silently.
.
.
.
To be continued...