Pokémon Gray

by Carlos Shiny

Pokémon Gray. What if Ash had never traveled to Unova before now? Ash, now eighteen and strongest trainer in the world, wants to take an important step in his journey to become a Pokémon Master. It's not about participating in another Pokémon League Tournament or defeating other champions, but doing something new and completely different.

1. A promise is a promise

A promise is a promise

It had been a while since Ash last traveled to a new Region. He often traveled between the Regions he had already visited in the past: Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Kalos, Alola, and Galar. He now considered himself almost a citizen of each of them. In each of these, he could count on his friends who would host him without any problems. Years before, he had taken one of the fundamental steps to becoming a Pokémon Master: becoming friends with as many Pokémon as possible and helping them as much as he could. Soon, however, the boy realized that was not was an early March night. The last days of winter, but it seemed the cold did not want to leave the small town of Pallet. Under the covers, Ash couldn't sleep. Two weeks earlier, he had confirmed his title as the strongest Trainer of all. His opponent, as every other time, had been Dandel. The two were great friends, but despite this, they did not hold back in battles. Pikachu immediately noticed that his Trainer was not sleeping. To get his attention, he gave him a small headbutt on the chest.
«Yes? Are you worried about me? Yes, I can't sleep, but don't worry. I'm fine. Sometimes certain thoughts just won't let you sleep.» Another headbutt.
«Okay. I'll explain. I can't hide my secrets from you. You know that. I want to become a Pokémon Master and I want to do it with you and all the others. Only tonight, I was thinking about exactly this.» Pikachu made a small whimper of puzzlement. It seemed he was asking «What do you mean?» Understanding his friend's perplexity, Ash added more details. «You see. I was thinking about what I need to do to achieve our goal. I've realized that if I want to become a Pokémon Master, I also have to help others achieve their goals. Think of May, Dawn, or even Serena…» Pikachu smiled at the mention of each of his friends' names. He thought of May and Dawn and their dream of becoming Top Coordinators, and Serena and her dream of becoming Kalos Queen.
Pikachu thought about how, indeed, none of them had achieved their goal. Just like Ash. He hadn't become a champion in Hoenn, Sinnoh, or even Kalos.
«For this reason, I would like to travel to a new region with you and a few other friends. I have no idea where to go; there are many places we haven't visited yet.»
The boy got out of bed, turned on the bedside lamp, and took a globe from his display cabinet. «Look, these are the regions we've visited. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Kalos, Alola, and Galar. Look how many regions we haven't visited yet; there are so many, who knows, maybe in one of these, we will find someone who can help us.» The boy yawned enormously. Perhaps talking about his doubts with his friend had helped him fall asleep.
«Maybe tomorrow we'll talk to Professor Oak. Who knows, maybe one of his colleagues knows a Trainer who needs help with their goal. Then, of course, making this journey alone isn't a good idea, sure, maybe I'll meet new friends, but no. I'm not sure I want to start from scratch.»
Pikachu, at least partially, understood what the boy was referring to. Maybe now that his friend was getting older, romantic interests were also starting to light up?
The boy fell asleep, and Pikachu with him. The next morning, the boy woke up at ten in the morning. A relatively late hour, but quite early by his standards.
After a hearty breakfast prepared by his mother, an extraordinary cook, the boy jumped up from his chair. «Ash, where are you going in such a hurry?» his mother asked him. She was used to seeing him enthusiastic even for small things, but this reaction of his beat them all.
«To Professor Oak. I want to ask him a small favor.» The woman was even more puzzled. What could he ask the Professor that was so exciting? Maybe he wanted to go on a new journey and wanted to ask the Professor for advice on which region to visit? But to what end? Now he was the strongest Trainer of all. It was the other Trainers, Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and Champions above all who wanted to challenge him.
The flow of thoughts distracted the woman for quite a while. The boy had already left and headed toward the Professor's lab. Ash and Pikachu had started running. In a few moments, they reached the lab.
As soon as he entered the gate, the boy was overwhelmed by the herd of Tauros caught in the Safari Zone. «Calm down guys! I'm happy to see you too!» As soon as he got up and dusted himself off, the boy reached his other Pokémon. He often visited them and was happy to confide his secrets to them too. «Hey, Bulbasaur! Could you do me a small favor?» The Seed Pokémon immediately understood. From the bulb on the Pokémon's back, a jet of golden powder shot up to a considerable height. That was the signal. All of the boy's Pokémon gathered around the Seed Pokémon and their Trainer.
As soon as they reached Ash, they arranged themselves in a circle around their Trainer. The smallest in front, the largest behind. Having his Pokémon's attention, the boy took his Smart Rotom and contacted Professor Kukui. He wanted to ask a small favor of someone he considered his adoptive father. After a few rings, the Professor answered. After a brief chat with the Professor, Ash got to the point. He wanted to see his Pokémon. Lycanroc, Incineroar, Melmetal, and Rowlet. As soon as he saw them on his phone screen, and sure of having their full attention, Ash finally began his speech. «As you know, if I wanted you here with me, it's because I have something important to announce.» That sentence caught his Pokémon's attention even more. They began to exchange doubts and questions, each in their own language. «If I am where I am now, I owe it only and exclusively to you. You know that. And you also know that I share everything with you. And so I will do today. I realized that another step I need to take if I want to become a Pokémon Master. And for that, I need your help.» The boy's Pokémon were even more curious. «I would like to go on a new journey. A journey different from the usual. And I would like to involve you. Obviously, all together is impossible. A Trainer can only take six Pokémon with him. But don't worry. You will all come with me in turn. I haven't decided where we will go yet, I'll ask Professor Oak for help with that, but I promise you that wherever it is, it will be a wonderful experience. Believe me. And, I promise you will also make new friends.» The boy's Pokémon were even more enthusiastic.
«That's all, guys.» The boy's Smart Rotom returned to his hands. He said goodbye to Professor Kukui, Magnolia, and little Keiki.
So, the boy headed to the lab doors. He rang the bell, and a few moments later, the Professor answered. «Ah, it's you, Ash! Come on in!» The Professor pressed a button and activated the door opening mechanism. A click confirmed to the boy that the door had opened.
The boy, with Pikachu on his shoulder, reached the Professor, who was working at the computer. «Good morning, Professor.» He greeted him. «Hi, Ash! Tell me everything.» The Professor welcomed him. Tracey was not present at that moment. And Ash was fine with that.
They were friends, but he preferred to talk privately with the Professor.
«Of course, right away. You know it very well. I dream of becoming a Pokémon Master. It is an extremely difficult goal, and every day that passes, I understand a new aspect of my dream.» The Professor turned interestedly towards the boy. «Good. And how can I help you with this goal?» The Professor was a very kind person and would do anything to help the boy. But at that moment, he had no idea what to do to help him.
«Well, I've realized that to be a Pokémon Master, I also need to help others achieve their goals.» The Professor was beginning to understand. «But you've already traveled with May, Dawn, and Serena. You traveled with them and supported
them on their journey. Don't you think that's enough?» Ash hurried to respond. «Unfortunately, no. May did not become a
Top Coordinator. The same goes for Dawn. Or Serena, who did not become the queen of Kalos. That's why I don't think I have fulfilled this task. That's why I asked for your help.» Finally, the Professor understood the expert Trainer's question. «So you would like me to put you in touch with one of my colleagues so that you can help a young Trainer on their journey?» Ash smiled. The Professor had fully understood. «I see. Perhaps I know who can help you. I warn you, she lives quite far from here. It will be quite a journey.» Ash gestured to show that the distance, at least for him, was not a problem. «She is a Professor and lives in the Unova region. Her name is Juniper. Professor Juniper. At this hour in Unova, it is ten at night. It's a bit late, but she might still answer. Trying shouldn't be a problem.»
The Professor started a video call directed to his colleague. After a few moments, the woman answered the call. On the computer screen appeared the face of a woman of about forty. She had light brown hair, tied in a strange hairstyle, and light green eyes. She wore red, square-shape earrings.
She was dressed casually at that moment. A pink t-shirt covered by a sports jacket. As soon as she realized who her interlocutor was, the woman greeted him. «Hi Samuel! What do I owe this call to? You know it's ten at night in Unova! It must be urgent.» The man immediately replied. «Well, it's because of this boy.» The Professor pulled Ash's jacket to bring him closer to the camera. «Ash Ketchum? What an honor! The strongest Trainer of all! What do I owe this call to?» The boy hurried to respond. «I asked Professor Oak if he could help me achieve my goal of becoming a Pokémon Master. And I realized that to do this, I need to help someone achieve their goal. I talked to the Professor, and he put me in touch with you.» The Professor smiled. «It seems very noble of you. Perhaps I know how to help you. In three weeks, I will be giving young Trainers their first Pokémon. And I already have someone in mind that you could help. She is the daughter of a dear friend of mine. She is a very shy girl, and perhaps having a lively companion like you could help her change and open up to others.» «Yes. I accept the challenge. Goodbye, Professor, and thank you for your cooperation.» «Thank you, Ash.»
The Professor sent Ash the Professor's contact. He had done his part. Now the choice was in the boy's hands.
Ash returned to his Pokémon, who had waited for him where they were. Still arranged in a circle. Some of them moved to let him pass.
First of all, he sent a voice message to Professor Kukui, asking him to let his Pokémon listen to it. «Guys. It's practically done. Soon we will leave for a new adventure. And I will share it with you. We will go to a rather distant region. Unova. Sure, it's not official yet. We will have to iron out some details, but I can assure you that it is almost certain now.» The boy's Pokémon were enthusiastic about the idea. They wondered among themselves who would go with him. Sure, knowing him, sooner or later, it would be everyone's turn, but the curiosity about who would be the first was difficult. The boy said goodbye to his Pokémon and headed home. Happy to be able to give the good news to his mother too.
Arriving at the door of the house, he inserted the keys into the lock and turned it. Since the door was not locked, his mother was at home. And indeed, the woman was sitting on the couch next to Mimey. They were watching television.
«Well? How did it go?» his mother asked him. «Very well. I can't promise anything yet, but I found someone who might help me achieve my dream.» «I think that's wonderful news. Where are you going to go?» his mother asked. Ash responded almost without thinking. «To the Unova region.» The boy's mother almost had a heart attack. «It's very far! It's almost eleven thousand kilometers of travel! Not that I'm worried. I'm sure you'll do fine, but as a mother, I worry about my son. You will have to get new clothes. You will have to make a good impression as the champion you are!» Ash did not respond. His concern was different. The boy went up to his room and opened his Smart Rotom's contacts. He had a fixed thought. At least for once, he did not want to leave alone. Sure, in one way or another, he had always met people with whom he became friends and then traveled with them, but this time he wanted to change. He did not want to start from scratch. He knew that the person he would have to guide would be a girl, very shy. This made him think that the ideal candidate should be a girl. But who? Ash thought of his friends and tried to understand who the ideal candidate was. Starting with Misty. Immediately excluded due to her enormous commitments with the gym. Further increased by the lack of cooperation from her sisters.
Then he thought of May. The last time he had heard from her was just a week earlier. On that occasion, Ash had learned of her intention to try again to climb to the rank of Top Coordinator with the contests in Kanto. And Ash was not the type to trample on others' dreams. A similar story for Dawn, who was trying with the contests in Johto.
So, Serena, Mallow, Lana, and Lillie were left. Excluded the friends from Alola, mainly for logistical reasons, since to travel to Unova, a passport was needed, and as far as he knew, his friends did not have one. The only candidate left was Serena. The relationship between the two was quite particular, with the girl trying in every way to make Ash understand her interest, with the latter seeming to be the only one not to understand it.
A journey together now that they had grown up could perhaps finally make him understand?
Ash knew it was not the right time to contact Serena, precisely because of the time zone. In Kanto, it was about noon, while in Kalos, it was five in the morning.
To contact his friend at a decent hour, he would have to wait at least until three in the afternoon when it was eight in the morning in Kalos. Ash had many questions. He wondered, for example, if Serena would want to go on such a journey, especially considering that they would have to travel to such a distant region. And if she did not accept the proposal, would she let him go alone, knowing that another girl would be involved?
That Serena was a jealous girl, he had understood. At least that. So he wondered how she would behave with that girl as soon as she got too close to him?
And since it was he who had this desire, he had to find something for her. Pikachu, noticing the Trainer's concern, put a paw on his shoulder.
«Thank you. You understand me. But it's not me you have to convince. You know that.» Pikachu well understood what his Trainer meant. It was now clear that he would not move alone. And this was even more true considering there was a girl involved. Who knows how Serena would take it if she found out that Ash had a new female friend. Already with Lillie, Mallow, and Lana, she had been very close to multiple homicide, but the presence of another boy had greatly mitigated those instincts. But a journey to a distant region in the company of a girl and without other boys… How to explain the situation to Serena, he would think after lunch.
Ash was one who thought better on a full stomach. Unfortunately, the abundant lunch did not help the boy. And in less than an hour and a half, the boy had to come up with something.
The only thing that came to his mind was to do a brief search on the region, hoping to find something that could also interest the girl. The search, fortunately, was fruitful. In Unova, there were Pokémon Showcases, just like in Kalos. Actually, they originated in Unova.
Ash had discovered that, initially, the Showcases were side events to sporting or other kinds of events. Then, later, they became an event in their own right.
In the worst case, he would leverage that. The Unova Showcases were very prestigious and difficult, and for the girl, it could be a great challenge. At least she wouldn't travel for nothing.
The girl had placed second in the professional category in Kalos, and then had tried the path of Pokémon contests in Hoenn, again without success. Maybe that journey could be the right opportunity for her too. It was three in the afternoon. Ash contacted his friend. At that moment in Kalos, it was eight in the morning. Perhaps it was a bit early, but he wanted to
try anyway. The boy took his Smart Rotom and contacted Serena. The latter, half asleep, answered only after several rings. «Ah, it's you? Do you know it's early here? It's eight in the morning!» she replied, her voice still thick with sleep. It was clear that she had been woken up by the ringtone of her Smart Rotom.
Ash had to admit that the girl, despite still having the pillow stuck to her head, was equally charming. «You see. I would like to go on a new journey, and I would be very pleased if you came with me.» The girl was puzzled. Where did Ash want to go? He had become world champion. It made no sense to launch into conquering some league or something similar.
«What exactly do you want to do?» she asked.
«Last night, I thought about what it means to become a Pokémon Master. And I understood what step I must take if I want to reach the goal.» «That's fantastic!» Serena got excited. In the background, Ash could hear her mother's voice. She had asked if everything was okay or something like that.
«And what is it about?» she asked, regaining some composure. «I realized that I need to help someone achieve their goal. Their dream.» The girl quickly understood. «I didn't make it. And I think the same can be said for your other friends. But that doesn't explain why you want to go to Unova. There are other regions we haven't visited yet. And they are closer. For example, Paldea, which is very close to Kalos. Can I know what led you to choose it?» The boy replied without hesitation. «Actually, it was Professor Oak who suggested it. He put me in touch with a colleague of his, Professor Juniper, who studies in the Unova region. She told me how, soon, it will be time for new Trainers to receive their first Pokémon and how I could help one of them. And besides this, I also have good news for you.» «Interesting. You will have fun! But what about me? I wanted to go to Kanto and try the contests there… they start soon, and we both know that a journey across an entire region is quite long.»
Ash smiled. He knew very well how jealous Serena was. She would never allow him to travel alone. Imagine if she found out that the person he would have to help was a girl.
«There are Showcases in Unova. You could try to climb to the title of Unova Queen. After all, you were so close in Kalos… and now you have much more experience…»
The girl did not immediately respond. «I need to think about it. I guess there's time from now to the date you planned to leave. Am I wrong?»
«Three weeks. I don't know. If you want to stop by home and we'll take the direct flight, or we can meet directly in Lumiose City?»
Serena had to think about it. Ash was always an enthusiastic guy. He always expected immediate answers.
«Let's do one thing. For the moment, don't say anything to the Professor. Anyway, tomorrow I'll leave for Kanto. I found a last-minute flight. I would have liked to stay here longer, but a flight at that price is impossible.»
Ash agreed. The girl closed the call and began packing her suitcase.
She let her Pokémon out of their Poké Balls and gave them the news. «I have some news for you. Actually, more than one.» The girl's three Pokémon pricked up their ears. «Ash proposed that I go on a new journey. It will be quite far from here. In the Unova region. Honestly, I don't know what to do. He told me that there are Showcases in Unova. Well, we could try to climb to the throne of Unova. But I'm not sure. He has always supported me in my dream both when I tried with the Showcases and with the contests. Whenever he could, he was always present in the audience to support us. But I'm not sure I want to try again. What do you think?»
Sylveon wrapped one of her ribbons around the girl's arm. The meaning of that gesture was very clear. Whatever choice she made, she would support her.
Delphox and Pancham had a similar reaction. «Yes. Thank you. I am very happy to count on you. Whatever the choice, tomorrow we will go to Kanto. If we don't go to Unova, we will try the Kanto contests. What do you think?»
The girl's Pokémon simply approved of her words.
Serena opened her room door and went downstairs, followed closely by her Pokémon.
«What happened? Why all this enthusiasm? It doesn't seem like you've had many reasons to celebrate lately. Or at least you told me so. Are you hiding something from me? You know you can't hide anything from a mom. Whatever you try to hide from me, sooner or later I'll find out.»
«No. It's that Ash made me a proposal, but I don't know what to do. For the moment, I was vague, I didn't tell him yes or no. He told me I have just under three weeks to decide. He told me that if I decided to leave, I could participate in the Showcases. He told me they are very difficult, but he believes in me.»
«And what do you plan to do? Know that whatever choice you make, I will support you.»
«Thank you. Although I have already made a small decision. I will return to Kanto earlier than planned. Tomorrow.»
«Tomorrow? But yesterday you promised me you would stay for another ten days. Isn't it that you and Ash…»
«No.» Serena blushed. «I would like to try to participate in a contest in Kanto. Then I will decide what to do. It's not a decision you can make on the fly. Maybe participating in a contest could help me.» «If you don't know, who will?»
After breakfast, the girl finished packing her suitcase. She knew well how to face those kinds of journeys. She didn't need to bring too much stuff. Just the essentials.
It took her a couple of hours to choose what to put in her checked baggage and what in her carry-on. And she had to check multiple times to make sure she had everything.
Of course. If something was missing, she could buy it on-site, but she preferred to avoid those kinds of unforeseen events. Better to check one more time than to worry later.
The next day, the girl got up very early. She had to catch the train to the Lumiose City airport and, although it was a train known for its speed, the girl did not want to be late.
The flight was at eleven in the morning; she had to be at the airport by nine. At the very least. The train journey took about an hour and a half and departed from the village station at seven in the morning.
The girl, fearing to be late, had gotten up at five in the morning. She had put on her backpack, handbag, and the trolley that she would later load in the hold.
Before leaving, the girl made sure she had bought the right ticket. Otherwise, it would have been a disaster. The umpteenth check confirmed that the ticket was a direct Village Airport-Lumiose City. First class. The only one available on that type of train.
The village station was quite small, as was the village itself. It was a simple brick building in front of the tracks. Three tracks.
An underpass allowed access to the second and third tracks. To avoid people risking sunstroke or heatstroke on hot summer days, a tall metal cover projected its shadow along all three tracks. Some benches allowed travelers to sit while waiting for the train.
Screens showed the schedules of the different trains that would pass. They were updated in real-time. Her train would arrive at six fifty-eight. It would stop for two minutes and then depart again.
From there, it would stop at Watercolor River, Newart City, and finally, Lumiose City.
Actually, in the largest city in the region, it would stop three times. Her stop would be the last. Right at the airport, which, by the way, was the terminus.
The girl, to pass the time, started playing with her phone. «The suburban train '31655' to Lumiose City airport is arriving on track 1. Please stand clear of the yellow line!»
The announcement system's voice brought the girl back to herself. Getting distracted was not like her, and that distraction was about to cost her a flight.
The huge, modern train slowed down until it stopped. The girl was lucky to be close to the door.
All she had to do was press a button to make it open with a hiss. The interiors of the train matched the exteriors. Clean, well-maintained, and elegant.
Since she was alone in that car, the girl didn't worry too much about placing the trolley in the overhead compartment. She would have risked forgetting it, and that would have been a disaster.
The two-minute stop passed, and the train quickly picked up speed. The girl had sat down and didn't worry too much about it. She was sitting facing forward, and that acceleration kept her glued to the seat.
From the screen positioned on the wall of the car, just ahead of her, she could read the name of the next stop. Watercolor River station. It was really five minutes by train.
Fortunately, few people boarded at that station. She could still keep the trolley where it was.
Now the destination had changed. Newart City. The city where she and Ash had met again after years. It didn't go very well for him. He had lost the gym battle against Viola.
They had trained hard, and on the second attempt, he was able to win the Bug Badge. Few people again in this case. There was still an hour of travel left.
For about forty minutes, there would be no stops.
This allowed the fast train to perform at its best speed. Over three hundred kilometers per hour.
At that speed, everything seen from the window appeared absolutely incomprehensible and confused.
The forty minutes passed quickly, and the train slowed down to enter the first station, on the western outskirts of the city.
A good number of people were waiting for the train.
The girl instinctively moved her trolley to allow someone to sit. But no one seemed interested. There were plenty of free seats.
A quarter of an hour later, the train stopped at the central station, where many of the people who had boarded at the west station got off. To be honest, the total number of passengers didn't change much. Just as many people, headed to the airport, had boarded. There was only the last quarter of an hour of travel left.
The airport station was directly connected to the arrivals area. This meant that, as soon as she arrived, she would have to walk quite a distance. The city's airport was huge and crowded.
Luckily, the directions, hanging from signs sprouting from the ceiling, were clear and numerous. First of all, she would have to weigh her checked baggage and retrieve the boarding tag. She scanned her boarding pass at the kiosk, and the machine printed the tag in a few moments. The girl attached it to the trolley's handle and headed to the baggage drop-off.
There she handed over the suitcase to an attendant, who re-weighed it and sent it on a conveyor belt.
Now that her checked baggage was secured in the hands of airport staff, the girl had to pass through security checks.
Luckily, the line for long-haul flights was quite short.
It didn't take long for her to reach the security checks, remove any possible metallic objects she was wearing, and pass through the metal detector.
All clear.
The girl collected her personal items and reached the long-haul departures area. Her flight's boarding had not yet begun. She still had ten minutes.
She didn't want to get distracted like with the train, so after sending a message to Ash, she put her phone in her bag and promised herself not to use it unless absolutely necessary.
Serena was among the first in line to reach the boarding gate. She placed the digital boarding pass in the appropriate reader. A sound confirmed to the girl that she could pass. She almost forgot her ID card.
She went down the stairs and had to board a bus that would take her and other passengers to the plane. The plane she was supposed to take was easily recognizable. It had a beautiful metallic blue livery. And white wings.
She was lucky enough to book a window seat. At least she could sit down once and wouldn't have to get up to let other passengers sit. The same would be true upon arrival. No one would push her to exit. She could take her time.
Sure, it was a bit inconvenient when she had to go to the bathroom, but it was a small price to pay for all the other huge advantages. Moreover, she could take nice photos.
After about twenty minutes, the boarding was complete, and while the plane was being towed to the runway, the cabin crew explained the various safety rules to the passengers.
Not new for the girl, a regular on that route and that airline, but she decided to listen anyway. Statistically, the plane was the safest means of transport, so there was no reason to worry.
After two and a half hours of flight, the first meal was served. Serena was not particularly hungry, but she did not want to risk being hungry later.
After finishing the meal and handing over the tray, it was the turn of the Pokémon to dine, and those of the Kalos native were no exception. At least they had an appetite.
After about two hours, the cabin crew, escorted by some Grass-type Pokémon, ordered them to use Sleep Powder. This allowed the passengers to fall asleep.
This trick allowed them to be perfectly aligned with the Kanto time zone. When the passengers were put to sleep, it was 10 PM in the Kanto region.
After nine hours of flight, the passengers were woken up. Some were already awake. Others not. Including Serena. The plane would land in an hour. And that was breakfast time. Included, like the previous meal, in the ticket price.
After the Trainers, it was also the Pokémon's turn to have breakfast.
Serena looked at the time on her Smart Rotom. There was still an hour of flight left. The girl took advantage of the fact that the bathroom was not occupied to go there.
Both for necessity and because she had not gotten up from her seat for hours. She still had the seatbelt fastened from takeoff, so she had to unbuckle it. She had gotten so used to its presence that she tried to get up with it still on. Failing miserably.
On the second attempt, she unbuckled the seatbelt and stood up. She walked down the aisle of the plane and reached the bathrooms. Sitting all that time had made her legs numb.
Upon returning, the cabin crew gave the final warning. Those who needed to use the bathroom had half an hour left. Then the services would be closed.
As the plane began the landing phase, Ash had reached the arrivals area of the Saffron City International Airport.
The friend would arrive shortly.
Ash had reached the area designated for people waiting for someone. He did not go unnoticed.
After all, he was the strongest Trainer of all, and many admirers and fans had asked for photos and autographs.
The boy gladly accepted. He didn't want to disappoint his fans.
After pleasing several dozens of admirers, Ash finally reached the area he desired. Serena's plane was completing the final phases before landing. Ash still couldn't see the giant blue plane landing, but he knew that soon he would be able to spot the sky giant landing, thanks to the huge windows.
The plane was now a few tens of meters from the ground. The landing gear was out and perfectly engaged. The blue giant landed. The pilot, using the controls, completed the final phases before landing. The powerful thrust reversers were the only way to stop that giant and avoid running off the runway.
Contrary to Ash, Serena was a fairly patient person, so she would calmly wait for a good part of the passengers to disembark before getting off herself.
When most of the passenger flow left the plane, the girl took her backpack from under the seat in front of her, walked down the aisle, and got off the plane.
She then reached the baggage claim area and, after a short wait, retrieved her suitcase. Now, finally, she could reach Ash.
The girl started pulling her trolley, cursing herself for how much she had loaded it. The maximum weight for checked baggage was thirty kilos, and her mother had made her use up every last gram.
At least she was aware that for the rest of the journey, Ash, the great gentleman he was, would carry it. And she was right.
Pikachu greeted the girl by climbing onto her shoulder, and she greeted him back by gently petting him. Ash started pulling the girl's trolley, soon realizing how heavy it was. Luckily, the station was not far.
To reach the station, the two had to cross the arrivals area, walk down a corridor, go down a ramp, and walk down another corridor.
As with Lumiose City, in that case too, the airport was the terminus of the route they had to take.
The next train would pass just two minutes after their arrival. In Kanto, trains were always punctual. Perhaps too much. The drivers were punished if they departed late or early.
If possible, the trains were even more beautiful and perhaps faster than those in Kalos. Certainly more crowded, but despite this, they were quieter. Despite the dozens of people present in the cars, there was a tomb-like silence.
In this case, Ash had to place Serena's trolley in one of the train's overhead compartments. They had to remember to retrieve it, or they would have to visit the lost and found office.
And after such a long journey, Serena really didn't want that. It was nine in the morning, and although she had slept several hours, she was not very rested.
The train stopped at all stations. The first stop was Cerulean City, the hometown of Misty, the water-type Gym Leader, Ash's first historic travel companion.
Some of the passengers got off the train, allowing Ash, Serena, and Pikachu to be a bit more comfortable. The second stop was Pewter City, Brock's hometown. Of course, at that moment, the friend was not present. His studies as a Pokémon doctor had forced him to move to the Sinnoh region.
And finally, for the two, the Vermilion City station arrived, the city closest to the small Pallet Town.
Pallet Town, in fact, was not served by train tracks, so Ash had to ask his mother for a ride. The woman had been waiting for the two for a good half hour. The woman was well aware that Serena needed to rest. As a loving mother, she treated Ash's friends as if they were her own daughters.
Ash placed the suitcase in the car trunk, then closed it. He then opened the door for Serena, waited for her to get comfortable, and then sat next to her. Luckily, his mother's car had three seats in front and three seats in the back, a very unique configuration, but one that made it suitable for situations like this. Serena was sitting in the middle seat, and as soon as she got comfortable, she fastened the seatbelt.
The journey was rather short, just about ten minutes. Upon arrival, Delia parked the car in the driveway of the house, a cottage similar to all the other homes in the town. A white house with two floors, surrounded by a garden and a small porch.
Every time she visited the town, the girl wondered how they could recognize their house since all the houses in the small town were white. After all, that's where the town's name came from.
«You had a long journey, if you want, you can rest, you know you can make yourself at home here!» The woman invited.
Despite the invitation, Serena declined. She would have preferred to do something else, like, for example, training for the Saffron City contest. She had not told Ash, but the outcome of that contest would determine what to do.
If she won, she would dedicate herself to the Kanto contests. And she would find a way to keep Ash away from the claims of Unova fans.
The contest in question would be a double performance, and the girl had not yet chosen who to use. She only had three Pokémon, but it was a difficult choice, after all, her future depended on it.
The girl sat on the step leading to the entrance of the Ketchum house. She sat on the step and took out her three Poké Balls from her bag. Delphox, Pancham, and Sylveon.
«Let's see… Delphox and Pancham work well together… but also Pancham and Sylveon or Sylveon and Delphox… it's difficult. Then… I can't ask Ash. No. Not if he's so involved. Then, even if I told him about the contest, how would he take it if I entrusted this decision to a single contest? And then, now that I think about it, do I really want to base my next career choices on a single contest? Maybe two or three… but one?»
The girl did not notice, but about halfway through her speech, Delia, Ash's mother, had sat down a short distance from her. Serena had gotten to know her. A woman under forty, with brown hair and eyes of the same color. Serena knew the woman had been through a lot since she became a mother very young, just nineteen years old, well. A thing that, well, put a certain psychological pressure on Serena, and that she had to raise Ash alone.
«If you don't want to talk directly to Ash, you can talk to one of your friends. Maybe they can help you. Both to decide who to choose in the contest and to decide whether to travel to Unova. I don't know how much I can help you, and you know why, I would be too biased, but maybe they can.»
Having said that, the woman moved away and returned to her chores. Soon she would start preparing lunch. Serena didn't move. She looked almost like a statue.
Yes. She had thought about asking advice from her friends, but who? Her two ex-rivals (even in love!) Shauna and Miette would have told her to travel with Ash without even thinking about the contest. It would have been a kind of ultimatum. They would have said something like «either you declare yourself or I do.» And then they were both aware of the presence of Showcases also in Unova and their high prestige, so they would push her in that direction.
May, on the other hand… besides being a friend, she was a rival. And spilling her strategy to a potential rival was not an option.
And she, too, not without interests, would have advised her the way of the Showcases. They were friends, but as soon as they put their Poké Balls in the capsules, they became rivals. This meant she had to decide alone.
«Maybe talking to Ash is the best choice. I've had the chance to observe you, and you've been still as a statue. Were you afraid to ask, or what?» Delia asked, scaring her.
«No. Or rather. Not only. I reflected on what they would have said. And none of them would have been helpful. But no. I'm
not sure I want to talk to him.»
«By now you know him, perhaps even better than I do. You know he is perfectly capable of putting aside his desire just to let you try this climb. He has waited until now, he can wait longer.»
«Wait.» That word echoed in Serena's mind. After all, if they were in that situation, it was partly her fault. After losing in Kalos, she wanted, at least partially, to change the air.
She took a sabbatical year and then tried with the contests in Hoenn, Johto, and Sinnoh. She had always been able to win the fateful five ribbons and participate in the respective Grand Festivals, but she had never won one.
One way or another, she had always lost in the final, almost as if it were a curse. And as such, it had to be broken.
«Maybe I should start where the curse started?» The girl asked herself without getting an answer. After all, if Ash wanted to help someone achieve their goal, she could also be a good candidate, right?
«Maybe I should talk to him. Perhaps without mentioning that my choice depends on a contest.» The girl stood up and stretched her back. She had not been sitting for long, but her back still hurt a bit.
The girl entered the house. Delia was busy cooking and almost didn't notice that the girl had entered.
«Ash and I are going for a walk, we'll be back soon!»
Ash was a bit surprised by the girl's words. Not that he didn't want to go out with her, God forbid, otherwise he would never have invited her to join him, but he didn't expect such a proposal. Pallet Town didn't offer any great attractions, so he imagined it was a simple excuse to spend some time alone. «Okay. Where do you want to go?»
Serena didn't answer. It seemed that the important thing wasn't so much where to go, but rather the fact of talking to him. The two went out, with jackets and backpacks.
The two had no precise route to follow, with Serena dragging Ash from one place to another. Remaining silent. She didn't know how to introduce the topic.
Telling him that if he wanted to lead someone to their goal, she would be the ideal candidate seemed too direct and out of her character. And then, did she really start with the desire to become a Top Coordinator? Was that her desire, or was it just a fallback? And then how would she be seen, as a foreigner, as the Top Coordinator of the year?
In Unova, it was different. The great region was famous for being a crossroads of people from every place, and despite the current queen coming from Johto, no one had said anything. Actually.
Ash noticed how Serena had remained silent all that time. As if she were trying to keep a secret and feared revealing it as soon as she opened her mouth.
«Is everything okay?» Ash asked, concerned.
«You know, I was thinking I want to participate in the Saffron City contest.» The girl responded. From her tone, it seemed that she had been keeping that news inside for a long time. «Well, I don't see where the problem is. It should be in two weeks, so we can calmly leave…»
Serena interrupted him. «I don't know. Lately, I've been wondering what my true desire is.»
«You said it yourself. You wanted to become the Queen of Kalos. After all that happened, you decided to dedicate yourself to Pokémon contests, but you never said that would be your choice.»
The girl thought about it a bit. Indeed, Ash was right. She had never expressed her desire to become a Top Coordinator. The contests had been a sort of fallback for her.
«I thought my experience in the Showcases would be helpful in the contests. But I was wrong. They are two completely different worlds. And when I realized it, it was too late. Yes. I won ribbons, you followed all my contests, you know how it went. I would like to try one last time.»
In the end, the girl had fallen where she didn't want to fall. She had openly declared her interest in participating in the Kanto contests.
«I understand. You must not give up and must try until the end. No matter what.»
Serena was surprised by that reaction. She expected Ash to support her, but she feared he was tired of seeing her continually fail when she was one step away from succeeding.
«But. I mean. Lately, you have always followed me, you were there practically at every contest of mine…»
«Believe me. Doing it didn't weigh me down at all. Otherwise, we wouldn't be where we are now.»
Maybe Serena misunderstood Ash's words, and for this, she blushed. They were alone at that moment. Alone together.
«Are you okay?» Ash asked, concerned.
«Oh, yes. Absolutely.» The girl tried to remove from her mind everything she had thought until that moment. She feared his reaction. Maybe they would separate forever if she really told him what she was thinking.
«And the commitment you took? I don't want you to have to give it up just for me.»
For Ash, finding the right words was not easy.
«After all, even becoming a Top Coordinator is a goal. And I never specified that I have to help a Trainer become a Champion.»
«If you say so. Anyway, I thought of something. I will participate in this contest, and based on how it goes, I will decide what to do. If it goes badly, I will try to climb to the Unova throne. Maybe going back to the origins could do me good.»
Ash stopped suddenly. «You don't want to give up becoming a Top Coordinator just because of the outcome of a contest?»
Serena, who had continued walking, only now realized the distance that separated her from Ash.
«It's not just one contest. It's almost twenty-five contests and three Grand Festivals that I've tried. Maybe I should go back to the origins and try again with the Showcases. And then it's my life. I'd like to be the one to decide.»
The girl was starting to get heated. And both Ash and Pikachu noticed it. «It's not that. It's right that you follow your path. I can't decide for you, and I will always support you, whatever choice you decide to make.»
The girl smiled. That was the Ash she loved.
«I'd say we can go back. I promise I will prepare for this contest like all the others. I will try not to think about how important it is.» The two returned just in time for lunch. As soon as the two crossed the threshold of the door, without even having time to put down their jackets and backpacks in the hallway, Delia immediately unleashed her curiosity. For her, it was quite strange that Ash chose to start a journey with a former travel companion.
«Well, how did it go?» From the way the question was formulated, it could be addressed to both, but Serena quickly realized that the question was for her.
«I told him everything. In the end, he took it well. Just as you had told me.» Both Ash and Pikachu scratched their heads. What were they referring to? What were his mother and his friend plotting?
The rumbling of Ash and Pikachu's stomachs indicated that, at that moment, priorities were different. The boy helped his mother set the table.
The woman, despite the short notice, had prepared a full lunch, complete with appetizers, first course, second course, side dish, and dessert.
After the abundant lunch, it was Serena again who took the initiative. «Can I ask you a question?» «Sure?» Ash was still finishing his third slice of ice cream cake. He had almost completely lost sensation in his mouth due to the low temperature of the dessert.
«You always told me that you caught other Pokémon besides those from Kalos, but why have you never introduced them to me?»
Ash froze at the girl's words. It was true. Moreover, at the Kalos League, unlike previous leagues, he had not made other Pokémon fight except those caught there. «We never had time. We were always in a hurry. Every time you came here, it was just for a greeting. But since this time we are not in a hurry, we can stay as long as you want.»
The two left the house again and headed to Professor Oak's lab. Serena didn't know the way, so Ash had to guide her. The lab was located on top of a small hill. It was a large building topped with a wind turbine that provided much of its energy needs.
Not far from it was a fence surrounding a large piece of land. «Here. This is where my Pokémon live!» Serena remained silent for a few moments. «But I don't see anyone. Are you kidding me?» The girl barely finished the sentence when the ground began to tremble. «What is this? An earthquake?» Serena was terribly scared. «I suggest you move,» Ash warned her. «Why should I?» the girl asked. Pikachu, understanding what was happening, jumped from his Trainer's shoulder and pushed Serena away with a powerful tail whip, making her fall. «HEY! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? ARE YOU CRAZY?» the girl shouted. Pikachu didn't respond, simply sitting next to the girl.
Soon the ground vibrations became more intense, and in the distance, a giant cloud of dust approached at great speed. Soon the ground vibrations were joined by the sound of hooves. In a few moments, Ash was thrown into the air. «Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!» Ash, after falling to the ground, got up, massaged his back, and dusted himself off. «Here. These are my Tauros.» The herd of Bull Pokémon surrounded their Trainer and began licking him affectionately.
«That's their way of showing affection. Let's say it's a bit extreme, and I didn't want them to hurt you.»
Serena blushed. Ash had been worried about her. She had been wrong to get angry with Pikachu. «Sorry. I was wrong to get angry. You just wanted to avoid me getting seriously hurt. Sorry again.» Pikachu jumped on her, as if to let her know that everything was fine. The girl, in response, petted him.
Serena and Pikachu slowly approached the Tauros herd. «Don't worry, you can pet them, they won't hurt you.» The girl, a bit timidly, extended her hand towards the nearest one. She slowly touched the Pokémon's head.
In response, the Pokémon licked her arm. «Hey! But you're tickling me!» The girl couldn't help but laugh. «Sorry if I'm being indiscreet, but why did you catch… One, two… three…» the girl continued counting silently. «Thirty Tauros?» Ash smiled, embarrassed. «Actually, they decided to get caught. When we visited the Safari Zone to catch some Pokémon, they did, well… what they did before and…»
Serena tried not to laugh. «I get it… I get it. But the others?» «They're coming, they're coming! Hey! Bulbasaur?!» The Seed Pokémon, as soon as it heard its Trainer's voice, started running towards him. It stopped its run as soon as it saw what, for him, was a perfect stranger.
«Oh, sorry. I haven't introduced her. She is Serena. A dear friend of mine.» The Seed Pokémon scrutinized the girl from head to toe. She seemed like a good person. It approached the girl and sniffed her.
«It seems he recognized you have Pokémon with you. Maybe he wants to meet them before trusting you.» Ash tried to interpret his Pokémon's gesture. The girl, understanding that she was, in a sense, a guest at that moment, could only comply. «Come on! Come out!» The girl took the three Poké Balls from her bag and let out her Pokémon.
From the girl's Poké Balls came a Delphox, a Pancham, and a Sylveon.
The Seed Pokémon scrutinized each of the girl's Pokémon. Starting with Delphox. The Fire/Psychic fox seemed like a good Pokémon. It then moved on to Sylveon. She remained calm, also receiving Bulbasaur's approval.
Pancham was rather nervous, something Bulbasaur noticed. The Seed Pokémon moved away from the Mischief Pokémon and started charging a Tackle. As soon as the Seed Pokémon began to run, Pancham understood its intentions and used a powerful Rock Slide. From the ground sprouted huge blue pointed rocks. Bulbasaur seemed to notice in time and, using its powerful vines, destroyed the rocks, then grabbed its opponent.
«HEY! YOU TWO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!» Serena couldn't stand seeing Pokémon fighting. She wasn't against battles, otherwise she wouldn't even become a Trainer, a fundamental step for many careers in the Pokémon world, but for her, as for many others, respect came first.
«Let them blow off steam. Maybe they will respect each other once the battle is over.» «As you wish,» Serena said simply.
Meanwhile, Pancham had tried to attack with Ice Punch, hitting Bulbasaur's vines and forcing it to let go, making Pancham fall.
Now free, Pancham attacked with Dark Pulse. From its upper limbs generated a series of rings of dark energy, violet in color, which were easily avoided by the opponent. Bulbasaur simply rolled to the right.
Meanwhile, from its mouth began to generate a greenish energy sphere. It resembled a kind of eye.
However, something didn't add up, at least to Pancham and Serena. Why was Bulbasaur launching its Energy Ball in a totally different direction from where Pancham was? Ash, on the other hand, had understood his Pokémon's intentions.
Using a technique invented by his Torterra when it was still a Grotle. Swallowing its own attack to then hit the opponent with an incredibly more powerful move. Torterra was one of Ash's calmest and most peaceful Pokémon, so it had become a great friend of Bulbasaur, so it was quite likely that it had taught it to master such a powerful technique.
Ash's intuition was not wrong. Bulbasaur jumped and swallowed its own attack. Serena, Pancham, and the girl's other Pokémon were stunned. They had never seen a Pokémon swallow its own attack.
And it wasn't over. From the Pokémon's bulb generated a giant beam of energy, yellow-orange in color, which hit Pancham full on. Knocking it out.
Serena rushed to her Pokémon, helping it to stand. Once done, she disinfected its wounds with a potion she fortunately had with her. Finally, she fed it some Poké Puffs.
Bulbasaur also approached Pancham, now devoid of any hostile intentions. Only then did it use its powerful Solar Beam to summon all of the boy's Pokémon. In their own time, they joined the pair.
«Are there so many?» Serena asked.
«Many more!» Ash replied, letting out a smile.
Soon enough, all of the boy's Pokémon gathered around them. The first Pokémon to show affection was Muk, which leaped onto its Trainer. It was its way of showing affection.
«Thank you! I'm happy to see you too!» Ash couldn't help but laugh. Serena, however, was less amused. She knew Muk could excrete toxic substances and was quite worried about this. Her concerns eased when she saw Ash emerge unscathed from the amorphous purple mass that was Muk.
The Pokémon captured in Kalos and those that had participated in the World Tournament rushed towards Serena. The others remained more indifferent, seeing her simply as one of Ash's many friends.
«Come on, show some enthusiasm! She's going to be our travel companion; I hope you can welcome her with a bit of warmth,» Ash encouraged.
«Hey! But you accepted my proposal. You said we would head to Unova only if my contest didn't go well. You said helping me become a Super Coordinator was part of helping someone achieve their dream!» Ash remembered this clearly and already had the response ready for such an eventuality.
«In any case, I'll bring everyone with me. Of course, in turns. All at once is impossible,» Serena had to admit Ash had an incredible ability to get out of difficult situations.
Gradually, all of Ash's other Pokémon approached Serena and her Pokémon, starting with Swellow and Staraptor, great friends of Talonflame. If Talonflame trusted this girl, maybe they should trust her too.
Slowly, the girl and her Pokémon were surrounded by Ash's Pokémon from Hoenn and Sinnoh, and shortly after, those from Kanto and Johto. As temperatures began to drop and the sun began to set, it was a pleasant feeling indeed. The Kalos native hadn't noticed how Pancham and Ash's Buizel were glaring at each other. Fortunately, Bulbasaur intervened before it was too late.
«Now that I've met them, can you tell me why you waited so long to introduce them to me? They all seem quite calm and friendly.» Serena asked.
«We simply never had the time. No other reason.» the boy replied, although he noticed Bayleef was giving him a sideways look.
The Pokémon couldn't explain it, but she really didn't like that girl. She felt like she wanted to steal Ash away from her. She seemed completely different from all of Ash's other friends.
What should she do? Attack her? It wasn't a good idea at that moment, with all of Ash's Pokémon ready to defend her. And one against all wasn't a good idea.
She would show her intentions when she was chosen to be part of Ash's team. With fewer opponents, she could make her intentions clear.
In those same moments, after a lot of insistence from the girl, Dragonite finally let go. «Are they trying to corrupt me?» the girl asked. «When I asked you to come here, you didn't resist because you knew your Pokémon would convince me to come with you to Unova!»
«Not at all.» Ash replied. «I simply talked about how we would help someone achieve their goal. Yes, I admit I mentioned Unova, but I never mentioned you. Can they confirm?»
Ash's Pokémon, each in their own way, confirmed his words.
«So if that's the case, you won't mind if I ask one of your Pokémon to participate in the contest with me? Of course, just for the contest... obviously!»
Ash smiled at her. Then he scratched his head. «You know you don't have to ask me.»
«Oh, right! Of course!» The girl knelt down and approached Ash's Bulbasaur. «Would you like to participate in the next contest with me? I saw how you fought with Pancham and it got me thinking about new combinations for contests. What do you think?» The Pokémon gently wrapped one of its vines around the girl's arm, reminiscent of the ribbons on its Sylveon. «So, is that a yes?» The Pokémon responded with a slight nod.
«Incredible. You managed to gain its trust right away!» Ash complimented. Meanwhile, Seed Pokémon approached its bulky Grass and Ground-type friend. It would be responsible for the laboratory's Pokémon.
Torterra was a calm type and, to its memory, Bulbasaur had only seen it angry once. And that was enough.
She knew it was the ideal candidate to maintain peace among the boy's different Pokémon in his absence.
«Well, since he agrees, I'd say all that's left is to retrieve his Poké Ball. The professor should have it somewhere. We just have to go to him.»
Serena just nodded. It was ironic that they were heading to the one who, in a way, had brought them together eleven years earlier.
Ash had never told her that their meeting, as coincidental as it was, was caused by his chronic tardiness. But, in a way, it was okay like that.
The professor was a man nearing sixty, with short gray hair, black eyes, and a square face. He had just shaved his beard and exuded a strong cologne scent.
He wore a white lab coat over a red polo. Light brown pants and dark brown work shoes completed his attire.
«Ah, it's you, Ash... and I see you've brought a guest...» The professor sized up the girl from head to toe. «You're Serena. How did I not recognize you!» He chided himself. They had seen each other several times on video calls, but it took him a moment to recall her.
«So... when are you leaving for Unova?» he asked, eager to discuss the plans with his colleague.
Ash and Serena locked eyes, then the girl spoke up.
«We haven't decided yet. Before we leave, we have something to take care of.» The girl was rather vague, sparking the scholar's curiosity. «Sorry if I'm being intrusive, but may I know what it's about?» The girl nodded. «Absolutely. A Pokémon contest. It's happening in two weeks in Saffron City. Depending on how it goes, we'll decide what to do.»
The professor understood what she meant with those words.
«And speaking of that, I'd like to ask you a favor.» Ash added. «Go ahead.» the professor replied. «Do you happen to know where Bulbasaur's Poké Ball is?»
The professor answered without hesitation, «Sure, I'll get it right away. But don't just stand out there. Come in, I'll offer you something!»
Ash, Serena, and Pikachu settled into the professor's laboratory, sitting on the couch. The professor started heating water in the kettle. While waiting for it to boil, he opened the fridge and took out a tray of sweets.
Then he headed to the area of the lab where he stored the Poké Balls. They were arranged alphabetically, so it didn't take him long to find what he was looking for.
He arrived with the empty Poké Ball in hand just as the water reached boiling point. He pressed the switch and turned off the device. Pouring the boiling liquid into three cups.
In short, the color of the liquid went from transparent to amber. Soon, the hot beverage would be ready. In turn, the three of them added sugar to the drink. Ash preferred it sweeter, while the professor liked it closer to its natural taste.
«Sorry if I'm being intrusive, but why did you decide to recall Bulbasaur? It hasn't battled in a while, and you know it's responsible for order here at the shelter,» the professor asked.
«I requested it.» Serena replied. «I saw it battle against Pancham and it gave me some ideas for contest combinations.»
The professor took another sip of his hot drink. «I see. But who will take care of the order in its absence?» he asked, somewhat concerned.
«That's not a problem. Torterra will handle maintaining order,» Serena reassured him.
The professor, knowing the Continent Pokémon well, knew he didn't need to worry. «Here it is!» The professor handed Bulbasaur's Poké Ball to Serena.
After having a snack, the two, accompanied by the professor, returned to the garden where Ash's Pokémon were. Bulbasaur was giving Torterra final instructions on how to behave in its absence. It finished quickly upon seeing its Trainer, his friend, and the professor heading towards it.
The Seed Pokémon approached, almost instinctively towards the one who would temporarily be its trainer. Serena kneeled towards it, holding the Poké Ball in her hand with her hand on the opening mechanism. Noticing this, Bulbasaur struck the
sphere with one of its vines, causing it to roll out of the girl's hands.
«Looks like it doesn't want to go in. At least not yet. Maybe it wants to get to know you better before entering,» commented the professor.
«Is that so?» the girl asked. The Seed Pokémon nodded slightly in approval.
«You know, Bulbasaur isn't quick to trust. But it seems to like you.» Serena smiled. «I'm glad.»
The girl picked up the Poké Ball from the ground and put it in her bag. «I hope I can convince them, at least for the contest entry. The entrance is important in Pokémon contests.»
Ash kneeled towards his Pokémon. «Got it, buddy? Do you think you can do it? And of course, it will only be for a few minutes, don't worry.» The Seed Pokémon nodded, indicating it understood. Despite its fears about what could happen around it, without it being able to intervene, it would accept being in the Poké Ball with that girl, provided it was for a short time.
After that, the two bid farewell to the professor and headed towards a nearby battlefield. Pikachu and Bulbasaur walked a short distance behind the couple.
In its own language, the Electric Mouse Pokémon was explaining to its friend the unique relationship between the two. It also recounted the kiss given by the girl when they had parted ways.
Pikachu also talked about how the contest it would face alongside Serena would be crucial in deciding what to do. If they won, they would travel through Kanto. If they lost, it would be the distant Unova region. The Seed Pokémon understood its friend's words well. If they lost, Serena and Ash would have a better chance of getting closer, without anyone forcing them too much.
It would do its best in that contest, but it would be ready to sabotage it if necessary. Hearing those words, Pikachu reprimanded it. It wasn't a good idea at all.
Days passed quickly with training sessions, fan meetings, and hordes of suitors glared at by Serena, and finally the eve of the contest had arrived.
To avoid being late, Serena had suggested to Ash to leave for Saffron City the day before, and he had accepted without objection.
Delia accompanied the two to the station. Like the day of their arrival, Ash opened the door for the girl and waited for her to sit down before sitting down himself.
Delia was a little sad. She had not minded having a "daughter" to spoil, and now not only was she leaving, but Ash was leaving too. For now, they would only be apart for a day, but then maybe it would last for a long time.
She was aware of the situation. On the one hand, she understood that there was something more than just friendship between the two, and perhaps a new journey together could make it blossom, whatever it was.
Perhaps it would be better for both of them if the journey took place in the distant Unova region, but the woman couldn't bring herself to root against Serena.
She knew that no matter what happened, Ash would support her and accompany her in her dream. Whatever it was. And that meant a lot to her.
After accompanying the two to the station and bidding farewell to them, she returned home. Ash, Serena, Pikachu, and Bulbasaur, after checking the timetable board, realized they would have to wait half an hour.
The small station wasn't very crowded, so they easily found a bench to sit on and wait. They would have to take the train to Saffron City Airport, although they would stop at the central station of the metropolis, one stop before the terminus.
«The regional train 7845541 bound for Saffron City Airport is arriving at platform 2. Stay away from the yellow line!» The recorded voice startled the two. But at least they were on the right platform. Thankfully.
The train, much like the one they had taken two weeks earlier, had just arrived. The few passengers on board had disembarked. They were the only ones boarding. This meant they had the opportunity to choose where to sit.
A few moments later, the train began to move towards Saffron City.
The train, as tradition, would stop at all stations: Pewter City, Cerulean City, Saffron City outskirts, and finally their destination, central Saffron City.
During the journey, the train was filled with people. Many were travelers heading to the airport, but just as many were headed to the city center.
Once they had climbed back up, accompanied by Pokémon, through the sea of people, they could finally breathe again. They were in the city's central square. A square dedicated to an important historical figure of the Kanto region.
From the square, to reach the hotel they had booked, they would have to take a bus. Fortunately for them, that square was the terminus for numerous urban bus lines, including the one they needed to take. Line Q. That bus, after seven stops, would literally take them right in front of the hotel where they would stay
The hotel also included a Pokémon Center, so Ash and Serena took the opportunity to have their Pokémon checked. Ash, at that moment, had only Pikachu with him, since Bulbasaur was temporarily entrusted to Serena.
While the Nurse took the cart into the back room, the two headed to the counter to check-in. It was a counter made of fine wood, perfectly in tune with the hotel's high-class atmosphere.
The platform on which various items were placed was made of precious marble, as were the floors. Plenty of light streamed in through the large windows, from which you could see outside but not vice versa.
Spring was about to arrive, after all.
The young clerk immediately recognized Ash. «Good morning. How can I help you?» She asked, leaning dangerously towards the boy, visibly annoying Serena.
She was a girl about their age, with red hair, fair skin. Her face was covered in freckles, and her eyes were blue.
She wore a simple white shirt with the hotel logo sewn on top.
She was wearing small silver earrings with precious gems set in them. Over her shirt, she wore a dark vest.
«Good morning. The room we booked. The double one» the girl interrupted. She couldn't stand the clerk being so close to her.
«Oh, yes. Here it is. Right here. It's room 1208. It's on the twelfth floor, but don't worry. You can take the elevator. It's right behind. I just need your documents.»
The two searched in their respective Smart Rotoms for their Trainer cards. Official identification documents recognized everywhere.
The young clerk scanned the QR codes. «Perfect. This is the key card. You'll need to insert it into the slot to activate the power once you're inside. Please always keep it with you. Oh, by the way...» the girl smirked. «The room has a double bed.»
Serena blushed. «Double bed?» she repeated. «What's this, Ash?»
Ash felt even more embarrassed. «Actually, I only booked a double. I had no idea that...» Serena, in her heart, believed that. She thought Ash still hadn't figured it out, so it was reasonable to expect a room with two single beds. Either way, Serena turned to the girl and saw her laughing under her breath.
That could only mean one thing. The receptionist did it on purpose.
After they moved away from the counter, they arrived in front of the large elevator. The girl pressed the button to call it. A
short beep confirmed its arrival.
The metal door opened, allowing the two to enter. Ash pressed the button to go to the twelfth floor. The elevator door closed, and it started going up. It stopped on the fourth and ninth floors for people heading to the ground floor, but due to its setup, it prioritized the fastest run. Hence, the first stop was on the twelfth floor.
As soon as the elevator door opened, the two got out. The hallway floor was a fine parquet. Ash looked around for their room, the eighth on that floor.
In fact, it was Serena who took the initiative and found the room. The room was on the opposite side from where Ash was looking.
The girl took him by the arm and pulled him towards her, almost snatching the card from his hand. When they reached the door, she placed the card on the sensor, which unlocked the door.
The girl opened the door and rushed inside. She didn't even bother to insert the card into the system that activated the room's power. That wasn't her concern.
She turned to the bed. Yes, indeed, it was a double bed. The girl felt her blood boiling. She wanted to kill the receptionist.
The room, like the hallway, had a fine parquet floor, and next to the bed were two bedside tables of fine wood. On them were a phone to contact reception and a bedside lamp.
Not far from the bed, a small table with two chairs and a large flat-screen TV. The walls, painted in a delicate yellow, were decorated with numerous paintings, mainly featuring Pokémon from the Kanto region.
There was no real chandelier, which made Ash wonder how they would see at night.
On the wall closest to the entrance and furthest from the bed was the door leading to the private bathroom.
Ash immediately noticed the girl's embarrassment. It would only be one night, but Serena's embarrassment was palpable.
«Too bad Pikachu's with the Nurse, otherwise I would have asked him to split the bed in two with Iron Tail» Serena couldn't hold back her laughter. Humor was one of the things she appreciated most about Ash.
«Yeah... sure, and then they ask us for damages!» Serena replied, trying to hide her blush.
The two placed their backpacks against the front of the bed. Serena took out the dress she had brought from her backpack. It was all crumpled, so she would have to take it to a laundry tint.
The girl looked at her Smart Rotom. The place she was looking for was not far from the hotel. Ash glanced at it. It looked like a dark evening dress. He had never seen it, and he already imagined it worn by his friend.
The girl inserted the card into her purse and left the room, followed by Ash.
They took the elevator and went down to the ground floor. «So, how was the room?» the clerk asked, clearly intending to tease Serena. «Beautiful, beautiful,» the girl replied, understanding it was a provocation.
«Ah, it's you!» The two immediately recognized the Nurse's voice.
«Your Pokémon are now in perfect health!» The two approached the Nurse's counter, who had placed Serena's Poké Balls on the counter. Pikachu and Bulbasaur were on the cart, out of their Poké Balls. The electric rodent climbed onto his Trainer's shoulder, while Bulbasaur, using its vines, reached the floor.
Serena dragged Ash to the hotel's exit, and from there to the bus stop. They had to reach the laundry tint, which was on the other side of the city.
Ash didn't understand Serena's hurry. He only understood it once they stood in front of the building. It was a small sign on a door.
Serena dragged Ash and the Pokémon inside the building. It was a rather small laundry tint. Only two people worked there. Two girls, to be precise. Both had recognized Ash. And they had also noticed that he was accompanied by a beautiful girl.
«Hello.» Serena politely greeted them, bowing deeply, similarly to Ash. «How can I help you?» asked one of the two.
«Here.» The girl placed the bag on the counter. «Could you take care of my dress?» The saleswoman smiled. «Normally I would tell you that you should wait at least a week, since we are full, but since you are Ash's girlfriend... we'll make an exception and have it ready for you by tomorrow morning.» Serena blushed. As much as she wanted to, Ash wasn't her boyfriend. At least not yet. But if this allowed her to have the dress ready for the next day, she would accept pretending he was.
«Great. We would need your Trainer card so we can recognize you tomorrow.» Serena, half paralyzed by being called Ash's girlfriend, possible that even complete strangers were putting her next to the boy, handed the required document to the saleswoman. After scanning it, the girl returned it to the owner.
After leaving the store, Serena pulled Ash's ear. «Why didn't you say anything when she said I was your girlfriend? Why didn't you object?» Ash didn't even think about how to answer. «Otherwise they wouldn't have prepared your dress on time, right?» The girl pretended to make an angry face. But inside, she was happy. Since Ash hadn't objected, maybe it meant he didn't mind being associated with her.
Having entrusted the dress to the specialists, the two, along with the Pokémon, had the opportunity to roam the city, with Ash guiding the girl, accompanying her to the arena where the contest would take place. It was a building located in the middle of the park in the city center.
It resembled a sort of dome, supported by several arches. On the main door, there was a large sign displayed. «Registrations for the Saffron City Pokémon contest are open until 07:00 on the day of the contest.» Serena read.
«Since we're here, you might as well sign up now, what do you think?» The girl thought about it for a moment. It was evident how much Ash cared about her participating in that contest. The next day, there would probably be more people, and they would risk not making it.
«Yes. Good idea. Let's go.» Ash opened the door for the girl, and entered immediately after her. Once the door was closed, he realized how, apart from the welcome clerk, there was no one else.
Serena hurried to the counter. «Good morning» Serena greeted. «Good morning to you!» The receptionist greeted her. «I suppose you're here to sign up for the contest, aren't you?» Serena nodded affirmatively.
«Perfect, then let me register you.» Serena passed her Smart Rotom to the receptionist to scan the card.
«I see you've participated in several contests. But this is your first time here in Kanto. I think you'll do well.» Serena smiled. «I hope so.»
After this, the two went to have lunch at a nearby restaurant. Ash's and Pikachu's stomachs growled, making Serena understand what the next plans would be.
After lunch, the two continued exploring the city. They visited the many points of interest in the big city until sunset. The temperature was becoming too cold to bear with just a jacket.
Back at the hotel, something caught Ash's attention. A long line of trainers pushing towards a door.
«Sorry if I'm being nosy, but why are there so many people?» Ash asked, turning to the receptionist.
«They found out you were staying here and thought they'd find you in the arena. The guards, to make people understand that you weren't there, had to lock themselves inside. Well. Now that you're here, you could make them happy.»
Ash locked eyes with Serena. From a glance, the situation was clear.
«Okay. Where should we go?» Ash asked.
«Follow me.» The girl stood up and gestured for the two to follow her.
They quietly exited the hotel and made their way to a side entrance located in a dimly lit alleyway. A small neon light illuminated the secondary entrance, emitting an annoying buzz that added to the unease.
The girl took a bunch of keys out of her bag and, after finding the right one, inserted it into the lock, triggering the mechanism. Since the door wasn't opened frequently, she had to exert some force. There was a serious risk of breaking the key, but luckily everything went smoothly. The lock clicked, and she lowered the handle. With a significant push, the door opened, allowing the three of them to enter.
Once inside, the girl flicked a series of switches, similar to those of light meters. Several floodlights, akin to those used in stadiums, turned on, brightly illuminating the entire field. Sensing the low temperature in the room, she also turned on the heating.
The field was quite spacious, surrounded on all sides by equally large stands. To reach the field, they had to pass through a corridor beneath the stands. The girl led them. Not that there was any risk of getting lost; worst case scenario, they would end up in the bathrooms or changing rooms. They simply wanted to reach the field as quickly as possible.
Upon reaching the protective netting, the girl unlocked the padlock that secured the door leading into the fighting area.
The high fence protected the audience from attacks and similar things. «Alright, now I can let the audience in!»
The girl left them and headed to the main door, opening it. She was overwhelmed by the huge crowd of people waiting for Ash.
They vied for the best seats, those that offered a better view of the fighting field. Many of them were trainers, aware that they wouldn't stand a chance against him.
After a few moments of silence, Ash and Serena looked into each other's eyes and realized the enormous presence of the audience. Not a single seat was empty.
At one point, an elderly couple entered through the entrance door, presumably the hotel owners.
The man had short white hair and was about six feet tall, with a sturdy build. In his youth, he must have had a physique that could rival Bruno's. He had a trapezoid-shaped mustache and seemed to sport a gold tooth. He wore a green sweater, brown pants, and black shoes. He also had a solid gold chain around his neck and a gold ring on his left ring finger, the same as the woman. Therefore, they were married.
The woman, of slender build, slightly taller than Serena, had barely gray hair tied in a chignon. She too wore a sweater, but in light pink, and a long black skirt. When she moved her arm, Serena noticed the large number of bracelets the woman was wearing.
«So the World Champion and his little girlfriend decided to pay us a visit!» The old woman began. «Well, I… actually…» Serena tried to deny the woman's statement. After all, she wasn't Ash's girlfriend. Or at least not at the moment. She just realized how numerous girls were present and stared at Ash with dreamy eyes.
If, in order to keep them away, pretending to be his girlfriend was enough, she would have accepted. But now wasn't the time to think about such things. It was clear that the two elderly trainers wanted to fight.
The girl who had accompanied them had positioned herself in the referee's position. This meant that she would be in charge of managing the match.
«The tag battle between the World Champion Ash and, uh… Performer? Coordinator? Trainer?» It seemed like the girl didn't have much sympathy for Serena. Or maybe she wanted to belittle her in the eyes of others before taking Ash, or she wanted to provoke her to favor the hotel owners. In that case, it would have made more sense to go against Ash. Provocation or not, she didn't like that behavior at all.
«And the hotel owners, Mr. Renato and Mrs. Emiko, are about to begin. Each trainer can use only one Pokémon, and the fight will end when both Pokémon in a pair are unable to continue! Trainers! Send your Pokémon into the field!»
Ash and Serena looked into each other's eyes. They had a clear idea of which Pokémon to send into the field.
«Pikachu, are you ready, buddy?» Pikachu answered affirmatively and took his place on the field. «Sylveon, it's your turn!» Serena shouted as she threw her Poké Ball containing Sylveon. «I trust you!» They both said at the same time, sending out an Espeon and an Umbreon.
«Fantastic! An Espeon and an Umbreon!» Ash was, as usual, very enthusiastic. «They look really strong!» The two elderly trainers looked at the young couple. «You better not underestimate us!» The elderly man replied.
«Shall we get started? There are people in the audience who can't wait!» The red-haired girl encouraged them.
«Yes, of course!» Ash replied.
«If you don't mind, we'll start! Pikachu, use Quick Attack on Espeon!» Ash shouted. «And you, Sylveon, use Comet!» Pikachu started running at high speed towards the opponent, who initially seemed unresponsive. The same was true for Umbreon. It almost seemed as if they wanted to be hit.
«Dodge!» The two elderly trainers shouted in unison, as if they were one person. Pikachu was taken aback, seeing his attack being interrupted just moments before it hit the mark.
And, perhaps even worse, he was about to be hit by Serena's Sylveon attack.
«Quick, destroy the comets with Iron Tail!» Ash ordered. Pikachu understood well the technique his trainer wanted to use. It was a classic move. He jumped high, using the muscles in his hind legs, and upon landing, struck the ground with a powerful tail swipe, creating a large crack in the ground and sending both opponents flying into the air.
«Great, just what we needed! Sylveon, use Fairy Wind!» The girl's Sylveon generated a strong gust of wind that violently threw both opponents towards the protective netting.
Though the blow was hard, it wasn't enough to defeat them. After shaking off the pain, the two Pokémon were ready to attack again.
«Shadow Ball!» Once again, the two elderly trainers ordered their attack in unison. The two Pokémon generated a large sphere of dark energy from their mouths. It was a dark purple, almost black color, covered in numerous bursts of energy similar to lightning.
«Quick Pikachu! Use Iron Tail to destroy their attack!» Pikachu leaped into action, delivering a powerful tail strike that detonated one of the two spheres of dark energy.
Pikachu attempted the same with the second sphere, but before it could even approach, it was blocked by an invisible force—the Psychic abilities of the opponent's Pokémon. The same fate befell Serena's Sylveon, which was hit head-on by the enemy attack, launching her forcefully into the nets.
«Are you okay, Sylveon?» The Pokémon got back on its feet, confirming it was alright. Despite this gesture, Serena noticed how the impact with the nets had caused some injuries.
«Come on, use Comet!» The Pokémon obeyed its trainer's command, generating a fan of golden stars hurled at the two opponents. The opposing Pokémon tried to defend themselves by launching Shadow Balls, but the dark energy spheres only partially intercepted them. The rest struck both Pokémon and sent them crashing into each other.
«Very good, Pikachu! Let's finish this beautifully! Use Thunderbolt!» The electric rodent generated a powerful electrical discharge that struck the opponents squarely, sending them airborne.
«Sylveon! Are you ready? Use Fairy Wind!» The Pokémon generated a powerful gust of wind that once again hurled the opponents against the protective netting.
«Espeon and Umbreon can no longer continue! Pikachu and Sylveon win! Therefore, the winners of the match are Ash and Serena!» declared the referee.
The two boys and the elderly hotel owners met halfway across the battlefield and shook hands.
«I must admit, your bond is really strong. Perhaps even stronger than ours,» congratulated the elder. Serena blushed at the compliment. She knew she felt good with Ash, but...
Her thoughts were interrupted by the applause of the audience. It had been a really good fight, and the numerous spectators had enjoyed it. That was what mattered.
After such an intense battle, hunger set in. Indeed, looking at the time, it was clear that it was time for dinner.
The hotel restaurant was on the twentieth floor, and despite the crowd's impatience to dine, they wisely prioritized those involved in the fight.
After the hearty meal, at least for Ash, since Serena barely ate anything, either due to tension or the receptionist's bad joke.
Knowing they had to get up early, the two, escorted by their Pokémon, headed to their room, and after watching some TV, they went to bed.
Ash and Pikachu fell asleep immediately, contrary to Serena. She lay down, but couldn't sleep. She was dangerously close to Ash. Although he was sound asleep and on the far edge of the bed, he was STILL WAY TOO CLOSE and it made her feel very uncomfortable. Furthermore, the huge embarrassment of the situation was causing her a very strong sensation of warmth, which further worsened the situation.
In the end, that night she didn't close an eye.
Ash, upon waking up, immediately noticed. «Everything okay? From your face, it seems like you didn't sleep much.» What he feared had happened. And she had to come up with a plausible excuse. Fortunately, Ash was a simple guy; he would buy any excuse. «I simply couldn't sleep due to the competition. Don't worry, everything's fine,» came the reply. «If you say so.»
After getting ready as best they could, they headed to the breakfast room via the elevator.
As usual, Ash stuffed himself with food, and Pikachu did the same. Serena, still tense, ate the bare minimum, just a pastry and a coffee, the first of many.
After breakfast, they immediately headed to the bus stop to pick up the outfit and then reach the arena where the competition would be held. Upon arrival, the girl showed her documents to the attendant and hurried to the dressing rooms. She wanted to be flawless, as much as possible.
As soon as she looked at herself in the mirror, she was shocked. She hadn't slept, and it showed. She had terrible dark circles. This meant she would have to resort to makeup. Something she didn't particularly like to do, but in this case, she had no choice.
While getting ready, she had three more coffees. The fact that she hadn't slept at all was weighing heavily on her, but there wasn't much she could do about it. She just hoped it wouldn't compromise the competition results too much. In any case, she couldn't back out now. Especially given the importance of this competition.
Her only stroke of luck was May's absence, whom she considered her biggest rival. She had a minor setback and couldn't participate.
Of course, this didn't mean she wouldn't have to try hard, but the absence of such a high-level rival could turn the tide of the competition.
«All coordinators must report to the dedicated room within five minutes!» Serena heard the crackling loudspeaker and realized she had to hurry. The girl quickly finished applying makeup, mostly to hide the dark circles, and finished arranging her hair.
She was fast enough to squeeze in time to drink her fifth coffee of the day. The caffeine was starting to make her nervous, but there wasn't much she could do. The other choice was to collapse asleep.
After getting ready, the girl joined Ash. She wore a dress designed and made by herself, given her noted sewing skills.
It was a black dress, composed of a two-tiered skirt, with the longer part almost reaching the floor and the shorter part just above the knee. The dress had only one strap. Around her waist, she wore a light green band.
She also wore moderately high heels and green earrings.
«Well, how do I look?» asked the girl. Ash, who was surrounded by numerous fans at that moment, couldn't see her and gestured to the various girls surrounding him to give her some space.
Serena was about to explode with jealousy. She couldn't stand the fact that girls were buzzing around her Ash. The boy, Pikachu, and Bulbasaur looked at her. She was simply divine.
«You look fantastic!» replied the boy, never short of compliments. The Pokémon, in their language, confirmed this. The other girls, looking at her, understood well that they couldn't compete.
A few minutes later, Serena and all the other coordinators moved away to reach the area dedicated to those who were supposed to perform.

«Serena?... Serena?» A female voice startled the girl. «Yes?» She asked, still focused on the screen. «You're up next. You should start getting ready.»

Without hesitation, the girl replied, «Of course. I'll be right there.»

Serena, unfamiliar with the building's layout, decided to follow the attendant. This turned out to be a particularly wise choice, as the corridors were quite intricate. If she hadn't followed, she likely would have gotten lost.

She was a bit nervous, but it was quite normal for her to feel that way. She was just steps away from the exit, already starting to hear the encouraging cheers. She took the final steps that separated her from the arena.

She was surrounded by the audience on all sides. On the left was the small judging table, composed, as tradition dictated, of Mr. Contesta, a man in his fifties with black hair and gray tuft, dressed in an elegant red suit, Mr. Sukizo, a man in his forties with short brown hair, dressed in a dark blue suit, and last but not least, Nurse Joy.

As soon as she faced the audience, she greeted everyone with a wave of her hand. Then, upon receiving the signal, she sent out the Pokémon that would participate in the performance showcase: Pancham and Bulbasaur.

The first emerged from the Poké Ball surrounded by sparks, due to the Thunderballs covering the Scoundrel Pokémon's Poké Ball. Bulbasaur's balls, however, were the Florballs, and it was surrounded by numerous colored petals. The Pokémon, as previously agreed, rejected them with a powerful Whip.

Now that the two Pokémon had landed, it was time to start. «Communicate! Pancham! Use Rock Smash! Bulbasaur, swallow Energy Ball and then go with Solar Beam!» While the Seed Pokémon started to generate a sphere of energy from its mouth of intense green, similar, in certain respects, to an eye, Pancham threw a powerful punch on the ground, generating gigantic sharp blue rocks. He did not need to be told anything. The moment Bulbasaur was launching its own attack, Pancham was acrobatically climbing onto those rocks. One somersault after another, he reached the highest rock. In the meantime, Bulbasaur had absorbed its own attack, accumulating enough energy to use Solar Beam.
«Now! Pancham! Use Dark Pulse on the Solar Beam! You, Bulbasaur! Throw an Energy Ball upwards, then hit the rocks with Whip!» Pancham threw a series of purple rings from its upper limbs, which surrounded the yellow energy beam launched by the bulb on the back of the Seed Pokémon. The two attacks, as they crossed, resembled a sort of propeller. Its stay was short, however, as it was hit by Bulbasaur's Energy Ball.
The clash between the two attacks generated an explosion of sparks of various colors.
Only the final blow was missing. A powerful Whip destroyed the rocks. Pancham, as planned, made a vertical leap, surrounded by the blue dust of the stones.
«Truly remarkable!» Commented, laconically, Mr. Sukizo. «You were truly fantastic, you have fully expressed your skills» added Mr. Contesta. «Two small Pokémon full of energy, who delighted us with their great ability!» concluded Nurse Joy.
Despite the positive judgments from the entire jury, Serena was rather nervous. She was aware of the excellent work done, but she couldn't be sure of the result, at least until its announcement.
The girl was sitting in the waiting room, watching the performances of her rivals.
«And now, after Francesca's performance, we announce the eight coordinators who will advance to the battle competition phase!»
Slowly, on the screen, appeared the images of the finalists.
And Serena was the sixth.
Now, on the screen, the pairings were appearing. Her opponent was Francesca herself, the last coordinator to perform. She was a couple of years younger than her. She had very light blonde hair, almost white, very pale skin, and blue eyes. She wore a dark dress, which made her look even more cadaverous.
It was highly likely that this was one of Francesca's first competitions, if not the first.
During the performance showcase, the girl had used a Day Form Lycanroc and a Furfrou with the Debutante Trim. Her hairstyle resembled a sort of hat and had braids. Some parts of her body, such as the front chest, the lower part of the legs, and the yellow band on the hat, were colored, and according to the regulation, she should have done so in the battle competition as well.
Similarly, Serena sent out Pancham and Bulbasaur.
The two girls looked each other in the eyes, and smiled at each other. Francesca knew her opponent. She was an extremely experienced coordinator, as well as a performer. She had come close to being Kalos Queen.
She knew she couldn't beat her, but she would use the battle competition to gain experience. They were just waiting for the signal. Which came almost immediately.
«We start! Furfrou, Sandstorm, Lycanroc use Stealth Rock!» From the ground the Poodle Pokémon generated a big wave of sand, which was hit by the energy released by the face of the Wolf Pokémon. The combination of the two moves created a sort of sand monster.
This made Serena lose several points. Despite this, the Kalos native was calm. She knew perfectly well how to respond.
«Bulbasaur! Use Energy Ball on their Sandstorm! Pancham, use Rock Smash!» Bulbasaur, from its mouth, generated a green energy sphere, similar to an eye, and threw it against the opponent's combination, causing it to explode and making Francesca lose points. Less points than those lost by her, but that was okay.
Meanwhile, Pancham threw a powerful punch against the ground, generating blue-colored boulders from the ground.
«Lycanroc! Use Rock Smash too!» Ordered the opponent. Serena remained an attendant. As if she expected it.
«Pancham! Wait for him to catch up with you and attack him with Seed Bomb! Then you, Bulbasaur, attack with Energy Ball!»
Lycanroc ran at great speed, crumbling the opponent's attack, and causing Serena to lose more points. The points counter did not update in time, and immediately Lycanroc was thrown in the air by the opponent's powerful attack. As if it were not enough, it was also hit by Bulbasaur's Energy Ball.
«Lycanroc cannot continue. The winner of the competition is Serena»
The jury announced.
The two girls met in the middle of the field. And they shook hands.
«You were very good!» Compliment Francesca.
«You too. It was a really good fight. I think you have a great future in competitions.»
Francesca was extremely happy with the compliment received. She admired the Kalos native a lot and hearing those words filled her with pride.
«The two had cleared the battlefield to allow others to perform. From eight participants, they became four. Serena studied her opponents one by one. They were a girl and two boys.
Her opponent in the next phase would be one of the two boys. Specifically, Ryo. A boy with black, brush-cut hair, dressed in a jacket and tie. More like a businessman than a coordinator.
For the young girl, it wasn't difficult to secure victory and earn a ticket to the final phase. Where her opponent would be Elin, the winner of the contest after her.
After making the necessary arrangements and tending to their Pokémon, the two coordinators found themselves face to face.
Elin was roughly the same age as Serena, and it was likely they had similar experience.
Elin had lavender-colored hair and eyes of the same hue. A small nose and thin lips. She was dressed elegantly and conservatively.
Her Pokémon were a Vaporeon and a Flareon. They had participated in the acting performance and subsequent phases, as required by the rules. Serena had already assessed their skills. Elin was indeed very, very skilled.
The two scrutinized each other seemingly endlessly. Their gaze locked only when they received the signal to send out their Pokémon. Who they sent out was not a surprise due to strict regulations, but the match would still be interesting.
«Let's begin! Vaporeon, Shadow Ball! Flareon, show what you can do with Quick Attack!» the girl ordered with strong conviction. Vaporeon generated a dark energy sphere from its mouth, purple in color, surrounded by energy discharges resembling lightning.
«Go, Bulbasaur! Defend with Energy Ball! Pancham, use Rock Smash!» The two energy spheres collided in mid-air, exploding into a burst of colored powders. The two coordinators lost the same amount of points. Serena gained the upper hand when the boulders generated by Pancham's powerful attack slammed Flareon backward.
«Come on, let's try again! Flareon, Quick Attack on Bulbasaur! Vaporeon, use Iron Tail on Pancham!» She ordered. She was rather surprised when Serena didn't react. It seemed she was waiting for the right moment and didn't want to reveal her
strategy yet. Flareon was dangerously approaching Bulbasaur, and the same could be said for Vaporeon with Pancham.
«Now! Bulbasaur, stop it with Vine Whip. Pancham, grab Vaporeon and throw it!» The two Pokémon executed. From Bulbasaur's body emerged two vines that tightly grabbed and wrapped Flareon. Simultaneously, Pancham grabbed Vaporeon's tail and flung it to the far end of the field.
Serena had a good advantage, but three minutes still remained. Evaluating the situation, her opponent reacted immediately.
«Flareon, start heating up! Vaporeon, use Ice Beam!» Flareon's body began to turn red, smoke appearing. Without Serena having to say anything, Bulbasaur did not let go. Quite the opposite. Flareon made a pained expression, but did not give up. «Pancham! Use Rock Smash around you!» The mischievous Pokémon followed the command, shielding itself from the opponent's attack with a blanket of rocks. In this way, the rocks were frozen, but Serena lost fewer points than expected. Bulbasaur, on the other hand, had to let go. The heat was excessive. Flareon fell to the ground, but the blow was well cushioned.
«Great! Pancham, now throw the rocks with Rock Throw!» The mischievous Pokémon obeyed the command, hurling the crumbled rocks and pieces of ice at the opponent. This caused the opponent to lose more points. Serena was very close to victory. But there was still one minute left.
«Come on, Vaporeon! Send back her attack with Iron Tail! Flareon, attack Bulbasaur with Flame Charge!» With a swift tail movement, the Pokémon launched the same pieces of frozen rock at the opponent. Meanwhile, Flareon ran and was covered in flames.
«Bulbasaur! Quick! Use Take Down!» The two Pokémon collided in the middle of the field. «NO!» Both girls shouted simultaneously. «Flareon and Bulbasaur can no longer continue. By regulation, the match will turn into a one-on-one and two extra minutes will be added,» announced Mr. Shizuko.
The timer changed from thirty seconds to two and a half minutes.
The two coordinators were both excited about it. «Pancham! Go with Rock Throw!» The mischievous Pokémon ran towards the opponent, who remained vigilant. «Come on, Vaporeon! Aim Ice Beam at Pancham's hands!» The Water Jet Pokémon executed the command, aiming the beam of icy energy directly at the opponent's limbs, causing it to lose balance and fall to the ground.
In the fall, the ice covering Pancham's limbs shattered. The Pokémon tried to get up, with great difficulty.
Now the two were tied in points. «Vaporeon! Let's finish this! Iron Tail!» ordered her opponent. Vaporeon quickly covered the short distance between it and the opponent, striking with a powerful tail blow. «NO! PANCHAM!» Serena lost the last remaining points. Thus, the winner of the Saffron City Ribbon was Elin.
Despite the bitter defeat, Serena approached her opponent and congratulated her on the contest results. The face of the Kalos native began to be crossed with tears.
Not so much for the defeat or for the promise she had made, but rather for having disappointed expectations. The girl ran straight to the dressing room, to abandon the performance outfit and, if possible, destroy it.
Still in tears, she finished changing. Having done this, she took out the Poké Ball of her Delphox from her bag and released it. The Fox Pokémon looked at her trainer and couldn't help but notice the great sadness she carried.
«Yes. I lost. Now destroy it!» The girl held her dress away from her so that her Pokémon could destroy it without hurting herself. Delphox lit its branch like a torch, but did not move. «Come on. Let's go! I'm your trainer... I know what...» Delphox did not move.
That gesture reminded her so much of the day the girl lost her first Variety. On that occasion, the girl had decided to cut her hair. Now she wanted to do the same with that dress. But what results would it bring? Would it have the same effect, or was it a pretense to blame something else for the defeat?
«Do you say that if I lose, it's not the fault of the dress?» The Pokémon extinguished the flame on the stick and handed it to her trainer. «You're right. We had vowed, with Pancham and Sylveon, that we would win the Variety Professionals. But we didn't succeed. Yet, you didn't want to give it up. Maybe that's what you're trying to tell me?»
The fire fox nodded approvingly. «You're right,» she said, still crying. «I'll become the Queen of Unima and I'll do it with this dress. If, of course, you and the others will help me.»
The girl returned her Pokémon to the Poké Ball and rejoined Ash and Pikachu.
«Here, this is Bulbasaur's Poké Ball.» she handed him the Poké Ball of the borrowed Pokémon, which had since recovered. «He did well, but, as you could see, it wasn't enough.»
Ash, though also rather sorry, tried not to make her feel too bad about it.
«You guys were fantastic. It doesn't matter how the battle went. It's just a competition after all, not...» The girl interrupted him with a gesture of her hand. «Did you forget? What did we say about this competition?» The boy and his Pokémon scratched their heads, looking perplexed. «No?» The girl looked him straight in the eyes. «Really?» An expression of disappointment mixed with perplexity appeared on the girl's face.
«Come on... Give me a clue!» Encouraged the boy. «Okay then! It means you'll be traveling to Unova alone! I'll continue with the contests!» The boy felt the ground disappear beneath his feet. What would he do alone? How could he help that girl alone? He was direct and outgoing, but had no idea how to handle such a situation.
Furthermore, the girl had walked away. She exuded nervousness and disappointment from every pore. Ash tried to follow her, but he definitely didn't want to appear like a secret agent, like Bellocchio. Even though that was the only way to convince her to come with him.
Serena looked around. «Clear!» She said, in a low voice. The girl released her Sylveon from its Poké Ball. With her, she could confide more than with anyone else. As soon as it came out of the Poké Ball, it wrapped one of its ribbons around its trainer's arm. Thanks to its feelers, it had understood the emotions the girl was feeling.
She was disappointed and bitter. «See? I had promised Ash that I would go to Unova with him if I didn't win the Zafferano Contest, but apparently he forgot. As if he didn't care about me.» Sylveon turned towards its trainer.
Its gaze spoke more than a thousand words. «Yes. Maybe it's true. That's how he is. He easily forgets things.» The Pokémon tightened its ribbons a little more. «Yes. You really understand how I feel. I can lie to people, but not to you Pokémon.»
Sylveon pulled her closer. «I really have to tell you. I understand. I've never taken this contest seriously.» Ash, who had followed her, had to refrain from shouting when he heard her say that.
«What does that mean? What do you mean he didn't take that contest seriously?» He wondered, hoping the girl didn't hear him.
She passed the alley where Ash had hidden, continuing to talk to the Pokémon. «Or at least since I met Francesca. I saw a lot of myself in her. When we tried with the Kalos Variety. I saw in her the same enthusiasm, the same desire to aim high. If you understand me. But this must remain between us girls. Okay?»
Sylveon nodded slightly in approval. It also released its grip with its ribbons. Now it had returned to being delicate, as it usually did. «Good. Now I just have to let Ash know.» The girl took her Rotom Phone from her bag and dialed her friend's number. She heard the ringtone... Ash's ringtone.
The girl hurried towards the source of the sound. Ash didn't notice anything. He answered the phone. «Hey, hi! Everything...» The boy was interrupted before he could finish.
«But how dare you follow me like this?» The girl seemed particularly angry. It didn't seem like she was pretending at all.
«Actually, um...» The girl touched his nose with her index finger. «Don't lie. I notice.» She said, finally smiling. «I was worried about you. I saw you running away after my words and wanted to make sure you were okay.» The girl remained silent for a few moments. «Okay. You didn't lie. I did.» Ash tried to understand. Yes, he had overheard part of her confession to Sylveon, but he couldn't let it show.
«You see. I would have gone to Unova with you even if I had won the contest. I had the opportunity to compete against a girl who reminded me a lot of myself a few years ago. When I tried with the Kalos Variety and...» Ash and Pikachu stared at her in disbelief. «And?» The girl, realizing she was the center of attention, tried to delay. But in the end, she gave in. «And it reminded me how much I loved the Varieties. And that's what I have to aim for.»
Ash managed to stay surprised enough not to appear like he had been listening to her the whole time. Pikachu seemed similarly affected. The girl dragged the two of them to the nearby bus stop, on the side that would take them to the station.
It was around six in the evening. If they went to the station and caught the six-thirty train, they would be home by seven-thirty, including the car journey. A journey that would have to be coordinated with his mother.
The boy took his Rotom Phone from his pocket and began to search for his mother's number. Noticing it out of the corner of her eye, Serena stopped him.
«Saffron City and Lavender Town aren't that far apart. What do you say we walk?» The boy and Pikachu looked each other in the eye. «Yes. Okay. We'll arrive a little later, but it's no problem.»
The two waited for the bus for a good quarter of an hour. Luckily for them, the vehicle wasn't crowded. They validated their respective subscriptions and settled on board.
The journey, rather short, just about ten stops, took them right in front of the train station. They had already purchased their tickets beforehand, so they didn't need to visit the ticket office.
Looking at the big screen where arrival times were displayed, they understood that if they wanted to catch the first available train, they would have to hurry. They had to take a long underpass that would take them to the platform opposite to the one they were on.
They managed to arrive just in time. The train stopped shortly after their arrival. The two boarded after waiting for the large number of passengers to disembark. They managed to find two seats together.
The journey, like the outbound one, was rather short. The train quickly took them to Lavender Town.
From there, they faced a nice walk home, but that was fine. They could discuss the final details before leaving. Although the delivery of the starters would only take place the following week, for logistical reasons, it would be better to leave at least a couple of days earlier. But they would talk about it with Professor Oak later.
They arrived at Ash's house just in time for dinner.
Both were quite tired, so they went to bed almost immediately. Especially considering they had to get up early the next day. They had several errands to run, not least of which was to speak with Professor Oak.
«You're really a mess, Ash!» Serena commented, noticing how criminally underdressed her friend was. Not that Ash had ever had a great sense of fashion, but this time he had outdone himself. In a bad way.
If she didn't know him so well, she would have thought he had been dressed by a colorblind stylist.
«But, if you don't mind... I'll help you choose... a colorblind stylist!» Hearing that phrase, the boy's mother laughed. Actually, Ash had never had a good taste in dressing. When the boy was on his travels, it was she who dealt with the wardrobe factor.
«Yes, but shouldn't we talk to the professor?» Ash asked. «We can do that when we get back. Considering that there are many hours of time between here and Unima. One option might be to ask the professor for a favor and make the video call at night, when it's morning in Unima. The other option is to go now. If we should arrive early, we might be able to contact her and then have the entire day to ourselves.» The girl particularly underlined the "for us", but Ash didn't notice that particular thing.
After finishing breakfast, the two, escorted by Pikachu and Bulbasaur, reached the laboratory of Professor Oak. The professor, an early riser, was already in his lab.
Before knocking on the professor's door, they let Bulbasaur return to his role of responsibility at the lab, not before asking Torterra for a detailed report.
While the two grass-type Pokémon were conversing, the two reached the professor. The man, as soon as he saw them through the window, opened the door, letting them enter.
The man welcomed them with a smile. «Hello, early birds! Today, huh!» At the same time, he gestured for the two to follow him. «Good morning, professor. We came to you to confirm our intention to leave for Unima.» The boy replied.
«I'm glad. And Serena will come with you?» The professor asked. «Yes. I could never leave her alone.» The girl replied. «Anita will be happy. Maybe having a new friend could help her overcome her shyness.» Serena made a strange expression. Ash had never told her they would be traveling with a girl, so a potential rival. But perhaps the fact that he had decided to travel with her meant something.
«But now...» The professor interrupted the girl's thoughts. «I'd better get you in touch with Juniper, so you can communicate the good news to her.» The professor was getting in touch with his colleague. The video call had started, and a few moments later, the professor answered.
It was much earlier than last time. So the woman didn't think of an emergency or anything like that.
«Good morning, Samuel!» The woman cordially greeted her colleague, who replied just as cordially. «I guess if you called me, there's news.» The professor nodded yes. «But I'd like them to tell you.» The two approached the monitor, with Pikachu giving a small greeting gesture to the woman.
«So you must be Serena. Nice to meet you.» The girl replied with a smile. «The pleasure is all mine.» The girl replied. «Good. So, you've decided to come to Unima?» The woman asked. «Exactly!» Ash replied, with his usual enthusiasm. «Very well! Then I'll buy the tickets. You'll leave in four days, so you'll have time to get used to the time difference. Don't worry. I'll pick you up in West City.» The two looked each other in the eye. «Perfect. We'll be happy to help you. Even if there's one small thing.» The boy added. «Tell me everything.» The woman asked. «I hope it's not a problem if I were to participate in the Varieties, right?» The woman smiled at her. «No problem at all. In fact, I'll do my best to follow and support you. After all, becoming the Queen of Unima is also a goal.» An off-screen girl's voice surprised, "Queen of Unima?" The professor turned around. «Belle! Is this the way?» From the screen, the two boys, Pikachu, and the professor saw a girl with blonde hair styled in a funny way, big green eyes, and fair complexion. She had red glasses. She was dressed in a laboratory coat, similar to that of the professor, covering an orange shirt.
«Hey! That's a Pikachu! I've never seen one that wasn't in a photograph! I can't wait to pamper him with cuddles!» The girl shouted with dreamy eyes. Pikachu, in response, began to emit electric shocks from his cheeks. «Calm down, friend! I know you don't like overly invasive people.» Ash reassured him. «Hey! I'm never invasive!» Complained Belle, ignoring Pikachu's sixth sense.
«Good. Now that I'm sure of your presence, I'll tell Anita. I think she'll be happy. But now, excuse me, I have a small commitment and I have to leave you, see you soon.» The woman bid farewell. «Goodbye.» They returned the greeting.
The two boys then also said goodbye to the professor. They had errands to run, the first of which was to renew the boy's
wardrobe.
Leaving the laboratory, they headed towards an area of the village they had only briefly seen before. A bus stop. They had usually relied on trains, but in this case, they would rely on road transport. The bus, heading straight to Cerulean City, a city known for its colossal shopping center, the largest in the entire region. They would have to wait only ten minutes. They would return only by eight in the evening, so they would have lunch on the spot.
Ten minutes later, the bus arrived. It was brand new. Its livery was a very dark blue with red accents along the sides, and the company logo in white. The bus had tinted windows, making the interior invisible. The driver stopped the bus and opened the door, allowing the two to board. The bus smelled new. The seats were faux leather and blue fabric. Yellow plastic handles were on the aisle seats. Ash gestured for Serena to sit by the window and took the seat next to her. The girl felt a slight embarrassment, even though there was nothing wrong. Ash was simply sitting beside her. It wasn't the first time this had happened.
Pikachu, sensing the girl's feelings, lowered the armrest between the seats with a small flick of its tail, unnoticed by Ash. Serena gently stroked Pikachu's head. The bus started and headed towards Cerulean City. The journey would take an hour and a half, passing through the cities of Viridian City, Pewter City, Celadon City, Saffron City, and finally Cerulean City, right in front of the shopping center. The shopping center was a huge and modern building made of steel and glass. Several automatic doors allowed entry and exit.
The ground floor of the shopping center housed grocery stores, the second floor technology shops, the third floor Pokémon stores. The fourth floor sold accessories for competitions, the fifth shoes and female accessories, the sixth was specialized in dresses and female accessories, the seventh shoes and male accessories, the eighth clothes and male accessories, and the ninth and tenth floors were occupied by restaurants.
If it had been up to Ash, they would have rushed straight to the upper floors and stayed there, but their reason for the trip was quite different.
They entered and took the elevator to the fifth floor. In Serena's mind, Ash needed a makeover from head to toe, starting with shoes.
Of course, she would also think about herself; after all, she wanted to look her best too. After dozens and dozens of attempts in several shops, the boy finally found two pairs of shoes he liked and that also pleased Serena. The first pair was blue and gray with a somewhat sporty cut. The second pair was in shades of black and much more elegant, yet still comfortable.
The girl also found shoes for herself: a pair of brown leather boots similar to those she already owned, a pair of pink and black sports shoes, a new pair of lower and more sober heels than the ones she had, and a pair of sandals, just in case their stay in Unova lasted longer than expected.
With the boy already carrying boxes of six pairs of shoes, they reached the floors dedicated to men's clothing stores. As soon as they entered the store, Serena had to stop Ash from rushing to the area dedicated to sports clothing. She had to drag him to the section with slightly more suitable outfits for going out.
In the end, in addition to underwear, she forced him to buy several pairs of jeans, from ripped pairs for more casual wear, to cleaner pairs of trousers for more formal occasions to match the darker shoes, numerous T-shirts, making sure to choose basic ones, shirts, jackets, and finally a belt, as well as swimwear, just in case. Naturally, she didn't forget about hats, from sports caps to more elegant hats. Of course, the boy wasn't really comfortable with the more elegant clothes, but he had turned eighteen. In fact, he was about to turn nineteen. Now he had to dress like an adult and not like a kid.
Despite the large quantity of clothes purchased, the bill wasn't too high. Thinking of the boy, now it was her turn, but before she could take the elevator back down to the lower floors, she was interrupted by her friend's stomach growl. Had they really spent so long choosing all that stuff? Was it really lunchtime already?
Her friend's stomach was more precise than any clock. Before resuming shopping, they would stop at one of the many restaurants. They chose a typical Alolan restaurant. Ash was used to the cuisine of that region, so he would be a tough judge, while for the girl, it was her first experience with that type of cuisine.
After a hearty lunch, the two completed their shopping session. After spending the morning mainly taking care of Ash, now she could focus entirely on herself.
She also bought skirts of various lengths, jeans, and shorts. She also got some T-shirts, tops, and shirts. She didn't neglect more elegant outfits, not so much for the Variety, given the promise she made to her Delphox, but for other possible occasions that might arise. The girl also took the opportunity to buy a new bag and forced Ash to buy a new backpack and a new messenger bag.
After the girl's shopping was done, it was practically time to return. They left the shopping center and, after a short wait, the bus arrived to take them home.
The day of departure came quickly. The day before departure, the two took care of packing their bags. Ash also took care of deciding which Pokémon to bring. During the journey, he would allow everyone to participate, but deciding who would have the honor of starting was not easy.
After careful consideration, he decided to bring with him, in addition to Pikachu of course, Gengar, Infernape, Noivern, and Lucario.
Delia personally accompanied the two to the airport. Their flight was quite early, at eight in the morning, and being a long-haul flight, they would have to go through extra checks.
This meant they had to arrive at least three hours early. They had to pass through security checks, hand over their checked baggage to the loading service, and only then could they were facing a thirteen-hour flight. Ironically, thirteen
hours was also the time difference between the Kanto region and Unova. This meant they would land in Unova at eight in
the morning, while in Kanto it would be nine in the evening. After a while, they were finally able to board.
The plane was from the same company as the one Serena took to get to Kanto, although it was a different model. Larger and more elegant.
The professor had been generous. She bought the two business class tickets. They were in the same row, but only one of them had a window seat. Ash was generous, letting Serena take the window seat. She considered herself lucky. There wasn't just a thin armrest between the seats, but a much wider divider. A sufficiently large barrier against embarrassment. In theory.
The large blue aircraft gained momentum and took off. It quickly reached its cruising altitude of thirty-six thousand feet, approximately eleven thousand meters. During ascent, the crew informed the passengers about safety regulations.
Once cruising altitude was reached, the seatbelt sign was turned off. After about two hours of flight, the first meal was served. In order to respect the destination's time zone, it was dinner. It was nine in the evening in Unova, a normal time for dinner.
After eating, although they didn't fully enjoy the meal due to the high altitude affecting their taste perception, they spent the next two hours fantasizing about what the region would be like.
At one point, the airline staff, equipped with some Grass-type Pokémon, had put various passengers to sleep. Perhaps out of habit, Pikachu held its breath, managing not to fall asleep.
It was sitting on Serena's lap and could observe her as she leaned to the left. Ash, on the other hand, was sliding to the right. Suddenly, the divider between them wasn't so wide after all.
Contact between the two was inevitable, although not unpleasant. Pikachu, who unlike its Trainer, had somewhat understood the situation, tried not to laugh.
It would enjoy this for a while. Then, perhaps it would separate them as gently as possible. In the end, however, maybe due to some dust stirred up by Serena during an involuntary movement in her sleep, Pikachu also gave in.
After a few hours of flight, the passengers were awakened.
Everyone except Ash. The boy was a heavy sleeper. This gave Serena the opportunity to recover from her embarrassment. Had she spent hours and hours in such close contact with Ash? She didn't know what to think. Well, Ash hadn't moved; maybe he didn't mind her company? Whatever the reason, she wouldn't dwell on it. If something was meant to happen, it would happen, and that was it.
In any case, perhaps awakened by the scent of sweet breakfast pastries, Ash woke up too. For him, the smell of food was more effective than any alarm.
After breakfast, there was only an hour and a half of flight left. The large jet landed gently, despite its colossal size.
Serena reached out to Ash, to prevent him from making a fool of himself. She knew about the boy's great enthusiasm and wanted to prevent one of his usual blunders.
"When a portion of the passengers disembarked, the girl did the same, with Ash and Pikachu in tow. As soon as they stepped off the plane, they were greeted by a mixed smell of kerosene and rubber. Far from pleasant.
They needed to make their way to the arrivals area. Finding it was easy enough; following ground signs led them straight to the arrivals building.
It was a huge and modern structure. Inside, several baggage carousels allowed passengers to retrieve their luggage. After a short wait, the two were able to collect their bags. Being the gentleman he was, Ash also pulled Serena's suitcase, which was much heavier and bulkier than his own.
Following further signs, they managed to find the exit.
«So, you two are Ash and Serena?» asked a voice they had come to recognize. «Professor Juniper?» they both asked simultaneously.
A woman with light brown hair and green eyes responded, «That's me!» They took a closer look at her. She wore a light green T-shirt and a black skirt, with winter shoes on her feet. «Now, follow me. I left my assistant alone in the car and I'm a bit worried. She's very capable but a bit clumsy.»
The woman led them to the parking lot.
When they got close to the car, she pulled out the keys from her bag. The professor's car was a long sedan with smooth and elegant lines. Whether it was the dark gray color, the flat alloy wheels, or the tinted windows, Ash was mesmerized by the car. To him, it looked like something out of a sci-fi movie or a video game. The car had a very long hood, round yet rhomboid-shaped headlights framed by chrome profiles, embedded in bulging fenders. The grille was also chrome-plated, its shape resembling a shield that adorned the hood and emphasized its slightly raised profile, creating a vintage car effect. The grille seamlessly integrated with the bumper, painted in the same body color and adorned with chrome accents that extended from where it joined the body and embellished the car's sides.
It must have been a true flagship.
With a press of a button on the key, the hood opened, revealing a gigantic space. Ash loaded the two suitcases and two backpacks, then closed the hood.
After that, he opened the door for Serena, revealing the luxurious interiors of the car. They were truly classy, dominated by red leather and fine woods. They smelled new.
After Serena settled in, Ash took his seat and closed the door. The woman got into the driver's seat and started the engine. Ash was surprised at how quiet the car was. The journey from Vermilion City to Lavender Town would be quite long, mainly on the highway, where the great road handling of that flagship car would definitely shine. It was quiet and comfortable, incredibly comfortable. The journey seemed to last just ten minutes.
Upon reaching the small town of Lavender Town, the woman parked the car and gestured for the passengers to disembark. Professor Juniper's laboratory was on the main street of the town. It was completely different from Professor Oak's laboratory. The professor's lab was in the middle of the countryside, surrounded by a vast garden, whereas Professor Juniper's lab was a not-too-large building with a battlefield beside it.
«Welcome to my laboratory!» She greeted them once again.