The sun was shining over another beautiful day in Pallet Town. The gently rolling green hills were dotted with trees and small houses. Various Pokémon moved about the ground and flew through the sky. The entire vista was the epitome of peace and homeliness.
At the edge of town, Ash Ketchum crested the top of a hill and looked down on the tranquil setting. He spent a moment taking in the sight of his home town, then looked to his right as Serena stepped up alongside of him. The two of them stood on the dirt road, a mild breeze sending their hair and clothes fluttering.
Pikachu hopped forward in front of Ash's feet and looked up at his trainer. "Pika-Pika!" the Pokémon spoke eagerly, pointing toward the Ketchum house in the distance.
Ash smiled at Pikachu. "Yep, we're finally home," he said, his voice full of relief and satisfaction.
Serena closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, savoring the moment. "So this is where the world's greatest Pokémon trainer lives," she said, opening her eyes and glancing over at Ash.
Ash chuckled as Serena again used the line the journalists had repeated again and again. "Yeah, this is where I grew up. Pretty great huh?"
Serena slowly turned her head, viewing the entire panorama. "It reminds me of Vaniville Town, but a lot more spread out and open." She looked back at Ash. "I can see why you like it here."
Ash looked pleased. "Come on! If we hurry we can see Professor Oak and maybe make it to Viridian City before it gets dark." With that, Ash started jogging toward Pallet Town with Pikachu at his heels; both of them following the road they'd been traveling on.
Serena smiled at Ash's behavior. He was as energetic as ever. She shifted her carrying bag so it was slung behind her back and tightened the strap to keep it secure. She then started running after them, feeling a wave of memories from when she'd done the exact same thing so many times while they'd been in Kalos.
They moved quickly across the sparsely populated town. As he ran, Ash greeted the people he saw and they immediately shouted praise and accolades in response. It seemed that news of Ash's victory at the Masters Tournament had spread throughout Pallet Town. Everyone they met knew Ash was the new Monarch. Ash looked surprised and embarrassed at how he was suddenly being treated like royalty.
After a few minutes of running, Ash slowed and came to a stop in front of a small, humble house with a white picket fence surrounding it. He stepped to the edge of the walkway and turned to Serena.
"Well, here it is. This is my home."
Serena stepped so she was beside Ash and took in the sight of the house. Before now she'd envisioned Ash's house several different ways, but nothing she'd thought of had looked quite like this. She supposed it was only appropriate that Ash, a young man with an unassuming exterior, who possessed such strength, courage and kindness, would hail from a home that was equally unassuming. No one would ever guess that the Pokémon champion of the world lived here.
Serena turned her head to look at Ash and saw just a hint of apprehension in his expression. She smiled and spoke in a kind and loving tone.
"It's wonderful. It's a real home, not just a house. This is somewhere a person can be happy."
Ash smiled at Serena's words and walked toward the front door of the house. He simply opened the unlocked door and glanced around inside.
"Hey mom, I'm home," he called out, taking a few steps into the house.
Serena took a step forward and paused as she felt a sudden spike of nervousness at the prospect of finally meeting Ash's mother. She vividly remembered the phone conversation Ash had with Delia when he was in Kalos, and her open invitation to come and visit. However that had been a long time ago and she wasn't the same girl now as she'd been. Additionally, Delia approving of a friendship between she and Ash was very different from her approving of something more serious.
Serena took a steadying breath and swallowed down her fears. She stepped up to the doorway and saw the auburn haired form of Delia dash into view from another room inside the house.
"Oh, you're finally home!" Delia said, her voice shaking from emotion. She quickly stepped up to Ash and grabbed hold of his shoulders. "I'm so proud of you! World champion!"
Ash squirmed and groaned at his mother's affection. "Come on mom, it's not that big of a deal," he said embarrassed.
Delia let go of Ash and took a step back, still beaming at him. "I was just going to start lunch. Let me know what you want. Today is your day."
Ash looked sheepish and rubbed at his nose. "Well, actually, we can't stay for that long," he said awkwardly.
Delia's expression changed to one of puzzlement. She then looked away from Ash and noticed Serena standing in the doorway. Serena gave only a timid smile in response, as words temporarily failed her. Delia stared at Serena for several long seconds, her mind clearly working. Suddenly, her expression brightened, "Serena!" she called out happily. "You look so different than before."
"Oh, you remember me," Serena said, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Of course," Delia replied smiling. "You're the one who kept Ash out of trouble while he was in Kalos."
"MOMMM!" Ash groaned loudly.
Serena bit her tongue to keep from laughing.
Delia turned back to Ash. "So you can only stay for a little while," she said, sounding disappointed. "Have you got another adventure you're running off to?"
Ash laughed nervously. "Ah, no. See, Serena's going to be competing in contests here in Kanto." As he spoke, Ash glanced first at Serena then at the floor, then at his mom, then again at the floor. His body language made it clear he was uncomfortable. "And so, I told her I'd show her the contest halls here, so she doesn't get lost and knows where everything is."
Delia raised an eyebrow at the behavior of her son. "Okay," she said slowly. Not entirely buying Ash's explanation. She quickly shifted her demeanor back to enthusiasm and continued. "Well, at least let me fix you a quick lunch. You've got to be hungry."
"Yeah, sure. Sounds great," Ash said.
Serena agreed as well, and Delia smiled and walked into the kitchen.
Ash looked at Serena and shrugged, embarrassed at his mom's antics.
Serena smiled cheerfully. She'd been embarrassed by her own mother plenty of times, and she completely understood Ash's feelings.
Ash nodded in response to Serena, and walked further inside the house. Serena followed after him. She took slow steps, looking around the interior, taking in every little detail.
Ash's gaze was suddenly drawn to the living room and he stepped over to a wooden shelf set against a wall.
"Mom, you brought all my trophies downstairs!" Ash said, sounding chagrined.
"Yes," Delia called from the kitchen. "I figured since you're now the world champion the least we can do is put them on display, rather than collecting dust up in your room."
Ash sighed and looked defeated.
Serena stepped up to the shelf, curious about the trophies. "So these are all yours?" she asked, some admiration creeping into her voice.
"Yeah," Ash said, feeling awkward at his life achievements being featured prominently in the living room.
"Hmmmm," Serena picked up a small trophy. The award was slightly bigger than both her hands held together. The base was brown at the bottom with a sand green stripe above it. There was a small gold Pokéball badge inlaid in the center of the base. Rising from the base was a three pointed crown-like structure made of crystal. Mounted behind the crystal was a pair of white wings, angled so they pointed upward and left a small V-shaped gap behind the center point of the crystal.
"So, what's this one for?" Serena asked, intrigued.
"Oh, uh, I got that for competing in the Indigo Conference. It was the first big tournament I battled in." Ash waved his hand, trying to dismiss the awe he saw building in Serena's eyes. "But I lost really early, I only made the top sixteen."
Serena smiled coyly. "Only, the top sixteen," she said sarcastically, teasing Ash for his modesty.
Ash laughed, feeling both uncomfortable and flattered.
Serena returned the award to its place and pointed to the largest trophy on the shelf. It had a pair of large ribbons of gold which spiraled up from the base. Those ribbons surrounded a golden Pokéball located in the center of the trophy.
"What about that one?" Serena asked.
Ash looked at the trophy and smiled sheepishly. "That's the one I got for competing in the Manalo Conference," he said, trying to keep pride out of his voice. He glanced at Serena, expecting another question. The gleam he saw in her eyes made him blush.
"So, what place did you get in that tournament?" Serena said, purposefully making her question sound invasive.
Ash laughed. He felt embarrassed, but part of him enjoyed Serena prying into his past competitions.
"Well, I got first place in that one," trying to undersell his accomplishment.
Serena cocked her head to the side and frowned, feigning disappointment. "Only first place," she said, pretending to chastise him.
Ash chuckled and shook his head at Serena's behavior.
Serena next picked up the case displaying Ash's Unova badges. She began quizzing him about all of the battles in a similar teasing manner. Ash, still a little uncomfortable, started to play along and make jokes along with Serena.
As they talked and laughed, Delia leaned around the corner of the doorway leading to the kitchen. She could hear the conversation between Ash and Serena; however it was not the words so much as the tone of their exchanges that drew her attention. She sensed there was subtle affection underlying their conversation. She spent a moment observing the looks, glances and reactions of her son and Serena, then moved so she was again out of sight. She smiled, happy and intrigued. Ash had talked a little about Serena when he'd come home from Kalos, but now she was looking forwarding to learning much more about this girl Ash had brought home.
Halfway across Pallet Town, Professor Oak sat in the upper level of his research lab. The noonday sun shone in through the windows, reflecting off the metallic surfaces of the lab equipment. The Professor was staring at a screen displaying the enthusiastic face of Professor Juniper.
"Thank you for the advice," Professor Juniper said. "I hope I can travel to Galar to study these particles and this Gigantamax phenomenon. I'm curious if it can give an insight into where some of these Pokémon come from."
"Yes, I'm interested in it as well," Professor Oak replied. "It's incredible that a Pokémon can grow in size to such an extent."
Professor Juniper nodded. "Well, I need to get back to work. It's been a pleasure, like always."
"Indeed," Professor Oak replied. "Have a good day Aurea."
The connection ended and the screen faded to black. Professor Oak sighed and leaned back in his chair. To his right, a Wooper waddled closer and looked up in curiosity. Professor Oak saw the Pokémon and smiled at it.
"Still plenty to do today Wooper. No time to rest."
With that, the Professor rose from his chair and took a step. He suddenly grimaced and braced himself against the desk.
Wooper made a concerned hooting sound and hopped closer to him.
Professor Oak winced and took a breath to steady himself. "I'm okay," he said in a reassuring tone. "It just takes a minute for these old knees to wake up."
Professor Oak gingerly took another step and straightened up, letting go of the desk. He started walking toward the stairway leading to the ground floor. As he approached the stairs, he heard an all too familiar quiet buzzing sound, which caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. He glanced around and saw Rotom floating above a nearby piece of lab equipment. The Pokémon looked down at him with its usual mischievous expression.
"No Rotom, not now," the professor said. "I've got too much to do. You go play with your other friends."
Rotom looked deflated, and made a disappointed sounding noise.
Professor Oak started descending the stairs. He was holding on to the banister with his right hand and was five steps from the floor when his left foot slipped on the edge of a step.
For the twentieth time, Tracey replayed a video of two Swanna jabbing their beaks at each other. The two Pokémon never struck each other however, and Tracey suspected that the entire exchange was some sort of competition or ritual. There seemed to be some sort of symmetry to the movements.
"If I can just figure this out," Tracey said under his breath.
The video started over again and Tracey looked at the page of notes he'd taken and the half dozen simple sketches he'd made on the different stances of the Swanna. He set the papers on the desk he was seated at and refocused on the video.
The relative silence was suddenly interrupted by a cry of surprise and fright. Tracey looked up in alarm and heard a pair of loud thumps from the next room as something heavy hit the floor.
"Professor?!" Tracey called out in concern, thinking the cry had sounded like Professor Oak's voice. He shoved himself away from the desk, jumped out of his chair and dashed toward the other room. Before he could reach the doorway, there were a series of distraught Pokémon cries from the room ahead.
Tracey skidded to a stop as he reached the next room and bore witness to a chaotic and distressing sight. Professor Oak was lying on his side, unmoving, at the bottom of the stairs. Rotom was rapidly flying in circles above him, shrieking in concern and throwing off sparks in many different colors. A Wooper was at the top of the stairs, jumping up and down, hollering. Other Pokémon were dashing, trotting, hopping, flying and floating in from other rooms, reacting to the cries of alarm.
Tracey gasped at the sight of his good friend and quickly knelt down next to him, trying to assess any injury.
There was the sound of loud footfalls and Ryan, the other lab assistant, came running in from another part of the lab. He saw the gathering of upset Pokémon and looked around confused.
"What is going on?!" Ryan said. He looked at Tracey and then gasped as he saw Professor Oak.
Tracey turned toward Ryan. "Call an ambulance! Quick!"
"Oh, this looks delicious," Serena said, as Delia placed a small plate of toasted sandwiches on the table. Serena leaned forward in her seat, picked up one of the small, triangular servings and took a polite bite. She smiled at Delia and Ash's mother smiled back.
Delia pulled back a chair and sat down at the table.
"Yeah, all right," Ash said picking up a sandwich and eating half of it in one bite. He chewed then swallowed. "Tastes great!" he said enthusiastically.
Delia nodded in reply to Ash's complement. She then looked back at Serena. "So Serena, Ash said you're going to be competing in contests here in Kanto."
"Yes," Serena nodded. "I've finished with contests in Hoenn and I think Kanto will be a good fit for what I want to do next."
Ash grabbed another sandwich and handed it to Pikachu who was sitting on a chair next to Ash. "Serena won the championship in Hoenn," he spoke up. "She did really great."
Serena glanced at Ash, appreciating the complement, but feeling a little embarrassed. She was trying to put on the best appearance possible for Delia and didn't want to seem boastful.
"Hoenn champion," Delia said. Her voice carefully measured. "That's very impressive."
"Well, it took a lot of work," Serena said. "After all the showcases in Kalos, I had a lot of experience with performance. Pokémon contests were a little different, but everything worked out."
Delia smiled but didn't take her eyes off Serena. "That's a lot of accomplishments for someone so young. You're about the same age as my Ash, aren't you?"
"Uh, yes. I think so."
Delia looked over at Ash and then back at Serena. "So, what do you do besides Pokémon contests?"
Serena was starting to feel a little uncomfortable under Delia's unwavering stare. "I spend a lot of time taking care of my Pokémon. Sometimes I put on exhibitions just for fun. I like making people smile. I also like helping anyone who's interested in becoming a performer."
"Serena's also a great cook!" Ash added. "She competed in baking contests. She can cook all kinds of meals. She also makes Poké Puffs." Ash looked at Pikachu, "you remember her Poké Puffs right?"
Pikachu nodded happily and voiced his agreement.
"An excellent cook as well as a champion," Delia said. "You're quite the young lady."
Serena gave a small, appreciative smile and directed a brief, approving glance at Ash.
Ash smiled. "Serena also puts together Pokévision videos," he continued.
Delia looked intrigued. "What's a Pokévision video?"
Serena was about to answer, but Ash beat her to it.
"They're videos you put together to show off you and your Pokémon. Serena did a bunch while we were in Kalos."
Delia looked at Ash. "Really, that sounds fun."
Serena quickly inserted herself into the exchange. "Yes, but I haven't done any for a while. They're not really that popular outside of Kalos."
At hearing that, Ash looked disappointed. He then brightened and pulled out his Rotom phone. "I know, I could show you one," he said to his mom.
Serena felt a sudden sense of embarrassment and dread. She'd made most of those videos when she'd been much less mature and experienced. She now felt silly about some of them. "Ash, you don't have to. They're from so long ago."
Ash tapped at the phone. "Nah, it will just take a second." After a few moments, Ash turned his phone toward Delia so she could see the screen. "Here, this is the first video Serena made. It's really popular."
A knot instantly tightened inside Serena's stomach. She kept a calm exterior even though she wanted to shout at Ash to stop.
"Hey, Ash, why don't you show her the one I made with Sylveon. That one is much better," she suggested.
Ash glanced at Serena. "Sure, I'll show her that one next," he replied.
Serena felt horrified as she heard the video start playing for Delia. Ash's mom initially looked amused, then her eyes widened suddenly as the video kept playing.
"Oh! That's quite the…. outfit you're wearing Serena," Delia said, commenting on the revealing Fennekin costume Serena had worn when she'd filmed the first part of the video.
Serena felt her face get hot from embarrassment, and she hoped she wasn't blushing too much. She'd worn that outfit partially to get Ash's attention, back when she was insecure. She'd never expected it would come back to haunt her like this.
The video ended. Ash looked happy and Delia looked at Serena. "Well, it's certainly a memorable video," Delia said, choosing her words carefully.
Serena swallowed and put on a smile. "It's from a long time ago. I'd definitely change a few things if I made it today."
"Hmmmm," Delia looked at Ash. "It seems like Serena's a lot of fun to travel with."
Ash nodded. "Oh yeah, she's great. We always had a lot of fun in Kalos."
"And it's going to be just you two traveling around Kanto, all alone?" Delia said, watching Ash carefully.
Serena suddenly felt like she was floating in the open ocean with a Sharpedo circling her.
"I guess," Ash replied. "Goh and Chloe are off in Johto, so it's just us now."
Delia nodded. "Well, I'm sure you'll be fine," Delia turned to look directly at Serena. "You'll take care of my Ash, won't you?"
There was something about Delia's expression that made Serena start to sweat. "Oh, yes, a-absolutely," she replied; stuttering slightly from nervousness.
"Come on mom. We'll be fine," Ash said, slightly annoyed.
Delia smiled sweetly at Ash. "I'm sure you will. But a mom always has to make sure."
Serena was starting to think that coming to Kanto was a bad idea.
The conversation was interrupted by the sound of a siren, which quickly became louder until an ambulance drove by the house, heading further into Pallet Town.
Delia stood up from the table and looked out the front window, peering after the emergency vehicle. "We don't get many emergency calls out here," she said, a touch of concern in her voice.
"Well, whatever it is, I hope it's not serious," Serena said, her own tone softening.
Delia returned to the table and was about to ask another question when Ash suddenly perked up. "Hey, is that," he said under his breath.
Delia and Serena looked at Ash in puzzlement as he walked over to the window and looked outside. As he did so, they started to hear a faint bird-like cry coming from somewhere outside.
"What is that?" Serena said.
The cries quickly grew louder and suddenly a pair of bird Pokémon streaked by the window. The Pokémon were shrieking continuously, and Ash, Serena and Delia could clearly hear them as they started circling the house.
Ash looked happy. "It's Swellow and Talonflame," he said, dashing for the front door. He opened the door and stepped out on to the walkway.
The two Pokémon, upon seeing Ash, immediately altered their flight path and dove toward their trainer. They came in so fast they nearly crashed to the ground.
"Hey guys, good to see you again." Ash said, happy to see his Pokémon.
The Pokémon frantically squawked and flapped their wings. Ash's demeanor quickly became more serious when he saw his Pokémon were extremely distressed.
"What's wrong?" Ash said, puzzled and concerned.
Serena had moved so she was standing in the doorway, with Delia a step behind her. Pikachu bounded out of the door and moved so he was standing in front of Swellow and Talonflame.
"PIKA!-Pika!" the electric Pokémon said directly to the two flying types.
Swellow and Talonflame began squawking at Pikachu and gesturing with their wings. Several times they pointed toward Professor Oak's lab.
Pikachu suddenly looked horrified and said something back to the bird Pokémon. Talonflame nodded twice and Pikachu turned toward Ash; grabbing his pant leg and forcefully pulling on it while pointing toward Professor Oak's lab.
Ash stared at Pikachu. "What? You're saying we need to go?" Ash said, unsure what his Pokémon were trying to communicate.
All three of the Pokémon nodded in response.
With a forceful flap of their wings, Talonflame and Swellow took flight again, sending a rush of wind blowing against Ash and the others. The two bird Pokémon cried out, circled once and then started flying down the road in the direction of Professor Oak's lab.
Pikachu dashed to the end of the walkway, waved Ash to join him and then started running down the road, following the bird Pokémon.
Ash turned to look at Serena and Delia. "I think they want me to follow them," he said.
"I'll come along," Serena said immediately; taking a quick step toward Ash.
Ash hesitated a moment, then nodded. He turned and started running after Pikachu.
"Stay safe you two!" Delia called after them.
Within seconds, Ash was sprinting down the road with Serena a few paces behind him. Ash caught up to Pikachu and the three of them followed Swellow and Talonflame until they could clearly see Professor Oak's lab.
Ash's pace slowed for a moment when they saw the ambulance which had passed the house earlier was parked at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the lab. There were about a dozen people from town surrounding the ambulance.
Ash quickly resumed running, and soon they reached the edge of the crowd.
Pikachu hopped so he was in view of the ambulance, then stopped and looked extremely downcast and depressed.
Ash passed through the sparse crowd and started looking around for some sort of explanation for what was going on. He saw Tracey standing near the ambulance, looking up the stairway. Tracey kept gazing up the stairs and then paced back-and-forth, looking extremely anxious.
Serena walked up to Ash so she was right next to him. "Do you see what's going on?" she whispered to him.
"I don't know," Ash said, quietly.
Ash was about to walk toward Tracey when the other youth started backing away from the stairs. Ash looked up the stairs and saw two EMTs carrying a stretcher with a person on it down the steps. He couldn't see who it was and waited anxiously as the stretcher bearers reached the level ground. Tracey walked up to the stretcher and looked at the person. As the EMTs turned to move toward the ambulance Ash finally saw the face of who was on the stretcher.
"Professor Oak!" Ash shouted in dismay. He frantically dashed toward the stretcher.
Tracey heard Ash's shout and turned toward him.
"Ash, wait!" Tracey said, holding up an arm to block Ash from the stretcher.
Ash briefly pushed against Tracey, his gaze locked on the stretcher. He then turned toward Tracey. "What happened!? Tracey, what happened!?"
"Professor Oak fell, he's been unconscious."
Ash looked heartbroken. He moaned in anguish as the gravity of the situation hit him. "Is he okay Tracey?!"
Tracey looked uncertain and concerned. "We don't know yet. We have to get him to the hospital."
The EMTs finished loading the stretcher into the back of the ambulance. One of them headed to the driver's seat, the other turned to Tracey. "Tracey, we're ready. Are you riding with us?"
Tracey nodded at the EMT. "Yes, I'm coming." He turned back toward Ash. "I have to go Ash. I'll call you as soon as we know anything."
Tracey quickly climbed into the front cab of the ambulance. The second EMT climbed into the back of the ambulance and shut the doors. The driver quickly turned the ambulance around and began driving back through Pallet Town, siren wailing.
Ash simply stood in place, watching the Ambulance drive away. Serena tentatively walked up to him and placed her right hand on his left shoulder. She heard the subdued sounds of several Pokémon and looked behind her to see almost two dozen Pokémon either flying in or climbing down the stairs. She recognized Talonflame and Hawlucha, but the rest were unknown to her. They slowly gathered around Ash, all looking concerned.
The people who had gathered around the ambulance started to disperse and Serena looked over at Ash. What she saw made her start to tear up.
Ash looked completely drained of energy and emotion. His shoulders were slumped and the sparkle he always had in his eyes was gone.
Serena wasn't sure what to do. She'd never been in this sort of situation. She glanced around and decided the only thing to do was to take Ash back home. She shifted her right arm so it was across Ash's back and she gently took hold of his right shoulder. "Hey Ash," she whispered; making her voice as gentle and somber as she could. "Let's go back to your house."
Ash briefly glanced up at Serena, acknowledging her, then looked back down at the ground.
The move made Serena's throat tighten, and for a moment she leaned her head against Ash's shoulder, expressing as much sympathy as she could. She then slowly turned Ash toward the road leading back to his house and started walking with him, retracing their path.
All the Pokémon followed behind them. They were quiet for the most part, with only a few of them exchanging small chirps, grunts and calls with each other.
All while they walked Serena kept trying to think of something to say. Nothing seemed appropriate however, so she remained quiet; holding on to Ash and keeping close to him.
By the time they reached the house, Serena had moved her arm so she was only keeping a hand on Ash's left shoulder. She looked at the house and saw Delia watching them through the front window. Even from this distance she could see the concern on the woman's face.
Ash turned off the road and walked toward the front door of his house. Delia opened the door before he reached it. She stood to the side of the doorway, clearly anxious. She glanced between Ash and Serena, unsure who she should speak to.
"Did something happen?" Delia posed hesitantly; knowing full well something had happened. She merely hoped whatever had occurred wasn't horrible.
Ash stopped walking as he reached the doorway and thought for a moment. "It's Professor Oak," he mumbled, his voice gravelly. "He fell down and got hurt. They took him away in the ambulance."
Delia gasped softly. "Oh Ash," she said, her voice cracking as she pulled him into an embrace.
Delia hugged Ash for several long seconds and he returned the embrace. Serena watched, feeling helpless. Eventually, Delia pulled back a little from Ash and the young man sniffed back tears. She led Ash inside and sat him down on the couch in the living room. Serena followed them inside along with several of the Pokémon. Pikachu climbed up on the armrest next to Ash and lay down on his belly. The electric Pokémon looked very sad and its pointed ears drooped toward the floor.
Totodile climbed up on the couch with Ash and rested its snout on its trainer's lap. It croaked sadly, its tone matching everyone's mood.
Delia sat next to Ash for a moment, squeezing his right shoulder with a hand. She then stood up and glanced at Serena, giving her a tiny head-nod that she should sit next to Ash.
Serena was surprised. She moved and sat down next to Ash and Totodile. The next ten minutes were increasingly hard for Serena. She had no idea what to say or do. At times, she leaned against Ash to reassure him. Another time, she petted Totodile and squeezed Ash's shoulder. None of it seemed to help however.
Eventually, Ash spoke again; his voice distant and quiet. "He was just laying there on the stretcher. He didn't move."
Serena choked down a sob. This was worse than any other time she'd seen Ash upset. This wasn't a problem like a gym battle, or a contest, where it could be overcome with hard work, determination, and a good attitude. Professor Oak was hurt, and there was nothing any of them could do except wait for news.
Serena suddenly remembered one of the things she'd done when others had been stressed or upset. She leaned close to Ash and whispered to him. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
She stood up from the couch and walked into the kitchen. She found Delia there, leaning against one of the countertops; arms folded, looking sad.
"Mrs. Ketchum, is it okay if I use your kitchen?" Serena asked humbly.
Delia nodded. "Yes, of course."
Serena quickly set to work. She found all the ingredients to make a simple batch of sugar cookies and began mixing the dough together. It was something she'd done dozens of times and within a few minutes she placed the dough on a baking sheet and slid it into the oven. She set a timer and sighed, hoping this would help.
Serena stepped to the corner of the kitchen wall and peeked into the living room to check on Ash. He was still seated as before, and Serena turned back to the kitchen. She glanced at Delia and stepped so she was standing next to Ash's mother.
"I've never seen Ash like this," Serena said, her voice hushed so as not to be overheard. "He must really be close to Professor Oak?"
Delia nodded. "Yes, he is." She stared into space for a moment, considering her next words; she then looked at Serena and spoke in a hushed tone as well.
"Did Ash ever mention his father to you?" Delia asked.
The question caught Serena off guard. She thought for a moment and realized Ash had never mentioned a father at all during all of their time together. She hadn't thought anything of it at the time because she knew nothing of her own father and her mother had never elaborated or explained at all. Now, however, it seemed odd.
Serena shook her head. "No, he didn't."
Delia took a breath and her expression became a little wistful. "Shortly after Ash was born, his father set off on a Pokémon journey. I don't know what happened, but he never returned. I raised Ash on my own after that."
Serena gasped, and felt her heart ache for Ash. "That's terrible!"
Delia continued. "Even at a very young age, Ash was interested in Pokémon. He was always searching through the fields and the forests looking for them. Any time he could, he would sneak off to Professor Oak's lab, trying to get a peek of what went on there."
Delia sighed. "Professor Oak taught Ash a lot about Pokémon. He gave Ash Pikachu and always encouraged him during his journeys. He essentially became a father figure to Ash." Delia folded her hands and held them over her heart. She spoke again, her voice now tight with emotion. "That's why this is so hard for him."
Serena felt like she understood Ash a little better. Unfortunately this didn't help her find a way to cheer him up. She again peeked into the living room and checked on Ash. Nothing had changed and she paced back into the kitchen. She folded her arms and took a shuddering breath, trying to keep from crying.
"Are you okay?" Delia asked of Serena.
Serena looked over at Delia. "Yes," she said; her voice cracking. "It just hurts; seeing Ash so sad."
Delia stared at Serena for several seconds. "You care for him greatly, don't you?" she asked, pointblank.
Serena froze. During her time at Ash's house she hadn't been trying to conceal her feelings for Ash, but she hadn't wanted to advertise them to Delia. She didn't know how Ash's mother would react to her and she'd hoped to have time to let the woman get to know her better. None of that mattered now though. Delia had figured it out. Now, she could either try to dodge the question, or be honest. Serena decided to be honest, and hope the poor impressions from earlier hadn't done too much damage.
Serena took a breath and spoke. "Yes! Yes I do," she said. Feeling like her heart was in her throat.
For what seemed like an eternity Delia stared back at Serena. Then Delia smiled and placed a reassuring hand on Serena's shoulder. "I'm happy for you," she said encouragingly. "And for Ash. He always spoke very highly of you."
Serena gasped, as she'd been holding her breath. She felt relief flood through her. "Really…" she said, surprised at Delia's reaction.
"Mmm-hmmm," Delia nodded. She leaned closer to Serena. "If you want to help Ash, just be there for him. Be his friend. That will help more than anything."
Serena nodded slowly, still in shock that Delia had approved of her. "Thank you. I will."
The timer for the cookies dinged and Serena removed them from the oven and placed them on a plate. She then carried the plate into the living room and sat down next to Ash, offering him a cookie.
Ash took the treat and bit into it. His face seemed to brighten ever so slightly and he glanced at Serena.
Serena smiled back, sending as much encouragement his way as she could.
Ash grabbed two more cookies and offered one to Pikachu and the other to Totodile. Both Pokémon starting munching on the treats and their moods seemed to improve as well.
Serena shifted on the couch and moved closer to Ash. "So Ash, I didn't know you had a Totodile?" she said; her voice even yet friendly.
Ash looked a little surprised at the question and glanced down at Totodile. "Hmmm. Oh, yeah. Me and Totodile go way back."
Serena felt a burst of hope as she saw the tiniest twinkle of Ash's spirit return to him. "How did you catch it?" she asked.
At this, Ash giggled to himself and for a moment got a far-off look in his eyes as he remembered times long past.
"Actually, I don't know if I caught Totodile," Ash said, sounding amused.
Totodile laughed upon hearing this.
"Really," Serena said; now very curious.
Ash continued. "See, me and a friend I was traveling with both wanted to capture Totodile, so we threw our Pokéballs at him." Ash smiled, "One of us captured him, but we didn't know who."
"You're kidding," Serena said, immensely enjoying the story.
Ash shook his head. "So we decided to have a battle to decide who would keep Totodile. I won, and so Totodile has been my friend since then."
Ash ran his hand across the red spines on the Pokémon's back.
Serena smiled. "That's amazing." She also ran a hand over Totodile's spines.
Totodile glanced back at Serena and made a happy rasping sound.
Serena scooted so she was right next to Ash. "Tell me all about Totodile," She said to Ash.
For the next several hours Serena kept asking Ash about his various Pokémon. Everything from how and where he'd caught them to various battles they'd been in. Ash's mood steadily improved the more he talked with Serena. Eventually the two of them were outside, in the backyard, with Ash recalling stories about some of his larger Pokémon which hadn't come inside the house.
Time continued to pass and soon the sun was sinking toward the horizon. The sky and clouds started to turn orange and one-by-one most of Ash's Pokémon started the trek back to Professor Oak's lab. Eventually, only Unfezant remained, and after retelling the story of her battling against a trio of legendary elemental Pokémon, Ash bid her farewell and they watched her fly away.
Ash stared toward Professor Oak's lab, watching Unfezant shrink into the distance. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Thanks Serena," he said sincerely.
Serena was a little surprised. "Uh, for what?" she replied, puzzled.
Ash looked up at her with a barely perceptible smile on his face. "For being you," he said simply.
Serena felt her throat tighten with relief and happiness. She acknowledged Ash with a nod, as she was briefly unable to speak.
Ash turned back toward Professor Oak's lab and started to get a distant look in his eyes again.
Serena saw it and this time she knew what to do. She reached into a pocket in her skirt for Delphox's collapsed Pokéball. "Hey Ash!" she said boldly, tapping the Pokéball with her pointer finger so it became full-size. "Let's have a battle!"
Ash immediately brightened. He looked at Serena, instinctively smiling and reaching toward his belt where he kept his Pokéballs. Then something happened Serena didn't expect. Ash suddenly seemed to lose his enthusiasm. His smile disappeared and his face returned to normal. He looked toward the ground and reached a hand up to adjust the bill of his cap.
"Thanks Serena, I would but….." Ash turned and looked toward Professor Oak's lab again. "All the Pokémon at the lab. Someone needs to make sure they're okay."
Serena was very surprised at Ash's reaction. He never turned down a chance at a battle. "But I thought you said Ryan was there. Can't he take care of them?"
The situation at Professor Oak's lab had come up many times during their discussions. Ash had told Serena all about Tracey and the new lab assistant Ryan, who had joined the team just a few weeks earlier.
Ash shook his head. "It's too big of a job. Professor Oak and Tracey could barely handle all of the work. Ryan just started working there. I don't know if he's been there long enough to know everything."
Ash started walking toward the backdoor of his house. "I'm gonna go up there and help him out."
Serena was surprised even more and she followed after Ash. "Uh, but Ash, how do you know what to do? How can you help?"
Ash opened the backdoor and glanced over his shoulder, giving Serena an ironic smile. "See, way back before I started my journey, I was always hanging around Professor Oak's lab. One day he said 'young man, if you're going to spend your day here, you might as well learn something.'" Ash laughed at the memory. "After that he showed me a bunch of the Pokémon there and how they took care of them."
Ash walked through the house toward the front door. Delia spotted him and moved to ask where he was going.
Ash saw her and spoke first. "Hey mom, I'm going up to Professor Oak's lab. I'm gonna help out Ryan with the Pokémon."
Delia stopped and sent him a sympathetic look. "All right, stay safe," she said.
Ash continued out the front door with Pikachu and Serena following. He looked at the sky and suddenly stopped in his tracks; turning toward Serena.
"Serena! I forgot about your contests!"
Serena hesitated a moment, she'd completely forgotten about her contests too. They were the last thing on her mind right now.
Ash sighed and looked deflated. "I'm sorry. It's too late to make it anywhere now."
Serena shook her head, trying to dismiss any guilt Ash felt. "No, it's fine. I want to help you out here."
Ash looked surprised and humbled. "But…" he began.
Serena held up a hand to stop Ash. "My contests can wait a day. This is important."
It took a moment for Ash to respond. He smiled appreciatively and nodded. He then turned toward Professor Oak's lab and started jogging down the road. Serena and Pikachu followed behind him.
After a few minutes, the three of them reached the stairs leading to the lab and climbed toward the large building at the top of the hill. As they came into sight of the lab, Ash slowed his pace and walked toward the front door. He glanced around and saw the door was slightly ajar. Ash continued forward and pushed the door open. "Hello! Ryan?" Ash called out, stepping inside the lab.
Pikachu hopped forward so he was at Ash's feet and Serena closed the door once she was inside.
The lab looked like it normally did and Ash started walking down one of the halls. They suddenly heard someone running and saw Ryan dash through an adjacent room, carrying a Caterpie and Wurmple in his arms. He looked disheveled and frantic. He spotted Ash and skidded to a stop.
"Ash," Ryan began, sounding apologetic and overwhelmed. "I haven't heard anything about the Professor. Sorry, I don't have time to chat."
Ash dismissed Ryan's apology with a wave. "No, that's okay; we're here to help out with the Pokémon."
Ryan relaxed a little but still looked out of sorts. "Well, thanks for the offer, but I don't have time to show you how to do things."
Ash smiled. "That's okay. I know my way around."
Ryan looked a little confused.
"Have you put the water Pokémon to bed yet?" Ash asked.
"Uh, no," Ryan answered.
"Great, we'll go there first." Ash turned to Serena. "Wanna help with the water Pokémon?" he asked enthusiastically.
Serena smiled, eager to help. "Of course!"
Ash started running through the lab toward the enclosure for the water Pokémon with Serena and Pikachu following. They left a still confused Ryan standing in the lab.
The next few hours were a whirlwind of activity. Ash moved from one section of the lab to another, taking care of the Pokémon and making sure they had everything needed. Serena saw dozens of Pokémon she'd never encountered before. She enjoyed every chance Ash offered her to feed, pet, brush, and wash the different Pokémon. She got to meet Ash's Bulbasaur and learned how it was something of a diplomat; keeping the peace between the different Pokémon at the lab.
Ash kept working continuously, not stopping to rest. They ran into Ryan a few times and the assistant was more than grateful for all the help. Eventually, Serena helped Ash get the final ground type Pokémon settled and they were finished. They met Ryan at the front door of the lab. All of them were tired but satisfied that the job was done.
"I really can't thank you enough," Ryan said, bowing in thanks to Ash and Serena.
"Aw, it's no problem," Ash said dismissively. "It's the least I can do for Professor Oak."
Ryan smiled and yawned. "I'm exhausted. At least I'll be able to sleep tonight. Thanks again!"
Ash, Serena and Pikachu all waved goodbye and Ryan shut the door to the lab.
Ash took a few steps away from the door and looked up at the night sky. "Wow, it sure is late," he remarked.
Serena stepped toward him. She was feeling a lot of admiration for Ash after watching him work so hard to take care of Professor Oak's lab. The events of the day had made her feel much closer to him, and now seeing him in the soft light of the moon made her blush slightly.
Pikachu's ears perked up and he glanced at Serena. He then called out to Ash and made a few gestures, pointing at the lab.
Ash looked at Pikachu, a little puzzled at what his friend was communicating.
Pikachu made a few more motions and held up a hand to shield his eyes as if he was on lookout.
"Oh, you want to stay here and keep an eye on things," Ash said, finally understanding.
Pikachu nodded and smiled.
Ash gave a half-smile and crossed his arms. "Well, I guess that's not a bad idea. I'm sure Bulbasaur would like some help."
Ash gave Pikachu a head rub and the Pokémon voiced appreciation. "I'll see you tomorrow buddy," Ash said.
With that, Ash turned and started walking toward the stairway. Serena was about to follow when she heard Pikachu softly call out. She looked back and saw the Pokémon give her a surreptitious smile, followed by a wink.
Serena's breath briefly caught in her throat as she realized the opportunity Pikachu was offering her. She flashed an appreciative smile and nodded at the Pokémon. She then took a few quick steps and caught up to Ash.
They descended the stairs at a much more pedestrian pace than when they'd arrived. Both of them were tired and there was no urgency to their movements. They started walking on the dirt road, now completely alone. Pallet Town was fully asleep. Most of the houses were dark and there was no movement anywhere.
They walked in silence for awhile. The only sound was the quiet crunching of their shoes on the dirt path.
Ash finally sighed and broke the silence. "I sure am sorry about today Serena," he said apologetically.
Serena looked to her left at Ash, "What do you mean?" she said, not understanding.
Ash's head inclined downward slightly, as he felt guilty. "I'd hoped that we could see Pallet Town and get to Viridian City today. After that, I thought we could go through the tunnel to Goldenrod City and spend a day there before going around to some of the contest halls." Ash sighed again. "It sure didn't work out."
Serena felt a spike of guilt herself. Ash was feeling like he'd broken his promise to show her around Kanto.
"Ash, everything we did today was way more important than contests," she said gently.
Ash was silent for a moment. "Yeah, I guess. I just don't want you wasting your time."
Serena paused, carefully considering her words. She then took two steps to her left so she was right next to Ash. She spoke softly, "it's like you said. Nothing we do is a waste of time."
Ash looked over at her.
Serena smiled and continued, "plus, whenever I'm with you, I consider that time well spent."
Ash smiled and blushed slightly. He didn't reply however, and turned his head to look forward again.
They walked for a few more paces. Then, during one of their strides, the back of Ash's right hand brushed against the back of Serena's left. As if moving of their own volition, their hands glided together and gently clasped. Both of them were mildly surprised and they quickly glanced at each other. Ash looked apprehensive, but Serena smiled happily and gave a quiet giggle. Upon seeing this, Ash relaxed and smiled as well. They held each other's gaze for several long seconds, then looked forward again.
They continued walking toward Ash's house in silence, holding hands and enjoying the moment.
Morning came as it always did for Pallet Town. The sky slowly lightened, rolling from a dim violet, to a brilliant blue. The sun rose, and somewhere in town, a Dodrio cried out, announcing the start of a new day.
Inside the Ketchum house, three people slept soundly; Delia in her room, Ash upstairs in his room, and Serena downstairs on the living room couch. It was Serena who woke first. She spent a minute taming her hair and then rose from the couch to see if anyone else was up. She refrained from putting on her boots as she didn't want to make too much noise walking around. Thus, she silently padded around the ground floor of the Ketchum house barefoot, finding that she was the first one awake.
Serena considered waiting for the others to rise but ultimately made her way to the kitchen and quietly began preparing breakfast. She figured Delia wouldn't mind. Ash's mom had exceeded all of her wildest dreams for so quickly accepting and approving of her.
After about fifteen minutes, Serena heard someone quietly descending the stairs and looked over her shoulder to see Delia step into view.
Delia observed Serena for a moment and then walked into the kitchen, with a subtle smile on her face. "So, you decided to cook breakfast," she said in a hushed voice.
Serena nodded. "Yes, I hope you don't mind," she replied, also in a hushed voice.
Delia gave an amused laugh. "Mind! Serena, you're the guest here. I should be the one cooking for you."
Serena laughed to herself and smiled at Delia, happy that the early missteps of yesterday hadn't derailed a friendship with Ash's mother.
Delia had retired to bed before Ash and Serena had returned the previous night, so the two of them spent a minute catching up on what had happened after she and Ash had left for Professor Oak's lab. Serena left out the part about her and Ash holding hands on the way home and a very awkward moment when they'd wished each other goodnight.
Another few minutes passed and Serena was nearly finished preparing the meal.
Delia looked toward the stairs with a resigned expression. "Well, I guess I'll wake Ash up," she said.
"Oh really," Serena replied, somewhat surprised by the comment. When she'd traveled with Ash, he'd always been an early riser.
"Mmmm-hmmm. If Ash isn't on an adventure, he's always oversleeping." Delia started walking toward the stairway.
As if to prove his mother wrong, there was suddenly the sound of footfalls from upstairs and Ash came energetically bounding down the stairs.
"Hi mom," he said, dashing past her. He spotted Serena in the kitchen and immediately headed toward her. "Good morning Serena!" he said, his tone noticeably happier.
Serena turned toward Ash and beamed with a joyful expression. "Good morning Ash!" she said sweetly.
Delia looked on with a mildly shocked expression on her face.
Ash stepped up beside Serena. "Wow, this looks really great," he said eagerly.
"Thanks!" Serena answered. "It's nearly done."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
Serena considered for a moment. "Actually, yes. Do you know where any small bowls are?"
Ash nodded, smiled and moved to a cabinet. "Yeah, I think they're in here."
Ash retrieved the bowls and Serena happily took them. The two of them exchanged a mutual smile and Ash started asking Serena if she'd been able to sleep okay on the couch.
Delia suddenly felt a powerful mix of surprise, joy, pride and sadness that her little boy was growing up. The feelings brought a tear to her eye and she smiled happily. Without making a sound, she carefully backed out of the kitchen and moved into the next room, not wanting to intrude on the fledgling relationship.
Serena's skill at cooking had only improved during her time in Hoenn, much to Ash and Delia's approval. They shared a pleasant meal and talked a bit about what Delia had been doing to keep up the household. Eventually, the conversation turned toward Professor Oak.
Delia asked if there had been any news and Ash unhappily reported there was none. The mood threatened to turn negative, but Serena quickly suggested that she and Ash could finally give their Pokémon a chance to meet each other.
Ash agreed, and soon Delphox, Pancham, Sylveon, Lucario, Dragonite, Gengar, Dracovish, and Sirfetch'd were all exchanging pleasantries in the backyard of the property. All of Ash's Pokémon took an immediate liking to Serena and before long were lining up so she could brush and tend to them. Even Gengar, who normally played dastardly pranks on new acquaintances, limited its antics to disappearing when Serena tried to brush it and then reappearing a moment later, laughing hysterically.
A couple of hours passed quickly and Ash began telling tales of what he'd done with his current team of Pokémon. Everyone was enraptured with the stories when Delia suddenly burst out of the backdoor.
"Ash, Tracey called. He's got news about Professor Oak!"
Ash dashed from the backyard to the house's phone in just a few seconds. Tracey was on the screen, looking like he hadn't slept, but he seemed to be in good spirits.
"Tracey, how's Professor Oak?!" Ash asked quickly, without pretense.
Tracey smiled. "Professor Oak is doing okay. He got a little bruised and hit his head, but he's awake and feeling fairly well."
It took a second for Ash to process the news. When he did, he let out a huge sigh and had to brace himself against the table the phone was sitting on as he felt weak in the knees from relief.
"That's such good news," Ash managed; his throat tight from emotion.
Tracey nodded. "Yes. It looks like everything is going to be okay."
Ash didn't say anything for a few seconds as he was still taking in what Tracey had said.
Serena and Delia came running up, along with Lucario. Gengar floated through a wall and hovered behind Ash. All of them looked anxious and wanted to know about Professor Oak.
Ash glanced around at all of them and smiled. "Professor Oak is going to be okay," he said, some of his relief beginning to translate into happiness.
All of them reacted differently. Delia suddenly gasped. She smiled, and started to sob at the same time; tears flowing freely from her eyes. She'd been keeping all of her emotions suppressed for Ash's sake, and now that they knew Professor Oak was okay, her feelings were bursting out of her.
Serena shouted in joy and clasped her hands together over her heart.
Lucario gave a loud howl of victory, which was echoed by the Pokémon outside as they rejoiced along with the aura Pokémon.
Gengar grinned, laughed and delivered a friendly slap to Ash's back so hard it drove his trainer to the floor. The shadow Pokémon froze at the sight and then continued laughing, even harder than before.
Serena was incensed. "GENGAR! Is that any way to treat Ash!" She shouted.
Gengar suddenly looked mortified at the forceful scorn directed toward it by Serena.
Ash grabbed hold of the tabletop and pulled himself up. "Nah, it's okay," he groaned, clearly still feeling the impact of being slammed to the floor. "Gengar and I have a unique partnership."
Gengar grinned again, trying to brush off the scorn. Serena however, kept a withering stare on the ghost Pokémon. Gengar glanced back and forth between Ash and Serena before finally grinning and patting Ash on the shoulder in a show of remorse. Ash appreciated the gesture and Gengar glanced back at Serena. She smiled and nodded in approval.
Tracey had been watching the events with an amused expression. Now that Ash was back on his feet, he spoke again.
"Hey Ash, Professor Oak is wanting to talk with you. It sounds pretty important."
"Oh, really!" Ash said, surprised. He was thrilled at the chance to talk with Professor Oak and see first-hand how he was doing.
Tracey nodded. "Any time you can come by would be great. We'll be here."
Ash looked at his mom and she nodded. "Yeah, sure. We'll be there soon."
Within a minute of the call concluding, Ash was running out the door, heading to Professor Oak's lab to retrieve Pikachu. While he was gone, Delia contacted a few friends, trying to find someone who could drive them to the hospital in Viridian City where Professor Oak was. Unfortunately, everyone she called was busy or unavailable.
When Ash arrived back at the house, Delia still hadn't found any sort of transportation for them. Ash, unable to wait, decided to head to Viridian City on foot; thinking that it would be better to arrive later in the day, than potentially not at all.
Delia, knowing better than to argue with Ash over this, agreed with him. However, she said that she wouldn't be accompanying him. Serena, on the other hand, did want to follow Ash, and after eating a quick lunch, they set out for Viridian City at a steady jog.
A few miles from Pallet Town, Ash asked Serena if the pace they were setting was too fast for her. Serena laughed and said after all the running they did in Kalos she could keep up with anything Ash could manage. Ash took the comment as something of a challenge and started running faster. Serena kept up without issue and soon the two of them were speeding toward Viridian City at full tilt, each wanting to see if the other would tire out first.
They only stopped twice during their trip. Once, when Ash wanted to check on Pikachu, and another time when Serena suggested they refill their water thermoses at a stream.
The sun was just starting to sink toward the horizon when they finally came in sight of their destination.
Ash stopped at the city limits, breathing hard and taking a moment to gather himself. Serena came up beside him, also gasping for breath. The two of them looked at each other, feeling mutual respect for having completed the tiring journey.
"Well Ash….." Serena said between gasps of air. "We made it to Viridian City…. just like you wanted…."
Ash nodded. He reached to his left and clapped a hand on Serena's shoulder as a show of friendship and appreciation. Serena mirrored the move and put her right hand on Ash's shoulder. The two friends started to lean against each other as a playful gesture, but they nearly fell over as both of them were exhausted and their legs were wobbly. They laughed and started walking toward the city at a much slower pace than before.
It didn't take them long to locate the hospital. Just as the sky was starting to shift from blue to soft gold, they passed through the automatic doors of the medical building.
They queried the receptionist at the front desk and discovered that Professor Oak had already told them to send Ash up as soon as he arrived. Extremely pleased, Ash, Serena and Pikachu all boarded an elevator and rode it up to the floor where Professor Oak was. From there, they walked down a couple of corridors and finally arrived at the hospital room.
The room was like all the others in the hospital. It was brightly lit and had a pair of windows through which one could see the center of Viridian City. Tracey was sitting in a chair, dozing, and Professor Oak was propped up in a hospital bed. His left arm was in a sling and he had a bandage wrapped around his head. He was holding a book in his right hand, reading it, and looked up as the trio came into view.
Ash took a couple quick steps up to the side of the bed. "Professor Oak!" he exclaimed happily.
The older man put the book down. "Ash, it's good to see you. It seems I took a little tumble."
Ash laughed and rubbed at his eyes to keep from crying. "I'm glad you're okay."
The Professor nodded. "I'm feeling pretty good, all things considered. Just a little worse for wear," he said, indicating his left arm. He gestured toward Tracey. "Tracey has been an immense help. He's barely left my side."
At that, Tracey started to fall out of his chair, having dozed off. He woke abruptly and jerked back to a sitting position, rubbing at his eyes. "Oh Ash, I'm glad you made it," he said, stifling a yawn.
Professor Oak looked at Serena for a long moment and then spoke. "I'm sorry, miss. I'm afraid I don't know who you are. Are you one of Ash's friends?"
"Oh," Serena began, turning to the Professor. It seemed her new appearance was throwing off a lot of people. "I'm Serena. I'm Ash's g-" Serena stopped herself from saying 'girlfriend.' She and Ash had shared several friendly exchanges, and close moments over the last couple of days, but she still didn't really know how Ash felt deep down. "-friend from Kalos," she finished her sentence.
All of them exchanged some pleasantries, and Ash asked Professor Oak several questions about how he was feeling. Eventually, the Professor took on a more serious demeanor.
"Ash, I believe Tracey told you that I wanted to speak with you about an important matter."
Ash nodded. "Yeah he did."
Professor Oak nodded and was silent for a moment. "This isn't the way I'd hoped to have this conversation, but when life throws you a curve ball, you have to go with it."
Ash looked curious, but said nothing.
Professor Oak smiled wryly. "Basically, Ash, I'm not as young as I used to be." He pointed at his grey hair, "in case you hadn't noticed."
Ash laughed at the joke.
The Professor continued. "You see Ash, it's been getting harder and harder for me to keep up with all the lab work, and take care of all the Pokémon there. That's why I hired Ryan, and I've been asking more and more of Tracey lately." Professor Oak sighed wistfully. "I've know this for a while now, but it's come time for me to step away from the lab."
Ash looked shocked and gasped in disbelief. "What! But- but you're Professor Oak! That's what you've done your whole life!"
Professor Oak nodded. "Yes it is. I'm not planning to stop my research. I'm just going to scale it back a little." The Professor hesitated a moment and then continued. "I've also decided that I'm going to move to Alola so I can work with my cousin Samson. Also, the island climate there will be good for me."
Ash's expression of shock and dismay slowly faded and his face became emotionless. Serena started to feel a little concerned but then Ash took a breath and smiled.
"Well, I guess I'll have to visit you in Alola," he said, bravely setting aside the pain he felt at Professor Oak leaving Pallet Town.
Professor Oak nodded approvingly, glad to see Ash acting so mature. "So, there's just the matter of who's going to take care of my lab and all the Pokémon there."
Professor Oak took a long look at Ash and then continued. "You see Ash, I can't entrust all the Pokémon at my lab to just anyone. I've thought long and hard about who should take on this task. It's not an easy job, and it requires a lot of knowledge and skill. I've been considering you for a while, but after our little conversation the other night, I decided that I want to offer you this opportunity. I want you to watch over all the Pokémon at my lab."
Ash was completely speechless and stood, mouth agape, trying to think of words to say. "That's- but- me?-" he sputtered.
Professor Oak nodded in a serious manner. "Yes Ash, you. You're exactly the kind of person I'm looking for."
Ash started to regain some composure. "But- but I'm just a Pokémon trainer!"
"Yes, the world's greatest Pokémon trainer I believe, if one turns on the news. It's been your goal to learn all you can about Pokémon. How to train them; how to raise them; care for them; keep them healthy. All the skills I'm looking for."
Ash struggled to put words to his thoughts. "I- Professor, thanks- but- all those Pokémon- there's got to be better people than me- someone with more experience."
"There are people with more experience Ash," Professor Oak said flatly. "But you have the one thing that makes you the perfect person for the job."
Ash looked puzzled.
Professor Oak smiled. "You love Pokémon Ash. You love taking care of them, teaching them and playing with them. You always have. That's the most important thing for this job. It's tough at times, and if you don't love what you're doing, it can be too much to handle."
Ash had nothing to say.
Professor Oak looked somber. "I'm sorry to surprise you with all this Ash, I really am. Please take some time to think about all this. I don't want to pressure you."
It took Ash a moment to sort through his thoughts. He swallowed the lump in his throat and smiled at Professor Oak. "Thanks Professor. I'll definitely think about it."
Professor Oak bid them all farewell and Ash, Serena, Tracey and Pikachu filed out of the room and gathered in the hallway.
"Wow, I never would have expected this," Ash said quietly.
Tracey smiled encouragingly at Ash. "I think it's a really good move. You'll be perfect for taking care of all the Pokémon."
Ash finally started to smile. "Yeah, it will be like a big new adventure. Between you, me and Ryan, I think we can handle it."
Tracey suddenly looked apologetic. "Well, actually Ash, I'm going to be moving to Alola with Professor Oak. I want to continue learning from him and helping him out, especially now, after his fall." Tracey's expression then became somewhat sheepish. "Also, I talked with Ryan, and after last night, he's decided that working at the lab isn't for him. He's going to be getting a new job."
Ash suddenly looked dismayed and concerned. "Wait! So it's going to be just me!?"
Tracey shifted his expression to one of confidence. "Don't worry Ash. The Professor wouldn't have offered you the job if he wasn't sure you could do it."
The positive words didn't change Ash's look of dismay.
Tracey suddenly yawned and looked like he could fall asleep standing up. "I'm going to go to the Pokémon center and sleep. I've been awake for two days." He gave Ash an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry, you'll do great."
Ash watched Tracey go, and soon it was just him, Serena and Pikachu standing in the hallway. Orange light from the setting sun was pouring in through the windows, and Ash started walking around the hospital floor, trying to wrap his mind around the task that had been offered to him.
Serena trailed just a step behind him and made sure he knew she was there for him in any way possible.
Eventually, Ash rode the elevator down to the ground floor and walked so he was standing in front of a large windowed wall. He looked out at the sky as it turned all sorts of brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow.
Ash stood there for almost fifteen minutes, standing like a statue. Serena sensed that Ash needed to get moving and stepped to his left side, leaning in close.
"Hey Ash," she said softly. "Let's get some fresh air." She then moved her right hand and wrapped her index finger around Ash left index finger in an affectionate little hold. With small shift of her weight, she gently pulled Ash toward the door. Ash reacted with a small smile and allowed her to guide him outside.
Serena led Ash a short way from the hospital entrance, to a small recreational garden where patients could come to relax and enjoy peace and quiet. There was no one here, and Serena noticed that Pikachu had conveniently disappeared again. She made a mental note to fix the electric Pokémon some Poké Puffs when they got back to Pallet Town.
There were several benches nearby, but both of them chose to remain standing. The sun was almost to the horizon and long shadows were stretching everywhere.
Serena let go of Ash and turned to face him. "So, what are you thinking?" she said matter-of-factly.
Ash looked at her and looked toward the horizon. "I think this is a really big job," he said slowly.
Serena gave a small smile. "Do you want to do it?" she asked, keeping her voice supportive but not wanting to push Ash in any direction.
Ash looked back at her. "Yes," he said, his voice containing more energy than before. "I think this would be awesome. There's so much I could do and learn. There's also tons of people I can teach; new trainers I could give Pokémon to and summer camps with kids wanting to learn. These are all the things you and Leon were talking about. I'd be able to help lots of other people."
Serena smiled more fully; however, she could tell Ash was still hesitant about the job. "But you still have some doubts?" she said, keeping her voice even.
Ash sighed and looked a little deflated. He was silent for a long moment. "I just don't know if I can do the job."
The smile on Serena's face faded and she looked more sympathetic. "Everyone seems to think you can."
"Hmmmm," Ash sighed. "It's a lot of responsibility Serena. Professor Oak and Tracey could barely do all the work. It's going to be just me. I really don't know if I can fill Professor Oak's shoes."
"Well, you're just going to be taking care of the Pokémon right? You won't have to do all the lab work," Serena replied.
Ash nodded, but still looked downcast.
Serena watched Ash for a few seconds then leaned toward him so she was only a few inches from his face. "I think you can do it Ash!" she whispered. "You're so amazing with Pokémon, and you're such a hard worker."
Ash smiled appreciatively. "Thanks Serena. But I can't just start this and not be sure. There are so many Pokémon there, and they'd all be counting on me. I can't risk letting them down."
Ash still looked dejected; his gaze kept drifting toward the ground. Serena thought quickly. An idea immediately popped into her head but she hesitated. It was a bold and risky idea. It meant a big change for her current plans in life and also required her to take a big leap of faith regarding her friendship with Ash. It made her feel queasy from nervousness, but she steeled herself and opened her mouth to speak.
"Hey Ash," Serena said softly. She paused a moment, feeling as if she was standing at the edge of a cliff. "What if you weren't alone?"
Ash looked up at Serena. "What do you mean?" he said, sounding curious.
It was hard for Serena to speak. The nerves she felt made her have to force the words out. "I mean, what if I stayed here and helped you out."
Ash blinked twice and looked surprised. "Stayed here," he repeated.
Serena nodded. "Yes, I could stay here and help you take care of the Pokémon; just like we did last night."
Ash gasped and looked shocked. "But- For how long?" he said.
Serena closed her eyes and felt her burning desire to perform in contests, showcases and eventually become Kalos Queen. It was the dream she'd been pursuing for a while now. But some things were more important than others. She opened her eyes and looked straight at Ash. "For as long as it takes!" she said with all the determination she possessed.
Ash's shock only increased and he looked dismayed now as well. "What! But Serena- your contests! You can't stay here!"
Serena smiled, "You've helped me on my journey more than I could ever say. When we were in Kalos, you put your goals on hold for me. It's only right that I do the same for you."
Ash looked upset. He felt terrible at the thought of Serena quitting on her goals. "But it's what you've wanted; contests and Kalos Queen. It's your dream."
Serena gently nodded. "Yes, but I can do all that any time I want to. You need me here, now."
"But, it's your dream!" Ash continued. "You can't give up on your dream!"
Serena knew what she needed to say. However, it required her to jump blindly off the emotional cliff she was standing on, not knowing how Ash would react. She breathed in deeply and took the plunge.
"I'm not giving up on my dream Ash. I'm just pursuing a different one," she said softly.
Ash looked puzzled. "What do you mean? What dream?"
Serena held her breath for a long moment and then spoke again. "You." she said simply.
Ash stared back and gave no reaction for several seconds. Then Serena saw his eyes widen slightly in realization and understanding. He looked down at the ground and used the bill of his cap to hide his eyes from Serena. She could see him begin to blush and a small smile spread across his face. He chuckled to himself and slowly shook his head in an amused fashion.
Ash looked up at Serena and all the negative emotion from before was now gone. He appeared much like she always remembered him; happy, energetic and determined. "So, that's how it is, huh?" he said to Serena.
Serena nodded. "Yes," she answered breathlessly.
Ash looked down again, this time in contemplation. He adjusted the bill of his cap and grinned. "Well, I guess we'll do this together then." He looked up at Serena and held out his right hand to her.
Serena felt relief course through her. She smiled and laughed. "Together!" she said enthusiastically, grabbing hold of Ash's outstretched hand with her right.
Ash laughed and shifted his hold on Serena's hand so their thumbs were interlaced and their grip solid. Serena added to this by bringing her left hand up and clapping it on to the handshake. Ash followed suit and added his left hand to the union. They each looked at each other intensely. Both of them realizing there were about to be big changes in their lives, but they were determined to overcome whatever came their way.
Eventually, they unclasped their hands and turned to look at the sunset. They shared a quick glance at each other and smiled. No more words needed to be said. They simply enjoyed the moment, feeling excitement for what the future held.