Most of the flying Pokémon inside the aviary had settled into their roosts when Serena reached the top rung of the ladder protruding through the floor of the structure. She grunted in effort and lugged a large canister of water up through the opening. She set the canister on the floorboards, stepped off the ladder onto the floor, and took a moment to catch her breath.
A few nearby Pidgey cooed a greeting and Serena smiled at them in response. She then grabbed the canister with both hands, hauled it to the water reservoir inside the structure and lifted it up to the fill neck. It took a minute for the water to gurgle out of the canister, partially filling the large reservoir. Serena's arms were shaking from exertion by the time the canister was empty and she lowered the empty container to the floor with a sigh of relief. She was glad that it only took one of these large water canisters to supply the aviary.
She walked back to the ladder and descended to the ground, with the empty canister in hand. She then walked over to the nearby supply shed, set the water canister underneath a small water spigot and turned on the water; beginning the process of refilling the canister.
While the water splashed into the empty canister she took a moment to admire the beautiful red-orange sunset. The glow of the sun was framed perfectly by a smattering of crimson colored clouds and a slowly darkening deep-blue sky. The day was coming to an end and Serena felt a sense of accomplishment, like she did most evenings.
'Another day taking care of the Pokémon; another day improving the reserve,' she thought. She glanced across the open field to the main building where Ash was carrying a duffle bag full of supplies inside. 'Another day spent with Ash,' she smiled happily. She waited a minute until the canister was filled to the top, then shut off the water and started lugging the container toward the third aviary building.
The aviaries had been built many years ago by Professor Oak. There were three in total, and they housed most of the small and medium sized flying Pokémon. The structures were built on top of stilts so they were more easily accessible to Pokémon in flight. When Ash had taken over, he'd started refurbishing the buildings and putting in improvements. The most recent upgrade was a water supply inside the structures, which the Pokémon could use for drinking and bathing. Ash planned to install a direct water feed into the aviaries, but for now, they had to manually fill the water tank inside each structure. Serena had offered to do the job, not fully realizing just how heavy the canisters of water were.
With some effort, Serena climbed the ladder of the final aviary and hauled the canister inside. She repeated the process of filling the reservoir and lowered the now empty canister to the floor, glad the task was done. She flexed her hands and arms, working out some of the tension in her muscles from exertion. She doubted she could have done this task when she and Ash had started working on the reserve. The physical labor had made every aspect of her body stronger and more fit. Serena appreciated this, not only because it made it easier for her to work, but it also made her Pokémon performances more dynamic.
Several months after she and Ash had taken over the reserve, things had slowed down enough that Serena started to think about performances and competitions again. She'd worked on a few sequences with her Pokémon, and found that, thanks to her new athleticism, her movements were much faster and more agile than in times past.
She'd considered participating in a contest somewhere in Kanto, but it hadn't been at the forefront of her mind. That all changed when Ash saw her practicing one day. He immediately began urging her to start competing again and pursue her dream of contests. Serena appreciated the support, but she was taking it slow. There was still a lot of work on the reserve that needed to be done.
Ash had talked her into participating in a small exhibition taking place, tomorrow, in Pewter City, but after that she had no plans.
With her tasks finished for the day, Serena stowed the empty water canister in the storage shed and headed for the main building. As she approached the structure, the back door opened and Ash walked outside. Serena smiled and greeted him.
"Hey Ash, I'm all done for the day," she said happily.
"Great, I'm almost done too," Ash replied. He thought for a moment and then continued. "Hey, were you still wanting to practice your contest performance tonight?"
Serena paused before she answered. At the start of the day she'd mentioned to Ash that she might go over her performance one last time before the event tomorrow. Ash, of course, had been nudging her all day to put on the show. He wanted to see her perform and pursue her dream. Right now, however, she felt fairly tired and would have rather just rested the remainder of the evening. Looking at Ash's enthusiastic expression though, she knew she couldn't disappoint him.
"Yeah, sure," Serena answered. "Why don't I go fix dinner and you can finish working and get the stage set up?"
Ash smiled happily, "no problem. I'll have everything ready."
Serena made a happy sound and turned to head inside the building. She felt much more energetic than just a moment before. Making Ash happy always put an extra spring in her step.
Ash watched Serena walk inside, feeling pleased at how things were going. The reserve was in good shape; the Pokémon were healthy and happy; Serena was starting to work on her contests again and the two of them were great friends. Ash turned and started to walk toward the aviaries.
About the only real issue was that Serena was currently doing a few tasks on the reserve incorrectly. It wasn't her fault. Over the months, after he had told her what to do, Serena had occasionally either misunderstood or forgotten some part of the task. None of the jobs were critical. One involved making sure all of a certain weed was cleared out of the grass Pokémon area. Another was keeping a small supply of iron chunks near where the Aron lived.
The latest oversight, however, was the amount of water to supply the aviaries with. When Serena had offered to do the job, Ash had told her to put three containers worth of water into the aviary. Serena had interpreted this as three containers in total and had been delivering one canister of water to each structure. In actuality, each building needed three containers of water, however, Ash hadn't told Serena about the misunderstanding. He'd simply been hauling the water himself after Serena was finished for the day. He didn't mind, but he did figure that one day he should mention it to her. He just hadn't gotten to it yet.
Ash retrieved the water canister and started the process of filling it. He looked toward the main building where he could see the lights were on inside. Serena was no doubt already working on another delicious meal. He truly appreciated Serena and didn't want to discourage her by pointing out that she was doing some of her jobs incorrectly.
Serena finished preparing dinner in around half an hour. During that time, Ash finished carrying the water to the aviaries and set up the makeshift stage for Serena's performance.
The stage was very simple. It was just a dozen sheets of plywood laid out on the ground, which gave Serena and her Pokémon a smooth surface to perform on. The boards were far from pristine however. Several of them were scorched and charred from mishaps. During one performance, Delphox's fire move had gotten a little out of control and had set half the stage on fire. Ash still smiled when he remembered Serena frantically waving her arms amidst the blaze and calling for Ash's water Pokémon to put out the fire.
Ash went inside the main building and he and Serena enjoyed a meal together while Pikachu and Serena's Pokémon ate as well. They discussed some of the events of the day and then Serena excused herself to get ready for the performance. Ash and several of his Pokémon gathered around the stage to watch the rehearsal. They all sat on the ground, waiting for Serena to arrive.
After a few minutes, Serena stepped outside. For the most part, she was still wearing her standard outfit. She'd ditched the red vest and tied a knot in her t-shirt at her stomach to keep the clothing from moving while she was doing her acrobatics. She also had traded out her dirty work shoes for the lighter red ones she usually wore, and had put on a pair of white gloves to protect her hands. Delphox, Sylveon and Pancham were all with her and Ash's Pokémon cheered for them as they approached the stage.
"Okay, here goes," Serena said as she reached the center of the stage.
Ash smiled and all his Pokémon became silent.
Serena bowed, took a breath, and started the performance. Without her saying a word, Sylveon and Delphox sprang into action. Delphox, positioned on one side of the stage, gave an elegant pirouette, called out, and ignited Mystical Fire. At the same time, Sylveon, positioned on the opposite side of the stage, gave her own cry, conjured Fairy Wind and sent it sweeping around the stage in a pair of flowing bands. Delphox directed her Mystical Fire into the Fairy Wind and the stage was suddenly crisscrossed by two sparkling ribbons of shimmering fire.
Ash and his Pokémon oohed and aahed at the sight.
Serena, again without saying a word, glanced at her Pokémon and they began the next move.
One of the things Serena had been working on was having all of her Pokémon react to just her glances and gestures. She thought it might improve the performance if she wasn't constantly calling out commands and the only vocalizations were that of her Pokémon. She wasn't completely sure about the choice however, and didn't know if she would keep doing it going forward.
Delphox and Sylveon started moving the glowing ribbons around the stage and Serena and Pancham began an acrobatic sequence of jumping, flipping and rolling over and around them. After several jumping passes, Serena flourished her arms and Delphox and Sylveon manipulated the ribbons again. They raised them up from the stage and brought the ends of each ribbon together so they were now a pair of large shimmering hoops.
Ash and his Pokémon continued to be impressed and the cheered at the sights.
Pancham partially charged a Dark Pulse and manipulated it, so that rather than a beam, the attack fired a stream of purple sparks. Pancham directed the purple sparks so they filled the centers of the two hoops. Serena jumped across the stage and landed in a kneeling position so she was positioned underneath and between the hoops. Delphox and Sylveon than abruptly charged forward, leapt, and soared through the hoop on their side of the stage. As they passed through the center of the hoops, the purple sparks beautifully scattered across the stage. Delphox and Sylveon passed each other in midair, easily flew over Serena, and continued on to pass through the hoop on the opposite side of the stage. They landed gracefully and the hoops dissipated into a shower of pink and red sparks.
Serena rose to her feet and spun elegantly. She made a hand gesture and Sylveon reacted first. The fairy Pokémon bounded to Serena's side, pointed its head toward the sky and began charging Moonblast. Serena made another move and Delphox and Pancham started moving. Delphox touched the sphere of pink energy with its stick, surrounding it with blazing fire. A moment later, all three of Serena's Pokémon called out and Pancham jumped into the air from behind Sylveon. The tiny Panda charged an Ice Punch and struck the sphere causing it to explode.
Immediately, there was an incredibly bright flash. So bright, that Ash reflexively squeezed his eyes shut and winced in pain. When he opened his eyes he could only see the afterimage of the flash. He blinked his eyes and his vision started to clear. He heard some groans from his Pokémon and saw them rubbing at their eyes. He realized that they'd all suffered a similar experience. He looked toward the stage and could see that Serena and her Pokémon were in their final pose.
"And, that's it!" Serena exclaimed energetically. She took a few breaths and looked toward Ash. "So, what'd you think?" she asked, with an open mouth smile.
Ash froze. The performance had been wonderful until the end. The ribbons, hoops and acrobatics had all been beautiful. He'd loved every second up until the blinding finale.
"Well, I thought it was really great," Ash began. As he spoke he felt a knot form in his stomach. "Sylveon and Delphox did a good job."
As Ash spoke, Serena smiled excitedly and nodded. He could see that her performing again was energizing her in a way he hadn't seen in a long time. She glanced at her Pokémon, extremely proud of what they'd done.
Ash felt terrible. He'd seen Serena and her Pokémon working on the final move for almost two weeks. They'd spent so much time perfecting each aspect of it. Serena was so excited about her performance that Ash felt like the last thing he should do was say her final move had a big problem. He couldn't complete keep quiet however.
"That last move though…" Ash began slowly. "It seemed like it was a little bright…."
Serena nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's supposed to be bright. I want it to light up the whole performance hall."
Ash hesitated. He understood what Serena was saying, but he doubted she'd intended for the move to be as bright as it had been. But on the other hand, what did he know about Pokémon performances? Serena was the Hoenn champion after all. Surely she knew what she was doing.
"Well… okay," Ash replied, managing a smile. "I think you're all ready for tomorrow then."
Serena gave a small squeal of delight and bounded off the stage. It made Ash happy to see Serena having so much fun again. She really loved performing.
Serena dashed up to Ash and skidded to a stop right in front of him. She had a very excited look in her eyes and she reached out with her hands to grab hold of Ash. Ash froze and his eyes went wide. He'd gotten more used to Serena's displays of affection, but it still made him feel awkward.
With her fingertips brushing Ash's clothing, Serena checked herself and merely placed her right hand on Ash's shoulder in a show of gratitude. She then tenderly ran the palm of her hand down over Ash's collarbone before pulling her hand away. Serena wanted to do something more, but she could tell Ash was uncomfortable. She made an effort to take things slow with Ash, but every once in awhile, she liked making him nervous.
"So you'll have Charizard ready to go tomorrow?" Serena asked abruptly.
It took Ash's brain a moment to change gears. "Uh, yeah, he'll be ready," he replied.
It was impossible for them to travel to Pewter City on foot in one day, so Ash had suggested they fly on Charizard. Ash had been working with the fire Pokémon on carrying heavy loads and he believed Charizard was up to the task. Meanwhile, Serena had arranged for a young couple in Pallet Town and their two small children to take care of things at the reserve. Ash hoped that he and Serena could return by late evening so they would only be gone one day.
Serena nodded, pleased that everything was working out. "Okay, sounds good." She hesitated a moment and then winked at her best friend. "See you tomorrow Ash," she said sweetly. She then turned and walked back into the main building.
Ash blushed a little and watched her go. One day he would get the hang of interacting with Serena. Ash heard Pikachu make a concerned sounding cry. He looked down at his buddy.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
Pikachu pointed toward the stage, made a big gesture with his arms and rubbed at his eyes. He then made another concerned cry.
Ash frowned. Pikachu was also worried about the problem with Serena's final move. Ash smiled at Pikachu and spoke in an upbeat tone. "Don't worry; I'm sure it will be okay. Serena knows what she's doing."
Pikachu didn't look reassured. His ears drooped and he hopped away sounding worried.
Ash didn't blame him. Deep in his gut, he suspected things weren't going to be okay. He slowly walked around the now empty stage, sorting through his thoughts. He then started carrying the plywood sheets back to the storage shed. It was time for the day to come to a close.
The next morning started extra early for Ash. He wanted to get a few things finished so the family coming to keep an eye on things wouldn't have as much to do. He also had to get Charizard ready for the long flight to Pewter City.
Ash had put together a simple saddle for the flying Pokémon. It was basically some padding strapped onto the Pokémon's back just between the top of Charizard's wings. It didn't give him or Serena anything to hold on to, but it would make the ride more comfortable and protect Charizard's back. Ash hoped to improve on the saddle in the future, but what he had would have to do for now.
Serena arrived with the family shortly after the sun rose. The young couple's two children were surprisingly awake and eager for it being so early. Ash quickly discovered, the kids really loved Pokémon and were looking forward to caring for some of the creatures.
Ash made sure that the parents had everything they would need and then he and Serena started getting ready to go. He did a final check of Charizard and then climbed onto the Pokémon's back. The saddle felt secure and so he asked Serena to climb on. Serena did so, and slotted herself behind Ash. Pikachu jumped on as well, grabbing on to Serena's vest.
Everything was ready so he told Serena to hold on and prepared to take off. Serena responded by wrapping her arms all the way around Ash's torso and pressing herself against his back. Ash blushed and looked back at Serena. He could tell from her expression that she was definitely using this as an excuse to give him a hug, rather than merely holding on tight.
Deep down, Ash enjoyed Serena's affection, but it still made him feel awkward. Serena was his best friend, and in his mind, he just couldn't square friendship and physical affection. Hugging and holding hands was something that boys and girls did when they were dating.
'Me and Serena aren't boyfriend and girlfriend, right?' Ash thought. The fact he wasn't sure about that answer gave him pause. Were they just friends, or were they something more? Serena had told him several times that she really liked him, cared for him and had feelings for him, but what did that really mean? Ash wished there was something like a Pokédex for relationships, where he could simply look up the answers to questions.
He gave Charizard a signal and the powerful Pokémon spread its wings and took flight. It only took a few minutes before they were flying high above Pallet Town and heading north. As they flew, Serena took in the sights and gasped in wonder at what it was like to soar on a Pokémon. Eventually she relaxed and leaned her chin on Ash's right shoulder.
"This is so beautiful," she whispered into his ear, her lips brushing against the skin of his earlobe.
Serena's action sent a shiver down Ash's spine. He thought for a moment and considered his feelings. He still didn't know exactly how to define his relationship with Serena. But he did know that right now he really liked the feeling of Serena's arms around him and her head leaning against him.
Ash blushed slightly and glanced back at Serena. She smiled at him and he smiled back. He then looked forward again and watched as Charizard continued north.
They arrived at Pewter City well before noon. Serena had plenty of time to register for the exhibition and get ready. Ash and Pikachu found a pair of seats inside the hall and settled in. Before long, the exhibition began and Ash started watching the performers which were ahead of Serena.
The performers were something of a mixed bag. A few were very talented while others suffered embarrassing mistakes. One girl pulled off a very impressive combination of using Mirror Coat to reflect and redirect an Aurora Beam. The result was a spectacular display of rainbow colored light.
Another girl used a trio of fire Pokémon to create multiple swirling vortexes of flame. Unfortunately, she misjudged the movement of one of the vortices and accidently caught her dress on fire when the inferno clipped her.
As the performances went on the audience cheered and gasped, but for the most part, enthusiastically supported the performers.
Eventually, it was Serena's turn to perform. Ash watched as she took to the stage in her stunning contest outfit. All her Pokémon were wonderfully adorned with jewelry and ribbons. Despite the terrific appearance, Ash had a knot in his stomach. He really hoped Serena was correct about her final move and he was worried about nothing.
Serena bowed and began the performance.
Everything went just as it had gone the night before. Delphox and Sylveon formed the shimmering ribbons. Serena and Pancham performed their acrobatics. All of them jumped, danced and deployed their moves with the utmost precision and grace. In fact, Ash thought this performance was even better than the rehearsal.
The crowd cheered and shouted happily as Serena impressed them. There was a large gasp when the shimmering hoops vanished in a shower of sparks. Everything in the performance had gone perfectly and now only the final move remained.
Ash couldn't help but cringe in anticipation as he watched Sylveon charge up Moonblast. In his head, he heard Serena's words of confidence about the finale and he really, really hoped she was correct.
Delphox added her fire to the sphere and Pancham wound up for the Ice Punch. Just before the impact, Ash closed his eyes. He was glad he did. The massive flash was bright even through his eyelids. He heard the audience gasp in shock and surprise. He could hear a few people near him groan and whine in discomfort.
Ash felt a sudden wave of sorrow descend on him. He looked down at Serena, now in her final pose with her Pokémon. She still had her effusive smile on, but Ash could tell from tiny changes in her expression and posture that she realized something had gone terribly wrong with the performance and the audience was not pleased.
Ultimately, Serena got fourth place in the exhibition. Ash met her backstage and was immediately saddened by what he saw. The energy Serena had possessed earlier was gone. The usual sparkle in her eyes was diminished. Her Pokémon all looked sad as well. She thanked them profusely and then recalled them to their Pokéballs.
Ash waited a while for Serena to change into her normal clothes. When she emerged from the changing room, there was a slight redness around her eyes and Ash suspected that she'd cried a bit while she'd been alone.
"Hey, Serena," Ash said softly in greeting.
"Hey, Ash," Serena replied with a gravelly voice. She was hugging herself and was still clearly upset.
Ash wasn't really sure what to do, so he just reacted. He reached out and surrounded Serena in a hug.
Serena gasped softly, surprised by the action. For a moment, she just enjoyed Ash's embrace. Then, she returned the hug, wrapping her arms around Ash.
They spent several long moments in the embrace before Ash pulled away. He smiled at Serena, happy to see some of the sparkle back in her eyes.
Serena sighed. "Thanks Ash," she said softly.
With that, the two of them turned and headed for the doors leading outside.
Their mood was still somber as they exited the contest hall. Serena didn't say much, as she was sifting through her thoughts about the performance and Ash barely spoke because he felt conflicted. On one hand he felt guilty that he hadn't spoken up about the issue with the final move; but on the other hand, he really wanted Serena to get back to pursuing contests, and didn't want to discourage her by saying the special move she'd been working on for so long wasn't that great. He couldn't see any solution that protected Serena's feelings; thus he remained silent.
They walked a short distance from the contest hall and Ash prepared to send out Charizard so they could start the flight home.
Serena reached out a hand and gently stopped Ash from throwing the Pokéball.
"Hey, Ash," she said softly. "Could we just walk for a while?"
Ash hesitated for a moment and then agreed. "Yeah, sure," he said. He stowed the Pokéball away, and the two of them started walking toward the road leading south of Pewter City, with Pikachu in tow.
They continued to walk in silence; Ash feeling guilty and Serena slowly figuring out what to say. Pikachu quietly kept pace. He sensed that the two trainers needed to discuss something, and they didn't need any distractions.
When they were past the outskirts of Pewter City Serena finally spoke.
"Ash, was my performance okay?" she asked simply.
Ash pursed his lips and didn't reply immediately. He'd been dreading this sort of question from Serena. He didn't want to lie, but he really didn't want to hurt Serena's feelings either.
"Well…." Ash began, sounding uncomfortable. "I mean, it was a pretty good performance, right?" He looked toward Serena and shot her an attempt at a smile. "The ribbons and hoops were really great….."
Serena looked at Ash and could see he was holding back. It was very obvious from how cagey he was acting. She sighed and sent him a kind but knowing smile. "Ash…." she whispered, leaving the implied question unsaid.
Ash stared back at her and his expression softened. "I guess…. there might have been a problem with one of the moves," he said quietly.
"The final move?" Serena replied, her voice quiet as well.
Ash gave a half nod and looked down at the road. "Yeah, it was too bright. It hurt to look at it," he said in a regretful tone.
Serena felt some comfort that her read of the audience's reaction had been correct. The finale had been the issue. Her now realizing this didn't change the fact that the move had botched the performance, but at least it was something that could be fixed.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Serena asked gently.
Ash shifted uncomfortably and paused a moment before he replied. "I didn't want to discourage you," he said, his voice tinged with regret. "You were so happy with the performance, and you'd been working on that move really hard." Ash sighed and looked deflated." I thought, maybe it'd be okay. I didn't want to hurt your feelings."
Serena's eyes briefly blurred with tears. Ash was so sweet and encouraging toward her, but this time his kindness had ultimately backfired on all of them.
Serena paused for a moment and then spoke; her tone kind and sincere. "Ash, if I'm ever doing something that's wrong or no good I want you to say something."
The comment caused Ash to lift his gaze up from the road and direct it at her.
Serena continued. "I rely on you. You're the person I trust. I want you to always be honest with me, even if you think it would hurt me."
Ash smiled faintly and looked down at the road again. "Sorry," he said sincerely.
Serena smiled and reached out with her right hand. She took hold of Ash's left and brought it up to just above her collarbone. She clasped her left hand together with her right, so Ash's hand was gently pressed between her palms. As she did this, Ash looked back up at her.
"Don't feel sorry," she whispered. "I just need you to be there for me."
Ash smiled and blushed slightly. "Okay, I will!"
Serena returned the smile and shifted her grip on Ash's hand. She leaned her head forward and gently slid her lips along the back of Ash's hand in a show of affection. When she finished the move, she looked back over at Ash.
Ash's blush deepened, but he didn't shy away. Instead, he pulled his left arm in slightly, causing Serena to step to her right so she was shoulder-to-shoulder with him. Their faces were now only inches apart and Serena started to blush with Ash in such close proximity. Each of them spent several long moments deciding what to do next.
Then, the ground fell away from under their feet.
Ash, Serena and Pikachu all cried out in fright and surprise as they plummeted down and crashed into the bottom of a pit. All of them groaned in pain and shock. It took a moment for the dust to clear and all of them glanced around to get their bearings.
"Serena, are you okay?" Ash said in a shaky voice.
Serena was lying on her back and winced as she moved to a sitting position. "Yeah, I think so," she said, sounding pained.
Pikachu gave a mildly distress response, but sounded okay as well.
Serena looked at the walls of the pit. "What in the world is going-"
Her words were abruptly cut short by a burst of cackling laughter coming from the top of the pit.
Serena's attention immediately shifted upward and she could see two adult humans silhouetted against the bright sun, with a much shorter figure standing between them.
"What the-" Serena breathed.
"Oh no!" Ash groaned.
"Well, hello you twerps; It's been a long time," a woman with high-pitched voice said.
"Fortunately for us, the years have been kind," a man with a smooth voice added.
Ash gritted his teeth and clinched a fist. Pikachu rose to its feet and gave a battle cry.
"To protect the world from devastation," Jessie began.
"To unite all people within our nation," James continued.
"Denounce the evils of truth an-"
"ARE YOU THREE STILL AT THIS!" Serena shouted. Hardly believing what was happening.
James cried out indignantly. "Aaa! The nerve!"
Jessie growled and shook a fist at Serena. "No one asked you Twerpette!"
"Interrupting is rude!" Meowth added.
Ash, now standing, helped Serena to her feet and looked up at the trio. "What do you want!" he demanded.
Jessie grinned cruelly. "You twerps are positively, predictable."
"We're here to pinch your precious Pikachu!" James added gleefully.
"Precisely!" Meowth growled, aiming a device at Pikachu.
Meowth fired the device and a long metallic arm with a hand attached to the end of it shot toward Ash's Pokémon.
"PIKACHU!" Ash shouted, throwing himself in front of his partner.
"ASH!" Serena cried out, throwing herself in front of her partner.
The extendable hand slammed into Serena's back, grabbed hold of her, and started hauling her upward toward Team Rocket. The arm fully retracted and Serena was left flailing in the device's grip, at the top of the pit.
James looked nonplussed. "Meowth, you got the wrong one. We wanted the twerp's Pikachu, not the twerp's twerpette."
Meowth glared back at James. "You try hitting anything with these noble ninnies throwing themselves in front of each other!"
"LET ME GO!" Serena shouted, thrashing against the arm.
Meowth grinned. "No problem," he said, hitting a button on the device.
The hand abruptly released Serena and she started to fall. She cried out in distress and lunged toward the edge of the pit. She managed to get a grip on the lip of the hole and slammed into the wall of the pit. She quickly reached into her pocket and retrieved two of her Pokéballs.
"Pancham, Sylveon!" she shouted, tossing the Pokéballs on to the ground above. The Pokéballs snapped open and both her Pokémon materialized in bright flashes of white light. They immediately directed fierce glares toward Team Rocket and growled aggressively.
"Uh oh!" Meowth said in a dismayed tone.
"Looks like they remember us," James added.
Pancham and Sylveon both forcefully leapt toward Team Rocket, causing the villainous trio to jump backward, some distance from the pit.
Serena grunted and clawed at the dirt, trying to pull herself up.
"Serena!" she heard Ash call out from below. She looked down and saw him standing below her. He reached up, grasped hold of her shoes and started boosting her upwards. Serena again clawed at the dirt and managed to get an entire arm over the top of the pit. She gave a cry of success as she levered first her torso and then her entire body out of the pit. She immediately swung herself around and, lying flat on her belly, she reached down into the pit for Ash.
Ash jumped up and grabbed hold of Serena's outstretched hands. Serena grunted in effort as she took Ash's weight. Ash looked over his shoulder at the bottom of the pit.
"Pikachu," he called to his Pokémon.
Pikachu reacted instantly. He jumped up, dashed up Ash's pant leg, climbed over his back and leapt up to Serena's shoulder. The Pokémon then ran to join Pancham and Sylveon.
With Pikachu safe, Ash pulled himself up. He managed to get a hand on the top of the pit, and with Serena's help, climbed free of the hole.
Ash and Serena rose to their feet and turned to face Team Rocket.
"Fine!" Jessie growled, sounding frustrated and annoyed. "If you won't give up Pikachu, we'll just take it by force."
"The hard way it is then," James said, shaking a fist in defiance.
"The only way we know how," Meowth added, pulling out a remote control.
Ash and Serena braced themselves, expecting a dirty trick. "What now!" Ash shouted.
All three of the villains grinned. "You should have quit when you had the chance," Jessie said arrogantly.
"Team Rocket is always on the cutting edge of modern technology," James added.
"Presenting, the Pelipper Pokémon Delivery System, Mark Two™," Meowth said gleefully, pressing a button on the remote. "Patent pending."
From high in the sky, Ash and Serena heard something that sounded similar to a Pelipper, but not quite the same. They looked up and saw a drone descending that was shaped somewhat like a Pelipper. Instead of wings, it had a set of four enclosed, upward facing, white propellers; two on each side of the drone's 'body.' The front of the drone featured a large, yellow, bucket-shaped bill which looked like it was made of plastic. There was a thin, black, seam which ran down the center of the drone's 'belly.'
The drone flew over Team Rocket's position. As they watched, the seam on the 'belly' of the drone suddenly widened and a pair of doors opened and swung downward. A moment later, two Pokéballs fell from the drone's interior. Jessie and James neatly snatched them out of the air, grinning from ear-to-ear.
"Only the best of the best for us," Jessie said, as she reared back and hurled the Pokéball forward. The device popped open and emitted a burst of white light which enlarged and resolved into a Flygon.
Jessie joyfully hopped side-to-side. "OOooo-, now that's what I call an upgrade," she said, squealing like a school girl.
With a conceited expression, James flung his Pokéball forward as well. "Time for another Team Rocket powerhouse!" The Pokéball popped open and the white light shot forward onto the ground; dissipating to reveal a Rattata.
James looked mortified. "Meowth! I thought you said this was an improvement!"
Meowth shrugged. "User experience may vary."
A pair of cards floated down from above. Jessie eagerly grabbed hers, while James, full of sorrow, caught his and frowned.
Jessie quickly scanned the card, which contained information about the Pokémon. "Okay Flygon, let's put this twerpette in her place," she said, striking a pose. "Use Dragon Claw!"
The Flygon batted its wings, performed a quick loop and charged toward Pancham. A set of large claws, composed of bright green energy, extended out from its hands.
Serena smiled. She'd gained enough experience with Pokémon contests that battling was no longer as unintuitive for her as it had been in Kalos. "Pancham, use Ice Punch!"
Jessie's smile immediately disappeared as she recognized the devastatingly effective attack that was about to befall her Pokémon. "Oh no!" she groaned.
James perked up and vigorously pointed toward Pancham. "To the rescue Rattata! Use Quick Attack!"
The tiny rat surged forward, kicking up a line of dust behind it. Pancham was caught mid-windup for Ice Punch and was knocked backward by the impact. The tiny Panda cried out in shock and tumbled across the ground.
Jessie instantly regained her confidence and laughed. "Flygon! Send this Pancham packing!"
The flying dragon continued swooping forward toward a now defenseless Pancham.
"Use Iron Tail," Ash shouted.
Pikachu responded and streaked through the air, tail aglow. It swung the attack into Flygon's outstretched claws, causing a forceful explosion; knocking both Pokémon backward.
Serena glanced at Ash. "Thanks Ash!" she called out.
Ash looked at her and nodded an acknowledgement, he then turned his attention back to the battle.
Jessie again consulted the card. "There's plenty more for you two. Use Boomburst!"
Flygon swooped upward and began beating its wings rapidly while unleashing a powerful screech. Everyone on the battlefield was hammered by the intense sound waves; including Rattata who was thrown sideways, skidding through the dirt.
James covered his ears and shouted at Jessie. "Is that any way to treat your ally?" he said, clearly outraged.
Ash, Serena and their Pokémon all grimaced and struggled to remain standing against the powerful attack.
Serena gestured toward Pancham. "Quick, Pancham use Stone Edge to create some cover!"
Pancham jumped in the air and slammed the ground with a glowing fist. A wall of shimmering blue rock immediately burst upwards, creating a barrier all of them could shelter behind.
With the Boomburst attack blocked, Serena gestured to Sylveon. "Use Moonblast through the rocks!"
Sylveon charged a large sphere of pink energy and fired it toward where Flygon was. The energy ball punched a hole in the rock wall and sizzled as it cut through the ongoing Boomburst attack. Flygon took a direct hit and was engulfed by a large explosion.
All of them breathed a sigh of relief, now that the Boomburst attack was over.
Ash turned toward Serena, a smile on his face. "Hey, that was the same combination you used at the finals," he said, sounding impressed.
Serena moved to face Ash, flattered by the comment. "Oh, you noticed that!"
"Course I did," Ash replied.
Serena made a happy sound, smiled and blushed slightly.
Across the battlefield, Flygon and Rattata dragged themselves up from the dirt and prepared for another clash.
Jessie angrily turned toward James. "Come on James, start pulling your weight!"
James sighed. "It's hard to when your friends are weighing you down."
Jessie gave a cry of frustration and pointed at Sylveon. "Use Earth Power on that little fiend!"
Flygon soared back into the air and directed an intense look at Sylveon. A moment later, the ground underneath Sylveon broke apart and exploded upward with a burst of orange light, blasting the fairy type into the air. Sylveon cried out in distress as it flipped end-over-end.
James looked toward Pikachu and his face fell. "Okay Rattata, Double-Edge," he sighed, sounding hopeless.
Rattata started charging toward Pikachu.
Ash made a flourish with his right arm. "Pikachu, use Electroweb."
Pikachu jumped into the air and spun around, launching a net of electricity from its tail at the oncoming rodent Pokémon. Rattata slammed into the net, became completely entangled, and crashed to the ground; all the while being shocked.
James' shoulders slumped and he sighed again. "Trapped like a rat! Who would have guessed?"
Jessie glared at the helpless mouse Pokémon as it was crying out from being constantly zapped. "Useless!" she growled. "Flygon, knock the twerpette's Pokémon into next week."
Sylveon was just starting to fall back toward earth. Flygon beat its wings and dove toward the fairy Pokémon.
Serena gritted her teeth and yelled toward her Pokémon. "Quick! Use Fairy Wind!"
Sylveon spun her ribbons around, stabilizing herself in the air and sending a powerful pink-hued wind toward the charging Flygon.
The fairy attack hit and the dragon Pokémon noticeably slowed; squirming against the effective move.
"Don't you dare back down!" Jessie howled. "Steel Wing!"
Flygon regained its composure and lunged for Sylveon. Its wings glowed bright silver, and a moment later slammed into Serena's Pokémon.
"Oh no! Sylveon!" Serena cried out as her Pokémon crashed into the ground.
The dust cleared, and Sylveon moaned but managed to stagger back to her feet.
Jessie sneered as Flygon returned to hover just above her. "Admit it! You're just no match for Team Rocket."
"I don't think so!" Ash said confidently. He looked at Serena. "Ready?" he asked.
Serena returned the look and smiled subtly. "Always," she replied, mirroring Ash's confidence.
Jessie cackled. "Use Boomburst!"
"Not again!" James cried out.
Flygon started revving up for the powerful attack.
Serena sent Ash a final glance and then looked at Sylveon. "Sylveon, start charging Moonblast."
The fairy Pokémon pointed its head skyward and began forming a sphere of pink energy just above itself.
Ash pointed to the charging attack. "Pikachu, surround that with Electroweb."
Pikachu jumped into the air and spun his tail into the pink sphere. A web of electricity immediately formed around the energy ball.
As this happened, Flygon prepared to unleash its attack.
Serena grinned. "Now Pancham, use Ice Punch!"
The tiny panda, his sunglasses lowered over his eyes, leapt through the air, unleashing a battle cry and swinging a glowing blue fist into the yellow/pink sphere of energy. Just before impact, Ash, Serena, Sylveon and Pikachu all shielded their eyes.
Pancham's attack struck the sphere and it exploded toward Team Rocket in a blinding flash of pink, yellow and blue sparks. All of the evil gang cried out as their eyes were dazzled.
"Who turned up the sun?!" Jessie shrieked.
"Meowth, do something," James said.
"I'd love to, but I can't see my paws in front of my face!" Meowth screamed.
Ash and Serena sent each other satisfied glances and turned to their Pokémon.
"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash shouted.
"Sylevon, use Fairy Wind!" Serena yelled.
Pikachu charged toward the beleaguered Rattata and slammed into it. The small Pokémon was knocked into the air and crashed into Flygon. A moment later, Sylveon leapt into the air and unleashed a torrent of glowing pink wind. The fairy attack engulfed both of Team Rocket's Pokémon, sending them crashing into the ground, at the feet of the dastardly trio.
Team Rocket rubbed at their eyes and started to regain some vision. The first sight they took in was their unconscious Pokémon.
"So much for the upgrade," James moaned.
Jessie turned a shade of red as she raged. "How dare that Twerpette! I'm clearly the superior performer!"
"Looks like it's time to beat a retreat," Meowth added, sounding downcast.
Jessie and James recalled their Pokémon.
"Meowth, do your thing," Jessie fumed.
Meowth hit a button on the remote control. "Emergency-Escape-Mode™ activated!"
Ash and Serena heard the Pelipper drone make a mechanical sounding bird cry and watched as it swooped over them. The 'belly' of the drone opened, and four small metal spheres fell toward the ground.
"Look out!" Ash cried. He lunged toward Serena, throwing his arms around her head to shield her as best he could.
The spheres weren't dangerous however. When they hit the ground, they exploded into a thick cloud of smoke; engulfing Ash, Serena and their Pokémon. While all of them were coughing on the smoke, Team Rocket jumped into their Meowth-shaped balloon and began rising into the sky.
"Well, that could have gone better," James complained.
"Who does she think she is!" Jessie groused. "Meowth, get us a consolation prize!"
Meowth aimed the extendable arm device from earlier into the smoke cloud. "One Pikachu coming right up!"
Meowth fired the device and the arm streaked into the smoke cloud. It grabbed hold of something and began quickly retracting. A second later the hand emerged from the smoke cloud, holding Sylveon and Pancham. Both of them were struggling and shouting in protest.
James looked disheartened. "Meowth, you got the wrong ones again!" he said.
Meowth shrugged. "Beggars can't be choosers."
Jessie's eyes lit up. "Ooo, I think it's fine. Let's see how many contests the Twerpette can win without her precious Pokémon."
Below them, the smoke cloud began to clear and Serena glanced around frantically. "Sylveon! Pancham!" she called out, still coughing intermittingly.
Ash coughed and pointed toward Team Rocket's balloon. "Look, up there!"
Serena looked at the balloon and gasped in dismay. She could see both of her Pokémon enclosed inside a net hanging below the basket of Team Rocket's balloon.
"OH NO! Ash," Serena shouted, looking to him for help.
Ash retrieved Charizard's Pokéball. "On it," he said.
A moment later, Charizard flashed into existence and Ash mounted onto its back. He reached toward Serena and pulled her aboard so she was sitting behind him. Serena wrapped her arms around Ash's torso and Pikachu jumped aboard behind Serena.
"Let's go Charizard!" Ash said forcefully.
Charizard gave a roar and rocketed into the air with a huge flap of its wings. They quickly climbed up to the height of the balloon and began closing on Team Rocket.
Meowth scanned the sky and flinched when he saw the quickly approaching Charizard. "Uh oh! Angry twerps incoming, at three o'clock."
Jessie and James turned their attention toward Charizard.
"Persistent, aren't they," James said.
"Meowth, send them packing," Jessie added.
Meowth hit another button on the remote control. "Super-Mega-Defense-Mode™ activated."
Currently positioned between Team Rocket's balloon and Charizard, the Pelipper drone made a mechanical sounding cry and its 'bill' opened wide; revealing a large cannon inside. The cannon tracked toward Charizard and fired a white ball of energy. A moment after leaving the cannon, the energy ball expanded into a net; looking very similar to Pikachu's Electroweb attack.
"Look out!" Ash cried.
Charizard quickly rolled to the side, dodging the web and causing Serena to yelp in fright.
The Pelipper cannon fired again and again and Team Rocket started laughing manically as Charizard bobbed and weaved, barely avoiding the attacks.
"You keep dodging and we'll keep shooting," Jessie cheered.
"It's just a matter of time. Hold still," Meowth growled.
Charizard did its best, but the nets tracked closer until one finally clipped its right wing. Charizard howled and started to fall, struggling to break free of the net wrapped around its wing.
James shook his fist at the plummeting Pokémon. "How does it feel? Think of what you did to my poor Rattata," he shouted, his tone full of venom.
Serena screamed as they spiraled down toward the earth. Charizard forcefully thrashed its wings and managed to break apart the energy net. It roared in anger and started flying back up toward the balloon.
Ash pulled back on Charizard and kept them at a distance from the drone. They kept gaining altitude and were soon fairly high above the drone and the balloon. "Charizard's too big of a target to get close," Ash said, trying to think of a solution.
Serena shifted herself so Ash could see her. "What should we do?"
Ash thought hard. They needed to get close enough to attack the drone. "I got it," he said suddenly.
"Great!" Serena said happily.
"Yeah," Ash said, his tone losing some enthusiasm as he thought through his plan. He looked back at Serena. "It's a little scary though. Serena, do you trust me?"
Serena met Ash's gaze and then immediately nodded emphatically. "Absolutely!"
Ash smiled and looked forward again. "Okay, hold on tight."
Serena did just that, wrapping her arms tight around Ash's torso. At the same time, Pikachu grabbed hold of Serena's vest.
With Serena pressed against his back, Ash pulled out Charizard's Pokéball. "Charizard, return!"
Serena gasped as Charizard was suddenly engulfed by the recall beam, turned transparent red, and then was whisked back into the Pokéball.
With nothing below them now, Ash, Serena and Pikachu all began to freefall. Serena reflexively tightened her arms around Ash, to the point that it was uncomfortable for him. She tried to keep from screaming in terror, but a fluttering shriek managed to escape her throat as they plunged headlong toward the earth. They fell faster and faster and soon the wind was roaring in their ears and whipping at their clothing.
"Oi!" Meowth exclaimed sharply. "Looks like the twerp has finally flipped his lid!"
Jessie and James looked at each other and then back at the falling Pokémon trainers.
"Should we do something?" James asked.
"Don't look at me…." Jessie deflected.
"Ash!" Serena cried out, as the ground was fast approaching.
Ash gritted his teeth and then opened Charizard's Pokéball. "Now Charizard!" he shouted.
Charizard flashed into existence directly underneath them. Ash Grabbed hold of Charizard's neck and the fire Pokémon spread its wings and started to pull up. The force of the maneuver pressed Ash, Serena and Pikachu downward into the flying beast, causing all of them to groan in effort as they held on tight.
Roaring in exertion, Charizard completed the maneuver and was now soaring straight up, at great speed, directly toward the Pelipper drone above them.
"Hey, no fair!" Jessie cried out.
"Meowth, do something!" James panicked.
Meowth frantically hit a button on the remote control. "Super-Mega-Defense-Mode™ activated!"
The Pelipper drone again opened its 'bill' and tried to shoot at Charizard. The fire Pokémon was directly under the drone however, and the shots harmlessly passed wide of it.
"Wing Attack!" Ash called out.
Charizard's wings glowed a bright white and the Pokémon slammed into the underside of the Pelipper drone, slicing it in half.
"OH NO!" all of Team Rocket cried out.
Charizard rolled and used its accumulated speed to rush toward the underside of Team Rocket's balloon. Charizard used its wings and sliced through the top of the net holding Pancham and Sylveon. The two Pokémon began to fall immediately, but Charizard looped around and quickly dove to catch them.
Serena let go of Ash and reached for her Pokémon with both her arms. Ash immediately swung his left arm behind him and grabbed hold of Serena's vest, to ensure she didn't fall off Charizard.
Charizard made a small adjustment and Serena grabbed hold of Pancham and Sylveon, holding one Pokémon in each arm. "Got you!" she said, her voice full of emotion.
With their consolation prize taken from them, Jessie, James and Meowth all sagged in defeat.
"Another failure to add to the list," Jessie moaned.
"You'd think after all this time they'd cut us some slack," James added.
Charizard flapped its wings and rose into sight a short distance away. The fire Pokémon, and everyone aboard it, glared fiercely at Team Rocket.
Meowth flinched and became panicked. "Don't look now, but we got more angry twerp problems."
Jessie and James mirrored Meowth's reaction.
Ash and Serena exchanged a glance and nodded. Serena extended her arms and tossed her Pokémon into the air. "Sylveon, use Moonblast and Pancham use Dark Pulse!" she shouted.
"Charizard, use Flamethrower!" Ash commanded.
All three Pokémon sounded their battle cries and unleashed their attacks. The moves all merged into one giant blast of red, pink and purple energy, and hurtled toward the balloon. Team Rocket loudly screamed in fright until the combined attacks impacted their airship, causing a massive explosion.
"Cutting edge, my foot! This was worse than the last model!" Jessie raged as they were thrown clear of the now destroyed balloon.
"Perhaps the next upgrade will fix the bugs?" James said in a disheartened tone.
"Keep dreaming bud." Meowth said, gloomily.
The three of them kept flying higher into the sky, slowly growing smaller and smaller.
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off agaiinnnn!" they cried.
Ash and Serena looked at each other and smiled, relieved that the danger was over. Serena thanked Pancham and Sylveon and then recalled her Pokémon.
"Wanna head for home?" Ash asked.
Serena sighed and nodded. "Yeah, let's go home," she said softly.
Ash turned Charizard south and they began gliding across the afternoon sky. Serena took a moment to admire the view and then gently wrapped her arms around Ash's torso. She pulled herself into his back and rested her chin on his right shoulder. Ash glanced back at her and they exchanged a contented look. They then continued on their way, flying back toward Pallet Town.
Ash and Serena arrived back at Pallet Town without incident. They found the family they'd left in charge had done an excellent job. The two children were sad to head back home and promised Ash they'd be back one day to get their own starter Pokémon and go on an adventure. Ash smiled at the kids' spirit and gave them a few inspiring words.
Serena couldn't help but feel warm emotions inside her as she watched Ash interact with the children. She filed the memory away in her mind, hoping that maybe one day she would see Ash interacting with children again.
The day came to a close and Serena went back home. The next day went a little differently than usual. Ash took Serena's request for honesty to heart and started pointing out the few tasks that she was doing incorrectly. Serena was a little surprised, but ultimately she was happy at the change in Ash's attitude. Ash became more and more confident as the day went on, and by the time the sun was sinking into the horizon, he and Serena were laughing about how silly it had been for him to worry about offending or discouraging her.
Serena placed the water canister underneath the spigot and started filling the container. She just had to finish filing the aviaries with water and her tasks for the day would be finished. As she waited for the container to fill, Ash came walking up to the supply shed, carrying a bag of Pokémon food on his shoulder.
"Hey Ash," Serena began. "I'm almost done. I've just got to take care of the aviaries and then I can start on dinner."
Ash smiled and placed the bag into the shed. He then turned to face Serena. "Great," he said. "What are you planning to make?"
Serena already had everything planned. "I'm thinking a stir-fry and those veggie wraps, with some fried rice."
Ash grinned. "That sounds awesome! Can't wait!"
Serena smiled and giggled. She loved cooking for Ash.
Ash looked at the aviaries and then at the water canister. "Hey Serena, how many containers of water are you gonna put in the aviaries?"
"One each," Serena replied. "That's what you told me, right?"
Ash made a face that was somewhere between embarrassed and regretful. "Well, actually…"
A pit suddenly formed in Serena's stomach.
Ash tried to grin. "See, when I told you three canisters of water for the aviaries, I actually meant three for each one. Not three in total."
Serena felt her spirits drop. "Wait, so the Pokémon haven't been getting enough water!" she said, dismayed.
Ash shook his head. "No, no. I've been taking them the extra water. The Pokémon have been fine. I just figured you'd want to know."
Serena felt the dismay fade from inside her, but it was replaced by distress instead. It was hard enough to haul three canisters of water. Now Ash was telling her that she had to haul nine in total.
"Uh, thanks," she said quietly.
Ash smiled and looked straight at her. "You sure are great Serena," he said appreciatively. He then turned and started walking back toward the main building.
Serena heard the canister was full of water, so she shut off the spigot and picked up the container with both hands. She turned toward the first aviary and sighed. "You could have let this one slide Ash," she mumbled. She then laughed ironically, and started trekking toward the building.