Ash stared at his reflection in the mirror, trying to decide if his outfit was 'nice' but not 'too nice.' He was currently wearing a dark blue polo shirt and black pants. He crossed his arms and frowned. This was a really important night; he had to make sure everything was just right.

"What do you think Serena?" he said.

Serena was seated on Ash's bed, just a few steps away from where he was standing. She was wearing an elegant cream colored blouse with a medium-length rose hued skirt. She'd arranged her hair into a neat pair of braids which encircled the top of her head like a crown. "I think you look fine Ash. Just like the last two outfits."

Ash continued to fret and Serena smiled in amusement. He almost never worried much about his appearance. She was the one always concerned with looking her best. The reversal of roles was very humorous.

"Maybe if I switched back to the other shirt….."

Serena rose from the bed and swiftly stepped to Ash's side. She gently clasped a hand on his shoulder and turned him to face her. "You look fine. Come on, we're going to be late."

Serena then very obviously presented her arm for Ash to take. Ash smiled and did so. The two of them then walked out of his room and headed downstairs.

They left via the front door of the main building and descended the stairs to the roads of Pallet Town. It was early evening and the sun still had a way to go before it would meet the horizon. Nonetheless, the sky was starting to turn a bright orange and it caused the two of them to cast long shadows as they turned onto the road which let to the Ketchum household.

As they walked, Serena noticed that Ash's gait was very stiff and he was clearly nervous.

"Everything will be fine, Ash," she said in a reassuring voice. "You don't need to worry."

Ash made an apprehensive face and replied in a dubious tone. "I don't know Serena. This is going to be such a big change. I just hope she'll be okay."

Serena smiled and spoke sweetly. "I'm sure your mom will be really happy Ash! She's really liked having me there at the house."

Ash looked unconvinced. "Yeah, but we've just been friends up 'til now. Now that we're together, what is she gonna think?!"

Serena laughed softly and leaned her shoulder against Ash. "She's going to think it's great that her son is growing up."

Ash let out an uncertain groan but said nothing.

Serena waited a few seconds and then spoke again. "Did you finally get that big speech figured out?"

For the last week, Ash had been trying to figure out how to break the news of his and Serena's relationship to his mother. Despite Serena's repeated reassurances, he was incredibly nervous.

After a few more minutes of walking, they arrived at Ash's old home. They could see through the windows that Delia was busy inside preparing dinner. Ash paused in front of the walkway, took a breath and then continued to the front door. He knocked and then waited as Delia eagerly moved to open the door.

"Oh I'm so glad you made it. I was starting to worry you'd be late," Delia said the moment she'd opened the door.

"Oh, no way, there's no way we'd miss this!" Ash tensely squawked in response.

Serena cleared her throat to keep from sniggering. "We've been looking forward to this all day," she said sweetly.

Delia smiled and stepped back from the door, gesturing for them to come inside. "Everything's ready, and you two look so nice. I didn't know this was a formal occasion," she added with a small laugh.

Ash stiffly waked forward and Serena followed behind him. Just as Delia was about to return to the kitchen, Ash spoke up.

"Uh, mom, wait! There's something I need to tell you!" Ash said, his tone extremely stressed.

Delia stopped and turned to face Ash. She still had a smile on. "Well, okay," she replied kindly.

Ash hesitated and glanced at his mother and then at the nearby couch. "Uh, I think you should sit down for this," he said, his voice wavering from nerves.

A brief look of puzzlement flitted across Delia's face, but it quickly left and she moved to sit down on the couch. "Okay Ash," she said, once she was seated.

Ash swallowed and opened his mouth. He glanced to his right, at Serena, and then turned back to his mother.

"So, mom," Ash began, tensely. "As you know, a lot has happened the last few years."

Delia nodded and her expression didn't change.

"And….. there've been some big changes." Ash put on a goofy smile and then continued. "And one of those changes has been….. Serena."

Delia nodded again and remained silent.

Ash was starting to sweat. "So, as you know, Serena has been living here for a while….. And she's a girl….. and she and I have been really great friends for a long time."

Serena had her mouth pressed into a tight-lipped smile to keep from laughing at Ash's 'speech.'

Delia raised an eyebrow but otherwise didn't react.

Ash struggled to put words together. "So, basically, there have been some changes… recently….. and Serena and I have decided….. that we're going to….. uh, make the decision to…. that…."

As Ash blundered forward Delia started to get a very perplexed look on her face.

Ash abruptly grabbed hold of Serena left hand with his right and held their clasped hands up at shoulder height as if it was some monumental event. "SERENA AND I ARE DATING!" he said boisterously, wearing a huge forced grin.

Serena sheepishly smiled as well.

Delia looked surprised. "Uh, but I thought you two have been together for a while now?!" she responded in a perplexed tone.

Ash had been fully braced for every possible reaction, including his mother fainting, but not this one. He momentarily had a blank expression on his face and then finally reacted. "Uh, no…. I mean we've been friends and all, but now we're…. you know….. together."

Delia smiled and looked very amused. "Hmmm, you could have fooled me," she said happily.

Ash looked flummoxed.

Delia rose from the couch. "Well, I'm glad you two are official now. You're such a wonderful couple."

Serena beamed and Ash still looked speechless.

"Was there anything else Ash?" Delia said smartly.

"Uh, no," Ash replied.

Delia nodded. "Okay, then. Dinner is all ready. Have a seat and I'll bring it out." She then turned and headed for the kitchen.

Ash stood still, not sure what to do next. He'd been anticipating a big moment; full of tears and questions. Instead it had been supremely anticlimactic.

Serena gave him a small nudge and whispered to him. "See, I told you it'd be fine."

Ash let out a tense sigh and laughed. "Yeah, I guess so. How'd you know?"

Serena smiled. "Well I'm here pretty much every day and I have a good idea of what she's thinking."

Ash smiled at hearing this and Serena got a somewhat guilty look on her face. "Plus, she asked me a couple weeks ago if you were a good boyfriend and I told her yes."

Ash looked shocked. "Wait, she already knew!?" he replied.

Serena giggled. "I told you it'd be fine Ash."

Ash let out a big sigh. "Aw, man," he groaned, realizing that all his worry for the past week had been for nothing.

Serena chuckled again and leaned her head forward so it gently nudged against Ash's right temple. Ash smiled and glanced at Serena. They shared a quick moment and then moved to sit down at the table.

Ash, Serena and Delia all shared a delicious dinner together. Ash had originally anticipated that the meal would be filled with questions about his and Serena's relationship, but instead he found they were talking about all sorts of other topics. At one point Delia started asking Serena about her plans for contests and the two of them got into a lengthy conversation. Overall, Ash was very pleased with how the night went.

The evening wore on and soon it was time for Ash to head back to the reserve. He said goodbye to his mother and walked outside, with Serena following him.

They stopped at the end of the walkway and turned to face each other.

Serena spoke first; amusement tingeing her voice. "So, did that turn out the way you'd hoped?"

Ash smiled. "Yeah, I think it all worked out. I'm glad my mom's okay with us."

Serena smiled and nodded. "There was never any doubt."

Ash chuckled and shook his head; still slightly incredulous that Serena had let him stress out all week whilst knowing that his mom was already aware of their relationship.

A few seconds of silence passed and Serena looked toward the setting sun. The sky had shifted to a mostly dark orange hue with bands of bright yellow just above the horizon. The air was still warm but not unpleasantly so. Overall, it was very enjoyable outside; a welcome change from the insufferably hot days earlier in the summer.

Serena took a breath and felt her heart flutter as she considered her next words. "It sure is a romantic evening, isn't it?" she said softly.

Ash looked at her and then at the sunset. "Yeah, it sure it," he agreed.

Serena waited a moment as Ash shifted his attention back to her. She felt anticipation build inside her as he smiled at her and opened his mouth to speak.

"So, Serena, now that I've told my mom about us, are you going to give your mom a call?"

Serena felt all the energy immediately deflate out of her. The last thing she'd wanted to think about was telling her mother about their relationship.

"Uh, well, about that Ash," Serena replied hesitantly. "I….. actually wanted to tell her about us in person."

Ash blinked, a little surprised by the statement. "Really, you want to go all the way to Kalos?"

Serena sighed. She didn't want to go to Kalos, but it was something that she knew she had to do. "I think I need to," she said quietly. "It's been almost three years since I've seen my mom. And….. this is the kind of news I think I need to say in person."

Ash looked a little disappointed but he smiled and spoke in an encouraging voice. "Well, I'll miss you. How many days do you think you'll be gone?"

Serena swallowed and hesitated before answering. "Well Ash…. I was actually wanting you to come along with me."

Now Ash looked surprised. "Me, come along. Why do you need me there?"

Serena looked a little uncertain. "I really want you there when I tell my mom about us."

Ash thought for a moment. "Well, okay. I figure we can find a few people to watch the reserve for us."

Serena felt a small weight lift off of her. "Yeah, that's what I thought," she said in a relieved voice. She let out a sigh and then added, "Thanks, Ash."

Ash smiled. "No problem. When do you think we'll be leaving?"

"Probably in a few days. I'll get everything arranged."

Ash nodded. "Sounds great," he replied. He turned and looked at the sunset one more time. "Well, I guess I'll head back to the reserve." He looked back at Serena, and for a moment, she thought she saw some conflict inside him; as if he was debating doing something. It quickly faded though and he smiled at her.

"Goodnight, Serena," he said happily.

Serena nodded and smiled at him. "Goodnight, Ash," she replied sweetly.

With that, Ash turned and started walking back toward the reserve. After a few dozen paces he glanced back over his shoulder and smiled at Serena who was still standing at the end of the walkway; watching him go. She enthusiastically returned the smile and waved her hand at him as well.

Once Ash looked away, Serena relaxed and continued standing at the end of the walkway, feeling a little let down. It had been a really wonderful evening with Ash and Delia and she'd hoped that maybe it could have been capped off by herself and Ash sharing a kiss under the setting sun. She'd dropped a hint, but instead, Ash had asked her about her mother, and that had killed the mood in her mind. Now, she stood, watching until Ash he disappeared out of sight. She then turned and headed back inside the Ketchum household.

Three days later, Ash, Serena and Pikachu were looking out the windows of an airplane as it descended toward Lumiose City. The sight of the huge urban area, centered around Prism Tower, caused a huge number of memories to resurface for all of them. Serena was brought to tears as she finally saw her long time homeland again. They reminisced about past events as they waited for the plane to finish landing.

For the trip to Kalos, Serena had dug back into her wardrobe and decided to wear the charcoal colored top and red-white skirt that she'd worn for a while when she'd been in Hoenn. She'd decided not to wear any sort of hat. She'd gotten used to having her shoulder-length hair either hang free or be tied into a pony tail. She only wore hats on the reserve when it was either too sunny or raining and she'd decided to continue that trend and have her only head-covering be her honey colored hair.

It was early afternoon when they finally set foot on the tarmac. Ash felt enthused and Serena felt apprehensive. They headed into the outskirts of Lumiose City and prepared to take the road toward Vaniville Town. As they walked, they took in the sights. Some things had changed, but the sound and feel of the city and its people were still the same.

Ash suggested that they stop at a restaurant and eat lunch but Serena turned down the idea. She wanted to get to Vaniville Town as soon as possible. She hadn't told Ash yet, but she desperately wanted to get this over with and get back to Pallet Town. Ash and Pikachu were a little disappointed by this choice, but they went along with it.

As they walked through the city, Ash caught sight of a large poster featuring Aria.

"Hey, Serena, look! Aria is still Kalos Queen!" Ash said, pointing at the poster and sounding impressed.

Serena had been thinking about her mother and she started slightly before she followed Ash's gaze. "Oh, yeah," she said, trying to sound interested. "Aria's still undefeated. She's almost the longest reigning Queen in Kalos history."

Ash smiled and made a satisfied sound. "I hope it stays that way. That way she'll still be there for a rematch when you go for Kalos Queen some day."

Serena managed a smile, but truth be told, Kalos Queen was the last thing on her mind right now.

They walked a little further and got a clear view of Prism Tower as they turned on to one of the main thoroughfares.

"Hey!" Ash exclaimed suddenly. "We should go see Clemont and Bonnie! I'll bet they'd love it if we stopped by."

Serena felt her heart ache. Ash was right; they should go see Clemont and Bonnie. However, her mind was solely fixed on what she needed to tell her mother. There was no way she could enjoy spending time with their long-missed Kalos friends in her current state.

"Uh, maybe after we go to Vaniville Town, Ash," Serena said, putting a small plead into her reply.

Ash hesitated and looked at Serena. "Yeah, sure," he said, picking up on her discomfort.

Serena smiled gratefully and they continued on their way.

They soon exited the city limits and began walking along the road which would eventually lead to Vaniville Town. Ash was a little surprised at how quiet and distracted Serena was, but he figured she was nervous about telling her mother about their relationship, just like he'd been nervous with telling Delia.

The sun was shining and the sky was blue. Everything reminded the trio of how things had been so long ago when they'd traveled in Kalos. Ash pointed out a few Pokémon and some beautiful sights in an effort to lift Serena's spirits. It partially worked and a little of Serena's worry dissipated.

Abruptly, Pikachu stopped walking and a made a sharp cry. The electric mouse stood up straight and a few sparks burst from his cheeks.

Ash and Serena stopped in their tracks. "Is something wrong Pikachu?" Ash asked, puzzled by his buddy's reaction.

Pikachu twitched his ears; a few more sparks flew and he suddenly cried out and dashed off the road; heading straight for a wooded area nearby.

Ash and Serena stood dumbstruck for a moment then turned and dashed after Pikachu. "Hey! Wait up!" Ash called after him.

Pikachu raced ahead. The yellow Pokémon charged into a line of brush and disappeared from sight. Ash and Serena followed after him as best as they could. Serena started to wish she'd brought her Pokémon along. This was just supposed to be a social visit. They hadn't planned for any battles.

"Come on, Pikachu," Serena cried out. "What's going on?!"

As they pushed through the brush, Ash and Serena thought they could hear some sort of commotion in the forest ahead. They headed toward the sounds, figuring that's where Pikachu was going.

"Pikachu," Ash called out as they moved closer to the sounds. It was difficult for them to discern what was going on, but it sounded like there was a person shouting and a Pokémon raising a ruckus.

Ash and Serena fought through a particularly thick bush and took a moment to collect themselves. As they did, they were finally able to faintly make out what the person was saying.

"We just wanna be friends with you! Stop jumping around so much!"

Ash and Serena glanced at each other and then continued forward. They pushed through a couple more bushes and were able to determine that they were hearing the voice of a young girl. After another struggle, they finally broke into a small clearing and took in the sight of what was causing the commotion.

A Doduo was frantically jumping and dashing around the clearing; squawking and honking in panic. Clinging to the back of the double-headed bird was a young, yellow-haired girl. She had no control at all of the bird and was being tossed up and down as it tried to shake her off. Every time the creature jumped, the girl's legs and pair of hair-braids went flying into the air. It was a wonder she hadn't been thrown off already.

"Come onnnn, you don't have to be afraid," the girl desperately called out in a slightly squeaky and very familiar voice. "We've even got yummy food for you."

Ash and Serena both stopped and gaped at the sight.

"Is that?!" Ash began.

"Bonnie!" Serena finished.

Pikachu had moved to the edge of the clearing and was looking on with a shocked expression as well.

After three more frantic jumps, the Doduo shook itself violently and Bonnie went flying. She cried out in dismay and crashed down onto the forest floor. She tumbled head over heels once, kicking up leaves and other debris. A moment later, the Doduo shook itself again and a small, orange Pokémon was tossed free of its back. Dedenne let out a chattering cry and flew into a nearby bush. The Doduo immediately made tracks and dashed away into the forest.

Bonnie gasped for breath and scrambled to her hands and knees. "Wait! Stop!" she shouted after the fleeing bird Pokémon. "Don't go yet!"

The Doduo was long gone though. Bonnie hung her head and let out a disappointed moan.

Serena gasped in alarm at seeing Bonnie thrown so violently. She dashed forward, intending to render aid to the girl. "Bonnie!" she called out as she ran toward her. Ash was just a few steps behind her.

Bonnie was surprised to hear her name and turned to see who had spoken it. The moment she saw Ash and Serena her eyes widened in total surprise.

"I must've hit my head Dedenne, cause I'm hallucinating," she said in a woozy tone.

It took only a few moments for Serena and Ash to reach Bonnie. Ash knelt down a step away from Bonnie while Serena dropped to her knees and gently took hold of the young girl.

"Are you okay?" Serena said softly, checking Bonnie for any serious injuries. "Did you break anything?"

As Serena held on to Bonnie the girl suddenly brightened and began to smile broadly. "Wait, you two are real!?" she said, sounding shocked.

"Last time I checked," Serena quipped.

Bonnie's mouth fell open and her eyes shimmered with pure joy and excitement. She suddenly let out a squeal of delight and lunged forward, wrapping one of her arms around Serena's neck and her other around Ash's neck; gathering them both close to her in an extremely animated hug. Bonnie tried to speak words but they were indecipherable and quickly dissolved into a boisterous belly laugh as the girl was overcome with joy at seeing her long-missed friends.

Ash and Serena shared an awkward glance as they were squeezed by the young girl.

Bonnie abruptly made a 'harrumph' sound and pulled back from Ash and Serena. "Hey, we missed you! How come you never came and visited!?" she said, crossing her arms and sounding critical of them.

Ash and Serena looked at each other, a little taken aback by Bonnie's rapid shift of moods.

"Uh, well," Ash stammered.

"We've kind of been a little busy," Serena said.

"Yeah," Ash added.

Bonnie still looked sternly at them; her expression unchanged.

Serena smiled. "Ash won the Masters Tournament and became the greatest Pokémon trainer in the world."

Ash looked embarrassed. "Yeah, and Serena won the Hoenn contest championship," he said.

Bonnie frowned. "Yeah, yeah, I know all that. I watch the news," she groused. "That was like two years ago. What have you been doing all this time? You totally dropped off the radar."

Ash pushed himself to a standing position. "Well, it's sort of a long story," he said, casting a glance at Serena. He reached down and offered her a hand. Serena took it and pulled herself up. Once she was upright, Serena kept her hand gently clasped to Ash's to show him affection.

"Yeah," Serena said. "Ash took over running a Pokémon reserve in Pallet Town, and…" Serena blushed a little. "Well, I've been helping him out."

Bonnie's expression suddenly softened. Her eyes darted between Ash and Serena and then to their clasped hands. She took in an excited breath, raised her hands to her cheeks and started shaking with childlike energy.

"OH! You two are together!" Bonnie shouted gleefully. "Yay! Yippee!" she cried out, jumping up and down. She quickly dashed up to Serena, grabbed hold of both her hands and began shaking them playfully. "It all worked out Serena! Just like you hoped!"

Serena blushed a little and furtively glanced at Ash; feeling embarrassed at some of the things she'd shared with Bonnie back during their many nights together; sharing a tent. "Well, it didn't go quite how I thought," she said. "But I'm really happy."

All three of them shared a hardy laugh and then there was a brief moment of quiet. Ash and Serena were finally able to get a good look at Bonnie.

The young, yellow-haired girl looked much as she had during their travels in Kalos. She was a little taller and looked a little older. She'd redone her hair somewhat. Gone was the old ponytail that she'd worn on the left side of her head and instead she'd pulled her hair back into a pair of braids that started behind each of her ears and ran down to just below her shoulders. She still wore a similar looking brown shirt as before, but she now had a more traditional cream colored skirt which ran down to just above her knees. She also now wore pink sneakers rather than her old slip-ons. She still had her distinctive yellow messenger bag slung over her shoulder.

Ash was the next one to speak. "So, Bonnie, have you started your Pokémon journey?" he asked.

Bonnie looked a little downcast. "No, not quite. I'm not ten yet."

Serena looked curious. "Well, why were you out here trying to catch that Doduo?"

At this Bonnie smiled. "Cause I wanna be ready for when I do start my journey. I've been trying to figure out which Pokémon I want to be my friends." Bonnie's smiled turned into a silly grin and her voice went up an octave. "It's really hard though because they're all soooo cute!"

Ash and Serena laughed at this.

"I'm surprised Clemont let you go out here all on your own," Serena said.

Bonnie let out a laugh. "Actually, he said:" Bonnie suddenly lowered her voice; imitating how her brother sounded. "Bonnie, you're driving me crazy. As long as you stay safe, I'll let you go exploring."

Serena chuckled. "Really, he just let you go out here all by yourself?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Well, not all by myself." She held up her right wrist and they could see that it had some kind of gadget strapped to it; similar in appearance to a watch.

"He makes me wear this so he can be sure I stay safe and don't get lost."

Ash looked intrigued. "Huh! Is that one of those smart watches?" he asked.

Bonnie sighed. "No, it's my brother's invention. He called it the 'Keep track of little sister and make sure she's safe device.'" Bonnie sighed again. "He's still terrible at coming up with names."

Serena smiled sympathetically. "Does it work?"

Bonnie looked at the device with an indifferent expression. "Well, it hasn't blown up yet, so I guess so."

All three of them laughed at this.

Bonnie then let out a wistful sigh. "Yeah, I sure will be happy when I can go out on my own. I'm tired of being cooped up in prison tower."

Serena raised an eyebrow. "Prison tower?" she repeated in a curious tone.

Bonnie nodded. "Yeah, cause that's what it feels like," she said, sounding a bit disgusted. "Clemont barely ever goes anywhere. He's a really good gym leader, but that's all he does. When he's not battling he's inventing stuff. It's soooooo boring!"

Serena frowned slightly and spoke in a kind voice. "I'm sure it can't be that bad. Clemont was always so wonderful when we were with him."

Bonnie crossed her arms and looked to the side, pouting. "Yeah, he's nice and all. But ever since you guys left he hasn't been so adventurous. He just works with his inventions and stays in Lumiose City." Bonnie sighed in defeat. "I've looked all over but I can't find any girl that would make a good wife for him. No matter what I try, he just stays there."

Bonnie suddenly stamped one of her feet for emphasis and looked back at Ash and Serena. "I wanna go exploring! I only got to see a little bit of the world while we were traveling. There's so much more out there." She abruptly put on a mischievous smile. "I had to drive him crazy for two months but he finally let me out of prison tower, and as soon as I'm old enough, I'm gonna start exploring the world! If Clemont wants to stay there on his own, that's his choice."

Ash and Serena looked at each other. Serena was the one to speak. "Well, I'm sorry things haven't been the best for you Bonnie, but at least you're keeping a positive attitude."

Bonnie shrugged and looked a little sad. She then brightened and looked at Ash and Serena with an eager expression. "I know! Why don't you come and visit Clemont. Maybe if he saw you two he'd remember how fun traveling was. Maybe he'd finally get out of Lumiose City!"

Ash made an uncertain expression and glanced at Serena. This wasn't what they'd planned. Serena had said they should wait until after they visited her mother to go see Clemont and Bonnie. Now, however, with Bonnie looking at Serena with eager eyes, the older girl couldn't bring herself to say no.

Serena smiled. "Okay, that sounds like fun," she said.

Bonnie thrust her arms into the air in celebration. "YAY!"

Bonnie wasted no time and immediately took hold of Serena's hand and began walking with her out of the forest. "Come on Dedenne!" she shouted.

Dedenne had been chatting with Pikachu nearby. The two electric Pokémon separated and jumped up on their respective trainer's shoulders.

With Bonnie smiling ear-to-ear the three of them made tracks for Lumiose City.

It was mid-afternoon by the time they made it back to Prism Tower. Bonnie led them to the side entrance and hit the button on the intercom to request entry. After a moment, a mechanical sounding voice answered.

"Please give the password to gain entry."

Bonnie groaned. "Great! Clemont's got Clembot on guard duty."

"Is that a problem?" Serena replied.

Bonnie frowned. "Well, we may have had a few disagreements while Clemont had him babysitting me."

The intercom crackled. "I am still cleaning goo out of my servos. Why is it funny to booby trap a door like that?"

"Well it's about the only fun thing to do in prison tower!" Bonnie growled back at the intercom.

"You should not disrespect the name of this efficiently run establishment. Please give the password to gain entry."

"Gears and bolts," Bonnie said, rolling her eyes as she did so.

"That is no longer the password," the intercom replied.

Bonnie looked furious. "What do you mean it's no longer the password!? That's what it was when I left this morning!"

"Correct," the intercom replied. "It was time for the weekly change of passwords. I put the new password on the desk in your room as per protocol. Please give the new password to gain entry."

"How am I supposed to know what the new password is if I've been gone all day!?" Bonnie shouted.

"The answer to that question is not known?" the intercom replied.

Bonnie let out an exasperated sigh. "Come on Clembot! I'm here with Ash and Serena. Let us in already."

"I have no memory of any Ash or Serena, other than as passing acquaintances."

Bonnie pulled on her hair. "Argghhh, that's right, your memory got erased! You don't remember anything before the Team Flare Crisis."

"There is no need for insults."

Bonnie grabbed hold of the intercom with both hands and shouted directly into it. "Listen you hunk of junk, do a search for Ash Ketchum and Serena and then tell me if you want to keep the door locked!"

A few seconds passed and then there was a metallic 'clack' sound as the door unlocked and then swung open.

"Apologies, Mister Ketchum and Miss Serena. We are honored to welcome Pokémon trainers of your fame and reputation."

"Uh, thanks Clembot," Ash said sheepishly; taking a step toward the open door.

Serena and Bonnie followed after Ash; Bonnie muttering to herself about Clembot as they walked. Bonnie quickly took the lead again and guided them through the hallways of Prism Tower. They climbed a few flights of stairs and then approached the work room where Ash and Serena had seen Clemont reprogram and rebuild Clembot. They could seen Clemont was inside the room; bent over a table with his back to them. He looked just like he had when they'd last seen him years ago. Bonnie suddenly turned around and held the index finger of her right hand up to her mouth in a shushing motion.

"Let me go first," she said quietly. She then turned and casually walked into the room. "Hey, Clemont!" she said vociferously. "I'm back!"

Clemont didn't look up from his work. "Oh, hello Bonnie. You're back early today."

Bonnie cast an amused glance back at Ash and Serena and then continued forward. "Yep! I found a few Pokémon but they all ran off." She kept walking toward Clemont until she was standing next to him. "This one Doduo tossed me pretty far. I got a little banged up."

At this, Clemont looked up from his table and turned toward Bonnie. "Bonnie! I told you to be careful," he said, sounding concerned and annoyed. "Did you get hurt?!"

Bonnie grinned in response. "Not really," she said happily. "A couple really nice people stopped to help me out, so I was fine."

Clemont let out a stressful sigh and looked relieved. "Oh, okay good. I'm glad they were there to help you."

Bonnie nodded. "Yep! In fact, I decided to invite them back here for dinner so you could meet them." She continued grinning broadly and gestured toward the doorway where Ash and Serena were standing.

Clemont was taken aback. "Bonnie! You can't just invite people. We don't really have-"

As he spoke, Clemont looked toward where Bonnie had gestured. He caught sight of Ash and Serena awkwardly standing in the doorway and immediately stopped speaking. He stared blankly for a few seconds and readjusted his glasses.

Serena gave a small wave. "Hi Clemont," she said, breaking the silence.

Clemont's eyes suddenly widened and he let out a happy laugh. "Wow, it really is you two," he said, stepping quickly across the room. He came up to Ash and grabbed his hand; shaking it vigorously. "Ash, it's so good to see you! It's been a really long time!"

"Thanks, Clemont," Ash said

Clemont then moved to Serena and shook her hand in a much more reserved manner. "It's great to see you as well Serena!"

Serena smiled and laughed happily.

Clemont took a step back and composed himself. "So did you two just decide to stop by? I hadn't heard you were coming." he asked.

Ash and Serena exchanged a look. "Well, it was sort of a happy coincidence," Serena began. "We were in Kalos to visit my mom and we just happened to run into Bonnie while we were on the road."

Ash nodded. "Yeah, we were planning to visit you guys later, but when we met Bonnie, we decided to come here first."

Clemont smiled subtly. "Huh, imagine that. The odds of you just happening to meet Bonnie the one day you're in Kalos must be truly miniscule." He gave a small laugh. "Well, I'm certainly glad you weren't bound by the odds of probability and that you found your way here."

Ash laughed. "Yeah, I don't really know what that means, but I'm glad we made it here too."

All four of them laughed and then Bonnie stepped between Ash and Serena, wearing a big grin on her face.

"Aaaannd, big brother, there's one other thing you need to know," she said, barely containing herself.

Ash and Serena looked embarrassed as Bonnie put a hand on each of their shoulders and loudly announced, "Ash and Serena are together!"

Clemont looked surprised for a moment but then smiled. "Huh, well I guess that kind of makes sense. You two were really good friends and you were really forward with Ash, Serena."

Serena blushed fiercely and looked at her feet. "Yeah, yeah, I know," she said bashfully.

Even though Serena loved talking with Ash about her past actions with him, she still got embarrassed when other people brought up her open displays of affection.

Clemont put his hands on his hips and looked thoughtful. "Well, we're not really set up for entertaining guests here. Maybe we could go out an-"

"NO!" Bonnie said sharply.

All three of them turned to look at the younger girl; surprised at the outburst. Bonnie quickly switched her face from one of rebellion to one of happiness. When she spoke again, she sounded polite and kind.

"I mean, we don't need to go anywhere Clemont. Me and Serena can fix dinner. We'll get everything ready and you two can just relax."

Ash and Serena looked puzzled and Clemont appeared uncomfortable. "Bonnie," Clemont began. "Serena's our guest. You don't ask guests to fix meals."

Bonnie glanced at Serena, looking for help. Serena picked up on what the young girl was doing and chimed in, "oh, it's no problem Clemont," she said smiling. "It will give us a chance to catch up. Plus, I love cooking."

Clemont frowned but relented. "Well, okay. It's just so unusual though."

"Yay!" Bonnie exclaimed. She took a step toward Ash and spoke quickly to him. "Be sure to tell him all about your adventures and how much fun they were." She then giggled and stepped to Serena's side. "Come on. I'll show you the kitchen."

Serena smiled and followed after Bonnie as she headed out of the room. As soon as they were out of earshot, Bonnie turned her head back toward Serena and whispered, "so, is Ash a good kisser?"

Serena snorted in surprise and amusement at the bold question. "Bonnie!" she said in a mildly chastising tone.

Bonnie giggled and continued on toward the kitchen.

Bonnie and Serena set about preparing dinner in the kitchen area of Prism Tower. The dining room was immediately adjacent to the kitchen, so Ash and Clemont sat down at the table to talk and watch what was happening with the two girls.

Ash shared several stories about his travels in Alola and Galar. Clemont was very interested to learn about Z-Moves and Gigantamaxing. He asked a lot of questions and at the end of it stated that he intended to invent something that would help study the effects.

As they talked, Bonnie and Serena worked in the kitchen. Bonnie was just starting to learn how to cook and Serena was more than happy to teach her as they went. The two girls often whispered to each other and occasionally glanced back at Ash and Clemont. One time, Serena looked straight at Ash and blushed slightly before turning back to Bonnie.

Ash knew that they were talking about him but he didn't care. He actually felt a little flattered knowing that Serena had him on her mind.

Ash and Clemont were silent for a minute and then Clemont spoke up. "Does having Serena make you happy, Ash?" he said.

Ash was a little surprised by the question. "Well," he began thoughtfully. "I mean, yeah." He smiled, feeling a little embarrassed. "She's really nice and always helping out. I can always count on her." Ash looked toward Serena as she was teaching Bonnie a cooking skill. "She's really special."

Clemont looked introspective and hummed softly. "I've been thinking a bit about this sort of thing myself," he finally said.

"Oh, really?" Ash replied.

Clemont nodded. He looked at Bonnie with a sad expression. "I've never really thought about having a girlfriend. I've always had my work to keep me busy and Bonnie to keep me company. Now, though, I know she can't wait to set off on her own and start exploring the world." Clemont let out a sigh. "When she leaves, I'll be here all alone with just Clembot."

"So, you're thinking of looking for a girlfriend?" Ash said.

Clemont shrugged. "I don't know. Bonnie's always been searching for a girl to look after me. I've always thought it was an annoying joke, but now that I'm going to be all alone pretty soon, I'm kind of wishing she'd found someone."

Ash thought for a moment. "Hey, maybe you don't have to be all alone so soon," he said with some enthusiasm.

Clemont looked curious. "What do you mean?"

Ash smiled. "Well, If Bonnie wants to see the world, why don't you go along with her. Maybe you could even take her a few places. That way she could go exploring and you wouldn't be alone."

Clemont's mood seemed to brighten. "That seems like a good idea," he said. "I really haven't traveled that much lately. It might be fun to go visit other cities."

Ash nodded. "Yeah! And who knows, maybe Bonnie will find a girlfriend for you while you're exploring."

Clemont laughed. "I should probably have a talk with her about that." He suddenly looked more thoughtful and serious. "Hmmm, I wonder if she could really find someone for me."

Clemont thought for another minute and then Serena called out that dinner was ready. All four of them sat down at the table and enjoyed a delicious meal. It felt a lot like old times as Dedenne, Pikachu, Chespin, Luxray, Heliolisk and Diggersby all sat around nearby eating their food as well.

There were plenty of stories told and lots of laughter as all of them enjoyed the meal and caught up on events. As the evening came to a close, Serena found herself feeling pleased that they'd bumped into Bonnie and taken this detour. She'd forgotten just how well the four of them got along.

After the meal, they all helped cleanup and then it was nearly time for bed. Clemont felt a little guilty that they didn't have any sort of guest rooms and there wasn't any place for Ash and Serena to spend the night. Bonnie promptly suggested that Serena could spend the night in her room. After making the suggestion, Bonnie whispered to Serena that this way she could 'tell her all the juicy stuff about Ash.' The two girls had giggled like children and then, with her face turning red and a guilty grin on her face, Serena eagerly agreed.

Clemont initially offered Ash his room but Ash politely declined. He decided to sleep on the couch; not wanting to be an inconvenience to Clemont. The two young men then bid each other good night and Clemont thanked Ash again for his advice. Ash and Clemont quickly fell asleep; both happy at the events of the day.

Several hours later, Bonnie and Serena finally fell asleep. Both girls' sides ached from how much they'd laughed. At the end of it all, Serena was in a supremely good mood, however, in the back of her mind, she knew that she'd shared way too much information with Bonnie. It was a good thing they would be moving on tomorrow. She imagined that Bonnie wouldn't be able to keep from sniggering anytime Ash would be in the room.

The next day had a very odd sense of déjà vu to it. It felt extremely familiar to the old routine they'd had when they'd traveled in Kalos, despite it being totally different.

Ash and Clemont woke up first. The two of them spent a little time in the dining room eating a simple breakfast and waiting for the girls to wake up. When neither Bonnie nor Serena appeared they started discussing Clemont's gym battles. Before long, Ash battling spirit was ignited and the two old friends headed down to the arena where Diggersby faced off against Pikachu.

Clemont had improved a great deal as a gym leader and his control of Diggersby was excellent. Ash, however, was still one of the best Pokémon trainers in the world, and after clashing with Diggersby for a short while, Pikachu landed several devastating hits and knocked out the giant rabbit. Clemont was impressed by Ash's skill and the two of them returned to the kitchen to find that Bonnie and Serena had finally awoken.

The girls ate some breakfast and the four of them then talked for a short while. Ash was a little puzzled as to why most times when Bonnie looked at him, she covered her mouth with a hand and started snickering. Serena didn't offer any ideas as to why this was going on.

Eventually it was time for Ash and Serena to get going. They said their goodbyes; shook hands and were tightly hugged by a crying Bonnie. Serena got a bit emotional too, but soon they were once again on their way to Vaniville Town.

Serena led the way for most of the trip. Even though it had been several years since she'd last traveled these routes, she clearly remembered them. As they traveled Serena pointed out landmarks to Ash and told him stories about her childhood.

As the sun rose high in the sky, Ash and Serena stopped for lunch; sitting down under a large tree in a grassy field. They ate the few snacks they'd brought along and then spent a few minutes just enjoying being together. Serena scooted so her side was pressed against Ash and she laid her head against his chest. Ash used his arms to cradle Serena and smiled as loose strands of her golden hair were blown in the mild breeze.

As he held Serena, Ash couldn't help but notice that she felt tense. Usually, Serena let herself melt into his body; contouring to his form like a beautifully soft blanket. This time though, it felt more like she was clinging to him, as if she was worried she might lose him. Ash thought about saying something but decided not to.

After a few minutes of peace, Serena moved and sat up. She looked at Ash and he thought he detected just a little fear in her eyes. He again said nothing, although he started to feel a little concerned. The two of them then continued on their way.

The journey wasn't extremely long, however it was getting close to evening as they approached Vaniville Town. As they crested the final ridge, Ash finally took in the small town where Serena grew up. Serena had described it several times as being similar to Pallet Town, just not as spread out; instead, the houses were hemmed in by hills and forests. Ash thought it looked elegant and peaceful.

Serena stopped for a moment and took a deep breath to steady herself. Ash noticed that her hands were clinched into fists and her entire body was tense. He finally decided to say something.

"Hey, Serena," he began. "Is everything okay?"

Serena started slightly. She'd been lost in thought.

"Oh, uh," she breathed. "Yeah, I guess so," she replied uncertainly.

Ash kept staring at her, prompting her to continue.

Serena expression changed to one of nervousness. "I just really hope this goes okay," she said tensely

Ash looked curious. "Why wouldn't it?"

Serena made a small motion with her hand for them to continue walking. They did so and they talked as they made their way along the road.

"Well…" Serena said slowly. "I haven't exactly been telling my mom what I've been doing the past two years."

Ash raised an eyebrow. "But I've seen you talking on the phone with her. I've even said hi a few times."

Serena nodded and looked guilty. "Yeah, I've told her how I help you out and about my contests." she smiled awkwardly. "But, I might have left out the part that I'm living in Pallet Town and that I spend pretty much every day with you."

Ash looked shocked. "You didn't tell her that!" he said flatly.

Serena bit her lower lip and looked a little scared. "Yeah. She probably thinks that I've been traveling around Kanto and that I occasionally stop in to visit you for a week or so to help out around the reserve."

It took Ash a few moments to process this information. He now understood why Serena was feeling apprehensive. "But, why didn't you tell her?!" he said, sounding bewildered.

Serena let out a stress-filled sigh. "What was I supposed to say Ash? 'Oh hey mom, how's it going? By the way, you know that boy I met a while ago? I've decided to put my whole adventure on hold so I can help him out. Also, I've moved in with his mother and I'm going to be spending every day for the foreseeable future with him!'" Serena paused; looking desperate. When she spoke again, she sounded emotional. "You know what she's gonna think we've been doing."

Ash pursed his lips. "But we haven't done anything inappropriate with each other. We just started dating."

Serena sighed and sounded resigned. "Yeah. We know that, but she doesn't."

Ash was about to say something when Serena spoke again.

"When I was growing up, my mom always taught me to act properly and be reserved. As I got older, she and I started getting into arguments over thing like clothes and dresses. She always wanted me to be modest and I wanted to stand out." Serena hugged herself and then continued. "When she started teaching me about 'teenage stuff' she always told me, 'make sure the only man who ever shares your bed is the one who will be your husband.' She was always really adamant about that."

Ash thought for a moment and then spoke. "But you can just tell her we haven't slept together. You haven't gone against what she taught you."

Serena continued looking nervous. "Do you really think she'll believe me? Ash, from the outside, it really doesn't look good."

Ash didn't have a reply. Now he was starting to feel a little apprehensive.

Serena sighed again. "Look, I've already decided that no matter what happens or what she says, I'm staying in Pallet Town."

Ash looked over at her. "Really?"

Serena nodded. "I love you Ash," she said softly. Her voice then became more firm. "I've spent the past three years working toward this relationship. I'm not going to let my mom ruin it just because she doesn't like how it looks."

Ash nodded solemnly, reached out a hand and clasped it on her shoulder. He gave it a squeeze and Serena smiled in appreciation.

The two of them continued walking toward Serena's house. Within a few minutes they were approaching the brick fence that surrounded the property. Serena looked in the windows and could see her mom inside; she appeared to be preparing dinner.

"Okay, she's here," Serena said under her breath; sounding relieved and alarmed.

Ash glanced at Serena. "You weren't sure if she'd be here?" he asked uncertainly.

Serena swallowed and looked shy. "I might not have called ahead and told her we were coming," she said timidly.

Ash just stared at Serena, but said nothing. He'd never seen her acting like this.

As Serena stepped to the front gate, she steeled herself and prepared for the worst. She'd spend the last several days mentally preparing an eloquent speech to explain things as best as she could to her mother. She was fully prepared for a shouting match and a furious disagreement. It horrified her at the prospect of creating such a rift with her mother, but she'd already decided that Ash was her future, and nothing was going to get in the way of that.

Serena kept her gaze focused on the front door of her house as her shoes clumped on the stone walkway. There were only a few more steps to go…

Suddenly, there was a deep, guttural grunt of surprise that snapped Serena out of her trance-like state. She looked to her right and saw Rhyhorn staring at her; wide-eyed and looking shocked.

"Oh, Rhyhorn," Serena said softly.

Rhyhorn immediately emitted a joyful growl and charged forward. Serena took half a step backwards and let out a small cry of surprise as the rock type eagerly drove her to the ground and began licking her face. Serena began laughing and petted her long-time friend.

"Are you okay?" Ash said, looking down at Serena with a mildly concerned expression.

Serena laughed and looked at Ash. "Yeah, I'm fine." She giggled and continued petting Rhyhorn. "Yes, I've missed you too," she said sweetly to the Pokémon.

The front door of the house suddenly swung open and Grace stepped out; looking surprised and concerned. "What on earth-" she began sharply, not knowing what was going on with Rhyhorn. A moment later she gasped and her right hand moved to her heart as she saw Serena.

"Mom!" Serena cried out as she caught sight of her mother.

"Serena," Grace breathed; completely overcome with surprise.

Serena maneuvered her way out from under Rhyhorn and rose to her feet. She briefly placed a hand on the creature to still it and then turned to face her mother. She took a breath and then began to speak in as determined a voice as she could muster.

"Mom, before you say anything, there's something I need to tell you."

Grace looked a little surprised by Serena statement, but she didn't say anything as per Serena's request.

"So, some things have changed mom," Serena continued. As she spoke however, she felt her carefully prepared speech crumbling apart inside her mind. Her nerves were getting the better of her and she suddenly could only recall fragments of what she'd planned to say.

"I, uh," she stammered. "There are a few things I didn't tell you…."

Grace raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Serena gritted her teeth and plunged ahead. "Basically, I've been living in Pallet Town. I haven't been traveling all over Kanto." She cringed internally the moment the words left her mouth. That hadn't been at all how she'd planned to say it.

Grace's eyes widened a bit. "Wha-" she stammered. "But you-"

Serena continued speaking; cutting her mom off. "You see mom, I've been helping Ash out this whole time…. I've been spending a lot of time with him….. And…. recently there's been a big change…"

Grace suddenly started to look concerned. Her mouth fell partially agape as she watched Serena continue.

Serena saw her mom's reaction and braced herself for condemnation. "I love him, mom," she said with conviction. "I love Ash so much and I've spent a lot of time thinking about all this."

Grace was looking more and more concerned as Serena kept speaking.

"Basically, Ash and I… we've….." Serena tried in vain to remember the words she'd planned to say. "We've sort of been together for a while….. but…. now….."

Grace had raised both her hands to her face in distress and looked like she could possibly pass out.

Serena felt like this was all falling apart and so she did the only thing she could think of. She seized Ash's hand and held it up at shoulder height like it was a trophy. "ASH AND I ARE DATING!" she shouted.

Serena's words hung in the air for a pair of heartbeats and then Grace let out the breath she'd been holding; suddenly looking more relaxed. "Oh! Is that all?" she said, clearly relieved. "There's nothing more?"

Serena momentarily froze; taken aback by her mother's calm reaction. "Uh, well, yeah, basically," she managed.

Grace let out another tense breath and smiled. "Well, I'm happy for you Serena. You're starting out on life's big journey."

Serena stared at her mother; hardly believing what she had just heard.

Grace recomposed herself and then spoke again. "You got here just in time. I was just about to start on dinner. I'll make some for the two of you."

"Hey, that sounds great," Ash spoke up.

Grace nodded smartly and smiled. "It's so good to see you two. Come on inside. You've got to be tired."

Grace reentered the house and Ash turned to face Serena.

"Looks like everything worked out," Ash said happily.

Serena nodded, but didn't say anything. This was the last thing she'd expected. She stood in place and didn't move for several seconds as she tried to make sense of her mom's words and actions.

Ash saw this and gently took hold of Serena's arm. Serena looked over at him, smiled warmly and the two of them headed inside the house.

Serena awoke slowly the next morning. It was the first time she'd slept in her bed since she'd left home almost three years ago and she felt warm, relaxed and happy. She had no idea what time it was and she didn't care. She floated in a barely awake state, just conscious enough to appreciate how pleasant everything was, but not enough to worry about anything that was going on outside the covers of her bed.

She suddenly heard a soft fluttering sound and felt something small land on the edge of the covers just above her head. Serena realized what it was and swiftly ducked her head beneath the covers.

"NOO!" she shouted, as she dodged out of the way of Fletchling's peck. She heard the bird Pokémon take flight and she threw off the covers.

"Come on," she said, clearly incensed. "I've been away all this time and that's how you decide to say good morning?!"

Fletchling let out a few amused chirps and flew out of her room.

Serena frowned and sighed. She then rolled out of bed and walked to her window; swinging it open so she could take in the morning atmosphere. It was a beautiful day outside. A small breeze blew and she could smell the plants of the town and the faint aroma of food being cooked. She remembered back to her childhood and all her happy memories. It seemed so long ago now.

Serena leaned against the window frame and took stock of her feelings. She was really happy to be back in Vaniville Town, but she now realized that she didn't think of this as home anymore. This was her mom's house; the house where she'd grown up. Her home was now Pallet Town. Her home was wherever Ash was.

Serena smiled, closed the window and moved to retrieve her clothes so she could get changed.

A few minutes later, Serena descended the steps to the dining room and found to her surprise that Ash and Grace were already there. The two of them seemed to have been enjoying a conversation and Serena felt a little awkward as she joined them.

Grace smiled. "Well it's good to see some things haven't changed. You still sleep late," she said in a mildly teasing manner.

Serena rolled her eyes. "I don't usually sleep this late," she replied.

Ash smiled. "Yeah, she's usually up fairly early. She likes cooking breakfast for us."

Serena swallowed as she heard Ash's comment. Even though last night had gone well, she was still wary of what information she passed on to her mother. She didn't want her to get any wrong ideas and the idea that Ash had spent an unknown amount of time talking with Grace made her stomach churn.

Grace looked toward the stovetop. "There's still some breakfast left. I think it's still warm," she said kindly.

Serena nodded and thanked her. She retrieved a plate and piled on some food. She then sat down and ate; occasionally adding a comment to Ash and Grace's conversation.

Once Serena was done eating, Grace rose from the table and put away the dishes. She then returned to the table and addressed Serena.

"Serena, I was planning on going out for a ride today. I know Rhyhorn has missed you a lot. What do you say to joining me?"

Serena looked at Ash and then at her mom. "Well, I don't know. I don't want to just go off and leave Ash all alone."

"I'll be fine," Ash spoke up. "Pikachu and I can look around town. We never visited Vaniville town. I'm sure there's a bunch of cool things here."

Serena couldn't help but feel that Ash and Grace had already spoken about this. She sighed internally and put on a smile. "Okay, sure. Sounds great."

Grace smiled. "I'll get everything ready. You'll probably want to put on your racing outfit. I'm planning to go fast."

Serena watched as her mom exited the room and then turned toward Ash. "Did she ask you about this?" Serena said pointedly.

Ash looked a little surprised at the question. "Well, yeah, she wanted to spend some time with you. I figured since you haven't seen each other for a few years it'd been great."

Serena rocked on her feet, mulling things over. She felt a little nervous about the ride with her mom. She expected that her mom wanted a chance to talk with her one-on-one and this Rhyhorn ride was just her way of doing so.

"You sure you'll be okay," Serena asked Ash.

Ash nodded. "Yeah definitely. You go have fun with your mom."

Serena put on a smile even though she didn't feel happy. "Okay, I'll see you later."

With that, Serena headed up to her room so she could put on her racing coveralls.

When Serena finally emerged from the house wearing her racing outfit, she found her mother standing in the street with a pair of Rhyhorn. Grace wore an outfit much like her daughter's and Serena was a little surprised to see her holding a second mount. She'd assumed that they be sharing one.

"All ready to go?" her mother asked as she approached.

Serena nodded. "Yeah," she pointed at the Rhyhorn she didn't recognize. "I didn't know you had a second Rhyhorn."

Grace smiled and petted the other Pokémon. "Oh, this is Rumble. I was asked to train him. He's really fast but hasn't quite learned how to turn like he needs to." She laughed briefly. "Makes for quite a wild ride."

Serena smiled, walked up to the new Rhyhorn and gently petted it. "Hello Rumble. Do you like my mom teaching you?" she said sweetly.

The Rhyhorn gave a friendly reply and nuzzled against Serena's hand.

Serena gave the creature a final caress and then swiftly mounted up on her Rhyhorn.

Grace followed suit and jumped aboard Rumble.

Both of them settled into their mounts and prepared to go. At that moment, Serena glanced back toward the house and saw Ash standing in the doorway. He waved at her and she responded in kind.

"Have fun!" Ash shouted.

Serena smiled and shouted in return. "Yeah, I'll see you later!"

Grace gave Rumble a small nudge and the Pokémon started trotting forward. Serena followed on her Rhyhorn. They proceeded out of Vaniville Town at a leisurely trot and were soon on a dirt road leading south of the settlement.

Grace turned and looked at Serena. "Okay, let's see if you can keep up," she said with a wry smile. She then gave Rumble a sizable kick and the Pokémon surged forward.

Serena grinned and reached down to give Rhyhorn a pet. "I don't think we'll let them get too far ahead, will we?" she whispered.

Rhyhorn growled eagerly and Serena gave the creature a kick. The rock type quickly accelerated into a full sprint and began racing along the road a few lengths behind Rumble.

For Serena, even though she'd been away from Rhyhorn racing, she'd still gotten plenty of practice with that species of Pokémon. She always loved working with the pack of Rhyhorn they had on the reserve and she occasionally took them out for runs around the property. Because of this, she felt right at home on the back of the speedy creature. She urged Rhyhorn to go faster and started closing in on her mother.

The two of them raced along the windy roads south of Vaniville Town. Serena kept pace with her mother and soon learned exactly what she'd meant when she'd said Rumble hadn't learned how to turn. The Rhyhorn was extremely fast, but tended to travel in a straight line. It was only the skill of her mother that kept the beast from plowing into the hedges and fences that lined parts of the road. More than once, Serena gasped and cringed, expecting an impact, but her mother managed to turn Rumble out of the way just in time.

After a decent ride, Grace slowed down the pace and pulled off the road next to a small stream. Both of the Rhyhorn were winded and they quickly moved to the water and began taking generous gulps. Grace and Serena dismounted and saw to it that the Pokémon were in good shape. Grace then pointed Serena to a nearby shady tree and retrieved a small bag of refreshments from the back of Rumble.

The two of them traipsed up a small hill and sat down under in the shade of the tree. Grace unpacked the bag and handed Serena a bottle of juice; taking one for herself as well. There were also a few small snacks which they started to munch on.

As the wind blew through her hair, Serena felt transported back to when she was much younger and her mom often took her out riding with her. Whether they stopped in a grassy field or on a sunny hilltop, they always enjoyed a small picnic lunch, similar to the one they had now. Serena leaned her back against the tree and relaxed. Kalos might not be her home anymore, but she still loved the countryside.

"It's good to see you haven't lost your touch," Grace said. "You handled Rhyhorn like a real pro."

Serena smiled. "Well, I've gotten a lot of experience working on the reserve. We have Rhyhorn there, along with a lot of other Pokémon that you can ride. I've been training a few of them from time to time."

Grace nodded and looked wistful. "You've really grown up a lot since you left Kalos." Grace paused a moment and then added. "And I don't just mean your age. You're far more mature now."

Serena looked thoughtful. "A lot's happened the past few years," she said quietly.

Grace smiled. "You've traveled the world, won a championship, helped build a reserve and started a very serious relationship."

Serena nodded. "Yeah. It's been a lot of work." She took a breath and looked at her mother. "But I've never been happier mom."

Grace kept watching Serena. "You love what you're doing right now?" she asked.

Serena nodded again. "Yes, very much."

Grace paused a moment and then added, "and you love Ash as well?"

Serena gave a soft, exasperated sigh and a small shake of her head. "I knew you were gonna ask me about that," she said under her breath.

"Hmmmm," Grace hummed, keeping a subtle smile on her face. "What do you think I'm going to ask you about?" she said; a touch of playfulness in her tone.

Serena looked at her mom and hesitated. Last night, during dinner, she'd been extremely surprised that her mother hadn't grilled her and Ash about their relationship. Surprisingly, she'd barely asked them any questions at all and instead she'd just wanted to hear what they'd been doing and what adventures they'd been on. The only thing Serena could guess is that her mom had been waiting to ask the personal questions until a more appropriate time.

There were several questions her mom could ask, but Serena figured she might as well get the big one out of the way. "You want to know if Ash and I are sleeping together," she said, matter-of-factly

Grace looked amused. "No, Serena, I'm not wondering about that."

Serena's eyes widened and she felt distressed. How could her mother have so little faith in her? "Mom! We aren't!" she said sharply. "Ash and I have talked about it and we-"

"I know!" Grace said firmly, interrupting Serena.

Serena froze and felt slightly foolish at her outburst. "Did Ash tell you?" she asked; her voice now subdued.

Grace smiled subtly again and spoke in a kind voice. "No. I saw how you two were acting around each other last night. It's very clear you've only been platonic."

Serena became still, and waited for her mother to continue.

Grace looked kindly at Serena and spoke again. "What I want to know is: who's been pushing this relationship forward?"

Serena felt wary, but she answered the question. "I have," she responded simply.

Grace nodded. "You've been pursuing Ash for a long time," she said. The words were more statement than question.

Serena hesitated to answer this question honestly. Saying she'd possessed feelings for Ash since she was six might not be the best answer. "Maybe for the last two years; while I've been working with him on the reserve."

Grace gave an amused but polite laugh and briefly looked skyward. "Serena, dear," she said in a knowing voice. "It's been since you left on your Pokémon journey."

Serena felt her face get hot. Had her mother been on to her from the start? "How did you know?" she said softly.

Grace looked lovingly at Serena. "You're my daughter, Serena. I know you. One day you were unmotivated and unhappy and then you saw that boy on the television, saving the day. The very next day, you're running out the door; suddenly starting a Pokémon adventure. A few days later, you've met this boy and you're traveling with him and his friends." Grace smiled in satisfaction. "It really wasn't that hard to figure out."

Serena suddenly felt very exposed under her mother's gaze. All this time, she'd thought she'd been keeping secrets. Instead, her mom had known almost everything. Serena could think of nothing to say.

Grace watched Serena for several moments and then spoke again. "Ash has been very good for you Serena," she said kindly.

Serena was surprised by these words. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"He gave you something to work towards," Grace replied. "He helped you discover a love for Pokémon Showcases and pushed you to be a better person." Grace smiled broadly. "I remember when I met you in Lumiose City after the Flare Crisis. I was so proud of how much you'd grown up."

Serena felt a ball of warmth form inside her. She'd been really concerned about how her mom would receive the news of her and Ash's relationship and now it looked like it was going to all be okay.

Grace thought for a moment and then continued. "So far, you and Ash have made really good decisions." Her voice then took on a more stern tone. "However, you've still got a long way to go."

Serena sat up straight. "I know," she said softly.

A small smirk pulled at the corner of Grace's mouth. "Do you?" she replied in a skeptical tone.

Serena felt lost in this conversation. It was clear her mother had been several steps ahead of her.

Grace let out a breath and looked at the ground as she considered her words. "Has Ash been affectionate toward you?" she asked suddenly.

Serena was a little surprised by this question. "Um, a little," she replied. "He's really modest and still working a few things out."

Grace nodded slowly and smiled. "I saw how he acted toward you last night. He's a gentleman, Serena, and he's shy, but I believe he cares deeply for you."

Serena felt her throat tighten with emotion. "Yeah, I know." she breathed. "I'm just waiting for him to figure it all out."

Grace's eyes started to tear up a little as she saw her daughter's feelings on display. "You've been the one pushing this relationship forward up 'til now," she said.

Serena nodded.

Grace continued in a serious tone. "The question I have is: what are you going to do when Ash figures out his feelings and starts pushing things forward?"

Serena smiled. She'd been hoping and dreaming of the day when Ash finally took the initiative in their relationship. She desperately wanted to be swept off her feet. She wanted Ash to finally be bold with her.

"I think it will be really great when that happens," Serena replied.

Grace waited a moment before replying. Her voice was now kind but firm. "You've never experienced what it's like to have the man you love look you in the eye and see that he wants you."

A part of Serena thought that such a thing would be wonderful, but she could hear the warning in her mother's tone. "Ash and I have talked about that stuff, mom. We take it very seriously," she said.

Grace pressed her lips together and thought for several long moments. "How committed are you to Ash, Serena?" she finally asked.

Serena knew better than to fudge on this question. She'd thought about this many many many times over the past three years. She'd contemplated how much she would be willing to forgive Ash and how long she would wait. She'd mulled this issue over more than anything else in her entire life.

"I am absolutely committed to him, mom," she said with conviction. "I love him and I would do anything for him!"

Grace looked deep into her daughter's eyes and slowly nodded. "Okay, Serena," she said; her voice just a whisper. "I'll leave this in your hands."

Serena felt a weight lift off of her and she let out a sigh of relief. She'd really hoped her mom wouldn't try to interfere in her relationship with Ash. "Thanks, mom," she said gratefully.

Graced smiled for a few seconds and then looked more serious. "I will give you this one piece of advice," she said.

Serena looked intently at her mother.

Grace thought carefully for a moment and then spoke. "Very soon, you and Ash will have to decide on what sort of relationship you'll have moving forward."

Serena nodded and continued listening.

"You'll have to decide if your relationship is going to be based on you two loving each other, or you two having sex with each other."

Serena blinked, a little surprised by the blunt wording and the comparison. "But," Serena began hesitantly. "You can have both, can't you?"

Grace sent Serena a stern look. "Yes you can, but only if you've first build a strong foundation of love and trust in your relationship. If you don't have that to stand on, everything will just fall apart."

Serena looked at the ground and remained silent while she considered her mother's words. After a few moments, Grace continued.

"Think of building a pyramid, Serena. You have to put down all the lower levels before you can lay the capstone."

Serena looked up at her mother; listening to the story.

"Sex is the capstone of a relationship. You should only put it in place after you've done all the other work."

Serena nodded, understanding her mother. "Yeah, that's what Ash and I think. That's what we're planning to do. We've already talked about this."

Grace looked kindly at Serena. "Planning and doing are two different things, Serena. As I said, you've never felt what it's like to see the man you love want you. When you get to that point, that's when you and Ash will have to decide on what sort of relationship you're going to have."

Serena felt a little frustrated that her mom wasn't trusting her more, but she didn't protest.

Grace had said everything she felt she needed to so she let out a big sigh and looked toward the horizon. "Well, enough of that. Serena, I would like to hear about these medicinal berries Ash told me you were working with."

Serena smiled. Her mother was very different in style from Delia, but she loved her just as much as Ash loved his mother. She spent some time describing her fledging knowledge about Pokémon medicine and berries and then talked a bit about Pokémon contests. After a while, the two of them sat quietly, their backs against the tree, enjoying the cool summer breeze.

A memory surfaced in Serena's mind and she turned her head to voice it to her mother. "Hey, mom," she began, sounding a little curious. "Last night, when I was telling you about me and Ash dating, you looked really upset for a few seconds."

Grace had her eyes closed and a relaxed expression on her face. As Serena spoke, an amused smile formed on her face.

"I was just wondering," Serena continued. "Why were you upset?"

With her eyes still closed, Grace waited a moment and then replied in a slightly jovial tone. "I thought you were about to tell me that I was going to be a grandmother."

Serena felt embarrassed. "Oh!" she said in a low voice. She really had made a mess of her prepared speech.

Still smiling, Grace shifted against the tree but didn't open her eyes. "I was glad to learn that wasn't the case," she said in a relaxed voice.

Serena nodded, closed her own eyes and leaned her head back against the tree. She wondered if she would fall asleep with it being such a nice day.

A minute passed and Grace spoke up in a detached sounding voice. It seemed like she too was close to falling asleep.

"Serena," she said. "Make sure you don't make me a grandmother until you're fully ready for that responsibility."

Serena smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Don't worry mom, I've got that handled."

The two of them then fell asleep for a short time, joining the two Rhyhorn who were also slumbering next to the small stream.

Once Grace and Serena awoke from their nap, they sat under the shady tree for another hour, reminiscing about the past and talking about recent events in their lives. They eventually rose, shared a loving embrace and then returned to their Rhyhorn; ready for the journey home.

The trip back to Vaniville Town was at a much more leisurely trot. Grace wanted to spend some more time with Serena and the two of them talked as they slowly plodded back to town. As they came into sight of the houses, there seemed to be some sort of commotion going on in the center of town. Even though they were still a long ways off, Grace and Serena could see what appeared to be emergency vehicles, with lights flashing, lining several roads in the center of town. The two of them exchanged glances and urged their Rhyhorn into a faster trot.

Serena felt concerned and curious as they approached the edge of town. There were roughly a dozen police cars scattered around the village. There was also a fire engine, an ambulance and many emergency workers. More curiously, there appeared to be a large, white-painted drone crashed in the middle of town. The drone had a black/white crest with something that looked like blue scribbling on it.

"What in the world happened here!?" Grace exclaimed.

As they drew closer, Serena caught sight of Ash talking to Officer Jenny. Pikachu was sitting on his shoulder and the two of them were dirty; like they'd been in a battle. Serena felt relief flow through her; at least her Ash was safe.

Grace was speechless as she took in the chaotic scene. Serena pulled Rhyhorn up within speaking distance of Ash. He saw her, smiled and turned to face her.

"Hey, Ash," Serena called out. "What's going on here?"

Ash smiled sheepishly and Pikachu grinned. "Well, Team Plasma showed up. I think they were looking for Zygarde cells or something like that. They talked about wanting to control Pokémon, and rule the world."

"Are you okay?" Serena asked.

Ash nodded. "Yeah, we're fine." He glanced at Pikachu. "Pikachu did great." Ash then looked toward Grace. "Your Fletchling did too. It battled really well."

"What are you talking about?!" Grace said, sounding discombobulated.

In the center of town, a half dozen sour-faced and bruised youths in strange black outfits were being led away in handcuffs.

At that moment, a man Serena recognized as a neighbor from Vaniville Town came running up to her mother.

"Grace!" the man called out eagerly. "You wouldn't believe it! All of a sudden these strange people showed up in the middle of town and started demanding everyone turn over their Pokémon! They started making threats and using that machine to search the town!"

Grace stared at the man with her mouth agape and eyes wide.

"Then, Ash Ketchum showed up, you know, the world's greatest Pokémon trainer!" The man's eyes were shining with wonder as he excitedly spoke. "He used his Pikachu and your Fletching to battle all those thugs! He even knocked down that machine of theirs! It was amazing!"

Serena chuckled as the man went on describing events to her mother. She dismounted Rhyhorn and walked over to Ash.

"So, just another ordinary day, huh?" she said dryly.

Ash laughed. "Yeah, I guess so."

Serena made a small humming sound and licked her right thumb. She then used it to wipe some grime off Ash's face. Ash smiled and blushed slightly. The two of them stared at each other for a moment and then turned to face Grace who had walked up to them.

"Does this sort of thing happen often with you two?" she asked; surprised at how calm both of them were with the situation.

Ash and Serena looked at each other and grinned.

"More than you might think," Serena replied, barely containing a laugh.

Amazingly enough, things quickly went back to normal in Vaniville town. Grace offered to let Ash and Serena stay another night but Serena had other ideas. She wanted to head north to Aquacorde Town and have dinner with Ash at a nice restaurant she remembered. Grace was sorry to see them go so soon, but she wished them well and saw them off. She gave Serena a big hug and told her to remember what she'd told her. Ash and Serena said a thankful goodbye and then headed north.

The sun was starting to set as Ash and Serena made their way along the road to Aquacorde Town. It was a short journey and they soon arrived in the moderate sized settlement. Unlike Vaniville Town, Aquacorde had a large city square, cobblestone roads and several larger structures. There was a large stone bridge north of the town that crossed a slow-flowing river.

Their first stop was the Pokémon center. Pikachu had started behaving a little sluggishly as they'd drawn near to the town and Ash wanted to make sure the battle earlier in the day hadn't been too much of a drain on his buddy. They left Pikachu with Nurse Joy and then prepared to explore the town. As soon as Ash turned his back, Serena saw Pikachu perk up and wink at her. She realized the lethargy had been something of a ruse by the cunning electric mouse so that she and Ash could have an evening alone with each other. Serena sent a grateful smile toward the Pokémon and then turned to catch up with Ash.

Serena had always liked excursions to Aquacorde Town when she'd been a kid. She'd enjoyed looking at the small shops and watching the river flow by. Now, years later, she repeated these long missed activities with Ash at her side. The two of them smiled and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the simple yet beautiful town.

As the stars began to come out, Ash and Serena visited the restaurant she'd mentioned earlier. They sat outside at a table and were waited on by a very nice young man. Serena suggested Ash order a local pasta dish and he did so. Both of them enjoyed a tasty meal and then sat for a time, watching the activities of the town.

Ash took a deep breath and slowly let it out; enjoying the feeling of peace that permeated the area.

"I can see why you really like this town," he said to Serena. "Everyone here seems so happy."

Serena smiled and looked down at the ground. She had her elbows resting on the table and her hands folded together. She leaned her forehead on top of her hands and playfully peeked at Ash. After all the events of the day, she was feeling extremely affectionate toward him and she really wanted to do something romantic.

"Yes, this was one of my favorite places to go," she said coyly. "It always seemed like something special could happen."

Ash smiled and looked up at the stars. Serena saw Ash get a distant look in his eyes for a moment and then he looked back at her.

"I'm really glad you asked me to come along with you," Ash said. "This has been great. We got to meet Clemont and Bonnie and you got to talk with your mom."

Serena lowered her hands to the table and looked straight at Ash. "And I'm really glad you came along too, Ash," she said in a sincere tone. "It's sort of like we've been on a date for three days."

Ash chuckled and blushed a little. "Yeah, I guess," he said. He looked thoughtful for a moment and then added. "You know, we're going to have to actually go on a date some time."

Serena pressed her lips together into a smile and leaned closer to Ash. "Aren't we on a date right now?" she said in a soft and melodic voice.

Ash hesitated. "Uh, I don't know. Are we?"

Serena continued smiling but didn't answer.

Ash waited a few seconds and when Serena gave no reply he spoke again. "I kinda figured we do something different on an actual date."

"What do you think we'd do?" Serena asked playfully; still smiling.

For a moment, Ash opened his mouth to answer and then closed it; looking embarrassed. Serena felt a spike of excitement inside her and she leaned forward even more.

"Ash….." she probed, with so much sweetness in her voice it made him chuckle.

Ash had a silly smile on his face and it took him a moment to compose himself. He looked at Serena and blushed. Then, after a few seconds, he finally spoke.

"I guess, I thought on our first date…. we'd go for a long walk….. and…. maybe…" he started turning red.

Serena felt her heart start to beat faster. "Maybe what Ash?" she said, anticipation tingeing her words.

Ash laughed to himself and then continued. "Maybe… hold hands."

Serena was a little surprised that Ash would be so bashful over holding hands. It was something they'd done numerous times in the past.

"Ash, we've held hands a lot. Why are you so shy about it all of a sudden?" she asked, her voice full of kindness.

Ash shrugged and looked a little lost. "Well, that was before you became my girlfriend."

Serena smiled subtly. "And that makes a big difference?"

Ash awkwardly shifted in his chair. "Yeah," he said. He paused for a moment and then continued in a shy voice. "When I hold your hand now Serena, it's something really really special…. It's like we're connected somehow."

Serena felt her throat tighten from emotion and her eyes begin to tear up. She knew Ash was describing the love he felt for her, but he just hadn't figured out what it was yet. She gave a contented smile and stood up from the table.

"Ash," she said confidently. "Let's go on a date!"

Ash looked at her for a moment, then smiled and stood up as well. He moved to her left side, looked down at her hand and reached over to take it. He slid her palm against hers and gently clasped hands with her. Ash smiled and blushed slightly as he looked up at Serena's eyes.

Serena held his gaze for a few seconds and then manipulated the fingers of her left hand so they slid in-between his; making it so all their fingers were interlaced.

Ash's eyes widened slightly and Serena could tell that if he'd felt something special before, the feeling was much stronger now.

"Isn't that better," she said softly; with a glint in her eye.

Ash smiled and nodded. "Yeah," he said with a chuckle.

Serena rocked on her feet and then asked, "where do you want to go?"

Ash looked around. "Let's walk across the bridge," he said, pointing at it with his left hand.

Serena nodded and followed Ash hand-in-hand as he led the way.

For the next hour, Ash and Serena walked around Aquacorde Town, seeing all the sights for a second time. Their hands never separated and slowly, over the course of the night, their bodies came closer and closer together, until, as they approached the Pokémon center, they were practically leaning against one another.

They'd decided to spend the night in the Pokémon center, much like they'd done so many times in Kalos. As they stood in front of the building, they turned to face each other and Serena wondered if perhaps Ash was about to kiss her. Instead, Ash simply smiled, declared that he'd really enjoyed their first date and said that he hoped she had a good night sleep.

Serena didn't feel disappointed. Ash simply wasn't bold yet. Nonetheless, tonight had been wonderful and Ash had shown genuine affection. Serena declared to Ash that she loved him and that she couldn't wait until their next date. Just as he started to turn away, she leaned toward him and planted a tiny kiss on his right temple. Ash looked surprised, but he didn't blush or appear awkward. Instead, after a second passed, he smiled, reached down and took Serena's right hand in his and held it firm clasp. They stared into each other's eyes and then Ash bid Serena goodnight.

The next day, Ash and Serena returned to Lumiose City and flew back to Kanto. Delia was glad to hear they'd had a wonderful time and was also pleased to learn that Grace had given her approval to their relationship. Ash and Serena then settled back into their usual routine, although things did change slightly.

Over the next few days, after they ate dinner, Ash and Serena found themselves spending time together. They'd occasionally play card games, work on a project inside the main building or just sit and talk. While these weren't official dates, they both knew this was all about their relationship and them growing closer together.

During these times, Serena noticed that Ash occasionally looked a little distracted and it was clear that he was thinking about something. She didn't say anything at first; however, as a few days went by, she started to wonder exactly what was going on in Ash head. She wanted so much for them to grow closer and for Ash to understand his feelings, but she didn't want to push him too much.

This continued for another two days, until one afternoon, Serena noticed that Ash seemingly wanted to say something to her. As they went about their routine, she saw him looking pensive and hesitating when he was around her. Serena finally decided that this would be the night she would give Ash a nudge. She wanted to know what he was thinking.

Once dinner was finished, the two of them began cleaning up and putting away the dishes. They exchanged a few comments about the events of the day, and Serena noticed that Ash was still distant and distracted. He kept glancing at her and then looking away with something clearly unsaid. Serena took a breath, and made her move.

"Hey Ash," Serena began in a gentle voice.

"Hmmm," he responded; having been interrupted in the middle of his thoughts. He leaned back against the kitchen counter and looked up at Serena.

Serena put on a small smile and then continued. "I couldn't help but notice that you seem a little distracted."

Ash appeared a little embarrassed and he gave a nervous chuckle before he replied. "Oh, uh… yeah," he mumbled. "It's nothing."

Serena continued smiling and stepped so she was standing just to his left. She joined Ash in leaning against the counter. "Is it something about us?" Serena said softly.

Ash hesitated and then nodded. "Yeah. I mean it's no big deal or anything," he said in a dismissive tone.

Serena waited a couple of heartbeats and then replied in a kind voice. "I think everything between us is important. You can tell me Ash."

Ash pursed his lips as he considered Serena's words. He then let out a tense sigh and replied. "I guess, I was just wondering if you'd want to do something with me."

Serena felt her heart leap and she smiled reflexively. "Ash, of course! Why didn't you just say so?"

Ash gave a small shrug and looked uncomfortable. "Well, I just didn't know how you'd react."

Serena laughed. "Ash, I'm always happy to do anything with you. You don't need to worry."

A small smile pulled at Ash's lips, but he continued to look a little uncomfortable. "Well, it's just a little….. I guess… forward…. maybe."

Serena felt her insides flutter upon hearing those words. She'd wished for the longest time for Ash to do something 'forward.' He was so modest and chivalrous that convincing him to be romantic was proving to be a chore.

"Well…. I think that sounds wonderful Ash," Serena said calmly, even as she internally leaped for joy.

"Really," Ash replied, his expression brightening. "I just didn't want to do anything inappropriate."

Serena let out a soft sigh and gently clasped her right hand over the top of Ash's left shoulder in a reassuring gesture. "Ash," she whispered. "I'm your girlfriend. I also love you very very much. Even if what you want to do is inappropriate, I imagine I'll be okay with it." Serena let out a mischievous giggle and then added, "I'll probably even like it."

The last bit of apprehension faded from Ash's face and he smiled. "Great!" he said happily. He glanced outside and then spoke again. "Let's just wait until it gets a little darker and then we can go outside.

Serena felt excitement start to build inside her. "What are we gonna do?" she asked.

Ash chuckled and blushed slightly. "You'll see. It'll be great." He then turned toward the living room. "Wanna play some cards until then?"

Serena nodded and followed Ash into the living room. "Yeah, that sounds fun," she said.

As they passed some time playing card games, Serena's mind went wild imagining what Ash could be planning for them. She knew it couldn't be anything too romantic; Ash was simply too shy. As much as she wanted for him to run his hands over her body and passionately lock lips with her that simply wasn't going to happen. She hoped it would be something like Ash leading her to some secluded part of the reserve and then speaking syrupy sweet words to her; describing how beautiful she was and how much he cared for her. Serena wasn't entirely sure how she'd respond if that happened, but if the words sufficiently stoked the flames of passion which always blazed inside her, she imagined the young man would receive his second kiss on the lips. And probably his third, fourth and fifth as well….

The time passed quickly and soon the sky was turning a deep, dark blue. Ash saw it was time and he looked a little apprehensive, but he quickly smiled and invited Serena to follow him outside. Serena stayed on Ash's heels as they trekked out the front door and headed toward the large open grassy area near the main building. He came to a stop in the middle of the open area and invited Serena to sit down to his right. Serena did so; feeling her heart start to beat rapidly. She'd waited so long for Ash to do something truly romantic; was it about to happen?

Serena struggled to keep a ridiculous grin off her face. "So, what now?" she asked of Ash.

Ash smiled. "Well, now we watch the stars come out," he said happily. He laid down flat on his back and folded his arms behind his head.

Serena paused for several moments, wondering if there was something else Ash hadn't mentioned yet. "So, its stargazing? That's what we're doing?" she finally asked, some amusement finding its way into her voice.

Ash looked over at her. "Yeah. I always liked watching the stars. It's pretty cool."

Serena laughed and smiled. "And you thought this was maybe inappropriate?"

Ash's expression became a little more serious. "Well…. yeah. I mean, we're lying here…. all alone in the dark…. anything could happen…."

As Ash spoke, Serena struggled to hold back a laugh. She felt a little letdown that there would be no big romantic moment, but she still had warm feelings for Ash swirling inside her. She lay down on her back and gazed up at the stars which were just starting to appear. 'Baby steps Ash,' she thought. 'Baby steps.'

The two of them layed next to each other and watched as the dark blue sky faded to pure inky blackness. The stars slowly appeared until there was a marvelous panorama of faintly twinkling lights. The air started to cool, and a subtle breeze blew. It was a wonderful night to be outside.

"I didn't know you liked looking at the stars," Serena said abruptly.

"Yeah," Ash replied. "I've always thought it was really cool." He let out a thoughtful sounding sigh and then continued. "When I was little, I read a book about space. I learned all about the solar system, the planets, the stars. I found out how some Pokémon came from space." Ash pointed toward the moon, which was slowing rising from the horizon. "They even think that one day we'll travel to the moon! Wouldn't that be cool?!"

Serena smiled and nodded. "Yeah, that is pretty cool." A few seconds passed and Serena added, "I'm glad you suggested this Ash. This is nice."

Ash smiled and looked over at Serena. She met his gaze and they shared a happy moment staring into each other's eyes. After a minute of this, they turned their attention back to the starry sky.

Several minutes passed and Ash abruptly asked, "hey Serena, is it okay if we hold hands?"

Serena looked to her left at Ash. "It's always okay if we hold hands, Ash," she said kindly.

Ash smiled and reached out his right hand and slid his palm so it aligned with Serena's. The two of them then interlaced their fingers and gently closed their hands. Both of them experienced a feeling of warmth and happiness that traveled up their arm and slowly permeated throughout their entire body.

Serena reflected on her relationship with Ash. There had been many turns and developments. There had been risks and countless lessons learned. When she'd first started in Kalos, she'd been so scared and timid. Now, in many ways, Ash was in a similar place as she had once been. She knew he had strong feelings for her but he was worried about making a mistake and damaging their relationship. Serena thought about what she would say to her ten-year-old self if she could have the chance to travel back in time.

Serena opened her mouth and spoke in a compassionate tone. "It's okay to be bold Ash," she said.

Ash turned his head and looked at Serena. She smiled and continued.

"When I first met you in Kalos, I was so scared of making a mistake. I was afraid I'd say something wrong or make a fool of myself. I tried so hard to impress you and be as kind and as nice as I could." She took a breath and spent a moment musing on her past. "Eventually, I got more comfortable and we became really good friends. I was so happy every day I got to spend with you." Serena looked over at Ash and smiled at him. "And then came that fateful day at the airport. We were both going our separate ways and I didn't know if I'd ever see you again. I said my goodbye to you, but there was so much I'd left unsaid. It was right then Ash, as I was going down the escalator, that I decided I wasn't going to be afraid. I was going to be bold and show you how I felt."

Serena gave Ash's hand a squeeze and continued smiling. "If I hadn't done that; if I hadn't been bold, then none of this might have happened." She paused a moment to let her words rest and then continued. "So, be bold Ash; just like you do with your Pokémon battles."

Ash smiled in appreciation and slowly turned to look back up at the night sky. Serena joined him and stared up at the stars.

Minutes passed as the moon slowly appeared on the horizon and the stars wheeled overhead. Serena then felt Ash let go of her hand and slide out of her grip. She looked over at him and watched as he shifted his weight so he was laying on his right side. He used his right arm to steady himself and leaned toward Serena so he partially hovered above her.

Serena remained unmoving, laying flat on her back; watching all this unfold. Her heart began to quicken as Ash reached his left hand toward her face. He was subtly smiling and Serena matched his expression. Was this to be the moment she'd long awaited? Was Ash about to be bold and romantic?

With his left index finger just an inch away from Serena's face, Ash hesitated and then gently touched her forehead with the tip of his finger. He dragged his finger across her scalp toward her right ear, brushing a lock of golden hair out of her face. Ash smiled and blushed slightly then shifted his weight so he could again lie down on his back. Once he was settled, he moved his right arm and rejoined hands with Serena.

Serena couldn't help but smile. Ash was so sweet. She loved every one of their interactions, no matter how small.

Some more time passed and this time it was Serena who made a move. "Hey Ash," she began in a quiet voice. "Is there ever anything you dream of us doing?"

Ash furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?" he replied, sounding curious.

Serena turned her head toward Ash. "I mean, is there ever anything you wish we would do, or that I would do?"

Ash thought for a few seconds and then chuckled. "Well, I sometimes think about that one time at the Kalos airport."

Serena smiled and chuckled to herself. She turned her head toward the sky once again. "Yes, I think about that too," she whispered softly.

More time passed and the moon started to climb into the sky. Serena abruptly released her hold on Ash's hand and slipped free as he had done earlier. She turned her body so she was supporting her weight on her left arm, then cast a look at Ash and leaned forward toward him. She reached out and planted her right hand across his body on the grass next to his left shoulder. With a small push of her left knee and some exertion from her arms, she finished her movement; positioning herself so she was holding her entire upper body aloft just above Ash. Her head hovered just above his. She stared down at him and him up at her. Both of them wore smiles and neither of them felt an iota of doubt or fear.

Serena then slowly craned her neck downward and softly pressed her lips against Ash's. They each closed their eyes and relished the sweet happiness and warm emotions that flowed from the meeting of their lips. There was no passionate working of their mouths or gasping for breath. Ash didn't move to pull Serena closer and Serena didn't lower herself to rest atop of Ash. They didn't attempt to turn the kiss into something more than what it was; the simple fulfillment of an unspoken promise both of them had made when they'd kissed so long ago in Kalos.

From the moment of that first kiss, they'd both known, Serena consciously and Ash subconsciously, that they were perfect for each other. It had been a long road to get to this point, but they were finally ready to see if they could build a future together. The promise that they would once again travel the road of life together, this time as more than friends, had now been kept.

As Serena pulled away and the soft flesh of their lips separated, neither of them felt a need to extend the kiss or escalate the encounter. They both realized that this was only the beginning. This was the small tumbling pebble that would lead to an avalanche; the breath of wind that would become a hurricane; the first ember of what would become a raging inferno. They savored the moment and stared into each other's eyes; feeling happy and contented.

Serena moved herself so she was no longer above Ash. She lay down next to him and they again joined hands as they had before. Although they turned their gaze toward at the sky, their minds weren't focused on the stars. Instead, they thought about each other and their long history together. They soaked in the happiness and joy that the kiss had produced inside of them.

After several minutes, Ash opened his mouth to speak. "Hey Serena, is there ever anything you dream of me doing?"

Serena suppressed a laugh and stuck out the tip of her tongue. A silly smile spread across her face as she pressed her tongue between her teeth and lips; considering how she should reply to Ash.

"Do you really want to know?" Serena replied in a jovial tone; making it clear Ash may regret hearing the answer.

Ash hesitated a moment and then replied, "yeah, sure."

Serena giggled and briefly considered not fulfilling the request. She ultimately decided that if they were going to be together one day, she would have to trust Ash with everything. She might as well start now.

With her face turning red, Serena moved so she was on her side; facing Ash. She leaned her head toward Ash's right ear and cupped her hand so only he could hear her words. She then proceeded to tell him one of her favorite fantasies that she often revisited when she laid in bed at night. It featured the two of them lying on a large towel alone on a warm beach. Serena was wearing a string bikini, and after admiring her for a while, Ash decided to be bold; very very bold.

Serena finished describing the fantasy and pulled back a few inches. Ash turned to look at her with a stunned expression on his face. Both of them were blushing intensely from what had just been shared.

"I don't think I could do that right now Serena," Ash said in a hesitant voice.

Serena smiled and began moving so she could again lie on her back. "That's okay Ash," she said, still smiling. "It can just stay a dream," she sniggered briefly and then added, "for now."

At hearing this, Ash glanced over at Serena and she playfully bounced her eyebrows at him. Ash looked back up at the sky and filed away Serena's fantasy in his memory.

They joined hands again and spent a while in silence. There was no need for words right now. They'd expressed everything that needed to be said.

The night deepened and Serena eventually stated that it was time for her to be heading home. They both rose and bid each other good night. Neither of them was sad at the parting. They knew they had many many more days together ahead of them.

Just as they prepared to separate, they gently took hold of each other and pulled themselves into another sweet, tender kiss. This time, they softly moved their lips against each other, causing fireworks of ecstasy to explode in both their minds. They giggled, grinned uncontrollably and affectionately rubbed their noses against one another. Serena then turned to go. Ash watched as she slowly walked across the grassy field and disappeared out of sight when she descended the stairs.

Ash stood in the field for a few moments and looked toward the sky. It was a beautiful sight, but it paled in comparison to the young woman who had just left. He rested his hands on his hips, sighed softly, looked town at the ground and spent a few minutes thinking about his feelings for Serena.

It would be so easy for him to say that he loved Serena. He loved how she looked. He loved the sound of her voice; the color of her hair; the energy in her eyes and now, he could safely say, he loved the feel of her lips. Despite all this, Ash still wasn't sure if what he felt was true love or just him being enraptured by Serena's beauty. After the recent misunderstanding about marriage he and Serena had been through, Ash didn't want to say anything about his feelings until he was absolutely sure.

He turned and started walking back toward the main building. He would just have to go on a few more dates with Serena and then decide how he felt. Ash chuckled as he imagined that going on dates with Serena would likely involve them kissing several times. He was more than okay with that. If it took a few dates to figure out his feelings, at least it would be time well spent.