Ash took a deep breath and let it out. Then he took another breath and let it out as well.
Serena smiled and leaned close to his face. "I haven't seen you this nervous, ever," she said in a sweet whisper.
Ash gave a tense smile and laughed softly. "It's my first time doing something like this Serena. It's a big deal."
Serena shifted herself slightly so Ash could see her. She'd tied her hair into a tight bun at the back of her head to keep it out of the way. She'd also put on a little makeup for the occasion. The sight of her face made Ash's eyes light up.
"You," Serena said in a mildly teasing tone. "The world's greatest Pokémon trainer, and this makes you nervous."
Ash's mouth lifted into a wry smile. "Have you ever done this before?" he asked with mild sarcasm.
Serena smiled and nodded. "Actually, yes. This one time in Hoenn; after I won a contest."
Ash looked surprised. "Really! You never told me you've done this before?!" he replied. "How'd that happen?"
Serena thought back to the happy memory. "I'd just won a contest in Rustboro City. Afterward, this young student came up to me and said she'd loved my performance. She thought I was amazing and she wanted me to visit her at the Pokémon trainer school." Serena giggled briefly. "She was actually really flattering. She kept saying how much it would mean to her if I dropped by the next day."
Ash nodded; hearing all of this for the first time. "So, I guess you did."
Serena nodded. "Yes. And I was really glad I did, Ash. I was really nervous at first, just like you are, but it turned out great. It was a little chaotic and messy, but you just roll with it and keep going no matter what happens."
Ash considered what Serena had said and then took in another deep breath to calm himself.
"Do you want to take the lead on this; since you've got experience?" he asked in a serious tone.
Serena smiled kindly at him. "No Ash. You're the one in charge here. You need to be taking the lead."
Ash still looked nervous, but he nodded in agreement. "Yeah, okay. I just don't wanna make a mistake."
Serena, again, leaned her face close to his. "Just fill yourself up with love and happiness, Ash. When you do that, everything you do will be wonderful."
Ash looked into Serena's eyes, but she could tell he was still a little nervous.
"Here," Serena said, presenting Ash with his signature red cap.
Ash smiled and very deliberately pulled the cap down on his head. He let out a quiet, satisfied sigh as he did so.
Serena felt her heart flutter as she saw the swagger and sparkle instantly return to Ash's eyes.
Ash smiled. "Okay, you ready?" he said; sounding enthused.
Serena nodded an affirmative. "Yep," she replied.
With that, Ash pushed forward; past his fears and doubts, and burst out of the front door of the main building with a big flourish.
"WHO'S READY TO LEARN ABOUT POKEMON!" he shouted.
The assembled children all burst into an excited cheer. Ash grinned and walked up to the small table he'd set up earlier. The eyes of all twenty six boys and girls tracked him as he moved. Their ages ranged between five and eight and most of them were wearing t-shirts, shoes, hats or scarves that had images of Pokémon printed on them.
Pikachu followed at Ash's heels and Serena was a step behind them both.
Ash glanced at Serena as Pikachu jumped up on the table; she stood a stride back from the flat surface.
"Okay!" Ash said to the children. "Who has a Pokémon at home?!" he said energetically.
Two thirds of the children quickly raised their hands; chaotically calling out, "ME! ME!" as they did so.
"That's great," Ash said. He pointed at Pikachu. "This is my partner Pikachu. He was my first Pokémon and we've been friends for a long time." Ash put his hands on his hips. "Can anyone tell me what type of Pokémon Pikachu is?"
Several different kids called out in several different ways, the words "Electric type!"
Ash smiled. "That's right!" He looked toward Serena. "Now, this is my partner, Serena!"
Serena smiled and did a small curtsy. She was wearing her usual work outfit of a pink t-shirt, red vest and blue shorts.
"She's really pretty," one of the young girls said in a cute voice.
Ash and Serena suppressed laughs and glanced at each other. "Yeah, she is," Ash said proudly. Serena blushed slightly and a few of the girls in the crowd giggled.
"Are you marrwied," a very young girl spoke up.
At this, Serena laughed briefly and she and Ash exchanged looks again.
"Sometimes it feels like it," Serena quipped; blushing a bit more.
Ash laughed and shook his head. It was just like Serena had said; keep going no matter what happens.
"Okay, so who knows what that is?" Ash said; gesturing to the Pokéball that Serena had just lifted up in her right hand.
"POKEBALL!" a bunch of the kids called out.
"And what's inside a Pokéball?" Ash asked.
"POKEMON!" the kids responded.
Ash looked at Serena and she took over.
"Inside this Pokéball is my friend Delphox," Serena said. "She was my first Pokémon. When I got her, she was a Fennekin. Then, she evolved into a Braixen and then into Delphox."
Several cries of "WOW!" emanated from the children.
Serena grinned and felt joy bubbling up inside her as she saw all the happy children eagerly staring at her.
"WHO WANTS TO MEET DELPHOX!?" Serena said loudly.
Several of the children jumped up and down and all of them cheered.
Serena waited a moment and then tossed the Pokéball into the air. "Let's say hi, Delphox!"
The Pokéball snapped open and a flash of white lights shot downward to the ground, resolving into Serena's Delphox. Most of the kids stood wide-eyed and slack jawed. Almost all of them had never seen a Delphox before and they were delighted by the elegant shape and billowing coat of fur the Pokémon possessed.
Serena waited a moment for the children to take in the sight of her Pokémon and then she spoke again. "Now, Delphox and I have competed in a lot of Pokémon contests. That's a competition where a bunch of trainers all put on a show and try to look their best."
Serena walked up next to Delphox and ran her hand over her Pokémon's silky smooth fur. "Delphox and I spend a lot of time keeping her fur looking nice. If you can be gentle, you can come up here and touch her fur."
At first, only a couple of kids moved forward to pet Delphox's fur. Then, as the first few smiled and exclaimed how soft the fur was, more and more of the group came forward. Soon, Delphox was surrounded by the children. The graceful Pokémon smiled and spoke in a friendly manner to the children.
After a few minutes of the children being enamored with Delphox, Ash spoke up again.
"Okay, who can tell me the Kanto starter Pokémon?" he said.
No one shouted out any names and only a few hands shot up. Ash pointed at a young boy wearing glasses who had his hand raised.
"How about you," Ash asked?
The boy smiled and lowered his hand. "Thanks, Mister Ketchum," he said smartly. "The Kanto starters are: Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle."
Ash smiled and nodded. "That's right," he said. He then reached under the back of his shirt and retrieved a trio of collapsed Pokéballs. "Who would like to meet them?" he asked with a grin, holding up the Pokéballs.
All the kids cheered enthusiastically.
Ash kept holding the Pokéballs up and the kids became more and more animated. Finally, he enlarged one of the Pokéballs and loosed its contents onto the table.
"Bulbasaur!" Ash said as the grass type appeared.
The kids all cheered loudly and Ash sent out the next Pokémon.
"Charmander!" and the fire type appeared next to Bulbasaur.
The kids kept cheering and Ash sent out the final Pokémon.
"Squirtle!" he said, and the blue-skinned turtle then appeared.
Serena looked on as Ash started showing off the new starter Pokémon. She felt proud and very emotional at the same time. She'd know Ash would be great with kids. She'd seen it before, and now she was seeing it again.
She casually scanned the crowd of children and saw a young boy standing at the back of the group. He wasn't excited and actually looked a little lonely and perhaps even a little sad. Serena's heart went out to the boy and she walked over to see what was the matter.
"Hey there," she said to the brown haired boy as she approached. "Have you seen the Pokémon?"
The boy looked back at her with bright green eyes and gave a small, unhappy whine. "Yeah, kinda… they're kind of scary," he said in a young voice.
Serena smiled warmly and knelt down so their heads were at the same height. "A little scary huh?" she said sympathetically.
The boy looked toward Ash and the three starter Pokémon. One-by-one, as Ash commanded, the trio were firing their basic attacks into the air. The kids Oooooed and ahhhhhed in delight at the display.
The boy cringed slightly. "They could hurt someone doing that," he said, sounding scared.
Serena thought for a moment. "You know, not all Pokémon look big and strong like those three," she said in a lighthearted voice.
The boy looked intrigued.
Serena pulled out Sylveon's collapsed Pokéball. "This is my friend Sylveon. She's a fairy type." Serena leaned in closer to the boy and whispered to him. "Do you know what that means?"
The boy shook his head.
Serena smiled. "It means she's magical," she said, with a bit of mystery in her voice.
Serena could tell the boy was interested and so she tapped the Pokéball to enlarge it.
"Would you like to meet Sylveon?" she asked.
He nodded and so Serena held the Pokéball at arm's length and sent out her partner.
As the white light faded, the boy let out an awestruck sound as he saw the slender shape, inviting eyes and flowing ribbons that defined Sylveon.
"Say hello Sylveon!" Serena said happily.
Sylveon mewed playfully and padded toward the boy. He hesitated for a moment, but then smiled and reached out to pet Sylveon.
"You're really soft," he said, his voice filled with enjoyment.
Serena chuckled. "That's not all," she said.
The boy looked at Serena in curiosity.
"Sylveon has a special power. She can use her ribbons to sense how you're feeling. If you're feeling happy, she shares that happiness, and if you're feeling sad, she tries to cheer you up."
Sylveon floated one of her ribbons toward the boy and mewed invitingly. The boy looked at the ribbon and then held out his arm. Sylveon gently wrapped the ribbon around his arm, and after a moment, she moved closer to him and started happily nuzzling against his face.
The boy laughed and hugged Sylveon.
Serena let out a happy sigh and turned to look at Ash. Currently, he was standing in the middle of the group of kids. He had a little girl hanging off his right arm and a boy hanging off his neck. He was commanding Pikachu in some kind of game where the electric mouse was jumping along the tops of the different kids heads. The three starter Pokémon were being petted and getting tons of attention.
As Serena watched the scene, she was reminded of one of her long-held hopes in life: children of her own. She continued looking at Ash, but instead of the two kids hanging off him, she saw the children she hoped Ash would one day father. She saw the little boy who looked just like Ash and the little girl who looked just like her. She saw Ash playing with them and their kids laughing happily.
As her imagination played out, Serena felt something take root deep inside her. Children had always been a theoretical concept for her; something that she would get to one day, but always in the distant future. The concept had never felt real or had any true weight in her mind. Now, however, as she envisioned Ash playing with her children she suddenly realized that she genuinely and wholeheartedly wanted to have children, and she wanted Ash to be the father.
A very strange mix of emotions washed over her; joy, fear, excitement, dread, love and longing. Her right hand instinctively moved to her lower abdomen where one day, if everything worked out, her children would begin their lives.
She kept watching Ash, feeling the bright warmth of happiness surging inside her.
"Are you okay?" the boy abruptly asked of Serena.
Serena turned toward the boy. "Yes, I'm fine," she said, smiling.
"You're crying," the boy continued.
Serena was surprised by the comment and reached up to her face. She found that her face was wet with tears. Sylveon looked over at her and let out a concerned mew.
Realization dawned on Serena and she gave the boy a reassuring look. "Oh, I'm okay. I'm just really happy."
The boy looked confused.
Serena smiled and explained. "You see, people don't only cry when they're sad. Sometimes, people cry when they're happy."
As Serena spoke, Sylveon sent one of her ribbons over to Serena and wrapped it around her right wrist. As the Pokémon realized the 'why' behind Serena's tears of joy, the fairy type turned a shade of red and squirmed in embarrassment.
Serena chuckled as she saw Sylveon's reaction. She then continued talking to the boy.
"Right now, I'm really really happy," Serena said sincerely.
The boy smiled and nodded.
The Pokémon camp went on until early afternoon and then the parents of the children returned to pick them up. The boy Serena had reached out to eventually had to be carried away by his mother. He was extremely sad to go and cried the whole time; upset that he was being taken away from all the fun Pokémon he'd befriended.
Once the last of the children were taken away, Ash and Serena sat on the top step of the stairway which led down to Pallet Town. The sun was still high in the sky but it was only pleasantly warm. The scorching days of mid-summer were thankfully over and the weather was preparing to cool.
Serena rested her arms on her knees and stared out at the view of Pallet Town. "So, how do you think you did?" she asked of Ash.
Ash smiled. "I think it went pretty well. The kids all seemed to have fun."
Serena nodded. "Yeah, I think so too," she said; sounding satisfied. A few seconds passed and she added, "we make a really good team, Ash."
Ash nodded. "Yeah, we do."
They shared a brief glance and smiled at each other. There was silence for a moment and then Serena spoke.
"So, we actually have the afternoon free," she said. They'd finished all the work on the reserve earlier in the day so they could focus on the Pokémon camp.
Ash brightened slightly. "Yeah, we do," he said, sounding pleased.
Serena got a mildly excited look on her face and turned toward Ash. "How'd you like to go on a date?"
Ash smiled. "That sounds great. Where do you wanna go?"
Serena beamed with happiness and thought for a moment. She gazed at the horizon and got a distant look in her eye. "It's almost the end of summer," she said wistfully. "Let's go to the beach, Ash. This might be the last time we get to this year."
Ash nodded and smiled. "Sounds great. If we leave now, we'll have a few hours before it gets dark."
Serena smiled and both of them rose from the steps. They made tracks back to the main building and found several of Ash's Pokémon lounging around in the grass. They'd all participated in the Pokémon camp and were now resting, having been worn out by the enthusiastic kids.
Pikachu came bounding up to Ash as he and Serena approached the front door. The electric Pokémon had an inquisitive expression on and called out to Ash.
"Hey, buddy," Ash said. "Serena and I are gonna go to the beach."
Upon hearing this, all the nearby Pokémon, except Pikachu, perked up, called out excitedly and instantly dashed inside the main building. The crowd reappeared a second later; lined up in front of Ash and Serena. They were now sporting all kinds of beach gear; hats, sunglasses, umbrellas, beach balls, buckets and shovels, towels and inner tubes. All of them looked very eager to get going.
Pikachu facepalmed himself and then shouted admonishment to the gathering. The gathered Pokémon looked at Pikachu, looked at Ash and Serena, blushed slightly and then instantly dashed back inside the main building. A moment later, they all reappeared and now were smiling and waving a friendly goodbye to the trainer duo.
Ash and Serena chuckled and walked inside the building. Serena went to the laundry room to change and Ash headed to his room to do the same. They met up a few minutes later in the living room.
Ash had put on swim trunks and was wearing his shorts over them. He also sported a blue t-shirt and he'd left his red cap in his room.
Serena was still wearing her blue shorts, but she'd swapped out her shirt/vest combo for a simple, low-cut, white t-shirt. A small band of her midsection showed in between her shorts and the hem of the shirt.
Both of them were carrying small bags and they smiled at each other. Ash's eyes tracked down to Serena's exposed belly button and she giggled and did a small pose to show off her body. They then headed outside and started the trek to the south.
Ash and Serena held hands for most of the trip and talked about the events of Pokémon camp. They'd both really enjoyed having the children there and agreed to have another camp sometime in spring.
They finally arrived at the beach and pleasantly found that there was no one else in sight. They set their bags on a large rock some distance from the ocean and prepared to head out on to the sand.
Serena stepped onto the soft sandy beach and reveled in the feeling of her toes being covered by the fine grit. Behind her, Ash was pulling off his shirt and shorts. He was soon standing in his swim trunks and took a few steps out onto the beach. Serena looked at him and took a moment to admire just how handsome he was; bare-chested and athletic with his hair being blown in the moderate breeze. The sight sent a tingle up her spine and along her skin.
Ash scanned the horizon. "I can't believe we have this place all to ourselves," he remarked.
Serena nodded. "Yeah, it's wonderful, isn't it," she said happily.
Ash looked at Serena, enjoying the sight of her skin glowing in the sunlight.
Abruptly, Serena crossed her arms, grabbed the front hem of her t-shirt and began pulling the garment off; over her head. Ash suddenly felt a bit shocked and uncomfortable. He'd thought Serena still had to change into her swimsuit and hadn't been expecting her to just take her shirt off.
"UH, Serena!" Ash cried out; feeling both dismayed and excited as the prospect of seeing her without a shirt.
Serena finished pulling the shirt off, revealing that she was wearing her bandini top. She'd 'forgotten' to tell Ash that she'd changed into her swimsuit back at the reserve.
Serena sent a sidelong glance at him. "Yes, Ash," she replied casually; a small smirk pulling at her lips.
Ash felt a little silly. "Uh, nothing," he answered.
Serena stuffed her shirt into her bag and then pulled off her shorts. She then took a few strides toward Ash, allowing him to fully take in her appearance.
Serena's bandini was primarily a washed out chocolate color with a few streaks of pastel blue and pink. The band of fabric which wrapped around her torso was just wide enough to entirely cover Serena's bust. The bandini top tapered slightly as it went behind her back and it was fairly tight against her skin. The bottom was like a typical bikini bottom; covering what it needed to and nothing else.
For a few seconds, Ash simply gawked at Serena as she approached him. In all their time together, he'd never seen this much of her body before. All the work on the reserve had been very beneficial to Serena. There was not an ounce of fat on her anywhere and her figure was a shapely combination of curves and beauty. Her legs were sleek and strong; her torso was an elegant hourglass shape, with her abdominal muscles barely visible beneath her skin. Her arms were slender and graceful and her well defined bust was as alluring as ever.
Serena kept walking and passed within a stride of Ash. She fully noted how he was transfixed on her appearance.
"Come on, Ash, let's go swimming," she said with a smile, turning toward the ocean.
As she walked, Ash couldn't help but notice that she seem to be putting a little extra sway into her hips. She was clearly enjoying showing off for him. Ash watched her walk for another few seconds and then strode after her.
As the sun moved across the sky, Ash and Serena had a wonderful afternoon on the beach. They spent some time swimming and finding some interesting seashells. They spotted a group of Tentacool and watched them swim by. They splashed water at each other and eventually ended up in each other's arms, floating a short distance from shore. They shared a salty kiss, tinged with the flavor of the sea, and then returned to shore.
After the Pokémon camp and the beach excursion, they were tired and so they sat down on the sand and let the sun dry their skin and clothes. The day was coming to an end, and both of them believed that it had been a very good day.
Serena, however, wasn't quite ready for it to be finished. With a subtle smile spreading on her face, she formulated a plan and then scooted closer to Ash.
Ash happily looked over at her and smiled.
Serena slowly rolled her head, stretching her neck and then making a somewhat mournful sound. "Looks like autumn is just around the corner," she said wistfully.
Ash nodded. "Yeah, it will probably be cooling off soon."
Serena let out a disappointed sigh. "It's probably the last time we'll get to go swimming until spring comes. It's kind of sad really," She flopped her head to the side so she could see Ash. "I really enjoy swimming with you Ash."
Ash gave an amused smile. "Well, at least we had today. There's always next year."
Serena still looked a little downcast. "Yeah, but… I was really hoping we'd get to swim together a bit more this year." Serena's face slowly morphed into a mischievous look. "Now that you're my boyfriend, I decided that it was time to wear this swimsuit and now you'll have to wait all the way until next year to see me in it again."
A small musing laugh burst out of Ash and he cast a brief sidelong glance at Serena. She smiled at him and shifted so she was on her knees and facing him.
"You do like this swimsuit, right Ash?" she asked in a playful tone.
Ash blushed and struggled to suppress a chuckle. "Yes, Serena, I like it," he finally said.
Serena grinned and walked on her knees until she was next to Ash. She reached out her right hand and poked Ash in his side, specifically targeting a sensitive area.
"Come on, Ash, let's build a sandcastle," she said with humor.
Ash yelped as she poked him and turned to look at her. Serena was grinning fiercely. It was obvious she had no intention of building a sand castle; that had only been an excuse to poke him.
"Why do you want to build a sandcastle?" Ash said, half playing along.
Serena continued grinning. "Cause it's fun!" she said happily. She then waited until Ash took his attention off of her and then poked him again. "Don't you like building sandcastles, Ash?"
Ash flinched at the poke and shifted so he was on his knees as well. He was unable to fully suppress a smile at Serena's playfulness. "You want something?" he asked in an amused tone.
Serena hesitated a moment and then changed her expression so it conveyed loneliness. "I just want a hug Ash," she said in a subdued tone, holding her arms out in a welcoming gesturing.
Ash stared at her for a moment and then warily walked forward on his knees. He leaned toward Serena and reached out to hug her. Serena smiled and the two of them wrapped their arms around each other in an embrace.
For Ash, it was a little awkward hugging Serena while she was in her swimsuit. His hands touched the bare skin of her back and he found this very alluring. His mind wanted to envision him running his hands along Serena's body, gliding over places which were completely off-limits. Ash tried to keep those thoughts at bay, but it was hard.
For Serena, she loved every second of Ash holding her and the feeling of his hands against her back. She also enjoyed wrapping her slender arms around him and feeling the powerful muscles in his back slightly flex as he kept balance on his knees. Serena held Ash in the hug until she felt him start to relax and give in to the embrace. She then put her original plan into motion.
Serena dropped her hands to Ash's sides and began tickling him just below his ribcage.
Ash grunted in surprise and flinched. He then laughed once and reflexively tried to shove Serena's arms away from him.
Serena had planned for this, however, and she barreled her entire body forward, shoving Ash backward onto the sand. Ash cried out in surprise and flailed his arms as he thudded onto his back. Serena was immediately on him. She quickly sat on top of Ash, straddling his stomach with her legs. She then shoved her hands into his armpits and tickled him relentlessly.
Ash momentarily didn't know what to do. Between the tickling and aggressive action by Serena, he was briefly so shocked that he could only lie on his back, overcome with laughter as Serena tickled him. Ash then regained his bearings and reacted to Serena.
Serena may have had the element of surprise and superior positioning, but Ash was vastly stronger than her. He grabbed hold of her arms, just below the shoulder, and began manhandling her off of him.
Serena squealed in delight and surprise as Ash shoved her sideways onto the sand. She scurried briefly on all-fours and then came back at Ash, trying to tickle him again.
The two of them tussled briefly, but the winner was a foregone conclusion. Ash simply overpowered Serena and quickly had both her arms pinned against her body. He then exacted a bit of revenge on her, tickling her exposed stomach at her bellybutton until she was laughing uncontrollably.
To Ash's surprise, Serena used her extremely strong legs to shove both of them sideways and he suddenly found himself on his back, looking up at Serena on top of him. Serena grinned wildly and tried to pin Ash down with everything she had. It was a futile effort, however. A moment later, Ash simply twisted his body and rolled both of them so he was now on top of Serena.
Ash pinned Serena's arms against the sand and looked down at her with a victorious expression. Serena struggled briefly and then gave up. Both of them relented and started chuckling. They'd both immensely enjoyed the playful exchange. They took a moment to catch their breath and then they became quiet as they gazed into each other's eyes.
Serena's head was half-buried in the sand and she looked up at Ash with an expression of anticipation. "So Ash," she said in a playful whisper. "What are you going to do now?"
Ash hesitated. He fully realized the precarious position he was in. The gentleman inside him wanted to immediately get off of Serena and leave her be. However, the part of him that burned with desire for Serena wanted to lower his body, his entire body, on top of Serena and feel her glorious curves and wonderfully soft skin. Ash thought about it for several long and tantalizing seconds. Ultimately, he simply couldn't act that way toward Serena, and so, with a small smile on his face, he did the thing he thought was appropriate. He leaned his head downward and kissed Serena on the lips.
Serena eagerly and happily received the kiss. She let herself go completely limp and simply receive affection from Ash. Then, the kiss abruptly ended.
Ash, always the gentleman, didn't want to lip lock with Serena and so he pulled back after a few seconds, feeling that a small kiss was more than sufficient.
Serena stared up at Ash with a small amount of surprise and disappointment. Ash looked down, wearing a satisfied smile.
"Ash!" Serena said. Turning his name into a drawn-out, three-syllable word, expressing considerable dissatisfaction. She then made an exaggerated pouty face. The kiss had not been anywhere near enough for her desires.
Ash looked a little surprised and somewhat at a loss. He quickly recollected himself and once more lowered his head to kiss Serena.
Serena again eagerly received the kiss. This one, however, while it lasted longer, was not as good as the previous one. Ash simply wasn't fully committed to this kiss and she could sense his hesitation and discomfort. She still happily returned the kiss, savoring the moment, as imperfect as it was.
When Ash pulled back this time, Serena didn't protest. Instead, she looked at him with loving eyes and smiled. Ash smiled as well and started to move off of Serena. Serena acted immediately. She grabbed hold of Ash's arms and twisted her body, rolling them both over so she was now on top of him.
Serena grinned happily while Ash looked surprised and a little uncomfortable. Unlike Ash, Serena had no qualms about letting her body rest atop his and so she did so. Only her head remained elevated above him.
Serena waited a few heartbeats and then whispered, "Okay, my turn!" She then lowered her head, closed her eyes and kissed Ash.
This kiss was not much better than the previous one. If anything, Ash was now even more uncomfortable and he refused to give in to emotion or desire. He even kept his hands held out to the side of Serena, rather than wrapping them over the top of her back. Serena sighed internally and maintained the kiss for several more seconds before she softly broke contact.
Serena opened her eyes and briefly looked at Ash. She then slid her head down against Ash's left cheek so that her lips were tickling his ear.
"Just relax Ash," she breathed in a barely audible voice. "Enjoy the moment."
She raised her head back up and again looked into his eyes. She could tell Ash still wasn't comfortable with the situation and so Serena whispered again. "Trust me," she said, filling her tone with reassurance and sincerity.
Serena thought she saw Ash relax ever-so-slightly, and so, she smiled, lowered her head, and again gently pressed her lips against Ash's.
At first, Ash was still tense. Serena moved her lips slightly, but Ash didn't respond. Several seconds passed and then Serena felt Ash start to relax and reciprocate her affection.
Ash began to move his lips along with hers and the muscles throughout his body loosened, finally welcoming Serena's presence atop him. Serena fully relaxed herself as well, allowing her body to melt into his. Serena moved her hands so they were loosely grasping Ash's shoulders and she felt Ash finally rest his hands on either side of her spine, wrapping her in the loveliest of hugs.
Serena loved every moment of what was going on. Her body tingled with excitement and enjoyment. Her lips were a conduit of sweet pleasure, and wonderfully intense sensuality. These emotions flowed throughout her body, making her heart pound and skin grow hot. As Ash's hands ran down her back, she felt a buzz akin to electricity arcing along her skin. The sensation was so intense it made her want to gasp, but she maintained her composure. She continued working her mouth along with Ash, and felt the kiss they shared become wet. A moment later, a faint yet wonderful sweet/savory flavor entered her mouth and she realized that she'd just gotten a tiny sample of how Ash tasted. The thought excited her and she took in a deep breath through her nose, allowing herself a moment to soak in the ocean of pleasure and ecstasy she was floating in. She had waited so so long to finally have a moment like this with Ash.
Ash also found himself slowly being drawn into the moment. At first, he'd been supremely uncomfortable with Serena on top of him. It was provocative and extremely stimulating for him. However, after Serena's encouragement and reassurance Ash had allowed himself to embrace some of his desire for Serena. As he started to return Serena's kiss, he let out a tense breath and finally welcomed her presence on top of him. He could feel the softness of her bust pressing into his chest and her smooth legs brushing against his. Serena's lips were indescribably sweet and the flavor, along with the sensation of their mouths moving in unison with each other, filled him with a fiery longing for more of his girlfriend.
Ash lowered his hands on to Serena's back and began running them down either side of her spine. His hands passed over the fabric of her bandini top and started gliding across her silky smooth skin. Only the flecks of sand that covered her back provided any sort of interruption to the exquisite sensation of his fingers sampling her sunkissed flesh. Ash felt Serena's midsection spasm slightly as his hands caressed her lower back. A moment later he heard and felt Serena take in a deep breath and her hands gently squeezed his shoulders. The next movement of her mouth was also more passionate and Ash got the distinct impression that he'd just done something very right.
At this point, Ash's hands were operating as if they had a mind of their own. His left hand lingered on Serena's lower back but his right kept sliding down her soft skin until it met the fabric of her bandini bottom. His fingers then continued gliding downward, over the fabric of the swimsuit, gently caressing the skin of Serena's left buttock.
Ash realized what he had just done at the same moment Serena did. Ash felt Serena's midsection spasm again and she took in sharp breath whilst emitting a heavily muffled yelp. Ash immediately felt horribly embarrassed and ashamed that he had just violated Serena. He quickly yanked his hands off of her and broke the kiss.
Serena slowly pulled her head up and blinked her eyes open as if she was awakening from a dream. Ash simply stared at her, feeling dreadful. He opened his mouth to speak, but it took a moment for him to get his voice to work.
"Sorry," he finally croaked.
Serena stared back at Ash for several seconds as her mind came back to reality and she processed Ash's words. Finally, an amused smile spread across her face. She shifted her arms so her elbows were resting in the sand to either side of Ash's shoulders and she brought her palms together underneath her chin so she could rest her head on them.
"Why are you sorry Ash?" Serena said, her voice dreamy and melodic.
Ash didn't quite know what to do or say. In his book of conduct, it was absolutely unacceptable what he'd just done. In fact, a lot of what he'd just done with Serena wasn't okay. Additionally, he'd allowed himself to get carried away thinking increasingly sensual thoughts about Serena as they'd been kissing. Ash felt as if he'd just taken advantage of his girlfriend in the worst possible way.
"Uh….. cause I just….. touched you…." Ash managed in a low voice.
Serena's smile broadened and she slowly dipped her head in a nod, closing her eyes as she did so.
"Mmmm-Hmmm, and?" she replied in a sweet voice.
Ash didn't know how to respond. A part of him felt relieved that he apparently hadn't offended Serena. Nonetheless, he still felt guilty at his actions. He expected better of himself, especially in his conduct toward Serena.
"Well….. I….. shouldn't act like that….." Ash said slowly.
Serena sighed internally as she realized that there was no chance for any further romantic activity with Ash at the moment. She gently pushed herself off of him and moved so she was sitting on her legs, next to Ash. She watched him for a few seconds and then spoke.
"Don't feel bad Ash," she said softly. "You didn't do anything wrong."
Ash moved to a sitting position and frowned as he internally disagreed with Serena. He didn't say anything though and just stared down at the sand.
Serena waited a moment and then moved toward Ash, wrapping an arm around his shoulders in a half-hug.
"Come on," she said in a kind, quiet voice. "It's getting dark. Let's head home."
Ash nodded but didn't say anything. The two of them walked to where they'd set their bags. Serena put her shirt and shorts back on, however, Ash only donned his shirt. He was content to walk in his swim trunks.
They started on the road back to Pallet Town. The sun was nearing the horizon and the sky had beautiful streaks of deep red running across it. They walked in silence for a time. Serena felt that Ash wanted some time to think and she was more than willing to give it to him.
Several minutes passed and Ash finally spoke up.
"So, you're okay with what I did, Serena?" he asked in a low voice.
Serena looked over at Ash and smiled. "Yes, Ash," she said. She paused a moment and gave a small shrug with her shoulders. "I know it might have been a little….. different from what we normally do, but I didn't mind."
Ash looked down at the ground and frowned. A moment passed and then he said, "I'm just not sure that I'm okay with it," he said quietly.
Serena waited to see if Ash would say more and then replied in a gentle voice, "why is that?"
Ash collected his thoughts and then opened his mouth to speak. "I really like being around you Serena," he said in a sincere tone. "I love how you're always positive and helpful. You're always smiling, even when things are hard. It makes me really happy."
Serena hadn't expected this sort of response from Ash and she felt her throat suddenly tighten with emotion and her eyes become moist.
"You work really hard," Ash continued. "You love Pokémon, just like I do and we work together so well. We're a really great team."
Ash paused a moment and looked a little uncomfortable before he carried on.
"I also really like how you look, Serena," Ash said, his voice now a little quieter. "I like how your hair is always really pretty; your eyes… are beautiful."
As Ash spoke these words, tears were starting to flow from Serena's beautiful eyes.
"And…. I really like it when we hug," Ash continued, sounding more uncomfortable with his words. "I love holding you and feeling you. I love how you laugh and how you're always trying to do something romantic." Ash hesitated a moment and then spoke again, this time in a barely audible whisper. "I really love it when we kiss…."
Serena suddenly choked on a sob as she tried to keep her composure. Ash looked over at her and she nodded her head, making a high-pitched, humming sound to show her agreement with everything he was saying.
Ash looked back toward the road and continued, his voice just as quiet as before. "Because of all that, I really enjoy looking at you. I really liked how you looked in that swimsuit. I like seeing your legs and your belly button and…." Ash shook his head, looking guilty. "Well, any part of you, really."
Serena hadn't thought it was possible for words to get her as romantically enthused as a kiss or a caress, but she now found that wasn't true at all. Her heart was pounding and she found herself longing for Ash as she wiped rivulets of tears from her face.
Ash swallowed and then kept speaking. "Sometimes I really want to touch you, Serena." Ash struggled a moment for words. "I really want to touch you….. because you're so… amazing….. and beautiful. I know I really shouldn't. I know it's not right, and that's what I don't like about how I feel. I shouldn't be thinking of you like that. I should like you for who you are, not how you look."
Serena thought that she'd loved Ash before; however, these new comments took her feelings to a whole new level. She now fully understood the conflict Ash was having. He'd explained it before, but not to this extent. He simply thought that his romantic impulses weren't a good thing; that it was somehow disrespectful of her. Serena knew exactly what to say. She also now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Ash deeply and truly loved her. He'd just admitted it, even if he didn't realize it himself.
Serena had to take a few deep breaths to reign in her emotions so she could speak. Her voice still cracked a bit as she spoke her first few words.
"I think everything you said about how you feel is wonderful and beautiful, Ash," she said.
Ash looked over at her, a little surprised at her words.
Serena took a breath and continued. "Just because you're attracted to me doesn't mean that you're thinking improper thoughts, Ash." Serena smiled briefly and continued. "Here's what I feel," she said quietly. "I love you Ash. I love how good you are and how selfless you are. You always want to do the right thing, no matter how hard it is. You work hard; you always try to help people and Pokémon. You're a wonderful man!"
Ash was now looking at Serena with a stunned expression. His eyes were fixed on her as he hung on her every word.
Serena grinned briefly and then continued, her voice now possessing a bit of playfulness. "But, you're also really handsome Ash," she said. "I love it when the wind blows your hair; when your eyes sparkle with energy." She laughed guiltily and then continued. "I love seeing you with your shirt off. I love it when you're a little sweaty and your skin is all shiny."
Ash laughed under his breath at this.
"I really love it when we hug," Serena said softly. "I love feeling your muscles and how strong you are. I love knowing that you're way stronger than me, but that you would never hurt me in any way. I love trusting you like that."
Ash was now starting to get a bit choked-up.
Serena smiled and looked directly at Ash. "I love when we kiss, and I really really really love it when you touch me, Ash. I can't tell you how that makes me feel."
Serena paused a moment and then continued. "Our physical relationship isn't a bad thing Ash. I'm your girlfriend and you're my boyfriend. It's okay for us to have these feelings and desires for each other. I would even say it's a good thing."
Ash's expression started to brighten slightly.
Serena considered her words and then spoke again. "Ash, I really am okay if you want to touch me. And it's not a bad thing for you to want to touch me."
Ash hesitated and looked a bit uncomfortable. "Yeah, but, Serena, if I touch you on your leg or your waist, that's one thing. What if I…. I mean… if I touched you…."
Serena smiled kindly and spoke in a gentle and confident tone. "Ash, I'm okay with whatever you do. I trust you."
Ash didn't look convinced and so Serena spoke again.
"Ash, you could touch me on my side; my leg; my back," Serena paused a moment to let her next statement have more impact. "My butt," she said with a grin.
Serena then hesitated to speak her final reassurance. Her next words were provocative. She knew Ash would never take her up on the invitation, but she felt she had to say it; otherwise, he would have doubts about her willingness to accept anything he would do.
Serena pursed her lips and then spoke. "Even my breasts," she said sincerely.
Those final words made Ash's eye widen in surprise. He stared at Serena for several long moments before he replied.
"You'd really be okay with all that?" he said in a low voice.
Serena nodded. "Yes," she said without hesitation.
Ash turned to look at the road for a few seconds and then looked back at Serena. "I don't think I'd touch your….. breasts…. even if I wanted to," he said in a shy voice.
Serena smiled and nodded. "I know," she said softly. "But if it does happen at some point…." She turned her head to face Ash. "At least you'll know it's fine."
Ash smiled and giggled a little. Serena did the same and the two of them stepped closer to each other. Ash reached out and took Serena's hand. They interlaced their fingers and squeezed their hands together. They walked hand-in-hand, down the road, for some time. Eventually, as they came within sight of Pallet Town, Serena spoke up in an emotional voice.
"Hey Ash," she said softly. "I really appreciated everything you said about me."
A small smile pulled at Ash's lips. "Sure, no problem," he said happily.
Serena smiled and then continued in a very heartfelt and sincere tone. "Those were the kindest, nicest and most beautiful words that anyone's ever spoken to me, in my entire life."
At this, Ash turned his head to the right and saw Serena staring back at him. Her eyes were tearing up again and he felt a sudden urge to stop walking and pull her into an embrace. He decided not to though, and instead, he reached up with his left hand wiped the tears away the second they started to run down her face.
A moment later, Serena gently clasped hold of his hand with her right and softly kissed one of the knuckles on the front of his hand. She then eyed his tear-streaked index finger and began to kiss the side of his digit. Ash thought it was a very cute move by Serena and she slowly and gently kissed her way up his finger and onto the back of his hand. She then opened her mouth wider and laid a very wet kiss on his hand. For a moment, Ash felt the tip of Serena's tongue gliding across his skin. Ash found the sensation enticing. He briefly wondered what it would have felt like if Serena had used her tongue while they'd been kissing on the beach.
Serena giggled softly and let go of his hand. Ash let his hand drop back to his side, and felt Serena's salvia quickly cool in the evening air. He didn't feel an urge to wipe off his hand. Earlier, on the beach, he'd gotten a taste of the wonderful nectar that resided inside Serena's mouth and it was sweeter than the finest honey or most succulent dessert.
The two of them continued on the road, walking close to one another, enjoying one of the last days of summer.
As they approached the stairs leading up to the reserve, Ash spoke up.
"Hey, Serena, what you said to me was also the kindest words that anyone's ever said to me," he said sincerely.
Serena smiled warmly and made a loving and soft humming sound. The two of them then walked up the stairs, continuing to hold hands.
They came to a stop a few paces away from the front door of the main building. They turned to face each other and prepared to bid one another good night. Serena spoke first.
"I really enjoyed our date, Ash," she said sweetly.
Ash smiled and chuckled softly. "Yeah, I did too."
Serena slowly rocked from side-to-side. "Hey, Ash," she said, her voice tinged with playfulness. "Can I get a goodnight kiss?"
Several thoughts went through Ash's mind; all of them involving their sensual encounter earlier on the beach. His memory harkened back to when Serena had said that he could touch her anywhere and she wouldn't mind. As he placed his hands on Serena's shoulders and gently pulled her into a kiss, a part of Ash really wanted to put that claim to the test.
They kissed for a dozen seconds and then Ash pulled back a few inches. "Serena," he began in a whisper. "You said that I could touch you anywhere, right?"
Serena's eyes lit up. "Yes, Ash! That's what I said."
Ash couldn't help but grin. He hesitated a moment and then continued with his line of questioning. "So, where should I touch you?" he said, excitement tingeing his voice.
Serena grinned manically and leaned her forehead against Ash's so their eyes were barely an inch apart. "That's not how it works Ash," she said in a seductive tone.
Ash laughed softly at Serena's words and heart began to beat faster. His eyes tracked downward to the tiny bit of Serena's midsection that was exposed by her short t-shirt. He stared at her cute bellybutton for several seconds and decided on his move. He lifted his hands off his girlfriend's shoulders and lowered them so they were hovering an inch away from her sides.
Serena hoped something wonderful was about to happen and she didn't want to distract Ash with a kiss. Instead, she gently nuzzled her nose against the left side of his neck, waiting anxiously.
Ash hesitated a moment and then gently placed his hands onto Serena's sides, just above her hips. Serena's waist was extremely trim and Ash could feel her firm abdominal muscles beneath his thumbs. He loved the smoothness of her skin under his fingers and the tiny undulations which were formed by every one of her movements. Serena took in a deep breath and nuzzled a bit more aggressively into his neck. He sensed that she was enjoying this.
Ash held Serena like this for several long seconds and then decided to get a little more ambitious. He slowly and tenderly slid his hands up Serena's sides until they were at the base of her ribcage and completely underneath her t-shirt.
Serena suddenly gasped in a breath and pulled her head back from Ash's neck. Ash also felt a spasm roll through her midsection. Ash looked at her and saw her eyes were closed, mouth was partially open and a look akin to shock was on her face.
"Are you okay?" Ash said, slightly concerned. He'd never seen Serena react like that and he hoped that he hadn't somehow hurt her.
Serena slowly relaxed and let out a breath. She opened her eyes and looked at Ash; an amused smile spread on her face. Her head and neck were beginning to flush red. "Yes, Ash, I'm very okay," she breathed heavily.
Ash smiled and Serena leaned against him. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug and made a noise that was half contented-sigh and half loving-hum. After a few seconds, she spoke softly.
"This is going to be so much fun once you learn what to do," she said in a dreamy tone.
Ash raised an eyebrow. "Huh?" he questioned.
Serena smiled and took a step back from Ash. They separated and stood looking at each other. "I mean, I really enjoyed our date and I can't wait until the next one," she said.
Ash nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I can't wait either," he replied.
They stared at each other for another few moments and then Serena spoke again.
"See you tomorrow," she said in a tone that expressed how she didn't want the night to end.
"Yeah, see you tomorrow," Ash replied.
Serena half-turned away and then turned back to face Ash. She pressed her lips together, and then finally said, "goodnight, Ash!" in a sweet and loving tone.
"Goodnight, Serena!" Ash replied; his voice filled with happiness.
Serena lingered a few more seconds and the turned away, beginning the trek back to the Ketchum household. Once she reached the road below the reserve, and was definitely out of sight of Ash, Serena let out a gasping sigh and swung her arms, trying to release the tension from her body. As she walked, Serena tried stretching, clearing her mind, even biting her tongue but nothing could shake free the persistent pleasurable buzzing sensation that Ash's touch had embedded into her sides. It was like an itch that refused to be dispatched, no matter how much she scratched at it.
The feeling would continue until Serena eventually drifted off to sleep that night. In her dreams, she met Ash on a beautiful beach in Hoenn. There, in the warm sands and rumbling surf, Ash provided her with relief by finally scratching her itch in a most enjoyable and mind-blowing way.