Ash maneuvered awkwardly and Serena placed her left hand on his shoulder to steady his movements. He flashed her an embarrassed smile and she giggled softly. Their faces were only a couple of inches apart and the silence of the room meant that they could clearly hear as well as feel each time their partner drew breath.
Ash wiggled his body a little and then let out a small exclamation of success as the tight passage finally granted him access. He leaned forward and slid deep into the darkness.
Serena squirmed and chuckled as she held tightly onto Ash. She couldn't help but grin. She was immensely enjoying this.
Ash worked his arms and upper body and then let out a stressed grunt. "Almost there!" he said.
Serena was practically hugging Ash at this point. She held him tight and whispered into his ear. "For a minute, I thought you wouldn't fit," she teased.
Ash sent her a stressed look. "That wouldn't have been good," he chuckled.
Serena grinned wickedly and playfully bit her tongue. "Definitely would have made things more interesting," she replied.
Ash pushed and strained and then his eyes lit up as he finally reached his goal. He let out sigh of sweet relief and then slowly withdrew from the tight, dark passage.
Serena steadied Ash as he moved. "Is that it?" she questioned.
Ash nodded and smiled in satisfaction. "Yep," he replied, pulling himself free and taking a step away from Serena.
Serena breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the dirty, collapsed Pokéball held in Ash's dust-covered right hand. She looked to the side and peered down into the small laundry room alcove the device had fallen into.
"We should probably cover that up," she commented. "Don't want anyone else falling down there."
"Yeah," Ash emphatically agreed. He grabbed a small hand towel hanging in the laundry room and quickly cleaned the red/white Pokéball. He then tapped the sphere to enlarge it and sent out the Pokémon contained within.
A Bulbasaur flashed into existence on the laundry room floor. She shook her body, let out a rasping cry and then looked at Ash with a concerned expression.
Ash smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about that," he said. "I didn't think those Pokéballs would just start rolling off the washing machine."
Serena displayed a tight-lipped smile as she recalled Ash's wide-eyed expression when he'd seen the trio of shrunken Pokéballs start to roll toward the alcove. He'd managed to grab two of them but Bulbasaur had fallen in. Fortunately, all was well and they could continue with the day's events.
Ash let out an emotional sigh and knelt down in front of Bulbasaur. He reached out and gently rubbed the grass type under its chin.
"Just think, today you're gonna start on a really big journey!" he said in a wistful tone.
Bulbasaur's eyes started to sparkle with wonder and excitement. The starter Pokémon had been anticipating this day for more than a month.
Ash smiled and then held up Bulbasaur's Pokéball. "Okay, let's get ready."
The grass type let out a happy cry and was whisked into the Pokéball.
Ash stood up, looked at the Pokéball and then collapsed it.
"Try not to lose it this time," Serena said with a wry smile.
Ash laughed and stowed the Pokéball in his pocket with the other two starter Pokémon. He then took a deep breath and let it out.
Serena stepped up to his side and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Are you nervous?" she asked kindly.
Ash gave a small shrug. "It's my first time giving out starter Pokémon. This is a really important day for those kids and their Pokémon."
Serena wrapped an arm around Ash and gave him a partial hug. "You're gonna do great," she whispered.
Ash looked toward Serena and smiled. She returned the smile and then she pulled away from him.
"Okay, Professor Ketchum, time to give out some Pokemon," she said.
Ash chuckled in an amused fashion and shook his head. "I'm not a professor," he replied.
Serena playfully shrugged. "Well, maybe not officially, but you might as well be one."
Ash laughed. "Okay, let's get going."
With that, Ash headed outside into the noon day sun. Serena stood nearby and soon the three kids came bounding up the stairway right on time. Pikachu and a few other of the reserve's Pokémon stood at a distance, watching the event.
The trio of two boys and one girl were named Cyril, Terence and Gwyn. All of them had turned ten in the past few months. Cyril and Gwyn were from Pallet Town while Terence was from a small town a short distance away. All three of them had come to love Ash and his Pokémon and they'd been eagerly awaiting this day for over a year.
Ash grinned from ear to ear as the youngsters came running up. Their eyes were wide with eagerness and they couldn't keep still.
All of them said some form of "Hi, Mr. Ketchum," in greeting and Ash looked a little embarrassed.
"Thanks, but just call me Ash," he said in reply to the gleeful children.
"So, can we get our Pokémon?!" Cyril asked eagerly.
Ash planted his hands on his hips and smiled. "In just a minute," he said. "First, you need to know about all the responsibilities you'll be taking on."
Serena watched and struggled to not tear up as Ash gave a very inspiring and informative speech about the joys and hardships of being a Pokémon trainer. He talked about Pikachu and how he got his first Pokémon. He talked about his gym battles and his wins and losses. The kids all stood awestruck and drank in every word.
When Ash finally finished, all three kids had serious expressions on their faces. They'd apparently taken to heart Ash's advice and experience.
Ash abruptly grinned and let out a laugh. "Okay, who wants to pick a Pokémon?!"
All three kids instantly lit up with energy.
"We already talked about!" Terence said quickly.
"We worked out who'd get which Pokémon!" Gwyn added.
"We knew there was only three and so we figured it ahead of time so there wouldn't be an argument!" Cyril finished.
Ash suddenly frowned in surprise and looked a little dumbfounded. Serena held a hand up to her mouth to keep from laughing. Ash had decided to do things a little differently from how starter Pokémon had been distributed in the past. He'd secretly prepared three of each type of Pokémon, so even if all three kids wanted to get a Squirtle they'd be able to do so. He didn't want anyone to be disappointed. However, it seemed the kids had outflanked Ash on this issue.
"Well… okay then," Ash said, hesitating a moment. He then pulled out the three collapsed Pokéballs and sent out Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle.
All three kids had open-mouthed smiles and they excitedly glanced at the three Pokémon.
The starter Pokémon all posed and tried to look strong and confident. They smiled and let out small, happy cries.
"Bulbasaur!" Terence said, dashing forward and embracing the grass type.
"Charmander!" Cyril squeaked, hugging the fire type.
"Squirtle!" Gwyn cried, skipping forward and picking up the water type in her arms.
All six of the new friends beamed with happiness and enjoyed the lovely moment.
Ash grinned and laughed while Serena wiped a happy tear from an eye.
Once the kids were settled with their new Pokémon, Ash handed them a Pokédex and six additional Pokéballs. The kids all immediately used the Pokédex on their own Pokémon and then on their friend's Pokémon. Serena then stepped forward and presented each of them with a small case containing various berries, a few potions and some healing medicine. She explained what each berry could do and told them to always use their Pokédex to look up additional information.
Ash had a quick conversation with the kids and discovered that Terence wanted to battle gyms and collect badges. Cyril wanted to explore and catch Pokémon. Gwyn, meanwhile, was interested in Pokémon contests and hoped to put on shows one day like Serena.
"That's so great," Ash said. "Alright, is there anything else you want to do before you set out on your journeys?"
Terence and Cyril immediately looked at each other and grinned.
"Yeah! We wanna have a battle!" they said at the same time.
Ash grinned and nodded in approval. "Okay, let's do it!"
Serena and Gwyn stood to the side. The young girl held the small turtle against her chest so both of them could watch the action.
Terence took up position with Bulbasaur while Cyril opposed him with Charmander. Both boys were eager to battle.
Ash stood to the side and acted as the referee.
"Okay, I'm guessing you two know what to do?" Ash said.
"Yeah!" they replied eagerly.
Ash smiled and swept his arm in a dramatic motion. "Okay, battle begin!" he shouted.
Terence dramatically pointed at Charmander and shouted, "use Razor Leaf!"
Cyril dramatically pointed at Bulbasaur and shouted, "use Flamethrower!"
Both Pokémon looked distressed and glanced back at their trainers with uncertainly.
Ash grinned sheepishly and scratched at his head. "Uh….. guys, they don't know those moves yet," he said tactfully.
Gwyn laughed along with Squirtle. "Oh, what sillies!" she giggled.
Both boys gasped and pulled out their Pokédex. After a moment of consultation, they repeated their earlier actions.
Terence dramatically pointed at Charmander and shouted, "use Tackle!"
Cyril dramatically pointed at Bulbasaur and shouted, "use Scratch!"
This time, both Pokémon let out battle cries and charged forward.
Ash grinned broadly as he watched the two new trainers experience their first battle.
The battle was a good one and surprisingly the victor was Terence and Bulbasaur. Afterward, Serena attended to both Pokémon and showed the kids a little about Pokémon medicine in the process. All of them paid close attention and Ash had a good feeling about all three of them as future trainers. He hoped they'd go far with their dreams.
Soon, it was time for the trio to leave. Ash and Serena were pleased to hear that they planned to travel together for a little while. Ash briefly flashed back to his first journey with Misty and Brock and how much they'd helped him. He advised the kids to always make friends and look to each other for strength and encouragement.
The three kids all profusely thanked Ash and Serena. With one final big goodbye, they set off with their Pokémon; all six of them walking on the road which led north of Pallet Town.
Ash and Serena watched them go until they were out of sight. They held hands and leaned against each other.
"Well, I think that went well," Serena said in a quiet and emotional voice.
Ash nodded. "Yeah, I think they'll be okay."
Serena nodded as well and looked at the horizon. "I wonder how far they'll go?" she mused.
They stood watching for a few more minutes and then they separated. There was still work to do on the reserve today and they each had their tasks. They shared small kiss and a warm embrace and then they each went their own ways.
A couple hours late, Serena hummed happily as she systematically worked her way along the flowerbed. She pulled up any weeds which were starting to sprout, readjusted the small stones that made up the edging and smoothed out any large variations in the soil. She'd started this flowerbed two years ago and it was finally starting to come together. One day, she hoped to have flowers blooming all around the main building and their future home.
Serena shifted to the side and began working on a new section of earth. The task was simple yet rewarding. It made her happy to make the reserve that much more beautiful.
Abruptly, her thoughts were interrupted by the energetic, chattering cry of a Pokémon approaching her from behind. The sound was extremely familiar, but before Serena could turn around, the Pokémon let out an eager squeal and jumped up on her shoulder.
Serena yelped a surprised exclamation and tensed her neck and shoulders as the Pokémon climbed, scrambled, nuzzled and jumped back-and-forth behind her head. Serena wiggled and flinched as the Pokémon pulled at her collar and made itself a nuisance. Finally, the Pokémon slowed its movements and Serena was able to get a look at it. She immediately recognized the dark orange body of a Dedenne.
"Uh, hello!" Serena said tensely, not thrilled about the intrusive actions of the small critter. A moment later, Serena's eyes widened as she recognized the electric type.
"Wait! aren't you?!"
The rest of Serena's comment was cut short by a brief, girlish giggle a short ways behind her. Still on her knees, Serena turned around and took in the sight of a young girl silhouetted from behind by the afternoon sun. She was trim, fit, and sporting pink hiking shoes, white shorts, a brown t-shirt and a yellow messenger bag slung over her shoulder. Her yellow hair was pulled back into a pair of braids which started behind each ear and ran down to just below her shoulders. Even though the backlight of the sun made it hard to make out the girl's features, Serena's instantly recognized her long time friend.
"Bonnie!" Serena exclaimed happily.
Bonnie grinned and chuckled. "Hey, Serena," she replied in a joyful voice, that was not quite as squeaky as it had once been.
Serena rose to her feet, her mouth agape in an amazed smile. She dashed to Bonnie and took hold of the younger girl's shoulders. Serena could immediately tell the girl from Kalos was not the frail little kid she'd once been.
"You're grown-up," Serena said in a slightly choked-up voice.
Bonnie looked a little embarrassed. "Well, I'm ten, I don't know if I would call that grown-up," she said with a grin.
Serena smiled, giggled and drew Bonnie into a loving hug. The younger girl returned the embrace and the two friends sighed happily, enjoying the reunion.
After a few long moments, Serena pulled back and took in the sight of Bonnie's new outfit and appearance.
"Wow, Bonnie! I guess you've started on your Pokémon journey!" Serena said sweetly.
Bonnie grinned and could barely contain her excitement. "YEP!" she replied in a satisfied shout. "I'm finally on my own. No more being cooped up in Lumiose City." She briefly giggled and then thrust both her arms into the air. "I'm gonna see the world and go on all kinds of adventures!"
Dedenne leapt from Serena's shoulder to atop Bonnie's head and joined her in vocalizing their excitement.
Serena laughed, smiled and shook her head in amused enjoyment. She took a step back from Bonnie and gestured toward the main building.
"Would you like to come inside? We've got all kinds of refreshments. I could even cook a meal if you want."
Bonnie's eyes glimmered with appreciation but she reluctantly shook her head.
"Sorry, Serena," she said unhappily. "I've got to keep traveling and I came here for a very specific reason.
Serena raised an eyebrow. "Really, what's that?"
Bonnie took a breath, steadied herself and then spoke in a very deliberate tone. "I wanna get a starter Pokémon from Ash!"
Serena was genuinely surprised by this. "Uh, a starter Pokémon?" she said in an uncertain tone. "Didn't you get a starter Pokémon from Professor Sycamore?"
Bonnie shrugged and looked a little conflicted. "Eh, I went there but none of those Pokémon were what I was looking for."
Serena was even more puzzled now. However, she also felt honored that Bonnie had traveled all the way to Kanto to get a starter Pokémon. She suspected that Bonnie was just using this as an excuse to see her and Ash.
Serena smiled and eagerly clapped her hands together.
"Well, you're in luck! Ash just gave out three starter Pokémon today so we've got everything ready for new trainers."
Bonnie's eyes lit up and her mouth gaped into an open-mouth smile. Serena laughed internally. Even though her body had grown, Bonnie still had a lot of her old, adorable personality inside her.
"All right!" the young girl shouted.
Serena grinned and pulled her Rotom Phone out of her pocket. She dialed Ash's number and waited for him to pick up. When she heard his voice, she struggled to contain her happiness.
"Hey, Ash," she said ambiguously. "There's a surprise in front of the main building! Come and take a look!"
Ash was just as pleased to meet Bonnie as Serena had been. They exchanged pleasantries, Bonnie hugged Pikachu and they all shared a laugh when Bonnie told them of some of Clemont's activities.
Time began to slip away as they talked and it was Bonnie who reminded them that she needed to get going before it got too dark. Ash agreed and went inside to retrieve a Pokédex and the starter Pokémon.
With a big grin, Ash opened the Pokéballs and let out the beloved trio of Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle.
All three Pokémon sent eager looks toward Bonnie and did their best to look confident and strong.
Ash and Serena beamed as Bonnie excitedly glanced between the three Pokémon. Serena didn't say anything but she felt her maternal instincts tugging at her emotions. She'd spent a lot of time with Bonnie while they'd been in Kalos and she knew that the young girl had adopted her as something of a mother figure. Seeing her growing up was a source of bittersweet happiness.
After a minute, Ash spoke up.
"So, Bonnie, have you made a choice?" he asked.
Bonnie smiled and glanced at Ash. "I think so, but I need to make sure of something first."
Ash looked a little puzzled and glanced at Serena. She was perplexed as well and shrugged in response.
Bonnie took a breath, crouched down in front of Charmander so she was at its eye level and addressed the fire type.
"Charmander, I want you to travel with me and be my friend," Bonnie said in a quiet and sincere voice.
Ash and Serena smiled happily, Charmander let out an excited cry and the other two starters looked momentarily disappointed but quickly put on smiles.
Bonnie grinned as Charmander hopped up and down. Then, her expression became more serious and she spoke in a low voice.
"Before you decide to come with me, though, I need to know, are you brave enough?!"
Ash and Serena looked puzzled, Charmander stopped hopping and the other two starters grunted in surprise.
Bonnie waited a moment and then continued. "I'm planning to travel all around the world, Charmander. I'm gonna battle other trainers, perform in contests, see all the sights and go on all kinds of adventures."
Charmander's eyes shimmered with eagerness.
"But it's not always going to be safe," Bonnie added. "There will be dangers and perils. Scrapes and cuts. Live and death situations."
Ash and Serena looked at each other. "She laying it on a little thick, isn't she," Serena whispered.
Ash nodded in response.
Bonnie clinched her right hand into a fist. "Are you brave enough to run into a raging storm or charge into an active volcano?! Can you battle against overwhelming odds and not run away?!"
Charmander was completely captivated by Bonnie's words. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
Bonnie grinned and made an excited gesture with her arms. "When the whole world is on-the-line, can I count on you to stand at my side?! Can you do that Charmander?!"
Both Bulbasaur and Squirtle were hiding behind Charmander at this point. The two other starters were clutching each other, trembling in fear, desperately hoping that Bonnie didn't end up picking them.
Ash and Serena looked on with slack expressions, wondering if Bonnie had just scared off all three starter Pokémon.
For several extremely long seconds, no one said anything. Then, Charmander chirped, smiled broadly and jumped and down eagerly.
Bonnie grinned and hugged her new Pokémon. "Oh, Charmander, we're gonna be such good friends!"
Bulbasaur and Squirtle let out a sigh of relief and Ash and Serena smiled happily.
"Congratulations Bonnie!" Serena said in an emotional voice.
Bonnie giggled and stood up. She looked down at her new partner and rubbed Charmander's smooth head. "Thank you," she whispered to the fire type.
Ash smiled and moved to present Bonnie with her Pokédex.
"Okay, Bonnie, I think you know what this is," Ash said.
Bonnie took the device and immediately used it to identify Charmander. The Pokédex presented the information in a pleasant, female voice. Once she was done listening, Bonnie stowed the device in one of her pockets.
Ash handed Bonnie six collapsed Pokéballs and the girl stowed them away as well.
Serena took a breath and spoke in a voice filled with pride. "So, where are you going now?" she asked.
A mischievous look crossed Bonnie's face for a moment and then vanished. "Everywhere and anywhere!" she said boldly.
Ash and Serena shared a flummoxed expression and then shrugged.
Before either of them could reply, Bonnie turned around and pointed directly at Ash with her extended right arm.
"But first, I wanna have a battle with you!" she said forcefully.
Ash's eyes widened in surprise. "Uh, a battle!" he replied. A moment later he smiled and looked at the two remaining starter Pokémon. Choosing Bulbasaur would give Bonnie an advantage and make things easier for her first battle with Charmander. However, Bonnie was tough and determined, he wasn't going to cut her any slack.
"Okay, Squirtle, let's give em' a battle," Ash said energetically.
Squirtle let out an eager cry and jumped forward. The water type took up a battle pose and shouted at Charmander. Charmander immediately dropped into its own battle pose and shouted back at Squirtle. Both Pokémon were eager to battle.
Bonnie giggled and grinned from ear-to-ear. She then suddenly shook her head.
"Sorry Ash, but I want to battle Pikachu!" she said smartly.
Everyone mouths, including Charmander's, fell open upon hearing this. Once they recovered, Charmander looked distressed and Ash awkwardly scratched at his head.
"Uh, Bonnie," Ash began diplomatically. "You know that Pikachu and I are really experienced at battling. Wouldn't it be better to just battle Squirtle?"
Bonnie looked at Charmander, knelt down and took hold of both of her Pokémon's hands. She looked into the fire type's eyes and saw his concern over battling so strong an opponent.
"Charmander," she said softly. "I know we probably won't win, but we're gonna try our best. I'll be with you the entire time. We're a team and together we can battle things way more powerful than either of us could imagine."
Charmander's eyes started to tear up. The fire type then suddenly let out a fierce growl, whirled around to face Pikachu and issued a challenging shout.
Ash pursed his lips in an uncomfortable expression and glanced at Serena. She shrugged and nodded toward Bonnie, indicating that he should battle her.
Ash took a breath and smiled as the thrill of a Pokémon battle rushed through his veins.
"Okay then, Pikachu, I choose you!"
Pikachu jumped forward and took up position in front of Ash. The electric type let out a battle cry and prepared for action.
Bonnie grinned fiercely and made a sweeping gesture. "Let's go Charmander!" she shouted.
Charmander growled loudly and the flame on its tail grew in intensity.
Ash smirked and waited. "Make the first move Bonnie," he shouted.
"No problem," Bonnie said confidently. "Charmander, use Scratch!" she commanded.
Charmander charged forward, readying its claws for an attack.
"Use Quick Attack, buddy," Ash said.
Pikachu briefly cried out and then zipped forward toward Charmander.
Bonnie's face screwed up in determination. "Swing your tail around and use the fire to protect yourself!" she said quickly.
Charmander spun around abruptly, swinging its tail into Pikachu's path. A moment later, Pikachu slammed into Charmander, sending the fire type flying.
Ash felt a little guilty as he watched Charmander tumble across the grass. He then glanced at Pikachu and saw his Pokémon was crying in dismay and waving its singed hands. It seemed Bonnie's tactic had been partially effective.
"You okay, Pikachu?" Ash asked.
Pikachu shoved his hands into the cool grass and sighed in relief. He then shouted a confident cry to Ash, indicating all was well.
"Get up Charmander! We're not done yet!" Bonnie commanded.
Charmander pushed itself to its feet and stood ready for more.
"Use Iron Tail!" Ash shouted.
Pikachu responded and dashed toward Charmander. His tail began to glow and the electric type leapt into the air.
"Power up your flame and meet its Iron Tail!" Bonnie shouted.
Charmander bellowed and the flame burning at the tip of its tail suddenly increased in size and intensity. The fire type charged forward and swung the ball of fire around to block Pikachu.
There was a harsh collision and Charmander was again knocked backward. Pikachu was knocked away too, however, and it was clear the counter from Charmander had greatly reduced the damage from Pikachu's attack.
Ash smiled. "Bonnie sure is determined," he said quietly.
Pikachu shook his head and let out a winded gasp. Charmander panted and struggled to remain upright. Even though the fire type was fighting well, it simply didn't have the endurance for this level of battling.
Ash reached up to adjust his cap and then realized he wasn't wearing one. He chuckled in amusement. The fact he'd instinctively made the move meant he was enjoying this battle. It had briefly taken him back to the old days.
"Okay, buddy, wrap it up with Electroweb!"
Pikachu let out a cry, swung its tail around and sent a web of electricity at Charmander.
Ash felt a little bad for being so hard on Bonnie, but she'd asked for it and he wasn't going to hold back.
Bonnie gritted her teeth and clenched a fist. "Quick Charmander, use scratch to gather dirt for a shield!"
Charmander flourished his claws and suddenly slashed repeatedly at the ground. A bunch of dirt was kicked up and a moment later the whole scene was engulfed by Pikachu's Electroweb. There was an explosion and everything was obscured by a cloud of dust.
Ash and Bonnie waited with tense expressions and then Bonnie grinned.
"Use Ember!" Bonnie shouted.
Charmander abruptly charged out of the cloud. The fire type was covered with dirt and had a fierce look of determination on its face. It let out a cry, opened it mouth and directed a burst of fire at Pikachu.
Ash was impressed. "Huh, it used the dirt to stop the electricity," the world's greatest Pokémon trainer nodded in approval. "Nice. Use Quick Attack to dodge!"
Pikachu dashed to the side, avoiding the small fireball. Ash's Pokémon then sped forward and slammed into Charmander again, knocking most of its dirt shield away.
"Awwe!" Bonnie cried out in dismay.
Ash clinched a fist and made a forceful gesture. "Okay, let's end this with Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu jumped into the air and began gathering electricity for a devastating attack.
Bonnie frowned and then shouted her next command. "USE FLAMETHROWER!"
Charmander looked dismayed and Ash looked disappointed. Bonnie had been doing so well and then she'd made the same mistake the two younger boys had earlier. Ash sighed. It was too bad the battle had to end this way.
Then, Bonnie softened her expression, looked at Charmander and spoke in a kind voice.
"Charmander, I know you've never used that attack before but I think you can." The young girl made a confident pose and continued. "Look inside yourself. Use that fire you have for adventure. Let that fuel your attack! Channel your determination and don't hold back!"
Charmander looked at Pikachu and the oncoming Thunderbolt. The fire type furrowed his brow, slammed its clawed hands together and let out a defiant shout.
Bonnie let out a boisterous laugh and then pointed directly at Pikachu. "Okay Charmander, USE FLAMETHROWER!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.
Charmander breathed in deep and then unleashed a massive plume of flame to meet the incoming Thunderbolt.
Both Ash and Serena looked on with eyes wide and mouths agape.
"Wow!" Ash breathed.
"Amazing!" Serena gasped.
The two attacks collided and the air sizzled from the roiling ball of fire and electricity. Charmander's attack was truly impressive, but it didn't have a chance against the raw power of Pikachu's Thunderbolt. After a couple second being held at bay, the bolt of electricity sliced through the stream of fire and directly hit Charmander.
Charmander cried out in pain and was thrown backward. The starter Pokémon tumbled across the ground and came to a stop, clearly unable to continue.
Bonnie's shoulders slumped but then she smiled subtly and dashed to Charmander's side. She cradled her defeated Pokémon in her arms and congratulated it on a job well done.
Ash let out a breath and felt his heart racing. That battle had been surprisingly good. Serena walked up to his side and whispered to him.
"You saw that. She got Charmander to use Flamethrower. Just like that."
Ash nodded and mused over the situation. "Yeah, she's already made a deep connection with her Pokémon."
They shared a glance and a smile. Ash and Serena then walked over to Bonnie and helped her attend to her Pokémon.
Serena was quick to use her skills to get Charmander back on his feet. After a couple Oran berries and some healing salve, the fire type was happily chirping again and hugging Bonnie's leg, proud to have her as a trainer.
Serena presented Bonnie with the same gift of berries and supplies she'd given the other trainers and then the three of them exchanged bittersweet looks. They all knew it was time for the young girl to leave.
"Well, I guess I'll be off then," Bonnie said.
Ash and Serena smiled and waved.
"Good luck, Bonnie," Serena said sweetly.
"Yeah, have fun on your adventures," Ash added.
"Mmm-hmm," Bonnie hummed. She paused for a moment and then her lower lip started to tremble. Her eyes teared up and she abruptly surged forward and wrapped one arm around Serena and one arm around Ash.
"I'm gonna miss you two!" she cried.
Ash and Serena warmly embraced Bonnie and held her until she stopped crying. Eventually, the young girl dried her eyes, sniffed back the tears and steadied herself.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay here for tonight," Serena asked. "You could stay with me in my room! It'd be lots of fun!"
Bonnie seriously considered it but ultimately shook her head. "Nah, I need to get going!" she replied. She adjusted her messenger bag and stared toward the road leading north of Pallet Town.
A thought suddenly occurred to Ash and he spoke up.
"Hey, Bonnie, what's Clemont doing now that you're gone?"
Bonnie suddenly grinned mischievously and laughed several times. "Don't you worry about Clemont," she said in a very self-assured tone. "He's gonna be juuust fine!"
Ash and Serena exchanged a perplexed glance. Neither of them had any idea what was inside Bonnie's head.
Bonnie took a deep breath and looked at Charmander. "Okay," she said in a weighty voice. "I guess, now, it's really time to get going."
She looked toward Ash and Serena one final time and wished them goodbye. She then started walking toward the stairway leading down to Pallet Town.
Ash and Serena shouted goodbyes after her and waved until she was out of sight. They stood watching the top of the stairs for several minutes, leaning against each other and feeling emotional.
"They sure grow up fast, don't they," Serena whispered.
Ash chuckled. "Yeah, they sure do," he replied.
Serena leaned her head against Ash's cheek and both of them listened to each other's breathing. They looked at the start of a beautiful sunset and enjoyed the moment of closeness.
Serena softly kissed Ash's cheek and then whispered a few words. "One day, we'll watch our own kids go off on an adventure, just like that."
Ash nodded. "Mmm-hmm," he hummed in reply.
They stood together for several more minutes and then headed inside the main building to start their nightly routine.
Clemont adjusted the table and gave the machine a little nudge toward the center. He checked the connections and let out a sigh.
"Okay Clembot, It's time to show the world how useful a flying pamphlet printer is."
Clembot straightened up and looked toward its creator. "My servos are vibrating with excitement sir," the automaton replied.
Clemont smiled subtly, glanced at his notes on the table and then checked to make sure the machine was ready for filming the demonstration. He had to admit, ever since Bonnie had come up with the idea of him recording videos of his inventions and uploading them online his work had become much more exciting. Now, more and more people could learn about science and be inspired.
He was a little sad that Bonnie was off on her Pokémon adventure but he knew that she'd be fine. He'd made her promise over and over to stay safe, never do anything dangerous, always stay at a Pokémon Center and to tell him everything she was doing. It filled Clemont with pride, knowing that he'd helped raise his little sister to be such a responsible and mindful young girl.
Clemont tugged on his lab coat and looked at the camera. "Okay, I think we're ready," he said. "Let's start-"
"Hold on!" Jacqueline called out in a pleasant voice from her place behind the camera.
The interruption caused Clemont to freeze in place. He looked toward the camerawoman, watched her move out from behind the device and step toward him. She moved with graceful swiftness. Her stride was so even and perfect that one could time a metronome to the sound of her high heels clicking on the floor. She wore a simple button-up white shirt and a bronze colored, knee-length skirt. Her long, brown hair flowed down her back, glistening in the lights like it was a waterfall of liquid chocolate. Her skin was fair, but possessed just enough sun-kiss to add color. Her shining, soft brown eyes were bright and full of energy.
She advanced toward him with a tiny smile affixed to her face. It seemed to Clemont that Jacqueline was always smiling in one way or another. She stopped a step away from him and Clemont blushed slightly.
"Is something wrong?" he asked in a voice that sounded more nervous than he wished.
Jacqueline hummed sweetly and gently took hold of the front of Clemont's shirt.
"You're a mess Clemont," she said, saying the words in such a way that they seemed like a compliment rather than a criticism. "Let me get you presentable real quick."
Clemont's blush deepened as Jacqueline quickly straightened his shirt and lab coat. Once she was finished, she took a step back, eyed Clemont and then smiled.
"Okay, I think that does it," she said happily.
Clemont laughed nervously. "Okay, thanks Jacqueline.
Jacqueline smiled kindly. "No problem," she replied. She started to take a step and then paused mid-stride. "Oh, and call me Jackie, Clemont," she added.
Clemont blushed again. He kept using her full name even though she'd asked him not to. "Right," he said sheepishly. "Thanks, Jackie!"
Jackie gave him a nod and then stepped back behind the camera.
Clemont took a moment to appreciate just how perfect of a replacement Bonnie had found for helping him record his videos. His little sister was strange at times but she was really good knowing what to do and what was needed.
He looked toward Jackie and blushed as she winked at him. Not only was his new assistant interested in science, she also loved Pokémon and she was his age too, so they had a lot in common. He had a feeling that this young woman was going to fit in at Prism Tower quite well.
The orange glow of the setting sun bathed the road north of Pallet Town with amber light. Bonne and Charmander walked along side-by-side while Dedenne rode on Bonnie's shoulder.
"This is gonna be so much fun, Charmander!" Bonnie said in an energetic voice.
The fire type smiled and replied with a happy cry.
Bonnie giggled and raised both her arms above her head in an outpouring of eagerness.
"The world is so big and full of so many things!" she began. "And we're gonna seem em' all!"
Charmander's eyes sparkled and he let out a captivated warble.
Dedenne chattered a few words to Charmander and the fire type nodded in agreement.
Bonnie smiled at Dedenne and then continued with her grand speech. "I know we're only walking right now but just think about when you evolve in a Charizard one day!" she said.
Charmander got a far-off look in his eyes as he contemplated the future.
"We'll be able to fly around the world," Bonnie said breathlessly. She suddenly got a wondrous look on her face and let out a boisterous laugh. "In fact, let's fly around the entire world!" she said boldly. Won't that be an adventure!?"
Charmander nodded quickly and eagerly bounced on his feet.
Bonnie's eyes sparkled and she looked up at the sky with a big smile on her face. "The whole world," she said quietly. "No more prison tower! No more holding back!" She giggled and then dashed forward. "Come on, Charmander. We need to move it before it gets dark!"
Bonnie and her new friend ran a short distance along the road until they reached a clump of trees. Bonnie then veered off the road and moved so she was standing underneath the biggest of the trees. Dedenne popped out of the bag and jumped up on Bonnie's shoulder. Charmander looked curiously at Bonnie, wondering what the reason for the detour was.
Bonnie grinned and addressed Charmander. She laughed in a confident manner and then spoke in her grandiose voice, like she had when she'd given her speech to the fire type back at the reserve.
"I'll bet you've been wondering why a ten-year old girl has been talking about all sorts of adventures, dangers and excitement."
Charmander continued to look curious and let out a puzzled cry.
Bonnie giggled and then continued. "It's time for you to meet the fourth member of our team!" she said in a lively voice. She then looked up into the tree and called out, "come on down, Squishy!"
A very small, green-skinned creature appeared on a lower branch of the tree. It hopped off the branch with a high-pitched warble and Bonnie caught it with a big flourish. Grinning from ear-to-ear, she turned around, holding the new Pokémon in the cupped palms of both her hands and presented the creature to Charmander.
"This is Squishy!" Bonnie said joyfully, "also known as the legendary Pokémon Zygarde!"
Charmander's eyes went wide and he gaped in wonder at the small Pokémon.
Squishy gave a small bow and then all of them heard a pleasant and polite sounding voice inside their minds.
"Hello, Charmander! It's a pleasure to meet you. You must be a very exceptional Pokémon for Bonnie to have chosen you."
Charmander suddenly blushed and looked embarrassed. He made a dismissive cry and waved an arm to brush away the compliment.
Bonnie turned Squishy around and looked directly at it.
"I sure wish I could have shown you to Ash and Serena," she said with a bit of disappointment. "I know they would've loved to see you."
Squishy nodded and then replied. "I would have enjoyed a reunion as well but it is important that it not be know that I am outside of Kalos. The danger could be quite severe."
Bonnie nodded solemnly and then her smile returned. "So, where are we going first?!" she said energetically.
Squishy turned and looked to the north. "There is a place called Mount Moon some distance from here. That is the first location we should investigate."
Bonnie looked in the same direction as Squishy. "Mount Moon!" she said in a voice filled with awe. "Sounds like a great place to start our adventure!"
Squishy nodded and then continued in a more somber tone. "I feel I should once again remind you of how dangerous this journey will be. I can't guarantee that you will be safe."
Bonnie laughed boldly. "That's why it's gonna be fun!" She then closed her eyes and her voice took on an introspective tenor. "We're gonna make a bunch of friends, see the world and stop the danger!" She opened her eyes and a fire burned in her gaze. "Whatever's coming, we'll face it together!" she said forcefully.
Squishy blushed slightly from pride. "Well then," the legendary Pokémon began. "Let us go forward together!"
Bonnie grinned, and slid Squishy into its spot in her messenger bag. She closed her eyes again and spoke in a detached voice. "Forward together!" she said. She then kicked her hiking shoes against the ground, looked at Charmander and Dedenne and then giggled.
"COME ON YOU TWO!" she shouted. ONWARD TO ADVENTURE!"
With that, Bonnie surged forward, eyes wide, yellow braids swinging freely and legs striding. She grinned and giggled, feeling the wind on her face and hearing Charmander a couple steps behind her. Her heart pounded and her breathing was fast.
Finally, she was running toward her future, and a bright and exciting future it was.