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Chapter Text

The Pokémon world, a place inhabited by humans and fantastic creatures, all to be discovered. There are Pokémon of all kinds, of all colors, shapes and characters… some rarer, some stronger. It’s with these friends that trainers compete with each other for various titles. There are those who prefer to battle and win, those who participate in contests, those who perform...

And one boy in particular aspires to the dream of becoming a Pokémon Master, traveling far and wide, getting to know more and more Pokémon and becoming their friend. His name is Ash Ketchum, trainer from Pallet Town, who explored many different regions, always accompanied by his best friend and faithful companion: Pikachu.

He saved the world along with his friends, made the lives of many people special and helped make the world a better place, still hoping to one day fulfill his dream of becoming a Pokémon Master.

However, even for a hero sometimes determination can waver, even if it’s something that has always distinguished him…

 The mood with which the boy had got out of bed certainly did not match that splendid and sunny day. The main concern was that it was now more of a habit than a rare occasion. His days had become mechanical and dull, a continuous loop between sleeping and spending time with his Pokémon at the laboratory.

"Hi Mama..." he yawned, greeting his mother in the kitchen.

 "Good morning honey! Did you sleep well?" his mother, Delia Ketchum, greeted him back with her usual cheery smile.

"Enough," he replied, trying not to worry her. As much as he indeed went to bed, his sleep was not peaceful and he ended up waking up totally unrested, as if he hadn't slept a wink. He couldn't tell his mother, but not even he could straight up lie; she would certainly notice.

Not even Pikachu seemed capable of lifting him from that empty state into which the young trainer seemed to have fallen. It wasn't laziness or depression, it seemed more like his mind was in a totally different place. He was distant and confused.

There weren't many trainers to challenge or new Pokémon to discover and catch, and while one might think one trip outside Pallet Town would solve it all, it was the urge to leave home that he lacked.

No one had asked the boy directly, but those who knew him felt serious concerns about the situation. The professor had imagined he would be seeing him leaving immediately for a new region after returning from Kalos, however 7 months had passed and he had never mentioned anything of such. 

Tracey had tried to get in touch with Brock and Misty to get help on the matter, but the first was no longer in Kanto and couldn’t be tracked down, while the other was too busy. Actually, Misty would have closed the gym and run to Pallet Town if it had been about her lone choice. But with the league around the corner, last minute trainers would shower her with challenges to get her medal in time for the tournament. 

Delia had her own fair share of doubts too. She had always been the first to express the desire to spend more time with her now-grown-baby and seeing him home for longer than usual. Yet as a mother she also noticed how unnatural this behavior of his was and how unhealthy it could be.

If everything was really okay he wouldn't still be there at home with her. He would be outside, chasing his dream. But now, he seemed to act like there was no dream at all.

Growing up was not a sufficient excuse, hormones and adolescence crises did not go that far. At least they couldn’t with someone like Ash, could they?

It was obvious that something had happened to Kalos. That trip had been unprecedented and she could only imagine how important it still was to the maturation of her son. His eyes with each video call shone full of ambition and determination, satisfaction and serenity.

She was sure that Ash in Kalos had been happy. He had special friends who made him feel like a part of a second family, he had reached incredible levels of power and had improved in every respect.

Of course there was the defeat in the league, the war against Team Flare, leaving Greninja and Goodra behind, the separation from Clemont, Bonnie and Serena...

She didn't think they would have such an impact on her son, after all he was used to goodbyes and rediscoveries. After digesting the first separation from Brock and Misty he had been able to accept that inevitable step more positively.

Yet a few weeks after returning home and after his seventeenth birthday passed, the changes started to emerge.

She didn’t know how to deal with the matter, even though she has been feeling the need to do something for months.

Pikachu jumped onto the table to munch on his own breakfast. Normally that time of the day was the most chaotic in the little family, or at least that was how everyone got used to it. Ash would pounce on the food as soon as it was ready and it would be a contest as to who gorged the most. One of Ash’s convictions was that eating a good breakfast was essential to face each day with the right amount of charge, but in that moment it seemed such morals were gone as was his appetite.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu called him, trying to draw attention to his trainer. If he couldn’t succeed in helping him, as his bestest friend, who was supposed to?

He was ashamed to admit it, but even a Team Rocket attack would have been okay to stimulate him at that moment. The problem was that they too seemed to be gone and never once showed up to attack since his return from Kalos. An unnaturally long vacation on their part…

Delia put down a huge plate full of pancakes in front of Ash, seeing that the cookies just didn't want to get into his stomach and affectionately placed a hand on his head "Come on honey. I know it's not been easy lately, but if you don't eat like your usual you could get sick…” she saw his son nod with a slight smile, straining it as much as possible. Her heart settled lightly into peace as she raised her fork in a joking and threatening way and pointed it at him "Now eat or I'll have to make you swallow it by force!"

The boy let out a spontaneous laugh and began to eat. Fortunately, some motherly practices still worked.

But sooner or later she would have to find out what was in her son's head and why he seemed so absent.

Her heart squeezed once again when seeing that forced smile. In addition to taking longer than usual, he finished the portion with extreme difficulty.

“Thank you Mama! It was as good as ever.” He loved his mother's food, it was extraordinary in both taste and amount of affection, but there was this annoying weight on his stomach that made him unable to get hungry.

"I'm going out for a walk, will you come with me Pikachu?" The electric mouse nodded and jumped on his shoulder, he had to keep an eye on his trainer.

"Are you heading to the laboratory?" Delia asks.

"Ah, no, not yet. I think I'll take a walk in the woods" he smiled at her as he put the cap on his head "Don't worry, I don't think I'll be away for too long" he then assured, walking to the door. 

"Please don't fall from some tree again," her mother joked remembering the fall a few weeks before.

"Stop bringing that up!" he snorted a little embarrassed as he closed the door behind him.

But she didn't need to see him through the door to perceive the total change of mood that he probably assumed at the very right moment he wasn’t anymore in her presence. She didn't even need to hear her son's sigh as he walked away from home.

It couldn't go on like this.

She took off her kitchen apron and went up with Mimey to her son's room to tidy up. It wasn't that there was a great disorder but the way everything was arranged showed a lack of... vitality. Her son had always been diligent when it came to keeping the room tidy, or at least making it decent. He hadn't stopped, but it was visible that he hadn't been able to get it right recently and it wasn't for lack of effort.

The bed was made but it made her grimace, with it looking like a Bidoof's den. The Pokémon stuffed animals were scattered around the room, the gym badges cases in a position that indicated he had been looking at them for hours and put them back without no real attention that they were upside down.

Another habit her son seemed to have lost, a thing that worried the woman a lot, was watching Pokémon battles on television. Ash had never been a great television watcher, since he was a young kid, he had always preferred to play outdoors or explore the environment. However, there were exceptions and those were for battles. If the television had been turned on by Ash it was for some match to follow and to learn from. Since he started traveling, when he would be home he would often seek Pokémon battles and tournaments in the various regions. Sometimes he would look at May or Dawn's Contests if he had the opportunity, or recorded fights of his old rivals.

Delia had always seen it as a kind of warning to an imminent departure.

But now it was different. He no longer watched Pokémon fights or news, the few occasions the boy had turned on the television was to check out the Hoenn region contests, often turning off after the announcement of the participants. She had guessed that maybe he wanted to see Serena's first contests, but he probably never managed to find the ones she was participating in.

Then slowly even that had come to stop, perhaps due to his resignation.

The days had passed one after the other and yet he remained in Pallet Town. He hadn't mentioned any intention to leave for a new region or participate in some tournaments, he hadn't asked if any magazines with new information had arrived and above all he had stopped talking about his adventures in Kalos, something he tended to never stop blabbering about in the first days following his return. Initially she had thought he just wanted a break from it all, but there was something downright strange about her son.

Perhaps by tidying up a bit and, sadly but necessary, snooping through his things, she would find some clues.

She made the bed first, then she reorganized the wardrobe with his clothes, finding absolutely nothing. She vacuumed, cleaned the floors and windows, removed the dust from the bedside tables and placed back the carpet, pouf and stuffed animals.

Then came the time to check some of Ash's more personal belongings. She would be lying if she said she didn’t feel a bit of regret in doing so, because by now her son was grown up and had the right to manage his private things. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. 

The badges cases were now straight as were his trophies.

Delia had certainly considered the problem to be about the defeat in the Kalos league finals. She remembered the promise he had made to her before he had left prior to his travel and he actually had come so close to keeping it. Should she have told him that she didn't mind that he didn't make it? Should she have told him more often about her constant and growing pride in seeing him give his all? That he didn't have to pay her back or prove anything to her?

Had he lost the motivation to chase his dream?

The section where he had put what had been brought from Kalos was the most untidy before she cleaned it. There was the medal given to him for saving Kalos from Team Flare, a reminder of the heart attack she had risked when she had heard on the news of the war he was participating in. Then there was the medal for second place in the league, the badges of the various gyms and then other objects. What left her mostly confused were: the different cloth bags that gave off a scent of cookies, a pokéball that probably belonged to Greninja and some photos. Several photos.

She picked up the photographs taken during his journey, most of them being just him, Serena, Clemont and Bonnie. Ash had never brought home too many photographs of his travels, perhaps because it wasn’t something he paid attention to, so this was the first time she really could see a bunch. It was probably courtesy of one of his companions and Ash had acted upon it. 

And they were just... everyday pictures.

Some were posed, while others were taken capturing the moment. In a certain sense it filled for her that void of not being able to see her son grow daily and experience life with him closely.

Ash looked so happy in those photos.

She wished so badly he had returned with his friends like he had done with Misty and Brock. They seemed like good kids and above all they made her son happy. Unfortunately, fate had not been very kind on that matter, often leading to separations once regional travel would end. Who knows what it would have been like if Ash and his Kalosian’s friends had continued the journey together in another region…

Was he hurt that he had to leave his friends behind? Was he that happy in Kalos? Should she have pushed him to stay with them a little longer? Maybe she had made him feel too much pressure to come back and been too open on missing him?

There were many options, maybe it was a mix of them all, but she had to try to make him feel better somehow.

Mimey walked over to her, seeing the human’s sad smile. They knew it hurt Delia a lot to see her son like that and not seeing him happy, but she didn't have to blame herself for that. "Mi…?"

Maybe she should have made that dinner invitation official for his friends.

"Don't worry, it’s going to be okay. But there are a few calls we need to make" she passed a hand over her eye, rubbing it even though no tears were falling. "What do you have there in your hand?" she then asked, pointing her finger at some sort of Walkie-Talkie with a screen. A little extravagant for a trivial phone, besides the fact that she didn't think Ash had a cell phone.

On the device there was attached a note with the strange writing: "Clemontic Call-us Gear”.

She grabbed it with curiosity, maybe it was Ash’s friend Clemont who made it? She knew he loved building inventions and the name of the object sounded like his. She pressed the ignition switch and after a while a robotic voice was heard "The future is now, thanks to science! Clemontic Gear, ON!"

She let out a chuckle as she saw four smiley faces appear on the screen, they looked just like Ash and his three friends. She clicked the chibi-style icon of the inventor with the glasses. Immediately the device started ringing and she realized that she had probably initiated a call. In a very short time, the face of a blond boy with glasses appeared on the screen of the device.

"Hey Aaa...!-" The enthusiastic voice became confused right away. The boy adjusted his glasses, not immediately understanding why there was Ash's mother in front of him. He recognized her, but he didn't imagine being called by someone who wasn’t Ash himself "O-Oh… are you Mrs. Ketchum?" he asked for confirmation.

Delia, a bit dazed, replied "Yes, it's me, hello Clemont!"

“Ah… sorry! The fact is that the item you’re calling me with is the one I gave Ash a while ago for emergencies and I didn't expect to…-"

Delia, embarrassed, interrupted him "Forgive me, I assume you expected to see him on the screen!"

"That's indeed it!" Pointed out the gym leader.

A chuckle was the only thing that carried the conversation for a few seconds. There was a moment of silence but as the slight embarrassment progressed Clemont decided to get to the point "Excuse me if I ask but… how is Ash doing? Well, why are you calling me?" He realized he could come off as rude and tried to correct himself "Not that I mind or it bothers me! But we probably all forgot about this tool when we parted, so already seeing it used amazes me, even more if it is not by Ash…"

Delia sighed "Well, to be honest I was just tidying up his room and after seeing this device I tried to use it! However, I wanted to call you anyway so I guess I could as well take this opportunity to ask you something..."

"Oh, sure, you can ask!"

"What was your relationship with Ash? And the other companions you were traveling with? In short, he told me about it and seemed very happy but I would like to know from you..."

"Well, I like to think that there is a strong bond between us... it has been a wonderful journey and we were very close!" replied the gym leader, thinking back about the journey with his friends as the nostalgia grew. "Mrs. Ketchum, I don't want to seem inappropriate, but-"

“Ask away” this time it was her who uttered those words cordially, in a motherly voice.

"Is there any problem? You seem a bit tired..." expressed the inventor in a worried tone.

Delia smiled at the boy's concern "Call me Delia dear, also you're not completely wrong…" she thought back to everything that had going on and decided to be completely honest "In fact, there is some problem regarding Ash"

Clemont looked troubled hearing those words. A problem with Ash? What could be so bad that his mother was so worried looking and even had resorted to contact him? "How come?"

“I know my son well enough to understand that lately he isn’t… himself anymore. I think that over time you too have got an idea of how he is: always cheerful, curious, determined, empathetic... imprudent. He rarely stays put when his motivation is at its peak."

"Yes, the description seems strictly the same as the Ash I traveled with" Clemont restrained himself from letting out a chuckle. That was Ash Ketchum's main role model, a person that only a few would think badly about.

"Well, it doesn't match now" she sat down, talking with regret "At first, after returning from Kalos, he just seemed different in normal aspects; matured from every point of view. He was very happy about the time spent with you and he told me almost everything, he never stopped talking to me about your adventures! I’ve never seen him so satisfied! The point is... this joy slowly faded away, while instead I expected to see him leave soon after he came back, to explore new regions!"

"Wait," Clemont stopped her. "Is Ash still in Pallet Town? From the way he talked when we separated I thought he would keep traveling"

"Exactly my point. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to spend more time with my son, but I don't also want to see him as a lame Pidgey who can't take a flight anymore. His gaze is lost… absent, he lacks appetite and doesn't seem interested in any way to continue his path to become a Pokémon Master. As hard as he tries to smile and I try to not let him see I’m worried, he knows very well he doesn’t convince me. He looks like a Goldeen out of the water."

Looking at the screen, she saw Clemont's shocked and perplexed face, as if asking if she was really talking about the Ash they knew.

“I thought it might be the defeat in the league… but I don't think that's the only reason. I think he misses you all"

The blond put a hand under his chin, feeling equally worried. “I didn't notice all these changes when we were about to go on our own separate ways" he admitted sincerely "Ash has improved greatly, he should be even more determined to leave for a new adventure and believe in victory, find new friends... or at least that's what you'd expect from him"

Maybe the issue was more about what Ash expected from himself?

"Listen Clemont, I don't really know how to help him this time. I wish Ash would find his path without feeling conditioned by me in any way. I probably can't give an answer to his doubts, but I know that as a mother I can at least try to lift some burdens from him. Remember that dinner I told you about before Ash left? I'd love to host you and your sister for a while!"

Clemont's face lit up for a moment, but it soon turned into a muffled smile. "I wouldn’t wish for anything greater but..."

Delia nodded understandingly "I understand, in Lumiose City it's still very complicate, right?"

The boy nodded, lowering his head "Yep. The mayor is very keen on my presence and I'm responsible for most of the electrical maintenance, at least until all repairs will be over. Lumiose City needs a hand to start again and everyone is depending on me. As for Bonnie, she would come over without blinking an eye, but she is helping out here at her best as well and I don't know how convenient it is to send her on such a long journey alone." He kept on blabbering. 

“I see…”

“But Ash is a dear friend and I want to help him out just like he helped us all. I could sort it out! I’m sure that if I explain to the mayor and ask my dad-”

The woman stopped him with a warm smile "Don’t worry Clemont. You have big responsibilities and I’m sure that the last thing Ash would want is to find out that you left behind important stuff for his sake.”

“...Yeah he wouldn’t like that…”

“But it still doesn’t mean you care any less about him. I am sure he knows that."

"Of course we do! I’d say it’s almost like Ash was a brother for me and Bonnie!" He nodded quickly, adjusting his glasses. Sadly, she was right about it not being convenient for him to leave Kalos. Not yet at least. "Delia, Bonnie and I can't come but we will definitely give Ash a call these days.”

“Thank you, I’m sure that would cheer him up a lot!” 

“I hope… even if I wish I could help out more…” his voice trailed off as a flash of recognition sparkled in his eyes “Wait! Maybe me and Bonnie won’t be able to come, but I know someone who does. And knowing her, she has better chances in lifting Ash’s spirits!"

“Oh?” Curiosity painted Delia’s features.

…

Ash was walking through the woods with a calm and sober expression. He was thinking, as he has been doing for days and maybe this had sent his brain into a tailspin. Every certainty he had relied on over the years had disappeared in what had been a blink of an eye, when the doubts had probably been growing deep inside him for a long time. His hopes of being closer to his dream started wavering.

Even the very idea of his goal now sounded so uncertain to him.

Why did he want to become a Pokémon Master?

What was that title really?

Would he be able to achieve it with his way of moving forward?

So far, despite all his progress, he still hadn't been able to make it and had blown everything up again. Lately at the start of each trip he had found himself on a sort of reset. Starting from scratch, with a new team and a new desire to win, but also with the same dream and the same package of experience that he had collected in his travels. This had allowed him to improve a lot and yet...

For the first time he didn't really want to press that button, at least not quite yet.

And he had noticed it when it was too late.

All the friends he had made, the family he had built with Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, Alain, Goodra, Greninja and that strong confidence about going to make it... seemed to be a closed chapter in his path.

Everything just seemed so clear when he was with them. He felt like he was reaching the highest skies, just to end up losing altitude.

They were all moving on with their lives.

Why wasn't he able to do the same this time?

He was the first to always encourage others to pursue their dreams, inspire them and to seem confident in what he needed to do to improve himself. But now he felt like instead that he was really the only one that had no clue on what he was doing, which path he really had to take.

He wondered if pressing the reset button and blindly chasing his dream like the other times would really lead him to something. If leaving his mother behind with promises of succeeding and then failing every time would be worth something sooner or later.

Don’t get him wrong, he knew that nothing is a waste in a journey, every experience is a treasure that helps growing and improving. 

Then why was his mind a mess? Why was it so hard to remember?

He had given his mother too much weight all those years. He wanted to make his dream come true and live the life that she had not been able to grasp to the fullest, win that title that she had not been able to chase.

Initially it was just a dream and ambition of his, but now he knew that it would never concern only him but also other people. Those who supported him, those who believed in him, who had expectations... and those who walked the same path as him.

The way he had left Kalos had been cumbersome, as if to repeat the cycle he had already done in the other regions. Arrive, experience, leave.

His not wanting to let it end like the other times had only led him to flee once again.

He had done everything too quickly and had just run away because of the confusion that haunted him. He should have stayed longer and really took time to think on how to continue his journey. 

At least he would have had his friends to help him and he could have helped out in Lumiose City a bit more. Maybe he could have recovered from the big shock that was the war against Team Flare with people who went through the same thing.

It was because of the whole ordeal that he had started thinking, feeling with every fiber of his being how really the title had been useful in the big scheme of things. How winning or not the league could mean something when the stakes of the world depended on people and the bond with their Pokémon.
Realizing which strength really had a value.

Now it seemed like he had just rushed things to enter a period of hold.
Like he just had rushed into making a promise and now had no idea about how to uphold it.

The memory of a certain kiss in his fleetingness proved how forced and hasty everything had been. And reminded him about how Serena was probably working hard to fulfill her part of their promise, and he was just losing foot. 

Never before, at least until that heartfelt exchange between them, he had felt the urge to make her proud like he grew to. He wanted to be worthy of being her goal. Which only made his thoughts linger back at the event that blew his mind and it meant. 

If he had stayed in Kalos and their departure, would he have been able to notice something eventually? To approach the issue with Serena differently? Maybe he’d have one less thing to make his brain a chaos…

"Pika?"

Ash turned in the direction of his trusted companion trying to dampen a smile "Don't worry, I'm just a bit confused! Like… every day now" he scratched his head, giggling "Everything will be okay sooner or later. I need some time to figure it out, that’s all."

Pikachu didn't like that sooner or later at all. He no longer wanted to see him like this. Already too long had passed and his trainer would get sick at that rate, worrying his loved ones too. 

If only he had known that it would end like this, he would have cheered on Dedenne and his escape. He would have even helped make Ash and Serena miss the plane and force them to stay in Kalos.

Reading his Pokémon’s look, Ash right away understood his thoughts "I know everyone is worried about me, don’t you think I notice? Last time I didn't think about what others were feeling when I was putting myself down I got snowballs in my face" he remembered, not in a negative way though. He had a pretty sweet memory of that experience all in all.

“You want to help me but at the same time I know that I can't always let other people give me the answers to my problems” he grinned reluctantly “I can accept support of course but… I don't even know how to express all this, since it’s a whole lot of different issues.  I wouldn’t be able to keep up a smile and reassure them, this is why I need to be alone to reflect."

"Pika chu..."

"Not that it’s helping much, I can't find clarity and by now I should stop trying to pretend to be okay with my mom... but I don't want to worry her anymore" he opened his arms, letting Pikachu jump into his arms and rub his nose under the trainer's chin. "Everything remained in Kalos: my conviction to realize our dream, friends, doubts..."

He stopped walking when he found himself in front of a tree. Why was that place so familiar? He took another look at the environment around him and a sense of deja-vu overwhelmed him. Apparently his feet were connected to the thoughts that had invaded his head.

He was talking about Kalos and now he was under the tree where he had met his dear friend.

He breathed, in and out.

“I wish it hadn't been too long since we came back. That everything was still there waiting for me as I left it and time stopped" he smiled with a little bitterness.

But it was too late, wasn’t it? Serena was traveling Hoenn and she was rightfully chasing her dreams, he could never get in the way. Greninja had a much greater responsibility on his shoulders and the whole Lumiose City was counting on Clemont, with Bonnie there to support him.

He lowered the visor of his hat, trying to prevent those rays filtered by the leaves from reaching his eyes "If I’m going to mope all the time I’ll just be a burden and I can't ask for their lives to stop because of my own selfish desires"

The Pokémon lowered his ears in distress at the nostalgic smile that his best friend showed, while his hand stroked the surface of the tree.

"Pikachu..." his voice trailed off "What if our dream doesn't exist?"

The mouse immediately pricked up his ears and bent his head in confusion. Their dream? Ash wanted to be a Pokémon Master and as his best friend, he wanted to be a part of that goal. 

And being a Pokémon Master meant… 

...Being the strongest?

Was being a Pokémon Master just getting stronger? Win the League? What was that role and how would they achieve it?
By winning the league, you can challenge the Elite Four and then if you defeat the Champion you take his place. Yet that wasn't the Pokémon Master, was it…? Maybe if you then defeat all the other champions and prove you’re the strongest of the world…?

Ash used to think that, but being so close to reaching one step further, going beyond the limits he met as a trainer, facing the crazy ideals of a madman who wanted his strength…

Everything was being put on a different perspective.

Was it possible that for years they had tried to reach something that was just the fruit of their imagination?

The raven haired teen shook his head, pushing what he just expressed out of his mind and distracting Pikachu from his reasoning as well. "Let's go home," Ash said with a chuckle thinking about what a certain person would have said to him if they had seen him in that state. Would they have scolded him? Or maybe this time they’d do something different? He just knew that in that moment a smile from them would do him really good.

...

“Tonight I made your favorite croquettes! And since I made a little more than usual, I expect to see the plate clean!" Delia warned as she placed a huge portion of croquettes in front of Ash.

The boy seemed almost intimidated by the quantity of the meal "A-Ah, o-ok" but also by his mother's tone. He knew better than contradicting her when she used so much conviction. He wondered if there was something behind it.

As he stared at the plate, he took a few seconds to start eating. There was only silence in the air, apart from the sizzling of the food in the sauces that were heating on the stove. "Today I took a walk in the forest near Professor Oak's summer camp," he tried quietly.

"Hmm." She answered busily, showing almost… indifference? Yet there was a smile on her face.

For Ash, that was a weird reaction. It was his mother starting conversations in the last period, so seeing her act like that the time he started one was just… suspicious. "I haven't seen any Pokémon..."

"Hmm."

At that point the teen raised a bewildered eyebrow. Pikachu copied his expression, equally confused. Delia was smiley and calm, yet she paid no attention to him. Or maybe she did it but she didn't give it much importance.

Not that Ash minded his mother was less worried about him, but if there was one thing that scared him was those attitudes she assumed when ideas passed through her head.

At the same time, if she had gotten tired of trying to get rid of this bad mood, he couldn't blame her for it. After all, as much as he was sure that his choice of not involving her in his issues was possibly the best... he was sorry to cut her off like that.

Maybe he could offer an opening? "And as I walked around I found myself in the spot where I met Serena years ago," he said with a tentative smile.

That seemed to attract Delia's attention, who just turned to her son with a slightly surprised expression. She wore a smile, seeming to want to say something when suddenly the house’s phone rang. The woman's face lit up and she immediately turned off the stove, took off her apron and ran to answer "I'll take care of it, honey!" Delia exclaimed in an extremely cheerful tone.

Ash dropped his head into the mountain of croquettes and surrendered. His face was littered with crushed bits of the delights on the plate but they hardly entered his mouth.

Sometimes his mother was indecipherable.

Pikachu approached Ash, head still buried in his dinner, and began patting him on the shoulder. That stuff had to go into his stomach, not his face. But he too knew that Delia could be incomprehensible when she wanted.

The woman didn't seem to take long. A couple of minutes passed when she returned from her momentary and brief disappearance. Her finger poked her son’s shoulder, catching his attention. He pulled his face out of the plate with half a croquette still in his mouth as she let out a chuckle "It's for you!"

“And just in time I would say” she thought..

Ash looked confused. Who could it be? He hadn't called anyone in the past few days and was sure if it was Tracey or Oak, his mother would have told him straight away.

Maybe one of his friends? From what he knew, however, almost everyone was very busy. 

With the pre-league season Misty was buried by challenges, Brock was somewhere completing his education as a Pokémon doctor…

Clemont and Bonnie… he didn't really have the guts to bother them so he didn't call them as of recently. And they probably believed he was in who knows which region.

He didn't really think that Iris and Cilan would contact him, he hadn't heard from them for a long while.

He also had discovered that Max had finally begun his training journey, so another person kind of… M.I.A. .

As for Dawn and May, he had a call with them a while ago.

Truth be told, he had been the one who contacted the two girls, asking them if they had been through Hoenn and were up to date with the contests there… hoping to hear about Serena, as he could never see her in the broadcasts on television. However Dawn was momentarily traveling with Lyra and Khoury to Unova, while May was in Johto for a family vacation "now that her brother was off of her butt," so she joked about it. 

But months have passed since then. Maybe he should have tried again recently, given the failed attempts to know something about Serena.
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her, he very much did and was sure she was up to great things. But hoping to support her even a bit from afar, he could admit that he had been worried about the lack of mention of her name in the Contests setting.

Aspiring to a very public career, it was pretty anticlimactic to hear little to nothing, but he also thought it could be a bit extreme to ask Grace for information.

He was also pretty sure that if he directly called Serena, he probably wouldn’t know how to properly approach that topic. He knew himself enough to know that in that subject he wasn’t the brightest and would probably just embarrass both of them.

Not to mention that those weren't topics that he wanted to discuss through the phone, they were to talk about face to face.

Ash approached the phone as his mind was now convinced that his mother must have had plotted something. But if it wasn’t one of his past companions, who could it be?

"Hi Ash!" a familiar voice greeted him.

The sound of it sent him haywire for a few seconds. Okay, maybe not all of his considerations were necessarily correct, for his great luck and happiness. He looked down at the screen and saw his honey haired friend smiling at him, waving her hand shyly.

"S-Serena?" He seemed too shocked to understand at that moment.

She confirmed with another sweet smile and slightly reddened cheeks.

Ash couldn't help but feel a sudden warmth spread inside his body. A heat that after days was warming his soul, like a burst of vitality. A huge smile appeared on his face, from ear to ear.

Okay, he didn't know how on earth his mother had managed to find her when he didn’t, but at this rate she could have worked as Looker's agent.

"How are you-... wait what's.. on your face?" She tried to start a conversation, but the food covering his face certainly didn't go unnoticed.

Ash remembered that he had just taken a bath in his dinner and started waving his hands, wiping himself with his hands. He could hear his mother's giggles from the kitchen and Pikachu's facepalm in the background.

"Nothing, nothing! I just slipped while taking the plate to the table and-uh..." Lame but credible enough excuse "B-But what about you? We haven't heard from each other since we split up! How did you know I was still here? On a second thought, I think my mother has to do with that..." he turned to look behind him with a suspicious glare at the woman who was now smiling innocently at him in the distance.

Serena winked at him giggling "I have my sources! Let's say a Fletchling advised me to call you! But it's true… It's been a long time. How are you?" 

"Here is… uhm… just great!" He could imagine his mother and Pikachu’s eyebrows rising as they grimaced, but he knew Serena well; she was too sweet and selfless. Even though he knew he could trust her, she certainly had other things to worry about.

He decided to turn around the question "If anything, how are you?"

"I'm fine! I'm in Vaniville Town to visit my mom!" She offered one of her sweet and simple smiles.

“Wait, Vaniville Town?” Ash immediately looked a bit puzzled. “Aren't you in Hoenn? I thought you were continuing your journey there…?” He immediately remembered the lack of Serena in the contests on television. "Did you decide to go back right away at Showcases?”

“Not exactly” She answered, still cheery, but he could tell by her tone that something was quite off. 

“Are you sure everything is okay?" he asked in a slightly worried tone.

Hoenn wasn't right around the corner and going back to Kalos during such travel didn't feel natural to him.

“I just wanted to take a break! Hoenn is very different and my mom begged me to come back and keep her company for a while. She was very worried since it was the first time that I had gone so far, so I decided to stay with her for a few days and in the meantime take a breather!”

"Oh, I understand," he smiled, trying to put his doubts aside.

"Now, what have you been up to?"

“Up to?" He giggled nervously.

“You are Ash, you always have something to do, news or interesting plans! To tell the truth, I wondered which region you were traveling in, so when the Fletchling contacted me- "

"Why not a Starly or a Pidove?" he joked, interrupting her.

Serena made an amused grimace "Really?"

"You're right, my mother is more like a Spearow." He concluded with a half grin, ending up being hit on the head by a slipper.

They both laughed in amusement "Ok, so when your mother contacted me and I found out you were in Kanto I was intrigued..."

Ash knew she would ask him eventually. "It will seem strange to hear, but in the end I decided to stay at home for a while since I also never spend much time with my mother!" He tried to play around with the reality of facts.

From Serena's expression, the boy understood that she wasn’t convinced at all by his explanation. He was expecting the girl to reply and ask him for more sincerity but instead after a smile, he heard her completely change the subject "And how are your Pokémon in the laboratory?"

Ash found himself smiling. For some reason, Serena had this ability to make him always feel more comfortable if she was around. And he didn't mind that one bit.

The two ended up talking for a long while. Serena told him that she had met with Clemont and Bonnie and shared about how Lumiose City was getting up. She also informed him that she had passed by the swamp to visit Goodra and that they were doing very well, which put a sincere grin on the face of the male trainer.

Their chat went on longer than either of them could imagine. One hour? Maybe more, but seeing Ash's enthusiastic smile again, Delia couldn't help but feel her heart tighten. Hearing her son's laugh and his cheery voice again had given back a lively feeling in her. That girl had phenomenal power over her son.

"Anyway, I think you should give Clemont and Bonnie a call, they'd appreciate it a lot!"

"I wouldn't want to bother them, with everything Clemont has to do..." he scratched his head lightly, hesitantly.

"Hey..." she encouraged him "Whatever path we take, you are our friend and we will always have time for you, like you always had for us"

At those words the boy smiled sweetly, feeling comforted. "Besides, if I went to visit them in person, a call would never take away too much time!" she chuckled, thinking back to how long they were busy talking "Well, if they don't follow our example"

Ash shrugged amused "We've been on call for a while, huh?" He had never been the type to have long conversations on the phone, perhaps even too hasty with them, but this time he felt like he wanted to take all the time in the world.

"Yeah..." she replied softly but hesitantly.

There was a moment of silence. They both knew that eventually that phone call would have to end and the time had probably come, but also both were hesitant to let it do so.

It was Serena who eventually came up with the words “It's pretty late in Kanto now, right? Maybe we should stop here? I wouldn't want to keep you awake."

"Don't worry! It's not that late and my mom is a Hoothoot anyway! But you are right, you too will have your commitments!" he really didn't want to interrupt the call, but fought every instinct that tried to tell her about it. “But I was glad to hear from you, really. I wouldn't mind doing it again sometime!" He lightly scratched his cheek, trying not to look cheeky.

He didn't want to be a distraction anyway.

The girl smiled sweetly "Me too."

"Oh, and say hi to your mom from me, please!" He said, noticing that he actually hadn't seen Grace even for a moment in the background, or heard her either.

"Of course!" Serena answered, trying not to take her eyes off her friend. Did she seem nervous?

“So… Talk to you later! Good luck with your dream…” No, why couldn't he say what he really wanted?

"You too Ash, goodnight!" she answered back, waving with her hand.

He had to tell her, he wanted to ask ... "Goodnight!" but that was the word that came out of his mouth as the screen went blank.

He still remained in the same final pose, his hand raised hesitantly and his gaze faded as well as his mind drifted off.

Why hadn't he asked her if he could visit them now that they were all on Kalos? Why had he wasted another opportunity?

Why was he so stubborn and couldn't ask for help?

It took Ash a few more minutes to fully recover from his drifted off mind, but to his relief he noticed that much of his stress seemed to have subsided. The doubts remained, but now he no longer felt so anxious about finding the answers for them.

Or at least for some of them.

But he would think about everything that worried him later.

Now he was hungry.

The boy returned to the kitchen under the attentive and scrutinizing gaze of his mother who never lost sight of every move or expression of his "Could we possibly reheat dinner? I am quite hungry... ” he said, rubbing his head.

His mother's eyes seemed to sparkle "Ohhh! Then apparently your friend's call did you good!" Delia noted with a smile and her hands resting on her hips.

"Let's say it is so." Ash replied a bit shocked. In the end, he didn't have much reason to worry about talking to Serena. They hadn't touched the hottest topic between them, which gave him more time to reflect. Plus, Serena hadn't insisted when Ash had used his hardly credible excuses to answer her questions.

But despite how relieved he was, the fact that Serena seemed to have totally avoided talking about their last moments together seemed almost like she hadn't even had the idea to bring it up, as if she had forgotten or discarded it.

The thought that their kiss may not have had the slightest meaning, as instead she seemed to have clearly expressed back when they experienced it, disturbed him.

"I still wonder how you tracked her down though..." he murmured trying to think of something else.

"Every mom has her secret methods!" she winked at him, taking his plate and putting its content in the oven to heat.

There was a strange silence in the air. Seeing a mischievous smile forming on his mother's face, the teen understood that there was something she was expecting from him. She wanted specific information; deets that would have put him in trouble. The trainer felt a shiver down his body.

In fact, Delia had never forgotten the words Clemont had said to her when they spoke. When he advised Serena, he showed an expression of someone who knows something specific, something that she was not aware of. When she asked what was in his mind, he had blushed comically and looked quite embarrassed. He had told her it wasn’t a question for him to answer.

Her nosy mother instinct could finally ignite, she had waited years to talk about certain topics with her son. She had thought that between Ash and Misty there was some tenderness in the past but given their young age at the time it probably had faded as they grew up.

But it was the first time she had seen Ash have such new but genuine reactions.

She has had some suspicions about the way her son talked about Serena, but back then she had decided not to go straight into the Speech of the Pidgey and the Beedrill. In addition to the fact that he already knew a little of the subject, she did not think she should do it without having the necessary confirmations.

And Delia wanted so badly some confirmation.

"Uh... what's up with you?"

"Don't you have something to tell me?"

He swallowed nervously "About what?" He was sweating cold.

"Maybe you left out some details of your journey to Kalos,-" she began, seeing Ash more and more uncomfortable. He seemed to fight the urge to spit everything out "-which maybe involves a certain friend you just had a call with..."

Ash initially thought that his mother would insist on the issue of distancing himself from his friends and his state of the last few months. So, actually hearing her touching a whole different key, in particular that one, sent his head into a tailspin "Uh???"

"You know, Kalos is the land of love ..." she said curiously, hiding the internal enjoyment.

"Absolutely nothing happened between me and Serena!!" he exploded as soon as he understood his mother's insinuations, but remembering that she could not have known about the kiss and that she was probably referring to the matter in general he closed his mouth in a hurry. Damn his impetuousness, he was too clumsy in these matters.

As long as it was a question of being spontaneous, maybe he could deal well with the topic, but when he had to connect everything, that section of his brain would short circuit.

Delia then showed a toothy smile, her eyes sparkling with emotion. She knew her son too well not to take that reaction as confirmation. Ash had never replied like this aside when she had given him that speech... and every time she had tried to make innocent insinuations about the topic of romance her son would never have any exaggerated reactions. Probably because there had never really been anything founded, so her teasing did not affect him.

But this time she hit the mark. "Then something happened!" she approached emotionally begging him to come clean, but his face clearly expressed his refusal. His cheeks were just a little red and he was sweating cold.

Her son was blushing?!

"Well since I shall not know anything about it, for safety I will have to jump in the dark and repeat the speech of the Pidgey and the Beedrill...-" she dared.

Ash immediately widened his eyes and mouth in panic "NO! NOT THAT!"

He didn't believe his ears. She was threatening him! He, who just wanted to put the subject aside! This was the last thing he needed.

"Ok, ok, I doubt you've gotten to that point, but maybe a repeat of the Caterpie metaphor..."

"I’LL EAT TOMORROW, GOOD NIGHT!" He escaped from the room and ran up the stairs, locking himself in his bedroom. He crawled under the covers and covered his head with the pillow, looking like a cocoon overheating.

"Pika?"

“Not a word Pikachu… Not. One. Word."

Between his grimace, an unexpected smile formed on his lips, still hidden in the darkness of the blanket. His mother could shoot the air sometimes with her teasing, but this time she understood that something had happened. She knew how to play her cards well.

His smile dropped.

But what good would it be if that kiss was just a random thing? He didn't want to think about it, he knew he shouldn't, but the constant thought that it could just be a meaningless thing gave him a bitter taste in his mouth.

He didn't want to talk about it and didn't want to think about it at the moment, it was a topic that scared him.

But he knew this knot in his heart was screwing him.

He wanted to put it all aside like the other times assumptions were made, but he knew this was not like the other times at all. And what would he put it all aside for? His dream?

The thing that brought up most of his insecurities?

He no longer knew what to do and who he was.

He couldn't have known that Delia's new planned therapy was just starting.

...

The next day Ash woke up less troubled but also more confused.

The thing that surprised him most was that he felt, for the first time in weeks, rested. He was no less puzzled but he was more… serene.

He didn't stop for breakfast, immediately leaving the house followed by Pikachu for a morning jog. He didn't know exactly where he was going, but he knew it was no longer a walk in the void.

He felt the warmth of the sun's rays on his skin but also the coolness of the breeze on his face. He stopped when his legs got tired, finally paying attention to where he was standing. They were definitely out of the village, much closer to the forest.

Dropping his body into the intense green, several flowers surrounded him. The freshness emanating from that hillside meadow was pleasant, it was calming.

That grassy field remembered him of something, even if vaguely. He felt inside this sense of familiarity that pervaded him.

The same perfume from many years ago.

"You know what Pikachu? Coming here, brings up memories..."

"Pika?"

"Serena talked about when we met, but now that I remember a bit better… that was just the start…"

“Okay kids, today for the treasure hunt you have to go look for some Pokémon from the summer camp! They're playing in the field area” Oak declared.

The children listened to him silently, but one in particular was recognizable in the group. Raven hair, dark brown eyes and a yellow and orange shirt. 

Ash couldn't wait for the game to start. 

“You can participate by yourself, in pairs or groups of three! Whoever finds the most Pokémon and accompanies them back to the base will be the winner of this challenge and tomorrow will be my assistant during my exposition!" the professor announced.

Ash didn't have much interest in winning the game itself, but he wanted to practice finding Pokémon and befriending them. He would have liked so much to participate in this challenge in tandem with someone or even better in a group, but unfortunately he knew that was hoping for too much. 

Downsides of being fatherless. It brought upon his shoulders a very bad reputation, no matter how little it could be his fault. He could be a bit cocky, stubborn and overenthusiastic, but he was well aware of the real reasons he got bullied, more often than not. 

Until a few days ago, before their silly argument over a pokéball, he had at least Gary, the professor’s grandson as his friend, now he was all by himself.

"There are not many rules, the important thing is that you return by sunset and that you do not leave the campus area!" So the professor continued, illustrating the other rules of the treasure hunt.

Ash couldn't pay attention. Aside from all the kids in his school, the others came from different regions. He watched as they socialized with each other and pangs of loneliness started stinging him from the inside.

He shook his head, dismissing those thoughts. Sooner or later everything would change, he was sure of it.

Besides, he would have a lot of Pokémon as friends soon.

He turned his head to listen to the professor again when someone caught his gaze. Out of the corner of his eye he observed a young girl, many meters behind, in the back rows. Everyone else was sitting on the grass next to each other, but she was standing a little farther, all by herself.

She had long honey-blond hair, but the straw hat prevented him from seeing her eyes and the kids who blocked his view only allowed him to guess that she was wearing a pink dress. 

Unlike many kids his age, having female friends didn't seem shameful for him, and well… even if she had cooties as many boys his age said, it was surely better than being alone, right?

He bent down a little to get a better look when the screams started. His eyes widened as he rushed to cover his ears. In an instant he was overwhelmed by a horde of unleashed children.

Once safe from the chaos, Ash tried to catch a glimpse of the girl, but she seemed to be gone. The young boy continued to look around for a few minutes but not finding her anymore he decided to give up. Maybe they would meet while looking around or in the evening when they would have dinner at the canteen.

For now, the important thing was to focus on finding the Pokémon "Let’s get to work!"

And the hours passed.

"I haven't caught any Pokémon and there’s almost no time left. Gary will surely start to brag when I’ll come back empty-handed..." the boy muttered.

Just when he thought it was time to surrender, he was faced with a blue Pokémon with a white belly and a spiral on it.

"Hi Poliwag!" Ash greeted excitedly, recognizing him.

His lack of tranquility, however, immediately made Poliwag react as he fled towards the thickest part of the forest, leaving Ash behind.

The child ran in pursuit, forgetting that he was exiting the allowed area of the campus "Wait! Poliwag don't run!"

Ash tried to keep up and not to lose sight of that blue spot that was getting further and further away. Only after a while that it disappeared he finally stopped. It was getting late and he knew that this excursion would result in a lecture, both because he was out of the field area and because it would be very late for sure when he returned, even if he started walking back right away.

Should he return or continue searching at this point?

He had to make sure Poliwag was back safe and sound. After all, a Pokémon trainer took care of his Pokémon and he wanted to become one...

With that, his mind was made up and the young boy resumed thrusting his hands into the bushes.

He didn’t know why but something made him look right ahead and enter the vegetation. Maybe the noises coming from that direction? Or was it just instinct?

"Poliwag? Where are you... oh?"

He certainly hadn't found a Pokémon, but something he did find. It was her; the girl with the blond hair and the straw hat!

As he had expected, she wore a pink dress and by looking at her better he could see those blue eyes of hers. The kid tried the approach in his usual attitude, offering a smile and some cheerfulness. "Hi! I'm Ash!" His eyes finally caught on about her position, sitting on the ground and looking on the verge of tears. "Hey, what happened to you?"

The young girl kept whimpering, but she answered quite easily "I hurt my knee..."

Ash walked over to check. He often got hurt in his explorations, so he'd seen a lot of cuts and scrapes. "Mmh... I see..." It didn't seem serious but if it was hurting her that much then she must have hit her scratched knee badly.

"... Wait!" He tried to calm her by pulling a blue handkerchief out of his pocket.

She looked at him confused for a moment, while the boy held it on display with a smile, after a few seconds he reached closer and wrapped it around the girl’s wound "There you go! Is it any better?"

"N-No..."

Ash didn't stop smiling. It was the moment for some confidence and encouragement, just like his mom had taught him. "Now I'll take care of it! Pain, pain, disappear! Heal, heal, heal!" He hummed, waving his little hands as if to cast a spell. "So?"

The blonde tried to get up, but again the pain pervaded her wounded area, making her fall backwards "I-It’s no use, I can't walk!" She whined, about to cry again.

Ash, however, was not of the same opinion. He painted a determined but still understanding look on his face as he jumped to his feet "Come on! You can't give up! You must never give up until the end!" He shouted, holding out his hand to get her up.

At first the girl hesitated and barely reached out her hand without grabbing his. Noticing her hesitance, Ash took the initiative and extended his arm more to join their hands.

The boy gave her a tug and with his strength managed to make her stand up, until she fell into his arms. He held her firmly in his embrace, holding her upright with confidence and concern.

It was a new sensation. Ash didn't understand the reason, but having her in her arms was more than pleasant. He felt able to protect someone, like a hero, and he liked it! Even more knowing that he had actually helped! The opportunity to hug someone his age was almost non-existent and he barely had the chance to be useful in this way, so managing to succeed gave him a warmth inside his chest. 

It was exciting and made him feel good.

Ash looked into the young girl’s eyes, showing her a sweet grin "See?" shoving the whole treasure hunt ordeal from his head, the worries of his return and the teasing, he gently held her hand high, almost as if she was a princess and he the knight.

"Come on, let's go!" he told her, encouraging and guiding her with care and attention towards the exit of the grove.

The two children, hand in hand, continued to walk feeling somehow connected, but they could not know that the bond that sparkled between them would be strong enough to make them meet again in the future.

Luckily, they also didn't end up arriving so late. The game was long over but they were back before their absence became a huge concern for adults. This also allowed them to avoid meeting other kids, even if they did not doubt that they had been seen by someone.

The girl was immediately accompanied to the infirmary by Ash, so that a nurse could treat her wound.

As the adult showed the disinfectant, Serena shivered, fearing the sting. Ash shook her hand, which he hadn't left since they'd been in the forest.

"Don't worry, I hurt myself a lot of times! It's not painful, it just pinches a little. I'll hold your hand and won't let go, okay? You'll see, it’s gonna pass immediately!" he encouraged.

She nodded with a faint smile, blushing. Looking closer at her face now that they were sitting side by side, the boy could observe her eyes. He had never seen eyes so blue before and the girl's sweet and gentle smile went very well with the slight blush on her cheeks.

She was cute.

Suddenly he remembered that he forgot to do such a simple but basic thing. “I haven't asked your name yet!” he admitted embarrassedly rubbing his head with a chuckle.

The girl giggled and immediately replied "My name is Serena!"

"Serena?" he repeated listening to the sound of her name, it seemed to match her a lot "It's a very beautiful name! I like it!" Ash commented simply.

Serena became more and more red as she tried to find her voice to answer "T-Thanks... I really like your name too!"

The boy in response began to run his free hand through his hair and giggle shyly. He found it a name like so many others but he was pleased to hear compliments from someone his age, which rarely happened.

"Done!" Murmured the nurse, removing her hands from the knee, now covered by bandage and gauze.

"See? Did it hurt that bad?" Ash asked, smiling. He hadn't seen the slightest hint of pain on her face, so it had worked.

"N-No, in fact I haven't even felt it"

Ash smiled satisfied, now they had nothing else to do but get out of there and go back to having fun "H-How about we go play together? We can do something that doesn’t stress your leg. There is still a little bit of time before dinner and... m-maybe..." by his tone of voice, it was however clear that he became less and less convinced about what he wanted to say.

 He hardly ever received affirmative answers when asking others to spend time with him.

But a smile full of life appeared on Serena’s face, leaving Ash stunned "Sure!"

"Really?"

Again she nodded “Hmm! Why not?"

"Because I don't have a dad and it’s strange?" He wanted to answer, but held back. "I don't have many friends here and I thought... you and I could be?" Usually he was the exact opposite of an introvert, but for once his hopes got up and he didn't want to be let down.

Serena looked at him with bright eyes and flushed cheeks and nodded. She too seemed to express a moment of shyness. “You were very kind to me..." She slipped the handkerchief into her pocket and got off the bed. Immediately he raised his head in surprise, feeling a comfortable warmth in his body and a leap in his heart. "I would love to be friends!"

A huge grin formed on the boy’s face, who immediately squeezed her hand a little more, helping her to run towards the exit of the infirmary, feeling a big wave of energy bursting out of him.

Around them there was a field of tall grass, the sun's rays gilded its threads and made them sparkle. Some Pokémon wandered around the territory and enjoyed playing with each other, jumping and playing happily. It seemed so different watching that scene in the company of someone that could share the same feeling.

"Oh, Poliwag!" The boy saw it in the distance. "Thank goodness it came back alone, I was looking for it until I met you!”  

"Oh, I'm sorry if I made you lose the game..." she said regretfully.

But Ash immediately waved his hands, reassuring her “No, no, it's not a problem! I wasn’t really interested in the game itself, but rather in playing with the Pokémon. Honestly I'm happier to have helped you and to have found a friend!"

Her face just blushed "I'm glad about that too!"

A few seconds of silence passed when Serena asked out of the blue "Do you want to become a trainer when you grow up?"

"Absolutely! So as to become the best Pokémon Master ever!" he declared proudly. "You?"

“Oh… I think I’d like to leave home when I’m old enough. I still don't really know what I would like to do with Pokémon though…” she replied a little hesitantly.

Ash, however, looked at her with a smile, slightly tilting his head “Well, Pokémon are friends! What you’re going to do with them is something you can discover during your journey!"

The girl looked relieved at least by his words, which made a thought rise inside him "Would you like to travel with me?" he asked suddenly.

"Uh?"

“Well you're in the same class as me here at the camp, so we're the same age! When we are ten we can go on our journey together, or we can meet while we do it! We would have someone to count on and we will have fun with our Pokémon touring all the regions of the world!"

The little girl's smile became radiant, her blue eyes bright and sparkling, and her cheeks reddened. With the sunset light in her background making her golden hair sparkle, she seemed to shine even more. "Yup!" She nodded emotionally and for a moment at that scene the boy felt his heart leap once again.

He didn't care what others would say, if she was a girl and he was a boy, he wasn't ashamed of the pride bursting into his chest and wanted to keep it there as long as possible.

He had asked her to travel together and she had accepted, he had a real friend! And he wouldn't let that go for anything in the world.

"If it wasn't for Poliwag we probably wouldn't have met, so we should thank him!" she commented looking at the Pokémon in the distance.

"You are right!" The raven haired boy nodded. "Thanks Poliwag!" he shouted waving his hand up, then copied by Serena who did the same.

They both continued to wave their hands and offer their thanks while the confused Pokémon watched them. Poliwag could not have known that it was the cause of the intertwining of the two children's lives and that it would affect their entire future

A snicker left his mouth as he recalled the simplicity with which they became friends and decided to start traveling together. As kids everything was much easier, all it needed for lifetime promises was knowing each other for not even an hour.

It still had been very important to him though. 

Ash felt a bit ashamed about it, but most of the details surrounding that day had come back only with time. Hadn’t Serena brought it up in Kalos, he probably would have had a hard time remembering it at all. Would he ever remember it by himself traveling with her if she said nothing.

Why had he forgotten about it in the first place? Yeah, they were very young, but if that meeting and that promise of friendship had really been so important to him, how could he have buried it so deep? Why hadn't they kept that agreement to start their journey together?

It was absurd, but he couldn’t recall the day she had left to go back home. 

In the end they had met, thanks to Serena remembering, but what would it have been like if they had started their journey together right away? Would his path have changed a lot if he had traveled with her in Kanto? Or what if they started from another region.  

Many things had changed, he had grown up enough to understand that he could not anchor his friends to him for his own dreams.

But that desire of staying by their side was still alive. 

Maybe for now that would be enough. He could just follow his friends around for once and see where it would lead.

And he just knew where to start.

"Pikachu." he stood up with a calm smile but firmly convinced of his decision. The little mouse watched the expression of his trainer with surprise, while the wind gently blew on the two.

"What do you say? Should we go back to them?" he asked his companion.

Pikachu pricked up his ears and cocked his head, very curious but not displeased. He had immediately understood who he was referring to.

“Serena is in Kalos right now and I would like to see her before she leaves again for Hoenn. Clemont and Bonnie are also in Lumiose City and since I don't really know what to do right now we could at least go and help out! Just like we should have done since the start!" he explained. 

“I'm not going to stop Serena from continuing to chase her dream and I don't want to distract Clemont from his responsibilities, but now I see that standing here I won't be able to find answers, I will only worry those around me.” He smiled bitterly “I don't want to become a burden for mom anymore"

"Pika chu pi" nodded sadly mouse.

“Years ago, I always found the answers behind my problems thanks to someone pointing out something for me. I can no longer expect others, especially my friends, to point the right path. But I also have to cheer myself up a bit... I have to find the energy! And what can cheer me up more than the people I feel happy around?"

"Pi!" Pikachu seemed happy with Ash's resolution, he was not yet bursting with energy and joy but it was already an improvement.

He clenched a firm fist and stood up "Let's go back to Kalos!"

"Great idea, but perfect holidays can't be repeated in the same place!"

"Uh...?"

Suddenly a mechanical arm appeared out of nowhere and with a quick movement trapped Pikachu in its grip.

The little mouse was so taken aback that he couldn't dodge it "Pika!" the Pokémon yelled.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled in turn, surprised by that sudden attack. He tried to catch him but his hand moved too late and the momentum the jump gave him eventually made him fall to the ground. 

A familiar, sadly familiar laughter reached his ears. He raised his head and saw them, those who had not shown up for months, but when less convenient finally decided to return.

"Prepare for trouble... I hope we weren’t forgotten!"

"And make it double... our professionalism is not rotten!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars and above!"

"It’s Jessie..."

"And James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! That's right"

"This time we hit the mark! Pikachu is ours!" Jessie yelled happily.

Ash looked at them both puzzled and at the same time furious. Ironically, during those months he had thought that the lack of Team Rocket was perplexing. Had they gotten tired of him?

Instead, just when he was feeling motivated again, there they were popping up.

"You haven't been around for months, couldn't you have stayed where you were?" He was very angry, even more than annoyed. He already had enough problems on his mind, their presence wasn’t needed.

Jessie shook her head "You twerp should know us by now! Team Rocket never gives up on their target!" the woman cried ceremoniously. “We were just busy enjoying the promotion the higher ups gave us, but there was no intention of giving up on catching Pikachu!"

"It kinda hurts me in the core that despite these years together you still don't get it!" James grinned, faking a heartache. "In a certain sense we are fond of you now!"

"We will console ourselves by seeing the satisfied face of the boss after bringing him Pikachu!" Meowth chuckled.

"Pikachu use Thunderbolt! Quick!" Ash commanded his friend.

"PIKAAA CHUUUU!!" Pikachu launched his attack, pervading the entire flying vehicle, but his attack was in vain. The balloon was still in perfect shape and Team Rocket was laughing loudly.

“Did you think we didn't expect you to try that? It’s electricity proof! A good way to make our comeback!" the cat theatrically announced.

Ash bit his lip in frustration and clenched fists. He knew he should have expected it, after all it wasn’t the first time they attempted that. But that didn’t really matter, because he couldn’t stop trying. 

Pikachu was one of his dearest loved ones, his closest and best friend in the world, the only one he could turn his head and always find on his side. Screw Team Rocket, they weren't going to take him away.

He instinctively put his hands to the waistband of his pants but found no pokéball. To his horror he remembered that they weren't traveling, he wasn't training new Pokémon, and at that moment, aside from Pikachu, he was alone. He no longer took Pokémon with him if he left the house, they were all at the professor's.

Besides, a Team Rocket attack was the last thing he expected on that day.

"Dammit! Apart from Pikachu, I don't have anyone else here with me!" He had to do something to make up for it and fast.

The boy started running, with the intention of reaching his objective once again with a jump. Unfortunately, he didn't even come close to the balloon and fell to the ground in a thud. It was too tall to reach by now.

Ash clenched his fists again and struggled to his feet, trying to return to the charge. He looked up and saw his best friend being dragged away, feeling the dread rising as there was nothing he could do but run after him "Pikachu!" the trainer shouted desperately. 

He couldn't lose him. He couldn't leave him in their clutches.

"Pikaapiiiiiii!" cried the little mouse trying to free himself and wriggle. Ash needed him and vice versa, he couldn't leave him alone. Yet despite trying each of his moves, nothing allowed him to escape the grip tightening around him.

"This time we won!" Team Rocket celebrated ceremoniously.

Ash tried again to take a run and jump, this time managing to lightly cling to the material of the balloon basket. He felt his fingers sink into it and called upon all the strength in his body to climb up to the trio.

"Look at the nosy brat! Worse than a tick!" Jessie yelled in annoyance, wanting to get him out of the way. He was so stubborn, but nothing else could be expected from the twerpiest twerp after all.

Meowth clicked a button and another mechanical arm appeared from the basket "Now I'll get rid of it! Let's squash this annoying bug!"

The arm quickly approached Ash, who didn't have the slightest intention of giving up. He would have done the impossible to save his friend. He had failed at so many things, but this was one he couldn't afford to lose. Before he could even turn and notice the danger, something hit him hard and threw him away from the basket. He lost his grip and fell to the ground, gasping for a moment as the blow took the air out of him.

The fall wasn’t a little one, the trainer was unable to move. He tried to kneel, but his aches were too strong, making him fall back to the ground immediately. Even so, with a trembling body, he kept trying in every way to get back on his feet and make even one single movement.

Ash gritted his teeth, trying desperately to gather energy, but it was like his body had taken pounds and pounds of weight. He could barely view the giant arm, ready to hit him again in the moment he had no way to protect himself.

"PIKAPI!!" shouted the electric mouse, trying to rebel for the umpteenth time. He couldn't stand the sight of his trainer in those conditions. He had to do something to save him and come back to him, anything.

At that point Meowth, with a menacing smirk, clicked the button again to hit Ash and knock him out. He would have made sure that he remained unconscious for a few hours. “You never get tired, do you? But now let's finish the games! Nighty night!"

In a desperate attempt to move out of the way, Ash kept struggling to get back on his feet, but he knew he couldn’t dodge the blow. No matter how much he kept trying, the ground was all his face could meet. The strength left in him was dropping so fast that he couldn't even crawl anymore.

Once again he raised his pain-soaked eyes to see his friend desperately begging him to move.

He felt so helpless, so useless. Was that the definitive conclusion to his path? Their path?

The infernal limb started moving and came dangerously close. Ash's head fell back to the dirt as his eyes closed in anticipation of the blow. He blamed himself for not being able to succeed, for being defeated like this after years of resistance. But most of all he blamed himself for leaving Pikachu in their dirty hands.

"F-Forgive me..."

"PIKAPI!!!"

"ASH!!"

His eyes flew open.

A voice called him as the arm reaching out for him was hit by a powerful Flamethrower. The instrument ignited and crumbled in an instant.

"Never give up until the very end!"

His head turned as if in slow motion in the direction of the voice, his pupils small and petrified, hands trembling on the grass. Team Rocket also looked in the same direction in shock.

"THE TWERPETTE?!"

.

.

.

Chapter Text

"Never give up until the very end!"

 Ash's vision started to get less blurry, conceding his eyes to catch a honey blonde haired girl dressed in pink and red emerging from the forest, accompanied by a Braixen.

James and Jessie’s eyes widened in shock "But isn't she…?"

"I can’t believe it..." Meowth brought his paws to the mouth, trying pointlessly to contain a shout.

"THE TWERPETTE!?" All three exclaimed as their acquaintance stood not far from them.

Not just any twerpette, but the one who they faced for all their traveling in Kalos: Serena.

Pikachu smiled ecstatically at the sight "Pipika!!" He couldn’t believe his eyes, almost crying for relief.

"Braixen, use Fire Blast!" the girl exclaimed in a dangerously aggressive tone, kind of rare from her. She didn't like the sight of Ash on the ground, apparently so badly injured that he couldn't get up. Not one bit.

Braixen, with her branch still outstretched between her paws, threw a fire star at the arm holding Pikachu. Once it detached from the balloon the hand opened, leaving the Pokémon free to escape.

The electric mouse started to fall, but he didn't have to fear colliding to the ground. Luckily for him, the landing was softer than expected, in the gentle arms of Serena who caught him midair.

"Pipika!" He gave her a lick on her cheek to greet and thank her, causing a chuckle from the performer.

Now happily able to move, Pikachu jumped off her arms and ran towards his trainer, who still had his gaze fixed on the girl running towards him. Again his sight began to blur as his head rested on the ground.

Was it because of the hit that he was hallucinating?

"Ash! Are you badly hurt?" She put a hand on his face and at that point the boy lost all tension within himself, realizing it wasn’t just his imagination. His body became lighter and slowly, thanks to the guidance of his friend's arms, he was able to get on his knees.

"S-Serena?" Ash called her name, like seeking for a confirmation.

She nodded and hugged him quickly, immediately igniting a feeling of warmth inside his chest. "I’m so glad I wasn’t too late..." she said in a voice broken by concern. She stood back a bit for a moment and met the boy's stare "A-Are you okay?"

He didn't take long to reply “I think I hit my head… I must have a nice bump. But I don't think I'm imagining this, no matter how confused I am."

Serena offered a sweet smile "My hair has grown a bit but I don't think I look like a hallucination! Besides, you’ve seen me yesterday on call…" she chuckled, reassuring him.

Her smile… it was just the same. Nothing could give more assurance to Ash thast it wasn't a dream. Serena's smile was unique, he could recognize it among a thousand!

"G-Guys, p-perhaps this time w-we..." James began to stammer, now sure of what was going to happen. It was going to be rough, very rough.

The two trainers looked into each other's eyes, smiling with determination, and then raised their hands in Team Rocket’s direction "Pikachu Thunderbolt! Braixen Fire Blast!" They exclaimed in complete sync.

"BRAIIIIIIIIXEEEEEEN!!!"

"PIKAAAAAACHUUUUUUU!!!"

The fox's star of fire mixed with Pikachu's lightning bolt fully engulfed the balloon, blowing it up. The overhang sent the three thieves flying through the sky and they found themselves floating higher and higher.

"Well, didn’t we miss this feeling?" James said twirling and spinning.

"It certainly won't be the last!" Meowth commented with a paw under his chin.

Jessie punched them on the head, a fist each “Shut up, you two! We’ll certainly make sure that doesn't happen again! You Jinx!" If there was one thing that the woman hated, it was the ancient art of jinxing.

"WE’RE BLASTING OFF AGAAAAIN!!"

So the trio of thieves disappeared, with a known spark lighting up in the sky.
With the criminals long gone, Ash was finally able to let out a sigh of relief. He turned to his friend with a big smile, from ear to ear, and asked "Serena, what are you doing here?!" by his tone he still seemed extremely shocked, but not in the negative sense. 

Serena giggled mischievously "Eheh... surprised?"

“You bet! Didn't you say you were in Kalos? I never expected to see you here! Not that I don't appreciate it, I'm kind of over the moon, but also confused…?” he laughed with embarrassment.

Serena helped him stay steady on his feet. His legs were still wonky but she felt extremely relieved that his injuries weren't as bad as she feared. It was only the shock and the initial blow that had knocked him down. They still were thankful thought that something worse was prevented by her arrival. "Actually it's a long story, let's say that the same sources of yesterday's call invited me here."

“Wait, but how did you get here so quickly? It was late when we chatted and the flight takes quite a few hours."

“They called me yesterday while it was morning in Kanto and I immediately took the first flight. The moment we talked over the phone I was actually already at Saffron City airport!"

He opened his mouth slightly in surprise, making the connection in his mind “That's why it felt suspicious that your mother wasn't there! And why the walls in the background were so… bland"

“I stopped at the Pokémon center for the night and departed right away to come over here. Of course I didn't expect to meet up during a Team Rocket attack. I was hoping I could make a better entrance for this surprise…” Serena huffed. While she had really hoped to leave him stunned, it wasn't exactly what she had arranged with Ash's mother.

He smiled softly and wrapped her in an unexpected hug. “Nonsense! You have no idea how good it is to have you here! You couldn't have had a better timing! I actually wanted to visit you and the others in Kalos before you could leave again for Hoenn, but I'm glad we had the same idea!" he chuckled, not being able to see Serena's face, completely smoky with redness.

But her gaze caught the wounds on Ash's arms and she couldn't help but worry again. “Are you sure you're okay? You seem in bad shape..."

“Don’t worry, I'm fine! More than fine now!" He tried to reassure her, slamming a fist into his chest. Evidently he wasn't very convincing, he was barely standing and the small self-inflicted hit made him visibly wince.

Serena obviously didn’t fall for his goofy smile “We'd better hurry back to your house so you can rest. I'll help you!" She wrapped Ash's arm around her neck and passed her right one behind her friend's back, holding him despite his staggering.

"Wait, wait, you don't have to…!" he started to complain, trying not to be a burden. Even though he knew there was nothing wrong with a girl carrying a boy, he felt slightly embarrassed with the situation.

"I can do it! You are not that heavy and at this rate, in your condition, you would arrive at your house late at night!"

Ash at that point looked at her puzzled, slightly tilting the head in bewilderment. From the way she said it, she seemed to know exactly where he lived, even though she had never been to his house.

"O-Ok... I'll show you the way then" he tried to forget it.

But despite trying not to think about it too much, during the walk Serena's attitude proved even more that she knew pretty well where to go, not even needing his constant attempts to give her directions.

He knew there would be a lot of questions to be asked once they arrived.

...

Once the two teens got home, Ash was more than sure that he had very little understanding of the situation. Not only had Serena recognized his home, which was difficult given Pallet Town's reputation for having all white houses and therefore quite similar, but she had also greeted his mother as if they had known each other for a lifetime.

Yes, they had already seen each other on video call a few times, but they were obviously hiding something. For certain, not only had his mother contacted Serena for the call, but she had also invited her without saying anything to him.

She pulled some strings… very well played aces from her sleeve.

Delia: 1 - Ash: 0

"How did your flight go? It's a pleasure to meet you in person!" Delia approached her with total simplicity and familiarity. Ash looked at his mother with mouth wide open, as if he was the victim of a candid camera.

Serena helped Ash sit on the sofa to rest. “The pleasure is mine Mrs. Ketchum! The flight went very well!" And just the same way he turned his gaze on his friends, without closing his mouth.

“Call me Delia dear! Mrs. Ketchum makes me feel old!" joked the woman, bringing a hand to her cheek in embarrassment.

"Mrs. Ketchum, why won't you explain this all to me?" It was Ash's turn to speak, drily and even sarcastic. If his mom had talked to Serena then had she told her everything? How he’s been feeling lately? Not that he didn't trust Serena, but he didn’t want to reunite with her because of his pathetic state of depression.

Why inviting her to his home region for a reason like that? 

"Watch your mouth young man!" Delia lowered forward, pushing him back with a finger pressed on his nose "Until you give me grandchildren I don’t allow to be referred to as a granny!" she threatened him causing a big redness not only on his face but also on Serena's.

She was going to have a lot of fun these days.

"I think he has the right to get an explanation for everything. Otherwise he'll end up bursting in confusion…" Serena suggested, looking at Ash sympathetically.

"Fair" Delia nodded.

"It was all your mother's idea, she noticed that lately you were feeling down, so she contacted me through Clemont and Bonnie..."

There it was, as suspected. Now Serena would be worried about him too.

Even if it wasn’t into his style, he had imagined what their reunion would be like. Probably similar to that of he and his other old traveling companions, or even more iconic. Maybe an exciting and glorious meeting where both would proudly show each other their successes. Perhaps, alas, after much longer than expected and more than hoped... but also with clearer ideas of how to approach the latest moment that happened between them during the separation.

Then again, reuniting with her was a nice thing he had actually planned to do a couple of hours before, but it was still in his intentions to not show blatantly that one of his reasons, aside from missing his friends, was also his struggle.

"Wait… so Clemont and Bonnie are involved in this too!?" Ash exclaimed, realizing only later of their involvement.

The two sighed, having suspected that Ash wouldn’t have liked very much to hear that his friends knew about his problems and had gone out of their way to help him in such grand schemes. He appreciated it a lot, but he also was kind and selfless, always willing to help others and the last person who goes to complain about what is afflicting him.

"I just noticed that you looked a little less lively and you said you missed the times from our travels in Kalos, so I thought a little company would do you good!" She reassured him by letting him know that they had not investigated deeply and that they were not pressing him to spill everything if he didn’t feel like doing so.

They just wanted to cheer him up.

While perplexion was still there, Ash began to feel less upset. After all, with how he acted he couldn’t not expect a reaction from his mother. And if she decided it was the case to call Serena, Clemont and Bonnie, then he really gave her a reason to do it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to worry anyone." he lowered his head ashamed.

Serena immediately sat down next to him and placed a hand on his back. “Hey, you don't have to apologize! I was happy to come and I still intended to stop for a greeting!" she reassured him with a kind of half hug "Clemont and Bonnie would have wanted to come too, but unfortunately with Lumiose City still a work in progress we need our favorite scientist to stay there."

Noticing Ash's mood greatly improved with those words, Delia walked away to let them talk. It was a little early for dinner but for once they could anticipate a bit, after all her son had missed both the first meals of the day and Serena must have done the same for the long trip.

Meanwhile, the two remained on the sofa, discussing in peace "You know..." Serena resumed "You can talk to me if there are any problems. You don't have to do it if you don't feel like it, but friends are there for that too. You have supported us a lot in the past, let us do the same for you when you need it, ok?"

Ash seemed moved by her words, noticing the familiarity of them. He knew she was right, but at that moment, with her just arrived, he didn't feel like bringing down the mood already. It was too much of a strong feeling to battle at that time.

He wanted to enjoy the moment and possibly, when he’d feel brave enough, he would open up.

“Thanks Serena, I'll keep that in mind." he let her know that while it wasn't the best time for him to speak about that topic, he was grateful for the offer and wasn't shutting the door in her face.

And she understood, accepting his answer “Okay, but really, even if it's not to me. If you need to talk, accept someone's help. Otherwise..."

"This time there is no snow on your side, you are unarmed" he pointed out to her with a playful tone, raising both hands. He was sure that she would not throw anything else at him, especially since he knew her well enough to know that she would never stone him.

"Pillows are a good alternative," she proposed, making him laugh.

The two kept talking about what had happened and finally seeing Ash smile sincerely and naturally filled Delia's heart with joy.

Suddenly a sound echoed in the air, one that Delia had hoped to hear for a long time and well appreciated, especially in such an occasion.

"Thank goodness! The stomach is at least returning to what it was before!" Ash's mother smiled with satisfaction. One step at a time, perhaps her son would have found serenity.

In fact that evening, as it turned out, Ash ate heartily. Between the accumulated hunger and the thought that his friend was there with him, his belly rejoiced.

It would have been nice to have their other two friends there too, but he didn't want to act pretentious. Having Serena was more than enough in that moment and he couldn't wish for anything else. Ash wrote a mental note to remember to thank his mother wholeheartedly as soon as possible. It was still thanks to her that he had reunited with his past traveling companion.

"Hey Serena? How long are you going to stay?" Ash asked with a smile. She wouldn’t leave right away, right? There were so many things he wished to do alongside her.

Serena felt her cheeks turning red again. "I-I don't know... I don't exactly have plans..."

"So you can stay as long as you want!" he cheered happily. There was nothing else to add, she would stay for enough time "We have no limits! I can show you around; the woods, my favorite places and present you my Pokémon at the lab!"

Serena was suddenly bombarded with proposals, but instead of feeling overwhelmed, she rather felt reassured. She didn't want to impose herself in the boy's house but she also would have liked to stay a bit more, so the fact that he seemed to want the same thing made her feel less of a burden “Now that you're here in Pallet Town we can walk through old memories!"

The blond haired girl began to fiddle with her fingers embarrassed "I-It seems like a very good idea! I-If you really insist I would love to..."

"Great!" Ash cheered again, with his mother looking at him with a huge smile. For her it was another proof that she would have a lot of fun in the next few days.

Delia had already figured out more than she hoped, how things were developing or at least how she hoped they would. After years it was finally time to be a fussy mom. She had hoped for a long while to see the slightest hint of interest of romanticism in her son and more than ever before she hoped deep inside her heart that Serena could be that person for Ash. After all, she was able to give her son a hint of a smile back.

"Ash, why don't you take Serena to see your room? Meanwhile, I'll prepare the guest room for her!"

"Sure! Come with me!" He took Serena by the hand while she was in a state of shock. Redder than that was not possible, she short-circuited the moment she understood that she was going to stand in his bedroom. 

Once upstairs, Ash showed her with less than a slight hint of pride and more childlike enthusiasm and nostalgia, all the things he had won over the years of travel: the cup of the Orange League, the Soothe Bell won in the Sinnoh team-up tournament... and one of the things he cared about the most at that moment; the diploma received at the end of that summer camp many years ago.

There was anything and so much more.

"Do you remember? How much have we been through together at Professor Oak's camp…?" It was a tricky question, because neither of the two could exactly remember that period after they met, the images of their mischief were very blurry. It didn't seem they were too young at the time to remember, so it felt odd.

“Yeah…”

However, they decided to move on and so they passed through various topics.

Nighttime approached and the tiredness of that day full of emotions made itself clear, so much that after a sincere wish for a good night, the two teenagers retired to their own rooms. 

Ash laid on his bed, in a mix of happiness and incapable of believing how much everything changed in a single day. He had reunited with a dear friend and finally felt like things would be okay. 

In the guest room, meanwhile, Serena thought of how joyful and insistent about her stay her friend was. “If Ash invited me to stay then the kiss didn’t ruin everything between us, right…?”

She knew that with him there would be no general risk of losing him. Even if he wouldn’t reciprocate, they would still remain friends. This reaction, however, reassured her enormously at the moment.

She was supposed to meet all of his Pokémon, someone very important in his family. So she couldn’t deny that a big feeling of nervousness invaded her. But at least, if they were anything like their trainer, she certainly could hope for a positive outcome.

However, being accepted by everyone in Ash’s family wasn't her only concern. What would she do after everything was over? 

Not to mention Delia. She liked the woman very much, but sometimes her glances told her that she probably was aware about her feelings for Ash.

It was with those thousand thoughts in her head that she eventually fell asleep.

...

The night passed quickly and when the Dodrio sang Ash hurriedly got out of bed, dressed and ran down the stairs. 

Serena instead left her room slightly later. The day before had made her feel exhausted, yet Pallet Town was the perfect place to rest. She slept peacefully during the night and found herself in a familiar environment.

Once everyone gathered in the kitchen, the homemade Ketchum pancakes were served and eaten, under the proud watch of Delia.

"Mama, I don't know how you do it but every day your pancakes get better!" commented a beaming Ash. He had gone from fasting to asking for three portions of pancakes one after the other.

Serena also found herself to bask in the sweetness and softness of the breakfast. She made a self note in the brain to ask Delia her secret after they’d be done. It could be very helpful for future occasions, as nothing beats home cooking.

"How nice, if I knew all we needed to make you hungry again was to invite Serena I’d have called her way sooner!" Delia's words struck Serena. Why did those comments remind her of a certain acquaintance and rival of hers?

Ash, on the other hand, did not seem to have grasped the meaning of his mother's comment, it was no news that Serena influenced his good mood "To be honest I think Serena could make them just as good if you gave her the recipe!"

Both females were pleasantly impressed. Serena for the compliment while Delia was more to hear her son say for the first time that someone could be a match for her. And he said it with such a pride that instead of offending her, it intrigued her.

She wanted to know more "Oh, is that how it is? Who would have guessed... I have a rival then!"

"You should try her poké puffs! They are the best thing I’ve ever eaten! And about that, why don't you make some Serena? I really miss them!"

"Ash, don't you think it's quite rude to send her behind the stove this early in the morning?" her mother scolded him kindly. She was a guest, not their new cook.

"It's not a problem at all! I love baking and I like when others enjoy what I prepare! Besides, traveling with Ash means getting used to feeding his stomach too. Clemont learnt that as well as I did"

Ash fleshed out an innocent grin, aware that his belly was something that distinguished him from the others. It wasn't his fault that he loved eating and since he couldn't cook to save his life it was easier to enjoy others’ cooking. Besides, he wasn’t lying by saying she was very good at it, he would always enjoy what she prepared.

"I-I'd also like some advice for cooking other things that aren't desserts..." Serena added. Delia ran an inn, one of the best in the area, so she had to have plenty of skills in her sleeve.

Delia nodded gently "Of course! You can cook whatever you want in our kitchen and I will gladly teach you some tricks! I'm curious to taste these poké puffs that have captured my son’s stomach like that!" she then turned to Ash "Honey, why don't you go get your backpack and prepare a tablecloth? Serena and I could cook lunch and then you two could have a picnic at Samuel’s!"

"Of course!" he nodded approvingly, rushing upstairs.

That left the teenage girl and the woman alone in the kitchen.

The silence however didn’t last long. "If you make Ash's belly so satisfied then it means that you already have one of the main characteristics needed!" Said Delia out of the blue, in between sipping the remaining tea in her cup.

The blond started squinting "W-What? Main characteristics for what?"

The trainer’s mother’s laughter echoed in the room "Hahaha… well one day Ash will need someone to take care of him, but above all to satisfy his belly without end!" she gave her an amused look "I am his mother, I noticed how you two behave around each other!"

Serena's face at that statement became red as a pepper, steaming so much that you could just as well fry two eggs. "I-I am... I-I-could never think of..." stammered the girl, who was quite bewildered.

"Oh come on, I’ve been your age too! Don't be so shy! I could see a mile away that you have a soft spot for my son! Don't worry, I’m not going to tell him." This made the blonde heave a sigh of relief "But I'm going to tease you a little to see his reaction, so I can understand my son's intentions! I've been waiting for all this for years"

"I don't know if he..." Serena started squeaking, far too embarrassed to make this conversation with the mother of the one she held dear into her heart.

Delia put a hand on her shoulder in a reassuring way "You don't have to worry too much, when he talked about you after returning from Kalos he was always excited and so he was after talking to you on the phone. Since you arrived his eyes have lit up again and I don't even think that you two talked about what troubled him yet. In conclusion; you were a godsend" she then smiled sweetly, making the young girl remember her friend. She could see from whom Ash took his personality and smile.

“You sure are special to him, you just have to find a way to let him understand how you feel or give him enough time to figure out everything by himself. I can't assure you one hundred percent that it will be romantic love between you two, but my instincts tell me that you will have a future together, whether it's as lovers or as friends."

Serena stared at her in disbelief, now feeling at ease with the woman. She was mischievous, yes, but also very sweet and kind. There was an extremely motherly feeling there, even if she wasn’t her own daughter.

Delia handed her an apron and began to push her gently towards the kitchen “Come on, don't think too much about it! Go to the kitchen and prepare your poké puffs! Hundreds of them will be needed if you want everyone to have some"

Serena nodded firmly and ran to the counter to start cooking. Just in time apparently, because Ash’s voice could be heard from upstairs, the sound of his footsteps coming closer at fast speed.

"Hey, Pikachu and I are ready!" Ash announced once back in the room. The blush still painted on Serena's face from the previous conversation didn’t go unnoticed, shockingly "Uh, what happened? Why are you so red?" Ash asked, totally clueless. "Are you getting sick?"

"N-No don't worry! It’s just the h-heat coming from the oven, t-that's all" Serena lied, stammering.

Mrs. Ketchum was struggling to hold back the tears from her laughter, as she looked at the oven turned off. She decided, however, to help her out, to avoid turning the girl into the household appliance "Since it's early, why don't you go and train for a while?"

"Oh, sure thing!" Ash agreed with a smile "See you later then!" he said disappearing immediately along with his Pikachu, under the amused gaze of Delia. He was going to train, another sign that one of the problems in his head wasn’t as heavy at the moment.

“Come on, let's get to work! The food will certainly not cook itself!"

"Yep!"

... 

Time passed and finally the poké puffs and lunch were ready for the picnic. Once everything was packed, the two went to call for Ash, who took very little time to grab his own things and declare himself ready to go. "Did we grab everything? I can't wait for you to meet everyone!"

"Yup! Lunch is there and so are the sweets for all your Pokémon!" Serena answered, taking a couple of the baskets in her hand, while Ash carried a much bigger box, both carrying also their backpacks.

"That’s surely not all of it, right? Are there some… for me?" Ash asked with a pleading expression. Serena giggled amused and pointed to one of her baskets. Obviously she hadn't forgotten him, much to his joy and relief. 

"You better go and hurry up or you’ll end up having lunch too late!" Delia recommended, waving with her hand. The two began to approach the entrance door, when she seemed to remember something. Her mouth opened large and round, so to be heard "And please, don’t engage in improper activities!"

The two stopped abruptly. Serena's face began to become more and more red and hot, while Ash's one remained confused at the statement. The performer was struggling to avoid hyperventilating. Between Delia and Miette she really didn't know who was worse.

"Uh? What do you mean by that?" Ash asked, unaware of the meaning behind his mother’s words. It was clearly a joke, but he didn't get the point of it. They weren't criminals or thugs, although they indeed often got into trouble.

Serena opened her mouth, horrified by such an unlucky timing for him to pick up on people's comments about their relationship. He usually would tilt his head or notice nothing in the first place, why was he starting now of all moments to pay attention?

"T-Thanks Delia! We better hurry up because Ash is probably looking forward to introducing me to all of his Pokémon and eating! Right?" She continued to blabber quickly pushing him outwards, even though he seemed to weigh more than a boulder.

The boy indeed felt pushed on, even though he didn't do anything specific to oppose it. He was just curious what his mother meant, as she often said weird things lately "Well yeah, but what did you mean before, mama?"

Serena hurried to answer for the woman, afraid of Ash's mother's mouth. "She certainly meant not to come home late and not to get into trouble! See you soon!" She concluded while closing the door and pulling Ash along with her, even though she had no clue on where the lab was situated and was just leading him blindly.

... 

They didn't talk much during their walk. Much to the girl’s relief Ash seemed to have totally forgotten the matter or had put it aside.  

Serena also had reason to believe the direction she casually picked was luckily also the right one, as Ash followed her without objecting. This continued until they reached a crossroads and he took over in leading towards their destination. Pikachu just looked at the two from behind, with an amused look on his face and the feeling that sooner or later there would be moments that would cause great embarrassment. 

After all, he was present during the airport ordeal and that wasn’t at all something to be considered a closed topic, although neither of the humans dared to talk about it. It was both exhausting but fun to assist.

Since the Ketchum household and Prof. Oak's lab were not far away from each other, the path was shorter than it had seemed at the start. They arrived at the foot of a hill and began to climb towards the building in question.

"Who knows if the professor will remember you, Serena" Ash asked his friend "We went to his camp together but it's been years since then and he only saw you a few times on call when we were traveling through Kalos"

"While it’d be nice if he did… I don’t think he does. He has had many students after all" replied Serena thoughtfully.

“I think you were quite different from the others and he got that too, mostly after the adults discovered where we ended up! Besides, the professor and I were already quite close back then and you were always with me during the camp"

They found themselves at the gates of the house, with Ash immediately pressing the intercom almost automatically. After all, he did it every single day since his return.

"Yes, is it Ash?" the professor's voice was heard.

"Right on spot, Professor!"

"Running late today, but I appreciate that cheery voice; come on in!" Prof Oak answered happily, not just for the now common young man's visits, but also for the surprising positive tones he spoke with. 

The gate opened and the two entered, proceeding towards the professor's large house-laboratory and meeting him at the entrance.

"Come in, enter Ash!" he greeted, while taking off his lab gloves. "Sorry if I seem so busy, but I was sending an email to my cousin Manuel about my latest experiment and I think you would be very interested and-oh… you brought a friend?"

Ash cleared his throat "Eh-um... Professor, do you remember Serena? We were friends at the summer camp you organized a few years ago! You also met her again on video call when I was in Kalos"

"Oh yes! So you’re the famous Serena! Ash told me so much about you, but for some reason I can't recognize your face very well. I’ve had so many kids at those camps that recalling all of them is hard" he shook his head, trying to remember what Serena looked like as a child, but nothing came to mind "Wait, I have an album of all the summer camps I've organized, maybe among the group photos I'll find something...!" Samuel Oak walked over to his library and began looking for the scrapbook.

Ash looked around, noting that despite Tracey's absence the professor had managed to keep everything quite in order, knowing his habits "I would have gladly introduced you to Tracey, one of my old companions who studies here, but he had to leave for an assignment entrusted to him by the professor"

"I suppose there’s always next time!" Serena nodded understanding.

The professor interrupted them by returning with a large album firmly held in his hands, even though it seemed to weigh a lot "Sorry for the wait! Here!" He placed it heavily on the table and began to leaf through it. Luckily the page groups were all organized thanks to dividers that marked the years.

Ash identified the year in question and together they began to look for the photos that portrayed them “There it is!" he pointed with his index. It was one of the last photos taken at the camp that year, but it was placed among the first ones because it showed every single participant. He ran his finger to the second row of standing kids and immediately found young Ash and Serena in the center. She held a Growlithe in her arms, while the boy had one arm wrapped around her shoulder and the other free hand showing a victory sign.

"Ahhh the memories..." Oak murmured. "Here are my grandson, you and the little girl with the straw hat. You made such a mess at the summer camp that year, even if it was almost finished when you two met!"

"Really? Sometimes we ended up in trouble but I don’t remember us being so mischievous” Serena expressed, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

“Oh yes! You were the quieter one, but Ash had a tendency to make up for you with his own games or escapades, while pulling you in. You have disappeared several times or ended up creating a ruckus during the games!”

The two teens began to blush in embarrassment and it was only thanks to that feeling that they had not started asking questions after questions. How come the memories of that camp after their meeting were so blurry? While some things resurfaced into their minds, most of their escapades were like a blank page...

“I was thinking of meeting everyone outside, is that alright professor?" Ash asked, pointing towards the garden.

"Go ahead! I have to finish my projects, but later if I have time I will gladly come and chat with you! The others are all scattered around, although I believe that finding and gathering them will not be a problem. You know the usual method…"

The boy nodded and went to the back of the lab with Serena, immediately finding a green Pokémon with a bulb on its back in the middle of the path.

"Hey Bulbasaur!" Ash waved at him.

The Pokémon turned to the boy and smiled with joy, noting with surprise the unknown additional presence. Being a polite Pokémon, he let his trainer do the talking and waited for an introduction “This is Serena! She was traveling with me in Kalos!"

"Bulba!" The Pokémon pulled out its vine and held it in front of Serena, in order to give a handshake in its own way.

The girl reciprocated, offering a sincere smile "Nice to meet you, Bulbasaur!” She then turned to Ash “If I remember correctly you have all the starters team of Kanto?”

"Indeed! And if Bulbasaur helps you’ll meet them soon!" he winked towards his grass typed Pokémon, knowing it’d understand what to do.

As a matter of fact, Bulbasaur nodded, crouching down as a yellow light began to come out of his bulb. It continued to accumulate until it broke free in the sky and exploded. The signal attracted the attention of all the Pokémon, who began to arrive running, flying and... well, in their way of moving.

At first it was all quiet, then the earth began to shake and various Pokémon cries rang out in the air. They were all running to the place where they were waiting for them.

It was a bunch of different creatures, there were all kinds of them. Some that Serena had already seen and others not. In her eyes, the first that she recognized were the Pokémon that Ash had captured in Kalos, who jumped happily when she was caught in their sight.

"Haw!" "We!" "Flame!"

“Hi guys! I’m glad to see you again!”

She really was. Everyone from their traveling group was family and that included also their Pokémon. After they went on their own, it had been very weird getting used to their absence when waking up in the morning. 

However, the thing that probably confused everyone else the most wasn’t the presence of the girl, but the genuine and enthusiastic smile of their trainer. Even they knew of the state he was in and had tried many times to help, never actually succeeding and making his cheeriness last for more than a few minutes. Finding him so awake, perky, out of the blue, was strange but not unappreciated.

"Ash... since when do you have all these Pokémon?" Serena asked, a little perplexed, eyeing the mass of Tauros waving their tails in happiness.

Ash chuckled "Eheh... well they're the same ones I told you about, but finding them all in front of you probably has a strange effect..." he started scratching his head in bashfulness.

He moved in front of his Pokémon and cleared his throat "So guys! Meet one of the friends I told you about a while ago: Serena!"

The first that came in front of Serena and Ash was Bayleef, who stroked with affection against the leg of the guy and pampered him as she was used to. It was nice to see his smile back, she couldn't help but rejoice "Oof! Come on Bayleef stop!" he giggled, trying to gently push the huge dinosaur’s weight off him. "Yes, yes, I appreciate it... but you’re a bit too heavy!"

The grass Pokémon obeyed with a smile and then turned, almost defiantly, to Serena, who introduced herself, holding out her hand. In response, however, the dinosaur puffed her cheeks and then turned her head away. Serena was very surprised by that second meeting, trying to hide her disappointment. It didn’t even pass a bunch of minutes and she was already disliked by one of Ash's Pokémon. 

“Bayleef? What's wrong with you?" Ash scolded in disbelief, even though it wasn’t like it couldn’t be expected at all. She was quite a jealous Pokémon, and seeing him arrive with a new friend he talked a lot about must have annoyed her.

"Don't worry," Serena reassured him with a slightly sorry but serene smile. First impression could vary, but there would be time to try changing it for the better.

Snivy provided a good distraction, offering to greet the girl in a very sober and composed manner. She kindly nodded with her head at the newcomer and left.

Ash began to giggle apologizing again "Snivy is like that! She doesn’t make much of a fuss!"

She had her unique personality, and so did all the others. One by one, all the companions introduced themselves in their own way: Infernape greeted with a nice squeeze of the paw, Muk tried to hug both trainers... almost suffocating them, Totodile performed a welcome ballet, Oshawott showed off…

“I see you also have a Charizard and Sceptile! It sure brings up memories!”

"Speaking of memories Serena, why don't you let out Braixen, Pancham and Sylveon too? I bet they'd be happy to play with all these new friends!" Ash suggested.

Serena nodded, pulling out the pokéballs "It's a great idea!" she exclaimed, throwing them in the air "Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon! Get out!"

Serena's three companions came out of the spheres and after the greetings of the panda, the fiery fox and the one with pink bows, all the Pokémon joined in together to play.

Braixen joined the quieter and more feminine Pokémon while Sylveon greeted the younger ones, watched from afar by Pikachu, who tried to keep Oshawott from courting her. Pancham instead was proudly comparing with Krookodile their sunglasses. 

All in all, everything went on smoothly, until presentations were over and the entire gang decided to sit down and prepare the picnic.

They spread out the tablecloth, set the baskets down and began arranging the food. Once the meal for the two teens was placed, Serena stood and walked over the big box Ash carried from home, opening it and revealing the content inside. “These are for all of you!” 

Some Pokémon looked at Serena as if she were a deity, others were less indiscreet and some jumped on her offering cuddles as thanks. If she had harbored any doubts about winning them over before, now it was impossible to ignore their strong affection. And as strong was the warmth that filled her chest, a sense of belonging mixing with gratitude. 

And when each got their own share and she was finally free again from the wave of attention, she turned to Ash as they could start eating. The raven haired boy could only smile at the scene of all his Pokémon being happy thanks to such a simple but full of effort gesture, it was a kind of representation of how impactful Serena’s presence had been.

"Hey Serena? I know I already said it, but it really makes me happy that you came… If it weren’t for you I probably would have lost Pikachu. And aside from that, it’s been a while since we all had such a good time" He said to her with a quiet and at the same time lost smile. 

He looked at the poké puff in his hands with a certain detachment as a distant look filled his eyes. Sure, he had decided to depart and go to Kalos before she showed up, but if they didn’t meet at all how would have everything turned out?

Serena noticed Ash's mood changing slightly and tried to reach out to console him, but before her hand could touch his shoulder he looked up and smiled with a simpleton grin. "Anyway, as usual, your poké puffs are the best!" He concluded, biting one of the sweets to brighten the atmosphere again.

Serena blushed lightly at his comment but what made her happy was the relief of finding her beloved friend and the boy she so admired and loved in a better mood. He had improved, and while she still noticed doubts and a strange light in his eyes, at least the smile on his face was genuine. "Thanks, I'm happy too” 

They didn't notice Bayleef's annoyed glance and the grimace she tried to hide by turning her head away from the two.

...

Professor Oak watched the scene from his lab, smiling widely. He could perceive the joy shining through the Pokémon and the teens, who were having fun together. That harmony had been missing for too long and he finally hearing Ash's laughter again put his heart at peace.

A ringing took his attention away as he noticed an upcoming call. He walked over to the screen phone and turned it on. "Yes? I'm Professor Oak!"

"Hey Samuel! How long has it been since we last saw each other!?"

The old man's eyes widened as a smile blossomed on his lips "Look who’s calling! How are you, Olivio?"

"Well, I'm not complaining! But we haven't had a chat in a while, huh?"

Oak put a hand to his chin curiously "For too long I would say..."

.

.

.

Chapter Text

"Well then, Olivio, go ahead and tell me! I'm listening."

"As you know lately I have been studying the phenomena that lead one Pokémon to become stronger than another depending on the bond it has with its trainer. Basically exceeding a known upper limit! Unfortunately my research so far would lead me everywhere and anywhere and I should leave the lab to travel, but with several commitments and no one to replace me that's not going to work" The colleague explained.

"Hmmm..."

"However, this doesn't mean I'm going to stop my research," Olivio continued in a determined tone. "And that's why I contacted you!"

Oak raised a confused frown "I am willing to help you, but you know that my research is focused on something else."

"I know, I know, my plan doesn't concern that. I can't leave, but someone in my place could! I have always done mostly personal research so I don't have many contacts, but you do! Can't you send someone here to the lab? Someone of the field, capable and knowledgeable, that can travel for me?"

"Someone to send you..." Samuel began to reason. An obvious person immediately came to mind, his gaze turned toward the garden where Ash and his friends were gathered to eat confirmed his thoughts. 

Who better than him could help Olivio? And how helpful would it be for the boy, too? He would kill two birds with one stone "My dear colleague, I think I have just the person for you!" he finally announced.

Olivio looked at him, intrigued. "I'm all ears, who would that be?"

"I'm sure you heard about what happened in Kalos, didn't you? That chaos caused by the researcher Lysandre, who tried to control a Legendary Pokémon?" Oak asked.

Olivio nodded. Pictures and footage of the incident had been broadcasted around the world, hundreds of news reports had focused on that for weeks. However, the information received outside Kalos had been greatly filtered. Little was known about who had stopped the crazed criminal and how the dynamics of the events effectively played out, for various reasons. 

On the one hand there was moralism; a refusal to gossip about a disaster that had taken many lives. 

On the other was a simple lack of data, kept hidden by experts to prevent some new fool from deciding to stick their nose in and attempt something similar again. 

Finally, the cherry on the top, but more like the fundamental of it all, was a diplomatic issue. Focusing discussions on that topic would have scared off foreigners, tourism in Kalos would have declined exponentially, and the region's economy would have decreased.

The little that had been made public was the name of the criminal and some vague information about the heroes who had stopped him. Olivio had been trying for months to find out something, his status should have allowed him to know more, yet his colleague Sycamore was not at the lab due to researching the origins of Xerneas and Yveltal and talking to him was impossible. 

What the Kalosian professor's assistants had managed to tell him was that the trainer mainly involved was originally from Kanto, another reason he had approached his friend.

Oak could only speak proudly of Ash and his accomplishments; after all, he was like a grandson to him, and as much as he knew that the Kalos crisis was not exactly a happy memory, it was not for everyone to save the world. Multiple times. "I know the guy who ended the conflict, he's the same who made it to the finals of the Kalos League."

"For real?! I was hoping so!"

"And he is at my lab right now."

"Woah?" Olivio could not believe his ears "You're not kidding?" The most interesting profile for his research was one step away from being in his contacts?

"Of course! He was born in Pallet Town, has always lived here, and I watched him grow up. I was the one who gave him his first Pokémon! After defeating Lysandre he came back home and is now staying here with his friend for a while! He would certainly know how to help you. There is no other person I know who has such a strong bond with his Pokémon! Also if you saw the finals you probably know that he was able to manifest a new phenomenon with his Greninja!"

"Yes, it's not a mega-evolution but still very similar and could tie in with my studies!"

"Well, do you want to talk to him?"

"Of course I want to! It isn’t an issue if we do it now, right?"

Samuel chuckled, nodding his head, "Rotom? Would you go get Ash, please?"

The Pokémon gave a lightning-spitting giggle and ran outside.

...

"Is everyone satisfied?" Serena asked as her hands caressed Pikachu, snuggled between her crossed legs.

Each Pokémon nodded, their tummies full and content. But while that could be said about them, it sure couldn’t for their trainer.

"Not me! Is there some more?" He looked at Serena with a Lillipup look, stretching his hands forward.

The performer giggled; she knew him all too well, and while she might have expected it, Ash always managed to amaze her with his unattainable limits of satiety.

Even in the face of his eyes, so naive but sweet and spontaneous, she knew she had to tell him the cruel truth "I'm sorry, we've run out of everything."

"How!?" The trainer let himself sag on the tablecloth muttering, "But I'm still hungry..." He mumbled regretfully. Sure enough, his appetite had returned; in fact, he was making up for all the food he had left aside in the previous weeks.

This somewhat childlike side of Ash was one that Serena adored. It was not unbearable childishness or immature behavior. It was a facet of innocence about him, a very natural and spontaneous enthusiasm.

Serena helped the starving man to his feet, but just at the instant the two of them got to their feet a small jolt on Ash's back made him leap into the air.

"Waah! Rotom what are you doing!?" He protested, immediately turning around and noticing the Pokémon giggling. He pointed to the lab and continued his giggles, feeling no guilt at all.

"Are you saying the professor wants me?" Ash asked, causing the Pokémon to nod, "Okay, no problem. Are you coming, too, Serena?"

"Uh? All right," she replied.

The two stood up, leaving things in place to be put away later. Entering the lab, they found Professor Oak waiting patiently for them "Sorry to interrupt, but there’s someone who would like to speak with Ash."

"Hm? Who?" The male teen approached the screen of the landline phone, a surprised look on his face. Could it be Tracey?

But at the display, although there was a fairly young man, it was not his friend. He wore glasses, had a neatly trimmed stubble, and from the lab coat he wore one could only deduce he was a professor. 

"My name is Ash Ketchum, nice to meet you."

"Oh the pleasure of meeting you is mine, Ash! I didn't mean to disturb you while you were busy, I should have given some notice but I couldn't wait! I am Professor Olivio, a colleague of Samuel! Although you may have already figured it out!" he massaged his head cheerfully and continued "I study the relationships Pokémon have with their trainers and what they may lead to, for example the discovery of new powers and moves or other related forms!"

"Like mega-evolutions?"

"That's right, although that's more Sycamore's business," he explained, "I focus on a Pokémon's maximum strength levels and figuring out if the bond with the trainer can lead it to vary them, discovering hidden or mysterious potentials. For example, how a relationship can affect evolution, what forms a Pokémon can discover when friendship is involved, how powerful it can become beyond its limit!"

"It reminds me a bit of the Bond Phenomenon." murmured Ash thoughtfully.

"That's right! That's part of my studies! That's basically what you did with your Greninja, right? And it's very similar to what you routinely do with your Pikachu! I followed your final battle at the Kalos League, and I think you'll also remember the events of the clash with Team Flare!"

Ash held back a hysterical giggle, both at the obviousness of the answer to that question and the feeling that those experiences had left him. One was the decisive defeat at the birth of his doubts, the other a war filled with pain and atrocity "I find it hard to forget something like that..."

"It is thank-... because of those events that I was able to learn of your worth. You seem like a very interesting guy, and for my studies I need the experience of someone like you; with a strong connection to their Pokémon who knows how to go above and beyond! Your point of view could help me a lot; you are a rare case!"

Ash would have liked to object to so many compliments, he had not saved Kalos alone and as special as his bond with Greninja was in the end Alain still had beaten him "I don't do everything alone, without my friends I wouldn't have gotten anywhere..."

Olivio snapped his fingers "And that's the point! You did it all partly because of the connections you made with people and Pokémon, and joining forces can lead to amazing results! I would love for us to meet and see in person what you are capable of!"

To Ash's ears it all sounded familiar, as if he already knew where this was leading to. "To do that you could come to the region where I operate: Forsia!"

"Forsia?" Serena asked. The name was familiar to her but she could not remember where she had heard it.

"Its borders connect it with Kalos and Paldea" Confirmed Professor Olivio "It is quite a well-known region, one of the most prestigious for its ancient history and culture! Besides, there are strong trainers here, and for someone like you, tough fights are the daily bread!"

"You bet!" Ash replied in a barely louder tone of voice.

"Ahaha! My boy, you sound as exuberant as I am! Here you will find new cities, beautiful landscapes and just as many gyms, brand new Pokémon never seen in other regions, and challenges waiting for you!"

"It sounds like a really nice place, but how come you don't come here if you want to talk to me?" he asked, confused.

"I would have done that if it weren't for the fact that I now have to take care of the lab and other important matters. I can't leave everything aside in the season when trainers leave for their travels. However, if someone would travel for me and collect data, I could process it even while staying in the same place. If you are interested in starting a new journey after Kalos, this region is ideal! You could even chase the title of Champion of Forsia!"

In that instant Ash's face changed to a mixture of a smile of excitement and a grimace of bitterness. Curiosity was now at a high level, and he felt an instinct to take the plunge. Why shouldn't he agree? It was what he had always done, and this proposal came at perfect timing. Although he had heard about various regions, he had not planned anything yet.

Traveling was not a problem; by now he had already decided he wanted to go.

It was the part about the league that left him in doubt, did he really want to try again? Was it worth it? Maybe so, after all, it was the only way he knew of to become a Pokémon Master, the way he had always lived…

...But it was also a time of extreme doubt about his dream and how to achieve it. Was it really appropriate to continue with the same method? Or should he take the opportunity to reevaluate?

Of one thing, however, he was sure; he wanted to find new friends, battle more and have fun. Leaving was a good start, whatever he would do later once he arrived. "Why not?"

Ash's response came after a few moments of silence in which Serena had observed his expression and reactions. She had noticed that dull or more like grim look. There was so much confusion in her friend's eyes, yet at the same time Serena knew what the answer would be.

The real question was what was troubling him.

Olivio already began to rejoice, as he would finally be able to continue his studies with better prospects "Great! I'll gladly pay for your trip, or rather... my lenders are paying for it... so no problem! Heheh." 

"Well... it falls in the research expenses..." sighed Oak, pretending that he was not as guilty of improperly spending the funds he was given.

"Once you arrive you just have to come to my laboratory in Hilsette Town! You can't go wrong, it's the capital of the region!" smiled the Professor pleased by the boy's decision. "Be sure to bring your Greninja too!"

Ash froze for a moment and his smile thinned. He felt like a fool for not immediately mentioning something so important "Ah… I'm sorry but that's not possible. Greninja stayed in Kalos…"

He felt a warm hand grasp his and turning his head he found the reassuring but also sorry smile of his friend. "His power was still needed, so I doubt we will meet again anytime soon..."

The professor sensed the delicacy of the subject, he knew how difficult it must be to leave a friend, moreover one with whom the guy had become so close "Don't worry, we still have the chance to find out so much and I am sure your help will be very useful!"

The man's genuine enthusiasm managed to slightly cheer up the trainer, who nodded. True, Greninja was no longer with him, but there would always be his best friend Pikachu and Serena was there too. 

And on that note, remembering the grip on his hand, the boy exclaimed "Wait! It's not a problem if someone comes with me, is it?" he asked cordially, casting a glance out of the corner of his eye toward his friend.

It was obvious he was referring to her. 

"O-Oh..." murmured Serena, not expecting that indirect proposal.

She had understood right away that the boy would soon be leaving again, and the first thing that had occurred to her was to prepare for a possible new farewell.
Instead, although it was not verbally official, Ash was asking her on the spur of the moment to go with him to Forsia and accompany him on his new journey.

Hesitantly but sincerely, Ash walked a few steps closer and held out his hand to her, arching his lips in a smile, accompanied by one of the sweetest looks Serena had ever seen in all their time together.

Oak, Pikachu, and Rotom stood silently by, not looking away from those two. It did not take a genius to read the atmosphere and understand that they should not intrude.

The professor had never registered such a peculiar mannerism from the boy. He had seen him act tenderly with his mother, with his friends, with his Pokémon and especially Pikachu, but this gesture was different.

Suddenly he felt like he deaged, picturing himself and his late wife in their place. There was something new in the boy's eyes, something he had never seen in those years.

"Will you come with me?" he asked her again with his hand outstretched, waiting for an answer. Somehow he felt serene, perhaps because of the way it had ended the last time he had asked her that question.

Surprisingly, however, Serena did not return the smile. Her heart was telling her to shout a big yes, but something inexplicable held her back from accepting "I-I... I'd like to but I don't know..."

At that point even Ash's smile fell, not at all expecting a rejection… or doubt from Serena.
Frankly, he had expected her to accept readily. Then, as he reasoned further, a lot of explanations jumped out at him and made him feel a real fool for having surprised himself at such a reaction.

Showcases were what Serena wanted to focus on. How could he have forgotten something so important? And for all he knew, sooner or later she would return to Hoenn....

Serena, on the other hand, did not care much about that aspect. Unbeknownst to the boy, she had no intention of returning to Hoenn, and staying home doing nothing was not in her plans either. Leaving on a new journey, together with Ash perhaps, would really have been so much better. 

"It's not that I don't want to go with you! I want that more than anything!" She hastened to point out, cheeks red from the admission "But I should tell my mother and think about it, after all, I haven't yet decided whether to try the Showcases again or..."

"Oh! There's no problem if you bring your girlfriend with you!" Olivio interrupted them, trying to help in his own way what he believed to be the couple in the situation "If it's the Showcases you're looking for here we have plenty! Besides, she helped you in the confrontation with Team Flare, didn't she? She could help as well!"

"Now, come on, if you say it like that, it sounds like they're guinea pigs!" coughed Oak in his own hand, stepping in to spare the two teens further embarrassment. It had not escaped his notice how both trainers' faces lit up like traffic lights. 

Thanks to the professor, Ash was able to turn his thoughts away from the comment, focusing more on the real issue at hand. 

He had always supported his friends and their dreams, even if it meant going separate ways. It had been painful to understand, but he had succeeded. In this case, however, he was really struggling to stop his instincts from insisting. For once, he really wanted to go against the tide and say what he really wished for.

The idea of going to Forsia and training Pokémon with her was just perfect in his mind. He felt extremely selfish, but everything seemed to line up.

He had a request to leave and a destination already picked up. He could resume traveling with a special friend whom he had not seen in a long time and who was supposedly on vacation. And just in case, he could have joined the League and Serena could try to become Queen of Forsia. They would support each other in person and meet new friends.

There was nothing, at least that he was aware of, that did not play in favor of the proposal.

And from the look in Serena's eyes he knew she felt the same way. It had to be something else he was not aware of. 
Something he would have to respect and be patient for. It was not a definite no, he could hope. Besides... even if it became one, they could still support each other from a distance, couldn't they?

The trainer sighed, assuming a sympathetic smile and turned to Olivio "I'll let you know for Serena, but count me in!"

"Perfect!"

...

Meanwhile on the roof of the Oak house a very familiar trio was listening to everything…

"Forsia!? Did I hear well!?" asked Jessie with an intense and interested tone "We definitely have to go there!"

"What's so special about it?" asked Meowth, somewhat surprised by the woman's euphoria.

Jessie, dreamily, brought her hands to her cheeks, raising her head to the sky "For a diva like me, the region of fashion that even rivals Kalos is the perfect place to go!"

"And if they also have Showcases and probably the twerpette will attend-"

"I can't let this opportunity escape, I absolutely must participate in the race to become Queen of Forsia! I came very close last time, if I put my best efforts and if the judges have any taste and appreciation for a star like me then the crown will be mine!"

"And all we care about is supporting you!" Said James, supporting her, then whispered "...And food...we care about that too..."

"You forget the most important thing!" Complained Meowth flailing. 

It was not only a matter of Showcases and food, but also of their primary job. They were members of Team Rocket, Pokémon thieves and professional criminals who acted in every way to fulfill their boss's wishes "New region means new strong and rare Pokémon! Have you forgotten that!?"

"True...I'm interested in performances, but we have a...main task." Jessie admitted, however with determination that left something to be desired, in comparison to the determination she would have assumed some time before. 

She stood up and placed her hands at her sides, her expression sober and controlled "If we can maintain ourselves during our missions in the various regions, it’s because the boss allows us to do so. We have to do a good job! After Kalos we received a promotion, we cannot disappoint the one person who believes in us!"

James nodded, laying a hand on her shoulder, "You are right, we must repay him for all his trust! Also because as triumphant as we were, our heroic contribution was not so much to the benefit of Team Rocket..."

It was absurd to say, but they had achieved more in helping save the world from worse villains than they had in achieving those same goals with their own organization.
They didn't quite know how to take that, because while they took pride in stopping those "market rivals," they knew that in truth there was appreciation in just being part of a good cause. 

And such a thing they just could not accept, or even consider. It would have been like admitting that perhaps they were not a good match for their vocation. It would have been like burning up years of their lives, the whole basis of their beliefs.

James pulled out a device, clicked its surface turning it on, and suddenly a hologram appeared before them. A few seconds later the image of Giovanni manifested in it.

"What are you bothering me for? Do you have anything interesting to report? I'm quite busy at the moment..." His cold voice had not changed over time. Although he was less rigid with them after his promotion, he returned to his icy, dark tones during his secret affairs.

"These days we have been observing the twerp, the one who has given us trouble in the past, and we have learned of important news! He will leave Kanto to go to a new region and begin a journey!" Meowth began.

"There could be a lot of new rare and strong Pokémon, plus we would have a chance to catch Pikachu!" James continued.

Giovanni brought a hand under his chin, holding his elbows against the desk. He watched them with scrutinizing eyes and spoke in a grave voice, "What is the name of this region?"

"Forsia." the three said in unison.

Their chief blinked. His head rose from the hands on which he rested and his arms stretched across the desk. His forehead frowned in reflection, his eyes hidden "Forsia you said…"

The three were intimidated by the expression and tone of their leader's voice, but they did not hesitate to confirm, "Y-Yes sir."

"You have my permission to leave Kanto and travel there. Gather all the information you come across and don't leave anything out."

"Excuse me, boss, if I may, but how come Forsia intrigues you so much?"

"Because I know that region very well and I have several important local acquaintances. It would be the right time to find out whether they are valuable allies, clients... or enemies."

He raised his eyes and looked dryly at them "Forsia's criminal setting is more similar to Kanto than people think, although there are cultural differences. Interesting rumors have been coming in lately and I want to find out as much as I can so as to help our organization. It could come in very handy, depending on what you tell me I will proceed accordingly."

"YES SIR!" replied the trio and the call closed with immediacy.

They had never seen such a dark look on their boss's face, and it meant something given his usual expression.

They could not describe what motivated the chill that ran down their spines, or what caused their stomachs to churn. They simply decided not to talk about the obvious uneasiness that had descended into the air.

...

Meanwhile, Ash had exited the lab followed by Serena and Pikachu. Once he reached the others still gathered where they had left off earlier, he cleared his throat and stood waiting for them to pay attention to him.

Seeing their trainer, everyone turned around and slowly the buzz disappeared, leaving room only for the voice of the teen "Friends, I will shortly be leaving on another journey."

Pokémon released a murmur, some had expressed it with puzzlement and some with pleasant surprise. That news, although sensed as early as Serena's arrival, had been a pleasant turn of events. Ash had decided to leave again and it was a sign of return of some emotional stability in their beloved trainer.

"Maybe Serena will come too, or at least I hope so!" he then added, making the girl's three Pokémon ears perk up. Ever since the announcement they had wondered if they should feel involved or not, but now it was definitely their business as well. 

They definitely wanted to go, and from Ash's gaze he was clearly counting on their help to convince their trainer.

"Are you trying to bribe my Pokémon?" joked Serena, holding her hands behind her back. This didn't bother her; on the contrary, she was flattered by the attention Ash was giving her. 

However, it didn't help much taking her mind off the worries that the Kantonian could not be aware of.

"Maybe..." he admitted shamelessly, "But I have to play every card I have in case of need, don't I?"

"Indeed..." she smiled sadly and let a giggle escape her mouth, feeling slightly more relieved than before. As confused as she was, having Ash by her side acting this way could only reassure her. 

They put away everything they had brought along for the picnic and said goodbye to the Pokémon. They were clearly sorry, because whatever Serena would decide, without Ash it was obvious she would not stay, so they would not get to know her much more for the time being. Or eat any more of her poké puffs…

And once they all returned home and sat down for dinner, it was clear to Delia that something had changed.

Her son's movements and glances seemed to give the anticipation of coming news. Accordingly, she waited sitting down for the moment when he would bring up the subject, sure that sooner or later it would all come up.

"Mom, today at Professor Oak's lab I was introduced to a colleague of his; Olivio. He works in the Forsia region..." Ash attempted to start the discussion, noticing a first look of surprise on his mother's face and then clear awareness, as if she knew in advance the conclusion of that talk. 

So he continued, a bit more slowly "He is conducting a research-" and kept looking at her, catching the increasingly expectant expression. It felt like she was asking him to summarize more "-about the links between... Mom, can’t you even just pretend that you don't know where this is leading to?"

"Sorry honey..." she smiled "But don't you think I know by now when you're about to leave on a journey or not?" she giggled, a little resigned but also happy, perhaps never so happy to be waiting for the much-heralded announcement of her son's departure for a new adventure. "But if you insist I'll pretend I didn't understand anything and let you announce it..."

Ash sighed "Come on, normally even if you understand you don't try to make me spill it like that!"

Delia knew all this well. Hearing her son announce a new departure or even expecting the news had always been felt as an event equally happy and sad.

She was glad that Ash could travel the world, fulfill his dreams and find happiness; she wanted only the best for her son. She was proud of the growth of the one who although now a responsible and mature boy, always in her eyes would be her beloved child.

The feeling of sadness did not stem from envy that he was leaving while she never had been able to; it was simply her maternal instinct. Worrying about her son was a constant feeling because he was the most precious gift she had had from life. That is why she would normally be a little bit saddened, yet hiding everything with a smile and her natural lightheartedness.

Today, however, she felt something different; she didn't even feel like going through the usual ordeal. Just like her son, she wanted to face and embrace change.

"You see honey, you always have been and will be my baby, but I can't deny that you have grown up. You are now 17 years old and I think I know you better than anyone in the world. I would know your intentions even without them being so obvious," she smiled sweetly.

Ash stopped eating for a moment, a little confused by the speech. She had never responded this way to his departures. There had always been touching moments between him and his mother, but they had a totally different atmosphere.

"You are becoming more and more mature and responsible, and I know this is a pattern that will repeat itself until you have realized your dreams. You have a chance to chase them, and seeing you happy and healthy is all I need. I wish you were feeling everytime the best way possible, but that's never the case in life, and it especially can’t be helped with you being impetuous, reckless, and a magnet for trouble!"

Ash blushed, barely embarrassed "Mom..."

"And I know it's not always your fault, so it's enough for me to know that you'll be careful, even though I know it’s not necessary to tell you to do it anymore" a motherly smile painted her lips.

For a moment Ash did not speak, but then he stood up, surprising both Serena and Delia, walked over to the woman and stood in front of her.

Certainly being seated made it obvious, but for a boy not particularly tall in stature, Ash’s height really increased. He couldn't help but gaze in wonder and longing at how handsome her little man was becoming.

"Ash..." She gently took his hand, anticipating whatever he wanted to say to her "Always remember, that I will be proud of you. No matter the path you choose, I know it will be something worthy to pursue and that it will represent the amazing boy you are."

He might have doubts about his future, the path he would take, and maybe even his role in the world, but he should never question his role in her life.

Delia stood up and laid her other hand on his cheek affectionately. Ash remained silent, not moving an inch "Never doubt who you are and the bonds you share. The choices you make may be right or wrong, but as long as you follow your heart and the ideals you believe in, you should never doubt your worth. And if you do, you will have the people who love you close by to remind you."

Just as he had brought them close to him in the past with selflessness, a strong and good spirit and his passion.

The boy's eyes lightly sparkled.

"You must do what will make you happy, no matter what. You have plenty of time to find the answers you seek. You don't have to make me or anyone else proud, because we always will be, and your happiness will be all we really need," she rubbed his hand in a caress. Maybe he was no longer a kid, but he would always be her baby "I will always and forever be proud of you."

It’s said that sometimes mothers know everything about their children, that they can read their souls and understand, even if not completely, what’s hidden within.

Delia may not have known precisely what her son had been going through at that time, but she could sense his feelings and remotely understand the doubts that had plagued him.

For she knew her little man.

The boy's hazel eyes watered as he pulled his mother into a tight hug, leaving Serena and the woman initially surprised.

Yes, Delia was really surprised. Not because of the gesture of affection itself, but because of that intensity. It was a warm and deep gesture, but also composed and totally different from the hugs he had given her in the past years.

"Just as well you don't have to prove anything to me as a mother anymore..."

A little jolting, she felt her hands on her son's back tremble at the statement. "What int-..."

"That goes for you, too." He continued, "No matter what the world or people say, I will always be proud that you are my mom," he tightened his embrace more, hiding his head between his mother's collarbone.

He had often hugged her, but this was the first time he had done it that way, with that intimacy that was not just limited to hugging a child, your own kid or a relative.
Sometimes there are hugs and bonds that cannot be described in any way, too deep, too personal....

His mother had already given far too many demonstrations of strength; there was no need to do it again.

Serena and Pikachu exchanged a smile and then merely observed the scene until mother and son broke away. 

That was how the cheerful atmosphere was suddenly restored.

"Well... Forsia, huh?" said Delia, breaking the silence, running a finger near her left eye to chase away the last traces of the tears that escaped her moments before "I don't think you'll have any trouble surviving the hunger, I know the cooking there is divine! It may not be like the Ketchums’ recipes of course, but you will be very satisfied! I watch a lot of programs on forsian cuisine!"

Ash wore a small grin as he turned to Serena "In case expectations don't hold up there's always Serena to save me, right?" he addressed both his mother and the girl, after all, he hadn't yet informed her properly about that aspect.

"Oh, are you going to travel together again?" The woman's eyes lit up for a moment, which did not help Serena's displeasure at having to correct her.

"I still have to decide, but it would be nice," the blonde admitted. 

Delia, nodding understandingly, merely agreed, "Yes, it would be nice. And to make such an important choice you have to get a good night's sleep with a full belly! So help yourselves!"

And so that dinner passed with laughter, talks and fantasies of what would await Ash in the new region.

The guy did not know what he would really do in Forsia, but in due time things would become clearer. 

...

A few hours later, Ash and Serena got ready for bed. The exact date of departure had not yet been decided, but the day had tired them out enough. It really wasn’t much about feeling sleepy, but more so physical exhaustion after playing with Pokémon all the time.

However, the lack of sleepiness led the two to postpone bedtime and opt for some chit chatting. Both sitting on the cushions, they began to discuss what they might do the next day.

As sure as he was that he would eventually leave home, Ash had no intention of rushing his friend. He was obviously aware that she might choose not to follow him, so there was no reason to skip all the activities he had planned way before receiving the proposal.

"How about we go for a walk in the woods where we met?" Ash suggested.

Serena looked at him with wonder "Do you still remember where it is?"

"Of course! I have a very good memory!" he sneered, it wasn’t necessary to tell her that he had gone there a few times already just to remember the moments spent together as kids.

"The same memory that made you recognise me right away when we met again in Kalos?" she questioned with a smirk. 

"Sometimes I just need a little incentive...!" he replied with a pout, in fake offense..

"Well, if you don't get us lost in the woods… I'd really like that." she agreed, receiving a satisfied expression from the friend at her side.

"Would it be so bad if we get lost? As long as we are together, there will be no terrifying Poliwag to scare us!"

"W-Well, we have a big list of things to do after all!" She fought the blush on her cheeks at the positivity with which he had said he didn't mind the idea of losing himself to her, totally ignoring the teasing.

"But you're kinda on vacation, aren't you?" he lightly tilted his head, this time without retorting with a joke as it was the truth, or at least as far as he knew.

"A-Ah... well, sort of..." she giggled nervously, avoiding looking her friend in the eye.

For a moment the boy frowned hesitantly. He had not thought about it at all before, but indeed now he wondered if it was possible that their last moment together at their separation was a factor in Serena's decision. 

Thinking about it caused strange feelings to rise in his chest, some pleasant, some less so, accompanied by a lot of confusion and insecurity. 

He knew that he really liked Serena as a person and was not so stupid as not to understand what it meant to kiss a person on the mouth. But he didn't really feel ... ready to deal with it, no matter how inevitable it would become sooner or later.

But as one aspect of their relationship they had not talked about, was that perhaps what needed to be clarified before they left together?

Indeed, even though they were friends first and foremost at the moment, he could not judge the kind of thoughts that were provoked in Serena by his offer. If even he found it difficult to pretend that nothing was happening, how could she, the one who had made the first move, feel?

Yet she had not hesitated to come and keep him company and had seemed very happy to stay.... 

Maybe he could just ask?

"Hey… hm… by any chance, could it be that you don't feel like leaving with me because of what happened at the airport?"

The sudden question led Serena to close the hand that was stroking Pikachu in a rough grip around his fur, making the mouse squeak. "Cha!"

"Sorry Pikachu!" she immediately said, running her hand over the same spot again but in a gentle manner, as if she was trying to ward off the pain. It seemed to work, immediately making the Pokémon relax. 

She had not expected such a question in the slightest and had no idea how to broach the subject. However, the real luck perhaps was that she did not have to. 

With slightly flushed cheeks, she offered him an embarrassed smile, "N-No, that has nothing to do with the journey..."

"Ah..." He did not know whether to feel relieved that he was not causing her a problem or sad that he had not learned more about the topic. He decided that perhaps it was for the best, though; he would have more time to prepare for it.

"I just don't know how suitable it is to call it a vacation… maybe it's more of… a pause for reflection?" she continued, and noticing Ash's confused look she tried to specify "I never really considered going back to Hoenn."

At that point it was impossible for Ash to hide the concern that painted his face "Did something happen?"

"It’s... complicated" she attempted to answer, hoping it would be enough, but she knew full well that it was the opposite "Let's just say that it put into perspective what I want for my future..."

On the one hand the boy seemed to accept the answer, sensing some truth in her words. On the other he knew that Serena had tried to deflect, getting to the gist of it and hiding everything else.

He decided, however, not to insist.. Just like she had not put pressure on him to speak, he needed to return the favor.

"I know that I love to perform and that I love to do it in the form of Showcases. I also know why I want to do it... but I wonder if really becoming a Kalos Queen, Forsia Queen or whatever region, is really the right way to do it. I wonder if the title will really decide if I have achieved my goal."

Ash felt overwhelmed by those statements, because at the end of the day she was voicing one of his own enormous doubts. They had very different dreams, but at the same time their vision was so similar-he could only take a personal approach. "I guess we're in the same boat."

"Huh?"

"I wonder if winning the league is really the fulfillment of my dream. Whether becoming Pokémon Master and becoming the strongest trainer coincide, even though I really also just enjoy battling." He offered her a smile, the smile of one who, at least partially, could understand her.

"I think that’s also why I was so excited about asking you to come with me in Forsia. Right now I feel that having you by my side makes me more confident about a lot of things, or at least gives me the strength to deal with insecurities." he scratched his head, muttering the last part in a low tone.

It wasn't to insist or even to use whatever she was feeling to his advantage; the last thing he wanted was to know she was struggling because of his own selfish desires. 

It was true that seeing her pursuing her dream of becoming a professional performer so passionately stimulated him, but at the same time knowing that he was not the only one having such doubts made him feel understood.
Either way, Serena's company made him feel better, just as he hoped he could do the same for her.

The performer blushed and tried not to lose control of her heartbeat. "I guess we're both very confused, huh?"

"Yeah!"

"And leaving might help us..."

"Hmm..."

Realizing that neither of them would continue to talk about the matter, Serena tried to deflect once again "I know we've already talked about it, but it would have been nice if Clemont and Bonnie had come too. They would have been happy to meet your mother, the professor, and all your Pokémon!"

Ash agreed, smiling sadly "Bonnie would have gone crazy with all those Pokémon! I admit I would have loved to see that!"

"Too bad really… but we could still do that someday!"

"Yes, definitely." Ash's gaze brightened, but it was clear that he was more wondering out loud, already knowing that whatever he was going to say it wouldn’t become reality "It would also have been nice to invite them to Forsia..."

Just as to be expected, Serena immediately nipped the idea in the bud "When I visited them it was obvious how busy they were. Everyone in town relies on Clemont, for battles and maintenance, it's like he's their go-to guy..." 

"Can’t Clembot help out?"

"That's the only reason he hasn't collapsed from stress." The girl sighed, remembering how she and Bonnie had had to force him to take a break and rest. "It looks like things are getting better, but I think it will be a few more months before everything will be stable without him around."

"I see, I guess it will be for next time," murmured the boy, letting himself sink into the cushion. "You know, we could still visit them if we get the chance, after all, the two regions are close, right? Or after our journey to Forsia we could stop in Kalos for a while, just for old times' sake!"

"The way you say it, it sounds like centuries have passed..." Serena giggled in a yawn, feeling the tiredness taking over. Morpheus' arms grew closer and closer, and the girl's eyelids began to squint.

Ash's mind, however, continued to travel. He thought about how nice it would be to be out there with his friend again if she agreed to come and how much he hoped for that outcome. He thought about what worries she might really be harboring, so great that they had led her to suspend her journey in Hoenn. 

Perhaps he had been caught off guard by those feelings she had for him, but aside from that he thought he knew her very well. She would never give up like that; would never cancel her plans or drop everything for a futile reason. 

If she had really decided to terminate her experience in Hoenn something not insignificant must have happened, something actually very serious. He hoped it hadn't, but he knew how unlikely that was given the girl's strength and determination. 

He was worried, and restraining himself from wanting to ask more was really difficult.
There was nothing he could do; he probably could not solve her problems, and he could not even insist for her to talk.

He felt so helpless.

The only thing he knew he could have done differently was inviting her to come to Kanto. If he had come forward immediately when she had shown doubts in Kalos, when she still didn’t know what to do, he might have spared her whatever happened in Hoenn. 

It wasn't that he didn't trust Serena's choices, he knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself, but if he could have spared her from suffering, he would have done it in a heartbeat.

As much as every experience is helpful in growing and improving, he did not wish pain on anyone, even less on someone so special to him.

Just the same, if he had asked for that company, maybe he wouldn’t have found himself groping in the dark for months. He was still searching for a meaning out of that period of his life..

However, he tried not to turn the atmosphere melancholic and not let his tone betray him "Eheh you know, I think my mother likes you a lot. Sometimes it can get a little awkward with her attitude but-" he attempted to turn toward his friend, but before he could do so and rest his gaze on her he felt a weight lean on him. 

Serena's head ended up between his shoulder and neck, and the contact immediately set off a wave of heat inside him, as well as a shiver.

He remained silent at first, trying to understand what was happening. Then his voice called to her softly, "O-Ohi...Serena."

Had he really wanted to wake her up he should have raised his voice, yet he did not. It was a spontaneous feeling of not wanting to shake her off, although it did not help that sensation of a Pokémon galloping in his chest.

Not knowing what else to do, the boy stared at her for a few seconds, which then turned to minutes. The moon came in through the window and illuminated the Kalosian's face and hair, giving her a strange characteristic that the trainer could not quite define. It reminded him of when he saw a natural landscape in its moment of splendor or like when a Pokémon released its true essence.

Something beautiful. She was beautiful.

Ash immediately at the thought turned to look away, while Pikachu stared at the scene, enjoying it with much demeanor. He stood quietly, still curled up on Serena's lap and smiling at his trainer.

At first the poor teenager did not know what to do or how to act to resolve the situation; he felt increasingly embarrassed. After a while, however, he realized that maybe he didn’t have to solve anything.

That warmth was not uncomfortable, rather pleasant instead.

What purpose did it serve to wake her up or move her? He would simply let himself fall asleep as well..

His body relaxed against the big and soft pouf, allowing not only himself to get comfortable to sleep but also trying to do the same for her while still leaning against him. Within seconds his eyes began to grow dim and tired. His heavy eyelids dropped until his eyes closed and before long he collapsed into a deep sleep, comforted by the presence of his friend on him.

He did not hear the sound of the bedroom door closing, nor did he hear his mother walking away after seeing everything as she smiled to herself.

...

Hours later, with the house shrouded in the darkness of night, Serena’s eyes opened. They continued to look around the room, trying to adjust to the lack of light.

It was impossible for her to get back to sleep with that sudden tightness in her chest that had woken her up. It was like a strong impulse, one demanding her to get up and do something she had been avoiding for hours.

If the urge to make a decision had chased her all the way into dreamland, it was clear that she had to hurry.

Truth to be told, it had been a long time since she had slept well, the only exception having been during her stay in Pallet Town, possibly because of the atmosphere and the kindness that Ash and his mother gifted her. They had distracted, welcomed and entertained her. 

Tergiversation, however, would not allow her to keep the nightmares away for long, and there was no point in postponing something for which she had already made an almost certain decision.

She looked at the clock on Ash's bedside table; it was 03:40 in the morning. Very late for them, but not for anyone.

For example, it wasn’t late in Kalos....

She then brought her gaze to her friend, aware that if she had looked in the mirror she would probably have ended up face to face with a tomato. She had no idea if he had fallen asleep at the same time she had or if he had simply decided not to move her because it didn't bother him, but she was certain she didn't want to wake him up. 

And while Serena would have loved to go back to sleep like that, she had a higher priority at that moment.

"Pipika?" murmured Pikachu half-asleep.

"Sorry I didn't mean to wake you up" She apologized for interrupting his sleep, but Pikachu shook his head and waved with his paw, implying it wasn't her fault and it didn't really matter.

He observed the situation better. Serena's head was resting under that of his trainer, and from the look in the girl's eyes he could tell that she had to get up to do something. He did not know what but it seemed important, and understanding the performer's need the little mouse got up, leapt onto the back of the big pillow and slowly tucked his little head between that of the two so that she could remove hers without leaving a gap and waking Ash.

The Kalosian managed to slip away, and her friend remained asleep. Acknowledging this she joined hands and with a smile thanked the Pokémon, "Thank you Pikachu! I promise I'll be quick!" 

Not that Pikachu minded snuggling with his trainer, but it wasn’t the most comfortable position. He looked like a sack of potatoes. "Pi!"

Serena's eyes shifted to Ash, who was sleeping peacefully as if nothing had happened. His sleep had always been quite heavy and yet he looked so peaceful at that moment, so relaxed.

She couldn’t help but feel that sense of extreme tenderness at seeing him like that. She brought a hand under the bangs on Ash's forehead and gently brushed them away from his eyes, lest they disturb him. She wished she could have done it without hesitation and without hiding, but that small gesture would have to suffice for the moment.

Shaking her head and standing up straight, the girl went to the door and opened it, without then closing it completely, to avoid making excessive noise. She then looked around, noting that there was no one around. Delia had to be in bed at that hour, but she didn’t think the woman would mind if she made an important call.

She descended the stairs and went to the living room, dialed the number on the video call display, and then waited. It didn't take long, the answer came almost immediately, and the figure of a middle-aged lady appeared on the screen.

"Serena, how nice to hear from you. Are you still at home?" replied the woman in question.

"It’s nice to hear from you too, Mrs. Palermo! No, I am not in Kalos at the moment, I am in the Kanto region visiting a friend. I know it’s still evening in Kalos, but I hope I am not disturbing you."

Palermo was left surprised for a moment, but then smiled with candor "Finally I see some light in your eyes, I'm glad you feel better after what happened. You did well going to Kanto."

"Yes, I'm glad I left home again"

"And I guess the reason you are calling me is not to inform me that you want to participate in the Contests circle in Kanto, right?" she took a small cup and brought it to her lips, sipping its contents very calmly. "And most probably it's also not about the proposal we talked about when you came back from Hoenn, right?"

Only silence was heard in response. Palermo looked well into the girl's eyes and after a slight moment of reflection the woman closed her own, smiling knowingly "...Yes, I guess it's the exact opposite." she continued to smile, placing the cup on the coffee table in front of her again.

"I must decline your proposal again."

Palermo didn’t give an immediate response, merely remaining in a stasis. The smile did not leave her lips and her eyelids remained lowered.

Serena took a deep breath and tried to continue "You have really been far too patient and kind to me. I refused your offer the first time so that I could gain experience in my own way elsewhere, and when things didn't go well and I came back, you were kind enough to give me another chance. I left to gain experience and build a solid foundation for my career, but I only ended up finding many more doubts..."

"For what it's worth, even if it doesn't have to do with the more unpleasant side of the story, it was my advice that was wrong. For that I'm deeply sorry."

A sad smile grew on Serena's lips "You tried to help me even though you had no obligation to me."

"It would be a shame not to help a girl with so much potential and passion, beyond sympathy." 

Serena sighed, trying to banish from her mind thoughts that she was not ready to face at the moment "I know that coming to study with you would be the safest choice to make things right, but even so, I'd like to think that Hoenn was just a misstep to learn from. And I'll probably make more, but I think I'll be able to get up better if I have no regrets in what I'm doing."

For a long time she had reflected on the words Ash had said to her after her defeat in the Masterclass; about how nothing you do is really worthless.
She had clung to those words like a mantra, especially when she had returned from her trip to Hoenn, and was still desperately trying to apply them.

She still had to find out what that dark chapter of her life was for, to find out what meaning necessarily existed, that sooner or later it would be useful for her to grow. 

Otherwise, how could she deserve to even follow her own dream?

But to find answers to all those questions, she would have to keep traveling. Keep gaining experiences, meeting people and Pokémon, really understanding what the reality of her goal was. And how to do that except by discovering all the realities in which it presented itself?

She thought back to Ash and the look on his face when he asked her to accompany him, the undeniable assurance he gave her "My friend Ash asked me to go with him, and from the beginning I wanted to spontaneously accept. I often wavered when it came to making decisions for my future, except when I decided to join him in Kalos... and in the end it was the best choice I could ever make. I think if my heart gave me such a strong signal, it means I have to follow it."

A couple of seconds passed and then Palermo asked, "I'm going to ask you an honest question, without advancing any prejudice; do you think you would still have been able to make this choice without him?"

To that question, Serena was more than ready "I have always feared that the sense of security he gives me would not allow me to detach and depend on myself alone. However, with time I have realized that this is not the case."

"Hmm"

"It is true that we cannot always depend on others in life, but I achieved so much traveling in Kalos because I was not alone. If there were no other people or Pokémon to share our life experiences with, we would lose a lot of valuable aspects of life. I'm not saying you don't need to find strength in yourself, but sometimes taking risks is safer if you do it with someone who is ready to support you, even silently. I think you can walk your own path and at the same time do it side by side."

The woman still said nothing, letting the girl speak.

"I'm still not convinced over what I will do exactly, I know that in the region where he asked me to accompany him, Forsia, there are Showcases. Maybe I will participate and start from scratch going back on the path my heart advises or maybe I will try something different to see if being a Showcases Queen is really what I want for my future as a performer. Maybe it will give me some answers or maybe I will need it to feel better and take a break from everything… and then come back stronger than before" she brought a hand to her chest feeling the words flow from her mouth now much more naturally.

"I understand," replied Palermo in an extremely calm tone, "I must say I'm a little surprised. I didn't expect you to come out of that situation so quickly and decide to come with me, but even this sudden very strong, random, out-of-the-box choice of yours... it really leaves me with a lot to think about."

Serena felt sorry, she did not want to disrespect the woman or imply that her teaching methods did not work "I didn't mean to-"

Palermo motioned Serena to stop and the girl obeyed "Serena, you want to go with this guy- Ash, right?"

Serena was initially surprised but within a moment a determined look formed on her face "Yes, I just know that I want to go and find out more on this journey with my friends."

There were a few seconds of silence, in which Serena felt more and more pressure rising but her gaze did not morph into anything else.

"Then go." The woman smiled.

Serena could imagine her eyes sparkling with joy, yet it was impossible at that moment, in the darkness of the night, to be able to tell, even if she had been provided with a mirror. Only her heart convinced her of this "y-You’re really not disappointed or offended?"

"Would it have changed your choice?" asked Palermo defiantly. 

To which Serena answered promptly, "No."

"Then it is definitely the best decision, if you are so sure you want to make it. I think it has become clear by now that for one reason or another we will not be able to work together as student and teacher, and as much as I regret it, it’s not the only or the best method for you to learn. You have come this far on your own strength and the support of your friends, so if it works for you I don't see why forcing it to change."

Serena brought a hand to her chest once again, where she normally kept her blue ribbon. Even though she did not have it on now it had become a habit to place her fingers there in the most heartfelt moments.

"I'm not saying I completely share your vision, but I probably don't understand it either. Your path asks you to surround yourself with other important things besides the Showcases, to build a stronger foundation," Palermo's words continued. 

It was true, she could not understand the other motivations that bound Serena to the boy other than love, but she also thought of being able to read her enough to say that she was not just a lovesick girl ready to throw everything away or willing to depend on one person.

Serena felt a huge weight leave her chest. "Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!" She said, bowing to thank the older woman. She now knew that she could devote herself to her healing journey, without having remorse of any kind.

Palermo nodded "Good luck Serena, it was a pleasure to meet you and to be able to help you a little in what I could. If you need me, know that I will always be available. I am convinced that you can do so much in your life, you are special."

The lady then brought her hand to the display button "Although it is important to use your head, keep following your heart, so far it has led you to the best choices." At that point a faint smile was the last image of Palermo that Serena saw.

The phone went off and the girl sighed as she lifted her head toward the ceiling, not taking her hand off her beating heart.
Her lips painted into a smile, the truest one she could assume. She took her newfound good mood with her and finally felt her body become tired but relaxed. She could go back to sleep...

With Ash.

There, now she would have the time and soul to be embarrassed about those things again. And with Pikachu certainly waiting for her, she had to hurry.

Stopping her, however, was a soft voice that called her back in the dark "So the answer is yes, huh?" it said warmly and kindly.

The poor girl almost had a stroke to see Mrs. Ketchum swoop in like a ghost behind her back, "Delia? I-I didn't know you were still awake!" said the girl trying not to scream from fright. She hoped she hadn't woken her up.

"Actually I had just gone downstairs to get a glass of water, in this heat I look like a thirsty Camerupt! As I came in, I heard your and a lady's voice and it was inevitable to listen to the rest. I'm sorry I did it without your permission, but I wanted to make sure everything was alright. Usually for calls you don’t wait the middle of the night"

"D-Don't worry, it was nothing serious! I just couldn’t sleep and wanted to get it over with. The important thing is just not to tell Ash, I want it to be a surprise that I chose to leave with him!"

Delia nodded "Of course, my mouth is sealed!"

"B-But you’re right that it’s late so I’ll wait tomorrow to tell my mother too! I can't wait to go on this journey."

"That's really great, I can imagine how happy my son will be!" laughed Delia softly "However, I didn't mean that, I was referring to what that woman mentioned..." she slowed down observing carefully the changes of expression on Serena's face "Or rather... the implications she made."

Serena tried to play dumb even though it was a vain and pathetic attempt. It was more a silence of discomfort.

The woman, seeing the girl's extremely distressed expression, walked over and rested her hands on her shoulders "Sweetheart, you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. Whatever happened you can talk about it if and when you feel ready, to me or Ash. I'm sure that whatever it is, it doesn't make you any less strong than you are."

Serena smiled and suddenly felt herself enveloped in the woman's embrace, to which she returned with affection and almost necessity. She had not realized that she needed it until it happened. "I am not that strong at all..."

"You underestimate yourself, my dear," Delia murmured in a warm tone, "Your mere presence here is proof of how big your heart is, and I could not be more grateful for what you have done and will do by leaving with Ash."

"Delia...?" Serena raised her head, meeting the woman's shining eyes, from which, however, no tears flowed. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes, it's just that I think I understand; sometimes there are things we can't say, trying to make ourselves strong." Delia spoke with such kindness and calmness, but behind her words one could feel how much sense of empathy there was.

She guided the girl to the sofa, where they both sat down, side by side. "It reassures me enormously to know that you care about Ash so much too, even if we do it differently. You really managed to turn the situation around so easily..."

"D-Delia..." replied Serena, thinking about how much Ash's mother loved her son. This almost reminded her of her own and gave her a note of nostalgia. Grace had different methods of showing it and they often did not understand each other as they wished, but there had never been a lack of love between the two. "Any of our friends could have done it."

"Maybe, but it happened and you were there, nothing and no one will change that."

"Delia..."

"And that's why I'd like to talk to you about something. I haven't discussed it with anyone but Samuel." said Delia, trying not to worry the girl, although it was extremely personal.

Serena's eyes still looked at her with such confusion "Not even with Ash?"

"Especially not with him." These were feelings that a mother could not easily reveal to her son.

"Why me then?" What could make one of Ash's many friends the perfect person for his mother to confide in?

Delia could only chuckle at the question, answering with extreme simplicity, "Because we are friends."

At that statement Serena could only smile, but soon, when the following words left the woman's mouth, her smile disappeared as if melted by a violent flush. 

"My husband has never been present in Ash's life."

She never expected such a turn.

At the mention of Ash's father, Serena turned white as a ghost. She had often wondered what had happened to him, since during the trip to Kalos Ash had never mentioned him of his own accord.

She was not the only one who sensed the delicacy of the matter. She and Clemont had noticed that when Ash looked at the inventor's father he always had a strange look, almost nostalgic or longing. For this reason they had never thought of asking him direct questions.

The only time he had implied the absence of a father figure was when Meyer himself, during a dinner party at his home, had asked about their families, and Ash had merely described Delia and used words that made it clear that it was she alone who had raised him.

Since then, a realization had arisen between Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie: that that was an off-limits topic. And they had made a silent promise to each other to avoid falling on the subject inadvertently.

After all, not even Ash had ever insisted on knowing more when Serena had hinted that she had had a complicated situation with her parents and that her father had not been in her life since a long while, just like when Clemont and Bonnie had confided that their mother had passed away because of a serious illness when her daughter was still a few months old.

The least was to avoid pressure and just be there when he needed some listening to.

"I met him when I was still a teenager, I must have been about eighteen years old. At the time I was still living and working in this house, which was my parents' inn. Not only did we cook, but we also would host some trainers for the night in our extra rooms, and one of them was actually Ash's father..."

She sighed softly at the memory "I always wanted to go on a journey as a Pokémon trainer, but my occupations never allowed me to do so, and this had caused me much resentment and frustration at the situation I was in. It was the meeting with him, however, that made me feel free again..." she took on a nostalgic look full of regret as she remembered those times when it all seemed like a fairytale.

"It felt like a lightning strike, the time of his stay went longer and longer until it became clear that he had settled with us. We were completely head over heels in love, everything else didn't seem to matter once we were together, each other's heart was where we thought we belonged."

It sounded exactly like a fairytale relationship…

There was a pause accompanied by silence, only to give way to Delia's words, that caused a lump in Serena's throat to form. "We found ourselves married within a few months and then, a few weeks later... I was pregnant with Ash."

The girl remained silent and no longer wondered why she was talking; too engrossed in what she was hearing.

"I must admit that we were just two clueless kids, we let ourselves be totally overwhelmed by our emotions. At the time, however, it seemed perfectly natural to us, and even today if I try to imagine myself again in the shoes of the me of those days, I would hardly see an alternative ending" Her voice became increasingly faint "I hadn't even had the time or the way to notice how far our relationship was taking us. He had given me back a smile, the strength and the feeling of freedom I had so longed for… I was not afraid to face the future with him by my side"

Serena felt a sense of tenderness hearing those words, but at the same time one of desolation. Although they were kind of different, Serena, too, had always felt encouraged by Ash's presence. However, she could only understand and not empathize, because having never been in a cage like Delia and having never felt the need for a prince charming, Ash had been surely a great source of strength but not someone to whom she could devote her entire existence.

She cared enormously for that boy, but having the good fortune to be able to discover herself, she had always been able to follow a dream other than just romantic love.

"Just as he gave all that to me, however, he soon took everything away. I was only 19 when I gave birth to Ash... and when he disappeared."

The performer felt her body stiffen, was she implying that Ash's father was?

"He abandoned me." It immediately made Serena's first thought vanish, however, giving way to an equally unsettling one, "He vanished into thin air to resume his journey. At the same time my father made the exact same decision and my mother passed away due to illness..." Delia smiled, although her tone of voice conveyed sorrow. 

"They left... just like that?" The girl could not hold back the grimace, finding herself struck in disgust at those people. She could understand the call of the world, the desire to fulfill her own dreams, but didn't Delia have her own share too? 

Why couldn't she live her life but everyone else could? Why had they saddled her with responsibilities that did not concern her or for which they should have contributed equally?

The passion with which Serena spoke those words came as no surprise to Delia, but it also didn’t bother her. "It all remained in my hands. I had an inn to run totally on my own, grief over my mother’s passing and the abandonment of the two men I thought most important to me... and having to raise the little one that joined me"

She tightened her hand around the fabric of her night robe, taking on a determined look "I had to roll up my sleeves, and so I did. Even though my freedom was now gone, I had found in my son a reason to gather strength and smile again!"

What a strong woman... Serena could only admire, knowing what she had had to go through. However, one thought kept plaguing her, "But  what about your father and husband? In all this time didn't they come back? Or showed up somehow?"

Delia smiled bitterly, "Of course not. Since that day they left I haven't heard from them, they don't even fit into the database of registered trainers."

Disappeared as if they never existed, aside for the responsibilities they left behind. 

"My father… I didn't have a good relationship with him and I always had the gut feeling that he was going to leave us soon or later. The real blow I think was my husband. Not so much for me, I decided not to spend my days hoping for the return of someone who had abandoned his wife and especially his child. However… for Ash… he had no father growing up."

"...Ash..."

"Of course, over the years we still had help from special friends like Professor Oak, whom I cannot thank enough, but it was very difficult for him, even though he never wanted to show it."

"It was hard for you, too." Serena pointed out as a matter of fact. Delia seemed to focus everything on Ash's feelings, but it was clear that she was also a victim of that unpleasant turn of events. "I guess you would have liked to keep studying or chase your dreams like other girls of the same age."

Delia sighed, barely waving her hand as if it were something minor "A little." A lot, but it was past time to complain. No one would give those years back to her. "The most was accepting it in the beginning and I'm not extremely proud of how that realization came and my reaction to it..."

"What did you do this time, Ash?" The girl's voice called the kid, yet she could hardly convey the sense of authority she so hoped to impart. 

Perhaps it was her young age of 22, or perhaps it was the overwhelming fatigue that was making it difficult for her to even stand up straight with her back, head held high. 

The child squared her with his saccharine gray eyes and in one movement turned his head away, trying to avoid his mother's gaze. She wasn't sure if it was because he felt embarrassed or guilty, probably not so much since he kept ending up causing the same disasters despite reprimands, but by now she had gotten, sadly, used to it.

"So? Playing dumb won't get you out of this."

Again the raven-haired child wrinkled his nose, but did not dignify his mother with a glance. At first the attitude had unnerved her not a little, then she had learned to manage her feelings smartly. 

A fake cry, a few complaints about her poor wasted youth and beauty, and a bit of guilt trip. Normally the trick worked and she managed to keep him at bay for a few days before he went back to chaos as usual. 

Ash was not a bad child in the literal sense of the word. He didn't go around bullying other children and didn't do anything that would really hurt people or Pokémon in the area. However, he did not shy away from playing naughty pranks and getting in the way. 

Was she cleaning the rooms? He promptly, just to spite her, would make a mess out of everything.  Rainy day? You could expect muddy footprints all over the house, walls and ceiling included. 
Broken pots playing football in the house despite the endless space outside, jam instead of shampoo and sunscreen in the toothpaste tube…

What was worse was when the pranks extended to customers or the other residents of Pallet Town. Stealing food from customers, dressing up as Gengar and entering guest rooms at night, trying to ride the neighbors' Doduo, throwing water balloons at the cranky old farmer, painting his cabbages...

If she wasn't dealing with his mischief there at home, she had a voicemail filled with messages and a mailbox full of complaints.
All in all they all turned a blind eye in the end because they were well aware that that attitude might be due to the father's absence and an instinctive desire for attention. 

But she had begun to no longer give a damn about it. 

Could she do anything about it? It was her husband who had left. He was the one who had gotten her into that mess.  It was her parents who had prevented her from going on a journey and them who had left her the family business without asking her opinion about it. It was because everyone had left her alone that she now had to do a job she did not choose, put aside her dreams forever, give up the fun she tried so hard to allow her child. 

The villagers were not only patient because Ash had no father, but because she had no one either. They felt sorry for her, and she knew it; there was no use trying to hide it. 

She could still read their looks of pity.

And it wasn't that she wasn't grateful for the occasional help they gave her or for not yet suing her in for Ash's messes, but those eyes followed her everywhere. When she was in public, but also at home when she was alone and even in her dreams. 

She had no idea what she was doing. she was just carrying on what was left to her, surviving.

And she was so pathetic that even her son sensed that passivity, feeling free to do as he pleased. 

Was she really worth anything as a mother?

"Hey..."

He did not even feel compelled to look her in the eye. 

"Ash."

She felt her fists shaking, eager to open and grab the little boy to force him to give her his attention.  But no, she would never lay a finger on her son. 
She was pathetic, but not to that extent.

"..."

So she raised her hands to her face, and although she was fed up with that little acting, she could do nothing but brace herself for the usual desperate attempt. 

She felt the thin fingers trembling on her tired skin and at the slightest movement she made to bend over... 

"Ash..."

With the arrival of that baby, her life had been over.

Her knees gave way and in a thud she fell to the ground. She could not see her son jerk, her head already so low that she almost touched the ground. 

She tried to get back on her feet, but her legs seemed to be unresponsive, too heavy but absurdly she couldn’t feel them.  She tried to take deep breaths to gather her breath, but the more she tried, the more the burning in her chest made her curl up in an almost fetal position. 

And from those attempts to regularize her breathing, uncontrolled sobs started and tears inevitably ended up flooding her face. 

"Mama!"

Without a hint of abating. 

"Mama?"

She couldn’t even remember the last time she had cried like this.  However, she also could not remember the last time her life was not going on autopilot mode. 
How had she gotten to this point?  Ah yes, by trying to escape into a dream to find freedom she had found herself even more chained.

"Mama...?"

Without having the freedom to see the world, to take a day to go out with her friends, to have fun, to worry about the most mundane things people in their 20s have to think about...

And even more pathetically, she didn't know if going back she would be able to make different choices.

"Maybe I really am unlucky..."

As that feeling of loneliness dug into her chest, a small hand rested on her head. 

The warm touch managed to suddenly stop the sobs. She did not move immediately, letting that hand running through her hair continue to caress her head. It had been a long time since she had received such a gesture, one so simple, so spontaneous and loving. 

A very simple caress.

She slowly raised her head and through her tears she could make out the figure of Ash, kneeling in front of her and caressing her as he probably would have done with a Growlithe, even though it was probably the only method he knew of to comfort someone.

The child was visibly confused about what to do, unsure if what he was doing was correct, yet his gesture was spontaneous and so kind.

"Mama, what's wrong? Are you ok?" Asked the child in all his innocence, with a small smile adorning his soft face.

A smile without a trace of guile or malice. A simple, natural and sweet smile. 

"Yes..." she found the energy to respond. She was exhausted, in every way, but the smile she exchanged with her son was not just a facade. 

And how she had really gotten back up she did not know. It was not logical to say that it was the helping hand offered by Ash; he could not have pulled up a body three times the size of her own. She knew, however, that she would do anything to see that smile again.

She had collapsed today but it had allowed her to discover a little treasure. The next day, she would make sure to protect it.

Perhaps she was not so unlucky after all.

It was the first and last time Delia allowed herself such a moment of weakness, but it was enough to change everything.

With the arrival of her baby, her new life had begun.

Serena did not dare to speak, but from her expression one could clearly read how impressed she had been by that story. 

It was incredibly and realistically human, bittersweet and heartfelt. 

"From then on, Ash completely changed his attitude. His reckless and hyped spirit remained the same, as with any child, but he stopped bothering others and playing pranks. I, on the other hand, found a new light to cling to..."

"Does Ash remember all this?" Asked the curious girl. 

"I have no idea, he was very young and if it's something difficult for me to talk about, I guess it's something difficult for him too," Delia replied, thinking about it "But he may does, since that was when the bullying started..."

"Bullying?" Again Serena's face grew worried.

Delia nodded sadly "Unfortunately since he enrolled in kindergarten the other children began to isolate and target him. It went on even during elementary school ... and I didn't know about it for years."

"Didn't Ash say anything to you?"

"He didn't want to worry me anymore," smiled the woman bitterly. Even for that she was not proud of her moment of weakness in front of her son. Sure, it had improved his temperament, but it had also put him under a lot of pressure and led him to bear such a heavy burden alone "He knew that if there was a problem he should have told the teachers or parents, but apparently even doing that didn't change anything, maybe it infuriated the bullies even more, so he decided not to say anything."

Serena just lowered her head, reflecting sorrowfully on what she had just heard. "I remember that at the Professor’s summer camp he was often left alone and the other kids avoided him, but I didn't think it was that bad. They also avoided me since I came from another region."

"Someone had warned Samuel and he was committed to keeping an eye on the situation. It was surprising to hear that my son had made a friend," Delia expressed gratefully, referring to the very girl in front of her. Ash hardly ever had anything to report that concerned friends or acquaintances, so when he had come home pimply, mentioning a little girl in a straw hat, it had been a real joy for his mother.

The girl blushed slightly, shaking her head "I didn't do anything huge, he was the first one to come forward to help me. Maybe that's also why I can't imagine him being targeted like that, he always seemed like a friendly person to me."

Delia sighed, "Indeed, it wasn't for Ash’s personality. Sure, he could be a bit arrogant at times, overwhelming and stubborn, but he was still willing to help others and make friends. The problem was what he didn't have-"

"His father?" Immediately Serena zeroed in, foreseeing where the argument would go, absurd as it might be. 

"Yes, the reason he was bullied was because he didn't have a dad."

"What a stupid reason..."

"Eventually I found out that most of the bullies were children with problems at home, so somehow by helping the parents even the children calmed down. Ash was never able to make real friends until he left for his journey. He still sometimes quarreled with Gary, Samuel's grandson, but at least he was no longer bullied" The brunette touched her chest, as if she had just relived the relief of those days. "Sometimes, though, I wonder how much pain I could have spared my son if I had realized earlier what was going on."

"But you have done so much!" immediately exclaimed Serena, showing when she had taken Delia's situation to heart "You managed to help those families and stop a wave of bullying all by yourself! In your place I don't know how many would have succeeded!"

Her words were steeped in tenderness and compassion, both for the admirable woman in front of her and for her son.

"Had I been in your place I could only dream of being as strong as you," Serena admitted in a low voice, but enough for Delia to hear her.

The woman smiled slightly "Not everyone has to go through the same experiences to be strong people. Besides, if I succeeded, as I told you, the credit goes only to Ash."

"He is an amazing person. I feel lucky to have known him."

"Yes, anyone would be very lucky to have him in their life. I hope you eventually are too."

The implication made Serena's head snap up and Delia emitted a faint chuckle "Don't look at me like that, you're not the only one hoping something will blossom between the two of you!"

The girl felt her face get warm, but despite her embarrassment she managed to speak "I think I would be lucky even if he didn't reciprocate my feelings."

Delia could only appreciate all the sweetness of the girl. It was not for everyone to have such a mature outlook on bonding and she was enormously relieved by the implications of Serena's words "That's important. No relationship is perfect, romantic or otherwise. What really brings it to be healthy and strong is the ability to be able to overcome obstacles together, to be able to accept flaws and strive for improvement."

"So far, however, it has seemed to me to be a one-way street... ever since we were children he has always seemed to be the one to help me" He had been the one who had given her the impetus to leave, as well as the desire to leave home, just as he had always been the one to incite her.

At that statement, the woman waved her hand, as if she had just heard something silly "Come on, I'm sure you helped him more than you think, otherwise he wouldn't always be so happy to spend time with you. Do you think the hours of talking I listened to after his return from Kalos didn't include you?"

"E-Ehm..." 

"He told me so many things, and even if I was so crazy as to doubt, I could never after what you did by coming here. If you are lucky to have him, he is also lucky to have you. You have each other's backs, you support and trust each other, but most of all you make each other happy and that's the most important thing."

Delia gently took Serena's hand between her own and squeezed it gently "I surely hope that you will never find yourselves in a bad situation in the future, but I know that everything in life is not rosy, so I will be much calmer knowing that you will be there for each other. With each passing day I am more and more convinced that Ash is not like his father, so please don't be afraid that he will ever come up short to you, even if you don't get together."

Serena reciprocated her grip, now clasping the woman's hands in her own with confidence and determination "I would never have any doubt, Ash leaves no one behind and I don't intend to either."

Delia's tension slowly seemed to fade as she let the reassurance of the girl in front of her enter her heart. 

Her son had experienced abandonment and for that reason he would never abandon. This was wonderful but at the same time greatly frightened Delia for how Ash might react in case he lost someone dear to him. 

She did not want him to go through what she had, and since she could not ensure that, having to let him go his own way, all she could do was rely on someone who cared about him almost as much as she did.

She knew that all his friends probably fell within that circle, but she also knew her son's tendencies. He would always support others before supporting himself; he would be willing to shoulder the burden of loneliness again if necessary. 

The first consequences of his attitude had been seen since his return from Kalos. After years of traveling where he had forged bonds and separated from his friends to allow them to follow different paths. Inevitably then, at the moment when he had most needed to keep himself surrounded by those people but had not dared to do so, the breaking point had come.

"I know it's extremely selfish of me but I can't help but ask you..."

The next gesture Delia made made Serena's heart jolt, taking her breath away. The woman leaned forward in a formal half-bow, putting her whole soul into her words, "Don't leave him."
The background silence became as overwhelming as that moment was symbolic.

"I would never dream of asking you to devote your whole life to him or follow him anywhere, give up your independence, stop chasing your own path, or renounce to find a future with someone else who would know how to make you happy..."

"D-D..-"

"He makes you content, right?"

Without hesitation, Serena confirmed, "Of course."

"Then I just ask you not to doubt that you make him feel content too. Ash has a tendency to put the good of others before his own and to unconsciously distance himself from people for fear of wanting too much and getting hurt."

"..."

"Do not doubt even if you should go your separate ways. Should he shut himself off, never ever doubt that he cares for you. Don't be afraid to trust him with your heart, okay?"

Loving a person means not only caring for them, but supporting them from near and far, giving them strength in difficulties and sharing their joys and sorrows. It means correcting them if they make mistakes but also not abandoning them if they are willing to work to improve, putting their good before your own but not so much that you are blinded by it. 

Respecting oneself as much as the other.

Delia wasn't asking her to pretend to be attached to Ash in case she didn't feel like dealing with him anymore; she didn't want to put such a burden on her. But as a mother she also wanted to make sure that her son would not lose such an important presence in his life.

The girl lowered herself and stood on Delia's level, embracing her from below. The woman was surprised by the gesture "Don't worry, if it's Ash, it's impossible not to love him, and I will continue to do so."

Those words were like an arrow, a shot into her heart....

The woman returned the embrace with a special strength, tried by those words. She murmured thanks as tears rolled down her cheeks, always, however, showing a smile on her face.

They were tears of joy.

"Thank you."

"Thank you Delia," Serena replied. "Really"

For giving birth to Ash, for raising him into the person he was, and for loving him so deeply.

.

.

.

Chapter Text

The sun did not delay its rising, but Serena did not rise with it that morning. 

She was no longer in Ash's room, so her eyes took notice once open. Instead, she was laying on the couch in his living room. Memories of the previous night came flooding back as her hand tightened around the fabric of the blanket Delia must have wrapped around her sometime after she lost consciousness.

"You ended up falling asleep there," Delia greeted, setting a plate with freshly cooked pancakes in front of her on the coffee table, "I hope you didn’t sleep uncomfortably."

"Not at all!" the young girl replied with a smile, trying to hold back a yawn. The uncomfortable one rather than her was probably Pikachu, whom she had regretfully left to act as a pillow all night "Ash?"

"He got up two hours ago, an early bird for once! Almost as if he was missing something," the woman gave Serena a look full of cunning and mischief, triggering the blush on the blond’s face. The girl tried to act naive, as if she had no idea what the other was talking about.

Delia held back a giggle, "Anyway, he said he would be pretty busy. He hurriedly ate some fruit and ran out, but I have no idea what he's up to. Oh! He also took your Pokémon. I hope it's not an issue for you, he said it was important."

What was Ash up to? And what were Braixen, Sylveon, and Pancham going with him for?

Usually he wasn’t so enigmatic, except for some of his Pokémon battles "It's not a problem, but I wonder what he’s doing..."

"Who knows… maybe he has something fun in mind for the two of you to do together today-" proposed Delia as she sipped a cold herbal tea "-and he probably didn’t wish to wake you up."

Serena nodded and began to eat her breakfast, after which she helped Delia with some of her chores. 

If Ash was busy, she saw no reason to disturb him. She would wait until lunchtime for his return, after all the trainer's stomach was the best alarm clock there could ever be for him.

Still having some time left after finishing her assigned tasks, however, she decided to enjoy her surroundings outside a bit more, knowing that once she had told Ash of her decision, there would be no more time to visit the area. "I'm going out for a walk! I'll be back soon!"

Upon receiving Delia's acknowledging nod, the girl left the house and began to walk.

Thoughts of how to give Ash the news occupied her mind to the point of losing track of how far she was going. She did not give much thought to how much time was passing; Pallet Town’s atmosphere was not like Vaniville Town’s and it gave her a totally different sense of peace.

She reached down to pick a flower and at that moment noticed out of the corner of her eye a familiar figure in the distance. 

The realization that it was a Pokémon was immediate, but she did not expect that Pokémon to be a Bayleef.

She had little doubt about who it belonged to, after all, there was not a high presence of wild Bayleefs. It had to be Ash's.
But why was she outside the lab area? Ash didn't seem to be around, so she must have been alone. 

This was not normal at all.

Serena decided to approach, she didn't have to fear Bayleef attacking her, even though she had a hunch that she didn’t hold much sympathy for her.
The performer did not even bother not to be heard, from her point of view there was no reason to hide her presence. However, as soon as the Pokémon saw the girl it emitted a slight growl.

Rightly, Serena immediately stopped but she was not overly frightened; if anything, she felt worried about Bayleef. She noticed that she was not even in the best condition, from her fur she seemed to have come out of a light fight.

And it was the truth, she could not know that Bayleef had had a quarrel with some of Ash's other Pokémon and had resorted to the hard way in order to make a quick escape without them alerting the professor. She had wandered around all night in an attempt to relieve herself of stress, but it seemed to have only increased.

Serena took a step forward, receiving another contrite cry. It was clear that Bayleef wanted to be left alone.

But wasn't it her duty as a trainer to help Pokémon in need? Whether they were hers or not?

"Bay." Bayleef growled trying to ignore her and leave.

However, this time she received an answer; "Why are you here alone? I don't think Professor Oak knows...and Ash wouldn't like to know that one of the Pokémon he cares about is who-knows-where and has a problem," Serena said, approaching again slowly, but just as slowly Bayleef pulled away.

Serena sped up without being too noticeable "Listen, I'm not your trainer and I think that you don't like me very much, but I still want to help you in some way. Ash's friends are my friends too." She managed to zero in on the distance and touch Bayleef with her hand.

Upon contact the Pokémon let out her two whips and did not hesitate to strike the girl on the arm, who instinctively tried to protect herself as best she could, but to no avail. "BAY!!!"

One touch had been enough to make Bayleef lose her mind, and she did not hesitate to try the move on the girl again. However, Serena did not flinch and let the vines hit her, knocking her to the ground "Argh!"

Bayleef began to breathe laboriously; she was tired and did not even know if what she was doing was right. 

Why hadn't the girl moved? Hadn't she realized that she could attack her again? Was she masochistic?

Serena got back up, surely the Pokémon needed help and it was not her intention to give up. 

She ignored the burning in her arm; after all, she could have hit her harder if she really intended to hurt her. Ash would certainly have been more able to calm her down, but that was exactly why she had to be able to do it herself.

Now there was no Ash, there was her.

"I'm sorry, but I can't leave you in trouble," she replied, retrying to move closer.

"Bay..." Pokémon gritted her teeth. She was beginning to be annoyed by that behavior, it was so familiar and she did not understand why it was giving her so much frustration.

She charged her vines and hurled them at Serena again, who for the umpteenth time did not budge and put her arm forward, letting one of them twist and tighten its grip on it.

"I-I'm not going to leave someone in distress if I can help it and it's not something I'm going to back down on," she grimaced as she felt the grip tighten even more but ignored the Pokémon's attempts to push it away. "Look, I-I know the problem centers on Ash. And I don't think it's just jealousy, not totally..."

She looked up with a sincere smile "You must have tried everything. You, who are his Pokémon, to get him to be himself again, but until I came along apparently it hadn't gone very well...is that what's frustrating you?"

Bayleef was somewhat surprised by the girl's comment, but did not flinch. Her body became rigid suddenly, and it was this that confirmed Serena's hypothesis.

"It's true that A-Ash started to feel better after my arrival, but it doesn't mean that your gesture is not important or that y-you are useless. You have done everything you could, and I'm c-certain that he perceived that. These are just difficult issues to solve! In fact, h-he told me that before I arrived and his plans changed, he had finally decided to come to Kalos to visit his friends there! So he definitely felt your efforts!"

Tears began to fall down Bayleef's face, but she only tightened her grip more, trying to fight the feeling inside her chest. Why had she not been able to help her trainer and instead that girl succeeded? Why did the absence she and the other Pokémon had from the Journey in Kalos have to make everything so complex? Why had she been useless?

"I love Ash," Serena admitted without hesitation, which immediately made Bayleef turn her gaze on her, "And I'm sure in your own way you love him too. My love for Ash, however, is not more important than the bond between you two, it is just different. It’s not more effective or more successful, it was just one that along with my friendship I could give him. I couldn't always help him either, and I know how frustrating that can be."

That girl was so stubborn, so persistent.

Like Ash.

The vines gave way and the grip around Serena's arm went away. The girl looked slightly surprised but did not hesitate to smile and touch the Pokémon's still turned away head with her hand "No other bond can ever break yours, it’s special and Ash treasures it. You are family after all!"

The Johto starter pulled up her nose, finally accepting the touch. It wasn't so bad, and at that moment, as hard as it was to admit, she really needed it.

"I would like to be part of it too," Serena confessed with a sweet little smile, "In some way I would like to be friends with you too, to be family. I would like to have connections with you and help each other out."

She peered at Bayleef's red irises, reading the Pokémon's feeling of repentance on the matter "After all, we have one important thing in common!"

It didn't need to be said out loud; they both knew what their side in common was. They both cared a big amount about Ash and that was all that was needed. They could go so far as to care for each other.

Serena touched her arm lightly, feeling a breeze that gave her a slight sensation of itch. She had insisted on always protecting herself with the same so that she would not have to hide both arms from Ash in case questions arose.

Reading the look in the grass type’s eyes, Serena reassured  "I'm not going to tell Ash. These things happen, what matters is to have resolved them!" she then observed her wound "It's not serious, it will pass quickly. As long as it is only on this arm and not elsewhere I can tell Ash that I bumped into some logs while walking in the more wooded area."

Bayleef was initially surprised by such a statement. “Bay?”

"We don't want to worry Ash, do we?" The girl brought an index in front of her mouth, mimicking silence on the matter and winking. It was a secret between them.

The dinosaur reached out with her head and licked the girl's arm mightily, causing her to giggle. It was her way of helping, apologizing and accepting the new relationship.

"Can we consider ourselves friends?"

"Beef!" Nodded the Pokémon.

At that point Serena smiled happily and hugged Bayleef catching her off guard but not displeasing or bothering her. She reciprocated the hug with her neck; that girl wasn’t so bad after all.

"Okay, I think it's time to go back to the lab! I would like to treat your wounds even if they are minor, but if we go to Ash's house we risk being seen and we can say goodbye to our secret! Also don't worry about your friends, we'll talk to them together and you'll see that you won't get into trouble!" assured Serena.

“Bay…”

...

Ash was running fast. It was later than expected, hopefully Serena had not been bored during his absence, although with his mother boredom was hard to experience. "Hey Pikachu, do you think she will like what we prepared?"

"Piii!" the little mouse nodded, keeping up the running pace.

Ash had never been a great organizer. Even in fights, although he used strategies, it was more about heart and instinct.  He also knew how to handle himself during his travels and be self-sufficient… mostly, however, it was a surprise and he was not used to preparing any.
He was very uncertain of the outcome, even if everyone did their best.

It was simple, perhaps too simple? Serena, however, had never seemed the type to like things that are too complicated....

The moment he walked through the door he saw Serena coming down the stairs together with his mother "I'm back! Sorry I'm late!" he greeted as he approached.

"Ah, there you are! You finally showed up!" his mother mocked him with a smile "It took you long enough!"

Ash scratched his head with slight embarrassment "Eh… everything needed to be perf-... what did you do to your arm, Serena?" his expression immediately changed upon seeing the girl's bandaged arm.

Serena had realized too late that she had nothing with which she cover the mark of Bayleef's lashings so, as she had already thought, she had told Delia that she had hurt herself in the forest and that a very flexible branch had hit her when she had tried to pass through the thickest area among the vegetation. 

Of course, the excuse had to be the same with Ash "I was careless in the forest while walking and ran into a tree, but it's no big deal! It doesn't even hurt that much!"

Delia said nothing about the matter. For years she had seen Ash return home after his little adventures with various wounds, scratches, and marks, so she knew that this was not a whiplash from a branch. If, however, the girl kept the cause of the marks on her arm to herself and was not upset, it did not seem appropriate for her to press the matter.

"Hm..." Ash frowned slightly. Serena bent her head a little, as if to ask if something didn't convince him but the boy seemed to let it go and the smile returned on his face "As long as it doesn't hurt... that's all it matters!"

She smiled back, trying not to look uncertain "Yeah. By the way, what were you saying earlier about having to have everything perfect?"

Ash immediately showed a grin, reached out and grabbed her by the hand of her unbandaged arm "Eheheh, come with me!" he told her, dragging her out the front door, leaving Delia behind who laughed it off.

Serena tried to keep up, then slowly their ride became more carefree and less hurried. The two giggled as the landscape around them passed by and the scent of the trees became more intense. The calm of the place was interrupted only by their cheerfulness.

They seemed to be back to simple children having fun with nothing.

Serena merely followed her friend, although it was not as if she had much choice since he was leading and dragging her.

They had entered the forest and it was getting thicker and thicker....

"Ash? Where are you taking me? What do we do now?"

"You just follow me and don't worry! There is a secret place that only I know and I want to take you there! You'll see later!" The trainer winked. 

Once they stopped in front of some kind of rock wall, the boy turned to Pikachu and motioned for him to proceed.
The mouse climbed up a log and stopped on one of the branches. After that he jumped into the thick jumble of intense green leaves, disappearing into thin air.

Ash stood beside the tree and facing Serena. He opened his hands joining them and leaned down "I'll help you! All you have to do is place one foot on my hands and the other on the lower branches! I will give you the initial push and then you just climb up there!"

The girl nodded silently and obediently, did as she was told, and soon found herself on the branch where Pikachu had been earlier. Ash was stronger than she could have imagined, he had lifted her like a feather. 

She shifted just enough to allow the boy to get on the same branch, and fortunately he seemed to hold the weight of both of them. Once beside each other, Ash pointed to the pile of leaves and she looked at him doubtfully.

"What if we fall?" Serena hesitated.

Ash shook his head "Don't worry, trust me!" He smiled.

Serena fought the blush on her cheeks "You know I do trust you..." she whispered as she made her way through the vegetation and passed through it. Strangely, she did not feel the weight of her body send her plummeting and she did not find herself on the ground. 

Under her hands and knees she felt a rocky material, were they by any chance inside the wall?

It was a tunnel and she had to crawl in a crouch, but she did what Ash told her, then allowed him to enter and follow her. "Don't worry, if you keep going sooner or later you will see the light at the end!"

It was a good thing neither of them was claustrophobic.

Once the light reached her eyes, Serena only worried about getting down without hurting herself. Fortunately, the ground was much closer than the entrance. She felt the grassy ground under her feet and finally had the confidence to look behind her.

The boy was shortly beside her "It's not me coming down that you have to look at right now, you know?" He joked, signaling her to turn around and observe their surroundings.

Serena blushed again, thinking that her friend was also a pretty sight, but she listened to him and turned around, fully understanding his words.

There was a lake with crystal clear water in front of her, and around it was an expanse of grass covering the various knolls in the land. The meadow glistened from the still fresh dew and reflected its bright green from the sun's rays that gave more color to the thousands of flowers scattered everywhere. 

A few trees stood toward the innermost part of the basin, while the rest prostrated themselves to the rock walls that enclosed it all. It must have been an old crater or an indentation in the ground created by the fall of something.

What a marvelous sight, she could not help but smile with a gleam in her eyes so intense that it triggered another smile in Ash. He had made the right choice.

He went behind her and placed his hands on her face, covering her eyes "We’re not done yet!" he said, calmly guiding her, being careful not to lead her the wrong way "I won't throw you into the lake!" he chuckled.

"I'd drag you in with me in that case," she replied, playing along, making him giggle again.

Eventually their walk stopped, even if it seemed they went further than she had imagined. "Keep your eyes closed, okay?" he warned her, removing his hands and moving who knows where "Okay! You can open them!"

Serena opened her eyes and found herself facing something she never thought she would see, or at least it was in her wildest dreams. A beautiful picnic awaited them under a tree by the lake with Braixen, Sylveon, and Pancham waiting for them.

"Ash! This is great! But how did you...?" exclaimed Serena with wonder.

It was simple, but in its details also well organized and there were decorations done really well. It almost didn't even look like his own hand.

"Yeah, I borrowed your Pokémon without asking, but I needed a feminine touch and I wanted it to be a surprise," Ash admitted with embarrassment "I don't have great aesthetic taste for these things. If it had been me it probably would have been even more mundane."

"Are you kidding? It's lovely!" she insisted, igniting a strange and strong feeling of warmth inside him. Again.

Serena's smile was becoming a kind of… drug.

"Why did you do all this?" she asked with emotion.

He looked at her softly "To say thank you," he answered simply and directly.

"Huh?"

"I wanted to thank you for cheering me up" said Ash, putting his hands in his pockets as the wind blew over them "I was really unrecognizable before you came and I had a lot of doubts wandering around in my head. I still have a lot of them actually, but it has come back to me that it is not by standing here mulling over myself that I will solve them and even though I should know this from the get go by now… I ended up needing friends to remind me."

The girl offered an understanding smile. After all, Ash was as human as any other, one could not expect someone invincible and always confident. "With all you do for others, it seemed the least I could do. And it's not to return a favor at all costs, there are just those who care about you and would be willing to do anything to see you happy! It's not a bad thing to rely on others once in a while!"

"Hmm" he barely squinted his eyes. She was right, it shouldn't be a problem to seek help from his friends if he needed it, even if the struggles he was fighting were personal. "The same goes for you, you know?"

He didn't have to say anything more; Serena knew that whatever he was referring to, the message was universal and applied to every possible situation they would face in the future.

The performer threw her arms around Ash's neck, who did not immediately respond, being surprised by the embrace. He did not know what to say in words, feeling a tingling in his chest.

"I'm looking forward to this new journey."

Ash's silence was proof of his growing shock as she felt the boy's body freeze in her arms. It seemed as if the sudden, totally out-of-context, pleasant words had petrified him.

"I have decided to go with you," she repeated, more and more directly.

She heard no words from him in response, but the boy's arms wrapped around her responding to the embrace strongly.

They had never hugged like that before. There was strength, affection, understanding… no walls to divide them. Serena hugged her friend with a relaxed and affectionate manner, while he did the same but with more energy.

It didn't matter if their Pokémon were watching them, never mind the wind that made light drops of lake water rise against them.

When Ash's grip relaxed and the two eased into that embrace the girl decided to continue, "I actually decided it last night..." She didn't want to make him think he had convinced her just because of the surprise; it was a choice already made "I wanted to tell you earlier but-..."

"Thank you." he restricted himself. This was perfectly fine and he couldn't ask for more. There was no need to explain, he knew Serena was not the type to be bought off like that. He had just been pleasantly surprised, and the news had been like a bolt from the blue.

"Thank you too." She said softly, "Of course, if you still want to… if you prefer to go alone..."

"NO!" he replied promptly, only to recompose himself and smile with a grin "If I asked you, it's because I really want to. Besides, I said you would have time to decide!"

After a few seconds of silence, the Kantonian lifted her up a bit, catching her off guard and making her blush, and then began to spin around with glee "YAY!!" he shouted happily, exulting. Now he could let off steam.

"A-Ash!?"

"Now I can safely say it! I can't wait to go on our journey, to meet new Pokémon and friends, to visit many different places, and to pursue our dreams! Oh and to eat many good things!" he continued to spin happily, leading the Pokémon to do the same, infected by his joy.

Pikachu and Sylveon cheered with some composure while Pancham and Braixen remained celebrating with more resolve but satisfaction.

The laughter was infectious and they all found themselves giggling until they had to stop due to exhaustion. Ash let himself fall backward, dragging Serena with him and ending up holding her over his body, but neither of them paid any attention at that moment. 

They were really too excited about the prospect of a new journey together and this time with much more calm and eagerness to find their goals.

When they noticed the pose they had put themselves in, the two hastily broke away and looked away, trying to compose themselves.

…

Thus passed their day. Once they had eaten, the two stayed to chat and walk quietly around the area. Apparently Ash had discovered that place casually, but he never recalled something like that existing, nor he remembered when he found out about it.

He had thought it was perfect for retreating to think, work out, or enjoy a day at leisure. A secret spot of some sorts, but he had not minded sharing that place with her.

However, once the sun marked late afternoon, the two decided to leave the place and go to Professor Oak for one last talk and most importantly to communicate their decision.
They would have liked to stay longer on those meadows, even until they saw the evening stars in the sky, but they did not have the time available for that; Olivio waited for details and their things needed to be packed.

The real surprise upon arriving was finding Delia in the laboratory garden.

"Mama? What are you doing here?" the puzzled boy asked, finding her standing next to some of his Pokémon as she stroked them.

"Mama's secrets, let's just say I had the gut feeling that you were coming here. I guess for reasons we know well by now." She said, giving them a wink.

Both teens smiled among themselves and then nodded, "We’ll leave together for Forsia as soon as possible!" They said with satisfaction.

"Great! Olivio will be pleased to hear that! We need to contact him right away to let him know!" replied Oak.

"Hmmm! I can't wait to leave for this new advent-" Ash’s words were interrupted by a sudden flurry and a quick snap of something passing by his side.

A net wrapped around Pikachu, straight off Ash's shoulder, and the tug sent the trainer tumbling backward as the mouse groaned trying to free himself to no avail "Pikapi!"

"Prepare for trouble! We’ll join the delight!"

 "Make it double! Our bags are ready for the flight!" 

"To protect the world from devastation!" 

"To unite all peoples within our nation!" 

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!" 

"To extend our reach to the stars above!" 

"Jessie!" 

"James!" 

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!" 

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!" 

"Meowth, that's right!" 

"Woooo-buffet!!!”

"We haven't even left yet and we've already managed to get Pikachu? That's no fun!" sighed James pretending to be bored.

"We were hoping to start the games in the new region, not winning even before departing!" added Jessie with a haughty attitude.

Needless to say, Ash was annoyed, if not furious. Had they nothing better to do than hound him all his life? "Now I'm fed up with you! Give Pikachu back to me immediately!”

Serena’s Pokémon were also fed up with the trio's infuriating attitude, and under their trainer's command they went to her side, preparing their attacks to free Pikachu. Team Rocket alone didn't stand a chance against all of them.

"Not this time!" shouted Jessie, and Wobbuffet repelled some of their attacks, throwing them back. The plan was more of a push back and run. They had to get away immediately, knowing that they were clearly outnumbered and at a disadvantage. However providential Wobbuffet's presence, fortunately for them recovered from the sudden flu he had caught and for which he had missed the previous attack, would not last forever.

"That's for last time!" laughed Meowth as he maneuvered the hot air balloon away. Although to be honest, he too did not find the prospect of winning so quickly amusing.

Ash, on the other hand, did not find it a game at all but his Pokémon did not seem to be in the area and he could not have waited for their arrival before stepping forward to stop the trio of thieves. 

Serena then did not wait to react, calling back to her starter, "I'm on it! Braixen use Fire Blast!"  

As soon as the fox came out of the sphere, a strong blaze was hurled in the direction of the baloon "Braiiiixennnn!!!" 

Wobbuffet had no great difficulty repelling the attack, driving it back and forcing everyone to move, including the Pokémon that were slowly gathering at the site, alarmed by the loud sounds. 

Their astonishment and anger at recognizing the trio was no small matter, and as a group they launched combined attacks. 

"Wait!!!" Ash tried to stop them but did not make it in time to prevent their initiative. 

Wobbuffet activated Mirror Coat again and began to accumulate the energy of the moves hurled at him. This time the beam would be of impressive power, enough to knock everyone out long enough to escape. 

It was well known, the greater the number of attacks thrown, the greater the chance of getting hurt once thrown back, but this so many of Ash's Pokémon did not know.

And their heroism would be the trump card for Team Rocket. 

Jessie extended her arm, ready to give the following order. Her gaze fell on the girl at the foot of the balloon, and for a moment her mouth hesitated to speak. 

That blow was going to hurt, a lot if caught directly.

She could not control the grimace in her mouth at the thought. It was certainly the most logical maneuver, the best choice to take home the prize once and for all.

Yet ... a sense of disgust made her slightly lower her hand "Aim at her feet." 

The target in question managed to anticipate the action in time, mostly out of survival instinct. The strong terror of finding herself in the crosshairs made her move; making weight on her knees, she gave herself a backward momentum, followed by Braixen, and both were jolted violently away. 

It had been such a brutal and unexpected move that no one had even had time to call her name, at least not until the dust of the impact of the attack on the ground had lifted. 

"SERENA!" Ash shouted, trying to reach out for her, but instead ending up being knocked off his feet by the power of the shockwave. 

"Pipika!" Pikachu struggled to get free, worried about the girl. 

And incredibly, he wasn't the only one on the balloon.

"Oi Jessie, wasn't that a bit over the top?" muttered Meowth, aware that even though they had put the brats at no small risk in the past, this was the first time they had made a knowingly lethal attack on them. 

The woman's expression remained dark, indecipherable. "It was all calculated, she wouldn't have been hit."

"And does that sound like something to be proud of?"

That roar-like voice in Jessie's mind made her suddenly turn to the companions behind her, who, however, looked at her with confused expressions, clueless. 

They had not spoken, no, she would have recognized that voice among a thousand others. 

It was one that now deep down haunted her day and night, even when she pretended nothing had happened. The only one whose judgment she tried to bear.

As if he were there, whispering in her ear, "Can you complete at least one task?" 

"Jessie, are you okay?" asked James in a slightly worried tone, resting a hand on her shoulder. 

The sudden touch made her stiffen, and for a moment the man thought about pulling the limb away, as if fearing that he had hurt her or that she would explode. However, the woman replied in a low, forcibly controlled tone, "Yes."

The dust began to dissipate and Ash wasted no time in getting up, ignoring the calls of his mother, who started to kneel down to help him "Ash!"

"Serena!!" The raven-haired boy ran toward the collision zone, but when his vision was finally clear, what he saw was the last thing he had expected.

But still extremely relieving.

"Bayyyyyy!!!" Bayleef stood between the hole in the ground and the girl, alongside Braixen, who were firmly protected behind her mass with vines. All three were covered with soil and scratches, but they seemed to be fine.

"Bayleef!" both Ash and Serena exclaimed in surprise. The Pokémon's intervention had been completely unexpected, but also providential. 

"Bayleef...did you go out of your way to save me?" she asked, observing the grass type starter in amazement.

The Pokémon nodded her head in response, that more or less was the case. She had defended her because she cared; about her somehow but mostly about Ash and knew he would be sad if anything happened to his friend.

After everything that had happened between the two of them it was only natural. For Ash because he cared about Serena, for the girl herself and what she had done…

But most of all, because they were now friends.

"BAYYYYYY!!!!!"

The Pokémon suddenly lit up and a beam of light totally enveloped her. Everyone's eyes glittered at the sight, some in amazement, some in terror. The mass of Bayleef began to enlarge and as gorgeous petals bloomed from its cocoons, an intense fragrance spread. It felt like being in a field of flowers releasing all its intoxicating freshness and aroma.

When the light faded in place of Bayleef stood a majestic Meganium with blue petals.

"MEEEE!!!" The roar it released was so intense that it stirred Team Rocket's hot air balloon.

"Oh boy..." muttered the three.

The Pokémon let go of Serena, lowering her neck so that she clung to it and got to her feet. She was now much stronger than before and it could be easily proved "Megahh"

The blonde couldn't help but stare in amazement "Wow..." she said, releasing a breath of shock.

"Meganium! You have evolved!" exclaimed Ash running to her and laying a hand on her neck "Thank you for saving Serena!"

"Mee!"

"Are you all right?" the boy then asked Serena, in a slightly more apprehensive tone, thankfully receiving an affirmative answer. 

In fact, apart from a few scratches and clothes completely covered with dirt, she was fine "Thanks to Meganium!"

Ash offered her a quick smile of relief, then turned in frustration toward the trio of enemies. He was really fed up with the situation, and he would not refrain from showing it.

Meganium moved into an attacking stance, sensing his trainer's resolve. 

The boy then turned his gaze to his friend, "Serena, do you mind if I handle this myself?"

The girl opened her mouth in the attempt to retort, but in Ash's amber irises she read a certain thoughtfulness, as if he was making a heartfelt request of her. There was no time to elaborate, but if he so desired, it meant he had the situation under control. "Okay."

"Thank you." nodded the raven-haired teen, then turning to the other Pokémon present "I know you would be able to help, but I need you for something else" He pointed with his gaze to his mother, Oak and the friend walking in their direction.

Once they understood his words, all the Pokémon gathered in front of those present, shielding them each in a different way. Ash had relied on them to protect the people he cared about, for he would not hold back from there on.

A sudden gust of wind was felt, and Meganium went to stand beside Ash. Their gaze high, staring firmly at the trio of thieves, and their piercing eyes conveyed chills.

They knew what he had to do.

"You can take it out on me, but if you take it out on my friends, I'll make you pay dearly!" Ash shouted "Meganium uses Vine Whip!"

Two vines emerged from the back of the dinosaur's petals, as she attacked in a very quick manner and went to target the balloon. However, Wobbuffet got in the way and with ease was able to bounce the shot. Meganium however likewise was able to naturally dodge the lash of her own additional limbs.

"Leaf Storm!" shouted the trainer again. 

Maganium released a strong storm of leaves, which nearly trapped the balloon, missing it just by a whisker. 

"You'd better give up, twerp! You’re getting rusty!"

Ash clenched his fists. Rusty? Well, that was yet to be proved. Everything he had felt, learned, experienced in his years of traveling, in the disputed battles, bonding with his friends... it was all still inside him. What had made him who he was and who he would be.

He had changed and was continuing to do so, but he could always get back up and going, because it was part of who he was. He had not lost the experiences made in Kalos or his previous adventures, he had not thrown away that important part of who he was.

No matter who it was. They could bother him, but he wouldn't get tired of fighting. 

They could attack and he would try again. Would he fall? Even more decisively he would get back up.

"Bodyslam!" he ordered his own Pokémon, keeping an eye on the fading storm of leaves.

With a snort from her nose and charging forward, Meganium ran heavily in the direction of the enemies. 

"Ahah, how do you plan to catch us from over there?" laughed Meowth, finding it unlikely that such a Pokémon with its weight could reach them. 

"Use your vines, Meganium!"

"Meeeegaaa!!!" 

The hot air balloon rose even higher into the air to avoid being caught up, however Team Rocket soon realized that the two vines were not headed toward them.
They tightened around the trunk of a tree beyond the point above which they were flying, and Meganium continued its course, reaching for it, as if to collide. 

Instead, without losing speed, she swerved around it thanks to the vines, and when she came again in the direction of the three she let go and fired her own mass like a cannonball. 

Totally taken aback, the three frantically tried to remove themselves from the collision course thanks to the propelled jets, but having no time to charge them, they could only make the balloon rise slightly. 

"Ah!"

But if at a first moment it seemed that the danger had escaped, they soon realized that that projectile would not miss. 

"And now Leaf Storm!"

Meganium conjured up a storm of leaves that hurled themselves behind her, propelling them upward, and not even Wobbuffet's intervention getting in the way could curb the attack. "MEGAAAA!"

The explosion caused by the impact unleashed shock waves of unbelievable power, which forced the Pokémon present to point their paws at the ground in order to remain standing and protect their human friends. 

The balloon began to fall, and for a moment it seemed that in addition to Team Rocket, Ash's two Pokémon were also destined to crash. Preventing this, however, was the providential intervention of Charizard, who grabbed Meganium in the air.

"Pika pi!" Pikachu called as he crashed, but fortunately for him, Charizard had not been the only one ready to rush to help.

Staraptor and Talonflame caught him by the net and lowered his altitude, first flying toward Ash and past him, then making a "U-turn" and flying back in the other direction.

When they were low enough for him to jump without hurting himself they pulled the net material with their claws and broke it, freeing the mouse. Once Meganium touched the ground beside him, the two prepared to resume the fight. 

"Good job, Charizard, Staraptor and Talonflame!" complimented their trainer.

It was only natural, he had engaged that fight directly with Meganium, but he had plenty of Pokémon and many more emergency combinations in case a different approach was needed. 

All along he had been aware of their presence and willingness to join the fight at any time, just as he knew there were others besides those who were protecting his mother, Serena and Oak. 

Yes, he would always have someone by his side, both physically and just in spirit, ready to help him. Ready to remind him of who he was and what he was really fighting for. Ready to help him find out in case he didn't know or felt lost.

"I, too, will continue to evolve!!!"

"MEGAA!" "PIKAA!"

And he would protect that someone at all costs.

"Meganium, Nature Power! Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

"Wobbuffet! Mirror Coat!" tried to counterattack Jessie, refusing to surrender despite the fact that they were now surrounded and with no way out.

The blue Pokémon tried to prepare a new Mirror Coat, but Pikachu was so quick that he hit full force, not even giving the enemy time to react. Wobbuffet flew straight into Jessie's face, flinging her backward toward her companions, who could do nothing but catch her. 

At that point they didn't even have time to raise their heads, when a Nature Power generated Energy Ball exploded in their faces.

*BOOOOOOM*

"WE ARE BLASTING OFF AGAIIIIN!!!" the three shouted as they were once again sent at the speed of light.

As a glint shimmered in the sky, Ash finally let out a big sigh as his adrenaline returned to normal levels. Meganium and Pikachu gave each other a paw clap and walked in the direction of their trainer, immediately rubbing against him affectionately. 

"Aha, are you guys all right?" He asked, addressing them both with a caress.

"Chu pika!" exclaimed the electric mouse, jumping on his best friend's shoulder. He had had no doubt that he would save him in time.

“Thank you Meganium, you were great! And sorry for the risk I put you in with that strategy."

"Meeee" replied the dinosaur, also aware that nothing would have happened to her. She had full confidence in her trainer. 

Granted that his Pokémon were fine, Ash returned to the others. Two of them stared at him, unable to express themselves, having experienced for the first time in a long time the strength of that trainer and his Pokémon. Delia and Oak had not witnessed Ash's battles in years, except on television, which was already very different. 

For Serena, on the other hand, who had already witnessed firsthand in a relatively recent time, the only natural thing was to smile with admiration.

To see him again with that grit, determination, and that extra something that had been locked deep inside him in the past few days... It really left her in awe.

"Thank you guys for your help!" Ash then thanked his Pokémon, who responded enthusiastically.

"S-Sweetie..." Delia approached, "I think from now on I will ban you from training near home..."

"Eh eh…" The boy released a faint chuckle. It wasn’t something so spectacular, but he could understand his mother's astonishment since she had not witnessed battles of this level in person for years. Not to mention that by now his skills had certainly increased since the days of his participation in the Jotho's league…

Ah, things had indeed changed since then.

Ash took a few steps toward Serena and looked at her with a regretful smile "I'm sorry you almost got hurt" Even his Pokémon who had previously hurled attacks then reflected took on the same expression. 

Surrounded by such expressions, Serena began to wave her hands "Really, don't worry! Besides, Meganium protected me!" She brought her hand to Meganium's head, giving her a caress and causing her to mumble in appreciation.

"Yeah, thank you again Meganium, something much worse could have happened without you!" Ash smiled, letting her get all his appreciation for standing up for his friend. 

Meganium nodded with a sweet, knowing look and moved away, leaving room for the two of them. 

She would not have done this long ago, under normal circumstances. But everything was evolving and someone had to take care of Ash in her absence.

With her vines, one behind Ash and one behind Serena's back, she gave a gentle push and pulled them closer together. Now she could say she approved.

The two giggled in embarrassment and surprise. They appreciated the Pokémon's support, even more knowing what her personality was, so they tried to focus more on that than on the implications. 

"Um, anyway, it's really strange that Meganium has blue petals instead of pink like all the others. Yet you are not a shiny Pokémon" wondered out loud the boy.

Oak found the right moment to intervene "Rare exceptions have already been seen, it may be that your Meganium is one of them. Sometimes trainer, habitat, and bonding can be crucial, and we know how that can happen to other Pokémon too."

"I think it fits her!" expressed Serena, appreciating the color variation.

"The same cannot be said for all the dirt and scratches on your clothes!" Delia pointed out. All that was left intact of Serena's clothes was the blue ribbon; everything else was covered in dust and dirt, as well as slightly damaged.

The performer glanced at herself. She did not have a whole spare with her to be usable for a new journey, and there weren’t many stores in Pallet Town. It would also take her a lot of time to make new clothes "Oh no..."

"Oh dear, don't worry!" Came to her rescue the woman promptly "A wash, a couple of darns, some ironing and it will be as good as new! I'm very good at these things, Ash has destroyed dozens of travel clothes!"

"Eh..."

"But it will take some time I guess," and she knew Ash was eager to leave.

"Don't worry, there's a remedy for that too, I already had something to give you, which is also why I couldn't wait and ran here!" continued Mrs. Ketchum as she winked, "It's also one of the real reasons why I was busy last night."

Again she tried to send a silent message for Serena, revealing why she was really up in the middle of the night. She had not gotten out of bed to drink; she had been up the whole time working on something. That was why she had immediately heard Serena coming down the stairs to call Palermo.

They approached a small table and Delia grabbed a pink-colored gift package, handing it to Serena "Here! Take it!" she said putting it in her hands. She later handed another blue-colored package to her son "This one’s for you instead, Ash!"

"Ohh...!" Ash felt a sense of deja vu. He suspected the contents, after all, with each new trip she had made a habit of packing him clothes, but the fact that one was for a companion was new. She had really gone all out!

"Come on!" urged the woman.

The two opened their respective packages, and indeed inside was just what Ash had predicted. They were two brand new travel suits, although he could see his mother's hand and style in what she created.

Serena felt her eyes water with excitement. This was her first time here and she had already gotten such a meaningful handmade gift? "R-Really for me?" she asked, still in disbelief.

Delia offered her a sweet, maternal smile, laying a hand on her shoulder. Serena had been taking care of her Ash all that time and still would in Forsia, that was the least she could do.

However, behind the gesture, there was no real special motivation, she had done it because she had felt it was the right gesture "Of course!" Serena was part of the family, she would get the same treatment Delia gave her son.

"T-Thank you..." murmured the blonde, clutching the package to herself, deeply touched. She did not think she deserved all this attention, but she was enormously grateful for how welcomed Delia made her feel.

In front of the exchange, Ash smiled, and followed suit in thanking his mother. "Thanks, Mama!" It could seem something basic, but for him it was a huge show of support that his mother tended to reiterate whenever they had to part ways.

It was her personal way of being there for him, while also letting him go on his own way.

His mother nodded, "Go wash up and try them on!"

Ash and Serena nodded and ran to change, obviously in separate rooms.

While this was happening Oak sent a knowing glance toward the woman "You always have something in your sleeve, do you?"

"Oh, you know that whenever Ash goes on a new journey I want him to be properly dressed up!" she minimized in satisfaction "And it's the least I can do for him!"

"This time, however, I see he worked for two," he commented again.

Delia looked at him out of the corner of her eye and then smiled "I thought it was the most natural thing. If his other friends Clemont and Bonnie were also present I would have done it for them as well. They are now part of the family for Ash, so they are for me too." That smile of hers, however, turned into a small grin "I won't deny, however, that I have grown very fond of Serena. Wouldn’t it be really nice if one day she joined the Ketchum family officially too?"

"Ahaha you sly Ninetails!" the professor burst out laughing "Aren’t you running a little too fast?"

"As long as they don't make me a grandmother at my young age, I don't see why not dreaming!"

Samuel nodded, still chuckling "I'd say for now we at least have the assurance that they'll have each other's backs..."

Delia tried to respond but Ash's entrance brought the discussion to a halt.

The Kantonian had received something casual. The sleeves were white with orange piping, but the rest of the jacket was a bright bluish color. There were two slanted orange stripes that crossed oppositely across the chest and finally one other white stripe that created an additional border at the base of the jacket. It all gave a more vibrant look than Ash was used to, but he did not mind at all. In addition, a new red hat with a white visor rested on his head, with a burgundy and black-colored wedge front, reminiscent of a pokéball. 

Ash had been faster, but that was natural given some girls' habit of taking their time.

"Why, you look good, honey!" Delia exclaimed, joining her hands in a *clap* "You know, you remind me of someone..."

Ash stared at the clothes for a while; he liked them even more now that he could see them on himself. The thing he appreciated most, however, was the comfort, a detail his mother always managed to make prevail, well aware of her son's tastes. "Thanks Mama!!! They are perfect!"

"Pika!"

"Ah, what did you mean before? Who do I remind you of?" He said, stopping himself from his turning around, addressing her with a sincere smile.

It almost seemed that she was experiencing the scene in slow motion, Ash's image clearly superimposed on another. The woman's expression was on the verge of changing but she did her best to keep it as it was before. She merely shook her head, "I don't recall..."

Ash didn’t wonder further but Oak's gaze in the background took on blunt features, hiding his real thoughts.

"Serena?" Ash shifted his gaze to the room where she had gone to change and then looked back at his mother.

Instead of an answer, the boy found two surprised smiles. He soon understood that the professor and his mother were not looking at him but at whoever was behind. He did nothing but follow their gazes until he turned around and was confronted with a vision that froze him in place.

"Ta-daaaaa!!!" Serena turned around once to get a better view of the suit.

She had on a vermilion and reddish sleeveless jacket. Under it, she wore a little dress with a pink dress.The hat was identical to the old one, with similar coloring. She also had on black parisians and brown ankle boots, just different from the old ones, slightly shorter. Giving a final touch, she wore a light blue bandana, resting loosely around her neck.

Under her dress she could make out something black, probably her usual top that had remained intact, and over her shoulder she wore a bag of various shades of blue, reminiscent of a SubBall.

"You look great!" Oak and Delia complimented each other at the same time.

Just as Serena's newly grown honey-colored hair shone in the filtering light from the windows, her eyes shone enhanced by the similar hues of her scarf and bag. 

And although it was not the first thing that was noticed, her curves were clearly more visible. She had grown…

Although it had been less time than expected since their separation, she had become as beautiful a girl as she had promised, inside and out. Not that she hadn’t been already, but now she seemed to have matured even more. She carried with her a different kind of beauty.

Ash stared at her without being able to define her. Normally he would have found the words to compliment her, it had always been natural for him because, although he had not thought about it too specifically, Serena had always been a beautiful girl in his eyes and was fully within his personal taste.

This time, however, it seemed as if he didn't know what to say, he felt awkward, and his mouth seemed stuck...

What was wrong with him?

Serena was a little puzzled that Ash was looking at her like that, did he not like it? Or had she overstunned him? It was not his typical reaction "Uh... what do you think Ash?" She asked restlessly and a little hesitantly.

Ash jerked his thumb upward, causing both Pikachu and Serena to flinch, but then his stiff form opened his mouth, "Lovely!" It was the only thing that came out, but it was more than enough for both the girl and Delia, who were both relieved.

The trainer's mother rejoiced at the total success of the clothes "You are such a marvel Serena!" she said, appreciating the work done. "The Showcases world certainly cannot cry with you."

Indeed even if not essential to the performances, Serena was like a potential model removed from the worlds of fashion or cinema.

The performer merely thanked, with a slight tinge of pink on her cheeks. She did not feel that all those compliments belonged to her, but she did not reject them either.

Ash's eyes at one point became barely sad as they stopped on Serena's chest. At first the girl, following his gaze, winced quite embarrassed, and so did Oak, who laid a hand on his face. 

Delia patted the back of her son's head, who was totally taken aback.

"Ouch! What have I done?" he exclaimed, bringing his hands to the back of his head in total confusion.

"I didn’t expect this from you, young man!" replied Delia, never in her life expecting such a reaction from her son. Sure, he was a teenager, but since when did he stare at a girl like that?

"Well, the ribbon is missing..."

At his words Delia and Oak looked puzzled, while Serena immediately relaxed. He had noticed it then…

She approached and raised her hand, "Were you looking for this?" Wrapped around her wrist rested their symbolic light blue ribbon.

Immediately Ash's lips changed to a surprised but also secretly relieved smile. The thought of her taking it off, for some reason, made him feel strangely disappointed.

"Of course this is another little piece I cut off. The ribbon you gave me is long and I didn't feel like taking the piece of the old dress off." She explained, “But I’d never forget it, after all it’s a precious gift!"

"And this way I'll be able to keep it even when I change clothes!" she added radiantly, soon being reciprocated by a satisfied Ash.

Delia looked at them in turn, intrigued by it all "What does that ribbon mean?"

"Secret!" laughed the performer, happy to get revenge for all those comments she had gotten in the previous days, countered by a defiant nod from Delia. Sooner or later she would find out, maybe.

It was Serena's turn to stop and observe Ash's new attire. There wasn't much to say about it; it was… nice. The whole thing fit. She could clearly see the signs of his growth and it was finally clearly visible how much he had also grown in stature. Ash had always been a barely shorter than average guy, but he was taller than her by at least half a head now.

"Handsome..." she murmured under her breath.

"Hm? Did you say something?" asked Ash, not having heard correctly.

"Ehhhh I meant to say that y-you look great!" The performer quickly corrected herself, trying to make up for what she allowed her daring mouth to blurt in front of everyone. Luckily for her, no one seemed to have heard.

"Oh, thank you!!!" Ash smiled, scratching the tip of his nose. He was really pleased with the comment.

By now they were really close to departure and that enthusiasm could no longer be quelled.

...

The two teens called Forsia’s professor and alerted him about their imminent departure. He was, of course, pleasantly surprised and arranged for the online tickets he would give them.

With the call closed, they reunited all of Ash's Pokémon again, knowing that he would only bring Pikachu with him. Some were slightly disappointed but most of them accepted the choice. 

In this case, they were more happy than sad to see him so excited to leave. He was chasing his dreams again with enthusiasm, and this was a sign that he was really getting better.

Meganium took Serena aside, murmuring pleadingly to take care of the trainer. The girl needed no translation; she totally understood and gave her word to do what she could to help him.

And once those temporary goodbyes were over, the two went home together with Delia and all they had to do was pack their backpacks and enjoy that last evening in Pallet Town.

The night passed quickly, tired as they were, and morning came sooner than imagined. Up bright and early and breakfast eaten, the two trainers and Delia climbed into the jeep of Professor Oak, who had offered to drive them to the airport in Saffron City. 

The primary motivation was to allow them to catch the first plane and not arrive too late, even though with the time zone difference they’d still land around late Forsian morning, when it would be evening in Kanto. 

The other reason, well, he simply liked to show off his car.

The arrival at the airport was quick, even more so because of the distraction that the talking during the trip.

And then, once they arrived at the lobby on time, the time for goodbyes approached.

It all seemed to flow so quickly, unlike the past few months that Ash had been through.

"Check-ins for the flight to Tasty Town in the Forsia region open now," spoke the voice over the loudspeaker.

"Take care Ash, be a good boy. Don't go to bed too late and eat healthy. Remember not to jump off cliffs if you can help it, do your laundry and change your underwear every day!" Delia warned him.

Ash wished Serena was not there to hear that last part, especially when he heard the latter's giggles in the background. He covered his face with his hat, feeling extremely embarrassed "Mama… stop it!!!"

Delia quelled the warnings and giggled as well "Ahahah just kidding honey, I trust you and I think you're old enough by now to be able to handle yourself, although you already proved it to me when you left the first time..." she said softly, while Ash nodded "However, it doesn't mean that sometimes you don't need support and so, knowing your impetuous and sometimes chaotic tendencies, I'm relying on you too Serena! Support each other, okay?"

"Of course! No need to say it!" immediately exclaimed Ash without hesitation.

Serena's response, however, took a moment to come....

Support...
Love herself...

She would take care of her own happiness and help Ash do the same with his. "Absolutely!" she looked up with sincerity and determination "Don't worry!"

Delia took both of them and hugged them. It felt like a huge family hug, this departure was different from the others. But it was not difficult to let them go, she was sure they would be happy...

So she watched them detach and walk away, bags on their shoulders, heads up and with smiles on their faces. Hands moved in the air, waving goodbye to her and Oak, until they disappeared into the hallways leading to the check-ins.

The two went to the roof of the facility and waited, wondering which of the departing planes would be Ash and Serena’s. The wind blew and the roar of flying vehicle engines came and went.

After half an hour, Delia's heart skipped a beat and her instincts led her to look in the direction of one of the planes taking off. She did not know for sure if it was theirs; perhaps she could have confirmed it by checking the time and agency of the flight.

However, as Oak did just that, looking at the watch on his wrist, she merely casually observed that very plane, feeling a smile grow on her lips, peace in her heart.

A gust of wind tousled her hair, making it dance in the air, as the big steel bird passed over their heads and drifted off into the horizon. Like an embrace that in a moment envelops you and leaves you.

"Good luck."

...

.

.

.

Chapter Text

If Serena had previously thought that part of the travel would make her heart skip a beat, she could now say with certainty that compared to the tachycardia she was experiencing, that in her thoughts was like a hiccup.

It was Ash who had started it all. Having spent so much time at home, accustomed to sleeping as much as he wanted, waking up early on a regular basis was no longer very easy, so he hadn't lasted long after leaving Kanto.

Noticing Ash's sleeping face and his light breathing, Serena decided to entertain herself with whatever she could do and let him rest.

They knew that the flight would take a long time, as long as the one to Kalos, and during the entire journey the boy had shown no sign of waking up.

Serena, more accustomed to jet lag due to her recent travels, had managed to get used to it by just sneaking a nap here and there.

Since they would land right next to Tasty Town, a small village known for its inns and trattorias, it seemed obvious to Serena that they would stop there and spend the night. There was no way that Ash would miss the opportunity to have a post-flight feast.

In her heart Serena felt a certain emotion at the unknown that awaited them on their journey. Long ago this would have tormented her, just as it had happened to her for a long time in Kalos, but now she felt almost relieved to be able to take some time to re-evaluate her path.

Having to deal with so many uncertainties didn't seem so scary if Ash was there too.

Placing the catalog she had just finished leafing through, Serena had just enough time to get back comfortable before a weight rested on her shoulder.

“Chaa” she heard a moan.

“Aw, how adorable!” Then followed the voices of some passengers, probably moved by the Pokémon.

Thinking it was Pikachu, the girl raised her hand to caress his cheek, as she usually did.

However, it wasn't the Pokémon's soft fur that she touched. Immediately feeling the difference in texture, Serena looked away briefly, finding Ash's head instead.

She froze for a long moment, under the eyes of the passengers around her, caught watching the young woman apparently caressing the boy's cheek.

Finally grasping the awkwardness of the situation, everyone turned, except Pikachu, who stretched slightly with a guilty smile.

“Are you getting revenge for abandoning you as a pillow the other night?” She whispered, still red with embarrassment.

"Pi!" The little mouse grinned. That wasn't exactly his intention, but he was going to take credit anyway.

The blonde obviously didn't have the courage to move. She didn't want to wake him, not when he was resting so peacefully. Even he hadn't done it when the situation had happened the other way around.

Yet that was what brought a thoughtful look to her face.

It was the second time in a few days that something like this had happened and, as much as she didn't mind being close to him, she feared that after a while the situation could become awkward for both of them.

Among her dreams, her goals, there was also being reciprocated by Ash, but she knew that there were limits beyond which she couldn't and didn't want to go.

She had already made her feelings known, and the atmosphere between them had certainly changed, teeming with ambiguous signals from him, but she would not force a response from his friend, positive or negative, especially if he didn't feel ready or he himself knew a terrible thing.

A side of her wished he'd at least made that known. If he needed it, she would give him all the time he needed. But she had already come to that conclusion from the moment of their meeting.

If Ash hadn't said anything it was a given for her that he had good reasons, after all he had never been the type of person to ignore what others felt.

However, this type of situation could also have the opposite effect, instead of bringing them closer together.

Suddenly a faint laugh distracted her from her thoughts.

It was a rather older lady, sitting beyond the aisle that separated their group of seats from the next row.

The old woman turned to look at them and with a soft look she said “Sorry, you just remind me a lot of me and my friend many years ago. These situations used to happen very often."

"Not to us, except recently..." Serena replied with a light smile, not being able to turn too much to look at the lady properly, given his head resting on hers.

For a few seconds neither of them spoke, but from Serena's expression it was obvious that she was itching to ask something.

It was so obvious that she didn't even need to.

“If you wonder if he and I are still friends you can directly hear it from him as soon as he wakes up.”

Intrigued, the girl tried to look better and saw an elderly gentleman leaning on the woman, their hands clasped. When she understood what the lady meant, a nervous blush blossomed again, but at the same time she couldn't help but smile at such a sweet scene.

“Did you tell him?” The old woman asked.

Caught off guard, Serena stammered “Y-Yes, I’d say so…” But she couldn't help but be embarrassed that it was so obvious that even a stranger could read her feelings, no matter how much experience she might have in that kind of thing.

“Did he seem bothered to you?”

Serena thought about it. The boy's gaze when he saw her walking away on those escalators seemed almost enlightened. Almost as if he had been struck by a light and it had opened up a world beyond the limits of what he believed possible. The existence of something he had tried to ignore. "No. Surprised, but not bothered.”

“Then you don't have to worry. If it didn't bother him then, the closeness you have now won’t either. Whatever the name of your relationship, you can safely enjoy each other's presence.”

Ash's happiness and his insistence on wanting her by his side on this journey still returned to the girl's mind. After they found each other again, the last thing she wanted to think about was their impending separation. And she was pretty sure that her friend also shared this thought.

“Communicate, and if it doesn't make you uncomfortable then let whatever happen.”

Serena nodded thankful. She was probably right, worrying like this right now made no sense to her. She and Ash had a friendship strong enough that it couldn't be broken so easily.

With her heart beating less and less and a certain serenity having been found, the girl began to feel her eyelids heavy.

Another nap until their arrival didn't seem like such a bad idea.

…

They slept for several hours.

The chattering of the passengers intensified after the advice of one of the flight attendants to observe the landscape from the windows. The voice on the speaker had simultaneously woken up the two trainers who were too confused to notice how they had rested.

“Uh... these seats aren't bad, they're comfortable!” he said, stretching slightly.

“Yeah...” Serena murmured.

Their attention was elsewhere entirely.

Their eyes were caught by the landscape outside the window. The beautiful coast was getting closer and the emotion of having finally arrived skyrocketed, waking up their minds that were still sleepy until recently.

“We have just entered the region of Forsia. From the windows on your left you can see the southern coast of the  region. Soon we will land at Tasty Town airport and the journey will end. We therefore ask you to fasten your seat belts again and kindly wait for the plane to settle completely on the ground! Thank you for choosing to travel with Air Dragonite, we wish you a happy landing!"

"Well, here we are! Ready?" Ash asked his friend as he settled into his seat and fastened the seat belt, and then helped Pikachu with his.

"Ready!" Serena answered “I saw a brochure about the town we will be landing at while you were sleeping and I thought we could stop and visit it. We'll have a chance to refuel for the trip to the professor, see new Pokémon and have lunch-"

She didn't even have time to finish when the boy's eyes started to shine and a grumble could be heard coming from his belly. Ash scratched his head in embarrassment, under the laughter of Serena and Pikachu, aware that they already had an answer to the proposal.

Again loud rumbles were heard, but this time it wasn't difficult to recognize them. The plane began to bank and a small bump marked contact with the runway. The aircraft began to slow down and applause could be heard from some passengers, a custom in some countries to thank and compliment the pilot for the journey completed safely.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Tasty Town airport, in the Forsia region” replied the pilot's voice “We thank you again for traveling with us.”

As soon as the plane stopped, Ash wasted no time in unbuckling his seatbelt and standing up. He grabbed his backpack, put it on his shoulders and ran towards the exit.

“Wait, Ash!” called Serena, quickly getting up to grab her bag and join him.

"Finally! Forsia, Ash Ketchum is here!!" the boy shouted without any shame, running towards the open door.

“PI Pika!!” Pikachu imitated him.

“Ash! Stop!” Serena's alarmed voice didn't reach his ears in time.

The trainer, too distracted and elated to hear the warning, was already with one foot outside the plane. He hadn't given any thought to the height of the aircraft or to making sure the escalators were in place.

Feeling the slightest hint of gravity was enough to make him open his eyes in panic. He tried to counterbalance, pulling himself backwards, but it only served to make him stagger for a few more seconds. His body was destined to fall.

“AHHHH!!!!” he shouted, suddenly feeling himself grabbed by the torso and held back.

He didn't dare turn around, to avoid making his situation worse, but from the blue bow on her wrist wrapped around his waist, he knew it was Serena who had stopped him.

The girl's strength, however, would never be enough and a squeak of agitation tried to attract the attention of anyone nearby.

“Someone help us! I can't hold it anymore!!”

The flight attendants, still stunned by the tragicomic scene, were shaken by the lament and finally came to their senses, running to provide assistance.

Even the pilot jumped out of the control room and attempted to help. Among the passengers on board and the workers on the ground there were those who watched the scene with amusement, in particular a certain lady still between the seats, and those who looked on in perplexity.

How could this really be reality? It had to be scripted...

It had been to be expected, they had done some crazy things on their travels in Kalos and Ash wasn't exactly a calm person.

Once safely on the plane, however, the scolding from the pilot and the flight attendants was more than expected. Only thanks to Serena and her diplomacy did they manage to avoid it lasting more than a few minutes. The matter ended with an apologetic bow and fortunately the incident was not investigated further.

“I think I got a little carried away eheheh...” Ash chuckled, while they waited for the stairs to be positioned. Displeasure and embarrassment were evident in is tone of voice, so Serena didn't feel like scolding him further.

“Ash, flying on a plane doesn't mean we have to jump off it.” she offered him an exhausted smile.

The boy chuckled again, but didn't respond to the joke. He didn't have many excuses, as funny as it was in retrospect, they had had quite the heart attack.

The ladder was hastily positioned, so as to immediately bring down the time bomb that spectators at the airport had seen falling out of the exit earlier.

At that point there were no obstacles to stop the boy's enthusiasm "Let's go Serena!" He encouraged, showing in a very comical but eloquent way how he placed his foot on the steps, wearing a goofy smile.

The girl's response was a simple sigh of amusement and resignation.

As soon as they had their feet on the ground their noses were overwhelmed by an intense scent of aromas, clearly recognizable as that of food. It was just the right region for them, to which Serena could only remark, “It's going to become your favorite region!”

"I think it is already!"

…

If Serena was the one who usually dragged Ash around shops, this time it was safe to say he was the one dragging her around. With the delicacies surrounding him, appeasing him would have been a challenge.

One that the friend tried to face anyway "ASH!!!" She raised her voice a little. Her legs could no longer keep up.

The boy dug his heels into the ground and stopped suddenly, a gesture that allowed Serena to breathe a sigh of relief "Yes?" He replied smiling, as if nothing had happened.

Pikachu too seemed to regret his choices, such as not having chosen Ash's shoulder for what in the end did not turn out to be a simple walk "Piiiiii..."

“Uh… maybe we could slow down?” The raven-haired scratched guiltily his head, without however appearing truly repentant.

He was just excited, even though he was dragging them where not even he knew.

"We just arrived and I'm already exhausted!"

“Pi pikachu!” The little mouse joined in, climbing onto the girl's back and leaning on her shoulder. His paw then rose towards his trainer in protest.

“And Pikachu too” she smiled, giving him a gentle pet “We're practically running in circles! Why don't we organize our schedule better? Let's go to the Pokémon center and get a room for the night, drop off our stuff and then go for a walk. Without hurry! And we also stop somewhere to eat something."

Deep down, Ash was really grateful that his friend was so organized, unlike him. In places with a strong influx of tourism it was better to hurry up and book beds. Furthermore, the trip had been long and the food on the plane was not very tasty. Having a proper meal would have been better than wandering around randomly without deciding what to eat. "I'm in!"

The performer's insistence bore fruit and proved to be promptly correct. They had been terribly lucky considering the time they had wasted, but they had managed to find a room at the Pokémon Center.

A modest room, equipped with a pair of single beds. For two people the limited space wasn't a big problem, so it would have been more than fine for the night.

Once they've sorted out their things, there was nothing more to do than deciding where to have lunch. "Are you ready?"

"Hm!" Serena nodded, taking out her tablet "What would you like to eat?" She asked him to check if there was any place with good food but served quickly and, above all, cheap. She had updated the tablet as soon as she arrived thanks to codes found in the room to unlock tourist guides.

It wasn't the best of sources for constantly traveling trainers, but for something more specific they would look in a big city.

Ash put a hand under his chin and thought. He could swallow anything and in large quantities, but he imagined that the first meal had to be special, especially if in company. 

"Um... what's typical of this region?"

Serena looked at the list at hand and was surprised by the unimaginable quantity of recipes and specialized places.

There were pizzerias, bakeries, gelato shops, pastry shops, trattorias, takeaways, street food stands...

“There's so much to choose from... and without the map being detailed. What about asking Nurse Joy?” she pointed towards the woman in the greeting area, who was busy filling out some documents. Who better to give advice than a resident?

"Good idea!" Ash nodded and then approached the woman alongside Serena.

As soon as they were close enough, the doctor immediately turned her attention towards them "Good morning, what can I do for you?"

“Can't you recommend a good place to eat? Something typical of the place perhaps.”

Joy thought for a moment and then replied "Are you a couple more for formal restaurants or big buffets?"

If Serena suddenly froze when she heard how they were defined, Ash didn't even seem to notice: "I just need to eat! Big meals are more for me, although obviously I would be interested in tasting something new”

“Pi Pika!” Pikachu eagerly joined Ash's shoulder.

“Then why don't you go to the Da Spinda inn? It's right at the end of this street! It specializes in various pasta recipes and has all the types you can find in our region!"

Ash's stomach didn't take long to growl. The boy rubbed the back of his head with embarrassment, while in the background Serena and the nurse giggled.

They quickly left after thanking Joy and headed towards the inn. The plan to explore the village took a backseat with the hunger that had increased so much.

If there was one reality that was the same everywhere in the world, it was that the food on economy planes was terrible.

When they arrived they found themselves looking at the inn. It looked much more rustic and their relief increased when they read the menu outside. The prices were much lower than they expected.

The waitress who welcomed them inside guided them to the back, so they could eat in the outdoor seats, with a breathtaking view of the lake.

The table looked like a classic picnic table, wooden with a checkered tablecloth. On top was a jar of breadsticks, of which Ash took one and handed it to Pikachu. The little mouse willingly grabbed it and started munching.

“Chaaa!” Pikachu murmured, wagging his tail.

"Welcome to Da Spinda!" Another voice greeted them, very different from that of the waitress who had accompanied them. “I'm Mario and today I'll be the one to serve you! Can I bring you something to drink in the meantime?”

Now it was a man waiting for instructions at the side of their table. In his forties, tall and with a long but well-arranged mustache.

“Uh, I think I'll have a Pecha Berry tea” Ash replied, then glanced at Serena, receiving a nod of agreement “And a Cheri Berry one”
By now he knew her friend's tastes well, after traveling together for more than a year her patterns were clearly evident.

"Perfect! And for food, would you like some time to consult the menus or do you want some advice suitable for two Picciotti?”

"Picciotti?" Ash thought confused, tilting his head slightly.

Serena, on the other hand, had immediately understood the meaning and not due to her great skills in Forsian, although it had a similar root to the native language of her region.

As a child, she loved seeing a certain movie, starring an Eevee and a Herdier. It was a classic precisely for a romantic scene where they ate spaghetti and were called that by the chefs.

It meant lovebirds.
Without making too much of a show, she tried to convey in her words what the reality was "We are trainers on a journey and it's the first time we've come to Forsia, so we'd like some advice."

Ash's stomach rumbled, totally agreeing. The boy chuckled with slight embarrassment.

"Of course! I understand! You two need the house special, according to tradition!"

“And… what would that be?” Ash asked.

The waiter smiled proudly “A simple plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce, but with top quality ingredients!”

“Oh, like spaghetti with meatballs?”

“That’s not really a traditional Forsian dish, it is a habit born in Unova after the great immigration. The true traditional recipe includes fresh egg pasta and very small meatballs.*” The man explained, almost as if it were a cooking lesson.

The two teens smiled at each other and nodded. “Then we'll have two of that.”

“Ah, but the special dish is offered in a maxi version. Eat for three people on one plate to share! It's much more convenient"

Serena was about to accept, after all she knew Ash's stomach far too well and it would benefit him and their wallets.

She also remembered another scene from the same film. Same conditions, resulting in an unexpected kiss. However, she thought carefully about the words she had heard that very morning. Was it really worth getting anxious about such an unrealistic eventuality? Why would she worry about paranoia that would only make her relationship with Ash less natural?

Catching his gaze, she felt a surge of courage. “That'll do.”

Mario's smile gave her the impression, for an instant, that she had made a serious mistake, but she tried to ignore it.

"Luigi!? A special for the the Picciotti here! And remember, they are still slow cooking! We have to turn up the heat!" he shouted.

"You got it! I'll take care of it!!" a voice answered from the kitchen.

Only ten minutes passed and their dish arrived. To say that the size was excessive even for a sharing dish would not have been so wrong.
Ash's metabolism taken into account, it would fill them up more than necessary.

"Buon appetito guys!" Mario wished, then quickly fled into the kitchen.

The muttering between him and his colleague went unnoticed as both teens looked at their lunch, unsure of how to begin. The scent was intoxicating and powerful, capable of making even the most dehydrated of individuals salivate.

“I love this region.” Ash just said in utter amazement. He took the smaller plate left by the waiter for Pikachu and transferred a nice portion of food onto it.

He then handed it to the Pokémon, who squealed excitedly.

Serena limited herself to observing her friend for a few moments while he tried to roll as much pasta as possible around her fork. And when he finally managed to take a bite... She was sure she saw his eyes bright and shining.

With the smile of someone just graced by a choir of angels, Ash looked at her enthusiastically "Try them! It's crazy good!!"

"From the way you say it, they have to be!" She commented, giggling.

Serena took the fork and, with much more moderation, took a small amount. She then brought it to her mouth and was pleasantly surprised by the taste of it.

Ash smiled at her, imagining what she was thinking "I told you so!"

The ingredients had to be of the freshest, combined in simple but perfect harmony.

Serena nodded happily and the three finally enjoyed their lunch.

When they were down to their last forkfuls, Serena sighed with satisfaction. “I have to learn to cook like this, otherwise we will end up spending a fortune”

“As much as I wouldn't mind trying such good things all the time, I think your cooking is already very good as it is,” the boy replied in complete honesty. “In fact, if you learned these recipes I think you would make them even better”

“I'm not a chef!” She giggled, not believing the flattery.

“That’s not it. Even though my mother runs an inn, I don't think that's why her cooking is one of my favorites." He played with his fork "It also happened with my friend Brock and Clemont, but with you and mom it's different..."

He struggled to find the words, but the feeling he had eating what the two of them prepared for him was totally different from any other "I'm not good at cooking and I know little about these things but sometimes if I happen to look at Mama or you at stoves of course. I'm sure that the chefs here and in other places also love doing what they do and probably many put passion into every dish they make. But they do it for everyone every day, while you put...-"

"Affection?" Serena specified for him, blushing slightly.

Yes, they certainly put all their affection into every dish, because both Delia and Serena made a point of putting everything they felt for Ash into every dish they prepared for him.
She didn't think Ash would recognize it, but maybe she underestimated how emotionally intelligent the boy was.

"Yes…" He felt loved when he ate those dishes, even if he couldn't quite put words to that feeling or name the secret ingredient.

“Hm, does that mean that when you try my poke puffs you are never completely impartial about your judgment?” Serena smiled playfully.

Ash immediately waved his hands, taken by surprise “O-Of course I'm impartial! Or at least I'll try if you ask me to be..."

Serena shot him a wink. She knew that she could count on him on every occasion.

Deciding not to let the last morsels of pasta cool any further, the two each took a forkful and sucked on the long strands.

They seemed to never end...

The Kalosian was on the verge of biting and limiting the mouthful when her head was led to turn away from the direction of the thread. She was just in time, but didn't prevent the inevitable.

The boy hadn't even thought about it; the subspecies of spaghetti never ended and instinctively he had done nothing but continue to follow it, too busy enjoying the flavor of that dish that would soon end.

Then the spaghetti seemed to rise in the air and he opened his eyes when his mouth was now touching Serena's.

You couldn't say that their lips were really pressing against each other, in fact, given the minimal space still present between them, enough to feel their breaths embracing each other, it was more like a light caress.

The two remained still in that position for a few seconds, feeling a sense of dejavu so suddenly that it sent them into catalepsy.

There seemed to be a dead silence surrounding them, with the stares of other customers and workers on them.

Even Pikachu stared in utter shock and slightly red-faced at the scene.

Unexpected, but definitely appreciated.
However, the warmth the two felt once they came to realization was nowhere near as pleasant as the first time they kissed.

That fire inside was more violent, shocking. Those that burn you and make you want to back away.

They broke away suddenly.

Ash with such impetus that he tipped the chair backwards, while Serena instead lowered her head and brought up her hands to barely cover her cheeks.

The silence was broken by a waitress running to help Ash up and Pikachu's muffled giggles.

"What are you laughing at!?" Ash turned to him with a face somewhere between embarrassed and irritated.

Pikachu jumped slightly at the tone his trainer used. He would have laughed more if the situation had been a simple comical accident.
Yet when he met the boy's gaze he noticed a certain urgency that made him fall silent.

Ash was blushing, but he also looked extremely mortified.

He didn't expect it would happen again, much less so soon. And this time there wasn't an escalator taking Serena away or an atmosphere of romance and nostalgia. There wasn't the perfect excuse that would allow him to stall.

As if it wasn't enough, he could bet there was a violin from a nearby house playing...

"Um... the bill please!!" Ash asked the waitress hastily. “And-… I need to know where the bathroom is.”

Before the woman could even respond, the boy followed the finger pointing to the bathroom and ran away, in a hurry to isolate himself inside before some other customer decided to get ahead of him.

He closed the door behind him, turned on the sink tap and stuck his face under the jet of water.
He let a few seconds pass, then raised his head and looked at himself in the mirror.
His cheeks were still slightly red, but thanks to the deep breaths he was taking his heart started beating regularly again

“Get a hold of yourself, Ash! It was just an accident, it won't change everything... right?"

It wouldn't create discomfort by forcing him to talk about a topic he didn't feel ready to talk about, right? Something he was bad at…

He continued to peer at his own image, but all he received in return was a groan and dejected face.

It shouldn't have happened, not when he still had so many questions in his head.
He knew they would have to talk about that issue, because it was impossible to ignore. 

That kiss in Kalos, that message that his traveling companion had wanted to confess to him, were not something that had to happen to be simply forgotten.

He cared too much about their bond, as he was sure Serena did, for it to have been just a moment in itself.

But he didn't think the reminder would come so soon.

Did Serena want an answer? She hadn't asked him for anything, even though she certainly wasn't the type of person to demand it like that.
And if she was waiting for him, what kind of answer could he give her?

He couldn't imagine what it would lead to.

He knew that a girl like Serena deserved the best and he knew that he wanted her to have it. But how could he give it to her? Was it right to do so if he wasn't sure what his feelings for her were?

It would have been easy to approach it like a Pokémon battle, just dive in and try, but even he knew there was more at stake than a badge or pride. The relationship you have with someone dear is worth infinitely more. And he was terribly afraid of ruining everything.

He didn't want to make those mistakes he often complained about, the ones his father made…
The last person he wanted to hurt like that was Serena.

Which is why it frustrated him even more…

That he really liked that kiss.
And that he would have gladly wanted it to happen again.

…

Outside, time had not stopped.

Pikachu had taken care of finishing the plate of spaghetti, although with little hunger.

He couldn't get Ash's expression out of his head.
He would have bet that he would have appreciated another kiss, but perhaps he had underestimated the complexity of the situation. Or at least, how much it appeared so even though it was actually very simple.

Did Ash love Serena back? Or like at least? Heartfelt, he would have said yes, but if he tried to dodge the topic despite their obvious moments of romantic tension, it meant he had valid concerns.

Turning his attention to Serena, he noticed the heaviness in her sigh.

After quickly paying Ash's share as well, she left their seat and started walking by the lake. The little mouse went behind her and jumped onto her shoulder, giving her soft, comforting pats on the top of her head.

Before Serena could say anything, she heard her poké tablet ring suddenly and she thanked the heavens that someone was trying to contact her, it would distract her from that situation.

As soon as she opened the screen she surprisingly found Bonnie and Shauna's smiling faces together.

"Serena! How nice to see you!" Shauna exclaimed with a big smile. It had been a while since they had spoken to each other, only once had she called from Hoenn and since then they had never managed to meet, even if she had stayed in Kalos for a few weeks before visiting Ash.

But perhaps it was precisely because she had tried not to get in contact with her that they couldn't get in touch.

The last thing she wanted was for Shauna to feel sorry for her for how her adventure in Hoenn had ended. Still, she missed her.

“Shauna! Bonnie! How nice to see you again! What are you doing together?”

“The higher-ups in Lumiose City organized a Showcase to help tourists feel more welcomed and they called me to participate. You know, the city needs a little push after the chaos that happened with Team Flare. And since I have a lot of free time I thought I'd hang out with Clemont and Bonnie for a bit!”

“Good choice!” Serena nodded.

“It's a shame that you're not here too, the organizers surely would have liked to have the finalist of the Master Class here!” Shauna sighed "But if you're in Hoenn there's little you can do about it."

Ah, so Clemont and Bonnie hadn't told her about her change of course...

Serena had been informed of the event by Palermo herself well in advance, but she hadn't felt like accepting. And even if now it was for a different reason than the original, it had never been for what her friend believed. “Actually, I'm not in Hoenn right now.”

If Bonnie seemed to hide a knowing grin, the brunette looked at her surprised, but more intrigued than displeased. “Oh? Where did the wind lead you to?”

“In Forsia, I decided to… gain experience in a different place.”

The statement immediately made Bonnie's eyes widen. “B-But shouldn't you be in Kanto with Ash!?” She exclaimed, shaking the screen slightly.

It was not according to plan!

“Wait, Ash ?” Shauna asked.

"I'm still with him, just not in Kanto" she immediately calmed Bonnie down, slightly raising the camera's frame and recording the mouse on her head.

“Pika!”

Bonnie and Shauna waved back. “Hi Pikachu!”

“While I was in Kanto, Ash received some sort of job offer from Professor Olivio, so we decided to travel together again.” Serena explained, reassuring Bonnie greatly.

The little girl smiled, letting out a sigh of relief “Well, I'm happy! You will take some time for yourself and take things slowly!” she then grinned “And you can take advantage of it to continue persuing a relationship. You are all alone-"

“Wait, wait…” Shauna interrupted. “Why did you go to see Ash? Don't tell me there's been a development between you!” she then asked.

“Let's say it's a work in progress...” Bonnie shrugged with a resigned smile “Those two are worse than my big brother”

“Actually…” Serena pondered whether she should be honest.

At that moment she didn't know who to talk to about the matter and she felt she needed to. The two friends knew how she felt about Ash and as much as they loved teasing her, she was sure they would understand the situation.

Finding no reason to keep it all inside she set about confessing. “There was… a little accident and we more or less kissed again?

For a moment the two listeners remained silent, trying to metabolize, but the moment they got it the explosion of their reactions forced Serena to move the tablet away from her face.

“DID YOU KISS AGAIN?”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN AGAIN !?”

Even Pikachu got scared at the shrieks.

"It was an accident!" Serena immediately defended herself, but it was useless in appeasing them.

“Not the first time!” Bonney's toothy smile looked the same as when Clemont had left Dedenne in her care.

Shauna grabbed Bonnie's shoulders, shaking her slightly “What first time!? Was there another time!?”

Serena giggled at the little show, half expecting such a reaction, at least as far as Bonnie was concerned.

She actually never told Shauna about the kiss at the airport. She hadn't dared to mention it, especially when she couldn't have an answer regarding it.

Realizing the omission, Bonnie shook her head, sighing. “I'll tell you about it later.” Then she turned back to Serena “So? Does this mean you're together now!?”

Serena shook her head gently “It was just an accident, there was a plate of pasta and-”

“Have you lived that cliché?”

"Seeing how it went, I would have preferred not to..." she smiled bitterly at the memory of Ash's rush to leave.

At that point, the atmosphere changed radically. Shauna and Bonnie cooled their spirits, as if a switch had gone off.
The gossip was fun, but if they supported Serena's feelings and wanted to see her with Ash it was because they wanted her to be happy.
And now she didn't look happy.

“Did he react badly…?” The brunette hesitantly asked, doubting that a boy like Ash could react rudely. She gave Bonnie a questioning look, almost as if asking if it was possible. After all, she knew the guy much more, having traveled with him.

Bonnie was equally confused. Ash was dense and there was no doubt about that, but at the airport she had seen his reaction to the kiss. That twinkle in his eyes couldn't belong to someone who didn't like it.

“No, it's just… I think we both didn't want it to happen.”

“Wait, so you don't like Ash anymore?”

“Of course I still like him!”

She only belatedly realized the exclamation, looking around and making sure she wasn't being watched.

She took a deep breath and continued talking “I just don't know how he feels about me yet, we haven't talked about it and I don't think he wants to. And I'm fine with waiting if he needs time! But precisely for this reason something like this only puts pressure on both of us..."

Those words left the two friends thoughtful. Serena's reasoning made sense and although they might have expected more from Ash, forcing him could only lead to the opposite effect.

Shauna put a hand under her chin, searching for the right words. “Listen, I don't know Ash as well as you do, so I'd rather give him the benefit of the doubt, but I think he wouldn't ignore you like that on something important if he didn't have a good reason.”

“And he's not even the type to not say things to your face, no matter how unpleasant,” Bonnie agreed.

“Maybe you just need to communicate more. Not necessarily about what you feel, but how to proceed. You deserve an answer and he probably deserves time if he's not sure. So the best thing to do in my opinion is that you talk to each other, give each other some rules and boundaries and then as it goes, it goes."

Communication…

Those words seemed to enlighten her.

“Yes, I'll try to do it…”

“And it's a convenient time, because it looks like him there in the distance” Bonnie pointed with her finger.

Serena turned around quickly, actually noticing her friend, who seemed to be looking for her.
Their eyes met just in time. Once he saw the girl he raised his hand high and she shyly reciprocated.

She looked at the screen again. “Yes it's him.”

An understanding smile painted the faces of the two friends "Go ahead, we'll talk to him another time" Shauna nodded.

“And let us know how it goes!” Bonnie winked at her, but there was no irony or malice of any kind, just a wish that everything would be fine.

Serena brought her hand to the chest, genuinely grateful for their advice. “Take care of yourselves and say hi to Clemont for me! Talk to you later…"

"Byeee!!" The two bid goodbye and the screen turned off.

"Here you are" Ash's voice immediately called for her a few meters behind.

The girl turned to him, gathering the courage to speak.
She wanted to follow the advice, put it into practice immediately.

But the expression she found in front of her, the Ash looking at her…

Everything seemed fine again, as if nothing had happened. He observed her in a kind, patient way…

It upset her to the point that she found herself unable to speak. She didn't know how to read such a reaction. How was it possible that he had just removed everything from his mind?

Realizing she hadn't answered him, she slowly raised her tablet. “Ah, Bonnie and Shauna called.”

"Oh! Too bad I missed them..." he said, a little disappointed. "Are they fine?"

Serena nodded “Yes, Shauna has a performance in Lumiose City so she will be staying with Bonnie and Clemont for a while. But don't worry, they said we’ll be in touch again very soon!”

At the answer Ash seemed satisfied “Good! And what about now? Do we have plans?”

Serena bit her lip slightly. He didn't really seem to want to talk about it. Just as quickly as her determination had come, it was gone.

“How about we take a walk? I have to buy some stuff for the travel and then we can go look for some new Pokémon."

Seeing the boy's face light up, her throat became even more dry.

“I think it's a great idea!”

…

Things weren't exactly like they were before the accident, the silence that accompanied them as they walked through the streets of the town was so heavy that Serena tried to start a conversation "We're in a tourist area, do you think there will be lots of Forsian Pokémon?”

"Well I hope so!" replied Ash optimistically.

"For example, that?" Serena pointed, immediately grabbing the trainer's attention.

He turned to observe the Pokémon indicated by his friend. It was a small dark blue dog, with lighter and darker tufts of fur, some of them on the head resembling a bandana.  

"SO COOL!!" The boy materialized in front of the Pokémon, so fast that he seemed to have moved via teleportation.

The little dog looked at him confused, tilting his head slightly.

"You really are a cool one!" he said, drawing a proud smile from the Pokémon, and then turning to its trainer "What Pokémon is it?"

The trainer gave him a curious look "You're not from around here, right?"

Ash shook his head confirming "That's right, Pikachu and I are from Pallet Town, Kanto region. While my friend over there is from Kalos!" he said as the girl approached waving.

"But it's familiar to me…"

The little dog's trainer chuckled “He is a Muttiny, it’s used very often in sea rescues.”

"Amazing!" Ash commented, stroking Muttiny behind the ears "A pokédex would have been useful right now..."

"If you have a trainer's license I'm sure you won't have much difficulty getting one."

“Indeed, we will do it as soon as possible! Thanks so much again for the information” Ash thanked, not wanting to bother the two more than necessary…

"No problem. Come on, let's go Muttiny!"

Pikachu and Ash waved goodbye, the latter with a nostalgic expression on his face.

"What do you think?" Serena got his attention, "Was it a good discovery?"

"Of course! And with so many more out there I really hope Olivio can give us a pokédex soon!" It would have been a shame if they encountered a rare Pokemon without the chance to learn more.

“I'm sure you can't wait to catch some, right?”

“Hm!” Ash nodded, continuing to look around and noticing several Pokémon that he didn't know.

He would have loved to run and meet them all, but he certainly couldn't double himself and they probably weren't all as patient Muttiny’s trainer.

Ash's amazed expression tightened Serena's heart. It was nice to see him so joyful and cheerful, however that genuineness almost disturbed her.
She felt selfish; she should have simply been grateful that her friend was better, yet she couldn't share the same feeling.

She couldn't until she talked to him, until they at least clarified what was going on between them.

She hesitantly reached out and slowly grabbed the sleeve of Ash's jacket.
He immediately turned, as if broken from a trance, and looked at her in surprise. He immediately read the girl's face and his first thought was to ask if she was okay.

But then his good intentions suddenly halted, his gut feeling going into alarm.

Maybe it was-

“Ah, you two look perfect!”

The two teens immediately turned to find a man and a woman staring at them, invading their personal space too much to ignore. 

“Youngsters, how about taking on our fun obstacle course?”

Ash and Serena exchanged a confused look. “Excuse me, what is this about?” The trainer asked.

The two adults, dressed in brightly colored uniforms, seemed to appreciate the question "It's an obstacle course to strengthen the relationship between you and your Pokémon! You will have to work together to make it to the exit!”

“Sounds funny, didn't we do something like this in Kalos?” Ash asked, turning to his friend.

“Yes…” she nodded, however she could only hold back a nervous smile “But do you remember how it ended?”

Thinking about it carefully, the girl was actually right. Ash too, remembering that Team Rocket hand meddled in it, as well as on many other similar occasions during his travels, returned to observe the couple with an unconvinced look.

The workers shuddered under the gaze of the teens. “It-It's completely free, after all it's an invention to increase tourism in our country” squeaked the man, holding out a brochure.

Ash and Serena scrutinized it carefully and couldn't deny that it looked authentic, as did the indicated structure. Furthermore, the possibility that Team Rocket was already in the region ready to lure them didn't seem that likely. Besides, they couldn't doubt every single worker in a uniform.

"What do you say?" Ash asked.

Truthfully, it would have been easy to refuse. They could have said they had an urgent commitment or simply said they were too tired for such a thing. However, as before, the boy felt a strong push asking him to accept.

The push to do as much as possible, to keep body and mind busy enough to occupy the time necessary to digest what happened at lunch.

He knew that maybe it wasn't the best choice, but instinct overcame common sense. And after offering the most convincing smile possible, Serena could only agree, albeit still hesitant "I'd say it's fine."

"Good then! The Pokémon will take that path and you will take this one instead!" the second guide announced ceremoniously, pushing them in the direction of the structure..

“Wasn't this a thing to help each other and strengthen our bond? If our Pokémon aren't with us then how would it work?” Serena asked, a little confused.

“The desire to see you again will increase your bond!” the woman explained "On one side you two will do it and on the other your Pokémon and when the time comes you will meet for the final challenges."

Despite the two's confusion, Serena eventually released her Pokémon and Pikachu joined them.

They headed towards the two entrances, located close to one another. Ash and Pikachu exchanged one last look, silent but worth a thousand words. They would keep their eyes open.

He then looked back at his friend, taking the first step to encourage her to come in. "Come on, if we stay on alert too much we'll end up not having any fun at all."

Serena nodded and followed suit, however she wasn't totally convinced by those words as far as she was concerned.

They walked through the first few rooms and everything seemed simple enough, nothing that a few simple stunts or thoughts couldn't solve.

However, contrary to what Ash hoped, their heads couldn't focus enough on the game.

Not only because their attention was still on their Pokémon in the other path, but also because there was still a large Donphan in the room and the silence only made it even more cumbersome.

Ash stopped several times to look at Serena, even just out of the corner of his eye. She seemed to move automatically, so different from her usual way of behaving, vital to every possible emotion she felt. 

He really couldn't stomach the sight.

Tired, angry, happy or sad, he had always found her easy to read, like an open book. However, his difficulty in doing so now frustrated and worried him enough to blame himself.

He didn't want to make her feel bad, on the contrary, he was doing all this because in his heart he believed that he would help not only himself but her too.

Apparently he was wrong.

“Serena?” He called her unsurely, though determined to do whatever he could to help.
The girl turned and looked at him with anticipation, a small artificial smile on her lips.

He moved his hand forward, not sure what for, but instinctively trying to close the gap between them. “For what-”

*CLANG*

There was a mechanical noise and suddenly the ground beneath their feet opened up, sending them plummeting downward.

“AHHHHHHH!!!”

The fall wasn't long but the two had a bad landing, finding themselves at the bottom of a hole. The light above their heads disappeared, a sign that the exit had probably been blocked.

It took a while for their eyes to get used to the darkness, but eventually they were able to at least recognize each other's figures.

"Ouch... are you okay?" The female trainer asked, rubbing the side she had landed on..

"It could have been worse..." The other murmured, realizing that they hadn't hurt themselves that badly.

That was a good thing, perhaps the only one he could find at that moment.

As proof of this, laughter rang out from outside. They didn't need to see to understand who it was.

"Hihihihihihih!!! Plan successful!"

"Dammit…"

“Prepare for trouble! Weren't you bored?"

 “And make it double! We have arrived!"

“To protect the world from devastation!” 

“To unite all people within our nation!” 

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!" 

"To extend our reach to the stars above!" 

"Jessie!" 

"James!" 

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!" 

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!" 

"Meowth, that's right!" 

"Woooo-buffet!!!”

“I think we should have waited… they seemed busy” James commented, almost regretfully.

Meowth waved his paw. “They'll have plenty of time for romance down there!”

Jessie nodded "And after all, we certainly couldn't delay the mission to inaugurate our arrival!"

"What did you do to Pikachu and the others!?" Ash immediately asked furiously. He wasn't hearing the exact things they were saying, but their laughter was unmistakable.

"Straight to the point, huh? If you're that eager we might as well show you!" laughed Jessie.

"Meowth ready!" And Meowth pressed a button. The trap door above them opened, but it was far too high for them to escape. They both covered their faces with their arms, trying not to be blinded by the sudden light that reached them.

Above their heads they could see their Pokémon squeezed together in a steel wire net.

“Gnh…” Ash grunted in frustration.

He couldn't tell Pikachu to use Thunderbolt, it wouldn’t free them and it would instead hurt the other Pokémon.

“Should we close the trap door?” Questioned Meowth.

“Nah, we want to beat them, not to kill them” closing the trap door would make it almost impossible for people to find them before they'd be out of oxygen.

They were evil maybe, but not like that. Thiefs, not murderers.

"Well it's time to leave you two to your obstacle, so you can strengthen your bond!" Jessie taunted. “Bye, bye!” the trio sneered, disappearing from above and taking the net with the Pokémon with them.

Ash and Serena, nervous and eager to chase the fugitives, knew they had to look for a way to get out of the trap. The two looked around in vain, thinking of a way out but there didn't seem to be anything that could help them.

There might have been ambiguity and shyness, but in that moment saving their Pokémon was more important than a misunderstanding.

If that really was an obstacle to overcome with collaboration, they would have done it as they always did back then.

"The wall is too slippery, the only option is that you get on my shoulders..." Ash said, touching the wall without handholds.

Serena looked up. Even if she tried, she doubted she would succeed, even jumping from his shoulders. “It's too high…”

“We don't have many other options”

They had to be quick, every second counted “Maybe we could try what we did when we went to your special place? When you made me climb the tree. We'll just put more energy into it! Then I'll look for something to get you out."

Ash thought about the idea and concluded it could actually work, it would certainly reach higher than with his. If she missed her grip she would have risked hurting herself by falling, but to prevent this he would have willingly acted as her pillow.

“Let's try” the guy agreed, preparing his hands clasped low in front of her.

…

“We caught Pikachu! First attempt already a success!” Jessie squealed.

Meowth and James looked at her shuddering. 

“Don't jinx it…” Usually it’d go like that. They would think of victory and then something would come to stop them, a sadly famous routine.

“If we start off negative, it wouldn't even make sense to try” she tried to encourage them. “What is it? Do you want to stop now, go back and give their Pokémon back? There is no one who can help them get out of there!”

“It's not true, we were together!”

When the two voices called them in unison, the three looked out and saw the trainers chasing them quickly. How had they managed to get out and reach them in such a short time? It was already basically impossible to get to the exit of the trap door.

"How is it possible?..."

“An obstacle course is meant to be overcome, right?” Ash exclaimed, increasing his pace. “We are traveling companions for a reason! If you attack us, we will respond together!”

“And how do you intend to stop us? With the power of love?” Meowth teased.

Serena raised her arm “With the power of our Pokémon! Sylveon use Fairywind! Pancham and Braixen use your Flamethrower and Dark Pulse towards the opposite side of the balloon!” she then ordered.

“Paaaaanchaaaam!” “Braiiiixeeeeen!”

“Syl-veooooon!!”

Suddenly the hot air balloon began to swing wildly, the storm of fairy energy prevented the trio from being able to control it and the attacks of the other Pokémon acted as a propeller, pushing it downwards, towards the two trainers.

“They want to get closer to jump on the net!” Meowth exclaimed, understanding their plan.

“We won't allow it! Gourgeist use Dark Pulse!!” Jessie ordered, releasing her Pokémon.

The attack was fired straight at them, causing them to immediately stop. They didn't expect Jessie to have Gourgeist with her, since she hadn't used it in the last fight, and it caught them too off guard to even try to dodge.

Ash stood in front of Serena and wrapped his arms around the girl, shielding her with his body.

*KABOOM*

“Pikapi! Pipika!” Pikachu screeched in agitation, seeing the dust rise and the two teens disappear into it.

Serena's Pokémon began to flail just as panicked, swinging the net back and forth.

“Do you think we got them?” James looked worriedly. As much as they were their enemies and as much as he cared about completing the mission, he really didn't want to hurt teenagers who, at the end of the day, were just doing what was morally correct.

In their place, he probably would have done the same…

Or maybe not, but because he didn't believe he had so much courage and tenacity.

“Don't worry” Jessie immediately reassured, almost bored, “If there is one obvious thing by now is that those twerps are freaking-"

The dust cleared and revealed Ash and Serena, completely unharmed.

“Invincible…”

Hesitant to let go of the girl, the trainer looked in a totally different direction than the one Team Rocket was in.

It wasn't the attack that missed them, if anything, another one had appeared and stopped it. So out of the blue, as surprising as the threat that had caught them off guard.

From the looks of it, someone had launched another Dark Pulse, but who?

"What happened?" Serena asked, opening her eyes and barely freeing herself from Ash's grip.

The boy did not look away, replying "Someone saved us..."

"Someone with a lot of nerve!" Jessie interjected "Who dared to launch such a surprise attack!? That's our specialty!"

A male figure stood nearby, not at all familiar. The hair of a whitish shade, shoulder-lenght and a little wild. His eyes were bright yellow and his skin was quite pale. However, his build seems anything but frail.

No smile could be seen on his face, his gaze was steady and without a particular expression in his eyes. He seemed imperturbable…
Opposite him, the Zoroark beside him watched with trepidation..

“And that ghost would be the one who wants to get in our way?”

All it took was a nod and another Dark Pulse shot out from Zoroark's paws, directly piercing the hot air balloon. As soon as it had begun to fall, it had also crashed to the ground.

Luckily, Sylveon's well-timed Fairy Wind had slowed the Pokémon's fall. Ash and Serena took advantage of that moment and freed Pikachu, Braixen, Sylveon, and Pancham.

"Pika Pi!" "Brai!" "Syl!” “Cham!” all the Pokémon shouted, finally free.

Distracted by their friends finally being safe, the two trainers ran towards them, hugging them.

The touching moment didn't last long, however. Everyone turned towards Team Rocket rather annoyed, ready as ever to repay them for their bad prank.

"All together!!" Ash and Serena shouted, giving their Pokémon full freedom to decide their move.

And they didn't hold back, launching the best attacks they had and hitting the criminals' feet, who were thrown into the air and began to fly away.

"Well come on at least we inaugurated our first Forsian failure..." James tried to console himself.

"There are traditions that shouldn't be broken..." Meowth commented rather sarcastically.

"Actually, maybe that guy was quite good-looking..." Jessie then murmured under her breath, completely immersed in her thoughts.

“I guess we'll check it out next time because-”

“WE’RE BLASTING OFF AGAIN!!”

…

“Danger averted… once again.” The two trainers sighed and smiled at each other.
Once they regained their composure, however, something flashed in their minds.

Right, that stranger…

Both Ash and Serena turned to him, meeting his gaze. They offered him a smile, but were immediately perplexed by the less than friendly expression he gave them.

Friendly or not, he had saved them, so thanking him was the least they could do.
They ran towards him and bowed “Thank you so much for helping us. If you hadn't intervened it could have ended very badly!” Ash admitted, rubbing his head slightly and holding out his hand.

The guy didn't seem very intent on returning the gesture, but after a few seconds he grabbed her hand and shook it "You're welcome..." he nodded. His expression was still somewhat cold, but it no longer seemed so closed off and hostile.

Suddenly the Pokémon that had launched the attack previously appeared behind him.
Ash recognized it immediately, after all he had already met more than one during his travels and some of those situations had been more memorable than expected.

“Thanks to you too… Zoroark!” He gave him a grin, which the Pokémon immediately returned.

“Oh, right! Thanks a lot to you too!" Serena said, leaning slightly towards the dark type Pokémon. Braixen imitated her and a big blush immediately brightened Zoroark’s face, leading him to swipe his paw in embarrassment.

Ash then turned to its trainer, introducing himself "My name is Ash and this one on my shoulder is my best friend Pikachu!"

Serena stood up straight and introduced herself too "My name is Serena and these are my friends Braixen, Pancham and Sylveon!"
The Pokémon also waved, as a sign of courtesy and thanks for the help.

"Duncan." Was the young man's only response, nodding, with a smile so tiny it was barely visible.

The raven-haired boy was left thinking of something to say, feeling dazed. There was an unnatural silence, at least for him. That trainer seemed… extremely calm. He had met many introverted people on his journeys but couldn't figure out whether Duncan wanted to close off again and leave or stay and interact with them.

He then decided to try a different approach. “Would you like to have a Pokémon battle?” What better way to get to know someone, after all? Besides, he had never faced a Zoroark, it would have been fun!

Serena and her Pokémon weren't too surprised, smiling resignedly. They knew it would end up this way, it wasn't a surprise at all. Most of their meetings with strong trainers led to that eventually.

Duncan was taken aback by that request but his reaction was anything but dramatic; he raised his eyebrows slightly and replied “Why should I battle you?”

"To have fun! You helped us and I would like to repay you in the best way I can! I can express myself better with a good battle than with words. And then again, if I'm honest, your Zoroark seems pretty strong!"

Zoroark seemed much more interested than his trainer, yet Duncan remained listening.

“It would be my first challenge here in Forsia and what better way is there to start?”

Duncan was about to answer when he felt a small tug on the sleeve of his jacket. Zoroark was just tugging on it, looking at him with eyes full of intensity.

The apathetic boy sighed and lightly rubbed his forehead. “Do you think you're strong enough to keep up to me?”

The Pallet Town boy was initially surprised by the question, but then showed a big, determined smile. “You bet.”

“And I could be your referee!" Serena declared, offering herself for the role. “I will be completely impartial!”

She received a nod of agreement from her friend and at that point they both turned to Duncan waiting for a response.

“Okay,” the trainer agreed.

"Great!" Ash cheered full of energy.

The three, accompanied by their Pokémon, found a battlefield on which to carry out the challenge. Ash and Duncan took up their positions on opposite sides of the track, while Serena took up a midpoint outside the perimeter.

The girl raised her voice, trying to make both challengers hear her. “How many Pokémon will you use?”

“Just one is enough” Duncan replied and Ash didn't have to disagree much, after all he had only brought Pikachu with him.

He immediately looked down and gave a nod of understanding to the mouse, who immediately jumped into the battlefield “Go Pikachu! I choose you!"

Duncan looked at him puzzled for a moment. When Ash said he could fight on equal terms, he thought he meant with another Pokémon, certainly not with an ordinary Pikachu. There was no comparison to his Zoroark. “Do you really want to use that Pikachu? I thought you said you could keep up. If you put it this way it feels like you're mocking us."

Pikachu twitched in annoyance, feeling offended by the comment, but remained in position. He had already suffered several of those remarks and had always proven the opposite, it would not be any different this time.

Ash's response was clear and represented the reaction of his best friend ''I strongly advise you not to underestimate him! We're pretty serious about it." he smiled with conviction. There was no need to mention that Pikachu was his only choice, because even if it wasn't he would have put his full trust in him.

The challenger hesitated to send out his Pokémon "I don't want to waste my time..."

At that point Pikachu lowered his ears and increased the intensity level of his shocks. If he wanted to judge him he had to do it after their fight, not before having demonstrated his worth.

“Pikachu is not a Pokémon like many others.” Ash replied dryly but determined “He's my best friend and I would trust him with my life if it were necessary. Don't judge the strength of him before fighting just by his species. It's the years of hard work we've done together that will make the difference... and we'll show you!”

“Hm.” Duncan sighed. If they weren't making fun of him, they must have really believed they had a chance. Disrespectful or naive, he didn't know which was worse.

However, for some reason his mouth couldn't reply. He simply gave a small nod to his Zoroark, who jumped on the field with great confidence.

“Roak”

“Chu” Pikachu returned the confident smile

“Since we are ready, you can start the battle!” Serena announced.

“Show them what the fox does with the mouse.” Duncan took off with the first command. Something seemed to change in his tone of voice. “Zoroark uses Dark Pulse!”

Zoroark's Dark Pulse was extremely powerful and made its way across the field, getting dangerously close to Pikachu. The latter pressed his tail to the ground and charging an Iron Tail he released himself into the air, managing to dodge.

Ash held out his arm “Now use Electro Ball!!”

“Pikaaaa chupi!” he hurled his electric ball from the sky against the fox.

It hadn't been difficult for the opposing Pokémon to dodge the move. He was extremely fast, his movements decisive and precise.

Still running, Zoroark charged more dark energy between his paws and threw it at the yellow mouse, who was caught squarely and thrown against the ground. His position in the air had given him no time to land and avoid the blow.

Duncan watched the scene, waiting for the dust to clear to see if his opponent was already out of commission. To his surprise, Pikachu was already on his feet ready to go again.

Maybe it wouldn't turn out to be just a waste of time after all.

It was only the beginning and Ash knew it well, they were still warming up “We won't lose that easily! Pikachu attacks with Thunderbolt!” the raven-haired trainer commanded.

“Pikaaaaa chuuuuuuuu!!” The discharge hit the dark-type Pokémon, but he immediately reacted by unleashing Night Daze to cancel out the electric ray and, possibly, hit his opponent.

“Roaaaaaaark!!!” He roared, gathering energy throughout his body and then concentrating it into his limbs and hitting the ground violently. 

The attack had the desired effect, driving away the electricity and spreading across the battlefield.

Part of the ground rose and from the proportions of the plates Ash knew that the move would hit hard. They had to suffer as little damage as possible.

“Use Iron Tail as a shield and cower for protection!” It was Ash's suggestion, immediately followed by Pikachu who activated his tail and shielded himself from the violent shock wave.

The energy even made Ash and Serena stagger, who tried not to fall to the ground. 

When visibility on the field returned, Ash saw Pikachu on the ground, covered in scratches.

“Pikachu! Are you ok? Can you continue?” he asked worriedly.

The little mouse struggled to get up but, once he found his balance on his legs, he seemed to feel better. His tail was the most damaged part, but the sacrifice had served its purpose. If it hadn't been for Iron Tail, the damage would probably have been tremendously greater.

Pikachu turned to look at his trainer and nodded with a look full of determination. “Pi”

Ash smiled, they could still turn the bettle around. "Great! The real challenge begins now!”

On the other side of the field, Duncan stood still observing the scene, but he felt a strange tingling sensation running through his body. It was a strange, exciting, scary feeling. He had never felt like this.

All his predictions had been overturned and he had no idea who he was facing. It was… the unknown.

A surprise.

“Okay, Pikachu, get in close with a Quick Attack on Zoroark and then attack with a close range Thunderbolt!” The little mouse followed the instructions and started running towards his opponent, then releasing his Thunderbolt just a couple of meters from his opponent.

Zoroark seemed to wait for the attack to hit him. Which was then confirmed when his trainer said “Let it hit you and react with Night Daze!”

It seemed like the tactic used previously. Pikachu would have been too busy using Thunderbolt and would not have had time to react and escape from the following, much more powerful attack.

The platinum-haired boy cast a look of disappointment at his rival. The idea of letting Pikachu get closer had been a suicidal move. 
The closer he was to his opponent, the more damage he would have suffered and from that distance he would have been defeated.

Maybe that strange feeling before was just an illusion.

Yet the expression with which Ash responded... was a smile.

And it surprised him.

“Great, Pikachu! Use your electric counter shield!”

Pikachu grinned and began to rotate, discharging electricity around him and slowly forming a kind of shield. His Thunderbolt switched from attack to defense, which collided with the shock waves created by his rival's Dark-type move.

To Duncan's surprise, his Zoroark's attack was unsuccessful and the result of the two moves was an explosion that created space between the two Pokémon.

However, Pikachu had never stopped spinning and his recoil was greatly reduced by this.

“Now attack with Iron Tail!”

Pikachu darted forward and attacked from above with his tail. “CHUPI!”

Zoroark in an instinctive action, raised his paws still attached to the ground and brought them forward to grab his tail and defend himself. At that moment, he had no time to dodge or launch a new move and trying to parry it was the only option.

Iron Tail was not in vain, the damage to the paws was clearly visible and both arms were probably numb from blocking such a blow. 

Despite the pain, Zoroark grinned, knowing that he now had Pikachu pinned by his tail.
He realized his mistake too late and shortly before him Duncan understood too.

He now could not defend himself in any way from the following attack.

Ash smiled with enormous determination and shouted “Thunderbolt at maximum power!”

The smirk on Pikachu's face made it clear that the mistake Duncan made would turn out to be worse than expected. 

“PIKAAAAAAAACHUUUUUU!!!”

A powerful discharge pervaded Zoroark from head to tail and was certainly the strongest seen since the beginning of the match. The yellow light emanating from the Thunderbolt grew as the seconds increased and the intensity showed no sign of decreasing.

“Roaaaak!!!” cried the fox in pain.

The light even reflected in Duncan's eyes, and he remained as still as a rock. The move kept inflicting damage to his Pokémon, but his reaction was yet to arrive.

He again felt a strange tingling in his hands and a pain, or perhaps warmth, inside his chest. At first it almost felt like he was out of breath, then slowly a new sensation pervaded him.

Only then did he seem to recognize it, although distant in his memories of the past.

He brought his hand to his face and touched his lips, following their line.

He was smiling.

A smile?

Suddenly a sob seemed to come out of his mouth, then slowly it turned into a small laugh. It was an unprecedented feeling, devastating and quick to spread throughout his body.

He felt extremely confused, random doubts popped into his head and for the first time in a long while he could say he had no idea what was happening. It was beyond all probability, all logic... all expectations.

He was totally shocked, he felt like he was facing the unknown itself… and yet he was smiling.

From there he seemed to no longer be able to control himself as he let himself be overwhelmed and guided by that strange status that was dominating him.

Again laughter burst out of him, mixed with sobs and ringing voice “Zoroark hang on a little more and drag Pikachu across the ground! Make sure you reduce the shock!”

Releasing his grip completely under the shock wasn't so easy and once he did he would still find himself at a disadvantage. He should do things more gradually.

The Pokémon let out a shrill sound of understanding and fought the Thunderbolt with all its might, lowering its grip until Pikachu's tail touched the ground. At that point, feeling the shock become weaker, he detached one of his paws and gave a light blow to Pikachu's face who, stunned, put an end to the move and fell to the ground.

“Pikachu, are you okay?!” Ash asked.

“…Pi….” Pikachu nodded, but slightly exhausted from the attack.

He tried to move slightly but felt his tail was still trapped between Zoroark's paws. Gripped by anxiety, the little mouse tried to rebel to escape his clutches, but the fox didn't seem to like the idea.

“Try using Night Daze directly on Pikachu!” Duncan ordered with a somewhat… maniacal smile.

“Pikachu uses Electro Ball! Quickly!!" the Kantonian immediately replied.

Just as Zoroark pressed his tail into the ground while gathering energy, Pikachu tried to charge up enough electrical energy to at least free himself. However, having his tail stuck to the ground didn't seem to help him in his attempt.

The aura of the Dark-type attack gathered in the fox's paws, while the only thing Pikachu managed to do was release some energy to make it unstable.

Ash gritted his teeth in a grimace. The closer he was to his opponent, the more damage he would have suffered and from that distance he would have been defeated. Not for sure maybe, but he couldn't afford to bet on those low odds. “Use Iron Tail to brace your tail and attack with everything you have!”

The rival felt his eyebrows rise, an almost maniacal grin accompanied his curious expression. Did he think he could stop him? It was impossible.

Pikachu however fought the odds. He strengthened his tail with Iron Tail and using both it and his paws pushed himself forward, coming face to face with Zoroark.

His tail was still pressed to the ground and the shape it had taken was unnatural and painful, but he gritted his teeth, knowing that the illusory Pokémon's grip was now lessened.

He didn't waste time thinking, he knew that if he had waited for Night Daze that would have been the end and he also knew that his tail wouldn't have supported the unnatural effort he was making for long.

“CHA!” In a desperate attempt, he opened his mouth and bit Zoroark on the snout, sinking his fangs into his rival.

“ZAA!” the fox screeched in a yelp of pain and immediately his grip on the tail vanished, as well as releasing his attack into the void, ending up doing very little damage to his opponent. They both staggered from Night Daze, but Pikachu didn't let go.

He latched onto the rest of Zoroark's face with his paws and before he could bite him in the same way, he unleashed a Electro Ball at him, as Zororark tried to grab him.

The surprises were not over.

And Duncan found himself letting out another half-laugh, it was an uncontrollable action.

Opposite him, Ash observed the reaction and if on the one hand he found himself confused, on the other he understood that that fight had hit the mark. His challenger's emotions were coming to the surface and probably, even if in his own way, he was having fun.

He felt that they were giving each other an encounter never experienced before. And he wanted to end it on a high note.

“Pikachu, break away and finish with one last Iron Tail!”

"That's enough."

There was an initial silence.

Pikachu and Ash were confused and immediately stopped. The electric mouse landed on the ground and tilted its head slightly in confusion. Likewise Zoroark with some doubts turned to his trainer, albeit with a pained voice "Z-Zo?"

In an instant, it seemed as if Duncan had completely composed himself, yet something was different. Instead of having a totally apathetic expression, he became more foggy. 

His tone of voice had returned to normal but he didn't sound as disinterested as he had before the challenge.

“It pains me to interrupt the fight like this but I really have to go. My time is up,” he said, a statement to which the other two teens didn't know how to react. He did seem sorry, but also sober and indecipherable.

“..B-But..!” Ash stuttered in confusion.

“Your Pikachu did quite well. It was certainly an… interesting experience.” he commented, calling Zoroark back into his sphere.

The raven-haired boy rubbed his head "Uh... so it end like this?"

Serena intervened  "In that case it would be a victory for Ash by forfeit..."

Duncan shrugged a little, not really caring about the defeat. But he had to stop the battle. Or to be precise, he felt the need to stop himself and those overwhelming sensations that the challenge was transmitting to him.Too intense.

“But a victory like this doesn't really feel... complete.” Ash muttered loud enough for the other two to hear. “Well, then I would say that we can only consider it suspended! We'll continue again next time! What do you say?"

"Next time?"

"Well ... yes. I have a feeling that we will meet again and then we can have a rematch.

“Another challenge against him…” he felt a little tingle in his hand at the idea. For some reason he didn't respond negatively, the prospect intrigued him.

He didn't show it; he turned away and started walking away, leaving the poor, confused trainer behind.

However, once distant, the hand that was tingling unnoticed rose slightly in a wave.

Not a farewell, but a "See you next time" wave.

Ash smiled and reciprocated, even though he was aware that the other would not see his hand rise. Something told him that he would understand it anyway.

After a few minutes of silence, Serena was the first to speak "Well… a particular guy I would say"

Ash nodded “Hmm, but it seemed like something changed during our battle. Not in the sense that it was less ambiguous, but it was as if something had come out of his shell.”

“Sometimes some people have difficulty expressing themselves or even experiencing emotions and interests. Maybe he didn't expect you and your Pikachu to be so strong and the surprise completely shocked him" she observed "Or you simply amused him a lot. Anyone who battles with you I think has fun.”

“Oh, you think so?” he smiled.

“Surely, after all I did battle you.”

Ash chuckled “In that case I'm happy! Also because I had a lot of fun too! I hadn't felt like this in a long time..." He hadn't battled seriously against anyone for a long time and the emotions of these experiences were hidden deep in his heart." I felt shivers! I missed it a lot..."

“Hmm”

Ash sighed. He had received so many new emotions in those last days and he didn't want it to end... "There will be many trainers like him and I want to challenge them..."
His words slowly faded away.

Serena also noticed it clearly and with a light smile she approached him, but remained silent.

"I want to give it a try… at the league..." Ash admitted in a low voice, but at the same time with extreme honesty.

He wanted to try again.

He didn't know what it would lead to, he didn't even know if it would really bring him closer to his dream, but battles like this, like he had done against Duncan, amused him. It excited him and encouraged him to give his best more and more.

He wanted to feel those emotions again at all costs.

“Pika!” the little mouse's voice made him look down.

He found Pikachu smiling, a small fist raised towards him.
Reading it in his eyes, he knew that they both felt the same thing and that conviction, that silent agreement, was more than clear.

Ash raised his fist, ready to touch Pikachu's gently…

But as soon as it approached, Pikachu slowly began to lean down and as if in slow motion he saw the body of his friend collapse to the ground.

"P-Pi..." was the painful murmur that Ash and Serena heard.

“Pikachu!!”

The trainer immediately knelt on the ground and took the Pokémon in his arms, trying to shake him slightly “Pikachu!! What’s going on?!" he raised his voice worriedly.

He had seen his friend exhausted from battles, but he seemed relatively well physically when he came tromping closer.
Looking closer, however, he clearly saw that the damage suffered was worse than he had previously thought. As if most of those wounds had been held back for the adrenaline.

Ash's worry increased considerably and reached its limit when, after repeated attempts, Pikachu showed no response and began to breathe irregularly.

“We have to run to the Pokémon center!” Serena said immediately, obviously making the most logical suggestion.

Ash held Pikachu tighter in his grip to make sure he didn't fall while running and set off in the direction of the medical center, followed by Serena and her Pokémon. “Hang in there buddy, okay? Everything will be fine..." He said, encouraging himself more than Pikachu, unable to hear his trainer's words.

…

As soon as they arrived, Ash had entrusted Pikachu to the care of Nurse Joy, who immediately got to work and took the little mouse to the room for treatments..

At least two hours of excruciating waiting had passed since then.

They had no idea what could happen. A part of Ash was certain that everything was under control, but he also felt a great sense of guilt for having underestimated his best friend's injuries. He should have insisted and asked him about his condition instead of getting lost in his thoughts.

And to think that he had also insisted on continuing the battle... What could have happened if Duncan had not withdrawn?

Serena stayed with him the entire time, offering her silent presence. Their accident? Totally set aside. Now Ash needed her support and she wouldn't hesitate to give it to him. How could she not?

Neither of them spoke until Nurse Joy came back, almost startling the guy, who jumped to his feet "How is he?!"

The woman smiled trying to calm him down "He had suffered significant injuries, but he will recover soon"

They all breathed a sigh of relief, especially Ash, who immediately went to meet his friend, lying on a small stretcher and covered with a sheet. “Pikachu! How do you feel?”

“Piii” he wagged his tail weakly. He was tired but he felt much better.

"Thank goodness, I almost had a stroke..." Ash murmured, caressing his friend gently "But it's my fault, I should have taken you to get checked immediately"

“Chu!” The little mouse shook his head as he denied the statement. He himself had felt relatively well until that minimal effort made to raise his fist. He hadn't expected it either.

“It was probably the adrenaline,” Joy replied, interrupting the moment. “From what I could observe while I was treating his wounds, Pikachu seems to have been out of shape for a while.”

Ash's eyes widened slightly. “We actually haven't faced any major battle for quite some time. But when we did it earlier, he didn't seem so different from our last high-level one.”

“That was thanks to the adrenaline he felt during the fight. It must have given him the push to continue fighting and eventually when it was all over his body reacted, reflecting the true extent of the damage” she explained.

“Oh, that's why everything seemed okay…” Ash exchanged a look with Pikachu who nodded.

“For tonight he needs absolute rest, but tomorrow he’s going to be in excellent shape!” the nurse encouraged them with positivity.

“Could he stay with me? Or should he remain under observation?” Ash asked, but without making unclear which of the two options he preferred.

The woman giggled and sighed, but gave her consent. “You can keep him with you, but as said, he needs to rest as much as possible!”

"It will be done!" he assured with a smile and with the joy of being able to hug his friend again right away. 

Pikachu stood up on his paws and extended his front ones towards the trainer, like a child who wants to be picked up by his parent. Ash didn't hesitate and gladly obliged, grabbing him carefully and making sure he was in a safe and comfortable position.

The two walked towards their room and closed the door behind them. Ash immediately placed Pikachu on his bed, letting him curl up under the covers, like when a wild Pokémon hides in its den.

"It’s incredible how much strength can be hidden under such a sweet face" Serena commented.

Ash chuckled “I thought the same thing several times, especially at the beginning of my journey. Even if I had to change my mind at the first shock.” 

“He immediately made things clear, before convincing your opponents you have to convince your trainer!” she joked.

“Easy to say when you were the only one of my traveling companions who didn’t get electrocuted!”

“It's all about charm!” she giggled.

“I don't really have an answer to that,” Ash replied with a chuckle.

There was a moment of silence, then the boy turned towards his friend and looked at her with a smile "Are you sleepy?"

Serena shook her head in confusion "Not really, why?”

Ash moved away from the bed and spoke in a low voice "Want to go for a walk? It's quite early and I don't think I can fall asleep"

The girl saw a strange look in the friend's eyes, but she didn't hesitate to reply, "Of course."

She took two Pokéballs and called Pancham and Braixen into them. However, she did not proceed to take Sylveon's, instead turning to the fox. “Would you stay here and look over Pikachu?” She wouldn't let her guard down this time, even though she knew that Team Rocket was unlikely to attack a second time today.

Sylveon nodded happily, jumping onto the bed and sitting not far from the little mouse, already fallen into a deep sleep.

Thanking her, the two left and went down to the hall.

They passed in front of the phone machines and at that moment Ash had an epiphany and stopped "Do you mind if I make a call first?"

Serena shrugged "Of course not-" the girl gasped at her own words and shivered. "Oh, I have to make an urgent call too!" How could she have forgotten to tell her mother that she had left for a new journey?

Ash didn't understand the reason for his friend's nervousness, but nodded, encouraging her "Then we'll catch up as soon as we're both finished..."

“Y-Yeah...” the girl immediately sprinted towards one of the phones, leaving enough space between her and Ash so they wouldn't disturb each other during their conversations.

They both dialed the numbers and waited for a response on the other end of the call.

Ash waited a long time, starting to believe that no one would answer. The Kanto time zone flashed in his mind and he slapped his forehead. He should have called immediately as soon as he arrived, but instead he had waited and now it was the middle of the night at his mother's.

The woman's face fully represented his thoughts, she looked like a zombie "Honey, is that you?"

“Hey Mama! Sorry about the time, I forgot to call earlier..." he scratched his head in embarrassment.

The woman yawned with a hint of a smile “As always… I expected it so don't worry. Besides, you're the only one who would call me in the middle of the night."

“Eheh...”

“Well I'm awake now, so tell me, how was the flight? And your first day? How is Serena?"

Ash motioned for her to slow down, unable to answer all at once. She could talk too much even when half asleep, who knows what she would have been like if he had called her at a decent time.

“So, the flight was as good as usual, and the meal was also inedible as usual.”

“Hahaha it's nothing new, but I think you've made up for it, right?”

Crap, his mother and her ability to always touch the wrong nerve.

She couldn't have known, but lunch had been the most delicate point of that day and although it was precisely the reason why he had called, he didn't think of starting the discussion like that.

But now, since it was useless dancing around it...

"Sweetie? What’s up?" Delia's sweet voice asked, immediately suspicious of that silence.

“It’s fine, it's just that…”

“Did Team Rocket attack you again?”

Ash looked at her, puzzled "And how do you know?"

“I didn't know” she admitted with a grimace “And I hoped not, but now we know how it works…”

“Well yes…” Ash agreed, however he shook his head “But it's not about that. You see…"

“Is this about Pikachu?” His mother asked again with concern, once again receiving a surprised expression from her son. “He's not there with you.”

“Uh, we challenged a trainer and he came out in a pretty bad shape, but luckily in the end it wasn't anything serious…” Delia nodded comforted by her son's words “But again, it's not about that. It’s-"

“Serena?” The woman finally tried, silencing Ash, who couldn't even find the words to respond.

Sometimes his mother scared him.

And he didn't even need to ask "Don't underestimate me."

He didn't, but decided not to argue and remain silent, which made Delia extremely suspicious.

Something had certainly happened between the two and she hoped it wasn't anything negative, especially when their journey had just begun. She didn't expect a sudden call to give her the good news of their new relationship, she knew her son all too well, but at least she didn't even want one that meant the opposite!

“Come on, tell me what happened.”

“You’ll make fun of me…”

The woman immediately looked at him with a strict but not stern look "There's a time and place for everything, but not now."

Familiar words…

Delia knew when to joke and when to listen carefully. From the look on her son's face, she saw a concrete fear that he rarely let shine through.
She was his mother, who else could offer him advice?

“You see… there was a little accident that I won't dwell on,” Delia nodded, without pushing him to talk about things he didn't feel like talking about, “—and I think Serena wants to talk about it.”

Delia raised an eyebrow, a sign that she expected how Ash would continue.

“I'm not sure I want to because I don't know what to say yet and… I thought I'd wait? But it doesn't seem like the best option anymore.” He confessed more and more awkwardly.

Although not in detail, it was enough for Delia to understand her son's feelings. She had her own speculations about what had happened, but she would save them for another time. "It's simple honey, you already know that not talking is the wrong choice. So talk to her."

“B-But I don't know what to say!”

“Exactly that. Tell her you can't give her an answer yet."

Ash didn't seem very convinced. “Won't it be worse?”

“Tell me Ash, what do you think will happen if you tell her that? Do you think it could ruin your friendship?”

Ash immediately shook his head. No, he didn't believe it was possible at all, or at least he fervently hoped so.

And he was no longer so sure that the girl didn't already suffer as much as she would with a painful response.

Seeing the worry on her son's face, Delia smiled sweetly. Had she been there with him, she would have taken his hand to convey more assurance to him, but she would have had to let her words suffice "Then believe me that sometimes it’s better to be direct but honest with yourself and others, rather than letting big misunderstandings drive your relationships.”

“I think you're right” the boy finally convinced himself. “I'll talk to Serena”

He had to take a step too, if he wanted this journey to go the right way. And to do that he had to respect Serena's feelings.

Delia breathed a sigh of relief. She was sure that whatever it was, they would find a solution.
For a moment, noticing the silent boy again she wondered if there was more he wanted to say.

Soon, her suspicions became concrete.

“Mom… do you remember what you told me before I left?”

“Probably yes, but you have to be a little more specific, honey. I know I'm quite a talker too,” she replied.

“Speaking of not having to make you proud because you already are…”

Delia straightened up a little. “Of course and I'll keep reminding you.”

“I know...” he admitted a little hesitantly “I know that I have to chase my dreams first and foremost for myself, but every time I've done it it hasn't ended very well...”

“Ash-”

“Before leaving for Kalos I promised you that I would win the League… and even though I took a step forward in the end I couldn't keep my word.” he lowered his head slightly “When you gave me that speech, I knew you were referring to this too...”

The woman waited a moment to answer but then she confirmed "Yes."

He had realized that his dream was no longer just his, but also that of those who supported him. He had, however, focused so much on not disappointing others that he had ended up ignoring what he felt.

He still had the sensation of the warmth of his friends' hands in his.

All the bonds he had formed with his Pokémon, the strength he had achieved... the fun he had fighting and training...
That was what he had felt during the battle against Duncan. The desire to achieve something for himself and for Pikachu.

With determination he raised his head.

“I will participate in the league again! There are many strong trainers and even if I don't know if it will help me in my dream...-"

"You’re going to have fun." Delia smiled, finishing for him.

Ash nodded "I don't want it to feel like a waste of time, like chasing something unattainable or useless..."
But he just wanted to have fun. He wanted to become a Pokémon Master, but he also wanted to take things for what they were. Otherwise, why chase a dream while only feeling anguish?

He didn't want to risk hating the very reason he had lived such a rich life.

Ash clenched a fist with conviction and placed it against his chest “I'll give it my all! I promise"

“I know you will…” his mother wiped her wet eyes “You always have”

“Hm!” he nodded “Now I'll let you go... it's still late for you. We will talk soon!"

The woman nodded tiredly, but reassured "Goodnight and please, take care of yourself"

"Of course. Good night." he waved, turning off the call.

…

"Hello, who’s calling?"

"Hello mom..." Serena's nervous voice greeted.

She knew that she would have to be more than convincing in her arguments for the journey. Grace was much more understanding than in the past but she was still a bit rigid when it came to big choices.

Especially after what had happened in the last few months.

The woman immediately recognized the voice of her daughter "Oh, hi sweetie! How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, thanks!"

"Really?" Grace asked with a thoughtful expression. “You haven't been in touch for a while.”

“I'm doing much better.” again the girl reassured gently, understanding her mother's fears. Had she been in her place, she probably would act the same towards her child.

“It makes me happy, but I didn't have many doubts. There, in Kanto, with Ash… your head is probably between the clouds.”

Serena blushed slightly, shaking her head "Actually..."

"Actually?" Grace's face became curious, scrutinizing that of her daughter.

“I-I'm not exactly in Kanto.”

“…Huh?”

“We're a little… o-overseas.” she showed the most optimistic smile she could, feeling a weight in her throat slowly increase.

“And where are you, then?” the slightly dazed woman widened her eyes slightly.

“I’minForsia!”

“…Say again?”

“I'm in Forsia.”

Grace waited for the information to become clear in her mind. So her daughter wasn't where she said she was going at all and she was doing who knows what? “Serena...-” the woman's face changed to concern and severity.

"I went to Kanto! And I went to Ash to help him feel better. I didn't lie about that. It's just that while we were there we were given the chance to come to Forsia to do a favor for the professor of the region..."

“And you agreed to go with Ash,” Grace sighed. “And I guess it's a quick detour, right?”

Serena bit her lip, but her response was firm. "Actually, my intention would be to travel around the region with Ash, while we're at it..."

Grace's expression did not seem entirely satisfied by her daughter's words. She had always been quite reluctant to let her decide on her own and she had noticed it was a flaw. She had therefore tried to improve and support Serena as time passed, primarily by letting her go to Hoenn.

But the result of that choice was not excellent. Now more than ever she wanted to protect her from any choice that might hurt her or make her lose herself even more. “Does this mean that there are Showcases? Have you decided to start performing again?”

“Hmm… not exactly…”

"A vacation?"

"No? I haven't decided exactly what to do yet, but I might try..."

“So you don't have any specific plans, it's just a romantic escapade...”

Serena took a deep breath to avoid saying something unpleasant, which would not represent the person she is. For some reason, her mother’s statement bothered her when put that way. 

Sure, she was in love with Ash, but he was just one of her goals.

She knew that to receive the approval of her mother the last useful thing was to show hesitation. “It's not an escapade” she checked around her to make sure her friend was on the phone and hadn't heard “And it's true, I don't have any specific plans regarding my career, but I do have some plans regarding path I want to take to rediscover myself."

“Rediscover yourself?” Grace asked, confused.

“I still intend to dedicate myself to performances, but I need to find the right motivation to do so. I want to become Queen of Showcases to give a smile to others but... I should also be the first one to smile."

“Hmm,” her mother crossed her arms, nodding, “I'm sorry, darling. I'm not against it if you want to take more time, I'm just worried that setting off on the road again without having clear ideas could make things worse."

“I know… I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about it. But staying at home or returning to Hoenn won't bring back motivation. I have my Pokémon, and as long as they're here everything will be fine." And Ash, but there was no need to specify further.

“I can bet that even if you had called me before leaving you probably wouldn't have changed your mind. And if you're so convinced, maybe it's the right choice." Grace smiled supportively. “Just try to be careful, okay?”

“Of course,” the girl assured. “I'll call you, don't worry. And I'll get you some souvenirs!”

“That is a must!”

Serena giggled, shaking her head "I have to go now." she said, noticing that Ash was waving at the screen, a sign that he had ended the call. She didn't mind him hearing her words now, but she didn't want to make him wait.

“Okay, have a good night!”

“You too, Mom,” she said softly, gently pressing the receiver down.

"Hey! All done?" the boy asked as he approached, seeing that his friend had ended the call.

“Hmm!” she confirmed, nodding.

"What do you say? Shall we go for that walk?”

"Sure!"

…

The beauty of being in a small town and not in the middle of a metropolis was the lack of light pollution. The starry vault above their heads would otherwise not have been so easily visible.
Lying on a grass not far from the Pokémon center, the two observed those brilliant dots in the sky, enjoying the freshness of that late evening.

For several minutes the two did not dare to speak, preferring to enjoy that peace and tranquility. No shooting stars had yet crossed the sky, but their eyes remained focused waiting to see some.

Waiting for luck, however, wouldn't really help his case, Ash knew that. If he wanted to solve things he had to take matters into his own hands.

Serena no longer seemed so upset and maybe he could have taken advantage of it as he had initially planned, but he no longer wanted to see that expression on his friend's face.

“Serena…?”

“Hm?”

“Can we talk about… what happened today?” He asked, secretly fearing that he had gathered courage for nothing.

Serena immediately turned her head in surprise. “Uh… sure.”

“Okay, well…” At that point Ash once again found himself unable to find the right words. 

“I-I… I don't know how to explain myself”

The girl smiled tenderly. Seeing Ash being awkward at finding words was such a rare thing and she would almost find it cute if she didn't know how much difficulty he was having.
Or if she didn't know that maybe he was searching for the words to reject her as gently as possible.

Maybe, after all, it was her turn to start. She would help him, no matter the outcome. After all, this could only help her too in some way. “I've never said things clearly, but when I kissed you in Kalos I didn't do it just to get it over with.” She admitted.

She didn't expect it, but she was speaking with a simplicity that she didn't think she would ever find. There was a bit of nervousness, because she felt like she was putting her feelings in the spotlight for the first time, even though their nature had been revealing for a long time now.

“So you… l-like me?” Ash asked even more awkwardly, finding those words so strange coming from him in that context.

He had never really thought anyone could have those kinds of feelings for him, let alone a girl as amazing as Serena.

Thinking about it, that question must have already had an implicit answer, after all, Serena had just admitted to him that the kiss hadn't been such a random thing. However, she remained composed, replying candidly, “Yes.”

"Since when?"

"Since the very start."

Ash looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"

Serena blushed more and more. Having that conversation with Ash as if nothing had happened, without them even being together, was so embarrassing "Since we met as kids and you helped me out" She then turned to him, not noticing his slightly red cheeks "You had this kindness that no one had shown me before… and when you talked about Pokémon you did it with such contagious enthusiasm! And when I saw you on television after you jumped from the Prism Tower, and yes, you gave me a stroke-"

“Eheh, sorry” he murmured in a higher pitched tone than usual, actually feeling his face getting hotter and hotter.

“-and when I recognised you I thought we could meet up so I could give you back your handkerchief and catch up. Or at least it was one of the reasons I left home. Then you know how it went, my feelings never changed and only grew"

It was all so strange, now that he thought back, many of Serena's behaviors found an explanation. “I wonder why I never noticed…”

“I wonder that too, practically everyone knew that.”

Those words made him even more frustrated, making him turn onto his back again and slam his hands in his face “Arghhh! I suck at these things!”

“Has anyone ever confessed to you?” Serena asked with surprise.

"Aside you? Of course not!" He wasn't the type to catch attention, even at school the girls preferred cute and popular boys rather than him. And he had to admit that he hadn't exactly had a good temper years ago.

With Serena, perhaps he went a bit extra on his good behavior, but getting his trainer license and starting a journey had made him a stuck-up and arrogant person that even Gary would envy.

“You underestimate yourself, I'm sure that during your travels many girls have probably set their eyes on you” Serena sighed. If he hadn't noticed her feelings that were already so obvious, it didn't surprise her that he hadn't understood those of ones who were much more skilled at hiding them than she was.

The guy, struck by embarrassment, took his hat and covered his face, lamenting.

Serena let out a laugh, knowing that from then on the topic might lead her to do anything but laugh.

She knew that Ash was a person who cared a lot about his friends, that meant she was included as well and she wasn't so egoistic as to not recognize it. She valued their friendship as much as he did.

Simply, a heartache was not something easy to bear. “Listen, if you don't r-reciprocate, you don't have to worry. We can put that kiss behind us and nothing will change-"

“No, not that!” He immediately refused hastily, although the blush on his face did not cease. He still didn't know for sure his answer, or if he felt ready for a relationship, but he absolutely didn't want to forget that kiss, or what it meant.

He was selfish perhaps, for reasons he couldn't understand, but he really didn't want to. “I-it's not that. I just don't know what answer to give you yet."

Honestly, he didn't know what to expect, and as much as he hoped for the least negative reaction possible, he certainly didn't imagine that the first thing she would give him was a smile.

Truthfully, that was exactly what the girl had hoped for. “Then take your time.” Sure, he wasn't returning her feelings, but he was considering them and allowing them to grow.

Ash jumped up, sitting straight. “B-But I don't know when you might get the answer! And I would make you wait all that time with the possibility that eventually-"

“Waiting or not, that's my decision.” She declared with conviction "It's enough for me that when you have an answer you tell me"

"But…"

The girl also sat up and looked at him with determination, but also patience. The last thing she wanted was for Ash to be ashamed of his request. It was within her rights as well as his to say no.

But she could and would say yes. “If my feelings change, I promise I'll tell you as well,” she gently placed her hand on his. “And even if nothing happens, this isn't all in vain.”

The trainer couldn't help but smile back. Indeed, his heart felt comforted by those words. He knew what the girl was referring to. “Yes, we are friends” It was unfortunately inevitable that someone would be hurt if things didn't go as hoped, but they were friends and that wouldn't change.

“Actually when I kissed you I just wanted to let you know how I felt before we went our separate ways. I thought the day we'd see each other again would be a long way off, so we'd both have an answer by then" she giggled, thinking instead about how it actually went "But since we saw each other earlier than expected I thought like you to say nothing and wait. See how it went with time”

Ash nodded in understanding “We can still do it. Just do as always and see?”

“Okay” the girl sighed in relief, followed by Ash.

They smiled at each other again, both blushing slightly, and laid down on the grass, this time less distant from each other.

They would take their time to see how their relationship would evolve.

“You know,” Ash murmured, “It's a little strange for me to think about. It's the first time I've found myself in this situation. I imagine it’s not the same for you."

Serena's eyes widened "And what makes you think that?"

"It’s not?" He asked, equally surprised.

"Of course not!"

The boy couldn't hide how shocked he was by this. “B-But you're amazing!” As unpleasant as the idea was, it wasn't difficult for him to imagine other guys pursuing her. Indeed, he had seen it with his eyes; Tierno a clear example.

Even if he hadn't noticed it at the time...

“And you overestimate me…” she blushed. She wasn't nearly as amazing as he made her out to be. She had so many regrets and it still wasn't easy for her to love herself as she should.

Knowing Ash had changed her radically and even if she had only really started to get closer to the person she wanted to be after becoming a trainer, the kids at her school had noticed this. She had gone from being a shy introvert to being much more open, but it had always been so obvious that she had someone on her mind that no one had ever really dared to come forward.

And then again, not all childhood crushes are destined to last and grow.

“Nah, I'm honest!” He insisted. At least he could support that, whatever their relationship was. It was the simple truth.

“Hmm, I would like to believe so too,” the girl blurted out, which she immediately regretted, immediately turning her head slightly away.

She hoped he hadn't heard her, but she knew full well that he had.

In fact, Ash immediately took on an expression of disapproval. “Serena, you are literally one of the best people I know. You are kind and generous, always trying to do your best and improve. You've had incredible growth since you left! You even made it to the final of the Master Class! Do you know how long it took me to reach the final of a league, not counting the Orange one?”

“You have had constant growth though…”

“And not you? I was present throughout our entire journey to Kalos, expect-”

He stopped, noticing that the air had become incredibly heavy.

Again, an uneasy feeling invaded Serena's stomach and immediately Ash couldn't help but feel concerned.
Every time Hoenn surfaced, he could see the pain in his friend's eyes. That pain that makes you sink, makes you feel alone to the point that you isolate yourself.

He hated so much that she even had to feel something like that. If there was one thing that he had learned that day, it was that even if someone didn't feel ready to talk, sometimes it was enough to remind them that there was someone who might be waiting.

He would have done it for her. “Serena, if something happened in Hoenn… you don't have to say what happened but if you ever feel like talking I'll be there.”

The performer observed him silently, she didn't seem entirely convinced, but she gave him a smile of gratitude "Thank you"

“Just try to remember in the meantime that there's a reason why you got here, and all of us who know you know what you're worth! Whether as a performer or not! I'm rooting for you..."

She nodded, blushing. She would definitely try. “And I for you”

“Heh… I'll need it!” He chuckled. “The league race will be tough if they're all as strong as Duncan.”

“Ah,” the girl smiled. “So you're really determined that you're going to participate?”

He confirmed “I don't know if it's the right path yet, but I enjoy battling, so I might as well do it, right?”

Serena smiled warmly. “I'm really happy for you.” And she was sure that he would do great, whether he won or not. Even though she would always believe in his abilities.

“And I'm sure you will find the answer too.” He raised a fist in the sky, urging Serena to do the same. The two hands came together and aimed at the stars.

"Towards our dreams?"

"Towards our dreams"

Somehow, they would find their way.

...

.

.

.

Chapter Text

Ash didn't know if it was more embarrassing that they had fallen asleep outside at the back of the Pokémon center, thus wasting the room they booked, or that he had asked Nurse Joy if he could keep Pikachu with him, to then abandon him all night.

Maybe both, although he would have liked to blame it on the jet lag.

Serena was the first to wake up, shivering in the breeze of that cool morning. Luckily for them it was warm enough that their traveling clothes didn't get wet.

Once Ash was up too, they both rushed inside the structure, running towards their room.

As soon as the door was opened, Pikachu and Sylveon were there to welcome them with a frown.

In the end, they weren't really angry at their trainers, much less concerned given the slow progress in their relationship. They didn't have to worry about them doing crazy things.

However, they wouldn’t refuse some poképuffs as an apology.

In a hurry they grabbed their things and left, greeting the nurse as if nothing had happened.

They then headed towards the shops district. The day before they hadn't even been able to buy the things they needed for the journey, given the unexpected events. However, it was always better to depart in the morning, so they tried to make up as much time as possible.

"We got the pokéballs, the lunch too..." Serena checked, crossing the points off the list.

They had full backpacks, but it was certain that by that evening they would already be empty, given that half of them were filled with food that Ash hadn't been able to choose from. However, he had assured that he would dispose of them and Serena had no doubt of that.

The route that led to Hilsette Town was a classic country road that nestled in a small forest. A long river with wide margins, considered the longest in Forsia and unraveling from north to south, flowed nearby.

Nurse Joy had told them the name was Pici . At first they didn't want to believe her, laughing loudly at the absurd and banal name, but they had to change their minds once they checked on the map.

It was really named like that.
Apparently it was certainly a very busy road, given the pristine conditions of the route. Which was understandable as it was the main route to the capital. Nonetheless, there was a pleasant air, capable of transmitting vitality. It felt like a simple walk.

As they continued, the urban traces became increasingly fewer, giving way to trees and long grassy fields. Pokémon could be seen hiding in the vegetation, most of them staying at a safe distance but watching with curiosity.

Of the two teens, Ash was certainly the more excited. Wild Pokémon were too fleeting to observe properly, and the lack of a pokédex certainly didn't help, but that only encouraged him to venture further and further.

He wondered if he would catch one of those species, and how many he would befriend. He hoped there would be many of them…

Serena noticed his scrutinizing gaze and with a gentle smile she stood in front of him, stopping him. “How about we stop here for lunch?”

Maybe some Pokémon would come closer and Ash would get a chance. They weren't on the hunt for new teammates, but making some new friends would definitely excite the boy.

Ash's smile shone “Yes! Good idea! I was just feeling a bit hungry..." he said just in time, only to be interrupted by a growl from his stomach.

Definitely the loudest noise they had heard that afternoon, but that didn't surprise anyone present.

“What was I saying?” he muttered, a little embarrassed.

“I was right when I asked the baker to make a larger portion than normal.” her friend giggled, placing her backpack on the lawn and pulling out a tablecloth.

For such a beautiful day and a few sandwiches, they could also sit comfortably on the ground.

They positioned themselves near some trees, so they could take advantage of what little shade was present. It wasn't that hot, but the coolness provided was pleasant.

"Here!" Serena exclaimed, handing her friend a sandwich so large that it barely fit in the girl's hand. “My bag seems to have emptied by half”

"Thank you!!" he replied cordially, licking his lips. He showed off his hands, knowing that Serena would probably want to know if they were clean before letting go of the succulent prey altogether.

As soon as he managed to get his hands on his lunch he was impressed by its weight. It was even more beautiful than when he first laid eyes on it in the bakery.

“Have a good meal everyone!” Ash exclaimed, taking the first bite, followed closely by the other Pokémon who bit into their own food.

Saying the taste was astounding might seem like an exaggeration, yet there was no better term. The scent was light but inviting and the crunchy bread practically melted in the mouth in just a few bites.

“Don't gorge yourself, no one will take it away from you!”

“Nah, you know that’s not a problem for me,” Ash chuckled, then swallowed. However, with impeccable timing, the food lodged in his throat, causing him to stop and cough.

Serena immediately offered him her water bottle, and Ash quickly accepted it, letting the water flow down to the cap and clear his airway.

Her friend sighed as soon as she was sure the boy was okay. “You're not immune to choking,” she scolded, giving him small gentle pats on the back.

“Eh… you're not entirely wrong.” Ash admitted, weakly handing her water bottle back.

His hand lowered to grab the sandwich again, this time with the commitment not to strangle himself, however as soon as his gaze fell he noticed, not even in the distance, little eyes observing them.

More than them, the delicious trophy in his hands.

“Hey Serena! Look!" Ash said, but without raising his voice too much.

Serena followed his gaze and noticed the same multitude of eyes shining from the nearby bushes.

Whoever was hiding inside naively thought they would never be discovered and although it had worked so far, as soon as they disappeared they would be seen.

Serena and Ash exchanged a knowing smile. There was only one thing those Pokémon had to want.

“Hey, would you like to join us? We have more than enough!" Ash called, slowly moving to reach into his backpack and take out some Pokémon food.

They weren't sandwiches and it wasn't as tempting as those, but it was certainly much more nutritious and the one thing the two humans couldn't eat.

The wild Pokémon hidden among the foliage didn't dare move until Ash poured some of the food onto a handkerchief and held it slightly towards them.

Initially the bush jumped at the boy's movement, however as soon as he took a few steps back, leaving more space between him and the Pokémon, some little faces finally began to be seen.

Familiar little faces, with their little noses sniffing the air. Three Vulpix, two Pachirisu, a Litleo and a Glameow came out of the bush with hesitation, but as soon as they were near the food, they rushed to it and began to eat.

The two teens smiled, happily watching the wild Pokémon fill their stomachs.

Although the flora seemed lush, it couldn't have been easy to get food, especially if there were many of them.

“You were hungry, huh?” Ash commented. “Don't worry, there's still more”

“Meow!” “Pix!” "Su!" “Lit!” The small group confirmed enthusiastically, all smiling.

There was also gratitude in their looks, perhaps not used to the kindness of foreigners who normally continued on their way without paying them any attention.

And perhaps also gratitude towards two humans who had not taken the opportunity to capture them. The area where they lived wasn't populated by such powerful Pokémon, so many novice trainers went there for loot that was more within their reach.

Some were lucky enough to end up with kind and caring trainers, ensuring regular meals and love. In that case, many who had previously been against a life in captivity changed their minds.

But it wasn't a chance they tended to bet on.

Ash opened another package and emptied it, then returned to his sandwich.

Despite its exaggerated size, he was certain he would finish it.

Would it be enough to feed him? Maybe, but they would never find out.

“Pikapi!”

In fact, just as he was about to bite it for a second time, a weight fell on his head and forced his cap down over his eyes.

"Wha-!?"

“Huh?”

Then a violent jerk and he felt the entire sandwich slip out of his hands.

“What the-” The boy complained, lifting his hat from his face with sadly empty hands.

"Are you ok?" Serena asked. She too had felt a sudden gust of wind, but she hadn't turned to look until she heard her friend's groan and found him without lunch.

“My sandwich!” Ash jumped up, making everyone in the area jump slightly. He looked around furiously “Who took my sandwich?!”

It must have been some Pokémon, because who else could have swooped down like that and taken away his lunch?

Serena looked at him puzzled. Looking around as he did, she saw no one but them. She, Pikachu and all the Pokémon felt a dark aura emerge from the boy, as if someone had kidnapped his own child before his eyes.

Serena started to approach her backpack "A-Ash, there's no point in getting so upset... I have another one..." she tried to calm him down. It certainly wasn't comparable to the other one but it was better than nothing.

"There it is!" Ash said without listening to her, pointing to a tree a little further away.

The weight of his lunch must have put a strain on the Pokémon who had taken it, who was sitting on a copper with the loot. They wouldn't have run far without stopping.

Without hesitation, he ran in the direction of the bird, while Serena and all the Pokémon ran after him.

“Wait, Ash!” “Pikapi!”

The little bird noticed the pursuer and, jumping, took the sandwich between its legs again and flew up.

Catching up was easy, the thief's escape was slow and laborious.

This allowed Ash to get close, nimbly extricating himself from the vegetation. And not only that, if he had wanted he probably would have even surpassed them.

He slowed down and began to look at it carefully; a little blue bird with a white chest and tufts of feathers.

Compared to the sandwich, they were much smaller, no wonder they were struggling to escape. However, he could admire the Pokémon's determination, so intent on his task that he completely ignored the fact that the trainer was right below him.

At the sound of the little guy's labored breathing, all of Ash's partially controlled anger disappeared, giving way to an empathetic smile. “Hey, you might as well stop”

Although completely calm, the human's voice surprised the bird to the point that they began to lose their balance.

Ash brought his arms forward, nervously trying to keep them from falling to the ground, but luckily the Pokémon managed to stop on the first stable branch it came across.

"Are you fine?" The trainer asked honestly, only to receive an indignant "Tweek."

Despite this, the boy waited patiently for the bird to catch its breath.

The break was long enough for his friends to reach him, who hesitantly approached him. “Uh, Ash?”

“Hm?”

Suspicious of her friend's total change in attitude, Serena asked "Is everything alright?"

Ash nodded “Yes”

The girl raised her head, “Is he the one who stole your sandwich?”

"Yes"

The seven wild Pokémon who had been eating with them until recently began to make some disgruntled noises.

Were they so grateful to the two humans that they had taken that insult to heart, even if not directed to them?

Ash raised his arm in front of them, but didn't turn to look at them. This made them calm down “I'll take care of it”

"What do you want to do?" Serena asked doubtfully. By now the sandwich was probably not edible for him, and climbing or using Pikachu to reach the flying creature seemed excessive.

Ash crossed his arms “I'll talk to him. If he was just hungry I'm sure that like the others we can reach a compromise.”

The girl didn't seem very convinced, but gave him the benefit of the doubt. After all, if there was anyone who knew his way around Pokémon, it was Ash.

“Hey…” the raven-haired guy finally called the bird to his attention. “Look, there was no need to steal. If you wanted something to eat you could have asked for it and we would have gladly given it to you like the others"

His tone had little reproach, very understanding and patient.

Hunger could lead to many extreme things, even for someone who had only missed one meal. He understood it well.

The wild Pokémon tilted its head slightly but continued to stare at him with a grim expression.

"What a temper " Ash took a few steps forward, positioning himself a little further under the branch, at least to try to look them in the face "Let's all come back and join us!"

He held out a hand in a sign of peace, to show that he had no intention of catching them with a Pokéball when they least expected it.

Of course, with his size, he could have hurt him anyway if he wanted, but for that reason too he wanted to prove himself harmless.

The gesture seemed to help, in fact the little bird leaned forward slightly, his gaze no longer threatening or rebellious.

Calmness and patience were certainly one of the most important tactics Ash had learned in his years of travel.

The wild Pokémon watching the scene shortly behind him exchanged worried looks.

Pikachu noticed this and asked “Chu?”

“Vul…” one of the Vulpix shook his head, looking back.

Ash, for his part, thought he was doing a good job. “You can keep the sandwich if you want.”

“Twee?” The Pokémon chirped, tilting its head slightly, genuinely intrigued.

"Of course! We are all friends here! Nothing an apology can't fix!” Ash confirmed enthusiastically.

The little bird remained still for a few seconds, perhaps thoughtful. He opened his beak slightly “Ny…”

Perhaps he had hit the mark.

The Pokémon turned around, apparently intending to take the sandwich and fly down.

He , apparently, leaned forward slightly, raising his behind.

Ash's look changed from happy to confused and he didn't have time to panic "Wait-"

*SPLIT*

A white mass flattened itself on his face, hitting him full on.

Needless to say, that was absolutely not a drop of mayonnaise dripping from the sandwich.

Yes, he had hit the mark. 

The bird, on Ash's face.

The mortified looks of those present proved it.

However, their concern was not directed towards their friend, but rather towards the unfortunate soul who had not only stolen his lunch, but had responded to the peace offering by throwing his excrement in the guy’s face.

In their hearts they felt pity towards a courageous, or rather, very reckless, creature.

Ash had developed enormous kindness, especially as he matured, but there were things that everyone had a limit for.

Above all, a person who deep down had a reckless and exuberant nature.

The trainer didn't move for a few minutes and it worried those present even more. They might have laughed in a normal situation, but only a small groan came out of them.

Serena raised her hand to her mouth, her eyes wide and her shoulders stiff.

Not so much because of the disgust, although that was obviously present, but much more because of Ash's strange calm behavior.

No, he wasn't calm at all, it was like a Pokémon while was using Bide.

She could clearly see the color of his skin turning fiery red, much like that of a Slugma.

She quickly reached out with a handkerchief, to at least help remove most of the damage, however she couldn't.

Ash exploded first.

To hell with peace.

“IF I CATCH YOU I'LL PLUCK YOU!!”

The little Pokémon, who was already further away, still felt the threat coming and felt a shiver down to his bones.

Frightened and now aware of the reckless gesture he had made, he sprinted faster.

Pooping in the face of that guy hadn't been the best of his choices. And although he wasn't sorry for the act itself, he was sorry for creating a time bomb.

“I'LL MAKE A ROAST WITH YOUR BUTT!!”

His hours were numbered.

In fact, Ash took off at full speed in a crazy chase, leaving everyone else behind, who couldn't help but let him do it.

Running after him wouldn't have helped.

Pikachu looked at the wild Pokémon with an embarrassed face. He had almost forgotten that side of Ash, which recently had never had so much reason to come to the surface.

If it was for serious reasons he knew how to manage his anger well, but it wasn't like that in this case, where the reasons were much more frivolous.

Serena, on the other hand, had never actually seen Ash behave like this, but she couldn't help but giggle to herself.

She knew that no matter how pissed he was, that was just an outburst bound to end easily. He would never harm that Pokémon, even if he stood between him and his food.

Certainly, however, he wouldn't have given up on giving it a hard time and they wouldn't have gone back to eating in peace.

She therefore decided that she would return to get their stuff and they would then go look for her friend, very calmly...

…

Ash was now far deeper into the forest. And he had been able to follow the Pokémon for a long time, even changing his strategy.

He began to stalk him secretly, trying not to be seen. He had plenty of time, given how slowly the bird had returned to flight.

He didn't really hold a grudge anymore for the sandwich, that wasn’t it.

However, he just couldn't accept being pranked like that. He had offered him all the food he could want and to spend time in company, why on earth had he decided to reciprocate by covering his face in bird poop?

The first degree burns from Charizard's Flamethrower or Gible's teeth sunk into his gray matter were almost better.

He really wanted to understand the Pokémon's motivations. If he had such a spiteful personality or if there was something more to it.

After all, he screamed loudly and made a scene, but he would never actually do anything to the Pokémon. The little bird didn't know it, but his threats were empty.

The small bird's chirping intensified and he began to lose altitude.

In a moment of worry that he would crash to the ground, Ash quickened his pace. He didn't think he would make it, yet just an instant before the collision the bird managed to fly again.

So tired, yet he persisted in his goal.

Ash's face broke into an easy smile. He was a little scoundrel, but he admired such determination.

For the second time the Pokémon chirped, however this time he began to descend from the sky in a controlled manner.

Ash continued cautiously, entering a bush, just enough to see where the bird had positioned itself.

Another break perhaps? Or had he arrived at the nest?

The second option was the correct one, however the scene was quite different from what the trainer had expected.

There was indeed a nest, quite ruined, but it was not on a branch, rather on the ground, covered by a pile of branches that served as a roof.

And inside it there were not one but five little birds. One was the thief, two others were smaller, while the remaining were larger.

The most notable thing was that the inhabitants of that nest were more battered than their home.

Ash's mood immediately plummeted in understanding.

It wasn’t hard to imagine, much less believe now that he had seen it. It was common for Pokémon to steal for their families.

Still, he could have asked for help and he would have received it. While understandable, stealing was always wrong.

And probably that feeling was shared by the two eldest members of the family, who looked sadly at the loot.

He could be wrong, but his instincts told him it had to be the father and mother.

Tweeny began to scratch his head with his wing, looking embarrassed and sorry at the same time.

“Twee.. ny-nyn.” The largest among them chirped, with a particularly hurt wing.

"Twee! Twee!!!" The thief chirped back.

The trainer felt a lot of displeasure growing inside him. They had probably been hit by bad weather or some accident had caused their nest to fall and they had gotten injured and sick.

He tried to lean closer to observe the scene, but he put too much trust in the strength of a twig and once it broke his hands went empty and he fell to the ground.

The thud wasn't the only thing that caught the little family's attention, the boy fell right in plain sight.

The thieving bird immediately went on the defensive, while the rest of the family chirped in surprise.

“Ah! Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you!” Ash immediately raised his hands, but didn't get up. He didn't want to scare them any further.

The older Tweeny didn't seem too scared though. He had more of an air of scolding, directed at his own son. “Twee…”

The little one tried to justify himself, without losing his pose: "Nyy...!" from his expression, however, it was obvious that he felt particularly guilty.

Not so much for the sandwich, but for guiding the human to his family.

"Hey, I'm serious. I'm not angry anymore." He sat cross-legged. “I understood why you did it, you just wanted to lead me to your family to help them, right?”

Those words surprised everyone present. The thief tilted his head in confusion, unable to understand what trick this insistent human wanted to play on him.

It hadn't happened that way at all, but feeling his father's shadow on his neck, the little bird could only nod.

“And I'm here to do it!”

At what price? This was the Pokémon's doubt.

“Rebuilding the nest won't be difficult, but you could use medical attention.” And he was pretty sure he didn't have the skills for it. He knew just the minimum, like Serena, also thanks to past experiences with Brock. “How about I take you to a Pokémon center?”

The little bird in front of his family raised its feathers, as if to say that that was out of the question.

Ash sighed. He didn't want to just rely on what he knew and make some mistakes. But apparently that would have to do for now.

“Okay, I can try. But I'll need my stuff-"

"And here it is." The familiar voice made him turn immediately. It was Serena, thank goodness!

The girl emerged from her bushes, in her hand she held the boy's backpack and next to her Pikachu watched with the same perplexed look.

“I see you've calmed down,” she commented, smiling.

“Heh, yeah, apparently he just wanted help.” Ash said, nodding at the little family.

Serena quickly understood the implication, but a slight doubt didn't leave her. “Then why would that Tweeny po-” her mouth stopped when Ash gave her a pleading look.

Uh… she didn't understand his reasons, but she could ask later.

Pikachu took advantage of the moment to approach the family of wild Pokémon and talk. “Pika, chu pipi pi!” There was no reason to fear them.

Pikachu's genuineness seemed to help. Not like in their condition they had much of a choice, they couldn't escape.

The thief also understood this, and finally lowered his wings and retreated towards his parents and siblings.

Better than nothing. “Thank you Pikachu” The trainer said. “Ah, Serena, what did you call him before?”

“Oh, their name is Tweeny. I checked some lists of Pokémon in the area and recognized it.”

At least now they had a name “Great! It’s a pleasure to meet you!" Ash turned “My name is Ash and this is my friend Serena! And we’re going to help you get back in shape!”

Serena nodded, she certainly wouldn't back down, however she had her limitations. “Ash, the eldest is clearly hurt and the others don't look well. Wouldn't it be better for Nurse Joy to check on them?”

“It would be, but I don't think they trust us enough to follow us and we certainly can't force them.” He replied in a low voice.

“Then I guess we'll have to handle it ourselves.”

"Alright…"

"Well!" Serena clapped her hands, placing her backpack down. “Then let's get to work!”

The guy smiled, helping her get the necessary items. After his latest reckless experiences and having fallen ill during the journey in Kalos, Serena had insisted on keeping a small first aid kit around.

Delia would definitely approve and he had had no reason to doubt the choice.

Apparently she had done well, it had been more useful than expected.

“Can we get closer?” Serena asked, holding up the opened kit.

The two larger Pokémon looked at each other and nodded. The girl then knelt down with Ash near the nest "Who's first?"

The Tweeny, who for Ash was the father of the family, pawed forward, opening his wing slightly. It was obvious that the first to take the risk with the two of them as strangers would be the leader of the group and not his little ones.

“Can you open it more?” Serena asked.

The Pokémon nodded, slowly managing, but not hiding the grimace of pain.

“Well, if it was broken I don't think you'd be able to move it at all so it must be a minor fracture or a bad bruise.” She commented, taking out a bandage and cream.

“Wow, you know your stuff!” the friend complimented.

Serena giggled, blushing slightly but not taking her eyes off her patient. “I really only speak from experience. I fell several times while training on the Rhyhorns so I suffered a lot of bumps and bruises.” She had lost count. “But once during a race between amateurs it started to rain. The Rhyhorn behind skidded, slammed into mine, and we overturned. I came out of it with a broken leg.”

Ash’s eyes widened “Ah, I didn't think you'd ever hurt yourself this much. How does it feel to have a broken bone?”

The Kalosian girl was surprised, but she continued working, gently treating the injured wing. “Hm? Has this never happened to you? I thought that as energetic as you were as a child, you had hurt yourself a few times!”

“Ehe, I guess I have thick skin… or bones. Maybe it's because I drink so much milk!” he laughed.

“I guess your body is really built differently. Even from sicknesses you seem to recover pretty quickly" she said, finishing fixing the bandage "And here it is! Try not to move it for a few days, okay?”

“Twe!” The bird thanked. He wasn't sure what she had done exactly, but that thing she had put on his wing and the way she had bandaged it had reduced the pain.

He turned to his family and released a chirp of reassurance. They could trust them.

So the two youngest stepped forward, encouraged by what seemed to be their mother.

“Ttcwi” coughed one of the two, followed by the other.

Given how messed up the area around them was, there must have been a very strong storm. And if the nest had fallen and they had gotten wet, they had probably gotten cold.

This time it was Ash who pulled out a couple of Oran Berries, a knife and a bowl from his backpack.

He cut the fruit into small pieces, then placed them in the bowl, which he later filled with water. He mixed a little and then put it down in front of them “Here! Drink it all! You’ll feel better in no time!”

Serena observed, pleasantly surprised. She didn't think Ash was that skilled in that department. "Woah..."

“It's just a trick my friend Brock taught me. He is now training to be a Pokémon doctor.” he remembered "There was also a time when I helped in a hospital to treat some Pokémon that had ended up in a car accident."

Many things were still complicated for him, but traveling teaches a lot.

He knew that not all Pokémon had the capacity of his stomach and that for many it was difficult to eat when sick. So small, easily swallowable bites were needed. He also knew that Oran Berries were the most nutritious of berries for recovery and that it was important to hydrate a lot.

Putting everything together, it seemed like the best solution.

And from the way the little ones emptied the bowl with more and more energy, he could bet he was right.

"Well done! As soon as you're in better shape you can eat something better we can leave for you!" He turned to his friend. “We have enough, right?”

Serena nodded “Of course!” She pulled out some cans of Pokémon food and emptied them onto a napkin like they had done back at lunch. She then placed it next to the tree.

“And now-” Ash turned his hat backwards, “let's make you a new home!”

“Twee!” The two youngest rejoiced, waving their wings. They were certainly doing better than before and the boy's help was more than appreciated.

With everyone's help and a more than sufficient quantity of branches, they managed not only to rebuild the nest, but also began to make a small roof, so that in future situations they would not have to risk it.

It was precisely the excuse of taking more material that left Ash and the little thief alone.

Not that it was the trainer who was looking for him, on the contrary, this time it was the little bird who had followed.

He was calmly gathering some branches when Tweeny leaned on his head and lowered his head to meet Ash's eyes, albeit upside down.

"Oi! What's wrong with you?"

“Twee ny ny! Tweek!”

“If you talk that fast I can't even try to understand you!” Ash complained, but didn't chase the little creature away.

The Pokémon detached itself, arriving at his feet and pointing its wing towards him in an accusatory manner. “NY!”

“What have I done against you? I’m just helping your family!”

“NYY!” The little bird insisted. That was exactly the problem.

Ash's expression changed from understanding to anger "Listen to me carefully, I know you don't trust me yet and I can accept it!"

Tweeny snorted, turning his head away. “Twe.” Of course he didn't trust that human. He could have been waiting for the right moment to capture his entire family, or worse.

However, Ash knew pride well.

It was an ugly beast that he had been dealing with for years and that he sometimes still struggled to keep at bay.

He could well understand what the real problem was “If I hadn't intervened now, your little brothers could have worsened! This is serious!” the guy reminded him. “Put your pride aside for a second!”

“Tweeny, twe!” No, he knew it well. Tweeny understood perfectly well that despite his best efforts, his family would likely only be in trouble eventually, had those humans not intervened. It was frustrating for him to admit, but there was little he could do and although getting food had worked in the beginning, he had always taken a big risk by stealing.

If Ash hadn't been a good person, they would have had a very bad time and it would have only been his fault.

Which is why it frustrated him even more that he didn't understand why that human had covered for him.

His father and his older sister, yes... not his mother contrary to what the boy believed, had quickly understood that the food he provided was not found randomly in nature. They weren't sure he was stealing, he could also have received it as a gift from tourists or had rummaged around and as long as they didn't have proof, they couldn't blame him for anything.

That was until Ash had arrived.

He had been very close to losing all respect from his family. From his little brothers who admired him and from those he most wanted to amaze and support.

He couldn't bear to disappoint them.

“You know, I understand you. I too am often afraid of disappointing others, even if I try to not show it. So I try to never give up” the boy knelt down “I really admire your determination and the responsibility you have taken on, but sometimes you have to know what to really commit to.”

How much energy had he wasted on nonsense, on boasting or on satisfying his ego?

“You don't like stealing, do you? I know it's the easy way out, but it's easier to disappoint your family like this than to give your best and fail." he reached out to pat the Pokémon on the head. “I can't say I know what it feels like being in your situation, but I think I understand the weight of expectations. That's why I backed you up before."

“Twe?” strangely, the bird did not escape from the boy's touch. From that hesitant expression, he could clearly tell that he was ashamed.

The wall Tweeny had built had cracked, and left a hole big enough for him to reach.

“It's nothing you can’t fix, you can grow and improve, nothing we do is worthless! I have a lot to learn too! And I'm sure you can do the same, you have enormous potential!”

Tweeny remained silent, probably thoughtful after listening to the young man’s speech.

Noticing an improvement, Ash smiled and stood up. It was enough for the moment and surely Tweeny would understand sooner or later. He wasn't a bad Pokémon, because Ash was certain none of them really was.

Picking up the branches again, he went back to work.

…

By sunset they had managed to finish the construction and finally the little bird family could breathe a sigh of relief.

They would be forever grateful to those two boys, for sure.

“Please, stay out of trouble, okay?” Ash waved. “And if you still need help, next time try turning to a Pokémon center!”

The little family waved back, flapping their wings and chirping happily.

Tweeny looked at the male teen, a few meters back. Their eyes met and Ash's smile grew.

After a few moments, the Pokémon also hinted at a smile.

Soon their eye contact broke and the wild Pokémon watched as the two humans and Pikachu walked away.

Backpacks on their shoulders and ready to continue on their path, Ash and Serena left the forest, returning to the main street.

They walked as much as possible, but when the sun began to set and the Pokémon center proved to be too far to reach that evening, the two decided to camp.

It would have been better to find rooms, especially with the breeze getting colder, however it wasn't the first time they had found themselves in that situation. They would be fine.

“Okay, I'm done. Serena? Do you need help with the tent?”

Serena opened her mouth to respond as she searched in her backpack. However, a sudden thought stopped her.

The tent.

“Oh no…”

"What's wrong?" Ash walked closer.

Serena sighed sadly "I knew I was forgetting something..."

“But I think you have it.” her friend commented, pointing to the fabric clearly visible from above.

“It's not that I don't have it, it's that it's broken.” She proved, taking it out of the sack that contained it and revealing a huge gash.

"How did that happen? To tear it like that..."

“There was a little… accident,” the girl replied hesitantly, “I was on my way to Lumiose City and a wild Pokémon wasn't very happy with our presence on its territory and attacked us. Luckily Sylveon noticed it and we weren't hit. When we left the Pokémon was already gone.”

Ash nodded, reassured "Thank goodness."

“I'll buy one in the next town. For tonight instead I will sleep under the stars!” She resigned herself serenely. She was used to it by now, she would just have to be careful to cover herself properly.

Ash looked at her with a puzzled look “How come? You can sleep with me!”

Serena's head suddenly turned in her friend's direction. Had she been an owl, it would have done a direct 180 degrees. “Huh!?”

“It’s gonna get cold tonight and you might get sick! Besides, it's just the two of us-"

“Chu!”

“-and Pikachu.” The boy corrected himself. “There's more than enough room!”

He had always shared a tent with some of his traveling companions: Brock, Tracey and Clemont...

Serena was a girl, but it didn't change much, right?

Serena turned her head away, trying to hide her blush "I-I don't think I should..."

"Why? I promise you, my feet don't stink!” He thought it was a valid reassurance, after all he remembered that as a child some ladies from Pallet Town who went to visit his mother started gossiping about their husbands and he... had heard more than he would have liked and probably understood. “Also, Pikachu no longer shocks anyone in his sleep, except maybe me sometimes.”

“That's not the problem…” she insisted. Lately they had ended up in many... peculiar situations, in their sleep. But as much as they had made things clear, the most they could, it was going to be hard for her to get used to it. “And sooner or later I'll have to buy it anyway. There's no guarantee that no one will join us."

“But until it happens there's no point, isn't it?”

It wasn't that it bothered her, she knew that if that was the problem, then she could have told Ash easily and he would have understood her.

It was simply her vain attempt to avoid enormous embarrassment every time they had to go to sleep… or when they had to take turns changing. Maybe it wasn't a biggie for Ash, but definitely it was for her.

Eventually, Ash was right and she really had no valid reason to refuse, especially since it would be a lie to think she didn't want to share the tent with him.

“Alright…” She gave up, knowing that she couldn't win in that argument.

"Perfect!" He nodded with satisfaction. There was no point in her spending money until it was actually needed. And besides, chatting before going to sleep was a habit that he didn't mind.

"As long as it's just the two of us..." She clarified.

Until other traveling companions joined.

And Ash, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, nodded "Perfect!"

Their deal would probably have also backfired on Serena. It would be awkward for a long time, but she already imagined that by the time she got used to their routine, maybe that would be when she would have to give it up.

Still, having found a compromise, the two began to prepare their base.

Ash got the wood, lit the fire and assembled the tent, while Serena instead took care of the food, cooking something with the ingredients that were left. They still had a few sandwiches, but it was best to leave them for the next day.

And after a quick training session, they both got ready for bed, retreating to the tent and getting into their sleeping bags.

At first, Serena couldn't look in Ash's direction, even out of the corner of her eye. She looked at the ceiling of the tent, in religious silence, in a mixture of gratitude that she hadn't really ended up sleeping outside on that cold night, and embarrassment.

Obviously, the silence sooner or later became too heavy. “Is everything okay?” Ash asked, noticing his friend's stiffness.

The girl nodded hastily, trying to release the tension in her body. She didn't want to make the situation so unmanageable "Yes, of course! I'm just a little tired! You know, I wasn't expecting the change of plans." In a way it was true. She hadn't really expected that on their first day of journey they would spend most of their time chasing a sandwich thief, healing wild Pokémon, and building a first-class nest. “I don't mind though.”

The Kantonian nodded, turning onto his back like her "I think this is also the good of traveling. You’ll never know what can happen and I imagine that these accidents also make every day unique.” He smiled with a feeling of nostalgia “Seeing things from this point of view is something I missed. I wonder why it took me so long to figure it out."

"What do you mean?"

“The first few years I was traveling my primary focus was gym battles and sure, they're still important, but sometimes I forgot that what matters is also what is in between a journey. All of this makes things much richer! The journey to the gym can have a lot of unexpected events, but that's how you make the best experiences.”

“Nothing we do is really pointless, right?” Serena could understand what Ash meant. Even she struggled the first few times to really understand how important the meaning of the journey itself was.

“Exactly…” he chuckled “Getting your lunch stolen is also part of the package I guess”

The performer turned towards Ash, finally putting aside every thought that had been blocking her before. There was something she still wondered and if she knew Ash as much as she thought, then she also knew that it had crossed his mind "Tell me, did you want to catch him?"

Ash didn't even have to ask who she was referring to. It was obvious because he too had been thinking about it deep down. However, he shook his head. "He's a cool one, with an interesting attitude and I'm sure we could have done great things together but..."

Tweeny had only tried to help his family and he certainly couldn't go and ask him to leave them like this, immediately after they had the opportunity to live peacefully.

“It's not like battling a random wild Pokémon. That Tweeny finally has the chance to move on, I guess being a trainer often means... not catching Pokémon."

Serena's gaze became softer. That boy… she really didn't know how to describe him.

After a few seconds of silence, Ash turned slightly. Their eyes locked and although they both felt their cheeks redden, they didn't move an iota.

Trying to hide any feelings of embarrassment, Ash asked, "Uh... what?"

Maybe for a while his mind had been elsewhere and it had become difficult to notice certain things, but since Serena had admitted that she was interested in him, a world from which he believed to be a stranger had opened up.

“Nothing... it's just that when you talk about these things you always manage to amaze me. It's fantastic, you know?" She admitted with complete honesty. No trainer she knew had such feelings towards Pokémon as the guy next to her did.

He always seemed to have the right words. Or at least… in the vast majority of cases that really mattered.

Ash's cheeks took on even more color as he tried to muffle a smile with a chuckle of uncertainty. “If you had met me a few years ago… I probably would have gloated hearing something like that, even if I was the exact opposite”

Serena puffed out her cheeks slightly. She was pretty sure she had good taste. “Just because you were a kid with a lot of experience to live, it doesn't make the kindness you showed by helping me when we were little any less real and it certainly doesn't erase all the other qualities you had.”

He was the same guy she had known long ago.

“In fact, I find this makes you even more admirable. You were not born with the qualities you have now, you had to face many difficulties and grow. Who you were and the journey you took to be who you are now are part of the reasons I admire you.”

Ash was left speechless, staring at her with his mouth slightly open and his eyes shining.

She always seemed to have the right words…

Noticing Ash's silent gaze that continued endlessly, the spell finally broke and blushing fiercely, Serena turned away. “Well goodnight!”

The discussion ended there, with Ash remaining motionless, until his eyelids slowly drooped.

Pikachu sighed with a smile, getting up and paddling between the two, until he found the right position. Rolling up into a donut, he let himself be lulled by the warmth of the tent, which perhaps, and he had to suppress a chuckle at the idea, was more caused by the atmosphere between the two trainers.

…

The night passed peacefully. When the first lights of dawn lit up the sky, Serena was the first to wake up.

Not exactly by her choice. She wasn't exactly a morning person, but she had gotten used to waking up early during their journey to help prepare breakfast, get ready and to exercise.

*KABOOM*

This time, however, it was a loud bang that echoed around their tent and shook everyone up.

“HUH!?”

“PIKA!?”

Pikachu suddenly stiffened, his tail and ears perking up. Before Ash could object, the little mouse immediately darted out, cheeks charging with electricity, yet the first sound they heard was an alarmed cry of "Pikapi!"

“Pikachu!” Ash and Serena immediately followed outside, but found themselves immersed in a cloud of dirt and natural debris.

Prepare for trouble!

And make it double!

To protect the world from devastation!

To unite all peoples within our nation!

To denounce the evils of truth and love!

To extend our reach to the stars above!

Jessie!

James!

Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!

Surrender now, or prepare to fight!

Meowth!

That's right!

"Do you know what time it is?!" Ash complained, covering his face with his arms to avoid getting anything in his eyes. “Pikachu!? Where are you!?”

“Pikapi!” he heard his best friend call him, but he couldn't quite see him.

"The last one up is a rotten egg, don't you know that?" The criminal trio mocked, however, there was a similar weariness in their tone of voice.

The only thing Ash and Serena could do was hear their voices. They couldn't see the three thieves and the protective goggles they were wearing "Target identified!"

"Oh no, you don’t!" Serena immediately reached into her pocket, taking out a pokéball. “Sylveon, use Fairy Wind!” The beam of red light freed the fox, ready to fight. She was certainly more rested than them.

“Syl veoon!!

The fairy wind mixed with the unnatural whirlwind that disturbed their vision. However, it failed to dispel it.

“Ahaha! Do you really think you can overcome our new secret weapon like that?”

Nothing revolutionary, a simple fan that shot what a nearby pipe sucked in. However, it was effectively impossible for the teens to even understand what they were up against and how to stop it.

This, however, would not have meant a surrender. “Sylveon, continue!”

“Veon!” the fox insisted on her move.

She knew she couldn't hold out forever, however it was the only defense they had to keep Team Rocket from getting close to Pikachu. She would have done anything to prevent it.

“Ah, let's get this over with quickly!” Meowth clicked a button, intensifying the airflow.

“Hey… don't exaggerate, we saved money this time” James reminded him, placing a hand on the cat's shoulder, however Meowth pushed it away abruptly.

“That's exactly why we have to hurry! Help me!"

“I understand but-”

Jessie interrupted her colleague “Meowth is right, let’s stop playing around. Gourgeist! Shower them with attacks!”

“GOUUUU…RGEIST!!!!!” Suddenly a beam of shadow was shot into the whirlwind, straight towards a point that was as unknown as it was risky for the young trainers.

“Watch out!” They heard the twerp’s voice calling out to his friends.

“Sylveon uses Protect!” Then the twerpette followed.

Ash, Serena and Pikachu huddled together, taking cover inside Sylveon's Protect move. They had narrowly escaped.

However from the shots that sequentially crashed into the barrier, they knew they wouldn't be safe for long.

They had to do something, but what?

“Ash? Do you have any idea?" Serena asked, who with caresses on her Pokémon's back tried to encourage her to hold on.

But Ash, holding Pikachu firmly in his arms, couldn't find an adequate answer. He had no ideas… he just knew that if they ever got to them, he would protect his best friend with his own body.

How could they stop something they could barely see or hear?

“TWEE!!”

Suddenly, a very rapid gust of air passed next to the tube that connected the fan to the hot air balloon, splitting it in half and stopping it.

The air finally cleared and when everything was visible, Team Rocket and the two teens shared the same surprise.

“Huh!? What happened!?"

The very fast splinter that whizzed through the air continued undaunted, hitting various parts of the hot air balloon, until all the pieces of the new machine they had used were completely unusable.

“This is what happens when you save money…” James muttered, receiving a smack on the head from his colleagues.

“It has nothing to do with that, it's just that some stranger always has to get in our way by meddling in things that don't concern them!”

As the trio got lost in arguing, Ash looked in pleasant surprise at their fluttering savior, who snuck out of the scene as quickly as he had entered it.

Ash's voice, having clearly recognized him, ruined every plan to go unnoticed "Tweeny!"

“Twe…!” He stopped in mid-air.

Oh boy.

It was no longer worth running away and observing from behind the scenes.

The bird fluttered towards Ash, landing at his feet. “Twe…”

“It's really you! You saved us!” the trainer exclaimed enthusiastically. “Thank you!”

Tweeny blushed slightly, scratching his beak with his wing.

He hadn't done anything that special, he had just repaid a debt. That's what he wanted it to look like. Ash and Serena had saved his family, the least he could do was help them.

Truthfully, however, he had been following them since the previous evening. And he certainly couldn't say it was because he had foreseen that three brigands would come out and attack them.

“Inkay uses Psybeam!”

They didn't notice that the three thieves had stopped arguing and were focusing on them again.

“Pika chupi” Pikachu moved just in time, charging an Iron Tail and deflecting the blow.

“Thank you Pikachu! Now go, use Thunderbolt!”

“Pikaaaa chuuuuuu!!”

The attacks of the Pokémon on the field collided in a sequence of moves and countermoves.

Unfortunately for the good guys, most of their attacks were repelled by Wobbuffet. However, they did not lose their determination and continued to try.

Tweeny, just standing aside, opened his beak in amazement and admiration.

It was clear how strong Ash was. If he really had wanted to, he could have captured him at any time.

Despite his pride, he had to admit, it had been one of the few ways to convince him of the boy's sincerity in helping him. He was strong enough to knock him out and lock him in one of those spheres, but he hadn’t even tried.

Even just one successful attack from that Pikachu would have been enough.

For some reason though, he now wanted to prove the opposite. He wanted to keep up.

It was true, he may cared too much about his pride and his ego was affected, but perhaps... for once, he could start using it for a truly positive cause.

It was a small step to start again.

If Ash had been like him, and that's what he was now, maybe he could actually make it one day.

Maybe he could use his strength to help others. Or maybe he would understand what it meant to have it and not use it.

Maybe he really would have had reason to be proud of himself.

“Tweenyyy!” Tweeny took flight and launched himself at his opponents. His wings lit up in a Quick Attack and went straight to hit the hot air balloon, catching the criminals off guard.

It didn't cause much damage, but it was certainly enough to draw their attention to him.

“You nasty meddler! We'll make you stop sticking your beak where you shouldn't!" Jessie threatened “Gourgeist, use Dark Pulse!”

“Inkay, help with Psybeam!”

The two attacks tried to hit the bird, however he managed to dodge easily, then used an Air Cutter on Wobbuffet. ”Ny!!”

Reading his intentions, Ash's first thought was to stop him, however his mouth stopped when he actually understood the Pokémon's plan.

It was too late, and if he hadn't contributed it would have all been in vain.

“Pikachu! Get closer and use Iron Tail!”

“Pika?”

“We must take advantage! Go!"

Yes, Tweeny had watched enough to know that ranged attacks wouldn't work so easily.

However, at that moment when all attention was on him and Wobbuffet was busy redirecting his attack, it would also be the best opportunity to strike from another direction.

“Woobuu-Wha!?” Wobbuffet had time to reject Air Cutter, sending it back to the sender, who could do nothing but take the hit.

“NY!!”

However, Wobbuffet couldn't avoid the blow that Pikachu delivered to his stomach, knocking him into the hot air balloon along with his companions.

“CHU!” “FET!”

It had worked.

With a price. Tweeny, hit squarely by the knockback of his own attack, began to fall towards the ground. Ash broke into a sprint, running towards him, and in one leap managed to grab him, preventing him from getting hurt much more than he actually had.

"Got you! How are you feeling!?” He asked worriedly.

The bird chirped faintly. He was clearly exhausted, he'd never felt so physically drained in his entire life, but at the same time he'd never felt so… good either.

And to think that his body weighed like a boulder. He wanted to laugh at how absurd it sounded.

“Don't worry, we'll take care of it now. Thank you for your effort!” Ash gave him a smile, then raised his head and commanded firmly, "Now finish them off with Thunderbolt, Pikachu!"

Serena also joined in. “Sylveon, use Swift!”

“Pika chuuu!!” “Syl, veon!!” The two attacks hit the enemies squarely, who could not defend themselves in any way and were thrown into the air.

“We’re blasting off again!!!!”

Once again they made it.

And they owed it to that little Pokémon now panting in Ash's arms.

"How is he?" Serena asked, silently drawing Sylveon into her sphere.

Ash looked at the small bird in his hands, contemplative. “He's holding on, but this time I doubt we can do it on our own. He needs a Pokémon center!”

“We're not close at all,” his friend commented, looking at the map on her tablet, “if we take the main road I don't know if we'd even make it by running. And I don't know how we could orient ourselves in the woods..."

“Darn it…!” trembled Ash in frustration. Is it possible that they really couldn't do anything?

“Vul!”

A cry called them and, turning downward, they saw the three Vulpix they had helped that morning.

“Oh, hi, sorry but we don't have much time to give you more food now…”

“Vul pix pix!” They shook their heads as they jumped and scampered in front of the bushes. “Pix!”

Ash and Serena struggled to understand exactly what they meant, so it was Pikachu who ran to their aid "Pika chu pi pi pi!" He pointed to the family of foxes, saying that they should follow them.

“Do they want to help us?”

“Pi!” Pikachu confirmed.

They couldn't get through the woods without guides... and here they had appeared.

They would lead them to the other side of the woods, so they would get to the Pokémon center in time.

"Thank you very much! Let's hurry!”

They quickly took all their stuff and ran. Hoping that luck would assist them.

…

Fortunately, fate had been on their side. Once out of the woods, it was very easy to find the center.

And once they had entrusted the little Pokémon to the nurse, they could do nothing but wait.

After about an hour, Nurse Joy walked out of her office, taking off her latex gloves with a smile on her face. Ash and Serena immediately ran towards her, but luckily the atmosphere was positive.

"He has fully recovered." The pink haired woman reassured them. "A lot of trainers arrive with freshly caught wild Pokémon, so we're used to this kind of wounds. But I have to say that even though he was in really bad shape, he's reacting very well to treatment."

From behind her, the little fighter, now in full health, appeared fluttering. “Twee twee!”

"Oh thank goodness..." Serena sighed.

Ash approached, stroking the bird's head "Yeah, we were very worried!" He then held out his arm, offering him to climb onto it. "What do you say? Shall we take you home?"

Tweeny's expression appeared unconvinced, however he hopped onto Ash's arm, settling on the other shoulder, the one not occupied by Pikachu "Nyny!"

And just as promised, they soon returned to Tweeny and his family's nest, this time without making any reckless runs.

As soon as they appeared, the Pokémon's little brothers jumped to greet him, throwing themselves onto his chest.

“Twenyny!” they cried. He had disappeared the night before and hadn't returned until that moment, they thought he wouldn’t ever come back and without even knowing why.

“Sorry, Tweeny helped us out of a mess we ended up in and now it's all okay! We came to take him home.”

Tweeny's father observed the gaze of his son, who seemed to hesitantly embrace his little brothers. His eyes remained fixed on Ash and his words.

“If it wasn't for him we would have been in trouble, we are truly grateful” Serena agreed.

Tweeny waved not to worry. He had only done what was right, something that wasn't just for his own gain.

He liked it.

Who knows, maybe he could have done it again.

Ash knelt in front of the little bird "Take care, I’m sure you will do great things!"

Great things… Well, he had to protect his family.

After all, it was always an area teeming with trainers, if he wasn’t there, who would make sure they wouldn’t get caught?

*BONK!*

Suddenly, the father's beak hit the back of his head, immediately causing a bump to pop out. “Twek!?”

“Twen” The father seemed almost… angry.

Why was he mad at him? He did the right thing and it backfired?

“Ny twe ny nytwen!” The largest bird croaked. Did he really think they couldn't defend themselves? How big had his son's ego become?

Ash and Serena flinched, moving away slightly with their hands raised. They didn't want to get involved in a family dispute… "Uh, Mr. Tweeny, it's not like-"

“Nyk!” he immediately squawked, making the boy fall silent. He didn't even know what they were saying and yet he wanted to intervene to defend his son.

A trainer like that... came by once in many moons.

The younger Tweeny looked offended. He wanted to defend himself and say that it wasn't about pride anymore, but he knew that his arguments weren't all that valid, especially because he was just assuming that his family couldn't defend themselves.

They were family, and they would always be, but it was time for Tweeny to use that confidence for something bigger, something that would make him fly up high and that was for himself. If there was a time to be selfish, this was it. The father really wanted his son to understand. What was best for him, of course, but also what he really wanted.

The only way he could understand how much he really could do and how much he couldn't do was to travel. Discover his limits, discover humility and true strength.

He couldn't do it there with them.

But with that guy…

“Nynin twe!” he insisted, raising his wing towards Ash. He could trust him if he was the person Tweeny would find his way with.

“Nynin tweee?”

The life of wild Pokémon was not easy. Sometimes they lived free, alone or with a family. Others ended up with humans; as pets, as adventure companions. They could be captured and taken from their home and family, or it could be an independent choice.

Nothing was certain about life in nature.

Maybe his little brothers would leave the nest one day. Maybe they too would have found someone to follow or maybe they would have moved home for the sake of living alone.

His father was trying to tell him that he was lucky enough to be able to make a choice of his own free will. Maybe it meant never meeting again, but that too was part of life.

And he had to live without regretting not having chosen.

“Twe”

He was right. For a long time he had been a thief, he had taken on that role, convincing himself that he was the champion of his family. But in the end he hadn't made them, nor himself, proud.

It was time to change things.

He turned to Ash and opened his wings. “TWE!”

“Huh?” Ash shook his head in confusion. What was wrong with him now?

“TWEE! TWEE! TWEE!” Tweeny seemed full of vitality, as never before. He pawed and flapped his wings, then pointed to the trainer and then to himself. Then he flew towards Pikachu and pulled his ear with his claws.

A few seconds passed, during which Ash began to understand what was going on. With a big smile he nodded "Of course, if it's a challenge you want I certainly won't back down!"

Serena approached worriedly “Ash, are you sure? We just got back from the Pokémon center..."

“If he thinks he can do it then I want to trust him.” The boy reassured. “We can start whenever you want!”

“Twee!”

The air became tense and as the wind began to blow, Tweeny released himself into the air and the fight began.

He made the first move, lunging at Pikachu with a powerful Steel Wing “NYYY!!!”

Pikachu remained in place, taking the hit. Certainly very fast, however the little mouse was only thrown backwards slightly.

"Pikachu, let's use speed too! Quick Attack!" Ash commanded.

Pikachu followed the order and with a burst of energy began to run at double the speed of his opponent's previous attack. “Pikaaaaaa!!!!! Chupi!” He hit the flying Pokémon squarely, causing it to lose altitude.

“Twe!” The bird began to fall, however it managed to regain its balance just in time to glide and charge back with a series of pecks.

Fast and reactive, as well as determined. Those were the main characteristics that Ash observed in the Pokémon. He didn't give up in the face of a strong attack, he tried to suffer as little as possible and react before his opponent could react.

He put his body on the line just to have a chance.

Man, he really wanted that Pokémon on his team… “Tweeny! You know you don't have to prove anything else to me, right?”

The bird continued to peck, while Pikachu began to protect himself with his tail. However, he still managed to make the boy understand with his look that he was listening to him.

“What do you really want from this battle?”

“Tweeny NY!” Tweeny backed into the air.

He wanted to go all the way.

Ash raised a fist towards him "Then come forward!"

Tweeny began to swoop down for more impact. He knew that attack would probably knock him out. However, that was also his only opening to inflict some damage. He would not have been intimidated, even at the cost of losing.

This could only be remarkable. “Pikachu uses Thunderbolt!”

The electric mouse shot a bolt of lightning in the direction of the bird, which didn't even try to turn, going straight towards it in an attempt to resist enough to at least hit the opponent "Pikaaaa chuuu!!" “Twwwweeee ny!”

The bird's persistence was not enough against Pikachu's experience. Lightning shot through him and within a couple of seconds his little feathery body fell to the ground.

This time the bird did not fly up again. He remained lying on the ground, breathing heavily and looking up at the sky.

He was exhausted, but he had given everything he had, without flying or turning away.

He had no regrets.

"Now go! Pokéball!" the trainer shouted as he threw a Pokeball of his own. It seemed for a moment that a smile appeared on the defeated Pokémon's face, just that tiny fraction of seconds before the beam of light enveloped him. The Forsian bird was thus sucked inside the sphere.

The moments before catching a Pokémon are always the most anxious for a trainer, yet Ash didn't even have to wait for the ball to shake three times.

When the pokéball stopped vibrating and released a confirming sparkle, Ash reached out and grabbed “Yay! I caught a Tweeny!”

“Pi Pikachu!” Pikachu shouted, following closely behind his trainer.

Serena proudly approached Ash, clapping her hands "Congratulations Ash! You've already caught your first Forsian Pokémon!"

Ash himself was proud and happy to have a new companion, so promising if he could add "Come out, Tweeny!" He brought out his new friend.

“Twe!” The little bird appeared above them, landing on its cap and flapping its wings enthusiastically.

“Welcome to the team, but please don't prank me like yesterday again, okay?” Ash asked pleadingly, even though he knew well not to be afraid.

Embarrassed, Tweeny nodded, giggling nervously “Twe twe…” He then jumped off his new trainer's head and scampered towards his family, who were celebrating for him nearby.

“Twee!”

“Ny!” The father nodded, his eyes full of pride. From then on, although perhaps he would never see him again, he knew that he would be fine.

With newfound confidence, Tweeny flew back towards Ash and passed him. “Twewny ny!” he mocked him, inviting him to follow. He would show them the way to their path.

Theirs.

"Woah there, we are coming!! Let’s go to Hillsette Town!!" Ash took off running, followed by Pikachu and Serena, disappearing into the trees and leaving behind the little family that saluted them with their wings.

It had been an eventful two days and they had lost a lot of ground but there were no regrets.

After all, what matters is also what is in between a journey, right?

.

.

.

…

Chapter Text

After their meeting with Tweeny's family and the happy resolution, Ash and Serena continued their journey to Hillsette Town.

"Ahhh it's so nice to have a new Pokémon on the team!" Ash smiled, looking at the pokéball. Inside, rested the new addition to the family.

"I believe you, just like I did the other thirty-six times you've said it in the past two days!" Serena sighed with a smile.

"Heh, sorry, but it's been a while since I caught any new Pokémon. Even if I have so many, it never stops being a great feeling." he chuckled, putting the pokéball back on his belt.

And Serena knew this well. In addition to having heard about them when they were camping with Clemont and Bonnie in Kalos, she had met those other Pokémon herself.

However, he didn't often get too much into detail. He had spoken of his traveling companions, human or Pokémon, but rarely of his battles and conquests. As if they weren't really experiences he was proud of.
Personally, Serena thought that competing in six regional leagues and many other tournaments, and doing well, was already something awesome. Even if he didn't end up winning.

She still could understand somehow. She rarely mentioned her experience at the Master Class, as much as it was laudable to reach the finals at her first attempt.
She treasured that experience, but she could understand why Ash wasn't very keen on bragging about his league runs. It was frustrating to come so close and never reach the goal, and it was a feeling that not even the greatest spirit of optimism could defeat.

And of course, she wouldn't force him to talk about it if he didn't feel like it, as much as she would have liked to hear about all he went through.

"You've traveled to quite a few regions, haven't you?" Serena asked.

"Uh, yeah. Let's see... Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova… then Kalos with you. Oh, and I've also been to the Orange Islands." Ash remembered, thinking about all the adventures he had faced in those years, from his departure until that moment "Why?"

"I just remembered again about when you told Clemont and Bonnie and me that you never bring Pokémon from your old travels with you, except Pikachu."

"Hmm... but I did bring some back to the team for a while" the trainer corrected "In Sinnoh for example and even Charizard decided to come back to my team at some point."

Serena nodded, she remembered that "Have you ever thought about using only old Pokémon or trying the league of a region you've already been to again? You'd have a much better advantage."

It was a question she already knew the answer to.

It would have been easier, too easy for someone like Ash, who loved the thrill of a battle. "I probably would have thought about something like that when I started traveling and maybe even done it. But back then, my only thought was about winning, and then I started to appreciate the Pokémon battles themselves."

It made him laugh all in all. His Kanto self was a brat, but he wanted to win more than anything else and compared to today, he really couldn't say which version was closest to a Pokémon Master.

He certainly hadn't forgotten the desire to win, otherwise every defeat in the league wouldn't have pressured him so much to try harder the next.
And having found such important values ​​in battling and his enjoyment certainly had allowed him to better digest failures and recharge for the next attempts.

"The point is that being able to bring out the best in every Pokémon that joins my team satisfies me. It's a unique experience with new friends. I think that if I were to ever win a league and qualify to challenge the Elite Four, then yes, I would take turns to give everyone a chance."

After all, he had many friends who deserved another chance and Pokémon that still had a lot of potential. He was sure that many of them wanted to battle with him again.

Serena nodded, “With so many Pokémon, I wouldn’t know how to proceed. I can only imagine all the combinations you could come up with!”

“Well, I’m not the only one, you would also have plenty of opportunities in your performances.” Ash said, imagining what Serena could do with his Pokémon. “You know, I could always lend you some of mine!”

He had always been quite jealous of his Pokémon, but in the end he had often had to use other people’s Pokémon in certain situations… and he had to admit that he felt an unusual curiosity to see his Pokémon perform with her.

The girl blushed slightly, “Do you think I should catch more Pokémon?”

Her friend shook his head, “Not necessarily, I have many but you know why.” He had been traveling for years, always rebuilding his team. “But having a smaller team can help you focus on the same Pokémon. My point is, if you ever need something specific for a choreography, the offer is always open!”

“Thanks… I’ll keep that in mind,” she promised. She wasn’t sure if it would ever be necessary, but she really appreciated Ash’s willingness to entrust her with his precious friends. “That goes for me too, even though you probably won’t need it. You have a lot more options and they’re definitely better prepared for battles.”

“Thank you! But I don’t think you have a weak team at all. Ultimately, it’s a trainer’s job to bring out the best in their teammates depending on what you want to do. If anything, mine would probably be really ungraceful…”

“Like trainer, like Pokémon?” Serena giggled, making Ash laugh too.

“Hey, I have two left feet and I could never put on a show like you, but I’ve been in a few Contests! I’m not that bad of a coordinator!”

“Better than me I bet…” the girl whispered, perhaps forgetting to hide that thought. By the time she realized it, it was too late.

Ash's head was whipped around and she couldn't help but tense under her friend's confused and shocked look. "Serena...?"

"We were talking about your old Pokémon... and your friends?"

"Serena..." Ash insisted, not buying his friend's attempt to pretend she hadn't said what he'd heard.

"Is that an injured Pokémon?" she said, raising her head slightly.

Ash didn't move an inch, while his eyes narrowed "Serena...!" He wanted to continue the discussion. Of course, it wasn't worth the girl's bad mood and discomfort, but...

"No, seriously, look!" she raised her finger, pointing a little bit into the distance.

Ash then looked around and sure enough, a few meters away, there really was a small injured Pokémon. A Wooper by the looks of it.

It was obvious that the conversation would end there, but the boy couldn't hold back his disappointment, letting out a look of displeasure towards his friend.

Serena returned it with a sad smile, starting to walk towards the Pokémon. She lightly tightened her hands around the straps of her backpack and hoped that the message was enough.

She didn't really want to talk about it.

At least, Ash respected that wish. Obviously annoyed and reluctant, but he did it and that was enough for her. In the end, she couldn't really blame her friend.

They both reached the little Pokémon and slowly bent down. "Hey, we won't hurt you," Serena reassured, holding out her hand, so that Wooper could make sure she didn't have any Pokéballs.

As soon as he had noticed, Wooper slumped down in exhaustion.

Serena inspected him "He doesn't look sick or seriously injured..."

Ash nodded "Looks like battle wounds. Maybe he got into a fight with some other wild Pokémon…?” he took off his backpack, rummaging around inside for some Oran Berries “Well, in any case, these should do the trick”

He managed to find a berry, perhaps the last one left, and handed it to the Pokémon. It ate, timidly, until it was finished and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

Looking at Wooper who was resting, the two exchanged a satisfied smile “At this rate we should get a small camper and open a mobile medical studio.”

“Right” the girl chuckled. “What do we do? Stay here until he wakes up?”

“I guess we have no other choice” the trainer reasoned. They certainly couldn’t leave it alone without making sure it was well again. “We could wait here or we could take him to the next Pokémon Center, what do you think?”

“If it belongs to a trainer, it would be better to take it to the Center, at least Nurse Joy could find it much easier and take care of Wooper in the meantime”

“Then I would say it’s decided.” Ash nodded, closing his backpack, while Serena took the Pokémon in her arms.

“HEY! STOP THERE!” A voice shouted, which alarmed both of them. They jumped slightly. “You can’t catch that Pokémon!” the voice repeated urgently, getting closer and closer.

“We weren’t trying to catch it” Serena immediately denied.

“Given how bad it looks, I find it difficult to believe it…” The voice commented again, clearly that of a young man. And from the tone, probably doubtful and inquisitive.

It was precisely the accusatory manner that made Ash put aside that sense of familiarity he had perceived, immediately going on the defensive “Hey! We only helped him!” He spun around, his mouth unable to stop despite his eyes slowly widening. “Could you at least…-”

“...” The other male teen returned the look of shock with equal astonishment, any feelings of hostility completely gone.

“Uh…?” Serena cocked her head slightly, dumbfounded by the sudden drop in silence. Everything suspended, out of nowhere.

Ash blinked, rubbing one eye to confirm he wasn’t imagining anything. “Brock!?”

“Ash!?”

“Pika!” Pikachu jumped from the ground straight into the brunette’s arms, immediately nuzzling his cheek. “Chupi, pika!”

Brock petted the mouse on the head, unable to contain his laughter of surprise “What a surprise! Do we always have to meet like this?”

Ash laughed with pleasure “Apparently! What is it… the fourth time?”

The two looked into each other’s eyes for a moment, then approached and hugged.

They had spent more time traveling together than not, in their careers as trainers. However, it still seemed like centuries had passed instead of a handful of years.

It was like seeing all their adventures flash before his eyes in an instant.
How much time had passed since their first meeting… it seemed like their paths were destined to cross as many times as they separated.

After a final hug, the two trainers broke apart, carefully observing the changes that time had caused on their bodies. “Geez, how tall have you gotten? You were still a good bit shorter than me and now look at you!”

A grimace of irony painted Ash’s lips “It was only a few centimeters!”

“A whole head I’d say”

“As you can see, it won’t be long before I don’t have to look up at you anymore. In fact, if my genes had been more generous, I would have already surpassed you!” he stood on tiptoe, raising his hand well above Brock’s head.

“Yeah…” the older boy didn’t reply, sighing nostalgically. It had been about two years since they had said goodbye after their journey in Sinnoh and although he hadn’t changed much in his features, he felt like he was facing a completely different person.

He exuded a different air. More… grown up. He looked like someone who had experienced something completely different compared to their past adventures.

Perhaps that sense of nostalgia was stronger for Brock than for Ash, who remained undaunted in his happiness “I thought you were doing an internship!”

“Of course, that’s why I scolded you… wrongly,” he rubbed his head with a little embarrassment, and then bowed slightly, “I’m really sorry.” He addressed the girl accompanying his friend.

It was obvious that if Ash was in front of him, whatever he was doing couldn’t be bad. Ash wouldn’t hurt a wild Pokémon like that, much less take advantage of the situation to capture it, just as he wouldn’t allow anyone else to do so.

Serena shook her head, “It’s no problem, you were just worried about Wooper. Doctor’s instincts, right?”

Brock raised his eyebrows, calculating look, “Right so. I’m Brock, but it seems obvious that you already know who I am.”

She giggled, “Yes, even if I couldn’t recognize your face, Ash told me a lot about you! I’m Serena, it’s a pleasure to meet you!” she held out a hand to the young man, continuing to hold the sleeping Pokémon with the other.

She expected a simple handshake, however when Brock's hand tightened around hers with delicacy and a certain passion, the girl was perplexed.

“Ah, what serenity in my heart. If anything, the pleasure is mine, and I regret not being as informed as you.”

So perplexed.

“Unfortunately, fate wants that… well…”

Two grips grabbed him, one shoulder each. Turning to the left, he saw Pikachu glaring at him… and for a moment he felt like the mouse was really going to strike him down with one of his moves.

Now, that was something he had not missed; electric shocks.
He would have gladly avoided it.

When he turned to the right instead, his hand immediately detached from Serena's, sensing a certain sense of danger coming from his friend, who was staring at him with a certain intensity.

“Don't even think about it.”

“B-But I wasn’t…”

“Then take it as a warning.” Ash smiled, but without conveying any sympathy. If anything, only a threat. “I thought you’d lost this bad habit!”

“You can’t really lose love! And I wasn’t doing what you think! I was just being polite…” from his offended tone, it seemed like the truth.

And indeed, Brock tended to aim for older girls, and never much younger than him. Proven by the fact that he had never hit on their traveling companions.
At least he had some decency.

While Serena was confused and Brock even more so, Ash’s attitude wasn’t strange at all for Pikachu. In fact, the Pokémon had felt compelled to help him in his attempt to mark his territory.

They hadn’t even thought of giving Brock the benefit of the doubt. Knowing how his silly acts started, the alarm bells had immediately gone off and they had intervened.

“Uh, are you two okay?” Serena asked.

“Yeah, it’s just that my friend here has a tendency to be a flirt,” Ash explained, ignoring that little flame in his chest that had made him perhaps more irritable than usual.

Brock gasped “Me? A flirt!? I’m just a gentleman on a mission!”

The raven-haired trainer gave him a grimace that was similar to a sneer “Yeah, and I’m a three-headed Suicune.”

“One day you’ll understand…” Brock shook his head. No, he probably never would, but Ash might be the last person who would get down on one knee in front of pretty girls to find a wife.

Serena giggled at the two of them exchanging snarky remarks. It was obvious that they were completely familiar with each other. “Is he like Bonnie?”

“Exactly.” Ash nodded. “But she’s a child …”

“Hm?” Brock expressed confusion at the mention.

“A good friend of ours. She and her older brother traveled with us in Kalos.” ​​Ash explained. “I’d tell you more but we were taking Wooper to the Pokémon Center. You could come with us if you want?”

Brock shook his head and smiled. “Let’s do it the other way around. You’re on the edge of a reserve right now and our building has everything we need to take a look at it.”

Ash and Serena nodded. “Okay then!”

“Great! That way we’ll have time to chat!”

…

As soon as they arrived at the facility, Brock checked on Wooper and was happy to confirm that it would be released as soon as it woke up.
They let it rest in the medical room and went to a sort of dining room with a kitchen implemented.

With lunchtime now approaching, Brock wasted no time in having Ash and his friend sit down, while he started warming up the food behind the stove.

“I had already cooked something for lunch before going out to do the patrol.”
After all, what better way to relax and catch up on their adventures than with lunch?

Ash didn’t mind at all at the thought of eating something his friend had prepared. “Then we’re in luck! Will there be enough for everyone?”

“Of course! Our travels have made me accustomed to always preparing more than I need to, so I’m forced to put away the leftovers and eat them for days. Thank goodness you’re here and I won’t have that problem today!” Brock laughed, filling a bowl with rice and curry.

He even remembered the right quantities.

“Well, that hasn’t changed.” Serena sighed with a smile.

“That’s a good thing, otherwise there would be a natural disorder in our world.” The cook nodded, placing the three steaming dishes on the table for them. Then he brought a smaller  steaming bowl to Pikachu “Extra spicy for you, just the way you like it”

“Pikaaaa!!” The little mouse squeaked with joy, immediately digging into the food.

“I’m sorry I didn’t prepare anything forsian for you, but after eating lasagna for days I needed a change, to return to my Kantonian origins.” He apologized, sitting down. Ash certainly didn’t mind, but maybe Serena would have expected something more traditional to the region she was visiting.

“You don’t have to apologize at all, you are hosting us and without notice. Besides, after tasting Ash's mother's I'd eat it more than happily" Serena downplayed, savoring the first bite.

Brock smiled in surprise "Ah, but then I might disappoint you. Delia is on a whole other level!"

"You underestimate yourself" Ash denied, pointing to his friend with a dreamy expression, who was holding her cheek with one hand. Serena nodded in response, agreeing. "See? She thinks so too!"

"Haha, I'm glad. So you went to Ash's house in Pallet Town? Where did you two meet?" The brunette asked curiously.

"Actually, we met at Professor Oak's summer camp when we were kids. Then a few years later Ash came to Kalos, the region where I lived and I saw him on TV while he jumped off the Lumiose City tower-"

"There was no need to mention that..." Ash mumbled with his mouth full.

“No surprises…” Brock muttered in exasperation.

Serena’s expression twisted in concern, but all in all she had expected this news “Has he done things like this before?”

“He’s done even worse”

“I thought so…” She shook her head “Anyway, when they interviewed him I immediately recognized him so I decided to go meet him again. And from there we traveled together throughout Kalos.”

Ah, so they were childhood friends and traveling companions. Brock couldn’t say anymore to be surprised that Ash was so protective. He had never mentioned her in their journeys, but after the reunion they must have rekindled a strong bond. “And after the end of your journey you went back to Pallet Town together?”

“Not really, I did, but Serena initially went to Hoenn.” He paused for a moment, watching Serena’s expression change from the corner of his eye. He then limited his explanation, “I stayed home for a while and probably my mom got tired of having me around, so she invited Serena and in a short time we decided to come here.”

A very plain and perhaps altered version of reality, but there was no need to tell everything at that moment. Especially if they were things that didn’t make sense to brood over.

“I see, so are you here just to admire the forsian settings or do you have any special plans?” Brock asked, “It’s strange to see you traveling just to be a tourist.”

“Actually, I’m here to help a colleague of Professor Oak with his research, but you know what I’m aiming for!” He had seen him try countless times after all. He had also mentored and supported him. “I love exploring, but while I’m at it I thought I’d try to try facing the league here too.”

Brock nodded, that was exactly what he expected “How did it go in Kalos?”

The raven-haired man’s shoulders tensed, and he avoided meeting his friend’s gaze “Uh, pretty good I’d say…” Noticing Brock’s silence, he knew he was expecting some more specifics “Runner-up…”

His friend’s expression changed to pure pride and surprise. He already knew that Ash was a very strong trainer, the Sinnoh league had amply demonstrated that, despite the result and even though it was the best he had achieved in his presence.

He was a little sorry he hadn’t witnessed such an achievement, even more so he probably would have felt it if he had actually managed to win.
However, he was even more saddened to know that he had come so close and then had to settle for second place.
For him, it was truly incredible and a great honor, but he could imagine how Ash felt, and the frustration of not being able to lift the cup.

At that moment, however, he felt that the last thing the boy needed was pity. “That’s great! I would have really liked to see it! I didn’t think you’d be there, but now that I think about it, I remember seeing some news about some sort of terrorist attack right after the league…”

And who was often in the midst of chaos to stop it?

“Yeah… I was there too…” Ash admitted with a sigh. Not that he enjoyed ending up in the midst of catastrophes caused by the crazy plans of ruthless criminal lunatics.

“You could use some therapy.”

“I went!” Even if it wasn’t exactly a complete therapy program. On the contrary. “Actually, when that mess in Kalos ended, Professor Sycamore and Clemont’s father insisted that we see a psychologist.”

Serena nodded. In truth, Clemont and Bonnie had continued their sessions and she had considered starting again after she returned from Hoenn. However, she had never worked up the courage to go through it. “You probably gave her an existential crisis.”

“I’m pretty sure it was Bonnie’s fault. She asked her to take care of Clemont like… six times”

“She still does at every session…” Serena shook her head. Poor Clemont. “She still asks Clemont and Bonnie about you.”

“Aw! How kind of her!” the boy smiled.

“I don’t think she’s just asking out of kindness…” Brock commented, knowing full well that the woman was probably shocked and couldn’t contemplate the idea of ​​a teenager with the weight of the world on his shoulders and so careless of the emotional consequences that would fall upon him.

“Well, she was definitely surprised, but your faces were awesome too!” Ash laughed at the memory.

“I’ve kind of died four times, maybe…? Sometimes I feel like it was five… I think I lost count. But we stopped the end of the world many more times than that!” Serena repeated, still remembering the boy’s exact words, with a disapproving expression “That’s not normal!”

Ash crossed his arms “But it’s true!”

“Yes, and now Bonnie thinks you’re immortal!” the girl replied nervously.

“Come on! She knows I’m not!”

“She asked you what the secret to immortality is and you told her to make lots of friends among Legendary and Mythical Pokémon.”

Ash tilted his head “Because that’s how it was for me!”

“If Puni-chan hadn’t already left, she would have tried to jump off the Prism Tower!”

“Nah, she wouldn’t have done that, she’s more reasonable than me. Besides, Puni-chan can’t bring people back to life…” he replied with the same irony, even if that comment left a bitter taste in his mouth.
There had been victims in the Lumiose City attack and unfortunately they had seen how far the Legendary Pokémon’s powers extended.

They both realized the direction the discussion was taking and how the topic was on a fine line between ironic and dramatic.

Not everyone lived it as a daily occurrence and were truly worried about their friend.
They still thought the same. Even though they expected crazy things from him, they couldn't help but feel that way.

Unfortunately for Ash, however, those were recurring experiences in his life, there was little he could do. He couldn't ignore a situation like that if he could do something about it. He talked about it as if it were little things, but he didn't like those things to happen either.

He tended to put his older experiences aside just so he wouldn't have to think about them, so he didn't see why he had to go back to thinking about traumatic experiences and feel bad about them if he could just move on.

Of course, as long as it was about himself. If it was about others however... 
He was still dealing with the Team Flare issue.

“I’ll take it in consideration for next time”

"That would mean more apocalypses," Brock grunted.

"Exactly." So it was better not to have them happen again.

At that moment, Brock had a strange feeling. There was nostalgia, but also a sense of incompleteness.

Ash wasn't one to talk too much about his past, he liked to live in the present and unless he was asked questions, he didn't stop to talk about things that didn't concern his battles.
His chattering so animatedly at that moment, that clear tone of appreciation he heard in his voice at the memories of the adventures he had had in Kalos... should have made him happy.

Instead, it disturbed him.

On one hand, Ash seemed to him like the same boy he had traveled with for years, on the other, he seemed like a totally different person.

Still cheerful, still a glutton, but aware and mature. He had the face of someone who had been through a lot and who knew he had, between joys and sorrows.
He had grown up.

He had watched him grow for years, accompanying him on his journeys, and yet at that moment it seemed to him that since they had been separated, Ash had made giant steps that Brock was struggling to metabolize.

"In any case, thank you so much for keeping an eye on him." The brunette bowed his head slightly in Serena's direction.

The girl, however, shook her head "Ash can do perfectly well on his own, if anything there have been many times when he has supported us. I think I speak for everyone when I say that you helped us change our lives for the better." She cast a sweet look towards Ash, who scratched his cheek in embarrassment.

"Nah... You could have done it just fine without me!"

“If it weren’t for you, I probably would have never left home or found the courage to tell my mother that I didn’t want to be a Rhyhorn racer!” At the end, Ash had been the reason she had started her journey. Or at least, one of her excuses. Then he had genuinely become a role model.

“You’re a natural for Showcases! Eventually you would have discovered them anyway! And I’m sure you would have found the courage to try them!” Ash replied confidently.

“Showcases?” Brock asked.

“They’re similar to the first stage of Contests, but the performers participate with the Pokémon and have to do choreographies together!” Ash explained enthusiastically, which piqued his friend’s curiosity.
He had always been supportive of his friends in their competitions and had tried a few Contests himself, but to that extent?

Weird.

He spoke just as if he were talking about one of his best battles “And Serena is fantastic at that! She even made it to the finals when she participated in her first Master Class!”

“Hmmm… they look interesting! I’ve never had the chance to see one. I’d like to one day” Brock smiled, won over by his friend’s enthusiasm.

Ash immediately turned to Serena “Why wait for a random day when we have Serena here?”

A bite of food almost went down her wrong pipe when she heard those words. “A-Ah, for a first experience, you could see something better…” she tried to dissuade from the idea, trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.

“Nah, don’t worry! Even when you and your Pokémon practice, you’re really good! Who better to introduce Brock to Showcases?”

The performer tried to argue, but she couldn’t get anything out.

It’s true that she had considered the idea of ​​starting to perform again and certainly to participate in a showcase she would have had to start training again, but that sudden proposal had petrified her.

From someone who supposedly wanted to become a top performer, one would expect a certain determination.

She felt ridiculous…

She knew that it had been a short time since she had started traveling with Ash again and that it might take some time to regain the convictions she had lost in Hoenn, but she still felt guilty for not having been able to make up her mind yet.

Ash had found the strength to jump into his own field again, why couldn’t she?

“Serena?” Her friend’s voice seemed to bring her back to focus. “So?”

The boy’s expectant eyes made her falter. She didn’t have much of a choice…
And maybe performing in front of such a small audience would be ideal as a start.

“Okay.” She managed to nod.

The boy didn’t notice his friend’s nervousness, so he just cheered, “Great!”

…

The look that Pancham, Sylveon, and Braixen gave her was a mix of shock, perplexity, and indecision, as they learnt they had to perform.

Not that they weren’t excited about the idea, after all, it was what they loved to do with their trainer. What worried them, however, was the girl herself.

Despite this, they couldn’t help but follow and support her, masking what they truly felt with a smile that they kept high throughout the walk to the back of the reserve.

It was a pitch with some logs to sit on, perfect for comfortably watching a small performance.

“Pipichu?” Pikachu approached Sylveon, while his trainer and Brock headed towards the seats. Maybe it was difficult for a human to notice someone’s change of mood, but for a Pokémon it was much easier.

“Ve-...” Sylveon stiffened, but kept her perpetual smile. “Veon!”

“Pika…” It wasn’t enough to convince the little mouse, who had learned to read his friend’s behaviors by now. “Pipika chu pika pipi?”

The fox sighed, casting a look towards Serena, and Pikachu imitated her. “Syl veon syl…” She would have liked to say something, to get some help, but it wouldn’t have been right to prevent her trainer from trying to get back on track. As worried as she might be.

It was important that she was able to get going again.

However, the reason for such importance was not for her to explain. “Veon.” She shook her head, this time throwing a sincere smile at the electric mouse, trying to thank him as much as possible for his thoughtfulness.

“Pikachu? Sylveon? Are you coming?” Ash called, probably that moment in which they had stood aside had lasted too long.

Pikachu found himself forced to nod, knowing that there was neither time nor possibility to insist. He wished Sylveon good luck and ran towards his trainer, letting her reach hers.

The fox approached Serena and together with Braixen and Pancham waited for instructions, in a circle as they were used to. It was common for them to discuss like that before a Showcase.

They had lost that habit before the Contests, given the lack of Serena’s participation in their choreography, so finding themselves there close together exchanging tips and encouragement was a pleasant feeling.

Very much.

“Okay, how about the choreography we did in Fleurrh City ?” the girl suggested, thinking it was the easiest to perform with the three of them, so it was the best choice for those who were still rusty. The three had no objections, but before Serena could stand up again, Sylveon’s ribbons wrapped around her arm and pulled her back down.

Serena watched as the three, one after the other, placed their paws on her hand.
She felt the lump that had formed in her throat loosen slightly, while a feeling of warmth filled her chest.

Of course, she had her Pokémon. Whatever would happen, she would move forward with them.

With a determined smile she turned to the three spectators... who had now multiplied.
In fact, many Pokémon from the reserve had slowly come out into the open and sat nearby waiting to observe what, for them, was a curious novelty.

Serena took a deep breath, feeling her heart beating strongly in her chest, so vigorous that it almost hurt.
But with that smile looking at her... she felt like she could do it.

She gave a nod to Sylveon, who with the ribbon extended went to click the screen of Serena's pokétablet, starting the audio track.

Serena gave a small bow, then raised her arm, “Braixen, Flamethrower!”

The music started, and the Pokémon also rushed forward, jumping and spinning to the beat.

“Braiiixen!!” Braixen launched her fire attack, and a circle of flames engulfed them all.

Visibility shouldn’t be great from the front, considering that Serena and her Pokémon planned that choreography to be seen perfectly from the stands, despite the fiery wall. For this reason, Braixen held back from using her usual power.

“Sylveon, Fairy Wind!”

Sylveon unleashed her scented wind, carrying the flames with her in a vortex and lifting them into the sky.

Mirai no watashi ni wa donna iro ga niau?
Karafuru ni kimete issho ni tabe yo 1, 2, 3

The shades of red and pink colored everything around, spreading a warm air that seemed to cuddle those present like a caress.
And the performer felt a sweet sense of victory as she saw the smiles of Ash, Brock and the Pokémon around her.

Maybe she could do it.
She was doing it.

Yozora no nagareboshi negai o sagasu kedo
Mayotteru uchi ni dokoka e kieteku no

While Braixen and Pancham alternated positions with crossed somersaults, Sylveon and Serena spun together on the spot, as if following the spiral trajectory traced by the vortex.

“Come on Serena…” Ash whispered with a smile, nodding as he saw her twirling.
A glimmer of something… something she had seen missing for a long time…
Maybe he was seeing it, glimpsed as it slowly peeked out.

Demo ne yatto mitsuketa nda

Even though she couldn’t hear it, as if called by him, the girl turned towards the spectators, intending to take a few steps forward.

As per choreography.

Hontou no watashi ga mune ni…-

But instead of focusing on the trainer, her eyes were caught by many other materialized people around him.

Where did all those people come from?

-tsumuji kaze o okosu

Abruptly her body stopped, while her gaze couldn’t help but capture all those interested faces.
Some time ago those amazed faces would have spurred her on even more.

But she couldn’t read that amazement, there were only so many blurry faces staring at her.

Her steps stopped abruptly and she almost lost her balance.
It would have been a disastrous interruption if Sylveon hadn't intervened with her ribbons to hold her up, as if it were planned.

Doridori doriimu pawaa! Doridori pawaa!

That feeling...

No, she couldn't allow it, she couldn't let it happen again.
Not again.

Not this time.

Watashi-tachi kiseki no chikara

Serena tried to resume her walk, but her legs remained still, heavy, as if trapped in a block of ice.

No, no, no, no.

Doriimu pawaa! Doridori pawaa!!

At that moment, she looked for any safe point, but she couldn't escape from those gazes fixed on her.
Then her eyes met Ash's...

Worried, confused eyes...

Yes, for someone who had never seen a Showcase performance there wasn't much reason to question.

But Ash knew her routine well, he had seen her train every single day during their journey and he had seen all her performances in Kalos, to the point of probably remembering them by heart. Even if there had been improvisation, he could now read her movements.

He could very well understand that her standing still was not normal.

Yume mita toki kara hajimaru no

Desperately, she tried to turn her head away again, and this time she managed to focus her gaze on someone she hadn't seen before.

A Pokémon, a little further away, just outside the bushes.

A feeling of familiarity came over her and her legs came out of the stiffness that had gripped her until a second before.
She took a step forward, never losing sight of that… little leaf bud that was watching her shyly.

By now the only thing that was continuing with the performance was the music. Not even Serena's Pokémon were able to continue.
Especially with their trainer's attention so intently focused on the bushes.

They followed suit, hoping that there really was something that had distracted her.

Not only them, but also Ash, Pikachu, Brock and all the other collaborators of the reserve turned around. For most of them the performance had a reason for being interrupted.
An external reason.

"But that is..." Brock stood up surprised "Oh my-..."

"Huh?" Ash muttered confused. "Who is that Pokémon?"

The former gym leader answered with a mix of doubt and hesitation "It's a female Weepbud... a Forsian Pokémon-WAIT!"

Brock didn't even have time to finish. Serena was already heading towards the little Pokémon, then crouching down in front of the creature.

"Hey, hello! And who are you? Were you interested in the show?" the performer asked.

For a moment, everyone stood still, especially the workers. They almost seemed shocked, both in a positive and negative way.

The wild Pokémon's reaction surprised both Serena and Ash, but not so much Brock.
Terrified, she burst into tears, as if she had been hit or burned.
This startled all the Pokémon and humans, who covered their ears to try to resist those screams.

But that sound wasn't a simple cry of fear.
Serena felt it enter her chest, gripping her in a vice.

Then in an instant Weepbud disappeared into the bushes and its crying went away until it stopped.

Serena remained there kneeling, while Ash and Brock slowly approached "D-Did I do something wrong?" the girl wondered worriedly given Weepbud's strange reaction.

"It's not your fault." Brock said, noticing Serena's saddened face. "It's already a lot that you managed to get her out in the open."

"Is she afraid of people?"

"We don't know exactly what she's afraid of yet. In this reserve, we take in injured Pokémon so we can help them return to the wild."

"She seemed in perfect shape to me, though." Ash commented. From what little he had seen of her, she seemed healthy.

"Technically she is, Weepbud is ready to be released and has been for a long time. She was already here when I arrived. But she seems to be afraid of everyone. It's impossible for anyone to get close to her, even for me and Joy who take care of her the most." Brock confessed disconsolately. "Every time someone tries to interact with her, she runs away in terror and doesn't show up for hours. She doesn't react like this with the other wild Pokémon in the refuge, but she tends to stay away from them too."

Serena stood up “Her wounds aren’t on the body…”

The doctor nodded “Unfortunately those are harder to treat.”

At that rate she would be stuck at the reserve forever and while it wasn’t that terrible of a life, it wasn’t healthy for her to stay. It wasn’t her life choice, she was chained by trauma.

“I’m sorry you were distracted during your performance, everyone was really interested” Brock apologized.

Serena’s hands, right behind her back, fidgeted nervously. “Don’t worry, these things happen.”

For someone like Brock, who had only watched Contest, there wasn’t much to worry about seeing the performer standing completely still and even if they had told him how it worked in theory, he could easily consider it part of her routine.

Only one person there couldn’t be fooled, with whom Serena was trying to avoid eye contact.
She knew perfectly well that she was just stalling and that after that scene she could no longer convince him not to ask anything.

So she could run away, as much as possible, praying he would forget about it… a perfect plan, right?

She couldn't see Ash's expression, but she could feel his eyes on her and the disappointment he was probably hiding so as not to hurt her.

"It's still impressive that you managed to get her to come closer." Brock reaffirmed.

"Do you think it's impossible to do it again?" Serena asked genuinely this time.

She didn't know why, but she wanted to meet that Pokémon again.

She felt the need to do it.

"It's not impossible and we certainly can't give up on getting her closer to humans, but we should take small steps."

"So what do we do?" Ash interrupted.

Serena thought for a moment. Looking for Weepbud could also be an excuse to take some time alone, but wanting to find her was a genuine feeling.
There was something in the little creature's eyes that made her want to help.

"I'll go look for her." She declared decisively.

"Well then let's go," Ash nodded, however Serena raised her hand, as if to stop him, this time finding the strength to look him in the eyes.

There was a silent exchange between the two "If we all go she'll get scared, and since she was interested in my performance there's no point in looking for her separately." A fact that was only the tip of the iceberg.

Serena wanted to be alone.
This was clear as day for Ash.

“Okay, then… we’ll wait for you here?” he attempted. “It’s not a problem if we stay for a while, right? Brock?”

“Absolutely, in fact, if Serena could just convince her to come over for the medical check-ups that would be great.” The older boy smiled “And it’s a pleasure to be able to talk to you more, Ash”

“Thanks, then you two can chat a bit more! I’ll try not to be late!!” the blonde thanked, calling for her Pokémon, who joined her. “See you later!”

“See you later!” “Pikaaa!” the two boys and Pikachu waved, while Serena disappeared into the woods along with her three companions.

Brock was about to go back to the building, but noticing his friend standing still he asked “Are you okay? You seem pretty stuck in your thoughts”

“Hm? Yes, yes… everything is fine! So tell me… have you seen any of the others on your travels?”

…

In the middle of the woods, Weepbud was curled up next to a small stream. The refreshing freshness of that place always made her feel better.

And right now, she really needed it.

She had felt so lost when she had come face to face with that human.
She hadn’t even been able to react until she had her a few inches away, even though she had seen her approaching.
And yet, as much as she should have felt… terrified by those attacks launched left and right, she hadn’t felt the slightest urge to leave.

It was all too beautiful.
The way the three Pokémon moved with their trainer, the attacks that seemed to dance in harmony with them… how could something so risky be so wonderful?

She couldn’t explain it. She had never felt anything like this before.

“Weepbud?” she heard a voice calling her, closer than she had hoped.

The wild Pokémon jumped up. No human had ever found her in that place and by now they had all given up on getting close. Only a few wild Pokémon, but they had never had too close contact.

But someone was there and from the voice it seemed…

“Weepbud? I don’t want to hurt you… I just want to talk!” the voice repeated softly, slowly emerging from the bushes on the other side of the stream. “Oh, there you are!”

Weepbud immediately took a few steps back, prepared to leave “Wait!” the girl begged, immediately sitting down on the grassy ground, showing that she didn’t intend to get any closer than the Pokémon wanted. “I promise I won’t hurt you, I won’t even come there to you, I’ll stay beyond this stream”

“Wee…” the little creature murmured, uncertain. She didn’t know what to do…

And for Serena, it was absolutely no problem. The girl sat there, not moving an inch, and neither did her Pokémon.

She would have waited hours if it had been necessary, to make the Pokémon understand that it could trust her.
She didn't know if it was something that the workers of the reserve had already tried, but it cost her nothing to try.

Not that she didn't appreciate the quiet anyway. "It really is a beautiful place, it really feels peaceful..."

"..." Weepbud remained in the same spot where she was for a few seconds, then, all of a sudden, she jumped away into the bushes.

"Ah..." Serena sighed. Too bad, she hadn't been able to convince her.

It did seem pretentious to want to succeed in something that not even those who were used to these situations had done. But she had hoped...

"I wish-..."

"Veo?" Sylveon bowed her head in confusion, followed closely by Braixen and Pancham.

Serena smiled at them “I can’t explain it, but when I saw her… I had a strong feeling of being understood.” she giggled, albeit faintly “Absurd, right? I’ve never seen her before, I was who knows how many meters away…”

Sylveon wrapped a ribbon around Serena’s arm, sensing her frustration. “Syl…”

“I’m really sorry guys… it was going well and then for some reason…!” she shook her head, bringing her hands to her hair and closing her fingers around some strands “Why can’t I go back to normal!?”

“Xen!” “Cham!” “Veon!” The three stood up and clung to their trainer, trying to disagree.

But all she could see was Ash’s worried face, of all people. How could she forget that?

When they split in Kalos, she had told Ash that they would meet again one day, and she would be a much more attractive woman. A competent girl, with a future of her own making. Someone even he could admire as much as she admired him.

She had never felt so far away from that girl, not even when she first started performing.

She rested her head in her arms and began to sob silently.

.

.

.

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Brock looked curiously at his friend sitting across from him, who however didn't say a word and simply stared out the window. He had already noticed that no one was there, yet the boy didn't seem to budge an inch.

What a bizarre attitude.

“Earth calling Ash. Are you still with us?”

“Huh?” he turned around, as if he had never been with his head in the clouds.

Brock offered him a smile “I expected you had more to say about your adventures…”

“Sorry…”

“You don’t have to apologize, it’s just weird, so I wanted to know if there’s something bothering you!” Brock reassured, shaking his head. “You’ve been so quiet since Serena left. Are you worried about her?”

Ash gave an embarrassed smile “No,” Liar “I’m sure she’ll be able to get close to Weepbud.”

“What makes you so sure?”

At that question, the raven-haired could only laugh openly, as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world “When she’s convinced of something, Serena goes all the way.”

“She reminds me of a certain someone.” Brock teased.

“Who?”

“Guess!” Most of the people they had traveled with were pretty stubborn, but it was obvious that he was referring more to the person in front of him. After all, who could have influenced Serena like that?

Ash chuckled, “It’s also because when Serena caught Sylveon, when it was still an Eevee, she had to handle it carefully. It was a very shy Pokémon and was afraid of so many people and Pokémon.”

“Shyness and trauma are unfortunately different things.” The doctor sighed.

“I wouldn’t underestimate her, though. Serena has this ability to communicate with people and Pokémon and reach them… in every sense,” the boy insisted. And he knew it very well. Serena had always had the ability to touch the hearts of those who felt vulnerable, or to get through the hard shell of certain people.

He knew perfectly well that she could do it. She was strong, in so many ways that he struggled to emulate.

Which is why at that moment it frustrated him so much that he couldn’t do anything for her.
What had happened that afternoon during her performance… had left him truly shocked. Not that making a mistake was a big deal, that was perfectly human, that wasn’t what had worried him.

It was seeing her standing there, motionless, with that expression that he still had trouble deciphering.
As if something was hurting her, or rather, as if she were terrified.

Like that Weepbud.

He hadn’t had the courage to stop her, because when he saw them face to face, he realized that Serena perhaps understood that Pokémon in some way.
He didn’t want to admit it, but the idea scared him, for what it implied.

He was really trying, he wanted to give Serena the time and space to figure out what to do, but as time went by, more and more details came out that seemed to worsen his ideas of what could have led her to interrupt her journey in Hoenn.

Had she perhaps had a bad experience with a Contest? At this point it seemed likely, but how bad?
It shouldn't have mattered, because it didn't change the fact that he would support her and that somehow she would make it. He was sure of it.

But seeing her like this hurt. In a unique and never-before-seen way.

Maybe though… that meeting could help not only Weepbud, but Serena herself.

He hoped so…

…

“Why can't I go back to normal!?”

Those words sounded so familiar that Weepbud couldn't move away any further.

Did that girl… really understand what she was feeling? But how could she? She didn't know what she had been through, she didn't even imagine how large and persistent the shadows that were chasing her were.

Maybe she had shadows that she was trying to escape from, too. And the idea that she wasn't the only one consoled her as much as it saddened her.

“She looked out over the clearing where she had been before, finding the girl curled up and sobbing, while her Pokemon consoled her.

The bud walked toward the shore, not daring to cross, but with hesitant care she whispered, “Wee Wee?”

Immediately, but without any sudden movements or jerks, Serena’s head rose and they found themselves looking at each other.

The surprise was not missing from Serena’s voice, although she murmured softly, “I’m fine, thank you. I just needed a moment to vent.” She wiped away her tears a little, “Sometimes it’s better to cry than to keep it all inside.”

She hoped that Weepbud would understand that there was no need to be ashamed of her reactions to fear.

“I’m Serena… and these are Pancham, Sylveon, and Braixen, my partners.”

The three Pokémon greeted, but limited themselves to small nods. They were much more interested in their trainer’s mood, but their calm response was just fine for Weepbud.

“W-Weepbud…” the wild Pokémon seemed to return the greeting.

Serena offered her a smile. “Did you like what we were doing today?”

Weepbud nodded shyly.

“It makes me happy! Even though it wasn’t one of my best performances…” The girl admitted. “You know, lately I’ve been having some trouble when I’m in front of a lot of people.”

“Wee?” the little creature tilted her head shyly. Why?

“I had an unpleasant experience a while back,” she explained, clearly saddened by having to mention that fact, even if not completely transparent on it. However, she felt that in order to make Weepbud understand that she could understand her, she needed to open up a bit.

“Bud…”

“You must have some bad memories too, right?”

Weepbud didn’t answer that question, but her avoiding Serena’s gaze was more than enough of an answer.

Serena knew very little about that Pokémon and her instant feeling of wanting to help her was perhaps inexplicable, but what was clear was that her performance had helped her in some way.

That was why she had decided to improve herself as a performer, to be able to make people smile.
She had always made it clear that her focus was on entertaining herself and her Pokémon and at that moment she was really struggling to do so, but maybe she could do something for that Pokémon.

After all, they had told her to focus more on the audience, right?

It probably wasn’t what Palermo intended, nor did she want her to sacrifice her own involvement in what she was doing, but in that moment Serena couldn’t help but feel like her comfort was a necessary sacrifice.

“How about we try a few moves together?” she suggested, seemingly shocking not only Weepbud, but her Pokémon as well.

“Xen?” “Cham?” “Veon?”

“Yeah, you seemed to enjoy watching us, didn’t you? It’s definitely more fun to participate! And when you do something you love, your mind can help you tolerate everything else. If you could perform in front of people, it would be easier to interact with them even when you’re not, right?”

The logic behind that reasoning was flawless, except that it didn’t apply to Serena herself.
Or at least not recently, since what had happened was about performing. Back when she was traveling in Kalos, that had truly become her way of learning about herself and growing.

It had been a great method for Sylveon too.

Looking at Weepbud’s frightened face, Serena clarified, “You don’t have to come over here. You can copy our moves or improvise. Or you don’t have to do anything at all! You can just watch us and enjoy the show.”

If that could earn a smile from the Pokémon, it would be worth it.

“We…” She actually wanted to see it again. She didn’t know if it was the right choice, but it was definitely something she wanted to experience again.

“Perfect then!” Serena declared, standing up, “Braixen, Sylveon, Pancham! Do you feel like trying again?”

Up until that point, the three Pokémon didn’t seem very convinced by the situation, much less had a good feeling about Serena’s intention to risk her comfort for someone else’s pleasure.

However, that smile she was showing them was the most genuine she could show in the circumstance. So, with a nod, they agreed.

“Something that isn’t too popping,” the girl reasoned. She didn’t want to scare Weepbud, who had gotten so close and was willing to stay.

“Okay…” Serena breathed deeply.

She started with a pirouette, followed closely by Braixen “Sylveon, use Fairy Wind!”

Sylveon began to run around the two, alternating somersaults and graceful hops, while a light wind swirled around. It almost seemed as if her movements were flowers blooming.

Pancham then jumped towards Serena, and using his hands as a trampoline he jumped high. “Cham!”

Up and down, one somersault after another, it seemed like a game.

“Okay, now Sylveon uses Swift, and you Pancham uses Ice Punch!”

With a greater thrust, Pancham flew high into the sky, while Sylveon settled beneath him, launching a wave of stars in his direction. “Veon!”

Pancham turned upside down and charged his fist with freezing force. “Cham!”

When his paw collided with the stars, they shattered, multiplying into thousands of glowing fragments. They looked like actual fragments of frozen comets.

It was a sight for sore eyes, those few and simple moves that creatively combined and colored their “stage”.

It was a very improvised routine, but it contained the whole sense of what the Showcases would truly represent.

Not just a combination of moves that were based on appearance, but becoming one with the Pokémon and combining their unique skills, personalities, tastes and expressive capabilities with those of their trainer.

Having fun and making people have fun, transporting people into the performance and making them feel part of it.

That was what Serena loved.

And that was what she had felt she had missed for so long.
When she had searched for this feeling. Maybe she had tried so hard to get it out, that she had forgotten where it came from.

“Now Braixen, use Fire Blast!”

“Baiiixenn!!” Braixen lit her stick and shot a star of fire that went to disintegrate the fragments, leaving in their place sparkling droplets that fell one after the other on the grass.

Even if Weepbud could speak human language, she would never have found the words to describe how enchanting that scene was.

She felt every fiber of her body asking her to move, to get up. Her heart was not telling her to run away, but to come forward and participate.

She wanted so much to continue to feel that feeling of fun, wonder, which was probably even infinitesimal compared to what they were feeling.

Step by step, without even really realizing, she found herself with her little paws in the stream and suddenly she was on the other side.
Right at Serena's feet, who was hand in hand with Braixen, dancing happily.

When Serena looked down and saw Weepbud trying to spin around unsteadily, the girl stood beside her with Braixen and began to spin on one foot, slowly and gracefully.

“Whee?”

“You have to let yourself be light, like floating in the wind!” she explained enthusiastically, opening her arms and twirling.

Weepbud tried to imitate the movement, but her stiffness made it difficult to complete the spin without losing her balance.
Noticing, the girl winked at Sylveon, who nodded with a smile and released a light Fairy Wind.

At first, the breeze scared the wild Pokémon, but soon it felt like a hug that was carefully directing her towards the right path.
It felt like flying…

That breeze that made her feel so light, helped her to spin until her muscles relaxed and she ended up spinning on her own.
When she managed to get back to the starting point, Weepbud couldn't contain the feeling of euphoria and satisfaction that had overwhelmed her.

"Wee Wee!" she exulted, letting a smile paint her face.

Serena's eyes shone when she managed to see that sweet smile, the one that should have been much more frequent than a fleeting occasion.

"Good girl! Have fun! Let yourself go however you want!"

How beautiful...

And finally an amused laugh came out of Serena's mouth, fully involved in that free and innocent dance that all five of them were doing.

...

It had been a long time since Serena had gone in search of Weepbud and although Ash had tried countless ways to keep himself busy, his patience finally ran out.

Brock was even amazed at how long he had managed to resist, a clear sign that Ash had grown so much since the last time they had seen each other.

But Ash remained Ash and so did his temperament.

They finally set out to find the girl, before the boy could explode from internal combustion.

“I don’t understand why you’re so worried, this reserve is very safe!”

“I’m not worried!” Ash immediately denied, feigning offense “I just don’t want her to miss dinner!”

“Oh, sure…” Brock replied sarcastically.

“I’m serious! And with Team Rocket around…” the raven-haired boy muttered unenthusiastically, digging his hands into his jacket pockets.

Brock stopped dead in his tracks when he heard those words “Team Rocket? Are they still after your Pikachu!?” It shouldn’t have been that surprising, considering they had been stalking Ash and Pikachu for over 4 years, and he had witnessed it himself. But he had hoped it wasn’t like that anymore…

“They never stopped. And recently they’ve become a little aggressive. I don’t know, but they seem much more determined. Both Serena and I have come close to seriously getting hurt in their recent attacks.”

It was true, even if Ash was worried about something else, he wasn’t particularly comfortable with the idea of ​​the three scoundrels attacking when someone in his group was alone.

Not that they hadn’t been a real threat, they had often come close to doing real damage, but they had never seemed like the biggest threat of their journeys.

Now they seemed much more desperate, in their attempts to capture Pikachu and he couldn’t help but wonder what was driving them to do so.
And how far they would go.

“Well, I think that if something had happened we would have noticed. Those three tend to be particularly noisy. Plus Serena has her Pokémon with her.” He put a hand on Ash’s shoulder… and noticed with a certain sense of nostalgia how much taller it was compared to the last time he had done that.

Ash sighed “Yeah, you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right-” he started to chuckle, then stopped.

“You okay?” Ash asked, but when Pikachu also pricked up his ears and jumped off his shoulder, he realized that they were close to something, whatever it was.

“Pika!” the little mouse pointed and from above some trees, Tweeny appeared.

The little bird descended towards his trainer, chirping “Tweeny!”

“Did you find them?” Ash asked hopefully, and the Pokémon’s confirmation was good news. “Great, lead us to her!”

With Tweeny as their guide, the two walked through the trees, crossing a rather dense part of the forest. Apparently, it was a place where Brock and the other workers rarely went, given the difficulty of getting through all those twisted branches.

However, when they finally found themselves past the most difficult part, Tweeny stopped and flew until he was resting on the ground.

“Huh? Why did you stop?”

“Twwwe…” the bird chirped softly, raising his wing in front of his beak, as if to tell them to be quiet.

Ash and Brock’s initial confusion soon disappeared when, leaning just a little beyond the bushes, they saw the beautiful scene before them.

Serena was performing… and Weepbud was there to watch!

There were several reasons why the two did not move, why they let the performance continue without interruption.

Maybe it was the enchantment of that enthusiastic dance, finally seeing the girl smiling serenely in her ideal environment. Or maybe it was seeing that it really had an effect on the wild Pokémon and was bringing it closer than anyone had ever managed to get.

Then Weepbud came over and started dancing with them.

If Brock's jaw could have come off his face, it would have touched the ground.

"Unbelievable..."

"See? I told you Serena could do it!" Ash chuckled elatedly. Of course, he should have known. Once again he had clear proof before his eyes of how amazing Serena was.

Brock smiled "And what a performance..." Really beautiful, it was a whole different genre compared to the Contests. From the explanation, they seemed very similar, but in truth only by looking could you notice those glaring differences. "Now I understand why you were so excited to see her"

Ash nodded "Serena has worked so hard to get where she is, so it shouldn't be surprising. Yet every time she manages to bring out something unique in her performances.”

“It really is if she managed to make you passionate about something so different from your usual style”

“Showcases are a lot of fun, so it’s not that strange, but it’s true that she manages to make me feel super involved when she participates!”

The way Ash talked about Serena, so passionately, was something odd to Brock.
Not in a bad way, on the contrary, but it was rare for him to spend so many words to praise someone. He was always one who tended to demonstrate with facts.

And even in all the Contests they had seen of their friends, Ash had never been so excited to that extent.

At that moment, from his look at the girl, one thing was very clear; he really cared a lot about Serena.

“What do you say? Should we go back to base?”

“Yes, let’s go back.” Ash nodded in agreement, with one last smile, before stepping back and letting Serena and the others continue to have fun.

…

So they danced and had fun for hours, until the sun began to set.
They were exhausted, but that tiredness made them feel lighter, somehow.

“I’m out of shape!” Serena exclaimed “I’ll have to make up to it…”

Yes, because even though there were still problems to solve, she didn’t want to give up that feeling.
Even if it meant performing without an audience.

But Weepbud needed an audience…

“Listen Weepbud, I know it may seem like a step too far, but how about performing with us again? This time in front of someone”

“W-We?” She murmured, anxious at the idea.

Sylveon, Braixen and Pancham also exchanged an uncertain look.

“It’s just a test, to see if it can help you! You can give up at any time.” The girl offered. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”

It was always better to take small steps, but they had to understand how small.

The Pokémon thought silently.

The idea was truly terrifying and going from two dance steps together to performing in front of people who she couldn't approach until a few hours before seemed absurd.

But she didn't even believe she could get close to that girl... Serena, and instead there she was at his feet, with no desire to escape.

She only knew that she didn't want to live the way she lived anymore. She wanted to experience what she had felt that afternoon again.

"Bud." She nodded, still uncertain, but less fearful.

"Great!"

...

Finally, the group returned to the base. As soon as they entered the automatic doors, an intoxicating scent reached their noses.

After all that activity, they were even hungrier than usual.

"Oh? Welcome back!" Ash greeted immediately intent on running towards the girl. However, his pace slowed considerably when he saw who was hiding behind her legs. With a friendly smile he knelt down, not getting too close “And welcome to you!”

Weepbud was initially speechless, and raised her head in search of some confirmation from Serena. So far she was the only one who no longer gave her that desire to escape, so she felt safer with her.

The girl nodded kindly “Ash is my friend and traveling companion. He can be very loud sometimes, but you can trust him”

“Hey, I can be very delicate!”

All the Pokémon present, except Weepbud, and especially Sylveon, gave a half-hearted look towards the boy, who found himself overwhelmed by that wall of disapproval.

The small wild Pokémon managed to come out a little more into the open and with a small nod of her head gave her silent greeting.

That was already a big step forward.

Ash stood up “Brock is in the kitchen, he’s going to be so surprised!”

“Hmm, and then he’s going to have another one!” Serena announced optimistically.

“Oh, yeah?” Ash cocked his head, curious. He already knew that Serena had managed to involve Weepbud in her performances, but he wondered if by chance she intended to show it to everyone.

This confused him more than anything. He was willing to give her the time she needed, and given what had happened he thought he would have to wait much longer…

“Hm!” She confirmed smiling, perhaps too much.

And her gaze fled from Ash's.

Before she could continue towards the kitchen, Ash's hand grabbed hers and stopped her.

At first they didn't speak, perhaps because Serena already knew what her friend was about to say.

In fact, he struggled to find the right words. “I…-I just wanted to remind you of what we talked about when we arrived in Forsia. About communicating…”

“...”

“I don't want to force you, so I won't. But I also don't want any misunderstandings between us, you know?” He clarified. He didn't want to lose sight of the girl's face every time he looked at her. He didn't want her to run away… he wanted her to feel comfortable, whether she confided in him or not.

"I don't want that either..."

"Great. I just wanted to let you know that whatever happened today, it doesn't change anything we said and all I care about is that you're doing good, okay?"

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't apologize, you have no reason to." He interrupted her, more serious than usual, taking her other hand as well. He looked her straight in the eyes, to let her know how much he really cared that she understood. "If anything, I'm the one who should apologize for pushing you so hard to do something you didn't feel comfortable doing."

Serena shook her head "No, I wanted to. It's just that-..." she tried to simplify as much as possible, knowing that she was absolutely not ready to tell the guy the full version, if she ever would have been. "I've developed some stage fright, I guess."

“Oh.” He expressed surprise.
He knew she was leaving out a lot of stuff, but it was something.

Thinking about it, this must have been a big deal for a performer.

“You don’t have to worry about it! It’s not as strong as it used to be!” Her words failed to reassure him, so she quickly added, “It was a surprise when all those people showed up this afternoon, but I think I can handle it if I try again! I just have to get used to it.”

“If you say so…”

“And I think Weepbud can open up more thanks to Showcases! So why not take advantage of that?”

Oh, so she was pushing herself to get used to it, for the sake of Weepbud.

He wasn’t sure if that was the right way to go about things like that. He wasn’t an expert, and he couldn’t give professional advice.

It was clear from the expressions on Serena’s Pokémon’s faces that they didn’t like the sense of sacrifice their trainer had adopted, but in the end, he himself would probably have acted similarly.

He wasn’t in a position to judge her, and who knows? Maybe it would have actually worked!”

“Well… I guess it doesn’t hurt to try.”

Serena smiled, taking advantage of the support Ash was offering her.
He wasn’t disappointed, just worried for her.

She would try not to worry him anymore. “Thanks…” she returned the squeeze Ash gave her hand. “Really.”

The boy felt a slight tingling in his stomach, while a warmth that started from his hands spread throughout his body.
He tried to control the uncontrollable urge to smile like an idiot. “You’re welcome…”

“Ah, Serena here-” Suddenly Brock appeared from the kitchen, apron still on and ladle in hand.

However, he was lost for words when he noticed the scene in front of him.
He didn’t know whether to be more surprised by the presence of Weepbud at Serena’s feet, or the fact that it seemed to him like he was watching a scene from a rom-com, with Ash included.

His professionalism should have favored the former without question, but what could he do? These scenes weren’t seen every day.

“Did I interrupt something…?” He didn’t even believe what he was implying. It had to be a moment taken without context.

“Of course not!” Ash immediately shook his head. “I was just congratulating Serena on managing to bring Weepbud here… eh eh!” He pulled away comically, then took the girl's hand again and shook it like two businessmen.

Pikachu's facepalm was more than expected "Pi Pikachu..."

Once more, strange... but Brock decided to believe him. "That's really surprising. You really did a miracle, Serena! Are you sure you're not a Pokémon psychologist?"

Serena blushed slightly at the compliment "I just think it was a lucky coincidence that I'm dedicated to something that could help Weepbud. I managed to make her dance with me and I'd like to try again later... as long as you don't mind a second experience at a homemade Showcase!"

"I'd say I don't mind at all!" If she had managed to do so much, it was worth giving her trust. Besides, Ash believed in her and knew that his friend usually knew how to judge people. "But first you have to fill your stomach! Recharge your batteries!"

"Ah, my favorite phrases!" Ash exulted, patting himself on the stomach. The gesture ended up making Weepbud hide behind the girl's legs again, leaving the boy mortified "S-Sorry..."

"Well, little steps, right?" Serena said, reassuring him. "After all, we've been through this before, right?"

"Yes..."

Seeing that understanding, Brock wanted to ask what they were referring to for a moment.
However, he held back.

For some reason, he felt a slight uneasiness in his stomach...

...

Once they had finished eating and tidying up, they all moved to the same place where Serena had performed that afternoon.

Ash and Brock had informed all the other workers and were slowly gathering to watch the performance.

Serena, Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon, and Weepbud were in a circle, ready to discuss the choreography.
You could tell that their nerves were a little tense, especially the little newbie. Noticing, Sylveon brought her ribbon closer and patted her on the head.

She knew exactly what she was feeling, she had been there, and even if their doubts had different causes, in the end they had to be treated with the same patience and kindness.

“Okay… are you sure you want to do it, Weepbud?”

The Pokémon nodded “Bud bud.”

“Okay. Then I think I know what to do!” And she began to explain their choreography.
It was an experiment, so it was only right that the choreography was one too. It would be a test on multiple factors.

A test to be able to see those smiles again. That of Weepbud, of Ash, of his dear friend Brock and of all those who had come to see them.

Once the preparation was finished, the five got into position. Serena looked carefully at all those faces, but tried not to count them, limiting herself to focusing on Ash, who offered her a thumbs up and an encouraging smile.

She smiled back and gave a small bow of introduction, then turned to her Pokémon and Weepbud. “Let’s go!”

Nee, kimi ni tsutaetai koto ga aru n da
Itsu mo boku no senaka
wo oshitekurete arigatou!

“Pancham uses Stone Edge!”

“Paaaan cham!”

Stone pillars emerged from the ground, in a circular pattern. Braixen soon jumped up, landing on one of them and making it disappear in a shower of diamonds.

“Xen!”

Serena and Weepbud began to dance around the pillars, which disappeared as they went, disintegrating above their heads.

Aa, subete tsutaekireyashinai kedo
Hitori ja nai tte omoeru n da yo

Once all the pillars had vanished, Braixen jumped to the ground and prepared a Hidden Power.
Sylveon, who had been doing some acrobatics in place, in the center of the circle of pillars, released her Fairy Wind, which picked up the spheres of Braixen's move and raised them towards the sky.

Kurai yoru ni mayoikonda tte
Nando demo koronda tte

Serena then looked down at Weepbud, encouraging her to act.
The Pokémon didn't know what to do in that case, Serena had given her freedom except for a few small tips.
But at that moment, her heart was giving her directions "Weeebud!"

Sugu tachiagaru kara
Maketakunai kara
Akirametakunai kara

A Magical Leaf took off and joined the spheres, slowly popping them as they collided with the leaves.
And when the magical wind died down, everything above them continued to sparkle.
It was shining like a sky with stars that were blinking on and off.

And it had only taken a small contribution to light up such a beautiful sky.

Serena and Weepbud turned to the audience, feeling all those eyes on them for the first time…

But this time, instead of seeing so many blurry faces, dark and intense faces, their expressions shone like the sky above them.

Kirakira kirakira hikaru
Pikapika poketto ni chutchuchu
Saikou no jikan, taisetsu na nakama
Zenbu dakishimete

Weepbud had never felt anything like this. All that attention should have made her feel heavy, yet it was as if every negative feeling disappeared, vented in that liberating dance.

Ironic.
She was really doing it…

“Weepbud, are you up to continuing?” Serena asked softly, and immediately the Pokémon turned around.

She smile, “Bud!”

Serena couldn’t help but smile back. How happy she was, she had done it.
And that smile deserved to shine as often as possible.

Kurukuru kurukuru mawaru
Kizu wa waraitobase rattatta

“Pancham!” Serena called out, and the Pokémon already knew what to do.

It ran toward Sylveon, who threw him up with her ribbons, and prepared his Ice Punch, just like he had that afternoon.

“Sylveon, use Protect! Braixen, prepare your Flamethrower!”

“Sylv!” The fairy-type fox activated its protective barrier around the group that remained on the ground, and when Pancham’s icy fist collided, the entire surface began to be covered in a layer of ice, like a sphere.

Everyone who remained below was obscured by the audience, while Braixen began to grow her flame.

Kimi to kawashita ano yakusoku
wo hatasu sono toki made

It was the right opportunity for Serena to take a deep breath. It was going well, very well in fact. Weepbud was having fun, she hadn't had the need to run away and instead, she wanted to continue.

And her? How did she feel?

Her heart was beating fast, too fast, and she was a little short of breath. But it wasn't an unbearable sensation. She could feel that sense of satisfaction and fun that had abandoned her for so long.
Maybe it wouldn't always be like this, maybe in front of a larger audience the problem would come back, but this was a step forward.

She couldn't wait to get out in the open and admire those smiles turned towards them.

Itsu mo zenryoku de furikaerazu ni,
susume susume susume!

The sphere from outside began to light up with various bright colors, reflecting them all around like an aurora.
Braixen's fire was like the centerpiece of a beacon of hope in the darkness.

Hashiridashita mune no dokidoki wa,
yamanai mou tomaranai

Pancham landed with his feet on the sphere, holding his paws open in exhilaration, watching as the audience admired the scene in amazement.

Yes, they would never force Serena to do something that would make her feel bad, but he, Sylveon and Braixen had also missed that feeling.
So seeing Serena happy made them happy. And so did everyone present.
This was what they dreamed of and chased.

Itsu mo kimi wa kimi no omou mama ni,
susume susume susume!

“Weepbud?” Serena called thee Pokémon, who was actually starting to feel a little exhausted.

It was normal, for a first attempt she was doing more than anyone could have asked for. Not only as a performance, but also as a step towards recovery.
Having fun was nice, but sometimes you also needed a little peace and quiet.

Time to wrap up. “Can you make one last move?”

“Wee!” Weepbud nodded.

“Okay, then go with Ingrain!”

The little roots came out of Weepbud “Weeeee!!” And they started to wrap themselves around the sphere, instead of the ground, making it grow on the protective walls, which began to shatter.

The cracks multiplied until the frozen sphere disappeared, leaving only roots in its place, like a hazelnut from which life was born.

It was the birth of a new path.

Dakara boku mo boku ga omou mama ni,
tada mae e to arukitsuzukeru kara

Serena opened her arms, and when the applause broke out, a weight left her chest.
She couldn't help but meet Ash's gaze, overcome with enthusiasm, and he tried to let her know how happy he was for her with a nod of his head.

"Finished!"

...

The events that followed passed so quickly that when she woke up the next morning, they seemed like fleeting memories.
Everyone had congratulated them, from a distance, for not overload Weepbud, and then Serena's group had collapsed as soon as they found the bed in the room kindly offered by Brock.

When Serena finally opened her eyes and woke up, finding Weepbud curled up beside her, she couldn't help but smile.
It had taken so little to make giant improvements and it had even helped them both.
It may not have been the final solution and hoping to have magically solved everything was pure utopia, but they had to start somewhere.

She looked around and saw that she was still wearing her travel clothes. She felt ashamed, having fallen asleep as soon as she laid down, with the excuse of wanting to rest for a few minutes.

However, the blanket on her legs proved that someone had covered her in her sleep…

She shook her head, slowly getting up and heading towards the bathroom. She washed herself and tidied up, then left the room and headed towards the kitchen.
She didn't know what time it was, but to thank Brock for his hospitality she would prepare some poké puffs.
It would be a great reward for everyone and a sweet gift for Weepbud.

After all… sooner or later she would have to leave for her journey again.

“Good morning!” Brock's voice greeted her in the kitchen "Did you rest well?”

“Good morning, very well! Thanks again so much for your hospitality. And I'm sorry I collapsed last night..."

Brock chuckled "It’s fine. You must have been exhausted!"

"Kinda was. Oh, do you mind if I use the kitchen to make some baked sweets?"

"Go ahead! Although after what you did for Weepbud this reserve should be grateful to you for life. You shouldn't even lift a finger as far as we're concerned!"

"You give me too much credit, it was a good coincidence that she liked Showcases and that's exactly what I do." She belittled, not seeing much merit in what she had done. Besides, she had gained something from that experience too.

"I assure you I have rarely seen things like this and those few times it was always Ash who was responsible!"

Ah, well that didn't surprise her "Ash has always been a great inspiration. He has this natural desire to help others... as if his body moved on its own. It may get him into trouble, but he can’t just help it."

“Sometimes you can’t help but admire him, other times he leaves you frustrated,” Brock continued, agreeing with the sentiment.

“Exactly. But without him, my journey would have been very different. I have my own path, of course, but walking it side by side with him makes everything much more… more!” she laughed, “And he’s a person who, despite his flaws, makes you get closer to him.”

Brock had experienced it precisely in a period where many people would have found Ash an arrogant and annoying brat. Yet, despite his enormous inexperience and audacity, kindness and charisma shone through and that had led him to want to join him.

And if he had continued to stay by his side for so many years, there was a reason.

Now he could only wonder if it was the right choice to get separated.
Of course it was on a career level, because he had found his dream and it had been necessary to separate from Ash. He would not go back on that.
But hearing about the adventures Ash had been through and seeing him for the person he was now, he felt like he had been left behind somehow.

Like he hadn’t done enough.
It was crazy to admit, but he was sad he couldn’t be a part of those experiences too.

He wanted to show Ash how far he had come. He wanted to impress him. “Yeah…”

“You know, sometimes I try to picture what it was like to travel with him for years and watch him grow as a trainer and person. I think you’ve been really lucky,” Serena admitted, her cheeks slightly red.

Huh? “Really?” Funny, because Brock thought Serena was lucky to have been there for what seemed like Ash’s peak.

“Sure. I think a lot of people, including me, admire Ash, but I think it’s also a special experience to witness the journey he’s been through. The person he was is just as special as the person he is today. All of his growth, every success and failure.”

“I assure you that Ash has also been able to do… his worst,” Brock laughed, remembering some of the boy’s antics.

Serena shook her head, giggling, “I had the opportunity to see some of Ash’s truly worst sides, and even though it’s hard to admit, I went into crisis at that moment. But then over time I understood that if Ash behaves in a certain way, it’s because he’s human. Even he makes mistakes and it’s thanks to those mistakes that he can always improve.”

Brock didn’t know how to respond to those words so true and heartfelt.

“It’s easy to admire a person only for their good points, I made the same mistake until I met Ash again and traveled with him. When you understand the negative sides, you appreciate the positive ones in between even more.”

“...” Brock was so surprised by the sincerity and genuineness with which Serena spoke about Ash. She had traveled with him for a year, a little more, and yet it seemed like she knew him thoroughly.

“Anyway!” Serena interrupted his thoughts. “Back to Weepbud, do you think she’ll get used to it sooner or later? Will she go back to the wild?”

The doctor’s face became thoughtful. “I think she’s definitely improved, but I don’t know if she’s ready enough to be released. Not to mention that you’re leaving with Ash again today. She opened up thanks to you and the Showcases…”

“Oh…”

“Why don’t you catch her?” The sudden proposal surprised the performer.

“What? Catch her?” She thought out loud. “But you said that Pokémon from the reserve can’t be caught.”

Brock began to speak seriously, bringing out his professional side. “Theoretically, you couldn’t, but if catching her is necessary for the cure, it might be necessary.” Despite Serena’s doubtful expression, he continued. “The facts say that performing helps her feel better and you’re a performer. Plus, she’s quite comfortable with you. I’m sure you can help her a lot.”

“I would love to have her on the team, but what if she doesn’t want to be caught? What if I make mistakes?” It was a huge responsibility.

And it wasn’t just that. Serena still didn’t know if she was able to fully perform like she once did. Brock didn’t know, but it was a big issue because if not able to stay on the stage, she would destroy Weepbud’s path of recovery. 

Yet, she had decided to put herself again on the line for the Pokémon. So she couldn’t really go back on that.

“I can’t guarantee she wants to be caught, because it’s not a given that her trauma isn’t related to that, but it’s still an option to consider. Sometimes patients refuse treatment and then the question arises whether to impose it or not.” he crossed his arms. He wasn’t sure it was the best solution either, but now that there was a glimmer of light, it was obvious he wanted to take advantage of it. “I’d hate to force it, but which is worse? Capture her for her own good, perhaps against her will, or let her soul dissolve in this place?”

Brock didn’t want to be harsh and Serena could clearly feel that. He was speaking that way because he cared about Weepbud’s fate and he wasn’t entirely wrong.

The problem for Serena was that this step could be traumatic and destroy a difficult achievement and those hopes that Weepbud herself had probably built.

“I…” Serena didn’t know what to do, although capturing wild Pokémon was common practice, it still didn’t seem right in Weepbud’s case. "No..."

"Serena, at least think about it-" Brock tried to dissuade her.

The girl was adamant, however, "I can't do it, not without Weepbud's consent. It would go against what I believe in and my way of being a trainer. To work in a group, you need harmony and you can't get it by forcing someone in."

Weepbup had the right to choose her own destiny and capturing her with the risk of traumatizing her was not that different from her own choice to stay at the reserve anchored by trauma.

She wouldn't be truly free.

"Weepbud was able to open up because I didn't force her to do anything and because I gave her the opportunity to follow her dream the way she wanted. What kind of trainer would I be to destroy that trust I've earned just because I pretend to know what's best for her?"

"...I understand..." Brock agreed with the reasoning. It was a difficult situation, because the morally correct choice could mean condemning her as well as the opposite.

“Bud.”

The two turned around, finding Weepbud at the entrance to the kitchen. She walked slowly, shyly, but her gaze was that of someone who had heard everything and had something to say.

“Weepbud-” Serena tried to explain, hoping that she hadn’t misunderstood what she had said.

“Bud. Bud.” She came closer “We bud, weep weep!”

“Uh…?” Serena couldn’t understand right away, but it had to be what she had said to Brock. “Did you hear everything?”

The Grass-type Pokémon nodded “We bu bud”

Serena knelt before Weepbud “You know I don’t want to force you to do anything, right?”

Again, an affirmative answer.

“So,” Serena smiled “would you like to come with us?”

Weepbud didn’t answer immediately and Serena didn’t rush her.

It wasn't an easy choice. "I can't promise you that there won't be any scary moments or things that can make us feel sad, but if you want, we can face them together. Then it will be easier to get up and be happy. What do you say?"

It was hard to believe it and maybe she couldn't predict the future, but Weepbud knew that she had never felt as good as she did with that girl.
She could continue to live the way she had until the day before, or she could take the opportunity.

Maybe it wasn't the healthiest relationship in the world, the way it had started, they probably still had a lot of work to do to bond outside of performances, but Serena was a kind girl, patient and treated her so well.

And she wanted to stay by her side for some reason...

So if they could both be happy, she would.

"Pwee!!"

Serena took a deep breath in. 

So that was it. She couldn’t go back anymore.
Weepbud was placing her trust and future on her, so from that moment on she would have to do her best to not let her issues condition her Pokémon.

She would have to do it, but she was willing to try.
For her Pokémon and for herself.

With her heart lightened, Serena took out a pokéball and put it on the ground. "They tell me that it's comfortable inside but if you're scared, you can come out whenever you want."

Weepbud carefully looked at the ball. Once she did, going back would be difficult, but right now, she didn’t want to take any more steps back. Only forward.

Then she touched the button with her little hand and in a second she was sucked inside.

One touch…
Two touches…
Three touches…

And a click.

Serena carefully took the pokéball in her hands and brought it close to her chest “I promise I’ll take care of you!” she promised, hoping that she would feel it from the inside too.
But from the small vibration she felt in her direction, she could hope.

She turned to Brock, who with a sigh of relief shared her joy “I’m really happy for you! She’s in good hands, I’m sure of it.”

“Thanks, Brock!”

It wasn’t exactly how she had planned to propose to Weepbud to join her, but she was grateful that it had happened.

“Huh? What’s going on here?” Ash appeared, his hair still messed up.

Serena and Brock exchanged a knowing look. “Tadaaa!” the girl showed, holding out the ball and freeing the Pokémon.

“Wee!” Finding herself in front of Ash, the little grass-type Pokémon immediately ran to Serena, but waved shyly.
Sooner or later she would have to get used to him too, since he was traveling with her new trainer.

Ash was speechless, pointing at the Pokémon. “Huh? When did this happen!?”

“Just now!”

“And I missed it!?” He exclaimed in scandal.

“Pi Pikachu!” Pikachu shook his head.

Serena’s Pokémon also approached in surprise, mostly in a positive way. They greeted Weepbud kindly, and she managed to get close enough to return the paw squeezes.

Of course, in the end it wasn’t just Serena’s merit, but their entire family.

Now hers too…

A new family…

…

“So, here we are.” Ash announced, even though it wasn’t really necessary.

It hadn’t lasted long, but it had been nice.

“Yeah… it was nice to see you again, Ash. And it was nice to meet you, Serena!” Brock squeezed Serena’s hand “Please, keep him out of trouble!”

“Hey!”

“That’s a tough one, but I’ll try. I’ll help him out of it!” she laughed, ignoring her friend’s fake pout.

“Good luck with your Showcases and you Ash with your gyms. Show them what you’ve got!” Brock wished, hoping that this would be the right time for his friend.

He would support from a distance.

“Of course! And you keep doing what you’re doing! You’ll become a great doctor.” Ash encouraged, holding out his hand. “See you then, huh?”

Brock nodded with a smile, even if there was a hint of bitterness in his tone of voice “See you.” He squeezed his friend’s hand, with the strength of someone who wanted to express a lot more.

Who wanted to thank him for everything he had done for him, even without knowing it. Who wanted to encourage him and at the same time worry about him.

It didn’t go unnoticed, because Ash gave him an understanding, reciprocal smile.
Their friendship had lasted for years for a reason and as used as they were to living it side by side, it wouldn’t fade even with the distance between them.

Their hands left each other and Brock watched his old friend and his new friend walk away.
The hand that had been holding Ash’s a few seconds before, tightened into a fist and vibrated slightly.

And so, seized by an overwhelming instinct, he ran a few meters forward and raised his arm in the air “Take care, Ash!”

He hoped for the best. That he would succeed in what he dreamed of, whatever that would be, and that he would reach the heights he deserved, even if he couldn’t scale them with him.

Ash turned and returned the wave, followed by Serena “You too!”

“Pika!!”

.

.

.

.

,,,

Chapter Text

It had been a whole day since they left the Pokémon reserve, where Ash had managed to meet with his dear friend Brock again.

There was a great wave of cautious optimism after the success of Serena's last performance and catching Weepbud.

They weren't that far away from arriving in Hillsette Town, at that rate they would have reached it in a couple of hours of walking, but noticing Serena's tired expression, and his own hunger, Ash suggested to stop and camp for the night.

She happily accepted.

"Arriving tonight or tomorrow morning doesn't make much difference..." Ash repeated, opening the container with the leftovers that Brock had kindly given them.

"You were just afraid of not being able to handle your hunger." Serena teased and Ash's grin proved that she had got it right "But I admit that I also prefer this." 

Ash chuckled "To think that back when you first started traveling you were scandalized at the idea of ​​sleeping outside."

Serena's cheeks puffed "It happened once and it was only because it was my first time…"

Her friend conceded, it was true after all "Camping is fun."

The girl nodded "When you're prepared…" she thought briefly about their situation as tent mates.
She had gotten used to it. A little. It was just embarrassing when Ash used her as a stuffed animal in his sleep…

"I mean, we didn't do so bad these days! And I've gotten better at preparing!" Gone were the days when he would sleep outside every night, under a tree in case of rain.

He had learned that sometimes if there was the option of something convenient and more comfortable, it was better to take it. Resting and eating well gave him more energy to travel.

“I'm not at the level of Clemont or Brock, of course…” The thought of the friend they had bid goodbye to that morning left a bitter taste in Ash's mouth.

And Serena noticed that thoughtful expression right away “You wish Brock had come with us, right?”

Ash, surprised by that sudden comment, immediately turned around “What? No!”
Serena raised an eyebrow, without really answering.

“Not that I wouldn't have liked it!” He then clarified. “He's a very dear friend and if he had decided to follow us I wouldn't be against it!”

“That's not what I meant.” Serena reassured him. She would never question the two's friendship “What I wonder is why you didn't ask him.”

“What would have changed?” Did he think it didn’t matter if Brock was there or not? Ash immediately shook his head, blaming himself for that thought. “Of course being with your friends is better than being alone… not that you’re not great company!”

Serena rolled her eyes with a smile. He had specifically asked her to follow him, at that point she had more than enough proof that he wanted her with him.

However, she took advantage of that thought “So why not ask him too as you did with me?”

“A-Ah… it's different!” He blushed slightly, rubbing his neck. He looked for an excuse “You were there with me and you didn’t have plans, but Brock did! What kind of friend would I be to ask him to drop everything to follow me?”

“A friend who is happy to be with him.” Serena immediately specified.

“But it would be useless if he’s already busy with his internship. Nothing would have changed.”

“Maybe, probably, but now you would have one less weight on your chest. It’s not selfish to want to ask someone to be with you. Force it? Yes, but that is not what you want, is it?”

Serena's words made her friend think.

She was right, on the one hand the reason why he hadn't asked Brock anything was to avoid putting him in the position of questioning his own goals, with such a request.
But he knew that his friend was very serious about his dream, and this shouldn't jeopardize it.

Honestly, as inexplicable as it was, the real reason was because he had been afraid.
Of what, precisely, he had no idea, but more than the refusal Ash almost had the impression of fearing the opposite.

Maybe he was afraid that Brock would accept.
It didn't make sense, because he loved Brock's company, he was one of his closest friends!
However, the idea of ​​going to ask him almost made him feel... small. Even more if he had accepted.

Like a kid who needs a mentor again.
He didn't want Brock to get that idea.

But Serena was right. For this reason, in retrospect, so silly for him, he had wasted an opportunity. 
But it was stronger than he could handle.

Asking her had been different, because it had seemed like the right thing to do given their situations and there had been no conflicting feelings to stop him.
He didn't think Serena could ever make him feel uncomfortable and as much as he had things to learn from her, it had never made him feel inferior.

“You're right, I don't know why I didn't ask, but it's done now, no point in dwelling on it, right?” Not that it was impossible to go back, but it wasn't worth wasting three days of walking. He could always call Brock on the phone if he changed his mind.

“I guess so…” Serena agreed reluctantly.
She certainly loved spending time alone with Ash and a journey just the two of them was intriguing, but she didn't want the guy to sabotage himself. 

If he wanted to travel with someone besides her, she had no objection, especially since she liked traveling with more than one person, too.
She was in love with Ash, but that didn't mean she cared less about Clemont and Bonnie.

She sighed and looked up at the sky.
She had a feeling that the following day would be full of surprises.

…

“Pikapi, Pipika!” Pikachu called from the top of the hill, telling them to hurry.

“We're coming!” Ash replied, raising his voice, before turning to Serena. “Four legs would be nice.”

“Tell me about it,” she giggled, struggling to keep up. “You're the one who wanted to take the difficult path.”

“I thought it was the only one, how could I know there was a path that went through the hill?”

Serena raised an eyebrow “You could have just waited for me to look on the map.”

“Heh, but we would have missed this spectacular view!” Ash said, taking the last step to reach the top, immediately greeted by a beautiful landscape.

The girl arrived at his side and held back a gasp. “Wow…”

It was really wonderful for a semi-urban landscape. The city reminded her so much of Lumiose City for the atmosphere. That air of being in a city that had lived through the most important years of history…

Sure there was no Prism Tower, but in the center of everything there was a strange, ancient structure. An amphitheater? A stadium? Still, it was truly a unique view.
From the top of the hills, looking down was like observing the inside of a clay pot. The color of the buildings, the rural but at the same time modern style meeting together.

“I take it all back, we took the right path.”

“See? The Ketchum Travel Agency is a guarantee!” Ash puffed out his chest.

“The Ketchum Agency will surely be able to take us to the professor’s lab, right?” Serena challenged.

Despite the long trekking, they had arrived quite early in the morning. And getting lost wasn’t a big problem, since they didn’t want to wake up Professor Olivio early.

The young man nodded decisively, he had taken everything into account “Of course! Let’s go!” and he set off at a quick pace.

Too quick. Ignoring the slope of the descent was a big mistake and he ended up going down at full speed, followed with difficulty by Serena and Pikachu.

“Ash! Wait! Don't run, or you'll get-" Serena didn't have time to warn. By now he had lost control of his speed and it was impossible to stop.

*BAM*

What stopped him was a poor tree that met with his face.

"-hurt. Right..." Serena concluded, hurrying carefully to reach him.

Ash fell backwards a little dazed, seeing his two friends quite blurry "Ouch...."

Pikachu leaned towards him, while Serena with a worried look tried to check that her friend wasn't completely broken. "Pikapi pipi chupi?" Pikachu asked, showing two fingers of his little paws.

"...Eight?"

…

Luckily for them, after a few minutes and a quick snack, Ash recovered completely and their expedition into the city under the guidance of the Ketchum Agency continued.

However, as Serena had predicted, they ended up seeing pretty much everything except the lab. And the extra time they had saved for themselves had long since run out.

“This… could be a lab, right?” Ash pointed to a random, elegant building, fully aware that he was clutching at straws.

“Hm… a very rich one, I would say.” Serena smiled, reading the name of what was clearly a bank.

“You wouldn’t guess from its looks.” Ash offered.

Serena chuckled “Well, as nice as this tour was, maybe it’s time for the Ketchum Agency to hire an extra employee,” the girl said, taking out her tablet. “I have experience and excellent references!”

Ash smiled amusedly. “If you get me too used to it, I won’t be able to do it on my own anymore.”

“That means I’ll stay at the agency until I retire.” Serena's words slowed down, realizing what she was implying.
She was getting carried away.

Luckily Ash didn't get the unintentional veiled message. "I'd like that." but his response with that smile that had gone from playful to genuine, certainly didn't help Serena chase away the blush that was coloring her cheeks.

He didn't mean to do it, nor did he notice, but damn what he could do to her...

"Anyway, the lab should be close by. After that-"

"Psss, excuse me?" A male voice interrupted her.

The two teens looked around. "Huh?"

"Yes, you!" the man called again. "I beg your pardon, but could you give me a little help?"

Ash and Serena finally spotted the person calling them.
It was a young man who was waving at them, in a way that was far too dramatic for someone who didn't want to be noticed to the point of whispering.

The confusion didn't stop them from approaching, though. "Is there anything we can do for you?"

"It's a little embarrassing... but could you help me free my foot?” The man asked, clasping his hands in supplication. “I wanted to understand the difference between a Leafala and a Komala in climbing, but my foot got stuck.”

The expressions of the two trainers and Pikachu conveyed the exact same thought…
“This guy is nuts!”

The look didn’t help. That white jacket full of wrinkles, probably not ironed or hung properly, the messy copper-colored hair and the glasses held together with low brand glue…

But as bizarre as the situation was, they certainly couldn’t leave him there like that.

“Sure…” Ash positioned himself next to the man and grabbed his stuck leg, although he wasn’t fully convinced on the matter at hand.

“Thanks a lot! Now let’s pull! GO!” The man exclaimed animatedly, as they began to pull. “Go! Go! Go!”

His shouts of encouragement attracted the attention of the passersby, who stopped to watch the scene.

When the first giggles reached Serena's ears, she covered her face slightly with her hand, trying to hide her shame.

“Listen, young man, maybe that Pikachu of yours could help us? Doesn't it have a move to break this part?” the man suggested.

Ash, however, continued to pull. “I'd rather not ruin a tree for nothing.” He could certainly have told Pikachu to use Iron Tail, but in addition to causing unnecessary damage, the force of the attack would most likely knock everything down.

The man was surprised by those words, but found himself smiling “You're right. Then let's try again! POWAH!”

He started pulling again and Pikachu also joined in, pushing from the other side.

However, their intense collaboration was soon interrupted “Excuse me…?” Serena approached and addressed the man, “Bend your foot forward.”

The three who had been trying so hard just a moment ago watched silently as the man slightly bent his foot like a ballerina and simply pulled it out of the tree.

“Ah…”

“Oh how nice!” The man exclaimed, happy to be free, without really feeling the slightest embarrassment. “How can I thank you for saving me?”

Ash and Serena exchanged a knowing look, “You’re welcome, but we have to go now, we need to meet with someone.”

“Of course! Oh, but if it's who I think it is, you’re in the right place!”

“Huh?”

The man smiled, “You’re Ash, right?”

Ash narrowed his eyes, “...Do we know each other?”

“You have to meet with Professor Olivio, right?” The man opened his arms, “Ahaha, it’s me!”

Serena, Ash, and Pikachu widened their eyes, “HUH!?” “PIKA!?”

“Yes, I got it right! It really is you, Ash!” He grabbed the boy’s hand and shook it vigorously “I’m Olivio, it’s a huge pleasure to finally meet you!”

“T-The pleasure is mine!” The boy returned the greeting, a little perplexed. “Sorry if I didn’t recognize you…”

Olivio downplayed it “Nah, no biggie. We only saw each other once on a call after all! I wouldn’t have recognized you either if it weren’t for the fact that I hung your photo on my nightstand so I could wake up every day and remember your face for when you came! Hahaha!”

Both Ash and Serena shivered “He’s totally crazy…”

“And you must be… Serena, right?” He also greeted the girl, with the same force, leaving her completely shocked. “What a pleasure to meet you!”

“S-Same…”

“Good, I think we can head to the lab! You’ve traveled so much and you’re my guests, so only the best awaits you!” said the professor, preparing to lead the way.

Serena and Ash followed, but remained a few steps behind.

Olivio laughed to himself “ Ah, young love. Look at them being so close and secluded!”

But the two could not help but pine while trying to understand if they were facing a madman or a serial killer.

When they finally discarded the second option and agreed on the term “eccentric”, they were now at the entrance to the laboratory.

The building was immense, like Prof. Oak's laboratory, only it appeared more rustic and was not surrounded by vast boundless fields. The interior was also much messier, full of various paperwork and boxes.

"Forgive me for the mess, but you caught me while my assistant Almia took her vacation and went to Almia, ahahahah! She's usually the one who cleans up all my junk!" the professor apologized, chuckling embarrassedly at the commotion, as they tried to walk, lifting their feet and struggling to make their way through the thickest mess at the entrance.

"Is the whole lab like this?" Serena asked, imagining the professor swimming through his things just to get around.

"Most of it, you should see my office! But that's fine like it is, it's what I call an organized mess! Otherwise I won't find my stuff..."

"I see... would you rather show us where you keep the Pokémon?" Ash asked impatiently, once they reached a freer entrance hall.

Serena shook her head with a smile, but the professor was positively surprised by Ash's impatience.

Ash was really a great trainer, Olivio felt like he was looking at his younger self.
Well, not much younger, he wasn't that old!

"Ahahah! Okay, let's do it like this; if you give me a moment to regroup some stuff so we can walk around better, then I'll take you to see them right away and while I'm at it I'll also set up some stuff for lunch! After all, I have to repay you for your kindness, right?"

Even from the two trainers’ point of view, aside from his unique and eccentric aura, Olivio was quite a nice person.

"We could help out!" Serena offered, feeling this urgency to reorganize that chaos.
A little artistic disorder was normal, she herself could understand that, but this was really too much.

She glanced at Ash, who didn't even have the slightest thought of opposition. By now she had offered, and he certainly couldn't make her change her mind when she was so… convinced.

The performer picked up a duster and turned to Ash, winking "Let's get to work then!"

In the end, good for them, it was more a question of disorder than dirt. In a good hour, the bulk of the work was done and the entrance was accessible, as were the other main rooms.

"Well, the water is boiling for the spaghetti! I'll make you two a lunch that will make your tastebuds ascend!" the professor announced proudly.

He wasn't much of a tidy-up guy, but he knew his stuff when it came to cooking. Or at least he tried to do something decent.
After eating so much frozen food back in college, he had found the determination to learn to cook enough to not piss off his dietitian.

“S-Spaghetti?” Serena muttered, and turned to Ash, who was looking at her in the same way.
They immediately turned their heads away, blushing.

It would have been difficult to think of spaghetti in the same way, but they certainly couldn’t ask the professor for another type of pasta for a reason like that…

Pikachu tried his best to hold back a laugh. Now that his trainer had talked it out with Serena, the fact was more of a thing to joke about than an episode of cosmic crisis as it had seemed at first.

“Of course! A cacio e pepe ! Or a carbonara …! I have a piece of aged Mareep cheese that will make it perfect!” Olivio winked “But first I’d like to give you something!”

The professor walked towards an area that was much more organized, probably because everything was divided into cabinets specific to their purposes. When he came back, he handed each of them a sort of palmares.
“You guys are going to need a pokédex each, right?” the professor asked with a smirk.

“Oh! Thank you so much, Professor!” they both grabbed theirs.

The two of them opened their pokédexes in half. Ash thought it looked a bit like the one in Kanto, but bigger.

“This pokédex is programmed like every other one you’ve ever used.” Olivio showed, clicking the screen “If you give me your old ones later, I can transfer all the information you’ve already registered and your generalities. Also-”

He then pressed another button and suddenly the back of the left side opened, revealing a camera. “This is the Pokémon recognition mode. So you can register new ones.”

“Wow, this is really cool!” Ash commented, an idea flashing in his head.
He grabbed a pokéball and released the Pokémon inside. “Tweeny! Come out!”

“Tweep!”

“Oh, what a surprise! You’ve already caught a Pokémon!” Olivio congratulated him. “And it looks like a fine specimen! The wings must be very strong!”

Tweeny chirped proudly. “Twee twee!”

“Well, let’s see!” Ash opened his dex as instructed and pointed at the bird.

“Tweeny, the Canary Pokémon. Although small in size, its beak is strong enough to crush even the hardest seeds. In the past, it often accompanied miners, who could hear its chirping to determine if there was toxic gas in the air.”

“Oh, I have to register Weepbud too!” Serena reminded herself, letting the little one out of the ball.

Weepbud looked around a little hesitantly, confused as to what to do.

“You’ve already caught a Pokémon too! Congratulations!” The professor nodded, without getting too close. He had enough experience to understand when a Pokémon was scared.

“Well, let’s see!” Serena pointed with her dex.

“Weepbud, the Shrill Pokémon. Its leaves are known to be an excellent anesthetic against muscle pain. However, it is advisable to approach them with caution because they are very sensitive and their shouts are capable of leaving a person dizzy for an indeterminate number of hours.”

“Now we won't struggle to recognize a Pokémon,” Ash smiled, calling Tweeny back into the sphere, imitated then by Serena.

“Oh but it will be much more useful than you think! It has a navigation mode with a built-in map that’s always updated. It can also act as a communicator, so you can call anywhere without having to stop at a Pokémon Center. Register your contact at the first Center you visit and every call will be forwarded to you directly!”

“That way I can call Mama more often!” Ash appreciated the feature. As his travels became longer and more frequent, he would try to call his mother as often as possible, but one big limitation was that most of the time he was outside in the wild, rather than in inhabited areas. Now he wouldn’t have that problem anymore. “Science is really amazing…”

He just hoped that she wouldn’t call him during… tricky situations. He would rather not have to answer a video call while he was in less safe situations than his mother would have liked.

“That’s why I put that mode on. These days I go to my mother’s house for lunch every Sunday, but when I was a traveling trainer it was difficult.” Olivio explained. “Although I did not mind the lack of her calls to remind me to wear matching socks.”

And with a quick look on the professor’s feet, Ash and Serena realized that his mother was not entirely wrong.

“There are other useful little things too. You can take pictures, send messages and much more! It has most of the options of a normal phone. And if you log into the Pokémon Center database, you’ll receive invitations and news about events specifically for trainers!”

The two teens stared at the device excitedly. “Thanks, Professor!”

Those weren’t tools they were used to, but they would definitely come in handy.
And then again, hearing more from his old friends was a change that Ash didn’t mind getting used to.

As if reading his mind, Serena also cheered in her thoughts. Ash would be able to hear from Brock and she would be able to ask him for cooking advice as they traveled! It was perfect!
Not to mention that now she wouldn’t have to rely on her tablet to call Clemont and Bonnie. It was much more convenient this way.

At that point the Professor left them to fiddle with their new devices, while he prepared the necessary for lunch.
And once the pasta was in the water, he returned to them. “Okay, while we wait, now how about we go see the starters of the region? You won’t need one but-”

“YES, PLEASE!” Ash immediately forgot what he was doing with the pokédex and jumped up.

“Ahaha I like your enthusiasm! Follow me!”
Olivio guided them to a dedicated area, at the back of the building. The garden was very large and part of it was enclosed in a glass dome, so that he could leave the Pokémon in their ideal habitat without risking bad weather.
The professor stopped in front of a pond and held out his hands in a presentable manner "Good, you already know how it works, so we can move directly to the Pokémon! Our water-type starter is Plarky!"

Suddenly a semi-anthropomorphic platypus jumped out of the bond. It had an orange beak and front legs, the rest of its body light blue with white patches, cute purple eyes and a rebellious tuft on its head.

“Plarky: Platypus Pokémon. Generally peaceful, it lives in more secluded streams, regardless of the water temperature. It has an out of the ordinary intelligence and never seeks a direct conflict, preferring to hit the opponent with a precise and debilitating blow in order to always give itself an initial advantage.”

Serena couldn't hold back her emotions "How cute!" Her eyes were shining, moved by how adorable the Pokémon was.

“Plyy!!!” The small semi-aquatic mammal thanked her, while winking. It tried to look cool but just appeared even more cute.

A grin appeared on Ash’s face, while glancing at Serena’s reaction. He couldn’t help but smile when she looked like that. It was nice to see her get excited about the things she liked.
Too bad she couldn’t get that starter.

“Then we have Fiyenne, a fire-type!”
A fluffy and agile little bundle of fur jumped out of the bushes. A sort of orange canine with large ears.

“Fiyenne, Warm Stripe Pokémon. With an irreverent and impetuous temperament, it is able to radiate small sudden bursts of heat from the motif on its body. It's also a good companion animal but you must first take the right precautions if you want to raise one.”

“We have reason to believe that it’s a distant relative of Fennekin, but their evolutions are drastically different.”

However, Serena didn't even catch that last sentence, putting her hands in front of her mouth in an attempt to hold back a squeak.

Ash placed a hand on her shoulder in understanding.
Another incredibly adorable Pokémon that she couldn't catch. But at least she had a little more self-control than him.

"And finally Leafala, a grass-type!" said the professor, pointing his hand towards the trees.

A koala slid very slowly out of one of them, and greeted the new acquaintances with a calm face. It was all green, with a bushy tail, large ears, and a large brown nose.

"Leafala, Marsupial Pokémon. It has a terribly lazy nature and it’s often found clinging firmly to the trees of which the leaves mainly make up for its diet. However, if provoked, it knows how to keep steady on its paws and with its strength it’s able to subdue enemies much larger than it.”

“This one seems strong! But also…-” Ash searched for the right words so as not to offend the Pokémon “...calm?”

The professor laughed “Because that’s how it is. Leafala are great at taking hits, then evolving all that energy makes them much more powerful.”

Serena looked confused, while looking at the three starters “But doesn’t that influence the choice of new trainers? I mean, for beginners it’s more instinctive to want to take more offensive Pokémon, right?”

The expert nodded, adjusting his glasses seriously “That’s right. Even if we can’t say that Leafalas are never chosen, there is much more demand for Plarky and Fiyenne.”

“It’s a shame though…”

“Yeah, my hope is that everyone finds their chance, they just need a trainer that will bring out their true potential.” Olivio nodded, “But that goes for any circumstance. I firmly believe that with the right trainer and a strong bond, there is no Pokémon that cannot bring out enormous potential! Like… look at your Pikachu!”
The professor pointed animatedly at the Pokémon, who cocked his head in confusion “I think there are few Pikachu this strong around. He did a great job at the Kalos League, especially in the finals!”

Pikachu blushed, scratching his head in embarrassment “Pika…”

“Indeed, Pikachu and I have made great strides together, but I'd say the credit goes mostly to him.” Ash raised his hand, caressing his partner’s cheek, who squealed with pleasure “He has always given everything he got, besides even from the beginning he has always had stronger electric attacks than expected.”

Olivio nodded “Of course, having a specimen with natural talent helps, but it’s always up to the trainer to use it in the right way. Especially if you have chosen not to evolve your Pokémon.”

“Yeah, Pikachu didn't want to evolve and honestly, I'm fine with that!” Pikachu had always wanted to prove that he could be as good as, if not superior to, any Raichu they encountered.

He had always succeeded in that goal, even though it was obvious that a Raichu was superior in terms of natural strength. And to get to those results without evolving, something must have had an influence.

“Training, of course, strategies… but I think it's your bond that really influenced it. And that's what I base my studies on!” The professor clenched a fist with determination “That's why I'm curious to see you on the field. To observe how your future Pokémon will evolve! Whether they actually evolve or whether they stay the same.”

Ash returned the gesture “And I can't wait to do it too!”

“Then I’d like to ask you a favor!” The professor took a Pokéball from his coat pocket “Would you like a quick battle? I’d like a taste of this bond between you two.”

Ash’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. Serena raised her finger to comment, but she couldn’t stop the boy from accepting “Absolutely!!”

Serena lowered her head, sighing. “I’m going to turn off the stove,” she said, deciding to save what they were meant to eat.
Those two certainly didn’t have the best choices when it came to timing.

“Well, let's not wait any longer!” Olivio announced, throwing the Pokéball into the air “Baubow, help me with this precious study!”

“Bwaaaw!” A large dog, with a plump coat and a sturdy build, appeared in front of Ash.

“It looks familiar!” Ash took the dex from his pocket and immediately scanned the Pokémon.

“Baubow, Rescue Pokémon. It’s a faithful companion of the human being, ready to defend him in every occasion. Its fur has the peculiarity of swelling when in contact with water, allowing it to act as a lifesaver for people in danger."

Ash's eyes sparkled at the memory "Of course! When we arrived in Forsia we met a Muttiny! So this is its evolution, right?"

"One of the two!" Olivio confirmed. "Muttiny can evolve into two different Pokémon depending on its nature."

"Incredible!" Ash commented, putting the dex back in its place in the pocket, and then turning to the companion on his shoulder, "So Pikachu, are you ready?"

Pikachu jumped to the ground, ready for battle "Pika!"

Olivio nodded, then turning to the Pokémon in the garden "Please, stay beyond the pond. I don't want you to get hurt."
A battle like that would probably have been too intense for novice Pokémon like them.

Once they were all at a safe distance, the professor gave Ash an anxious smile. “Ready?”

“No need to ask!” Ash smiled. “Pikachu, attack with Thunderbolt!”

“Pikaaaa chuuuu!!” Pikachu immediately charged his cheeks and released an electric charge in the opponent’s direction.

“Baubow, dodge and use Bulk Up!”
The dog quickly jumped back and let out a howl. A red aura filled him, and when it disappeared, Baubow seemed much more energetic than before.

Ash initially paused for a moment to think, then smiled knowingly.

The dex said that Baubow was a Normal and Water type, which meant his attacks wouldn't be very effective against Pikachu. But using Bulk Up they would get as strong as any other move. And in turn Pikachu's attacks would lose effectiveness.

And if he used Bulk Up again, things could turn to his disadvantage.

“Baubow use Aqua Tail!” the professor ordered.

All the more reason to attack as soon as possible. “Pikachu, dodge and close in with Quick Attack!”

“Baaaaw!”

“Pikapikapikaaaaa…!” Pikachu quickly ran, avoiding the water ball and then jumping towards Baubow. “Okay, now hit with Iron Tail!”

“Protect! And then Bulk Up again!”

“Bow!” A protective field surrounded the dog just in time, preventing Pikachu's tail from landing where it was supposed to.

The mouse was thrown off by the shockwave it caused. It was no problem to land safely, but it gave enough time for Bowbow to howl again, “Boow!”

“Wow…” Ash smiled, somewhat amused by the increasing difficulty of the battle.
He hadn’t expected Professor Olivio to be such a skilled, strategic, and quick-thinking trainer. And his Baubow was certainly not a Pokémon without battle experience.

That meant they wouldn’t hold back. “Pikachu, send a bunch of Electro Ball!”

“Pika pika pika pikaaaaa chu pi!!!” Pikachu unleashed the first electric ball in Baubow’s direction “Chupi! Chuupi!” And more followed quickly.

Olivio smiled smugly. Pikachu had an incredible reserve of electricity to be able to produce so many consecutive attacks. “Protect!”

“AUU!” Baubow raised his defense, preventing the various spheres from hurting him.

When the field disappeared, however, his opponent was no longer in front of him.
And from the scent he could smell, he was in a much more dangerous position for him.

“Iron Tail!”

Pikachu charged his tail and went to strike, this time successfully “Chu!”

“BAWH!” The big dog took the blow, but didn’t move much, thanks to his increased defense.

“A diversion… very clever!” The professor praised “But now you’re exposed as well! Baubow, Ice Fang!”

“RHAUU!”

Pikachu didn’t have time to dodge, feeling the icy grip tighten around his tail. “Pi!”

“Pikachu!” Ash called, but Baubow started spinning his head in circles, quickly spinning the little mouse and thus preventing him from reacting.

Olivio smirked “Now Aqua Tail!”

Baubow let go, throwing Pikachu into the air and immediately charged up his next move “Bowwww”

“Pikachu! Try to use Electro Ball!”

Pikachu tried to balance himself, transferring his electricity to his tail, but just an instant before he could launch the move, Aqua Tail hit him full on, making him fall “Pika!”

He soon hit the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
But when it cleared, Olivio was not surprised to see, despite the obvious injuries, the Pokémon getting up with little struggle.

“Pikachu! Are you okay?”

“Chu…” nodded the mouse, clearly tired, but ready to continue.

“Baubow, Bulk up again!”

Seeing the Pokémon power up again, Ash frowned in concentration.
Olivio was an experienced trainer to not underestimate. He was on the same level as many opponents he had met in the league.

This excited and intrigued him, and at the same time it kind of worried him. Were all the trainers in Forsia of that level? Between Olivio and Duncan, it was certainly one of the most intense starts to a journey.

“Surprised?” The professor interrupted his thoughts.

“I shouldn’t, but a little,” Ash confirmed. He wasn’t used to underestimating his opponents and in fact he had been giving his best for a good part of the battle, but of all the professors he had met, Olivio was certainly one of the most skilled in battling.

Olivio laughed genuinely. “My brother is a very strong trainer, he taught me how to battle. But I know you still have a lot to show me.”

The guy in front of him, after all, had reached the finals of the Kalos league for a reason. He never, even for a moment, thought that beating him would be easy.

The determination painted on Ash’s face proved it. “You bet! Pikachu, Quick Attack!”

“Protect!”

“Go around it!”

“Pika!” The shield went up again, just as Pikachu got closer, but instead of colliding, the Electric Pokémon curved and started spinning around it repeatedly.

Baubow tried to keep an eye on the little mouse, but eventually lost sight of it.

“Now, Pikachu!”

Pikachu hit Protect with his tail, right behind the opponent. It didn’t seem to be showing any effect, though.

Taking advantage of the moment, Olivio ordered “Ice Fang!”

Protect gave way and Baubow aimed at Pikachu, but the little mouse smiled mockingly and moved his tail, doing a somersault backwards.

It landed at the Pokémon’s feet with far too much ease, and then Olivio realized that they ended up in a trap.

Pikachu hadn’t used Iron Tail, he had hit Protect without any moves, so he had no problems with his balance.

Frantically, Olivio tried to alarm his Pokémon “Watch out, at your feet!”

However, Baubow was unable to redirect the attack, allowing Pikachu to slide underneath him and grab onto his belly.

“What!?” Olivio exclaimed.

“Go, Pikachu! Full power with Thunderbolt!”

“PIKAAA CHUUU!!” Pikachu charged and finally managed to unleash his electricity on the opposing Pokémon.

“BAUUUU!!!” The dog whined, feeling the attack taking away more and more of its strength, undaunted and showing no signs of stopping.

Ash had a good guess. With the opposing Pokémon powered up to that point, it was wise to avoid getting hit again, and he certainly couldn’t waste time inflicting damage little by little. Especially if it was already difficult to land a single move.

He just had to find the right moment to land a sustained attack.

“Get Pikachu off of you!” Olivio suggested, but every attempt was useless.

Baubow rolled, fell flat on his belly, but Pikachu held on as long as he could.

If he had a move like Body Slam, it might have been possible to turn the tables in his favor, but he didn’t have that card on his side.

He could continue to slam his opponent into the ground, but as much as they could stand there betting on Pikachu’s stamina, they were also betting on Baubow’s.

Olivio now had only one card at his disposal.

“Baubow, use Aqua Tail upwards and then let it fall on you!”

Ash’s eyes widened “Huh!?”

“BOW!” Baubow struggled to hurl water spheres upwards. They reached a certain height and then fell back towards the sender.

The dog let itself be hit, but incredibly, instead of taking damage from its own move, it seemed to be invigorated.

To make matters worse, its fur slowly began to swell, almost giving the impression that the dog was twice as large.

Pikachu, who until a moment before had been clinging to the dog's belly, found himself losing his grip "Chu!?"

"Rawh!" Taking advantage of this, Baubow managed to shake off the opponent and get out of that grip that had come so close to knocking him out.

"I guess that's the thing the pokédex mentioned?" Ash speculated.

Olivio nodded "A special feature of Baubow. In addition to not taking damage from Water-type moves, when the fur comes into contact with any liquid it swells up like a life preserver. I needed something ingenious!"

"And it was!" Ash complimented. It was very similar to his electric charging tactic with Pikachu.

At that rate, if Baubow had reinvigorated himself with Aqua Tail repeatedly and used Bulk Up again, the battle would have lasted forever, or at least until one of the two was exhausted.

It was exciting, and a battle like that could only be a lot of fun, but Ash also wanted to take home his first real victory in Forsia.
He would have ended the battle as soon as possible, when Baubow was slowed down by his puffed up fur.

“That was great, but it only delayed the result! Pikachu, use Electro Ball!”

“Protect!”

The electric balls immediately flew towards Baubow, who however managed to raise the protective barrier just in time to deflect the attack.

Upon contact, instead of dissolving, Electro Ball changed trajectory and started heading towards the nearby vegetation.

At first neither Ash nor Olivio noticed, after all, the Professor's Pokémon had taken refuge in a safe position

However, when, out of the corner of his eye, Ash saw a figure right in the path of one of the spheres, he shouted, “Watch out!!”

…

Nobody could ever understand.

Leafala continued to throw punches, one after the other, against the same rock that assisted him in every one of his training sessions.

When the news of a new trainer reached their ears, many of the Pokémon around there had exploded with joy.
For them, it was an opportunity like many others to find their ideal partner. For him, it was just a waste of time.

None of those rookie kids could help him bring out his true potential, if not the right one.
That's why he had always trained in anticipation, so that when the day came, his future partner would have no choice but to recognize his strength and take him with them.

It hadn't happened yet, but one day... It would come. For sure.

The reason why he was training at that moment, however, was not so much to find his ideal trainer, but because that news had turned out to be quite not what they expected.

It wasn’t a rookie trainer who came to visit them, but an experienced one, whom the professor was eager to meet.

Initially, Leafala had not paid much attention to the matter, after all, as intriguing as it was, he could never join the team of a trainer who already had their first Pokémon, and who had even taken part in several leagues.
But then, after hearing the professor and his constant chatter, he had ended up getting infected by the enthusiasm.

The other Pokémon had indeed been disappointed and in a certain sense he shared the feeling, but at least this visit would be more interesting than the others.

And he could have compared his strength with that of someone who had a lot of it.

“Leaf!”

With a slightly more dynamic punch, a small crack appeared on the surface of the rock. Noticing it, Leafala nodded satisfied.

“Pikaaaa chuuuu!!”

It was impossible to ignore the loud cry of attack that reached his ears, as well as the loud bang that followed.

Could they have already arrived?

He left his beloved rock behind and ran in the direction of the loud sounds of a fight. Luckily he had good hearing, he would never have forgiven himself for missing a battle like that.

He soon reached the edge of the vegetation and immediately his gaze fell on the unknown trainer who was giving orders to his Pikachu.

It was a flash of heat, like those old days when he had used to play with the Fiyenne and had gotten burnt on his belly

That strong fire deep inside grew the more he looked at the trainer's face.

Determination, of someone who knew how to channel himself fully into battles. Even while his Pikachu was taking hits, while the odds were clearly against him, the spark of tenacity did not die.

Leafala was really enjoying that fight. Absurdly, almost as much as the human and his partner.

“There must be something wrong with you.”

“It was fantastic, but it only delayed the result! Pikachu, use Electro Ball!”

“Nothing is ever gonna change it.”

“Protect!”

“If you stay like this, we’ll be stuck.”

The voices in his head became so annoying that he had to look away, shaking his head furiously.

No, there was nothing wrong with him.
It was everyone else. Only them, not him.

Only them…

“Watch out!!”

He turned his head and saw the ball of electric energy approaching dangerously. His body reacted naturally, jerking to the side and only getting partially caught.

*KABOOM*

It missed him… but geez, did it hurt to even get partially hit.

“Are you okay!?” He heard footsteps running towards him and soon his eyes met those of the human visiting the lab.

“La…” Leafala nodded, standing up easily. He was definitely sore, but he wasn’t going to show it.

What a shame, to be caught off guard like that, without even being able to take an attack.

Ash sighed, relieved “Good, I thought everyone had left this area.”

Leafala looked around, and indeed noticed that none of the other Pokémon were there, rather all secluded on the other side of the pond.

Well, not that it would have changed much, he was certainly not one of them. He didn’t need to hide!
Although the scratches on his behind said otherwise. 

“You sure have good reflexes! To avoid that last Electro Ball and get up despite everything, you must be in pretty good shape!”

Ah, he had noticed that he wasn’t exactly indifferent to the blow. At least he was complimenting him.

“Ah, I should have known…” Olivio reached them and chuckled tiredly. He didn’t seem surprised at all.

Ash turned around confused, “Hm?”

“He probably didn’t hear, he tends to be more on his own. Or he wanted to see from a closer spot, he really likes battles.”

“Really?” The raven-haired boy asked with a surprised smile.

“Fala…” the koala nodded, trying to not look too impressed with their encounter.

“He really likes battling, so he trains every day to get ready for when a trainer chooses him,” Olivio explained. Ash didn’t notice that his smile was more forced.

Ash’s grin grew “You train all by yourself? That’s awesome!”

Leafala felt invigorated by that praise, blushing slightly but not turning around.

“Well, if you like battling so much, why don’t you join us for some training?” the boy suggested.

The koala turned around quickly, shocked by that statement. They had just met and already that boy wanted to train with him? Among the many Pokémon he probably had?

“Oh yeah, I’m Ash! And this is my best friend, Pikachu!” Ash introduced himself, then turned to the professor “You can watch the battle there with me and then when we’re done-”

“You know what, Ash?” Olivio interrupted him, his expression completely changed. “Why don’t you train together right away?”

“Oh, but what about the battle?” Ash asked, confused.

“It’s getting late and who knows how long it would have lasted! I wouldn’t want to leave Serena to finish preparing the lunch I promised you. I’d be a terrible host!”

“Oh, that’s right…” Ash remembered.

He wasn’t entirely convinced by the professor’s excuse. The battle wouldn’t have gone on for long, if anything it seemed to be coming to an end. But Olivio didn’t seem like the kind of trainer who would back down when the matter gets tough, and if he insisted so much he must have had a reason.

Besides, that Leafala seemed like an interesting Pokémon. They could definitely learn something by training together!

Olivio nodded “We can continue the battle at any other time, when we're not in a rush.”

“You’re right, but are you sure you got what you were looking for?”

“Absolutely! I’ve already observed a lot, I think you can be of great help to Leafala too.”

A grimace of dissent appeared on the face of the grass-type Pokémon, however he quickly masked it, when Ash stood up and gestured to show him the way. 

“Fala.”

“Great! Then see you later!” said Ash, leaving with the Pokémon.

“Have fun!”

…

Meanwhile, Serena was busy with another kind of training; the forsian cuisine one.

She had managed to prevent all the water from coming out of the pot and flooding the stove, but the pasta inside had now become a mass of dubious consistency. It certainly couldn't be served as it was, so she took the liberty of keeping it aside to make a gratin. She hated wasting food.

In the end she didn't have to worry about being left empty-handed for lunch, Ash and the professor had been distracted for so long that she had not only managed to prepare the gratin and cook it, but also to make it according to Olivio's mother's recipe.

The recipe book was there in plain sight and looking through it she had found inspiration. What better way to thank for the hospitality than to cook something that the professor loved?

She only hoped she hadn't made some mistake and offended traditional Forsian cuisine, or that of his mother.

"Serena! Forgive me for being late!" The professor entered the kitchen some time later, finding the girl sitting comfortably at a table already set. "Oh, I'm a horrible host…"

"No, I'm happy to help! The only thing is that I had to make do with the pasta somehow, is that a problem?" She said, pointing to the oven.

Olivio whistled in surprise, leaning down to look at the oven “Are you kidding!? You saved us! And battles like that make you hungry, so something substantial was needed!”

“By the way, where’s Ash?” The girl asked, expecting her friend to appear at the door.

“Ah, he’s still out there, helping one of my Leafalas train…” Olivio explained “He got too close and we had to stop the battle. And since he loves that kind of thing, Ash offered to stay with him for a while. Who knows, maybe he’ll really manage to do something miraculous.”

Serena smiled, “If anyone knows how to conquer a Pokémon’s heart, it’s Ash.”

“I don’t doubt it, at this point he really is my last hope.” the professor sighed, sitting down next to Serena.

She was confused by those pessimistic words “Why are you saying that?”

“I had already planned to introduce Leafala to Ash, because he had a bit of a turbulent history. His last trainer took him back after they had been together for a long time.”

Serena gasped, surprised. It wasn’t the first case she had heard of, Ash had already told her of other similar stories, but she didn’t think it was that common “Why?”

“I discussed it a lot with the boy. Apparently the main problem was that he couldn’t make it evolve, even though they won many battles and Leafala became more and more powerful. Then suddenly he started collecting a losing streak and he couldn’t use Leafala in gym battles or against high-level trainers anymore.”

“There must have been some reason. Maybe the training method?”

“I also think there was something wrong with the approach to battles. Leafala was chosen because it undoubtedly has very high potential and must have had a smooth path at the beginning. After that, probably his trainer wasn’t able to refine that strength.” the man speculated. “But it must also be said that Leafala is quite stubborn about his own ideas. The boy told me that he had tried other strategies but he couldn’t get Leafala to listen, so I can't say that the blame lies only on one side.”

“It still must have been hard for Leafala…”

“I think it was hard for both of them…”

…

“Are you really sure, Thommy?” Olivio asked. It was the first time it had happened to him. It wasn’t forbidden to bring back your first Pokémon, in fact some even asked to change it. But he had hoped it would never happen to him.

“I’m sorry, I tried but… I don’t think Leafala and I can understand each other.” The boy explained, looking down sadly. “At first it was easy, I told him what to do and he did it. It worked! Then we started losing and when I tried other methods he stopped listening to me.”

Thommy looked down at the pokéball with Leafala inside. “Also, the others who took their starters with me have already managed to evolve them! It’s been a long time, but Leafala doesn’t evolve.”

“Evolution can be determined by various factors. If there’s an emotional problem involved, you should face it to be able to solve it.” Olivio explained, sincerely trying to make the boy change his mind. He wanted to help both Leafala and Thommy, because there was nothing more discouraging than a breakup in such a deep relationship. For him and his studies, of course, but above all for the two of them.

“That’s why I’m here. Even Nurse Joy said something similar.” Thommy tightened his grip on the pokéball, his hand shaking “If there’s something wrong with Leafala, you’re the only one who can help him. I don’t know how to do it, I tried, but I just can't!”

“Thommy…”

“I’m not the right trainer for him. And he’ll probably be the right Pokémon for someone else. Someone he will listen to and who will know how to handle him better.”

Olivio sighed, running a hand over his face “Are you at least sure that Leafala is on the same page? It can be traumatic for a Pokémon to be abandoned.”

Not that he was actually abandoning it, he could appreciate that. He could have released Leafala into the wild, traded it to someone, but by bringing it back to him, it would have been in good hands and would get another shot at being chosen.

But it still could be misinterpreted by the Pokémon.

“You can ask him yourself.” The boy said, freeing Leafala from the ball. 

“Leafala…” Leafala didn’t look at him, refusing to raise his head.

Thommy knelt down behind the Pokémon “I wish it had gone differently, but we both deserve to be happy. Don't you agree?”

“ Fala.”

Thommy stood up and gave the professor an expectant look. He was waiting for confirmation.
Nothing would have stopped him from leaving even without it, so in a way he was cornered.

What could he do? Thommy had made up his mind now and he couldn’t force him to keep a Pokémon in his team that he didn’t want. And he couldn’t even forbid Leafala from having a second chance with someone else.

The starter’s answer had been firm and decisive. Did he agree? Did he not agree? 

Olivio only knew that the Pokémon was definitely not happy at that moment.

“Okay… if you think it’s the best choice.”

…

“Honestly, I didn’t think that boy was being mean. I’m not sure it was the right choice, but if neither of them believed in that bond anymore…”

Serena could understand the professor’s doubts. As much as she wanted to believe that she would have kept trying if one of her Pokémon had ever gone through a similar period, she couldn’t really know how much effort that boy, Thommy, had put in. Olivio had had no other choice. “Has anyone ever wanted to take Leafala since then?”

Olivio nodded, "Someone tried before Thommy, but they all brought him back. I think it's because he's indomitable and too particular for the standards of novice trainers, who don't know how to mold his strength. That Leafala is very eager to battle and prove himself, and it doesn't help that he doesn't respect his trainer enough to trust them and change his methods."

"Ash could succeed, it wouldn't be the first time he's had to deal with Pokémon with a troubling past. But even if he could convince him to try a different approach, in the end they would have to separate. Leafala should bond with another trainer, right?" Serena asked.

Olivio smiled sadly "...That would be the most correct option in terms of rules. Starters must be entrusted to new trainers. They are raised specifically for this. But if the two really got along well-"

"Could Ash...?" Serena speculated.

From Serena’s point of view, Ash was always happy to have new Pokémon on his team, and if it could help that poor creature, why not?

Olivio nodded, “If it’s for the right reasons, we could make an exception. I don’t see why we shouldn’t do that.”

Truthfully, he had been thinking about asking Ash since he had been certain that he would come to Forsia.

But he obviously wanted to make sure that Leafala would actually open up to the boy. And that had worried him from the beginning.

He had only heard good things about Ash, but handing Leafala over to him out of the blue would have been an experiment. And playing with the heart of a soul that was already in a difficult spot was not something he could afford.

“Anyway, let’s see if it works first! Then I’ll talk to both of them.”
He really hoped it would work. Even just convincing Leafala to rely on another trainer, if he didn’t want to join Ash.

Any positive result from that meeting would have been welcome.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned from knowing Ash, it’s that sometimes he may not be very good at talking, but he always succeeds in what he believes in!” the girl encouraged. “I’m sure he’ll be able to help!”

Olivio didn't answer, but returned the hopeful look.

*DRIN*

“Ah, it's ready-” Serena stood up, reaching for the oven gloves, but the professor beat her to it.

“I'll get it! Why don't you go and call Ash?”

Serena's face became nervous “Uh, but now-” she didn't want to doubt the professor to that extent, but he had already almost condemned a pasta.

Olivio understood the fear, laughing heartily “Aha! I won't get distracted this time! At least allow me to serve you.”

Serena blushed with embarrassment, but decided not to insist. She left the kitchen and ran to tell her friend about lunch.

…

The grass-type Pokémon led Ash and Pikachu to his rock. He didn't usually take anyone there, at most others found him, so he sensed a certain ambiguity.

But if there was anyone who had to notice his strength, it was that trainer.

“Okay, show me what you can do!” The boy urged him.

Leafala nodded and with determination aimed at the boulder, charged a punch and went straight to hit “FALA!”

*BAM*

A few rock crumbs fell from the slight groove in the rock, and a strong shockwave hit both Pikachu and Ash. Neither of them had any trouble staying on their feet, but they definitely felt the energy Leafala had put into its blow.

“Wow! Not bad!”

“Pika!”

Leafala’s eyes shone for a moment, and that fleeting emotion made him throw another punch.

And another, then another.

He turned back to Ash, perhaps expecting an even more enthusiastic expression, a compliment…

And the boy was definitely smiling, but this time the surprise was replaced by a thoughtful expression.

“Hmmm” Ash crossed his arms. “You’re really strong, I like your grit!” He complimented again, but he seemed to be curious about something else. “How about you battle Pikachu now?”

Leafala gasped “Fa…?”

Did he really want to make him fight that guy? He must have thought he was stronger than expected.

Leafala’s initial hesitation turned into a huff, and he puffed out his chest with determination. He was going to prove that he could take on greater challenges!
“Fala!”

“Are you up to it, Pikachu?” Ash asked his partner, who nodded confidently.

He had had enough time to rest.
Pikachu immediately got into position, waiting for Leafala to make the first move.

The grass-type Pokémon didn’t hesitate and ran forward, charging his fist and aiming for his opponent. “LEAF!”

“Dodge!”

“Pika!” Pikachu moved aside at the last moment, letting Leafala finish with a fistful of flies.

The koala couldn’t keep his balance and his fist sent him flying to the ground.
He looked like a fool.

He would have understood if the trainer had laughed, but when he looked up he only saw an encouraging smile.

Leafala tried to swallow the own blow he had inflicted on himself and stood up, immediately charging back to face Pikachu.
With even more determination he charged forward, but Pikachu just as easily moved out of the way.

This time, however, it wasn't just his lack of success that sent him sprawling face first.
In an instant, Pikachu slammed his tail into Leafala's back.

Leafala charged forward in anger and immediately aimed for the little mouse, throwing a flurry of punches.

However, Pikachu seemed to dance effortlessly through the blows, dodging them all.
How could he be so hard to catch!?

"Fala, fala, fala, FALA!"

Pikachu's efforts were becoming less and less, to the point where the Pokémon only had to duck or move slightly to the side, without even jumping or running.

Leafala's impatience and tiredness increased, and he clearly began to lose speed and strength.
His arm was so stiff, he struggled to even lift it. And the more determination he put in, the more he became numb.

His limit was dangerously close, so in a desperate attempt, he threw a sudden Razor Leaf. "FA!"

Caught off guard, Pikachu took the blow, "Pi!" and it undoubtedly did its damage.

However, when he got back on his feet in a couple of seconds, it was then that Leafala felt completely exhausted. He wanted to continue, he wanted to throw another punch, but he sincerely doubted he could even move dirt in those miserable conditions.

"That's enough!" Ash declared, noticing Leafala's tiredness.

The koala grunted indignantly. The frustration was more related to the sense of shame that assailed him when he realized how, without the slightest effort, Pikachu had made him exhaust all his energy. He hadn't hit him directly even once and he was sure that his Razor Leaf had been among the weakest he had ever created.

"Can I give you some advice?" Leafala's sentiment did not escape Ash's eyes. "You have a lot of grit and strength, you just need to learn to manage it better!"

The advice seemed empty to Leafala's ears. He didn't understand, what did that mean? "Fala?"

"You see, when you face a fixed target, that you want to take down, it's one thing. But while you're on a battlefield, your opponent moves and not all Pokémon can be defeated in the same way. You will never have the same amount of time to prepare and hit, nor to put all of yourself into it.” The boy explained. “I mean, you have to put all of yourself into it, yes, but you don’t necessarily have to use your whole body in the same way.”

Ash stood with his legs slightly apart, imitating Leafala’s pose, or rather that of a boxer. He stiffened his whole body and then threw a punch. “This is similar to what you do.”

He then changed tactics. His shoulders relaxed and he quickly pulled his arm back, then he aimed straight again.
He was much faster.

“If you relax the rest of your body and focus your energy at the last moment, only in the parts that matter, then not only will you be able to be faster, but you’ll save energy.”

“Leaf ala ala?” Leafala gestured, closing her fists and animating them. Wouldn’t his punch be much weaker?

“Not at all, you’ll waste less energy and concentrate your strength better.” The boy explained, remembering the times when he trained with Primeape. “But even if that were the case, you have to remember that there are so many variables to consider in a battle. You can’t always rely on just charging with the most powerful attacks.”

The surrounding environment, the Pokémon’s size, and the way they moved… All of these were details that Ash had learned to take into great consideration. Unconventional strategies sometimes came out of it, and it certainly took him time to refine his ability to adapt and be opportunistic, but it allowed him to make everything much more fun.

Leafala still wasn't convinced. Deep down, he had understood the message, but he couldn’t accept it.

Ash continued to explain, “Think of it like the flame of a stove. Not all foods cook the same way!” he chuckled to himself, thinking that maybe that was the reason why he was still so bad at cooking anything slightly more elaborate than a pasta dish. “My mother often tells me, sometimes you need a quick cooking at full power, other times a slower and weaker one. Or you have to change the temperature gradually. That's how it is sometimes in battles, it all depends on who you have in your pot-that is, who is in front of you!”

Hearing such precious advice should have made Leafala feel better. He should have felt lucky. After all, it was what he had wanted and what he could not have even remotely dreamed of before meeting Ash.

That such an experienced trainer would take the trouble to help him in training, was the best of opportunities.
He didn't know what to feel.

Ash knelt down “You have to know how to dose your strength. Sometimes to reach your maximum potential you have to take a step back and review the basics.”

The bitter pill in Leafala's mouth took on an even more unpleasant taste.

“Believe me, I know how boring and frustrating it is sometimes, but I'm sure that if you try you will make even greater strides!”

Leafala lowered his gaze. Sure, he could have tried, but there was a block in his mind that didn't want to move.
Maybe it was just a wall built by fear.

Because if he tried that advice he could find it true. And finding it true would have meant that his method was wrong. A method that he had spent a lot of his life on, believing it to be correct.

The boy reached out his hand “Are you okay? I didn't mean to offend you…” he tried to pet Leafala's head.

The koala considered moving away. Seeing that hand, he felt a sudden indecision take over.
Everything that had happened, had it really helped him?
He wanted so much to say no.

So he followed that desire. His body barely had time to pull away from Ash's hand, escaping the caress.

The boy was about to say something, but nothing came out of his open mouth, being interrupted by another voice.

“Ash? Here you are! Lunch is ready!” Serena called.

When the statement was followed by a rumble from his stomach, Ash stood up. He really wanted to talk to Leafala about the matter again, to explain himself better, but perhaps that was a sign that it was better to let him think about what to do.

He knew how frustrating such advice could be, especially for a hothead like he himself was. Regaining his energy and good mood would perhaps have borne better fruits.

He then turned to the Pokémon with a kind smile “We need to go eat, do you want to join us? Food is the best way to get back on track!”

Leafala shook his head. He wasn’t hungry.

Ash sighed. “If you want to train with us again, you’re welcome. You could battle Tweeny! I’m sure it would be a great challenge. What do you think?”

What was meant to be an outlet for Ash, for Leafala was nothing more than another brick falling on his head.

Pikachu was too much for him… too strong.
He needed someone weaker, like him.
But what options did he have now?

He nodded in shock, with little enthusiasm, but giving the boy enough confidence to dedicate himself to his lunch break. “See you later then!”

…

“What a sad situation…” James commented, genuinely feeling sorry for Leafala.

“Yeah, a Pokémon with that potential, being told to start over…” Meowth crossed his arms, shaking his head.

He had tried so hard, but his efforts hadn’t been recognized as he wanted. He could understand that feeling, perhaps more than anyone else.

Jessie nodded “But if the twerp is right, it’s not worth capturing him. We need Pokémon of a certain caliber to send to the boss.”

“He could still be useful. Right now he’s confused and sad. Why not bring him to our side?” Meowth suggested. If he wasn’t needed anymore, they could send him to the base to hand him over to a recruit. In the meantime, however, they would have Pikachu in their grasp.

“Great idea!” Jessie agreed.

James nodded, his uncertain expression going unnoticed by his two companions, who began to plan their next moves.

…

Leafala remained sitting in the same spot where Ash had left him, unable to find the strength to get up. It wasn’t that he was that tired, but on an emotional level he felt really down.

What was he supposed to do now? Everything he had done until then had proved useless.

“A great guy, huh?” a voice surprised him.

Leafala immediately jumped up, in a defensive position. After all, that language was the same as a human, and as far as he knew, there was no one else in the lab besides the professor, Ash and his friend. Even the assistants were away.

In front of him, a Meowth with a polite approach raised his paws “Oh, don’t worry! I come in peace!”

Leafala raised a frown. Maybe… but he was definitely a strange guy “Lefa.”

“My friends and I just want to talk to you!” The cat pointed a little further back. From behind a tree, two humans appeared, who greeted happily.

So there were indeed other humans, but how did they get in?

“Fala leafa.”

“Yeah, we actually shouldn’t be allowed in here, but you know, we’re not exactly on good terms with the twerp.”

“Fa?”

“Ash” Meowth specified. “You know, we couldn’t help but observe your training session. It was… enlightening!”

Leafala knew he shouldn’t trust a group of strangers so easily, especially if they couldn’t be there. There had to be a reason, right? In that moment, however, he only felt the desire to indulge himself.

He didn’t care, he didn’t really feel interested in anything other than his own failure. “La…”

“The twerp is very good, right? We’ve known him for a long time, he’s come a long way! And it shows, he immediately found something you could work on.” Meowth cast a sly look at the koala “Don’t you agree?”

There was no answer.

“But that’s not what you wanted, right?” Jessie approached, sitting down in front of the Pokémon.

Leafala lowered his head further and further, confirming their suspicions, but also his own.
Ash had certainly done what anyone with a desire to learn would want. He had found his problem, perhaps the real reason why he couldn’t make any real progress, and offered him a solution.

But now that he was here, with so many inspiring words in his ears, he realized that maybe he wasn’t trying to find his problem after all. He just wanted confirmation that he didn’t have one.

He wanted to feel reassured, noticed. He wanted to hear from an expert that-

“There’s nothing wrong with you.” Meowth murmured, his voice flattering and comforting.

Leafala looked up, “Fala?”

“Absolutely!” James insisted, sincerely. “You’re perfect just the way you are. If anything, the rest of the world has problems!”

“Fala, fa fa la fa?” What if Ash was right? In the end, the example he had given him was right, maybe it was really what he needed to take the next step. Maybe Ash could have helped him. 

There had to be a reason he got stuck in the face of the same obstacles, over and over again.

“Don’t take it the wrong way, but do you really think the boy could help you in the long run?” Jessie asked.

“Lea?”

Meowth held back a grin “Think about it, he’s already an experienced trainer. At most he can help you while he’s here, but then he’ll have to go. He’s already taken his first Pokémon by right, he can’t take another!”

“And then even if there was an exception to the rule, if you follow his method you’ll have to start over and I didn’t think he’d be patient enough to follow you all the way. He’s got a polished team, you know?” Remembering Tweeny, Jessie quickly added, “At most he’ll make exceptions for special cases, but he clearly doesn’t consider you one of those, right?”

Leafala sighed. Of course, he knew he could never go with him. And if he really ever considered starting over with his training, he’d do it with someone he knew was competent, not a rookie trainer who didn’t know what to do.
Shortly, he didn’t have much of a choice.

Meowth walked over and wrapped an arm around the koala's shoulders, pointing to the sky with his other paw. “There's nothing wrong with wanting to shine on stage! You deserve it, and we'll give it to you!”

Leafala’s head tilted. “Fala fala?”

“Join us! The Team Rocket!”

The koala was speechless, but his instincts told him to slip out of that hug. Join those guys?

“We don't follow the rules, and we're willing to give you every chance to shine! Team Rocket aims to revolutionize the world, to give power to those who are willing to do anything to get it! It recognizes the efforts of those who seek true strength.”

If the world rejects you, you can't help but reject it back. And if they had learned anything in all the years they had worked alone and together, it was that the only way to hide the pain and the sense of inadequacy was to make enemies.

Noticing Leafala's ears twitching slightly, Meowth knew they were finally getting somewhere. "I won't lie to you, sometimes we have to do some dirty work, but in life you have to make sacrifices. If you want to get to the top, you have to be willing to do anything." 

Sometimes, it was necessary to make hard choices, to go against your will, but that was their life.

Leafala wasn't stupid, he knew that these guys, Team Rocket, couldn't be good people. Joining them, a project he didn't know much about, seemed like a leap into the unknown.

But he could have continued to be himself.
They said they were going against the rules, and the rules had brought him nothing but disappointment.
They had talked about doing dirty work, well, he didn't have any issue with getting his paws dirty.

Maybe it was time to try other ways. After all, what could he lose now?

He wasn't going anywhere at that rate, both figuratively and literally. He might as well get out of that cage.

By hook or by crook.

“Fala.”

“Welcome to the Team,” Meowth congratulated. “And we already have a mission for you.”

.

.

.

To be Continued…

Chapter Text

“What a feast!”

From the belly of both Ash and the professor, Serena could be sure that her culinary invention had been a great success.

And indeed, it came out really good. Amazing what could be made from a ruined dish.

“You have a hand of gold!” exclaimed the professor, patting his swollen belly.

Serena smiled, blushing slightly “Thank you, even if they certainly won't be at the level of your mother's”

“My dear, no one expects that. And such touch comes with age, you are in the prime of your life!” Olivio reassured her. And it wasn't just kindness, it had truly come out a delicious dish “You know, they say here that not even the best of restaurants surpasses a mother and grandmother's cooking. I think there's some truth to that.”

“Maybe you acquire it after becoming a parent to someone. At that moment every meal you make is fundamental.” the girl thought.
To raise their children with the right nourishment and a good dose of love.

Olivio nodded “I couldn’t have said it better! And these are the right opportunities to learn! Why don’t you take some pictures of the recipes in the book you used before?”

“Really?!” Serena asked, excitedly, “Won’t your mother be offended?”

The man waved his hand nonchalantly “Nah, if we were at her house she would have already made you do it! The knowledge of cooking should be passed down like the knowledge of science! And even if I’m decent at it, I think she would be happy to share her recipes with someone with more time and skills than me!”

“Thanks a lot then!” Serena stood up and ran to the shelf to get the book back and take some pictures with the new pokédex.

Taking advantage of the girl’s moment of distraction, Olivio wrapped an arm around Ash “You’re lucky, boy.”

Ash smiled “Heh, I know.”

“No, no, I don’t think you understand. You have to cherish her, okay?” Olivio clarified, his gaze completely changing to one of seriousness.

Ash tried to answer, after all it was clear what kind of relationship Olivio saw between the two.
However, his gaze turned slightly towards his friend, and the moment her happy and innocent expression caught Ash's eyes, he couldn't continue.

He stared at Serena's enthusiasm and the way her blue eyes sparkled as they read from page to page.

He would have gladly stayed there and looked at her the whole time.
Then it was clear what the professor meant.

Yes, regardless of anything, he was and felt lucky.

…

A few hours later, Ash set off towards the garden again and immediately found Leafala, standing in his usual spot.

He wasn't training, but he supposed that wasn't a problem. Maybe he had listened to his advice!

“So Leafala, are you ready for the battle?” Ash asked, hands on hips and emotion clear on his face.

“Fa.” Leafala nodded. He tried to sound as determined as possible, even though he wasn’t all that enthusiastic.

“Tweeny, I choose you!” Ash exclaimed.

“Twe!” the little bird popped out of its pokéball, landing at Ash’s feet. “Nee nee!”

“Tweeny is an opponent that suits you better, at the moment.” Ash smiled. “But don’t take him lightly, he’s fierce and combative. I’ll let you guys do the battling on your own, I’ll just watch and give you some pointers, okay?”

Leafala huffed silently. He had faced Pokémon of Tweeny’s level before and had always won, if Ash thought a rookie opponent could bring out the best in him, he must have really underestimated him.

Of all the much stronger Pokémon he probably had…

But by now he had agreed, he might as well go all the way. Maybe something worthy would come out of it. It would certainly be more satisfying to defeat a Pokémon than a rock.

At the signal, Tweeny took flight and charged Leafala with a peck. He tried to counterattack but the bird was faster and went to hit him. “Ne!”

“FA!” The koala grunted, knocked over on the ground. It wasn’t a huge amount of damage, but the fact that it had caught him off guard made him snarl in frustration. He immediately got up and threw himself at the bird with his fists. He wanted to answer in kind.

Tweeny didn’t have time to gain altitude, being hit by the punch, even if only marginally “Twee!”.

He tumbled a bit backwards, but regained his balance and managed to get to a safe distance.

Leafala ran towards Tweeny, charging another strike, however the bird easily dodged. Frustrated, he leaped into the air, but couldn't reach the flying Pokémon.

He landed on the ground, slamming his fist in anger. Why did he have to make a fool of himself?

Why couldn't he even hit a Tweeny? What was happening to him?

"Leafala!" Ash called out, standing nearby. His voice broke Leafala out of his enraged state. 
The boy resumed his boxing pose. "Remember; relax and let your energy flow!"

The koala gritted his teeth. He didn't get it! If he did, if he stopped, he would risk getting hit again! And he would never get his opponent back! He needed a solution!

But Ash kept staring at him, his eyes blazing with a familiar glow. For a moment, the grass-type Pokémon felt petrified by the intensity. 

“Trust me, try!”

The trainer’s tone of voice made him feel strange. He didn’t know what exactly that feeling was, why all of a sudden he felt so… focused, from wanting to smash everything, including his own head. However, he decided to follow the suggestion.

Go for broke.

He did what was asked of him. He got back to his feet, but this time he inhaled and exhaled on the spot, trying to regain his composure. 

Soon Ash’s voice called him again, “And above all, have fun!”

Have fun…?

Sure, battling was interesting, he liked it. But he had never really thought of that activity as fun. Up until now, Leafala had always fought for pride. Battling made him feel strong and winning satisfied him. It was everything to him.

So how could he have fun in a fight? It was something serious, right? He couldn’t turn it into a puppy game!

And how could he have fun on command? It was absurd!

Tweeny watched him from above, curious. 
Technically, this was his first real opponent as Ash’s Pokémon, and he didn’t want to make a fool of himself. Training or not, he was going to give it his all!

He puffed out his chest and began to glide with fire in his eyes, activating a powerful Wing Attack.

Leafala, too distracted by his thoughts, didn’t notice the approaching bird. Panicking, he pulled his arm back, intending to throw a punch like he usually did.

But then he felt Ash’s gaze on him, without even having to turn to look.
He couldn’t know what gaze it was, but for some reason, he had the impression that it was right behind him, with a hand on his shoulder trying to convince him to relax.

The boy’s advice flashed into his mind, and it got the better of his instinct. He let the tension drain from his arm and waited for his opponent to get closer.

Then, when he was within striking distance, Leafala planted his feet firmly on the ground, raised his arms, and concentrated his energy in his hands.

“NE!”

The collision was powerful, but to Leafala’s surprise, his body didn’t falter.

He remained standing, and in his hands, tightly gripped, was Tweeny’s wing.

For a moment, the koala smiled wildly. It worked. Ironically, he had let go and blocked the attack! Without having to make much effort!

“Good job, Leafala! See? You have a lot of stamina, if you manage it, you’re a tough nut to crack!” Ash encouraged. “And you, Tweeny, great attack! Just try not to go straight for the opponent’s grip!”

“Twee!” “Fala!”

They both nodded, and Leafala didn’t even have time to think about the fact that he had found himself not only in agreement, but also involved.

Maybe that advice wasn’t really worthless after all. He could really make use of that time together!

He strengthened the grip on Tweeny and threw him to the ground. The bird felt the breath leave his beak, that push was so powerful, but he didn’t let Leafala take advantage of it.

He reached out with his claws and grabbed Leafala’s leg, making him lose his balance. Then, he started to flap his wings and take flight, with his prey upside down and gaining altitude.

“FAA LA!?” 
Leafala felt completely lost. He didn’t know what to do! He tried swinging and shaking, but the bird wouldn’t let go.

He wouldn’t do it until he felt it right.
“Teee!” It was a battle though, not a fight to the death, Tweeny wouldn’t let go of him from such a dangerous height.

In fact, height was relative in his strategy. He swooped down again, along with Leafala, and flying close to the ground, he let the koala hit it and be dragged along.

It felt like being a sack of potatoes.

Leafala couldn't stand it. He slammed his fists into the ground and somehow managed to slow the run to a halt.

Tweeny couldn't drag him any further, no matter how much he pulled. Eventually, he let go and flew a little further.

However, it didn't take long for him to come back, with another Wing Attack.

Leafala, out of ideas, had no choice but to rely on all his cards. "LEAAA FALA!"

He bent his ears forward and launched a strong Razor Leaf towards the bird, which hit the move squarely.
It wasn't enough to knock him out, but it certainly stopped his advance.

"Wow! Now that's a Razor Leaf!" Ash congratulated him.

He had seen many, but that one was really powerful.

Even Tweeny was surprised. Up until that moment Leafala had not used any of his moves.

And the koala, in his own way, was just as impressed by how emotionally involved he felt in that battle. He didn't think it was possible, but he was ready to give even more than his all.
With the determination that Tweeny had shown, deep down he felt he had to do it.

The two looked at each other and understood each other. The burning flame of competition shone in their eyes. They shared a nod of understanding, a silent pact that they would never hold back again, without regrets.

"FA!!!!" "TWEEEE!" they shouted as they proceeded to attack.

Was this what Ash meant? Was this the fun of a battle?

*SBAM*

The two Pokémon collided with their moves, Wing Attack and Pound.

Upon impact, both managed to keep their moves active, pushing with all their might.
Within a few seconds, however, both were thrown in opposite directions.

Both remained on the ground for a few seconds, feeling the effects of the opponent's attack on their bodies.

It wasn't over.

Tweeny and Leafala tried to get up. It hurt, but they could keep going!

However, Ash intervened and stopped them from continuing, "Okay, okay! Let's stop here! It's training, after all!"

Both Pokémon protested. They wanted to continue, even though they knew the human wasn't that wrong. For a training session, they had really pushed themselves to their limits.

And Ash couldn't be happier. Tweeny had done really well for his first official training session and his quick adaptative reaction was incredible. Leafala had also used his skills to the fullest, allowing himself to attack in a different way.

"You can always continue when you've recovered!" he reassured them, chuckling "I don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind some fresh water."

Leafala and Tweeny exchanged a look and agreed that as nice as it would be to finish their battle, it would be difficult to dissuade the boy.

So Ash, Pikachu and the two young battlers walked towards one of the sprinklers, then followed the hose to the tap. They turned it on and started to quench their thirst.
After a good workout, there was nothing better than some water.

They then sat down on the grass calmly, enjoying the quiet around them.

Leafala stared blankly at the Pokémon in the lab playing in the distance.

He didn't know how to feel. On the one hand, it had been a much better experience than the one he had had a few hours before. It was absurd, considering that his opponent was, no offense to him, a lower level than Pikachu. However, in underestimating him, he had found himself forced to follow Ash's advice.

And it had worked!

It was difficult to explain why he had given up. Even more difficult was to admit that he had felt more satisfaction in landing those few hits, rather than winning those challenges at the beginning of his journey with Thommy.

And yet the difference shouldn't have been so big.

Ash’s voice interrupted his thoughts. "It’s hard, huh?"

Leafala looked at him curiously, then turned his head away, trying to look tough. But he knew that he couldn't pretend much more.

It had been hard, yes, he had never done such an intense training in terms of effort and if he had told it to himself that morning, for the minimal result obtained in the end, it would not have seemed worth it at all.

However, the happiness he had felt when he had managed to hit Tweeny had been genuine.

Ash smiled at the behavior. He knew that feeling, when you experience for the first time the awareness of having done something really right and it bears fruit, however small. “You know I used to be super lazy? I never wanted to train, or at least not properly… a lot of my gym challenges at the beginning were won by luck or pity from the gym leaders.”

Leafala raised a curious frown. He hadn’t expected it, after all, from the way he made his Pokémon battle today, he seemed anything but incompetent. Apparently even the most gifted trainers can start off awkwardly.

However, it was easy to talk, it wasn’t him who went out on the field, what training was he supposed to do?

As if reading his mind, Ash continued, “Yes, the Pokémon do most of the work, but you see, I also had to find the right strategies, understand how to face the challenges in the gym and in everyday life. Good will is not enough, I learned it by hitting walls after walls.”

If he thought back to some of his first battles, he felt almost ashamed. “The point is that I had to grow a lot, because like our Pokémon, we humans also sometimes have to evolve. And it can be difficult.”

“Leaf…” He had never considered that simple but obvious notion.

He had always considered it black and white, trainers or rookies, skilled or incapable. And he had never really given much importance to the path they should have to walk too.

A competent trainer could misuse their skills, an incapable one could grow and assert themselves.

“As trainers, we must be willing to grow with our Pokémon and change like them. If we don’t both put ourselves on the line, if we don’t question ourselves, there is no room for improvement.”

He had had Pokémon that were denigrated and undervalued, seemingly incapable, yet together they had managed to shine. Others instead, like Charizard, were unmanageable, too strong for his skills.

“I didn’t want to make you feel bad with my advice before. And I know it’s bad to hear that you’re doing it wrong, because I’ve been there. I wanted to be the best, but I didn’t put the right amount of dedication into it. When I started doing it, little by little the results came and I really started to feel like I was better. Better than the day before.” Ash smiled, petting Pikachu on the head, who squeaked satisfied.

“But it doesn’t seem to work. You arrive at a gym, you feel prepared and instead you fail. You think you’ve done everything wrong and you have to think back to all the basics you know to understand where you can improve. Sometimes you have to put everything aside and try something new. It’s scary, but I think it’s also exciting! If you’re passionate about what you do, in the end it’s fun to look at every detail and find new aspects!”

Leafala nodded, even if he was uncertain. The world Ash was talking about seemed like something so intriguing. But that was a reality he couldn't belong to. There was confidence and fun in the way he talked about challenging himself, facing the unknown...

It wasn't something for everyone.

Who knows, if he had gotten there earlier, maybe...

He quickly shook the thought off.
No, Ash's path wasn't his and he didn't feel like trusting luck anymore.
He would continue on his path. Because sometimes, for a great goal, sacrifices were necessary.

He just wasn't sure which.

…

When dinner time approached, Ash offered Leafala the chance to join them again.
This time, the Pokémon accepted. For what reason, he wasn't sure, but he was feeling good enough after training to be convinced.

The professor's face looked almost too surprised, to a ridiculous degree. He considered running away, but by then it was too late.

They all sat down together, with the Pokémon on the ground eating from their bowls. They were all relatively nice, but Leafala felt a bit uncomfortable about having to sit next to the others, especially Pikachu.

If he had been a member of Ash's team, he probably wouldn't have had much of a problem having fun with all of them. Socializing had never been a priority for him, but in the right circumstances, he didn't mind either.

But he wasn't. Quite the opposite, if anything.

Out of the corner of her eye, he saw one of them standing more on its own, near Serena's legs. Now, the company of someone quieter was definitely more suitable.

He felt really out of place at the idea of ​​chatting with the others.

He sat down next to Weepbud, who shivered for a moment, feeling suddenly approached.
However, Leafala didn't pay much attention to the Pokémon's nervousness, simply eating in silence.

The gesture, whether intended or not, of not caring much about her reaction, reassured Weepbud, who calmed down enough to go back to her meal.

It was relatively quiet and pleasant, and Leafala hated himself for wanting it to happen again.

He really shouldn't, especially because of what he was supposed to do.

Was it really worth it? Did he really have to?

“So when are you guys thinking of leaving? I assume you guys will get back on the road eventually.”

His ears perked up.

“Uh, the day after tomorrow I guess?”

The day after tomorrow.
Less than two days.

“We’re not in a big hurry, before I leave town I’d like to challenge the gym leader and win my first badge!” Ash pointed out.

“Aha, I should have expected that! Well, I’m sure Ilaria will be happy!”

“Ilaria?” Ash asked.

“She’s the gym leader of Hillsette City, we’re good friends. She often comes to visit me with her sister. I'm sure you'll get along great!" Olivio explained "If you want, tomorrow I'll take you to her gym." 

Ash nodded enthusiastically "That would be great!" He turned to Serena "Then we can leave for where your first Showcase will be!" 

Olivio smiled slightly "But first you have to win." 

"Of course." Ash smiled back, full of determination.

The conversation took a back seat for Leafala. He felt overwhelmed by those words.
Yet it was so obvious, he should have expected it. He already knew that Ash would leave again, and possibly soon.

Despite everything, even when he knew he couldn't allow himself to hope, he ended up being disappointed. He really was stupid.

He stood up and headed towards the exit, leaving the now almost empty bowl behind him.

Weepbud looked curiously at the koala and although she couldn't understand what he was really thinking or feeling, she felt strangely connected.
Understanding, that was it.

…

Leafala returned to his favorite training spot and sat down against the rock that had always accompanied him during his hard sessions.

Similar to that morning, he no longer felt the same urge to hit it. Maybe because he had truly understood what he needed to rely on someone.

And yet, he had finally decided to do it with someone else.

“How’s it going?” Meowth’s voice greeted him.

Turning around, Leafala found Jessie, James, Meowth, and a Wobbuffet sitting nearby, eating boxes of pre-packaged ramen.

“Forsia may be legendary with its food, but pretty basic with Kantonian stuff…” Jessie commented, despite appearing to devour the food.

“I guess food has a home, too.” James agreed, then turned to Leafala. “Hey, why don’t you join us? We’ve got enough to share!”

Leafala looked at the three of them sharing a pot and felt a little sorry for them. No, they definitely didn’t have enough, and he had already had his chance to fill his belly.

He shook his head. The man's kindness was truly admirable, but he couldn't take away the little they were enjoying.

Jessie and Meowth exchanged a knowing look. The idea of ​​having to eat even less made them want to shush their companion, but they didn't have the courage to oppose it.

"Come on, don't stand there!" James insisted, standing up and picking up Leafala, then sitting with him on his crossed legs.
He took a handful of noodles and placed them on a small plate, making sure there was enough broth. "We are companions now, we share every experience!"

Leafala looked down at that small but symbolically huge gesture.
They might have meant to exploit him, but that kindness was real and he felt he didn't deserve it. Especially when his heart was split in half.

"Fala la fa le le..." he muttered.

Meowth jumped, being the only one who understood the Pokémon's words "But of course you're doing the right thing!"

James and Jessie gasped in turn, realizing where Leafala was going with this.

“Fala le fale.”

They were so kind, but so was Ash. He had misjudged his approach, yet Ash still helped him.

“He may be a good guy, but he’s part of the system too!” Meowth replied, no doubt playing to the koala’s concerns. However, there was a certain understanding in his tone.

Of course, he knew full well that the twerp was a good soul and even though that was causing so many problems in achieving their goals, it was impossible not to admire him. Very secretly, of course.

James slammed his hands on his legs, frustrated. He understood it well too, Ash had so much more to offer this Pokémon. But they were offering him everything they had. “He said he would help you, but in the end he came here just to make a fool out of you and leave! You can’t be part of his family because the rules he follows say no. Well, to hell with the rules! You can be part of ours!”

Both Jessie and Meowth were shocked by the intensity of James’s statements. They had never seen him so animated.
But they could actually share his state of mind.

Sometimes James could be a bit too emotional, but he had clearly been deeply touched by Leafala’s story.
And perhaps his involvement was also influencing the other two companions.

It wasn’t fair that Leafala had to settle, he was like them.

He couldn’t find anyone willing to appreciate his voice. He had everything to prove.
Ash often seemed to have the solution for everyone, but this time they could be the ones to have it!

It’s true, that Pokémon that was fundamental to their plan was an attempt like many others to take possession of what had eluded them for too long, but it could have been even more.

So what? What if he wouldn’t become as strong as a legendary Pokémon? He would still be legendary. 
They would take him to the stars. They would reach them together.

Maybe he would become of a level worthy of standing alongside the boss. And if he didn't make it, he would stay by their side.
Lying was easy, betraying was too, but no teammate was left behind.
And that wasn't a Team Rocket rule, but a rule for the trio of Jessie, James, and Meowth.

They continued on their way, confident that under the Team Rocket cloak, they would give value to their ambitions. That was all they knew for sure, and they wanted Leafala to have that certainty too.

“Why do you have to be the one to change? Why do you have to adapt? Throw away what you've built?” Jessie asked, taking a handful of her spaghetti and putting it on Leafala's plate. “Prove the world that everyone is wrong.”

James looked at her in amazement, then turned his gaze to Meowth, with the same expression, noticing his paw extended in the same gesture as the woman.

“Turn it upside down, do the impossible! And then you'll see that your strength will be evident to everyone, as it is to us." Meowth said "Let's show it to them! Meow!"

Leafala was left breathless, overwhelmed by that welcoming determination.
As much as he didn't like being part of certain schemes, these people had offered him a path and someone to lean on from there to the future. In fact, they had offered him so much more.

Leafala let a smile spread across his face.
He reached out and took the little plate, slowly sipping the contents and enjoying the taste.

He would show everyone.

…

Night had fallen in the lab. Ash and Serena had gone to sleep in the guest room offered by the professor.
Amazingly, they had found it already tidy, so after the tiring day it didn't take them long to collapse into their beds.

Pikachu was sleeping peacefully at the foot of Ash's bed. His sleep was disturbed, however, when something touched his fur several times.

“Pi…” he grumbled reluctantly, as he lazily opened his eyes.

It was blurry, but he recognized the green mass in front of him. “Pika…” he muttered again. He really appreciated Leafala's spirit and even more that he had started to trust Ash, but this was not the time to train.
It was just too much.

"Fa fa!" the marsupial urged him. It wasn't about training, he just wanted to talk.

"Pi..." Pikachu sighed, offering a resigned smile. If he wanted to ask him questions in the middle of the night it had to be important.

He just hoped that once he went back to sleep he would resume that beautiful dream of scuba diving in ketchup.

"Le..." Leafala signaled to follow him.

Pikachu jumped out of bed, making sure not to wake the two trainers, and then disappeared with Leafala into the green space of the laboratory.

Once they arrived, Leafala sat down and signaled for Pikachu to join him. The little mouse came closer and waited for the questions.

"Le fala le?" Leafala asked. How did Ash and Pikachu meet in detail? What had led them to have such a strong bond?

That question confused Pikachu quite a bit. On the one hand, for a starter waiting for his big day, he could understand the curiosity.
On the other hand, it seemed like a rather far-fetched question.

“Pika chu pi. Pikapi pi!” He explained anyway. “Chupika piii kachu chu. Pika pipi pikachu!”
He talked about the day Ash arrived at the lab and how at first he didn’t inspire him at all, to the point of refusing to battle for him. He didn’t want anything to do with the boy.

Leafala’s eyes widened at that story and it felt a bit familiar. “Fala le fala?” Was he also looking for a stronger and more promising trainer to rely on?

Pikachu burst out laughing “Pikahah!” He shook his head “Pikachu pi ka pi!”
Back then he had no interest in those things, the only reason he had rejected Ash, was the same reason he would have rejected any trainer.

Pikachu was like Ash. Arrogant and impudent, for different reasons, but in the end he was acting like a kid. “Chupi…”

“Leafala, le.” Yet Ash had made him change his mind.

Pikachu smiled, nodding “Pi.” Yes, very insistently, but Ash’s genuine soul had really touched him.

Even though he was the last option available, the desperate one, Ash had never treated him like it. And even though he had put him through a lot, no one had forced him to sacrifice himself to protect him from those Spearow.

He also told about that story, and Leafala was speechless.
A question came to him spontaneously, however. What had made Pikachu, in the first place, hate the idea of ​​having a trainer so much?

“Fala? Le fale?”

“Pi… pika…?”

Pikachu had a hard time answering.

Why? There was definitely a reason. But the way his paws began to shake told how he felt about it.

“…Pi-”

Whatever he was about to say, the huge, approaching claw he saw out of the corner of his eye cut him off.

He quickly dodged, somersaulting backwards and avoiding the bite by a few inches.

“Damn, what kind of aim do you have?!” Jessie complained.

“Better than yours, for sure!” the cat snorted.

Pikachu immediately jumped up. How could they possibly know where he was? Didn’t they ever sleep?

He turned to Leafala, who was standing there watching, “Pika! PIKACHU!” He had to get out of here and get to a safe spot.

Team Rocket wasn’t the type to waste an opportunity to catch an extra Pokémon, especially one with that kind of skill.
However, the warning didn’t seem to get to the koala, who just stood there and watched as the mouse dodged the claw.

Pikachu gritted his teeth in frustration. Why wouldn't he just get to safety?
He couldn’t go back to Ash without first making sure Leafala was safe.

He ran over and grabbed the other Pokémon’s shoulders with his paws “Chu PIKA?!” What was he doing?!

He looked at Leafala’s eyes to see if it was in some way shocked or too terrified to move.
However, when he saw the complete calm and resolve in the Pokémon’s eyes, Pikachu found himself frozen for a moment.

A moment too long, because when he saw Leafala’s fist charging, it was too late.

He had fallen into a trap.

*POW*

A direct blow to the stomach, strong enough to empty Pikachu's body of all the air he had.
“Chu!” The little mouse gasped, slumping on the ground.

He couldn't do anything to avoid the claw's grip again. Trapped, he tried to release an electric shock “P-Pikaaachuu…!” However, it was useless.

He opened his eyes and despite his blurry vision he managed to cast a disconsolate look at Leafala.

Why had he done it? “C-chu… pi?”

“Fafala.” replied the koala, with an almost apologetic tone.

He had no choice, to realize his dream in that world, he had to go against everything and everyone.
He couldn't bend to fate.

“P-pika… pichu pi!” He always had a choice.

Leafala didn't answer, walking towards the trio of criminals.
Pikachu followed him with his eyes, noticing a dark colored box of some sort. That was probably where they were going to put him soon.

Pikachu squinted, knowing that his only option now was to warn Ash, somehow. If they had lured him here in the middle of the night, it meant that they were hoping to do everything as quietly as possible. They knew that Ash and Serena were more than well-accompanied to counter them.

And this was probably his last chance to ask for help.

“Good job Leafala! That, was a blow!”

No, he wasn’t going to let him.

He took all the anger he felt and turned it into energy.

“PIIIKAAAAAAAPIIIIIIIII!” He screamed at the top of his lungs, emptying his lungs.

Ash was a heavy sleeper, but he prayed with all his heart that somehow his desperation would reach him.

“Damn it, quick! Put him in the soundproof box!” Jessie became agitated.

Meowth quickly led the claw at him and deposited Pikachu in the box. He then right away closed the lid, to prevent their prey from escaping.

The way he was struggling, they couldn't let their guard down.

Unfortunately for Pikachu, once he was locked away, all noise ceased to exist outside of his prison.
The screams were completely blocked. He could go on forever and no one would hear him.
Even his struggles to get out proved useless.

“Alright, let's not waste any more time! We have to leave for Kanto!” Jessie lifted the box “The sooner we leave, the better to prevent the kids from following us!”

The plan was simple, if long. They would drop Pikachu off directly at the base in Kanto and then set off for Forsia again to continue their spy mission. Crossing the ocean for such long distances was definitely a big stretch and they would have to sleep in shifts, but it was their best option. Once on the ocean, they would be unlikely to be tracked down and since they had no contact in Forsia they couldn't hand Pikachu over to anyone else.
It was all up to them.

They started to walk towards the tunnel they had dug in the garden, so they could go in and out. Once they had gone through it, they found themselves in a nearby park, with the hot air balloon ready and waiting for them.

Jessie, James and Meowth jumped in one after the other, depositing the box with Pikachu inside the basket.

“Come on Leafala! Let's go!”

The Pokémon nodded, taking a few steps and preparing to jump.

“STOP!”

But he was interrupted abruptly by a familiar voice.

…

*POW*

“Uh…?!” Ash opened his eyes suddenly, feeling a sort of weight on his stomach.
The feeling was similar to when you wake up in the middle of the night, from a bad dream. He didn't remember any nightmares, but he had a strange feeling of discomfort.
He put his hands on his stomach and breathed deeply. It didn't hurt or anything, it was really strange.

Feeling an odd feeling of isolation, like when you're missing something, he looked around the bed.
Where was Pikachu?

He looked over at Serena's bed, who was still fast asleep. Even though Pikachu tended to always sleep with him, there were exceptions where he would jump on someone else's bed, if he felt warmer or more comfortable.

But Serena's bed was also empty.

"Pikachu?" Something was wrong. He couldn't explain it but he was sure of it.
He had a very bad feeling.

He got out of bed, put on his shoes and ran towards the bedroom door.

Maybe he had gotten thirsty?
He went down the stairs and towards the exit to the garden. As soon as his feet touched the grass, a scream overwhelmed him.

“PIIIKAAAAAAAPIIIIIIIII!”

Ash’s legs immediately began to run, quickly carrying him towards the direction of the scream. “PIKACHU!”

The Pokémon in the lab began to squirm in fear, hearing the commotion.

If Ash had turned towards the lab, he would have seen the lights in his room and the professor’s turn on, but his attention was completely focused on getting to Pikachu.

He didn’t know how he had gotten that premonition, but he was grateful that it had woken him up.

He arrived in the direction of the area where Leafala tended to train, and that concerned him even more. What if they caught him too? It was likely, considering who was behind it all.

He frantically searched around for a clue, and soon saw a hole in the ground. He didn’t worry about the depth, or about walking into a trap.
There was no time to test the waters.

Luckily for him, he was actually on the right track. He ran down the tunnel to the end and jumped out.

He had made it. “STOP!”

Leafala’s paws anchored themselves to the ground. Was it terror?

Oh no.

“What the hell does he have for feet!? Liepard’s paws!?” Meowth exclaimed in scandal. How had he managed to catch up with them so quickly after Pikachu shouted?

Ash immediately noticed Leafala, the hot air balloon just behind him. “Leafala, are you okay!?” He ran to him, with a grateful smile. 
Luckily, they hadn’t caught him yet.

Leafala couldn’t move a muscle. Ash shouldn’t have come in such a hurry.

No, no, no.

The boy, unaware of the koala’s torment, then looked up, threatening. “Let Pikachu go right now!”

“I don’t think so, he has a one-way ticket to Kanto and it would be a shame to make him lose it!” Jessie teased, activating the balloon’s engines.

Ash considered what to do. For some reason they weren’t leaving yet, and while it had been quite stupid of him not to bring Tweeny, he wasn’t totally alone…

“Leafala! Can you help me?!” He asked the Pokémon.

Leafala could do it. Together they surely would.
He looked hopefully at Leafala, however the Pokémon remained silent with its gaze down.
All he saw was its shoulders rising, tense.

“Hey, you don’t have to worry, I have faith in you!” Ash leaned down, placing a hand on the koala's shoulder, who seemed to feel burned by that touch.

A bad dejavu. Both for Leafala and for Ash.

He had long dreamed that someone would rely on him, but now it was unnerving and distressing.

The plan was simple. Take Pikachu and leave. Leafala didn't think there would be a confrontation.
It had already been hard to have to look Pikachu in the eyes and act. How could he do it with Ash, with his head held high?

Ash continued to encourage him, with an honest smile, but it was clear that he was trembling with agitation. He couldn't know that Team Rocket was waiting for Leafala, to him they could escape at any moment "You can do it, I'm sure of it!"

Leafala clenched his fists at his sides. There was nothing he could do! There was no neutral ground, he had to take off the mask.
Reveal his betrayal, or change his mind at the last minute and betray Team Rocket.

But by now he was already on a path, perhaps this was nothing more than a test of strength.

In fact, Team Rocket's laughter anticipated him, as if there was nothing left to hide. "Ahaha!!"

"What's so funny? I wouldn't underestimate Leafala if I were you!" Ash criticized them, unaware.

Meowth continued to laugh heartily "Oh, we don't underestimate it at all! In fact, it's a very precious asset for us!"

"What...?"

Ash returned to observe the Pokémon, however this time he met its gaze. He read clear determination and perhaps a touch of sorrow.

The real realization was a punch in the gut, literally.

*PAM*

Leafala's punch was fast and precise, just as he had taught him.

Ash felt a strong pressure on his abdomen and was thrown a few meters back. The impact was so strong that when he was completely on the ground, his body remained still.

Silence fell. Even Team Rocket was shocked by Leafala's determination. Maybe even intimidated.

"Gosh, you didn't kill him, did you?!" James asked worriedly. It was too much!

However, their worries vanished when the boy, holding his stomach with one hand, began to gasp.

"Okay, since he's alive, I’d just go!" Jessie advised, immediately turning on the fire of the baloon.

Leafala took one last look at Ash, then turned and joined Team Rocket.
At least he wouldn't see his disappointed look, even if that didn't make him feel strong at all.

He was still weak.

…

"P-Pikachu...!" Ash grunted, holding his stomach as the hot air balloon flew off into the sky and disappeared behind the clouds.
It was his fault, he had arrived unprepared and this time luck had not been on his side. Clearly he couldn't always expect help from others.

But he hadn't even expected that...

"Ash!" He heard Serena's voice approaching and soon her hands helping him to sit up.  "What's wrong!?"

The professor joined soon, equally worried.

"I-I'm fine..." The boy gasped.

His friend didn't buy it "Ash."

"Doesn't look fine…" The professor insisted as well.

Ash shook his head. "I-It's not important. Team Rocket h-has Pikachu... I have to stop them!"

"You were right." Olivio observed, turning to Serena, who nodded "You don't have to worry, we'll find them. I even called for help.”

“I told him, after all, these things are usually their doing,” Serena explained, not losing her worried expression.

Olivio lowered himself to the boy’s level. “Regardless, you need to see a doctor.”

“If it will make you feel better, I will, but not before I save Pikachu!” Ash replied, adamant.

“Ash-”

Ash shook his head, trying to get up, helped by Serena “If he really wanted to hurt me he would have done it. He knows how to use his strength much better now.”

“Who are you talking about?”

The trainer hesitated to answer, but they would find out regardless. “Leafala.”

“Leafala did this to you!?” Olivio exclaimed in shock.
How could that be? Why!?

“For some reason he’s on Team Rocket’s side.”

How could he have been so blind? If one of his Pokémon had gotten to such a point, it must have sent out several signals that he had either ignored or underestimated. “I’m sorry Ash, I should have noticed.”

Ash immediately shook his head “No, it’s my fault. I thought I was helping him, but instead I only made things worse.” Maybe he should have found different words, maybe his approach was wrong.

But he was sure that those happy traits he had read on the koala’s face during his training with Tweeny were genuine.

And he wouldn't dismiss the fact that Leafala had not hit him to hurt him, but to immobilize him long enough to escape. So there was still hope.

“Leafala is my responsibility, not yours. You don’t have to fix my mistakes in raising him.” The professor admonished, but without harshness.

It was clear how much that boy was used to solving problems created by others, entrusting him with one more had been reckless and incorrect.

“While you play the blame game, our real culprits are running away!” An unfamiliar voice to Ash and Serena's ears spoke.

The two teens turned around, seeing a girl walking towards them.
Dark skin, curly hair gathered high with a bandana to enrich the hairstyle. She was dressed quite sporty and didn't seem too much older than them.
At her feet walked a Muttiny with a confident look.

"Ah, that was fast!" greeted the professor.

The girl raised an eyebrow, but didn't stop smiling. "If you call me at this time to ask me to help stop a gang of criminals who have kidnapped a Pokémon, do you think I'd stop at the café for a cappuccino?"

"Touché." Olivio admitted, then turned to Ash and Serena "This is Ilaria, I already mentioned her."

"Oh! You're the gym leader!" Ash remembered.

"That I am!" she introduced herself "But I guess we can leave the pleasantries for later! You are the owner of the Pikachu, right? You said you're fine, so you can help.”

Ilaria's statement went completely against the words of the professor, who clearly disagreed, but gave in to the determination of the two.

“Of course,” Ash confirmed “Thanks for coming.”

Ilaria nodded “Of course. These types of intricate cases are my bread and butter! We'll get your Pikachu back in a heartbeat!”

The confused look of Serena and Ash led the professor to explain “Ilaria is a part-time detective in addition to being a gym leader. That's why I called her. If you need smarts and quick solutions, she's the best choice.”

“Be honest, I was also your only option.” She scoffed, looking at the clouds in which Team Rocket had disappeared. “And a private detective can move much more freely than the police and can better empathize with the mind of a criminal because they also move to ignore limits!”

Ilaria took out a dex and opened it to the map of Forsia. “Do you have any idea where they were going?”

“Kanto. They want to go back to their base.” Ash replied, remembering their intentions.

“Perfect, we have two options. The first is that they will continue like this until Kanto, flying east. It would take them a long time and they could be reached by any agent with a Pokémon that can fly at high altitude, or on the ground during their resupply. What does this tell you?”

“That it’s risky?” Serena tried.

“Bingo!” Ilaria confirmed “This brings us to option two, which is that they will travel like everyone else, that is, by plane. The closest airport is Tasty Town and there are direct buses. If they are good at hiding then this option won’t worry them too much.”

“Wait, so if they have to go unnoticed, that means they will avoid being seen in the hot air balloon at all?” Ash reasoned “So… they will be stopping soon?”

Ilaria nodded, proud that they were following the pace “They probably won't even go too far out of the city. I think they'll get to the outer base of the hills and take a bus there. There's only one stop and-” Ilaria changed the dex screen “-these are the bus schedules that pass by there.”

Olivio did some calculations “We only have 7 minutes. In this case…” he took a pokéball from the strap and released the Pokémon inside.

“Moheeee!!” The large bird croaked.
If it were a normal occasion, Ash would not have contained himself in admiring the majestic creature. However, there was no time.

“Moheron will take me and Ash to the stop. Sorry, girls, he can’t carry everyone.” The professor apologized, climbing onto the Pokémon’s back, followed by the boy.
It was his responsibility to stop Leafala and Team Rocket. All that chaos had happened under his roof and a Pokémon in his care had contributed to it.

And Ash… well, he certainly wanted to help get his Pikachu back.

“No problem, we’ll catch the bus that leaves from the station nearby in ten minutes! If you’re in trouble, we’ll catch up soon!” Ilaria reassured, motioning for Serena to follow her.

“Oh, wait!” Serena however ran towards Ash, placing a pokéball in his hand. When she heard the noise she grabbed her Pokémon and Tweeny’s, noticing that Ash had left it in his room. “I guess you need Tweeny.”

Ash smiled, gratefully “Thanks!”

The group split up, with Ash and Olivio taking off, heading for the hills, and the two girls running towards the bus stop.

Moheron flew quickly towards his target. It wouldn’t take them long, so they would soon be face to face with Team Rocket… and Leafala.

“Ash?” The professor spoke. “I have to tell you something.”

“Huh?”

…

“We did so good this time!”

“Now we just have to keep our guard up until we get to the base.”

“It’s going to be a long trip…”

The trio, now quartet, of criminals were dressed as simple tourists, masking their true identities.

Somehow, they thought that giving Leafala a log in his paws and painting him gray would make him look like another Pokémon. One from some faraway region whose name he couldn’t remember.

The talk of his companions, however, faded into the background in Leafala’s mind.
They had congratulated him on his work enough times to last a lifetime, yet he felt empty.

“Hey,” James, noticing his state, lowered himself to his level “What’s wrong?”

“…” Leafala sighed “Fa… falalefa.”

James turned to Meowth, expecting a translation, which of course came. “He says he’s not satisfied with the achievement.”

James raised a frown, confused. “Thanks to you, we’re closer to achieving something we’ve spent years on, you should be proud!”

“You didn’t have to put it that way…” Jessie muttered, even if it was the truth.

“Lea fala.” He didn’t feel like he’d accomplished anything noteworthy.

“This is a vital goal, but there will be more to come! And the more we will succeed, the more our stage is in the spotlight! Every step brings us closer to changing this world full of silly rules!” Meowth encouraged.

Leafala smiled, but it was very forced. Obviously they thought he wasn't happy with how he had done.

But it was with what he had done.

He thought that making progress towards his dream was something more rewarding.

“Oh, there's the bus!” James pointed.

They picked up their suitcases and bags, preparing to get on.

“MOOOOOHEEEEEE!!!” However, a sudden gust of wind came from above and swept them away, making them flip on the ground.

*SFUSHHH*

“AHHHHH!!”

The group of thieves found themselves struggling to get up, taken by surprise. They looked around, trying to understand what had happened, but they didn't have to try too hard.

Within a few seconds, a twerp fell from the sky.
He didn't even wait for Moheron to land. Once he was low enough to safely jump off, he didn't hesitate.

He landed on his feet, right in front of his enemies.

"This ends now!"

Jessie touched her head in pain, "How the hell did you do that?"

"Someone good at finding scoundrels like you helped me!" Ash growled, taking Tweeny's ball. 

"Tweeny! Use Wing Attack on their luggage!"

"Nyyyy!" The bird popped out of the ball and quickly swooped down towards the criminals' luggage, trying to free Pikachu from whatever was keeping him trapped.

"FALA!" Leafala attacked from the side, however, hitting Tweeny with a strong punch.

"TWI!!" The bird chirped in pain, being thrown away.

"Tweeny, are you okay!?" Ash asked.

“Twee…” the bird nodded, but felt a strong sense of disappointment and confusion.

He glanced at Leafala, betrayed and inquisitive. Why had he hit him?
He turned to Ash, sharing the same expression. What was going on?

His trainer’s expression darkened, but looked also troubled. “I’m sorry, there’s no time to explain, we have to save Pikachu.”

“Twee…” Although hesitant, Tweeny prepared to face the koala. He knew about Team Rocket, so he could assume that they had taken his teammate, but Leafala? What reason did he have to help them? He thought he was a rival, an almost friend…

Taking advantage of their opponent’s moment of confusion, Team Rocket decided to aid Leafala. They couldn’t leave everything in the hands of the poor Pokémon, what kind of professional thieves were they?

“Inkay, help us!”

“Gourgeist!”

The two Pokémon emerged from their spheres, ready to take back their bags with Pikachu inside.

However, the sudden arrival of a huge bird Pokémon prevented them from getting closer “Moheee!”

“What the hell is that!?” Jessie exclaimed.

Olivio jumped off the bird’s back and didn’t hesitate to take extra precautions. “Baubow, help Moheron!” He sent out his other Pokémon.

Baubow and Moheron stood in front of their enemies, maintaining a defensive stance. They were imposing compared to Inkay and Gourgeist.

“Team Rocket has three other Pokémon besides Leafala and Meowth. I’ll take care of Leafala, but you should be ready to counter them if needed.”

Olivio had promised Ash not to interfere in his battle against Leafala. He wasn't sure why he had agreed, but Ash had to have a plan and the least he could do was listen and do his part.

He heard the bus pass on the nearby road and it continued on, not noticing anyone at the bus stop.
The grimaces of frustration from Team Rocket were enough to satisfy him.

Jessie grew impatient, "Gourgeist use Energy Ball!"

Gorgeist charged Energy Ball at Baubow. He was a water type, so it would definitely be able to do some damage.

"Baubow use Protect! Moheron, Sky Attack on Gourgeist!"

"BOW!" Baubow easily blocked the attack.

Moheron was brutally accurate, hitting Gourgeist squarely and knocking it down in one hit. "Ron!"

"Gouuu!!"

"Gourgeist!" Jessie exclaimed in shock. It wasn't completely knocked out, but it wasn't far off, and it was done with one move...

The professor didn't give them time to react, "Baubow, now use Aqua Tail!"

Baubow dashed forward and launched Aqua Tail at Inkay, who tried to dodge but was still partially caught. The blow was enough to make it roll to the ground.

"Oh no, Inkay!"

Ash watched the professor's battle from the corner of his eye. He was good, he hoped to be able to battle him again one day, but right now he had other battles to face.

He looked at Leafala. He didn't want to hurt him and would do anything to avoid it, but also he wouldn't hold back until he saved Pikachu.

Tweeny sensed his trainer's decision, managing to regain some clarity.
If this was the situation... he had no choice but to accept it. He gave Leafala a challenging look, ready to give his best as always.

Leafala shared the look. This wasn't the time he wanted to have a rematch, but if it had to be this way...

"Tweeny, use Steel Wing!" Ash ordered.

The bird quickly flew towards Leafala, charging its wings. "Tweeeee-"

Leafala decided to confuse its opponent this time "Faaala!!" It used Razor Leaf.

Tweeny continued its dive, but the leafy attack, while not very effective on him, blocked his vision.

"Fa!" Leafala took advantage of this to suddenly strike with Needle Punch.

"Ni!" The bird was caught squarely and pushed into the air again.

Ash frowned. He couldn't help but be proud that Leafala was embracing his new style. "You've really improved a lot, in such a short time!" He complimented. It wasn't the best moment, but he couldn't contain himself.

Leafala was initially surprised, then prepared his fists again.
How frustrating, it had all started because he wanted to keep his style, and ended up assimilating what Ash had wanted to teach him. Now he found it difficult to go back to how he did stuff before.

He had done it a couple of times, and he couldn't help it anymore.

But it didn't change that he would never find the right trainer. He would have to wait and try blindly. He didn't want that life anymore.

And how could he call himself strong without having the courage to continue on his path? By now everything else was irrelevant, the only thing that mattered was moving forward.

Ash had done it, he would admit it. He had found the solution to his problems in battles. But he couldn't change the rules of that world.

“FALA!” Leafala unleashed a Razor Leaf towards Tweeny again.

Tweeny remained in position, this time with confidence. Whatever had happened, it was no excuse.
He knew it more than anyone. Leafala sought true strength. He had done it himself and had used it the wrong way for a long time.

It was all understandable.
But he couldn't justify it.

Ash had helped them both and Tweeny couldn't forgive a certain affront. He had done everything to protect his family before and now that Ash and his team were it, he would do the same.

“TWEEE NEEEEEEE!!!” Tweeny flapped his wings rapidly, creating a flow of air so powerful that it blew away all the approaching leaves.

“Huh?!” Ash exclaimed. That sounded like Gust. He had seen enough of them to recognize it “You learned a new move!”

“Twee!” Tweeny chirped proudly.

Leafala let out a respectful smile. “Faaaaaaaaaa…” But he didn’t waste any time praising his opponent. He charged up his Razor Leaf and threw it at his opponent, who responded as before, with his Gust.

“Nynyny!”

The leaves bounced back to the sender, who remained steady on his paws. He raised his paws to shield himself a little, just enough to avoid the minimal damage his own attack would have done.

When he opened his eyes again, Tweeny was no longer in front of him.

“Fa!?” He looked around for him, then the realization came. He turned behind him and saw Tweeny struggling to flutter around with the bridle of the bag containing Pikachu in his beak.

Shoot, he got him!

Anger built up in his chest. How could they play these games? Were they still underestimating him?

“FALA!” Quickly, he threw an Energy Ball at Tweeny, who could do little to defend himself.

Caught by the blow, the bag fell to the ground with him. He didn’t let go of his firm grip, though.

“Fala fa fa la!” Leafala shouted, enraged.

Tweeny didn’t answer, even if he was irritated, so as not to open his beak. His priority was to save his friend, everything else came later.

He wasn’t playing a game at all, in fact, precisely because there was such a serious objective, he absolutely couldn’t fail.

Leafala must have thought similarly, otherwise he wouldn’t have sided with the enemy, right?

“Leafala, having dreams is important, but if you have to hurt others to achieve them, how noble are they!?” Ash raised his voice.

Leafala turned around, scandalized, shock evident on his face. And what did he know about his dream?

*SWOOSH*

Suddenly a presence passed by him. A Braixen.

The Braixen, Serena's. And between her paws she held the bag that Tweeny had retrieved.
Dang it.

“Braixen!” Ash exclaimed enthusiastically, then turned to the bus that was stopping nearby. Serena and Ilaria quickly got off it.

“Just in time!” Ilaria exulted.

Ash took the bag from Braixen's paws, opening it and taking out the strange container. Removing the lid, he found himself face to face with the cautious little face of Pikachu, who seemed ready to defend himself.

A few moments later, Pikachu's expression changed to pure joy. “Pikapi!” He jumped straight into the arms of his beloved trainer, who wasted no time in holding him close.

“Pikachu! I'm so glad you're okay..." the boy sighed reassuringly. He didn't have to worry anymore, Pikachu was with him again. They wouldn't take him away from him, he wouldn't disappear into thin air.

"What a relief!" Serena sighed.

"Thanks to you." Ash emphasized.

The boy then turned to Leafala. He looked at him as if his work wasn't done, and indeed, when he put Pikachu down on the ground, he went back to facing him.

"Leafala, do you really want to join Team Rocket?"

If Leafala had wanted to join Team Rocket because he was happy with them, he wouldn't have had anything to say, it was his choice and as such he had to respect it.
But not for these reasons. He wouldn't have allowed him to hurt anyone or even to ruin his own dream like that!

The situation had turned to be much more difficult than expected and Leafala could only tremble, in crisis. He had failed, again.

Did he really want to be with Team Rocket? Of course. Did he want all of this? "Fa."
Maybe not, but it was necessary.

“Why?”

Leafala gritted his teeth. Why? Because things had to change.

“Leafala!” A voice called out to him, Meowth’s. “Time for Plan B! Come here!”

Leafala ran to him, aware of what he was about to do. He hoped it wouldn’t come to that, as it would have implied the success of his contribution to the original plan. But now there was little he could do as an alternative.

Suddenly Meowth threw a cube on the ground. He pressed a button and the cube began to grow bigger and bigger. When it was at least eight meters tall, the walls of the cube came apart and revealed a Leafala-shaped robot underneath.

Leafala watched in shock.

“How did they do that?” Ilaria asked Serena.

The blonde shrugged in confusion “I have no idea… but it happens often.”

Explaining where Team Rocket's robots came from and how they carried them around was a mystery they had never found an answer to. And magical cubes didn't count as an explanation.

The quartet quickly entered from the back of the robot and reached the mouth opening, where the control room was located, and looked down on their enemies.

"I think we still have time for the motto! Follow the example, Leafala!" James said, looking at the Pokémon.

"Fa..." the koala nodded in confusion.

"Prepare for trouble, among us there's a new star!"

"And make it double, his strength will carry us far!

“To protect the world from devastation!”

"To unite all people within our nation!"

“To denounce the evils of truth and love!”

To extend our reach to the stars above!”

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, ready to take off at the speed of light!”

“Give up now or prepare to fight!”

“Meowth!”

“Wobbuffet!”

“Leafala…!”

“Good job, you did it well!” James complimented.

“And with that you are officially a part of the team!” Jessie agreed.

“Fala…” Leafala blushed slightly.

“Don’t worry, we fail sometimes, we do it a lot!” James reassured him, thinking he was down for letting Pikachu slip away.

“Oi oi…” the other two would have muttered, in normal circumstances.

Instead, with a nod of the head they joined in reassuring Leafala.

They had dedicated a robot to him, they supported him and encouraged him. They didn’t care that he had failed.

So why was he so ashamed of himself?
He couldn’t move that boulder he felt in his stomach.

“Good, now we have enough strength!” Meowth declared, readying mecha-Leafala’s fists.

“We’re going to need everyone’s help!” Ilaria declared, signaling Muttiny to get ready.

“Alright, then everyone get out!” Serena released her other Pokémon. Pancham, Sylveon, and Weepbud materialized next to Muttiny, some more ready than others.

“WEEE!!” Weepbud jumped at the sight of the robot, running behind Serena and hiding.
What was that thing!?

“Weepbud, we need everyone’s help to defeat Team Rocket. I know it looks scary, and if you don’t feel like it, it’s okay to step aside. But if you want to join, I know you can do it!” Serena encouraged her.

She had already mentioned Team Rocket, and she knew that in situations like this, it was easier to give her the option to retreat.

Weepbud glanced at the giant robot. It was scary, huge, and probably dangerous, but…

“Wee…” Far off, she saw Leafala on the head of the machine.

She remembered the koala’s expression the previous evening.

“Bud!” She braced herself. She would be… not in the frontline, but she would help. Somehow.

“Thank you.” Serena offered her a sweet smile.

Along with the group of Pokémon, Baubow, Moheron, Tweeny, and Pikachu also joined in.

Everyone was ready to attack.

“Pikachu use Electro Ball! Tweeny, Gust!”

“Baubow, Aqua Tail! Moheron, Air Cutter!”

“Braixen, use Fire Blast! Pancham, Dark Pulse! Sylveon, Fairy Wind!”

“Muttiny, use Sand Attack!”

All the attacks came from a distance and hit the robot.

However, it seemed to resist. Even though they were still launching their moves, they were doing little damage.

“Ahaha, like a true Leafala this little gem can take hits!” Meowth pressed a button “And strike!”

The robot’s arm extended and the huge fist came dangerously close to the opposing Pokémon, who stopped their barrage of moves to take cover.

*CRASH*

“Is everyone okay!?” Olivio asked. Luckily, both trainers and Pokémon were safe.

Ash looked Leafala. They had saved Pikachu, but he hadn’t finished talking to him.
He had to figure out if Leafala needed his help.

“Guys, keep the robot busy with your attacks please.” Ash asked everyone present.

Ilaria was about to ask him what he intended to do, but before she could notice Serena’s knowingly and worried expression and understand what was going through Ash’s mind, the boy took off running towards the robot.

“What are you doing!?” the professor shouted. “Come back!”

“Ash!”

“Pikapi!”

Ash ignored their calls and jumped onto one of the fists, which in a few moments took off to reattach itself to the robot’s body.

“Meowth, stop that twerp!”

“I can’t! I have to reattach the fist before throwing it again!!”

As the mechanical fist clicked into place, Ash jumped onto the rest of the arm, preventing it from throwing him who knows where.

“Leafala! I’m not going to leave things like this!” He declared, crawling towards the head, to reach the mouth.

“Things are fine this way, thank you!” Meowth clicked several buttons, trying to swing the robot’s arms to make Ash fall.

The boy tried to hold on. The surface was slippery, so he knew he had little chance.
However, the provident arrival of the others' various attacks managed to calm the mecha-leafala's movements.

Ash turned his head towards his friends. He saw Ilaria and Serena nod, as well as the professor, although clearly in a panic.
Perfect.

"He is completely crazy, by the way." Ilaria commented. "Do things like this always happen to you?"

Serena nodded and struggled to contradict her. Had she been unaware of those events, she too would have been quite shocked, both by what was happening and by how Ash reacted.

"Hm, exciting!" Ilaria replied. Interesting, really interesting.

Ash continued his climb, reaching the robot's shoulder. Sand Attack and the other moves were creating strong shockwaves and gusts of wind, but even if it was hard to hold on, it was less complicated than resisting the robot's dancing moves, meant to make him fall.

“Leafala! Please listen to me!”

Leafala tried to cover his ears. He didn’t want to hear anything else!

“He has nothing to listen to from someone like you!” James answered, annoyed. “You only know how to say nice words, but you don’t have the solutions to everything!”

“That’s true!” Ash admitted “I don’t have them, but Leafala does!”

Leafala shook his head.

“The professor told me about what happened with Thommy, and with the other trainers! I’m sorry…” Ash said.

During the short flight, the professor had mentioned the most important things to him. His theories about Leafala’s behavior.
And now everything made so much more sense.

“Fala?” the koala muttered in confusion, slightly loosening the grip on his ears.

“I know most of it and what happened to you is bad. I can understand why you lost hope, and I can’t judge you if you feel at home with Team Rocket. But I can tell you that you will never find true strength until you are willing to change!”

Those words made James furious “Nothing has to change! He is fine the way he is! He doesn't have to answer to anyone!”

“Maybe not to anyone else, but to himself, yes! We all change constantly! The things around us too! And we can't do anything about it! But waiting for them to do it on their own for your own gain will get you nowhere!” Ash shouted.

As he had expected at the beginning of his journey to become great, without making any effort. Without admitting to making mistakes, without changing his attitude.

“He has taken control of the situation! What more do you expect from him!?” James criticized.

“Nothing, but it's you Leafala, who expects so much. From everyone! From yourself and from others. You expect others to change but you don't give them the chance to do it with you, and you don't allow yourself to change your attitude!”
Ash's words were direct, maybe even harsh and severe, but that was what Leafala had to hear.

The koala clenched his fists. He himself was his biggest critic and obstacle. 

He was right, maybe his trainers had lacked talent, intelligence and patience. Maybe they relied too much on him and then didn't know what to do, but he himself had never given them a chance to adapt. He had always done things his own way and had never tried to bond with any of them, because he saw them as a liability.

"You can do it if you want and you've shown it in training! But that's not enough and you know it too well! You will never find the perfect person, you will find someone willing to follow you step by step and share successes and failures with you! They learn from you and you from them!"

And at that point he had started to see himself as inferior. So much so that he found excuses, training and waiting for the right person and the right conditions to come along.

“La…”

“If Team Rocket is that someone for you, then I’ll leave you alone and accept your decision. But if it's just your way of looking strong, then I’ll insist!”

He was ashamed, but not of his failures, but rather of his attempts.

He wasn’t satisfied because what he had done wasn't the right thing.

“We are his family!” James said, then leaning towards Leafala “Right?”

Leafala didn’t answer, looking at his open paws.

“Leafala?”

Team Rocket had given him love and opportunities.

“La…” He looked up, genuinely sorry.

But he didn’t feel strong with them. He felt petty, weak, and a coward.

It was a long moment of silence.

Then, enough was enough. Meowth tried to open his mouth to translate, but all his energy was in his paw that was nervously gripping one of the levers on the control panel.

“…You don’t need to translate.” James said, his gaze low and dark. They had it all figured out.

“Fa la fale la fafa!” The koala replied animatedly. No, they could be together! It didn't have to end like that, if they changed their ways…

“THIS IS OUR LIFE!” Meowth finally roared. “We ca-don’t want to change it!”

“Who do you think you are? You think we’ll throw away all the efforts of years because you want the easiest way!?” Jessie joined in.

They had given him everything, too much considering how things were going. How could he have the nerve to tell them to throw it all away? For what, anyway? A world that saw them as useless scraps?

“You want to be on the winning side? Go.” James said dryly.

Leafala’s eyes widened in shock.

They were letting him go like this? They weren’t going to capture him and take him to their base? They weren’t going to do anything to force him to stay against his will?

“Fa-?

“GO AWAY!”

Resigned and almost intimidated, Leafala didn't waste the opportunity. He walked towards the mouth's exit and looked out. "...Fala?"

Ash smiled "Leafala?"

The Pokémon gave one last look at the trio, unreturned. He sighed, they all had a choice.

Carefully hopping out onto the robot's shoulder, he reached Ash.
He offered a look of regret before bowing his head. He had truly been ungrateful, towards everyone. To Ash, to the professor, to Team Rocket...
But he would change.

What was true strength? Why did he want it?
He had a long way to go to find out and he was ready to follow it.

The gentle touch of a caress made him raise his head. He found an encouraging smile. “Let’s get down from here, okay?”

*BEEP BEEP BEEP*

They heard a sudden sound, and the robot began to vibrate.

“What?”

“Self-destruction activated.” said a mechanical voice.

“WHAT!?”

“FALA!?”

The robot began to vibrate and various parts of its interior began to smoke and pop.

Controlling his agitation, Ash picked up Leafala and brought him to his chest in one swift motion, holding him so that he wouldn’t fall to the ground.
However, it was a matter of seconds to choose to jump or explode.

Ash chose the former.
He let go and let himself fall.

“ASH!” He heard the others shout. No one could catch him in time.

Almost no one.

Two strong limbs picked him up “CHAAAANSEEEE!” And their impact was greatly cushioned.

*KABOOM*

Ash closed his eyes, felt the loud explosion envelop him and expected the pain, the burning…

However, they remained perfectly in position where they had landed.

They were fine! They were alive!

He waited a few seconds of disbelief, before finding the courage to open his eyes.
All around was an energy barrier protecting them. Protect?  But it wasn’t Sylveon using it. It was a Chansey.

“Uh, thanks.”

“Chanchansee!” greeted the Pokémon, with enormous familiarity.

“Pikapi!”

“Ash!”

The voices of his friends called him repeatedly.
For all they knew, he had exploded with the mecha-Leafala.

Serena, Tweeny and Pikachu ran towards the dust, each with their chest hurting in worry. They didn't know what to expect...

Certainly not a Chansey carrying Ash bridal style, like a newborn, or its spouse.

"H-Hey!" Ash greeted, getting down to the ground.

He was immediately surrounded and engulfed by the embrace of his two Pokémon and Serena. 

"You have to stop doing this!" Serena scolded him, holding back tears.

"PIKAPI CHU!" "NY NY!" the two Pokémon agreed.

"I'm not familiar with this, but I'd say she's right." Olivio sighed, coming closer.
He wanted to laugh about it, but he was too shocked.

"I agree, you're out of your mind!" Ilaria managed to laugh, but she wiped away her nervous sweat.

"I'll join in."

"Huh!?" Ash and Serena turned to that voice.

Of course, that's why that Chansey wasn't unknown to him like the many around Nurse Joys. It was a doctor's.

“Brock!!” Ash and Serena ran to him. “What are you doing here?”

“I'm here to stop you from crashing to the ground! Cut it out with jumping from heights you can’t survive!” the older boy warned, but he smiled.

“I don’t think I would have died…” he muttered. Oh, he did, which is why he was grateful that he had intervened. “Seriously, what are you doing here?”

Brock scratched his head, a little embarrassed “I had to talk to Olivio about changing my internship and going to him.”

“Wait, really!?” Ash asked Olivio, who chuckled in surprise.

“I didn’t know you two knew each other!” the professor justified himself.

“I certainly didn’t expect to see a giant robot from the window of the bus. Luckily the stop was close by!” Brock commented “And speaking of robots, I saw Team Rocket fly away. I think we’re fine for now.”

Brock's words made Leafala look at the sky with a touch of melancholy.

Changing wasn't easy...

"Well, as much as introductions are due, now that it's all over... I'd gladly go back to the lab to do it calmly. What do you think?" Ilaria suggested.

No one objected.

...

Back at the lab, they took care of treating bruises and minor injuries.
Pikachu and Ash both had a purple spot on their bellies, left by the punches Leafala had given them, while Tweeny had normal battle wounds.

Nothing huge. It would have been much more complicated to fix the tunnel in the professor's garden.

They laughed about it, in the end the important thing was that no one had gotten seriously hurt.

The koala kept his head down the whole time. Without being able to utter a word. He had expected a big scolding from the professor, yet time passed and it never came. No one was treating him as he deserved.

He almost preferred they would, at least he wouldn't feel such a coward.

“Twee?” Tweeny approached, noticing him standing on his own. He could imagine his state of mind, but it was all over, right?

“Fa…” Leafala offered a half smile, but his melancholy quickly returned.

Tweeny remained silent, thinking about what to do. He tried to put himself in Leafala's shoes, after all they were alike.
He knew what could make him snap out of it “Twee…ny ny neee?”

A true fighter faces fear and makes it their strength. With it, they work hard to fix mistakes.

Leafala stared at him in surprise. He let the bird's words fully process inside himself and then stood up.
He had to start somewhere.

He walked towards Ash and every noise in the room vanished. He looked resolutely at the boy, who looked back at him confused, or perhaps expectantly.

The starter brought a paw to his chest and leaned forward. “La fala.”
Sorry for everything.

Ash had the instinct to downplay it all, but noticing Leafala’s composure and seriousness, he decided against it. He had to respect the gesture.

“Apology accepted.”

Leafala repeated the same thing to Pikachu, who, unlike Ash, took a few moments longer to accept.
He had betrayed him, but everyone makes mistakes sometimes.

“Pi” Pikachu nodded.

Leafala hinted at a small smile, and so he moved on to Tweeny, then to the professor…

But when he was about to apologize to the man, he was anticipated. Olivio himself knelt before Leafala. “I have to apologize too. Both to you and to Ash.”

“Fala, fa fa la fa!” Leafala refused. It wasn’t his fault! He had raised and cared for him for years and had put up with his behavior and he had stabbed him in the back in turn. He had nothing to blame himself for.

“Professor, it’s not necessary-” Ash too tried to stop him, not feeling the apology as necessary.

Olivio didn’t give in, however, “I should have spoken honestly from the beginning about my intentions. I wanted to find the right help for Leafala and I always thought you could do it.”

“Professor, you did your best.” Ash said, with Leafala nodding. It wasn’t his fault. “Besides, I think it went well in the end, right? I have no doubt that when Leafala finds his trainer, he will be ready to accept them!”

Ash looked kindly at the koala, who nodded.
He would be patient and when that day came, he would make the effort to open up. To change, to help his trainer do it and to find the right key to make his dream come true.
Their dreams.

Olivio shook his head, “But that’s the point, I’ve already found his trainer.”

“Huh?” “Fala?”

Serena smiled, knowing what the professor meant. “It’s you, Ash.”

Ash’s eyes widened at the girl, as did Leafala. Both were completely shocked.

“I asked Serena not to say anything. I nurtured this thought when you two started working together.” Olivio explained.

Leafala couldn’t believe his ears.
All that time believing it was all for nothing, dreaming of something impossible, accepting and digesting… only to find out that it wasn’t that impossible?

Didn't Ash have a trained team? Why would he want him?

He looked up and saw Ash’s big smile, making him even more confused.
“I’d love to, professor! But are you sure it wouldn’t be a problem? It already happened to me with Greninja when it was a Froakie but it was a special case…” the boy admitted.

“I’d say we have a special case.” Olivio smiled. He took an object from his pocket and put it in Ash’s hand.

A pokéball, Leafala's.

"I've seen your progress and after what happened... look at how you changed his view! If I didn't trust the strength of your bond, I'd be giving up everything I believe in."

Ash smiled, tightening his grip on the pokéball. He lowered himself in front of Leafala, who continued to stare at him, this time with a certain desperation.

He didn't want to believe it, it was impossible!
But even if it were true, how could it make sense? After everything that had happened?

"F-Fa...?

"Leafala, the choice is yours." Ash said, placing the pokéball on the ground.

Leafala didn't know how to react. He saw Pikachu and Tweeny peeking out from behind Ash, with their fingers and feathers pointing upwards, as they signaled him to accept.

A little further away, Weepbud nodded shyly as well. She had been there, she knew how shocking that moment was, the one in which you think that things are too good to happen.

But just because they are good sometimes you have to accept them.

Ash continued to smile undaunted. “I told you, right? You can change. You fall, you get up and try again. So let's do it together, what do you say?”

Leafala looked at the pokéball, letting a tear drop down his face.

It was really incredible how the situation had turned around, but there really was no point in hesitating.

He had promised to take that step, he couldn't take it all back, right?

He puffed out his chest and nodded “Fala!”

He placed a paw on the sphere. He wasn't sucked in, but the message was clear.

“You're one of us then!” Ash cheered, taking the pokéball in his hand. “I have a Leafala!”

“Pi pikachu!” “Twe Tweeny!”

Tweeny noticed the koala’s subtle embarrassment. He approached, patted him lightly on the arm, and invited him to join.
He was part of the team and it wouldn’t change.

Leafala saw Ash and Pikachu waiting for him, still posing. They wanted him to join them…
Building up courage, Leafala returned Tweeny’s grin, jumped on Ash’s arm, and exclaimed “Lea fala fala!”

His fist rose toward the sky, which he hoped to reach someday. He would work hard to do so, and he would do it together with his new trainer and teammates.

…

To be continued…

Chapter Text

With Team Rocket's attack averted and Leafala back on their side, Ash, Serena, Brock, Ilaria and Olivio were sitting in the kitchen having breakfast. There was no point in going back to bed, so they might as well get some food and get ready for the day.

With everything that had happened, they hadn't had much time for introductions.

"Well, now that we're all together and there’s no crisis, we can do the basics! I'm Ilaria and I am the gym leader of Hilsette Town. When I don't have battles I work as a private investigator."

"Wow, you gotta be pretty busy!"

"Actually, not too much. Even though I'm in a strategic position for traveling trainers, this is a very touristy city. I don't have so many challengers, compared to other gym leaders. Besides, there are far too few serious cases." the girl sighed boredly.

"I'd say that's a good thing from a certain point of view." Olivio commented. "Stuff like what happened this morning would be better if it didn't happen."

Ilaria waved her hand. “Those guys aren’t as dangerous as they seem, yet.”

“Their plans have often put people in danger, especially Ash.” Serena pointed out, making her friend gorge on his croissant.

The professor looked at Ash in chagrin, passing him a glass of milk, which was downed in one gulp.
“It doesn’t happen as often as it seems!”

“It does.” Brock agreed with Serena. “But they are often accidents. I don’t think they’ve ever actively tried to harm us.”

Serena and Ash exchanged a knowing look. “Actually…”

“Huh?”

“There have been a few times recently where they’ve specifically targeted us.” Serena confessed, thinking back to the time she’d saved Ash in Pallet Town, right when she’d first arrived. And there was also the time they’d attacked Oak’s lab and were aiming their attacks at her.

“That means they’re desperate.” Ilaria explained. “When a criminal, or any person, feels cornered, they can become more dangerous than normal, or the opposite. If it's so recent after years of tormenting you, it could be that they're getting tired."

"Does that mean they might stop?" Ash asked with naive hope.

"Yes, or the opposite."

"Didn't you say before that they're not as dangerous as they seem?" Brock asked, confused.

Ilaria nodded. "They're not right now. It could change in the future, depending on how far they push themselves. But if they're so indecisive, it means that their inclination isn't that evil.”

Leafala, standing there with the other Pokémon intent on eating, nodded to himself.

"Well, as nice as it would be, I don't think we’ll be able to talk them out of it, so for now we can only defend ourselves as best we can!" Ash declared determinedly.
He didn't like having them on his tail, but he would be more prepared from now on.

"I like people like you, even if you should be less reckless." Ilaria observed.

"You're not the first and you won't be the last to tell him." Brock thought.

"Anyway, it's your turn." Ilara passed the baton to Ash.

"It looks like an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting to me..." Ash held back a laugh "I'm Ash and I would like to compete in the Forsia league."

"It's not your first journey, is it?" Ilaria guessed pretty easily.

Ash wasn't surprised, in fact he was pleased that he seemed to be someone with experience "I've been to various regions."

"And I guess you want to challenge me..." Ilaria smiled slyly. She was throwing down the gauntlet for sure.

Ash returned the expression "You bet."

The girl nodded, “So as soon as we’re done here we could have a nice one-on-one. What do you say?” she asked decisively. She also wanted to see what the guy was capable of as soon as possible.

“YAY!” Ash cheered, “Maybe this time I can finish a battle!” hoping no one would interrupt.

“Didn’t you finish the one with the professor yesterday?” Serena asked.

Ash shook his head, “Unfortunately not, but it doesn’t matter, we’ll make up for it!” Ash explained, knowing that Leafala was there and listening. He didn’t want to blame him for anything, he was just a little frustrated that after Duncan he hadn’t been able to do a full battle from start to finish.

“Olivio, you didn’t even give him time to get here!” Ilaria jokingly admonished.

“You’re the one talking! I’d like to see you in my place!”
Ilaria laughed, “Yeah, I expected it, you’ve been talking about him for days, as if he were an angel from heaven.”

Ash turned to the professor, his face puzzled. He still wasn't sure how he felt about being a study subject.

Olivio chuckled embarrassedly. “Ilaria…”

“Ahaha, it’s not like you're not hiding it! But I don't blame you. Years of research and then a trainer shows up and he can use some kind of mystical transformation no one has ever seen before.”

Ash sighed, “Greninja isn't even with me anymore…” His tone of voice hid a certain melancholy. He thought he had hidden it well, but Serena placed her hand on his arm, in a sign of comfort.

The girl's smile was enough to make him smile back.

“That doesn’t matter, as I already told you, it’s how you work with Pokémon that interests me. Sure, it’s a shame not to be able to study this Bond Phenomenon, but the world is full of Pokémon to meet and make friends with!” Olivio reassured.

“Speaking of friends,” understanding the difficult topic, Ilaria changed focus “Serena, right?”

The girl in question nodded “I was with Ash when the professor offered him to come and since I didn’t have specific plans I accompanied him. Now that I’m here I’m going to participate in the Showcase season.”

The sparkle in the older girl’s eyes made Serena shiver for a moment. She knew that look…
However Ilaria seemed to change focus again “And you’re… Brock, right?”

“Yes, I’m in Forsia for an internship as a Pokémon doctor, but then I asked to transfer here to the lab,” the older guy explained.

“Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to work with the professor? I told you I would too, right?” Ash asked, confused by the omission.

Brock rubbed his head in embarrassment. Sooner or later it would come out anyway. “I actually decided to do it after I heard it from you.”

Ash didn’t answer, surprised by the admission. If he had known, then yes he would have asked him to come with them, at least to Hilsette Town. They would have waited for him!

Brock then turned to the professor, his face apologetic. “I hope that doesn’t upset you, professor.”

There was actually a lot more he wanted to talk to him about. After all, he hadn’t rushed to join Ash just to stay at the lab.
“Don’t worry!” Olivio reassured him. They would talk about the specifics later.

Ash remained silent again. He was happy that Brock was there with them, he could have watched his battle!
A fire of determination and energy grew in him. It burned so brightly, however, that he almost felt like he was getting burned.

That sense of excitement had something unpleasant about it. Nervousness perhaps? About what?

It was just the thrill of the challenge, no doubt.

…

After breakfast, Ilaria went back to her house to get ready, as did the others, most of whom were still in their pajamas.

"So Ash, do you feel ready?" Serena asked the trainer as they walked towards the gym.

Ash was happy that the battle was in the morning, waiting until the afternoon would have been unnerving in those conditions. "Ready! I can't wait to face Ilaria!" he replied proudly, with a grin.

"And you, Pikachu?" asked the performer, already knowing who Muttiny's opponent would be that day. Ash himself had confided in her that he would light the fireworks with sparkles.

Leafala had just joined Ash's team, so he needed to familiarize himself with Ash's style of battling before taking on an official battle.
And he wanted Tweeny to have an observational experience, to gather as much information as possible for when his turn came.

"PIKACHU PI!" replied the little mouse, who seemed even more determined than his trainer.

"It's been a long time since I've seen a gym battle, I can't wait to see how much you've improved!" Brock expressed. "Please don't take this lightly."

Ash's hand twitched a little "Don't worry, Pikachu and I will give it our all."

Once inside the gym, the trio of young people were completely shocked by the interior of the structure.
From the outside it wouldn't look like it, but inside it seemed like they were in an ancient arena.

The professor wasn't very surprised, used to the place, but he smiled at the teenagers’ amazement.

"What a sight!" Brock admired.

“Nice, huh? It looks like it’s been like this since the Middle Ages! It only had a few renovations to keep it together.”

“I rarely see gyms this big.” Ash commented.

Brock nodded “It must be a nightmare to keep it in good condition. Cleaning, redoing the ground, safety measures…” He liked the atmosphere of that place, it reminded him of his old gym. It had to be spacious, since he used Onix a lot. He also remembered the costs, though, even though a good part of it was covered by funds given by the League association.

“Somehow you manage, but you seem to know a lot about it!”

“I was a gym leader once.”

“Wow! And what did you do with your gym after you left it?” Ilaria asked.

“My brother takes care of it now and he’s doing a great job!”

“I see…” Ilaria nodded, suddenly thoughtful. “It’s not really that much work to maintain this place, after all it’s our home.”

Brock chuckled, “Yeah, it does feel that way sometimes.”

“No, no, I mean literally, my sister and I live here.” The gym leader smiled.

“Wait, really!? Your family lives here!?” Ash exclaimed in surprise. He couldn’t imagine all that space to live in, but maybe she had a big family.

Ilaria nodded, “There’s only two of us, it’s more convenient than having both this place and an apartment.”

Brock slowed his pace. He spontaneously thought of a specific question. If she meant that it was more convenient financially, where were their parents?
However, he held back. It was not proper to ask such potentially uncomfortable questions.

“It must be nice though, having a battlefield all your own! You can come here and train whenever you want!” Ash’s statement was the perfect diversion to avoid sensitive topics.

In fact, Ilaria laughed heartily “Absolutely, although recently my sister uses it more, or it is rented for external events. Somehow it is always used. It’s unique in its atmosphere.”

“Well, let’s test it then!” Ash declared, approaching the stands and picking up two pokéballs “Tweeny, Leafala!”

The two Pokémon materialized in a seat to share.

“Fala!” “Twe!”

“This time you just have to watch, but sometimes watching other people’s battles gives you a lot of new ideas!” Ash encouraged.

Ash started to turn around, but his eye caught a faint figure. A girl who looked a little bit younger than him.

She was the only person external to their group.

“Uh, who are you?” Ash asked.

“You were talking about me until a moment ago.” The girl replied, making the trainer immediately hesitate.

“Sorry,” Ilaria intervened. “This is Philia, my sister. She’s just irritated because she had to hang out with her friends.”

The girl frowned, rolling her eyes in annoyance “A Pokémon training, which I had to cancel because all the battlefields in town are occupied today. What do you do with an agenda if you don’t follow it?”

“It’s a last minute challenge!”

“Oh, I didn’t mean to create problems…” Ash apologized, scratching his head.

Ilaria shook her head “No worries about that, I just forgot…”

Philia leaned back, huffing, knowing her sister wouldn’t be able to argue the truth. “Luckily, I know the gym’s priorities and had a plan B. I’m much more upset that you didn’t wake me up to help this morning.”

“You’re so ungrateful, I let you sleep!”

“I can sleep every night!”

“Siblings…” Olivio chuckled, feeling the familiarity in that relationship.

Brock nodded, agreeing with the comment. He had a fairly healthy relationship with all his many brothers and sisters, but that kind of bickering was kinda normal.

Ash and Serena instead exchanged a smile, the one of those who couldn’t really understand, being both only children. At most they had seen their friends interact with their siblings, but that was very different from living it.

“Anyway, you’re Ash, right?” asked the girl. “My sister told me that you jumped down a giant robot that was about to explode, is that true?”

The trainer felt a certain sense of embarrassment. “I just acted on instinct.”

“So it’s true! Man, I would have liked to see it!” complained Philia “Next time you want to do something like that, let me know? I’ve never seen a person do such crazy things and survive!”

“It’s not exactly something I plan in advance…” Ash mumbled “Wait, you mean you’ve seen-”

“Aaaaand now I say we proceed with our battle!” Ilaria interrupted, glaring at her younger sister.

Ash nodded, even though the question remained in his head. That little girl was very similar to her sister, maybe that’s why they teased each other so much.

Philia giggled “I think he’s going to win.” If he was still alive after such adventures, then he surely had a lot of guts.

Ilaria turned her back to the stands, indignant “We’re going to see about that!” She walked towards her postation.

Philia held back a giggle, while Olivio sat down next to her “You are and always will be a little pest.”

“The real pest is my sister, and you know it too.” the girl replied.

The professor smiled, albeit slightly. The image of a little girl with a determined expression quickly passed through his mind. “Yeah, but a little pest is still a pest. You could support your sister, you know?”

“I already know how it’s going to end. I know her all too well.” This time Philia held back a grimace. “She doesn’t take battles as seriously as she used to.”

Olivio sighed, but with a hint of a smile. “Maybe you’ll be surprised.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Intuition.”

Serena, sitting next to the professor, leaned her head closer to Brock’s, whispering, “She’s a  piece of work…”

“I’ve seen worse.” He commented, shrugging. He had certainly seen worse, he had even traveled with them!

In the meantime, the two challengers had positioned themselves on the field.

“Uh, where’s the referee?” Ash asked.

With immaculate timing, a referee rushed to the side of the field “I AM HERE!”

“Hey there!” Ilaria greeted, but she received a dirty look from the guy who was slightly older than her.

“Next time, maybe let me know a little earlier!” Philia had called him at the last minute, aware that her sister probably hadn't called anyone to do it.

Truthfully, they could have asked anyone to replace him but the young girl preferred things done with a certain care. It was an official challenge, not just one for the sake of some fun.

"Alright Ash, ready?" the gym leader said, turning to the trainer.

"I'm always ready!" he replied, tenacious.

The referee looked at the challengers with a nod. "It'll be a one-on-one battle, so there won't be any substitutions from either side! Which Pokémon are you going to use?"

"Are you ready, buddy?" Ash turned his head, asking Pikachu.

This time they would take home the win. They had to.

"PIKA!" The little mouse nodded, first jumping on his trainer's arm and then landing directly in the middle of the field. He charged his cheeks and released a powerful Thunderbolt that echoed in the air.

"Pikachu looks in great shape, despite everything that's happened!" Serena commented, relieved.

Brock nodded. "He's always had a good temper."

"I'm glad you chose your best Pokémon! I'll do the same!" Ilaria smiled. "Muttiny, come out!"

Muttiny appeared on the battlefield, with a ready and determined look "Tin!!"

"Her best Pokémon... as if she had any other!" Philia sighed.

"She only has one Pokémon?!" Brock was surprised. A gym leader always had at least two, regardless of how many they wanted to use in battle. "That’s some confidence!"

Philia lowered her gaze slightly "I wish it was about confidence..." she muttered under her breath.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, dog and mouse looked into each other's eyes, scrutinizing each other with a certain rivalry.

"Pikachu against Muttiny. The challenger makes the first move, let the battle begin!" announced the referee.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

"Pi-pi-pi-pikachu!" the mouse launched himself at full speed towards the canine Pokémon.

"Don't think we're going to stand and take the hit! Speed ​​doesn't scare us! Muttiny, use Quick Attack too!"

"Mut mut mut mut mutttINY!" The dog also launched a Quick Attack towards Pikachu. The two attacks met, raising a lot of dust.

A nice headbutt for sure, but both Pokémon managed to jump to the ground without visible problems.

"Those little paws are fast!" Ash complimented.

"You need to chase when a criminal is running away!" Ilaria smiled. "Muttiny, use Tail Whip!"

Muttiny's tail began to grow stronger, while the distance between him and Pikachu decreased.

"Pikachu, dodge!"

"Pikapi!" He replied, moving aside as he had been told.

"Tail Whip, huh? She immediately tried to lower her opponent's defenses." Olivio commented.

Philia, beside him, barely looked up from her hand. A look of confusion had appeared on her face.
It had been a while since her sister had gone on the offensive so quickly.

"Oh, she knows Pikachu is fast, so she wants to lower his defense right away so she can hit him less often but with more damage…" Ash reasoned. Should they try a more distant approach, perhaps? "Pikachu uses Electro Ball!”

"Pika pika pikaaaa, chupi!"

"Dodge and then use Quick Attack again!"

"Don't let him! Use Thunderbolt!"

Muttiny managed to jump and avoid the first attack, but he didn't have time to escape from the opponent's Thunderbolt.

"MUU!"

"Muttiny!" Ilaria called out, seeing her Pokémon in pain. Pikachu’s attacks were very strong, but that was to be expected from someone who had already traveled to several regions as he said. He certainly hadn’t wasted his time.

She on the other hand…

“You’re good at coordinating with your Pikachu.”

“You too with Muttiny! But we’re just getting started! Pikachu, use Electro Ball!” Ash ordered another attack from distance.

“Pika pika pikaaaaaa chu pi!” Pikachu didn’t hesitate to charge his attack, aiming for the puppy, who had just gotten back on his paws.

“Muttiny, roll away!”

To dodge quicker, Muttiny threw himself on the ground, rolling sideways and thus managing to avoid being hit by the electric ball.

“Good! And now attack with Ice Fang!”

“Mu mut mut!!” The puppy ran forward towards his opponent, who was landing on the ground after his attack. He jumped on him, preparing to sink his frozen jaws as best he could.
He certainly couldn't avoid the attack, but Ash now had an easy card to use for those occasions. "Pikachu, block with your tail!"

"Pika!" Pikachu obeyed and brought his tail in front of his body, letting himself be bitten. He held back a grimace of pain, concentrating on maintaining control of the situation. "Pikaaa..."
Muttiny was onto him, so he knew what the next move would be.

Ash smiled satisfied "Thunderbolt!"

"Chuuuuu!!" Pikachu unleashed his electric shock on Muttiny, who didn't even have time to notice the danger, being pervaded by the move.

"Muttiny!" Ilaria called after him, worried. "Let go!"

The Pokémon opened its mouth and tried to move away, but stopping Pikachu's Thunderbolt proved more difficult than expected. “MUGH…”

“Woah! That’s going to hurt…” Philia commented.

Olivio chuckled, seeing the same scene experienced the day before “When you experience it for the first time it’s always a shock. Ilaria is lucky that Ash didn’t use it at the end of the battle, otherwise it would have already been over.”

Philia sighed “At this rate the battle won’t last long anyway…” She expected it, but it was still a disappointment.

“Maybe yes, or maybe not.” The professor tried to give the benefit of the doubt.
Albeit it was quite obvious, Ash wouldn’t have taken long to win if the situation had remained the same. Muttiny was taking far too much damage and Pikachu was still practically at full strength.

It seemed almost too easy, but Ash was obviously not holding back. For her part, Ilaria felt frustrated by the situation.<
She didn’t want to hold back, or make it seem like this was all she could do.

If it had been a normal battle maybe it wouldn’t have bothered her so much, but this wasn’t a normal battle. She couldn’t explain it, but she felt thrilled by facing that guy. What kind of respect would she show him? He had been so excited to face her…

“Muttiny, use Sand Attack!”

Muttiny raised his paws with struggle and hit the ground, raising enough debris from the ground to interrupt the electrical discharge. As soon as he was free to move, he took a few steps back, while still trembling. He was still shaken by that powerful attack, and it wasn’t even the first one he suffered.

It couldn’t go on like this.

“Muttiny, let’s change our approach, what do you say?”

“Mu?” Really? Was this such an important battle for her?
Usually her priorities were very different. But he could read Ilaria’s urgency in her eyes and if that was what she wanted, he still had more to give.

“Mut!” the puppy nodded.

Ilaria smiled with conviction. By now they had studied their opponent enough, they could counterattack with the right tactic.

“Muttiny, use Sand Attack on the ground!”

The puppy nodded knowing what his trainer had in mind. He slammed his paws on the ground and raised a cloud of dust that reached Pikachu, growing as it went.
Once engulfed in that storm of sandy debris, it was impossible for the Pokémon to see what was around it, and it was impossible for Ash to spot his partner.

“Hey, what the…-!” Ash grabbed his hat, trying to keep the sand away from his eyes “Since when is Sand Attack the same as Sandstorm!?”

“Just because we don’t know Sandstorm it doesn’t mean we can replicate its effects!” the gym leader smiled, then turned to her Pokémon “Now let’s show how a hound tracks its prey! Tail Whip!”

“Pikachu, watch your surroundings!”

It was one of the strangest Sand Attacks he had seen, but it shouldn’t have been that surprising. He himself used his Pokémon’s moves in creative ways, so something like this was also easily expectable.

He absolutely had to handle the situation.

“Pika!”

The puppy dove headfirst into the cloud, with such confidence that it seemed obvious that he knew where Pikachu was.

“Look out, Pikachu!”

Pikachu tried to spot his opponent, but the sand blocked his field of vision so much that he couldn’t see him.

“MUT!”

Pikachu felt a tail swipe hit him, sending him flying backwards. “Pika!” As the mouse fell to the ground, the dust began to clear. It was obvious that a fake Sandstorm was out of range, but it had served Ilaria’s purpose.

They had landed Tail Whip, and now Pikachu’s defense was lower than before.
In fact, while the mouse didn’t seem particularly shaken by the blow, he did feel a strange sensation of weakness.

“Now Quick Attack!” Ilaria ordered. The puppy ran forward and aimed to hit Pikachu.

“Hit back!” Ash commanded, and his partner listened.

Both Pokémon ran towards each other and met in the middle of the battlefield.
At first, there didn’t seem to be much of a difference from their first battle, but when the two broke apart, it was clear that Pikachu had taken more damage than his opponent.

“P-Pika…” Pikachu growled in frustration. He was unleashing his usual moves, with the same determination, but he wasn’t doing nearly enough.

“Again, use Sand Attack! And then follow up with Tail Whip,” Ilaria commanded again.

“Mumumumu tiny!” Muttiny repeated the same tactic as before, aiming at his opponent.

They had to dodge it. “Pikachu, move to the side!”

Pikachu tried to run towards the edge of the field, but the Sand Attack managed to catch up with him at the edge of the battle area and swallowed him. “Pika!” His vision was blurred again, causing him to raise his tail in alert.

He was on the defensive, trapped in a corner. He tried to sniff the air, to be able to locate his opponent, but the only thing he could smell was the dirt. His sense of smell was not as developed as Muttiny's.

Not that it would have done him much good anyway, as he had nowhere to run. Soon, Muttiny approached and Pikachu felt a sudden slap on his face.

“Pika!” Pikachu shook his head, annoyed. He jumped forward to return the hit, but found nothing in his run and ended up only in the middle of the field, where the air was now getting clearer.

“Pikachu, are you okay?” Ash asked worriedly.

The little mouse nodded, but it was clear that he was nervous. “Chu!”

“Again! Sand Attack and Tail Whip!”

“Pikachu, stop Muttiny with Electro Ball!”

“Mumumumuuuuuuu!”

“Pikapikapikaaaaa!” Pikachu began to charge his electric ball, but by the time he was ready to throw it, the dust had already risen.

Muttiny had the ground beneath his feet, so creating a quick Sand Attack was much easier than having to gather energy, aim, and wait for it to reach her opponent. He had just the right amount of time to dodge Pikachu's attack and run toward him to hit him with another Tail Whip.

The little mouse could do nothing but fall into the cloud of sand and when he fell to the ground his body took two hits. One with the ground, and the next one with Muttiny's tail. "Chu!"

"Pikachu, don't give up! Try to attack with Iron Tail!"

Pikachu quickly tried to rotate his tail, hoping to be able to hit the opponent at close range. However, the attack hit nothing.

"Quick Attack!" Ilaria ordered.

"Tiny!" Muttiny actually didn't have to do much to dodge Pikachu's tail. A few feet away, he leaped forward and hit Pikachu square in the side, throwing him at his trainer’s feet.

“Pikachu! Are you okay!?” Ash asked, kneeling down and placing a hand on the mouse’s back.

Pikachu stood up jerkily “P-Pika…” He could still go on. However, his nerves weren't doing him any favor in handling his opponent’s attacks well, much less dodge or counter them.

If they continued like this, even managing to hit their opponent, they would sustain too much damage.

Ash gritted his teeth, starting to feel the same frustration as his Pikachu. They had gone from having victory in their hands to having their backs against the wall. 
Muttiny's Sand Attack could spread across most of the battlefield, and once inside it, it was almost guaranteed to be discovered.

He couldn't even give Pikachu any directions. He couldn't see him or how Muttiny moved through the dust, especially from his position.
He couldn't be Pikachu's eyes in that challenge.

"Ash, think carefully! Don't let it influence you!" A sudden voice advised from the stands.

...Huh?

Ash turned his head and met Brock's gaze, a mixture of encouragement and seriousness.
Was it a warning? advice? A lecture?
Why that look...? Why that expression?
That face... that tone of voice.

It irritated him.

Of course he couldn't let it influence him! Did he think it was the first time he had found himself in a difficult situation? He should have known, right? He knew how to get out of that kind of situation!

Brock should be aware that he no longer needed his advice. He could think for himself, with his own head.

But to do that, he had to be able to stay calm, him first and foremost as a trainer. Losing concentration at that moment would only have led to disaster. It hurt him to remember it like that, but Brock was right.
Think…

Yet beyond the timing of the battle, he couldn't ignore that weight on his neck. He couldn't waste time like that, he had to have the solution at hand, for every type of unforeseen event.

That was what was expected of him at that point, right? He had learned it, he had been able to do it for a while now. He had to prove it again.
Otherwise, why had Olivio called him there? What kind of example would he have given to the professor who was betting on him?

He certainly couldn't make the efforts of years seem in vain at his first forsian gym battle. And if Brock didn't remember, he would remind him.

Yes, he could adapt. A quick, immediate response.

If they didn’t have eyes, they would have responded with other senses. “Pikachu, don’t look or smell!”

“Pika chu?” Pikachu muttered, more confused than he let on.

Ilaria smiled to herself. It didn’t seem so easy now, did it? “Sand Attack!”

“MOOUUUU!!!”

Ash insisted. “Listen!”

They didn’t need eyes! If they didn’t have sight, they had hearing.

Pikachu still had no idea what tactic Ash had in mind. But all in sll, it shouldn’t matter, he would follow him as best he could.

He closed his eyes and concentrated, as requested.

“Get ready, Pikachu!”

“Pika!”

This time Pikachu waited for the dust to come and let it surround him. Everything around him was a single brown color. Despite this, he tried to keep his nerves steady. Paws firmly planted on the ground, he silently activated Iron Tail and waited.

His ears moved slightly, trying to filter out any useful noise from the disturbing ones. The slight buzz of the turning sand and dirt granules wasn’t helping, but he soon managed to hear a footstep.

Then another.
Closer and closer.
Then the buzzing stopped to his right.
Gotcha.

Sometimes silence is more significant than noise.

“PIKAAA!” He whipped the air right where his senses had indicated.

“TIIH!”

And he hit the target, throwing it meters further away and thus averting the risk of weakening even more. The field cleared again and this time it was Muttiny on the ground, instead of Pikachu.

“Muttiny!” Ilaria exclaimed, surprised.

“Well done Pikachu!” Ash instead complimented. They had finally managed to find a countermove.

Pikachu returned the trainer's thumbs up. Now it was clear, if they couldn't reach Muttiny before falling into the arms of the Sand Attack, they would wait there to strike.

"It looks like a gladiator clashing with a Pyroar." Philia observed "Wait for it to get close so you can impale it with your weapon."

Olivio agreed, "Yeah, Pikachu has a great ability to adapt, you can see that the years of experience have made him grow a lot. And this goes for Ash too, keeping calm is not easy."

In fact, for the situation he found himself in, Ash had responded in a very simple but effective way. His tactic was not bad at all, Ilaria would admit that. However, it involved no small risks. He could not predict the direction of their attacks every single time "Good job, but it won't last! Muttiny, use Sand Attack again!"

Ash smiled, he knew it was a matter of probabilities, but in the end the risks were part of the game "Ready, Pikachu?"

"Pika!" The little mouse confirmed, now much more determined.

Again he let himself be hit by the cloud of debris, this time even more attentive and ready to spot Muttiny.

Left.

“Mu!”

A quick tail swipe and he managed to hit his target again, pushing it away. Wasting the opportunity like this didn’t seem wise, in fact Ash didn’t wait to order the next move. “Keep going with Electro Ball!”

“Pikaaaaa chu pi!” Pikachu ran a couple of meters ahead and without jumping charged his tail with electrical energy.
This time he wouldn’t waste any time.

With a forward somersault, he took advantage of the movement of his body to throw the ball as fast as possible, like a catapult.

Muttiny couldn’t help but take the hit. “Mut!”
Its slender little body fell to the ground with a thud. Pikachu's attacks were powerful and two hits in a row were no little damage.

Luckily, they had already weakened Pikachu's defenses, so they could proceed with the next phase..
They couldn't continue with the same tactic, risking to lower the enemy's defense any further was too reckless. They had to go on the attack.

"Muttiny use Sand Attack!"

"It doesn't work anymore!" Ash smiled, "Pikachu, get ready with Iron Tail!"

Muttiny quickly raised the dust, which swallowed Pikachu. In a short time, the puppy approached the trap and jumped in.

However, this time when he got close to Pikachu, he stopped on his paws, waiting before striking.

Pikachu, for his part, couldn't exactly sense Muttiny's movements, but he had half an idea of ​​where he was thanks to the flow of sand interrupted by the puppy's body. "Pika!"

It didn’t matter if Muttiny was fast or slow, he knew where to strike to catch his opponent in time.

However, as prepared as he was, Pikachu couldn’t really expect the sudden command that shocked both him and his trainer.
“Muttiny, Ice Fang!”

“Pika!?” “What!?”

That moment of distraction wasn’t fatal, but almost. Pikachu strengthened his tail and instead of attacking, he simply defended himself.

Muttiny’s bite caught him right on the tail and although the mouse’s quickness saved him from much worse damage, the attack was not insignificant. In comparison, the puppy had suffered almost nothing, as Pikachu was much weaker.

The shock wave of the two attacks swept away the sand and made the scene clearly visible.
Pikachu was protecting his body with his tail, while Muttiny was applying pressure with his paws, pushing as hard as he could to defeat the shield that was preventing him from hitting his opponent better.

A sense of worry began to settle in Ash's chest "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"Pikaaa...-!"

"Muttiny, let go and sink back in!"

"Mut tiny!" Muttiny let go of Pikachu's tail, but it was a short break. He immediately reactivated the move and went back to biting Pikachu's tail.

The electric shock that was heading towards the puppy through his tail met his icy jaws and another wave of energy was released. This time, it was even clearer which of the two moves prevailed.

Pikachu tried to free himself from the grip, but the cold that soon spread in his tail destabilized him. He didn't have enough strength to push the puppy away with his body alone, let alone run away.

Ash could also understand his friend's position "Pikachu, use Electro Ball!" Maybe with that attack they could gain space from Muttiny and recover in time for a counterattack.

Pikachu did as ordered and began to gather energy "Pikaaaaaa-" although no sphere formed on Pikachu's tail, the electrical discharges that were trying to gather together produced enough energy to hinder Muttiny and its grip.

There was a small explosion, which separated the two opponents. Pikachu ended up rolling towards his trainer, stopping with his paws just a meter away from him.

Ash didn't wait to get a good look at the battlefield, they had to react immediately "Use Electro Ball again!"

"P-PIkaaa-" Pikachu jumped a little and tried to charge his tail with electricity, but for some reason, he felt an annoying sensation of continuous accumulation. He should have felt the electricity leave his body in a single point, until he threw it, instead it was as if trapped inside his tail.

The sudden discomfort increased when he realized he felt weighed down, unbalanced.

He landed on the ground and immediately turned his head, towards where he should have found his Electro Ball attack, but he didn't find what he was hoping for.

In fact, it was a sad surprise to find himself face to face with a block of ice, which trapped his tail. "Pi... pi pikachu!?"

"...Damn." Ash muttered, noticing Pikachu's situation. That was not what they needed!

"He's frozen..." Brock commented, biting his lip. Now that was bad luck. “Ice Fang has a very low probability of freezing the enemy. Theoretically, the more you land the attack, the better chance you have, but sometimes it’s just a matter of good luck.”

Serena whispered worriedly, “Do you think Ilaria had foreseen it?”

“I think that’s why she ordered the same move twice in a row. Sure, Muttiny ran the risk of getting hit, but considering how much it managed to lower Pikachu’s defense power, there were more advantages than disadvantags.”

After all, risks are part of the game.

And with Electro Ball out of action, vulnerable, and Pikachu’s mobility seriously compromised, there was no doubt that the game was now dangerously close to being over. In Ilaria's favor.

“I haven’t seen Ilaria fight like this in years” Philia murmured, unable to hide her tone of admiration.

Olivio smiled proudly “I told you.”

“Oh, you shut up.” muttered the girl, blushing slightly.

However, she couldn’t hide her happiness at seeing her sister so… involved.

It had been so long that every battle seemed like an optional duty. When Ilaria was in a good mood and had time on her hands, she let herself indulge a little more, but she never had this great drive to seek victory. Losing or winning, she preferred to analyze the battle.

The sad norm instead was that when she had cases or other commitments, she rushed to finish a battle in the most dignified way possible, again without caring about the result.

At first Philia had to deal with disappointment, cheering for her sister at every battle. Then, as she grew up, her feelings had turned into anger.

She really couldn’t stand Ilaria’s attitude, because she knew her motivations and despite how she felt, she couldn’t do anything about it.
But now she had grown up.

And if this challenger had managed to move his sister like this, she really hoped that one day she would be able to face many like him and feel that same thrill.

Even if she had to admit that now he was the one who seemed totally out of rhythm.

It was so obvious to everyone.

That nervousness that had troubled him before, came back to life in Ash. Stronger and harsher, more cumbersome. It dominated his mind, his thoughts.

How could he have let Ilaria take the reins so easily? He had played too arrogantly, thinking he was the only one capable of alternating strategy with gambling, limiting himself to letting her do it all. Thus, playing on defense and reaction, without really having a plan.

And rightly so, luck had rewarded Ilaria and her courage.

What could he do to fix it?
Nothing, he couldn't think of anything.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu turned to his trainer, waiting for his next command. A piece of advice, a strategy, anything that could get them out of this mess.

However, the boy's face seemed still, as if carved in stone. His eyes were staring at an empty spot in an almost obsessive manner, as if they wanted to avoid ending up in a specific direction.

There, in the stands, Brock and Serena, along with Ash's other Pokémon, waited like Pikachu. Anxiety was rising, why wasn’t Ash doing anything?

Was he thinking about how to proceed? Why was he stuck like that?

“Leaf…” Leafala trembled slightly. It wasn’t possible that Ash was already done for. He had seen him battle and it had taken him little to understand that if there was one thing the boy was good at, it was turning the situation around.

Tweeny noticed his teammate out of the corner of his eye, however he didn’t find the courage to offer comfort, neither with words nor with gestures. How could he? He had never seen a gym battle, he didn’t know how these things worked, but it was obvious even to him that Ash had no control over the situation.

He seemed like a fish out of water, it was quite unsettling.

For everyone; for Serena, who was silently watching, but also for Brock.

For a moment, Ash’s figure changed in his eyes. It was a flash, a jolt that made him instinctively jump to his feet and bring his hands to his mouth, under the astonished eyes of Serena, Philia, Tweeny and Leafala.

It seemed like he was going back in time, so he didn't think too much when his voice rang out in guiding words, for the second time "Ash, you have to get rid of the ice! Use Iron Tail on the ground and-..."

But Brock's words were lost in the void, replaced by a whistle that entered Ash's ears.

He didn't need his advice anymore!

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash shouted, completely ignoring Brock's advice.

Pikachu's eyes widened. Ash knew he couldn't run well in those conditions, how could he hit Muttiny!? "Pi!?"

"Pikachu, I said Quick Attack!" the trainer repeated more harshly.

“Pikapi…” Pikachu lowered his ears, stunned, but he obeyed. Getting on all his paws, he tried to run towards Muttiny, but it was obvious that the more he gained speed, and it wasn’t even that much, the more he went off course.

Ilaria, who had not attacked until that moment, looked at her opponent with a doubtful expression. What was going on? Had she really managed to send him into such a crisis? “Muttiny, use Quick Attack too!”

“Mut mut mut mut!!”

It was a straight and direct hit, after all Pikachu had no control whatsoever over his Quick Attack. The little mouse in fact didn’t even have a chance to dodge, ending up taking the move in all its power. “Pi!”

However, as worried as he was for his Pokémon, Ash was completely in the grip of his eagerness to react.

“Ash, what are you doing!?”

The boy shook his head “Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!”

Pikachu stood up “Pikaaaa chuuu!!” and followed the order.

“Dodge, Muttiny!”
However, it was like eating a piece of cake for the puppy to dodge.

“Thunderbolt again!” Ash ordered again.
And again. And again. And again…

Pikachu launched one Thunderbolt after another, trying to catch the opponent, but it was as if he was dancing between one bolt and the next. He wasn’t affected in the slightest. To make matters worse, with each new attack, Pikachu's breathing became heavier. He was running out of electricity, visible in his struggling.

When his last Thunderbolt didn’t even send a spark in the direction of the opponent, the air became incredibly heavy, almost unbreathable.
Silence fell on the battlefield.

Ash’s fists began to shake violently. Maybe it was true, maybe nothing had changed.

Maybe he would always need someone to show him the way, someone to plow the ground so he could plant the seeds of success.

In that moment, for the first time in years, he felt like he was back at the beginning.

“ASH!”

The voice that called him was different and this time Ash couldn’t help but turn in its direction.

His eyes fell on the figure of Serena, standing there, looking at him with determination. This time she was the one everyone was looking at, but she didn’t seem to care.

“This is your battle. Yours, your team’s, and no one else’s, okay?”

Ash listened carefully to those words, processing them in his mind.
His battle. His and Pikachu’s, whom he had sent into the fray because of such unexpected worries. He had gotten nervous.

“You don’t have to make me or anyone else proud, because we always will be and your happiness is all we really need.”

He wanted to prove so much what he had learned, what he could do, that he wasn't actually proving anything.

He had wanted to impress Brock, Olivio, his Pokémon, Serena so much that he had forgotten about having fun.

Suddenly, Olivio stood up too. "Ash, sometimes life is a game. Play!"

The professor, who had battled against that boy so recently, knew well what he could do. Ash's fire shouldn't not burn on anything other than pure and natural branches of passion.

He wasn't enjoying that battle, which had every premise of being among the most intriguing and fun.

Ash inhaled as much air as he could, then let it out in a huge puff, leaving his muscles to relax.
That was his battle. Listening to outside advice was his choice. And his was the arsenal of tactics he could invent.

Okay, he would play.

“Pikachu, sorry. Do you still feel like following me?” He turned to his Pokémon.

Pikachu, finally seeing some serenity in his trainer’s eyes, smiled with relief. “Pikapi, pika chu!” Of course he would follow him, to the ends of the world.

“Great! Use Quick Attack!” Ash ordered, this time without the obsession he had shown before.

Despite the memory of his previous attempts still being very vivid, Pikachu followed the instructions. He had no doubts, he no longer had to worry about anything. This time he felt it inside, Ash had a goal in mind.

“Pika pika pikaaa-!” Pikachu tried to increase his speed as much as possible without skidding, however the lack of mobility in his tail did not help him in his attempt.

“Muttiny, you too!” Ilaria counterattacked. She didn’t know what had happened, but if Ash wanted to strike again, she wouldn’t have hesitated to respond.

“Mut mut mut mut mut mut!”
As had happened before, Pikachu was hit by the opponent’s attack without being able to return the damage. However, he tried to hang on.

“Again, Pikachu!”

“Pika!” Pikachu attacked again.
This time, when Muttiny charged towards him, the two collided head-on. For a moment, they both remained pushing to dominate their respective opponents, but as expected Muttiny prevailed.

Pikachu fell back again. The cumulative damage of the various moves was taking its toll, but he could still keep going. He had to.

“Pikachu, can you hold on a little longer?” Ash asked, aware of the risks of his strategy. However, it was their only shot.

The electric mouse nodded, determined to continue. If that was the way, they had to persist.

The tenacity of the two, however, was not equally welcomed by the stands. Serena watched silently, Olivio with intrigue, Philia in confusion and Brock... extremely indecisive.

Why was Ash persisting with those blind attacks? What did he think he could achieve? Even if he hit his opponent, the result was absolutely not worth the effort. With striking so rarely and risking to be defeated at any attack, it seemed foolish.

And yet, Ash continued to assign Pikachu the same task, with a smile of someone who was slowly placing the pieces of a domino.

He knew he was letting himself get too carried away by senseless worry. Ash was perfectly capable of handling the situation. So why did he have this uncontrollable desire to interfere? To offer him help that was perhaps unnecessary?

“Pikachu, once again! Quick Attack!

“Muttiny, you too!”

“PIKA!” “MUT!”

The two Pokémon collided again, taking the blow.

When they separated, Pikachu was clearly out of breath, while Muttiny seemed ready to counterattack.

“Ash!” Ilaria called. “I have to say, I’m curious about what you had in mind and wanted to give you time to do something creative, but I don’t think I can make any deduction that makes some sort of sense…”

Ash smiled slyly “Aren’t you the best detective?” The boy teased.

The gym Llleader returned the tease “So it’s supposed to be. I think I’ll have to push a little harder to find the solution! Muttiny, Ice Fang!”

Muttiny charged his teeth with icy air, taking off running towards his opponent. “MOO!”

Pikachu stood still, waiting for his trainer's next command. He prepared to shield himself with his tail, which was already frozen...

Then Muttiny stopped.

"Eh...?" Ilaria gasped.

"Huh?" There were also exclamations of surprise in the stands.

Among them, only Olivio let himself lean against the back of his seat, smiling amusedly "Look at that!" He had understood the situation perfectly.

The puppy bent forward, completely frozen on his paws. Electric shocks danced on his fur, making him growl in annoyance. "Murrr..."

"He's paralyzed..." Philia commented.

"Pikachu's ability is Static..." Brock confirmed, his tone indecipherable.

Philia's eyes widened "Don't tell me Ash got hit on purpose all those times waiting for Static to activate!"

And trying to use Pikachu’s attacks to reduce the force of the rival’s.

"He decided to play the same game as Ilaria. He followed my advice way too seriously, hahaha!” the professor laughed in ecstasy. 

Now that was a crazy move. But geez, sometimes it was also a matter of luck.
And with all the blows they had taken, it was only a matter of time.

“Typical Ash!” Serena smiled, giggling. Her friend was surprising, in the most reckless ways at times.

Brock nodded, without saying a word. Yeah, typical Ash …
He really should have known.

Philia jumped up, clenching her fists at her sides “Ilaria! You can do it!” She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Her little sister’s voice easily reached Ilaria, who in surprise turned towards the stands, almost struggling to believe it.
It had been years since she had heard her cheering.

She wouldn’t let it go to waste.

“I’d say you were lucky, but you were looking for this twist, weren’t you?”

Ash couldn’t contain his satisfied grin. He had hoped it would happen sooner, but better late than never. “That makes us even!”

Ilaria snorted, amused “Equal? ​​You still seem to be at a much greater disadvantage than I am. Paralysis has intermittent effects, while Pikachu is still frozen and will remain a thorn in your side until the end.”

Ash raised a frown “Thorn in the side? If anything, I’d say you’ve given us the winning card.”

“Huh!?”

“Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!”

Pikachu immediately charged his cheeks with electricity. “Pikaaaaaaa-”

“Muttiny, use Sand Attack! Then attack with Ice Fang!”

Muttiny managed to temporarily recover from the effects of the paralysis and unleashed a Sand Attack that went to envelop Pikachu. He then ran towards his opponent with his jaws ready to pounce, using his sense of smell to determine his position.

Ash watched the scene as if in slow motion, waiting. Then, when Muttiny was in the dust, his command went out. It was time to dance, literally. “Pikachu! Let’s take advantage of the slipperiness of the ice! Countershield!”

“What move would that be?” Philia exclaimed, while Brock held back a smile.

He just couldn’t control it, after all that was a tactic that could surprise anyone and Ilaria, without knowing it yet, had ended up in the same trap.

Attack can be the best defense.

Pikachu, even though he couldn’t see his trainer, had imitated the same smile. He placed his front paws on the ground, first one and then the other, alternating with the back ones, giving himself a little hop. Landing on his lower back, he let the ice on his fur make him slide in circles. The tail, which before was just a hindrance, now acted as a perfect balance.

“Pikaaaaaaaaaa chuuuuu!!” At that point, it released the accumulated electrical energy. The discharges began to swirl in the Sand Attack like a mobile cage, trapping Muttiny inside.

The puppy tried to stop, but by now too close, it was impossible for him to dodge that dancing lightning. “MUUH!” Hit directly, he tried to crawl as far away as possible, where the discharges could not reach, but his body was constantly being hit, taking more and more damage.

“Muttiny! Try another Sand Attack!” Ilaria suggested desperately, now out of options. Maybe they would disturb Pikachu’s rotation, or weaken the discharges…

Ash, however, did not let himself be put off in the slightest “Faster, Pikachu!”

“Pika!” Pikachu increased the speed of his rotation, giving himself a few pushes back and forth with his body. The arms of electricity became faster and thicker, collecting the debris of sand and dirt.

That flow of air and energy began to take shape. From the inside, the difference did not seem huge, but from the outside, the visual effect was remarkable. The dust had concentrated in a cone, an electric tornado.

Muttiny tried to grab onto the ground with his claws, but they were too small to work. His little body was lifted into the air and dragged by the current of the tornado, carrying him higher and higher, while the electricity continued to run through him.

Ilaria watched the scene in front of her eyes speechlessly, unable to even conceive of that twist.

Her challenger, on the other hand, remained composed, holding his cap to prevent it from flying away. His expression was concentrated, calculating. Muttiny reached the top of the flow, only to be thrown just beyond the middle of the field. His body fell heavily to the ground, taking the full force of the impact. “M-Muh…”

“And it doesn’t end here…” Ash thought. He had used the ice as a support, now it would even become their fifth move. The boy stretched out his arm, his voice full of adrenaline “Pikachu, let’s end this challenge!”

“Pika chu!” Pikachu stopped spinning and jumped into the air flow, letting himself be carried to the top, in a final leap into the air.

“Muttiny!” Ilaria almost had the instinct to leave her spot and run to her partner, but when the puppy barely raised his muzzle, their eyes met. The gym leader didn’t have time to take even a step.

The Pokémon’s eyes expressed pain, tiredness and frustration, but most of all, determination. That fight that had engaged them like never before, he wanted to finish it giving it his all. If he had to fall, he would do it with his head held high.

Ilaria smiled slightly. She had understood, after having promised to treat this fight as it should be, they certainly couldn't back down at the last minute. "Muttiny! Let's go!"

The puppy, with great difficulty, managed to get back on his paws and took a few steps forward. "Muu-"

Pikachu, having reached the highest point where he could be thrown by the tornado, began to curl up on himself, aiming at his opponent. "Pikaaaa..."

"Iron Freeze!!" Ash ordered.

The eyes of those present opened wide at that name, but held back every word. They watched in amazement as Pikachu activated Iron Tail and, leaning forward, began to spin around on himself, in somersaults. His tail, which was shining brighter than ever, seemed like a diamond blade slicing the air.

A ring of sharp ice.

Iron Tail no longer seemed weaker due to the lack of the tail’s mobility, it seemed stronger than ever.

“Ice Fang!” Ilaria ordered, ready to give it their all.

Muttiny prepared his jaws, waiting for Pikachu to arrive, who was swooping down. “Muu-!”

“Pikaaaa-!”

“T-Ti-...” Muttiny’s voice, however, stopped in a small moan.

The puppy collapsed to the ground, feeling his body suddenly freeze in a fit of electric shocks.

Ah, Ash had apparently made better use of his handicap, compared to Ilaria.

“GO!”

“PIKAAA CHU PI!!”

*KA POW*

Pikachu’s tail hit Muttiny square in the face, then transmitted the blow to the rest of his body.

The power of the move was enough to shatter the ice on Pikachu’s tail, which remained attached to his fur for a few seconds, then gradually dissolved.

Both Pikachu and Muttiny found themselves on the ground, groaning for a few seconds.

The tornado had now dissipated.
And so did Ilaria’s prospects of victory.

Only Pikachu stood up, while Muttiny remained stretched out on the ground, completely knocked out.

The lion was on the ground, and the gladiator stood tired but victorious. 

The referee raised his hand “Muttiny is no longer able to continue!” he then pointed his arm at Ash “The winner is the challenger, Ash!”

“Yay!!” Ash cheered, running towards Pikachu, who couldn’t take another step, but happily waited to be picked up.

The trainer gently hugged his Pokémon, all his gratitude in that hug.

“Sorry about before… and thank you.” Ash murmured in his friend’s ear.

Pikachu lightly rubbed his cheek on the boy’s shoulder, in sweet reassurance “Pikapi pi pi chu!” It didn’t matter, in the end the important thing was that he had regained his lucidity. The battle was important, but the well-being of his trainer even more so.

A little further away, Ilaria was crouched on the ground, while she petted Muttiny and reassured him with a sweet voice “Thank you Muttiny, you were fantastic.” She watched her challenger out of the corner of her eye, celebrating.

Now, that was frustrating.

But that feeling made her smile. She hadn't felt that in a while, that frustration after a defeat. 

"That was fun, huh?"

"Mu..." The puppy nodded weakly.

"Now get some rest, okay?" Ilaria took out Muttiny's sphere and called him back inside, at least to give him some relief before giving him the proper treatment.

She put the pokéball away and approached Ash and Pikachu, hands on her hips and an eager expression. "Congratulations on the win! I was right, you really are a crazy one!"

Ash was taken aback by the comment, initially remaining frozen, then finally allowed himself to laugh "I had to come up with something!"

"Sure, but Iron Freeze... really?"

"Why, do you have better names?" he challenged.

Ilaria thought about it “Icy Tail!”

Ash stared at her for a moment, then blurted out, “That’s terrible.”

“Figures!”

They both burst out laughing, offering a hand each and clasping them together in a friendly grip. Strange moments of crisis aside, it had been a truly exciting challenge.

“Leafa!” “Twee!”

Ash turned around and saw his other two Pokémon running toward him and jumping on him. They were ecstatic. “Did you have fun?”

“Fala!” “Nee!”

“I’m glad!” He returned the smile, as he watched his Pokémon celebrate.

Leafala offered a fist to Pikachu, who returned with his own. His teammate had done some crazy things and Leafala had never seen anything like it in any of his past experiences.

If that was what Ash meant when he talked about using strength in various ways… well he didn’t dare imagine what they could come up with in the future!

Tweeny was no less enthusiastic, it was probably one of the coolest things he had ever seen.

Soon the other spectators joined them too. Serena immediately approached Ash, a light blush on her cheeks “You were awesome!”

“Thanks to you too. If you hadn’t said those things to me It probably would have ended up as it did.” Ash admitted, with a grateful expression. Who knows what would have happened had he continued as he was doing.

“No.” She immediately denied it. “The battle was yours, remember?”

“That may be true, but it reminded me of my first gym battle in Kalos, against Viola. Something similar happened then too, and you were the one who encouraged me.”

“Ah…” Serena also remembered that situation, but she didn’t think that for Ash it was such a big event to remember vividly. The discovery made her blush “It was nothing…”

“For me it is, and it won’t change.” Ash smiled. Serena had no idea how much those few words had helped him or how her presence could make her name all the more truthful. And it wasn’t even the first time.

But she was right. By finding control he had managed to face that difficult situation and turn a disadvantageous situation in his favor. Maybe he was really getting going again. Maybe he was really continuing on the right path.

Well, at least he still knew how it's done!

“You’re a prodigy, boy!” Olivio wrapped an arm around his neck, celebrating “You really embraced risk, huh?”

“Well, if you always play it safe, so many opportunities wouldn’t arise!” Ash laughed. The professor had also been a huge help to him. 

He had really inspired him to do crazy things. Maybe he was letting himself be influenced too much, but it had brought him luck! Or at least for the moment…

Philia instead turned to Ilaria, took her hand gently and squeezed it. Her older sister turned around in surprise, but Philia anticipated her before she could say anything “I’m proud of you.”

Really, she was proud, and happy. She always had been, but for the first time she had found the strength to say those words. Not only because of her pride, but because she had never really seen her sister put so much heart and soul into something… irrational, totally selfish.

Ilaria could have behaved as usual, but instead she had let herself get involved and for once she had stopped thinking logically. Or at least, she had used logic elsewhere.

She would have liked that feeling to have come much earlier, but there was no point in crying over the past. She might as well guard it jealously and hope it would be perpetual.

“Hey Ash, great job!” Finally it was Brock who approached the group, offering his hand for a high five. “I should have known you would come up with something amazing. Sorry for butting in.”

Ash glanced at his hand, pleasantly surprised. Ah, Brock must have understood “You’re welcome, I’m glad you attended!”

“Hmm!” the older boy nodded, sharing the sentiment “It was nice to see that you haven’t changed at all!”

“Ah…”

Ash’s shoulders stiffened for a moment, but then he reached out to return the squeeze, with a smile “I intend to give it my all! This is only the first of the challenges to face!”

“Well said!” Ilaria confirmed, dipping a hand into her pocket. “And we must celebrate!” She pulled out a badge and handed it to Ash “Here is the Control Badge! You deserved it!”

“Ah, thank you!” Ash exulted, accepting the proof of his success.
He looked at his first Forsian medal with emotion, savoring that beautiful feeling. He had really missed it, he had almost forgotten about it, so long and difficult had his period of inactivity been.

“Yay! I won the Control Badge!” He raised the badge to the sky.

“Pi Pikachu!” Pikachu cheered, though not jumping. It wasn’t because he wasn’t enthusiastic, but because he was too tired to move a muscle. He would have gladly stayed in Ash’s arms until they reached the medical center.

Leafala and Tweeny jumped in his place, renewing the feeling of happiness. Ash and Pikachu’s joy was now their joy, and they hoped to be able to help them find much more in the future.

Finally, Ash had the feeling that he would never stop again.

…

After the battle, the group took Pikachu and Muttiny to the Pokémon Center, where the two fully recovered, and once free from commitments, the day was completely at their disposal for whatever activity they had in mind.

Philia insisted that it was necessary to take Ash and Serena on a visit to Hilsette Town, since they would be leaving the following day, and even if the two had already had the opportunity to get lost in the streets of the city when they first arrived, it had turned out to be a very pleasant choice. They had eaten, had observed some of the more and less touristy places and then had returned to the professor's lab to enjoy a good dose of relaxation. After such a full day, the few hours of sleep had finally kicked in.

Ilaria and Philia had returned to their house, while Ash and Serena had collapsed without much difficulty, leaving only Brock and Olivio awake in the laboratory.

Olivio was certainly tired, he too had experienced a rude awakening that morning, but he was used to staying up late and could catch up on sleep much more easily than two trainers who were often on the move.

Brock had rested enough, he could certainly have held out for a few more hours, however it wasn't the coffee that was keeping him from going to bed earlier.

Time was running out, he had to talk to Olivio.
However, it wasn't him who found the professor, if anything the opposite. "I know it's late, but would you like to discuss your internship in a little more detail?"

"Oh, certainly." Brock agreed, following Olivio into the living room and sitting down on the couch next to him.

Olivio handed Brock a cup of steaming tea, previously placed on the

coffee table. A nice hot drink in the evening was always of great comfort. “I would have waited until tomorrow, so we could discuss without any rush once Ash and Serena had left, but I guess that would make your request pointless.”

“Ah…” Brock stiffened slightly, lowering his head with a smile. “I apologize, I should have mentioned this earlier. It wasn’t fair of me.”

“Nah, don’t worry. You didn't have that much time, you had to come here in a hurry. And let’s be honest, I wouldn’t even be the one paying you heh…” Olivio held back a smile. Of course, that was another one of the expenses included in his funds, kindly offered by the state.

“A-Ah well,” Actually it was quite similar for doctors, in some circumstances.

“Also, I would have reacted the same way.” Olivio admitted, sipping some of his chamomile tea. “I’ve only known Ash for a short time but he’s always so full of surprises… he inspires, surprises, and I think traveling with him is a unique and rare experience. It would certainly give you many more opportunities than being locked up here in my lab.”

Brock completely understood those words, but he didn’t think the professor was that serious about Ash. “Are you sure?”

The man nodded. “Of course! And not to disdain Serena and Ash’s help, but I like having a certain artistic mess… even if my other assistants and my mother don’t agree with my decorative choices.”

“They’re not entirely wrong…” Brock held back from saying.

“But I also have to admit that it’s not ideal for having guests, especially for a long stay.”

“At least he knows that…”

Olivio put the cup on the table, sighing. His expression changed completely. “But the real point is, I think you know that Ash has this tendency to get himself into unpleasant situations.”

“Indeed, but more often than not it’s not by choice.” They couldn’t blame him for being chased by Team Rocket, which was 80% of his troubles. Nor was it fair to criticize his courage in stepping in and helping those in need. For Arceus’s sake, real-life Legendary Pokémon came looking for him for assistance, it was no surprise that Ash now felt like he had to do certain things.

“Oh, but I believe it.” Ash couldn’t be that masochistic. “That doesn’t change the fact that the idea of ​​a boy that young having so many experiences of mortal danger makes me uncomfortable. He may be a hero or the most independent person in the world, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s… eighteen?”

Brock corrected him. “Seventeen.”

“Even worse. I’ve done my research, Ash is in the news in multiple regions and I have no doubt that he has ended up in even more dire situations than those disclosed to the public. And he has been doing so for years.”

“…I can confirm that.”

“I am sure that he could handle himself just fine, but you also have to take into account that sometimes it’s a matter of luck and that’s not always on our side. Ash is kinda working for me, so it’s my duty to make sure he’s safe and do everything I can to assist him. I would appreciate knowing that you are with him, at least if something were to happen to someone's Pokémon, you could intervene.”

That tendency of Ash’s to throw himself headlong into danger… It was admirable but also worrying. The boy had very little regard for his own safety, or for his own life for that matter. He was sure that he wasn’t the only one who thought so and he wanted to believe in the trainer’s good sense, but certain unconscious tendencies, once developed, are difficult to remove.

Now he was under his tutelage in a sense. Not officially, of course, but he was doing him a favor. If something were to happen to him, especially while under his care, Olivio would never be able to forgive himself.

“Of course you’ll have to ask Ash and Serena, but I don’t think there’ll be any problems. They don’t seem like that kind of couple to me...” Olivio chuckled, trying to cheer up.

Brock had to hold back with all his might to not spit out the tea in his mouth “Wait, what do you mean?”

“Oh well, it seems obvious to me. Either those two are together, or they’re really hopeless.”

“No!? Ash-no way. I would have noticed! And he didn’t say anything to me! That's surely a misunderstanding, I assure you, Ash has seemed to ignore that kind of stuff for years now.” Brock chuckled, a slight hint of nervousness hitting him. 
Something like that couldn’t have happened, right? Not only because it would have meant that Ash, of all people, had found someone before him, but because it was just an impossible concept to fathom.

He had seen it himself, how he had grown almost… opposite in that sense. It was as if his hormones had completely shut down!
True, Ash had never been completely unaware of those concepts, just as it was true that quite a bit of time had passed since they had traveled together, but he couldn’t have changed that much, right?
Right?

“Hm, you may know Ash more than I do, but I have seen people in love, I have been in love myself… with guys, but the kind of feeling is the same. If not Ash, I’d bet all my possessions on Serena. Have you seen the way she looks at him?” It had gone from a purely work-related conversation to a sort of gossip session.

Brock tried to think about it, but he had to admit that he hadn't paid much attention to the matter. Misty had a completely different way of expressing her conflicting feelings for Ash, May had never seemed the least bit interested in him, and Dawn's affection was strong but didn't seem to be of that nature.

"In that case, take advantage of this journey to observe. Sometimes it's the most common things that tell you the most."

Maybe he should really keep his eyes open from then on to the future, he was getting rusty.

…

Ilaria knew she should have been in bed a while ago, but she really couldn't sleep.

That day had been truly emotional, in the most unimaginable ways; from the Team Rocket attack to the battle against Ash.

So there she was, sitting on the bleachers of her gym, trying to clear her mind. One could tell she had a lot to think about.

About Ash? What a guy… In some ways he seemed like the most straightforward person in the world, someone easy to read, like an open book. In other ways, however, he was indecipherable. He had a spirit and a mind that went off on tangents, you really couldn't keep up in certain situations.

It intrigued her a lot.

She then thought about her little sister, her words after the battle, the pride in her eyes. She had really missed it.

"Are you still awake?" Philia's voice surprised her.

Speaking of the devil…

"You should be in bed too." Ilaria retorted, without any intention of mocking her sister.

Philia shrugged "Too many emotions in one day. At least I slept the other night." The girl sat down next to her sister, hands under her chin and back arched forward, leaning on her elbows.

"You can say that."

There was a moment of silence, during which neither of them dared to speak.

However, Philia soon got tired of the silence. “Ilaria, you have to stop being a gym leader.”

“Wow, straight to the point.” Ilaria smiled.

“No, I’m serious.”

“Me too.”

“Then you’ll listen to me properly this time.” It wasn’t the first time she criticized her sister’s methods, but the issue was always downplayed. This time, Philia had a clear vision of things and there was nothing that would make her give up. “You’re a terrible gym leader.”

“Hmm…”

“Not because you don’t have the skills, you could really be phenomenal at this job if you put in the same effort you put in today, but you just don’t want to do it.” Philia put her hand on her chest “But I do. I respect the work of a gym leader, I want to do it! I trained for this, I have the skills and you know it too.”

“You’re still a kid.”

“There are gym leaders younger than me, you were one already for a while at my age!” Philia criticized. “And I’m not ten years old anymore. I’ve traveled enough to know how the world works, I’m skilled enough in battling to be able to handle things here and most of all, I’m much more interested in doing it.”

“Mine was a different situation…”

“I know!!” Philia raised her voice, almost broken “I know… that’s why I’m saying it! You don’t have to do it anymore, there’s no need. We get enough funds thanks to the gym rent and I can support myself by being a gym leader. You could do it with your cases.”

She couldn’t stand that situation anymore and she had been holding on for a while. Back then she hadn’t really been able to do anything, but now the situation had changed. “Please, I’ve watched you in that condition for too long. I want to see you do what you like, what inspires you! I want you to dedicate yourself to… yourself! Today you seemed like a different person!”

Ilaria lowered her head, smiling slightly. Yes, today she too had felt like a different person. For a long time, she had done the bare minimum as a gym leader. She wasn't proud of it, but it was very difficult to keep up the charade after a certain point. When you don't care about something, you can't always give your all for it.

Olivio had also talked to her about this matter, but she had always refused to back down.
Just as she had refused to depend on him years before, no matter how much it would have made her life easier.

Not Philia’s. Her life wouldn't have changed much because Ilaria had always given up everything for her sister. The sacrifices she had made to give her a life as normal as possible for two orphans concerned only her own life.

She couldn't really regret it, but Philia was right. "Today I didn't even feel like I was facing a gym battle, I felt like I was investigating one of the most intricate cases I've ever faced. Maybe that's why I seemed different."

"It wasn't because of the battle itself, but because you were facing Ash." Philia pointed out.

Ilaria nodded, it was undeniable that Ash was a person capable of transmitting crazy energy. Everything seemed like a surprise with him around! All sorts of things happened.
She would have liked to have such an emotional life, or at least discover the secret behind such a peculiar figure.

Philia sighed, crossing her arms “Sorry but if things really are like this, why don’t you join him? You would certainly have a better social life than staying here and you have cases outside of Himsette Town too, don't you? So why not accept the ones you find along the way?”

“You’re right.”

“And you have to understand that you no longer have to take care of m-wait, what did you say?”

“You’re right,” Ilaria repeated, standing up “Maybe it’s the right thing for me.”

Philia was shocked “Just like that?” It seemed almost too easy.

Ilaria giggled “I’ve been thinking about it all day. And I had you and Olivio bugging me about this matter for way too long… even though I understand why you did it.”

And she had a mystery to solve, no matter what.

“So… will you let me take care of the gym?”

“Well, you got your lycense to be a gym leader at the end of your journey, right? I can give you an exemption while we wait for the official transition.” Ilaria smiled.

Her sister had never had doubts about what she wanted to do with her life. Philia had traveled here and there in Forsia for a few months, had become strong enough to take all the tests for the gym leader license and had stayed in Hilsette Town ever since, hoping that her sister would decide to pass it down to her. 

So young but so determined… she could say she had done a good job raising her.

Even though Ilaria had taken care of everything, in the end the fifteen-year-old in front of her seemed to have the reins of her life much more than she did.

Philia rested her head on her sister’s shoulder. As much as they mocked each other, the affection between the two was clear and pure. 

Maybe she had used harsh words against Ilaria, but she was convinced that she would have been much happier leaving that place for a while. “Thank you.”

Ilaria then let her head rest on Philia's, returning the comfort offered.

Yes, traveling with Ash would probably help her find answers to those questions that had tormented her for a long time and for which she was looking for an answer.

She felt it in her gut, that was the key to solving the biggest mystery she had been investigating, even before knowing who Ash Ketchum was.

She had to do it.

“Thanks you.”

…

“Got everything?”

“Yes!”

“Then I'd say we're done.”

Ash and Serena left their backpacks near the entrance, then headed to the kitchen. They had everything they needed for a few days of travel and had cleaned the guest room. Now they just needed to have breakfast, kindly prepared by Brock, and then they could leave for their next destination.

“Ah, what a feast!” exclaimed Serena, noticing the great variety that Brock had offered.

“Right? It looks like a buffet!” agreed Olivio, already sitting with his choices on his plate.

Brock smiled at their joy “One needs something substantial before setting off on a journey!” After all, no matter which direction they wanted to go, they wouldn’t be arriving for a few days, unless there was a long stop in some village.

“Wise words there!” Ash agreed, placing a more than generous amount of krapfens on his plate.

“Speaking of traveling, are you still planning on going to Mozzaburgo?”

“Yes, we’ll head east. Even though Mozzaburgo is a bit far away, we don’t have to take too many complicated routes to get there.” Ash confirmed “And we saw that there’s both a gym and a Showcase that’s coming up soon.”

“Ah, so it’s definitely an important stop. And it’s a very popular tourist destination, it would be a shame not to stop by.” The professor appreciated the choice. He glanced at Brock, who was eating in silence. As far as he knew, he hadn't asked the two if they could join them yet.

It was the right opportunity.

"Excuse me, but I have a strong urge, gonna hit the bathroom for a second!" he jumped up and ran out of the room.

The three didn't have time to say anything, surprised by his sudden exit. So they were left alone, enjoying their meal in peace.

However, there was a certain air of ambiguity that no one could exactly define. "So," Brock cleared his throat "Do you have everything ready yet?"

"Yes, even if the bags are starting to weigh." Serena giggled, appreciating Brock's attempt to start a conversation. It was strange, but compared to their first meeting, he was a bit reserved. "After all, the more companions that join, the more food we have to carry."

"I offered to carry it for you!" Ash joined in.

Serena giggled, “So we can run out of food because of your snacks before we get to where we can restock?”

“I don’t eat Pokémon food! I’m not that desperate!” Her friend laughed.

“I can always carry it if you don’t trust him.” Brock said.

The two of them turned around abruptly as they registered the older boy’s words. They stared at him with wide eyes.

Brock put a hand behind his head, “If you want to…”

“Wait, what do you mean?” Ash asked, confused. “Do you want to come with us?”

“Yes.”

The two remained so surprised that they didn't know what to say.

So, it was Brock who continued "Actually, I've wanted to join you since we met again, but I had so many things on my mind, and I had to figure out how to organize them."

"And your internship?" Serena asked "Didn't you want to work with Olivio?"

"That would already be taken care of. I talked to the professor about it and he would also like for me to accompany you. He thinks I would get more experience out there in the field than locked in the lab."

Serena smiled, turning to Ash, who still had an unclear expression on his face. This worried her a little. He had told her that he appreciated his friend's company and that even if he wouldn't ask directly, if Brock had made the first move he would have welcomed him with open arms.

"Of course if it's okay with you. If you prefer to travel alone-"

"What are you even saying?" Ash interrupted.
The raven-haired finally showed a smile. He wanted to slap himself for even considering refusing. Instead, he gave the happiest expression possible.

Even though he couldn’t explain what had happened during his gym challenge, he loved his friend’s company. He was one of the closest people he had, and he would never turn down the idea of ​​traveling together again.

If any obstacles arose, they would overcome them, as friends. “Welcome back aboard.”

Brock smiled back, genuinely excited. “Thanks, Captain.” He joked, but he was truly grateful to still be traveling with Ash and getting to know Serena more.

It was clear the joy was shared. Serena shot a happy look at Ash, who smiled back, while Pikachu jumped onto Brock’s shoulder, cheering.

Serena then had a flash of realization. “Ash, do you know what that means?”

“What?” he tilted his head, confused.

“That I’ll buy the tent!”

The boy soon came to the same realization, sighing. True, they had agreed on the thing and now that Brock had joined, he would probably be in the tent with him and Serena would have to get her own. “Right.”

He didn’t understand why, but he was slightly disappointed.

Brock’s eyelids fluttered mechanically, repeatedly “Uh, I’m not following…” His brain went haywire for a moment.

Behind the kitchen door, Olivio smiled. With his heart a little more at peace, he went back inside as if nothing had happened “Here I am! What did I miss?”

…

After breakfast and tidying up the kitchen, Brock quickly packed his backpack and returned to his companions, ready to leave.

“Here I am!”

“Perfect, then I think we’re ready!” Ash announced. “Thanks again for everything, professor.”

Olivio nodded “No need, thank you! Please keep me updated! I want to know everything, even the most insignificant things! Knowledge is also made up of small details!”

“I will certainly do it!”

“And you, Leafala,” Olivio knelt in front of the Pokémon, left out of its sphere on purpose so he could say goodbye to the professor one last time “Be happy, okay?”

Leafala puffed out his chest, trying his best to hold back the tears. No, he wouldn't cry, and he wouldn't make the professor regret his choice. “Fala!”

Olivio smiled, knowing he’d have nothing to worry about.

“What about Ilaria? She said she would come to say goodbye.” Ash looked around. He would have liked to say goodbye before leaving, but she hadn't shown up yet.

“Maybe she had an unexpected commitment and forgot to let us know? Philia made it seem like a normal thing.” Brock hypothesized.

The professor chuckled sadly. “Unfortunately, it’s true…”

“HERE I AM!” They heard Ilaria’s voice in the distance.

They turned and saw her running down the street, slaloming between cyclists and pedestrians, narrowly avoiding hitting them like a bowling ball knocking over pins.

She caught up with them, panting, bending down just a little to recover. “I’m there!”

“Almost didn't.” Olivio teased her.

“I’ve still arrived!”

“Well, we still have to stop and get a tent. And if you hadn't come, we would have stopped by.” Serena reassured her. She also had her contact by now, so she could have called her.

“Whatever, I’m coming with you!”

“What!?” The three trainers exclaimed.

Olivio remained still for a few moments, his mind probably busy with a thousand thoughts, but then he smiled. “I see, I should have imagined it.”

Ilaria turned to Ash, Serena, and Brock with a smile. “I had a really good time yesterday, and I think I’d have even more fun spending more time with you guys. I left the gym to my sister, and I might solve a few cases here and there while I travel. So if it’s okay with you, I’d like to join the gang!”

The three exchanged still-stunned glances, but it didn’t take long to respond.

It was a really surprising development, and a quick one at that, but from the moment they left, Ash and Serena knew it could happen and they had never ruled out traveling with other people. Sure, going from being two, excluding Pokémon of course, to four in the timespan of half an hour was a change to get used to, but things would be even more interesting from now on.

Ash nodded, smiling like Serena and Brock “The more, the merrier!”

“Great!” the detective exulted. “What are we waiting for then!? Let’s go!”
Ilaria took off running, immediately startling the rest of the group, forced to follow her. “See you, Olivio!”

“Wait, do you even know where we're going?!”

“Will it always be like this!?”

“Do you even have a tent!?”

The others raised their hands, too busy keeping up to bid goodbye to Olivio properly. 

The professor, however, laughed amusedly, returning the gesture, as he watched their figures disappear into the crowd of tourists.

It'd be a hectic journey, for sure.

…

.

.

.