Pokemon: Modern and Native

Chapter 4 - Goodbye, Already?

  
The next day started well. Serena woke up to the smell of pancakes cooking in the kitchen and found Delia making breakfast.

   "Good morning, Serena. How did you sleep?" Delia asked.

   "I slept well, thank you. Where's Ash?"

   Delia looked at her watch. "You'll find out any time now. Would you please set the table?"

   Delia's watch beeped when it turned 7:00. A few seconds later, Pikachu cried loudly upstairs and Ash screamed, making Serena jump.

   "Pikachu's still as punctual as ever." Delia commented. A few minutes later, Ash came downstairs. He looked normal except for the fact that his hair was a little spikier than normal.

   Later, Serena wanted to visit her and Ash's spot in the woods, and she made sure to let Professor Oak know. Ash took along all his pokémon again, and Serena enjoyed meeting them all. She couldn't help but think of performance routines that Ash's pokémon would be good at.

They talked about what they have been doing since Kalos and Serena showed Ash her new team of pokémon. Braixen, Sylveon, Pancham, Roselia, and Swablu. Serena showed Ash a couple of routines for both contests and performances that she has been working on and Ash was very impressed.

   After the last performance which used Braixen and Swablu, Gary walked out of the forest clapping. "That was very good!" Gary complemented.

"What are you doing here, Gary?" Ash asked.

"I come bearing information." Gary said, trying to sound as posh as possible.

"That's new for you." Ash jabbed. The two of them just stared at each other, making Serena quite confused as to what was going on. Finally, after several intense seconds, Gary's expression changed to one of happiness. "I'm going on another journey!" He announced.

"Really? Where? Why?" Ash asked, excited for his friend, but also confused with the sudden change.

"I'm going to the Terko region. Professor Oak has been working on a new Pokédex and the Professor in Terko will be finishing the technical side. I'll be hand delivering the data and then I'll travel the region doing field work for him." Gary explained. "I was wondering if you would join me. You can bring Serena too, if you'd like."

   Ash looked surprised and glanced at Serena. He had just got back home again and was still recovering from his defeat in Alola. But somehow, Serena had helped him regain his confidence in himself, even if it was just a bit. He also always felt the most like himself when he was traveling to new places and experiencing new things. He remembered how much he enjoyed traveling with Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena through Kalos and how much Serena helped make it one of his best journeys. He would give anything feel that again. Ash also wanted to talk with Serena about what happened in the airport, but he has been too nervous to talk about it yet.

   Meanwhile, Serena was also thinking about the prospect of traveling with Ash again. She wanted to, but was nervous about Gary. What if he made it awkward? What if she made it awkward? The kiss in the airport played back in her mind, not as a happy memory, but a bad dream. What if Ash didn't like it and she made him uncomfortable? He hasn't mentioned it at all yet.

"I'm not sure. I'll have to talk with Mom and Serena first." Ash replied.

"Wow. That's new." Gary commented.

"What is?" Serena asked.

"Ashy-boy wants to talk to others before jumping in." Gary taunted.

"Oh, shut your trap, Oak Tree." Ash shot back.