Kalos High: New Beginnings

Chapter 10 - Stay With Me

Author's note: Before I begin, after nearly 3 hours of debating whether to extend this series to 16 volumes or stick with ending it with 12, I've decided to end the series with 11, plus a bonus chapter featuring a time-skip where the characters are now 19 years old. I know this book has gotten lots of reviews and anticipation for the next chapter, but I'm running out of ideas. Finishing the series isn't the end of the Ash/Serena journey just yet. I'm developing a short follow-up that will see how their relationship evolves, and a sequel taking place nearly 13 years after this book that focuses on their kid. Anyways, I'm done blabbering, enjoy the final 2 chapters

With Ash

Ash reached out and slowly grabbed Serena's hand, praying she wouldn't leave him. She couldn't. Not after everything they had been through together. His breath came out shaky, acknowledging the fact that he was scared to his wits. Scared that she would never wake up. That she wouldn't be there for him to tell her that he'd loved her all this time. Throughout their travels, he had realized that the one girl he'd ever want a future with was her. "Please, Serena.... wake up," he whispered. For now, all he could do was wait.

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"Ash, are you in here?" Goh's voice called out. He wandered in to see his friend asleep, holding Serena's hand while resting his head on her bedside. "Poor Ash," he said to himself before closing the door behind him. He stood there for a minute, then turned around to see Chloe and Pikachu behind him. Goh let out a shrill shriek of shock. "Will you stop doing that!?" he said, glaring at her.

"Hey, it's not my fault you get scared easily," Chloe chimed. She pushed past him and peered in through the door. "How's he doing?" she asked. Goh shook his head.

"Not good. He's been in there for hours now," he said. The two sat in mere silence while Pikachu scampered around for a bit until he got bored and plopped onto Chloe's lap. 

"Pika," he said. Clearly, he was not in the mood to play around without his trainer. 30 minutes, then an hour, 2 hours, multiple hours. The three of them had fallen asleep in the middle of the waiting room, all hoping that Serena would regain her consciousness soon. Without her... Ash would be devastated.

The Dream World

"Where am I?" Serena wondered out loud. The last thing she remembered was Miette smacking her with a baseball bat before she lost consciousness. Then, out of nowhere, she heard a deep, rumbling voice call out to her.

"You are in the dream world, the realm that all souls dwell in before going into the afterlife," it boomed. Serena turned around to see a giant Pokémon looming over her. 

"You're... Arceus?" she stammered. 

"Yes," the god Pokémon rumbled. "The gates to the afterlife will open anytime you are ready to leave this life. That means leaving behind everything you know: your mother, your friends, your Pokémon, and last but not least, the boy you love: Ash," he added. Serena could feel tears forming in her eyes.

"W-What happened to me?" she asked.

"When Miette smashed that bat against your head, it caused heavy damage to your skull and brain. Luckily, Ash and your other friends were able to get you to the Pokémon Center in a short amount of time. As for that Miette girl, she's long gone, arrested by Officer Jenny and placed behind bars for eternity," Arceus explained. Serena wiped her tears and gripped her chest as a hint of pink came across her face. "If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, it's true. Ash is deeply in love with you," he added. 

"That's not what I was thinking about exactly," Serena sweat-dropped, "but there's one more thing I haven't done yet, and that is to be with Ash forever." She took a deep breath and turned toward Arceus. "I can't go into the afterlife. Not this way, at least," she said firmly. The god Pokémon stayed silent for a moment. Then he simply sighed and nodded

"Very well, then. I will send you back to the real world," he said. Then, with a flick of his tail, a bright, blinding light surrounded Serena, her eyes spinning as the world around began to spin and spin. A few moments later, everything was still.

Back to Present World

She woke up to the sound of beeping, like something was tracking her heartbeat. With one shaky hand, Serena lifted herself up from the hospital bed, realizing that someone's hand was intertwined with her right hand. She jerked around, only to find none other than Ash sleeping with his head placed on her lap. He looks adorable, she thought to herself. She must've thought out loud because Ash stirred and opened his eyes. When his eyes met hers, they widened. It seemed like millennia since he had seen those beautiful, cerulean eyes. 

"H-hi, Ash," Serena blushed. Ash didn't answer for what seemed like minutes, before he finally reached out with his hand and did the impossible: he placed his hand on her cheek. A pink blush came across her face.

"S-Serena," was all he said.

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