Settling Down

Chapter 2: Kanto Bound

The next morning, Serena awoke to music quietly playing on her bedside radio. Serena couldn't help but smile, remembering where she was going today and who with. She turned over to her clock and saw it was 9am. Serena liked a bit of a lay in whenever she could get it and assumed Ash was already up for a morning run or something. She stretched and yawned and sat up, rubbing her gooey eyes open. Serena figured she should start getting ready soon, but she was feeling lazy and remained in bed for a while. That was until she heard a rhythmic knock on her door. She knew that knock. Serena got up and put on her dressing gown.

'Hurry up, Rena! I've got something to tell you!' cried an excited Ash, behind the door.

Serena quickly opened the door, to see a fully dressed Ash and a much better-looking Pikachu, re-taking his usual spot on his shoulders.

'Morning, Ash! Morning, Pikachu! You look so much better now, Pikachu!' she said, stroking him behind the ear.

Pikachu always loved the way Serena petted him and returned a chirp of approval back to her.

'Yeah, Pikachu really gave it his all yesterday. You were amazing, buddy.'

Ash ruffled his hair and Pikachu gave Ash an affectionate nuzzle.

'Right! Hurry up and get ready, please! My mum's waiting to talk to us on the phone. Oh! And I've got us tickets for a flight at 3pm! But there's no time to waste!'

Ash was about to dart off, when Serena quickly interjected.

'Wait! How did you get tickets so fast?' 

Her right eyebrow rose in curiosity.

'Oh, well, truth be told, I got them weeks ago. I meant to ask you to come earlier actually, but I didn't know how to, until last night. And I was kinda hoping you'd just come back with me anyway...' 

Ash laughed nervously.

'Well, it's a good thing I said yes then and you didn't ask me last minute!' chuckled Serena.

'Uh, yeah. But I wouldn't have left it THAT late!'

Ash scratched his nose and shifted his eyes down, which is exactly what he did when he didn't want to admit something. And Serena knew that all too well. He totally would have asked her at the airport in typical Ash fashion... Still. It was cute, she thought.

'But anyway! Come on! Tout suite! As you French say!' said Ash, in a terrible attempt at a French accent.

'Okay, okay, okay! I'll be down soon!'

Serena giggled. She always found it cute when he tried to speak French. Ash grinned and dashed back downstairs. Serena smiled back and duly obliged and started getting ready. Travelling with Ash was always a wild roller coaster and you never had any idea what was coming next. Luckily, Serena was very used to it by now and just found his excited puppy dog routine for adventure, funny and adorable. Clemont definitely never really saw it that way when they were all travelling together, but Serena always felt energised whenever she saw Ash like that. And she was looking forward to talking to his mum again. They only talked briefly on the video call before she left Ash in Kalos. It wouldn't be too long until they actually met in person now. The woman behind how remarkable Ash was. Serena became giddy and rushed into her en-suite bathroom to shower. As she was in it, she sung along to the song currently playing outside:

Why can't you hold me in the street?
Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't it be like that?
'Cause I'm yours
Why can't I say that I'm in love?
I wanna shout it from the rooftops
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't it be like that?
'Cause I'm yours