Man in the Mirror

Chapter 29: the 1

Ash, May, Clemont, Bonnie, and their Pokémon were somewhere enjoying the festival treats. After all the dancing, almost all of them managed to work up an appetite. All except Serena. While they were stuffing their faces, Serena admired the fireworks alone. The blonde-haired performer insisted they go without her, and she'd claim a good spot for watching the fireworks once they got their fill.

Fortunately, the staff managed to get a functioning machine just in time. "Oh, Clemont," Serena chuckled when she thought of how the gym leader failed to resolve the issue earlier. She stared at the Pokémon designs that formed from the fireworks. There was a Pikachu, Fennekin, Torchic, and many other familiar Pokémon. The various bright colors illuminated Serena's eyes with wonder. She got so distracted by the show that she didn't think about how long her friends were taking to arrive.

"They're not back yet? There must be a long line for the funnel cake," May's voice nearly startled Serena. The coordinator came up behind the performer. She was holding a bag of macarons.

"I guess so, or maybe Ash is trying to get his hands on as many desserts as he can while Bonnie and Clemont try to stop him," Serena joked, making May laugh in agreement.

The girls leaned against the stone ledge overlooking a small valley with a lake. The fireworks gave a nice aesthetic to the valley as they continued to dazzle the crowd. "Here, have some," May offered Serena the sweet treats.

"Thank you," Serena jovially accepted one. The girl enjoyed the dark chocolate favorite of the tasty pastry. They finished the bag of macarons together.

May smiled over the satisfied gesture Serena made when she took bites. "So, did you have fun today?" the sapphire-eyed coordinator questioned her friend.

Serena joyfully nodded, "I did. Performing was so much fun, especially!"

May agreed, "That feeling never gets old. Does it? Something about performing makes you feel like nothing else matters. It's you and your Pokémon, that's it."

"I couldn't agree more. One of the things I enjoy most after every performance is that my Pokémon and I learn something new. We discover new ways to do a follow-up or find what works and what doesn't," Serena thought of Delphox, Pancham, and Sylveon.

"That's always a great takeaway. I enjoyed watching you perform with Pancham and Sylveon. You were fabulous. The way you used Sylveon's move to make yourself float like a fairy was amazing. I was also impressed when Pancham brought the whole ice sculpture down with a single Arm Thrust. They are really well-trained!" May gushed over Serena's performance.

Serena smiled modestly over the praise she received. "I can say the same for you, May. You blew everyone away with your big entrance using Beautifly's Silver Wind. The way you slid across the stage with Skitty's Blizzard made you look so cool. Not to mention how amazing it was when Munchlax's Solarbeam got sent into the air. Then Beautifly absorbed the energy to enhance Morning Sun. You looked like a bright butterfly with the way that combination got coordinated. I loved it!" the Kalos performer started to gush over May's performance.

May appreciated her compliment. Their tender conversation explored their previous performances, where they felt they fumbled, and gave each other pointers on how they might be able to enhance several techniques. They had forgotten about the fireworks and that their other friends still hadn't shown up.

"You know, when I traveled with Ash, there were many times where I'd mess up because I got overconfident or I'd rely too much on luck," May admitted her earlier mistakes.

"That's hard to believe, considering how good you are now," Serena highlighted.

"If you ask him, I'm sure he'd remember. He helped me get through some stumbles," the coordinator rubbed the back of her. She recalled her early failures with some embarrassment.