The Ketchum Family

The Princess and the Key: Part 1

This chapter takes place a few days after the previous one. The time has come for Serena's next Pokémon showcase. She feels hopeless as the Fleurrh City competition begins. She expects another defeat and she's planning to return home to Ash, afterward.

What will happen when she takes the stage? How will she do when facing Shauna and Lisia?

I hope you enjoy this chapter! There's lots of showcase fun ahead.

Serena carefully braided her golden hair into a twisting crown encircling the top of her head. She fixed her locks in-place with a trio of hairpins and then reached down for her collection of jewelry. She put on a bracelet of turquoise beads and a few small, red ribbons. She glanced down and smoothed out her red dress. She gave it a small tug and stretched her arms, testing its fit. She breathed in deeply and blew out a sigh. She stared into the mirror before her and frowned.

Her outfit was elegant and beautiful. Her hair was lovely and her adornments cute. She took a long moment to gaze at each and every detail of her appearance. Even though there will still plenty of showcases left before the master class, in her heart, Serena knew this was her last performance. Whether it was the passage of time or her focus on Ash, she'd lost the ability to perform on stage. She'd made her peace with this sad reality but her heart still ached.

Serena took a shuddering breath and her eyes started to tear up. She was more than happy at the thought of being Ash's partner at the cost of attaining Kalos queen, however she did wish her final performances had gone better. She would have liked to go out on a high-note. The girl from Vaniville Town wiped at her eyes and forced a smile. She was determined to enjoy this one last showcase before she retired to become the wife of the world's greatest Pokémon trainer and eventually the mother of his children. She picked up her earrings, fastened them to her earlobes and took a step back. It was time to put on her final show!

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Upon a worn and beaten up couch, Mimo sat close behind Mallow, grunting with effort as she used her hands to knead the muscles of the other girl's shoulders. Mallow let out a happy sigh and let her posture relax.

"Boy, I really need that!" the green haired girl said. "I guess those bags of Pokémon food are heavier than they look."

Mimo grinned. "I told you, you should have asked Kiawe for help! He's really strong and all."

Mallow chuckled and shrugged. "Yeah, I know. I just didn't want to bother him."

On the other side of the main building's living room, Ash was fiddling with a large television. Kiawe stood nearby, reading an instruction manual.

"It says to make sure the auxiliary cable is plugged in before you turn it on," the man from Alola said.

"I thought I did that," Ash muttered from behind the television. He let out a sigh and spoke in a downcast voice. "It's times like this I wish Clemont was around."

Mallow let out another happy sigh and Mimo looked toward the two men. "It's about time you got a television, Ash!" the young girl teased. "Welcome to the modern age!"

Ash chuckled. "Well, I haven't had a reason to get one 'til now," He said. "But I really wanna watch Serena's performance with all of you."

Mimo nodded. "I hope you get it working. Otherwise, us staying up this late will be for nothing."

At that moment, there was the sound of popcorn popping from the kitchen and Lana stuck her head around the corner. "Hey, Mimo, come help me with the snacks!" she said in a melodic voice.