Long Story Short

Dress

Serena twirled while looking in the mirror. She admired herself as she prepared backstage for the contest. The girl from Kalos never tired of seeing herself in the dress gifted by May. Its reddish-orange colorway captured Serena's bright spirit. She adjusted the ribbon tied over her chest and ensured the two straps over her shoulders didn't slip. Still facing the mirror, Serena had a delicate smile and used her hand to brush some of her hair over her ear. Every time she competed in this outfit, she felt an extra boost of confidence. She would always be grateful to May for it.

Despite how they left off, Serena cherished May like the sister she never had. Her relationship with her came naturally; she adored the brunette for it. The significance of the gift empowered Serena so much that, at times, she felt her friend was with her whenever she would perform. It was a friendship for the ages. With that thought in mind, the Pokémon performer vowed to honor the dress by putting on another memorable show for the audience. You've got this, Serena psyched herself up.

"Serena!" the sudden shout startled the girl, breaking her focus.

The voice was distinguishable, yet Serena's heart dropped when she saw who called her name. It was as if Serena manifested her appearance. "Hey, May!" Serena's mixed emotions nearly skyrocketed through the roof. A mix of excitement and shame rushed through her with the Princess of Hoenn standing before her. Coincidentally, May wore the same dress as when they performed in Laverre City. The pinkish-purple color scheme brought out the charm in May's sapphire eyes. The ribbon tied over her chest sparkled as bright as the day they met.

May tackled her with a hug. "It's so good to see you," the brunette squeezed her. Serena got caught off guard by May's friendliness. She had never imagined their reunion as sudden or affectionate due to previous circumstances. Before Serena could return May's embrace, the energetic coordinator pulled away with a slight blush. May's smile was as tender as her greeting, "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I got overexcited since it's been so long since we saw each other." She rubbed the back of her head, giggling with embarrassment.

Serena giggled with her. "You did catch me by surprise, but I don't mind," the performer admitted. It was her turn to catch May off guard when she stepped forward and returned the hug. "It's good to see you, too." Serena hugged her friend and rival.

When they separated, May remarked, "I shouldn't be surprised to bump into you in Hoenn since you did say you were competing here, but I didn't think we'd run into each other until the Grand Festival."

"I didn't know you'd decided to compete in Hoenn. I figured since you already participated in the region's Grand Festival, you would head off somewhere else," Serena surmised.

May chuckled, "I missed Hoenn, so I wanted to explore it again like I did the first time I set out on my journey with Ash." The brunette unintentionally mentioned the elephant in the room.

Serena gave her a gentle smile. She pictured Ash and May traveling to Hoenn together. "That makes sense. I'm happy for you," the performer tried to veil any mixed emotion she had.

May could see through Serena's attempts to mask what she was feeling. That's when she realized her slip of the tongue. The coordinator gasped and placed her hands over her mouth, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring him up like that."

The fact that May was able to read through her façade impressed Serena. Her initial surprise turned into a familiar warmth. The performer nodded sideways over the sensitive subject. "That's alright, May. The only reason it's awkward for me is because I ditched you before." Serena's smile became bashful. "I thought you'd resent me for what I did to you back then." She lowered her head with guilt.

May raised her eyebrows. She sighed and placed her hands on Serena's shoulders. Serena lifted her head to meet May's eyes. There were moments where Serena felt May's behavior paralleled Ash's. May grinned, "I was never upset that you left, Serena. I'll admit that I was sad, but I understood why you had to do it. It wouldn't be fair to resent you for that. Besides, we're friends. We're supposed to support each other's decisions." May ended with a wink.

May was full of surprises. With widened eyes, Serena questioned, "So you're not even a little mad?"

"Nope," May assured her. The pep in her voice put Serena's heart at ease. It felt like a burden lifted.

"Thank you, May. I needed to hear that," Serena's face softened. She continued to confess, "It wasn't an easy decision, and I-"

May interjected before Serena could finish, "But it was the right one." Serena listened to May. She remained impressed by how May took this in stride. "You and I needed to rediscover ourselves. We wouldn't have been able to do that had we stayed in Ash's shadow. We each had a separate journey to continue," the Pokémon coordinator elaborated.

Serena lifted an eyebrow, "Does that mean you and him didn't...?" She wasn't sure if she could mouth the words. Nonetheless, May knew where she was getting at and nodded. The Pokémon performer gave her an empathetic look, "I'm sorry, May. After I left, I assumed the two of you had gotten together."

The thought of Ash caused May to give a slight sigh. "It seemed like the obvious thing, right? However, I knew I needed to work on myself and improve in ways I couldn't before, especially with my retirement from public duties. Ash had his things to work on, and he recognized that. We parted on good terms, but I haven't spoken to him since then. Regardless, I know he's cheering us on in his heart from wherever he is. Nothing can tie him down," May giggled.

"I couldn't agree more," Serena giggled with her. When their laughter settled, Serena spoke, "I'm happy for you, May. I can tell you're enjoying the journey you're on now." The spirit in May's eyes invigorated Serena's spirit. It was like two fires melding into one.

"Thanks, Serena! I can see the same in your eyes," May closed her eyes to bow. When she raised her look, she acknowledged Serena's outfit. "I see you kept the dress I gave you," the brunette was touched that she was wearing it.

Serena spun around for her, "Of course, I love it! I'll never forget my first performance in it." She displayed her gratitude with dazzle.

"I can't imagine anyone rocking it better than you," May complimented Serena. Seeing the Kalos girl in a contest outfit to compete against her reminded May of their first meeting. "Do you remember on the day we met, you told me you began your journey without having a dream?" May raised Serena's hand.

Serena could never forget. It was the thing that most connected her to May, "Of course I do!"

May grew a soft smile, "Neither of us knew what we would do with ourselves when we started our journeys. Now look at us. Every choice we have ever made has led us to this moment. I'm glad to be here with you." She let go of Serena's hand.

"I feel the same way about you, May. I'll always appreciate you sharing that story with me," Serena placed her hand over her heart.

The pair smiled at each other. Suddenly, May formed a fist, and her eyes turned to fire again. "Serena, we're going to keep rising higher and higher. Whether we face off today or some other point, I don't want you to hold back on that stage."

Serena's eyes blazed with confidence. Her confident smile reflected the passion in her heart, "I promise I'm going to give it everything I have every time I'm out there. I hope you're ready."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," May nodded. Their eyes exchanged fiery stares that would match Delphox or Blaziken.

"Let's give it even more than Ash would!" Serena declared.

"Count on it!" May announced.

Their burning rivalry was underway.