My Amour

A Sky Full of Stars

 Tomorrow.

That was the sole word that rolled around Ash's head as he and his Pokémon trained on the beach. Serena would really be here tomorrow. He'd come down to the beach to train, to take his mind off of the weird, jumpy feeling that had settled into his stomach after hanging up the call, but it wasn't really working. Because all he could think about was her.

Almost automatically, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a now heavily wrinkled magazine. On the cover was Serena, happily smiling after another contest victory. She'd done it. She'd really won the Hoenn contest spectacular. It was amazing, it was so cool, and it made a small pit open in Ash's stomach every time he thought about it.

Ash wasn't jealous. At least, he didn't think so. As a little kid, he'd sort of written off performances and contests. Compared to battling, they were girly and boring, at least to his 5 year old self's mind.

Ash shook his head and smiled. The kid who woke up late for his very first day as a trainer sure had changed a lot over the years. He'd started out as a bit of an idiot who dragged his only Pokémon by a clothesline into a trainer who'd almost won the Kalos league.

Almost.

He'd almost won. After six years of making unshakable bonds with his friends, saving the world from devastation(hah) and growing as a trainer, he'd almost won.

And that was it, wasn't it? He'd grown so much. Which was why it hurt so bad.

Ash looked back down at the magazine in his hand. There was his friend, someone he'd just (re)met a little over a year ago.

Someone who'd just started their journey a little over a year ago.

Someone he'd helped to find their dream, that he'd seen grow beside him.

And she had already surpassed him.

When Ash had lost the Kalos league, he'd had no idea what to do. So when his mom had won tickets to Alola, it was a relief. He'd decided to stay in Alola to take a sort of break.

And look how that had turned out. He had wasted time, put his dream to the side, and lazed about.

Ash clenched the magazine tightly. He was so stupid. Here he was playing around on some islands while his friends accomplished their dreams. He was glad that the Alola league was happening, otherwise his whole stay in Alola would be for nothing.

Ash felt a light tug on his leg. "Pika pi?" Pikachu asked, looking up at Ash with an unsure concern. Ash snapped out of his thoughts and turned around his cap.

The Alola league was so close, and he couldn't afford to waste a single moment. Even now, he was wasting time. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts, before turning to his Pokemon. "Sorry Pikachu. Let's get back to it."

~~~

That night, Ash stared hard at the ceiling above his bed, thinking.

Well, mostly cringing. Without training to distract him, his brain was running through a play by play of his poor conversational skills earlier in the day, and Ash couldn't be more annoyed by it.

"I missed seeing you."

The trainer groaned then pulled a pillow over his face. Now she'd be worrying about him, and that was the last thing he wanted on any of his friend's minds. He really shouldn't worry-

"No need to worry! I'm always impressed by you."

Ash clenched his teeth together and pulled the pillow off his face. He just had to find something else to focus on. Anything else.