Amourshipping : Love, Loss & Loyalty

Uncertainty

Ash had the biggest grin on his face. Paul had changed, of that there was no doubt. He was much calmer than he used to be, and his treatment of his Pokemon was a hundred times better. At the same time, he was obviously still as skilled at battling as he was the last time he had seen Ash. He had a natural talent for battling, one Ash didn't have. Where Ash had had to practice, train, and fight for months and years, Paul seemed to manage it so much easier, so much smoother. It seemed like it came to Paul naturally. Reggie had once mentioned that Paul had always been a naturally skilled battler, and Paul often seemed to have a calm confidence that went along with it, which bordered on arrogance. But that much had changed. Paul was confident, but he had been humbled in the years past. He wasn't the same person he was in Sinnoh.

But that didn't mean their rivalry had dimmed even slightly. 

In fact, quite the opposite was true. Their rivalry seemed to have reached a new height of ferocity. It seemed that when they heard about the others accomplishments, their Pokemon, their training methods, and their goals, it helped spark another fire in their rivalry. Although, this was different. Ash was reminded of other intense rivalries he had had previously. People like Stephan, and Trip. These rivalries were intense, but they had all had respect between the two trainers involved. Some had been friendly, others had been savage. Paul's really had been his most heated rivalry, and the mutual respect they held for one another now had strengthened it. They wanted to prove their strength to the other, over the other. Fierce glares were exchanged between the two. 

Their rivalry burned even stronger than before.

Serena simply shook her head in disbelief, smiling, amused. She was sat, opposing Ash at two opposite sides of the flat surface, circular table for two they sat as. She grinned at Ash, smiling smiling, amused at all of this.

"What?" Ash asked, raising an eyebrow, concerned.

"Where to start..." Serena smiled. "Mostly... Well, mostly I'm just amazed. The odds of us being partners..."

"Its pretty damn amazing, huh?" Ash nodded, agreeing with his tag team partner. Pikachu cooed in its own agreement, poking up from the bottle of ketchup it was currently enjoying.

"Second, there's Pikachu." Serena smiled at the electric mouse Pokemon, patting its head lightly. She found its newly displayed, at least in front of her, fondness for ketchup to be absolutely adorable. "And finally, there's Miette and Paul." 

Ash's eyebrows raised slightly, tilting his head lightly. "What about them?"

Serena struggled to stifle her own laughter. She found the entire thing amazingly ironic. She could see the two of them behind Ash. And she knew for a fact Miette was acting in a matter similar to how she acted around Ash. She had to admit it, it surprised her. She had never taken Miette for the romantic type, at least not for herself. Trying to set other people up in some sort of game she liked to play, maybe, but for herself? This was a first. 

"It'll be fun being able to tease her for a change." Serena commented to herself.

Ash was now completely confused. "What are you talking about?" 

Serena smiled at her own crush. "I think Miette might have a crush on your old friend."

Ash turned around to observe the two sitting a bit away from them. Like Paul had said, he was getting to know Miette. He seemed to be nodding as Miette spoke to him about who knew what, but he was certain it wasn't strategy. Miette didn't stop smiling no matter how much she spoke. When Paul spoke, for however briefly that was, she listened intently. She actually looked interested in what he had to say.