Serena and Ash - Friends From The Start

Chapter Eight

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN POKEMON OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS IN THIS STORY. I DO NOT MAKE ANY MONEY OFF OF THIS STORY, AND NEITHER DOES WATTPAD.

*** THIS STORY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS OR MAJOR PLOT DETAILS. ***

CHAPTER EIGHT

SERENA'S POV

I ran off into the woods crying, leaving Ash behind. How could he be so selfish? Was he really going to throw all we'd been through away?

I ran until I lost track of which way I'd come from. The snow was falling faster than my footprints lasted – this wasn't good.

Suddenly, a strong wind picked up. I held onto my hat, not wanting it to blow away. I waited to see if the wind would die down, but it didn't – and that only meant one thing.

I was stuck in a blizzard.

I took Braixen's Pokéball out of my pocket and released it. Braixen materialised, and was stunned by how strong the wind was. I put the Pokéball back in my pocket.

"Braixen, I'm scared..." I confessed. Braixen looked at me sadly and took my hand.

I walked over to a nearby tree, pressing my back against it in a futile attempt to partly shield myself from the cold. I pulled Braixen closer to me, shutting my eyes.

My legs started to buckle, exhausted from the running and shaking from the cold – but I tried as hard as I could to stay strong and keep myself up.

Suddenly, I heard a voice from far away. Someone was calling my name, and I knew straight away that it was Ash.

"ASH!" I yelled in reply. I just hoped he could hear me...

A few more minutes passed, and I heard his voice calling my name again – but he sounded much closer. I yelled out in reply again, praying he would find me in time. The argument that we had didn't matter anymore – I was scared, and I needed someone.

Suddenly, a pair of arms were thrown around me and I fell backwards into Ash's warmth.

"Serena!" Ash yelled worriedly.

"Ash," I replied, looking up at him gratefully.

"We need to take cover somewhere," he said.

I nodded in reply, and he helped me stand up. I returned Braixen to its Pokéball.

Ash then did something that surprised me – he took my hand in his. I blushed and looked at him, wide-eyed.

"Just to make sure we don't get separated," he explained. I nodded, slightly disappointed, and he lead me gently through the forest.

Eventually, we reached a bridge. It looked dodgy, the aggressive wind pushing it on an angle.

"Serena!" Ash yelled. "We have to cross this bridge – there's cover on the other side!"

I nodded reluctantly, and we stepped onto the bridge. Ash went first, still holding my hand, and I followed right behind him. I walked slowly and cautiously, trying to keep my balance.

Suddenly, the wind got stronger – blowing the bridge almost sideways. Ash dropped to his knees instinctively, grabbing on to the ropes while I lost my balance and slipped, falling off the bridge and losing my grip on Ash's hand.

I screamed as I slipped, starting to plummet towards the ground. I reached my hands up, trying to grab onto anything I could.

"SERENA!" Ash yelled, reaching his hand out and trying to grab my arm. I was falling too fast, though – and his fist closed around nothing but air.