Love in the Time of Trials

Chapter 11: A Motion

This chapter is a strange one, I won't lie. I had to write a certain character development aspect that is tricky to get across because of where the characters need to be mentally, sooner than later. Plus it really shows my hatred of Ceremonies, but I still think it's pulled off decently enough. Sigh...I just hope it turned out well. *anxiety activates* Begin Chapter 11.

Chapter 11

A Motion

Serena's head absolutely pounded, a ringing sound in her ears. At first, it sounded like that soft melody of a few notes she had heard the night before. It seemed like such a dream, especially with the soft sheets underneath her body. Only, the ringing was more incessant than before, and not something she wanted to listen to. It ceased for a moment, only to return.

Her eyes snapped open, ready to snap at whoever was interfering with her sleep, only to find the room was empty, except for Ash and Pikachu. In fact, now that she thought about it, she had no idea how she had gotten here. Had she always been there? Had last night, from the moment Team Rocket had attacked the store, been little more than a dream? Moving her hand to brush her hair out of her eyes, there was a clank on her wrist, and a coolness. She moved the arm back and her eyes widened.

It had most definitely not been a dream.

"Ash," she hissed quietly, but the boy sleeping in the chair next to her bed didn't awaken. She sat up, grabbing his leg and shaking it furiously. "Ash!"

"Where are the pancakes, Pikachu?" Ash suddenly said, snapping up in his chair with a bit of drool running down his chin. He seemed to realize that pancakes were not a part of his reality, despite the sun streaming in the room. "Oh, Serena...feeling better?"

"Um..." Her head was no longer pounding, at the very least. The ringing seemed to have disappeared, as well. "What happened?"

"You passed out," he told her. "After we recovered and all of that, you weren't there. Olivia told us you went into the ruins, so I went after you, and Nebby was there while you were passed out. Had to carry you back."

"So, it was real, then?" she asked, holding her Z-Ring up. It glistened in the sunlight that was in the room. She wasn't the only one staring, the object garnering Ash and Pikachu's attentions as well. They seemed intrigued by it, as different as it looked from his. Serena wasn't sure what to make of it, nor did she know quite what to do with it. Especially when a certain thought struck her mind. "I wasn't out for too long, was I?"

"Just the night, why?" Ash asked, genuinely confused by her sudden fretting. Serena flung herself off the bed, searching for her tablet to make sure that nothing had changed. "Serena, what's the sudden rush?"

"I just-" Serena stopped, hand on her tablet. What was the point of rushing? The Hano Ceremony might have been a day away, but there was no point in getting there if she was just going to lose. And even if she did win, those who lost would be left crushed. Knowing that, she couldn't even bring a smile to her own face, so how could she...The honey blonde shook her head furiously and slapped her cheeks, the ghostly words from last night echoing in a muted whisper inside her mind. "No! I can't think like that! Ash, the Hano Ceremony."

"Oh, right!" Ash said, putting his fist into his palm. Pikachu sighed a little before tapping Ash and glaring at him insistently. Her boyfriend laughed. "Don't worry about it, Serena. Lana already has everything figured out."

"Lana?" she asked, dropping her tablet back down as she stood up.

"Well, we were talking at breakfast this morning, you know, before I came to watch over you, and Lillie brought up the Hano Ceremony," Ash started to explain to her. Serena felt a tightness in her chest as he started. "Lana offered to take us by Pokémon Ride to the Hano Grand Resort. She has a whole pod of Lapras just waiting for us. Should be a fun ride."