Alola, amour!

Chapter 35 ~ Wedding

"Ash, are you okay?" Serena asked as she found her boyfriend leaning against the school railing with a sad look on his face and a gaze staring into the emptiness. Pikachu, who had come with Serena to look for Ash, also said, "Pikapi.."

Ash slowly turned his gaze to Serena and sighed. "Yeah, I am," he said, but Serena wasn't confident. "I just... yesterday spins in my mind"

Now Serena realized what it was all about. "You're thinking about Solgaleo, aren't you?" she said and Ash nodded slowly and turned his gaze back to the yard.

"Yeah," he said. "I didn't even have time to thank it. And now, well, we may never see Solgaleo again. That was Nebby, besides!"

By the time they returned from their dimension adventure, Solgaleo had disappeared almost immediately. Ash had taken it particularly heavily and all that evening he had sulked. He had been strangely quiet even in the morning and lost alone somewhere with Serena staying to chat with Mallow and others.

Serena smiled tenderly and also leaned against the balcony railing and stared at the Pokemon Schoolyard. The palm trees swayed in the warm and gentle wind and the scream of the Wingulls was heard from the sea.

It was a very warm day, as usual, and the sun was shining from the blue sky. A few white clouds hovered lazily in the sky and the wind waved lightly at Serena's hair.

"I miss Nebby too," she said, moving her hair away from her blue eyes. Ash slowly turned to look at her and Pikachu turned his head as well. But Serena did not turn her eyes away from the yard, but went on, "But at the same time I know that it had to go. It doesn't forget us, Ash, I am sure that it will remember us always."

She stared at the sky and wondered what kind of adventure they had just had. Serena smiled slightly. She had only been in Alola for a few months and had already experienced so much of everything! And hopefully I can experience a lot more, she thought and moved her hair away from her eyes again.

She didn't notice that Ash had turned his gaze to her. He looked at Serena's twinkling blue eyes and her pretty smile. He smiled. Serena was right. Solgaleo would remember them even if they no longer saw it.

They stood there for a moment, only enjoying each other's company and the peaceful silence that prevailed at that moment. Serena took Ash by the hand and slid her fingers between the boy's fingers. Ash squeezed Serena's hand gently and Serena leaned her head against Ash's shoulder. That was good. Only the two of them, Pikachu and calm silence.

However, the silence did not last long. It wasn't long before the corridor started to hear a happy talk and laugh and then the rest of the gang in the class was there again.

"I'm so glad that your mother is safe!" Mallow exclaimed as they entered the class. Ash and Serena turned to look in their direction and saw Mallow and the others chatting happily around Lillie, who carried Snowy in her arms.

"Yeah, and it's thanks to all of you," Lillie said with a smile and Ash and Serena walked over to them. However, Pikachu was faster and he quickly ran to Lillie and jumped on the girl's shoulder, exclaiming happily, "Pikachu!"

Lillie giggled and scratched Pikachu from behind his ear. "Hey Pikachu!" she said with a laugh and Pikachu was satisfied on her shoulder. Lillie smiled at it and then spotted Ash and Serena. "And Ash and Serena too! I haven't had time to thank you yet. Without your help, mom might not have saved."

"Thank you, Lillie, but it was thanks to all of us that we got your mother saved," Ash said and Serena nodded. "Yeah, it was teamwork. Everyone helped and that's why your mom is safe now."

Lillie smiled and then said, "You're right. And that's why I want to thank you all!" She bowed and Mallow said, "Hey hold on a little. You don't have to bow to us. We just did what we had to do."