Amourshipping - Love Over the Horizon!

Chapter 5: Reliving the Past and Embracing the Future

"Oh my gosh...ASH!!!" Serena squealed and launched herself right into Ash's arms. Still not believing this was real, Ash lost balance and ended up picking her up and spinning her around. He realized what he did and dropped her back on the ground, his face turning a shade of pink.

Serena laughed and hugged Ash tighter, pressing her cheek on his. "Man, please tell me I'm not dreaming!"

"Pikachu," Pikachu exclaimed and leaped onto Serena's shoulder and nuzzled her cheek, causing static to charge on his cheek and electrocuting all of them.

"Yep, definitely not dreaming," Serena sighed and chuckled. She shook herself and fixed her puffed-up hair before staring at Ash again like if she looked away he would be gone forever. "Is it really you?"

"I was about to ask the same thing," Ash chuckled. He gazed into her shimmering blue eyes and was lost in a world of his own. He embraced her again, brushing his hands through her honey-blonde hair. Pikachu was having his own little reunion with Serena's Pokémon and was getting to know her new ones.

Ash chuckled and held Serena tighter. But, a little to his dismay, she pulled back and raised an eyebrow. "Wait, wait, hold up. What in the world are you even doing here!?"

Ash was about to answer, but his friends came running behind the stage calling for him. Rgh, great timing, guys.

"Ash!" Mallow and Sophocles called. Ash blushed when he realized he was still holding Serena and quickly let her go. "Ash?"

"H-hey guys," Ash waved bashfully.

Lana walked up, realizing what was going on. "Ash, is that your friend you were talking about before?"

HE TALKS ABOUT ME!? Serena's mind shrieked. Oh for the love of Arceus, please don't let it be embarrassing!

"Y-yeah," Ash mumbled and scratched his neck.

"This is so great!" Mallow jumped up and wrapped her arms around the two, bringing them closer together. She turned to Serena and grinned. "Welcome to Alola!"

"T-thanks," Serena stammered from the shock. "Ash, are these your friends?"

"Right, hehe, I should probably introduce you," Ash smiled at Serena and waved at the others, pointing at each one respectively. "That's Kiawe, Sophocles, Lana, Lillie, and Mallow!"

"Alola!" Ash's classmates greeted.

"Alola!" Serena smiled back at them. "So, you go to this school now, Ash?"

"Yep! And they're my classmates!"

Serena walked in front of him and stared with disbelieving eyes. "So you're telling me that you've been here this whole time!?" She shook her head and squeezed him again, much tighter than before.

"Ash has done a lot here," Lillie defended.

Sophocles joined in. "Yeah! He's already done all of the Island Trials, and he's helped us a ton too!"

"Island Trials?" Serena asked with curiosity.

"I'll explain later," Ash reassured.

Serena looked down at her performance clothes and blushed. "Yeah, I should probably change too." She looked up at Ash nervously. "Um, I'll see you later, right?"

"You kidding?" Ash hugged her one more time and walked away with his friends. "We'll be in the classroom upstairs, I'll see you there." Pikachu bid farewell and bounded next to Ash. Before he turned the corner, he gave Serena a tender smile, making butterflies flutter in Serena's stomach.