Lost in their Past

Chapter 66:- Beauty of the Chewa Island

Serena loved Chewa Island.

The breeze, the trees, and the grasslands. She was overwhelmed in a good way. Serena had always loved the countryside. Her little home in the suburbs of the Vaniville town and the lush farm right outside where she practiced Rhyhorn racing.

When they'd arrived at Chewa Island, a small part of Serena had wondered whether Alain brought them to the island to murder them. Even after she met his little family, one would've thought she felt she might feel a little remorse.

But she didn't, the circumstances leading to their arrival had been anything but normal, they had been murderous.

Alain had piloted the jet himself and despite their constant interruptions asking where 'the place' was, they'd gotten silence as an answer.

But the Chewa Island had made those miseries melt away in a jiffy.

Serena sat on the cliff overlooking the Kalosian sea in utmost serenity, she'd missed the sound of Pokemon, playing, training, and interacting.

"It's nice isn't it?" Said Aria with a smile as she sat down next to her, "the first time I heard Alain talk about this island, I was skeptical."

"You thought he was going to murder you too?"

Aria laughed, even though she was more than thirty years old, her face had not yet lost its elegance. "No, he loved me too much to kill me. And besides, he would never murder you, you're family."

Serena smiled, "I just found about us a few weeks ago, it was on another rescue mission."

Hearing the word 'mission', the smile on Aria's face died down. Her gaze traveled to the shores where several Pokemon were playing in the waters.

"When Alain first told me about... his life... I was so..."

"Angry?"

She shook her head, a painful smile crept up on her face. "I was hurt... because you all do this... this work for the good of people, people like me, and yet... we have no slightest idea that we are in such grave danger. You might die for us and still, we wouldn't even know."

Serena bit her lip. She didn't want to say it in front of Aria but she had been thinking the same thing ever since she went to the academy. She didn't want glory or any more recognition, all Serena wanted was for people to know what was going on, they deserved to know.

"Alain told me about Red and Mark," she said, "even we have heard tales of the great champion, but no one knows what happened to him or what's going on... we deserve to know."

The blonde nodded, "Funny coming from you," she said with a whimsical tone.

"Why?"

"People are still writing tabloids where you went,"

Aria couldn't help but smile, she leaned back on the grassy land with a sigh. The sky above was clear and bluer than Serena's eyes.

"It's different for us," she said, "the press and the glamour... it was too much for me. I just wanted to start afresh... with Alain."

"Is that why you let me win?"

Aria didn't deny, "You deserved it, everything. You worked hard for it and I... well, I already had my hands full."

The blonde was hesitant to ask Aria what she was going to, something told her the answer was morbid and gut-wrenching.

"Can I ask you something?" Asked Serena.

Aria nodded.

"You were pregnant when during your last performance... but Alice is... she's younger than what she should be, isn't she?"

Aria got back up again, she hugged her knees close to her chest and said with a heavy heart. "I lost him," a sigh escaped her lips, "Alain and I... well, we had trouble conceiving before we had Alice, the journey wasn't pleasant but... the end brought us heaven."

"Alice is indeed cute,"

"Yeah, she is and smarter too, smarter than I was at her age and even at my current age!"

Serena smiled, reminiscing about the time she met her for the first time. Back when she was still backpacking with Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie. When things were simple and she still used to blush like a tomato berry.

"It's been so long, hasn't it?" Serena said, "so much has happened since then."

"I had a baby,"

"I became queen,"

The two of them shared a hearty laugh.

"Although," Aria interrupted, "you still haven't changed."

"What? Of course, I have."

She shook her head, a mischievous smile showed up on her face. "You were backpacking with Ash with a secret crush a few years back and you still are."

"Was it that obvious?!" She buried her face in her hands.

"Honey, a blind person could've seen it."

Serena turned red in embarrassment, behind him, Gary and Ash were attempting to ride Alain's Ryhorn and laughing like little kids when he shook them violently off his back.

Serena was not the same, despite Aria's comment. She had grown up, she had a full career and a boyfriend she once yearned for.

"Something has changed," she said, reminiscing.

Before Aria could ask what she meant, a sharp yet lovely voice echoed from the back.

"Mama!" Said Alice, "Daddy is calling you! The man with the fake hair color woke up!"