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The set was a flurry of activity as the assistant directors scurried every which way trying to fulfill their duties. Offer the guests some last-minute water, make sure everybody has headphones back at the editing room, organise everything that you find out of place. Experienced hands gripped the mics tightly, holding onto the last precious few seconds left until they had to raise them high for the duration of the show. Cameramen stationed all over the area made the last few adjustments to ensure the image quality met the director’s standards.
Hal O’Fame reclined back in his chair, eyes closed as Rosy (a new hire, apparently), worked on his make-up. He’d never get used to wearing Arceus knew how much contour, highlighter, and the million other products the make-up artist mentioned when she introduced herself but he could not remember for the life of him. Not under the blazing heat of the spotlight.
He took a discreet breath to calm his racing heart, its beat erratic thanks to all the chatter going on around him and the excitement of the audience from their seats. How he let himself be swayed to participate in this was a mystery. But alas, he was the official announcer of the World Coronation Series matches—he’d been there to witness the current Monarch’s ascension to the throne four years ago, just like he had narrated his fierce defence of his title during this year’s edition.
He supposed it was inevitable to be summoned to talk about Ash Ketchum in a programme like Battle Today.
“I’m surprised you’re nervous, Hal.” A warm, jovial voice said from his right. “You’d think you’d be used to this type of thing by now, since you’re an official League announcer and all…”
When Rosy finally let him go, seemingly satisfied with her work, Hal’s hand went straight to loosen his green tie as he turned to face his coworker for the night. He gulped. He just hoped he didn’t ruin Rosy’s hard work from sweating so much.
“It’s not the same, Ace…” He muttered, his nerves skyrocketing.
Ace Sportsman had been the host of Battle Today since the show’s humble beginnings more than twenty years prior. A portly man nearing his sixties who favoured tailor-made suits and wearing his greying hair and imperial mustache in a neat updo, you’d never guess his career resided in doing commentaries about Pokémon Battles and the top Pokémon Trainers across the regions.
But don’t be mistaken. Hal doubted there was anyone on the planet more knowledgeable on the topic than him.
That very same man was now looking at Hal with a kind, curious sort of smile.
“Really, now?” Ace quirked an eyebrow, intrigued. “How do you figure?”
Not really knowing what to do with his hands, Hal brushed one of them through his dark brown hair. “W-well, you see, as an announcer, I’m kind of in the middle of the action while being far from it. Everyone can hear me but, uh, well, nobody can, you know, see me…” He spluttered lamely.
To his consternation, the older man just let out an uproarious laugh, slapping his knee. “So you’re not really exposed, then, huh? Kind of the opposite of what’s going on right now, isn’t it?”
The announcer visibly brightened, relieved at having been understood. “U-uh, yeah! Exactly!”
He jumped slightly when Ace patted his leg amicably. What a touchy-feely fellow…
“Well, don’t you worry about a thing. You’re just here to do what you do best—talk about Pokémon Battles. Just focus on that, on what you know, and you’ll be fine.”
He nodded, feeling more confident now. “Right.”
“Besides, you’re not alone.” Ace promised, shifting in his chair until it was just so. “You have me and Anna Lyse over here to help you out.”
He gestured at the lovely bespectacled woman standing a little to the left, away from their table and next to a green screen. As soon as she realised they were talking about her, she gave a polite nod in acknowledgement. Between her bubblegum pink hair she kept in a neat side-braid, her delicate yet striking features, and the pencil skirt suit she was wearing, Hal had to try with all his might not to blush.
“She’s the best Battle Analyst on TV, I swear.” The host continued, chuckling lively. “Trust me, she’s saved me from more than a pickle!”
“You’re giving me too much credit, Ace.” Anna Lyse said gracefully. “All I do is distract the audience with some boring facts whenever you get too motivated.”
“And that’s saved my butt more times than I can count.” He shot back cheekily, causing the woman to roll her eyes fondly. He perked up as he noticed something from his peripheral vision. “Oh, that’s the director’s signal. Get ready, boy, we’re going live.”
Hal barely had time to compose himself before a loud buzzing sound resounded around the set and all cameras were on them. Trying to straighten himself up enough to not make it too obvious that he was out of his element, he readjusted his tie as he watched Ace soak up the audience’s applause.
Now that was a man who was comfortable before the camera.
“Thank you. Thank you all for joining us once more at Battle Today—where we discuss the Pokémon World’s most amazing battles today. I’m Ace Sportsman, and I’ll be your host this evening. Thank you very much.”
Even though he knew it was coming, Hal still had the urge to swallow loudly when the show’s host gestured towards him. “And accompanying us today is Mister Hal O’Fame, the official announcer for the World Coronation Series. Give it up for him, everyone!”
After another enthusiastic row of applause, Hal nodded in greeting, albeit a bit stiffly. “Thank you for having me, Ace.”
“What a way to wrap up this year’s tournament, am I right, Hal? Simply incredible.” Ace went on, going from a jovial man to laser-focused journalist in the blink of an eye. Talk about professionalism. “This Masters Eight kept amping up the stakes with every battle, but I think I speak for everyone when I say the finals had me at the edge of my seat!”
“I know what you mean.” Hal agreed with an easy smile, trying to follow his previous advice and just focus on talking about what he knew. “The Masters Eight is always the most riveting part of the tournament thanks to being composed of the absolute best trainers in the world, who we all know usually means champions from across all regions, but this last edition was especially exhilarating.”
“You’re the expert here, Hal. Why do you think that is?” The TV host asked. “What would you say, in your—what, fifteen years?—of experience that’s made this edition so special?”
“Oh, that’s easy, Ace.” He said, his nerves all but forgotten. “That has to be the fact that this time Ash Ketchum had to defend his title of World Monarch for the very first time since he beat Leon four years ago.”
“That boy has to be one of the most promising Trainers of his generation. Wasn’t he just eighteen when he won the first time around? I seem to remember Leon was twenty-one when he first won the tournament.” Ace commented, a look of contemplation on his face.
His special guest nodded, “That’s right. That would make Ash the youngest Trainer ever to become World Monarch. Truly a talented young man.”
“He isn’t so bad at twenty-two either!” Ace joked, laughing boisterously. He waited patiently until the audience’s laughter died down to continue. “If Ketchum winning his second World Series in a row wasn’t spectacular enough, the fact that his final opponent wasn’t even a Champion but that Alain boy is nothing short of astounding.”
“Considering how soundly defeated he was last time when he faced off against Leon, it’s safe to say Ash isn’t the only one who’s made a comeback.”
“Indeed.” Ace agreed. “Still, how weird is it that a Charizard always seems to be Ash’s last obstacle to victory? First Leon’s, now Alain’s…” Again, he listened carefully for the sound of fading giggles as he purposely listed off each Fire-and-Flying-Type encounter. Then, he perked up and poked his head around the large table right in front of him to address the show’s analyst. “Anna Lyse, correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t he have to fight yet another Charizard before?”
On cue, the camera shifted to capture Anna Lyse, her rosy hair glowing under the spotlight. “You are correct, Ace. In fact, you could say that Ash and Alain are old acquaintances, or rather, old rivals.” She gestured next to her, where the green screen displayed a clip from years ago. “The two of them already faced off during the Kalos League finals six years ago. Only, back then, Alain’s Charizard ended up defeating Ash’s Greninja in one of the most tension-charged matches in Kalos League history.”
“Ah, so you could say they had some matters to settle.” Hal mused aloud, flinching in surprise when Anna Lyse pierced him with her amber stare.
“That’s one way of putting it, Hal.”
“And look how the tables have turned… Though I must admit it was incredible how something as ‘simple’ an Iron Tail could lead the young Monarch to victory.”
“I wouldn’t underestimate a move just because it’s not that flashy, Ace.” Hal warned firmly, though there was no malice in his voice. Years of experience shining through as he spoke. “The fact that Ash’s Pikachu could hang on for as long as he did against a Mega Charizard and deliver the finishing blow without the need for gimmicks speaks volumes of his sheer power. Not to mention, that Pikachu is a two-times world champion, remember?”
“Well, I suppose when you put it like that, it would be weirder if he at least didn’t put up a good fight.” And with one last cackle, he clapped his hands and shifted his chair enough so he’d be looking straight at their Battle Analyst, Hal mimicking his movements as smoothly as he could.
Which he knew wasn't much, to be honest.
“But enough of that. Why don’t you tell us how well the Monarch’s done this season, Anna Lyse?”
“It will be my pleasure, Ace.” With a flick of her hand, a series of graphics and statistics pertaining to Ash, his team, and their overall results, appeared on the green screen. “As you can see, the Monarch’s overall performance this season has been strong, and growing steadily. Although, if you look closer, you’ll notice certain anomalies.”
That actually managed to genuinely surprise the usually composed journalist. He couldn’t wipe the confusion off his face.
“Anomalies?” He repeated. “What kind of anomalies?”
Anna Lyse then pointed to the results from different matches. “As I said, his overall performance was good regardless of the match, otherwise he wouldn’t have won. However, if you pay close attention, you’ll notice that certain matches are closer than others.
“His fight with Lance, for example, was a hard-fought battle. Ash won it by the skin of his teeth. As you know, Ace, newspapers and news segments from all over the world agreed they thought for a moment that the current Monarch would be going home empty-handed after only his first match.
“Now, look at his battle against Diantha.” Her hand slid over the screen. With her index finger extended, she circled at the numbers displayed. “There’s a staggering improvement. His Dragonite alone managed to take out three of Diantha’s Pokémon, even with substitutions. And she only ever fainted from a mixture of exhaustion and type disadvantage when Diantha called her Aurorus to the arena.”
“So what? He could have just had his head on the game then.” Ace commented flatly, not really following. He exchanged a look with Hal, silently asking if he knew anything, but he just shrugged.
“True, but if we take a look at all his matches, you’ll notice an uneven pattern. Some victories were complete swipes back to back, while others were much more evenly matched.” What she said next hushed the entire set. “His battle against Iris, the Unova Champion and one of the least experienced battlers (relatively speaking) was close, they practically matched each other blow for blow. But you could almost say he easily defeated Leon again.”
Hal’s eyes widened. He remembered being quite astonished back then too. As good as Ash was, Leon was a Trainer known for his staggering ability to learn from his mistakes, practically ensuring he was never caught off guard again. While not impossible, Ash shouldn’t have been able to keep up with him and even surpass him at every turn like he did.
He was quick on his feet, but improvising can only take you so far against an opponent who can predict your every move.
With an amused chuckle, Ace voiced the very thought running through his head, “Something must’ve kept him motivated, that’s for sure.”
Indeed, but what?
All of a sudden, his eyes widened, a captivating scene flashing behind his eyes.
Honey-blonde hair fluttering behind a girl as she hurried down the corridor.
Strong, welcoming arms catching her in a loving embrace and holding her tight.
Her melodious voice calling out to him.
“Ash!”
“The Kalos Queen…” He blurted out.
Hal flinched, hoping beyond hope no one heard him. But a quick look around told him it was futile; both Ace, Anna Lyse, and probably the entire audience were staring at him with Bug-Type-eyed expressions.
Yeah, Rosy would just have to forgive him for ruining her work. There was no way all that make-up stayed firmly in place from how much he was sweating. One hand flew to loosen his tie for the umpteenth time, while the other tugged at the collar of his shirt. Was it just him, or was the spotlight even hotter all of a sudden?
“‘The Kalos Queen’?” Ace blinked rapidly, incredulous. “Forgive me, this isn’t really my area of expertise, but isn’t she supposed to be the best Pokémon Performer in Kalos? Why would she be at the World Coronation Series finals? Last time I checked, Performers don’t battle...”
Hal had to bite down the urge to let out a sigh of relief when Anna Lyse interjected, “I wouldn’t say it’s that surprising. The Masters Eight is one of the most important Pokémon events in the world. Many celebrities and important figures get invited to watch whenever it’s held, even dignitaries. Naturally, the head of the Showcase Circuit would be in attendance.”
“So what? You’re saying the Monarch put his game face on whenever he thought the Kalos Queen would watch one of his matches?” Ace asked rhetorically, making a slight face before crossing his arms. It was clear he was having trouble understanding the logistics behind everything, and Hal couldn’t be any more grateful that he wasn’t a gossip journalist. “But how would he even know she was watching? He can’t exactly afford to take his eyes off the arena to look for her in the crowd…”
Hal had to bite his tongue, hard, not to explain that the World Monarch most likely had a very reliable way of knowing she’d be watching. Namely, the fact that they spent as much time as possible together during breaks.
But he wouldn’t say anything. They weren’t here to discuss the World Monarch’s love life, and neither he nor Ace worked for tabloids. Besides, he never was the kind of person who divulged other people’s personal life.
“You raise a very valid point.” Anna Lyse conceded, and Hal broke out in a cold sweat. His eye on the verge of twitching, he cast a nervous glance the Battle Analyst’s way—her smile was more dangerous than a Seviper’s. “Fortunately for us, there’s a simple way of knowing for sure.”
“There is?!” Both men questioned in unison.
One of them was surprised, the other, panicking.
Her grin softened.
“Of course. Mike, if you would be so kind…” She addressed one of the technicians in charge of her green screen. In a second, all the various data on the participants she had gathered was replaced by magazine articles and headlines regarding the Kalos Queen’s latest exploits. “This article is from when Miss Yvonne made a special appearance alongside Nessa to promote the latter’s new fashion line. Now, at first glance, it doesn’t look like much more than a publicity stunt, but if you take a closer look at the date…”
As in on cue, the image zoomed in on the date of the article, and a collective gasp could be heard around the set. While the host and announcer looked on with hanging mouths, excited murmurs resounded from the audience as they chatted amongst themselves about all the possibilities that entailed.
“That’s… That’s the date of Ash and Lance’s battle. The one he almost lost.” Ace breathed out, shock colouring his features.
“Precisely!” Anna Lyse chirped, looking pleased as punch. Hal was beginning to have the sneaking suspicion that her unfilled dream was being a tabloid journalist. She was way too invested in this for a woman who made a living out of interpreting sports data. “I’m sure we’ll find other such coincidences if we were to look at Miss Serena Yvonne’s itinerary during the days where the Monarch’s performance fluctuates.”
Hal was about to protest, to try to change the topic, to do something, anything, in order to preserve their privacy, but no words came out. He made the mistake of looking at the audience as he tried to find what to say, and he almost fainted. He was sure he was pale as a Ghost-Type too. Oh, Arceus! Of all times to get stage fright, it had to be now?!
“Okay, okay, everyone. That’s enough.”
Ace’s voice cut through the chatter and chaos like a knife. His tone clear and leaving no room for argument, his steely gaze patient yet stern as he waited for everyone to quiet down. As if daring anyone present to utter another word.
With a tired sigh, he readjusted his jacket and moved his chair a little closer to the table. He sent his analyst a look that made her flinch in spite of the fondness behind it.
“Thank you, Anna Lyse, for the breakdown of that day’s events.” He said a little more forcefully than he would have liked on screen. “It was all very… interesting. However, as juicy as whatever it is that might be going on between the World Monarch and the Kalos Queen, we’re here to discuss cold, hard facts about battling. Nothing more, nothing less. So, if you could please proceed with Alain’s statistics this last tournament, that would be much appreciated.”
“Oh, uh, r-right!” The pink-haired woman stuttered, turning her attention back to her screen now that it was back to normal. She was about to begin explaining the Kalosian team’s weaknesses and strengths when her colleague’s voice cut through yet again.
Only this time, it was imbued with a kind of warmth and awe that only someone who had been deeply in love, or moved, or both could convey. Hal stared at the older gentleman with wide eyes.
“Although I will admit the old romantic in me would find it incredibly touching if our dear Monarch couldn’t help doing his best whenever the Kalos Queen was watching. It reminds me of my old school days, when having my girlfriend cheer on me and my Pokémon always motivated me to try my best.”
Despite himself, despite his need to keep what he knew about those two a secret, Hal couldn’t help but smile earnestly at the sincerity in the host’s voice. All the reservations he had towards the eccentric man just melted away in an instant. He felt the same way.
“Yeah, I suppose that would make her his lucky charm, right?”
And even as they moved on to each and every one of the other participants, a quiet sort of warmth enveloped the set. The kind that manifests when love transcends all and reaches everyone’s hearts.
“Yeah, I suppose that would make her his lucky charm, right?”
The line, spoken with such soft yet heartrendering candour, echoed inside the living room walls. The late afternoon sun filtered through the large bay window that led to the frontyard, casting everything in its lazy glow. In the middle of the room, located right behind a small table that separated them from the TV, two young people, a boy and a girl, rested on a loveseat.
The boy, with his naturally dishevelled hair, earnest amber eyes, and little z-marks on his cheeks, was reclined against the sofa, one arm draped over the back of the furniture. Snuggled up close to him, with her back against his chest, was a lovely girl with bright blue-bell eyes and honey blonde hair up in a nice bob cut. Her delicate hands gently stroked the sleepy Pikachu curled up on her lap, his little chest going up and down in soft exhales.
To be perfectly honest, Ash Ketchum, the famous World Monarch the TV wouldn’t shut up about, wasn’t even paying much attention to the screen. He was just content in trying to live in this little moment with his girlfriend and best friend for as long as the real world would allow them. Really, he was far more entertained with just playing idly with Serena’s hair than with anything on TV, gaze softening and heart squeezing just right like they did whenever he had the chance to see just how tenderly Serena played with Pikachu. A sentiment the Electric-Type returned whole-heartedly.
So when he felt her shift enough so she was now looking at him without disturbing the little yellow rodent, a small sense of alarm immediately overtook him.
“Something wrong?” He asked, blinking as he readjusted from the trip back to reality.
She gave her a lopsided grin, one of those she started using more and more after growing more confident in Hoenn that he loved so much. There was a knowing yet fond glint in her eyes, “You didn’t listen to a word they said, did you?”
“Huh? A word who said?”
“The show.” She giggled and pointed at the TV. “Battle Today is doing an episode on the Masters Eight. They were talking about you.”
He blinked a few times, not sure why that was so important. For better or worse, ever since he became Monarch, his face was constantly on the news and most Pokémon-related shows. Battle Today talking about him for whatever reason felt like little more than a regular Tuesday now.
Still, Serena knew this. Heck, she had the same thing happen to her all the time, especially back in Kalos. Which is why they made it a point to ignore the media as much as possible, more so if they were together. They didn’t get to see each other much—it’d be a waste if they didn’t focus exclusively on their time together whenever they could meet up.
So if she made a point of mentioning it, then it had to be important.
“Well, what did they say?” He asked with his own smirk.
His heart skipped a beat when, somehow, his girlfriend’s grin only got wider.
“Something about your performance fluctuating during your matches.” She told him with feigned disinterest.
His smirk fell, a crease forming on his brow. That… was not what he had in mind.
“What does that even mean?” He mumbled.
With a nonchalant hum, Serena got closer to him, her hands resting on his chest as his moved instinctively to her waist, rubbing lazy circles on her skin with his thumbs. He was sure she could feel the steady beat of his heart under her palms, but he wasn’t as self-conscious about it as he might’ve been a few months back. He knew Serena loved the rhythmic sound of his heart. According to her, it always managed to calm her down.
Just like he loved the way her cheeks blushing prettily as they did now really brought out the blue in her eyes. Eyes shutting close, he began to lean in and—.
“They think the reason why some of your matches were closer than others was because of whether I was watching them or not.” She interrupted all of a sudden, leaning back slightly to look at him with a mixture of embarrassment and satisfaction lighting up her face.
Her pretty, pretty face he should be kissing right now.
However, when her words registered in his brain, his eyes widened as a furious blush overtook his face, completely drowning out his marks. Suddenly embarrassed, he looked away as he rubbed the back of his neck. Pikachu’s quiet snickering from Serena’s lap was the last nail on the coffin.
“They think what now?” He blurted out, still too embarrassed to look at her properly.
But Serena would not have it. Maybe it was a result of becoming Kalos Queen, but Her Majesty wasn’t too keen on not having her boyfriend’s undivided attention. With a little pout that hid no real frustration, she raised her hands to Ash’s cheeks and gently made him look back at her.
The soft grin was back on her face as soon as he blinked down at her.
“Yeah, their Battle Analyst kept going on and on about how you almost lost against Lance the very same day I just so happened to not be at Wyndon Stadium. Just like you swept the competition each time I was.”
That made him sit up straighter, the sudden movement causing Pikachu to let out an aggravated, “Pikapi!”
“Sorry, Buddy…” He turned his focus back on Serena. “But how did they even know you were in Wyndon for the World Coronation Series? You said you didn’t even post about it on your socials.”
He still didn’t really understand how they even worked, hopeless with tech as he was, but that was besides the point.
Serena made a little show of shrugging nonchalantly, though deep down she was pretty mortified herself. “I think the special guest for the evening is the tournament’s official announcer.” Ash followed the thumb that was pointing at the TV, his focus locking in on the familiar man wearing a simple dress shirt and a green tie as he talked about Cynthia’s Garchomp using Dragon Claw against Steven Stone’s Metagross. “I think he may have seen us together backstage during your breaks.”
Cheeks heating up at the thought of having been caught without noticing, Ash did a double take. “But why would he go and reveal that on live TV?”
“I’m pretty sure he just blurted it out without thinking.” She mused aloud, vaguely remembering the man seemed fairly panicked when suddenly all eyes were on him. Lost in thought, she stopped petting Pikachu for a second, causing the little creature to raise his head and look back at her expectantly. Perking up in realisation, the Kalos Queen scrambled to apologise and resume her ministrations, giggling at how demanding Pikachu could get sometimes.
Smiling softly at the scene, warmth enveloping his entire being, the Monarch still felt the need to point something out, “Even if that were the case, you say they think my battle results depend on you watching just because you were away while I battled Lance. Isn’t that a bit of a stretch?”
Serena smiled at him over her shoulder, something fond and loving, and the tiniest bit teasing, “According to them, your performance flopped every time I was not there. Like your match with Iris, when Palermo called me out of the blue for some last minute arrangements regarding my next show.”
Before Ash could say anything in his defence—like it had been a hot minute since he’d last seen Iris and she’d got a lot stronger since—, Serena halted all trains of thought. Or rather, the way the loveliest shade of pink dusted her doll-like features, with the warmest little smile curling at her lips, and a sort of adorable shyness lit up her ocean blue eyes halted all trains of thought.
Serena had got so strong, so confident, over the last few years that he sometimes forgot the sweet and timid girl he travelled with in Kalos. The urge to wrap his arms around her and protect her from everything that might threaten to take that breathtaking smile of hers away overtaking his whole being just like it did when they were sixteen.
Only now he knew why he felt that way.
“He…” She started out hesitantly. Stopped to clear her throat self-consciously. Started again. “The announcer, he said that makes me your lucky charm…”
Heart racing in his chest, something settled within the boy from Pallet Town. A kind of devoted contentment that only the girl in his arms could bring out of him.
“But of course!” He exclaimed with a toothy grin even as Serena looked up with wide eyes and rosier cheeks. “Isn’t it obvious? You are my lucky charm, Serena.”
The poor girl just sputtered, speechless. Leave it to Ash to be the most adorable, yet densest, goof on the planet one minute, only to become a real smooth talker who knew exactly what to say to sweep her off her feet the next. And the worst part was that he wasn’t even aware of what he was doing!
He chuckled, mentally noting how cute she was when she got flustered. “Have you forgotten? I had a six-year losing streak, but suddenly you kissed me and poof! Next thing I know, I’m both the Alola Champion and World Monarch. Isn’t that right, Pikachu?”
Perking up at the sound of his name, the Mouse Pokémon raised his little paw in the air triumphantly in agreement, “Pika, pika!”
With a soft chuckle at his partner’s antics, Ash turned back to a very red Serena. For all her boldness at the airport, she still felt terribly embarrassed whenever he brought the kiss up.
“See? You really know how to motivate a guy.”
Her face hotter than Delphox’s Fire Blast, Serena couldn’t help but avert her gaze. To think Ash found her little leap of faith revigorating enough to go on winning two major tournaments back to back… Despite the fact that her heart seemed like it wanted to burst out of her chest, something stilled within her. The kind of unrelenting certainty only Ash could bring out of her.
Her smile so wide her cheeks hurt, she reached out to cup Ash’s face in her hands again, her gaze fond as could be. With a voice as soft as velvet, she murmured, “So, does that mean I really did motivate you to win this year’s Masters Eight, too?”
Blinking at her sudden change in demeanour, his own face burning, Ash broke into a wide grin. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, earning himself a little startled, but adorable, squeak out of her. And an annoyed one from Pikachu. Now that they were practically chest to chest, their hearts beating in sync, he rested his forehead against hers and let out a contented sigh.
“Oh, you’d better believe it. There’s no way I could possibly lose with my girlfriend watching and cheering me on.”
At his admission, the two of them broke out laughing, holding tight onto each other as they let the warmth envelop them. From the blanket wrapped around them. From the cozy atmosphere at Ash’s childhood home back in Pallet Town. From knowing they would always have each other to support and encourage them to do their absolute best during competitions and every other challenge that came their way.
From the sweet kiss they shared as soon as their laughter calmed down and their hearts clamoured for more.
Yeah, Ash couldn’t help but think. Just being able to hold Serena in his arms already made him the luckiest man in the world.