Prologue
P.S italicized words are thoughts
Cerise Laboratories - Ash and Goh's dorm
February 14th 2023
Goh pushed open the door, Chloe right behind him. An envelope was tucked under his arm.
"Ash, Professor Cerise said this came for you and it's signed by…" He paused, glancing at the name. "Serena."
Ash took the envelope. He stared at her handwriting.
[ Lumiose City, three years ago ]
Serena turned around on the escalator. Their eyes met.
She stepped up slowly, until she was right in front of him. Then she leaned in and then kissed him.
Ash hadn't moved. His chest was full of something he didn't have a name for.
[ Cerise Laboratories, present ]
Pikachu was watching him from across the room, ears perked. Ash was visibly red.
"Pikachu?"
Ash blinked and turned toward him.
"It's nothing."
Goh dropped onto the bed beside him, holding a big grin
"Doesn't look like nothing," he said, pointing at Ash's very obvious red face.
Chloe settled into the chair across from them.
"Ash," she said slowly, "did you and this Serena have some kind of history?"
Ash said nothing. He just looked back down at the envelope.
He opened it
[Envelope]
Dear Ash,
I know we haven't seen each other in years and I know the last time we did was… a little awkward. But I've been thinking about you a lot lately.
I'd love to meet up and catch up properly. Here's my number: 928-321-2901. Call me when you're ready I'll be waiting at Vermillion Park.
Love, Serena
[Back to dorm]
Ash's face was red before he'd even finished reading.
Pikachu let out a small, unmistakable snicker.
"Pika."
Goh leaned over and caught a glimpse of the letter. His eyes went wide.
"No way." He snatched it for a closer look. "Ash, a girl signed this with love?"
Chloe leaned back in her chair with a quiet chuckle.
"And that," she said, "definitely answers my question."
Ash sighed
“Enough, just let me call her.” He called for his rotom phone “Rotom-phone, open dialpad.”
Ash’s rotom phone flew out his pocket
“Roto!”
Ash hesitated, thumb hovering over the screen.
Behind him, Goh leaned toward Chloe and whispered, "I've never seen Ash this hesitant outside of a battle."
"I told you," she whispered back, not looking up. "They definitely have history."
Ash ignored them or just at least pretended to. He tapped in the number carefully, exactly as Serena had written it.
928-321-2901.
He hit the save contact button. The contact screen blinked open.
First name: Serena.
He paused on the last name field for a moment. Then, without a word, he tapped a single emoji and hit save
Last name:♥️
Goh leaned over Ash’s back
“Ash seriously?” He let out a silent chuckle “Adding the heart emoji?”
He paused, grinning “You like her, don’t you?”
“I JUST MISS HER OKAY!”
The room went silent
Chloe covered her smile
Pikachu dug his face into the pillow
The rotom-phone dinged cheerfully
“Would it help to view some sites on dating advice?”
Ash’s face was redder than before
"NO FOR THE SAKE OF ARKOOS, DIAL THE NUMBER I JUST SAID!"
"Roto!"
The line began to ring.
Once. Twice.
"Hello?"
Ash straightened up instantly. Even his voice came out different just softer the way he only ever sounded around her in Kalos
"Hey, Serena. It's Ash. I got your letter."
Silence. Then Serena answered
"So… are you coming?"
"Of course I am." A small smile crossed his face without him noticing. "I haven't seen you in years."
“Well I’m already waiting.”
Ash answered
“Oh well the park is just down the road” His face widened “I’ll be there in a flash.”
A small pause on her end.
"Also-are you bringing anyone?"
"No, no."
"Not even Pikachu?"
"No."
Behind him, Goh, Chloe and Pikachu all exchanged glances then silently chuckled
"Well, see you soon, Ash!"
She cut the call
Ash stood up
Goh was already grinning.
"You're definitely in love."
Ash just sighed.
"Maybe." A pause. "Well, I'm off."
He grabbed his jacket and headed out, the door clicking shut behind him.
The room was silent for exactly one second.
Then Goh spun around, pulling Chloe and Pikachu into a huddle.
"We should follow him," he whispered, eyes gleaming.
"PIKA–—"
"SHHH!" Goh and Chloe both lunged at Pikachu simultaneously. "He's still in the hallway!"
[ At the park]
“Ash!” Serena waved her hand, she lit up
“Serena!” His lit up too “How are you?”
“Well I’m fine.” She smiled “You look-”
The same memory hit them both at exactly the same moment. The escalator , The moment they never spoke of ever.
The smile on Serena's face flickered. Ash's grin faded just slightly. But they were both red
They both opened their mouths at the same time.
Nothing came out.
Ash cleared his throat.
"So uh" he started, eyes darting sideways, "how are your… contests going?"
Goh, Chloe and Pikachu were behind a bush, all of them had binoculars
“They’re so awkward” Chloe murmured “Something must’ve happened between them.”
Goh responded
“Something… Ash never even mentioned.”
Chloe looked at him
“You mean romantic?”
“Yea, but I can’t believe he hid so much.”
“I mean of course, he looks like he doesn’t know what to do.”
Back to Ash and Serena
“They’re going well, but they’re on break because of the Masters 8 starting.”
Ash’s face lit up again
“Well I have a battle that gives me the opportunity to join it if i win!”
Serena smiled
“I mean of course you would be so excited for that.”
Ash took her hand
“Wanna go somewhere?”
Serena took his properly
“Yes! I heard there’s a nice road for sightseeing and shopping.” She murmured under her breath “For couples.”
Ash didn't hear what she said.
Or at least that's what he wanted her to think.
"Then let's go!"
He was already walking
Goh whispered to Chloe “Maybe you're wrong, I think he does know what he’s doing.”
Chloe whispered back “I don’t know.”
Goh continued “I mean he took her hand.”
“Don't fumble this.” Ash thought
Serena walked just beside Ash holding his hand
“Bonnie would’ve been laughing at Ash if she was here.”
She smiled at the thought. She could practically hear it
"Serena, please take care of Ash!"
They wandered down the sightseeing and shopping road, hand in hand, until a clothing store window caught Ash's eye. He slowed to a stop.
“Hey Serena, look at that dress.”
The dress was a red gown with a yellow star pattern
She glanced at it
“It’s cute.”
“Yea.”
Serena looked at him confused amusement could be seen in her eyes
“I’m sure you would never call a dress ‘cute’.”
Ash let out a soft laugh, while gazing at her blue eyes
“Well… Maybe I changed.”
Serena looked at him longer than necessary
"Yeah," she said softly. "Maybe you did."
”He’s so hot.”
She looked away quickly, pretending to study the dress in the window.
A warmth spread through his chest, quiet and familiar, like something that had never really left. Something he hadn't let himself think about in three years.
”I—want…her—by my—side ”
He stood there for a moment. Staring at Serena.
Goh whispered to Chloe just a few meters behind Ash and Serena
“Look at him” He paused “he's staring at her.”
“He’s in love, I’m very sure.”
“We already know that, Chloe!”
Serena tapped Ash’s shoulder
“Come on, We might get late to see the sunset!”
Ash snapped back to reality.
"Y-yeah!"
He grabbed her hand and broke into a run, pulling her along with him.
"Ash!" Serena laughed, stumbling to keep up. "Slow down!"
Ash stopped so suddenly she nearly walked into him.
"I'm so sorry." He turned to face her, genuinely apologetic.
Serena caught her breath, cheeks red though whether from the running or something else entirely wasn't clear.
"No worries." She smoothened her hair. "Just… don't do that again."
They walked on, the sunset painting the road in shades of gold.
"Ash." Serena tugged his hand gently, nodding toward a small display outside a jewellery stall. "Look at that bracelet."
It was black with light blue threading, it was simple, understated, exactly his style.
"It would look so good on you," she said, already steering him toward it.
“Serena” Ash sighed “You know I don’t wear those.”
"I've made up my mind." She was already reaching for it. "I'm buying it for you."
Ash opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
He knew better than to argue.
Serena stepped up to the merchant with a polite smile.
"Hi, I'd like to buy this bracelet please."
The merchant picked it up, turning it over once in his hands.
"That'll be 500 Pokédollars." He set it down on the counter. "Cash or card?"
Serena grabbed her debit card from her purse
“Card”
The merchant gestured toward the card machine. Serena tapped her card without hesitation.
He handed her the bracelet with a small nod, and they moved on down the road.
Ash glanced at her quietly.
"You know you didn't have to do that."
Serena looked him up and down, she really looked and then she laughed.
"Ash." She held up the bracelet. "You're wearing shorts with a jacket. You need all the help you can get."
She said it with a grin, holding the bracelet out toward him.
Ash took it reluctantly then looked down at it on his wrist for a moment longer than he meant to.
It suited him. He wasn't going to say that out loud.
A few metres back, Goh's binoculars nearly fell out of his hands.
"She did not," he whispered, "just buy him a bracelet."
Serena glanced up at Ash, completely unbothered.
"Consider it a Valentine's gift."
Ash went red
”I can’t believe her”
Serena was already walking ahead, humming quietly to herself like she hadn't just said that.
A few metres back, Chloe tugged on Goh's sleeve.
"Did you hear that?" Chloe whispered, eyes wide. "She called it a Valentine's gift." She thought for a moment "She's been planning this since at least five days ago."
Goh lowered his binoculars slowly.
"Yeah." He let out a long breath. "You can say that again."
Pikachu looked between them both, then back at Ash and Serena.
He already knew. He'd known since Kalos.
Serena had always been crazy about Ash. That part was never the mystery.
Ash was just… dense.
Pikachu turned to Goh and Chloe with the most serious expression he could manage.
"Pikachupi, pika pika chu. Pikachu!"
(You should've seen the airport.)
Goh stared at him.
"I don't understand a single word you're saying, buddy."
Pikachu looked back at Ash and Serena, then let out a long, exhausted sigh.
Meanwhile, completely unaware of the emotional crisis happening three metres behind him, Ash was being dragged toward the port.
"Ash!" Serena grabbed his wrist, pulling him forward. "Look, we made it!"
The port stretched out ahead of them, the last light of the sunset spilling gold across the water.
Ash took it in for exactly one second.
"Good." His face lit up. "I'm starving."
They stopped at a small macaron stand near the waterfront. Ash ordered two without hesitation, he already knew her favourite.
They found a table overlooking the port, the sunset still burning low on the horizon. Ash dropped into his seat and stretched, the kind of stretch that buys you a few extra seconds before saying something important.
"So." He looked at her. "I've been wanting to ask you something since we met at the park."
Serena rested her chin in her hand, watching him carefully.
"Spill it."
Ash took a deep breath.
"There's an open spot at Cerise Laboratories. A research fellow position." He paused. "I want you to take it… be with me”
The port hummed quietly around them.
Serena looked at him for a long moment.
"I'll..... take it."
Ash blinked. Like he hadn't quite prepared himself for yes.
Then he smiled, slow and genuine, the kind he couldn't fake if he tried.
"Yeah?"
“Yeah”
Neither of them could touch their macarons.
A few metres away, behind a conveniently placed potted plant, Goh slowly lowered his binoculars.
"No way," he whispered to Chloe. "He actually asked her to join us as a research fellow."
Chloe stared at him.
"Goh."
"Yeah?"
"He said be with me."
Goh blinked.
"...Oh."
“We should leave.”
Goh looked at her
“Yea, let them have their moment.”
The three of them moved along to lab
10 minutes later
The sunset finally ended and the moon started to rise
Ash and Serena finally ate their macarons
“Well we should get going.”
“Yea, we should”
They went ahead
But three shadowy figures stepped out from the darkness, blocking their path.
"To protect the world from devastation."
"To unite all people within our nation."
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
The figures stepped into the moonlight.
"Bringing chaos at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"
Jessie flicked her hair back dramatically.
"Jessie!"
James struck his pose beside her.
"James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Meowth, dat's right!"
And then, from somewhere behind them
"Wobuffet!"
Ash stepped forward instinctively, putting himself between Team Rocket and Serena. His hand found Dracovish's Poké Ball without even looking.
"Go! Dracovish!"
"Draco!"
Dracovish landed hard, the ground shaking slightly beneath it. The moonlight caught its silhouette against the port.
Jessie's eyes swept across the scene. Then they landed on Serena. More specifically, on Serena's hand still linked with Ash's.
Her expression twisted with disgust.
"Ew." She crossed her arms. "What's the twerpette doing here?"
Ash gave her a look that could've cut glass.
"I don't have time for this. What do you want?"
James answered immediately.
"We want Pikachu!"
Ash rubbed his temple slowly.
"He's not here."
A long pause.
Jessie and James looked at each other.
"...What?"
Meowth's ears flattened.
"You're kidding."
Ash was done talking.
"Dracovish, Hydro Pump."
Dracovish opened its mouth and unleashed a torrent of water that hit Team Rocket like a freight train.
"WAAAAAH-"
All three of them were airborne instantly, shrinking rapidly into the night sky.
"We're blasting off agaiiiin!"
"Wobuffet!"
And just like that, they were gone.
Ash recalled Dracovish without a word and turned back to Serena.
She was laughing.
Ash melted
"L-let's go." He was already moving. "Q-quick, the application deadline is in like two hours."
Serena blinked.
Then she laughed again.
"You asked me to move across the region and you didn't even check the deadline first?"
"I-I checked! I just… forgot!"
Serena shook her head, still smiling, and followed him.
Cerise Laboratories
Professor Cerise looked up from his desk, glasses perched on his nose.
"So you'd like to fill the open position as our fourth research fellow?"
Serena sat up straight in the chair across from him.
"Yes."
"Do you have a referral?"
"Yes." She didn't hesitate. "Mr Ash Ketchum"
Professor Cerise looked at her for a moment. Then he leaned back in his chair and raised his voice.
"Ash!"
A beat. Then the sound of rushed footsteps in the hallway.
"Yes, Professor!"
Ash appeared in the doorway, slightly out of breath.
Professor Cerise gestured between them.
"Our applicant for the fourth research fellow position says her referral is you. Is that correct?"
Ash looked at Serena. Serena looked at Ash.
"Yes, Professor."
Professor Cerise looked between them both for a long moment, the kind of look that said he understood considerably more than he was letting on.
Then he stamped the form on his desk.
"Welcome aboard, Serena." Professor Cerise clicked his pen. "One more thing. The dormitory arrangement , you'd be sharing the room with Ash, Goh and Chloe. There's a bunk bed available. Would that be comfortable for you?"
Serena glanced at Ash for just a fraction of a second.
"Yes. No problem at all."
Professor Cerise nodded, making a note.
Ash stared very hard at the wall.
His ears were red..
Night
The laboratory was quiet.
Ash lay on his back, staring up at the underside of Serena's bunk. He could hear her breathing softly above him, already asleep.
He thought about the letter. The park. The bracelet still on his wrist.
Be with me. He couldn’t believe he said that.
He brought his wrist up in the dark and looked at the bracelet. The black and light blue threading was barely visible in the dim light.
He smiled at the underside of the bunkbed above him
