Chapter Text
Ash sat on his bed, the moonlight striking him through the small window of his childhood bedroom. A lot had changed over the years – a bigger bed, the walls a deeper, more mature green…and his favorite photos. Yes, a lot had changed.
He looked down at Pikachu, asleep on his old Snorlax bean-bag chair. The small electric type breathed gently and a sigh of contentment snuck out every so often. He squirmed and wiggled his tail as he nestled deeper into the makeshift bed.
Ash expected that sleep would come easy when he laid down, especially after a full meal, but it didn’t turn out that way. He’d spent the past two weeks getting back into a rhythm at home and spending time with all the pokemon he left in Professor Oak’s care. It was reality setting in he supposed. By now he was more comfortable traveling than he was staying still.
He looked back out the window focusing on the stars. It was easy to forget how brightly they shone here in his small hometown. Clear skies after lights-out were amazing. But still…
Alongside his Voltorb clock – a relic he’d insisted on replacing again and again since it had brought him Pikachu – was his Pokedex. The way the devices had grown over the years still surprised him. When he’d started his journey it was little more than an encyclopedia, but now – well it was much easier to talk than back when you needed a wall phone.
Normally that didn’t matter when he was at home, but tonight something urged him to pick it up. He stared at the blank screen and wondered what. Ash tapped the device to wake it up and having tapped one too many times, was suddenly staring at his list of contacts. Brock…Clemont…Dawn…he scrolled his way through, realizing as he did just how many people he could reach at a moment’s notice. He halted.
Serena.
He wondered what she was thinking. Was it awful of him not to have messaged her? She knew he didn’t, but after…I mean it wasn’t as if she’d messaged him either. Ash looked up, pinching the back of bottom lip with his teeth.
Hey. You up?
He stared for awhile before setting it down and rolling over. There. He’d tried. Nothing.
Serena laid on her bed, rubbing her eyes to help her adjust to the sunlight peeking through the curtains of her room at the Pokemon Center. She was still adjusting to travel in a new region. She’d lived in Kalos her whole life and by the time she’d left, she’d known the routes like the back of her hand.
It was also strange not having anyone around. Her mother was a fixture in her life before she’d set out on her own and she wasn’t on her own for long. Traveling the whole region was so different on foot than the cars and trailers she’d spent most of her time in. And she’d had friends. Bonnie. Clemont. She looked off. Ash. She made a concerted effort not to put his name first since they…parted ways at the airport. Contests were first. Just like Ash had come to Kalos in search of more gym badges, she was here to learn all she could before going back home to challenge Aria. She didn’t have much of a clue what winning contests really took, but that was true of showcases just a year ago and she’d made it right to the very end. Serena clenched her fist, remembering what she’d told Palermo.
I don’t want to stop ‘til it’s over!
With a sigh she reached for her Pokedex again. Professor Birch’s lab wasn’t far away and she was looking forward to getting a Hoenn starter pokemon. She immediately noticed the small light at the top corner was blinking. Her mother wouldn’t bother her any less if she didn’t answer.
Instead she saw…Ash?
Hey. You up? Sent at 11:39 PM.
Naturally they had each other’s contact information but to be honest, she wasn’t sure if or when they’d actually talk. She had left behind a lot of…uncertainty. Should she reach out? Should she wait for him? Would he? If he didn’t should she reach out then? The message solved all those questions but triggered so many more.
Hey. No. This was exciting! She should sound excited. She was excited. She didn’t have to sound like it.
Ash! I didn’t think…no…that would be like assuming he’d ignore her.
Ash! It’s great to hear from you! How are things back home in Kanto? I’m finally settling into Hoenn.
She sat for far too long staring at the screen before closing it with a slight frown. Nothing. It’s not as if she’d answered right away. They’d talk again soon. They’d talk again.