After putting Latias away and walking over to Serena, Ash let his gaze settle on the girl before him.
She had clearly put real effort into dressing up today.
On top of her head sat a pink cloche hat tied with a black ribbon. Her long blond hair flowed down like a waterfall. A light touch of makeup rested over her fair face, her bright eyes shone like gemstones, and her delicate features were small and refined. Her soft pink lips were vivid and inviting, leaving plenty to the imagination.
Paired with a black tank top that showed off her figure, a striking red skirt, and black thigh-highs, the strong contrast of black and red naturally drew the eye.
Not to mention the carefully designed strip of bare white skin between the red skirt and the thigh-highs.
The whole outfit made the girl look youthful and lively, without losing any of her feminine charm.
She radiated pure youth.
While Ash was taking in Serena's appearance, Serena was looking at him too.
A blue adventure outfit, his signature red cap, a yellow Electric Mouse Pokémon on his shoulder, confident and sharp eyes, a height of six foot one, and sleek, well-defined muscles.
He only had to stand there to seem like the blazing sun hanging high in the sky, giving off light and warmth that made people want to move closer.
"Ash!"
Even though she had already decided before coming that no matter what, she would give Ash a hug the moment they met after all these years, when the moment actually came, her cheeks flushed red and her body turned stiff. She could not move at all.
'A hug... there's... there's no way I can do that...!'
Seeing how flustered she was, Ash smiled and took the initiative, opening his arms and gently pulling the tense girl into an embrace.
"We finally get to see each other again, Serena."
Ash hugged me first. And he said he'd missed me...
Curled up in Ash's warm embrace, Serena's face turned completely red, and her body stiffened even more.
After the hug, the red-faced girl reached out and took Pikachu from Ash's shoulder. Following what the Pokédex said, she scratched the base of Pikachu's tail to ease the awkwardness.
"I finally get to see a real live Pikachu!"
"Pikapi~"
Not realizing he had just become an emotional support mouse, Pikachu squinted in bliss, looking thoroughly relaxed as his sweet spot was scratched.
"So where are we going next?" Serena asked.
Ash did not keep teasing her. Remembering that Professor Oak had said he had already gotten in touch with the local Professor, he answered seriously, "Let's head to Professor Sycamore's lab."
"I know where that is. Actually, I need to go there too to pick up my first partner Pokémon. I'll take you."
A boy, a girl, and a Pikachu strolled down the streets lined with Kalos-style architecture.
This time, without Serena loudly calling Ash's name the way she had at the airport, and with Ash wearing his cap low while Pikachu was in Serena's arms, no one on the street recognized him.
Still, because of that earlier scene, the two of them were standing a little farther apart than before. They did not really look like companions walking together.
They looked more like strangers happening to move in parallel.
That quiet, slightly awkward mood lasted until they passed Prism Tower in central Lumiose City.
After that, two little tails appeared behind them.
One was the Lumiose Gym Leader Clemont, with blond hair, a lightning-bolt cowlick, glasses, a blue jumpsuit, and a huge white backpack on his back.
The other was the blond little girl Bonnie, the ultimate wingwoman.
The original four-person group from the old timeline had cleverly run into one another ahead of schedule.
Finally, unable to bear silently following them any longer, Bonnie spoke up.
"Big bro's been following you quietly this whole time. Did he fall for that pretty lady in the red skirt? If you're too embarrassed, I'll go tell her for you!"
As she spoke, Bonnie took off running on her own, dashed straight in front of Serena, blocked her path, and dropped to one knee. Like a little grown-up, she held out a hand toward Serena.
"Pretty lady, please, you absolutely have to take my brother!"
Serena: "?"
Ash: "..."
As a genius who had awakened Aura powers, and who had worked hard to develop them further, Ash had already sensed through Aura perception that someone had been following them the whole time. He just had not expected it to be these two "old acquaintances," Clemont and Bonnie.
From behind them, Clemont came sprinting over, shouting in panic,
"Stop it, Bonnie!"
A mechanical arm shot out from his oversized white backpack, grabbed Bonnie by the collar, and lifted her clean off the ground.
But he was too late.
The feeling of dying from embarrassment hit Clemont all at once, and he was utterly defeated.
"I'm sorry, you two. My little sister caused you trouble. I apologize on her behalf."
It had not been that big of a misunderstanding to begin with, and since Ash already knew the two of them, the misunderstanding was quickly cleared up.
"My name is Clemont, and this is my sister Bonnie. We're just about to set out on a journey."
After a brief introduction, Clemont explained why he had followed them in the first place.
"I thought it looked like you earlier, but I didn't expect it really to be you, Ash. It's such an honor."
Hearing that, Bonnie looked disappointed and started lecturing him like a little adult.
"What the heck? I thought big bro had finally figured things out. So you weren't following them because you fell for this pretty lady after all!"
"Bon! Nie!!!"
It was all this idiot little sister's fault that he had just died of embarrassment, and now she still had no idea when to stop and clearly was not taking him seriously at all.
Clemont was furious.
Knowing from experience exactly how her brother would react, Bonnie hurriedly shrank her neck and said in an overly mature tone, "Okay, okay, dummy big bro, I'll stop talking already."
The sibling exchange made Ash and Serena glance at each other and smile.
There was something warm and comforting in the way the two got along.
After shooting his dramatic little sister a look, Clemont turned serious and looked curiously at Ash.
"I thought you'd accept Mr. Lance's position and be crowned the Kanto Champion."
At that, Ash briefly looked at Serena beside him, then turned his head and glanced toward a patch of cover off by the roadside behind them.
Hidden there was a frog-shaped Aura signature.
It had been following him the whole way as well.
If nothing unexpected had happened, then it should be that Froakie, the one that was meant for him.
Ash immediately answered in a sincere tone,
"I had a reason I absolutely had to come to Kalos. Also, just call me Ash."
A reason he absolutely had to come to Kalos...
Why would he say something that cheesy, practically like a confession, right in front of other people? This is so embarrassing!
Serena covered her lovely face with both hands, too flustered to endure the looks from Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie.
Clemont, who had already decided in his heart that the two of them were obviously a couple, did not find the line strange at all.
All he was thinking was that since he had the good fortune to meet a legend like Ash, of course he had to challenge him to a battle.
"Ash, let's have a battle. I just caught a new Pokémon, and it'd be perfect for your debut battle in Kalos."
The fact that he could say that showed he really did know quite a bit about Ash.
He knew that every time Ash arrived somewhere new, he started over by catching new Pokémon and challenging Gyms, and only when the League came around would he occasionally bring out older partners for a quick appearance.
Unfortunately, the timing of his challenge was terrible.
Serena looked conflicted.
"But Ash hasn't even gotten a Kalos starter yet..."
"I see." Though a little disappointed, Clemont adjusted quickly. "Then let's wait until Ash gets his starter partner."
"No. Actually, maybe we can do it right now. Do you want to fight alongside me, Froakie?"
None of the three of them had expected Ash to say that.
At the same time, a faint blue aura that had briefly wrapped around Ash's body quickly drew back into him.
The previously silent Ash suddenly turned and looked toward a second-floor balcony by the roadside behind them.
There, after following him for quite some time, was a blue Froakie with large eyes, pupils like narrow lines, and bubbles wrapped around its neck.