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It starts like this: one more night bunking out at the Tower of Mastery, everyone else already in their rooms preparing to sleep, two girls waiting out their companions with a question waiting on their tongues, their Pokémon (out or not) mirroring the quiet sort of energy buzzing underneath their fingertips. Neither of them knew why the other was still up at this time, lingering by the ground floor of the tower, but by morning their paths were going to diverge and they weren't going to take this chance for granted.
It was the Gym Leader that made the first move for once, throwing away the broom she was stiffly holding for a good half hour (long after she finished cleaning the ground floor and long after the last person closed their door), skating over to the Performer and stopping in front of her with a friendly wave and a whisper that somehow borders on a shout. "Hey there, Serena! I've been meaning to ask you, you know about PokéVision, right?"
"You could say that..." she answered, putting down her bag whose contents she arranged more than enough times. Her hands must be numb by now, but she turned away from it to look at Korrina, who was beaming so hard. The fact that she remembered...
"Thats great! If it isn't too much trouble, then can you..." She bit her bottom lip, looking off to Lucario, who was using the broom as a makeshift weapon and jabbing the air with it while simultaneously nodding his encouragement to her. She straightened up, bowing her head down and saying as forcefully as she could towards, "Can you help me make a video on it? I know it's late, but it would help us beyond measure if you could spare some of your time before you leave and I promise that we'll be—"
“Okay; I’ll help you make a PokéVision, but on one condition.”
Korrina raised an eyebrow, playful amusement already slipping into her voice as she raised her head with her mouth quirked upwards. “Oh? And what’s that, milady?”
She thrust her hand out, steeling her own voice as hard as she could. “Have a battle with me. An all out double battle, win or lose.”
“Hmm… my Lucario is just as good as two, so will that do for you?” She stood up properly and put her own hand out slowly, ready for rejection, a disappointing realisation, rough glove and fingertips brushing the other. Serena grabbed it and shook it once, a hard yes, and Korrina broke out in a smile, all sharp bite and tough bark. “Don’t be fooled though, we’re tough in the ring even without Mega Evolution and in the middle of the night. Are you sure you can deal with that?”
Serena gave her own grin, brave and bold. “Don’t worry, I’ve got something prepared.”
The room was still dark, even with the small lightbulb turned on. Korrina brought out some Fairy-lights to drape around the arena, even with Serena’s flustered demurral. “C’mon and lighten up for a bit, will ya? This is also for my test video, so don’t get your laces in a twist and have some fun putting these up with me!”
Her cheeks couldn’t get any brighter if they could. “Umm, okay.” She definitely did not sign up for this, her mind screamed, but she forced her legs to take her to the opposite side and gently pull the string forward. “You’re pretty fired up, huh?”
“Of course I am!” Doing a flip mid-air, she skated down one of the walls, throwing the thread around generously. Half of it ended up on the ground, where Serena picked it up and put it back in its place. “I’m going to have a great farewell battle, I get to learn how to use PokéVision as good as a rising star, and I’m staying up at times my grandfather would disapprove along with one of my first human female friends my age. Isn’t that great?!”
At this point it was better not to ask. “Yeah, happy for you! But if that’s the case, shouldn’t we at least be a little more quieter?”
“Nah, my papi is always such a deep sleeper at times, you can’t even tell if he’s alive! But then again he does that a lot to see if I’m awake since I used to check if he was and then freak out, so nowadays I just rely on Lucario to let me know.” Lucario gave a grunt and a thumbs up. “See, all clear! So feel free to let go of your voice and just holler out any annoying thoughts! It helps me a lot, so I bet it’ll help you loads too!”
The line slacked suddenly, as her mind blanked. Annoying thoughts? Sure, she hated that feeling of losing, of not getting something good enough for herself, of failing before she even started. She was barely getting on by with her PokéVision channel, but if a Gym Leader noticed her enough to ask for her counsel then doesn’t that mean that she’s getting better? Are her worries even worth it?
The Pokéballs at her belt jiggled with warmth, calling out with love, and she couldn’t bite back her budding smile. It was only propriety that was holding Fennekin back from popping out right then and there, and possibly even Pancham as well. “Well, I’m not sure if I have any bad ones just yet…”
“Then that’s fine! You’ll know when the time comes, and I always love surprises.” Tossing the last piece, Korrina skidded to a stop, hands on hips and a big grin on her face. “Welp, it seems that we’re all out. How’s it on your end?”
Serena gave her a tired look. “Believe it or not, most of your end is just Fairy-lights all over the ground and ceiling, somehow defying the nature of gravity.”
The rollerskater laughed. “You’re not wrong. But you’re also not right. This—” spreading her hands out and spinning in place to encompass the space— “Is my masterpiece, one that would make the most seasoned photographers cower in fear of never capturing its beauty. The centrepiece of my first video. The beginning of a new Renaissance!”
Korrina paused for a bit before looking over at her and giving her a stink-eye. “Hey!” she barked, startling the other girl. “If you have something to say, then say it! You should never hold back your true thoughts, in battles or with your words.”
“I’m surprised you know so many big words in the first place,” she blurted out, looking very well like a deer in headlights. Korrina narrowed her gaze. Staring at her, she slowly slid towards her, before stopping right before Serena’s face. Serena was never so afraid for her life (why was she up late at night alone with a battle-maniac of a Gym Leader?).
A beat.
“You’re definitely best friend material. To that effect, I shall name you Rere!”
Oh no. That was even worse than she imagined. Not even Bonnie went that far in her most chaos-addled moments.
‘Rere’ put her hands up, trying to salvage the rest of her existence as a living person. “Please don’t call me that. I’m fine with Serena, seriously.”
Even Lucario was struggling to not care about the situation, judging by the way his ear flicked as he stood over by the door. Korrina shrugged, not understanding the issue. “But it’s so cute! C’mon, don’t leave me hanging here! I can be Rina and you can be Rere, and whenever we're togther on the videos we can be the awesome Risters! And off-video too, of course.”
Think, Serena, think. “How about we…” she stalled, looking around the area which was now adequately lit up. “Battle for that as well! Sounds cool?”
Lucario gave a short gruff sound that suspiciously sounded like laughter.
The Gym Leader winked, skating away as quickly as she (would normally) came, gliding over the field. “That sounds great to me! So are you ready?”
“Now?”
“There’s no time like the present! So bring your Pokémon out, I want to see your second-in-command! And Lucario, if no one is around then come on down!”
Serena instinctively put her hands over her Pokéballs while walking over to her side of the field, transferring one of them to her other so that she felt balanced. Fire and Fighting-Types. Hot and cold.
A stage and a willing friend, ready for that burning-hot punchline.
“Fennekin, Pancham, let’s show her what we’ve got!” Two flashes of light, flickering flames and a pulse of darkness pooling out to reveal her partners, posed and ready to fight.
Korrina, Leader of the Shalour Gym, grinned from the other side and slammed the sides of her balled fists together. “Lucario, let’s get ready to rock their worlds! Get your Bone Rush ready now!”
The Aura Pokémon ran out while slamming his paws together, slowly drawing them away to form one long, glowing bone that he snapped into two. Twisting the two bones around him he aimed for both of them, throwing them out as projectiles.
“Let’s do this, you two!” Jumping in her spot, Serena spread out her arms and clapped twice. Both Pokémon looked at each other and jumped away, letting the bones smash into glimmering specks of light. Their Trainer laughed, a surprised giggle that bounced out from her throat. It worked! They worked. Pancham turned to look back at her as if to say ‘Of course it did’ and she laughed harder.
Korrina rubbed the back of her head, looking confused but pleased. “Wow, I did not expect that at all. Have you done some secret training as well with Ash?” Lucario barked thrice in a short staccato, regaining his footing in the middle of the field while shooting her a Look. “Yeah, yeah, I know. That’s just a warm-up, so get ready for the real heat! Lucario, use Aura Sphere and throw them out at different angles!”
The Performer tapped her feet on the ground, a steady one-two one-two-three one, and shouted out with her arms outstretched— “Fennekin, use Ember! And Pancham, you throw out some Dark Pulses!”
Fennekin yipped, matching the beat by jumping with every second beat and throwing out Ember on the last one, moving away every so often. Pancham rolled his eyes but did the same on the beat after Fennekin’s one, making sure to keep some distance away from the Aura Spheres. Dancing to her own beat Serena couldn’t help but feel her spirits rising, but she made sure to focus on the barrage. “Pancham, you’re facing Lucario’s back, so fire a big Dark Pulse now!”
“Oh no you don’t! Lucario, Bone Rush!”
Lucario snapped his head to look back, throwing out his arm to materialise the bone staff into his paw. Pancham bit his leaf harder and let loose his charged beam, colliding with the Bone Rush right when Serena double-tapped and called out, “Fennekin, now!”
The Fire Starter threw her head down and blasted the Steel-Type with Ember, pelting his unprotected side. Korrina hissed from the other side of the grounds, yelling, “Use Bone Rush on that side as well!”
Serena wiped her forehead, feeling winded. She was panting, she noticed, tired from keeping the beat and remembering the steps she had practiced late at night. This was her first battle with Pancham and second real one with Fennekin, and even though she watched the boys go at it a lot, she still isn’t sure of herself. She was the first one to get knocked out in the Summer Camp Team Battle, after all, and that was when she was working in a group. But here?
“Pan-pancham!”
“Fenne-kin-kin!”
She shook her head and watched her partners, who were giving her a smile (and a smirk, in Pancham’s case). They’re trying their best, trusting in her to take the rhythmic battling style that Ash couldn’t master and make it something better. That’s how she caught Pancham, after all— watching him dreaming a big dream, wanting for something beyond, wishing to stand on a stage and be drowned by applause.
That’s how she chose Fennekin, after wandering away from home— after a visit from the past, running away from a future that she doesn’t want, trying to carve out her own path. After all of that travel, the first she’s ever done, Fennekin was the first thing she was sure of. More than Ash at that point, more than ephemeral dreams of her future.
She looked at her partners, and noticed the strain Pancham was having holding back the Bone Rush. She looked down and noticed his foot tapping, and then thought of something— new, terrifying, but with a small chance it could work. Something she learnt from watching two different people using the style before her, watching how it didn’t work with Ash as compared to the ease that Tierno had with it.
(It’s a small chance, but if it makes them happy? Then she has nothing else to lose)
“Keep pushing, both of you! Pancham, let yourself loose in time with the beats! You don’t need to hold back your true thoughts to impress me in this battle, okay?”
Pancham grinned, the first time in so long, and pushed himself upwards with his Dark Pulse, shaking off any stiffness before landing onto the ground flipping and spinning onto the ground. Lucario was forced to stand his ground against Fennekin, who was still blasting him with Ember, and with Pancham acting as his own projectile he couldn’t dodge as well when Serena called, “Use Dark Pulse on his legs!”
Korrina shouted back, “Use Aura Sphere on the ground! Launch yourself up to avoid both attacks!”
Lucario tried to launch it, but Pancham slid up off the ground to place his paw against his legs— having gotten close enough to land a direct Dark Pulse on his back leg. Faltering, he diverted his attention to throwing the Aura Sphere on him instead, and he scrambled away as fast as he could. It still clipped his side though and he winced, tripping on his feet as he held a paw to his hurt side.
Serena gasped, trying to think of a way to get him back on track. “Tap out a rhythm of Stone Edge, try to aim for the ground underneath Lucario to get him off balance!” Pancham nodded and started to tap on the ground a beat similar to her own, raising the ground in small increments and disrupting Lucario footing.
“Fenne-kin!”
She quickly turned to look at Fennekin, who was struggling with keeping up with Lucario now that he had one target in front of him. Her Ember was getting weaker, while Lucario was getting more hits in with his Bone Staff. Thinking about two Pokémon on the field was even harder than just thinking about one, but she quickly shook that thought away. There was no time to be thinking about anything but the battle in front of her. Locking her gaze with the Fox Pokémon, she yelled out as loud as she could, “Keep it up, Fennekin! I know you can do it!”
Fennekin shook herself out, dancing away right when a Bone Staff smashed the ground. “Okay, now match Pancham’s rhythm! And when you get the opening, blow the most strongest Ember you can, alright?! Pancham, get ready to make the ground really shake when I give the signal.”
Pancham smirked, marking her words by making the ground crack a little bigger in the next beat. Lucario slipped a little, skidding on the ground in order to use that slip to get closer to Fennekin. “That’s it, Lucario! Use the ground to land an ultra-powerful Power-Up Punch!”
The Fox Pokémon looked up, watching Lucario as he jumped off one of the Stone Edge, light glinting off his glowing paw. Fennekin gave a quick nod, as if understanding what to do when Serena double-tapped with her right and tilted her head a bit, hitting his feet with Ember right when his Power-Up Punch arced over her head.
Lucario yelped and jumped back quickly, and it was right there, that very second, where Serena yelled out, “Do it, Pancham!”
He brought out both of his palms, balled up with pain and frustration, and slammed it down to the ground, raising the tallest Stone Edge she’s ever seen him bring out. Lucario tripped over his feet, frantically trying to regain his footing when Fennekin whipped her head and started expelling the strongest Ember she could, englulfing him in red-hot fire.
“Keep it up!” she screamed, clapping her hands for each word, over and over, willing and willing. Fennekin forced out more and more heat, keeping in time, and Pancham held his ground by forcing Lucario to face it by raising the Stone Edge behind him. Korina was calling out something, trying to get Lucario to push back against the onslaught, but Fennekin wasn’t having it--taking a deep breath she spat out fire and this time it was a steady stream, gold and red and orange blending, and Serena was so shocked that her rhythm was off, slowing down.
And then Korrina yelled, “Push yourself up with the Bone Rush and use Power-Up Punch along with it on Pancham!”
“Quick, use Flamethrower,” Serena threw out desperately, feeling adrenaline pumping through her, this twisting feeling inside her stomach that felt so sickening yet thrillingly freeing, free-fall, watching as her Starter tried to acquiesce her Trainer’s command as the Bone Staff whistled through air, running towards her partner with every burst of energy she could muster.
Red, and gold, and orange. Shocking blue, whistling towards something so small, black and white and a touch of green. Grey trying to block the way, and aquamarine smashing through, and through, and so achingly close—
Red, and gold, and a dust cloud, covering the impact.
A few seconds. She felt her breath catch in her throat, a Fletchling where her heart should be. Please, she found herself saying, mouthing, (she couldn’t even begin to explain it).
Out of the cloud revealed all of the Pokémon standing, panting, fallen down to one knee and trying to get their breath back. It was very clear that Fennekin and Pancham were hit hardest, evident by the scratches and desperate attempts of getting up.
Serena opened her mouth, ready to call it quits. It was so clear after all, so what was the point of taking it further, of risking it for one final time?
‘It isn’t over until it’s over!’
…He did say that, once, right? Looking at the other side of the field, Korrina met her gaze and grinned, calling out for them to “Go the whole way, we’ll do the same!” and—
“Let’s go!”
It turns out that she really couldn't resist a stage, in the end. And looking at her Pokémon it was something they all shared, ambitions burning hot and dreams glittering like stars in the dark.
All of them together, clear as day.
“Woo-wee, you’re definitely what a battle in the middle of the night should feel like.” Korrina plopped down in the middle of the field next to Lucario, throwing her head back to make some sort of exaggerated sound. Lucario yawned in response, mirroring her action. Serena chuckled politely, brushing her hair away from her ears with one hand as she brushed Fennekin’s back, who was sitting on her lap comfortably as can be. “I’m telling you, if it wasn’t for your lack of experience, you could’ve beat us for sure. Are you sure that you’re not a Battler?”
She gave a quick glance to Pancham, who was nursing his hurt side (that she sprayed some Super Potion over) with a closed-off expression. Serena winced guiltily. “Not really. My Pokémon and I— We’re aiming for the Master Class now, trying out Pokémon Performances. I just wanted to test out how the rhythmic battling style could work, especially since I feel like you would definitely appreciate it as a Gym Leader. But it still feels like I’ve got a lot to do in order to really get it… I can see why Ash dropped it.”
“Hey! What did I just say before?”
She gave her a questioning look, with Fennekin opening an eye tiredly. “Huh? I mean, excuse me?”
Korrina launched up to her feet, looking down at her with disappointment while waving her arms out in emphasis. “No more of that, no more of those ‘excuse-moi’!” Serena flinched, looking down while biting her bottom lip. The Shalour Gym Leader softened, going down to squat in front of her. “Look, I don’t mean to be harsh, but seriously! Stop trying to cover for every mistake, especially when it comes to following Ash. Don’t tell me that you took up this whole style for his sake, huh?”
“Not really…” Pancham snorted, causing his Trainer to perk up and look over at him. His back was still faced towards her, but to her he seemed a lot more attentive than before. Lucario caught the look and reached a paw to pat his shoulder, a lingering touch that conveyed some sort of delayed but much needed response for him, judging by the way he slightly uncurled himself. She sighed, before looking back at Korrina. “To be honest, I was interested in it ever since one of our friends introduced it to him. It seemed so fun and freeing, you know? And once I got Pancham it just clicked.”
The blonde girl gave her a gentle smile. “Yeah, I could tell. You were really into it, and so were your Pokémon. Even that guy,” she jerked her head towards the Playful Pokémon, who was looking anything but, “I can tell he really wants to impress you. That’s the way with Fighting-Types, you get me? They have a lot of pride, but the young ones always have trouble dealing with blows to that the most. Me and Lucario were the same. I mean, you saw what Papi is like— he knows it too, and even though it’s super annoying, I understand what he means at the end of the day. I’m sure he’ll understand too. Maybe he already does and is just wrapping his head around it at his own pace. But it’s not just about him, is it?”
Serena very quickly wiped her arm over her eyes, trying to stifle that familiar feeling inside her. That feeling rising up and insisting that she should just give it up, slink away from the conversation and bury this whole hour away into the recesses of her mind, where she can pretend that it never happened (because it wasn’t good enough, and what was the point of it in the first place if that’s the case?). Fennekin gave her a short bark, nudging her head against her body, and that small flash of warmth chased away at least a little of that lump in her throat. “I… don’t know.”
“That’s okay.” She looked up, watching Korrina cock her head to the side with a big smile. “Just like what I said before, it’ll come in time. Just promise me that’ll you don’t give it up until the very end, okay? Life’s no fun sitting on the sidelines, and from what I’ve seen you can definitely take on the Master Class by storm. My advice? As long as you keep your eyes on the goal and practice, the sky’s the limit, so don’t limit yourself by things you can’t control. That’s how me and Lucario got the Lucarionite and finally controlled Mega Evolution— with the help of Papi and you guys, most importantly— after all. Keep on keeping on is what they say, or keep on rolling is what I like to say.”
Lucario closed his eyes and nodded sagely, patting Serena’s shoulder. Korrina hopped over to her side and exaggeratedly whispered into her left ear. “He looks like he’s joking but he’s not, I promise. Lucario just likes acting my Papi’s Lucario, so whenever I say something smart he tries to pull that off. Don’t tell him but it looks kinda goofy.” Lucario huffed, retracting his arm and looking off to the side. “Aww, c’mon, don’t be like that. You know that you’re still an awesome battler even if you can’t give good advice for your life.”
Serena couldn’t help but giggle a little into her hand, charmed by the scene happening in front of her. Fennekin purred, snuggling tighter into her lap, and Pancham covertly looked back to see what was going on. “You’re right… I’m not sure what got over me.”
“Eh, don’t worry about it!” Korrina popped up onto her feet and straightened up, stretching her arms. “We all have our down days. I’m just happy that I was there for you, just like you’ve been here for me.” Flipping her hair around, she then adjusted the strap on her helmet and pulled at her gloves twice for good measure before clapping her hands together. “Okay! So if we’re done with that, then let’s get onto that video. If you’re ready, that is.”
The Performer gently scooped Fennekin into her arms and stood up, skirt dusty and smile bright and fierce as she gave a nonchalant shrug. “Hey, it’s not like we agreed to it or anything.”
Korrina gave her a flat look, while Lucario coughed into his paw. “Ha ha. Once again, are you sure you’re not a Battler? Because you have the humor of one, for realies.”
Serena watched the cursor hover over the same spot for ten minutes before asking, quite delicately and well-controlled in her opinion, “So… you thought of anything yet?”
To be honest, there was no need for her to get up earlier in the first place. While getting out the Fairy-lights, Lucario had enough foresight to get her laptop too (which was something that took a little getting used to), so it was just a matter of booting it up and getting the website on.
What happened after was a completely different story.
Korrina was chewing on the left-hand thumb’s end of her fingerless glove, staring at the box that said ‘Channel Name’ with her right hovering over the keyboard. Lucario was probably sleeping in the pose he was doing, sitting cross-legged with eyes closed next to Pancham, who was definitely sleeping by the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Fennekin was dazedly looking at the screen as well, sometimes looking back at her Trainer to check for her reaction (barely restrained as time ticked on). “What do you think?” she finally said, taking her hand out of her mouth and leaning backwards.
Serena squinted at the new name she put in this time. “Just… ‘Korrina’?”
“Well, what do you want me to write?” She threw one arm out to spin her wrist around aimlessly, tilting her head up and blinking a bunch to clear her eyesight before looking back at her. “Last time you said that I was ‘doxxing’ myself by typing out ‘The Shalour Gym Leader’! It’s not like I can’t just fight them if bad people come over here!”
“That’s not the point,” Serena barely hissed, feeling the lack of sleep catching up to her. Taking a deep breath, holding it, and releasing, she pointed the screen in-between them and tapped at the blinking box. “Look, make your title something that represents you and what you want to show. A name you want people to call you, that reminds you of yourself. Tu comprends? ”
Korrina raised a balled fist to cover her mouth in deep thought, humming loudly. Lucario’s tail swished a bit in reaction. “Well…”
“Fen-ne!” the Fox Pokémon drawled, stepping out of Serena’s lap to trot over to Korrina and insistently prod at her rollerskates. Korrina grinned and snapped her fingers, surprising Fennekin who sneezed out a stray spark that flashed like a lightbulb.
“I’ve got it!” Turning the laptop towards herself again, she quickly tapped out her choice, causing both Serena and her starter to try to lean over and see what it was. “Ben dis donc plus waouh, it’s been a while, but finally my gloves are off and I can unleash my true power upon the world. Behold, the title that only a true Successor can accomplish!”
Scooting over a little closer, Serena just managed to catch a small glimpse of the name before Korrina whipped the laptop away from them and set it in front of Lucario, propping her head on her fist with a large sigh. “Hey, Lucario, what do you think? Good enough? This is for the both of us, after all.”
Lucario peeled an eye out inquisitively, reading what was on the screen with a passive face… before breaking out into a rueful smile. Rolling his eyes playfully he pushed the screen back, making sure to give Korrina an intentional look before closing his eyes and resuming his position once more. She pumped her arm up in the air, shouting, “Yes!” as loud as she could. “We’re really on a roll now.”
“Wait, let me see…” Serena took the laptop besides her and Fennekin, mouthing the name several times before frowning. “I know what I said before, but seriously, what does that mean?” Fennekin yipped, looking just as puzzled.
Korrina flapped her right hand nonchalantly, giggling underneath her breath as she rubbed the bottom of her nose with her pointer finger. “Ahh, what can I say? It was a while ago, when I was going around training with some of the bigwigs around here. Used to visit the Battle Chateau a bunch when I was younger and watch them fight it out, and well, it’s the Battle Chateau! They make it their job to use the oldest words possible, so I wanted to be on their level with that too. A bunch of sleeping over ancient scrolls later— that Papi wasn’t proud of, mind you, so please learn from my example— I once rolled in and tripped over some of the ramping right at the top of the stairs. Right when everyone looked at me I went to open my big mouth and say—“
“‘Alack, alay, the great Lady Korrina has fallen! Will anyone dare to give her a hand and fight her at last?’”
The two girls turned around so fast you could almost hear their necks crack. Lucario didn’t move, huffing underneath his breath. Fennekin hiccuped in surprise and Pancham tiredly looked over to appraise the old man standing by the doorway, candle in hand and epic pose in motion. Realising the reactions he garnered, he frowned and crossed his arms. “Well, I must say, I expected both of you to be fast asleep by now. Especially you, Serena; aren’t you going to be off on your travel by tomorrow morning?”
“How betrayal runs deep,” the Gym Leader muttered under her breath while shaking a fist underneath her back. Lucario shrugged and Serena very much looked like a Skiddo in headlights, gasping and gaping in shock. Looking upward, Korrina fixed her best pleasing smile towards her grandfather and spoke normally. “Please, gramps, you’ve gotta let me do this! You know how this’ll help to get people to actually understand what Mega Evolution is, while letting you free your inner theatre kid!”
Gurkinn rubbed the bottom of his chin with both thumb and pointer finger of his free hand, thinking it through while still standing at the doorway. “While that may be true, you have to also think of your guests as well. You still have that much further to go, young lady, in order to actually—“
“So that’s why you call her young lady!” Serena suddenly shouted, no longer frozen and point at him as if he announced he was a murderer. To his credit he didn’t jump, instead one giving a knowing look towards his granddaughter.
She winced, before shaking her friend. “Hey, we’re kind of arguing about the fate of my channel here. Might want to focus on something else right about now other than whatever random thing he always says.”
“She’s right, those kinds of revelations can wait for the time you two pack up those dreadful Fairy-lights.” He nodded, either not noticing the slight or just shrugging it off. She grinned and rolled her eyes, pushing herself up and skating over to him to start a quick-paced talk.
Serena blinked, tilting her head quizically as she watched the two people having a personal conversation, nowhere as stiff as she last saw it happen. Fennekin yipped beside her, giving her a gentle nudge to wake her up. The girl looked down and smiled, remembering her own mother and how she would talk with her. “Mhmm, do you think they got better?”
“Fen-ne?” That’s right. Fennekin never really got to see her home, or her mother outside of a few calls. She wished she could call more, but then she would have to lie about doing her Rhyhorn racing practice and she… didn’t want to do that.
But she never gave up on doing their calls at least once every fortnight, and it reminded her that their next one was due soon. “Don’t worry about it.” Pancham sniffed and Serena turned to watch him sit next to her, still with some distance, but at least he wasn’t as closed-off anymore. She opened her mouth before closing it, thinking better of it. Lucario peeked at them out of the corner of his eye before closing it again, nodding serenely.
After another minute, Korrina slid back to Serena, twirling when nearby in open joy. “He said yes! We can actually do it! Well, he’s going to be around to see what’s happening, but apart from that we’re good, golden and rolling on the big screen! It’s a small screen I know, but just roll with me here.”
“You say roll a lot,” Serena noted aloud.
“I should show you the scroll,” Gurkinn muttered underneath his breath.
Korrina shook her head and grabbed both of her hands, pulling her up with a hi-yah and now ignoring her grandfather. “C’mon, sleepy-head! Just a small intro, so I get the feel of it, and the set-up to posting it. So, y’know, I don’t have to rely on you all of the time afterwards just for boring internet stuff, and we can spend our time on something much more worth it!”
And despite herself, she found herself following along with something bright igniting in her heart.
Serena squinted at the camera a few times, tilting it from one side to another before piping up to the two in the room. “Warning: I’m not Clemont, so I’m no professional when it comes to cameras and computers.”
Korrina spun around in place, stretching her hands out in the middle of the field. “Haha, I don’t need you to be perfect!” Flashing that grin that she always had by the pocketful, she wiggled her fingers towards the ceiling. “Just as long as you know what you do, and show me how. I think I, and possibly even Gramps, can go on from there.”
“She’s not wrong for once, so you can relax,” Gurkinn added, making her turn around and sticking her tongue out. He gave her a stern look, but with less bite than what he gave before their visit here. “I fear for the future of Mega-Evolution when you act like that, Successor.”
Lucario coughed out a laugh, and Serena gave him a concerned look before returning her attention back to the question that always lied at the back of her mind. “I’ve been meaning to ask, why is she called ‘Successor’?”
The older man put his pointer finger up, about to say something long and pithy, but Korrina beat him to the punch. “I’m the Successor for this whole Tower of Mastery, and all of the stories regarding Mega Evolution! Put simply, I’m going to be the new guru once Gramps is ready to let go of the title, or once I grow eyebrows like him.”
“It’s a distinguished look!” he barked, before composing himself. “Well, she did sum it up well. Her role right now is to understand all the bonds between people and Pokémon, and the different roads and ways Pokémon can achieve evolution, and ultimately, Mega Evolution. It’s only once you get enough knowledge that you can teach it, and a lot of that is experiencing it yourself— isn’t that right, Serena?”
The girl flinched, not expecting attention. “Um, yeah. Definitely.” She could not put into words how much ‘experiencing it’ has taught her, but it seemed she didn’t have to, as both granddaughter and grandfather gave her a knowing look before looking back at each other.
Korrina waved her hands about, sliding from one side to another, breaking that awkward silence. “It’s just an informal title in the eyes of the public, so I don’t use it much. But two is always better than one, and it’s something solid to me anyways. You have no idea how much I had to work for him to call me that properly.” She softened, fiddling with the glove studded with the Key Stone. Lucario perked up, holding a paw to his own matching glove. “It was actually recent, you see… er, when we actually talked about it. That whole time I kept feeling like I wasn’t good enough for him, like we weren’t good enough. I told you about it before, didn’t I?”
She did. It was at Mable’s house, on one of those countless nights after doing the same activity and somehow failing at it. The others were tired and slightly annoyed with the repetitiveness of it all by that time, so they decided to retire to their rooms as quickly as possible. Serena was feeling the same too, but instead of going into her shared room with the other girls she found her feet leading herself to stand outside.
She felt cooped up. And when she walked out to sit onto the porch, she found out that the reason for their stay was feeling just as lost as her, too.
The Successor sat down for a bit in present time, folding her legs underneath her as she stuck her finger into the ground, looking down fondly. “You helped so much back then, let me tell you at least that much. I was so confused and a little angry back then—and I didn’t know what I could do to master Mega Evolution properly. It made me feel like a failure—“
“And I don’t know what I’m doing wrong,” she had whispered back then, a shadow of her joyous self.
Serena looked back at her, so small and weary already. Korrina had a dream and it was to surpass the limits her grandfather had went up against throughout his whole life, and it was the same as any family dream could be, and yet she can still be as lost as herself. “To be honest, I’m not really sure about Mega Evolution myself. You were the first one I saw.”
She laughed bitterly back then, such a far cry from the happy person she always looked like. “Ah, I messed up big time then, huh? I shouldn’t have shown you something like that…”
“Hey!” She grabbed her shoulder and shook it, making her look at her eyes. “It was beautiful and amazing and incredible. I’ll be the first person to tell you that I never really battled and I just started my Pokémon journey only a few months ago, but you’ve really inspired me! I wouldn’t want to have a better first time, because you showed me a new world I never knew existed just by being you. And I think that’s always worth it.”
“Hmm.”
She racked her mind, trying to find a way to support her—because it was true what she said, that she broadened her horizons the second she came into the scene, sparking with the kind of life she wished she had back when she left her home. A purpose, and somehow, a grandfather that supported that no matter how harshly he came about it. “ I f you don’t understand, then maybe… when you can. Talk to him, okay? The only one who knows what he’s thinking the most is himself, after all, and it can’t hurt. I’m sure he loves you and is trying to teach you something, so I don’t think he wants you to beat yourself up over not getting it right the first time."
The girl besides her looked thoughtful at that, and something in her chest told her to continue, to open up a little bit of what she found out on the path— one that she managed to find with help from her friends. A little bit like now. "Mastering something is a long road; just like me on my journey, and even though I just started PokéVision, I'm still a long way from being anywhere near the best. It takes practice and time, and even though I don't really understand it I know you’re getting plenty of that every day.” She gave her a smile, big as she could make it, and added, “So never give up until it’s over!”
Serena pushed back some of her hair away from her ear to distract herself from the memory, which was making her much too red for her own benefit. It didn't help that it was the first time they talked, and she went to open her big mouth like that and gave advice she had no right to give. Centres and charity...
(it starts like this: very much like that night, but this time they're both on the field and taking the stage)
“I’ll admit, I wasn’t entirely faultless,” Gurkinn interjected, candle set on the side of the wall and standing a bit behind his granddaughter, unaware of the internal panic the other girl was going through. “My Pokémon, especially Lucario, had told me that more than enough, but I shouldn’t have to rely on them to understand what I did wrong there. I should’ve been more clear and helped you earlier, but I have to say that I never really taught anyone like you, and certainly not for as long as we’ve been together. But that’s still no excuse for how I have been conducting myself lately.”
“It’s nice that you finally understand,” Korrina said, shaking her head with a rueful look as she dragged her finger over the ground. “But I wasn’t taking what you were giving me the way I should’ve as well. Fighting-Types, isn’t that right?”
(the performer perked up, noting how despite how she tried to hide it with snappy words and free smiles, she sounded so ready to give it up— a little like her. because of something she couldn't really control. waiting for rejection.)
“Then I should’ve accommodated for my Fighting-Type heir, isn’t that right?”
She looked over to him, letting out a long breath that just barely hid her relief. Fresh acceptance, and an offer to help that wouldn't chafe at them. Changing with the times. Learning from mistakes and growing from them. “I guess. And maybe I should accommodated for my old Mega Evolution master. We both had a part to play in this part of history, and there’s no place left but to skate on right ahead.”
He looked bemused, letting it go (he may have looked a little proud too, but everyone in the room knew how easily he would slip out of that statement).
Turning her attention to Serena, she beamed. “And you! If it wasn’t for you listening to me back then and giving me that advice, well, I definitely wouldn’t be here right now! So thank you so, so much, Serena!” Jumping up she went over and hugged her, spinning her around as she giggled, as free and open as she could ever be. “And thanks to you, I’ve been inspired to make a PokéVision channel so I can spread everything I know about Mega Evolution. A new method for a new generation, what do you think?”
The Performer found herself smiling, touched by her happiness and inspiration. By the Great Tree, she actually inspired someone! And she didn’t have to change herself, or hide away, or pretend to be something she wasn’t.
Hauling the camera up to eye-level and putting her finger on that familiar button, feeling her Pokeballs warm with anticipation, she gave her own fierce grin. “I think we should start rolling now, unless you want them to get distracted by catching a glimpse of the stunning sunrises here.”
All she did was be herself.
"Hey, Serena, wake up!"
She made an undignified noise, sitting up from the uncomfortable position she found herself snoozing in (somehow it was a corner at one end of the battlefield). Daylight flooded the area through the windows as Bonnie giggled at her reaction, waving her a cheery 'bonjour!' and talking up a storm about what she wanted to try out before they left the city. Serena blinked blearly and looked around, noting how Clemont was bent over the laptop and talking over it with Gurkinn (she felt gratitude flow out of her tired heart over that small gesture), and Korrina waving her hands in some over-the-top explaination with Ash (who looked intrigued as he snuck glances towards Lucario).
The Steel-Type perked up and tapped his Trainer's shoulder, causing the Gym Leader to turn and face Serena with a smile, waving her hand up in acknowledgement. "Finally awake now, sleepyhead?"
"To be fair, it wasn't like we could stay here for another day," she groaned, rubbing her eyes again.
Korrina laughed as she came closer and sat next to her, causing Bonnie to give them a judging squint before shaking her head and walking over to observe her brother. "So, you guys are finally off to the next Gym, huh? I can't let you off without warning you that Ramos is a tough old man, so don't Ash let his guard down." Serena giggled a little, feeling a little more awake, and her friend rubbed the back of her own head in light-hearted happiness, laughing a little herself. "I'm serious. He can kick your butt to next week if you're not careful, and this guy you're travelling with is anything but that... Feels like he's just rushing for the next win in my opinion, but that's not really here or now. What're you going to do now should be what I'll be asking for the precious few minutes you'll be around here."
Serena paused, her bag half over her head. "Er, getting ready for the next Showcase?"
Korrina clapped her hands once in praise. "Right! You do that, you hear me? I'll be cheering you on whenever I can, so you better believe it when I say give it everything you got!" She pumped her hand out in exclaimation with Lucario loudly barking in solid agreement, drawing everyone's attention. Serena's face was definitely definitely awake now. "You'll keep going towards your dream and I'll go towards mine, how's that for a deal, Lady Serena?"
"L-Lady?" Oh no, she thought it was only a one-time thing.
Korrina winked, looping her hand around her shoulder. "Well, Rere was a bit crude now that I think about it. Of course my besties are going to get the royal treatment!"
From across the room, Bonnie was giving her a sinister look. Payback was going to be swift, the Performer feared.
"Anyways, enough yapping from me! I wanted to get you a gift for all the help you gave me, so here is something you'll definitely appreciate, I think!" Pulling out a bag from nowhere, she pushed it into her hands. "Check it out!"
Looking into the bag, her face had somehow gotten even redder. "Wow, you really shouldn't have!" Inside the non-descript bag, there laid roller skates. Simple, beautiful and sleek— a new gift from another friend she made along her journey. "Seriously, you're going to make me cry..."
Korrina grabbed her shoulders and shook it. "None of that now," she said sternly, before relenting and pulling her into a hug. "Look," she whispered, "Just give it your all, okay? Don't hold back your true thoughts, and everything else will come along with it. Promise me that and we're even."
"I promise," she choked out, embracing her just as hard. "You and your papi better be legends, okay? I'll make sure to follow you and help as much as I can. You already got my contact, anyways."
"The world isn't ready for both of us now, methinks." Releasing her, Korrina gave her a salute, Lucario coming from behind to follow suit. "Farewell and good luck on your journey! Let me know how everyone is going, okay? And I mean all of you guys, not just the next Kalos Queen."
"We will!" Bonnie chirped, Dedenne squeaking his farewell from the top of her head. Serena shook her head and went over to the younger girl, following her steps as Clemont managed to squeeze out of an awkwardly firm handshake with Gurkinn and Ash jumped off from the banister he was climbing up in literal boredom.
Hearts full and dream reaffirmed, with another friend rooting for her.
Her hand hovered on the door, before pushing it open.
(bright sun, sandy path, sea salt and shared joy)
Walking out to the city of awakening, a new morning greeted her, and she embraced it with all she got.