Archive of Our Own

It will just take a second. Just move in closer, feel the fur of his head, and bring the scissors in.

Don’t panic.

Just do it.

(You have to.)

Sni—

A new city, a new place, a new adventure with everyone.

And Ash running ahead of them all, laughing with all the sunshine he could muster.

Serena covered her face with her travel guide as they made their way to Ash’s next stop in his Gym Challenge, Cyllage City—a place situated on the other side of Kalos. There was no feasible way they could get there in less than a week, let alone in a day, and yet it was all they could do to keep pace with the excitable Trainer from Kanto.

So full of wanting for his dream. Serena couldn’t imagine how that felt— if it was thrilling, if it was warm, if it felt right settling within you. Moving the portable device enough so she could see the screen, she once again checked their location, eyes catching on the larger city nearby.

So close to Lumiose. So close to where her journey started.

How much as Serena learnt by now?

Not a lot, all things considered. She found Ash, met Clemont and Bonnie (and Team Rocket), watched a Gym battle and moved across a few cities and towns. She doesn’t have much of a dream yet, despite everything. Despite the dreams that everyone else seems to carry with them, shining brightly in their hearts.

Clemont and Bonnie are arguing behind her, whispered and hushed and full of warnings and wants. Ash is jumping every which way ahead of her, Pikachu on his shoulder, marvelling at the structure of the latest city they walked into and the stray Trainers that passed them.

Serena is between them, holding a map that blinks with the knowledge of their location, holding it to her chest. Wondering once again about her roles while wandering under the bright blue sky. Her shoes tapped against the cobbled path as she followed the road that led to Ash and his goal, an everlasting reminder of the lack of her own, and she bit back the critical voice of her mother in her head, shaking it loose.

(“That’s why I told you that too much choice is a bad thing, chouchou. Why make it harder for yourself like this?”)

No matter what, she’s going to enjoy this journey for however long they’ll let her accompany them, and even beyond that if she had the chance. She’s going to have fun and try new things and maybe, just maybe, find something that will work for her. Maybe today could even be the day! Looking at the travel guide once more, she scanned the buildings around for any of the places that she bookmarked for further exploration. Now that she was out and about, she finally had the chance to indulge herself in any interest without judgement, and she was going to take full advantage of it! This city must have something interesting, right?

(A young boy running ahead, a young girl reading marked hotspots, two siblings whispering underneath their breaths. The open sky bridging the gap between them all.)

Suddenly, a loud yelp echoed ahead of her along with a flash of a large, furry white body crashing onto the ground.

Serena looked up, seeing a massive Pokémon jumping off Ash, who was knocked down onto the ground, before simultaneously seeing the Pokémon stare at her next right when a voice, Ash’s voice yell out, “Serena, watch out!”

She had just enough foresight and warning to jump away from the charged Tackle, almost slipping as she twisted herself to follow the sight and watched those dark eyes gaze focused right ahead. Wait. Clemont and Bonnie were right ahead, weren’t they?

“There’s a Pokémon heading your way!” Serena found herself shouting as the attacker pushed forward, making a beeline towards the two. Clemont made a strangled yelp as he hurriedly moved out of the way, but with Bonnie?

“Aw, it looks so cute—“

A crashing sound and a startled bark.

“Oh no, Bonnie, are you okay?!”

Maybe Serena shouldn’t have called out ‘Pokémon’ to a Pokémon enthusiast. Maybe.

The older girl found herself crouching where Bonnie was, the blonde laughing off the collision and petting the suddenly remorseful Pokémon. Clemont was sighing as he stood up next to them, wearily watching the intruder as Ash groaned from his own place, sprawled upon the ground with a worried Pikachu chittering beside him.

Looking at those scuffed knees, Serena grimaced. “I’m sorry you got hurt,” she said, and Bonnie gave her a strange look as she paused her petting.

“Sorry for what? You didn’t hit me.” Turning back to the Pokemon, Bonnie cooed, “And you, you didn’t mean it, did you? You’re too fluffy to be mean!”

Clemont huffed through his nose as he finally pulled out the bandaid pack from his bag. “And you’re too easy to please sometimes, you know? You could’ve played with it after you got out of the way and everyone could’ve been happy now. You shouldn’t risk yourself like that next time.”

“Is no one going to care about me?” Ash suddenly shouted from behind them, and Serena felt a debilitating flash of mortification at the fact that she faced her back to Ash of all people. Giving a hurried apology and scurrying away from the siblings, she stood up and made her way to the disgruntled Trainer rubbing his head while sitting cross-legged on the ground. “Man, that Pokémon really came out of there like a rocket, didn’t it?” Pikachu chirped in agreement.

The word ‘rocket’ may have given Serena a small jump, but she brushed that aside as she put her hand out to Ash. “That Pokémon is called a Furfrou, Ash. It’s very well known around here and they…” She looked back and squinted at the one currently licking Bonnie’s hand, causing her to squirm in delight and making it harder for Clemont to stick the bandaid on. “Usually have different styles,” she finished up lamely.

“Furfrou, huh?” Ash pulled out his Pokédex and scanned it, nodding his head. “It looks the same in the Pokédex to me.”

“That’s not what I—” Serena paused as she watched a young lady walk by them in the cover of the trees, past the path they were on, looking worried as she clasped a hand to her left side pocket. Serena felt a warm hand clasp her own and felt her own cheeks blush as she returned her attention to the boy pulling himself up, who let go of her hand afterwards and dusted himself off.

The Furfrou stiffened as its head went up, nose stuck up high as it narrowed its gaze at where Serena was previously looking at. The young woman stopped in place as she also turned her head around, somehow feeling the eye contact of the Pokémon, and ran out of the modest foliage towards them. “Ack, Furfrou, is that you? You shouldn’t have run away, I was looking for you everywhere!”

“Excuse me, ma’am, is that your Pokemon?”

The young lady paused as she beheld the people surrounding her, eyes falling onto the fallen Bonnie with Fletchling-themed bandaids on both of her knees. She put a hand over her mouth, shock entering her face and warming her cheeks as Ash’s question flew over her head and embarrassment crashed into her instead.

“Oh, I’m so sorry— I didn’t mean to— I— Well— " The young lady was rambling towards them now, bowing up and down repeatedly, and it took a delayed moment for anyone in the group to react to the stranger in their midst.

Bonnie was the quickest, of course. “Aww, no worries, miss! Your Pokémon seems really cute, anyways!” Jumping up to her feet, she let out a prideful exhale out of her nose. “And I’m fine, so don’t worry yourself about me either.”

Feeling the young lady’s gaze slide towards him, Clemont adjusted his glasses from the crouch he adopted, pushing up his packed-up bag as he went to stand up. “If Bonnie says she’s fine, she usually is.”

“That’s not what you said a minute ago!” Glaring up at her older brother, Bonnie’s face then brightened as she looked toward the young lady. “Hmm, she’s definitely nice, that’s for sure.”

If Serena didn’t know any better, there was a certain kind of stoniness that washed over Clemont right before the younger girl jumped up and landed on one knee to— “Oww—“ before flashing the stranger with the brightest smile she had ever seen. “Hey, miss, you’re a real keeper! Can you take care of my brother, s'il-vous-plait?”

Ash started to choke on his snicker next to Serena.

The Furfrou trotted over to the young lady’s side as she started to stammer and get even more flustered. Bonnie held that pose as she grinned up at her, or at least right until the Aipom Arm hooked its fingers around the back of her shirt and yanked her upwards, and it was all Serena could do to not ask the obvious question here and instead force herself to focus on the more important issue. “Hi there! What’s your name?”

The young lady turned her gaze towards her desperately, as if she was the only person she could rely on. “Oh, me? My name is Jessica and this is my Furfrou.” Bowing her head down, she mumbled, “I’m sorry for all the trouble we caused.” 

The reply was so automatic, so quick. Serena related to that and gave her a small smile and an extended hand. “Hey there and don’t worry about it, seriously! The way we were walking around, it was probably inevitable.” Ignoring the raised voices at that remark, she continued. “My name is Serena, and your Furfrou looks like it’s been well-groomed!”

“Then bonjour, Serena.” Jessica lifted her head up and took her hand, giving it a shake and releasing her own warm smile. “Thank you so much for your kind words, we both appreciate it.” Giving a side-eye to Clemont and Bonnie arguing with Ash in the middle, she then whispered, “Do I have to answer that question, by the way? She seems so sweet but I don’t want to let her down…”

Watching the commotion, the sparkly bandaids and tilted red cap and sturdy Aipom Arm, Serena shook her head. “She doesn’t mean any harm, but they’ll probably forget about it soon. If it's okay, Jessica, I wanted to ask why isn’t your Furfrou styled?”

Jessica averted her gaze, looking down at her Pokémon. “Ah, so you’ve noticed.”

“Noticed what?” Ash was suddenly next to Jessica, crouching next to the slightly growling Furfrou, with Pikachu left behind and squeaking in surprise from the speed at which the Kantonian boy moved. “Is it supposed to have poofy fur or something?”

“Styled Furfrou are quite common in Kalos, Ash, I’m surprised you haven’t seen any.” Clemont turned his attention to Ash, Bonnie pouting from her hanging position beside him. There was wriggling movement in the yellow bag and Bonnie pulled out Dedenne to check him for any scrapes, the pair not noticing them being gently returned to ground level.

Serena nodded as Jessica picked at the top of her skirt. “It’s probably because we’re all the way at the edge of the city, but there’s a lot of Pokémon Groomers around here and their job is to style Pokémon, especially Furfrou. Have you seen any yourself, Jessica?”

Her Furfrou snapped at Ash then, making him fall back down on his behind once more as Jessica sent Serena an awkward grin. “Well, you see, I technically work for a Pokémon Groomer? So I do see it a lot, I guess.”

Serena nodded as she turned to Ash, gesturing towards Jessica. “See that, she’s…” The teen blinked, looking over her shoulder to the subject in question. “Wait, what did you say?”

“That I technically work for a Pokémon Groomer?” Waving her hand at the group, she then pointed to herself. “In fact, I’m a Pokémon Groomer in Training myself! A Coiffeuse, if you please.”

Her jaw dropped, right when Ash said to the Furfrou, “Wow, Bonnie was right— You are very soft!”

Jessica had come to this city with a dream, and her dream was to bring out the beauty in Furfrou and other Pokémon alike.

“Furfrou was my first Pokémon,” she admitted as they walked around, her Pokémon in front of them. Staring forlornly at his back, she clasped her hands behind her back as she continued, “I’ve always wanted to coif and colour him to the best of my abilities, but he’s… never really stood in one place long enough for that.”

“Reminds me of someone I know,” Clemont said off-handedly, pointedly ignoring the exaggerated gasps and expressions of betrayal from both Ash and Bonnie.

Serena stifled her laugh as she turned to Jessica and gave her a sympathetic nod. “Oh, I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I can’t imagine being unable to do the thing you’ve wanted to do for so long. Have you ever styled a Pokemon before?”

The Coiffeuse nodded. “You don’t just go and groom a Furfrou without any real training; there’s a rigorous course and lots of practice with artificial models. We also have to take courses in nutrition and breeding as well to truly understand our subjects before we can get to work with them. It’s a lot but I don’t regret the effort I’ve put into it, and I really feel like it’s made me a better Coiffeuse in return. And when I got Furfrou here after all that… I couldn’t wait to put all of that practice into work. I just wish he knew how I felt so he would let me do so…”

“Hey there, don’t you worry about a thing!” Serena gave her a big smile, skipping ahead of her before turning around and leaning forward towards her. “You sound so knowledgeable about Pokemon Grooming and you obviously care a lot about the job and Furfrou himself. With all of that love and faith I know that you’ll be able to reach him with your heart very soon! Just don’t give up!”

The Coiffeuse shook her head gently, blue hair bouncing a little from the movement. “Would you laugh if I said it feels more like a calling than a job? I don’t feel like it’s an obligation but more so an expressing a part of me and my Pokémon’s bond, even if it isn't very apparent right now.” She laughed a little self-consciously at that, slightly bowing her head and looking up at Serena from the edge of her vision. “But still… You really think I can do it…?”

“Wait, I’ve got a question,” Ash piped up from the back, his hand up as Pikachu looked just as equally confused on his shoulder. “Is there a difference between Grooming and being a coffee-thing?”

"It's 'Coiffeuse', Ash, geez," Bonnie pointed out, still looking a little sullen standing next to a distracted Clemont. Ash flapped his hand out dismissively.

Jessica shook her head from the warm feelings and went to face the same way as Serena, looking back at the asker of the question and waving at Ash and the others. “Yes, in a way. There is a slight difference, but Coiffeuse are an umbrella term while Groomers are…” Noting the blank look on the Kantonian’s face, she brushed a hand past her cheek and took a deep breath, squaring herself up. “You see, Coiffeuse are generalised and take care of all kinds of Pokemon, while Groomers are focused on only Furfrou. I just started my specialisation this year and met my mentor, and was just taking a break from his salon right now with Furfrou when you found us. He’s very knowledgeable about how to treat Furfrou and I’m lucky to be working under him, but the fame… Well, the foot traffic does get very heavy around here.”

Serena was about to open her mouth to add something when Bonnie tugged Clemont’s hand and yelped, “Wait, I see one, I see another Furfrou! And this time it’s styled, yay!”

Ash turned his head around frantically, trying to catch the sight. “Where, where? I can’t see it!”

“It’s by the fountain, Ash,” Clemont called, pocketing the portable device he had as he gave a reassuring squeeze with the hand tangled with his younger sister's one. “Good eye, Bonnie.”

The younger girl grinned, slipping her hand away and running forward, making Clemont immediately retract his earlier praise as he yelled towards her and tried to chase her down, trying to remind her of the accident she just went through. Jessica merely tapped her side pockets with her left hand as she watched the particular Furfrou in question walking by the business man. “Dandy Trim. Seems like he’s already finished it.”

“Finished it?” Serena followed her gaze and gasped at the style. The green patches of fur offsetted perfectly against the trimmed lawn around them, and she wasn’t the only one appreciating the view as random bystanders around them also paused their day-to-day work to marvel at the Pokémon. “Wow, that looks so beautiful! Did your mentor do this?”

Jessica’s smile almost looked… sad. “Um, yeah! Like I said, he’s very good at what he does. I’m guessing you want to see him, don’t you?”

Would she? Serena could barely contain the joyful squee inside of her, her eyes sparkling with hope as she interlocked her hands in front of her face. “I would love to see where you work, Jessica! That is, if you and all the others are fine with it.”

The Coiffeuse flushed, nearly covering her mouth with her own flat hand as she rubbed the side of her pointer finger underneath her nose for a few seconds. “Well, Furfrou and I were just about to go back in any case, especially since our break is almost done. So I don’t mind. Just don’t… ah, never mind.”

Before Serena could question Jessica’s sudden quietude, Ash interjected with, “Aw, but we were so close to Lumiose, though.” Pikachu mumbled dejectedly beside him as well, ears flopping down exaggeratedly, and Clemont and Bonnie looked surprised at the statement, giving each other a look.

Clemont quickly followed the pace of Ash right afterwards, nervously laughing as he fiddled with his bag straps and breezily said, “Oh, um, Ash, you know there’s no rush, right?”

“Yeah, but—”

“And I wanna see how Furfrou look all cool and that!” Bonnie shouted as she twirled up next to her brother, threading her hand with his once more, her voice almost a little too loud. “Plus maybe we’ll find some other keepers around as well!”

“Well, then, it’s decided!” Serena quickly said as she pumped her hand up next to Jessica and walked forward, “The world of Furfrou Grooming awaits!”

(a brother not correcting a sister’s usual romantic quips, a trainer pouting off at the corner, a girl so close to a dream—

a dream that could be worth following herself, maybe.)

Dedenne scuttled around Pikachu as the group made their way to the centre of the city where different Furfrou started to appear in the quickly growing crowd around them, the sparking cheeks of the two mice the only thing stopping them from being totally lost.

“Don’t go too far, you two,” Ash warned as Bonnie giggled at the colourful variations that passed her, Clemont trailing behind as he looked at a tablet he brought out of his bag. Serena was already feeling overwhelmed before, having to stand next to a budding Pokemon Groomer while noting the careful curls and elegant coiffures of the Poodle Pokémon walking by them with such grace, but when she caught sight of the building in front of her getting steadily closer…

Jessica gave her a worried look as Furfrou sniffed in derision nearby. “Oh dear. You don’t happen to want to leave already, do you?” She yelped in surprise as a firm hand went on her shoulder, the starstruck girl not even turning her gaze away from the sight. “Okay, then…”

“Looks like it’s a pretty big deal if Serena is speechless the way she is.” Clemont walked ahead and over to the other side of Jessica, giving her a small nod as he pocketed the tablet. “You’ve probably seen a lot of styled Furfrou spending your time here, haven’t you? Is there a particular number of styles that are used?”

Jessica gave him a small smile as Serena’s hand slipped away from her shoulder, allowing her to face the inventor. “There are nine different styles, but there are lots of little differences that we have to accommodate that makes every Furfrou unique. My mentor always told me that no two groomed Pokémon are the same, even if they come from one species. I’m sure he’s still working on a few, so I would be glad to show you all.”

Reaching the door, she paused for a bit, her hand on the handle, before taking in a big breath and pushing it open. “Bonjour, Mr Sherman. We’re back!”

Inside the building there was a sectioned-off mini-parlour with windows at the corner, and this was where a brightly-coloured man was combing through the fur of a plain Furfrou, meticulously sweeping through with an almost rhythmic pattern. As the Pokemon perked up from the entry the Groomer also looked up, his face breaking into a smile as he recognised who came in. After setting down the brush to the side and patting the Furfrou he exited the parlour, opening the door at the back and walking into the main area with a friendly wave. “Ms Jessica, welcome back! Hopefully your walk has been good to you.”

Jessica blushed, waving a hand in front of her as if to wave away the excessive joy the man exuded. “Ah, non, it’s been the same as always.”

Sherman gave her a thoughtful look, tapping his chin with a long finger. “That’s too bad, then. Well, in any case, I hope you’ve gained some clarity and insight either way— you can never go wrong with that. But I digress.” Clapping his manicured hands together, he moved his gaze towards the rest of the group. “Who have you brought along with you?”

“Oh, these are Trainers I met that want to meet you, sir!” Gesturing towards each of them, she said, “There’s Ash, Clemont, Bonnie, and over here there is—”

Serena finally found her voice, and it was the sound of a kettle boiling. “You work for him -him? Monsieur Sherman Beauchene? The Star of the Pokémon Grooming world? Jessica, this is phenomenal! Incredible! Fantastic!” Cupping her face with both of her hands, she felt the warmth exit her face like steam. “Sir, I’ve always admired your work, isn’t it true that you’ve styled the winning Furfrou in the international Pokémon Beauty Contest? And created three new styles in your first year of buisness? And worked with many movie stars like the lead actre—"

“Woah, woah, ma’am, you are too kind!” Sherman laughed as he put a hand out to pause the accolades, smiling as the girl meeped and quickly quitened down, staring forward with clear admiration. “My, I didn’t know you found such spirited friends during your lunch break, Jessica. This is far from the same as always.”

“They’re just visiting, sir, and they’re more interested in your work more than anything. I’m just… making up for an accident.” Biting her lip, she then went to face the group, raising her voice to a more peppy tone. “So! As you know, this is my mentor, Mr Sherman. He has graciously taken me in and gifted me my own Furfrou, and I am deeply grateful with his generous faith in me. As Serena said, he’s definitely the best of the best when it comes to Pokémon Grooming.”

“Oh, not you too, Jessica. I’ve taken you in because I know your passion and dedication to the craft, and I want to see it grow just as much as you do.” Shaking his head, the Star Groomer sighed. “Please, my dear, you know what I always say: have some more confidence in yourself. You're so much more better than you know yourself to be.”

“I-I’ll try,” Jessica squeaked, waving her hands about before bowing herself repeatedly. “I’m sorry, so sorry, I’ll do my best—“

Sherman sighed once more, shaking his head before straightening up and clicking his fingers, causing Jessica to pause and slowly pull herself up. “I’ve got an idea. You’re all here to see Pokémon Grooming in action, right?” Beaming at the nods he got across the room (some more enthusiastic than others), he said, “Then let Jessica show you the ropes— she’s quite skilled, if I do say so myself, and I’ve got to finish off this client before I can rejoin you in a more permanent manner anyways. What do you say?”

Serena felt her heart jump at the offer, the previous joy that filled her heart at meeting Sherman himself blending into newfound appreciation and awe regarding her new friend. “If it isn’t too much trouble. I admit that I don’t know much about Furfrou and I certainly didn’t expect to learn about them so soon on my own journey…”

Shooting a big smile towards Jessica, she continued, “But I can’t say I don’t want to try it!”

“That’s the spirit of beginning Groomers right there!” Sherman cheered, clapping Serena on the back and making her face even more red than before. “What do you think, Jessica?”

“She’s… good, definitely. It would be my honour to show you, then, Serena.” The Coiffeuse blushed, before taking a few steps ahead. “Everyone, do you mind following me to the backrooms? With Furfrou Grooming there are a lot of materials that we use, and I think that’s a good place to start.”

“If we have to,” Ash grumbled, following behind Serena’s giddy skipping, Clemont absentmindedly staring at the tablet once more as Bonnie stuck by his side.

Sherman smiled as he watched them walk by, eyes on Jessica as she answered the group's questions and led them to the cupboards. Walking his own way into the miniature room at the other side, he beheld the sight of the Furfrou he was in the middle of grooming fast asleep, mopey fur covering her eyes. “Well, at least you’re taking rest while you can. Now, time for us to deal with that knot of hair over your face!”

The Furfrou stiffened, before turning the other side. So, not fully asleep. That will make it easier and harder at the same time.

Pulling the hose over, he blasted the Pokémon with water once more.

“These are the shampoos we use for fur that is brittle but caused by unnatural causes, such as frostbite or chemicals, and these are conditioners for especially thick-furred Furfrou.”

Ever since Sherman lauded her enthusiasm, Serena couldn’t stop herself from soaking up everything that Jessica was telling her. The medicines used, the brushes, the clippers and the scissors. So much to learn.

A new dream. A different dream. Could this be it?

“Wait, Ms Jessica, do you know what berry would be good for Dedenne?” Serena turned her head to watch Bonnie bring out the tiny electric mouse, who tiredly pawed at his eyes. 

Jessica paused her explanations to look at the Pokémon, before snapping her fingers. “It’s been a while since I had to think of a combination like that, but we need a blend to work for both its Electric Typing as well as Fairy, so I would say Pecha and Roseli Berries. But of course, it depends on your little one’s health, so I wouldn’t overdo it. Nice question though, you’re really caring for the Pokémon!”

Bonnie cheered at that, jumping up and down and jostling Dedenne as she made her way to the basket full of Berries. Out of all the items to gravitate towards, it would make sense that Bonnie would be staying next to the basket and asking about the Pokémon that she knew the group had. It was sweet, it was kind.

It was also a little hard to concentrate with, but that’s okay. Serena can handle it, can soak up everything that Jessica was saying. It could be relevant after all. It could be her dream. She doesn’t want to pass this chance up.

After waiting for a few moments, Serena approached Jessica and said, “So…”

“Oh!” Jessica jumped, before nervously laughing. “I’m sorry, I’m just thinking that it’s probably time for Furfrou to eat again. He’s still as hungry as ever, but he doesn’t really admit it. But you probably don’t want to hear about that, do you? Want me to show you about the different dyes that we use?”

“I can feed Furfrou!” Bonnie yelled from the other side of the room, waving the basket around. “Today is Sitrus Berries, isn’t it?!”

“Bonnie, inside voice,” Clemont hissed from nearby, working on an invention at the back of the room.

The young girl rolled her eyes, before bending herself and exaggeratedly whispering, “It’s Sitrus Berries, isn’t it?”

Jessica chuckled as she waved a hand out and gave her a thumbs up. Bonnie then ran off, getting pulled back by the Aipom Arm and getting another warning about running in indoor spaces, before being let go and continuing the same thing. Serena felt herself sighing in time with the blond inventor, and turned towards Jessica. “I’m sorry that we’re going everywhere like this.”

“Don’t be.” The Coiffeuse walked over to one of the cupboards, opening it and pointing to the bottles inside. “There are a lot of dyes that we have available here, but they’re usually the same standard nine that we use— one for each style. The concentration varies according to the fur, as some Pokemon have it naturally thicker or have sensitivities against it. Of course, we only apply it after the grooming process, so we already have a good scope of the Pokemon’s health and are able to adjust accordingly without any issues. And, it’s all natural! So it doesn’t hurt them one bit. Want to check them out?”

A hand snatched one of the bottles, tilting it towards a curious nose. “You’re right, buddy, that is not your colour at all.”

“Ash, what are you doing?” Serena found herself whisper-yelling as she combated the conflicting emotions within her, taking her hand away from the pink bottle to look at him.

Ash raised an eyebrow as he put the bottle back in its place, Pikachu shaking his head in triumphant glee at the previous concession. “Comparing the colours of the Furfrou to Pokémon? I could’ve sworn the yellow one was really close to being Pikachu-coloured, but it looks like I don’t know all my colours just yet.” He gave her that big grin at the small wordplay, but Serena just barely resisted cracking her own smile, giving him a tired look. “It’s a fun way to pass the time, anyways,” he belatedly said afterwards, voice slightly flat.

“Hey, look what I found!”

Ash suddenly brightened up and gasped as he ran over to where Bonnie was, staring at the piles of plastic Furfrou models in another cupboard next to the table where the basket once was. Jessica called out from behind them, “Oh, those are what my mentor uses to see how much he needs to adjust a style and sometimes to even create new styles. These are structured very similarly to the training models that new Groomers have to use, and—“

“Ooh, please pretty please can we use these?” Bonnie pleaded, holding her hands together and squishing her cheeks up in an imploring manner. “I wanna try out Furfrou Grooming for real!”

“Well, we do have a lot of these anyways…” Looking around, Jessica went to the long but low table at one side of the room, tapping its surface. “You can put the models here, and I will bring some brushes and dry shampoo if you need it.”

“Well, we’ll definitely need the colours too,” Ash said as he lugged up one of the models, moving towards the table. “Thanks for giving us this!”

“You’re welcome!” 

Serena watched as Jessica took some bottles and cans, placing them on the table as Ash and Bonnie ran around with their models and talked about the crazy things they were going to make with it. She felt her fists bunch by her sides as she watched them talk so freely, move so effortlessly, so happy and free.

They already have a dream. They aren’t rudderless, aren’t lost, aren’t insecure with their joy. They know what they want.

Serena doesn’t have a dream. This is her chance to have a dream. To make it worth the journey, to have something to show her mother without shame, to finally fulfil that potential that she always had deep down.

“Hey, Serena, catch!” Serena startled as she caught the plastic Furfrou, blinking as Ash waved to her and smiled. “You should have some fun with this too, c’mon!” he called out, and her feet led the way to the table, next to where Bonnie was lugging in an extra one next to her.

She wasn’t going to comment on that. Looking at her own model that she set on the table, Serena felt the faux fur flatten underneath her hand, threading her fingers around the airy fluff. It reminded her of Fennekin, in a way, and she suddenly felt the need to have the Pokemon next to her, to ground her feelings and to see another familiar face. Bringing out the Pokeball, she opened it slightly and watched as her partner materialised nearby, yipping happily as she caught notice of the brushing materials around them. Serena shook her head, still feeling a little conflicted inside as she smiled at the fox.

“We’re brushing this today, but don’t worry, I’ll do you later.” Fennekin bunched her cheeks in a pout, but merely let out all of the air a second later with a sigh and curled up afterwards. Serena petted her head before returning her attention to the Furfrou model.

This was her chance to make a name for herself.

Brushes, scissors, and dyes placed meticulously next to her. Serena tied her hair up, putting one of the aprons on and twirling in front of Fennekin. “Do you think I’m ready now?” she asked, holding the side of the apron up, and the Pokemon tilted her head at the question, still curled up in her place nearby.

…Maybe she isn’t fully prepared yet. There was no need to actually clean the model as it was, but it didn’t hurt to bring some shampoo along as well. Dropping the apron, she went to grab one of the dry shampoo containers, shaking it before spraying onto the model.

A little too much on the model.

Fennekin coughed, shaking herself off as the cloud dissipated around them. Luckily it wasn’t too big of a cloud, but it still dragged some attention if Jessica’s thoughtful look meant anything. Serena blushed and put the aerosol down. “Sorry!”

Jessica waved a hand from where she was seated at the back of the room, standing up at the apology. “Don’t be. I probably should’ve warned you that it’s super pressurised.”

“Well, now I know!” She needed to get a grip. Serena looked around and the next closest thing and— Yes, the brushes were next, right? Or was it the scissors? Though there wasn’t much point of cutting without aim, so maybe it’s best to brush now and cut later.

Bringing the brush over, Serena combed it through the fur, trying to get her heart rate down. Why was she so stressed? It’s just a model. It’s just practice.

It’s just the only sign of a dream worth following, glimmering like the closest star, so close she could almost touch it.

Her hands moved through the back of the Furfrou onto its tail, trying to make sure it was as smooth as possible, sleek and shiny. At times she would find herself glancing at Jessica, who would give her a thumbs up, and feel some of that crushing pressure weighing heavily above her.

It felt familiar, this feeling.

But this was a dream she was willing to take. If she did this well, that means she finally has something to believe in. Something that is hers. Something worth all of this time, this chance, this moment.

Nothing is a waste of time, right?

Serena found herself growling as the table shook once again, switching her gaze to focus on the playful banter between Bonnie and Ash.

“Your Furfrou will have nothing on mines!”

“Yeah? Even though I have two of them?”

“Hey, you stole mines!”

“Nope, there are extras. Your other one is with Dedenne.”

“But I saw Pikachu was there as well!”

“Hey, can you stop—” Both sets of eyes were on her now. Yep, definitely not nerve-wracking. Ash brought his second Furfrou next to his first as he maintained eye contact with Serena, pushing Bonnie’s hand off his mannequin in the meanwhile —”Um, can you stop shaking the table? It’s hard to brush when it keeps moving like that.”

“Oh, okay then.” Bonnie moved a great distance away, bringing her Furfrou next to her. “I needed some space away from Ash, anyways.”

“Guess I win then.” Ash went to tackle his own model with his comb, and Bonnie sighed loudly as she went to twine the ear fur.

So, that was cleared up. Serena let go of the breath she was holding inside, still feeling like something was stuck in her chest after all that. Fennekin lightly growled from below her and Serena gave her a tight-lipped smile, going back to move her brush once more.

"That's great! What I'll do? I guess I would focus on the ears right now, since that does get forgotten a lot."

She’s doing well.

“Maybe just a little more brushing to the right next to the tail, okay? Really get into the undercoat.”

She’s doing great.

Bringing the scissors to the mannequin, she breathed out, watching her reflection on the blades. Watching Jessica’s reflection as she smiled, full of praise and helpful advice and faith.

This is something Serena can do. This has to be her dream.

The faux fur fell down, tiny snips that tamed the unruly design into something more neat and tidy. After a while she stopped, squinting her eyes at what she had done.

Not a lot. Not enough.

She needed a second opinion. Preferably from an expert. “Hey, Jessica, how would you cut this?”

The Coiffeuse stiffened, looking at Serena in surprise. “Um, it depends on what kind of hairstyle you’ll be doing. But don’t worry, Serena, you’re doing fine! Your Furfrou is looking really good right now.” The coil inside of Serena's chest tightened at the words, and she bit her lip. She really wanted to get it right the first time. Maybe she could weedle a little more information if she just...

“Haha, I’m going to make my Furfrou have the coolest hairstyle ever!” Ash exclaimed, voice loud and sudden as he worked up an impressive lather with the shampoo he generously applied to the top of the mannequin. Pikachu sneezed when some of the bubbles landed on his nose, and Dedenne giggled beside him.

Serena turned her attention to Bonnie as a reflex, expecting a counter-response— the girl in question who was, in the meanwhile, shooting several glares at Clemont who was fiddling with some new invention himself. “C’mon, brother, it’s no fun if you’re standing at the sidelines! At least try something!”

“Just a minute, Bonnie,” he said to her as he tightened another bolt on the machine. She blew a huff then turned to her own mannequin, sending Dedenne a confident grin as she pointed forward.

“Okay then, that means we'll just have to beat Ash here. Dedenne, use Nuzzle!”

“Nenene!”

A shower of sparks enveloped Bonnie’s area, and when it died down both her and the Furfrou head were puffier and fuzzy. Ash leaned over and oohed at the display as the younger girl bursted out into giggles, the Antenne Pokémon rolling up in laughter as well.

Serena coughed into her hand as Jessica shook her head gently. “Nice idea, but maybe don’t do that to a real Furfrou,” the Coiffeuse advised gently.

“We won’t” she chirped, giving Jessica a salute. “But you have to admit, it looks amazing, doesn’t it? Right, Serena?”

“I guess it’s pretty interesting,” Serena found herself admitting as she gave a polite smile towards Bonnie, who flashed her a large grin before grabbing both the pink- and green-coloured dyes. Oh no. She wouldn’t—

“If we can use attacks, then Pikachu, use Iron Tail!” Serena found herself almost snapping her neck at the speed she turned towards Ash, who was cheering at the swift movements of the grey tail cutting through the fluff. The electric mouse ran across the area, flicking his tail liberally and shearing off fake fur everywhere, and Serena couldn’t help but feel a little wrong inside, a bit itchy and dark and bubbling and festering (and wrong, so wrong).

Her fists tightened beside her on the table, and Fennekin gave her a questioning yip before looking at what her Trainer was seeing. Ears rising upwards and flickering red, the fox then went to open her mouth and spat an Ember attack towards Pikachu, who just managed to dodge it, and hit both Ash and the mannequin instead.

A black smoke cloud erupted from the area, with Ash coughing and sputtering from the attack. Serena sat up, fists shaking by her side, as she snatched Fennekin away and returned her gaze towards the ground. “Fennekin, you have to apologise,” she said quickly, underneath her breath, but the fox merely turned her snout up with a huff.

“What was that for?” Ash complained as the smoke cleared, Pikachu pausing the attack spam on the mannequin as his Trainer brushed the soot marks off himself. Clemont looked up from his invention in slight shock at the commotion, hands paused with the wrench beside him, and Bonnie started to laugh again at the singed faux fur.

Jessica shot a concerned look towards Serena. “Are you okay, Serena? Your Fennekin—“

“I know,” she bit out, wishing her hat could obscure her eyes the same way Ash’s one does (both his past and present one). She took off her apron and walked away from the table where she left it, pausing by the door to mumble, “I… We just need a small break, please,” before opening it and closing it behind them.

Quiet stiffled the room at the sudden exit, the smoke and sparks dying away in the absence of movement.

“Is Serena… going to be alright?”

“Don’t worry, Bonnie,” Ash said, glancing at the door for a second before going back to his work. “She’ll be fine.”

In the resulting silence, Clemont got up and held up his latest invention, exclaiming, “The future is now, thanks to science! Thanks to data recorded of different Furfrou designs and Grooming techniques, I have devised a machine for—“

This was all wrong. She was doing it all wrong.

Serena ran, her grip on Fennekin tight, as she passed by the streets full of groomed Furfrou and happy humans and busy roads with people on a journey, or maybe a quest, something that she didn’t have. Fennekin whined as the girl adjusted her grip, moving into a path that led through the maze-like topiaries and further away from people overall.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

“Ne, ne!” Fennekin was getting more upset as time passed on, as Serena continued to run aimlessly, trying to expel that tight feeling in her chest. She thought— How could— It was—

So easy. Too easy.

Her pace slowed down, shoes digging into the ground, as her arms slacken and Fennekin jumped out of her reach. The Pokémon barked up at her indignantly, but all Serena felt was this rolling feeling that made her chest feel compressed, pushed into a space so tight.

The last time she felt like this was with her mother.

She thought that because it was her own choice it would be so easy to pick something and apply herself to it. She liked brushing and styling Pokémon, she adored the colours and the details and the care. It felt right, in a way. It was something familiar that she has dreamed about, has carried out in her own way since she got Fennekin, and yet…

And yet…

“I’m so sorry, Fennekin,” Serena choked out, sitting down next to the Pokemon and hugging it. “I thought I found something for me, but no matter how hard I tried to push myself to do it, it just wouldn’t… I can’t…”

The Fox Pokemon licked her cheek, warm tongue flicking over her cold skin. Serena laughed a little then, somewhat involuntarily, and Fennekin went to rub the Trainer’s neck with the side of her face. “Fen, fen.”

Serena was so naive. She shouldn't have thought that she could climb to any respectable level of knowledge and skill just by relying on someone elses hard work. "I was so scared of getting it wrong," she whispered underneath her breath, putting her chin on the Pokémon's shoulder. "There was so much I didn't know and I didn't want her to think that I wasn't cut out for it. I didn't want... I thought I wanted this. You like brushing and so do I and this isn't much different, right?"

Fennekin wiggled out of the hold to give Serena a furrowed look and a sharp bark. Serena blinked, moving her arms away to wipe at her eyes. "What are you trying to say?"

"Fen-kin, kin kin fen!" Fennekin was getting worked up, her fur puffing around her and embers slipping out of her ears. "Fenne!" The fox moved around her and tugged her bag with her teeth, burrowing inside and staying in there. Confusion clouded Serena's mind as she unslung her bag from her back and put it on her lap, watching those glowing ears peek out from the top of it. "I'm sorry, Fennekin, I just don't know what you mean, okay? I'm feel so useless and alone and I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. I'm probably making you feel bad too..."

The Pokémon retreated even further into the bag, making a sad sound. Serena felt her eyes prick up again and she shook her head, wiping her face with one hand. "It's not your fault, okay? I mean, you shouldn't have attacked Ash before, he didn't do anything wrong either, but you shouldn't have to feel bad for me. I'm the one who can't commit to anything around here."

"Ken." No?

Serena thought back to the outburst back at the parlour, remembering that crushing feeling that enveloped her. Everyone else was having more fun than she was. But Fennekin... She wasn't happy, was she?

Not being able to participate. Watching her Trainer crack. Seeing how everything was messy and too loud and unstable.

"Oh," Serena said, voice suddenly flat. "Oh. Fennekin."

"Fen?"

She stroked the bag on her lap, letting out a big breath. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have put this on you. I should've helped you back then. I should’ve been stronger for you. This… isn’t only my journey, is it? You wanted to do something as well. I should’ve… known that. I’m sorry.”

Fennekin popped her head out, still looking upset. But she still licked her hand, tentatively, slowly, and that was her own sort of forgiveness.

"I'll be better. Next time I’ll work with you, I’ll help you, and I’ll find something that’s right. Please don’t be upset anymore.”

A girl and her Pokémon, hugging underneath ancient topiaries.

Serena and Fennekin, at the start of their journey once again.

A single tear, left to hit the ground.

Jessica won’t lie: she’s not really a decisive person.

She can’t decide on a cut for Furfrou and she can’t find it in herself to pursue Serena when she left. The others talked about it for a few minutes, and Ash reassured them that she should be fine, that she’ll come back, and that they need to give her some space before promptly putting his elbow on one of the dyes and splattering Pikachu with a very vibrant blue colour.

Ash was still shaking off the electric buzz as Jessica thought to herself about the whole day. It was unexpected to meet the group the way that she did, she admitted, but they all committed themselves to their own styles so strongly. Bonnie was playing around with the dyes and the fur alongside the Dedenne, laughing and having so much fun. Ash was wrestling with the fluff and sometimes mimed out battles against a disinterested Pikachu, and even Clemont, who wasn’t as active, popped around once in a while in these last few minutes to tweak his inventions before they inevitably started to smoke and sputter.

They were… having fun. Experimenting. Finding themselves alongside their Pokémon. 

(Bonnie taking a break by brushing through both Pikachu and Dedenne, with Ash watching fondly nearby.)

Trust and faith and laughter, not worrying about their mistakes and turning it into something new.

(Clemont talking rapidly about how to fix the latest prototype, with Bonnie still disparaging the naming system and Ash's eyes twinkling with delight.)

It was something new. Something that made Jessica calm down a little, even with all of the chaos around them.

“Oh, what’s this?”

Jessica stood up from her seat, tilting herself so she could look at what her mentor was pointing at. Sherman had finally come back after dealing with his latest client and was taking a short break himself to observe what they have been up to. The mannequin he was looking at was already brushed and slightly cut, all by its lonesome. A bit more and some dyes and it was all done. “That? Um, that was what Serena was working on before she left. Do you like it?”

Sherman hummed as he appraised the mannequin, the others around him diligently at work with their own designs (or in Clemont’s case, trying to set a machine on Bonnie’s one). “I just find it interesting, that’s all. It’s very precise and deliberate.” Then he paused. “Serena, you say? Didn’t she pass by a while ago?”

“Around fifteen minutes ago.” Jessica found herself feeling pensive, remembering the agitated state of her new friend. She probably should’ve done more to help Serena as it was. “I hope she is okay. She was doing so well and was really into Pokémon Grooming. You should’ve seen her in action, sir.”

“That’s high praise coming from you, Jessica. Especially since I can see some of your handiwork over here.” Laughing at the blush that overtook her face, the older man grinned. “My darling, I’m happy that you helped her! This is proof that you can be the next star of the Grooming world just as long as you trust your head as well as your heart.”

There was a crashing sound behind them, and both Jessica and Sherman turned their heads to behold the sight of Clemont moving away the remnants of his machine from the mannequin of the very enthusiastic Ash. Making a thoughtful sound, the owner of the salon said, “Why don’t you check on Serena and I will hold the fort down over here, okay? I think there’s a lot more in common with the two of you than you realise, and you know her better than me anyways.” He then gave her a wink. “Maybe today's events could fix up your focus… and there’s no harm in letting nature inspire you as well.”

"Ugh, I think I'm done with Furfrou," Ash suddenly groaned out loud, putting his head on the table and flicking at the foot of the smoky-black model next to him.

Sherman gave Jessica a wide smile as if to reassure her of his preposition before turning to the bored Trainer. “I've noticed that you're a Gym Challenger, aren’t you, Ash?" Said teen perked up, looking at the Star Groomer with a confused face. He continued, "Well, Furfrou stylisation isn’t all about beauty, you know. Trimmed Furfrou are a lot faster than in their natural form, and dare I say probably even faster than your Pikachu.”

“Wait, really?” There were positively sparkles in the Kantonian’s eyes as he heard the fact, turning to his mannequin once more. “Man, why didn't anyone say this earlier?”

“Your Furfrou is already bald though. I don't think there's much else for you to cut,” Bonnie pointed out, having already laughed at Ash's technique before and was now giving him concerned looks. Clemont held back a snicker from his place at the back.

Ash waved a hand out nonchalantly. “Not really. There’s a lot of fur everywhere still. Right, Pikachu?”

“Pikapi.”

Clemont moved his latest invention forward on the table, giving him a knowing smirk as his glasses glinted under the artificial lighting. “Not to worry, Ash. I had planned for just this occasion, which is why there is also a hair-growth-and-faux-hair-growth button as well on the Furfrou-Trimming-Like-A-Pro!”

“Woah, science is so amazing!”

“That button wasn’t there the last time! You so totally didn’t plan it!”

Sherman sighed good-naturedly, looking over to Jessica with a small smile. "See, I've got this handled. You go get Serena and help her out, just like you've been wanting to."

"Um, thanks sir! We'll come back, I promise!" Jessica gave one last glance to the forgotten Furfrou model that started it all before walking to the door, closing it gently behind her as she exited the supplies room.

Her Furfrou stood up from its seated position outside in the main waiting room, red pupils trained in her movements. Jessica paused as she opened the outside door next, watching the Poodle Pokémon walk out of it first. “Oh, Furfrou, you want to come as well?”

“Frou.” He gave her a meaningful look before walking away, and she went to run out of the door and close it behind her. “Hey, wait for me! We don’t even know where she is yet!”

Furfrou rolled his eyes before putting his nose on the ground, startling passerbys as he moved forward for a few meters before shooting upwards with a bark. Sighing with a smile, Jessica followed his lead, walking away from the shop once again.

That’s how this day started, wasn’t it? Walking outside with Furfrou, trying to find some inspiration. Trying to find some courage as well.

And now, trying to find Serena. A friend who’s interested in the same thing. Who looked up to her so much, who is so happy all of the time, who is so driven and strong.

Jessica wanted to make her happy. She wanted to help her when she ran away, and now she finally got the chance to do just that.

(Furfrou watched her from the corner of his sight, eyes softening from under his fringe.)

“It’s Windie’s Mark. Some say that a particularly strong Arcanine fought for its Trainer against the earth itself, and from its desperation called out water where there was none. Some say that’s just a strange Hidden Power attack, but the truth remains a mystery to this very day.” Beaming down at a girl with honey-blond hair alongside a fox, a blue-haired lady with a red beret and a pocket full of scissors and combs stood by the fountain a ways away from the ever-popular Pokémon Grooming salon. The lady followed it up with, “Thought I would find you here.”

“Jessica!” Serena was sitting by the edge of an ornamental hedge, gently patting Fennekin’s back as she stared at the newcomer and her Furfrou who had just arrived at the scene, the Fox Pokémon curled up but alert all the same. Her hair returned back to its usual hairstyle before Jessica’s arrival, the teen then winced, looking downwards. “I’m sorry for the trouble that I caused. You probably came because of the others, didn’t you?”

The Coiffeuse sat next to her, shaking her head. “They did ask about you, but I wanted to see you myself. You’re all so creative, you know? Working so well with your Pokémon in the way that you do… I must confess, I’m a little jealous of it.” She sighed, propping her head on her hands. 

Furfrou growled, standing on all fours and acting as a guard, pacing around them. Serena looked at it as it walked by before laughing a little underneath her breath. “The others were absolutely destroying the mannequins you gave us, I don’t think that’s the right kind of creative. And I kept relying on you and your instructions because I didn’t know how to groom properly. I don’t think any of us were making it easier for you, especially me.”

“But you do know how to groom, Serena.” Serena blinked, turning to Jessica, who gave her a small smile as she nodded her head towards Fennekin. “Your Fennekin’s coat is very healthy, I can tell. Fire Types are prone to having very dry and brittle fur if not taken care of properly, but your little one has the gleam and colour of a well-groomed Pokémon. I don’t need to touch it or study the art of Grooming to know that you’ve got a very happy Fennekin by your side, regardless of how professionally you do it.”

“Happy?” The Fennekin Trainer couldn’t understand it. She’s had Fennekin for a few days at this point, and what she does to maintain her coat seemed pretty basic to her. Combing through it each day and night, a slightly damp cloth over the fur, nothing too big. They’re both happy about it, she presumed, but it wasn’t professional level. It wasn’t right or perfect or worthy. So what does happiness have to do with its quality? “Can I ask why you chose Pokémon Grooming as your calling?”

Catching the second, more hidden question in her eyes, Jessica looked upwards and nodded. “I don’t just want to groom and style Pokémon so I can just apply it for my Furfrou here. I want to do it to make others happy, to show the beauty in their Pokémon, and to complement both Trainer and Pokémon. It makes me happy to see others with style, and while starting with my own Pokémon is my dream, I want to go beyond that. I want to reach the whole world one day, share with them my happiness and joy as well. I think, as long as it makes everyone happy, then that’s all we need. I’ve… been losing sight of that myself, these days.”

The Coiffeuse paused for a bit, throwing Serena a slightly more confident smile before continuing. “And besides, the whole point of practice is being creative and finding your own style. My mentor always told me that there isn’t only one way to get to a particular place. He says there are side roads, shortcuts, the long way— all different paths that gives us the same results in the end. But the journey is what truly sparks creativity, and every problem is another way to prove it and grow beyond what you thought was possible. And so there’s no one way to groom a Furfrou, just like there is no one way to live life. We all have our own choices, in the end.”

“I… never knew…” Serena pushed her knees up so she could rest her head on it, watching Fennekin looking deep into her own eyes as a questioning glint paired with a response of her own. Sharing her dream with the world. Making mistakes along the way. Doing it alongside her Pokémon.

“I think your question helped me a lot with my own thoughts.” Laughing a little at the questioning hum, Jessica leaned back on her hands and continued talking. “I’ve only been with Monsieur Sherman and his clients this whole time, and it was like I got caught up in it all. The rush, the expectations, the results. Seeing your friends having fun with experimentation, looking at your excitement and listening to your questions… it’s starting to give me another perspective. It’s reminding me of how I felt when I wanted to start on this path in the first place.”

“I can’t imagine you being stressed with how wonderfully you demonstrated your skills,” Serena admitted, patting Fennekin’s stomach. The Pokémon purred, fur starting to warm. “You’re everything I wish I could be. You’re so confident with your dream and you sound so happy about it too.”

Jessica looked at Furfrou, who kept trotting around them, never pausing, deliberate with every step. Just like how Sherman described Serena’s work. “Believe me, I’m always panicking over everything. I’m just so scared of doing something wrong and hurting Furfrou here. This morning, during our walk, I thought I could try a small snip, but all of the worries… and then Furfrou ran away before I could try. I’m… not as perfect as you think I am.”

“I don't think you have anything to worry about, in my opinion.” Turning towards Serena, Jessica felt the true faith of those words, shining as bright as the sun above them. The Fennekin Trainer brushed her hair behind her ears, gazing at the Groomer in Training with confident belief. “You taught me, a beginner, all the basics on how to groom a Furfrou in a few hours. You were supportive of Ash’s and Bonnie’s attempts and were so patient with all of us. I think as long as you trust yourself, you can pull it off, no problem.” She gave her a thumbs up and smiled to cap it off.

“Really?”

Fennekin rolled over and stood up, whining as she tried to shake off the pieces of grass that stuck to her back and tail. Serena pulled out a box out of her bag, patting her back in comfort as she took out the brush. “Of course! I trust you, and my friends and Mr Sherman do as well, right? I’m sure that Furfrou trusts you too, in his own way.”

Jessica hummed, watching Furfrou’s tail at the edge of her vision. “By the way, how is Fennekin? She seemed pretty upset earlier.”

“To be honest, I’m never really sure.” Brushing through the fur, Serena smiled at the content sounds her Pokémon was making. “She’s a little fussy when it comes to being clean, but she’s never really acted out like that before. It’s a little tricky trying to deal with the emotions of both yourself and your Pokémon, isn’t it? I just started out on my journey, and I still feel like there’s so much to learn. I feel like I have to be on top of it all or otherwise I’m not a good enough trainer.”

"I don't think you have to worry as much yourself, Serena. You're just starting out. It's okay to make mistakes, and it's okay for you to try something new, and it's okay to grow at your own pace." Jessica blushed self-consciously after that and shook her head, watching the view in front of them. A thought blinked into her mind and she added, a little brazenly, “But I can confidently say that Fennekin is shaping up to be a lot like Furfrou here, then.” The girls both laughed, and their Pokémon froze for a few seconds at the sudden movement. The wind flowed between them, and for a second, Serena remembered the wind that blew past her the day she left home. How much has she learnt by now?

Not enough. Not a lot.

But looking at Jessica, head tipped backwards and beret at the edge of falling off, eyes sparkling with mirth— Serena found a dream there. A dream that was full of life, of designing and helping and showing the best side of people and Pokémon. That's more than what she found yesterday. That’s more than what she had found at home, waiting for something to happen to her instead of the other way around. Something different, something new.

Fennekin insistently nosed the brush, upset that the movement had stopped, and Serena sighed as she got back to work. Jessica looked over and gave an appreciative hum. “You know, I think you work better with actual Pokémon than with models.”

“What do you mean?” Oh, Fennekin really did like that one spot. Serena made sure to sweep through that area particularly, feeling the satisfied rumble of her Pokemon.

“I mean that. You judge your pressure and movement on what your Pokémon’s reaction is and adjust accordingly, don’t you?”

Serena doesn’t really know the answer to that question. All she’s doing is listening to Fennekin. “I’m not sure. All I can say is that…” Thinking back to what Jessica said earlier, she found her lips sliding into a slight smile. “I’m just doing what makes both me and Fennekin happy. I like brushing her, and she likes me brushing her, and she trusts me to keep her clean whenever she feels like she needs it. I never really thought beyond that.” She shrugged, moving the brush towards the tail. “It’s our routine.”

“Hmm.” Jessica watched Furfrou as he made his way towards them again. “You’re really in tune with Fennekin. I’m sure with more time you’ll get better at the finer styles of Grooming even without my help. Like my mentor always says, there’s no rush with life. We choose the pace with which we make our way, always.”

“That sounds like something he would say to you,” Serena ribbed playfully as she moved the tail to the side. “Wonderful, stylish Jessica who just needs to see how amazing she is to truly unlock her potential.”

“Hey! I’m just trying to make you feel better here!” The Coiffeuse let her gaze rest on Fennekin, giving a thoughtful hum afterwards. In a lower voice, she said, “But seriously, it’s okay to take your time, Serena. I saw you before with the whole, you know, Furfrou trimming training, with the models, and you looked so stressed. I didn’t mean to make you feel like you had to do it perfectly or something… and I didn’t mean to put my problems onto you.”

Fennekin walked away from Serena’s lap, looking up at her Trainer and giving her a sharp yip. The Trainer put her hand on her head, rubbing between the ears, and put the brush where the Pokemon once rested. “But you weren't lying, weren’t you? That’s what a real Pokemon Groomer does.”

“A real Pokémon Groomer brings joy to people and Pokémon. Not stress them out. And it takes time to be good at it, even if you do know everything about it. Time and dedication and trust that it will all pay off, in the end.” Jessica gazed at the white fur of her Furfrou as he went by. “I think… we were both too busy thinking about what could go wrong to enjoy what we were doing. Too much in the rush, the expectation, the zone.”

Serena thought about how the others were laughing as they played around with their models. Was she truly happy, running around the room and trying to memorise everything? Staring so hard at the mannequin that she only saw white? Putting Fennekin and everyone else aside? “You’re right. I thought that maybe I could get into Pokémon Grooming because it sounded like something I liked, but a dream is not that easy, is it? And even if I do like it, I’m just… Not ready for it, I think.”

“At least you now know how you feel.” Jessica gave her a big smile, nodding her head. “You tried your best and you thought it out. You learnt something here and that’s always going to be a part of you, no matter what happens down the road.”

The way she brushed Fennekin… it was more focused than it was before. More mindful of the knots, the untangling process, underfur and going from head to tail. Even if it still weighed on her when she tried it herself, it was still worth it. This experience, this friendship, this quiet moment. Serena shared the smile, feeling that tight feeling emptying out of her. Maybe… “I’m sorry for wasting your time, though. You could’ve been helping your own Furfrou instead of working through my problems.”

“Hey, don’t be. Don’t apologize for exploring yourself here. This just ends up being where your path took you, and as long as you’re happy, that’s well worth the time.” Jessica sighed, standing up and stretching herself out. The clouds were starting to become darker, and she held onto her beret as another wind started to pick up. “Looks like a storm is coming in. Wanna go back to the shop?”

“Yeah, I don’t want the others to be too worried.” Standing up herself and picking up Fennekin, she grinned. “And I definitely don’t want to be holding you back from your moment of discovery. My day will be so much more better once I see you groom Furfrou. Just imagining the style… it makes me feel so happy thinking about it!”

Furfrou made a dismissive sound, trotting next to Jessica and standing still. The Coiffeuse laughed, walking down the path. “You’ll have to consult Furfrou first before anything, you know. He is the true one that controls your one and only source of joy for the day.”

“Ah, way to ruin my fun.” Serena followed her, watching as the path became a dirt trail. “How did you know where I was, anyways? I hope you weren’t looking for me for too long.”

“Nope! It’s all thanks to Furfrou here. …And a little bit of guessing. This place is one of my favourite places to be. The view, the calmness, the works that were made with trees and bushes that seem so lifelike sometimes— it calms me.” Her footsteps were sure as she led the way forward, Furfrou falling in line next to her. 

For a second, they looked like a true team. Partners well-versed with the city, full of that creative potential. The bright white of fur against the colourful palette that was Jessica.

Serena looked down at Fennekin, who was regarding the ground with thinly-veiled disgust. Gently putting her chin on the warm, fuzzy head, she whispered, “Hope you’ll come with me with to find our dream, too.” The fox stiffened before yipping happily, pushing her head upwards to meet the Trainer’s lower face. “Thank you so much. Let’s get better together.”

“Oh, no, it’s starting to rain!”

The sky started to open down with a heavy outpour, causing the girls to shriek as they started to break into a run. Serena went to return Fennekin before covering her head, happy yet worried about having a hat in this weather. She didn't want to be soaked in these clothes!

“This was not in the guide book today,” Serena found herself screeching as a particularly large splash of water slipped from the tree above her. If she knew this was going to happen she would’ve stayed indoors the whole time, uncomfortable feelings or not.

Jessica looked back and gave her a wane smile. “It’s one of the oddities of this city— even though we’re nowhere near the coast, we get a lot of sudden thunderstorms. Some say that it’s because of our Officer Jenny’s Manetric being as strong as it is. Not ideal for today though.” She almost tripped over one of the roots nearby, but Furfrou steadied her, his fur drenched and trailing mud. She shot up, shaking her hair off away from her eyes. “Um, thank you Furfrou!”

The Pokémon turned his nose as he faced away, making steady progress despite his dragging fur. No matter how much he tried to brush it aside there was still that glimmer of concern for his Trainer, and that made Serena smile as she walked next to Jessica and matched her pace. 

Puddles squelched underneath their feet as the path became more rugged, and even though Jessica called for Furfrou to return to his Pokéball the Pokémon merely refused, allowing the rain to mix with the mud his paws were tracking. The Coiffeuse just shook her head, returning the Pokéball and holding a branch away from her face as the downpour kept going strong.

The Pokémon of the forest were sheltered in their place, huddling tight as thunder boomed in the distance. A flash of lightning appeared on the horizon, dazzling and bright, and the two girls shielded their eyes from the temporary brightness.

The wind howled louder as they kept trekking on.

“Watch your step,” Jessica warned as Serena almost slipped on the ground, steadying the girl before she fell completely. “This shortcut isn’t known for being the cleanest when it’s rainy. Or the easiest.”

She could tell. Shakily balancing herself, Serena went to follow Jessica’s lead again, but then Furfrou suddenly slammed into his Trainer and knocked her onto the ground, just as a loud crack sounded from above them.

“Furfrou, what are you—” Jessica paused as she noticed the branch that fell from the tree above them, feeling her hands tremble as she realised what had happened.

Furfrou growled at her, red eyes piercing as the branch that fell from the tree above them trapped him, holding him down. He tried to push himself up, but the smaller branches dug into his side, causing him to slip back down with a forced whine.

Jessica was breathing heavily, still on the ground and staring at her Pokémon with fear shining in her eyes. Serena put a hand on her shoulder hesitantly, and that snapped the Coiffeuse out of her stupor, making her scrabble on the ground to reach him. “Furfrou, no! I’ll— I’ll get you out!”

Serena withdrew her hand, squatting on the other side and trying her best to help. Her skirt brushed the muddy ground and she winced, but she still dug her fingers into the sodden fur around the branch. Just as it seemed, it was throughly entangled with the long hairs, aggravated with every struggle Furfrou was making. Serena gave a helpless look over the Poodle Pokémon, but stopped herself from speaking when she saw the once-fear in Jessica’s eyes give way to determination.

The Coiffeuse put her hand on Furfrou’s head, patting him with purpose. “I know you’re worried here, but if you keep moving like that you’re just going to get yourself more stuck and mroe hurt. Thank you for saving me, I really appreciate it, but now let us save you, okay?” The Pokémon paused his kicking and jumping movements right at the second she stopped talking, gazing deep into her eyes.

The eyes of a true Pokémon Groomer. Reassuring and confident and ready.

Furfrou bowed his head, covering his face with his hair once more. Jessica nodded, moving her hand down to where the branch tangled with the fur. “It’s really stuck in your fur, and we can’t drag this branch around with you or otherwise you’ll get hurt. We need a quick solution now.” She looked over at Serena, who quietly exhaled at the trust in her eyes. “It’s the same on your side, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is.” The rain continued to soak them, but Jessica paid it no heed as she looked down at her right-hand side pocket. Serena knew where this was going. “You’re… going to…”

“Yes,” Jessica said simply. She put her hand onto Furfrou’s cheek. “I know you don’t like it at all, but I have to cut some of your fur. It’s going to be messy but the only way you’ll be free. If you want, I can even fix it up back at the shop, but I need your approval now with this, okay?” She put her forehead to meet his, breathing out, “Please.”

A quiet moment, rain falling all around them.

“…Frou.” A pink tongue licked the underside of her chin, and Jessica smiled as she gave him another pat, whispering her thanks.

Moving the head a little to the side, Jessica let out a big breath and studied where the branch got entangled with the fur. Looking up at Serena, she then said, “I’m going to need your help with this so we can free Furfrou faster. Here is one of my scissors—please cut out the branches, it doesn’t have to be perfect.” Serena held the scissor, feeling her wet hand come in contact with the cold metal. She winced, and Jessica took notice of that reaction, courage faltering. “It’s okay if you want to go back, though. Maybe you can call the others in case we don’t come back in—“

“No!” Serena burst out, gripping the handles of the scissors tighter. There was Jessica and Furfrou in the rain, muddy and wet and tired and scared, and they were trying. They were striving. They were growing, like the plants all around them.

Serena wished she could be as brave as them.

“I’ll do it.”

She didn’t have a dream. She didn’t have a purpose. But she had now, helping Furfrou and snipping around the branches, pulling out the barbs, aiding Jessica in her quest.

And in a way, helping Jessica with her goal too.

The rain fell as two girls went to work to free the Pokémon, both of them sharing a small smile as the scissors did their work.

Snip, snip, snip.

“Heeeyyy, I see them, I see them!” Bonnie was jumping outside of the shop, her Lombre-styled raincoat shining in the rain. Clemont looked up from the tablet he was holding with his hands, safely indoors but within sight of his sister, moving his fingers on its interface quickly before putting it back into his bag.

Serena waved her hand as they approached the shop, going for a hi-five and getting surprised by the full-body hug she got from Bonnie instead. “Jessica’s coming back but— Oof— You don’t mind that I’m all muddy?” she laughed, and the younger girl held her away with her gloves to examine Serena properly.

After a few minutes, she nodded. “That is the most dirt I’ve ever seen on you.” Serena blushed at that, until Bonnie yelled out, “But what I really mind is that you disappeared for so long! Why didn’t you tell me you were going to leave us? Is it our fault? Are you still upset?”

“I… just wanted some time to think about things. It’s not your fault, okay? And I’m fine, really.” She rubbed the younger girl on the small of her back, feeling the cold sting of the wind. What has she done?

Not a lot. But maybe enough. To hurt and to heal, just a little.

“I’m sorry that I made you feel bad. That I made you all worry.” Both girls looked up as a drone flitted above them, slipping indoors where Clemont held the door. There was quiet care in his eyes, and Serena brushed her hand past one of her eyes, past rain and maybe something else. “I’m guessing Ash…”

“He’ll be back,” Clemont said, looking off to the right as he cradled the folded up drone in his hands to his chest. “I made sure that he knows you’re here. But I should say that we’re all happy that you’re safe and sound, regardless.” He pulled out an umbrella he had by his side, and she took it, opening it above those who were outside.

“Thank you.” She meant it. She truly did. Looking off in her own direction, she finally spied the person she was waiting for. “Just to warn you a little, we both had to go through a lot while we were out, so don’t be too surprised.”

“About what?” Bonnie squinted into the distance, seeing the image of the Coiffeuse and the Furfrou coming closer. “…Wait, is Furfrou…”

“Oh, is Jessica back?” And there was Sherman behind Clemont, looking out from the paned windows. “I hope she’s okay after that dreadful storm coming out…”

Thin fur, scruffy look.

“Of nowhere,” Clemont finished as a muddy Jessica rushed towards them with an even muddier Furfrou matching her pace.

Everyone except for Serena stood in shock as she approached the building but Jessica just brushed past them, a newly sheared Furfrou following in her steps, both of them scrubbing their feet on the indoor mat before quickly walking indoors. 

A voice called out a few seconds later, “So sorry, Monsieur, but we’re going to use the parlour right now if that’s okay with you!” and it was all Sherman can do to just nod.

(Serena looked up from picking her shoes up from indoors, feeling the conviction settle in her bones—

That she wants a goal like that)

Bunnelby sighed as he pawed at the pink bow atop one of his ears, tiredly watching Dedenne running around trekking purple footprints nearby.

Ash had just walked into the building now, taking off his raincoat and shaking off the rain in the main area, spraying a tired Clemont with the weather from outside world. Serena waved from her position next to the indoor heater, feeling the cold settle into her bones as she shivered underneath the towels piled up above her.

“How are you, Se—“

A large sneeze.

Ash jumped at the loud sound, and Bonnie giggled from her place next to the heater. The Kantonian then shook his head as he came to the edge of a safe distance away from her, giving her a knowing look as he went to squat. “Sick, huh?”

It wasn’t fair. How did she get sick while running through the start of the storm while Ash merely took his time under the heaviest rain? “I-It’s nothing, I’m just a little sniffly. And cold.”

Bonnie gave her a deadpan look. Serena just waved her hat in front of the heater— better that it dried now to give her some semblance of cuteness rather than sickness. For all the deniers involved.

“Well, in any case, you should rest.” And there was Clemont, having finally dried his glasses and tucked away the drone in his ever-present bag. He flashed her an awkward smile, looking away for a few seconds as he added, “It’s going to take us a while to get to the next area, anyways, and it’ll be a while until this storm calms down.”

“Aww, so we’re really stuck here, aren’t we?” Ash groaned, flopping himself in front of the heater as well. Bonnie nudged his body away with her feet. He growled half-heartedly from the floor. Clemont sighed.

Serena pulled out her travel guide from her pockets, rustling the towels wrapped around her. “We’re heading to Cyllage City, aren’t we? So the closest place is Lumiose City. It would be a good place to stop by while walking to Ash’s next Gym Battle. Just imagine: warm pastries, the height of fashion, state of the art creations...”

“That sounds like a great idea!” Ash exclaimed, sitting up straighter. “I barely got to see anything of Lumiose when I first came around.”

Pikachu chirped from where he was (trying to clean up Dedenne’s paw prints), apparently agreeing with Ash's statement. Ash laughed and chatted to his Pokémon from across the room, and everything felt a little more steady for it. A new destination. The next stop.

Serena felt a small hand tug at her own, and she turned to the uncharacteristically furrowed face of Bonnie. “Maybe we can visit the Professor first?” the younger girl said, kicking her toes out as she looked up at Serena. She turned to Clemont for input but the inventor was faced away at that point, pulling out the pink bow on Bunnelby’s ear with a deep-seated silence.

“I don’t see why not?” She turned to Ash instead, who just raised his arm up from the ground and gave her a thumbs up. Lots of help from them, alright. “It has been a while and I never got to see the whole lab. It sounds like a great idea!”

Bonnie looked slightly surprised by the admission but turned her face away, flattening out her dress with her fingers in a kneading motion. “Thanks.”

“No, thank you.” She bopped the younger girl's nose, and Bonnie reflectively shied away with a small laugh. Now there’s the friend she knew. Putting the pocket computer away, she wiggled her arms out at the warmth radiating towards her. “Hopefully my clothes are ready, because wearing pajamas just makes me sleepy.”

“I wish I was in my pajamas right now,” Ash groaned. “‘M already sleepy as it is. Might as well miss the storm.”

“But do you want to miss Ms Jessica’s debut?” Everyone shot up to attention at the arrival of Sherman, who waved at them from the adjacent door. Having successfully grabbed the group's attention, he added, “She’s ready for you to come around whenever you are.”

Throwing off the towels, Serena jumped to her feet and ran towards the door, lacey pajamas fluttering around her as she slipped by Sherman and through the door behind him. The man blinked before shaking his head. “She’s definitely enthusiastic,” he mused as he watched her make her way to the salon.

“Hmm,” Clemont said as he held Bunnelby to his chest, the only word he said in the past ten minutes.

(Ash flopped onto his belly in reply.)

If Serena didn’t spend all of time outside in the rain, she wouldn’t have believed that Jessica had suffered the same fate from how vibrant she was.

Clean and colourful as always, she drained the water at the bottom of the tub, laughing as Furfrou lifted his paws and tentatively touched the disappearing water. Serena watched from the other side of the room, the joy muffled but not silenced as the shower head then sprayed water upon the Pokémon, then the shampoo was applied, and then the hairdryer.

So much care. So much love. A future full of warmth, of soft soaps and colourful dyes and brushes and combs. A dream.

Jessica’s dream.

Her chest didn’t feel as tight anymore, but Serena still felt that keening absence where her heart was. She wanted, she wanted, she wanted.

Furfrou looked so different too. Not only just in looks, where his thick, shaggy coat had to be reduced to uneven bald spots that Jessica wanted to further refine before coming back into the shop.

(He bared his teeth in a sharp grin at what Jessica said, eyes finally happy underneath his bang.)

Serena watched as the Groomer got to work, pulling out the tray full of scissors and combs. Her own fingers tapped a pattern on the glass, no longer tight by her side.

Serena finds herself wanting so badly. But she can accept this joy now, and be happy for her friend.

“Wow, Jessica really is a Groomer now, isn’t she?” Bonnie piped up, standing next to Serena. Ash had watched the start of the proceedings before getting ‘some ideas’ for his own model (he still had it, apparently), and Clemont politely excused himself soon after. Sherman was still watching from inside the parlor, giving her praise and handing her the equipment. The roles reversed. Student becoming the teacher.

Serena is so happy for her. She nodded in response to Bonnie’s question. 

The younger girl looked up at her and twisted her hands together, Dedenne sleeping in her pouches. “Was this… what you wanted to be?”

An honest question.

“I—“

What is the truthful answer?

(Serena wants a dream for herself, something to hold close to her heart)

She put a hand close to her heart, closing her eyes. “I’m happy that I got to try something new. It’s not everyday that you get to see a Star Groomer in action.” She felt her hand shake and she griped it into a fist by her chest. “I’ll find something for myself one day. But for now, I’ll…”

“Have fun with us?” Bonnie asked, voice also a little hollow and small. For a moment, a second, both of them found themselves feeling a little uncertain (for the future). Both of them reaching a hand out underneath and linking each other up (in the present).

Serena softened, squeezing the hand softly. “I’ll always have fun with you, Bonnie, okay? No matter what. We’re friends, right?” Feeling the responding squeeze, she smiled. “We’re travelling companions. And that means we stick together, all of us. So don’t worry about it.”

“I’ll always worry,” she replied belatedly, but her hand didn’t jerk away, even when Serena sniffed a little. “All of you are so weird. And even though you’re perfect at Pokémon Grooming you’re still not choosing it!”

“It’s not as easy as it looks.” Serena glanced back at what Jessica was doing: curling up some portions of the fur into recognisable shapes. “I'm starting to understand how much effort it takes to truly achieve your dream.”

“But that’s something, right?” Bonnie said, having a slightly cheeky glint in her eyes.

Serena nodded, looking into the parlor's window and watching her reflection superimposed in Jessica’s place. “And that’s something,” she echoed, soft and real.

Bonnie huffed at that, swinging their linked hands together. “See what I mean? You really did find something today. You guys never say what you mean…”

Before Serena could protest, Ash stumbled out with a massive Furfrou model next to him. “And that’s how you do Grooming!” he pronounced, beaming as Clemont tried to tame his own poofy hair again, soot marks on his face.

Both of the girls turned to face each other before bursting out in laughter.

Time flew by, and once Jessica placed the final touch ups on Furfrou, well?

(Purple bonnet, fur braided on top, sleek movements and eyes shining brightly, clear at last.)

Serena really did mean it. She really was happy. And for today, that was enough.

“It’s still raining,” Ash whined, pressing his face against the window next to Dedenne.

“It usually goes for a while, but not this long,” Jessica said, petting Furfrou’s styled hair. She looked at the others, an awkward smile on her face as if she didn’t pull off the greatest creation right next to her. “Is there anything that you want to do in the meantime?”

Pikachu yawned from the table he was sleeping on, tail waving lazily. Serena worried her hands for a few seconds, her normal clothes finally back on and pajamas packed away, wondering what to say.

Bonnie was arguing with Clemont in the background again. “We've been here for ages and you still didn’t style a single Furfrou!”

“Last time I checked, that wasn’t a requirement,” Clemont replied lowly, nose stuck fixing another invention. His younger sister pouted, crossing her hands. “Besides, I helped with Ash’s one, remember?”

“That doesn’t count!” 

Serena felt herself open her mouth to say something, but Jessica beat her to it by saying, “You know, there is one more Furfrou model that wasn’t fully styled yet.” She gave a wink to Serena, as if reading her mind.

But… “But,” Serena found herself vocalizing, voice wavering with doubt as she buried her hands down into her knees, feeling that familiar ache start up once more. She wasn’t good enough. She didn’t do everything that she could; she didn’t think she was ready for the commitment yet.

Jessica put her own hands above Serena’s, her smile just as small and fragile. Just like before. “You don’t have to be perfect the first time. And it’s not a waste of time when you fail. Make yourself a new path and let yourself be happy, okay?”

“Let myself… be happy?”

“Yeah. Listening to your heart.” She glanced at Furfrou, who was keeping an eye on the proceedings of the room. “The way that you did with Fennekin. The way you taught me.”

“Jessica…” Serena didn’t know what to do with herself. She just soaked in the warmth of the newly-minted Groomer, catching the shine of the golden-coloured stitched emblem on her beret. A veritable sign of a dream coming true.

Her vision was suddenly filled with fluffy faux fur and a hopelessly cheerful face. “If it’s too hard for you to do it by yourself, then I can help!” Bonnie said with pep and gusto. Dedenne perked up from the windowsill, running down a squirming Ash to meet them with a happy squeak.

Serena bit her lip, trying to think about it. Shouldn’t she stick to what she was good at? Shouldn’t she let go of something that hurts? “But I’m—“

Her Pokéball bloomed with warmth in response, joining the happy faces all around her. The rebuttal fell away from her lips, soft as rain, and she closed her eyes for a second, steeling herself before gracing them with a resolute face. “I can’t just leave this poor Furfrou looking plain, can I?”

“So you’ll do it?” Bonnie asked, watching as Serena stood up and let go of Jessica’s hand.

Grabbing the other side of the model, Serena gave her a big smile. “We’ll do it, together, all of us. Come on out, Fennekin!” The Pokémon slipped out of her ball, shaking her fur out before tipping excitedly, tail wagging.

Working with your Pokémon. 

(“Hey, we do not need to cut that much fur! And definitely no Nuzzle okay? Use the brush or not at all.”)

Seeing others smile.

(“Ash, please, I don’t want a rainbow— Aaah, stop it!”)

Having fun along the way.

("I never knew that we can use Scratch like that! You really are the best, Fennekin.")

It’s more than what she could find on her own. And that’s something too.

Just as soon as the rain died down a long rainbow bridged the sky’s furthest reaches, brighter and more closer than anything Serena has seen.

Bonnie laughed as she ran outside, skipping around the puddles and throwing her hands upwards in delight. Ash stretched once he passed the door, attitude immediately brighting with the sun, and Clemont was checking out the tablet that he had attached to the Aipom Arm.

And Serena?

“Well, it seems that we have to go, now.” Fennekin yipped from her position, being held in the air by her Trainer and enjoying the fresh air.

Jessica gave her a smile from the door, Furfrou nearby. “I would love to walk with you all a little more, but we probably shouldn’t be outside with all of the rainwater around. Don’t want to risk the fur treatment just yet.” They both shared a small laugh, and the Poodle Pokémon grumbled once again.

“Anyways, Serena, did you enjoy your service today?”

Serena froze, Fennekin following suit. “The service?”

The Groomer pushed her hair away from her ears and nodded, hands behind her back. “Yep! For the price of heavy rain you’ve tried out the incredibly fulfilling Beginners Grooming Course. It’s not very well known or official just yet, but we very much value our first customers' feedback. So, what do you say, Madame Coiffeuse?” She let out a mirthful laugh, unable to go through the speech without breaking character, and it made Serena relax just as well with her own grin.

What does she say? “I’ve learnt a lot, of course, under such masters of Grooming,” she started off, just as teasingly, “And the rain was no price at all for such an amazing demonstration at the end. To say the least, I might just come back here with Fennekin for more lasting results from the newest Groomer in the city! You better beware, as you’ve just gained a life-long customer in me!”

“At this point you’re being too kind, but we appreciate your feedback immensely,” Jessica said, but her own smile said anything but. In a lowered voice, she continued, “But there is something I want you to do for me. A small, tiny favour.”

Bonnie shrieked in the background as Ash jumped in a puddle next to her, kicking up some rainwater in retaliation afterwards. Fennekin looked up at Serena, who gave her a wobbly smile. "Anything for the Star Groomer," she said, voice small.

Jessica reached out to hold Serena's hand, clasping it in hers and giving her one firm shake. "Be brave. Try something new. Play with your Pokémon and with your friends and never give up, even when it looks impossible. Trust yourself, just like we all do. And never stop being you."

"That's more than just 'one small favor'." But Serena was laughing as she wiped her eyes, watching Jessica through her blurry vision as she went to hug her with Fennekin in the middle, who looked slightly disgruntled by being squished inbetween two girls. "But I'll do it. And you?"

"She'll do the same, I'll make sure of it," Sherman said, walking up next to her with a proud grin as they released each other from the hug. "We're not having you go back on all of that progress, okay, my dear? And that means you, little Furfrou." Furfrou went to nip at his pant legs, and the owner of the establishment yelped as he moved away.

Jessica bent down to pat her Furfrou, holding her own smile. "We'll do our best on our path together," she proclaimed, and Furfrou leaned into her touch. Sherman rested his head on his palm as he watched, nodding to himself.

It was such a beautiful sight. A girl and her Pokémon, bond shining as brightly as the overhead sun, doubts banished with the rainbow that hung above their heads. So ephmeral. So precious.

"Fenne!"

What Serena wants, in her own way.

"We're leaving, Serena!"

"Okay!" She looked back at the Grooming duo, finding her mouth rise at the sheer amount of talent between them. This place was going to be even more famous than it was before, that's for sure. She was glad that she met them, that she tried out Grooming with her friends, that she got this experience despite the hardships. That she had a hand in something, purely of her own choice. "See you next time! Au revoir!"

"Au revoir!" they replied back, with Jessica adding, "And don't forget to visit!" as she waved her hand out, Furfrou yipping out his own farewells.

Serena waved back, Fennekin moving her tail in time with the movements as she looked back one more time before rejoining her group. Giving all of them a big smile, she exclaimed, "Let's go to Lumiose!" and Ash cheered with her, boosting the warmth that settled in her chest.

No new dream today, no new path.

But that's okay.

"Okay, so I'll admit it, Furfrou Trimming was pretty cool!"

"Of course you'd say that, Ash. At least I won."

"No, you didn't! C'mon, buddy, tell Bonnie that it was clearly us!"

"Piii-kapi."

She hugged Fennekin to her chest as she kept looking forward, no map in her hands and not left behind, keeping in step with all of them as they made their way onwards.

(Because she found something else instead.)

She sneezed, and Ash jumped again as Bonnie sent Serena a worried look. In the awkward silence, Clemont remarked, "Did you know that your heartbeat briefly changes its rhythm when you sneeze? Anyways, the Pokémon Centre has some medicine for people as well, so we can get something to help you there as well."

"...What is wrong with you guys?" Ash finally said in response, Pikachu's face all scrunched up in the strongest squint he could muster on his shoulder.

"In that sort of competition, you'll certainly win," Bonnie said offhandedly, and she choked on her laughter as she dodged Ash's sudden attempts to arm-wrestle her into a noogie.

Serena just returned Fennekin before rubbing her nose, muttering, "Maybe we can go to Lumiose City tomorrow instead."

"I wouldn't be opposed to that," Clemont replied, and both of them gave each other a wane smile before Ash and Bonnie barrelled past them again.

"We might as well clean up the mess while we've got the chance," Sherman said as he stood in the foyer, his voice flat as he beheld the muddied mop from before. "I know you were running out of options by then, but I do have to ask— Wasn't there a more cleaner way for you to bond with your Pokémon?"

Jessica wasn't really listening as her eyes caught the lonesome shape standing on the table in the supplies room, colourful and creative and something new. Something that she wouldn't have thought of, herself. Sherman tilted his head through the door, finding her hands already full with the other manniquins that were already used. "You can put those in the box that is labelled with 'Used', so we can replace the fur for next time. I've already taken pictures of them, so there's no need to worry. That group really were something, huh? I wouldn't mind if you got more friends like that around here." It was a little known fact, but Jessica had spent a long time at the parlour to know that these winding rambles was one of the ways that her mentor liked to let off some steam when there wasn't any customers around... Looks like he was more worried about the two of them than he let on, even if he did leave them again in the room. How old habits die hard.

She was worried herself, but for another reason. "I—" She stopped herself, curling her hand into a fist. Furfrou caught the action and lightly headbutted her from the side, growling softly. She looked over at the Pokémon, letting out a big breath. "Sir!" she called out, not letting go of the fist she had by her side.

The man stopped rambling to himself to give an inquistive sound, walking back into the room once more. Steeling herself, Jessica said, "Can I keep one of them, though? I feel like I can get some inspiration from this."

Sherman looked at the model she was pointing at and broke into a smile. "Ah, that one? I'm curious about your thought process, but I won't deny you the chance to express yourself. Have at it, my dear."

"Thank you so much!" She went to deposit the other manniquins in the previously described box, closing the lid afterwards before beholding her own one. Looking at Furfrou she grinned, taking up the model designed by the joint efforts of the group that just left and tilting it towards the light with a squint.

A multi-coloured, messy and fluffy design? Sure.

But it gave Jessica an idea for a new Furfrou style, however small and fleeting it may be. "Because that's just how the path goes," she murmured underneath her breath, and Furfrou barked up his own sharp laugh in response.