The Ketchum Family

Missing Him More than What's Possible

This chapter takes place a couple of days after the previous one. Serena is still in Kalos and is getting ready for the next showcase in Fleurrh City. She's desperately trying to get her presentation good enough so she doesn't suffer another loss.

Content warning! There's some steamy, adult conversations and actions contained within this chapter.

The treads on Serena's shoes dug into the grassy soil and propelled her into a spinning jump. She twirled round and round three times and passed beside Pancham in mid-air as he performed a mirror of her jump. She landed forcefully on her feet and immediately let out an enthusiastic shout as she turned towards Delphox. She extended her arm and flourished her hand in the direction of her Pokémon, turning all attention to the fire type. Pancham did the same and then Sylveon made her jump.

The fairy type cried out and jumped high into the air, using her ribbons to send pink sparks in all directions. Sylveon unfolded her body, Delphox moved to catch her and... the two Pokémon awkwardly crashed into each other before tumbling to the ground.

Serena felt all energy leave her. Her shoulders and arms slumped. Her face fell and her lips trembled. They'd been at this for over two hours. She'd made change after change to the routine yet it always ended in failure. She'd wracked her brain but had come up with nothing. No matter what she did, it always ended in disaster.

Sylveon let out a sharp cry and quickly moved to get off of Delphox. As she did so, she stepped on the proud, fire type's face. Sparks flew from Delphox's fur and the larger Pokémon rose to her feet, looking plenty angry. Fairy and fire faced each other and sent furious glares towards each other. Pancham shouted at them a few times but they paid him no heed.

"Hey, that's enough!" Serena said with an edge to her voice.

All three Pokémon froze in place and turned their heads toward Serena. The girl from Vaniville Town swallowed and had to force herself to not cry. She felt much like how her Pokémon were behaving; at her wits' end.

"Look, I know this has been really frustrating," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "I really didn't think it would go like this, but we've got to keep it together."

Delphox and Sylveon exchanged subtle glares and while Serena stood with her lips trembling and hands shaking.

"We've done this before! We've won before!" She sniffed back tears. "And we're gonna win again," she managed in a warbling voice. "We just have to practice a bit more, okay!"

All three of her Pokémon looked disheartened and disinterested. Serena felt like sobbing but she couldn't in front of her Pokémon.

"But that can wait until tomorrow," she said in a trembling voice. "Let's just go inside and get some rest."

Her Pokémon remained downcast and Serena slowly moved so she was standing beside them. She reached down to rub Pancham's head; she ran her fingers through Delphox's fur and she petted the slender back of Sylveon. When she was done showing her Pokémon affection she gestured toward the path leading back to Fleurrh City. Without a word, the four of them began the trek back to town.

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I couldn't even stand to make eye-contact with Delphox as we trotted into the hotel room. Today's practice had been a disaster and it was all her fault! As Serena shut the door and let out a big sigh, I didn't need my ribbons to feel arrogance radiating off of Delphox. It was so terrible what her attitude was causing!

I watched as Serena let out another big sigh and walked to the center of the room. She undid the bun of hair behind her head and let her golden locks fall, waterfall-like, behind her head. Her hair had grown to the point that it was now nearly down to her waist. It was a beautiful sight! It was too bad that the girl attached to all that hair looked so utterly miserable.