Stay

Chapter 2

That night, Ash lay in bed, unable to sleep. His internal conflict that had begun hours before was still no closer to being resolved. One side, the side that wanted to do what he did best and continue working towards achieving his goals, told him to take Pikachu and Greninja with him and leave for Kanto on Saturday, just as planned. But another side of him, the side that did anything it could to make his friends happy, told him to remain in Kalos so they could be with Sylveon and Braixen.
You should go back to Kanto. You could always see Serena again in a few years. And Pikachu and Greninja could see Sylveon and Braixen later too.
But what if things aren't the same if we leave?
So? This is your dream. And they'd still be happy traveling with you.
But they're happy here too. Happier than I think I've seen them in a long time.
Your mother would miss you.
It's not like I'd never see her again. But I won't be living there forever either. Maybe it's time to grow up and move on.
You're not old enough.
True, but I wouldn't be alone, would I? Serena still has her mother.
But could you really ask Serena's mother to take care of an extra child? She's probably got enough on her hands with Serena.
I'm not a child!
Legally, you are.
I don't know what to do. I want my friends to be happy, but I don't want to give up on my dream. And I want to achieve my dream, but I don't want to do so at the potential cost of...whatever it is that's going on between those four.
You know what, Ash? I think you're starting to understand some things.
Oh, shut up. Now's not the time.
All right, all right.
Ash sighed and climbed out of bed, deciding that taking a short walk would probably help him clear his head. He pulled on his jacket and crept downstairs slowly, careful not to be too loud in case he woke anyone up. It was past midnight, after all. When he arrived downstairs, he was surprised to see Serena sitting at the dining table, a mug of hot chocolate in her hands.
"Hey, Ash," she said, smiling at him. "Couldn't sleep either?"
"No," Ash admitted, taking a seat across from her. "You too, I'm guessing?"
Serena nodded. "So what was keeping you up?" she asked.
Ash shrugged. "I don't know, just thinking about Saturday," he replied.
"We're going to miss you too, but you have to continue on your journey," Serena said gently, taking a sip from her hot chocolate.
"It's not that," Ash said. He saw the brief flash of hurt on her face and quickly amended, "Well, I should say it's not just that. Of course I'll miss you and Clemont and Bonnie. But I was actually worried about Pikachu and Greninja."
"What about them?" Serena asked, looking surprised. Then her eyes filled with understanding. "Is this about Sylveon and Braixen too?"
"Yeah," Ash said, relieved that she understood. Actually, she probably understood how he felt even more than he did. "I mean, I want to continue on my journey more than anything, but...they just looked so happy together. And my friends' happiness is one of the most important things to me. I know they'd still be happy traveling with me, but I can't help but wonder if they'd be happier here."
"I see what you mean," Serena said sympathetically.
"It wouldn't be the first time I've released a Pokemon so it could be with someone else," Ash said, remembering his Butterfree. "But something feels different about this. Pikachu's been with me since day one, and Greninja's almost as close. I feel like if they stay, it only makes sense for me to stay too. But I don't want to impose on anyone, and I also don't want to give up on my journey. The Kalos league was the best performance I've ever had and I want to use it as a stepping stone."
"Well, I can assure you that you wouldn't be imposing on anyone," Serena assured him. "My mom thinks you're one of the most wonderful people she's ever met. And I'd be happy to have you here too."
Ash felt a small wave of heat rise up in his cheeks and wondered what it meant. For some reason, it meant a lot to him that Serena would be happy if he stayed with her in Kalos. Then he shook his head, turning his attention back to the matter at hand.
"And that's not all," he sighed. "My mother and all my other Pokemon are back home too. What do I do about them?"
Serena looked thoughtful. "That's true, your mother would miss you, wouldn't she?" she mused.
"Yeah..." Ash sighed and stared out the window. A gentle rain had started to fall, the water droplets splattering against the glass. Despite the clouds, however, the moonlight shone bright, illuminating Serena's face as she gazed with compassion and sympathy at him, taking her hand in his and taking him by surprise.
"Well, whatever happens, I have faith that you'll make the right decision," she said gently. "You always do, after all."