How Far I've Come Ch. 13

Ash's POV

His POV is where we currently are in the Sun and Moon anime, episode 54 (when I started writing this, episode 55 didn't have subs yet :/), after they come out of the Ultra Hole with Lillie's mom (if you haven't seen that yet, Sorry). Now the rest of the chapter will be Serena's POV! Also, this is a now one year later time skip :/ Let's hurry up with this!!

Serena's POV

"Braixen, use Flamethrower!" I shouted. Braixen spun her stick around rapidly, the bow tied to it fluttering in the air. Braixen held the stick out and unleashed a horde of flames towards Umbreon. The pokemon dodged, bringing Serena's meter down to 25%. 

Oh no... 25%... I might lose the Grand Festival...

One year. I've been in Hoenn for a whole year now, and I'm finally in the Grand Festival. I'd be much happier if I didn't have 25% and not to mention the fact that I'm freezing right now. Of all the Grand Festivals, they decide to hold the one I'm participating in during the winter. Snow fell above our heads as we competed in this years's Grand Festival.

Everyone else had already become a Top Coordinator. May, Dawn, Drew... everyone except me. But even so, they decided to stay with me and travel with me. I glanced over at the stands. May, Drew, and Dawn were staring at the Battle Stage in front of them. They shouted encouraging words towards me. "Don't give up!" "You can do this!" "You got this!" 

Their words gave me some warmth, but not enough. I looked at the time. 1 minute. Not good. I looked down at Braixen. She looked at me from the corner of her eye, waiting for instructions.

"Fire Blast!" I called absentmindedly. Braixen shot out a cross-like flame. The flame engulfed Umbreon and took down their meter by half, leaving them with 25% as well. One more. Whoever  gets the last hit wins the Ribbon Cup and becomes a Top Coordinator. My legs shook with anxiety. Me and my opponent couldn't afford to lose this final shot. 

I opened my mouth to shout my final command but nothing came out. I felt eyes trained on me, waiting intensely. I felt pressured, as though the world depended on me. 

'Is this how Ash felt when he and Alain had to save Chespi from that stony Zygarde?' A random thought crawled into my mind.

Ash...

He's felt like this before... Hasn't he? I felt a little bit of warmth run through me at the thought of him. Ever since my first contest, Ash still hadn't called me. Why? Did... Did he hate me? The remaining warmth I had drained from my body. What did I do?

I felt time stop. My knees beneath me felt like they were ready to crumble and fall to the floor. I felt as though all of my strength had just been drained from my body. I felt like crying.

'Never give up till it's over!' A voice wandered through my head. 

I looked up at the crowd. Near the exit, I saw the ghostly figure of a little, raven haired boy. He wore an orange and red tank top with blue shorts. He looked at me and gave me a thumbs up. I blinked and he vanished, as though he were never there.

Ash. No. He wouldn't hate me. Ash has always supported me through and through. He has always helped me. He has always cared for me. He would tell me not to give up too. 

Warmth surged through my body, giving me strength. I stood straight and confident.

"Let's finish this with Fire Blast!" My voice rang loud and clear, no sign of doubt.

As if feeling my sudden burst of energy, Braixen nodded and a suddenly started glowing blue. Braixen's figure turned taller and more elegant. The blue around Braixen grew and then exploded into a puff of blue sparkles, and it was no longer a Braixen, but a Delphox. 

The newly-evolved Delphox spun its stick (that still had a ribbon tied to it) in a circular motion, creating a fiery ring of flames. Delphox inhaled and blew out a stream of flames through the middle of the ring of fire towards the Umbreon. The pokemon widened its eyes and tried to dodge, but was hit by the flames and knocked unconscious.

"And the winner this year's Grand Festival is Serena Yvonne of Vaniville Town!" The announcer shouted.

I couldn't hear my own thoughts over the roar of the crowds. The loudest I heard was probably from my friends. I ran up to Delphox and hugged her tight. 

"You did so amazing Delphox! Thank you so much! You also learned a new move! Mystical Fire!" I cried happily.

"Delphox Del!" Delphox happily cried a reply.

We both walked up to the announcer and received our Ribbon Cup. We both looked at the huge trophy and back at each other. We both grabbed one handle and lifted it up high into the air. The crowd erupted into a bigger roar.

"Congratulations Serena. Do you have anything that you want to say?" The announcer held a mic in front of my face. I grabbed it and spoke, tears of joy on the brim of my eyes. The crowd became silent to listen to me.

"Thank you, all of you, who have supported me throughout this whole thing. I'm so happy that I was able to experience this. Someone told me to come here and experience a Hoenn Pokemon Contestand that it just might help me become a better performer. Now I see why. There are many different ways to look at a contest or performance. You just need to experience it yourself and learn. I'm so happy that I came here. I made many new friends and learned many new things. Thank you so much!" I said proudly, a few tears dripping down my face.

As soon as I gave the mic back to the announcer, the crowd exploded again, cheering, screaming, whistling, laughing, and any other happy noise that you could think of. I held onto the trophy and Delphox's hand. We both bowed and bowed until we finally left the stage.

Time Skip~

I couldn't help but cry as I waited in front of the Contest Hall for my friends. Not sad tears I mind you, happy tears. We went through so much and it went by so fast. Flashbacks replayed in my mind about when we all met, when we started traveling together, and all the hardships that we went through. I'm so glad that I met them, because I never would have been able to make it here without them. Suddenly I frowned. A thought came across me. What happens if we have to separate? I don't want to leave them yet...

"Serena!!" A voice woke me from my thoughts. I was talked in a life threatening hug by none other than Dawn.

"D-Dawn... c-can't... b-breathe..!" I gasped for air.

A hand layed on Dawn's shoulder. "Dawn," Drew said. "You're going to kill Serena."

Dawn let go immediately and patted my back as I coughed. "Sorry..." She said sheepishly.

"It's fine..." I said. 

"Come on." Dawn stood up and held her hand out. I took it and pulled myself up. 

"Thanks." I said, brushing myself off.

"Great job Serena!" May said.

"Yeah, you and Brai- I mean Delphox, did a great job. And that Mystical Fire was amazing!" Drew complimented.

Dawn nodded rapidly in agreement.

I laughed lightly. "Thanks guys. So where are you going now?" I asked.

They all looked at me puzzled. "What do you mean?" Dawn asked.

"Well, I think I'll be leaving soon, after we get back to Slateport City that is." I said, my heart dropping as I said that.

All three looked at each other for a few seconds and then back at me. "We'll go with you." They said together.

I looked at them in surprise and relief. The thoughts from before slipped away and were replaced by happy ones. "Really? Yes!" I shrieked happily. "So I was thinking of going on a little vacation. I heard about this region called the Alola region. It has lots of new pokemon and it also has lots of beaches and islands." I suggested.

"A vacation? Count me in!" May said happily.

"Me too!" Dawn jumped up and down.

"Well, it's not like I have anywhere to go." Drew said, flicking his hair like always.

May nudged his shoulder. "No, you want to go and you know it." She smirked at him.

A pink blush crept up his cheeks but he swatted it away. "And why do you want to go, Little Miss Know-It-All?" Drew asked.

May's face lit up in anger. "My name's May! Not Little Miss Know-It-All!" She crossed her arms over her stomach and puffed her cheeks out in annoyance. "And for your information, I heard that they have great fashion designs and I want to try them." She huffed.

"Alright April. I guess you really like clothes." Drew said, crossing his arms around his chest like May.

"My name is May!!" She shouted at him. 

Me and Dawn sweat dropped as we watched May chase Drew around, getting strange looks from passerby's.

"You know, at least we'll be able to see them get into a relationship." Dawn whispered into my ear, just loud enough for May and Drew both to stop running and stare at us.

I nodded. "They obviously like each other." I whispered back at the same volume.

We turned back at them and pretended not to have said anything. May and Drew both looked at us, then each other, then us, and each other again. Their faces both flushed and turned crimson red.

Ahhh... The powers of love.

I clapped my hands together, trying to break the awkwardness. "Alright I think we should start heading back to Slateport. It should take a few days though, depending on how fast we move, so let's go!" I said.

Everyone nodded and we walked back to the Pokemon Center to grab our stuff. When we got to the Pokemon Center, I decided to mail my mom my Ribbon Cup and I asked Nurse Joy to ship it to her. She happily obliged and took the trophy to her back room to package it.

When I got back to the others, we all chatted a bit before heading back to Slateport City. The city where I met my friends.

Another chapter down! I decided to hurry up to the juicer parts :3 Just to let you all know, I posted chapter two of my Contestshipping fanfic yesterday! Please check it out! It would do me a great favor!! :3 Also, Christmas is just around the corner, so I'll be working extra hard to post more chapters as y'all's Christmas gifts! And for those of you who are on the other side of the world and it isn't Christmas, just think of this as a regular thank you gift! Please remember to vote and comment! Please read my other fanfiction, A Dream | Contestshipping Fanfic! I'm working on that really hard too! Thanks for reading! And with that, I leave.

~Crystal (●'ω｀●)

12/21/17

P.S. Four days till Christmas!!