"And the winner for this round goes to..."  Monsieur Pierre spoke, holding a microphone in his hand. Rips the envelope open taking a paper out and looks what the result was.

This is a first round and it was between anyone's games. Behind the presenter were three contestant's standing still like statues looking anxiously. There was tension going on between the three girls.

One had brown hair with two Pokemon beside her. Next was a blue headed girl who looked confident and had a smile plastered, beside her where two other Pokemon standing still.

And last but not least. Next to her was a honey blond haired whose expression was nervous, slowly placing her fist in front of her chest hearing the heart drumbeat in tension, beside where three Pokemon. They took glances at their trainer with the same expression then looked at Monsieur Pierre now holding a microphone near to his open mouth.

"The winner for this round goes to.... performer Miette Millefeui"

When he said this. the blue haired jumped for joy with her Pokemon jumping towards their trainer, sharing together a group hug as a shield. However for the honey blond girl there were sliced tears from her eyes, about to overflow with the dealt.

She could believe what she was hearing. Her friend and rival defeated her in the first round, how did she lost? what went wrong?.

Without wasting. The honey blond hair girl whirled around and dashes off the contests stage with hot salty tears now falling off from her red eyes. Leaving her Pokemon worried on stage, was it their fault for losing?

But that didn't go unnoticed, in stands there where people watching the honey blond girl run off.

A boy with blond hair looked on with a worried expression with Chespin sitting on his lap doing the same as it's trainer. Beside was a little blond girl who also did the same "poor Serena" she mumbled, she didn't like seeing her cry nor losing to a contests, because she felt that Serena was a sister to her. On her lap where Pikachu and Dedenne, they to share the same expression.

However, there was one person missing, who had more worried expression than the rest. That was the raven haired boy named Ash Ketchum looking on. Watching Serena win her third badge but that all upside down when she lost, he didn't like it when she feels down or upset seeing her because that's not who she is. Not the Serena he used to know.

When seeing her run out, he felt like he wanted to run after her, which he already did, wanting to be there for her with all his heart.

Visualizing back, this was now the third time she lost a contest.

Ash swiftly stood up from his seating and walks away to try catch Serena, until the blond boy spoke. "Ash where you going"

Ash continues to walk on while speaking "I'm going after Serena, Bonnie you stay with Pikachu for me" he said and runs off to find her.

Bonnie looks directly at Ash, a smile formed on her face watching the raven boy go out sight. Clemont notices with ac puzzled looking expression.

"Err, Bonnie, why are you smiling"

"Oh brother, soon you will know" the little blond girl cheekily grinned at her brother ,who looks back at the stage seeing the blue haired getting the key.

........

Back with Ash. he was sprinting as fast as he could, going past people down the hallway and finally exited the building. Taking a moment to regain then looking round with auburn eyes scanning around the surroundings until it stopped. He glimpse a dress and honey blond hair heading straight into the dark forest.

"Serena" he shouted loud but didn't get the attention so he ran after her without wasting time. there was negative thoughts spinning in his mind. What if she get lost? or hurt?

when he entered the dark forest, he scanned around the area to see any sign.

"Serena" he shouted again, making an echo in the dark forest. The cold air was crawling up his spine. Sweat dripped from the forehead and scans around again with distraught.

but there wasn't any sound. Until, he heard a faint whimper knowing who it belonged too. Soon he follows the sound by running along until he arrived at the scene.

There, in his sight saw a honey blond girl sitting on a log, crying her eyes out with bare hands on face, covering it. Ash looked on with an apologetically expression, he didn't want to see this Serena, he wanted the Serena he used to know, the kind, happy, joyous, confident and one thing that stood. She never gives up until the end. But this was different from his point of view.

"Serena" he calmly said but she didn't replied back just kept on crying louder.

Ash drags his foot in front of her, standing up and spoke "Serena" he calmly said again.

Finally, The honey blond slowly looked up to see her childhood crush; she wanted to feel happy that he's here to care. But inside, was heartbroken, losing at the contest but Ash could see right through.

Visualizing back, Serena had lost twice performances but this time it's the third. He didn't want to see her lose, all he wanted was make her smile and have fun at the contest. But no, he was now looking at a broken girl who lost her mommy. Serena manages to speak up with a whimper.

"A-Ash" she said with the throat getting heavy like weights piling up, blocking the air.

"Serena, why are you crying" Ash soothingly spoke.

Serena glances up at him then looks down at the ground, hiding the tearful face.

"i-....i lost Ash" she said, a swelling of defeat raising.

"So, there always next time" Ash spoke, wanting to make Serena confident again by trying to encourage. But he was wrong, the next move shocked him in his eyes.

"DON'T YOU GET IT ASH, I LOST, CAN'T YOU GET IT IN YOUR DENSE BRAIN" she shouted, standing up from the log with tears now overflowing down to her cheeks, dripping on the mudded ground. The sound echoed through the forest which all the bird type Pokemon flew away from the trees.

At this. Ash eyes were now widened in shock and surprise. He didn't see this Serena, sure she shouted when she did this to her Pokemon before but not to a person... to him. He always thought she was nice and caring towards him, but this, this was different.

"Serena" Ash mumbled, still in shock.

Serena looks Ash and soon realizes on what's she did. The anger was now shoved away into a scared looking expression. What has she done?.

"oh no, i shouted at my crush" she thought "Now he's going to hate me." But what happened next made her heart skip a beat.

Ash lunges towards Serena with arms wide open and goes for a bear hug which caught Serena surprised with eyes widened and a hot blush formed on the pale cheeks, taken back.

"A-A-Ash" she stuttered, surprisingly.

"Serena, why are you giving up" he whispered in her ear With careness.

"i-I'm not"

"Yes you are" Ash said. Departs by looking into her beautiful eye-catching sapphire eyes. He could see his reflection in them as he spoke. "This isn't the Serena I use to know, the Serena i know is kind, sweet, loving and most of all, never gives up until the end" Ash truthfully commented with a smile from the corner mouth. Looking straight into her eyes without taking off them.

Serena does the same with eyes widened. She didn't know what she was hearing, her crush and lover, Ash Ketchum, saying those words in her ear made her heart thump a million times even body dropped, wanting to hold his warmness.

Serena though he was dense as a rock but no, this was Ash Ketchum, the confident and self-esteem person she met since childhood when he saved in the forest at summer camp, now he is encouraging.

"A-Ash" she stuttered again with a blush race.

Ash smiles and motioned his head "come on let's go, i bet the others are waiting for us"he said, offering his open hand at Serena.

Serena gazes and smiles widely, remembering the time when she first met Ash at summer camp, which is where she had a her first crush. not just any crush.... but love. That same old love that goes around the air.

she gently grabs his hand with no hesitation, as the two connected, holding together as they walk with Serena blushed of his warmness while Ash smiles that he got the real Serena back, the way she used to.

As the two exited from the forest. They saw two blonds waiting near the building until they notice.

"Serena are you alright" the little girl said with dedenne pouched from the bag and Pikachu runs up, climbing up to Ash's shoulders giving a nuzzle on it's trainers z-marks cheeks which he liked it.

"I'm fine Bonnie" Serena replied with a gentle smile and looks at Ash "Thank you Ash"

Ash turns to looks at her "huh" he said, puzzled.

"For helping me back there, i couldn't thank you for your words" when saying the last sentence, a blush formed on pale cheeks, shuffle a little in embarrassment.

Bonnie looks at this and forms a devious smirk.

Ash looked at her and smiles with a wink"no problem Serena" he said.

Soon, The gang now start to walk away from the stadium and moved on to their next city.

"WAIT, I FORGOT MY POKEMON"