Ash's p.o.v

"Aww, you guys are no fair... Now I'm the one missing out on the fun" I say with a playful pout to them. Everyone looks stunned. Then burst out laughing and I do so as well.

"Well, well, what do we have here? How much work have you got done Clemont?" Gary asks.

"Umm-" Clemont starts to say but is interrupted by Shauna's squeal. Garyyy!" She shrieks and jumps to hug him.
"Hey there" Gary strokes her hair.

"Is Lysandre back?" I asked Clemont. "Yeah he came here immediately"

"You are back early too Ash" Clemont says to me. The blue haired girl next to him elbows his stomach.
"Oi! That's the prince you are talking to! And your calling him by his first name!?" She whisper-shouts.
"It's okay. I don't mind at all" I say as I high five Clemont.
"And may I know your name miss?" I ask her.
"I'm Miette, and I'm in charge of the desserts! And I promise they will be the best you have tasted your majesty!" She says with a smile.

I laugh. "Thank you ... May I call you Miette?" I ask.
"Sure!" And she curtseys.

"So how was Anistar Ash?" Clemont asks.

"Well.." I reply and sweatdrop with Gary.

Ash's p.o.v

(Flashback to a day ago in Anistar city)

I was honestly so sick and tired of mom trying to get me a wife. I was interested in no one in that way. The only things I love is my country, my people and adventures.

"Young master!" I hear Lysandre, my royal adviser reaching to me. "Your mother asks of you"

I sigh. "Is it another girl she wants me to meet up with...?" I ask with a groan.
"Why don't you like to meet them sir?" He asks. "They are very nice and pretty"
"I just don't want to be in a relationship..." I sigh again.
"Well it is your duty to serve the Kalos region -" he starts with the lecture but I stop him.

"Okay fine! I got it" I storm off. He was one heck of a royal adviser... 

.

"You need me mother?" I ask.

"Ash you're here!" She jumps up from her throne and gives me a hug. "Ash please... Just this last girl I really want you to meet...and if you don't like her then I won't force you anymore okay..?" She says and gives me a pleading look.

"Fine." I say as I look away.

"That's my boy!" She says as she strokes my hair. "Send her in!" She says to Lysandre.

A girl with long pink hair and blue eyes walks over to us. She was pretty I guess, like Lysandre had said.

"Oh Ash~" she starts. "I've always wanted to meet you~~" she purrs and I sweatdrop as she grasps my arm.

"This is princess Penelope! Of Parfum palace!" Lysandre announces. My mom also notices the disgusted faces that are forming on my face as she strokes my arm.

"Well then" my mom laughs nervously. "Ash, you can take Penelope to the clock tower! I heard it's a very romantic place with perfect views..."

No. Way.

"Your majesty, is it okay if I accompany Ash?" Gary asks. Gary I owe you one... You are a lifesaver..

Penelope gives Gary a death stare but quickly changes expression to a innocent one as she says "we will be fine on our own, won't we Ash~?"

"No. we really won't." I say and give a pleading look to my mom.

"Okay, Gary will accompany you too. You two must be protected after all" my mom says and winks at me.

"Fine." She sighs and changes expression. "Shall we, Ash?" She twirls her hair around and battles her eyelashes at me.
This girl has some serious issues.
"Sure..." I say and as I leave I made sure to give my mom one last death glare.

"I did my hair and my make-up and everything just for you Prince Ash~" she says as we walk across the street. I look at Gary and we both sigh. "Prince Ash, you look so handsome today~ wait- you were always handsome , with your attractive eyes and cute ruffled hair, it really makes all the girls squeal!"

"Thank you... I guess?" I say trying to smile.

"And Gary reeeaaally didn't have to come but I'll do anything for you my prince~" she says. "Let's go ahead!"

"Im gonna smack this dumb bitch so hard, she'll fly back to her palace where she belongs." Gary growled. I honestly could not control my laughter.

"Should we... Run away?" I ask Gary. Yeah. I was that desperate. This Penelope was the worst out of every girl I have ever met.
"Ash... That's so mean..." Gary says. "And I love it!"
I smirk as a plan begins forming in my mind.

"Geez, she was right" Gary says. "You really are handsome"
I blush.
"Oi! You have a girlfriend!" I say with a laugh.
"Yeah, but I'm just stating the facts" Gary said.
"Oh please. I already have enough girls to deal with, don't need guys now" I roll my eyes and he laughs.

We watch Penelope choose dresses from the store and we discuss our escape plan.
"So here is the plan" I say. "You run to the palace and tell Lysandre to arrange for a transport back to Lumiose. And ... Tell him it's an order." I say.
"Okay... But how will you escape from her?" He asks. "She is constantly looking at you"

It seemed mission impossible but ill manage. Somehow.
"I'll tell her I'll check out another shop" I said.
"What if she follows you there?" Gary smirks.
"Then I'll tell her I need to piss." I groan. "She can't follow me to the men's toilet can she?"
"Okay okay!" Gary laughs.

"Good luck" I say.
"I should be telling you that" he laughs as he heads off.
Penelope rubs on a lipstick and makes kissy noises at me.

Yeah I really need the luck here.

(End of flashback)

Everyone laughs. I pout. "Yeah and I had an amazing time- so I've answered your question." I cross my arms. Everyone laughs even more.

"Hey.. Don't be nervous..." Clemont says and I realise that there is a girl behind him that he was talking to. She has a hoodie over her covering half her face.
"Hi! What's your name?" I ask her. She steps forward.
"I-I'm Serena... And -uh- I'm in charge of masks..." She trails off.

Gary loses it.
"EXCUSE ME MAM BUT IT IS EXTREMELY RUDE TO HIDE YOUR FACE TO THE PRINCE HIMSELF" He shrieks and she jumps with the tone of his voice.

"Gary! It's okay" I say as I try to calm him down.

"No.. He's right... I'm so sorry..." She says and she takes of her hoodie. Long honey colored hair and eyes as blue as the sky and deep as the ocean.

She tucks a hair strand behind her ear and blushes.  How adorable...

What was I thinking?!

"Thank you for ..uh.. helping out" I smile. "I feel so special.. thanks to all of you." 

"Aww~~" Everyone cooed.  

"Okay guys! Back to work!" Gary says as he claps.

Everyone hurries back to their positions and just as Serena walks down the stairs I hear a crack from above.

I notice the chandelier falling apart and I gasp. Shit. It was going to hit her.

I run to her and she only looks up at what could become her death. I grab her body and we crash down at the bottom of the stairs. Then we hear the crash - and glass shards scatter in all directions.

She gasps and holds on to my neck and I wrap my arms around her shivering body, to try and calm her down.

Everyone gasps and try to process what had just happened. "ASH! SERENA!" Clemont cries.

"Are you okay!?" Shauna asks us. Serena has tears in her eyes and I raise my arm so it touches her cheeks, and I wipe them away.
"It's okay. You're safe now." I sigh.

"T-thank you so much..." She weeped. She then looks at her arms wrapped around me and looks flusrered. "I'm s-so sorry, I-"

"Yeah! This area! Clean it up" Gary orders a few workers. I smile at her and get up.
"Here" I say as I extend my hand out to her. She looks at it and slowly raises hers. I take and pull her up. It may have been with a large force because it looked like we were hugging. She holds back again with a shocked expression on her face, and then blushes.

I feel myself blush too, but my thoughts are interrupted by Gary telling us to go to another area where there aren't glass pieces. I notice the ropes lying on the floor that held up the chandelier. There was something shining lying on the floor.

"I'll be right back..." I say to her and head over to the ropes.
I took the red bead and it had a fire symbol on once side and an 'R' embedded on the sides of the bead. 

I hold them and notice the ends... They didn't come off naturally.

They were cut.

By who....?