"Oh no, oh no, oh no!" Ash screams as he runs around the Pokèdex Holders' Manison.

"Ash, what's wrong? You're stressing me out bud," Gold comments as he munches on chips.

"Serena's birthday is tomorrow and I have no idea what to do for it, much less what to get her for a birthday present!"

"Pika pi!" Pikachu yells, as Ash slips and falls on the cold floor.

"Just do what I do: A fancy dinner, then we go to a elegant hotel where we get massages, relax in the hot tub, and have some alone time together in the room," Gold says.

"Uh, thanks for the idea, but no. Ugh! Why is this so hard!" Ash yells, covering his face while still laying on the ground. Pikachu whimpers and pats his head.

"What's so hard?" Yellow asks as she's followed by Jason, who's carrying luggage.

"His di-"

"Getting a birthday present for Serena!" Ash interupts Gold, groaning once more.

"Do you not know what to get her?" Yellow asks, sitting next to Gold on the couch.

Ash nods.

"Do you want me to take these to your room?" Jason asks Yellow.

"No, Red is going to be here soon, and he's gonna help me take it to my house. Thank you once again for picking me up from airport," Yellow says as Jason gently puts her luggage next to the couch and sits next to Yellow.

"Well, what have you done for past birthdays?" Yellow asks.

"I've taken her to dinner, give her stuffed Pokèmon toys, chocolate, clothes, and even taken her to a fashion show," Ash says, sitting up, rubbing his face.

"I don't want to repeat anything from past years," Ash says.

"Hm, maybe go dancing?" Yellow suggests.

"Ha! Have you seen Ash dance before? He has two left feet! He's worst than me!" Gold says.

Ash blushes, nodding in response.

"Jason, you've been awfully quiet, do you have any ideas?" Yellow asks. Jason looks over at her.

"Yes, yes I do actually." He then turns to Ash.

"Hey Ash, have you thought of a weekend getaway?"

♡♡♡♡

"Good morning beautiful!"

"Pika pi!"

Ash and Pikachu barge into Serena's room.

"Wha-"

Serena mumbles as Ash gently places a tray of food on the table next to her bed.

"Happy birthday!" Ash yells as he lays next to her.

"Thanks Ash. I appreciate it," she answers, blushing slightly.

"Eat up! It's gonna get cold!"

"What did you bring me?"

"Your favorite! Buttermilk pancakes with a small amount of whip cream, sprinkled with some powder sugar and topped off with strawberries!"

Serena's mouth waters.

"Ash, it looks great!"

"Thanks! You can't believe how many tries it took to get it just right!"

Serena can only imagine the mess that must be in the kitchen.

"Go ahead and eat! I left an outfit for you hung up in the closet! I'm gonna finish a few things before we head out!"

"Head out? Where are we-"

Ash runs out the room, with Pikachu trailing after him. Serena shrugs and starts eating the pancakes.

Once she's done, she gets up and opens the closest, revealing black snow pants, a pink snow jacket along with matching snow boots.

"Braixen?"

Her starter walks up next to her and stares at the contexts in the closet.

"Well, it definitely looks like we aren't going to the beach," Serena say as she begins to get dressed.

♡♡♡♡

"Whoa. This place is beautiful," Serena say, as Ash helps her get off the Manoswine they were riding.

Snow gently falls as they look at the snow valley below them.

"Here!"

Serena catches a sled.

"What is this-"

"Last one down is a rotten egg!" Ash yells as he runs down the hill, and begins to the slide.

"No fair! You had a head start!" Serena complains as she chases after him.

Once they arrive to the bottom, they make their way to town, where they make their way towards the cabin Ash rented out for them.

"Wow Ash, this place is amazing."

It was a simple wooden cabin, with a big living room, with a fireplace where a television would usually go. The kitchen had every utensil and food they would ever need, and a hallway that led to a big room, with a bathroom with a deep bath in it.

"Only the best for my Kalos Queen," Ash says as he kisses her hand. Serena blushes in response.

"The best part is we have this whole cabin to ourselves, and I made sure that everyone knew not to bother us, so we shouldn't be getting any texts or calls unless it's an emergency."

Wow. A weekend getaway with Ash. Nothing can be better than this, Serena thinks as Ash runs to the kitchen.

"Serena, just relax as I make dinner!"

"Ash, let me help you, otherwise you'll be there all night!"

"Well, good thing we have all weekend!"

♡♡♡♡

It's the middle of the night. Moonlight creeps into the room through the window where Serena is sound asleep. She rolls in bed, and reaches out to wrap her arm around Ash. But she instead is met with an empty spot.

"Ash?" She ask groggily, as she opens her eyes.

Ash and Pikachu are no where to be found. Even his Pokèballs are gone from the nightstand.

She then hears a door slam shut.

She quickly puts on her robe and slippers and rushes out towards the door and peeks out the window. Ash walks towards a forest near them, with Pikachu on his shoulder.

"Where could he be going?" Serena asks as she runs back to the room to change.

♡♡♡♡

"Do you think we're going the right way? He did say follow the trail and there should be a cave somewhere," Ash asks Pikachu as they walk through the snow. Pikachu shrugs and hides in Ash's coat.

"We'll keep walking for a few minutes, and if we don't, oh hey, there it is!"

A small cave at the edge of a mountain appears, causing Ash to quicken his pace.

He enters the cave, and follows them tunnel, which leads him to a huge room with a stand made of ice in the middle. On top of the stand is a small jewel about an inch or two long, shaped like a tear drop.

"There it is Pikachu! Just like he said!"

Ash takes one step, and the floor begins to crack.

"Pika pi!" Pikachu warns as the floor begins to fall down into a pit. Ash takes off running towards the stand. Just as pit is about to engulf him, he dives to land right next to the stand.

"Whoa. That was a close one, wasn't it buddy?"

"Pika," Pikachu whimpers, catching his breath.

"But at least we found it!"

Ash gets up and runs to the stand. He carefully picks up the jewel and begins to examine it.

"Whoa. Isn't it pretty?"

The jewel reflects the moonlight coming in from an opening in the ceiling.

Suddenly, it goes dark.

Ash looks up, and there's a huge body falling straight towards him.

"Look out Pikachu!"

They dive to the edge, nearly falling down the pit.

"Abomasnow!"

In the middle of the space, there's an Abomasnow twice as big from the normal size. And he looks angry.

Ash quickly shoves the jewel in his jacket pocket and Pikachu hops in front of Ash, cheeks sparking.

Abomasnow's arm starts glowing green.

"Pikachu, Iron Tail!"

The attacks clash, smoke breaking into the air.

"Pikachu, use-"

Everyone begins to shake.

Ash and Pikachu are forced to hold on to whatever they can.

Abomasnow chuckles as he makes his way over to Ash and Pikachu, powering up a Hammer Arm attack.

"Pika-"

Ash tries to give Pikachu a command, but the shaking get worse, keeping them pinned down.

Abomasnow towers over them, unfazed from the shaking. He raises his arm, ready to crush them. Ash grabs Pikachu, and engulfs him in a hug in an effort to protect him. Ash closes his eyes as he hugs Pikachu tight.

"Ash!"

"Serena?"

Ash opens his eyes, and watches as Abomasnow is hit by a Fire Blast. Ash turns and there is Serena standing in the opening from where they came from, with Braixen beside her.

"Ash, are you ok?" She yells.

"Yeah, I-"

"Abomasnow!"

Abomasnow uses Hammer Arm on the ground. Cracks slowly begin to appear, making their way towards the two best friends.

"Oh no."

Ash and Pikachu begin to plummet down into the dark pit.

"Ash! No!"

Serena looks down, looking for any sign of her boyfriend and his starter. But all she sees is darkness.

"No, this can't be happening," Serena says, as she falls to her knees. Tears form at the edges of her eyes. Braixen tries to comfort her trainer.

"Ash, please, don't leave me."

"Bulbasaur!"

Both Serena and her starter look up, and in front of them is Bulbasaur, with his vines out, struggling to pull someone up.

"Braixen, we have to help!"

They rush to Bulbasaur, grab him, and join in with the pulling.

"Abomasnow!"

Serena looks forward, and Abomasnow is back on his feet. He takes a deep breath, then launches a powerful Blizzard attack towards the Kalos Queen and the Pokèmon with her. They scream as the attack throws them back into the tunnel they came from.

♡♡♡♡

"Ugh, my head," Serena groans as she slowly gets up.

She looks around, and Braixen is a few feet away, getting up as well.

"Are you ok Braixen?"

"Braixen!"

"I'm glad you're ok!"

She rubs Braixen's fur.

"Bulbasaur."

Serena looks over and there is Bulbasaur with half his body frozen.

"Bulbasaur!"

Braixen and Serena rush to his side, and begin to thaw him out.

"Bulbasaur, do you know what happened to Ash and Pikachu?" Serena asks.

Bulbasaur shakes his head.

Oh no. Don't tell me they're gone, Serena thinks.

Her body begins to trembles as she tries to hold back tears.

"Ash. My poor Ash."

Her body eventually gives in, and begins to softly sob in the snow.

"Serena?"

She immediately looks up. Ash is slowly walking over with Pikachu on his shoulder.

"Ash!" Serena yells as she rushes over and squeezes him in a hug. She then pushes him away.

"Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry," Ash mutters, rubbing the back of his head.

"That was dangerous, and just plain stupid!"

"Serena-"

"I nearly lost you! I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

Ash stares silently at Serena, then smiles.

"Well, you won't have to worry about that!"

She sighs.

"What was so important that you had to sneak out in the middle of the night for?"

"Well..."

"Well?"

Ash reaches into his pocket and pulls out a beautiful tear-shaped jewel.

"Ash, that's-"

"I heard about it. It's called Arceus's Tear, and it's 'the most beautiful jewel in the world'. I got it for the most beautiful girl in the world," Ash says, as he places it in Serena's hand.

"Oh Ash, you didn't have to,"

"I know, but I wanted to! For your birthday!"

"I love you Ash!" Serena says as I she pulls him close and their lips touch into a passionate kiss.

They eventually pull away, and Serena quickly takes a look around.

We're near a cliff that looks out the forest. The darkness slowly fades away as the sun rises over the horizon.

"Wow," Serena says, as Ash puts his arm around her shoulders, and they watch the sun rise together.