Hi everyone!!  SK here.

It sure has been a while, hasn't it?  More than two weeks.  I'm very sorry that this update has taken so long, but now that I'm back I'm going to be updating weekly again.  Yay!!  

I'm actually going to try to get two updates out this weekend... but no promises, as I want to have my other ongoing book, A World of Her Own, finished by September- my focus will probably be on that one a little more until then.

Anyway, I'll start the chapter now.  Please enjoy it!! :D

Serena

"How long will you be away for?" Heliux asks me.  We are standing at the outside of my chambers, as I was about to leave to get Bonnie for the meeting when Heliux ambushed me.  He'd found me and started questioning me, which I knew he had to do but it's getting annoying because I'm going to be late.  Outside visits to non-fairies, especially with the Leader herself, are very uncommon.  Besides, it led to Aria's early... retirement.  I can understand why Heliux is so on edge, but still, come on!  He can trust me for Lita's sake!

"I will try to get back here as soon as possible," I promise him, trying to sound reassuring.  

"Please try to be back by the time the sun is at its highest," he says firmly.  "It's just... we cannot afford to lose you, especially with the unbalance of Elements and A-"

I stop him by putting my hand on his shoulder reassuringly.  "Heliux, me and Bonnie will be fine," I say with a smile.  "But yes, if it calms your nerves, me and Bonnie can be back sooner than later."

"It's not just that," Heliux snaps, looking a little flustered at my comment.  "You leaving... must remain a secret.  If fairies found out negativity would rise, which is never a good thing.  You need support, now of all times.  The more time you are gone, the more time someone has to figure out your absence."

I nod.  "Will do," I chirp.  A light breeze swayed my hair as I turn around in search of Bonnie.  "I have to go now though, I need to get Bonnie and you always told me the importance of being on time."

I don't see his face, but I can sense that he's smiling to himself behind me.  "Of course.  Take care, Your Lightness."  His footsteps fade away as he makes his leave.

"Be careful, Serena."

Aria!  My thoughts jump instantly.  It's been a while since I've heard her voice.  Maybe my thoughts are just too restless for me to hear it.

Clemont's a good person, I tell her convincingly.  He would never hurt me or his sister.

"I know, just... it never hurts to be cautious."

I smile sadly, knowing this must be a sore topic for her.  I know.  I'll be careful, promise.

I don't hear anymore from her, but her warning remains in my mind.  I know that the quest had changed him, but from the way Ash had described him he sounds like the same old Clemont.  

Ash...

I instantly steel myself, trying to get rid of all thoughts of him.  Not now.  You need to get to Ash, but you need your focus.  It's different than before.  You can't use him to focus, at least not now, and you need your magic to protect yourself.

"Hey, Serena!"  That's Bonnie's voice, and I turn to see her standing near the stage entrance.  I instantly put on a smile and calmly walk towards her.  Bonnie never really refers to me by my formal title, even when others are around.  I don't mind it, though.  It reminds me how close we were, are, and forever will be.

"Hi, Bonnie, what're you up to?" I ask casually.  It looks like she's practicing magic of some sort.

She shrugs.  "Oh, nothing.  Just making sure the day runs smoothly," she tells me.  She has a big responsibility, with her Element being Day.  Maybe another fairy will come to help her soon, hopefully- we're lacking a Sun Elemental right now, it'd be a good idea for one to arrive soon.

"Perfect.  I actually have a special task for you and me today," I begin.

Bonnie's eyes instantly light up.  "Ooh, really?  What is it?"

"We're... we're going to talk to an outsider.  Clemont."  

Her face instantly looks shocked and she almost looks like she's about to cry.  "R... Really?" she whispers, like she can't believe my words.

I nod.  "I know you want to see him and I figure that he wants to see you.  And we need to know if things have gone... crazy yet," I admit.  

"Oh yeah, that dark aura," Bonnie says, seeming to catch herself.  "Was that the Darks?"

"Yes, and now there's a small imbalance.  We need to see if anything has shifted in the outside world too, and if so, the problem is real.  We could be dealing with another war here."

Bonnie's eyes are like rounded saucers.  "I... I didn't realize that it was that serious.  Come on then, what are we waiting for?"

I admire Bonnie's enthusiasm.  Even when things are going to get tough, she remains happy and determined.  "Let's go!" I say, and the two of us fly out of the Colony.  I make sure to remain unseen as we left, I don't need anyone seeing us.  I create a portal to the human side of the forest and we both fly through it, leaving the magic world behind as we do.

Not including the times when I met up with Ash, it's been a while since I've left for the human's forest.  It's not that I can't leave, it's just that being the Leader of a Fairy Colony kinda makes you so busy that you never have time.

"So, big birthday coming up, huh?" I comment, trying to make some idle conversation as fly towards the meeting spot.

Bonnie nods.  "Yup!  I can't believe I'll be sixteen in a couple months."

"We'll throw you the biggest party," I tell her, which causes her to smile brightly.  Most fairies are brought in near their twentieth birthday, as that's the age when fairies naturally stop aging.  However, some Elementals die way before that time, which is caused by fate and fate alone.  If they're powerful enough, they're brought to the fairy world early.  It's no problem really, it's just that there's less years of life they get to spend with their loved ones.  Bonnie's the only underage fairy, as of now at least.  I mean, there was me, but I'm twenty now.  That was a long time ago.

"You better," she says, pretending to scold me.  "And hopefully by that time someone will finally beat Heliux.  Preferably, me and Dedenne."

I giggle a bit.  I'm sure that if either Sylveon or Dedenne were out of the Necklaces they would be smiling too.  "Remember though, Heliux only fights with people who he deems worthy."

Bonnie pouts.  "I'm plenty worthy!"

"Of course you are."  I gift her a smile that contrasts with her sour look.

We carry on the rest of the way without words, excluding a little more chit-chat along the way.  Bonnie and I wait in one of the nearby trees when we arrive at the meeting spot, and I can sense her nerves building.

"Serena, do you think..." Bonnie looses her voice, then gains it a second later.  "Do you think Clemont will be happy to see me?"

I'm shocked she would even ask a question like that.  "Of course he will!  Why would you ask that?"

She looks away.  "Well... sometimes I've had these dreams... nightmares really.  I get to see Clemont again, and he just... blames me for everything.  It gets really bad and then that's when I wake up."  She looks back at me, distraught.  "I guess I just don't want this meeting to go like this."

I put my hands on her shoulders.  "Bonnie," I begin, "I've been away from Clemont longer than you have.  But, I know in my soul that he loves you and always will.  He would never blame you for something that is beyond your control.  Only the darkest person would have the capacity to do that, and that is not Clemont."

She breaths out a small sigh.  "Thanks, Serena.  I feel a bit better now."

We are suddenly interrupted by a figure walking into the clearing.  He seems a little nervous, at least from the way his eyes darted around the place.  I hear Bonnie's breath hitch when she sees him, and I can tell she is trying not to cry.  Before anything else, I put my hands together and channel my inner focus.  Come now, Serena.  You need to be able to do this.

I guess I'm mostly focused on Bonnie's well-being, so thankfully I'm able to focus easily.  I perform the same shrinking spell I used for Ash a couple days ago.  A couple days... it feels like years.  I gesture for Bonnie to follow me, and we both land on the ground near Clemont.  He looks a little bit unsettled, but then he spots us.  His eyes widen and he looks like he's in shock.

"Bonnie... Serena...?" are the only words that escape his mouth.

"Big Brother...!" Bonnie cries out as she runs to him.  She wastes no time wrapping her arms around him, and he is quick to do the same.  She cries into his chest, crying about how sorry she was, and Clemont just held her close.

"I miss you," he whispers to her.  "And don't you dare apologize.  I would never blame your for those things.  Not now, not ever.  It wasn't your fault."

"Th... Thank you," Bonnie gasps out.  "And I miss you.  I want... to be able to find you a Keeper again."

It's such a Bonnie-like thing to say that I myself almost cry along with them.

"Haha, you wish," Clemont says, tearing up and laughing at the same time.  He then catches my gaze and straightens himself.  "And Serena... Arceus it's good to see you again."

Bonnie lets go of her brother as I pull my friend in for a quick hug.  "You too," I tell him.  "I'm sorry things had to be this way."

He shakes his head.  "Don't be.  This wasn't your choice.  Now- wait, what about Ash and the others!?"

"Don't worry, they're all here," I promise.  "I've seen all of them."  At least that is the truth.

He lets out a sigh of relief.  "Good, I'm glad.  Now I know why Ash left... he knew you were here.  I don't blame him though, heck, if I knew Bonnie was here I would've left too."

Bonnie smiles, just a little.

"So, uh, Clemont, I need a favour of you," I tell him.  "There isn't much I can tell you, but what I will say is that in our world, there is a growing embodiment of darkness.  It has grown so large that I fear the effects may be taking place in your world too.  Tell me, has anything strange been happening?"

Clemont thinks for a little bit.  "Actually, yeah... yeah, there is.  Nothing major though.  Just some extra earthquakes happening around the Kalos area.  I heard there was a flood in Hoenn the other day too;  I noticed it in this science journal I've been reading."

I feel my heart begin to pound.  "It's already starting.  This is bad."

Clemont appears confused.  "What is?"

"She can't say," Bonnie explains sadly, looking nervous.

"Alright," Clemont says, giving in.  "I can monitor things if you'd like.  But, how will I be able to contact you?"

I smile at him.  "Just come here.  I'll take care of the rest."

The inventor looks unsure but just nods.  "Are you two going to leave now?"

I gaze upwards at the sky, where the sun is steadily creeping higher and higher up the blue canvas.  "I'm afraid so."

Bonnie approaches Clemont again and hugs her brother one more time.  "See you soon, Clemont."

He hugs her back.  "See you, I love you."

I use my magic to return him to normal and summon a portal to bring us back to our world.  I'm all tense flying back to the Colony, and I know Bonnie senses it.

"Serena, this is much worse than we thought, isn't it," she asks gravely.

"Bonnie, there's only a couple other instances when the imbalance was this bad.  It was during the War of Light, and when the Balance Ritual was used."  I speak softly, because to be honest, I'm scared.  I don't want to die.  

"But why is it so bad?" Bonnie presses.  "Darks get new Leaders all the time, but it never makes things this bad."

"It can amount to a lot of things," I admit to her, knowing this is something someone like Heliux would be able to explain much better.  "But basically it's because Ash is an extra powerful fairy, or because the Dark fairies have ill intentions when it comes to naming their Leaders- it could also be some combination of the two."

Bonnie nods and remains silent, and I'm left alone with my thoughts.

There's a million ways this can end.

And only one of them ends the way we want it to.

Aaaaand... that's the end of the chapter.  I hope you enjoyed it everyone!!  It's been a while since Clemont appeared lol.

Anyway, I'm working really hard on updates, as well as some drafts.  But I love writing this book so much, and I'll try to update as much as possible here.

Oops.  I just looked at my clock and it's almost midnight.  Guess this is where I go to bed.

Anyways, stay tuned for more!! :)