A Rose...
They say a Red Rose represents true love.
And just like a rose, love needs to be cared for,
You miss use the rose, it will slowly die,
You don't take care of the rose, then its soft, red peddles will begin to fall,
The same goes for love.

But eventually a Rose will die, regardless of what you do,
So does that mean that love is always destined to die?

🌹🌹🌹

It is now the end of what has been a journey to remember. Although both Ash and Serena worked so hard to accomplish their dreams, both however were unsuccessful. Now they must say goodbye to one another as they chase their own respective dreams.

Serena's POV

This journey has been life changing. If I had never seen Ash on courageously jump of Prism Tower on the TV then I would never have gone on this amazing journey.

If it wasn't for him I would still be a typical teenage girl and following in my mothers footsteps to become a Ryhorn racer. If it wasn't for him I would have never found my real dream and make countless people smile at my performances. If it wasn't for him... I would have never reunited with my long lost childhood hero, my first and only love.

But unfortunately this journey has gone too quickly, it seems like only yesterday that Ash invited me personally to accompany him on his journey, a day I will never forget as it was the day that started it all.

🌹

Why? Why does this journey have to end? I can't loose him, not again. I was lucky enough to find him again after Professor Oak's Summer Camp where he saved me in the forest all those years ago.

After he saved me he became my hero, my friend, my crush. And this journey has only deepened those feeling, turning what was just a simple crush on my hero into something far more valuable, something more significant to me. Love, I love Ash Ketchum with every beat of my heart.

Through out this whole journey I have wanted to confess my feeling to him, hoping he feels the same. But I never could. I could never muster the courage and the strength to tell him just how much my heart yearns for him.

But now, I only have 1 day left with him before I head to Hoenn to follow my dream. I say it's my dream to make people smile and to become Kalos Queen, but my goal is Ash. How do I decide which one to aim for? Do I chase my dream or work on my goal?

🌹

I continue in my deep thoughts about Ash, I was thinking about how I am gong to confess. I need to confess to him before he leaves for another adventure in another region. I sat on the formally dress bed sheets of the Pokémon centre.

I had asked for my own room so that I had all night and this morning to prepare my confession. Ash, Clemont and Bonnie shared one room, it was originally just Ash and Clemont but because I decided to have my own room, Clemont didn't like the idea of Bonnie having a room by herself so he forced her to stay in their room.

'Maybe I ask him out on a date? But where would we go?' I think, trying to find the best way to confess.

*Knock *Knock

"Serena? You up? We are going down to have breakfast." Ash's voice fills my silent room from beyond the door. Just him saying my name causes me to become excited, like a little at her birthday party as she is unwrapping all of the wrapped gifts.

"Yes Ash, I'll be down in a minuet." I respond while trying to use my normal voice to hide my overwhelming excitement for what I know I am going to do today, but the more I think about it the more nervous I become.

'What if I chicken out? What if I don't tell him and have to live with the regret of not telling him? Or what if he... he doesn't feel the same...' I begin to think while I prepare myself for the day ahead, putting on my normal outfit while paying extra attention to the blue ribbon handing at my chest.

I will never remove this ribbon. Never, It is too special to me, for me it represents the bond I have with Ash and I will always cherish it.

Once I was fully dress and had performed my 5th check over to make sure I am looking my absolute best, I headed down to the main lobby of the Pokémon Centre where I found Ash and the two lemon haired siblings at a wooden table with soft, red chairs by the window.

Clemont and Bonnie were both sitting together while Ash sat next to the window leaving a spot next to him for me. I walked up to the group and sat down next to my love while observing him eat his breakfast. Though any girl would have found Ash's table manners to be rather... disgusting and unappealing. I however found it rather cute, but what I found cute about it was the way he smiled as he ate. His smile has always been inspiration for me. His smile always made my heart melt and created a smile of my own.

"Serena, how did you sleep?" I hear Clemont ask, causing me to turn my attention away from Ash and to him.

"Yeah. It was kinda nice having some alone time." I say with a bright smile. Although a part of me really wanted to for once share a room with Ash. But if I were to do that then he would know something was up. I mean he is dense but surly not that dense.

"So what do you guys have planned for today?" Ash says just as he swallows the last of his breakfast.

"Well me and Bonnie have to go back to the gym. Dad contacted me and said that there is something that needs to be taken care of." Clemont responds while standing up and placing his backpack on his back.

'OMA! Me and Ash are going to be alone for an entire day!' I think while trying to control myself so that I didn't look excited to hear about them leaving.

"When will you be back?" I ask curiously while wanting to know how much time alone I will have with Ash.

"Oh, we won't be back until around dinner. So you two will have to keep yourselves entertained for the whole day." Bonnie say with a cheeky tone while also giving me a wink as she finished, causing me cheeks to heat up.

"Don't worry we will be fine, I'm sure we can find something to do." Ash say. Empathising on word 'something' which got my attention. I began to think if he was just saying it like that because there had to be something to do or that he already had something planned.

"Pikachu." Pikachu says with a smile while removing his lips from a ketchup bottle that he was drinking. After travelling with Ash for so long I have been able to start to understand a bit of what Pikachu says but this time I had no clue.

"Sorry buddy, but you have an appointment with Nurse Joy today. I want you to be in top condition when we head back to Kanto." Ash says to Pikachu causing him to lower his head. But my head however only raised at the thought that me and Ash are going to spend the whole day together! Just me and him!

"We have to get going now. We will see you two later." Bonnie say before getting up and walks out of the Pokémon Centre with Clemont leaving me, Ash and Pikachu left.

There was a bit of an awkward silence between us. I didn't know what to say. Should I ask him what he was planned o should I just act normal?

"So Serena, you have any plans for today?" Ash asks, breaking the silence between us.

"Uummm... N-no I don't." I respond nervously.

'Damit Serena! Why can't you just ask him?' I mentally kick myself at the missed opportunity to ask him.

"Oh, well if you would like we could explore the rest of Lumious City. Last time I was here I didn't get to explore it all." Ash says while scratching his right cheek.

'Is Ash asking me out on a DATE!?' I begin to think while trying to hide my excitement.

"S-sure Ash I would love to join you." I say while I could feel my cheeks flaring up at the thought of me and Ash on a date. And what's even better is that he asked me.

"Great! I'll go get Pikachu ready for his appointment with Nurse Joy while you get some breakfast into you. You know you can't have fun on an empty stomach." Ash says, giving me his signature toothy grin causing my blush to deepen.

"Yep. Meet you back here in a bit." I respond with a smile before Ash grabs Pikachu and takes him over to Nurse Joy.

'Wow, today is perfect! I have a perfect opportunity to finally tell him.' I think while getting myself some breakfast from the buffet. But I know one thing is for sure, this is going to be a good day.

🌹

After I finish my breakfast I quickly make my way to the entrance of the Pokémon Centre to wait for Ash. I was still as excited as I was at breakfast and my thoughts while I ate never drifted from Ash.

"Hey Serena, sorry to make you wait." I hear Ash's voice. I turn my head to see Ash running out of the automatic doors of the Pokémon Centre towards me.

"It's no problem. So where do you wanna go?" I ask while beginning to walk in a random direction with Ash on my left walking beside me.

"Well I heard after the whole Team Flare incident, Lumious City supposedly redesigned their shops and food courts, so do you wanna check them out?" Ash explains as my eyes light up at the sound of shops.

'Wow... this is looking a lot like a date! Wait, is Ash taking me on a date?' I ask myself before deciding to ask.

"Hey Ash? Is this a... date?" I ask nervously. I really wanted him to say yes so that I could get an idea if he likes me back.

"Uummm. If you want it to be, then sure." He says brightly while giving me a toothy grin as my heart begins to beat faster.

"Ca-can it b-be a d-date?" I respond with an overwhelming amount of nerves and shyness, shuttering on every second word but managed to say it.

"Ok then, it's a date." He says happily with no signs of nerves or disappointment in his tone as he says the words that my heart has been yearning to hear for so long as it melts at the realisation that I was on a date with my true love.

'Wow, I'm... I'm on a date with Ash. This... this is it. This is my chance.' I think while looking down at Ash's hand which was hanging really close mine with his palm open as if it was begging me to grab hold of it.

I begin to move my hand out towards his. I could feel my cheeks becoming redder and redder the close it got to his open hand while he was unaware of what was going on.

Now my hand was only inches away from his, my hand was shaking uncontrollably with nerves as second thoughts start to entre my mind as I stare at my hand out of the corner of my eye.

'Come on Serena, you can do it. Just hold his hand, it isn't that hard.' I told myself to try and convince my hand to move just that little bit close so that our hands would make contact and there would be no turning back.

'No don't! If you do then you might make things weird and you could ruin this whole date!' my mind would protest.

'Arr! Come on Serena it isn't that hard to just hold his...' I tell myself before I felt my hand become warm and what felt like fingers interlocked with my own. 'Hand...' My mind finishes as I look down at my hand to find it interlocked with none other than Ash's!

By now you could probably confuse me with a Magikarp at how red my face was from all my blushing and the feeling of Ash's soft warm hand against mine only added to my blush as I stared at our interlock hand in amazement that Ash actually is holding my hand.

Bu Ash quickly removed his hand as I saw him look at me out of the corner of my eye. As he removed his hand I felt his warmth disappear and the magical emotions I was feeling were robbed from as I quickly shot my head up to Ash.

"Sorry, I don't know why but I thought it would be a good idea. Sorry for making you uncomfortable." He apologises. But his words only make my heart melt at how he cares for me before himself.

"Don't be!" I responded faster than the fastest quick attack which caused Ash to raise and eyebrow at me.

"I-I like it." I say shyly as grab his hand with no hesitation now that I know that he wanted to hold my had while a tint of pink appeared on my cheek, restarting my blush that was lost when Ash removed his hand.

Ash gave me a small, heart warming smile as he griped my hand and we continued to walk towards the shopping part of the city. But my mind wasn't fixed nor excited about shopping, no, my mind was completely set on Ash and Ash alone and how he makes me feel so loved and how I want to show him just how much I love him.

🌹

The day went by so quickly, much to my disappointment, I wanted this day to last forever!

Ash and I went cloths shopping, as of my request, and Ash was happy which I found rather weird because normally he would be against shopping especially for cloths. But he didn't, actually he was for me trying on different outfits to show him. I mean I wasn't complaining, I liked dressing up in cute outfits for him but this was different. What it liked most about this time is that Ash would complement me on every dress or outfit that I wore, not that he didn't already do that, but this felt more meaningful to me.

After what I would call a satisfactory amount of time trying on cute outfits and even some outfits that weren't so good we exited the shop. I wore decided to wear outfits that I knew didn't suit my tastes in fashion because I just wanted to put them on so that I could continue showcasing them to Ash and receiving his heart warming complements which not matter how many time he complemented always caused me to blush as he would say things like:

"Wow Serena you look amazing." Or "You look great." And even "You look stunning."

"Hey Serena, I am just going to go and buy something real quick so can you wait for me here?" Ash asks, snapping me out of the memory of Ash's sweat complements

"Ah, sure." I say, not wanting to question him as he did just spend about 1 and a half to 2 hours with me in cloths shops which I knew he wasn't much of a fan of.

"Thanks Serena! I will be quick." he says before waving goodbye and rush's off, leaving me behind with a bag of cloths that I purchased which Ash said looked the best on me.

I didn't have to wait long for him to return. I waited on a bench next to a near by fountain in the middle of the shopping streets.

"That was quick." I said as soon as he reached me, but I noticed that he didn't have any shopping bags in hand which confused me.

"I told ya, didn't I? I never break my word." He responds while giving me his signature toothy grin which I giggled at.

"What's so funny?" He asks which only made me giggle more at his childish behaviour.

"Oh, nothing." I respond while giving him a bright smile.

Ash lets out a small groan in defeat as he probably fingers out I'm not going to tell him.

"So what now? I ask while looking up at the beautiful orange sky, then realising that the sun ways setting already!

"Well... considering we are already out and its getting late... how about we go to a restaurant for dinner or something?" Ash suggest causing my heart to skip a beat.

'First Ash takes me out on a date then we get to eat at a restaurant together! This really is a dream come true!' I think while holding back my inner fan girl.

"Sure! Sounds great." I respond joyfully while getting up off the seat I was sitting in and began to walk next to Ash, immediately grabbing Ash's had as we walk which only felt natural at this point.

🌹

Me and Ash had our dinner at this nice restaurant which I thought was very romantic as the table we sat at had a beautiful red rose in the middle. I knew that red roses symphonised love and with the slow music in the background as we ate our dinner I couldn't help but think about how much I wanted to be Ash's girlfriend and then his wife.

But it was all just a dream, a dream that I wanted so dearly to come true. But whenever I looking into Ash's chocolate brown eyes, I can see that dream becoming reality or maybe it was just my imagination.

Ash and I are now walking back to the Pokémon Centre as the sun had now fully set and the stars were now dancing it dark sky. As I watched the glistening stars dance gracefully I noticed that each star seemed to be dancing with a partner. Each bright, white star had another star close to it and in my mind they were dancing gracefully together as their shinning beauty lit up the dark night with such allegiance.

As I stare up into the beautiful night sky I unknowingly began to rest my head on Ash's shoulder.

"Someone tired?" I hear Ash ask, causing me to turn my attention away from the night sky and to him which is when I noticed that I was leaning my head on Ash's shoulder. He felt so comfortable, so warm, so safe.

Upon realisation I quickly removed my head out of embarrassment but I immediately wished that I didn't as the last of his body heat quickly subsides into the cold night.

"I-I'm sorry, you-your just so comfy." I say while trying to hide my obvious blush on my face. Usually I would use my long honey-blonde hair, but now that my hair is short I no longer have that luxury.

Ash let out a small chuckle before wrapping his arms around my waist and pulled me in close to him so that our bodies were no touching. His sudden action made me go redder than a Magikarp. But I quickly melted into his arms as his warm body heat entered my body, making me feel safe in his arms. There is now no doubt about it. Today has been the best day ever!

"Wouldn't want you to get cold now would we?" Ash jokes while giving me his toothy grin, making my heart melt even more as I rest my head onto his shoulder as we continue to walk.

'Come on Serena you can do it! Just tell him! The moment is perfect!' I think before raising my eyes to meet Ash's chocolate brown ones. As I look into his eyes I see it again, me and him living together peacefully as husband and wife.

"Ash...?" I say softly, breaking the peaceful silence between us causing both of us to stop walking.

"Yes?" He says calmly with a happy smile on his face as he scans my face to see if anything was wrong.

"I-I need to t-tell you something..." I shutter nervously, but now there was no going back.

"Sure anything, what's up?" He asks. Nerves fill my body as this is the moment that I have been waiting for this whole journey. The moment that I have dreamt about in countless dream. I take one look up at the dark night sky, looking at all the bright stars as they continued to dance with their partner.

'Here we go.' I think, gathering up the last bit of courage needed to finally tell him. Courage that Ash has taught me how to obtain throughout this journey.

I take a deep breath in and relax myself. "A-Ash... ever since summer camp... I-I felt this strong emotion towards you. Y-you make m-my heart beat fast and my stomach be filled with Butterfrees. And... after going on this journey with you th-those feelings have only grown stronger." I say before pausing to see how Ash was taking in my confession. He seemed a bit confused but his adorable smile was still visible upon his face, giving me even more strength and motivation to continue.

I grip the blue ribbon on my chest tightly as I stare into his eyes and see my dream. Yes I understand now, Ash was my dream all along. I saw it as a goal to be with him but it means much more to me than just a goal. No. This... This is my dream.

"Ash... I... I l-love you. M-my heart beats rapidly when I'm around you and I can never get you out of my head. I love you Ash." I finish while my staring into Ash's eyes full of hope that he will feel the same and that I didn't just ruin out friendship.

"Serena, I..." Ash begins to say before suddenly stoping and takes his green and white backpack of his back and unzips it, revealing a box of 12 beautiful Red Roses. Ash hands me the roses while I could only stare in awe at how beautiful they were.

'R-roses? Wait... y-you only give those to people you... love.' I think while I could feel a rush of excitement flow through my body at realisation at what Ash means.

"Serena, I love you too." He says with a soft smile. Although his confession wasn't long and heart warming with every word like I dreamed about, but those three words were all I really needed to hear.

I stood their frozen, not knowing what to do next though part of me wanted me to pinch myself to make sure this wasn't a dream. But if this was a dream than I never want to wake up.

"Ash... there beautiful." I say softly while trying to contain myself. Right now I felt like crying tears of joy while I kiss every inch of his lips.

"But not as beautiful as you." He respond before placing his hand under my chin, lifting it up so that my head was no longer facing the 12 beautiful red roses and was facing his face which I quickly noticed was very close to mine!

Before a blush could even form on my face, Ash pressed his soft lips against mine causing a jolt of electricity to race through my body as time stood still when I kissed back, moving my lips in sync with his. This moment was so magical, I never wanted it to end. As we kissed passionately all that mattered was me and him and the now undeniable love we share.

After what felt like eternity we broke the kiss as we both breathed in air heavily. My lips were still shaking but they wanted Ash's soft, warm, lips against them once again. Our lips have only been apart for mere seconds but I still feel like a part of me was missing when Ash's lips weren't pressed against mine.

"I'm sorry Serena, sorry for not noticing earlier. Sorry for being so dense! If I had just payed more attention to you I would have figured it out sooner." Ash says, his words catching me off guard.

"You don't need to be sorry for anything. You are here now and that is all that matters." I say before pressing my lips against his while the feeling for being complete again fills my body as he kisses back.

🌹

Ash's POV

It is really early in the morning. Today is the day I head back to Kanto. Right now everyone is still fast asleep in their beds, except Serena who was asleep next to me in my bed.

'I really don't want to leave you guys.' I think but I know that I have to get ready for my flight.

I quietly get dressed and packed up all of my stuff and was about to head out of our room, but after taking one look at Serena sleeping peacefully I couldn't leave without saying a proper goodbye. I hadn't told everyone when my flight was so they all assumed that it would be later today but it was actually very early in the morning.

I walked so quiet that a pin drop could be heard until I reached a sleeping Serena who looked so cute and peaceful. She had that smile that my life so gratifying and my heart skip a beat.

"Serena." I whisper ever so softly so that only Serena would be able to hear as I gave her a soft kiss on her forehead to try and wake her up so I can say my goodbye to the person who I love the most. But I know our paths will cross again. I will find her again.

Serena gives out a small mumble as she opens her sleepy eyes.

"Ashy? What are you doing up?" She asks, making what I am about to say even harder to do as I start to memories every detail of her beautiful, innocent face.

"I'm sorry Serena, but I have to go. My plane leaves soon." I explain before giving her a quick peck on the lips while I could feel a tear of sadness and regret flow down my cheek.

"What? Already?" She responds in shock and disbelieve in her voice as she quickly shoots up from the bed and embraces me in a tight hug.

"I lost you once back at camp, I am not loosing you again." She says, putting her head into my chest, making my shirt wet from her tears.

"I know Serena. I know." I say softly while reaching for the roses that I bought her last night that were on the bedside counter.

"But..." I begin to say while forcefully pulling her off me so that I could see her face. Although she refused to let go at first she eventually gave in.

"Serena, I promise you that once I am done in Kanto I will call you." I say while staring into her tear filled eyes that only made her eyes glisten from the graceful rays of the moon light which was the only thing allowing me to see her beautiful face.

Serena managed to pull her emotions together, wiping away her tears.

"Promise?" She said simply with a sad tone which I could understand, it was hard to say goodbye to the one you love most. But I know that our love will be unbreakable.

"Promise." I kiss her forehead before handing her the roses.

"Serena, I will love you until the last rose dies." I says before giving her one more passionate kiss before leaving her on the bed with all 12 of the roses in hand as I exit our room which was without doubt the hardest thing I had ever had to do.

🌹

Serena's POV

It has been a couple of days since Ash left to return home. I said my goodbyes to Clemont and Bonnie yesterday and now I was staying in the Pokémon Centre in the Hoenn. I lay awake with the bed still fully made will I my mind focused on nothing but Ash.

I was not mad at him for leaving. I knew that it was always going to happen but now all I have left of him is my memories, the blue ribbon that I refuse to take off because it represents our bond and the 12 roses that he gave to me which I now wear one in my honey blond so that our love is always with me.

But there is something that I can't get off my mind. The last thing Ash said to me before he left for Kanto on that dark night that only the rays of the moon could illuminate.

"I will love you until the last rose dies." His words played over and over in my head, like one of those songs that you just can't seem to stop thinking about.

'What does he mean? What happens when the last rose dies? Will he break up with me after that because he stopped loving me?' I kept asking myself as if using past memories of Ash could help me solve this puzzle.

I recklessly jumped up off the bed and walked over to the roses that stood beautifully intact on the window ledge, absorbing the last of the suns rays as it sets apron the beautiful blue ocean that was visible from my room.

I run my hand gently through the roses, feeling their soft, red petals against my skin.

"I love you Ash." I mumble softly while a smile appeared on my while the memory of the feeling of having Ash's body warmth against mine flashes in my mind fro a brief second.

🌹

It has been a couple of days now, I haven't done anything in Hoenn yet and for a good reason too. The roses time has come and they are slowly beginning to loose their life and beauty.

I worry not only for potentially loosing my last gift from Ash but also losing his love like he said. I guess I am starting to become over protective of these roses, trying to make them live for as long as possible in the hopes Ash will call me like he promised.

I water the roses using my pink drink bottle, making sure to not give them too much or too little water. If I am going to make these roses live longer than I need to take proper care of them.

While I was watering I noticed that 2 roses have already died which brought a small tear down my face as a part of mine and Ash's love dies forever.

I don't know what to do, I have no knowledge on flowers in general... let along roses. 'How? How can I preserve them? How can I make our love live forever?' I ask myself but no answer comes to mind.

🌹

It has been a week now since arriving in Hoenn and I am just waking up from my favourite dream about me and Ash finally reuniting and traveling together, never leaving each others side. Then Ash would propose to me and we lived happily together forever.

I couldn't help but smile at that dream. That dream is exactly how I want my life to go, I don't care if I don't become Kalos Queen anymore, all I want is to be with Ash.

I turn my sleepy head towards the bedroom window where the roses stood, but something was off, something didn't seem right.

Fully awake now from the adrenaline as I watch helplessly as one of the red petals gently falls onto the bedroom floor.

I jump out of bed as if there were a fire. And rush over to the dying roses and watch helplessly as another rose's time comes to and end.

'No... no, no was that the last rose?!' I think as a wave of devastation and sadness rushes through me. I sadly removed the rose from the small vase that once held all 12 healthy roses in it and like the other roses placed the dead rose into the bin.

'Is that it? Is our loved died?' I ask while a tear falls down my left cheek while I walk over to the vase to resign it from its role as it has no purpose anymore.

As soon as I pick the white vase up a sound that could be considered music and hope to my ears comes from the vase. I swiftly look inside the vase and much to my happiness I find one rose still alive.

This rose was smaller than the others, it didn't have the height to reach the top of the vase where it could be seen, but upon inspection the last rose seem rather healthy. It's beautiful red petals all still intact forming the glorious posture of a healthy rose.

'But how? How is it that this rose hasn't even begun to loose its posture?' I asked myself. But I really didn't care how it was alive all I care is that it is and our love still lives.

I gently place the lone survivor in my hair, just how I did for ever other rose day in day out. It has now become part of my regular outfit, though people have said that it doesn't match with my short hair I just ignore them because they don't know what it means for me.

"Don't worry little guy, I am going to make sure that we stay together forever." I say softly to the rose while grabbing my bag and rushed out of the Pokémon Centre, leaving my hat behind as I don't need it now that I have the rose in my hair.

"Today is going to be a good day. What do you think?" I ask the rose as if I expect it to respond. Most people will think that I'm weird for talking to a rose but I don't care. This rose is my last piece of love of Ash and I am not going to loose it like the other 11. Or at least not until Ash comes back.

🌹

It has been almost 3 weeks since the 11th rose died and I haven't removed the last rose from my short, blonde hair ever since I put it there 3 weeks ago. People say I have become obsessed with the rose and maybe they are right.

I stare at myself in the mirror of the bathroom since of the Pokémon Centre, examining the rose which to much amazement still looked rather healthy.

"I don't know how you do it little guy. But you don't give up till the very end do you?" I say will gently patting the roses red petals for the first time since placing it in my hair.

I run my fingers through the soft red petals, they felt rather smooth. Smooth like silk. The silk like petals feel some comfortable and soothing to my fingers while I run them across the sides of the rose.

'Don't give up till the very end.' Ash's quote flashes in my mind along with my beloved memory of Summer Camp when he became not just my hero but my first crush.

Today was the day when I compete in my first ever Pokémon contest and I am really excited as well as a bit nervous but I know that I will do well as long as I have Ash as my inspiration. It has worded so well for me back In Kalos so I see no reason why it wouldn't work for me here.

🌹

"And now... making her debut from all the way from the Kalos Region! Give it up for Serena!" The announcer says my name telling me to begin. I wear my normal performance dress but with the addition of the red rose which stands strongly and gracefully in my hair.

I performed to my absolute best, while I performed I could see all the smiles in the crowd and this made me smile but something was missing... something didn't feel right. Normally just the mere sight of seeing someone smile at my performances back in Kalos would send me through the roof with joy but... but the feeling wasn't as strong anymore.

After I finished the crowd let out a huge cheer as I waved to them before heading back stage to let the rest of the performers do their thing.

'Why do I feel so empty?' I ask myself. Normally seeing people smile at my performances would make my heart fill warm but this wasn't the case. Instead my heart still felt empty. Maybe because Ash was a huge part of my heart and now all I have left of his love is this rose.

'Does Ash really mean that much to me?' Another question pops into my mind. I have heard lots of different stories about how love can affect you and not having your love with you can make you feel empty. Maybe that was the reason.

The contest came to and end and unfortunately I placed second. My battling skills weren't up to standard to pull off a win but I was proud of my efforts.

I sat blankly with no expression on my face in the preparation room. I was all alone, every other competitor had already left and now it was just me.

'Oh Ash, if only you could see how much I need you.' My mind wonders before removing the rose from my hair for the first time since placing it there.

I held the still healthy rose it the palm of my hand as I stare at it and all of its beauty that even after all of this time still sparkled brightly in my eyes.

"They say roses represent true love." I hear a male voice say but I didn't turn to see who it was, instead I continued to stare at the rose.

"Yeah... my true love gave it to me." I respond while a tear rolled down my cheek and landed on the petal of the rose.

"You know Serena, that rose will never die. Because that rose has something that no other rose has. Love. That rose has love and I said I will love you until that rose dies." The voice said. It took my a mere second to piece together what he said.

Without hesitation I shoot my head up, my eyes landed directly on the male figure causing my eyes to fill with water as a ray of excitement and happiness filled my body.

"ASH!!!" I shout as loud as I could before running as fast as my legs could carry me, wrapping my arms around him after jumping into his chest, hitting him with such force that he stepped back to regain his balance.

I hugged him tightly, while a feeling of being complete once again filled my heart. A piece of a puzzle that only Ash could fill.

I cry tears of joy into his shirt while he hugs me back. I couldn't believe it. He has come back to me.

"I missed you Serena." He says while pulling me back from the hug.

"Ash, you don't know how much I have missed you." I say while wiping some left over tears of joy from my eyes.

"I told you Serena, I will love you until the last rose dies." Ash said, refreshing the memory of the day he left in my mind filling me with happiness.

Ash takes the rose from my hand while giving me a small grin before placing it back into my honey blonde hair.

"You know you look rally beautiful with the rose in your hair." Ash complements before bringing my face closer to his, placing his lips against mine before I could respond.

The warm sensation of his lips against mine sends electricity through my body, a spark that I had missed so dearly and had yearned for, for so long now. I never wanted to separate, when he kisses me I can feel his passionate love. The love that he stored inside the rose and now that he was here a love that was ready to bloom with all of its beauty and with all of its love.

🌹🌹🌹

They say everyone's time will come...
A rose represents true love,
A rose can die but its meaning cannot,
Love is eternal...
With love nothing or no one will ever truly die.

Word count: 6882

I hoped you all enjoyed this long short story 😜
If you have any requests that you would like me to make into a short story than be sure to comment down below!
(Ideas, songs, quotes) You name it I'll make it 😋