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Ash's POV

I was so happy to see Serena with a smile on her face at long last. Her and Fennekin seem to get along really well, through out most of the class Serena had Fennekin out of its pokeball, as of my recommendation to her, so that she could bond more with Fennekin.

Serena spent most of the lesson grooming Fennekin as it was basically a bonding lesson with our Pokémon which I don't think was necessary for me do to, as me and Pikachu already have an unbreakable bond. But I could understand how this lesson would be very valuable to other trainers like Serena, who can take this opportunity to deepen the bond between trainer and Pokémon.

Of course I didn't waste this lesson doing absolutely nothing. I used this time to help Serena and Fennekin get to know one another while also setting up some trust exercises for them to complete so that they would hopefully by the end of the lesson have a good amount of trust in one another.

After Pikachu and I would demonstrate the exercise to both of them and explain how it works, then they would attempt to complete the task. The tasks weren't too complicated, most of them just involved trust falls from various heights and joint tasks where they would need to work together as a team to complete a puzzle or an activity.

At first they found it a bit challenging as both of them didn't have full trust in one another yet. But by the end of the lesson they had successfully completed every task and in my opinion, established a good amount of trust in one another.

There was only a few minuets left in this class which Serena used to just bond with Fennekin by brushing her fur with a hair brush that she kept in her bad which I found a bit confusing as to why she had one in her bad, but hey, girls are girls.

Seeing Serena smiling as she brushed Fennekin's bright yellow fur while she too smiled brightly as her new trainer brushed her tale softly, brings back all the valuable memories that I have shared with each and every one of my Pokémon.

"Ash, Ash!" I hear a familiar female voice coming from behind me resulting in me turning around to see Dawn running towards me with a look of urgency.

"Hey Dawn, what's up?" I ask calmly as soon as she reached me while Pikachu jumped onto my shoulder and greeted Dawn as well.

"Ash! I have something very important to tell you!" Dawn says with a rather serious tone before taking a quick glance over at Serena which made me a little worried.

"What's wrong Dawn?" I ask her with a rather bad feeling in my gut.

"It's Calem. He-" Dawn was beginning to explain before an announcement from the schools speakers cut her off before she could continue.

"ATTENTION ALL STUDENT! WE WILL NOW BE HAVING AN ASSEMBLY HOSTED BY CALEM XAVIER. SO PLEASE BEGIN TO MAKE YOUR WAY OVER TO THE ASSEMBELY HALL. THANKYOU." The loud speakers say while everyone stoped what they were doing and listened closely.

As the speakers was finishing the announcement I took a quick look over at Serena who had paused grooming Fennekin and had a worried look on her face as she turned her head to face me.

"That's what I wanted to tell you." Dawn said immediately after the announcement finished. "I saw Calem in the hallway before class started and what I heard him say sounded like he is planning to do something to you!" Dawn adds.

'So it's not Serena he is after, it's me.' I think with a bit of relief that she is not the target but also a bit worried at what he could have planned in store for me.

"Ash..." I hear Serena's soft, concern voice causing me to turn away from Dawn to Serena who had Fennekin tightly gripped in her arms while holding her close to her.

"Serena it's Calem." Dawn says immediately which I kind of wish she didn't because now Serena has that sad look on her face that I hate so much. She deserves to be happy not sad and worried like this.

"Don't worry Serena, he's after me this time not you." I say hoping that knowing that she wasn't the target would make her feel better but it only seemed to make her more worried as she returned Fennekin into its pokeball and lowered her head.

"Serena... what ever Calem has planned we will face it together." I tell her while placing my hand under her chin, lifting it up so that she was looking at me. Her eyes were filled with tears, she was scared. And who could blame her after everything Calem has done to her she has finally began to break free of her depressed prison only to be on the verge on being forcefully driven back into that cage if something bad were to happen.

I could see now why Calem would be targeting me. With me out of the way, not only will it break Serena beyond repair but it is also a good way for him to get back at me for beating him in our battle. Which he still has yet to hold up his end of the deal, but some part of me always knew that that was always going to happen.

~💛~

Serena's POV

'Why? Why does it have to be me? Why do I have to be the one he always targets? Why is it just when I begin to feel happy something always has to threaten that happiness?' I think to myself while holding back tears of fear.

Ash was the source of my happiness, if Calem were to take him away from me too I would have nothing left, nothing to be happy about, nothing to live for, nothing to love.

I know that Ash says that everything will be alright and that nothing will ever stop him from loving me but it still scares me. Scared of what will happen if I loose Ash forever. The mere thought of loosing him fills me with an unbearable amount of pain that not even Calem could physically inflict upon me.

"Don't worry Serena, Ash won't let anything bad happen. He is good like that." Dawn says while putting her hand on my shoulder as we walled towards were that assembly would be held.

Her reassurance was somewhat comforting. It felt different from when Ash would comfort me it was more friendly but didn't have any love. But I prefer Ash's loving comfort more than the friendly one.

Having a female friend was still rather new to me. While Ash was healing I spent most of the school day alone like normal. During class Ash's friends would invite me to sit with them but I would always refuse. It's not because I didn't want to be friends with them it's because my mind was too focus on Ash.

Dawn however wouldn't take no for an answer. After the first couple of failed attempts to get me to sit with them Dawn decided instead of letting me go to them that she would go to me. She began to wait until I sat down first then would immediately sit next to me.

At first I just ignored her but I soon became more friendly towards her as the day went on. Though she would do most of the talking I was glad to have finally made a friend other than Ash.

"Pikaaaa" Pikachu's voice brings me back to reality as he hoped onto my shoulder and rubbed his cheeks against my face to comfort me.

"See even Pikachu agrees." Dawn adds as I pat Pikachu while looking at Ash who was walking in front of us.

'Maybe everything will be alright.' I begin to think as we arrive at the assembly hall as instructed.

The four of us sat in three seats in the back row. Pikachu sat on Ash's lap while I sat on his right and Dawn sat on the other side of me. Ash sat on the end of the row so no one else was sitting next to him other than me.

The lights became dim as the stage lights got brighter, signalling that the assembly was beginning. I felt nervous and scared as Calem appeared at the podium along side Mr Sycamore, he had a rather quirky grin proudly stitched on his face.

The crowds chit chat slowly died down as one by one they noticed Calem's presence. Once everyone was dead silence Mr Sycamore began to speak.

"Thank you students. We are gathered here today because Calem and some of our other staff have some messages for you all." Sycamore says before handing over to Calem for his 'message'.

I tighten my grip on my red skirt as my heart began to beat faster.

~💛~

Ash's POV

I could feel my heart beat become quicker as Calem approached the microphone. I took a quick glance at Serena to see how she was holding up. I watched her hands tighten their grip on her skirt.

"Welcome students!" Calem says with a rather happy look on his face.

"Today. Today I have something to tell you all. I am here to tell you that someone has lied, not just to one person but to the entire school." He continued. As he spoke he look directly at me, I could tell that he saw me as we both remained eye contact after he finished his sentence.

'Wait... is he keeping up his end of the deal?' I begin to thing while I stared at him.

'Is he actually going to tell the school that he lied about all those thing that he said Serena did and was like we promised if I won?' I was utterly confused as to what his game was.

"This persons name... Ash Ketchum!" My heart sunk as I heard my own name exit his mouth. Suddenly a flash of light appeared right on me causing everyone to look at me. I soon realised that he had put a spotlight on me to single me out.

I looked around at all of the angry and surprised faces that stared at me before looking back at Calem who had an evil looking grin on his face.

"Ash. You have lied to this entire school and I am giving you this one chance to come forth and confess to your lies before I do so myself." Calem continued. I could feel my shock now turn into anger at the game he was playing, but I didn't seem to have a choice.

I took one look at Serena who I could tell didn't believe a word Calem had said and just had a look of worry in her beautiful, ocean blue eyes.

Just seeing her like that was enough, I had had enough of Calem's lies, I was going to put an end to his lies.

I gave Serena a soft kiss on the forehead before getting up off my seat and began to walk towards the stage with Pikachu on my shoulder and the spotlight still on me as it followed me all the way until I got up onto the stage.

'First things first, I need to get the crowd into a neural state instead of an angry one so that they will be more open.' I think before whispering the plan to Pikachu who gave me a nod and a smile of determination as we stand face to face with Calem.

"You have got some guts kid, but I always win." Calem says, covering the microphone so no one heard except me and Pikachu.

Professor Sycamore handed me a microphone of my own so that I could speak. He had a look of disbelieve in his eyes, I could tell that he didn't believe Calem as I haven't been at the school for the last week!

"Testing... Is this thing on." I say while taping the microphone causing it make an ear piercing noise which earned me a few laughs and giggles from the crowed which I could tell only angered Calem.

"Pikachu." Pikachu says from my shoulder into the microphone causing more laughs and some awes from the crowd.

"Quit stalling and get to it!" Calem says out of frustration as I had already gotten the audience out of their angry state of mind and into a more neutral one just like I had planned.

"Ok, ok. Well..." I begin to say, I wanted to stall some more while I finalised my plan to expose Calem once and for all, but I guess I have to work with what I have.

"As you may remember I was challenged to a 6 on 6 Pokémon battle with Calem and week ago. A battle in which I won I might add." I say, giving Calem a quick smile while he had a look of frustration on his face as this is probably not how he planned this would go.

"Many of you asked me why? Why are you battling against the strongest person in the school? And I told you all that the main reason was because I love to battle... but that was a lie." I continue. The crowd gave out a little gasp, mostly sarcasm because it wasn't such a big deal.

I turn and face Calem who now had a bit of a worried expression on his face as he has probably figured out what I was doing.

"The real reason why I accepted Calem's challenge is to protect someone... that someone has spent their entire life being bullied and I have had enough! That someone is Serena Yvonne." I say turning back to the crowd, eventually finding Serena at the back who had a look of shock on her face, I gave her a small smile before turn back to Calem.

"I battle you Calem because we made a bet. If you won, I would allow you to do whatever you wanted to her." I pause as terrible thoughts entered my mind as to what would have happened if I had lost.

"And if I won, you had to tell the whole school everything you did to her to make her life hell." I continue to say. The crowd let out a gasp but this time I could tell it wasn't as a joke.

"So I am sorry for lying to you guys, but now you know the truth." I finished feeling rather relieved that I had finally said it, but now it was all a case of whether or not they believed me.

"More lies!" Calem says, but this time his voice wasn't full of confident.

"I give you a chance to admit to what you have done but you try and frame me. You want to know what you really lied about?" Calem asked sounding a bit more confident but I was determined to not let him have that pleasure.

"Yes Calem, enlighten me. What lie could I have possibly told when this is only my second full day at this school?" I say only making the situation worse for him.

Calem looked at me with an angry expression on his face which was also filled with hatred.

"You... everyone believes that you are a nice guy, thinks about other before himself but that's not true." Calem says before turning his head and nodded to Miette who was backstage.

Suddenly a video screen lowered itself behind us and a projector put what looked like a video onto the screen.

"Everyone things that you are innocent. But I caught the real side of you." Calem said giving me an evil grin before the video began to play.

The video showed a person who looked similar to me. He had the same cloths and hat as me but I could tell that that wasn't me. The video showed this imposture going around the school committing terrible acts like harassing junior school student, stealing lunch money from people, breaking school property and even kissing a bunch of random girls.

'Great I hope that this doesn't get to Serena. She should know that it isn't me because she visited me everyday while I was recovering.' I begin to think as the video comes to a close.

"And there you go people. The real Ash Ketchum!" Calem says with an evil grin while I shook my head and rolled my eyes at how anyone could believe that I would do that.

"THAT ISN'T ASH!" I hear Gary's voice call out from the crowd.

"YEAH THIS VIDEO IS FAKE!" I hear May shout out followed by Misty, Drew and even Paul called the video fake.

"Oh really... Ash where were you last week?" Calem asks with a smug look on his face.

"At home resting." I answer truthfully.

"Do you have anyone to prove that?" Calem asks while I mentally face palmed. 'Is this really what he had planned all along!?' I ask myself.

"Yes actually. There is Pikachu here, my Mum, Serena and Professor Sycamore." I explained to him. Sycamore knew of course because my Mum had called him to tell her my situation.

I could tell that Calem was running out of ideas here, I had clearly beat him at his own game and now he was starting to get frustrated.

"So Calem... I want to ask you something. Who really is the liar here?" I ask knowing that it will send him over the edge and end it.

Calem gave me an angry scowl before storming off the stage in defeat and humiliation leaving just me, Pikachu and some staff members left on stage while the crowd was completely silent.

"Thank you Ash, you can return to your seat now and we can continue on with the rest of the assembly." Professor Sycamore says, grabbing the microphone off me as I left the stage and returned to my seat where I was greeted by a joyful Serena who jump onto me, embracing me in a joyful hug as soon as I sat down.

~💛~

Calem's POV

"Oh you just wait Ash Ketchum. I am going to make you pay for everything you have done!"

~💛~

Serena's POV

"ASH YOU DID IT!" I say happily, jumping onto him as he sat down, embracing him in a tight hug of relief and joy.

"You did great Ash." I hear Dawn say, but I didn't see her as my eyes were tightly close while my head was press firmly against his shoulder as I hugged him from the side.

"Thanks Dawn, there was no way I was going to let Calem talk about me like that." Ash says as he wrapped his arms around me and gave me a quick kiss on my forehead, making my cheeks turn red at his actions.

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HAHA! GET REKT CALEM!😝 Round 1 goes to Ash!
Anyway guys there is another chapter for you guys! I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter!
Also I am sorry if I haven't been updating daily, but I have had a bad head cold and the rest is pretty self explanatory.

Also I will be forced to update less frequently now as I have to go back to school!😩
But I hope you all understand.

Thank you to the following for their support!(Voting/commenting/adding to reading list)

_Olek_

RangerTonables

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