Serena POV

Yesterday

After Ash was able to answer to everyone, which wasn't a fast thing, we made our way to the house. I was looking around on everyone, while I noticed, that Riolu wasn't even reacting on anything, what was said. I saw, that Clemont was tired, like always, but Bonnie too and then idea popped out in my mind. 

"Ash, do you plan training tomorrow morning?" I asked as leaned forward to see on Ash.

"Of course, why do you ask?"

"Well, because we are here on camp, where we will be making physical activity for the most of the time, we could join you." I said with smile.

"We?" Clemont asked with whispering and in disbeliefing looking at me, but Bonnie poked him into chest.

"Yes we, you need some training Clemont anyway. You can't almost hold up with us. So Ash, could we?" Bonnie asked, while winking at me.

"Sure, why not. We can go run tomorrow morning like six am. Does it sounds good?" Ash asked as he looked at us.

"Sure." I said with Bonnie happy and I looked to Clemont, who only sighed.

In the morning

After yesterday, when I couldn't sleep and heard someone coming out, I peaked and saw Ash, sitting with Riolu on stairs. Fennekin heard me, how I was moving, so it woken up her too, but she didn't mind probably, because she joined me. I couldn't hear all things, but I caught some things like 'miss him' and how Ash was talking about his father. Then surprised me, that Ash had a tear in his eye, because Ash is always smiling or have his toothy grin and god help, when I don't want to say him, how I love to see him with that grin. It always gives me new energy and good mood. But yesterday, yes, it was only a one tear, but it felt, like if he continued, I would cry with him. He told about his father with so admiration, but then his voice took so deep, when he said, how his father was gone. I wanted to say, that I am sorry for him, but it would look really weird like, he is comforting his pokemon and he opened him self with his father.

I was woken up by small explosion, which didn't woken up only me probably.

"YOU CRAZY? IT'S NOT EVEN 6 IN THE MORNING" someone shouted from building next to us. I looked to my right and Bonnie was awake too, so she looked out from window.

"What happened." I asked still sleepy.

"Some guy with yellow hair from team Chespin is shouting at Ash. It looks like Ash had idea of training before our training, and well let's say he made a too much noise." Bonnie said and moved away, so I could look out. There was smoke coming out from what looked stone? On other side stood Froakie and Ash, who had hand behind his head and looked like he wasn't planning to woke up someone. He looked to Froakie and they both made their back. I realise, that we were suppose to have our exercise, co I quickly ran to my bag and took out a clothing for it.

Present

"What were you doing? You look exhausted." Shauna asked mus as I said next to them in cantina. Tierno and Trevor were already there, with Barry, Dawn and Angie.

"We...we had a jog... with Ash... today... in the.... morning." Clemont said as he colapsed on the chair.

"Yeah and to the end, Ash's Floatzel had to carry Clemont to the end. You really don't stand long brother." Bonnie said with small anger.

"You know, I am not good at this." Clemont said as he caught his breath to get a normal sentence out of him.

"Ash waking up early? Well it really did a lot with him." Dawn said as she looked to Ash, who was taking a plate for him.

"What?" I asked looking at her confused.

"Hm? Nothing. Do you want to know something about Ash?" Dawn asked with small smirk and I looked away. Of course I wanted to know more things about Ash and Dawn looked like she knew a lot about him. 

Maybe...

"Oh, oh, I know. When will he have his 18th birthday?" Bonnie asked with a lot of energy. Hmm, so it looks like not now. 

"He is already 18 years old." Dawn said as she took a bit of her food. 

"That doesn't make sense. When he started to travel with us, he said he was only 17." Bonnie said with tilted head. 

"Amm, yeah he is 18 years old since 22 May. And when we talk about this I-" Dawn was about say, but the loud clearing of the throath of proffesor Sycamore made her remained silence. 

"Thank you for your atention. I hope you all have a good food and had a good sleeping." proffesor said with big smile.

"Not all of us." someone muttered and I looked to the who said it. It was guy with yellow hair, the one probably shouting at Ash this morning. His hair spiky into all sides. He had black shirt with torn jacket and his jeans were in green, brown and black colors. He looked really pissed at Ash, but when he noticed I was watching at him, he winked at me with a new smile. I just rolled my eyes and returned my eyes back to proffesor. 

"With that being said, for today our competition will be swimming and no it won't be about being the fastest swimmer. The time on the beach is 9:30 so you have half an hour on preparing. See you on the beach and also, you can change at the beach." proffesor added as he walked off from platform. 

"Awesome, swimming. I was about to try my new swimming suit anyway." Dawn said with happy mood, while I looked at Ash with curiosity. He looked uneasy for some reason. He maybe heard talk us about him and him NOT SAYING TO US ABOUT HIS BIRTHDAY, FOR ARCEUS SAKE. 

Was I mad? Of course I was. I wanted to celebrate it with him, but when he won't even tell us about it. But still, I can't be angry on him and his - 

"Sere, will you stop spectating Ash and hear us?" Shauna asked and I broke out from mine thoughts with heavy blushing. Girls giggled to me and I looked to girls. 

"I don't know what you are talking about?" I played stupid, but they weren't conviced at all. So I came up with other thing. "I need go to get my swimming suit." I said as I got up and left the table. I went through big glass door and made my way to the house. As I was making my way there, I thought that someone was behind me and when a two rocks colided behind me, I knew someone was. I turned around and saw the same boy from cantina. 

"What do you want?" I asked him and he played it, like nothing. 

"Me? Nothing, I was on my way to my house." he said but then made a step toward me and I away. "But when you talk about this, I wanted to ask you about your name." he said and made another step. He had a smirk on his face and lustfull but in some way, it looked good. 

"And why is that? We are not in the same team and I am not sure, about what you want?" I asked and made a another step back. 

"What I want? What about you? What do you want?" he asked making another step and me making another back until hit slowly tree. One and stupid tree here, why? 

"I want some personal space." I said looking between us. He made a step back, but it wasn't much better. 

"Now you have a personal space, so how about you tell me that name you have." he said with some kind more as if whispering. As he said it, I could smell from his breath a mint. 

"Serena." I said and hoped he would back away. He only smirked and that step, I asked him to make away. 

"Cute name as you are. The name is Kerten." he said and I begged, if he could go away for myself.  

"Yeah, well... We know each others name, now could you back away so I can go prepare?" I asked and tried to go to the side, but he put hand on that same side. This looks too much familiar.
"Why are you trying to run? There is no rush on this. We still have time." he said and it was starting to bother me.

"Sorry, but could you back away. I really need to go now." I said as I pushed him a little so I had enough space. He backed away and he looked like he has taken my action like something surprising. But fortunately for me, he made a small smile and went ahead of me. This was easier then I thought it would be. I arrived back in the house and went to the room to put on my red swimming suit and over it my clothings. I made sure to close certains so nobody could see me changing.

As I put my top on, Bonnie came in and joined me in changing. I caught sometimes making a grins at me. Oh Arceus, this is will be a long day. As I stepped out with bag on my back with dry clothing after swimming, I saw Ash already waiting there and he still looked somehow not in his mood. He had a different shorts, which were probably his swimming suit. This is my chance.

"Ash?" I asked playing calm, so he will think, that everything is fine.

"Hm?" he asked as he looked at me.

"I wanted to ask you something." I closed my eyes and opened with my mouth, not waiting on his respond. "Why the hell you didn't tell us about your birthday?!" I said with my last anger I had after getting this information. He looked at me with surprise.

"How do you know I had... Aargh, Dawn." Ash whinned and closed his eyes.

"That's not her bad, that she told us. Why didn't you?" I heard behind me Bonnie. Ash scratched behind his head.

"Well I didn't want to bother you with it. It's just birth-" I knew what he was about to say.

"Don't you dare say it! It's your birthday and even your 18th? We wanted to celebrate it with you." I said still not happy with him.

"I am happy, that you wanted to celebrate it with me, but it doesn't matter anymore. Anyway we should go now or we gonna be late. Clemont went ahead so we won't have to wait on him. " Ash countered and I had to agree, there wasn't much of the time. Ash made his way to the beach and I was about to follow him, when I felt a tug on arm so I looked down to see Bonnie with smile.

"Don't worry. When you left, we met with Gary and we have plan for it tonight. He said he will get us some things and that we can do it in our house. He said, we will need some time to prepare it after the swimming so if you could buy some time." Bonnie said it made a new smile on my face, but then I blushed, because I was suposse to be with Ash alone. 

We arrived to the beach, where were people waiting for proffesor and his assistants. Ash looked like he already forgot the thing about his birthday. I saw Dawn already there. She had blue swimming suit two-part and the top of them looked like small waves that went into Dawn's back. As I was taking off my dress, I noticed Kerten with one boy and girl. He had swimming suit in similar colors like his trousers. He probably noticed me too, because he winked at me, but I just look away. This guy is making... Well I don't even know how he is making me feel. Anyway as I took off my top, I looked to Ash, whose eyes were on me? He saw that I noticed his look, so he looked away, but I could say, I saw him with a small pink on his cheeck. I took off all clothing except swimming suit of course and I looked to Bonnie and she had pink swim one-piece suit and Clemont next to her grey. I looked to Ash, who just right noe was taking off his shirt, and I was curios to see him without t-shirt.

As he took off the shirt, I didn't know, what to look for first thing. His abs were so perfect, that even magasines showing well-built men would go crazy for him. He had them perfect, not thin and not too big. It looked like perfect version of Machoke. I just wanted to touch it and I was so angry but then my view fell on his arms. Arms that I could see everyday but now I could admire them. It were those arms that carried me after Ash first time saved Fennekin. It were those arms, that protected me from that poacher in side street. It were those arms, that held me, when I needed to be sure about telling Ash truth. And it was that one hand, that held me in those woods and near that fountain. 

My admiration view then fell on other things then muscles. Scars. Scars and not only one and not only some from bleeding. He had all around but the most visibly were around his waist. It were burned scars and they looked like from chains? They weren't continuous and they were ending at his front and his at his back. Only by his sides. How could he come to this and few scars looked like some kind of emblem on his right shoulder. Ash turned only for a few seconds, but it was for me to see 5 long scarsand that emblem. Wait, aren't those from -

"Wow, where did you get those scars?" Shauna asked, making me jump a little, because I was so much deap in thoughts or watching Ash, that I didn't notice her. 

"Well, I got them from traveling." Shauna on other hand spectated his burn scars. 

"And those ones?" Shauna asked pointing to them and coming around him.  

"Oh these, these I-I... well I-" Ash was saying it somehow I almost couldn't get but he didn't look he was scared, more like he was starting frowning. It looked like it was question, that he wasn't ready to answer. 

"I see everyone is here. Marvelous, let's get started." I heard and turned around to see proffesor Sycamore. Everyone looked to him, but I still looked to Ash. He had smile on his face, but he didn't have the one that makes me smile with him. It was fake one, that he made, when we met again in that pokemon center. Something is bothering him. My thought were broken again by Sycamore, who started to explain the race for today. 

"So we will have two parts for this race. Two members will go into the water with two water pokemon. I am saying now, if you don't have two water types, then we can let you borrow some. Team in the water has a  balls in the water, that are tied on the ropes. Only 5 of them contains puzzle, that are needed for opening the box. When you open the box, it means the end for your time. Time will start, when both water racers enter the water. The last one remaining on the beach have to open the box. The box is locked by 5 codes on which you have to get puzzle from those balls in the water. So shortly five balls in the water contains puzzle, that you will have to solve to win. RULES, team in the water, when you destroy a ball with hádanka, pokemon CAN'T take it, only a trainer can. Member on the beach isn't alowed to use things like pokedex, Holo caster or other things. My assistant will call out upcoming team. Any question?" proffesor asked us and looked around us. 

"So time will end, when we will open the box?" Barry asked him. 

"Yes, anymore question?" when he get no answer, he clapped with his hands. "Marvelous, now you have 5 minutes to choose a member on the beach." 

"Clemont." I said with Ash together. I looked to him and this, he gave me that warm smile, that made me smile too and also blush a little. For unwinding, I looked to Clemont, who sighed with relief. I mean, this makes a biggest sense. Ash has 100 times bigger strength than Clemont. But I don't have water type pokemon. When I think about it, I have only Fennekin. Should I be worried about this? I don't mean it like I stop loving Fennekin so much, she is like my sister, but it wouldn't hurt to add some-

"Serena, do you understand?" Ash's words broke me out, from thinking. 

"Yeah I do, but could repeat the last part?" I ask not knowing what he said. 

"That I will call out Floatzel and Froakie, so we will have one water type for each of us?" he asked and tillted his head. Yeah, I should try to pay attention, when I am thinking. 

"Yeah, I thought I heard something else, so I wanted to make sure." I said trying to sound, that I know everything he said.

"FIRST TEAM, TEAM LITTEN." shouted one of the assistant. Group of three tanned boys went to the part of the beach, where was box on the table.

-------------------------------------------

"TEAM FROAKIE NEXT." 'so here we go' I thought to myself. I guess Ash will carry our team most, because I am really nervous about this.

"So are you ready?" Ash asked me, breaking my train of thoights.

"Well, not really. I wasn't swimming for a long while." I said as I stood next to him. I could already feel sea water between my fingers.

"Me too, but you can't forget swimming and if you are nervous about how we will end up, than don't worry and don't give up." he said without worries.

"It's easy for you to say it with your well built boddy." I told him without thinking and after realising, I covered my face with hair.

"Wow, thank you. You are going to be fine too. You are not weak and with your figure, you are going to be. I think you are going to be perfectly fine." Ash said as he enlarge his pokeball with Floatzel and Froakie. I blushed even harder after his compliment, because to get a compliment for something else then my baking was something really rare.

"O-oh thank you." I stuttered and then tried to change subject. "We won't probably end up so bad as Dawn, Barry and Angie." I said looking to them. Both girls were shouting at him and he shouted back at them.

"Yeah, well, it wouldn't be Barry, if he wouldn't confused something with something else." Ash said with small chuckle.

"But still think, that we need only 4 of the 5 is something more." I said joining to him with small chuckle. They ended up with a really bad time, because Barry said to them, that they had all of them and until Dawn and Angie came to him with looking for fifth puzzle, he said that there were only four and both girls just hit him and Dawn went down witch Piplup for last one.

"Yeah, well this is Barry for you." Ash said as he called out his pokemon and assistant nodded to us, that she is ready.

"Ok, you can go in 5,-"assistant was starting and I heard Ash whispering something to me.

"Remember what talked about before." Ash told me. 'Did he say something more, then about his pokemon?' I thought to myself.

"GO!" assistant shouted and we ran to the water. When I was only with my head up, Floatzel swam to me. I looked quickly to Ash and he caught Froakie and started to swim with him. Guess Ash said about me catching to Floatzel. When I made a firm grip on him, Floatzel's two tails started to spin and in high speed pull to the water. I had sometimes problem to hold to him which Floatzel caught on it, because when my grip was weaker then he slowed down his speed. In few seconds, he looked to me and with his head he made a small motion, but I got his words. I took a deep breath and Floatzel dived under water. It took me a few minutes to see under water. I let go of Floatzel. I looked around to see many red balls on ropes. I looked around for Ash, who was behind me still making his way here. Floatzel is much faster then Froakie, but not like offense. Floatzel is like 5 times bigger then Froakie.

Floatzel started to destroy balls with his aqua jet. I was starting to have a small problem with oxygen, but to my luck, from one ball out 5, that Floatzel destroyed, started to fall our first puzzle. I swam to it and took it in my hands. As I swam up for oxygen, I met with Ash, who gave me thumb up. He let go of Froakie and pointed at him for me to catch him. I caught to him and Froakie lifted me up to the surface faster. When I got up, I took a deap breath. Because I was still holding to Froakie, he took me back to the beach. It wasn't that fast as with Floatzel, but still in the few moments, I was back at the beach. I ran out from water to meet up with Clemont.

"Here." was all I said and giving him a puzzle. When I got back to the Ash, he was leaving with two in his hands. I was under water, searching for some, but there was still couple of ball and no puuzle. I swam up for next oxygen and yet, I was getting oxygen, it was hard to stay longer under water. On surface I met with Ash, who was still full of energy.

"You ok?" he asked with concern.

"Yeah, I am fine. I just needed a fresh air." I said between breaths.

"Ok. I am going down. I think Floatzel already got one. Give yourself time, don't push it too much." Ash told me and dived again in the water. I dived right behind him. When I looked around, there were only a few balls left and I could see on the sea floor 4th puzzle and Ash was swimming for it. I was searching, if there was last one. I couldn't see it anywhere and in meantime, Ash swam around me and pointed me to swim up.

I was about to do it, when Ash was gone, but then Floatzel destroyed the ball, that had the last one puzzle was slowly falling down. I made my way down for it determinated to take it now. I was close to it and caught it before it could hit sea floor. I happily took it and started to swim up. But in the way up I had problems with fresh air and each move was more hard. My view I had only up started making darker. 'No! I am close I am able to do it.' I thought to myself, but it were more of lies, that I told to myself so I won't give up. My view started to be more darker, when one hand and one paw took me by sides and with bigger speed get me up. My view was very blurry and when I was on the surface, I started to catching for a new air. Both helping hands or paws, I wasn't sure in that moment anymore, took me probably to beach. When I felt sand under my fingers again, I knew I was on the beach again. One hand took puzzle from my hand and finaly my view started to sharp. Pair of the hands laid me on something soft. I coughed out some water, that I didn't even know I had.

When I finaly could see, I was frozen. Of course Ash again. I was lying on his lap probably, because he was looking at me from side. 

"I told you not to push yourself." he said with what sounded concern. 

"I didn't want you to do everything." I said plainly, but he shook his head. 

"I didn't and with you drowning yourself for making sure you will do more doesn't sound as a good idea." he said, but I giggled a little. He looked confused at my reaction. "Why are you giggling?" 

"You always care for everyone and you don't care what you have to do to make others happy." I said again for today, realising what I have said. I madly blushed, but I wasn't liing in position, to hide it. 

"What?" he asked confused, but to my luck. Sounded a small alarm indicating, that we opened the box. 

"TEAM FROAKIE HAS OPENED THE BOX. TEAM SQUIRTLE GET READY." I heard shouting and I started get on my feet thanks to Ash, who helped me up, but truth to be know? I wanted to stay longer in that position. To see his face from above me and his face covering sun, so it looked like he was shining. As I got up, I felt someone hug me from side. 

"Next time, when you are planning to drink sea water, tell me, because you scared me Sere. We will talk after our turn about this." Shauna told me and made small point to Ash and ran to the water. 

"Well, we still got a good time. Let's head to Bonnie and Clemont." I said, but Ash still stood on the place. He is maybe waiting for me to start the walk? I tried to make a first step, but to my surprise, I had a small problem with it, because my head started to spin a little, when I had try to move. 

"Slowly, you almost passed out there, it will take some time and after I helped you up, you looked languid a little. Do you want a small help. Take it as sorry for not telling you about my birthday." Ash said with small grin. 

"Well, it's about how do you want to help me?" I asked him, but Ash only shrugged. He came to me without words and with his grin. "Ash, hoW?!" I yelped as Ash picked me up by bridal style.  

"Well, I thought like this." Ash said and took me to Bonnie and Clemont. I felt how my face was full of pink and didn't help me, that Bonnie had a big devil smirk on her face and looking at me.

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"Now we have a time here for you. But only first 3 team will get the points." proffesor said with smile. We changed in meantime. Clemont checked me for making sure, that I am ok. For today I can't even count how many times I peeped at Ash. I don't even know for what. For those arms, that carried me or the thing, that for Ash it was only carring me.

"I have a good feelings about this. We were so fast." Bonnie said with pure enthusiasm.  

"Don't be so sure about it too much. They were fast too." Clemont replied to Bonnie.

"Yeah, but the fast way you have opened the box, it was really fast. Noone could comparw with you Clemont." I joined to Bonnie.

"I wouldn't say that. I just thought about it fast, nothing more." Clemont said with small chuckling and scratched behind his head. 

"So on the third place is team Squirtle with time 25 minutes and 3 seconds!" proffesor pronounced on which he got happy cried from my friends. I heard some clappings. I looked to my friends and Tierno made flip with Squirtle.

"Yeah, yeah, we team Squirtle are and we are not gonna stop." he shouted, making me chuckle.

"Now, for the second team, we have team Chespin with time 23 minutes and 28 seconds." pronounced and boy, girl and Kerten lifted their hands up and got another applaus.

"Hey, it's that guy from this morning." Bonnie said and Ash scratched behind his neck.
"Yeah, I should somehow apologise him for that."

"Kerten didn't look like some idiot so I think he is going to accept it." I answered and Ash looked to me with raised eyebrow.

"Someone again from Vaniville town?" he asked.

"No, I talked to him first time today. We only changed names." I said and made my look back at proffesor.

"AND FINALY." proffesor said and made silent "First team is not only with fastest time for today, BUT they have the fastest time of all teams that ever have been here. SO PLEASE APLAUS TO TEAM FROAKIE WITH LUCKY TIME 15 MINUTES AND 15 SECONDS." proffesor shouted and pointed to us. All teams started to clap, except some people, but it would be too much perfect for it. Everyone from my friends to Ashs were happy for us. I smiled still surprised but I can't mind. I mean I almost passed out in the water for it, but we were so fast?

"Yay!" Bonnie shouted for all of us, because me ans Clemont were speachless and Ash rather stayed quiet.

"Now, now, you should call to your proffesors or where you have your other pokemon, BECAUSE..." proffesor rised his voice and went silent for while, probably wanted us to get excited. "Tomorrow we will have a very similar race to Rhyhorn racing."