A.T.: A weaker chapter, but I need to write this somehow.

No POV

A few days ago

Ash stood on mountain with Goodra next to him. They were looking over Goodra's old home from where Goodra came from. They now saved this place after it was in crisis when pokemon haunters used the healing springs to use other pokemon against one another. 

"You want to stay here, right Goodra?" Goodra turned to him and he was looking still forward. His hand gliding over the glowing blue ball. "I understand that Goodra. I think I am the one who understand that the most. You want to protect them. And that is good. They are like family for you and family sticks together." Ash said as he looked up at his pokemon and received a big slimy hug.

Presence

"Good luck Serena." Bonnie cheered, as Serena was scratching behind her head, nervously.

"Thanks. Miette is already inside so I should already head out." Serena said, as her friends nodded, but only Bonnie and Clemont were going away, explaing to Linda how the pokemon showcases works. Only Ash and Serena were left there.

"Still nervous Serena?" Ash asked, Serena's shoulders fell lower, her eyes closed.

"I am still. What if I fail again?" Serena's eyes went down on her feet.

"Then you fail, but you will come back up and stronger. Because that is what we are Serena. That is what you have reminded me. But you won't fail. You will win and show them, who is the best one around here." Ash grinned at her and Serena returned it with her smile and walked away. Ash was about to leave as well to others when his eyes caught a woman witht turquoise hair in a suit, leaning against the wall. He was about to walk past her when she pulled out a stick with purple glowing end. Pikachu immediately felt the discomfort in his trainer in this situation

"Mistress needs your assistance." she said, spinning the stick in her hand.

"Not interested." Ash said as he slowly walked past by her.

"That is not the option. Mistress demands it. You are only one who can make it in close location." she saw how he shot her a glare, but she simply shrugged. "You know, it would be shame for this Showcase to be canceled today.

"Pikachu go to others." Pikachu was about to argue, but Ash quickly stopped him. "I will be back in time, now go please." Pikachu jumped down, looking back before running away. The woman pointed at Ash, on which he grunted. "Really?"

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

"Hey, where is Ash?" Bonnie asked, as she saw Pikachu coming alone and sitting on Ash's seat. Pikachu looked at them and showed that Ash went for some food. Bonnie rolled her eyes, but the lights went down and the showcase started. As everyone watched, Lucario silently took Ash's seet, looking forward. He wouldn't miss it.

"So we have baking competition? That will be easy for me and you, right?" Miette smirked and Serena felt relief. They both carried on preparing for the competition with both their pokemon. Serena brushed Braixen's tail while Kirlia moved its arms around.

"Serena Yvonne?" an assistant called out, getting Serena's attention. She raised her hand, assistant smiled at her. "You have a phone call."

Meanwhile a few floors higher, a lone office with officer Jenny standing outside with her assistant. They both guarded the door, hearing the cheering through the TV inside. The man whom office belonged was now gone for a moment.

The window inside of office opened and through climbed a boy with dark hood and porcelain black-white mask with one side sad and one happy. As he looked around the room, he instantly saw the cracked cabinet. 

'So someone did broke in, but why would someone steal information about..." Ash paused himself, as he saw on the tv a trio of pokemon performers now being rated and he saw that one cupcakes did not look good at all, but they tasted good enough for jury's pokemon it tasted very nicely. 

He took out his lockpicks and started to open the drawer. As he was silently doing it, he heard the TV behind, but nothing else. Until the muffled police conversation.

"Have you heard about the another explosion in Lysandre labs, miss Jenny?" assistant asked, as they stood.

"It is nothing new Constable. We are talking about labs where accidents happens all the time." Jenny replied.

"Clarkie, mam. But I heard from our forensic scientist that there were an odd remains that they couldn't figure out."

"I heard that too, but we are not part of that. Also, Lysandre labs gave us no information. Only that one of their new machines was damaged during their testing. But if I were you, I would make sure to do your actual task and the secondary after. Although I agree. Those labs were always a mystery. But I am sure mr. Lysandre is a good man. He surely has a good reason why he doesn't tell us." 

As he listened to this, he finally opened the drawer. He let is his fingers brush over the folders until he found the one he was looking for. Another information for their using.

Suddenly, the room lit up with light. "What the!" man's words alerted both officers making them run in on the intruder.

They saw the mysterious figure, holding the folder. Jenny's assistant quickly reacted, throwing his rope at the intruder. It wrapped tightly around his arm, holding the folder. "Don't move. You are under arrest." he ordered and the intruder did as he was told while the man, whose office was now being robbed backed away. Jenny and Clark exchanged glances and Jenny walked closer.

Suddenly, the intruder grabbed the rope with his other hand a pulled tightly, surprising Constable who almost fell over. He held the rope even tighter, Jenny quickly ran at him. The masked man moved his leg, pulling quickly the chair and kicking it in Jenny direction. Before she could react, she tripped over the chair and fell down. Constable tried to pull more, but the masked man stepped on the rope, making fall down.

Ash looked at them, before running toward window and slamming the small device above the window. He looked back and saw that both police officers were up and in the door stood their back up.

"There is no where to run." Jenny yelled, but then Ash heard the slam above the window. So he gave them a small salute and then jumping out of the window.

All of the officers looked at the window with widened eyes, before they heard cheers from outside. They looked out of the window and saw that the masked person was sliding down on rope, sliding away.

"Don't let him get away!" yelled the man, as he was inside feeling unwell. Constable looked out of the window, seeing the rope and coat hook. He quickly grabbed it and jumped on the rope.

"Clarkie don't!" yelled Jenny, but in that moment he was already sliding down. As he felt the wind against his cheecks, he saw that the intruder had already disappeared in near park's trees. He closed his eyes for a moment to avoid sticks in his eyes. When he didn't feel the hits against him, he opened his eyes to see the rope was ending. But before he could think of landing, something knocked the air out of him and he fell backwards on the grass ground.

As he took the breath, his arms were slammed to his sides by boots. He looked up and saw the white-black mask looking at him.

"You are brave, I will give you that. But all it took for me was to cut the rope right after I was done and you would have ended worser." spoke to him a deep voice. Before he could say anything, a fist landed making him see a star before darkness.

In the backstage, Serena sat at computer screen. Her eyes wide as her mother was on other side. "Mom!" Serena exclaimed as she sat down and took the phone.

"Don't tell me you thought I wouldn't want to day anything before you start." she said with warm smile. But as Serena looked at her more closely, she saw something was troubling her and she wasn't at home.

"Mom, is there anything else you wanted to tell me?" Grace looked at her for a moment before shaking her head.

"Nothing important Sere. Go out there and show them all."

30 minutes later

Serena stood on the platform with Braixen, Pancham and Kirlia. All of them ready to bake. As Serena looked into audience, she saw everyone she knew, except him. His seet was taken by his pokemon. When they landed for a moment on Bonnie, she gave her a quick motion with hands showing hunger.

Honey-blond hair girl shook her head before looking forward at the baking table. This was something they did many times.

The moment they recieved the words for them to start, all it was for her was orchestra and she was orchestral conductor making the perfect musical everyone could hear.

When she was done, the time ran out. As she was breathing, smiling at her pokemon, her eyes only for second flew through crowd, but he still wasn't there. It disappointed her, but message of her advancing into the next round was a good message.

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

"Good job Serena." Miette said, slapping hand with Serena's.

"Thanks. It was more relaxing then I thought it would be." Serena said with smile. They both continued into the next round.

"Still can't she got into the mext round." Miette whispered to Serena, pointing at another performer with long pugple hair.

"Well, I would say her pokepuffs were in style 'Don't judge a book by its cover.'" Miette laughed at her words.

"Good one." Miette then noticed an person coming with the list of performers. The order in which they would go. "Let's see how we are coming a next round."

Ash POV

I took down the mask, rubbing my eyes. I hold the mask, turned against me. It is as she told me.

But now I was feeling guilty. 'I missed the first round on 100%.' I thought to myself. But she is strong.

"Very good job Satoshi." spoke to me the woman. I looked at her and she had sly smirk. She reached out her hand, ready to take the file, but I didn't move.

"Something for something. Like always." I said the rule that was one of the main. She smirked at me.

"Still remembers. Mistress said you would." she said and pulled out a card. I raised an eyebrow. "Take this as another pass for your visits and part of The System." I gave her the folder and grabbed the card. It looked like completely plain card with red star on it. I looked at her as she tapped her forehead. All I needed to know. "Oh yeah, one more thing. Your old partner is missing, last time seen in Kalos."

I chuckled as I was walking out. "Jack will emerge somewhere again." I was almost out, but she stopped me with the next.

"I am talking about the female one." I turned around and looked down at the mask.

"Hrist isn't the one to let herself captured. Even if those are cops." I said, but she didn't change her expression.

"It wasn't police. Team Rocket and Giovanni's fall happened because of their encounter with another organisation." I turned to her and she shrugged. "By what we know, they infiltrated team Rocket a few months ago and started to recruit from inside. After Giovanni's dead, all those were recruited seemed to disappear from the entire system."

"And how do you know that?" I asked approaching her.

"Because, Hrist was one of the recruits and if she wasn't with us, we wouldn't find her either." she said, pulling out an disk which started to show hologram of a something what looked like a flame. "She let herself recruited into the team Flare, but after three days, we lost all contacts with her."

"And the leader?"

"We still don't know much about him, but that is all I am telling you for now. Mistress believed you should know about her disappearance, since you worked with her." 

I saw her face and then it clicked me. "You want me to give you any information about her whereabouts." I finally opened the door and looked at her, feeling the pain inside me. "After Alex died, we didn't see each other." and I walked out. Running back where I was.

It had it's plus, but it wasn't something I was planning into the future. 

I was almost inside of the hall, when I noticed the police was searching for someone with black-white mask. I ignored them and walked through. I saw the purple hair on the tv and it made my blood boil. I need a snack.

No POV

Serena was walking with her pokemon and bag toward platform. Both her and Miete had the dresses from Valerie. Miette already had her perfomance and Serena was now.

She saw Jessilee coming her way. She gave her slight friendly nod and walked past her. But she suddenly tripped and fell next to the boxes, hearing something tearing up. "Clumsy." she heard Jessilee said.

Serena's pokemon rushed to her. Serena rubbed her back, feeling nothing was hurting much. But her eyes landed on her dress. It was torn up at the end and she was feeling the panic inside her rise. Something again, like last time. She was feeling tears coming to her eyes, until they landed on her bracelet and on her pokemon.

She wouldn't give up. Until she had her bag and pokemon with her, she could do anything. She blinked, shaking away the tears and started to fix it.

Ash walked up to his seat, holding a snacks in his hand looking at everyone. "Took your time." Bonnie said angry and Ash threw her one snack.

"Sorry. There was huge queue and the police didn't help." everyone raised an eyebrows. "They said someone broke into the office one of the people working here. So some asking about a guy wearing a some mask." Lucario stood up, letting his trainer sit down. "When I noticed what time was, it was already at the end of the first round." Ash paused as his ears heard the complains about delay. "Did something happen with Serena? She is next right?"

But it was stopped when everyone saw her rise up from underneath the plarform. When everyone from the group saw Serena's dress, they noticed it was shorter and different. "Did Serena change it before the showcase?" Linda asked, but nobody answered. 

They started with Braixen letting out flames out of its stick around them while Litleo let out embers into sky, creating small fire rain. Pancham punched into the ground, creating glowing pillars. Kirlia and Pancham jumped on them, destroying them the moment they jumped on the next. Braixen tossed her stick to Serena and they threw it to each other a few times, lighting up a few spots. As Kirlia was nearing toward end and Braixen gave the stick to Serena and running at Pancham. Pancham helped Braixen to jump higher.

Kirlia and Braixen crossed their hands doing a spin, sending Braixen high in the sky. Serena threw Braixen back the stick. Braixen let out the flames down at Kirlia, who landed already. Kirlia looked and created fire around its fist and punch toward the flames. The flames separated and created five streams.

Litleo created clones that were lifted from ground by glowing pilars. The fire streams hit the pillars going up. Braixen fell down but was slowed down by Kirlia's psychic and landed gently next to Kirlia. Meanwhile the flames traveled up to the pillars, where the pillars surrounded the clones. But soon after, they were shattered into fire fireworks from inside.

All of Serena's pokemon landed next to her and she had big smile on her face and it grew even more when she saw Ash on his place, clapping hard. She felt her hearth jump. The clapping and cheering made just happy.

After a while, Miette, Serena and Jessilee with two other performers stood next to each other, all of them had a electronic key with their color. Serena and Miette exchanged looks, both having the one of the determination.

And the hall let out the glowing balls toward the performers. The hall lit up with so many different colors, yellow, green and pink, blur and dark green.

Serena felt so many emotion coming through her and she had to just close her eyes to not let herself fall down. Memories of their training, the emotion they came through these past moths. Her talk with her mother, Dawn's, Shauna's and Miette's recommendation. How she failed first time over a stupid thing and turned herself around.

When her eyes opened, she saw all those pink glowing orbs coming to her. And she just gasped seeing them coming. Serena felt tears coming as well. Monsieur Pierre's words almost made her scream there until her pokemon jumped on her. "Dendemille town's showcase winner is Serena Yvonne!" Serena and her pokemon laughed, hugging each other.

Ash, Bonnie, Clemont and Linda let out cheers and watch as Serena recieved her first princess key. 

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

"So how do you feel Serena?" Bonnie asked as they went toward pokemon center. Serena looked at her key, smiling. 

"It is very nice. Good to feel it wasn't all for nothing." Serena said, looking at Ash, who had big smile as well.

"Oh yeah Serena, what happened to your dress." Linda asked and Serena turned to them.

"Oh, when I was on my way and walked past a performer. I tripped over and tore my dress. So I had to sew together quickly." Ash leaned closer, surprising Serena and making her for a moment red.

"By any chance it was Jassilee?" Serena felt the heat in her face and the worst thing is Ash didn't realise he was doing it.

"Y-Yeah." Ash leaned back, shaking his head. Serena turned her head to other girls and Miette with Bonnie were grinning at her.

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

"How is it possible I lost!" Jessilee screamed taking down her disguise revealing Jessie. She was sending flames and daggers at everything she could see. James and Meowth clutched each other, nervously expecting the next that would happen. "We stole those informations about the pokepuffs and even torn that stupid twerp girl's dress." Jessie was about to throw something at her comrades, when clearing of throat stopped and they looked to their sides and there stood a guy they were following for so long with his Pikachu.

"And I thought I would have to say it myself." he said with cold voice. They were all white. Until now, they were hiding because police wouldn't look for dead people and pokemon. "How was the life." Ash said with tapping his finger against temple.

"H-how?" James asked, Ash scoffed.

"After over eight years, do you think I wouldn't notice. Each region I visit, there is a new competitor that names very, VERY familiar to Jessie? Jessadia, Jessebella, Jessilina and the final Jessilee? I mean, you didn't change your hair even." Ash said glaring at them. "When I saw you first time, I thought that I would let you do it like you did with Dawn or May, although I didn't recognise you with them. And one thing I am gonna say. After the past two years, you were very good relief."

Meowth walked forward. "You don't take us seriously twerp? We will show you what we are made of."

"Go on." Ash dared them and Meowth stopped. "That's what I thought. You can't and you won't unless you want a bunch of cops after you. But that isn't WHY I came here. The reason is you Jessie." Ash stomped toward Jessie before she could react and hit the tree. "If you ever, EVER sabotage Serena's perfomances in any way. Cheating, whatever.  I will make sure all of you will meet end worser than prison. THE ONLY REASON I am not calling cops on you is the few times you helped me." and with that, Ash walked away. Pikachu looked at their arch enemies and he didn't know what to do. So Pikachu just left with his trainer,

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

"Why did you not call me the moment, you got all the informations?" Grace asked, as she watched the door.

"Miss Yvonne, since the moment the moment police got all the information about team Rocket, we were capturing all grunts of team Rocket. The moment we captured him, we only knew his name was Gozu." a police officer said to her.

"But as you said, you had information about him. There sure was his name." Grace reacted angry.

"The reason is that since the moment Gozu was first time recorded on team Rocket records. There was nothing about Gozu before so it was like he was completely new person. The moment we caught him, he wanted to call you instead of calling any lawyer. So we took the DNA sample and found out that information."

"So it is true... let me in." The police officer opened the door and Grace walked in, seeing the man in front of her. One eye covered, second green, different color she remembered. His hair cut short black but they started to show outgrows. He was handcuffed to the table, looking at her with grin. 

"Never thought you would show up." he said with grin.