(Next Afternoon)

"Alright, guys. We are finally here! Look there it is, Santalune city," Ash says while pointing to the city located just across the hill in front of them.

"That's right Ash. Did you know the Santalune gym specializes in bug type Pokemon?" Clemont says.

"Yup. Serena told me. Why do you think I caught Fletchling this morning? A Flying type has the advantage against a Bug-type. Not to mention when Fletchling evolves it will have an even bigger advantage against Bug types. Alright, time to go and get my very first Kalos gym badge," Ash says as he takes Serena's hand and then starts running at breakneck speed.

"Guys! No need to run. No matter how fast you go Santalune Gym will not change its place," Clemont complains in an unhappy tone due to the prospect of having to run again.

"We're not running to Santalune city. We're going to go to my limousine which is waiting on the outskirts of the city. Now quit complaining and let's go," Serena shouts back.

(20 Minutes Later)

Ash, Serena and Clemont enter the Santalune city in Serena's limousine.

"I must say Clemont, having a car makes anonymity much easier. This way I won't get swamped by my fans the moment I enter a city," Serena remarks.

"Thanks, it was actually nothing," Clemont says while feeling relieved that they are back in the car and not running anymore.

A few moments later, the car comes to a halt and all three of them, then enter the Gym.

"I am Ash Ketchum from Pallet town. I request a gym battle with the gym leader of this town," Ash announces as he opens the doors of the gym.

Not twenty seconds have passed before a Heleoptile, jumps onto his shoulders and barks at Ash in a friendly manner. Serena sees a woman, who's beaming, approach Ash with a camera belt in her outfit.

"Hey, Heleoptile! Hey, Alexa! Long time, no see," Ash says before proceeding to pet Heleoptile.

"Hey there Ash. It's good to see you too. I was wondering when you were going to appear here. Honestly, I thought you would come here sooner," Alexa says before Heleoptile jumps back onto her shoulder.

"Well, I guess the past few days, I have been busy. So where is your sister and what have you been doing since you came back?" Ash questions Alexa.

"Well, my sister is at the moment shopping. The gym is all out of food. But she should return shortly. Why don't we wait inside and by the way who are these two?" Alexa notices two more people with Ash.

"Oh! I think introductions are in order. Well, this is Clemont. He is the Lumiose City Gym leader," Ash says as Clemont smiles.

"Good to meet you," Alexa says before shaking Clemont's hand.

"My girlfriend, of course, needs no introduction," Ash says as Serena proceeds to take off her disguise.

"You? Have a girlfriend?" Alexa asks in a sceptical tone.

"Yup. He does," Serena says before taking off her sunglasses and hats.

Alexa stands dumbstruck with her mouth hanging wide open at the fact that the Kalos Queen herself is in her sister's gym. She gets excited and starts jumping around in joy.

"Oh! My! God! You are the freaking Kalos Queen. You are Ash's girlfriend? How did you two get together? I have so many questions, I must take your interview. Will you? Let me? Please? I am a huge fan," Alexa squeals with excitement.

"I think we should continue this inside the gym," Ash says while attempting to hold back his laughter at Alexa's reaction.

(20 Minutes Later)

"You beat Seibold! That is unbelievable. I can't believe you managed to beat his Blastoise that too with a Fire-type! No wonder Diantha made you the offer of becoming the next Elite Four. Congrats Ash," Alexa says while smiling at Ash.

"Thanks, Alexa," Ash replies in a quiet tone.

"Will you please, please, please let me take your interview," Alexa asks with puppy dog eyes.

"Of course. Anything for a friend of Ash's. But I don't get something. It has been all over the news that Ash and I are dating. How come you don't know about it?" Serena questions Alexa.

"Oh! Well, the thing is that immediately after I came back from Kanto. I left for the wetlands in the Kalos region. Since then, I have been there making an article to depict the dynamics of a wetlands ecosystem for my magazine. I just got back yesterday. So, I haven't caught up with the news till now," Alexa confesses.

"Well. We both will give you the interview you want, but you will not include anything about my journey with Ash and Clemont or the offer Ash has been made by Diantha. These are top secret stuff. I am sure you wouldn't want to make Diantha unhappy with an article containing all these things. I hope you understand," Serena says.

"Of course," Alexa says as she switches on her tape recorder.

"So what do you want to know?" Ash asks Alexa.

"How about Serena tell me about how you two first met each other?" Alexa asks Serena.

The question instantly brings a smile to Serena's face as her mind goes into flashback mode. A tingling sensation develops in her fingers for a few moments as she takes a deep breath.

"Well, it was a very long time ago. But the memory of that day is still crystal clear in my mind. It was, almost 11 years ago ..," Serena begins while Clemont and Ash listen with rapt attention.

(40 Minutes Later)

"Wow! This will make a great article. So many spicy details. My magazine will sell out like hot cakes," Alexa says while switching off her tape recorder.

"Thank you so much, Serena. I am in your debt," Alexa says.

"Of course. But I will expect a copy of that recording before the interview comes out," Serena says.

"Don't worry, right away. You will get the copy before you leave Santalune city. I give you my word," Alexa says as everyone hear the main door open and close.

"Looks like my sister is back. I think it is time for your gym battle Ash," Alexa says while getting up and walking towards the door.

"Hey, Viola! You have a challenger. The KIP champion has come to challenge this gym for the Bug badge," Alexa shouts.

"Well, as much as I would like to battle," a woman with pale yellow curls replies while walking out of the kitchen.

"My stomach is killing me. Can we eat something first?" Viola asks before hugging Alexa.

"OK then. Time to prepare lunch I guess," Alexa says while walking to the counter to inspect the groceries Viola has brought.

"Don't worry, I will help," Clemont says as he walks over to help Alexa.

"Thanks, Clemont. While these two prepare lunch. Why don't the three of us prepare the table and have a talk? After all, it's not every day you get the Kalos queen and the KIP champion in the gym, that too a KIP champion who beat one of Diantha's toughest Elite Four," Viola says while walking towards Ash.

"Unlike your sister, you seem to know that Ash is the KIP champ," Serena notices.

"Of course. After all,   I was at the initiation ceremony. Remember? I was sitting next to Ramos in the VIP box," Viola reminds Serena.

"Oh! Right. Of course. How absent-minded of me," Serena facepalms herself.

Viola smiles before moving towards Ash.

"I saw that Charizard, of yours, which beat Seibold's Blastoise. I bet you will use it today," Viola says after coming face to face with Ash.

"Well. Of course, I will. A Fire and Flying-type with so much experience, who wouldn't use it? I am here to win my badge after all," Ash answers.

"Just because you beat Seibold. Don't expect me to go easy on you," Viola warns.

"Of course, I'd have it no other way," Ash smiles back.

"Come, let us go and stand on the balcony. The wind up there is very soothing. Almost as if it is caressing our skin and teasing us," Viola says before moving towards the staircase.

She stops at the foot of the staircase and asks, "Coming?"

Ash nods before he and Serena follow suit.

(A few moments later)

"You are right! The air up here is so refreshing. Lovely," Ash says while stretching his hands.

Both Serena and Viola smile at him when suddenly Viola notices the Keystone pendant around his neck.

"So Ash, it would seem you now use mega evolution, since you have a keystone pendant. Where is your mega stone pendant?" Viola asks Ash.

"Well, I do have a mega stone but no one knows with which Pokemon the pendant goes with," Ash says while bringing out the mega pendant from his pocket and showing it to Viola.

"Wow. A rather mysterious pendant. What are the odds?" Viola says while looking at the pendant in Ash's palm.

Suddenly a rather powerful gust of wind comes and the mega pendant blows away with it.

"Oh no," Ash shouts as he jumps off the balcony while chasing after the flying mega pendant.

He catches it soon but not before tripping in front of a fountain and landing inside it with a splash. When he gets up, drenching wet, he sees Serena and Viola laughing at his condition.

Upon seeing them laughing, he gives a goofy grin while scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. He then gets out of the fountain with his mega stone and starts to get rid of the water by squeezing his the folds of his clothes when he realizes that someone else is there. He turns around to see another person looking at him with a curiosity fashion.

"A rather... curious way to enter a fountain, I must say," he says.

"Umm. Actually, I was just running after this mega stone. It got carried away by the wind," Ash replies.

"I see. Careless and clumsy personified. What an interesting dichotomous combination. I bet you are a Pokemon trainer," he nonchalantly replies.

"Hey! Who are you calling clumsy?" Ash snaps.

"There isn't anyone else here other than you to call clumsy, is there?" the man replies.

"I will let you know that I am the KIP Champion and I will be the greatest Pokemon master in the history of the Pokemon world," Ash declares.

"All I see is that you'll be the master of being clumsy at best. Now, we can add foolish to the list too," the man says.

"I am the KIP champion. This is the mega stone I got at my KIP initiation ceremony," Ash proudly says while holding up his mega stone.

The man's eyebrows widen for a few moments when he sees the mega stone. 

His expression then relaxes and he says, "Mega evolution is no child's play. It is not something that a child should play with." before turning around and walking away.

The man, however, stops in his tracks and says, "Especially that mega stone."

"What did you say? Stop calling me a child," Ash angrily responds causing the man to turn around slowly.

"You are a child and your childish outburst confirms this fact," the man softly says before smirking.

Ash scrounges his nose in anger and challenges the man. 

"That's it. You think I'm a child. If so, then come prove it. I challenge you to a Pokemon battle."

"Is that so?" the man softly yet bleakly replies.

"Yes, so that when I win. I can wipe that smug grin, of your's, clean off your face."

"I don't battle with children," the man says while turning around and walking away.

Ash is gnashing his teeth in rage when Viola and Serena, in her disguise, come running up to him.

"Ash, what happened? You seem... angry?" Serena inquires.

Ash takes a deep breath to calm down, then says "Nothing important. Just some... jerk. Let's go back inside. I am hungry and I need to dry myself too."

"OK. If you say so," Viola says.

However, they don't know, that the man is watching them from behind a tree. He looks at Ash, Serena and Viola as they walk back into the gym.

"Interesting. Very Interesting," he smiles before turning around and walking away.

https://youtu.be/nl5WtF7YLZk

(40 Minutes Later)

"Alright. The match between Ash, the KIP champion, and Viola, the Santalune city gym leader, will now begin. This will be a two on two battle. Only the challenger is allowed to substitute. Alright trainers, bring out your first Pokemon! referee shouts.

"Alright, Surskit I choose you," Viola says while tossing a Poke-ball.

"Come on out, Charizard," Ash shouts as he sends out his choice.

Both Viola and Surskit adorn a serious expression at the display of power given off by Charizard.

"I hope you are ready Viola," Ash taunts.

"You may have won against Seibold, but I will fight with everything I have before I give you the bug badge," Viola says in an unfazed tone.

"Alright, Surskit use Bubble Beam!" Viola commands.

"Charizard use Flamethrower," Ash coolly commands. 

The flamethrower easily overpowers the bubble beam.

On seeing the Flamethrower approaching Viola shouts, "Surskit dodge it."

Surskit barely manages to dodge the flamethrower, much to Viola's relief.

'What power! Need to come up with something different,' the thought crosses Viola's mind.

"Alright Surskit, use Rain Dance then use Ice Beam on the battlefield," Viola commands.

"Charizard, use Dragon Claw and Aerial Ace," Ash shouts while punching the air.

Charizard lets out a roar before it powers up a shiny green Dragon Claw and shoots into the sky. It vanishes briefly only to send Surskit flying through the air.

"Don't give in Surskit. Use Signal beam," Viola commands.

The signal beam meets its mark but Charizard stands unfazed by the attack.

"Don't you know that bug type moves won't work so well on a fire type like Charizard," Ash says before ordering another dragon claw.

"Keep it at bay. Use Sticky Web," Viola commands.

"Charizard dodge them all. Finish this with blast burn," Ash says in a final manner while punching the air. 

Charizard lets out a deafening tone following which its body gets engulfed with bright deep red energy. It slams its flaming fist onto the ground. The battlefield briefly smokes and cracks following which the ground underneath Surskit erupts with flames. When the dust settles, Surskit is on the ground with swirly eyes.

"Surskit is unable to battle. This round goes to the challenger. Your next Pokemon please," Referee says.

"Alright, way to go, Ash," Serena says while clapping. 

Alexa, Clemont and Pikachu clap as well.

"With a fire and flying type Ash has a huge advantage over bug type Pokemon," Clemont remarks.

"True. But don't underestimate my sister. She knows how to put up a fight," Alexa says in a proud tone.

"Surskit, return. You battled very well now take a good rest," Viola says as she recalls Surskit to its Poke-ball.

"Charizard return. Fletchling let's go," Ash says while tossing Fletchling's Poke-ball.

"I see. Vivillon, let's go," Viola reveals her last choice.

"Alright, I will go first. Fletchling, use Aerial Ace," Ash commands.

"Vivillon use Psychic to stop it in its tracks. Then slam it into the ground," Viola counters.

"Viviiiii," Vivillon's voice echoes through the gym as her eyes turn blue. 

A few moments later, Fletching is slammed onto the ground.

"Fletchling, get up then use Steel Wing," Ash commands as Fletchling gets back up with unwavering determination coursing in its chirp.

"Vivillon, dodge it," Viola says. Vivillon dodges it but it's left wing still gaze by the attack.

"That's it. Fletchling, go in with another Steel Wing," Ash says in an excited tone.

"Vivillon, let it get close then use Gust," Viola coyly says causing Ash's eyes to widen.

"Oh no! Fletchling, watch out!" Ash shouts, to no avail, as Fletchling gets slammed on the once more time.

Ash watches as Fletchling winces in pain while trying to get back up on its feet.

"Fletchling, get up then use Razor wind. I know you can do it," Ash encourages its Pokemon to push on ahead.

"Vivillon, use Sleep Powder then finish it off with Solar Beam," Viola smirks.

(A Few Moments Later)

"Fletchling is unable to battle. Vivillon wins. Challenger, please bring out your last Pokemon," referee says.

'So that Vivillon can use Psychic and Sleep Powder. Thank you Fletchling. You played your part nicely,' Ash thinks to himself.

"Charizard! Finish this," he says while tossing the Poke-ball.

"Vivillon use Psychic," Viola orders.

"Won't work. Charizard, use Smoke Screen to escape," Ash counters as the battlefield gets filled with thick smoke essentially hiding Charizard from Vivillon's line of sight.

"How do you like that? I have been training Charizard rigorously ever since I lost in the Unova league," Ash asks.

"Not bad. Vivillon, use Gust to blow the smoke away," Viola commands.

"Bad move Viola. Go in with Aerial Ace," Ash smirks following which Vivillon gets hit by that effective attack.

"Vivillon use Sleep Powder. Follow it up with a Draining Kiss," Viola frantically counters.

"Charizard, use Fire Spin to defend yourself," Ash says as Charizard growls before spinning and using Fire Spin on itself, causing it to be surrounded by a mini fire tornado like barrier.

Viola clenches her teeth when she sees the sleep powder gets burned away. Charizard then redirects the Fire Spin causing Vivillon to get covered by it. An explosion goes off in mid-air. An unconscious and slightly burned Vivillon falls to the ground with swirly eyes.

"Vivillon is unable to battle. Which means, Ash the challenger wins," the referee announces.

"You fought well Vivillon. Take a good rest," Viola says while returning Vivillon to its Poke-ball.

"Well fought Ash! That was very nice. Especially the tactic to use Smoke Screen to escape Psychic. I must remember that," Clemont praises Ash causing him to say it was not a very big deal.

"Indeed well done," Viola says. 

Then she picks up a badge and hands it to Ash. 

"There you go. The proof of your victory in the Santalune city gym. The bug badge."

"Thanks, Viola," Ash says as he accepts the bug badge from Viola.

"1 down," Ash says.

"7 to go," Serena completes his sentence for him as she hugs him.

"So where are you going next? The Cyllage city is the next best choice," Alexa recommends.

"Yup, that is the plan. We will, however, stop by KIP on our way there," Clemont says. By coincidence, Clemont's Holocaster starts glowing and ringing.

"What is it Clemont?" Serena asks while pointing to the Holocaster.

"Someone is calling us. Let's see," Clemont says as he pushes a button on the Holocaster.

The Holocaster sit in Clemont's palm as a beam of light comes out from it, showing a display screen. Suddenly Diantha's and Professor Sycamore's face comes into focus.

"Hello, Diantha. Hello, Prof. Sycamore. What happened? Why are you calling us right now?" Ash asks, curious as to why Diantha has called him at this time.

"Hello, Ash. Hello, Viola and Alexa. Good to see you all doing so well. So Ash, update me on your progress?" Diantha firmly asks.

"Well, so far so good. I got the bug badge already," Ash shows the badge to Diantha.

"Good. You are making good progress and good time," Sycamore observes before turning to Clemont and Serena, "How are you two doing? Any difficulties?" he asks.

"We are fine Professor. Thank you for asking," both reply in unison.

"Good. That's good. Now listen carefully. The reason why we called you is this. Ash, do you remember Brandon and the other frontier brains?" Sycamore questions Ash.

"Yup. I do. Why?" Ash asks.

"Nothing. The reason why we're calling you right now is that Brandon is coming to Kalos," Sycamore says.

"Kalos?" Ash asks, taken aback by this revelation.

"Yes, Kalos. Tomorrow morning as a matter of fact. Apparently, some new ruins have been discovered in west Kalos which he is going to explore. The Battle Pyramid will be flying to KIP tomorrow. Furthermore, not just Brandon but all the other frontier brains will be coming as well. During the course of their stay in Kalos, they will be staying in KIP as my honoured guests," Diantha reaffirms.

"Why are they staying in KIP?" Alexa asks as her inner reporter starts awakening.

"Because, Alexa, this will prove to be an excellent opportunity for the students of KIP to gain good experience. It might even result in the creation of the frontier culture in the Kalos region," Diantha says before focusing her attention back to Ash, "They will be arriving tomorrow morning. There is a grand welcoming ceremony in their honour. Your and Serena's presence at the ceremony is requested at the highest level. Several high ranking officials from the Kalos govt. shall be present as well. I need you and Serena to be back here as soon as possible," Diantha says.

"Also Serena, Palermo told us that you have been working on a new performance routine. Is that true?" Sycamore suddenly interjects.

"Yes. The routine is actually finished. Why do you ask?" Serena asks back.

"Well, what about an exhibition performance? Will it be too much to ask for?" Diantha asks.

"No, no. Not at all. If you want I can do it. Scratch that I will do it, but you need to clear this with Palermo," Serena says while giving Diantha a thumbs up.

"We will," Diantha gives Serena her word.

"Marvelous. I guess we'll be seeing you four in KIP soon," Sycamore replies in an ecstatic state.

"Four?" Ash asks in a confused tone.

"Yes. You, Clemont, Serena and Alexa," Diantha says.

"Us three, I get. But Alexa?" Ash inquires.

"Oh, right! I forgot! You don't know. Alexa and I have known each other for a quite a long time. In fact, she was the one who took my first interview back when I wasn't even a champion. Ever since that day, we both have been good friends. She will handle the press coverage of the event," Diantha smiles as memories of her own days as a trainer come floating back into her mind.

"Alright then. The four of us shall leave for Lumiose city as soon as possible in Serena's Limousine. We should be there by nightfall," Clemont replies.

"Good. Both of us look forward to seeing you again," Sycamore says before signing off.

"Well, that is an interesting development. I guess, Serena it's time to call Harry if we are to make it back in time to KIP," Ash says.

"And I better get all my equipment," Alexa says while rushing to her office. 

Serena nods and takes out her phone before proceeding to dial Harry's number.