Seeing Ash's genuine expression, Serena was certain that Ash truly hadn't realized her admiration for him!
But it didn't really matter. She wasn't eager to reveal her feelings anyway. She had just been too excited when she first saw Ash, which made her blurt out her thoughts.
Besides, Ash's female companion... Serena glanced at Misty, who was sitting opposite and almost glued to Ash, and she had a sense of certainty.
This kind of closeness wasn't just ordinary companionship; if not family, then she must be his girlfriend.
It made sense. Ash was so outstanding now, having a girlfriend was quite normal. As long as he wasn't married, there was room for fair competition!
Besides, having multiple wives was quite common in this era. She saw in the news that Gary, who left Pallet Town with Ash, already had six girlfriends at just fifteen. Who knows how many he'd have as he grew older.
It's quite unexpected that Ash only had one girlfriend. Where could you find such a principled man?.jpg
However, Serena wasn't someone who would disrupt other people's relationships. If it turned out she couldn't get involved, and if Ash truly was a one-woman man, she would naturally back off.
"Is that Fennekin your starter Pokemon?" Ash suddenly changed the topic.
"Yes, I just got Fennekin and then came to Kanto. But I heard the Gyms in Kanto are tough, so I wanted to come to the Orange Archipelago to vacation and train a bit."
"Wow! Are you planning to participate in the Orange League?" Ash's eyes lit up with excitement. It was rare to meet a familiar girl who wanted to challenge the League, so he was naturally interested.
"No, no, I'm not that capable yet!" Serena waved her hands repeatedly, her small head shaking like a rattle.
Before coming to the Orange Archipelago, Serena knew about the Orange League, but she had no intention of challenging it. That's not something a rookie Trainer like her could consider.
The Kanto Gyms at least offered a beginner level, but the Orange League battles were all at normal difficulty, meaning at least at the Professional Level, and some even at Gym Level.
For a beginner like her to challenge the Orange League, it would be sheer folly!
"Right now, I only have Fennekin. I thought I'd travel and relax in the Orange Archipelago and maybe catch some more Pokemon. It's not feasible to challenge Gyms with just one Pokemon, right?"
"Not entirely unfeasible. If your single Pokemon is strong enough, you might manage, but for beginners, it's better to capture two more. This way, you can strategize better against different attributes, since Gym Leaders' Pokemon details are known, giving challengers an advantage."
Ash provided Serena with detailed insights, his heart filled with satisfaction.
Back in the day... actually not too long ago, just half a year ago, he was a newbie too, and now he was someone else's senior!
This change in status filled Ash with immense joy, making him truly feel how fast he had grown. After being guided by so many seniors in his group, now he could be a senior himself!
Serena listened attentively as Ash explained. Ash enjoyed his role as a senior, and Serena enjoyed Ash's guidance. Just being able to talk with Ash made her immensely happy.
"So this is what it feels like when dreams come true!"
Misty occasionally chimed in. Though Serena gave her a bit of a sense of crisis, she couldn't dislike her just for that. After all, Serena's first impression was too good.
When lacking in strength, choosing to stand up against injustice anyway spoke volumes about Serena's character, making it difficult for Misty to harbor any negative feelings.
After some casual chatter, Lapras's check-up was done, and Ash retrieved it from Miss Joy. He then asked Serena, "Serena, do you have any specific place you want to go next?"
"Hmm... no specific goal," Serena replied, her pure blue eyes filled with confusion. She didn't know what to do next because her original goal in coming to the Orange Archipelago, or Kanto, had already been achieved...
She initially planned to come to the Orange Archipelago to get stronger, collect badges, and eventually compete in the Silver Conference of the Johto League, where she was sure to meet Ash!
As for whether she could achieve it... who knows without trying, right?
But her plan ended before it even started. Who would've thought she'd meet Ash directly in the Orange Archipelago?
And she even recognized Ash despite his disguise. Was it coincidence or fate?
But in any case, her initial goal was accomplished, which was to meet Ash, to stand before him and tell him that the little girl from back then had grown up.
Of course, when she saw Ash, she was so nervous she completely forgot those words.
Now, she felt like she'd achieved two-thirds of her goal, and she was really at a loss on what to do next.
"If you don't mind, join us. Let us show you the big scenes!" Ash grinned and invited Serena.
Misty wasn't surprised. It wouldn't be Ash if he hadn't said that. She was used to his enthusiastic spirit. As for her opinion... although she didn't reject Serena, she wasn't entirely thrilled about the idea of Serena joining them.
It was akin to your boyfriend inviting his ex-girlfriend on a trip, and you're not familiar with this ex-girlfriend at all—though, admittedly, this analogy is a bit of a stretch.
What woman can be so magnanimous as to agree to that? Having no qualms might seem insincere.
But she wouldn't voice her objections. She'd let Ash make the decision, considering he wasn't that kind of guy. Even if he was... well, no sense overthinking it.
Serena's eyes sparkled, her cheeks turning a soft pink as she instinctively grasped her bag strap. "Re-really? I won't be intruding on you..."
"Of course not!" Ash patted his chest. "Traveling is much more fun when you make more friends!"
Serena remained silent, looking expectantly at Misty with a hint of anxiety.
Though she wanted to agree immediately, if Misty wasn't okay with it, she couldn't join them. It would only cause discord between them—Ash might be oblivious, but she wasn't!
This was a two-person team. Even if Ash agreed, the other person still had to be okay with it.
"Don't mind me. If Ash agrees, then that's settled. After all, he's the one footing the bill," Misty said, shrugging while holding Togepi's shoulders, essentially greenlighting Serena's addition.
Seeing Serena considering her opinion before joining, any discontent Misty felt vanished, as if thrown into the Pacific Ocean. Having such a polite sister in the group was much better than having a glaring black outsider.(Brock in tears.jpg)
Just kidding. Mainly, apart from romantic rivalry, having another girl on the trip meant they could have many shared topics to discuss—topics between sisters and lovers are entirely different.
"Alright! It's decided then, the new trio is formed!" Ash raised his arm and shouted, immediately drawing everyone's attention. Misty and Serena exchanged a glance, both showing a wry smile. The upcoming journey is sure to be interesting.