Happy [almost] New Year, everyone! I'm posting this story so early in the day because. . .well, I just feel like it! I've decided to try my hand in writing fanfiction for another one of my favorite fandoms, Pokémon! I'm sorry if everyone seems really OOC, I'm currently rewatching the Kalos seasons [and am on episode 2 of season 17, as I have previously only watched about 5 episodes from the first Kalos season :-. So I'm more or less basing character interactions on [very vague] memories and other fanficitons XD. My Pokémon fics will get better over time, I promise! As for now, enjoy!

"Are you ready for the new year, Serena?" A man asked. He was tall, with hair just a shade darker than the six-year-old's next to him. The two were setting up chairs and blankets in their backyard.

"Yes, Daddy!" She exclaimed happily. She was already in her pajamas, a pink bow holding back her medium-length hair. "Come on, Mommy!"

Grace came up behind them, smiling. "You sure are excited for the new year, Serena," she commented before setting up the last chair for herself.

She nodded furiously before sitting down in the middle chair and covering herself with blankets. "I'm gonna stay up till midnight this time, promise!"

Her parents laughed, taking their seats. "You're right on track this year, Rena," her dad said, using his favorite nickname for her. "It's already eleven-thirty."

He looked over at her, catching her mid-yawn. She quickly shut her mouth and attained a stubborn look. "I'm not sleepy yet. I'll make it this year. I'm gonna see the fireworks!" From their backyard, they had a perfect view of the fireworks set off in a different part of Vaniville Town.

"You know, Serena, they say that the person you're with at midnight will be with you forever," Grace told her.

Sapphire eyes wide, she looked from one adult to another. "Really?"

"Of course," her dad said. "That's how I got your mom to marry me."

"So. . .if I'm with a boy at midnight. . ." the starry look snapped off her face, quickly replaced with one of disgust. "No! Boys are icky!"

Her dad laughed. "Stay like this forever, please." He ruffled her hair a bit, and she shrunk down into her blankets, shrieking with laughter. Once he stopped, she stayed under the blankets, closing her eyes and falling asleep.

That was what Serena dreamed about that night. To her, though, it wasn't so much a dream as a nightmare. Her dad promised her that the people she was with on New Year's Eve would be with her forever; she and her parents would be together forever.

That was the month before her dad had the accident, and her entire world changed.

X-X-X

Serena was the first one up, not that she minded; she wanted some time to herself to recover from her dream. New Year's Eve had never been a good time of the year for her, at least since that year. Hopefully, nobody would remember, and they could all go about with their regularly scheduled days.

She got herself dressed quickly, remembering to brush her hair thoroughly, before starting breakfast. Since they weren't going to pass a Pokémon Center for a while, the group had stocked up on instant oatmeal for the days in between, as well as some pokémon food, of course.

Quietly, so as to not wake the others, she released Fennekin and Pancham from their poké balls, instructing them to stay quiet. After pouring them some food, she started heating up the oatmeal cups over the now-lit campfire with a quiet thanks to Fennekin for lighting the fire.

She tried to distract herself by setting the table while the oatmeal cooked, but found herself remembering how she and her dad set the table while her mom cooked breakfast on the weekends.

Gosh, New Year's Eve was relentless.

Soon after the oatmeal was done cooking, Bonnie, Clemont, and Ash woke up, granting her some company. Still half-asleep, they took their breakfast with a thanks, all of them stretching and yawning. They released their pokémon as well, who also began feasting on the food Serena had already set out for them. Once their full stomachs had made them more alert, they began to remember exactly what day it was.

"Hey, happy New Year's Eve, everyone!" Ash recalled with a grin. Pikachu mirrored his trainer's excitement.

Bonnie cheered. "Yes! Now I get to stay up late, right, brother?"

With a small smile, Clemont nodded. "Yes, Bonnie, you can attempt to stay up until midnight if you want," he said, earning another round of cheers from the small girl.

"I'm excited for a whole new year of training!" Ash exclaimed, punching a fist into the air. "They're gonna be lots of new challenges!"

"Pi pika!" Pikachu cried, punching one of his paws in the air.

Rather than being sucked into the conversation, Serena busied herself with clearing the table. The containers the oatmeal came in were reusable, so she could clean them out and they could use them for storage later.

"Are you ready for the new year, Serena?" Ash asked. As soon as the words left his mouth, Serena froze in her tracks, recalling once again her dream. Even though it was purely a coincidence that he spoke the same words as her dad that night, she couldn't help but wonder if he had seen her dream.

"Serena?" He asked again, traces of worry evident on his face as well as Clemont's. "Are you alright?"

Just as it had brought her away from reality, his voice snapped her back into reality. "Oh! Um, yeah, I'm fine."

Ash's worried expression dissolved, though Clemont's still remained. "Are you excited for the new year, then?"

"Of course," she answered after a moment's hesitation. "New year, new adventures, right?"

"Right!" Bonnie agreed ecstatically, jumping around with Dedenne. "There are gonna be lots more adventures!"

Finishing cleaning and drying the containers, Serena packed them away in her bag, allowing for more room in Clemont's. With everyone's plans for the night approaching slowly, everyone began doing their own thing as usual.

While Clemont was working on yet another invention off in the distance [probably to analyze what he called an "abnormally warm New Year's Eve"], Ash and his pokémon gathering some berries, and Bonnie playing with Clemont's pokémon and Dedenne, Serena settled down at their picnic table, taking a brush to Fennekin's fur. She enjoyed brushing her pokémon's fur, but Pancham enjoyed playing more than sitting still.

Although Fennekin's fur was soon glistening, Serena didn't stop brushing it, as it also helped calm her nerves. Fennekin had fallen asleep a few minutes ago, but Serena kept brushing.

"Serena!" Bonnie said, tugging the girl's hand to get her attention. Fennekin woke then, standing and stretching before hopping off of Serena's lap to join her friends.

"Hm?" Serena muttered distractedly, her thoughts still occupied.

"Are you gonna stay up til midnight with me?" Bonnie asked excitedly, bouncing slightly on her feet.

"De denne de!" Dedenne said from her shoulder with a smile.

"What about Clemont? Don't you want to spend New Year's with your brother?" Serena asked, now a little more alert.

"He never stays up until midnight," Bonnie informed her, making a face. "He always falls asleep hours before midnight."

"Have you ever made it to midnight, then?"

Bonnie crossed her arms. "No, but at least I make it farther than Clemont."

Serena laughed, setting down the brush still in her hand. "I've never made it to midnight, either," she admitted with a wink.

"How 'bout we do it together this year?" Bonnie suggested again.

Remembering her dream, the smile slipped off her face. "I'm sorry, Bonnie, but I think I'm going to turn in early tonight."

"Se-re-na," Bonnie pouted, eyes wide. Dedenne mimicked her.

"That's not going to work, Bonnie. I'm sorry," Serena apologized again. "I'm sure Ash will if you ask him, though."

"I'll what?" Ash asked from behind them. "Oh, by the way, Pikachu, Froakie, Fletchling and I found some berries for later."

Taking in his and his pokémon's juice-covered hands/paws/wings and mouths/beaks, Serena teased, "Really? I never would've guessed."

Ash laughed, rubbing the back of his head, and no doubt spreading the berry juice throughout his hair. "Sorry. We got a little hungry. So, what were you guys talking about?"

"Clemont always falls asleep before midnight and Serena's going to bed early," Bonnie complained to him. "So I don't have anyone to stay up til midnight with."

"I'll stay up with you, Bonnie," Ash offered with a smile. Without thinking, he ruffled the smaller girl's hair, getting juice in it.

"Ash, will you please stop touching everything with juice on your hands?" Serena chastised. "Berry juice is hard to get out of just about everything."

"Oh, right. Sorry 'bout that," he laughed.

Sighing, Serena smiled and grabbed the bag with her cleaning supplies. "Come on, Bonnie, I'll help you get the juice out of your hair. Pikachu, Froakie, Fletchling, you can come, too."

"Hey, what about me?" Ash complained, following them.

"You're on your own," Bonnie told him with a mischievous grin. "You got the berry juice on yourself." She, Serena, and the pokémon laughed as Ash groaned, but they still allowed him to follow.

Originally, this was going to be a one-shot, but it got to the point where it was so long, so I'm posting it as two chapters. Expect the next one up on New Year's Eve!