Déjà Vu
We rejoin our heroes as they continue to make their way across the lush and lively Kalos Region as Ash continues his journey to be the very best like no one ever was. As Serena, Clemont and Bonnie rest soundly for the night, we see that Ash is having something of a more restless time falling asleep as he tosses and turns in his bed. Perhaps it's his subconscious keeping him fired up for his next battle, or perhaps it's something deeper than that. Something that Ash hasn't been open about with himself.
[inside Ash's "dream world"]
"Where am I?" Ash asked himself as he looked around. There were quite a few buildings, some of which he recognized while others seemed foreign to him. After walking around aimlessly for a little while longer, he found himself gazing upon one very tall, very bright building. "Prism Tower? I must be in Lumiose City then... but how did I end up here?" He asked himself once more.
He looked around, but saw no one on the streets. For being the biggest city in the Kalos Region it was pretty barren. There was a kind of fog drifting about which made it a little hard to see, but that didn't stop him from stumbling upon a taxi.
"Are you in service?" Ash asked the driver.
"Of course we're in service! We're Lumi Cab, after all! We're always in service!" The driver mused. "Hop in. I'll take you where you need to go."
"Where do I need to go?" Ash asked as he got in the backseat.
"How should I know? I'm only a cab driver." The man chuckled. He wore sunglasses so big that they nearly encapsulated his whole face and his thick mustache just about covered his mouth. "So where is it you need to go?" He asked.
"I'm not sure." Ash answered as he then drifted off into a trance-like stare.
"Say, you look like a nice young man," the driver started, "perhaps I should be taking you to your girlfriend's house?"
"Girlfriend?"
"Yeah. You know, female companion? Short, honey hair. Big, bright eyes. Nice smile. I hear she sports a blue ribbon these days."
"Serena?" Ash asked the man, confused.
"Who?"
"Serena. That's who you're talking about, isn't it?"
"Kid, I haven't been talking at all."
"But... but you just,"
"Listen, kid, if you keep denying your feelings for these girls they'll only turn and keep coming after you. Once you accept their love, like the spirits, they'll be set free."
Ash was quiet for a while as he tried to wrap his head around what this strange man was telling him. "Thanks for the advice, sir, but I don't-" he started.
"We're here." The man announced as the cab came to an abrupt stop.
"Where's 'here'?" Ash asked as he looked out the window. He found himself staring up at Hotel Richissime. "But why," Ash started, but when he looked back to the driver he found himself standing on the sidewalk in front of the towering hotel with no one else in sight.
He walked into the lobby and found it was just as empty as the rest of the city. There was a kind of ethereal feeling that Ash sensed. Things just seemed too perfect almost. It was stoic and pristine at the same time.
[cue the music to Giorgio Moroder's 'Déjà Vu' featuring Sia]
"Hello?" He called out once he made it to the front desk. "Anybody work here?" No answer. "Is there any one here at all?" He waited as he looked through the log book. There were no reservations, no sign-ins, no nothing. It was all empty. "Figures."
It was in that moment that he felt a presence. It was like someone was standing right behind him, but when he turned to see, there was no one. He looked to the side and saw someone rushing off. It felt as though they were beckoning him to follow, so he did.
Witchcraft, voodoo,
Love experiments, and paint books.
Potions, lotion,
Perfume to find you...
As he dashed after the figure, he came to a long corridor. Down that corridor he could see the silhouette of the figure lightly dancing towards the other end. "Wait a minute!" He called out as he, too, made his way down the corridor.
The man come to those who wait,
I think I've found my baby.
The man come to those who wait,
I think I've found my baby!
The figure then disappeared through a door with a bright light shining through it. He followed cautiously and found himself outside. The blinding light caught him off guard, and in the blink of an eye he felt someone bump into him. The impact caused them both to fall to the ground. He then looked up to see a girl staring back at him; a smile painted across her face.
Oh my heartache, but I knew fate,
Would send you my way!
He looked back at her, and although her bright, blue eyes seemed uncannily familiar, her platinum blonde hair contrasted enough to make her seem like someone he's never met before. Still, he smiled back at her. Her gaze then turned from him as she blushed. Her smile sent tingles down his spine.
And when you came, my heart was saved,
I've known you for lifetimes, baby!
As they both got to their feet, the girl turned to walk away. Ash grabbed her by the wrist to stop her, but as she turned back to him her piercing blue eyes peered into his own. Time seemed to stop in that moment... Once he blinked, however, he found himself walking back up to the reception desk in the lobby. Almost as if time had rewound itself.
I've fallen for you,
I'm feeling a déjà vu.
Déjà vu...
He found himself following the same figure that beckoned for him to follow it down the same corridor. This time the figure revealed itself to be the girl from before; the girl with the blue eyes.
I've fallen for you,
Now I've got nothing to lose!
Oh!
He continued to relive the moments leading up to when he first bumped into the girl from before.
Déjà vu, déjà vu...
As he continued to follow the girl with the oh-so familiar blue eyes, she somehow seemed to change. Her platinum blonde hair stayed the same, but her eyes and her outfit completely changed as they made their way down another corridor.
Déjà vu, déjà vu...
Her eyes were now a darker blue than the other girls', and her smile was different. She didn't blush as much, but she still seemed unsure of what was about to happen. He then followed her into a nearby elevator. He wanted to ask her what was going on, but before he could the elevator doors opened and she get off, pulling him with her by the sleeve. And then just like that, she was gone.
Moments in time,
I'm yours and you're mine.
He was now carefully walking along side a pool. Debris littered the ground making it hard for him to maneuver around it all. He then lost his balance and his footing and went crashing into the pool.
Two souls, one heart,
When he came up for air he saw that there was another girl with platinum blonde hair in the pool with him. She playfully splashed him causing him to briefly turn away, but when he looked back she already had her hands on his shoulders and was pushing him under water.
Two souls, one heart.
When he came back up he saw her blue eyes staring back at him, though he could tell this was a different girl from before. The girl then swam closer to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek before swimming away with a grin on her face.
The man come to those who wait,
I think I've found my baby.
Once he made it to the stairs of the pool, he looked around only to find that the girl had already disappeared.
The man come to those who wait,
I think I've found my baby!
He suddenly found himself in the middle of a party. The crowd of people made it hard to move around, but he then noticed a girl who was wearing all white. She had a hood on, but the blonde wig was still visible. He ran up to her only to see that her eyes were a deep violet and her skin was darker than the girls before, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he knew her.
I've fallen for you,
I'm feeling a déjà vu.
Déjà vu...
He turned around from the girl with the hood and found himself back in the corridor where he saw the first girl. She was there, dancing towards the other end of the hallway just like before. He grabbed her wrist and saw her blue eyes. It was her.
I've fallen for you,
Now I've got nothing to lose!
Oh!
She snapped her wrist back and smiled at him. He definitely knew that smile. She twirled away and motioned for him to follow her. They ended up back at the party where Ash noticed that the Lumi Cab driver was acting as the DJ. The man smiled at him when their gazes met.
Déjà vu, déjà vu...
The girl from the hallway suddenly grabbed him by the collar and thrust him against a wall as she kissed his neck. The girl from the elevator then joined them as she threw glitter everywhere. The girl from the pool then showed up and wiped some of the glitter away while the girl in the hood stood off to the side of them, watching.
Déjà vu, déjà vu...
Suddenly a new girl who also sported the blonde wig, but who had viridian-colored eyes, walked up to Ash and slapped him across the face. When he turned to face her, she, along with elevator girl, pool girl, and hooded girl pushed him back into the pool. Hallway girl had disappeared altogether.
And all the love is fine,
To one be kind,
Baby.
Ooh!
When he came to the surface he saw the three girls gazing down at him as the words the Lumi Cab driver said to him rang in his mind.
"'If you keep denying your feelings for these girls they'll only turn and keep coming after you.'" The voice reminded him.
And I'm loving all,
Here we are livin' the dream.
Oh.
"'Once you accept their love, like the spirits, they'll be set free.'" Ash then looked over to see the girl from the hallway standing alone with a sorrowful expression.
And all the love is fine,
To one be kind,
Baby.
Ooh!
Once he got out of the pool the other girls surrounded him. Angry expressions now crossed their faces as they glared at him. He tried to run, but the girl who slapped him grabbed him by the shirt and pushed him back against the wall. She then ripped off the wig and revealed herself to be an apparition of Misty, which took Ash by complete surprise leaving him speechless. He looked around to see the others taking off the wigs revealing themselves as Iris, May and Dawn. What the cab driver said before was starting to make sense now.
And I'm loving all,
Here we are livin' the dream.
Oh!
"So that must mean..." he thought as the light bulb then went off. He made a mad dash from the group of girls, as they then began chasing him.
I've fallen for you,
I'm feeling a déjà vu.
Déjà vu...
He ran down the corridor where he saw the girl from before. She, too, was running away as Misty, May, Iris and Dawn continued on Ash's tail.
I've fallen for you,
Now I've got nothing to lose!
Oh!
"Serena!" He shouted to her, causing her to stop. He caught up to her and turned her around. Her face was a deep red as she looked up at him and slowly removed her wig.
Déjà vu, déjà vu...
He smiled as he then closed his eyes and leaned in for a kiss, but after a moment he reopened them and saw that no one was there.
Instead he was back in the Lumi Cab.
Déjà vu, déjà vu...
"You figure it out yet, kid?" The driver asked him.
"Figure what out?" Ash asked as he looked around.
"Where you need to be?"
He was quiet for a second. "I think so," he sounded confused.
"All right, well let's get this show on the road, shall we?" He asked as he started the engine and began driving off.
Ash looked out of his window once more only to see Serena standing there with a smile on her face. Misty, Iris, May and Dawn all stood behind her, smiling as well. He turned to tell the driver not to go, but when he turned back they were already gone.
"So, you seem like a nice young man," the driver started. "Bet you have all the girls chasing you, am I right?" He chuckled.
A confused and somewhat exhausted expression crossed Ash's face as he leaned back and closed his eyes. He reopened them to find himself back in bed, staring up at a blank ceiling. He jumped up and saw that everyone was still sleeping. He looked over to Serena; he couldn't help but to wonder what she was dreaming about as he smiled.