Disclaimer: No ownership of Pokémon

"I Wish I Never Met You!"
Chapter 1: Denial

Ash, Clemont, Serena, Bonnie and their Pokémon friends continued their journey through Kalos. The sun began to set near a lake in the woods. Everyone looked upbeat for what's ahead… but not Serena. She had a chance to earn one more key to compete in the Showcase Master Class. She lost the key to Jessie in the performance round by a slim margin. It wasn't the loss that's getting to her. 'Jessilee couldn't let her win be enough,' she growled.

(Earlier in the day)

After the performance, Jessie met up with Serena who had smiles despite the loss. "One more key and the Master Class is mine," she touted. Serena turned, knowing the competition isn't over.

"Congrats, Jessilee," she praised. "But I know I'll win the last key!" Jessie scoffed, shoving her performance key in her face.

"So what? A twerpette like you doesn't know how to be a mature princess. You lack composure and dominance. Take it from me, there's nothing in you that has what it takes, neither does Aria!" She laughed while walking off. Serena began to growl. The insult never left her mind.

The group settled down to start supper. Bonnie fed Dedenne and Squishy stayed by her bag. Ash passed food to the other Pokémon while Clemont stirred stew. Serena did nothing, just sat and pouted. Braixen turned to Serena, worried as Ash reached the Fox Pokémon. The siblings of Lumiose City became quite concerned about her behavior. "Serena?" called out Bonnie. Serena didn't react.

"She didn't lose by much against Jessilee," Clemont reviewed. Ash wondered the cause and gave Pancham food before reaching the performer.

"Serena?" he called. Again, Serena didn't listen. "I know it was a close contest between you and Jessilee. That's nothing to get upset about." She gradually began to become more angry. With her head looking at her knuckles whitening and her hat hiding her face, Ash was oblivious to her incoming rage. Seeing Ash with Serena, Clemont and Bonnie believed their friend from Pallet could help their friend from Vaniville Town.

"Serena should be fine after Ash's pep talk," Clemont trusted.

"He's always got something to say," Bonnie sighed. However, Serena didn't seem to register the praise. Ash had ideas to offer.

"Maybe we can train for the next one," he suggested. "Tomorrow morning, we can see if we find new attacks for Pancham or Sylveon to learn and perform at the next showcase." No reaction. "A good way to find out is with some training! What do you say?" Still nothing… Clemont and Bonnie began to show concern. Usually, Ash manages to reason with his friends but somehow, Serena wasn't accepting his offers. Ash had more but Serena didn't seem to listen.

"That's odd," Clemont gulped. "Why's Serena not taking Ash's ideas? It could help with her confidence." Ash began to think of other methods to aid Serena.

"I'm helping with supper. Maybe a little extra sweetness for you. Could help you sleep easier." Jessie's words filtered out Ash's tips. Hoping to reach her, Ash palmed Serena's shoulder. "You've got more chances to become the Pokémon Princess. Don't let this get to your head." She began to snarl. A turkey fryer with too much water, her anger boiling over and spilling over her rim. She stood up. Ash assumed his words began to sink into Serena. "Alright… first step made. Now…" Without any warning, Serena swung an open hand and smashed it across Ash's face. The slap was so vicious, Ash took to the air for a second before landing face-first in the dirt. The echo of the slap sent flocks of Pidgey and Fletchling from their roosts. Clemont, Bonnie and the Pokémon gasped to the slap.

"Ash!" they siblings gawked. Pikachu ran to Ash as he began to rise from the vicious slap, rubbing the wound. He turned to a seething Serena and what she shouted next altered the minds of everyone.

"I HATE YOU!" she screamed. "I WISH I NEVER MET YOU, ASH KETCHUM!" Her shout stirred Beedrill nests, scattering swarms of Bug/Flying-Type Pokémon as well as flocks of Taillow, Pidove, Starly and Spearow. Her friends and Pokémon looked in absolute shock, including Ash. He looked devastated, as if the limitless energy that was the trainer from Pallet Town instantly drained to nothing. He looked more in pain than from the slap. Finding Ash's crushed expression, Serena's anger instantly subsided. She couldn't believe she hurt the boy who helped her years ago. She couldn't believe she shouted her newly-found hatred to him. She couldn't believe anything. She wanted to rescind her actions. "I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean- That can't be what I said! I-I don't know-" Ash dipped his head, tilting his cap to hide his distraught face. The bill failed to hide the tears streaking down his face. He stood and walked into the tent with Pikachu too stunned to know the occasion. Entering the tent, he closed himself from everyone, including his own Pokémon. Team Rocket, watching from tops of trees, seemed befuddled with what occurred.

"Now there's a new side of the twerpette I didn't expect to see," Jessie awed. "Who knew inside the core of a Litleo was a raging Pyroar?" The Rocket boys turned to Jessie, knowing all too well about feisty women.

"Look who's talking?" pointed James. "You get on a temper tantrum over small issues."

"I do NOT!" Meowth didn't agree with Jessie.

"Like da time you lost de first round of your first performance round in Coumarine City?" he mewed.

"Shut up, Meowth!" At camp, the siblings viewed Serena's actions as unforgivable while Ash remained alone inside the boys' tent.

"Serena, how could you!?" snapped Clemont. "Ash was trying to help!"

"You didn't need to get angry at him!" added Bonnie. Serena feigned to come up with a reason for hurting Ash like she did.

"I don't know why!" she stuttered. "I just- I don't- How can-!" Pikachu growled and squeaked at Serena for her blast of anger at Ash, followed by Dedenne and Talonflame. Even Braixen, Pancham and Sylveon became irate to Serena's treatment. All she could do is apologize. "I'm so sorry! I don't know what I did!" None of the Pokémon were sure of her sincerity to her actions. Squishy stayed far from the conflict. An hour later, tensions seemed to have settled. Clemont, Bonnie and the Pokémon ate dinner. Serena wasn't eating much, if at all. She took a nibble per minute. Clemont reached the tent Ash hunkered down in.

"Ash, don't you want some?" he asked. Serena's eyes turned to the tent, hoping to see Ash and to apologize for her outburst.

"I'm not hungry," he moaned in the tent. "Maybe later…" Serena and Bonnie looked stunned.

"That's weird," she muttered. "Usually, he's the first to eat." Serena moaned to the rejection. Worried about his friend, Pikachu lost what remained of his appetite. Greninja and Sylveon grew concerned to his stoppage.

"Even the Pokémon are worried," Serena whimpered. "Not that I blame them." Bonnie turned, wanting to agree. Clemont returned to the two, defeated.

"I'm not sure if he's more hurt from the slap or her shout," he sighed. "This is a sign of Ash that I haven't seen before." Serena's glum face felt more distraught.

"Either way, I ended up hurting him. I don't even know why I acted that way. All I know is that I… That I just hurt him and I don't know why." The siblings started to feel bad for Serena. She got up and started to walk to the tent. Before she could reach the door, Clemont intervened.

"I don't think now's a good time to see you." Serena gasped to the denial.

"But, Clemont!" The Prism Tower Gym Leader turned to the tent.

"It's like you said… It's best to keep space between you two." Serena seemed to surrender and returned to Bonnie. The shout felt nostalgic to the younger one.

"I still remember that time when Clemont was back home," she spoke out. "We stopped in a town and Serena began training Fennekin and Pancham for the next Performance. It didn't go well. Fennekin and Pancham fought and Serena snapped at the two. They realized their mistakes and Serena left for a walk, meeting with Ariana. Ash and I looked after Fennekin and Pancham until they returned. Serena and Ariana had a Double Battle after she and her Pokémon apologized. They battled Delphox and Aromatisse and that's when Fennekin evolved to Braixen." Serena nodded, remembering that encounter.

"I didn't know at the time it was Queen Aria," she admitted. She looked to Braixen with Pikachu and Luxray as she opened the tent. The three Pokémon entered to see if they could comfort Ash.

"So that was Queen Aria? She fooled me."

"Myself, included. After what happened… I may need to put anymore Pokémon Showcases on hold." Squishy became curious. The Zygarde Core sensed something about Serena's quiver that drew curiosity towards it. The kids got tired, knowing more travel was on the horizon.

"Squishy!" called out Bonnie. Squishy had an idea. It slithered back to camp where it wanted to learn more about Serena's anger.

TO BE CONTINUED...