Today's the 6th day of Amourshipping Week, and the theme is Reflection. The last theme may end up BREAKing the pattern, though...

Serena sat in the lobby of the Pokémon Center, quietly brushing Sylveon's fur. Whenever she was feeling despondent, she usually retreated into calming activities, like baking, sewing, or grooming herself or her Pokémon. And did she need to calm down.

She had participated in her second Contest in the Hoenn Region. And the results of it were the same as the first; she made it through the Appeal Round of the contest fairly easily, mostly relying on the same sort of things she did in Kalos during her Showcases. And then, she'd find herself outmatched in the Battle Round, unable to battle effectively, and she would lose.

She sighed. 'How did Ash make it look so easy?'

Ash… it was a name she missed hearing more often. Truthfully, she missed all of her friends, but it was the pride of Pallet Town himself that helped Serena through her harder struggles, like the mental struggle like the one she was faced with now. She had tried practicing battling after her first somewhat-humiliating defeat in Hoenn's Contest Halls, but it didn't seem like it had made any difference at all. Was she not practicing right? Or enough?

Maybe she was rushing it.

"I know I have Fennekin," the old conversation she had played in her head, like a forgotten record being played for the first time in ages, "but I'm not sure what my next step will be."

"Gotcha," Ash had said, in that cool evening before his rematch in Santalune City. "Just take your time and you'll know what to do." Ash was always supportive of her going at her own pace, to figure out what she wanted to do, and what she wanted her dream to be. She could always count on him for some advice, or encouragement. She felt like that's what she was missing, more than anything these days.

Sylveon looked up at Serena and wrapped a ribbon around her arm. The Performer had stopped brushing her, causing the Intertwining Pokémon to become concerned about her trainer.

She smiled at the Fairy-Type. "I'm alright, Sylveon. I was just reflecting on things… I'm trying to think of something I can do so we don't end up losing again."

Sylveon tugged on her arm. "Sylveon!" she yipped, as if chiding her.

Another memory took hold.

"Sometimes I wonder… what is my dream, Ash? What is it that I want?" She was kneeling before him, nursing his twisted ankle while they waited for help when the talk turned towards dreams, something the Serena back then still hadn't discovered. She had felt just as lost back then at that Summer Camp as she did now.

"Don't worry," Ash had reminded her. "You've got lots of time to figure out your dream." It was then that Pikachu and Fennekin had chimed in, with the Fire-Type yipping so much that Serena picked her up and held her close to her chest. Ash then smiled at her, and said "I bet you'll find your dream with Fennekin!"

"I'll find my dream with my Pokémon…" she whispered to herself, the passion building up inside her.

Back in the present, Serena smiled at Sylveon. "You're right," she said. "It's not something I should do on my own. We should be finding our way forward as a team. You, me, Braixen, and Pancham, too!"

Serena stood, causing Sylveon to hop from her lap into the floor. She took out her other two Poké Balls and opened them, causing Braixen and Pancham to appear. They both smiled at their trainer.

"Alright, everyone," Serena said, pumping her fists. "We're going to figure this out together. We might not have the battling experience that all of our competitors have, but we have tons of other experiences that we can draw on from our journey with the others!"

It was like she could hear his words again, that conversation again playing in her mind.

"Nothing we ever do is a waste of time! Everything on our journey leads to the Kalos League. That's why the more stuff we do, the better!"

"You're always doing your best… And you've done so much..."

"But I'm not done yet! After all, I've gotta make my dream come true!"

"And that dream is…?"

"To become a Pokémon Master!"

"Of course! You really are an amazing person…"

"Nothing we ever do is a waste! Not all those battles with Team Rocket, or those times looking after Bonnie, or helping Clemont set up for lunch, or watching Ash do all his battles! We have what it takes to win! I just know it!" Serena's voice grew louder and louder as she spoke, cheering onward as her Pokémon listened.

The Performer began to pace back and forth, the nervous energy in her building. Seeing Serena like this made her Pokémon excited as well, and they began to jump and in spin in place. It was as though the defeat her team suffered today was a distant memory now, and they were already looking forward to the next contest.

"It might not be easy," she urged them cautiously. "But nothing worth doing ever is, right? And the most important thing is that we go out there and try, together!"

"I don't always know what to do…" Ash's words stoked the flames building inside her. "But then, if I think about it, I'd rather do stuff! Because even if I goof up, I learn something! There's nothing we could ever do that's a waste of time!"

"It's just like Ash said, way back then!" she reminded her team. "We might not know exactly how we're going to get better, but we can get better as long as we keep moving! Doing anything is fine, because we're creative enough that anything we could do can be useful!"

Her Pokémon all leapt at her, knocking her to the floor as they hugged and nuzzled on her. Serena put her arms around her team, feeling so joyful, even in the specter of her losses since she came to Hoenn. She hadn't lost any of her experiences that she'd had since she departed Kalos; in fact, they were continuing to spur her on and inspire her. She held her Pokémon close as she thought about what Ash had said to her that day;

"You can't do anything by yourself. It's because you're with Pokémon who support you that really makes you do your best."

"We're going to win next time, everyone! I'm sure of it!"

"Are you Serena from Vaniville Town?"

Suddenly, Serena was pulled out of her motivational moment and looked up to see Nurse Joy standing there, holding an envelope. She stood up, her Pokémon all standing next to her. "Uh, yes I am. What is it, Nurse Joy?"

Joy handed Serena the envelope. "This arrived here for you today! It's a letter, all the way from the Alola Region!"

"A letter?" Serena parroted, blinking. "Who do I know from Alola?" She took the envelope. "Uh, I mean, thank you very much, Nurse Joy!"

"It's no problem, Serena," she smiled back. "Have a good evening!"

As Nurse Joy walked away, Serena sat down on the bench, and all her Pokémon peering over her shoulder (or from her lap, in Pancham's case) as she opened the letter and read it.

Alola Serena! (They say Alola as a greeting here!)

How's the Hoenn region? I hope you're on a ton of fun adventures out there! Have you caught any new Pokémon or made any new friends? I just know you're giving it your all and getting even stronger than you were in Kalos!

I'm studying Pokémon in the Alola Region right now! They're amazing! I even caught an Alolan Pokémon already, called Rowlet! I've also made a bunch of new friends here at the Pokémon School! I'm sure that with their help, I'll get stronger, too! We're both going to keep racing to our dreams!

I wanted to say, though, that you're already really strong, even if you don't think so. Think about all the great stuff you've already done! I dunno if it's hard for you in Hoenn or not, but I know you'll use everything you learned on our journey together, and everything you're learning in Hoenn, and you won't let anything stop you! Not until it's over!

I know we probably won't see each other again for a while, but maybe we can keep writing letters. I don't wanna lose track of you over time, especially since you promised me that we'd meet up again someday. I want you to know that.

Good luck, Serena! Go for broke!

With love,

Ash

A blush crept onto Serena's face that only grew in size and intensity as she read on. It was the last words, especially, that caused her face to turn a deep shade of red.

His voice echoed in her head, too. "I'll tell you one thing. I'll always be cheering you on and on." Those were the words he shared with her the day she decided to come to Hoenn. It was that encouragement to continue chasing her dream that brought her to the Hoenn Region to begin with, and here he was, cheering for her on and on, even from the faraway Alola Region.

She hugged the letter to her chest. "Oh, Ash…" she giggled, losing herself in her rapid heartbeat and the warm, fuzzy emotions that the Kantonese trainer always inspired in her. She stood once again, holding Pancham in one arm and the letter in the other. She turned to her Pokémon, her blush fading but the muse for training still burning hot.

"Who's ready for a little evening battle practice? I know I am!"

"Braixen!"

"Chamcham!"

"Veon!"

And with that, Serena and her Pokémon bolted for the battlefield outside.