The Road to our Destiny

Chapter 25

A couple of days have passed since Ash, Pikachu, Serena, and Brock made it to Celadon City. After Ash defeated Erika, the group has been taking it easy while staying at the Pokemon Center. Ash is spending time training his Pokemon at the courtyard outside of the Pokemon Center, while Brock and Serena have been exploring the city before Serena comes back to the Pokemon Center to practice her performances with her Pokemon. Neither of them, however, have seen Giselle since Ash and Erika's battle despite the fact that she's staying at the Pokemon Center with them.

It is the afternoon on the third day of the group staying in Celadon City, and Serena is at the park in the center of the city with her Pokemon. Braixen is picking some flowers, Poliwag and Absol are playfully chasing each other, and Serena is brushing Sylveon on a park bench with Pancham waiting to be brushed next. Serena is smiling as she grooms her Pokemon and watches other people play and have fun with their Pokemon all over the park.

"Absol, Poliwag, don't run too far," she calls out.

"Absol," Absol calls back obediently.

"Poliwag," Poliwag replies with a smile.

Serena nods with her eyes closed, satisfied with their response as she finishes grooming Sylveon.

"Alright, you're all done, Sylveon," she says.

"Sylveon," Sylveon says cutely before it gets off Serena's lap, and Pancham eagerly hops on her lap to be brushed.

"So, Sylveon, I've decided tomorrow is when you're going to have your contest debut," Serena says as she stays grooming Pancham. "So, after dinner tonight, we'll be working very hard for the appeal stage, okay?"

"Sylveon," Silverton replies happily.

Serena smiles as Sylveon leaves to play with Poliwag and Absol. She looks at the three of them fondly, happy to see Sylveon get along so well with her two new Pokemon.

"Hey, Serena."

Serena turns her head to see Brock sitting down next to her on the bench with a smile.

"Oh, hi, Brock," Serena greets. "What are you doing out here?"

"I decided to go on some errands and refill on supplies so that we're ready to go after your contest," Brock says. "I figured I may as well get ready since we will probably leave right after the contest."

Serena nods in understanding while she finishes brushing Pancham. The little panda-like Pokemon hops off her lap and goes over to Sylveon, Poliwag, and Absol to play while the two trainers watch. Serena enjoys watching her Pokemon play until she frowns and turns to Brock.

"Hey, Brock, is it normal for a Pokemon like Absol to take a while to start having any moves?" She asks.

Brock looks at her, taken aback for a moment before he looks at her seriously.

"Not really," he says honestly. "There are a lot of basic attacks that an Absol can learn as soon as it's born. Have you tried to see if it knows any attacks with your Pokedex."

"Oh yeah, I forgot that my Pokedex can do that now," Serena says in realization. "It was one of the new features Professor Oak, and Tracy added into it when Ash and I visited the Professor's lab. I guess I completely forgot about it."

"Yeah, better check it out," Brock says.

Serena nods and takes out her Pokedex. It scans her disaster Pokemon while it's playfully tackling Sylveon, and a list of attacks appear.

"Let's see," she says. "It says Absol knows Scratch, Leer, Feint, and... Perish Song? I think I've seen that before."

"Yeah, Perish Song unleashes terrible sound waves and after about four turns into a Pokemon battle, all of the Pokemon who hear it faint including the one who used it," Brock explains. "In Absol's case, they tend to unleash crimson-colored sound waves toward their opponent."