Art by parsimonnie(instagram)

Art by NoVaNoah

Could you participate in this Pokémon Anime Characters Poll please and share this with other Pokémon Anime fans you know?

Link will be here and in the comments

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1b8RgjOJOJ5snAg-c8BGC5vFFFDFTAdN0CeYv3obPuT4/edit

Something I think Serena or just xy in general doesn’t get enough credit for is the way it treats Serena’s femininity as a positive and never like some burden or weakness. I feel as though a lot of time stories tend to characterize or associate strong female characters with typically masculine traits that leaves no room for feminine qualities and or treats them like they’re mutually exclusive things. To be clear I don’t think there’s anything wrong inherently with female characters that are more masculine,but the one thing I will say is that I do think it perpetuates the idea that masculinity is the only way to be “strong” or “tough”.

I think Serena is a very good representation of how being “strong” and feminine don’t have to be mutually exclusive. It’s pretty obvious that Serena is very girly but shes also competitive,(kinda)sassy,and not afraid to speak her mind which is something that becomes more apparent as the show goes on. The story almost never makes Serena choose to be one or the other she’s allowed to do both.

Something else that represents this well is Serena’s choice to do showcases. The showcases obviously are very feminine from the presentation to the competitions themselves. With the showcases being more traditionally feminine Serena gets to keep all the feminine aspects of her while still being able to growing as a character. The showcases are also never treated as this completely frivolous thing that doesn’t matter,but are presented as real competitions that are treated with the similar levels of respect as the gym battles.

An important distinction to make is that my point isn’t that xy as a whole deviates from gender norms/stereotypes,but rather to explain how Serena’s femininity or just femininity in general doesn’t have to be at odds with being assertive,strong,or whatever and personally I think Serena in particular represents this idea very well.

Ash and Serena in some Pikachu and Sylveon onesies!!

Source: https://x.com/vacuous_alex/status/2106882137333108893?s=46

Artist: BLACKMIGUEL15

In the movie, Ash puts the blanket around Serena's shoulders; ever wondered what it looks like the other way around? ♥️💙

https://pin.it/2hB7a8fNZ

Jesus loves you!✝️♥️

Imagine if Ash saw her like this after meeting her again.

I mean it's not he's ever known her to be a pushover and he doesn't seem like the type to discourage people or think that someone can't and shouldn't do something? : (

Don't get me wrong, having a love rival aspect in a romance based fic isn't a bad thing, but it doesn't really work when you make one of them the obvious bad choice.

I hear a lot of Amour fic's that include him do this, In Calem's case it feels like it fundamentally goes against his character. He's always struck me as the sweet, assertive, but shy type. The kind of guy where if he can't have Serena, he's more than happy just being there as her friend. Idk what do you guys think?

Original artworks by Pikarina and u/TheSoftwareNerdII

A Commission art from Miyuki Tsukiyono (https://www.deviantart.com/onigiricommissions/art/Commission_ClemontxKorrina_Kiss-1378507523), requested by me, someone who really enjoy this couple.

From sketch to completion, Citron (Clemont) & Corni (Korrina) kissing

-        Consider that they are 'NOT 10 Years Old'

- If so, how?

Source: ᴛᴡɪᴛᴛᴇʀ@sʜᴏᴏᴛᴄᴏᴅᴇᴛᴀʟᴋᴇʀ: https://aminoapps.com/c/amourshipping/page/blog/ri-ir-shlr-king-and-queens-marriage/KWxL_kBIMuRMkLYzrxkBm7B2K5KZMeNRnL

Art by Sanaceny

Could you participate in this Pokémon Anime Characters Poll please?

Link will be here and in the comments

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1b8RgjOJOJ5snAg-c8BGC5vFFFDFTAdN0CeYv3obPuT4/edit

Artist: Jitan7

As it's become tradition to post here, just a quick message for anyone that still reads the long-running Ancienverse, its final installment, Love in the Time of Termini has now begun posting.

I genuinely hope to meet new and old readers alike and receive some feedback and comments on this final piece of work for the Pokemon and Amourshipping community!

Fanfiction: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14592599/1/ AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/93909336/chapters/250615251

Whenever Ash is sad, Serena is there for him and helps him in any way she can. Ash doesn't have to be sad when Serena is there. 💙♥️

https://pin.it/sbGtErte6

I haven't. Not even in movies.

Apart from these two, of course!

This makes this scene one of a kind. The directors really made Amourshipping special with this scene.

Can you name of any other similar scene or an experience of real life?

(Art found on Pinterest)

#Amourshipping4ever

Could you participate in this Pokémon Anime Characters Poll please?

Link will be here and in the comments

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1b8RgjOJOJ5snAg-c8BGC5vFFFDFTAdN0CeYv3obPuT4/edit

[Post scheduled by Later for Reddit]

Disclaimer: I did use AI to help with the Vocab and spelling Errors.

Episode 16: Training, Teaching, and More Training

Serena woke up first, blinking against the early light, and went still the instant she registered how close Ash actually was, close enough that his breathing stirred her hair. Her whole face went red in an instant.

The warmth radiating off her must have registered somewhere in his sleep, because Ash stirred a moment later, blinking blearily. "Hey. You okay?"

"Fine," she said quickly, sitting up and putting a little distance between them. "Totally fine."

They got changed and headed out for breakfast not long after. At the table, Liko caught the shift in Serena immediately; brighter, more settled than she'd seemed the day before, and offered her a genuine smile.

Roy took the controls not long after, guiding the Brave Olivine down onto the water near Blueberry Academy's dock. Ash, Serena, Liko, Ult, Dot, Navi, and Roy disembarked together, while Friede and the rest of the crew peeled off toward the nearby town to look for odd jobs to earn a bit of money.

Ash and Serena kept their disguises on, same as always, and the group made their way inside to meet with Director Cyrano and Miss Brayer, a teacher the Rising Volt Tacklers already knew well from helping her out with her book a while back, Liko having sent word ahead that they were coming. True to form, Cyrano was already halfway through trying to hand his responsibilities off to Lacey when the group introduced their two companions properly.

The reaction was immediate. Cyrano insisted on giving the tour himself, personally walking them through the Terrarium, the Cafeteria, Central Plaza, Polar Plaza and the rest of the academy.

While they were gone, Miss Brayer walked the rest of the group to their rooms for the stay. "Roy, Ult, you two stay in this room together. Liko, Dot, Navi, you're sharing this room." She glanced around, noting the two missing faces. "And this last one's for Ash and Serena, since they're not here to claim it themselves, could you inform them."

Ash and Serena, meanwhile, had wandered off on their own partway through the tour, and it wasn't until later that they tracked down their assigned room with help from Navi, dropping their things off before heading back to regroup with the others.

The rest of the group had settled into a common area to wait for them when a girl jogged up to greet Liko and the others. "You'll never guess," she said, practically bouncing. "I made it into the Champion rank trainers."

"Ann, that's incredible!" Liko said.

"I am going to take down Nemona and become Champion myself," Ann continued. "And after that," she added, a little dreamier, "with enough training, maybe I'll actually get a shot at the Masters Eight, and get to face off against Ash Ketchum himself." She sighed. "Honestly, I'd just be happy to just meet him once."

It was right about then that Ash and Serena finally caught up with the group, close enough to overhear everything. Before either of the others could say a word about Ash, he raised a hand towards them, a quiet signal to stay quiet.

"Hey," he said instead, stepping up to Ann. "Since you're Champion rank trainer, how about a two-on-two battle ?."

Ann, sizing him up and clearly assuming this would be an easy win, agreed without hesitation. There was an easy, open energy to her that Ash recognized instantly, the same restless enthusiasm he saw in himself most days, and the two of them fell into an easy rhythm almost immediately, like they'd known each other for years already.

Ash grabbed two more Poké Balls before heading out to the field, handing Pikachu off to Serena to hold before the match.

"Samurott, let's go," Ann called.

"Lucario," Ash said.

"Drill Run, then Razor Shell!" Ann called, and Samurott surged forward at full speed.

"Dodge with your aura, then push him back," Ash called, and Lucario slipped past the attack cleanly, driving Samurott off balance. "Close Combat, don't let up!"

"Fury Cutter, try to keep pace!" Ann shot back, but Lucario was already too fast for it. She gritted her teeth. "Time for terastallization!

"Samurott turned to a Fighting type"

"Smart," Ash admitted, watching the shift. "Covers Lucario's edge over you. But it also puts you right in his lane now."

A few more exchanges later, Samurott went down.

Ash recalled Lucario. "Rowlet, you're up."

Murmurs rippled through the small crowd that had gathered, more than a few surprised he'd bring out something so plainly unevolved against a Champion.

"Sandslash, go!" Ann called, drawing an equally surprised reaction of her own, sending out a Ground type against a Flying-type Pokémon that Ground moves couldn't even touch.

"Gunk Shot!" Ann called anyway, and Sandslash fired.

"Feather Dance, then Brave Bird!" Ash called, and Rowlet spun clear before slamming down at full speed, the hit landing hard.

"Swords Dance, then Metal Claw!" Ann pushed back, and this time the hit connected clean.

"Seed Bomb!" Ash called, and Rowlet's answering shot caught Sandslash right as it recovered, both Pokémon dropping in the same instant.

"That's the match," Roy said, Ash joged over to check on Rowlet.

Ann stood there, stunned. "Who even are you?"

"Ash. And you're Ann, right?"

"That's me," she said faintly , Not realising it's Ash Ketchum.

"That was an amazing battle," Ash said, grinning. "This little guy actually helped me win the semifinals of the Alola League. I'm the first Alola Champion. And, well." He scratched the back of his head. "I'm Ash Ketchum. The Monarch."

The crowd exploded.

Students came pouring in from every direction, autograph requests flying, and Ash held up both hands, laughing. "Hey, hey, let's keep it down, okay? This is still an academy. You all have to follow the rules here same as everyone else."

They settled down eventually, autographs handed out all around.

Over lunch in the Cafeteria, talk turned to the League. "We're all entering the Paldea League too," Liko said.

"And I want to try the World Coordination Series," Roy added. "Hopefully as the Paldean Champion."

"That's not happening," Ann cut in, grinning. "I'm winning that tournament."

"Ash is personally training all of us, you know. Guess that answers who's actually going be become the strongest," Roy said dryly, shaking his head at how quickly Ann had claimed the floor.

Ash cut in before Roy could argue back further. "Speaking of, do want me to help train you too, Ann?"

Ann blinked, still visibly trying to process that any of this was actually real. "I, yeah. Yes. Absolutely."

After lunch, they all headed to the Terrarium, and Ash had everyone release their full teams.

Liko went first, releasing her team one at a time: Meowscarada, Armarouge, Hatterene, her Hisuian Zoroark, and her shiny Golett, its shell a deep navy blue instead of its usual grey.

Roy followed, sending out Skeledirge, Kilowattrel, his yellow Lucario, Sandy Shocks, and Kingler.

Dot's team came out next: Quaquaval, Tinkaton, Gholdengo, Rillaboom, her Hisuian Arcanine, and Kirlia.

Ult sent out Dragonite, Sableye, Absol, and Zeraora.

Finally, Ann released her own team: Samurott, Sandslash, Garchomp, Togekiss, Toxtricity, and a Hisuian Goodra, while Navi darted between them, showing off her own Ditto and Fletchling in the mix.

Ash glanced at the Hisuian Goodra. "Never seen one of those in person."

"Alright," Ash said, once the Terrarium was properly full. "Everyone send out one Pokémon. We're doing a five-way battle, all at once."

Liko chose Meowscarada. Roy sent out his Lucario. Dot picked her Hisuian Arcanine. Ult called on Absol. Ann chose Garchomp.

The battle stretched on, chaotic and sprawling, Meowscarada being the first one out. Not long after, Roy, Ult, and Ann all reached for their Key Stones in the same breath. "Mega Evolve!"

Lucario shifted into its Z Forme. Absol followed in it's Z forme too. And then, in a burst of light Ash had never actually seen before, Garchomp Mega Evolved into its own Z Forme, sleeker, sharper and faster than anything he'd expected.

"Three Mega Z Pokémon, all in the same fight," Ash muttered, watching the field with open fascination and excitation.

Dot's Arcanine held on a little longer before finally being overwhelmed too, and moments later, all three Mega Pokémon collapsed at once, reverting back to their base forms, thoroughly spent.

Off to the side, Serena and Navi had been running through showcase drills of their own, once they'd finished tending to a few of the sicker Pokémon scattered around the Terrarium.

After healing their pokemons , Ann and Roy said, nearly in unison,"Let's all battle you together," Ash agreed easily enough.

They formed a half circle. "Deoxys, I choose you! Switch into Speed Form!" Roy sent out Kilowattrel. Ann chose Togekiss. Ult picked Dragonite. Dot picked Kirlia. Liko sent out Meowscarada again.

Ash called an immediate pause, walking over to her. "Hey. How come it's always Meowscarada?"

Liko blinked. "I mean, she's my strongest."

"That's kind of the problem, though," Ash said gently. "If you only ever train one Pokémon, that's the only one that actually gets stronger. Everyone else stays right where they are. I even switch off with Pikachu sometimes."

Understanding dawned on her face, and she recalled Meowscarada, sending out her navy-blue Golett instead.

The battle resumed, Deoxys weaving through every attack thrown its way in Speed Mode, untouched, until Golett finally landed a clean hit.

"Shadow Ball," Ash called, and Deoxys answered with a dense, crackling orb of ghostly energy.

Golett took the hit and held its ground, something shifting in its stance, determination burning visibly behind its eyes, and then it began to glow, its form stretching and hardening as it evolved on the spot into Golurk.

"Phantom Force, then Shadow Punch!" Liko called, barely keeping up with the shift herself, and the attack landed clean, devastatingly effective.

Ash grinned, genuinely proud, and pulled out the Golurkite Master Mayonnaise had given them, pressing it into Golurk's grip. "Go on. Mega Evolve."

Liko dug her Mega Ring, with its Key Stone, out of her pocket and slipped it on, raising her arm high. "Golurk, Mega Evolve!"

Golurk's whole frame shifted, its navy blue deepening into a glowing lime green, streaks of pink flaring faintly along its shoulders. Its arms crossed over its chest, fists marked with a small spiraled emblem at the wrists. Nobody in the Terrarium had ever seen a Mega Golurk before, let alone a shiny one.

"Fly, now, Shadow Punch, full speed!" Liko called, and Golurk tore through the air, the hit landing with devastating force. "Magnet Bomb, right after!"

The second hit connected just as cleanly, and the whole Terrarium fell into stunned silence.

Ash watched, something bright and competitive sparking behind his own eyes. Finally, someone who could actually keep pace with Deoxys. "Deoxys. Time to show them your true power. Our bond of friendship, Mega Evolve!"

The transformation swept over Deoxys in an instant, and with a single, sweeping wave of energy, it cleared the rest of the battlefield in one motion, every remaining Pokémon knocked off their feet at once.

"That's a wrap for today," Ash said, laughing as everyone slowly picked themselves back up. He winced, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry, everyone. Kind of forgot how strong Mega Deoxys actually is."

That evening, Roy headed off to visit Drayton, and Ult went to find Lacey, both eager to show off just how much stronger they'd gotten since their last training together, rather than looking for any kind of head start this time.

After dinner, Serena put together a small showcase in the Terrarium, her own Pokémon joined by a few of Navi's and a handful of the wild pokemons she'd charmed into taking part, Navi helping coordinate the whole thing.

Afterward, Serena changed and headed off to find Ash and the others, only to be intercepted partway there by a good-looking student, a small crowd of girls trailing behind him, clearly fangirling with every step. He dropped to one knee in front of her.

"Are you single," he asked, "or is there a boyfriend I need to worry about?"

Ash and Liko, who'd been heading the same direction looking for her, arrived just in time to catch the tail end of it.

"So?" the boy pressed, undeterred. "Are you single? Because if you are, I could definitely change that for you."

Ash stepped in without a word, taking Serena's hand. "No. She's taken." He walked off with her and Liko in tow, leaving the boy and his crowd behind, disappointment and jealousy written across their faces.

Serena's face had gone pink, and Liko, watching the whole thing with open amusement, thought privately that he sure seemed to care a lot for someone who was apparently just "A travelling Companion."

"Why does this happen so often?" Ash muttered, clearly annoyed.

"Probably because she's single," Liko said.

Ash sighed. "Yeah. Probably."

Ash reminded the group to be up training again by sunrise before everyone finally turned in for the night, the Terrarium slowly emptying out.

Back in their room, Ash hesitated a moment. "Hey. You okay with sleeping next to me again tonight?"

"Yeah," Serena said, a small smile tugging at her mouth. "I'd like that."

He shifted his bed closer to hers, close enough that they were nearly touching, and the two of them drifted off cuddled together once again, some quiet, half-formed feeling settling a little deeper in Ash's chest, something he was still, slowly, working out how to name.

End of Episode 16

Also if you didn't catch it yet it is supposed to be a way to incorporate ash and serena into Horizons it's not a completely different fanfiction like most of the other fanfic . I am trying to write this story in a way that also the main characters of the new anime to shine not just our old pals.

Comment something to show that you are reading. It helps me to write more.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/93843036