This is basically my feelings for Calem in a fanfic: "I'm not quite sure when I fell in love with you."

I'm exposing myself, but that's okay since if you're here then you're likely the same. :'))

I was writing this as I was playing through the game (have long since finished the Nat Dex in X which is a neat feat), which leads to some accurate chronology with his encounters! That's a neat touch.

If you're here, I hope you enjoy!

Edited for grammar and details on January 31, 2022.


Letter To You

Calem

"Nice battle, Calem. It reminds me of old times, don't you think?"

I'm standing in Radiant Chamber. It's much brighter than the previous Pokémon League rooms. Light bounces off the pillars, reflections on the coloured glass floor. I squint. How does the Champion deal with this?

I look at her, my rival and the Champion of the Kalos Elite Four. Serena tilts her head slightly, still smiling.

I'm not surprised it's her. That strength… The bond she shares with her Pokémon is unprecedented. But not unparalleled—meeting all sorts of Trainers over the past few months taught me that. Meeting my own Pokémon too. I should head to the Pokémon center soon, but…

I have to smile. It was exhilarating to say the least. "My Pokémon and I tried our best."

Serena laughs. "I don't have any doubt about that."

She does laugh a lot. Serena's a cheerful person. I'm glad someone like this moved into Vaniville Town. And even more glad that someone like this became my rival and friend. The journey would have been much less thrilling without a kind and impassioned rival, without someone with a fire to light a similar one beneath yourself.

"Oh." I'm jolted out of the thought by light footsteps on the glass floor. "I also have something to give you." Serena ruffles into her bag—the same one she's been using all this time—and hands me a envelope.

I take it from her, flipping it over. There's nothing, not even a stamp, besides my name scrawled on the front. Calem.

I gave raise my eyebrows, questioning.

She smiles. "To you. You can read it right now if you want."

I open it. It's a letter, and her handwriting on the lines.


Calem,

I'm not quite sure when I fell in love with you.

You were the reason I tried so hard to train my Pokémon and challenge the gyms. It was so much fun to travel the region knowing you and our friends were there with me. We started our journey together, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

But let me clarify: I still don't know when I fell in love with you.

I was the new kid in Vaniville Town. When I walked out the door, I wasn't expecting to see you and Shauna standing there. That was the start of my—no, our —Pokémon adventure. From then on, you were my rival. We'd take on the gyms. We'd try to become the Kalos League Champion.

You were the calm one in our group. The experienced one—your parents were Trainers themselves after all. But you said they had nothing to do with you. I respected that. I respected you and how you were going to carve a path for yourself and make your own future.

And you respected me. What better rivalry could I ask for?

Fast forward. Do you remember when our group of five was in the Tower of Mastery, battling for the Mega Ring? Narrow it down to us, and I wasn't going to go easy on you, Calem.

I won, but you weren't upset. Even then, I knew you would be an amazing Trainer. One of the best in Kalos, no doubt. That battle was one of the best I've ever had at the time, maybe even up to time of writing. The stakes were high, so maybe that's why it was so memorable.

It was fun. I remember that you were smiling. I remember smiling, too.

And maybe it was there that I finally realized there was a change. Every time you contacted me, I grinned. Seeing your face on my Holo Caster made me so overjoyed, I found myself wishing that every call was from you. You came out of nowhere to give me HM Surf just before disappearing once again. What a simple thing to make me happy.

"Serena, I challenge you to a battle in front of the Gym! You'd better be ready!"

And you appeared seconds after I arrived there. Seeing you in person made me smile so much, I wonder if you noticed. Naturally, I won, but as you left I couldn't help but think that you'd try your best to bridge that gap between our abilities. I decided I would try my best to be worthy of that hard work.

Soon after that, I met you outside the city on the swing set. You had just enough time to challenge me to another battle. That gleam in your eyes made you impossible to turn down. But then again, just between you and me, I wouldn't have been able to turn you down anyway.

You left right after and didn't join us in searching that "haunted house"—(There's an arrow pointing to scrawled words in the margins: It was just a man telling us a scary story in a dark room. I tipped him though! ). It made me think that all you wanted to do was be with—as in battle—me. It was nice, feeling like I was the only reason you were there.

Don't worry; I know I wasn't, though I don't doubt you wanted to battle me. There's more to Kalos than just me as I'm sure we both know by now!

At the Pokéball Factory, we teamed up. I still don't know what happened for that Team Flare guard to chase Shauna and Trevor like that, but… I don't know if I ever said thank you for how you stepped in to challenge that Team Flare member so I could search inside instead. And for the final battle against those two scientists, you and I were unstoppable. I hoped we always would be, if not to allow us to chase our dreams then to stop any more wrongdoing in this region.

"Serena. This time, I challenge you to a battle in front of Anistar City's Gym! You'd better be ready!"

Your voice always made my day. I couldn't believe it was time for another battle, but I guess time flies when we're taking down gyms. But you can be sure I wasn't slacking off! My rival. That's what you would always be. I won't deny that somewhere along the way I hoped for more, but even then I was so content. I got to go on this crazy once-in-a-lifetime journey with the best friends, and the best rival.

When we were dealing with Team Flare… When we got to meet one of Kalos' Legendary Pokémon , I was so relieved to have you by my side. There's no one else I would rather have to back me up, even when it's as something as monumental and profound as facing a legend itself.

After that was all over, when everyone rushed to get back on our adventure, what you said right after that made my heart skip a beat. Maybe a few beats. You deliberately stayed back to tell me that you respect me. You solidified how we were friends and rivals. This helped confirm a lot of things. Before it was only speculation, yet I admit it was almost solid. But hearing you say it made me understand that I wasn't mistaken on our friendship.

I knew you'd beat the eighth gym. I knew you'd make it to the Elite Four. I just didn't know you'd make it there so soon. I started the journey through Victory Road right after my gym challenge, but yet soon enough you were racing after me. Challenging me to a battle again.

You were never far behind, were you? Though that's a weird thought to me. I've always pictured you in my mind as the one who's ahead. And I'm trying to catch up to you!

"You know, it's because I met you that I was able to get this far… But our journey's just getting started. Who knows what heights we'll reach!"

"I'm renewing my rivalry with you!"

Good luck at the Pokémon League! I have a feeling you won't need it though.

(The letter continues on the back of the page).

Calem,

I am now the Kalos League Champion. I'm sure that doesn't surprise you. Even if it hasn't entirely settled in for me at the time of writing.

But we did go through that celebration in Luminose City after all. You didn't seem that surprised there either, but you did look happy for me! You're the best rival. I have to admit, we've faced eight Gym Leaders, travelled almost everywhere in the entire region, and saved a Legendary Pokémon itself, but I was totally nervous standing up there in front of all those people.

I'm glad I got to stand up there with you guys though. Trevor, Tierno, Shauna, and you, Calem.

Anyway, when you beat the Elite Four, just as I have, and come to this room, I have resolved to tell you, win or lose, of my feelings. Which really means do nothing myself except give you this letter, of course.

I'm writing this inside Radiant Chamber right now. I have absolutely no doubt that you'll make it here. And then I will give you this letter and await your response. I don't know if you'll read it right in front of me, or if you'll pocket it for me to see your response later. I've probably imagined a million ways this could play out. But I'll do it anyway.

Do you remember how you started out by calling me "neighbour"? You eventually transitioned into calling me Serena, as well as that nickname you four gave me back at the beginning. It made me really happy. It was actually really cute! Our relationship grew, you see. Even if you didn't notice, I assure you that I did.

I know this is a lot to drop on someone so suddenly and all at once, but I'm partly reassured by how I just know it'll be okay. We've been through too much for things to flip on its head at the drop of a hat—or of a letter. Just know that, Calem, whatever your reaction is to this, I will always be your rival, and more importantly your friend.

The journey with you to become the best Trainers in Kalos has made my life so much better and I thank you.

With all my love,
Serena

(There are more words after the signature, seemingly scribbled after the fact.)

P.S.

I won't lie, I'm still hoping for the best! But Calem, you'll always be precious to me no matter what.

Speaking of which, I can call you lots of things, can't I? Calem. Rival. Friend. Neighbour. Perhaps Kalos League Champion? If you can beat me, that is. Bring it on!

I love you.


Serena

So this is how it's going to play out.

I can't tell what part he's reading by just his reactions. Calem's always been calm whenever he wants to be—and always when he needs to be—and it's part of what makes him so reliable.

Not once does he meet my eyes. But there are times his eyes change or his cheeks redden the tiniest bit.

Oh, it looks like he's done.

Calem folds the letter and places it back in the envelope. He's looking at the ground, eyes hidden by his bangs. I don't know what kind of expression he's wearing. I wonder, but I'm also kind of scared to know.

After what feels like eternity to me, he looks up. Not at me, but I can see he looks pretty normal. But it's definitely an expression he would not usually make. The slightest bit taken aback.

But the weirdest thing is... there's a small smile on his face.

It's not from our battle. I know because that smile disappeared while he concentrated on reading the letter.

...So, why's he smiling now?

That small smile is so out of place. I can't help it—maybe it's the nerves. I laugh. And Calem finally looks at me. I smile back at him, brightly, before taking a deep breath.

"As the Kalos League Champion, I'll be happy to rematch you anytime," I say.

Calem grins. "Yeah."

The smile on my face stays.

"See you in a bit?" he asks.

"Sure," I reply. "I'll meet you later."

"Sounds good," he turns to walk away. "Call me on your Holo Caster when you're out of here."

It's pure relief coursing through my veins as he begins to walk. It didn't go poorly. But I fear that I'm about to eat my words when he stops.

A pause. Then he turns to look at me. Smiling.

"I'll beat you next time."

Heart beating, I reply, "I don't count on losing my title."

"You wouldn't." Calem laughs, and the light shining in Radiant Chamber seems to spotlight on him. "You wouldn't be the rival you are if you did."

Then he leaves.

It's just me smiling to myself now, feeling a sense of happiness that has grown familiar throughout my journey across Kalos. With my Pokémon. With Calem. Somehow, I've gotten used to this feeling.

And as I think of Calem, I'm sure that it's a feeling I will never let go of.