The Hunchback of Lumiose Cathedral: A OC/Pokemon/Amourshipping story

Chapter 17

Ash ran faster than the rest of the group as they went up the cathedral stairs. Sonia, Miette, Pikachu, Sylveon, and Slurpuff ran as best as possible behind him, with Sylveon and Miette's faces filled with fear. The closer they got to the cathedral towers, the more they were afraid to find out that they were too late to save Serena, but Ash refused to let the possibility enter his mind. He trusted that Timothy and Serena were both alive and waiting for everyone to come and save them.

The group ran to the top of the staircase closest to the west side entrance, and Ash said, "Alright, we just need to get to the staircase from the other side of this hallway, and we'll be at the top."

"But what if we don't get there in time?" Miette asked.

"Don't think like that, Miette," Sonia rebuked. "You heard what Ash said. Timothy's going to keep protecting Serena." The peach-haired woman turned her head away from the blunette and muttered with a dark look on her face, "And if he fails, there's nowhere for Markenel to run."

"Come on, guys. Don't stop. Serena and Timothy are waiting for us," Ash said.

"Pikachu," Pikachu said.

"Sylveon," Sylveon said.

"Slurpuff," Slurpuff said.

The six of them raced toward the stairs to the south tower. Ash kept his determined face with Sonia and Pikachu, while Miette's mind was still filled with doubt. But when they were halfway through the hallway, they heard a loud, maniacal cackle coming from above them and their hearts grew still, instantly recognizing Markenel's voice. They ran to the closest window, and Ash, Sonia, and Miette leaned their heads out the window to find Serena holding on to Timothy while Markenel was on one of the gargoyle heads, raising his sword at Serena.

"He will stand tall above the face of seduction, and he shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!" They heard Markenel shout.

"No!" Sonia shouted.

"Serena! Timothy!" Ash yelled.

"We're too late!" Miette whined.

But before Markenel could attack, he was hit by a beam of electricity, purple hearts, and soundwaves. He lost his balance and caught the statue before falling to his death, losing his sword in the process. Ash, Serena, and Miette smiled in relief until they saw Serena lose her grip on Timothy.

"NO!" they heard Serena scream.

Ash, Sonia, and Miette's eyes widened with Miette gasping as Timothy fell. She turned to her Pokemon partner and shouted, "Slurpuff, catch Timothy with Psychic, now!" Slurpuff only had a moment to realize what was happening from how well it could see through the window before its eyes glowed blue, and Timothy stopped falling in midair with a blue outline surrounding his body. Everyone sighed in relief until Ash noticed the clock wrapped around Timothy's head.

"Slurpuff, bring him over here, quick!" He shouted.

The meringue Pokémon levitated over to them and gently laid him down on the ground on his back. It took a moment for Sonia, Miette, Pikachu, Sylveon, and Slurpuff to realize Markenel's cloak before Ash knelt down and took it off Timothy's head. Ash's heart sank at the sight of Timothy's pale, lifeless face, and Miette knelt down to Timothy's other side to learn her ear against his chest.

"I can't feel a heartbeat!" she panicked.

Sonia furrowed her brow and shouted, "Back away, you two!"

Ash and Miette stood up and stepped back as Sonia got down on her knees, pinched Timothy's nose, and breathed air into his mouth. She then placed her hands at the center of Timothy's chest and used her body weight to push down multiple times as fast as she could. Sonia repeated the process with Ash's hands turned into fists, Slurpuff holding Miette's hand, and Pikachu and Sylveon standing close to each other. Again and again, Sonia breathed into Timothy's mouth and pushed down on his chest until she stopped to see no movement and turned to her friends to shake her head.