A Journey's Link

Chapter 36 - Opposition

Serena felt her face reaching heat levels beyond what was possible, so she exclaimed, "That's enough!", shutting up both Miette and Chloe. "Sorry..." Chloe whispered, feeling bad about the teasing to Serena. Miette blankly stared at Serena, in shock of her outburst, and softly smiled.

"I guess I have been a little harsh on you," she said apologetically. "No hard feelings?" She sincerely extended her hand to Serena, who cautiously eyed it. She's been mean to me ever since we met, Serena thought. How can I just accept her apology just like that?

Miette must've sensed Serena's apprehensiveness and sighed. "Look, I know I've been mean, but it's because I can tell that you want to properly tell him," she explained, causing Serena to raise her eyebrows due to the truth of Miette's words. "I've been mean and pushy so that you would tell him. I was hoping that having another person fight for him would force you to go for it."

Serena absorbed Miette's words and realized her actions and what she said all this time were genuine. I guess she really was trying to help me, Serena thought, recalling everything that Miette did when they were around Ash. And all this time I thought she was just trying to embarrass me.

Serena saw the sincere look on Miette's and decided to take her hand to shake it. Before, Miette would have pulled her in and said something snarky to spite her, but she didn't this time. Instead, she shook her hand and gave a sincere look of apology, as she seemed to regret her behavior towards Serena.

Chloe suddenly began getting a call from Goh on her phone, so quickly grabbed it and walked over to a couch to take the call. "Hey Goh, what's up?" she began saying as she sat down on the cushion, leaving Miette and Serena alone near the front desk.

"You really haven't said anything to Ash?" Miette said, almost in a disappointed and sad manner, which caught Serena off guard. "Uh, not really, I guess," she said, not sure if the answer was a simple yes or no. Miette seemed to notice Serena's hesitation and said, "Did you say anything that would let him know your feelings?"

Serena shuffled her feet a bit and muttered, "Well, I kissed him." Miette's mouth flew open as she exclaimed, "YOU WHAT!", and began flailing her arms about. Serena was trying to subdue her outburst of emotion when Chloe suddenly came running over with a worried look on her face. "What's wrong?" Serena asked while she was trying to shut Miette up.

"It's Ash and Goh. They both got teleported somewhere, and they have no clue where," Chloe said with a concerned tone. Miette stopped freaking out what Serena had done and also became worried. "Wait, who's Goh?" She asked, earning a stern look from Serena, who replied, "That's not important. Right now, we've got to find them."

"Yeah, but how," Chloe said, feeling hopeless. "We have no idea where they are, and Goh suddenly hung up on me!" Serena's mind wandered for a second, and she knew that there was only one thing they could do that could lead them to their location. "Let's go to the Anistar City Gym!" she exclaimed, gesturing for Miette and Chloe to follow her.

[-]

"Son of a Bidoof!" The call ended!" Goh exclaimed, staring at the now black screen of his phone. Ash sighed and looked around, hoping to see any form of light, but was only met with blackness. "At least Chloe heard that we're lost, so maybe she'll get help to find us," Goh said, finding a silver lining in the situation.

"How did we even get here?" Ash asked Goh, speaking in his general direction, as he couldn't even see his fellow Research Fellow. "I think the Meowstic teleported us here," Goh suggested. "I'm not sure why because if they did mean to teleport us here, then those are some mean Meowstic."

Ash nodded, even though Goh couldn't see him, and went back to looking around the room. He suddenly got an idea. "Hey buddy," Ash said, speaking to Pikachu, who sat on his shoulder. "You think you could generate some sparks so we could see around this place?" Ash heard a small "Pika!" of agreement and felt the small mouse hop off his shoulder.

"Pi!" Pikachu exclaimed as small sparks produced from his cheeks. It wasn't a permanent fix to their lighting situation, but it was enough for Ash and Goh to temporarily see around them. It seemed to be a small prison-like room, with one end having a high-security door and the other a large, menacing device.

"What is that thing?" Goh questioned, referring to the device that towered before them. At the top were mechanical arms that would fit around an individual's head, and all around the middle were restraints that could hold even the strongest of Pokemon. "I don't know," Ash replied. "But it sure doesn't look nice."

They jumped as a large slam was created from behind them and they turned around to see the door wide open. Ash grabbed Pikachu and quickly hid behind the restraining device, Goh quickly following suit. They heard a switch being flicked, causing the lights to turn on in the room. Ash looked at Goh and Pikachu and held a finger over his lips, signaling for them to be quiet. Both of them nodded and quietly listened as footsteps were heard.

"Now, Miss Olympia, you are going to tell me everything about the incoming Zygarde core," a man's voice said. Ash's eyes grew wide at what he heard. Olympia! he thought, holding himself back from running out into the room and trying to save her. Goh's eyes also grew wide as he noticed something else in the man's statement. He's talking about the Zygarde corefrom space! he thought, wondering how the man knew about its existence.

They heard Olympia's voice speak up. "I'm telling you, I know nothing of this presumed third Zygarde core," she insisted. "If I did, I would've helped stop it from its incoming presence." This wasn't the answer that the man wanted as he bellowed, "LIES! IT'S ALL LIES!" Ash grew scared of the man's anger but stayed still and quiet.

"Mewtwo! Put her on the machine. Then we'll see beyond her lies and into her truths!" the man commanded, talking to another being in the room. Ash's eyes widened even further once he heard that name. Mewtwo! he thought. The one I had to help when Giovanni was trying...

His mouth opened as he put two and two together. Giovanni! he thought, realizing something. Is that who the man is?! Goh noticed Ash's shock and was understandably confused, so he tapped Ash on the shoulder and gave him a weird look. Ash just shook his head and pointed to his Pokeballs, which was a gesture Goh seemed to understand.

As they grabbed their Pokeballs, Z, who Ash believed was Giovanni, kept talking to Olympia. "I was told of the skills you displayed during the Kalos Crisis, and I was impressed," he complimented. "However, I knew you wouldn't use those skills for purposeful things, so I built this device to make you." Goh shuddered at the man's pure evilness and looked over at Ash, who seemed unfazed by the man's words. I wonder how much evil he's had to conquer? Goh thought. Ash held up his hands and counted down.

3... Goh grabbed his Pokeball tightly, worried about the outcome. What if our Pokemon can't overpower 'Mewtwo', or whatever it's called? he thought. What happens then? Goh had never truly felt fear before as he was feeling it now, so it was a lot more nerve-wracking for him than it was for Ash.

2... What if we disappear after this and we're never heard from again? Goh's mind began racing at the possible outcomes of this ambush. A lot of the possibilities included them getting defeated and who knows what would happen after that.

1... How will Chloe feel if I just disappear like that? I'm her closest friend, and I don't want her to be alone! Goh began thinking about Chloe, and how he would want her to feel safe and happy. What if she gives up on her passion for Performances if I'm gone? In that split second, Goh happily imagined spending time with Chloe right as Ash signaled for them to go forward.

"Go, everyone!" Ash and Goh yelled as a confused Z and an annoyed Mewtwo watched as a handful of Pokemon appeared in battle stance. "Attack that Pokemon!" They both commanded, causing every Pokemon in the room to unleash their most powerful attack onto the powerful Psychic Pokemon. A large explosion resulted from this collision, sending Ash and Goh back into the wall, causing them both to blackout as the dust settled.