Fade Away ~Amourshipping / Adventure { Pokémon }

Confidence and Arrogance

<><>Ash's POV<><>

There's nothing except the looming black of the void. And also, pain. There is no scent to the air, color to the world, anything. There is only darkness, and pain.

I want it to stop.

But I can't move. I can't do anything. Struggling soon proves useless. I want it all to stop.

Until it happens.

In front of me, I start to see a glimmer of light, a ray of hope. Hope for it to extinguish the overwhelming shadows. Hope for a cure to what seems like my endless suffering.

The glowing increases, becoming larger and larger by the second. My ailments decrease as such. My body, once devoid of warmth, becomes filled of it.

Until no more is the darkness around me.

<><><><>

I gasp, awakening and sitting up with a jolt. A girl's hands are placed on my shoulders, and her eyes are closed.

I blink several times, realizing it's Serena.

I understand what she had done. I smile.

"And you've saved me, again," I quietly say. Her joy soon fades, as she replies, "but... It wouldn't have happened in the first place if I was more careful. I gave up an opportunity to attack-"

"It's okay," I reassure her. "You did it to help me. And if I were you, I would've done the same." I stand. "I'm fine. Now, we need to change our focus to what's in front of us."

Darkrai and Shadow Primia are still. "Look at them. How polite- they're patiently waiting for us to finish talking," I mutter.

"Alright," Serena decides. "This will be the fight to the end."

<><>Serena's POV<><>

The battle is at a standstill.

I stretch a bit and yawn, not at all concerned I will be attacked at this moment. I have faith in Ash, knowing he can and will protect me.

I casually reach into the pouch for a shard. Any shard at all. When I pull it out, it happens to be a darker color.

I enclose my right fist with the shard in hand, and the golden light illuminates everything. I exert pure confidence in our abilities, both individual and as a team.

Oh? You look terribly arrogant.

"Arrogance is different from confidence." I take a step forward. "We have confidence. But you... all you have is arrogance!"

I dash forwards, summoning Night Slash to my arms immediately. Swords equipped, Ash also does the same. We cross paths with each other, circling our opponents.

Our perfectly synchronized movements momentarily startle the legendaries, and we waste no time. I go for the side slash, while Ash strives for the thrust in the center.

My move hits Primia squarely, and the same goes for Ash, except he had targeted Darkrai. Leaping away, we remain unscathed. For now, at least.

Our enemy's growl in annoyance. Good.

"Should we separate again?" Ash asks. I ponder this, but my final answer is no, and I shake my head. "We should stick together and guard each other's weaknesses. That's our only chance of winning."