Ash felt like he was drowning. Fear consumed him, but like a monsoon, his true feelings and thoughts came to surface. Ash still wasn't sure who to pick, but he realized something. He could manage being more than a friend, with Serena. But, he couldn't leave Miette behind. If he didn't make a choice, Ash understood that it would be a two for one deal, collateral damage. Ash gulped, and then slowly blinked, staring at the fear in the girls faces, his face mirroring theirs.
Greninja wasn't about to give up so easily, understanding how Ash felt. He threw his palm against the ground and span up to his feet, so smooth it was like Greninja was breakdancing. He was still in Ash-Greninja form, but Ash could barely let out his breath, he couldn't tell Greninja what to do.
"Looks like this is getting to you Ash, where is the popcorn when you need it?" Parker mocked, placing his foot against the rocky surface to his right, the side of the cliffside that rose up past the crevice that made the entrance to the cave.
Ash threw his hat onto the floor and turned his head slowly to Pikachu, who was sat on his shoulder silently.
Pikachu met his gaze and realized what was going on. Pikachu understood what Ash needed from him.
"Pika" Pikachu shouted to Ash-Greninja, who didn't even need to reply.
He leaped up with a smooth front flip, the water shuriken forming at the tip of his hand midflight. Ash-Greninja was so fast, Parker couldn't even react. The shuriken was in Greninja's hand one minute, then suddenly, it exploded over Umbreon.
"PIKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA CHUUUUUUUUU!" Pikachu came leaping up through the smoke and, with his electricity charged, he fired a thunderbolt straight at Umbreon, who didn't have time to move in response. The electricity zapped it at full power, causing Umbreon to drop.
Ash still looked stuck as he stared at the girls. He could see through the cave, behind them, that there was five people and a Darkrai in the cave, so he would still have to choose regardless.
"Stupid Pokemon" Parker sighed, spitting sideways on the floor. He crouched next to Ash, a large grin on his face. "Come on, Ashy-boy. The choice is simple. Make it"
Serena and Miette both tried to say something, but the tape on their mouths returned muffled sounds instead. Ash sensed something strange, something he had never sensed before. Was it, death? It was definitely a premonition, Ash knew that much.
Greninja and Pikachu both stood behind Ash, somewhat in the background. They didn't know what to do next, especially without Ash's communication, their solid teamwork that had led Ash to victory countless times throughout Kalos.
Sweat beads began to form just under Ash's raven hair, sliding down his face and dripping from his chin. It was like the sweat moulded with the rain that suddenly began to pour. The ground went from hard to soft, covered in mud. Ash could barely see through the rain that continued to force itself down around everyone.
"Things are getting complicated.." The voice of an adult in the shadows said. "Darkrai, please see that our guest is disposed of"
Was this Ash's premonition? His eyes widened as Darkrai slithered out of the cave, the rain covering the shadow Pokemon. Then, a dark orb of energy formed around Darkrai's mid-section as it fired the dark pulse down. Dakrai's command was simple, take out Ash and go from there. Ash refused to move, still wavering around the decision he had to make. The dark pulse exploded at his knees, sending him ten feet back into a tree. Ash slumped down, his jeans ripped up around his knees.
"Again" The unknown voice said.
Darkrai repeated.
Ash refused to move, he was pinned to the tree once more, the bark scratching his back as he slid down, cutting up his jacket. The front of his jacket opened up, his black t-shirt also ripping as he dropped to his knees again. Blood spilt from the back of Ash's head and he felt dizzy.
"Finish him" Once more, Darkrai prepared to repeat itself.
"Wait..." Ash whispered, causing hesitation in the Darkrai before him.
"What's this, do you wish to make a final choice, or do you leave me with none?" The man asked, his face flashing a concerning look, a concerned look for himself. He didn't want to have to dirty his hands.
"Why...do you do this?" Ash spat onto the floor, the saliva in his mouth being too much. Blood came out too and Ash thought he had lost a tooth also.
"Simp-"
"Don't give me the power lecture" Ash laughed, shaking his head. "You all just sick. Thinking this can get you power. It makes me SICK!" Ash stood up, lifting his cap up. "I think I have made my choice..."
"Hmm?" The man quizzed Ash.
Ash put his cap on and then span it around so the front was at the back and vice-versa.
"I choose them both, of course" Ash grinned and he was met by a ghost of a smile.
Ash didn't say anything to Ash-Greninja, their bond was that strong that Greninja understood. In a flash, his sword-like cut slashed through the ropes on the girls, who ripped off their tape and ran forward. Pikachu leapt around them in turn, looking into the cave.
"Such trouble, I guess Darkrai has a new mission" The man spoke for the final time.
Darkrai prepared the dark pulse once more, but Ash was ready. He wasn't feeling weak. The strength within him compelled him to do so much more. Ash remembered the words he had said to Serena, which had always kept her motivated throughout their journey.
Never give up Was all Ash needed to remember from that day.
"Greninja, water pulse!" Ash threw his hand out, emphasising the force he wanted to use.
Greninja jumped up, level with Darkrai and formed a similar orb of energy in his hands, except Greninja had a large water orb, which smashed into the dark pulse. Both moves contested each other, but the result was an explosion in mid air, which Ash immediately used to his advantage.
"Greninja, cut down Darkrai!" He shouted through the explosion, the wind rushing around Ash and co, who had to force their forearms over their eyes to keep them covered.
Greninja leapt forward through the smoke, using his speed to his advantage. The swipe of the cut went straight through Darkrai and an immediate explosion from the move followed up. But, Darkrai wasn't just any Pokemon and he was still standing.
"Pikachu, thunderbolt!" Ash urged his Pokemon on, as Pikachu leapt into the air.
"PIKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" Pikachu put everything into his move, shocking the Darkrai with everything he had. But, Darkrai continued to move, preparing his next dark pulse.
"Pikachu, electro ball! Greninja, water pulse!" Ash shouted, feeling out of breath. His clothes were still ripped up and the pain on his body came back, causing him to stumble to one knee.
"Ash, are you okay?" Serena, who had decided to stay quiet, crouched down next to him.
"Yeah, I am fine" Ash said, forcing a smile, which caused pain in his face and he winced.
"You are not okay" Miette stated the obvious, helping Ash up with Serena. They supported him into a sitting position against the tree.
Just infront of them, Pikachu was charging up the electro ball and Greninja was forming the orb of water, ready to attack. Darkrai was doing the same, readying its dark pulse for an attack. Then, all three shot off simultaneously. The electro ball and water pulse moulded together. Despite being complete opposites, the moves combined together perfectly and they hit the dark pulse, completely overwhelming Darkrai and forcing its way through the dark pulse, exploding into the Darkrai and causing a faint amount of silence.
"Ash, our Pokemon" Serena breathed out, realizing they still had their Pokemon.
As the smoke cleared around the dark entrance to the cave, Darkrai was knocked out completely, having been struck by two very powerful Pokemon.
"I must say, you can take quite the beating" Parker laughed and grinned across at Ash, who didn't even look back.
"We still have something you don't" Elizabeth's voice rang out through the darkness of the cave.
"Sorry, what do you have that we don't?" Ash hadn't spoken for a moment, but he looked up and grinned.
"Wait, where are the pokeballs?" Elizabeth sounded panicked, but everyone knew where they where.
"How?" The man in the cave asked with one simple word.
"Greninja in this form has his extra uses" Ash shrugged, then continued to grin like an idiot.
"You're missing a tooth you know" Serena laughed at Ash, who just shrugged back. Miette giggled in the background.
And then, everything started to fade in Ash's vision, he looked around for a moment, panicking that he was passing out and that everything had been for nothing. Ash succumbed to the darkness that enveloped him and he faded into a deep sleep.