The light faded and Ash felt himself clutching nothing. He opened his eyes and the bed was empty, no one was in the room but his Mom, Bonnie and his two Pokemon who had fainted.
"Ash?" his Mom's normal voice came.
"Mom!" Ash instantly felt relief, but grief and anger sat at the back of his mind.
"I..." Ash's Mom tried to speak and he realized she knew what was going on. "I am so sorry Ash"
Ash felt his emotions change, the anger coming to surface.
"WHY IS EVERYONE SORRY?" he yelled, throwing himself up onto his feet.
"Ash?"
"NO! YOU ALL APOLOGIZE WHEN EVERYTHING IS MY FAULT" Ash slumped back onto the floor and then began crying once more, tears barely falling since he had been crying so much over the past two days.
Two days of non-stop fighting, pain and no sleep, Ash was exhausted but he still had to keep on going.
"I heard everything and I know what is going on" Delia chose to ignore the apologizing, to try and make Ash calm down a little.
"I need to be strong" Ash murmured to himself. He wiped the tears away and moved over to his Mom. He noticed a button at the top end of her bed and pressed it. The braces came off and allowed her to stand up.
"Where should we go?" Delia asked Ash, who didn't even need to think.
"Professor Oak is safe, in his lab. You go there"
"What about you?" She asked him another question. Ash returned Hawlucha and slowly picked up Pikachu, handing him to his Mom.
"Keep Pikachu safe" Ash didn't answer her question, he ran off outside and through the rain, passing an unconscious Bonnie.
Delia looked down at Bonnie and went to shout Ash, but he was gone.
Ash blocked out all of the emotions that began to rush to him as he ran for another time, his legs still worn out from everything he had been through, he tripped several times but used the energy from his pent up rage to keep him going. Ash skidded to a stop when he noticed the rest of his friends, their red eyes shining in what was now the moonlight.
Ash backed off into a bush and waited for them to pass, the pain of watching them stinging his heart as they aimlessly headed off in the other direction, Pokemon waiting at their sides with violent intent in their eyes.
Ash pulled out a pokeball and held onto it, so he was ready to fight at a moments notice.
"Parker just headed north of here, right?" Ash heard a voice, he recognized it as Tristan's.
"Yeah, he was with that girl, Serena?" Jake replied and Ash's eyes narrowed.
"Greninja, cut" Ash threw his pokeball out. His mix of emotions made Greninja transform, but he was more than just Ash-Greninja.
He was a pissed off Ash-Greninja.
No one even saw the move happen, Greninja was behind both twins Absol's within a millisecond, both of them dropping down and fainting. Greninja put his sword away and Ash walked past, not even saying anything.
Both of the twins stared at their Absol's with shock, then looked at each other, then where Ash was, but he was already gone.
Ash sprinted with everything he had left, heading north to chase down Parker.
I never chose one of them. I refused to choose. So, I will save you Serena. That was my choice, after all.
"Stop right there!" Jeremy came out from behind a tree, his Tyranitar standing at the ready.
"Water shuriken" Ash continued to sprint, Greninja flipped over Ash and the shuriken formed in his hands faster than ever. Greninja launched the shuriken with all of his strength, the shuriken blowing up in Tyranitar's face like a grenade. Tyranitar instantly dropped down and fainted, another one hit knock out.
"Wha-?" Jeremy couldn't even muster up a response. "Get him, Elizabeth!"
"Houndoom, flamethrower!" Elizabeth said from out of nowhere.
"Dodge it" Ash didn't even bother trying to put any effort in to his words, but Ash-Greninja executed the dodge perfectly, cartwheeling away from the flames. "Use cut"
Greninja dashed forward, slicing upwards into Houndoom. The force caused a small explosion, sending Elizabeth back and onto the floor too.
"Houndoom?" she waited for the smoke to clear and sure enough, Houndoom had fainted.
Ash continued on.
He ran for what felt like forever before Parker came into view.
Ash felt like this would be the moment he could end it all.
"PARKER!" Ash shouted, turning to Greninja. "Water shuriken, one more time"
Parker stopped, turned and said something inaudible to his Umbreon, who span around to retaliate. Greninja was too fast, the shuriken nailing Umbreon point blank in the face, causing the dark Pokemon to faint instantly, like all of the rest.
"I am going to end this once and for all" Ash stated, anger in his eyes. "You may have thought I would dwell on what happened, but you was wrong. I am here because I love Serena and I will do anything to protect her"
"Why Ash, you're so caring it brings a tear to my eye" Parker mocked wiping a tear from his eye. "But, I am sorry to say that Serena will never be herself again. Actually, she hasn't even said a word since we stepped outside for a little stroll"
"Stop mocking me" Ash spat on the ground and began walking over to Parker, ignoring Greninja. "Take me seriously for once you pig"
Parker narrowed his eyes and stepped forward. "Seriously, eh?" his voice was serious in this moment. "You will regret this. Sylv-"
"Greninja, cut" Ash continued to walk on, a replay of his previous attacks. Sylveon fainted before Parker even had the time to check what was going on, he turned for a moment, leaving himself open.
For the first time in his life, Ash felt like attacking someone himself. He threw his fist out, rotating it straight across Parker's face, causing him to fly backwards onto the floor. Ash felt his whole hand sting with pain and he held onto his hand with his other, instantly knowing he had broken a finger or two.
Parker spat out a tooth and stood up, feeling a little off balance.
"If you thought you would get away with that, then you are misguided, Ash" Parker snarled and leaped at Ash like a wild animal, tackling him to the ground. Ash grabbed onto Parker's wrists and they began to wrestle, Greninja watching, not knowing what to do.
"Pack it in both of you" Serena spoke for the first time. She sounded normal, but her face said it all. She was still under someone else's control.
Parker and Ash got up and stared at Serena, Parker smirking and Ash staring blankly.
"Serena?" Ash waited as silence filled in his question.
"Now is not the time to be messing around Parker, work needs to be done" Serena suddenly sounded different. It was no way the Serena that Ash knew, or anyone knew.
Parker grinned, satisfied with the results.
"Who is this person with you?" Serena looked at Ash with disgust. "Do we need to send him packing?"
Parker wiped blood from his lips. "No, he was just leaving"
"No I wasn't" Ash put a foot down, Greninja by his side.
Then, Team Shadow's boss came from behind Parker.
"Parker, you head to the ship for now" The Boss moved around Parker.
"But-"
"Now" The Boss snapped, Parker instantly obeying and heading up the hill behind them, then down the other side to the ship.
The ship is on the other side of that hill... Ash thought, trying to think of a plan to destroy it.
"So, it has come down to this, has it?" The Boss turned to Serena. "You will stay and watch"
"As you wish, boss" Serena kept her eye on the confrontation.
Ash didn't say anything, he waited.
"I'll make you a deal, boy, since you have made it this far"
"What is it?" Ash asked.
"If you beat me and Zekrom, then I will let your little love bird go and we will retreat from this region" The Boss offered, but Ash knew his response after one certain part of his deal.
"No" Ash replied, with anger in his eyes. The Boss read his expression and knew he was not joking around.
"This is the best deal you will get" The Boss sighed.
"I can't let you retreat, not now. If you do, whose to say you won't try this somewhere else? I am going to take you down here and now!"
"Zek-"
"Greninja, water shuriken!" Ash didn't let The Boss speak, Greninja was too fast.
Zekrom heard half of his name and came rising over the hill, only to be greeted by a water shuriken exploding in his face.
Ash pulled out another pokeball and threw it.
"Charizard, fly over the hill and destroy that ship, use whatever you can to destroy it!"
Charizard came out of his pokeball and began to fly.
"Zekrom, intercept with fusion bolt!"
"Greninja, leap onto Charizard for momentum and use cut!" Ash was focused, he knew what he was fighting for.
He had only lost Serena fully for under half an hour and now, he was fighting to get her back.
Fighting for love.
Greninja leaped onto Charizard and spring-boarded off of him, before pulling out his sword and slashing Zekrom, before the legendary Pokemon could attack.
Greninja was suspended into the air for a moment, giving Ash enough time to continue with his plan.
"Use cut until you can't hit Zekrom anymore!"
Greninja immediately began to furiously slash around Zekrom's body, slowly falling away.
"Use your tail to get him off!" The Boss countered, Zerkom swinging his tail into Ash-Greninja, sending him flying into the ground.
Ash winced at the pain.
Meanwhile, Charizard successfully flew over the hill, diving down straight for the ship. Charizard opened up his mouth and released a full force flamethrower, the heat causing the ship to burn up.
Parker noticed Charizard and he moved away, heading into the forest.
"I can't believe this is happening" Parker spoke to himself as he ran. "Within moments we have gone from success to possible failure. Damn you Ash"
Charizard then slammed his tail into the ship, causing it to snap in two. One half crashed into the lake adjacent to the hill and the other stood still, smoke rising from it.
"Greninja, water shuriken" Ash panicked, hoping Greninja could recover from the attack.
Greninja managed to compose himself, springing up to his feet, the shuriken already forming in his hands. Greninja launched it at Zekrom, the shuriken smashing into its body within seconds.
The battle continued, Greninja launching a full frontal assault on Zekrom, who had no time to even attack at all.
Although the ship had been destroyed, nothing about Serena had changed and this began to play with Ash's mind.
"Greninja, one more cut!"
Greninja corkscrewed at Zekrom, smashing his sword into the stomach of the legendary electric Pokemon, causing a small explosion. But, Zekrom was still standing and Greninja was beginning to get tired.
Then, Ash noticed the collar on Zekrom's neck.
"Greninja, use cut on that collar!"
"Zekrom, hyper voice!" The Boss instantly sensed the danger, due to Ash finding out.
Zekrom roared, causing Greninja to fall down onto the floor, Ash covering his ears.
"Now, fusion bolt!" The Boss smirked, recovering from the hyper voice before Ash, giving him time.
Zekrom unleashed a lightning bolt so big, that Greninja couldn't be seen in the crater that was formed. The pain became too much for Ash, since he shared it with Greninja too. He fell to one knee, feeling stinging pains all over his body.
"It's over" The Boss turned to Serena. "Head over the hill, I will be with you shortly"
"Yes, sir" Serena nodded, before walking up the hill.
"Ash, you fought well. I even heard the ship blow up behind me. Nothing will be the same in this region after this"
"You're wrong. Everything will be back to normal. This is why I am still here, fighting. Without me here, everything would be doomed. I am the final survivor and I intend on making sure I am not the last person left standing, that everyone recovers so I am not the only one here"
"Fool. Zekrom, use fusion bolt one more time" The Boss smirked, but Ash returned the smirk and it made The Boss feel uneasy.
"CHARIZARD, DRAGON CLAW!"
Charizard came flying over the hill, his claw growing large and sharper. Charizard slashed down into Zekrom, with such force that Zekrom began to fly down to the ground.
"Ash!" Delia came running across from out of nowhere, with an okay Pikachu in her arms.
"Mom?!" Ash became worried as he watched his Mom run across the towards him.
"I had to bring Pikachu, he isn't the same without you. You're both such good friends and share an immaculate bond. Show them what you are capable of" Delia smiled at Ash, who returned the smile.
My Mom believes in me. So I must believe in her too.
"Pikachu, iron tail, aim for that collar!"
"Pika pi!" Pikachu smiled, flicking his tail. It became coated in iron, just as Pikachu dashed forward, spinning around and slamming his tail into Zekrom's neck. The collar cracked and then shattered in two, just as Zekrom smashed into the ground, fainting.
"What? No?!" The Boss couldn't believe his eyes.
At that moment, the results of the ship being destroyed began to show.
"Ash!" A dozen people said in unison. Smiling faces of all of his friends came charging up to him, but Ash held a hand out and stopped the crowd.
Officer Jenny came rolling up with a large car, the other four members of Team Shadow in the back. She cuffed their Boss and put him in, without a word being said.
The silence was broke when Ash turned to Serena, who was on the top of the hill.
Ash started to sprint up the hill, until he noticed her eyes were still red.
"Why are you running after me, you weirdo?" she sounded disgusted with Ash, who stared at her with wide eyes.
"But...the ship" he said to himself.
"So what if the ship is blown up. I can still follow new orders" Serena folded her arms. "Are you on my side or the other side?"
"Serena, what sides are there anymore? It's over! Listen to me!"
"Huh? Listen to a weird stranger like you?"
Ash grabbed onto Serena and shook her back and forth.
"I love you Serena, with all of my heart. JUST WAKE UP!"
This made Serena freeze. Ash watched as her eyes flashed back to normal, then red again. She tensed her head and gritted her teeth, clearly in pain.
"It's okay, I am here" Ash said softly, holding onto Serena. He slowly went down into a sitting positions, holding her close.
"Get off me!" Serena pushed off of Ash and began to run away, clearly not the same person still.
"Sere-!" Ash started to run, but Gary cut him off.
"It isn't worth-"
"Don't tell me what is worth it and what isn't" Ash wasn't in the mood for games. Sure, his friends were okay and everything was almost normal, but his one true love was still under control of what was now nothing, meaning it looked like she would never come back. But Ash was prepared to fight until the end.
Ash ran after Serena, catching up within an instant. He span her around and immediately began kissing her with everything he had, pouring all of his emotions into the kiss. He held it for as long as he could, until he had to release to catch his breath.
Serena stared at Ash and blinked several times.
"I love you" Ash said, before turning around and walking off.
A tear fell from Serena's eye.
"I love you too" she shouted out.
Ash froze, everyone froze and Serena, with her red eyes still clear, smiled.
Was it all over?
--------------------------------------
1. Sorry for another cliffhanger (only a few more chapters left)
2. Even though this is 50+ chapters, am I rushing things right now? I feel like I am and this chapter was so hard to write, I don't know why, but it just didn't feel right half the time.
Sorry if the story is sucking, but I want to make the ending as good as possible.