Disclaimer: Don't Own Pokemon!

A/N: Well, not much else to say but enjoy!

Chapter 10 – Stuck In-Between

"Are you sure this is going to work?" asked Brock warily, gazing at the silver sheathed sword in Aly's hands.

The group was now re-gathered in the downstairs living room, settling last minute plans and strategies for the journey and battle ahead. Misty had already done her best to try and explain to both Aly and Andrew the dangers involved in this so called rescue mission in the hopes it would deter their decision, however, her worries fell on deaf ears.

Misty lifted her eyes up to her friend and gave him a questioningly glare, before he then, quickly elaborated.

"I mean, last time, Ash impaled that thing in Aki and at close range, but it still didn't do anything to stop him. He only flung the damn thing right back at Ash! How do we know he won't do it again?" he asked, worry evident in his voice.

Hikara nodded simply and replied, "You're right Brock, it didn't work last time. But the circumstances this time around are drastically different, wouldn't you agree?"

Brock sighed in exasperation, "But how? I don't get how we're supposed to release Ash's-Ash's soul from this demon! How is it different?"

This time, it was Mari's turn to explain.

"If you haven't noticed, Aki no longer has a physical body. He's borrowing one for the time being. As much as he would hate to admit it, his new body has limits. Ash bleeds, he bleeds, Ash feels pain, he feels pain…he has restrictions now that we must consider and use to our full advantage," she finished explaining, seeing the look of dawning on Brock's rugged face.

"She's right, if anything else, Aki's mortal now," added Misty, "We need to use that."

Brock, along with Sakura, Aly, and Andrew nodded. Li, however, stood, as stoic as ever behind the group, arms crossed and eyes focused on the floor before speaking his mind.

"It won't be easy," he stated simply, lifting his head up slightly to meet Misty's gaze, "You'll have to forget the fact that Ash is inside Aki and focus, solely, on defeating him. I'm not sure you have it in you to do that."

Misty, expression unreadable, walked slowly over to Li, standing in front of him to face him head on. He glanced up at her, unfazed at her positioning and merely stared back, trying to read into her thoughts.

As she continued to look at him, he raised an eye at her for it had been the first time he had ever had so much trouble trying to read a person. Her blue eyes pierced through him in an almost caring, yet sad way, though he could not put his finger on what exactly was going through her mind. Perhaps, she could do this after all…

"I never said it would be easy for me Li, but I know that I need to try, if anything else…" Misty whispered, her gaze faltering for a moment, "He wanted me to just-just walk away from him, to run away from all the memories we've ever shared together, to never look back," she breathed, her gaze slowly shifting to that of her mantle where various pictures of her, Ash, and the kids were adoringly placed.

She walked over to one picture in particular, the most recent of the bunch where the whole family stood in front of their quaint, white picket fenced two-story house. Picking it up, she gently thumbed the oak frame and gazed at it, a small, but sad smile coming to the corners of her lips.

"But I can't. No matter what, I can't forget about him or walk away from him. But, if it's one thing I've learned from that man, it's to never give up…and I don't plan on it," she finished before replacing the photo firmly back in its place on the mantle.

Li, from his corner of the room, cracked a small smirk and nodded.

"Heh…seems I've underestimated you and your confidence Misty," he said, walking past Sakura to face her once more, "Alright then, you're in charge of this mission, so what now?"

Before Misty could answer, Mari cleared her throat and spoke impatiently, "The plan is to get back the chosen one before it's too late. We've already wasted precious time here, we need to move or he could be lost forever."

"Right," confirmed Misty, who then turned to her two children, "Now, are you two absolutely su--"

"We're sure!" both Aly and Andrew confirmed simultaneously.

Misty let out a small sigh and nodded her head anyway.

"Mom, don't worry about us. It's like you always say, we're Dad's kids, after all," smiled Aly, attaching the sword to her belt and fingering the pokeballs she also carried with her.

"Yeah Mom, how could we lose?" announced Andrew, equal confidence heard in his voice as he twirled a pokeball in his hands and slung the pack of arrows over his shoulder.

Misty had to suppress a laugh at them. She knew now was neither the time nor the place for open happiness; instead, confidence and focus was key in winning this battle. A concept Misty knew all too well.

"Alright then, let's go. Pikachu, it's time!" she called from upstairs, where the electric rodent had taken refuge for the past couple of minutes.

A second later, Pikachu scampered down the stairs, something in its mouth as it squealed in readiness and confidence. It bolted up Aly's shoulder and nodded at the item in its mouth.

"Dad's pokeballs?" asked Aly, relieving Pikachu of the weight and lifting the pokeballs up higher to inspect.

"Pika! Pikachu pika pi chu pikachu!" it explained hurriedly, waving it's arms frantically.

"You think they can help?" translated Misty, which was followed by a small 'pika!'

Aly handed the belt over to her mother who only shook her head and handed it back.

"Hold onto them for now. You may need them later," Misty explained, receiving a small nod from Aly as she attached the belt to her own.

After the 'goodbyes' and 'be carefuls' had been said, not much else was left to do but return to the place in which Ash was being held captive within his own body. With a light nod of confirmation to Hikara, Misty prepared herself for the small journey that was to come. Soon, like before, she felt herself being sucked into what felt like a black hole, only to reemerge, unscathed, but a little shaken in the same building they had left Ash in.

Misty gazed around her, caught sight of her slightly disoriented children then immediately started to search the building.

"Keep your eyes sharp. They could be anywhere," warned Misty as all occupants nodded.

Mari, however, had other ideas, "That won't be necessary."

She calmly walked to the forefront of the group and opened her palm up. A blue flame ignited and soon engulfed the whole area, causing a blinding blue flash to illuminate the said area.

Recovering the quickest, Misty gazed ahead and saw a new figure standing before Mari. He was cloaked in red robes, head bowed, and hands placed together within his flowing robes. Misty gasped suddenly as he removed his hood to reveal the rich features of her husband.

"I thought I smelled a rat," smirked Mari, "No offense Pikachu."

"Pika…" it growled, ignoring Mari's comment and directing its anger towards the demon controlling its master and best friend.

Aki smiled wickedly at her and was unfazed by the arsenal she had brought with her.

"Ah, Marika my dear. To what do we owe the unexpected pleasure?" he smiled, addressing her.

"Oh you know, just the usual," she replied casually, beginning to circle him slowly, "You know Aki, you surprise me. I would have thought mortal human beings were too weak for your liking. So, why this one?"

Aki let out a slight laugh at the quite obvious question, "Surely you know of the chosen one's powers? He has been weak thus far, only using his powers for good and pure deeds. Absolutely disgusting!" spat Aki, almost as if it pained him to even utter the words 'good' and 'pure.'

"Power, huh? And here I thought you'd come up with something a little more, oh I dunno, original," she taunted sarcastically as she noted Aki's sudden change in attitude.

"You know nothing of the power I possess," he grimaced in return to her taunt, "I hold the world's fate within my very grasp. Angering me would not be wise, Marika."

"Your body is still just a mortal one, as powerful a person Ash is," explained Marika, losing the evil playfulness in her voice, "You can't win in a mortal body."

Aki's expression lightened a bit at this and he smiled at her, though it was not a pleasant one.

"Ah, but once I take over this body completely, mortality will no longer pose a threat to my existence," he smirked, taking a step towards Marika, "And I can assure you, it will be soon. The chosen one is ever so slowly slipping into a state of utterly pure submission. His soul will not last much longer."

At this, Misty let out a strangled gasp. She knew Aki was only saying those things to get to her, because it couldn't be true. Ash couldn't be losing to him, he could never allow Aki to win. Ash was powerful and strong and…mortal.

At this last thought, Misty dropped her head a little.

Ash was still only mortal. Of course he wouldn't be able to take extreme physical and emotional beating and even hope to succeed, unscathed. He was human, after all, and death was always an option for the living. A term Misty was all too familiar with in her life.

At the sudden sound, Aki turned his head and peered past Mari. He raised an eye as if noticing the group for the first time, then smirked at his fortune. Two young children stood alongside the precious treasure. They both had heads full of raven black hair, the deepest shades of brown in their determined eyes, and a demeanor that spoke of much confidence and courage. These were the many traits Aki had observed over the years and it was as if he were looking into the past, back to a time when the chosen one was much younger…

Their offspring…

At this thought, Aki's smile widened. It was then that he could feel the chosen one within him, making futile attempts to claw his way to the surface.

He had seen them too apparently.

Aki could feel fear, anger, nervousness, anxiety…traits that were not the norm for the chosen one. Could these children truly mean that much to him?

"So, your offspring, is it?" he asked, ignoring Mari for the time being.

Misty stepped in front of them protectively, arms widespread and ready to take any attack head on.

"I see," he continued in understanding, "Very interesting. By bringing them here, you do realize you've sealed their own fate?"

Misty said nothing to this and merely stared back at the man in front of her. What could she say? Aki knew already, as she had known he would, and there was nothing further she could do to protect them. If fate went their way, no harm would come to them. But, Misty of all people knew, that oftentimes, it didn't always work out the way she had hoped. And so, with that in mind, she summoned her dagger into her hands and was poised to fight.

She would fight for her children, for herself, her friends…and for Ash.

Aki gave her an awkward glance, as if seeing her for the first time. Never had he seen her filled with so much…conviction. Never had he seen so much focus and will within her blue orbs, nor had he felt such a strong aura of resilience from her.

Something had changed…

But what, Aki did not know. He could only hope that this was not an ominous sign of the future.

"Seems I've underestimated you," he breathed darkly, "You continue to fight? But for what purpose, dear treasure?"

Misty's glance was unwavering, confident and determined. She held the silver dagger in her hands tightly, feeding off of its warmth and power and feeling her anxieties from before slowly dissipate. Her own energy made her weapon glow eerily, as if engulfed by flames of light, but she did not waver. Fire was in her eyes now as she stood her ground, glaring at Aki and remembering all the terrible things he had done over the years. Fueled by her memories of the past, she took a confident step forward, unafraid for the first time in the past couple of days.

"I fight to get my husband back…and I will continue to fight until you are finally destroyed and nothing more than a bad dream," she breathed, her grip on her dagger increasing, "You will not win this time Aki. I will send you straight back to the bowels of hell where you belong."

At this, Aly and Andrew looked to their mother, wide-eyed. Never had they heard her speak like this, with such malice and anger in her voice. Even when she yelled at them as a form of discipline…it still could not compare to the traces of hatred found deep within her normally calm voice.

Andrew looked to Aly, unsure of what to do or say to their mother's change in attitude. Aly could do nothing more than glance back at her brother with confusion written all over her face, but still ever vigilant to her surroundings and their current situation.

Aki, on the other hand, looked positively livid. Something in Misty's harsh words had set him ablaze and he was now gathering enough energy to blast her into the nearest wall. Not to kill her of course; no, where would be the fun in killing her so soon? She needed to suffer for all her transgressions, she needed to die from the inside out and see what pain and heartache truly felt like. Yes, he would eventually kill her off, but would patiently bide his time and wait for the opportune moment to strike, when she would have nothing left but her regrets and her sorrow.

"Why do you continue this meaningless charade?"

Li stepped up beside Misty, his sword dangling from his belt as he crossed his arms in front of him. He wasn't one to normally confront Aki one on one, that was always Ash or Misty's job, but he felt Aki was stalling, but for what reason, he could not tell.

"Ah, Li, my friend. How go your meager attempts at magic and sorcery?" taunted Aki knowingly.

"Pointless chatter…" scoffed Li, ignoring Aki's comment, "You're stalling for time. Are you waiting until the chosen one is all but lost to this world, or is it that you're scared that you may lose this fight once again? The odds are against you, after all."

Aki laughed at Li's remark, almost finding humor in this whole situation, "Afraid, you say? My friend, you are the one's that should be fearful!"

With that said, Aki threw his arm forward, a bright red blast shooting out of his hand and straight at Misty. She hadn't even seen it coming when she felt herself being lifted off of the floor and thrown back into the stone wall behind them. She gasped in surprise as her back hit the hard wall and she felt her grip loosen on her weapon. She closed her eyes momentarily before the sickening taste of blood tickled her tongue and forced her to sit up straighter, though she felt every muscle in her body cramp up as she did so.

"Mom!"

"Misty!"

"Pikachupi!"

All yells were directed towards their fallen comrade as all rushed to come to her aide. She was hardly moving, and no one could blame her. No one had seen the attack coming, lest of all Misty, and now she was coughing up blood, a dazed expression plastered on her pale face.

Aly was the first to reach her mother and kneeled next to her frantically, "Mom! Mom, are you okay?! Please, say something!"

Brock and Andrew, followed by the rest of their entourage, followed suit and were soon speaking in rushed words.

"Mist, are you okay?!" panted Brock, as he placed a hand on her quivering shoulder.

"Mom…" breathed Andrew, unsure of what to do or say.

"Pikachupi!" called Pikachu worriedly as it stared up at the confused look in Misty's eyes.

"Give her some room guys," Hikara ordered, parting the group of people crowded around Misty's slumped form.

Her gaze was fixed at the floor as blood continued to trickle from the corner of her mouth and the back of her head. Misty could barely hear the calls of her friends and family as she felt herself slip into a state of unconsciousness.

But she couldn't…she refused to, but it just seemed so tempting to just lay there and fall…

No! Misty inwardly scolded herself. She couldn't give up after just one meager attack. She was stronger than this and she had an obligation to uphold! For some reason, however, her brain was having problems comprehending the severity of this situation if she fell asleep.

And so, as the voices of her friends and family became fainter by the minute, she could feel herself being pulled away from them and into an inevitable blackness that she knew she would not wake from…

***

Misty's eyes suddenly snapped open in realization of what was going on. But, instead of being met with the faces of her friends and family crowded around her, she was only met with the darkness that she would always fear.

Slowly and cautiously, she stood up, dusting herself off. She wasn't even sure why she even bothered dusting herself off when she could barely see three inches in front of her face, let alone microscopic pieces of dust on her clothing.

Ignoring her insecurities for the moment, she took a tentative step forward and heard it echo into the abyss. She quickly pulled her foot back, the echo having startled her to near death, but miscalculated and felt herself falling backwards…

Awaiting the bone crushing impact that was sure to come, the last thing Misty expected was for two gentle arms to enfold around her waist, saving her from whatever damage she could have inflicted upon herself. She felt the arms lift her up and back onto her feet and they continued to hold her there, making sure that she was stable enough to walk.

Misty turned to see her savior, but was met only with the impending darkness. The mysterious arms then chose that exact moment to release her waist and fall back into the shadows, but Misty was quicker and grabbed one of the mysterious figure's wrists, which caused her to shiver at the mere chill of it, and held it in place so that she could get a better look. But no matter what angle she stared, she could no better see the person's face than she could see her own hand in front of her face.

Just then, she felt the arm in her grasp move slowly upwards and towards her face. She let out a small gasp as she felt the warm hand connect with her soft face, but instantly relaxed at the familiarity of the touch. Closing her eyes, she felt tears well up but she refused to let them fall. There would be a time and a place for that.

"Ash…" Misty whispered hoarsely, firmly holding the hand that was caressing her face, almost afraid that it would suddenly disappear.

And, as if her voice were a switch to the darkness, the area illuminated into an ugly gray. She gasped suddenly, not for the sudden change in light, but for what she saw in front of her.

Yes, it was Ash who was holding her, but he was different. Shackles were bound to his wrists and ankles, securing him to the seemingly endless, floating floor. He was cut, bruised, and extremely worn looking, but still flashed her a warm smile nonetheless. A black aura surrounded his body, like a flame, making him look all the more miserable.

"Ash…" Misty breathed again, forcing her tears back at the sight in front of her and covering her mouth to suppress her sobs. She had never seen him look so helpless and tired and just so…unlike himself.

"No!" she yelled out of frustration, fear, and sadness for the man in front of her. She rushed him, pulling at the shackles that bound him in place, trying anything in a desperate attempt to free him from his prison.

"He-He can't do this to you! He can't do this…he can't!" she cried, not caring that she was supposed to be the strong one now. She couldn't stand seeing him like this!

She continued to pull hopelessly at the shackles, but with each attempt, came the fear of facing reality. Continuing to grasp the metal chains, she dropped to her knees, giving up her futile attempts to free him. She just sat there and sobbed, as Ash gave her a sad smile.

He kneeled down next to her, grimacing slightly, and reached up to touch her face gently, causing her to look at him.

"You can't stay here," he finally said, albeit, weakly, "You can't be here…you need to go back and fight."

"I- I can't Ash…I'm not strong enough, I never was! I can't do this alone, I can't do this, please, just put me out of my misery, please…" she whimpered, crumpling to the floor, her sobs coming harder and louder, "I'm s-sorry. I-I'm not strong like you--"

"But you are, if not stronger," reassured Ash, "And I believe in you, that's why you can't stay here with me. I'm sorry I pushed you away earlier…I just, I was worried about your safety is all. But now I realize that you would always come back for me…regardless of the circumstances, wouldn't you?" and Misty nodded, while wiping her tears away, "Now that you're here, you need to go back and fight Aki. I'm slowly starting to lose my energy and my grip on my body, there's not much time left."

"But we're together now," Misty tried to reason, "It's all I've ever w-wanted…to be next to you forever. We're living it Ash, right here, right now and I don't want to leave it…leave you."

"And what about Aly, Andrew, and Aiden? Are they to suffer and lose both of their parents because we decided to just give up and give in to Aki's selfish intentions?" asked Ash suddenly, an urgency evident in his harsh voice.

Misty's eyes flashed open at his harsh, yet true words. She had almost forgotten about her children. What a terrible mother she was! How could she have forgotten her own children?! They were her babies, proof of Misty's love for Ash, and now, they were up against Aki, alone and probably very much afraid.

"Don't let them go on alone…without us," whispered Ash, "They are stronger than you give them credit for. They're ready for this…they can help."

Misty stared up at him, her mouth slightly quivering as another sob escaped her lips. He was right, she knew. How could she have been so selfish and inconsiderate to not even think about the well-being of her own children? The reason they were there, after all, was staring at her. Ash had helped her breathe life into them, he gave them purposes, hopes, dreams, and, above all, love. Yes, they were their children, but they also symbolized so much more. They were the physical proof that their love knew no bounds, that everything they had built around them, was possible only because of their love for one another.

Finally, Misty understood. She understood what Ash wanted her to do…what she wanted and needed to do. It was all so clear now, she was amazed how she could have missed it before.

"Aki feels pain now because of me," spoke Ash after the long silence.

Misty only nodded her head, clenching her fists together into tiny balls.

"You know what you need to do, don't you?" he asked, though she looked away when he said it.

Misty let a few more silent tears trickle down her face and hit the ground before answering.

"Yes, though I may not like it…it-it's the only way to free you, isn't it?" she breathed, biting her lower lip as she finished.

Ash nodded solemnly, "It won't be easy, but you can do it. I'll…try and distract him somehow for you to get an open shot at me. Once he feels pain, he should lose focus, if only for a minute. That should give me the opportunity to escape…if I'm strong enough, that is…" he trailed off, looking to the side.

"You are strong…me of all people know that," she smiled sadly, reaching up to gently caresses his cheek.

He closed his eyes at her touch and felt himself falling into the trance she had always cast over him. It always amazed him at how easily he could fall for her simple, yet warm touch. But as much as he loved her, he could not keep her here any longer. She was needed elsewhere.

Opening his eyes and grasping her hand, he spoke in hushed, calming tones.

"The longer you stay here, the less time we'll have in the end. You need to go…" he said almost reluctantly.

"But what if…what if I end up killing you?" she asked, afraid of the worst case scenario.

"You have the power to heal me and I know you can. I trust in your ability…now just trust yourself," he reassured, giving her a small kiss on her cheek, "I love you more than anything in the world…and believe me, if this was truly goodbye, I'd give you more than just a peck on the cheek."

She smiled at him, genuinely, and even let out a tiny giggle at his insinuation. Ash smiled back at her, knowing that she needed to be in her element for this to work. She needed to be calm, commanding, and confident if she was to succeed, and Ash had learned that laughter was always a good precursor for things like that.

But then Misty's face became concerned.

"But how am I supposed to leave this place?" she asked suddenly, fear evident in her eyes.

Ash smiled warmly at her, "Just stand up."

Misty looked at him oddly, unsure of whether she heard him correctly. He only smiled at her, giving no other instructions. So, she shrugged and sighed to herself. What other choice did she have but to listen to him?

With renewed confidence and her objective firmly in hand, she stood from her kneeling position and was suddenly blinded with a bright light. The last thing she saw was Ash's smiling face quickly being swept from her view…

***

"Mom! Please, please…you need to get up!" Aly exclaimed frantically, watching as Aki approached them slowly, an amused look on his face.

"Stay away from us!" commanded Andrew, raising the bow and positioning an arrow clumsily at Aki.

"Pikachu pika!" growled Pikachu as Aki advanced further.

"I always hoped she would have more fight in her than that…but I suppose we grow weaker with age," smirked Aki, holding his palm out and readying another attack, "Now stand aside, all of you, while I finish the job."

Andrew shook his head and glanced back at his mother and Aly, who were both still on the ground. Aly and Brock were still frantically trying to revive Misty, while Li and Sakura stepped on either side of Andrew, readying their own weapons for the imminent attack on the group.

"Let me try something," murmured Mari as she kneeled closest to Misty and held out her palm.

As soon as she had done so, Misty's body jolted forward, her eyes still closed. She had begun to float into the standing position, a mysterious blue aura surrounding her. All had forgotten what was about to take place and stopped to stare at the phenomenon unfolding before them. Even Aki stopped his advances and gave an amused look at what was happening.

"What did you do?" whispered Aly, staring as her mother's body finally stilled, though she remained floating.

"I-I didn't do anything…she didn't give me the chance," confessed Mari, bewildered at what had just happened.

Aly looked from Mari to her mother, her heart rate picking up tenfold. Her mouth was left agape as she continued to float above the floor, that eerie blue flame surrounding her entire body. However, had she not been so focused on what was happening, she would have almost missed the faint voice that reverberated within her...

"Just stand up…"

Aly whipped her head around at the voice and watched as Andrew did the same. Their eyes met, an almost knowing glance coming from the two siblings.

"Did you hear--"

But Aly beat him to it, "It was Dad…I know it," she said confidently, as her eyes trailed over to that of her father's possessed form. And she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her when she saw the faint outline of her father through Aki's darkness for only a second. He seemed to be smiling at her, before he faded away into nothingness.

"Dad…" she breathed, faintly.

"What are you talking about?" asked Andrew, following his sister's gaze and seeing nothing that differed from before. He waved a hand in front her face, worriedly.

This seemed to snap her out of her reverie and she glanced back at her brother confidently.

"It was Dad. He's the one that helped Mom," she explained in rushed words, "He's helping us from within."

Andrew nodded dumbfounded and chanced a glance back at his mother, only to see that she was still positioned in front of Aki, floating mere inches above the floor with that eerie glow about her.

"Very interesting…seems I've underestimated you once more," breathed Aki, irritated.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Aki was thrown back, hard, against the wall, via a blue blast of energy emanating from Misty's open hand. She was awake now, her dagger back in her other hand, and was standing firmly on the ground. The blue flame that had engulfed her had faded somewhat, yet was still present. She stared hard at Aki, watched as he growled at her, and continued to watch as he readied an attack of his own.

"You'll pay for that!" he bellowed, throwing his hand forward and unleashing another, equally powerful blast in her direction. Misty pushed both Andrew and Aly to the side and watched as the red beam struck the wall behind her, reducing some of it to a pile of rubble.

Aly and Andrew hit the ground hard, but recovered quickly when they realized what almost happened.

"Pikachupi!" Pikachu squealed, hopping onto Misty's shoulder.

"Pikachu, stop him with a thunderbolt. Only daze him though," she commanded.

It sighed but nodded at her nonetheless. Pikachu trusted Misty with its' trainer's life and knew that she knew what she was doing.

Bounding down from its' perch, Pikachu's cheeks sparked dangerously in Aki's direction before letting loose a volley of electricity in Ash/Aki's direction.

"PIKACHU!!!!"

Misty shielded her eyes for a split second, but kept a close eye on Aki. He was only dazed, as she had wanted, but still there was no sign that Ash was reemerging from within. She sighed distractedly. Misty had at least hoped that Ash would have made some sort of struggle, but that only proved how much weaker he must have been getting. There was only one thing left to do…

'Come on, Ash,' urged Misty, silently, watching and waiting for any sign of her husband to emerge from his shadowy prison. But as she continued to wait, she felt her hope slowly slipping away.

Dusting himself off, Aki smirked her way, forming a sphere of energy in the palm of his open hand. Once formed, he held it there for all to see.

"I'm afraid your futile attempts are all in vain," he said darkly, "Now…I'm afraid you must die!"

Extending his arm outwards forcefully, the sphere was released and Misty only barely had enough time to react, by throwing her own two arms forward in an attempt to shield the attack.

"Get back!" Misty ordered Aly and Andrew. She grimaced with pained effort as she fended off the attack, a white glow emanating from her own palms. Misty threw her head to the side and caught the eyes of Li and Sakura, "Now, you need to immobilize him!"

"Right," Li nodded, turning to Sakura, "We're on."

She nodded with confidence and held her mystical staff closer to her chest. Li ran to the forefront of the group as Misty had only just recovered from the attack. Sakura followed suit, chanting some words, and powerfully thrust her staff towards Aki.

"Freeze!" she commanded, and watched as an icy wind blew from the staff and enveloped itself around Aki's form.

"Storm!" bellowed Li, driving his sword into the ground and causing a tornado to form from its depths. The tornado hovered over an amused looking Aki, before ensnaring him in its harsh winds.

"Aly, the sword!"

The young girl watched with bated breathe as her mother stood before her, arm outstretched, and a pleading look on her face. Aly clutched the heavy sword like a lifeline and stared back at her mother, wondering what she could possibly want with her father's sword…

She had a weapon of her own. Why would she need…

And then, it hit her.

Aly's eyes widened in realization of what Misty was intending on doing. She couldn't possibly be thinking of doing that. Had she given up already? Had she given into what Aki truly wanted: the destruction of her father?

"No…" she whispered, and watched as her mother gave her a stern look, "No! I won't let you do it! You can't just give up now! You want to just kill Dad and that be the end of it! Are you crazy!?"

Aly's words stung Misty more than she cared to realize. Didn't she know that she loved Ash with all of her heart and that she would never give up on him? She had to hold back the tears and be strong. No, Aly could never understand the inner turmoil she was going through at even considering, let alone, having to commit that sort of action.

Clenching her other fist close to her heart, she extended her arm a little further, as if reaching out to the young girl.

"Aly…you need to trust me…please. This may be his only chance of coming back to us," Misty had to swallow the lump in her throat as she said this. Aly still looked unconvinced, but chanced a glance over at her father.

Aki was fighting off Sakura and Li's relentless attacks, each one being repelled back in their direction. The two were beginning to wear down, Aly realized. There wasn't much time before Aki was through playing and did away with them permanently.

Aly glanced back at her mother and saw pleading scared eyes, eyes that were so unlike her mother. She knew, deep down, that her mother loved her father, but to what extent would she go to save him, to save them?

"Al, just give it to her."

She turned and caught the stern gaze of her younger brother and looked at him, almost surprised at the tone of his voice.

"But, what if--"

"But nothing! There's nothing else we can do! What are you going to do about it?! We know nothing about this, but Mom and the others do. So, for once, drop what you know and give in to what you don't…please…" Andrew pleaded.

Aly looked taken aback by the response, but nodded nonetheless. Her brother's words had, unexpectedly, snapped her out of her trance and had made her see the bigger picture, a feat that was oftentimes hard for her to do.

"It's like Dad always says…you can't always win on type alone," he repeated, giving a ghost of a smile, "Sometimes you got to do something unexpected to catch the other person off guard."

Aly gave a half-hearted laugh and nodded. Hearing her father's words being thrown back at her, caused her to open up a part of her that only he was capable of releasing and, with that, she reverted her gaze back to her mother and handed her the sword, slowly. She smiled up at her mother and nodded confidently, yet, silently.

Misty nodded as well, taking the sword into her own hands. A silent understanding had crossed between the two as she placed a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder.

Turning to Brock, she jerked her head in her children's direction.

"Keep an eye on them," she said, turning back towards the battle field.

"R-Right…" Brock stuttered.

Misty then turned to Pikachu, the electric rodent on its hind legs and peering at her unsurely.

"Trust me pal," was all she said before taking a few steps forward, sword raised and poised to intervene.

"Pika, pikachupi!"

Misty smiled at its positive response and ran into the fray, her eyes focusing on Mari and Hikara for a fraction of a second.

"Stay sharp."

The sisters nodded, keeping close to Brock and the children, completely aware of Misty's intentions. They both knew what had to be done in order to have any chance of freeing Ash.

'I'm sorry Ash…but you told me to do whatever I had to…' she thought, as she made her advances on Aki and twirled the sword in her hands expertly.

As Aly and Andrew watched their mother enter the battle field, their heart rates increased, hands became clammy, and both were afraid to close their eyes for fear that they would miss something vital. Though, in that moment, both wished there was another way to stop the evil demon that had ensnared their father.

As Misty neared the preoccupied Aki, she felt every muscle in her body ache, her heart pleading with her to withdraw, but she knew she could not. She knew that if there was the tiniest of chances that Ash could be freed, she needed to take it.

Mere feet from the demon sorcerer and still preoccupied with Sakura and Li's attacks, she recoiled the sword behind her to, quite literally, stab him in the back. As she did this, Misty had to keep in mind what she was doing was the right thing to do. She had to remind herself that this was the only way to free Ash and possibly take out Aki once and for all.

Gritting her teeth and feeling the familiar sting of hot tears form behind her eyes, she plunged forward using the weight of the sword as momentum. She felt herself being carried forward, but was stopped short when Aki, with amazingly quick reflexes, intercepted her advances.

He held the sword's blade between his hands with inhumanly strength and grinned evilly at a very shocked Misty. She gasped, trying to pull the sword away from his grasp, but to no avail. Instead, Aki laughed maliciously at her vain and weak attempts and continued to grasp the sword, with no intention of releasing it.

Sakura and Li watched tentatively for a moment, stopping all attacks for fear of hitting Misty, and keeping a close eye on Aki's movements. Both knew that he was dangerously close to Misty and would not hesitate to kill her at such a range. If she was gone, there would be no hope of destroying Aki, for Ash would be lost to this world as well.

"Using them as a distraction, are you?" whispered Aki, his grip on the sword still firm, "I must commend you on your courage, young treasure. I did not think you had it in you to stab your true love in the back, but apparently, once again, I have underestimated your…unique capabilities."

Misty gulped back the lump in her throat, but remained quiet. She still held the sword's handle at arm's length, her knuckles turning white in the process. Whatever happened, she needed to keep the sword in her possession. It was the only thing standing in the way of Aki, ultimately, receiving Ash's soul into his own.

"Mom…" whispered Aly, clenching her fists at her sides and trembling with anger, fear, and uncertainty.

The young girl bit her lip and looked at the group around her, distractedly.

Andrew was standing to her left, his look mirroring that of her own, as he stared at their mother and Aki locked in an endless tug of war. He kept shaking his head in disbelief, his pained eyes roving the scene as his mother struggled against the will of the demon.

Brock was standing to her immediate right, his eyes constantly switching back and forth between Misty and Aki, watching for any sign of movement from the two still beings. He kept muttering something under his breathe, but it was too hushed for Aly to hear. The only words she could make out were the names of her parents and a few words of encouragement. It was almost as if he were trying to reassure himself more than anything that this would turn out alright in the end…

Mari and Hikara were standing next to Brock, both their arms folded into their capes and staring at the scene with uncertainty. They occasionally looked to one another, though nothing was verbally said to the other, they both had a mutual sort of understanding. An understanding Aly almost wished they would share with them.

And, off in the far corner of the room, closest to Aki and her mother, stood Li and Sakura, weapons at the ready and prepared to defend if need be. Their eyes were mainly focused on the pair in the center of the arena. Aly couldn't possibly know what they were thinking in that moment, but she wished they would do something, anything to help alleviate the situation. But, deep down, she knew they were not at fault and, even if they could, attacking probably would not be the smartest move, especially with Misty within arm's reach of Aki.

Finally finishing the circle her eyes had made, Aly's gaze came to rest on her mother and 'father.' They were fighting each other on the inside, trying desperately to break free of the evil that constantly entered their lives. And it was at this moment that Aly wondered how terrible things had been before she had been born. What sacrifices had they made back then? How much had they suffered to tear themselves from evil in their younger years? If they could take it all back, would they?

And, before she knew it, the young girl was dropping to her knees, feeling the endless pressure of hurt and pain fill her mind and heart.

Andrew jumped at the sudden movement to his side, but quickly recovered when he noticed his sister kneeling on the ground, eyes fixated on the scene in front of them, mouth slightly ajar. He scanned her features and realized the look of fear in her eyes, the same look that now mirrored his own.

And, at that instant, both preteens wished for nothing more than for their parents to return to them, to return unharmed and as happily in love as they had been before their world had turned upside down. But both knew that as much as they wanted that to happen, something would have to give first. One could not live without the other, someone would have to give…

It was then that a very startling revelation hit the siblings as they stared at the two figures in the center.

Their parents, so in love and passionate about one another, could very well cause the destruction of the very foundation that love was built upon.

A/N: And chapter 10 done! Thanks for the patience and sorry for the long wait, but I've been swamped with school work and preparing for finals and all that sort of thing. Hope you all enjoyed and take care!