A/N: As mentioned before, this chapter is pretty dark.
He could barely hear it but he knew it was her.
"Serena!" Ash yelled.
"Pikachu," Pikachu cried.
"Riolu."
Ash turned to Riolu, "Is Lucario getting close?"
"Ri ri."
"That must have been why I could hear her."
"Houndoom."
"Absol."
Mable sneered, "You think you're gonna beat me with that exhausted little mutt."
Serena smirked, "Absol has gotten a lot stronger since the last time we fought."
"I doubt it, Houndoom, use Fire Blast."
"Dodge it," Serena yelled, also sliding out of the way.
"Use Dark Pulse."
"Dodge again then use Future Sight," Serena commanded, again moving out of the way of Houndoom's attack.
She's not even aiming for Absol, she's trying to hit me.
"Fine then, Houndoom, Mega Evolve."
"You hear that too, right?"
Greninja nodded, "Yes, my assumption is she got caught in a battle against one of the admins."
"ASH!"
Ash turned to face forward, "Go!"
"Told ya, I could do it."
Chloe rolled her eyes.
"Great to see you guys but can you get me down first?"
Korrina nodded, "Aura Sphere."
Lucario sent a blue orb towards some of the equipment, destroying it and releasing Ash and his Pokemon.
"Now that I'm free, where's Serena?"
"There was a cave-in and she got separated from us," Dawn said.
Ash nodded, "I think I can find her."
"How?"
"I was hearing her command Absol in battle, if I follow where it's coming from, I should find her."
"I should have expected nothing less from a former Kantonian Gym Leader," Lysandre said, his face wearing a neutral expression.
Persian panted at Giovanni's feet before he was returned to his Pokeball.
"So, now that we both have a good estimate of each other's strength, I give you my ultimatum. Team Rocket joins Team Flare and in return, you will be in charge of the new, beautiful world I create, and I spare your family's lives."
Giovanni stared at Lysandre in silence before giving his answer, "No."
"No? You truly are an arrogant man."
"I'm not sure when you'll realize-"
"Spare me the claims of my sanity, I could barely handle them from Malva, but you, I won't take those claims from you, not from the man who sealed his own daughter's fate."
Giovanni's eyes widened as Lysandre gave his command, "Terminate her."
Where's Ash when you need him.
Serena ducked out of the way of another Fire Blast. The worst Houndoom had done was singe the tips of her hair and clothes.
Of course, then Lysandre had to give Mable the order to kill her.
"You hear that little princess, your little knight in shining armor will be too late because I don't intend to fail."
"Considering the fact that Lysandre gave that command in the middle of this battle and not beforehand, he might be closer than you think," Serena shot back.
"You little- FIRE BLAST!"
"DODGE!"
She and Absol moved to different sides of the tunnel, giving Mable the perfect opening.
"Fire Blast."
"Razor Wind," Serena shouted, moving out of the way and back into the middle of the tunnel behind Absol.
"Dark Pulse."
"Razor Wind again."
Absol once again sent little green blades flying as he used his horn to slash through the air, stopping the Dark Pulse.
At that moment, Serena saw how exhausted Absol was. He was barely standing, keeping himself up through sheer willpower. She knew that Absol couldn't keep this up, but none of her team members could handle a Mega Houndoom, let alone beat it.
"Fire Blast."
"Future Sight then-"
Absol cried out in pain, nearly collapsing. Still huffing and panting.
"Once he falls, so will you. Fire Blast."
Absol jerked himself out of Serena's grip and took the Fire Blast head-on.
He fell on his side. His normally silky, brilliant white fur was matted with blood and looked nearly black because of the soot and ash. Serena placed a hand on her fallen mega before retracting it and staring in horror. Her hand was red with blood.
Mable cackled, "End of the line, little princess."
Serena returned Absol to his Pokeball and looked directly at Houndoom, almost defiantly, trying her hardest to mask the pure terror she felt.
"So that's how you're going out, not that it matters. Houndoom, use-"
Serena lowered her arm. Houndoom was at her feet, unconscious.
"LET HER GO!"
Mable had her hand on another Pokeball, Weavile's, Serena assumed. Then she looked up.
A glowing purple beam that resembled a sword was being held across Mable's throat.
Night Slash? That means.
"GET YOUR HAND OFF THAT POKEBALL OR GRENINJA WILL END YOUR LIFE RIGHT HERE," Ash roared
He was down the tunnel, far enough away that Serena could just barely make out his shadowy figure. But her feelings of relief and joy were drowned out by fear, Ash would never be this violent, not even against Team Rocket after countless times of stealing Pikachu over three years and she couldn't tell because of the distance they were from each other, but she thought she could see a purple glow surrounding him, something she hadn't seen since-
Oh, Arceus.
Serena winced as she got up, her adrenaline had worn off, and sprinted down towards Ash, wrapping her arms around him.
Once Serena had passed him, Greninja released Mable, who promptly took off sprinting.
"ASH!" Greninja yelled into his mind.
Ash blinked a few times as the purple glow flickered out and he came to his senses, noticing Serena with her arms wrapped around him instantly.
"Serena," he murmured.
She pulled away, "Thank Arceus you're alright, I was so worried."
"You were worried about me? Serena, you could have almost died, you almost did die, and you were worried about me?"
"Okay, hate to interrupt your guy's reunion but we should probably get out of here," Dawn said.
Serena nodded, "For whatever reason, Lysandre wants me dead, I don't think that stops when one of his admins loses and runs off."
"Want you dead? Like not captured but-"
"Yes."
"Any idea why?"
Serena shook her head, "No clue, all I know is we're down a mega, Mable took out Absol before Ash found me."
Korrina groaned, "Any chance Ash's Riolu could just evolve on command?"
"You say that like you carry around spare Lucarionite and a spare keystone."
Korrina raised her eyebrow, "You don't?"
Alain blinked a few times, "You do?"
"Guys," Ash said.
"Right, right."
"Pika pika," Pikachu cried.
"Let's get out of here."
A/N: Soooo, we got some Dark Ash action here, maybe it'll resurface again, who knows.
Amourshipper35 - Thanks for the review
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UnKnownGuy2006 - Neither can be trusted, they have access to my google doc and can see the next chapter, and all my friends radiate chaotic energy so don't question it
Robins in the Ashes - sus
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