Chapter 5: Silence Strikes
The group battled through the now easing storm. Clemont walked on with Ash loaded onto his back, while Serena held Bonnie's hand, with the younger Lumiose sibling making sure each and every one of the Pokemon stayed close. Noibat rested in Serena's free hand, she kept it warm in her arm, soothing it into another nap.
Such scenes were not suitable for the innocent purple little creature. Furthermore the sight of her and the others in painful tears would be scarring to see. It was times like this they all had to pull through and put on a brave face. Serena knew she had a beating rhythm of hope. Ash's heart was still beating. Somewhere, deep down he was still there. His body was still working away. Yet his face did not move, somewhere Ash was still in there. Trapped in whatever happened on that fearful fall down the cliff. She felt her heavy chest throb as the doubts continued. She prayed that it wasn't serious.
The storm had subsided to just rain, but the dark clouds still remained. Mélancolie Path had become a dark shroud of relentless rain; the sky was crying over them.
Their steps back from over the bridge as they recovered him from the shores of the lake had become heavier clonks through the wet wood. They crossed over the lake, and looked around. Serena knew that there was a popular fishing shack nearby, but after the horrific effects of the terrifying weather that they had just witnessed, the once glorious autumn land had become scarcely unrecognisable.
Clemont scanned around, keeping a close grip on his glasses as he searched for a place to take refuge nearby.
"There!" He sharply cried. All heads turned to the direction in which his finger pointed.
Up ahead he spotted dim glowing lights breaking through the fog. Quite possibly, it was the fishing shack house. Surely it was near, after all they were near the lake.
"I see it! Let's go!" Bonnie added as she rallied the Pokemon into striving that extra mile further.
"Just a little more, Noibat. Hang in there." Serena softly uttered to the baby bat who was squinting in discomfort. It couldn't sleep, it was frightened. Instead as the group continued on through the rain it buried its head further into Serena's arms, rubbing its fur on the soft texture of Serena's skin. It found comfort in the arms of its surrogate parent, but dreaded to look over at the bad conditions its trainer was in.
Clemont had taken hold of Ash's wrists and pulled him over his back and shoulders to carry him out. The strain of carrying him all of this way was starting to become painful, but he had to keep going. They had found a sign of life, possibly the only place where they could stay and rest throughout the entire route.
Bonnie saw the fog give up its barrier, and sprinted on ahead upon catching a glimpse of their escape from the weather. She picked up the pace, urging Serena, Clemont and the Pokemon to push for the final surge. The group were deliriously fatigued in a frenzy of huffing and puffing, but before long, they had reached it. They had reached accommodation, an escape from the storm. The only place they would find in the entire vicinity of Route 16. There it stood, a small, wooden boxed house-like structure with a pointed roof, painted in a quickly fading pale blue. Two small windows sat either side of a light grey door that had layers of wood worn away through the clanging of the metal from visitors who knocked on it. A chimney poked out of the roof, rising above the dense fog came a huge puff of smoke, there must have been a fire lit there. They had confirmation that they were not alone. Moss oozed out of the cracks in the wood supporting the house's structure. It looked old, but it was all they could work with. After all, the nearest Pokemon Centres were miles away in Lumiose City, or the other side of the cliffs in Dendemille Town. They had found it, they at long last had relief; they had found the Fishing Shack.
The glow of the fire inside already looked welcoming to them. They charged forward to the front door, where Bonnie repeatedly knocked for attention. Their urgent call from outside was heard, as almost immediately the grey door was whipped open, and the concerned look of a fisherman matched the concerned look of the three travellers holding their injured friend.
Serena stepped forward and cut through Clemont as he prepared to open his mouth to give a composed explanation. She was wasting no time.
"We're so sorry to disturb you, but our friend is seriously injured, please can we rest here while the storm passes?" She almost sounded like she was begging. A hasty stutter cropped up in her tone as she spoke rapidly. The fisherman's face tensed up as he took a glance at Clemont carrying Ash on his back. He rushed to stand back and make space in the doorway. He seemed to identify the incident immediately.
"We've got no time to lose; quick, come in." A deep masculine voice ordered them into the warmth of the fishing shack, the group followed and rushed in. At last they were out of the storm.
"Hurry, bring him here." The fisherman called Clemont and ushered him to a flight of stairs near the doorway. High, slippery stairs that were polished and lined with a thin layer of wood. Clemont kicked off his mud filled shoes and carefully trotted up as the fisherman climbed rapidly up ahead. It was a short flight of stairs, but one Clemont felt himself struggle up. Through a corridor, and into a room in the corner lay a free bed. His labours of carrying Ash had met an end.
"Lie him down here." The fisherman calmly instructed as Clemont hoisted Ash's limp body off his back and onto the soft mattress. Serena and Bonnie followed from behind. They all gathered in the bedroom. It was a relatively small space, but enough to fit the group and their Pokemon. They all gathered around the bed and closely looked at Ash, still unconscious, still motionless.
The fisherman stood up from his crouching position, and began to talk.
"Luckily we have a spare bed here for situations like this. So, what are your names?"
"I am Clemont."
I'm Bonnie."
"My name's Serena, and this..." She dreaded reaching her arm to him. She couldn't bare to watch as he lay there like that.
"... this is Ash." Her throat once again felt heavy.
Clemont stood up.
"Thank you very much for helping us. The storm started very quickly, and we soon got caught in it." He began to explain.
Serena stepped forward to join in, playing with her fingers.
"We then got separated, and ended up on the cliff. The wind began to get stronger and before I knew, Ash got knocked off... and fell." Her voice became a murmur.
Clemont held his glasses.
"So that's what happened..."
Serena felt her eyes moisten as she crouched down beside Ash's bed. She buried her head in her hands.
"Guys... I'm sorry." She whimpered.
"Serena..." Bonnie didn't know how to react.
"Why..?" Clemont replied.
"It's my fault we were up there, it's my fault he got taken by the wind. He was helping me overcome the heights and then I couldn't be there to help him." The tears rushed down her cheeks as she spoke while looking at Ash. She felt full responsibility. She felt truly awful.
The fisherman cleared his throat.
"No one's to blame here." He scanned around at the group, tightening his stare.
"I'm Finn, I'm a local fisherman around these parts." He was a tall figure, with windswept brown hair that laid under a white cap with tanned skin. He wore a light blue shirt, with a Gilet to store his lines for his fishing rod. He looked to be an experienced angler. He looked as if he was accustomed to the local area well.
"After all my years here, I've come to learn that the storms can be pretty nasty. The strange climate around here means there's often not much time to escape before you're caught in a storm."
"Just like my big brother was saying!" Bonnie butted in.
"It can be pretty shocking, one minute you plan to get a move on and leave the area, then the next minute you're trapped in the midst of the storm. You're not the first travellers who were lucky enough to find this place. Although very few do." He continued.
"Finn... Why do they call this route 'Mélancolie Path'?" Bonnie asked while looking straight up at the tall figure.
He took a deep intake of breath.
"That's a good question. One I've been asked many times before..." A gloomy tone arose in his voice, before he regained his assured composure.
"Let's let Ash rest for now. Come, I'll explain everything to you." He now spoke calmly. Serena slowly looked up with those sore eyes once more. She ran her hand over the soft mattress that Ash was lying on.
"Will Ash... be okay?" Her words were tender, and full of angst.
Finn took another large intake of breath.
"... Let's let Ash rest for now."
His words offered no comfort, but she found herself being ushered away from Ash, she had to join the others in the main room. Finn seemed quick to move them along.
They sat down around a high wooden table. Finn had poured everyone tea, as the rain continued to come crashing down onto the roof. He began to speak again.
" Mélancolie Path... It's had that name for a couple of decades now. Many travellers cross by here. Some on their way back and forth from Lumiose City and Dendemille Town, some trying to cut across the high mountains to Anistar City. Whatever their intentions, the weather can always be harsh. To hear your group got split is something I've heard countless times.
"Do you mean many travellers encounter danger around here?" Clemont asked.
"Many travellers, like you, come here and get separated from each other. In the worst storms people get separated into murky swamps from the rain and high in the dangerous cliffs near the mountains. During those storms, you get people wandering. Some... some people don't ever find their friends again. This is where people can lose each other. Countless stories have been told over the years, and without meaning to sound rude, seeing Ash lying on the bed upstairs makes yours the next in the list. That's why they call it ' Mélancolie Path'." His words were sobering, and had a chilling effect on the group. All except Serena, who could not concentrate. She couldn't listen. Not when the thought of Ash lying upstairs injured and alone was dwelling in her mind. Every word that was spoken at her was rejected by her ears. She could only think of Ash. She felt time pass painfully slowly, as she waited for his endless explanation to end, so she could finally go up and see Ash again. She was frightened that it was serious. Finn showed little to no faith in his condition, which only made it worse.
The thoughts kept crawling over her. Was Ash... now lying on his death bed? She shuddered.
Her tea was still warm, but it felt cold. She felt cold, she felt ill. Knowing he was up there, alone; she couldn't bare it.
She abruptly stood up from her chair, hearing wood creak against itself from chair to floor.
"Please excuse me." She faced the floor.
"Are you okay, Serena?" Clemont began to worry at Serena's mental state, she had become pale.
"I'm going to check how Ash is doing." She calmly responded, hiding away her self-anger, her agitation, and her sorrows. She just wanted to be with Ash.
"I'm going too!" Bonnie added with a loud tone. She looked up to Serena like a big sister, and wanted to be there like Serena was. She would follow Serena anywhere.
Clemont and Finn looked at each other. They both knew they didn't really have a choice against the girls' adamant demands.
Serena and Bonnie rushed upstairs; Serena felt that lump in her throat and the weight in her stomach linger. Bonnie didn't have a full understanding of the situation, but she went with Serena. Ash and Serena were both like big siblings to her. Ash's heroic bravery and confidence was something she always wanted to aspire to, and in this situation, she had no doubts that he would pull through. Naivete struck young Bonnie though- this time it was more serious, but it would be a harsh lesson for all of the travelling family.
Clemont and Finn followed on upstairs where the girls sat close to Ash's bedside.
They didn't turn around, nor move a muscle. They kept gazing at Ash, hoping he was still there with them.
Clemont turned to Finn, a hint of anxiety crept up in his voice after seeing the girls' looks of concern. Bonnie offered an ear to listen, but Serena kept staring straight ahead at Ash.
"Have you had trainers come in injured like this before?" Clemont asked, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer.
"Yes, it is not uncommon for trainers to fall from the cliffs. After all, they're narrow and the wind can get dangerously strong."
"So you've seen people in Ash's situation before?" He continued to press for answers.
"I have, yes." He spoke bluntly, as he looked over at Ash, still unconscious after all this time.
He continued to speak. "He looks to have a serious concussion. Most likely caused by a collision with the rocks on the way down from the cliff."
His words carved silence into the atmosphere. Serena refused to listen. Bonnie was beginning to understand the situation, and she didn't like it.
Clemont felt a consensual objection into him potentially asking any more questions. He too felt uneasy about the answers he was receiving. Nevertheless, he plunged ahead and decided to ask the dreaded question, hoping that somewhere, Finn had some reassurance for the group.
"But, the people who have been in Ash's situation before... They eventually wake up, right?" He posed the question tentatively.
Finn took in a long, deep breath, and then released the air back out in a melancholic sigh.
"That's the thing around here. Some wake up, some don't."
Silence then struck.
His words sent shockwaves that caused the entire group to shudder. No matter how much Serena tried not to listen, those daunting words managed to reach her. The essence of fear itself began to tap her on the shoulder; she felt her tensions flare. Each painful emotion swelled up into tears, her eyes were already sore, but another wave of emotions had overflown within her. She felt the tears fall, one by one, trickling down her cheeks. The impossible reality was being made possible. There in front of her lay the beating heart of Ash. Somewhere he was in there, but would he ever wake up to her again? Had she already said her last words to him? Had he really been taken from them? She dismissed the thoughts, getting agitated at her mind going into overload. She wanted something, anything that would give her comfort in this hopeless moment. Anything to save her. Anything to make the tears go away.
She would think back to that moment on his back through the storm, how he cared for her. How he truly never gave up until the very end. She remembered the happiness she felt being so close to him. But those final words, those very final words he spoke to her.
"I know you're strong."
She tensed up. Her hands scrunching into fists. She felt the blood rush close to her skin. Her heart flaring up as she gritted her teeth.
"Ash..!" She wailed loudly, breaking down with a stream of tears falling. She sat on her knees, and placed both hands over his raven hair, running her fingers through it to console her, trying to make the pain leave her. Her stomach seized up into a heavy feeling of despair. She wanted him back. She had to be strong, she had to keep giving it her all until the very end, yet how could she go on when he lay there so motionless in front of her? The Ash she knew and loved felt so far away. She rued each moment up on the cliff. She felt a nuisance, and a catalyst in the catalogue of disasters that followed.
"It's all my fault!" Serena cried out. She continued feeling around his face, where she felt no response at all. She felt broken, torn by her own petty behaviour. She wanted to curl up and hide away from reality, taking her fatal mistakes with her, forgetting the world she ruined. She felt her heart sob at his very absence.
"No... I shouldn't have lost track of you. I'm the reason we were split in the first place." Clemont stepped forward, clenching two fists and struggling to speak. Seeing the raw emotions of his close friend hit him hard. It made him think, it made him hurt.
Bonnie sat down beside Serena, and took her hand. She looked into Serena's waves of tearful blue eyes, and realised the intensity of the situation. It was only becoming clear to her that they may have lost Ash. The Pokemon too sat near his bedside. Most had a look of shock more than despair. The fall had happened in a flash, only when they fled from their PokeBalls did it become apparent that something bad had just happened. Pikachu remained in his still position, still clutching Ash's familiar red hat like it was the most precious thing he ever had. Hawlucha had cradled Noibat into a brief nap, hoping to keep it peaceful during these devastating times.
Finn felt uncomfortable in the room of Serena's sadness. Bonnie too felt herself beginning to tear up. Most worryingly from Clemont's view was how quiet she had become. Bonnie was never quiet, yet this time she was stunned; confused, and frightened. It was a lot to absorb. A harsh lesson amongst a harsh land.
The rain continued to fall.
"I will leave you all to rest until you see fit to leave." Finn spoke in a cold tone. He wasn't in charge of the fishing shack, just a regular fisherman going about his daily business. Suddenly being thrown into the emotional scenes of Ash's injuries made him understandably uncomfortable. He walked out to the corridor, but Clemont still felt as if he had more questions that needed to be asked.
The lemon-haired gym leader rushed out of the room to catch up before he left.
"Is there anything we can do to help him..?" He was clutching at straws, not giving in on his hope of finding something that could potentially help. Finn zipped his gilet back up and approached Clemont.
"Just let him rest as much as possible. He's in a state of sleep right now, but doesn't have much consciousness. The most you can do is wait for him to naturally wake up. So for now watch over him, make sure he's comfortable. He could wake up at any time."
"I see... thank you for letting us stay here."
"No problem. Times like this, you've just gotta be there for each other." Finn lowered his head, seemingly slipping into a tone of sadness. He had seen it so many times before, and didn't want to cast a false light over the current situation now. He saw the innocence around him, he saw the despair in Serena's lonely eyes. He turned away towards the flight of stairs, but then abruptly turned back to Clemont, still standing there, for once unable to gather his thoughts.
"Bonnie and yourself will both be able to stay strong together. But Serena... make sure she doesn't give up on him." They were eerily familiar words. Yet they were true. Serena could not give up hope on him. Maybe Finn had sensed something different in her approach to Ash than in the Lumiose siblings.
Ash was still there, just trapped in a sleep, indefinitely.
Finn turned around and left, leaving Clemont there in the corridor, trying to logically place his thoughts into a plan. Yet it was no good. Nothing he could think of made sense. It was like Ash had left such a huge hole that his own thoughts could not fill at the very moment. He began walking back into the room, his legs not quite moving in unison like before. Awkwardly trying to recollect himself as the reality sunk further. The group were facing their toughest challenge yet.
He appeared in the doorway.
"Finn told me that all we can do is let him rest. He said we just have to be there for him." He explained in a quiet voice.
Not a single response.
Serena and Bonnie just continued to kneel beside the bed, and watch on. They didn't move a muscle. Only the sound of the falling rain broke the silence in the room.
"And to you Serena he said... Don't give up on him."
Her head shot up. Her eyes widened.
She quickly turned around, aggressively wiping the tears from her eyes.
In a flash she sprung up off her knees, and marched towards the corridor.
"Where is he?!" She barked at Clemont.
Those eyes had switched from agony to anger in an instant. There was a fire roaring in her, one that wanted to rampage on.
"Um, he left us alone so we could look after Ash!" He shrieked defensively in fear of her sudden flared up livid anger.
She charged towards the nearest window, scanning outside, almost scavenging for where he had gone, like she wanted to hunt him down, snap at him, and let out all of her emotions in one powerful scream.
"Is something the matter..?" Clemont hesitated to ask, knowing Serena had a mood in her that the group rarely saw.
"Who does he think he is?! I mean how dare he doubt me?! I am going to be here for every second before he wakes up. I'm never giving up until the end." She screeched and growled with anger at Finn's supposed doubts. Maybe she had misinterpreted, but after her ride of emotions, she wasn't in the mood to be toyed with.
" I am never going to give up on Ash." She was angry, she was upset. But never had she given up. Her deepest instincts refused to allow her. She could not give up on Ash Ketchum.
"I think you may be reading it the wrong wa-" Clemont tried to calm her down before she stomped right up to his face and stared straight through his glasses as they caught the light.
"I will stay here all night if I have to. I will NOT give up until the very end, okay?" She scolded Clemont as he felt himself overcome in a sweat. Loosening the neck on his overalls he backed down, knowing Serena had already been through enough today. She was adamant that she would be there. Her voice filled the room, bouncing off the walls. Bonnie felt Serena's anger, but she empathised with it. She realised it as her passion, and her commitment to Ash. She realised at that moment how much he meant to her. She was genuinely willing to stay the entire night watching over his bedside. That she really admired.
Serena took a few moments to take a couple of deep breaths.
"Sorry." She uttered under her heavy breathing.
"I'm just really worried." The hint of angst cropped up in her tone once more.
However at that very moment, her travelling voice seemed to have been loud enough for all to hear.
Bonnie kept her eyes firmly on Ash even throughout Serena's outburst. What had happened was a moment where blinking would result in missing it.
A sudden twitch.
A flex of the muscle.
Ash's hand suddenly stretched out, and in a rapid motion made a grasp for something. Something seemingly close. Bonnie sat back in shock. He had moved.
"Serena! Serena! Clemont! He moved! He moved! Quick!" She pounced up and down, the Pokemon each bellowed a chorus of their cries, caught in the deliriousness of the sudden moment of drama.
Serena quickly rushed over, and positioned herself close to him. Clemont crouched down by his beside. The group firmly kept an eye on his movements.
Serena looked at his eyes.
They were flickering.
"Ash..." She whispered, hoping her voice was heard.
His eyes continued to flicker.
It was like his eyelids were trying to release him from his condition.
Soon a huge release of oxygen passed out of his mouth, and his stomach relaxed releasing air. He was breathing deeply, very deeply. But he was still there.
The flickering stopped.
No more movements from his body.
"He seems to be coming back into touch with his consciousness." Clemont calmly posed as he placed a hand on his chin.
"Is he waking up?" Bonnie's voice pressed for an answer. Glimpses of anticipation could be heard from her.
"Not yet. We need to give him more time." His voice flared with tension. One thing the lemon-haired gym leader was sure of was that Ash would not be going through a quick recovery.
Bonnie watched on, now they just had to wait. Slowly but surely, Ash was finding his way back to them.
It was a painfully long wait.
The more time tantalisingly ticked on, the more their worries and anxieties began to increase. Serena didn't make a move throughout. She wouldn't complain, she would sit there, on her knees, next to Ash's bedside.
The hours ticked on by. Night had fallen. The rain had eased slightly, but the group still remained there in the room. The Lumiose twins stretched out to yawn. Serena this time didn't join in. Usually a yawn signalled mutual appreciation, but Serena took little notice. She sat now hunched forward, her body slightly tense as she continued to watch over Ash. Nothing would get in her way. She was determined to stay there all night. She was willing to put her feelings to the test.
Bonnie's yawns began to get more frequent. A dark night had fallen on Route 16. City nights were lit up by warm lights, but in the rural countryside there was little to brighten the dark sky. Bonnie had a glance out of the window, but there was nothing there. Just a void of blackness. The Pokemon had joined Noibat in falling asleep with the fading of the daylight. The room remained ever silent, with only the soft splashing of raindrops still falling.
Clemont caught sight of Bonnie's head nodding off to sleep. It was getting late.
"Serena... I'm sorry for us to leave you alone like this, but Bonnie's falling asleep. We should both be getting to bed soon." Clemont felt guilty and slightly apprehensive at leaving Serena alone like this. However instead she looked up at him as he got back to his feet, and smiled. Her eyes were tainted with the stare of sadness, but a determined energy to keep going. Her eyes had that flare of energy like Ash's did ahead of a battle.
"It's okay. You two get plenty of sleep. I'll be fine here, I'll be watching over him during the night." She spoke without a hint of fatigue. Her will to carry on was relentless. Clemont picked up Bonnie and felt her weight press against his back. A considerably lighter weight than Ash earlier, but still he felt the strains, both mentally and physically.
"Wake us up if anything happens. We'll be in the room down the corridor." Clemont assured.
"Sure thing; leave it to me." She grinned.
"Goodnight Serena. I'm sure Ash will be really grateful to know you're staying beside him like this." Clemont warmly said as he made his way to the exit of the room.
She blushed slightly.
"Yeah... I can't ever give up on him. Hopefully he'll soon wake up and realise that." Her words seem to digress into a tone which Clemont felt slightly unfamiliar with. Yet he felt her warm commitment towards him. He admired such a trait.
"Goodnight, you two." She added, as the sleepy siblings walked off into the room down the other side of the corridor.
There she was, practically alone in the room with Ash; each Pokemon soundly sleeping away in the background. Many scenarios had always graced her where she would be alone with him, although never before had she anticipated one quite like this. She took off her mud and rain soaked clothes and changed into the soft embrace of her pyjamas. She felt a small hint of comfort in shredding the clothes that she had warn on such an occasion. Apart from the ribbon which she kept clean and safe at all times, she was eager to clean her outfit, and reset her thoughts from the devastating storm earlier. She sat down by his bedside once again, trying to prevent the occasional stutter in her throat from where she had been crying earlier. She tried to stay calm, and forget the horrid day she had. She tried to find peace next to Ash, hoping he was sleeping soundly, and that he would wake up soon. He had been gone for a matter of hours, but she missed him more than she had ever done in the years between their first encounter at the summer camp in Kanto, and their reunion in Santalune City. The tragic feeling of him being taken away from her was that strong. Yet it was no use crying over his bedside. She had to be patient, she had to keep waiting.
Knowing that she wasn't alone, and that he was there, kept her going. It would be a long night, but she was prepared to sit there and keep an eye out for as long as it took.
She placed a hand over his chest again, slowly moving it up to his heart. She gently rested her head near it, softly caressing his chest to soothe him.
His heart was still beating.
She couldn't give up.
A long night lay ahead of her, but she would never give up on the raven-haired trainer she had felt so affectionately for. At this moment her feelings swelled once more, she was beginning to think about everything that she liked about him again. Taking comfort from those fond thoughts.
She softly laid a hand over his chest, and allowed her whispers to meet his ears behind that thick raven hair.
"Ash... I will never give up on you."
Author's Note: Once again everyone thank you so much for all of the reviews and support you have been giving me! Really appreciate it. 'Finn' by the way is based off of one of the fisherman trainers that can be encountered at Route 16's Fishing Shack in the games!