Author's Note: Hey everyone. Sorry for the week delay, I was working something on Wattpad and that took a little of my time. But I managed to finish both of this chapter and the Wattpad project (at least, the prologue) on time and I now I can finally post this! I'm really sorry for keeping you guys waiting after that whole beginning argument scene, but maybe you'll forgive when I give you Chapter 6? On second thought, you guys will probably want to kill me after reading this chapter.
...I'm gonna go prepare my bomb shelter...
StreetRacer-Sam: *Sigh* Okay, I'll keep that tip in mind.
thor94: Thanks! Yeah, I like making people suffer, just my sadistic nature. :) Uh, I may have an idea to what you're saying, and it's nothing like that! It technically doesn't count as a tentacle, anyway. Um, nobody said anything about going after Ash because of Serena. And who said that Serena is what It needs? Also, yeah, I did make Ash pretty broken, but wait until you see the chapter below! :)
Juster of Rivia: Thank you! Wow, I am literally speechless right now. I can't tell you why, though. You'll have to find out in the future. ;)
Also, if you're reading this Steel, sorry for making you cry again.
Enjoy the chapter! Or not...
The very moment they regain their composures after all that screaming, Clemont slams the closet door shut, took his sister by the hand, and runs down the hallway as fast as possible. At this point, Clemont no longer cares for his body's demands of him stopping. He just continues to run down the hall while gripping his sister's hand tightly. Along the way, he could have sworn he's seen some of the Pokémon popping out of the corner his eyes and they're now following him and his sister.
But he didn't care about that. Neither did Bonnie as she continues to keep up with her brother's pace. They didn't care about anything else. There was only one thought that keeps coursing through their brains; We should have believed him.
The moment Ash came screaming for them from the kitchen, they should have realized something was wrong with the Lewis Manor than it already is. They have known Ash since the beginning the of their Kalos Journey, spending many months and experiencing everything together. They should have believed him the moment he told them how there's something horrible inside this place and be a little suspicious about their surroundings.
But they didn't. Instead, they took the easy path. They believed it to be something from Ash's imagination. They believed that Ash was beginning to get a little stir crazy from staying in one place because he always loves to travel. Just thinking that their friend was acting strangely was easier than dealing with the possible horrors inside the Lewis Manor.
They're horrible friends...
That thought only made them run faster, Clemont even looks like he isn't breaking a sweat. They may have failed as Ash's friends before but now they're determined to make it up to him.
So when they found Ash and Serena on their knees in the middle of the hallway with both of their heads down, their Pokémon staring at them as if something terrible has just occurred, the siblings knew they have to tell Serena the truth.
"Serena, we have to get out of here!" Bonnie cries, her voice trembling as she thought about the corpses from the closet.
"Ash was right! There is something horrible going-!" Clemont cut himself off when Serena suddenly stood up. Her head is still down, but it appears to be in the direction of Ash's quivering body.
"So, that's it, huh?" Clemont and Bonnie both blink in surprise at how agitated Serena's voice sounds. And from the looks of things, she's directing her voice at the trembling Ash. They would have never thought Serena would actually use that tone with Ash out of all people.
What she said next really made their jaws drop. "You... You thought you could get me with this silly little prank of yours... Well, guess what, Ash Ketchum?! I didn't fall for it one single bit because this is the cruelest prank you have ever pulled!"
It didn't take long for them to realize that something must have happened before they reached the two of them. To a normal bystander who has just witness Serena yelling at Ash like that, they would have thought that this girl was being unfair to this boy. That was also the first thing that popped into the sibling's mind after witnessing that. But they didn't say anything. Mostly because they didn't know the whole story so they expected Ash must have said something first. They decided to wait to see where this conversation is going before they decide to break it up.
Ash had whipped his head towards her the moment Serena finished her sentence. They were surprised at the blank look of rage underneath his tear-stained face. "What the heck is that suppose to mean?!"
"Don't play dumb! You know what I'm talking about!" Serena's glare didn't leave him as he stood up and gave her his own glare with his blank eyes. "The whole story about the Lewis Family, people being murdered inside this house a long time ago, you decide to use those stories to prank all of us in most horrible ways possible!"
"I was nearly killed a few times, Serena! Ya actually think I would go that far just for a prank?!"
"You've made it this far, so I'm not surprised!"
Ash actually lets out a small growl while he tightens his fist until they were white, too white for his skin color. "Ya know, I can't believe I actually invited you to travel with me. You're so selfish! All you ever care about is looking at the things you want to see! Like how I came to you for help, you decide to go what you wanted to see instead of actually believing in me!"
Serena felt ready to explode. Never before has she ever felt so agitated, especially when it came to Ash. But she found out she couldn't stop herself. What Ash said to her had hurt her heart, and she found herself unable to let that go. She let the part that wanted to hurt Ash like how he hurt her take over. "W-Well..."
If she only realized what she said next would leave a colossal effect on Ash than what his words did to her.
"I'm starting to see why your dad decided to leave you after you were a day old! I can barely stand to be in the same room with you as well!"
Clemont and Bonnie's breaths hitch in a way they never thought was possible. They wanted to believe that their brain was playing tricks on them and they didn't hear what they have just heard. Even when they already know what they have just heard that, they were still in denial. Serena, out of all people, said something like that to Ash. It just didn't seem possible.
Yet it happened. Serena did bring Ash's Dad into their small, if it should even be call "small", quarrel. The one person who could actually hurt Ash just by the mentioning of him.
Oh, sweet Arceus, Ash... They couldn't even describe the look on his face.
Serena was actually surprised Ash didn't even say anything after that. A part of her felt a little prideful for making him speechless. He deserved that after all the things he said to her. Then, there's this strange side of her that is making her feel the opposite of being prideful of what she has done. Is it, guilt? Why would she feel guilty? Ash was the one who started all of this by saying those awful things to her!
It finally took her a minute to fully realize what she had just said to Ash. With words like that, it shouldn't have even taken a minute to fully realize them.
A wave of self-hatred instantly washes over her heart the moment she realized what she had just said. Never before had she hated herself until this very moment. If anything, Ash had every right to say all the things he had just said to her.
Oh, Arceus... How on earth did she feel satisfied with what she said after seeing Ash's face like that?
She takes a small step forward, her hand reaching out to him. "Ash, I..." She tries, hoping that Ash would listen to her. At this point, Serena knew she has to make this up to him. And she won't stop until she does.
However, Ash didn't seem like he wanted to listen what she had to say. He didn't want to listen to her anymore. So when she tried to put her hand on his shoulder, Ash just broke into a run. She didn't know where he was going, but she knew it was probably as far away from her as possible. She could feel her whole body freezing the moment Ash turned away from her. She didn't even bother to look at the others, who have already run down after Ash. She just stares at the empty space that was once Ash.
The thoughts of that conversation keep replaying in her mind over and over again; I'm starting to see why your dad decided to leave you! I'm starting to see why your dad decided to leave you! I'm starting to see why your dad decided to leave you!
What have I done?
Clemont and Bonnie both wince when they heard another crash coming from behind the door, followed by loud thuds on the walls and incomprehensible yelling within the room.
After seeing Ash run off after his fight with Serena, the siblings didn't hesitate to run after him along with the Pokémon. They couldn't imagine the immense pain their raven-haired friend must be feeling right now. But they know that at this point they need to be there for their friend now more than ever. And that's exactly what they're planning to do.
They didn't expect Ash to lock himself in his room and take his pain out in the environment around him, not to mention they can hear him shouting things like "My fault" over and over again.
Bonnie once again winces when she hears another loud thud, possibly Ash trying to hit the wall as hard as he could. "Gee, he's really taking this hard..."
Clemont didn't even bother to comment on his sister. Instead, he took a step forward and knock on the door.
The thud sounds immediately stopped.
"Ash? It's Clemont..." The young genius explains, hoping his friend won't explode at him if he thought it was Serena behind the door. "Do you... Do you wanna come out so we can talk?"
"Go away, Clemont!"
Clemont flinches away from the door. Okay, so maybe Ash would explode at him either way.
"Ash, look, I know what Serena said was horrible. Not to mention you have every right to be mad at her, but you can at least come out? You know you can't stay in there forever."
"Wanna bet on it?!"
Bonnie frowns at the rude tone Ash is using for her big brother. She takes a step forward until she's right beside Clemont. "Come on, Ash! I get that you don't like to talk about your Dad and what Serena said was rude, but you don't have to act like a jerk over it!"
"Bonnie!" Clemont chastised her, but it was already too late.
"You have no idea to what I'm feeling right now!" The two sibling back away when Ash's screaming became louder like he's actually behind the door and ready to pounce on them. "You... You two grew up with a father! I never even knew him! Everyone around me has at least know what their dad looks like! I never did! Because he suddenly decides that I'm not good enough for him so he just up and left us! It's all my fault!"
The moment he was done screaming at them, they instantly heard sobbing coming from behind the doors. Just hearing him admit all that stuff about his non-existence relationship with his father nearly tore their hearts apart. Ash was right, they couldn't understand the pain he's going through. They grew up with a father that's always been there for them. Ash didn't and he blames himself for it.
Sighing, Clemont moves forward once again. "Ash... Look, you're right. Bonnie and I can never understand what you've been through. We have a dad in our lives, you don't. But, if you need anything, we can always talk. I'm sure after this, we can get Serena here so we can all-"
"I never wanna see her face again!" Clemont flinches when the screaming voice of Ash came back. "Why don't you two just do me a favor and go away?!"
"But Ash!" Bonnie tries this time. "Serena didn't mean what she said! Can't you two just talk it out?!"
"Go away!"
Clemont could feel his patience growing thin. "Ash, you and Serena are bound to talk to each other eventually-"
"I said go away!"
CRASH!
This time the siblings actually stumble back when they heard the sound of vase crashing against the door. It didn't take them long to realize Ash had just thrown a vase in their direction. To think, he could get so upset that he'd actually get violent...
Sighing, Clemont turns to Greninja and Pikachu, who have been staring at the whole exchange with astonished eyes. "Keep an eye on him, we're gonna go find Serena."
The two nod, giving the others the chance to go off and find Serena while they stay behind to try to console Ash in his time of need.
If only they were looking up, then they would have noticed the two golden orbs staring at them from the darkness above.
Everything is finally falling into place.
Before you all say it...
Yes. I did make Serena go there.
*Puts on helmet and runs off to bomb shelter*