Race of a Lifetime

Chapter Twenty-Six-Multiple POVS

Gladion's POV:

I completely underestimated him. Adira wasn't kidding about Giovanni being no fool. He dodged and prevented every attack from hitting him, excluding a counter that had surprised him. Lillie and Marie are currently helping out by secretly trying to destroy the machine while Mother and Father were stuck in puppet mode. It hurts seeing them in such a state, but if I can keep him distracted enough, it will not be long. I told Hop to find his brother. If he was telling the truth about his brother's power here in Galar, he should be back coming with help. I just hope its fast, as comparing to Giovanni, this fight isn't doing so well for our side. 

Suddenly, the world turns lighter again, the skies opening up to reveal bright sunlight, warming up the area with its rays. Giovanni suddenly looks at shock, me following his gaze to find Lillie and Marie smirking at a sparking and broken down machine, Mother and Father shaking their heads before collapsing. I instantly want to run towards them, but not while the coward and his partner are still standing, perfectly able to attack. 

"Do you honestly think I would leave this up to chance? No, I've decided to use my back up." He snaps his fingers and Adira rushes toward me, grabbing my neck and trying to choke me, effectively pushing me to the ground. The impact of my head on the concrete makes me wince as I feel the pain shoot up, causing an instant migraine. She's physically stronger than she seems. Abnormally strong, it must be from the serums they stabbed her with. I claw at my neck, but its unnaffective as I'm starting to feel light headed. 

"A-Ad-dira. I-It's m-me. G-Glad-dion. I-It's o-okay. I-I lo-ove you. I-It's me. It's me. It's me. It's me. It's me." A moment later, I notice her eyes are no longer glazed over, her grip on my neck lessen. She whispers, so softly, that I almost don't hear it, but it relieves me. 

"Gladion?" She's back. It's her. I give a painful nod. I know for certain that my head injury is bleeding. I give a wince, and whisper towards her. "Go." She gives an almost unnoticable nod, and like a Thunderbolt, she latches a dagger into the stomach of the Giovanni's persian and into Giovanni's leg. 

"Y-you traitor! How could you not see that the boy has only distracted you from your destiny, becoming my right hand soldier and accomplice. You are blind of your true potential, and this is how you treat me for trying to help you reach it!" Adira says something, but I don't hear her. The world is nothing but black...

Adira's POV:

I stare at Giovanni, his fallen form almost making him seem as the victim in the situation. But he isn't and my gaze is nothing but cold. "You haven't done anything, but prove to me that you are nothing but a coward." I turn back to Gladion, and my breath quickens as I notice that his eyes are closed, almost as if he's asleep, but his bleeding head tells me otherwise. Marie and Lillie are taking care of Lusamine and a man with blonde hair, who must be Lillie and Gladion's father, Mohn Aether. But currently, Gladion is my main focus. Rushing over to his passed out form, I feel my heart clench in my chest. A feeling that is foreign when I have thought about anyone, unless I have let myself think about Marie and Mother while on the run from Giovanni and Team Rocket. Regret, worry, and something else. 

I almost killed him. I almost choked Gladion to death. What have I done? I have been afraid of something like this happening, but I never expected it to happen to someone other than family and Hop that I care for deeply. I never thought I would ever care for someone other than them, so I never thought that anyone else would get twisted into my messed up life. I hear voices, but they are distorted and quiet. My head is still fuzzy from the mind control, and I can barely focus on anything but the blood on the floor once the paramedics take away Gladion, Mohn, and Lusamine Aether to the hospital for the medical help, but then I feel nothing more but empty, and I have no idea why. That's when the aftermath of the day's events finally hit me hard. 

One, I am in love with Gladion Aether.

Two, Giovanni is being taken into custody for his actions being broadcasted all over Galar. 

And three, I am blacking out from the amount of energy the mind control stole from me.