1. Ash's Story (Part 7: Kalos)

Chapter 90: Perfect Union

Lysandre's shiny Mega Gyarados was the only Pokémon still standing against us, but it still felt like fighting a storm with fangs. Prism Tower shook beneath every Hyper Beam, and the red light from the damaged control system flickered over Ash-Greninja, Mega Charizard X, Charla, Delphox, and the Elite Four's Mega Pokémon. We had freed both Zygarde Cores from Team Flare's control, but Lysandre's eyes still burned as if losing the future he wanted only made him more determined to drag everyone down with him.

"Mega Gyarados, crush them," Lysandre commanded.

"Not this time," I said. "Greninja, Water Shuriken!"

Serena called beside me, "Charla, Solar Beam!"

Siebold's Mega Blastoise fired Hydro Pump, Wikstrom's Mega Scizor struck with Flash Cannon, Drasna's Mega Altaria released Dragon Pulse, and Malva's Mega Houndoom added Flamethrower from the side. Our attacks collided against Mega Gyarados at once. It roared, fought against the pressure, and finally crashed across the tower platform as the Mega Evolution faded.

"Mega Gyarados is unable to battle," I said, breathing hard. "It appears that the fighting instinct you kept talking about is a thing of the past."

"It's over, Lysandre," Serena said.

Lysandre did not look defeated. He looked offended, as if the world had made a mistake by refusing him. "All your petty talk will never extinguish my dream."

He turned and walked toward the broken edge of Prism Tower. The wind pulled at his coat while red sparks rose from the damaged machines behind him. I saw the danger at once and moved before thinking.

"Greninja, save him before he disappears!"

Greninja lunged forward, but a flare of unstable energy burst between us. Lysandre opened his arms as the light swallowed the tower's edge. "I am still committed to recreating this world."

The platform cracked, and he vanished into the collapsing glow below.

For one frozen second, no one moved. Then Serena grabbed my arm, and I realized I had been leaning toward the edge. Greninja stood beside me, fists clenched, angry that he had not reached him in time.

Siebold looked down into the smoke. "Is he gone?"

"I do not know," I said. "We thought Geosenge ended him too, and he came back to create this. We cannot assume anything until we know."

Malva's face had gone pale, but she did not look away from the smoke. "Lysandre always prepared one more path for himself."

For a moment I could not separate the victory from the fear. We had defeated Lysandre's Pokémon, yet the city below was still scarred, and the man who had caused it was not standing with defeated grunts waiting to be arrested. The tower platform was full of broken machines, cracked restraints, and exhausted Pokémon, but every alarm in Lumiose kept screaming. The crisis had changed shape instead of ending.

Serena stepped closer and looked over the edge with me. "We cannot chase smoke."

"I know," I said. "But if he escaped again, he will not stop."

Malva heard that and looked away. "No, he will not. He believes failure only means the world has not understood him yet."

Before anyone could answer, Serena's communicator rang. She opened it quickly, and Alice's voice burst through the speaker.

"Serena, Ash, can you hear me? We are at the other Lysandre Labs, and we rescued Chespie."

"Mairin, are you there?" I asked.

"I'm here," Mairin said, voice shaking with relief. "Chespie is with me. Are you okay, Ash?"

"I'm fine. How are you?"