Apocalypse ● An Amourshipping Story

15

"Serena?"

"Ash."

Multicolored lights flickered around the room as Ash stared in disbelief.

"The Ash I know wouldn't leave." Serena said.

He just kept staring.

"She's armed!" One of the officers drew a weapon from his belt.

He can't do this.

Ash subtly flicked his wrist, and Serena watched as a small yellow blur flew into the air. The room filled with electricity, and the officers fell unconscious.

"Pikachu" Serena ran forward, before buckling to a kneel with exhaustion. Pikachu jumped up into her arms, and she hugged the small yellow mouse.

"Serena, I-"

"You're okay, I'm so happy that you're okay" Serena said, still too tired to stand up.

An immediate wave of exhaustion overcame her. For a moment her focus slipped, before she heard footsteps coming down the hall.

"We need more time for the project, maintain patrols outside of the compound" Ash said as he stepped outside of the room. "Some of the officers found that runaway, you can call off the search. Now please leave me some space to prepare."

He stopped his own people, he was helping her. This is the same Ash I remember, the one that cares about his friends. Then why did he do all... this?

"Are you okay?" Ash extended a hand to Serena.

Memories of distant summer camps flashed in her mind. She found herself lost in his black eyes, a smile creeping up his cheek. She shook her head.

He reached out, placing an arm under hers, the other by her legs. Ash was still filled with adrenaline—a nervous excitement—as he swept her off the ground.

The warmth of Ash's body comforted her. She had so many questions to ask: Why did Ash Ketchum ban pokemon? Why did he order his soldiers to lock her away? What is his 'project'? But for now his warmth was enough.

The flashing lights became distant as he carried her down twisting corridors, eventually up to a tall doorway. She held onto his chest tightly as he leaned forward to push the door open, then stepped in letting it close behind them.

Thump, thump, thump. The beating of his heart was noticeably quick. Now that he made it back to his room, Ash wasn't sure what to do. He set Serena down on a couch towards the side of the room.

"Sit with me" she said.

"I can't. I'm just-"

"Just what? What changed over the last five years?"

"You died, Serena" he replied. "I became a monster,"

Serena just looked back, her eyes starting to cloud with tears.

"This is why I couldn't see you. Not like this. Of all people I can't afford to hurt you, but I've hurt so many"

Tears streamed down Serena's face. I messed it all up, he thought, again.

Then she smiled.

"Ash, you of all people should know I won't just give up. You never gave up on your friends. I don't remember much of what happened after the party, but I just remember falling, and all I could think about was you. Now I'm here. So don't give up, don't go through this alone,"

The walls around Ash's heart crumbled. He resigned himself to being alone, now someone from his past shows up right at the end. Was this some cruel trick from the remnants of Team Rocket? No, it felt too real.

Stumbling forward, Ash fell into Serena's arms. Slumped on the couch she supported him, brushing her hand through his jet black hair. This was a comfort he hadn't felt in years, a comfort he barely even tasted in his past life.

Her lips brought him back to a simpler time, atop an escalator in Kalos. He would never say goodbye again.

They were both tired, drifting to sleep in each other's embrace.