Gotta Catch That One

Chapter 16: We Can't Give Up

Bonnie and Clemont had managed to use one of Clemont's inventions, which he called "The Machine to Climb Mountains Quickly While Running Awayatron", to quickly scale the mountainside and find a cave, they were sure wouldn't be spotted by Team Flare. Bonnie had been worried they would be too well hidden for Ash and Serena to find, but Clemont pointed out that Pidgeot's eyesight would be able to pick up almost anything.

Bonnie looked into her bag to make sure Dedenne and Squishy were alright. She was particularly worried about Squishy, because of Team Flare. She was relieved to see them both there. Dedenne quickly scrambled up onto Bonnie's head, while Squishy gave her what looked like a smile. "I'm glad you two are ok." Bonnie said, sounding fairly scared, despite trying to appear confident.

Clemont put his hand on Bonnie's shoulder. "Of course they're ok, Bonnie." He said. "You've been taking good care of them."

Bonnie smiled, but then looked outside, frowning. Somehow, despite the bright sun, the day seemed to be so much darker. "Will Ash and Serena be ok?" She asked, barely audible.

Clemont sat down and Bonnie joined him. Clemont smiled encouragingly and looked outside. "Who is the best battler you know?"

Bonnie tried to smile, but she couldn't do it. For some reason she felt like something really bad was happening. "Ash..." She managed to say eventually.

Clemont looked back at Bonnie, concern evident on his face. "You saw during the Masterclass how well Ash and Serena worked together. We know they can beat those Team Flare members."

Bonnie looked at Dedenne who was looking outside, apparently waiting for Ash and Serena as well. "What if there are more of them?" She asked, meaning Team Flare members.

Clemont understood. "Ash and Serena will be able to beat them. You heard Noivern's attacks as we ran away. I bet he was knocking them into the ocean."

Bonnie sighed. "I just hope they don't look for trouble. I know Serena won't, but you know Ash. He might..." She didn't finish. She couldn't finish.

Clemont nodded. "Hopefully Serena can convince him to stay back in that case." He said.

Bonnie looked outside again. She didn't speak and neither did Clemont. They both just stayed quiet for the next half hour or so and watched the ocean from their cave. Then, all of a sudden, Bonnie heard a noise. It sounded like crying and yelling.

"Do you hear that?" Clemont said, apparently also having heard the crying.

Bonnie nodded and got up, slowly approaching the cave entrance. "You don't think that's Serena do you?" She asked, feeling fear start to shake her nerves.

Clemont got up and approached the entrance with Bonnie. He didn't answer. Bonnie could tell he knew as well as she did that it was Serena crying and that if she was crying, something had happened to Ash.

Bonnie moved outside and looked around. At first, she didn't see anything and she was starting to feel relieved, thinking that maybe her and Clemont were imagining noises out of fear, but then she saw it. She saw Pidgeot lock eyes on their position and dip towards them from high in the sky. It was evident that Ash was not with the flailing, screaming and crying Serena on Pidgeot's back. Pidgeot landed gracefully in front of Bonnie and looked at her with sadness in his eyes. Bonnie looked at Serena on Pidgeot's back.

"Let's go back!" Serena yelled. "We're going back now!"

Clemont approached and looked up at Serena. "Serena," he said, trying to sound calm, "what happened?"

Serena stopped yelling and looked at Clemont. Bonnie was shocked and a little scared at the fury in Serena's eyes. Fury she had never known the older girl to be capable of. Bonnie saw Clemont back away a step, looking like he was wishing he'd stayed in the cave. Serena pointed at the ground, not really at anything in particular. "He," Bonnie assumed it was Ash, "put me on this stupid bird!" Serena pointed at Pidgeot, who Bonnie saw was looking ashamed. "Then he sent us up here, away from him." Bonnie noticed Serena was losing her furious edge and the tears were coming now. "Now he's looking for those creeps and he's going to get hurt." She fell forward, burying her face into Pidgeot's feathers. "I'm losing him again." Serena's muffled scream said. "He promised he'd never leave me."