Love in the Time of Turbulence

Chapter 17: A Death

I'm glad a lot of people enjoyed last chapter's battle. Other than that, not much to say...um...uh...yay for the Pokémon movie we won't see until the dub! (?) Meh, time for Chapter 17!

Chapter 17

A Death

"Everybody, look out!"

Serena's cry was just on time for every trainer to toss themselves to the ground. Even Diantha was forced to throw herself on the ground as Rayquaza shot off another Hyper Beam. Serena was forced to hold her hat onto her head from the blistering wind that formed from the attack. Explosions resounded out beyond her and chunks of gravel rained on her head.

"Are...are you all right?" Diantha asked with a cough. Serena felt she should have been asking the Champion that question, herself, because she was already on her feet moments later. However, Diantha was struggling and needed the hand that Serena held out to help herself up. "Thank you."

"That thing is berserk..." Astrid commented, staring ahead at the undulating form of Rayquaza. It certainly looked exactly as Astrid had described it: angry and lashing out. Another Hyper Beam seemed to already be charging up in its maw. Serena had to shake her head at that, since the effects of the previous one could still be felt and heard as a tree toppled in the distance. Looking up at the great dragon, she could see flashes of lightning, signifying Ash and Pikachu battling overhead. It made her want to just clasp her hands and pray for his safety, but Rayquaza was a much bigger issue.

"If we let it continue on, it will destroy this town without a second thought," Diantha observed. The older woman took her necklace, keystone included, and put it over her neck, sighing with relief.

"Well, it doesn't seem as strong as it did back in Ancien City," Rocky commented. Rayquaza fired once more, this time in the direction of the nearby lake. Serena winced a little as the attack impacted with the surface, sending the water high along with other airship debris while outlining the fact that the Mark Omega was somehow unbelievably close to it. "That's a good thing, right?"

"Define 'good'," Astrid said. Absol shook its head and snorted in agreement. Rocky just glared at the blonde, but thankfully they didn't devolve into a fight. Serena turned to Diantha to see the Champion clutching her side. Gardevoir also looked quite tired.

"Diantha, maybe it's best if you sit this out. You and Gardevoir-" she began, only for the older woman to look at her harshly.

"Sit out? Now?" Diantha asked, gripping her keystone. "We may be exhausted and wounded, but I cannot sit by the sidelines while children fight my battles for me. Not anymore."

Serena frowned, not liking the response she had been given. Instead, she stepped forward and reached up to grab Diantha's shoulders. "We're not children. Trust us."

"That's not what I meant," Diantha attempted to explain, wincing once more. "I understand that, but as a Champion, I have a duty to see this through. What kind of Champion would I be to let you shoulder all the burden?"

"But you're not, Champion," Astrid said respectfully. "We chose this burden on our own. Any one of us could have turned and left Nova Town to itself, but we didn't. We chose to stand here and fight. At best, you're just aiding us."

"Astrid is right," Serena concurred. "We can handle Rayquaza because we choose to." Diantha could only stare in amazement at the group of them, each of them grinning at her as another Hyper Beam shot off into one of the streets. More stones flew upward, but Rocky had been right; Rayquaza's current Hyper Beams were not on the complete city-destroying level that they supposedly were back in Ancien.