Love in the Time of Tribulations

Chapter 15: A Defense

The first part of the first battle in this chapter was totally written with "Knives and Shadows" from the FMA: Brotherhood soundtrack in the background. And yes, you should always read "Dragon Claw!" as DORAGON KURAW! Now, time for Chapter 15!

Chapter 15

A Defense

Ash couldn't stop the grin that blossomed on his face at the sight of the two trainers that had dropped in before him. Reaching forward, he clasped Seamus' shoulder as well, gripping it tightly in thanks. Seamus then nodded at him before letting go and turning to the battle before them, the rain matting his short hair down. That's when Ash noticed the very distinct sight of Zoroark looking back at the boy.

"Is that...?" he asked. Seamus smirked and nodded.

"The one and only. Merry's been doing well, huh?" Seamus said, throwing his hands behind his back for a moment. Ash allowed the sudden moment of similarity to Aidan strike him. Zoroark suddenly made a slight noise, almost like a cough that attracted the attention from both Ash and Seamus. Ash just offered a sheepish wave in the fox's direction. She surveyed him for a moment and then nodded. "Shame about the Kalos League, though. I was cheering you on until the end. You're the guy who won, huh?"

"That's not important," Alain said coldly, stepping forward as his gaze was solely leveled on Cedric. Ash frowned a little at his rather dismissive comment. Winning the League was hardly unimportant, but he supposed that it mattered little in that moment. Plus, it seemed like Alain wanted to do nothing more than destroy the enemy in front of him, his black hair matted and covering his eyes while his scarf drooped from the rain. Seamus took a step forward.

"I know your face," he spoke, his gaze fixated straight on Carl. "You're Travis' old man."

"Ah, so little Seamus has grown up," Carl said, still looking more disinterested than anything else. "I've heard tell that you started a school. What are you teaching the children these days? How to be more like that piece of filth, Travis?"

"Actually, before the Champion had contacted us, today's lesson was studying speedy Pokémon types, like Ash's Pikachu. Guess the lesson rubbed off on me because I decided to head straight here ahead of the pack," Seamus admitted. Ash was surprised to hear how calm he sounded, inclining his head towards Zoroark. "Let's give you a demonstration."

"Oho?" Carl said, his eyebrow now raised. He was no longer disinterested, but he still hardly seemed to be taking things seriously. Ash's eyes briefly flit to the side to see the horde of enemy Pokémon being battled with on all sides. "Guess I'll have to send you the same way as my son. You may have reformed, but I'll take all of your sins from you."

"Yeah, whatever. I'm just going to beat you into the ground," Seamus proclaimed. "How 'bout I commit one last 'sin' to make sure you never hurt anyone in any way ever again?"

"Less talking. The fat one's mine!" Alain growled. Ash could only agree, shifting his foot forward in the wet sand.

"I agree, keh heh! Forest's Curse!" From the ground the purple tendrils suddenly rose, acting more like a Frenzy Plant than anything else.

"Pikachu, dodge!"

"You, too, Merry!" Zoroark nodded and flipped backwards as Pikachu used his tail like a springboard to do the same, dodging all of the eerie vines that were heading right for them. Goodra, in his bulky state, was unable to move and the tendrils began to wrap themselves around his figure to hold him in place. Pikachu rolled to the side as another tendril slammed into the ground.

"Dragon Claw!" Alain ordered. Charizard's claws glowed a bright green and he shot forward, slicing straight through the tentacles surrounding Goodra before ripping straight upward to avoid the ones going after him. Then he shot right at Swampert.