Love in the Time of Tribulations

Chapter 22: A Family

For the beginning part of this chapter, I used the song Lightning Flame Dragon Firing Hammer from the Fairy Tail soundtrack (epic piece). And for the back half...bring out your XY&Z. That is all. Time for Chapter 22!

Chapter 22

A Family

Serena's legs were nearly giving out from underneath her, the exhaustion of the long trek up the hill to this spot almost claiming her. She was invigorated by only one thing: the sight of Ash grinning at her, his eyes lit up that she had come to his side. That gave her enough to stand straight and walk forward, lightly clasping his hand as she did so. He squeezed back and she looked towards Michael.

Serena had never known her father; never seen him before in any cognizant memory. Still, she hadn't imagined him to be like this, and she certainly hadn't thought that this man was some version of her father when they had met during the tournament. He was staring at her as Latios came around to his side, looking at all of them like they were about to lash out and strike. For a moment, they just stood there, staring at each other, until Michael opened his mouth.

"I have to admit," he said, his voice cold and un-fatherly, "I was surprised to see you on a stage, looking so happy. I may not have been your father, but seeing my own daughter's face in the middle of those Performances...it was unsettling. Especially after you cut your hair. And meeting you at the tournament-"

"Why would you care?" Serena said, her own voice colder than usual. Michael blinked at her question, and even Ash looked at her. She knew she sounded harsh, but seeing the face of someone who was Reeree's father, but had thrown her away like nothing made her blood boil angrily. "You never once thought about your daughter's happiness."

"My daughter was happy just being near me," Michael said, sighing at her statement. "And I'm about to listen to you going on like a broken record, just the same as everyone else. No wonder you fell in love with Ash."

"So did she!" Serena yelled, clasping her hand to her chest as she felt her heart pump even faster. "She loved her Ash but he was taken away from her, because of the choices you made that led to that chain of events! Then when you came into her life, she was finally recovering but you used her pain!"

"You have to have realized by now how important pain is to gr-"

"She was crying when she died!" Serena's voice went up a pitch, shrieking around the area. Michael made no further movements, surveying her with a tilted, almost curious head. "And she did it because of you! How many other lives did you throw away?"

"I've lost count," was the honest answer. Serena swallowed, feeling another pit of anger forming in her stomach. "But they'll mean something in the end. At least I'm better than the Michael from this side; who knows where your father is. Maybe he's dead or just in some other region far away."

"I don't care about any of that!" Serena yelled and she felt Ash and Clemont step up to her side, flanking her like bodyguards. "I care about Serena! The Serena you could care less about when she was your daughter!"

"Is that why you've come to fight me? Revenge?"

"It's not about revenge. I'm making sure she didn't die for nothing...by putting a stop to something she knew was wrong!" Serena's final declaration echoed around the area. Michael frowned, like he didn't hear the words sounding out in his daughter's voice. Ash stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder. She could feel the warmth and encouragement seeping in as Greninja and Pikachu came to the front. Serena turned towards Clemont and caught sight of the control panel that Jack was still unable to get at. "Clemont, can you...?"