[REWRITE BEING MADE] A Hero's Flare-Lit Shadow: A Pokemon XYZ Self-Insert AU

♦ .Decisions Decisions. ♥

Clemont's POV:

I felt like I was punched in the gut.

Surely that couldn't be true... right?

There's got to be another way...

Seconds ticked by, those seconds feeling like minutes, which felt like hours. We were silent for a long time.

"Clembot, are you sure there's no other way?" Geo asked. Clembot shook his head. I couldn't believe it... I'd have to sacrifice my gym and my greatest invention...? I can't... he's my assistant... no, he's more than that... but... for our world's sake...

"Alright..." I say. The others looked at me in shock.

"Wait! You're OKAY with this?! This is your Gym and our friend we're talking about...!" Sawyer exclaimed.

"Yeah, Clemont! Are you crazy?! We can't possibly destroy two things dear to you!" Serena adds in.

"Look... I wish there was another way... but this is the best way. And what if we don't destroy this place? Zygarde will create nothing but hell for Kalos, destroying everything in its path..." I say, which caused Squishy and Dedenne to pop out of Bonnie's bag. "...and I know that it's hard to destroy a place dear to us, and to sacrifice one of our friends, but desperate times come for desperate measures. If we don't do this... we have no future." I think I made that last part a little too heavy, because the group's faces went from shock to dismay really quick.

"Well... if that's what we need to do to save Squishy's friend, and the world, then we have to do what we need to do..." Bonnie answered, eyes watering. Geo and Ash nod reluctantly, with Serena doing the same.

"But Clemont-"

KKKKSSSHHH! The building began to shake violently, causing all of us to fall to the ground. Many building debris began falling across the room, especially around the large window.

"W-What's happening?!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Is the building collapsing?!" Ash asked.

"I don't know, but we need to get out of here, now!" Geo shouts, getting up.

"Quick! Let's go through that opening and float down with Psychic!" Alain suggested.

"Good thinking. Metagross, use Psy-" but before he could finish his sentence, more rubble came crashing down the area, creating a large gust of dirt and sand. The room also suddenly became darker and darker.

"Shit!" Geo exclaimed, covering her mouth. Once the dust cleared, the room was nearly pitch black; the lights that were still somehow working and some of the Pokemon around us also emitting a light, like Geo's Chandalure, Ash's Charizard because of its flaming tail, or Serena's Braixen using her stick like a torch.

"Is everyone okay?!" I ask. The others answer in confirmation, either it being a simple "yes," a nod, or a Pokemon cry. Either way, it seemed like everyone was still alive.

"Why is it so dark in her all of the sudden?" May asked.

"That rubble must've covered up the window-like hole..." Max answered, pointing to the huge pile of broken building pieces.

"Seems so... guess we're going to need to take the long way." Mairin said, helping up Alain.

"Uh... we may need to take the Referee entrance instead of the Challenger entrance." Geo says.

"Why's tha- Oh. Right." Dawn says, realizing something. What did they even do?

"What is it?" Blaziken Mask asks.