A Journey's Link

Chapter 25 - Truths

"Hey! Let me out!" Steven's attempts at grabbing the attention of the guards that sat just outside his small, dank cell were futile; they stared at the wall, unfazed. He lowered his fists in defeat, retreating to the small blanket that sat on the rocky floor. What's the point? He asked himself pitifully. I've tried that hundreds of times and it hasn't worked.

He had lost count of how long he had been in the cell, but something told him it had been quite a few days. Of course, he had no idea, given that any glimpse of the outside world was but a dream. The only thing entering his cell was the occasional meal, which was the same rancid noodles alongside a small glass of water.

Leaning his back against the stone wall, he closed his eyes, accepting his fate further and attempting to sleep momentarily. As he drifted towards a slumber, the sounds of a door opening ensued, causing him to snap back awake and stare at the door.

There stood Z, watching over him as a person would do to a sleeping Pokemon. He would've tried to muster the strength to tackle him, but the weakness of eating very little throughout his time had taken its toll. Instead, he simply glared at him, trying desperately to intimidate him in any way.

"Steven, my friend!" Z exclaimed insanely. "So sorry that I haven't come to see you yet! I can tell you've grown quite accustomed to your new home here!" As he said this, he stomped on Steven's blanket; the only item of comfort in the barren prison. "Tell me what you know about Zygarde," he said menacingly.

"Z-Zygarde?" Steven replied weakly, his voice but a whisper. Z, impatient as he was, stomped his foot next to Steven's chest and yelled, "You fought Zygarde before! Tell me what you know about it!" Steven chuckled weakly and replied, "Why? So you can use its power for evil?" Z folded his arms across his chest and sighed.

"There is a Zygarde Core in the atmosphere, according to my scientist," he explained, leaning closer to Steven. "If you don't tell me what you know, then it could cause damage to the entire planet." Steven turned his head away from Z and frowned. "I don't believe you," he whispered, staring into Z's eyes through the mask.

"Then you've made a mistake," Z replied in a hushed, aggressive whisper. He stood up promptly and stomped towards the door, not looking back at Steven. A Zygarde Core in the atmosphere? Steven thought as he drifted to sleep. That can't be possible; the other two are safe in Kalos. His sight darkened with the thoughts of Z's questions in his head as he fell asleep.

[-]

"Ash..."

Serena couldn't believe her eyes. In front of her was the sole reason she started her journey. She decided to start it the second she saw Ash again, which was right after he jumped off of Prism Tower during the whole Garchomp incident.

Ash looked back at her, not knowing what to say. It had been a long time since they last saw each other, and since then he'd met so many new people and Pokemon. Even so, he always looked forward to seeing old friends.

Serena's mind went through rapid development. He looks different, she thought. But he still looks like the boy I was saved by so long ago at that camp. She softly smiled as she remembered the day when Ash had saved her from the Poliwag and how they had accidentally hugged when he held out his hand for her. She started to feel her cheeks heat up and she silently cursed herself for allowing it to happen.

They both stared each other down for what seemed like hours, unmoving. Serena broke her gaze and remembered what Ash had said when he found her. "Hey!" he had yelled. "That's my bag!" Looking down towards the ground, she saw the crystal and picked it up reluctantly. She looked towards, then back at the crystal, before asking him the dreaded question.