Love in the Time of Tenacity

Chapter 9: A Hope

Before we enter this chapter, I want to note that, of course, this is my own interpretation as I've built towards it. Hopefully you'll accept it. On a different note, towards the end, at the time of writing I was highly obsessed (still am) with the film Your Name. To that end, the song "Mitsuha's Theme" was used heavily when writing a particular moment of the chapter. Hopefully, you'll see where and can use it too! That said, time for Chapter 9!

Chapter 9

A Hope

Clemont ducked as a Charge Beam swept over his head. Charjabug was spinning, causing the charged electricity to fly all over the place. Some of the Skull grunts were smart enough to pull themselves back, while others on the canyon walls only took a few steps away. For those that didn't have the clarity of mind to avoid, however, the beam struck them and sent them scattering into a few others as though they were bowling pins, tumbling backwards. Charjabug finished his rotations and Clemont looked up sharply, seeing the deep gouges now in the canyon wall from the powerful attack of his Pokémon.

"Serena, get moving!" Clemont commanded powerfully. His gaze never once traveled to his friend, keeping his sights locked on Plumeria and those Skull thugs that were surrounding her like some sort of protectorate. She just considered him with the utmost disdain, like something to sweep away rather than actually pay attention to.

"Clemont," Serena said, and he could hear her desire to stay around and fight rather than going off to the battle that needed to be fought elsewhere. Charjabug dropped down, landing on one side of Clemont's feet while Chespin padded forward on the other.

"There's no time to argue this!" Clemont shouted, insisting that he get his point across. At this point, he decided he could afford the slight distraction, especially as Chespin sent a rocketing Pin Missile into the collected group of grunts. While it didn't do much to break their ranks, it at least kept them from ultimately interfering with the conversation going on. The inventor looked to Serena, who was staring at him with insistent eyes. "I'm sure there are a lot more of these guys at the altar, and we need to be ready in time for the coming dawn!"

"Greninja," Greninja agreed loudly, nodding his head. From where Clemont stood, it looked like Greninja was distracted mightily by something, possibly something to do with Ash. However, he still retained the presence of mind to be aware of the actual threat around them.

"I'll handle Plumeria, which will leave you guys with enough time to fight the rest of Team Skull," Clemont continued to explain to her, trying to send the message with his eyes. She seemed hesitant, no doubt wanting to stick with him. So, Clemont decided to put an end to the debate that appeared to be roiling in her mind, once and for all. "Team Skull is likely worthless without Guzma or Plumeria to guide them, so as long as I hold her here long enough for all of you to make your way, then we'll be good. There are too many of them right now to waste our time and energy in bringing her down."

"And what about you?" Hapu asked of Clemont. To that, he chuckled and adjusted his glasses. That was about all the answer he felt the need to give; he already had a plan for making sure he could deal with Plumeria entirely uninterrupted. Serena still looked apprehensive when Kahili sharply turned.

"Guess we won't be having our rematch after all," she snarked out to the opposite woman, smirking down at her. The disdain was so evident between the both of them that Clemont wasn't quite sure there was even anything else to say to either of the women. Maybe it was them being on opposite sides, or that they just held a grudge, Clemont couldn't really say definitively. However, looking between the two, it seemed to just be something shallow towards one another. "Toucannon, to me!"