Love in the Time of Tenacity

Chapter 25: A Song

Continuing further with the climax! I tried to put in all the characters I could, but sadly some always slip through the cracks in these big scenes. Still, I hope it's enjoyable. Chapter 25 time!

Chapter 25

A Song

Ash's eyes were wide with horror. He could feel Serena's fingernails gripping into his biceps. Every single one of their envoy was staring at the sky, stopped in their movement. It felt like it was a single light, bisecting the entire world, heralding the merging of worlds or something like that. He was never the smartest when it came to understanding that stuff, but he did know one thing: the situation was about to get a lot worse.

"They're all over..." Serena whispered. Ash reached up, putting a hand on hers, giving her the encouragement that, perhaps, she didn't need. Nevertheless, he gave it to her. Pikachu's cheeks sparked angrily. He wasn't the only one reacting negatively to what was going on. Greninja seemed to have some issues, as well, along with Kiawe's Charizard. In the short distance ahead of them, Pipi also looked on edge. Ash's eyes kept widening at the thought that was now assailing his head, bringing him back to that one battle. If but a single Ultra Beast had caused a stampede through Heahea City...what would an army of them do?

"This is not good," Gladion spat out. They had hoped to get to the altar before all this, Ash realized with a twitching lip, but it was clear they had grossly miscalculated. Though the fact that Lusamine didn't seem to cotton on to their plan until it was far too late was a boon in and of itself, something that Ash was highly grateful for. Not that it mattered in the heat of the moment.

In the night sky, that inky blackness was splitting apart, opening with such loud and shuddering cracks, it was as though the entire world was being beaten with a whip by the presence of this other place. The air itself was quivering, like it was breaking down from the mere existence of the wormholes that were there. It was, quite honestly, one of the most frightening experiences that Ash had ever had. Perhaps he was holding Serena's hand more for himself than her. She squeezed back, indicating that she had him covered.

The wormholes, now dotting so many spaces over Alola, including the sky over the altar, were starting to squirm in the creepiest of fashions, something beginning to stir deep within them...no, multiple somethings. Latias shuddered underneath him, even her immense strength making her fearful of the things coming through the portal. For that second, each of their altar assault party was gripped with fear; fear that they had failed. Then, the first group of assailants came floating out of the portals.

"A Nihilego!" Lillie gasped out, pointing towards the group of Pokémon that seemed to be leading the Ultra Beasts, each one floating out with a menacing aura. It was certainly more than familiar to Ash, its creepy tentacles swaying back and forth as it approached, silently stalking forward. There was more than one and, indeed, more than just that particular species now littering the skies over Alola, each looking odd and deadly at the same time. Ash's body was now giving an involuntary shudder, one that he couldn't control.

"Gah..." he suddenly gasped, feeling his brain going hazy. He knew he wasn't alone, not from the way Serena was grabbing at him, trying to get him to turn around towards her. He wanted to, as well. The switch in his brain that was telling him this wasn't the time for stuff like that was flipping off completely. "Se...rena..."

"Ash..." she gasped out, like she was trying to keep control over her own mind.

"Snap...out of it..." Gladion said, gripping at his own head. Kiawe was starting to stand on his Charizard, and it looked like Meowth's claws were extending, advancing on Wobbuffet while Jessie grabbed James by the collar, pushing a hand against the balloon. Ash couldn't stop himself, and the Ultra Beasts slowly floated forward, as though they were easy prey that would do little but destroy themselves on their own whims, not needing any interference. Ash was now looking at Serena, but he didn't really see her there. She was just some sort of object of desire now, not an actual person.