Alolan Danger **ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE**

Chapter 31: Battle Of The Bonds

"LATIAS, USE PSYCHIC TO STOP JASON NOW!" Ash exclaimed desperately as Mega Latias swiftly sped down towards Serena, Jason, and Phoenix. The Eon Pokemon's eyes glowed purple as the man suddenly became surrounded by a purple aura and froze up with his machete inches away from the Beast trainer's neck. They both inwardly flinched as he was then sent flying away from her at an alarmingly fast speed with his trusty weapon vanishing. Serena looked on in complete shock as Jason crashed into a tree, breaking it in half. The purple aura changed to dark green and started cackling around him as Mega Latias's eyes became normal. Ash then leapt off her back and landed on one hand and knee directly in front of Serena. Pikachu jumped down from his shoulder and glared at a gobsmacked Phoenix while sparking his cheeks.

Before the shiny Decidueye could even comprehend what had just happened, Bonnie suddenly called out from behind Kevin, "Dedenne, Nuzzle on Phoenix NOW!" Dedenne leapt out of her bag for him while rubbing his cheeks repeatedly until they generated static electricity. He then nuzzled the unsuspecting Phoenix on his left cheek, zapping him. Yellow static instantly surrounded him, indicating that he had been paralyzed. However, that didn't stop Phoenix, as he swung his now green right wing up. A freefalling Dedenne suddenly got hit in the face and bounced on the grass with a shriek of pain. He landed very hard, knocking him out cold.

"DEDENNE, NO!" Bonnie yelled out in fear as she got off Mega Latias's back and ran to her fallen friend. Kevin had also gotten off next to Ash, who had straightened himself up, with Maria joining Pikachu while also sparking her cheeks. The brothers then took a Pokeball off their belts and pressed on the white buttons to enlarge them.

"Greninja..." Ash started with fury.

"Kong..." Kevin said at the same time.

"I choose you!" they shouted while throwing their Pokeballs forward. They opened up, revealing Greninja and an Infernape. Kong let out a massive battle cry while pounding his chest with his fists. Greninja had a look of malice on his face as the five Pokemon stared down the slightly injured, yet calm, Phoenix.

"A-A-ASH?! K-K-KEVIN?!" Serena stuttered out, not knowing whether to feel lucky or not. She could not imagine for the life of her why a Ketchum would be helping her out now, never mind two of them. Kevin paid Serena no mind, but Ash turned to her with worry, anger, and especially fear evident in his glowing blue eyes.

"Did Jason hurt you?!" he asked sternly. Serena's heart started fluttering about wildly, and she was left with a confused expression.

"Why would you care? You want the Ultra Beasts gone too, don't you, Ketchum?!" she asked back curiously. There was a rude undertone in Serena's voice, which Ash noticed but did not seem to mind much, since he knew that was the neurotoxin talking to him.

He gave her a toothy grin while saying, "Oh, I do. But not at the cost of my lovely best friend!" Serena looked even more confused, and it didn't help to have her head throbbing in pain from trying to remember this boy who called her his "lovely" best friend. And yet, her heart was beating faster and faster with every second she stared at him.

"Um, who, exactly, are you?" Serena inquired with interest. Ash couldn't help but laugh a little bit in spite of the tense situation, which really annoyed her.

"I didn't remember you when we met in Kalos, and now you don't remember me. Man, talk about a complete reversal." he stated in a teasing tone. Serena would have visibly flinched at the sound of that if she wasn't frozen in place from the Spirit Shackle. Ash smiled warmly before turning to Jason, who had just gotten back up on his feet, with a scowl.

"JASON! DID YOU HURT SERENA?!" he bellowed out in a venomous tone as his aura flared up wildly. Jason and Phoenix gasped in shock before snarling at the two boys and their Pokemon. Serena, on the other hand, couldn't believe her ears. She had thought it unfathomable, but here was a Ketchum, a sworn enemy to the Yvonne family, actually protecting her from arguably the most dangerous man on the planet.