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Ash's POV

Step by step my legs ached with the pain of exhaustion and cried for the sweet relief of a break. Never before had I found putting one foot in front of another such a tiring and energy depleting task. I'm sure I wasn't the only one feeling the exhaustion beginning to take over. Serena panted heavily and her breaths only appeared to get deeper and faster with each passing step we climbed.

"We are almost there Serena..... just a bit further." I say to try and encourage her to keep going. But my breath was weak and it was demonstrated through a small pause to try and gather enough oxygen to finish my sentence.

Looking back at her I came to realise that she has it much worse, climbing these stairs had to be no easy task with the dress she is wearing which weighing her down.

"I.. I'm not tired. I... I could do this all day." She said gathering her breath. Her eyes burned with the flame of determination. A spark I wasn't familiarised with seeing through her eyes. It is like a whole new version of Serena. And I liked it.

"Hurry up love birds! Stop proposing to each other and hurry up!" Bonnie yelled out.

Lifting my head upwards to face the direction of Bonnie's voice left me in complete shock upon finding her perched over the railing of the very top of the stair case, waving down at us with a cheeky yet innocent grin on her face.

But no time was granted for words as suddenly the building shook with power and aggression, pushing both me and Serena from the railing of the stairs, that we were holding onto to keep ourselves standing, to the tower wall with ease.

Yelps of a small scream of shock admitted from Serena's mouth as our backs hit against the wall.

Pain quickly filled my body at the source of impact, making itself known that I had just been knocked right off my feet. But the source was gone by the time I had hit the wall along with Serena who had a confused and frightened look.

"What in the name of Arceus was that?" She asks while getting to her feet. Her face unsuccessfully attempting to hide the pain of the impact through a grit of her teeth.

"I-I'm unsure. Felt like something happened down there." I guess looking down at the bottom of the stairs and at the door that we had entered through by following Dedenne. "A battle perhaps?" I add as I force myself onto my feet and offer Serena a hand up which we accept

"We can't stop now. We are almost at the top." I say determined as Serena nods in agreement with what I can only describe as the same burning determination and spirit in her eyes as my own.

~💛~

Gary's POV

Dust filled the air around us, ominously cloaking the cause of the explosion that had powerfully decided to know on the wall instead of the front door. I mean come on! Why do bad guys always got to make their entrance through a wall? There is a perfectly good front door right next to where the explosion had came from.

"What now!?" Clemont says in distress. And as if on cue the dust fades to reveal men in tight red pyjamas?

"Who are you?!" Dawn yells at them as she reaches for a PokeBall and gets into battle stance.

Her actions are quickly followed by the rest of the gang who all now have one PokeBall in there and were ready for battle. 'Better safe the sorry. Umbreon I'm going to need you if things get bad' I think as I get out my Pokémon's PokeBall.

"Who are we she says? Little girl you should just run on home and get out our way." One of the female grunts in the red pyjamas.

"Parties over." She adds. And like an army the grunts around her respond to her as if on signal PokeBalls flew at us like bullets. The first shot has been fired. Let the battle begin.

~💛~

Ash's POV

We finally made it to the top, my breathing is deep as my energy is low. It was hard enough climbing those stairs without being tossed around violently like ping pong ball but we made up here and that's what counts.

I glance over my shoulder to check on Serena and as I had assumed she too appeared exhausted. Her once red dress of beauty was now torn and ripped by the violent attack. Something about her had changed though. I had noticed it while we climbed up here.

A spark inside her was burning so brightly. A burning passion and determination that didn't use to exist filled the girl that was once so fragile and delicate like a china glass into a strong trainer who didn't quit till the very end. This. This isn't the Serena I saw the day we met. This is a new Serena. My Serena Yvonne

"Ash look! Its Pikachu and Dedenne." Bonnie says causing me snap myself out of thought sand back to reality as I lay my eyes on my best buddy. But instead of joy and relief... fear and shock was the only emotion I was met with as I stared into the pure red eyes of Pikachu who was screaming in pain causing sparks of red electricity to admit from his body.

"PIKACHU!" I yell in reaction as I rush over to him, exiting the safety of the Towers inertia and entering the dangerous terrain of the roof.

"Pikachu, buddy what's wrong?" I ask as I place my hand in-between his pointy ears. But before I was able to make contact with his head my hand was zapped away but volts of red electricity which caused Pikachu to scream in pain.

"Oh no Ash! You okay?" I faintly hear Serena's voice in worry.

"Such a disappointment don't you think?" A voice that I was unfamiliar with rings in my ear.

My head immediately turns in the direction in which the voice came from. And there stood a man in a red uniform, his facial hear a bright orangey red of that of a flame and an aura that emitted nothing but maleficent.

"Who are you? And what do you mean a disappointment?!" I reply demanding answers. I could feel anger boiling up within my soul. This guy has to be responsible for doing this to Pikachu.

"My name is Lysander. And I believe we have met previously... Ash Ketchum. As for your Pikachu. I honestly thought it be able to control its full power." Lysander explains. Shaking his head to express his disappointment.

Questions flooded my mind like a whirlpool's current pulling in its victims. I need answers. I need to save Pikachu!

"Full power? What do you mean and what did you do to Pikachu!?" I question as I turn to Pikachu only to find him unconscious on the Tower's roof surface.

"Calm yourself. I merely tried to bring out Pikachu's fully potential. A power so hard to obtain that not even the strongest of bonds can create. Well so I thought. Until I saw your Greninja Ash." Lysander explained as he walked over to a machine and patted it.

"Full power..?" I hear Serena mumble. Her words taken right from my own mouth.

"That's what I said, do pay attention children I'm only going to explain this once. When Pokémon battle the produce a certain degree of raw power in their attacks. This power only increases through things like evolution. But my research at Flare HQ has discovered a new more extreme power. On scale this new power is the equivalent of a Pokémon evolving 10 times over!" Lysander explains in pride in his organisations research.

'A power 10 times stronger the evolution? Is he talking about the power Greninja and I have?' I wondered to myself.

I see Serena out of the corner of my eyes. Her face showed fear as she stared deeply at the machine Lysander stood next to. Eyeing it down like an opponent ready to challenge a gym.

"And what's the machine for then?" Serena asks with a certain hint of worry in her tone.

"I'm so glad you asked. You see this contraption right here? It harnesses the ordinary power that Pokémon produce and with one direct blast it can bring out a Pokémon's true abilities!" He explains.

"It's thanks to this that Miette's Slurpuff was able to create such an amazing fairywind to make sure we don't have any.... 'unnecessary company' you see." He adds smiling mischievously causing me to notice the large pink wind that was surrounding the near by vicinity of Prism Tower.

"Miette's Slurpuff... did this?" I say completely lost for words.

"Of course. And with this kind of power Team Flare will lead this world to its end!" Lysander responds sinisterly before revealing a remote that aims the machine directly at me.

My body freezes in shock. My mind can't process what was happening. Is he planning to fire that thing directly at me!? Is he insane?!

"But of course we can't have anyone getting in the way. And you Ketchum, seem to be pretty good at doing precisely that. So sorry for the inconvenience but you cant be allowed to live. FIRE!" He commands.

Those words make my heart skip a beat. A beat that could well be my last as a dark red beam launches from the machine. I grip onto the unconscious Pikachu, holding onto him for dear life in a protective manner praying that my body will be enough to save him.

"ASH!!!" Serena screams fill my earlobes followed by what must be the beam making contact causing me to squint my eyes as hard as I can to prepare for impact.

'I'm... I'm sorry Serena' Those words are the last that run through my head before the beam makes contact.

~💛~

Serena's POV

No.

No I refuse to let this happen!

My heart feels like its beating out of my chest. I must do something! I must... I can't let this happen.

Time seems to slow down as the beam is fired. All my memories spent with Ash seem to play all at the same time. A tsunami of strong emotions hit me hard. Loss. Pain. Happiness. Sadness. Love. I accept them all... but the one I will not accept is regret!

I grip Fenniken's PokeBall knowing the only thing I can do. 'We can do this Fennekin. We can save Ash!' I say in my thoughts as I throw the Pokeball at Ash.

"Fenniken! Use Protect!" I command. I know Fenniken's power alone won't be able to save Ash but Ash has taught me what the bond between Pokémon can do and its time to put our bond to the test!

Fenniken launches herself out of her PokeBall, instantly summoning a bright green light known as her protect which meets the powerful attack head on.

I move myself in front of Ash and behind the protect to give Fenniken all my support and power. This is the one attack I will defend and I don't care how much strength it takes!

I see Fenniken struggling already. The protect already cracking at a rapid rate. Taking the impact has already pushed poor Fennekin to her limit.

"S-Serena?" I hear Ash speak from behind me. I look over my shoulder and see his face full of shock. I look into his eyes and I see myself in them. Fenniken too. I see the beam and the protect on the verge of breaking.

"Foolish girl! A weak protect like that can't withstand the power of all the Pokémon we have collected!" Lysander mocks but his words mean nothing to me. My future means nothing to me. I will fight for right now!

"Please don't give up Fenniken! I believe in you. We can't give up until the very end!" I say determined. This feeling is like nothing I have every experienced before.

"Fenniken!" Fenniken says in pain. Fenniken hasn't give up yet she will fight until the end.

All of a sudden a blue light illuminates from Fenniken's body. The protect breaks and the beam hits Fenniken's body head on but much to my surprise isn't able to push her back.

"Fenniken... wh-whats happening?" I ask confused.

"Its evolving..." I hear Ash answer in a soft voice as I turn to him in disbelief, my eyes I feel widen at his words. 

"Fenniken saw your strength and courage Serena and its turning into her own power!" He adds in explanation. His eyes shinned inspired and amazed bring scale to this achievement as a trainer.

Fenniken's body begins to change, growing taller her new form begin to become visible until all of a sudden the shining blue light bursts into flames, repelling the dark red beam as if it was nothing.

"WHAT?! That's not possible!" Lysander yells furiously.

"Braxien!" My newly evolved partner says standing strong.

"I... I did it?" I mumble in disbelief.

"WE DID IT FENNE- I-I mean Braxien!" I yell happily, running to her and embracing her in a hug of joy. Her fur so soft and warm, like the fiery new spirit that had evolved from a small spark.

"Don't think you have one yet just because your little fox evloved into a bigger one. YOUR NO MATCH FOR ME!" Lysander yells before throwing out a PokeBall to reveal a massive red Gyarados.

He's right, this battle has only just begun.

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Lots of action in that chapter right there! Its getting me really excited for the end! I can't wait!! Hehe ^~^
I hope you all liked this chapter guys! This was Serena's big time to shine!
Im getting back into my writing a lot more now so Im hoping that more updates will come more often!

Also a special thanks to the following for their support! (Voting/Commenting/Adding to reading list)
Woah we have a lot of people showing their support so thank you all very very much!!!!

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