***Jason's POV

"Phanpy, return," I say, as Phanpy is absorbed in the Red light of the Pokeball.

"Good job Phanpy, I'm proud of you."

"Hari, Hariyama." Hariyama says, out of breath.

"Thank you for being honest with me. Please, take a good rest," Drew says, returning Hariyama.

My heart is beating like crazy.

Here's my chance to finally put Drew in his place and I'm blowing it!

Drew slowly pulls out his next Pokeball.

"You're awfully calm for someone who's been waiting years for this moment," I say.

"Oh, I wasn't wait for this moment," Drew says, unleashing his next pokemon.

My eyes widen as the light took its shape and unleashed Garchomp.

"I'm waiting for the moment you beg for your life as your former Garchomp slowly rips you apart."

I should've known.

"Charizard, come on out!" I yell, tossing his pokeball. Charizard unleashes a Flamethrower in the air, as he shakes and stares down at Garchomp. Garchomp stares back.

They certainly seem to remember each other.

"Garchomp, use Dragon Breath."

Garchomp quickly obeys and unleashes a blue, greenish flame at Charizard.

"Charizard, dodge it and counter with Metal Claw!"

Charizard obeys and rushes towards Garchomp, his claws glowing Silver.

"Counter with Dragon Claw!"

Garchomp's claws glow green and collide with Charizard's, then they break out in intense close combat, with both Pokemon dodging, hitting, and missing.

"Hit Charizard with a Dragon Rush!"

Garchomp glows green and tackles Charizard, driving him against a boulder.

"Charizard, Flamethrower!"

Charizard shoots a Flamethrower at point-blank range. Garchomp winces, but doesn't back down, driving Charizard further into the boulder.

Charizard roars in pain, stopping his attack.

Ugh. What do I do?

I'm holding my fist so hard my whole arm is shaking. I stare my feet, trying to think but nothing seems to be the answer.

"Jason! Don't give up!"

I look up and I see Serena, shivering in the cold, but her eyes show her fiery passion and hope in all of us.

"Charizard, break free with a barrage of Mega Punches!"

Charizard roars as his fists glow white, and unleashes wave after wave of punches, forcing Garchomp to jump back in front of Drew, panting. Charizard jumps back in front of me, roaring.

I look up at Drew, and he has a big smirk on his face.

"What's so funny?" I ask.

"Look at Garchomp's ankle."

I gasp, as I spot Garchomp's Mega Stone in an anklet. Drew reveals his own stone in a bracelet.

"Garchomp, Mega Evolve!"

Garchomp roars, as he glows and transforms into Mega Garchomp.

Oh my Arceus.

I start at the stones in my hand.

What do I do?

"Garchomp, use Dragon Rush!"

Garchomp glows green once more and rushes towards Charizard.

"Dodge it!"

Charizard takes off into the air. Mega Garchomp continues his attack, aimed straight at me.

I don't have time to react as Mega Garchomp's shoulder picks up my body and drives it into a boulder.

My body screams in pain, leaving me paralyzed as Garchomp backs off and I slide down to the ground, shaking. I cough, and I spit up red liquid.

Blood.

I try to control my breathing, but it's out of control. My heartbeat is all over the place, beating as if I'm trying to win a race. I can't move my mouth to make a single sound.

Charizard roars and flies towards Mega Charchomp, powering up a Mega Punch. Garchomp counters with a Dragon Claw, slamming Charizard to the ground.

"How does it feel Jason? Hmm?" Drew asks, as he walks over to me.

It hurts so much. I can barely keep my eyes open. I feel myself losing to my aching body.

Drew gets eye level with me, and grabs my face, forcing eye contact.

"Imagine this pain times a million. That still doesn't come close to how I felt."

I ignore him, and look past him. Garchomp is attacking Charizard while he's on the ground, Dragon Claw after Dragon Claw. I can't let this happen.

"Leave Jason alone!"

Drew turns around to the voice of the girl who's still chained up.

"Don't you worry Serena, you'll have your turn." Drew says, as he snaps his fingers. Garchomp stops attacking Charizard.

"Move him in front of Serena. Use Crunch."

Garchomp rushes over and sinks his teeth into my bad shoulder. He slowly lifts me in the air. I stare at the teeth in my shoulder, and my body can't register the pain. It's still screaming from the attack before.

With one flick of his neck, Garchomp tosses me in the air. I land with a hard thud on my back and slide on the snowy ground, slowly coming to a halt. I slowly open my eyes, and I see Serena's big blue eyes look down at me, tears falling from her face.

***Serena's POV

"Ash! Sarah! We have to help him!" I scream, but they can't hear me. They're too busy fighting their own battle. A battle which they're now losing.

Bryon just Mega Evolved Aerodactyl and he's now easily overpowering Sarah's Lucario. Ash's Goodra is still doing well against Salamance but he's getting tired and slower, while Salamance doesn't seem to stop at all.

"Surrender now while you can. There's no point in continuing," Bryon says, cracking his knuckles.

"We'll see about that! Goodra, use Bind!" Ash orders. Goodra stands firm, waiting for the attack.

"Ha! That won't work at all! Aerodactyl, use Hyper Beam on Goodra! Salamance, use Take Down on Lucario!"

"Lucario, counter with Bone Rush!"

Aerodactyl's Hyper Beam takes off in a flash and hits Goodra, causing him to scream in pain and a big explosion to puff out in smoke. Salamance flies through it, aiming for Lucario. Lucario summons his bone staff, and graceful uses it to knock Salamance out of the way, causing him to hit the ground instead. Lucario then rushes over to quickly continue his attack.

"Come on Goodra, you can do it!" I yell, waiting anxiously for the smoke to clean.

Salamance charges Lucario and tosses him towards Goodra. The smoke slowly clears, and Goodra is lying on the floor, shaking. Lucario next to him, protecting him.

"Ha! He's finished! Now, Mega Aerodactyl, finish Lucario with Crunch!" Bryon yells. Mega Aerodactyl takes off and sinks his fangs in Lucario's chest.

"Hang in there Lucario!" Sarah yells, as she looks over to Ash.

"Goodra, now!"

Before Mega Aerodactyl can react, Goodra grabs hold of him and unleashes the Bind attack at point blank range. Mega Aerodactyl instantly lets go of Lucario and is absorbed in the blast. Once Goodra is done, Aerodactyl in on the ground, not moving. Goodra then collasps on the ground.

Ash returns Goodra.

"Good job Goodra! Now take a good long rest. You deserve it."

Salamance roars and flies back in front of Bryon. Byron slowly begins to shake.

"How? How did Goodra manage to withstand that attack? How? Salamance, get ready to-"

"Mega Evolve Lucario!" Sarah yells, grabbing her stone, and Lucario begins howling has he's absorbed in light and begins to change. An aura blast knocks off the glow, revealing Mega Lucario.

"Aura Sphere on Salamance now!"

Lucario blasts Salamance who charges straight at the attack, and lands shakily afterward.

"Pikachu, finishing him off with Volt Tackle!" Ash yells. Pikachu jumps off his shoulder and runs towards Salamance, as his body gets engulfed in lightning and collides with Salamance. Salamance roars, and falls to the ground, unconscious.

"What? How is that-"

Byron is cut off by Mega Lucario, who holds his Bone Staff by his neck.

"Give up now!" Sarah yells. Byron stares at them, then bursts into laughter.

"What's so funny?" Ash asks.

"Look behind me."

They look, and gasp.

"Jason!" Sarah yells. She tries to walk over, but Garchomp stomps over to Jason, standing over him.

Crystal slowly shuffles over towards me. She presses her index finger against her lips.

"Let go of Byron or Jason is going into the ground," Drew says, smirking. Sarah and Ash looks at each other.

"Mega Lucario, stand down," Sarah says, and he obeys, walking over to her side.

Byron reaches into his coat and unleashes Drapion.

Sarah tenses up, and Ash is about to yell an order, when Drew cuts him off.

"Attack him, and Gengar will suffocate Serena."

Ash holds back, while Drapion makes his way over to Ash. Pikachu jumps in front of Ash.

"Hey buddy, it's ok." Ash says, as Drapion's claw picks him up, crushing him.

Ash. No.

"Let him go!" I yell.

Drew chuckles.

"Just wait Serena."

"Wait for what?" I ask.

Suddenly, the chains holding me up break and I fall into the snowy ground. Drew walks over and kicks Crystal away from me, causing her to welp. He drags me by the chain, to where Jason is and Ash is thrown next to him. He forced me to stand up.

"Pick one."

Huh?

I stare blankly at Drew, who walks in front of Ash and Jason, pulling out his sword. He forces both of them on her knees. The blade is held inches away from both of them.

"Pick one. Whoever you pick lives."

"What? Why? I don't-"

"If you don't, everyone on this mountain top will die. So pick one."

"Why the sudden change of heart? I thought you wanted to kill Jason forsure you piece of-"

Drew silences Ash by smacking him with the hilt of the sword.

"Jason will get what he deserves, no matter what the choice is."

I look at both Ash, and Jason.

Ash gives me his signature smile, his eyes shining. He is up straight and even though he's being threatened with death, he seems confident and strong.

Jason, on the other hand, looks at the ground. He can barely stay up, and he's struggling to keep his eyes open. There's traces of dry blood on the edges of his mouth, and shuffles a bit back and forth, looking so helpless.

I can't do this.

I can't choose between the two. I need Ash. I love him. But I can't just shove Jason in the cold either.

I look over at Sarah, who's standing there helpless as Mega Garchomp is staring at them intensely.

"You now have a minute to decide."

No. I can't. I need both of them.

"Ash. Jason. I'm sorry, but I can't do this. I can't."

"Serena. Please. I know you can. Choose with your heart. I won't be mad, whatever your choice is. But everyone else doesn't deserve to die," Ash explains.

Oh Ash.

I look over at Jason, and he looks at me with sad eyes. He moves his lips, but nothing comes out.

What is he trying to say?

***Jason's POV

"Serena." I say, louder, even though my body begs me not to. She looks over, tears forming at her eyes once again.

"Remember how I mentioned a while ago that Kalos is my favorite region?" I ask. She nods.

"Well, it's because it has beautiful girls like you."

I look over at Ash.

"Make her happy, alright?"

Ash stares, then nods.

"Charizard, thank you for being on my journey with me since day one. Let everyone know you guys are free to do what you please after tonight," I say, as Charizard, whimpers, realizing what is about to happen.

"Sarah. Once again, I'm sorry for everything, and I hope you are able to be happy."

"Jason, I'm happy because I'm with you!" She yells. She starts screaming at me but I ignore her.

"Crystal. Thank the Pokedex Holders for me, and thank you for everything you've done. Thank Yellow especially, for the guidance and everything else she's done for me," I continue.

Crystal simply stares at me. She shakes her head no.

"Don't do this," she whispers, but I've made up my mind.

"Jason. What are you doing?" Serena asks.

"Freeing you from this burden," I say, as I grab Drew's hand holding the blade and drive it into my chest.