CHAPTER 43 - SEEING THE FOREST FOR THE TREES!

Previously in Pokemon Chaos and Order...

Ash challenged the Opelucid City Gym Leader and was surprised to learn that it wa Iris.

After a long battle against her Dragonite, Ash and Greninja lost control of their synchronization and hurt Dragonite pretty badly until Serena snapped them out of it.

After that Ash decided to forfeit the match but an angry Dragonite surprised Greninja with a Dragon Rush, knocking both Greninja and Ash out.

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Ash opens his eyes and finds himself in total darkness with the floor beneath his feet being water. He takes a glance at his hands and sees that they're see-through, but not invisible.

"What the...?!" Ash said, his voice echoing around the void. He then notices two beams of light in the distance. He glances at them and sees him, covered in a shadowy aura with red eyes in one beam and his Greninja, covered in the same shadowy aura in the other.

He then spots Serena standing next to the "him" he is seeing. She is holding "his" wrist, as if trying to immobilize it. Ash then hears murmuring coming from "his" and Serena's mouths, but he couldn't make out what they were saying.

After a while, "Ash" dropped to the floor, the shadowy aura dissipating. Suddenly, Serena's body began dissolving into the floor, her body turning into water. Both Ashes ran towards her but even the "Ash" closer to her couldn't reach her in time.

Both Ashes dropped to the floor, crying uncontrollably. Ash then heard the hushed and echoed voice of a woman coming from somewhere.

"There's nothing you can do..."

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Ash opened his eyes and took a quick look around where he was. The contents of the room showed him that he was in a hospital.

He sat up in the bed he was lying on and immediately wrapped one of his arms around his chest, feeling a sharp pain in his lungs. 'It feels like I was hit by a truck...' he thought, trying to make sense of the situation.

He then remembered what had happened right before he blacked out. 'Greninja got hit by Dragonite's Dragon Rush...' he realized. He looked at the clock that was near his bed, and if the darkness didn't say it already the clock pretty much confirmed that it's pretty late.

11:27 PM

Ash sighed and gently got out of bed. He took his winter coat and the rest of his winter-wear, but it on and exited his room. He quietly tip-toed his way through the halls, trying his best to avoid being seen.

He then got to the central lobby area. The lights were off and the place was dead silent. For some reason, Ash felt the need to take a look at the sofas, as if there was something important there.

He looked there and sure enough, lying on one of the sofas was Serena. She was sleeping. She had her winter-wear on, since a snowstorm has just hit the city, but was just barely covered by a blanket that was lying next to her feet.

Ash smiled sadly, and covered Serena with the blanket. "I'm sorry Serena..." he whispered before exiting the hospital through the front door.

Little did Ash know, Serena wasn't actually sleeping. How could she? After what happened at the Opelucid Gym, she couldn't fall asleep. After feeling Ash cover her with the blanket and hearing him whisper, she waited for a few more seconds before sitting up.

She got up from the sofa and stepped towards the window. She saw Ash walking towards Route 10. Without a moment of hesitation, Serena got up, slipped her shoes on and followed Ash over to Route 10.

After following Ash's footprints for a couple of minutes, she eventually found a clearing and saw Ash sitting down on a log. She quietly approached him, trying her best not to startle him. "Ash...?" She finally said in a soothing tone after what felt like an eternity of silence.

Ash slowly brought his head up, and quickly locked eyes with the honey-blonde girl. After a quick moment of glancing into her eyes, Ash looked down, letting the shadow of his visor cover his face.

"Ash, what's wrong?" Serena asked as calmly as she could, despite the fact that she was internally freaking out. "I don't deserve your sympathy Serena..." he said in a chocked tone, as if he's holding back his tears.

"What are you talking about...?" "YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN!" Ash snapped back at Serena, his eyes red wet with tears. "I ALMOST KILLED THAT DRAGONITE! I LOST CONTROL AND I SOUNDED JUST LIKE TRIP! I'M A JOKE OF A POKEMON TRAINER!"

Serena just stood there in shock at the words she was hearing Ash say. He then turned his back to her and dropped to his knees. "I don't deserve you as a friend..." he said while letting the tears flow.

Serena's face went from near-crying and shocked to that of pure rage. She quickly gathered snow in her gloved hand and threw it at the back of Ash's face.

He turned around in shock and saw Serena looking down. Her face was emitting a mixture of different emotions; anger, sadness, fear, concern and sympathy all together.

"The Ash I know isn't someone who lets a loss get to him..." she said, still avoiding eye contact with Ash. "He's brave, kind and learns from every experience. That Dragonite was injured sure, but it wasn't dying Ash! You can't give up on yourself because you lost a battle!" She looked at him and let the tears flow.

"Does 'never give up 'till it's over' mean ANYTHING to you?!" She cried before gathering two other snowballs in her hands. "BRING BACK THE ASH I KNOW!" She then threw the snowballs at Ash, both of them hitting him in the face.

The second snowball that hit Ash actually threw Ash off of his balance, causing him to move backwards. His leg then collided with the log he was sitting on and he fell.

After Ash fell to the ground Serena's anger subsided and she saw what she did. Having the exaggerated reaction of being horrified, she ran away crying. Ash however, took Serena's words to heart and had a moment of realization.

'Not acting like... the Ash she knows...' he thought. He took a quick glance at the jacket he had under his coat. Unlike most if the normal cloths he wore, this jacket was sown by Serena, specifically for him. (Chapter 13). He took a look at his left breast pocket, around the same location as his heart. The words "Future Pokemon Master" were written in gold thread.

Ash then brought both of his hands to his face before removing the leftover snow that was on it and screaming to the sky. "WHAT ON EARTH AM I DOING?!" Scaring away a bunch of Woobat, Vullaby and Rufflet.

With Serena...

After Serena could run no longer, she collapsed to the ground next to a tree. "I shouldn't have done that..." she murmured before curling herself into a fetal position and resting her face on her knees.

After what felt like forever, Serena heard the faintest of sounds above the whistling of the cold winds. She heard a giggle. She looked up and saw two people she didn't want to see, Attila and Hun of Team Plasma.

"So we have a lonely traveller..." Hun said with an evil grin. "Looks like she's defenceless..." Attila replied. They both drew out their Pokeballs and called out for Scrafty and Drapion. "I guess we'll take her to Ghetsis... he'll have to reward us after what her friends did..." Hun said.

Serena had no more energy to run and in her teary jog she got lost. She had nowhere to go and nowhere to hide. The only thing she could do at this point was to shut her eyes tightly and pray to Arceus that it all goes away.

It appears that Arceus heard her prayers because as soon as Attila and Hun were about to give their Pokemon a command, Attila was hit in the face with a snowball. "HEY!" The two heard a voice come from near them. They turned around to see (surprise surprise) Ash with a snowball in hand.

"PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE!" He exclaimed before throwing another snowball at Hun, hitting her in the face. The two shook off the snow from their faces and looked really mad. "You don't get to decide who to fight kid!" Attila said. "Not anymore at least..." Hun continued.

"PIN MISSILE!" "FOCUS BLAST!" They both commanded simultaneously. Drapion's claws glow white and are raised above its head, where a thin, white line forms and connects them. Drapion then thrusts its claws forward and shoots white pins, trailing green streams of light, at Ash.

Scrafty then put its hands together at its side and forms a light blue and yellow orb of energy in between them. It then jumps into the air and raises its hands above its head. When it does, the light blue orb grows larger. Scrafty then tosses the orb at Ash.

'Maybe I should've thought this through...' Ash thought, remembering that he has no idea on what to do now. Ash also appears to have received some help from above as a blue, black and red blur (surrounded by a purple outline) appears to have come out of nowhere and sliced both of the attacks headed towards Ash.

The blur then stops next to Ash, revealing itself as Greninja. "Greninja?" Ash said in disbelief. "How did you get here?" He asked. Greninja then shot Ash a look of 'there's no time for that' and Ash shot back with a look of understanding.

The two then turned their attention back to Attila and Hun. "Drapion! Poison Fang!" Hun commanded. Drapion's bottom fangs glow purple. The purple glow then moves down its arms, making the whole section glow as it does. When the glow reaches the last section, it skips the hands and the claws start to glow purple. Then, multiple purple sparks surround the claws. Drapion then charged at Greninja.

"Water Shuriken!" Ash commanded. Greninja put its hands in front of the shuriken-shaped part of its legs. A swirl of water then appears in front of each of its hands, forming into orbs and eventually into blue sharp-edged throwing stars before throwing them at Drapion.

The throwing stars explode in Drapion's face and create a splash of water. "Now use Aerial Ace!" Ash commanded again. Greninja jumps up with a high burst of speed with a clear aura around it. It then charges forward with a high burst of speed with a clear aura around it. Greninja then slashes Drapion multiple times.

"SCRAFTY! HIGH-JUMP KICK!" Attila commanded. Scrafty jumps into the air and one of its knees starts to glow red-orange. Knowing that High-Jump Kick is an attack that damages the user if it misses, Serena made another snowball and threw at Scrafty's face, temporarily blinding it.

Scrafty then crashes into the snow near Greninja knee-first, creating a cloud of snow around it. When the cloud dissipates, Scrafty is sitting in a makeshift crater and is rubbing its knee.

Ash smirked. "Night Slash let's go!" He commanded. Greninja then spread its arms apart. Greninja's hands then became surrounded by a black and red aura with a purple outline. Greninja then charged at Scrafty, leaving purple/red streaks of energy behind its hands.

Greninja then slashes Scrafty and sends it flying backwards. "Now let's finish it off Greninja!" Ash exclaimed. "Use Ice Punch on the ground!" Greninja then slams its fists together, creating cyan sparkles. The sparkles then create a dome of white and blue energy (surrounded by snowflakes) around Greninja's fists.

Greninja then smashes its fist into the snowy ground, creating a path of ice that moves towards Drapion, Scrafty and their Trainers. When the path of ice hits them, it creates a fortress of ice crystals that encase them before exploding into pieces.

When the dust and snow cleared it appeared that Attila and Hun got away once again. 'Man! Why are they so good at getting away?!' Ash thought before remembering the reason he got there in the first place; Serena.

Ash ran over to Serena, who was still sitting next to the tree. He knelt down next to her. "Look Ash/Serena..." they both said at the same time before shutting up together from the embarrassment. "You go first..." Serena said Marrep-ishlty (not my joke).

"Serena... I'm sorry for what I said earlier..." Ash said while looking at the ground. "You're right. I shouldn't let a loss set me back. I should learn from it! I'm really sorry I yelled at you..."

"I'm sorry I overreacted and threw those snowballs in your face..." Serena replied. After that, they both gave out a quick chuckle. A gust of cold wind then blew against the two, causing them both to shiver.

"I think we should head back to the hospital..." Ash said. Serena smiled and nodded. "I think it's that way!" She said while pointing at an area of forest with less trees and more fog.

Greninja started to follow the two as they headed towards the foggy area, Serena leading the way. However, instead of finding their way back to the hospital, Serena quickly found herself stepping on thin air, revealing that she had walked right off the edge of a cliff (third time this happens...)

Serena quickly lost her balance and before she knew it, she fell. Ash looked on in horror as he picked up his pace with Greninja shortly behind him. However when they got to the edge it was already too late and Serena was out of their reach.

"SERENA NO!" Ash cried out in horror as a single tear slid down the side of his face and hit the snow covered ground bellow them. Suddenly, in the same spot where Ash's tear landed, the snow began to move. A snow tornado then began to form around the two, the snow quickly melting into water and Ash and Greninja synchronizing.

"Hang on Serena!" Ash exclaimed before both him and Greninja jumped off of the edge of the cliff after Serena. Greninja was still surrounded by the water vortex but was able to see where Serena was. The only problem is that they're not falling fast enough.

"Alright Greninja! We gotta keep going!" Ash exclaimed. "Get stronger... and stronger... AND STRONGEEEEEEEEER!" Ash's and Greninja's eyes flashed red, before the water vortex around Greninja exploded into swirls of water that have a visual similarity to an angel's wings as it glides through the cold air.

'I got it!' Ash thought. 'I know how to control it Greninja!' "Then let's use our power wisely!" Greninja replied to Ash telepathically. 'Yep! Definitely in control now! Hang in there Serena...' Ash thought before him and Greninja brought their feet over to the wall of the cliff.

The two then started to sprint down the cliff, gaining speed to catch Serena before she falls. Finally, Greninja was able to grab hold of Serena and after that it grabbed Ash's arm. 'Alright! Now let's stop the fall!' Ash gave Greninja a telepathic command. "Roger that Ash!" Greninja replied.

Greninja, while still holding both Ash and Serena, did a couple of acrobatic stunts to try and lower its speed until it finally grabbed a branch that was close to the ground with its tongue, landing safely.

(I wanted to add a gif of it but it's over 3 MB and no matter how much I try to make it smaller, it just gets BIGGER)

"WE DID IT!" Ash and Greninja yell out simultaneously as they give out a victory stance on the ground.

A couple of minutes later Serena woke up from the shock (both of the cold and of falling down a cliff) only to find Ash carrying her bridal style, with Greninja next to him, still in his synchronized form.

"Thank Arceus you're awake..." Ash sighed in relief. "Wha... what just haplened?" Serena asked, trying to hide the blush from her face. "You fell off a cliff..." Ash replied. "Oh..." Serena said.

"I think you're missing an important detail Ash..." Greninja spoke telepathically. Serena's eyes widened in shock. "Greninja can talk?!" She exclaimed. "You can hear me?!" Greninja replied, just as shocked as Serena.

"We can communicate with telepathy..." Ash said. "Thanks to you, we can now control our transformation!" "That's great Ash!" Serena replied. "Though I wish it could've been in a situation where you weren't in mortal peril..." Ash continued.

"I'll say..." Greninja replied. "If it's to help you Ash I would gladly do it again..." Serena said, catching Ash off guard. "What was that?!" He asked, quite shocked. Serena smiled.

"Ash I owe you more than I can ever hope to repay..." she said. "It's only thanks to you that I'm the person who I am today. And if it'll help your Pokemon grow stronger, I'll be your damsel in distress..." to that, Ash blushed harder than he ever thought possible.

He quickly shook the blush off and knew how to retaliate. "Let's consider your debt repaid after you become Queen..." he said. "Huh?" Serena exclaimed with a confused look on her face. Ash smiled. "You have 3 Princess Ribbons!" He answered. "That means you're going to compete on the Master Class! And I know you're gonna win!"

"Thanks Ash..." Serena said while trying to hide her blush with her hair. "I don't wanna ruin the moment but the others are probably worried sick..." Greninja said, ruining the moment. Ash and Serena both blushed in embarrassment and set their sights back to the Opelucid City hospital.

"ASH! SERENA!" Nate, Dawn, Pikachu, Red, Gary, Leaf, Jessie, James and Meowth shouted into the night, looking for their lost friends. A light then appeared in the fog. It was the "headlight" of Gary's Umbreon, being followed by James' Growlie. "Any sign of them?" Gary asked worried. Umbreon sadly shook its head while Growlie simply lowered it.

A bone then appears to be thrown like a boomerang, trying to clear the fog. That bone belongs to Leaf's Marowak, who is also looking for them.

Even Delia's (Ash and Red's mother) Mr. Mime, which she had given to Red, joined the search party, psychicly scanning the forest with James' Inkay and others nearby but to no avail.

"Any luck Mimey?" Red asked. "Mr. Mime Mime..." Mimey replied while sadly shaking its head. "HEY!" The group heard a familiar voice coming from somewhere nearby. They all turned to look at the direction of the voice and saw Ash, still carrying Serena, and Greninja (who was still in its synchronized form) appear from the fog, much to their relief.

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Hey guys! Infinityalbi10 here! Hope you guys enjoyed my take on the episode where Ash and Greninja learn to control their Battle Bond mode. It was one of the chapters I waited to write for a long time and it's finally here! Moreover, only 3 more chapters until the League begins! Get ready cause it's about to get wild! Here's the summary for the next chapter:

After having a lot of moments of realization, and finally being able to control his synchronized form with Greninja, Ash decides to have a rematch with Iris, not willing to give up.

Will Ash be able to claim victory and win his 8th and final Unova Gym Badge? Will Iris' Dragonite be able to accept whether it wins or loses? What other Pokemon will Iris send out to battle Ash with?

Find out next time... AS THE JOURNEY CONTINUES!

Thanks for reading! 😊

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