Hi everyone!  Hope you enjoyed the last couple chapters!  Now, you'll find out what actually happened to Ash!  

Warning: this will be a very, very, very long chapter... proceed with caution.

Enjoy!

Serena

Ah... I'm so exhausted,  Serena thought, yawning a little.  It was around sunset, and after everything that had happened today, all she wanted to do was sleep.

After lunch, she had stayed by Ash's side (or he stayed by her side) all day, whether it be through talking with his Pokemon or playing with them, or during her practices for Showcases, they were together for all of it.  Ash seemed to enjoy it, and she blushed a little when she thought about it.

As of now, a couple minutes ago, Ash had gone for a ride on his Talonflame, after the four of them had had dinner.  Clemont had made yet another delicious meal, without setting it on fire this time (to which the three of them had applauded to), and the feeling of fullness only made Serena more tired.  She wondered how Ash was always so full of energy; she felt like Clemont on a run.

After this, go to bed, she told herself as she washed the dinnerware.  She was drained, physically and emotionally.  She sighed.  It had been a long day.

Soon enough, the dishes were finished, and she went to the Pokemon tent to check on the Pokemon sleeping inside.  Clemont had brought it with him when they had met up before Ash's battle, and their Pokemon had seemed to like it a lot.  As she peeked inside now, Serena could see them all sleeping soundly, with the exception of Talonflame, who was out with Ash.  Even the Espeon was there, and Serena was surprised that it had wanted to stay with them, possibly for good.  She smiled at the thought.  It's good to see them all happy.  I-

"Big brother, will the scary Pokemon come get me?"

Bonnie's voice distracted Serena from her thoughts, and she turned to see Clemont crouching inside their tent, who seemed to be wishing Bonnie good night.  Serena's heart twisted when she realized that Bonnie was scared of the Umbreon that had shrunk Ash.  

She shook her head.  Weren't they all?

"Don't worry, Bonnie," Serena heard Clemont say reassuringly.  "I'll come to sleep with you, so you'll be safe."

"Are you sure, Clemont?" came Bonnie's sleepy voice, still sounding slightly afraid.

"I'm positive, Little Sis," Clemont replied.  "The odds are in our favour."

"Thanks, Big Brother," Bonnie said, and from the way she said it, Serena could tell she was smiling.  "Good night."

"Good night, Bonnie," Clemont said, and stepped out of the tent.  Serena smiled fondly at the pair.  Even though they fought sometimes, it was moments like that that proved that, deep down, they still loved each other.  She walked over to Clemont, who murmured a slight greeting to her.

"Hey, Serena," he said.  "You heading to bed soon?"

She nodded.  "Yeah, I'm exhausted," she replied, yawning for effect, which made her friend laugh.  "But I'm going to stay up and wait for Ash to come back."

Clemont's eyes lit up when she mentioned Ash.  "Um, about Ash," Clemont began slowly.  "Serena, there is something you should know."

Serena instantly became alert when her crush was mentioned.  "What about him!?"

Instead of answering, he led Serena to the picnic table, and gestured for her to sit down.  Serena instantly became ten times more nervous.  What's he going to tell me about Ash?  Is he dead?  Is he going to die?  Does he have a girlfriend?  Oh, please don't let him have a-

"Serena!" Clemont waved his arms in front of her face.  "Serena, this is really important.  I'm telling you before I tell him, so... yeah.  Just listen, please?"

Serena instantly stopped everything she was doing and stared at Clemont.  "Is it really that bad?" she whispered.

Clemont didn't answer.

"Well," he began, "I've been researching Ash's story.  Yunno, how he was attacked by an Umbreon and all of that.  Turns out, it's happened before," he said, looking at Serena to see her reaction.

Serena's eyes opened wide.  "Go on," she told him nervously.

"Well, it's a special ability that can be present in special  Espeon and Umbreon, and it comes when they evolve.  Umbreon's ability, called Shrink Link, has the ability to shrink anything it wishes down in size... what happened to Ash," Clemont explained.  "Espeon's ability is like the reverse move- Grow Low.  It can grow anything, you know, the opposite to Umbreon.  The only way to reverse the effect of one of the moves is to have the opposite move performed on an object, but only if they are specially synced to each other, where they are each other's "match".  Also, if these two specific Pokemon didn't want their powers anymore, they could use them on each other, and they would go away, or neutralize.  They also disappear if the Pokemon is caught," Clemont stated.

Serena became excited.  "So all we have to do is find an Espeon to reverse the Umbreon's affect on Ash!"

Clemont sighed.  "It's not... yeah, you are right," he told her.  "But you have to understand... it won't be so easy.  Sure... the moves can be easily reversed, but this ability is present in less than one percent of the total amount of Espeon and Umbreon out there-"

"One percent is still a percent," Serena fumed.  "Besides, you're wrong!  It will be easy.  That Umbreon's still lurking in the forest somewhere, and it can take it to its partner.  Besides, there must be some other way to recognize the ability, right?" her stomach started to churn.

Clemont nodded.  "Yeah, there is," he told her, as a slight breeze ruffled his hair.  "For Umbreon, since it evolves at night, the ring on its forehead will glow red, and if it's a shiny, it'll glow yellow, around midnight" he explained.  "For Espeon, since it evolves in day, in the early morning, around dawn, the stone on its forehead will glow yellow."

"Clemont, that's perfect," she said.  "We can go tomorrow morning and see if-"

"SERENA!  Listen to me!" Serena gasped.  Her friend sounded strangled, as if something was choking him.  He started shaking.

"Serena, you don't understand.  While there is a 3/4 chance in seeing the glow, finding one will be near impossible.  The trainers who got caught in that..."

"The trainers who got caught in that what, Clemont!" Serena practically screamed at him.  She would have screamed, if it wasn't for Bonnie sleeping.

"You don't want to know," Clemont said grimly.

"Listen, Ash... he... just try to stay positive, okay?" he flashed her a weak smile.

"Tell me, Clemont," Serena said, her voice dull.

Clemont looked at her, eyes pleading.  "Please don't make me say it, Serena."

Serena looked at him, the truth finally sinking in.  "Wait- you're saying he... he won't get better?"

"Serena, just-"

"Do you know Ash!?" she challenged him.  "He never gives up until the very end.  He never gives up on us.  Not till the very end.  And what are we doing?  Giving up on him.  He would never give up, he would keep facing challenges with a smile.  Not what we're doing.  Not this-" 

She saw Clemont's face.

"S-Sorry, C-Clemont," she stuttered.  She promptly got up from her spot at the table and walked towards the tent.  "I'm waiting for Ash.  Good night, Clemont," she said, without her usual kindness.  When no response was heard from him, she instantly felt guilty.  She turned.

"I'm sorry, Clemont, I shouldn't have-"

"Serena, just promise me you won't tell him, please?  It would just-"

"Okay, Clemont," she agreed.  She saw him turn and leave towards the tent and his sister.  She was about to do the same, when a sudden call from Talonflame split the air.  She turned, and saw him standing near the Pokemon tent, waving one his wings at her.

She instantly rushed over.  "Talonflame, what-" she stopped.  That's when she saw Ash, asleep, on Talonflame's back, drooling and snoring a little.  Her heart instantly melted, and she scooped him up.  With a nod to Talonflame, she brought him to the tent, and set him on his sleeping bag.  She smiled. 

Ash, don't worry, whenever you're with me, you'll be okay.

....................................................................................................

It was early in the morning, around 5 AM.  Serena was tired, but she had to check for herself.  She had to know if there was still a chance.  That was all she asked for.

One.

Chance.

Please, please, please Arceus I beg you.

Please.

Gently, she peeked into the Pokemon tent, still full of sleeping Pokemon.  She looked around, finally finding the Pokemon she was searching for.

She looked at its forehead.

No glow.

No glow.

Tears threatened to escape Serena's eyes as she walked back to the tent.  

Clemont was right.  

There was really no chance for Ash.  

As she entered, she saw him sleeping still, smiling a little.  She gave a sad smile when she saw him.  

Even if I die, I will make sure he gets better.  He has to.

For him.

For us.

For the world.

For me.

Well, I did warn you.  1600 words.  Hope you proceeded with caution.  Hope you enjoyed!

Also, in case you are wondering if the Espeon has powers... not saying ;)  

Even if she ends up having them, they might not be the correct match.  So yeah.  Just saying.

Now for our Pokemon Question of the Day!  Which of Ash's Kalos Pokemon was your favourite?  Comment below!  (I can't even choose on this one- good luck)

Anyways, that's it!  Have an awesome day/night!  

Stay tuned ;)