Stay With Me

Chapter 13: A Last Drop of Hope

(Name) slowly opened her eyes Where am I? she thought. Then, she heard the familiar hum of the fan in the... design studio. How did I get here?

"Angela? Serena? Anybody?" (Name) asked softly. Her mind was fuzzy. She couldn't think. What happened last night, anyway? Then, it hit her. Ana dragging Gary away. That mysterious dark shadow disappearing into that time warp. The cries of Pokemon she had never heard before that sounded just before she passed out. All of this made (Name) want to barf. Her life was too complicated.

Then, she began to wonder... what had happened to Gary? Was he okay? Did he realize that Ana is just another one of his rabid fangirls?

"Ah, (Name), dear, I'm glad you're awake! We were so worried!" A voice from behind her said. (Name) turned to see Angela.

"Angela... is everyone okay?" I asked. Angela had some sort of a forced smile on her face. (Name) could tell that something was definitely wrong right now.

"Well... not exactly," she admitted. "But, you can't be all grumpy right now. It's only the morning!" Angela tried for another smile, but this time, it looked like a grimace. (Name) raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Angela. Tell me the truth. What. Is. Wrong?" Angela didn't answer (Name) for a long time. "Please!" (Name) added. The twenty-seven year old sighed in defeat.

"Maybe... maybe you should come with me," Angela told (Name). Now (Name) was confused. What was Angela so worried about anyway?

"Okay then." (Name) replied, following Angela into the fitting room, where (Name) could hear many people talking.

"Some people were injured last night. And... this is where they're being treated," Angela said quietly. (Name) blanched. She couldn't possibly mean-

"Serena!" (Name) saw the light-haired brunette on a fold-out cot, pale and sickly. Serena gave a weak smile.

"Hey, (Name), don't worry about me. You should... look at some others..." she said. Others? (Name) looked around the room. No one seemed to hurt, that was a relief. There were a few broken bones, but nothing worse. Then, she spotted-

"Oh Arceus, why?! What the hell?!" she yelled, flying across the room to a certain spiky-haired boy. "Gary?!" Then, she noticed the young woman, who was standing by his bedside, was glaring at her.

"Why, hello there. I'm sorry, but my boyfriend doesn't need you to be here," she said snappishly. All (Name) could think was, Fuck you, Ana. I hope you go and die in the pits of darkness in the Distortion World.

Just then, Gary's eyes flickered open. The first thing he saw was Ana. He smiled. Then, he saw (Name), and he frowned in confusion. "Um, hello, do I know you?" he asked (Name). (Name) was silent.

"No." The (h/c)-haired girl walked away. So, it was true. Turns out, not much more than a few days after they JUST got together, turns out Gary forgot all about her. What a coincidence, huh? NOT.

When (Name) arrived back at Serena's bedside, she was barely breathing. (Name)'s eyes widened. Holy-

"Serena, are you okay?" (Name) asked frantically. Serena's eyelids flickered weakly, and suddenly, her eyes shot open. They were bright red.

"Yveltal has begun his plan. I... must... stop... him..." Then, her body went limp. (Name) gasped as she saw two huge claw-like leathery wings extend from her back. The wings disappeared in a split second, and when (Name) turned, she saw another dark shadow disappear into a pitch-black whirlpool-like portal. Serena's body then disappeared.

"Angela! Angela!" (Name) shouted. The woman came running over in a hurry, looking worried.

"(Name)? What's wrong?" Angela asked frantically. (Name) took a deep breath.

"Serena... Serena's gone!" (Name) told Angela. Angela blinked in confusion.

"Who's Serena?" she asked. (Name) mentally panicked. What was going on?

"Serena, one of the designers that work here? One of the most talented as well? She just grew big black wings and disappeared!" Angela sent (Name) a weird look.

"Maybe... maybe you need a little more rest, dear, you don't seem to feeling very well," Angela told (Name) cautiously.

"So you don't remember Serena?" (Name) asked incredulously.

"As far as I know, there has never been a Serena working at Lumiose Design Studio in all of my years of service," Angela replied. "Do any of you know someone named Serena?" Angela asked a crowd of confused designers and models. No one spoke up. "See, (Name)?" (Name) didn't know what to say. She just knew that what she had just seen was real.

"Well... I'm going to see Professor Sycamore, real quick," (Name) announced. If anyone could remember Serena, it would be her own father, right?

When (Name) arrived at the lab, she spotted the young professor feeding some Pokemon. "Professor Sycamore?" The professor turned and his face split into a smile.

"Ah, (Name)! Nice to see you here again! What can I do for you?" he asked, setting out the last tray of food for a Chespin.

"Well... do you by any chance know where your daughter went?" Professor Sycamore frowned in confusion.

"My daughter?"

"Yeah, your daughter. You know, Serena." Professor Sycamore blinked in confusion.

"I don't know what you're talking about, (Name). I never had a daughter named Serena." (Name) was now REALLY scared.

"Um... well, thanks anyway, Professor..." (Name) said, backing out of the lab and sprinting back to the studio.

"(Name)? What happened?" Angela asked, seeing the (h/c)-haired girl's flustered and panicky face.

"Nothing... does... does Gary have all of his memories back from his temporary amnesia yet?" (Name) asked. Angela frowned.

"I'm afraid not, (Name). You see, there is something unusual about this whole situation. The thing is, Gary remembers absolutely every single thing that happened in his life except..." Angela hesitated.

"Except what?" (Name) asked anxiously.

"Except you."