“I need you! I want you to be with me forever!”
But, as Ash really WOULD do anything in his power to protect Marona, he wasn’t about to back down on his current role.
“You’ll go no further! For her sake, I will not fail!”
Fortunately for both of them, the anti-hero Walnut came forward to offer his sacrifices instead, as it was the least he could do to repair the chaos he’d unleashed.
At the very end, after the credits roll, we get one more scene with our Braves, where Marona finally hugs Ash, thanking him for always being there for her. And Ash replies, placing a hand on her head in reassurance, that he’ll never leave her.
“We’ll be together. Forever and ever.”
The defining moment of their relationship had to be at the very end of the game, when Ash opted to sacrifice himself in order to save Marona and everyone in Ivoire. Just the exact strength of their bond was unknown until this point, as Marona cried out for Ash to never leave her.