Receiving the

Approval

Petalburg city, full of life and laughter, it was truly a sight to behold. And our favorite hero was visiting this town again. To respect a promise he'd made a while back.

"Pikachu, do you think she forgot me?" Ash asked his best friend.

"(I'm sure she doesn't. And she did like you back in Hoenn and Kanto.)" the mouse winked, making him faintly blush. Ash walked to the Petalburg gym, Pikachu tried to catch up with him as he left him behind. Pikachu jumped on his shoulder as they arrived at the front door of the gym.

"Well, here goes nothing. What shoud I say, Pikachu?" he asked the mouse again.

"(Just be yourself. She'll be happy the most to see that.)" the mouse pointed out. Ash knocked on the door and it slowly opened by no one. Ash looked confusingly at Pikachu, and peered inside.

"Anyone home?" Ash echoed in the large house. He tipptoed all over the house, kitchen, living room, even the battle field, but not upstairs. Little did he know there was someone watching him the whole time.

"They must be shopping." Ash thought out loud. Then Pikachu perked up its ears in alarm.

"What is it, Pikachu? Is someone here?" Ash asked, looking around. Pikachu looked at the couch, and walked towards it. When he jumped on top of it and looked behind, he cooed in happiness.

"Pikachu! Good to see you again!" a voice came from behind the couch. The figure rose up from behind the couch revealing Ash's old friend, Max. He was older now, and petted Pikachu.

"Hey, Max! Good to see you!" Ash said, glad someone was home.

"Hey, Ash! Congratulations on getting to the finals!" Max said, shaking his hand.

"How do you know?" Ash asked him.

"I watched the whole thing on TV." Max said. Just then, the door opened and in came Norman and Caroline.

"Who are you? And what are you doing in our home?" Norman asked defensively.

"Good to see you again, Norman." Ash smirked.

"Ash? Wow, you've really grown! I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you. What brings you here?" Norman came closer to the boy.

"Oh, just came to visit. See how the gym is going." Ash said, looking around.

"The gym's doing great! Not a single victorius challenger since you." Norman chuckled.

"Well, make yourself at home. You can stay here as long as you like." Caroline added.

"Thank you, that's really nice." Ash said, then heard a noise upstairs. Ash looked at the stairs, and recognized this figure too. A taller man with brown spiky hair and a light brown vest.

"Brock! Good to see you too! Why are you here?" Ash asked the man.

"Max invited me. He wanted to learn more about pokemon, and I just couldn't decline. I came here a couple days ago." Brock told him, shaking his hand.

"Well! Everyone's here now!" max stated happily.

"Where's..." Ash started, but heard a roar from outside. Everyone went outback, to see a Blaziken and Venusaur fighting. A Delcatty and Wartortle were trying to break them up, but to no prevail. A Beautifly flew over to the group and explained the situation.

"Oh, no, not again!" Max said in disbelief.

"What happened?" Ash asked.

"You see... Blaziken likes to steal Venusaur's pokemon food, even though it's a fire type, not grass." Brock told him.

"They always fight ever since Venusaur evolved!" Max added.

"I can help. Venusaur, go!" Ash said, throwing a pokeball and releasing another green dinosaur.

"Venusaur, can you stop the fight over there?" Ash asked, pointing over to the fight. Venusaur nodded and walked over. It tried talking to Blaziken, but Blaziken shook its head. Venusaur used vine whip to grab its fists. It struggled but couldn't get loose, it gave in and venusaur let go.

"Wow, Ash! I think your Bulbasaur has gotten better in making peace than before!" Max stated.

"Yes, Thanks Venusaur. return!" Ash returned the pokemon to the pokeball. The pokemon ran over to Ash and toppled on top of him, clearly happy to see him.

"It's nice to see you guys again, too! Delcatty, haven't seen you since you were a Skitty." he said, looking at the bigger evolved cat. "Venusaur, Wartortle, I can tell you've gotten stronger that when you were Bulbasaur and Squirtle!" Ash added.

"So, where's your trainer?" he asked, making them sulk. They all pointed towards a tree with a figure in it. Sitting on a branch, they could make out a human shape.

"What's she doing?" he asked, standing up.

"It's really weird. She just sits in the tree all day. She wakes up early before anyone else wakes up." Max said sadly.

"I just came here, so I'm kinda fuzzy too." Brock added.

"Why don't you talk to her?" Ash asked them.

"We've tried, but she just ignores us." Caroline said sadly.

"Hmm... Did something bad happen to her? Did she lose to Drew or Solidad?" Ash thoguht of all the possible reason she could be sad.

"No, ever since she came back from Johto, she was full of life. But one day, she went for a walk and came back, doing this." Norman added.

"Ash, you talk to her. She was closer to you than anyone else, please try for us." Caroline said, nudging his shoulder.

"Sure. I'd be glad to, for your hospitality." Ash said, and walked over to the tree.

"May? What's wrong?" he asked, stopping under the tree. She didn't budge. Ash climbed the tree and stopped beside her. He tapped her shoulder but she didn't move.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly. The body sit there, not moving. Ash leaned over and looked at her face. Her eyes were closed and she was lip-talking. Ash could make it out barely.

"May? Talk to me. What about 'the world balance'?" Ash asked her, reading her lips. She didn't respond. Ash looked at her face to read more. She kept repeating 'world balance', and 'extended prophecy'. Ash walked back to the group and told them about the words.

"Prophecy? Wait, Ash! What about Lugia?" Brock asked him, Ash looked at him.

"Lugia's prophecy! Maybe he has some information! Let's go, Brock!" Ash said.

"Can I come, too? I want to help!" Max insisted. Ash looked at Norman and Caroline and they nodded, so Ash agreed.

"Charizard, Pidgeot, Staraptor, go!" Ash called as he tossed three pokeballs in the air, releasing the two large birds and the dragon.

"Ash, you got back Pidgeot?" Brock asked, letting the bird's head.

"Yeah. I was taking a walk in Viridian forest and that fearow attacked me again. Pidgeot came and defended me, and wanted to come along with me again." Ash said, petting the other side of its head.

"Wow, that's so cool! Let's go!" Max said, jumping on Staraptor. Brock got on Pidgeot and Ash on Charizard. Then they flew off towards the sea, going to the orange islands, seeking some answers.

Back at the gym...May was mumbling some new things.

"world... destruction... soon... Chosen one... sacrifice!" May mumbled angrily, opening her eyes and revealing a demon red.

END