Hello! This is actually an idea I came up with a very long time ago that I did not get around to somewhat completing until now. I personally have dabbled in the world of Pokemon gaming since the series first came out, and still enjoy every new game that is released. But my now adult mind began to wonder: you know, what would the world of Pokemon be like on more realistic terms? The main plots are always a bit silly: the small child hero defeats the villain, catches the big bad legendary beast, and life goes on with no consequences. No villains are arrested, no emotional turmoil is put on the main character, no nothing. It's just a child's giant play world where nothing goes wrong. But what if it wasn't? What if things weren't so happy and simple? What if it was more realistic?

In reality, there would be no children wandering around the world by themselves, even if they DID have monsters with them. With this idea in mind, May is at least 18, and has at least attended high school and has a good idea of how life works for the most part (more of this will be covered later on).

In reality, a crime syndicate would behave more like criminals, and would use more violence and tactics to get what they want. The police would also be high on their tails instead of letting children solve the world's problems.

And most of all, there are consequences for everything that you do, whether you mean good or bad. In this story, May will learn that lesson, along with Maxie.

I'm sure there will be many other 'reality factors' covered in here, but they'll come as they will.

I also think it's so sad that the relationship between Maxie and May is so seldom used! There are actually a few very good ones on here that are highly overlooked. Going out there and exploring some rarely used characters is fun to write and interesting for the reader!

Unfortunately, I do lead a very busy life so updating will be very seldom, but it will happen. I promise.

Happy reading!


"If you live with your eyes closed to whatever is difficult to face, does that mean those things don't exist?"

-Polka, Eternal Sonata


Lifeline: Part I

They hadn't meant for this to happen. No, things were supposed to go different, completely different.

Admin Shelly couldn't hold back her own revulsion for what lied in front of her, what had happened. Their awakening of Kyogre had brought destruction instead of peace, and now she was facing the storm of the century, the downfall of Team Aqua.

Archie had promised a better world, a better place to live for all humans and Pokémon.

But Kygore was not willing to help them. No, it had shunned Team Aqua and the world, and now it wouldn't stop until it destroyed them all.

She grasped her leader's hand tightly, clenching his fingers between her own. He was shaking almost as hard as she was, and despite the situation, it calmed her to know they both felt the same. They were both scared, but who wasn't afraid of death?

"We tried, sir." She whispered at him.

"And I thank you, for everything." He looked over at her, managing a slight grin on his face, squeezing her hand gently.

She returned the favor.

Standing still and strong, the two faced the consequences together as the storm tore them down for the last time.


Her lungs were on fire. She could not breathe, oh god she couldn't. There was water everywhere; in her mouth, in her throat, in her nose. Panicking, May's eyes flew wide open, the saltwater stinging her pupils. But this was no time to worry about pain. No, she didn't even flinch. She wanted to live; no, she wanted to breathe.

Kicking and flailing her arms and legs, she instinctively swam upwards, up towards the light. When she finally felt her head hit air, she gasped out a cry of relief, sputtering on water as she did.

The breath caught in her chest when she finally got herself calmed down and looked around. Oh god what a mess. What a disaster.

The ocean was corrupt and wild, its waters tumbling about in a rapid torrent, bouncing about rubble and debris on its rocky surface. The sky was dark above her head, a gruesome angry gray with black curling clouds. Winds were blowing and whipping about rain around her wet head.

Her eyes picked up pieces of the Team Aqua submarine floating upon the sea's surface, and other floating objects that looked an awful like bodies bobbing up and down. Oh god, she hoped for someone to help her, to hold her hand now and tell her so much of this would be all right. Struggling to keep up, she swam over to the nearest one she could, grabbing it on the shoulders and shaking it. But she knew before she got there that he was dead; he had been floating face down, his gaze forever searching the ocean below.

May swam in a circle, urgently searching for some sort of life other than herself. But the water was rough, too rough to simply keep afloat. Even she could see that no one here was struggling as much as she was. The lives these bodies once held were long gone by now. If she wasn't in such fear, such pain for herself, she would have wept for them, cried for everything that they had left behind as they drifted away. But instead she spent those tears on herself, a lone figure alone amidst the ocean.

To her horror, a strong wave crashed down upon her, sending her body plummeting under the cold water. And again she frantically surfaced, choking, coughing violently, her eyes and nose burning. Perhaps she was the only one left, then. Perhaps she was the only one who had withstanded the ocean's wrath slapping against them and slapping all hope out of their hearts. She felt cold and alone, and scared out of her wit.

But why? Why all this? She figured the ocean was repulsed with these corpses, with such disruption in its boundary of nature, and she begged for its mercy. Kyogre was crying in the background, she could hear it far away. Such mocking pain…she wanted to cry too, to shed tears for such a pitiful creature in amidst this chaos. Did it not know she was simply a pawn in this dreadful game these people had played? She had been the beast's knight in shining armor this whole time, standing up for its peace and battling down its enemies. Her repayment was the same fate as all these blue uniformed men and women. And yet really, they were only following their beliefs, were only pawns themselves to their king. How ironic life was.

"Archie you fool!" She screeched in anger, even though she was aware no one was there, no one would hear her, and they were all dead. I told you so, I told you so, I TOLD YOU SO!

What selfishness was human nature that could bring about this? She wondered where he was now, perhaps lying at the bottom of the ocean with the rest of his team, his body cold and still. He deserved it, her mind cursed. He deserved every bit of it. A man, a simple individual man believing he could honestly control a beast who beckoned to control nature. And yet her heart still felt pity and sorrow, pity for such a fool and for a death that could have been avoided.

Another unsettling wail from her sent her tumbling down below with such force that her body struck into cold sharp metal. Her right leg screeched in such sharp pain that she screamed and screamed and yet the water just drowned her out.

Her strength dying, she made another desperate attempt to break surface, managing to get her head above water only for a few seconds before the stormy water hit upon her again and again until her limbs were numb and weak and fighting became so hard, so awfully hard. She just couldn't keep up with it anymore and her leg refused to kick.

May's mind was slipping away into unconsciousness as her lungs fought for another breath. Even though she was immersed in water, she could tell her vision was growing foggier and blurrier.

No no no!

She stretched out a hand towards the dimming light above her. If only she could reach and hold tight. But her leg, oh god the pain! The salt water was stinging and the crimson blood was floating all around her, and fighting was just so tiring...

The light above her grew father and farther away as the water cast her body down deeper and deeper. May had never been so frightened in her life, and yet she found she could no longer struggle. She was succumbing to the ocean's wrath under its firm beating. But was it so bad? After all, she was just so tired, and she just wanted to rest now…

Oh god…I'm going to die, aren't I?

A body, a nameless man dressed in Team Aqua uniform floated by her, a blank expression on his lifeless face. She silently wondered if that would be her soon, the currant pushing her around and around and she just limply dancing in the waves…

I'm going to drown in the sea…

And then suddenly there were hands yanking at the clothes on her back and fingers clenching into her arms, and she was being pulled upwards again. The air felt so good in her lungs it was almost painful.

She started at the male voice sputtering on water in her ear, breathing in as heavily as she was. But the arms around her were steady and comforting, and she felt herself relax into her rescuer's hold.

"Steady girl," It said calmly, trying to catch its breath.

"Oh god thank you." She sighed heavily, gripping the man's arm tightly and rubbing her face against his shoulder. "I thought…I thought I was going to die…"

"The worst is not over yet girl!" He said sharply, his tone laced with a growl. "This is no time to relax!" Something clicked in the back of her mind at the sound of his voice, so clipped and prissy. And it said 'beware' in bright bold colors.

There was a familiarity of the red and black pattern fabric covering the arm she had a hold of too, she realized with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Oh God.

She turned hesitantly to face her savior. Water was thrashing about them angrily, whipping about red locks of hair on his face. His brown eyes were cold and calculating as they bore into hers. His thin lips had been set in a thin line.

"What?" He glared at her.

Oh. god.

She let go of the man's arm in utter shock when she realized who he was. "M-M-Maxie!" She blurted out before her weight dropped back under again.

He didn't' say much at the comment, just bolted forwards to grab her shoulders before she almost slipped under again.

"Girl you have to pay attention!" Was that concern she saw deep in his eyes?

Her coughing was harsh this time, and she flinched back as she carelessly spit water in his face. But he said nothing, and simply lidded his dark eyes.

"Sorry." She mumbled bashfully, her cheeks burning. "I-I-I j-j-just-"

He gave a curt 'hmph,' a scowl plastered back across his face. "There's more to worry about right now then who we are and what we do and what we've done if you want to live! Do you understand?"

She nodded curtly at him, staring blankly. Of all such circumstances she could be in right now…

But May could only imagine what was going through the Magma leader's mind right now. Every bit of his plans was in ruins. His squad was…well, she tried hard not to note the undeniable red uniformed bodies dotting the ocean between the numerous Aqua members floating on their bellies around them, but she knew he'd seen. He was just as out of place here as she was. Is you heart hammering as fast as mine, dear Maxie?

"What do we do now?" She said with a shaky voice, her teeth chattering and her body shivering with cold.

"I'm going to get out us out here in the best manner possible." He said sternly and quietly. "Do you think you can move much?"

"A little." She grimaced. "I think I may have hit my leg onto something under the water, it hurts like hell."

"Then just hold tight."

"Thank you." A tired smile stretched across her face, but he didn't acknowledge it. She frowned at the worry lines creasing his forehead. He seemed so forlorn and lost.

"You alright?" Her politeness got the best of her.

He stopped then and there, glaring into her face. "That is none of your business, Miss Maple." His words were meant to be harsh, but May picked up on the lack of his speeches' normal intensity. She knew the real answer. His eyes were boring into hers with raised sharp eyebrows, but there was no mistaking the fear in his brown eyes, the same fear that was pulling at her own beating heart. They were in this boat together, to say the least. Without much more to say, she wrapped her arms around his neck in silent recognition, and he began to pull her away, away from all the chaos.

But like he said before, the worst wasn't over, it never was. Good things only last for a small time. Kyogre was dead set on making sure they understood that. They were not going to get away easy.

The winds were howling in their ears, and the water in turn began to grow even more dark and ominous. May squealed softly in his ear at the sight of lighting crackling in the distant sky, the clouds rumbling, and he felt his own heart begin to tighten at such pretenses.

A screech sounded, loud and painful. She turned her head around, keeping a firm grip on Maxie's neck. And then she saw it, a large blue creature in the distance, slapping about its fins in the water in a livid rage.

Kyogre… It was a sad and mournful sight. This big beautiful creature wasn't meant to be disturbed for the mere selfish wishes of men.

Another big slap of the large Pokemon's fins brought curling waves towards them. But even Kyogre knew this was no longer a game, it was its own version of a sick and twisted joke.

May felt her eyes grow wide, her mouth wide open. Maxie became still, the color draining from his already pale complexion. "He's going to…to kill us all!" Maxie gasped against himself.

But May didn't hear him. So much water was rushing towards them…and dread was taking control of her.

"Maxie, I don't think I can take much more of this!" She shouted over at him, trying so hard to simply hang on to his stiff body. I'm frightened; I'm scared, please, please save me...

"Just, just hold on!" She heard him yell over the roar of everything. She was unsure if it was the storm brewing about them or if it was her pounding head. "Don't let go!"

Her head was swimming, her limbs felt like jello; but she wasn't about to give up completely, not now. She nodded silently, closing her eyes tightly and pressing her head against him.

She should be shocked, she knew, to be saved by her arch nemesis and all. She should be scowling at the way they are right now, she wrapped in his arms in the middle of the ocean like torn lovers, she broken and helpless, and he her guiding light. She should be laughing at him, how his perfect hair is tasseled about his face in tangles, crimson tendrils plastered against his taunt cheekbones. Always so prim and proper he is. She should be tormenting him for the fear apparent in his dark eyes.

But right now he is everything she has, and if she let's go now she loses everything.

Fear struck her heart again as the fateful wave crashed down on them, catching him off guard and causing his hold on her to lax. She caught a glimpse of flaming red hair bobbing beneath the waves before she too was pushed under again. Everything became a wild blur as she was spun about in a wild craze. In spite of all her courage she began thrashing her arms about wildly, searching for him as water filled up her lungs and throat. Then those hands were on her again, holding her up.

The valor she once mustered was fading fast, and his eyes softened every so slightly at the sight of her before they hardened again.

"Stop flailing about or we'll both go down!" He spat angrily at her, water splashing her face as he coughed harshly.

"But I don't want to die!" She choked back, tears forming in her eyes against all the wetness around them. Her heart was beating so hard in her chest she felt it might burst. She had never been so afraid in her life. She clung to him desperately, shoving her face into his neck. Oh god, I just want my mom, my mom, and my house and oh god please…"Please don't let me die please please please" She began mumbling incoherently at him.

His teeth were clenched hard, his eyebrows twisted. And yet he pulled her closer, yanked her hard against his chest until she could hear the thumping of his heart, fearful that she would slip away if he didn't.

"Damnit Kyogre!" He found himself screeching as loud as his lungs were capable. "It if wasn't for you and that miserable Archie this would all-"

He halted mid sentence, his eyes open wide and laced with terror. May curiously followed his glance with her own, inhaling sharply when she finally saw what had caught his attention:

A massive tidal wave was heading right towards them. Panic riddled her heart, and the tears became loose and falling.

"Maxie!" She sobbed, clinging so tightly to him that he almost couldn't breathe. He himself was baffled for words. I don't want to die don't let me die please oh god oh god please.

This looked bad. He knew and she knew there was no escaping this one.

"Listen to me!" He was screaming now, almost more frantic than she. "Grab my hand and whatever happens don't let go, you hear me? Do not let go!"

She was scared, yes, but doubt pulled at her mind. This was the Team Magma leader for god's sake! "Why should I trust you!" Her mind blubbered out the words, even though her heart said she was a fool.

"Do you have any other choice?" And yet his eyes showed no hate, no loathing or that mechanical iciness that was Maxie. They were wide and frightened. And begging her, pleading…

That was all she needed to slip her fingers between his, and he was pulling her close to him as the wave smacked down upon them, sending them down, down, and around.

Then everything was black.


The first thing she noticed was how quiet it was, how eerily still everything was. There was no roar in her ear, or hounding winds bellowing about her head. A gentle breeze was blowing softly on her face, gently wafting loose hairs on around her cheeks and tickling her nose. She inwardly grinned.

Was it…a dream…?

Warm. She was so warm, and not so cold and wet anymore. She breathed in and out contently.

Miss…Maple…

A voice was whispering in her ear, so familiar and yet…

...wake…up…

Why must I wake up? Her mind questioned. She was feeling so pleasant and calm, and it would be such a shame to have to leave now. But the voice was beckoning her from far away, and she found she could not resist its mysterious call.

please…

May opened her eyes slowly. Everything was a blinding blur, and she had to squint to see the tall form looming over her in shades of crimson and grey. But it wasn't long before her groggy mind willed her to shut her eyes again. The daylight was too harsh for her sleeping senses, too bright and cruel. She was so tired and her mentality so weary, and everything would be so quiet and tranquil now if she just slept again...

"…Wake up, Miss Maple…" Hands were on her shoulders, shaking her gently.

She squeezed her eyes tight, moaning softly. One of her hands lifted up to brush away the unwanted touch. No, no, she did not want to wake up yet, not just yet. I just want to rest…for a little longer…

A hand weaved through her hair, stroking her head softly. She leaned into it like a lonely dog. Someone…someone's here…

May twitched her nose, her fingers digging into the ground beneath her. It was loose, and slipped through her out-stretched hand like running water. Sand. The smell of salty water wafted through her nose.

Then she became aware of how tight and cramped her body felt, like she'd been shoved into a tight cardboard box for days and days on end. The young girl stretched out her limbs, wincing when she felt a sharp pain throb up her right leg. And then her whole body found pain. Aches were running up her arms and her chest and her legs and just everywhere. And reality comes back to bite me in the rear.

Her mind has finally given up its fight, and she opens her eyes.

"Ah, and she awakes at last." She froze in her movements at the sight of a familiar red headed figure bending over her, a smirk gracing his lips. Maxie. Her eyes widened, and she quickly shoved his hands from her shoulders, causing her to fall back onto the sand not so gracefully.

"My, my, are we without gratitude today?" He snipped, the corners of his mouth twitching.

May chose to not answer that one.

"Such a headache…" She mumbled, lifting a hand to rub her temple. Her head was pounding something terrible.

"Considering the predicament we were in earlier, I would be happy you have nothing more than that."

May glared tiredly up at him. "Thanks for the pleasant awakening call. It really brightened up my day."

"Anytime."

She wasn't as surprised to see him as she had been earlier, but still, she couldn't hold back the amusement at his presence, and even the thankfulness that ran through her mind, though she was not about to voice it.

May let her head fall back on the sand, covering her eyes with her arm. The sun was glaringly bright, and her headache didn't appreciate it one bit.

"Do you know where we are?"

"A beach."

She had to roll her eyes at him. "In all seriousness."

"And in all seriousness I say we are on a beach, Miss Maple. I am not a goddamn GPS."

Her mind sought out another insult, but she found she was too tired to think and moved her arm to send him another menacing glare. He didn't flinch, didn't move a single muscle on his face, though she could swear she saw the corners of his mouth twitch upward slightly again.

A beach no less, go figure they'd end up on a beach. The sun was blaring hot, the water was lapping at their feet, and she had forgotten her swimsuit.

"You think we're the only survivors?" She probed at him. The red headed man didn't answer her at first, instead casting his gaze out to the sea, scanning the ocean's horizon.

"I don't even want to think about it right now." He said calmly, standing up. His eyes looked tired, she mused, worn out. There was a five o'clock shadow lining his jaw, his prim and proper attire was ragged, a hole had formed in his gray slacks on his right knee.

She was sure she couldn't say anything great about her appearance either. Her hair was damp and matted beneath her fingers, and crusty with salt water. Much of her clothing was torn. Her bandana was gone; she could have figured that, probably lost out at sea somewhere, along with much of her traveling things and backpack. Yet her shoes, those expensive running shoes she just had to have, were still on her feet. May couldn't help but chuckle under her breath despite it all.

And that's when it hit her, when she realized that something was missing amidst all this chaos, something important…

Her hand instinctively flies to the belt around her waist, and a sudden panic descends her face.

"What is it, girl?" Maxie jests at her, but that was before he turned and saw the distraught in her eyes. The color drains from his face and he looks away quickly, as if he was expecting her sudden reaction.

"Maxie…" She whispers hoarsely. Her fingers won't stop looking. They've found nothing; nothing but torn and saltwater-crusted jeans, empty pockets, and a broken poketech. "Where are my Pokémon?" May questions, as if she didn't know the formidable answer already.

He doesn't answer at first. His mouth opens and closes several times, and yet nothing comes out. How long she has wished to be the one to take the words out of the Team Magma leader's mouth with her daring stance. But this is just all the wrong context. "Gone, Miss Maple." There is no sarcastic drawl, no damn disgust in his voice, and oh how she wishes there was.

Tears are threatening to let loose; it's almost unbearable to hold them back.

"What's the chance that they got out of their poke balls?"

"One in a million, Miss Maple. You knew what it was like out there. Pokeballs don't float; they'd be at the bottom of the ocean as soon as they got dislodged from us. Even if they managed to escape, they would have been crushed under all that water."

"No no no no no…" May whimpered. She brought her hands to her head, winding her fingers tightly through her hair. Her bottom lip began to quiver and tremor. It could not be true, it just could not.

"Miss Maple…" He tried setting a hand on her shoulder, but she immediately shoved it off. Her body was wracking with painful sobs.

She'd spent the past year with her Pokémon, training them, encouraging them, caring for them. And they'd taken care of her in return with the utmost respect. I've failed you, and you never failed me.

"You wretched girl! Don't look at me like that! My pockets are as empty as yours!"

But she had stopped listening, couldn't even see his face under her blurry tears. A thousand thoughts were going through her mind. Were they lying on the bottom of the ocean, wondering when their beloved trainer would save them? Oh god, what if Pikachu had gotten out of his ball…what if he suffered-

A loud smack sounded, and she felt her cheek tingle before bursting into pain. "Girl, you must stay with me!"

Everything stopped, then; everything was silent. May brought a hand up to her stinging face. She stared intently at his face, not knowing what she should feel, what emotion she should express. Maxie's eyes were hard and stoic as they bore into hers.

"I'm sorry, Miss Maple, but right now, you will do nothing more than to hurt yourself by acting this way. This whole thing is one big tragedy after tragedy wound in and out of each other. But you came out of it, with both shoes on your feet."

She breathes in shakily, feeling the tightness in her chest. The thrashing the ocean gave her has done a lot to her mind, and a lot more to her body. Her arms are heavy and limp, her throat is sore, her eyes burn, and her lungs withstand what they can. There are probably bruises lining her skin under her torn clothes. But she is alive, and that is what's really important. She nods silently; he is right.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, bringing a hand to her forehead. "It's just…I cannot…believe…"

But he put up a hand and motioned for her stop and nodded. She took this as a sign he understood already. After all, she came to realize that his Pokémon most likely met the same fate as her own. And he had probably known them for much longer than she had known her own…more sadness pulls at her heart, but she manages to hold back more tears. This is emotional for him too.

Maxie turns his back towards her, clasping his hands together in front of him and walking out closer to the shoreline. The water laps at his shoes, but they are already ruined as it is. She takes to watching his crimson hair float around his head in the slight whispering of a breeze.

Oh God how much she wanted to reverse this day, to take all that heroic stuff back. She could have easily just wandered on to the next gym, the next town, the next country…oh things would have been so much better.

Maxie sighed heavily. "We need to get off this beach and to civilization soon, for your sake." He states after a few moments, turning back to her.

"What? For my sake?" She gaped at him.

"Um, yes." His eyes dart up and down her body, and May cannot help but feel the need to cover her body with her arms.

"Since when did we start caring about my welfare?"

He smirked, falling on his knees and grabbing a hold of her torn pant leg. "Have you forgotten your earlier complaint out in the water, Miss Maple?"

"Whoa whoa hold it there a minute mister!" May slapped at his hands, attempting to scoot away backwards on her haunches, but doing so caused her leg to shoot up in pain and she gasped horribly. "Oh, right…"

"Hmph." Without another look, he approached her quickly again and dropped to his knees. She said nothing as his hands began to pull up her pant leg again, just brought a hand up to brush a tear away from the corner of her eye. "I would think, Miss Maple, at this point in time you would do better to listen, even though I've acquired that you are incredibly defiant." May flinched at every tear of her pant leg in his hands. May rolled her eyes. They'd be back to their old game of pick and prod in no time.

"I'm sorry that I'm so defiant against someone who tried to 'do away with me' on many occasions."

"Insults are empty threats. And as I remember, I don't recall actually acting out on any of them."

The tearing stopped, and he winced, gritting his teeth. She, on the other hand, was afraid to look.

She stifled a yell of surprise with her hand over her mouth as he slid up her torn pant leg. A large gash ran up her calf, bright and red, throbbing with pain. Tears wanted to well up in her eyes, but she held them back. Things could have been worse, May, much worse.

Without a word, Maxie pulled off his dirtied Magma coat, tossing it on the ground, and pulling off a dark long sleeve shirt, leaving him in nothing but a white undershirt. May felt her cheeks heat slightly; he was still fully clothed, but she had never seen the man in anything more than a heavy uniform. He took the dark shirt in his hands, ripping it up into shreds and tightly bounding them around her wounded calf.

"Should hold you up for now, but that's going to need some stitches." He mumbled, pulling the knots tight. "And all that sea water and all that sand and god knows what else is in that stinking dreadful water…"

May was speechless.

"What are you gawking at?"

"Why?"

He raised a delicate red eyebrow. "Why what?"

"Helping me and all. Why?"

"Innocence, Miss Maple. It is not in my nature to ruin the innocent, and you are innocent." He picked up the rest of the torn shirt, bounding more around her leg.

Her mind blinked back to a few days ago, those long treacherous hours she spent rummaging through the Magma base, ripping apart his lair and taking down his members one by one, with her now lost Pokémon. And then after demanding his cooperation, she proceeded with half his men to the Aqua Base and committed the same acts, although with so much more force. Archie did not see her views the same way; he was reluctant to stand down. A thought nagged at the back of her mind; if she had only been more forceful…but no, she could no longer prevent anything. She was not so innocent. Perhaps she was not guilty of any proper crime; she tore down a crime syndicate for god's sake! But she shook those people's souls with her battling and her spirit, and she witnessed the wrath of those peoples' actions. She was no longer an innocent.

"You could have let me drown in the ocean." She said calmly.

Maxie's eye twitched.

"And I did not, did I? Drop it."

May was picturing his face in his office on that formidable day, his grunts lying on the floor battered and bruised, the Admin standing beside his leader with a torn lip and a black eye. Hoarse voices whispered in her ears.

"I'm sorry, sir. This girl, she tore down our defenses, and there was nothing I could do."

The man flinched at the snarl of her Pokémon posed beside her. May grinned and laid a hand upon its head.

"What do you want from me?" Maxie declared, unflinching. He had his hands folded neatly on top of the desk.

"Peace." May spoke with the tones of a superhero, with her foot upon the villain. The crowd cheered only in her own ears. "I want an end to all this chaotic stuff. Leave Kyogre well alone."

"Persuade me." The red headed man's lips began to curl. An equally as devilish smirk came across May's own lips, her hand reaching for a poke ball from her pack.

The battle was intense, but Maxie's Pokemon stood no chance again May's team, and the great Magma leader helplessly watched his mighty Pokémon fall beneath May's. He pulled out his last Poke ball. He fingered it lovingly in its hand, giving it a sorrowful look, as if he almost cared about the beast inside.

May offered him another smirk. "Is the big leader man feeling a bit light hearted? Tell you what, I'll give you a chance to give in, Maxie. Spare your Pokémon. We could just end this all now-"

"Forget it you stupid, meddlesome girl! You don't even know half of what you are getting into! I do this for you, to keep you out of this dangerous business. It is no place for a child!"

"Child?" Scoffed May. "Would a child stand up to the most powerful men in the world for the greater good of the world?"

"A foolish, stupid child would." He glared at her coldly.

That was enough for May to emit a soft growl before she threw another Poke ball, and he sent out his Mightyhena. He gave the creature an apologetic expression, which May tried hard to pretend not to see. She watched gleefully as her Pokémon forcefully pounded his Mightyena into the ground over and over again. The agitation and the anger that crossed Maxie's face every time her Pokémon threw a hard hit against his was enough for her to declare her victory, and she called her Pokémon back.

Maxie fell to his knees In front of his injured Mightyena, cupping the creature's face in his hands gently. "Thank you, old friend. You've done well." He mumbled, and the creature's eyes almost seemed to light up at his words despite its current condition.

May felt her confidence drop at his unexpected softness and compassion for his Pokémon. Guilt, and pity, swept through her heart, and she almost felt sorry for destroying the man before for her. But no, she was a hero and he was a villain, she reminded herself, and she shook away any feelings of sympathy she had formed for him with a slight shake of her head.

"Well, what do you have to say now, Maxie?" She said, hands on her hips.

Maxie's eyes flicked up to hers, his face unreadable.

"What do you want from me, Miss Maple?"

May took a deep breath. She was here, she finally got here, the villain at her feet and she standing valiantly above. And suddenly she didn't know what to do. She never thought she would get this far.

"I don't know exactly." She stated. Though her heart was not feeling as jumpy as it should.

"Great." He scoffed.

She offered him a hand, and he blinked confusingly at her outstretched palm. "Help me Maxie." She stated, feeling more like an adult than she ever had before. "I know you haven't the cruelest heart in the world- I've seen the way you treat your own Pokemon."

"And what do you expect me to do, Miss May, hmm? Why do you think I would think to care so much about Archie and his stupid plans?"

"Because you let Groudon go."

"We were wrong, and we never should have disturbed Groudon."

"Then redeem yourself. Kyogre is suffering, just as your pokemon are now. Help me to save that Pokemon, and stop Archie."

Maxie returned his Mightyhena to its Pokeball. He grabbed a hold of her hand and let her pull him up off the floor. He gave her one of his notorious smirks. "Do you have a plan, Miss Maple, or do I have to come up with that too?"

"You could have let me drown in the ocean." She said calmly.

Maxie's eye twitched.

"And I did not, did I? Drop it."

"You could still leave me here, you know, I wouldn't survive more than a few days with this leg.

"No. I told you I would get you out of this, and, obviously we're not. That is, unless, you wish to stay here." He replied smuggly.

"I ruined your life's work."

He gave a deep annoyed sigh. "You caused me such pains and headaches, Miss Maple, but I would never have truly laid a finger on you. You are nothing but a little girl with a big ego, trying to save the world from 'danger.'"

"I am no little girl."

He scoffed. "Perhaps not physically, Miss Maple."

"Then if I am such a little girl, you are nothing more than a little boy who got too caught up playing with his big boy toys to listen to his mother, and look what happened."

"And you would blame me for all this?" A fire began to burn in his eyes, deep dark coals. Their intensity singed her very being, and she felt herself sink timidly back into the sand. "You would dare to think that I would intentionally cause such destruction and chaos? You have both shoes on your feet and you came out with your life. Not everyone was so fortunate. My Pokémon…My team…Archie…you think I really wanted this ending?"

Somewhere in the back of her mind was the image of Archie, his blue bandana floating up and off his head in the waves, his face lifeless and blank. All those bodies and death…that heavy sad feeling entered her heart again.

Her hands were buried deep in Team Magma now. She had pummeled his plans and bashed his pride in with her own bare fists, and in turn had raged such a weary anger in his eyes that it gave her nightmares at night. And now their brilliant leader was standing before her with his arms bruised and his lip cut open and his eyes drooping with fatigue, because of her.

They were both too tired to fight now.

And on a sudden impulse, May darted forward and wound her arms around him and pressed her cheek against his chest in an odd hug that even surprised herself. Maxie was rigid under her, frozen in place and yet his heart hammered away in his chest under her ear. "Thank you anyways, despite all that crap and stuff, you son of a bitch."

After a few seconds, May pulled back, and he sat there staring back at her with unusual wide eyes. She swore for a few seconds she saw a strange softness, a hint of compassion, in those deep brown irises. And then it was gone and those eyes were slanting back to the normal scowl that lines his face.

"Where will we go?" She questions softly.

"The forest." He jerks his head in the direction behind him.

A dense forest lay beyond them, thick and dark even in the daylight. It's funny how through all this talking and yelling and such, she didn't even notice its presence.

"Do you know where it'll go?"

"Do you?" He mocks, but there is no anger in his eyes.

A breeze sounds over them, rustling the trees up towards the land and her torn clothes shake quietly over her skin. The breeze brings nothing but warm air on the little beach, but she shivers under it anyways. He stood up again, glancing back at the forest behind them before offering his hand out to her.

"Come on now, girl, we must get moving before dark." He said softly, looking out at the horizon. He turned to her, offering his hand.

May hesitated briefly before placing her hand in his, and he quickly yanked her to her feet. There was immense pain in her leg as she stepped down on it for the first time, but she grit her teeth. She could deal with it.

"Thank you." She breathed again, and still he said nothing, with that far off vacant look in his eyes. They weren't friends, no. You couldn't call them that. But they weren't enemies either, never were. I owe him everything right now…

May wrapped her arm around his waist, leaning her weight on him best she could and they walked off towards the forest.