Chapter 9 – Maria and Thomas vs. Drew and Paul

There stood Ash and Gary at the door watching Misty hugging Sora and Kari. Misty got up and said "Come you two let's go and sit with Aunt Zoey" as she held out both of her hands for them to grab. Sora and Kari just nodded and put their hands in Misty's and they headed towards the door.

"Misty, we need to talk" Ash said when Misty stood in front of him. "Move" Misty said. Ash looked in Misty's eyes and saw that there was hatred and anger in them. He sighed and pushed Gary out of the way; once they were out of the way Misty, Sora and Kari went out.

"Yo! Man you just let her go!?" Gary exclaimed, Ash said nothing and took a deep breath. "I…"

"Go after her once this contest is over for today" Drew said as he walked towards the door as well. Paul said nothing and followed Drew but as he walked pass Ash he gave him the look of 'you better do it before it's too late'.

"Well then Maria it's your turn" Sara stated. Maria nodded and was about to head the door but stopped, "Ryan as for the answer to your question…" Ryan looked at her waiting for her to continue.

"I feel like he's my dad, if mommy didn't tell me about it I would get angry but then again, I really can't bring myself to hate mommy. After all mommy has always been the only one excluding everyone's mommies and you all have been taking care of me." Maria continued. Ryan smiled and said "You might as well go to the stage and find out who he really is and ask your mother about it"

Maria nodded and grabbed Thomas and they both went out of the door. Sara looked at Ryan and said "Ryan you -"

"Sara, Maria is not a 5 years old girl anymore, she is still youngest but she has the right to know the truth by now." Ryan cut in. Sara sighed and said nothing more because she knows that her brother was right. "Let's just hope that Maria doesn't get hurt again" Rose said as everyone sweat dropped at this statement and worry started to take over.

In the crowd…

Misty returned with her two daughters and James and Meowth made way for them to sit. Sora and Kari nodded in thanks and sat down besides Brock. Brock put his hand on Sora's shoulder and said "You were strong, even stronger than Ash" Sora nodded not willingly to speak anymore as depress took over her.

"Dawn don't you think it's time for Maria to know the truth by now?" Leaf asked. Dawn sat and looked at the two pairs of coordinator showing up. Dawn then said "I'll tell once this battle is over"

"Are you sure? You will meet him if you go to the back" May said

Dawn said nothing but nodded, everyone sighed and looked back at the stage.

On the stage…

"Go Nidoran/Lucario!" Thomas and Maria called out as they threw their pokeballs in the air once the countdown started. "Go Masquerain/Honchkrow!" Drew and Paul called out. Both sides' pokemons appeared on the stage ready to battle.

"Lucario use aura sphere!" Thomas commanded.

"Lu!" Lucario took stance and formed a blue ball in his paws and sent it flying towards Masquerain and Honchkrow.

"Honchkrow use shadow ball to counter"

"Honch" Honchkrow started to form a dark ball in its mouth and sent it flying towards the upcoming aura sphere. "Now Masquerain use bubble!" Drew called out.

"Mas!" Masquerain flew in front of Honchkrow and use bubble. Bubbles surrounded the shadow ball as the shadow ball made their way to the aura sphere, causing Thomas and Maria's points going down.

"Nidoran use secret power!" Maria commanded.

"Nido" Nidoran cried and jumped in front of Lucario and let out small white balls that also surrounded aura sphere. Aura sphere's power then split and surrounded the white balls causing Drew and Paul's point went down. "Is this battle of showing off the beauty of strength of their partner's pokemon?" Lily asked as both attacks went straight at each other.

Once the attack collided there was big smoke, Maria and Thomas looked at each other and nodded.

"Lucario/ Nidoran use double team now!" Maria and Thomas commanded and both of their pokemon started to illusions of their original.

"Honchkrow blow the smoke away!" Paul commanded. Honchkrow flapped his wings and the smoke disappeared revealing many copies of Nidoran and Lucario.

"Masquerain use silver wind!"

"Honchkrow you use night slash"

"MAS!/Honch!" Masquerain and Honchkrow cried at the same time as they fired their attack.

The copies disappeared but leaving no traces of the real Nidoran and Lucario. "What?!" Paul and Drew exclaimed. "What's this?! The real Nidoran and Lucario are not present! What happened to them!?" Lily announced as well. The points of Drew and Paul decreased a little.

"Stay cautious Masquerain" Drew said as he looked around.

"Same goes for you Honchkrow" Paul said.

"Lucario now use bone marrow!" Thomas commanded. "LU!" Lucario's cries came but Honchkrow and Masquerain kept looking around at the ground. "Honchkrow above you!" Paul said, as Honchkrow looked up his eyes widened and as Lucario fell down from the sky with a light green bone in his paws ready to strike.

"Masquerain use silver wind on Lucario" Drew commanded

"Not happening! Nidoran now use poison fang!" Maria commanded

"NIDO!" Nidoran cried as she appeared out from the ground and with its fangs filled with poison and bit Masquerain. "MAS!" Masquerain cried in pain. Drew and Paul's points decreased.

"Masquerain get rid of that Nidoran!" Drew said.

Masquerain was flying around in order to get Nidoran off. "Honchkrow!" Honchkrow was hit by Lucario causing another loss of their points. "Shit…" Paul swore. "Paul let's finish this off" Drew said. Paul nodded.

"Masquerain use silver wind!"

"Honchkrow you use dark pulse let's go!"

Both Masquerain launched their attacks, "NIDO!" Nidoran cried in pain as she took the direct hit. "Lucario go help Nidoran!" Thomas commanded.

"Honchkrow use brave bird!" Paul commanded.

Honchkrow is surrounded by purple and yellow spirals and made his way towards Lucario.

"Masquerain use bubble!" Drew commanded

Bubbles were now added to Honchkrow's brave bird causing Maria and Thomas's points to decrease.

"Nidoran use poison sting!"

"Lucario dodge and use close combat!"

Nidoran shot out purple needles and aimed at the bubbles. "Masquerain use ice-beam!"

"Lucario bone marrow!"

Both sides attack hit each other causing a big smoke. Everyone started to worry, once the smoke cleared off, there they saw Lucario on his knees and Nidoran lying on the ground. Masquerain flying weakly and Honchkrow is on the ground. "Times up!" Lily announced; Drew, Paul, Maria and Thomas looked up at the screen.

"Drew and Paul will be moving onto the next contest!" Thomas and Maria looked down as well as their pokemons. Maria skipped over to her Nidoran and picked her up.

"Nidooo" Nidoran cried in sadness. Maria smiled and petted Nidoran as she walked away. Lucario walked up to Thomas and Thomas smiled and motioned him to follow him and they both left the stage.

"Where's Maria?" Paul asked Thomas, Thomas looked up at him and said "With her mother. Why?"

Paul said nothing and made his way out of the contest hall.

"Mommy?" Maria called out

Dawn sighed and took a deep breath. "Maria, do you want to know who your daddy is?"

Maria nodded eagerly, since she's been wanting to know for so long. "Maria, your daddy is the man that you fought just a few moments ago. Paul Shinji"

Maria was silent not knowing what to say but one thing for certain was that she was right all along. Her intuition did tell her that Paul is her daddy. "You're not lying are you troublesome?" Dawn's eyes widened and looked behind her. There stood Paul with his hand clenched at his side.

Finally it's done! Sorry that I took a while since I had some obstacles blocking me away from my dear story QAQ

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