Secret of the Earth and Sky!

Chapter 11- Betrayal

May woke up refreshed again, hoping to see Piplup on the bed. And there it was, sleeping with a bubble flowing in and out of its mouth, but ITS EYES WERE WIDE OPEN?! May jumped down in panic, waking Piplup, and its sleeping bubble burst. Max jumped from his bed.

"What kind of Piplup are you?" May asked.

"Any Piplup, if you ask me." Max commented.

What? Piplup crossed its arms. Hurry up and get to the training area.

"When did I say you get to boss me around?" May asked, getting up.

Because I'm a person like you.

"Wha? A Piplup as a human?" May got even more shocked. "What are you saying?"

Just get to the training area.

"Ugh…" May dragged herself to the bathroom. Max was surprised.

"Why did you talk to the Piplup."

He probably wouldn't understand that I can talk to them… May thought.

May was at the area with the strange red device in her hands. Piplup had already been waiting for her on a rock nearby.

"Uh… Training?" May reminded it.

Oh yes… Piplup perked. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Now you talk! No Telepathy!" May was getting the shock of her life. "You're saying you're human?!"

"Yes… I am human." Piplup suddenly spun into a Whirlpool, and the water tornado burst to reveal something May did not expect. It was a baby. Not just any baby, but some strange one. He wore a black fedora with an orange stripe, a green chameleon resting on the rim. He wore a suit with a tie along with dress shoes. He also had a yellow pacifier hanging from his tie. May was about to faint. I think this is the worst shock. At least Max is off to get groceries…

"How… can… you…" May stuttered at every word, but the baby jumped up and was about to give a swinging kick at her head when May's legs instinctively gave a few steps back to miss the kick. The baby landed on the floor perfectly, surprising May even more.

"I see that Maylene and Dawn has taught you well…" The baby muttered, shocking May with his words.

"Who are you!?" May took a step back.

"I'm Reborn." Reborn smiled. "And I will help you use that Styler of yours."

"Okay… This is a Styler…" May pointed at the red device she held. "But how can you be in a Pokeball?"

"That's a secret." Reborn smirked. "Let's get on with training. Have you heard of Team Magma and Team Aqua?"

May could only gulp. She could tell that this Reborn person is no ordinary baby, especially from how he attacked her.

"No…" May muttered.

"You better be careful now," Reborn commented. "They'll be after you really soon. You've been interfering with them, and they'll eliminate you if they want to."

May was nervous again. Eliminate her? Why would they? Unless…

"Put the Styler on already." Reborn nagged at her. "You're worse than No-Good Tsuna."

"Who's he?" May asked curiously, a little flustered.

"None of your concern." Reborn turned away. "Well, not yet, at least."

"Um…" May set the clasp of the Styler onto her right arm. "Done?"

"Okay, now try capturing this Pokemon." Reborn took out a Pokeball from nowhere and it revealed a Pikachu.

"But I don't know how to use this!" May cried. "How can I possibly-"

"Enough whining." Reborn tried to slap her, but she dodged it. "If your parents are Ranger prodigies, then use what you think you know. Hasn't Dawn taught you anything?"

"Um…" May hesitated. I can't use my powers here… Not in the camera…

"I've shut down all cameras around the training area." Reborn smirked. "No need to worry."

May hesitated some more, and then she closed her eyes. She began to probe through the farther parts of her mind, hoping to find a solution, and then she found something. Her eyes were open again, and she directed the Styler to Pikachu. She unwittingly pressed a button, causing a top to spin out and circle the Pikachu. May focused the blue energy from the Styler to her glove, which glowed in response. She began to wave her arm and then with one more swing, she could see the capture circle close in on the Pikachu and then finally disappear. She had captured the Pikachu. Reborn only smiled.

"Hm." He began walking out to the door, surprising May.

"Hey! Where are you going?" May shouted after him.

"You've completed your training," Reborn chuckled. "My work is done. Goodbye."

The baby then wandered off into the halls and out of sight. May only stood there with the Pikachu, not sure of how this would mean anything. Then someone came through the door. It was Drew.

"Nice show you had there." Drew laughed. "You were quick, too."

"Oh! Hi, Drew…" May jumped. "Mauville City yet?"

"Yeah. Just saw Max packing for you."

"You're coming with us?" May was walking off with him. He nodded. He felt happy, but melancholy. What if he couldn't stop them? Would May be okay anyways?

"Another badge for the case!" May did her victory pose outside the Mauville City Gym. Drew smirked, and Max was happy. They all decided to go back to the Pokemon Center for the night. And the night struck twelve, and Drew woke May up.

"May…"

"Hm?" May stirred.

"Let's go." Drew sighed.

"Where?"

"Just come."

"Okay."

May got dressed, and she came out, as bright as ever. Drew smiled, and he escorted her out of the Pokemon Center. Before he took out Flygon, he glanced at May.

"Did you bring your Pokemon?"

May nodded. She wasn't sure what Drew was going to do, but she would not miss a chance alone with him. He called out Flygon, but May had doubts at the instant.

"Why not my Tropius? It's bigger."

Drew looked at May. "My favor to you. You owe me one."

He helped her up Flygon, which cooed in excitement, and they took off to Truesdale Hill. They came to the peaceful hill, but just as May got down, her mind sensed the presence of a hostile being.

"Drew?" May asked.

"Yes, May?"

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Uh… Um…" Drew thought of an excuse. It was best she didn't know yet. But Oh well… Drew's head began to hang low.

"I'm sorry…" He muttered. May was surprised at Drew's answer.

"What do you mean?"

"You see…" Drew tried to explain, but he could hear the footsteps.

"Good work, Drew Hayden." A sweet and annoying voice came from behind May. May didn't have enough time to look when a Vine Whip sent her crashing to the ground. Drew was only staring in shock.

"You said it wasn't going to be like this!" Drew pleaded but he was knocked back by a strong burst of water.

"Did I?" The voice sneered. May was still recuperating from the fall. She had hit her head on a rock at the same time. She wasn't really paying attention that well, but she could tell. This was the elimination, was it?

"Hurry up and get her on the copter!" The voice yelled.

"May! No!" Drew screamed. May looked solemnly at Drew, who was surprised.

"May!"

"Don't worry about me…" May answered calmly. "This would happen some time soon, but when it's with you… that cannot be forgiven."

"You knew? All this time?" May looked at him as she was being dragged across the field. "May…" Drew could only stare. He was helpless. His Pokemon would stand no chance.

May felt herself hitting the walls of a room, she got up slowly, and adjusted to her surroundings. A Red haired… Aqua person was standing over her. May furrowed her eyes.

"You…" May growled, but the helicopter lurched back as it rose from the ground. May was tossed to the back of the helicopter. But she placed her feet on the back door, and sprung up at the red-haired Aqua Commander. She lifted her feet so she could kick the commander right into the stomach. Then another figure came into the room. It was another commander, but May immediately recognized him. It was that same person who had taken the Wingull.

"Shelly!" he cried and supported her. May had not time for this, but she then began heading for the exit. But a group of Grunts had run to block her. With no delay, She began to jump above them, jumping on their heads before she reached the entrance. With a strong, powerful back kick, she knocked down the doors and jumped off the helicopter. She then began reaching for her pockets and called out Tropius, but the ground was a bit too close before she was sent crashing into the forests. That was what Drew saw.

"May! May!"

May had been curled, almost unconscious, on the forest floor when she could hear Drew's calls. She was angry… angry at him for doing such a thing to her. Had he not known of Team Aqua and Magma?

"May!"

He was only a mile away. May pushed herself to get up, and then calling out her Tropius to take her back to the Pokemon Center. She was too weak to teleport herself (Hahaha… new ability for the Gifted ones)…

"May!"

Drew had sprung from the bushes and he could find the dent in the ground where May had hit. She was gone. Drew then looked up to see a Tropius flying off. So he too called out Flygon and flew after it.

"May!"

Drew had burst into the dorm room, not caring if Max was sleeping, or May would be there to slap him square in the face. He looked around for any signs of her, but none. Then something struck him hard. The first thing he saw was blood, a tiny puddle of it. Drew bent down to observe the red trails to find a single red rose. It had been snapped in two, and the thorns too were covered in blood. Drew could fell warm tears forming as he picked up the fragments. She was gone. And she hated him now. He had failed to help her like he told Solidad.

Drew was getting out of the car when Solidad stopped him.

"You know it won't be that easy, now that you know of them."

"Yeah… But I will protect May. I promise…" Drew's bangs obstructed his eyes as he said this. "Team Aqua and Magma won't get her."

Solidad gave a understanding response, and she drove away, leaving Drew in the front of the Pokemon Center.

"I'll train harder, and the next time, I'll protect you. I'll promise." Drew clutched the rose's stem, the thorns puncturing his own skin.