Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon, the characters or story elements of shows or games. I'm just borrowing them for my fic. And just so you guys know, May is still telling the story. There will be other characters describing events in this chapter too.
12: Second Chance for a Badge and Hello Open Frontier
Morning came for us as there were Pokémon littered around the floor and on our bed. Victini was at the end of the bed clinging to my legs while Manaphy squeezed in between me and Ash as he wanted to be in bed with his mother and father. Manaphy had at one time asked where his papa was and I guessed that Manaphy referred to Ash as his papa. When we got back with Ash, Manaphy was very happy and started calling Ash his papa. When the sun rose, I got up slowly and found Manaphy asleep between Ash and I with his arms wrapped around my neck.
'Please let me sleep a little longer Mama, Papa,' Manaphy said in his sleep.
'Please don't bother me while I'm trying to charm the cute brunette,' Victini said in his sleep. 'I want her to feed me a nice plump Oran berry.' Victini's stomach growled as he woke up and put his hand on his stomach.
"Maybe you shouldn't be dreaming about pretty girls... and food, silly buddy," I said to Victini as I gave him a peck kiss on his forehead. Victini certainly liked the peck kiss I gave him as he blushed as he smiled.
'Let's get breakfast, I'm starving,' Victini said to me as he floated to my shoulder.
"Okay, but first we have to wake your brother up," I said before giving Manaphy a peck kiss on his forehead. "Wake up Manaphy, it's time for breakfast." Manaphy woke up for breakfast as he reached for me to pick him up. I picked him up and he wrapped his arms lightly around my neck.
'I'm hungry Mama,' Manaphy said as I took him and Victini downstairs.
"Don't worry we're going to get breakfast right now," I said to Manaphy as I gave him a peck kiss on his forehead. Manaphy, like Victini, liked it when I gave him a peck kiss on his forehead. Hilda joined me as I headed downstairs. Victini happily leapt in Hilda's arms which made Manaphy happy that Victini didn't try to take his spot on my shoulder.
Ash eventually came down for breakfast along with Hilbert after sleeping another thirty minutes longer and lurching downstairs. Hilda saw that Victini might've made Hilbert nervous after sitting in her lap when I told the group my story about Manaphy. I could notice Hilbert making a small grimace as he saw Victini in his girlfriend's lap and enjoying the affection she gave him. I then decided that Victini needed to back off a little bit.
"Hilda, why don't I take Victini off your hands," I suggested to Hilda.
'Why? I'm not causing any trouble for Hilda and Hilbert,' protested Victini as he looked to Hilda with sparkling eyes. 'Right Hilda?'
"You are a cutie," began Hilda.
'Yes I am cute,' said Victini as his face brightened, 'and small and furry. No lady could ever resist my cute appeal.'
"I'm sure that's true little cutie," Hilda said as she looked at Victini, "but I have my boyfriend and he gets jealous if he sees me giving affection to some other guy or in this case... someone else's Pokémon."
'But I thought you would love the attention I give you,' whined Victini as he reached for Hilda as I took him back from Hilda.
"Victini, you need to be with your trainer and bond with her," Hilda said to Victini before she gave him a peck kiss on his forehead. "And to answer your question, I do love the attention you give me, but don't you think that May deserves the same affection you'd give a pretty girl?"
Victini wiped the tears from his face and gave Hilda a slight nod as he drooped his arms and sighed in defeat.
After the fiasco before breakfast, all four of us trainers and our two other companions headed to the Nacrene City Gym after we had trained hard for our gym battles against Lenora.
"I hope that all four of you are ready for your gym battles, because I've been training myself and my Pokémon too," Lenora said to all four of us as she released a Pokémon that was completely different from her Lilipup.
'Looks like Lilipup evolved,' remarked Victini as he hung on my left shoulder while Manaphy hung on my right shoulder.
'It can evolve?' Manaphy asked Victini as he titled his head to see Victini.
'Yup,' answered Victini. 'That's its first stage evolved form, Herdier.'
Lenora looked to at my Victini and had a smile as she said, "My, you're a smart Pokémon."
'Well, I had books in the room I lived in and I read them all,' explained Victini. 'Now that I'm with May here, she and her boyfriend will need my expertise with Unova Pokémon.'
"I see," said Lenora as she thought of what to do as she studied me, Ash, Hilbert and Hilda for moment and then looked to her two Pokémon as they gave a slight nod.
"I'm interested to see how will you can work in a double battle," Lenora said to us.
'A double battle?' asked Victini confused by what Lenora said.
"It's a two-on-two Pokémon battle," explained Hilda, "where two Pokémon have to knock out the opposing two Pokémon."
"Exactly," said Lenora. "I'd like to challenge you two ladies to a two-on-two Pokémon battle and then face your boyfriends in the same type of battle.
"Are the four of you interested?" Lenora asked the four of us.
'Let's do it May,' insisted Victini, 'Gotta learn how to be a team player, right? There's no 'I' in team, right?'
Hilda gave a slight nod as she was willing to do a double battle if it helped her get her second badge.
"Okay, let's do it," I said in agreement.
"This will be a two-on-two battle with the Nacrene City gym leader Lenora facing the challengers Hilda Touko of Nuvema Town and May Haruka of Petalberg City," Lenora's husband said to the audience before facing me and Hilda. "Trainers, are you ready?"
"Yes," answered Hilda as she readied a Pokéball.
"I'm ready too," I answered as I was about to grab Deerling's Pokéball.
'Count me in,' Victini said as he took to the field in place of Deerling.
"Go Dewott!" exclaimed Hilda as she tossed her Pokéball to the field and out came her blue otter Pokémon.
"Ready Dewott?"
'Ready,' answered Hilda's Dewott.
"Herdier, Watchog time to fight," Lenora said as she threw two Pokéballs on the battlefield and her two Pokémon came out of them.
"Let the double begin," announced Lenora's husband.
"Watchog, use Thunderbolt on Dewott," began Lenora. "Herdier, use Shadow Ball on Victini."
"Dewott, block that Thunderbolt with your scalchops," countered Hilda. Hilda's Dewott pulled it's two scalchops up in defense against Watchog's Thunderbolt
"Victini, counter with your Flamethrower," I ordered Victini.
'Here comes a spicy meatball,' Victini said in his best Italian accent before shooting off a Flamethrower attack formed into an actual meatball as Victini used his Psychic attack to form the flaming meatball.
'Dinner's ready,' Victini said as he sent the fireball at Herdier as he quickly leapt up and twisted his body to avoid the Shadow Ball sent by Lenora's Herdier. 'Hope you're hungry, cuz dinner's coming in hot.'
"Quick Herdier, dodge that fireball and use Tackle," countered Lenora.
Lenora's Herdier tried to dodge the fireball but the fireball was still coming at him because Victini was guiding it at Herdier. Herdier then stood his ground and decided to use a Shadow Ball at the fireball. But before Herdier could get off a Shadow Ball, as he opened his mouth, the fireball struck him right as he prepared to use his Shadow Ball attack. Herdier's eyes went wide as he felt his insides feeling a slight burning sensation. Herdier backed away for a moment and coughed out smoke from the fireball Victini sent at it.
"That was a dirty, don't you think?" Lenora asked Victini.
'No, I thought of it as an experiment,' answered Victini. 'Trying to seeing if I can use things or certain attacks like a ball or shield.'
"I see," said Lenora. "Watchog use Foresight on Victini and Dewott and then Herdier, use Shadow Ball on Victini."
'Got it,' Watchog and Herdier said at the same time.
Watchog used Foresight on both Dewott and Victini to blind them temporarily.
'Ah, I can't see!' exclaimed Victini as he covered his eyes because he had been blinded.
'This is for the experiment,' Herdier said as he unleashed another Shadow Ball at Victini.
Victini recovered from being temporarily blinded but couldn't dodge the Shadow Ball in time. The Ghost-type attack did a lot damage to Victini since he was a part Psychic Pokémon.
'If that's the case, then take this,' countered Victini as countered back with a Brick Break attack on Herdier.
"Dewott, use Water Gun on Watchog," Hilda ordered her female Dewott.
'I'm all over it,' acknowledged Dewott as she unleashed a powerful burst of water at Watchog.
"Watchog, dodge it and use Thunderbolt," countered Lenora.
Watchog then let loose electrical energy at Hilda's Dewott. It looked as if the Thunderbolt attack was going to hit home until Hilda had an idea that gave her an evil grin.
"Dewott, use your scalchops to block the Thunderbolt and counter with Scald," countered Hilda. "Move it Victini, while Dewott has her scalchops holding back that Thunderbolt."
'May?' Victini asked me as he turned to me.
"Victini use your Flame Charge and Psychic as a shield," I instructed Victini.
'I'm on it!' said Victini, before performing his combination attack in order to protect himself from the upcoming attack but that wasn't all, the combination along with the Scald attack were also able to score a direct hit on Watchog when it least expected it, finally managing to bring it down. 'Alright, now that's one down and one to go!'
"Way to go Victini!" I said, with a smile on may face as Hilda nodded to her Dewott then got ready to bring an end to the battle once and for all.
"Not bad, but that would take more than that to defeat me!" grinned Lenora as she turned her attention towards Herdier and said. "Use Shadow Ball on Victini!"
Herdier barked prepared to use another Shadow Ball against Victini, though this time Hilda had a plan. "Dewott, hurry and use your scallop to protect Victini now!" The Water-Type nodded and got her scallop up which she managed to barely save the Fire/Psychic-Type from defeat.
"Thanks Hilda!" I told my partner.
"Anytime!" said Hilda, smiling back at me then her face turned serious as they needed to end the battle once and for all. "Alright, time to finish this… use Razor Shell!"
"Victini, use Flame Charge and Psychic!" I ordered.
'On it, Flame on!' said Victini before he and Dewott used their finishing moves, ultimately hitting Herdier hard and taking him down for the count with the combined power of their respective attacks.
"Herdier and Watchog are both unable to continue!" announced Lenora's husband. "Victini and Dewott wins, the victory goes to both May Haruka and Hilda Touko!"
"Alright, we won!" I cheered; glad to have won my second ever Gym Battle and saw how happy Hilda was upon her victory while Lenora recalled her fallen Pokémon, while commenting that they did a good job out there though I went up towards her and said. "Thanks Hilda, you did a pretty good job out there."
"Thanks, you're not too bad yourself," replied Hilda as she smiled.
"Well done you two," Lenora said to me and Hilda as she had two badges ready for bot of us. "As for you two, Ash and Hilbert, I'll face both you tomorrow. I need to get my Pokémon healed for tomorrow's match two-on-two match."
"Alright, that's understandable," said Hilbert and Ash gave a slight nod.
All of us left the gym as we talked about mine and Hilda's two-on-two match and how it got really interesting for both of mine and Hilda's boyfriend as watched the match with great interest.
"Hey Ash, we should hit the Pokémon Battle Club tomorrow before we take on Lenora," suggested Hilbert.
"That's a great idea," said Ash as he let go of my hand and began to follow Hilbert.
Hilda went up and grabbed Hilbert's hand and pulled him back to her before she tackled him to the ground.
"Hilbert, you promised me that we would have that date," Hilda said in a seductive and silky tone as she had tears roll down her cheeks and buried her face in Hilbert's chest causing her hat to come off her head.
"You kids are starting to irritate me!" exclaimed Iris as she became angry. "Stop being so lovey dovey and get a room!"
Hilda and I glared at Iris with daggers in our eyes for her remark and then put our fists in her face once again.
"Who are you to tell us where and when we can be lovey dovey to our boyfriends?" I growled at Iris as she rubbed her face after getting slugged twice.
Iris gritted her teeth and shot a glare of defiance at me and Hilda.
"You know what, I don't have to take any of this," snarled Iris. "We're leaving Axew and we're not joining them again!" Axew looked to his trainer and sighed in defeat as he looked at us and waving 'goodbye' to us.
And with that, Iris left Nacrene City without so much as an apology or a good bye. We stood there for 15 minutes watching Iris leave into the forest and then disappear.
"Sorry about that guys," Hilda said to Ash and I as she scratched her head and put her hat back on her head.
"We didn't mean to cause you guys any trouble," added Hilbert. "If you want us to leave, we can do that."
"Hilbert!" exclaimed Hilda as she slapped her boyfriend upside his head.
'Why not join us instead?' offered Victini. 'Iris certainly had some problems with you two as well as my trainer and Ash being romantic around her.'
'I know,' agreed Pikachu. 'I wish she would've just pretended like she never saw it.'
'I agree with Brother Pikachu,' said Victini with a long sigh.
Ash looked to me and gave a slight nod with a smile on his face.
"You two can come with us," Ash said still with a smile.
"Really? You two don't mind?" asked Hilda.
I smiled as well as I answered, "Nah, it's not a problem at all. We'd be happy if you joined us."
"Thanks," replied Hilbert. "We'll try not to slow you down."
'Oh you'll be just fine,' Victini said to Hilda and Hilbert with a cheerful smile.
A couple hours later, Hilbert and Hilda went to the outside of Nacrene City so they could have their date as they planned. How do I know that, you ask? Well, the truth is that Victini shoved me away from Ash when we were going to have our own date night. Victini wanted to go spy on Hilda and and Hilbert's date. At least that's what Victini told me that's what he wanted to do. Honestly, I think he wanted some more affection from Hilda. Oh my silly little buddy, I wish he would stop trying to get affection from other girls. [sigh] I can certainly see Brock in him as he keeps trying to get attention and affection from pretty girls. Victini and I then found Hilda and Hilbert sitting on a tree branch in different clothes. I couldn't see what they were wearing because I tried to keep Victini from approaching.
"Victini!" I shouted at my Fire/Psychic Pokémon as I ran after him. "Leave them alone and let them have their date!"
Victini ignored me as he disappeared and floated stealthy up to Hilda and Hilbert as he wanted more affection from Hilda and I wasn't going to stop him. He got up right in between Hilda and Hilbert right as they were going to kiss each other. Victini then reappeared and reached out to Hilda, but felt Hilda's lips on his own, which shocked him at first but then it seemed that he enjoyed it. [sigh] I never should've told him those stories about Brock and maybe he wouldn't have gotten the ideas he got. Hilda slowly opened her eyes and saw she was kissing my Victini instead of Hilbert. The couple was startled and Victini came down with a beaming smile on his face.
"I don't want to see you doing that again," I said sternly to Victini as I held him in an ear lock.
Sometime later, Ash and Hilbert were getting ready for their up-coming match as Lenora was at the other side of the arena and her husband was explaining the rules of the two-on-two battle just like with me and Hilda yesterday. "Alright, let's get started…. Pignite, I choose you!" said Hilbert, sending his Starter out into the fight.
"Okay, Virizion let's go!" yelled Ash, sending the Grass/Fighting-Type Legendary Pokemon for the battle that was about to begin. Needless to say, we were all shocked by the sight of him and I wondered what he was so I took out my Pokédex.
Virizion, the Grassland Pokémon,' said Dexette. 'This Pokemon fought humans in order to protect its friends. Legends about it continue to be passed down.'
"No way…" I said in disbelief before turning my attention back towards the battle which was about to take place as Lenora shook off her own shock before sending her Herdier and Watchog out to fight the opponents before them.
"Begin the match!" announced Lenora's Husband, raising both flags as a sign for the battle to start.
"Very well, let's start things out with a Foresight to blind them Watchog!" ordered the Gym Leader with a serious expression on her face. "Herdier, be ready to use Tackle on Pignite when the time comes okay?" With that, Watchog used his Foresight in order to try and blind the two opponents then Herdier charged and hit Pignite with Tackle. "Now use Shadow Ball!"
"I don't think so, Virizion, use your Take Down!" commanded Ash as the Deer jumped up and hit Herdier before he could have a chance to use his Shadow Ball.
"Alright, now Pignite… use Flamethrower on Watchog now!" ordered Hilbert, with the Fire-Type complying and exhaling a stream of fire at the Normal-Type in front of him though Lenora would have none of that.
"Counter with Thunderbolt!" she told her Pokemon, as bolt of electricity collided with the Fire and caused an explosion as smoke surrounded the field. However, she would never notice that Ash had that confident look on his face as it happened.
"Virizion, use Double Kick!" The Grass/Fighting-Type surprised Watchog and managed to place two powerful kicks onto his opponent, sending the Normal-Type flying backwards.
"Herdier, quickly use Shadow Ball!" A familiar Ghost-Type attack hit Virizion from behind and caught him off-guard as Herdier jumped from out of the smoke as it was starting to clear up. "Now use your Tackle attack!" The Gym Leader's Pokemon barked and hit the Legendary Deer head on. "I have to admit, it is a first to see one of the Unova Region's Legendary Deers used in a battle but it alone won't be enough to win."
"I know we're going to win this fight," Ash said with his usual enthusiasm that I know and love. "Virizion, use Giga Drain on Herdier."
"Pignite, Flame Charge on Watchog," added Hilbert as he all of a sudden had burst of confidence.
Both attacks hit home as Herdier and Watchog were hit hard and were thrown back as they fainted.
"Watchog and Herdier are unable to battle," said Lenora's husband. "Virizion and Pignite win the battle. The winners are Ash Ketchum and Hilbert Touya."
Hilda and I expressed our joy when we saw our boyfriends win their second gym badge.
"Yay! We just got our second gym badge!" exclaimed Hilbert and Ash as they leapt up along with Pikachu and Hilbert's Pignite.
"Ash sure has a lot of spirit doesn't he?" Hilda asked me. "Because I think some of it rubbed off on Hilbert."
"That's Ash for you," I replied to Hilda.
"Alright the next gym and contest will be in Castelia City," Lenora said to the six of us as Relena decided to stay on board with us and the three Pokémon out of their Pokéballs. "It's a shame your younger friend left, but I guess it can't be helped."
We said our goodbyes and left Nacrene City to head into the area known as Pinwheel Forest.