Here's the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy it.
May sat poking her eggs and bacon with a fork, her other hand propping her head up. She looked up at the rest of the people sitting at the table.
Ash was already declaring victory over Brock, Cyndi, Anabel, and Greta. "C'mon you guys," he laughed. "You know you all don't stand a chance against Blaziken and Charizard."
"We'll see about that," Greta slurped up her cereal in a rather obnoxious way.
"C'mon, guys," Brock said. "Save it for the Contest battle."
"Right," Greta grinned. "I'll be happy to smear the floor with that stupid face of yours, Ash."
"Oh yeah?" Ash challenged back. "Well, your air looks like it was made for mopping!"
Ash and Greta continued growling at each other across the table. May let out a small sigh and looked between the combatants to Anabel, who looked at May with a strange amount of interest.
Brock managed to calm Ash and Greta down, and then the breeder left the table to go check on the Pokémon and Cyndi.
"May, are you alright?" Ash asked, looking over to her. "You've barely eaten, and you haven't said anything since you woke up."
May sighed. "I dunno, I guess I don't feel really hungry."
"Well, ya gotta eat so that you can keep your strength up for the contest," Ash said. "C'mon, eat up."
May looked into his worried, hopeful eyes. She smiled. "Okay," she said. May began eating the food on her plate slowly, which caused the boy to smile in approval.
May was the last to finish her breakfast that morning. After she finished, she and Ash left (after everyone else already had) to go to the contest hall. The Contest would start in only an hour, but May and Ash had some time to work on their appeal.
"Aipom, use Swift!" Ash ordered. The purple monkey Pokémon hopped into the air and swished her tail through the air, launching stars out of the hand on the end of her tail.
"Skitty," May started. "Use Doubleslap! I mean, Assist! No, Blizzard!"
Skitty turned around in confusion at May, ignoring the speedy stars that were flying at her. "Ah! Skitty, watch out!" May called out. The stars slammed Skitty in the back, knocking her over. Although both Ash and May were concerned about Skitty, Aipom only laughed at the Kitten Pokémon. Skitty turn around and growled at Aipom, and then opened her mouth, launching a Blizzard at Ash and his Pokémon.
As per May's request, Pikachu was on her shoulder, so he simply sighed at what was going on.
"May, are you alright?" Ash asked, placing the chilled Aipom on his shoulder. "You haven't been this worried about a contest in who knows how long…"
"It's not the contest," May looked down. "It's that nightmare I had last night."
"Well, tell me about it," Ash sat down in the still-dew covered grass.
"It's kinda weird," May sat down next to him, rubbing Pikachu on the chin.
"You can tell me, May," he smiled. "What's up?"
"Well, in the nightmare I had last night…" May started. "It was strange. First, you told me to go after Pikachu, alright? And then you ran off. So I went to go find Pikachu, and I did, but he was surrounded by this weird colored fire. After I rescued him and came back, you were gone. Then, a huge Pokémon appeared in the sky, and you were riding on it. It looked like Ho-oh."
"Ho-oh?" Ash jumped. "You had a dream about Ho-oh?"
May flipped open her yellow Pokédex, and pressed a few buttons. "Here's the entry I was looking at this morning while you were taking a shower," she said.
A picture of a huge bird Pokémon appeared on the screen. It's wings were colored orange at the tops, but became green at the tips of the feathers. Its tail feathers were in a golden plume, and a golden comb sat on its head just above its red eyes. "Ho-oh," the Pokédex began its prerecorded message. "The Rainbow Pokémon. Its feathers, which glow in seven colors depending on the angle at which they are struck by light, are thought to bring joy. It is said to live at the foot of a rainbow."
"Yeah, so?" Ash blinked. "I've looked at that entry in my own Pokédex a lot.
"The thing is, though, the Ho-oh in my dream was different colors," May said. "Its wings looked like a setting sun, and it had a silver tail instead of gold."
Ash shrugged. "Well, I've had dreams about Pokémon and they haven't been accurate to life."
"That part made me think, but it wasn't the part that scared me," May said. "I said you were on Ho-oh, remember? Well, you looked like you had been torn up in a huge storm, or lost in the forest for a long time. But the biggest change was in your eyes." May began shaking. "Your eyes, they were… so cold, and unfeeling."
Ash tried his best to make his eyes look as warm as possible. "But that's not how things are," he said. "Look, my eyes are really warm." Ash then came to a realization. "That's why you asked me to promise to never leave you, isn't it?"
May nodded. "That's right."
"Well, I've already said that I'm not going anywhere," Ash smiled. "So there's nothing to worry about. It was just a bad dream, anyway."
May smiled. "You're right, Ash. Thank you." Her wide smile turned into a narrow grin. "How about we get back to practicing?"
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Mr. Jameston announced into a microphone while facing a television camera. "Thank you for tuning into the Four Island Pokémon Contest. I am your host, MC, and one of the judges, Mr. Jameston." He then turned to a booth behind him. "Also judging with me is a good friend of mine. She owns a restaurant in town. It is my honor to welcome my co-host and fellow judge, Miss Jessintine along with her pet Meowth."
Ash, May, Brock, Cyndi, Anabel, and Greta watched the introductions from the coordinator's lounge in the back. "That's the woman who fed us yesterday," May blinked at the monitor.
"I didn't know she was a contest judge," Ash also blinked.
Anabel sighed. "I missed out on part of the adventure because these two wanted to run off."
"Oh, don't worry, Annie," Greta giggled. "The best part is coming up soon."
"What?" Anabel raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"
Greta swallowed quickly and put a friendly smile on her face. "Oh, nothing."
"As per Four Island Rules," Jameston continued on the screen. "there is no crowd, and opposing coordinators are not allowed to witness their opponents appeal. Which means these performances are only for you viewers at home."
"That's a strange rule," Brock furrowed his eyebrows. "How am I supposed to impress any girls if there's no crowd."
"Did you miss the 'viewers at home' part?" Cyndi sighed while gently rocking Happiny.
"But how will I find these girls if I don't know where their home is?" Brock began to cry. Cyndi sighed and hoped he'd be ready for their appeal round.
"Well, we're up first," Ash said to May as Jameston finished his announements. "Are you ready?"
May smiled and nodded. "As I'll ever be."
"Pika!" Pikachu added from May's shoulder.
The couple walked around the building quickly entering the small stadium. As per Jameston's warning, there were no cheering crowds or watching rivals. The only other beings in the room where the two judges and that old woman's pet Pokémon.
"Lets see your appeal," Jameston spoke into the microphone.
"Alright," Ash smiled. "Go, Aipom!" He tossed the Pokéball containing his Pokémon into the air.
"Skitty, take the stage!" May threw her ball in.
The two Pokéballs opened, and both of the Pokémon stood at opposite ends of the battlefield.
"Alright, Aipom, start off with Swift!" Ash called out.
Spining in place, Aipom sent out the quick yellow stars out towards Skitty.
"Skitty, blow 'em back with Blizzard!" May ordered.
As the stars drew closer, Skitty began taking in a deep breath. With her lungs full of air, Skitty began breathing it out as a cold, icy wave of wind and snow. The stars that flew towards the kitten Pokémon were now being sent back to Aipom, this time tinted light blue and covered in a thin layer of ice.
"Aipom, pulverize that Swift with your Focus Punch!" Ash shouted. Aipom winded the fist on her tail back, and then slammed it through each star as they approached her. The stars exploded into a fluffy pile of snow that began accumulating before Aipom. "Now, throw snowballs to Skitty!" Aipom made a round snowball with her tail and chucked it at the pink Normal-Type.
"Skitty, juggle the snowballs with Doubleslap!" May shouted.
Skitty caught the snowballs as they came to her, and began juggling them in the air. Aipom eventually sent five snowballs to the Kitten Pokémon. "Now Skitty, send 'em high!" May shouted.
Skitty nodded and slapped the snowballs high into the air.
"Now remember Aipom," Ash whispered, "what happens next depends on what Skitty's Assist move uses."
"Aipa" she nodded.
"Now Skitty, hit those snowballs with Assist!" May gave the command. At that moment, Pikachu shuddered. As Skitty brought her hand down, a huge arc of lightning shot from Skitty's hand and destroyed the snowballs instantly.
"What move was that?" Ash blinked. "Was that Pikachu's Thunder?"
May stepped back closer to Ash. "I don't know what happened," she said. "Maybe because Pikachu was on my shoulder, Skitty was able to use Pikachu's attack?"
"I don't know, but we'll ask Brock later," Ash whispered back. Aipom blinked in confusion, not sure what to do since the snowballs had been vaporized.
"Bravo, young contestants," Jameston stood and applauded. "I'm sure you'll make it to the next round.
"I agree," the woman, named Jessintine stood with her Meowth in her hands. "I also hope to see your Pokémon in the battle round."
"Myah," the Meowth yawned lazily before going back to sleep.
Ash and May thanked the judges and then left the arena. As they walked down the hall, Anabel and Greta walked towards them.
"So, how'd it go?" Anabel asked, a grin on her face.
"It went really well," Ash grinned back.
"Except for a confusing part at the end," May tapped her chin.
"Why? What happened?" Anabel asked, curious as to what went on.
May wagged her finger at Anabel. "You know that according to the rules here, I'm not allowed to discuss what happened." Anabel huffed shortly while May giggled. "C'mon, Ash, we don't want to make these two late."
May pulled Ash by the hand down the hall away from the two girls. Anabel and Greta huffed at May's apparent rudeness, but went ahead to the arena to appeal.
"May, there's no rule from talkin' about what happened," Ash narrowed his gaze as he spoke.
"I know," May snickered mischievously. "But I really didn't want to talk to them about it before we talked to Brock."
Ash rolled his eyes as May pulled him into the Coordinator's Lounge. Brock and Cyndi immediately stopped talking and looked up. "How'd it go?" Brock asked, hoping for good news.
"Well, the appeal went as we planned it," Ash said, sitting down with May taking a seat next to him on the bench, "up until May's Skitty used its Assist."
"What happened?" Brock sat up and leaned against the lockers behind him.
"Somehow, Skitty used Pikachu's Thunder attack," May said, pointing to the Electric Pokémon on her shoulder.
"Are you sure it wasn't Munchlax's Metronome and it just made Thunder?" Brock asked.
Ash shook his head. "No, I'd know Pikachu's Thunder anywhere, and that was definitely Pikachu's."
Cyndi rocked a sleeping Happiny gently. "But Pikachu isn't May's Pokémon," she said. "How did Skitty use its move?"
Brock rubbed his chin. "Well, there is one way. Has May been handling Pikachu or his Pokéball a lot recently?"
Ash and May remembered what happened at the Hot Springs a few days ago on One Island.
Ash pulled out six Pokéballs and tossed them into the air. Five opened, setting Sceptile, Totodile, Muk, Cyndaquil and Aipom free. The sixth, however, fell to the ground, bouncing slightly.
May picked it up. "What's wrong with this Pokéball, Ash?" she raised her eyebrow.
Ash snatched it out of her hand. "Oh, that's-uh, Pikachu's Pokéball," he told her. "I musta grabbed it by accident."
"May's been holdin' on to Pikachu a lot today since she had that nightmare, and she did hold his Pokéball for a second back then," Ash thought.
Brock tapped his chin. "Well, then probably Skitty's Assist treated Pikachu like it was May's Pokémon, so it was able to use one of his moves."
May shrugged. "That's not bad, is it Ash?"
Ash closed his eyes and put himself deep in thought. "Well, I guess not," he said finally. He then looked over to Pikachu. "But you're still my Pokémon, right buddy?" he asked him.
"Pikachu!" he nodded. He jumped around May's head and began nuzzling Ash's cheek from May's shoulder.
"That's all I need, then," Ash chuckled, playing with his friend.
"Are you sure?" came a rather cool voice from the doorway. Ash, May, Cyndi, and Brock all looked over at the woman it came from.
The woman stood about at Brock's height, her sharp purple eyes shooting into Ash. Her long black hair went down below her waist, and was high-lighted in read around her face. She wore a purple top that covered her chest and went to her neck, and long, purple gloves covered her arms from about a little short of her elbow to the ends of her fingers. A flashy, golden belt hung on her waist below her midriff, holding up long, straight black pants. Her purple heels were visible under the cuffs of her pant legs.
"Oh yeah?" Cyndi jumped up and glared at the woman as the rest of her friends sat stunned and silent. "Who asked you?"
Brock stood up and pushed Cyndi behind him. "That's Pike Queen Lucy!"
Lucy blushed and immediately looked to the breeder. "B-Brock?" she stammered.
Brock slid up to Lucy and took her by the hand. "Oh, Queen Lucy, I knew that you would come to find me one day, and that day is today!" he swooned.
Lucy's face only flushed deeper as she stared, entranced by Brock's eyes.
"What do you think about leaving these kids here to participate in this contest while you and I go to a nice restaurant in town to catch up between friends?" Brock asked, flashing his teeth in a charming way.
"We're kids?" Cyndi shouted, annoyed with the breeder.
"Catch up?" May gawked. "You only met her for one day!"
Ash and Pikachu only laughed quietly at the situation.
"Lucy," a booming voice resounded through the room, "we aren't here to pick up dates or play with children."
Ash took this time to stand up. "No way," he gasped.
Smirking, Tucker stepped into the room. "Surprised to see me, boy?" he asked.
"I thought you were in jail!" Cyndi shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the costumed man.
"Well, when you have friends in places like I do," he smirked, "you don't stay in places like that for long."
"Brock," Lucy whispered, smiling, "why don't you and I team up in the contest, and let Tucker and your little friend here go together instead?"
"Y-Y-You mean, 'you and me?" Brock practically exploded with joy right there.
"No way!" Cyndi protested. "There's no way I'm getting stuck with Butterfly-Man over here!"
"I'd rather forfeit than participate with such a brat," Tucker fired back at the young girl.
Anabel peaked in behind the Frontier Brains who were at the door. "What's all the commotion?"
Greta recognized Tucker's hairstyle from behind. "Tucker!" She nearly squealed. "How did you get out so soon?"
Tucker turned to Greta as she and Anabel entered the room. "Now now, my blonde friend, a truly great tactician never reveals his strategy until the operation is over."
"Is that why you told us that you had a friend bale you out?" Cyndi sneered, holding her Happiny close.
"You be quiet, you brat!" Tucker glared back at her, with Cyndi glaring back just as harshly.
"Anyway," Anabel stepped away from that confrontation, "Brock, aren't you and Cyndi next to appeal?"
Brock broke his gaze away from Lucy for a moment. "That is true," he said. "Now, wait for me, your highness," he bowed to Lucy, "as soon as I return, we can discuss dinner plans."
"Oh brother," Cyndi rolled her eyes. "Let's go and get this over with," she grabbed him by the ear and pulled him away from Lucy and down the hall to the arena.
Anabel's disposition changed from carefree to cautious. "What're you two doing here, Lucy?" she asked in a business tone.
"Scott's benefactor still has business in the Sevii Islands," Lucy explained. "We're still here on his business."
"Lucy, is Team Rocket this benefactor you've been talking about?" Ash asked, glaring at the Pike Queen.
"I'm not a liberty to say, since I don't know myself," she shrugged.
"Lucy, you're not supposed to talk about our mission here or the benefactor!" Tucker chastised her.
Lucy glared at him, her eyes cold. "You have your code of conduct, I have mine. And I'd appricate it if you didn't try to enforce your rules on me, got that?"
"How-how dare you speak to me like that?!" Tucker was outraged, stomping his feet and glaring back at his fellow Brain.
"You may have missed this since you got sent to prison," Lucy's acid-laced words came pouring from her mouth, "but you screwed up that last mission big time. I don't know what possessed you to take an two islands hostage, but usually a 'locate and recover' mission has a great deal more stealth to it."
"I was only trying to make it a grand scheme," Tucker gulped.
Lucy picked him up by his spandex suit. "I don't care what you were making it, the benefactor was really upset that you screw up the mission. I had to promise that you wouldn't do anything so stupid again, and I only did so because you're my friend." With a look of disgust on her face, she dropped the quivering Dome Ace to the ground. Tucker scrambled to his feet and stood back, catching his breath.
"Are you still looking for that?" Anabel asked.
"Well, there was a change of plans," Lucy explained as soon as Brock left her field of vision. "We're not looking for the Sapphire anymore," she said. "We're here for something else."
"Something else?" May blinked.
"I can't say," Lucy shrugged. She smiled, saying, "As Butterfly-man here noted, I'm not supposed to divulge information about the mission to people who aren't involved." She looked over the room at the children. "Be careful, all of you," she said, looking at Ash in particular. With that, she left the room, dragging Tucker along with her.
"Ash," May stood up and grabbed his hand, "I'm worried about what's going on. This is getting really strange."
Ash looked at the empty door way. "All we can do is take Lucy's advice. 'Be careful."
I hope you liked this chapter! Make sure to come back next week for the next entry! Also, I hope my fellow Americans enjoy Diamond and Pearl this Sunday. I'm certainly picking up my copy!