This chapter took way too long to finish. And it was nearly finished for several weeks! But I got caught under a chance avalanche of homework, so it got delayed. I hope this rewards you for your patience.
This is a fairly long chapter, with lots of stuff happening. I personally recommend taking notes of some kind of stuff that sticks out to you as it progresses, so when you formulate your review, you can be sure to cover each and everything you want to.
It was him. It was him.
After all this time. After all this worry. After everything she'd heard. Here he was.
Even the roaring flame behind him couldn't deter her.
May threw her arms around the boy. "Ash! It's you! It's really you! I'm so happy!"
Ash remained still and silent, only looking down at the green bandana that snuggled against his chest.
"Pikapi!" shouted his joyous Pokémon as he leapt from the ground to his partner's right shoulder. Pikachu quickly began nuzzling Ash's cheek with his own.
Ash let out a gasp.
Anabel, who stood to his side, only remained silent.
May looked up. "Ash? You're happy to see me, right? Ash?"
The look on Ash's face was one of fear. "No…" he whispered. "I can't be seeing this. You're not here. You're dead. Both of you."
"We survived, Ash," May smiled back. "We were saved. And we've come back to you."
"Pikachu," he added, grasping Ash's head from behind for the first time in a while.
"Ha…" Ash squeaked. "Haha…" It wasn't long before he exploded into a rolling laugh. He pulled Pikachu off his head and squeezed both May and the Pokémon tightly in the embrace. His exaggerated laughter quickly turned into tears. "Pikachu! May! You're both alive! I'm-I'm so happy!"
May smiled as she looked up at Ash's smiling, weeping face. Ash looked back at her, but then something caught his eye above her head. Something that caused his eyes to revert to their cold look.
The Pokémon Coordinator turned her head, and saw that Brock, Cyndi, Scott, Jessie, James, Meowth, and Greta had all arrived.
Defensively pushing May and Pikachu behind him, Ash stepped forward. "You!" he roared in a most un-Ash like tone. "What are you doing here?!"
All three former members of Team Rocket leapt all over each other, screaming in fear. Even May and Pikachu were taken back.
"Pikapi…" he whispered.
"Ash," Brock stepped forward. "Just settle down, everything can be explained with time."
"Brock, get away from them!" Ash called out to the breeder. "You can't let them get too close! They might try to hurt you, too!"
"Ash, you're making a mistake," Brock said, stepping between him and the group that gathered around Scott.
"Step aside, Brock," Ash warned. "I don't want you to get caught up in this attack…"
"May, tell him," Brock called to her. "Tell him that he's doing the wrong thing."
May remained as silent as Anabel had been since the coordinator appeared.
But Anabel remained silent no longer. "Ash, those are the people who tried to take everything away from you! They almost did, but only by a lucky break were you more fortunate. You have to stop them before they take everything you care about away!"
"Charizard, get ready to use Flamethrower," Ash told his Pokémon. "On all of them, if Brock doesn't want to move."
Cyndi let out a gasp of fright as Greta stepped forward. "Oish! No way! You don't have the guts!"
Anabel was shocked. "Greta, you turncoat! You've joined them, too?"
"Like you gave me a choice," the Arena Tycoon grumbled.
"What did you say?" Anabel shouted, not hearing Greta's words.
"Last chance, Brock," Ash warned. "I'm taking them out. I don't want you to be hurt, too."
"Ash, think about what you're doing!" Brock beseeched him. "You're going to order your Pokémon to attack people who aren't defending themselves."
"I'm surprised, Brock," Ash glared. "You'd really take the side of that murderer and thief over your friend?"
"Ash, you don't know the truth!" Scott shouted. "May, tell him! Tell him to stop this madness!"
Ash shot at look back at May, who stood petrified before the blazing building. "Enough of this. May's here because she was fleeing from you. That's what's really goin' on. Charizard, use Flamethrower. Don't miss a one."
"Pikachu," May shouted, tossing him into the air, "Use Thunderbolt on Charizard!"
"Pika-Chuuu!" He shouted, letting the electricity arc from his body into Charizard's body, just as the Flame Pokémon was preparing to launch his flames at those who stood before him. The strike hit Charizard unexpectedly, and knocked the Flying-Type Pokémon to his forequarters in one shot.
Ash turned around in shock, his eyes narrow as he glared to them. "May! Pikachu! What did you just do?!"
May and Pikachu ran between Brock and Charizard. "I can't stand here any longer and listen to this!" May shouted, her arms spread apart. She sighed, and let her arms fall to her side. "What… what happened, Ash? What happened to you over the course of these few days?"
"What happened?" Ash responded with rage. "What happened?! I saw everything I've ever worked for die right before me! I trained with Charizard. I trained with the only one I had left! I did it to avenge Pikachu! To avenge you!"
"Has that been what's been driving you these days? Revenge?" May shouted back. "There's no need for revenge, Ash! Everything's fine!"
"Everything isn't fine," Anabel leapt into the argument. "Those Rockets behind you are trying to steal that gemstone! You're just going to help them get away!"
"We were fired!" Jessie, James, and Meowth all shouted in unison before sulking.
"Wobbuffet!"
"Mime, mime!"
"But what about Scott?" Ash shouted. "He tried to get you killed! He almost succeeded!"
"That was Giovanni, the Boss of Team Rocket's doing!" Brock shouted. "When Team Rocket attacked them, they were trying to steal Pikachu. They were fired after you defeated them using Charizard!"
"After-?" Ash gasped.
"Don't listen, Ash!" Anabel grabbed his shoulder. "They're trying to trick you! Remember, everyone has to be punished for what they've done! What if someone else dies because of your inaction?"
"So that's it…" Ash turned his cold gaze at May and her group. "You're all turning against me. Scott's tricked you all, and now I have to make you see the truth."
"Ash, what's wrong with you?" Cyndi shouted, her throat clogged with sobbing. "You've never been like this? Why are you trying to attack us?"
Before Ash could respond, Anabel stepped up. "Look, only Scott needs to suffer. If the rest of you leave, you'll be spared."
"Is that why my house is ablaze?" Scott asked. "Were you trying to get me when I wouldn't be expecting it?"
"May, Brock, Cyndi," Ash addressed them as calmly as he could manage. "I don't want to hurt you. Please, step aside."
Coddling her Happiny, Cyndi stepped up next to Brock. "Ash, please think about this…"
"I have," he replied. "I've thought it through for the past four days." He turned his gaze to Scott. "I've thought about how all of this is your fault, and how you have to pay for what you've done."
"Why?" May asked him. "Why do you have to do this?"
"It's just like Anabel said," Ash replied to her calmly. "He almost took you and Pikachu away from me. In a way I'd never be able to get you back. He's gotta pay for that."
May furrowed her eyebrows like she often does. "Shouldn't you be angry with Team Rocket? I mean, they're the ones who attacked me."
Jessie, James and Meowth all fell to their knees. "Please don't give him any ideas!" they pleaded. "We've been through it once already!"
"Wobbu-Wobbuffet!"
"Mimemime mime!"
"I already gave them their reward," Ash answered. "I gotta give the brains behind the thing his reward, too."
"Hey!" Greta spoke up. "If it's Team Rocket you wanna thrash, you should turn right around and go fight that Boss of yours. He's the real Rocket!"
"Like you'd tell the truth to anyone," Anabel huffed, rolling her eyes.
"Anabel…" Greta whispered, her gusto evaporating.
"Hey, I thought you two were friends!" May shouted at Anabel.
"We were friends, May," the Salon Maiden responded, "just like we could have been friends. But you had to go and butt in too far, just like she has."
"I can't help it," Greta whined to herself.
"I have every right to butt in!" May shouted, her anger rising. "That's my boyfriend! This is my business!"
"If he's your boyfriend, then why are you trying to stop him?" Anabel spat. "Shouldn't you be supporting him like a good girlfriend?"
"You're just jealous that he is my boyfriend!" May shouted, knocking Pikachu out of the way as she stomped up to her.
"I can't help it that I love him!" Anabel shouted in response.
The entire group all fell silent. Only the sound of crackling flames could be heard.
Ash looked up in surprise.
May's mouth fell open.
Greta looked like she was going to get sick.
Anabel stepped over to Ash. "I-it's true…" she said, her face flushing. "I… I love you, Ash."
"I get it, now." Ash turned to her and glared. "I understand fully."
Anabel swallowed. "W-what do you understand?"
Ash kneeled next to Charizard. "Are you okay, Charizard?" he asked.
Charizard extended his wings and stood up, letting out a roar.
"Pikapi!" the mouse Pokémon called to his trainer.
"Ash, what're you doing?" May asked, stepping forward.
He turned to her, his eyes still sharp. "I need to go talk to Evergreen myself."
"Evergreen…" May repeated softly.
"He's the one who helped me train," Ash explained as he began climbing onto Charizard's back. "I have to go ask him about all of this."
"About what, Ash?" May ran up to him and grabbed his hand. "What do you have to ask him about?"
"He didn't know you were alive. He was so sure, but now I'm not so sure about him. So I'm going to go ask him myself."
"Ash, that's dangerous!" May jumped. "Let me come with you!"
Ash shook his head. "If he's as dangerous as you all are sayin', then you need to stay here so you don't get hurt."
"Pikapi?" he looked up to the boy.
"You, too, Pikachu. Look after May."
May clinched her teeth, trying to think of a way to convince him otherwise. "B-But won't you need some sort of backup? At least the rest of your Pokémon!" May pulled his leg.
"Do you have them?" he asked, eyes widening.
May reached into her pack and pulled out the six Pokéballs belonging to Ash. "There. Totodile, Cyndaquil, Muk, Sceptile, Aipom, and Charizard's Pokéball," she listed them as she dropped the shrunken balls into his hand. "Please be careful, Ash," she said in a hushed tone. "Don't do anything too crazy."
He smiled at her, though it was more arrogant that it used to be. "Don't worry, May. I'll be okay as long as I have Charizard and my other Pokémon."
Anabel ran up to Ash's side. "Ash, take me with you! I can help! I know stuff about Evergreen that you don't."
"I know enough for now," Ash spat back at her. "I'm leaving. I'll be back by morning, at latest." He ceased addressing the people and turned his mouth to Charizard. "Let's go. Back to the Battle Fortress."
Flapping his great wings, Ash's Charizard took off from the blazing house and began flying away into the inky dark sky.
Anabel chased after him as he quickly disappeared. "No! Ash, please! Please! Take me with you!" She ran only a short distance before Ash completely disappeared into the night sky, at which she fell to her hands and knees. "Please… she whispered."
Greta stepped away from the crowd and kneeled down next to her. "Anabel, are you alright?" she asked the lavender haired maiden.
"He left me…" she replied, her gaze stuck on the ground. "He left me…"
"It'll be okay," the blonde tried an encouraging smile. She began rubbing the other girl's back in an attempt to console her. "I'm here. I'll be here for you."
Anabel raised an arm up and shoved Greta away. The Salon Maiden stood up and turned back to face May.
The Pokémon Coordinator wasn't sure if it was the building blazing behind her or if the anger in the heart of the Frontier Brain was the cause of the deranged look on her face. "You! It's all your fault! If you had stayed dead, Ash would have stayed with me! We could've been happy!"
"Anabel, what are you…?" May stepped back.
"I hate you! I hate you so much!" she screamed. "I wish I could hate you back into that grave you crawled out of!" She reached at her side and yanked out a Pokéball. "Alakazam, let's go!"
She flung the ball at the ground, and in a brilliant flash of light, her Psi Pokémon stood ready. "Blast them! Use Psybeam!"
May had to react quickly. She reached into her pack and tossed out a Pokémon of her own. "Beautifly, block with Psychic!"
Alakazam crossed the spoons he held in his hands and launched a beam that rapidly changed colors as it flew closer to May. The young Coordinator's Pokéball snapped open, and May's Beautifly quickly took to wing. The small butterfly Pokémon began emitting a blue glow, and deflected the rainbow beam into the inferno of Scott's house.
The owner of the Battle Frontier groaned. "It's already a pile of ash… you don't have to destroy it further."
Anabel paid him no mind. "I'll crush you! I'll crush you like you crushed my hopes of a future with the man I love!"
"Beautifly, she's lost it! We better be careful!" May called to her Pokémon.
"Alakazam, swat that bug with Psychic!" Anabel called out.
Alakazam's eyes and body began emitting a blue glow similar to the one Beautifly has emitted earlier. Beautifly cried out in pain as Alakazam's mental power began pulling her apart.
"Beautifly, can you move at all?" May called to her Bug-Flying Pokémon.
Beautifly responded by moving her long mouth up and down.
"Great! Use String Shot on Alakazam to bind its arms together!" May ordered.
Beautifly aimed her mouth towards the yellow Pokémon and shot a long, thin string at Alakazam's crossed arms. The string snapped around Alakazam's hands, binding them tightly together.
"Alakazam?!" Anabel shouted. "Can you move your arms?"
Brock snapped his fingers. "That's it!"
Cyndi looked up to him. "What's it?"
"Alakazam may be a powerful Pokémon, but most of that power is from its mind," Brock explained. "Alakazam's muscles are so weak, it has to use its psychic power to even move around!"
"Alakazam!" Anabel cried to her Pokémon. "Try to break it with your Psychic power!"
"Beautifly, while he's open, use Silver Wind!" May shouted.
Alakazam's arms began glowing a deep blue as the strings Beautifly planted began to tear, while from above, Beautifly hovered in and began flapping her wings as rapidly as possible. Scales from her beautiful wings flew into the gusts of wind she created with each flap. The scale-colored wind slammed into Alakazam, knocking the Psi Pokémon onto his back, with hands free.
"Alakazam, to your feet!" she shouted.
"Beautifly, use Tackle!" May ordered.
Just as Alakazam began climbing to his feet, Beautifly crashed into his chest at a high speed. The smaller Pokémon rebounded off of his body and flew mere feet above him.
"Alakazam, toss that bug into the fire with Psychic!" Anabel called.
"Beautifly, try a Gust attack!" May countered.
Beautifly floated up higher and attempted flapping her wings for the Gust. However, a blue glow overcame her body and caused her to stiffen. The butterfly Pokémon cried out in pain as the attack took hold.
"No, Beautifly!" May shouted to her.
"Toss her! Now!" Anabel commanded.
Alakazam focused his mind and with a wave of one of the spoons he held, flung Beautifly backwards into the still cracking remains of Scott's home.
"Beautifly!" May cried as her Pokémon disappeared into the flames.
"Alakazam, Recover!" Anabel told him. "And get ready for round two."
Recover? That's it! May gasped.
She turned to the burning house. "Beautifly, Morning Sun!"
A small, burning Pokémon floated out of the flames of the burning building. The butterfly Pokémon spread her wings wide, shaking the flames from her body. Her brightly colored wings began glowing over the flames, with the glory of a sunrise.
"Augh, it's not finished yet?" Anabel clenched her teeth.
"Beautifly, use String Shot on Alakazam!" May called.
"That's not gonna work again!" Anabel laughed.
Beautifly fired another sticky thread from her mouth. The thread adhered to Alakazam's left leg, but didn't seem to hinder the Pokémon in the slightest.
"Ha! So much for that!" Anabel mocked May. "Alakazam, shoot that Bug down with Psybeam!"
"Beautifly, try to dodge it, but hold on to the string!" May shouted.
Alakazam crossed his arms again and fired a beam of light at Beautifly. The Bug-Flying Pokémon dodged to the side, nimbly dodging the beam.
"Fire again! Keep shooting!" Anabel ordered.
Alakazam fired two more beams at May's Pokémon. Beautifly was able to fly above one, but she was smacked right in the face by the other, knocking her down a few feet. She desperately clung to the string she held in her mouth.
"Beautifly, hang on!" May called. "Balance yourself!"
Beautifly flipped herself forward so she was facing her foe again.
"Great! Now yank on that string!" May commanded.
"Wha-?" Anabel gasped.
Beautifly began retracting the String Shot, yanking Alakazam off balance and dragging him a few yards through the grass.
"Alakazam, stand up!" Anabel cried.
"Beautifly, get in close and give Alakazam a Silver Wind he won't soon forget!"
As she retracted the string, Beautifly began diving forward. She stopped just short of ramming into Alakazam and hovered in the air before him only long enough for a look of dread to overcome the Psi Pokémon. Beautifly flapped her wings as fast as her body could manage. The scale-filled gust blasted Alakazam right in the face, and enveloped both Pokémon in a dazzling, silver light.
Beautifly floated backwards from her foe and hovered in the air above May.
Alakazam only writhed on the ground in pain.
"Ka… zam…" he managed to grunt as he lost consciousness.
"If you think this is over, little girl," Anabel shouted, "you're sadly mistaken!" She pulled her Pokéball up and shot a red beam of light at Alakazam, sending the Pokémon back into his ball to rest. Just as quickly as she put Alakazam away, she brandished another Pokéball and tossed it up. "Metagross, you're up!" The Pokéball snapped open, and Anabel's huge Iron Leg Pokémon appeared.
"Beautifly, Return!" May quickly raised her Pokéball up and brought her butterfly Pokémon back into her Pokéball.
"Pikapika!" Ash's Pokémon stepped forward and sparked, ready to replace Beautifly for May.
"No, Pikachu, I can handle this," May said, stepping in front of the Electric Pokémon. "This is my battle."
"Pika?" he looked up at May, confused. "Pikaka…"
"I've got to do this myself," May nodded. "If anyone else helps me defeat her, it won't mean a thing. I have to teach her something with the battle. I have to show her what I learned from this."
"Pikaka…"
"Blaziken, I choose you!" May tossed her starter's Pokéball into the air. The Blaze Pokémon materialized before her trainer, and immediately took a fighting pose.
"So, a rematch from the Contest, huh?" Anabel smirked. "You won't have that Charizard to protect you this time."
May smirked back. "Yeah, but you don't have back up, either."
"What did you mean," Anabel asked, "that 'you have something to teach me'?"
"You can't hate anyone, Anabel," May replied. "Not me, not Greta, not anyone. Ash taught me that. Anyone can become your friend."
"That's such naïve talk, I'm getting sick," Anabel retorted. "Let's hurry up and get this round going!"
"Blaziken, use Blaze Kick!" May ordered.
May's Fighting-Type Pokémon began dashing quickly at her opponent and leapt close to the ground. She flipped and extended her talon outward as it burst into flame.
"Metagross, Iron Defense!" Anabel countered.
Metagross' body shimmered as it exuded light for just a moment. The talon came crashing down into Metagross' head, but the Steel-Type Pokémon seemed unaffected.
"No way!" May shouted.
Now, Meteor Mash! Anabel communicated with her Pokémon telepathically.
Metagross brought its leg up and smashed Blaziken in the side with the force of a comet. Blaziken did her best to block the attack with her arms, but the force of the attack was so great that she ended up tumbling across the ground before coming back to her feet.
"She's using her telepathy to talk to Metagross!" Cyndi shouted. "Watch out, May!"
"Happi, Happi!" the small Pokémon also cried out.
"That's what I want her to do…" May smiled. "If she can do that, that means she's calm enough to think this through, which means I can still reach her. Blaziken, use Fire Spin!"
Blaziken let out a shout as the swirling flames flew out of her mouth and surrounded Metagross.
Metagross, throw those flames back with Psychic! Anabel shouted mentally.
Groaning from the flames, the cross on the face of Metagross began glowing blue. The flames that surrounded his body flew off, and back into the face of Blaziken. May's Pokémon stood her ground as the flames enveloped her body. With a flex of her muscles, the Fire Spin was dispelled from around her. Blaziken looked up with her blue eyes at her opponent and smirked. Metagross smirked back at its opponent with its dark, red eyes.
"Blaziken, Sky Uppercut!" May shouted.
"Metagross, Meteor Mash!" Anabel commanded in retaliation.
Blaziken shot forward with her claws low to the ground. She leapt forward, and her claw began glowing as she brought it up towards Metagross.
Metagross, in kind, lifted its heavy leg into the air. The metal claw at the end of the iron leg began glowing as the Iron leg Pokémon smashed its appendage into Blaziken's rising fist.
The attacks clashed, Blaziken's fist catching Metagross'. Both Pokémon struggled against each other, neither conceding an inch. Sparks began flying off from the clashing attacks, brightening the mostly dark battleground that was only lit by the flames that still billowed behind May.
"Now's your chance, Metagross!" Anabel shouted. "Use Hyper Beam!"
Metagross opened its gaping mouth as Blaziken began pulling her arm back for a defensive stance. However, it was already too late. Metagross fired the brightly colored beam of energy point-blank into Blaziken's chest, sending May's starter Pokémon flying across the field, ripping up the ground as she scraped against it.
"Blaziken, are you alright?" May called, her voice racked with worry.
Blaziken laid down for only a moment before rising to her feet. As she rose, the ends of her feathers seemed to catch fire. The burning aura enveloped Blaziken's entire body, revitalizing the tired Pokémon.
"Was that Blaze?" Greta blinked.
Scott nodded. "Blaziken's special characteristic that gives her that last push she needs to come through the battle. May better make this next move count."
"Blaziken, knock Metagross into the sky with Sky Uppercut!" May shouted, raising her fist into the air, miming her Pokémon's gesture.
Oh no! Metagross is immobilized because of Hyper Beam! Anabel cried to herself.
Blaziken leapt over next to Metagross, landing in a crouch. Her fist began to glow as she slammed it into Metagross' underside, flinging the huge Steel-type into the air.
"Follow up with Blaze Kick!" May shouted.
Blaziken leapt into the air, just above Metagross. She somersaulted forward, bringing her blazing talons into the skull of her adversary. Blaziken allowed gravity to carry them down to the ground, keeping her scorching hot talon on Metagross.
"Finish it off with Overheat!" May called.
Metagross hit the ground with a loud crash, kicking up dust from all around it. As Blaziken kicked off, she flipped again, and launched a white-hot flame from her mouth at the Iron Leg Pokémon, completely enveloping the foe's Pokémon in flames.
Blaziken stood at her trainer's side as the flames that burned around Metagross died down. The Iron Leg Pokémon groaned to its feet. It smiled and nodded to May's Blaziken, then fell to the ground.
Anabel's eyes widened as she timidly lifted her Pokéball to bring Metagross back into the safety of its Pokéball.
"Anabel, are you ready to stop?" May asked calmly, recalling her Pokémon back into her Pokéball as well. "Do you understand how your hatred is only pushing everyone away?"
"Shut up!" Anabel screamed, lost to all reason. "I'm not going to be beaten by someone who pretends to be a noble hero! I'm the hero this time! Ash is with me! I'll protect him from all the pain that you'll inflict!"
"Anabel…" May shook her head. "You still don't understand, do you?"
"You're the one who doesn't understand!" Anabel shouted, tears beginning to stream down her face. "I have to protect Ash! He'll never get hurt like that again!"
May let out a short gasp. "What do you mean, 'like that'?"
"I saw, May," Anabel sobbed. "I saw where his shoulders were scarred for your sake!"
May felt like the breath had been knocked out of her.
"Y-you saw…?" May spoke slowly. "You saw that?"
Anabel nodded, wiping the tears from her face. "That's why I have to protect him from you. You just bring misfortune and pain. You don't deserve him!"
May closed her eyes and smiled. "Anabel, you still don't understand. It's because of that day that Ash and I even came together in the first place!"
"Shut up! I'll end your lies!" Anabel roared. She pulled out her last Pokéball and tossed it up. "Espeon, go!" The light flashed across the battlefield and the lavender colored Pokémon stood, her dark eyes focusing on May across the battlefield.
May thought quickly.Blaziken and Beautifly are too tired to fight that Pokémon, and Eevee isn't strong enough yet. Munchlax is hindered by the lack of the sun for his SolarBeam, so that leaves one choice left… "Skitty, take the stage!" May tossed her Pokéball up. The pink Kitten Pokémon appeared with a spin and a smile as she landed in the grass.
"You're fighting my Pokémon with a kitten?" Anabel shouted. "Are you mocking me?"
May smiled. "It's the only way you'll learn, Anabel! Skitty, use Blizzard!"
"Espeon, dodge!" Anabel commanded.
Skitty opened her small mouth and exhaled a flurry of ice and wind. Espeon jumped to the side, nimbly dodging the ferocious attack. "Espeon, use Quick Attack!" Anabel shouted.
The Sun Pokémon shot forward more quickly than Skitty could see and tackled into her. The kitten Pokémon bounced cutely across the ground, but Anabel's Pokémon was not amused.
"Skitty, use Double Slap!" May ordered.
Skitty leapt up over Espeon's head and slapped at the Psychic-Type's face with her tail, landing several clean hits before she landed on Espeon's face and leapt off, away from May.
Espeon turned around to face Skitty. "Espeon, use Psychic! Toss that worthless Pokémon to the side!"
The red jewel in Espeon's forehead began glowing the same blue glow that each on Anabel's Pokémon used throughout the battle. Skitty kicked in the air as she was lifted off the ground. With a swish of her tail, Espeon threw the smaller Pokémon several meters away from where she previously stood.
"Skitty, use Assist!" May called out.
Skitty raised her glowing paw, and from it, came three strings that shot outward. Caught by surprise, Espeon stood still as the strings wrapped around her, hampering her movement. Skitty began dashing back towards her opponent as fast as she could.
"Espeon, use Zap Cannon on Skitty!" Anabel commanded.
"Skitty, block it with Blizzard!" May orderd.
Espeon stood still as she formed the ball of lightning above her head. At the same time, Skitty took in a deep breath as she ran.
Espeon howled as the ball lightning was launched from her forehead. As the ball came closer, Skitty stopped in her tracks and unleashed a huge blizzard from her mouth.
The ice and wind pushed back against the ball of energy, and eventually overcame it. The wintery attack cut against Espeon, sending chills throughout the Sun Pokémon's body.
A large, ice-blue orb now sat where the attacks had connected.
"What the?" May blinked.
"Did Skitty's Blizzard freeze the Zap Cannon!?" Anabel gasped.
May decide to take advantage of the opportunity. "Skitty, use Double Slap to knock that ice ball back into Espeon!
Skitty leapt up and smacked the ball of ice with her tail. The frozen orb slid across the ground quickly towards Espeon.
"Break that ball of ice with Iron Tail!" Anabel shouted back.
Anabel's Pokémon jumped into the air and did a flip. As her tail came down, it began glowing white. The iron-hard smashed through the ball of ice, destroying it completely.
A loud, piercing "Nya!" was the next thing in the ears of Anabel as May's Skitty leapt into the air and crashed into her Pokémon with a powerful tackle.
"Great job, Skitty!" May praised her Pokémon.
"Espeon, smack it back with Iron Tail!" Anabel ordered.
Espeon hit the ground with a thud. She stood up and smacked Skitty away with her glowing tail, causing the Kitten Pokémon to bounce along the ground.
"Espeon, finish that Skitty off with Zap Cannon!" Anabel roared. "End this battle!"
"Skitty, use Assist!" May called in response.
Skitty's paw glowed for only a moment. Then she began sprinting towards Espeon.
The Sun Pokémon began forming another orb of lightning above her head, aimed at Skitty.
"What's Skitty doing?" Cyndi blinked.
"No…" Brock gasped. "It can't be…"
"Nyanyanyanyanyanyanya-" Skitty began chanting as she began leaving behind a white streak in her wake.
"No way," Greta blinked.
"Is that…?" Scott asked, his voice tapering off.
"-nyanyanyanyanyanyanya-" The Kitten Pokémon continued to chant. A dazzling gold aura of electric power began flooding over her being. All the while, Skitty continued dashing head on to Espeon.
"…Volt Tackle…? Anabel gasped.
Espeon focused her energy into the attack. The ball of lightning was launched straight at the oncoming Normal-Type. Skitty nimbly somersaulted over the energy ball and charged forward into Espeon, not missing a beat.
Espeon howled as the electric charge transferred from Skitty's small body to her own. The pink Pokémon rebounded from the attack and tumbled across the arena, laying on her back and lying unconscious.
Espeon still felt the snap and crack of the electricity on her body as her legs failed her, and she tumbled to the ground.
Anabel stumbled across the grass over to where her Pokémon lie. Anabel herself fell to her knees and picked the Sun Pokémon. "It was… it was unreal," she whispered, still not fully believing what happened.
May walked over to Anabel, carrying the worn out Skitty in her hands. "Anabel? Are you alright?"
Anabel looked up to May, solemnly looking into the Coordinator's sapphire eyes. "This is… How couldn't I have seen?"
"Anabel…" May said, words getting caught in her throat.
Anabel stood up, holding Espeon in her arms. "Your strength… and his…" Anabel looked up into May's eyes. "It's strange… even though he wasn't here, it's like I lost to him all over again."
"What are you saying?" May raised both of her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
Anabel smiled. "I was such an idiot…" she said to herself.
"Anabel, wait," Greta stepped over, concerned. "Are you feeling okay?"
Anabel nodded to Greta. "I am. Thank you for asking." The Salon Maiden turned back to May, a kind look on her face. "Thanks for showing me. I understand now."
"Well, could somebody let the rest of us in on it?" Cyndi shouted, her tone laden with sarcasm.
"We aren't all metaphysico-theologico-cosmolo-boobologists like you twerps are!" Jessie spouted off.
Anabel let out a small chuckle. "I really hated you, May. Part of me still probably does," she said with a smile. "But in that battle, you showed me that if I was going to hate one person, I would have to hate everyone around them, including people really close to me… so thanks. Thank you, May. Thank you, Pikachu."
May smiled. "You're welcome, Anabel."
"Pikapika," the mouse Pokémon leapt to May's shoulder. Anabel reached out and scratched Pikachu on his head.
"Hey!" A gruff voice came from behind the group, "We can't have you kids standing around this fire!" A man in a long yellow coat and a red helmet began waving his arms about. "Get away! This is dangerous work for us firefighters!"
As if they were signaled by the strange man's flailing gestures, several men leapt from the shade close to the now smoldering blaze. They tossed open several Pokéballs, and various Water-type Pokémon appeared from their containers. The Pokémon fired their Water Guns into the blaze, the force of which destroyed what little remained of Scott's old home, rendering it a pile of wet ashes and smashed wood.
The owner of the Battle Frontier groaned as he gazed upon the destruction. "Now it's completely gone…" he sighed.
Brock gave him a pat on the back. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure you'll be able to get a new home after this whole mess is handled."
"It's easy for you to say," Scott sighed from behind his sunglasses. "You're not a homeowner."
May perked up. "Hey, we can stay the night at the Pokémon Center, Scott! Cheer up!"
"Hor-ray!" Jessie, James, and Meowth shouted enthusiastically. "Free eats! Warm baths! Soft Pillows!"
"Wobbuffet!"
"Mime mime!"
May smiled and turned to Greta and Anabel. "You two are coming with us, right?" she asked.
Anabel and Greta blinked. "What?" Anabel sounded confused. "After I just battled you? You want me to come with you?"
"I'll need all the help I can get," May simply stated as she began walking towards the Pokémon Center, "if I'm going to go help Ash."
I hope this rather long chapter was well worth the wait. I look forward to responses from the readers about Anabel, Ash, and everything else that happened in this chapter. Hopefully the next chapter won't be delayed by homework.