Ch 45: Judgement round
It was early in the morning and May was practicing her routine."Beautifly use sunneyday" May said. May's beautifly unleashed a ball of light into the sky that lit up the area around her. "Now use stunspore and whirlwind" May said.
Beautifly unleashed stun spores into the air and then blew them across the area with whirlwind. May and the others were standing a good distance away so they wouldn't get affected by the stun spores. "That combination looks amazing May" Ash said. "Thanks but It still needs some work. The judging for round four is going to be very difficult" May said.
"That's a good attiude May , you should always want to strive for improvement" Felix said. "Alright Beautifly use attract" May said. Beutifly winked and three purple hearts formed around her mouth. She sent them all out in front of her "Now quickly use silver wind" May said.
Beautifly unleashed silver wind hitting the three hearts and splitting them into smaller pink pink bits that were carried by the silver wind. "Alright that's very good beautifly if you perform like this in the grand festival we'll make it to the final round for sure" May said.
"If you have your pefromance routine down than how about some training for the final round" Ash said. "Sounds good, Lets go" May said. She returned beautifly and sent out her blaziken and venusaur. "Alright let's try a tag team match-up" May said.
"Alright then Dad you ready?" Ash said. Felix took out one of his pokeballs "I'm always ready" He said. "Pikachu let's go" Ash said. PIkachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder and Felix threw his pokeball. Felix's Raichu came out and landed beside pikachu.
"Alright venasaur use frenzy plant" May said. Venasaur unleashed dozens of massive spiked roots out of the ground. "Pikachu use agility" Ash said. "Raichu use focus blast" Felix said. Pikachu jumped up and off each of the roots avoiding their crushing power. Raichu unleashed focus blast tearing apart any root that came at him.
"Blaziken use quick attack" May said. Blaziken did as Pikachu did and jumped off the massive roots to pick up speed. PIkachu narrowly avoided blaziken's quick attack. "PIkachu use thunder!" Ash said. While pikachu went under blaziken unleashed thunder above him. The thunder hit blaziken filling him with electricity.
Despite being hit by thunder Blazkien landed on his feet , grunting as landed. Venasaur use vine whip" May said. "Raichu use strength" Felix said. Venasaur unleashed a dozen vines at her opponent. Raichu waited until the vines where close then grabbed them all. The two struggled to drag the other toward in their direction.
Felix and Ash helped May train until it was noon and they stopped to have lunch. While they ate Ash and May told Felix about rocket X and Dr. Marrs. "So those clumsy idiots who you said always tried to steal pikachu are not professional criminals who have started their own organization? Talk about moving up in the world" Felix said.
"They still have doctor Marrs and we haven't heard anything from team aqua yet" Ash said. "I just hope they're not hurting him" May said. "I"m sure all team aqua needs is more time and they'll find Dr. Marrs" Felix said. "I sure hope so" Ash said. "So Ash when May wins the grand festival you'll be on your way to do the same in the Hoenn league I presume" Felix said.
"I can't wait for my second chance at the Hoenn league" Ash said. "I can't wait to see you compete it's been so long since I got to see the pokemon league" May said. Ash and May saw Red walk over to their table. "Ash there is someone at the hotel looking for you, his name's Barry" Red said.
"Barry's here? May do you mind if I" Ash started. "Go ahead we'll meet up with you later" May said. Ash and Red left the restaurant "May isn't Max competing in the Hoenn league?" Felix said. "Yeah he has his eight badges" May said. "Do you mind if I ask you something?" Felix said. "What?" May asked.
"If Ash and Max have to face each other who will you be rooting for?" Felix said. "Well that's just asking me if I'd root for the brother I love or the guy i'm in love with" May said. "In love with?" Felix said. May's face turned red "Oh no I said that outloud" she said. "May you're in love with Ash" Felix said. "Well I , I" May stuttered. Pikachu who was still with then laughed a little.
Back at the Brenton Inn Ash walked into the lobby and saw Dawn talking with Barry. "I can't believe Ash and you are here in Hoenn" Barry said. "Barry what are you doing here?" Ash said. Barry turned to Ash "Hey Ash there you are I've been looking for ever since I got here. I have seven badges and I was hoping you could give me some pointers on the gym leader here" Barry said.
"I can't give you any pointers because I didn't face the leader I faced Wallace" Ash said. "Dang it" Barry said. "Wait is that all you wanted him for?" Red said. "Yeah" Barry said. "Barry I was having lunch with my dad and girlfriend" Ash said. "Opps" Barry said.
Ash put his palm in his face and walked out of the hotel lobby with Red behind him. "So Dawn if you're not doing anything tonight would you want to" Barry started. "No" Dawn said as she walked off. "Alright then" Barry said.
Near the lagoon Max was training with Red while Ash and Norman watched. "Grovyle use leafblade" Max said. "Pikachu irontail" Red said. Max's grovyle ran at Red's pikachu with incredible speed. Pikachu waited until grovyle was close , then bashed his leafblades aside with irontail.
"That was good speed Max but you have to put just as much power into attacks like that" Red said. "Max was lucky he Red agreed to train him. Red is an excellent trainer and Max is really showing improvement" Norman said. "So Norman are you still being considered for a spot in the elite four?" Ash said. "I was but I told them I'm not interested, I'm not as good as an elite fourmen should be. Besides I wouldn't be able to face as many young trainers as I would before" Norman said.
"I heard Drake retired from the Hoenn elite four; who is replacing him?" Ash said. " A young man named Tyson" Norman said. "Tyson!" Ash said. "Yeah he won the Hoenn league a few years ago" Norman said. "I guess Tyson has only improved since I last faced him" Ash said.
"Ash I need to Ask are you and May getting more serious lately?" Norman said. "What do you mean?" Ash said. "It's just she talks about you all the time when it's just her and her family and well I am her father I want to know what's going on in her life" Norman said. "Well it's not like we're doing anything we shouldn't be. We haven't been hooking up if that's what your asking" Ash said.
"Ash I know you'd never do that I just meant to ask if you two have been going beyond just dating" Norman said. "Well 'sigh' we are still a bit concerned on what will happen with us after the pokemon league. I really just need to tell her I'm in love with her" Ash said. Norman shot his eyes at Ash. "You're in love with my daughter" He said.
Ash's face turned red as he realized he what he just said. "Well I" He started. "There you are" May said. Ash and Norman turned to see Felix and May walking over. May had pikachu in her arms as she walked toward them. "Hey May, it's still pretty early in the Day want to do some more training?" Ash said. "That sounds like a good idea" May said.
The two walked off and Felix sat down next to Norman. For almost a minute the two didn't say a word to each other and just started either at Max , Red, or the ground. "So, uh Max looks like he's improving" Felix said. "Yeah , he is" Felix said. They both paused for another thirty seconds then turned directly at each other. "Your son is in love with my daughter" "Your daughter is in love with my son" They said at the same time.
Two days passed and May was now standing on the stage as round four began. "Alright , this is it I can do this" May said to herself. She took out beautifly and tossed her pokeball out. "Go beautifly" She said.
Up in the seats Ash and the others sat front row. Felix and Norman sat as far away from each other as possible. "Ash is it me or have our dads not said a word to each other in days?" Max said. "You May be right it seems like they've avoided each other for a while" Ash said.
"Round four shall continue with May of Petalburg city performing her routine" Wallace said. "Lets show them Beautifly, use sunneyday" May said. May's beautifly unleashed a ball of light toward the ceiling that lit up the stage . "Now use stun spore and whirlwind" May said.
Beautifly unleashed stun spores into the air and then blew them across the stage with whirlwind."How lovely" Nurse Joy said. "Quite a combination" Mr. Sato said. " Beautifly use attract" May said. Beautifly winked and three purple hearts formed around her mouth. She sent them all out in front of her "Now quickly use silver wind" May said.
Beautifly unleashed silver wind hitting the three hearts and splitting them into smaller pink pink bits that were carried by the silver wind. "The imagination this young woman is just astounding" Wallace said. "Double team" May said. Beautifly made a dozen copies of herself that formed a close circle around each other.
"Now finnish up with aerial ace!" May said. The real beautifly flew from below the copies and flew through them. When she did the copies burst into bits of sparkling particles and covered beautifly in them. When beautifly's aerial ace ended she was covered in sparkling bits that glistened from the sunney day.
"I just love that beautifly" Caroline said. "Way to go May!" Ash said. "PIkachu!" Pikachu said happily. Beautifly flew back down to May and landed on her arm. "That performance was outstanding well done Contestant May" Wallace said.
May waited in the contestants room as Dawn wrapped up her performance. Sitting in the crowd was Drew watching Dawn perform. "Pachirisu use sweet kiss" Dawn said. Pachirisu blew a kiss up into the air. "Now use swift" Dawn said. Pachirisu unleashed swift stars around the sweet kiss. "Wrap it up with thunder fang" Dawn said.
Pachirisu jumped up into the sphere of swift stars and bit the heart causing it to turn blue and bolts of electricity to shoot out around pachirisu and through the gaps in the swift stars. "Such style and beauty" Drew said.
"I love her combinations" Nurse Joy said. "I've never seen a show like this before" Mr. Sato said. "She really is something" Wallace said. Pachirisu landed back in Dawn's arms and Dawn turned back to the crowd. "Dawn really is a good coordinator, I can see how she beat May five years ago" Max said.
After the last coordinator completed their performance May and Dawn stood with the other four finalists as Wallace took the stage. Wallace slowly walked in front of the finalists with the spotlight focused on him. "Today we saw six outstanding performances. Six amazing pokemon coordinators with their pokemon" Wallace paused for a moment.
"I only wish all of you could move on, but us judges have had to make two very difficult decisions on who will move on to the final round" Wallace said. "Our first contestant moving on to the final round is Dawn of Twinleaf town" Wallace said.
Dawn let out a breath of relief and stepped forward. "Dawn's moving on to the final round" Max said. Drew smiled "I knew she'd make it this far" He said to himself. May was almost sweating she was so nervous. "Come on , she has to make it to the final round" Ash said.
"As for the rest of you, I think you are all unbelievable coordinators. It's why it was so hard to say that just one of you will be moving on. May of Petalburg city you will be moving on to the final round" Wallace said.
May lost her breath and froze for a moment. "May you're in the final round" Dawn said. May slowly stepped forward. Hearing she made it to the final round made her remember her grand festival in Jhoto; The only time she ever won a grand festival.
"I knew she'd make it" Norman said. "I'm so proud of her" Caroline said. "I guess this means it's Dawn vs May." Max said. "May's going to win this time I know it" Ash said. "Looks like we're facing each other again" Dawn said. "I wouldn't want to have anyone else be my competitor" May said.
Later that night in the Hotel Dawn and Ash were in Ash's room with Max and Red. "So May what's your game plan for tomorrow?" Max said. May was looking at the floor "The same plan as always , play with all my heart and leave it all out on the stage" May said.
"That was heartwarming" Red said. "That's the right attitude May" Ash said. "I got it from watching you Ash" May said blushing a little. "May I appreciate you saying I taught you everything you know, but give yourself some credit. You have done a lot on your own" Ash said.
May blushed even more than grabbed Ash by the shoulders and kissed him. "Do they really have to do that in front of us" Max said. "That reminds me I should call Leaf" Red said. "Leaf, that girl your always on the phone with" Max said. "Have I told you that Leaf is my girlfriend" Red said. "No" Max said. "Strange how did that never come up?" Red said.
