Prologue
Five years after the events of the Delta Episode…
Brendan opened his Devon smartphone, and immediately reeled from the scream of jubilation coming from the other end. "I'm guessing the Contest went well, then?", he asked his girlfriend after recovering from the shock. "You bet your stupid hat I did!", May answered enthusiastically.
Ignoring the jab at his favorite piece of headwear, Brendan inquired "What happened exactly? Snorunt blow away everyone with his Icy Wind?".
"I'm not even going acknowledge that lame ass pun", May said as Brendan sniggered. "It did, but Roselia's Petal Dance was incredible. We'd been working on it for months, and even I almost cried."
"Almost…?" Brendan said, knowingly. May was brought to tears of joy easier than a Wingull to scraps of food.
"Fine, I did cry." May replied with fake exasperation. "I wish you could have been there", she said with a tinge of sadness.
"Me too. The League had at least a dozen challengers today. Only one of them even got to me! I wish I only got called in if they were in a position to challenge me. Spent most of the day twiddling my thumbs."
"Sounds like you should head to Kanto and give them a piece of your mind. Anyways, how good was the Trainer who challenged you?" May asked curiously.
Brendan replied. "He was pretty strong, brought me down to just Sceptile and Metagross. Used some Pokemon I'd never seen before. Including one that looked like some sort of chimera thing. It managed to take down Flygon and Walrein. Gave Sceptile a run for his money, too."
"That's odd. Did you get his name?". May was impressed by this Trainer. Only Steven and Wally had ever given Brendan trouble in the past few years, and that was high company to be in.
"Nope. He seemed to want to be the strong, silent type. Pale blonde guy, about our age, maybe a little younger. Dressed like a punk rocker. Said he was from Alola, and left it at that."
"But enough about him for now", Brendan continued, after a brief pause of contemplation. "I'm going to make up for not being able to come to your contest."
"Are you now? Going to take me for dinner and movie?", May joked. "Never something so cliche, I'd hope."
"Hey! I've come a long way as date planner!" came the feigned indignant reply. "There's a mass migration of Wailmer and Wailord pods going south from the sea around Lilycove, according to Captain Stern. I thought it'd be nice to have picnic on the cliffs of Ever Grande and watch them go by."
"Huh. That's actually much more romantic than I expected. But…" May trailed off. She grinned, imagining his nervous face.
"But what?", Brendan asked worriedly. God, he is too adorable sometimes, May thought to herself.
May started in her best seductive tone. "It's not going to end there, is it? It's been awhile since we spent a full weekend together. I've got plenty of ideas on what we could do together." She nearly jumped for joy when he actually caught on for once.
"Oh?", Brendan said with a low tone, "I think I'll need some specifics…".
"That 'secret island' of yours is still secret right? We ought to take our blankets with us, and have a different sort of pic- GRRAAAAWWWW". May was interrupted by an ungodly roar. Two more roars of rage followed, followed by the panicked screaming of the citizens of Lilycove.
"May! What is it?! What's happening? Did I just hear a roar?". May looked into the harbor. What she saw terrified her more than her worst nightmare. Three Mega Gyarados were slicing through the water, punching through rocks and boats like bullets through cardboard. They split up, each one heading for a different part of the city. The Gyarados headed towards the heart of the city reared up in the shallows, and launched a Dragon Pulse right at the contest hall. The shockwave knocked her phone out of her hand, and May fell to the ground.
Shaken up, May reached for her phone, cracked but still functioning. She could her Brendan yelling on the other end. "I'm here, I'm alright. I have to go help. I love you." She hung up before he could try to talk her out of it. May reached for the oldest Poké Ball on her belt. "Come on out, Swampert. It's our turn to save the day."
Brendan sat in shock for a few moments at everything he had just heard. After collecting his thoughts, he ran to the PA and got Drake on the line. "Drake, Lilycove is under attack by at least three Mega Gyarados. You're the only one here besides me who can get there quick. I'm going to call Steven on my way there." Drake replied "I hear you lad, I'll be there ASAP".
Brendan ran outside, juggling a Poké Ball and his phone in either hand. He called Steven's emergency phone, which Steven answered near instantly. "Steven, it's Brendan. Lilycove is under attack by rampaging Gyarados. I need your help. I'm taking Rayquaza." He hung up before Steven could even got a word out.
Brendan released Rayquaza. The dragon lord of the sky looked upon him. "It's time to do our job again, friend." Brendan raised his Mega Bracelet, and shouted "Rayquaza, Mega Evolve!".
Rayquaza was enveloped in the typical orb of energy produced by Mega Evolution, and emerged in its most powerful form, accentuated with golden streams, and darker colors. Brendan donned the Aqua Suit in the meanwhile, to avoid being killed by friction from Rayquaza's supersonic speeds, or an angry Gyarados.
Mounting Rayquaza's neck, he urged the dragon Pokémon on. "Lilycove, quickly!". That was all the Legendary needed to hear, and it speed off, leaving a sonic boom in its wake.
Brendan and Rayquaza reached Lilycove in just thirty seconds, but the short time it took the two to prepare and travel there was still enough for the trio of rage-fueled Pokémon to lay waste to at least a quarter of the city. There were shipwrecks all over the harbor, burning and leaking oil into the bay. The dockyard was half-demolished. The contest hall was nothing but slag and smoking brick. One Mega Gyarados was coiled around the lighthouse, letting Hyper Beams and Hurricanes loose on the city. First target, Brendan thought to himself.
"Rayquaza, use Dragon Ascent!". Rayquaza began to glow green, and blasted towards the Mega Gyarados. It noticed the Legendary too late, and both it and the lighthouse were taken out. The monstrous Pokémon flipped through the air, and landed on the rubble, dazed but not yet out.
"Finish it with Dragon Pulse!". Rayquaza complied, and the Gyarados was down for the count.
Brendan turned his gaze to the cliffs and ridges that overlooked the shallows. The second Gyarados had snaked its way up, and was rampaging through the streets. It had torn cars, street carts, and people apart in its unbridled rage. Brendan hopped off the Legendary, and turned to it.
"Rayquaza, Seismic Toss! Get that thing out of the city, and finish it with Dragon Ascent!". The dragon growled in understanding, and shot like a bolt towards the Gyarados. It noticed Rayquaza quicker than its peer had, and shot an Ice Beam that connected with the sky lord. Delta Stream protected the dragon, however, and any serious damage was avoided. Rayquaza clutched the Gyarados in its talons, and threw it into the forests outside to city, where further casualties could be avoided.
Trusting Rayquaza to finish the job, Brendan looked towards the department store. Drake and Steven were there with Salamence and Metagross, having defeated the last Gyarados.
Lilycove was in ruins, and May was nowhere to be found. Still running on adrenaline, he released the rest of his team from their Poké Balls. Sceptile, Latias, Lucario, Aggron, and Feraligatr appeared before him.
"Latias, use your powers to find trapped people, and heal the injured. Aggron, use your strength move debris and carry victims. Feraligatr, you're on fire duty. Rescue families trapped in burning homes, then put the fires out. Sceptile and Lucario, you're with me. We're looking for May." His team all gave nods and grunt of affirmation, and headed off to perform their tasks.
Lucario closed his eyes and put a paw to his head, then looked up at Brendan. Master, I've found her, the aura user communicated to Brendan telepathically.
"Where?". Lucario pointed to the shallows, and said "There, but she is very weak. She's trapped under her Swampert." Panic seized him, and the champion ran off, with Sceptile and Lucario in tow.
Please, please, please lord, let her survive, Brendan thought to himself. He could not bear the possibility that she was gone, because he didn't make it in time. He spotted Swampert in the shallows like Lucario said, and May trapped underneath him. A small bit of relief washed over him when he saw she was on her back, instead of face-down. When he and his two companions reached the two, Brendan turned to Lucario and Sceptile.
"Help me roll him off!". The three of them pushed Swampert away, and Brendan handed a revive to Lucario. "Give him this, I'll tend to May." Lucario nodded, and Brendan turned back to May. Cradling her in his arms, he tried to rouse her.
"May! May! Wake up, I'm here! Please!". Miraculously, May's eyes slowly opened. He pulled her into a kiss, thanking the heavens she was alive. He pulled away, smiling. His smile quickly faded when he saw how pale May's face was, and when she coughed up blood. "What? No, no, that's not- you can't be!". May moved her hand to caress his face, and whispered weakly "L-love… you."
Eyes welling up and voice trembling, Brendan replied "I love you too. Please don't go." May gave him the best smile she could manage, and whispered again; "Don't… blame…". She trailed off, and slumped in his arms.
Brendan sobbed, kneeling in the water, as the horizon turned blood orange with the setting of the sun. Swampert let out long, mournful roar, punctuating his ultimate moment of misery.
Severe internal bleeding, the doctors had said. They'd brought May to Mossdeep Hospital to try to resuscitate her, but to no avail. Swampert had fallen on her hard, and crushed her rib cage. Swampert was beside himself, whimpering and resting his head on Brendan's lap. The Pokémon undoubtedly felt immense guilt over the death of his Trainer. Brendan tried to reassure Swampert, saying with a voice hoarse from grief "It's not your fault, it's mine. No one can face three Mega Gyarados on their own. I should have got there sooner."
"Please, do not blame yourself for this." Brendan looked up to see Steven standing in front of him.
"How can I not? When May told me what was happening, did I spring to action immediately? No. I sat there like an idiot, then wasted time calling Drake over and putting on the Aqua Suit, because I apparently value my own life more than May's, and those of all the people I didn't save. Fuck! If I had just refused to take challengers and went to her Contest, this would never have happened!." There was a long pause, Steven clearly unsure of what to say.
Brendan broke the silence. "How many?" Steven shuffled his feet. "You did what you could, don't torture yourself over this."
Brendan was undeterred. "How. Many?" Steven sighed. "Around 541 dead. 2,407 injured." He added, "All missing persons accounted for, thanks to Latias and Lucario." Probably hoping it'll lessen the blow, Brendan thought to himself.
"Are May and I's parents here yet?". He had no idea what he was going to say Professor and Mrs. Birch. Do they hate me?, Brendan wondered. May might have been my girlfriend, but she was their daughter. They lost more than I did.
"Yes. Do you want to wait?", Steven answered. "No. I think I'm done with waiting." Brendan looked down at Swampert. "C'mon, buddy. Let's go." Swampert obliged, lifting his head off Brendan's lap.
Brendan, Steven and Swampert exited the elevator, and walked into the hospital lobby. There, he saw Professor Birch and his wife sitting on one of the benches, holding hands. As Brendan got closer, he could see their eyes were red, and their cheeks still moist from tears. The professor looked up, and gazed towards Brendan. Ashamed, Brendan looked down, unable to maintain eye contact with May's father. Professor Birch stood up slowly, and briskly walked towards him. Brendan half expected the man to start yelling at him, or even hit him. Nothing I could blame him for. Instead, the professor pulled him into a fierce embrace, pushing off his hat and resting his hand on the back of Brendan's head. Brendan was stiffened by shock for a split second, but then returned the hug. He began sobbing again, though it was reducing to emotionally choked coughs, with his throat raw, and his eyes drained of moisture. Birch pulled away slightly, and took Brendan's hand. Feeling cloth against his own hand, Brendan looked down, and saw that the professor had given him May's bandana.
"Professor Birch, I can't. I don't deserve this." He didn't. Brendan had failed May, at the worst possible moment.
Birch shook his head. "Whether you think you deserve or it not, it doesn't matter. Because 'deserve' has nothing to do with it. May adored you. She wanted to be with you until a solar flare obliterated the planet. Her words, not mine." Birch smiled sadly. Brendan couldn't help but smile, too. "With this, she'll always be with you, Brendan."
"Thank you. I'll never let it out of my sight." Brendan tied the bandana to his right tricep. "Here." Birch handed him a Poké Ball. "Swampert's. You should be the one to take care of him now." Brendan nodded solemnly, and attached the ball to his belt. He returned Swampert to it.
He turned towards his own parents, who pulled him into their arms. His mom was speaking words of comfort, but Brendan wasn't listening. He couldn't stop staring at the bandana. I'm sorry, May. I'm sorry I wasn't good enough. That I wasn't there.
Norman shook his shoulder. "Son. Brendan!". Brendan snapped out of his thoughts. Norman continued. "Do you want to go home now, so you can be in private?".
Brendan looked around the lobby. Several members of the staff and many of the the people waiting had suddenly jerked their heads. He looked back towards Norman and nodded.
The three of them walked out the front door of the hospital. Brendan instantly realized that was a mistake, as at least a score of journalists were waiting in the parking lot. The hospital had stopped them from crowding the area just outside the doors, but Brendan and his parents would have to walk through them to get to their car. He stopped, unsure of what to do. The mob of press spotted him, one by one, and they began to converge. Brendan considered running back into the hospital, when the loud screeching of tires drew his attention to the right. A black limousine had pulled up to the curb, and Steven stepped out of the passenger section.
"Quick, get in! I'll take you to the Devon building here, they have a helipad." Brendan and his parents began to comply, but as Brendan ran around the limo to board through the other side, a reporter caught up to him. Gabby from Mauville TV, Brendan recalled.
"Here's Brendan Ahlgren, Hoenn League Champion. Brendan, you were instrumental in stopping the Gyarados attack on Lilycove, and your Pokémon helped save many of the injured and missing. Despite your efforts however, at least 500 people died in the attack. Would you like to address Hoenn as to the what occurred at Lilycove?".
Steven piped up from beside him. "No, he wouldn't. He just suffered a personal loss and would like to-". Brendan stopped him by putting his hand on Steven's chest.
He said to Steven, "It's okay, I want to say something. Just one thing." Brendan turned to Gabby and began to speak, trying his best to stop his voice from shaking.
"To all those who lost friends and family, or their own lives, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I wasn't good enough. That I didn't do enough. And I'm sorry that there's nothing I can do or say, that will relieve your suffering. I chose to perform my main duties as Champion, instead of going to my girlfriend's Contest. And Lilycove paid for it. I resign as Champion. Hoenn deserves better than me." Brendan closed his eyes, attempting to blink away tears, to no avail. "That's all."
Looking away from Gabby and Steven's stunned faces, he stepped into the limo. Brendan took Swampert's Poké Ball off his belt, stroking it gently as the limousine drove out of the hospital lot, and onto the road to the Devon building. Exhausted, both emotionally and physically, Brendan drifted off into a deep sleep.