Sunyshore City, the last stop for managers willing to compete in the Sinnoh League. The Gym Leader of this city is known throughout the region as the strongest trainer outside of the Elite Four.
His name is Volkner and he is terribly bored.
Since taking on the Gym Leader mantle, no challenger has managed to ignite that flame he had during his Pokémon journey, the battles decided down to the smallest detail, the thrill of an arduous victory, the disappointment of a bitter defeat...he had lost these sensations.
All he had left was a love of technology, he felt he was wasting his time trapped in a city instead of accepting the Elite Four challenge, for the right to face Cynthia.
Volkner was absolutely sure that only the beautiful champion of his home region, or his old friend Flint, would be able to give him what he had sought so much in recent years.
The feeling of a real battle.
The blond haired man and an electric mouse were sitting in the middle of the arena in the Sunyshore gym, and after an uncomfortable silence, Volkner punched the ground, scaring his Pokémon away. "Oh! I'm so bored! Raichu, I can't wait any longer, I'm giving up my post as gym leader and we're going to challenge Cynthia. Are you with me old friend?".
"Rai Rai!" Raichu jumped in excitement at finally finding a battle worthy. Determined to follow the newly defined plan, the duo got up and when they were about to leave the gym, one of the employees ran in and almost fell to the ground trying not to hit his boss with his own body.
Catching his breath, he turned to Volkner and spoke hastily. "Mr Volkner, you have a very important message to receive!" Volkner raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, and who would this person be?" preparing to deliver the shocking news, the poor man took a deep breath and spoke in one go.
"Boss, it's Cynthia, the champion of Sinnoh, and she said you have one last challenger, if you win the battle, you can relinquish your post as gym leader and challenge the Elite Four, but if you lose, you must continue with your role. until further notice." Volkner clenched his fist, but it wasn't anger, it was the competitive fire igniting again.
He's known Cynthia for years, and that woman would never do something like that without really being worth it. Volkner's infamous smile startled his employee. "So…who is my challenger?" The poor employee said only one name, which made Volkner's blood boil in anticipation of the battle.
"Ash Ketchum will be the challenger, the same trainer who defeated Cynthia's Garchomp in a 1v1 exhibition match a few months ago. The battle will take place later this afternoon and the Elite Four along with Cynthia will personally come to watch, along with journalists from around the world and the public." After giving him the message, the man ran out of the gym, and Volkner stood in the same spot, with Raichu looking worriedly at his trainer.
Volkner trembled with excitement, and Raichu finally saw the look he had craved for so many years, it was the flame that Volkner had sought so much.
He looked at Raichu and no words needed to be said, but they both knew only one thing:
The battle of their lives was going to happen soon.
XXX
"Brock, is it long before we get there? My feet are killing me." Dawn cried, tired from walking for several hours. Even with several months into a journey, the girl never got used to the fact that she would be on the move for long periods of time.
"We're almost at Sunyshore and it's about to get dark, if you don't want to sleep outside, just hang in there a little longer." Brock's words motivated bluenette, who immediately stopped complaining and went back to walking normally.
"Relax Dawn, we're almost there, and if you're having trouble walking, I don't mind carrying you on my back." It was the only thing Ash said. Since the Wallace Cup, Pallet's trainer has undergone a major change, which has included his own physique. Deciding that he would only evolve as a trainer if he actually trained with his Pokémon, Ash now had an enviable physique for a 15-year-old, as well as a more mature face even though he still maintained that slightly innocent look, and his muscles forced him to change his appearance. visual.
Ash was almost the same height as Brock, and he ditched his jacket and hat for a skin-tight white tank top, along with black fingerless gloves and jeans. White sneakers and a necklace containing a blue gem completed the look. Of course, aside from the fact that Pikachu remained faithfully perched on the shoulder of his trainer and closest friend.
Dawn stumbled over the boy's words and blushed at the mental image she had. Even though it was obvious to anyone who knew Ash that the boy was being sincere in his intentions, no one could blame her for getting into such a state, Ash still hadn't learned the effect he has on women from his new appearance.
"Thanks Ash, but I think I'd better keep walking..." Still embarrassed, the girl ran a little to be a few meters ahead of the group, leaving Ash worried.
"Brock, did I do something wrong?" Pikachu and Brock almost fell comically over their friend's naivete. "Ash, I really hope you understand soon the effect some of your words have on the opposite sex. You are already 15 years old, it is not possible that you are still so dense."
"PIka PIkapi PI!" The yellow mouse made several gestures with its paws as if trying to bring its trainer to reality. Ash was slightly offended, was it always like this when for some reason Dawn turned red, was she sick or something? He didn't know, but it wasn't his fault!
"Let's just get to Sunyshore, I don't want to be taking the blame for something I didn't do!" Ash's tone startled Brock a little, who looked at his friend with concern. This was recurring, his friend's mood swings were a cause for concern among the group, and it all started after the Wallace Cup. Brock had some suspicions, but the only thing more likely would be the brief moment when his former traveling companion returned to contest that tournament.
"No...Ash only thinks about Pokémon, there's no way that's it." Scolding himself for the foolish idea, Brock hurried to catch up with his two younger friends.
It didn't take long to get to Sunyshore, and even less to get rooms at the Pokémon Center. Ash had become a popular person among the region's Pokémon trainers after the news of him defeating Cynthia, even if it was a friendly battle.
Some more daring girls deliberately bumped into Ash in order to get his attention, but dense as always, the boy from Pallet believed that it was just coincidence that so many people met in their own way.
Brock seeing that scene started to growl with envy. "Look at this Dawn! He doesn't even have to try while I still suffer in the way of love! Uhhhhh I won't fall behind, Nurse Joy I'm coming!" The Pokémon creator didn't even take two steps before Croagunk came out of the Poké Ball and knocked him out with a Poison Jab, then dragged his trainer in an unknown direction.
Dawn was embarrassed by the confused looks she was getting and ran towards Ash, who had just booked a room at the Pokemon center. Looking at the coordinator, he showed a cheerful smile.
"Look Dawn, I told you I'd get a room no problem, you owe me lunch." Pouting out, the blue haired girl punched him in the arm in a friendly way.
"Always thinking with my stomach, sometimes I wonder how you are the older of the two of us. It's annoying enough all these offered girls throwing themselves at you, I still have to put up with Brock being Brock with any woman in his sight!" Dawn's frustration left Ash and Pikachu a little scared, they were well aware of the female rage for always having a girl accompanying them during their travels.
Trying to lighten the mood, Ash flashed a disarming smile. "Come on Dawn, those girls were just unlucky enough to be on the same path I was on. As for Brock...well, we can only accept that he's not going to change. Come on, I heard there's a competition today to reward whoever eats the most ramen dishes, and I won't miss that for anything!" Holding Dawn's hand, he dragged her into the cafeteria, missing the girl's flushed face.
Dawn thought about letting go of the boy's hand, but it was so comforting to have her friend's attention like this, and seeing the envious glances from those petty girls was being amazing to her feminine ego. And looking at Ash, she couldn't help but blush more deeply, the boy she knew had turned into a handsome boy, and not just because of his bulky physique. Ash changed his look and still kept his unique personality, which Dawn thought was cute to a certain extent.
In an act of daring, Dawn hugged Ash's arm. He looked at her confused. "Dawn, why did you do that?" The girl stuck out her tongue teasingly and with a giggle she answered him.
"I don't know, it made me feel like it... Come on, you'll end up losing your chance to compete." Being reminded of the ramen-eating competition was enough to make Ash return his focus to the huge pile of dishes waiting for him. His stomach growled like a hungry Snorlax, making him blush. Dawn laughed at the boy's antics and followed him.
Brock recovered from the Poison Jab and went looking for his friends, and when he saw them holding hands, a serene smile spread across the Pokémon creator's face.
"I'm happy for you Ash, after helping so many people, you deserve a little happiness too, just realize what's going on before someone else leaves you." Letting out a weary sigh, Brock looked around and saw a beautiful girl. Wasting no time the 'doctor of love' rushed to court her, only for Coragunk to do his job with incredible punctuality.
"Damn Croagunk! Again? I am your coach, you should support me." The unique sound emitted by the poisonous frog along with that creepy smile was all the young adult received before falling unconscious. People looked confused at the Pokémon dragging its trainer by the foot, but no one was going to intrude.
Croagunk was extremely intimidating without even making an effort.
Meanwhile, in Johto...
May couldn't be happier. Everything she ever wanted was finally happening. She was just one tape away from the big Johto festival, and just over three weeks ago Drew was her boyfriend. She still couldn't believe that she had managed to win over the green haired boy she loved, it was like she was dreaming.
After returning from runner-up at the Wallace Cup, May felt unmotivated and insecure, and with a string of contest losses, Drew convinced her that she should completely abandon the fighting style she learned from Ash during her travels. Though it initially offended her, in the end she gave in to her crush's requests, as Drew had offered to train with her these weeks.
As expected, the results came. There were only two contests left and May won one of them, and after the victory Drew asked her out on a date. At that moment her heart skipped a beat, and without thinking twice the girl accepted. Since that moment May felt like the luckiest girl in the world, she had a handsome boyfriend who treated her like a princess, she was stronger than ever and her confidence was never higher.
Cinnabar Island hosted the last contest before the big Johto festival, and May was enjoying a strawberry sundae she had just bought. The mild climate of the city on that island immediately won her over, the only thing the girl wanted was to have her boyfriend enjoy this tour.
Drew has been distant for the past two days, they barely spoke and for a moment May thought she had done something wrong, but when asked Drew assured her that everything was fine. Trying to convince herself, May decided to give her some space, he's been nothing but the perfect boyfriend so far and it would be fair to give the coordinator some personal space.
Seeing him hanging out with Soledad most of the time ignited jealousy, but May trusted her boyfriend, and while Drew always had that flirtatious air, he never did anything with a girl after he became her boyfriend. Finding a chair to sit on, May brought a hand to her cheek.
"Damn, I just wanted Drew here with me, but he only talks about Soledad all the time!" A certain coordinator dressed as Cacturne appeared clapping his hands with his infamous smile. Immediately recognizing that it was, all May felt was anger.
"Look Harley, if you've come to offend me in any way, I'm not in the mood to put up with you!"
"Wow, I didn't even say anything honey, look I would normally take advantage of you being at that time of the month and set some trap to embarrass you, but today I have something more important to do." Harley's comment made May blush with embarrassment.
"I'm not 'at that time' as you said! Now just tell me what you want or I swear I'll ask Blaziken to send you flying back to New Bark Town!" Harley raised her hands in surrender.
"Calm down May, I came in peace, I swear. Look, I'm going to do you a favor and just hand you some pictures, what does that sound like?" Harley's mischievous tone wasn't lost on her, but if it meant not having to put up with Coordinator Cacturne, May would accept the request.
"Okay, just hand me those damn pictures, the Sundae is melting." Harley's smile widened and he handed her three pictures. Initially May would ignore it, but something told her that the content of those images was important.
"Come on honey, take a look." Harley gave the final push, and being a curious girl, May couldn't resist taking a look at the photos. What she saw broke her heart.
It was Drew and Soledad, kissing in three different places.
Tears started to well up on her face, and the first thing she could do was deny what she was seeing. Standing up, May growled at Harley. "What kind of damn prank was that?! This is not funny!" All she got was a laugh from the green-clad coordinator.
"Oh dear, you're wrong, this is hilarious. The girl in love was betrayed, how tragic...if you still have doubts, why don't you go to the ice cream shop you just left? I bet something amazing awaits you there." Still chuckling at her own phrase, Harley walked off to who knows where.
May was hyperventilating, looking at those photos was horrible, Haley must have edited those images, it could only be that. Her boyfriend would never cheat on her, not after everything they'd done together in the last few weeks. Clinging to naive hope, May ran toward the ice cream parlor, not even remembering the Sundae she'd dropped on the floor.
All that mattered was getting the final proof of what was really going on behind his back.
Arriving at the ice cream shop, May walked in and what she saw shattered what she had left of hope. Drew was kissing Soledad shamelessly. May took her hand over her mouth and couldn't hold back the various emotions that were rising.
Pain, anger, disappointment, outrage, it was all spilling over into a tearful girl. Her deplorable condition caught the attention of some customers, and by extension, Drew. When he saw his girlfriend, he immediately dumped Soledad and ran to the brunette.
"May I can explain myself..." All Drew got was a hard slap across the face. May shoved the photos into the boy's chest, which he took, still bewildered by the aggression. Soledad was confused, but she soon understood what was happening and felt ashamed.
Unknowingly she had destroyed a couple.
"You bastard, why did you do this to me? Was everything you told me a lie? All this time since the day we met, was it all an act? I loved you you idiot, what did I do to deserve this?!" The desperation in May's voice made people look at the boy with disgust, and instead of continuing to apologize, Drew laughed.
He started to laugh as he was amused by the naive girl's despair.
Calming himself, Drew looked at her with obvious contempt. "Naive as ever, no wonder Ash trained you, you two are the same. Talentless, clumsy, they eat like pigs at a table and are unbearable." Every word from Drew was a stab to May's heart.
"Drew, why did you ask me out on a date?" was all she asked, and what she got was another laugh.
"Why would I want someone to play with, isn't it obvious? Silly girl, the only useful thing about you is a pretty face and body, because the rest is disappointing. I was hoping to get into this pathetic relationship for fun, but you're so annoying. That naive mind of yours disgusts me, I was hoping I could play around for a few months and then go our separate ways, but luckily Soledad showed up and damn...she's ten times the girl you'll never be." Drew walked over and whispered something in May's ear that finally made her realize just how rotten this kid is.
"But best of all it wasn't fooling you, no… what amused me the most was the fact that you genuinely believed that your failure was Ash's fault, that was hilarious! While you struggle to qualify on the festival grid, he beat the champion of Sinnoh in a battle. As much as I hate Ketchum and everything he stands for, I recognize that he is no longer useless, and the work he did with that coordinator who beat you at the Wallace Cup is commendable. Face the facts...you are the only one who is truly a failure."
And with those words May did the only thing she could, she ran. All that was unbearable to digest, her world was torn apart, the person she loved is a manipulative bastard and worst of all, she blamed her mentor and best friend for her own failure.
With red eyes from crying, the girl slowly entered the Pokémon center and went straight to the intercom. With shaking hands, she dialed her home number in Petalburg, being greeted by her mother.
Seeing the state of her daughter, Caroline was desperate. "What happened my daughter?! Are you crying? Tell me what made you stay in this state!"
"M... Mom I don't know what to do!" The tears began to fall again and Caroline felt helpless that she couldn't help her little girl.
"Mommy is here dear, now tell me what happened, if your father is a problem I promise this conversation is just between the two of us." Mentioning her father helped a little, as Norman had warned her that Drew might be a bad choice for a boyfriend. Unfortunately for her, he was right.
"Drew…he cheated on me Mom! I saw him kissing Soledad and what he told me…" A lump in May's throat wouldn't let her continue.
Finally Caroline understood, her daughter was heartbroken in the cruelest way possible.
"Oh May I wish I could hold you so much, take a deep breath and tell me what really happened, I promise to stay here as long as it takes."
After a few minutes, May calmed down a bit and told her everything that had happened. Caroline felt absolute hatred for that bastard who had played with her daughter's heart, and she didn't even want to think what Norman would do if he found out what happened. Thinking of Norman, Caroline made a decision she didn't like, but it would be the best course of action.
"Honey, as much as I want to bring you home, I can't risk letting your father find out what happened, at least for a few weeks. Can I give you some motherly advice?" May nodded, wiping away the tears that were still in her eyes.
Taking a deep breath, Caroline spoke to her daughter. "Call Ash and his friends, and go travel with them for a while. Forget your contest in Johto, standing in the same place as Drew and Soledad will only hurt you, and a big festival is worth nothing if you keep getting hurt by the sight of that green-haired bastard." Her mother's suggestion surprised her. Go back to traveling with Ash? As tempting as the idea was, May was wary.
"But Mom, I don't think Ash would want me to travel with them, I don't want to be fed up." The frailty in May's voice broke Caroline's heart, but she needed to be strong, for her daughter.
"Don't say that, we've known Ash for years and he's the sweetest boy I've ever seen. Even his father likes him almost like a son! Call him dear, I'm sure everyone will love the news that you're going to Sinnoh." Nodding shyly, May took a deep breath and forced a smile, and even though both women knew it was fake.
"Thanks mom, I don't know what I would have done without you to ask for advice." Caroline smiled at her daughter's attitude. Even in this fragile state, May was a strong girl.
"We will always be here for you May, now go call your friends and let us know when you get to Sinnoh." The video call ended and Mah held back the tears that threatened to fall again.
"Calm down May, he's not worth it..." The brunette took something from the pocket of her orange sleeveless shirt, it was half of the Terracotta ribbon. It was the greatest memory she had ever built with Ash, and it was her good luck charm throughout her journey through Johto. The thought that she almost threw it away at the request of that green-haired bastard sickened her.
"Well come on May, be strong. Time to call Ash." May took some eye drops from her pouch and put it in her eyes to soothe the irritation, went to the bathroom to wash her face and luckily her appearance wouldn't immediately give away that something was wrong. Returning to the videophone, May took out her Pokédex and plugged it into the videophone, activating the contact tracing function. A video call was made to the Sunyshore Pokémon Center.
"Come on Ash, please pick up..." It was all May asked for for herself, the support of the only person she could turn to at this most difficult time in her life.
XXX
"And the winner is Ash Ketchum, who ate 18 plates of Ramen in one try!" A round of applause from the audience who stopped to watch that impressive, and bizarre, performance that the boy on the pallet demonstrated. Seeing the coach calmly get up and leave his toned physique on display only made people wonder the same thing:
"Where does all this food go?"
Dawn swore to herself that she tried to be surprised, but knowing her friend's infamous appetite, all she could do was sigh in defeat, with Pikachu on her lap, embarrassed by her trainer's actions. Ash approached and with a smug smile, looked at the coordinator.
"I told you I was getting Dawn, you owe me lunch!" All Ash got was a punch to his head, courtesy of Dawn.
"Even after devouring enough ramen to feed 3 Snorlax the first thing you remember is lunch?! How do you not get fat? If I ate half of what you eat, I'd be a human Muchilax!" The girl's indignation drew amused looks from the audience, while Ash moaned in pain on the floor.
Nurse Joy from the Pokémon center approached the duo with an important message. "Ash Ketchum, you got a call from a girl in Johto, her name is May Maple and she is waiting for you on the videophone." That immediately caught the attention of the duo, especially Ash.
May rarely called him during her time in Sinnoh, so it must be something important. Looking at Dawn, all he got was a silent wave, and the boy ran toward the videophone.
Arriving at the communication device, what he saw was May's face. When she saw him, a shy smile appeared on her face.
"Hi Ash." May's teary voice did not go unnoticed.
"Hi May! How long, but are you okay? What happened?" Being reminded of the horrific event that had taken place less than an hour ago brought tears to May's face, leaving Ash extremely worried.
"I…sorry Ash, I can't say this over a video call, it's a personal thing, I hope you understand. So I have something to ask you, may I?"
"Of course you can May, I'm your friend, you can ask anything!" Ash's excited tone was something May only realized she missed after she received him at this point.
Rubbing her arms shyly, the girl looked at the boy on the screen and asked the crucial question of the night. "Ash... could I go back to traveling with you in Sinnoh?"
This question surprised him, did May want to travel with him again? As much as the news made him happy, her friend had a big festival to compete.
"Of course you can! But what about the big Johto festival?" The innocent question brought a bitter look to her friend's face.
"I'm not going to compete, please don't ask me why now, I'll explain everything when I'm comfortable. But can I really travel with you? I don't want to be a nuisance." Ash adopted an indignant look that startled her a little.
"Don't ever say that again! You're my friend, hell my best friend! I told you the day we said goodbye in Terracotta, I would always be willing to help you, no matter how far you went. I would cross this whole world if it meant helping you or making you happy." Those words made the brunette's heart skip a beat, if she didn't know her dense friend well, she would have taken it as a flirtation.
For the first time his smile was genuine. "Oh Ash, you don't know how happy I am to hear those words. Are you going to be in Sunyshore for a long time? I plan to catch a ship to Sinnoh later today and arrive early in the morning."
"I have a battle for my 8th Gym Badge, and you won't believe May, the champion of Sinnoh, and the Elite Four will come to watch. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere until you arrive. I'm staying at the Pokemon Center in town.
May nodded and flashed him a serene smile. How can she be afraid of her best friend rejecting her? Ash is the sweetest person she's ever met, and again he's surprised her with his heart of gold.
"Okay, I'll hang up, the ship should leave in a few minutes and I don't want to miss my transport. See you in Sinnoh tomorrow, good night Ash."
"Good night May." And with that the video call was ended and Ash left the place with a smile on his face, his old friend was coming back, he couldn't be happier. Returning to the front desk, Pikachu jumped on his shoulder with Dawn and Brock approaching shortly thereafter.
"So Ash, what did May want to talk to you about?" Dawn asked him and Ash scratched his head thinking about how to get his friends the latest news.
"So…May asked if she could travel with us around Sinnoh, and I said yes. Do you mind if May comes with us?" Brock smiled at his old friend, trying to dissuade him from any negative thoughts.
"Relax, of course we'd love to have May with us, wouldn't we Dawn?" The bluenette nodded excitedly.
"But of course Brock, it's going to be amazing to have a girl to talk to, I can't stand not being able to have girl talk, no offense guys."
"No outlet." Ash and Brock spoke at the same time, even Pikachu nodded in understanding.
"Let's go to sleep, tomorrow promises to be busy." Brock led the group into the bedroom and each chose a bed. Ash was the last to use the bathroom and left wearing only pajama pants, as his old clothes didn't fit him anymore because of his large physical size. While Brock was already asleep, Dawn blushed furiously seeing Ash shirtless, covering himself with the blanket, she whispered.
"Idiot..." Ash looked at her with narrowed eyes at the gratuitous offense, but decided to ignore it, it wouldn't be worth arguing with the girl before bed. A long time ago he learned that you never win an argument with a girl, they have some hidden talent for turning people against him.
Lying on his bed, Ash called out to his yellow Pokémon. "Come Pikachu, let's go to sleep, tomorrow May is back and we have our gym battle against Volkner." Pikachu jumped on the bed and lay down beside his friend's head.
"Pika" whispered the yellow mouse and everyone went to sleep.
The next day – Sunyshore Port
May finally arrived in Sinnoh after a night of traveling. Due to everything that had happened, she could barely sleep, but the brief conversation with her old friend lifted her spirits a little. Beautifly was perched on her head, eager to find the one human she liked to roost as much as her trainer.
Remembering what her ex-boyfriend did to her brought tears to her eyes, but remembering what had brought her to Sinnoh, she shook her head and wiped her eyes.
"Come on Beautifly, that bastard doesn't deserve my tears, this is a fresh start for all of us, and it will be nice to travel with the gang again." Taking one last look at the ocean, the Hoenn coordinator came into silent agreement with herself. Drew might have played with her heart and made her give up everything in Johto, but now she had Ash and her friends behind her, and that's all that matters.
Clenching her fist in determination, May took her first step into Sinnoh, ready to face new adventures, and overcome the pains of the past. Looking up at the sky, May's eyes widened slightly at the sight of Ho-Oh, which surprised her as the Legendary Pokémon was not native to this region.
Laughing at the irony of fate, May was sure that appearance could only mean good things, after all, Ash told her that Ho-Oh always appeared to him at the beginning of his journeys. Holding her half of the Terracotta ribbon, the girl continued on her way, ready to face whatever came her way.
