Hi all, I'm so sorry that I'm uploading quite late. My schedule has changed due to personal and other reasons, and I'm honestly struggling to keep up to my dead lines. Here's the latest chapter, though, and thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting my stories, it honestly means so much to me :)
Chapter 29Landing back on Nabiki Beach, May frowned as she saw how deserted it was of people. Her gaze flickering to her rival, she saw Drew flick his hair and saunter away, not even glancing back at her, having recalled his Flygon without another word to her.
Hearing an unusual bang, May's eyes flickered to the Riolu that had followed them both around the beach earlier. Behind it, she could see Zorua, appearing to watch her movements closely, its eyes glancing up at an elated stone wall nearby.
'What was that bang?' May asked, though her companion took no notice of her. Grimacing, she glanced around them, noticing a distinctive lack of pokémon nearby.
'Drew, don't you think it's a bit quiet?' May called, her eyes intent upon the frantic pokémon, the eon pokémon itself letting out a small cry at their distress.
Her rival paused slightly, his emerald eyes flickering around the beach. He pursed his lips as the sound of another explosion could be heard to their left, coming from some unexplored caves.
'The others are still fighting! Latias, stay here! We can't afford to have anyone see you!' May squeaked as she began to run, Riolu and Zorua hot on her heels.
'May!' Drew snarled, hesitating only slightly as they saw a frantic Solana running towards them, her red eyes flashing in confused anger.
'Solana, what's going on?' May called as the woman with teal hair rushed to them.
'I don't know how they've done it, but Team Bright Moon are trying to capture all of the pokémon. There's too many of them, we can't keep up. Raquaza help us, but the only people left with pokémon are Paul and Harley,' the young woman explained, her eyes frantically glancing back at them.
'And where are you headed if the situation is so dire?' Drew scowled at her, ignoring May's reproachful glance at him.
'I'm trying to get to the nearby base before it's too late,' Solana grimaced, as she wiped the sweat from her forehead on the back of her gloved hand.
'Then we'll help them hold the forces,' May grimaced before rushing ahead, ignoring Drew's pained groan.
'Wait, May!' Solana called, her eyes flickering to the younger woman.
'Yes?' May frowned, pausing to glance back at her.
'They're not afraid of fighting dirty. I didn't see it, but I heard Harley yelling about it. They had a pokémon knock Solidad out cold. I've never known anyone to fight like this, not even Team Aqua and Magma,' Solana grimaced before running back to Vientown.
'Solidad,' Drew whispered before bolting ahead of May, the blood draining from his face as she ran after him.
Running over puddles of water, May almost ran into Drew as he came to a stop to see a Buizel, Graveller and Blastoise kicking up a storm, all of the other pokémon having fainted around them. There was a Houndoom and Houndour burning a startled group of Pichu, who were crying their name in fear.
Seeing a flash of blue, May saw Dawn struggle with a Torterra, crying as she tried to shake the giant grass type in a futile plea for assistance.
Nearby stood Paul, recalling his Electivire who'd collapsed at his feet, his expression grim.
Harley was engaged in a battle nearby with a Gliscor, who was fighting his Cacturne. The profligate man seemed strained, his green eyes flickering around the battle field to study the remaining opponents.
Without skipping another beat, May released her pokémon, calling, 'Munchlax and Elgyem, take the stage!'
Ignoring Drew's wordless growl, May rushed forward, taking a stand beside Harley.
'Munchlax, use solar beam on that Buizel,' May called as her Munchlax rushed forward, calling his name eagerly. Turning her attention to her other pokémon, May continued, 'Elgyem, you use hidden power on Houndoom!'
'Flygon, use steel wing on that Graveller!' Drew called, stepping up beside May.
'Dawn, have you got any pokémon left?' May called to her friend, who whimpered and shook her head. Grimacing, she continued, 'what about you, Paul?'
The man responded with a scowl, returning Torterra.
'Let's take that as a no, hon,' Harley quipped as Drew glowered, 'we can't take them all on.'
'Damn, Solana was right,' May muttered, ignoring Drew's pessimism as she surveyed the chaos around them. The calamitous scene seemed like something out of a warzone, akin to the devastation inflected by Kyogre and Groudon.
Realising the two men were awaiting a response from her, she almost groaned in disbelief. Of all the times where she hadn't expected the young men to turn to her, they chose to do so at a time where she didn't have the patience or time to comfort their needs.
'Yes, we can. Harley, how many?' May retorted with more optimism than she felt, her tone clipped.
'Cacturne's it, sweetpea. Every time we face one opponent, another just jumps up. They've got an endless supply, and I'm almost out,' the man grimaced as May once again glanced around their disastrous surroundings.
'Then where are they coming from? Their army can't be limitless, they have to be gaining them from somewhere. We just need to put a stop to it,' May frowned as she searched the area around her.
'Drew, take care of Munchlax and Skitty for me,' May whispered as she grabbed a hold of his arm, returning her Elgyem. She knew that both her more experienced pokémon wouldn't let Drew down, not if she left them with him.
'What? Why?' Drew questioned, tearing his gaze from the field to her.
'Trust me on this, please,' May responded hurriedly, glancing at his eyes before forcing her eyes to her feet.
'May,' the man seethed, a dangerous tone entering his voice.
'They'll listen to you, I know they will,' May responded with as much determination as she could sum up. They'd proven it to her after refusing to step in during their reunion in that clearing. If Blaziken and Skitty didn't react, she knew none of her other pokémon would ignore him.
'What will you do?' Drew hissed, grabbing her arm to stop her from leaving.
'Nothing I wouldn't let my brother do,' May whispered up at him, momentarily losing herself and removing a lock of his hair from his forehead.
The man responded by opening his mouth, appearing stunned. She knew that Drew was now clued onto the dangers Max was constantly facing, and she had no intention of staying around long enough for him to respond.
Taking the opportunity, May rushed away from him, her face flushed as she ran back the way they'd come.
'Zorua, take care of Drew for me!' May called as she jumped over the small dark pokémon, who watched her with wary eyes.
Riolu hesitated once before saying something to his friend, running after May as she took the stone steps near the Marine Cave two at a time.
Reaching the top of the steps, she saw a nice outcrop of grass, on which stood a familiar trio.
'Not her again!' One of them glared as May fumbled with a pokéball, only to see Riolu jump before her.
'Riolu?' May frowned as the small fighting type called out to her, his red eyes standing out against the black fur around his eyes.
'Right, if you want to protect your friends from the cave, then I suppose that's the best way to do it,' May grinned back as she saw the trio unleash three pokémon from their pokéballs.
'Blaziken, help Riolu!' May called as she released her psychic type, noticing two Houndour and one Houndoom.
'All right, we can do this guys. Riolu, use bone rush on the left Houndour, Blaziken, you use sky uppercut on the other one!' May called as she saw the woman dressed in black scowl at her, her two upright tepigtails
'Houndour, use fire fang!' The blonde woman snapped as May watched Riolu jump over its head with ease.
'Dodge it, then use your attacks!' May called as she saw the two pokémon roll out of the way.
With an almighty roar, Blaziken ran his claw on the ground, charging for his opponent.
Riolu let out a slight grunt as he created a shimmering bone and used it to clobber the dark type, whose mouth sparked with fire. Instantly, it caught the small fighting type in his mouth, engrossing him in flames.
'Riolu! Blaziken, get him out of there!' May called as her starter pokémon dodged his own opponent to hit the dark type with a well-aimed blaze kick in the face, causing him to release Riolu with a yelp.
'Right, Blaziken, sky uppercut!' May called as the two black clad figures called, 'fire fang!'
The fire and fighting type's right claw glowed as he attacked the face of the first Houndour, the second pokémon grabbing his left arm in his fire emblazoned mouth.
'Blaziken!' May cried as Riolu created another glowing bone before him. Jumping between his ally and his foe, the fighting type bared his teeth in anger.
The smaller pokémon grunted as it hit the remaining Houndour's legs, causing it to hit the ground chin first.
'Go Riolu!' May cheered as Blaziken cried his name in equal anger.
'Enough!' A male voice called, interrupting the grunt's angered cry.
Blinking, May's eyes focused on the man clad in the white varsity jacket on the other side of the battle, the Houndoom grinning menacingly at her.
'You know what to do,' the man whispered, his smooth voice even as the Houndoom let out a giant inferno.
'Blaziken, protect Riolu and use overheat!' May snapped back, taking a step forward to see her closest friend jump before the tiny pokémon, emitting a giant inferno of flames from his beak. The two attacks collided, exploding at contact.
Watching the larger hound pokémon be consumed by flames as her starter pokémon jumped out of the way, May called, 'now go into sky uppercut before they can regroup!'
'Please, Houndoom, inferno,' the man snickered, appearing unperturbed.
Leaving Riolu by May's side, Blaziken jumped forward, his claw glowing white, slicing through the flames without a second thought.
'Feint attack follow it up with crunch,' the man glowered as May saw the pokémon disappear into thin air.
'Watch out, Blaziken, he can come from anywhere!' May called to her friend, who glanced around him carefully.
'Now!' The man barked as the Houndoom lurched forward, attacking Blaziken head on before opening his mouth.
'Blaze kick, quick!' May yelped as her pokémon's foot erupted into fire, colliding with the pokémon's lower stomach.
'Now, brave bird!' She continued as the man chuckled.
Blaziken began to glow white as he jumped out of the way, though his breathing was heavy from the exertion.
Sensing something touch her leg, May looked down to see Riolu pointing ahead of them, past the men, towards a tablet.
'Houndoom, feint attack, and hit it properly this time!' The man roared back, his previous humour having dissipated at last.
With a frown, May realised that it was a device she'd seen in pictures, which Max had shown to her from his studies in the Ranger School.
'Are you team Dim Sun?' She frowned, her eyes flickering to the man in disbelief.
'Please, we're nothing at all like them. We've just adapted the technology that already existed to meet our requirements. We tweaked it so we don't need that warped crystal and look at how much better it works!' The man laughed, sending a shiver of fear down May's spine.
'Blaziken, blaze kick and make it full power!' May called as she felt nothing but loathing for the man.
Riolu glared once before charging forward, dodging the mens' legs as he went.
'What the?' The man scowled as Blaziken hit the Houndoom straight in the face, his feet ablaze.
'Riolu, bone rush that thing, quick!' May yelled as Blaziken fell down to one knee.
Without hesitation, the small fighting type rushed through the pokémon battle, dodging Houndoom's angry snarl as May called, 'Blaziken, flame thrower!'
Her starter pokémon opened his beak to unleash a tirade of fire from his beak as May's eyes flickered from one pokémon to the next.
'Come on, Riolu, you can do it,' May whispered as she took in Blaziken's haggard appearance, as well as Houndoom's menacing glower. Her friend was running on empty, having battled the Mega Sharpedo in Samiya. She was relying on Riolu's success almost completely now.
'Blaziken, I know you're tired but you can do this. Those pokémon down there are relying on you, so are Dawn, Drew and Harley! We've got to do this, use brave bird!' May called, clenching her fist as her pokémon's blue eyes filled with her passion.
Calling his name, Blaziken's body once again began to glow white as Houndoom acted on its own, its body disappearing.
'Relax and listen for him, he can't have gone far!' May called, knowing her friend would find the dark type.
Seeing Riolu smash the tablet, May beamed, 'go Riolu, I knew you could do it!'
The small fighting type grinned up at her as the man in white scowled, 'this experiment was a success, that's all that matters. Runts, you know what to do.'
There was a flash of red followed by the all too familiar smokescreen.
Pulling her pokéball out of her pocket, May returned her Blaziken before calling, 'Riolu, we have to get out of here!'
The fighting type jumped over to her with ease as May rushed down the stairs, coughing as her throat clenched up, rejecting the putrid air.
'That was a close one. Are you ok?' May grimaced as she saw her newly attained friend stare up at her.
Petting his head slightly, May smiled before going, 'let's get you back to Zorua before she worries. You two are close, aren't you?'
Riolu nodded once as he followed May, his expression determined.