Zach vs Norman
May and Zach were busy relaxing in the hot springs of Lavaridge Town, May leaned her head up against her boyfriend while his arm was wrapped around her body. The two merely enjoying each other's company and how quiet it was, Lucario and Cinderace had given them space and hanged out in a different section of the springs though the jackal still checked in every once in awhile to make sure his trainer was okay.
The hours passed by and it soon started turning to dusk as the sun start to set for the day. "We should... really get back to the others now." From the tone of his voice May could tell that he'd much prefer to stay there and be alone with her.
May placed her hand on his chest and gazed into his eyes before planting a kiss on his mouth which he was quick to return, the two held each other for a few minutes as they embraced before eventually separating.
"You know, Petalburg's not that far from here, my parents going to want to meet you eventually so why not now?" May suggested with a light smile. "I-I know that yours aren't... around but I'd really like you to meet mine!"
Zach flushed a nervous shade of red as he rubbed his arm, worrying that he might leave a bad impression on her parents. Sure the two of them were eighteen and her parents didn't really have a say on the matter but he still wanted to leave a good impression and not be on bad terms with them. But on the other hand May looked like she really wanted to go and he couldn't bear to break her heart so he flashed her a nervous smile before nodding.
"A-Alright if that's what you want then I'll meet them!" May let out a squeal before kissing him on the lips once more.
"Oh they're going to love you, I just know it!"
The group arrived in Petalburg City the following evening, Ash saw no problem going since he wasn't sure what his next move would be yet and it'd give him some time to think it over. Immediately upon arrival the group was assaulted by a fairly large crowd of locals who were quite excited to see their Gym Leader's daughter once more!
"May Maple, you're back!"
"Win any contests lately?"
"So this is the young man whose stolen May's heart!"
May sweated at the regular behavior and turned to Zach to apologize as some of the attention was turned to him before noticing that he'd tensed up and frozen in place due to being surrounded by all those people.
"Carrr!" Lucario began pushing people aside with a growl.
"Mind stepping away please? My boyfriend doesn't mix well with crowds!" May grabbed onto his hand and held it tightly as she said that, reassuring him that everything was okay. The locals quickly backed away from them upon her asking causing May to smile and thank them before continuing the walk towards Petalburg Gym.
Marnie could sense that it was probably best for it to just be the two of them for a bit, that's how she'd want it when it finally came to introducing her brother to Ash and thankfully that would be quite some time seeing how Zach needed to obtain three more badges! She grabbed a hold of Ash's arm before beckoning towards a nearby training field. "Why don't the two of us train and give them some space?"
"Huh?" Ash blinked in confusion causing Marnie to lightly roll her eyes before whispering into his ear, clueing him in to the fact they deserved privacy for this as Ash suddenly went wide eyed. "Y-Yeah sure, let's go train!"
"And I'll go see if I can talk with my folks, let them know what I've been up to." Chloe spoke, wishing the two of them luck before walking towards the Pokemon Center and leaving the two of them alone.
May continued holding onto Zach's hand and gave him an affectionate glance before motioning towards the local gym. "Shall we?"
Zach gave her hand a tight squeeze as he nodded in response. The two soon walked on into the gym and Zach took a leap back from surprise as a Vigoroth leaped down and let out a cry before hugging May, the girl laughed before giving the Normal type a light shove to get him off.
"It's good to see you too, Vigoroth! Are mom and dad around?"
"May sweetie is that you?" Caroline called out from around the corner, soon coming into view and forming a large smile upon spotting her daughter. "May!"
"Mom!" May let go of Zach's hand as she rushed over to hug her mother. May pulled away after a bit before looking back towards Zach who gave a nervous wave as Caroline turned her attention towards him. "Mom I'd like you to meet-"
"So this is the Zach you never shut up about the past few months!" Caroline deduced. May's face shot bright red as she cried out in protest, Zach's face was also burning brightly as he couldn't help but wonder when it was that May started talking about him. "He's definitely quite the looker for your age, I can see why you fell for him." Caroline then gave him a light wave. "Hey there, it's an honor to meet you. I trust you've been treating my daughter alright?"
"O-Of course, I'd never do anything to hurt her! She means more to me than anything!" Caroline couldn't help but smirk as she picked up the honesty in his words, knowing that he meant every word he said. A light giggle escaped from her throat as she heard his stomach growling out followed by Cinderace's as the rabbit held her belly with a sheepish look.
"You all must be hungry, lucky for you I've just made lunch! Why don't you and your Pokemon join us?"
"Ace!" Cinderace quickly accepted her offer with an eager nod, Lucario remained quiet and focused his gaze on his trainer.
"I-I'd be honored!" May smiled and held onto his hand as the two followed Caroline to the dining room where plenty of food was set up including Pokemon chow.
"We kind of knew you were coming, sorry but Norman's fans are loudmouths." Caroline laughed out.
"Oh no, I understand!" May giggled.
"So this is the one, huh?" Norman entered the room, his arms crossed as he gave off an unreadable expression while looking Zach over. Zach started to sweat nervously as Norman kept that going for what felt like an hour to him before eventually sitting down. "Take a seat and grab some food, your Pokemon are free to take however much of the Pokemon chow as they want-"
"Ace!" Cinderace rushed forward and began scarfing Pokemon chow down her mouth as Zach lightly sweat dropped while Lucario shook his head silently.
"S-Sorry, she gets crazy when it comes to food sometimes!" He reached for the other Pokeballs and sent out Dragonair, Eevee, Zeraora, and Obstagoon with the badger Pokemon immediately pulling his trainer in for a tight hug upon release!
"Obstagoon!" Obstagoon cried out while his trainer gasped for air and struggled to escape his grasp.
"O-Obstagoon I just saw you an hour ago!"
"Obsta!"
"Dragooo!" Dragonair joined in, wrapping her body around her trainer and Obstagoon.
"Well his Pokemon sure have an attachment to him," Norman noted before his eyes turned towards Eevee who eat his food silently and didn't seem as excited as the others. "What's the story with him?"
"Oh, Eevee? He was abandoned by a trainer and Zach took him in, he's got a permanent space on the team alongside those two until he gets settled in." May motioned towards Lucario and Cinderace. "He knows that Eevee probably wouldn't get any better sitting in a lab and feeling like he's being abandoned again."
"Sounds like he cares for Pokemon a great deal, I trust he feels the same way about you?" Norman turned his gaze back to his daughter.
"Definitely at a simple request he promised to stop training so seriously and take a break to just enjoy the sights with me! He hasn't gone back on his word and had no issue agreeing to it!" May spoke while giving her boyfriend an affectionate smile before turning into laughter as Zeraora pounced on into the group hug and pinned the others to the floor with a loud purr!
"I see..." Norman focused his gaze on Zach with his expression continuing to be unreadable.
"Thanks for the food miss, it was great! Cinderace definitely agrees with me," Cinderace nodded her head with a large smile, her stomach bloated out from her feasting!
"Please call me Caroline," May's mom smiled. "And thank you, that means a lot!"
Norman had his arms crossed as he continued giving Zach a blank stare before finally standing up and speaking up.
"I'd like to battle you, I want to see you and your Pokemon in action. Prove to me that you're good enough for my daughter." Norman spoke.
"I-I'd like to but I can't, I promised May!" May glared at her father's words finding it quite unusual for him before forming an affectionate smile as she planted a kiss on her boyfriend's cheek.
"I'll allow it just this once," May held his hand to show him that it was okay as the two gazed into each other's eyes. "But you owe me a beach date!"
Zach flashed her a smirk and gave a light nod before turning his attention towards Norman. "In that case I accept, my Pokemon and I will prove my love for her!"
"Ace!"
"Carrr!" His partner Pokemon backed him up.
"I'll hold you to that," Norman led him towards the battlefield before getting into position. "We'll each use three Pokemon, whoever runs out first will lose and be forced to admit the winner was right!"
Zach gritted his teeth at that before May reassuringly placed her hand on his shoulder. "I'll stay by your side whatever happens, don't let him get to you!" She planted a kiss on his cheek which quickly worked at calming him. "Good luck!"
Zach cast May a loving glance before pointing forward. "Cinderace, let's show him what we're made of!"
"Ace!" Cinderace eagerly leaped forward.
"Castform!" Norman called out as the small cute Normal Pokemon flew out from a nearby tree and took position in front of him. Zach gazed at the Pokemon for a moment before pulling out his Rotom Phone.
"They don't have those in Galar..."
"Castform the Weather Pokemon. Castform borrows the power of nature to transform itself into the guises of the sun, rain, and snow clouds. This Pokemon's feelings change with the weather!"
"Pyro Ball!" Cinderace kicked up a small rock from the before launching it up with a fiery kick, sending the flaming rock flying before striking Castform in the face! Castform twirled about in the air before regaining balance, the Pokemon uttered out a cry as Norman flashed a light smirk before throwing out his arm!
"Hydro Pump!"
"What?! Cinderace dodge with Flame Charge!" Unfortunately due to the element of surprise Castform quickly killed the flames of Cinderace's attacks and putting an end to the attack! Cinderace let out a growl as her fur was soaked, giving Castform a glare in return.
"Electro Ball!"
"Ace!" Cinderace formed a sphere of electricity between her paws before dropping it and sending it flying at Castform with a powerful kick!
"Cast!" Castform was sent flying across the gym upon impact, the Normal type crashed directly into a wall before starting to gradually slide downwards as swirls formed within the Pokemon's eyes.
"Alright, we did it!"
"Ace!" Zach and Cinderace high fived each other as Norman returned Castform to his Pokeball.
"Don't get too cocky, that was merely a test to see how strong you were. Kangaskhan!" The Kantonian Normal type burst from a nearby bush and let out a loud cry.
"Now that's more like it, I like a challenge!" Zach smirked at the sight, the smirk soon vanished as soon as it came as Norman pulled up his sleeve to reveal a Mega Ring! "Oh come on, am I the only one without one?!" Zach hung his head with a groan as the pink light enveloped Kangaskhan, she herself didn't change but her baby had grown larger and stood alongside her ready to fight as one!
"Earthquake!" The two began leaping up and down, causing the ground beneath them to shake and rumble. Cinderace's legs wobbled before shockwaves knocked her off her feet and onto her back!
"Cinderace!" Zach called out with a worried tone before his Fire starter shot upwards and shot him a smirk before turning her gaze back towards her opponent. "Let's do this then, Pyro Ball!" Cinderace kicked up another pebble before delivering a fiery kick, sending the pebble flying before it came crashing into Kangaskhan! The Normal type was knocked back but it didn't look too affected by the blow causing Zach and Cinderace to sweat nervously as she was one of the strongest Pokemon he had!
"Double Hit!" Both Kangaskhan rushed forward and struck Cinderace across her face with their tails in a repetitive fashion, Cinderace was knocked back and forth between the two before quickly collapsing in defeat as swirls formed within her eyes.
"Cinderace!" Zach rushed out and grabbed hold of her arm to help his defeated Pokemon up and off the battlefield, holding out a Sitrus berry with his other hand. Cinderace opened her eyes and smiled at her trainer before eating the berry with a soft apologetic cry. "You did great Cinderace, don't worry about it! Lucario will handle it from here!"
Lucario nodded and took his position on the field with a growl while Zach helped Cinderace off the field and helped her get seated. "Now take a rest, Lucario use Aura Sphere!" He didn't waste time on attacking as Lucario charged up a sphere of aura energy before blasting it across the field, the baby Kangaskhan was sent flying before landing in a defeated slump but unfortunately that only enraged Kangaskhan as her parental instincts kicked in.
"Fire Punch!"
"Dodge with Extreme Speed, then use Bone Rush!"
Kangaskhan charged across the field at a much faster surprising speed, her fist ignited in fire as she took a swing at Lucario with the jackal letting out a grunt as the attack grazed his backside. Lucario struck hard from behind before following up by striking Kangaskhan with his aura infused bone club! Kangaskhan was knocked off her feet before quickly shooting back up with a fiery glare.
"Fire Punch!" Kangaskhan rushed at Lucario as she pulled back a fiery fist before striking Lucario directly in the stomach! The jackal's eyes went wide from the critical hit as he was sent flying through the air and proceed to crash against a nearby tree! He collapsed to the ground as his eyes reduced to swirls, tongue lolling outwards as he groaned out.
"Lucario!" Norman watched as much like Cinderace before Zach rushed on over to help Lucario up and offer him a Sitrus berry, the jackal let out a grunt before smiling at his trainer as he began limping towards Cinderace. Zach walked back into position with a conflicted look. He wasn't sure who to use next, Obstagoon was the only one close enough to Lucario and Cinderace in power and skill but with Fighting attacks and a third Pokemon in wait that put him at a disadvantage. Dragonair soon slithered forward and let out a coo causing him to look up upon her offer.
"Dragonair you sure?" Dragonair nodded her head with a coo causing Zach to form a light smirk before nodding back. "Well alright then, Dragon Dance!"
Dragonair let out a coo, proceeding to spin around as orange energy covered up her body.
"Dragon Rush!" Dragonair's body became enveloped in a light blue aura as she flew forward and slammed her body up against Kangaskhan! The Mega Evolution shook off the attack with a growl.
"Ice Punch!"
"Kanga!" Kangaskhan's fist turned to ice as she lashed out and struck Dragonair, the Dragon type cried out in pain before quickly following to the ground!
"Dragonair?!" Zach was about to rush out to check on her before the Dragon type slowly began to rise, a determined expression on her face followed by a loud cry as her body became surrounded in a blinding blue light! Her body expanded and grew more dragon-like as she no longer had the serpentine shape of her previous stages! Her blue coloring shed off to reveal light orange skin beneath, the wings that donned her head fell off as two antennae sprouted out in their place while a set of wings burst from her back! The light faded away to reveal the form of Dragonite, the mighty dragon looked severely weakened but was eager to prove herself to her trainer and didn't want to let him down!
"Dragooo!"
"Dragonite the Dragon Pokemon, it's a kindhearted Pokemon. If it spots a drowning person or Pokemon, Dragonite simply must help them! Incur the wrath of this normally calm Pokemon at your peril, because it will smash everything to smithereens before it's satisfied!" The Rotom Phone read out as it registered Dragonite's data.
"Dragooo!" Dragonite's expression turned to anger as she narrowed her eyes at Kangaskhan. An alert popped up on Zach's Rotom Phone, alerting him to a new move of hers!
"Thunder Punch!" Dragonite's fist crackled with electricity as she took a hard swing at Kangaskhan and bashed her fist against the Pokemon's skull with surprising strength! Kangaskhan immediately toppled onto her side as the pink light surrounded her to reveal her defeat, Dragonite let out a heavy pant as she stared down at the defeated Pokemon before her eyes rolled upwards and she toppled over onto her back from exhaustion with a loud thud!
Zach formed a light smile as he returned Dragonite to her ball. "You were awesome Dragonite, I couldn't ask any better of you!" He was sad he lost seeing how Norman still had one Pokemon in reserve but he wasn't going to hold his Pokemon accountable, Norman was simply stronger than him. But at least they managed to take down a Mega!
A smile crossed Norman's face as he slowly began clapping his hands together. "Well done, you passed the test!"
"Huh?" Zach looked confused before Norman clued him in.
"I wanted to see your Pokemon in action to see just how strong the connection between you and your Pokemon is outside of battle, I can tell May's happy and I wouldn't dream of tearing you away from her! I just wanted to see how far your love goes, it's clear that you care a lot for those close to you and they share that feeling towards you, Dragonair didn't want to let you down so she summoned up the last of her strength to evolve and deliver a finishing blow just to make you proud! I have no doubt that you two will have a happy life together!" Norman gave Zach a thumbs up as he gave him his approval, Zach sweated nervously before bowing in appreciation.
"Thank you sir,"
"No need for that, call me Norman!" Norman smirked before reaching out to shake his hand. "And good luck on your quest to become the Galar champ, with a bit more training I think you might just about manage it!"
"Here are are, the Regigigas ruin!" Shade smirked as he gazed around the surrounding area. Courtney narrowed her eyes as she could swear he looked as if he was reminiscing. The two began their descent into the ruin followed by some Rocket grunts, Courtney immediately had a freaked out expression upon spotting what seemed to be statues at first but upon closer examination she could see fear and shock in the eyes of the various men and women, their positions seemed quite frightened and the detail looked almost too good to be merely art given the age they'd have to be.
Her gaze turned towards some art on the wall, most of it was faded but she noticed a red demonic looking wing remained on one wall, the rest was too faded to get a good read on what was meant to be picturized. However once they came to the end she noticed one picture that remained in picture form! In it huts were lit aflame or utterly destroyed, trees thrown about and Pokemon fleeing in terror as the titan known as Regigigas tore through the land! What really stuck out to her though was two people seemed to be in command of the creature, she hadn't met anyone that resembled the first but the second guy was right next to her! Courtney's heartbeat started increasing as she flashed a frightened glance at Shade.
"T-That's you..."
Shade turned to her with a devious smirk as he eyed the picture. "So many fond memories, oh I miss my master... but I aim to bring him back and that fool Giovanni is unwittingly helping me do just that! Oh Red, the world will soon see your glory." He spoke as he pulled up the sleeve of his robe.
"R-Red? Who the hell is Red?!" Courtney asked with a growl. She turned to her men and shouted out to them. "Stop him, he can't open that door! We were foolish to even try it!"
The Rocket grunts looked at one another before rushing Shade only for him to turn around and reveal a sentient black blob on his arm. The blob leaped forth and bounced from Rocket grunt to Rocket grunt, slowly turning each of them to stone at a simple touch! Courtney let out a terrified cry, casting Shade a glance before making an attempt to save her own life before the blob took a long leap and hit her right before she could reach the ruin's exit and the safety of the sun light!
"You knew my secret, can't let anyone know." He smirked, throwing forth Regirock, Registeel and Regice from their containment as the wall containing the art proceeded to shatter before several red eyes lit up the room in a bright light followed by an incomprehensible cry!
"Regigigas my old friend, it's time to spread a little chaos!"
