Chapter 9: Ash vs Max
Well here's chapter 9. First we'll start out with a little bang as Ash and Max fulfill their promise to each other to battle. But we'll also probably get into the drama of a love triangle since Misty is after Ash as well, and she's legal to date him right now! Please share any thoughts you have in a review, as long as its not super mean. I'm open to constructive criticism. I unfortunately lost a favorite last time, but what can you do? If something throws you off feel free to put that in a review so I can learn to improve along the way. If you are wondering when Ash and May will officially get together here that probably won't be until the end of this fanfic as May still has several months before she turns 14 here. That will give Misty a lot of time to make her move and possibly win Ash over, or will it? How long before Team Rocket, Giovanni, and Phantom strike? Probably not more than a few chapters from now.
"Misty so good to see you!" Brock said as he stepped forward and greeted his old companion.
"Hey Brock!" Misty said as she walked up to him and Ash.
"The old gang's back together again!" Ash said as he held out his hand.
Misty and Brock both put their hands on top of his.
"Pika!" Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder and into Misty's arms.
The redhead giggled as she hugged the electric mouse. "Good to see you too Pikachu!" She looked at the small crowd in the doorway. "May, Max!"
"Hey!" Max said with a smile.
"Hi," May said simply.
"Hi Misty," Dawn said walking forward to meet the gym leader. "I'm Dawn."
"Hi, you must be the girl Ash was traveling with through the Sinnoh region with," Misty said as she stepped forward and shook the younger girl's hand.
"Yeah. He told me a bit about you. You're the Gym Leader in Cerulean city huh, and you like Water Pokemon?"
"Yep, that's me," Misty said.
"Well, you're quite young to be a Gym Leader," Norman said. "We've heard about you from our children. I'm Norman and this is my wife Caroline, we're May and Max's parents."
"Good to meet you!" Misty said as she shook the other Gym Leaders hand now. "Max tells me your pretty tough."
"I'm decent enough," Norman said before turning to the woman of the house. "It's good to finally meet you in person Delia."
"Likewise, Norman," Ash's mother said. "I'm glad we finally get the chance to meet. Can't believe it was over three years ago our children met. Time sure goes by."
"Indeed," Caroline added.
"Mom!" Ash said as he walked up to his mother.
"Hi son!" she wrapped his arms around him.
Mother and son remained like that for a moment and then broke apart. Delia then turned back to her guests. She counted them up.
"Let's see, Misty, Brock, May, Dawn, Max, and… seven! Well I'm afraid we're a bit short on beds. We have two guest rooms, usually Brock sleeps in one but I'm sure he wouldn't mind giving it up to you and Caroline Norman. But I'm afraid we only have one bunk bed in the guest room."
"I can sleep on the couch!" Brock offered. "Then I can see Officer Jenny right outside! Ow!"
He received an earpull by both Misty and Max.
"You are going to have the bunk room with me!" Max said.
"Cro!" Crogunk had just come out of its pokeball, poison jab ready. It looked at its fellow Brock stoppers without changing its expression.
Misty shivered as she saw the purple frog behind her. "Uggh… that's not a bug type is it?"
"What Crogunk? No, it's a poison Pokémon. Why?" Dawn asked.
"Oh. Okay, that's good. I hate bug Pokémon. They really bug me!" Misty told her.
"I remember she got scared of a little Caterpie back when I caught one!" Ash said.
"Yeah, cause it was so slimy and getting near me!" Misty shouted.
"It was trying to be friendly! And you liked it when it turned into a Butterfree!" Ash said.
"Yeah cause it wasn't all icky! I don't mind beautiful bug pokemon like Butterfree or Ledbya!" Misty said.
"Okay, easy guys! We just got back! Let's not ruin a nice friendly reunion!" Brock said as he put a hand on both their shoulders as they glared at each other.
"Fine," Ash and Misty both said together.
May looked at them. Ash had mentioned they used to be prone to fighting each other. It was kind of similar to her and Drew at the beginning. He'd often make fun of her techniques and brag that he would beat her. She frowned, pushing the thought of Drew away as an image of his betrayal popped in her brain. Him holding out the rose to Brianna as the girl blushed.
"Hey Ash! You said we could have a battle when got back to Pallet Town!" Max said eagerly.
"Oh yeah! Let's do it!" Ash said.
They stepped outside. Officer Jenny and her police officers were setting up a camp around the house for security. Growlithe stood by her side.
Ash and Max faced each other.
"Alright Ash! I'm ready!"
"Okay!" Ash said.
"Try and go easy on him Ash, he's only been a trainer for three months now!" May shouted.
"Hey! Just cause I'm less experienced doesn't mean I don't have a chance!" Max said to his sister. "Afterall… who lost to Dawn in the Wallace Cup?"
May grit her teeth at this.
"Don't worry Max I'll try not to be too rough or too easy," Ash said. "Let's just have fun!"
"You got a deal Ash!" Max said. "Been waiting over a year for this!"
"Okay, well how about we do a three-on-three pokemon battle?" Ash asked.
"Fine with me!"
Ash drew a pokeball. He knew that Max's pokemon were probably at a much lower level than his were, but there was still type advantage to take into account. Of course, they had no idea which pokemon the other would be using, and half of Max's pokemon were normal types which didn't have many weaknesses. Aside from-
"Alright! Infernape go! Ash said.
The flaming Ape Pokémon materialized and pounded its chest.
"Infernape huh?" Max said. "Fighting and fire. Hmm… then I know! Wingull, I choose you!"
Max threw his own pokeball and the white and blue seagull pokemon emerged.
"Wingull! Gul! Gul!" it flapped its wings.
"Good choice Max!" Norman commended as he stood by with his wife, daughter, Dawn and Misty as they watched the battle. "Wingull is both a water and flying pokemon so it has a serious advantage over Infernape!"
"Still Infernape is a fully evolved pokemon! This is probably in Ash's favor!" May said.
"Come on Max! Show off the awesomeness of your water type pokemon!" Misty said.
"Thanks for the cheer, Misty!" Max said.
"What you prefer him over me?" Ash asked looking at his first female companion.
"It's nothing personal, Ash! Just rooting for my favorite type is all!" Misty said. "You do your best too!"
"Come on Ash! Knock my brother down!" May said.
"Well let's get going!" Max said. "Wingull start out with supersonic!"
"Gull!"
Sound waves traveled from the orange-yellow beak of the Pokémon and hit Infernape who began losing its balance. Max had started out by trying to put Ash's more experienced Pokémon in a state where it might not be able to attack. Brawn wasn't the only thing that mattered in a battle, you needed brains to win.
"Oh no!" Ash said.
"Now water gun!"
A spray of water flew from Wingull's beak now. It hit Infernape who grunted in pain.
"Infernape, try a Mach Punch!" Ash ordered.
Infernape didn't respond.
"Wing attack!"
Wingull flew at Infernape and hit it with its wings.
"Yeah come on Max you might be able to win!" Caroline cheered for her son.
"Thanks mom!" Max waved at her. "Water gun again!"
And Infernape was sprayed again. This wasn't looking good.
"Ugh! Come on Infernape snap out of it!" Ash ordered.
At that moment the confusion wore off.
"Alright! Infernape close combat!"
"Quick, fly and use supersonic again!" Max tried to order.
"Oh no you don't! Infernape switch to quick attack!"
The fiery ape moved in a flash ramming into the Wingull and doing massive damage.
"Water gun!"
"Flame thrower!"
The two water and fire attacks collided, but the flamethrower was too powerful for the little Wingull to put out. Its water gun was evaporated and the seagull pokemon was hit. It fell down to the ground with swirl eyes.
"Wingull is unable to battle, Infernape is the winner!" Brock said raising a hand in Ash's direction. "Round two!"
"Good job Infernape! You take a rest!" Ash said.
Max recalled his Wingull. "Good job Wingull, especially for going up against a fully evolved Pokémon."
He looked back at Ash. "Okay well you don't have any other fighting pokemon right?"
Ash shook his head. "My Sinnoh Pokémon were Gliscor, Gible, Infernape, Torterra, and Staraptor. Though Staraptor does know Close Combat, and Gible has Rock Smash."
Max sweat dropped as Ash pulled out a pokeball and threw it. A small blue gray pokemon with a red stomach and a shark life fin on its back emerged.
"Gib, gib, Gible!"
"Gible huh? Alright then. Zangoose you're up!"
The red and white Pokémon appeared. "Zangoose!"
"Alright Gible use Rock Smash!" Ash ordered.
"Double Team Zangoose!"
More Zangooses appeared and Gible passed through a copy harmlessly.
"Keep attacking till you find the real one!"
"Swords dance!" Max ordered with a smile.
Zangoose raised its claws and waved them around. Its attack was now boosted as Gible shot through copy after copy. Now there was only one left.
"Slash attack!"
Zangoose struck with its sharp claws. Gible was thrown back and hit a nearby tree.
"Gible is unable to battle! Round two goes to Max!"
"Yeah, you did it Zangoose!" Max said as he recalled his Pokémon.
"Alright Pikachu!" Ash said.
"Pika!" It ran onto the field.
"Pikachu. Oh boy. I'm in trouble," Max said. "Ah well, I'll just give it my best! Ralts, go!"
He threw his third Pokeball and the little green and white Pokémon with the red at the top appeared. This was it, the final round.
"Pikachu thunderbolt attack!" Ash ordered.
Pikachu jumped into the air and let out its signature thunderbolt attack.
"Ralts teleport!"
The small psychic pokemon disappeared and the thunderbolt hit the spot where it had been. Ralts reappeared a second later a few feet away. Pikachu shot another Thunderbolt, but Ralts simply teleported again.
"Confusion!"
Pikachu was raised into the air and battered against the ground.
"You okay Pikachu?" Ash asked.
"Pika!" It was up again.
"I knew that wouldn't be enough to take down old Pikachu!" Max said. "Well let's try this! Hypnosis!"
Ash gasped, Hypnosis would put Pikachu to sleep, making it an easy target for defeat. But Ash had developed a special technique designed to counter Hypnosis.
"Pikachu Counter Shield!" Ash ordered.
"Huh?" Max exclaimed, he hadn't heard of that move before.
Pikachu spun around on the ground, shooting bolts of electricity as it did so. That created a shield that blocked Ralts hypnosis and also hit the Psychic Pokemon.
"Whoa, what's that?" May asked.
"It's a technique they used against the Hearthome Gym Leader Fantina!" Dawn explained. "I haven't seen it for a while."
Ralts was barely standing after getting hit with the dual offensive and defensive move.
"Alright Pikachu lets finish this! Volt Tackle!" Ash ordered.
Pikachu ran at Ralts, sparkling with electricity as it did so. The small Pokémon was in no shape to dodge and got hit. It hit the ground and was down.
Max sighed. "Well, maybe next time."
He recalled Ralts then faced Ash.
"You didn't do too bad Max!" Ash said as he extended a hand to shake.
"Thanks Ash. I'll get stronger, and someday I'll beat you!"
"That's the spirit!" Ash encouraged with a smile. "It was a good battle."
"Good work son. You did good for going up against someone as experienced as Ash," Norman said.
"Yeah, you didn't do too bad. But I knew Ash would win!" May said with a blush.
"Thanks May," Ash said.
"Hey everyone, snacks are ready!" Delia stepped outside and waved.
"Alright, time for some chips and celery with peanut butter!" Ash said as he walked back into his house.
But suddenly someone grabbed his hand as he walked through the door. He looked and saw Misty.
"Ash, I need to talk to you," Misty said.
May watched from behind, a bad feeling in her chest.
Well Misty is about to make her move? What will May do? Also, I noticed something when I was writing this. Ash caught six pokemon in Sinnoh, Gliscor, Infernape, Torterra, Staraptor, Gible, and Buizel. But with Pikachu that makes a total of 7 Pokemon, yet trainers can only carry six at a time. I don't recall Ash sending a Pokemon to Professor Oak's lab. But then he did have six pokemon altogether during the Johto Conference besides Pikachu. What's up with that?