Here's chapter 26 for you guys. Let's enjoy it. Like a Family.
Caroline and Delia both went over to the cabinet that contained some foodstuffs. As Delia pulled out some packages of noodles, Caroline whispered to her, "You know, right?"
"Of course," Delia responded, not taking her eyes off of the meal she was beginning to prepare. "Mother's intuition and all."
"What do you think?" Caroline asked, gathering the pots and pans necessary to fix the meal.
"I think it's adorable," Delia smiled. "Ash has never shown interest in girls before. I was almost worried that he'd swing the other way."
"Well," Caroline began to voice her concern, "I'm a bit worried. Aren't you concerned about them traveling without any supervision? They might start to experiment with things…"
"It's not like they'll be completely unsupervised," Delia reminded her. "Brock is always with them, and they wouldn't try anything in front of May's little brother."
"I suppose you're right," Caroline smiled. "May gets awfully shy about her own love life."
"I wonder if they've told each other, yet?" Delia giggled. She placed the noodles in the pot of boiling water.
"No, there's another boy May likes, as well as Ash," Caroline began crushing tomatoes for a sauce.
"Really?" Delia blinked. "Well, I bet he's nothing compared to my Ash."
"Well, this boy has been giving May roses as they've met during their travels," Caroline defended the green haired coordinator.
"Ash is a perfect gentleman," Delia replied. "He may not be the most romantically minded, but he tries to be as sweet and kind as possible."
"I wonder which she'll end up picking…" Caroline whispered to herself.
Norman walked outside with his eyes to the sky. Ash's Noctowl flew silently across the sky before landing obediently on the trainer's arm.
"Your Noctowl's such a pretty color, Ash," May smiled, reaching her hands toward it. Noctowl opened his wings to allow the coordinator to rub his belly. May rubbed his soft feathers and smiled as the Owl Pokémon let out a long, relaxed hoot.
"It's also rather small for a Noctowl," Norman commented, stepping to the trainers.
"Oh, hi, Daddy," May smiled, stepping back.
"Yeah, when I caught him, the scientist who was researching him said he was small for a Noctowl," Ash said, rubbing the chin of his Flying-Type. "His psychic powers help me win one of my Johto Gym Badges," he told the powerful Gym Leader.
"You certainly are lucky to own such a rare Pokémon," Norman commented. "It's not ordinary to see a Pokémon look radically different from the rest of it's species in that region."
"I guess so," Ash sighed, "but I think luckier things have happened to me." May and Pikachu walked over to Max and Cyndi and started to play tag with them.
"Really?" Norman asked. "Like what?"
"Well, I've made lotsa friends in my journey," Ash explained. "I've met all kinds of trainers, and Pokémon. But the one I'm most thankful for the chance to have met is May."
"Now, why do you say that?" Norman asked, laughing slightly.
"When I met May, she was a lot like I was when I started as a trainer," Ash looked at her. "I had some more experienced trainers look over me as I started, and I was glad to be able to give part of that back. Being May's mentor has helped me learn a lot about myself. I've learned about things I don't think anyone else could have shown me…" He blushed as his thought ended, his mind growing clouded by thoughts of the girl he loved.
"Like what?" Norman asked him, completely unaware of the boy's feelings.
Ash gulped. "Well, she's shown me some cool new battle techniques that I'd never have come up with myself," he laughed, hoping he was believable.
Norman didn't seem the wiser. "Well, it seems that the student has taught the master, now hasn't it?" he cracked.
"Ye-yeah," Ash stuttered.
"I'm glad May and Max have someone like you to look up to," Norman told the boy. "You've been a great influence on May, in particular. She never really liked Pokémon as a child, and now I see her having fun and loving them, and I don't know how to thank you."
Not killing me when I tell you I love her would be a start, he thought. "Don't worry about it. I love May-" he slipped. "I mean, having her around!" he quickly started to laugh a loud, false laugh.
"Yes, of course," Norman laughed as well, ignoring the boy's Freudian slip.
"I didn't expect the Petalburg Gym Leader to be here," they heard a voice come from behind them. Ash, Norman, and Noctowl all turned their heads to see May's rival standing behind them.
"And you are…?" Norman asked the green haired stranger.
"Oh, we've never met, have we?" Drew smiled as he walked up to May's father. "I'm Drew, one of May's friends," he added bowing respectfully.
"Oh, you're the boy that beat May in the Hoenn Grand Festival, aren't you?" Norman recognized him.
Drew gulped. "Y-y-yeah?"
"I'm glad May has made so many friends on her journey," Norman laughed. Drew gave a sigh of relief.
May had noticed who had arrived and ran over to meet him. "Hey, Drew! What are you doing here?"
"I came to talk to you," Drew smiled, beckoning her to follow him. The two coordinators walked to the other side of the building away from Ash, Norman and the children.
In his heart, Ash felt a stabbing pain as the dagger of jealousy entered his heart.
"So why did we come over here?" May asked Drew when they were out of Norman's sight.
"I wanted to invite you on a moonlight picnic," Drew smiled. "I've already got everything ready, so all you have to do is come with me, if you want."
"That sounds wonderful, Drew," May giggled. "Sure, I'll come with you, just let me get my Pokéballs-"
"Oh, you won't need those," Drew waved off her concern. "It'll be safe. Trust me."
"Okay, then," May smiled. "Let's go." She felt slightly guilty about leaving Ash and her father, but she wanted to spend some time with Drew to help her make her decision. In the bushes behind the coordinators, two ears twitched to what they heard.
"Pikapi!" Ash's partner called to the boy who was making small talk with Norman.
"What is it, Pikachu?" Ash asked him. Pikachu ran back to where he heard the conversation. Norman walked over to talk to his son and Ash followed his Pokémon with Noctowl flying silently behind.
Pikachu flipped his ears snobbishly. "Pikachu, pi pika pikachu pika pi?" He then pulled his ears down to the sides of his head. "Chaa, pika, Chuu, Pika pikachu!"
Ash felt his face turn as pale as a sheet. "You… you're joking?"
Pikachu leapt to his trainer's shoulder, trying to console him. Ash felt tears returning. Why does it hurt this time? he wondered. Why does it matter to me that she's going with stupid Drew on a picnic? He kicked the ground at his feet, fighting back the tears. His Noctowl landed on his opposite shoulder, hooting quietly.
Ash rubbed his eye to dispel the tears that had formed and had a flash of inspiration. "Noctowl, can you go follow May for me?" Pikachu and the owl Pokémon gasped at the request. "I don't mean to sabotage the entire thing, but to watch her. I… I really love her, guys." He started to shake from his own words. "I don't want Drew to do anything bad to her. If I can't be there in person, then can't I ask my Pokémon to watch over her in my place?"
Noctowl nodded and began to fly after May and Drew on his soft, silent wings. Ash silently thanked his Pokémon as he and Pikachu turned to walk back to the house to await May's return, or word from Noctowl.
Suddenly, a long, sticky string wrapped around Pikachu and ripped him from his trainer's back. "Pikachu!" Ash shouted, reaching for his friend. His partner flew into the dark bushes as he heard something running off. "Team Rocket, get back here!" Ash shouted, running after his Pokémon. He leapt into the bushes after his best friend's captor.
"This is wonderful, Drew," May smiled as they came to the picnic site. Drew had laid out a pink blanket onto the ground and had bowls and plates of food set up around them. She sat down, with Drew settling next to her. She reached for a cookie and began to munch happily on it.
"I'm glad you like it," Drew smiled. He grabbed himself half a sandwich that he had set in the bowl and began to eat. He wrapped his free arm around May's waist and tugged her closer.
May didn't seem to notice, as she reached for a rice ball and took a bite. Thoughts of the small picnic she and Ash shared earlier that day fled into her mind. She placed it down, not wanting to eat anything that reminded her of the boy she had left.
"Are you not hungry?" Drew whispered, concerned.
"No, it's not that," May sighed, "I just already had a rice ball today, and I just happened to forget."
Ash ran thought the forest at the small creature that had captured Pikachu. Pikachu's cheeks where covered in the sticky string, so he couldn't use any electric attacks. Ash reached for a Pokéball at his belt. "Donphan," he shouted, tossing the ball, "Stop them with Rollout!"
In a flash of light, Ash's ground-type appeared. Donphan rolled up into a wheel and began speeding at the fleeing kidnapper. Donphan connected with a crash, sending Pikachu flying into the air. "Swellow," Ash reached for another Pokémon, "grab Pikachu!"
His Hoenn Flying-type leapt into action and grabbed Pikachu in his talons. Thankfully, the sticky string kept Pikachu's skin safe from any scratches.
"Ari…" Ash heard come from where Donphan was standing triumphant. He took his Pokédex from his pocket and pointed it to the mysterious creature.
The Pokédex whirred for a moment before it displayed a picture on its LCD screen. "Ariados," it played the recorded message, "the Long Leg Pokémon. The evolved form of Spinarak, Its feet are tipped with tiny hooked claws that enable it to scuttle on ceilings and vertical walls. It constricts its foe with thin and strong silk webbing."
"Team Rocket doesn't have an Ariados…" Ash thought. Just then, from Ariados' end, came a large spray of the sticky thread. Ash found himself suspended in the air with Swellow and Pikachu circling overhead. Donphan turned to his trainer and began charging at him to break him free. "No, don't!" Ash cried. "You'll just get stuck, too!" Donphan stopped and looked sadly at his trainer. Ariados started to scuttle off.
"Sandstorm!" He heard a familiar voice call. A small Pokémon flung her arms around, creating a sandstorm to stop Ariados in his tracks.
"Cut the twerp free with Poison Tail, Seviper!" a woman shouted. The Fang Snake Pokémon followed his orders and cut the threads holding Ash with his glowing tail.
"It's you guys!" Ash shouted.
"Prepare for trouble, our rep's at stake!" the woman shouted.
"And make it double, this is your mistake!" the man with her added.
"An evil as old as the galaxy!" The motto got under way.
"Sent here to fulfill our destiny!" it continued.
"Plus, der's me!" a Pokémon shouted.
"To denounce the evils of truth and love," The woman struck a dramatic pose.
"To extend our reach to the stars above," the man mimicked her. A small Pokémon on his shoulder mimicked him.
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"And Meowth are da names!"
"Anywhere there's peace in the universe…" Jessie stood next to her fellow members.
"…Team Rocket…" the male half of the duo stood tall.
"…will be dere…" Meowth cried from their feet.
"…to make everything worse!"
"Wobbuffet!" the blobby blue Pokémon announced.
"Mime, mime!" James' small Pokémon grinned.
"What are you guys doing saving me?" Ash asked the normally evil team.
"We won't have some nobody steal Pikachu under our noses!" Jessie shouted.
"We're here to save it so we can steal it later!" Meowth snapped.
"Cacnea!" James' Pokémon pointed in a direction.
"Ariados is gettin' away!" Meowth shouted. "We've gotta tail it to figure out who was trying to upstage us!" Ash and Team Rocket chased after Ariados. Ash recalled Donphan and Swellow as they ran, allowing Meowth to use his claws to free Ash's Electric-Type from the string.
Ariados ran up a tree to hide, but it couldn't run fast enough. Meowth identified the tree he saw the Long Leg Pokémon was hiding in.
Suddenly, two other Pokémon leapt from the tree. A tall, green Pokémon with sharp yellow eyes leered at them, while its shorter partner seemed as dark as the night's sky. Its appearance was accentuated with its red, glowing eyes.
"Cacturne… Banette…" Ash thought, "and Ariados… these are all Harley's Pokémon! May's in trouble!"
"Go, twerp!" Jessie ordered. Her Seviper stood poised for attack, hissing at Harley's Pokémon.
"We'll take care of this here!" James agreed. "We've seen how much you care for the girl-twerp. If she's in trouble, then go save her!" As his Mime Jr. agreed, his Cacnea stood ready to combat the Ghost-Type and her evolved form.
"That's right!" Meowth shouted.
"But… Why?" Ash asked as he was about to run past the tree.
"We denounce the evils of truth and love, not their good qualities," Jessie smiled. "If we can help love, then I think it's worth it."
"Team Rocket…" Ash smiled… "Thanks. You guys aren't as bad as you all seem sometimes." He nodded to Pikachu, and they raced off into the darkness.
"Let's do this!" Jessie shouted. "Let's show Harley what true villains are made of!"
"Thanks for the meal, Drew," May smiled.
The male coordinator was still having problems understanding how such a young girl could eat so much food, but he dismissed the thought. "You're welcome, May," he smiled. He reached into his pocket. "I actually got you something, too."
"Oh?" May looked at him as he pulled out a small perfume bottle. "You got me some perfume?"
"I made you this perfume myself," Drew smiled, handing her the bottle. "I used Roselia's Sweet Scent and liquefied it into a perfume. Just for you."
"Really? That's so sweet of you, Drew," May smiled as she sprayed it on her wrist to learn how it smelled. "It smells… heavenly… and somewhat familiar at the same time… Thank you, Drew."
"Don't mention it," he smiled, acting coolly.
Ash continued to dash through the forest. "Can you hear anybody, Pikachu?" he asked his partner. Pikachu twitched his ears, listening for anyone who might be around. Suddenly, a large Pokémon buzzed over their heads. He landed in front of them, his green body ready for combat. He flashed his scythe-like arms in the dim moonlight.
"Scyther!" The Pokémon challenged.
Ash took a step towards it, reaching for Sceptile, but Pikachu stopped him, and a swift, narrow shot of water shot just short of the tip of his nose.
"Tracey, come out and fight me instead of being a coward!" Ash called to where the water had come from.
The Pokémon Watcher stood out of the bushes, his small, blue Water-type bounding out as well. "I'm sorry it came to this, Ash…" he cringed, looking away from his friend. "I didn't want to have to do this, but you give me no choice. Scyther, attack Pikachu with Slash! Marill, stop him if him tries to move with Water Gun." Tracey's Pokémon began to surround Ash and Pikachu in the darkness
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted. Sparks flew from his partner's cheeks, and flew at Marill. The Water-Type was flung backwards into the arms of his trainer. Pikachu leapt up and countered Slash with an Iron Tail. "Why are you helping Harley, Tracey?"
"Harley said that if I help him and Misty defeat you and May, I might have a chance with her," Tracey explained, laughing at himself with a slightly maniacal tone. "And I'm following your advice to do everything in my power to get together with her."
Ash smirked. "Alright, but I'm not letting you hold me back."
"That's what you think!" Tracy smirked back. "Scyther, Double Team!"
"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Ash ordered. Before the mantis Pokémon could even begin his maneuver, Pikachu had already connected with his strike at the Bug-Flying type's midsection. "Sideline it with Iron Tail!" Pikachu flipped in the air, smacking Scyther against a tree with his attack. "Later, Tracey!" Ash shouted as he and Pikachu ran past them.
"I tried my best," the Watcher sighed. "I can't do any more than that."
"Do you like it?" Drew asked as May stood up and sprayed herself with the perfume.
"It's the most wonderful scent I've ever smelled!" May giggled. "But I can't help but feel that it's a bit familiar…"
"I wouldn't worry about that," Drew smiled. He stood up to face the girl and walked up close to her.
"But-" she started before Drew cut her off with a kiss on her lips. May felt her heart start to beat out of her chest. Drew opened his mouth and slid his tongue into May's. May opened her mouth to allow Drew the full range of motion. Drew moved his hands around her body. One of them began to rest on her end, while the other slid up her blouse and began to unclasp her bra from the back.
May tried to break it off, but the hand Drew held her rear with held her close to him. She tried to force him out of her mouth, so she could ask what he was doing, but he gave her no chance. Drew squeezed May's rear, and tears began to fall from her eyes. She bit Drew's tongue in a desperate bid to escape.
"Yeaowch!" Drew shouted, backing away form May. "What was that for?"
"'What was that for?' You have the gall to ask me that with what you were doing?" May shouted at him, tears in her eyes. "What do you think you were doing?"
"It's alright, May" he whispered, "This is gonna be fine…"
"No, it's not gonna be fine!" May stepped back. "You touched me in places that you shouldn't have!"
Drew approached her and placed his hand on the side of her face. "Don't tell me you didn't like that," he smiled, his face coming closer to May's.
A loud snap is heard though the forest as May's hand came across his face. "Is this why you didn't want me to bring my Pokémon? So that I wouldn't be able to protect myself?"
"Hey, I didn't bring mine, either," Drew said, trying to calm her down while nursing his injured cheek.
The smell of the perfume entered May's nose again. It finally clicked where she had smelled it before. She looked down at the pink blanket and the picnic basket. Her face filled with horror. "You… you were in the forest earlier today, luring me here, weren't you?"
"What do you mean?" Drew asked.
"Munchlax caught a whiff of this earlier today, and followed it," May told him, "He followed it to Misty!"
"I was trying to lure you here, that's true. But when he got far enough in, Munchlax must have smelled Misty's chicken and ran after that when he got far enough into the forest to smell it," Drew explained. "He never got close enough to me for me to tempt him closer."
"So you were planning on this earlier? You were gonna harass me earlier?" May was afraid for herself now. She had no Pokémon to fend off any attacks that Drew might attempt against her.
"I was just going to give you the perfume," Drew explained himself.
"Then why the picnic, now? From the looks of this, you've borrowed all this stuff from Misty," she continued. "What's going on here?"
"Harley approached me, and offered to help me set up this picnic with you this afternoon, after my lure to give you the perfume failed," he said. "I didn't trust him at first, but he said that he'd seen you hanging out with Ash more than usual. I… I got jealous, and I wanted to show him up. I wanted you to be more impressed with me than him."
"So, this entire thing was just so you can be more impressive than Ash?" May's voice was racked with disbelief. "I can't believe you could be so shallow!" She began to walk away from him.
"May, wait-" he tried to get her back.
"I thought I could trust you," her eyes filled with tears. "You don't even know the meaning of truth!" She began to cry as she ran away from the picnic site.
"Damn," Drew said to himself. "This entire thing's bust. I should just find all my Pokémon and go."
A watching owl Pokémon began to fly away silently. The coordinator sat down on his blanket and didn't take notice of it at all.
Things are becoming increasingly more complicated. The main plot will be decided soon, with the final battle coming soon after.
I hope you all enjoy reading this story as much as I have had writing it. I'll admit, I found it difficult to write after I learned that May wasn't going to Shino, but I'm back in the saddle, now. The Advanceshippers at Serebii can be pretty inspiring.
I hope you all have good luck in the future! And watch for the next installment!
Until then, Everyone, get Pokémon!