Hey everyone,

Here's a very overdue update. I'm so sorry I've dropped off the face of the planet for so long, and I hope you're all well :)

Chapter 30

'This is Wattson's obsession!' May squeaked as she landed painfully on a seat. Brendan landed beside her with a loud grunt, and Dawn and Iris were behind them, both scowling in pain.

'Ouch!' Dawn moaned as Iris hissed, 'May, what did you get us in to?'

'M-me?' May squeaked as Dawn said, 'there's no need to worry, we'll get out alive, right?'

'Knowing Wattson, that's not likely,' Brendan scowled as metal seat belts appeared out of their chairs before them, latching them into place.

'Hold on, girls!' May said as she grabbed hold onto the rail, frantically hoping that there weren't any hidden cameras ahead.

'I'm not a girl!' Brendan hissed, though he grabbed onto the chunk of metal all the same.

Without any warning, their makeshift seats were forced forward, their speed increasing drastically with each passing second.

Hearing the wind whistle in her ears, May felt her stomach drop painfully as tears stung her eyes. Knowing Wattson as she did, she knew he had a plan, and not one she'd necessarily like.

'Welcome, my friends, to a place where the fun never ends!' Wattson's voice sounded around them, before his booming laugh could be heard. Quite suddenly, a dome appeared around them, dropping off the tracks as a cavern of water appeared.

'Wattson, you stop this thing now!' May cried as their ride took a plunge under the water, floating effortlessly through the makeshift underwater paradise, Chinchou floating along nearby.

'WATTSON!' Brendan roared as Iris cried, 'no! I can't go in the water! Is this thing even watertight? Axew!'

'Brendan, stop this thing!' Dawn called out, choking back tears as the man growled, 'what? Me? You're a human, fight for yourself!'

'Well, you're a man, aren't you? Do something to stop this thing at once!' Dawn hissed back, stomping her foot slightly.

Hearing this, the man spluttered as the dome reappeared out of the water, landing haphazardly on the tracks again.

'I may be a man, but that doesn't mean you can expect me to stop thi-iiiiiis!' Brendan scowled as their vehicle took another plunge, this time into the air.

'Wattson, I don't care about what you've done for my family! GET ME OFF THIS THING!" May roared as the device came to an abrupt halt.

'Watt! If Wattson isn't going to listen, then surely you can!' Brendan yelled as Wattson's voice boomed, 'welcome to the place where the fun never ends! Feel free to step off your ride of fun and enter the gym's battle arena!'

'Oh thank Lugia!' May groaned before stumbling off, her walk slightly staggered.

'May!' Wattson's booming voice filled the room, causing her to jump slightly in surprise.

'Wattson,' May smiled before the man pulled her into a tight hug.

Seeing Mr Goodshow Junior, May sent him a small smile before he started telling her all about the advantages and disadvantages of electric pokémon.

'May, you're here for a battle, aren't you? To see how I run my gym?' Wattson beamed before grinning at her in such an eager way that she knew she couldn't say no.

'Err, yeah,' May chuckled, sending Brendan a warning glance as he began to smother a laugh of his own.

'Excellent, well you already know which pokémon I'll be using,' the man grinned at her, causing her to hesitate slightly. She didn't know what he meant by it, and was doing her best to remember her previous encounters with the man.

Recalling her journey with Ash, she couldn't help but grin, 'I sure do!'

'Excellent, Watt, care to set us up? Wattson beamed at the man, who scrambled to his refereeing booth.

'This gym Battle between May from Petalburg gym and Wattson from Mauville City gym will now begin. This will be a three on three pokémon battle with neither party allowed to make exchanges,' Watt called out, sending a small smile to Brendan a he growled at the conditions.

'All right, let's do this,' May grinned, though she seemed to have some apprehension.

Grimacing as her Glaceon teetered on her feet, May heard Watt call out, 'Glaceon is unable to battle, Manectric wins!'

Gritting her teeth, May grimaced, 'go, Beldum, I know you can do it!'

Watching her pokémon's tired eye, May grimaced. She'd swapped her Beldum out for her Glaceon earlier, but now her ice type had fainted. It left her feeling a bit of anxiety, though she couldn't let that affect her. Beldum may be one of her newest pokémon, but it would still try for her, so she shouldn't doubt it.

'Beldum, use hold back!' May called out as Wattson barked, 'thunder, Manectric!'

'Dodge it!' The two gym leaders cried in unison, though both pokémon collided in a spectacular display of electric, yellow light, fracturing light across the room.

'Right, Beldum, zen headbutt followed by iron defence!' May said as Wattson frowned at her, apparently waiting her for to move.

Watching her Beldum lurch forward, Wattson belted out, 'wild charge!'

'Hit him hard, Beldum!' May yelled out as her pokémon was covered in an eerie pink glow.

The yellow and blue quadruped pokémon rushed forward, sparks emitting from its jagged yellow fur, causing both May and Beldum to hiss in frustration, the psychic attack not causing nearly as much damage as it could.

'Beldum, use iron head!' May called out, knowing that the pokémon which was a gift from Steven would do its best for her, and that was all she could ask of it.

Seeing Wattson grin, May felt a pang of anxiety. With a booming laugh, he cried, 'wild charge, Manectric!'

'End it!' May roared, knowing her pokémon was exhausted, however she knew they'd been fighting too hard and too long to lose.

Her steel type pokémon rushed forward as the electric type charged up his mane, colliding painfully. The latter pokémon stepped softly in a circle, his body teetering on his feet before he fell to the ground in a heap.

'Manectric is unable to battle, May wins!' Watt cried as Brendan whooped nearby, causing May to flush at him in clear embarrassment.