The Chosen One's Wrath

by LegionZ

Ash is betrayed by those he holds close to him. Six Years Pass by. The Alola Region now has a Pokemon League, with it's Elites and Champion supposedly wielding absurd power. The Traitors arrive in Alola, eyes set on winning a legendary tournament. They think he's dead. They're about to be very disappointed. (Ash and May, Pure Advanceshipping)

7. Falling for You

Hey everyone! It's ya boi, back with another chapter to The Chosen One's Wrath! If you guys are new, please make sure you follow and favorite the story! It would mean a ton to me! So I'm typing this the same day I posted Chapter 6 because I honestly don't know when I'll be able to type again. Sooooo I'm trying to get as much as I can today and get ahead of the game a little to try and possibly get a post out on time (as unlikely as that is.)

What else? Oh yeah, so I figured I should probably spice up this chapter with some advancehshipping. I know these last few chapters have been kinda dry of advanceshipping, so I think it's time to start the train. I'm coming up with this chapter kind of on the fly, but hey, if it works out in the end, who cares?

I also found out that Chapter 4 has rebolded itself after I specifically made sure it didn't happen. Not sure why the hell that is, but I changed it… again. Here's hoping it doesn't do this to the entire chapter I'm typing right now.

So yeah, if this doesn't end up getting posted till after that Monday, I wouldn't be surprised. (AN: Posting this (Section) later after I typed it all up: Heyyyy boys! Hope you enjoy the chapter! This is the longest chapter I've ever grinded out! Enjoy!) I don't think there's really much more I need to talk about so let's get into the chapter! Hope you all enjoy guys!

LegionZ Presents… The Chosen One's Wrath… Chapter 7

Last Chapter…

Ghost smirked. "Don't tell me you've forgotten about Overgrow… such a hotshot like you couldn't possibly forget a common ability like that one…" His spoke loudly, voice dripping with sarcasm. Norman couldn't believe his son was this gullible of a trainer, how did he possibly forget about it? He knew what Ghost had been planning, but was also intrigued… just why exactly did the Ghost not finish him off ahead of time?

It did not take long to find out the answer. "Sceptile, perhaps we'll show them a dose of our power, hm?" Ash said in a sing-song-like voice. Max, however, cried out. "Fire Fang!" Manectric roared and jumped forward, jaws a bright orange. Ash smirked and called out. "Giga Drain!" Norman's eyes widened in terror.

Sceptile roared and unleashed a large beam from its arms that engulfed Manectric completely as it was running towards the Grass type. The beam didn't appear to harm Manectric… but it did slow him down… a lot. Manectric stopped running at Sceptile, then lost its concentration for fire fang, then collapsed completely.

---

"Hah! You're nothing special. If my Manectric wasn't so weak, I would've easily won!" He scoffed and ignored the hand outstretched. Norman smacked his hand to his forehead, could his son be acting any more immature?

The Ghost replied. "If you truly believe it is your Pokémon's fault, then you do not deserve to be its trainer. Your Pokémon fought with everything it had and didn't give up until the very end and trusted you with its life. Are you still adamant on blaming Manectric for your own stupidity?"

Ash honestly expected Max to reconsider his words and apologize. He truly did. He thought Max would see the error of his ways. That was not the case. He gripped Manectric's pokeball and held it out for Ash to see. "How's THIS for adamant!?" He yelled. In one motion, he threw the pokeball on the ground, and then, to the horror of everyone, he smashed it with his foot.

Norman's eyes bulged out so far they were nearly out of their sockets. What on EARTH was Max thinking? The next thing Norman knew, his son was being held up in the air by the Ghost who looked like he was ready to kill the young boy for what he had just done. Max, meanwhile, was back into pissing mode as he stared at the man who seemed ready for extreme measures. The Ghost spoke in a whisper. "You will regret that decision Max Maple. You best hope you lose in this tournament before you face me… for if you do… you. Will. Suffer."

---

Ash knew what was bothering Manectric. It was alright that neither Nurse Joy nor Axel really knew the truth about it, but since Ash did, an idea came over him. He turned back to the nurse.

"Can you please give and Manectric some privacy? I'd like to talk with it alone." After a moment, she nodded slowly with a small smile on her face and left the room, closing the blinds on the way out. Manectric still hadn't moved from the bed, looking away from Ash. "Can I sit down?" Ash spoke to the electric type. When Manectric said nothing, he took initiative and sat down next to the distraught Pokémon.

"You're not upset that Max abandoned you. You're upset that you believe you won't be good enough for any trainer, is that it?" Manectric, for the first time since he had entered the room, lifted its head to look over at Ash. The surprise in its eyes was clear. Ash smiled at it. "It's alright, I know how you feel."

Manectric snorted, as if not believing him. Ash looked up to the ceiling and spoke quietly. "Honest. Before I became champion, I was training my Pokémon to try and win a Pokémon league. No matter how hard I trained, it seemed like I fell just short. But… even so… I never gave up! It was my dream, after all."

Manectric looked at him with curiosity and Ash continued. "But… for the people who I used to call my friends, they told me to give up on my dream. They betrayed me and attempted to end my life when I refused." Manectric's eyes widened a little at that. Ash grinned lightly. "Yeah, and they think I'm dead right now. But, even presumed dead, I couldn't just give up on my dream! It was my goal to become a champion, and I achieved my dream because I never gave up."

Manectric was silent and Ash finished talking. "Manectric, your old trainer was the one who betrayed me. Max was one of my old friends who tried to get me to give up my dreams. That was about six years ago… maybe a little bit more." Manectric was staring at the trainer in front of it in shock, his old trainer had betrayed the Alola champion before he had become the champion? Why?

Ash stood up and looked at the electric type one more time before taking out Manectric's pokeball and laid it in front of Manectric. "Manectric, what I'm trying to say is that some people out there are just cruel. You and I both suffered from the same trainer. If I can overcome him, you can too, because I know how strong and loyal you are. Never forget that." He turned to walk out of the room. He was only about a foot from the door when he heard it.

"Mana!" Ash looked back and saw Manectric was standing up at attention in front of its pokeball. Ash walked closer and got on eye level with the electric type. The Pokémon nudged the pokeball back to Ash with a happy. "Mana! Mane-ctric!" Ash grinned and spoke softly. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you wanted to stay with me. Am I right?"

Manectric grinned and gave out an affirmative bark. Ash laughed and said. "You ready to show the nerd not to mess with us?" Manectric licked Ash's face and barked in approval. Ash chuckled and rubbed Manectric's head with a smile on his face. Max wasn't going to know what him.

Present…

Ash would curse Cynthia into oblivion; he was certain of this. How she had managed to organize this and get enough support was beyond him. He currently found himself staring at a closet inside his chamber inside the Pokémon league. He was staring morosely at the wide variety of clothes in front of him. As much as everyone else had wanted this event to take place, Ash couldn't believe it got enough support to actually go through.

He paused briefly and stared at a rather odd outfit that seemed to be calling him. He stared at it with genuine interest. He picked it out of the closet and stared at it for a moment. It was a black suit with a white handkerchief wrapped inside it. It came with a white dress shirt and a black bow tie to boot. The black pants also made themselves known. As he finished inspecting the clothes, he spoke aloud.

"You don't approve?"

A figure slowly walked into the room, her pink hair covering part of her head. She smiled. "Not only could you tell where I was, you could tell my thoughts as well… how you do what you do is impressive."

Ash continued admiring the suit. "That's a no then?"

Zandra took the suit from his hand and placed it back in the closet. She said nothing but handed him another outfit that had Ash very perplexed. It was a dark blue that, like the first outfit, had a white handkerchief, but the piece of clothing had a collar that was pulled up, masking the back of his neck. His slightly darker blue pants complimented his choice of top as well. Finally, the outfit was completed with a slightly silver tie that seemed to complete the whole shebang. Ash whistled softly. "I didn't know you had good taste…"

She smiled to herself more than anyone and spoke quietly. "I'm going with Lance."

Ash didn't look at her and didn't say a word. He was silent for a moment then talked, a bit of emotion leaking out. "I hope you know what you're doing Zandra. He did leave you… don't forget that. I won't try to stop you because you've grown into a fearless trainer." She giggled softly, something that was very rare for the pink-haired elite.

"I am Zandra the Ruthless… if he tries anything stupid like he did before, I'll bury him, and he knows that." Ash shook his head. "If only you acted the same to everyone as you did to us and him, you wouldn't be known as the Ruthless…" Ash chuckled as he hung up the blue suit on a free hook nearby for easy access.

All his elites had been given special names when they had been crowned the title of Elites. Zandra's name was Zandra the Ruthless due to her aggressive battle tactics. Before she had become an elite, she was a wandering trainer looking for her calling. She had been utterly destructive in the Alola Champion tournament up until she was met by a young man named Abel Winchine. He had stunned her, countering her attacks with dazzling tactics that eliminated her much earlier than she had been projected.

Axel's name was Axel the Hero. He was granted the title of Hero when he was revealed to be a trainer by day, and a vigilante by night, defending HeaHea City from the shadows. Every single day, he and his team got stronger and stronger, and eventually, he was simply known as the Hero of HeaHea. When his identity was revealed, the citizens of HeaHea city thought it was right that he was rewarded, and is still seen as a public hero to this day. Ash made sure Axel was recognized as HeaHea's defender, and he was very grateful for it, as were the people of HeaHea City.

July's name was July the Beautiful. Being a super model had its perks: she got tons of attention before she became an elite, but even so, she still found time to model. Guys would wish to be with her and Girls would wish to be her. Of course, it came with disadvantages. She was constantly being pursued by Men and Women alike, for different reasons. Once she became an elite, the security of the Pokémon League and ALT City helped reduce the attention, and she was forever grateful of Ash.

Xavier's name was Xavier the Player. He got this name for multiple reasons: both reasons being as it sounds. He was a master card player; it was how he made his living. Gambling brought him fame as well as fortune. He didn't have as good luck with those of the opposite gender, not because they were uninterested, but rather because he didn't connect with them. He was more into the "Fun Time" rather than the "Long Time." He broke the hearts of some young females, hence his name. He took a rather long break from competitive cards when he joined the ranks of the Elites, and it helped him settle down.

Zandra smiled at Ash and said quietly. "You're not wrong about that… Lance will find out just how Ruthless I can be if he tries anything Ash, don't worry." With that statement, she walked out of the room swiftly. Ash paused to watch her for a moment, then went back to his task at hand. His mind drifted back to the reason why he was looking for a nice suit…

Flashback… Three Days Prior…

Ash walked down the Pokémon league hallways as swiftly as he could. Usually, it was not for a major reason. Today, however, was a different story. All the champions would be waiting for him there to discuss the opening of the tournament and how it would happen. He knew it was wise to not let them make a major decision without his input after what had happened earlier, so this was necessary.

He searched for the private meeting room that was rarely ever used, and after another minute, he saw it appear on his right. He burst open the doors and swept into the room, catching the attention of every other champion in the room as well as Mr. Goodshow. That very same man smiled brightly at Ghost and said with a beaming smile. "Ah! There you are Mr. Ghost! Allow me the first to say your region is simply gorgeous! How you got this region so perfect is beyond me!"

Alder spoke happily. "I was able to roam around this Island called ALT City, and I was simply stunned! It was magnificent."

The other champions murmured in agreement, including Lance, who had a cheeky grin on his face. Mr. Goodshow silenced the chatter with his hand. "Now then, I believe it's time to talk about how we are going to open this fair tournament of ours. Obviously, the first battle shall take place in the ABS, the Alola Battle Stadium. Now, the catch of it is, who will be the first to go, how shall we announce it, and anything else we may need to execute this."

Ghost spoke calmly. "Why not do what we always do and just randomly select two trainers to battle?"

Mr. Goodshow shook his head. "Afraid not Ghost. These years ratings are higher than ever, at least, those are the projections. We need to make a huge splash to meet the expectations of everyone watching out there. So, we need to come up with an idea to attract positive attention that isn't your traditional opening battle to a tournament. That's why I'm talking with you all, I'd like to hear your ideas."

The room was silent for a moment before Lance said. "How about just having two us champions in an opening battle?"

The room began muttering aloud but Mr. Goodshow shut it down. "Not happening. People from every region in the world will be watching this tournament. If their favorite champion gets knocked out early, we lose ratings and attention for now and in the future. What else do we have?"

Again, silence reigned. Diantha was the next one to speak. "What if we chose to have the two top trainers that aren't affiliated with Pokémon League battle in an exhibition match to begin?" Mr. Goodshow's response was quick. "Too simple. We need something special, something amazing, something that will launch us into the tournament. It doesn't necessarily have to be the battle itself, but maybe something that happens beforehand."

Alder grumbled something under his breath. Steven questioned the orange-haired champion with a curious glance. "What was that Alder?"

He spoke quietly. "This sounds like you want this to be extravagant…" Suddenly, Cynthia let out a gasp of surprise. "T-that's it! We can have a Dance!" the male Champions groaned aloud. Ash commented aloud. "No chance I vote for that." Lance muttered. "I agree with you on that." The other champions voiced their opinions and Mr. Goodshow yelled. "That's enough! We'll take a vote right now. Champion Steven, your vote?"

Steven shrugged his shoulders and stroked his chin with his thumb and index finger with a pondering look. "To be frank… I believe this may be the best idea we will come up with on such short notice. I vote yes." Lance double-taked. "Huh? Steven, you can't be serious!" Mr. Goodshow announced. "One in Favor, None against. Champion Alder?"

Alder spoke. "I'd rather not, in all honesty."

"That's one for each now, Champion Cynthia?" Her response was as expected. "Ooooohh I can't wait! What will I wear? I've always wanted to try my white dress out, but maybe my light blue one would work better? Ohhhh I don't know…" Mr. Goodshow yelled. "Champion Cynthia!" She immediately blushed and noticed how many people were staring at her. She squeaked. "I vote yes."

Mr. Goodshow told the group, "That's two in Favor, one against. Next up, Champion Lance?" Lance waved his hand in the air as though it was obvious. "Not in a million years." Cynthia glared at him before 'humphing' loudly and turning away. "Two apiece. Diantha?" Diantha spoke happily. "I believe I'll vote in favor of this dance." Mr. Goodshow nodded and tallied up the third yes. He spoke again. "Ghost?" Ash said quietly. "No."

Lance and Ash silently we gleeful; there was no chance Mr. Goodshow would want to have a dance. They couldn't see it happening in a million years. Mr. Goodshow hummed aloud and said. "Well then! I suppose it's up to me!" After a moment of pondering, he laughed. "Eh, why not? Let's do it!"

A chorus of uproars came from the table. Cynthia and Diantha cheered, Ash and Lance fell out of their seats, Alder groaned aloud and Steven laughed at everyone's antics. Lance sputtered. "B-b-but sir! You can't p-possibly expect us to dance for the public! Y-y-you can't d-do that!" Mr. Goodshow was silent again before he spoke happily. "I have the solution to that!"

Ash took a sip of water to try and calm his nerves. How could this get any worse? Mr. Goodshow announced. "Get the message out to all of your elites and gym leaders! The dance will be taking place in five days from today! I will notify every one of the location! And… you must bring a date to the dance!" He added with a huge grin. Ash spat out his water all over the table and began coughing as though his life depended on it.

Why did he have to think that? "A-a-a Date?" Mr. Goodshow chuckled at seeing the usually calm Ghost so flustered. "Yes Ghost, a date."

Present…

That's how Ash found himself standing in the Pokémon Center… wait… no, that's not why he found himself standing in the Pokémon center. It was because he was officially picking up Manectric from the Pokémon Center and Nurse Joy's care. He smiled as his newest Pokémon rubbed up close to him. Ash smiled and Nurse Joy, who was watching the entire exchange with a smile on her face, said.

"That Manectric there was practically determined to make it out of here! I knew something had changed it since you had gone in to see it, and I'm so glad to see everything worked out between the two of you!"

Ash smiled and spoke while still looking at Manectric. "Yup! Manectric is going to tear up this competition, especially after we get in some special training, right Manectric?" The Electric type barked in agreement. What the trio didn't know was that a pair of shocked eyes were watching them with fearful thoughts. Ash returned Manectric with a smile and thanked Nurse Joy profusely.

"I can't thank you enough Nurse Joy! I'm in your debt." The nurse laughed and shook her head. "Please champion! If anyone is indebted, it is I to you. You built this region from the ground up. We all owe everything to you Ghost." Ash smiled and said. "Thank you for your service Nurse Joy." She bowed and said happily. "And thanks to yours as well." With that, Ash turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

It was only then that Ash sensed a pair of blue eyes watching him from his side. He had to wonder why she was watching him with such curiosity, but he tried not to think about it. However, after walking out of the Pokémon Center and making a beeline to the league and still feeling the presence of the girl, he decided to finally act. He turned a corner quickly and the girl followed him in, only to be confused as she saw nobody in the alley. She blinked and stared around in confusion.

"Any reason you're following me Miss Maple?" She yelped in surprise and saw the Ghost standing there with a slightly amused look on his face. She stuttered. "I-I-I…" Ghost dropped his amused expression and said coldly. "I don't have time for games Miss Maple. Why are you following me?" When she said nothing he continued. "Is it to berate me for the humiliation of your brother? If you're here to get an apology from me, you won't get one. I don't regret putting the twerp down, so perhaps it's best if you just—" He was interrupted by a rather flustered May Maple.

"I-I just wanted to apologize!" That caught Ghost off-guard in many ways. She wasn't there to insult him? She was here to say sorry? For what? He voiced his inner thoughts after a moment. "And what are you apologizing for? You've done nothing wrong that I can think of." Ghost said with a raised eyebrow. She hesitated and spoke. "I'm here apologizing for Max. I saw the entire incident happen, it wasn't the fault of you or your elites. My dad is currently trying to knock sense into Max from the incident, but, of course, he believes the win was merely a fluke. He really isn't making a good name for himself, but, on the behalf of the Maple's, I am here to apologize for my brother's actions to you and your elites."

That caught Ghost off guard. She was apologizing? That was unexpected. She continued after a moment. "If there's anything I can do for you, please just let me know…" Ash opened his mouth to speak and then closed it in an instant.

He didn't want to admit the sad truth, but, he had to say it: He still needed a date to the dance, and perhaps this was a way to see if May was honestly telling the truth about Drew. In his mind, sure, it was to gain information. Nonetheless, he nodded and spoke with reserve. "May, there is something I would like your help with. Need I mention that you have full control and option to say no should you want to do so." May nodded slowly, where was Ghost going with this?

He cleared his throat and spoke. "It… it came to my attention that there is now a special way to decide who is the opening battle of this ceremony. There is a Dance that is being held for Gym Leaders, Elites, and Champions. The catch of it is that everyone must have a date. And it turns out… I am available." He cleared his throat and spoke as evenly as he could.

"May Maple, will you do me the greatest of honors by coming to the dance with me?" May's mind froze completely. Did… Did the Ghost just ask her out on a date? Like the same "Ghost, Champion of Alola" Ghost? She couldn't honestly believe it! But, there was a part of her that legitimately did want to go with this young man. But, she felt as though that if she did go, she would betray Ash again. What choice could she make?

She was silent for a moment or two, pondering her choices. Ash, meanwhile, was sweating up a storm. This was an extreme longshot to try and reconnect with May without having to reveal himself, yet. Either way, there really wasn't anyone else that he wanted to go to the dance with. Plus, after talking with her for a good portion of the meet up at The Party Starter, he honestly wasn't sure if she was telling the truth or not. Part of him pleaded that she was, and perhaps a night with her would do just that.

Still, as the seconds turned into minutes, he began to lose optimism, and he lost it with every second. After a solid three minutes of eerie silence, he spoke in a rush. "Perhaps I shouldn't have asked you Miss Maple, m-my apologies, I shall see you—" He was about to bail on the brown haired beauty, but instead, she interrupted him.

"I'd love to go with you Ghost."

Ash double-taked, not sure he heard that correctly. He stared at her, who had an unreadable look in her eyes. He couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice. "Did… did you say you'd go?" May nodded and said quietly. "I still love Ash. I can't help myself there. But… if I begin adventuring outwards, maybe, just maybe… I'll learn to move on. He wouldn't want me hung up on him or any guy for this long. And well…" She giggled. "You're probably the cutest guy I've seen this far. So, yes. I'll happily go with you."

Ash blushed lightly, but was determined to get her back. He spoke as level as he could.

"Splendid. It is in two days-time, every piece of information you need to know is on this card."

He handed her a small card no longer than his index finger. She looked down at the card and looked back at the Ghost. He appeared to be waiting for her to read it. She read it carefully and shrieked loudly. "T-This is an E-Elites only party!"

Ash nodded with a pondering look on his face. "And Gym Leaders, and Champions. Can't forget them." She was blushing furiously. "I-I-I can't c-compete w-with them! M-maybe you s-should just g-go with someone more b-beautiful…" Ash took her hand and gently kissed it. He spoke. "There isn't anyone else I'd like to go with other than you, May. You'll be perfect there, if you'll have me." May's cheeks continued to shine red from the Ghost's compliment.

Then, after a few seconds, she squeaked. "O-Okay Ghost… I'll do it." The man smiled. "Great. I'll come by and pick you up. Just be ready for anything." He then bowed slightly to her and made to walk out before May called out. "G-Ghost!" He turned to face her, waiting for her to say something. After a moment, she did. "T-thanks. I'm looking forward to going with you." Ash smiled once more, probably the most he had smiled since the day he was betrayed. "And I, you May." He then left after calling out one of his most trusted warriors, and darted back to the Pokémon league.

May smiled as she watched him take off on the majestic dragon. Why did she feel like she'd see that dragon sooner rather than later…

Two Days Later… Day of the Dance…

Ash found himself, once again, standing on the roof of the Pokémon League. It would bother many if one came to a certain roof this often, but not him. It was a great way to clear his mind. He wanted to speak with his crew one last time before the dance.

Ash called all his elites to get a good look at each of them, and more importantly, ask who they were going with. Axel was sporting an oddlystylish light green suit and white dress shirt. He had an extremely light blue tie and light green pants as well. Ash had never seen his one elite dress like that, but it didn't look that bad on him. Xavier was legitimately not wearing anything different; just his standard black suit and white undershirt, no tie to boot. To be honest, Ash liked that look for Xavier, it fit who he was.

July was wearing a pink dress that wrapped around her waist nicely and settled at her feet just before it hit the ground. It sparkled lightly, not enough to attract too much attention. She had a pink bow in her hair as well, contrasting with her green hair. Zandra's dress was certainly the oddest. She had a yellow dress that, unlike July, hugged every part of her body, including her impressive chest. While July seemingly had gone with the more elegant approach, Zandra seemingly wanted to show off her body for someone. Although Ash knew who this was, his fellow elites, did not.

Ash nodded and spoke. "Alrighty then, everyone looks good to go. Remember, no matter who you dance with, you are representing Alola tonight. While you don't need to go all out, just remember to have hospitality. So, who are you all going with tonight?"

Axel spoke cheerfully. "I'm actually going with a Gym Leader! I'm going with Whitney!" Ash and Xavier chuckled at their friend, glad he got himself such an attractive date. Zandra was smiling as well. July, however, had a frown on her face. Ash noted this, leaving a reminder for himself to ask her about it later. He stored it away in his back pocket for now, continuing with his elites. "Xavier?"

The brown haired elite grinned. "Malva." A chorus of gasps came from the group, clearly they hadn't expected this. Ash disapproved as well. "Xavier… you could have almost any girl you want… why did you ask her…?" Xavier looked a bit offended. "Hey! Chill guys! She asked me! Diantha supposedly told her about it and she saw me at a shop down in ALT City. She asked if I would accompany her and I said I would. End of story." Ash clearly wasn't buying it, but chose not to comment on it.

"Alright then. July?" July smiled and said. "Boyfriend." This got a groan from Xavier and a little bit of an annoyed look from Axel. Zandra didn't seem like she cared. Ash nodded. "Anddd Zandra… oh, never mind. Forgot about that." She waved her hand and said. "They deserve to know as well. I'm going with Lance." The other elites began voicing opinions. Axel grumbled. "THAT guy again?"

"Man if only he knew how badly he messed up…" Xavier shook his head.

"Yeah really…" July added. "That's enough!" Ash interrupted. "Tonight, don't bother the guy. Remember, we need to set a good example, not a bad one. Keep it simple, keep it fresh… we don't know who we'll be battling in two days, so keep the attention to yourself at a minimum." He stood up to leave, and was quite close to calling out his faithful Pokémon, but unfortunately, July commented. "Hey Ash. Who are you going with?"

"Oh yeah…" Xavier pondered aloud. "You never said who you were attending this dance with." Ash blushed a little and said quietly. "I'm going with May." He didn't give his elites a moment to respond. Not even Zandra was aware that he had asked May. He jumped off the roof, called out Charizard, and took off in the direction of May's hotel. His elites hadn't even moved yet; all of them were in shock at knowing their champion was going to the dance with someone who had supposedly betrayed him.

Zandra looked out at the retreating figure of their champion on his Pokémon, Pikachu still on his shoulder and holding on for dear life. "I hope he knows what he's doing." Xavier came up on her right. "As do I Zan… as do I."

May…

About five minutes had passed since that moment, and May was preparing herself. She looked elegant in her dress; it was a beautiful light blue dress that hugged her body to perfection, however, it didn't seem like she wanted it hugging her body on purpose. She wore a light blue, see-through veil on her hair that she thought looked fairly cute. She took a deep breath and nodded to herself. She was taking a big step tonight, and was beginning to try and move on from Ash.

She couldn't help but wonder why she felt so attracted to the Ghost. He wasn't bad looking in the slightest, far from it actually. His brown hair, his muscular build, his alluring green eyes… or were they blue? She couldn't remember to be honest. He just had this… aura… radiating around him that just made her lower her guard around him. What was it about this man that made her think like this?

May smiled to herself. While on one hand, Max and Ghost already disliked each other, she and Ghost appeared to get off on the right foot. Suddenly, she recalled something: when Max had lost, he was supposed to chant that he was a loser to everyone. She made a mental note to remind Ghost later. At that moment, Norman came into the room. He blinked when he saw his daughter dressing up. "Now… why is my beautiful daughter dressed up like that on this fine evening? Perhaps a date with a boy?" He smirked at his daughter, teasing her.

Her response was not one he expected. "Actually, I am." Norman double-taked and his temper flared. "I'm Sorry… WHAT? Who's this bastard!? He's going to get a good talking to, that's for sure! When is the guy coming here! When I see him he's—" May cut off her father. "Dad… maybe you should just wait to see who it is before you berate him."

Norman fumed. "There's nobody I will approve of May, you know this."

May fought the urge to just tell him who she was going out with, but finally won the battle and decided against it. She just laughed and said. "I'm fairly certain he can beat you." Norman laughed and said jokingly. "May… You're making it sound like you're going out with a champion!"

'If only you knew…' May thought. Just then, there was a knock on the front door. Norman walked to it and was entirely confused. There was a man in a black suit standing there. He had a white mustache and a balding head. It was clear this man was a butler of some kind. Norman asked with confusion. "Can I help you sir?" The man bowed and said politely. "I am here for Miss Maple, is she present?"

"I am!" May walked into view and the butler bowed. "Ah yes, I am happy to see you are here. We must go. Your chariot awaits you." May walked past her dad, who closed the door behind him in shock. Who could May possibly be going out with? He followed her to see who she was going with, and she allowed it. She couldn't wait to see her father's face when he saw her handsome date. What she noticed and was thoroughly bewildered by, was that the Butler was taking them to the roof.

They stepped out of the rather fancy elevator, and walked upon a balcony. There were many adults there enjoying drinks, conversing, and swimming in the pool. Pokémon could be seen running around as well. May smiled at the sight; this region really was phenomenal. Norman asked the butler. "Pardon me Sir, but where exactly is her date?" The butler merely looked up to the sky. The two Maples were shocked by what they saw.

An orange dragon was flying towards the building at a very fast speed. Just before it hit the building, it swooped up and landed calmly in front of them. A man hopped off, and both of the Maple's gasped. Norman's face was priceless. He recognized the same man who had obliterated his son in battle just days prior. He couldn't believe that first, he dispatches his son, then, he takes out his daughter on a date? What was going on?

May, meanwhile, had gasped for a different reason. She had gotten a good look at him and immediately had rather naughty thoughts about the champion in front of him. The blue suit and pants fitted him perfectly. His brown hair was spiked all over; he hadn't even attempted to try comb it. For some reason, she thought it was cute the way he had pulled his collar up, and the way he sported both a white handkerchief in his right chest pocket along with a silver tie made him look even better. She blushed hard at the thought of being pressed up close against him, and knew other young girls would eye up her date as though he was their next meal.

The Ghost was the first one to speak. "Mr. Maple, I presume? A pleasure to meet you, if I do say so myself." He held out his hand and shook Mr. Maple's hand. Norman blinked, when had he even put out his hand to the Champion? Ash then smiled at May and noticed the redness in her cheeks. 'Ah… she enjoys the view.' Ash thought cheerfully.

He gently kissed May's hand and said softly. "May. You look fabulous tonight." That was the truth too. Every part of her flawless body was showing through the fabric of her dress. He had to admit, she looked incredible. She, meanwhile, quietly said. "T-thank you Ghost." He then turned and hopped on his flying type and motioned for May. "Your Chariot awaits, m'lady." Norman finally found his voice. "You can't expect me to allow you let May on that thing, can you?" Charizard snorted in annoyance at being called 'Thing.'

Ghost nonchalantly pointed out. "Well I'm just a little bit certain that I'm stronger than you are," Norman paled at this. "and either way… it's up to May. Should she wish not to ride Charizard, I would understand." May looked a bit nervous but said as confidently as she could. "No, I can do it!" Ghost nodded with a smile. "Come on!" He held out his hand to her, and she carefully took it. Both of them stared at one another when their hands touched, feeling the connection the two of them shared grow at the feel of it. May smiled at him, and he grinned back. Then, he pulled her onto the flying Pokémon.

All the guests were watching the exchange and taking pictures rapidly, recognizing their hero and the Princess of Hoenn (as she was once known.) She settled in sitting right in front of Ash. She was clearly a bit nervous, and Ash smiled soothingly. "If you're ever too scared, just let me know. I'll hold onto you, don't worry." May's eyes slightly widened but she smiled and nodded.

Ash said his final words to Mr. Maple. "I'll bring May back tonight safely, Mr. Maple. You have my word." With that sentence, the two took off into the night, leaving a shell-shocked Norman watching their rapidly fading figures in the distance. He couldn't understand what was happening. One of his children was bitter rivals with the Champion, while the other was going on dates with him? Just what was going on that he didn't know?

Later that Night…

"There it is!" Ash yelled over the blinding winds. Charizard took off towards a large, single story building. There were various colored lights coming from inside the building, indicating the party had started. May yelled. "Don't go in so fast!" Ash, however, had heard differently. "Go in fast? Uh, Okay!" Ash motioned for Charizard to go in for a nose dive, and May shrieked as the flying type took off towards the ground. She was certain she would die there, but naturally; she had no reason to panic.

Charizard had easily landed, and Ash had jumped off of the flying type. She was now looking down at Ash. She was a bit worried. "Ghost, that's a long jump!" Ghost motioned for her to jump anyway. "Come on! No need to worry! I'll catch you!" He held his arms open and she decided to take her chances. She leapt off.

She landed on Ghost firmly, and the sheer force knocked them both backwards. They both hit the ground, with Ghost on the ground and May on top of him. His arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, and her arms were around his neck. They were both laughing at the situation they had just gotten into. She giggled. "Thanks for being such a soft landing for me." Ash laughed and said in reply. "Of course, of course. Ghost, your everyday pillow for your everyday needs." They both laughed for another moment before they both became eerily quiet. It was only then that May realized how close in proximity they were to one another, and a dark blush covered her face.

Ash murmured. "You know… you're really cute when you're embarrassed." She sputtered. "T-thank you Ghost." He gently trailed his thumb across her right cheek and continued to softly speak. "How is it somebody hasn't snatched you up yet is beyond me…" May continued to turn a darker shade of red. She did not, however, try to stop him from gently rubbing her face. He finally stopped when he took her chin in two fingers.

He smirked a little and said with a grin. "Well… in that case…" He then pushed his mouth to hers, and her eyes bulged open in shock. What had gotten into Ghost? He was almost… carnal! It was unreal! Then, she decided to try and enjoy the kiss. She moaned pleasantly at the feeling of his soft lips rubbing against hers. She was in bliss within seconds; who knew the Champion was such a good kisser?

She pushed back with just as much aggression, determined to give him a good make-out-session. Their tongues were firmly pushed up against one another, dancing, swirling…

"May? Are you alright?" She opened her eyes in bewilderment; who had said that? It sounded like Ghost, yet here she was making out with him! She blinked twice and rubbed her eyes quickly, and then nearly passed out. She was still on top of him, but the confused look in his eyes said it all. They had not kissed once! She had imagined the entire thing! Her cheeks were so red that it would've made for a killer Christmas card photo, rosy cheeks and all.

Of course, little did she know, Ash had called her cute and had pondered why nobody had her as their own yet. He expected the dark blush, but was very lost when May's eyes turned glassy and she appeared to be in her own little world. It was odd to say the least. After a minute, he had asked if she was alright. After a good ten seconds, she snapped back to the world, a huge blush covering her cheeks. That was… odd.

He grinned; hands placed on her hips. "I believe it is time to go Miss Maple." She only nodded dumbly and gently pushed herself off him and rose to her feet. Ash did the same, returning his Charizard, who had witnessed the entire thing. He held his hand out to May, and they walked into the building with contrasting emotions: for May, nervousness, embarrassment, and a sense of pure excitement. And… for Ash, he walked in with Cheerfulness, Peace, and happiness. He didn't want to let go of May's hand, because it felt as though it belonged there.

They walked in, and were immediately greeted by two familiar faces to Ash, and not to May. He laughed when he saw the two and exclaimed. "I wondered if I would run into you guys!" He hugged both of them tightly and said. "How have you Clemont? Treating your beautiful lass with the respect she deserves?" Korrina smiled happily and said. "He's the best. I'm quite glad he's mine though, I've seen other girls at that party from before eyeing him up. They need to get the message." Her Pokémon partner growled in agreement.

Clemont and Korrina were both there together since they were together and both gym leaders. While May was unaware of this, Ash was not. Ash had been unfortunate enough to not have a conversation with Clemont at The Party Starter; he wouldn't be robbed of another one. Ash spoke cheerfully. "I'm glad you all are here, there's someone I want you to meet."

Korrina spoke with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Ah, and who's this young beauty Ghost? Finally working up the courage to ask out a female eh?" May put that thought in her back pocket for safe keeping; so the Ghost didn't swoon young girls often? She hoped that he only had eyes for her… wait! What was she thinking? She still cared for Ash! At least… she thought she did.

"May Maple is my name. It's a pleasure to meet you both." She said with a genuine smile. Clemont flashed a look of surprise to Ash to which, thankfully, May didn't notice. "It's a pleasure to meet you May! My Name is Korrina! I'm the Gym Leader of Shalour City in the Kalos Region!" She elbowed Clemont, who was snapped out of his thoughts. "A-and I'm Clemont! I'm the Gym Leader of Lumiose City in the Kalos Region! The pleasure is all mine Ms. Maple." He said formally.

Ash talked to May in a serious manner. "I don't have all that much connection with Kalos, but when I do go there, it's to speak with Clemont about an idea for ALT City or a Gym. He helped design and create ALT City from the ground up. Without him, none of this would've been possible!" Korrina rested her head on her boyfriend's shoulder and Clemont chuckled nervously. "Well it wasn't all me you know!"

Ash suddenly exclaimed. "You're right! He's here tonight!"

May blinked and looked at her date. "Who's here?"

Clemont looked like a kid inside a candy store. "Sophocles is here!? Are you serious!? I'm sorry Ghost but I need to find him quickly!" Clemont grabbed Korrina's hand and tore off in a random direction. May sweatdropped and said in confusion. "Umm Ghost? Who is Sophocles?"

Ash chuckled. "Sophocles was one of the first friends I made when I came to Alola. When I became champion, I enlisted his help." May raised an eyebrow. "With what?" Ash chuckled again. "With the creation of ALT City. He and Clemont were my lead designers. When I met Clemont some time ago… he was in a bad spot. I offered to help him back on track. All he needed were some friends and some work to do. ALT City and Sophocles were the perfect fits. Those two connect perfectly with one another, no doubt about it. Their mutual interests can keep them entertained for hours: Clemont has ideas for inventions, and Sophocles creates them."

May nodded slowly as Ash grabbed her hand and pulled her through the crowd of people. 'Ghost clearly cares for certain people… but others just seem to bother him. Why is that? What is the deciding factor?'

It took some time to navigate the maze of people to the main dance floor. The entire building, though one floor, was more than titanic sized. Finally, they reached the dance floor and the moment they did, the entire floor appeared to come alive. May's eyes widened when the DJ and his Pokémon shined a headlight directly on Ash. He grabbed a nearby stool and stood on top of it. He yelled. "How we doing tonight everyone!?" The crowd cheered and roared in response.

"Heyyyy that's what I'm talking about! Tonight, I have one request from all of you: I want you to Party on! From tomorrow on, it's serious battle training and tournament talk for good! So let's chill out, have a good time, break it down and build it up! Kick it up DJ!" The crowd cheered loudly when he finished his tiny speech and Ash hopped down to a rather surprised looking May.

He laughed at her reaction. "What? I can yell at people!" She giggled. "I guess I just didn't expect you to be able to raise you voice at all."

He smirked and playfully wrapped his arm around her waist, catching her off guard. "Hey only I can be smart with people tonight." She whispered in his ear softly. "Mmm is that so?" He whispered back. "Very much." Both looked at one another for a good twenty seconds before they simultaneously burst out laughing at the same time. She giggled. "Your sense of humor needs work."

He responded. "My dancing is better than my stockpile of jokes." He held out his hand to her and grinned. "Care to see?" She smiled and took his hand. She really enjoyed this side of Ghost. On one hand, you had the silent, mystic, and rather cunning version of Ghost that the public knew. But, on the other, you had a lively, happy, and rather sexy version of him that got May a little excited. A solid two hours passed from the time they arrived. They were completely drained from the intense dancing, and were looking for a break.

They got one… in a way. Slow music came on, a song for couples. Ash and May, although they hadn't spent all of their time there together, found themselves staring at one another as the song began. He held out his hand to her and she took it with a soft smile. They began slowly dancing, Ash's hands on her waist and May's arms wrapped around his neck. His smile was getting wider and wider as the dance went on.

He spoke quietly. "You really do look amazing tonight May."

May blushed. "I'm sure I'm not that pretty."

He nodded slightly and spoke aloud. "You're right." She looked at him in surprise and confusion. "You're beautiful, not pretty. You shouldn't berate yourself." Her blush intensified. He smiled and removed a hand on her waist to gently stroke a strand of her hair away from her face that had slipped in front of the veil. Nearby, Ash had seen Axel dancing with Whitney, who was cuddling in his chest. Xavier and Malva were dancing very formally with one another, knowing how many people were watching them. July and her boyfriend were looking at each other with unreadable expressions, but Lance and Zandra were MIA.

He spoke quietly. "May, I'd be lying if I said I felt this way about other girls… I don't. I honestly don't have too much experience in this department as well… but, I need to know. Are you having a good time tonight?"

Her eyes widened and she happily hugged him. "Ghost, I've had an amazing time with you! And…" She looked down shyly. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about you in the same way. I think you're a great guy Ghost… maybe someone I want to get to know further. T-that is if you want to!" She added quickly.

Ash laughed and held her close with a smile on his face. "I'd love that May. I know the battles are soon… but… I'd like for us to meet during the tournament, as in… more dates. Would you be interested?" May, feeling very confident all of the sudden, leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "As long as I'm with you Ghost, I'd love to go with you." It was only then that they realized how close they were to one another. May slowly began to lean in and was ready to take a big first step with the champion. Ghost leaned in as well and placed his hand on her backside gently, preparing for the first step of their relationship to be taken.

Their lips inched closer together. May had totally forgotten about the kiss situation and everything else that had embarrassed her. Ash had forgotten about the fact that he hadn't revealed himself to her yet. Both were just hellbent on kissing the person opposite to them. Only mere inches separated them now. May's eyes were closed, and Ash's were drifting shut as well.

"CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION! WE HAVE A SPECIAL ANNOUNCMENT TO MAKE!" The DJ roared. May silently cursed her poor fortune. Ash noticed her dejected look and placed a hand on her shoulder with a smile. She smiled and leaned up against him. However, she lost her man shortly when the DJ continued.

"We have a special guest with an important announcement to make ladies and gentlemen! Tonight, the first match of this tournament will be revealed by none other than the champion of Alola, the Ghost! Ghost, can you please come up?" May's eyes widened in surprise. She watched Ash navigate all the way to the front of the stage and he yelled out. "Who's ready for some battttttttttlllleeeeeessss?!" The crowd cheered in response.

"That's right! Tonight, I'll be revealing the tournament's first matchup! Here's the catch: It has to be two people here tonight that either leaders, elites, or champions! We're starting this league with a banger! Who knows? It could be Champion Alder vs Champion Lance! It could be myself against one of my elites! I don't know, you don't know, and it will all happen before our very eyes!" In one motion, a wheel appeared on a large screen behind him.

"This wheel will select two trainers at random! Until the top 16, all battles are three on three battles with substitutions and items allowed as well. Rules are subject to change. And now, let's select our first challenger!" He snapped his fingers and turned to the wheel and watched it speed up and slow down. The crowd was cheering as they saw familiar faces on both sides of the wheel. Ash saw Axel's face whiz by on the left side, then Clemont's on the right. As the wheel slowed down, Ash's eyes slightly widened. He saw his face approaching slowly on the left.

The crowd saw it happen. May saw it happen. And Ash most certainly saw it happen. On the left side, the wheel stopped on him. He couldn't believe it; he was going in the first round? Then, a loud noise was heard, almost sounding like a whooshing noise, and the crowd gasped in surprise. Ash saw what had happened, and the matchup that would follow. It would be an interesting opening battle to say the least.

AN: Well then… this chapter happened. I didn't even know if I'd be able to post on Monday (or this upcoming Monday as well), so, to be safe, I typed up the LONGEST CHAPTER IN MY HISTORY ON FF… Over 9.5k words! This chapter should please advanceshippers as well as keep the battle lovers at bay… just don't keep your hopes up for multiple reasons. You'll see why next chapter.

I should mention that Abel Winchine is not my OC. This OC belongs to a FF member named Temporal King, who has been with me since the start of this story and even before that. He gave me permission to use this character, how much I opt to use Abel will be decided later. Thanks so much my guy!

Still though, this chapter is enormous! I can't believe I typed this much while on vacation, but it's all for you guys! Let me know what you think of the chapter by leaving a review! Also, if you like it and haven't already, please follow and favorite the story! Every one counts my guys! Hit. That. Button! (Or buttons in this case.)

Ash will reveal to May soon hopefully. That is probably when they'll actually get together. They don't kiss first date, until Ash reveals I doubt they'll actually kiss. I hope it was enough for ya'll. I don't know if I will post next Monday (Hence this very long chapter) but if all goes well I'll pound out the chapter nicely. I think that is everything I had to hit for this chapter… I think? Knowing my luck everything will get bolded again. Guess we'll find out. Till the next one boys!

LegionZ