Hey everyone, it's time for what you've been waiting for: Chapter 24 of the Chosen One's Wrath. I'm sure the last month had everyone on edge, waiting for the juiciest chapter thus far of this incredibly long story. You're reading my longest story ever. Holy. Crap. Can you believe that!? This story is over 200,000 words, and it's not even done yet! That's absolutely crazy!
We're closing in on 1,000 followers for this story. Let's break that barrier everyone. Follow and favorite this story as well as myself so you never miss an upload. Upload's are from 8,500 words to 10,000 words and hit once a month, usually in the middle of them. This chapter is an emotional rollercoaster, as I give you more teasers than your mind can possibly comprehend. Please enjoy this masterpiece.
If you have any questions, let me know through review or PM and I'll get to you. With that out of the way, you know what time it is. Let's begin.
LegionZ Presents… The Chosen One's Wrath… Chapter 24
Last Chapter…
Instead, he merely nodded and leaned on the ledge that shielded the balcony from the ground below. She looked at him lovingly. "I really am the luckiest girl in the world."
Ash raised an eyebrow at her, somewhat amused. "How so?"
She smiled brightly. "Only I could be hung up on a guy for so many years, fall in love with a different guy, and that same guy is willing to investigate a disappearance for his girlfriend despite the past the two share."
It didn't take her long to see Ash's gob-smacked expression. She was bewildered. After another moment of silence, May broke it. "Ghost? What is it?"
Another pause. "You love me?"
May's eyes bulged slightly. "W-what?" She squeaked, not expecting those words to come out of her boyfriend's mouth.
"You just said you fell in love with a different guy who's willing to investigate a disappearance for a duo who have a past with one another. Call me crazy, but I'd say you were talking about me." Ash semi-sarcastically stated in a slow rhythm. May's face had turned bright red by this point; she knew she was caught. What could she possibly say about this to get her out of hot water?
The short answer? Nothing.
Which is exactly what she said. She was frozen, unable to form any sentences that would either help or harm her case. Ghost's face was completely unreadable, he too appeared to be shaken up by the confession. "I-I…" May began, very emotional all of the sudden. It had slipped out, but it was true; she did love him. It scared even herself; they'd barely begun going out, yet she felt like she'd known Ghost for ages.
It scared her to no end. And now it was out in the open, far too soon, and now she may have scared him away. She opened her mouth and then in one motion, she turned and made her way to the door swiftly. She was gone in seconds, leaving Ash to himself and his thoughts.
"Is she worth fighting for? Is she worth waking up next to every single day? To have her in your arms? Now that you know her feelings for you never left… could you stand seeing her in the arms of another man?"
Ash's mind ran wild with hallucinations and nightmares in the next few seconds. The memory of May making out with Drew, a hallucination of her having Drew's kids… their devious acts in the bedroom, it was enough to make him retch. That should be him. He was the one who'd cared about her for so long, the one who'd gone years believing she had betrayed him like everyone else. Now she was here, and she was trying to get to know the real Ghost.
She didn't know she'd known him longer or better than anyone. Was their love just not meant to be? Was she just destined to constantly be a figment of fate's torturous demons assaulting the Chosen One at every turn? Did he want her to leave?
That's when it happened.
Ash's mind snapped.
… No. No!
"NO!" Ash roared, suddenly standing up. "She is worth fighting for! She's worth every second! I will not waste this second chance!" Silence from his elites. Axel spoke for the first time in a long time.
"Well then Ash… I think you know what you have to do."
Present… Enjoy everyone
Ash stood at the edge of the field, mind barely registering that everyone in the stadium was roaring his name at the top of their lungs. No, he wasn't understanding that at all, period. His mind was a million miles away. He could hear Enter Sandman roaring throughout the stadium, but his mind felt no emotion. Ash felt so many emotions rolling through his mind… relief, happiness, anger, confusion and anxiousness.
He saw Falkner opposing him and he knew very well that the last Gym Leader standing would be axed by the end of the hour, or shorter. The blue-haired man's time in the tournament had come to an end.
Ash spared a glance up in the elite box and saw three figures staring down at him. He held up a finger and the elites did so as well. Even from the field, he could make out one of his elites' tears streaming down their face, one emotionless and the other shaking their head slowly. Ash bit down furiously on his lip, knowing he had no time to be committing to this issue. There were plenty of other things he had to get done, and this wasn't one of them.
Winning this tournament would usually be a priority. But the day's events had thrown a serious wrench in his plans. Priorities were changing fast. He stepped up to the box and knew the less time he spent on Falkner, the more time he'd spend elsewhere.
'…It's YOUR fault!'
'what kind of say do you think you have?'
'No…No…NO!'
Ash shuddered lightly, trying to shake the words he'd heard earlier that day. Fingers lightly twirling on the pokeball clipped to his belt, he took a deep breath and stepped into the box.
24 Hours Prior…
Ash had everything in preparation. The League was somewhat back to normal, as Xavier had returned back a bit disheveled but alive and well, nonetheless. The tension between the elite and their champion was obviously for the other elites. Ash would be sending glares to Xavier, who would notice them and then completely ignore him in return. Tensions were rising slowly between the duo, and all knew it was only a matter of time before the dam broke and emotions would flood out.
In any event, it wasn't the only thing keeping Ash stressed out. Ash had begun to lock in his plans for telling May the truth. All Sunday he was deep in thought about how to break it to her. He came to the same conclusion every time; be as romantic about it as possible to possibly soften the blow that he knew would have to be coming sooner or later.
He didn't tell anyone what he was planning, not even Zandra. Or, especially Zandra, maybe was more accurate? He wasn't sure if it was stupid to consider that Zandra wouldn't be furious with him for officially bringing his girlfriend into the folds. But this was a chance he was willing to take. No, it was a chance he had to take.
So, he had everything planned out. He got May to agree to a dinner date on the rooftop of the league. The next thing for him to do was prepare the food and make sure the elites wouldn't be there. After getting his confirmations and the food prepared, all that was left to do was to go and get as many flowers as he could possibly carry with Charizard's help. A trip into ALT City's beautiful interior was due up.
Ash found himself walking the sidewalks of his beautiful city and admiring everything about it; the design of the buildings, the happy laughs and words from the citizens and of course, the Pokémon playing joyously in the streets. It warmed his heart to see so many people enjoying the tournament and the city itself. A lot of these people were merely tourists, those wanting to see every battles in the ABS. Since battles didn't begin for another three hours, it wasn't quite time to pack in yet.
More time passed as Ash would pay for the flowers in multiple bundles, but as he was leaving, he noticed something that made his blood run cold. In a building directly across from the flower shop, were Xavier and Malva. They were holding hands and engaging in some…. Questionable behavior. Ash was attempting to burn holes in the back of Xavier's head, if anyone saw what they were doing, it was going to be a gruesome scene.
The duo left the building and Ash ducked into the shadows. Placing the Flowers on a nearby surface, he released Charizard and instructed the dragon to bring the flowers to his balcony so they'd be safe. Trailing someone while carrying two tons of flowers wasn't a good look after all. But he still needed to get close to them.
"Well well, look who it is! Hi Mr. Ghost!" Ash turned to the voice and saw a familiar face. It was a young blonde girl who looked to be a bit older than he was; likely in her early twenties. She was quite attractive. It didn't take him long to come up with a name.
"How are you, Star right?" Ash nodded politely and then returned to staring at his least favorite couple, who'd stopped at a small ice cream stand.
"I'm al—I'm so sorry, am I interrupting something?" She said perceptively.
"Uh… I'm afraid you are actually." Then, an idea flashed through his mind. Everybody would be expecting him to be wearing a disguise, but nobody would expect a disguise plus a partner in crime, especially Xavier.
"But I could use your help if you've got the time." Star's eyes widened a little in surprise, clearly not expecting the offer from the champion. "Uh… I mean I am kind of busy…"
"Then think nothing of it. I'll get back to tailing Malva and Xavier…" He made to leave but felt Star grab his wrist. He was surprised by her grip strength, it was thoroughly cutting off the blood flow to the rest of his arm.
"Wait, as in… your elite Xavier and Kalos' elite Malva?" She spoke slowly, as if not believing him. Ash cocked his head gently to the side, not understanding why she was so curious all of the sudden. He nodded in affirmation. An unreadable expression crossed the young woman's face before she suddenly nodded. "Okay, I guess I have an obligation to help you then don't I?"
Ash blinked. "You have no obligation to me. I can do this myself, but thank you."
Star smirked. "What, you think I'm just another pretty face? I'm stronger than I look, trust me."
"N-No, that's not what I—"
"Then what's the harm Ghost? Let's do this!" She was excited all of the sudden. 'Weird mood swing… but I guess having the help will be better than not having the help at all.'
"Alright then." Ash poked his head out from behind their cover and saw that Xavier was beginning to pay. Ash motioned for them to move and she did so. Malva and Xavier began to walk in the direction opposite to them, and the duo of Star and Ash followed them. The duo kept their distance from Ash's targets, making sure to not bring too much attention to themselves. After a moment or two of tailing, Star finally asked the question Ash knew had to be brought up sooner than later.
"Call me curious, but why exactly are you tailing your own elite?"
Ash bit his lip. "Can you keep a secret?"
Star blinked. "I mean, as long as it won't get me killed, yeah."
"Xavier's flame was a high-ranking member of Team Flare back in the day. I'm trying to keep him from something he'll regret."
Star's jaw dropped open. She was stunned speechless for a moment or two, and Ash, sensing she'd need a push, gently grabbed her wrist as she had done for him and pulled her along. After a second or two though, she came back to her senses. "You're telling me she was part of Team Flare? A higher up of Team Flare? Why wasn't she arrested then?"
Ash shrugged. "Beats me. It's part of the reason I have so much beef with Diantha and her band of miscreants. In any event, I don't trust her at all. I know Flare's gone, but I can't wrap my mind around the fact that a guy who could have literally any girl he wanted would choose a girl with such a dark history of abuse and defy his own leader multiple times in order to keep seeing the same girl all because she had a killer body."
The words that came out of Star's mouth were surprising. "How do you know she's part of Team Flare anyway?"
Ash saw the duo ahead fading from view and began to push a bit through the crowd, hellbent on not losing the two. "It's not present tense, it's past tense. She can't be part of Flare now, I destroyed them."
Star's gob-smacked expression told the story. "Wait, YOU were the one who destroyed Flare? Who else helped you?"
Ash's smirk told his side. "Nobody."
The blonde woman was shell shocked. She had no clue this champion was powerful enough to wipe out teams of humans and Pokémon by himself. Now she knew why Lusamine always spoke so highly of Ghost. She had heard plenty about the situation that happened when Flare was disbanded for that attack. An entire landing party wiped out, headquarters burnt to the ground and Lysandre dead… she couldn't believe it! This was all done by one man? The news had speculated that only an army could've wiped out the entire team!
But before she could utter a word, Ash saw the duo walk into a small shop that Ash knew very well; it was where Xavier got his fine-tuned suits in case one was destroyed.
"There they are. That's Uraliz' shop. Come on, let's—" Ash felt a tourist push him and Ash lost his grip on Star. "Ghost!" He heard Star call, and Ash immediately bolted for the store. Sure enough, the tourists around began to frenzy at the word of the so-called savior of Alola. Ash managed to get by without his disguise being ripped or anybody identifying who he was. Immediately locking the door, Ash ducked for cover to escape the line-of-sight from any onlookers.
After feeling the pang of guilt leave for abandoning Star, he reckoned it may have been for the better anyway, as Star could've risked getting hurt as well. Ash stood up and dusted himself off before he noticed that only Max Uraliz himself was there with an understanding look written all over his middle-aged face. The forty-nine year old was best friends with the elites, as he was one of the first owners to decide to purchase his property on the island. Xavier had spent some time helping him move all of his stuff into the store.
Unlike one Max Maple, this Max was very much loved in his community, none more so than by the elites and Ash.
"Where is he Max?"
The man chuckled and ran a hand through his balding hair. He gestured to the door behind him, and Ash groaned. Yep, they were in the process of something naughty. "Let me guess, they've been paying you extra to keep this quiet."
"And to use the room, to be specific."
Ash licked his lips in agitation. Of course Xavier would do this. "How long has he been coming here?"
Max hesitated, not wanting to betray his friend. Ash sighed. "Look Max, I'm gonna find out here either way. You know that. Xavier knows that." He took a step closer and leaned on the counter. "How long?" He whispered quietly into Uraliz' ear.
"… about a month, give or take. He's been taking her here almost every night." Max Uraliz admitted quietly.
Ash cursed. How could Xavier have been doing this for so long behind his back? Did any of his elites know? He didn't want to know if they'd been hiding this from him.
Slowly removing his disguise, Ash muttered. "I'm going to go have a… talk… with them."
Xavier Blackmon was pleasantly enjoying the spare bedroom in Max Uraliz' shop. This was pure genius on his part. He knew Malva was the girl for him. She was gorgeous, vivacious, sexy and downright perfect for him and his personality. They fit like a glove. Ever since they'd begun talking though, his elites and his champion specifically were telling him to cut it out, like they knew what was best for him.
How could they possibly say that? Axel and July had been doing circles around one another for ages. Zandra and Ash had both been backstabbed by their respective others. Yet they all had the gall to claim that Malva wasn't right for him? What did it matter if he thought she had a great body? She was funny and entertaining. Xavier liked her for her personality as well as her body, which was already a step further than what he usually was doing.
In any event, he knew bringing her to the league was a stupid decision. So, in return, he brought her to a close friends place. Max had promised he wouldn't tell any of the elites about Xavier's plan. It was still going smoothly.
"Aww yeah girl… take that off." Malva smirked at her close male friend and peeled off her very tight shirt. Xavier's smile got wider and he made himself more comfortable on the bed. Malva threw her shorts off and pounced on him, flipping Xavier over so that he was on top of her. She gave him a few eager kisses.
"You're so corny." She taunted him.
"But you still like me for it." He teased right back.
"Don't remind me." She playfully nibbled on his earlobe. "We've got a lot to get done in this bed today, and we have so much time to do it."
Xavier groaned as she ran her hands through his brown locks. "Oh, we do, don't we?"
"Mhm… now, you're all…" She looked to the door on instinct when she felt someone's eyes on her. She tilted her head around Xavier's long form and let out a scream.
Xavier panicked and pushed himself up, unsure of the cause of her fear. "W-what? What is it?"
"Words cannot say how disappointed I am in you Xavier." The handsome man felt his heart drop into the depths of his stomach; he knew that voice all too well. He flipped over rapidly and covered Malva's body with the comforter from the bed in an attempt to conceal her curves from the intruders eye. Xavier stared at his leader in horror, knowing very well the jig was up. Silence reigned for a few moments, nobody saying anything. Finally though, it was Malva who ended up breaking the silence.
"W-what are you doing here? Have you no sense of privacy?"
Ash ignored her entirely. His focus was on his elite. "Blackmon. Clothes on. We're going to the league now. Don't even try to argue."
Ash turned to the door and was stunned when he heard the words come out of his elites mouth. "No."
Whirling around faster than a speeding bullet, he was in Xavier's face. "WHAT did you just say to me elite?"
Xavier's defiance turned up a notch. "I said no. I'm not going to the league with you so you can pester me with questions and berate me for being with someone I love."
Ash's jaw dropped. "…What?"
"You heard me. I love Malva. She's the one for me, my soulmate. There's nobody on this planet that I connect with better than her. July has Axel now. You have May. Why can't you just be happy for the fact that I've found a bombshell who feels the same way about me the same way I feel about her?"
Ash was quiet. "You know why."
"You're all just superstitious Ghost. You need to understand you can't pry into the private lives of your precious elites. Just because everything is roses and sunshine with all of the rest of them gives you the right to harass the troublemaker of the group."
"I have to when you give me NO CHOICE! You know why I don't approve of this. You claim to be this sex-god, and can have any woman in the world you want, yet you pick her!?" Ash was outraged.
For the first time in a bit, Malva spoke. "Excuse me? Who on earth do you think you are, talking to me like that? I am not some whore or a slut for hire! I am a red-blooded woman who has found a man she loves. Why can't you understand that? What sort of obligation do you have against me?"
"Team Flare; the words ring a bell to you, you skank?" The color left Malva's pretty face. "Oh, thought nobody else knew did you? You're just lucky Diantha is a raging bitch who doesn't deserve to lead a region if her life depended on it. If you were anywhere else, I'd have all the authority I needed to throw your ass in jail for the rest of your worthless—" Ash never got to finish his sentence. Xavier's fist connected with his jaw, sending Ash sprawling backwards. He landed on a heap on the ground, and in an instant Ash's Pokémon had burst into the room, Pikachu leading the duo of himself and Delveon.
Xavier took a step back, knowing very well what Ash's infamous rodent was capable of doing to anyone. "Pikachu, Delveon, stand down." The two didn't seem to hear their trainer, both preparing to launch attacks on the elite who assaulted their trainer.
"You two, that's enough! Stand, down!" After a moment, first Delveon complied, the rainbow crystal on her head no longer shining brightly. Pikachu's cheeks stopped sparking as well, and both left the room. Once again, it was quiet. Malva didn't look the least bit sorry for Ash and getting socked in the side of the face. Xavier looked… conflicted? He wasn't sure if what he had just done was the proper move.
However, what happened next, neither Malva nor Xavier had expected. In fact, it stunned them to the very core.
"By the powers invested in me as leader of Alola and host of the tournament, I hereby remove Xavier Blackmon from further competition." An uproar came from Xavier, who couldn't believe his leader was actually removing him from the tournament. "What?" Had his leader gone mad? What was Ash saying?
But Ash wasn't done. "Furthermore, by the powers invested in me as Alola's champion, Xavier Blackmon, you are hereby put on probation as an Alola elite. Your job status for the next three months is considered on high alert. Any code-breaking on your behalf from here-on-out will be considered for termination. Should you lose your job—" Ash was cut off by Xavier once again.
"You can't be serious! You insult Malva, you barge in on our privacy with your views clouding your judgement, and then you have the nerve to kick me from the tournament and put me on probation? I punched you because you insulted Malva, my woman! How is that any right to remove me and put me on probation?"
Ash's voice became one filled with malice. "League articles, bylaw thirty-seven section two." He looked straight at Malva, who had now gotten all of her clothes back on. "Should elites be caught in relationships, whether work or physical, with a suspected terrorist or member of criminal organization, the leader of the region has full authority to deem punishment as they seem fit."
Malva's jaw had hit the floor, and Xavier's voice carried throughout the room. "WHAT?"
Ash continued. "League articles, bylaw fifty-two, section three. Any use of physical force outside legalized combat zones is considered grounds for house arrest, probation… and expulsion. All may be deemed legalized as the leader of the region sees fit."
Ash's Pokémon were now back in the room. "Xavier, I'm deeming you most fit for house arrest. You cannot see that what you are doing—"
Xavier was getting hysterical now. "Is what? Minding my own business for the woman I love? You're out of your mind Ghost!"
Ash quietly responded. "Am I really?" When neither Malva nor Xavier said anything, Ash spoke again. "Then let me regale you with one more Bylaw."
"League's Sacred Articles, Bylaw three. Article two. Any elite who is endangering themselves, their fellow elites or their champion by their actions can be held accountable for any action that endangers the public, the elites or champion. They are punishable as the leader deems fit." Xavier had paled profusely by this point.
If Ash truly believed Malva was bad, he could throw Xavier out whenever he wanted.
'He's going easy on me. He doesn't want to do this, but if word gets out that an Alola Elite is sleeping with an ex-Team Flare member… he'll be ruthlessly assaulted. I'd be publicly humiliated.' Xavier then only realized the truth of what Ash was trying to do.
Ash wasn't trying to hurt Xavier; he was trying to save him from an inevitable public dismantling.
But unfortunately, Malva picked this time to butt in. "Ghost, you are such full of shit. You claim to be this high and mighty individual, but in reality, you're nothing more than a peasant. You have no right to be breaking and entering in on our privacy, and I will make sure to bring it up with Diantha. You want to prevent a public incident? Well guess what?"
She got up in Ghost's face while Xavier watched in morbid horror. "…It's YOUR fault! If you really want a battle with Kalos, I. Will. Bury You! You'll never stand a chance against the power of the Kalos Elites, and you certainly wouldn't ever stand a chance against Diantha!"
Ash scoffed. "You mean the champion who's already eliminated?" He sarcastically held his hands up and did jazz-hands. "Ooooh… so scary! What's she going to do, spin around me until I get bored? Do yourself a favor Malva, turn yourself in. You think I don't know about you and Flare, think again. Once I get what I need…"
He got up into Malva's face and smirked. "I'll bury you."
Silence reigned for a moment or two. Finally, Malva did speak. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't I?"
But then, everything that Ash had been speaking about was forgotten. For, Delveon let out a warning cry and Ash hit the deck immediately, covering Pikachu and Delveon with his body. An explosion thundered through the building, shaking the three insides the room to their cores. What was happening? Ash heard the structure and integrity of the building failing miserably and held his Pokémon close as the building collapsed around them. His eardrums were roaring as the noise was loud… too loud. It almost hurt him just to listen to it. In any event, he was serious fearing for his life and his Pokémon lives. What could be occurring?
He heard a group of similar explosions after that and didn't dare more his body for the fear of risking his Pokémon. After a minute or so, he opened his eyes and tried to move his head around. The space was limited.
"Pika Pi?" Ash heard his partner question.
"I'm alright buddy. Delveon, are you alright?"
"Del-ve!" Came the response.
Ash sighed in relief; his Pokémon were alright. What on earth had happened? What had exploded? Ash muttered to Delveon. "Can you use Aegis Defense and get all this Debris off of us?"
A confirmation cry from his faithful Pokémon sounded and within seconds, all the debris was back removed. Ash pulled himself out of the ditch with his Pokémon and gawked. The entire block had been seemingly levelled. What on earth could've caused this?
He checked himself and his Pokémon for injuries and found none other than cuts and bruises. The trio pulled themselves to the top of the debris pile and saw a crowd of people gathering outside the rubble, seemingly terrified. "I'm alright," Ash waved them off. "I said I'm al—"
"People of Alola! Heed us now!" Ash's mind latched shut. 'No… no… it CAN'T be…' He saw the crowd of people beginning to disperse and his worst fears were realized not a moment later. He saw a group of five people wearing reddish-orange hoodies with black spikes on their heads and standing in a triangle formation.
"The time for peace is over. The time for Team Flare to rise again is here. Join us, or fall. Let him be an example." Ash's breath hitched. Xavier was being held up by the Flare Grunts, seemingly unconscious. His shirt was ripped almost off, and his suit was completely ruined. Someone from the crowd cried out.
"They have Xavier Blackmon!"
"The elite?"
"Yeah, that's him!"
"Oh my gosh!"
"This isn't happening!"
"NO! XAVIER! NO!" Ash saw Malva emerging from a pile of rubble nearby and saw her crying. His blood began to run cold.
Flare had returned.
And she wasn't part of it. Oh gods… what had he done?
"NO! DON'T TAKE HIM, PLEASE!"
One of the grunts boomed. "Silence! He shall be an example. He shall fall to Flare's wrath. He will learn the price of resistance. We will return for more. Do not interfere." He gestured to the pile of rubble that was Uraliz' shop and the ALT City block. "Let this also be an example. Flare will not be rubbed aside so easily as last time. If you see us, do not interfere. If we ask of you to leave us, you will leave us. If you are asked to assist, we expect assistance."
The leader of the group, a hooded female, spoke. "This is goodbye, for now." An explosion of smoke coated the streets, blinding everyone. When the smoke cleared, Xavier was gone, along with the grunts. Ash fell to his knees in shock. How could he have let this happen? He stared at his residents, who looked as though all hope had been lost. 'No…No…'
He'd lost his elite, both mentally and physically in under an hour. He'd lost his people's trust. He'd lost credibility. What on earth was he to do?
"Delve! Del-ve!" Ash turned to the call and saw Delveon helping a hobbling Max Uraliz. Ash rushed over and questioned. "Are you okay Max?"
Max gritted his teeth furiously, not allowed his champion to see the pain all over his face. "Y-yeah, I'm—" He stepped on a brick awkwardly and let out a gasp of pain. Ash grabbed him. "No, you're clearly not fine you old kook." He looked out to the crowd. "Can someone call the paramedics? We need help immediately!"
The next two hours Ash would spend making sure his citizens were alright. Another major event had been placed on his plate. He now had to punish the traitors, finish the ringmaster, win the tournament and stop Flare once and for all. This would be painful.
The league was dead silent that afternoon. Ash couldn't help but feel a certain tension looming large as he awaited his elites returns. They were all out on scouting missions throughout the islands, though none of them had been informed that Xavier had been taken. He knew that they had likely heard the rumors but had yet to hear anything concrete.
It was approximately an hour before Ash and May's little date was to commence. Ash held his head solemnly and when he heard the clearing of a throat behind him, he firmly expected it to be one of his hailed elites.
To his surprise, it was not so. Lance Wataru stood there, black cape ever-so-slightly shifting despite the lack of movement. Ash didn't bother containing his surprise.
"Lance? What're you doing here?"
A scoff escaped his friends lips. "What do you think I'm doing here Ash?"
It took a small moment to register. "Right. Xavier. Sorry, I'm kinda out of it right now."
Lance raised an eyebrow and took a couple steps closer. "It's not Xavier-related though… is it?" Ash looked legitimately surprised once more. "How'd you know?"
"Instinct. What is it?"
Ash sighed. "Tonight is an important night for our relationship… May and I that is. I'm planning to reveal myself to her on our rooftop dinner date."
"Rooftop dinner date?"
A small timeskip later had the duo on top of the roof, staring at the piles of flowers, fancy décor and small table for two. It was clear Ash had put a lot of thought into this situation and was in a very tight spot, knowing his elite was out there in the hands of some criminal organization but there was very little he could do about it.
Lance whistled. "Not bad Ash. I'm pretty impressed."
"Sure means a lot coming from you Lance…" Ash drawled sarcastically.
The man ignored the jab. "What're you doing to find Xavier?"
"Rocket has been informed. I have my spies looking at every possible angle as to how those criminals are somehow fully operational despite what I did to wipe them out all those years ago. They're to report to Jesse and James whenever they get something. It seems all I did was cripple them, and I let my guard down enough for them to make it into the region. I'm never going to live this down."
'But if Oak's part of Flare, why is he not with them? Why was the journal not updated in years?' Ash's mind reeled suddenly, as if considering an entirely new line of possibilities. 'Is it possible it was planted on him? Maybe a flare operative hacked into the system and framed him? Maybe? With Flare back… it opens an entirely new world of possibilities… possibilities I must explore to find Xavier.'
Ash continued. "In the meantime, I need to figure out the best course of action. If Xavier isn't found before his matchup, he's disqualified. I have to stay in the tournament myself, being the leader of the host region."
Lance spoke curiously. "Is it possible Flare kidnapped him to remove him from the tournament? Maybe to pave the way for whoever Xavier's going against?"
Ash scoffed. "Not likely at all. Alder's the most lone champion by a longshot, Malva did a damn good job looking like she wasn't a part of Flare; even I believe it, and I don't think Trip has any connections with them considering we've seen Trip plenty of times and he's never seemed to be acting like anything other than an overall pile of trash."
Lance chuckled aloud and Ash continued. "I don't think this has anything to do with the tournament, though it's not a stretch to think so. Firstly, Alder is favored over Xavier by a decent enough margin. Second, let's say it is tournament related; why reveal themselves to the public when they could just remain in the shadows? It doesn't add up."
"Alright, I'll take your word for it. Those are some good arguments. What now though?"
Ash sighed. "For now, I keep training. Thankfully I have a couple days off after this upcoming battle, and I'll use it to personally hunt down Flare for any sort of leads. It's my fault for not knowing they'd do this, now I have to prove to my people they were right to trust me."
Lance was quiet for a moment and then spoke. "There's another reason I came to talk to you. I'm sure you won't like it, given the bad day you've had."
Ash shook his head, fighting off the rising annoyance that was beginning to bubble. "What?"
Hesitation from Lance. "Mr. Goodshow announced there would be a private dance from those who make the top eight… the finalists from each bracket."
Ash blinked and Lance continued. "Dates are required to this event. You weren't at the meeting for… obvious reasons."
The younger champion suddenly let out a humorless laugh. "Lance, no offense to you, but I think it's a bit early to be discussing this dance with me." Lance frowned and growled quietly. "And why is that?"
"Because you're assuming that you're going to beat Zandra. No offense to you, but you are heavily underestimating her if that's the case. I don't think you realize just how damn powerful she is."
"Oh, I recognize it completely Ghost." Lance bitterly stated, all bitterness directed towards him.
Ash frowned and considered the words. Why put such an emphasis on that last word? Why say it so bitterly? "What's got your panties in a twist?" Ash scoffed, annoyance clouding his words.
Lance dryly chuckled. "You can't seem to realize what I'm saying yet. So, I'm waiting."
Ash paused and considered Lance's words for a minute longer. Then, the pieces began to fall into place. The reference to Ghost likely was aimed at his identity to May, who was about to be let into the full story of Ghost, and his true identity. That wasn't all. Why would Lance affirm that Zandra was a brutal opponent and that he knew this yet still be firm enough to tell him about the top eight dance?
'Unless…'
Ash felt his teeth clench. "You're going to ask Zandra to go with you."
Lance merely smiled innocently. "Either way, one of us will be making it to the top eight. If she says yes, it doesn't matter who wins or loses. We'll go together."
Ash snarled quietly. "Have you worked out your differences with her yet? I'd hate to see you again in a body bag."
Lance waved it off dismissingly. "I've been talking to her about it, sure. She hasn't forgiven me yet per se, but I'm sure we're almost around the corner." Ash shook his head. As smart as Lance was and as much as he wielded, he was truly clueless when it came to the pink-haired beauty. Her body clouded his thoughts and made him act somewhat irrational.
"Lance, until you talk it out with her, it's not smart to do what you're about to do." Ash wisely stated.
"Oh I'm going to do it, I just wanted you to know ahead of time so you wouldn't be totally surprised when she says yes and rolls in hanging on my arm." Ash almost laughed at his semi-arrogant tone. "You really believe she's that certain to go with you Lance? Truly?"
Lance smirked and nodded once more. "Absolutely."
Ash sighed. "Lance, I can't really let you—"
Lance had taken three steps and was in Ash's face in an instant. "Oh? What kind of say do you think you have? Last I checked you weren't her father, her brother, her uncle, or her boyfriend! All you are is her leader, and she's old enough to make her own decisions." Lance gave Ash a small push backwards, to which Ash looked up at Lance in legitimate shock for the third time in less than an hour.
"I don't have to stand here and listen to your shit Ketchum. You've been bossing me around about staying away from Zandra for too long. I'm gonna win her over… just watch." Lance left with a sweep of his cape and leaving a gob-smacked Ash standing rooted on the roof, disbelief coloring all his features. That was nothing like the Lance he knew. He was so… hostile. Did he truly believe Zandra would fall for him again? After what he did to hurt her? Ash seriously doubted it.
He stood there for another few minutes, knowing the time to see May was getting closer and closer. He heard the door to the roof open up and Ash firmly expected May to come bursting in. Once more, he was surprised when he guessed wrong.
Ash was attacked by July, who was hugging him tightly. The two other elites were flanking her on either side. Ash stared back and forth at the both of them, seeing Axel's dejected eyes and Zandra's look of utter fury. July began to blubber.
"T-Tell me it's not true! Tell me t-they don't have him!" Ash was silent.
"TELL ME!" She screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks in small cascades. Ash bit his lip and whispered out just loud enough so that his elites could all hear. "They have him."
July let out a pained gasp and rushed into Axel's arms, sobbing loudly. The blonde man growled. "For every hand they lay on him, I'm going to cut it clean off them!"
Zandra snarled. "Get in line. Every one of those bastards are mine. Nobody takes one of our own and gets away with it."
As his elites began to converse, Ash cut in. "That's enough. We're going to be taking shifts. Since it seems inevitable that Xavier won't make it back before his nine o' clock matchup tonight, he's going to be disqualified." Ash didn't mention his conversation with Xavier before he was taken, it was irrelevant now. His elites stared amongst one another, July's sniffles occasionally cutting the thick tension.
"I battle tomorrow. Axel's on Wednesday, and Zandra's on Thursday. Starting tomorrow, we commit our free time to hunting down Flare. I'll do my best to enlist the region's help. Making a big statement tomorrow during my battle will be crucial. If you're not preparing for a battle, you're doing everything you can to find Xavier and get him back here. It's about saving a life here, not a tournament… not anymore. Only one of us can win."
He looked around. "Questions?"
Silence came from his elites, even though Zandra looked like she wanted to throw something. Ash sighed and continued. "July, I need you to monitor anything about the situation that can give us an edge. You've got complete authority over security cameras and the ALT City databases. Get combing." The green-haired girl nodded solemnly and left the rooftop first, determination taking place of the fresh tears.
"Axel, for the night at least, contact Rocket and let them know of our plan. Run it over who's going to be on duty at what time so they know who to contact. Emphasize the importance of getting him back safely, not just in a couple hours for the tournament. His health is our priority. Tomorrow, begin preparations for your battle against Cynthia." Axel nodded and jogged off, hoping to catch his girlfriend.
"Zandra, I need you tomorrow to do a complete sweep of the city for anything Flare related. We need to make sure there's nothing else that can threaten the tournament." She nodded, but before she could leave, he grabbed her arm. "Also… a warning… you may be getting a visit of sorts from Lance soon."
Her eyes narrowed. "What kind of visit?"
Ash grumbled. "The 'she may still accept me' kind. Just be ready." Zandra actually scoffed at this. "That'll be a fun conversation… for me anyway. Thanks." She turned on her heel and left, leaving Ash alone and counting the minutes until May arrived.
Ash could feel the tension building in the air, despite the fact that he was the only one on the rooftop. He went through his mental checklist and could do nothing but wait until his girlfriend arrived. It was up to him to convince her that he didn't care about her slip-up of sorts. The problem was really going to be getting her to forgive him if the worst happened. It felt inevitable admittedly, but he knew it was now or never.
Seconds turned into minutes. He was still anxiously awaiting her arrival. Then, his pokegear, linked up to an earpiece, went off. Ash tapped it anxiously. "Ghost. Speak."
"Sir, this is Bail. I just wanted to inform you Miss Maple arrived just a moment ago and is on her way up to the rooftop, as you instructed."
"Excellent. See to it we're not disturbed."
"Copy that."
Ash shut off his earpiece after that, hoping he wouldn't need it for any reason. With his remaining elites on high alert, there hopefully wouldn't be any reason for alarm or his assistance. A minute or so passed by further and then he heard the doorway to the rooftop open. What he saw took his breath away.
May stood there in an elegant dress, one that was almost white but had a touch of pink in it. The finest material had to have been used in that dress, because it looked like it cost a fortune. It hugged her curves magnificently, her backside being one of the only things being hidden. Ash gazed at her chest approvingly as well. May chose this moment to speak up.
"From the drool coming from your mouth, I'd say you dig my attire."
Ash growled, lust coloring his voice. "Oh… I dig."
May smirked. "And what about all the food?"
Ash mimicked her. "The only thing I want to eat right now…"
A laugh escaped her lips. Ash's shit-eating grin didn't leave his face, but he motioned for her to sit down at a picnic table nearby. She was a bit surprised by out-of-place table, but didn't mind it. "Should I have gone more casual?"
"Had you asked beforehand, probably yes. Now that you're here, I'm very glad you didn't." Ash teased.
May let out a mock gasp. "Ghost, come now! What if there are children about?"
Ash smirked. "They'll be too young to figure out what's happening." The smirk faded. "Alas, it's time to begin our meal, wouldn't you say?"
May giggled. "So be it. What shall we be having tonight monsieur?"
Ash took off the silver tins covering the vast amounts of food. Berries, sandwiches, cold cuts and starches aplenty were revealed. Ash took a mock bow. "Only the finest for you, your highness. What would you like?"
Before she could answer though, Ash snatched a fork and began to help himself. May let out another laugh.
"Someone's hungry. Helping themselves before helping their Queen? Disgusting. You, royal subject, should be ashamed of yourself."
"Her highness may serve herself as she wishes." Ghost chuckled. As May began to help herself as instructed, Ash could feel relief beginning to trickle into his mind. His plan thus far was working like a charm. He knew that May's tension would be just as much as his coming into this date, and it only would make things worse if they immediately dove into the problem. This would be especially true once he told her the real truth… the whole truth.
So, his first part to his plan was to be funny and teasing for an extended period of time. If he could help her forget about the tension she already had, it would be a lot better for later on. Second, only the best food for her, but nothing too fancy. Crisp apples, soft bread and tasty snacks would do the trick.
Finally, he'd begin by saying that she shouldn't love him yet, because—
"This is absolutely delicious! Don't tell me you eat these every day." May gushed happily.
Ash forced his thoughtline out. "And if I do?"
May bit into a Ham and Cheese sandwich and moaned ever-so-quietly. "I may have to make an alternate excuse to move in with you."
Ash blinked. "What was that?"
May smirked at him yet again. "You heard me."
Ash was somewhat speechless by her brazenness. May went back to eating and then Ash was teleported back to his time in Hoenn, watching her match him in every way when it came to food. They shared the same over-hyper mindset, their love for Pokémon, their love for food, and of course, their love for one another.
'It's like she was made for me…' Ash couldn't help but think.
After about ten or fifteen minutes of eating in comfortable silence, Ash took a deep breath and licked his lips. She seemed to be enjoying the very last of her food, and he knew what that meant. It was time to speak up.
"Did her majesty enjoy the meal?"
"Very much… very much. Thank you monsieur." She wiped her face with a napkin and Ash lightly kissed her knuckles on her opposite hand. She looked surprised by the gesture, but most certainly did not pull away from the contact. He stood up, further surprising her. He motioned for May to stand, and she did so.
They walked to a corner of the rooftop which had been conveniently equipped with a romantic red carpet. The sun, now beginning to set over the vast horizon, was making a perfect setting for this conversation. He knew it was finally the moment.
"May… I've been… doing a lot of thinking about what you said." He placed his hands on her hips and she rightfully looked terrified for a good moment. "G-Ghost, I—"
"Let me finish. May, I care for you a great deal. You're the first person I've been with in ages… maybe technically even the only one I've ever been with. I want to tell you those three words too, but before I can, I must be entirely truthful with you."
The brunette frowned. "What do you mean?"
Ghost bit his lip. "As you can tell, I'm a very… guarded individual. I don't let people get close to me, and I have good reasons to why this is. These are reasons I'm about to share with you. These reasons could affect our relationship—"
"Then I don't want to hear them Ghost. I trust your word." She argued passionately.
"… I'm not so sure you should." He quietly spoke. "There's more than just one thing that's happened to me in this life that would leave you scarred forever." His eyes unconsciously darted down to his arm brace which was the first line of defense into learned his haunted past.
She frowned and trailed her fingers up his arm. "If you want to get it off your chest, I'll listen."
Ash nodded at the offer. "Very well. I'll start from the beginning. This may… come as a shock to you. But, before I say anything else, please don't ask questions until the end, because there will be a lot of them." The nod from her urged him to continue.
"I hail from Pallet Town in the Kanto region." May's gasp confirmed she truly had no idea. "T-then that means…"
Ash nodded. "Yes. I knew Ash Ketchum. I knew him… know him… very well."
She opened her mouth but his pointed look told her to be quiet. "I came to power here about three years ago, a little more than that now, but I didn't spend all my years in Alola. I spent years honing my skills in all the regions. It was my goal to become the very best. I wasn't going to let anyone or anything stand in my way of that. Because of this though, I would act brazenly and somewhat densely from time to time. There are plenty of mistakes I've made over my years of battling, but the biggest mistake I ever made had little to do with it."
Ash licked his lips. "I trusted the wrong people. I was betrayed. I came to Alola with the help of Lance, the champion of Kanto. He's the only reason I'm here now; I don't know what would've happened." He shuddered, faintly remembering the agonizing feeling of his arm almost being melted off.
May whispered. "What… happened after that?"
Ash nodded solemnly. "Though it seems… strange, I tried to move on. But every day, I was reminded that those who did this to me had to be brought to justice. Nobody would believe my story on my word alone, it would've been mine against theirs. I was required to get information my own way, and some people may have frowned at its legitimacy."
He shrugged. "In any case, I was in Alola for three years. I made friends with Professor Kukui here, along with a few select others. I… trusted them with my real identity. I trusted them that they wouldn't spread the knowledge of my real name. As far as I'm aware, they've stuck true to their word."
"Y-You mean… your name i-isn't—"
Ash dryly chuckled. "What? Did you think Ghost was the name scribbled on my birth certificate?"
'It may as well have been…'
When May didn't respond, Ash continued and walked towards the ledge of the building, admiring ALT City from far above. "For about three years, I continued studying and training to become the best. I caught new Pokémon. I made new friends. And then… well, it was time for the Alola league's first champion. Some of the best from across the world came, but only one could emerge victorious. Since coming to Alola, I believed the best training around was the key to winning. This meant endurance, raw strength, senses and accuracy. If you could master these four things, any Pokémon could become a deadly ally."
Ash chuckled softly. "I may have overprepared for the tournament. When it started, for the handful battles, I didn't lose a single Pokémon. Not a single one. I felt no emotion then, I erased everyone from existence, then moved to the next one. It wasn't until I noticed Zandra in the tournament that I lost a Pokémon. I know I didn't face her; she had to battle DeShiro, but she was someone I couldn't help but be enamored by. She was an incredible battler, but like myself, her mental capabilities were that of a glass cannon. I saw a lot of me in her."
"After I stomped DeShiro in the finals, I created the league with the intentions of it never falling, but also being a beacon of hope for my people. A sixteen-year old kid coming in and somehow winning a worldwide tournament? Nobody saw it coming. I chose my elites based on their ceilings, rather than their floors. But, as you could imagine, people…" He frowned. "…weren't exactly happy with my decisions. So, even after I announced my plans for ALT City, I knew I needed something else to convince them I was the right guy for the job."
May spoke for the first time in quite a bit. "W-what did you do?"
Ash grimaced lightly. "I didn't have to do much… Team Flare did."
She gaped. "Team Flare? The same people who supposedly—"
"Kidnapped my elite today?" He heaved out a long sigh. "Yes. I'm afraid so."
"Why would they take Xavier though? Why would he be a target to Flare?" She questioned, not fully getting the story yet.
Ash nodded to the side once, as if gesturing that he was getting to the point. "They invaded Alola on one of the beachfronts. They were setting up camp, people and Pokémon. My citizens were getting restless, and I knew it was only a matter of time before something drastic happened. Someone had to do something."
"… I moved first."
May was silent for a moment before she gasped. "I-It was you! You w-wiped out Flare!"
Ash nodded. "All by myself. Well, and my Pokémon of course."
May was stunned. "You… you slaughtered so many people!"
Ash didn't even look remorseful. "I did. I would do it again if I was forced to as well. It was either my region, or their group. So, I took it all down in about twenty-four hours. I had my plan. I executed it."
Taking a deep breath, he recited quietly. 'Never will Alola be pushovers again. We won't play second fiddle to anyone. If a region's leader can beat Flare singlehandedly, there's no telling how strong their region is.' Ash licked his lips. "That was my mentality. I wiped them out on the beachfront. I let some escape and destroyed their base once they led me there inadvertently. Lysandre was dead. The admins were dead. Some lieutenants were spared to be interrogated. Everything went to plan… except one little detail."
Ash leaned over the railing, holding his head. "Nobody could seem to figure out that it was me and me alonewho wiped out Flare."
May gaped, but then realized she herself didn't even know. "W-what?"
Ash sheepishly chuckled. "Up until recently, I assumed everyone knew it was me who wiped out Flare. But, because of how much damage was done, nobody really could put the pieces together that it was one person and his Pokémon who wiped out an entire criminal organization with a snap of his fingers. Instead of gaining trust that way, it was gained by going around the islands and interacting with people, defending the cities and completing ALT City."
He held his head. "Nobody knows for certain outside my elites that I was the one who took hundreds… if not thousands of lives in the span of one day. Even after I was in Kalos personally scolding Diantha for not being able to contain Flare in her own region, nobody has connected the dots."
His girlfriend looked rightfully stunned. "That's…"
"Not the end of my story May… not yet. That was just the appetizer. Now, you know what kind of monster I am. Sure, that was years ago, but it still happened. Pokémon who lost their lives, and the scum of the earth… but humans nonetheless, that lost their lives as well… neither one will wake up for a new day. Now… I will tell you the full truth of someone you care about. Now that you know that I'm a monster, I will tell you the story…"
He turned around and stepped closer to her. "… of Ashura Ketchum."
Her jaw dropped and her beautiful blue eyes became wide. She stuttered. "G-Ghost? W-what do you mean? What do you mean the story of Ash Ketchum? Answer me!"
Ash spoke. "I know everything there is about Ash Ketchum. I know him possibly even better than you do."
She shook her head. "N-No… that's a lie! Stop it!"
Ash continued. "I know that he was late to pick up his first Pokémon on the first day of his journey. I know how Gary Oak himself was there with his personal fan club to goad him on despite receiving his Pokémon earlier. Didn't you ever consider it strange that Gary and I hit it off so quick?"
She pushed him lightly. "G-Ghost! Stop it now!"
"I know how his first true crush wasn't you… it was Misty. One of his closest friends… one of his first friends. She betrayed him, just as he believed you betrayed him as well."
"Ghost!"
Ash snarled. "He would travel region to region aimlessly, looking for his first championship, but like everything, he always came up a yard short. Top eight, Top sixteen… oh, let's not forget his Orange Islands 'victory.' Did that honestly even count though? It wasn't a real league."
"Stop. It!" May cried, tears threatening to spill.
But stop it, he did not. "What about every single female he's every travelled with outside of you? Dawn? Misty? Iris? Serena? Then there were plenty of girls who thought they'd try to make a dent in that dense skull of his? Who should I name? Hmm… Anabel… Angie… Miette… if you'd like to you can throw in Zoey… she may've been into him too."
He didn't continue further, because he was greeted by a sharp slapping noise and a painful sensation on his cheek. Ash saw May on the verge of bursting, as if daring him to continue
With Xavier's memory soldiering forth, he did just that. "I know… most of all, how much you loved him." Her eyes shot to the ground, not daring to look up at him. Why in Arceus' name was Ghost doing this?
"You loved everything about him. Sure, at first you thought the idea of dating him was gross. You revolted at the very thought of him touching you. He felt the same way. Then, as time went on and as he would travel to other regions… meet new people, you could feel your feelings for him truly begin to manifest. It occurred to you at some point; you loved his eating habits, how he would match you apple to apple should you dare him."
Her eyes darted up, surprise laced in them. "You loved it that, despite the odds always being stacked against him, he never once gave up hope. He never backed down. He would never ever abandon his friends. He was selfless. Just to name a single time… willing to risk his own life to save yours and Manaphy's."
Her eyes bulged out at this. There was a very thin circle of people who knew about that.
"H-How…"
"You loved his laugh, his smile, his clumsiness, his loyalty. You loved everything about Ash Ketchum. He was going to be your rock one day. And then…"
He whispered next to her. "It happened. Ash was ripped away from you. He was betrayed by his so-called friends. His first crush. Your brother. His rival. His travelling companions."
After a moment, he spoke again, louder this time. "But… the one who was betrayed most of all, was not Ash."
He looked at his girlfriend with a pained expression. "It was you."
May blinked. "W-What do you mean? I'm still here aren't I?"
Ash turned around back to the city and took a deep breath. "Ash may have been the one tossed into that Volcano, but he wasn't the one who was being played like a fiddle for six years. He was the one who was given a choice. He knew what actions he was taking, and he knew who it could hurt. But at the time, he didn't believe it mattered. After all, he'd fallen to his death believing his closest friends and the girl he wanted had betrayed him. He had no reason to think anything else, and stuck by his decisions even as the years passed."
May stared at Ghost, tears no longer threatening to fall, but anxiety bursting at the seams. "What… are you saying?"
Ash turned around, eyes closed and a pained smile on his face. He opened his eyes to see her reaction.
"Ash Ketchum is still alive."
He wasn't sure how she'd react, but anything would've been on the table and he wouldn't have been shocked. In reality, she let out a strangled gasp. He hands flew to her mouth and she hunched over slightly, let out a soft cry. The tears were now back, and there was no stopping the waterworks this time. Ash could feel nothing but guilt as she wept.
"N-No! He… h-he wouldn't! He's too strong! He's too loyal! Ash wouldn't stay away from us! I don't believe you!" She whimpered.
Ash licked his lips and took a step towards her. She took a step back in response, not daring to get close to the man she thought she knew so well.
"Why would he?"
May blinked, fresh tears still streaming down her cheeks. "Wha—"
"Why would he feel any obligation to show he was alive? He'd been pronounced dead. His friends had thrown him to his demise. You had just kissed Drew. He barely survived the fall. Why would he feel any remorse to those he believed damned him?!" May's mind was doing somersaults. Why would he indeed? But… there was something… odd, about Ghost. There was something she was just noticing, and she had to call him out for it.
"Y-You know so much about Ash… how do you know all t-this? How do you know he's alive?"
Ghost turned around slowly and held his head low as a soft breeze from the evening sky reminded him to stay in reality. He spoke aloud, conversationally. "One of the many bright spots of being close allies with Aether Paradise is their technology. While they have a lot of… items, to deal with Ultra Beasts, they also have more day-to-day commodities." Ash carefully removed his colored contacts so that his bright auburn eyes could gleam freely.
May didn't speak as Ash continued softly. "When Ash fell into that Volcano, it left him scarred. Not just mentally, but physically. For months, he would heal. It was only thanks to Brock Harrison… and Lance Wataru that he survived…" He turned over his shoulder and lightly smiled.
"Very much like how Lance… saved mine."
May's breathing had begun to get faster. She saw Ghost reach into his pocket and take something else out. A quiet click of a button was heard, and then Ghost placed the item back into his pocket. Nothing happened to the naked eye though. She shakily spoke. "G-Ghost…"
He was slowly removing his arm brace to reveal the mangled and burnt flesh that was his arm. The man who responded sounded entirely different. "This… is called a melting wound. It's said to only be possible to achieve by something of a heat that mimics… molten lava." Her breath hitched as she saw his injury, but then his voice began to click. He sounded almost… boyish. And it was a tone she hadn't heard in so, so long.
She knew that voice.
Her eyes wide, tears still there but not falling, she watched as Ghost slowly turned around and removed his cap for the very first time. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw him, truly him, for the first time.
This man had brown hair and auburn eyes. He stood at about 6'1" and had good posture. He radiated power. The only thing missing from him was his Pika—
She let out a strangled sob. Ghost's most trusted partner…
"No… No… NO!" May dropped to her knees, the dam seconds from bursting. She looked into his eyes, begging him to tell her that she was wrong, begging to tell her that this was some cruel, twisted joke. But one more look told the rest of the tale. She knew those eyes, dancing with mischief, pride and power. Ghost knew the tales of Ash Ketchum. Ghost knew Gary Oak. Ghost and Ash were both incredibly powerful. Both Ghost and Ash were supposedly saved by Lance.
And both Ash and Ghost had a trusted Pikachu as their partner. As soon as he opened his mouth and she heard his voice, she broke.
"Hello May… It's me." Ash Ketchum spoke, the Ghost of a smile playing out on his lips.
Ash looked at his girlfriend, waiting for her to make the next move. He had done it. He'd been entirely truthful with her. She now knew Ash and Ghost were one in the same. He'd gone all in. It was time to see what she did. Ash wouldn't have been offended had she left. He wouldn't have been hurt had she sat there and cried for hours, or even starting punching him. But now, the truth was out in the open.
He couldn't believe he'd actually done it!
Seconds morphed into minutes, May still frozen in time. She still had tears silently streaming down her face. She hadn't moved.
Ash took a hesitant step towards her. "May?"
The dam truly broke then. She let out a strangled gasp. "A-Ash… I…" Then, her eyes bulged. She twitched and shuddered, setting off all sorts of alarm bells. Ash could only watched in morbid terror as May tensed up entirely before falling on her side, eyes wide with terror and her mouth slightly ajar.
"NO!" Ash screamed and picked her up. He shook her repeatedly, begging her to stop her cruel payback. But as he shook his more and more, his tears now splashing onto her form, it was clear she was not moving. "May, baby, stay with me! Gods NO!" He cried.
He felt for a pulse and felt only the tiniest amount of relief when the faintest one was detected. "May, please please stay with me!" Reactivating his earpiece, he immediately called Bail and Arch to his location. Within seconds the two were bursting through the door. Minutes after that, paramedics were there in a helicopter, whisking her away to the nearest hospital in ALT City. She was admitted to the elite's personal doctor and placed under their watch.
The entire time, as she was pronounced as comatose and may never awaken again, Ash never left her side. But, despite having everything now out in the open and having her by his side, he never felt more alone.
AN: Andddd that's the chapter ladies and gentlemen. I hope you enjoyed reading this absolute banger of a chapter! Nearly 12,000 words of absolute awesomeness! I hope it was everything you wanted and more. This has been a long time coming and now, it's finally here… kind of. Now, we have to wait for May's reaction, but how long will that take? Only time will tell.
In a whole, this chapter was nutty! First Xavier and Ash fight, then Xavier is kidnapped in front of Malva, then Lance and Ash fight ending with Lance leaving, and to top it all, Ash reveals himself to May! Twenty-Six pages of typing later, and here we are! Ladies and Gentlemen, if you're new, make sure to follow and favorite. We're closing in on 1k of each, so let's get that number. Also, follow myself as well as I also update another story along with this one.
Next chapter is Ash vs Falkner and perhaps some other stuff. Meh, I'll keep you guys guessing
Thanks for reading everyone, until the next one.
LegionZ