Hey Y'all! Welcome to the next installment of the Chosen One's Wrath. This is the 35th chapter of what is proving to be an absolute monster of a story. I never once pictured this story would become so popular and reach the level that it has, especially since I took a year-long break to complete my junior year of college. If you're new to this story, please consider following and favoriting both myself and the story to show your support!
So how about a talk eh? I've done some rough estimating about chapters and what not, and while this number is purely a guess, I think the story will be over in about 8 to 10 chapters or so. Again, the number is purely speculation, but I think that it seems most realistic with my expectations. Maybe it'll be far more than that, but if I'm being honest, I see no way that it could be fewer than that. When the story finishes, well, that's something I really don't have an answer to.
Work hours are still brutal for me, though thankfully, it's not 5AM's for the most part anymore, just long hours that usually go from 9 in the morning to 8PM every day. So, as you'd expect, finding free time hours aren't easy. Here's hoping we stay on the trend I'm currently on and stop getting buried, eh? In any case, it's time to get the ball rolling on the story yet again, as we get closer and closer to the end.
I think that's about it, hope you guys enjoy the chapter, and here's hoping this one comes out sometime in the near future to when I'm typing this.
LegionZ Presents… The Chosen One's Wrath… Chapter 35
Last Chapter…
Iris practically snarled the name out. "Ghost."
"Iris. Cilan." He looked around the gray room humorously. "Nice room, seems well decorated… you like?"
The duo didn't talk, unsure of what exactly they could say. Ghost nodded a few times and looked to Serena, who nodded her approval. "Well, I'll be straightforward with you both about one thing; Serena here is the key to why I was able to successfully do anything."
Cilan stepped back as though he were struck. "Huh?"
"You see, she came to me in ALT City with a most outlandish tale—the story of how a young man deemed a hero by others was killed by those closest to him, and how she needed revenge to ease her conscience and his memory. How people could do something so heinous and believe they would get away with it forever is nothing short of baffling. Your time is officially up, killers."
The door burst open. In ran four police officers along with their Pokémon. One of the guards was the female guard from before. Officer Jenny stepped in right after, an Arcanine hovering on her left and another officer on her right, tightly gripping two pairs of handcuffs. The next person to speak however, was Ghost.
"You two are under arrest for the murder of Ash Ketchum. You will also be investigated for attempting to destroy evidence, attempting to use Pokémon in a non-combatant zone, and kidnapping, along with other charges. Your titles will be immediately revoked, your Pokémon will be contained in a secure facility until your trials are over, at which point they will be released into the wild to search for a trainer that is not a criminal. Officer Jenny…?"
The officer nodded. "You heard him, take them away."
"Now then, onto business. We can get to confessions and what-not later, but for now, let's start with question number three; Drew Saiga and Dawn Berlitz… what's the connection?"
Letting out a heavy sigh, Cilan began to speak, a recording device or two planted out in the open and nearby. "It's all related to contests."
"He's a coordinator and so is she. There's obviously more to it." Ghost spoke in a bored fashion.
"Of course there is." Iris snapped before she stopped herself by taking a sharp breath of air. Gathering her wits and controlling her temper, she carefully spoke her next words. "Nobody has found it weird that Dawn always performed on such a high level… like, a level that seemed to be one of legends. And yet, prior to meeting Drew, she never won a grand festival, and struggled to simply get far in competitions. Even today, nobody's found out that she's, well… essentially cheating in contests."
Ghost blinked. Her words held true, but it still seemed like a longshot. "She's cheating in contests? How does one exactly cheat in a contest? Is she paying off a judge every competition or—"
"Nothing like that." Cilan interrupted. "Nobody has a clue she's cheating in her contests except us; it's all related to Drew as well. Have you heard of a drug called Steroids?" Ghost leaned back and got thoughtful. He was no pharmacist, but it did sound vaguely familiar. Where he knew this word from though, was a mystery to him. "The word does have some familiarity to me, but I wouldn't know what it does. Care to elaborate?"
"Imagine this; there's a Pokémon version and a human version as well. Both work the same but are just administrated to the respective species for different reasons. Some steroids are given to people and Pokémon for medical reasons. This could be because their body isn't functioning correctly, or they need them to survive for whatever reason or another." Iris narrated.
"Onto more pressing matters Ms. Keenfire. I am unsure of why you were dumped at my doorstep, but I plan to take advantage of it. Now, tell me—"
"I-I'll tell you whatever you want to know! Just, no more broken wrists! Or anything else! Please!" She begged.
'Hm… how curious…'
Silence reigned for a moment. "Very well." A flash filled the room, and Espeon appeared. "Be prepared to tell the truth on everything Ms. Keenfire. My first question is a simple one; who is the leader of Team Flare?"
The girl looked hesitant for a moment, carefully looking at Espeon before speaking in a very shaky tone.
"O-Okay… the l-leader of Flare… is…"
Ghost waited expectantly for the words to come out. She opened her mouth and the words he'd already known came out.
"Professor Samuel Oak." Ghost's eyes darted to Espeon, who merely nodded.
"Hello. My name is Trip Craggier. I'm a trainer that, well, maybe you'll face this tournament. I made it to the final four, and if we both win, we'll face in the championship. Granted, I… I-I can't put it off anymore. I just can't take the guilt o-of what I did all those years ago anymore."
Ghost didn't respond, he merely watched as his old rival held out both of his hands and looked down to the ground. Ash could hear him sobbing, which only added to his bafflement. "I…I killed a Pokémon trainer. I took his life. My… once-acquaintances, reached out to me and told me they were being hunted for what they'd done. I don't deserve to win the league when I screwed up so many people's lives. I… I couldn't even associate myself with them anymore. When I heard you were beginning to arrest all of them… I figured I'd make it easy on you. I deserve this, I don't know why I did what I did all those years ago, but I need to begin healing, and this is where it begins."
Ghost couldn't move, he was too shocked to believe what was happening. The young man looked up, tears in his eyes. "I killed the Pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum. I'm so, so sorry… I just… can't…" The teen broke down, tears streaming from his face as he collapsed into the dirt.
The champion just watched the spectacle, never once feeling as uncertain in his entire life as he did in that moment. A rival turned killer, wanting penance.
What was the man who he supposedly killed to do?
Present… Enjoy the chapter everyone!
To say Ash was in a tight dilemma was a drastic, drastic understatement. For the third time in such a short period and with mere hours until his battle with Max began, he found himself standing or looking into an interrogation room. With Espeon at the ready, he was prepared to go back in and truly question one of his killers. However, there was a sinking feeling in his stomach that something was about to happen. It was strange timing; First Star was captured, then Malva was dumped outside the league, then Trip appears when he's supposed to be preparing for his battle that followed his own?
All in all, Ash was more than a little suspicious of the current events. That being said, even with the events that transpired, he couldn't help but notice the authentic remorse on the boys face. He looked like years had been taken off his life, and off a glance, he looked truly worse for wear. The champion also knew that Trip had disassociated himself from the rest of the traitors for quite some time, much longer than when the traitors became aware that he was hunting them. It wasn't like Max and his band of bumbling buffoons to think ahead. Well, except for that one time that Ash nearly had fallen back into the clutches of his old persona.
In any case though, the champion steeled himself and walked in, more than prepared to speak heart-to-heart with the one he once called his rival.
Ghost opened the door, allowing his purple cat and electric rodent to walk in before him. Was Ghost concerned that Trip might recognize Pikachu? Maybe a little; but overall, that level of concern was near-zero; there were a lot of Pikachu in the world after all. And since everyone believed Ash to be dead, that thought-line was only reinforced.
The young man was fully at attention when Ghost entered, and didn't say anything when Ghost sat down, his two Pokémon flanking his left and right. The two men stared at one another for a moment or two, only silence accompanying them. Finally, the champion broke it.
"Well, are you ready to begin?"
The green-haired man nodded. "Yeah… Yeah I am."
A slow nod. "Alright. Let's start with this; why are you turning yourself in approximately a day before your semi-finals match?"
Trip bit his lip. "It's like I said before: this guilt is eating me alive. I got word from Max that you were hunting those who killed Ash Ketchum, and I just… I wanted this to lighten up on my conscience. In the end, Max and I can't really win our battles anymore, and you're on good terms with Gary. I'm not sure I'd be able to beat him anyway, but knowing that I turned myself in has to be a good step towards enlightenment."
Ash raised an eyebrow. "Enlightenment you say?"
The young man held his head low. "I can't say this for the rest of them, but all I can think about is redemption. I…I-I don't know why I did what I did that day. All I can think about it his look of terror when we… when we…" Trip wiped his eyes and was narrowly able to choke out. "K-Killed his Pokémon."
Silence came from the champion. He subtly cast a glance at Espeon, who nodded.
"Tell me about that look."
Trip looked up, more than a little startled. "W-Wha—"
"You heard me. Tell me what you saw. I want you to describe to me what you saw." The look he was casting was straightforward enough.
"I-It was just… desperation. He looked utterly terrified; he cared more about his Pokémon than he did his own life. I couldn't take my eyes off him as he fell in. It w-was like watching something from a horror movie. It didn't take long for the guilt to settle in… every day I would wake up in a cold sweat, every minute I was stuck looking over my shoulder. W-When I close my eyes…" He took a deep breath. "I see his eyes. The look of unbridled terror and disbelief written all over his face. It's all I see anymore… it's eating me alive!"
The man hung his head. "That's why I'm doing this… if I don't take this chance now, to make this decision of my own free will, I'm going to regret it for the rest of my life, and I'll never get a chance to put myself at peace."
Ghost felt like he'd been run over by a dump truck. Another glance towards his Psychic type and he knew all he needed to.
'He… he honestly wants redemption… I can't believe this.' The young champion's mind was in endless turmoil. He hadn't expected this, but Espeon couldn't be fooled… could she? The young man seemed to pass the eye test of the current situation as well; he didn't look like he was lying. Ash couldn't help himself with his next question.
"But… on the topic of regret, don't you think you'll regret not trying to get to the championship? Isn't worth one last run to see if you can make it to the end with your Pokémon?"
Trip remained stoic for a moment before speaking quietly. "It's definitely crossed my mind once or twice. But, I just… I-I don't think I…"
"You're punishing yourself. You don't think you deserve to be here because of what you did all those years. And you think that, if you sacrifice your dreams now, it'll help pay back what you did." The young man looked startled, clearly not expecting Ghost to read him so fast.
"… yes. Yes, that's what I'm doing isn't it?" He muttered quietly.
Ghost sighed. "I understand. It feels like something is gnawing at your insides, and no matter what you do to try and ease your conscience, you're haunted by your past."
"You know that feeling too?"
Ghost nodded solemnly. "All too well."
Trip said nothing more, so Ghost asked his next question. "Well, we'll move on from that to this topic; why did you decide to do it?"
"You mean, why did we kill him?"
A nod. "Yes, why did you decide to kill Ash Ketchum?"
Trip seemed to think over the appropriate response, and he gave it up after a handful of seconds in thought. "In a word… jealousy." Seeing Ghost raise his eyebrow, the man continued quietly. "I was jealous of him for so long, I'd known him for years. We traded wins and losses when he was my rival back in Unova, but that last loss to him struck a nerve deep down that I really didn't know I had. When I heard what they were going to do, when I heard that there was a rumor they were going to try something, I wanted in. I was technically one of the, well, ringmasters."
The green-hair on his head was draped down to the point where it was covering his eyes in a shadowy shield. "I-I don't even know why I was doing what I did that day."
'It's the look of someone who truly regrets his actions…' Ghost found himself thinking.
The champion was silent, unsure of what else to say on the scenario. He let the young man sob quietly as the young man formally known as Ash Ketchum silently prepared his next move. He didn't know what else to say that wouldn'tmake the obviously delicate situation collapse, so he simply bided his time.
Finally, Ghost could wait no longer. "I heard a rumor that someone from Team Flare convinced you to go through with the act of killing Ash Ketchum. Is that true?"
The sobbing quietly came to an end, and Ash could see Trip nod, confirming his beliefs. "Good, good. Now, answer me this question; I want to know who was the one who convinced you to act. I have a name I want to confirm, but first, I need to confirm where this happened, do you understand?" Trip once more nodded.
"Were you convinced to act in Pallet Town, approximately a handful of days before the deed was carried out?"
Another nod. Another glance to Espeon. Another nod.
"Good. Now, I'm going to ask another question. You must be one-hundred percent honest with me, is that clear?"
Trip nodded rapidly. Ghost took a deep breath.
"Was the one who convinced you to kill Ash Ketchum none other than Professor Samuel Oak?"
The look was instantaneous, and it was laced with utter confusion. Trip recoiled, clearly not expecting it. "W-What? Professor Oak? Why would he want Ash dead? O-Of course it wasn't him! We were approached by a woman who claimed to be working with Flare, s-she was cloaked so we couldn't tell who it was or what she looked like. B-But I swear it wasn't Oak! Why are you even asking me that? He was Ash's mentor!"
Tension at an all-time high, Ghost glanced to Espeon, who nodded. 'So… looks like Oak's diaries were authentic. If Oak wanted me gone, he's going to extreme lengths to make sure there's no evidence of any corruption. He didn't want me out of the way, so that means Lysandre must've definitely though I was on his trail, and done the deed himself. I don't see any other way. The question is, who was the one who hired them?'
Ghost turned back to Trip. "Alright, thank you. What did the woman offer you?"
"Anything we wanted. I can't say what the others got, but all I asked for was money. I felt even worse after looking at the money in my bank account. I didn't even know what to do with it, and I've barely touched it." The green-haired boy shook his head miserably.
More silence. "That's good to know." Ghost finally spoke. After making another note of the situation, he took a deep breath and sighed. "Well, I don't think there's much else for me to question."
Trip nodded and stood up. The trainer held out both his hands. "I'm ready to accept the consequences of my actions. By law, you're able to make arrests given that you've taken control of the investigation and I'm in your region."
Ghost looked at the young man carefully, still feeling a bit uneasy given the current situation. But, the more and more he looked at the young man, he still couldn't shake the feeling that this man looked like he was actually telling the truth. Not one of the traitors had shown any remorse thus far, and package that with Trip's words, it seemed as though that perhaps one of them was truly sorry for what they had done.
How did he rule the situation?
Did he take his vengeance for the act that doomed him all those years ago? Did Ash finally take a stab at his revenge for all that he'd suffered?
…
…
…
'… No. No… not like this.'
Ghost stood up and spoke quietly. "Mr. Craggier, I won't be arresting you today."
The man blinked. "W-What?"
"I'm a man who appreciates honesty. You were willing to give up something that meant so much to you in order to begin your path to redemption, and I appreciate that. However, I think I speak for both Mr. Oak and the entirety of the world when I say that they want to see you put on a show. Your Pokémon, I imagine, feel the same. I will grant you a small period of leniency. While I will take you in after the tournament concludes, I believe you've earned the chance to earn one last memory with your Pokémon."
The trainer looked shell-shocked. His outstretched wrists morphed into an open hand, waiting for the obvious gesture. The champion firmly shook his hand. "I'll be here after the tournament to turn myself in then. Thank you for this opportunity, I'll make the most of it."
Ghost grinned slyly. "I would hope you would; if you manage to face me in the championship, I will not hold back."
"I wouldn't expect anything less."
Within minutes, the green-haired male was walking away from the league, free and refreshed. To say Trip was stunned was a major understatement; the man had truly expected to be burned at the stake for his crimes, but Ghost seemed far more composed than his ex-allies were making it sound. But, whatever the champion's reasons were for letting him go, the man planned to make the most of it.
The champion watched the man's silhouette slowly vanish over the course of a minute or so, the top of head being the final thing to leave his field of vision. Not long after, Ash found himself staring at the spot where his ex-final had once been. For a few moments, all was calm, the sounds of Pokémon and people in the distance filling the air quietly. Ash found himself holding his breath, but found himself unable to pinpoint precisely why that was the case. 'Did I just make the right decision?'
As if reading his mind, a squeaky voice took his train of thought right off the rails. 'Pika-kachi Pika Pika!" Ash turned and saw his most-trusted Pokémon looking at him, head tilted to the side, ears mimicking it's head.
The champion sighed. "I don't know buddy, do you think I made the right call letting Trip go with a day pass?"
'Pika-chi… cha…' The Pokémon spoke with uncertainty.
"I want to believe that at least one of those bastards has some remorse. Espeon told me that Trip was telling me the truth before, I've got no reason to believe that he'll run just before the tournament's final round. He knows we'll just find him and bring him in. There's nothing else to it."
'Chu… Pika-ka…'
"I agree with the talking rodent."
Zandra approached from behind him, walking slowly and face mimicking one of complete uncertainty. The pink-haired beauty frowned as she spoke. "Are you certain that rewarding Trip for coming clean after six years is the smart decision? Why give him the opportunity to bail when you can just put the nail in the coffin after all these years?"
Ash found himself quiet for a moment before answering. "Part of the path to forgiveness means acknowledging when you've made a mistake. Admitting a mistake and searching for redemption shouldn't be punished. I had to weigh my options here, sure. In the end, I'm not ready to forgive him or any of them, nor anything they may have done. That being said, the path to redemption may just need to start when you swallow your pride and admit you're wrong. I need to respect that. No, I cannot be certain it's the right decision. But, giving them the opportunity to do better should be an option that's given."
Both Pikachu and Zandra looked nothing short of stunned, not believing what they were hearing. Ash, whose life was forever scarred by those bastards, was willing to begin to put them on the path to redemption? Surprise was clear and obvious on both of their faces. Ash turned and began his walk back to the league. Pikachu scampered up next to its trainer and hopped up on his shoulder. Ash calmly allowed Pikachu to make itself comfortable while Zandra met his pace stride for stride on the way back.
"I don't know how you do it."
Ash looked over. "Do what?"
"Forgive and forget."
"I told you I wasn't ready to forgive yet." Ash raised an eyebrow.
"It seems to me like you are." Zandra pointed out. "That man was one of the few in the world who was content with ending your life and took everything you'd ever known from you, and you're telling me that him walking out with all his body parts still attached means you're still not ready to forgive him?"
Ash opened and closed his mouth. He struggled to find the right words as they walked until finally, he managed to find a coherent sentence. "Just because he's not maimed, doesn't mean I'm forgiving him."
"You could have fooled me."
This caused him to stop. He turned to her, his face icy. "Do you have something to say Elite?"
Zandra's face looked cold. "… No sir."
"Good. With my battle with Max happening tonight, I want to ensure things don't get out of hand in the stadium. There's quite a bit that's bound to happen, I'm sure. Now, are we going to have problems?"
The pink-haired woman hung her head. "No, we won't."
"Then get inside and debrief security on the situation. Tomorrow we'll move Malva and Star to Alola National Jail at HeaHea City. First, I'll wipe the floor with Max. Then, we can begin dealing with Flare's underlings."
Ash walked into the castle-like structure with his hands behind his back, Zandra watching him walk away with a worried expression written across her features. He had barely made it a dozen steps through the threshold when a light-skinned man approached him, running and gasping for air. He was dressed in standard league security attire and was sporting a buzz cut. The champion made a move to help him, but the man stood up tall and saluted, his exhaustion evaporated.
"Sir! I received an urgent message from someone who claims to know you quite well!"
Ghost raised an eyebrow. "What's his name?"
"Paul Shinji was his name, sir! He also claimed that one Xavier Blackmon was with him, but it was my best understanding that Mr. Blackmon was still confined to ALT City." Ghost raised an eyebrow at the man, who quickly spluttered out. "I-I m-meant no disrespect, sir."
A moment of awkward silence reigned for a moment before Ghost nodded slowly. "None taken. I gave Elite Blackmon the green light to leave the league and accompany Mr. Shinji on a… operation… of sorts. I shall be leaving momentarily. Should anyone ask, I will return to the league as soon as I can."
"Of course, sir."
Ash swiftly moved to his chambers, nearly sprinting up the nearest flight of stairs at a blinding pace. Eventually, he did find himself there. He enlarged a Pokéball and tossed it open. His faithful purple Eeveeolution emerged and cooed.
"Espeee!"
Ash nodded towards her and spoke with authority. "I know this isn't how you would've wanted to find out, but I need to go to see Xavier and Paul immediately. They're not in ALT City, let alone Alola, which means I need to use your abilities to find them and send us there. You know what that means."
The cat looked dejected, and Ash continued. "It means you're going to be too drained to battle tonight. I'm sorry, I hope you understand." For what it was worth, the Pokémon nodded and her eyes glowed, confirming she understood the plan
"Alright… ready to go?"
Viridian City was a bustling affair. Normally, an evening such as the one that was falling over West Kanto would be a calm and laid-back scene. Instead, people were running around excitedly, hardly able to contain themselves as the days main event loomed closer. The Pokémon tournament that was being held in the Alola Region was in it's semi-finals, and tonight was the time of the first semi-final matchup. It was a rare occurrence, these battles. People took off from work to watch the ever-anticipated battle between a young trainer named Max and a champion of an entire region.
Stores were sold out of most junk foods to accommodate the inevitable parties that were bound to be thrown on this night. Television's were online, food was laid out and the countdown was starting soon as the final hours before the first battle were underway. Analysts were giving breakdowns of both teams, projected first starters of the battle, the outcome prediction, time of the matchup and much more. Nobody was really paying attention to anything outside of the semi-final matchup.
So why was this so specific to Viridian City?
It wasn't. Well, not exactly. It was only specific to Viridian City because of a certain individual that was roaming the streets looking for a specific spot to sit and wait. This individual was a female, and she was riding her bicycle through the streets. After some time, she hid her bicycle in a darkened alley before setting off a handful of blocks deeper into Viridian. In the heart of the city, there was a beautiful park. It was normally filled with people and Pokémon alike, whether they were playing frisbee, catch, practicing moves with their Pokémon or something else of the sort. It was normally a place of peace and entertainment.
Today however, it was used for something else. The young girl was walking through the deserted area, looking around at the beautiful green lush and flowers. She walked along the winding sidewalk for a handful of minutes. Then, after a moment, she veered off her path. She located a secluded bench and sat down. The girl was sporting a white beanie, wearing a black blouse and had dark blue hair. Her blue eyes which once shone happiness radiated nothing but darkness. The girl waited patiently, notpanicking or worrying in the slightest.
Another handful of minutes passed before finally, someone sat down next to her. The man spoke after a moment. "Been awhile, huh?"
"After last time, could you blame me for being worried?"
"…"
"…"
"… Alright, you're right." He threw his arms around her and they kissed for a moment or two, happy they were once more reunited. They broke the connection and the man spoke.
"I was worried."
"Drew, he says nothing but lies. He has no proof of what he claims, and he never will. He's imprisoned my friends with wrongful evidence, if any whatsoever." The girl said irritably.
The green-haired man spoke. "I'm lucky he doesn't have any beef with me. No offense Dawn, but I'm happy I'm not in your shoes. I've never met the guy, I'm sure he's a bundle of joy to be around."
The bluenette frowned. "If you consider endless stalking and a victim complex a joy, you're in for a real treat."
"I'll be sure to send him some goodies then." He turned to face her. "Speaking of goodies… do you have them?" Dawn merely chuckled.
"Can't wait to get your hands on them huh? Yeah, I've got them. They're in my backpack, let me grab them quick." She leaned down to grab her bag, but as she did, she noticed something in the corner of her eye. With all the bushes in the area, it would make for an easy hiding spot. In addition, as it was turning nighttime, visibility was near-zero. It would make sense if Drew hadn't realized he'd been followed. But still…
"Are you certain you weren't being followed by someone?"
It was then that all pandemonium broke lose. Both teenagers were blinded momentarily by a bright flash and over a loudspeaker, a male voice could be heard. "This is the Viridian City Police! Move in!" Within seconds, Pokéballs could be heard enlarging and then the Pokémon inside emerging. Their battle cries rang through both of their ears. Seconds later, they were being tossed to the ground and handcuffed. Drew cried in outrage. "W-What is the meaning of this?! Explain yourselves!"
Their vision began to clear up, and when it did, there were at least a dozen officers and their Pokémon standing nearby, some watching for bystanders and others watching them. One officer with dark skin and a skinny build approached them and spoke with authority. "My name is Lee Brunstin, Sergeant Lee Brunstin, and I'm with the Viridian City Police. We were given a tip from a high-ranking member of a Pokémon League in the seven regions that there would be illegal activity here tonight, and here you are. We have the audio from the exchange. Anything you'd like the confess?" Next to him, his faithful Growlithe stood at the ready.
"What high ranking member? Who is it you're talking about?" Dawn looked incensed.
"That's me." Dawn peered over, expecting to see Ghost. But to her surprise, it wasn't. It was a gorgeous male with wavy brown hair and wearing a loose vest. He looked almost… bored? Or was that excitement dancing in his eyes? She couldn't tell.
"I'm the one who called it in. Along with…" He gestured to the side and both Drew and Dawn let out surprised gasps. A purple-haired boy in a blue/black getup approached them and nodded. "Green Bean, Bitch. Nice weather we're having, huh?"
Drew looked so furious that his face began to puff and turn red. Dawn had a few choice words. "Y-You! You're working with Ghost!? Is that any way to greet a woman, you filthy womanizer!?"
"It doesn't matter. You're going to be arrested here. You're going to jail." Xavier said with a huge smirk on his face.
"Who are you? I don't recognize you." Drew said, anger bubbling like boiling water.
"The name's Xavier Blackmon. I'm an elite four member under The Ghost of Alola, also known as the most powerful trainer in any of the seven regions."
Drew's face nearly pruned. "I've never met Ghost! Why does he feel the need to go after me!?"
It was with this that Xavier exchanged a subtle glance with Paul, who was sending him a calculating look. It said all that it needed to between the two.
'The Pill?'
'The Pill.' Paul nodded in confirmation. As this silent exchange occurred, the female coordinator found her voice for the first time in a minute or so.
"We've done nothing wrong. We did nothing illegal." Dawn's anger turned into… relaxation? Xavier noticed the chance, the smirk leaving his face. "You most certainly did do something illegal."
"No… we didn't." Dawn repeated, the blank look on her face slowly morphing into a smile. Xavier took a step back, suddenly worried. What was happening here? Meanwhile, Paul still hadn't noticed the change of Dawn's demeanor and pressed on as though he was on the verge of winning the lottery.
"We know what you've done. You're going to the slammer, along with your little boyfriend here." The purple-haired man chuckled.
"Actually, they won't be." It was Sergeant Brunstin, holding a small baggie. "This is all we found in the backpack." Paul looked at it and his eyes bugged out; there were dozens of a certain bakery item… but they weren't poffins. No, they were orange and brownish baked goods… they almost looked like…
"Lava Cookies?" Xavier said, clearly perplexed.
"Yes sir. Quite a lot of them, but they seem to have been directly imported from Lavaridge in the Hoenn Region. There's a receipt to prove the sale was legitimate. The Growlithe aren't picking up any scent on anything else whatsoever either. We have nothing to go on other than your tip, which is now flimsy at best.
"B-But…" Paul looked baffled. On the turf, even Drew looked a bit surprised. Dawn had a smile across her pretty face, more than happy at seeing Xavier's thunderstruck look. Brunstin nodded to the officers closest to Drew and Dawn. "Let them go; looks like the tip we got may have been a wild goose chase."
Within minutes the two were on their feet and leaving the scene relaxed and carefree. Dawn had gone on and on about how she wouldn't press charges because, "they were just following the orders of a crazy man," and how she would, "take pity on them." Paul and Xavier could do nothing but watch as they left, pointing and laughing at the two friends of the Ghost of Alola. Paul could practically feel himself seething as they disappeared from view entirely.
For a handful of blocks, they walked, laughing about what had just occurred. It was then that Drew began to question Dawn. "Alright, spill."
The girl took a mock bow. "Whatever do you mean good sir?"
Drew laughed and kissed her swiftly. "You know what I'm talking about; Lava Cookies? What's the deal? Are they the real deal too?"
"Oh yeah they are. I couldn't be too careful." She shrugged as they walked into the darkest parts of the city. They continued walking before Drew jabbed again. "How did you know they were going to try something?"
"I had a hunch; they'd gone after Cilan and Iris and gotten them both arrested. Misty's already in the slammer, and Trip's missing too, so I could only assume the league got him too. With Max's battle coming up though, Ghost wants to mop the floor with Max first. If he was going to try anything, I figured he'd try it two hours before the battle so he can just barely get back in time if he was flying."
"You wanted to clear yourself?"
"Naturally. While I hoped to humiliate him just before his battle to throw him off, making Paul and his elite seem crazy was a decent consolation prize. Now the police won't even think to investigate anything since it was clear they just did that sting operation for nothing. It's all part of the plan to stay out of jail permanently." Dawn spoke darkly.
Another handful of minutes passed by before they stalked into a dark alley. "So wait… if the Lava Cookies were in your pack, do you actually have what I came to get?"
"Of course. I never back out of a deal." She gestured to her bike, where a large water bottle was attached to the bottom of the device. The bluenette leaned over, purposefully wiggling her backside in Drew's face for a few extra moments. She then stood up and took off the cap of the bottle proudly. Inside the bottle were dozens of small poffins.
"Filled with the good stuff; maximum performance guaranteed… every time." She nodded with another signature mock bow.
Drew placed one in his hand and laughed. "If you hadn't thought ahead, the police and Ghost would've buried us big time, you know that right?"
She mimicked him and laughed. "Of course; that's why I think ahead. I'm not going to let a champion come in the way of our win streaks, ten straight contest victories are nice and all, but I want more. These babies are the key; we've done it for over two years now, and there's going to be more where they came from."
A new voice joined the conversation. "Are you so certain?"
Drew let out a girlish scream, jumping into the air as the alleyway was filled with an ominous voice. Dawn felt dread seeping into her skin as the voice set off all sorts of warning bells. It was then that she heard a familiar cry.
"Viridian City Police!"
Within seconds, both of their visions were blocked yet again. Both Dawn and Drew were powerless to do anything but rub their eyes in desperation, holding out false hope that this was nothing more than a sick joke orchestrated by an unknown individual. But it was not meant to be. A handful of moments later, their vision had returned to them. They were both on the cold pavement, scratches on their faces.
Dawn saw the silhouette of a man fill her vision as the bright lights fell to a flicker. She felt shivers run down her spine as the silhouette approached her and slowly crouched down on his toes. A red vest came into picture. A red hat came into picture. A black armband came into picture. And soon after, the grinning face of the man who was hellbent on upending her life came into picture.
"Hello Dawn… pleasant weather we're having this evening eh?" Dawn snarled and bared her teeth at him, while Drew looked bewildered.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Ghost. I'm the champion of the Alola Region."
"Y-You!? What are you doing here? Your battle is—"
"Not of your concern." Ghost interrupted, a sinister smile on his face. Dawn shivered again as she noticed his look; it was nothing short of ominous. Ghost sighed and looked at Dawn. "Did you really think I'd be stupid enough to fall for your trap?"
Dawn said nothing in return, knowing she was caught. Ghost waited another moment or two for her to speak anything, but got nothing as the seconds inched closer to a minute. The champion removed his hat and sighed loudly. "Yes yes, always the shocker. Did you ever find it odd that Officer Jenny wasn't the one who addressed you?"
It had never once occurred to Dawn, now that she thought about it. "I thought not. I knew your every move. Thanks to that little stunt you pulled out there, I now have even more evidence that you were premeditating your movements, and thanks to the audio of you claiming that I, "don't have proof," it only serves as more evidence to your murder trial. It's not as though I need it; I have more than enough evidence, but it was only help my case."
Officer Jenny now approached the duo, who both looked more than just a little bit shell-shocked. "Drew Saiga, you're under arrest for the suspicion of purchasing, using and selling banned substances, foreign drugs and illegal drugs. These are not the only charges you will be facing; your complete statement will be taken at the station." The light-blue haired woman saluted the champion before speaking.
"It was my understanding you wanted to address Ms. Berlitz personally, Mr. Champion?"
Silence filled the air for a moment. Then, Ghost nodded, a satisfied smile beginning to etch across his features. "Ms. Berlitz… you are under arrest for the creation, purchasing of and selling of illegal substances and drugs across multiple regions. However… you are also under arrest… for conspiring to commit murder. Anything you say can be used against you in the court of law. Your Pokémon will be separated from you for the time being; you have the right to an attorney."
Dawn was hauled to her feet as Drew was led out looking near-lifeless. Their Pokémon were confiscated from them as the female coordinator yelled at the champion. "You set me up you heartless bastard! You sent Paul and your own elite there knowing I'd come back! They're just as worthless as you!"
Ghost laughed. "If it makes you feel better, they didn't know either."
She stopped struggling. "W-Wha—"
"In case it wasn't a set up, I did everything as though you didn't know that we were coming. Everything had to be authentic, or else the mouse may have thought it was out of the trap." Dawn's mouth opened and closed comically, and she was thrown into the nearest police cruiser with Drew, who looked as though someone had run over his puppy. As a group of police vehicles sped off, Ghost turned to see Paul and Xavier standing no-less than ten feet away from him.
Silence was all that was exchanged between the three men before finally Xavier spoke.
"I'm not even surprised. That's how used to this I am."
Paul looked at him. "What are you used to?"
Xavier smirked. "Ash always being one step ahead."
Twenty Minutes before the battle…
*There is some Fluff coming up… You've been warned*
Ash was sitting in the waiting room calmly, head low and eyes closed. He could hear the roars coming from inside the main battlefield echoing nearby. The champion felt oddly calm as the electricity in the stadium was coursing through his veins. He knew the stakes that were attached to this battle. He needed to bury Max in order to get to the end, and he couldn't show even a hint of weakness.
He'd managed to arrive back in ALT City thanks to Espeon with hefty time to spare. Teleport was a powerful thing. Unfortunately for him, it also had thoroughly drained Espeon of any strength it had left. For the battle, she was out of commission. He'd arrived back at the league, swiftly grabbed his prepared team and found himself checking into the league. He'd walked briskly past hordes of fans waiting in line to get in, ignored the dozens of paparazzi and their flashing cameras, and was escorted to the waiting rooms.
Meanwhile, the champion wasn't expecting any pre-battle visitors. Xavier and Paul were still out in Kanto finishing the DD sting operation, July and Axel were out interviewing potential replacements, and Zandra was supposed to be patrolling the Elite Box, which was likely to have May sitting and watching.
For some moments, all was silent. Then, an abrupt noise cut into the room.
'Attention trainers… This is your fifteen minute warning. Blue Trainer, you will walk onto the battlefield first. You will receive a notification for when it is time to act. Red Trainer, you will walk onto the battlefield second. You will also receive a notification for when it is time to act. Prepare your teams. That is all.'
Ash looked around his room, promptly decorated a light shade of red. He sighed and bit his lip. He wasn't nervous about losing, no. There was no doubt he would mop the floor with that little prick. His worry was of a different feeling of dread that was building in his stomach. Something didn't feel right about this battle. Something just felt… off. Was it the timing? Was it the times themselves? Maybe. He didn't know, and that's what was making him endlessly uneasy.
It was then that a voice cut his train of thoughts off.
"Excuse me, sir?"
The champion turned to see one of the bodyguards standing there. "Yes? What is it?"
"You have a trio of visitors." The man walked out of the room and in walked three of his close friends… some closer than others. A familiar brown haired boy wearing camo clothes, an orange-haired boy wearing a tan t-shirt and a gorgeous female with brown hair walked into the room in unison.
Abel posed. "Not too late are we?"
Ash looked a bit relieved. "Not at all, still got a bit of time before it's go-time. What's with the last-second appearance?"
Sophocles grinned. "We heard of an arrest that was made back in Kanto; two high-ranking coordinators thrown in jail for undisclosed circumstances? Funny stuff, huh?"
The champion tilted his head to the side once with a grin plastered on his face. "Sounds like someone's taking care of my job… guess I've got someone to thank for the trouble."
"It wasn't you?"
Ash stood and placed a hand over his heart in an overexaggerating manner. "M-Me? So close before a battle? You wound me!" A moment later though, he broke his act and chuckled sheepishly. "What can I say? I like to get as much done as I can possibly get wrapped up in a day. Making arrests by day and winning battles by night."
"We figured." May sent him a wide smile, showing her approval.
Ash looked at them. "So, what's with the appearance just before the battle? Something come up?"
Abel shook his head, signaling that was a negative. "I came to wish you luck against Max, that's all. Been a while since I've seen you with me getting discharged from the league's medical ward and all. Just figured I'd stop by and wish you luck." The boy not much younger than Ash himself held out his hand, and Ash promptly shook it.
The elite trainer looked the champion straight in the eyes and spoke with a dangerous glint. "Beat him senseless, brother."
"With pleasure. Don't forget the popcorn." Ash waggled his eyebrows. Abel nodded and turned on his heel, leaving the room briskly. Sophocles stepped up next and cheekily smiled. "Howdy boss, ready for some news?"
"I'm not, because my gut tells me I know why you're here." The champion said pointedly, knowing his friend was there for one specific reason. "Yeah yeah, I'm here for more than one reason though. Firstly, I wanted to say that Gladion and the rest of the Ultra Guardians wanted to wish you the best of luck. Second, Gladion wanted me to tell you that, and I quote, "You're lucky I got called away on urgent Aether Paradise business. I would be the one facing you in the finals otherwise; you can bet on that. The next time we face each other, you're going to witness why I'm Aether Paradise's strongest."
Ash sweatdropped. "Definitely sounds like Gladion, I know he was pumped about the tournament too. In any event, I'm guessing there's something else? Something of the… musical sort?"
Sophocles looked legitimately surprised by this. "So, you were aware. Yes, I did something upon your request regarding a new introduction song. Why did you want to switch away from Enter Sandman, if you don't mind me asking?"
The champion gave him a certain look. He couldn't tell them the honest reason, that he wanted a new song to intimidate Max further. Enter Sandman was an amazing introduction song, but if he knew Max like he thought he did, the little pipsqueak would spend a ton of time just in preparation of what he thought the battle would look like from start to finish. He was determined to throw Max off as much as possible before completely flattening him. His silence was prolonged enough that Sophocles held up his hands in surrender. "Alright alright… I won't ask questions about swapping. I got the message out to everyone to wear red for Alola."
"Good, I think the song will still be hype."
"I don't doubt that." The boy genius nodded his approval. "Good luck out there today Mr. Champion." He gave Ash one more nod before leaving the room. As soon as the door shut with a resounding click, he looked to May with a sheepish smile. "Sorry May, I know I've been—"
He was cut off as May promptly smashed her mouth to his, throwing herself against his body. Ash was clearly not expecting the act, but was far from unreciprocating the kiss. In one motion, his hands were roaming, one eventually being placed on her back and the other on her backside. With a force he didn't know she possessed, May pushed her boyfriend against the closest wall she could find, intent on sucking the life out of him. Unfortunately for the both of them, neither one remembered the bench directly behind Ash.
His knees buckled, and down he went. On the bright side for the duo, he landed on his rear, and May landed on top of him. Did that stop the girl from kissing her male? Not in the slightest.
The bombshell brunette straddled Ash, forcing her tongue out at his lips, prodding for entrance. It didn't take a genius for him to allow her access to his mouth, and their tongues were soon wrestling for dominance. His arm was wrapped around her generous backside, his other hand cupping the side of her face and stroking her cheeks with his thumb.
Breaking away to get a small breath of air, he gasped. "May, baby… I—"
He let out a desperate groan as the beautiful girl began to gyrate on his lap, creating the frication he obviously wanted. She continued to kiss his face repeatedly, unable to control her lust. "Ash, don't we have enough to… you know…" She leaned in closer and began to whisper in his ear seductively. Ash's mouth popped open and he let out yet another desperate moan. The brunette gave him a sexy smirk. "Baby, I know you can't wait, and that you can't resist me…"
Ash's hands were once more roaming. Both were now massaging her generous chest, which was covered up by a buttoned, orange top. He began to fumble with her buttons, licking his lips nervously as he prepared to attempt to seal the deal. She began to help him, knowing their time was running thin.
Another small motion later and her gorgeous assets were nearly all his. It was nothing but a lacy black bra that was between him and the promise land. A mere instant later and the distance between them was closed yet again, lips connecting feverishly and tongues once more dancing. She panted in his ear.
"I… need… you." Ash grabbed her backside and hoisted her up. He began grab the buttons on his pants with May's assistance. A moment later, he was down to the last button before his pants would come loose.
'Attention Red Trainer… this is your five minute warning. Make your finals preparations and prepare to make your entrance.'
May let out a desperate moan and Ash hung his head. For a moment neither one moved. Then, Ash promptly placed his face straight into May's valley. She let out a startled gasp before she began laughing. "A-Ash! You little—" Ash took his face away with a cheeky smile. "Can't blame a guy for acting on instinct, especially when he's got the hottest girlfriend in any of the seven regions."
She gave him a wide smile before throwing her arms around him and kissing him soundly. After a moment, their lips separated with a soft smacking noise. He smiled at her and she smiled right back. Ash licked his lips and looked at her.
"I… I love you May."
The beauty spoke immediately. "Not as much as I love you honey." She kissed his cheek, and as she turned to grab her shirt, he swatted her backside lightly. She squealed in surprise, eyes darting back to her boyfriend. He winked at her. "Handsome, I'll get you back for that tonight, just you watch."
He waggled his eyebrows. "I'm counting on it."
The girl smirked at him before quickly grabbing her top and buttoning it completely. After a moment, she looked at him and gave him one more quick peck on the lips. "Good luck. Make my bastard of a sibling pay for everything he caused you. Do it for Brock, for Clemont, for anyone who's suffered at the hands of him and the rest of those who backstabbed you."
He nodded. He held her hands for a moment or two longer before nodding and turning to the tunnel, knowing it was almost time. He took a few steps before May spoke up. "Um… honey?" Ash turned back to her. "Hmm?"
"You may want to button up down there." She sent him a saucy wink before walking out, her bum swaying back and forth. Ash's eyes were wide as he promptly adjusted his nether region. He silently prayed the five minutes weren't up just yet as he readied himself.
'The things that woman makes me feel… I swear…' Ash muttered under his breath. Another moment passed by in eerie silence before suddenly, Ash stood up straight. It was then that he realized how May had made him forget all of the uneasiness, all the pressure and stress he'd faced.
'I completely… I didn't even… she… May… May. Man, that girl drives me crazy. Never would've imagined six years ago that she'd be so ecstatic to watch me bury her brother in the ground.' Ash smiled. He'd been shaky, and whether or not she'd even realized it, she'd grounded him and his worries.
The next thing he knew though, a familiar voice was grinding through his thoughts.
'Red Trainer… please begin your entrance through the tunnel starting now. Make your entrance as you deem fit. Best of luck, and may the best emerge victorious.' Ash nodded and looked towards a familiar piece of black clothing hung up on a nearby wall. He took one look at it and had a smile form on his face.
Elite Box…
Zandra found herself slightly curious. Max had made his way onto the battlefield with a decent amount of support from those wearing blue in the crowds. He was the last one hailing from Hoenn, with Gary locked in from Kanto and Trip coming from Unova. Ghost was obviously repping Alola, though he wasn't actually from Alola… not that everyone else needed to know that.
It was only a matter of minutes before Ash would walk out now, and apparently Enter Sandman was being swapped out, at least for the time being. She was unsure of what Ash had selected, but she doubted it was as electric as Enter Sandman. She knew their relationship was strained for the time being, and she had to make amends for her words. But that would have to wait.
"I'm here!" She turned to see May running in full-speed. She was panting loudly. "I-I'm here! Did I miss anything?"
Zandra chuckled. "You're missing something here." She pointed lazily to her chest, to which May squeaked in terror as she noticed she was leaving a generous amount of her cleavage open from earlier, a button not in place. A moment later and her wardrobe malfunction was solved. She stuttered innocently. "G-Got here in a rush… must've missed it when I-I left."
"Left where? The waiting room? I'm sure Ash approved his pregame pep-talk." Zandra drawled sarcastically.
May let out a groan, but was cut off when the lights turned to dark in the entire stadium. The entire crowd amassing of more than 100,000 people strong let out roars of approval as they awaited the strongest trainer in the entire world. "What's going on?" May spoke in bewilderment.
"I would imagine this is Ash's new introduction."
The lights began to flicker on and off across the entire battlefield as the crowd could practically feel the electricity coursing through their veins. It was then that, once again, the stadium went dark. The crowd let out a roar when a nearby platform rose up from the dust of the battlefield to show a group of people. Zandra looked down in curiosity, wondering what Ash had planned.
Meanwhile, Ash had began his walk into the tunnel. He was about halfway in when all of the sudden, he heard the first audio cue. Trumpets began to blare in unison as he continued his slow walk down the concrete tunnel, the instruments noise blaring loudly as they got louder in unison.
Zandra watched as the group of people on the field wielded the brass instruments with precision. For a few seconds the only light that was shone was that on the performers, which the crowd seemed to eerily enjoy. Then, there was silence. What did Ash have planned? On the battlefield, Max was looking around, wondering where the trumpets were going to lead. After another moment of silence, the lights began to flicker once again.
*Sorry if you're not a fan of the song ~ LegionZ*
~Insert 'Industry Baby' by Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow~
The trumpets played in unison as the crowd roared at the top of their lungs. It began to get louder and louder inside the stadium. As the stadium lights flicker, the big screens all across the Alola Battle Stadium began to flicker as well, eventually morphing into a picture of Ghost himself wearing his old dark cloak and hat, concealing his face and features.
'D-D-Daytrip took it to ten, hey'
The screen once more flickered, this time showing Ghost wearing his standard attire, looking down but nodding his head slowly. Then, he slowly looked up into the camera, his eyes and face devoid of emotion.
'Baby back, aye, couple racks, aye'
The stadium roared as it seemed a good portion of the younger audience was going crazy from the familiar song. Zandra suddenly began to realize why Ash had changed his style; he wanted to throw Max off before the battle even started. Picking a new hype introduction song that the younger audience would recognize more likely than Enter Sandman was an interesting play.
'Couple Grammy's on him, couple plaques, aye'
Ash continued walking down the tunnel. He could hear the song being pumped into the stadium, the crowd roaring at the top of their lungs even above all that music. The younger audience was going crazy, some reciting the lyrics while others were jumping around wildly. The big screens had flickered to Ghost's Pokémon one at a time looking straight at the camera, and panned in the background was them defeating their opponents one at a time.
'That's a fact, aye, throw it back, aye! Throw it back aye'
May couldn't help but feel the same level of excitement as she knew every fan in the stadium was feeling. The ground beneath her was shaking, the howling of the fans intoxicating her every sense. It was almost animalistic, and she was loving every second of it. Back in the tunnel, Ash was nearing the end. He could make out the lights flashing inside, the crowd was getting louder than before as the chorus hit, the crowd began to roar the lyrics that they all seemingly knew.
'And this one is for the champions'
Zandra looked around, surprised as the people in the box next to them were screaming the lyrics. She then realized it was far from just the people next to them; it was at least half of the crowd reciting the lyrics of the song. The screens stopped flickering from Pokémon to Pokémon and instead swapped to a look where the graphics were far better and seemed to be a look of… a tunnel.
'I ain't lost since I began'
The crowd stopped reciting the lyrics as they saw Ghost walk past the camera that was all over the big screens. None of them seemed to notice his attire, but Zandra sure did. 'Is that…'
'Yeah, Funny how you said it was end, yeah'
Ash had reached the end of the tunnel. He spotted the structures near the end of the tunnel, knowing exactly what they were. The lights flickering, the crowd roaring the lyrics to the song, the big screen showing him standing in the darkened tunnel and knowing millions of eyes were about to be watching his every move…
… it thrilled him.
'Then I went did it again, yeah'
It was then that the stadium lights cut out entirely. The music followed near-instantly. May was looking around, undoubtedly perplexed. The crowd cheered this, feeling the climax was just around the corner. Max could feel his heart pounding wildly in his ears, knowing the battle of his life against one of the strongest trainers in the world was just moments away.
The crowd held their breath.
The audio cut back in louder than ever.
Ghost stepped out of the tunnel, dark cloak strapped on, hat covering his face. The structures just outside the tunnel came alive with fire spurting out the top in fury, coating the air with smoke and a display of beauty. The lights resumed going on and off as the champion of the Alola region took the field. The crowd didn't hesitate to cry the rest of the lyrics.
'I told you long ago… on the road… I got what they waiting for'
Ghost seemed to walk in slow motion towards the heart of the battlefield as the audio continued playing, and the fans kept reciting.
'I don't run from nothing dog, Get your soldiers, tell 'em I ain't laying low'
It was then that Ghost pointed up to the sky. It was a cue. To the fans, it would look like a salute, applauding their support. That was partly true. It was also a cue for Sophocles to do something very important. He continued his slow march to the middle of the battlefield, slowly shedding his dark clothes for the red vest and gray pants he wore underneath. The audio slowly faded out, but wisely, the pictures on the big screens turned into words… the lyrics for the upcoming verses. The crowd picked up on it.
'You was never really rooting for me anyway; when I'm back up at the top, I wanna hear you say'
Ghost was now pointedly looking straight at Max, who felt as though the weight of the world was coming down directly on his shoulders. He could feel the eyes of thousands glued to the back of his head, and he heard the voices of every single person in the stadium roaring the lyrics without any audio whatsoever. It was more unnerving that when the audio was playing, somehow.
'He don't run from nothin', dog…'
Ghost sent a cruel smirk to Max, who looked like a deer in headlights as the crowd continued to chant.
'Get your soldiers…'
The champion of the Alola region slowly placed the red cap he'd been concealing on his head as the chanting came to an end.
'...Tell 'em that the break is ov-er.'
It was then that the lights returned to normal, the screens becoming situated on the battlefield. All was normal for a moment. Then, an explosion of cheers came from the crowd, roaring their approval of the new introduction. Max found himself sweating a little; there was little to no doubt he was the underdog here, and that introduction with that support didn't help his odds nor his nerves.
The referee, who'd somehow managed to keep an unbiased face the entire time, raised on hand in the sky. "This semi-final battle is about to begin! Each trainer will have six Pokémon to use for this fight! There will be no breaks or delays in the battle. Each trainer is allowed to swap their Pokémon out two times. Furthermore, the battle will be over when all Pokémon from one side are unable to continue. Understood?"
When nobody said anything, the official nodded stiffly. "Very well, both trainers will reveal their Pokémon on my command! Prepare yourselves!"
The crowd began to roar their approval, whistles reigning from above. Max and Ghost each gripped an enlarged pokeball in their right hands. Zandra and May watched the battlefield from above as the anxiety rose to an all-time high. The official nodded once more before saying slowly.
"Ready… release!"
AN: Andddd that's it folks! I hope you enjoy a nice, extended chapter. If you're new to the story, please follow and favorite so you don't miss any updates. Well, how about it? I've been buried under work (as per usual) so I've been scrambling to throw something out that was actually high-quality. I hope this fits your standards everyone.
Sorry for the extremely delayed post. Hope to get something out actually… on time… for once. I know, its tall order these days. Well, let's recap; Ash isn't arresting Trip yet; will he regret it? Dawn and Drew have been caught and arrested thanks to the information Ash got from Cilan and Iris. In ALT City, Ash has another conversation with Abel and Sophocles, and if had been given ten more minutes, would've tried something with May. Then, last but not least, he swapped his introduction song to throw Max off and give a lot of the younger fans some familiarity.
By the way, just in case this gets brought up, please listen to the clean version of 'Industry Baby.' Be careful of the language you use everyone, and who you could hurt.
The next chapter will obviously be the battle of Ghost against Max. It's bound to be a long chapter, given that it'll be the first six on six of the story… and maybe the last? Eh? Maybe? No? Whatever.
In any case, I've tried to accommodate for the guest reviews. For one, one guest pointed out I was low on Advanceshipping goodness, so I hope that small section reminds everyone that, yes, this is an Advanceshipping fanfiction.
Secondly, I've gotten some reviews and PM's regarding how this story is unrealistic as Ash's friends would never betray him and how they're always cheering for him, blah blah, yada yada. Look, if you've got a problem with it, then don't read any betrayal fanfictions. That's the whole reason why it's a fanfiction; it's not what happens in canon. Obviously Dawn isn't a backstabber in real life, but she is here. That's what makes a story different and interesting if done correctly.
Speaking of, please continue to notify me of potential copycats, and please let me know if there are any plot holes I didn't think of. I think I addressed everything properly here, which inevitably means… I did not, in fact, address everything. So, let me know!
Until next time! Shoot me messages, I'll answer them as soon as I can!
LegionZ