"Hey, where's Zack?" At the mention of the boys name, Ash and Morrison turned away from each other and towards Nicole and Darwin - Nicole had been the one who had FINALLY noticed that the oldest of the triplets was missing, "He must have gone for a walk or something...thought i wonder why he would watching this battle?" Darwin concluded with a question, making Ash shrug, "Who cares - now," Ash stated, turning back to face a defeated Morrison, "Go see Nurse Joy" He commanded, making Morrison nod as he walked past Ash slowly before sprinting into the pokemon center, worry etched across his face for the well being of his three fallen pokemon.
"Aren't you going to go see Nurse Joy to Ash?" Ash rolled his eyes and shook his head in a "No" motion, "I don't need her to tell me how my pokemon are, i know myself - go find your brother. We have wasted enough time today. I will be waiting on the edge of the city" Ash stated as he recalled Talonflame before walking away from the duo, who both stood frowning as they watched the boy walk away.
"Do you know about someone called Max Maple?" Zack continued to ask people on the street after leaving the pokemon center - he had got some good information, but he was hoping to get some more, "Max Maple?" A woman said questionably, "Thats the younger brother of May Maple from Hoenn right? I believe that ship will be coming in soon - so if you want to catch him, you best make your way to the mariner"
Not questioning how the woman knew so much, Zack thanked the lady and began running towards the mariner, the place were the boats came in and out of Alola.
HOOONNNKKKKKK!
The sound of a boat honking made Zack speed up as he turned a corner quickly, running down the slop that lead into the mariner, "Finally...made it..." Zack gasped out as he stopped by the docks, hands on his knees as he fought to catch his breath. Once catching his breath and standing up straight, Zack looked around, his eyes falling on a boat that had "HOENN LINER" written across the side, "He must be on that boat..." Zack mumbled as he watched the boat dock and the stairs get attached to the side of the boat.
Quickly moving to the boat, Zack stopped every person who came off the boat until he came across a young boy, "Excuse me, are you perhaps Max Maple?" The young boy looked confused and slightly shocked before slowly nodding, using his left hand to poush up his thick-rimmed glasses, "Yes sir - my name is indeed Max Maple" Zack wanted to cheer as the smiled down at the 14-15 year old boy, "Thank goodness, i have been asking everyone about you"
"So you have heard of me before? wow, i didn't think coming up 18th place in the Hoenn league would make me so famous" Max stated with a smile, "Did you want a autograph or something?" Zack chuckled slightly at the boys excitement and shook his head, "No, nothing like that, i just have a few thing i wanted to ask you in regards to one of your old travelling companions"
"My old traveling companions? Well i've travelled around with quiet a few people now...so which one did you want to know about?" "Ash Ketchum" The name of Ash made the smile of Max's face drop as his face turned pale, "U-u-urm..w-who?" He stammered out, his face paler than a sheet, making Zack's eyebrow raise as he repeated the name, "Ash, Ash Ketchum is who i want to know about"
Max slowly and shakily took a breath as he shook his head, "I-i'm sorry...i-i don't know anything about anyone called A-Ash K-K-Ketchum" He lied through his teeth. Zack looked at him with a "do i look stupid?" look and a raised eye brow, "Your lying" Zck simply stated as he stared at the younger boy, "I did some research and i know you travelled around with Ash back during his Hoenn adventure with Brock Slate and your sister" The mention of the two made Max's face - if possible - go paler.
"I-I-I-I..." He stammered out, his eyes darting around, looking for any way to avoid the conversation, "Zack!" A voice suddenly shouted, making Zack look away from Max for a second, which gave Max his chance as he turned and ran away, "Wh-hey! stop!" Zack called out, giving chase to the boy as he ran past his two siblings who has called his name, leaving them with confused looks as thy followed after there brother.
"Where are they?" Ash grumbled as he tapped his foot impatiently, looking up at the slowly descending sun before looking around in irritation, "They should know i am not one for waiting" He continued to mumble as he looked to Pikachu, who was busy licking out of a bottle of ketchup. "You and your bloody ketchup - where did you even find that thing?" Ash voiced in confusion as he looked at the happy yellow pokemon, who jsut gave him a grin, his teeth red from the ketchup.
"Wait!" Ash heard a familiar voice shout, making him look away form Pikachu and towards the south of where he was standing, only for someone to run into him, "Oomph!" Max exclaimed in surprise as he fell backwards onto his butt, flinching as he hit his tail bone on the floor, "Ouch..." He mumbled as he slowly stood up, "S-Sorry sir! I-i'm jus tin a big rus-" Max started, stopping when he looked at Ash's blank look, going silent as he looked at the man in front of him.
Studying Ash for a second, Max's face went even whiter when he noticed the happy-ketchup-eating Pikachu on the boy's shoulder, "Y-Y-Y-Y-Your..." He stammered out, taking a step back with each stammer, making Ash raise his brow as he looked over the boy.
"Something about this kid is familiar" Ash thought as he looked over the boy with a blank look. He was shorter than Ash by a good foot and a half, with short, shaggy blue hair and thick-rimmed glasses, "Max! Wait!" Ash froze at Zack's words, looking down at the boy with a more hardened, cold look, "Max..." Ash growled out, watching as the boy took a few steps back in fear, "So...i guess i wasn't lucky enough to avoid you traitors." Ash stated coldy, turning away as Zack and the other's caught up, "Leave my presence at once" He stated once more, his blood boiling with anger.
"That gos for you three as well," Ash continued as he looked away from a terrified Max and towards the triplets, "I don't want to travel with you three anymore. I will find my own way, and will work with you when the time comes. Till then we are going are separate ways" Ash stated as he began walking away, only to stop when a sudden vibration erupted from behind him, making hi stop and turn to see an angry looking Zack.
"You know what? No. No. I'm done dancing around this shit! I don't know what happened in your past, but i plan to find out so i can figure out how to stop you being like this! I read your profile Ash Ketchum! I know you weren't always like this!" Hearing that Zack had been doing some snooping on his past made Ash's calm demeanor change. His eyes hardened to an ice coldness that Zack and the other's had never seen from human eyes.
"You know nothing." Ash bellowed loudly, his voice echoing around them as he ran up to Zack, grabbing him by the neck and slamming him againest a tree, "You know nothing about me - so stop trying to change me because it won't work. You shouldn't have looked me up. You shouldn't have looked for this piece of shit that calls himself a trainer!" Ash roared as he held the struggling boy againest the tree.
"You want to know why i am like this?! Your hell bent on changing something that was broken, spit out and then set on fire over 7 years ago. I am a lost cause, and you want to know why?!" Ash seethed as he slammed the boy against the tree with each word, his eyes tinting red as the anger coursed through him, "If you so DESPERATELY want to know, ask that piece of shit over there what happened? I'm sure he is proud of it!" Ash roared one last time, dropping the boy before turning and walking away, Pikachu hot on his heels after glaring at the 4 trainers before following his trainer loyaly.