What happened last chapter: "What is this place?" she said out loud. Of course, there was nobody else on the island to tell her. Looking up at the tower, she walked forward, knowing in her heart there would probably be no return…
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CHAPTER 8: Journey to Ever Grande
May, unconsciously, touched her pokéballs. They seemed to help her, comforting her with their presence. After a few steps into the temple, a golbat attacked May out of nowhere. She then summoned her Munchlax. "Munchlax, Go!" she shouted. "Tackle!"
After a few moments of mentally charging up, May's munchlax attacked the golbat, knocking it out in the process. The attack was not as strong as it could've been, but it seemed to be enough. The golbat lay unconscious on the floor, so apparently the golbat was even weaker.
Together, May and Munchlax ascended up the stairs of the temple, fighting their way through pokémon battles on every level. After what seemed like forever, May and her pokémon reached the top story of the mysterious temple.
A road seemed to be narrowing down in the dark temple, her pokémon using Flash to show the way. Finally, something stirred in the darkness, disturbed by the sliver of light compared to its enormous size, and let out an earth-shattering roar.
"Oh…my….gosh." May said as her eyes grew at the sight of the creature. This creature was Rayquaza, one of the most powerful pokémon in the Hoenn Region! It had an aura of stubbornness and determination around it, and swished its tail as it got ready for battle. The Rayquaza was more powerful than Groudon and Kyogre, May thought, as she touched her chosen pokéball. She threw it up in the air and called out, "BEAUTIFLY! I CHOOSE YOU!"
The Beautifly came out of her pokeball, stretching her wings delicately. Then, slowly, the eyes of the beautifly hardened as it stared dangerously at the Rayquaza, challenging the creature.
"BEAUTIFLY!" shouted May as her beautifly was summoned out of her pokéball. "Attack!"
Obediently, May's Beautifly attacked the monstrous green, although it hardly did any damage to it. May tried a different pokémon, her Squirtle. Would it do more damage against this powerful pokémon? Would she succeed?…
She opened the pokéball and shouted, "Squirtle! Ice attack!"
Immediately, May's squirtle let out a burst of ice from its open mouth and hit the Rayquaza. Roaring in pain, the Rayquaza twisted and turned to attack the squirtle, but the squirtle had managed to dodge all the Rayquaza's attacks.
May, being the expert she was, guessed that the Rayquaza was a flying pokemon based on the Rayquaza legends her mother read to her. In every one, the Rayquaza levitated menacingly, or had been seen floating, playing in the azure sky from time to time. Flying pokémon had a certain weakness against ice.
May then reached into her bag for her pokéballs. "Great ball?…no…nest ball? I don't think so…"
She then pulled out her one and only Master Ball, the only pokéball guaranteed to capture any pokemon without a fight. She then looked up at the rigorous Rayquaza. "It's for the best," she thought, and threw the Master pokéball as hard as she could against the Rayquaza. Immediately, a red light shone through and engulfed the Rayquaza. The Rayquaza fought valiantly to get out, but it knew in its heart it would be captured. Eventually, it gave in and succumbed to the pokéball.
When the pokéball stopped shaking, May ran over to pick it up, as if someone would beat her to the Rayquaza first. Gently, she examined the Master pokéball as if for the first time, its red surface emitting light, and snuggled between May's fingers. Its presence was calming. The button on the pokéball showed promise of good fortune.
But only May knew what was inside the Master pokéball, and it was Rayquaza, the most powerful pokémon in the Hoenn Region!
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Brendan had finally reached the shores of Ever Grande. Suprisingly, the shores were empty and it seemed to be abandoned. A lone cave stood between two pillars, as if showing the only way to Ever Grande City. Flowers bloomed against the dark entrance, pointing the way, waiting for a courageous trainer to just try and confront the dangers inside.
Bravely, Brendan took large steps into the cave and disappeared.
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Just a few hours after Brendan entered the cave, May stepped tentatively stepped on the island. She recognized it by the rows of flowers leading the way to the entrance of a cave. She knew many trainers who had given up in this cave, or were forced to leave because of the threat of the surrounding pokemon. May stared into the sky for a few moments, took a few more deep breaths, and entered the cave.
The sudden lack of light hurt May's eyes as she stepped into the cave. May nearly pulled back because of all the darkness, but she knew she had to press on if she had any hope of beating the Elite Four.
Step after step after step, May felt a growing sense of fear inside her. Her heart began to race, her eyes grew wide, and her whole body trembled with terror.
Inside the cave, everything around was moist and musty. Looming darkness surrounded May, and it seemed that even the darkness grew blacker and blacker the more May traveled through the cave.
A strong-looking Poocheyena blocked May's way through one of the paths, growing and snarling at her presence. May took out her Bulbasaur from its pokéball. "Bulbasaur, Vine Whip!"
The whip that came from Bulbasaur immediately knocked out the Poocheyena with one attack. May grinned. "Good job, Bulbasaur." And continued along the path the Poocheyena previously guarded.
"Shiftry, Toxic!" Brendan yelled.
The shiftry jumped at its opponent and released toxic gas, attacking its opponent so he wouldn't be able to attack. Slowly, but surely, the pokémon slipped into unconsciousness.
"All right!" said Brendan, high-fiving his shiftry.
He smiled as he called back his shiftry into his pokéball. He was near the exit of the cave, so he ran towards the light, his feet moving against all obstacles and leaving a cloud of dust. Suddenly, he heard someone cough from another pathway.
Brendan twirled behind him, wondering who had also gone through the cave. Suprisingly to him, May came out of the cave, coughing and wheezing. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't run so -" May looked up and saw a flash of black and white hair, a pair of red orbs staring right at her.
Silence filled the air as the two said nothing for a while, both standing quietly on the soil and staring at each other. No pokémon dared to attack during this peaceful moment.
"Brendan, what are you doing here?" finally asked May, not believing her eyes. Brendan once again was in her presence, stronger than ever before.
"I will become the pokémon champion, whether I have to hurt you or not." He said demandingly, coolly at the same time.
"Brendan, you aren't yourself!" May cried out. "You never were like this before!"
"No, I simply realized; this is my true self. The Brendan you've known all along was a lie." muttered Brendan.
"That's a lie." said May through clenched teeth. "I know…that it was YOU all along, when you…" she blushed. "…kissed me. You can't really fake passion. I knew it was your true soul when you were with me."
Her cerulean eyes gazed a bit at Brendan's, calm and understanding.
"…It was a misunderstanding that led to our arguement." whispered May, recalling the words that the employee had said, finally understanding.
Brendan turned from her. "Then why…did you accuse me of such things?"
May stepped forward, moving closer to Brendan. "I said things in the heat of the moment…I…didn't think it through…"
Brendan didn't look at her.
"Brendan, please…can you face me?" May said sadly. "I'm sorry…"
"I still…" Brendan sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "do like you May." He muttered gently. "A lot…but…"
"But what?" she asked.
"I can't forgive you May. There's no proof; I can't believe you." Brendan said, his voice hardening once again. He then ran towards the exit, refusing to speak with May anymore.
"Brendan!" called May, rushing after him, but the pokémon in the cave then attacked. Slowly, but surely, they surrounded her…
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Preview of the Next Chapter, "Final Battle":
Brendan sat comfortably in his new chair, gazing at the door.
"A new challenger has arrived," announced the twin trainers as they led a familiar looking someone into the battle room.
"Already?" mused Brendan. "I didn't think you would last so long against the Elite Four…"
May stared at him, anger shown plainly in her eyes. Brendan simply stared back, each refusing to succumb to the other.
"But I have been expecting you, May Maple, and I don't expect you to back out. Are you ready for the biggest pokémon battle in your life?" Brendan smirked.
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Alternative Ending?
Brendan had been waiting, and waiting, sitting on his new chair of glory...
But what happened? Why didn't May come yet?
He knew he felt guilty when he left her to fend for herself in the cave, but he knew...
There was yet another creature in that cave.
And that creature...even he could not face. What if May was now facing that beast?
"Hold on," he thought to himself. "She betrayed you...and now you're thinking of helping her? Besides, she has her pokémon. If she's SO good as you think she is, she'll win."
"Come on," yet another voice said, the voice of reason. "She's still a person...and you still love her, don't you? Everybody needs a little help!"
Brendan then stood up. He knew what he had to do...
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A/N: I don't really know if the next chapter will be the final chapter. It might be broken into two more chapters and an epilogue, so the title of the next chapter or the content may not actually be in the next chapter :) I'm thinking of an alternative ending...and if you like, Vote for which ending you like most! I may add both, but still -The ending YOU want goes first!