Oh goody I'm updating again! No that was not sarcasm so don't hate me! I'm happy for winter break and I hope I can update more often with this new found free time because I still have a lot of school work to do. What kind of teacher gives homework over a long break? Evil ones! Well let me stop and get to work…

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Blasting Off Again

"Morning everyone! Today is the day before the contest so you know what that means!" May exclaimed as she skipped around the hotel room with Keychimp skipping right behind her. She was the first to get up and was already dressed in a brand new outfit that cost Drew quite a large amount of money. She was excited to get a chance to wear it for the first time considering she had to beg her boyfriend to buy it for her.

"Wait how are we going to do this? Are we going to train together or separate? What if we steal each other's moves!?" Rolyn rambled eyeing everyone suspiciously. May stopped her skipping and blinked in confusion. What method of training were they going to use?

"How about we just battle each other." Riley suggested with a shrug as she pulled her brand new sock hat over her head. It was white with a pink heart on it of course. Riley was all about the color pink; she said it opened up a softer, happier side in people.

"Sounds like a plan." May said nodding in Riley's direction. Riley smiled proudly for coming up with the simple idea that no one else decided to consider.

"Wow you coordinators are weird." Jason muttered as he pulled a cap over her head. He turned it backwards and smiled remaining oblivious to the dark looks he was receiving from everybody in the room. Never get on a coordinators bad side; they will get you and look good while doing it.

"Can we just go? I need to make sure I get as much training in as possible so I can beat Rolyn's butt." Drew said throwing an evil smirk and flicked his hair in the dark haired girl's direction. Rolyn flicked her bang at him in a mocking gesture while she smiled sarcastically.

"You never know you could go up against me." May commented with a determined smile. He darted his eyes over to her and shrugged as his smirk returned.

"Then I won't have to train as hard, will I?" He taunted. She gasped and clenched her hands into fists as she stamped her foot. Keychimp who had still been skipping around the room skidded to a stop and mimicked her actions. If you didn't know better you could mistake him for a Mime Jr.

"Drew that was so mean!" May exclaimed pointing an accusing finger at him. His smirk withered to a crooked smile and he crossed his arms over his chest taking upon the challenge of witty banter that May had set on the table.

"I never said I was nice person." He retorted. May narrowed her sapphire eyes at him and flexed her fingers into a fist over and over. She knew exactly what he was doing.

"Oh no, don't think you can just get a drive out of me from your insults." She threw back as a proud smile formed on her lips. She recognized now that when Drew always used to mess with her, he was doing it for his own amusement and she was not a personal clown.

"I never insult you…I simply tell you the truth." Drew corrected. Her smile automatically melted and her arms went limp at her sides. She had to give him credit: he was good at retorting but for once she wanted to win one of their banter sessions; well there was one way she could win.

May let out a growl of frustration as she lunged at Drew, knocking him to the floor as she tried to wrap her hands around his neck in an attempt to strangle him. Riley gasped at the sight and like the couple Jason and Rolyn were, they laughed hysterically together; leaning on each other for support as they watched May try to kill her own boyfriend. Ray stared on with a blank expression…he was a bit confused.

"May! I think you're gonna kill him!" Riley exclaimed waving her arms for emphasis as May jerked Drew's head back in forth from her tight grip on the collar of his shirt. May stopped and glanced up at Riley's distressed expression. She let go of Drew's collar letting his head knock onto the floor with a thud.

"Sorry…lost it for a moment." The brunette said as she smiled sheepishly and got up from on top of her green haired boyfriend who was sitting and recovering from the sudden attack. Rolyn slapped a hand onto May's shoulder still laughing lightly.

"You give it to him May. It's up to us girls to keep our men in line…even if murder is involved." She said with a knowing smirk as she glanced over at Jason and Ray. Riley's eyes widened at her friends words.

"I'm not a killer!!!" She screeched waving her hands once again for emphasis. "I could never kill Ray!"

"It's a figure of speech Riley…calm down." Ray said placing his hands on her shoulders. She took a deep breath and nodded in understanding; regaining her composer as well.

"No it wasn't." Rolyn retorted. Ray rolled his eyes as Riley's right eye twitched.

"Okay this battle between Ray Montez and Drew Hayden shall now commence!" Riley giggled as she did a small curtsy in the middle of the open field that would act as their battle arena. Drew rolled his eyes and Ray smiled lightly before gesturing for her to move out of the way as he enlarged his pokeball.

They had managed t calm the bleached white haired girl after her whole ordeal with the whole murder thing that occurred earlier that morning but she still recommended that Drew and May get counseling before going within ten feet of each other. That was Jason's opportunity to throw in a smart comment, mentioning how May needed to be put to sleep for endangering the human race. He received a hard slap from the brunette for that one.

"I've been training a while for this second chance." Ray said as he spun his pokeball on his finger. Drew shrugged as he enlarged his own pokeball.

"Things won't be any easier than the first time." Drew responded with a cocky smirk.

"I'm guessing you've battled each other before." Rolyn inserted with a knowing smile. Ray gave her his classic blank stare and Drew rolled his eyes once again.

"Great deduction detective." He said sarcastically. Rolyn pouted and slumped her shoulders as she began to mutter to herself about grass-haired freaks and their bad attitudes as she gently stroked her Wolversteel on its head. She planned on using it in the upcoming contest.

"Okay, Roselia, let's go." Drew said as he gave his pokeball a toss. Roselia came out and spun around on one foot while letting sparkles fly from her roses. She stopped and posed accordingly making everybody clap. Drew smirked as Ray fiddled with his pokeball before giving it a toss.

"Let's go Charmeleon." Ray said as the pokeball split open. Charmeleon let its tail flare with its bright flame and Drew crossed his arms over his chest. He thought Ray would stick with Persian like he had last time.

"Aren't grass types weak against fire types?" Riley questioned as her Leafeon played with May's Keychimp. "Should Drew have let his pokemon out first?"

"Types don't really apply to Drew. Even if his pokemon is weaker against his opponent he can still manage to win based upon pure skill." May explained.

"It's all in a matter of determination and training! That's why I always switch my pokemon up on each new journey to show that I can start all over and still come out on top." Rolyn inserted. Riley nodded in understanding as their attention was back onto the battle.

"Charmeleon, use fire spin!" Ray ordered. Charmeleon complied and opened its mouth wide so that a spiral of fire could head straight for Roselia. Roselia stared at the familiar attack before jumping out of the line of fire by using dodge.

"Good job Roselia, now use razor leaf!" Drew said. Roselia aimed her roses accordingly as sharp leaves came flying out of her roses. Ray narrowed his eyes as he thought of his next move.

"Use fire spine again!" Charmeleon released its spiral flame once again with an even greater force than the first time. The razor leaves were instantly lit by the fire and turned on Roselia by heading back in her direction. Her small eyes widened as she awaited command or if she would just simply dodge on her own accord once again.

"Bullet seed." Drew said flicking his hair out of his eyes. Roselia responded immediately and aimed her roses at the oncoming flaming leaves. The bullet seed attack shot out at full speed hitting the flaming leaves and destroying them completely before the attack went straight at an unsuspecting Charmeleon who was hit.

May smiled knowingly. You could never expect much less from Drew. Rolyn nodded in approval and Riley gaped in awe; she understood that Drew was good but she never thought someone could be better than Ray.

"Nice comeback…" Jason commented. The three girl's nodded in agreement, too engrossed in the battle to actually speak.

"Now Roselia use leech seed." Drew said looking from his opponent to his pokemon. Roselia nodded an aimed her red rose at Charmeleon; closing one eye for effect as she launched a lone seed at the fire pokemon. It hit directly, sticking itself in the dragon Pokémon's chest as vines began to sprout from it and cover the Pokémon's body. Ray watched in frustration as a shock was sent through Charmeleon's body, compliments of the leech seed. "Petal dance." Drew said simply.

Roselia smiled in a calm manner as she spun in a circle a few quick times before releasing pink petals in Charmeleon's direction. Ray grit his teeth knowing that if he attacked or tried to counter than the leech seed would shock Charmeleon again and drain some of its strength.

"Charmeleon…use flame thrower!" Ray ordered. Charmeleon's tail flared before it opened its mouth releasing a large blast of fire that singed the pink petals, reducing them to ash. As expected a shock ran through Charmeleon's body and it leaned over in its pain. Drew smirked knowing that it was only a matter of time before it got too weak.

"Ok, Roselia use magical leaf." Drew said. Roselia twirled around like before while taking a few steps before she released multicolored leaves from her roses that went at high speed towards Charmeleon.

"Dodge and use ember!" Ray countered. Charmeleon jumped out of the general direction of the leaves however they seemed to follow the movement of Charmeleon and hit dead on anyway, causing the fire pokemon to let out a cry of pain. Although it was in pain Charmeleon still followed its trainers commands and released another flame thrower. Roselia was not expecting this and got hit directly.

Drew's smug smirk faded as Roselia crumpled to the ground in pain; just like Riley had said, she was rather weak against fire type attacks which she managed to evade until now. Charmeleon also was brought to its knees when another shock ran through its body diminishing another portion of its strength.

"Roselia, do you have enough power to perform a synthesis?" Drew questioned. Roselia lifted her head and nodded before she began to glow a faint green color. Drew smiled thankfully as the grass pokemon regain enough strength to get back on its feet, although she was not fully healed.

Before Drew could send out another attack Charmeleon checked out completely passing out on the ground. Roselia let out a small sigh as she relaxed; trying to regain some of the remaining missing energy she needed to return back to full health. Ray took in a breath as he returned Charmeleon so that it could recover.

"You did a good job." He said to the pokeball before reaching to tuck it away in his pocket. However a metal claw came out of what seemed like nowhere and snatched up the pokemon. Ray gasped in shock just as Roselia, Leafeon, Wolversteel and Keychimp were snatched up by metal claws as well.

"To destroy the world and all its nations!" Yaya said from the Team Rocket Exploud shaped balloon. Her partner Nana was holding what appeared to be the control for the metal claws that had stolen the pokemon.

"To take control and cause devastation!" Nana said flipping her yellow hair over her shoulder.

"To bring up and prosper evil and hate!" Yaya said leaning over the edge of the basket to the balloon.

"To destroy life as you know it at an extreme rate!" Nana said grabbing onto on the ropes that attached the balloon to the basket.

"Yaya."

"Nana"

"Team Rocket here, ready to take flight!" Yaya said sticking out her tongue

"Surrender now or lose this fight!" Nana finished sticking out her tongue as well. May rolled her eyes.

"Ex……PLOUD!!!!!!" Yaya rolled her eyes as Exploud jumped into the air and landed in the basket causing it to shake a bit.

"Stupid pokemon!" Nana exclaimed as she tried to keep a tight grip on the control of the metal claws that were holding the stolen pokemon in midair.

"Team Rocket again…" Rolyn muttered under her breath.

"Give us back our pokemon!" Riley yelled as she pointed an accusing finger at the two neon haired girls. Yaya and Nana glanced at each other before laughing mockingly.

"Did you hear that Yaya? That little girl is trying to give us orders!" Nana taunted shaking her head in disbelief. Riley huffed as Yaya began to laugh harder.

"Like we would take orders from the likes of you!" The pink haired woman said leaning over the edge of the basket to throw a fake smile in Riley's direction.

"This is ridiculous…Tropius! Come on out!" Jason said as he threw a pokeball into the air. Tropius came out of his pokeball and went straight into flight. "Get that remote!"

Tropius nodded and flew up towards the balloon. Nana tried to stop it by sending a claw at it but the pokemon dodged easily and managed to take the remote into its mouth and out of Nana's hands. Nana gasped in shock as Yaya slapped her forehead in exasperation. Tropius dropped the remote in Jason's awaiting hands and Jason released all the pokemon from the clutches of the metal claws by using the remote to place them gently on the ground.

"Okay Keychimp let's get these losers outta here!" May said as Keychimp scampered over to her and jumped onto her shoulder. Keychimp nodded with knowing smile. "Use Screech!"

"Uh oh…" Nana and Yaya squealed together as they held onto each other, bracing for impact.

Keychimp jumped from May's shoulder and it let out a high pitched screech in midair that sent strong sound waves straight for the Exploud shaped balloon. This caused the balloon to explode and send the two female members of Team Rocket and their Exploud towards a nearby forest.

"We're blasting off again!!!" The screamed together as they tightly gripped onto one another. Exploud smiled sheepishly.

"EXPLOUD!!!!!"

"Oh shut up!" Yaya and Nana said together.

May turned to her friends and smiled proudly as Keychimp jumped back onto her shoulder with a proud smile of its own. Tropius landed next to Jason and he returned the flying pokemon before smiling in May's direction.

"Nice screech attack." Jason commented.

"Keychimp is one of a kind." May responded giving the monkey pokemon a pet on the head.

That's all for now. The next chapter will be the contest than May and Drew will be on the road again! This story is moving along so well…Summer Getaway would have been great but I'm not reposting that story until this one is done which won't be for a while considering we still have a lot of traveling to do and a lot more rivals to make. Pweez Review!

V i V a V e N d E t T a . . .