Here's the next chapter, folks. Enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, Alolan Johto pokemon would exist.
No guest review(s) last chapter.
''Meloetta'' Speech
'Meloetta' Thoughts.
On the road back to Fuchsia City, Ash and his pokemon were making a quick stop at a local flower shop. His newly caught Rapidash insisted that he should use her for traveling, and so, Ash rode on his proud fire-type with the grace of a knight. Needless to say, he got a lot of fascinated stares. Not only was Rapidash an excellent racer, making the trek back a lot quicker, but she was also huge. It was almost like Ash had tamed a giant equine, and both of them sucked in the positivity they received like a sponge.
''I think they're impressed with you, Rapidash,'' Pikachu stated in a joking matter.
''That's because auntie Dashie is so cool!'' Azumarill cried cheerfully.
Rapidash's smile couldn't be wider. Just a few days ago, Sylveon and Azumarill had started to call her aunt. The feeling she felt welling up inside almost overwhelmed her. Ash and his pokemon really treated her like she was always part of the family. Such warmness burned even hotter than Moltres' flames.
''Auntie Dashie! We were going for a ride together one time, remember?'' Sylveon said hopefully.
''Me too, me too!'' Azumarill added.
Meloetta stifled a melodic giggle at the two excited kids. 'Look how happy she is,' she thought, watching how Rapidash nodded her head warmly to Sylveon and Azumarill. 'And it's all thanks to you, Ash.'
She looked at the raven haired trainer with rosy cheeks. It wasn't long before she had her petite frame against him, enveloping Ash in her sweet embrace.
''Hi Meloetta!'' Ash laughed as her elegant hair tickled his face.
''Melo mel,'' she said genuinely, turning his head until he was looking her straight in her light blue eyes.
''Oh, Meloetta,'' Ash whispered. ''You're such a silly girl. I love you too.''
It's exactly what she wanted to hear. Her lips were connected with Ash's in a passionate kiss in an instant. She loved the feeling; Ash was so gentle, yet a bit rough at times, which she liked a lot. If she could, she would kiss Ash forever.
''Aw, just look at these two Pidoves. Kissu kissu~'' Pikachu teased them, effectively getting Meloetta to blush.
''Honestly, Pikachu. The moment you've got a girlfriend, I'm not giving you a second of rest,'' the petite legendary threatened playfully.
''If I don't repel her away first,'' he joked back, letting his electricity run through his fur for emphasis.
''Don't worry about that. I'll find you a sweet ground-type then.'' Meloetta winked. At the suggestion, Pikachu began to blush faintly. He completely forgot his ability would be nullified by ground-types.
''That could work,'' he admitted.
''You'll have a cute girlfriend in no time, Pikachu. You're the most famous electric-type in Kanto besides Zapdos. I'm amazed you've not been swarmed from the left and the right yet.''
Pikachu's blush began to grow brighter. ''Okay, I get it. Stop talking like I'm some attractive buff guy. Go kiss Ash some more or something.''
Meloetta blew him a loving kiss in response.
Finally, Ash stopped his Rapidash in front of the flower shop and dismounted her, only to run in a very familiar face.
''Well, well, well. If it isn't Ashy-boy, or should I say, the hero kid of Kanto?'' Gary's smugness was palpable, yet something had changed about his tone as well. He wasn't talking in a mocking manner anymore; it was replaced with a more playful tone, one that carried a sense of deep respect as well.
''Gary,'' Ash replied simply with a nod.
''I see you've caught some more pokemon. That's a strong looking Rapidash you've got there,'' Gary complimented.
''Oh.'' Ash was a bit surprised. ''Thank you.''
''So, what do you say? I've trained my pokemon a lot, and took your advice as well. I've returned a lot of my caught pokemon to the wild and instead focused on only a few. Let me have a rematch against you, two versus two. A certain pokemon of mine is also dying for a rematch against your Sylveon.''
Ash gave his rival a smile. ''Sure, Gary. I'm positive Sylveon would love to battle too.'' He only had to give her glance before she was in a fighting stance already. ''I'm ready, daddy!''
Ash had to suppress a chuckle at her adorable behaviour.
''Okay! Then let's do it right now!'' Gary suggested. Ash nodded his head in agreement. ''Fine with me.''
''Wow,'' Pikachu muttered, ''he has changed so much. How's that possible? He even ditched those cheerleaders.''
Meloetta smiled. ''Ash won his respect the moment Sylveon took down his Eevee in one hit. It wasn't even close.''
Pikachu nodded his head. ''That's true, I guess he has matured, as has Ash.''
Meanwhile, Gary walked to his side of the makeshift field, and threw his first pokeball in the air. ''Go, Umbreon!'' he shouted.
The dark-type eeveelution appeared on the field, her eyes widening the moment she spotted the Sylveon who had humiliated her on the S.S. Anne that day.
''You,'' she hissed.
''Oh, you evolved as well. Here for another round to smack talk my daddy?'' Sylveon questioned in a dangerous tone.
Umbreon's breath hitched in her throat. ''N-no. I'm here to defeat you!''
Sylveon remained expressionless, her feelers moving randomly around her body like snakes ready to bite. ''You won't,'' she replied simply.
Umbreon gritted her teeth. She had never been so afraid of a pokemon of her kind before. This kid was a very dangerous opponent, she knew. This time, she wasn't going to underestimate her.
''Okay, Umbreon, let's start this off with a Shadow Ball!'' Gary suggested.
''Counter it with your Moonblast, Sylveon!'' Ash retaliated.
The two orbs collided in mid-air and exploded, sending smoke flying everywhere. However, when the smoke was cleared, Sylveon was nowhere in sight, much to the shock of Gary and Umbreon.
'Where did she go?' he thought in panic. Then, he looked up, and with growing alarm saw her descending like a rocket on his dark-type. ''Crap, did Ash order her to use Quick Attack to get so high in the sky when we both were blinded by the smoke? Clever,' Gary admitted, 'but we have something up our sleeve as well.'
''Umbreon, Endure!'' Gary shouted just in time.
Ash perked his brow. 'Endure? That means Umbreon is going to survive this attack no matter what. But why would Gary give up so much of his Umbreon's strength if he could've just as easily ordered her to dodge? He saw my surprise attack coming in time, after all. What are you planning?'
A red hue began to glow all around Umbreon, just before Sylveon crashed into her like a comet. A cloud of dust spread around the battlefield, making both parties unable to see once again.
Gary knew his Umbreon had used Endure in time, so it was now time for phase two. ''Now, Umbreon, use Payback!'' he shouted.
All around Umbreon, globs of purple energy shot out to Sylveon, who was still recovering from recoil damage. As a result, she was unable to dodge the attack, which hit her and made her cry out in pain.
'That's a pretty clever strategy,' Ash had to admit. 'Payback does twice the damage when you're hit first, making it a very formidable attack. Combine that with the recoil damage Sylveon just suffered, and it'll guarantee to do a lot. However, it seems Gary still lacks a lot of experience fighting fairies.'
Gary grinned, satisfied with the result. ''How do you like that, Ashy-boy?''
''Not bad, Gary. But you're forgetting one thing…''
Ash paused to show that his Sylveon was still standing, a bit bruised, but not overly so. ''Dark is weak against fairy, and while you still did a nice amount, my Sylveon is a wall and a cleric first and foremost.
''What?'' Gary stuttered. He felt like he was getting lectured by a teacher because he said something stupid.
''I only have to order my Sylveon to use Wish and she will be perfectly healed.'' Ash couldn't help but smile a bit at his flustered rival. The tables had completely turned since he started his journey.
''Besides, your Umbreon has taken lots of damage now. One hit and it's over. You should learn Umbreon Protect instead of Endure. That way, the same strategy still stands, even if the opponent's move fails to land.''
Gary was stunned into silence. ''I see…'' he responded finally. ''Thanks for the advice, Ash. I'm sure to make some adjustments to Umbreon's move-set in the future.'' It was a genuine reply, something that the raven haired trainer never had heard coming out of Gary's mouth before.
''Okay, I'm looking forward to it. Now, why don't we finish this battle?'' Ash suggested.
Gary gave his signature, smug grin in return. ''You got it, Ashy-boy.''
The battle against Umbreon was quickly done after that. The dark-type did manage to land some surprisingly powerful hits on Sylveon, but in the end, she was victorious. Gary's next pokemon was a Nidorina, and Ash thought this was a perfect opportunity to try out Rapidash in a battle.
She was eager, but very inexperienced. As a result, Nidorina made it pretty difficult, even though her size gave her a huge advantage.
'Just one more solid attack and Rapidash will be victorious. I can't let her be hit with another one of those poison-type attacks. I'm going to use her speed to our advantage,' Ash thought.
''Nidorina, use Venoshock!'' Gary said.
''Rapidash, wait for the right moment to dodge, and then use Stomp!''
The fire-type nodded, her well-developed muscles rearing her back legs to life. In an instant, they connected with Nidorina's jaw when she tried to rush in, sending her flying backwards. Needless to say, she didn't get up after that.
''Good job, Rapidash! You did it!'' Ash praised her. He gave her hug, which she eagerly accepted.
Gary wordlessly returned his fainted pokemon back to her pokeball, his smirk still on his face. ''Well, it went as smoothly as I would've expected it to go. Ash, you're a serious contender to win the Indigo League. If I want to beat you, I better step up my game. I've decided to commit myself to a training schedule my gramps made for me. At the end of today, I'll go back to Pallet and train there to prep myself.''
Gary snickered. ''Who would've thought you to be the kid with the legendary? Such a beautiful legendary too. Meloetta truly is a stunning pokemon.''
''Mel mel,'' Meloetta replied humbly.
''Anyway, Ash. I've booked a room in the pokemon center a couple of miles down the road. I believe you were about to head inside this flower shop until I interrupted you. I'm going to wait here until gramps arrives to pick me up.''
Ash nodded his head in understanding.
''Oh, and also, your mom will be visiting too.''
''My mom is coming?'' Ash asked incredulously.
As if to answer his rhetorical question, a jeep was approaching from the horizon with the silhouette of a brunette woman waving her hand in the air.
''Mom.''
So there you have it, people. Did you guys like it, love it, hate it? Review, please. I love reviews! They're like good syrup on a waffle. :D Next chapter: girl time with Meloetta and Delia. Until then. ^^
~Syrup-Waffle