Long chapter again. I really should try and aim for around the same amount (4-5k) lol.
Anyways, I do hope you enjoy this chapter.
May stared into the eyes of her old friend. The finally met, face to face, alone in the middle of Malie City. No crowds, no shouting, just the reunion of two old friends after what seemed like decades. For a second, neither of them uttered a word. They simply absorbed the situation before their eyes.
"I see you're still battling hard as always." she finally breathed.
May studied the boy closely. On the surface, Ash seemed to have changed. His hair grew out into a messier and darker state, and his facial features became sharper. The Z-marks on his cheeks stood out like battle scars on face, and his eyes told the story of an veteran trainer. However, May knew that what lay underneath hadn't changed. Deep inside, his battling spirit burned as bright as ever, and he was the same childish boy who fried her bike all these years ago.
Ash loosened up his muscles. At first, he seemed rather fidgety about meeting May - after all, she had been erased from his life for so long. Fortunately, the tension dissipated as soon as May spoke, and Ash returned to his usual, bumbling self.
"What do you expect, May? I'm going to beat the Island Challenge!" He boasted. However, Ash's eyebrows scrunched into a frown, as if something had suddenly struck his mind. "Oh yeah! What brings you here in Alola, May?" The brunette's unexpected appearance did bother him earlier, but Ash had forgotten about it in the heat of the battle.
"I wanted to visit you, Ash." May laughed at the confused boy, as if that was obvious. "Besides, what better place to come than a region with sunny beaches and five star restaurants? Oh, just thinking about it makes me drool." She dreamed.
"I know, Alola's really cool. The pokémon here are completely different from what we saw in Hoenn. I've even caught a few. You've met Decidueye already, haven't you?" He brandished a handful of pokéballs towards his friend.
"Of course I have." As much as May wanted to see Ash's Alolan squad, she had something else on her mind. After all, she came here to have fun as well, right? "Hey, I've got an idea." Her face lit up. "Why don't we go try out a Malasada here? I've heard that they're absolutely delicious!"
"Wha-" Ash began to complain, but May had already grabbed him by the wrist, and began dragging him along like a stubborn pet.
"Come on Ash, that's not how you're supposed to treat a girl." She grinned at the boy, whose shoulders slumped forwards as he reluctantly followed May's lead.
"But... I wanted to do some training..." Ash mumbled in defeat. Once May had her sights set on food, there was no stopping her.
May held the tour map in one hand and Ash's wrist in the other. Malie City was renowned for being like a maze: There were so many twists and turns that May had found herself walking in circles. Identical commercial building erected from either side wherever she went, making it almost impossible to pinpoint their location. May felt like she was trapped inside the labyrinth.
"Hmmm." She pondered. "According to the map, we should be close to the restaurant by now. Then again, we should reached the restaurant fifteen minutes ago..." May looked at the ground sheepishly, and Ash sweat dropped.
Fortunately, Ash had been wandering around Malie city for the past few days. He visited the Malie Library, stopped by the Pokémart to pick up supplies, and even took the time to wander around the famous Malie Garden. Although he wasn't completely familiar with his surroundings, he had vague idea of where a Malasada shop might be.
"I think it's over there." He knitted his brows in thought, and gestured towards the upcoming junction. There was indeed something located ahead. Wedged between two glass-encased skyscrapers was an old-fashioned restaurant. Compared to it's surroundings, it seemed small and scrawny, with wooden placards hung all over the windows to attract customers. May spotted the unmissable sign with the glaring words 'Uncle Jim's Magical Malasadas' plastered on the front. Yep, that was a Malasada shop.
"Well spotted, Ash." May scrunched up the map and placed it into her fanny pack.
"No problem. Can you let go of my hand now?" Ash whined, his wrist sore from all the twists and turns that May dragged him through.
May noticed that she was still holding onto Ash's hand. She released it immediately, her face turning bright red. "Oh, sure." She muttered. Somehow, the memory of Oscar and Andi flashed across her mind once again, and that made her even more embarrassed. They spent the rest of the journey walking in silence.
The restaurant was packed with customers. Uncle Jim's proved to be a popular place indeed. Ash and May found a table at the corner, where they could talk peacefully without listening to the obnoxious chattering that filled the air. Soon enough, a waiter passed by their table. May ordered a bunch of different Malasadas for both of them, while the boy sank into his seat in exhaustion.
Fortunately, Ash's lethargic mood disappeared as soon as he took a bite from a Malasada.
"Wow! This is so amazing!" Ash exclaimed, his mouth stuffed with the sugary dough. "I can't believe I haven't tried one before."
"What did I tell you?" May chuckled as she feasted on her Malasada. "Never say no until you've tried it."
People began staring at the two strange kids who were munching on their food like starving wolves, but neither Ash nor May cared. The Malasadas were so good that they could eat a mountain of them. Besides, May was delighted to see Ash energised again. He had been in a rather sulky mood ever since he finished the battle.
"Hey, Ash." Something that Professor Kukui mentioned earlier came up on May's mind. "What exactly is the Island Challenge?"
That got the boy's attention. His eyes lit up, and Ash put his Malasada down before wiping his mouth with a napkin.
"You'll love it, May. The Island Challenge is so awesome!" he explained. "You have to complete trials, which are specific tasks set by Trial Captains."
"Trial Captain... I met a girl who was one." May pondered. "Ah, that was her name. Lana!"
"Yea, Lana's awesome." Ash continued. "She's in charge of the trial at Brooklet Hill. I had to investigate a series of phenomenon that occurred in the lakes, and it led me to this huge Wishiwashi. Oh man, it was so scary, Decidueye almost tried to run away from the battle! Of course, that was when he was still a Rowlet."
"Oh right, I forgot. You haven't met many Alolan Pokémon yet." Ash grinned sheepishly at May's puzzled expression. "Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh yea, trial captains basically train pokémon which are not only powerful, but huge as well. We call them Totem Pokémon, and you get a Z-Crystal for defeating each one."
"Z-Crystal?" May had heard of the term before, but she wasn't exactly sure what it was.
Ash placed his arm on the table. There was a watch on it, except that it wasn't a watch. It was some sort of complicated machinery which wrapped around his wrist like a ring, and a sparkling crystal fit snugly in the middle. It was small and diamond-shaped, and etched on top was a symbol of a rock.
The boy smirked. "I'll show you what it does. Not in here, though." He added, a mysterious undertone in his voice.
May pouted. "Come on, Ash. I wanna see it."
"It's too dangerous. I can't use it here. Besides, I haven't finished my story." Ash continued rambling. "On each Island, there is a Kahuna. Kahunas are the strongest trainers on the Island, and you get to challenge them after completing all the trials on that Island." He stuffed the rest of the Malasada into his mouth.
"Wow. That sure sounds fun." May did like the idea of Island Trials. They provided a twist from the traditional gyms, while testing other aspects of the challenger other than their battling capabilities. "So how far have you gone?"
Ash fumbled through his backpack and brought out a neat case. "Ta-da." He opened it, revealing an set of Z-crystals organised into two rows. "I've completed four trials and two grand trials. This is the Normalium-Z from Ilima, the Waterium-Z from Lana, the Firium-Z from Kiawe and the Grassium-Z from Mallow. Oh, and I won the Fightinium-Z from Hala, as well as the Rockium-Z from Olivia." He puffed his chest out with pride.
"They look so pretty!" May fawned over the delicate pieces of crystals, each of them possessing a unique colour and symbol. However, appearances could be deceiving. May knew that these Z-crystal weren't simply ornaments with aesthetic value, for she sensed the tremendous power that lay within every one of them. After all, Professor Kukui did mention that Ash was participating in the Island Trials to get Z-crystals.
"Yup. Next stop is the Hokulani Observatory. The trial captain is a friend of mine, actually. His name is Sophocles." The image of his rather large friend popped up in Ash's mind. He remembered his frizzy orange hair, and the prickly Togedemaru that stuck to him like glue.
Ash had befriended the trial captain in Pokémon school, and they've had a light-hearted rivalry ever since. That guy was also a monster at electronics, just like Clemont.
"Pika Pika!" Pikachu affirmed with a thumbs up. Judging from his enthusiastic expression, he was just as fired up as his trainer was. Classic Pikachu. Their friendship was so deep that sometimes the electric rat would subconsciously imitate his trainer's actions. On the other hand, May still had a while to go before she reached that level of chemistry with her pokémon.
"You seem to be making good progress, Ash. Hey, I've got an idea." The brunette clasped her hands together. "Why don't we take a break today? We could check out the lovely beaches." She gushed. May had been wanting to say that for a while, and she was waiting for just the perfect moment.
Ash scratched his head. "That does sound fun... but then again, I really want my next Z-crystal. It's the Electrium-Z for Pikachu." The electric rat nodded in accordance. He couldn't wait to unleash his own Z-move - Sparking Gigavolt. In fact, the Electrium-Z was the very first crystal that Ash experimented with.
The guardian deity of Melemele Island, Tapu Koko, apparently decided they he wanted to test Ash's skill. What the legendary pokémon did not expect was Pikachu blasting a ten foot deep chasm that levelled half the forrest with Gigavolt Havoc. Unfortunately, Ash could not control the overwhelming power, and the Z-crystal shattered. He had wanted to earn his own Electrium-Z ever since - that was the real reason why he chose to compete in the trials.
"C'mon, pretty pleaseee." May pouted. She attempted to sway the boy's mind by putting on her cutest expression, and Ash had a little internal turmoil. He wanted that Electrium-Z so badly, but who could resist a look like that? On the surface, May looked like a cute innocent girl, but little did people know that the brunette had some devilish tricks up her sleeve.
"Alright, alright." Ash cursed himself for being so manipulatable. "I guess a little fun can't hurt, can it?"
"Yes!" May squealed under her breath, the same way she did when Ash agreed to take her along his journey all these years ago. She guessed that some things just never changed. May was the student, and Ash the mentor. That was how their friendship all started out.
They paid for their food, and the two of them left the restaurant in search for a sunny beach. They stopped at a sportswear shop, for neither of them had brought bathing suits with them. Ash took a quick glance at the selection before picking a pair of deep blue swimming trunks, while May happily spent ages trawling through the variety of swimsuits.
After what seemed like an eternity, she decided on a green bikini with lovely flowers imprinted all over. Even so, May spent at least a couple of tries in the dressing room before affirming her choice. Meanwhile, Ash sat on one of the waiting chairs, bored out of his mind.
"Why do girls take so long on everything..." Ash grumbled.
May gave him a friendly prod on the head. "For your information, Mister, we actually care about how we look." She turned around with a merry smile and handed the product to the cashier. "Hi, can I buy this green bikini here? I'll also pay for my friend's swimming trunks." She said sweetly.
"Sure, no problem kiddo. You two have fun out there!" The cashier replied with a wink.
"Thank you, Mister!" May received the package, and handed Ash his swimming trunks. The two of them left the store, heading for the ferry station. This is going to be so fun! May envisioned the time they would spend together with a dreamy smile on her face. It had been a while since May managed to find some alone time with Ash. Although she loved her brother, he was a pain to take care of. To be perfectly honest, May was slightly disappointed when Max asked to come along the journey. It was just one more responsibility for her to bear.
As they steered clear of the store, Ash caught with the brunette. "Wow, thanks for paying for me back there, May." It was usually the other way around; Ash and Brock took the burden of satisfying May's unusually large appetite. She did have a knack for cherry-picking the most expensive restaurants, whether coincidental or not.
"No worries." May was in such a good mood that she would do anything. There was an air of relaxation and freedom in Alola that enchanted every tourist who set foot on the region, and May was no exception. The pressure to perform in contests, the stressful climb to the top of the Coordinating ladder - all her worries floated away in no time. May was here to enjoy herself, and to take a break from life.
They took a ferry back to Akala Island, for May wanted to see the best of the best. The closest beach to Malie City was the Secluded Shore, and judging by it's name, it wasn't exactly a tourist hotspot. There was no way May would ruin her Alola experience by visiting a deserted beach. Fortunately, transport in Alola was relatively easy. There were interconnecting ferry terminals between all the Islands, and they could travel from one to another in no time at all.
It took an extra fifteen minute trek before they reached their destination. May stopped at the cobble stairwells leading towards the beach, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. The hike may have been tiring, but it was definitely worth the effort.
Right in front of their eyes lay the famous Hano Beach. It was certainly a tourist attraction; the entire beach was brimming with life. The golden sand sparkled under the warm sun, and the waves gently lapped onto the shore at regular intervals. The water was nice and clear without contamination, and the sky was a peaceful shade of blue. Just perfect, May thought.
Hano Beach was filled with a wide variety of tourists. The adults set up their lounge chairs near the entrance, sunbathing without the fear of water ruining their attire. Further ahead lay the children, who built delicate sandcastles near the shore. The ocean itself seemed packed with activities: there were surfers, swimmers, jet-ski riders. You name it, you got it.
Ash was so mesmerised by the beauty of the beach that he didn't realise May had already left to change. She emerged a moment later from the bathroom, appearing before him in the green bikini she bought earlier.
"Well?" May winked. "How do I look, Ash?" She twirled around to show off her new swimsuit.
Ash stared at her. He had seen many girls in bikinis before. In fact, he had seen May herself in a bikini a few times. However, for some bizarre reason, this occasion was different. There was a strange feeling in his stomach, like there were butterflies churning around, bumping against his intestines.
For the first time, Ash picked up details about his friend that he never noticed before. Her soft skin, her delicate arms, her slender legs. How her lustrous brown hair fell smoothly down to her shoulders, how they seemed to form an upside down V shape onto her forehead. He looked hard, and realised that May had blue eyes. Peaceful, navy-blue eyes.
"Are you alright?" May laughed at her friend, who was staring with a blank expression on his face.
"Oh..." Ash snapped out of his trance. He rubbed his eyes, and May looked normal again - just a brown-haired girl in a swimsuit. What was that strange sensation that he felt? He frowned again, for the feeling vanished from his stomach as quickly as it had come.
"Um... Yeah, I'm fine!" Ash replied rather hastily. "You look great, May!"
He spoke with a tone of uncertainty in his voice, but the brunette didn't seem to notice.
"Aww. Thank you Ash!" May grinned in response. She wasn't concerned about Ash's unusual reaction at the slightest, for all she could think of was right now having fun at the beach. "Well, what are you waiting for? Race you to the water!" May turned and sprinted towards the ocean, her brown hair trailing behind in the wind.
Ash's mouth was still hanging open. He couldn't push the earlier incident out of his mind, for the weird sensation troubled him like never before. It was as if a part inside him had been awakened, and it was yearning to take over. It was something powerful and dangerous, something that he couldn't control. Ash knew that whatever it was, he would have to confront it - soon.
A breeze of cool air swept over his face, and Ash snapped back into reality. The worries vanished like mist in the air as his inner child took over again. "You're not gonna beat me!" He shouted, sprinting after May in a heartbeat. Ash zipped past a horde of sunbathing adults, careful not to trod on anyone as he raced towards the sparkling ocean.
Although Ash might be faster than May, she still had a head start. The brunette jumped into the ocean like a bottlenose dolphin, allowing the sensation of cool water on her skin flow through her body. It was just the right temperature: not too warm, not too cold.
May opened her eyes and surveyed her surroundings. The water was clear as crystal. Her vision stretched outwards where the bottomless seabed crept, spotting a school of fish swam freely around the perimeters. A few coral reefs lined the seabed connecting to the beach, and the surface glittered invitingly, as if the sun were calling out for her.
May broke from the surface for oxygen, just to witness a wave of seawater splash over her face. She rubbed her eyes and glanced around, but the mischievous boy was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, she felt a playful tug on her foot, and realised that Ash was pulling her under the water.
"Ash, stop!" She giggled as the boy flailed around under the sea like a fish, dragging May around in circles.
Suddenly, May froze. She noticed that the ocean was rumbling. It trembled against her skin like a massaging seat, yet one which was terrifying rather than relaxing. The waves began to lap at irregular intervals, bobbing up and down out of control. The clouds converged, and the sky darkened. She picked up a distant rustling from afar, and knew instantly that things weren't right.
Pinching her nose, she dove into the water and gestured for Ash to get up. A moment later, the boy burst onto the surface, shaking his hair to rid himself of seawater. "What's wrong?" he asked. Ash was panting, and he had a confused look on his face.
May was about to speak, but she was cut off by the blearing noise from a megaphone. An uncomfortable, screeching sound filled the air as the lifeguard turned his device on. He tapped the end twice to fix it, and positioned the megaphone next to his mouth.
"Attention all swimmers: You must leave the water immediately. I repeat, leave the water immediately." He announced.
Looks of confusion appeared on the tourists' faces, and a wave of muttering spread across the ocean. No one had a clue what was going on, but the lifeguard sounded dead serious.
"Look, over there!" One of the surfers pointed towards the distant opening. Not too far away, there seemed to be a uniform disturbance across the ocean. May squinted her eyes. At first sight, it resembled waves sweeping across the water. Nothing special, just high tides that occurred on a regular basis. When she took a closer look, she realised that they weren't waves.
They were Carvanha.
Hundreds, if not thousands of little fish-shaped pokémon, formed into an intimidating school and swarming directly towards their location. They leapt in and out of the water a blur of red and blue, snapping their powerful jaws and revealing the sharp, white fangs that lay beneath. Although each individual Carvanha wasn't that big, their jaws practically made up half their body mass, and an army of them could chew May up in seconds.
"-there have been rumours of a school of Carvanha heading towards the safety-zone." The lifeguard finished.
Mass panic broke out amongst the tourists in the ocean; screams could be heard all over the place. All around them, people began swimming for their lives. They abandoned their surfboards and jet-skis in terror, leaving the ocean with an excess of floating junk. Adults grabbed their children and began heading for dry land, while the instructors began to help the elderly and disabled.
"Ash, let's go." May tugged on the boy's arm, for everyone around them had already began to disperse. However, Ash didn't budge. There was a stubborn expression on his face, and May knew that it meant nothing but trouble. When Ash had that look on his face, it was pointless trying to speak sense into him.
"Oh yea? I'll show you!" Ash brandished his empty fist at the army of Carvanha, who continued to sweep across the ocean with terrifying speed. They looked at the boy as if he were crazy, and bared their polished teeth in response. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" he ordered.
"Pika-" Pikachu leapt off Ash's shoulders into a somersault, preparing to unleash his infamous thunderbolt attack.
May freaked out. "Ash, stop! You'll fry the entire ocean!" Pikachu stumbled mid-air and fell into the water with crash, sweat dropping as Ash remembered that water was an excellent conductor of electricity. May sighed. She knew full well that this was not the first time Ash had made this mistake. Although he may be an expert battler, his knowledge on Physics was remain limited to pre-school level.
"Oh, yea." Ash scrunched his eyebrows, as if trying to think. "Alright then, Decidueye, I choose you!" He reached for his pocket to grab a pokéball, but then realised that he was wearing swimming trunks.
May sweat dropped again. "Ash, we have to go now." She insisted, this time sounding dead serious. It was now or never. The ocean grew more and more restless by the minute, indicating that the mob of Carvanha were approaching.
May examined the waves. They heaved up and down with such weight that she might have thought they were caught in a storm. Navigating around under these conditions wouldn't be easy at all.
"You're right." Ash glanced at May, before diving into the water and breaking into a perfect freestyle. May trailed behind; she wasn't as athletic as the boy, but she was an able swimmer nonetheless. The disturbing sound of fangs gnawing against each other grew louder and louder, and May knew that they had to move fast.
Some of the better swimmers had already reached the shore, and they began to help usher people away from danger. Reinforcements had arrived as well; officer Jenny burst onto the scene with her henchmen. Each one of them had an Arcanine by their side, and they formed an organised line of defence against the incoming mob.
The Carvanha had reached the proximity. The ocean split apart, and hundreds of them took to the air, their jaws snapping at the tourists still trying to out of the water. For a moment, the sheer number of them almost covered the sun. People flailed their limbs in a fit of panic as a huge shadow loomed over, and some of them dove underwater in an act of desperation.
"Flamethrower!" Jenny ordered. Her henchmen obeyed the command, and each Arcanine unleashed a powerful torrent of flames in unison. They aligned on the shore and fired like a row of mortars, striking the invading targets with deadly accuracy. The first wave of Carvanha were denied mid-air as they took a barrage of flamethrowers right in the face, before flopping back into the ocean like limp fish.
The swimmers took their chance to scramble onto dry land, and the police officers began to escort the casualties away from the shore. The Arcanine squad dug their paws into the sand and growled, daring the Carvanha to come any closer. With the authority of the highly trained guard dogs lining the shore like an impenetrable wall, even the most vicious ones hesitated to attack, and most of the tourists managed to reach the safe zone.
Most of the tourists. There were still two kids stranded in the middle of the ocean, encircled by a gang of flesh-eating Piranhas. They were but mere specks in the distance as the relentless waves battered against their wills, sweeping them away from the shore like paper bags in the wind. They clearly stood no chance at all. For every inch they gained, the currents would push them back another ten.
Jenny snatched the megaphone from the lifeguard. A bead of sweat trickled down her neck, for she didn't know what to do in this situation. "You two out there, stay calm and try to swim towards us. My men cannot fire without hurting you." A crowd of onlookers had gathered around in concern, eyeing helplessly as the school of fish closed in on them like predators circling their prey.
May and Ash realised that it was pointless to work against the waves. They broke onto the surface, only to find themselves surrounded in every direction. One of the Carvanha gnawed his teeth in pleasure. May was fairly sure that she wasn't particularly appetising, but judging from their ecstatic faces, she knew that the Carvanha didn't agree.
"Ash," she breathed. "W-What are we going to do?" The brunette was terrified. She found her hands trembling with fear, and her heart was bursting out of her own chest. The Carvanha slowly closed in, but she had to stay calm. Panicking would only cost both of them their lives.
Ash gritted his teeth. They were outplayed, outmanned and outmuscled. Think, Ash. He tried to formulate a plan, but his mind was blank. There was a tug on his arm, and Ash realised that May had subconsciously clung onto him in fear. The poor girl, it was his impulsiveness that caused this mess in the first place. Ash gave her a squeeze of reassurance in return, but that was the best he could do as the Carvanha lunged.
Ash instinctively shielded May with his arms as a few of them struck home, each one of them sinking their teeth into his bare skin. Pain flared in his bones. The boy yelled as he attempted to fling them off, but they hung on with a grip of steel, lodging their fangs into his flesh like anchors.
"AAAARGGGH! GET OFF!" Ash swatted at the pesky fishes. A mild throbbing seared throughout his entire body, but it was tolerable. After all, he had survived more than the recommended dose of electricity from his Pikachu. Compared to the electric rat, these Carvanha were amateurs. Ash almost laughed at his own thought, and May wondered if the boy had finally lost his sanity.
"Ash!" The brunette tugged on a stubborn fish who had imbedded his fangs into Ash's right arm, but he wouldn't budge. She pulled with all her might, and finally dislodged the pesky Carvanha. It flailed around like a Magicarp, snapping his fangs towards May in annoyance. She noticed that blood was dripping from it's teeth, and a wave of nausea struck her. May tossed the fish as far as she could, and it landed in the distance with a splash. She gasped.
Fresh blood was leaking into the ocean - from Ash's back, his arms, his shoulders. They trickled down and stained the water with an ugly shade of red, forming a puddle of blood. Ash began to feel dizzy. His vision blurred, and he could feel his arms slacking. His body refused to obey him, and he tumbled, but May caught him.
"Stay with me, Ash." May pleaded. Her eyes welled up as she tossed another Carvanha into the air, she didn't know what to do. Ash could only hear a faint voice in his ear, and the shadowy silhouette of a brunette flickering in and out of sight. The ocean rumbled again, and a stream of bubbles sped across the surface. Judging from the thick white foam that encased them from every angle, there were too many of them to fend off.
May hugged the half-conscious Ash with one arm, and stretched out the other in a hopeless attempt to drive the mob away. Blood stained the front of May's swimsuit. The boy leaned onto her to keep balance, and May could hear his breathing. Faint, but distinguishable. He was still alive, but needed help soon. There was only that much blood someone could lose.
Ash was barely conscious. He felt the warmth of May's skin against his ear as she pulled him against her ribcage in a bone-crushing hug. His legs felt like jelly - wobbly and completely out of control. Ash forced an eye open, and the image of his dear friend flickered into view. She looked fierce and defiant, defending him with all her strength. He had such good friends. Ash wanted to say something, but his mouth failed him. He heard the sound of the first Carvanha burst out of the water, and his eyelids drooped.
Ash waited. A second or two passed, but he felt nothing. The familiar feeling of Carvanha teeth clamping onto flesh didn't arrive, nor did the sensation of cold water tingling against his skin. He imagined his body rising upwards. Is this what death feels like? Painless, emotionless, timeless. Perhaps Arceus had forgiven all the times he had stolen from Gary, and decided that he could go to heaven. But what about May? What happened to her?
Ash opened his eyes, and realised that he was in the air. The flock of angry Carvanha snapped at his feet from below, but they were well out of reach. May was beside him as well. Her brown hair was soaked with water, but otherwise she was unharmed. Opening her eyes, she scanned her surroundings with a gaping mouth. It was an absolute miracle that they managed to survive. She tried to move, but realised that something was digging into her shoulders like a clamp.
Ash looked up. Staring right back at him were a pair of sharp, yellow eyes.
"Croooooo-" It let out a shrill cry before flapping it's powerful wings in succession. Ash struggled to open his eyes as the strong gust blew against his face, and the grip on his shoulders tightened. They were ascending. Meanwhile on the beach, a confused officer Jenny watched as the two kids were hauled into the air by a mysterious figure, before disappearing into a speck in the air.
Crobat was one of the fastest species of pokémon; they were racing across the Hano Sea before they knew it.
All Ash could see was a blur of blue underneath, and the occasional glimpse of green resembling an island. They seemed to be heading away from the direction of Hano Beach, so Ash presumed that this wasn't the work of officer Jenny.
"Ash! Are you alright?" May hung next to him, a frantic expression on her face as she tried to squirm into a more comfortable position.
"Yeah." Ash muttered. His vision was coming back to him. Blood was still gushing from his wounds, albeit at a much slower rate. Ash breathed heavily, taking in deep gulps of oxygen to fill his lungs. Perhaps it was the wind against his face, but his head felt lighter and clearer - it was no longer a haze like earlier. They would still need to patch him up and stop the bleeding, but for now he seemed to be fine.
"Hey, where are you going?" He asked Crobat, but the pokémon didn't respond. It glared at Ash with his piercing eyes, and the boy melted back into his place. Crobat huffed, he turned to the front without saying a word, and continued to carry them across the skies.
Ash shot a nervous glance at May, who shrugged in response. "At least he saved us from being fish-food." She contributed thoughtfully. The brunette seemed to be enjoying the ride. She laughed as the currents beat furiously against her face, sending her brown hair sprawling in the air like spaghetti. Ash couldn't help it, he too forced a chuckle as they sped through the skies. It was like a roller-coaster ride, except that they were travelling as fast as a jet.
"Oh, and Ash?" May turned towards the boy, a sparkle in her eyes. "Thank you for what you did earlier."
Ash scratched his head. "Don't worry about it," he muttered, turning a deep shade of red. "I did get us into that mess after all." He said quietly. Looking back at it now, Ash realised how stupid his actions were. Who in the right mind would think about fighting a mob of Carvanha by electrocuting the ocean? It wasn't like this was his first time... right?
May laughed at the embarrassed boy, but she forgave Ash completely. Although his brain may be made of hay, the boy had a heart of gold. It took true courage for Ash to cover May and take the attack himself, and now he was bleeding because of it. May didn't know anyone who would do the same for a friend. "Hey, look! I think we're here." She pointed out.
Sure enough, Ash noticed that they were slowing down as well. The vague outline of islands below them began to materialise into their unique shapes, and he could make out individual wavelets churning across the ocean. Crobat spread his wings like a parachute, and they began to descend from the clouds.
There were many tiny, isolated islets that broke off from Akala island and spread over the ocean, and this was one of them. They were usually uninhabited, with bushy jungles that stretched across the centre, while soft beaches lined the edges. A steamy volcano squatted in-between the jungle and the beach like an awkward child out of place, burping thick fumes of sulphur into the air.
Ash began to wonder why they were landing on this particular island, when he realised that they weren't. Crobat had flown right over it, and they were flying towards a large pillar of stone that erected from the middle of the ocean. It was the size of a miniature mountain, and perched in a rather odd location, as if it were man-made. Patches of slimy moss swamped the sides of the pillar, and jagged edges protruded from the top like spears. An inconspicuous opening was carved near the top.
Squinting his eyes, Ash realised that it was a roughly crafted cave. There was a figure standing near the ledge, the wind howling mercilessly against his face. He had neat blond hair, except for a patch that hung loosely in front of his forehead. His facial features were contorted into a irritated expression, and two studs pierced his right ear. He wore a strange black hoodie accompanied with fitting ripped jeans, and a small pack rather like May's hung around his waist.
"Imbeciles." He muttered, reaching for his pocket.
Unless my english is really that bad, you guys should be able to figure out who that is xD
P.S There won't be an update next week, since I've got another story that I've been wanting to write for a while (and I will spend this week writing it). Unfortunately, it is not advanceshipping.