Disclaimer: I do not own any part of this story. All rights go to Nintendo for use of their characters, etc.
Chapter 8: A Clubsplosive Confrontation (Part 3)
"Welcome, trainers, to the third and final day of the Clubsplosion Battle Tournament!" Don George announced as the four remaining trainers assembled in the stadium.
Everyone had fought hard and tried their best. But in the end, it came down to these four. Ash, May, Trip, and Montgomery. Only one would emerge victorious.
"So this is it," Ash muttered nervously. "Good luck, May."
"You too, Ash," May replied, reaching over and taking Ash's hand.
"Pika," Pikachu chimed in.
"Mana," Manaphy agreed.
"And may the best trainer win," Montgomery added.
"Don't worry, I plan to," Trip replied, earning an eye roll from the other three.
"Now if you'll turn your attention to the screen, we'll find out the semi-finals matchups," Don George continued.
Everyone's eyes turned towards the screen, where the four displayed trainer cards began to be shuffled. For a few nerve-wracking moments, all the trainers held their breaths as their eyes remained fixed to the screen.
Finally, the cards stopped moving.
The matchups were revealed.
Ash vs. Montgomery. May vs. Trip.
Ash's eyes widened as he gulped nervously. Blanching, he turned to look at his opponent's Throh, the imposing Pokémon looming over Scraggy.
Meanwhile, May and Manaphy both let out sighs of relief. As bad as May felt for Ash having to deal with Montgomery, she couldn't help also being secretly pleased; she had wanted to be the one to put Trip in his place, and now she had the chance.
Trip, however, was very vocal in his disapproval.
"Bullshit!" he growled angrily. "I wanted to destroy Ketchum!"
"Well, you'll just have to settle for me instead," May retorted.
"Whatever. It won't be as satisfying, but humiliating you will have to do," he replied, scowling.
"Now for our first match between Ash and the reigning champion, Montgomery!" Don George announced.
Ash took a deep breath and nodded reassuringly at Scraggy. He started towards the battlefield, but stopped momentarily as May briefly touched her lips to his.
"Good luck. We're all rooting for you," she said.
"Phi!" Manaphy agreed, wishing his papa luck as well.
"Pi-ka-chu!" Pikachu cheered, showing his own support.
"Hope you have better luck than I did," Iris added.
Ash grinned at all of them and gave May another quick kiss before heading off towards the battlefield, where Montgomery was already waiting.
"Trainers, begin!" shouted the ref as soon as Ash had taken his position.
"Scraggy, use Leer!" Ash ordered, hoping to gain an advantage by lowering Throh's Defense.
Scraggy slowly began approaching Throh, putting on his most intimidating face. Nevertheless, the imposing Fighting-Type Pokémon was not fazed. Crossing his arms, the Judo Pokémon gave a menacing glare of his own, which was enough to cause Scraggy to turn tail and run back to Ash.
Crap, Ash thought, this isn't off to a great start.
"Keep at it, Scraggy! Don't let Throh scare you!" Ash said.
Scraggy continued using Leer, to no avail. Montgomery simply sighed and shook his head.
"You're wasting your time, as well as mine," he said as Throh gestured for Scraggy to come closer.
"What are you waiting for, Ash? Attack!" Iris called from the stands.
"Alright Scraggy, use Focus Blast!" Ash commanded.
Scraggy executed the move, launching a greenish-blue ball of energy at Throh. Unfortunately, the ball veered off-course at the last second, slamming into the stadium's wall.
"You probably should've said 'attack with anything other than Focus Blast," May muttered.
"Pi-ka-pi," Pikachu agreed, looking embarrassed for Ash.
Undaunted, Ash ordered Scraggy to keep using Focus Blast until he landed a hit.
Scraggy did as he was told, firing numerous orbs of energy at his opponent. Unsurprisingly, none of them hit anything but the wall.
"Nice fireworks display. Would you like to try actually battling now?" Montgomery said sarcastically. "Throh, use Superpower."
Throh grunted in acknowledgement before advancing towards his Dark/Fighting-Type opponent.
"Scraggy, counter it with Hi Jump Kick! Now!" Ash shouted.
Scraggy leapt into the air, flying towards Throh with his leg extended. Only far too late did Ash notice the smirk on Montgomery's face.
"Just what I was hoping for," Montgomery said. "Use Circle Throw!"
Catching Scraggy out of midair, Throh performed his Circle Throw attack, tossing the Shedding Pokémon over his head and sending him crashing to the ground.
"Scraggy, get up! Use Headbutt! NOW!" Ash called frantically. Things were definitely not looking good for him, and he was beginning to lose his cool.
Scraggy obeyed, slamming headfirst into Throh, to very little effect. Throh simply grabbed Scraggy and, on his trainer's orders, threw him with Superpower. Scraggy crashed into the ground in front of Ash. Remarkably, he was still combat effective.
Seeing that Scraggy was recovering, Ash wasted no time making his next move.
"Scraggy, use Focus Blast!"
"Doesn't he ever learn?" Trip remarked, rolling his eyes.
"It's not over yet!" May replied. "Scraggy is so close to Throh, his Focus Blast just might hit this time!"
But those hopes were dashed as Scraggy's Focus Blast went sailing right past Throh and, once again, straight into the wall.
"Use Seismic Toss," Montgomery ordered.
Grabbing Scraggy, Throh launched himself high into the air before hurling his Dark/Fighting-Type opponent at the ground.
Ash flinched as he watched his Shedding Pokémon get slammed into the ground. He fully expected to see Scraggy knocked out as he looked towards the small crater that had been formed by Scraggy's impact.
What he found instead was a visibly battered but determined Scraggy rising from the ground, slowly but surely. And this was made all the more surprising by the fact that the small Pokémon was surrounded by a brilliant light.
"Scraggy's evolving!" Cilan exclaimed
"No way…" Iris muttered incredulously.
"This is the perfect chance for them to make a comeback!" May cheered.
"Pika-pi!" Pikachu added.
"Mana-phi!" Manaphy agreed.
Ash simply smiled in anticipation as he watched the evolution process take place.
Slowly, the glow faded, revealing the newly-evolved Pokémon. In Scraggy's place now stood a taller, slightly different-colored Pokémon sporting a red mohawk. More baggy skin was present around its legs and tail, and a patch of loose skin also hung from its shoulders.
"Scraf-ty!" the Pokémon announced triumphantly.
Ash hurriedly aimed his Pokédex at the Pokémon.
*Scrafty, the Hoodlum Pokémon and the evolved form of Scraggy. Scrafty can use its powerful kicks to smash through concrete blocks. To protect itself, Scrafty can fold its loose skin around its waist.*
Hmm, Montgomery thought. This just might turn out to be interesting after all.
"Well Scrafty, looks like you learned a new move," Ash said, putting away the Pokédex and turning his attention back to the battle. "Let's see if we can turn the tables. Use Low Sweep!"
Scrafty darted forward and delivered a powerful kick to Throh's legs before the Judo Pokémon could react. The sudden attack caught Throh by surprise as it lost its balance and toppled over.
"Follow it up with Hi Jump Kick!" Ash yelled.
Obediently, the Dark/Fighting-Type Hoodlum Pokémon leapt into the air and came crashing down a moment later on Throh's back as the Fighting-Type was still trying to get up.
"Throh, get up and use Circle Throw!" Montgomery ordered quickly. Ash noticed, with no small amount of satisfaction, that there was actually some urgency in the champion's voice.
Getting back on its feet, Throh approached Scrafty with extended arms and prepared to grab its Dark/Fighting-Type opponent. Ash waited until Throh had almost reached Scrafty before making his move.
Man, I'm taking a hell of a risk with this, Ash thought, before giving Scrafty his orders.
"Use Focus Blast!"
"Scraaaf-TY!" the Hoodlum Pokémon exclaimed, firing a bluish orb of energy straight into the gut of the incoming Pokémon.
"Yes! It finally worked!" Ash cheered. "Awesome job, Scrafty!"
"Scraf-scraft!" Scrafty replied happily.
But it wasn't over yet. Despite taking some serious damage, Throh was still battle-ready.
"Scrafty, use Hi Jump Kick!" Ash ordered confidently.
However, as Scrafty leapt into the air with his leg extended and headed for Throh, Ash noticed a grin on Montgomery's face. Only far too late did he realize how easily he had walked right into a counterattack.
"Use Bind!" Montgomery shouted.
Catching Scrafty, the Judo Pokémon proceeded to put his Dark/Fighting-Type opponent into a headlock before quickly receiving his next, and final, orders.
"Use Superpower!"
Obediently, Throh hurled Scrafty through the air with great force. The Hoodlum Pokémon crashed into the ground and slid to a stop right in front of Ash, who didn't even need to look to realize that the battle was over.
"Scrafty is unable to continue! The winner is Montgomery!"
Ash sighed, but accepted the loss as he turned towards his fallen Pokémon.
"You did great out there, Scrafty. Get some rest," he said, returning Scrafty to his Pokéball.
"That was a hell of a battle you put up," Montgomery commented as he passed Ash on his way back to the stands. "I have to admit, I was impressed."
"Thanks," Ash replied, smiling slightly at the compliment as he headed back towards his friends.
"Poor Ash and Scrafty," Iris sighed.
"Well, it was a good battle anyway!" Cilan said as Ash rejoined the group. "You really gave Montgomery and Throh a run for their money."
"Yeah," May added, giving Ash a kiss to comfort him. "Heck, the fact that Scraggy evolved and was able to keep going after all the punishment he had taken is impressive."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Ash replied, a smile returning to his face.
"Come on, already. I've got a tournament to win here," Trip said impatiently as he began to walk past the group on his way to the field.
"Will you quit acting like it's gonna be so damn easy!?" Ash snapped angrily. "You act like defeating a Legendary Pokémon is no challenge whatsoever!"
"Well I… wait, what? 'Legendary'? What 'Legendary'?" Trip asked, stopping dead in his tracks and turning to face Ash and May.
"You mean you, the Mighty Trip, didn't know that Manaphy is a Legendary Pokémon?" Ash replied sarcastically in a tone of mock-surprise.
"…I don't believe it," Trip responded. "That pitiful little thing can't possibly be a 'Legendary' anything."
"Well, it's true," Ash said. "Right, May?"
May hesitated but nodded uncomfortably, confirming Ash's statement. May didn't exactly want to go around advertising to everyone that she had a Legendary Pokémon. She didn't want to brag or rub it in anyone's face or anything. Besides, she didn't even think about Manaphy in those terms; Manaphy would always be her child first, and a Legendary Pokémon second.
As if the thought only just occurred to him, Trip quickly took out his Pokédex and scanned Manaphy.
*Manaphy, the Seafaring Pokémon. It starts its life with a wondrous power that permits it to bond with any kind of Pokémon. Known as the Prince of the Sea, it is said to guard an ancient underwater temple.*
For the first time, Trip's overconfidence seemed to waver. The smug grin fell from his face and, for just a fraction of a second, May thought she saw a look of genuine uncertainty on the boy's face.
But just as quickly, Trip regained his composure – and his arrogance.
"Well, whatever. Legendary or not, Conkeldurr is gonna roll right over it," he replied, a little less confidently than before.
As Trip started towards the battlefield, May turned quickly to speak with Ash.
"Ash, you know I don't like bragging about having a Legendary!"
"Would you relax, already?" Ash chuckled. "It probably made Trip nervous, which just might give you an edge."
"Yeah, alright," May replied, unconvinced. "Just don't make a habit of handing out that information. You never know who might be listening."
"Fine, fine," Ash sighed. "Now go on, May! You've got a battle to win. Good luck!"
"Maa-na!" Manaphy cheered.
"Good luck to you too, Manaphy," Ash added with a grin as he patted Manaphy's head.
May hurried over to the battlefield and quickly took her position, not wanting to further delay the match.
"Now trainers, begin!"
"Conkeldurr, use Bulk Up!" Trip ordered immediately. Conkeldurr obediently flexed its muscles as a faint red glow surrounded its body, indicating that both Conkeldurr's Attack and Defense stats had risen.
"Manaphy, use Heart Swap!" May commanded. Using his signature move, Manaphy raised his antennae, the ends of which had begun to glow pink. Small pink hearts appeared to pass between Manaphy and Conkeldurr for a moment, indicating that the changes to Conkeldurr's stats had been switched and given to Manaphy.
May grinned fiercely at Trip who, realizing he could not raise Conkeldurr's stats without being countered, was royally pissed.
"Alright Conkeldurr, use Stone Edge!"
"Send it back with Psychic!" May countered.
As the hail of stones from Stone Edge came flying towards Manaphy, he quickly used Psychic. A pinkish glow surrounded the stones, stopping them in midair. A second later, they were being launched straight back at Conkeldurr.
Although the reflected attack did little damage to its target, it did send a very clear message to Trip; Conkeldurr's ranged attacks were virtually useless. If Trip wanted to win this thing, he would have to get up close and personal.
"Conkeldurr, use Rock Smash!" Trip called.
Slamming its concrete pillars into the ground, Conkeldurr curled its right hand into a glowing fist. Conkeldurr then rushed towards its Water-Type opponent, pulling its arm back and preparing to swing.
"Manaphy, dodge and use Scald!" May ordered.
"Mana!" Manaphy acknowledged, jumping quickly away from Conkeldurr and firing a stream of boiling water at the Fighting-Type. The attack connected, leaving a faint red hue all over Conkeldurr's body, indicating that the Muscular Pokémon had been burned.
Conkeldurr recoiled as it let out a moan of pain caused by its burn. Gritting his teeth, Trip called out his next move.
"Use Strength!"
Conkeldurr charged forward, swinging its concrete pillars with surprising dexterity.
"Quick, Manaphy, dodge it and use Water Pulse!" May called.
As Conkeldurr swung one of its pillars forward in a sweeping motion, Manaphy leapt into the air and cleared it… before being nailed by the second pillar, which was being swung in the opposite direction.
The Seafaring Pokémon released a cry of pain as he flew through the air, crashing to the ground in front of May.
"Oh no," May breathed, hearing Manaphy's tiny whimpers as he shakily got to his feet and looked back at her.
"Aww, what's the matter? Is the little baby gonna go crying back to its mommy?" Trip taunted, laughing mockingly.
May's gaze turned ice-cold as she glared at Trip furiously. Trip wiped the smile from his face, actually intimidated by the intensity of May's glare.
Only one thought went through May's mind at that moment.
You. Will pay. For that.
"Manaphy, use Water Pulse and guide it with Psychic," she ordered icily.
Manaphy immediately formed a ball of water and launched it at Conkeldurr. The orb of water was surrounded in a light glow, showing that it was being guided by Manaphy's Psychic.
"Block it, Conkeldurr!" Trip commanded.
Conkeldurr lifted its concrete pillars in front of itself, trying to form a shield to stop the Water Pulse attack. However, this attempt proved to be fruitless when Manaphy guided the Water Pulse over Conkeldurr's head and back around, hitting the Fighting-Type from behind. Much to Trip's chagrin, Conkeldurr became confused from the attack.
Without missing a beat, May was already calling her next move.
"Ice Beam, now!"
Manaphy complied, firing a cold blue beam at Conkeldurr.
Still confused from the Water Pulse attack, Conkeldurr could not shield itself in time and was struck by the Ice Beam and frozen solid.
No, no, NO! Trip mentally screamed. I will NOT lose to her!
But the attacks were coming fast and furious, and Trip's massive Pokémon was just too slow to keep up.
"Conkeldurr, break free of it and use Low Sweep!" Trip shouted.
Conkeldurr made a visible effort to comply, but soon gave up as it remained frozen stiff.
"Hmm, Conkeldurr seems to be having a little trouble," May called across the field, grinning savagely. "Please, allow Manaphy and me to give you a hand!"
Taking the cue, Manaphy fired another Scald attack at his Fighting-Type opponent.
The attack landed a direct hit, defrosting Conkeldurr. Now able to move again, Conkeldurr reared back and roared in pain, still suffering from its previous burn.
"Will you just grow a pair and make yourself useful!?" Trip snarled harshly at his Pokémon. "Use Dynamic Punch!"
Setting its concrete pillars down, Conkeldurr balled both its hands into fists and came out swinging. However, now visibly exhausted, Conkeldurr's punches were slow and inaccurate, and were easily dodged by Manaphy.
"Alright Manaphy, let's finish this up in style! Use Dazzling Gleam!" May ordered.
"Ma-na-phi!" Manaphy cheered, having recovered from his earlier damage and become energetic once more.
An incredibly bright light was emitted from Manaphy's body, causing Trip and a few members of the audience to shield their eyes. The light shot straight towards Conkeldurr, striking the Fighting-Type Muscular Pokémon.
The light faded, revealing Conkeldurr still barely standing and leaning on its concrete pillars for support. The Pokémon wobbled from side to side for a moment, before falling forward onto the ground, knocked out.
"Conkeldurr is unable to continue! The winner is May!"
The crowd roared their approval as Manaphy happily jumped into May's arms. May hugged the little Water-Type closely, showering him with affection as they both headed back to rejoin the group.
Meanwhile, Trip just stared incredulously as he returned Conkeldurr. He couldn't believe he had lost like that. How could I be beaten like this? HOW? he thought.
"Awesome battle, guys!" Ash exclaimed as May and Manaphy returned to the group. "You two are amazing!"
Grinning, Ash put his arms around May's waist and pulled her closer as he added, "…both on the battlefield, and off."
May blushed a bit, but didn't hesitate to lean in and wrap her lips around Ash's.
/-/-/
The trainers had been given a two-hour break to heal their Pokémon and have lunch, so the two lovers and their Pokémon retired to the hotel they were staying at. They made a quick stop at the Pokémon Center so Manaphy could be healed, then went to the hotel's café for lunch.
"Man, I just can't get over it!" Ash laughed, taking a bite out of his sandwich. "The look on Trip's face! It looked like he didn't know what hit him!"
"I know," May said, smiling at the small blue Pokémon seated in her lap. "Just goes to show that 'bigger' is not always 'better'. Right, Manaphy?"
"Mana, mana-phi!" Manaphy replied happily, nodding his head.
"Your performance was none too shabby, either. After Scraggy evolved and started making his comeback, I thought for sure you were going to win," May continued.
"Eh, I did alright," Ash replied. "It is pretty awesome that Scraggy evolved, but you're the one who brought Trip down."
"Well, maybe being defeated by the 'inexperienced baby Pokémon' he spent so much time mocking will shrink that overinflated ego of his," May suggested as she fed Manaphy another spoonful of soup.
Ash just gave a noncommittal shrug as he replied, "Maybe. I wouldn't count on it, though. If I know Trip, he'll be back to acting like king of the universe in no time."
"Well, let's just forget about him," May said. "It isn't over yet. I still might not win the finals, after all you and Iris experienced firsthand just how powerful…"
"You have nothing to worry about," Ash interjected. "Montgomery relies on brute force, like most of the other contestants with Fighting-Types. You and Manaphy already showed that you know how to deal with that."
"Pi-pi-ka!" Pikachu agreed.
"Mana!" Manaphy said reassuringly, looking up at his mother with a smile of childlike optimism.
"…You're right. I shouldn't worry!" May said, picking up her Seafaring Pokémon and giving him a kiss. "With Manaphy helping me and you cheering me on, I can't lose!"
"That's the spirit!" Ash grinned.
/-/-/
"Welcome back, everyone!" Don George announced as the final round of the Clubsplosion was about to get underway. "So far, we've witnessed 14 heart-stopping battles showcasing strength, strategy, and style. Now it's time to see who is truly worthy of the Clubsplosion crown! So without further ado, please welcome our Clubsplosion finalists!"
"Good luck, guys," Ash said to May as the two exchanged a quick hug. "Make me proud."
"We will," May replied confidently.
"Mana-phi," Manaphy added with a reassuring nod. And with that, the two headed off to the field.
The crowd roared in excitement as the two finalists began to approach the battlefield to be introduced.
"On the left, we have the captivating Coordinator, May, and her Pokémon, Manaphy! This daring duo has shown remarkable determination against overwhelming odds, dispatching their opponents with a mixture of precision and style!"
The crowd applauded as May and Manaphy approached the field, smiling and waving.
"And on the right, we have the reigning Clubsplosion champ, Montgomery, and his Pokémon, Throh! These powerhouse partners have effortlessly plowed through the competition with sheer strength and brute force!"
Cheers erupted from the crowd as Montgomery gave a confident smile, while Throh locked his hands together and bowed to the audience.
Both trainers took their positions with their Pokémon, though Manaphy seemed a little hesitant at first.
"M-mana? Phi?" Manaphy asked, glancing at May nervously.
May couldn't blame him for being nervous. Throh was an intimidating Pokémon, both in size and strength.
"Don't worry, Manaphy," May replied with a gentle smile. "We can do this. Mama won't let anything happen to you."
Encouraged by his mother's reassuring words, Manaphy smiled and gave May a quick hug before leaping off her shoulder and taking his position on the battlefield.
"Now, trainers, begin!"
"Throh, use Brick Break!" Montgomery ordered. Throh's fist began to glow white, and May immediately moved to counter it.
"Manaphy, dodge it and use Bubble!" May called.
Manaphy quickly jumped out of the way just as Throh's fist was about to slam down on his head. Throh barely had time to turn its head to look before being hit by a powerful stream of bubbles. A blue outline briefly ran down Throh's body, indicating that the Fighting-Type's Speed had been lowered by the Bubble attack.
Montgomery swore under his breath as he called out his next move.
"Use Seismic Toss!"
Throh whipped around with frightening speed and dove at Manaphy, arms outstretched and ready to grab the little Seafaring Pokémon.
But May wasn't about to let that happen.
"Manaphy, slow him down with Psychic and dodge it!"
"Phi!" Manaphy acknowledged, turning his attention back to Throh. Suddenly, a faint aura surrounded Throh and brought it to a complete stop in mid-air.
"Th-thro!" the Judo Pokémon grunted as it flailed its arms, still trying in vain to grab its Water-Type opponent.
Taking the initiative to counterattack, Manaphy ducked underneath Throh and combined Psychic with Bubble Beam. The resulting combo created a geyser of bubbles that forcefully launched Throh straight up into the air.
"Great job, Manaphy! I see you've learned a new combo," May said, grinning proudly at her son.
"Mana! Mana-phi!" Manaphy answered, nodding his head and smiling.
Meanwhile, Throh was hurtling towards the ground. Montgomery knew he had to do something quick, or risk having Throh take serious damage.
"Throh, use Body Slam!" he shouted suddenly.
Throh quickly regained its composure and put its fists underneath it, intending to crash down on Manaphy from above.
"Manaphy, dodge it! Quickly!" May ordered urgently, realizing what was happening.
Manaphy sidestepped the plummeting Pokémon, avoiding it by mere inches. Throh managed to break its fall, not taking serious damage and still battle-ready.
"Manaphy, use Ice Beam!" May called.
"Dodge and use Power-Up Punch!" Montgomery countered.
Throh quickly dodged away from the incoming Ice Beam attack as both of its fists began to glow orange.
"Manaphy, get ready to combine Ice Beam and Bubble," May said.
Manaphy nodded, but remained focused on Throh as the Fighting-Type Pokémon came charging towards him, fists raised.
Manaphy was preparing to use his combo, but was interrupted before he could execute it as he quickly had to dodge away from the Judo Pokémon's furious punches.
"Keep using Power-Up Punch until it connects!" Montgomery instructed.
For several moments, Manaphy was in continuous motion, weaving in and out and darting away from Throh's relentless onslaught of punches.
"Come on, Manaphy! You're doing great!" Ash cheered from the stands.
"Pika-pika! Pika-pi!" Pikachu agreed.
"Keep at it, Manaphy! Don't slow down!" Iris urged.
Refusing to back down, Manaphy determinedly continued dodging punch after punch. Although he was growing tired, Manaphy could tell that Throh was growing tired as well; the Fighting-Type's punches were starting to slow down.
Finally, the Seafaring Pokémon found an opening and managed to slip away from Throh to a safe distance. Throh, although breathing heavily from the effort of using so many Power-Up Punches, began to advance towards Manaphy as Montgomery issued his final order.
"Throh, use Superpower!"
With a grunt of acknowledgement, Throh rushed at Manaphy with arms outstretched and hands open.
Come on, come on… May thought, waiting for just the right moment.
Finally, just as Throh was about to grab hold of Manaphy, May made her move.
"Now! Ice Beam-Bubble combo!" May exclaimed.
"Ma-na-phi!" the Seafaring Pokémon cheered, unleashing a stream of frozen ice bubbles at point-blank range.
The powerful jet of hailstones stopped Throh in its tracks, knocking the Judo Pokémon onto its back.
Manaphy ceased fire as Throh struggled to get up. Montgomery was preparing to give another command, when Throh finally collapsed.
He was down.
And the tournament was over.
"Throh is unable to continue! The winner of the Clubsplosion tournament is May!"
The deafening cheers from the crowd reverberated throughout the stadium as May was declared the winner. Manaphy joyfully jumped into May's open arms as she wrapped the little Pokémon in a hug.
"I knew you could do it, Manaphy! You did incredibly!" May cried happily, giving Manaphy a kiss on the cheek.
"Mama and Manaphy win!" the young Pokémon cheered in response. "Happy!"
Grinning from ear to ear, they each raised an arm high into the air in a victorious gesture. Suddenly, May felt her feet leave the ground as she was scooped up by a strong pair of arms. She didn't even have to look to see whose arms they were. She just smiled as she reached up and put her arms around her raven-haired lover's neck as he spoke.
"Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful."
"Me, or my performance?"
"Both. Mostly you," Ash replied with a wink and a grin, setting her down as Manaphy jumped onto Ash's shoulder and gave him a hug.
Smiling slightly, Montgomery came over and shook May's hand and congratulated her on her victory.
"Thanks!" May said. "You and Throh were great, too! You guys put up one heck of a fight."
"Thanks. I'm just surprised you managed to win without taking any hits. That's not easy to do against Throh and me," Montgomery replied. "The next time we battle, though, don't count on such an easy victory. Until then, congratulations. You've earned it."
"May, please step forward to claim your prize!" Don George said as he approached, carrying a large case. May stepped forward as he opened the case, revealing dozens of large, smooth stones. Beneath each stone was a label, identifying which Pokémon it was for. May's eyes scanned the labels, looking for any that could be used by one of her Pokémon.
Altarianite, Audinite, Diancite, Heracronite, Garchompite…
Suddenly, one caught her attention.
"I'll take that one," she said, pointing towards the stone labeled "Blazikenite".
"Blazikenite it is, then!" Don George said, handing her the Mega Stone, a smaller but similar Key Stone, and a Mega Bracelet. He gave her brief instructions on how to use them.
"Wear the Key Stone in your Mega Bracelet, like so," he said, inserting the Key Stone into the bracelet. "Have your Pokémon hold or wear the Mega Stone, and you'll be able to activate it and use Mega Evolution in battle."
"Thank you," May said, accepting the items.
The group departed from the stadium a few minutes later, eager to continue their journey and now with a powerful new item at their disposal.
An item which would ultimately turn out to be a lifesaver for them in the not-so-distant future.
/-/-/
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Hoenn region…
'A minor setback,' they said. 'The team is still alive and kicking,' they said.
Bullshit, the man thought bitterly, shaking his head. He'd been on the front lines, fighting the good fight for so long, only for the team to be undermined at the last second-!
The man sighed sadly, sitting back and turning on the T.V. He had nothing else to do these days. He was nothing more than a soldier without a war, devoted to a cause that was all but defeated.
"And to top it all off, there's never anything decent to watch," he grumbled to himself as he began flipping through the channels.
Another cooking show? Yawn.
A reality show about some celebrity whose name he neither knew nor cared about? Boring.
Some girl and a Sea Guardian winning a battle tournament? Not interest-
Wait.
"Wait just one Arceus-damned minute," the man blurted out loud, flipping back through the channels.
There.
There was no mistaking it. The blue-and-yellow Pokémon displayed on the screen was a Sea Guardian. The Legendary one. And the person holding it looked familiar.
The wheels began turning in the man's head as he hastily checked the T.V. listings. If this was happening live, he needed to know where it was.
There. Unova.
Rushing over to his outdated landline phone, the man quickly punched in the number of one of his former associates. He waited impatiently as he heard the phone ring on the other end.
Come on… pick up, already! he thought frantically. Finally, an unhappy voice grumbled into the other end.
"Mike, is that you?" the man hurriedly asked. The voice on the other end slurred an affirmative reply as the man quickly continued.
"Alright, listen. I… I don't care what time it is over there… dammit, shut up and listen! This is important! I just found exactly what we need to get the team back on its feet… No, this time it's for real… Yeah, I'm sure… I'll fill you in on the details later, but right now I need you to call the boss and have him contact me… I don't… If I knew where to reach him, I wouldn't be asking you to do it, asshole! … Alright, alright, just get it done!"
Annoyed, the man slammed the phone back onto the receiver and pressed his fingers to the sides of his head.
Incompetent bastard, he thought discontentedly. How that clown managed to outrank me, I'll never know.
But none of that was important right now. He turned back to the television screen, a satisfied smile on his face. It was perfect. Maybe their first attempt at utilizing a Legendary had failed, but not this time.
This time, it could be easily contained.
Easily controlled.
Easily manipulated.
Thoughts of a glorious new world raced through his head as he stared at the A-shaped skull-and-crossbones tattoo on his arm.
Soon, that symbol would come to mean something again.
The plot thickens!
Now that this little three-parter is out of the way, I can get things moving along a bit faster.
As always, reviews and suggestions are always welcome. Any ideas or characters you might like to see are also welcome, and I'll probably accept them if I can find a way to work them into the story. No OCs, though. Please.
Until next time! :)