Rivalry gets bigger

"Kalos sure is amazing."Dawn was in awe as they were close to Anistar City looking around the forest they were in."Although the people..."She then sent a death glare Serena's way earning one back.

"Yeah it is, when we get to Anistar City I need to go straight to the Pokemon Center. Snorlax is a bit home sick."Ash was oblivious to the glares even though the others could feel it up their spines.

"Finally we made it."Ash yawned as they walked into the Pokemon Center and went straight towards the PCs.

"Stay out of my way."

"You stay out of mine."Serena and Dawn smashed their faces together growling until the door opened up behind them surprising Gary and Paul and confusing Clemont and Bonnie.

"Uh...am I interrupting?"They turned slowly to see May wearing a blue version of her clothes and Max looking at them surprised.

"May?"

"Who's May?"

"Alright I swapped Snorlax for Infernape and..."Ash walked up to the eight before noticing his two companions from Hoenn."MAY! MAX!"Before the two could react, Ash pulled them close and gave them a bear hug."It has been too long!"

"We know! Ash I need to breathe!"

"Me too! Hi Pikachu!"They took a deep breath before hugging Pikachu after he jumped into May's arms.

"Pikaa."

"Sorry, what are you guys doi-Dawn did you..."

"I had to."

"Everyone meet May and Max, old traveling partners from Hoenn. May, Max meet Gary, Professor Oak's Grandson. Paul, my rival from Sinnoh. Clemont the Lumiose Gym Leader and his sister Bonnie. And Serena, an old friend from since we were kids."

"Hi there."

"Hi."

"Ash remember how you promised me we'd battle if I got a Pokemon?"

"Yeah...you didn't! No way!"

"A Treecko! Well now a Grovyle! Well?"

"Let's go!"

"The 3-on-3 battle between Ash and Max is about to begin! Both Trainers are allowed to swap out at any time...begin!"Clemont was referee for the battle as Ash and Stood were standing ready on the battlefield.

"LET'S GO GROVYLE!"

"I CHOOSE YOU! CHARIZARD!"

"Grovyle."

"CHAR!"Max's Grovyle was ready to fight seeing Ash's Charizard roaring ready as well.

"Grovyle start off with Acrobatics!"Grovyle jumped towards Charizard with afterimages behind him and slammed into him repeatedly.

"Charizard hold on!"

"Now use Slam!"Charizard was in pain being hit hard on the head by Grovyle hitting him with his tail."Follow up with Leaf Blade!"He roared being slashed on the chest by Grovyle using his beginning to glow green leaves.

"NOW! USE FLAMETHROWER!"

"Detect and follow up with Acrobatics!"Everybody but Max and Paul were surprised seeing the Wood Gecko Pokemon jump over Charizard's attack and hit him with Acrobatics again.

"Charizard!"

"Max is giving Ash a beating."

"Why is Ash waiting?"

"It's like he's waiting for something."

"SEISMIC TOSS!"Grovyle looked normal as Charizard grabbed him and flew up high. Even Max was calm watching Charizard dive down even faster than when he went up.

"LEAF BLADE AND ACROBATICS!"Ash was shocked seeing Max's Pokemon slash Charizard's arms and use Acrobatics to knock Charizard down and land normally.

"Charizard?"

"Char..."The Flame Pokemon tried to get up but instead stopped with his eyes swirls.

"CHARIZARD IS UNABLE TO BATTLE! GROVYLE WINS!"

"Take a good rest buddy. I'm impressed Max, but this next Pokemon is ready to take you on. INFERNAPE I CHOOSE YOU!"

"Infernape!"Infernape appeared smiling cracking his knuckles making Max smile and fix his glasses.

"The same Infernape from the Lily of the Valley Conference? Interesting, a Fire/Fighting type against a Pokemon that knows a move like Acrobatics? Let's start off with Acro-"

"MACH PUNCH!"Before Max could react, Infernape delivered a hard punch to his Starter's head making him stagger.

"He looks like a..."

"Boxer?"The girls looked confused seeing Infernape get into a Boxer like stance.

"Gramps must've been watching it again."

"Well you look ready Infernape."

"Infernape."

"Grovyle Leaf Blade!"

"DODGE IT!"Infernape began to dodge the attacks as if they were nothing."NOW CLOSE COMBAT AND MACH PUNCH!"

"Whoa Infernape learned Close Combat?"

"GROVYLE!"

"Gro...vyle..."Grovyle fell over unconscious after being hit by a rapid version of Close Combat.

"GROVYLE IS UNABLE TO BATTLE! INFERNAPE WINS!"

"Time for number two...GALLADE TIME TO SAY HI!"Max sent out a Gallade surprising Ash.

"Is that..."

"The very same Ralts. PSYCHO CUT!"

"Gallade!"

"FLAMETHROWER!"Both attacks cancelled each other out before both Pokemon began to throw punches faster than the eye could see.

"CLOSE COMBAT!"Both trainers were smiling seeing how well their Pokemon were fighting together. That is until three mechanical arms grabbed the Pokemon and Pikachu from Ash.

"What the?"

"Don't tell me it's..."

"To protect the world from Devastation."

"To Unite all people within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To Extend our reach from the stars above."

"Jessie!"

"And James!"

"Meowth now that's a name!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the Speed of Light."

"Surrender now or prepare to fight."

"Meowth that's right!"

"OH GOD!"

"YOU GUYS!?"All of them face palmed seeing Team Rocket in a Balloon resembling a Murkrow with a cage holding the three Pokemon underneath angering them.

"Miss us?"

"I knew this type of quiet was too good to be true."

"Thanks for the Pokemon! The Boss will surely enjoy having these!"

"It's nine of us versus three of them. Do they really want to try battling us?"

"And to make a quick getaway..."The two Team Rocket Trainers grabbed two Pokeballs from their sides and threw them.

"PUMPKABOO, SKARMORY TIME TO PUT ON A SHOW!"

"YOU TOO INKAY AND MURKROW!"

"Where did you get those?"

"None of your business. PUMPKABOO SHADOW BALL!"

"MURKROW YOU TOO!"

"We got this right Max?"May and Max walked forward with Pokeballs ready in their hands.

"Yeah."

"VIVILLON ON STAGE!"

"YOU TOO FLETCHINDER!"Ash was surprised seeing Max's Fletchinder appear next to May's Elegant Pattern Vivillon.

"Wow when did you get those?"

"On our way here. FLETCHINDER USE STEEL WING TO HIT THE SHADOW BALLS!"Max fixed his glasses before ordering his Fletchinder to fly towards the attacks and hit them to the ground using Steel Wing."Care to help her out May?"

"Of course. Vivillon use Psybeam!"

"SKARMORY METAL SOUND TO STOP THEM!"The group underneath covered their ears as Jessie's Skarmory opened its mouth and a loud screeching noise came from it.

"That's really loud!"

"What!?"

"I can't take much more of this. BISHARP USE NIGHT SLASH!"Paul gritted his teeth and threw his Bisharp's Pokeball making him appear and hit Skarmory hard ending the sound.

"INKAY USE PSYBEAM! MURKROW YOU USE DARK PULSE!"James's Pokemon went towards May and Max's sending attacks their way as it did.

"Dodge it!"The two Pokemon dodged the attacks and began a type of Aerial Battle with them.

"MAGMORTAR STAND BY FOR BATTLE!"Paul threw a Second Pokeball making his Magmortar appear as it began to glare at Jessie's Pokemon.

"I should help too. GET READY FOR MY FURY SWIPES!"Meowth jumped down from the Balloon and was about to use Fury Swipes at Fletchinder and Vivillon that had their backs facing him. But at the last second they moved and he hit Murkrow and Inkay in the process knocking them out.

"MEOWTH!"

"Sorry!"

"MAGMORTAR FLAMETHROWER ON SKARMORY! BISHARP NIGHT SLASH ON PUMPKABOO!"Magmortar hit Skarmory with a Flamethrower as Bisharp slashed Pumpkaboo with Night Slash giving Meowth an idea.

"I got it let me just...NIGHT SLASH!"Meowth's nails extended glowing purple as he closed his eyes running towards Magmortar and Bisharp.

"PUMPKABOO GYRO BALL! SKARMORY AERIAL ACE!"

"Dodge it!"Again Meowth's targets moved making him slash Pumpkaboo and Skarmory instead knocking them out as well.

"AGAIN!?"

"ARE YOU SERIOUS MEOWTH!?"

"Alright Fletchinder Flame Charge at the Cage!"

"Oh no you don't!"Meowth used Vivillon as a boost jumping towards Fletchinder as she flew covered in fire at the cage and hit it making it dent with the bars glowing red."FURY SWIPES!"

"FLETCHINDER MOVE!"Fletchinder moved in the nick of time making Meowth slash the Bars off.

"THAT'S IT MEOWTH!"

"FROM NOW ON, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH US OR TEAM ROCKET ANYMORE!"

"What?"Meowth's expression changed to a depressed one before Infernape grab him as Gallade grabbed Pikachu and jumped from the cage and to the ground.

"Ready?"

"You got it."

"PIKACHU THUNDERBOLT! INFERNAPE FLAMETHROWER!"

"BISHARP GUILLOTINE! MAGMORTAR FLAMETHROWER AS WELL!"

"VIVILLON SUNNY DAY THEN SOLAR BEAM!"

"FLETCHINDER INCINERATE! GALLADE PSYCHO CUT!"Gallade, Bisharp, and Fletchinder went towards the Balloon and made holes in it making it begin to fall making Jessie and James try to keep it up. Then they, along with their Pokemon were hit by a combined Flamethrower and Solar Beam surrounded by electricity sending them blasting off.

"Curse that Meowth, we would've won and escaped if it wasn't for him!"

"At least it won't happen anymore."

"TEAM ROCKET IS BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"

"Hey wait for me!"Meowth was trying to provoke Pikachu to shock him so he can go after Jessie and James but Ash stopped him.

"It's alright Meowth. Maybe it's time you left Team Rocket."

"But who would want a talking Meowth and not want to experiment on him?!"

"Us."Ash took out a Pokeball from his pocket and held it up to Meowth surprising him."If you want to."

"Are you sure? I mean I know we've never been on the right foot-"

"But Pikachu trusts you. And that's enough for me."

"Me too."

"Same here."

"Of course."

"No problem."

"You always seemed like a nice Pokemon."

"I'll try not to study you."All of them reassured him...except Paul who quietly turned and returned his Pokemon.

"Alright then."Meowth tapped the Pokeball making him go into it and made it shake until it stopped showing Ash had caught him but the middle button was glowing red.

"Welcome aboard Meowth, I have to send someone back to Professor Oak for you to stay."

"Hey Twe-I mean guys."Meowth and Ash walked up to the eating group in the Cafeteria making all of them, except Paul, smile at him.

"It's going to take a while for you to stop calling us Twerps isn't it?"

"Probably."

"Ash hasn't changed at all."The girls were about to sleep in their room at the Pokemon Center while May smiled thinking about what Ash did for Meowth.

"What does that mean?"Serena looked jealous at May making Dawn do it as well.

"He's always that kind caring person he is."

"And you like that about him?"

"I like everything about him...don't tell me you like him too!"

"Oh brother."Bonnie put her hood over her head and covered her ears with her pillow as the three girls sent death glares.

"Stay out of my way!"

"You stay out of mine!"

"Both of you stay out of mine and away from him!"

A/N: The votes so far are:

Advanceshipping: 1

Pearlshipping: 1

Amourshipping: 3

All 3: 4

Be sure to vote in the reviews who you want Ash to end up with.