One hour later
As the former friends entered the Pokemon center Max, Cilan, and Trip all stood up to see their friends, but what they saw was nothing to be expected. Everyone entered the center bitter and frustrated. Kenny was caring his Floatzel to nurse Joy. "What happened?" Max asked Drew. the green haired coordinator then placed his hand on Max's shoulder.
"We need to talk about May and Ash." Drew told the three trainers about what happened in the last two hours, and that he will battle Drew tomorrow to get pay back for everyone. Max clenched his fist at the thought of his sister achieving her dream after leaving him. Max didn't want May to succeed, he wanted her to come home telling him that he was right to worry for her.
"D-Drew, let me join you in the battle tomorrow, you said that you still had to arrange the match right? Tell her to have a team battle, Bonnie might've caught me off guard, but not my sister. Together we'll finally get payback." The youngest trainer in the group said determinedly.
"All right Max, we'll take them down together." Drew responded. Everyone agreed on the idea and went to their rooms to get some sleep.
The next morning, the former friends waited at the lumiose gym patiently with Max and Drew at the end of the battle field. Gary spoke up to break the silence. "Guys, someone's coming up the elevator. Do you think it's-?" Dawn cut Gary off before he could finish his question.
"It's them." The elevator door opened revealing Ash's group, Ash changed up his clothes to a red color shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a red and grey cap with a green pokeball symbol on the front, black fingerless gloves, blue jeans with tear marks on them and red and black sneakers. Max was shocked at the sight of May holding onto Ash's hand. May had also switched up her clothing to a red leather jacket, black pants, red boots, red belt, her old red bandana on her head, and a black tshirt.
"Hey Max it looks like you've grown up quite a bit, but I'm sure you're still just a stubborn brat deep down inside. I heard about your battle with Bonnie yesterday, I wish I could've been there to see your face." May said to her brother as she walked onto the other side of the battle field.
"Well I'm sure you're going to be the one to feel what it's like to fail considering that I'm going to be the one to beat you today." Max responded making his sister confused at the comment.
"What do you mean, I'm battling Drew." Drew decided to explain to May Max's request. May then gave them a confident smile. "I see, so you two want a team battle instead. Alright fine I'll take you both on. After all, the results will be the same."
"Actually to make it fair we're going to let you battle with a partner, and considering he promised Max here a battle when he became a trainer, we figured it should be none other than Ash if he's not too scared." Drew said.
May turned to Ash and gave him a puppy eye stare. "Please Ashy? Will you be my partner and battle with me?" she begged with a fake tear.
Ash gave her a smile before answering. "Sure May if that's what you want, but if I battle it really wouldn't feel like a battle."
"Stop lying to yourself, you have no chance against me and Drew!" Max yelled back.
"Says the loser I beat yesterday." Bonnie whispered which didn't go unheard, causing the rest of Ash's group to chuckle.
"So what does that have to do with anything? You're a gym leader and Ash is a loser." Max retorted. Bonnie started laughing. "What?!"
"You may not know this but Ash is five times stronger than I am." Bonnie stated. When the traitors heard the remark, they being surprised was an understatement. "Oops! My mistake." the young blonde said. The traitors released a sigh. "He's five times stronger than me when he's not serious but if he tries I'll say he's about…. Ten times."
"There's no way he's that strong!" Drew yelled.
"Well you're about to find out right now won't you cabbage head, Ashy, are you ready for this?" May asked, looking at Ash.
"Ready babe, let's show them who they are messing with." Ash responded.
"Flygon time to shine." Drew called.
"Slaking, show them who's boss." Max yelled
"Altaria time to take the stage." May called
"Snorlax I choose you." Ash said.
"Growllll!" "Slak." Drew and Max pokemons yelled as all four of the Pokemon entered the battlefield. Flygon resembles a slightly insectoid, bipedal dragon. It is primarily light green and has a pair of large rhombus-shaped wings with a red trim, toeless hind legs, and skinny arms with three-clawed hands. Its tail has several dark green stripes and three small green rhombus shapes with red trims at the end. It has large eyes, and a pair of green antennae that point back. Slaking is a large, bulky, ape-like biped Pokémon. Most of its shaggy fur is brown, along with the semi-circle patterning under its eyes. Its face, chest, hands, and feet are lighter in color. Altaria is a blue, avian Pokémon. Its body and cloud-like wings are covered in fluffy, white feathers. It often folds its wings behind it, obscuring its back. Two long, blue plumes extend like streamers from the back of its head. It has a short, hooked beak and prominent cheek patches, both of which are white. Snorlax is a huge, bipedal, dark blue-green Pokémon with a cream-colored face, belly, and feet. Its body is composed of mostly its belly, as its limbs are comparatively small. Its head is large with small, pointed ears and two pointed teeth protruding from its lower jaw. It has round feet, which both have three claws and a circular brown paw pad, and short arms with five claws on each hand. Snorlax's bulk makes it the heaviest Normal type.
"So I see you caught an Altaria May, I hate to admit it but that's a fantastic Pokemon for coordinating, but only if you know what you're doing, like me." Drew said while flipping his hair. Kenny glanced over to Ash's Snorlax and saw him sleeping on the field.
"Ash you're such a lame trainer, you can't even wake your Pokemon up for a battle." Kenny commented.
"Sorry but Snorlax only wakes up for real challenges." Ash responded with a smirk on his face causing his friends behind him to laugh.
"Fine Slaking use focus punch on Snorlax!" The ape like Pokemon started to focus energy on his fist, but it didn't worry the raven-haired trainer. In Fact Ash smirked a bit.
'Snorlax if you can hear me use bide, then when you have enough energy, wake and release it.' Ash commanded his pokemon with aura. The ape charged at the sleeping Pokemon then slammed his fist on top of Snorlax's stomach, causing dust to erupt.
"Looks like it's out! That's too bad I was hoping for a challenge." Max said confidently.
"He's fine just see for yourself." Ash replied. When the smoke cleared snorlax was still asleep snoring. Max got irritated, Drew then saw an opportunity to try and attack Snorlax.
"Flygon steel-wings on Snorlax!" the green dragon charged at the sleeping Pokemon then landed the attack on him but again nothing happened. Before Drew could make another command.
"Altaria Moon blast" a pink sphere slammed itself into Flygon sending it to the ground. Drew turned his head to May while gritting his teeth. "It's not nice to ignore a lady, you know."
"Well if you were smart, you would've attacked me before I'd hit your partner's Pokemon." Drew started with a smile.
"But if I did it would've messed up Ash's plan." May responded.
"What plan Sis, from my point of view Ash is losing. He hasn't made a single command." Max stated.
"Oh you'll see, Now back to the battle Altaria use sky attack on Flygon!" May command as the blue bird charged towards the green dragon covered in gold light.
"Flygon counter with dragon rush." Drew yelled as Flygon flew towards Altaria covered in a dragon shaped aura. The two dragons collided in the air causing a huge explosion with a little smoke then out of the smoke Flygon slammed into the ground barely standing while Altaria was still flying around in the sky unscathed. Drew was seething with anger. He couldn't believe he was losing to May of all people. On Max's end, he wasn't doing any better.
"Hyper beam on Snorlax Slaking!" Max yelled out in anger. The ape pokemon shot a purple beam towards the sleeping Pokemon, Max smirked when Snorlax started to move but all of a sudden Snorlax sent out a huge roar vibrating the air and the ground.
"Looks like it's time. Snorlax, release it." Ash commanded.
May then saw her opportunity. "Altaria use draco meteor!" Snorlax sent out a white beam from his mouth, while Altaria shot out an orange orb in the air that split apart into multiple pieces. Both attacks landed on Flygon and Slaking. After the explosion Both Drew and Max's Pokemon were unconscious. Both the traitors were so shocked they couldn't utter a word. Max decided to finally break the silence.
"You cheated! Snorlax attacked us without your command." Max lashed out in anger.
"Hate to say it but Ashy-boy didn't cheat, I'm not sure when or how but Ash told Snorlax to use bide. That's why May didn't stop your attack Drew, and if you're not convinced they timed their last attacks perfectly." Gary explained.
"Oak is right, I asked snorlax to use bide during the battle, but I'm surprised you didn't recognize the technique Max, after all Anabel used it against me." Ash stated while May latched onto his arms. He then turned to face her, auburn eyes gazing at sapphire blue giving her a warm smile. "I believe you deserve a reward for our victory." the raven-haired trainer said.
The brunette put on a mischievous grin of her own, "was there any doubt?" she asked before their lips met causing ash's group to smile and the former friends to groan in anger. Ash put his hands on her hips, while May put her palms on his chest. Drew was seething in anger, and Dawn looked almost heart broken. Ash broke the kiss causing May to pout. "Why'd we stop Ashy?" she asked with pleading eyes.
"As much as I would love to continue," Ash said, looking at Drew enjoying the look on his face. "But we have to go get ready for the tournament in a few hours." Ash then picked May up bridal style and carried her out followed by Serena and Korrina asking for their turn, while Paul, Zoey, and Anabel shook their heads amusingly with the rest leaving the gym.
Drew and Max were upset at not that they just lost to Ash and May but the display they put on. They were still sulking until Cilan called them out "Drew, Max we need to heal your Pokemon if you want to use them in the tournament." the two Hoenn trainers complied and proceeded with the rest of the group to the center.
Meanwhile
In the Limousine on the way to the Kalos Penthouse, May was sitting next to Ash pondering something. "Ash when you kissed me, was that to show off to Drew?" May asked with a puppy dog face.
Ash smiled and lifted her chin and gave up a deep kiss surprising the brunette for a moment until she returned it. "Does that answer your question?" May nodded dreamingly.
"So Ash, what's the plan?" Paul asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I know originally, we were going to reveal ourselves once the tournament started, but now those backstabbers are here, I think we should do a presentation."
"Any suggestions?"
"Oh, I have a suggestion!" Serena said with excitement.
"What would that be?" Clemont asked. Zoey picked up on the honey-blonde's idea.
"A pokemon contest performance you guys." the orange haired coordinator suggested.
"Why would we do something like that, I mean I know we competed before but it's not meant to be a permanent thing." Paul added.
"I know but think about it, since there are some coordinators among the traitors, it'll be like showing you can beat them at their own game and not just in battles." May said.
"I see, not a bad idea, After all they have no idea we actually went up against in some contest. What do you think hun?" Anabel asked.
Ash put on his thinking face for a moment and smiled. "Not a bad idea, to be honest I kinda wanted to shut kenny up for a while." Ash then leaned forward towards the honey-blonde and gave her a chaste kiss that lasted a few seconds and pulled away smiling at Serena's reaction. "That's for the good idea."
"And don't forget about cabbage head, he probably thinks most trainers are stupid and straight forwards it'll be a good way to shut him up." Paul said.
"I agree 100%, plus it could get the crowd pumping a bit." Korrina added.
"So we all agree?" Clemont asked which everyone nodded. "Then who's first?"
"I think it should be from weakest to strongest, which means you go first Clemont." the lavender haired male gloated.
"Paul stop being a meanie, my big brother could beat you if he wanted to." Bonnie yelled.
"We'll see one day." Paul said with a smirk.
"Anyway guys let's get this show on the road." Ash said, calming everyone down.