Return of a Champion, Chapter 1 Betrayal
6 Years Earlier
Ash Ketchum was walking to his hometown, After competing in the Kalos League, he was a little disappointed in finishing second, but he was getting closer and closer to his goal of winning a Pokémon League. Ash was nearing his home and decided to run to it. Once at his home, he opened the door, expecting to see his mother happy about his return, but instead he was shocked at the sight, all of his previous traveling companions and friends, who didn't look happy, instead, they had a look of anger on their faces.
"Hey guy, what's up?" He asked them, confused to see the angry look on their faces.
Ash, we're done with you; we're all tired of you losing." Brock was the first to speak up.
Ash looked shocked "What are you talking about?" Ash asked.
"You're so weak and pathetic," Misty spat at him, venom in her voice.
All of his friends then hurled insults at him, and Ash just watched on and froze. He was just so shocked by what was happening, he couldn't believe that his friends would do this to him. Ash ran out of the house, with tears running down his face. He called out Charizard. "Take me somewhere, Charizard," he told him.
"Chara," The Pokémon replied.
I'll show you all," Ash said.
Meanwhile, with May and Max
May and Max walked through Vridian Forest, Unaware of what had just taken place. The Maple siblings were invited to the party Delia had planned for Ash's return, but they had to show up late, because they had to go to the gym leader's meeting with their dad. "Gosh, that meeting was so boring," May told her brother.
"Yeah, tell me about it; why do families have to come anyway?" Max replied.
May shrugged her shoulders, and Max looked at his sister with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So, are you going to tell Ash?" Max asked her.
May blushed a bright pink. "What...are you talking about, Max?" She asked, stuttering, and trying to play innocent.
C'mon, May, I know you like him," Max said.
May let out a defeated sigh. "Fine, Max, I do like him," She confessed, still blushing.
"So, are you planning on telling him?" Max asked again.
"I don't know," She said.
Max looked puzzled at his sister and asked, "Why not?" Max asked.
"Well, he had so many female traveling companions; why would he like me?" May asked, sadness evident in her voice.
Max looked at his sister empathically "May, I can't believe I'm about to say this, but you're sweet, caring, and funny, plus you're beautiful, and you have a lot in common with Ash," Max told his sister.
May's heart meleted at her brother's sweet words, wrapping him in a hug. "Thanks Max, I needed that," She said.
"You're welcome, sis, anytime," Max said.
Even though, May and Max, often bicker and get on each other's nerves, they still love each other. The Maple siblings finally made it to the Ketchum household and opened the front door, expecting to see her crush, but she was surprised to see Ash's wasn't there, but all of his friends were, and when they spotted May, they all had sad fake faces. "Where's Ash?" May asked.
"May, he left us." Brock was the first to speak up, still supporting a sad fake face.
"What?" May asked, shocked.
"Yeah, he said that he didn't need us anymore and we were only dragging him down." Misty was the next to speak up.
May felt tears coming down her face. "No, Ash wouldn't do that," May said with tears streaming down her face.
"I'm afraid so, May honey," Delia said.
May quickly bolted out of the house and ran into the forest with tears coming down her face. Hearing this news shattered May's heart, and even though they all said that he left them, May had a feeling that they wasn't telling the truth, as she knew Ash wouldn't do something like this.
6 years later in the Maple household
That was the day May's world stopped and her life went into a spiraling downward spiral. She became really depressed and wouldn't hardly come out of her room at all. Her cheerful and bubbly personality was dead and gone. Her usual sparkling sapphire eyes full of life were gone too. While she wanted to believe her friend that Ash had left on his own accord, she knew something fishy was going on, and she just couldn't believe, The rest of the Maple family agreed with her sentiment, as they all knew Ash wouldn't do something like this without a good reason, and it was weird to her, that all of Ash's friends went back to their normal lives, without a care in the world.
May had tried to move on from Ash; in fact, she dated Drew for a little while, but he could never fill the void that Ash had left, and Drew cheated on her anyway. May had tried to cut herself before, leaving a huge scar on her arm. She even tried to go to therapy, but nothing could help her get over Ash, Of course, her parents were extremely worried about her, but there's nothing they could do for her. She literally lost the love of her life, and they understood why May was so depressed, but they wished they could help their daughter and make her happy.
She had a few moments of happiness, but they could tell that they would never get their May back, unless, by some miracle, Ash would return. May, though, has a reminder of Ash—well, besides Terracotta ribbon, of course. May had a found an injured Pichu and nursed it back to full health, and the two immediately became close. On par with Ash and Pikachu, even, Pich would cheer her up sometimes, and they even had matching bandanas and would even go on May's shoulder, just like Pikachu and Ash.
May was currently in her room, where she spent most of her time now, when she heard a knock at the door. "Who is it?" May asked.
"It's me, sis," She heard her brother say.
"Come in, Max," May said.
Look, sis, I got invited to the Champions League Tournament," Max said, handing her the letter over to her sister.
May looked at the letter and said, "Wow, that's so awesome, Max, I'm so proud of you." She said it with cheerfulness.
"Pichu," Pichu said, congratulating the trainer.
Thanks, May, and thanks, Pichu," He said.
Since Ash had left, Max has become a pretty strong trainer. May, meanwhile, pretty soon gave up on contests, as she had no desire of competing in them. May gave her brother a loving hug, and Max asked, "Do you think Ash would be proud of me?" Max asked her.
May smiled, as a couple of tears escaped from her eyes. "Max, I know he would be very proud of you," she said.
Max smiled. "May can you come with us to the Tournament?" Max asked his sister, hopeful
"I don't know..." She answered him hesitantly; even though she wanted to support her brother, she was hesitant to go, as she hadn't left the house in a long time.
"Come on, May, please?" Her brother pleaded with her.
May was still hesitant to answer. "Ash might show up," Max told her.
May's ears perked up at hearing the mention of Ash's name: "Are you sure?" May asked, hope in her eye.
"I don't know for sure, but you know how much he loves battling, sis," Max answered his sister truthfully.
May's hope began to rise even more with hearing from Max; he was right; Ash loved battling, and she knew he couldn't resist a tournament with the best trainer from around the world. "Alright, Max, I'll go with you," She said.
Max's eye lit up, and he gave her sister a big hug "Thank you so much, May," Max said.
May slightly giggled; her eyes shimmered with hope, hoping a certain raven-haired trainer would show up. Max raced downstairs to tell his parents the good news, Leaving May and her Pichu alone. "What do you think, Pichu? Do you think Ash will show up?" May asked her Pokémon.
"Pichu (I'm sure he will)" The Pokémon said it happily.
May lightly giggled and petted the Pokémon, making it coo with happiness, making May giggle even more at the cuteness of her Pokémon. Hearing her human speak, woke her other Pokémon up. Glaceon let out a yawn. "Moring Glaceon, sorry I didn't mean to wake you up," She told the Ice-type Pokémon.
"Glace (Moring, and you didn't bother me)" Glaceon replied.
May then petted Glaceon on the head, making Glacon coo in reply. Glaceon was also hit hard by Ash leaving, not only because her trainer got depressed, and seeing her trainer in such a way, broke the Pokémon's heart , but also because her crush had left. Glaceon had a crush on Pikachu, just like her trainer, but also like his trainer, Pikachu was pretty dense when it came to romance.
After getting dressed in her normal attire, which she had changed to blue (her attire from Hoenn but just blue), she went downstairs, to see her family was talking "May, I heard that you're going with us?" Her dad, Norman, asked her.
"Yep," May replied.
Norman could feel some tears pricking from his eyes; this would be any normal response for any other family, but he knew that May was heading in the right direction "I'm so proud of you, honey," Norman said, wrapping his daughter in a hug.
May smiled; she was happy that she had been in awhile, and she had hope, hope that her love interest would return to her.
Somewhere in Mt. Sliver
A mysterious trainer stood atop Mt. Sliver, looking overhead at the beautiful mountain scenery, with a letter in his hand, an invitation to the Champions League Tournament "Master, are you going to the Tournament?" His Pokémon, Lucario, asked him.
"Yes," He replied.
"What if they are there?" Lucario asked his trainer.
The mysterious trainer let out a dark chuckle. "So be it; I'll get my revenge on them," He said in a dark tone.