Chapter 13: A New Rival As Harley Strikes
Ash and May stood on the ship, watching the path it created through the water as it made its way to Mossdeep City. With them were Plusle and Minun who had climbed onto their trainers shoulders, as well as Pikachu and Eevee who walked side by side behind them. Three pairs in love.
"So just the gym there and one more after that, right?" May asked.
"Yes," Ash said pulling out his map. "Sootopolis City, and then we got however long we have left over to reach Ever Grand City."
"Well, that shouldn't be too hard right?" May asked.
Ash didn't answer right away. "Maybe, I don't know. I did start my journey here a bit late. I was only in Hoenn for about two months before I met you. Usually, I had a lot more time to get badges and train my Pokémon so they'd be in tip top shape for the tournaments but I won't have as much time now."
He looked down in worry. The pressure of having to rush through the league and how late he'd entered it ran through his mind. May watched in concern.
"Well, I think you're gonna do great!" she said putting a hand on his shoulder. "You might not have had as much time as you like, but if you haven't found me in the Mirage Tower when you did, who knows what time I would have ended up in before I woke up? You've done great in your gym battles so far and I think you'll do great in this one too!"
She hugged her fiancé and he hugged back.
"Thanks May," he said.
Pikachu and Eevee watched their trainers with a smile.
"Pikachu," Pikachu said in awe.
Then his ears twitched.
"Pika?" he asked. "What's that?"
Something came tumbling down the stairs behind them leading into the onboard cabins.
"Hey, come back here!" a man's voice called out.
Ash and May looked behind them at the stair way. A giant sandwich appeared along with a man that had long red hair tied back in a pony tail and a pink outfit. Ash caught the sandwich as it bounced down the steps.
"This yours?" he asked the man.
"Yeah, thanks," the man said as he took his sandwich. "My sandwiches always seem to be running away from me, that or I'm not keeping a good enough hold on them."
"That is a pretty large sandwich," May observed. "Maybe you should make a smaller one?"
"Ha ha! No thanks! Anything smaller isn't enough I say!" the man said. "My name's Morrison by the way!"
"Hi, I'm Ash, and this my girlfriend… or fiancé… May," Ash said.
"Hello," May said doing a little curtsy with her small skirt.
Morrison's eyes widened at the gesture which was unusual in this time period. But he rubbed it off.
"Nice to meet you both. So where are you headed?"
"Mossdeep City, I need to earn my seventh badge before the Hoenn League Championships," Ash said.
"Well, what a coincidence I'm on my way to do the same," Morrison said. "But I bet I'm gonna do a better job then you!"
"Yeah? We'll see about that!" Ash said getting fired up as the heat of competition struck him.
Looked like he'd found a rival.
"Hey you show some respect!" Morrison shouted getting fired up as well. "I'm gonna be the world's greatest Pokémon Master!"
"Hey that's my dream!" Ash said. "Or at least it was… until I met May."
"What's the matter, you give up on it cause of a girl?" Morrison asked.
"Hey come on there's no need to fight!" May said.
"We're not fighting, we're competing!" Ash said. "And no, I'm not giving up, I just realized there's more to life than just being the best! And its not really possible to be the best, because I've realized that no matter how good you are, there can always be someone better!"
"Eh, good point," Morrison admitted. "But you can still grab the top prize for yourself!"
"And I aim to do that in the Hoenn League Championships!"
"Too bad, because that seventh badge will be mine first!" Morrison said.
"Not if I beat you to it," Ash said.
"Ha! You can't beat me!" Morrison grinned.
"You want to battle?" Ash asked.
"Bring it on! We'll have ourselves a one-on-one match!"
They headed to the top deck of the ship where a battle field stood next to a pool. May watched on a bench nearby with the rest of the Pokemon. Ash had chosen Pikachu, so Plusle sat with Minun on one side of May while Eevee sat on the other watching her boyfriend nervously.
"Alright, Beldum, I choose you!" Morrison said throwing a pokeball.
A robotic Pokémon with a long grayish blue body and a single red eye in the middle of its sphere-shaped head appeared.
"Beldum!" it called
"Beldum huh?" Ash said pulling out his Pokedex.
Beldum, the Iron Ball Pokémon. Beldum floats by emitting magnetic waves from its body to repel the Earth's magnetic field. They launch their claws into cliffs where they sleep. Its only attack is Take Down.
Ash gasped slightly. "Only one attack?"
"Doesn't matter, cause its Take Down can really pack a punch!" Morrison said. "Ready?"
"Ready!" Ash said. "Pikachu Thunderbolt!"
"Pikachuuuu!" Pikachu yelled leaping high. "Take this!"
He sent a powerful Thunderbolt at Beldum.
"Dodge it!" Morrison said.
Beldum dodged the electric attack in midair with its flying ability.
"Take Down!"
Beldum moved in for its attack.
"Agility!" Ash called
Moving incredibly fast, Pikachu dodged Beldum's attack.
"Take Down again!" Morrison said.
But Pikachu dodged that too.
"Thunderbolt!" Ash said.
This time the electric attack landed. Beldum repeated the same move once again and Pikachu dodged all the same, landing another Thunderbolt. Beldum cried out in pain.
May smirked and said, "Looks like an easy win for Pikachu!"
"Wee!" Eevee said with a smile. "Yes!"
"Take Down again!" Morrison said.
"And we'll just dodge again!" Ash said.
Pikachu nodded but… BAM!
The Take Down had caught Pikachu at last! It sent him falling back with a cry and he hit a chair nearby.
"Again!" Morrison said.
"Pikachu dodge it!"
Pikachu tried to get up but was a fraction of a second too slow. A second Take Down made contact it did some damage. May's mouth fell open along with the spectating Pokémon. In only a few seconds this had gone from looking like a guaranteed win to impending defeat.
"Finish it Beldum, best Take Down yet!" Morrison said.
"Pikachu come on get up!" Ash said desperately.
"Come on Pikachu!" May said.
"Eeveeeee!" Eevee screamed at the top of her voice. "Pikachu!"
Pikachu heard his girlfriends voice and leaped out of the way of the next Take Down. But Beldom quickly turned around and faced its opponent.
"Great job Pikachu! Iron Tail!" Ash ordered.
Pikachu's Tail lit up and turned metallic. It collided with Beldum's Take Down. For a moment it was unclear who would win, then Pikachu clenched his teeth, Eevee's voice still in his head. Then both Pokemon were thrown back, Pikachu managed to land on his feet while Beldum crashed, a swirl appearing in its singular eye.
"I win!" Ash said.
Pikachu let out a sigh of relief. He smiled over at Eevee who quickly ran over and hugged him. He spun her around and then put her down then they touched noses. Plusle and Minun touched paws at the sight.
"Great job Ash!" May said as she approached him.
"Thanks May," Ash said smiling at her before looking down at her stomach where he knew their little one was growing.
Morrison sighed. "Alright you may have won that one but I say it was just luck!"
He recalled Beldum and walked off.
"Looks like I found a rival in Hoenn," Ash said.
They watched as Morrison descended the nearby stairs. Pikachu then looked at Eevee.
"It wasn't luck," he said to her. "Hearing your voice awoke something in me, I felt myself call upon a deeper strength."
She smiled at him.
Ash, May, and their Pokémon got lunch then returned to their cabin. Ash stroked May's stomach as they thought of the days to come.
"I wonder if its going to be a boy or a girl?" May asked.
"Doesn't matter," Ash said. "I'll be happy either way."
She smiled, knowing she felt the same way. They kissed and passed time swimming, playing with their Pokémon, and eating on the ship.
Finally, the time came for them to arrive in Mossdeep City. The ship arrived at the port, and Ash and May prepared to disembark with the rest of the passengers. Little did they know they were being watched from above.
…
"Finally," Harley said as he watched the ship reach a mass of land in the middle of the sea. "Time to get my fiancé back!"
He swooped down toward the ground on his enslaved Tropius, removing the hood of his cloak and reaching into his pockets for the balls containing more magical creatures. This time he'd win and reclaim what was his.
…
As Ash and May made their way up the dock, they heard a Pokémon cry from overhead.
"Troo!"
Looking up they saw a Tropius. Their eyes widened, it couldn't be the same one they'd encountered in the jungle terrain near Fortree City could it? Ash looked at May.
"A Tropius!" he said.
"Yeah, could it be the same one we met before?" she asked.
"I doubt it," Ash said.
The Tropius was getting closer though, and they could now see someone was on its back. That someone was…
"Duke Harley!" May exclaimed. "You again!?"
"You didn't think I'd let you stay stolen now would you my dear?" Harley asked as he looked down at them.
"Leave me alone!" May yelled up at him. "I've made my choice to stay with Sir Ash!"
She took Ash's arm as she spoke.
"That's right! She's chosen me!" Ash said. "You just go back to…"
Ash stopped, noticing that several of the passengers on the ship had noticed the commotion and were looking at them. Morrison was among them.
"Where you came from! There's a Pokémon that will come looking for you sooner or later if you stay here!" Ash said.
"I'll take my chances!" Harley said.
May frowned. Why hadn't Dialga come for him yet?
…
The Time Pokemon felt the disturbance in the time-space. He had for some time now, but he'd at first thought it was merely the presence of Princess May. He could feel her since she was from a different time. But he'd learned from his mistake and allowed her to go back into the future. Now he realized it was another person out of time.
Should I intervene? He wondered. But thinking of what had happened last time where he had ended up almost causing more damage to the timeline, he decided not to. He'd tried to kill Princess May, the shame of that vile act lingered in his heart. He didn't want to make the same mistake this time. He'd wait, and see what happened, if the balance of time was disrupted, he would intervene, but not before.
…
Harley threw his pokeballs and released the other Pokemon he'd captured. A Dodou, Girafarig and Natu appeared on the deck in front of Ash, May and the passengers behind them, as well as Seaking and Sharpedo who swam in the water.
"Hey! You're not allowed to use more than one Pokemon in a match!" Morrison said.
"This isn't a match! This is me taking back what's mine!" Harley shouted. "Get them! Take no prisoners! Except my fiancé in the red outfit! Bring her to me!"
This caused some of the passengers to shout out in fear as they realized this was not a normal trainer, but one that was out to cause destruction. Harley's captured Natu flapped its little wings, its eyes lighting up. Girafarig's horn likewise lit up as it too called upon its psychic power. Dodou meanwhile charged at Ash with its twin beaks pointed at him. Ash didn't have the time to even give Pikachu a command! Dodou was one of the fastest running Pokemon! Fortunately, Pikachu saw his trainer in danger and immediately sent out a Thunderbolt to protect him. Dodou fell with a cry into the water. The Sharpedo and Seaking began swimming forward, teeth and horn at the ready.
"Thanks Pikachu," Ash said.
"Eevee!" Eevee ran forward in front of May to stand by Pikachu and help.
Behind them, Morrison got out a pokeball to try and help, but before he could throw it, the attacking Seaking suddenly leapt of the water and pierced his shoulder with a Horn Attack! Morrison screamed.
"Morrison!" Ash yelled in concern.
Morrison gritted his teeth and clutched the wound. The Seaking dropped back into the water as Sharpedo suddenly began eating the rest of the dock, separating Ash, May, their Pokémon and Morrison from the other passengers who screamed and ran back to the ship.
"Hey what's going on down there!" a voice called as the ship captain looked down. "Call Officer Jenny!"
"Plusle, help the others out! Use Spark on the water!" Ash ordered. "May have Minun do the same!"
"Um alright," May said unsure as to why they should target the water. "Minun! Spark!"
Both cream colored Pokemon sent out sparks toward the water behind them, the area lit up and pained cries came from down below. Seaking and Sharpedo had taken the full damage from the double spark which had been conducted by the water.
Harley growled, already half of his magical creatures were down!
"How dare you help him, Princess May!" he yelled. "You're my fiancé! I'm trying to save you!"
"No, I'm not your fiancé! Not anymore! I'm his!" she said holding up her ring.
Harley's eyes narrowed even more. Fire seemed to light up around him.
"You dare? You were promised to me from birth!"
"That was in a different LIFETIME!" May yelled.
Harley turned to his Pokémon. "Do something! Get her to me! And kill that guy!"
He pointed at Ash. Natu and Girafarig locked their eyes on the couple, who were suddenly lifted into the air.
"Sir Ash!" May yelled.
"May!" Ash tried to reach for her hand but the psychic attack pulled them both away from each other.
"Ash!" Pikachu called in concern.
"May!" Eevee said.
The two Pokemon lovers looked at their trainers then at each other, and back at their foes ahead. They glanced back at each other, knowing what the other was thinking as Plusle and Minun watched from behind. Ash and May likewise looked down at their Pokemon.
"Pikachu use Thunderbolt on Natu!" Ash ordered.
"Eevee use Quick Attack on… whatever that is!" May said pointing at Girafarig, but not knowing the name.
Pikachu sent another bolt at the flying Pokemon, while Eeevee speed at the larger one. Pikachu's attack being super effective on Natu just like Dodou caused it to be a one hit ko. Ash and May both fell, May landed on the deck of the ship and Ash fell into the water. Harley, through his anger, saw a chance. May had been separated from the thief, now was the time to take her!
She slowly got up as Ash's head appeared out of the water.
"Come on Tropius, let's get her!" Harley said urging his stead forward.
Tropius flew down at May who screamed as Harley reached out a hand to take her by the waist. Then he could call Celebei and have them returned to their own time.
But suddenly a voice cried out. "Growlithe, Flamethrower!"
A powerful stream of fire shot at Tropius, hitting it in the side and causing it to miss May. Tropius fell onto the deck of the ship and Harley rolled off its back, he grunted in pain. May quickly leapt down from the railing onto what was left of the dock. Good thing that was just a short drop. Ash meanwhile climbed back onto the dock.
"Are you okay, May?" Ash asked.
"Yes, are you?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said.
A pained groan drew their attention and they saw Morrison clutching the stab wound to his shoulder. He fell to his knees.
"We need to get him help!" Ash said.
"What's going on here!" a voice called.
A woman in a police uniform with blue hair was suddenly on the dock with them.
"Officer Jenny!" Ash exclaimed. "That… man on the Tropius just attacked us and all the others around here! And this man needs help!"
He pointed to Morrison. Jenny thought for a moment then reached for her police radio.
"I need an ambulance at the docks right away!" she said. "Keep pressure on the wound!"
Ash put hand on Morrisons shoulder, getting blood on his gloves. Jenny then had the captain throw a rope ladder down so she could climb up and arrest Harley. The passengers then came down and hurried up the dock, shaken by what the experience. Ash and May along with their Pokémon kept an eye on the Girafarig though, as it had not been given any orders following the attempt to separate Ash and May. Now that its trainer was out of the picture it stood passively.
Harley was brought down in cuffs.
"Unhand me at once, you peasant!" He ordered.
"You have the right to remain silent!" Officer Jenny said. "Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law!"
"Law? I'm a Duke! I do what I want!"
"You are obviously insane," Jenny said as she threw him down.
He landed on the dock on his stomach with a pained grunt. She climbed down and forced him to his feet.
"You're going to jail," Jenny said to him.
At that moment a siren sounded and an ambulance appeared in the parking lot overlooking the docks. Jenny led the way as Ash supported Morrison while May and the Pokemon followed. Jenny took all of Harley's pokeballs and recalled his Pokémon, except for Tropius who didn't have one.
"You two are going to have to come by the station," Jenny said once they loaded Morrison into the ambulance. "I need to get the specifics of what led to this crime, and find out what this thing is."
She gestured to the device around Tropius's neck. Ash and May guilped, this could be trouble if they had to answer questions. If people found out May was from the past who knew what could happen?
Okay well that came a little closer for Harley getting May then I thought it would. It just sort of happened as I wrote. I guess even the author can be surprised by what comes out as they type. Actually adds more tension Now, will Ash and May have to tell another person the truth? Will Morrison be alright? What will happen to Harley? Find out in two weeks on the 25th or so.
