Chapter 24: Harley Truimphs

Okay, this might be a bit on the shorter side like the chapter from a couple weeks but we'll see. I might be able to get the battle to last a few extra words. What do you know? I managed to get this from 1400 to 2200!

And just to give a heads up we might be going back into the same timing as we were doing a couple months ago with me updating this story once every few weeks. Fortunately, it would be every three instead of four this time. I'm aiming to complete another one of my stories that's closer to done. If I do that than I don't expect I'll need to put this or my other two stories on hold once the fourth is done. If I haven't updated this story by next Wednesday, it means I will be going through with that so you will have to wait two more weeks. Hope you understand.

Ash and May made their way to the Pokémon Center in a cheerful mood. They had acquired Ash's last gym badge, and with a good amount of time to spare. Good thing they'd made such good progress since being reunited.

"So, what do we do now, Sir Ash?" May asked.

"Well, first we're gonna need to heal my Pokémon, obviously," Ash said. "Then… we'll start training. Also, the Grand Festival will start in a few days. Serena will be performing in it so I'd like to see that."

May nodded. "I did enjoy the contest we all entered together. It would be nice to see more like it. If only I'd come to this time sooner I might have been able to partake in more!"

Ash smiled. "Maybe we can do it again sometime."

She giggled and looked down at her stomach. "It will probably not be for a while though… since we'll have our hands full in a little less then a year."

"I know," Ash said. "We're gonna have to train for the Hoenn League, win it and then return to Pallet Town and get married."

She smiled wider, imagining herself in a beautiful dress. Probably nothing too extravagant as what she would have worn if she were still the same old princess back in her own time, but she was sure she'd find something more than good enough. The fashion of this time was not by any means lacking, even if it didn't seem modest by the standards of her time.

"We'll work it all out, somehow," she told him as she hugged his shoulder.

Pikachu smiled as he watched from the other shoulder. The little electric Pokémon's strength was a bit drained so he didn't feel up to walking with Glaceon unfortunately. But he'd be fine after a good night sleep at the Pokémon Center. He looked down at his mate as she walked at her trainers side. She smiled up at him as he looked down at her, knowing he had put up a good battle and needed to relax a bit. But there would be plenty of time for them to walk together later. He'd started spending less time on Ash's shoulder since she'd been able to walk.

It was getting later in the day, close to sunset. They would have to drop Ash's Pokémon off for healing then have dinner. Then they'd turn in for the night and rest. Then training would start tomorrow.

"You're right," Ash agreed with a smile. "There's nothing that could possibly get in our way now. Just smooth sailing."

"That's what you think, thief!" a familiar voice called.

They both felt a chill run down their spines at the sound of that voice and looked over their shoulders.

"Duke Harley!" May exclaimed.

"In the flesh my dear," Harley said as he smirked at them.

Next to him flew a small green Pokemon.

"A Celebi!" Ash said in a surprised tone as well.

"Yes, this little darling is how I got to this wretched time of yours in the first place," Harley said. "I must make sure to change some things when I return to my time and take the throne. Can't have a Hoenn without a real monarch after all. Who steps down from being a king! Its utter foolishness to let the lesser people decide who rules them, though I suppose your family would not understand that since your fool of a father allowed you to return to this thief that has stolen you when he should have persuaded you to come to me!"

May frowned at him. "I am not your property Harley!"

"You have been mine from the moment you were born, Princess!" Harley snapped. "And I shall make you mine as you were destined to be!"

Ash and May prepared themselves to face this foe. Glaceon immediately stepped in front of her trainer to protect her. She had an advantage against Celebi since he was part grass type, but he was still a legendary Pokemon and would be a very difficult opponent even with a type advantage.

"Gla!" she said defiantly.

Celebi flew in front of Harley. "Bi! Celebi!"

"Stand aside," it said to Glaceon. "I don't want to fight you but I must honor this debt!"

"Gla! Glaceon!" Glaceon glared at him as she spoke. "What debt?"

"His family saved my life long ago!" Celebi explained.

Glaceon could sympathize with that as she thought of Ash and May. The two humans she'd traveled with had saved her as well when she'd been an Eevee and opened up her eyes to the kindness that humans could possess when all she'd ever experienced was abuse and cruelty. Seeing as this other human kept attacking them though, he was clearly one of abuse and cruelty. But Celebi didn't seem to strike her as a Pokemon that operated by the same attitude.

"Is repaying a debt worth ruining all our lives?" She asked. "It will surely ruin Ash's, and hurt me and my fellow Pokemon that I travel with as well!"

"It may hurt, but you can move past it," Celebi said.

Glaceon supposed that was possible, Ash had seemed like he was almost about to move on before May returned.

"Celebi! Quit making small talk with that icy blue magical creature!" Harley shouted impatiently. "Attack!"

Celebi, though not Harley's Pokemon, was bound by honor to help him. His eyes lit up and he took hold of Glaceon with Psychic. The ice type struggled in the telekinetic grasp as she was thrown against a nearby wall.

"Glaceon!" May called out in concern.

"Swellow! Go!" Ash threw his last Pokemon that was still undamaged.

Pikachu also leapt down from Ash's shoulder. He was still damaged from his battle with Milotic but he'd do his best. Though Celebi being a grass type wasn't a good match, especially since it was a legendary Pokemon, he had to try his best.

Glaceon got back up, hurt but still able to move. She rejoined the fight.

"Oh, come on now May, surely we don't need to fight?" Harley asked.

"I am not going back to the past!" May snapped.

"What does this future have to offer you? You don't even live in a castle anymore!" Harley said.

"For one thing, true love!" May said looking at Ash.

"Your mind has been completely warped by this timeline!" Harley cried in dismay. "But I shall make you see the light when we return home. Get the magic creatures, Celebi!"

Celebi charged up an orb of green light, an energy ball.

"Pikachu counter that with Thunderbolt!" Ash said. "Swellow use Wing Attack!"

He turned to his fiancé. "May, have Glaceon use Powder Snow!"

"Right, Powder Snow!" May said to her partner.

Just in time as the green orb was unleashed. Pikachu countered it with a high power Thunderbolt. It managed to cancel the move out, just barely. Swellow then flew in and hit Celebi with a Wing Attack, and Glaceon followed up with a breath full of snowflakes, Powder Snow. The two attacks were both Super Effective, unfortunately, Powder Snow was one of the most basic ice attacks and not strong enough to bring the Legendary Pokemon down.

Celebi growled in anger, then cast another Psychic Attack on all three of the offending Pokemon. They were thrown up into the air and brought back down the ground.

"Glaceon!" May yelled in concern.

"Pikachu! Swellow!" Ash said in the same tone.

A footfall sounded nearby and Ash's attention was drawn to it. He saw Harley coming at him, his dagger drawn and pointed at Ash who gasped. Harley's hand thrusted forward, his weapon piercing Ash's stomach, blood trickling down onto the ground.

"Sir Ash!" May screamed in absolute horror.

"Pika!" Pikachu yelled as well.

Only for Celebi to slam him Glaceon, and Swellow a final time. Pikachu felt weak, the damage from the Psychic and the earlier gym battle was just about too much for him. He tried to push himself back up but fell down.

Ash collapsed to the ground and Harley then turned to May with a grin as he approached her.

"At last! You are mine again!" he said grabbing hold of her wrist.

"Get off me!" she yelled pulling herself free before looking at Ash who lay on the ground clutching his wound.

She reached for her remaining pokeballs, and brought them all out at once in desperation.

"Minun! Torchic! Bulbasaur!" she called as she threw all three of them.

They appeared in front of her.

"Torchic!"

"Bulba!"

"Mi!"

Each of them cried at least part of their name in readiness.

"Oh May, you know a lady is not supposed to fight!" Harley said. "The men do that while the ladies are supposed to look pretty and hide or be rescued!"

"You sexist asshole!" May cursed. "I'm glad I never met you until I found true love!"

Her pokemon sensed her anger and glared at him.

"Minun! Spark!" May ordered. "Torchic! Ember! Bulbasaur…"

She stopped, realizing she didn't know any of Bulbasaur's attacks. She'd never used her in battle before.

"Whatever you can do!" she recovered.

Minun charged and lit herself up with a Spark aimed at Celebi. Torchic blew out embers as well, and Bulbasaur sent out razor sharp spinning leaves. It would have made a formidable display perhaps, if not for the fact that as the latter two aimed their attacks, Minun got in their path. Before she could make contact with their legendary foe, she was hit from behind by both attacks. She fell with a pained cry, feeling the burns and cuts on her back.

"Saur!"

"Torchic!"

Bulbasaur and Torchic let out cries of remorse as they saw they'd both wounded their comrade by accident.

"Minun!" May exclaimed.

She'd never commanded multiple Pokémon at once before.

"That's why you never trust a girl to fight! She'll only get hurt!" Harley said. "Finish it, Celebi!"

Celebi let off one final Psychic attack and all three of May's Pokemon were sent into the air and knocked to the ground. She looked at them in concern and quickly drew all her pokeballs.

"Oh! Return all of you!" she said and called them as well as Glaceon back. She was left alone now, but she couldn't give up. She wasn't the helpless princess that had always depended on her knight for protection. Now he needed her, she looked at him and he looked back at her with eyes that showed a weakening man.

Ash's vision was going blurry from the blood loss. He felt himself losing consciousness but reach out toward May who looked at him with a mixture of sadness and fear. Her beautiful sapphire eyes lit up in tears. But they quickly lit up with renewed determination and she let out a furious cry as she charged at Harley to try and fight him herself. She aimed a punch at him but he easily blocked it with his bare hands and turned her around, taking hold of her.

"Good to finally hold you in my arms!" Harley said as he fondled her chest, causing her to yelp.

He then stripped of her fanny pack. "You won't be needing those magical creatures anymore!"

"No!" May screamed.

"Take us back to our time now Celebi!" Harley ordered.

Ash lost consciousness at that moment. Celebi looked at him and put a hand on his wound. His hand glowed and stopped the bleeding.

"What are you doing!" Harley asked.

"Saving his life!" Celebi said in Harley's head. "I didn't agree to kill anyone! You doing that would upset the timeline!"

Harley scoffed. "This timeline is already upset enough in my opinion. Ah well, we shall change that my dear May!"

He kept hold on her as she looked at her love. She was relieved that Celebi had healed Ash, but that didn't improve her situation about getting captured.

"Let me go!" she said as Celebi began to glow, and she had a terrible feeling. "No! No! NOOO!"

Celebi enveloped all three of them in a time portal and they vanished from this time. Leaving Ash, Pikachu, and Swellow on the ground with May's fanny pack nearby. A time passed, and eventually a young couple found the man and his Pokemon along with the pack and called for help.