It Ends Here
Ash's phone buzzed, cutting through the tense silence in the room. He glanced at the screen, seeing Drew's name flash across it. He unlocked the phone, his heart rate quickening as he read the message aloud.
"THIS ENDS TONIGHT! YOU AND YOUR SHIT SHOW OF A BAND MEET ME ON THE FIELD NOW!" Ash's voice was steady, but the tension in his words was undeniable.
May and Solidad exchanged a concerned glance, both looking visibly uneasy. May opened her mouth to speak, but Ash was already standing, his jaw set in determination.
"This ends tonight," he said, his tone firm. "If we don't face him now, he'll keep making our lives hell. He won't stop until he gets what he wants."
May put a hand on his shoulder, her eyes filled with a mix of worry and trust. "But be careful, Ash. Drew's dangerous when he has nothing left to lose."
Ash nodded, the weight of her words not lost on him. He quickly pulled up Gary's number and hit dial. The phone rang twice before Gary picked up.
"Ash? What's going on?" Gary's voice was gruff, clearly already on edge.
"Drew wants a confrontation," Ash said, his voice sharp. "Meet us at the football field with the band. Now. It's going down tonight."
"I'll get them there," Gary replied without hesitation. "But be careful. We're not walking into some schoolyard scuffle. This feels different."
"I know," Ash answered, feeling a surge of adrenaline. "But we don't have a choice."
He ended the call and turned to May and Solidad. "It's time."
May stood up, her eyes searching his face. "Are you sure about this? We can still find another way—"
"Ash is right," Solidad interrupted, her voice steady. "Drew's been escalating things, and this is the only way to stop him. He needs to see that we're not backing down."
May exhaled sharply, her brows furrowing in thought. "Okay, but we're sticking together. No one goes off on their own."
Ash gave her a small, reassuring smile. "We'll stick together. I promise."
The trio quickly grabbed their things and headed out the door, the night air cool against their skin. As they approached the football field, the lights flickered to life, casting long shadows across the empty stands. The only sounds were their footsteps and the distant hum of the wind.
When they reached the field, Ash's heart sank. The band was there, their instruments lying in shattered pieces, strewn across the turf. Drew's jocks were gathered around, their expressions unreadable.
Drew stood in the center of it all, his eyes fixed on Ash. "You finally showed up," he sneered. "I was starting to think you'd chicken out."
Ash's jaw clenched. "This ends now, Drew."
Drew's lips curled into a cruel smile. "You're right. It does end tonight. But not the way you think."
He stepped forward, the jocks closing ranks behind him, their presence intimidating.
Ash took a deep breath, standing tall. "I'm not letting you control May's life anymore. I'm done with your games."
"You think you can just walk away from this?" Drew laughed, a low, hollow sound. "You think you can just take her from me? Oh no, no, no, NO! By the time we're done here you'll be crawling out of here Ketchum!"
May stepped forward, her voice clear and firm. "I'm not your property, Drew. I never was."
Drew's eyes flared with rage as he heard her voice, his hand twitching at his side. "You're making a huge mistake, May," he growled. "He'll never be able to protect you. Not from me."
Ash's fists were clenched, and every inch of his body was wired with adrenaline. He had to end this. He had to end Drew's reign of terror, not just for May, but for everyone Drew had hurt, manipulated, and used as pawns in his twisted games. Drew had been orchestrating this for too long, and it was time for it to stop.
"You think you can just walk in here and challenge me?" Drew's voice echoed across the field, venom dripping from every word. "You're nothing, Ash."
Ash didn't respond immediately. He wasn't here to argue. He was here to fight. He was here to end this once and for all.
Drew took a slow, deliberate step toward Ash, the smirk on his face one of arrogance and superiority. "You've always thought you were better than me, haven't you? You and your little band of misfits. But you're not. You've never been." Drew's eyes narrowed, the anger in his gaze flashing like lightning. "You've got guts, I'll give you that," he said, a dangerous edge in his voice. "But guts aren't going to save you."
Before Ash could react, Drew lunged. The speed of Drew's attack was lightning fast, and the sheer power behind it caught Ash off guard. Drew's fist slammed into Ash's ribs, sending a sharp pain through his side. Ash staggered back, barely maintaining his balance, but he quickly recovered. Drew's jocks cheered from the sidelines, chanting Drew's name, hyping him up.
"You think that's going to hurt me?" Ash growled, his hand instinctively going to his ribs as he regained his footing. "You're going to have to do better than that."
Drew smirked. "Oh, I will."
When Ash and Drew started going at it, so did the rest of the band. The first blow came from Angel, Drews main lackey lunged at Gary, his bulky body barreling into Gary's chest, pushing him back. The impact sent a ripple through the crowd, and the energy shifted from simmering tension to all-out chaos.
Gary, however, wasn't caught off guard. He swung his elbow back with precision, connecting with Angel's face with a sickening crack. He stumbled back, groaning in pain, but Gary was already moving. He launched himself forward, fists flying. Angel swung back, but Gary ducked low, coming up with a quick uppercut to the stomach that left his opponent gasping for air.
"I hope you're ready for this," Gary snarled, his eyes flashing with anger as he threw another punch that landed squarely on Angel's jaw.
Meanwhile, Brock was in the thick of it, facing off against two other jocks who charged at him simultaneously. With a grunt, he kicked out, his leg connecting with one jock's knee, sending him crashing to the ground. The second jock came at him from behind, and Brock spun, locking the jock in a headlock before twisting him to the side and sending him sprawling.
"Stay down," Brock growled, his voice deep with authority, his muscles flexing as he restrained the jock. But Brock wasn't the only one. The band members were holding their own, the adrenaline of the fight transforming their normally peaceful personas into fierce warriors.
Paul was weaving between the chaos, blocking punches with his arms and countering with swift, calculated strikes. He managed to take out one jock by ducking beneath a wild punch and elbowing him in the ribs before kneeing him in the gut, forcing him to crumple to the ground.
On the sidelines, May and Solidad watched in shock as the fight unfolded. Solidad's hands clenched into fists, her instincts telling her to run to the boys' aid, but she held herself back, knowing she had to remain calm. May's heart raced as she saw Drew's jocks falling one by one, but there was no relief in sight yet. The fight had just started, and she wasn't sure who would win.
But as much as the band was holding their own, Drew's jocks were relentless. They didn't fight fair. They fought to win, and they were used to getting what they wanted. As Ash focused on Drew, Angel lunged at Paul from behind, knocking him off balance and sending him tumbling to the dirt. A sharp cry of frustration escaped Paul's lips as he struggled to break free from his hold.
The next moment, Drew was on him again. This time, Ash was ready. He ducked low, narrowly avoiding Drew's swinging fist, and as Drew attempted to bring his arm back for another strike, Ash grabbed his wrist, twisting it violently. Drew's face contorted in pain, but he didn't relent. He spun, using the momentum to knee Ash in the stomach. The blow was harsh, and Ash's breath left him, but he didn't buckle.
Ash staggered back a few steps, feeling his energy drain, but he stood his ground. His eyes never left Drew's, his fists now raised, ready for whatever came next.
"You think you can beat me, Ash?" Drew sneered, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I've been fighting for everything I have my whole life. She means everything to me, we were completely fine until you showed up!."
Ash's eyes narrowed. "You're wrong Drew, I know the truth and I know you hurt her. You don't deserve May, she deserves to be happy and you won't ever be able to hurt her again!"
The words stung more than he had anticipated. Drew's eyes flickered, a hint of vulnerability flashing in them before his anger surged again. "Don't try to play the hero," he spat. "You and your little band are idiots who shouldn't have even picked up instruments. You're a worthless, idiotic, piece of shit who May only feels sorry for! She isn't your friend, she just feels bad for you because you're a loser!"
Drew charged again, his fist coming at Ash's face with the force of a freight train. This time, Ash sidestepped, using Drew's momentum against him. As Drew stumbled past, Ash spun on his heel and delivered a hard punch to Drew's back, sending him crashing to the ground. The impact was bone-jarring, and Drew groaned in pain, his body momentarily stunned.
But Drew wasn't done yet. He scrambled to his feet, his eyes wild with fury. His pride wouldn't let him stay down.
"You think you can beat me?!" Drew howled, wiping blood from his lip. His voice was raw, his chest heaving with ragged breaths. "You're nothing!"
Before Ash could react, Drew launched himself at him, throwing punch after punch with reckless abandon. Ash dodged and blocked as best as he could, his body beginning to feel the strain. Drew was relentless, attacking with wild fury, no longer thinking, only reacting.
Ash was fast, but Drew's raw power was undeniable. The next blow came faster than Ash expected, slamming into his jaw. His head snapped to the side, and the taste of blood filled his mouth. He was staggered, disoriented, but he didn't fall. He couldn't.
"Get up, Ash," Drew growled, his breath hot against Ash's ear. "You're not going to win this."
Ash wiped the blood from his lip, his eyes burning with resolve. He wasn't going to let Drew win. Not now. Not this time.
As Drew swung again, Ash blocked the punch and retaliated with a brutal knee to Drew's stomach. Drew grunted in pain, but his anger only seemed to fuel him. He threw Ash off, his eyes gleaming with madness.
"I've lost everything, Ash! Everything!" Drew screamed, his voice breaking with emotion. "I've fought for everything, you think you can take it all away?"
Ash stood firm, his hands shaking from the pain, but his heart clear. "You're not fighting for anything anymore, Drew. You're just fighting to stay in control. And that's not going to work. You can't control everything."
Drew's face twisted with rage as he lunged once more. But this time, Ash saw it coming. He sidestepped Drew's attack, and in one fluid motion, he grabbed Drew's arm, twisted it behind his back, and slammed him face-first into the grass.
Drew gasped for air, the fight leaving his body in that one devastating moment. His strength fading, he tried to push himself up, but his arms were weak, and he could barely catch his breath. Ash laid out one final punch to Drew's face that finally ended his reign of terror. He was no longer the force of nature he had once been. The fight had drained him, both physically and emotionally.
Ash stood over him, chest heaving, eyes locked on Drew's defeated form. "It's over, Drew," Ash said, his voice unwavering. "You're not going to hurt anyone anymore. Not May. Not anyone."
Drew looked up at Ash, the anger in his eyes slowly dimming, replaced by a flicker of something else.. fear, maybe, or maybe it was the realization that he had finally been broken. For the first time, Drew looked like a man who had lost everything.
The sounds of heavy breathing and shouting filled the air, but the chaos was slowly starting to die down.
Ash, panting and covered in dirt, surveyed the scene. Drew's jocks were either incapacitated or retreating, nursing their wounds as they limped toward the sidelines. Gary, Brock, and Paul had done their part, but even they were looking worse for wear. Paul's jacket was torn, Brock's face was bruised, and Gary's knuckles were swollen, but they had one thing on their side. The fight was over. The band had won.
Ash's gaze locked onto Drew, who was stumbling toward the edge of the field, eyes wide with rage and disbelief. Drew's chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath, his once pristine collar shirt now torn and bloodstained. He was panting like a wild animal, desperate for control, but the grip he'd once had on the situation had slipped away.
"You think you've won, Ketchum?" Drew spat, his words thick with venom. "You think this ends here?"
Ash stepped forward, his expression hard. "It's over Drew," he said, his voice steady, but his fists clenched in the aftermath of the brutal fight.
Suddenly the sound of police sirens were heard in the distance. Ash gave a smirk as he only responded with two words. "You're done."
"Done?" Drew's smirk was twisted, manic. "You really think the cops will stop me?"
Ash didn't say a word. Instead, he, May and the rest of his friends turned and started walking toward safety. The flashing blue and red lights reflected off the scattered debris, casting an eerie glow across the field.
Drew's eyes widened. "No... No! This isn't over Ketchum!"
The cop car screeched to a halt right in front of Drew, and two officers, tall and imposing, jumped out. Drew tried to backpedal, but one of the officers quickly grabbed him by the arm, forcing him to the ground with a brutal slam. Drew grunted in pain, struggling, but there was no escaping this time.
"You're under arrest for assault, inciting a riot, and destruction of property," one officer said sternly as he handcuffed Drew, his voice cold and authoritative. "You have the right to remain silent…"
Drew couldn't believe what was happening at the moment. "You can't do this!" he shouted, his voice rising in desperation. "I'll be out of here in no time, you hear me? I'll destroy all of you! You can't stop me!"
But the officers weren't listening. They simply ignored his words as they forced him into the back of the squad car. The door slammed shut with a finality that echoed across the field, signaling the end of Drew's reign of terror.
Ash stood still, watching as the cop car drove away, its sirens blaring into the night. He could feel his heart slowing down now, the adrenaline fading as the tension left his body. The fight was over. Drew had been taken away, and there was no coming back from this.
Gary clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You did good, Ash," he said, his voice rough but full of respect.
Ash didn't reply at first. He just watched the cop car disappear down the road, the weight of the moment settling on him.
May approached, her expression was a mix of concern and relief. Her eyes were wide as she took in the aftermath of the fight. "Is it... is it really over?" she asked, her voice small but full of hope.
Ash gave a tired but sincere smile. "Yeah, it's over."
The field was eerily quiet now. The band all stood together, rough and beat up however It was clear to everyone that this fight had been one for the ages, a brutal reminder of just how far Drew had been willing to go.