May I? Chapter 9: Just Like Her, a pokémon fanfic

Just Like Her

The sky went from its stormy gray color to its light blue coloration. The boy sighed. There was no sign of his girl, and no sign of hope either. Pocketing his hands in his coat pockets and looking behind him, he left with a slight shrug of his shoulders. He slowly advanced on the city with its warm lights, turning his head back one final time toward the distance with his eyes fixed on the cave that both he and what was the girl took shelter in. Would he ever see her again? The wind gently touched his face and whispered the girl's name and from that moment on, he knew that she would come back to him once again. But for now ...

May shook her head and smiled. At least I figured out a way to knock Brendan and Wally out! Score! she thought. With the slight nudge of both boys' shoulders, she woke them up from unconsciousness. "Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey!" She smiled warmly, shaking them awake. "I've still have to find my other Pokemon remember?" she asked. "Helllloooo?"

"Five more minutes, mom. I'm dreaming of a white ... Christmas." Wally snored, his head lolling about on his shoulder.

"I didn't know when you were unconscious you could sleep talk," May thought out loud.

Brendan jolted up suddenly, surprising May. He rubbed his eyes and murmured. "If trees had mouths, could they talk?" he asked.

May eyed Brendan weirdly. "Maybe trees used to talk so much that they don't have mouths anymore; therefore they aren't meant to talk."

"Ah. That's good." Brendan fell back into slumber, cuddling up on Altaria's fluffy, white, cloud-like body.

May shook her head and politely asked if Altaria could lower them down to the ground. Altaria nodded and brought them down. Brendan and Wally tumbled off, still snoring.

May shook her head and decided that her kiss made them unconscious but tiredness finally took over them in the end. It was, after all, one thirty in the morning.

Altaria stopped singing and was returned to her Pokeball to get some well-deserved sleep herself most likely.

May shook her head once again and sighed as he watched the two boys sleep peacefully, one of them kicking the air as if he were an upturned Numel, the other scratching his behind, snorting.

- - -

Two hours later, May found herself in a very frustrating predicament.

"Where are all my other Pokemon?" May said to herself, pocketing her hands, hiding around a corner as a group of Team Magma members walked by. "They have to be here somewhere! I mean, how hard is it to keep four other Pokemon that aren't fire types?" May turned a corner and found herself cornered by five Team Magma Grunts.

"Well lookie what we have here, fellas!" a Grunt exclaimed. "The little twerp escaped!"

"Tabitha is not going to be happy about that," another Grunt murmured. "Then again, she never really is."

"Who gives a care!" a Team Magma Grunt bellowed. "As long as the girl is dead, Tabitha won't be mad, now will she?"

"You're right!" May interrupted their conversation. "She won't be mad if I'm 'dead' right?"

"What are you talking about, girl?"

"I don't have to 'die' exactly. If you let me live, I'll tell you Team Aqua's secret plans, and I'll join your team! Isn't that better than me being dead? You guys will be happy, sure, but you wouldn't know the Team Aqua plans, and you won't have a top notch trainer like myself be on your team. So, what do you say?"

"I don't trust her!" a grunt cried. "I can tell that she is lying! I say we destroy her!"

"Not so fast!" another Team Magma Grunt argued. "I say we give her a chance. Let her tell us these Team Aqua 'plans'. Even if she is lying and doesn't join the Magmas, there are more of us than there are of her!"

"But she's like one of the most powerful trainers in the entire Hoenn Region!"

"Quiet fool! Don't you think I know that already? She doesn't have any Pokemon with her, remember? All of them are being kept in basement two! Even if she has a Pokemon with her, one can't defeat all of us!"

"Except that all powerful chicken of hers. They can wipe out our Numels, Zubats, and Poochyenas in one attack!"

"Don't you think, you dolt? Tabitha has control of her Blaziken! For all we know, she could attack her pathetic little trainer right now if we asked."

May smirked. "Well that's all the info that I need! Good night!" She skidded under the Team Magma Grunts' knees and ran toward the warp panels.

"See? I told you she would defy us!"

"Attack!"

The Team Magma Grunts released their many Numels, Poochyenas, and Zubats. May stopped running and turned to face the Pokemon. With a quick snap of her fingers, she enlarged Flare's Pokeball, smiling. "You want to play? Let's play! I choose you, Flare!" May released her Blaze Pokemon in a flash of white light. "Get ready for the all and mighty chicken!" She smirked. "Flare! Flamethrower all the Pokemon!"

Flare took in a deep breath and shot out orange-red flames, scorching the Pokemon, making them faint.

"Well, that was easy," May muttered, rubbing the back of her neck.

The Grunts recalled their Pokemon and ran away.

"Sound the alarm, sound the alarm!" one of them screeched.

May froze and ran for it. A high-pitched warning signal rang through May's ears and blinding red lights caused her eyes to water. Flare ran to her side and picked her up, running toward the closest warp panel. "One of these things has to lead to basement two!" she cried out as Flare jumped into a warp panel. The warp panel led May and Flare into a room filled with high-tech computers and cold chrome walls.

"What is this place?" May murmured as she jumped off Flare. She examined the computes, beeping echoing through her ears. She pressed a button on the keyboard, causing the computer to talk in a monotonous voice.

"Please articulate your selection into the automated vocalization tracking device," it said.

"Um, yes?" May answered nervously.

"Please renounce you choice of using this information processing system in the automatized voice system," it repeated in simpler terms.

"I'm sorry?"

"Is this a Grunt or something?" the computer exclaimed. "Please say what you want to do, you idiot!"

"How rude," May murmured to herself. "Please tell me all the information you have on the collars and the sensor."

The computer beeped for a few minutes and began to talk again, "Information on the cervix/radiocarpal joint collars and the detector beam. The cervix/radiocarpal joint collars or the neck/wrist collar depends on the chip stored in the crimson-colored glass case. For most cases, the collar will keep a Pokemon on the outside of its Pokeball when the sensor is activated but some will not allow a Pokemon to return to its Pokeball either. Research shows that the chips allow a Pokemon to be hypnotized depending on the integrated circuit."

"So your saying pretty much that each chip has different data?" May asked the computer.

"Exactly, genius." If it wasn't a computer, May would have taken that as sarcasm.

"Right. Anything else?" May asked.

The computer beeped again and started to talk once more, "There is one flaw in the collars though. It has been tested and proven that when a certain Pokemon sings, like a Lapras or Altaria, it will override the circuit. Therefore, it allows the Pokemon to not be mesmerized by the sensor if singing."

"Wally was right," May said quietly. "The song does override the chip. Tell me, is there any other way for a Pokemon to not be hypnotized by the sensor?"

"No. No new research was found on that."

"Final question: Where is the sensor transmitting from?"

"It's quite perplexed for your minuscule encephalon to comprehend."

"I have the weirdest feeling that I should resent that. Just answer the damn question."

The mainframe CPU blared several times as if it were sighing. "Fine, but no asking questions in the middle! It is said that the sensor is being conveyed from atop a mountain. Mt. Cow Cow. Peak Coco Woko."

"Mt. Chimney?"

"I told you no asking questions but yes. That is where the sensor is being broadcasted from."

"Figures. Team Magma is in love with that place."

"I said 'it is said.' I'm not sure if it's really being transmitted from there! Anyway, even if you do find wherever this sensor is beaming from, you can't just take it down. The sensor is controlled by another mainframe computer like myself. It controls where the sensor transmits. It gives it its power. You can't just break in and turn the switch off."

"Well, that sucks I suppose, but do you think if I used another mainframe computer, like yourself, that I can hack into the other mainframe and shut down the detector?"

"I'm a Team Magma computer. I only work for Team Magma."

"Computers aren't meant to be used for one thing. I am sure that you have many programs not even touched or looked at am I right? Don't you want to try something else beside process data and crap like that?"

"... Fine! Let's do it!

- - -

"May, stop!" Brendan slept talked - or yelled really. "I'm not in your personal space! I'm just really close to your face- no! Not the Pokeball! Anything but that!" Brendan jolted up from his slumber. "Cool dream!" He smirked, rubbing his eyes.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!

Brendan quickly got out his PokeNav to see if he got any new messages but he got none.

"Then where's that beeping coming from?" he asked himself. Finally getting his eyesight back, he looked up and saw alarms flashing, signals making annoying beeping noises and Team Magma Member running about as if they were panicking.

"Life is like a baby. It sucks," Wally murmured, tossing and turning in his sleep.

Brendan looked over his shoulder and woke Wally up using his leg. "Wake up, Walter! We haven't got all morning!"

"Walter?" Wally mumbled as he too rubbed his eyes and sat up. "That's a new one Bast-"

"Terds! They are such TERDS!" Tabitha cried out, her eyes enraged with fury.

Brendan and Wally looked at each other and quickly hid under a metal table.

"How in the world can you let one little fifteen year old girl escape?" Tabitha bellowed, her voice resounding in the hideout.

The Team Magma Grunts trembled under the angry Admin.

"She somehow got her Blaziken to join sides with her!" a Team Magma Grunt shook nervously, telling the Admin the story.

"It's true, Admin! She said she was going to tell us Team Aqua's plans and that she would willing join Team Magma!" another Grunt cried.

Tabitha clenched her fists, the flame in her eyes growing per second. "And you actually believed her!" she said through clenched teeth.

"Y-yes?"

Tabitha turned around and walked away. "Kill her no matter what it takes! I want her head on a silver platter by the time I get back." She reached a warp panel and distorted to another place.

The Grunts blinked for a few seconds.

"You heard the Admin! Let's get her!" a Grunt shouted. The Grunts ran to different warp panels to find May.

Brendan and Wally jumped up, both hitting their heads on the steel table.

"Ow!" Brendan rubbed his head, his eyes closing in pain. "I hate tables and steel and blah."

"No time for you and your pointless complaining, Birch! We have to save May!" Wally exclaimed as he jumped up again. His head rammed into the table again. Wally fell onto his back, his hands covering the top of his head. "Mommy ..."

"Whoa buddy! Don't hurt yourself now! I don't think your little mind could take it!"

"Haha, very funny. Can we just get out of here and find May?"

Brendan nodded and ran toward the nearest warp panel. With the slight intake of breath, he jumped in and felt his stomach lurch upwards as he disappeared. A second later, Brendan resurfaced to another area, two other warp ports surrounding him. He jumped into one again and landed in another area of the hideout, two more warp panels surrounding him. Using his legs once again, he jumped into the panel in front of him and landed back in the same spot he started in at the beginning.

"Well, that's the most stupidest thing I've ever tried," Brendan murmured. "And there's a long list for that."

"Don't I know it," Wally smart mouthed only to be returned with a punch in the nose. "Owie!"

"C'mon! Suck it up you big baby!" Brendan hollered over his shoulder as he began to take the stairs instead of the warp panels.

Wally sniffled. "Meanie."

"Am not!"

Wally blinked back in surprise and ran down the stairs, his two hands clutching his nose.

- - -

"Please enter secret password entry," the computer beeped as May typed furiously on the keyboard.

"I don't know the password!" May cried.

"Then think and make one up!" the computer replied.

"Okay! Ooga booga!"

"Something that has to do with Team Magma, you dolt!"

"Sheesh. Calm down, you piece of metal crud."

"Who are you calling metal crud? I can just turn off and you'll be stuck and captured by Team Magma!"

"Okay, I'm sorry! Um ... is it Archie?"

"Incorrect access code. Ooh, and you were so close too. too bad this is a Magma hideout and not a Team Aqua one!"

"Geez, no need to go all hostile on me! Pyromaniac?"

"Incorrect access code."

"Down with the water?"

"Incorrect access code. Computer will self-destruct!"

"Oh no!"

"Haha, I'm kidding. Try again."

"You know for a computer, you can be very sarcastic."

"I'll take that as an compliment."

"Um ... Don't I get hints or something?"

"No."

"Fine. Molten rock in the Earth's crust!"

"Incorrect access code. But guess what? If you were in a vocabulary contest and 'Magma' was the vocab word, I dare say you have won one million dollars!"

The girl trainer rolled her eyes. "Haha, very funny."

The computer beeped a few times. "I'm here every Thursday!"

May sighed, giving up. "I don't know the password!"

"Incorrect access code."

"I didn't mean for that to be a-"

"Incorrect access code."

"Okay, it's not fun-"

"Incorrect access code."

"You can stop now!"

"Fine, ruin my fun!"

"Let's see. Oh, I don't know! For all we know that password could be ... The all and mighty chicken!"

"Correct access code. Entering Team Magma database."

"I think I should feel honored," Flare spoke up. "Or maybe utterly confused."

May laughed and started to type once again.

"ALERT! Someone is trying to break into the-"

"The computer?"

"No the-"

- - -

Brendan, panting, finally reached the end of the very long staircase, out of breath, sweat running on his forehead. Wally stumbled from behind him, almost crashing into him.

"What ... are ... you ... doing?" Wally said in between breaths. "You're in my way."

"Oh, you know Wallace. I'm just standing here, blocking your way, and just maybe getting caught by a Team Magma member or two, so we can have a tea party!" Brendan said sarcastically. "I'm waiting for you and your slow body to catch up with me, idiot!" He rolled his eyes and spotted the door in front of him. With a slight shrug of his shoulders, he jiggled the door knob but to no avail. The door was locked. "Damn, it's locked," he muttered, ramming his body into the door. "We can't just stand here or go back up the stair because we are bound to get caught!"

"So the only way to get out is to go in!" Wally smirked. "So let me handle this."

"Latios, kill me now!"

Wally glared at him for a minute and pushed him aside. He cracked his knuckles and tried to open the door himself. "Heh, it'll open. Don't worry," he said, putting both hands on the doorknob and trying to wriggle it open.

"Wow Wally. I did not know that you were strong enough to actually jiggle the doorknob!" Brendan put on a mock surprised face. "Nice!"

"Shut up!" Wally began kicking the door angrily. "Why. Won't. You. Open!" He began ro ram the door with his entire body just like Brendan did before him.

"Maybe if we try together, it will break down."

"Fine, but no touching!"

"I wouldn't think of it. I'd get your cooties."

"... Ready?"

"Yeah. On the count of one ..."

"Two ..."

"Three!" both boys cried together as they rammed their door with mighty blows from their body.

- - -

Two boys spilled out of the doorway, collapsing onto each other on the floor.

"...Door," the computer finished.

"Brendan? Wally?" May asked. "What are you two doing here?"

"Ha! She said my name first!" Brendan cheered.

"Dammit!" Wally cursed.

"Um, you guys?"

Brendan and Wally looked up at May and smiled innocently. They got up and brushed the dirt off themselves.

Brendan began to talk first. "Hey May! Long time, not much sleep! Anyway, I'm not sure how to say this but-"

Wally took control. "Team Magma wants you dead because you lied to them and Tabitha wants your head on a silver platter, which in my opinion sounds kinda gross, and yeah! Let me stress the fact that they want you dead!"

"Geez, way to sound real nice there, Walter." Brendan slapped his forehead in frustration. "So, we need to get out of here now!"

Wally checked his PokeNav. "Wow, it's late!"

"What?" Brendan got out his Pokedex and checked the time. "Its only ten in the morning, pal."

"No, it's five in the afternoon," Wally stated, checking his PokeNav again.

"It's ten!"

"No, its five," May said, her own PokeNav out and reaffirming Wally. "Your time must be wrong, Brendan."

"So when I thought I was one in the morning earlier, it was eight at night?"

"Something like that."

"Oops," Brendan muttered as he fixed the time on his PokeNav. "Could have told me, Wall Leak!"

"Sorry, Bread Head! I didn't know you couldn't tell time."

"Meh. So, we're missing the last day of the fair? This sucks."

May's eyes widened. "Oh no! We're missing the ball aren't we!"

Brendan nodded slowly. "It should be beginning right now."

May fell to the floor on her knees. "I got the perfect dress! I had an appointment to get my hair done and everything too!" she cried. "This sucks! I wanted to go to the ball!"

Brendan and Wally smiled sympathetically at her.

"It's okay May," Brendan said kindly. "I'll dance with you."

"Me too," Wally said.

May sighed and smiled weakly at them. "Well, at least I get two dances later, even if it's not at the ball, right?"

"Right!" the two boys said in unison.

"Specified mainframe computer found. Delete sensor beam action?" The CPU beeped to get May's attention.

May stood up and walked over to the computer. "Delete the file! Now!"

"Demanding little girl aren't you?"

"Born and raised! Mama didn't raise no chickens"

"Should I resent that?" Flare questioned.

"Nope!" May smiled, typing away.

"Hacking into Magma Mainframe computer at Mt. Chimney." the computer droned on.

"Okay, then let's get out of here then!" Wally exclaimed. "Maybe if we break down a wall, we can fly out of here that way we won't get caught!"

"Will that work?" May asked.

"Searching for Magma Mainframe computer's sensor file..." the CPU stated.

"Maybe. It's possible right?"

"I guess."

"Deleting file. Five percent ... ten percent ... fifteen percent ..."

"Hey you kids!" A group of Team Magma grunts busted through the doors and surrounded the three kids. "We've got you surrounded! So give up your Pokemon and surrender and we won't hurt you!"

"Never!" the three kids chorused together.

The Team Magma Grunts smirked and released their Pokemon. But instead of their regular Numels, Zubats, and Poochyenas were Golbats, Mightyenas, and Camerupts.

"Looks like these grunts have been training," May gulped.

"But they're no match for us!" Brendan said triumphantly, enlarging a Pokeball in his hand. "Go Muddy!"

"Flare!"

"Forty percent ..."

"Muddy, Muddy Shot attack!"

"Flare, Blaze Kick 'em!"

"Fifty percent..."

"What's taking so long?" May cried over the raging battle.

"Fifty-five percent. Deletion is taking longer than thought. Sixty percent ..."

"Muddy, dodge and use Body Slam!"

"Golbat! Wing Attack!"

"Seventy percent ..."

"That chip needs to hurry up!" Wally cried. "I don't want to make Altaria sing again. She gets more tired when she does!"

"Then get ready to fly out of here!" Brendan exclaimed. "We're leaving this joint as soon as soon as that file is deleted!"

"Flare, Fire Punch!"

"Eighty percent ..."

"Mightyena, Crunch them now!"

"No!"

"Ninety percent ..."

"I choose you..."

"Ninety-five percent ..."

"Altari..."

"Ninety-nine percent ..."

"Ah!" Wally threw Altaria's Pokeball in an open space and released her.

"One-hundred percent. File deletion complete. Congratulations, May Maple. You have just lost yourself a hypnotic virus!"

"What?" The Team Magma hollered at once in shock.

"Hurry! Get on!" Wally said, alarmed, reaching out to grab both Brendan and May's arms as Altaria flew by. "Let's get out of here!" he cried as Altaria flew out of the broken down door.

"Flare, return!" May recalled her Pokemon.

"You too, Muddy!" Brendan did the same with his Swampert.

"Get back here!" the Grunts bellowed.

"Yes! Let's go!" Brendan cheered.

"Not without my other Pokemon!" May screeched, scared. "We can't forget about them!"

"Altaria, look for basement number two!" Wally ordered.

Altaria flew as fast as her graceful body could go. The ear-shattering beeping of the Magma alarm pulsed through the trainers' ears, and the crimson light that flashed before their eyes every few seconds blinded them. Altaria turned a sharp corner and the three trainers almost fell off as they clung desperately to Altaria's cloud-like body.

"Basement two," May read on a concrete wall. "We're here you guys!"

Altaria lowered to the ground and May jumped off, running to her Pokemon.

"May!" Skittles mewed happily. "I'm so happy you came!"

"I'm happy to see you too, Skittles, but we need to get you guys out fast! Team Magma is after us!" May cried, alarmed. "Luckily, Team Magma was stupid enough to return your Pokeballs to me!" She got out Skittles' and Thunderbolt's Pokeballs and shot out the red beam to return them. The beam reflected off the bars and hit the wall opposite of the cage instead. "What the?" May said, trying again. The same thing happened.

"The bars must have the same chip in them like the collar Muddy and Flare wore once!" Wally examined. "But that's weird considering the file that controlled the sensor was deleted. Maybe there's secret mirrors in them or something."

"Who cares? Go Muddy, break down the cage using Water Gun!" Brendan released his Pokemon who instantly started shooting water at the steel cages with jets of water; however it didn't work.

"Flamethrower attack, Flare!" May set free her fire type. "Melt down those bars!" Flare shot out blue and white flames from her beak, engulfing the cage in flame. The flames were to no effect. The cage was left without a scratch!

Brendan thought of his past times with Muddy and smirked. "Remember that one fair day when May was 'kidnapped?' Do that again!"

Muddy smirked and told Flare to use Flamethrower on the cage again.

Flare nodded and blew out flames. She quickly stopped and Muddy used Water Gun to cool it down. Flare and Muddy repeated their process until the cage was an ebony black color.

"Now, all we need is a grass Pokemon to use Razor Leaf," Brendan stated. "But we have no grass Pokemon with us!"

Thunderbolt backed up as far as the cell would let him and he sprinted toward the place where Muddy and Flare used Water Gun and Flamethrower on. Luckily, Thunderbolt's head was hard enough to break the rusted down steel caged cell.

"All right, Thunderbolt!" Skittles cheered as she exited the cell. "Your hard-headiness came in handy for once!"

"Gee, thanks." Thunderbolt rolled his eyes.

Skittles kissed his cheek and Thunderbolt blushed a bright crimson color, matching Flare's feathers.

"Aw, ain't that sweet?" Muddy said sarcastically. "I think I'm going to hurl."

"Return!" May returned Skittles and Thunderbolt. "Glad to have you back you guys!" she whispered kindly.

"Two down, three to go!" Brendan cried, running to the cage across the room. "You know what to do Muddy!"

"You too, Flare! Flamethrower!"

Muddy and Flare repeated the process until the cage was charcoal black again. Tai and Cherry were held captive in this cage, and Tai quickly head-butted it, sending pieces of rusted cage flying. May smiled and returned her Pokemon again, whispering kind words to each one.

"Now where's Hydro?" May said to herself.

"May!" Brendan yelled. "Hurry up!"

"What's wrong?" May asked as she rushed to Brendan's side. She gasped in horror and shock. There lay Hydro, on the floor, not caged or celled. His tongue was panting out of his mouth and it looked like he was having trouble breathing. His body looked shriveled up and his normal, healthy blue looking scales were turning a ghostly white. "Hydro!" she cried, a few tears coming out her eyes. "He's not-"

"Dead?" Brendan finished for her. "Nah... Muddy! Water Gun Hydro now!" he commanded.

Muddy shot a jet of cool ice water at Hydro, covering his entire body. Hydro opened his eyes and gave them a grateful look.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you, Hydro," May apologized sadly. "Return!" She recalled her Pokemon. "How terrible! Leaving a water Pokemon out of water for so long!"

Wally backed up to Brendan and May, his eyes wide, his mouth opened.

"Dude, what's wrong with you?" Brendan asked.

Wally raised a shaky finger and pointed where the so called terror was. May and Brendan rose their eyes from their regular position and glared coldly at the sight before them. Twenty - no, maybe even forty Team Magma Members were in front of them, Mightyenas, Golbats, and other Fire types out and about.

The three trainer gulped as Altaria slowly flew to the trainers. They looked at each other with their eyes and crept slowly toward Altaria to not alarm the Magma crew.

"Attack!" they all cried at once as the three trainer hopped on Altaria.

"Return!" Brendan and May chorused, returning Muddy and Flare to their Pokeballs again.

Altaria flew over the heads of the Team Magma Grunts, dodging Poison Sting attacks, Flamethrowers and Sandstorms, the angry roars of Mightyenas howling though their ears.

"Fly like you never flew before, Altaria!" Wally ordered.

Brendan, May, and Wally sped out of basement two. Luckily the hideout's exit was just up ahead. With a quick peek behind her, Altaria saw that angry Charizards were flying behind her, blasting Flamethrower at her with tremendous power. May released Tai and Thunderbolt (who rode on Tai's back) and ordered for a Thunder attack. Thunderbolt crackled with pure electricity and blasted the Charizards with enormous electric power. The Charizards howled in pain. Thunderbolt, unfortunately, also hit one of the main machines that held the entire hideout together. The machine began to smoke and shake violently.

"Let's get out of here!" a Team Magma Grunt shouted, returning his Pokemon.

"It's going to blow!" May yelled over the sirens and electric crackling.

Altaria and Tai flew swiftly out of the hideout just before it blew up. It engulfed in flames and perished, never to be seen again.

The sweet smell of wind was brought to the three trainers' noses as the smelled the night air. The full moon looked like a sign of tranquility in their eyes that night. Altaria flew elegantly in the night time air as Tai flew ahead with Thunderbolt still on his back, vanishing into clouds than emerging from no where.

May sighed and looked behind her. The red-orange flames was a bright beacon in the dark ocean. It warmed her heart, knowing that it was over.

Or was it?

May shook the pessimistic thought out of her head and smiled, looking at the night stars and the twinkling lights of different cities.

"Hey May?"

"Yeah, Brendan?"

"It's only six."

"So?"

"So are you still up for that dance?"

May smiled and was about to answer when a jet of fire blasted between their heads. She screamed and turned her head. It was Maxie riding a Charizard.

"Guess what, kiddies? I'm back!" Maxie laughed insanely and ordered Charizard to use another Flamethrower.

"Dodge it Altaria and use Twister!" Wally took action immediately.

Altaria turned around for a few seconds and conjured a tornado out of thin air. Charizard was thrown back a bit but he shot out of it quickly and shot a Flamethrower again.

"Return Thunderbolt!" May recalled her Pokemon. "Tai, Wing Attack!" she commanded.

Tai flew behind Altaira and slapped Charizard across the face with one of his wings. Charizard roared angrily and tried to bite Tai with his fangs but luckily Tai evaded it with his speed.

"Tai! Aerial Ace!" May ordered.

Tai became a blur of red and blue feather as his beak and claws slashed across Charizard's face without it even knowing it. Charizard blinked twice and finally felt the unbearable pain a few seconds later.

"Enough of his child's play, Charizard! Fire Blast!" Maxie ordered angrily.

Charizard released one of the strongest fire attacks in the Pokemon World. The blast of fire took a star like shape and smacked Tai right across the face. Tai didn't cry out but he fainted all the same.

"Tai return!" May recalled her Pokemon. "Ugh," she cursed to herself. "There's more of that attack from where it came from!"

"Well, that's a mouthful," Brendan murmured.

May held Brendan's face and pointed it at the remaining flames coming straight toward them. "No time to be funny! Look!"

The strong jets of fire hit Altaria from the behind as she closed her eyes and began to lose her altitude.

"Altaria, no!" Wally cried, trying to wake up his Pokemon.

"It's no use! We're going down!" Brendan shouted. "Hang on tight everyone!"

"We're going to hit some building in Mauville!" Wally stated worriedly. "So knowing how strong their building are, I give you warning ... DUCK!"

All three trainers clung onto Altaria's cloud-like body, their eyes closed tightly, their bodies tense. May opened her eyes a peek and saw that they were going to hit the main building in Mauville. As she closed her eyes again she felt a body cover her, to keep her safe. She smiled and really hoped that the boy covering her was really-

- - -

"Brendan!" May screamed as the three trainers landed roughly where the fair's formal ball was being held. "Speak to me, Brendan!" she yelled in his ears as she put his head in her lap, tears forming in her eyes. "Brendan ..."

The people - all wearing tuxedos or formal dresses - were in shock as they held onto their wine glasses and dinner plates as to keep them safe. Their eyes were wide and their mouths were gaping, shocked by the surprise landing.

Wally, still dizzy, looked at them and glared coldly. "What are you guys staring at?!" he yelled, making the other trainers back up in surprise, "Someone get a doctor!"

Maxie landed on the top of the roof, his eyes casting down toward the three trainers. "You guys never stood a chance," he spat, smirking. "No one prevails over Team Magma. And for quitting Team Magma, Brendan Birch, you pay with your life!"

"He is not dead!" May screamed, looking up at Maxie with her tear-strung face. "He's still alive!"

"For now anyway."

It was true as May felt Brendan's pulse. The pulse was very weak and faint.

"Instead of letting him suffer like that, I'll finish him off!" Maxie smirked, an evil glint in his eye. "Say bye-bye to your boyfriend! Charizard, Flamethrower!"

"Use Psychic and shoot the attack back at 'em Gardevoir!" Wally got Gardevoir's Pokeball from Professor Birch.

Gardevoir appeared in a blaze of white light and automatically glowed purple. She sent the purple light towards the Flamethrower and sent it flying towards Charizard instead. The attack burnt Charizard as he howled in annoyance.

"I'll take care of Maxie," Wally said quietly but loudly enough for May to hear. "And you take care of Brendan."

May nodded, blinking back tears. She turned her full attention toward Brendan, her eyes stinging with freshly produced tears. "C'mon B Boy," she cried. "You have to live! You have a whole life ahead of you! Heck, we're not even done with the Hoenn League yet! So you have to live ... for everyone else! Your mom so she can remind you to change your underwear and I can laugh about it. Your dad so he can get more information on Pokemon. For aspiring trainers who want to be just like you. For older, more wiser trainers who want to battle you to learn a thing or two. For Wally so he can someone to argue with. And for me ... because I don't have anyone else who cares that deeply for me! So you have to live, Brendan Birch! You have so many more reasons than what I just said! You have to live!" Her voice rung throughout the building, silencing the crowds, even Maxie who was laughing evilly at the moment. "Please," she finished. "Please..."

Brendan wrinkled his nose for a minute and his eyes slowly opened. The first thing he saw was May. "You sure are pretty," Brendan said absentmindedly. His eyes widened and he sat up. "Did... did I just say that?"

May nodded slowly, tears still in her eyes. A weak smile came to her face as she hugged him. "Don't ever scare me like that again, Brendan Birch!" she scolded, tears pouring out of her eyes for the third time that night. "I thought you were ... I thought you were-"

"Dead?" Brendan chuckled as he hugged May back. "Trust me, May. It takes a lot more than me crashing through a building in a middle of a Pokemon battle with one of the most wanted fugitives in the world for me to be dead!"

"Brendan," May sighed happily, reluctantly letting go. "You scared me so much back there."

"You never need to be scared for me."

Wally interrupted the peaceful moment as he skidded back, falling onto his behind. "Ah, Brendan! You're awake!" he noticed. "Good job!"

"With what?" Brendan asked.

Wally paused. "Um ... I don't knw. It just sounded like the right moment to say it. Now excuse me. I have a Team Magma Leader to take-" Wally looked up and noticed the Maxie and Charizard were gone. "Where did they go? They just ... disappeared."

"Well it looks like we won't be arresting anyone tonight." Brendan sighed/ "But hey! At least we have our health!"

"What a corny speech to say when you lose!" Wally shook his head, disappointed. "I've heard better from a baby, Brandon!"

"Oh yeah! Let's see you try, Wallace!"

May shook her head. "Some things never change." She smiled all the same.

Someone began to clap slowly, and soon other followed. The room was filled with applause as Brendan, May, and Wally stood up, blinking in confusion. People cheered, people clapped, and people screamed. The entire world was clapping for three trainers.

"It's called applause, Wallace, since I know you've never heard of it."

"Shut up, Brendan."

The group of trainers in formal clothing surrounded the three that were in casual, dirty clothing.

"Brendan Birch! I told you not to get your clothes dirty!" Mrs. Birch came to the front of the crowd and playfully scolded Brendan.

"Mom," Brendan complained.

"I'm proud of you, honey."

"Brendan!" Professor Birch came running up in his tux and gave Brendan a noogie. "Good job! My assistant heard that you destroy the Team Magma hideout!"

Brendan nodded as he smiled nervously at a group of girls who were sighing and staring at him, batting their eyelashes.

"Come everyone!" Norman shouted. "These trainers need a break from their travels! Let them relax and have fun tonight for they deserve it." He raised his wine glass. "To Brendan, May, and Wally!"

The other trainers raised their glasses and clinked them with someone else.

Brendan and May tried to brush the dirt off their clothes to look more appropriate since they didn't have time to go home and change as Wally tried to clean up the debris that their crash landing created.

"Hey May? Can I talk to you alone for a minute?" Brendan asked as the other trainers began to talk amongst themselves again.

"Um ... sure," May answered as Brendan led her outside of the building.

Brendan closed the door behind May. He sighed and sat at the edge of a water fountain. May sat beside him and looked at him questioningly. Seeing as Brendan was having trouble getting out what he had on his mind, she looked up and stared at the full moon, her eyes sparkling. The splashing of water and the moonlight made May feel as if she were special place .. as if she were special herself.

"May?"

This caught May's attention as she looked down and into Brendan's eyes. "Yeah Brendan?"

"You're my best friend." he said simply. "And you always will be, right?"

"Yeah. Is that what you wanted to tell me?"

"Well, no." Brendan looked up at the sky and heaved a sigh. "Did you ever want it to be ... more?"

"More? What do you mean?"

"More ... as in more than best friends?"

May bit her lip. "I don't know-" she looked into Brendan's disappointed ruby-red eyes, "-how to explain it," she finished. "But maybe this will." Gathering up her courage, she licked her lips, closed her eyes and kissed Brendan's lips. Blushing and looking down at the ground, she said quietly. "Does that explain it?"

Brendan blinked in surprise. He touched his lips with two fingers. "It explains a lot." he said. "A lot ..." And with that, he reached out and grabbed May's face and kissed her deeply, putting his emotion in that one simple kiss.

May's eyes widened in shock but she kissed back passionately. A kiss under the moonlight ...

Brendan let go and smiled at May, who smiled back in return. He got on one knee and held May's hand. "May I?"

"You're so corny, Brendan Birch, but yes, you may." May laughed as Brendan stood up, still holding her hand. The two held each other closely and danced, the rhythm of their hearts as their music.

Brendan looked into May's sapphire eyes. They were twinkling with utmost joy. He couldn't believe he gave her this much joy in less than ten minutes. He smiled warmly, his arms tightly around May's waist as to never let her go.

- - -

"Are you sure you two have to go so soon?" Mrs. Birch asked. "It seems as if you just got here!"

"We're sorry, Mrs. Birch," May apologized. "But Brendan and I have spent too much time in one town. We still need two more badges to go before we can enter the Hoenn League!"

"But it's only been a week!" Mrs. Maple cried.

May giggled. "A week for others, but a lifetime in trainer days!"

"She's right!" Brendan smirked. "No trainer is suppose to stay in one town for a week!"

"Brad, look! Its Brendan Birch! He defeated Team Magma again!" A little girl tugged on another little boy's sleeve.

"Where Amy, where?!" Brad exclaimed, looking frantically for his 'hero.' "I need his autograph!"

Amy dragged Brad to Brendan where he kneeled down to their height and signed a piece of paper they asked him to autograph for them.

"Uh, May?" Wally said nervously. "Can I speak you alone?"

"Sure, Wally," May answered, smiling.

Wally led May to the entrance of his house. "Look, before you left I just wanted to let you know that I-" Wally looked over May's shoulder and saw Brendan smiling as he quickly retold his tale of defeating Team Magma to the two kids. "That I-"

"That you what?"

Wally looked at May, and then back to Brendan. He smiled. "Uh, never mind. I just wanted to tell you that no matter how hard things get, you still have me - your friend - behind you one-hundred and twenty percent!"

"Aw, thanks!" May smiled warmly, embracing Wally in a warm hug. "It's good to know I have someone to fall back on."

"Yeah." Wally sighed, thinking, You better take good care of her Brendan Birch, 'cause if you don't, big brother Wally is coming to kick you butt!

Wally and May walked back over to Brendan and the two kids.

"Ooh, May and Wally! Can we get your autograph too?" the two kids cried in unison.

"Sure!" May and Wally said in unison as they too kneeled down and signed the paper.

"Thanks!" Brad and Amy said in unison as they trotted off back to their house in Verandturf Town.

"Well, this is it!" Brendan said as they got up.

"We're going now!" May added.

"Bye hun!" Mrs. Birch waved them off as Brendan and May walked away. "Don't forget to change your-"

"Don't worry, mom! I won't!"

"Call me sometimes, May!" Mrs. Maple added.

"If your hurt her," Wally muttered to Brendan, "you better watch out!"

May and Brendan reached Mauville City, all the tents down and trash and litter everywhere.

"Hurt who?" May asked.

Brendan smiled. "Nothing. It's a guy thing." He held out his hand.

May looked at it and smiled as she laced her fingers with his. "So are we a couple now?"

"I don't know, actually. Are we?"

May smiled a pearly white smile. "No, not just yet." She looked straight ahead. "We're just closer than before."

"Good, 'cause that's what I was thinking too."

And with new found hope in their hearts and spirits, Brendan and May continue their journey to become Pokemon Master.

But wait.

What happened to Maxie?

- - -

The autumn sky illuminated her angelic-like face, giving her a glow that no one but her could muster. Her deep sapphire eyes twinkled in the sunlight, the wind gently playing with her shoulder length chestnut hair. The soft, gentle, rustling of leaves gave her the feeling of calmness, serenity. Her hand was entwined with his as she gave it a little squeeze. Their faces came closer and closer together ...

But they stopped midway as the sun began to set beautifully over the hills ...

The sun peaked over the rolling green hills of Veranturf town as the boy slipped his hand into her's, a comforting and relaxing smile on his face. She planted a very chaste kiss on his cheek, yet the boy felt like it was special, unique, just for him. The girl smiled warmly, her hair being teased by the northwestern zephyrs, giving her the scent of sweet grass to go with her smell of jasmine. A lingering smirk was held in the young girl's eye as she pushed the boy over and then ...

Tickled him! But as the sun began to set ...

The sun beat down on the boy and girl, beads of sweat forming onto his and her forehead. The hot wind blew against the boy's cheek as he looked at the love of his life gently graze the wooden floor of the porch with her thumb. She was staring into the nothingness, watching people come and people go. He frowned for a moment, reaching out for his water bottle to parch his throat, but there was no need, for as soon as the boy lifted the water to his lips, a small jet of water came rushing at him. He heard the girl giggle playfully, using her own water bottle to squirt the young boy trainer's head. He laughed at this and squirted the girl too, running away. The world became his and his girl's own place to play in. The girl jumped onto the boy's back as he spun her around, not noticing the dark, looming, gray clouds above them. All they knew was that they were dancing in the rain ...

The rain dance soon had to end for they had to go in. It was night time now by the time they entered the house, soaked to the bone but warm smiles planted on his and her face. Hours later, the boy and the girl finally fell asleep. But in the middle of the night ...

The boy stumbled around in the dark, groping for the switch to the lamp. He heard quiet sobs coming from the other half of the room. His heart was in the grasp of fear. He tripped over his two left feet but fortunately found the lamp. With a small click, the light flickered on, giving the boy minimal comfort. He turned around and saw his girl crying softly on the floor, tears running down her rosy cheeks. He looked worried as he crossed the room, having no clue why the girl was crying. Silently, he kneeled down to the girl's position, took one of her hands, and wiped a single tear away. The boy never knew why she cried in the middle of the night, but he was glad he was the one that made them stop ...

The next morning, the girl was gone! The boy, alarmed, quickly threw on his daytime clothes and ran out the door. He ran to the forest as the girl was quite fond of the forest when dew was dropping off the leaves and the forest smelled so good ...

His eyes darted back and forth, searching, hunting for the one he sought out. He raised an eyebrow, confused by the predicament he was in. It was like he was in a world filled with nothingness. A crackle of leaves and a small gust of wind from behind him caught his attention. He turned around swiftly, but no one was there. Frustrated, he kicked a nearby rock, his eyebrows scrunching up. Yet another sound was heard but this time something pounced on him, covering his eyes. He stumbled around a bit, trying to get the pair of hands off. The hands felt soft and smooth; he recognized those hands. He groaned inwardly as he got the familiar hands off of his face. The girl's eyes has a mischievous sparkle in them as they met his own orbs. He laughed out a bit and carried the girl back to town on his back. All of this just for a piggyback ride ...

The boy raced into town, the girl giggling happily upon his back. A quiet shadow passed by, and the boy's vision began to obscure ...

He held on to his head. That menacing, insane laughter throbbed throughout it. He fell on this knees. It felt like his eyes turned blood-shot red. That haunting, high-keyed voice, shattering his very soul; his body. He trembled and but his lip; he didn't know why he felt this way. A cool, soft hand touched his forehead ever so delicately. He looked up and peered into dark blue orbs of happiness, worry, hope, and fear. The girl smiled weakly, reaching out for his hand to comfort him and herself as well. He heard nothing else but the gentle exhales coming from his beloved. He felt nothing else but the warmth in his hand. He saw nothing else but her eyes, the windows of her soul...

The girl stood up and offered the boy her hand who gladly took it. He led her to a pit of wild flowers ...

In a field of white flowers, the boy and the girl lay on their backs, staring at the fluffy white clouds above them as they daydreamed about life, love and - suddenly, dark, looming clouds overshadowed them. A splatter of water hit the boy in the forehead as the boy and girl quickly got up and ran towards a shaded tree. The rain came down more furiously and the wind howled. The boy glanced at the girl with fearful eyes as she clung to him; he knew something was coming up that would change their lives forever...

The girl murmured something and disappeared into the shadows without the boy even noticing. The boy stood there, gaping at the sudden downpour of rain ...

The rain poured, the sky roared, and lightning bolts flashed. There was a storm brewing, and the boy and the girl were caught in the middle of it. The boy sighed deeply. A lightening bolt shot down a tree twenty yards away from them, causing the whole world below their feet to vibrate violently, sparking the tree into a bright inferno. The red-orange fire sent a pang of worry through the boy's stomach. He turned to face the girl, but there was no girl there. Like that flash of lightning, she was there a minute ago but disappeared faster than a blink of an eye. And like the fire, it sent the boy one of the worst feeling in the world: worry.

Seconds passed, and then minutes, but it seemed to be a lifetime for the boy without the girl by his side ...

The boy heard his name. But not just anyone saying his name. It was the girl.

"Brendan Birch! I've been looking all over for you!" the girl scolded, jumping into his arms playfully. "I told you I went back to look for better shelter, but no! You just had to go and leave me."

"I'm sorry, May. I thought you left me."

"Silly Brendan! You know I wouldn't leave you through good times and bad. And besides the fact that I kind of need you there when I tell my parents that we're getting married!"

The boy smiled and carried her to the city, the light welcoming to him. Getting married. Sounds nice. Sounds perfect.

Just like her.