A/N: Again, I have to apologize for my long absence. A lot of other stuff got in the way. I hope I get some of your feedback. I worked really hard on this chapter.

I do not own Pokemon. But I do own this story.

Chapter 13: The Plunge

"Hmph."

Raolin stood there, his gaze never wavering from May. His appearance had changed drastically: His blue hair was a mess, his coat was caked in mud, and his blue shirt wrinkled. Over his eyes he wore a new feature: A dark pair of sunglasses. Despite them, however, a cold, deadly gleam shone visibly in his eyes. This was no look of pride or arrogance, but one of pure bloodlust.

May tried her hardest not to gasp at him. Her last memory of him had him looking rather impressive. Now, he looked like he had crawled out of some kind of no-man's land. His posture was aggressive: To May, it looked like a predator ready to go in for a kill. She cringed away, and looked at Ash. His gaze was on Raolin, a powerful anger burning in his eyes. His fists were clenched.

"So you're Raolin." He said. Raolin took his eyes off of May and gazed at the young trainer. His posture shifted slightly.

"Has little red told you of me? I see..." Raolin's voice grated unnaturally. "So, you are her friends. As weak and unskilled as she was, I simply thought..." his gaze found its way back to May, who put on a determined look. "I simply thought that any friends would have abandoned her."

Ash and Pikachu both let out feral growls, with Buneary holding Pikachu's paw as his cheeks crackled dangerously. Dawn, though intimidated by what she saw, clenched her own fist. Brock and Drew both crossed their arms and stared at Raolin with quiet intensity. May shook her head defiantly, but chose to change the subject.

"Why are you here?" she demanded, voice nearly at a shout. "Are you after me?"

Raolin threw his head back and laughed. The sound was bone chilling; his voice echoed within itself unnaturally. May and Ash both blinked.

"Why I am here," he replied, grinning. "Is none of your...concern, little red. But you can rest assured..." he leaned in uncomfortably close. "I did not come for you."

May's eyes set at this statement. "Well then.." she said. "I was getting ready to look for you."

"Really?" Raolin replied, amused. "And what makes you think I would possibly have anything to do with you? I have no dealings with the weak."

"I want to challenge you again!" She shouted. "I-I'm going to prove to you that I'm not weak!" She brought her hand up, much like Ash would.

"Hmph. And what makes you think things will change?" Raolin smirked. "I destroyed your little Eevee. Completely. What makes you think it will be any different now?"

May started to say something, but Raolin interrupted.

"You are broken, beaten, and pathetic. You are trash amongst the garbage pile. These little 'friends' of yours will not change that. Not now, not ever. Your little Eevee barely survived. Never...will that thing beat me."

"Stop." Ash interrupted and stepped forward to stand next to May. Pikachu did likewise, with Buneary following, holding on to his tail. May looked at Ash.

"I'm not going to stand there and let you talk down to May like that." He said, wroth. He turned to May. "She deserves to be treated a lot better. You talk..." Ash's body shook with boiling anger. "You talk like she isn't even human!" Pikachu muttered under his breath dangerously, sparks crackling. Buneary looked at Pikachu, somewhat startled, then looked at Raolin.

May went beet red. Ash was always one to defend his friends, but she was still more than appreciative.

"Humansss..." Raolin's voice scratched like granite, breaking May's pleasant train of thought. His eyes seemed to flash behind his sunglasses. He coughed and tossed his head, looking up. "If you want to battle, and get destroyed again, then we do it soon. The clouds are gathering."

Everyone looked up. Sure enough, they saw clouds beginning to build into more threatening sizes and colors. The sun was blocked out by one of them, and the speed at which they were gathering promised rain. Raolin chuckled with wicked amusement.

"Let's get started then."

A few moments later, they came to the area where May had been training. Taking their respective sides, the two readied their Pokeballs. In the middle between them, Brock stood, having agreed to referee the battle. Brock shook his head; Raolin wasn't likely to pay attention to him anyways. His eyes wandered. As he looked to the bushes on the far end, he saw a slightly bent figure watching from the trees. Hmm...

"Well, little red?" Raolin mocked. "You ready to add another to the body count?"

"We'll see whose body gets counted!" May retorted. "Blaziken, it's time! Let's show him that we aren't weak!" She tossed her ball, and Blaziken burst forth, entire body ablaze. Not only was Blaziken trying to prove how strong he was, he felt May's anger and with it, so burned his own. Blaziken readied itself for battle and taunted his adversary with a gesture. Raolin burst out in unnatural laughter.

"So, the beaten bitch actually has some teeth to flash?" He scoffed at her. "We'll just see if they have any bite."

May flinched at the insult. Ash's fists clenched so tightly he drew blood. He growled an inhuman, feral growl and took a step forward with one of his bloody hands raised. Dawn and Drew both latched themselves onto his arms to restrain him. He shouted at Raolin, the majority of his words jumbled and incoherent. Never had he been this angry. Never.

"May!" he screamed. "Beat this guy senseless!"

May nodded at him, and tried to clear her mind of the insult.

"Well, Raolin?" She asked. "Are you going to stand there all day like an old Bellsprout or are you going to battle me?" Blaziken's wrists intensified.

Raolin made no reply. He grabbed his blue and black Pokeball and tossed it.

"Blaziken, let's chop down this dead sapling and burn it."

Raolin's Blaziken exploded into being with a dull noise. When it landed, it looked feverishly at May's Blaziken. Raolin's Blaziken had ruffled feathers and sunken eyes, yet still held that same deadly battle stance it used against Eevee. May gulped. She wasn't sure if she should pity his Blaziken or be scared of it. She shook herself back into focus, and pointed at his Blaziken.

"Blaziken! Open up with a Blaze Kick!"

The burning fire that engulfed May's Blaziken concentrated at his foot as he leapt nimbly into the air, flaming foot extended. Raolin stared intently, his intentions unclear on his face.

"Blaziken...Sky Uppercut."

May gasped as she realized that she had already made a mistake. His Blaziken's arm began to glow sinisterly as he weaved below her Blaziken, who had inadvertently let part of his guard down. When Raolin's Blaziken came beneath May's, he shot up like a cannon, connecting on her Blaziken's stomach. Her Blaziken was launched into the air. Praying that her Blaziken was alright, she saw an opportunity.

"Blaziken! Use the momentum and go into a spin!"

Her Blaziken backflipped in midair and began to spin faster as it began to descend.

"Now Blaziken, while spinning...Flamethrower!"

Raolin twitched as fire began to pour out of her Blaziken's spinning form in an elegant spiral. The flames were wide reaching, and slammed into his Blaziken with near concussive force. May looked at Ash and winked. I learned that from watching you improvise battles, Ash. Ash blushed slightly and scratched his head.

Raolin clapped loudly, but clearly unimpressed.

"Well played, little red. This fight might actually require some effort after all."

May frowned.

"Blaziken...let's stop playing around with these two. Show them your speed."

His Blaziken quickly leapt to his feet and began to burn intensely. Without warning, it seemed to vanish.

"Fire Punch."

His Blaziken was in front of Her Blaziken in an instant, a fierce, fiery punch connecting on the face. May gasped. So...fast!

"Double Kick."

His Blaziken was now behind hers. Connecting hard, the kicks sent her Blaziken to crash in a heap next to May. Gasping, May kneeled next to her Blaziken.

"Blaziken...you're strong. Stand up...please."

Her Blaziken stirred and stood back up. Everyone sighed in relief. Raolin looked at her scornfully.

"No mercy, Blaziken."

May shook her head. "Oh no you don't!" she shouted. "Blaziken...Flamethrower!"

Her Blaziken gushed a terrific red fire from its mouth, nearly covering the entire area. The fire was intense, and hot, causing those not a part of the battle to wipe their heads of sweat. Buneary too, panted and wiped some sweat from her head. Pikachu began to cheer for Blaziken.

"Now Blaziken...Blaze Kick through the fire!"

Her Blaziken leapt through the flames with a foot extended. Raolin, unable to make of what was happening, stood there, unable to give a command to his Blaziken. May's blaziken burst through the wall of fire, its entire body wreathed in red heat. The kick connected with a blazing shockwave pulsing from the impact, nearly knocking everyone over. When they recovered, they saw that his Blaziken had blocked the ferocious kick, but was now on its knees.

"Blaziken! Sky Uppercut!"

Her Blaziken leapt a few feet away, arm powering up. Rushing forward with as much speed as it could muster, it connected hard with a vicious blow in the chest. His Blaziken was knocked several feet away and curled up in a painful heap.

"You will...not lose, Blaziken. Get up NOW!" Raolin screamed inhumanly.

His Blaziken stood up again painfully, but readied itself into another deadly battle stance.

"Hit her Blaziken as hard as you can! Fire Punch!" Raolin's voice hissed unnaturally. His eyes, gleaming behind his sunglasses, began to gleam a hazy purple. His Blaziken's arm powered up a blazing red fire, and with seemingly unnatural speed, His Blaziken struck out. Her Blaziken attempted to shield itself with his arms, and managed to stave off the blow.

May shouted. "Double Kick, Blaziken!"

Her Blaziken shifted its weight and then went into a spinning back kick. His Blaziken blocked it, and the two were soon trading blows. Claws, punches, and kicks all flew out in rapid succession, and all powered by fire.

May was dumbfounded. Her Blaziken was giving all it had, and she was trying her very best to be strong. But his Blaziken just wouldn't go down. She was out of ideas now. Raolin looked livid. He also didn't seem to be giving commands. He was merely glowering at her fiercely. Then, an evil smile came across his face.

"Blaziken...Get behind it and Blaze Kick!"

His Blaziken vanished. In an instant he was behind her Blaziken, and hit a powerful, flaming kick. Her Blaziken lost his balance and crumpled on the ground. May gasped. "Blaziken!"

"Now...pin it down, and hit a Fire Punch!"

Crouching over her Blaziken's stomach, his Blaziken punched fiercely in the face.

"More."

Another punch.

"More!"

Another punch.

"MORE!"

With each cry of more, Raolin's voice grew bestial. And with each punch, her Blaziken cried out in pain.

"NO!" May cried desperately. "No...not again. Blaziken is...Please...no more!"

Raolin did not relent. He kept calling for more.

"Stop the battle!" May cried frantically. "Please...Stop it!"

Brock called out. "The Match is over! Raolin, you've won!"

His Blaziken finally stopped and leapt near to Raolin. May, eyes pouring, ran and crouched her body over the fallen Blaziken. What she saw horrified her. Her Blaziken was covered in terrible burns and scratches. The punches had been unending, and her Blaziken was badly broken and burned.

No...

Ash took a step towards her. Raolin glowered at his fallen opponent.

"Blassst Burnnn..." He ordered, his voice drawling and hissing.

"No!" Ash screamed, as he began to run towards her. Everyone followed and stepped in front of May.

"Blaze!" His Blaziken resisted. This was too much.

"Finish them off!"

His Blaziken seemed to adamantly refuse.

"Damn it, Blaziken, I am your TRAINER!" Raolin screamed. "Your MASTER. Now...DO AS I SAY! PURGE THE WEAK!"

As he screamed, his eyes began to glow a bright purple. His Blaziken fell to its knees and held its head. It opened its eyes, and a purple light shone in them dangerously.

"That's enough, boy."

There was a flash of light. An old man stood between his Blaziken and the group. Next to him, was an Abra. Brock blinked. This was the man he had seen in the bushes.

Raolin fell to his knees.

"You..." he said.

"Yes, me, boy." the old man replied.

"Get...out...of...my...way." Raolin said.

The old man shook his head.

"What's gotten into you, boy? I raised you since your father left you with me. You were always a rebel, but you were never wicked...or evil."

Raolin spasmed.

"Girl..." he said. "You get to keep your life today."

Raolin recalled his Blaziken and made a mad dash away from the scene.

Everyone turned around to May and her Blaziken.

Both of them were gone.

At the Petalburg Gym, a loud noise tore through the air.

"Norman! Get in here quick!" A woman's voice yelled.

"What's wrong? What's the matter, Caroline?" Norman, the gym leader, ran into the room she was in.

"something's wrong with Eevee!"

On the table, there was Eevee. It was screaming, crying. Suddenly, the creature hopped off the table and ran out of the room, crying as it went.