Hi! Sorry it took so long to update… again. But I've been blocked. I've gotten over that now, hopefully. And I've also had to deal with the stress of writing two stories at the same time. So, I've decided to alternate between writing one chapter of this story and one chapter of Light of Alola. Anyway, here's the next chapter.

Chapter 19

Team Rocket HQ. Night.

"Blaziken!" May shouted. "Use Blaze Kick!"

Blaziken kicked up its right leg which began to wreathe itself in flame. Its leg soon kicked the nearby Weezing.

Clemont pointed to a Houndoom. "Bunnelby, use Mud Shot."

A golden sphere began to form between Bunnelby's ears. Then the sphere split itself into several balls of mud. The balls collided with Houndoom, knocking it unconscious.

"How long can we keep this up?" Dawn asked as her Mamoswine knocked out a Muk with Ancient Power.

"As long as we need to!" Iris said.

"I just hope Ash and Misty are having better luck!" Gary said.

He then pointed to another Raticate. "Blastoise, Hydro Pump!"

Two powerful jets of water came out of the cannons in Blastoise's shell, which then collided with Raticate.

Meanwhile, with Ash and Misty.

"Where are we?!" Misty asked as she ran close beside Ash.

"I don't know!" Ash responded. Indeed, it seemed that they were hardly getting anywhere. They had been running for fifteen minutes. And in that time, they had found no sign of Pikachu or Serena.

But then Misty heard something.

"Pika!"

"Did you hear that?"

"Pi!" the mouse-like voice cried out in pain.

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted, running off in the direction the voice came from.

"Ash, wait up!" Misty exclaimed.

As they got closer, Ash could hear Pikachu's cries growing louder, along with another voice.

"Stop, please!" Serena's voice could be heard.

"Serena!" Ash cried.

Soon enough, they came to an open door. And what they saw inside shocked them.

Serena was struggling against the massive arms of a Machamp. The stone from the museum was on a pedestal. And it glowed like an ember in a fireplace. Pikachu was trapped in the middle of four cylinders that emitted dark red light. And from what Ash and Misty could tell, the Pokémon was in intense pain.

"Serena!" Ash exclaimed. "Pikachu!"

"Ash!" Serena cried out as Machamp tightened its grip on her.

"PikaPi!" Pikachu shouted through its agony.

Giovanni, who had been facing the stone the whole time, finally took note of what was transpiring behind him. He turned around to face Ash and Misty.

"You!" he exclaimed in recognition upon seeing Ash, who he had last met in the Unova region a year ago.

"Let them go!" Ash said, furiously.

But Giovanni just scoffed.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. That Pikachu is necessary to my plans. As soon as the stone is hit with an attack from it, Ho-oh will be mine."

"What about Serena?!" Misty asked.

Giovanni turned toward Machamp and by extension, the girl it was holding captive.

"As for her, I can't let her leave this base alive. She has seen too much. And for that matter, so have you. I assure you it's nothing personal."

"That still doesn't give you the right to do this!" Ash exploded.

"On the contrary, I have every right. Ho-Oh, like all Pokémon, exists to be controlled humans. And if I can control it, the world will kneel at my feet."

"We won't let that happen!" Misty said, sharply.

"You don't have much choice in the matter," Giovanni replied snapping his fingers. At the sound, Persian leaped to his right side. Then he took out a pokéball. Throwing it, the ball released a large, brownish-gray Pokémon with two horns on its head and orange, rocky plates covering its entire body.

"Persian, Rhyperior," he said smoothly. "Entertain our guests."

In response to the threat, Ash threw a pokéball.

"Greninja, I choose you!" he said, releasing the froglike ninja Pokémon.

Misty imitated his action. "Staryu, help Greninja!"

Staryu landed beside Greninja from its pokéball.

Giovanni pointed to Greninja. "Rhyperior, use Megahorn."

Rhyperior's horn began to glow green and it extended. It then began to charge toward Greninja.

But Ash reacted faster. "Greninja, use Double Team!"

Greninja's body began to glow white, then in an instant multiple copies of it appeared. Rhyperior stopped in its tracks, now confused.

"My turn!" Misty broke in. "Staryu, use Rapid Spin!"

Staryu jumped up and began to spin in a manner similar to a saw blade. Before anyone could blink it collided with Rhyperior, dazing it momentarily.

Giovanni merely smirked. "You'll have to do better than that."

Meanwhile, with Dr. Blanchard.

"Use Dynamic Punch!" Dr. Blanchard commanded Poliwrath.

Poliwrath's right fist began to glow red. Then it jumped up in the air.

As it landed, it connected its fist with Absol, knocking it unconscious.

Beth scowled and recalled the Dark-type.

"Somehow I'm not surprised," she said. "That Absol was always my second weakest Pokémon. Next to Luvdisc, that is."

"It's always about strength with you, isn't it?" Dr. Blanchard asked.

"What's your point?" Beth inquired.

"My point is Pokémon are only as strong as the trainer."

Beth narrowed her eyes, furious. "Are you saying, I'm weak?!"

"Think about it. I know what you did in Pallet Town. If you have to win just by kidnapping an innocent girl, then I say you're weaker than the Trainer you defeated."

Beth's grimace only grew. "If you're talking about that kid who was just here, I think you have a different definition of weak than I do."

"Ash could have easily defeated you, but he chose Serena's safety over anything else. In my book, that makes him a stronger trainer than you'll ever be."

"My Pokémon are strong," Beth said.

"Because they're afraid of you!" Dr. Blanchard countered.

"Why else do you think Froslass didn't kill me? It didn't want to."

"Well that doesn't matter now," Beth said, coldly as she took out her next pokéball.

"I'll just make sure it finishes the job."

She threw the pokéball, releasing Froslass.

"By the way, you've lost your advantage. Froslass is a Ghost-type. So, it's immune to Fighting-type moves. The same can't be said for your Pokémon, though."

Then she cracked her whip. "Froslass, use Shadow Ball."

Forming the orb of black energy, Froslass fired it at Poliwrath, who was then knock unconscious.

"Poliwrath, return," Dr. Blanchard said, recalling it. Taking out his next pokéball, he threw it in front of Froslass.

"Go, Magmar!" he shouted.

The Fire-type materialized in front of him.

Beth however, only chuckled. "Is that supposed to scare me?"

Cracking her whip yet again, she gave Froslass its next command.

"Use Ice Shard!"

As Froslass spun, many blue ice spheres darted from its body. But Dr. Blanchard just pointed at it.

"Counter with Flamethrower!"

Magmar's attack jetted toward its opponent, melting the ice particles from the previous attack. Then it hit Froslass, engulfing it in flames.

When they cleared up, the Ice/Ghost-type was on the ground, out cold.

Beth growled and recalled it.

"You won't be so lucky with this one!" she then took out her Master Ball.

"Is that—" Dr. Blanchard started.

"That's right," Beth told her brother. Then she threw the ball releasing her strongest Pokémon.

"Hydreigon," Beth said, cracking her whip. "Dragon Pulse."

The turquoise orb collided with Magmar faster than it or its trainer could react. When the smoke cleared, Dr. Blanchard could see Magmar at his feet, unconscious.

Seeing no other options, he took out one last pokéball.

"Well, old friend, looks like its up to you again."

The pokéball was thrown, releasing Gardevoir.

Beth glared at the Psychic/Fairy-type.

"That thing again. I never understand why you never traded it."

"Because Gardevoir was our mother's Pokémon, remember? And it's all I have left of her."

He then lifted his sleeve revealing his Mega Ring. He then waved two of his fingers in front of the Key Stone embedded in it.

"Gardevoir, Mega Evolve!"

As Gardevoir's transformation into its Mega Evolved form, Beth's look of disdain only grew.

"I will not lose to you again!" she said. "Hydreigon, use Hyper Beam!"

At the sound of Beth's whip, Hydreigon opened its center mouth, releasing a beam of purple and black energy at Gardevoir.

"Gardevoir, use Light Screen!"

As a golden wall of energy erupted between the attack and Gardevoir, it was cancelled out.

Undaunted, Beth cracked her whip again.

"Frustration, now!"

Hydreigon's body began to glow bright red and then began to charge at Gardevoir.

"Evade it and use Dazzling Gleam!"

Twirling out of the way of Hydreigon's attack, Gardevoir surrounded its body with rainbow colored light. Hydreigon roared in pain as the light hit its body.

"Enough of this!" Beth cracked her whip.

"Hydreigon, use Bite!"

Hydreigon's teeth grew white and it opened its mouth wide. Then it took aim at Gardevoir.

"Gardevoir, use Teleport! Try to confuse it!"

As Hydreigon attempted to bite down on Gardevoir, it disappeared in a flash of light. As it reappeared behind Hydreigon, it attempted again, but it was met with the same result. As Gardevoir kept teleporting around Hydreigon, its confusion and frustration were only rivaled by its trainer.

"Come on!" Beth growled. "Attack it, you stupid Pokémon!"

She cracked her whip again, only this time, Dr. Blanchard noted, it made contact with Hydreigon's body.

Wincing in pain, Hydreigon turned its attention away from Gardevoir and did something neither Dr. Blanchard nor Beth expected.

Abandoning the battle, it turned toward Beth, growling in anger.

"What are you doing?!" she asked it. As it got closer to her, fear began to become evident in her voice.

"Stop! I'm not the enemy, he is!" she cracked her whip repeatedly, hoping to stop the furious Dragon-type, but to no avail. As it got closer, Beth lost her balance and was now on the floor, completely defenseless.

Dr. Blanchard stood in shock. He certainly never thought this would happen. He was almost tempted to let Hydreigon attack her.

But then he remembered: when his mother died he promised he would protect Beth. And even though she was a horrible person, she was still his sister.

Pointing at Hydreigon, he shouted, "Gardevoir, use Moonblast!"

As Gardevoir gathered energy from an image of the moon, an orb of pink energy began to form. When it grew large enough, Gardevoir fired the orb at Hydreigon.

As soon as the orb connected with Hydreigon, it collapsed. As Beth recalled it, Dr. Blanchard and Gardevoir ran over to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Beth's face remained neutral. "Yes."

Dr. Blanchard extended his hand, and she took it.

As soon as he helped her up however…

"Finally!" she said, smirking sadistically.

Without warning, Beth shoved Dr. Blanchard to the ground and pressed the button on her whip that activated the electric current.

Gardevoir stepped between her and its trainer, however.

"Gardevoir," it said in warning.

But Beth wasn't intimidated.

"Get out of my way!" she knocked Gardevoir off to side, causing it to land on the floor.

"Gardevoir!" Dr. Blanchard shouted of concern.

Then he looked up to see Beth standing over him.

"What are you doing?!" he asked her.

"I'm doing what I should have done thirteen years ago," she replied as the sparks from her whip became more active.

"You know, I thought my Pokémon would be able to do this efficiently, but apparently, if you want something done right, do it yourself."

Beth's grin widened as Dr. Blanchard's fears grew.

"I saved your life!" he said.

"That was your mistake," she shrugged off.

She raised her whip. "Goodbye, brother."

Before she could use it, however, a pink orb of energy struck her in the side. The Pokémon Hunter was sent careening toward the other end of the room, screaming.

Beth's head hit the wall, knocking her out.

Dr. Blanchard looked around, looking for the source of the attack, even though he had an idea.

Off to the side was Gardevoir, who had recovered from when Beth shoved it out of her way.

Rising to his feet, Dr. Blanchard ran over to it.

"Gardevoir, you saved me."

"Gardevoir," it said politely.

"Thank you." Then he remembered what was happening.

"Come on, we have to help Ash and Misty!"

Dr. Blanchard ran off, Gardevoir not far behind.

Well, I bet you're glad I'm back. Do you have any idea how hard it is to write two stories at once? Anyway, the battle continues. Ash and Misty have finally reached Serena and Pikachu and have begun their battle with Giovanni. The rest of their friends are struggling against the other Team Rocket members. And Dr. Blanchard has defeated Beth. Many of you were probably expecting Beth to redeem herself after Dr. Blanchard saved her. But remember, I made her based on Hunter J, who was not given a chance or even interested. The battle continues next chapter. Read and review!