Midnightmoon6o2
"Tougher than you."
Hi, i really wanted to share a new one-shot i wrote a few days ago. i haven't wrote one in a long time so i thought it would be nice to share it here as well. i hope you enjoy it. ^^
~midnight
The light of the bright moon sustained the only light source of the night as the young boy continued to stay in that room. All alone with only his small yellow furry companion by his side. Concerned of what the boy would do next or why he was such in a depressing state. Never did the small mouse see his trainer in such a state. Even his friends outside the room were in the same confusion. Unknown why the boy was all alone in the room, without saying a word to anyone. After he received her call the boy had been in a depressed state. Nobody really knew why. The white satin curtains blew softly with the soft wind passing by. Blowing off the boy's baseball cap onto the floor. The boy's partner noticed this and hopped off the mattress where he and his trainer sat and went down to retrieved the item. When the electric type returned he saw that his trainer had not changed and still was in his position. His back lying on the pale yellow wallpapered wall and his left leg up with the left arm lying upon it with the boy facing the sky. The sky had tiny dull stars in the sky, making it look like it was another hot clear summer's night.
"Pika pi?" his companion asked with concern. Still holding the boy's cap within its mouth. His small yellow friend hopped onto the mattress and dropped the red and black baseball cap by his side. The little yellow mouse soon sighed after receiving no signs of change. The small mouse stretched out its small body and crawled into a ball, a normal sleeping position for the small electric type. Deciding it was best to leave his trainer alone just a little longer.
Near the door peaked a young ten year old girl that went under the name of Dawn. She was new in the idea of coordinating and was making good progress until her two lost streak. She seemed to have less depression than her friend who continued to lie silent in the room. She wore a black mini dress with the ends of the dress tipped pink, a short red-pinkish summer scarf wrapped around her neck, a white beanie with a pink poke ball designed placed in the middle of the hat. Her hair was a rich navy blue colour with two slightly pale yellow hairclips placed on both the right and left side of her head with one more placed at the back. Her hair was long as it had just passed her shoulders with her flat ponytail at the back was slightly longer. She worn pink boots that seem to be the odd one out of the outfit with just her black socks just able to been seen. She continued to look at her friend as she placed her hand on the door unknowing it would lead her in pushing the door, distracting the boy from his long silent trance to his newest travelling companion.
"Sorry." The newest companion of the boy apologized as she looked for her beanie that had fallen off her head from the fall. "I didn't mean to scare you." She added with a grin. Hoping that her friend with smile with her.
"It's alright really." The boy replied with a simple soft tone as he picked up the girl's beanie from the floor. "Here." He knelt down to the girl who was searching on her knees. The girl looked up and saw her friend handing the item she was looking for. She happily accepted and took her hat from the boy's grasp.
"Thanks Ash." She smiled. The boy softly smiled back but it didn't contain the warm smiles he would always give her when she was feeling down. Silence grew between the two. "Can I ask something Ash?" the young blunette asked. Still, on her knees. Ash nodded. "Why do you seem so down? Shouldn't you be happy that your old friend is coming to see you?" The boy rose to his feet and the girl followed.
"She travelled with her rival rather than her best friend." The trainer sighed as he sat back onto the mattress. The young coordinator decided to sit beside her friend. Noticing his cap was on the bed, lying so isolated from the trainer. The girl only knew her friend for only a few months but she knew him well enough that the boy would never take his cap off other than eating or sleeping, two things that the boy seem to do well at. His oldest companion, Pikachu had just stretched from its ball like sleeping position and was surprise to see Dawn near his trainer or seeing him talking. Ever since he had received the call Ash had not been his usual self. The one who would battle until his stomach complained, the one where would always help his friends when they needed it and the one who always like to have fun and give his usual warm cheerful smiles.
"Did you leave on bad terms with her?" Dawn asked as her starter water type came into the room, to notice what all the issue was about was and try to take the centre light and grab the attention for itself. But decided it was best not too and just walk in the room slowly to visit Pikachu instead. The same little mouse saw his friend and greeted the little penguin. The little bird tilted its head to the side in confusion as the small furry mouse explained to the confused water type. Both trainers didn't seem to mind their Pokémon chattering as the boy answered his friend question.
"You could say that." He turned around to search for his cap. The young coordinator picked the cap into her hands and tapped her friend on the shoulder.
"Here" She smiled. Repeating the words he had said to her. The trainer sweat dropped and accepted and placed his cap back onto his head. Adding a soft smirk onto his face. The boy said his thanks as his stood up onto his feet. Calling his partner to come for some intense training for the contest ahead. Leaving the water type with more unanswered questions.
The contest that was getting held was the Wallace Cup, which offered the Aqua ribbon to the winner. A rare ribbon that was in high value as it could be used in any region. The ribbon had a gold medal in the middle with a small crown shaped on the top. The shape of the medal was unusual as it was shaped like a person, wearing a crown. With a small ruby placed near the top. Near the ends of the golden medal were two strings of an aqua coloured ribbon with its ends, tipped a pale white. The Wallace Cup was being held at one of the three famous lakes in the Sinnoh region, Lake Valor where a legendary Pokémon had been rumored to be, the one that gives the will of a person and determination to those who lay eyes on it. A Pokémon who give the determination to face whatever problems they face.
The group of three had arrived to the lake by a friend, who had called the group a few days ago. She was a former travelling companion of Ash. Ever since she had called them and that she would enter into the Wallace Cup, he had not been himself. He wouldn't talk much as he use to and his bowl of ramen would still be full. The boy would space out in a long conversation with the blunette and he would do the same each time they would train with each other. This made Dawn to worry even more as she wanted to find a way to help his friend out of his strange depression. The girl grabbed her starter Pokémon into her arms and searched for another of her travelling companions.
Another of her close friends that she was travelling with was a former gym leader by the name of Brock. He was like an older brother to both her and Ash. He would always have the basic needs for travelling and whenever she or anybody else was sick, he was the man to see. The former gym leader had dark brown spiky hair and also wearied a seaweed green t-shirt. Over the top was a vest, where the shoulder and the pockets were shaded a dark grey while the rest was shaded orange. He had pale grey cargo pants with blue and white sneakers to finish the whole outfit. The oldest companion was in the main area of the poke center, recovering from a blow from his Crogunk. Who always seemed to interrupt his attempt of making good relationships with the Nurse Joys. The girl sighed before asking.
"I see your recovering much better now." The girl added with a sweat drop. The former gym leader pushed him off the lounge knowing that his friend wanted to speak with him.
"I think I'm getting used to all the blows Crogunk give to me." the boy chuckled as he soon stared at his poison type partner. He started back with its usual unemotional stare. "Anyway." The boy looked back at the young girl. "Is there something you want to talk about?" Dawn soon took a seat next to him. Placing her partner next to Brock's. Piplup moved slightly away from the poison types as its stare seem to creep the water type.
"It's about Ash." She began. Brock already seemed to be down by the opening statement. Like he knew what it was going to be about. "He has been acting really depressed lately ever since we called her." Dawn remarked as she tried to remember the girl's name they called a few days ago.
"Her name is May." Brock replied, reminding the girl's name to the young coordinator. "She and Ash seemed to be okay when her and her younger brother Max left back to Hoenn. But a few days back they did have a small argument. I can't remember much of what really happened." Dawn soon sighed. Disappointed that Brock didn't give her the answers she was looking for. "But." The boy began to speak as an old memory flooded back into his mind. "I do know is that they fought over the idea of travelling together." He began to think deep and soon added. "Ash and Drew were never close friends. They always seem to be arguing when May was getting insulted by Drew." He soon looked back at the young coordinator.
"Did they both liked May?" the ten year old girl asked. Silence grew between them. The girl waited for her answer eagerly.
"Now that you mention it…" Brock began to think deep, trying to answer his own question. "Ash did act unusual when they first met and always felt down when May lost a contest. It was easy to tell that Drew had a crush on May but Ash?" the oldest companion of the girl slightly laughed. "I don't think so. Ash is more…disappointed at her right now than a crush." He replied, taking a break near the 'more' part as he tried to find a fitting word to describe Ash relationship with his former travelling companion. The girl was going to ask more until he was distracted with more female trainers entering into the center. But soon his request of meeting the girls were cut short as Crogunk did its usual poison jab at the boy's stomach, making him unable to move. The girl sighed and thought it was best just to leave.
Dawn re-ran the words that Brock had told her. That Ash was disappointed at May, that they seem to have a small argument on travelling and Ash arguing to this boy named Drew when May was starting to get insulted. All seemed natural events that Ash would do other than the part of him begin disappointed to May. Did she do something bad that it made Ash look at her that way? If she did Ash would easily forgive her and move on, like the whole issue had never happened. Dawn walked back into the room and returned Piplup back to its ball to have some rest. When she was done with that she dug through her small yellow backpack to only find one of her team member was missing as its poke ball felt light and empty. She looked around the hallway to find she was not there. She walked around the centre until she walked out to the huge garden training area that the poke centre offered to both coordinators and trainers. There stood Ash with his water type, Buizel. Using Sonic boom repeatedly aiming onto a tree with a thick trunk. There sat only a few feet away was her missing Pokémon Buneary and the boy's starter Pokémon Pikachu. Watching the boy train. Dawn watched but felt there was something wrong with him.
"Ash?" She asked, forgetting her main reason of coming outside. Ash soon woke up from his trance. He looked towards her and saw how tried Buizel was. He returned the water type back into its ball for a good earned rest.
"What are you doing here?" the young Pokémon trainer asked with confusion.
"Well you have been acting so depressed lately since Mmm-" but was discontinued when Ash's attention was drawled just by the name of May, as it made his look towards the sky. The young blunette knew that her friend held more than disappointment towards her former travel partner. "Could you tell what's wrong with you Ash? I'm worried about you." Her normal type Pokémon, Buneary came bouncing along to her trainer's side.
"I told you already." The trainer replied, slightly annoyed. "She chose to travel with her rival than her best friend. She would rather travel with somebody that only knows how to hurt her rather than support her like I did." The boy clenched his fist. "I don't know what Drew has to make May travel with him than me." He continued to look up towards the sky.
"Ash?" Dawn repeated with a confused tone in the girl's voice. "Are you…" she thought for a brief moment and soon added. "…jealous that this Drew guy is with May?" she slightly chuckled at the idea that her friend Ash actually had a crush on a girl.
Ash avoided the girl's teasing questions and turned his back and walked a few feet away from her and lay down on the grass. Looking up towards the full moon filled with the tiny stars scattered around the huge glowing floating rock. All behind a huge thick night sky blue blanket. The young coordinator was left in confusion on why her friend walked away from her but it didn't stop her from asking the same questions once more. She sat next to her friend and thought it was best just to sit there without asking. Soon their silence together broke.
"Yeah…I guess you can say that…" the young trainer said without confidence as his voice began to trail off. The boy's statement grabbed the girl's attention quickly but had no words to express her shocking discovery. Ash soon continued. "Before she left to Johto we had an argument. Well it wasn't too big. A common thing we tend to do over food. But this time it was over us." He closed his eyes and sighed and soon added. "My dream will get in the ways of yours and yours will get in the way of mine. We just can't travel together anymore. That's why I'm going to travel with Drew so he can help me reach my dream. That is what May told me that night." He opened his eyes with sadness within them. "I told her that she would never be in the way of me becoming a Pokémon master but she refused to listen. She thought it would be best for us to go our own ways." He gave his attention toward the night sky. "When I arrived back to Pallet and asked her to come to Kanto with me for the battle frontier she said yes straight away but when I asked her again to come with me to Sinnoh she refused." He looked up towards Dawn. "I don't know what I did wrong. I mean she should of known that she never get in the way of my dreams and would do everything I can to not be in her way."
"I guess she just wanted to travel alone. Maybe to feel what it's like on the road without friends." The young ten year old girl suggested.
"I just don't understand her anymore." He sighed. "And I never told her…that…" the boy tipped his hat over his face to stop the blushing. "…I…I…would really miss her when she is gone." The boy replied but felt those words weren't enough to express what he felt to May. The young ten year old girl replied with silence.
Days had passed since her conversation with the boy. Before they both knew it, they were all waiting at the port for her to arrive. The young ten year old coordinator was filled with excitement as she was going to meet a professional Pokémon coordinator. But at the same time her questions on what truly happened the night she left Ash and Brock remained a mystery. Another in waiting was the young Pokémon trainer, waiting on the port unsure how his reaction should be or even May's. His heart raced about the idea as his mixed emotions came in deeper and deeper as the boat came towards the three. Brock, the oldest in the group was more in the bright side. He was glad to see his friends come back to visit but what worried him the most was how the two would react to each other. The boy knew that know Dawn knew why Ash was acting in such a negative way and he was afraid that she might have to witness what his eyes saw that night. What they saw in the distance was a huge butterfly, its wings glowing in the sun's warm bright rays. Its wings shaded with the colours of black, blue, yellow and red soon became more visible as the bug type Pokémon landed on Ash's cap. The beautiful bug type cheered by calling its name out, happy to see Ash and Brock once more.
As soon the boat made its destination, many other passengers came off the transportation. The three waited until their friend came out. Holding bags of gifts to them. The young girl was named May and was a former companion of Ash and Brock. A successful ten year old coordinator who had originated from the Hoenn region and had already visited the Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn and now the Sinnoh region. The four most popular and well know regions in the Pokémon world. The young brunette worn an orange vest that reached to her waist with white pocket placed on both side, slightly placed low, near the end of the vest. The girl also had a pair of black cycling shorts. The sneakers were both the mix colours of orange and white as her fanny pack placed nicely on her waist was now a Christmas colour green. Her gloves had a range of mix colours of black and green at the start and as it progress it changed into a pale white with a hold placed on the top, as part of the design and the fingertips of the fabric item was dyed a strong black. The young brunette also had a bandana, the same colour as her fanny pack. She all greeted them with a bright smile.
"Hey everyone!" she held her bag in front of her. Showing her friends what she came with. 'I brought these for you!" she chuckled slightly. The young former gym leader knew she was already uncomfortable.
"It's nice to see you again May!" Ash replied with one of his smiles. But it just didn't seem the same to the gym leader. He knew all too well that leaving each other on not too well grounds, had really affected their friendship to each other. It didn't seem natural not like the time back in the small town of Pallet where his oldest companion Ash had returned from travelling in Hoenn and May had come to visit since her younger brother Max had already bet her to it. When the two were together they were always so happy and never seem to argue and agree to whatever the other one said. He slightly laughed at the idea were the two would drool as he cook since Ash had forgotten to bring the food with him when he started his journey in the Hoenn region.
"Here Brock!" the brunette greeted and making the boy return to reality. "I brought this for you in one of the markets back in Johto." She stared at him for awhile and looked back at her gift. The girl had in her hands was a small wooden figurine representing an Ursaring. The girl looked back at her old travelling companion. "Don't you like it?" She asked.
"I like it May." He soon grabbed his gift off her hands. "I'm glad you thought of buying my one." He complimented.
"Same here." The young blunette cheered holding her gift within her hands. The gift that the Johto coordinator had given her new friend as a necklace with her starter type's face placed in the middle. Piplup had the necklace in its grasp. Wondering how its face was on a piece of jewelry. "Thank you, Princess of Hoenn." Dawn seemed to have praised. Brock laughed at how excited Dawn was from receiving a gift.
"Why thanks a lot Dawn." The girl blushed with embarrassment. The coordinator heard footsteps coming behind her as she remember she had walked past him to give her gifts to Brock and her new friend, Dawn. The brunette slowly turned to face her former companion. When their eyes met they quickly looked away, both looking for a distraction of stare at. The young brunette reached deep into her bags and pulled out one remaining item. A small Teddiursa wooden figurine. The girl tried to stare at her friend as long she could. Their old travelling partner could tell that talking to each other like their fight had never happened was hard, now forced to act right in front of Ash's new friend Dawn. Who had never fully understood the compilations between the two former friends. The Pokémon trainer raised his arm to receive his gift. With no intension from the boy he had placed his hand on top of the girl's. Nobody said a word to each other until Ash had notice what he had done. Both quickly released their grip as the small wooden figurine fell and ready to collide onto the ground until the bug and flying type Pokémon sweep up the figurine into it small paws and gave the gift the raven hairstyle boy.
"Thanks Beautifly." Ash smiled as he accepted the gift from the Pokémon. The reaction both trainers had done left Brock in confusion. He began to lose into his own thoughts. He re-ran on what Dawn had asked him a few days ago, before May arrived to visit them. He began to doubt his own ideas that both trainers acted like that because they could have possible feelings towards each other. His shook his head to get rid of the idea that the two might like each other. But it wasn't such an easy task to do. Ash soon placed the gift into his back pack and the two said no more words to each other.
The day continued as they first thought it was best to head somewhere to eat. The visiting coordinator thought it was best to eat at a seven star restaurant. In order to eat there they had must win a tag battle which all four agreed it was better than paying cash. Both the boy's were the first up but quickly defeated and won the right to eat but decided it was better to wait for the others. As the girls battle for their right to eat at the expensive restaurant Brock noticed how Ash was watching the girls battle, especially May. The boy now wondered if what he thought earlier was true. He noticed that Ash seem sad while watching the battle as he rarely did cheer, and if he did it didn't seem normal for him to say those encouraging words.
"Something wrong?" He asked.
"Nothing." Ash replied to his friend but his old companion knew he was lying.
"Ash I know you all too well. I know when your okay and when your not." He crossed his arms and soon added. "When you two greeted each other on the port, I could tell you still haven't recovered from your argument with May." He turned his attention from his close friends to the two coordinators. "May is going to leave in a few days. I suggest you two should talk before she leaves."
"What is there to talk about?" The trainer muttered. "What should I say? Don't go? Stay and travel with me? Tell her that she will never be in the way of my dreams?" The young boy complained. "If I do that we will both start fighting again. Talking about it won't fix anything!"
"So you're not even going to tell your feelings towards her?" Brock added with a teasing grin. Breaking the serious tone in his voice.
The young trainer blush and tipped his cap over his face one more, to not show his friend the flush of red over his face. Brock laughed at his friend's actions.
"I don't like her." He mumbled. The former gym leader knew his friend was lying once more.
"That's not what Dawn told me." Brock continued to laugh. He soon stopped, trying not to disturb the girl's battle. Ash still didn't want to show his face towards his friend. "And plus the signs you showed back in Hoenn and Kanto gave me the idea." He added. He still saw his friend was now very embarrassed to even look at him. "You shouldn't be embarrassed in liking a girl Ash."
"Well…I guess so." He lifted his cap up slightly. "But I find it funny hearing love advice from somebody like you. Always getting abused just by flirting with nearly every girl you see." The gym leader sighed with disappointment. Knowing that what his old friend had said was true. Soon after the boy's conversation both coordinators were cheering in victory. This was a sign that they had already won their match and had the right to eat at the restaurant. The group of four entered and ate the meals they had ordered.
Night had fallen over at the Sinnoh region and the four were enjoying the scene of the clear summer night sky with the contest hall in sight as its lights shined bright through the night. The young brunette coordinator was standing by her friend Ash. Both haven't said a word to each since she had came to the new region. The girl thought about the move she was about to make. She looked over to Dawn how was enjoying the views with her water starter on the rails, not seeming to mind that he could fall any moment. And Brock was near the entrance of the door, doing the same thing. The Hoenn coordinator reached into her green fanny-pack and slowly un-zipped her bag. The closer the zip reached the end the more nervous did the brunette felt. She soon picked up an important object. It was a ribbon, a Terracotta contest ribbon cut in half. The medallion had a golden tint, the medal seem to represent a sun. The ribbon placed on the side was mainly pink with dashes of white near the edges. She pulled it out so the rest of the group could lay eyes on it.
"Do you still have this?" her voice was soft and quiet as she tried not to look at his face. Ash had a surprised look over his face as he pulled out the other half of the ribbon from his pockets. She shifted her eyes to still be amazed to see he still had the ribbon with him after all this time. The coordinator was happy that he still remembered her after what happened.
"Yeah I do." He slightly smiled. Both joined the ribbon together. May had never seen the ribbon together since the day they both won it together. Her heart started to skip beats on how close she was with him. What she didn't expect was when she felt her friend grab hold of her hand. This move made her friend made the young girl looked up towards him. She didn't seem to notice how her friends watched the two together time to time but tried not to show it to them. Their fingers intertwined as he soon looked back at her. "Is it alright if we talk before you leave back to Johto?" he whispered, sounding slightly depressed that she was leaving back to the Johto region so quickly. May was left in such confusion. The pulse of the brunette increased as she nodded slightly. Finding it hard to do such a simple command. "But before that there is something I want to tell you." He looked at her. "Since there is no gym here I decided to enter in the Wallace Cup. Wallace himself told me so." May quickly took her hand away and faced him. May felt string of guilt within herself after hearing that her visit her made Ash delay with his gym battles.
"I knew it." She cried. Grabbing the attention of both Dawn and Brock. "I knew that if I came here I would be in the way of your battles. I should have never come." She closed her eyes, like she was about to cry. "I'm so sorry! I'm always in the way of your life!" and soon she raced out of the room. Making a young blunette confused, Brock giving sympathy and a worried friend to follow and race after May. She continued to race down to a huge lake. Her mind was full of regret. She never wanted to be in his way. She had gathered that the Sinnoh ledge was coming soon and she begin here with him only meant he would have less time to train. Memories of her times with him in both Hoenn and Kanto came flooding in. those memories were full of times where she was in trouble and no matter what he wanted, she would come to save her. No matter what the cost was. When she had lost a contest from her own mistakes he would blame himself and spend time helping her instead of him. He always thought of her and blamed her mistakes on him. May felt a string of disgust every time she thought of these past memories.
"May!" the trainer called out for her. May had notice his call late and tried to hide from him but Ash had notice her trying to run again once more. The boy came rushing towards her and grabbed hold of her hand before she decided to leave again. "Don't go please." He pleaded. He moved his hand down until they were both now holding hands.
"I have to. I'm getting in your way again. I always seem to be!" She complained. The girl tried to struggle away from his grip. Ash quickly dragged the girl towards his body. Before the young coordinator could reply, she was already in the arms of her mentor. A flush of red covered her face.
"You will never be in the way of my dreams and I will always stay out of yours okay?" he pushed her away slightly and his hands were both on her shoulders. "But I don't understand why you had to leave. I even asked you to come to Sinnoh with me but you declined and…" he took his grip away from the girl and slowly turned his back from her. "…travel with Drew instead." May could tell by her friend's tone of voice that he seemed anger or yet even jealous of her traveling with Drew in the Johto region.
"I wanted you to be happy." Her voice trailed off. "If I was out of your way than I'm sure you can become a Pokémon master in no time. I was always in your way and my contests always held you up in your gym battles."
"That's not true May!" he quickly flashed back towards her. "I was happy when we were together. You leaving me were the hardest and most painful things anyone has done to me." he scratched his thick black hair without looking her into the eye. The young coordinator noticed a slightly red blush across his face. "I would be really happy if you could…I mean after the Wallace cup and everything…if you could come to this new region Professor Oak had told me." he looked up towards her, staring into her sapphire blue eyes. "It's call the Isshu region and I would be really happy if you could come with me."
"So you're sure I won't be in the way of your gym battles over there?" the coordinator asked once more. He just replied with a simple nod. May felt a warmth of happiness overfill her that she young girl didn't notice tears of joy were running down her cheeks. Never did she ever imagine that she her friend would forgive her. After what she had done to him. The young trainer noticed his friend crying and came up closer to her, worried that he had hurt her feelings.
"Did I do something wrong?" the trainer panicked, afraid that her friend was mad at him. May could feel his concern towards here and laughed at the idea that he thought that he hurt her feelings.
"No." she slightly chuckled. The girl had never felt so relaxed towards her mentor for a long time. She had never felt so happy towards him before and his concern towards her felt warm and soft. Suddenly she felt a soft aura pushing her willpower and determination to come closer to her friend. She couldn't tell why but she didn't seem too afraid or embarrassed to wrap her arms around him. The trainer blushed once more, a bright red which covered up his whole face. "It's just nice to be able to be you with you right now, even though it's going to be for a few days." She looked up towards her close friend. "I'm sorry for the way I acted. I was so concerned and cared for you a lot I thought it was best to leave so you can reach your dreams."
"Well can you promise me this?" he asked. "Can you…not-tt…leave me again?" the boy stuttered with his blush of red still visible by the young brunette. "Because…I-I…" May had noticed he all suddenly had a hard time speaking to her. He tried not to look towards her as he tried to finish his sentence but his lips failed to deliver. "Ah, never mind." He smiled. "Let's just head back to the others." He added one of his goofy grins that May loved to see him with. As Ash grabbed her hand she felt her pulse increase and her grip onto his hand weak. Her mind empty and her lips speechless. They both ran back to the hotel holding hands. The young coordinator couldn't help but feel comfortable and full of joy as they both ran back together towards the place they stayed at. But what confused her most is why she just felt like this towards her close friend. She felt this once or twice when she first travelled with him but only now did it felt stronger than before. The brunette shook her thoughts away and focused in keeping up with pace with Ash.
Soon the day of the contest began and they all entered and passed the appeals with flying colours. They all seem to past a few rounds but out of the three, Ash was knocked out first. Dawn's close friend and rival, Zoey lost to Dawn and before both girls knew, they had to right each other for the rare aqua ribbon. The young Hoenn coordinator fought with all her heart but lost in a great battle. She smiled as she felt no regret since her and her newly evolved Glaceon fought with all she had. She knew that it was hard since it was her Glaceon's first contest battle. Evening had come to the Sinnoh region which gave her no choice but return to her region she was competing at, the Johto region. The young coordinator felt a sense of loneliness as she held a white letter in her hands she had just received only a few days ago
Inside the letter had the message that her father had fallen towards illness and it was now up to her run the gym and become the new gym leader of Petalburg city. A role she was originally meant to fulfill when she had started her journey back at Littleroot town. Her close friend, Ash arrived to the port and noticed how isolated she was from the rest of the group.
"You okay? He began, starting a conversation with her. He girl replied with a small shake of her head.
"There is something I need to tell you Ash." She turned to face her. The girl was filled with mix emotions. She didn't know how she was going to tell him. That she was unable to travel to the Isshu region with him. "I won't be able to come with you to Isshu."
"But why?" the trainer complained. Shocked to hear what his close friend had just said.
"My dad…is gone and I…I'm going to become the gym leader there." Her voice began to tear up in a crying tone of voice. "I'm really sorry Ash." Tears ran down her cheeks. Disappointment grew inside of the brunette now having to accept she could not travel with her mentor.
"I see." The trainer looked down towards the ground. He soon looked up towards her and saw her boat was making it's destination towards her. The boat leaving to Johto. May felt that there was something she wanted to tell him but her heart refused to admit it. "There is something I want to tell you before you go May." Ash walked closer to his friend. "I don't know how to start this…I mean I never done it before…" soon both felt awkward near each other by the strange conversation the trainer was saying. "I had this feeling since you left Hoenn. I mean I think I'm not too sick or anything." He soon sighed and added with a bright red blush on his cheeks. "I really-" but the boy's words were interrupted when the siren of the cruise blew, telling the passengers that it was heading toward the port. The young coordinator titled her head in confusion. Ash tried again. "I really lik-" but was interrupted once more as the boat was getting closer to the port as they both heard the footsteps of Brock and Dawn coming.
"Well Ash the boat is coming. Could you just call me and tell me over the phone when I get back to Johto?" the brunette suggested but he seem to refuse her suggestion. May felt hurt by the way he acted and turned her back and crossed her arms. "Fine, forget I said anything to you." And soon made her away and was about to walk away from her mentor until she felt a suddenly tug by her wrist and turned her around to face him. What the young brunette didn't expect was when she laid her lips onto his. A huge blush came over the girl's face but soon faded as they both broke the sweet kiss as the boat made its way to the port as their other two friends made their way to the two. Both didn't seem to see or show and sign of the two and their little kiss. Ash's recent action had just left her friend in such confusion. Her mind began to create such question but her shaken lips were in too much shock to even say a word. The boat blew its horn for one last call. The brunette looked back. She looked at all the new faces she had seen.
A young coordinator, both her new best friend and harsh rival. A young blunette who always knew from the start of her journey wanted to become a coordinator. A young sweet girl who always wanted to dress her team into cute outfits and practice new and more wonderful combinations. Dawn, she knew she would get far into her career. She looked to another of her friend. An old friend of her mentor. A former Kanto region gym leader. A man who decided to take on his long life dream of a Pokémon breeder, a man who always knew who to calm down her stomach every time it complained for food. Brock, a man that always got rejected by every time he flirted with any girl but never seem to give up. Then the young girl gazed at her friend, a young boy who was the same age as her. A boy who always gave the best he can in any situation. A person that never gave up on his dream no matter how many times he failed. The boy who had just kissed her on the lips. Who still knew was disappointed since he was left with no response from her yet.
"I won't be able to come back you know, now that I'm going to be a full time gym leader." She muttered to Ash. Ash sighed in disappointment. "But I promise to visit you when you get to Pallet. I will tell you then." Ash was left in confusion as and young ten year old Pokémon coordinator hopped onto her ride back to the Johto region as her three close friends waved goodbye to her.
They all watched as she sailed away from their sights, hoping that nothing would change between them all.
Months felt like years to the young Pokémon trainer as he and his two travelling companions travelled through the rest of the Sinnoh region. Many events had happened since she was gone. Brock had finally decided to not become a Pokémon breeder but a Pokémon doctor instead and as for his newest friend Dawn, she decided to stay in the Sinnoh region since she was invited for a photo shoot of her Buneary from Edna back in Hearthome city. After his departure from the Sinnoh region and his friend Brock he raced towards his small hometown of Pallet. He stopped as he reached the small home. It sill had those part of the house he remembered so well. The same door, same roof and the same walls. As he reached towards the door her face of the girl he liked flashed into her mind. There was no doubt that she had become a gym leader in the Hoenn region. He sighed disapprovingly as he remembered that there was a big chance that the girl her really liked won't be able to see him again.
He placed his hand on the door knob and twisted it slowly to find his lovely and caring mother with her Mr. Mime by her side, holding a broom. Showing that they were cleaning while he was gone. Her mother seemed to have her usual clothes on her. The simple pink top and a light violet purple skirt that pasted her knees and her long brunette hair were tied back in the way she always liked. She noticed that her son was not as happy as he always seemed to be every time he came home.
"What's wrong?" his mother asked. The young trainer smiled warmly at her, pretending that everything was alright.
"Just tired." He lied. "Anyway is May here?" the young trainer asked, hoping that what she told him back a few months ago was a lie.
"I haven't been able to speak with her since you invited her to the battle frontier a year ago." She placed her hands on her son's shoulders. "Is something wrong?" she repeated.
"Nothing mom." He grinned. Continuing to make her believe that he was truly okay.
"Well then. Get you bags ready. We are going to head out to the Isshu region soon." His mother told her son. The trainer was surprised that his mother had decided to come with him to the new region. "Professor Oak is coming along to visit a good friend of his there. I will stay with him there as you travel in that region. Okay?" his mother smiled at her. "Oh it would be so nice to travel with my son after such a long time." She cheered as she tightly cuddled her son. The young ten year old was starting to lose he ability to breath if his mother continued to hug him the way she was doing right now. Her mother released her grip as her son was able to breathe again. He giggled at such a sight. "I have made new clothes for you upstairs. So dressed up into them and come downstairs when you're ready." She grinned and made her way to the kitchen with her psychic type Pokémon tagging along.
Ash followed his mother's commanded and got dressed into the new clothes she had both for him. He worn a red and white baseball cap with a blue poke ball placed at the front side of the hat. He also had a blue shirt that seemed to be a t-shirt and vest at the same time. Black strips were place on the shirt as well. One going across his shoulders and the other slightly lower. Half the shirt was painted a sea colored blue as the bottom half was white. A bright yellow zipper was placed right in the middle of the outfit, giving it a vest kind of look to the outfit. He also had grey cargo pants and red and black sneakers. His gloves were also new, black and red. He placed all his trophies and certificates on a table that was placed near the door. The last item that came out was the Teddiursa figurine that May had given him. The boy blushed as he mind reminded him of her name and his feelings for her that had not died. He knew that there was a big chance that they would no longer see each other. It was time to let his heartache end. Soon his mother came up the stairs and entered into his room.
"Ash?" she called out her son's name. "May is here to see you." The boy quickly turned his attention to his mother. Shocked to find out that May was here to see him. He smiled as he made his way downstairs. His mother giggled on how fast he reacted when she called out May's name. Soon the young Pokémon trainer made he way downstairs to find the girl he liked to be there waiting for him. She had his face turning towards him but as soon she heard the rushing footsteps she knew it was him. Ash.
"May?" the young boy asked. Confused why she came to visit without calling him first. The young new gym leader still had the same outfit she came to visit him back in Sinnoh. She still had the beauty that she admired and loved about her. She gave him a cheeky greeting smile and gave him a small wave and walked toward him. The boy stood still as she approached him. His heart began to beat out of its normal pace as she came closer towards him. "What are you doing here?" He asked. Glad he didn't stutter any of his words.
"I wanted to tell you something important." She soon laid her lips onto the boy's. the boy was shocked as he felt his whole face turn into a bright red colour. Confused on the actions May had done to him. Just when the boy decided to turn his back on his feelings towards May was when May had come and kissed him. Soon she broke their kiss and May continued to speak. "When I left you guys and head my own way did I notice something." She took in a breath and continued. "I really like you Ash." She smiled kindly at him. "Every time I think of you and remind me on how far we are to each other my heart aches. And I knew the only way for it to end was to tell you how I felt for you." She blushed. "I hope your feelings toward me haven't changed." She looked up. "Have they?"
"Nothings changed May." He grinned. The young trainer had never felt so happy since the day they had met. He was glad that now finally he heard the answer he always hoped for. The young gym leader grabbed hold of his hand with a warm smile across her face.
"I'm really happy to hear that Ash. Now shall we go?" she winked. The trainer wanted to reply but the brunette had beaten him to it. "Max will look after the gym for me while I'm gone. So while his doing that I can come and travel with you and enter what they call them over them, Pokémon musicals." She giggled right after. "I really like the name of that. I wonder if they will be like Pokémon contests?" she thought to herself and soon the young trainer smiled.
"Well let's find out." He grinned as they both rushed out toward the house. Both trainers were glad that they would both travel together once more. Both excited to what the Isshu region had in store for them both and the new friends they would be sure to meet along the way and seeing old ones as well. A region filled with adventure and new Pokémon and gyms. They were ready for something new. Something they both knew they would love and their hearts wouldn't ache for.
~midnight
Till my heartaches ends
The light of the bright moon sustained the only light source of the night as the young boy continued to stay in that room. All alone with only his small yellow furry companion by his side. Concerned of what the boy would do next or why he was such in a depressing state. Never did the small mouse see his trainer in such a state. Even his friends outside the room were in the same confusion. Unknown why the boy was all alone in the room, without saying a word to anyone. After he received her call the boy had been in a depressed state. Nobody really knew why. The white satin curtains blew softly with the soft wind passing by. Blowing off the boy's baseball cap onto the floor. The boy's partner noticed this and hopped off the mattress where he and his trainer sat and went down to retrieved the item. When the electric type returned he saw that his trainer had not changed and still was in his position. His back lying on the pale yellow wallpapered wall and his left leg up with the left arm lying upon it with the boy facing the sky. The sky had tiny dull stars in the sky, making it look like it was another hot clear summer's night.
"Pika pi?" his companion asked with concern. Still holding the boy's cap within its mouth. His small yellow friend hopped onto the mattress and dropped the red and black baseball cap by his side. The little yellow mouse soon sighed after receiving no signs of change. The small mouse stretched out its small body and crawled into a ball, a normal sleeping position for the small electric type. Deciding it was best to leave his trainer alone just a little longer.
Near the door peaked a young ten year old girl that went under the name of Dawn. She was new in the idea of coordinating and was making good progress until her two lost streak. She seemed to have less depression than her friend who continued to lie silent in the room. She wore a black mini dress with the ends of the dress tipped pink, a short red-pinkish summer scarf wrapped around her neck, a white beanie with a pink poke ball designed placed in the middle of the hat. Her hair was a rich navy blue colour with two slightly pale yellow hairclips placed on both the right and left side of her head with one more placed at the back. Her hair was long as it had just passed her shoulders with her flat ponytail at the back was slightly longer. She worn pink boots that seem to be the odd one out of the outfit with just her black socks just able to been seen. She continued to look at her friend as she placed her hand on the door unknowing it would lead her in pushing the door, distracting the boy from his long silent trance to his newest travelling companion.
"Sorry." The newest companion of the boy apologized as she looked for her beanie that had fallen off her head from the fall. "I didn't mean to scare you." She added with a grin. Hoping that her friend with smile with her.
"It's alright really." The boy replied with a simple soft tone as he picked up the girl's beanie from the floor. "Here." He knelt down to the girl who was searching on her knees. The girl looked up and saw her friend handing the item she was looking for. She happily accepted and took her hat from the boy's grasp.
"Thanks Ash." She smiled. The boy softly smiled back but it didn't contain the warm smiles he would always give her when she was feeling down. Silence grew between the two. "Can I ask something Ash?" the young blunette asked. Still, on her knees. Ash nodded. "Why do you seem so down? Shouldn't you be happy that your old friend is coming to see you?" The boy rose to his feet and the girl followed.
"She travelled with her rival rather than her best friend." The trainer sighed as he sat back onto the mattress. The young coordinator decided to sit beside her friend. Noticing his cap was on the bed, lying so isolated from the trainer. The girl only knew her friend for only a few months but she knew him well enough that the boy would never take his cap off other than eating or sleeping, two things that the boy seem to do well at. His oldest companion, Pikachu had just stretched from its ball like sleeping position and was surprise to see Dawn near his trainer or seeing him talking. Ever since he had received the call Ash had not been his usual self. The one who would battle until his stomach complained, the one where would always help his friends when they needed it and the one who always like to have fun and give his usual warm cheerful smiles.
"Did you leave on bad terms with her?" Dawn asked as her starter water type came into the room, to notice what all the issue was about was and try to take the centre light and grab the attention for itself. But decided it was best not too and just walk in the room slowly to visit Pikachu instead. The same little mouse saw his friend and greeted the little penguin. The little bird tilted its head to the side in confusion as the small furry mouse explained to the confused water type. Both trainers didn't seem to mind their Pokémon chattering as the boy answered his friend question.
"You could say that." He turned around to search for his cap. The young coordinator picked the cap into her hands and tapped her friend on the shoulder.
"Here" She smiled. Repeating the words he had said to her. The trainer sweat dropped and accepted and placed his cap back onto his head. Adding a soft smirk onto his face. The boy said his thanks as his stood up onto his feet. Calling his partner to come for some intense training for the contest ahead. Leaving the water type with more unanswered questions.
The contest that was getting held was the Wallace Cup, which offered the Aqua ribbon to the winner. A rare ribbon that was in high value as it could be used in any region. The ribbon had a gold medal in the middle with a small crown shaped on the top. The shape of the medal was unusual as it was shaped like a person, wearing a crown. With a small ruby placed near the top. Near the ends of the golden medal were two strings of an aqua coloured ribbon with its ends, tipped a pale white. The Wallace Cup was being held at one of the three famous lakes in the Sinnoh region, Lake Valor where a legendary Pokémon had been rumored to be, the one that gives the will of a person and determination to those who lay eyes on it. A Pokémon who give the determination to face whatever problems they face.
The group of three had arrived to the lake by a friend, who had called the group a few days ago. She was a former travelling companion of Ash. Ever since she had called them and that she would enter into the Wallace Cup, he had not been himself. He wouldn't talk much as he use to and his bowl of ramen would still be full. The boy would space out in a long conversation with the blunette and he would do the same each time they would train with each other. This made Dawn to worry even more as she wanted to find a way to help his friend out of his strange depression. The girl grabbed her starter Pokémon into her arms and searched for another of her travelling companions.
Another of her close friends that she was travelling with was a former gym leader by the name of Brock. He was like an older brother to both her and Ash. He would always have the basic needs for travelling and whenever she or anybody else was sick, he was the man to see. The former gym leader had dark brown spiky hair and also wearied a seaweed green t-shirt. Over the top was a vest, where the shoulder and the pockets were shaded a dark grey while the rest was shaded orange. He had pale grey cargo pants with blue and white sneakers to finish the whole outfit. The oldest companion was in the main area of the poke center, recovering from a blow from his Crogunk. Who always seemed to interrupt his attempt of making good relationships with the Nurse Joys. The girl sighed before asking.
"I see your recovering much better now." The girl added with a sweat drop. The former gym leader pushed him off the lounge knowing that his friend wanted to speak with him.
"I think I'm getting used to all the blows Crogunk give to me." the boy chuckled as he soon stared at his poison type partner. He started back with its usual unemotional stare. "Anyway." The boy looked back at the young girl. "Is there something you want to talk about?" Dawn soon took a seat next to him. Placing her partner next to Brock's. Piplup moved slightly away from the poison types as its stare seem to creep the water type.
"It's about Ash." She began. Brock already seemed to be down by the opening statement. Like he knew what it was going to be about. "He has been acting really depressed lately ever since we called her." Dawn remarked as she tried to remember the girl's name they called a few days ago.
"Her name is May." Brock replied, reminding the girl's name to the young coordinator. "She and Ash seemed to be okay when her and her younger brother Max left back to Hoenn. But a few days back they did have a small argument. I can't remember much of what really happened." Dawn soon sighed. Disappointed that Brock didn't give her the answers she was looking for. "But." The boy began to speak as an old memory flooded back into his mind. "I do know is that they fought over the idea of travelling together." He began to think deep and soon added. "Ash and Drew were never close friends. They always seem to be arguing when May was getting insulted by Drew." He soon looked back at the young coordinator.
"Did they both liked May?" the ten year old girl asked. Silence grew between them. The girl waited for her answer eagerly.
"Now that you mention it…" Brock began to think deep, trying to answer his own question. "Ash did act unusual when they first met and always felt down when May lost a contest. It was easy to tell that Drew had a crush on May but Ash?" the oldest companion of the girl slightly laughed. "I don't think so. Ash is more…disappointed at her right now than a crush." He replied, taking a break near the 'more' part as he tried to find a fitting word to describe Ash relationship with his former travelling companion. The girl was going to ask more until he was distracted with more female trainers entering into the center. But soon his request of meeting the girls were cut short as Crogunk did its usual poison jab at the boy's stomach, making him unable to move. The girl sighed and thought it was best just to leave.
Dawn re-ran the words that Brock had told her. That Ash was disappointed at May, that they seem to have a small argument on travelling and Ash arguing to this boy named Drew when May was starting to get insulted. All seemed natural events that Ash would do other than the part of him begin disappointed to May. Did she do something bad that it made Ash look at her that way? If she did Ash would easily forgive her and move on, like the whole issue had never happened. Dawn walked back into the room and returned Piplup back to its ball to have some rest. When she was done with that she dug through her small yellow backpack to only find one of her team member was missing as its poke ball felt light and empty. She looked around the hallway to find she was not there. She walked around the centre until she walked out to the huge garden training area that the poke centre offered to both coordinators and trainers. There stood Ash with his water type, Buizel. Using Sonic boom repeatedly aiming onto a tree with a thick trunk. There sat only a few feet away was her missing Pokémon Buneary and the boy's starter Pokémon Pikachu. Watching the boy train. Dawn watched but felt there was something wrong with him.
"Ash?" She asked, forgetting her main reason of coming outside. Ash soon woke up from his trance. He looked towards her and saw how tried Buizel was. He returned the water type back into its ball for a good earned rest.
"What are you doing here?" the young Pokémon trainer asked with confusion.
"Well you have been acting so depressed lately since Mmm-" but was discontinued when Ash's attention was drawled just by the name of May, as it made his look towards the sky. The young blunette knew that her friend held more than disappointment towards her former travel partner. "Could you tell what's wrong with you Ash? I'm worried about you." Her normal type Pokémon, Buneary came bouncing along to her trainer's side.
"I told you already." The trainer replied, slightly annoyed. "She chose to travel with her rival than her best friend. She would rather travel with somebody that only knows how to hurt her rather than support her like I did." The boy clenched his fist. "I don't know what Drew has to make May travel with him than me." He continued to look up towards the sky.
"Ash?" Dawn repeated with a confused tone in the girl's voice. "Are you…" she thought for a brief moment and soon added. "…jealous that this Drew guy is with May?" she slightly chuckled at the idea that her friend Ash actually had a crush on a girl.
Ash avoided the girl's teasing questions and turned his back and walked a few feet away from her and lay down on the grass. Looking up towards the full moon filled with the tiny stars scattered around the huge glowing floating rock. All behind a huge thick night sky blue blanket. The young coordinator was left in confusion on why her friend walked away from her but it didn't stop her from asking the same questions once more. She sat next to her friend and thought it was best just to sit there without asking. Soon their silence together broke.
"Yeah…I guess you can say that…" the young trainer said without confidence as his voice began to trail off. The boy's statement grabbed the girl's attention quickly but had no words to express her shocking discovery. Ash soon continued. "Before she left to Johto we had an argument. Well it wasn't too big. A common thing we tend to do over food. But this time it was over us." He closed his eyes and sighed and soon added. "My dream will get in the ways of yours and yours will get in the way of mine. We just can't travel together anymore. That's why I'm going to travel with Drew so he can help me reach my dream. That is what May told me that night." He opened his eyes with sadness within them. "I told her that she would never be in the way of me becoming a Pokémon master but she refused to listen. She thought it would be best for us to go our own ways." He gave his attention toward the night sky. "When I arrived back to Pallet and asked her to come to Kanto with me for the battle frontier she said yes straight away but when I asked her again to come with me to Sinnoh she refused." He looked up towards Dawn. "I don't know what I did wrong. I mean she should of known that she never get in the way of my dreams and would do everything I can to not be in her way."
"I guess she just wanted to travel alone. Maybe to feel what it's like on the road without friends." The young ten year old girl suggested.
"I just don't understand her anymore." He sighed. "And I never told her…that…" the boy tipped his hat over his face to stop the blushing. "…I…I…would really miss her when she is gone." The boy replied but felt those words weren't enough to express what he felt to May. The young ten year old girl replied with silence.
Days had passed since her conversation with the boy. Before they both knew it, they were all waiting at the port for her to arrive. The young ten year old coordinator was filled with excitement as she was going to meet a professional Pokémon coordinator. But at the same time her questions on what truly happened the night she left Ash and Brock remained a mystery. Another in waiting was the young Pokémon trainer, waiting on the port unsure how his reaction should be or even May's. His heart raced about the idea as his mixed emotions came in deeper and deeper as the boat came towards the three. Brock, the oldest in the group was more in the bright side. He was glad to see his friends come back to visit but what worried him the most was how the two would react to each other. The boy knew that know Dawn knew why Ash was acting in such a negative way and he was afraid that she might have to witness what his eyes saw that night. What they saw in the distance was a huge butterfly, its wings glowing in the sun's warm bright rays. Its wings shaded with the colours of black, blue, yellow and red soon became more visible as the bug type Pokémon landed on Ash's cap. The beautiful bug type cheered by calling its name out, happy to see Ash and Brock once more.
As soon the boat made its destination, many other passengers came off the transportation. The three waited until their friend came out. Holding bags of gifts to them. The young girl was named May and was a former companion of Ash and Brock. A successful ten year old coordinator who had originated from the Hoenn region and had already visited the Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn and now the Sinnoh region. The four most popular and well know regions in the Pokémon world. The young brunette worn an orange vest that reached to her waist with white pocket placed on both side, slightly placed low, near the end of the vest. The girl also had a pair of black cycling shorts. The sneakers were both the mix colours of orange and white as her fanny pack placed nicely on her waist was now a Christmas colour green. Her gloves had a range of mix colours of black and green at the start and as it progress it changed into a pale white with a hold placed on the top, as part of the design and the fingertips of the fabric item was dyed a strong black. The young brunette also had a bandana, the same colour as her fanny pack. She all greeted them with a bright smile.
"Hey everyone!" she held her bag in front of her. Showing her friends what she came with. 'I brought these for you!" she chuckled slightly. The young former gym leader knew she was already uncomfortable.
"It's nice to see you again May!" Ash replied with one of his smiles. But it just didn't seem the same to the gym leader. He knew all too well that leaving each other on not too well grounds, had really affected their friendship to each other. It didn't seem natural not like the time back in the small town of Pallet where his oldest companion Ash had returned from travelling in Hoenn and May had come to visit since her younger brother Max had already bet her to it. When the two were together they were always so happy and never seem to argue and agree to whatever the other one said. He slightly laughed at the idea were the two would drool as he cook since Ash had forgotten to bring the food with him when he started his journey in the Hoenn region.
"Here Brock!" the brunette greeted and making the boy return to reality. "I brought this for you in one of the markets back in Johto." She stared at him for awhile and looked back at her gift. The girl had in her hands was a small wooden figurine representing an Ursaring. The girl looked back at her old travelling companion. "Don't you like it?" She asked.
"I like it May." He soon grabbed his gift off her hands. "I'm glad you thought of buying my one." He complimented.
"Same here." The young blunette cheered holding her gift within her hands. The gift that the Johto coordinator had given her new friend as a necklace with her starter type's face placed in the middle. Piplup had the necklace in its grasp. Wondering how its face was on a piece of jewelry. "Thank you, Princess of Hoenn." Dawn seemed to have praised. Brock laughed at how excited Dawn was from receiving a gift.
"Why thanks a lot Dawn." The girl blushed with embarrassment. The coordinator heard footsteps coming behind her as she remember she had walked past him to give her gifts to Brock and her new friend, Dawn. The brunette slowly turned to face her former companion. When their eyes met they quickly looked away, both looking for a distraction of stare at. The young brunette reached deep into her bags and pulled out one remaining item. A small Teddiursa wooden figurine. The girl tried to stare at her friend as long she could. Their old travelling partner could tell that talking to each other like their fight had never happened was hard, now forced to act right in front of Ash's new friend Dawn. Who had never fully understood the compilations between the two former friends. The Pokémon trainer raised his arm to receive his gift. With no intension from the boy he had placed his hand on top of the girl's. Nobody said a word to each other until Ash had notice what he had done. Both quickly released their grip as the small wooden figurine fell and ready to collide onto the ground until the bug and flying type Pokémon sweep up the figurine into it small paws and gave the gift the raven hairstyle boy.
"Thanks Beautifly." Ash smiled as he accepted the gift from the Pokémon. The reaction both trainers had done left Brock in confusion. He began to lose into his own thoughts. He re-ran on what Dawn had asked him a few days ago, before May arrived to visit them. He began to doubt his own ideas that both trainers acted like that because they could have possible feelings towards each other. His shook his head to get rid of the idea that the two might like each other. But it wasn't such an easy task to do. Ash soon placed the gift into his back pack and the two said no more words to each other.
The day continued as they first thought it was best to head somewhere to eat. The visiting coordinator thought it was best to eat at a seven star restaurant. In order to eat there they had must win a tag battle which all four agreed it was better than paying cash. Both the boy's were the first up but quickly defeated and won the right to eat but decided it was better to wait for the others. As the girls battle for their right to eat at the expensive restaurant Brock noticed how Ash was watching the girls battle, especially May. The boy now wondered if what he thought earlier was true. He noticed that Ash seem sad while watching the battle as he rarely did cheer, and if he did it didn't seem normal for him to say those encouraging words.
"Something wrong?" He asked.
"Nothing." Ash replied to his friend but his old companion knew he was lying.
"Ash I know you all too well. I know when your okay and when your not." He crossed his arms and soon added. "When you two greeted each other on the port, I could tell you still haven't recovered from your argument with May." He turned his attention from his close friends to the two coordinators. "May is going to leave in a few days. I suggest you two should talk before she leaves."
"What is there to talk about?" The trainer muttered. "What should I say? Don't go? Stay and travel with me? Tell her that she will never be in the way of my dreams?" The young boy complained. "If I do that we will both start fighting again. Talking about it won't fix anything!"
"So you're not even going to tell your feelings towards her?" Brock added with a teasing grin. Breaking the serious tone in his voice.
The young trainer blush and tipped his cap over his face one more, to not show his friend the flush of red over his face. Brock laughed at his friend's actions.
"I don't like her." He mumbled. The former gym leader knew his friend was lying once more.
"That's not what Dawn told me." Brock continued to laugh. He soon stopped, trying not to disturb the girl's battle. Ash still didn't want to show his face towards his friend. "And plus the signs you showed back in Hoenn and Kanto gave me the idea." He added. He still saw his friend was now very embarrassed to even look at him. "You shouldn't be embarrassed in liking a girl Ash."
"Well…I guess so." He lifted his cap up slightly. "But I find it funny hearing love advice from somebody like you. Always getting abused just by flirting with nearly every girl you see." The gym leader sighed with disappointment. Knowing that what his old friend had said was true. Soon after the boy's conversation both coordinators were cheering in victory. This was a sign that they had already won their match and had the right to eat at the restaurant. The group of four entered and ate the meals they had ordered.
Night had fallen over at the Sinnoh region and the four were enjoying the scene of the clear summer night sky with the contest hall in sight as its lights shined bright through the night. The young brunette coordinator was standing by her friend Ash. Both haven't said a word to each since she had came to the new region. The girl thought about the move she was about to make. She looked over to Dawn how was enjoying the views with her water starter on the rails, not seeming to mind that he could fall any moment. And Brock was near the entrance of the door, doing the same thing. The Hoenn coordinator reached into her green fanny-pack and slowly un-zipped her bag. The closer the zip reached the end the more nervous did the brunette felt. She soon picked up an important object. It was a ribbon, a Terracotta contest ribbon cut in half. The medallion had a golden tint, the medal seem to represent a sun. The ribbon placed on the side was mainly pink with dashes of white near the edges. She pulled it out so the rest of the group could lay eyes on it.
"Do you still have this?" her voice was soft and quiet as she tried not to look at his face. Ash had a surprised look over his face as he pulled out the other half of the ribbon from his pockets. She shifted her eyes to still be amazed to see he still had the ribbon with him after all this time. The coordinator was happy that he still remembered her after what happened.
"Yeah I do." He slightly smiled. Both joined the ribbon together. May had never seen the ribbon together since the day they both won it together. Her heart started to skip beats on how close she was with him. What she didn't expect was when she felt her friend grab hold of her hand. This move made her friend made the young girl looked up towards him. She didn't seem to notice how her friends watched the two together time to time but tried not to show it to them. Their fingers intertwined as he soon looked back at her. "Is it alright if we talk before you leave back to Johto?" he whispered, sounding slightly depressed that she was leaving back to the Johto region so quickly. May was left in such confusion. The pulse of the brunette increased as she nodded slightly. Finding it hard to do such a simple command. "But before that there is something I want to tell you." He looked at her. "Since there is no gym here I decided to enter in the Wallace Cup. Wallace himself told me so." May quickly took her hand away and faced him. May felt string of guilt within herself after hearing that her visit her made Ash delay with his gym battles.
"I knew it." She cried. Grabbing the attention of both Dawn and Brock. "I knew that if I came here I would be in the way of your battles. I should have never come." She closed her eyes, like she was about to cry. "I'm so sorry! I'm always in the way of your life!" and soon she raced out of the room. Making a young blunette confused, Brock giving sympathy and a worried friend to follow and race after May. She continued to race down to a huge lake. Her mind was full of regret. She never wanted to be in his way. She had gathered that the Sinnoh ledge was coming soon and she begin here with him only meant he would have less time to train. Memories of her times with him in both Hoenn and Kanto came flooding in. those memories were full of times where she was in trouble and no matter what he wanted, she would come to save her. No matter what the cost was. When she had lost a contest from her own mistakes he would blame himself and spend time helping her instead of him. He always thought of her and blamed her mistakes on him. May felt a string of disgust every time she thought of these past memories.
"May!" the trainer called out for her. May had notice his call late and tried to hide from him but Ash had notice her trying to run again once more. The boy came rushing towards her and grabbed hold of her hand before she decided to leave again. "Don't go please." He pleaded. He moved his hand down until they were both now holding hands.
"I have to. I'm getting in your way again. I always seem to be!" She complained. The girl tried to struggle away from his grip. Ash quickly dragged the girl towards his body. Before the young coordinator could reply, she was already in the arms of her mentor. A flush of red covered her face.
"You will never be in the way of my dreams and I will always stay out of yours okay?" he pushed her away slightly and his hands were both on her shoulders. "But I don't understand why you had to leave. I even asked you to come to Sinnoh with me but you declined and…" he took his grip away from the girl and slowly turned his back from her. "…travel with Drew instead." May could tell by her friend's tone of voice that he seemed anger or yet even jealous of her traveling with Drew in the Johto region.
"I wanted you to be happy." Her voice trailed off. "If I was out of your way than I'm sure you can become a Pokémon master in no time. I was always in your way and my contests always held you up in your gym battles."
"That's not true May!" he quickly flashed back towards her. "I was happy when we were together. You leaving me were the hardest and most painful things anyone has done to me." he scratched his thick black hair without looking her into the eye. The young coordinator noticed a slightly red blush across his face. "I would be really happy if you could…I mean after the Wallace cup and everything…if you could come to this new region Professor Oak had told me." he looked up towards her, staring into her sapphire blue eyes. "It's call the Isshu region and I would be really happy if you could come with me."
"So you're sure I won't be in the way of your gym battles over there?" the coordinator asked once more. He just replied with a simple nod. May felt a warmth of happiness overfill her that she young girl didn't notice tears of joy were running down her cheeks. Never did she ever imagine that she her friend would forgive her. After what she had done to him. The young trainer noticed his friend crying and came up closer to her, worried that he had hurt her feelings.
"Did I do something wrong?" the trainer panicked, afraid that her friend was mad at him. May could feel his concern towards here and laughed at the idea that he thought that he hurt her feelings.
"No." she slightly chuckled. The girl had never felt so relaxed towards her mentor for a long time. She had never felt so happy towards him before and his concern towards her felt warm and soft. Suddenly she felt a soft aura pushing her willpower and determination to come closer to her friend. She couldn't tell why but she didn't seem too afraid or embarrassed to wrap her arms around him. The trainer blushed once more, a bright red which covered up his whole face. "It's just nice to be able to be you with you right now, even though it's going to be for a few days." She looked up towards her close friend. "I'm sorry for the way I acted. I was so concerned and cared for you a lot I thought it was best to leave so you can reach your dreams."
"Well can you promise me this?" he asked. "Can you…not-tt…leave me again?" the boy stuttered with his blush of red still visible by the young brunette. "Because…I-I…" May had noticed he all suddenly had a hard time speaking to her. He tried not to look towards her as he tried to finish his sentence but his lips failed to deliver. "Ah, never mind." He smiled. "Let's just head back to the others." He added one of his goofy grins that May loved to see him with. As Ash grabbed her hand she felt her pulse increase and her grip onto his hand weak. Her mind empty and her lips speechless. They both ran back to the hotel holding hands. The young coordinator couldn't help but feel comfortable and full of joy as they both ran back together towards the place they stayed at. But what confused her most is why she just felt like this towards her close friend. She felt this once or twice when she first travelled with him but only now did it felt stronger than before. The brunette shook her thoughts away and focused in keeping up with pace with Ash.
Soon the day of the contest began and they all entered and passed the appeals with flying colours. They all seem to past a few rounds but out of the three, Ash was knocked out first. Dawn's close friend and rival, Zoey lost to Dawn and before both girls knew, they had to right each other for the rare aqua ribbon. The young Hoenn coordinator fought with all her heart but lost in a great battle. She smiled as she felt no regret since her and her newly evolved Glaceon fought with all she had. She knew that it was hard since it was her Glaceon's first contest battle. Evening had come to the Sinnoh region which gave her no choice but return to her region she was competing at, the Johto region. The young coordinator felt a sense of loneliness as she held a white letter in her hands she had just received only a few days ago
Inside the letter had the message that her father had fallen towards illness and it was now up to her run the gym and become the new gym leader of Petalburg city. A role she was originally meant to fulfill when she had started her journey back at Littleroot town. Her close friend, Ash arrived to the port and noticed how isolated she was from the rest of the group.
"You okay? He began, starting a conversation with her. He girl replied with a small shake of her head.
"There is something I need to tell you Ash." She turned to face her. The girl was filled with mix emotions. She didn't know how she was going to tell him. That she was unable to travel to the Isshu region with him. "I won't be able to come with you to Isshu."
"But why?" the trainer complained. Shocked to hear what his close friend had just said.
"My dad…is gone and I…I'm going to become the gym leader there." Her voice began to tear up in a crying tone of voice. "I'm really sorry Ash." Tears ran down her cheeks. Disappointment grew inside of the brunette now having to accept she could not travel with her mentor.
"I see." The trainer looked down towards the ground. He soon looked up towards her and saw her boat was making it's destination towards her. The boat leaving to Johto. May felt that there was something she wanted to tell him but her heart refused to admit it. "There is something I want to tell you before you go May." Ash walked closer to his friend. "I don't know how to start this…I mean I never done it before…" soon both felt awkward near each other by the strange conversation the trainer was saying. "I had this feeling since you left Hoenn. I mean I think I'm not too sick or anything." He soon sighed and added with a bright red blush on his cheeks. "I really-" but the boy's words were interrupted when the siren of the cruise blew, telling the passengers that it was heading toward the port. The young coordinator titled her head in confusion. Ash tried again. "I really lik-" but was interrupted once more as the boat was getting closer to the port as they both heard the footsteps of Brock and Dawn coming.
"Well Ash the boat is coming. Could you just call me and tell me over the phone when I get back to Johto?" the brunette suggested but he seem to refuse her suggestion. May felt hurt by the way he acted and turned her back and crossed her arms. "Fine, forget I said anything to you." And soon made her away and was about to walk away from her mentor until she felt a suddenly tug by her wrist and turned her around to face him. What the young brunette didn't expect was when she laid her lips onto his. A huge blush came over the girl's face but soon faded as they both broke the sweet kiss as the boat made its way to the port as their other two friends made their way to the two. Both didn't seem to see or show and sign of the two and their little kiss. Ash's recent action had just left her friend in such confusion. Her mind began to create such question but her shaken lips were in too much shock to even say a word. The boat blew its horn for one last call. The brunette looked back. She looked at all the new faces she had seen.
A young coordinator, both her new best friend and harsh rival. A young blunette who always knew from the start of her journey wanted to become a coordinator. A young sweet girl who always wanted to dress her team into cute outfits and practice new and more wonderful combinations. Dawn, she knew she would get far into her career. She looked to another of her friend. An old friend of her mentor. A former Kanto region gym leader. A man who decided to take on his long life dream of a Pokémon breeder, a man who always knew who to calm down her stomach every time it complained for food. Brock, a man that always got rejected by every time he flirted with any girl but never seem to give up. Then the young girl gazed at her friend, a young boy who was the same age as her. A boy who always gave the best he can in any situation. A person that never gave up on his dream no matter how many times he failed. The boy who had just kissed her on the lips. Who still knew was disappointed since he was left with no response from her yet.
"I won't be able to come back you know, now that I'm going to be a full time gym leader." She muttered to Ash. Ash sighed in disappointment. "But I promise to visit you when you get to Pallet. I will tell you then." Ash was left in confusion as and young ten year old Pokémon coordinator hopped onto her ride back to the Johto region as her three close friends waved goodbye to her.
They all watched as she sailed away from their sights, hoping that nothing would change between them all.
Months felt like years to the young Pokémon trainer as he and his two travelling companions travelled through the rest of the Sinnoh region. Many events had happened since she was gone. Brock had finally decided to not become a Pokémon breeder but a Pokémon doctor instead and as for his newest friend Dawn, she decided to stay in the Sinnoh region since she was invited for a photo shoot of her Buneary from Edna back in Hearthome city. After his departure from the Sinnoh region and his friend Brock he raced towards his small hometown of Pallet. He stopped as he reached the small home. It sill had those part of the house he remembered so well. The same door, same roof and the same walls. As he reached towards the door her face of the girl he liked flashed into her mind. There was no doubt that she had become a gym leader in the Hoenn region. He sighed disapprovingly as he remembered that there was a big chance that the girl her really liked won't be able to see him again.
He placed his hand on the door knob and twisted it slowly to find his lovely and caring mother with her Mr. Mime by her side, holding a broom. Showing that they were cleaning while he was gone. Her mother seemed to have her usual clothes on her. The simple pink top and a light violet purple skirt that pasted her knees and her long brunette hair were tied back in the way she always liked. She noticed that her son was not as happy as he always seemed to be every time he came home.
"What's wrong?" his mother asked. The young trainer smiled warmly at her, pretending that everything was alright.
"Just tired." He lied. "Anyway is May here?" the young trainer asked, hoping that what she told him back a few months ago was a lie.
"I haven't been able to speak with her since you invited her to the battle frontier a year ago." She placed her hands on her son's shoulders. "Is something wrong?" she repeated.
"Nothing mom." He grinned. Continuing to make her believe that he was truly okay.
"Well then. Get you bags ready. We are going to head out to the Isshu region soon." His mother told her son. The trainer was surprised that his mother had decided to come with him to the new region. "Professor Oak is coming along to visit a good friend of his there. I will stay with him there as you travel in that region. Okay?" his mother smiled at her. "Oh it would be so nice to travel with my son after such a long time." She cheered as she tightly cuddled her son. The young ten year old was starting to lose he ability to breath if his mother continued to hug him the way she was doing right now. Her mother released her grip as her son was able to breathe again. He giggled at such a sight. "I have made new clothes for you upstairs. So dressed up into them and come downstairs when you're ready." She grinned and made her way to the kitchen with her psychic type Pokémon tagging along.
Ash followed his mother's commanded and got dressed into the new clothes she had both for him. He worn a red and white baseball cap with a blue poke ball placed at the front side of the hat. He also had a blue shirt that seemed to be a t-shirt and vest at the same time. Black strips were place on the shirt as well. One going across his shoulders and the other slightly lower. Half the shirt was painted a sea colored blue as the bottom half was white. A bright yellow zipper was placed right in the middle of the outfit, giving it a vest kind of look to the outfit. He also had grey cargo pants and red and black sneakers. His gloves were also new, black and red. He placed all his trophies and certificates on a table that was placed near the door. The last item that came out was the Teddiursa figurine that May had given him. The boy blushed as he mind reminded him of her name and his feelings for her that had not died. He knew that there was a big chance that they would no longer see each other. It was time to let his heartache end. Soon his mother came up the stairs and entered into his room.
"Ash?" she called out her son's name. "May is here to see you." The boy quickly turned his attention to his mother. Shocked to find out that May was here to see him. He smiled as he made his way downstairs. His mother giggled on how fast he reacted when she called out May's name. Soon the young Pokémon trainer made he way downstairs to find the girl he liked to be there waiting for him. She had his face turning towards him but as soon she heard the rushing footsteps she knew it was him. Ash.
"May?" the young boy asked. Confused why she came to visit without calling him first. The young new gym leader still had the same outfit she came to visit him back in Sinnoh. She still had the beauty that she admired and loved about her. She gave him a cheeky greeting smile and gave him a small wave and walked toward him. The boy stood still as she approached him. His heart began to beat out of its normal pace as she came closer towards him. "What are you doing here?" He asked. Glad he didn't stutter any of his words.
"I wanted to tell you something important." She soon laid her lips onto the boy's. the boy was shocked as he felt his whole face turn into a bright red colour. Confused on the actions May had done to him. Just when the boy decided to turn his back on his feelings towards May was when May had come and kissed him. Soon she broke their kiss and May continued to speak. "When I left you guys and head my own way did I notice something." She took in a breath and continued. "I really like you Ash." She smiled kindly at him. "Every time I think of you and remind me on how far we are to each other my heart aches. And I knew the only way for it to end was to tell you how I felt for you." She blushed. "I hope your feelings toward me haven't changed." She looked up. "Have they?"
"Nothings changed May." He grinned. The young trainer had never felt so happy since the day they had met. He was glad that now finally he heard the answer he always hoped for. The young gym leader grabbed hold of his hand with a warm smile across her face.
"I'm really happy to hear that Ash. Now shall we go?" she winked. The trainer wanted to reply but the brunette had beaten him to it. "Max will look after the gym for me while I'm gone. So while his doing that I can come and travel with you and enter what they call them over them, Pokémon musicals." She giggled right after. "I really like the name of that. I wonder if they will be like Pokémon contests?" she thought to herself and soon the young trainer smiled.
"Well let's find out." He grinned as they both rushed out toward the house. Both trainers were glad that they would both travel together once more. Both excited to what the Isshu region had in store for them both and the new friends they would be sure to meet along the way and seeing old ones as well. A region filled with adventure and new Pokémon and gyms. They were ready for something new. Something they both knew they would love and their hearts wouldn't ache for.
Fin