REWRITE – I'm rewriting this story as I was unhappy with the grammar and plotline inconsistencies that I noticed upon re-reading. The original will be deleted and replaced by this. I want to thank everybody who read the original and hope that they read the improved (I hope!) version and can spare the few seconds it takes to leave your thoughts. Thanks.
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DISCLAIMER!!
I do not own anything to do with Pokémon, Nintendo, Game Freak or any of those lucky companies that seem to make millions out of us.... although I wish I did. May would have never left at the end of Battle Frontier.
This story is Alternate Reality. When I first penned this story down it hadn't been released that May would be turning up in Sinnoh. In this story she doesn't.
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True Feelings Will Overcome....
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Prologue: Separation
June 13th 2007 – Petulburg City Gym
May Maple. She was your typical fourteen year-old. Her mind was centred in four things: friends, family, Pokémon and Boys (maybe not in that particular order). She had just returned to her home in Petalburg City, Hoenn, to visit her family before she left on the next stage of her journey to become the best Pokémon Co-ordinator in the world. She had a lot of training to do but she was determined to succeed. She was even more determined after her poor performance during the recently held Johto Grand Festival. She had managed to reach the top sixteen but it was barely and then she was destroyed by her rival Drew in that round. If she was honest with herself she would admit that her performance throughout her Johto quest was very poor. She knew something was missing, and she knew what that something was.
Once home she took time to relax and gather her thoughts. Her confidence had taken a bruising but at the same time it had made her more determined. 'Something he drilled into my head every time I lost.' She thought to herself on more than one occasion. Her most common past time was sitting in front of the television watching the live feed of the Sinnoh Region Grand Championship. The reason for this was a certain raven haired trainer that she had met when she had first began her journey. They spend the best part of two years together, with others of course, travelling around the region and having an insane amount of adventure.
She watched everyday that Ash Ketchum was competing. She was amazed at the skill he had gained in the eighteen months they had been apart. He marched his way through the preliminary rounds and soon found his way into the last sixteen. May felt bad at herself for letting her own feelings getting in the way of her contests when Ash seemed to put it aside. Her family noticed these changes in her mood but put it down to her loss in the contest and said in private that she would soon be back to normal once she accepted her lose and began to prepare for the next one.
May was amazed when she washed Ash battle his way past a trainer named Paul in the semi-final. The battle had lasted almost four hours and only ended when his trusty Pikachu was determined to stay on its feet when Paul's Ursaring decided it had had enough and fainted. She watched Ash celebrate with his friends and wish more than anything that she could be there.
The day of the final soon came round and May was nervous. Ash would be competing in the Sinnoh League Grand Final and for the championship. He had come close on the three previous occasions he had entered the league but always seem to met someone who had more experience or luck than him. But here in Sinnoh it was Ash with the experience and luck. Although this was not the reason she was nervous. She was in fact very confident that Ash would win the competition, her reason for being nervous was a matter of the heart.
She ran into the living room after eating her breakfast and straight away flicked the TV channel onto the NPN, National Pokemon Network, where the final would be aired. Once this was done she placed a soda can on the floor and pulled a cushion to her so she could sit as close to the TV as she could and still see. She had settled down just in time to hear the introduction of the trainers and the match
"It's starting!" She called as she focused in the screen, soon to be oblivious to the world.
A thumping of footsteps came down the stairs as well as some coming from the kitchen. Her younger brother, Max, entered the room closely followed by her mother, Caroline, and father, Norman. They all sat down, and fell into silence, to watch their old friend battle.
"You can do this Ash..." May whispered, her hands were covering her mouth as she watch, she was both excited and scared.
"Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen to the day we have been waiting for. 265 trainers started out just three weeks ago and now we are down to the last two. Ash Ketchum form Pallet Town in the Kanto region and Charlie Hill from Jubilife City here in Sinnoh. The rules of today's match are simple: It's a six on six battle with each trainer allowed to substitute their Pokemon at anytime. The first person to defeat all six of their opponents Pokemon will be crowned champion. Both these young trainers have plenty of experience in top level championship battling. This is Charlie's second time in the Sinnoh league, last year he was in the top 8 as for Ash he has enter the Indigo League, where he came in the top 16, the Johto silver conference, where he was in the top 8, and the Hoenn Championship where he again finished in the top 8. He is also in the Orange Island League Hall of Fame and a Battle Frontier Champion. On achievement alone Ash is the favourite but that's never a guarantee in Pokemon battles. Here come our trainers now. We'll pass you over to the battle mic so you can hear the battle first hand from the trainers.
"You know the rules," the official said to each trainer, "Now to see who starts the battle." A square on the big screen flashed alternately red and green before slowing down and stopping on red. "Trainer Ash Ketchum will begin."
"Ok." Ash said confidently, "Let's start this how we mean to end, GO TORTERRA!"
A Pokeball flew through the air and out of it came Ash's trusted grass type Torterra.
"TORRR!"
"Hmm, a grass type hey. Well I know what can defeat this. GO GET 'UM CROBAT!"
Out of Charlie's Pokeball came a large purple bat, its four wings flapping so fast they were a blur.
"CRO!"
May watched the screen as the battle began. She could hear her family cheering or groaning throughout the match but she was silent. She was avidly as Pokémon after Pokémon fought their hardest for their trainer. She looked closely as the board recorded each battle result.
After what seem like an age (it was in fact 2 hours and 45 minutes) the battle was close to ending. The two battling trainers both had just one Pokemon left and both were exausted. Ash was using his trusty Pikachu whereas Charlie had a Monferno out. Pikachu was getting more tired as he dodged Monferno's attacks, but Monferno was getting equally tired from making all the attacks. May was biting her fingernails not being able to watch the ending. She only looked up when Ash's voice cried,
"NOW PIKACHU! VOLT TAKLE!"
May watched the screen as a lighting glow appeared around the electric mouse as he darted at full speed towards the injured Pokemon. The screen went in slow motion as Pikachu charged at his opponent. Monferno tried to dodge but Pikachu's attack hit home. The crowd and the Maple Family waited, May holding her breath, as Monferno fell backwards unable to battle. All eyes flicked to Pikachu who was standing in front Ash panting but determined to stay fighting. May let the breath she didn't know she was holding out.
"Monferno is unable to battle!" The official called, "Pikachu is the winner! The Victory and the championship goes to Ash Ketchum form Pallet Town."
The stadium cheered as ash collapsed to his knees over come by emotion.
May stopped watching the TV. She couldn't hold back. She burst in to tears as the rest of the family cheered. Her mind was thrown back to the moment she and Ash had last seen each other on that dock when she was leaving for Johto.
They had been standing on the dock Max already on the boat and Brock waiting on the side. Ash and May were standing by the ramp each one trying to break the sad silence between them. Ash was the first to speak,
"May, I erm... well..." He took a breath and started over, "I've probably left this too late but I had to say something. I really like you May." He was looking at his feet all the time he spoke, "And if you're still interested when I finish in Sinnoh I promise to come back and ask you out properly." May's heart skipped several beats but she stayed calm and cupped his face and moved it so he was looking at her straight on,
"Ash, I wish you had something sooner," Ash's heart dropped hard and fast, "But I will be here when you get back. I will wait. I promise you that." Their hearts leaped up in unison and Ash leaned in and placed his lips on her and they held for the briefest of moment before a horn of the ship split them apart. With a small wave, and two blushed faces, Ash and May left each other, for the time being.
She just hoped Ash would remember.
