The soft rush of the river and the quiet sigh of the wind are the only sounds surrounding young Ash Ketchum as he tries yet again to fall asleep. Earlier that day he had fought an exhilarating rematch against Anabel, the Frontier Brain of the Battle Tower, and won his 6th Frontier Symbol. After Ash, Brock, May, and Max had said their goodbyes to Scott and Anabel, they had walked along the river until moonrise and hunkered down for a good night's rest. But for our young trainer from Pallet, rest would not come. His mind kept flickering back to the lilac haired girl and her charming smile. Every time he closed his eyes his mind would conjure memories of their interactions over the past two days. Their battles, their fun in the lake splashing and playing, as well as her exhibiting her ability to read the emotions of Pokémon kept swirling around his mind. But most of all…
"So see if you can sense what's in my heart…" her words echo again and again. He wished he had been able to actual sense it. After they shook hands at the end, he felt a warmth linger in his palm that made him smile. "ARGH… why can't I stop thinking about it" Ash grumbles to himself. "Everything reminds me of her… even the stars up there are twinkling the way her eyes did when she … talked… to… me?" Ash quickly sits up, his heart beating a little harder. "Did she … could this warmth be… "He tries to say it, out loud or in his mind but the words just won't form. His good heart his fighting against his dense head, filling him with such confusion and turmoil and elation he feels like his head is going to explode. He lays back down and notices a flower similar to the one she had shown him earlier. "Look how happy this flower is singing..." she had said, after which Brock mentioned quieting his mind and listening to nature. Well, maybe nature could answer his questions for him.
He slows his breathing and tries to let go of everything except Anabel and nature. He listens to the wind and the water, breathes in the scent of the flowers and even starts to imagine he can feel the moonlight shining on him. After a while, he brings his right hand up to his heart and imagines the feel of her hand in his. Immediately warmth rushes through him and he can feel himself blush. He imagines her laugh, her smile, her determination in their battle, and as the wind settles a flower lilac petal on his hand his eyes shoot open. "Her heart was reaching out to mine! Maybe… it still is!"
Now Ash is still young but he does have some idea about romance, mostly from books and movies. He just never thought that it would ever hit him. But now he is suddenly understanding how powerful the longing to be with someone can be. He catches himself standing up and walking back toward the Battle Tower. "I can't just leave my friends, plus what about the Battle Pyramid?" After pondering a bit an idea hits him like Pikachu's thunderbolt. With a smile he lays back down, a plan forming that will get him some alone time with Anabel while still prepping him for the next Brain. And if he plays his cards right, his friends won't even guess his true motives.
The next morning after Brock has finished cooking breakfast, Ash calls everyone's attention.
"With as hard a time I had against Anabel, I don't think I am ready yet for the last Frontier Brain. I need more training with my Pokémon" he starts. Brock interrupts though, "but Ash you don't even know what kind of challenge this Brain will have, how will you train?" "I've thought about that. I think training with Anabel will be a great way to prepare. She may know something about the final Brain, and even if she doesn't or can't tell me she is a high level trainer who can help me understand my Pokémon better."
May raises her eyebrows at this. "So you want us to go back to the Battle Tower and ask Anabel for help with your training? I actually think that is a great idea!" It hadn't escaped May's attention the looks Anabel had given Ash, and while she thought Ash was a great trainer he was obviously too dense to notice Anabel's feelings. If they were together training for a while… who knows.
"Yes, but Brock I think you May and Max should head onto Pewter without me. You can take this time to visit your family and show May and Max the sites. Also I read on my PokeNav there is a small, local contest there May for you to compete in. It starts in three weeks, so you should have plenty of time to train. I will try and meet up with you for the contest. Also, this will inconvenience Anabel less if she only has to deal with one guest. Whaddya think guys?" Ash tries to sound nonchalant, but inside his heart is beating hard. Will they go along with it? Will they catch on?
May and Brock look at each other and smile, while Max looks confused. "That sounds like a great plan. I can't wait to see all my brothers and sisters again! I hope James has been eating right… and Susan always rips her dresses…" Brock starts mumbling about all his siblings. May smiles at Ash, "I'm loving this plan. I'll have time to work on new routines and since it isn't a big contest there isn't too much pressure!" Max just shakes his head and says "Sounds fine to me. I hope Anabel will be ok with it though."
May cuts in with a big smile "Something tells me she won't mind at all."
After saying goodbye to his friends, Ash nearly runs back up the river toward the tower. Figuring to start there, he knocks on the door but gets no answer. He wanders down to Anabel's villa instead but finds no one home either. He sits glumly on the porch while Pikachu chases a butterfly in the yard. "If she's not here and she's not at the tower…. the lake!" With that Ash jumps up and nearly trips over Pikachu hustling toward the lake where he first met her. Pikachu stares for a second then follows, confused and slightly entertained by his trainer's erratic behavior.
After jogging along the lakeshore for a while, carefully minding the trees for Beedrill, he finally catches a glimpse of lilac hair in the water before it dives under the water again. Ash can only stare as he waits for her to surface, which she does with a dazzling splash around her not 10 feet in front of him.
"Anabel!" Ash exclaims while waving his arm with enthusiasm.
"ASH?!" Anabel squeaks, covering herself in the water as she is wearing a two piece purple bikini. "Wha… what are you doing back here?" She can't help the stutter in her voice nor the fierce blush that is spreading across her cheeks. Wild scenes of him running back to declare his feelings for her had filled her dreams last night, and to see him standing on the shore with such zeal in his eyes had her weak in the knees.
"Ah well, you see I … wanted to ask you… a favor and a question" Ash blurts out, while scratching his head nervously. He is having a hard time keeping his eyes from wandering and the look she's giving him right now is sending shivers down his spine. "I didn't mean to interrupt you… uh... swimming".
"Why he is so nervous and what does he mean a favor and a question?" she thinks to herself. "He's so cute when he's nervous… well ok he's cute all the time… but I shouldn't get my hopes up". For all her reasoning, though, she can't stop the serene smile spreading on her face. One thought keeps bubbling up inside of her- "He came back!"
"Hand me my towel so I can come on shore and we'll talk" Anabel says shyly, still trying to cover herself up. Ash gulps and hands her the Espeon graphic towel and turns around so she can get up out of the water and cover herself up. When he turns around he can't help but notice the water dripping down from her hair and racing along her skin. All of a sudden Ash feels very, very warm in his hoodie and decides to take it off. "Wait… why are you taking off your shirt!?" Anabel exclaims, very surprised and secretly excited. "Well… I'm warm… and since you aren't that dressed... I figured I shouldn't either… to make it… more balanced... yeah that's it!" Ash mentally slaps himself for being the least smooth talker in the history of history. All Anabel can do is stare as he stammers out his explanation and sits down next to her.
Anabel and Ash can't quite meet eye to eye as they wait for the other to start talking. Anabel, being the slightly more mature one, musters up her courage and starts the conversation.
"Well first things first, I'm happy to see you again Ash. I know you just left yesterday but… well I … I missed you. .."
"Yeah… me too. I even had trouble sleeping last night!" Ash blurts out, and then immediately covers his mouth with his hand. "He couldn't sleep last night because he missed me?!" Anabel immediately smiles beautifully at the dark haired boy, a rumble of butterflies in her stomach.
"Well…. I'm glad you came back then. Now you said you had a question and a favor?"
"Yeah well, I'll go with the favor first. I don't think I am ready for the final Frontier Brain. I lost to you first, and Scott said the final Brain is even stronger than you. I've decided I need to do some training before I go to the Battle Pyramid and was wondering if you could train with me?" Ash, relieved to be talking about Pokémon again, asks.
"Well no one has ever asked me to be their training partner. I'd love to. I can't help you especially against Brandon the Pyramid King since I don't know what type of Pokémon he uses. But I'd be happy to train with you!" Anabel shakes a little from excitement thinking that if he is training with her then he'd be staying a little while longer.
"Awesome… also along with that, since I don't really want to camp out the entire time, could I maybe stay with you?" Ash asks sheepishly, trying to word it carefully as not to come on to strong.
At this, Anabel's eyebrows shoot up and her face tinge's pink yet again. "I… I mean... yeah... that'd be great... I mean fine… yes. I'd love to have you!" and with that, it's Anabel's turn to slap her hand over her mouth. At this reaction Ash smiles and inches a little closer to her, pulling her hand down and automatically holding it in his own. "Thank you so much Anabel!"
"Um… but Ash… where's Brock, May and Max?" Anabel squeaks out, very aware that her hand is currently being cupped by Ash's. Even through his fingerless gloves she can feel his warmth, which is spreading through her now.
"Well Brock has been away from his home, Pewter City, for a while and there is a contest there in a few weeks so I told them to go on without me and I would catch up with them during the contest. I also didn't want to impose too much on you by trying to put us all up in your villa." Ash stammers, quite quickly. Anabel smirks, starting to catch on to what she thinks Ash's plan is. Based on his reactions and blush, he's just as excited and embarrassed and nervous as she is. But she is impressed he came up with such a nice way to get his friends out of the way and come back. At least she hopes that's what he did.
"And what was the question you wanted to ask me?" Anabel asks, with big emotion filled eyes.
Ash blinks a few times and then remembers he never worded the question! "Well, you see… uh…. I was hoping… Will you let me try again… at reading your… heart? And if not, can you try reading mine?" Ash forces out, trying his best not to trip over his own tongue. When he says the word heart to her, Anabel had to fight back the urge to grab his face and pull him in for a kiss. Yet she holds back, wanting to go slow and let things play out. She is so excited that he came back here, not just for her but for another chance at reading her feelings. On top of wanting to know how she felt he wanted the chance to learn her ability too! Her heart is jumping up her throat and she feels a little dizzy as she simply nods to his question.
Setting his brow in concentration and holding tightly onto her hand, Ash tries to sense anything from her. Eventually he closes his eyes, to Anabel's surprise, and starts to breathe deep and slow. He relaxes himself as did the night before and tries to drink in her essence. Flashes of their time together shift through his mind with emotions not his own seeming to surface. He sees himself taking the Poison Tail for Pikachu and grabbing Pikachu during its Volt Tackle while admiration bubbles up. He sees them playing in the water, splashing as elation and contentment fill him. He feels the warmth in her hand and the sadness when they let go at their final parting. And finally he feels the overwhelming sense of happiness she felt when he came back. In that moment, he knew he had read her heart.
Opening his eyes, he stares back with passion and with emotion laced in his voice "I … I did it. I felt your heart. Before I say what I felt though, I want you to feel mine". Anabel nods and closes her eyes, focusing on the trainer in front of her.
Elated and terrified at what she is about to find, she delves through their shared memories, sensing his amazement at her ability to talk to the Beedrill and Gyarados, admiration for her fire and determination during battle, respect for her ability as a trainer, frustration at not being able to read her emotions at first, and when she finishes the strongest ting that shines out above all others is a sense of bond with her that she knows he has never felt before. The wash of emotions takes her breath away and when she opens her eyes the look he gives her freezes her in place.
Ash leans in, slowly, taking his free hand and gently holding her cheek as he whispers "this is what I felt". With that he kisses her softly, pulling her lips into his slightly. Immediately their eyes close and they deepen the kiss, letting go of their hands to cup each other's faces. After a while, the need for a breath of air forces them apart, Ash resting his forehead on hers.
"Well, it looks like you've learned to read my heart pretty well Ash" Anabel breathes.
Ash smirks at her and presses his lips against hers again for a quick kiss before pulling back saying
"You know, I think I may have to train in reading your heart as well as battles while I'm here."
"Oh I like the sound of that" Anabel smiles as she pulls him up to his feet. "Let's head back to my villa and find you a place to stay" she winks while pulling on his hand. "We have a whole lot of training to do and I'm really eager to get started!" she laughs pulling him along. "Come on Pikachu!" Ash's calls back as he races along.
Pikachu looks up at the two them before shaking its head and following along, hoping it can find some time alone to training itself. In reading hearts with Anabel's cute, violet Espeon that is.