After getting his fourth gym badge, Ash and friends were on their way to returning to Petalburg city to take a break from there Hoenn journey, and just in time because Valentine's Day was just around the corner. While May and Max were planning a special dinner for their parents, Ash was plotting a plan of his own. Quite through their journey, he seemed to have developed feelings for May and wanted to express it to her, on the special occasion of Valentine's Day
"Hey Brock, Max, thank you both for helping me out with my surprise gift to May." Ash whispered as he and Pikachu were setting up the Pokémon center for their big night.
"Anytime Ash!" squealed Max gleefully.
"We got your back, buddy." Brock encouraged in agreement.
"I just hope I'm ready for tonight. I'm a bit nervous though about telling May how I feel about her." Ash wished, worry evident in his words.
"Don't worry Ash," assured Max to the Kanto native "just be yourself, that's what May loves about you after all."
"Speaking of May, I wonder where she is. I haven't seen her since last night." noted Ash looking side-to-side around the center. Even though this was a surprise he was hoping May was still around so he could show her his surprise.
"Um… well…" Max stammered nervously, fiddling with his glasses. The truth was that May woke up early that morning and told Brock and Max not to tell Ash where she was.
"May just went out for a walk around the town." explained Max trying to lower any suspicion. Meanwhile, May was just walking back to city with her Combusken in tow holding a basket filled with delicious sweets. She was just walking back from a friend's house who lived just outside the town who helped her bake her deserts for tonight.
"I hope Ash loves the sweets I made for him, don't you Combusken?" she asked her starter Pokémon.
"Ken!" barked the fire type. May giggled as she was just as excited but nervous about telling Ash how she felt about him.
"After we drop these off at the Pokémon Center, we'll go get that cute dress I saw at the mall and then surprise him by asking him to go see the fireworks tonight and there I will tell him that I love him." She simpered having it all planed out. As they inched closer to the city a nearby bush started to rustle next two May and Combusken. The two look to see a huge Ursaring spring out of the bush. The two began screaming and ran the other direction with the bear-like Pokémon on their heels. Suddenly, without looking where she was going, May fell over a rock and scraped her knee.
"Ow!" The brunette said as she suddenly looked up forgetting that the Ursaring was right behind her. She soon began to cry out for help when Combusken came out using her strongest Sky Uppercut attack and scared off the bear. "Thank you Combusken." Thanked May as she tried to get herself up but quickly fell. Combusken stood there in worry for her master. "Combusken we're near to the Pokémon Center, do you think you can go and get help?" she asked as her Combusken now had a determined look on her face and went off to fetch help. It was starting to get late and Ash was now pacing in the lobby of the Pokémon Center.
"Where could she be?" Ash wondered now worried about his friend, he held feelings for.
"Don't worry Ash," said Brock "I'm sure she's on her way." Soon a Combusken came through the door and ran to Ash.
"Ken, Combusken!" whimpered May's faithful starter..
"Combusken!" Ash recognized, knowing it was May's "Where's May?" he asked. Soon Combusken ran the other direction wanting Ash to follow her. Ash soon put on his hat, and backpack, as Pikachu hoped on his shoulder. "Guys I'll be back, I think May is in trouble." He said as the others nodded and he ran after Combusken. It was starting to get dark and May was starting to get scared. "Combusken, where are you?" she asked herself thinking her Pokémon would be back with help by now. Suddenly she heard a nearby bush rustle as she started to get scared. "Oh no, the Ursaring is back." She said as tears started to come down her eyes.
"May?" a voice asked. She looked up to see where the voice came from and standing before her was Ash.
"Ash!" she said as she tried to stand up and wanted to hug him but the pain in her leg dragged her back down.
"May, you're leg!" Ash cried with worry about her. "Don't worry I'll fix it." He pacified as he placed his backpack down and pulled out an handkerchief. "Here." He said as he rapped it around her leg. "
"It's hurts." May sniffed now on the verge of crying. Ash got up and looked down at her with a smile on his face.
"Hey, as long as you got me, you never have to cry again and that's a promise" he reminded, wiping a tear. He then extended his hand down for her to reach. She took his hand and then was pulled into Ash's protected arms, but this time he hugged her back. "May I was so worried about you." Ash fussed calmly when he pulled her out of the hug and saw her face growing red with blush.
"R-really?" she asked.
"Yeah, I have this huge surprise waiting for you back at the Pokémon Center, and I was waiting for you but you didn't show up." Said the Kanto native.
"I'm sorry," May apologized "I didn't mean to scare you. Wait… did you say surprise?" she than asked as Ash suddenly remembered what he said gasped.
"Oh well." He sighed "Well how about we back so I can show you?" he asked as he placed May's arm on his back so she could stand.
"Okay." May said giggling at how such a gentleman Ash was. Soon the two along with their Pokémon, finally arrived at the Pokémon Center where Brock and Max and Pikachu were waiting for them.
"Ash, May you're back!" exclaimed Max as he ran over to his sister and gasped. "May, your leg!" Then he looked closer to see the handkerchief, quickly getting the idea Ash was soon enough to rescue her. "May, is that?"
"Yes Max," said May looking up at Ash "Ash saved my life as usual." Ash just smiled as Max and Brock looked at each other and nodded.
"Well Ash, we are out of supplies and I was just about to go stack us some." Said Brock as they began to walk out the center.
"Good luck Ash." Max winked as he ran out to catch up to the breeder. Soon Nurse Joy and Chansey came out.
"Excuse me you two, your table is waiting." She said as she escorted them over to their table.
"Table?" asked May in confusion.
"You'll see." Said Ash. May was able to stand on her own now that the pain went away but still had a limp in her step so Ash asked Nurse Joy to slow down. They soon came to a balcony that had a table and two chairs, with a flower vase looking out into the city. May gasped at this.
"Oh Ash." She said as Ash helped her to her seat and gave a nod to Nurse Joy. "Ash, did you plan this all for me?"
"You could say that," Ash said "Max and I did all the decorations down stairs for something special for us later and Brock did all the cooking, but I came up with all your favorite meals." Soon Nurse Joy came out with the food and they started eating. When they finished their dinner, May spoke up.
"Wow Ash, that was amazing, I wish we had some deserts." Soon May reached down and felt nothing. "Oh no!" she said as she was look down everywhere.
"What? What is it?" Ash asked.
"The thing is I made these special sweets for you as my Valentine's day present for you, but…" Before May could finish Combusken and Pikachu came up with a basket. "My basket!" she said as she soon took the basket and thanking them. She than opened the basket to reveal delicious pastries, macaroons, and chocolates.
"Wow May! You made all these?" Ash said with his mouth now drooling. May giggled and nodded. "Hey you know what let's let all of our Pokémon enjoy this." Ash said with May nodding calling for her Combusken to come on her lap, Pikachu coming on to Ash's shoulder and Ash calling out Grovyle, Corphish, Torkoal and Taillow. Soon all of them began enjoying May's sweet deserts until they we're full. "Now let me show you part two of my surprise. Just close your eyes okay" Ash said , he covered her eyes with his hands and aided her as they walked back down to the lobby. When May opened her eyes, May saw what she didn't notice when she first came into the Pokémon Center with Ash. There were flowers, hearts, red, pink, and white steamers.
"Oh Ash." marveled May. Soon the light went down and colorful ones replaced them with slow music playing.
"May, may I have this dance?" Ash asked offering her his hand. May giggled and this and took his hand.
"Of course Ash." She said as they began to dance. There was a bigger one inside the ground floor of the Pokémon Center was mostly empty. As they continue to dance they both began to think the same thing.
Well here it goes… Thought Ash
Well here it goes… Thought May
"Ash…" said May
"May…" said Ash
"There's something I want to tell you." The both said at the same time. The started blushing when they spoke at the same time.
"No you first." Said May
"Okay." Said Ash as he took a deep breath. Here we go. He thought, "May, ever since we first met I began to have these feelings for you, but I didn't want to say them right away fearing it could jeopardize our friendship."
"Ash, what are you trying to say?" May asked in confusion. Then she got her answer when Ash gave her a sudden kiss on the lips.
"I love you May." He said. May eyes began watering hearing all this coming from Ash's heart and soon gave him a kiss and a hug.
"Oh, Ash I love you too!" she cried out. "I had those same feelings and thoughts about you too that I was scared too, but now I'm glad we both love each other and… oh Ash." She said as she gave him another deep kiss. Nurse Joy, Chansey and Ash and May's Pokémon smiled. Nurse Joy than looked at the clock and gasped knowing what the time was.
"Excuse me you two." She said politely "But the fireworks show is about to start in a minute, if you want to go see them."
"Thanks Nurse Joy." Ash and May said simultaneously.
"Come on May lets go see the fireworks, Pikachu you and the others come too." Ash said taking May's hand as they walked out and found a bench where they can see the fireworks. As they continued to see the fireworks Ash and May looked at each other.
"Happy Valentine's day May." Said Ash
"Happy Valentine's day Ash." Said May as they both gave each other another kiss knowing this was the best day ever.