Xannytoes: Ladies and gentlmen, welcome back to The Return to H- Oh, okay. So this isn't the long-awaited chapter for the first Advanceshipping fanfic to win a Shippy award? Nope, it's another one-shot! In all my ignorance, I missed Advanceshipping week D: Which, as it it turns out, is the same week as when I was born! I WAS DESTINED TO BE AN ADVANCESHIPPER! IT IS CONFIRMED!
My apologies. For now, let's focus on the story. This is my somewhat late contribution to Advanceshipping week. As I've written nothing but sappy since joining the website, how about a dark, depressing story that will leave you crying at your keyboard? Sounds great, I know. So please, enjoy!
Ash was alone.
It wasn't an uncommon thing. He'd grown used to it now. Seconds. Minutes. Hours. Days. Weeks. Months. Years. All of them spent with his singular being. His companions had left long ago, leaving to places he could not travel. Not because they were lacking in a Pokémon league or it was too expensive. It was more like a one-way trip.
"Ash, come and meet the neighbors!"
The young child raced down a flight of newly bought stairs, jumping off the third from last step like he always did. His mother muttered something about how he was 'going to break his neck' but ruffled his hair anyway.
In the living room were two adults, standing by the fireplace and talking with Ash's father. Oh no, grownups. Ash had always been a bit shy. What if they wanted to talk to him? What would he say?
Oh Arceus! They'd seen him! They were smiling! They were walking towards him! Someone help!
"Hi!"
Ash jumped, caught unawares by the voice floating behind him. He turned his head, meeting the gaze of a girl. The top of her head reached Ash's nose, and she was staring at him with blue eyes that reminded him a lot of the sea. Her hair fell into place just above her shoulders. Had she brushed it? She was dressed in red and white.
"Hey," Ash smiled, relieved to not be talking to grownups, "I'm Ash!"
"Nice to meet you Ash," the girl mimicked his grin, "I'm -
- May," Ash muttered under his breath. Why was that particular memory coming back? Of all the thoughts that lurked in his mind, all the depressing and torturous recollections he'd gathered over the many years of life, why had his inner-self decided to select that single memory?
"Drew tried asking me out again," May sighed, walking alongside Ash down a beaten pavement. They'd just finished a long day Pokémon school, somewhat excited that they'd been blessed with the weekend.
"He doesn't know when to quit, does he?" Ash shook his head, "Want me to tell him off?"
"Nah, it's fine," May replaced her annoyed expression with a smile, though Ash could see through it. She'd sometimes use a mask to conceal what she was feeling, and most times it'd work. At least, on anyone except Ash. It was as if her very soul was exposed to him, naked, showing all the beauties and flaws that made May, May.
"I just wish someone better than that walking cactus would ask me out. Am I not good enough Ash? Am I destined to end up with someone like that?"
Ash said nothing. Thought nothing. Just reacted. His instincts fueled his movements, crossing to a small gathering of flowers by a sparkling lake. They were white in nature, and a quick feel of the prickly stem identified them as roses. He hesitated for a moment. Drew always gave red roses. Was this a good idea? Or would it just offend her?
"Ash?"
His thoughts fled once more, like someone else was taking control. He picked the one flower that seemed to speak more to him. It was leaning slightly to the right, though its colours flared like nothing he'd seen in the other blossoming choices. With a careful hand, he turned and presented it to the brunette with blue gems.
"Whoever ends up with you is gonna be really lucky May. I just wanted to tell you that -
- no matter what happens in life, no matter where we end up, you'll always be good enough to me. Better than that in fact.I would be happy with half the girl you are, but you're more than that. You're May Maple. This flower is like a copy of you, a little prickly when she wants to me but so beautiful to look at, inside and out. No one's perfect, but I'd take you over anyone else, any day."
He could still remember the glimmer of the sun in her tears. Her face lighting up like a Christmas tree. Her trembling lip as she tried to process what had been said, before she cleared her eyes, took a deep breath and tackled Ash to the ground. His back had been a nuisance for sometime afterwards, but the kiss he'd received had been worth the minor price.
For a moment, he thought he could feel her lips again. She never wore lipstick too often, though her lips always minded him of fresh cherries or peaches or any other sweet fruit. Not that the taste could compare to her though. Then, it was gone and all feeling fled him. He was left empty and alone once again, amid the darkness.
He was nearly there now. Just a short walk away. He knew the path so well, he could have probably made his way there blindfolded. He turned right past the church, walked down the dirt road for about two minutes, turned left to a gathering of tress, made his way to those accursed steps.
When was the last time everything had been so quiet? No Taillowsong filled the air. No Wurmple crawled across the ground. Even the air itself seemed to have fallen silent, the winds having fled from this place so cold. It reminded Ash of their first -
- apartment, Ash. I really love it here! There's a contest hall where I can train! A battle arena for you! They even host some of the Pokémon Leagues an hour away! It's perfect for us!"
"I thought you'd like it," Ash smiled, joining May by the window and kissing her briefly on the lips. He'd never get tired of that.
"Well, looks like we have just about everything," said May, "A home. Good careers. The two of us are doing pretty well."
"Soon to be three," Ash winked, putting a hand on May's stomach. She blushed momentarily, before constricting Ash in a loving hug.
"So when do we get married?" she whispered, "It's been five years. It's rude to keep a lady waiting."
"As soon as I find a ring fitting for you," Ash laughed, kissing her on the nose. She shook her head, pulling her boyfriend closer.
"I don't want a ring. I just want to be called May -"
"Ketchum."
That name. So alien. So strange. He'd heard it before though. It was important, he knew that much. He was here now. The third memory had distracted him long enough to arrive outside the gates. How he hated this place. And yet how often he found himself returning. Sometimes every week. Sometimes every day. Once every hour.
He walked among the rows and rows of the fallen. Some unknown. Some the best people he'd ever known. Would ever know. Certain stones were too scarred to read, others planted fresh that very morning. There was always death. Always taking. Never giving. And it had chosen to strike Ash. Time and time again.
He finally found it. The nineteenth row, second one to the right. Planted between the graves of mother and father. One taken by a simple accident. The other by a horrendous disease. She of course, sat in the middle. And although her body was only buried a few feet into the ground, she was beyond the reaches of time and distance.
At one point, he remembered cleaning her grave with a sponge. At another, he recalled staring into the distance, struggling to remember why he was here. All he knew was that it ended as it always did. Removing a fresh white rose from his pocket, bending it to the right ever-so-slightly and placing it on the earth.
He sat there for a breath or two more. Waiting. For what, he wasn't sure. Maybe he'd wake in his bed, his arms wrapped around May. Maybe he'd find himself back in their schooling days. Sometimes he'd be racing down the steps to meet her for the first time. He wasn't sure what to believe nowadays. Everything was so contorted, so confusing, too much for his broken mind to follow. Once upon a time, he might have fought for his sanity. Now, he was just being pulled along the current of times since gone.
Mustn't forget. I can't forget. But what if I can't remember what it was that I wasn't supposed to forget? Remember her lips. Remember her pretty face. Her electric personality. Her everything! Remember Ash Ketchum, remember and never f-
"Goodbye."
The words left his lips. Was it instinct taking hold once again? Who was he saying goodbye to? Had someone been here? He glanced around, finding no one in sight. He rubbed his tiring eyes, surprised to find tears forming there. Had he been crying? No, he was just exhausted. Arceus only knew why. But what was he doing in graveyard? He stood up, wiping his face and departing back to town.
"I should probably ask someone about this. Maybe they know why I'm here, why I -
- love you."
"I love you too."
Xannytoes: What did you think? If you guys enjoyed, be sure to review, favourite and follow! I'll be bringing more shippiness to the table very soon, so why not check out some of my other stories, including my on-going fic, The Return to Hoenn! Until next time!