"So what did you want to talk about Ash?" The brunette coordinator asked. "and make it quick. The boat is about to leave."
Ash looked down at the ground and sighed. "You're planning on heading to Johto after dropping max back in Petalburg right May?" the trainer asked as he scratched the back of his head.
May crossed her arms and thought for a minute. "I guess. But after that whole incident with Drew after the grand festival I'm not looking forward to it."
Ash looked up at the girl, his auburn eyes locking with her sapphire eyes. "Then come with me. The Sinnoh region has its own contest league."
"But Ash. Aren't Brock and Misty going with you?" May asked, taking an involuntary step back.
"Brock has to stay at the gym for a little while and Misty has to run the gym while her sisters are training, and…" Ash trailed off.
"And?" May urged him on.
"I don't want to travel alone. Even if it's just you, me and Pikachu I'll feel better. I've grown used to having friends there to support me. And I know you have too. Who would you be travelling with through Johto?" Ash asked.
May rested her chin in her hand and thought for a few seconds. "Probably Drew or Harley. Maybe even Brianna."
Ash looked back down at his feet. Pikachu stared up at him and nodded. "Pikapi. Pikachu. Pikaka."
Ash sighed, he knew he'd have to tell her the truth. "Look May."
"Hmm?" May acknowledged as she was interrupted from her thoughts.
"The entire time you've been part of the group. You're the only one I wanted around." Ash sighed. "I know Max tagged along so he could get a taste for adventuring and I thought he'd be gone before long. Brock was an unexpected surprise but a welcome one." He said, raising his head. "But you… I wanted my entire trip through Hoenn to be just me and you." Ash admitted. "I love you May. I just didn't get the chance to admit it before."
"A-Ash." May stammered, a blush crossing the bridge of her nose.
"I wasn't worried when you went home after the Ever Grande conference because I knew you'd be back." Ash smiled. "It made me happier than you'll ever know to see you again that day. Then Max showed up, and Brock joined up again."
"Ash please." May tried to interject.
"Max wouldn't let us have any time alone. Brock got the hint. He knew he was only there to try and keep Max occupied." Ash said. "And it was Brock who has been giving me advice on how to deal with this. I'm not looking for an immediate answer May. I'll be in Pallet for the next three days getting ready to leave for Sinnoh. Let me know if you want to come with me." He said as he turned to leave. "Hopefully this won't be good bye May. Just a see you later." Before he ran off.
"Ash…" May whispered.
"Come on May!" Max called from the railing of the ship. "The captain isn't going to wait any longer."
"Be right there Max!" May called back before she turned back to watch Ash run off. "No. it won't be a good bye Ash. Not by a long shot." She whispered to herself as she ran up the gangplank.
"So what did Ash want to talk about May?" Max asked.
May ruffled her little brothers hair. "Nothing Max, just wishing me luck on my future endeavors."
Max sneered. "You are such a liar sis. I saw the way he was acting. You admitted something. I bet you like him."
May giggled. Normally her brother was right on the money about this sort of thing. 'He mustn't be on his A-game today.' She thought. "Nope. Just wishing me luck."
"Then why'd he run off like that?" Max asked, figuring he was on the right track.
'He may not be on his A-game. But I am.' May thought to herself. "He's still travelling remember. He's got to be packed and ready before he has to leave home again. He also has to pick his Pokémon for the new league."
Max recoiled, his eyes wide. "No way. You called my bluff. You never call my bluff."
May laughed. "Even you have off days Max." She enjoyed getting the upper hand on her brother, even if it wasn't often.
Ash had slowed his pace to a brisk walk, he rested his hands behind his head as he looked up at the orange sky. "Do you think I blew it Pikachu?" Ash asked the electric type perched on his shoulder.
"Pika?" The lightning mouse asked.
"Did I drag it on too long, did I drop it unexpectedly? Or was the timing just off?" The fifteen year old asked.
"Pikapi. Pikaka pik Pikachu pika pika. Pikaka pika pikapi." Pikachu reaffirmed his friend.
"I hope so buddy. Otherwise it's Sinnoh alone." Ash sighed as he walked through Cerulean city. "Man it's already evening. It'll be night fall before we even hit Pewter." He complained to his electric type. "We could spend the night with Brock or Misty."
"Pikachupi" Pikachu smiled.
Ash laughed. "Alright buddy. We'll stay with Misty tonight." He scratched his loyal starter behind the ears as he headed towards the gym in the city center.
The doors automatically opened as he approached. Misty sat in the lobby watching TV waiting for something interesting to come on.
"Knock knock." Ash said.
Misty looked up and saw the trainer standing in the door way. "Ash!" She yelled as she ran over to him.
"Hey Misty!" Ash laughed as his friend hugged him.
"What brings you here?" The red haired gym leader asked as she let go.
"Me and Pikachu just saw off May and Max at Vermillion city. It's getting abit late so instead of trying to head through Mt. Moon towards Pewter we'd stop by and say hi." Ash told the girl.
"A place to stay the night?" Misty laughed.
Ash laughed along with her. "Yep. I might want to call my mom and tell her that I'm not going to be home tonight."
Misty nodded. "Good idea. The phones are over in the living quarters."
"Mum! Dad! I'm leaving now!" May called out as she tied her new bandanna around her head.
"Okay dear. Have fun in Johto!" Caroline called from the living room.
"Are you sure you don't want to take Max along for this one too?" Norman called down from the upstairs bathroom.
"I'm sure dad." May rolled her eyes. "See you next year." She called out as she closed the front door. "Ash wouldn't want Max around again." She said to herself as she headed towards Rustboro city.
Less than twenty minutes had passed before May reached Rustboro city port.
"Excuse me. What ports do these ferries travel to?" May asked the ticket agent.
"Slateport, Lillycove, Mossdeep, Olivine, Cinnabar, Vermillion and Pallet." The ticket agent recited from memory.
"One to Pallet town please." May said as she slid her money to the agent.
After typing for a few seconds the ticket spat up through the slot in the booth.
"The ferry leaves in ten minutes. Get aboard." The agent told her.
May ran up the gangplank and stood on the deck, it would be a short cruise, about six hours. "Good thing I grabbed some food from the Pokémon center before I left Petalburg." She smiled.
Ash waited at the Pallet town port with Pikachu. It had been fun catching up with Misty and her sisters, a quick run in with Gary in Viridian city and he was back home the following afternoon. His mum had already packed his back pack with supplies when he got home. He headed over to Oaks ranch and dropped off Swellow, Donphan and Aipom, before reuniting himself with Pidgeot, Haunter and Charizard.
A quick dinner and a good night's sleep later he got up and headed out to the port to wait.
"Six hours it should take her reach me." Ash said out loud as Pikachu napped on the bench beside him. He reached over and pet the electric type to calm himself down. "She probably won't come. I mean why would she? I dropped it pretty suddenly two days ago."
Hearing Pikachu's tummy rumble Ash decided to feed his Pokémon. "All right everyone. Lunch time!" He yelled out as he threw all of his pokéballs in the air.
Sceptile was the first to appear, placing his trademark twig into his mouth he watched as the others materialized next to him.
Corphish was the next to appear, jumping into the air and shaking his claws about to declare his presence. "Corphish Cor."
Charizard landed with a thump and a roar. "Brauuuuuur!"
Pidgeot flew out and came back around, perching herself on Ash's arm, steering clear of the newcomers.
Haunter appeared from his new pokéball and hovered in place. "Haunter." He happily proclaimed.
"All right everyone." Ash called out, getting his Pokémon's attention. "I'd like everyone to say hello to Pidgeot and Haunter. Charizard you already know them."
Sceptile walked over and offered his hand to Pidgeot while Corphish danced around Haunter chanting his name.
Ash took the chance to get everyone's food ready. "All right lunch is on!" He called out as he placed their bowls on the ground. After rousing Pikachu to get some food he sat back down and pulled a Miltank cheese sandwich out of his bag and started eating.
It was a good few more hours of waiting and breaking up fights between Haunter and Sceptile before a ferry pulled into port.
Ash held his breath as he watched the people coming down the gangplank. "Help me look for her Pikachu." Ash asked his electric type as he recalled everyone else into their pokéballs.
Pikachu nodded and climbed on top of the shelter that they were standing under and scanned through the crowds. "Pika? Pikapi!" Pikachu called back excitedly. "Pikaka! Pikaka Pikapi!"
Ash looked up and scanned through the crowd. "Where is she Pikachu?"
"Right here." May said from behind him.
Ash jumped and turned around. "How did you get over there?"
May laughed as she walked over and hugged Ash. "I'm not wearing my red bandanna. That's how. Besides Pikachu knows when to keep his mouth shut."
Ash looked up and saw Pikachu rolling around on top of the shelter laughing. Turning his attention back to May he asked her "So you are coming with me?"
"After what you said. How could I not." May smiled sweetly as she clasped his hands in hers.
Ash's nose flared up red.
A thump got their attention and they turned to see that Pikachu had rolled off the top of the shelter.
Ash smiled and began to laugh. "Karma in action buddy. Karma in action."
Pikachu growled and prepared to give Ash the shock of a lifetime when he saw his trainer and May with their hands clasped.
"But Ash. About what you said that day. When you said the L word. Did you mean it?" May asked.
Ash pulled his hands out from hers and gripped her shoulders. "Of course I meant it May. I've never known anyone like you. Or anyone who made me feel this way. I can't explain when or how it happened, but it did."
"Ash." May whispered as her cheeks went rosy.
"I don't care if you don't feel the same way about me May. As long as I'm with you I have all I need in the world." Ash finished.
"Oh Ash. You have no idea how happy that made me!" May cried out as she hugged the trainer. "I thought I would have to say it first."
Ash gasped when he heard her say that. "You mean."
May nodded as she looked pulled out of the hug. "I love you too Ash. From the first day we met I could tell there was something about you that was different from other people."
"But I would've thought Drew…" Ash started before May cut him off.
"Sure Drew's a romantic, what with the rose and such, but that won't get him far enough." May smiled. "You have compassion and empathy Ash. He'll never have them."
Ash smiled as his mind wandered back to that meeting with Drew on the grand festival stage after it ended. 'Suck it Drew.' He thought to himself. "Come on." He said as he took Mays hand. "Let's get our tickets and get on the boat."
Pikachu leapt back up to Ash's shoulder and pointed at the schedule.
"The next ferry to Twinleaf town leaves in about half an hour." Ash read aloud. "It's going to be a long trip considering how far north it is. It'll be a good three days before we make land."
"With no Brock or Max around, it'll be the way we always wanted it to be." May said as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Three days is a decent price to pay."
"Oh yeah!" Ash exclaimed as he reached into his pocket with his free hand, "Professor Oak gave this to me to give to you." He said as he handed her a new Pokédex. "We'll need these in Sinnoh."
"So what do I do with my old one?" May asked.
"We'll send them back to Oak on the ship. He'll wipe their memories, upgrade them and give them to new trainers." Ash stated as they approached the ticket agent. "Two for Twinleaf please."
"So that's what he does with them. I always wondered what he did with the old pokedexes." May said.
"It's economical. They cost a lot to make apparently." Ash said as he took the tickets and handed one to May.
The trio walked up the gangplank and settled into their cabin.
"Looks like we'll have to share the bed." May noted.
"Not a big deal. You go and get changed first. I just have to take off my jacket and shoes." Ash smiled.
"What about your pants?" May asked coyly.
"What? Nah they're fine." Ash laughed.
May laughed as she stepped into the bathroom and got changed.
Ash sat down next to the bed and watched as Pikachu slept in between the pillows. "How he squeezed in there I'll never know." Ash smiled as he pulled some grass out of the fur on Pikachu's tail.
Ash turned when he heard the door to the bathroom of their cabin open. May stepped out wearing just a yellow tank top and her panties. She put her pack on the shelf next to the TV.
"I hope you don't mind me sleeping in just this." May asked as she slipped under the bed covers.
Ash turned a little bit red as he turned towards the bathroom. "I'm gonna take a shower before I get to sleep okay?"
"Okay." May nodded. She reached past Pikachu and grabbed the remote flicking turning on TV and flicking through the channels. When nothing caught her eye she switched over to the news.
"The Jenny in Cerulean city stated today that while the jailbreak was not very big, three prisoners escaped. All of them Team Rocket members. We have pictures now." The newscaster announced as three photos appeared on screen.
May waved her ring finger in the air half heartedly. "Whoop de frigging do. Jesse, James and Meowth got out of prison. They don't know where we are."
"We'll have the weather after the break." The newscaster said as the camera panned back to reveal the studio and the other newscasters while the shows jingle played.
"Enjoy a nice relaxing getaway at the Valor Lakefront hotel. We have five star accommodation and a three star restaurant on our grounds. We will be hosting the Wallace cup in a matter of months so please book your reservations now." The voice over announced before the picture changed to a black screen with white writing on it.
"This message brought to you by the board of tourism for Sinnoh, spoken by Professor Rowan and authorized by Sinnoh champion Cynthia." A faster voice spoke.
May's eyes sparkled as she watched the advert. "So that's what Sinnoh looks like. Wow."
Ash stepped out of the bathroom dressed in his shirt and undies.
"What happened to you pants?" May asked as she turned the TV off.
"Ugh." Ash groaned. "The zipper broke from the amount of times it got wet." He said before he shrugged and slid under the covers. "I've got a new set of clothes in my bag. So it's no big deal."
"Good night Ash." May said as she snuggled up under the covers.
"Good night May." Ash parroted as he turned off the lamp on the table next to him.
