Story: Spring in the Haze
By: Sensational Sista
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the charatcers of Pokemon
A.N. Wow i finally got to posting this. i'm pretty excited just cause i wanted to post this for, like, ever. haha. so anyway, this fic will have both Imageshipping and Pokeshipping. Don't know what Imageshipping is you say? google it if you cannot wait, or just read the story :3
I hope you enjoy. Happy reading!

Taking place near the end of Hoenn :)
Character Ages:
May: 14
Misty: 16
Ash: 15
Max: 10
Brock: 17

-CHAPTER 1-

The stars were twinkling in the midnight sky. The pokemon in the lush forest had called it a day hours ago, and even some of the late night pokemon were getting ready to sleep. People as well were tucked away in their beds for the night.

Even the travelers who found themselves in the woods had gone to sleep, the embers of campfires flickering before going out completely. All was still, except for the blinking of two glittering, cobalt eyes.

May gazed from her sleeping bag up into the dark skies. Her blue eyes occasionally darted from star to star as her thoughts wandered.

The young brunette trainer was not one to normally be up at such hours of the night. Quite the contrary. She highly valued her sleep time as to look and feel her best in the morning. This night however she found her brain working overtime. The day's previous events posed unnerving thoughts in her head, and she didn't even understand why. Something was wrong though.

'Why did I agree to this?' she thought distractedly. 'If only I had listened to Max for a change..'

-

The group of four and Pikachu exited a small village after having some brunch. Brock was at the lead for a change with Ash following a footstep or so behind. Next in line was May, tugging at her red bandana trying to adjust its fit, and her little brother walked closely at the rear.

As the village disappeared from view and a lush forest sprang up, May smiled lightly.

Things were good. She won her last pokemon contest with flying colors and that kept her spirits up. She patted her pouch where the pretty ribbon rested. She even listened as her brother babbled on about some type of mating dance of Magikarp.

The boy with his Hoenn red cap on, spun about to face his two younger companions. The 15 year old had an odd look on his face, one which May could not differentiate between unsureness and glee. She tilted her head in wonderment.

"May, Max," the black haired boy started. He kept his light trot, backwards to boot, up as Pikachu sat on his shoulder as a second set of eyes. "Brock and I were wondering something."

"What is it?" May asked curiously. Her friend always seemed to chose the oddest topics and oddest places to talk, even if he seemed serious.

By that time the team had made it into the forest. Brock continued to lead.

Ash smiled nervously. "Well, we were discussing how maybe it would time for a break. Ya know, since you just won your latest contest." He motioned to his brunette friend. She smiled and nodded. "So he suggested we go home to visit Kanto. He wants to check in with his siblings and I'd love to see my mother."

Max smiled joyfully. "Ah that's great!"

"Mhm," agreed the aspiring pokemon master. "So we also wanted to know if you'd like to join us."

The little blue haired child weakened the smile on his face. "I think if this break is to visit families, we should stop by our own home. Right May?" His glasses shined as he glanced up to his sister, while trying to keep in step with her.

Particularly, May did not really wish to head home. Heck, it had felt like only days ago that they last visited! 'But maybe it'd make Max happy.. Okay I guess we'll..'

May opened her mouth to respond but-

"Hey don't forget we'll be stopping by at Cerulean." Brock's deep voice interrupted the thought process going on in May's head and soon to suddenly freeze the thought process altogether. "We have to check in on Misty."

The coordinater blinked.'That name..'

Pikachu and Ash smiled happily at the reminder. He then turned his attention back to his Hoenn friends. "So got any ideas?"

Adjusting his glasses, Max began." I think we'll-"

"GO!" The voice was so sharp, so crisp, and so loud, that all the Y chromosome bearing members looked shocked and a little frightened. May's voice was so automatic to respond that it was just surprising. In the suddenness as well, Pikachu did not warn its master about the approaching tree stump, which ended up knocking the duo to the ground.

May gasped and ran up to make sure Ash's hard skull hadn't cracked. "Sorry, Ash. Are you alright?"

The boy nodded a bit dizzily from the earth. But, with Brock's help, he stood back on his feet. Looking May in the eyes he said, "I guess that means we're all heading to Kanto."

"Er.. Yeah. To Kanto we go!" May's voice stuttered nervously. She did her best to ignore Max's bewildered face as she slipped ahead of him and behind Ash and Brock. She chewed her lip uneasily, while rethinking what happened in her head. Something in her snapped at that moment and she did not understand it one bit.

-

Her arms rested beneath her head, acting as if a pillow. Her eyes had glazed over slightly recalling the day. Who would have guessed that such a simple topic would cause her so much stress? 'I didn't.' May sarcastically thought viewing her situation.

'I can't believe I couldn't contain myself,' she thought dejectedly. 'I was ready to agree with Max on visiting our home. So incredibly ready.. when I just jumped on the offer to visit Kanto. Why did Brock have to mention Cerulean? No that wasn't it.' The brunette closed her sapphire eyes mid-thought. 'Why did he have to mention...'

Her. The girl which May had heard about from Ash's many stories of his Kanto training and the Orange League and Whirl Cup and Johto journeys. May met her but a handful of times, yet she could still conclude this water trainer was an exceptional person. May's subconscious slowly threw together a blur of images until a memory played in her head.

The image of a pretty river with her own reflection in it came to her mind. Then turning to a voice, musical yet strong, May saw the shadowed figure coming into view from the seemingly glowing white light around her: Red hair. Aqua eyes. Yellow jacket. Pokemon in her arms. And a bright and cheerful smile. May could not help but smile back in overwhelming excitement...

Her blue eyes opened up again to stare out into the endless night sky. The memories of that first meeting flooded her mind, but then, just as quickly, they dissipated and that made her smile kind of sad.

'What is wrong with me?' She didn't understand. 'I'm being paranoid for no reason. Maybe I'm coming down with something.. Perhaps Brock's dinner wasn't so good this time..?'

She let out a heavy sigh, wanting relief from her plaguing thoughts. May rolled to her side under her sleeping bag and pulled her arms up to her chest. She hugged herself slightly to help her calm down enough to sleep. Finally she was able to get her rest for that night.

The next day would take them team ever closer to Kanto and bring May into a journey more surprising than she ever expected.

-
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A.N. Ohhhh, poor May. She should really inspect Brock's cooking before eating, no?

So first chapter is posted. the next is longer. i'll post in a while. no promises with updates on a regular basis. it is a forwarning lol
I'll see ya'll around!