Bonds

I've written quite a few fictions since starting to post them on this site and decided that I would try my hand at creating one for Pokemon, so I hope you readers enjoy it. For the purpose of the fic I have aged up the characters just a bit, Ash is 18 years old and May is 17 years old.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the rights to the characters, animation or countless movies.

Chapter One, Sunset Tear's

Ash Ketchum had just mastered the Battle Frontier challenge and was looking forward to going back home to Pallet Town, but something was bothering him. As Ash looked down at the plaque he had just been awarded, something just did not feel right. The plaque meant that his journey in the beautiful Hoenn region had come to a sudden end, which meant saying goodbye to Max and May; saying goodbye to Max would be easy but saying those words to her was something that the raven haired trainer just could not bring himself to do, especially not after all that they had been through on this adventure. A part of Ash had grown accustom to the bright blue eyed, happy go lucky brunette coordinator and leaving without telling May how he felt about her pained his heart greatly. Ash did not know if May even felt the same way about him, and it was this inherit fear of rejection that had kept him from telling her thus far but the longer he kept putting it off, the greater it pained him.

"Ash, is something wrong?" May asked, in a concerned tone of voice as she placed a hand on top Ash's left shoulder.

"No, May, nothings wrong," Ash said reassuringly detecting the concerned tone of her voice, which cut across his thoughts like a sharp knife over his skin, "I was just doing some thinking, that's all."

"What about?" May asked excitedly.

"About how happy my mom is going to be when I get home and show her this plague full of badges," Ash lied as he turned his head to the left so that he looked directly into May's bright blue eyes, pushing the pain he felt as he looked deep into her eyes, to the back of his mind once again.

"Oh," May said feeling slightly let down by Ash's answer, "You aren't planning on returning home soon, are you?"

"I was planning on heading home tomorrow morning," Ash said as he felt tears began to form behind his eyes the longer he continued to stare at May, "Now that I have this, I do not have anymore reasons to remain here in Hoenn."

"Ash, do you think it would be possible, for you to put your plans on hold for a few more days?" May asked, a pleading look in her eyes, "After all this could be the last time all of us will be together for who knows how long, a few more days wouldn't hurt. I'm sure our parents would understand."

"I guess it really doesn't matter when I leave for home," Ash said noticing the sad look in May's usually bright and happy eyes, "Like you just said, May, this could be the last time we are altogether like this for quite awhile. A few more days would be fine."

"I hate to interrupt, you two," Brock said as he looked at his two friends, who obviously cared deeply about one another but were both to afraid at how the other would react to tell each other the truth, "But it's getting late and if we do not leave soon, we wouldn't likely make it back to the Pokemon Center until after nightfall."

"Brock's right," May said as she looked back over her shoulder at Brock and Max, who stood a few feet away from where she and Ash were, thankful for the distraction because she knew that she would be in tears soon if she would have continued to stare deep into her raven haired loves dark brown eyes any longer, "Is everyone ready to go?"

"May, wait," Ash said suddenly.

"Yes Ash," May said quickly turning her head to look back at him, "What is it?"

"Pikachu wants to know, if he can ride on your shoulder?" Ash asked for the electric pokemon, which sat on his right shoulder, looking at May expectantly.

"Of course, he can," May said cheerfully, while she smiled at said pokemon brightly, "I promise to keep him safe, Ash.'

"May, you don't need to promise me anything, you never have," Ash said thoughtfully as he affectionately stroked her left cheek with the back of his right hand, "I have and will always trust you."

May felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment, over Ash's rather affectionate gesture and quickly looked away from the raven haired boy, who she loved with every fiber of her being but was to afraid to tell him because did not know if he felt the same way about her. May had almost fully recovered from her embarrassment when she suddenly felt the electric mouse's weight on her left shoulder and began to fall backwards because her body was not used to the added weight, unlike that of the trainer of her affection. Ash instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist and kept her from toppling over but it did not keep her from blushing furiously at his sudden closeness. May briefly cherished the feel of her lovers arm around her waist before hurriedly apologizing to Pikachu and Ash, and running to catch up with Brock and her little brother who had already walked away from where they stood.

Ash walked a short distance behind May to make sure that she did take a misstep as the group walked back down the mountain toward the Pokemon Center located near its base, but soon found himself hypnotized by the motion of her hips as they swayed from side to side with each step she took. Ash found the motion so distracting, that he walked directly into the clear tempered glass front door of the Pokemon Center which May, Brock, and Max had just walked through. May looked back over her right shoulder, when she heard the soft thud and giggled sweetly as she watched Ash slide down the door, only to crumble in a hemp near there bottom. Brock and Max, who heard the thud as well rushed back outside, through the other door, to help there friend while May kept on walking. When Ash had finally dusted himself off after being helped to his feet by Brock and Max, he looked through the door, only to see that May was no longer on the main floor.

After Ash, Brock, and Max had climbed the stairway, which led to the guestrooms they found Pikachu sitting outside of the room they were sharing. Pikachu followed the group as they walked into the room, where Ash threw himself down in one of the bottom bunks and pulled his hat down over his eyes. As Ash lay upon the clean sheets, his mind drifted to thoughts about a certain brunette coordinator. Finally, finding it impossible to clear his mind of thoughts about May, after forty-five minutes, Ash sat up and walked toward the door. Pikachu got up to follow his trainer but Ash told his best buddy that he wanted sometime to himself and that he would be back in a little while. Then Ash walked out of the room, in search of fresh air hoping that it would help him get May off his mind.

Ash opened every door he past, hoping to find the room his angelic brunette was staying in but had so far been unsuccessful; finding mostly empty rooms which had the blinds and curtains closed, causing odd shadows to be cast on the white walls of each room. Ash was nearing the end of the corridor and was getting worried that he might never find May's room, but there were still two rooms left before he was in the lounge. Ash opened the door on his left, and saw May's saddlebags hanging from one of the foot boards post. So he had found her room, but Ash still had not found whom he really wanted to talk with: May. So he silently closed the door and walked into the lounge. Ash was just about to sit down in one of the large puffy chairs, to watch the sunset in comfort, when he saw that his angelic brunette was standing out on the balcony watching the setting sun herself. Ash carefully thought, about how he could go about telling May that he loved her without freaking her out, and was soon walking toward the door that opened onto the balcony with a determined look in his eyes while he felt his heart beginning to beat ever faster.

"Doesn't the sunset look beautiful from up here, May," Ash said as he stood beside her, carefully placing his hand on the balcony rail a few inches from hers.

"Oh, hi Ash," May said nervously as she looked to her left and saw the object of her affection suddenly standing there beside her, so close yet so far a way, "I didn't expect to see you out here."

"Yeah well, I needed to think something's over," Ash answered her truthfully, all the while slowly inching his hand toward hers as they stood watching the setting sun.

"Then, I will leave you, to your thoughts," May said suddenly as she stepped away from the railing and began to walk back inside, "But don't stay out here too long or you might catch a cold."

"May, wait," Ash said as he reached out with his right hand, which had been on the railing only moments before, grasped her left hand and intertwined there fingers just as quickly. "Please don't go. You are the reason, that I came out here in the first place."

"I… I… I am," May said as she continued to stare at there intertwined fingers, feeling very confused as to why Ash was suddenly holding her hand the way he was while also enjoying the warm feeling which was quickly sweeping through her as they continued to hold one another's hand.

"It's nothing, May," Ash said as he felt the tears, which had threatened to overflow his mental dam on more than one occasion as they neared the end of this wonderful adventure, finally brake through and streamed down his flushed cheeks, "I guess it was to much, to hope for in the end. Well come morning, you wouldn't ever have to worry about me anymore because I will be gone, and out of your life forever."

Then Ash suddenly released May's hand and ran back inside, as tear rolled unburdened down his cheeks. Ash quickly ran back to his room, and threw his backpack back over his right shoulder before telling Pikachu that they were leaving that instant. Ash could hear the shocked voices of Brock and Max complaining and trying to get him to tell them what was so important that he had to leave that night, especially when he had already told May that he would put his trip home off for a few days longer but to the heartbroken teen they seemed a great distance away; Ash just simply glared darkly back at them, which seemed to scare them both into keeping quiet. The only thing that Ash wanted to do now was leave, and put as much space as possible in-between himself and the Pokemon Center that the fading light would allow him. Ash was not going to let anything stop him from making headway on his long journey home to Pallet Town, not even the feelings he held for May; as far as he was concerned May on longer existed nor had he or Brock ever met that angelic brunette coordinator, whom had stolen his heart, or her little brother either. Pikachu ran as quickly as he could to keep up with his owner as Ash ran down the stairway with great speed.

The joy and angst of being a teenager in love, classic. Now I know from watching the season which this story is based off the episode ended very differently, but that's one of the beauties of writing these fictions. You know what to do, so plz R&R.