DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon. The only thing I own is a TV to watch it with.
Ash was dreaming. He knew he was dreaming because he'd dreamed three nights in a row. And for three nights in a row he'd dreamed of May. He had gone to bed early this night to get an early start for Lilycove in the morning to do an errand for his mother. He and May, who had volunteered to go along, would be traveling through Route 220 tomorrow.
Anyway, in his dream, he and May were seated under a tree, on a hill, in a patch of sunlight. He had one knee raised, resting his elbow against it, Pikachu seated on his other leg. May had her knees up to her chest with her arms around her legs. They were chatting quietly as it began to grow dark. Ash rose and offered a hand to May. She accepted and he helped her up, and they began to walk down the hill hand in hand.
Then they were suddenly in his house, in his room. May was sitting on his bed in a nightgown, smiling at him. Ash saw himself walk over to her and take the bandana out of her hair slowly and lay it on the dresser.
They started kissing and May scooted back to allow him on the bed. He went under the covers with her and realized he was only wearing a pair of shorts. Ash felt his heartbeat accelerate madly as he realized where this dream was headed, the same as the others had gone.
Why was he dreaming so much about May? And why about that?
It didn't make sense. He'd never dreamed about that kind of stuff…until now of course.
Ash woke up with his face burning, sweaty and uncomfortable.
He and May had stopped in the Center at Fortree City and were sleeping on a couch. The Center had been unusually busy that day and they had been out of rooms, so the two had taken the couch instead.
He felt May beside him. He deep breathed slowly, trying to calm himself and slow his racing heartbeat. He looked at the sixteen-year-old beside him. The covers were loosely pulled up to her chest, and she was wearing…a nightgown.
Ash shivered. May was on the edge so he couldn't slip off the couch. He swallowed, his heartbeat slowed, and he stared at the ceiling of the lobby. May shifted suddenly and rested her head on his chest. Ash shivered again and, without thinking, put an arm around her.
Through his shirt he noticed her hair was still damp from her shower and her hair smelled faintly of strawberries.
Pikachu was sleeping on his other side, cradling in his arm as well. His Pokemon was still sleeping, and so, slowly, Ash closed his eyes and tried to return to sleep. He felt himself drifting. The next thing he knew, May was shaking him awake. "Ash, Ash."
Ash opened his eyes and looked up at May. She and Pikachu were leaning over him, the electric mouse on her shoulder. "I'm awake…" Ash mumbled as he sat up, yawned and stretched. May smiled and Pikachu jumped from her shoulder and onto the seventeen-year-old's lap. "Hey buddy," Ash rubbed Pikachu behind his ear and then got up.
It was still early in the morning and only a few people were in the lobby besides Nurse Joy. Ash went to the bathroom and changed into day clothes. He brushed his teeth and hair and then went back out to meet May, who was already dressed and brushed.
Feeling more awake, Ash gestured for them to head out and the couple left the Center. They climbed the ladder to the bridge that would take them across the trees and to the other side of Fortree and to the beginning of Route 220. Ash led the way, Pikachu on his shoulder, thinking about his dreams.
Do I like May? He wondered. It was possible – he'd been with the brunette for some time now. They had a lot in common, too. Without thinking he climbed down the second ladder and headed to Route 220.
"Ash, are you OK?" May asked him worriedly. Ash simply nodded in response.
May didn't look convinced. "Why are you so spacey, then?"
Ash shrugged.
May sighed in annoyance and put her hands on her hips. "Are you mad at me?"
"No," Ash stated simply. Just attracted to you, he added silently.
Pikachu jumped from Ash's shoulder into May's arms. He knew all about Ash's dreams and his supposed feelings for May. Pikachu had promised not to tell, though, so he could only comfort the girl.
"Are you mad at someone else?" May wouldn't give up.
Ash thought for a moment on that one. "No."
"Are you hungry?"
"Actually, yes. I could go for a cheeseburger."
"Do you ever eat anything besides cheeseburgers?" She asked, not rudely, more in a playful manner.
"Do you ever eat anything besides ramen?" he shot back, glancing over his shoulder with a smile.
"Ooh. Got me there." May giggled and hugged Pikachu to her chest.
They walked across another bridge inside them. Below, sunlight glimmered across the surface of the lake water. The sun was shining brightly already, promising a warm day. The sky was clear – not a cloud in sight. Everything smelt fresh and wet from the previous night's rain. Ash, however, was too deep in thought to notice the weather or his surroundings.
Then the ground below them turned wet and soft. They headed through grass as tall as May, fending off wild Pokemon with Ash's Pikachu and May's Squirtle. Finally they arrived at a cliff side and turned in the direction away from it. They had arrived at Route 221, the Route that lead into Lilycove.
"Almost there," May said beside him. Ash blinked and looked up. "Oh. Yeah." He went back to thinking.
A short moment of silence followed, and then May said, "You sure are thinking hard, Ash." She petted Pikachu on the head while waiting for him to answer.
I think I do like her. She never bullied me around like Misty did. She's smart, funny, caring…and she's talking to me! Ash snapped out of his thoughts abruptly. "Yes…I am." It was all he could come up with.
"What about?" she questioned curiously, opening her arms and allowing Pikachu to jump to the ground.
The trio had reached the maze of fences that came right before Lilycove. Ash was at least conscious enough to avoid tripping over fences. Pikachu crawled up Ash's pant leg quite suddenly, forcing the raven-haired seventeen-year-old to stop and wait for his friend to perch on his shoulder. "Pika…" Pikachu whispered worriedly into his Trainer's ear.
"I'm fine, Pikachu." Ash brushed Pikachu away from his ear.
"See, even Pikachu is worried about you." May said. Ash glanced at the girl and sighed. The three entered the city. The smell of salt water was all around them. May took a deep breath and sighed happily. "Don't you love the sea, Ash?" she asked dreamily. "Huh? What? Oh, yeah…the sea…" Ash looked out at the ocean, thinking of May's eyes; they were as blue as the sea. He smiled slightly and headed towards the stairs that lead up the side of the cliff and to the Department Store.
They entered the store and May placed her hand on Ash's shoulder. Confused, Ash whirled around to face his friend. "Yeah? What is it?"
"I'm going shopping real quick," May said. "You go get your mother's stuff."
"Can't we go together…?" Ash asked, confused. May shook her head seriously. "No, Ash. I'll meet you back here on the bottom floor." And then she turned and headed to the stairs.
Ash stood there for several minutes. Pikachu had to rouse him with a light jolt. Ash shook his head and headed for the elevator. According to his mother, he was supposed to pick up a "special" parcel on the top floor.
As the elevator lifted him and Pikachu up to the top floor, Ash thought about what May had said to him before leaving. She had sounded so serious! What could she be planning? He wondered, furrowing his brow. The elevator dinged and he stepped off as a young couple stepped on.
He looked at the two counters, one to the other. "Great," he muttered. "Now I've got to figure out which man's got the parcel."
He walked over to the first counter. The clerk, a boy about Ash's age with bad face acne and messy blond hair, looked up from a magazine titled Pokemon Champions. "Hello," the boy said and seeing that it was only another boy, he looked back at his magazine. "Can I help you."
It wasn't even a question. It was a statement.
"Yes. I'm supposed to be picking up some package for Delia Ketchum."
"Not here." The clerk dismissed him without looking up from his reading.
Ash turned away, filled with annoyance, and headed to the second counter. It was busier and he had to stand in line. The man at the desk had light, light blue hair that went to his shoulders. He was hunched over oddly. When he finally got to the old clerk, he said quickly, "I'm picking up a package for Delia Ketchum."
"Yes, I have it," the elderly clerk said, digging under the counter. "Are you related to her?"
"I'm her son."
"Is that right?" The man put on a pair of glasses. "By Mewtwo's light, you're right! You're Ash Ketchum."
He nodded, unable to suppress his trademark grin. "That's me. Can I have my package please?"
The old man handed Ash a box loosely wrapped in a pink cloth. It was scented lightly. "Careful," the man warned him, "it's fragile." Ash nodded and went back to the elevator.
He lounged on the main floor for about fifteen minutes until May showed up. She had a box that she refused to let Ash see in, which frustrated him. Once outside, Ash, Pikachu, and May headed towards the Dock. On the way, Ash suddenly realized May was no longer with him. He spun around, confused, and then saw that she had stopped somewhere behind him. His face darkened as he realized she had stopped for someone; and not just anyone. She had stopped for Drew.
What Drew was doing in Lilycove, Ash had no idea, but it filled him with jealousy to watch them. A sick feeling overcame the heart in his chest.
He strode over to them after a few minutes of watching them. Drew paid no attention to him as he came up behind May. He tapped the sixteen-year-old, who was talking animatedly about her last contest, on the shoulder and when she turned around, looking confused, Ash said testily, "I'd like to get home, if you wouldn't mind."
May put her hands on her hips. "You can't go without me?"
Ash raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I'm supposed to leave you here alone?"
Drew cleared his throat pointedly and glowered at Ash. "I'm here."
"Unfortunately."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Drew narrowed his eyes.
"It means I'm not leaving May alone with you."
"Alone?" Drew scoffed. "We're in the middle of a city."
Ash clenched his fists. "No shit, Sherlock."
Drew flicked his hair back and returned to his cool demeanor. "I wouldn't let anything bad happen to her."
"Yeah right," Ash muttered, grabbing May's hand and turning around. "Hey!" the teenager protested as she was yanked away by the older boy. His grip was too tight on her hand for her to free herself.
When they were several yards away and Drew had walked away, Ash released May's hand. "I'm sorry for yanking you away. I really don't like Drew."
May crossed her arms, feeling stubborn. "I do."
Ash gaped for a moment and then quickly shut his mouth. "Well…that's your problem then." He said weakly, and turned away. The sick feeling returned to his heart. He felt his eyes well up with tears but he looked up at the sky and let the tears drain back into his eyes. He started walking towards the Dock again, and after a moment he heard May fall into step with him.
They were silent even as they entered the red-roofed rectangular blue building. A green aired woman stood by the edge of the water where a ferry was docked. A short line of people were filing onto the boat. He, May, and Pikachu joined the back of the line.
When the trio were safely on the ferry, they got a small cabin on the top floor. Ash plucked Pikachu off his shoulder and set him on the bed next to May. "Stay here," Ash said, his tone somewhat dark, "I'm going for a walk – alone."
Pikachu's ears fell back to his head as he watched his Trainer walk out of the cabin. Even Pikachu could see the slight droop of Ash's shoulders, and he realized that May had crushed – if not broken – his heart when she'd said that. But the Electric-type could only obey and stay in the cabin with May.
May pursed her lips as Ash left. She turned to Pikachu and picked the little mouse up.
"What's wrong with him, Pikachu?" She asked.
"Pikaaa…" Pikachu sighed, closing his eyes. If only I could tell you.