Ash winked at May self-confindently from his place on the platform, "Don't worry," He called, "This'll be over quick."
His opponent turned to him, her black coat flaring around her legs and smiled, "Perhaps not, Ash." Cynthia retorted, "I am the Sinnoh champion after all."
Ash grinned, "Maybe, but I'll still win"
He turned around and took stock of their surroundings. His platform backed up to a window with a beautiful view of the sea, Cynthia's guarded a door to the Hall of Fame. Ash smiled again, that's where he was headed.
The referee called the match, "This will be a six-on-six match, between the Champion Cynthia, and the challenger, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, additionally, only the challenger may substitute Pokémon. Begin!"
"Go, Spiritomb!" Cynthia called as she tossed the red and white Pokéball to the field below summoning the keystone from which spread a purple haze, Spiritomb.
"Floatzel, I choose you!" Ash threw his Pokéball, and out came the blue and orange otter.
May watched in excitement. She, along with all of Ash's other traveling companions, had been called to watch him in his battle against the Sinnoh League Champion. Present were Paul, who had unwillingly stayed after losing his match to Lucian (Dawn had put a shock collar around his neck and locked it so that whenever he tried to leave, a jolt of electricity would hit him), Gary, who had grown increasingly impressed by Ash, Misty, who had come to cheer on her friend, Tracey, who had taken a three day train in a compartment of senior citizens and still smelled of prunes, Brock, Ash's eternal traveling partner and practically his brother, Dawn, the new coordinator, Max, who had grown out of his whiny-kid phase and began training a Treeko, and finally May.
Out of all his companions, Ash had missed May most of all. Before she had left to go to Johto, Ash had confessed to her. Confessed his love.
---
FLASHBACK
Two days ago…
Ash lay down in a meadow in the middle of the League Building premises. He was thinking about girls; or rather, one girl in particular: May Maple, the girl who had captured his heart. Around him lay his Pokéballs, containing his Pokémon, exhausted after a grueling workout. The field was liberally scattered with bushes, trees, and several small rivers. He sat up with a jolt as he heard footsteps breaking through the heath and turned to see his crush emerging from the bushes.
"Hi May," Ash began, "how have your contests been going?"
May smiled as she sat down beside him, Ash was always interested in whatever she was doing, "Quite well. Some of them have actually been televised."
"Well travelling on the road, one doesn't get much time to watch TV." Ash frowned, "But…"
May turned to him and waited for him to finish, but no conclusion was forthcoming. 'Does he know how I feel about him? Or will he reject me?' Such fears had been plaguing May for the last few years.
"You know what?" Ash began.
"What?" May asked.
"I'm gonna get it out. I'll just say it. I mean, I'm fifteen. I should be able to say or do something about it…"
May was starting to get confused, "About what, Ash?"
Ash turned to her, a determined look on his face, then leaned forward and kissed her. May's eyes dilated in surprise, then retracted as she eased into the kiss. After a few minutes they broke apart, not because of choice, but for lack of oxygen.
"May," Ash said, "I love you."
May sat stunned, then lowered her hands from her face and stuttered, "I-I l-love you t-t-too, Ash."
Ash smiled, then hugged her, "That's what I hoped to hear…"
Unbeknownst to the both of them, they had been silently observed from the bushes downwind from them.
"Oh Ash," Brock cried quietly, tears streaming down his face, "I'm so proud of you."
"I know!" Misty said, "What took him so long?"
"Probably fear of rejection." Gary said, shrugging.
The discussion continued in this vein for quite some time until the three noticed that the new couple was gone.
"I bet they're inside 'bonding'…" Brock said with a creepy smile, then noticed Nurse Joy walking toward the League Building. "Oh, Nurse Joy, your heart shall be min—"
He was cut off mid-sentence as Croagunk jabbed him in the side and Misty dragged him by the ear to his room.
"Heh," Gary muttered, hastening to follow, "some things never change…"
---
The battle between Cynthia and Ash raged, neither side gaining the upper hand for very long. Finally, both contestants were down to one Pokémon each.
"Return Charizard." The orange dragon returned to its Pokéball, Ash looked down at it ruefully, "Good job buddy. Take a nice long rest." Then he turned to the field where Cynthia's Garchomp stood, slightly winded but not very much.
Then he turned to the ever-present companion on his shoulder, "Ready for this Pikachu?"
The yellow lightning mouse answered in affirmative as it leaped off the platform to the field, twenty feet below.
"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!"
Cynthia's eyebrows shot up in surprise, Volt Tackle was an extremely powerful that only very powerful Pokémon could learn, "Dragon Rush, Garchomp!"
The dragon charged forward, and Pikachu, without meaning to, aimed where instinct told him to.
The electrified tackle struck Garchomp right in the knee, causing a cry of pain as Garchomp sunk to the ground. Her claws were curled around her leg as she stood up shakily. Then, forcing the pain away, she charged again, fulfilling her master's last command. Pikachu, still electrified from the volt tckle went flying. Right into Ash.
Ash spasmed as the electricity coursed from Pikachu to him, then the platform shuddered. A support had been damaged during Charizard and Garchomp's battle and in a desperate attempt to save those he loved most, Ash threw all of his pokeballs and Pikachu to the floor below as he toppled out of the window.