Greetings,

So this is a new story. To anyone here from 'Their Tangled Love'- I'm afraid I must discontinue that fic. I wasn't really getting any enjoyment from writing it. My other fic I very much enjoyed writing but I could not find the time to.

This fanfiction will be regularly updated, I promise. I'm enjoying writing it in any spare time I can find, and I will make sure it is the only one I write, rather than trying to write 2 at once. It got very confusing.

If you enjoy it, please leave a review, I would love to know where people would like this story to go.

Context

200 years ago, war began to rage across Hoenn. Then, the war spread to Kanto. Then Johto. Then Sinnoh. But the war was not between the regions. People were at war with themselves. The population of Hoenn had been restless for many years beforehand, with Pokémon battles turning violent more often than not and a general distrust of gym leaders spreading from mouth to mouth slowly but surely, causing a tension to build up like nobody had ever seen before. Then, there was the worst problem; the types. Every human being has a 'type', just like Pokemon do. The types were able to manipulate different elements, and some were more powerful than others. Legends told of water types that could part oceans and walk on the waves, and of fire types that could wield fireballs at their own will, or earth types that could create their own ground to walk on.

In the year 2013, two years before the war, the types began to segregate themselves. Fire types migrated to one area of the region, and while other types still lived there, they were eventually forced away due to the pressure. Other types soon followed, until the region of Hoenn was completely divided. The leaders of the region could not have been less prepared for such a challenge, and could not think of a way to settle the rising tensions between the different cities and towns. It was 2015 when fire and water came forward together, each declaring that they were the most powerful, and therefore should rule. The fights started out small. Gang fights in streets and Pokémon battles that ended in fights over power. Then they started to grow. Entire cities began to attack each other. Even types that had not gotten themselves involved found themselves stuck in between and picked sides. That was when fire and water declared official war on each other, and the other regions followed in Hoenn's footsteps, with all fire types across the earth at war with all water types.

War raged across the earth for 4 painful years, and it seemed to everyone that it would never end. Stronger humans were using their elements in a negative way, flooding towns or setting fire to buildings, even electric types developed a tactic in which they would cut the power to important buildings to force others out. The majority of humans were not involved, however. Around 500 people were the ones fighting. Only the strongest of the types would fight, but no one could stand against them. No one dared. World leaders had not gotten themselves involved. Instead, they desperately tried to think of a way they could stop this war.

After 4 years, they finally thought of a way. And, in 2019, the world changed forever. The world leaders began to gather neutral men and women from across the world that were against the fighting and created an army, bigger than anyone had expected, of a range of types that believed the world was a better place when everyone could work together. They suited up the army. City by city, armies were sent in to capture the strongest of the elements, and they were gathered in Kanto, just off Vermillion city, in the biggest building that had ever been seen across the planet. The building had no windows, and the only outdoors area was 100 or so acres of land, walled off securely, with a lake and woods but nothing else. This was their little bit of freedom. Each human had their own bedroom. The building had all the amenities needed, and more. There was just one catch. They couldn't leave. The only way to leave the place was to win.

Over the 4 years of the war, the world leaders had thought of a way that the types could express themselves without fighting, a way to let out their emotions and prove their power. Pokémon battles. It was such a simple answer, staring them in the face.

Each human had one Pokémon only. Every year, there was a competition. The winner would be set free into the real world. Everyone else could try again next year. The majority of the 500 would pass away without ever seeing the rest of the world again, but the war stopped. Cities and towns were desegregated again and the types lived in harmony with one another once more. But it didn't stop there.

Everyone continued to be terrified of the strongest human beings. They were snatched away from their parents at birth and placed into the 'arena', as it began to be called. The arena was flooded with guards around the rooms and various buildings. Then the arena began to be televised, after leaders discovered they could make a profit from their already corrupt system. Every year the competition would be broadcast live, and the best humans would compete each year, around 15 of the 2500 or so that were there. They soon discovered that it was a hit. The few who acknowledged how corrupt it was could do nothing to stop it, or they would be thrown in too, or worse. And so it continued…

2219

In the garden, a Pidgeot had been spotted. Or so they said. May didn't care much for rumours. She knew they were the only thing that kept people excited, but she did not care for them herself. All of her 'excitement' came from sitting by the lake, with her feet submerged in the water, where she could forget the situation she was in and where she was. She would throw her head back and let the sun beat down on her, and with her eyes closed she would hum to herself, basking in the peace and serenity that was only granted when she paid her daily visit at a time she had found no one else was there. And so, perhaps she would see the Pidgeot there today on her daily visit.

At 2pm, the drone came by to check she was still present. This happened every day at 2pm. Every person would have to be in their room, standing by their bed, waiting to be counted. Like sheep. May stood uniform, her hair loose, falling around her face. She wore the outfit everyone had to wear, a tight body suit laced with different technology, and a tracker. The suit colours depended on what type you were. May's suit was deep red and black, the suit of a fire type.

Once the drone had flown from her room and onto the next, May reached for the small backpack lying on her bedside table. She had found that hardly anyone bothered to make the trek to the lake just after 2pm. Most people could not be bothered to leave again once they had been called in, and for at least an hour the majority of people would be in the various different rooms, playing sports, or battling one another. May would walk to the lake, and nobody would be there but her, just as it had been every day for many years.

Hardly anyone paid her any attention as she left. She had a small group of close friends in the arena, but they would meet at 7pm almost every night, perhaps to battle or to watch a movie in one of the lounges. She had plenty of free time in which she did not know where they were, and they did not know where she was. She liked the peace.

Today, May took the route to the lake through the woods, rather than across the field. It took a little longer, but there was less chance of seeing someone that had the same idea as her, or was just wandering. She moved quickly down the track through them, uninterested in the trees and the flowers. She knew this place like the back of her hand, there was nothing new to look at.

At 2:32pm, May reached the end of the track, where the trees stopped. She could see the lake through the gap in them, and emerged into the open space. She took the bag from her back and threw it down onto the ground, her standard routine, and prepared to sit down by the water, when she spotted someone else, perhaps 50 feet from her. She stood, staring, blinking, for she had not seen this person before. Then, she turned and sat down, thinking no more of it. Of the 2239 people currently living in the arena, she would struggle to recognise 300 of them. She would try to ignore the person and get her peace time for the day.

She sat, and sighed, leaning on her arms, putting her head back, and tried to relax. She tried to shut down her brain, but today it was too awake. She put her head forward again and turned to face the person again. She found herself staring across, inspecting them. He was around her age perhaps, with raven black hair, but his eyes were closed. She could not see his face properly for the distance and his position. His suit was royal blue and black, revealing that he was a water type. Even after 200 years, water and fire types rarely interacted with one another inside the arena. Friendships between them did not exist. They were prohibited, in fact. If a fire and a water type were seen to be interacting, other people of their type would attack them until they no longer could see each other. May had seen it happen in her time. It was not an official rule enforced by the guards, but they did nothing to stop everyone else enforcing it amongst themselves. Water and fire remained enemies.

And yet, May was fascinated. May wanted to know more about water types, about why she was not allowed to interact with them. Here one was, with no one else around…

She suddenly realised, snapping out of her trance, that he had opened his eyes and turned to face her, and was staring right back, a blank, distant expression on his face. She started, looking down in embarrassment, her cheeks flushing as red as her suit. She figured he would look away again once she stopped staring and simply think she was weird, but May had a strange feeling. She could feel his eyes on her. She continued to look down at the ground, but she could not help feeling that he was still watching her. Cautiously, she raised her eyes and turned her head slowly, and their eyes met again. This time, May did not break the contact. Her face twisted in curiosity at the person before her. Their eye contact might have lasted minutes before she started to move. She began to push herself up, too intrigued by this other person not to approach him. As she did, he raised up too, and she realised that he was coming towards her. True excitement, something she had not felt in months, flooded her, and she stood watching him approach, her face showing terror but fascination.

A sudden rustle in the trees grabbed her attention, and someone came racing through the trees. It was Drew. Drew grabbed hold of her hand quite suddenly, before she could realise what was happening, and began to babble at her. When May turned back, the water boy was gone. Disappointment rose in her heart and she sighed.

"May? May?" Drew shook her. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," May turned back towards him, a smile stuck on her face. "What's going on? Is everything okay?"

"May, how could you forget? Today is the day they announce who's competing in this year's tournament! We're going to miss it so hurry!"

May scrambled for her bag, forgetting all about the water boy, and raced back through the woods holding Drew's hand. Drew's suit was emerald green and black, the suit of a grass type. He was May's best friend in the world. He often annoyed her and she would go some days without seeing him at all, but he was still her best friend and had been for years.

They burst into the main arena just as it began, still hand in hand. People turned to glare as they walked in, but they paid no mind and found the nearest empty seats. May's first instinct was to look around for the water boy, but he was nowhere to be seen around her, and the arena was far too big for her to see the other side. In the middle of the arena on the stage stood the owner of the place. Nobody knew her name. She was wearing a slender black dress, her blond hair falling in curls around her shoulders to her curvy hips. She was a beautiful woman, whoever she was, and people enjoyed seeing her when she came. She began to introduce herself and began the evening, talking of how much had changed in a year, and how excited she was to announce who had been chosen to compete in the tournament this year. Everyone was tense. The names were coming. Of course, May did not expect to hear her own name, and so she was less tense. She was scared for Drew though, who she knew had tried all year to impress people and work his way to the top. On one hand, she desperately wanted him to qualify. On the other, she knew she would be completely lost if he were to get out.

"This year's competitors… are…"

The arena was completely silent.

"Roxanne, of the rock type!" Applause arose from every corner, and people's eyes darted about to see where this girl would emerge. May recognised her, she had seen her plenty before practicing and being a social butterfly. She made her way down onto the stage where the 15 competitors would stand in a line. The same happened for everyone else, until the line was 13 people long. The people were Roxanne, Brock, Winona, Wallace, Volkner, Elesa, Viola, Diantha, Sabrina, Erika, Clair, Brawly and Gardenia. There were only 2 places left. May could feel Drew shaking, and put her hand on his, giving him a gentle squeeze. He turned to face her and looked at her, just for a moment, in a way he had never looked at her before, then turned away. Confused, May looked the other way, and there he was. Water boy. She was sitting on the end of her row, and he was sitting at the beginning of the next, on her right. She was startled by his sudden appearance, and almost missed the last name.

"Drew, of the grass type!"

Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach and she turned away from water boy, who was now standing to face her. The crowd was applauding loudly, all on their feet, all looking in their direction, and it suddenly occurred to her what was happening. Drew stood, his face a mix of terror and elation, and she stood too, to let him out, still in shock. He walked past her, and for a moment she thought he was going to leave without saying goodbye, for this would mean she would not see him for a few days at least while he prepared for the tournament. Then, without warning, he turned, and suddenly his hands were behind her head, and his lips against hers. Sparks flew across her entire body and she closed her eyes, letting him kiss her. And then he was gone, and she was left standing there, completely dazzled and in shock. Before she knew it, everyone was beginning to leave. Just as she left the door, she turned around one last time, and met the eyes of water boy, the curious look still on his face.

May woke the next day with a headache. She lay in bed for longer than she would usually. She had not seen Drew since his name was called. She had sat with her other friends at lunch, thinking about how he was, and what the food at the celebration feast would be like. Her friends talked about nothing but the fact that he had kissed her. They all wanted to know what the pair had been hiding. May had repeatedly told them that it had caught her off guard too, and she wouldn't know anything more until she saw him again. She did not know what her feelings for him were, she told them. She didn't really know what love felt like. She hadn't been able to tell if the sparks were from excitement or her feelings towards him.

By the time she managed to get out of bed, she had missed breakfast. She did not feel like doing much, and so she figured she may as well wait until the drone came past at 2pm, then wander somewhere. She sat for a great length of time, reading, until she couldn't sit any longer, and she made her way to the lounge closest to her in hope that someone she knew would be there.

She walked in cautiously and no one seemed to notice her enter. People were sprawled over sofas, or sitting at tables, perhaps studying or reading. A cluster of people sat around the TV in the corner with snacks and watched some sort of nature documentary. She recognised two people in the room. Water boy and Dawn. May and Dawn had been close friends since they had met when they were 7 years old. She made a beeline for her, but her eyes watched the boy. He was sat with Misty, a girl May knew of but could not speak to as she was a water type too. They were sitting together on a beanie, and Misty lay her head on his chest, looking up to speak to him. He and May made eye contact for a second, then May turned to greet Dawn,

"Hey, Dawn, what's going on?"

"May!" Dawn jumped up. "Hi! Paul and I are just sitting around… I tried to get him to play chess with me but he won't."

Paul rolled his eyes and May gave him a sympathetic smile. Paul was a dark type, and it really showed in his personality, but both she and Dawn were still fond of him, and he let them stick around him. Dawn was an electric type and her bubbly personality made her very hard not to like. May sat down with the two of them on the floor and Dawn began to chat away.

"Hey Dawn," May suddenly interrupted, perhaps 15 minutes after she'd arrived. "Who is that boy over there? The one with Misty."

Dawn gave her a concerned look, and seemed to be searching May for something. May realised that Dawn was worried about why May was concerned about a water type when she was a fire type. She knew Dawn was only concerned for her and what would happen to her.

"I'm only wondering, Dawn, don't worry. It's only because I have never noticed him before and now I've seen him 3 times in 2 days."

"His name is Ash," Dawn started, lowering her voice. "That's really all I know, I've never spoken to him before."

Ash. May looked over at him again. She had started to notice at the ceremony the day before how handsome his face was, but then of course she was distracted. She looked again now, and his face was very attractive. May herself had been crowned beauty queen of the fire types the year before, one of many competitions that happened each year as a way to excite people. It had not happened yet this year, but Dawn was certain May would win it again, always making sure May knew that she was truly beautiful.

It was 1:45. Everyone in the room began to shuffle, turning off the TV, collecting their stuff, arranging to meet in another area once they had been checked.

"Where will you be after 2, May?" Dawn asked. May rarely saw her friends before 2, and had never been asked to meet after the checking. She considered the question for a moment.

"I don't know," she answered, smiling sadly towards Dawn. "I might see you." Then she left, saying nothing else, and Dawn turned to Paul before leaving herself.

"She misses Drew already."

At 2, May was standing uniform again, the same way she did every day, the same way she would every day, thinking about the fact that she was trapped against her own will. It was a thought she very rarely had, and something scarcely talked about. May began to wonder why that was, as she stared at the wall, ignoring the drone that glided in and out of her room. Even after it had left she stood staring, a deep sadness settling in her heart, as she realised that the people she loved might leave one by one, but also that what was happening to her was wrong. She had never felt all of this before, and she knew it was due to Drew being in the tournament. She wondered if he felt the same way, or whether he thought of it as a good system after being picked.

Her brain was on overdrive. She began to wonder why fire and water types hated one another. She began to wonder why everything had to be the way it was, and why they were even trapped at all. She believed everyone in the arena to be a good person. She did not believe any of them were dangerous to society. They were only here for entertainment.

The thoughts infuriated her, and she found herself walking through the woods again, without even taking the time to get her backpack with a book to read. She did not walk calmly through the woods today, she burst through them, pushing stray branches out the way in annoyance. When she came to the end of the woods she jogged a little to get there quicker, and she exploded into the clear. She sat by the water quickly, threw her head into her hands, and began to sob. She could not stop. She didn't understand; couldn't understand. Why her? Why Drew? She could not stop thinking of Drew.

She cried for what seemed like hours in a way she had never cried before. Eventually, the sobs subsided, and she drew her knees in, resting her head on them. She was no happier. Then, she felt something hit her, and jolted upright. On the grass just by her leg, a paper airplane lay. For some reason, she felt caution. She picked it up all the same, unfolding it and reading the note that had been scrawled inside.

I couldn't help but notice you were upset. Sorry. I hope you are okay soon.

It was not signed, and she did not recognise the handwriting, but a feeling in the pit of her stomach told her that it was Ash. She immediately sat upright, looking around for him, but he was gone. She jumped up with renewed energy and bolted for the trees. She ran down the path, searching frantically, until she spotted him. He had left the pathway to wander into the trees. She could just see the blue of his suit amongst the foliage. She did not know what her aim was, but she found herself following him, slower now, but catching up, until he heard her, and turned around. Their eyes met. She placed her hand on the tree beside her and stopped moving. He stopped too, and the pair just stared. May felt terror in the pit of her stomach. She had never spoken to a water type. Her whole life it had been hyped up as something forbidden. And now she had this morbid excitement that she could not shift. She wanted to break the rules, but she was afraid to speak.

"Hey," she spoke, quietly, afraid someone would hear. "I'm May."

"Ash."

Hearing him speak sent a shiver down her. She could not help wanting to talk to him. She wanted to know why fire and water types were meant to hate one another. In her heart she knew it wasn't right, and here was the proof. There was no hate here. Only curiosity. In the past 24 hours so much wonder had built up, about who he was, about where he had come from. That, and he had reached out to her.

"Thank you for your note. I just had to say that. It was really nice of you."

He blinked, not saying a word, and walked towards her, until he was just a few feet ahead of her.

"Show me something you can do, with your element."

So he is curious too.

May opened her palm and held it out, a flame flickering in the centre of it. It was not a powerful one, just the size of a candle flame, and nowhere near the best she could do, but she did not want to frighten him. He reached out, holding his palm above the flame, feeling the heat of it against his skin. May searched for any emotion in his face as he stared at her flame, but he was remarkable at hiding it. She closed her palm, seizing it away, and he looked at her once more, his face still a mask.

"Do you come here every day?" He asked.

"Yes, every day," May answered quickly. All she felt was this morbid excitement, and a desire to know more about water types.

"Okay." He nodded. With that, he turned away from her, and started to walk away. May stood a moment longer. Tomorrow, she would come back, and she hoped he would be here again.