Happy Valentines Day readers.

This is the best I can come up with, hope you like it.

Love Above Family

May had locked herself in her room, with music playing from her headphones, after an argument with her parents, she'd met a boy she liked and he liked her back but it was actually more than that, they loved each other. The problem her parents had was his name, Ash Ketchum, son of the rival family. The Maple family had been at war with the Ketchum's for generations, neither side could remember how it all had started but that didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was destroying the other family and taking control of Slateport City.

At present each family ran the crime in just under half of the city, Maple's controlled the west and Ketchum's the east. They had a standing agreement of the docks to the south and north road out of the city being neutral territory simply for getting goods in and out of the city but once it was outside of those areas it was fair game to the other family. The only reason that there was neutral territory was the fact it was held by a third family, this family was small and only wanting to protect its own, acted as a go-between for the Maple's and the Ketchum's whenever it was needed. This third family was known by the name Berlitz and was headed by a woman called Johanna. The small part of the city, not counting the docks or north road, that none of the family owned was under the control of the police.

Unknown to May on the opposite side of the city Ash had just had a similar argument with his mother, she was head of the Ketchum family after Ash's father had been gunned down in retaliation for the death of Norman Maple's brother. Before that Delia Ketchum had been a gentle and kind woman but leaving Ash fatherless at the age of two had changed her, she was still a loving mother to her son but ruthless in all other situations. Delia had been on a revenge fuelled quest to destroy the Maple's once and for all nearly taking the city down with them. The only thing that stopped her was when she had managed to capture Norman's wife and daughter. This lead to another agreement that was honoured by both sides no matter what, in exchange for the one who had killed Ash's father, Delia released Caroline and the infant May. The agreement was that their children wouldn't be involved in any confrontations between the families until they were twenty, then they could decide if they wanted to be part of the family or not, if they chose not to be they would be untouchable to the other family.

Ash was laying on his bed listening to a track-list from PokéTube, looking at a picture of himself and May. He'd met her by accident one day when they were 12, he'd gone to see Dawn, the only daughter of the Berlitz family, due to her being neutral and knowing what Ash's family really did made them good friends. Ash had visited her to just hang out and watch some movies but when he got there he saw that Dawn was talking with another girl, a beautiful brunette with sparkling sapphire eyes. Ash turned to leave when Dawn spotted him, dragged him inside and introduced them but when they heard each other's name Ash reached for his flick knife and May went for a .22 she kept in her purse. Dawn stopped them, reminding them that while they were in her home they were in neutral territory. Just to be on the safe side Dawn took the knife and .22 from Ash and May, locking them in a draw and wearing the key around her neck, even though they were kept out of the 'family business' Ash and May were still prepared to defend themselves if they needed to in case of emergencies.

Once Dawn had diffused the situation and settled the ensuing argument she got Ash and May to sit down and at least be civil to each other. Being part of the go-between for the families and would be the head of her family one day Dawn negotiated a treaty of sorts between Ash and May, they would meet up at Dawn's house once a month to try to smooth the relations between their families so that when they took over the war between them would finally end. Hesitantly Ash and May agreed but only on the condition that their parent's didn't find out, Dawn and her family agreed to keep it a secret and so the meetings began. They started out badly with insults and accusations being thrown, eventually Dawn decided that they needed to get to know each other first otherwise these meetings would get out of hand and someone would get hurt.

It started out simple enough, the three of them would sit and watch a movie or play a videogame, order in some food too and that's were the first connection formed. Ash and May both liked the same food, in the same quantities, a few more meetings and they started to learn more about each other, what they liked to do, the type of friends they had and finally coming to the realisation that neither of them liked the 'family business'. Seeing something forming between Ash and May, Dawn increased the frequency of the meetings to every couple of weeks and started to go out to places in her family's territory, somewhere neither of Ash's or May's families could go without Berlitz permission. A year passed and Dawn gently brought up the reason they were meeting in the first place, it was at that point both Ash and May came up with the same idea, become heads of the families and end the war all together, disband the families. Dawn on the other hand had a different idea but it was too early to put that plan in to motion so she supported her friends and helped them plan for the future.

Three more years went by and Ash did something unexpected, he asked May out on a date, both May and Dawn were shocked but for different reasons, May because she didn't think Ash would like her like that and Dawn because she thought May would've made the first move after a bit of encouragement from Dawn herself. May excepted and so they'd started dating, it was still awkward at first but overtime they came to realise what had happened, they'd grown to love each other. For their own safety and each others all of their dates took place in Berlitz territory so their families wouldn't find out.

Two more years went by and comes to the present day, both Ash's and May's parents had grown suspicious of their children's near constant visits to Berlitz territory and their changed perspective on the other family, they each had someone follow their children eventually finding out they were walking together, holding hands and kissing. As soon as Ash and May had gotten home their parent's told them they knew what was happening and forbid them from seeing the other ever again. Norman and Caroline organised for May to marry Drew, the son of one of their allied gangs in Lilycove, and Delia for Ash to marry Serena, a daughter of one of her lieutenants. Their parents had been making Ash and May go out with Serena and Drew for a little over a year but both Ash and May had resisted the proposed relationships. The Maples weren't too sure about Drew being May's husband with his attitude but he was the only one May's age available, whereas Serena was completely smitten with Ash which pleased Delia and although Ash like Serena it wasn't in that way. It was at that point that Ash and May had for the first time openly defied their parent, screaming their objections and storming out of the room.

As the couple listened to their music a certain song started to play, a song that Dawn joked could've been written about them and they both started to sing along to it.

(May)

When you hold me in the street
And you kiss me on the dance floor
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't it be like that? Cause I'm yours

May turned to look at a picture on her wall, to anyone else it would just be a picture of a tree, a strange thing to see in a girl's room but May knew better because it was an Ash tree and she had it positioned so she could see it wherever she was in her room.

We keep behind closed doors
Every time I see you, I die a little more
Stolen moments that we steal as the curtain falls
It'll never be enough
It's obvious you're meant for me
Every piece of you, it just fits perfectly
Every second, every thought, I'm in so deep
But I'll never show it on my face

But we know this, we got a love that is homeless

Why can't you hold me in the street?
Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't we be like that? Cause I'm yours

May took a phone out of her bag, her parents didn't know about this one the only person with the number was Ash, just like Ash had a phone only May knew the number of. She sent him a message telling him what had happened with her parents.

(Ash)

When you're with him, do you call his name
Like you do when you're with me? Does it feel the same?
Would you leave if I was ready to settle down?
Or would you play it safe and stay?

Girl you know this, we got a love that is hopeless

Ash's phone buzzed in his pocket, he took it out and read the message from May. He quickly replied saying the same thing had happened to him and asked what they could do now. Ash did have an idea but he wasn't sure how May would react to it.

(Both)
Why can't you hold me in the street?
Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't we be like that? Cause I'm yours

And nobody knows I'm in love with someone's baby

I don't wanna hide us away

Tell the world about the love we making

I'm living for that day

Someday

They sent a few more messages to each other before Ash sent May his idea.

Why can't I hold you in the street?
Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?

I wish that we could be like that
Why can't we be like that? Cause I'm yours, I'm yours

May read the message a few times before she believed what she was looking at, a smile grew on her lips as she sent her reply.

Oh, why can't you hold me in the street?
Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't it be like that? Cause I'm yours
Why can't I say that I'm in love?
I wanna shout it from the rooftops
I wish that it could be like that
Why can't we be like that? Cause I'm yours

Why can't we be like that?
Wish we could be like that

An hour later Ash and May had managed to sneak out of their houses and met at the park in Berlitz territory.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ash asked, "If we do there's no real way of coming back." May pecked Ash's lips.

"I'm sure." May replied firmly, "Let's do this." Ash nodded and together they made their way through the city, keeping their heads down and avoiding anyone that might recognise them until they arrived at the docks. Dawn was waiting for them when they arrived.

"What are you doing here?" Ash asked.

"Helping my friends." Dawn said holding out an envelope. "These are tickets for a cruise to Unova, from there a friend of mine will meet you. Her name's Iris, you can trust her as much as you trust me, she'll help you hide and start a life together. There's a photograph in there too so you know who to trust."

"But why are you doing all of this?" May questioned, "You're putting your whole family at risk helping us. We can't let anything happen to you if you get found out." Dawn waved off May's worries.

"I've got Salvia covering for me, no need to worry. Besides my mom's the one who came up with the idea, she's already set up some false lead saying you've gone north to Mauville, gotten on a plane to Johto and a different cruise to Sinnoh. There's no way for it to be tracked back to my family, why do you think we've always been in the middle of your families and not been taken out. We're too valuable to your businesses, the Berlitz family are masters and mistresses of hiding trail." Dawn pushed the tickets into May's hands. "Now go, the only things I want in return is an invite to the wedding and some godchildren." May darted forward and enveloped Dawn in a hug.

"Thank you." May said, it didn't seem like enough but it was all she could think to say. Once May let go of Dawn, Ash gave the blunette a quick hug.

"Iris will give you new identities and send me the info in a few months so we can keep in touch." A ship's horn sounded. "You need to hurry the cruise leaves in a few minutes. I'm going to miss you guys but don't worry I'll visit once the heat dies down." With one last group hug Ash and May ran to the ship and were welcomed aboard, Dawn stayed on the dock waving at to them until the ship was out of sight. The last thing she saw clearly was Ash and May sharing a kiss while standing at the guardrails on the stern of the ship against the sunset.

That's all I've got for now.

I've started to plot out the next chapter of Champion of Champions and I'll get it out as soon as I can.

Until Next Time

Basic Trainer