Chapter 12: Healing
At midday Nurse Joy woke May up to check her condition and do some basic tests. May was still under the effects of the drugs she had taken and lazily went through the tedious tests and questions. Nurse Joy could tell May was a little irritated so did her best not to agitate her, after she had finished giving May the all clear she packed up and left to give the girl time to sleep some more. Exiting her room Nurse Joy was almost at the stairs when Ash came up in a hurry.
"Hi Nurse Joy, how is May?" Ash asked looking over the nurse's shoulder at May's door.
"She has recovered very well, but she is trying to get some sleep at the moment." Nurse Joy told the young man unsure if she should have warned him about May's unease.
"Well I'll just knock and if she's awake." Ash stated getting a nod from the Nurse.
May herself was indeed not in a good mood, she had been randomly awoken, tired the entire time Nurse Joy was there and now that she had left May had lost almost all her ability to fall back to sleep. The coordinator grabbed a pillow and pressed it firmly against the side of her head in frustration when there was a knock at the door. May could so easily have thrown a fit at that point but had enough control left to compose herself and sit up before answering the knock.
"Did you forget something Nurse Joy?" May asked as she slid out of bed.
"No it's Ash." Ash's voice came from the other side of the door.
This May did not have the patience for, for nearly every moment that she was awake since last night May had been blaming Ash for what had happened to her and now having him disturb like this had her on the verge of losing it.
"Ash now is not a good time." May nearly growled placing one hand over her forehead.
"Sorry I just wanted to check you were all right." Ash cautiously responded easily able to hear the aggression in May's voice.
"I'm fine just give me some room to breathe jeez." May barked turning back towards her bed.
"Did you-want me to get you anything." Ash asked wearily.
"Would you take a hint? Just piss off!" May screamed before she picked up a small box and threw it at the door making Ash jump at the impact.
The Kanto trainer stood outside the door with Pikachu beside him completely speechless. May had never acted so angrily towards him before, he had never even heard her swear. Pikachu walked forward and raised one paw.
"Pika?" The electric mouse seemed to ask as he tapped the door, May's behaviour was so out of character it had the small Pokémon utterly confused. Ash leant over and carefully picked Pikachu up placing him on his shoulder.
"Come on Pikachu, were going to train." Ash whispered so he didn't disturb May. He could tell Pikachu was very upset at the girl's outburst as was he. Ash didn't let it show, though internally he hoped that he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time for May to act like that, but in truth he doubted that was accurate. All he could do was walk away and hope that whatever had come over May was only temporary.
May threw herself into bed and let out a deep sigh, she would deal with Ash later. He had caused her so much trouble and yet she had no choice but to stick with him, this whole mission was getting worse by the day. She did her best to push her concerns away eventually able to fall back to sleep although not a very peaceful one.
May woke up in a hunger fuelled daze, Nurse Joy had checked on her around midday when the drugs were still in effect but she had remained awake long enough for Joy not to get suspicious. Looking outside May could see that the sun had almost set, but she was more concerned about getting some food.
May got out of bed not even bothering to change and made her way down stairs, she could barely feel any discomfort in her body not even in her knee which was arguably the most damaged. Happy with how the drugs worked May got to the dining area and ordered a very large dinner, the expression on Chansey's face as she took the order indicated that it was a lot but May didn't care, she was starving.
While she waited May took a booth seat by the window when she saw a lightning bolt come from the back training field. Turning to see what was happening May saw Pikachu firing attacks at Ash's Charizard who flew in the air. May looked around for Ash, she eventually caught sight of him directing his other Pokémon, by the looks of it he had all six of his on hand Pokémon out and training. She watched him coordinate each of them without missing a beat, calling out one move and signalling for another to counter in a seemingly effortless display.
May was so drawn into watching Ash train she didn't notice Nurse Joy walk up with her plates until she laid them down on the table.
May thanked Joy before digging into her various meals though she didn't shovel it down like Ash would have.
"Your friend Ash has been very concerned for you while you slept." Nurse Joy told May making her halt her eating.
"Really?" May asked.
"Yes ever since this morning he came in on the hour asking if you had come out, I felt so bad having to tell him time and time again that you were still resting. Apart from that he's been training none stop just to keep his mind off of you." Nurse Joy explained as she looked out to where Ash was training.
"Yeah that does sound like him." May looked back outside.
"I've seen many people come and go from this centre. With both injured Pokémon and people, but never have I seen someone push themselves to the brink of collapse to get their friend to safety." Nurse Joy said without looking at May.
"That kind of effort doesn't merely speak about his physical capabilities but his determination. His ability to push himself further, even when his body screams for him to stop, even then his spirit didn't give in. That is true friendship, putting others above your own self." Nurse Joy concluded.
May listened intently as Nurse Joy talked, since last night she had been blaming Ash for what had happened. After all it was his decision to take a detour to Lake May which lead them on that other path and finally where the they got attacked by the Aggron causing her to be injured. Deep down though she knew that wasn't right. Ash could never have known what laid ahead on that mountain, both he and May were trying to help that young Aron when its mother overreacted. Ash had put himself between her and its attacks to defend her, hid her and pulled her up from a cliff to save her and then carried her in his arms till he collapsed. And she had repaid him by shouting at him and slamming the door in his face. A feeling of ignorance washed over her, she had been so blinded because Team Magma saw Ash as a threat that she saw him as one as well. But Ash was still her friend, still willing to put her safety above his own, May felt awful for how she had treated him.
"You're really lucky to be able to call him your friend." Nurse Joy said as she turned back to May.
"Your right, I really am." May acknowledged.
"Anyway enjoy your meal." Joy smiled before walking off.
May went back to eating her order while watching Ash train, she didn't eat as fast now, the thoughts in her head had her conflicted. She didn't know how she could apologize to Ash without risking getting to close to him, but she couldn't just keep acting distant or he would eventually ask what was wrong. May wasn't backing down on her loyalty to New Magma, completing her mission came first but where did her loyalties to her friends fit into it?
The coordinator was so deep in thought she didn't notice that Ash had finished his training and had walked back into the centre. Out of the corner of her eye May saw Ash walk past the front desk without even seeing her. May got up having only half finished her order and followed him, for whatever reason she choose to stay hidden. She followed him just out of sight as he walked upstairs and then stopped in front of May's room. The brunette watched as Ash went to knock on her door but stopped before he made contact, seeming to be questioning if disturbing her was the right move as he didn't know that she had left.
Eventually Ash sighed and then walked into the room next to May's, obviously he had moved to that new room so he could be closer to her. May remembered that the two rooms were actually linked together by a single door that had to be unlocked on both sides. When Ash closed his door May wondered if she should wait before seeing him again, in the end she opted to go into her own room. The Hoenn local figured that if she simply talked to Ash through the door between the rooms she could apologise for her behaviour and then hopefully redeem herself, after all she remembered having arguments with Ash a couple of times throughout their time together and they always worked it out.
May was about to knock on the door when she heard the faint sound of a shower coming from Ash's room. It made sense after all Nurse Joy did say he'd been training all day. May didn't want to sit around and wait so she gathered a change of clothes and went to have her own shower.
After the events of the yesterday and sleeping all day the feeling of warm water over her body was blissful and May took her time to soak it all in. When she got out and dressed herself May found that she spent extra time on her appearance, something she hadn't done much of since she joined New Magma. May didn't know why she felt the sudden need to look her best but something about seeing Ash tonight made her slightly nervous but why? They were only friends and it wasn't like she hadn't seen him in a while and all she wanted to do was apologize. May shook the thoughts out of her head she was thinking too hard about all of it. As she looked herself over in the mirror she smiled, she looked and felt a lot better, surely there was nothing to worry about.
May walked out of the bathroom noting that the sun was now below the horizon and before knocking listened to see if Ash was doing anything. She couldn't hear a sound and while hoping he hadn't fallen asleep knocked three times.
May only had to wait a few seconds before the door opened and Ash stood there in his usual attire minus his hat and shoes looking at her.
"May –um how-how are you?" Ash asked a little unsure of how to start.
"I'm good Ash how are you?" May responded sounding as uncertain as he did.
"I'm good just had my shower and put Pikachu to bed." Ash said pointing back into his room.
"Yeah I was just coming to check on you." May smiled as she pulled on her bandana.
"I was going to check on you as well, apparently Nurse Joy said you can take of your bandages whenever you're ready." Ash informed her.
"Yes that's right I guess I just forgot." May responded looking at her hand.
"Alright I'll leave you to it I'm just glad your all good." Ash said before he started to close the door.
"Wait Ash." May exclaimed as she held the door in place. "If you'd like you can come in and um-"
"I'd love to." Ash replied kindly. May smiled deeply letting Ash walk past her before she shut the door, leaving just the two of them together.
Ohhhh cliff hanger much! Important information is that if I theoretically split this story into two acts, then the next chapter would be the end of Act I. Act II is where everything starts to take off so to speak. I might get some heat for what's in the next chapter but I planned on the story going in this direction from the start. There's no stopping this train now!
