The Day of the Finals
This was it. The day Ash battled the mysterious Masked Trainer. Ash woke up next to May at 4:00 AM and pulled back the curtains. It was still dark out, but rays of sunshine were beginning to appear behind Mount Silver in the distance. His match with The Mask was only 12 hours away and Ash couldn't wait. He had trained with his Pokemon for such a long time, he had come too far to lose now. He intended to win this tournament. Shutting the curtains so May could continue sleeping, Ash then changed into a white t-shirt and gym shorts so he could go on a run with Mewtwo.
Ash approached his sleeping fiancé and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm going out for a run. I'll be back later."
May responded groggily, with her eyes still closed, "That's nice dear..." and then drifted back to sleep. Ash smiled at May, and then exited their room.
Two hours later, May woke up, showered, got dressed and went down to the Hotel's main lobby for breakfast. She got a cup of coffee and sat at one of the tables in the corner of the lobby. She took a sip and saw a man walking towards her. It was her fiancé's opponent: The Mask.
"Good morning," The man said. "Do you mind if I sit down?"
"Go right ahead," May said kindly. The Mask pulled a chair across from her and sat down. "I never properly thanked you for saving Ash's life back at the Indigo Forest."
"It's not a problem at all. I can tell he's a bit impulsive, but kind-hearted. Just like his father used to be," The Mask said.
"You knew his dad?" May asked.
"Oh yes. His name was Red. He became one of the greatest Pokemon Trainers of all time, and an even better rival and friend. He challenged the Elite 4 and the Champion. He made so many headlines at the time. As you probably know by now he settled down for a while, had Ash and then set off again."
"To catch the Phantom Pokemon Mew, right?" May asked. "That's why he disappeared?"
"Not exactly," The Mask said. "While his true intentions were to catch Mew, some rumors suggested that he was defeated by the elements and perished at the Summit of Mount Silver. Of course there was no true evidence on it."
"Well that sounds horrible! You really know a lot about him," May said, looking at him. His white mask covered the majority of his face, except for his mouth. She looked where his eyes would be. Instead they just were blue, one-way eyes so he could see out and people couldn't see in, however May could detect sadness. She became good at that after spending time with Ash on Mount Silver.
"I can tell you are very close to Ash. More than just a childhood friend."
"I am," May said, showing off her engagement ring. "He's actually my fiancé."
"Congratulations," The Mask said. "It is incredible to see young people fall in love."
"Yeah, it really is. I originally just saw him as a close friend when we travelled, but we grew so close together. I've lost track of how long I have been in love with him. But I guess that is what true love really is, isn't it?"
"It is. If he makes you truly happy, it is only right that you spend your lives feeling that same joy," The Man stood up. "Now it's time I go and meet up with an old friend of mine. If you see Ash before our battle, wish him good luck for me."
"I will!" May said to the masked man. "Best of luck to you too!"
The Mask walked outside and took a breath of fresh air. 'Losing isn't easy,' he said in his own mind. 'But you came here for one reason and one reason only. I came here to win, and I plan on doing that.' Once the man exited the Center, he threw out his Charizard and flew off on his own.
