A/N: Hello everyone, DarkLucario98 here. I'm just gonna say that this is my first fanfic, so let me know what you think!

Disclaimer- I don't own Pokemon, nor am I making any money off of this story. This goes for the whole story so I don't have to write it every chapter.

A Champion's Return

Chapter One

"AND BRONZONG IS DOWN!"

"With an impressive iron tail, Pikachu knocks Jackson's final Pokemon out, making Ash Ketchum this year's Valley of the Lilly Conference champion!"

As the moment sunk in, Ash slowly fell to his knees, astounded. 'We won.' Ash realized. This time, he yelled it out loud. "We WON!" With that, Ash ran out onto the field, Pikachu jumping into his arms. Ash spun Pikachu around in his arms with a huge smile yelling, "Great job Pikachu! Oh, you were just so great, that iron tail was amazing, and you won the battle for us, you won it! I love you so much buddy!"

"Pika pika" the mouse Pokemon muttered, embarrassed by his trainer's praise.

"No really buddy, you did great, I couldn't be more proud of you, or any of you who battled with me today." Ash grinned. "You all did fantastic, I'm gonna have Brock whip us up a huge feast tonight!"

Pikachu grinned at that and sent Ash a small electric shock. Pikachu thought that Ash was being a little too excited, seeing as how Ash was currently crushing him with his "hug", and Pikachu was already tired and sore from the battle.

"Owww, fine, I'll calm down" Ash grumbled after the shock. He really hadn't been expecting that.

"Pika." Pikachu said with a nod.

Ash gave him a mischievous smile and was about to say that he'd finish his excited praising later, but he noticed Jackson walking over to him.

"Wow Ash, that was a great battle" Jackson complemented with a small, slightly sad smile. "That was honestly one of the best battle I've ever had."

He reached out to shake Ash's hand.

"Gee, thanks, Jackson," Ash said after shaking the hand of his opponent. "Same to you. I've never been pushed that hard in a battle before, all of your Pokemon are really strong!"

"W-well," Jackson stuttered with a small blush, "I wasn't strong enough to beat you and win, but hey, there's always next year."

"That's the spirit!" Ash encouraged while walking away, "I hope I get a chance to battle you again some day!"

Ash strode off the field and down the corridor to the trainer's room. Along the way, he was unable to contain his excitement. He was elated. He knew his friends were waiting for him in the trainer's room to congratulate him, and that made him even more excited. Ash loved his friends. While he walked, he couldn't help but to give off a few excited giggles. After all, he had just won the Sinnoh League, and he'd beaten Paul in the earlier rounds. That by itself was enough to get him pumped.

Ash stopped outside the door and asked Pikachu as he jumped off his shoulder and onto his head "You ready buddy?"

"Pi!" Pikachu replied energetically, already drooling over all the ketchup he knew Ash's friends would have waiting for him as a present.

Ash took a deep breath, and he threw the door open. Hard.

He had time to register three things.

First, he hit someone with the door. Second, he saw a flash of brown, red, and blue, and third, he was now on his back.

"Ouch," Ash grunted in pain, "was that really necessary?"

"I could say the same to you Ash," Brock muttered darkly while rubbing his head that now has a big lump on it, "you just hit me with the door."

"Of course it was Ash!" May bubbled, oblivious to Brock's pain. Upon seeing his nervousness, decided to tease him."Do you really think we wouldn't be happy for you, I can't believe that you'd think we're crummy friends. What's wrong with you!" she cried with tears rolling down her face.

Ash sweatdropped, and immediately apologized for hurting her feelings. "Whoa, whoa, I'm really sorry May, I didn't mean to make you cry, I was just surprised, I didn't know that you were even here, much less that you would me, I was just really excited, I'm really sorr- mmpff!"

"Holy mew Ash," Misty put her hand over his mouth, laughing at how he turned red once he realized he was rambling. "I know you were never good with girls, but this is ridiculous!"

"What do you mean?" asked an incredulous Ash. "She's crying and I was just trying to comfort her! I don't see what's wrong with that!"

Misty just sighed, before pulling out her mallet and smashing Ash over the head with it.

"What's wrong with you Ash! Can't you tell she was just messing with you! I swear, sometimes I wonder how you got to be a great Pokemon trainer when you're this stupid"

Everyone sweatdropped at the scene, Misty yelling at Ash while she May, and Dawn were all on top of him.

"Misty." Ash said, desperately trying to get her to stop yelling at him. She didn't hear him and continued, so he had to try again louder. "Misty!" Ash was beginning to get really worried now. Would she ever stop? An over dramatization maybe, but hey, you never know with Misty. "MISTY!" Ash yelled at the top of his lungs, his voice causing everyone in the room to clamp their hands over their ears in pain.

Misty looked down at Ash confusedly "...What?"

Everyone fell down anime style.

"Ugh, never mind, would you three please get off of me. I really feel like breathing." asked a boy in serious jeopardy of getting a few ribs cracked.

As the girls got off of him Ash got a better view at everyone around him. A lot of his friends were here. (A/N- bear with me, clothes ain't my thing) Brock was dressed in a pair of brown pants, and a green shirt with an orange vest with brown shoulders over it. Brock had almost always been there for Ash, accompanying him on all of his journeys except the Orange Islands. Standing next to him was Gary, Ash's childhood best friend/rival. Ash had some trouble with him after starting out his Pokemon adventure, but after the Silver Conference, Gary realized how poorly he had treated Ash. He apologized to Ash, who was more than willing to welcome back his best friend, and now Gary is practically his brother. Gary was dressed simply in a black collared shirt and blue jeans. Up next was Tracy. Tracy looked no different, still sporting his green tee shirt and red shorts. Delia was standing next to Professor Oak, beaming with pride for her beloved son. Of course, she was always proud of him, but now, the only reason she didn't get to wrap him in a monstrous hug, was the three girls got to him first. Not that she minded. She knows that Ash's friends are family to him. Delia and Oak were both dressed in their typical attire, a pink shirt and blue knee length skirt for Delia and a red button up with tan pants and a lab coat for Professor Oak. Finally, were the three girls. Misty was dressed in well, nobody really knows. It looks like a yellow swimsuit, but the top is somehow also a vest. Weird. Anyway, Dawn, ever the fashionable one, was wearing a pink skirt with a black, sleeveless top and her beanie with a pink half poke ball on the front. Lastly was May. She was stunning. Her hair was down in the V shaped double ponytails, with her green bandanna that Ash gave her on top. Her clothing consisted of an orange sleeveless that went into a skirt with a pair of black biker shorts. The sight of her took Ash's breath away and gave him a small blush.

May noticed this, and asked the poor, embarrassed boy with a wink, "Like what you see Ash?".

Ash blushed even harder, mumbling incoherent sentences "W-well, y-you see, I just wasn't..."

May smiled and consoled him, saying, "Don't worry Ash, I was just teasing you. By the way, did you notice I'm wearing the bandanna you gave me for my birthday?"

"Oh, yeah! I'm glad that you like it May!" Ash exclaimed, pulling May in for a hug.

This time, it was May's turn to blush, as she wrapped her arms around Ash. She was shocked that Ash would hug anyone, much less her.

"Come on Ashy-boy. Get a room!" Gary taunted, smirking at Ash.

Ash and May quickly detached themselves after that, staring at the ground with an intense blush.

"Whatever Gary." Ash mumbled.

Unfortunately for Ash, his embarrassment wasn't over yet.

"Oh, look at that!" Delia squealed, wrapping Ash in a bone rushing hug. "My little baby has a girlfriend! I'm so proud of you honey!"

"Mom!" Ash groaned "She's not my girlfriend yet!"

"Yet?" Delia asked innocently "You mean you want her to be?"

"Um, Mom!" Ash yelled, glancing at May. She shyly met his eye, then looked away, abashed.

"Oh Ashy, I'm just teasing you. If you want May to be your girlfriend, that's fine with me." Delia told him.

"I think you two make the cutest couple!" Dawn beamed. "It's so romantic!"

"Easy for you to say Dawn," Ash told the blunette, "you're already together with Gary."

"Yeah," Gary said with a smirk, pulling Dawn next to him with his arm around her hip. "Real easy. It took me three months to get her to go out with me."

"That's because you used to be a jerk. But, you changed, so I decided to give you a chance." Dawn retorted, knocking his ego down a notch.

"Wait a minute!" Tracy exclaimed, "Does anyone else hear that?"

Everyone looked around confused, until they saw Brock crying in the corner, tears flowing down his face.

"It's not fair!" Brock sobbed, "Even Ash got a girlfriend before me! Why is the world so cruel!"

Everyone laughed at Brock's misfortune with women. Even though it was nothing new, as they'd seen it at almost every town, city, village, or anywhere else with pretty girls, it would never get old.

"Ash my boy," Professor Oak said while wiping the tears from laughing at Brock out of his eyes, "what do you plan on doing now?"

"You know," Ash started, "I don't really know. I think I'll go back to Pallet Town and train for awhile after the awards ceremony tomorrow."

"I think that's a great idea honey! It will be nice having you around for more than a few days at a time." Delia glared at her son.

"Sorry mom," Ash apologized while sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, "I just get really busy, you know?"

Ash felt a slight tug on his sleeve. He turned around and saw May uncomfortably shuffling her feet. "Ash, do you mind, that is, if it's okay with you, if I, uh, join you?" May asked embarrassed to be asking her crush if she could spend more over a week with him, and his mother.

That's right, May Maple has a crush on, maybe even loves Ash Ketchum, one of the densest people on the planet. May had been trying for awhile to get him to return her feelings, but with no such luck. She had hoped that constantly wearing his bandanna, even mentioning it a lot, hoping that it would show him that she's his. But of course, he only saw it as a sign of their friendship. But hopefully, that would change after this evening.

"Of course you can May!" Ash beamed his smile that drove May crazy, "I would love it if you joined me!"

"I'm sure you would Ashy-boy. Make sure to use protection!" Gary snickered at him. Ash shot him a dark look as Dawn elbowed him in the ribs. Hard. Gary fell to ground holding his injured ribs spluttering "I have no regrets!" while Misty started raining kicks to his stomach.

"Ash, I think it's time you went to bed." May speculated while eyeing Ash. "You look exhausted."

It was true. Ash had yawned a few times, and he was slouching over, with slight bags under his eyes.

"Come on, I'll walk you to your room sleepyhead." May told him softly.

"Yeah," Ash yawned "I think that's a great idea. I'll see you all tomorrow."

Ash and May were walking down the hallway to Ash's room. May was desperately thinking of a way to show Ash that she loved him. 'Yes,' she decided with a blush, 'I think I love him.' She loved everything about him, from his handsome tanned face and messy black hair to his upbeat energetic personality and love for his friends and Pokemon. 'Speaking of Pokemon' May slipped Pikachu another ketchup packet. "Pikachu!" Pikachu slurped down the ketchup in no time flat, earning a giggle from May at his irrational love of the red "treat".

Ash soon brought May out of her thoughts. "Here we are. Thanks for keeping me company."

Ash opened his door and started walking into his room.

He stopped when May grabbed his arm and pulled him back outside. "W-wait, Ash!"

Ash gave her a quizzical look. "What is it May? I'm tired."

"Well, I just wanted to know what you meant when you said that I wasn't your girlfriend yet."

Ash's face turned beet red as he responded. "W-well, you know I meant that I, uh, loveyouandwantyoutobemygirlfiend."

To say May was surprised would be an understatement. She had been trying to get Ash to notice her for months, and he really just did her job for her? Well, she had a pretty good Idea what Ash said, but she needed to make sure. "W-what did you say?"

"Oh, uh, haha, uh, it was nothing!" Ash frantically responded. "Really, it was nothing!"

"No, it wasn't, you said that you love me, didn't you?" May's face was practically on fire now. She desperately hoped he would say yes. She didn't know how much longer she could take his density to her feelings.

"Um, yeah I did. You know, if you want to" Ash confirmed in a voice so quiet, May almost missed it again.

"Oh Ash," May sighed "I wish you'd told me sooner. I feel the same way."

"Really?" Now Ash was surprised. He had actually loved May since he helped her after Manaphy had to leave her after the temple of the Sea adventure, but only realized it after a lengthy talk with Brock after he learned that May wouldn't be joining them for the Sinnoh League.

"Yes Ash, you dummy. Why do you think I always try to get some alone time with you, or why I always wear this bandanna, and not the one my parents gave me when I started my journey, the red one."

"I just thought that you really liked it."

"Of course I did. I love it because you gave it to me, and that makes it special."

"Whoa," Ash stuttered, he could have sworn his heart was about to burst through his rib cage. "I didn't know you felt that way about me."

"I do. Now let me prove it to you." May purred.

"What do you m-"

May cut him off as she softly pressed her lips against hers. Ash's eyes widened at the impact. He had never kissed a girl before. Beside his mom. And that was just on the cheek. So, with no experience to fall back on, Ash decided to just act on instinct. He started to slowly kiss her back, while wrapping his arms around her waist. After a few minutes, they stopped the kiss in a hug breathing heavily, still feeling each others lips on their own.

"I love you Ash."

"I love you too May."

"You know Ash," May told him with a sparkle in her eye, "now that you've kissed me, you have to be my boyfriend!"

"Boyfriend!" Ash stared at her, slack jawed.

"Of course! What do you think, that I would let you kiss me without reason?"

"Well no, but... I guess I kind of like that too."

"Oh Ash." May sighed as she pulled him into a hug.

With that, Ash pulled away from the hug and opened his door. He turned around and uttered a small goodnight and an extra I love you before shutting the door.

"I love you too Ash. Goodnight." May smiled, skipping down the hall to her own room, ecstatic. She just kissed her love, and found out that he loved her back.

When she got to her room, she went in, finding Misty and Dawn to already be asleep.

She snuck into the bathroom and took off her clothes, and put on her pajamas, an over sized t-shirt. She then brushed her teeth while humming merrily. After that, she stealthily crept across the room and got into her bed. When she got comfortable she practically melted into the bed, drifting into a blissful sleep.

'This has been the best week ever.' May thought happily as the dreams of hers and Ash's future consumed her.

A/N- And that's a wrap. I have no idea how long this story will be, but I'm hoping for it to be at least over 100,00 words.

Here's the team that Ash won in the Sinnoh League finals with:

Staraptor

Torterra

Sceptile

Infernape

Gible

and obviously Pikachu

See y'all later

DarkLucario98