The idea for this story came while I was watching Pokémon Journeys. While the idea of the World Coronation Series is interesting, I personally didn't like how the plot was developed. There was a return of remarkable characters, but I feel that it could be better executed.
Anyway, I'm particularly excited for this particular project, and according to my sketches, I'm sure that at the very least I'll be able to have a cohesive plot.
Enjoy the first chapter of Brighter Side of Grey.
OBS: sorry for any language errors in this and my other stories. English is not my mother tongue, so I have some limitations. I hope you understand and don't hesitate to air your criticisms, as long as they are respectful.
Pokémon Coordination tournaments have always been an attraction for people all over the world, competing year after year with Pokémon League tournaments in terms of audience and revenue from product sales, advertising, and exclusive events.
With such success, it is inevitable that coordinators would stand out, and by consequence become rising celebrities. And for two veteran coordinators from the Hoenn region, that couldn't be more true.
May Maple and Drew Hayden, the two main exponents of Pokémon coordination in the tropical region of Hoenn, famous for their participation in Grand Festivals where they always ranked high. When contestants of such caliber entered a Pokémon contest, it was inevitable that fans and journalists would try to garner any form of attention originating from such coordinators.
Drew and May were literally on the run from a particularly persistent group of fans and journalists who pursued them after May's victory in the New Bark Town, Johto area contest. On this day, fans were particularly concerned by the recent rumors that the coordinators would be in a romantic relationship, something that journalists took full advantage of, after all, nothing sells more than headlines involving the personal lives of celebrities.
Having arrived at May's room at a hotel they were staying at, the two braced themselves behind the door and comically allowed themselves to slump to the floor, panting from the unplanned escape right after a Pokémon contest.
"I will never tease you about your eccentric fans again! Drew, a boy tried to steal my bandana! They are crazy!" May was looking around the room like she was a frightened cat, leaving a comical bead of sweat on the back of LaRousse's coordinator's neck.
"This comes with our job May, I thought you would be used to the spotlight by now. But even I have to agree that they are exaggerating." Shaking out his hair as usual, he got up and sat on the couch to watch TV.
May pouted and blew her bangs comically. While Drew hadn't changed her look since her days competing in Hoenn, May has embraced her Johto look as her signature outfit. Although the Petalburg girl was always a lover of the color red, the ensemble of orange clothes and green bandana fit her well-developed figure perfectly.
Standing up, she straightened her clothes and sat down next to her friend and rival to watch TV together. Drew was switching channels looking for something interesting when he came across a news channel broadcasting a story about someone that made May immediately fix her eyes on the screen.
"Good afternoon everyone, I'm Sarah Williams straight from Kanto Now, your news channel about the Kanto region. Alola champion Ash Ketchum has just defended his title for the 10th time in a row, continuing his reign as Alola champion. The World Pokémon Championship (WPC) will be held in the Sinnoh region this year and will feature champions from all regions and a representative from each region that does not have the title of champion in an official league, and Ash Ketchum is being considered by our experts as one of the candidates for the title.
With an enviable career, the Pallet Town trainer has risen to the top of the Alola Island Region, having previously competed in six regions, consistently placing well in Pokémon League tournaments, as well as being crowned champion of the Orange League Championship and Kanto Battle. Frontier. Ash is our main name when it comes to Pokémon trainers of his generation, and he will be at the Wallace Cup in Kanto as a guest of honor to present the award to the champion of the coordination tournament organized by Wallace, Top Coordinator and world reference in the modality. Now for our next news, Team Rocket has been prevented from completing an attempted robbery at the Viridian Gym..."
Drew turned off the TV when he saw May holding up half of a pageant tape, lost in thought. He couldn't help but feel uneasy, having an idea of who was the target of the brunette's thoughts.
"May, rubbing that tape isn't going to make Ash appear in front of you." Blushing with embarrassment, the poor girl put the tape in her pocket and punched her friend in the shoulder. Even in pain, Drew began to laugh to try to hide his annoyance at the thought of Kanto's coach, making May even more frustrated and embarrassed.
"Very funny, for someone who lost our last contest to me, you are very relaxed Mr. Top Coordinator." Drew stopped laughing and shook his hair with his characteristic teasing smile.
"Don't be like that, I couldn't let the opportunity to tease you pass by, but while I have a free pass to compete in any Grand Festival thanks to my title of Top Coordinator, you only have 4 tapes, and I have an idea where you go get the final tape." May looked away, trying to maintain her dignity, but failing miserably.
It was comical for him to see his normally laid-back friend and rival acting like an embarrassed little girl. Drew can't help but feel a little jealous, as much as he's been by May's side for the past three years, traveling around the world competing and promoting Pokémon Contests, she's never forgotten the boy who taught her how to train Pokémon. If Ash hadn't existed in May's life, Drew was pretty sure he would have managed to be something more than a friend and rival to the girl by now.
While Drew was May's rival, Ash was the girl's best friend, something Drew still hadn't managed to conquer, even after all these years of tirelessly trying to be closer to May.
"I don't know what you're talking about Drew, I still have at least four more chances to win my fifth ribbon, and you only compete to have an excuse so you can face me in an official competition." The green haired boy's narrow gaze didn't show that he was buying the excuse given by his friend, May was many things, a highly talented coordinator, a beautiful girl with a lovely personality, but she was also terrible at lying.
She was thinking of Ash Ketchum. An ingenious plan formed in the coordinator's mind. If he can't compete with Ketchum, the next best option is to let May down with any idea of a relationship with the kid, and he knew exactly how to do that.
"Oh, so you're not going to compete in the Wallace Cup apparently. I don't think, after all, many high-level coordinators will be competing there, and I have to admit, that friend of yours, Ash Ketchum if my memory serves me right. became a respected coach the world over and someone as famous, if not more famous, than you and me." For some reason, May wasn't liking where this conversation was going.
"I don't understand, are you implying that I can't win the Wallace Cup? 'Cause if you go, get ready to run a lot, because I'm going to borrow Daddy's Slaking." Mentioning that gorilla Pokémon sent shivers down Drew's spine, and he realized he needed to act fast before his plan bites him in the ass.
"I don't doubt your abilities May, I wouldn't consider you a rival if I didn't believe in your potential, I'm just saying it was a smart decision not to compete in this tournament. If you think our fans are committed, I don't even want to imagine what Ash must face. Imagine May, a crowd of girls chasing that boy dense as a rock when it comes to romantic matters, I would pay to see him desperate for help, that would be payback for calling me a bushhead." The dislike in Drew's voice was obvious, and his emotions briefly took control over his words.
And maybe it was this small lapse in control that changed the fate of several people, as it motivated a certain coordinator next to her that she needed to take a risky attitude, but that it would be crucial for May to make perhaps the most important decision in her life, even if she did not yet know that she would have such a responsibility.
May froze, her mind starting to create less than innocent scenarios involving what Drew had said. Panic seized her, and clenching her fist with determination, she glared at her rival with such intensity that it startled the green-haired coordinator. "Change of plans, I'm going to Kanto to compete in the Wallace Cup. I won't let anyone take advantage of Ash or my name isn't May Maple!"
'I do not believe that! Everything was going so well and now she wants to go see that trainer in Kanto, I can't risk it, even someone as naive as Ketchum will end up recognizing the beautiful woman that May has become, and I hate to admit it, but he would need very little to getting even closer to May' were the thoughts of Drew, who huffed indignantly as he saw May run like a crazy girl around the room picking up her clothes and putting them all in a yellow backpack. Glaceon, who was lying on a pillow, woke up to the commotion, and still sleepily sat next to Drew looking confused at her trainer, who was struggling with her suitcase to get it closed.
Drew picked up the ice guy in his lap and started stroking her. "Keep an eye on May. She is her trainer, but take care of her, I don't trust her to be responsible." Glaceon happily accepted the request, but jumped off Drew's lap as May threw herself at the poor boy and began to comically strangle him.
"I'll show you who's irresponsible!" Drew reached out to Glaceon in a plea for help, but the ice type preferred to go back to sleep.
'Traitor...' was the green haired coordinator's thought as May continued to strangle him.
When the moods calmed down, Drew straightened his clothes that were misaligned by May's 'attack', and taking a deep breath, he looked at the girl with such intensity that it was impossible for May to ignore him.
"May, we need to talk." The brunette blinked in confusion, but she accepted the request. Having finished packing her bags, she faced her friend and rival.
"What do you need to talk to me about?" Drew looked at May and decided he needed to be a little bold to make her intentions clear, and with that he pulled her into a hug, leaving May in shock and blushing in embarrassment at the unexpected action.
"You don't have to go to Kanto, I've been here by your side since we first traveled through Johto, and I promise I'll be here for you if you want to stay by my side. I think it should be obvious, but I need to make this very clear so there is no doubt: May, I like you more than just a friend." May's face was red as a tomato, she wasn't prepared to have her rival say these things to her so unexpectedly. May can't lie to herself, her heart skipped a beat, she knew she had a crush on the coordinator who had hugged her since her travels through Hoenn and Kanto.
But for some reason, something in his mind told him that this shouldn't be happening.
Another person came to her mind, someone who took her under their wing and turned her from a girl scared of Pokémon into one of the best coordinators in the world. Her best friend, the one who protected her from everything that put her in danger as they traveled together, the one who gave her the opportunity to witness incredible events and the one who gave her the happiest years in her life since she started training Pokémon around. of the world. That characteristic innocent smile was embedded in her mind, and it was at this point that May understood, she still couldn't make a decision.
Pulling away from the embrace, May looked at Drew with mixed emotions, but she knew she couldn't play with someone's feelings, let alone a good friend and rival. "Drew, I'm not going to lie, I need to sort my feelings out. I can't give you an answer, and I feel like I need to travel to Kanto. I'm sure the moment I get back, I'll give you the answer."
Drew surprised her with a sincere smile, he was obviously frustrated but not mad at her. "I get it. I always knew you had eyes for that boy and his annoyingly powerful Pikachu. After the Johto Grid Festival you will give me your answer. Just promise me that you will follow what your heart tells you. Even though I have my differences with Ash, I respect him as a person and as a coach." May's face turned red as a tomato again.
"I never said it was Ash!" Drew started to laugh seeing his rival giving in so easily.
"Oh? So it's Soledad? I didn't know you played for this team May, but I have nothing against it." This earned her a punch to the head, causing a comical bump to appear on her head.
"I don't like girls you idiot!" May's anger didn't last long and even she started to laugh a little at the horrible joke Drew made. She picked up her suitcase and before leaving, she reached out to greet him.
"No matter what happens, I hope I can have you two as my friends." With a serene smile, Drew nodded and watched May make her way to the New Bark Town harbor with Glaceon at her side.
Shaking her hair, Drew closed the bedroom door and went back to watching TV, thinking about recent events and what might happen the moment May returned. "I'd hate to lose her, but if it's up to you Ash, at least I know she'll be treated the way she deserves. May the best man win."
May headed for New Bark Town harbor with Glaceon sitting on her shoulder, following the example of the yellow rat the ice fox met when she was just a young Eevee, where she would take a ship with Pallet Town as her destination. She was waiting for her transport to depart, holding her half of the terracotta ribbon as she thought about everything she had experienced alongside her best friend and mentor.
If today she is a famous coordinator, much is due to Ash taking her under his wing and teaching her how to train Pokémon, as well as being a good friend and someone who always protected her when something put her in danger.
The ship pulled out of port and slowly the Johto region was out of sight, leaving May lost in thought.
Ash is someone very special in her life, and seeing him achieve his dreams filled her with pride and happiness, but at the same time made her insecure. While he was becoming one of the strongest trainers in the world, she had yet to win a Grand Festival, seeing Drew and Soledad taking the title of Top Coordinators. Ever since May followed her journey away from Ash and Brock, something seemed to be missing. Though her rivalry with Drew turned into a good friendship, and even with Harley still trying to win through questionable means, May missed the times when she could travel alongside her brother and friends from Kanto.
They experienced so many incredible events, Max made Jirachi a close friend, she and her friends managed to stop Team Aqua and Magma from controlling Hoenn's legendary trio, Ash discovered he was an Aura handler just like his ancestor Sir Aaron, and May became mother figure of Manaphy, a Pokémon that she greatly loved and missed.
Thinking of Manaphy brought tears to her eyes, not only from missing the legendary Pokémon, but also from the events at Samiya's temple. Remembering Ash's near death when putting her with Manaphy and Pikachu inside the survival module always left her frustrated. For many months dreams of Ash not returning from the flooded temple haunted her, and this was a great motivation for her decision to travel in a region without Ash at her side.
The fear of putting him at risk through her own recklessness frustrated her. It was always she who had to be saved, never the other way around. Ash always put himself at risk to protect anyone or Pokémon in danger, and while that was an admirable trait, it was also an irritating thing. Samiya was the first time she truly believed she had lost Ash forever, and this led her to believe that letting him go his way in another region far from her was the solution to protecting him.
May bitterly regrets such a decision.
When she was reunited with Ash at the Wallace Cup in Sinnoh, she was overjoyed to be able for a brief moment to enjoy the same feeling that had accompanied her during her travels through Hoenn and Kanto. But something was different these days in Sinnoh, and it wasn't the lack of his little brother Max's presence.
Ash had another girl by his side.
Dawn was someone May began to envy. The blue-haired girl was able to travel through Sinnoh with Ash and became her student, just as May once was. Seeing the closeness between them made her jealous. Ash was HER mentor, HER friend, and Dawn seemed to want to take him away from her.
May knew it was a petty thought, but she couldn't help but feel like she was slowly losing Ash to someone else.
The ultimate point of frustration was being defeated by Dawn in the finals of that tournament, she, an experienced Coordinator had been defeated by someone who had not even been a Coordinator for six months. And while the defeat was painful, what really hurt her was seeing Dawn running to hug Ash, who was proud of his new friend's achievement.
At that moment, May couldn't contain her frustration and ran anywhere away from Ash, Dawn and Brock. Her chest ached and a lump formed in her throat. In that instant, May Maple began to understand why she was so frustrated these days.
She no longer knew what kind of relationship she had with Ash.
The thought startled her. May knows Ash very well, and knows that although he is someone with a pure heart and a good friend, he had nothing on his mind to do with romance, it was all about adventure, food, Pokémon training and battles. Seeing him act so intimately with a girl he'd only known for a few months was frustrating, and in her jumbled mind, May had deduced that Ash saw Dawn as a possible love interest.
The night before her return to Johto, May was approached by Ash, who was worried about her. Her friend brought her in for a hug and apologized, not even knowing what was going on. At that moment May began to cry, but it wasn't from anger.
It was shameful.
Ash wasn't to blame and yet he was taking responsibility for something he didn't understand, just to make her happy again. That night, May understood that Ash was someone incapable of purposefully hurting someone, and for the first time in a long time, May Maple was at peace.
After returning to Johto, May competed in the Grand Festival and was runner-up, losing to Drew in the finals, and then competed in Sinnoh, where she traveled alongside Dawn and again was runner-up, this time losing to Dawn, something that frustrated her, but it didn't let the brunette from Hoenn down. Even having gained fame for her own achievements, May felt something important was missing from her life, and she was sure she knew full well what was going on.
She missed her mentor and best friend.
If Ash didn't give up even after losing six consecutive tournaments to become a champion, May would be throwing away everything he taught if he gave up after a single defeat.
Looking determinedly at the ocean, the brunette from Hoenn could barely contain her anxiety to see him again.
"Just wait Ash, I'm coming..." was all May said before turning and heading to her room on the ship, thinking about what it would be like to be back with the person who shaped her as a coordinator, but also the girl she's become.
"Blastoise cannot continue, victory goes to Garchomp and Ash Ketchum, current Alola Champion!" The Pokémon League judge signaled the end of the match and the crowd went wild. Once again their champion had prevailed as the unshakable pillar of the Alola League.
Ash has changed a lot in the last few years, now at 15 years old he no longer looked like a naive boy, now having a slightly toned physique. His hair was still unruly, but a little longer, reaching halfway down his neck. His once slightly rounded face was now straight and without any baby fat, showing that he had indeed gone from being a boy to a well-built teenager. Ash wore a black sleeveless shirt, a pair of black gloves, jeans and white sneakers. Around his neck was a necklace having a blue gem as a pendant.
His challenger this time was a boy named Raul, who was only 12 years old. Ash approached the boy, but his challenger picked up his Pokémon and ran out of the arena, which made Ash scratch the back of his neck as he always did when he found himself not knowing what to do.
The boos took over the stadium, and although Ash wanted to stop the crowd from antagonizing the young challenger, he knew he couldn't do much, even though he was champion. Ash could only hope that Raul learned from today to better accept his defeats.
The fact that Garchomp defeated all 6 of the challenger's Pokémon may have contributed to the boy's emotional breakdown.
Speaking of the devil, the Mach Pokémon stood up proudly, only to break the momentum by lunging at its trainer and biting its head off.
"Let go of Garchomp! You've been doing this since the day I met you, my head is not made of iron!" Ash began running in circles around the arena, leaving his audience looking at the 'Unbeatable Champion' with comical sweat beads.
This is Ash Ketchum, a monster in battle and a complete tragedy as a public figure. But make no mistake, while it may seem inappropriate to anyone looking from the outside, the people of Alola couldn't be better represented. Ash is the hero of that region, having successfully repelled attacks by the Ultra Beasts and the infamous Team Skull alongside his friends native to the region.
Even with pain in the 'unique' way that Garchomp chose to show him all his affection, Ash noticed that a group of journalists was approaching with the intention of arresting him in hours and hours of interviews. In a panic, Ash jumped onto the back of his Dragon Pokémon, which immediately understood its Trainer's intentions.
With a sonic boom, Garchomp took off, knocking journalists down with the shock wave. Let it be recorded the absolute dread that Ash felt when he saw a journalist. He took on criminal organizations and legendary Pokémon, but a group of people with cameras had him panicking, and for good reason.
The media had a unique talent for inventing ridiculous lies and selling them as the absolute truth. Lilie was still dying of embarrassment with the latest 'news' claiming she was her girlfriend. And the worst, who suffered a justified female fury was the poor coach. Pikachu was no fool and was quick to abandon his friend.
Human females were scary in the yellow rat's opinion.
Pikachu didn't come to Alola, as he was on Pallet with Delia, enjoying a well-deserved rest after an unofficial battle against Paul, Ash's rival in the Sinnoh region and today someone who reluctantly considers him a close friend, even if the boy from purple hair deny it staunchly.
Ash and Garchomp were flying over the ocean separating Alola from Kanto, with Pallet's trainer having communicated that he would travel to his hometown after his title defense, having an appointment in a few days at the Wallace Cup.
To think that Professor Oak nominated him for Wallace to host the championship was comical, to say the least, him, someone who wasn't a coordinator, being an honored guest in the only Pokémon contest of a global scale. But thinking about his two students, it was not surprising, after all, May and Dawn were two of the most famous Coordinators today, and a source of great pride for Ash.
"Hey buddy, I'm tired, I'm going to get some sleep, wake me up when we're arriving on pallet." Garchomp roared gleefully at his trainer's request, slowing his momentum in the sky a little to let Ash lie down in greater safety.
They were due to arrive in Pallet early in the evening, but there was no hurry. And Garchomp loved these rare moments where he could fly with his trainer, Charizard always boasted of being the 'best dragon'.
Stupid lizard, he's not even a dragon type although he looks like one. If pride was manifested in a Pokémon, it would be in Charizard.
But Garchomp didn't care about pride, he had a trainer and friend who treated him with care and respect, fellow Pokémon who understood him, and battles against powerful opponents.
What more could a dragon ask for?
Well…a certain female Garchomp of the Sinnoh champion could give him a little more attention, but that was something to think about for the future. The biggest tournament in the world was coming and Garchomp as well as all of Ash's other Pokémon were committed to helping him be recognized as the strongest trainer.
It's the least they can do for the most selfless human they've had the privilege of meeting.
The sun began to set as the peaceful town of Pallet appeared on the horizon, and the Pokémon Mach shook, waking up Ash who, seeing his hometown in all its glory, couldn't help but show a serene smile.
He was finally coming home.
His reunion with Delia Ketchum was marred by the infamous hug that looked like an attempted murder by strangulation and a good deal of time spent on the son breaking the news to his mother about what he did during his stay in Alola.
Pikachu jumped into Ash's lap as soon as he saw him, rubbing his muzzle on his trainer's chest, showing all the affection he had for his human best friend. As it was early evening, Delia was quick to prepare dinner, something that perked up the coach's insatiable stomach.
When the meal was ready, Ash looked at Pikachu, barely containing his eagerness to taste his mother's cooking. "Come on Pikachu, Mom made dinner and I'm starving!" The electric mouse followed its trainer who ran to the kitchen, but unfortunately for the duo, Delia stopped them with a spoon, hitting both the trainer and their Pokémon in the head.
"What did I tell you about running indoors?" Groaning in pain, Ash looked with comical tears in his eyes at his mother, with Pikachu following suit, something that almost made Delia break her scolding pose...almost.
"Sorry mom, but I'm starving." "Pika Pikapi." A smile took over the Ketchum matriarch, unable to get mad at that human and Pokémon duo.
"Sit down and eat like a normal person. I'm talking to you Ash, Pikachu has more table manners than you!" Scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment, and slightly indignant at Pikachu's laughter, all Ash could do was help himself and eat a well-deserved meal with his mother.
Little did they know that they would have an unexpected visitor from another region.
"I can't believe I made it to Pallet early in the evening! These ships are getting faster and faster." May was walking the streets of the sleepy town on the south coast of Kanto, barely containing her anxiety to be reunited with Ash, and also to have the opportunity again to enjoy the cooking of delia, the only person who could compete with her mother and Brock with their tasty meals.
May began to daydream as a small trickle of drool dripped from her mouth. Glaceon, who was walking beside her trainer, lowered her ears in embarrassment to see May again lose herself thinking about food. The ice fox was absolutely sure that Pikachu's trainer was the ideal companion for his trainer, as it is impossible for two people so similar to arise by chance.
Tired of the brunette's antics, Glaceon threw a weak bolt of ice at the girl's back, bringing her back to reality and blushing in embarrassment. Rubbing the back of her neck just like Ash usually does, May smiled sheepishly at her Pokémon.
"I daydreamed about food again, didn't I?" Glaceon snorted and nodded, making May blush even more with embarrassment and the girl desperately looked around, asking Arceus that no one had caught such an embarrassing moment.
Her stomach rumbled so loudly it made Glaceon look back at her trainer, and May did the only thing a girl upset with shame could do.
She ran with her face red as a tomato towards Ash's house, which could already be seen in the distance.
"Glaceon Gla Glace!" The ice type yelled as he followed his trainer.
When the duo arrived in the backyard of the Ketchum residence, May took a deep breath and began to straighten her hair and clothes, pausing after adjusting her green bandana and plucking up the courage to ring the doorbell.
"Ash, go answer the door," May perked up at hearing Delia, for that meant Ash was home and his trip wasn't in vain. Arceus knows how frustrating it would be for the brunette to have to travel to Alola to try to find her friend.
"OK mother. Come Pikachu, let's see who's waiting for us in the backyard." It didn't take long for Ash to open the door, and when he saw who was waiting for him, he was surprised to recognize the girl.
It was May, her friend, student and traveling companion through Hoenn and Kanto a few years ago. It had been nearly three years since they last met, and Ash can't help but acknowledge how much his friend has grown. The innocent girl he met so many years ago grew into a beautiful young woman, and from what little he heard during his travels, May became a referral coordinator.
May on the other hand, couldn't hide her surprise at how much Ash had changed. She remembered her friend being a skinny boy and not much bigger than her, but now Ash was proving to be a person who had evolved in more ways than just his coaching performances. The naive boy she knew had turned into a handsome young man and May wasn't blind, she could see that Ash was exercising as he was well built physically. It was nothing like a muscle freak, that physique was the kind you get trained alongside your Pokémon.
May was surprised by Ash pulling her into a tight hug, eliciting a small cry from the girl who couldn't help but blush at the sudden contact, not being used to Ash acting this way in the past.
"May! I can't believe you came to visit us, it's been years since we've spoken, I've seen your last performances and I'm proud to see your evolution as a coordinator." Hearing these words from her friend and mentor made May truly emotional. It was only when she heard her best friend's voice that she realized how much Ash had been missed in her life in recent years. She couldn't contain her emotions and started to cry.
Ash got worried and tried to break away from the hug. "May I'm sorry if it was something I said please forgive me I didn't mean to make you cry." The worried tone made May laugh while she still had tears in her eyes, but when she felt Ash wanted to break the hug, she wrapped her arms around the boy's waist and buried her face in his chest.
Her voice muffled by Ash's shirt, May sniffled as she spoke softly to him. "You didn't do anything wrong, it's just...I missed you so much Ash, please let me stay like this a little longer." Ash honestly didn't know what to say, but hearing that May missed her brought a slight smile to her face, he hugged his friend's waist and rested his chin on May's head. Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder and stood by Glaceon's side, with the two Pokémon deciding to leave their trainers alone.
Delia heard the commotion at the entrance to her house and when she went to see what was happening, she found her son hugging a girl that she didn't take long to recognize as May, daughter of Caroline and Norman Maple. Her attention was diverted to Pikachu and Glaceon, who were looking at her doubtfully about what to do. Delia knelt down and picked up the two Pokémon in her lap.
"Let's leave Ash and May alone for now, I'll take them to the kitchen, I'm sure Glaceon must be hungry." Although Glaceon wasn't as desperate for food as her trainer, she was actually hungry, and perked up when she knew she was going to feed. Pikachu started laughing at the ice fox, but was shocked (AN: Prank intentionally) when Glaceon licked him on the cheek, doing the amazing feat of having a Pikachu blush even with his electric yellow fur. Shaking her head in amusement at the Pokémon's interaction, Delia led them into the kitchen, smiling with the image of her son and her friend still present in her mind.
Returning to Ash and May, they both held each other for awhile before Ash gently pulled away. "Come on May, come in, it's cold out here and I'm sure you haven't had dinner yet."
May was blushing in embarrassment at her daring action, but a growl from her stomach drew a laugh from the pair, who headed to the kitchen, where Delia was entertaining the two Pokémon alongside Mr. pamper
She turned to find May and Ash standing next to each other, their son clueless as ever, and the girl from Hoenn embarrassed. Deciding to help the coordinator, Delia smiled and began serving a plate of food, knowing May's infamous appetite rivaled her own son's.
"What a pleasant surprise, it's been years since you last visited us, sit down May, you must be hungry," Another growl from the girl's stomach was the cue for May to quickly sit down and begin her 'attack' on the plate of food. .
Her mouth a little full of food, May smiled at Delia as she put that abysmal amount of food into her stomach without any difficulty. "This is delicious Delia! Only you can compete with Mom's cooking." A bead of sweat broke out on the back of the older woman's neck, seeing that girl eating like a Snorlax while she maintained an hourglass figure.
Where does all that food go?
It didn't take long for the girl to finish her dinner, and everyone went into the living room to chat for a while before going to sleep. Ash and May sat on one side of the couch while Delia took the other side.
"While I'm glad to see you again, I can't believe you came just to visit us, so May, what brought you to Pallet?" The question caught the attention of Ash, who was also curious as to why May had come to visit them.
"I'm going to compete in this year's Wallace Cup, and I hear it will be held here in Kanto, in the kingdom of Rota. So I thought I might stop by to visit them before going on."
Ash had an idea and caught his friend's attention. "I'll have to attend the Wallace Cup because I've been invited to deliver the awards, so why don't we travel together? It will be like old times, at least until the end of the Wallace Cup, then I have to go to Sinnoh where the WPC will be held."
Delia saw an opportunity to tease her son, and she wasn't going to waste it. "Oh, so my Ashy wants to travel with a beautiful woman by his side, I remember like it was yesterday when you started your journey, my baby is growing up." May's face turned red as a tomato, while Ash didn't quite understand what his mother meant.
"But of course I want to travel with May, she is an amazing coordinator and I'm sure her new move combinations are just as beautiful as she is." Delia started laughing teasingly as May widened her eyes and looked at her friend who was confused by the 'strange question'.
"A…Ash, did you really mean that?" May scolded herself for sounding like a shy schoolgirl, but who could blame her? Ash has never shown any interest in anyone or commented on a girl's beauty while traveling with her in the past.
Ash cocked his head to the side, not understanding his friend's strange mood swing. "I'm not lying, you are beautiful May and I would love to travel with you again." The brunette's heart began to pound in her chest, her stomach began to feel a strange sensation, but it wasn't uncomfortable.
Ash didn't realize how much he was influencing his friend's recent feelings. "Mom, I'm going to tidy up my room for May to sleep for tonight, tomorrow I'm going on my way in the morning, as I intend to reach the kingdom of Rota in two days, and the Wallace cup starts in three days."
"Ok Ash, no need to rush, I have something I want to talk to May about, it's a girl thing, I'm sure you wouldn't want to hear it." At the mention of 'girl business', Ash widened his eyes and ran for the stairs that led to the second floor of his house with a shiver down his spine.
Serena and Dawn traumatized him with the countless times they forced him to carry his groceries, and it was embarrassing when they started questioning him about his nonexistent love life. And it was thanks to one of those moments when he became friends with Paul.
Women are scary.
For some reason May felt like punching her friend, but Delia's gaze unnerved her a little. If she was the laid back woman and now Ash's mother was looking at her so seriously she was almost intimidating.
"What are your intentions?" That was all the Ketchum matriarch said.
"I didn't understand." Delia sighed at May's response, she was similar to her son in so many ways it was ridiculous.
"I'm not naive May, I've seen how you're acting around my son. Something has happened and you are even unconsciously doing your best to be close to him, so tell me what your intentions are with my son. I have nothing against you, but I won't let anyone play with my son's heart, not even you." Delia's words made May tense. That wasn't a threat, but a promise.
For the first time, she felt in the shoes of the boys her father bullied during her childhood as they tried to take her on a date.
May took a deep breath and decided to tell her friend's mother the whole truth. About the years they were out of contact, the decision to travel to a different region after the Battle of the Frontier, but broadcasting the events of Samiya. She also talked about everything she felt in the Wallace Cup in Sinnoh and the jealousy she felt when she saw Dawn so close to Ash, and finally, about what happened recently and the reasons that led her to compete in this Wallace Cup in Kanto.
"I don't know what to do, it was all so simple in the past when Ash was just a friend to me, but now I don't know if I can just call him a friend anymore. I'm not naive about it, but I'm afraid of losing him, while still having someone else in Johto waiting for my answer." Tears started to flow from May's eyes and Delia pulled her into a hug, taking pity on the girl.
May didn't want to hurt her son, she was just confused about her feelings, even though it was obvious to anyone watching how she was acting. And as much as Delia wanted to say what was going on, this was something May and her son had to work out on their own.
"I'm not your mother, but let me give you some woman-to-woman advice. Enjoy these days when you will travel with my son without worrying about what you will or will not do. I'm sure the answer will come naturally. Now calm down, I'm sure you don't want to scare my son with bloodshot eyes from crying." May nodded and Delia started asking about other things to distract the girl.
The hours passed and the moment arrived where Ash headed for the couch with a pillow and comforter to sleep. Delia had already gone to her room and May got up from the couch, watching her friend tidying up the place to sleep with a pang of guilt for making him spend the night without a real bed.
"I don't mind sleeping on the couch, you can have the bed." Ash finished tidying up the couch and turned to his friend, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't say that, I would never let you sleep on the couch May, now go rest, tomorrow we'll leave early, we have little time to get to Rota." With a shake of her head, May turned to head upstairs, but even she was surprised by her next action.
May approached Ash and kissed him on the cheek, making him blush at the sudden action. Taking a hand to where she'd been kissed, Ash looked at her blankly.
"Why did you do that?" May laughed at the boy's naivete, as strange as it seemed, she found this side of her friend cute, it was impossible for Ash to do something with ulterior motives.
"This was to thank you for being so nice to me." Ash shrugged in resignation and this time it was May who was surprised.
He came over and kissed her on the cheek the same way she had earlier, making the poor girl blush so much that the tips of her ears looked like they were about to combust.
Not knowing what to do, May wished him good night and ran for the stairs, almost stumbling between her steps until she disappeared from her friend's field of vision. Ash scratched the back of his neck, not understanding the mood swings May was showing. He'd read once that women went through something like this at certain times of the month, but he didn't dare say so.
His head was still sore from the hammer blows Misty had given him when he'd asked such a question.
Glaceon went upstairs to sleep with his trainer and Pikachu approached his friend. "Pika Pikapi" The yellow mouse told him, leaving Ash with an embarrassed smile on his face.
"She doesn't like me like you're thinking Pikachu, now let's go to sleep, let's wake up early tomorrow." Lying down on the couch, Ash covered himself with the duvet and Pikachu settled on his stomach, curled up in a yellow fur ball. It didn't take long for the duo to fall asleep.
Meanwhile in Ash's room, May was lying on the bed with her face in the pillow, her hair down and wearing only a pink shirt that reached halfway down her thighs and her underwear, screaming in embarrassment at a low volume with Glaceon. watching his trainer's antics with a drop on his head.
"Ahhhh I can't believe I kissed him! And because of that Ash kissed me on the cheek, he must not even know the meaning of it! Glaceon, what do I do?" The ice fox thought for a while before trying to help the girl.
"Gla Glace!" The answer made May look up and look at her Pokémon in disbelief.
"Ash is not the Pikachu who will do anything for some Ketchup! I think I will take Delia's advice and enjoy this trip without thinking too much about what I intend to do about what I'm feeling, I think the answers will come with time." Happy to see her trainer calmer, Glaceon jumped on the bed and lay down next to May, not taking long to fall asleep.
May took her half of the terracotta ribbon and held it tight, a silly smile on her face. Even though Ash doesn't know what she actually did, he kissed her (even if it was on the cheek), and that was a huge advance considering how dense and naive he is in any matter involving relationships. Even though she was still embarrassed, May would lie to herself if she said she wasn't happy.
"I have a feeling these next few days are going to be amazing." Putting her tape away, May fell asleep. If the brunette had paid attention to Ash's bedroom window, she would have noticed the fact that a black shadow was hovering with two scary blue eyes staring at her intensely.
The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was the sky, without any stars, with only the moon in all its glory, in a shade of red similar to blood.
Sounds of explosions and screams echoed across the plain, and May had to cover her eyes to protect herself from the dust rising from the ground.
"Where I am?" was all she thought as she followed the sounds. With each step, a horrible feeling hit her, as if it were a premise of impending tragedy. Finally May could see what was happening.
A Pokémon center, or what was left of the structure dedicated to medical treatment, was destroyed, with flames visible in what was left of the interior and rubble that was scattered on the floor. Several people were running for their lives while a small group fought for their lives.
On one side, a black-haired teenager that May couldn't identify the face, fighting with his Charizard that withstood the opponent's intense attacks.
On the other side, a silver-haired woman, with a kind of tactical glasses with a communicator attached. On her left arm was a sort of metal device that fired a beam of energy, freezing Charizard. The woman wore a black overcoat with red clothes underneath.
May tried to get even closer to help the people being attacked, but some unseen force was holding her back, and all she could do was watch helplessly what was about to happen.
She couldn't hear what the boy said to the woman, but what happened next startled her. The woman pulled out a firearm and fired, hitting the boy in the chest. May put a hand over her mouth in shock at the horrible sight, and her vision began to blur.
Before everything went dark, a voice echoed in his head. "Only you can save him... protect... our chosen one"
May woke to a startled scream, shaking with fear from her horrible nightmare. Glaceon jumped out of bed and looked worriedly at her trainer who had her eyes wide and beads of sweat running down her forehead.
Hurried footsteps could be heard from the hallway and Ash entered his room, worried about his friend.
"May, what happened? Are you okay?" Ash who had previously been terrified that something had happened to his friend was now blushing with embarrassment, seeing May wearing a choice of clothes that left very little to the imagination.
The brunette on the other hand, ran towards Ash and hugged him as if her life depended on it, shaking with fear. Ash forgot for a moment the awkward situation he was in and returned the hug, stroking her head and whispering words of comfort in the girl's ear.
They held each other until May calmed down a bit, when she looked into Ash's face and saw how worried he was even though he didn't know what was going on.
Ash couldn't take his gaze from the pair of sapphire eyes framing May's face, and some unknown force took over his body, making him slowly bring his face towards the face of the girl in his arms.
May's heart began to pound wildly, knowing what was coming, she couldn't believe that Ash Ketchum, the densest man she'd ever known, was about to kiss her. Instinctively she started to tilt her head towards the face of the boy who was hugging her. He was so close, just a little closer and...
Glaceon fired a weak Ice Beam, bringing them back to reality. May and Ash blushed and pulled away immediately, both avoiding facing each other. "Glace Gla Glaceon!" The fox screamed before running out of the room.
Glaceon hated being woken up by screams. But when the ice fox was about to walk down the stairs, she froze her steps (AN: Another horrible pun XD) realizing she had just ruined her trainer's chance to claim her mate.
Knowing how complicated human mating rituals were, her ears twitched in embarrassment and all Glaceon could do was hope that May would forgive her, and who knows, maybe in the future she could redeem herself.
Pikachu welcomed her when she went down the stairs, and after a brief explanation of what had happened, the yellow mouse scolded her, but seeing Glaceon's eyes start to get teary, a sign that she was going to cry, it was Pikachu's cue to get desperate, for he knew very well how difficult it was to bring Glaceon back into a good mood from his Eevee days. Looking around in panic, Pikachu saw a sachet of ketchup and with pain in his rodent heart, he handed 'the greatest invention of humans' to his friend.
Glaceon's eyes widened at the sight of Pikachu sharing ketchup, knowing how possessive he was when it came to this condiment. Completely putting her sadness aside, she happily opened the sachet and began to sip the ketchup with a silly smile on her face. Pikachu had comical tears threatening to spill out of her eyes, watching the ice fox taste the last sachet of ketchup he had within reach of his paws.
Glaceon noticed this and shyly approached the yellow mouse, sitting down next to Pikachu and spreading out the ketchup. He looked at her as if Glaceon were a second coming of Arceus and happily the two Pokémon began to share the electric rat's favorite food.
Returning to the trainers of those two Pokémon, May had just come out of the bathroom, dressed in her travel clothes and still embarrassed by what had happened earlier. Ash was sitting on the bed she slept in, looking at the floor with their hands clasped together.
"I'm sorry May, I heard your scream and I was worried that something had happened, but I ended up walking in without knocking and saw you...well...you know." Blushing with embarrassment, Ash shyly looked up and saw May standing in front of him, with one hand raised in the air, fearing for the pain of the slap he would receive, Ash closed his eyes resigning himself to his fate.
May looked at the boy expecting to be attacked and couldn't get mad at him. How could she blame him for worrying about his safety? Unlike what Ash expected, May caressed her cheek, causing Ash to open his eyes to see her smiling tenderly.
"It's okay you fool, I forgive you. But don't do it again, or I swear I'll put some sense into your head. You can't walk into a girl's room without knocking on the door, I don't want to see you turn into a new Brock." Ash stood up and flashed an embarrassed smile as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"I don't have much experience with girls around me, and I acted on impulse. I promise I won't do anything like that unless it's an emergency. Thanks for forgiving me May, now let's have breakfast, I'm starving." At the mention of breakfast, Ash and May's stomachs growled in sync. The two teenagers stared at each other and couldn't hold back their laughter.
Wiping a comical tear from her eye with her finger, May picked up her backpack and opened the bedroom door with a smirk. "Come on Ash, hurry up or I'll eat it all by myself!"
Eyes widening at the very real possibility of May actually doing something like this, Ash ran after his friend. "Hey! It's not fair May! Leave some for me!"
Breakfast was filled with conversation on various topics, where May was curious to learn a little about what Ash has been up to over the past few years, while Ash was just as curious about what her friend has accomplished since the last time they met. gathered.
"Wow, so you're undefeated to 10 games for the Alola title?! This is amazing Ash." The brunette's compliment had Ash rubbing the back of his head shyly, much to his mother's amusement.
"Look May, you're embarrassing Ashy, this reminds me of something very important, remember to change your underwear Ash." May stifled laughter as Ash blushed in embarrassment.
"MOMMY! I'm 16 now, you don't have to remind me to change my underwear anymore, it's embarrassing." May couldn't help herself and started laughing at the misfortune of the boy next to her, causing Ash to show an indignant pout.
Realizing that Ash was getting uncomfortable, May took pity on the poor guy and came to his rescue. "Relax, your mom is just kidding, isn't she Delia?" May's smile for some reason made the woman uncomfortable, it was as if May challenged her to make such a comment again.
'My son got involved with an overprotective woman and he doesn't even know it, oh Ashy I feel sorry for you' was what Delia thought. Looking at May, she smiled uncomfortably. "Of course honey, I'm just kidding.
Unconsciously, Ash prevented a possible argument from starting. "So May, how many tapes do you have to compete in the great Johto festival?"
May grabbed her ribbon case and showed it to Ash while puffing out her chest with pride. "I just need one more ribbon to be able to compete in the Grand Festival, and this time I'm going to win and become a Top Coordinator. I trained a lot alongside my Pokémon and I won't lose again to Drew or Soledad." Ash was proud to see how much May has evolved as a coordinator. Even competing in a different sport, he was absolutely sure that May would succeed as a coach if she kept that mindset.
"I'm sure you will win the Wallace Cup and the Johto Grand Festival, I wish I could cheer in person, but the WPC will start before the finals in Johto, I'm sorry." Ash was disheartened that he couldn't cheer for his friend again.
"Don't worry, I'll have you cheering for me at the Wallace Cup and that's enough, and after I win Johto, I'll watch you become world champion." Ash looked at her and with a determined smile raised his hand to his friend.
"Let's make our dreams come true this time, you will be a Top Coordinator and I will win the WPC and become a Pokémon Master." May nodded and squeezed his hand.
"And when we win, we're going to have a battle putting everything we've learned during our journeys into play." Ash nodded silently and in that moment a promise was made.
They would fulfill their dreams, and when they faced each other, it wouldn't be a battle for a trophy or a contest ribbon, but a battle to enshrine the results of years dedicated to their dreams.
A battle of wills.
Ash said goodbye to his mother and May returned Glaceon to his Poké Ball, at which point Pikachu ran and jumped onto his trainer's shoulder as usual. The pair of teenagers left the Ketchum residence and began their walk towards the kingdom of Rota.
A few hours passed and it was midday when Ash decided to take a lunch break. They were in the forest between Pallet City and Viridian, having chosen a large tree by a lake as a stopping point.
"May, can you get me some water so I can make lunch? I'll make the fire while you go to the lake." May raised an eyebrow, since when does Ash know how to cook? But she would give him the benefit of the doubt.
"Of course, I'll release my Pokémon to feed them first. Get out all of you." May threw 6 Poké Balls into the air, releasing her team: Blaziken, Blastoise, Delcatty, Glaceon, Venusaur, and Beautitly.
Ash was surprised to see that all Pokémon are in their final stages of evolution. May's pokemon greeted him when they recognized that Ash was with his trainer again, some more expressively than others. Blaziken, Blastoise, and Glaceon were moderate in their animation, while Blastoise raised a paw happily in a friendly signal, Delcatty ran in circles around Ash, and Beautifly perched on Pallet's trainer's head, drawing a laugh from May.
Ash followed her friend's example. "Well guys, lunch time." He threw 5 Poké Balls into the air, which released his current Pokémon team: Garchomp, Greninja, Lucario, Serperior, Incineroar, and Pikachu himself who joined his teammates. May was impressed by the variety of Pokémon Ash presented, and they all looked extremely well trained.
"Lucario, go help May get some water. Greninja, could you distribute food to the Pokémon? I will be busy preparing the fire." Greninja with her signature speed placed bowls at the feet of all the Pokémon and started serving them, while Lucario bent down and followed May, who was still surprised by Greninja's speed.
She couldn't visualize Kalos' Pokémon as it moved.
With the help of the jackal Pokémon, May didn't take long to return with the water Ash needed to prepare lunch. Seeing her old friend who was known as a kitchen disaster, preparing a meal that was making her mouth water from the smell alone was surprising to say the least. Finishing up with lunch, Ash grabbed a plate and served his traveling companion a stew.
When May finally tasted the meal, she couldn't help but groan in satisfaction, she hadn't expected Ash to be talented in the kitchen.
"Ash this is amazing, where did you learn to cook? I remember very well what happened the last time I tasted something you prepared, I almost passed out from the horrible taste, but this stew is amazing." Blushing at the praise, Ash rubbed the back of his neck and started helping himself to the stew.
"Travelling alone has helped me gain experience in more things than just training Pokémon. I learned the hard way that I couldn't live on canned goods alone, and since I was alone most of the time, I was able to allow myself to make mistakes while trying to learn to cook. Mom helped me out a little bit in the short periods of time I was home, and well, that's the end result. I don't think I'm great at cooking, but at least I can cook something that doesn't taste awful." Ash concentrated on savoring what he'd prepared, and May thought about what he'd said.
Ash traveled alone as she always had someone by her side. Although Drew had been a good friend during the years they traveled together, she couldn't imagine traveling through a region with no one she could confide in or ask for help if needed. Would it have been different if she had chosen to travel with Ash to Sinnoh after they parted ways at the end of the Frontier Battle? She would never know, but for a few days at least, May Maple could feel once again what it was like to travel alongside her friend, and even though Brock and Max weren't there, it was still a pleasant feeling.
Finishing his meals, Ash returned his Pokémon to their Poké Balls, dismantled the camp and May also returned her Pokémon while grabbing a map to try to locate herself. Max tried to teach her how to use a pokénav, but she never got along with that complex device, her little brother was always the tech lover of the family.
"Let's see, right now we're close to Viridian according to this map. Once we've crossed the city, we'll have to go through another stretch of forest before we reach Pewter. Rota is very close to the city of Brock. Can we visit Brock before we go to Rota?"
"We have little time to arrive in Rota, by my calculations we will arrive in Viridian at dusk, we will spend the night at the Pokémon center and continue our journey. We should arrive in Pewter in the afternoon of the next day, so it will be a quick visit so we can get to Rota without having to travel overnight." May sighed, wishing she had more time to travel with ease, but unfortunately all they could do was accept that they needed to travel at a fast pace.
The Pokémon Coordinator and Trainer duo continued their journey for the rest of the day, stopping a few times to hydrate and check the map. If there's one thing they've learned from traveling with Brock, it's that you can never trust a map with absolute certainty.
It would be embarrassing for them to get lost so soon after traveling together again.
At the top of a hill, May spotted a city and pointed her finger excitedly "Look Ash, we've arrived in Viridian!"
"Let's go to the Pokémon Center before they take all the available rooms." Horrified at the prospect of being left without a bed to sleep in, May grabbed Ash's hand and practically dragged him down the hill.
No one comes between May Maple and a soft bed.
None of them noticed the wrong image they were giving to people who saw them running through the streets of Viridian, as May kept holding Ash's hand and the poor boy couldn't do anything but accept the brunette's leadership.
Night had just begun when they arrived at the Pokémon Center, and the duo's first stop was the reception where a nurse Joy awaited them.
"Good evening, how can I help you?" The friendly nurse looked at the 'couple' with a friendly smile.
May smiled back at the nurse. "Could you take a look at our Pokemon? We also want to know if you have any spare rooms to sleep in tonight."
"Leave your Poké Balls with me, I'll give you back the next day. Here is the room key for you." Ash and May left their Poké Balls and Pikachu with the nurse, and Joy handed them a key, causing Ash to look confused.
"Sorry, but you only gave us one key." Joy waved her hand with a silly smile on her face.
"Don't worry, we have a couple rooms and I'd hate to leave two young people apart. Just don't do anything bold, I understand young people can be 'motivated', but the Pokémon center is still a medical establishment." Ash didn't understand what the nurse meant, but May understood very well. Blushing with embarrassment, she grabbed the key and practically dragged Ash into the bedroom, leaving Joy to 'confirm' her thoughts.
"Young love, this brings back good memories of my youth, now about these Pokemon, Chansey, we have more patients to attend to."
Arriving at the room, May quickly opened the door and ran inside, embarrassed by the nurse's insinuations. Ash was worried about his friend acting strangely.
"May, are you okay? I saw how uncomfortable you were while we were talking to Nurse Joy." May looked at him like he was an idiot.
"I can't believe you can be so dense Ash, she thought we were a couple! All my fault, if I hadn't held her hand this misunderstanding would not have occurred."
Unlike her friend who scolded herself, Ash came to a different conclusion. "Look, if it's about who gets the bed, I don't mind sleeping on the floor. I'm going to change my clothes in the bathroom." Ash went to change and May watched him enter the bathroom with his mouth open in shock.
'If I didn't know him, I'd think Ash would be pretending to be an idiot'. Looking at the bed, May felt guilty. She had more than enough room for two people to sleep, but the thought of sharing a bed with Ash made May blush with embarrassment. She's never slept next to a boy, well Max and his dad don't count for obvious reasons.
Coming out of the bathroom, Ash was wearing only black shorts, not caring that May's eyes widened at the sight of him shirtless. He was in good physical shape, that May could tell with absolute certainty.
"I...huh...I'm going to change!" May grabbed her bag and ran to the bathroom, her face red. Ash shrugged and straddled his sleeping bag, teething and quickly falling asleep.
When May came out of the bathroom, she was back in her pink shirt and her hair was free of her bandana. Seeing that Ash was actually sleeping on the floor brought him a pang of guilt, but nothing could be done.
Lying on the bed, she looked into her friend's face and a serene smile graced the girl's face. "You've definitely changed Ash, but you're still the same person I knew who became my best friend. I will definitely win the Wallace Cup, and show you how much I've improved as a Coordinator." Her sleepy eyes darted to the bedroom window, and she could have sworn she saw a pair of blue eyes, but she ignored it, believing it was her mind playing tricks on her.
Letting sleep envelop her, the room became silent, and not long after, a shadow-shrouded creature approached the window, watching the two sleeping humans. For a moment Darkrai thought about trying again to warn the girl about the approaching danger, but decided to let her have a peaceful night's sleep.
After all, he had no reason to torment her again, all he wanted was the chance to save the human who had helped him in the past.
The Chosen One is in danger, but Darkrai would have other opportunities to try to help him. For now, he would just stand guard protecting them from the shadows. It is not yet time for him to reveal himself.
Ash Ketchum
Age: 16 Years
Pokémon that are on your current team:
Pikachu
Garchomp
Serperior
Incineroar
lucario
Greninja
May Maple
Age: 15 Years
Pokémon that are on your current team:
Delcatty
Blaziken
Blastoise
Beautifly
Glaceon
Venusaur