Hi, sorry this chapter is so short. I wrote all of this a long while ago and for some reason I wrote everything suuuuuper fast-paced.

Also a little shoutout to my other story (also advanceshipping), that is updated pretty regularly. I have 140k written for that one so far. Please check that one out too!


The following day, Ash had announced that he was touring the country with Dawn to celebrate their engagement, making it a long one. He'd done it to buy time, but May couldn't figure out why. Why not just have the wedding and be done with it? Why risk angering his powerful father more? The king could say nothing nor stop him since he'd announced it publicly, and May knew that would outrage him. The tour would most likely take months. Their wedding would be a summer one.

May had tried not to let the announcement bother her. It made no difference to her anyway. She was already going to leave. She'd faked a letter from her father, stating her mother was gravely ill and might not last much longer. She was going to return to Hoenn, and she was going to set things straight, one way or another. She'd see her family again. Maybe then her senses would return to her and she could decide where to go from there.

She hadn't spoken to Ash since she'd spoken shamefully to him. It was why her fist hovered over his door now. She took a deep breath and knocked gently, then let herself in. He was sitting at his desk, a pair of reading glasses perched on the end of his nose, looking through a bunch of papers. He looked up as she walked in and closed the door behind her. He didn't question why she didn't have her uniform on. She came up beside him.

"I'm sorry for what I said yesterday," she said, giving a tiny bow. "I didn't mean it. I was only afraid after being threatened."

"Understandable," he said, and genuinely didn't seem too fazed. Then he looked up at her, and she saw something shimmer behind his eyes. He seemed sad. "I'm sorry that I have to go on this tour. But… you can come with us? I'll still have work for you."

She shook her head and smiled sadly, handing the letter over to him. "I need to return to my family, if you would allow it."

He read the letter, his brow furrowing. "I'm so sorry, May." She felt bad for lying about something so serious, but she needed a reason to leave right away that wouldn't lead to him following her. "Of course you can go."

He passed the letter back to her, and she felt real tears prick in the corners of her eyes and wiped them away with the back of her hand. "Thank you."

"Will you…" He paused, and turned away to look out the balcony. "Will you come back?"

She wasn't sure. She didn't know where her life would take her next. She was powerful, but she was still only one girl. She needed protection from those trying to kill her. Ash was trying, and it had worked so far, but she was becoming increasingly convinced that the threat was coming from inside the palace itself. As cruel as they were, perhaps her own royal family were the only ones that could save her this time.

He nodded at her lack of answer, probably understanding better than she thought. "Then I suppose this is goodbye for now." He stood, looking down at her. Her chest tightened until she felt like she couldn't breathe at the thought of leaving. She wasn't even sure she could make herself move. Ash swept her up into a hug that she hadn't expected and held her there for a long time.

She left the next day after saying goodbye to Serena, Misty and Drew. Serena had cried hard, and she felt bad for leaving her behind, but it had to be done. Serena knew her secret. She probably thought she'd never be back. Drew had been quiet but wore a sad smile the whole time, wishing her well. Ash had insisted on sending guards with her, so she'd let him, and they escorted her for a week across the country on horseback. Her mind was mostly empty as they rode, as she fought to push thoughts about the life she was leaving behind to the back of her head. She found herself numb by the time they reached the border village she had claimed to live. She'd dismissed the guards then, and they'd left her after exchanging cautious looks. Clearly Ash hadn't stated whether they were supposed to stay with her or not. She spent the night at the village, but in the middle of the night had slipped into her black suit, made sure no one was watching, and slipped out on Storm's back, racing across the border and into her own country again.

It was strange to be back in her own country. She rode alone and wildly now, knowing she was safer here. She passed villages and cities she recognised as she headed for the capital. She'd done jobs in most of these towns. Occasionally someone would recognise her and wave, and she found herself smiling genuinely back at them. It took her another week to reach the capital on horseback. By the time she arrived she was exhausted, and sore from riding for so long. She'd practically fallen off her horse at the royal stables, the only place she trusted to keep her horse safe. A few of the guards that knew her had been shocked to see her back, but she'd begged them to stay quiet until she could announce her return to the king and queen herself. She'd walked the rest of the way to her family's town house. As she approached, she saw her mother in the garden, pulling weeds. Caroline had looked up and put her hand over her eyes to block out the sun, not recognising her for a moment. Then her eyes lit up and she was on her feet, pulling May into a suffocating hug. The familiar scent of her washed over May, and she'd cried onto her shoulder. Her father had come outside to see what the commotion was soon after, and though he didn't hug her too, she saw the excitement in his eyes.

Now she was sitting at the table in her own dining room. The snap back to reality was jarring and she was so, so tired, but she sipped on the mug of coffee her mother had made her and hoped it helped. She still needed to go to the palace today.

"They barely told us anything," her mother was saying. "Only that you were in the capital and they had an important job for you. You missed Christmas."

She reached out and placed her hand over Caroline's. "I'm sorry. They had me stationed in the palace."

Her mother put her hands over her mouth. "The palace in Kanto? You were really there?"

She nodded gravely, feeling her stomach flip at the image of Ash that came to her head. She wondered where he was now. She could push the rest to the back of her mind, but not him. He haunted her day and night. He plagued her dreams and daydreams. Nothing could distract her enough to make her forget about him, even just for a day.

She briefly explained her mission, leaving out the part where they'd ordered her to kill the monarchy, and the part where she'd fallen for the prince, then announced she needed to go to the palace and that she'd be back soon. A heavy weight settled in her stomach as she walked to the palace that towered over her city. Her city. Her home. She was home, and yet she wasn't happy. The same guards that had taken her horse let her in, and walked with her through the familiar maze of Hoenn's grand palace to the throne room, where they opened the door for her and she walked right in, right down the red carpet that ran down the centre of the room, and bowed deeply for her king and queen. Her thoughts were entirely conflicted, and yet these were the people she'd been taught to love and follow since she'd been born. She still served them.

"Stand," the king's voice boomed over the hall and she did, making herself look right at him, even as she wanted to run from the room again. He was younger than Giovanni and healthier, his hair only peppered with grey hairs. The queen was the image of beauty, with heavy red curls falling around her shoulders. They were both watching her with caution. "We were not expecting you back."

"Returning was my only choice, your Highness," she said, dipping into another little bow then rising. "King Giovanni threatened my life. There was no more I could do there without facing certain death."

Fury burned in her king's eyes, but she wouldn't shy away from it. "So you were discovered?"

She shook her head quickly. "No. I had gotten well acquainted with the prince. He thought we were having an affair."

The queen chuckled, and May jumped in surprise at it. She stopped when the king turned to glare at her. He turned back to May. "So your mission was unsuccessful."

"Apologies, your Highness, but-"

"I don't need your apologies, I need my enemies dead."

The menace in his voice was enough to make even the queen sink a little lower on her throne. Unsure of what to say, May hung her head, accepting the defeat, ready to take any punishment he might decide to inflict upon her. She saw him raise his hand and wave at her in dismissal. "I have no need for failures."

"If I may, Your Highness," she said, standing straight again. "I told them I was returning home to attend to my sick mother. They think I might return. All I need is time for their king to cool down, to forget his wrongful assumption, and for his son to be married."

She was panicking. She hadn't planned on offering to go back, hadn't planned what she would do if he agreed. He considered her for a moment before shaking his head. "Someone else should be sent for the job. You will be stripped of your title and receive the branding," he said calmly. The queen balked beside him.

"Steven, what she says makes sense-"

"Hush. It's decided already."

May wanted to fall to her knees. She'd felt sure he'd at least allow her to remain in his service, wait a couple of months and then return after King Giovanni had forgotten about her. Now that she thought about it, it was really the best plan, since she was already trusted by the prince, and yet he'd denied her, and worse… She'd lost her job. The thing that kept her family grounded. They'd tattoo her with the brand they gave all people that had failed the royal family, and she'd likely be driven from town, from the only place she'd ever really known besides her enemy's palace. She had no real friends here, and yet it hurt like a knife in the chest, and the king wasn't done twisting it.

"Leave now. If you breathe a word of your mission to anyone I will make sure your tongue is cut from your throat and you'll never speak again."

She nodded, biting back tears. "As you wish, Your Highness." She turned and strode from the throne room, the lump in her throat threatening to choke her. She'd ruined everything. How was she going to tell her mother and father that she was now a disgrace? That they'd have to pack up and move? She had thought her life couldn't break even more, but now it had crumbled to dust. She had nothing left. She'd lost Ash. She'd lost her job. She'd lost the realest friends she'd ever made.

She couldn't make herself go home. She had no idea how long it would be until they bothered to send someone to her house to officially brand her a failure, but it probably wouldn't be for a while. She left the palace, but turned into a square that was quiet now that it was evening. It had been almost a month since she'd left the palace. She'd travelled all this way…

She fell into an empty park bench and put her head into her hands. Nobody bothered her as she cried onto her palms. She wasn't sure what she'd expected. The queen was kind enough, and she'd feebly attempted to stand up for her, but the king was not known for being merciful, and it didn't matter how good she'd been at her job in the past to him.

It was dark before she pulled herself together enough to go home, but her family were asleep by the time she got back. She'd pulled herself upstairs and into her old room, which was still full of all her things. A wave of nausea had swept over her as she'd looked over it and she'd rushed to her bathroom, throwing up. She'd lose this room along with everything else.


Two weeks later, May sat in her garden, a book resting on her legs, her knees drawn up. It was early April, and the weather had improved greatly, so she often let herself sit out here amongst the flowers her mother tended to lovingly. She wasn't really reading it. She was too busy thinking.

She'd told them the morning after she'd been to the palace. She'd expected them to be angry, or disappointed, but they hadn't been. Her mother had just cried for her, and her father had said they'd saved enough to keep the house anyway. A week later they'd sent a messenger from the palace. May had met him, keeping her chin high despite knowing what was coming. But, to her surprise, he'd simply said the queen had convinced the king to forget the branding this one time. She wouldn't be stamped. She'd nearly crumpled with relief. Without that mark of shame they might be able to stay here after all. Unsure of what to do with her life now that she was free, she'd decided to give herself time to heal. She needed it. There was too much too soon, all building up in her chest, threatening to consume her, and so she spent most of her time out here. She sucked in a deep breath as her mother floated out into the garden.

"How are you feeling, my love?" Her mother asked, taking the chair beside her. May smiled over the top of her book.

"I'm alright, mama." She put down the book. "What's the news?" She asked, noticing Caroline was holding the paper.

"They say the Kanto prince has almost completed his tour and will be back in a couple weeks time."

News of Ash hit May like a punch to the gut, and she swallowed hard. Would it ever get any easier? "Any news of the wedding?" She asked, hoping her mother wouldn't notice how her voice shook. It seemed that no matter how long she took, she couldn't free her mind of him. Perhaps he'd always haunt her.

"Likely to be in a couple months' time, during the summer." She set the paper down. "You can't help but feel a little sorry for them. No doubt the king will carry out his assassination plot soon after."

She fought to hide the fact that she almost threw up at her words. There was nothing she could do now. She had to keep reminding herself of that. There was no way she could go back now. There was no life for her there. Really, Ash was gone from her life regardless, so it should make no difference, and yet she cried herself to sleep almost every night thinking of him and how vulnerable he might be without her.

She tried to busy herself the next day by finding a new job, waitressing at a small café on the corner of her street. It was busy and kept her moving, and she was grateful for the distraction, but the loss of the one job she'd excelled at left her heart hollow. Her parents were glad to see her out of the house and working, taking it as a sign that she was getting better. She almost believed she was, until she stood by the window one quiet day at work and noticed the carriages rolling down the street towards the palace. She knew by the gold and red flag hanging behind them that they were from Kanto. Her heart had flown into her stomach and she'd dropped the tray she'd held. Her boss had shouted, but she was already moving, running out into the street, staring at them as they carried on.

"What is this?" She asked two men that were gossiping beside her.

"One last ditch attempt at peace, I'd expect," one answered, shaking his head. "The falsest party to ever be thrown."

"Will the king be inside?" May asked, hating how her stomach clenched in fear at the thought.

The other man laughed. "I should think not. The two kings would likely kill each other at the table. It's probably the king's most trusted ministers and advisors. It'll seem like they're here for peace, but they'll just taunt one another."

"Better than sending our sons off to war," the other was starting to say, but May was off running to her house. She wasn't sure what she was feeling, but something inside her had snapped at the sight of that flag. Something told her that this was her last chance of making anything of her life. She wouldn't work a common job in this city, find a man and settle down with a family that expected her to cook and clean for the rest of her life, until she lost her mind. Something she'd known all along was tugging at the corners of her mind. She could do something. She had to.

She'd rushed into her home, ran into her room as her parent's shouted after her, and began packing, throwing things into her bag then running back down the stairs. They looked afraid, but she needed this. She'd hugged them both and told them there was something she needed to do. They didn't even question it, just nodded and begged her to be safe. They were good people. Better than most people in this country, with their blind hatred for people they didn't know. She hopped on Storm and rode off before she could change her mind.

She'd likely known all along, but hadn't been willing to accept that maybe Giovanni had been the one to poison Ash. He'd wanted his own son dead, because he knew Ash would seek peace with other countries. Because he knew Ash was kind and fair, everything he wasn't. He most likely wanted Silver to rule instead, the son that had inherited his love for violence and warmongering. The country wasn't corrupt or evil like she'd been made to believe. He was. It was why he'd shown little concern when he'd visited his rooms afterwards. It was why he was looking for any excuse to have her killed. He knew she'd save him again.

Well, he was right. And she was going to.