Hey all!
Well, I was incredibly surprised with the amount of positive feedback I got after posting the first chapter of this. So much that I decided to write the second one far, far earlier than planned. Crazy enough, I had enough free time on me to write this entire chapter in 2 days. That's a rarity. Anyway, I was supposed to be writing a chapter for my other story, but I ended up writing this one. To those of you who read Pokemon: Divinus, fear not, Chapter 15 is about halfway done, expect it in about 10-11 days.
Q&A
hryepuru
Is the 5th Aura Guardian Ash's Father or another Ketchum?
Why is Ash and Gary sooo scared of May... did something happen in the past?
Answer: The 5th Guardian's identity will remain hidden til the next chapter. I mistakenly said that his identity would be revealed in this chapter, my bad. And as for Ash and Gary's feelings towards May... read on to find out!
2snipers
Will the pairing turn out to be the same as in the original?
Answer: No, it will not. Be sure to read the Author's Note at the end of this chapter.
AmericanBoy2016
So this story is going to be completely different from the other one, right?
Answer: Well... there will be a couple things from the original story that will return in this one, but for the most part, yeah.
Bulbreon
Q's: What is the name Brecht from (if from anything)? Will Gary be an important character? Will Advanceshipping have any chance?
Answer: The only inspiration I got for the name Brecht was a Jecht, a character from Final Fantasy X. I just liked the way it sounded. And Gary will not have a major role in this story, but he will make appearances from time to time. As for the final question, be sure to read the Author's Note at the end of this chapter!
I know I already said it like, twice in the Q&A, but be sure to read the Author's Note at the end, it's got some important stuff!
And now, without further adieu, enjoy chapter 2!
DISCLAIMER: *sheds single tear* I don't own Pokemon.
II
Confusion, dread, and fear. All three of these emotions battled for the right to dominate Ash's mind at the moment, but it seemed they had reached a stalemate, because he was feeling all three equally. There were so many different possibilities Ash had thought of regarding the greeting he'd receive upon the opening of his front door, but this wasn't one of them. It was literally the worst case scenario. Of all his friends that could have been in his house, it was her, May Maple, AKA the only other girl that Ash had ever had romantic feelings for in his life.
"Ash," said May, not moving. Her eyes were locked on Serena, a friendly smile on her face. "Who's this?"
"Why is this happening to me? I'm a good person, I don't deserve this." thought Ash monotonously. "I'm just a guy who catches pokemon and tries to be the very best like no one ever was. What is this? What is my life? I-"
"I'm Serena Yvonne." answered Serena, smiling. Since Ash was clearly too surprised to answer, she had to do it herself. That itself gave her a bad feeling about the situation as a whole. Who was this girl? Why did her presence completely change Ash's demeanor? There was only one way to find out; keep on talking to her. "I'm Ash's traveling companion."
"Oh? Ash still needs a babysitter to travel with him, huh?" joked May, removing herself from Ash. "It's nice to meet you, Serena. I'm May Maple. I was one of Ash's traveling companions when he was in the Hoenn Region."
Now that May had completely removed herself from Ash, Serena was able to get a full analysis on the brunette's physical traits. She was a little shorter than her and Ash, around 5'7". She was pretty, but not in the typical way. Her hair was smooth and well kept, and it seemed to have a natural, earthy look to it, a stark opposite of the shiny and wavy nature of Serena's hair. She had freckles, about 8-10 on each cheek and a couple on the bridge of her nose as well. In regards to her figure, her upper curves seemed to be more of an asset than her lower ones. Overall, she seemed to have the 'cute girl that lives next door' look.
Serena was not a fan. In all the time they had traveled together, Ash had not once ever mentioned this May girl. Tracey, Brock, Dawn, Iris, Cilan... she'd heard all those names before. May Maple was a new one, and that was just another red flag that Serena's mind had picked up in the last 2 minutes. Who was she? What was she about? Why did Ash never mention her? There was no way Ash just forgot to mention her in his stories, was there? Something must have happened between them, she concluded. But if something happened... why did May seem so happy to see Ash? Too many questions, not enough answers.
Despite all the work her mind had just put in to filing May Maple's name in the "possible threat" folder, Serena maintained the smile on her face.
"So that means you're from the Hoenn Region then?" asked Serena.
"Yup." answered May. "But after watching Ash win that tournament, I just knew I had to come to Kanto and visit!"
"Y-you were watching that?" asked Ash, seeming to have just recovered from his mental meltdown.
"Of course I was." said May, almost offended. "Max and I have watched your tournaments almost every season. Ash, let me just say, that match with that Sawyer guy was AMAZING! But before we talk about it, you guys should come inside."
May stepped aside, creating room for Ash and Serena to enter the house. Ash went in first, with Serena following. But suddenly, Ash stopped walking, causing Serena to bump into him from behind. Right as the Pokemon Performer was about to ask why Ash had froze, she saw him reach for his shoulder.
"Pikachu?" he asked, realizing his yellow friend wasn't in its usual spot.
"He's over here." giggled May, making both Ash and Serena turn around to face her.
Ash began to silently panic again, and Serena forced another smile out. Pikachu was on May's shoulder, and he was affectionately rubbing his cheek against May's. In all the time they spent together in Kalos, Pikachu had never done such a thing to Serena. Little did Serena know, Pikachu had never done that to anyone other than Ash before.
"That's enough, Pikachu, please." laughed May, the electric pouches on Pikachu's cheeks sending tingling sensations through her face. "Ash, get him off me!"
"Um, yeah. Sure thing." said Ash, walking towards May and the rodent.
With one quick swipe, Ash grabbed Pikachu from May's shoulder and placed him on the floor. While that was happening, May began to rub her face, trying to get rid of the rest of the remaining tingles. Serena paid close attention to this.
"Let's see how much make-up she's wearing..." she thought, waiting for May to remove her hands from her face. The brunette did just that a few seconds later, and to Serena's absolute shock, nothing had changed. "She's not wearing any make-up?! She's just... naturally that pretty...?"
'Thanks, Ash." said May, sighing in relief. She then smiled, folding her arms. "I didn't know Pikachu missed me that much... Like trainer, like pokemon, huh?"
"I guess...?" said Ash, looking awfully uncomfortable. "...Uh, I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be back in a few minutes."
Not waiting for a response from either of the girls, Ash briskly walked up the nearby staircase. Not once did he look back, as he had decided he needed to get as far away from both girls as possible. This was a Code Red as far as he was concerned, and he needed to talk to Gary and fill him in on this unexpected turn of events that he had absolutely no way (as far as he knew) of foreseeing. When he reached the top of the staircase, he walked right past the bathroom and entered his own room, making sure to lock the door. Once the door was secured, he immediately dug into his bag and pulled out his cellphone, dialing Gary's number in what must have been the world record for dialing a phone number.
As the phone rang, Ash made sure to get as far away from his door as possible.
"Hello?" answered Gary, who sounded like he was expecting the call.
"Gary you will not believe what is happening right now." said Ash. In order to prevent the possibility of someone eavesdropping on the conversation, Ash kept his voice low. "Literally the worst thing is hap-"
"May is in your house."
"No, May is in my hou- ...How did you... wait. You knew?!" asked Ash, eyes widening. "What the serious fuck, man?! It didn't dawn on you that May's presence is something I'd like to be warned about?!"
"I tried to warn you, buddy. Remember when we were talking about the weather?"
"What about it?" asked Ash, confused. "That was your warning? How would I know May was here from a talk about climate change?!"
"I swear, you are the densest dumbass I've ever met..." groaned Gary. "Dude, you actually thought I was talking about weather? Okay, even if you're that dumb, which in itself is truly tragic, you should have at least gotten what I was trying to do when I said 'May in Pallet Town is no joke'. Yes, she is in Pallet Town, and she's come to visit you. I know, her presence will make getting with Serena a lot more difficult to do since everywhere you two go, May will probably tag along. But that doesn't mean all is lost. You can still show Serena a fun time and get alone with her at some point within the next day and a half. Yeah, you're in a tough spot now, but just imagine how rough this would be if you still had feelings for her?"
"..."
"Ashy-boy?"
"Yeah?"
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
"..."
"Oh no. Oh... oh my god." droned Gary, realizing what was going on. "Holyyyy fucking shit, YOU STILL LIKE HER?"
"Well, 'like' is a relative term-"
"How, Ashy-boy?" asked Gary, unable to comprehend this new information. "How can you still like her? It's been four years. Four lonnnng yeeeeeeears! That's just unacceptable, man!"
"Look, I thought I was over it! I really did! But just seeing her again is bringing everything back... When we traveled in Hoenn... splitting the Terracotta Ribbon with her... how can I not like her? I literally watched her grow from a girl that hated pokemon to one that loves them as much as I do! Heck, I even swam through a school of Luvdisc with her during that whole Manaphy/Sea Temple adventure. But then there's Serena, who I couldn't stop thinking about until now! Serena's a great person as well, she's beautiful, and I genuinely like her too! What the hell am I supposed to do?!"
"Okay, okay, okay, let's not panic." said Gary. "Maybe I can help with this. Ash, do you like Serena?"
"Yes."
"Do you like May?"
"...Yes..."
"Who do you like more?"
"I... I don't know."
"Well, this is a goddamn cluster of fucks, isn't it?" asked Gary incredulously. "Okay, here's what you need to do. You need to go on with the plan and choose Serena. That's what I would do, and that's what most people would do. May is only visiting, Serena is staying in Kanto with you. May is someone you liked 4 years ago; 4 years can change a person, so she might not be the same May you fell for back then, as compared to Serena, who you've been around for almost a year now. We have no idea whether May likes you or not, which makes going for her pretty risky, because if she doesn't like you back, you're left with no one. Serena, on the other hand, is a much safer choice. We know she's got the hots for you, meaning guaranteed happiness. Of course, in the end, the choice is up to you. But just so you know, I'm on Team Serena."
"You bring up many valid points..." admitted Ash. "Okay, I'll try to stick to the plan. But how do I act around May then?"
"Well, how have you been acting so far?"
"Stuttering... Stammering..."
"No, none of that." declared Gary. "Alright, you need to treat May like you would Dawn, Misty, or Iris. She's just one of your past female traveling companions, no more, no less. Treat her like a good friend. You can't not talk to her and act like she did something wrong to you, because that's not the case. As far as she knows, nothing happened between the two of you. You're still good friends, and you're still the guy that taught her everything about pokemon. And really, it'd be kinda messed up for you to treat her as anything less than a friend, since you were the one that was too afraid to say what was on your mind when it mattered the most. So, in short, treat May like what she is; a pal that's come to visit."
"...Alright." said Ash uneasily. "I'll... I'll stick to the plan."
"Nice." replied Gary, satisfied. "Keep me posted. But if something happens at some obscure hour of the night or something, just send a text."
"Will do." answered Ash, nodding. "Bye, Gary."
"Adios."
Ash hung up the phone, took off his hat, and placed it over his face.
"As if liking one girl wasn't hard enough..." he thought, laying his hat on his dresser. "I just hope I can pull this off right..."
Emotionally spent, Ash walked across the room, planning on doing what had become a ritual of sorts for him whenever he had girl troubles: fall face-first onto a bed. But before he could fall, he noticed that his bed wasn't laid as neatly as it usually was. It seemed wrinkled a little, and the covers seemed slightly shifted, almost as if somebody had slept in it. Thinking nothing of it, Ash proceeded with his plans, falling face-first into the bed.
"I guess Gary's right." he thought, eyes closed. "Serena's the safer choice... I don't even know if May likes me ba-"
Ash's thoughts were forced to be put on pause as he inhaled, his nose catching a scent that wasn't usually associated with his bed. It was a fruity smell; It reminded him of strawberry-scented shampoo or bodywash. It was also a familiar fragrance. He wasn't quite sure where, but he had definitely been exposed to the smell somewhere before... And then, like a load of bricks, it hit him.
It smelled the same way May did when she hugged him.
After Ash had left to go "use the bathroom", Serena had followed May into the kitchen, where Delia Ketchum and May's 14 year-old brother, Max, awaited. After the introductions, Serena and the Maples stayed in the kitchen, engaging in countless small-talk conversations with Ash's mother. Some of the conversations were ones that everyone could contribute to, while others were ones that certain people had more experience in than others. Eventually, the topic of Pokemon Showcases came up, which prompted May and Max to ask what they were. Being the sole Pokemon Performer in the room, Serena gave a complete explanation on the profession. As soon as the word "pageant" came out of Serena's mouth, Max lost interest, falling asleep soon after. But May, on the other hand, seemed very interested.
"Wow, those sound fun!" gushed May. "I'd probably never do one, but it sounds like something I'd really enjoy watching."
"Why wouldn't you do one?" asked Serena. "Are you already doing something else?"
"Yeah. I'm a Pokemon Coordinator." said May proudly. "But of course, that wouldn't stop me from also being a Pokemon Performer if I wanted to be one too. The reason I wouldn't want to be one is because, from what you said, there's no battling in Pokemon Showcases. Battling is something I have a knack for."
"Why aren't you a Trainer, then?" asked Serena.
"I don't know, there's just something about Contests and coordinating that I love. I know what you mean though. Many of my Coordinator friends have told me I coordinate too aggressively. They say I act more like a Trainer, and that I learned it from being around Ash too much." answered May, her eyes wandering to the corner of the room. What she saw there made her smile. "And speaking of Ash, it seems he's returned from his trip to the bathroom."
Serena looked, and sure enough, Ash was in the room. He looked a lot less nervous than he did before he left, which she took as a good sign.
"There's my little Champion!" gushed Delia, pulling her son into a hug. "I'm so proud of youuuu!"
"Hi mom." greeted Ash, returning her hug. "Sorry, but... I'm not the champion yet. I still have to beat the Elite 4 and Diantha."
"In my eyes, you're always a Champion!" replied Delia in a classic motherly tone. "Even if I do have to remind you to change your underwear everyday!"
"You don't." said Ash flatly, ending the hug. He then looked around the room, seeming to focus on May a tad bit longer than everyone else. "So, I know it's only like, 1:00pm, but we should probably plan this out now; Where is everybody sleeping tonight, Mom?"
"I don't know, I'll leave that for you all to sort out. But I do know that May is sleeping in your room, since she got into a whole argument for it with Max earlier today. Oh, you should've seen it. Of course, they didn't know Serena was coming, so they had decided one of them would get the guest room while the other gets your room. Max, thinking it didn't matter who gets what, claimed your room. But May wouldn't let him have it, it was the funniest thing. She really gave him hell until he finally gave in and switched rooms. She was so happy she took a victory nap in your be-"
Delia's story was cut off by the sound of something falling on the floor. Everyone looked at the source of the sound, and saw May on the floor, picking up the cookies that had mysteriously "fallen" off the table.
"Whoops! I'm so sorry," said May frantically, her hair hiding her face from everyone. "total accident. I'm such a klutz. But don't you just hate that? When you accidentally knock things off tables? I know I hate that. But accidents happen, right? Heheheh... accidents."
"Okay..." said Ash, resuming the conversation. "Then I guess May will get my room... and Serena will get the guest room... and Max will get the couch?"
"That sounds good." said Serena, discreetly watching May pick up the last cookie off the floor. Once the brunette stood up, Serena was able to see that her cheeks were fading from a pink color back to normal. "Which means she was blushing... Well, anyone would blush if a story like that was told about them... but still..."
"The only problem with that setup is that I'll have nowhere to sleep..." said Ash forlornly, snapping Serena out of her thoughts.
"Of course you will!" assured Delia, placing her arm around her son's shoulder.
"I will?"
11:25pm...
"Goodnight, Pikachu." sighed Ash, shifting around in a desperate attempt to find comfort in his current "bed". But alas, after nearly 10 minutes of tossing and turning, he realized it was a lost cause; nobody can really find comfort when forced to sleep on a hardwood living-room floor with a spare bed-sheet functioning as their blanket. "*sigh* Can you believe this, bud? The winner of the Kalos Conference comes home not to a comfortable bed, but to the cold hard floor."
Ash waited for an answer from Pikachu, but he never got one.
"Pikachu?" he whispered, sitting up. He looked around the moonlit living room, his yellow partner nowhere to be seen. The only other living thing in the room was Max, who was fast asleep on the couch. "Where the heck did he go...?"
"Looking for this?" asked a feminine voice, one that seemed to come from behind Ash. The raven-haired teen turned around to see May standing at the bottom of the staircase. She looked like she had just woken up; her eyes were half-open and her hair was messy. In her hands was Pikachu, who seemed to be all smiles. May, on the other hand, was not as jolly. "I woke up to the feeling of something moving around under the covers. It was him."
"Sorry about that." apologized Ash. "I'll make sure he doesn't do it again."
"Thanks." said May, walking towards Ash.
She placed Pikachu on Ash's lap, the yellow mouse seeming quite disappointed that he was back in the very place he had purposely left. Instead of going back upstairs, May took a seat on the floor, sitting right next to Ash. This, of course, caused Ash to look at her in clear confusion.
"You're not going back upstairs?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"No, not yet. I want to talk to you first... We haven't really had a chance to catch up at all today. I figure now is the best time to do it since Serena's usually around... I don't want her to feel left out or awkward while you and I talk."
"Alright..." answered Ash, realizing that May was right, they hadn't had a one-on-one conversation yet. After everything was taken care of regarding where everyone was sleeping, Ash had stuck to his plan; taking Serena out for a day of fun, with May and Max coming along as well. Throughout the whole day, Ash had done what Gary said, keeping Serena as the girl of interest and keeping May in the position of 'visiting friend'. Not once in the day did he speak to May directly for more than a couple minutes, while he vividly remembered talking to solely Serena countless times. Looking back, he felt kind of bad about it. "Keeping her at a friend's distance doesn't mean I shouldn't be able to just... talk with her, right?"
"So, how have you been, Ash?" asked May, smiling. "It really has been a long time since I've last seen you. You're taller than me now... and your voice has gotten deeper... and... yeah."
"Yeah... it has been a while." said Ash, gazing at the moon through the living room window. "I've been good. Y'know, same old, same old."
"Really? Nothing new or crazy has happened in the last 4 years at all?" asked May, unconvinced. "Something must've happened."
"Well, Brock finally stopped traveling with me. That was a real turning point." admitted Ash. "And of course, a couple run-ins with some more legendary pokemon. Other than that, nothing else..."
"Did you meet any new people worth mentioning?"
"Well... In Sinnoh, I traveled with a girl named Dawn, she was a Coordinator too. She wasn't that bad of a person, a little hyperactive though. She also had blue hair, which she desperately tried to convince me wasn't dyed. But it definitely was. And then in Unova, I traveled with this girl named Iris and this guy named Cilan. Iris was really annoying... She constantly called me a kid, even though she was like, 6. And she wanted to be a Dragon Master, which was cool and all, but I kinda stopped rooting for her when I realized that two of her pokemon weren't even Dragon types. Cilan was a cool guy... but he wasn't that great in comparison to Brock. And then in Kalos, I met Serena and two other people, but the other two people had to go back home halfway through the journey..."
"Oh, so it was just you and Serena after that?" observed May, sounding slightly less interested than she did before. "Well, Serena seems like a cool person, so that must've been fun..."
"Um, yeah, it was nice..."
"That must've been your first time traveling alone with a girl, huh?"
"Y-yeah... it was." answered Ash, deciding the subject of the conversation needed to be changed immediately. "So, um, what's been going on with you? How's coordinating been going?"
"Not much has been going on with me, really. Johto was okay... I got Top 4 in the Grand Festival. The next year, I went to Sinnoh, thinking that I might run into you and Brock there. Unfortunately, I never did, it turned out you were already in Unova. I stayed in Sinnoh though, and I got into the Sinnoh Grand Festival... but I got Top 4 again. After that, I took a year off, just to... take a break from it all. And then I came back and tried again in Hoenn... but I didn't even make it into the Grand Festival. I didn't have enough ribbons. That was about 2 months ago."
"What happened?" asked Ash, shocked. May, The Princess of Hoenn, not getting enough ribbons to enter a Grand Festival? It just sounded impossible to him. "Getting the ribbons for a Grand Festival should've been a cake-walk for someone as good as you."
"It should've been..." sighed May, her gaze moving from Ash to the floor. "but... I... I wasn't in the best of health for most of that season, so I wasn't coordinating at my usual level of skill."
"Wasn't in the best of health? Was it the Flu? Or Pneumonia?"
"...Something like that." answered May quietly, still staring at the floor. She then looked towards Ash again, smiling. "But I'm fine now, so once Contest season starts up again, you'd best believe I'll be making my return... but... *sigh* I don't know if I'll be able to win the Grand Festival... I-"
"No, May, you're going to completely own the Grand Festival." yawned Ash, covering his mouth. "I can't wait to see you return to the scene and just wreck shop everywhere. I know you can both get into and win this next Grand Festival. Here, let me give you some words of advice from one of my favorite motivational speakers. Whenever I'm down on myself or doubt that I can become a Pokemon Master, I listen to this speech. It really gets me going. The guy is yelling when he says it, but since everyone's asleep, I'll have to say it quietly. *clears throat* Do it. Just do it, May. Don't let your dreams be dreams. Yesterday, you said tomorrow, so just... do it. Make your dreams come true. Just... do it. Some people dream of success, while you're gonna wake up, and work hard at it. Nothing is impossible. You should get to the point where anyone else would quit, and you're not gonna stop there. No, what are you waiting for? Do it. Just... do it. Yes, you can. Just do it. If you're tired of starting over... stop giving up."
"Wow... Ash, I... I don't know what to say..." replied May, completely overcome with intense feelings of motivation. "You know what? You and whoever that motivational speaker was are right. I shouldn't and won't give up. I am going to do it. I'm going to make my return, and win that Grand Festival. Hard work is how I'll do it, too. I'll over come any obstacle to win, because, like you said, nothing is impossible. Drew... Solidad... Harley... they're all going down."
"That's the spirit." said Ash, nodding his head.
"Thanks for the motivation, Ash." said May sweetly, giving Ash a big hug. Since she was next to him and not in front of him, one of her arms was around his back, the other arm was across his chest, and her cheek was pressed against his. "I... I... I'm really glad I visited. You're the best."
"I'm glad you visited too." answered Ash, doing his best to avoid getting flustered by May's hug. But with May's face literally pressed against his, blushing was inevitable. "So, what region are you coordinating in next?"
"Probably here, in Kanto. All my rivals are coming here next." answered May, ending the hug. "Kanto's Contest season starts up in 2 weeks actually, so I'll be back before you know it. Hey, maybe you and I could travel again, just like old times! The only difference is that it'd be only you and I, since Brock is too busy nowadays and Max isn't finished collecting all his Hoenn badges. It'd be great, you'd be training for the Elite 4, while I do my contests! Wouldn't that be awesome?"
"...It totally would." said Ash, staring off into the distance. He then looked at May again, an odd look in his eye. Before he spoke, he faked a yawn. "Well, May, I'm really tired. I'm gonna head to the bathroom, and then I'm going to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow morning, alright?"
"Okay, goodnight Ash." said May, watching as Ash headed upstairs.
She wasn't sure if she actually saw it or not, but she could have sworn she caught a glimpse of Ash pulling out his phone on the way up and begin texting someone in what seemed like a panicked manner. Deciding it was probably her imagination, May stood up, planning on going back to Ash's room and resuming her sleep. But before she could walk away, she heard the sound of someone shifting around nearby. She turned around and saw Max laying on the couch, wide awake and staring at her.
"That was probably the best chance you were going to get during this entire visit, and you didn't do it." he whispered, shaking his head. "This was probably the only time that you'd get to talk to him without that Serena girl around, sis."
"You were listening?" asked May, sounding disappointed.
"Of course I was. You guys may not have been yelling, but you were still talking loud enough to wake me up." answered Max. "May, that was your chance. You literally did everything the therapist told you to do: you isolated him and yourself, had a private and meaningful conversation... you were so close to sealing the deal. You should've told him right then and there..."
"I tried, Max, I really did. I wanted to say it when I hugged him... but I just couldn't get the words out. I lost my nerve." admitted May, sighing. "There'll be another chance, I know it."
"I hope so..." replied Max, going back to sleep. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
The next morning...
...
"Hmmm... Alright, you can go, dear. But you have to promise me something!"
"Thank you so so so so so so much, Mom! What do I have to promise?!"
"You need to promise me that you and Ash become a couple, Serena. You may not see it, but to me, it's as clear as day; He likes you back! But, he strikes me as the type of guy that has trouble with anything girl related... You need to go with him to Kanto, and confess so you two can enjoy the extra 3 months you have together!"
"But what if you're wrong and he doesn't like me back? After I tell him, it'll be too awkward to bear! I'd probably die of embarrassment!"
"Then you tell him that I changed my mind and want you back here in Kalos, dear."
"Okay... I'll do it, Mom!"
"You'd better. It's really the only reason I'm letting you go that far away. Now, go upstairs and tell lover-boy the good news!"
...
Serena sat up, sighing as she remembered the mission her mother gave her. So far things weren't going as planned, and she had May to thank for that. Having barely gotten any alone time with Ash the day before, Serena had grown quite irritated with the presence of May and Max. But she couldn't bring herself to say that she disliked them, for they were both truly nice people who probably had no idea that they were getting in the way of her plans.
"Well... I've got the whole day to do it. I'm sure Ash and I will be alone at some point." she thought, checking the time. "7:33... maybe... maybe I could do it now. Yes, this would be the best time, actually. I doubt anyone else is awake... so I'll just wake Ash up, ask if we can go outside or something... and tell him... *sigh* it sounds so easy in my head... Come on Serena, it's now or never. You have to!"
Feeling a terrible mix of nervousness and determination, Serena got out of the guest room's bed, opening her bag. She pulled out her toothbrush and a small bottle of mouthwash and headed to the bathroom, purposely tip-toeing to avoid waking anyone up. As she brushed her teeth, she stared into her own eyes through the mirror, thinking thoughts of determination and encouragement.
"You can do this, girl! You can do it! No more waiting! No more fear! Just go down there and tell him like it is! Tell that cute, brave, easy on the eyes, handsome... attractive... tan... protective... supportive... what was I thinking about again? Oh, yeah, right. I'm gonna walk down those stairs and release what I've been holding in!" Having finished brushing her teeth, Serena spit out her tooth paste. She then grabbed the mouthwash, poured some in her mouth, swished it around, and spit it out as well. With her oral hygiene routine complete, she looked at herself one last time in the mirror, her teeth practically glowing. "Let's do this!"
Ready for action, Serena walked from the bathroom to the stairs, carefully going down each step. On complete and utter alert, Serena could hear almost every small sound, including some rustling sounds she heard coming from the direction of her destination, the living room.
"Oh... I guess Ash is already awake then." thought Serena as her foot met the final step of the staircase.
Deciding to remain stealthy anyway, Serena tip-toed into the living room, where a rather unexpected sight awaited. Instead of the tan-skinned, black-haired Pokemon Trainer she was expecting, she saw someone that was the exact opposite appearance-wise.
May.
"What's she doing down here? I thought she was sleeping in Ash's room..." pondered Serena. "And where's Ash?"
Her back turned to Serena, the brunette seemed to have no clue the honey-blonde was even there. Serena would've alerted May of her presence, but something told her to wait first. It seemed May was digging through a bag for something, and judging by the eagerness of her searching, it was obvious whatever she was looking for was important. When she finally found it, she sighed in relief.
"What is that?" thought Serena, unable to see what was in May's hands.
May placed both her hands on the object. A small "pop" sound was then heard, followed by the sound of several small objects shaking around in a container. She then placed the object on the coffee table next to her, giving Serena a clear view of what it was: a bottle filled with half blue, half yellow pills.
"What in the worl-"
"Good morning, Serena." greeted May, nonchalantly dropping a pill in her mouth.
Her back was still turned to Serena, which left the Pokemon Performer rather startled by the sudden greeting.
"G-good morning, May." stammered Serena, walking into the living room.
Before she could get a closer look at what was printed on May's medicine bottle, the brunette grabbed said item and closed it, returning it to her bag.
"Ash left to go drop his Kalos team off at Professor Oak's ranch." said May, turning towards Serena for the first time in the morning. She had her usual friendly smile on, but there seemed to be something different about her, something that Serena couldn't quite determine. "I didn't think you'd be up this early."
"Me neither..." replied Serena.
Serena was no psychic, but she couldn't help but feel a very odd vibe coming from May at the moment. Unlike the friendliness the brunette showed the day before, the friendliness she was currently showing almost seemed... forced. This confused Serena, because the Coordinator's smile was the same as it had been since the two girls had met; welcoming. Yet there was something about the whole situation... that made Serena feel like May's hospitality wasn't authentic at the moment. Having realized she lost herself in thought, Serena looked up, her eyes meeting May's.
And that's when she figured it out.
May's mouth may had been curved in a smile, but her eyes were a different story entirely. There was no cheerful glint in them like there usually was. There was no joy, no excitement, not even any disdain... just nothing. Like crashing ocean waves gone stagnant, the look in her eyes had become the complete antithesis of way they were the day before.
"I think I'll go meet him at the ranch." said May, tying a green bandanna onto her head.
"Can I come?" asked Serena sheepishly.
May paused her bandanna tying, looking at Serena. She didn't answer immediately, leaving a very uncomfortable feeling in the air.
"Yeah, why not?" answered May, tightening the bandanna. "Let's go."
Serena followed May out the door, putting on her sneakers on the way out. It was a fairly chilly morning, the spring breeze proving to be a little too cold for Serena as soon as she took her first step out of the house. She immediately folded her arms in an attempt to conserve heat. As soon as her hands touched the sides of her arms, she realized that she was still in her pajamas, which made her heart sink. They weren't exactly embarrassing clothes; a plain white t-shirt and pink running shorts. The problem (besides the fact that they were not suitable for the breezy weather) was the fact that she looked like a vagabond in comparison to what May was wearing. May was dressed in an orange and green outfit, one that clearly wasn't her pajamas.
"How early has she been awake?" thought Serena, examining the outfit. It was nice; complimentary colors, green fanny pack that matched her bandanna and... sleeveless top? "And how is she not cold? It's freezing out here! Holy guacamole, I just can't win, can I? I wanna confess my feelings to Ash? She's there instead! I think I'm up early? She's up earlier! I'm cold? She's not! What's nex-"
"Hey..." muttered May, stopping. Serena stopped walking as well, curious as to what May had to say. The brunette turned to Serena, and what Serena saw brought much surprise/confusion. The life in May's eyes seemed to have returned, her once empty gaze having regained its vitality. The emotion that currently showed in them was suspicion, but even that seemed better than the emptiness from before. "Is it me... or is the weather kind of... weird?"
"Weird?" asked Serena, looking around. Cloudy sky, breezy... nothing out of the ordinary. "It's a little chilly, but other than that, it seems normal to me."
"Really?" asked May, genuinely surprised Serena didn't find anything odd. "Everything just started feeling really weird to me all of a sudden... I don't know how to describe it. It almost feels like... like the air just got thicker... or heavier..."
"That's peculiar." observed Serena, walking on ahead. She didn't feel anything, and she wasn't going to pretend like she did. "Maybe you're just imagining it?"
"I guess..." sighed May, catching up with Serena.
"Alright Ashy-boy, I understand what you're telling me and all, but I still say go for Serena." said Gary, raising both hands up. Since Gary had not replied to his emergency text in the middle of the night, Ash had decided to go talk to Gary at the lab under the guise of 'dropping off his Kalos pokemon.' Gary was now giving the confused and stressed teen the advice he so desperately needed. "Yeah, from what you told me, the chances that May likes you are a lot higher than we originally thought what with the sleeping in your bed, the constant invading of your personal space, and the desire to travel with you in Kanto. But I still say go for Serena on the grounds that I'd go for Serena. Those buns of hers are not to be trifled with, if you know what I mea-"
"Wait, wait. Gary, please shut up for a sec." said Ash, his eyes darting around the room. "You feel that?"
"Feel what?" asked Gary, irritated that Ash interrupted him.
"I don't know what it is exactly..." answered Ash, still looking rather unsettled. "It feels like everything just, like, shifted. Like a wave of weight just washed over the room..."
"Listen Ashy-boy, I'm about give you a freaking sermon on the importance of there being junk in your girlfriend's trunk. Don't interrupt me for some imaginary sixth-sense bullshit, 'kay?"
"You don't feel it?" asked Ash incredulously. He then removed his hat placed a hand on his head, running his fingers through his hair. "Ugh, It's getting even worse by the second!"
"I don't know what you're talking abou-"
"How can you not feel it?!" snapped Ash.
"Something's wrong... something's really, really wrong." said May, stopping again.
"Okay, seriously? I don't feel anything. Are you trying to prank me or something?" replied Serena, turning around on her heels. May had a hand on her head, and her legs were beginning to tremble. Realizing that May wasn't playing around in any way whatsoever, Serena frowned. "May... are you okay? What's going on?"
"I don't... know..." groaned the brunette, one eye closed. "It's like something... something enormous is just breathing down on the whole area... like we're in a box, and it's slowly getting smaller and smaller... Serena, we need to go. Something's not right here!"
"But May, I don't feel anythi-"
"We need to go!" growled May, grabbing Serena's hand.
"Whoahhhaaaaaaaaahhhh!" yelled Serena as May forcefully led her down the path to Professor Oak's ranch, running a little faster than Serena's unprepared legs could handle.
"Pikapi pika pika!" cried Pikachu, who had to jump from Ash's shoulder to the floor for his own safety.
"What Pikachu said!" agreed Gary, watching as both of Ash's hands lay clutched on his raven-hair. "There's literally nothing going on! Why are you freaking out, man?!"
"Because there is something going on." seethed Ash through gritted teeth. "I don't know what it is, but something's up!"
"Okay, tell me exactly what you're feeling." ordered Gary, taking a step closer to Ash. "If you're having chest pains and can't feel your arm, you're most likely experiencing the symptoms of a heart-"
"I'm not having a goddamn heart attack, Gary!" snarled Ash.
"May what's going onnnnnn?!" screamed Serena, simply unable to keep up with May's all-out sprint. "At least slow down! I'm gonna fall or pull a muscle if I keep running like this!"
"Something's coming!" answered May, adrenaline rushing. "I don't know who, what, where, why, or how, but something's coming!"
Suddenly, Ash's whole body shuddered, causing a worried groan/yelp to come from him. "Ohhhh shit shit shit, we need to get out of here Gary, ASAP! Now! Right now! Something's coming!"
"Fine, if you're so convinced that something spooky is amiss, then we'll go outside." said Gary, walking towards the door.
And that's when it happened.
Before Gary could get to the door, a blinding blue light shone from that direction, causing Ash, Gary, and Pikachu to shield their eyes. When they removed their hands from their eyes, they were met with an image that none of them would soon forget: a figure wearing a blue hooded cloak standing in front of the door. The entirety of the person's body was concealed by the blue garb, the cloak even hiding their arms. Around this figure danced glowing wisps of blue energy, some of said wisps disappearing into the air upon separation from the hooded figure's personal space.
Ash couldn't help but recognize the blue energy; it was the same one he had manipulated in the Tree of the Beginning all those years ago.
"An Aura Guardian...?" he thought, mouth agape in awe.
"Uh, excuse me." said Gary, crossing his arms. Ash immediately looked at Gary like he was crazy; a look Gary Oak was not at all new to receiving. "Hi, the name's Gary Oak, grandson of Professor Samuel Oak, who owns this lab and ranch. That was quite the entrance, sir. Very blue. I hate to break it to ya, but the lab isn't open right now, our hours are from 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. So, with all due respect, I'm gonna have to ask you to come back in an hour or two."
Paying Gary no mind, the hooded Guardian walked straight towards Ash. This, of course, left Gary very offended.
"Hey! I said we're not open right now, Houdini!" hollered Gary. "Since I already asked you nicely, here, I'll say it with more pizzazz: Get the fuck out of my goddamn la- GAHHHHHHHHH!"
With the flick of a hand, the Guardian blasted Gary away with a burst of Aura, sending the brown haired Researcher crashing into a nearby desk.
"Do not interfere." ordered the Guardian, fully outstretching his hand towards Gary.
Before the teen could get up, two bar-like constructs of Aura held him down, binding him to the desk he had been flung into. Gary immediately tried to wriggle free of the constraints, but his efforts were in vain; they were unbreakable by someone who did not wield the power to control Aura.
With Gary taken care of, the Guardian turned to Ash and Pikachu, who were standing across the room, both looking absolutely livid over the way Gary was treated.
"Who are you?!" barked Ash, just one second away from ordering Pikachu to electrocute this stranger. "What do you want?!"
"I am a Guardian of the Aura." said the Guardian simply, returning the hand he had used on Gary back to the confines of his cloak. "I want you, Ashton Ketchum, for you are a Guardian as well. The time has come for your training to begin."
"I'm not an Aura Guardian, I'm a Pokemon Trainer." retorted Ash. "I know that in the Tree of Beginning I manipulated Aura, but that was only with the help of Sir Aaron's gloves. I'm by no means skilled enough or qualified to be an Aura Guardian, so release Gary, now!"
"I'm afraid I can't do that until you agree to come with me. Perhaps I can persuade you..."
The Aura Guardian revealed his hand again, and once again, he pointed it towards Gary. His hand glowed blue, and suddenly Gary began to grunt. It seemed the two bars that were holding him down were getting tighter and tighter, sending a crippling pain through Gary's arms and torso.
"I will tighten his bonds until you agree." declared the Guardian, returning his hand to his cloak. "At the rate I'm tightening them, he only has 5 minutes until his ribs are completely crushed."
"Ohhhhaaaahhhhhh, goddammit Ashy-boy, just do what he says!" cried Gary, struggling against the tightening constructs.
"I've got a better idea," declared Ash. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
Sparks already flying from the rodent's cheeks, Pikachu charged up all the electricity he could muster, unleashing it on the mysterious Guardian. Unfortunately, the attack seemed to be completely useless, for the Guardian swatted the bolt away with ease, redirecting it to Gary, who was promptly zapped.
"OWWWWW! Dammit!" screamed Gary, writhing in pain. "Listen, Dumbledore, that one was some fuckin' bullshit! I didn't even say anything that time!"
"This is your final warning." stated the hooded man, ignoring Gary's words. "Refuse again, and I'll take you by force."
"What kind of Aura Guardian are you?!" growled Ash, pointing to the stranger angrily. "Aura Guardians are supposed to be noble warriors, people that protect others, not hurt them!"
"If you do not come with me, then approximately 7 billion people will be hurt, and it'll all be your fault." answered the Guardian. "That would make you even worse of a person than I am, would it not? And have most of my actions thus far not been caused by you, who have been pushing me further and further each time? Do not be a fool. If you wish to protect the ones you love and this planet as a whole, cease your stubborn foolishness, come with me, and become an Aura Guardian."
"What's so special about me?" asked Ash, watching as the bonds around Gary continued to tighten.
"More than you understand, boy. You are the Chosen Guardian of Arceus, destined to be the one of the most powerful Aura Guardians of all eternity! The bloods of two of the Five Great Aura Guardian clans run through your veins! From your father's side you obtained the blood of a Ketchum, and on your mother's the blood of an Arlon! With such a combination, you are destined for greatness! You are the Guardian chosen to save-"
Before the Guardian could finish his sentence, the sound of a door bursting open sounded. Already facing the door, Ash could see who the newcomers were; May and Serena. Both girls were breathing quite heavily, but their facial expressions were completely different. May looked stressed, almost angry, while Serena's face held nothing but confusion and exhaustion.
"Ash!" shouted May in between deep breaths. She looked around, and as soon as she saw the Aura Guardian, she realized the feeling she'd been having was coming from him. "We need to get out of here, Ash! There's something up with that guy! He's dangerous!"
"No shit." moaned Gary, the Aura Guardian's bindings dangerously close to reaching rib-crushing strength.
The Aura Guardian slowly turned around, examining both girls. Even though his face remained concealed by his hood, the awareness that his gaze was cast upon them was enough to send a chill of fear through both girls' bodies.
"Ah, yes, the Maple girl. It only makes sense that she'd be able to sense my presence as well..." he muttered, outstretching his hand towards both girls. "I'm afraid Ashton and I were having a conversation that simply cannot be interrupted. Please, do not interfere, ladies."
Just like he did Gary, the Guardian wrapped each girl in two constructs of blue energy. Ash's eyes widened as the Aura Guardian proceeded to send both bound girls flying towards the wall, both letting out cries of pain when their backs hit the brick surface. As still as a statue, Ash stared at both girls after they collided with the wall.
After her scream, Serena lost her balance and sunk to the floor, tears of pain and fear running down her cheeks. Having never seen or even heard of an Aura Guardian in her life, the thirty seconds that she'd been in the room were already proving to be too much for her to handle. She kept on looking back and forth between Ash and the Guardian, both the extreme confusion the worry for Ash's safety clear in her teary eyes.
Unlike Serena, May had been able to stay on her feet. She seemed to be wincing, a few whimpers escaping her lips. At first, Ash wondered why, but he realized why when he saw a trail of blood run from the brunette's elbow down the wall. Ash was unable to see the cut from his angle, but the amount of blood dripping made it clear that it was a bad one. Despite the burning pain she was feeling, May was trying with all her might to wriggle out of the bonds.
"Now," said the Guardian, turning back towards Ash. "as I was sayi-"
Instead of standing across the room like the Guardian had expected him to be, Ash was now just a step away from the Guardian, fist ready to punch. Caught off guard, the hooded man was forced to duck, narrowly dodging Ash's fist. But Ash's punch was not a complete waste; it may not have met the Guardian's face, but it did meet his hood, removing it.
"I won't let you hurt my friends anymore!" yelled Ash, his rage having reached a boiling point. He looked down at the Guardian, ready to punch again, but froze when he saw the man's revealed visage. The long grayish-blue hair and blue eyes were unmistakable. Ash's eyes widened in complete shock, as the man before him was supposed to have disappeared 3 years ago. "T-tobias?!"
At the sound of the familiar name, Serena's eyes widened. The man that had beaten Ash in Sinnoh with a Darkrai and a Latios, the same man that was said to have vanished after his victory... was standing right before her, manipulating some sort of blue energy. It all seemed absolutely impossible to her, like she was in some horrible, extremely realistic nightmare.
"I believe I warned you earlier that, if pushed too far, I'd take you by force." sighed Tobias, both his hands glowing blue. "You have forced my hand, Ashton."
With one hand, Tobias pushed Ash, sending the raven-haired Trainer flying to the wall so fast that nobody's eyes could properly follow him. Upon collision, Ash immediately felt an overwhelming sense of dizziness. By the time his double-vision returned to normal and everything stopped spinning, Tobias was already in front of him. Without any hesitation, Tobias grabbed hold of Ash's neck, holding on tight. Finding it difficult to breathe under such a grip, Ash began to cough and sputter, his hands instinctively trying to pry Tobias's hand off his throat.
"Stop, please!" sobbed Serena, watching as Tobias's free hand began to pulsate with Aura.
"Get your hands off of him!" commanded May, having completely forgotten about her bleeding elbow at this point.
"Silence." ordered Tobias calmly, tightening the bonds he placed on both girls.
Both of them screamed, the pain almost too much to bear. Still conscious, Ash tried to say something, but found that Tobias's grip prevented him from speaking. With his free hand fully charged with Aura, Tobias delivered a devastating blow to Ash's abdomen, causing the teen's eyes to widen in pain.
"NOOOOOOO!" screamed Serena, while May watched in horror.
A sole trail of blood trickled from Ash's mouth as the pain from Tobias's punch radiated to every corner of his body. Feeling his consciousness slipping from lack of air, Ash removed his hands from Tobias's, officially giving up.
"A wise choice." commented Tobias, removing his hand from Ash's throat.
The trainer's limp body fell to the floor, seeming to be void of any life. He landed on his side, his brown eyes still open. He seemed to be looking at May and Serena, but the girls could tell that he couldn't see them. There was no life in his eyes, no warmth. Just cold nothingness.
"No... he can't be..." whimpered May, eyes wide.
"He is." confirmed Tobias, picking up Ash's limp body. "He's no longer of this world. Forgive me, but I have done this solely out of necessity. Had he just listened to me, I wouldn't have had to-"
"YOU'RE A MONSTER!" screamed Serena, still crying. Unable to move her arms or torso, she resorted to kicking around like a 5-year old throwing a temper tantrum. "A MONSTER! A MURDERER! HOW COULD YOU?! ASH, PLEASE! ASH, WAKE UP! ASHHHHH!"
"He can't be..." continued May, eyes still wide in shock. "Ash can't be..."
Gary had long since succumbed to the grip of Tobias's constructs, having lost consciousness around the time Ash had decided to attack the Aura Guardian.
"Me? A monster?" asked Tobias, seeming to be incredibly amused. "No, young woman. I am an Aura Guardian. I am simply doing that which needs to be done to ensure the safety of this world. No matter what, as long as my goal is met, it matters not how I do it. I gave this young man a choice, and he chose to defy me. This is the consequence. Know this: you'll be grateful for my actions some day."
And with that, Tobias began to glow brighter and brighter, until he and Ash were no longer visible. The light held a radiance like no other, forcing both girls to shut their eyes and look away. But Pikachu, unwilling to let the Guardian take Ash away, ran into the light right as it disappeared, vanishing along with it. This left just the girls and an unconscious Gary Oak in the lab. The Aura constructs that restrained them dissipated, allowing free movement for everyone. But nobody moved. Nobody could move.
It would have been impossible for them to fathom if they had not seen it themselves. And even though they saw it with their own eyes, it was still nearly impossible to comprehend.
Ash Ketchum... was gone.
And that's that.
So, I'm aware that this story is being read by both Amourshippers and Advanceshippers alike. Being a supporter of both those shippings, I'm fine with Ash ending up with either girl. BUT... me choosing the ending isn't very interesting, is it? So, yes, the final pairing of the story will be decided in a poll. But this is no ordinary poll. Well, it is an ordinary poll, but it's not something I advise you all to vote on as soon as you finish reading this chapter. Yes, the poll is open now, but I suggest you wait. May and Serena's personalities are going to change throughout this story. If you're really dedicated to one of them ending up with Ash, then by all means, vote now. But if you want to see how things play out before you use your one and only vote... I suggest you hold off on voting. And, by the way, the endings for each pairing won't be interchangeable. If Ash chooses Serena, the story from the chapter he chooses her onwards will be different than if he chooses May. So vote wisely!
Of course, I will alert you all when the chapter he chooses is approaching, but for now, nobody except me knows when that is!
Well, that's all this time. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
...
Is Ash truly dead?
How will this series of sudden events affect May and Serena?
When will the Visorshipping in this story begin?
Find out in the next installment of Pokemon: The Fellowship of the Aura!
Seeya,
DarkSlash9
