Guardian Solaris

Ages:

Ash-17

May- 15

Max- 13

Brock- 22

Dawn- 13

Serena– 9

Drew- 17

Brandon- 16

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"Speech"

'Thoughts'

(Authors' notes)

[Translated Pokémon talk

#Insert standard disclaimer here#

And sorry for the wait but well, school.

This chapter will be a bit more, calmed down from the begging seeing as there is always a tense situation in each chapter I decided to try something different, and let you get to know the characters a bit more, or at least three and their Pokémon.

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Chapter 14- Humans Make Mistakes

Throughout the time May and Ash talked as they walked along the path. They spoke of how the other had been in all the time that they were apart; just as if none of the events that had separated them had happened. While in Ash's case he held back the deadly knowledge that he knew, knowing that it would only make things worse for his friend, while another part of the trainer believed that he was going to have to tell her sooner or later, otherwise the reborn friendship that they had gained would be destroyed, the part of Ash that was still the innocent trainer.

The two walked side by side, down the path, as he began to lead them out of the arena complex.

"Hey Ash where are we going?" May asked, as she then noticed that the sun was beginning to set, leaving a pallet of colours in the sky. The young woman realised that she had to meet up with Max once more, and give a lengthy explanation for why she had been away.

"Oh yeah, I forgot that you were staying at the Pokémon centre." He began to explain, "I'm going to meet my friend at our camp site." He explained.

"Why aren't you staying at the centre" the brunette said slightly perplexed, "I mean you could meet Max, and Brock and"

"Well" he interrupted, "for one, staying at the centre, is not really...good for me, because of all the leagues that I've won there are a lot of fan boys and girls after me like in the Grand festival. And two, I don't really know how the others would react to seeing me again. The last time I saw them we didn't really leave on the right foot." The raven hared boy said with his head down towards his last statement.

"Fan boys?" May said slightly amazed that Ash had fans, the only person that she had seen with fans chasing him was Drew, and even he stayed inside of a room, rather than outside from what she knew. But her tone of voice was more related to making Ash forget about the problem of Max. It was the co-ordinator, who had turned her little brother against him, and it was now her problem to get the two back together again and she would not want Ash to stress himself on the dilemma.

"Well yeah, I have become quite a good trainer while we've been; apart" he said with a slight smirk, as they continued to walk closer to where they would find Serena.

Pikachu smiled seeing his friend open once more, it had been too long since Pikachu had seen Ash like this, the new form of Ash that the small Pokémon had seen may have been stronger, and still the same to Pikachu but the Pokémon could feel the trainers pain whenever he was explicitly rude towards others, and at other times when he would become easily irritated.

Then a Gallade leaped out from what seemed to be nowhere, startling May.

"Hi, Gallade. I guess she's been waiting for a while." Ash said to the psychic type.

He then turned to the brunette co-ordinator who was still slightly startled by the Pokémon who had managed to come out of nowhere, and chuckled along with Pikachu who joined in.

"What's so funny?" May shouted out, to her companion. As the two stopped, there laughing.

"N... nothing, May I'm going to follow Gallade to take me to my friend, you can head to the others if you want." Ash explained to his friend.

"NO" May shouted, as a small blush came on her face because of her rash statement. "I mean, I'd rather catch up with you, we haven't seen each other in a while now" she corrected herself, making sure her words didn't come out wrong. It had been too long that they had been apart, and now that she was finally back with Ash there was no chance that the girl was going to lose him once more.

"But won't the others be worried about you?" Ash asked his friend.

"I'm a big girl now; they should think that I can take care of myself." May replied, slightly irritated that Ash still looked down at her as an inexperienced young girl.

"Well come on then!" Ash shouted out, already following the Pokémon while May rushed up to him once again. They then made their way to Serena being led by Gallade.

----

Ash then made their way, as the Pokémon slashed any piece of greenery that came in their way, vines, trees, and even some boulders. In order to fulfil his duty he would do anything and that was his personality; weather it was big or small. His loyalty was almost limitless.

Gallade then slashed a couple of vines and as May peered through the gap that was created, she looked in awe at the sight.

The camp site was a large clearing. In the back a huge waterfall fell down, as the orange sun continued to set behind it leaving a rainbow to emanate at the base of the falls. An elegant Ninetails was lighting a large fire in the centre, as it also used its psychic abilities to move logs into the fire.

Ash casually threw out three Pokéballs. His Meganium used its ability and made flowers grow around the site as its sweet scent awoke the senses of the wild Pokémon in the area, and May also enjoyed the sweet smell from the flowers, and Meganiums ability. Typhlosion rushed towards the fire, and helped Ninetails. While Feraligatr rushed over to the river that came from the waterfall to swim.

A picture of tranquillity.

Ash then led May to the camp-site where a where a white haired girl ran up to the trainer.

"Took you long enough" she said in a slightly bratty manner, without noticing his new companion.

"Meh, at least I won."He said, while rubbing her head, she then retaliated by pushing his hand off after getting irritated by the playful motion of her friend.

"Hi" May interrupted the two.

"Ur, Hi." Serena said finally noticing May was there.

"Oh, yeah Serena this is May one of my old friends; and May this is Serena" Ash introduced the two to each other. Even though they had unofficially met before.

"WAR" Serena's Wartortle then stepped in front of the young girl recognising May from before, and with its call so did its trainer, as Serena became suspicious of the brunette girl. Ash walked off to the campsite, sensing the tension between the two girls leaving them alone for a while to talk.

"What do you want?" The white haired girl said boldly after seeing that Ash was out of earshot, with her two Pokémon coming to support her by coming to her sides.

"Look I'm sorry for what my little brother did." May tried to reason with her, clearly this was going to be hard.

"So he was your little brother!" The nine year old snapped, becoming even more agitated by the new arrival.

"Yes he is." May admitted. "I'm really sorry, I mean it you should have never gone through that, I don't know how much it must have hurt seeing you're Wartortle like that. But I know that I would never want to see my Pokémon in that position" May said holding up one of her Pokéballs. Mays eyes were diverted to the ground, being inside of tense situations was something that she was not used to, and found that she would do that whenever she was put under a stressed situation.

The expression on Serena's face then calmed down after seeing Mays eyes. It was a look that the young girl had seen once before, only once.

It was the look of innocence.

She had seen it on Ash, before he had become the hardened rock that he was now.

Then she knew that the co-ordinator was saying the truth.

Serena took a step forward to the co-ordinator, who was a lot taller than the nine year old. She then grabbed the other end of the Pokéball, and lowered it, May looked up to the white haired girls eyes noticing that her expression had once again calmed down.

"Come on let's go and eat." Serena said calmly, May nodded as the two headed towards Ash at the camp site.

May knew that Serena had forgiven her, or at least opened up to her a bit more, even after the tense first words that the two shared.

----

The two arrived at the site after a while where Ash's Pokémon greeted May's arrival, remembering an old friend of Ash, and knowing that they could trust her from what Pikachu said and the feelings that they had felt from there trainer. Serena's Pokémon also made themselves comfortable.

May then released all of her Pokémon from there balls: Her Blaziken who looked towards Gallade taking note of a future sparring partner, Espeon who stretched and began to reacquaint itself with Pikachu, her Ledian, who flew up into the sky and immediately became attracted to Meganiums scent, while Meganium used its vine whip to pull away the persistent bug type, her Altaria, who perched itself besides its master, looking around at all of the new Pokémon, her Bulbasaur who at sight of Ash rushed up towards the trainer wondering something that was unknown to the humans in the group concerning the trainer, and her Blastoise who just sat down although Feraligatr tried to talk to the shelled Pokémon Blastoise would get irritated and just turn away the big jaw Pokémon.

"Hey what about... you know?" Serena asked unsure if she should tell May of Ashes 'SECERET' Pokémon.

"Well if you mean Zenith" Ash said holding up his black and red Pokéball." He's recently evolved, and well, now's not the right time to take him out; and you know that he'd rather eat on his own." Ash said slightly irritated that Serena wouldn't trust his decision in trusting May.

Ash then got a bunch of fruits that May was unfamiliar with, and walked towards the river where My could see a Pokémon meditating, The sky had become really dark and if the sky was any more dark she would have mistaken the Pokémon for a Person.

May stared as Ash made his way to the meditating brown Pokémon who sat at the bank of the river, close to the roaring sound of the waterfalls. She stared wondering which Pokémon it could be.

'It's probably that one that Ash used in the battle...

...I bet it's really strong' May thought while looking as the trainer attempted to talk to the loner in his party, it seemed as if he was trying to get the brown Pokémon to eat. May then smiled seeing that Ash still cared about his Pokémon and that the Ash that she had remembered was still somewhere in there.

Ash then made his way back, successfully having the got Pokémon to eat the fruits that Ash had gotten it. The stars then began to peer out in the night sky and the moon began to be seen behind the waterfall. The mysterious creature was just a silhouette in the moon light, as the fire was the only bright source of light, just lighting Ash's figure in a warm red glow as he made his way back.

"Hey Ash, what?"May asked in slight curiosity, as to what just happened although she was cut off by the white haired girl.

"Don't worry, it's just Ash's loner Pokémon" Serena said not wanting to reveal the member of Ash's team who resented to be known and would rather stay on his own, and still not entirely trusting May. May then noticed that the nine year old had given the Pokémon a range of fruits, berries which they happily ate. Each Pokémon had a specific platter of food that they had happily enjoyed, even more so then the food that Brock had given to them May had noticed when she looked towards her own Pokémon eating the food that they were given.

"You got a great knowledge of Pokémon, Serena." May said to the girl. She knew of each Pokémon and there specific diets while still at a young age. May would have been reminded of Max, but he only knew about the names and what attacks they could do. But this girl was something else entirely; she knew more than her brother did even now.

She matched him in a battle, and had a good knowledge of the diets of her Pokémon, and those of the co-ordinator, even though she had just met them. Her knowledge could have rivalled Brocks. She did not have the recipes, or ingredients, or processed food that he did but it seemed to do.

"Well actually, I only know all of this stuff because of Ash." She said modestly.

"Ash?" The brunette asked inquisitively.

"Well, you know you pick these things up, I mean how could I have gotten where I am now if I didn't." He said not flaunting his talents. But May then began to wonder if she had stayed with Ash; where would she be now? Would she still be in a rut? Would she become the great trainer that he obviously seemed to have become, easily defeating her most powerful rivals in their own battle field: Drew, Harley, and even Dawn stood absolutely no chance against him?

"Hey, May is that you're Squirtle there?" Ash asked feeling that something was wrong with May for a while.

"Oh, yeah, that's that cute Squirtle that I got from professor Oak" The Co-ordinator said once again looking at the turtle like Pokémon that was her Blastoise. Seeing how it had changed in personality so much since she had gotten it, from the Spuirtle who tried so hard to please it's master, and now the tough Blastoise who was tired that it had not gotten a challenge that was worthy of it, and turns away from its masters commands continuously.

"So why didn't you use it in the Festival? With Blastoise and Blaziken you could have been really powerful." the raven haired trainer asked obliviously.

"Well... Ever since she evolved, Blastoise has found things to become too easy, and doesn't try. She doesn't even listen to my orders any more, and in a contest that would have gotten me to lose fast." The co-ordinator said remembering how trusting Blastoise had cost her in the past.

In Johto May was facing Drew in the Grand festival, and with her newly evolved Blastoise thought that she would win easily, but was mistaken, leaving her with a humiliating loss; and another patronising lesson from Drew.

But the conversation got the girl to think once more: what would things be like if she had not left travelling with Ash. Would she be one of the best? Would she know as much about Pokémon as Serena?

"The same thing happened to me and my Charizard. I'm sure that Blastoise will eventually open up again." Ash said trying to make May look at the brighter side of things. He didn't think about his words, they just came out of his mouth without a second thought.

"May, I have to admit you have a really strong team." Serena complimented.

"So do the both of you." The brunette replied. "But Ash, whatever happened to that Pokémon that you used in the league, I'm sure he will have to eat sooner or later, May asked curious as to the dragon that had defeated Celebi.

"Well" Ash said holding up the black Pokéball up in his hand.

He thought for a moment, but decided that A'Drith would have to come out sooner or later.

He threw his ball into the air in the air and in a burst of energy that was darker than the night sky, the large Pokémon was seen as it stretched out its blood red wings above the trainers and all of their Pokémon, the image lit up by the fire. Each scale, and claw of the beast as all of the Pokémon and the two girls looked towards it feeling slightly scared as to seeing it for the first time, while in Mays case it was the first time seeing the beast up close.

It huffed, as Ash looked into its eyes. No sign of an Iris, or Pupil and no trace of white lay in its eyes. Just a sea of red, greeted the trainer as he looked into them.

The dragon then flapped its powerful wings as it flew away, its take off blowing away the fire close to extinguishing it, although it had managed to survive. Its trainer did not attempt to stop it; and most of the Pokémon were glad it had gone away, from those who had known it from birth, and to the stubborn Blastoise who wouldn't obey its trainer's commands.

Ash sighed; as A'Drith perched itself near to the edge of the waterfall, becoming a pitch black image in front of the moon behind him.

"What happened to him?" Serena asked in the silence, as the fire began to roar again.

"I don't know." Ash replied as all of the Pokémon began to listen in to their conversation. " When he evolved Zenith, or should I say A'Drith was close to death."

"I remember that" May added, "After Celebi becoming dark, I don't know how tough."

"And I'm guessing that he's still very angry and confused. If he didn't evolve he would have died there and then." Ash tried to make sense of the situation.

"But what did you expect?" Serena said, not trying to be offensive. "He is the chaos Pokémon after all"

"I know, but he's really changed" Ash said remembering the basic form of the Pokémon, and the affection it showed to the trainer.

"With all of my Pokémon I have a sort of, bond. I can't explain it, it's as if we can feel the others pain, and in a battle, we can know what the others thinking of doing, I don't know how to explain it but I know it is the reason why I am as good as I am now." Ash explained, as all of his Pokémon knew what he was talking about.

A bond, that was above the Master and Servant relationship that was between most trainers and there Pokemon. Beyond friendship that the kind trainers may have shared.

Something different, something that can only be described as.

Brotherhood, knowing the other inside and out and being ready to give yourself for him and knowing that he would do the same in turn. A bond that not many shared.

And many others would call foolish and petty, if they only knew it was possible.

"But I don't have that same feeling with him, at least not anymore." Ash said looking up to his black dragon, that stood alone, not wanting anyone to come close enough to him in order to have that form of bond.

"So we'll, just have to try and get a hold of both of our Pokémon!" May said referring to her Blastoise, although the water type didn't realise it.

A small smile grew on Ash's face seeing how she tried to cheer him up, like she had used to do.

A sure sign of better things to come, at least he hoped.

----

May then walked off from the camp to have a small drink. Accompanied by Blaziken to offer light in the dark, even though May didn't wish for her first Pokémon to come along, as she made her way to the river.

When May reached there, Blaziken kept the flames upon its body alight, as she stood along the water's edge.

The Co-ordinator asked her Pokémon to turn the flames off for a while as she got a small metal flask and unscrewed the lid.

Her fire type was slightly confused thinking that she was going to have some water. But obeyed her command anyway.

A few seconds later the lights from the fire type came on again, as May screwed on the lid of the flask, which had a smell that deterred the fire type.

"Blaziken please don't tell anyone about this, especially the other Pokémon or, or, I don't know what will happen if they start to think any differently about me." She pleaded, and although her Pokémon didn't agree with her trainers decision she agreed to keep her mouth shut.

The two then slowly made their way back to the others, as May thought about the implications of one of her strongest Pokémon knowing this.

But what she didn't realise was that a certain Pokémon that was once there had disappeared.

He was in fact underneath the waterfall, as the water pounded against his hardened rock like body.

Meditating.

But he did not fail to notice the events that had just taken place, as he closed his ancient eyes once more.

----

May then made her way close to the site, but ran faster than her Blaziken when she had smelt the scent of food.

"Took you long enough" Serena said to the Co-ordinator, who was staring down to the load of food that was made.

She then couldn't resist, as she ate along with Ash, at breakneck speeds through the food.

Serena just sighed and began to eat at her own pace before the other two ate it all.

"Wow, this is delicious!" May said in between bites. "Don't tell me you made this too" she said towards the white haired girl, not being surprised if she did cook all of it.

"No, actually Ash cooked all of this" the white girl said, causing May to stop, and stare at the trainer as he also ate, but then stopped when he noticed that she was staring at him.

"What, did you think I could have survived all of this time without knowing how to cook anything but readymade? I would have starved in a day." He said.

May resisted the overwhelming urge to eat, as she wondered two things. Ash, and Cook. Two words that she had never put together, and what was even scarier was that he was good at it.

"So you're not eating just because you found out that I made it." Ash said noticing that May had stopped.

"Oh, sorry" May said as she then went back into her eating competition.

'I guess that I will just have to return the favour' she then thought.

----

When the meal was over the group had fallen asleep underneath the stars, although May stayed awake, looking up to the stars as the soft sound of sleeping Pokémon filled with the burning fire filled her ears with a gentle drone.

The thoughts of her upcoming challenges with getting together all of her friends filled her mind.

Plan after plan, scenario after scenario she went through. She then turned to her side and saw her pack, inside of which was her flask.

The co-ordinator then thought of having something to clear her mind, but was cut off by a calm voice.

"Hey May, you still awake?" she heard then saw that behind her pack Ash was also laying on his side, looking back towards her, with the bright and radiant glow of the fire illuminating his face in a bright light.

"Yeah, just thinking, you?" She replied smiling.

"I'm just wondering when he'll come back, I'm getting kind of worried." Ash said, as May knew he was talking about his unruly dragon.

"Don't worry about him, just get some sleep you got a battle tomorrow." She said caring about her friend without a second thought. (Like Ash did before)

"And Ash, dose Serena hate me." May asked softly, not wanting her to sound bad. But the Hoenn native had not failed to notice a slight hostility come from Ash's most recent travelling companion.

"No, she just needs time. You see May, she's an extraordinary young girl, she's been through more than me or you will ever have to go through and she's still made it." He said causing May to be even more curious.

Ash then explained Serena's true story, to the girl. All the time he wondered whether she was still asleep, as her face was turned away the entire time. The trainer dared not say this story to anyone, believing that it was not there business, and every time Serena heard that story it brought tears to her eyes.

Remembering a time when life seemed to be perfect. A time before the dark side of life blew up in your face.

And knowing that you will never have the same happiness again.

A feeling that Ash had gotten all too familiar with.

"It's hard May." The trainer said as a small tear rolled down his cheek.

He was always so cold, so hard to feel that pain. But now he had let his guard down again, and the deep pain struck him down to the cold hard earth like a ton of bricks.

"When my mom died, I, I didn't know what to do. I felt like I had nothing in the world." He said as his emotions were finally allowed to be let out, not erupting after ages of being bottled up, but slowly coming out, becoming more painful as he remembered memories that were supposed to be happy. But now only bought pain,

Nothing but.

"So just give her time, May." He said, closing his eyes, as he remained on his side, controlling his breathing so that he wouldn't break down into a sob. He held it in for all of this time, and wouldn't let it out now.

"I'm so sorry for you Ash, if only I was there." May said, as she got her hand and put it on his side, but noticed that he had fallen asleep.

She smiled, as the fire graced upon his face lighting it up from the shadows it had been accustomed to. His tear glistened as May rubbed it off.

He had fallen asleep in tears.

May looked on to him returning her hand around him as she slightly dragged herself closer to her friend, but not too close.

She thought that he had everything going his way. But it was the contrary; the world was against him and no one there to help him. She then also began to drift asleep, saying one message to herself, and only one.

'I'll be there for you Ash, and this time nothing will stop me for being there for you. Because you were always there for me.' The co-ordinator thought as she drifted off to sleep, her arm over the boy who held the weight of the world over his shoulders.

More literally than she knew.

----

F.Y.I.

- No one has bothered to guess Ash's mystery Pokémon

- Don't worry (If you like darker Ash that is), Dark Ash is not going to vanish, in fact there will be an arc where he will be at his darkest.

- I'm once again sorry for the wait but work from school has a habit of getting in the way.

-May told the other two that she was going to have some water, not even her Pokémon know about it because she is slightly ashamed of her habit.

- I have a general outline of each chapter from here, so writers block is not really a problem for me, although planning future chapters will.

- Yeay 10 reviews for 1 chapter :)

- I've just reread the first few and last chapters of the story, and the first few chapters were kind of :#x#: but I hope that I've improved because after rereading my last chap I think that it had improved, although your opinion would surely help, right now quitting is not an option but constructive criticism is ALWAYS welcome, ALWAYS, I like to see how/if my writing is improving/and what you like about the fic, so help me to help you in a way. It is the only way that I can improve myself.

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People make mistakes; it is not our place to judge them.

But to help them to fix it.

My barber (Talks too much)

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And now I vanish...