Ash stretched as he got off the ferry.

"Finally. We made it," He said as he began looking around. It had been so long since he'd been to Slateport City, it almost seemed foreign to him.

"We're finally here, Pikachu."

Pikachu smiled at his trainer as he continued to look around the port. He loved the aroma the sea made on the breeze.

"Well, I'm glad somebody's happy."

Ash turned around to see Melanie walk up to him, her hands on her hips, her Charmander, as usual, behind her.

"Oh, uh. Hi, Melanie."

Melanie raised a curious eyebrow at his comment.

"Look, I'm sorry for getting all upset at you before. I shouldn't have blown up in your face like I did. I'm sorry."

A small smile lit up on the ten year old's face.

"Apology accepted. Now come on! We better get a move on if you wanna see that friend of yours. What was her name? May? Why is does it sound so familiar to me?" She put her hand to her chin before she started walking forward again.

Ash grasped his head as he began walking behind the little girl. He knew this was gonna be a headache. He made a mental note to stop at one of the shops and pick up some ibuprofen before he visited May.

"Are we there yet?" Melanie whined as she lazily trailed behind Ash.

Ash closed his eyes in frustration."For the umpteenth time, Melanie, no. We are not there yet."

Melanie sighed as she continued to follow Ash. "I'm so tired."

Ash felt like strangling the little magenta-headed girl. "Then go lie down."

"But then I'll lose you."

"Why are you following me anyway?"

"I told you. I wanna met this May person you're so crazy about. There's something familiar about that name but I just can't put my finger on it."

Ash stopped abruptly as he turned around to face her.

"I told you, she is just a friend."

Melanie made a rude sound. "Oh, please. She's more than just a friend. The evidence is written all over your face. You like her don't you?"

Ash paused as he felt his face heat up. "I…I don't know what you're talking about."

"C'mon, Ash. You don't have to lie. I'm a girl. We have a way of recognizing these things. It's like a sixth sense."

Ash turned away from the little girl and began walking away from her. He didn't know if it was because she was annoying him or if it was because he didn't want her to see how red his face was.

Pikachu jumped off the ground and onto on his shoulder.

"Pika?"

"I'm fine, Pikachu. Just fine."

"Don't lie to your pokémon! What's wrong with you?" Melanie said as she ran in front of Ash.

Ash said nothing but looked down at her Charmander by her side.

"Why are you keeping Charmander outside of its pokéball?"

Melanie began petting her starter on the head.

"Blaze is my companion. Being in a pokéball is no comfort to her. It wants to be by my side all the time. I'd only recall it if things got too dangerous. Isn't Pikachu the same way?"

"Nah. Well, sort off. Pikachu loves being outside here with me, but it'll never go in its pokéball under any circumstances. It hates its ball!"

"True," She began looking around.

"Where did you say we were again, Ash?"

"Petalburg Woods." He said as he continued walking.

A smile lit up on Melanie's face. "Good! That means we're only a few minutes…"

"Hours." Ash corrected.

"…away from Petalburg City. C'mon, Ash! Let's go!" Melanie began running ahead of him, her Charmander at her side.

Ash shook his head.

"These last three days have been a blast, haven't they, buddy?"

Pikachu gave his trainer a questioning look. He actually enjoyed Melanie's company. It gave him something to laugh about every time they were together, even if it was at Ash's expense.

Ash again popped some ibuprofen pills in his mouth as Melanie's excessive rattling began giving him a headache.

"Man, this girl could talk the hind legs off a Slowpoke."

"Pika…" Pikachu said in agreement.

"Is it just me, or is she getting louder the closer we get to May?"

Oblivious to his remark, Melanie kept on talking.

"I mean, I don't get it Ash. Paper cuts. I get like twenty of them a year, but I've never cut myself with a knife. I mean if they're so dangerous, don't you think I would have cut myself by now?"

"For the last time Melanie, I don't care."

"But honestly Ash, have you ever cut yourself with a knife?"

Ash began massaging his forehead. "Oh, this girl is gonna drive me insane."

"Looks like May already did that," She said with a smirk.

Ash almost charged at the little pigtailed headed girl but thought against it once he realized where he was.

Before him was the Petalburg City Pokémon Gym. The gym where young trainers in Hoenn hoped to get their fifth badge and where his secret crush had lived.

Ash began to get nervous as he stared upon the building.

Taking a deep brath, Ash gathered up all of his courage and began walking over towards the house adjoined to the gym. He was about to knock on the door when Melanie grabbed his arm and pulled him towards her. He hid behind some bushes.

"Melanie, what are you doing?" he asked slightly annoyed.

"I think I see someone."

"Melanie, I'm in the process of…"

"Shush!" Melanie said as she ran out into an open field.

A large smile lit up on her face. "Oh my gosh! I can't believe this!"

Ash stared at the little girl in confusion. When he looked up to see who Melanie was referring to, he nearly doubled over in astonishment.

He saw a girl with sapphire blue eyes and copper brown. She wore an orange zip up sleeveless jacket, with a black collar, and a matching orange skirt with pokéball insignias. She also wore black biker shorts underneath the skirt, and had on white gloves that were black at the fingertips. A green fanny pack was around her waist and an emerald green bandana was on her head.

Ash's heart swooned at the sight of his female best friend. He began to feel nervous all of a sudden and he felt his mouth go dry.

He watched as she continued to train her pokémon.

"Now, Blaziken! Use Flamethrower on Glaceon! Glaceon, intercept it with Shadow Ball!"

The blaze pokémon used her mighty legs to jump up high in the air before releasing a stream of fire toward her opponent. Glaceon remained grounded as she began charging up before releasing the dark ball of energy towards the large fire-type pokémon. The two attacks collided, creating a small explosion and a cloud of dust to form.

May was about to give her pokémon their next attack, when a loud high-pitched squeal broke her out of her concentration. She turned to see a tan skinned young boy with raven black hair and small little pigtailed girl staring at her.

She smiled when she recognized who the boy was. "Ash? Ash, is that really you?"

Ash struggled to speak. His throat felt so dry.

Finding his voice, Ash opened up his mouth to say something, but was cut off as Melanie gave another loud high-pitched squeal.

May seemed unfazed, and rushed up to give her friend a hug. She enveloped him in a tight embrace and a flabbergasted expression spread across Ash's face as felt May's chest pressed up against his torso.

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe it's really you Ash!" May said as she pulled back and looked at him.

Ash knew he had to be blushing deeply since his face was so hot. He felt Pikachu hop off his shoulder and onto May's.

"Pika Pi!" He said cheerily.

"Hey, Pikachu! I missed you," She started petting the little electrical mouse.

"He's missed you too, May."

"And I missed you, Ash," May said as she enveloped her friend in another hug, "Oh, it's so good to see you."

Ash felt his grow hot from the closeness between the two of them, but he never got a chance to respond since Melanie cut herself in.

"Oh my gosh! Y-You're May Maple! The May Maple! You won the Johto Grand Festival! You're like my idol!"

"Hey! I thought you said I was your idol?" Ash said after he freed himself of May's embrace, or rather until May let go of him.

"No. I said you were my hero. But May's my idol. I wanna be just like you when I grow up!" She said, turing her attention back to the fourteen year old female.

"Thanks for the sensitivity, Mel," Ash said as he crossed his arms. Pikachu hopped back onto his shoulder and began nuzzling his face, causing Ash to smile. He scratched his partner under his chin.

May smiled at the little girl's comment. "Well, thank you. I'm flattered. No one has really called me their idol before."

"Oh, totally! You're like my total idol and I wanna be a top Coordinator just like you!"

May flicked her hand innocently. "Oh, stop. You're making me blush."

"Which reminds me," Ash said, "Congratulations on winning the Grand Festival, May."

"Thanks, Ash. And same to you for winning the Sinnoh League."

"You know?"

"How could I not?"

"Wait a minute!" Melanie shouted, "Ash! Is this the May you were referring to before?"

Ash's smile instantly disappeared.

"What does she mean, the May you were referring to Ash?" May asked as curiosity spiked her interest.

Ash felt his face heat up once more as he continued to stare at his friend.

Melanie began to get excited. "Oh my gosh! Oh this is rich! I can't believe that you li…"

Melanie was cut off as Ash put his hand over her mouth and looked nervously at May.

"Wow, what a kid. Talking up a blue streak has always been her specialty," he said with a sweatdrop, causing his friend to raise her eyebrows in response.

"Hey, we better get a move on and tell your parents that I'm here. I'm sure Max'll be excited as well," he said as he hurriedly started heading back towards the gym.

May crossed her arms. "Oh, they'll be surprised all right. We weren't expecting you to come so soon."

May's statement gave him pause. He stopped walking and thought about what she said.

'We weren't expecting you to come so soon.'

They were expecting me? Did they already know I was coming?