I do not own Pokemon.

Chapter 3: Knots and Strings

"Really? May's coming here?" Brock said, his voice one of a mix of happiness and confusion. His hair was wet, and he still had a bit of lather on his ear. "But...why? I thought she was staying in Johto?"

"She wouldn't say over the phone." Ash said. His eyes met the floor. He had been in a great hurry to finish his shower, and thus still looked like a thing out of the wilderness. "All she said was that she was coming. She wanted to tell me in person, she said. I'm not sure what happened to her, but she sounded like she was really...down."

"Wait a minute, slow down." Dawn interrupted. She, however, was completely spotless. Her hair was dripping wet, however, and she had no time to prepare a style. Ash had been in a great hurry to announce this. "May? Who is May?"

"I suppose we never did tell her about May." Brock said, smiling. Fond memories of their journey together were flooding his mind. Memories of triumph, defeat, and the supernatural. May was a very sweet little girl.

"I guess we didn't." Ash said. "I supposed that traveling with Dawn felt as natural as it had traveling with May, so we never really brought it up. Sorry about that." He turned to Dawn.

Dawn shook her head. "Maybe I'll understand better if you just tell me."

And so it began. Ash and Brock recounted their finest memories of their journey for the past two years. Ash continually brought up May and her contests during their trip. The Grand Festival in Hoenn, the Kanto Grand Festival, her battles with Harley, Drew, and Solidad were all the subjects that Ash spoke of. Ash seemed to place particular emphasis on how impressive she was. Dawn observed this, and made a mental note of it. She had no idea what May looked like, but Ash seemed to call her impressive. Ash was smiling warmly at his own memories. So warmly, Dawn thought she saw a little bit of red on his cheeks. She began to giggle inwardly at the thoughts racing through her head. She found herself grinning at Ash. Ash gave her a bewildered stare at first, but then simply decided that she was imagining pleasant scenes of them and May. Suddenly, Dawn's own memory gave her a jar that almost made her flinch.

"Wait a minute...I think I might know who you're talking about." She said suddenly.

"Huh? Really?" Ash said, giving her yet another bewildered look.

"Yeah...her full name wouldn't be May Maple, would it?" Dawn asked.

"Yes...that's her full name." Ash affirmed.

"I knew it! Yes, I kinda do know who you're talking about. I've seen her a couple of times on TV. She's one reason I started this journey in the first place."

"You serious?" Ash asked, eyes opened wide.

"Of course!" Dawn replied energetically. "She set the bar for young coordinators like me to go out and compete with the best! It was after watching her Grand Festival appearances that really made me want to travel and become a top coordinator."

"Interesting, Ash. Who knew that May was such an inspiration?" Brock said, smiling broadly.

"I guess," said Ash, naturally a little unsure of what to make of it. "But I think it's kinda cool. "

"Um, hello, sorry to interrupt..." A Nurse Joy spoke, popping their thoughts and memories. Brock immediately sat up.

"But your Pokemon are now all healed and ready." she said, holding several Pokeballs.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu came scrambling around the corner and scampered to Ash's shoulder. Ash gave a chuckle. "Pikachu! So, how are you feeling now, little buddy?"

"Pika!" Pikachu gave an assuring thumbs-up.

There was a movement next to Ash, and Ash turned to find Brock was no longer beside him.

"Oh yes...Nurse Joy...such an appropriate name!" Brock said, cradling Joy's hands in his own. "Your face brings Joy to me! Now that I feel better and less sore, maybe I can take you to a fancy place for dinner, and we can bring Joy to each other...ACK!"

A creature bearing an odd resemblance to a tropical frog had jammed a hand into Brock's side. Brock immediately went stiff, while the frog dragged him back into his room.

"I'm...not...Joyful...now..." He said, as he disappeared around the door.

Nurse Joy smiled nervously, then handed Ash and Dawn their respective Pokeballs. After she left, Dawn looked at Ash and giggled again. Ash scratched his head.

"Soooo, Ash...what do YOU think of May's return?" Dawn smiled, eyes narrowing slightly. Pikachu watched her, scratching his ears.

Ash stared at his shoes. "I'm happy that she's coming I guess, but...I don't know. Something feels off. It's not like her to just give up like that. I'm worried, I guess, that something really bad happened to her."

Pikachu's ears drooped. Dawn frowned. "Ash, if she's down, then you're the one who's gotta cheer her up." She had planned on teasing him, but Ash seemed in no mood for it.

"Y-yeah..."

May paced up and down. It had been two days since Ash had called her. She was happy that Ash had finally called her and told her where they were. After Eevee healed, she would somehow make her way into Sinnoh. Ash was dominating the images in her mind. They had traveled together for two years, and Ash had been her biggest supporter during that time. He's always been there to help me out...Ash, please help me... She thought again of Raolin. Her happy feelings crept away.

Utterly worthless. Small. Weak. Powerless.

"He's right..."

Go back to your Petalburg City. Go back and suck on your thumb like the good little baby that you are...

"No..."

I will be part of a new contest scene. one that values REAL skill.

The tears began to flow again. Nearby, the Nurse Joy walked over to her and put her hand on May's shoulder.

"You know, Eevee may not be able to walk right now, but we can still transport it wherever you like."

"Really? You can?" May replied, wiping away a tear.

"Sure! It's no trouble at all!" Nurse Joy put on a large, genuine smile. May, suddenly feeling a bit silly for crying as she was, tried to smile back. Presently, a picture of her father began to form in her head. He knows Normal types...Maybe he can care for Eevee.

"Can you...send Eevee...to Petalburg City for me?" She asked. "I'd like to send it back home to my dad."

"All right, I'll arrange it. So, who is your father?"

"Norman, the gym leader."

"I see..." Nurse Joy looked impressed. May smiled weakly at her. "Well, Don't worry, May. Eevee will be able to see contests again. Just...not for a while."

May stared at the floor, away from Nurse Joy. "Thank you. Thank you very much."

"Anytime, May."

May smiled. One burden was lifted off her shoulders, but now came another. Now she needed to get to the center in Sinnoh. Ash had promised not to go anywhere for a while to wait for her, and to leave some sort of message if he did need to move on. Which he will eventually...She grabbed her stuff, her travel supplies and backpack with her clothing, found a few maps near the waiting room, sat at a table and studied them.

"Ok, I'm in Violet City, and he's here. Wow...he really is in the middle of nowhere...The closest town is...Hearthome City, they're at the base of a big mountain, but they're a long ways yet from the city. Ohhhh...This is confusing..."

"Pardon me." The voice of an old man spoke. May started, and turned to him. "Sorry," he said. "Didn't mean to startle you. You look like you're lost."

The old man was rather tall, and had a thick grey beard that covered most of his features. He was leaning and looking at the maps that May had laid out on the table.

"Yes, well...I kind of am." She said. "See, I need to get to a friend, but I have no idea how to get to him. He's...in a hard to find place."

"Hmm, well, if that's all, then my Abra can help you." He said.

"What?" Her eyes grew wide with hope. "Really?"

"Yes, really."The old man said. "All you need to do is think of his name, and picture his face in your mind. Abra's special. He can teleport you anywhere in the world, so long as it is where a friend or loved one is."

"Oh, thank you so much! I mean, if it's not too much trouble..." Thoughts of Raolin completely fled her mind, and thoughts of Ash were suddenly dominant again.

"No trouble at all." He said, pulling out a Pokeball. "Come Abra, this young woman needs our help."

The creature was feline in appearance, but had a roughly humanoid shape. It snored slightly in sleep. May pulled out a little red electronic device, her Pokedex, to check the entry.

ABRA: THE PSYCHIC POKEMON. ABRA SLEEPS FOR OVER EIGHTEEN HOURS A DAY. HOWEVER, IT CAN COMMUNICATE AND TELEPORT EVEN WHILE ASLEEP.

May began to grow excited. "So...how do I get him to teleport."

"Simple. Just take his hand."

Abra stood up. May, grabbing her things, walked over and grabbed the creature's plated hand.

"Now, picture the person you want to meet in your mind."

May blushed. "I'm...way ahead of you." The old man smiled.

"Ok Abra. Teleport!"

Ash sat by the door outside his room. He was fidgeting nervously. He knew that May was coming, but was deciding on whether he should move on or not. Brock, knowing what was on his friend's mind, spoke up.

"Hey Ash. I have an idea. How about we go somewhere that's easier to find? Hearthome City, for example."

"Yeah, but I promised May I'd stay here." Ash replied, obviously struggling hard with it. Ash was ever one to keep his word, no matter what the circumstances. But, May would have an easier time finding us in a city rather than in the middle of the woods.

"Well," Dawn said, coming out of her room suddenly, and interrupting his thoughts. "Either way, I wish you two would stop all your fidgeting. You're making me nervous now."

Ash stood up suddenly.

"All right. Let's go on to Hearthome. I'll go and...give May a call." Ash began to walk over to the video phones. A bright flash of light stopped him in his tracks. When he regained his eyesight, he found himself staring into the aquamarine eyes of none other than May Maple, not but a few inches away from her. Unable to form a coherent sentence, he stared, blushing at their closeness. May's eyes began to tear slightly, and she came forward, catching him in an embrace. Ash went even redder.

"Ash, you have no idea how happy it makes me...to see you right now."