Kite ran through the halls of the Spec-ops command building, his heart beating faster than a jackhammer. Hit face was covered in soot and lines of sweat cave him a menacing look. His ears we're starting to hurt from the constant screaming of the fire alarm.

Kite dashed down the corridor, dodging people who were trying to escape down the opposite direction. He was following to the best of his ability, the smoke that was starting to kill the corridor. If he could find the fire, he could hopefully help put it out and save the building from any damage.

He turned a corner and saw smoke billowing out of a room.

His room

Kite dashed inside to see a large chest was on fire. Zach was standing next to it.

"KITE!" he yelled at him.

"WHAT HAPPENED?"

"I SET YOUR UNDERWEAR ON FIRE!"

Zach quickly turned around and attempted to put the fire out….by throwing more underwear on it

Kite almost jumped out of his bed. He gasped and looked around at his surroundings. Brock and Dean we're still snoring in their own beds, while Ash's was empty. Outside, the first rays of a sunrise were beginning to illuminate the harbor and beach.

Kite sighed and thought about his dream.

"That is the last time I ever have soda before I go to sleep." He mumbled.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ash sat on the balcony railing and watched the ocean waves gently caress the sandy beach below. A gentle sea breeze wafted through the air, ruffling his black hair. The sky above him was slowly coming to life as the sun began to rise over the sea.

Ash couldn't explain why he had exactly spent the entire night tossing in turning in his bed. Around 4 in morning he decided to get up and walk to the balcony. He didn't know what was raging around his mind. He kept thinking about May, Kite, The bandana he had gotten her, Kite hugging May and the new feelings he had for May.

He sighed, a long drawn out and tiring sigh. He hated it when things got complicated. He was used to do things simple, and the only hard things that came along involved Pokémon. But that was changing thanks the Kite and May. He couldn't help thinking about May at the moment. How he had saw her lifeless body in the ocean. How he had taught her throughout her entire Pokémon journey. He remembered their countless adventures they had together, and how many times they had saved each other's lives.

He smiled at the memories, some bad, but an overwhelming amount of them were wonderful. Beside him, he saw his best friend approach him.

"Morning Pikachu"

(Author notes: Pokémon speech will now be in italics)

"Why did you wake up this early? You usually oversleep." Pikachu said while hopping up onto the railing and looking out across the ocean.

"Sorry buddy, a lot's been on my mind…"

"Your thinking about her aren't you?" Pikachu asked. The bond he had with his trainer allowed him to sometimes almost "read his mind" and tell what he was thinking. But you didn't have to read his trainers mind to tell what he was thinking about. It was almost completely obvious.

"Yeah….I am…..I don't know why all this is affecting me, but it just is." Ash said while scratching the small Pokémon's head.

"It's kind of obvious."

"What is?"

"That you like her."

"Of course, she's my best friend…" Pikachu sighed.

"No, more than a friend."

Ash blushed. But deep down, something told him this was true, ever since the night on the ship, he had viewed May in a different light. He originally thought it was because he had seen her die….but now that he thought about it…

"Ok….I do…" Pikachu almost felt like jumping up in the air, doing several back flips and then launching a volley of fireworks.

"WELL THEN TELL HER!" Pikachu yelled at his trainer. Ash looked down at the ground.

"I don't think I can…"

Pikachu face-faulted. Here was a man who would rush headlong into mortal danger with nothing but the clothes on his back and would sacrifice himself for one of his friends, yet wouldn't tell a girl he liked her more than a friend.

"And why is that?"

"I think she likes Kite…."

Just at that moment, Kite walked into the Pokémon centers main room. He looked around and saw Ash and waved. Ash almost didn't wave back, but Pikachu poked him. Kite was dressed in nothing more than a pair of swim trunks and sandals. In his hand he was carrying a large wooden staff. Smiling, he walked out of the Pokémon center and away from view. Ash turned to Pikachu who just shrugged.

"Anyways…You've known her for years Ash…Kite has only been around for a couple of days."

"But you still see the way the two of them look at each other…"

Pikachu sighed. Ash was right, May always seemed to be around Kite the most. But Kite always looked at her oddly, as if she wasn't there, but there at the same time. It was an odd look, but one that made Kite happy. Kite was still an enigma to Pikachu, for some reason every time he was around him, he felt as if the man was hiding some huge secret.

"Will that stop you from at least trying?"

"I don't know….if they like each other then I don't want to stop them…"

Pikachu and Ash both knew that was a major lie.

"Liar." Pikachu said simply.

"So what if I am, there's nothing I can do about it!"

"Just go tell her!" Pikachu pressed. He momentarily considered shocking him, but decided against it.

"No….She won't listen, I doubt she would care enough to listen in the first place to talk to me about it."

Across the world, fate sometimes decided to be fickle about the way it acted. Some might say that the universe had a sense of irony. Something was about to happen that would cause Ash Ketchum to agree.

"Hey Ash…" Ash turned around and saw May leaning on the side of the entrance to the balcony. Her hair was down and gently moving with the breeze.

I really never thought about her this way…but she is very beautiful…

"Ash?" May asked.

"Err what…?"

"You where blushing…."

"Oh…ummm sorry, what do you need May?" He asked. May walked over to him, and before Ash could do a single thing, she hugged him. Ash almost fell off the balcony while Pikachu looked on in confusion.

"Ummm…May?"

"Yes Ash?" She said while hugging him.

"Why are you hugging me?"

At any other time, May would have laughed, but this was not one of those times. May sighed and took her arms off Ash's shoulders. The older boy was blushing and giving May a weird look.

"I know what you saw from Kite's Gardevoir." She said bluntly. Ash groaned. This was the last time he would ask Kite to keep a secret. He decided to try and play it off.

"Ummm….it was nothing." That was defiantly the wrong thing to say. May's eyes started to tear up. Ash mentally slapped himself.

"No…it wasn't nothing…."

Time to go with the truth I guess

Ash got off the railing and stepped towards May, He took one of her hands and held it tightly.

"I…watched you die May….It was the most horrible experience in my life, just watching you die, and feeling like I could do nothing." Ash shuddered. "I think I realized that moment how much I cared for you that moment as a..." Pikachu held his breath "…friend…"Pikachu sighed" …but you are one of my best friends May; now I realize how precious you are…"

May was crying, but instead of sadness, they we're tears of happiness. A million dollar smile was on her face. She felt like jumping into his arms right then and there.

"Ash…I…." She started to say, but Ash had suddenly had an idea. He put a finger on her lips, silencing her. May blushed. Ash smiled and quickly ran off.

May let out a small laugh and turned to Pikachu who was watching her with a smile. She held out her hand and the electric Pokémon jumped up onto her shoulder. She smiled and scratched his head.

"Ash has really changed." She said to him. Pikachu nodded and rubbed his cheek on hers. May giggled.

Ash came running back to the balcony, carrying a small red box. He smiled and pressed it into May's hands.

"It's for you!" He exclaimed. May giggled again.

"Oh Ash what have you gone and done now." She started to unwrap the red wrapping paper, after enough was gone, she pulled the lid off the small box. She pulled out the blue piece of cloth.

"Is this…" She started to say.

"Yes"

"For me…?"

"Yes."

May let out an outrageous squeal that could have shattered glass and torn a hole in the space time continuum. But Ash didn't care, her eyes where full of happiness. And something told him that was all that mattered. May immediately examined the bandana and her eyes went to the white symbol.

"What's this?"

"According to Kiri, it's the symbol of the southlands."

"Oh cool." May looked at it for another second, then quickly put it on her head and tied it up. Ash stared at the girl in front of her. The blue bandana was in perfect contrast with her sapphire eyes.

"Well what do you think?" She said holding her head forward.

"It's beautiful on you!" Ash said impulsively. Both Ash and May's faces became hotter than Brocks spiced Magicarp fillets. May recovered first.

"Thank you." Ash looked at her smile. That was the only real 'thanks' he would need.

Pikachu looked at his trainer from May's shoulder.

"You should tell her!"

"Tell me what?" May asked. Ash and Pikachu both stared at her.

"You….can understand Pikachu?"

May scratched Pikachu's head.

"Yeah, but only a little, I guess we're really good friend." Pikachu smiled and let out an affirmative.

"So tell me what Ash?" She asked innocently. Ash felt like running away or passing out.

"I…..uhhh…..ummmm….." He tried to say.

Damn it ASH! Grow some balls and do it!

He sighed, it was time to make it or break it.

"May….I…"

Out of nowhere, Sange came running past both Ash and May and over towards the balcony railing. Before either of the two humans could say anything, Sange vomited explosively over the side.

"GROSS" Both yelled at the same time. Sange stopped throwing up and leaned on the rail. He coughed several times.

"f**king hangover…" He muttered

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Kite watched from the beach as his Lucario colored the trees below him a weird red/brown color. He couldn't help feel bad for May and Ash as they both walked away from the hung-over Pokémon. Even from a hundred yards away he could tell they were having a happy moment.

He sighed and picked up the wooden staff he was carrying and crouched down into a combat stance. His eyes scanned the surrounding area, and slowly looked over the calm ocean.

Relax

His breathing began to slow down, along with his heart beat. He closed his eyes and opened his other senses.

He felt the course sand under his feet and the gentle kiss of the wind

He listened to the ocean waves gently travel up and down the beach. The sound of the sea breeze echoed in his ears.

He smelled the tropical flowers that bloomed under the palm trees, their sweet scent putting his nerves at ease.

Begin

He slowly started moving the staff through the air, in small circles and then slowly arcing it around his body. A person watching might say he looked like he was slowly painting on a canvas that surrounded him, using the end of the staff as the brush. They wouldn't have known that it was a ritual that Kite preformed everyday for the past five years.

Expand

Kite suddenly came to a complete stop. He spun the staff in his right hand with blinding speed. He lifted up his left leg and slammed it down two feet in front of him so he was now crouching even closer to the ground. He then grabbed the staff in the middle with both his hands.

Here we go

With both his eyes still closed, he launched himself into the air, spinning the staff in almost every direction at the same time. His foot touched the ground again and he pivoted, spinning around. He adjusted his grip on the light piece of wood he was holding so it now looked as if he was using a spear. He quickly began spinning it around with a single hand, then he switched to the other. After several spins, he prepared for the final part of his daily ritual.

Blade Storm

HE regained his footing and began to rapidly spin the staff with both his hands. If anyone was watching they would have thought that he was using two short swords instead of a single long pole. But that was part of the illusion, so move so fast that it drives the opponent to thing about the situation differently. He was almost done and was prepared for the finishing move when he suddenly felt like he was being watched. He opened his eyes and saw a figure standing in the darkness of the forest behind him.

In one fluid movement, he spun around and threw the staff like a spear towards the tree that the dark figure was standing. The long sliver of wood flew through the air like a rocket. Then Kite got a look at the figure, it was Dean.

Dean neatly grabbed the staff before it hit the tree and slammed it point first into the ground.

"You're a little slow today." He said walking towards Kite. He glanced across the ocean and smiled.

"A lot's on my mind." Kite said simply, not wanting to tell Dean the thoughts about Ash, May and the mission in general. Dean was respectful enough not to press. The older man, though he considered Kite a brother because of the multiple times they had saved each other's lives, almost knew nothing of Kite's past or his mind. He was an enigma to Dean.

"I was talking to Brock, last night. Apparently they we're planning on heading on leaving towards Delta City tomorrow."

"Does he know the pass is closed this time of the year?" Kite asked.

"Yeah, but he thinks they might hunker down in one of the towns and wait it out."

"Well we're going with them anyways so it doesn't matter."

"What about Kiri?" Dean asked.

"Last time I checked she was also going to Delta City."

Dean smiled; he was the kind of person that liked to travel with a lot of friends. Sort of the opposite of Kite who preferred to travel alone. Kite looked over the ocean one last time. The sun was painting the clouds a brilliant yellow, orange and purple. This, combined with the reflection of the scene by the ocean, made it a truly beautiful sight.

Nothing like seeing natures glory before the start of a journey

He walked over and pulled the staff out of the ground.

"Come on, everyone should be up by now."