Chapter 23 - You MAY get lost
Trying to reach the Waterfall which is supposed to take Ash, Serena, May and Dawn up to the third cave, they were facing hard times within the cave, cold and darkness. However thanks to Serena and Delphox stick, both problems were easily solved, but still something didn't seem right…
"Isn't something wrong here?" asked May
"So… you've noticed as well" asked Ash
"What?" asked Dawn
"Don't you see?" said May "We've been walking into this cave for almost 20 minutes now"
"So?" asked Serena
"The waterfall noise… doesn't get louder" May said
"It means we are not getting close to it" completed Ash
"Now that you've said it…" said Serena "It's true"
"And it doesn't matter how much we walk…" Ash said "It seems we are not going anywhere"
"Like we're not moving?" asked Serena
"Exactly" Ash said
"Does that mean we're lost?" asked Serena
"Yes and No" Ash said
"What do you mean?" asked Dawn
"We are lost… but because of some kind of…" Ash started
"…Trap" May finished
"Yes… I think we fell into some kind of trap that are making us going nowhere" Ash said
"But who set this trap?" asked Serena "Obviously it wasn't Team Tenebris"
"Maybe… Lance or the Dragons themselves… I don't know" Ash answered
"But… are we going to be lost forever?" asked Dawn
"As all types of Traps… there is always a way out" Ash said "We just have to solve it"
Ash who was leading the way suddenly stopped, making all the girls hit each other and fell into the ground
"Ash… Why did you stop?" asked May
Ash didn't answer her; he just put his finger in front of his lip to show them to be quiet for a moment
"There's a different noise now" said Ash "Do you hear it?"
May, Serena and Dawn forced their ears to try to hear something…
"It seems like a weeping" said May
"It's not a weeping… it's more like a moan" Ash said
Ash stared at the dark bottom of the cave, nothing could be seen, but for the first time the noise they heard grew louder
"It's getting close" said Ash
May stepped ahead and lined with Ash to try to hear the alleged moan that was emanating from the cave
"What's that?" asked May pointing to the end of the cave where a small light could be seen
"Maybe… a lamp?" asked Ash
"It's getting bigger" said Serena
"It's getting closer" said Dawn
"It's getting warmer" said May
"GET DOWN" shouted Ash to the girls as the light that was actually a flamethrower came to them
If it were not for Ash's warning, they would all have been burned to a crisp at this time
"Delphox, return" shouted Serena still on the ground to protect her Pokémon
"DON'T MOVE A MUSCLE" shouted Ash as the flamethrower was still passing over them
When Ash thought the flamethrower would never stop blasting… it did. Everything then calmed down, although Ash wasn't sure if it was safe to get up yet
"Keep down you three" said Ash to May who was next to him and Serena and Dawn who were behind him
Ash tried to slowly got up, ready to get down again in case the flamethrower blasted again, but as he started moving, the ground where he and May were started to crack due to Ash's movements and the sudden change of temperature, making Ash and May to fall into a hole that took place under them
"ASH!" shouted Serena trying to get up as well
"DON'T SERENA" shouted Dawn holding her arm not letting her get up "If you get up we may fell down too"
"But… Ash" she said to Dawn
"I know… I know" said Dawn starting to cry "But… we just can't risk now"
Ash and May fell into the hole that soon narrowed itself and turning into a tunnel. Ash who was behind May, grabbed her arms, pulling her close in a hug to protect her from an alleged hit or a harder fall that could hurt them.
"May, hold on" said Ash hugging her
They fell down for another five seconds until Ash felt the ground hitting his back, luckily for them, they were in contact with the floor all the time, which did not make the impact to be strong enough to hurt him for real, though it was visible to it that the fall had provided him some scratches and cuts. May on the other hand, who was all the time protected by Ash's body landed on top of him, and unlike Ash, she had no serious injury
"Ash" May said getting off of him "Are you okay?"
"I guess so" said Ash "Some scratches and cuts but nothing to worry about May"
"You're bleeding" said May pointing to his legs and arms "I'm sorry Ash"
"Why are you apologizing May?" Ash said "It's not your fault the ground fell down"
"But you got hurt because you tried to protect me" May said
"So?" Ash said smiling "You know I will always protect you May"
May blushed; it was not the most appropriate time for her to have a moment with Ash
"Ash… what are we going to do now?" May asked
"I don't know… I can't see a damn thing here" said Ash
"What if I call Blaziken? said May getting Blaziken's poke ball out of her pocket
"Not a good idea" said Ash "We don't know how this floor is going to react with more weight on it"
"You're right" said May "Hey, I just remembered I have a flashlight in my backpack"
May took her flashlight and used to light the cave
"Do you think we can climb back up?" asked May
"I don't think so either" said Ash "Humidity makes the ground very slippery"
"Right" said May "So… what do we do?"
"Let's just hope Serena and Dawn can get us out here…somehow" Ash said
"Wait a minute" said May taking a poke ball out of her pocket and releasing…
"Beautifly!" said Ash "Great idea May"
"Thanks Ash" May answered "Beautifly can fly back to Serena and Dawn and we don't have to worry about her weight"
"May… Please! Can you point the flashlight that way?" asked Ash pointing May the direction he wanted her to light
May pointed the flashlight where Ash asked and another tunnel appeared in front of them
"Maybe that's a way out" said Ash
"Maybe…" said May "Should I send Beautifly anyway?"
"Yes" Ash said "Apparently this tunnel goes in the same direction we were up there. So if both we and they up there keep going ahead… we may find each other at the Waterfall"
"Got it" said May
"Let's write a note and give Beautifly to deliver them" said Ash
"But Ash… what about the trap we fell into?" May asked "The never ending path and the Flamethrower?"
"I'm starting thinking there are no traps… just some Pokémon who is trying to protect the Temple"
"But if this is true… aren't Serena and Dawn keep going nowhere?" asked May
"I don't think so… something tells me that if it is really a Pokémon… he is coming after me" Ash said "And if it's true… Serena and Dawn will be able to reach the waterfall"
DAWN AND SERENA
"Okay Serena" said Dawn "I think now that the heat is gone, we can try to slowly get up"
"Right" answered Serena "You go first"
"Why me?" asked Dawn
"Because it was your idea" answered Serena
"Fine" Dawn said starting to get up "See? It wasn't that difficult. Your turn"
Serena also started to get up, and slowly she did it successfully
"Should we go after them?" asked Serena looking at the hole on the floor in front of them
"I don't know for how long they fell down" Dawn said
"ASH! MAY!" shouted Serena "CAN YOU HEAR ME?"
Nobody responded
"I guess that's a no then" said Dawn
"We could try to use our Pokémon… but I fear the floor might crack again if we try" said Serena
"Are you listening to this?" asked Dawn
"What?" asked Serena
"It looks like flapping wings" said Dawn
Dawn and Serena looked down the hole and among the darkness they saw something coming into their direction
"It's Beautifly" said Dawn
"May must have sent her" said Serena as Beautifly reached them
"What is on her paw?" asked Dawn
"It seems a message" said Serena taking off the piece of paper that was tied to Beautifly's paw
"What is written?" asked Dawn
"Ash is asking us to keep going forward to the waterfall and that we don't need to worry about the Traps anymore" said Serena
"Where are they?" asked Dawn "Are they fine?"
"Yes" answered Serena "It seems they are making their way to the waterfall but from bellow us"
"Well... Let's get going then" said Dawn
ASH AND MAY
"Ash" said May "What kind of Pokémon you think is doing this?"
"I don't know" said Ash "Lance never told me there was Pokémon protecting the Temple"
"What if is not protecting… but testing you instead?"
Ash stopped walking and looked at May
"Testing?" Ash asked confusedly "What do you mean?"
"It's the first time you're going to enter the Temple as Dragon Master" said May "Even though Lance chose you… The Temple and the Dragons themselves may need a proof you are really worth of it"
"I… never thought of it" Ash said "Maybe they think I can't do it"
"Oh no… no ash… that's not what I meant" said May regretting her words "I'm sorry Ash. Of course you are worth of it"
"You think?" Ash asked "I mean, since I became a Dragon Master… I already got kidnapped by a criminal organization and then I lost my master"
"It wasn't your fault" said May "You did your best to avoid it"
"I guess" said Ash "It's just that… never mind"
"What?" asked May "Ash you can tell me anything you want"
"I think they I am having doubts" said Ash "About being the Dragon Master"
"You… don't want to be the Dragon Master anymore?" May asked
"I don't know May. But if the Temple and the Dragons are setting this up… is because they feel my doubts" said Ash "That's why they are testing me?"
May noticed ash's sadness by his words and once more regretted to have bring that up
"Look May" said Ash "Right over there"
May looked forward and finally saw what they've been looking for
"The waterfall" said May smiling "We did it"
"And look!" said Ash pointing above them "There's a level up. It's probably from there Dawn and Serena are coming"
"What do we do now?" asked May
"I'm a little tired… let's wait for them to arrive" said Ash
Ash and May sat on a rock by the lake where the waterfall ended. Ash wasn't speaking and May was feeling down for had talked about all that stuff before. She was ashamed of talking with him again, but she wanted to… maybe… it was time
"Ash" May said
"Yes" he answered
"Are you mad at me?" she asked
Ash looked at her and smiled
"Of course not May" he said "And I apologize if I made you think that I was"
May also smiled and grabbed his hand and put on her chest
"Do you remember when I showed you how fast my heart beats when I'm with you?" May asked blushing
"I do" he answered "And it's beating fast again now"
"And… do you know why I feel this way when you're around?" she asked
"I think I do… but you know I'm very slow and dense don't you?" he asked back
"I surely do" she said smiling
"So… if what I'm thinking is right…" he said "give me a sign"
May sat closer to him, put her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. She knew she had just broken her promise to Dawn and Serena, but to finally have Ash's lips on hers, to feel the tasty of them and to finally let him know about her feelings after so many years… It made all worthwhile. Their kiss lasted almost a minute and May enjoyed every second of it but it when Ash started to stroking her hair that May felt as happy as never. After they broke the kiss, May looked into Ash's eyes and hugged him
"I love you" she whispered on his ear
"I… I…" started Ash
"Don't" May said "Just let me have this moment"
Ash obeyed her and they both continued to hug each other for almost five minutes when they heard steps getting closer to them
They looked up and saw Dawn and Serena appear on the high level, looking for them
"We're down here" said Ash
Serena and Dawn looked down and saw Ash and May sitting together
"Hey guys" said Dawn "We're coming down"
"No!" Ash said "Stay there, we're going up"
"How?" May asked "There are no stairs here"
"The ground here seems more resistant" He said "I don't think we'll have a problem if we use a Pokémon"
As Ash said it he took a Poke ball and threw it
"GO! CHARIZARD" he shouted as his Pokémon left its Poke ball "Charizard, take us to the higher level with Dawn and Serena"
Charizard bent down so Ash and May could easily ride on him and started flying upwards
When they reached Serena and Dawn, May quickly came down from Charizard, but as soon as she came down, that moan that they had heard earlier came echoing through the cave once more.
"That moan again" said Ash
"LOOK" shouted Serena pointing behind Ash
Ash and Charizard turned around and saw something glowing… it looked like a Pokémon… but it wasn't, it was flying and looked angrily with their presence on the cave
"What is that?" asked Dawn
Ash just kept looking at it… there were no answers to what was that but one
"It's a ghost" he said "A Dragon Ghost"