Chapter 4

"PikaCHUUUUUU!"

"WAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"Jeez Ash, you're lucky to have Pikachu you know..." May stated, poking Ash in the face.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed and jumped into May's arm. Ash, upon recovered from the electrifying wake up, finally managed to drag himself out of bed.

"Hahaha! Stop Pikachu! That tickles!"

Ash rubbed his eyes to see clearly. Beside him was May, apparently tickling Pikachu back. Both of them were having so much fun that they forgot about Ash. Ash smiles as it remind him of Pikachu and himself.

Pikachu is now almost as close to May as he is to Ash, though Ash is still his best buddy. But when Ash is busy with the other pokémon, Pikachu will find May for company.

"Awww... Are you jealous of us?" May teases Ash, as she noticed him looking at them quietly.

"Nope! Come on, Pikachu is still MY best buddy. And I'll always be his, right?"

"Pika!" Pikachu jumped to Ash and began nuzzling his cheeks.

"Haha fine! I've got my own pokémons too!"

"Hey, where's Brock and Max?" Ash asked, he hadn't even notice that they weren't around until now.

"Oh, Brock went to help Nurse Joy for who-knows-what; Max went to the bathroom."

"Oh okay. Well I'll go wash up first!" grabbing his toothbrush, Ash exited the room in a sprint with Pikachu chasing after him.

'Why is he in such a hurry? It was so nice to just have the two of us together, yet he has to end it so quickly...' May thought. She sighed and lied back down on the bed, thinking about the times they spent together. 'Oh Ash, when will you realize, that I'm crushing on you...'

"HEY MAY!"

"Ahhh! ASH!" May, who was unprepared for Ash's booming entrance, totally jumped up and screamed her lungs out.

"Oh sorry! I didn't think I was that loud." Ash chuckled, scratching the back of his neck apologetically.

"Never mind... How come you're so fast?"

"Why not? I only need to brush my teeth and wash my face. Come on I'm not like you. You girls take so long in the bathroom!" Ash stated merely. He knew girls want to look pretty, but he just couldn't understand how they would take so long yet look the same as before anyway.

"Well excuse me, Ash. I don't wanna argue about this already! Jeez even Drew uses some facial wash to look good, unlike you!" May taunted.

"Yeah but I look as fine anyway!"

"You think so?" May taunted again, this time looking straight into his eyes.

"Yes I think so!" Ash stated, looking her straight into the eyes as well.

"Yeah right! You..." May tried to look for something in Ash to point it out to him, but realizes that there is just nothing to point out.

'His face is fine, not a single pimple. His hair may be messy, but it's cute in a way. He already has this nice warmth feeling around him though he doesn't put on deodorant. His naturally arched eyebrow, his mesmerizing hazel eyes, his tasteful lips, his beautiful smile...'

"May? Are you alright? You're all flustered." Ash asked, waving his hand in front of May.

"I...I'm fine."

"Really, you've been acting so weird ever since we started travelling. You're not ill, are you?"

May sweat dropped and shook her head. 'If he's so dense, I might as well make it even more obvious...'

"I was trying to look for something in you that is bad, and then I realized that you were wrong..."

"Oh really," Ash replied, obviously not happy about her comment, "Do I look bad to you?"

"Huh? No that's not what I meant!"

"Then what do you mean?"

"I mean... you don't look fine at all..." to which Ash's eyebrow twitch a little, he looked at May seriously.

"You look great, Ash. You really do. Too bad you don't seem to be aware of that." May said, watching Ash's reaction.

The seriousness was gone in a flash. Ash widens his eyes a little and smiled.

"Wow, you mean it?"

"Of course I do! I won't joke about things like that. I really mean it!" May said sincerely. Now she was hoping Ash didn't think that she was making a fool out of him, because she really meant it. To her relief Ash didn't seem to be reluctant at all.

"Well thanks... Actually you look great too; you don't even need to spend so long in the bathroom! You look pretty even when you just woke up!"

"Really?" May didn't expect Ash to actually return the compliment.

"Yup, I mean it too."

"Wow, thanks Ash," May said, feeling her face burning up, "BUT, I'm still a girl! A girl will always have to take care of her looks and make sure her face isn't ruined!"

"Oh boy, sound so much like Dawn. Though Dawn is worse..." Ash muttered under his breath.

"What did you say?" May asked, thinking he was badmouthing her.

"Nothing! You girls are all the same! That's all!" Ash quickly replied, not wanting to find trouble for himself.

"Of course! Now come on, let's get the others and we can have breakfast!"

"Great idea! Let's go!" Ash exclaimed, pulling May by the hand.

May didn't even blush this time. She was too busy recalling how Ash complimented her earlier on.

' "You look great too! ...You look pretty even when you just woke up!" Awww, that's so sweet! Wait a minute... Does he stare at me when I just woke up? Hmm, it's so lovely that he thinks I still look pretty! Oh my god, calm down May, calm down! You don't want others catch you blushing like that...'

While busy cooling herself down, Brock and Max had already came to join for breakfast. The trio and their pokémons ate and chatted happily, none of them aware that something bad awaits them...