Chapter 4: An Old Face

Both Ash and May got up early for a quick breakfast before packing up and continuing to walk to their next destination.

"So May when did you catch that Mismagius of yours?" Ash asked.

"It would be a few months ago now, why do you ask?" May questioned.

"Just seems like an odd choice for you, I don't know it's just you seemed to mainly catch Pokémon that were generally considered cute." Ash shrugged.

"What I'm not allowed to change the types of Pokémon I like, or catch for that matter." May raised her voice.

"No I was just making a judgement based on your past catch's that's all." Ash recoiled.

"You know Ash you can't think everything will be the same as the time when we last travelled, people grow up you know." May said sounding irritated.

"I guess you're right." Ash spoke quietly noting how May seemed to react more aggressively now as well.

Ash noticed he was lagging behind May, so much so he couldn't even see her face he quickly jogged up to her to try and lighten the mood.

"I mean people change but I'm sure you haven't changed all that much." Ash began. "Look at me, I still have Pikachu with me, I'm still a Pokémon trainer and I still want to be the world's greatest Pokémon Master." Ash smiled.

"Well that's true for you Ash." May half smiled.

"It's also true for you." Ash placed his hand on May's shoulder. "You still compete in contests, you still love Pokémon of coarse otherwise you wouldn't be here with me and though you eat less I can tell you still love noodles." Ash smiled.

"How can you tell that?" May placed one hand on her hip.

"By the way you were staring at the boxed noodles in the shop yesterday." Ash smirked.

"Dammit you caught me." May humoured him making Ash chuckle to himself.

"And you're also still my friend." Ash smiled humbly.

May looked up at Ash surprised at the value he seemed to put behind his last sentence, looking into his eyes only reinforced his statement.

"That's really sweet Ash, you're still my friend as well." May smiled back.

Ash nodded and faced forward when he saw another trainer in the distance walking towards them on the path.

"Do you think that person will challenge you?" May asked.

"Not sure, if he knows I'm in the Kanto Elite Four he may think twice, depending how good he is." Ash weighed the possibility up in his head.

The individual drew closer and Ash started to make out his cloths and features, jeans, blue jacket and purple hair. As he walked closer Ash began to realise he had seen this person before after a while May noticed Ash's constant stare.

"What's the matter Ash?" May asked.

"I think, I think that's Paul." Ash squinted.

"Paul? Is he a trainer you know?" May looked forward.

"Yeah he was one of my rivals in Sinnoh, he was a really strong trainer who beat me a few times but in the Sinnoh League my team and I finally managed to defeat him." Ash stated proudly.

"Have you seen him since then?" May continued to probe.

"A few times but I haven't battled him since the League he always puts it off for some reason." Ash replied.

By now Ash and May had walked a lot closer and though Paul was looking through his PokeNav the entire time Ash could see it was definitely him. "Hey Paul!" Ash shouted out.

Paul's head lifted up at hearing his name, noticing two trainers approaching him almost instantly recognised Ash when he saw the raven haired trainer waving to him. He also noticed a girl beside Ash, however he didn't recognise her at all. Ash started jogging to Paul's position quickly followed by May.

"Morning Paul it's been a long time." Ash spoke when he reached him.

"Hello Ash, your right it has been a while." Paul spoke in his usual monotone voice.

May caught up and introduced herself. "Hi I'm May nice to meet you." May smiled.

"Hi I'm Paul." The purple haired trainer replied noting the good looking girl Ash was with.

"So Paul what brings you to Hoenn?" Ash asked.

"If you must know I'm looking for some new Pokémon that might be worth my time training." Paul replied sounding bored at the question.

'At least he didn't say it's 'none of my business' this time.' Ash thought to himself.

May already didn't feel a good vibe about Paul, he seemed very off putting towards Ash despite the fact that Ash was being so nice to him. She knew that her usual first impressions of people weren't always accurate so she saved her judgement, remembering her multiple mistakes with Harley.

"Well then since were both here why don't you and I finally have a battle." Ash clenched his fist excitedly.

"I don't have time to mess around with you Ash, in case you forgot I'm now head of the Battle Frontier in Sinnoh a low level trainer like you wouldn't be worth my time." Paul crossed his arms.

"Oh I remember." Ash grinned. "You don't know this because you never responded to my invite but I am now an official member of the Elite Four." Ash declared.

"You're a member of the Elite Four?" Paul sounded slightly surprised.

"That's right." Ash answered.

"Ash technically you're a backup member of the Elite Four." May corrected.

Ash slumped weakly at May's comment. "Dammit May do you have to spoil my fun." The raven haired trainer whimpered.

"Either way I'm far too busy to waste my time with you." Paul spoke as we walked past Ash.

"Hold on." May spoke up.

Paul stopped and turned around at hearing May's voice, now that she was closer he knew he'd seen her somewhere before.

"If what Ash has told me is true he's asked you plenty of times to battle and you've refused. He's a great battler and by the sounds of it so are you, as far as I'm concerned no self-respecting trainer blows off a challenge for no reason." May lectured Paul.

"Where have I seen you before?" Paul asked ignoring the girls rant.

May didn't know what to say, if see didn't know better she could have shown Paul was scanning her with his eyes. It was Ash that answered for her.

"May's a coordinator, she also won the Hoenn Grand Festival two years ago so that's probably where you know her from." Ash said proud of May's achievements.

"I doubt it, I don't follow Contests." Paul said bluntly.

"It doesn't matter about me what I'm trying to get through to you is that Ash has been very patient with you and it's only fair you should accept his challenge." May started to get irritated.

Paul rolled his eyes, in truth the fact that he couldn't recognise May was bugging him more than her speeches were. Plus there was the fact that Ash had somehow gotten together with her, Paul wasn't sure which one intrigued him more.

"Fine I'll have a quick three on three battle with you." Paul gave in thinking he'd at least have more time to remember who this brunette was.

"All right finally." Ash yelled happily. "May will you be the judge?"

"Sure I haven't had much experience but I know the basics." May stated as she moved to the side of the path.

Paul and Ash moved to their respective positions and both thought through their own strategies as they waited for May.

"This three of three battle between Ash of the Kanto Elite Four and Paul of the Sinnoh Battle Frontier will now begin, the battle will be over when all of one trainers Pokémon can no longer continue." May announced.

"Are both trainers ready?" May asked getting a nod from each. "Then begin!"

Short chapter but the next one will have a full detailed battle. Not as long as the ones I do in 'Becoming a Pokemon Master' because that would be ridiculous. Hope everyone's enjoying the story so far, any comments are welcome cheers!