Chapter 6: Different meanings
Ash and May had been walking silently for a long time, neither sure how to start a conversation after what had happened. They were both off put by what Paul had said and Ash's outburst, Ash had never purposely hit anyone in his life and regretted not being able to control himself. In the end he felt it was his obligation to speak up.
"You were right you know." Ash began, making May turn to face him. "Paul's Pokémon go through a lot for him and he doesn't seem to care about their condition on the battlefield. Heck he's always kept to himself at all times that's just who he is. I don't know I'm just trying to say, I'm sorry for a way I acted it won't happen again." Ash finished as he adjusted his hat.
May listened to everything Ash said, she didn't like Paul but she didn't agree with how Ash reacted on her behalf. She also knew if Ash didn't held her back she might have done the exact same.
"Thank you, for standing up for me I mean." May said quietly getting a quick look from Ash.
"Don't get me wrong I don't want you getting into fights because of me it's just, I don't think I've known anyone that would have done that for me." May looked up at Ash.
"Well it wasn't just for you, I had a lot of anger built up in me over the way he treats his Pokémon." Ash proclaimed. "And after what he said to you I guess it just boiled over, it's the way he puts them through so much grief and has none put on himself. If they're going through any form of suffering he should feel it along with them." Ash concluded.
The way Ash talked reminded May slightly of New Magma's leader, Fane. They both spoke with a passion in there voice that seemed to make her believe in what they were saying. Ash's point about sharing any pain with your fellow Pokémon peaked her interest.
"Ash when you say Paul should go through that sort of stuff with his Pokémon do you think that applies with everything?" May asked.
"I guess so." Ash was caught off guard. "I reckon when people or Pokémon are working together they should all bare the same amount depending on what they're doing of course." Ash summed up.
"What if one individual had to go through suffering so that it benefitted everyone else." May asked.
"Well, would they be doing it voluntarily?" Ash questioned.
"Let's say they weren't." May responded.
"No then, if a person's willing to force someone else to suffer for others then why aren't they themselves going through it." Ash spoke in a serious tone.
"People like Team Rocket put others including us through so much out of selfish desires. Because of them I don't ever ask someone to do anything that they wouldn't want to do or I wouldn't do myself, but hey people don't have to follow me by example it's just the way I am."
May hadn't heard Ash talk like this before and felt slightly overwhelmed by his selflessness. However the fact that he didn't think the same way she did also concerned her, she had to somehow make sure Ash wasn't anywhere near New Magma when they began their plan. She knew the general location of were the final operation was to be activated but not the exact site, she just hoped her and Ash were a fare distance away.
"Why do you ask May?" Ash enquired.
"No reason." May answered noticing they had arrived at the location they would be staying for the night.
"Here we are." May stated at the sight of the Pokémon Centre in the middle of the forest.
"Remember May you promised to call your parents." Ash reminded her.
"Yeah that's right, once we have our Pokémon checked I'll get right on it." May affirmed getting a nod from Ash.
As the two entered the remote centre that doubled as a small hotel Ash gave Pikachu and his five Pokeballs to Nurse Joy and May gave her five making sure to keep the sixth hidden.
Immediately after Ash walked May to the video phones were she called her parents at the gym.
"May, and Ash it's so good to see you." Caroline gasped when her daughter and Ash appeared on screen.
"I told you I'd find her." Ash smiled.
"Thanks so much Ash." Caroline said as Norman walked in to view.
"Hello you two, got to admit that was rather fast." Norman retorted.
"Hi dad." May gave a small smile.
Norman nodded and then turned to Ash. "I know this is a bit rude Ash but if it's all right do you mind if May, Caroline and I have a family discussion, alone." Norman asked the young man.
"That's fine, I'll go get my Pokémon and train for a while." Ash replied not wanting to intrude.
Norman and Carline thanked Ash who then left May to talk with them.
After waiting patiently for his Pokeballs to be returned to him Ash went to the battlefield outside noting that the discussion May was having didn't seem to get her angry, he barely heard her from across the room which put him at ease.
After his battle with Paul Ash trained with Charizard, Sceptile and Pikachu and before he knew it a few hours had passed. Ending his training session Ash wondered if May had booked in their rooms for tonight, he also wondered where she had gone. It didn't take long for him to find out as May had been watching him train for a while from the centre's balcony. The two friends smiled when they saw each other and Ash walked to her from the battlefield with Pikachu on his shoulder.
"I forgot to book us a room tonight." Ash began.
"That's fine I took care of it." May leant on the railing.
"Thanks for that, how did your talk with your folks go?" Ash enquired.
"Really well, you were right I got them all worried about me but I think they understand I need my space so we're all seeing eye to eye now." May explained.
"That's really good to hear." Ash felt delighted to help.
"Also I forgot to tell you that the reason we are staying here is because it's close to where I'm doing a photo shoot tonight." May gave Ash the details.
"Really, can I come along if that's not too weird?" Ash asked bashfully.
"Sorry Ash but they don't allow anyone not involved to come, sorry." May apologised.
"That's alright I guess." Ash sighed noticing the sun was now getting low. "You want to get something to eat?"
"I've got to go now Ash." May revealed.
"Ok well good luck then." Ash said wishing he knew about this earlier.
May waved to him and made her way to the front of the Pokémon centre and after checking no one could see her ran into the forest out of sight. After making double sure no one was around May released her team of Blaziken, Glaceon, Beautifly, Delcatty and Mismagius.
"Listen up as I'm sure your all aware Ash is travelling with us now and I've been tasked to watch over him in case he intervenes." May got a nod from all her Pokémon.
"However if he does get involved and I'm not able to restrain him I will require all of your help to subdue him, I want all of you to be ready for that." May spoke firmly.
All her Pokémon nodded, they were all fully aware of May's plan and involvement with New Magma and had gone through most of the training with her, May was glad they all knew the stacks. See returned all of them to their Pokeballs and they released her sixth alone as it didn't get along with the others, even May felt at odds sometimes being around it. The large Pokémon breathed deeply as she petted it neck.
"I don't need to tell you not to hold back do I." She whispered.
With a grunt of approval May hopped on its back and the two flew off to May's next mission, to walk would have taken a few hours but by air she could be at the target police station much quicker and still have her energy. It was time to get to work.
May had landed a kilometre away from the station and walked the rest of the way. Upon making visual contact May still had some time to burn as the sun was still up though it wouldn't be long now. As see rested May's thoughts kept going back to the battle Ash had fought that day. He was far stronger now compared to the last time she saw him fight, figuring out a strategy wasn't usually hard for her but she kept reminding herself that she was effectively going to fight an Elite Four member. In that regards she didn't know if any thought up plan was going to be effective, she was a top coordinator but even the best coordinators struggled against trainers of Ash's calibre.
Her planning and worrying did help pass the time as night had taken over and now she was ready to infiltrate.
From what she had seen the station's security was fairly relaxed being in a remote town but she still took every precaution as she leapt over the fence and rushed to the nearest entry point, another ventilation system. Being a small building she wouldn't have to navigate a long network like the Devon Corp building but it had one narrow section that she couldn't avoid. As she reached it May knew she'd have to slide on her back to get through, thought the actual slim section was only a metre long. She pushed her legs under and then glided her hips through followed by her stomach only narrowly fitting. What troubled her though were her breasts which didn't quite fit, May sighed as she was forced to compress them as best she could and pull her body through the small space. As she pulled herself free May breathed a sigh of relief.
"Glad no one was around to see that." She thought to herself.
May remembered always being well developed even as a child, as she had grown her features had become even more pronounced. May remembered in her training a female trainer said she should 'Use her assets' she knew in some situation she could indeed do that but not when operating in tight spaces. May finally made it to the stations computer room, she did exactly the same as she did at the Devon Corp, disable the cameras, upload the virus, check for more intel and then got out of there. No one noticed her go in and no one noticed her go out, she was completely invisible. She moved far enough away got back on her secret Pokémon and flew back to the Pokémon centre where Ash and herself were staying at. May landed a fair distance away so nobody would see her and after changing into her normal clothes walked the rest of the way. As she entered the centre May couldn't see Ash anywhere, figuring he had gone to his room May walked to her own. May and Ash's room were beside each other's and though she didn't want to disturb him May knocked on his door to see if he was indeed there.
May only had to wait a few seconds before Ash opened the door appearing to be sweating and wearing a tight white training shirt.
"Hey your back, how was the photo shoot?" Ash asked happy to see her.
"It went well." May answered simply, noticing Ash was breathing heavily.
"Ash why do look so out of breath?" May asked
"I've just been doing my exercises, I mean I can't have my Pokémon train hard and have me just sit around." Ash explained. "Besides the Pokémon League wants its members to stay fit."
May noticed some of the muscles on Ash's body, not realising his fitness was partly a job requirement.
"I didn't know the League wanted its members to train that much." May responded.
"You'd be surprised what the league has us do." Ash wiped his forehead. "By the way why did you get us separate rooms? Wouldn't it have been cheaper to get one with two beds?" Ash asked.
"I just didn't want to disturb you was all." The brunette told Ash.
"Come on May you wouldn't disturb me, even if you had a photo shoot in the room itself." Ash grinned.
"I'm beginning to think you want to see me posing in front of camera." May joked.
"Only if it's a swimsuit shoot." Ash chuckled.
May pushed him lightly in the chest "Ash!" She laughed.
"I think all that exercise has numbed your brain." She taunted.
"You might be right." Ash laughed making May laugh along with him.
"Good night Ash." May said before walking to her door.
"Goodnight May." Ash waited till May was in her room before he shut his door, turning around to see Pikachu with his arms crossed and a knowing look on his face.
"What, what's that look for?" Ash crossed his own arms.
Pikachu motioned his head to May's room and raised his eyebrow in a cocky matter.
"Come on that was just a bit of fun between friends, nothing like you seem to think it is." Ash assured Pikachu who just shrugged and laid down beside the bed.
"Alright I'll have a shower and then get into bed, see you soon." Ash addressed his starter who already was starting to sleep.
As Ash walked to the centre's showers he remembered he found out about an important location nearby and he was going to surprise May with it tomorrow.