Chapter 15: Rediscovery

May wiped away the single tear from her face and took a deep breath, she was still a professional agent and she had to act it.

"Ok enough crying, it's time to get on with the job." May told herself as she stood up and clicked her phone shut. She didn't know if Ash was still asleep but she did when a knock came at the door.

"May are you alright in there?" Ash's voice came from the other room.

"Yes I'm fine, you can come in if you like." May responded. Ash opened the door now wearing his clothes, he then entered with Pikachu who jumped up onto the bed.

"So what was your phone call about?" Ash asked.

May quickly thought up an excuse. "That was my boss, um all my modelling shots have been delayed so were free from now on." May replied with a smile.

"Really? Is it because of your injuries?" Ash asked.

"No it's not about any of that they've just had some problems on their end is all." May responded.

"If you say so." Ash shrugged his shoulders.

"So I'm leaving it up to you, where do you want to go next." May asked her voice sounding more uplifted.

"I don't know I'll have to think about it." Ash said as he rested his chin in his hand thinking.

"Well were in no rush so you can take your time." May lightly clapped her hands together.

"Alright then I'll have a look on the map." Ash pointed to his desk. "One thing May why are you in my jacket?"

"Oh I just got a bit cold while I was on the phone sorry." May apologised as she pulled the fabric down her leg feeling slightly exposed.

"It's alright, you look really cute in it." Ash complemented the brunette.

"Thank you Ash." May blushed slightly her worries about New Magma seeming to have disappeared when Ash entered the room. "I'll go have a shower if that's alright."

"Don't let me stop you." Ash offered her the door to her room.

May smiled warmly and walked to the door realising that they hadn't talked about everything that had happened last night, what it meant for them, how it affected them and what was going to happen from now on.

"May wait up." Ash spoke making her turn in the doorway. "Mind if I have my jacket?"

"Right sorry." May chuckled lightly.

She still had some reservations of Ash seeing her just in her underwear. But he had seen her naked all last night so really it wasn't that big a deal. As she handed the jacket over Ash moved one hand up to the side of her face and carefully moved a few loose strands of hair back under her bandana. May looked away nervously but when Ash's hand moved to the back of her head she locked eyes with him again. She could tell what he wanted and as he moved his head closer to her own she didn't stop him, she merely closed her eyes and waited.

Ash pulled May into a delicate kiss, not the intense ones that they had become accustom to from last night. It was a soft slow embrace one where their lips barely touched but it had May's heart beating faster. Ash pressed forward slightly keeping the slow tempo but adding slightly more passion. May slowly moved her hand up to grab Ash's shoulder when he pulled away, his brown eyes staring into her blue ones and her hand suspended in the air waiting for his next move.

"I'll see you soon." Ash smiled before pulling his hand away and walking back to his room.

May stood there almost in a daze, as if she had lost something with Ash's departure. He made her feel warm, needed, complete even. Was she falling in love with him? No, she had thought she found love in someone else, and that turned out to be false.

May gathered up a change of clothes and got in the shower, the only thing breaking her thoughts on Ash's kiss was the way she acted last night. She had behaved so desperately during her entire exploit with Ash last night. She had never been so wild and needy before as if she was deprived of something, whether it be sex or food or anything. Her actions puzzled her, this went beyond having natural urges there was another factor at play here.

Upon finishing her shower May got dressed and pulled a box out of the bin that had contained the healing drug she used yesterday, she had a feeling it held the answers. She slowly read the back until she found the small print on the bottom detailing side effects.

'Side effects may include drowsiness, fatigue, hunger, vomiting, temporary blindness and in rare cases increased sex drive.'

"Dammit." May hissed. "Guess I'm one of those rare cases."

"But what does this mean? It explains why I came onto him but did it effect how I felt?" May's thoughts began to tumble in her head.

She remembered what she felt, the rush, the lust, the heat between the two of them but was it brought on by the drug's effects? It was this question that had her more mixed up than ever.

"Alright enough, get your head straight May." The brunette told herself. "You've been ordered to stick with Ash and wait so just do that, just wait and try to enjoy yourself. This will be the time to make up for being so rude to him yesterday, I can start on that now." May concluded. She had finally tired of hiding from Ash, she wouldn't tell him about New Magma of coarse but now she could relax so to speak and stop having to push him away. At that moment Ash himself appeared from his room.

"Hey May you all right?" Ash referred to May's slouched position.

May quickly hid the box she was reading. "Yeah I'm great, how are you?" She responded.

"I'm good and I know a place we can head to next." Ash revealed.

"Well don't keep me in suspense, where is it?" May asked cheerfully.

"No, no, it's a surprise." Ash grinned.

"Another surprise? Aren't you full of well, surprises?" May tilted her head comically.

"I have my moments." Ash joked. "But if we get ready now we can be there before midday." Ash told her excitedly.

"Are you always in a rush Ash?" May joked.

"Most of the time, so do you want to get moving now?" Ash asked.

"You bet I'll be packed up right away." May declared as she got to her feet.

"Alright then, Pikachu lets go get a quick breakfast." Ash addressed his starter who was still in the other room.

An enthusiastic 'Pika' sounded before Ash exited his room with Pikachu jumping on his shoulder before closing the door leaving May to her own devices.

"Yeah a new destination would be good, I can forget about Magma for a bit and enjoy my time with Ash, just like I used to." May concluded as she packed up.

Ash got down to the centre's eating area and ordered a small snack for Pikachu and two on the go meals for May and himself. Chansey took the orders and while he waited Nurse Joy appeared.

"Good morning Ash, I trust May is feeling better." Nurse Joy asked.

"Yep she's back to one hundred percent thanks to you." Ash thanked her.

"No problem at all, I do hope you two slept well last night." The nurse enquired.

"Yeah like a rock." Ash replied.

"Well everything did seem to quiet down after seven-thirty." Joy said with a knowing expression.

'Oh man she didn't hear us did she?' Ash thought, trying desperately not to look guilty.

"Um anyway we'll be off soon so thanks for everything." Ash thanked her again.

"Your most welcome, be sure to keep the noise down where ever you go." Nurse Joy smiled and then walked off without another word.

Ash stood there in a daze, were they that loud? Was there even a rule about doing that sort of thing in the Pokémon centre? He knew he wasn't but it felt like he was in huge trouble. Pikachu nudged his leg and Ash saw he had the same knowing look on his face from this morning.

"Will you stop that." Ash scolded the electric type who went right back to eating.

May came jogging up to Ash having packed her bag with an enthusiastic look about her. The way she smiled as she walked towards Ash, the stride in her step. Ash could tell that she was a lot happier then she had been in the time they had met up.

"You all ready?" Ash asked as he handed May a small wrap.

"You know I am, come on lets go." May cheered as she turned around and jogged to the door.

"Hey wait up." Ash called after her. He picked up Pikachu who still had a mouth full of food and ran after the girl who was suddenly so full of life.

As they began their walk Ash could see a difference in May, to put it simply she seemed happier. The stride in her step was more fluent, she sounded more interested and cheerful when she spoke and she smiled. Not just occasionally when Ash would make a light joke it was almost constant, to Ash May was acting like she used to. A vibrate outgoing young girl. They talked for most of the time they walked still finding things to catch up on while Pikachu jumped between their shoulders occasionally having his own fun.

May was enjoying the moment so much that she completely forgot about the night before and the fact she had to discuss it with Ash. She didn't know where to start and there was the fact that Ash hadn't said anything about it, perhaps he was waiting for the right time, there was no way he could have forgotten after all.

"Um Ash." May started.

"Yeah what's up?" Ash asked.

"Well it's kind of complicated but I need to talk you about-" May was cut off as a Breloom burst backwards out of the bushes in front of them.

The dual Grass-Fighting type was quickly followed by a Mightyena who leapt as it baring its claws. The Breloom dropped onto its back and as the Mightyena fell towards it the Breloom kicked his legs upwards flipping the Mightyena over the top of him. However more Mightyena came out of the bushes and as the first one hit the ground the rest of them surrounded the Breloom. As it got up the Breloom found himself surrounded by a total of six attackers, and though he had the advantage with his typing the mushroom Pokémon was outmatched.

"Hey get away from him!" May shouted.

The Mightyena looked at May and Ash but turned their attention back to the Breloom they had surrounded, two humans were not worth taking their eyes off the prize. May stepped forward to intervene grabbing a Pokeball when Ash's arm blocked her path.

"It's alright May I've got this." Ash assured her as he presented his own Pokeball.

"Sceptile I choose you!" Ash threw the Pokeball into the air which sent a beam of white light right beside the Breloom's position.

Both the Mightyena and the Breloom backed up as Sceptile appeared out of thin air, raising a twig to his mouth as he casually scanned the area around him. Having taken in the six threats around him Sceptile turned to the Breloom behind him and gave a quick nod of assurance. One Mightyena barked giving the order to attack and all six simultaneously leapt at Sceptile. May's eyes widened wondering how Sceptile could contend with all those Mightyena going for him at the same time, but as she looked at Ash all she saw was a knowing grin on his face.

"Alright Sceptile now." Ash ordered.

Sceptile placed one hand on the ground lifted up into a handstand and they rotated his body, using his tail and legs Sceptile whipped away each enclosing Mightyena with lightning fast movements sending each one flying back to either side of the path knocking them out. It happened in an instant May didn't even see two of the Mightyena get hit until they were sent sailing through the air, when they were dealt with Sceptile ceased his spinning and carefully placed his legs back on the ground. Looking back at the shocked Breloom Sceptile signalled that it was safe for him to move. The Breloom looked at the Mightyena around him, nodded and ran back into the forest, thankful it had been saved if not a little overwhelmed.

'Sceptile didn't even use one of his moves, he just used his physical strength for all of those Mightyen, incredible.' May though to herself.

"Excellent work Sceptile, return." Ash thanked his grass type before he recalled him.

"Ash that was amazing, you didn't call out a move or anything, Sceptile's become really powerful." May exclaimed.

"Powerful, precise, incredible, those are some of the words that come to mind when I think of Sceptile." Ash said more to himself as he started walking up the path again.

May quickly looked over the Mightyena as they walked past, they were unconscious but didn't have any serious injuries, they would probably think twice before bullying another Pokémon again though.

"I knew your Pokémon had come a long way since you became a part of the Elite Four but Sceptile seems to have come leaps and bounds." May continued.

"You bet, Sceptile is so strong he can go toe to toe with Charizard even with the type disadvantage." Ash told May.

For the first time May wasn't thinking of how to overcome Ash's Pokémon, her fear had turned to respect for both his Pokémon and his skills as a trainer. In a way it was like when they first travelled with each other.

"Hey do you smell that?" Ash asked.

"Smell what?" May responded.

"Salt water, I knew that we were close." Ash proclaimed as he suddenly began to run forward.

"Whoa Ash wait for me." May called out forced to run after him.

Ash continued to jog up the path making sure May was right behind him, he could see the foliage was starting to change to the usual types of plants that adapted to living near to ocean. That along with the smell of the beach made him certain that his destination was near. Sure enough the tree line soon broke along the path opening into a lookout high above the ocean. A wooden fence laid at the edge of the cliff that dropped over twenty metres into the sea below.

As May caught up to Ash she marvelled at the view. The path kept going along the edge of the cliff which to her right diverted inland creating a gap about eight hundred metres in and three hundred across, caused from the natural erosion of the waves. All around her May could see nothing but life, ongoing expanses of greenery, Zigzagoon running amongst the trees and various flying Pokémon taking to the air. She even saw the silhouettes of some Pokémon in the water, this place was incredibly beautiful, no wonder Ash had chosen it.

Ash leant on the fence overlooking the ocean and May followed suit, both smiling happily at each other, no words necessary each of them enjoying the view. May didn't know how long they stood there for but she enjoyed the serenity that the location seemed to give off. May knew that she would have to talk to Ash about what happened last night however, and though she hated to ruin the moment she couldn't delay it any longer.

"Ash we need to talk, about last night." May spoke up.

"Yeah, I guess we should." Ash sighed as he turned to face the brunette.

May didn't really know where to begin, how it started, how it ended, or what it meant for them from here. It was that last question that scared her.

"The way I acted last night it wasn't-I mean that wasn't how I- I don't know I've never done that before." May stuttered.

"You mean have sex with someone out of the blue?" Ash asked.

"Yes-I mean no I meant the way I acted I don't know what came over me." May tried to get things straight.

"Yeah that goes for me too, I went a little over board last night." Ash spoke as he looked at the ground.

"No it's alright Ash after all you did ask me if it was what I wanted remember." May remained him.

"But you're having second thoughts about it now aren't you?" Ash asked.

"I-I don't know, it's just yesterday we were just friends and now, I don't know what we are." May stated as she looked away.

"Well, what do you want us to be?" Ash asked not knowing what he wanted either.

"A part of me just wants us to stay friends like we used to be but we can't just ignore what happened. The other part of me wants something else but." May stopped herself.

"There are things about me that make that impossible, things that I can't control." May looked back and saw Ash was standing right in front of her. He leant forward placing both hands on the railing behind her, his face coming tantalizingly close to her own.

"What things?" Ash asked.

May shook her head slowly, she wanted to tell him but couldn't bare the thought of putting him in danger. "I can't-" She stuttered before Ash raised one hand to her cheek the look in his eyes, for whatever reason they seemed to give her a glimpse of hope.

"Whatever it is I can handle it, because I know last night wasn't a mistake. What I felt was real and I have a feeling that you felt it as well." With that Ash moved his head forward and kissed her.

Their lips connected and May felt as if her troubles had been washed away. It was a heart-warming embrace that she hadn't experienced with Ash and it made seemingly impossible options suddenly attainable.

She no longer though about how to push Ash aside, she thought of how to push New Magma aside. The thought of being together with Ash and going back to the way she was seemed worth throwing away her ties to New Magma. Just running away and forgetting about Fane, Gregson and Groudon when she was with Ash she felt needed, appreciated, like she could do anything. Something she hadn't felt for years, perhaps since she had left him all those years ago. Ash pulled away from the kiss leaving the girl in a half daze.

"You're right we are more than friends now and we can't ignore what happened, so let's just continue and we'll find out what we are along the way." Ash told her cementing the fact that he wasn't running from this.

May was about to respond when a loud thud echoed from across the gap between them and other side of the cliff. May recognised that sound, at the end of her training she was shown one of the pieces of equipment New Magma said they would use for controlling Groudon, when it powered up it made that exact sound. Her mind started to race, was this the location that Groudon had been discovered? Of all the places in Hoenn why did it have to be here?

"What in the world was that?" Ash asked as he looked over in the sounds direction.

May couldn't see any personnel but what she could make out was the two conductors peeking out from behind a ridge. May looked at Ash, she knew that if he found out what was going on he would do everything in his power to stop them. Right now she had to get him away from the area, but she didn't know how far was far enough if Groudon was going to come bursting out of the ground.

"I don't know, I think there is a beach not far to the left did you want to go see it?" May asked.

"Hold on a second May aren't you curious about what that noise was?" Ash enquired.

"I'm sure it's nothing, come on I'd really like to see that beach." May spoke as she walked towards the path.

"I know it's just, there was something off about that noise." Ash still faced the opposite cliff.

It was then that a bright blue glow emanated from the opposite side, it remained there for a few seconds and then faded as quickly as it had come. Everything seemed to go silent no calls from the Wingull, no rustling of leaves. The blue light seeming to have quelled the whole area. Ash and May waited silently expecting something to happen. Ash turned to May with a puzzled look on his face, before he could talk the ground rumbled. Both positioned their feet to compensate but the ground only continued to shake even more, May fell to one knee and knew that this sudden tremor could only mean one thing.

"This can't be happening." May told herself but it was, beneath her feet one of the most powerful forces of nature was rising from the earth.

Hopefully I'll release another chapter next week but I'm finalising the third chapter of 'Becoming a Pokémon Master' so if you don't get one next week expect that chapter to be out. Also the fact that as of now Pokémon ORAS is about to be released in a few hours might take away from my writing time. Sapphire was my first Pokémon game so I hope you all understand my hype. Until then hope your all enjoying this and please leave a comment.