Hi and hello! Chapter 19 is here, with an announcement of great gravity on May's part. What's she got to say this time? Keep reading, folks! Curtain up!
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.
INCONCEIVABLE
CHAPTER 19-PAINFUL DECISIONS
Instantly, Ash went into panic mode.
"What do you mean, I'm not going to like it? Is something wrong? Is it the baby? What...?"
"Ash, slow down." May wiped the tears from her eyes, then continued. "The baby's fine, and so am I. Well, physically anyway."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ash still didn't know what was wrong, and he certainly didn't like that. May closed her eyes as she elaborated.
"It's just...you remember when we talked a while back, about the doubts I've been having?"
"Yeah, you said you were having second thoughts. But I thought that was about our relationship." Ash's eyes widened. "May, you don't mean...?"
"Whatever it is you're thinking, that's not it." May couldn't believe this; he couldn't figure this one out?
"Okay, then what is it?" May sighed, then decided to get to the point.
"Ash, I...I can't do this anymore." Ash gave her a confused look.
"Can't do what anymore?"
"I can't...I can't keep living like this!" May put her face in her hands as she really started crying, unable to hold her tears back. Ash watched helplessly, still not knowing what had her so wound up. As May began to calm down a little, Ash started over.
"May, what's the matter? Did something happen?" When May didn't answer, he tried again. "You can tell me, May. I hate to see you like this, so please, tell me what's going on."
"Ash," May said, choking back more tears, "I can't do this. I've thought so hard, and...I've got to tell them."
"Tell whom?"
"Everybody. My parents, your mom, our friends, everyone." Ash felt his heart sink; he'd hoped never to hear this, but here it was. "Ash, I can't live in secret anymore. My parents don't know where I am, they're going to be grandparents and don't know it, and everyone else is in the dark too."
"But, wasn't the point to..."
"I don't care what the point was anymore! We're living a lie, Ash, and we have been since we got here. So many people have helped us, but they've been helping our alternate selves, not us."
"I..." Ash knew she was right, but he didn't want to believe it. "May, we've come so far. Why would we tell everyone now?"
"Ash, I know it seems like a cop-out, but I can't continue to hide. I-I can't keep this up, it's too much. Things have gone by so fast, and I've never really doubted until now, but it's gotten to the point where I don't think I can do it anymore." May buried her face in her hands again, and Ash moved to the couch and put his arm around her.
"May, I...I wish I could be more help here. I understand what you're saying, and see how you're feeling right now." May sniffed and Ash saw her head move a little. "Alright, how about this? We'll give it a couple of days to think about it, and then if you still feel this way, we'll go ahead. Does that sound alright?"
"It...sounds fine." May didn't want to wait anymore, she felt like she had to go tell everyone now. But once again, she thought back to the circumstances that had led them to this point, and realized that to go ahead now would be rushing things. But at the same time, despite the group of people helping her, she felt more alone than she had in her life. She looked up, and noted that Ash was still smiling. She dried her eyes and smiled herself. "We can wait a day or two, but I'm probably going to think the same then."
"Alright. Listen, I'm going to duck outside for a few minutes. I need to clear my head so I can think this over."
"Okay. Ash?" Ash turned back and looked at her, and May continued. "Ash, I'm sorry I hit you with this now. I understand you just finished that big building project, and you were probably hoping to rest for a while, but I...I just had to get this off my chest. The only burden I want on my mind right now is the baby."
"I don't blame you. Are you gonna be okay?"
"I'll be fine, Ash. I have Glaceon and Pikachu to watch out for me, after all."
"Keep them close. I'll be back soon." Ash grabbed his jacket from the chair, and headed out of the apartment to think. As he left, Glaceon darted over to comfort her mistress, who stroked the fox's ears as she did so.
"It's gonna be alright, Glaceon. We're going to be fine." Glaceon purred, unconvinced, but May just smiled. "Don't worry. Everything will be okay, just you wait. This isn't going to go south, not if Ash has anything to do with it."
As he walked through the apartment complex's small courtyard, Ash began to ponder everything that had taken place since his and May's last conversation. The countering arguments in his mind began to surface once more, and he wondered if this time, he should just pack it in like May had suggested.
'And risk Norman going postal? Are we really willing to take that risk?'
'Why not? Your only crime is sleeping with his daughter, after all. She won't get into any trouble, or at least she shouldn't.'
'It's worse than that. I convinced her to run, which means things even more tilted against me. If we stay out here, May's gonna feel even worse, but if we tell them, we run the risk of something really bad happening.'
'But remember, Norman holds you in high esteem. You mentored his daughter and provided a traveling opportunity for his son, not to mention that you gave him a valiant match for his Gym badge.'
'So you're suggesting that a Gym badge is even close to equally important to him than his own daughter? Are you out of your tree?'
'I'm just sayin', maybe Norman'll let you off easy. He might give you a ten-second head start before...' Ash cleared his head before that particular idea could finish. He knew May would likely be spared any punishment, but the fact that he would be in Norman's crosshairs was too much.
"I have got to stop thinking like this, I never knew my mind was capable of that kind of thought." he muttered. "Every time I try to consider this by myself, the same thoughts always come back. Maybe I'm just too paranoid to make this decision. May's right, we've got to tell them. But..." he stopped, and sighed. "No, no buts this time. May needs to do this, more than I need to do anything. If I'm going to be as supportive as I think I am, I have to respect her decisions." With this in mind, he got up from the bench he was sitting on and headed back to the apartment.
The next morning, Ash told May what he had thought of the night before, and indicated that he was now fine with telling their families.
"You come first in this case, May," he told her. "You've been worrying about this for a while, or at least that's what you've told me in the past. I don't want to see you upset like that, it's no good for either of us."
"Thanks, Ash." May was nervous about telling everyone, but Ash could probably tell for himself anyway. "Once our families know, though, we're gonna have to do the same with the people who've helped us. They need to know who we really are, we owe it to them for all they've done for us."
"I know." Ash smiled as he realized something. "Hey, at least one of the girls will be happy."
"Huh?"
"Remember? You're Kathryn's favourite Coordinator, so now she can finally say she met you in person."
"That's true. To be honest, I've felt bad not being able to tell anyone who I am. It just seems...wrong."
"Well, we're doing what's right now. Now that we're being honest with everyone else, things should be easier on us. I think."
The next afternoon, Ash and May walked down the avenue toward the Pokémon Centre, ready to finally lift the lid on their deception. May felt more nervous than she ever had in her life; how was she going to explain this to her mother, after everything she'd put her through? She and Ash had, of course, discussed it, but no definite answers surfaced, and not even several more hours worth of consideration had helped in the slightest.
As they entered the Centre, they noticed that it was mercifully quiet, without too many trainers making their way through the building. Nurse Joy looked up from her desk, but made no indication that she recognized them, which suited Ash fine.
"Uh, Nurse Joy?" he asked as they approached the counter. Joy gave him a second glance, then her eyes brightened as she realized who he was.
"Oh, hello there! Welcome back, I haven't seen you in a while! And congratulations." she added as she noted May's condition. "Did you find someplace to stay while you're in the city?"
"Yeah, we found other accomodations just fine." Ash knew Nurse Joy might not have remembered him that well, considering the sheer volume of trainers she saw on a daily basis, but was glad she did recognize him all the same. "Listen, we want to make a phone call, but we don't want too many people overhearing us. Can you show us where the least conspicuous phones are?"
"Of course. Follow me." Nurse Joy led them to a secluded alcove where a few videophones rested on the wall. Ash thanked her, then waited until the Pokémon Nurse had left to let May start dialing her home number. Once she was situated, Ash backed away to let May talk to her parents herself, and looked for another phone to call his own mother.
After a few rings, Caroline's face appeared on the screen. She had a confused look on her face, which disappeared once she recognized her daughter's face.
"May?" May nodded, and Caroline backed off, putting a hand on her heart. "Oh, May! It really is you!" Mother and daughter both felt tears run down their faces, and Caroline looked more relieved than anything that May was safe. "I've been so worried, May, you have no idea. Even though you sent me that note, I've still been terrified something may have happened."
"It's alright, Mom. We're fine, my baby's fine..."
"That's a relief. Oh, May, why didn't you tell us in the first place? We would've understood."
"I know, it's just...I got scared. Daddy wouldn't exactly be happy if he found out."
"Oh, I'll have a word with your father, just you wait. It is okay if I tell him, right?"
"Yes, and Max too. We're telling everyone. I couldn't stand being the only person besides Ash knowing about the baby. Well, actually, there've been a few people helping us out, but they don't know who we really are yet."
"What does that mean?"
"We've been doing everything under assumed names, so no-one would catch on to us. One of Ash's coworkers' wives has been helping me out with the pregnancy, and her daughters have done a lot too."
"That's good. At least you weren't alone for all this time."
"I've felt alone, though, and that's why we decided to tell everyone. Think about it, Mom, you're going to be a grandmother, and I didn't want you to not know for however long we were gone."
"Well, I'm glad you finally told us. What I want to know is what you're doing in Ecruteak City, I thought you were done with Johto."
"It kept us out of range. The whole idea was to hide out, and someplace like Sinnoh or Kanto had too many contacts. It's meaningless now, but that's the thinking we employed."
"May, I have to ask you something."
"Sure, Mom, what is it?"
"Is it okay if we came out there? How much longer will it be until the baby's born?"
"The doctor said January, so just under two months?"
"We should really come out there, May. I'll talk to your father, and see if we can bring Delia along as well. Even if you have someone helping you, you should really have your family there."
"I know, Mom. If you want to come out here, I have no problem with it. Just don't take too long."
"We'll be there before you know it, May. Say hi to Ash for us, and don't worry about your father. I'll sort him out."
"Okay, Mom. I love you."
"I love you too, May." May cut the link, then wiped her tears away, surprised at how much she'd been crying. She'd obviously missed her family more than she thought.
And there it is, folks. Ash and May have finally succumbed, and everyone will soon be back together. We've still got time before the story ends, though, so don't think it ends here!
Just as a note, this turn of events is ENTIRELY INTENTIONAL. I've had something of this nature in mind from the planning stage, so please don't consider it a cop-out or an indication that I'm losing interest. I know many of you won't, but some readers do, so I'm covering my tracks now.
Alright, standard operating procedure is in effect. Please read, REVIEW (we're three away from 100 comments, guys!) and tell me how it went! Until next time, namárië! (now, excuse me while I duck and cover)