"Uhh...guys? "Ash looked around the room, perplexed as to why no one was answering his query; everyone was staring at him, slack jawed. Ash's gaze bounced around the room, perplexed as to why everyone seemed so surprised.
To everyone but Ash, the explanation for the stunned expressions was obvious: Ash had not only awoken, having been revived, but he had awoken as if he were in a leisurely sleep...like if he wasn't just dead...
Pikachu and Lucario's eyes lit up with delight as they saw their comrade emerge, seemingly as good as new, and tears streamed down their cheeks.
Dawn was the first to recover from her amazement, and with tears of genuine joy streaming down her cheeks, she ran to Ash and wrapped her arms around him. Ash was still perplexed, but he hugged back instinctively.
Ash couldn't help but blush at Dawn's position; she was essentially laying on top of him, but he had no problem letting it be because she was plainly under duress.
Obviously, he and Dawn were friends, and they did share hugs now and again, but why was she so emotional? What had caused her to cry, and what did it have to do with him?
"Why are you sobbing, Dawn?
"Ash asked in a soothing tone, wanting to comfort his friend as much as he desired answers, albeit the former was far more vital for the time being.
"I thought...that...I was...going to lose you," Dawn sobbed. Ash had no idea what was going on, but this wasn't the time to ask too many questions, so he simply wrapped his arms around the girl, running one hand up and down her back while the other ran through her hair, comforting her as best he could.
Most of the others had come out of their startled stares by now, and Brock, Tracey, Oak, and Max all had bright smiles on their faces as tears of happiness continued to pour from their eyes. They knew Ash should be dead right now, but he'd pull through, demonstrating once again how strong willed he was.
Serena, Delia, and Misty were crying tears of joy. Serena sprinted to Ash and jumped on him, joining in on the hug he was sharing with Dawn. Ash simply accepted her and began rubbing up and down her back in order to comfort her as well. Misty rushed in quickly and leaped on him, joining Dawn and Serena in the hug. Ash then began rubbing up and down her back in order to comfort her.
Delia approached her son, a look of absolute relief on her face, not long after Serena joined the hug. Hearing someone approaching them, Dawn looked back, being met with the smiling face of Delia. She obviously wanted to hug her son, so she gestured to Serena for the both of them to get off of Ash, even though neither of them wanted to ever let Ash go.
Delia simply stared at Ash for a few seconds before launching an affectionate attack on him.
"Oh Ash! Thank Arceus for your safety. I had no idea what was going to happen. I'm simply...so "Delia couldn't complete her sentence because she began to sob into her son's shoulder; she wanted him to see her smile, as she'd told the others, but keeping it up was far more difficult than she expected in a moment like this.
Ash despised seeing girls cry, especially his mother; he needed to help her feel better, so he let them hug for a few moments before breaking it and locking eyes with his mother.
He spoke with a sweet smile on his features, "It's all right, Mom. Please stop crying because I'm right here and I'm not leaving away anytime soon. I despise it when you weep."
Delia smiled and brushed away her tears as she stepped back from her kid to let the others to view him.
May had been totally motionless during all of this, showing no expression other than astonishment, and the apparent terror of the child she loved nearly dying still tormented her mind.
Ash looked across the room, expecting another love ambush, and it was at this point that his gaze caught the brunette's. Ash smiled softly as he looked at the lovely lady, as he often did.
All the feelings that had welled up inside her were unleashed the moment Ash's eyes met hers; it was as if a dam broke in her thoughts, allowing everything she was experiencing to finally flood out of her.
May's hug felt a lot more powerful; she was transmitting an incredible amount of emotion into him. Her walk quickly turned into a speed walk, and then into a full on sprint. Ash, seeing her arriving, opened his arms to accept the oncoming hug. Despite his preparations, he was still taken aback by the amount of force behind her embrace.
Ash was still only sitting up in his bed, allowing May to end up in a rather...provocative potion on top of Ash, straddling his waist as they continued to hold each other. He knew this wasn't the time to question anything, so he simply ran his fingers through her silky, brown locks and whispered reassuring words into her ear, wanting nothing more than for her to be okay.
They'd been hugging for about five minutes without even realizing it.
"Oh, May?
"The evident tiredness from her emotional stress had taken her energy once more, and it didn't help that the night before hadn't provided a particularly good night's sleep, with most of the night spent worried about Ash, and even her dreams were littered with the raven haired trainer.
She had fallen asleep in the most comfortable place in the world now that she was convinced Ash was safe...
She's got Ash by her side.
In his arms, wrapped...
Ash motioned Brock over to the bed so he could take up May and move her to another bed in the room.
Brock complied, picking up May and placing her on the mattress Delia had slept on the night before, all without disturbing her sleep, and Ash sighed contentedly as he watched it all unfold.
"OK, so-" Ash began, but was interrupted by a distressed Misty.
"Ash!? Your vision. They are blue! "
"Misty, what are you on about? My eyes are brown and have always been brown "Ash said, perplexed as to why Misty would say such a thing; she was well aware of his eye color.
Everyone in the room noticed that Misty was correct. It didn't take over completely, but it was easy to see that most of Ash's normally chocolate brown eyes had been replaced with a vibrant blue color. If they were being honest, it was an incredibly beautiful color, but that didn't matter right now. The only thing that mattered was why had this happened.
"Why are you all staring at me like that?
"Ash inquired, a little spooked out by the fact that most of his friends and family were just staring at him, not to mention the fact that he still had no idea what had transpired to get him to where he was now.
Instead of responding, Misty retrieved a hand mirror from a nearby desk and offered it to Ash, who accepted it with trepidation and peered at his reflection, which shocked him since, as everyone had stated, his eyes were a deep blue hue.
"Great...more I don't know about..." Ash thought to himself.
"So...my eyes are blue. What does this imply? "Ash inquired, not expecting an answer.
"I think it may be from having heal pulse applied to you. There is no other explanation. The hue, though, appears to be fading "Oak brought this up.
He was true about the fading color; it was hardly perceptible, but those with trained eyes, such as Professor Oak, could see the color gradually reverting to its normal brown.
"Heal the pulse?! You utilized a Pokemon healing technique on me? I've seen the reports on those tests, and I can't think of a single individual I've read about who survived! "Ash yelled fiercely, but lowered his voice as he spoke, not wanting to wake May.
Oak defended himself by raising his hands "We didn't have a choice, Ash. We wouldn't have done it if it hadn't been our last option."
"At the very least, everything worked out, right guys?
"Despite what he'd just witnessed, Ash was upbeat and inquired.
"But here's the issue, Ash...you shouldn't have survived," Oak said the young guy.
"What exactly do you mean, Professor? Was it truly so bad? "Ash inquired, intrigued by the scope of everything that had transpired to him.
"Ash, you were shot twice and lost half of your blood. That should have been enough to kill you right there and then. Then, even after everything seemed bleak and we all thought it was the end for you, something that should never have worked did. Pokemon healing moves such as heal pulse have never been tested on humans. I'm confident that you are the first example in which this has occurred "Oak had finished his lengthy explanation.
Ash massaged the back of his neck, embarrassed "Hehe...I guess I was really lucky, huh?
Everyone agreed with a nod. Some even chuckled, believing that 'fortunate' was an understatement.
Then Ash turned to face his Lucario. "Hey Lucario, thank you so much for saving me; without you...I wouldn't be here right now; I'm very glad for you and the fact that you're my friend."
Lucario, who was never much of a talker, grinned warmly. He did, however, accompany her to the side of Ash's bed and do an atypical Lucario action. He lowered his head and licked Ash's cheek. He smiled at himself and scratched him behind the ears, exactly like he liked.
Ash was thankful to Lucario, but he would always be thankful to him. Having a wonderful trainer like Ash made him feel complete. Their link was tight; he would do anything for Ash, and she knew he would do the same for her. Ash then told Lucario that he may go back outside and inform the others that he was OK. He thanked him one more before departing to do what he was told.
When Ash attempted to rise from his bed, he discovered that regaining his footing was more difficult than he had anticipated. He was still very weak from losing so much blood, but all he wanted to do was get home and eat something.
Dawn hurried over to Ash as she saw him stumble, catching him around the waist and wrapping one of his arms around her shoulder.
Ash thanked her and glanced down at her. Dawn simply smiled at him, delighted that she could aid the person she cared about the most in the world...and the physical contact didn't hurt either.
Ash put some pressure on her, but he kept the majority of it to himself. Dawn's efforts were appreciated, but she would have a difficult time fully supporting him. Dawn, on the other hand, was considerably stronger and more durable than he had anticipated.
Ash was significantly taller and much heavier than her. He'd regained enough control by the time he got to the lab entrance to walk more comfortably, albeit clumsily. He then turned to face the audience.
"Come on everyone, I could really use a home cooked lunch right now," Ash remarked to his mother, smiling. She smiled back, pleased to have given her son what he desired.
After Brock went over to the sleeping form of May and picked her up, preferring to carry her back to the house, everyone followed Ash out the door.
Even though Ash could walk on his own now, Dawn chose to maintain her arm around him. She wasn't sure if it was for if he started feeling weak again, or just for her own personal comfort and delight. To be honest, it was almost certainly both. But Ash didn't mind either way. Even though he was walking OK, it was wonderful to have Dawn nearby.
Serena watched as they went, jealous of her blue-haired pal. She shrugged it off quickly, trying to tell herself that it was merely to catch him if he became weak again. These sentiments, however, did not deter Serena from wanting to be the one to assist Ash.
"Hey Dawn, would you like me to help Ash the rest of the way? I'm sure you must be tired," Serena inquired as innocently as she could.
"No thanks, Serena; I'm perfectly happy here with Ash," Dawn replied, smiling at Ash.
Serena sighed gently, disappointed; who could blame a girl for trying?
The gang continued their trip, with Brock handing off May to Tracey about halfway through, giving him a well-deserved rest from holding her. They soon returned to the Ketchum residence.
Delia and Brock dashed out to the kitchen to prepare a large supper for everyone after greeting Mr. Mime and telling him that Ash was well. The vast majority of the group was starving because no one had eaten much at breakfast or the day before.
Misty, Dawn, and Serena laughed as Ash's mouth watered while they cooked. Misty, Dawn, Ash, and Serena congregated in the living room while the supper was being prepared, leaving everyone else in the kitchen; Ash really just wanted to relax on the wonderful, plush couch for a moment. The four started conversing about everything and everything, laughing, and simply having a good time. No one would believe Ash was in such a bad situation less than an hour ago after seeing this.
Ash, Misty, Dawn, and Serena had only just recovered from a fit of laughter when Dawn turned serious, albeit softly, and asked, "Hey, Ash?"
Ash wiped a tear from his eye and paused his laughter as he turned his head to face Dawn, his gaze indicating for her to continue. Misty and Serena were also paying close attention at this point.
"I just wanted to say that...that I'm so glad you're okay, and you have no clue how grateful I am that you came back to us," Dawn said nervously.
Ash smiled sweetly at the bluenette and moved closer to her. He sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, making Dawn flush even more. He was going to say anything when Serena came over and sat next to him before speaking, while Misty sat in front of him.
"Yeah Ash. If you would have... I-I'm just so pleased you're okay. I-I don't think I could live without you," Serena murmured, tears welling up in her eyes.
"I'm glad you're safe and with us; I don't know what I'd do without you," Misty said, her eyes welling up with tears.
In response, Ash reached over and wiped Misty and Serena's tears away with his thumb before wrapping his other arm around them. Dawn and Serena were fairly comfortable with their heads resting on Ash's shoulders at this point, while Misty had her he
"You know I'd never abandon you like that. I'll always be there for you, three of you, no matter what. You are three of the most important people in my life, and I will always do everything I can to protect you. I'm so sorry I made you feel so terrified earlier," Ash said truly. He'd proven what he'd just said several times before, and the three girls were well aware of it.
Misty, Dawn, and Serena simply smiled quietly and relished the warm embrace they were in, securely lying on Ash's shoulders.
"Ash, Misty, Dawn, Serena, lunch is ready!" Delia yelled after a few minutes of peaceful stillness.
The girls barely had time to lift their heads off Ash's shoulders before he dashed from the couch towards the kitchen.
Misty, Serena, and Dawn couldn't stop laughing as they glanced at each other. Food, no matter how essential they were to him, was always on the same level. The two then walked to the kitchen, happy with their time with Ash.
Ash walked into the kitchen, his tummy churning and ready to eat. When he saw the many food items on the table, he was not disappointed. Regardless of how hungry he was, he felt obligated to wait for everyone.
Ash's table manners have improved, at least slightly, over the years. That's not to say he didn't pig out when he ate; he was just better at regulating himself when he needed to, especially when he was in public or in a place where he couldn't eat the way he regularly did.
"Should we wake up May before we eat?" Ash inquired once everyone had made their way to the kitchen. Tracey had placed May in Ash's room, in his bed, when they returned home. She needed sleep, which she was currently getting.
"I think we should let her rest; she had a terrible night, and I think she needs some time to recover from all the emotions she had," Brock advised his long-time friend. "In fact, I'm amazed you three haven't crashed yet, you both had hard nights, I'm sure," he said to Misty, Serena, and Dawn.
"Yeah, I guess I speak for the three of us when I say we're really weary; we'll probably take a nap after our supper, Serena and Misty?" Dawn inquired of her honey blonde and red haired pals.
Serena looked up with her mouth full of food and nodded, while Misty ate normally and nodded. Serena's 'Ash-like' antics were laughed at, and everyone sat down to eat. Of course, Ash ate the majority of the food, but everyone was happy with what they had.
The supper was packed with interesting talk about a variety of topics, many of which were frivolous; most everyone was just trying to get Ash's death that morning out of their heads.
When everyone had finished eating, the group had spoken for hours. It was already 1:00 p.m. by the time Dawn's big yawn interrupted the talk.
"I believe I'll take that nap now," Dawn said, clearly fatigued. Misty and Serena agreed as they followed Dawn into the living area. They chose the couches in the living room because May had Ash's bed. The three of them fell asleep almost immediately.
"Are you going to nap as well, Ash?" Brock inquired.
"Nah, I'm very awake for a guy who lost half his blood just the other day. By the way, I never got to thank you. You to mum, thank you for the blood." Ash expressed gratitude, recognizing how far they were ready to go for him.
"Oh you don't have to thank us sweetie! I would do it for you a million times over!" Delia responded cheerfully.
Brock agreed with a nod. "Yeah, Ash, I'm just pleased we have the same blood type and that you're fine now."
Ash was touched by their generosity. The room then fell into a peaceful silence. That only lasted a few moments before Oak decided to snap it.
"So, Ash, what are your plans for today?" Oak inquired. After all he'd been through just hours before, he'd expect Ash to simply relax all day if these were normal conditions. But, given everything that had transpired was out of the ordinary, and Ash appeared totally well, the older guy suspected Ash was planning on doing something other than relaxing today.
"Well, I was hoping to go see my pokemon in the lab because I've been home for two whole days and haven't seen them yet, and even though Pikachu has already seen them, I bet he wants to go play again, right buddy?" Ash said, already giddy at the thought of seeing all of his pokemon again.
Pikachu responded with a smile and a thumbs up.
"Hey Ash?" Ash heard a low, almost frightened voice and turned to see who it was.
"What's up, Max?" Ash asked, his characteristic silly smile on his face.
"Well, I was wondering if we might have that battle now? I really can't wait!" Max exclaimed, his voice brimming with eagerness.
When Ash glanced at Max, he was reminded so much of himself that he giggled. "Well, Max, as much as I'd like to, I suppose we'll have to wait till tomorrow."
Max's expression darkened. "How come?"
"Well, aside from the fact that I died this morning, I think it would be best to wait until everyone is 100 percent. After yesterday, I think we all need a day or so to thoroughly recuperate, and I'm sure everyone, especially your sister, wants to see the battle," Ash explained.
Everyone thought it was remarkable how readily Ash could make light of what had transpired today. But it was far preferable to being psychologically damaged as a result of it.
Max reddened with humiliation. How could he have forgotten what had happened to Ash just moments before? He'd only been awake for a few hours when he awoke from a coma. That he had literally risen from the grave.
"Oh...hehe...right, tomorrow's good for me!" Max shouted happily.
Ash chuckled again at Max's exuberance, but this time he gave him a competitive glance. "We'll see about that, Max... We'll see."
"Well then, it's settled, tomorrow we battle," Ash said, breaking his look down. "I'm going over to the lab now, Professor."
"Actually, Tracey and I should be headed back as well; why don't we go together?" Oak said Ash as Tracey emerged from the other room, clearly ready to depart.
"Sounds excellent to me, Professor! Let's leave. Bye mom, I'll be back in a couple of hours," Ash cried as he ran towards the front door, Pikachu close behind.
Delia and Brock both shook their heads and grinned at Ash's childlike enthusiasm. Even though he was 18, Pokemon made him act like that excessively excited 10-year-old he used to be.
Tracey and Professor Oak strolled out the front door with much more calm, hoping to catch up to their more active friend.
Oak's Lab
As Tracey and the Professor approached the lab's doors, they discovered Ash standing there, his breathing slightly heavy.
"Ash, did you sprint the whole way here?" Tracey inquired.
"I can't wait to see everyone again!" Ash replied.
Ash's conditioning astounded both men who were listening. He had dashed all the way to the lab. Even though it was only a mile or two away, sprinting that far was incredible, especially since he was barely breathing hard.
"The only problem is...the doors are locked, so... I guess running here was kind of pointless when I had to wait for you guys to be able to enter anyhow," Ash sighed.
As Professor Oak unlocked the door to his lab, both Oak and Tracey shook their heads and laughed. He took a step forward, prepared to enter the lab, when Ash butted in front of him.
"Sorry, Professor! I just really want to see my pokemon!" Ash said, looking over his shoulder at the older man.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu apologized as he followed Ash out to the ranch.
The two best buddies were at the ranch in no time. Ash was virtually trembling with joy. He could see some of his pokemon, but none seemed to have noticed him yet.
"Hey, everybody! I'm back!" Ash yelled at the top of his lungs. All of his Pokemon's ears perked up as they heard their trainer's voice.
Ash became aware of a low rumble. It gradually became louder as he watched all of his pokemon approach him at breakneck speed. Ash's smile soon faded as he realized what was about to happen.
His Tauros led the charge, and as soon as they reached Ash, they grabbed him up and dragged him along as they ran. Ash was laughing, but he was terrified on the inside. He understood it was his Tauros' way of giving him affection, but it was still risky.
Ash was then lifted from the backs of his Tauros by a pair of vines wrapping around his body. He sought for his savior after being placed on the ground, only to be met with the sight of his Venasaur and May's Venasaur.
Bulbasaur eventually decided to evolve after spending most of his life refusing to do so. It happened almost three years ago. May had left her Venasaur to Oak's lab since she was missing Ash's Bulbasaur and wanted to be with him.
Everything began out fine, but things became difficult for the two grass kinds after a time. They were madly in love, but the size disparity was too much to overlook. Bulbasaur, sensing his lover's dissatisfaction with the circumstances, did the only thing he believed would make her happy.
He approached her and, just in front of her eyes, transformed into a fully fledged Venasaur that was far larger than May's. Bulbasaur, or Venasaur as he is now known, had more than enough experience to evolve twice. It wasn't that difficult to believe after resisting evolution for so long.
Following then, the two's relationship was nothing short of spectacular. May's Venasaur was and will always be grateful for what Ash's Venasaur done for her. And Ash's grass type had no regrets, especially since it made his one true love happier than she'd ever been. He also discovered that all of his newfound ability was amazing once he got used to it.
"Venasaur! How are you buddy? Obviously you and her are doing well," Ash remarked, all while hugging his first grass type.
"Vena Venasaur!" Venasaur exclaimed joyfully. May's Venasaur also spoke up, glad to see Ash again.
Ash was tackled to the ground by another green pokemon as soon as he let go of his old companion. Ash didn't even need to glance to figure out who this pokemon was.
"Hey Bayleef! How are you? Haha! Stop! That tickles!" Bayleef happily nudged Ash with her head, tickling him. Despite the fact that she had recently seen Ash, Bayleef would always respond this way towards him.
While applying his new training methods, Ash made certain that his pokemon were always switched out so that they could train together. It was also a terrific chance for him to spend more time with all of his pokemon.
After a few minutes, Ash was able to calm Bayleef down enough for him to stand up. He turned around and noticed that all of his pokemon, including the more proud ones like Sceptile and Charizard, were encircling him, all with large smiles on their faces.
When Ash noticed that Charizard had escaped from his ball, he looked towards his belt, where he kept his pokeballs. He realized he wasn't carrying any right now. He then realized that Professor Oak had probably freed his current team while he was unconscious, which explains why Lucario was out of his ball.
Ash shook the notion away and smiled back at all of his pokemon until he was tackled once more, this time by a massive purple mass.
"Hey, Muk!" Ash called out from beneath his extraordinarily friendly pokemon.
"Muuuk!" exclaimed Muk as he continued to suffocate Ash. Ash eventually got out from beneath his Muk and turned to face the rest of his pokemon.
He returned his gaze to all of his pokemon, several of which were crying. He was perplexed as to why they were acting this way. It wasn't as if they hadn't seen him in a while.
Then it struck him.
Someone had apparently told them what had happened, and they'd only now learned from Lucario that he was fine.
"Guys..." Ash said softly at first. "I'm OK. I got it through, and everything is good now. You have nothing to worry about. I'm not just going to leave you people like that; we still have so much to do!"
With that statement, all of his pokemon surrounded him and hugged him tightly. Every pokemon was relieved that their trainer and friend were safe. Everyone was anxious about him after hearing what had transpired. Ash was the best trainer in the world, and an even better friend, in the eyes of every single one of his pokemon. Losing him would be too much for any of them.
"Thank you folks, and I love you as well," Ash stated loudly enough for everyone to hear.
Everyone eventually separated from Ash, but remained close to him. Ash took a few steps back, enjoying all of the pokemon he'd collected over the years, as well as the friendships he'd formed.
"So, everyone, how's your training going?" Ash inquired of his pokemon.
He received a great answer from each and every one of them right away. He knew his pokemon would never lie to him, so he was confident that they'd all continued to practice, including Snorlax.
It was also obvious based on how they all appeared. Each of his pokemon appeared to be in excellent condition, and any breeder would admit that Ash had done an excellent job growing and training his pokemon. They were in good health.
Ash smiled at all of his pokemon and complimented them on how well they were doing.
"Hey guys, how about we all take the day off and just hang out and play!" Ash suggested, prompting another round of applause.
When Ash's thoughts returned to his shoulder, he saw that he felt almost no discomfort. Not only that, but he could feel the wounds were almost entirely closed up when he touched them. He was astounded that a pokemon move could heal him that quickly.
He spotted his Lucario and nodded again before racing away, smiling and inviting his pokemon to chase him. Even Sceptile and Charizard, who were always eager to practice, chose to take a break and just play with their trainer and best friend.
After a few hours, Ash and his pokemon were lying in the grass, watching the clouds sail through the sky. Some of his pokemon had fled to continue playing; some were playing tag, while others were doing a variety of other activities.
Ash was impressed that they could keep going after nearly three hours of racing around. Despite his excellent conditioning, Ash was completely exhausted. His eyes were getting weary, so he figured it would be a good idea to have a nap here with his pokemon. The location of his greatest joy.
He captured his Lucario's attention before drifting off, catching her just before she fled off with Sceptile.
"Hey, Lucario," Ash said to his pokemon, "do you think you could wake me up in about an hour?" He had assigned this duty to Lucario because he was one of Ash's more intelligent pokemon. He completely grasped the notion of time once Ash introduced it to him.
She nodded to him before sprinting off with Sceptile to join the group of Ash's strongest pokemon. His Charizard, Garchomp, Sceptile, Infernape, and Floatzel were among them. Pikachu would ordinarily be with them, but today he was going to snooze with his trainer.
Although Ash could easily claim that they were some of his most powerful pokemon, all of his pokemon were quite powerful. Pikachu, in particular, had developed by leaps and bounds over the years, and aside from Charizard, who was on a similar level, he was unquestionably Ash's strongest pokemon.
Ash closed his eyes and smiled softly, seeking to rid his mind of all thoughts while Pikachu cuddled up next to his head for a nap of his own.
Ash's peace of mind was disrupted by his own curiosity. He couldn't help but reflect back to what had transpired the day before as he sat in solitude. It was all so bizarre and surprising.
How could Jessie, whom he believed he knew rather well, attempt to murder him? Sure, he knew she worked for an evil organization, but Ash had always believed that she, along with her two colleagues, had some good in them. However, he was now obliged to abandon that belief. Only a truly terrible individual would attempt to kill an innocent person for whatever cause.
Ash couldn't help but worry if Jessie's abrupt change was the result of her own decision or if the entire organization was changing for the worse. He secretly begged for the first option, knowing that if Team Rocket was now willing to kill, he would undoubtedly be towards the top of their list of targets. After all, he'd stopped Team Rocket numerous times before and had no qualms about doing so again in the future.
Shaking this thought from his thoughts for the time being, Ash was able to entirely clear his mind. He didn't have to worry about anything for the time being. He could just lie down and relax, surrounded by his pokemon.
His relatives.
His calm mentality allowed the 18-year-old trainer to fall asleep peacefully and comfortably.
Team Rocket HQ
Following the request of her boss and his new associate, Ghetsis, Jessie returned to HQ as soon as she could. She moved through several passageways and chambers until she came to two massive wooden doors guarded by two grunts.
Jessie simply showed the two guards her identity and was permitted inside the room. Jessie entered as the doors creaked open.
Behind the doors stood a big, well-appointed office. She'd been in here a few times before, but she couldn't get over how lovely the office was. When she noticed Giovanni sitting behind a desk, his trusty Persian by his side, she was taken out of her awe.
Ghetsis, the former head of Team Plasma, sat across from him.
After Team Plasma was brought down, in part because to Ash, he was captured and imprisoned. It didn't take long for him to flee, though. He still had many contacts on the outside that could help him break out at the time.
Ghetsis, on the other hand, had become a desperate man, grasping for anything that would keep him out of jail. He managed to find safety in the higher echelons of Team Rocket a few months after his escape.
He'd assured Giovanni that with his assistance, they'd dominate the world. Also, while Ash Ketchum was clearly a thorn in Giovanni's side, it was Ghetsis who first proposed the notion of permanently removing him before moving forward with their next plot.
"Ah, Jessie. Nice to see you," Giovanni answered calmly. This surprised Jessie because the boss was generally a little icy and harsh when he spoke.
"Hello, sir. Do you happen to know if my mission was successful? Did that little twerp die?" Jessie inquired, hopeful.
"Unfortunately, he didn't," Giovanni said, his calm smile remaining on his lips.
Jessie was extremely befuddled at this point. Why was Giovanni so thrilled if her mission had failed? Ghetsis appeared to be equally delighted.
"If you don't mind, sir, why do you look so happy right now? I mean, I failed my job, and I was honestly expecting you to shout at me when you stated the twerp was still alive," Jessie remarked, slightly intimidated.
Giovanni began, "Jessie, Jessie, Jessie." "Although you did not kill Ketchum, you did not fail," Jessie said, puzzled. "For one thing, we managed to wean out the weak in James and Meowth. If they are not willing to do all it takes, they have no place in the new Team Rocket."
Jessie's face contorted in rage as she remembered her now-ex companions.
"We also have a fresh plan to obtain Ketchum," Ghetsis stated with a psychotic grin. "A more...interesting plan."
"What type of plan do you have, sir?" Jessie inquired, intrigued.
"Everything will be explained in due course." However, I will say this. I don't think we'll be able to just march in and shoot him like you used to. So, as I previously stated, the next natural step is for him to come to us," Giovanni continued.
"And how do we go about achieving that, sir?" Jessie inquired, recalling Giovanni stating this on the phone, and it seemed like he'd devised the strategy he'd mentioned.
"It's easy. We take something from Ketchum that is so valuable to him that he has no choice but to come and try to reclaim it... And who knows a young guy better than the person who gave them life? " Jessie smirked as Giovanni presented the principles of the proposal.
She felt she knew Ash Ketchum rather well, and after what she did to the boy...
This would undoubtedly work.
Oak's Ranch, One Hour after beginning of Nap
Ash awoke, his Lucario's relentless nudging finally doing its job. He yawned and praised his pokemon before running back to join his buddies.
He was still exhausted, but he knew if he slept any longer, he wouldn't be able to sleep that night; he was already putting himself at risk by dozing now. He gently awoke Pikachu and checked his pokegear for the time.
"Wow, time truly flew by today," Ash thought to himself.
The time was 7 p.m. The steadily lowering sun in the distance provided evidence of the time.
He despised himself for staying so late at the ranch when he had promised his mother he would just be gone for a few hours. He only hoped she and the others would understand that he simply wanted to spend time with his pokemon.
He made his way into the lab after saying a brief goodbye to all of his pokemon and promised a battle the next day.
He also said his goodbyes to Professor Oak and Tracey before departing home.
Ash took a deep breath and mentally braced himself for the berating he was sure to hear from his mother as his house came into view.
He entered the house with caution, hearing what appeared to be cheerful discussions emanating from the kitchen. He walked in to see practically everyone seated around the table, waiting for the freshly prepared food to be served.
"Ash! You're back!" Dawn screamed, leaping from her chair and fiercely embracing him. Dawn typically didn't hug Ash for trifling reasons like being gone for a few hours, thus Ash appeared shocked by the behavior. In reality, no one did...
"Hey, Dawn," Ash remarked as he continued to embrace her. They let go of each other quickly, and Dawn returned to her place at the table.
Ash was going to sit down as well, but he was stopped by another pair of arms wrapping around his middle. Serena's face smiled up at him as he gazed down. "Hello, Ash!"
Ash was about to sit down again when he felt someone wrap their arms around his shoulders. Misty's face appeared in front of Ash, and she smiled cheerfully at him, "Hi, Ash! Welcome to home!"
Ash felt it odd that the girls were acting in this manner, but he reciprocated the hug regardless of his confusion. He wasn't even opposed to the contact. In fact, he seemed to relish it.
"Hey, Serena and Misty," they said before splitting apart, and Ash was finally able to take his seat while addressing the rest of the room.
"Hello everyone, sorry for being late, I got caught up with seeing my pokemon and stuff."
Ash waited for a response, praying it wouldn't be from his mother, who was furious. However, that expectation was dashed when Delia began to talk.
"It's okay, honey. I know you just lost track of time while playing with your pokemon, I understand, and you made it just in time for supper!" Delia smiled, the exact opposite reaction Ash expected.
Ash breathed a sigh of relief. Being late was his mother's worst pet hate, and he was frequently late.
Ash let his gaze travel around the room, only to realize that May was nowhere to be seen.
"Hey, where's May?" Ash inquired, leaving the answer to anyone who could respond.
"She's still sleeping, Ash," Brock said. As Brock proceeded, Ash's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "I tried to rouse her up, but she wouldn't budge; she was genuinely worried about you last night, more than we even realized before, and I think it really took a toll on her, as it did on all of us."
Ash looked down, embarrassed. "I'm sorry for causing you all anxiety, and I hope you can forgive me."
For a few seconds, the room was still before laughing erupted, filling it with excitement. Ash looked perplexed until Dawn spoke up.
"Ash, only you would apologize for being wounded; it's not your fault that we were worried about you; it's just what people do; they worry about the people they care about," Misty said, a light blush on her face.
Ash shyly massaged the back of his neck and nodded. He was now more than ready to enjoy another delicious home-cooked lunch served by the two best chefs he knew.
Dinner flew by, and the chats lingered far into the evening.
May was still sleeping, which astounded Ash. Even though he knew it wasn't his fault, he felt awful for making her worry to the point of exhaustion. He was startled out of his reverie when he heard a yawn next to him.
He'd completely forgotten that he and Serena were the only two who weren't in bed, but it was clear that the blonde performer wasn't going to stay much longer.
"Ash, I'm going to bed; I'll see you in the morning, goodnight," Serena murmured as she hugged Ash again, much more secure than she had been only a few days before.
This time, Ash wasn't surprised. He just figured that he would have to get used to all of the cuddling, which he didn't mind in the least. In fact, he was thoroughly enjoying the encounter.
With Serena gone, Ash was left in the kitchen alone. Pikachu had long since gone to bed, still sleepy from his nap.
Ash scolded himself for napping earlier in the day. As a result, he was completely fatigued when he should have been sleeping. Not wanting to sit in the kitchen alone, but also not wanting to go to bed, Ash made his way to one of his favorite places in the entire world.
He strolled gently into the backyard, turning off the back porch light so that the darkness of night engulfed him fully. He then approached the porch swing that his mother had installed many years before.
When Ash couldn't sleep, he would come out here and stare at the sky until he fell asleep. He'd be out there for hours and even fall asleep on the swing. Tonight, however, he simply wanted to gaze at the stars, so that's what he did.
Ash's Room
May's lashes began to quiver, and her eyes eventually opened entirely. As she awoke, she tried to get her bearings, as she was unsure where she was. Before falling asleep, all she remembered was seeing Ash waking up and hugging him securely in her arms, trying her best to express all her love for him without actually speaking.
She was now lying on a bed in a dark room. She looked down when she heard light breathing to her left and saw Misty and Serena asleep in sleeping bags. She then turned to her right and noticed Dawn asleep on a cot. May looked at the alarm clock on her bedside table and saw that it was 11:30 p.m.
She was amazed she had slept for so long and silently grumbled, knowing she would almost likely have difficulty falling asleep again that night. She was about to try to sleep again, hoping that the lingering exhaustion would be enough to lull her back to sleep, but she was stopped when she heard her stomach grumbling.
May was hungry. On a regular day, she ate significantly more than the average individual. She hadn't eaten much today, however. She sighed gently and crept out of Ash's room, down the stairs, and into the kitchen.
May's eyes had finally accustomed to the darkness when she reached the area that would provide her with food, so she didn't feel the need to turn on the kitchen's bright lights and irritate her eyes. She walked over to the fridge and took a bag of deli turkey and 5 rice balls, both of which had a note on them from Delia indicating they were for her when she got up. May was grateful and promised to thank Delia later for saving her some food.
May then made and ate two turkey sandwiches as well as all of the rice balls. When she was finished, she went back to the refrigerator to put away the turkey and mustard she had used for her sandwiches.
She came to a halt in the middle of her stride, however, when she noticed a person sat on the porch swing outside the window. She recognized right away that there had to be someone in the house who couldn't sleep, just like her.
Knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep anytime soon, she chose to wander into the backyard, hoping to strike up a discussion with whoever was on the swing.
As she got closer, she observed a hat silhouette on top of this person's head, as well as hair peeking out from behind it. When she saw this, she knew it had to be one person.
"H-Hey Ash," May stammered, her voice trembling slightly as she felt nervous. Her ideas from the day lingered in her head.
Ash jumped slightly, clearly not expecting to be alone out there. He quickly calmed down after looking to see who it was.
"Hey there, sleeping beauty. Nice nap?" Ash said with his usual smile.
May thanked Arceus for the darkness, which was the only thing keeping Ash from seeing the large blush that had overtaken her cheeks as she processed his words. She didn't answer, so Ash merely scooted over on the bench swing and motioned for her to take a seat next to him.
"Would you like to join me?" Ash inquired, and rather of responding verbally, she approached the swing and sat down next to Ash, their legs touching as they sat due to the swing's small size.
"Did you just awaken?" Ash inquired. May responded with a nod.
"Are you hungry?" Ash inquired, a smirk on his lips; it genuinely amazed her how well he knew her. May merely nodded once more, causing Ash to frown somewhat.
"Are you feeling very chatty tonight?" May nodded again in answer, this time with a shrug.
"OK, no worries. "Then we can just watch the stars together," Ash replied cheerfully, and May followed Ash's eyes to the night sky, gawking at the gorgeous stars.
They sat in pleasant silence for some time until Ash decided to break it.
"You know, when I was younger, I used to come out here all the time." "Whenever something is stressing me out, or I have a big decision I have to make, anything really, I would just come at here and gaze at the stars." May turned to watch Ash speak, his gaze never leaving the sky. "Whenever something is stressing me out, or I have a big decision I have to make, anything really, I would just come at here and gaze at the stars. It was always soothing to me."
May's eyes never left Ash's face as they sat in comfortable silence for a while more, tears welling up in her sapphire blue eyes.
"I'm very sorry, Ash," May whispered in hushed tones; Ash couldn't make out what she'd said, but he knew she'd said something.
"May, what did you say? " Ash inquired.
"I apologized!" " May exclaimed, allowing tears to stream down her cheeks, and Ash became concerned about one of the people he cared about the most.
"For what purpose, May?" " Ash inquired softly, wanting to assist her in any way he could, and the only way he could do so was to understand what she was saying.
"I'm completely to blame!" I'm the one who injured you! I'm the one that caused you to lose so much blood! May's breathing hitched as she tried to say the last word, but it was too dreadful for her to even speak of; she literally couldn't get the word out of her mouth.
Ash glanced at May sadly, greatly concerned about her. Tears cascaded down her flawless features as her head sagged, causing these tears to puddle on her lap.
It all made sense now, why she was apologizing, everything. May blamed herself for the fact that he'd almost lost his life. Sure, she was the initial target for the bullets, and sure, Ash had taken those bullets for her, but he in no way blamed May for what happened. It wasn't like she'd asked to be shot at. It was his decision to put himself in harm's way in order to protect her.
Ash adjusted his posture on the porch swing so that he was facing her as best he could, placing one hand under her chin and slowly lifting her head up until they were face to face.
"May, I want you to listen to me," Ash said firmly, yet sweetly, brushing away some of May's tears with his thumb. "What happened to me is in no way your fault."
"But-" May attempted to speak up, but Ash cut her off.
"No, May, just listen." Ash's voice was harsh, but also kind and soothing, and it touched May's heart as she silently agreed to let him talk.
"You are not to blame for anything that happened. It wasn't your fault Jessie had a gun. It's not your fault you were shot at. It's also not your fault that I was hit. It was my decision to take those bullets, to put myself in danger in order for you to be safe. I couldn't bear seeing you in pain, May. I couldn't live with myself if I'd let you be injured when there was something I could do about it. That identical event might happen a million times, and I wouldn't alter a thing, even if I hadn't gotten so lucky in the end..."
By the time Ash had finished, he had placed a soothing palm on her trembling fingers.
May had stopped crying at this point, leaving behind red, puffy, but still gorgeous blue eyes. May had loudly gasped at Ash's words, astounded by the honesty behind them. Her sapphire pools met Ash's, and she saw how truthful he was about everything he'd just said.
After a few moments of staring at each other, May drew Ash into a tight embrace and burst into tears once more.
"Thank...you...Ash," May said in between sobs.
"May, for what?"
" Ash inquired, really believing that he deserved no thanks for what he'd done, as if he'd simply done what any friend would do for another.
May's weeping had subsided by this point, and she could finally speak clearly: "Thank you...for saving my life."
"You know you don't have to th-" Ash was abruptly cut off by May.
"Yes, Ash, I do. That was the most incredible thing anyone has ever done or will ever do for me, so please allow me to talk." Ash received the message and kept his mouth shut.
"I appreciate your protection. Thank you for saving my life, for caring so much about me that you'd risk your own to save mine. And thank you, Ash...for simply being you," May said, allowing one more tear to fall. May knew that meeting Ash that first day in Hoenn was by far the happiest and most meaningful day of her life.
Ash merely grinned in response, and the two continued to stare at each other until they both allowed their faces fall open. Ash was overjoyed since she was able to console one of his greatest friends.
May was lost in Ash's chocolate brown eyes, memories of everything he had done for her over the years flooding her mind.
Ash had always been the greatest person she'd ever known, and she admired him more than her own parents after everything he'd done for her. He was willing to die for her, and that was the most incredible thing in the world; that she was so important to him that he was willing to have his life end just so hers could continue.
May's love for Ash had grown exponentially as a result of everything that had transpired; there had never been any doubt in her mind before, but now she felt as if she would be perfectly fine just sitting there and starring at him all night.
They'd been engaged in each other's gazes for about three minutes when May did something she hadn't expected; she could only suppose it was because of everything that had happened, the fact that she had almost lost him, the fact that she was brimming with love for him, but she couldn't be sure.
May leaned in quickly, successfully capturing Ash's lips with her own; she did her best to put all of her love for him behind that kiss, but she knew that no action could ever express the enormity of her love for him; that being said, she was certainly trying her best by putting everything she felt behind that kiss.
May was convinced she'd entered heaven when their lips met; she always thought the 'fireworks' analogy was a little cheesy, but it was by far the best way to describe what she was feeling while kissing Ash; even if she hadn't realized what she was doing yet, she savored every moment of the tender kiss.
Ash's eyes widened in total surprise when May's lips touched his. He was kissing one of his best friends, and he had no idea how to feel about it. But the pleasurable sensation was too great at the moment for him to pull back, and he decided that he could just be confused later. He slowly began to kiss back, and about 5 seconds later, he broke the kiss, no longer able to hold back his confusion.
Both stared at each other for a few seconds until May's eyes widened as she realized what she'd just done. She leapt from her seated posture and hurried toward the house, unable to hide her embarrassment.
She hadn't intended to kiss him, but the overwhelming love she felt pushed her to do so without even thinking about it; she was simply too terrified to face Ash at the moment, so she ran towards the house, hearing Ash shouting her name as she entered the house and made her way back up to Ash's room.
Ash tried calling May's name, hoping to convince her to return. He was perplexed himself, but his first duty was to make sure May didn't feel embarrassed, so he sighed to himself and sat back down on the swing.
He raised his fingers to his lips, where May had just kissed him, and couldn't deny that it felt nice, amazing even, yet he was so confused that it almost hurt.
"Well...there goes any hope of me sleeping tonight," Ash moaned again to himself.