Ketchum Residence, 3:30 Pm
The gang, except for May, who had politely and hastily asked not to be disturbed while she locked herself in Ash's room, had a delicious lunch thanks to Brock, Delia and Mr. Mime. While the food was excellent, the ambiance was anything but. Conversations were attempted, but it didn't seem right. Not when May seemed to be under such pressure.
After the tense lunch was over, Brock offered to help Delia clean the house, much to the Pokémon mime's chagrin. Paul and Max decided to start training their Pokemon at the ranch, and Serena and Dawn reportedly tried to talk to May.
Then only Ash and Misty remained.
Soon after lunch, Ash entered the courtyard and sat on the grass, looking up at the clear blue sky. He had chosen to leave Pikachu to hang out with May's Glaceon in the living room. No matter how she felt, May knew Glaceon wanted to see Pikachu, so she let her out of the ball to be with him. Ash planned to sit in his usual retreat in his garden, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. After all, that's where all this tension started.
Ash sighed and silently prayed that he and May could go back to how things were before last night, before things got so complicated. A friendship like his was a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and it wasn't something Ash would willingly part with.
Not without a fight. Misty looked at Ash through the kitchen window, saw him sit on the grass in the middle of the garden, and watched the clouds pass. After getting sick of being kept in the dark about the whole situation and feeling very good that Ash knew something she didn't, Misty came out and sat next to Ash.
He was so deep in thought that Ash didn't even notice Misty walking towards him. It wasn't until she sat down next to him and cleared her throat that he noticed.
"Oh...hey shit." Ash said distractedly, barely glancing at him before returning to his blank stare. Misty, who is never one to walk around it, got it right.
"Ash, what's going on? What happened?" Misty asked softly.
Ash feigned surprise and even tried to change the slightly pained expression on his face to make the act more believable. "What do you mean mis-"
He was quickly silenced by the redhead.
"Stop this nonsense Ketchum, I've known you a long time and I know May is acting weird because of you. So tell me…what happened." Misty spoke sternly.
Ash sighed before rolling his eyes. He thought back to earlier, when he realized that he would need help if he was going to make things right. He desperately wanted his friendship and May's to survive this more than he ever wanted, including becoming a Pokémon master; Ash valued his friends above all else, period. With that in mind, she decided it was worth the risk to tell Misty.
"Okay..." Ash said almost inaudibly. "I couldn't sleep last night, so I came here to look at the stars, like I always do when I have trouble sleeping. I was sitting on that porch swing, looking up at the sky, when May came out."
He stopped to make sure Misty followed. When he saw that he was, he continued. "Well, we started talking. She was very sorry for what had happened. That I've been hurt. She felt it was her fault.'
"Ash, it was just you. You always put others before yourself and that's one of the things everyone loves about you." Misty said softly to her best friend. "Thanks, Mist. And I know, that's what I told her. I told her it wasn't her fault and if I could relive that moment I would do the same. I would do what I did a million times, even if it didn't end up she had been so lucky, she was crying at the time, so I hugged her to comfort her. Then he started thanking me. But not just for saving her, for everything I've done for her since we've known each other. I tried telling her not to thank me for anything, and then…" Ash found it hard to speak as he neared the end.
"Then is what, Ash?" Misty asked; she was so close to an answer that Ash's pause killed her.
"She, uh, she...kissed me." Ash said softly. "And…I think I liked it."
Misty's mouth fell to the floor, gasping loudly, when Ash told her.
"May kissed Ash? But why? Was it because she saved her life, or was there a deeper meaning behind her?" All these questions circled Misty's head as the two sat in silence.
The silence that reigned over them was embarrassing for Ash. He badly wanted Misty's input on this matter. After all, she had no idea what to make of the kiss.
Misty, on the other hand, was trying to match things up. You started with the facts.
Ash was without a doubt the most wonderful man anyone would ever meet, and she knew May was more than happy with that. Misty admitted she had a crush on Ash when they were traveling together and even allowed that crush to continue to this day.
After gathering everything she could think of, she thought she had an answer. After pondering a series of mishaps, clues and clues, she came to the conclusion that May's kiss wasn't just because Ash had saved her life, he had her, after all. , done before. Nope...
May definitely had feelings for him. Misty promised herself that one day she would tell May and the other girls about it.
After a few minutes of screaming silence for Ash, Misty finally spoke, "Ash?"
Ash looked at Misty, almost shaking with anticipation. He was in desperate need of a way to fix this.
"I think May may have feelings for you. Romantic feelings.' Misty said, shocking Ash a lot. "What!? Definitely not! She's one of my best friends, how could she-"
Ash was interrupted by Misty, "That's right, Ash! You're an incredibly sweet person! Think about it, you've made friends with almost everyone you've met, even Paul! You treat your friends like they're the most precious thing to you and that's great . Everything about you makes people go crazy with love and happiness, especially the girls! It's so easy to fall in love with you, Ash Ketchum!" Misty exclaimed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, a little annoyed at what remained of Ash's ignorance. Misty knew she'd just said what a creepy single girl in the world that she once had feelings for Ash she wished she could say. She had to hear it.
Ash was surprised by Misty's words. All he could do now was sit back and stare silently at Misty with wide eyes.
"I'll tell you because you're my best friend, Ash. I always had a crush on you when we traveled together...Even now, I have a crush on you." Misty said confidently, which shocked Ash even more.
Ash managed to find his tongue, but barely. "M-Misty, y-you have such-"
"Yes, I still have feelings for you." explained Misty, who knew where he was going. "I just told you this to prove my point. You are the most amazing person that all your friends and I have ever met, I'm sure. We all think this way. And it doesn't hurt that you are also incredibly beautiful. You're just... so easy to love."
Ash couldn't find the words. He just stared at Misty with wide eyes, mouth hanging slightly open.
Misty sighed when she saw how surprised Ash was. "And the worst part is...you don't even know you make people feel that way. You do so many amazing, romantic things for people, but you don't realize the impact those things have. actions have on these people's hearts." Misty let out a lot of her pent up feelings and emotions. was 11 years old was. Misty sighed again before continuing. "But I know you do all those things because that's exactly the kind of person you are. It sucks sometimes because you don't quite understand girls' feelings. I know you still have some idea of what how girls feel when I realize you're even more kind and considerate to me now that we both know we have a crush."
It felt good to finally tell Ash what all the girls who had ever liked him thought. She hoped this conversation would help her best friend mature a bit in terms of relationships. Ash's expression changed from shock to deep thought. He tried to think of all the clues May or Misty had thrown at him, but he had no idea at the moment. He decided that for now he should just focus on things to do with May.
"You're definitely right that I don't understand girls' feelings because I had no idea. Everything you just said to me is completely shocked and I really don't know what to think right now." Ash finished , tugging at his hair and letting out a frustrated groan. Seeing this, Misty placed a reassuring hand on her best friend's shoulder: "Ash…it's not your fault. I'm here to help you figure out how to make things right with May."
Ash let her frustration slip off her face and finally let a sweet smile appear on her face. "Thank you Misty…that means a lot to me. I really hope May and I's friendship can recover from this."
Misty sighed again, she noticed she was doing it a lot lately. "Ash, I'll be honest… I don't know how it will turn out between you and May. It all really depends on her."
She soon noticed the look of horror on Ash's face. "But I think your friendship May is too precious to throw away because of her feelings. And besides, I could also be wrong about what she is feeling…although I seriously doubt it."
"So what should I do?" Ash looked almost completely defeated. No matter what Misty said to reassure him that everything would be okay, she couldn't help but look at the worst-case scenario. "I'll talk to May as soon as possible, but now I need to know something." Misty said seriously. Seeing that she had Ash's full attention, she continued. "Ash, what do you think of May?"
Ash was surprised by the question. What did he think of May? How did he feel about anything right now? He was really enjoying the kiss... Everything was so confusing in his head right now. Luckily for him, just as he was about to respond with a half-answer, the back door opened, revealing both Dawn and Serena.
Knowing that they couldn't very well continue their conversation right now, Misty gave Ash a look that shouted, "We'll finish this later."
"So... were you guys lucky?" Ash asked, praying they would make it through May.
Dawn and Serena sighed in defeat.
"Not good, Ash. She refuses to talk to anyone. I just want to know what was wrong. I hate to see her like this," Dawn said sadly as Serena nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, and it won't be easy for you either, Ash. Seems like she's completely avoiding you right now. Do you have any idea what's wrong with her?" Serena asked innocently. Like everyone else, Serena wanted answers as to why her friend was acting so strange, especially around Ash.
She hated doing it, but Ash had to lie. She couldn't verbally betray one of her best friends, so she just shook her head to indicate that she didn't know why about her.
"Okay… Delia said she needed help with something, so I volunteered, Misty." Serena's mood completely changed to happiness when she said this.
Misty cocked her head in confusion. Why would Serena offer her and not Dawn? After all, they were closer than she and Serena.
Serena noticed the confused look and spoke. "Misty, we haven't had as much time as the others to get to know each other. I thought this would be a good time to do it. Plus, I'd love to hear stories about the early days of Ash's travels."
Misty smiled at the explanation. "Okay Serena, let's go."
With that, the two girls walked through the door to help Delia, leaving only Ash and Dawn.
"So I guess that just leaves us, huh?" Dawn asked with a smile.
Ash shrugged and smiled, "Yes, I think so.
'Nothing special. I'm just glad we spent some time together. We hadn't spent time alone together in years." Dawn said, feeling lightheaded inside at the prospect of having Ash to herself for a while.
"Well, how about I show you Pallet Town? It's not much, but I think a walk would be nice. Are you ready?" Ash asks the bluenette.
Dawn could barely hold back her scream of excitement as she finally got some alone time with Ash. She stood up after the internal screams and nodded happily, unable to contain all the excitement she felt.
Seeing this, Ash walked around the house and along the road to their first destination. Somewhere in front of the house, Dawn reached out, wrapped herself around Ash's arm and held him close as they walked. Although surprised by the sudden action, Ash simply shared a smile with the slightly embarrassed Bluenette and allowed it.
The two walked around in comfortable silence for a while before Ash remembered something that had literally just been said to him. Misty's words repeated in her head.
"...You do such romantic and amazing things for everyone, but you don't realize the impact those actions have on people's hearts."
He looked at Dawn, who just grabbed his right arm and smiled contentedly. He inwardly berated himself for being so stupid, especially after telling Misty about it. He knew the action could upset Dawn, but that didn't stop Ash from pulling his arm free from the bluenette's grip. He refrained from looking at Dawn's face, not wanting to see how she would react to her action.
Ash would have been glad not to look, because Dawn's expression would have broken his heart. He was absolutely down and he wondered why he let her go. This contact with Ash made her feel like she might have a chance to be more than friends with him. It felt so good holding Ash and he didn't want that feeling to ever end. But instead of sulking, she decided to take action.
As the two walked, Dawn slipped her hand into Ash's. She did her best to escape, but the receptionist wouldn't let her. Ash mentally sighed to himself and finally allowed them to hold hands. Even though he knew he shouldn't risk it, especially after what had happened to May, the simple action made Dawn so happy, and Ash liked to see her happy; it was as if her joy was contagious.
He also chided how soft and warm her hand was; her touch was intoxicating. He threw caution to the wind and dropped his hand to continue.
As they marched, the two struck up a conversation. They talked more about past adventures and what they were going to do in the future.
"So Ash, what are your plans after challenging the Elite Four?" Dawn asked.
Ash smiled happily. He still couldn't believe how far it had come, "I'm not sure, Dawn.
"What? Ash, you're the most amazing coach I've ever met! What makes you think you can't win?" Dawn asked, curious to know why the normally confident boy was doubting himself. Ash sighed, "I've been training really hard over the past few years and I really think I have a chance. It's just... it depends on my form at the time. I guess I'm just nervous..."
Although Ash's lack of confidence showed in her voice, Dawn couldn't help but laugh. Ash looked at her with a mixture of confusion and slight annoyance. How could she laugh at him when something was bothering him?
"What's funny about that, Dawn?" asked Ash, very curious.
"The great Ash Ketchum... nervous? What a mess!" Dawn then calmed her laughter and let a sweet smile grow on her face as she continued softly, "Ash, if there's one thing I've learned from traveling with you, it's to never doubt yourself, no matter the odds." you've proven to yourself, and everyone else, that you could emerge a winner even in the face of incredible 's not your place to doubt yourself. I laughed because it's so ridiculous that you think you can't win...because I know you can, Ash."
Ash couldn't help but smile broadly at the blond's words. Her soft tone and praise also made him blush slightly, but that went unnoticed by Dawn. He quickly felt his confidence return to normal levels, his speech invigorated him greatly.
Ash found it incredible that Dawn always went out of her way to support him. He was always grateful for the Bluenette's over-the-top support. She had probably supported him more than any of his other companions; This cheerleading outfit was just amazing.
Ash involuntarily let his mind drift to the image of Dawn in her old cheerleading outfit. And just as Dawn had matured over the years, Ash thought she would look absolutely stunning in it now.
"Wow… Dawn…" Ash thought to himself, his hormones taking over his thoughts for a moment. He was brought back to reality by Dawn waving a hand in front of his face. He blinked a couple of times and tried to think of something else. Eventually he calmed down enough to speak.
"Thank you, Dawn. You have no idea how much it means to me to know that you believe in me like that. You have always been one of my biggest supporters and I can never thank you enough for that." Ash said with a sweet smile.
Dawn blushed at her signature smile and ducked her head to hide it, but not before a wide grin spread across her face. She liked Ash's kind words.
At that moment, the two arrive where Ash had planned to go all along. He took a deep breath of fresh air and let himself be overcome by an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. "Pallet Town Park... It's been a long time since I've been here. Used to come here with Gary. Everyday we'd run to this place and play for hours." She smiled at the fond memories.
It was almost as if Dawn felt Ash's joy at being here, as a smile also appeared on her pretty face. The park was really nothing special. It had a traditional jungle gym made up of monkey bars, some tubes to crawl through, a fire pole, and a swirling slide. However, none of this caught the attention of the two friends as they walked hand in hand towards the swing sets.
Ash was surprised that no one was there at the time, but he decided not to doubt it when he and Dawn sat next to each other on the swings.
They both waved lightly, allowing for more conversation between the two friends. They were both laughing and enjoying themselves, but Dawn's mind kept going back to what Ash had said before.
Dawn stared at the boy, a wide but shy smile spreading across her face. The blush from earlier had returned in full force. Ash has always known how to use words; he could make her laugh no matter how down she felt.
The two engaged in a staring contest for a while, until Ash laughed nervously. He didn't know how Dawn felt about him, but that's how it started with May earlier…
"I've been giving a lot of long-winded speeches lately." Ash thought to himself. He has tried to put out of his mind the idea of a repeat of what happened to May here.
Feeling his courage fail, Ash imagined his fear becoming a reality as Dawn rose from her swing and stood shyly in front of Ash.
Dawn felt confident when she heard what Ash had to say about her. She felt ready, ready to tell him how she felt about him. But as soon as trust came, she disappeared; the prospect of how her life could change her confession had frightened her to the point that for the moment she had lost her faith. But now she was there, shy as can be, standing in front of him.
Dawn had to find a way out. She did the only thing she could think of, leaned over and hugged Ash. The black-haired coach was getting more and more nervous, even if the contact with Dawn was more than pleasant.
However, Dawn had an ulterior motive for the hug; it was certainly more than just a thank you. As she began to let go of the boy, she ripped the hat off his head and ran to the jungle gym.
" Hey ! Dawn, that's my hat! Ash shouted as he chased after the Bluenette. Dawn laughed as she challenged her boyfriend with her beanie. She felt the atmosphere was getting too serious. After all, this was supposed to be a fun day with just her and Ash, and she intended to enjoy it as best she could.
"I thought your last name was Ketchum? So why can't you catch me?' She teased the sunrise from atop the jungle gym. "Oh, like I've never heard it before... I'm going to get you!" Ash yelled from the ground. He quickly made his way up the stairs and through a tunnel that would lead to Dawn's position at the top of the climbing frame.
Ash was preparing to jump out of the pipe and grab Dawn, "I...get it!" Ash grabbed where Dawn should be, but instead found only an empty space. He looked around, confused.
Dawn noticed his amazement and chuckled, "Hey! Over here!"
Ash followed the voice to where his blue haired friend was standing on the floor near the swing set. "Forgot the slide?"
Ash moved his palms as he realized Dawn had escaped down the slide.
"I'm going to get you, Dee Dee." Ash said with a confident smile, using her old nickname...which she hated. Ash quickly makes his way down the chute and gives chase again, trying to catch up with the fleeing Dawn.
"Do not call me that!" Dawn yelled over her shoulder as she had to put some distance between herself and Ash, laughing the entire time. Even though she hated being called Dee Dee, she was touched that Ash remembered that stupid nickname of hers after all these years. As she screamed, she noticed Ash reaching for her. They were now in an open meadow, right next to the playground. She knew Ash would eventually get past her, but that didn't mean she wouldn't try to run. She did everything she could to escape, but Ash eventually caught up with her.
Ash grabbed her around her waist and spun her in the air, making them both laugh. "I told you I would get you, Dawn." Ash said with a confident smile while still holding her by the waist.
Dawn was still laughing and managed to calm down a bit to say, "Okay Ash, you win."
Dawn then turned in her arms so that the two faced each other. She looked into her eyes and met their warm, friendly gaze. Ash looked into the deep blue eyes too, a smile still on his lips. This was exactly what he needed at the moment; a nice day out with a good friend.
Dawn, however, was thinking of something else. She was absolutely lost in his rich brown eyes. She considered doing something, hoping to express how she felt; In Ash's arms, she felt invincible. But the fear of rejection took hold of her, so she chose something else.
Without looking away, Dawn took Ash's hat and put it on her head, pulling it over her eyes. She couldn't help laughing at how ridiculous he looked. Ash stood still, not tying his hat, with an unamused expression on his face. But it was clear to Dawn that he was only pretending not to be amused to get an answer out of her, and he wasn't ashamed to say that it worked.
"You always have the last laugh, don't you, Dawn?" Ash asked as he fastened his cap and a warm smile crept onto his lips.
Dawn shrugged. "What can I say, the last laugh is always the most satisfying."
Ash sighed, making Dawn laugh as they both sat down on the grass. Ash chose to lie down and Dawn soon followed suit. This was followed by a comfortable silence between the two; everyone appreciated the peace that silence brought them.
As they looked up at the clouds, Dawn decided to say something she'd been thinking about for a while.
"Hello Ash?" Dawn asked, looking at him from her relaxed position.
"Mmm?" Ash replied with his eyes closed, enjoying the fresh Kanto breeze. "I don't know what you'll do after you challenge the Elite Four, but if you're ever going to travel again…I want to go with you."
Ash opened his eyes and looked at Dawn with a big smile on his face.
"That would be great, Dawn! And you know me, I can't stay in the same place for a long time, so of course I'll travel again. I'd love it if you came with me! I've really missed being with you to travel." Ash spoke truthfully.
Dawn's smile widened as she looked at Ash. She hadn't doubted that Ash would say yes to her request to travel with her again, but it was nice to hear him actually say it. The two spent the rest of the evening at the park, playing, relaxing, and enjoying each other's company.
Despite everything that was going on, it was one of the happiest days of his young life.
Ketchum Residence, 10:30 PM
Dawn and Ash got home a few hours ago, just in time for dinner. Unfortunately, May still refused to leave Ash's room, so the slightly uncomfortable tension lingered in the group as they ate.
Apparently, Max had challenged Paul to a fight when the two were training. Although it was a little closer than his match with Ash, Paul ultimately won by a fairly wide margin.
Serena quickly asked where Ash and Dawn had been all day. Helping Delia and bonding with Misty ended up only taking an hour and when she was done, she made plans to spend time with Ash, only to find that he was gone with Dawn.
Dawn explained how they went to the park and had a blast. Serena smiled, but anger and jealousy grew inside her. She had suspicions about what Dawn felt for Ash and the thought that they were alone together terrified her.
However, Serena has never been the type of girl to be mean to others unless they truly deserve her kindness. This trait made Serena accept that Ash and Dawn hadn't had a good time together in years and that they deserved to have their moment. Besides, she already considered Dawn a friend, so she really couldn't blame her.
It was now late in the evening. Since everyone had quite hectic days, they were exhausted.
Brock, Paul, Max and Delia went to bed first. It was at this moment that the girls realized they had a little problem, which Ash tried to help them solve.
"So...how are we going to do it?" Serena asked, referring to the situation with May and the fact that she was in their shared room and didn't seem to want to let anyone in.
"He needs to understand that we're just trying to get to bed. I think he's letting us in. And who knows, maybe now she's ready to talk.' Dawn rationalized. "Well, good luck everyone. I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted.' Ash said as he went out into the living room.
Serena sighed heavily, "Well...we should probably go to our room too. I'm not that tired, but maybe we can get May to talk."
Both Dawn and Misty nodded in agreement as the three girls headed up the stairs. Misty didn't say it out loud, but she was going to let May, along with all the other girls, talk about how they were feeling. More specifically, how they felt about Ash. He thought that if everyone's feelings were open it would be easier to deal with them.
It was then that Misty suspected that both Serena and Dawn had feelings for Ash and May. This assumption was based simply on the way they behaved around him, how they talked about him. They quickly reached Ash's room. Misty took the initiative and knocked on the door.
'Perhaps? We are. I know you said you wanted to be alone, but we're exhausted and we sort of share this room." Misty reminded the girl. In fact, May shouldn't have been in this room at all; her originally designated sleeping place was downstairs on the couch. But the circumstances allowed Misty to understand why she wouldn't want to sleep there now, with Ash just a few feet away.
At first there was no response from the brunette in the room. This led the three women to think May might have fallen asleep. After a few minutes of silence, Serena sighed and motioned for the other girls to follow her downstairs. They just need to find another place to sleep.
As they turned to leave, they heard the sound of the door unlocking and opening slowly. The girls stopped and turned their heads, only to meet May's bloodshot eyes from behind the half-open door.
"E-enter." May said pathetically. Misty, who knew why she was acting like this, felt terrible for her friend. Not to say that the others didn't feel bad too, they didn't know the whole story...yet.
Without saying a word, Misty walks into Ash's room, with May finally allowing the door to open fully. May regretted turning on the light because it was now obvious from her red, swollen eyes that she had been crying all day. All three girls noticed this, but put it aside for now. Each girl put on pajamas and one by one they took turns going to the bathroom to change. Not long after, May regained her position on Ash's bed, her knees drawn up against her chest.
Misty was the last to change. As she exited the bathroom, she noticed everyone's attitude and the awkward silence that filled the room. Dawn sat at the foot of the bed and looked sadly at May. However, the brunette did not notice this, as at that moment she was staring absentmindedly at the sheets on which she was sitting.
Serena sat on top of her sleeping bag and stared at the brunette too. She was upset that her new friend felt so bad, but she couldn't muster the courage to ask why her.
Misty took a deep breath and readied herself for the conversation that was about to begin. If what he thought was right, this could end in disaster.
She slowly walked over to the bed, sat next to Dawn, making sure to pick the side closest to May.
"To be able to?" Misty tried to make the girl look at her. When she didn't, she Misty tried again, but this time with more force: "May, look at me."
Reluctantly, May poked her head out of her knees and met Misty's gaze. At that point, the three girls were allowed to take a close look at May's eyes. Not only did she look like she had been crying all day, but it was obvious she was exhausted. Both Dawn and Serena were happy that Misty seemed to be trying to get May to talk. something they knew she needed to do urgently.
Having managed to get May's attention, Misty took another deep breath before continuing.
"May, something is obviously wrong and if you don't talk about it, it will continue to eat away at you until you can't take it anymore." Misty said seriously. She knew why she felt that way, but she wanted to give May a chance to tell everyone herself.
May looked almost surprised, looking from Misty to Dawn to Serena and then back to Misty. Instead of responding verbally, she shook her head in the negative.
Misty sighed, "May, you're going to talk one way or another."
May looked at the girl, confused as to what she was talking about. Misty leaned forward and wrapped her hand around May's ear before whispering. "May…I know it's Ash. I know what happened." Misty backed away slowly, looking to her friend for an answer.
Misty hoped that now that May knew she knew what was going on, she would open up to everyone. But instead of doing what she had hoped, she May instead let more tears roll down her cheeks as she turned redder than a tomato berry.
"Misty! What did you tell her!?" Dawn shot the redhead accusingly. At this point she was feeling very protective of her best friend.
Misty didn't answer, nor did she acknowledge her emptiness. Instead, she kept talking to May, this time for everyone in her room to hear.
May, we are your friends. If you let us know what's going on, we can help." Misty was almost begging at this point. She really didn't want to be the one to tell everyone. She knew it would be better if it came from May herself.
But May remained silent. The only sound that came out of her was an occasional snort.
This was Misty's last hope to get her to talk and she knew it. It was obvious that May was breaking. "May, if you openly express your feelings, then everything will be easier to manage...I promise."
Serena and Dawn perked up when they heard the redhead's last statement. They were both smart girls and from what Misty said, they figured she knew something about what was going on. At least...they knew more than her or anyone else.
"May, what is Misty talking about? What feelings? We just want to help you and we can't do that if we don't know what happened," Serena pleaded. They were so close to finding out what was going through May's head.
They were so close to being able to help her.
However, May still refused to speak. In fact, Serena's recent flurry of questions had pushed her over the edge. She quickly threw her head between her knees and began to sob.
Misty waited a few moments to allow the girl to calm down a bit before saying the last thing she could think of. It was obvious that May was too embarrassed or ashamed to speak, so Misty knew what to do.
"Mai, can I tell you? Can I tell you what happened between you and Ash?" Misty asked, trying to sound as sweet as possible. If they hadn't been totally sucked in before, Dawn and Serena definitely were now. They had suspected that May's condition was related to Ash, but now they knew for sure.
May never looked up from her lap, but she stopped crying for a moment. The entire room fell completely silent for a few minutes as May considered what to do. Eventually, Misty noticed that May nodded, albeit barely. It was easy to tell that she wasn't sure it was the right thing to do.
Misty took a deep breath and looked at both Dawn and Serena before speaking.
"May, she... May kissed Ash." Misty struggled a bit to get the words out, still trying to figure out how to articulate what she was about to say. But she finally decided that the butterier is the better.
Let her sobs come back, holding her head between her knees. Misty looked back and forth between Dawn and Serena, searching for an answer. She was surprised when none of their facial expressions changed. They were both stoic as they let the information seep in.
Misty noticed their lack of response and thought she might be wrong that the two girls had feelings for Ash. Until she noticed that Serena and Dawn were both staring ahead blankly. His earlier theory was further confirmed when he saw a single tear roll down Serena's face, without her reacting. That tear was soon followed by several more as her stoic expression changed to one of sadness and she began to cry.
As she fought back the tears, she Dawn she felt she deserved answers. She was very confused and surprised by what was being said.
She turned her attention to May, who still hadn't looked up from her knees. Dawn then asked question number one on her mind.
"Why May?" Why did you kiss him? Dawn asked, sounding like she swore it was just an impulse, a one-time thing.
Still, May didn't look up as she continued to sob on her knees. Misty decided to explain something because at least she knew Ash's side of what had happened. "May blamed herself for nearly dying. Ash told me she kept apologizing and he told me it wasn't her fault. He comforted her when she broke down and she just…kissed him." Misty explained what she learned from Ash.
"I-I'm not sure why he did that. It could just be because-"
Misty was interrupted by May, who hadn't stopped crying, but had lifted her head off her knees.
"I kissed him because I'm in love with him! Crazy, deeply, hopelessly in love with him, okay!?" cried May. Right after her outburst, she interrupted another one and put her head back in her new favorite spot.
Even Misty was shocked. She knew that May must have feelings for Ash, but she had no idea how deep those feelings were. When she thought about it, though, it made sense.
Hearing this revelation, Dawn joined Serena and let tears fall from her beautiful blue eyes.
After a few moments of incessant crying, Misty regained her lead. She had caused this indirectly, and she had to finish what she had set out to do. Now that she knew for sure that all three girls had feelings for Ash, she just had to make them public.
"Everyone needs to stop crying now." Misty said emphatically. "Crying won't solve anything. You all need to share how you feel."
It took a few minutes, but eventually everyone stopped crying, including May's. Misty was right. They had to be open about their feelings if they wanted to know anything.
May was the first to speak, "I-I don't want to lose Ash as a friend, even if he doesn't love me back, all for a stupid kiss. I can't lose him. I can't live without him, even though we're still just friends."
For the first time, May looked around and noticed Dawn and Serena's freshly red eyes. She hadn't noticed her crying before because of her own sobbing and she was definitely confused.
"W-why were you crying?" May asked, still broken. "Why do you think?!" Serena spat out more venom than she intended.
Slowly but surely the pieces began to fall into place in May's mind. There was only one reason they would cry when they found out she was in love with Ash. Her eyes widened as she realized...
"Y-You have feelings for him too, don't you?" May asked despondently. Dawn spoke before Serena could answer. "...I'm in the same boat as you. I'm in love with Ash. I love him with all my heart more than anything in the world. He's been dormant for so long, but once I see him again, Lo I just knew."
"I've loved Ash since I've known him. Ever since we met in Kalos...I've been so madly in love with him it hurts," Serena added, though she felt no words could ever quite describe how much she loved the coach. black hair, and the girls actually felt that way
"I don't suppose any of you told him?" Misty inquired, paying close attention to the way she spoke. She knew the three girls were in the most fragile and vulnerable states of their lives right now and one harsh comment could potentially break them completely.
She got a collection of three head shakes, indicating they didn't tell her.
Dawn tried to ease the tension in the room and spoke with a halfhearted chuckle. "I think we have quite a dilemma, don't we?"
"You could say that..." May said sadly. Three girls now vied for Ash's heart.
Serena felt an anger rise in her that she had never felt before her. He couldn't believe he couldn't see through all the hints.
"What I don't understand is if you love Ash so much why did you leave him?" Serena spat, speaking before she really thought.
Dawn, May and Misty noticed the bitterness in her voice. Misty knew things could go downhill very quickly if that was how they planned to handle this situation.
May started crying again after hearing this: "I wish I never did. I was just a stupid kid back then and thought I had to go out on my own to get stronger. I still can't believe how wrong I was..."
Instead of collapsing like May, Dawn felt her own anger rising. "And you? You may not have left, but at least we're not clinging to him like he's our lifeline!"
Serena and Dawn shot each other with daggers, May couldn't stop crying. Misty knew something had to be done before this got out of control.
"Stop it immediately!" Misty scolded them both, sounding almost like a mother. "This is ridiculous, you guys are supposed to be friends! But here you are, at each other's throats and crying about it. I know it sucks that you're all in love with the same guy, but at least you have someone that Not everyone can. And by the way, if you fight or cry, Ash won't fall in love with you In the end, it's Ash's choice if he loves one of you, and you guys have to deal with it because you don't want to lose a great friend like Ash Ketchum!"
Upon hearing Misty speak, May immediately forced herself to stop crying. Both Dawn and Serena sadly looked away from each other quickly.
"Dawn I-I'm sorry. You too May, I shouldn't have said what I did. I'm really sorry." Serena spoke sadly.
Dawn shook her head, "No Serena, I should be the one apologizing. I had no right to call you clingy. You just did what the three of us would like us to do. And that would follow Ash wherever he went."
"I'm so sorry I kissed him. I had no idea you loved him too. The only reason this came out is so you could help me get back to normal with Ash. knowing that my friends and I shared a common love." may added.
"So... what do we do from here? Are we just trying to forget our feelings? Do we all chase him until he chooses one of us? ...if he chooses one of us. Do we share it?" Serena asked these questions as if she were almost begging someone for an answer.
Everyone's eyes widened at her latest suggestion, but no one said anything because they simply didn't have an answer to everything she asked. None of them knew what to do now.
Misty decided to talk. "All you can really do is act normal. I just hope this doesn't tear your friendships apart. Love is the strongest emotion there is, and I'm a little afraid it's going to take the step on Ash's final decision of who he wants to be with."
Everyone listened to Misty's words and understood them. They knew the redhead was right about everything she said. This feeling of love that every woman felt for Ash was by far the strongest feeling she had ever had.
"So let's all make a promise. We have to promise that our feelings won't get in the way of our friendship." Dawn said, desperate to keep their relationships, even with her new friends, from falling apart because of this. However, she didn't know not if it would be possible... "I agree, but that doesn't mean I won't do everything in my power to make Ash love me the way I love him," Serena added to make sure everyone know that she wouldn't let Ash go. She wanted nothing more in life than to be with Ash, and now more than ever she needed to take action. That being said, she knew she still had to be careful and overcome her own fears.
May nodded, a forced, almost fake smile gracing her lips. She hated to think about it, but when it came to her friendship with Dawn and Serena or Ash, she chose Ash any day of the week. She considered Dawn her best friend and she really loved Serena and already considered her a close friend, but that was the way it was. May liked her very much and she had no doubt that the other girls did too. For now, however, the only problem was how she would normally act around Ash after what had happened.
Misty, seeing May still conflicted, spoke quietly so only May could hear her, "May, if you want to have a chance with Ash, then you have to get over your awkwardness." You shouldn't even be embarrassed, you even kissed him, he even told me he liked it. Well from Ash, that could mean anything, but at least it's something. Ash isn't acting weird around you, so all you have to do is get over it and start acting normal around him again."
May listened to Misty's words and allowed a silly smile to cross her face when she learned that Ash liked to fuck her. It was so amazing to hear because for her the kiss was the most amazing thing she had ever experienced.
She let the dreamy moment pass and nodded in understanding. She knew Misty was right. She just had to overcome her embarrassment and go from there. She wanted to win Ash's love, but the first thing she had to do was behave like friends again.
Dawn and Serena seemed to share their thoughts. They would both do anything to win Ash's love because it was the most important thing in the world to them.
"Well, we really should go to bed. It's late and we still have a whole day ahead of us," Misty said, to which everyone agreed.
Everyone said goodnight before taking up their sleeping positions. But as a sign of continued friendship, May gave up the bed to Serena, which she gratefully accepted.
However, May and Dawn had chosen to take a pillow from Ash's bed. Even though it had been ages since Ash had slept on one of those pillows, they were both convinced that he still smelled like him. It was something that filled them with a comfort they had never experienced before.
As everyone felt extremely tired, they quickly fell asleep with the exception of Misty who had a flashback of her days in Paldea.
Flashback
Misty walked in the direction of Naranja Academy and saw many stairs in front of her to reach the academy. Misty climbed up the stairs and looked at the city which had the feeling of an university town with many shops catered to students.
Misty continued to climb up the stairs for some time while enjoying the clear sky with sunny weather. Misty soon reached Nemona who said to her "Climb up and at the top, you can reach Naranja Academy." and Misty nodded and said "Yes, I am climbing up to reach Naranja Academy. Thanks for the directions!"
Misty and Nemona continued to climb up the stairs for some time and they came across a student being said by some other students "You must join Team Star! The boss wants us to fill the quota and you must join!"
Misty and Nemona knew something must be done and Misty went and said "Stop forcing her to do as you say!" The students then said "You dare go against Team Star, you will face a battle!" and Nemona said "She defeated me, so do not be overconfident!"
The Team Star members then said "Well, we would then leave! Bye!" and then ran away. Misty and Nemona went to the girl who then said "My name is Penny, Thank You for your help!" and Misty smiled and said "I am ready to help those in need."
Misty and Nemona went to the stairs and continued to climb up the stairs till they reached Naranja Academy which was large. Misty and Nemona then walked for some time while looking at the students who seemed to be of various ages.
Misty and Nemona soon reached the entrance and entered the building and saw a large library in the hall. Nemona then said "I am leaving for the Staff Room! You go to your class!" and Misty smiled and said "Yes, thanks for telling me where I am supposed to go."
Misty and Nemona then parted ways and Misty walked in the sschool to reach an elevator and then pressed the button. The elevator came down and then Misty saw the doors open. Misty then entered the elevator and then she pressed the button where she would reach the floor where the classroom was.
Misty then saw the elevator go up and then soon reached the floor. Misty then saw the elevator doors open and then left the elevator. Misty walked for some time and then reached her classroom. Misty then entered the classroom and then she saw a teacher.
The teacher then said "The whole school is speaking about you! You defeated Nemona which makes you very strong! Come introduce yourself and then sit on the seat." and Misty smiled and said "Yes, I would introduce myself."
Misty then made her way to reach the center of the class and then said "I am Misty, the Cerulean City Gym Leader. I have joined this cshool to learn some special ways to train Pokemons to make them stronger."
The teacher then said "I am Jacq and I am the biology teacher. " Misty then made her way to her seat and then sat there. The class then proceeded on and then the class came to and end. Misty then went and left the classroom.
Misty walked in the corridors and then soon reached the cafeteria. Misty then walked in the cafeteria and then saw Arven who reached her. Arven then said to her "Oh, hey! So we meet again. You remember me, right?" Misty then said "You are the jerk from the lighthouse!"
Arven then said "Yeah, I am just not a fan of Koraidon so I was rude. I am sorry for that." Misty then asked "I thought you released Koraidon so how are you not a jerk?" Arven then said "Koraidon just escaped, I did not release Koraidon."
Misty nodded and said "You seem earnest so I will accept that." Arven then said "No need to tell me your name. Misty, right? Whole school seems to be talking about you. The new kid who showed up with the president of the student council. I normally wouldn't even bother showing up for class, but I came all the way to school today just to talk with you—our new celebrity. You've gotta help me out so I can finally make my dream a reality!"
Misty then asked "What's this dream, first?" and Arven replied "Hehehe... Caught your interest, have I? You want to hear all about my dream, right?" Misty nodded and said "Yes, I do want to know."
Arven then said "Well, this might come as a surprise, but fact is, I'm all about that picnic life: the great outdoors, the perfectly prepared sandwiches, all of it. Not half bad at cooking either, I can tell you. Right now I'm researching new recipes that'll help Pokémon feel better. Real health food, see. I found this book the other day, and it had a section about these Herba Mystica things... Basically, they're some kind of special herbs that heal up any Pokémon as soon as it eats them! Now, there are a total of five different types of Herba Mystica, based on what I read. Just taking a little lick of them once they've been powdered will get your blood flowing, provide nutrients, prevent aging—it'll even boost the immune system! These herbs seem like they're the real deal. Only found here in Paldea—and rare to boot! But this book says they're all guarded by Titan Pokémon, meaning that it's gonna be pretty tough to try to grab even a few sprigs. 'Cause, see Titans are— Well, I think they've gotta be...things like this! I really want to get those herbs for myself, but...I'm not very good at Pokémon battles. Don't have any friends with strong Pokémon to lend me a hand, either... And I'd never hear the end of it if I went crawling to that student council girl... But here you waltz up! You've got to help me out with this—you'd be perfect!"
Misty then said "Well..." Arven then said "Nope! Wait! I don't need an answer yet! I'll just register the places where it seems there might be Titans in your map app for you. Let it stew a bit, and we can get more into the details later. And in the meantime...take this. A little gift for listening and all. Give the idea some serious thought! Please!"
Misty then said "I will give it a thought." Misty then walked in the cafeteria and then got some food for her to eat. Misty then went and sat on a chair near a table and then ate the food. Misty then got up and walked and left the cafeteria.
Misty then walked in the corridor to reach the Staff Room. Misty saw Nemona who then went to her and said "Hi Misty, I know you are a Gym Leader but I need to tell you this. In Paldea there are Gyms and on defeating them you will get a badge. Get 8 of them and you can challenge the Elite Four nd on defeating them and the Champion, you can become a Champion of Paldea."
Misty listened and then noted "You say a Champion of Paldea. How many Champions does Paldea have?" Nemona then said "Champion is a rank in Paldea which is hard to get. I and Geeta are the Champions. You need to defeat Geeta to become the Champion."
Misty smiled and said "I would give it a go." Nemona then smiled and said "That would be amazing!" Misty then went and left the staff room and she heard and announcement "Director Clavell calls Misty to the director office."
Misty then went and reached the stairs and then climbed down the stairs to reach the floor where there was the director's office. Misty walked in the corridor for some time and reached the director's office.
Misty soon saw Clavell say to her "You need to hear this!" and then played a video where Misty saw a person with a coat say "I am Professor Sada. I need you to care for Koraidon. Make sure that Koraidon heals well." and Misty nodded on hearing that.
Misty then saw Nemona come who said "Misty, come with me, I will show you your dorm." Misty nodded and said "I will come!" Misty and Nemona then walked and left the director's office.
Misty and Nemona walked for some time and then reached the dorms. Misty and Nemona then walked in the dorms and then reached a room. Nemona then opened the door and then Misty and Nemona entered the room.
Nemona then said "This is your room where you can stay." Misty smiled and nodded while saying "Thank You for showing my room." Nemona then said on hearing that "It is my pleasure to show you your room." Nemona then walked and left the room.
Present...
Misty was happy after reminiscing about the past and then fell asleep.