The dawn hour for the household residence came quickly. After a long and emotional night, the girls currently staying in Ash's room decided to get some sleep. it was now 11:00 a.m. and the first of them had just woken up.
Serena's eyelashes fluttered as sleep began to slip away from her. After refusing to get up for about a minute, she finally gave in and let her day begin. She stretched in the middle of a yawn as she looked around the room. She noticed that everyone was sleeping.
"Hm... I had to get up early." Serena thought.
Expecting to confirm her suspicions, she glanced at the Voltorb alarm clock on Ash's bedside table. She was shocked to see that it was 11:00 a.m. And that not only her but everyone else in the room had slept so long.
She thought the reason everyone was so exhausted must be the emotional stress from the night before.
Serena decided that everyone had slept enough and woke up the other girls, one by one.
She started with May, noting that she didn't mind being awake the last few days, and ended up with Dawn, who was…let's just say the opposite of Misty.
Eventually everyone woke up and started to learn more about the day, preparing in a hurry. Apparently, for May, Dawn and Serena, "rushed" meant they only took 20 minutes to complete their morning routines. Once everyone was ready for their day, they descended the stairs in hopes of finding something to eat.
Halfway up the stairs, May's stomach growled loudly. She chuckled and rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment, "Hehe...I think I'm hungry enough."
Dawn sighed before replying, "I swear May, you're always hungry. You probably eat more than Ash!"
Instead of answering, Misty and May's thoughts as well as Serena's and Dawn's thoughts started drifting to the dark haired boy. They imagined different scenarios, but they all shared a common idea... today, they would spend as much time as possible with Ash.
Despite everything that had happened, Ash nearly died when he discovered that more than one person had feelings for the boy, the three girls were still too scared to tell him their feelings. As for Misty, she had already shared her feelings with Ash.
No matter how Ash had grown over the years, he was still pretty stupid when it came to love, and the thought of him not understanding her feelings and rejecting her scared her to death.
They put their thoughts aside for a moment and went down to the kitchen to see Brock alone at the table eating a sandwich. Brock looked up from his book, which he was reading while eating, to see the group of girls standing in front of him.
He put a smile on his face before saying, "Hey. So you finally decided to get up, I see. Why did you all sleep so long?
Neither of them was ready to answer, but they knew that if they didn't Brock would ask questions, something they didn't want to deal with right now.
Misty, seeing the fear on the faces of the other three girls, decided to take matters into her own hands. "You know, just a long night of hanging out and having fun!
May looked at Misty then back to Brock with a big smile on her face. "Yes! We had fun last night!"
Dawn noticed what was happening and knew she had to intervene as well. "Secured!"
Rather than add another verbal response, Serena just nodded happily. Brock stared at the group for a few moments, seemingly thoughtful. He thought Misty's reactions, like the others, were a little too happy and excited; something just wasn't right. This only confirmed his thought that the girls were hiding something.
He knew this because he'd seen all the girls sleep relatively early last night. He had gone to the kitchen to get a glass of water and had decided to check if the girls were sleeping well. He'd opened the door to see that they were all sound asleep, and this was about midnight, which meant the girls hadn't gotten up very late. They really shouldn't have needed all that sleep. That is, unless something happened.
But Brock, who has always respected the privacy of others, chose not to question why they weren't being honest. He had known all these girls for a long time and he knew they would only lie if they had a good reason.
Brock just nodded. "So, can I interest you in breakfast...or brunch. That might be a better word given the times.
Dawn chuckled embarrassed and answered for the group, "Yeah...If that's no problem Brock, something to eat would be great."
"No need to worry, Aurora. I love to cook, especially for my friends. Brock was beaming.
Dawn smiled as she heard her longtime friend use her signature. Her smile faded from her face, however, as she was forcefully pushed away. It turns out that the culprit May, who rushed to sit at the table, was obviously hungry for food.
"Can! Watch where you're going!" Dawn shouted angrily. Normally this wouldn't have been a big deal at all, but her emotions got a little out of control last night, causing her to run wild.
"Well, you shouldn't have stood in my way." May mumbled under her breath. However, Dawn still managed to hear it.
"What was that!?" Dawn screamed, forcing Brock to try to intervene.
"Sir! Stop it! Why do you go down each other's throats for nothing!?" Brock asked loudly, making sure he was heard. However, her words were lost in the screaming fight that now unfolded between Dawn and May. Somehow even Serena had managed to get involved in the argument and shouted along with the others.
All Brock and Misty could do now was wait until they were done with their screaming fight.
"Maybe if you weren't so hungry all the time! You know what, I think you're getting fat!" exclaimed Dawn, hitting a nerve for May.
"I'm not, you jerk-" May started but stopped when they heard voices coming from outside the kitchen door leading to the backyard. "Come on Paul, it wasn't that bad. You too Max, suck it." Ash's muffled voice could be heard through the door.
"Pica!" Pikachu said in an almost mocking tone.
Hearing this, all anger from the three girls faded as they sat in silence, much to Brock and Misty's relief and Misty's slight surprise.
Without delay, the door opened to reveal a very sweaty Ash, Paul and Max. Ash was extremely sweaty, of course, but not as much as Paul or Max. Their two shirts were almost like a second skin for both of them. It really looked like they had just swum.
"Ash, this is how I imagine hell now..." Paul muttered as he entered the house in a daze, followed by Max.
Max looked like he was trying to say something, probably to agree with Paul, but he was too exhausted to speak. All Ash could do was laugh. Sure, he was tired and sweaty too, but he was reasonably used to his training. Although even after two years of doing this every day, Ash still felt he would never fully get used to the training he put himself and his Pokemon through. it was really brutal.
Finally, Ash turned away from his two male friends and noticed the quartet of girls sitting around the kitchen table.
"Oh hi. It's good to see that you have decided to wake up today. We got back early to get some water and Brock said you weren't awake yet, and it was 10." Ash finished with a smile.
Dawn, May, Serena, and Misty all looked at the man with happy smiles, their mood completely changed by the sight of Ash.
"So…can you explain why Paul and Max look like they just got pushed into the ocean?" Serena asked playfully, hoping to strike up a conversation.
Ash chuckled and looked at Paul, who was currently drinking a bottle of water after sitting down, and then at Max, who was resting his head on the table. He smiled to himself before answering.
"Those two? Oh, they decided they wanted to try my training methods. I agreed, but told them to take it easy. But they couldn't accept it, no, they needed my regular training which, as you can see, could be was a mistake." Ash said, pointing to the two.
"Ash is a psycho! I don't even know how he can survive what he just put me through let alone do it every day! I've never run, lifted or moved so much in my life! I'm serious, he's crazy!" The purple-haired trainer spoke quickly, before losing all energy and resting his head on the table, just like Max. Speaking of Max, he replied with a grunt without raising his head from the table.
Ash chuckled at that and while most of the others were doing it too, a few in the room looked slightly worried for both of them.
"...That'll be fine, won't it?" Misty asked, slightly worried for the two trainers considering their condition.
Ash just laughed a little more before replying, "Yeah, they'll be fine, they just need to rest." They will definitely be sore, but I'm sure after a long bath and some stretching they'll be back to normal in no time. But for now... they'll need some time."
Now that they knew everything was going to be okay, everyone in the room couldn't help but laugh. They had an idea of how hard Ash was training, but after seeing Paul and Max, they knew the training must be incredibly intense.
Ash didn't say anything, but he was incredibly happy to see May smiling downstairs again. He was really scared that their friendship would be really messed up, maybe even ruined by what had happened. He still didn't want to say anything to her for fear of scaring her away, but at least her presence here was a step in the right direction. The laughter had completely stopped by then and they lay in comfortable silence as Brock continued to prepare a nice brunch for the girls.
May mainly had her eyes on Ash, but for a few seconds they shifted to Misty, who was staring at her with intense, expectant eyes.
Misty nodded at Ash who still didn't need to sit down as he tried to help Brock cook.
May immediately understood what Misty wanted to tell her. His mind went back to what Misty had told him the night before. She had to overcome any awkwardness she felt with Ash if she ever wanted to be a friend, or especially if she was going to have a chance to be with him on a deeper level. She was still nervous, but she knew it had to be done.
May took a deep breath and collected herself before rising from her chair, catching the attention of everyone currently seated at the table. She walked slowly over to Ash, who was leaning over to search the fridge for something Brock needed.
"What did you say you needed Brock again?" Ash asked, his head still rummaging in the fridge. "The milk, Ash. How could you forget, it's literally been five seconds since I asked you to get it?" Brock answered with a question from him, to which Ash just laughed sheepishly.
Ash takes the milk and gives it to Brock before seeing May approach him. As sure as he was that they would make it, Ash still felt a little nervous because he didn't want May to feel strange in front of him. Especially now that she knew how she might feel about him. Ash had thought a lot about himself, not only about what he felt for May, but about all his friends and in the end he had only come to one conclusion... he didn't know. Love had never been a top priority for him, that place had always been pokemon, but now that he was 18 he liked the idea of having someone to love... he just didn't know who.
Shaking off these thoughts for the moment, he looked at May, who was now standing in front of him, eyes downcast, hands clasped, clearly nervous.
Ash sighed thoughtfully when he saw May's position. She still looked so shy and awkward and he knew she wasn't a good sign. However, his worries were soon washed away as he watched May release her fingers and meet his gaze.
Ash saw an aura of confidence radiate from her beautiful blue eyes, something he hadn't seen since they kissed.
He had missed that look.
"Ash," May began. "I'm so sorry for the way I behaved. I don't know what else to say except I'm so incredibly sorry. I know it must have hurt when you thought I was avoiding you, but I was so confused and embarrassed. I just want you to know that I still really want to be a part of your life and I promise I will never feel uncomfortable with you again. Can you forgive me?"
Ash saw May's sad, hopeful eyes and her heart nearly broke. Did she really think they wouldn't be friends after that?
At the end of her speech, May nodded, having used all her confidence to come out with an apology. The part she had been most nervous about had ended up being her answer.
Ash wanted to meet his eyes as he said what he wanted to say, so he gently lifted his chin with his thumb and index finger, forcing his eyes to meet hers again. "Can. You don't have to apologize for anything. You didn't do anything wrong. And of course, you are still a part of my life. You are a big part of my life. You are one of my best friends and I care about you more than you will ever know. Did you really think that just because you were embarrassed and needed some time away from me to recover that we weren't going to be friends anymore? I mean come on May, you know me better than that!" Ash finished with his signature smile.
Ash had also made sure to be discreet about what happened, as he didn't know what others knew about the situation.
May's face radiated happiness and a slight blush as she blushed at Ash's incredibly sincere words. He was right. What did she think when she thought they weren't friends? She should never have worried about ruining her relationship with Ash. If it was someone else, then maybe she would be right to worry, but not for Ash. He was just too amazing to let something like that tear her apart. And May knew he cared about her and all her friends more than anything, he had proven that so many times. He had saved her life so many times that she would have lost count if every memory she had created with him hadn't been forever etched in her mind. The way he treated the people he cared about was one of the things May loved most about him. May found his love for her grew even more in that moment, something she didn't even think possible given how much she already loved him.
Out of sheer impulse and desire, May wrapped her arms around the boy and pulled him into the most touching embrace she had ever given. At first, Ash didn't answer. Not because he was embarrassed or uncomfortable with contact, on the contrary, but because of his current state.
"But May, I'm all sweaty and disgusting!" Ash explained.
"I do not care." May whispered in her chest as she pulled him closer and hugged him tightly.
Ash was surprised and didn't expect May to be so comfortable so soon after the kiss they shared, but realizing she didn't care if he was sweaty, he hugged her and enjoyed it. her perfume. May was finally happy with Ash again. If he could act normal around her after what happened, then so could she. Now all she had to do was figure out how to make Ash like her more than a friend…
May refused to let go of Ash as her embrace grew longer and longer, too worried about the amazing things she was feeling to let go. By now both Serena and Dawn were furious. They thought May was just using that hug to get closer to Ash. Although in reality she got lost in it.
Both girls knew they couldn't burst, so they just coughed loudly.
"Hmm." Serena cleared her throat loudly. It was obvious that this was just a ploy to stop May from hugging Ash, but at this point, Serena really didn't care. Hearing the unpleasant cough, May jerked out of her stupor and hesitantly walked away from Ash. As they parted, their eyes met again and a smile graced both of their lips.
For Dawn, this wasn't a good sign. Now that she knew that May and Serena were also in love with Ash, every little gesture of hers made her jealous. The same was true for Serena and the "cute smirk" the two shared made her both nervous and angry. Luckily for Dawn and Serena, Ash and May's closed eyes were broken by the door, revealing Delia in her garden clothes.
"Hello everybody!" she said happily. However, her smile faltered a bit as she saw the exhausted Paul and Max. Her maternal instincts kicked in as a worried expression crept onto her youthful face.
Ash noticed this sad look and talked about Paul and Max before his mom went into full mom mode. "Mom! It's okay. They trained with me this morning. They're just tired and sore." Ash explained quickly and tried to get his point across as quickly as possible.
"Oh...makes sense. Alright then, honey!" Delia knew how intense Ash's workout routine was, so this made perfect sense to her young mom. "And by the way, Ash, maybe you want to take a shower. There are beautiful girls here, you know."
Ash along with Misty, May, Dawn and Serena blushed at his comment.
"Moooom!" Ash yelled, more embarrassed than usual because he was confused about his feelings.
"Oh, you know I'm just kidding, honey." Delia winked at Misty, who blushed even more. "But seriously Ash, take a shower. And take Paul and Max with you. They look like they just got hit by a jet of water."
With that said, Delia returned to the garden. Ash sighed. He was hungry and Brock's cooking smelled delicious, but he definitely needed a shower first.
"Okay, I'm going to take a shower. Make sure you save some food for me. I'm looking at you, May." Ash finished with mock severity. May chuckled. "We'll see, Ketchum.
Dawn and Serena looked at each other sadly. May had definitely won this morning, at least in her books.
After Rocko assured Ash that there would be food for him when he returned, Ash headed for the upstairs bathroom. But as quickly as he left the kitchen, he came back. "They have to bathe after me, so..." Ash said and Paul and Max followed Ash.
Pikachu decided to follow him upstairs, hoping to take a nap on his trainer's bed.
Ash stood in the doorway and turned to his friends. "I come back soon."
They all watched Ash leave the room with two boys.
After a while the silence began to fade as brunch was served. As expected, it was absolutely delicious. They ate in what felt like comfortable silence for Serena, May and Dawn. However, Brock and Misty felt a little uneasy.
Misty wondered if she should tell Brock what had happened the past few days, what had come to light. She could tell that Brock was already suspicious and knew something was wrong, but she didn't know if the girls wanted him to know. It's not that she didn't trust him to keep the secret, it's just that she wasn't sure she should keep it between the girls. But if the fight was rather a sign of things to come, maybe it would be a good idea to tell Brock.
Brock was also thinking deeply at the time. He was about to bring himself to ask what it was. Why did girls snap so easily? It was such a trivial thing, but the three were at each other's throats within seconds. Were they mad at each other?
He had traveled with the three girls for many years and they had never behaved like this.
Brock finally decided he needed to know what was going on and now was the best time.
" OK what's up ? Brock asked sternly. Misty was the only one who didn't seem confused by the question; she almost expected it.
Dawn and Serena looked at the older man with bowed head. May also looked up from her plate, her mouth full of food.
"What do you mean, Brock? We only eat what you have prepared for us. That's delicious, by the way!" Serena said, trying to change the subject.
She knew perfectly well that Brock was referring to the altercation earlier in the morning and that it was obviously stemming from something much bigger.
"You know what I'm talking about, I can see it in your eyes." explained Brock. "I'm talking about why you got caught in the throat this morning. I mean, Dawn, I thought you were going to kill May! And because of what? Good as nothing!"
Dawn and May noticed the guilt showing on their faces. They did exactly what they had promised the day before not to do; they let their newfound rivalry creep in between them.
"Brock, II don't know what to say." May said and looked at Brock. Then she turned to Dawn. "But I know what to tell you. Dawn, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you or said the things I've done."
"No, May, I should be the one apologizing. You were just yourself and you didn't even push me. I've been acting like a total bitch." Dawn said, surprising May a little with her self-deprecation.
Serena then decided to intervene: "You are sorry to me too. I wasn't even involved in what happened, but I just had to talk. I don't even know why I did that."
The three girls then joined in a group hug.
Meanwhile, Misty had decided to explain things to Brock. She told him everything from the kiss to the three girls loving Ash.
Brock was slightly surprised, but not much. He'd figured out long ago that Serena had feelings for Ash, and the fact that May and Dawn did too wasn't too shocking; He had realized that the two young women had feelings for Ash while traveling together, and had always thought that those feelings were likely to deepen over time. "Wow. So all three of them are in love with Ash…uh…I think I see the point." Brock muttered so that only he and Misty could hear.
"I know. I'm really worried about her. They're all my friends and I don't want them hurt," Misty replied, to which Brock nodded in understanding.
"So.. looks like you're in a pretty tough spot." Brock turned his attention away from Misty after seeing that Dawn, May and Serena had finished apologizing and had fallen silent.
May scoffed, "No kidding..." She figured Misty had told Brock about her predicament and she was more than okay with it. She knew she could trust Brock and that it would certainly be to their advantage if someone as smart as him helped them. The other two girls felt the same way about it; If there was one person they could trust with this information, it would be Brock. May looked downcast when Brock spoke, while Dawn and Serena looked and felt the same. It was a really big problem that would most likely have ended if anyone got hurt.
"What are we going to do, Brock? You obviously know what's going on right now, so please help. How can we get through this without hurting ourselves?' Serena spoke, her voice soft, almost pleading for her as she desperately hoped for an answer. Brock sighed and looked at the three young women in front of him. He saw them all as a sister and would help where he could. He cared for them, loved them like his own family and wanted nothing more than to be happy.
"Okay, so y'all are in love with Ash..." Brock broke off, but was about to keep talking until he was interrupted by the four others in the room.
"Shhh! Do you want Ash to listen to you!?" Dawn exclaimed in a half whisper, looking back to make sure Ash hadn't reappeared. Seeing the series of stares he was getting, Brock threw up his hands in defense.
"Gosh, I wasn't even talking that loud. Sorry… Anyway, y'all have a thing for 'you know who' is definitely a problem." Brock said, finding no other way to say it.
"We just need to know how to get out of this situation so that in the end we will all be happy." Dawn spoke almost pleadingly. Brock sighed again, deeply saddened to know he didn't have the answer they wanted to hear. "I hate to tell Dawn, but…it probably won't happen."
May, Dawn, Serena were all visibly saddened when they heard this. They knew this was the truth, but when they heard it out loud, the thought felt so… real.
"With the situation you're in, someone is bound to get hurt. It's almost inevitable. You have to be very careful how you proceed. If you want your friendships with each other, Ash included, to survive this, whatever the outcome, you need to tread very carefully." Brock concluded, offering the only advice he could think of at the moment.
"I still can't believe you guys love Ash too. When I realized my feelings I was so happy and excited, but now…I'm terrified." May said, looking at the blue-and-blonde girl.
Serena looked like she was going to answer, but she couldn't speak when someone cleared her throat. Hearing this, everyone looked towards the kitchen door and saw Delia, who was grinning madly.
"How... How much did you hear?" May asked. Even though she, with her look on her face, thought she already knew her answer.
"More than enough." Delia replied. "I can't believe all four of you have feelings for my Ash!"
"Yes, neither do we." Misty said sadly. Delia looked at Misty with concern and sadness. She had confided her feelings for Ash, and now it was not just her who wanted Ash's heart.
"Oh boy, that's a problem, isn't it?" Delia asked rhetorically.
Delia gave a series of nods and smiled sadly at the four girls.
"Despite everything, I'm so glad my Ash has the love of four gorgeous, gorgeous girls." Delia was always someone who looked for the best in a situation.
"What did you say, mom? Something about love?" said a familiar voice, coming from where the kitchen and living room met. Hearing this, everyone's heart sank. Well, everyone except Delia's.
While Dawn, May, Serena and Brock's faces were horrified, Delia's smile never left her face.
"Oh nothing honey. I just said how much I love you!" Delia said to her son. She knew how sensitive the newly revealed topic was for the three girls in front of her, so unfortunately lying to Ash was the only option. She thanked Arceus for always being a quick thinker.
"Mom..." Ash trailed off in embarrassment, fully believing the lie. Because it seemed Ash hadn't found out about his feelings. Dawn, Serena and May breathed a sigh of relief at the revelation. However, May wonders why she's still worried about Ash finding out about her feelings. Even though she was still a little rude after the kiss she had given him, she couldn't think that she didn't have feelings for him.
Little did she know that her feelings for her were all Ash thought about when she showered. After the kiss and what Misty told him, she tried to understand her feelings for the brunette.
She was beautiful, there was no denying it, and she had always been there for him, but the same could be said of both Dawn and Serena. He absolutely loved spending time with her, but again, the same can be said for others.
At one point, as the warm water flowed down her body, his mind went to the bluenette coordinator, the redheaded trainer, and the honey-blonde performer. Again he started thinking about what Misty had said, and wondered what feelings the two had for him. Still, she knew how Misty felt for him. He knew he had to face her confusion and try to find an answer, but the challenge was too great for him right now, so he shook his mind, at least for now. That being said, he knew this was something he couldn't avoid forever and had to deal with quickly.
Now Ash, a little embarrassed by his mother's words, stood in the kitchen with his friends.
"By the way, everyone, Paul and Max, are taking a nap. They should be good in about an hour. Ash calmed the group down. Now that the worry had passed, everyone had welcomed Ash and Brock had prepared a large plate of food for his best friend.
Ash's eyes widened when he saw a veritable pile of food placed in front of him and his mouth watered.
"Brock my friend, you know me too well." Ash said just before digging into the big plate. Brock smiled happily as he watched his friend eat. He was always happy to do something nice for a friend, even if it was something as simple as cooking dinner for them. No matter how long they had been there, the rate at which Ash ate still amazed everyone, well, everyone except May and Misty. But that was only because they were the only other person who could compete with Ash's eating habits.
In what seemed like no time, the huge pile of food was gone and Ash sat contentedly back in his chair.
"You've outdone yourself again, Brocko. Ash gave the chef his compliments, to which Brock bowed and pretended to be smart. "So Ash, what are we going to do today?" Dawn questioned the raven-haired trainer.
"Well, I need to talk to Professor Oak about something before I do anything else. But other than that I really don't have anything planned. I'm ready for anything, I think.' Ash answered and received a curious look from Serena.
"What do you have to say to Professor Oak about Ash?" Serena asked. Ash smiled cryptically in response. "You'll just have to wait and see to find out. Let's just say I have a theory as to why Heal Pulse worked for me."
This earned some surprised looks from around the room, even from Delia. However, they knew they wouldn't get a real answer from Ash until he spoke to Professor Oak.
"He said we'd meet in an hour because he's working on something right now, so we have some time to spare." called Ash.
"Why don't we watch some TV or something while we wait. I really have no other ideas of something we could do that would only take an hour.' Misty suggested. She received a series of nods and shrugs in response.
One by one, everyone moved from the kitchen to the living room. Misty was about to follow her friends when she was stopped by Delia, who grabbed her by the shoulder.
Misty turned to the older woman; obviously she wanted to tell him something.
"Misty, you need to talk to Ash about his feelings. Delia started gesturing towards Dawn, Serena and May still visible. Misty looked at her mother with shock and uncertainty on her face.
Seeing this, Delia continued, "I know at this point they're probably too scared to tell him themselves, but he needs to know. If he doesn't, Ash will likely accidentally hurt one of them, if not all. He needs to get an idea of what's going on around him if everyone is to get out of this and still be friends with each other. My Ash is a great man, but I fear his lack of experience in this department could ultimately hurt everyone involved. And I know that if relationships break down because of girls' feelings for him, Ash will never forgive himself. And of course I don't want the girls to get hurt either."
Now that she had explained it, Misty seemed a little more enthusiastic about the idea. She knew how Ash felt, and Delia was 100% right in her assumption. Ash was truly amazing in so many ways, but he certainly wasn't known for his expertise in the land of romance. It might not help much, but giving Ash that information would definitely give him more time to think about what he should do. Misty decided it would be better and nodded in agreement.
Delia smiled, "Okay, thanks, Misty. Now go ahead and join your friends."
Misty nodded before doing as she was told and headed into the living room. When she walked in, she saw that everyone was in different positions in the room.
Not surprisingly, Dawn, May, and Serena were quietly discussing who should sit next to Ash on the couch. Misty sighed and decided to make it easy for them.
Misty sat next to Ash on the couch for two, much to the annoyance of the three girls. However, they knew why she was doing what she was doing, so they just bit their tongues and sat somewhere else in the room.
Ash controlled the remote and flipped through the channels, looking for something they could all agree on.
At one point, Paul and Max had come downstairs, much to everyone's surprise. Pikachu followed not far behind, completely rejuvenated from his nap as he leapt into his trainer's lap.
"I thought you were taking a nap after Ash almost killed you." May said with a chuckle, still finding it funny how exhausted they were after doing something Ash did every day.
May was also incredibly impressed that Ash could do this type of workout on a daily basis without being like Paul and Max afterwards. The thought of Ash training so intensely, and the body he'd developed as a result, had caused May's entire body to warm up a few times since they'd returned.
Max, who normally would always have an answer for teasing his sister, decided it would be best for him not to start a fight right now. He was far too tired to even try to defend himself if she got mad at him.
"I know it probably doesn't make sense, but we're too tired to sleep," said a dazed Paul.
"Actually, I know what you mean. Sometimes fatigue leaves you feeling as energized as if you had a good night's sleep. At least for a moment. Ash said, justifying Paul's words. "I'm sure we'll crash later. Probably during something important because I know I'm lucky.' Max added, laughing from the room.
As the two took their seats to join the others, Ash resumed flipping through the channels.
"So, what do you want to see?" Ash questioned the group. All he got in response was a series of shrugs, so he decided to keep going through the canals until someone stopped him.
He continued channel surfing until Brock stopped him after a few moments when something caught his eye.
"Wait! Ash, back up two chains. I think I saw something." Brock said quickly, to which Ash agreed.
The channel Brock requested turned out to be Kanto News. "Brock, why do you want to go to the new-" Ash was interrupted by Brock.
"Look." Brock said sternly. Brock didn't often sound this aggressive, so Ash complied.
Ash looked at the TV and saw a handsome reporter talking, but what really caught his attention was the badge in the top corner of the screen.
The Team Rocket sticker was all over the TV screen, with "Rockets Running Rampant" written underneath the photo. This caught everyone's attention as they began to look closer.
"Team Rocket, a notorious group of pokemon thieves, has stepped up their crimes. We've received confirmation of 12 homicides in the past three days associated with the organization."
Everyone's mouth dropped when they heard this. They had thought maybe Jessie's assassination attempt was just a rogue missile taking over the mission, but this just proved what was in the back of everyone's mind. Team Rocket was changing and evolving into something even more terrifying than before.
Suddenly, the group of friends watched as the reporter put a hand to his ear, clearly conveying a message from the upper echelon of the news studio. Even before he spoke, everyone knew it was something bad…
"Wait a minute... We just learned that the Silph Co. building in Saffron City is undergoing a hostile takeover by Team Rocket. This is the second time in the building's history, but who will be there to stop the police?" they have just arrived, but they fear they are too late. The first floor is littered with dead workers and there is a huge fear that the rest of the floors will be the same. The police informed us that the risk of breaking into the building to catch the rocket is too great even for the police as the criminal organization is not afraid to kill. There will be more news as it comes." The anchor finished, a bit of unprofessional emotion seeping into his voice at the gruesome news.
The whole room was completely silent. Delia, who had crossed the living room to go upstairs, had stopped to watch the news. There is no doubt that the workers at the Silph Co building were most likely dead or held hostage. While most everyone was terrified by what they had just heard, Ash felt it along with utter anger.
"They can't get away with it..." Ash said softly through clenched teeth. "Those bastards won't get away with this!" Ash's voice went from almost silent to deafening.
"We must do something!" Ash continued to scream and now looked at his friends, most of whom had bowed their heads with tears in their eyes. The only person on the same page as Ash at the time was Paul.
"Those people were innocent, they had families... they're with you Ash! We can't let them get away with it!" Paul agreed loudly.
Seeing her burning determination in her son's eyes, Delia grew more concerned.
"Ash, NO! I can't let you go out and risk your life for this! Team Rocket almost took me away already, and I won't let that happen again! You're going nowhere!" Delia finished, her voice full of concern and seriousness. She meant it.
"Mummy! If we don't do something, then who?! I already hit her, I can do it again!" Ash tried to explain to his mother, who didn't believe it.
"You heard me, young man! I am your mother and no matter how old you are, you must always listen to me!" Delia screamed as tears welled up in her eyes.
"I'll talk to the professor." Ash spoke bitterly as he walked through the door, Pikachu following close behind, feeling the same emotions as his trainer.
"Ash, wait! Serena screamed as herself, Dawn, May, Misty, Max, and Paul followed her. Delia feared that her son was lying and actually trying to stop Team Rocket, but she trusted her son and that stopped her from going after him. He was definitely ruthless, but he would never lie to his mother.
"Don't worry Delia, we'll make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." Misty said as she and Brock ran after her friend leaving an emotional Delia behind.
Everyone had caught up with Ash about 3/4 of the way to Oak's lab. It was easy to tell that Ash was still angry as he aggressively headed towards the lab. "Ash, you need to calm down." Brock tried to talk to the boy.
He didn't answer until they were just outside Oak's lab.
"Calm down? Calm down!? How can I calm down when innocent people have been slaughtered for no reason!?" Ash exclaimed. It was a little hard to see, but it seemed like a faint blue light surrounded his body.
"Ash, think about it. You've already almost been killed by Team Rocket, and if you run blindly to try and help…you'll die." Misty said earnestly, startling everyone present at the time, even herself.
Ash began to breathe heavily as he processed Misty's words. He knew she was right and that she was irrational, but her caring nature made it impossible not to want to help those in need, no matter what.
He took a few deep breaths and finally calmed down. Paul did the same and recorded Misty's words as well.
Ash sighed, "You're right Misty, I'm sorry for acting so crazy, I can't believe what Team Rocket is doing." I always thought they were just petty thieves, but now... they're killers."
"I know you want to help, but we have to protect ourselves first. We don't know what Team Rocket will do or where they will be," Brock added.
Now Serena, Dawn, May and Max were still visibly scared, which Ash didn't go unnoticed. He also knew that others were afraid, they could just hide it better. She had to talk to them, to make sure they knew she would protect them no matter what.
"Everyone, I promise that as long as I'm here nothing bad will happen to you. You have my word. I will do everything I can to make sure you are all safe.' Ash said reassuringly. The amount of conviction and sincerity in his words put everyone at ease and made them feel very safe.
Dawn rushes in first and hugs Ash, but she is soon followed by May, Misty, Serena, and Max.
"Thanks, Ash." Dawn murmured into her shirt. She tried to return the hug as best she could, but hugging five people at once proved to be a challenge.
Finally, the five broke away and freed Ash. The raven-haired trainer then proceeded to open the currently unlocked doors that would lead them to Professor Oak. He held the door open for anyone to enter before him, to which everyone happily agreed.
This left Misty and Ash in the pack. Thoughts of what Delia had told her less than half an hour before her raced through her mind. She considered whether to tell him now or later. There was even that spark of doubt still in her head that told her not to tell him at all, but she knew it was wrong. Even though it seemed like a really bad time for this, she wanted to get it over with quickly.
The two had entered the building, but Misty pulled Ash behind a large bookshelf, making sure the others were far enough away that they couldn't hear her. It gave Misty the opportunity she needed.
"Hello, Ash?" Misty asked as a question, keeping her voice low. "What's up, fog?" Ash asked in response, remaining silent and following his friend's tone.
"There is something you should know." Misty glanced at the raven black trainer to make sure she was listening. Seeing that he was, he continued, "Listen, I really didn't want to be the one to tell you, but some recent revelations have told me I have to."
Ash seemed confused by some Misty, but now he was very curious. He had no idea what that "revelation" he was talking about was.
Misty sighed before starting again, "I was talking to Dawn, May and Serena the other day, trying to help May about what happened and… well, it turns out May has a crush on you."
Ash's eyes widened in shock as he watched to make sure no one else could hear their conversation. Seeing that they hadn't, she dragged Misty behind a bookshelf so they could continue their conversation.
"Are you serious?! Love, as in. Love, love," Ash asked, clearly shocked by how deep the brunette's feelings ran.
"Yes Ash. She loves you. Much. As in more than anything else in the world. But that is not all. It turns out... Dawn and Serena are also very into you." Misty felt strangely shy as she spoke. At this point, Ash's eyes couldn't have been bigger, his mouth hanging open too. Misty saw him turn pale and she worried a little that she might pass out. Luckily for both of them, he didn't. Instead, a word escaped his mouth.
"Because?" Ash asked almost inaudibly. Misty didn't know if he was asking why they loved him or why she was telling him. She decided to answer the latter.
"I'm telling you this because you have to be careful. Three different people, three of your best friends, are very much in love with you and if you're not careful someone will get hurt." Misty paused and tried to tell Ash how seriously she should take the whole situation. When she Misty saw a flash of fear cross his face when she said he could hurt one of the three women, the three people he was close to, she Misty she knew she had. Then she continued. "The reason I told you is that you have to be careful how you go about it. If you didn't know how they felt, you would have played blindfolded. Now that you know that, you have a slight advantage and a better chance of getting away with it if everyone is okay. All I can tell you is that I'm okay with sharing you, but I don't know if others will accept this."
Ash didn't answer. He was too deep in thought to speak. How could four girls all love him? what would he do How did he feel? These were all questions Ash had no answer to.
"Things just got a million times more complicated..." Ash thought as he considered what Misty had said. "I just can't believe it. They are all in love with me..."
Even if he was confused, he was glad to know. The knowledge would allow him to pay attention to how he handled the situation. He decided he would think long and hard about it later. Right now he had some business to settle with Professor Oak.
Ash nodded to Misty just as they heard Brock calling them. They emerged from behind the bookshelf and ran to catch up with the group. Ash did his best to push all these thoughts out of his mind for the moment so he could concentrate on the task at hand. That said, he had a lot to think about next.
Apparently, the group was waiting at the door of the professor's private study for Ash and Misty to catch up. Taking the initiative, Ash went to the door and knocked. Footsteps were heard from the other side of the door and moments later the door opened revealing the professor in all his glory.
"Hey Professor Oak!" Ash said cheerfully. Despite everything that was going through his mind at the moment, he managed to smile. Even as he tried to focus on other things, it was hard to keep all these new thoughts out of his mind for long.
"Ash, my boy. You're ahead. We shouldn't meet for another 30 minutes," Oak said, looking at his watch.
"I'm sorry, Professor, but something happened and I just had to rush in here and talk to you." Ash apologized and hoped he hadn't interrupted his work.
"No problem Ash, I finished my work much earlier than expected, so come in everyone!" said Professor Oak happily. The professor stepped aside and allowed the group to enter his office. "So Ash, what did you want to talk about? From the way you told me you had to tell me something, it seems very important." Eiken wondered.
Ash was currently leaning against Professor Oak's desk, playing with a stress ball that was left on that surface. "Before I get into this, have you heard the news about Team Rocket?"
The professor's face was visibly sad when the subject was brought up. "Unfortunately yes, I did. I was listening to the radio while working when the report came. I really can't believe it. I guess that means the incident with you and that Jessie you tried to kill wasn't an isolated case. It seems like everyone on Team Rocket is like that now, a really scary thought. I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't a little worried about it."
"Yes, me too, professor. I can't believe they would sink so low that they would kill innocent people in cold blood." Ash's voice sounded incredulous and sad, but also a hint of anger. Ash then changed the subject to what he originally came to talk about. "Well, I didn't come here to talk to you about that. I came here to tell you that I have a theory as to why Lucario's Heal Pulse worked on me and didn't kill me like the others."
Everyone else in the room listened intently to the conversation between the two. They wanted to know why Ash had survived the Pokemon move since it happened. And since Ash was so secretive before he got to the lab, they were even more curious to know what he had to say.
Oak's eyes widened, "Really? That's great! I was working on it here. I'm still trying to figure out why it worked for you and no one else." I've been trying to come up with a theory since the accident, but I can't think of anything!"
"Well, let me tell you my theory and tell me what you think about it." Ash said. Seeing Oaks nod in agreement, he continued. "Professor, do you all remember when I told you all about my journey to the Tree of Beginnings? May, Brock, Max, I'm sure none of you forgot."
Ash received a series of nods from all over the room, as well as knowing smiles from Brock, Max and May, who remembered the most memorable trip they had had in the Kingdom of Rota.
"Just as a reminder, with a little help from someone named Lucario, I learned that I have a very strong aura. An aura very similar to that of the legendary Sir Aaron himself." Ash checked that everyone was following him. The look on the professor's face told him that he knew where he wanted to go, that he had begun to put the pieces together on his own. "My theory as to why I survived is because of my aura. I've had almost no training to hone it, but it's still very strong in me and I think, coupled with me and Lucario's strong bond, the reason is so I was able to survive." Ash finished and put everything there.
"Of course! You have an aura like no one experiences today! That must be it!" exclaimed Professor Oak, writing things down frantically. "It also explains why your eyes were blue when you woke up," added Max, who likes to brag about his knowledge of everything and nothing.
"Wow Ash, I almost forgot about your aura. Good job!" Misty complimented the man for using his head, who smiled in response.
"Thank you all. I know, I know, I'm in awe-" Ash was interrupted by a loud noise. The bang echoed throughout the town of Pallet and seemed to shake the building slightly. Immediately the group tensed, wondering what had just happened.
"What was that?" Serena asked. She was confused and curious about what had happened, but a bit of worry was also growing inside her.
"Professor, is there any construction in or around Pallet?" Ash questioned the knowledgeable man.
"Not to my knowledge. I have no idea what it could have been. replied Oak. At that moment, there was another bang, just as loud as the previous one, surprising everyone in the lab.
"Let's go check it out!" Paul said and led the pack out. Everyone, including the teacher, followed.
Once outside, they saw a large plume of smoke about half a mile from their position. When he saw the direction it was coming from, Ash dropped his heart and his eyes widened. Without talking to anyone, Ash ran to the crime scene.
"Pika Pi!" Pikachu yelled as he ran after his best friend, quickly catching up and running beside him.
"Ash, Pikachu, wait!" Serena screamed, but she was in her spirit. Ash was either out of reach or he wouldn't stop, probably both. The pretty blonde started running after him, closely followed by Paul, Brock, Dawn, May and Max. As a result, Misty and Professor Oak were still standing in front of the lab. Oak had a horrified expression plastered on his face.
Misty grunted in annoyance. "Come on Professor, we have to go see what's going on." Oak nodded in agreement as the two ran off. Misty was surprised by Oak's resistance. Even at her advanced age, she kept up with Misty and wasn't breathing as heavily.
"Professor, why do you think Ash ran away like that?" Misty asked, though she had an idea why. She thought Ash was just herself and she was rushing to help anyone in need.
Oak increased her speed and reacted with urgency. "Misty...The smoke is coming from the direction of Ash's house. I don't even want to think what that could mean. All I know is we need to get there ASAP.
Misty was in shock. Her heart sank and her eyes widened, the tears already starting as she feared the worst. How could she not see him? Fighting back tears, she picked up the pace and the two continued to run.
Misty and Oak arrived shortly after the rest of the group. The two looked around to see where they were. This only confirmed his worst fears. It was Ash's house.
Well, what's left of it.
The scene was terrifying. What was once Ash and Delia's house was now just a huge pile of Arctic char. There were lots of small fires burning in the rubble, but that was about it. There was really nothing left.
The moment Ash arrived on the scene, tears welled up in his eyes and he fell to his knees, his ability to stand robbed by his emotions. It was clear he had gone into shock as he began to shake, his expression never changing to one of seriousness and shock, even as tears streamed down his cheeks.
Pikachu was sitting next to his trainer, in a very similar state to him.
Shortly after, the first group of people arrived. Upon immediately entering what was once Ketchum's residence, everyone was shocked and horrified by what they saw. But as awful as they felt, they couldn't even imagine what Ash was going through. It only took a few seconds for everyone to send eerie, concerned looks directly to Ash.
Brock ran over to Ash, watching him shiver for a closer look. Though he was terrified inside of him, he had to keep his cool to help everyone through this.
"Guys, he's in shock. He needs to be kept warm," Brock said urgently, ignoring the pile of burning debris that lay in front of him for the moment.
Rocko's words shocked everyone just as Misty and Professor Oak arrived. Hearing Ash's need for warmth, Dawn rushed to him and pulled him into a tight hug.
It wasn't fun though, Dawn honestly did the first thing she could think of to keep the boy warm. May and Serena saw this but knew their stupid rivalry could wait for the moment. Paul offered his light jacket to Dawn, who gladly took it and wrapped it around Ash.
Why had this happened? What caused this? Has anyone done this? These were all questions running through Ash's and everyone else's minds at the time. Brock, one of the few, along with Paul and Oak, kept his cool and looked for clues as to what might have happened.
Ash snapped out of his broken state of mind for a moment when he saw something move slightly under the rubble nearby.
He shook Dawn and rushed to what lay under the rubble. He started cleaning it up, trying to help whatever was there. When the whole ruble was moved, Ash gasped when he saw Mr. Mime seriously injured. "Mimeo!" Ash exclaimed as tears continued to flow from his eyes: the pokemon was covered in soot and had a big gash on his chest and was bleeding profusely.
Ash took Mr. Mime into his arms as the life began to drain from his body. "Mimey! Come on, stay with me. You'll be fine. We just need to take you to a Pokemon Center!"
When Ash finished his last sentence, the mime Pokemon closed his eyes for the last time.
"Mimey? Mimey wake up! Fight! Come on! Please!" Ash yelled at the deceased Pokemon as tears streamed from his eyes.
All of his friends watched as their own tears streamed down their cheeks. Seeing the usually strong Ash collapse like this made them sick inside. Also, seeing the mime pokemon die hit them all hard, especially Brock
Brock managed to tear his eyes away from Ash as the raven black trainer dropped back to his knees, Mr. Mime still lying lifeless in his arms. He began to look again for something that could help him understand what had happened. He didn't have to search long though, as after a few moments of his search, he saw a perfectly white piece of paper lying on top of a tall pile of rubble.
He reached out and grabbed the paper as his heart sank into his stomach. He knew there was no way this card would have remained blank if it had been in the house when the explosion occurred. It meant that someone must have put it there afterwards. Confirmation of fear that a person had done this.
Before opening what he thought was a note, he returned to his group of friends and emotional companions.
"Guys, I found something." Brock spoke solemnly and caught everyone's attention, even if not everyone looked at him. Ash couldn't take his eyes off the pokemon in his arms, nor the rubble that was once his home. May, Dawn, and Serena were trapped and staring at Ash, wanting to help him but not knowing how. Everyone listened.
Brock carefully unfolded the folded paper to find the words inside. He sighed before starting to read them aloud.
"To my dear friend Ash Ketchum,
"I'm sure you're wondering what happened here. Well, the short answer is that I blew up your house. And now you're probably wondering why I did it? Well, I can answer that for you. Have you been been a thorn in our side for too long, Mr. Ketchum, and now we're determined to finish you off. As you may remember, we have tried to kill you before. I bet you didn't expect Jessie, someone you thought you knew, to try to kill you. But obviously this mission failed. You are resilient, Ketchum. Strong. We would be naive to think otherwise. Of course, just sending an agent won't work, so we decided to go a different route. I was bored so I thought 'why not have fun with this', right? I thought that was a great idea! We decided it would be just a ball to bring you to us. You're running towards your own death, there's almost something... poetic about it, don't you think? Oh, and don't worry about your mom, we made sure to get her out of there before we blew up your house. I assure you she is not dead, she is alive and well with us, the wonderful men and women of the most notorious criminal organization of all time. Well... at least she's alive. I'm actually not so sure about the "good" part. She is our prisoner now, Ketchum. We needed something, or in this case someone, to prompt you to follow us, to willingly walk towards your own destruction, and with whom better than your mother to do it! You're too protective of people, you know that? It may be noble, but it also makes you weak. And weaknesses are made to be exploited. That's why we know you're going to get it. Why not make it even funnier, right? We won't tell you where we are! So good luck finding us and know that the longer it takes, the worse your beloved mother will be. The hunt begins.
A lot of chance. Your Team Rocket friends,
Giovanni and Ghetsis."
Brock finished reading the letter aloud and watched to gauge everyone's reactions; he himself felt bad after reading this. Most everyone gasped, unable to believe this was actually happening. How can this be done? How can anyone be so cold as to just play with someone's life? Everyone, even Professor Oak and Paul, shed more than a few tears as the letter was read. "...What are we doing?" May asked between tears.
No one verbally responded to the blackmail, but one person took action.
Ash had carefully placed Mimey on the floor and stood up, his expression iron, despite the fact that his emotions were still everywhere. Although one was much more common than the other at this time.
Fury. Ash wiped the tears from his eyes and turned his back on his friends. However, he could feel all their eyes on him. Knowing he had her attention, he spoke...
"Exactly what they want from me..."