Meanwhile with Ash, he had found his way to the Old abandoned Team Rocket Headquarters. There he found a bench, where he decided to rest his feet and clear his head. There was a lot going on in his mind and they weren't good thoughts, so Ash just wanted to be all by himself.

He kept on seeing Leaf in his head and hearing her words screaming at him non stop, Ash didn't even know what to do with himself.

As the other Trainers had seen him at the old headquarters, as they did their jobs, they all felt very sorry for Ash and they hoped he would be okay with his heartbreak and they'd wish him the best of luck in the future.

Misty passed on her Gyarados taking a load of Water Pokémon to a new aquarium.

They called to him, as they passed by him, wishing him the best of rest.

"Get well soon Ash!" Cilan called, as he passed him on Crustle with some food for the shops.

Some would even stay by him and try to talk to him about his problems and on what Ash could do to make himself feel better.

Professor Sonia and Iris had stopped to try and talk to Ash.

"Ash, we'll be here for you if you need us." Sonia said.

"We're your friends and we want to help you." Iris said.

Until one Trainer had decided to come up to Ash, with surprisingly no devious remarks about him being weak or pathetic. There coming on his Drapion, was Paul and he was thinking of something to help Ash.

"Hello there Ash." Paul said. "How are you feeling?"

"I really don't know Paul." Ash said sadly. "I'm feeling mixed emotions about Leaf right now. On one hand I'm really upset that I hurt her feelings, but on the other hand I'm furious because she'll never understand how I truly feel! I just wish there was someone that could help me figure out what to do."

"Have you found someone that could help you?" Paul asked.

Ash thought about it as Yoshi passed them with a load of berries for the berry blenders in the Pokémon Centre.

"Well, there was a Trainer that I met 20 years ago." Ash said. "She understands how I truly feel."

"What was her name?" Paul asked.

Ash then started telling Paul all about May. A Magical Girl that had been watching over him throughout all of his journeys, battles and adventures. He even explained that May loved Ash. Paul was surprised.

"Does Leaf know about this May?" Paul asked.

"I tried to explain it to her." Ash said. "But she gets really mad whenever I mention another Trainer's name. Especially if it's a female Trainer, and demands that I don't hang out with them, talk to them or even see them. If I didn't she threatened she'd leave."

"Well Ash in my honest opinion, you shouldn't listen to her." Paul said. "You decide who you can hang out with, see and be with, not her. I believe you should be the bigger Trainer and tell her what you decide, she can't control you."

Ash started thinking about it more, along with what Paul had just said.

"Look, I may be a jerk, but even I know you must take a stand." Paul said. "And listen if Leaf wants to go back to you, then just tell her about May and how she cares about you more than her. Let her feel jealous because she could've been better at being a kind Trainer. But she lost that chance."

And he got back on Drapion and the Ogre Scorp Pokémon walked away.

Ash was left by himself pondering about what Paul had just said. Then the words of his mother, Gary and Paul began repeating themselves in his head.

"Now, now, Ash, everything's going to be okay. Sooner or later you'll see that Leaf is not the right girl for you." Delia's voice said.

"If she continues to believe you're a bad Trainer, then she's not the right Trainer to be around." Gary's voice said.

"Listen if Leaf wants to go back to you, then just tell her about May and how she cares about you more than her." Paul's voice said.

Ash then realised what he needed to do.

"They're right, Pikachu." Ash said. "I don't need to listen to her anymore. I'm gonna be better than what she expected me to be. After all, I'm Ash Ketchum the World Coronation Series Champion, and May loves and cares about me more."

"Pikachu!"

Paul smiled as he looked over to Ash, despite the fact he was a big jerk, he actually felt better that he helped out someone.

"Now that's the Pokémon Trainer I remember that I battled in the Sinnoh League." Paul said. "So don't make me help you again. Shall we go, Electivire?"

"Electivire."

And Paul, his Electivire and Drapion walked away.

The next morning, Ash was with his sisters on their delivery run, on their way to bring some Poké Balls that Kurt had made to the local Pokémon shops. There was Leaf as Ash and his sisters rode into Brackish Town, surprisingly with a smile on Ash's face.

Ash had Noivern stop, and Hilda and Rosa had their Serperior and Emboar stop.

"All right!" Ash cheered. "We're three minutes early, and right on time and ahead of schedule!" Ash then noticed Leaf on her Meganium. "Oh hello Leaf. How are you doing this morning?"

"Well, I'm surprised to see you're happy." Leaf said. "Especially from yesterday. What changed?"

"Well, let's just say that I found someone." Ash said. "Someone who wants to be my very special friend. That's why I'm so happy."

"Wait, what?!" Leaf gasped. "Someone else is gonna be your special friend?"

Leaf had actually forgotten all about Ash saying that he was through with her.

Ash chuckled and had a smirk on his face. "Why do you say it like that?" Ash asked innocently. "Did you forget that we were never, ever, ever getting back together? Or am I sensing some jealousy?"

Ash knew Paul's plan was working, Leaf was now starting to get jealous.

"Yeah right!" Leaf scoffed. "I wasn't even planning on going back to you! You were, you were just too full of excuses! I can find someone else that's even better than you."

Secretly Leaf felt a bit hurt. She didn't know that Ash was serious about his break-up. Deep down she really wanted to go back, but she decided to walk away instead.

"Meganium, let's go!" Leaf ordered, and Meganium walked away with Leaf on her back.

Ash smiled as he had finally done it, he had made Leaf jealous. Paul's plan had worked.

"I can't believe that actually worked, Pikachu!" Ash said. "I'll have to thank Paul the next time I see him."

"Pikachu."

Feeling victorious, Ash had Noivern fly away to their next stop, with Hilda and Rosa following him.

But Ash's sisters, on the other hand, were not too pleased with him.

"That's not like you at all Ash." Hilda said. "You, you used to care so much about, Leaf."

"You never acted this way around her before either." Rosa added. "And since did you find another special friend, and why haven't you told us about her?"

"It doesn't matter anymore you two." Ash said. "She wanted to get back with me, and it would lead into an endless cycle. Nothing would be resolved and she'd just continue this fight. I'm not that gullible little Pokémon Trainer she believes I am. I've changed my ways and I won't be pushed around by her anymore. I'm finally free! Don't you see that?"

Though they agreed that Ash was now indeed free, but he didn't know disaster would be coming back and it wouldn't be pleasant.

To be Continued…