Chapter 23: Stay Stay Stay
Ash worked tirelessly through the week caring for May. Audio, Wigglytuff, and Chansey lent their healing capabilities to assist Ash, but the results of the treatment were mixed. While they were able to keep May alive after treating her with Heal Pulse, the Pokémon were not sure when the coordinator would wake up. May and Ash's Pokémon, and even the wild Pokémon, grieved the uncertainty of the situation. For a lot of the Pokémon residing in May's getaway home, she was their whole world. To see the brunette in such an unfortunate state broke their hearts. However, none suffered over the circumstances as much as Ash Ketchum.
The boy couldn't remember the last time he got a good night's rest without thinking about May. Blaziken, Pikachu, and the other Pokémon did anything they could to help Ash care for her since they refused to let him carry the burden on his own. Together they worked to make sure the coordinator had everything she needed to make a speedy recovery with the hope that she'd wake up any day now. Some days, Ash simply needed the Pokémon to lift May out of bed so he could change her bedsheets, or he sent the Pokémon to retrieve berries that he'd use to make juices for May, so her body had the necessary vitamins to recover while unconscious. Chansey, Audino, and Wigglytuff checked in once per day to observe May's recovery, but they could not do anything more for May after treating her physical injuries. In the absence of Nurse Joy, Ash made it his duty to look after her. Even when the other Pokémon volunteered to take over the shift so Ash could rest, he refused. The raven-haired trainer never left her side, not even to train. He swore he would be by May's side as long as she needed him, so the Pokémon saw no point in insisting because they knew Ash was a man of his word.
On the seventh morning of Ash caring for May, he sat beside her with the same hopeful expression he carried every previous day. He didn't think of what would happen if May didn't wake up. He didn't think about what he would say to her family if May didn't wake up. He didn't think about what he would say to the world if May didn't wake up. He didn't picture any outcome where May didn't wake up because he stubbornly clung to the hope that she would wake up. Blaziken, Pikachu, Glaceon, and Pyroar watched over May from the window of the bedroom so Ash would have some company.
At one point in the week, Pyroar blamed itself for not being strong enough to stop Tyranitar sooner. The lion believed that if he had been stronger, May would be with them right now.
Pyroar stood alone under the rain, watching the gray clouds above him. All the other Pokémon sought shelter from the heavy downpour, but the lion didn't care. He let the rain sting his mane as he absorbed the pain. It was adequate punishment for failing to be stronger when it was required.
The lion closed his eyes. A tear fell from his eye as he pictured the sapphire-eyed coordinator's smile. He immediately opened his eyes when someone called to him, "There you are." Pyroar turned around to find Ash behind him. The Royal Pokémon was surprised to find Ash outside since he hardly left May's side after Tyranitar's attack.
"Py," Pyroar sternly looked at Ash.
Ash beamed a gentle smile, "Pikachu and the others told me you refused to take cover from the rain. They're watching over May right now while I come to get you. Why don't you join the other Pokémon, Pyroar?"
Pyroar nodded sideways to indicate that it wasn't interested in being anywhere except under the storm clouds. Ash sighed as he walked over to Pyroar. He started to stroke the lion's mane. The auburn-eyed teen spoke, "I know what you're feeling, Pyroar. If I had been quicker, maybe I could've stopped May, but she still needs us. As long as we believe May will wake up, I believe we shouldn't surrender to our grief." The Fire-type lowered its head in disappointment. Nonetheless, it found solace in Ash's company. Ash and Pyroar lamented the situation together for a moment until Ash cut the silence. "It's ok to be sad, but don't let it consume you, Pyroar. Help me take care of May until she wakes up. I know she'll be more than proud when she hears what you did for her after Tyranitar attacked."
The Royal Pokémon imagined May's reaction to his victory. Pyroar's success belonged to May just as much as it belonged to him and Ash. The feline's blue eyes stared into Ash's auburn eyes. Despite the tragedy hovering over them, the boy from Pallet Town didn't let that strip the warmth or hope from his gaze. That's when Pyroar knew that if Ash could find the power to carry on, then so could the king of the jungle. "Roar," the lion muttered with a nod.
Ash smiled at him, "That's the spirit. Come on." The trainer turned around, motioning Pyroar to follow him back to the house. Pyroar was grateful to have Ash's company during this difficult time. The boy certainly knew how to lift spirits even at their darkest hour.
Ash turned to his Pokémon friends, "Why don't you guys go eat? I know you haven't had breakfast yet, and I'm fine looking after May alone right now." He urged them to go about their day.
"Pika?" Pikachu spoke for the others with a concerned face.
Ash gave them a gentle smile. "I'll be ok, Pikachu. Remember I'll call you if I need anything. Don't let me stop you from going to look after the other Pokémon. Some wild Pokémon are still healing and working on rebuilding their homes. You guys should go help them once you have the chance," he reminded them. Pikachu and his friends knew Ash had a point.
Pikachu bowed at Ash, "Pi." It led the other Pokémon, including Pyroar, to go eat and help other Pokémon in need. The mouse looked back at Ash to indicate they were there if he needed them.
"Thank you, Pikachu," Ash tipped his hat at him with a loving grin. With that said, the Pokémon were gone, and Ash was left with May.
As Ash turned his attention back to May, his stomach grumbled. Even though no one was present, he dropped his head in embarrassment. He sighed, "Maybe I should've eaten more at breakfast." He held his stomach for a moment but shook his head frantically. "I can hold it. Food can wait," Ash motivated himself. He continued to eye May attentively as he moved one of his hands from his stomach to her face. He noticed a few strands of her brown hair over her eyes and brushed them aside.
The boy from Pallet Town deeply exhaled when staring at her sleeping face. May looked at peace in her sleep, which was a contrast from the usually active and fiery attitude she carried when she was awake. As beautiful as she looked resting though, Ash wanted her awake again. "May, you have to get better soon. We need you. We miss you; I miss you," Ash murmured. His eyes hid under the brim of his hat. The trainer clenched his jeans tightly as his body trembled with stress over May's condition. "I can't lose you more than I already have," he pleaded when he thought about May's erased memory of him.
He was working so hard to rebuild his friendship with her and help her through her emotional troubles, so to have this happen felt like a cruel joke. Life was dealing Ash an unfair hand. "Stay. Please stay," Ash sighed when he removed his hat, revealing watery eyes. He dropped his forehead on the edge of May's bed. He didn't cry loudly, but Ash watched his tears quietly drip on the floor. He thought about what he told Pyroar before, it's ok to be sad. It was true, but he didn't want the Pokémon to see him at his lowest. If they saw how he was struggling to contain his broken spirit, they might start to lose hope. He couldn't lose hope, he wouldn't.
Unbeknownst to Ash, or any of the Pokémon, May could hear them in her sleep. It was like a distant voice within a dream, but she could hear Ash's pleas. The brunette could feel herself floating in a space of nothingness. The most comparable sensation would be as if one were floating underwater. May's eyes remained closed as she listened to Ash's faraway voice. The coordinator couldn't speak, but she could express her thoughts. She hoped she could telepathically communicate them to him somehow. Ash, I'm not going anywhere. You know I won't. I could never leave any of you like this. I hope you can hear me, May clenched her closed eyes, trying to force the thought out, but it seemed futile.
Ash lifted his head to stare at her sleeping face again. He wished he could see May's joyful sapphire eyes again. It felt so long since he had seen them. His auburn eyes became determined, "We will see each other." The boy looked outside the window to the blue sky. "Y'know, I never would've imagined myself in the situations we found ourselves in recently. I didn't expect to ever deal with crazy paparazzi, a rampaging Tyranitar in your home, or nursing you back to health. It doesn't matter anyway. Whatever situation you found yourself in May, I'd still be there. I would want to be with you. As rough as it has been, I wouldn't change anything about what's happened. It led me back to you." Ash reflected on everything from learning of May's success at the Lumiose airport to writing a letter and then trespassing into her home so he could reunite with her. A soft grin spread across his face, "You're my friend, maybe more than my friend." He recognized he had special feelings for May lurking just beneath the surface. For a long time, he ignored it, but after everything he did, he couldn't deny that May held a special place in his heart.
He chuckled as he thought about what would happen when they returned to the real world from May's getaway home. His eyes remained focused on the clouds, "I was thinking if we get swamped by paparazzi next time, I can have Pikachu use a thunder wave to stop their cameras from working. That would be funny, I can already see their startled faces. I know you'd get a good laugh out of it after the way they've treated you. The way they behaved was never fair to you. None of what's happened to you since you became famous has been fair. You're one of the best people I know May, so I know you deserve a whole lot better. Anyone who has ever tried to take advantage of you doesn't realize how much of an amazing person you are. It's their loss." Ash thought about the days when the nastiest person May had to deal with was Harley, but that seemed so trivial now in comparison. The raven-haired boy placed his hat back on. "Don't let anyone ever tell you that you're not a good person or that you're worthless. I know you can stand up to all those jerks who try to leech off you because you're strong, much stronger than I think you even realize. You're so strong that I know our brush with Tyranitar won't be enough to stop you. You'll wake up and become better than ever before because that's what you do, May. You fall and get up again. When you come back to us I know you'll keep inspiring." His auburn eyes turned back to the sleeping coordinator with a smile. He remained firm in his belief that May would wake up.
Ash, you're so sweet. Thank you, May acknowledged what he said. She was touched by his remarks. It had been a while since someone complimented her in such a positive light outside of her family. His words refreshed her mind with much-needed positivity. The coordinator wished Ash could hear her thoughts, but she would have to settle for listening to him.
May felt her body slowly fall into an abyss. She couldn't open her eyes, but the sensation remained similar to sinking in ocean depths. Even if she could open her eyes, she assumed all she would find was darkness, but Ash's voice kept her company. The more she listened to Ash, the more images of their time together started to play in her mind like a rewind. Their memories started from training Litleo to when Ash snuck in through her balcony. She smiled over the memory of Ash sneaking in. She was glad she didn't have him escorted out because it was the moment that she felt a new light enter her life. The brunette wasn't sure where she would be today if she hadn't allowed Ash to stay. Regardless, she wasn't interested in imagining it. She felt better with him around. The memories continued playing back to when Ash approached her outside of her limousine. May remembered thanking him for the letter. She had no idea what that encounter would lead to.
The Hoenn brunette thought the memories would stop rewinding by then, but they continued. Her eyes widened when she noted a significant time jump in her memories. May saw herself in a green bandana alongside Brock, Dawn, Ash, and Pikachu. It's the Wallace Cup! Ash was there? May exclaimed in her mind. She saw a memory of herself on a balcony with their friends, then she pulled out her half of the Terracotta Ribbon. Then Ash pulled out his half, proving that he still had it during his time in Sinnoh. She didn't doubt Ash's claims after they discussed the truth some days ago, but visually reliving it cemented the truth behind what Ash said to her.
Her memories played back even further to when she traveled in Kanto. She witnessed the moment Ash's Sceptile tied against her Blaziken in the Terracotta Contest. They were delighted to both be declared winners, but Nurse Joy approached them to apologize for only having one ribbon. Ash and May knew what to do in the extraordinary situation without needing to be explicit. This showed May how deep their bond went during their original adventures together. Ash's Sceptile leaped into the air, slashing the ribbon in half. The audience cheered over the wonderful sportsmanship between Ash and her.
"Alright, we got ourselves the Terracotta Ribbon!" Ash and May proudly posed with their halves of the ribbon.
"Pi pikachu!" Pikachu celebrated with the pair.
A smile formed when May recognized the moment. We both earned it; the coordinator felt a warmth travel through her body. She admired the youthful smiles of herself and Ash while they held the shiny centerpieces of the Terracotta ribbon. Her memories continued to rewind to when Ash placed her, Manaphy, and Pikachu in a pod to escape Samiya. She saw herself praying for Ash's safe return. The urgency in her voice was evident. She profoundly cared about Ash. The memory rewind showed her on Donphan Island with Ash urging her to go without them. It was an intense moment for the both of them, but it showed how supportive Ash was of her regardless of the decision she made. Another memory showed her being comforted by Ash over her contest loss with Bulbasaur and understanding the importance of being in sync with one's Pokémon. It highlighted the mentor-student relationship that developed between them.
Next, she saw Ash swinging to her rescue from territorial Grass Pokémon the day she earned Bulbasaur's trust. Ash always seemed to be putting her well-being before his own. Her following memory amused her because she saw herself and Ash stupidly arguing over how long she took to get ready. It helped her understand that despite their differences, the pair always found a way to mend their connection. It was also the first time someone accused them of having feelings for each other, which surprised May as she relived this forgotten memory. Careful signs seemed scattered throughout her old life. Her mind continued to guide her down memory lane until the first day she met Ash. She saw herself spying on Ash after Pikachu got rescued from Team Rocket. The moment was important for being when May learned the first thing about Ash, which was that he loved his friends, especially Pikachu.
May wished she could place her hand over her heart, but her body appeared to be immobilized in this limbo state. Ash, you've always been there, haven't you? I am glad after all this time, you still thought of me. A tear rolled down the side of her face. The girl started to wrestle against the paralysis she felt. She had to return; she knew there was no choice. May clenched her teeth as she shook her body. Her eyes still failed to open, but she could feel her body start to motion upward. With all her force, May started to swim through the dark waters of her mind, I'm coming Ash. I have to, and I will, like you said! I'm not going to forget you this time. I will see you again. This time I'll see you as the May you remember. I won't let you go because you're the greatest thing to happen to me on my journey. Ash, wait for me. I'm here! May yelled in her mind when she broke through the water's surface. She gasped for air when she made it to the surface. Suddenly, May opened her eyes to reveal herself wide awake in bed beside a snoozing Ash.