Chapter 32: Lover
The next day, Ash and Serena were helping May train for her battle with Wallace. They were in the final minutes of their heated battle.
"Delphox, use Flamethrower on Glaceon!" Serena ordered.
"Blaziken, defend Glaceon with Fire Spin!" May countered.
"Delph!" Delphox used her stick to unleash the stream of fire.
"Blaz!" Blaziken stood in front of Glaceon to counterattack.
Ash stepped in to provide Serena backup. "Pikachu, combine your Thunderbolt with Delphox's Flamethrower!"
"Pika!" Pikachu screamed. It's Thunderbolt enveloped Flamethrower. The improvised technique charged fiercely toward Blaziken.
May clenched her teeth. Blaziken's Fire Spin would prove ineffective in defending against such a mix. When the combined attack from Pikachu and Delphox beat back Fire Spin, May resorted to another counter. "Blaziken, get out of the way. Glaceon, use Mirror Coat!"
Blaziken jumped out of harm's way when it realized it had been overpowered. The Flamethrower and Thunderbolt came for Glaceon, but the Ice-type started to glow in a reflective coat. "Gla," Glaceon smirked. When the attacks made contact, they got deflected to Pikachu and Delphox.
"Pikachu, defend with Electro Ball!" Ash hastened. He knew Glaceon's counter had enough power to defeat them in one hit.
"Delphox, provide support with Mystical Fire!" Serena recognized the urgency of the situation.
Pikachu determinedly launched Electro Ball. The electric sphere received a power boost from Mystical Fire. Ash and Serena's combination collided with their previous attack, causing an explosion in the middle of the battlefield.
Ash pointed at Blaziken and Glaceon, "Keep the pressure going, Pikachu. Use Quick Attack!"
Pikachu nodded. It sprinted at its two opponents with the intent of striking them both. May refused to let Ash get any hits on her Pokémon. "Glaceon, use Ice Shard!" Glaceon fired a barrage of ice at the speedy mouse.
"Give Pikachu cover with Mystical Fire!" Serena instructed. Delphox stopped any ice from hitting Pikachu with its fiery attack.
"Now, Blaziken!" May took advantage of the fact that they were busy countering Glaceon.
"Ken!" Blaziken jumped out of Delphox's Mystical Fire to deliver a devastating Blaze Kick to Pikachu.
"Pika!" Pikachu shouted in pain.
May shot her fist in the air, "Finish Pikachu with Sky Uppercut!" Blaziken immediately came within close range of Pikachu to send the Electric-type flying.
"Delphox, stop Blaziken with a wave of your Mystical Fire!" Serena rushed to Ash and Pikachu's aid.
May raised an eyebrow, "A wave?"
She failed to understand that Delphox unleashed Mystical Fire with a less conventional method. The Fox Pokémon waved its stick, releasing a wave of fire that could swallow the entire battlefield. Ash knew this was his chance, "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt to push yourself higher into the air." With Blaziken distracted by the impending fire, Pikachu used Thunderbolt to shoot itself higher than Delphox's fiery wave. This put it out of harm's way for now.
"Glaceon, fire Shadow Ball!" May was undeterred by Serena and Delphox's powerful attack. "Blaziken, envelope yourself in Fire Spin." Glaceon fired Shadow Ball at Delphox's Mystical Fire, but Ash and Serena didn't believe the Ghost-type attack had enough power to dissipate the fiery wave. Blaziken, on the other hand, fired Fire Spin into the air. The Fire-type attack spiraled around the starter, which shielded it from Mystical Fire.
"I didn't know Fire Spin could be used like that," Serena's eyes widened.
"May's full of unconventional techniques," Ash smirked. The training had his blood boiling.
Suddenly, Shadow Ball blasted through Mystical Fire. It didn't destroy the fiery wave, but it had enough power to blast through. The Ghost-type attack blasted Delphox away with might. "Phox!" Delphox cried in pain upon receiving the attack.
"No, Delphox!" Serena gasped when she saw her starter unconsciously fall over. The performer recalled her Fire-type. "Good job out there. Get some rest now," Serena thanked her first Pokémon.
However, to defeat Delphox, May sacrificed Glaceon. The choice was between taking cover with Blaziken or using Shadow Ball. With the damage it had already taken from Pikachu, Glaceon was vulnerable, but May chose the latter to defeat one of her opponents. Glaceon had no way to escape Mystical Fire, so it got swallowed in the flames while Blaziken remained unharmed. When the flames settled, Glaceon was unconscious.
"Looks like it's just you and I, May," Ash smirked at his longtime friend.
"Try to stop me, Ash," May smirked back.
Serena could feel the tension between the battlers. There was intensity in the air. Pikachu and Blaziken also smirked at each other. Their final training session was nearing its conclusion.
Ash's Pikachu can outpace Blaziken with Quick Attack, so we need to find a way to increase our speed. May tried to formulate a plan. Then she recalled how Pikachu used Thunderbolt to boost itself into the air. That's it! May realized. "Blaziken, use Fire Spin to propel yourself at Pikachu. Then, use Sky Uppercut!"
"Blaziken!" the Blaze Pokémon fired spiral flames to launch itself at Pikachu with added speed. It came like a bullet with a charged fist.
Ash and Pikachu braced themselves with confident smiles. They knew how to counter. "Pikachu, slam Iron Tail on the ground!" Ash swung his left arm to the side.
"Wait a sec," Serena recognized what Ash was pulling. He was copying the technique she had Pancham use against Skitty. Way to go, Ash, Serena felt special for watching her crush borrow one of her techniques.
"I know what you're trying, Ash, but it won't work!" May also recognized the strategy. Pikachu was no longer visible in the cloud of dust formed by Iron Tail's slam, but May had other plans. "Blaziken, switch to Blaze Kick and slam the ground!" May adjusted her strategy.
Serena exclaimed, "No way!" She guessed what May was going to pull.
Once Blaziken found itself in the cloud of dust, it used Blaze Kick to strike the ground. Its talon cracked the earth with powerful force, but the real threat came from the flames that burst around Blaziken. Similar to how Pikachu raised dirt from its slam on the ground, Blaziken unleashed an explosive flame to hit anything within a meter radius. When the flames cleared, Blaziken and May were shocked to discover that they hit nothing. "How?!" May shouted.
"Look up, May!" Ash pointed toward the sky. Blaziken, May, and Serena were astonished by how high Pikachu was in the air. Ash crossed his arms, "Yeah, I did borrow Serena and Pancham's technique. Aside from that, I added something extra. When Pikachu used Iron Tail, it provided cover, but it also bounced Pikachu high enough into the air to buy us time for our next attack.
The mouse descended like a sparking meteor. Serena recognized the combination of Thunderbolt and Iron Tail. It was the same technique used against Clemont's Luxray during their journey.
May clenched her fists, "You haven't won yet, Ash. Two can play that game. Blaziken, propel yourself again toward Pikachu, then use Blaze Kick!" Blaziken nodded. It used Fire Spin once more to launch itself into the air, building speed that added more power to Blaziken's Blaze Kick.
"Pika!" Pikachu glared at Blaziken. It somersaulted forward to collide its tail with Blaziken's talon.
"Blaz!" Blaziken's eyes intensified with determination.
An explosion burst between the two Pokémon when their attacks clashed. The collision's smoke got wrapped in flames and static. From the clouds, Pikachu and Blaziken fell to the ground. The pair cried in pain when they fell.
"Blaziken!" May shouted with concern.
"Pikachu!" Ash worried for his best friend.
Serena could feel herself sweating from the suspense over who was victorious. Blaziken and Pikachu winced in pain as they stood up. Neither wished to lose. May and Ash clenched their teeth. They eyed their Pokémon to see who would fall.
"Pi," Pikachu winced again, nearly falling forward. Ash's eyes widened while Serena put her hand over her mouth.
"Blaz!" Blaziken cried, suddenly falling over with swirled eyes.
Pikachu sighed with relief. It panted for air after giving its last attack everything it had. Before it got a chance to turn around, Pikachu got picked up. "Way to go, Pikachu!" Ash praised his buddy.
"You did amazing, Blaziken. I know we're ready for tomorrow. Get some rest," May recalled her first Pokémon. The brunette remained confident over their chances for tomorrow.
Ash walked over to May with Pikachu in his arms. Serena stood beside him. "You beat me. Looks like we have more work to do," May sheepishly grinned.
"If it wasn't for Serena's help, I'm sure Blaziken would've endured that last attack," Ash tried to be modest.
"You're a top coordinator, May. We know you can beat Wallace!" Serena reminded May she was still a worthy adversary even for a Contest Master.
"Thank you to the two of you for helping me prep for this battle. It's the opportunity I've been waiting for, so it means a great deal to me," May put her hand over her heart.
Serena nodded in recognition, "If you beat Wallace, that means you'll be retiring from public life, right?"
"Right, no more photoshoots, interviews, and tabloid stories for this girl. I'll get to travel by foot on my own terms, like you and Ash," May smiled. She relished the idea of fading from relevancy. The only people who would care about her endeavors were people who had a passion for watching Pokémon Contests. It was all she ever wanted. That's how it used to be.
"That's awesome, May. I'm really happy for you," Ash could feel that May's world was about to change for the better.
"Of course, they wouldn't let me go easy though. They want to use my battle with Wallace to milk the last of my celebrity. If I didn't agree to the condition of battling Wallace, I don't think they would've agreed to let me go. I wonder whether they would've made this proposal had I not helped at the festival in Laverre City," the coordinator thought about how the contest body knew how exasperated she was with them but had ignored her needs until now. It made her wonder what changed their perspective of things. On the other hand, May knew she accepted the terms and conditions thanks to her reenergized spirit from reuniting with Ash and regaining her memories.
Serena broke May's train of thought, "I hate to ask, but what happens if you lose, May?"
May smirked. The brunette made a fist, "I won't." She didn't believe there was an option except winning.
"That's what I like to hear. You're going to do terrific, May!" Ash felt invigorated from watching May's fiery spirit light up. He eyed the coordinator with fiery eyes and a fist, too. They emitted the same energy.
Serena felt jealousy surface when she saw how connected they appeared from their postures to their stares. It was as if looking at a mirror of the two. The performer bit her lip, trying to contain her angst. She hadn't grasped how strikingly similar they were up until this instant. It made Serena uneasy.
"Thank you, Ash! I don't know if I could've rebuilt my confidence if it wasn't for you. I am grateful for our reunion," May expressed her gratitude for her.
Ash gave her a thumbs-up and a wink. "You know I'm always here for you," the trainer reminded her.
Serena felt a lump in her throat form. She placed her hand over her heart. The performer lowered her head to hide her eyes under her fedora. She spoke so softly it was almost a whisper, "Guys, I think I will go practice some contest moves."
May's face lit up with excitement. "Let me come with you!" May offered her help.
"No!" Serena unexpectedly snapped. The performer's face froze when she acknowledged how rudely she reacted.
May, Ash, and Pikachu were startled by her reaction. Serena sighed. She tried to contain herself, "I'm sorry." The blonde-haired girl gave them an embarrassed smile. Her eyes were wobbly from tears swelling. "I think it's better if I practice alone right now," Serena meekly waved to them, then sprinted off before either could respond. If Ash can't make up his mind about what he wants, then I guess I'll have to, Serena fought back tears when she ran back inside the Pokémon Center.
"Ok," May muttered with a saddened face. The coordinator respected Serena's decision to be alone, but she wondered if Serena was strong enough to uphold the agreement made in Laverre City over Ash. "I hope she's alright," May sighed.
Ash appeared a bit puzzled, but then he smiled. "Serena just wants to become a better performer. Sometimes training alone can give more clarity than training with others, so I can understand that."
Pikachu pulled his ears in frustration, and May glared at him. She couldn't believe his density at times. Ash noticed the irritation in his friends' eyes. "What?" the raven-haired trainer asked with confusion.
"It's something you'll have to figure out one day. I won't spell it out for you," May crossed her arms with annoyance.
Ash sighed with lowered arms. He wondered what he was missing. May pitied his disposition, so she lightened up. Ash wasn't a malicious womanizer. She knew it wasn't his intention to hurt anyone's feelings, but he would need to grow up someday. As kind and supportive as he was, he wasn't without flaws.
The coordinator walked over to a bench to sit. Pikachu hopped on the bench to curl up and nap after its battle with Blaziken. The stars were already coming out, so bedtime was coming for them anyway.
Ash sat next to May, hoping she wasn't still mad. "I know you said you don't intend to lose to Wallace, May, but how do you feel about your battle tomorrow?"
May clenched her shorts. She thought about Ash's question with careful thought. These were her last few hours before the outcome that could decide her life for years to come. She trembled a bit. "Honestly, I'm scared," the sapphire-eyed coordinator admitted. May clenched her shorts tighter, "Defeat is just not an option for me."
"Will you be bound to those people in the event that you lose?" Ash tried to understand May.
May exposed her vulnerability to Ash. If she was going to share her doubts with anyone, he was the one. "To tell you the truth, I can retire from the public eye regardless of the result. They just want to make money from the showdown."
Ash's mind clicked upon listening to her. "I get it. It's not about any commitment. You want to defeat Wallace because it would be the culmination of everything on your journey." He related to the feeling better than anyone.
May stared at him with soft eyes. "Not 'want,' Ash. I NEED to defeat Wallace. For a long time, I believed this life ruined me, and I became insecure about who I was. Then you came back into my life. That's when I discovered that I could turn my weaknesses and tragedies into strengths if I embraced them as part of my story. I don't regret accepting this life anymore because it's made me who I am today. The heartbreak, the slander, and the loneliness made me see what I should be grateful for. It also allowed me to see what I truly want. I didn't have direction since I became a celebrity. Now I know what direction I want to take. However, none of it will feel well-earned if I don't defeat Wallace. I've endured and suffered so much over the years to become stronger. I won't let all that experience go to waste. I HAVE TO BEAT HIM." May declared with an authoritative voice at the end. If she squeezed her fists any tighter, she might've made them bleed.
"I see," Ash saw the bigger picture of May's journey. Even Pikachu, who became invested in May's speech instead of sleeping, was in awe of her resolve.
May sheepishly grinned, "Sorry, I got too fired up there."
"That's just fine, May. There's nothing wrong with feeling that way," Ash assured May that her attitude was acceptable.
May leaned against the fence that enclosed the Pokémon Center's battlefield. "I wish I could be as fearless as you, Ash. You never seem to fall under the weight of any pressure."
"Actually, I've felt scared before a battle, too." Ash humbly revealed. He recalled it as one of the most important lessons of his life.
May jolted up from her slouching to sit upright, "No way! The Ash I remember would always brag about how he was never nervous about anything in his whole life."
Ash rubbed the back of his head, chuckling uneasily. He hated that May recollected that side of him. "It happened to me while I was traveling Kalos. I had a rival named Sawyer, who started as a rookie when I met him. He had potential, but Sawyer would always lose to me. Then, one day, he surpassed me before I earned my eighth badge. It threw me off so badly that I nearly failed to qualify for the Kalos League because I struggled to get my eighth Kalos badge. I faced Sawyer again in the semi-finals of the Kalos League, where I beat him. It wasn't easy, but my rivalry with him was a major reality check. The fact that Sawyer had caught up to me so fast scared me. That's when I remembered there is always room for improvement. We turn our weaknesses into strengths, like you said," the boy confessed. May was captivated by his story. She couldn't believe Ash had gone through such an experience. It showed a more vulnerable side to the usually headstrong trainer. "So, it's alright to be scared, May. Use your fear to your advantage. It can make you stronger as long as you don't let your mind get wrapped in it," Ash warmly advised his longtime friend.
"Thank you…Ash," May lowered her head. Her eyes glistened with empathy for Ash. She was thankful that he could relate to her. Then she felt Ash grab her shoulders.
Ash looked into May's eyes the same way he looked at her the day they got stranded on Donphan Island, and she had nearly given up on the Pacifidlog Contest and the Grand Festival for Max. "I know you have what it takes to beat Wallace. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, I know you will be stronger by the end of it. You're May, the Princess of Hoenn, and nothing can stop you."
May could feel Ash's breath on her lips. His words strengthened her spirit and quickened the pace of her heart. There was an unmistakable tension between them. May took off his hat to set it down on the bench. Ash rested his forehead on hers. Neither could resist the pull. They could feel their hearts beating. Then they gave each other a soft kiss. It wasn't as long or profound as their first one, but it was enough to get the heat flowing. Pikachu awkwardly covered his eyes over the sight.
They separated to look at each other. Their faces were as red as May's bandana. Ash was surprised over his action, "May," was the only thing he could say.
"We shouldn't have done that, especially after our conversation before the festival and what's already happened," May thought of their discussion and Serena.
"I'm sorry. That didn't feel right either," Ash admitted with a blush. He turned away with disappointment.
May reached for his face with her hand. Ash looked back at her while she caressed his cheek. She smiled lovingly at him, "You're an incredible person, Ash Ketchum. Don't let anyone tell you, otherwise."
Ash put his hand over the hand that held his face. She wiped a tear that formed in the corner of his eye. They rested their foreheads against each other once more, but they didn't kiss this time. May kept her hand on his face, and Ash kept his hand over hers. They kept their eyes fixed on each other with profound sighs.
May woke up from knocking on her door. She noticed it was an hour past midnight. The girl slipped out of bed in her oversized yellow shirt. Fortunately, she decided to wear shorts for bed tonight. She was annoyed to be disturbed at this hour, but she thought it might be important. When she opened the door, she was shocked to find Serena. May instantly became awake when she saw her friend.
Serena softly smiled at her. "Sorry to wake you up, May," the Kalos girl shyly shrunk herself in front of the brunette.
"That's ok, Serena. Is everything alright? Can I do something for you?" May asked like a worried mother.
The performer nodded sideways. Surprisingly, Serena hugged May. "I just want you to know that I'll be there to support you all the way, no matter what happens," Serena subtly confirmed to May that she still valued their friendship. It was unknown if May understood the double meaning behind Serena's statement. Nonetheless, May was relieved by Serena's embrace. She had grown fond of her rival, more than she could have ever anticipated. They held each other like sisters.