May's Epilogue: Love Story
May sipped on her green tea in the outdoor seating area of a little café in Mesagoza. Her journeys brought her to the Paldea region, but she decided to enjoy today by treating herself to the sights and pleasantries of the unique city because today was a special day.
"Here you go, señorita. To commemorate your birthday, A chocolate cupcake topped with strawberry frosting and rainbow sprinkles. It's on the house," a stern middle-aged waiter with black hair and gray highlights came with a small plate that carried the birthday cupcake.
May loved the cute design. It reminded her of Serena's PokéPuffs. The flame from the short blue candle at the top reflected in her sapphire eyes. However, she was surprised that the café was aware of her birthday. "This is lovely, but how did you know it was my birthday?" the brunette sheepishly grinned.
"Some things are hard to forget, Ms. May. We remember when your face was on every newsstand in Mesagoza. Regardless, the café owner was always a big fan and had this sent to you," the waiter bowed at her.
The coordinator lightly blushed, touched by the gesture. It had been some years since she stepped down from her public role, but traces of her time as a celebrity remained. "Please call me May," the brunette giggled with embarrassment. She never liked being addressed with a title. "That's very kind of you, though," the coordinator noted the staff's kindness.
"It is a treat to have you, and you're always welcome here," the waiter expressed the café's hospitality with a stern face.
Despite his tired appearance, the coordinator engaged the waiter in a conversation. May giggled, "You're giving me flashbacks to when I was a celebrity with those words."
The waiter wondered, "Do you ever miss it?" May's background intrigued him.
The brunette nodded sideways, "Not really. I prefer things the way they are now. I've been happier ever since." May had no regrets about stepping down after her victory over Wallace.
"That sounds ideal. I'm almost jealous, but I'm a workaholic. Believe it or not, I work three jobs. It doesn't give me any free time, but I'm holding up," the waiter said to the girl despite his unmotivated appearance.
"Three jobs, whoa! I don't know if I could handle that," May was impressed. The girl curiously questioned, "What are your other jobs?"
Her server sighed, "Let's just say I may be a waiter here, but I help run a restaurant in another city in Paldea, and my other job is a bit more recreational."
"A man of mystery," May teased. She managed to make the unmotivated waiter chuckle.
"I am sure you have plenty of time to enjoy, such as spending time with your family on your birthday, perhaps?" the waiter inquired.
May wished her family was present today, but she could still smile despite spending her birthday alone. "Unfortunately, my family is in Hoenn today. However, I did speak to them this morning and received their birthday wishes, so I'm feeling their love even though we're far apart."
Her waiter acknowledged her with a monotonous tone. "That's wonderful to hear. Well, May, besides honoring you on your birthday, you should know that the Naranja Café sends its best wishes on your journey," the waiter informed her.
May appreciated the kindness even if the waiter was somewhat of an oddball. "I won't let the café down when I compete and win in the Grand Festival then," the sapphire-eyed girl made a confident fist, thanking him and the café for its wishes.
"Speaking of wishes. Why don't you make yours?" the waiter held his hand out to the cupcake that May nearly forgot about during their conversation.
"Right," May nodded. She already had almost everything she wanted except one thing. The brunette closed her eyes and softly blew on the candle flame to wish for it. The little flame's smoke went up in the air when the fire got blown out.
"Muy bien," the waiter clapped, nodding with approval.
Then the girl realized she didn't get the waiter's name, "I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."
"My name is Larry," Larry, the waiter slightly bowed.
May formally greeted him with a smile, "Nice to meet you, Larry."
"The pleasure is all mine," Larry placed his palm over his heart. The black-haired mentioned something else, "Now that I've met you in person, you remind me of this other person I met a few days ago. They had the same confidence you do," May's server started to go on a tangent.
The coordinator lifted an eyebrow, "Really?" Before she could ask for more information, the waiter got called by another table.
"Waiter, would you mind helping us, please?" the other table requested.
The man acknowledged them with a nod. "If you'll excuse me, I hope you found everything satisfactory on your visit. Have a wonderful birthday, May," the waiter bowed at the coordinator. He walked away with a sigh; the man was ready to clock out.
"He was interesting," May eyed him when he left. The brunette finished the tea and her cupcake within a few minutes. She left a tip for Larry. Then she continued on her way.
May spent the afternoon window shopping. Every outfit she saw was beautiful. Sadly, the coordinator could not afford most of what she saw. The sapphire-eyed girl sighed, "Some celebrity money would be nice right now." She noted that perhaps the only thing she missed about being a public figure was the paychecks. May thought about it for a few seconds, then shook her head frantically, "Nope, I still prefer the way things are now." She put her arms behind her head, remembering that no number of outfits ever made her happy when she was a celebrity. She went on her merry way, walking past pastry and sandwich shops with enticing foods to gaze at from the window. Paldea was a nice change of pace from the other regions she was familiar with.
Suddenly, when she stopped to gaze at some sandwiches on a shop's window display, Munchlax escaped from its ball. "Munchlax, what are you doing out of your ball?" an alerted May looked at him.
"Munch!" Munchlax ignored the sandwiches. It wasn't what got his attention. He looked around the street with a puzzled expression. The chubby Pokémon sniffed the air until he got a whiff of something more delicious than the sandwiches. He immediately started to trail the scent.
May frowned, "Hey, come back! You know you're not supposed to wander!" The coordinator became irritated with the Normal-type. I forgot to give him some Pink Surprise at breakfast. The coordinator recognized she dug herself into this situation, regretfully, on her birthday. She relentlessly pursued Munchlax through the streets of Mesagoza. At one point, Munchlax and May nearly bumped into some people, but May apologized with shame. When I get my hands on you, Munchlax, May ran with clenched teeth. For a fat Pokémon, he sure is fast, May slightly panted. Then she realized that they were nearing the outskirts of the city. May started to get suspicious, There are so many foods in Mesagoza, so why is Munchlax so focused on whatever he's following? May found his behavior peculiar. The thought left her thinking about where Munchlax was leading her, too.
Once they were on the city's edge, May started to catch the scent that Munchlax was following. For a moment, she couldn't blame Munchlax for running away. The scent was heavenly yet familiar. I know that smell from somewhere, May said to herself while chasing Munchlax.
"Munch munch munch," Munchlax hurried up a hill. The hungry Pokémon could tell it was close to the source of the scent. May followed closely behind as she trekked up the grassy hill.
The scent was getting stronger. May closed her eyes to sniff again with more focus. "It smells like…ramen noodles," the coordinator muttered after studying the scent. It smelled so delicious she almost got tempted to ask whoever was eating ramen noodles to share with her when she reached the top. Maybe Munchlax and I aren't so different, the brunette shamefacedly admitted to herself. They were just a few more feet from the top of the hill. May and Munchlax were sure the source of the smell came from the top. They were curious and eager to find the food.
Munchlax stopped almost immediately when he set foot on the hilltop. "Munchlax!" Munchlax cheered with an enormous smile upon catching sight of what he smelled.
May reached the hilltop a few seconds after him. "Munchlax, how many times do I have to tell you not to run away when you smell food!" the coordinator scolded him when she caught up.
"Munch!" Munchlax disregarded her. Instead, he ran to the picnic setup.
The sapphire-eyed brunette reached out to stop him, but he took off before she could grab him. "Munchlax, stop. This is someone else's picnic. You can't just eat their food without permission. It's not yours, so you're practically stealing!" May clenched her fists with irritation. Munchlax ignored her. He started digging through the abandoned picnic basket. That does it, May searched for Munchlax's Pokéball to recall him.
"Don't worry, May. There's more than enough to go around," a voice alarmed May.
May felt her stomach drop and her heart skipped a beat when she recognized the voice. She turned around to find the person she hadn't seen in ages, "Ash?" May acknowledged him with a soft voice. She wasn't sure if she was imagining things, but she blinked a few times to ensure he was actually there. Her eyes glistened so much it looked like they were wobbling.
"Are you alright, May?" Ash raised his eyebrows, surprised by the girl's emotional expression. He held a strawberry birthday cake in his arms that appeared to be from the local bakery in Mesagoza.
Pikachu rested on his shoulder. He was delighted to see the coordinator, "Pika chu!"
Even Munchlax was so surprised by Ash's sudden appearance that he stopped digging through the picnic basket to look at Ash and Pikachu. May formed a delighted smile. She slowly walked to him as Ash curiously observed her. He noticed she was ready to lunge at him, so he shifted his arm to the right while still holding the cake. "Ash, Pikachu!" May hugged her oldest friend with all her might. She acknowledged that it was really him.
"Whoa, May. Careful with the cake!" Ash nervously chuckled as May almost made him and Pikachu fall back with the pastry.
May backed up with an intense blush. May hovered her fist over her heart, "Sorry, I got so excited to see you. What are you doing here?" the girl became timid.
Ash's demeanor quickly turned into a joyful one. He presented the strawberry birthday cake with some candles on it. "Happy Birthday!" the raven-haired trainer celebrated.
"Pika!" Pikachu chimed in the celebration.
"Munch!" Munchlax ran over to admire the delicious-looking cake.
May became surprised. "Ash, did you plan all this? How did you know it was my birthday?" The girl's blush remained.
Ash smiled at her, "I know I've missed more than a few birthdays, but when I learned you were in Mesagoza from Max, I knew I had to hurry over here from Medali. I've been wanting to see you for a long time, May. I'm sorry this didn't happen sooner." The auburn-eyed trainer's face blushed when he revealed his recent activities.
May's eyes got teary from happiness. Ash worried he somehow hurt her feelings, but before he could say anything, the coordinator spoke, "You made a detour on your journey to see me?"
"Yeah," Ash innocently replied. He hoped May was pleased to see him on her birthday.
May lowered her gaze to the ground but retained a gentle smile. "Were you the one who cooked those ramen noodles Munchlax smelled in your basket?" the coordinator started to piece everything together.
"I sure did," Ash proudly confirmed May's suspicion.
May shyly giggled, "I never took you for a cook before."
Ash embarrassingly admitted, "If I was going to see you again after so long, and on your birthday, then I knew I had to do something special. I had Brock give me his recipe so I could practice making those noodles you like so much while I traveled from Medali to Mesagoza. Hopefully, the practice has paid off."
May's eyes grew with surprise. She was impressed by Ash's cooking initiative. "Although, I didn't plan on Munchlax finding the noodles while I went to fetch the cake. His nose is as sharp as ever," Ash joked.
"Munchlax!" Munchlax happily acknowledged its keen sense of smell.
"Pika pikachu," Pikachu laughed at the shameless Normal-type.
"Does that mean you were about to look for me in Mesagoza and bring me here?" May became touched by Ash's kind gesture. She could feel her heartbeat accelerate. A part of her still couldn't believe he was in front of her. Somehow, he looked the same but different. He emitted this sense of maturity she hadn't felt from him before. Just the fact that he cooked for once was a sign of growth, in her opinion.
Ash excitedly nodded, "Yep, but you and Munchlax found me first!"
May smirked at her mischievous Pokémon. Guess it wasn't so bad that you caught a whiff of those noodles after all, May communicated to her dopey Pokémon through her sapphire eyes.
"Lax!" Munchlax interpreted her thoughts with a laugh.
Ash caught May's attention when he brought the cake closer to her. "How about we have you blow out these candles first, then we can begin eating?" the trainer asked.
May softly smiled at him. "That sounds nice, but I need to know something first."
Her statement made Ash wonder what was on her mind. Regardless, Ash welcomed any thoughts May had. "Sure, May."
"Did you only come to look for me because it was my birthday, or is there another reason?" May stepped forward. She took the birthday cake from Ash and set it on the blanket.
Pikachu leaped off Ash's shoulder. He knew this was his cue to stop Munchlax from eating the cake while Ash and May talked. Ash's blush started to intensify. A thousand words were rushing to his head, but he wanted to be clear about how he felt. May needed to know. He softly smiled at the girl. "May, you once told me I should chase what makes me happy. After becoming Monarch and befriending every Pokémon in the world, I know what makes me happy," Ash stated with glistening eyes.
May's shimmering eyes revealed to Ash that even though time had passed, feelings for each other were still there. The brunette leaned closer to him. Ash could feel her breath when she asked, "What makes you happy, Ash?" Her voice was so soft and sweet that it could make his heart burst out of his chest.
Ash put his hands on her shoulders. His eyes gleamed as intensely as May's. "You make me happy, May." His words were everything May had been waiting for a long time. The moment was finally here. Ash was here. Their hearts got intertwined at last. "I'm sorry it took so long," Ash admitted with a sheepish smile.
May nodded her head sideways, "That's alright. You're here now. It's all that matters, Ash Ketchum." Tears of joy rolled down May's face.
Without any hesitation, Ash grabbed May's face and pulled her into a kiss. A burst of emotions exploded inside each other's hearts. Their heartbeats were in sync. They felt their warmth, and there was this sudden feeling of a brand-new chapter unfolding before them. May caressed his face as Ash's lips remained pressed against hers.
"Munch…" Munchlax blushed with shock over the sight. He nearly managed to sneak a bite past Pikachu until he saw Ash and May kiss. The hungry Pokémon froze with surprise and happiness for his friend and trainer.
"Pikapi pika," Pikachu snickered when he saw Munchlax. His eyes shifted back to Ash and May. The yellow mouse waited for this day as long as May. Ash finally found love with the right person. He deserved it.
Pikachu and Munchlax continued to admire the couple until they stepped back to catch their breath. Ash lowered his hands to May's waist while May kept her hands on Ash's face. "I'm never forgetting this birthday," May joked with her lover.
"That makes two of us," Ash chuckled, still eyeing the other half of his heart. She was the most beautiful thing to him, from her eyes and smile to her laugh.
May lowered her hands as she turned to the birthday cake Ash brought. "Let's go blow out those candles before Munchlax decides to pull a fast one on us," May fixed her eyes on the Normal-type, who innocently stared at her.
"I agree," Ash laughed. He pulled out a box of matches and used one to light up the candles on the cake. The couple and their Pokémon sat around the cake. May made sure to sit next to Ash for this.
"Ready, May?" Ash questioned her.
May gave a nod. She leaned in so she could softly blow on the birthday candles. Ash, Pikachu, and Munchlax clapped together in celebration of May's birthday. The coordinator smiled at the three of them. She hadn't expected her birthday to turn out like this. The greatest treat out of all of them was that Ash was with her now. May's heart belonged to Ash, and Ash's heart belonged to May.
Ash curiously tilted his head, "What did you wish for?" The trainer wondered.
May intertwined her fingers with Ash's. She gave him a sweet smile, "A lifetime with you."
Ash stroked her hand with affection. "I wouldn't have it any other way," the raven-haired trainer remarked. May pecked Ash's cheek. This was only the beginning of their happy ending.