A few days later, after wrapping up the last activities she had to finish and dodging several more crowds looking to surround her, May finally found her way to the airport to leave Sinnoh. The airport bustled with travelers, each with their own destination and purpose. May, a determined expression on her face, approached the ticket counter, her heart racing with anticipation. Beside her, Glaceon, her steadfast Pokémon companion, offered a reassuring smile.
"One ticket to Kanto, please," May requested as she handed her credit card to the ticket agent.
"Still feeling ready?" Glaceon's eyes gleamed with encouragement. May nodded, a mix of excitement and nerves swirling within her.
"As I'll ever be... but before we go, let's make sure he's home when we get there," she suggested, to which Glaceon nodded in agreement. May stuffed her ticket in her pocket and headed over to the nearest video phone. She dialed Delia's home number and after a few rings, Delia's warm voice greeted her.
"Hello? Ketchum residence." the older woman spoke into the receiver.
"Hey, it's me!" May's voice carried a blend of enthusiasm and nostalgia.
"Oh, May dear! It's been so long!" Delia gasped in delight.
"Hi, Mrs. Ketchum!" May replied, a hint of shyness in her voice.
"You're looking so well! You've really grown into such a lovely young lady!" Delia's affectionate words made May blush.
"O-Oh! Well... you know..." May stammered, temporarily caught off guard by the compliment.
"How are you, dear?" Delia continued.
"I'm fine, but I'm on my way home soon, and I wanted to see Ash first. Do you know when he'll be home?"
"He's actually on his way now," Delia shared with excitement. "He and his friends have been on an island-hopping adventure for the past month on their way to Kanto. They're due into the region in a few days."
"Great! Do you mind if I pop in?" May's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"Of course not, May! You're always welcome here!"
"Thank you, Mrs. Ketchum," May expressed her gratitude, a genuine smile gracing her face.
"Of course, dear! When should we expect you?"
"Hopefully in a day or two?"
"That's great! I'll make sure the guest room is all set up for you!"
"Thanks so much!" May's appreciation overflowed in her words.
"My pleasure! I'm sure Ash will be so happy to hear you're in town!"
"Think so..?" May scratched her head, a playful uncertainty in her tone.
"Of course!" Delia reassured her. "I can't wait to hear about how you've been, dear. Please travel safe, okay?"
"I will," May promised.
"Then I'll see you real soon."
"Bye, Mrs. Ketchum," May said with a wave before ending the call. May gave a small smile, a mixture of eagerness and nerves bubbling within her. Glaceon nuzzled her leg, and May reciprocated with gentle strokes of her head.
"He's gonna be happy to see you," Glaceon chimed in, her voice filled with playful certainty. May rolled her eyes, a fond smile tugging at her lips.
"Oh, shut up." Glaceon laughed, the sound echoing in the bustling airport. May sighed, her nerves settling into a warm excitement as she checked the time on a nearby wall clock. "We've got a little time before our flight leaves. Let's grab some lunch."
"Yay!" Glaceon cheered. "Let's go now!"
"Sounds like you're in a hurry." May chuckled at Glaceon's impatience.
"Like you're not," Glaceon teased, laughter in her voice. May laughed, the sound carrying a mix of joy and anticipation.
"Alright, let's—" But her sentence was cut short as she, while lost in the excitement, unwittingly ran over an open manhole as she exited the airport and plummeted down with a startled scream.
"May!" Glaceon's concerned cry echoed in the cavernous space. May landed with a thud, and her surroundings plunged into darkness. Groaning, she attempted to stand, the echoes of her fall resonating in the cold chamber.
"I'm fine... I think," May reassured Glaceon, who peered down from the open manhole. "Stupid curse…"
A couple of days later, the quaint charm of Pallet Town welcomed May and Glaceon. The sun painted the houses in warm hues, and a gentle breeze carried the fragrance of blooming flowers through the air. And May personally found it nice to have a break from being mobbed by fans. She was excited to get to work on her fashion line for them, but she certainly didn't care for being mobbed everywhere she went. Nevertheless, that was far from her main priority right now.
"Is that the place?" Glaceon asked, realizing that she herself had never actually been to Pallet Town.
"Yep! The one with the red roof!" May pointed towards a house near the end of the road.
"Towards the big hill?" Glaceon inquired. May nodded in agreement, and Glaceon's excitement bubbled as she ran ahead."Awesome!"
"Wait up!" May followed suit, making her way to Ash's house. The familiar surroundings held a nostalgic air, and anticipation tinged with a hint of nervousness danced in her eyes. Upon reaching the doorstep, she knocked on the door, and a moment later, Delia Ketchum, Ash's mom, opened it.
"May! It's good to see you!" Delia greeted with a warm smile.
"It's great to see you too, Mrs. Ketchum. Thank you again for letting me stop by." May returned the smile, a mixture of gratitude and excitement lighting up her face.
"Of course! It's always good to see you," Delia replied, her hospitality as warm as ever. "You too Glaceon."
"Eon!" Glaceon greeted her happily and Delia crouched down to offer a friendly welcome pat of the head, to which Glaceon responded with content purring.
"Is Ash home yet?" May inquired, eager to reunite with her long-time friend.
"He's up at the lab." Delia smiled.
"Think it would be alright if I joined him?"
"By all means," Delia encouraged.
"Thanks so much. I'll be back later," May expressed her gratitude, and with a nod from Delia, she headed outside towards the lab. Glaceon followed faithfully as May ascended the steps to the lab. Just as she was about to knock on the front door, however, she was interrupted by a sudden explosion emanating from the backyard.
"Ack!" Glaceon jumped.
"What the?!" May exclaimed, her hand on her chest. She hurried towards the commotion and discovered Ash surrounded by several of his Pokémon, Professor Oak, and another woman that May didn't recognize. A familiar gleam in the sky could be seen as Ash laughed joyously with his Pokémon. She didn't recognize any of the ones gathered aside from Pikachu and Charizard, so she assumed they were all from his more recent travels. Nevertheless, it was a sight that warmed May's heart all the same as she held her heart with a nervous fist. Stopped in her tracks at the sight of the man she loved, May watched Ash interact with his Pokémon.
"Thanks for protecting Professor Oak's Research Lab and all the Pokémon!" the young trainer thanked the group, to which they all exchanged happy sounds with their trainer. Ash laughed right along with them as Professor Oak and the other woman with them looked on with smiles on their faces, still unaware of May's presence. May's heart swelled with affection as she observed Ash's genuine happiness. It had been a long journey, but here she was. He was before her, and it was finally time. Taking a deep breath, May gathered her courage, and with determination in her eyes, she approached Ash, who was caught off guard by her unexpected presence.
"Ash...?" May's voice carried a mixture of nervousness and genuine warmth. Ash looked over, his expression shifting from surprise to a wide smile.
"May..?"
"Yeah... hi, Ash." May returned his smile, her cheeks tinged with a light blush.
"May!" Pikachu cheered as he happily jumped into her arms, causing her to laugh.
"Hi, Pikachu. It's great to see you." she giggled, nuzzling the small yellow Pokémon with her cheek.
"It's great to see you too May! How have you been?" Ash asked his excitement as boundless as ever.
"Things have been going really well." May smiled as she turned towards the others who were there as well. "Hi, Professor."
"Wonderful to see you May. You're looking well." the older man greeted her. It was then that May shared a curious but friendly glance with the other woman present and Ash realized he hadn't made any introductions.
"Oh sorry! May this is Alexa, a journalist from Kalos. Alexa this is one of my best friends May. We traveled together a few years ago." he explained.
"May?" Alexa wondered before the realization suddenly hit her. "Wait do you mean May Maple? The Princess of Hoenn?"
"Oh uh, yeah." May replied, blushing with some embarrassment.
"Wow, what a treat! I've read about your work in Pokémon Contests. It's really amazing." Alexa commented.
"That's very kind of you thank you." May responded.
"Well for the time being how about we give these two some room to catch up?" Professor Oak suggested.
"Sure." Alexa nodded. "There's still plenty of the Lab I'd love to see."
"Splendid. We'll catch up with you two later." Oak informed the two young trainers.
"Sounds good!" Ash nodded.
"Thanks, Professor. Nice to meet you, Alexa." May added.
"You as well." Alexa waved as she and the Professor headed off.
Once the adults had left and Ash's Unovan Pokémon had scattered back around the fields, Ash and May sat down together in the grass with just Pikachu and Glaceon with them. Pikachu had curled up back in Ash's lap and Glaceon lay next to May, allowing the Coordinator to stroke her fur.
"So seriously May how have you been?"
"Things have just been wonderful lately. I have so much to tell you about..." May responded, slowly working up her courage.
"So do I! Man, it's been so long..." Ash's enthusiasm filled the air.
"Heh... two years, unfortunately... sorry I didn't keep in better touch," May admitted, a hint of apology in her tone.
"Me too… well for starters you'll never guess who I ran into back in Unova!" Ash's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"Dawn?" May smiled softly, her guess already on the mark.
"How did you...?" Ash began but May cut him off.
"We keep in pretty close touch. Especially since she picked up that Xtranreciever. She also came out to watch my Grand Festival a little over a week ago."
"Oh! How did you do?" Ash's curiosity was evident. May smiled a little, taking a deep breath before answering him simply.
"...I won."
"YOU WON!?" Ash gasped in shock.
"WHOA!" Pikachu echoed the surprise. Glaceon smiled proudly and May blushed with a nod. She opened up her fanny pack and pulled out a magazine she had picked up at the airport. She showed them the cover, featuring her with the Ribbon Cup.
"Whoaaa..." Ash stammered as he stared at the picture in awe. "That's incredible, May! I'm so proud of you!"
"Thanks, Ash... you always said I could do it." May smiled and blushed.
"I knew you had it in you," Ash said, his smile reflecting a genuine pride.
"Thanks…" May smiled softly back at him. "But that, um... that actually relates to something else I wanted to tell you..."
"It does?" Ash wondered, noting the change in her tone. May nodded and took a deep breath, her fingers tracing over a crystal bracelet on her wrist for support.
"Do you remember... Terracotta Town...? When I told you all I wanted to go on my own journey for a while...?"
"Yeah, I remember," Ash replied, recalling the moment.
"Well... the truth is, I didn't tell you the whole story about why I wanted to do it," May confessed.
"What full story...?" Ash's interest grew.
"I did it to find my own style and further my skills like I said... but I also did it for you," May admitted, her gaze steady.
"For me..?" Ash's curiosity turned into surprise. Pikachu exchanged a wide-eyed look with Glaceon, sensing the unfolding drama. The Ice Type nodded to confirm Pikachu's theory as their trainers continued talking.
"Yes... I wanted to become someone who could be more to you than just a friend... a partner," May confessed, her words hanging in the air. "I had gotten stronger thanks to you... and I still, to this day, can't thank you enough for it. But I was never going to truly be your equal if I was only able to just follow in your footsteps... Ash, I…" she hesitated again, but she took another deep breath and pressed on. "I want to be so much more to you than a friend... because I love you..."
"H…Huh…?" Ash's eyes widened in complete astonishment, literally freezing in shock at this revelation. May, surprising even herself that she actually said it, gently pulled out her half of their ribbon and held it over her heart.
"I love you with all my heart..."
"M-May I... I had no idea..." Ash stammered, utterly stunned.
"I know... I never said anything... I just couldn't..." May admitted, her vulnerability laid bare.
"May..." Ash blushed softly, processing the revelation.
"I had a crush on you since we first met... but it wasn't until we were trying to save Samiya that I realized how deep it went...and by then I wasn't in any kind of position to tell you..." May continued, her honesty paving the way for a truth long held back. Ash blushed brighter, the weight of May's words sinking in. "I had just lost the Kanto Grand Festival and Manaphy had just left and I was just…lost…I knew that I loved you, but I also knew that I wasn't ready to try and be something more to you…I had to take some time to work on myself…to become even better…"
"May... you don't have to prove anything to me... you never did..." Ash finally managed to say.
"I had to prove it to myself..." May confessed, her gaze unwavering.
"May..." Ash's voice held a mix of surprise and genuine affection.
"You deserve someone who can be your partner. Your equal in support and strength. So I needed to prove to myself that I could be that person," May explained, her eyes conveying the depth of her emotions. Ash blushed even more brightly, the gravity of May's feelings finally settling between them.
"May…" he whispered.
"Well... I've said my piece..." May concluded, her vulnerability met with a quiet moment of understanding.
"Well... I gotta admit I'm out of my expertise here..." Ash, still processing, managed to stammer out.
"I don't blame you... and I'm sorry that the first thing I do after so long is spring this on you..." May chuckled softly.
"You're in love with me..?" Ash blinked, staring as if he had just discovered red and blue make purple. May gave a small nod, her sincerity unwavering. Ash's response held a mix of shock and awe. "Wow..."
"Look, I know it's a lot... we can stop for now... I'll give you some space to think," May offered, her understanding and empathy shining through. Ash's eyes widened at her comment and he started to stammer, still attempting to process the whirlwind of emotions May had just unleashed.
"N-no, stay... it's okay..."
"Ash, you don't have to..." she insisted. He ignored her protest however and reached out, taking May's hand into his own, a gesture that both surprised and comforted her.
"May..." he began, his voice carrying a mixture of sincerity and vulnerability that was very rare for him.
"A-Ash...?" May blushed in surprise.
"I really don't understand what goes on in other people's heads... or my own a lot of the time for that matter," Ash admitted, "but my heart knows what my head doesn't..."
"Y-Your heart...?" May's voice trembled with curiosity. Ash pulled out his half of the ribbon from his hoodie pocket. May's eyes widened in astonishment.
"You still carry it...?" she asked, her heart racing.
"Every day..." Ash confessed, his gaze locked onto hers. May blushed intensely, the weight of Ash's gesture sinking in. "Look I know I'm not the best at this kind of stuff but…I know what I know…and I know that you've always been different May…I've always known that but I didn't know why…I've always been very protective of you and...always so invested in how well you were doing and how much you've grown since we first met…but that day…the day inside the Temple…that day changed something inside me too…I didn't focus on it because I didn't understand it…but I've thought of it every time I've looked at this ribbon…I didn't realize until now what that was but…hearing you now I'm starting to realize that I always knew...ever since that day…"
"You…you mean…?" May tried to speak in a soft voice.
"I think…I might be in love with you too…" he admitted, his blush growing ever more vibrant.
"Ash…" May whispered in the most hushed tone she could muster. Was this really happening? Or was she dreaming again? She thought it had to be a dream, but the warmth of his hand around her's assured her that it was real.
"May..?" Ash's eyes held a mixture of hope and uncertainty.
"Y-Yes...?" May responded, her own emotions in a whirl.
"Do you want me to be your boyfriend..?" Ash's question hung in the air, and his vulnerability laid bare. May blushed bright red, stunned by the sudden turn of events.
"I-I..." Ash tilted his head, awaiting her response as she struggled to speak, her heart pounding. "I-Is that something... you'd like...?"
"...I think... if you want it, so do I," Ash admitted, a soft smile playing on his lips. May blushed even harder, her eyes welling up with tears of joy.
"Being with you... it'd make me happier than I could even describe..." she answered, a small smile slowly creeping onto her cheeks.
"Then... let's do it," Ash said with a smile, the sincerity in his eyes matching May's. She couldn't contain her happiness any longer and hugged him tightly around the neck.
"Oh, Ash! Yes!" she cried. Ash, initially taken aback by the sudden gesture, slowly hugged her back, a warmth settling in his heart. May held him close, unable to stop smiling, and Ash embraced the moment as well. May suddenly whispered in his ear, her voice filled with genuine affection. "I love you so much, Ash..."
"I love you too, May..." Ash confessed, his voice still a little unsure. But even as he said it for the first time, something inside him felt right as he did. May then lifted her head, her blush deepening, and gave his lips a small peck. Ash blushed intensely, caught off guard by the unexpected gesture.
"Sorry…" she apologized, knowing that such a gesture had clearly caught him off guard.
"I-it's okay..."
"Just felt... right..." May admitted, her voice soft and sincere.
"Heh..." Ash chuckled, a warmth in his eyes. "I won't argue that." May smiled softly beneath her blush, overwhelmed with happiness. Ash took her hand, their fingers entwining, and May blushed harder but returned a soft squeeze. Ash smiled softly, his gaze filled with affection, and May couldn't help but smile back.
"So... would you be willing to tell your girlfriend all about your time in Unova...?" May asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"I'll be happy to..." Ash smiled wider, his happiness reflected in his eyes.
"Then I'm all ears," May responded, her smile growing. Ash squeezed her hand, and May blushed even more.
"So... where do I start?"
"From the beginning, of course." Ash smiled softly at her and launched right into stories about his adventures in Unova. He told her about everything from his first arrival and meeting the Legendary Zekrom, to just the other day when he had said goodbye to his new friends as they all continued on their own paths. May couldn't help but giggle softly as he finally finished his last story. "Sounds like your friends were quite the interesting bunch..."
"You could say that," Ash chuckled, a twinkle in his eyes.
"Do you know what you plan to do next?" May inquired, curiosity in her expression.
"I was actually just talking with Pikachu and Alexa about that before you got here." Ash replied with a smile.
"Oh? Where are you headed?" May pressed, her interest piqued.
"Kalos," Ash revealed, causing May to tilt her head in confusion.
"Never heard of it," she admitted.
"I don't know much just yet," Ash explained, "but it has a League and a whole bunch of Pokémon that I've never seen before."
"Certainly sounds like you." May smiled softly.
"Heh..." Ash grinned as May's smile turned contemplative and her gaze turned toward the grass below them.
"It's so tempting to go with you..." she remarked, catching Ash's attention.
"Then why not? For old times' sake? Or for us…you know being a couple?" Ash suggested with a hopeful smile.
"As much as I'd love to, and believe me I would love to, I've... actually got something big coming up too..." May trailed off, her expression thoughtful.
"What's that?" Ash tilted his head, awaiting her revelation.
"The truth is... I'm going to be starting a company," May announced, pointing to the dress she wore in the magazine. "I'm going to be making a fashion brand stemming from this outfit. A whole line of Contest outfits."
"Whoa..." Ash's eyes widened in surprise.
"During the Grand Festival, I began to realize that there's a lot more I can do than just working on myself... that whole 'Princess of Hoenn' thing has really taken off back home, and... if I could be the inspiration to some young Coordinator, I think that would be just incredible..." May explained, her passion shining through.
"Huh..." Ash mused, absorbing the significance of May's decision.
"I want to embrace this title and really build something that's going to mean something. Inspire other Coordinators, expose new regions to Contests, and just…turn this into something amazing." May smiled softly, her eyes reflecting a mix of determination and excitement.
"That's really cool!" Ash praised, genuinely impressed.
"Thanks... but in order to do something this big, I need to really focus... heh, and that's the last thing I'll do if we're traveling together again... my focus would most definitely be elsewhere..." She squeezed his hand gently for emphasis.
"Me..?" Ash questioned, a hopeful smile playing on his lips.
"Oh yeah." May nodded.
"Oh..." Ash blushed, the realization sinking in.
"I just need a bit of time to get things moving before I can go traveling again." May smiled softly.
"I see," Ash nodded, understanding her priorities.
"Maybe have to do a long-distance relationship for a while... I'm sorry..." May apologized, her sincerity evident.
"Okay," Ash replied with a nod, offering a reassuring smile.
"I'm really sorry Ash…" she apologized again.
"Don't worry about it. It'll give me time to figure out how to be a boyfriend anyway." he chuckled, only half joking as he scratched the back of his head. She smiled at his attempt to lighten the mood and chuckled softly.
"Well then I'll be home a lot, so we can talk whenever we want to... and nothing says I can't come visit you from time to time..." she offered.
"Great," Ash agreed, his smile widening.
"And believe me, I'll want to hear all about the amazing things you're doing out there." May smiled back.
"Heh. Well, you can count on that," Ash assured her.
"I have no doubt about that," May said, her smile filled with affection. She leaned in and kissed his cheek.
"Good." he grinned his signature smile. May smiled back at him before another thought crossed her mind.
"Oh. There's one more thing we should talk about..." May mentioned, her tone shifting slightly.
"Yeah?" Ash prompted.
"I mentioned that the whole 'Princess of Hoenn' thing has really blown up... and I'm not kidding. From what my parents and Dawn have told me, the entire place is going... crazy," May explained with a chuckle. "I mean, I've already been ambushed several times on my way here..."
"Ambushed..?" Ash questioned, a hint of concern in his voice.
"Fans, interviews, etc. Think what happened at the Battle Dome but bigger," May clarified.
"I see..." Ash nodded, understanding the magnitude of May's newfound fame.
"And the last thing I want is to drag you into that as my boyfriend. Especially while you're out there working hard. So... how would you feel if we... kept this whole couple thing to ourselves for now?" May proposed, her gaze focused on Ash.
"Okay. I think I get it," Ash agreed, recognizing the challenges they might face.
"I hate to ask this... especially since I really just want to shout it to the world because it makes me so happy…" she chuckled softly. "But I don't want you to be swept up in it just because you're 'the Princess of Hoenn's boyfriend,'" May explained, her vulnerability evident. Ash laughed, breaking the tension. May's worries seemed to dissipate as he reassured her. "I hope you don't mind..."
"No problem at all May," Ash replied, his understanding evident.
"You're just the best!" May exclaimed, suddenly hugging him and knocking him back into the grass as she giggled.
"Ack!" Ash exclaimed, caught off guard by the sudden embrace. May laughed, enjoying the moment. After a moment, she lifted her head and smiled down at him beneath her.
"Hi..." she playfully greeted, her affectionate gaze meeting his.
"Hi..." Ash replied, still slightly dazed. She then surprised him with a gentle kiss on the cheek. He blushed deeply, the unexpected gesture catching him off guard. May giggled, sharing in the joy of the moment.
The next day at the airport, the atmosphere was charged with both excitement and a touch of melancholy. May, Ash, and the adults around them had all gathered at May's gate as she prepared to board her flight back to Hoenn.
"The new outfit suits you." May complimented Ash, causing a faint blush to grace his cheeks.
"Heh... Think so?" he replied.
"Absolutely. Makes you look very handsome," she added, her smile warm. Ash blushed further, clearly appreciating the kind words as May turned towards Delia. "You did really great work, Mrs. Ketchum."
"Oh, thank you, dear! Coming from a fashion brand owner, that's such an honor," Delia responded with a smile. May laughed softly, enjoying the light-hearted moment as Ash, thinking about what a boyfriend should say in response to the comment, decided to offer her a compliment.
"Well... I think you look nice too," he said with a small smile. May's smile widened, and she blushed in response.
"Thank you. You will let me know that you got to Kalos safely, won't you?"
"I will," Ash reassured her with a soft smile.
"Then I'll talk to you real soon..." May expressed her final sentiments with a heartfelt hug. Ash reciprocated the hug as she added a parting wish, "Take care of yourself. And win lots of badges."
"You sell lots of costumes," Ash teased, eliciting a smile from May.
"You bet," she replied with a smile, slowly releasing him and stealing a quick, discreet kiss on the cheek.
"Heh..." Ash blushed, his heart undoubtedly racing.
"Thanks so much for letting me stay the night, Mrs. Ketchum," May expressed her gratitude.
"My pleasure, May. Always feel free to stop by whenever you want," Delia warmly invited.
"Thank you. I'll remember that," May replied, smiling, and then turned to Ash, "See you guys later."
"Bye," Ash said with a smile as May headed to her plane. As May departed, Delia smiled and turned towards her son.
"Such a sweet girl. Ash, I hope you two keep in better touch this time around."
"I don't think we'll have a problem with that…" Ash admitted, hinting at the hidden change in their relationship.
"Well, should we head over to your gate?" Oak suggested, prompting Ash to nod. They all walked to Ash's gate, where he and Alexa then stopped and turned back towards Delia and Professor Oak.
"Alright. I'll call when I get to the Kalos region," he promised.
"Pikachu, take good care of Ash for me." Delia smiled.
"My boy I'm looking forward to hearing about all your new Pokémon!" Oak added, raising a finger to emphasize his point.
"Right." the raven-haired trainer nodded.
"Pika!" Pikachu agreed in unison. Delia chuckled under her breath softly which seemed to catch Ash's attention.
"Mom what?"
"You! Nice clothes!" she joked with a big smile.
"Huh? Heh, Mom, you're embarrassing me." he playfully complained. Delia smiled again and then turned her attention towards Alexa.
"Please Alexa, get him to Kalos safely." she requested, bowing politely.
"I give you my word." Alexa nodded.
"I'll see you soon. Take care." Delia smiled at Ash one last time, her eyes shining with emotion. Ash looked back at her just the same.
"Don't worry Mom. You too," he assured her.
"Pika pika!" Pikachu chimed in, raising his paw. With that, the two travelers boarded the plane and found their seats. Ash sat down in the window seat as Alexa took a moment to stow her bag in the overhead bin. As Ash gazed out of the window, he noticed May sitting in the adjacent plane by the window. Unable to contain his smile, he waved at her. May, catching sight of him, smiled happily and waved back.
"I love you," she mouthed to him.
"I love you too," Ash whispered, a fond smile lingering on his lips as May's plane taxied down the runway. Pikachu, nestled in Ash's lap, smiled up at his trainer.
"So you and May, huh?" he remarked.
"I guess so," Ash replied, his expression content.
"It's a good match," Pikachu commented, a reassuring smile on his face.
"You think so?" Ash inquired.
"Yup," Pikachu nodded, curling up in Ash's lap with a warm smile.
"Heh..." Ash chuckled before a thought crossed his mind. "That reminds me. Where did you go last night? I woke up and saw you weren't in bed."
"Oh...no where." Pikachu smiled, a mischievous glint in his eye that made Ash raise an eyebrow.
"Pikachu?"
"I never realized kissing an Ice Type would be so...refreshing." the Electric Mouse hinted, smiling at his trainer. Realizing what he was implying, Ash smiled back.
"I see. Gotcha." he chuckled. Pikachu smiled back and curled up on his lap to relax. Taking a cue from his partner, Ash looked out the window beside him, subtly running his finger over the ribbon tucked securely in his jacket pocket as the plane prepared to take off. Kalos was up next for him, but he was happy to have a certain person awaiting his return in Hoenn.
The End
