The air hung heavy with uncertainty as Ash and Riley found themselves standing on the outskirts of the dense forest. The trail they had been fervently following had evaporated into nothingness, leaving them at an impasse with no clear direction to pursue. Riley, the more composed of the two, broke the weighty silence.
"What is it?" he inquired, his gaze fixed on Ash.
"I'm not sure where to go from here..." Ash sighed, his brow furrowed in contemplation.
"The trail faded?" Riley's question hung in the air, emphasizing the difficulty of their predicament.
"Was a weak one to begin with." Ash shook his head. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Riley merely nodded. The two stood there, surrounded by the quiet whispers of the forest, grappling with the absence of a guiding path. Finally, Ash spoke with a sense of determination. "I think all there is to do is to try and find a match."
"Alright," Riley acknowledged before turning to leave. "I'll report to the royal family. See what you can do here," he then walked away, leaving Ash to his own devices. Alone in the stillness of the woods, Ash sighed again, his gaze sweeping the surroundings. Pikachu, his faithful companion, sat perched atop his head, observing with a curious tilt of its ears.
"Maybe I can get a scent off it?" Pikachu suggested.
"Worth a shot." Ash nodded, holding out the piece of cloth. Pikachu took the cloth and began to sniff it with keen interest before doing the same to the air around them. "Anything?" Ash inquired, hope lingering in his voice.
"It's faint, but I might have something." Pikachu sniffed the air, his tiny nose twitching. Nodding appreciatively, Ash followed Pikachu's lead as he pointed toward the northern forest. "Just ahead, I think,"
"Ok." Ash, trusting Pikachu's instincts, moved forward, determined to uncover the next clue. Pikachu continued to guide him, sniffing out the elusive trail as they ventured deeper into the forest. As they progressed, Pikachu's demeanor changed, its ears perking up in response to distant voices.
"I hear voices," Pikachu alerted, its gaze fixed ahead. He jumped from Ash's head and climbed up into a nearby tree to get a better view. "A lot of voices,"
"Hm..." Ash pondered, his senses on high alert. Pikachu, perched high in the tree, looked down with wide eyes
"A... a village."
"A what?" Ash's curiosity was piqued. Pikachu, sensing they might be onto something significant, hesitated for a moment before delivering the revelation.
"There's a village just ahead," he confirmed.
"A village? Did we just...? Does that mean we found…?" Ash started, his voice trailing off. The Kingdom had been searching for the hidden Ninja Village for decades but no one had ever found it. Had he and Pikachu really just made such a discovery? However before they could fully come to terms with the realization, May suddenly appeared, hanging upside-down from a tree branch, and interrupting their thoughts.
"Boo!"
"Ack!" Startled, Ash jumped, and May couldn't help but snicker at her successful surprise. The forest air crackled with tension as Ash, still seething with embarrassment and frustration, confronted May. His teeth were gritted, and his gaze bore into her. May, however, seemed unfazed, descending from the tree with a smirk playing on her lips.
"Snooping around, Aura Boy?" she teased, her tone laced with mischief.
"What did you do last night?" Ash's words were sharp, his blush deepening at the mere mention of their shared encounter.
"Nothing much. You were the one getting handsy," May replied, her smile widening.
"What...?" Ash stammered, caught off guard by her bold accusation.
"Don't play innocent. 'Don't leave me,' 'Stay close to me.' Sound familiar?" May mocked, her tone echoing his previous pleas.
"Can't say they do," Ash retorted, trying to mask his embarrassment with defiance.
"Well, I also have a few of your hickeys. Or I could show you the leftover fingerprints on my chest." May's smirk persisted. Ash, fuming with rage, struggled to find a retort. "You can stop pretending. We both know you have a thing for me,"
"Says the one who hasn't gone a single interaction without kissing me," Ash shot back, frustration evident in his voice.
"You're not just figuring this out, are you?" May teased, her laughter bubbling up. In a fit of exasperation, Ash tackled her to the ground, his patience exhausted and catching her off guard. "Whoa!"
"I've had enough of your mocking!" Ash growled.
"Then we could always try the old standby," May suggested with a twinkle in her eye.
"Standb—" Ash's words were cut short as May initiated a sudden, passionate kiss, catching him by surprise. He moaned in a mix of agony and confusion, and the playful battle of tongues began, the intensity escalating. The two exchanged heated kisses, the tension between them palpable. Finally breaking away, May smiled at Ash, who glared at her in bewilderment.
"Why do you keep...?" Ash began, but May interrupted.
"Didn't we just discuss that?" she raised an eyebrow, her teasing tone persisting. Ash looked her in the eyes, seeking answers, but May countered with a question of her own. "Did it ever occur to you that I might like you too and just enjoy the teasing?"
"I don't l—" Ash started, but he sighed and shook his head in defeat. May, unfazed, initiated another kiss, catching him off guard. He moaned in surprise, and the two engaged in a softer, more tender exchange. As they surrendered to the moment, the forest enveloped them in a quiet intimacy, their feelings for each other overcoming the initial tumultuous exchange. The forest seemed to hold its breath as the charged atmosphere between Ash and May lingered. After a moment of heated exchanges, Ash reluctantly pulled away from May, his face flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment. May, however, had other plans and placed a finger to his lips, effectively silencing him.
"It's one thing to try and lie to me," she began, her tone teasing. "Which I don't need to tell you is a bad idea. But if you want to try and lie to yourself, then you'll need bigger pants." She pointed down to his waist, and Ash, reluctantly, followed her gaze.
"You infuriating little-" The growl of frustration was cut short however as May kissed him again, causing his face to turn even redder. She held him close, and despite his protests, she persisted. Growing more frustrated by the minute, Ash finally mustered the willpower and pushed her off him. "Get off of me!"
"We both know you like it," May countered with a sly smile as she sat up. Ash gave a frustrated yell as he struggled to think clearly he was so upset. "Boy, do you need to learn how to have fun."
"Y-you..!" Ash growled.
"Come on Aura Boy. Take a deep breath for me before you pass out." Ash, now shaking with a mixture of rage and embarrassment, begrudgingly took a deep breath at May's suggestion. "Much better," she remarked, seemingly unfazed by his frustration.
"I hate you," Ash admitted, hanging his head in defeat.
"No, you don't," May replied confidently. "You want to, but you don't. So let's start by telling the truth."
"You have a physically attractive face." Ash reluctantly acknowledged, glaring daggers at her.
"Well, it's a start." May grinned, satisfied.
"And you're the bane of my existence..." Ash muttered.
"There are ways to fix that," May suggested playfully. Another silent pause ensued, broken only by May's next words. "One such would probably be just listening to your body. Hard to be mad at someone who shows you a good time." Ash glared slightly, clearly unimpressed. May continued undeterred, "Another would be to get it through your head that I haven't hurt anyone."
"Have you ever been told you talk too much?" Ash retorted.
"Once or twice." May shrugged nonchalantly.
"Well, you do," Ash stated bluntly.
"And you don't know how to have any fun," May countered.
"I do too know how," Ash insisted.
"Oh please. We've known each other for what? 6 years now? And all I've ever seen you do is train and get angry. And believe me, I've watched you more than you know," May retorted.
"I'll have you know I enjoy training. There's more than one way to have fun," Ash defended himself.
"I like training too. But it isn't all I do." she countered.
"You really have a one-track mind," Ash observed.
"I like you. What can I say?" she chuckled.
"You know what? You're so set on your idea of fun, fine!" Ash, determined to prove her wrong, impulsively kissed her. May blushed but wasted no time in kissing him back. Ash, still somewhat annoyed, continued the kiss without fully realizing what he was doing. May moaned and pushed her tongue into his mouth, intensifying the exchange. As their passionate encounter continued, Ash battled back, gripping onto her arms. May moaned louder, prompting Ash to respond with equal fervor. The kiss grew more heated, with May allowing herself to be pressed against a tree, her body pinned between the tree and Ash's. Finally pulling away for a breath, May panted softly, her cheeks flushed. Ash, too, was catching his breath, the intensity of the moment leaving them both momentarily speechless.
"Oh Aura Boy…" she whispered. Then, undeterred by the tension, she kissed Ash again, and this time, he responded without hesitation. The forest seemed to fade away as their connection deepened. May, feeling bold, began working off Ash's tunic. Her hands moved with purpose, fingers deftly undoing the clasps. Ash, caught between the lingering frustration and the newfound intensity of their encounter, allowed her to continue. The fabric slipped off, revealing Ash's toned physique. May, now holding the discarded tunic, ran her hands appreciatively over his chest. The air between them crackled with a mixture of desire and uncertainty. Ash, his breath slightly labored, looked at May with a hint of vulnerability. The playful banter and teasing had given way to a moment that held the promise of something deeper. Their connection, though unconventional, seemed to transcend the complexities that had defined their relationship thus far.
"May…" the ninja, unfazed by the newfound intimacy, met Ash's gaze with a mixture of confidence and genuine affection. Without words, they acknowledged the unspoken understanding that had unfolded between them, exploring the uncharted territory of their emotions and their bodies.
The aftermath of their intense encounter left both May and Ash panting, sprawled naked on the forest floor in a mix of exhaustion and lingering desire. As the reality of what transpired began to register in Ash's mind, a wave of regret washed over him. May, however, seemed quite pleased, a contented smile gracing her lips.
"That was even better than I imagined it would be," she admitted, her tone filled with satisfaction. Ash, gritting his teeth, stepped back, distancing himself from the intensity of the moment as he quickly gathered his clothes.
"Shut up…! You're just…ug!" he growled, a sense of unease settling in. May, unfazed by his sudden change in demeanor, smirked at his discomfort.
"Why are you so obsessed with me, Aura Boy?"
"The sooner I see you in a dungeon, the better." Ash snapped back, still grappling with the aftermath of what they had done.
"You already have." May retorted, seemingly enjoying his frustration. An audible growl escaped Ash's lips.
"And stay there." he clarified.
"I'm not hurting anyone, you know. You all need to chill out." May responded with a smug expression. Ash, his anger simmering beneath the surface, pressed on.
"Wrap it around your head that stealing is wrong."
"I steal from people who have more than enough for those who don't have anything. Forgive me for actually caring about people who are suffering." May, unapologetic, defended herself.
"You have no clue what you're talking about," Ash retorted, frustration evident in his voice.
"Oh, and you do?" May challenged.
"The Royal Family does everything they can for the kingdom and neighboring villages, and it's a lot easier when there isn't a petty thief bleeding them dry every other night!" Ash declared with a hint of bitterness. May scoffed at his loyalty.
"Maybe you missed it with all your idol worship, but how about that replacement crown? It's about two times bigger than the one I took. I'm sure lots of people benefited from that thing." Rolling his eyes, Ash dismissed her argument. May, undeterred, continued her critique, "Face it. You work for pretty pampered royals who don't care about people who actually need help."
"They took me and my mother in when my father abandoned us and left us homeless in the streets. Thief. Don't talk to me about suffering and looking out for others." Ash snapped back, glaring with genuine anger. May, not one to back down, challenged his perspective.
"And why do you think they did that? Did they do that for any of the homeless people that didn't have Aura powers? Hm?" she inquired.
"Shockingly, homelessness isn't a common problem out here," Ash retorted.
"Of course, you can't see them from your penthouse tower," May countered. Turning away, Ash seemed reluctant to engage further. May, adopting a more serious tone, expressed her perspective, "I do like you, Aura Boy. But you have no idea what it's like to live outside the Kingdom walls."
"And you don't know the Kingdom…" he fired back before leaving the area, prompting Pikachu to follow him.
To be Continued...