Ash knocked on the door of the Maple residence.
He was currently in Hoenn on a solo assignment for Professor Cerise. He had heard May was home so he had decided to pay her a visit. Unfortunately for him, Max had already set off on his journey so he could not see him in person.
No sooner had the front door opened that Ash was nearly tackled to the ground by a hug from May. Pikachu jumped off his trainer's shoulder just in time.
"Ash! Congratulations!" Ash smiled and hugged her back tightly. "Thank you May. Congratulations to you too."
Ash becoming World Champion and Max starting his journey were not the only pieces of good news for their extended friend group. May had finally won a Grand Festival. She was a Top Coordinator.
Although Ash and May kept in constant contact through text and voice/video calls, they had not seen each other in person since the Wallace Cup in Sinnoh.
"I missed you like crazy May." Ash confessed. The brunette sighed into his jacket, squeezing him tighter. "I missed you a lot too."
The pair broke the hug as May pulled him into her home, shutting the door behind her.
"So, where are your parents?" Ash asked as they walked through the house.
"My dad is actually in Littleroot Town helping Professor Birch with something, he should be back later today. My mom went to the store. She heard you were coming and wants you to stay for dinner."
May laughed as a dreamy look came across Ash's face. The few times he had tried her mother's cooking, he loved it.
The pair soon found themselves in the greenhouse, watching their Pokémon play. Pikachu and Glaceon stayed by their trainer's sides for the time being; content to just be next to each other.
Ash smiled as May began quietly humming a tune.
"Never heard that one before."
May tilted her head. "Huh?"
"I've never heard that tune before." Ash repeated. "You always used to hum some song. I think the one I remember the most is the lullaby you sang to Jirachi."
May's eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh! You just reminded me! Wait here!" She ran back into the house.
Ash looked down at Pikachu and Glaceon. "Any idea what that's about?"
Pikachu shrugged while Glaceon only blinked at him. "Glace," she let out in a flat tone. Ash got the impression that the Fresh Snow Pokémon didn't know either but was clearly not as interested in finding out as he was.
The door to the greenhouse opened and Ash smiled as May came back towards him.
He noticed she had her hands behind her back.
"Whatcha got there, May?"
The brunette smiled and revealed the item held behind her back.
"The wish maker." Ash remembered the little trinket May had bought during the Millennium Festival. He noted that the last flap had yet to be closed; recalling that she had forgotten to do so in all the excitement.
"Yeah. I kept it hanging in my room ever since Max and I got back home, before heading to Kanto. Even though I didn't get to finish making my wish, I knew it would come true someday."
She held the trinket out to him. "Fold down the last flap."
"Huh? Why, May? It's your wish, you won the Grand Festival. You should do it."
May shook her head. "That wasn't my wish, Ash."
Ash was confused. "If you didn't wish to be a Top Coordinator, then what did you wish for?"
May looked down at the wish maker, a small smile on her face and her cheeks a barely noticeable shade of red.
"I- I actually wished that you would accomplish your dream."
Nothing could have prepared Ash for that. "What…?"
May shrugged. "I wished you would accomplish your dream."
Ash could not believe how nonchalant she was being about this. She said it as if it wasn't as big a deal as it really was.
"But why would you use your wish on me?"
May grew angry. "Why wouldn't I use it on you, Ash?"
"Because it was your wish!"
"If it's mine, that means I can use it as I see fit!" She countered. "And my wish was for you to accomplish your dream! Now close the last flap!"
"But I haven't even accomplished my dream! I'm not a Pokémon Master yet, it's barely been a month since I realized that!" Ash was trying to find any possible excuse to rationalize not touching the trinket.
He had told May and all his other friends about his most recent revelation a short time after his talk with Gary. That in his eyes, winning the World Championship did not make him a Pokémon Master.
May sighed. "True." She conceded. "But at the time, you always said being World Champion would mean you would become a Pokémon Master. That was pretty much what I was thinking when making my wish."
She then added, "it's not like I can change it now, right?"
With that, Ash finally caved. She was right; it could not be changed.
"May, the fact that you cared enough to use your wish on me…" His voice shook with emotion. "I need you to know that this means more to me than the World Championship trophy ever could."
May cleared her throat, fighting back her own tears.
"Yeah well, it's the least I could do considering all you have done for me. You taught me everything I know, made me love Pokémon. Basically enabled me to have the life I have now. I can't thank you enough for that and I don't think I could ever repay you."
She held the wish maker out to him. "Go on then."
Ash approached the brunette and very gingerly lowered the last flap on the wish maker, clicking it into place.
Ash and May's fingers brushed each other but neither of them noticed.
"Just for the record, seeing you accomplish your dreams and be happy was repayment enough."
May gave a watery chuckle at that before retracting her hands in order to get a closer look at the wish maker.
Watching May smile down at the completed trinket, Ash came to a sudden realization.
"I love you."