Yo friends of fanfiction, I'm back with chapter 18 of Love, Pokemon and Other Delusions! This one is going to be a big one, so buckle up and enjoy!

Read and enjoy, and if you do... maybe review?

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon or anything I may reference (No crap!)

The boat ride was smooth and serene, the gentle waves lapping against the sides of the vessel. Ash, Brock, and Gary found a spot on the deck, where they could talk without being overheard.

"So, Brock," Ash started, leaning against the railing, "what's the plan when we get there? If the Ribbon Syndicate isn't a real thing, how are we supposed to get to get to Hoenn, to May?"

"Well, about that..." Brock replied sheepishly.

Gary scoffed and crossed his arms, "You haven't thought that far, have you?"

"Not, exactly..." Brock said, avoiding Gary's gaze, "But, I think we can maybe get a ride, somehow."

"Like in a wager?" Gary asked with an eyebrow raise.

"Oh, a battle!?" Ash questioned in excitement.

"I'm not sure, possibly." Brock mumbled.

Gary sighed, leaning his back against the railing, "So, we hardly have a plan..."

Ash clapped Gary's shoulder, "C'mon, since when have ever really had a plan?"

Gary let out a short laugh, "Yeah, heh, you're not wrong."

"Eh fellas!" The cowboy called out, "We're almost there. Get ready to dock!"

"What are you talking about!?" Gary shouted back.

The cowboy chuckled at the spiky-haired boy, "Heh, this is a small boat, we goin' havta tie 'er up ourselves!"

"Dammit, by 'we' you means 'us', right?!" Gary yelled, slamming his hand onto the railing.

"Yup, get ready!"

"DAMN YOU COWBOY!"

It was warm night in a pokemon center in Johto, Dawn was sleeping peacefully in another bed not far from the one her traveling companion was resting in, but, said companion, Paul just couldn't, he was burning up, he ripped the covers off of him and jumped out of bed, followed by a sigh. "Why can't I sleep...?" He muttered, rubbing his tired, heavy eyes. He quietly opened the door to his room and walked out, making his way to main lobby, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Paul looked around the lobby, there wasn't a soul around, not even a nurse Joy, it was eerie, but also peaceful. He squinted his eyes, trying to get them used to the darkness, once they were, he spotted the video phone and had an idea. He snuck over the phone, taking a seat on the chair placed in front of it, and noticed a small lamp next to the phone, he flipped it on and it luminated the small area around the phone. He didn't know why the phone beckoned him so, but he absentmindedly inputted the number to his brothers personal phone. Paul didn't know where his brother was at the moment, nor if he was even awake, but he let the line ring a few times nonetheless, and, to his surprise, the screen lit up and revealed the Shinji brother, who didn't even look that tired, or like one who just rolled out of bed.

"Paul?" Reggie asked, "Are you okay?"

Paul's eyes went wide, the sleep weighting down his eyes disappearing, "Oh, um, no I'm fine." He quickly replied, not expecting his brother to actually pick up. The younger brother sighed, collecting his words and thoughts, "I just wanted to call you."

A soft smile formed on Reggie's face, "That's just fine." He brushed his ever growing hair out of his eyes, "I heard the news, good job, champion."

Paul let out an embarrassed chuckled, rubbing the back of his head, "Yeah, it still hasn't really set in yet..."

Reggie softly laughed along, "I bet." There was a second of silence, and Reggie took the chance to ask, "Are you okay, you seem... off?"

Paul looked down, playing with the cord of the phone, "Yeah, it's just, a lot is happening..."

"Like what?" Reggie asked with unforeseen curiosity.

"Well..." Paul paused, gathering his thoughts, "I feel like I should be doing something... Like, Ash is looking for one of his friends, May, who went missing... I just feel like... I wish I had that sense of direction..."

"But, you have direction, you're champion, right?" Reggie said with a soft smile.

"I guess..." Paul mumbled, there was once again silence. Then, Paul looked behind Reggie, he couldn't really tell where he was, but he knew it wasn't their home, "Hey, where are you? That doesn't look like the ranch."

Reggie sighed and ruffled up his hair, "I guess you figured me out..." He saw Paul's eyes that said to explain, "Well..." He paused, "I guess seeing you on your journey inspired me to go a little one of my own."

Paul was visibly confused, but shook it off, "Okay... so where are you?"

Reggie once again paused for some reason, "I'm... in Hoenn."

"Hoenn?" Paul replied, and then hummed in thought, trying to remember something, and then with a snap of his fingers he said, "Be careful, that Moriarty guy is there, right?"

Reggie's breathing hitched, "You've heard of him?"

Paul nodded, "He's been on the news after what he did to team Aqua and Magma."

"Has he now..." Reggie muttered, his voice deep, seemingly in thought. But he quickly flashed a soft smile, "Don't worry, I'll be safe."

"Heh, alright, you do that." Paul said with a weak smile.

"I don't think he'd go after me anyway..." Reggie mumbled, looking down at something in his lap.

"What was that?" Paul asked, with a head tilt.

Reggie shook his head, "Nothing, It's late, goodnight brother." Reggie ended the call there, not giving his brother time to reply.

Paul hung up the phone and then sighed, "Reggie... are you... okay...?"

"You're up awfully late..."

The feminine voice made Paul jump in place, he then turned around to see Dawn, wearing her usual bed attire, rubbing her tired eyes. "I could say the same, what are you doing up?" Paul fired back, trying to calm his racing heart.

"I woke up thirsty, and then noticed you weren't in your bed..." Dawn explained, "What are you doing...?"

Paul looked over to the phone behind him and debated the truth. He knows that he's been worrying Dawn with his odd behavior at late, but he just doesn't know who to explain it in a way for it make sense to her, or hell, ANYONE! He doesn't understand why he's been so worried about his brother, why he has a feeling Ash could be in danger, it makes no sense on why he feeling the way he is! "Oh, uh... yeah, I was just getting water myself." Paul lied.

Dawn sighed, walking over to the purple-haired champion with crossed arms, "How long have we been traveling together now?"

Paul was taken-aback by the sudden question, but answered nonetheless, "About... a year... and a half?"

"Yup." Dawn replied, "And throughout that year I've learned a lot about you." She got closer to Paul, so close it make him blush as their eyes meet, "And you wanna know something I've picked up about you?" Paul couldn't reply with words, so he just looked at her to continue, "It's that you're a horrible liar." Dawn said bluntly. Paul opened his mouth in an attempt to rebuttal her claims, but he was quickly silenced by the suddenness of arms wrapping around him. "I don't know what's going on in that head of yours, but please, let me help..." Dawn mumbled while hugging Paul.

Paul wasn't used to such affection, so, like a robot, he hugged her back quite stiffly, "I'll try..."

"That's all I ask..." Dawn replied, knowing Paul has a problem with letting people in.

Ash, Brock and Gary deboarded the boat and looked around the resort island, "Well, here we are." Gary mumbled, looking around.

"'Ey, boys, you need me to stick 'round?" The cowboy asked from the boat.

Ash flashed him one of his iconic smiles, "Nope, you can go on home, thanks a lot, mr..."

"Huck." The cowboy, now known as Huck tipped his hat and smiled, "Alright, if you say you're okay, then I'll leave you to it, Ash."

Ash's eyes went wide, "I never said my name..."

Huck readjusted his hat, "I may be a cowboy, but I ain't a man who lives under rocks."

Gary chuckled, "You're either really good at the name game, or you know Ash."

Huck nodded, "Of course, Ash Ketchum is quite the name these days." Ash blushed and rubbed the back of his head, "So, it was an honor to boat you over 'ere pal."

Ash smile and nodded, "Well, thanks a lot, Huck. But, we gotta get going."

"Of course." Huck said, started up his boat, "I'll see you around pal." And off Huck went.

Brock placed a hand on Ash's shoulder, "Let's get going."

Ash nodded, "Yeah. We need to find May!"

In an abandoned team Magma facility. Moriarty looked around his new base, it was alright, he just chose it for being unknown by the common man. Moriarty sat in a chair in his make-shift office, he rested his cheek on his fist. Then, his attention was brought to the steel door that slid open revealing on of his grunts. The grunt walked up to their boss and saluted, "Sir, the guest has been moved here."

Moriarty gave a slight nod from his fist, "Very good, bring her in."

"Sir!" They ran through the door and quickly returned with a hand-cuffed brunette with twin tails and a striking red outfit.

Moriarty walked up to the girl and bent down to look her in the eyes, "Well, it's good to see you again, May Maple."

Holy shit! We now know where May is! I told you this was gonna be a big chapter! I hope you enjoyed, and hope you review if you got the time. I'll try to get another chapter out this month, but no promises! Well, see yea around friends of fanfiction!