One Love, One Heart

Chapter 28: Snooze

She looked like a peaceful-looking angel. Ash glanced at how tender May appeared while she slept under a tree they sat against. May insisted they pause after an eventful afternoon, and the coordinator napped next to him. A breeze blew as they rested under the tree, and a few strands of her hair were over her face. Ash gently brushed them aside so they wouldn't tickle her face while she rested. He didn't want anything to disturb her peaceful slumber. The moment he brushed her hair strands away, the girl began moving in her sleep and rested her head on his shoulder. She snuggled against his shoulder with delight. The cotton of his shirt was nice and soft. Ash couldn't help but warmly smile. She must think I'm a pillow.

Ash yawned as his eyes started to get heavy. He thought about their fun-filled day that ranged from playing on the swing set to tackling themselves in a mix of tag and hide and seek. There were more than a few awkward exchanges where they would accidentally get touchy, but May didn't seem to mind, and neither did he. Somehow, it felt right in the moment. When they shared each other's company physically and emotionally, all seemed right in the world for once. Ash was glad to have experienced such a fantastic day with his Hoenn friend. Who would have thought it'd get this far? Certainly not Ash. The boy yawned again and rested his head against the tree. His eyes became heavier until he could no longer resist his sleepiness. He glanced at May once more before he shut his eyes. After a few moments, his head fell and rested on May's. They were happily napping on each other while basking under the Pallet sunlight.

The wind started to build enough force that the leaves rustled loudly enough to wake Ash. The raven-haired teen opened his eyes to find himself alone. He rubbed his eyes to adjust his blurry vision. "May?" the trainer wondered where the coordinator ran off to.

Immediately, he stood up and looked around but found no sign of her. He walked behind the tree they rested on, and his body froze when he spotted a man standing a few feet away from the tree. He wore a black leather trench coat with black boots and black gloves. His face remained concealed under his coat's black hood.

Ash stared with widened eyes, "It's you."

You look just like him, the stranger said to him telepathically.

"Who?" Ash raised an eyebrow. He didn't like the vibe he was getting from the stranger.

The man didn't answer his question. He merely pointed at him and continued speaking telepathically. I am coming for you, Ash Ketchum, and everything you hold dear.

Ash clenched his teeth. He didn't like the sound of that. "What did you do to May?!" He exclaimed. He suspected the stranger had something to do with her disappearance.

All in due time, the stranger warned as he walked toward him.

Ash took a step back for a moment. He didn't even have any Pokémon to defend himself. "Tell me where May is right now!" the boy demanded and charged at the stranger. When he ran, his body passed through the stranger. It was as if the man were a ghost. Ash couldn't understand what just happened. His body felt heavy, including his eyes, and the teen dropped to the ground.

Patience, the man turned around after Ash passed through him. He watched Ash drop to the ground asleep. He had gotten a look at him, and that would suffice for now.

Ash slowly opened his eyes and found himself lying against the tree again. He realized it was nighttime and quickly checked to see if May was next to him. Sure enough, she was. "What a relief," Ash sighed as he leaned his head back for a moment. The girl's head remained on his shoulder like when he fell asleep. He was initially relieved, although he was surprised when he noticed her arms wrapped around his arm. His shoulder was not only a pillow, but his arm was a Pikachu plushie. "You certainly made yourself comfortable, didn't you, May?" Ash smirked while admiring her.