Man in the Mirror

Chapter 25: Is It Over Now?

May was thrilled to learn of Litleo's evolution into Pyroar after Tyranitar nearly killed her. As Ash predicted, the coordinator was more than proud of the lion's bravery and determination to protect the ones it had come to consider its friends. The Fire-type feline purred contently against her, relieved she was with them again. May spent the rest of the day enjoying the company of various Pokémon and Ash. Everyone wanted a piece of May that they could shower with affection.

It was a dramatic shift from the lonely and reflective experience May retreated to in the morning, but the brunette knew it was necessary to undergo if she wished to begin again with new joy. The girl affirmed to herself that she would no longer allow the sorrows of the past to ruin her present. She would leave past problems behind while being determined to resolve the pending issues of the present. May would take new initiatives with a better attitude. It was the ultimatum she made to herself in the shower, lament in the past or thrive in the present. The girl from Petalburg City chose the latter.

That's why her day went by, filled with laughter and fun. May savored every moment of her time with Ash and the Pokémon because it was the only way she knew she could live life to the fullest going forward. It wouldn't solve all her ongoing issues, but it was a start. The group continued their pleasant reunion into the moonlight hours, but by then, some of the Pokémon had fallen asleep from so much play, including Pikachu. May felt exhausted, so they all agreed to call it a night. The coordinator ensured all the Pokémon and Ash made it to bed without issues. She took the time to wish all of them a good night until she was alone. Then she quietly went to her bedroom to tuck herself in. It had been quite the day.

She lay down with her thoughts. Being alone again gave her time to think about her kiss with Ash. May placed her hand over her heart with a deep sigh. She couldn't deny she had feelings for him; she always did. However, was it the right time for them? When they traveled together, it clearly wasn't. Ash was too involved in his dream to notice her subtle feelings for him, which pushed her closer to Drew. Ultimately, she never expected anything from Ash, but upon reuniting with him, she found something changed within him. He was more attentive. He prioritized her over his training this time. He even put his journey on hold to reunite with her when he was not obligated to. The combination of her old memories and new memories painted a new image of him. She wondered what prompted this change in his attitude. May asked herself if he learned new things beyond Pokémon while he traveled to other regions. It didn't matter much, but it left her pondering her current situation. What am I supposed to do about Ash? May sighed again.

Her mind pictured the boy who used to be clueless about romance, but she believed Ash understood what love was. He unknowingly comprehended love when it came to bonding with his Pokémon. Ash loved Pikachu and all his other Pokémon like family. He loved his friends, so he'd go out of his way for them. There were no limits to Ash Ketchum's love. His only problem was that he had trouble interpreting love in the romantic sense, thus making him oblivious to its elements. Nonetheless, his deep love for his loved ones and Pokémon drew May in, along with his confident and supportive demeanor. Ash's strong belief in his friends made him charming in his unique way, which was another thing May adored about him. May overcame some of her most significant hurdles thanks to Ash, unlike others who thought tough love always worked, but it put her down sometimes. Drew was exceptionally good at putting her down at times. That's when her mind started to think about the emerald-haired coordinator.

Drew was her first and only serious relationship. May became saddened when she remembered how beautiful their relationship was when it started. For a time, she believed she was going to marry him. Like most young love though, it went sour. One thing that made May so alarmed about her kiss with Ash this morning was that it was eerily similar to when Drew helped nurse her back to health after she got injured in Johto. After May got hurt, similar to Ash, Drew prioritized her well-being over contests. She remembered he claimed to be willing to sacrifice the Grand Festival for her then. His words and the tireless nights he spent watching her melted May's heart. If May felt something for him before, she knew she was definitely feeling something for him after that experience. She would never forget the evening she regained consciousness.