Now a month has gone by and Aipom and Ash grow closer and closer with each passing day. Also, with each passing day Aipom begins to miss being outside of the village and being free to do as she pleases. Ash tries to find a way to help Aipom out. Will he be successful or not?

Aipom has really been missing her freedom lately and she's been feeling kind of down, although having Ash by her side does make her feel better. One day while on a picnic with Ash, Aipom tries her hardest to remain upbeat, but this is difficult for her to do, and every now and then Ash would glance over at Aipom and notice she wouldn't be acting like her cheerful self.

He mentioned, "I've noticed that lately you haven't been acting the way you usually do, and I'm a little worried," he put his arm around her and questioned, "Is everything okay, sweetie?"

Aipom shook her head and explained to Ash she misses the way her life used to be when she would travel from place to place with him and his friends and be free to do whatever she wanted to do. She then turned away because she felt like crying and she didn't want Ash to see her that way.

Ash turned Aipom's head towards his and noticed the tears forming in her eyes so he held her close placing her head up against his chest as he stroked her fur gently and remarked, "Don't be afraid, sweetie. If you have to cry go ahead and let it all out I'm right here for you."

Aipom just erupted into tears once she heard Ash say that and she began shouting at the top of her lungs that she just doesn't want to be the queen of the village anymore, but she doesn't know of any way she could get out of it.

Ash continued to pet Aipom as he remarked sweetly, "I'll go tell the villagers what you want and see if there's any possible way they'd let us leave."

Aipom stopped crying and gazed lovingly into Ash's eyes as he was gazing back at her just as lovingly. Just then Ash lifted up Aipom's chin and passionately kissed her lips. After the kiss both Ash and Aipom gazed at each other again and blushed excitedly.

Ash remarked, "Whoa; I never thought my first kiss would be with a Pokémon or that kissing a Pokémon would feel so strange yet so wonderful at the same time," Ash picked Aipom up and began carrying her to where the villagers were, and when he saw the oldest man in the village he walked over to him and informed him, "My Aipom hasn't been like herself lately, and I just found the reason why is because she misses the way her life was before when she traveled with my friends and I together."

The man responded, "I see, but you and your friends already tried getting the crown off Aipom before but you weren't able to, so I don't see how we'd be able to get it off her."

Aipom looked down at the ground sadly as her tail drooped.

Ash remarked, "Please, sir, at least try to do something. Aipom's more than just my Pokémon. A month ago she confessed to me that she is in love with me, and she's been my girlfriend ever since, and I just can't stand to seeing her so depressed."

The man responded, "That's so sweet. I'll see if there's something I can do."

Just then, Hank, a villager who helped Ash find Aipom came up and questioned, "What's going on?"

Ash explained to him, "My Aipom has been missing what her life used to be when she'd travel around with my friends and I, and last month she confessed to me she's in love with me, and we've been a couple ever since, and I just can't stand seeing her so upset."

Hank responded, "That's such a sweet and touching story. I think I may have something that just might help us to get the crown off Aipom that I wasn't able to find when we tried getting off her before," Hank looked through his bag and found the Berry and informed Ash, "This is a Belue Berry, and it's really sour. If Aipom eats it all we may actually be able to get the crown off her."

Ash took the Berry and fed it to Aipom, and sure enough it was so sour her face turned blue, her lips puckered up, and her head cringed just enough that Ash was able to pull the crown off without hurting her.

He handed the crown to Hank and commented, "Since you helped get the crown off Aipom, you should take over and be king of the village."

Hank looked at the man and asked, "Is that alright with you, sir?"

The man nodded and remarked, "You deserve it since you helped get the crown off Aipom."

Later on that day

Ash and Aipom left the village together and reunited with all their friends.

Ash explained to them, "At first the villagers weren't able to understand Aipom at all, but then Meowth came along and actually helped us out by translating what Aipom was saying so the villagers were able to understand her."

Brock said, "Wow, who knew Meowth would use his powers for good and not evil."

Ash and Aipom smiled at each other and then Ash informed his friends, "Meowth also helped Aipom out when she confessed to me she's in love with me and has been from the moment she first saw me."

May commented, "Aw, that's just one of the sweetest stories I've ever heard!"

Brock commented, "Now I understand why Aipom always took your hat from you. She wasn't trying to annoy you, although she always did, but really she was just playing around and teasing you, something someone will do from time to time when they like someone but don't know how to tell them."

Ash stated, "Yeah after she explained her feelings I understood her motive behind her mischievous antics, and I told her about Bayleef and how she used to jump into my arms when she was a Chikorita, and how she still tried to even after she evolved into a Bayleef, and that at first I got mad at Bayleef because I didn't understand what she'd been trying to do."

May remarked, "I hope hearing that story didn't make Aipom jealous or make her feel like she has competition."

Ash shook his head and responded, "She wasn't jealous at all."

Max wondered, "So are you and Aipom boyfriend and girlfriend now?"

Ash smiled as Aipom snuggled herself against him and mentioned, "Yeah she and I have been together ever since the night she told me how she felt. We've even kissed. It felt kind of strange, but at the same time it felt so wonderful."

May squealed and exclaimed with excitement, "Well, I support you two being together one hundred percent because everything you've told us sounds so sweet and so romantic!"

Brock and Max remark, "As long as you're happy, then we're happy, too."

Ash embraced Aipom and commented, "Being with Aipom does make me happy. I love her with all my heart and I know she feels just the same."

Just then a robotic Fearow came out of nowhere and snatched Aipom out of Ash's arms. Aipom shouted and cried for Ash as loud as she could.

Ash heard familiar laughter, and sure enough Team Rocket revealed themselves to the group.

Meowth commented, "Ha, ha, you gullible twerp! I wasn't really there to help out you and your loser girlfriend here. I was tricking you chumps so that we could snatch her away when you weren't looking."

Ash shouted furiously, "HOW DARE YOU!? GIVE ME BACK MY PRECIOUS QUEEN!"

Meowth laughed and remarked, "Not on your twerpish life!"

James stated, "All's fair in love and war!"

Jessie commented, "You'll have to come and your 'precious queen' from us."

Ash noticed Aipom was falling from the robotic Fearow's grip and she was utterly terrified.

He ran as fast as he could and called out to Aipom, "Don't worry, sweetie! I'm coming and I'll catch you!"

Ash stopped as soon as he was right below the robotic Fearow, and then Ash noticed Pikachu running towards it and he jumped and when he was right above the robotic Fearow he used Iron Tail on it to destroy it. Aipom fell fast and she was still absolutely terrified to the point where she began crying.

Ash caught Aipom in his arms and stroked her fur as he shushed her trying to calm her back down.

He remarked sweetly, "It's okay, precious. You're safe now, and I'm right here to protect you. Don't be scared, sweetheart, I promise I'll do everything I can to keep you away from danger."

Just then Ash noticed the robotic Fearow coming towards him and Aipom so he ran as quickly as he could. Pikachu then used Thunderbolt on the robot and destroyed it as well as Team Rocket's balloon.

Jessie shouted "WHOEVER CAME UP WITH THE PHRASE 'ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR' IS AN AIRHEAD!"

Meowth shouted, "YEAH, TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE!"

Jessie growled at Meowth and hit him over the head.

James shouted "I GUESS THE OTHER SAYING ABOUT LOVE IS TRUE INSTEAD! LOVE TRIUMPHS OVER ALL!"

Meowth and Jessie shouted, "NOW YOU TELL US!"

All three of them shouted "WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"

After Team Rocket was finally gone Pikachu ran back to Ash who stated, "Thanks so much for helping me save Aipom, buddy. I love her so much and I'd be just lost without her."

Pikachu ran onto Ash's shoulder where he usually sat as Aipom sat on Ash's other shoulder snuggling herself against him when all of a sudden his hat landed on her head. She took it off and attempted to hand it back to him.

He shook his head and put it back on her and complimented sweetly, "You look just absolutely adorable wearing my hat so you can have it."

Aipom blushed at the compliment Ash gave her and then the two of them kissed passionately before everyone resumed their trip as the continued toward the Battle Pyramid.

So that's my story and I hope you all enjoyed it even if you're not a HatThiefShipper, and if you are a HatThiefShipper then I hope this story had some moments that really made you happy.