Kris: Hi! Hi! Everyone! Something exciting happened!

AJ: What?

Kris: Meh…I don't know if I want to tell you or not…

All: What?!

Kris: Haha! I know a secret and you don't!

May: Way to be mature…how old are you again?

Kris: None of your business! Anywho, this is chapter 4 guys!

Mikey: 4…is…evil!!!

Kris: Would you get out!!!

Mikey: Never!

May: It's neva! I thought I raised you better than that!

AJ: Weird…KrystalClear101 is not the owner of pokémon.

All: Start the party!

Chapter 4

Feed Me Please

May laid awake in her room, the only audible sounds coming from the machine next to her. She breathed out a slow sigh, causing her bangs to float up slight before resting back on her forehead. Thoughts were running through her mind as she absentmindedly traced the outline of window on the adjacent wall.

'Would he have really done that for just anybody? This is Ash we're talking about here. He's been known to act first and ask questions later.' She giggled at that thought. But her smiled soon faded as another thought crossed her mind.

'Why…why did I hug him like that? We're friends and all but still it must've made him uncomfortable. Do…I…? No! He's just a really close friend, that's all. No…I can't l-'

"May? Hey are you alright?" Her thought bubble was interrupted once Ash came into her line of focus. She jumped slightly, giving him a frightened look before cowering down and returning to her old state.

"D-don't sneak up on me like that." She warned with an embarrassed blush on her cheeks. She was trying to still her rapidly beating heart as he gave her his usual sheepish grin, sitting down in the chair he was before.

'I didn't think I snuck up on her…oh well.' The boy shrugged, getting settling in to his seat, a tray of food in his arms. May finally took notice when her nose picked up on the smell of pancakes. I looked over to see him wielding a tray that held a plate of short stacks, a bowl of soup and two cups of orange juice. Her mouth slightly watered at the sight.

"Oh yeah! Here you go May." He said, fixing her food in a way that it would be directly on her lap. She nodded in gratitude and took in its delicious smell.

"Is this regular chicken soup?" she asked. He nodded, pouring maple syrup over his pancakes.

"It smells great. Thanks Ash." He shrugged off that gesture as she began reaching for a spoon. Suddenly her muscles began to feel very tense and stiff. She cringed at the feeling and immediately dropped the spoon, resulting in it landing in the bowl and splashing her face lightly. She groaned with an evident frown on her face.

Ash noticed her discomfort and defeated look. There were spots of soup sliding down her slightly red cheeks. He watched as she began reaching for a napkin but retracted her hand with a look of pain in her eyes. He knew that she was hurting but she didn't want to say anything.

'That's just like May to try to conceal her pain.' He said to himself as he reached for the napkin, surprising both her and himself. He handed it to her with a warm smile on his face. She smiled slightly and tried to take it from him but found herself unable to do so.

"I…I can't. It hurts too bad." She exclaimed. Ash laid that napkin back on the tray and just stared at her downtrodden expression.

"What hurts?" he asked.

"Everything. All of the sudden my entire body just started aching out of nowhere." She explained.

"Maybe you put too much strain on your body already. Why don't you take it easy." He suggested. But May wasn't going down without a fight.

"But…but I'm still hungry." She argued. Ash looked taken aback.

'Oh yeah…' he gulped, trying to think a solution. One method popped into his mind but he was almost too embarrassed to say. Not being to one to back down from anything, he swallowed hard and cleared his throat to get her attention.

"Uhm…do you want me to…er do it?" he asked awkwardly, earning a weird stare from the girl. She arched her eyebrow at his strange behavior.

"Do what?" she asked. He sighed, running a hand over his face to cover up the blush that seemed to come out of nowhere.

"Y-you know…uhm feed you." He stuttered. This time May's eyes widened and with a flash of what looked like anger.

"Feed me? Am I really that weak that I can't feed myself?" she asked, an angry scowl on her face. Ash immediately straightened, not wanting to face her wrath.

"N-no! I was just offering since you seemed to be struggling. Forget I even asked." He said, trying to loosen himself up. Returning to his meal he heard May sigh to which he looked up to see her wearing a sad pout.

"I…I guess you can…feed me…" she whispered, wearing a red blush across her face like it was a fashion statement. Ash let out a long breath before positioning the chair so that he was in the perfect spot to perform his…task.

'I never thought I'd be doing something like this. She must really be completely drained.' He thought to himself. He dipped the spoon in the still piping hot soup. Cautiously he brought it up to her lips and waiting for her to put the spoon in her mouth. He watched as she slowly swallowed. How her lips curled over the spoon with each bite. Without even realizing it, he began to look at her differently.

The feeding went on like that for a while until the bowl was empty. Ash took the tray from her lap and set it aside. Just as he was about to make short work of his short stacks, he noticed May was quiet and almost depressed. Being the concerned friend that he was, he couldn't eat knowing something was upsetting her. But she seemed to catch onto his worry.

"I'm sorry Ash." She whispered, gripping the sheets below her as tightly as she could without hurting her hands. Ash gave her a concerned glance, not understanding what she could be apologizing for.

"May, what are you-"

"For being such a bother to you. I'm sorry that you had to do that for me." His heart twisted within his chest when a single tear fell from her sad blue eyes and he found himself reaching out to brush it away. She looked up at him in surprise, the sadness still present.

"There's no reason to cry or to apologize May. I didn't mind doing what I did and you shouldn't feel bad for me okay? You're my friend and I'll do anything I have to do to make sure you get better. Just don't cry, okay?" he said, offering a thumbs up. May gave off a surprised look but smiled despite her skepticism.

"O-okay." She responded through her sniffles. Ash nodded in response, finally able to eat his long awaited breakfast. May smiled while watching him eat. Her viewing didn't last long for her eyes lids began to feel heavy. Before long, she was sleeping peacefully. Ash looked up to see her eyes closed and her chest moving up and down slowly. He smiled and tucked her in before getting up with both trays in his arms.

"Sweet Dreams May." He whispered before stepping out of the door and closing it behind him. He was about to make his way back to the cafeteria when he heard a commotion coming from the lobby. He was confused since this area was scarcely populated. His curiosity got the better of him as he found himself wandering towards the front.

Once he got there he noticed a large crowd of trainers. Some of them were holding tiny notepads that resembled autograph books. Others were holding and flashed both disposable and digital cameras. Apparently there was some kind of celebrity in the building.

"But who would come all the way out here?" he asked himself. Ash soon found out exactly who came out to the Pokémon Center that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Upon further inspection he found the celebrity to be none other than Petalburg's own Norman Maple. He smiled at the realization.

"Hey, Norman!" Ash called, waving the hand that wasn't wielding the trays. At the sound of his name, the normal type gym leader turned and spotted Ash waving at him. The older man smiled and politely excused himself from his fans to go greet the boy.

"My, it's been a while Ash. How have you been?" Norman asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"As good as I'll ever be, I guess. I'm guessing you're here to see May, right?" Ash asked as he began walking back the way he came.

"Yeah I am. Do you know how she is?" the father asked, the worry evident in his voice.

"She's fine. I was just in there. She's asleep right now, but she's been doing fine ever since she woke up this morning." Norman nodded, breathing out a sigh of relief.

"Good, take me to her room, will you?" he asked. Ash obliged and let Norman follow him as he took him to May's room.

"Do you have any idea what happened to her?" the boy asked, making conversation.

"I wish I did but I don't." Norman shrugged. Ash nodded and opened the door to the girl's room.

Kris: Chapter complete!

AJ: Friends make secrets, secrets don't make friends!

Kris: Who said we were friends? Just kidding!

AJ: D:

May: Awh! Look at the cute face! :3

Mikey: Mom, you are so weird…

May: Stop calling me weird!

Kris: Okay the secret is I have a new story out!

All: Oooooh! Aaaaaah!

Kris: Yes! But yeah, check it out and tell me what you think! Oh yeah, sorry for this chapter taking so long!

All: Thanks for reading! 4 Sure!

R&R