It was the Cerulean Cape. Construction of a tower, presumably the Route 25 Lighthouse, can be seen on top of a cliff from a distance; since it was sunset, the crew are finishing up for the day. But we're not here to talk about that. The real focus is on the beach just south of it, populated with Kingler, Poliwhirl, Golduck and their offspring lounging in the sands or playing in the waters.
Amidst this multitude of Pokémon, two trainers stood, one male and the other a female. Neither one looked to be in the mood of catching the Pokémon around them. The young man was shouting at the girl while the latter had her back turned to him. She didn't even flinch at the harsh tone and words; he kept raving on about something for several minutes, until he finally gave up, and turned around as well. He took off, at the fastest that his legs can carry him.
"We're supposed to be on our way to Pewter City. Now what in the name of all that is Pokémon are we doing all the way here, in Cerulean City?" Ash, his attention to a Contest poster on the news billboard, turned to May. "Didn't you already fulfill the 5-ribbon requirement needed to enter the Grand Festival?"
May shook her head. "Who said I was here to enter the Contest? I'm here for that." Putting her hands on either side of Ash's head, she, er, "adjusted" his view so he would focus on the poster next to the Contest. It was about a book signing at the local Pokémon Center, about a famous author and retired Coordinator. "The Contest in question is in fact being held in his honor."
From out of nowhere, she whipped out a book for the rest of the group to see. Ash caught a brief glimpse of the author in the binder, but May flipped through the rest of the book. Ash and Max are perplexed, but Brock seems to recognize it. Heck, seeing May's book made him pull out a copy of his own! "Oh man, I didn't realize that he's going to authorize a book signing, and here of all places, too!" Brock exclaimed.
"J-Just where did you pull those books out from?" Max muttered, looking like he was a bit disgusted, judging by the face he makes and that he took a step away from both May and Brock. "Wait, don't even attempt to answer that one..."
Not that May would give him an answer anyway; Max was just ignored. She was already flipping through the pages, reminiscing about the time she read it. "I really, really like his story, I would never pass this chance to have him sign my copy. And besides," She eyed Ash apprehensively, "the Battle Pyramid won't be going anywhere, now, would it? It can wait."
Ash knows better than to arguel. Defeated, he shrugged and then heaved a huge sigh. "Fine. We'll go to the book signing." The words were barely out of his mouth when he realized May and Brock were already down the road. "Wait up, you guys!" He and Max had to burn rubber just to catch up.
On their way to the Pokémon Center, they already ran into a huge line in front of the Cerulean Gym. At first 3/4 the group thought it was a queue for trainers to challenge Misty, until Brock reminds the others that it's currently League off-season; there's no reason for anyone to come challenge the gym.
"But what about the water show?" May pointed out. "Surely the crowd would be there to see the Water Flowers of Cerulean City, right?"
As if to answer her, the line started moving a little, so the front of the gym can be seen better. A "Closed" sign, previously unseen because of the crowd in between, was now visible to the group.
This was only reason for Brock to groan aloud, since he figured out what the line was really for. "They're here for the book signing, too," he said with a sigh. "I was afraid of this." He sighed again. "We might as well get in line now, or else we'll have to wait longer."
While his companions begrudgingly took their place a shrug.s in line, Ash was just standing still, looking around. A young woman, heading to Route 25, seems to have caught his attention. Then, by pure instinct he grabbed the arm of the person closest to him, saying, "Wait a minute."
And it just so happens that the person he grabbed, is May. To say that she is shocked by the sudden gesture is a bit of an understatement. "What are you doing?!" she asked, her face completely red. Her outburst caused a few heads to turn in their direction.
"Why are you reacting like that?" Ash replied, utterly confused at her flustered look. "It's not like we haven't held hands before, have we?"
Realizing Ash's point, May felt like she wanted to kick herself. "N-Nothing, I just overreacted. Where are you taking me anyway?"
Ash grinned. "You could say that we're taking a shortcut."
"If you think I'll even let you cut in line, you have another thing coming." May was saying this even while she and Ash had already gone further west, then north, completely bypassing the Pokémon Center.
"Hey, wait for me! Don't leave me here!" Max blurted out; again he had to catch up to the two of them. Brock also tried following them, but the line started to move again, and he was overwhelmed by a "flood" of new additions to the queue.
The group seemingly didn't even notice they were one short. When they were directly behind the Center, Ash pointed May and Max to a rear window so they can see what's going on inside. Ash didn't have to look himself; May's declaration only confirmed what he had already guessed. "Huh? The guy inside signing the books...he's not the same one in the picture!"
"Yup. I guessed just as much," Ash said, with a slight hint of triumph in his tone.
Max looked at him in disbelief. "And since when have your guesses ever been correct?"
Hoping that getting offended didn't show on his face, Ash turned to May to tell her something, but she brought up a question of her own. "I'm sure you didn't take us here just to show that, did you?"
All three of them looked away just as Brock finally made it inside. And still they didn't seem to notice. But he did manage to see them, on the other hand... "I'm starting to sense a pattern here," Brock muttered to himself. "They forget all about me?" Then, looking at the front of the line, at the supposed "author" of the book, he figured out the exact same thing that Ash told May and Max (and that he doesn't know). All the more for him to feel miserable. Poor guy...
"Well, you're half-right, methinks," Ash said with a shrug. "I just want to get this side trip over with, so we can finally head for Pewter City, and then the Battle Pyramid. And I happen to discover a faster way for you to get that autograph. You could say that this is a bit of a gamble on my part." And with that, he led May by the hand again (Yes, he never even let go; he seems to be the only person who doesn't find it odd), to the north.