A/N: Hey everyone! I know you guys are anxiously waiting for me to update my A Fateful Journey, A Manifesting Love fic, but this idea has just been gnawing at my head and I just had to write! This first chapter is how Ash proposes to May as hinted in my A Christmas to Remember fic. Little humor in this one. I don't wanna give to much away but this proposal was definitely stoppable!

Oh lord, no! Please no! Not tonight! Anything but tonight!

What was he doing? He had to go pick up May in five minutes for a very important date. Why was now the time that his car decided that it would stop running. Why now?

Opening the hood, Ash stared in at the interior. He had no idea what he was supposed to be looking for, but something had to be wrong why the car didn't start.

"What do you think, buddy? See anything?" he asked as he looked over to best friend.

Pikachu peered in at the interior and shrugged his shoulders.

Ash sighed.

"Okay. I'll try giving it some gas again. You wait out here and tell me if anything happens."

Pikachu nodded his head and jumped back onto the sidewalk. Closing the hood, Ash got back into the driver's seat and turned the key again. Nothing happened. There was no quiet clicking meaning the battery was in the process of dying. No, the dome light came on when he opened the door. The headlights were still on. His car still had electrical power. He turned the key again. Zilch! Nada! What did that mean? How come they didn't teach Auto Shop in school anymore? When did everything become about being a trainer? What about those folks who hated pokémon and wanted nothing to do with training? What did they do for a living?

"Dang it!" Ash said slamming the car door as he got out, "Did you see anything, Pikachu?"

The small electrical mouse slowly shook his head.

"I didn't think so," Ash said as he joined his partner on the sidewalk. His mother would kill him if she knew he was sitting down on a dirty sidewalk wearing his good tux. But then again, he didn't really care. Of all the nights his car had to fail, this had to be the one.

There in the gloomy light of the interior lights he noticed his hands were covered in engine dirt.

Again, Ash sighed.

He was sitting there on the edge of a sidewalk with his pokémon, his head hanging low, when a shiny fiery red Lexus convertible pulled up beside him. He didn't look up until the driver spoke.

"Loser-car conk you out, hun?"

Ash didn't want to look up. He didn't want this. The last thing he needed was to get into a verbal battle with Harley.

Harley looked down at the young man with a raised eyebrow. Any one of a dozen hurtful barbs sprang to mind, ready to be hurled at his main's rival's boyfriend. But then he started to wonder. Why was the Loser all dressed up? Miss Know-it-All's birthday was a couple days ago. And Ketchum's B-Day past long ago. Surely they already had their celebrations? Even the stupid mouse is dressed up (he was wearing a red bow tie!) Why would he be dressed to the nines for a date? Unless…

A vicious smile spread across Harley's lips.

"Oh this is soooo precious!"

He looked down at Ash for a moment. He looked dejected. This wasn't right. Being rivals is one thing. Watching something like this go wrong is another thing completely. This sort of thing was not to be screwed up. Not if he had anything to do with it.

Plus, this would be something he could hang over their heads FOREVER!

"Get in, Ash," he said as he reached over and opened the passenger door.

"What?"

"Get in before I change my mind."

Blinking a couple times, Ash shared a glance with Pikachu before getting up off the sidewalk and into Harley's car.

"Here," Harley handed Ash a moist-nap for his dirty hands, followed by a small bottle of sanitizer. Sure, it wouldn't hurt for his hands to smell like daises!

"Why are you helping me, Harley?"

"Just because May's my rival doesn't mean you should suffer, right?"

Ash shook his head. That was the most he was getting out of Harley and he knew it. But he didn't really care at the moment. Bottom line was that Harley just saved him. Big time. He knew he'd had to owe the devil somehow. But he was worried about how.

In minutes, they were in front of May's apartment. Harley pulled up to the curb and let Ash out.

"Thanks, Harley. I really don't know what to…"

"Just don't screw this up, Ash."

"What do you…"

"Just for one night I'm being nice to you. You better not screw this up! May deserves better!" And with that, he sped off, not waiting for Ash to respond.

May examined herself in the mirror. She smiled to herself as she looked at the dress she was wearing. Tight, black, clinging to every curve. The LBD aka little black dress, was a weapon she hadn't broken out yet. She kept it in her closet, thinking she should save for more special occasions. And when Ash called her that evening and told her that he wanted to go on a special date that night so they could properly celebrate becoming adults just between the two of them (Both of them just recently turning 21, not counting the celebrations they had when they turned 18 and their actual birthdays being family celebrations), she enthusiastically agreed, loving the chance to really dress up and go out with her beau.

Putting on the ruby red earrings he gave her for her birthday a few days ago, May finished her ensemble with a pair of matching red pumps. She decided to keep her hair parted to the sides of her face just because she always had. It was her signature look.

Hearing her doorbell ring, she knew Ash was there to pick her up for their date. Looking herself over once more in the mirror, May smiled.

"How do I look, Espeon?"

The sun pokémon smiled and gave her trainer a firm nod.

"Okay," she said picking up her purse, "I'll be back around midnight. I love you."

"Espee."

"Oh, don't worry. I will," she said closing her bedroom.

Espeon shook her head. Stretching, she curled back up on the bed. Her human was certainly going to have some fun tonight.

"Hey, Ashy," May said as she greeted her boyfriend with a peck on the lips. Ash's eyes seemed to bulge out of his head when he saw May in her tight black dress.

"W-Wow, May. You look…wow…"

May smiled.

"You like?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm glad you do," she said as she got her jacket, "So whose car are we taking? Yours or mine?"

"Oh…um…yours?" Ash said as he began nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"That's fine," she said as she got the keys to her mint green Prius. Ash opted not to tell her about why his car wasn't there or that Harley had to give him a lift because his had broken down. He really shouldn't be so quick to spoil the evening. Not for what he had planned.

Ash was starting to relax again. Plan B was now in effect. In fact, he wished he had thought about asking May to come pick him up in her car anyway, but something inside of him said that would be wrong. Girlfriends simply did not pick their dates up, not if those dates were proper gentlemen. That meant taking an almost disastrous chance with his dumb excuse for a car. He still was reeling at the divine providence of Harley coming to the rescue. What was that about?

No matter. The evening was back on track. They arrived at the restaurant at precisely the time indicated by his reservations. It was perhaps the most exclusive eatery in all of Hoenn and it was almost always booked weeks in advance, sometimes even months. He knew he had burned up the majority of his favors securing the reservations, but it would be worth it. If everything else came off as planned it most certainly would be.

This also helped his cover story. If pressed, he would simply say that he called for a dress-up date because of an opportunity to take May there.

And there she was, sitting across the white linen table from him, smiling that wonderful smile, sapphire eyes glistening. It took all of his concentration not to let the butterflies in his stomach ruin the moment. He even had his line planned out. When the waiter brought their salads he would ask "Would you like some extra karats with yours?"

Pikachu, upon hearing that one, simply grabbed his throat and made gagging sounds.

Everyone's a critic.

Everything was in place. There was the waiter, just leaving the kitchen, two dinner salads on a tray. He put his hand in his pocket, his fingers closing on a very special object…

…and the lights winked out.

"Oh man!" Ash muttered, pushing the item deep into his pocket.

The whole restaurant was plunged into darkness. Not only that, but it was apparent the whole city block had lost power. Slowly their eyes adjusted to the mellow light of the single candles flickering on each table.

"Ladies and gentlemen," The maitre d announced. "I have just gotten off the phone with zee power company and zey said it will be at least three hours before zey can restore our electricity. I regret that, but because of safety regulations, we will be forced to close for za evening. We apologize for zee inconvenience."

Ash didn't even hear him finish the statement. He just closed his eyes and silently counted to ten.

Time for Plan C.

Just what was Plan C anyway?

"May, I think there's another place just on the other side of Mauville Park? It's not nearly as nice but I hear they make a mean steak."

"Sure, Ash," She replied. She actually liked the place, though she had never actually told Ash that was one of the few places she had once gone to with Drew. Not that it mattered…yet…yes, it did matter. Not because of Drew but because of Ash. He risked his life to save hers countless times on many nights there. Drew…not so much.

They continued their walk until they came upon a clearing, where a small lake rested in the between Mauville City and the Mauville Forest.

"Oh, this is such a beautiful night."

"Remember, that performance we saw with Volbeat and Illumise a few years ago when we traveled?"

"Yeah. It was so beautiful!"

Ash smiled.

"May, look right there," he said pointing to a small star in the distance.

"Don't take your eyes off that light."

"Okay."

As instructed, May continued to stare at the little yellow light. Soon, the light got a bigger and bigger, almost like it was getting closer.

"Be Be!"

Instantly, a Volbeat appeared, shining from behind the light, his tail glowing brightly.

"Ash?"

Ash smiled before looking back up towards the bug pokémon.

"We're ready."

The Volbeat shook his head. Flying up high in the sky it unleashed a Signal Beam. Almost immediately, a swarm of Illumise and Volbeat appeared.

"Ash?"

"Keep watching, May."

Immediately the bug pokémon began putting on a show, dancing around, twirling, and spinning. May's heart fluttered at the display. The adorable show ended with each pokémon using a bright Flash, illuminating the dark evening sky.

May clapped her hands, loving every second of it.

"That was wonderful!"

"Not over yet, May."

"Really?"

"Yep. Show her your big finish, guys."

May anxiously turned around to see what else the performing pokémon were going to do. Only, she noticed they weren't dancing but slowly moving into some sort of position.

She furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Ash, what are they doing?"

"May, they're gonna spell out something I wanna ask you."

May paused. Instantly, her heart began to fill with hope. Ash took her hands.

"May, we've been best friends for so many years."

W…

"Every day I consider myself luck to have met you all those years ago in Littleroot Town."

I…

"I had no idea what I was getting myself into all those years ago."

L…

"I mean, you were rude and mean and had no regards for pokémon. In fact, you down right hated them."

L…Will…

"Not to mention the fact that you also had no experience whatsoever and…"

"I hope there's a 'but' coming in soon?"

Y…

Ash smiled.

O…

"But after you came and traveled with me, I saw that there was a lot more to you than a scared inexperienced little newbie."

U…You

"Wow, Ash. You've really got a way with words."

M…

"May, ever since that day, I've never been more happier in my life."

A…

"Really?"

"Yes. Accepting your offer makes me feel like I made such a smart decision back then."

May rolled her eyes.

"Ash, what have I told you about questioning your intelligence?"

"Just hear me out, May. It was such a smart decision because I got to know you. I got to see you laugh. I got to see you smile. I got to see that sparkle in your beautiful sapphire eyes that I would have never got to see if I didn't accept your offer to travel with me. Because of you, I got to learn about contests! And that has helped me in so many of my battles. You can ask everybody!"

R…

"May, you are the most beautiful, most talented, woman I know. May, I love you so, so much. And I wanna spend the rest of my life with you."

R…Marr…

The Volbeat and Illumise cried out as a mechanical claw shot through their display and snatched Pikachu from Ash's shoulder.

"PIKA! PIKA PIKA CHUUU!" Pikachu screamed as he rose higher into the air.

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted as he saw the hand that gripped his pokémon move towards a large round shape.

"Listen, is that a voice I hear?" called a woman's voice.

"It's speaking to me loud and clear!" a man's voice replied.

"On the wind…"came the feminine voice again.

"Past the stars…" said the masculine voice.

"And in your ears!" said a high-pitched third.

"You guys are still active?" Ash shouted as he glared at the group known as Team Rocket.

"Excuse you, twerp! But we are not done with our motto yet!" Jesse said screaming down at the young man.

"It is very rude of you to interrupt!" James said as he raised his fist.

"Yeah. Don't yoz have any morals?" the pokémon known as Meowth said.

"Oh, for the love of…Pikachu! Thunderbolt! Now!"

Sparks began to fly off Pikachu's cheeks as he released a powerful bolt of lightning into the claw that held him, which trailed up to the balloon and caused a huge explosion, sending the team flying in the air with their usual cry of "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"

Pikachu landed safely in Ash's arms, and although he was happy to see his pokémon safe again, he had to come up with yet another plan to end this evening.

Plan D? What to do.

The couple continued their walk through a tree-lined park, just on the opposite side of Mauville City. They arrived at a park bench, holding hands and looking into each other's eyes.

"May, tell me something."

"Anything."

"Do you believe in Soulmates?"

"What do you mean? Like Pokéology stuff?"

"Well, sort of. Like, do you think two souls are meant to be together?"

"I think two people can be Soulmates, but it takes work. It has to be something they both want. I refuse to believe that two people can be meant to be together if they don't want to. That's the part of those 'Pokéology' books I really never liked. I also believe in it because we've met a couple who are real Soulmates."

"You mean Solana and Lunick?"

"Yeah. Solana told me that they went to see this famous pokéwizard guy so he could perform some spell that would merge their souls. In the process, they found out they had already done it by themselves."

She realized that Ash had stopped.

"Would you do that for me, May?"

"In a heartbeat, Ash Ketchum."

A small smile spread over his features. She thought for a moment he was going to kiss her to complete such a perfectly romantic moment. He surprised her when, instead, he dropped to one knee, pulling a velvet box out of his pocket.

"May Maple, will you be my Soulmate? Will you marry me?"

Her hands went to her mouth and tears started forming at the corners of her eyes. She reached for his hands and started to answer.

"Y…" was all she got out as the sprinklers came on, blasting both of them squarely in the face.

"THAT IS THE LAST STR…" Ash started to bellow when May gripped his hands and pulled him to his feet.

"Yes, Ash. YES YES YES!" she shouted, not caring that the two of them were getting solidly drenched.

"Now let's go home, get dried off, and put on some clothes so we can go out and celebrate properly," She suggested, pulling him for a long kiss afterwards.

A very wide smile spread across his face. This was one night neither would forget!

A/N: And there's the first chapter! Chapter two features...well...I'm not gonna tell you. You'll just have to wait and see.

Please don't forget to review. And don't forget to Keep on Rocking Everyone!