The answer to the riddle was "There is no answer." My English teacher had fun with that. Kurumi-chan and Zeaevee thanks for the reviews! Again, I don't only Pokemon or its characters. I do not own any of the stores mentioned here. I'm not sure that I'll be able to update as quickly as I'd like because I've gotten busy with some things, in any case, please read and review. I hope you enjoy it as much as you did the first three chapters.


Chapter 4

"Let's get started!! O.k. So first I wanna go to Bloomindale's for my dress, and once I've picked that out, let's head to Macy's and check out accessories. Then we have to go to Payless for shoes, but we also have to check out JC Penny for those as well. So many shops, so little time!"

As instructed by May, the trio made their way to Bloomindale's in order for May to choose her dress. She went around the store and quickly selected a few items to try on and headed to the dressing room.

Coming out wearing a red dress that covered almost every inch of her body from the neck down she said, "So what do you guys think?"

They replied, "Um, it's o.k."

"Ugh, that means this one's no good."

After trying on several different dresses, nothing she tried on seemed to impress Ash and Jake. That is until she came out wearing her final dress. She had looked at it for a few seconds before trying it on. This is the dress I was wearing in the dream! It was a light pink dress with spaghetti straps. There were flowers sewn into the hemline and along the spaghetti straps. Unlike the other dresses, this one's length was just right. The others seemed either too long or too short for May's liking. It ended a little bit above her knees. She finally put it on and walked out of the dressing room.

"Well boys, this is the last one. How does it look?"

Ash and Jake couldn't stop staring.

"I know what that means. The fact that you two are practically drooling means that this is the perfect dress!"

After paying the cashier, Jake, Ash and May started going to the other stores on May's list.

Ash and Jake watched in horror as May darted from shop to shop, handing them bag after bag.

"Ash, I don't think I can take all of this weight. It's not like I'm a Machamp or anything."

"I know, Jake!"

"AH!"

Ash tripped under such a heavy weight. With smile on his face he picked himself up, and while looking at Jake chuckled and said

"Haha, you're carrying more than I am, but it seems that I'm the one that can't stand up straight!"

"Yeah, after a couple years of carrying this stuff for my cousin, I guess you get used to it. But I'm having a bit of a hard time as well, seeing as I haven't done this since I started my Pokemon journey. Hey, May!"

"Yeah, Jake?"

"Is it o.k. If Ash and I take a quick break?"

"Sure, guys. I'm just going to be at Kay Jewelers if you need me."

"O.k. We'll be right back!"

Ash and Jake sat down on a bench just outside Spencer's gifts.

"So, Ash. How long have you guys been going out?"

"Oh, um. Well, we're not. We're just friends."

"Really?! But you do have feelings for her right? I see the way that you look at each other. You may not realize it, but there is something going on."

Ash blushed.

"Ok, Jake. I guess there's no fooling you. I am in love with May, but I can't tell her that."

"Why not? What are you afraid of?"

"I just don't want to be rejected. Especially by someone I love. I just...I don't think I could take that kind of rejection."

"Well, I don't think that you will have to worry about that because from what I've heard, you are taking her to the dance. Why would she have accepted if she did not have feelings for you?"

"Actually, to tell you the truth, she kinda asked me to ask her, but not for the reason you think. Supposedly, she wanted me to take her because she didn't want this one guy dancing with her."

"I see. But I assume that doesn't change your feelings for her, right?"

"Right. I don't think that anything could. I look into her eyes and see the answer to my life. When you meet someone like that, you don't just let it go."

"You're still determined to win even off of the battlefield. I admire that attitude. Speaking of May, we should probably get back to her before she gets worried."

When Jake and Ash arrived at Kay Jewelers, Jake noticed May speaking to one of the employees.

Jake whispered to Ash, "Hey wait! Let's hide by the trash can over there and listen in on what they're saying."

"Uh, ok."

Jake and Ash heard the employee say, "You certainly have great taste, miss. This is our finest piece of jewelry. The necklace is 24 karat white gold as are the factory cut diamonds."

"Diamonds?" Ash whispered.

"Oh, it's lovely. How much does it cost?"

" $2500."

"Oh, my. Well, I'll have to see if I can get my boyfriend to buy it for me for the Grand Festival Ball."

"Alright, miss. Have a nice day!"

"Thank you! You, too!"

The two boys were crouching behind a trash can and whispered to each other.

"Ash, this is your chance! This is the perfect opportunity to-"

Jake was cut off by May.

"Perfect opportunity for what?"

Stammering, Ash attempted to explain, "Oh, uh we uh were gonna pop out and scare you. Uh, yeah that's it!"

What a spaz! This is gonna take a lot of work. Jake thought.

"Let's head to the food court and have lunch!"

The group walked out the front door and ordered tacos.

"So, boys, now that we've finished our tacos, let's do something I know you guys will love."

This can't end well. Ash thought.

"Shoe shopping!!!!!!"

Both boys sighed and thought Let's get this over with.

Heading over to Payless, the group was set out to find shoes that would match with May's light pink dress. As May was looking at size seven dancing shoes, the other two teens took a seat on a bench in the store.

"Oh my gosh! Jake is it really you?"

Jake jumped up and turned to look at a five foot six inch beauty with light brown hair.

"Oh, hi Sheila. What's up?"

"Oh, not much around here. Everyone's been talking about how well you did in Sinnoh. How about lunch with me after my shift?"

She added seductively, "My treat..."

"Well, I"d love to, but we have to finish and get home by 4 or my cousin will go insane."

Sheila put on and sad "puppy dog" face.

"Oh, Jakey, I'm so disappointed!"

"I'm sorry. How about a rain check?"

Sheila's frown quickly evaporated at these words.

"Sure, Jakey! I'd love that!"

Soon after she exclaimed that, a costumer came up to her and asked, "Miss, do you have these in a size eight?"

"Hold on. I'll check in the back. Bye, Jakey!"

"Bye, Sheila."

The young lady stepped back into the stock room to search for the requested size shoe.

"Hey, Jake, why didn't you take that girl up on her offer? She was really pretty. I mean May and I could've finished shopping alone. And why did you lie to her and say that we had to be back at four? Your cousin said six."

"Well Ash, to tell you the truth she's not really my type."

May walked over to Ash and Jake and carried one box of shoes.

"Hey, guys. I got a pair of light pink dancing shoes. They have little white frills near the front so it'll match my dress perfectly!"

"Great, May. The cash register's over there. Let's pay and be on our way a.s.a.p.!" Jake responded.

"Jake, what's the hurry?"

"Jake had a little run in with an employee here. Her name is Sheila, and she seems to have a monster crush on him," Ash said as he snickered.

"OOOOO, this sounds interesting, Jake. I wanna meet her," said May.

"Oh, look. You're next in line. Maybe next time," Jake said quickly.

As soon as the cashier handed May a bag containing the shoes and the receipt, Jake grabbed it and sped out of the store.

"Jeez, you sure were in a hurry. Something tells me that you aren't too excited about seeing this 'Sheila' as Ash tells me."

"Well to make a long story short, she's one of those childhood friends. You know how they are."

May immediately remembered Misty when she visited Ash in Hoenn for the Togepi festival. May had felt uncomfortable with that visit because she knew that there was something between Ash and Misty. Well, it's probably one-sided seeing as Ash is pretty dense. May thought and reassured herself.

Walking out the front door with the other two, Ash remarked, "Well, she was a really pretty childhood friend. That much I can say!"

May's jealousy got the best of her and she slapped Ash on the cheek.

"OW! May what'd you do that for?!"

May immediately blushed and hurried to find an excuse.

"Oh, um there was a mosquito. See the blood?"

" I think that's mine, May," Ash said as he laughed.

"Hey, guys. Can we stop by the Pokemon center? I have to go get my Pokemon from Nurse Joy."

Walking in the automatic doors with the others, Jake walked straight up to the front desk to the lady in charge.

"Hello, Nurse Joy. How are things?"

"Oh, not too bad, Jake. Thanks for asking! Your Pokemon are ready. And by the way,"

Nurse Joy paused as her eyes began to sparkle.

She pulled Jake close and whispered, "Listen, I can take the night off. Why don't we have dinner?"

"Um, my cousin's cooking dinner and it'd be a shame to waste all that cooking! Well, gotta get home. Thanks for taking care of my Pokemon, Nurse Joy."

Jake bolted out of the door as soon as he'd finished saying this.

May walked up to the front desk. She took two keys in her hand and said to Nurse Joy, "We're going to be staying with Jake and his cousin for a while, so we won't need our room."

"Why you lucky..." said Joy under her breath.

"What was that, ma'am?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. I was just talking to myself. Take care now."

"Bye!"

Ash and May walked out of the Pokemon center and saw Jake sitting on the bench about ten feet away from the door.

"Hey, Jake. What was that about? I mean first the lady at the shoe store and now Nurse Joy. Don't tell me she's another 'childhood friend'."

"Actually, no Ash. But lately I've noticed that ever since I came back from Sinnoh, people, girls specifically, have been all over me. Everywhere I go, they're always flirting with me."

"Ha. May and I have a friend who would kill to be in your position."

"Ha. Maybe. But that's just because he's never been there. I doubt that he'd like girls constantly throwing themselves at you."

This guy obviously doesn't know Brock. Thought Ash with a laugh.

"The weird thing is that I have absolutely no idea why."

May took a moment to look at the pleasing features of his face, height, and build. Really? Because I sure do.

Ash noticed May staring at Jake.

"What are you looking at, May?!" He said in a jealous tone.

"Oh, nothing. Let's get back to Jake's house. I'm starving!"

May and the others ran to Jake's house and once inside sat down at the dinner table. There was a variety of Asian food which included potstickers, egg rolls, fried rice, sushi, etc. All three teenagers scarfed their food and cleaned their respective plates.

"Hey, Jake. Could I talk to you outside for a minute?"

"Sure, Ash. Joanne, I'm gonna be outside for a-," Jake was interrupted by Ash dragging him outside by the arm. Stepping outside through the back screen door, the two boys sat down on two lawn chairs positioned next to each other.

"What's up, Ash?"

"Listen. I don't want you trying to make a move on May. You got that?! Not now or ever!"

"O.K. 1. I didn't ever nor do I plan to make any kind of advance on May. 2. She's not your girlfriend, so don't act like you have some kind of special access to her or something."

"I know she's not my girlfriend..."
"But you do want her to be don't you?

"Yeah, I guess I do, but like I told you back at the mall. I'm afraid of rejection. What if she says 'no'?"

"Again two things, Ash. 1. Like I said back at the mall, if she didn't have feelings for you then she wouldn't have asked you to ask her to the dance. 2. I am going to make it so that there isn't the slightest chance of her rejecting you."

"Really? You'd do that?"

"Of course. How many chances am I going to get to assist my idol?"

"But how are we going to do this? I do want to ask her out, but I want everything to be perfect."

"So it sounds to me like you want to sweep her off her feet. Am I right?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Well, then. We're going to have to get you the right broom."


How was it? Please read and review. This is usually the part where I ask a question or post a riddle, but I can't think of anything good. Until next time!