Evening all. Sorry for the wait, was busy most of the weekend, so I've been working to get this chapter up. Disclaimer: Don't own Pokémon, setting, characters, ect.

Chapter Ten

"There it is! Canalave City!" the blunette shouted excitedly. "We're home, Piplup!"

"Piplup, pip piplup!" the Penguin Pokémon cried, happy to finally return to Sinnoh with his Trainer.

"So this is Sinnoh," May said, glancing at the landmass that lay in front of her in the early afternoon light. Towards the center of the continent she was a tall mounting rising up to the clouds. On her right, she saw a cold-looking coastal region, ending with a fairly large city, bisected by a large canal. To her left, she saw a small island chain off the coast, while Sinnoh continued to extend north into what looked to be frozen wastes.

"Pika…" the Pokémon said in awe.

"You said it, Pikachu," his Trainer replied, looking around in wonder. "Look at all the Pokémon! I've never seen one of those before," he said, pointing at a large orange Pokémon with what looked like an inflatable inner tube around it's neck.

"That's a Floatzel," their redhead companion informed them, which caused Gary to look at her oddly.

"How did you know that?" he asked curiously.

"Simple," she replied, shrugging and smiling. "It's a Water-type. What, did you think you were the only one allowed to know things?" she teased with a smirk reminiscent of Gary's own signature smirk.

Max couldn't share in their enthusiasm as much as he wished to, rubbing his hands up and down his arms trying to warm them up. "Is it always so cold?" he asked, slightly annoyed.

"No need to worry!" she said, grinning. "If I remember correctly, it should be the very end of winter, so things should start warming up in the next few weeks," Dawn continued helpfully.

"So, you live in Canalave City, Dawn?" May inquired curiously as she cradled Bubbles in her arms like a mother.

"Nope. Actually, Piplup and I are from Twinleaf Town, to the southeast of Lake Verity. I lived with my mom and her Glameow until a few years ago until when Lucian took me on as an apprentice Tactician."

'I wonder why she became a Tactician,' Max found himself thinking.

"Good, you're all here."

Turning, the group of teens saw Lucian and Alakazam standing behind them, the former clasping his hands behind him. "We dock in ten minutes. Grab your things, we're due in Jubilife City four hours from now," he told them before heading back towards the helm.

Canalave City was quite the sight to the group of foreigners, Rotan and Hoenn alike. The Samiya had docked on the west side of the port city, which meant they had to cross over the large canal that bisected the city.

Even with the hurry they were in to reach the capital, May, being the shopper she was, still managed to purchase a small souvenir in the form of a Lunar Wing, a yellow-green feather on a necklace that was said to make bad dreams a thing of the past.

'True, I haven't had any bad dreams since Ash gave me that bandana, but hey, a girl can't be too careful!' she thought to herself as she admired the feather while the group made their way east over Route 218. 'I think Lucian said it was a feather from a Pokémon called Cresselia. Maybe I'll ask Gary about it later.'

Turning her attention to the group around her rather than her new shiny, she reached up, admiring the soft Kalosian silk of her bandana as began thinking about her opinion of each of her companions.

First, obviously, was her little brother Max. While she was two years older than him at eighteen, he still managed to have more confidence than she had when it came to Pokémon. Sure, she had become a Trainer for her Swablu, but she was still unsure of herself and how she'd manage to progress.

Next up was Dawn. Since the Hoenn siblings joined the group, Dawn had been welcoming, kind and helpful. Granted, her and Max had a bit of a rivalry going on, but May figured that, eventually, the two would gair each others respect and become friends.

Dawn's mentor, Lucian, was much more reserved and dignified than his apprentice, but he also had the air of someone who would be at home either on a battlefield or in royal court. At first, he intimidated her a bit, but she had since come to realize he was simply focused on saving his nation.

After that was Gary and Misty. She still couldn't figure those two out. Gary seemed like a nice guy, if a bit of a flirt from what she witnessed in Pewter City, Viridian City, and on the ship to Sinnoh, but he was also really smart when it came to Pokémon in general. Misty was pretty nice, assuming you didn't anger her. She also seemed very protective of Gary, and she had a faint idea why. May had seen the redhead with her mallet in action, and she knew two things; She didn't want to get on Misty's bad side, and stay the heck away from Gary when Misty was around.

And finally, the Ketchum brothers. Riley, the older of the two, seemed to be the leader of the Rotan group, and tends to offer Lucian advice or his opinion when asked. Overall, he seemed fairly responsible, and with Lucario, the two were terrors in combat, as she saw the night of Phantom's attack. While she had been told to stay below deck due to her inexperience, she and Bubbles had hazarded a peek topside during the battle, watching the two fight in perfect sync, as if one person was controlling them.

Ash, on the other hand, seemed to be more rash, often acting without thinking. While she would normally think that was a problem, it had saved her life, and she knew that Ash risked his life for the sake of others.

Ever since May was a little girl, her mother had told her the story of a heroic Aura Guardian from another land, who sacrificed himself for his love and his kingdom, saving it from war. Now here she was, having been saved from a long fall and a sudden stop, a horde of angry Beedrill, a psychotic Fearow intent on turning Bubbles into it's lunch, and most recently from a ship full of pirates by that same Order of Aura Guardians.

Add to that the fact that Ash helped her become a Trainer by saving Bubbles, along with the fact that he bought her the bandana she had seen in Pewter City simply to make her feel better, she was beginning to wonder if she had somehow stumbled into a romance novel without realizing it. After all, he had saved her, he was fairly sweet, and she did have to admit, though not aloud of course, that he was rather cute. Not stunningly handsome, like some of the nobles she'd met back in Hoenn, but cute enough, she supposed.

Growing up, May had her father trying to convince her either to become a Pokémon Trainer or to meet a nice noble to expand the holdings of the Maple family, while her mother and grandfather encouraged her to follow her own dreams. And now, at eighteen, she still wasn't sure what those dreams were. Sure, she got to travel the world, making deliveries for her family's business, specifically the business of stones, Evolutionary and otherwise, but she still wasn't sure where she saw herself a few years from now.

Still, she was paid well, though if she wanted to, she'd never have to work a day in her life with how well placed her family was. But the thought of being some simple maiden to be married off to some brat of a noble didn't thrill her, shockingly. And thus she currently found herself with a group of Rotans, traveling in Sinnoh to take delivery of a set of Evolutionary stones for her family.

She was shaken from her thoughts as she walked into the back of Riley, who had stopped for some reason. Shaking her head to clear it, she looked around him and saw what had caused the group to stop. Up ahead a mile or two was the capital of Western Sinnoh. Jubilife City, City of Joy.

"Alright, I'll go on ahead with Riley and explain the situation to her highness, Queen Shirona. I'll send for you once we know more about what's going on in Sinnoh at the moment, and decide upon a course of action," the purple-haired master Tactician told the teens, before tossing a small pouch towards his apprentice. "Try not to go through all that silver please, Dawn."

As the six teens watched Lucian, Alakazam, Riley and Lucario head off towards the palace, leaving them in the center of town, they began discussing what they wanted to do. They finally decided that the girls would go shopping while the boys would go off to train a bit before all getting dinner in the city later, giving both groups some time to recharge a bit.

A few minutes later, Ash, Pikachu, Gary, Umbreon, Max and Kirlia all found themselves outside the city, with the two Aura Guardians sparring and Max helping Kirlia perfect his Magical Leaf slightly away from them, but in earshot.

"So Ashy-boy, I noticed you gave May that give of yours," the brunette said as he tried to sweep Ash's legs out from under him with a quick side kick.

"Yeah, I gave it to her after we left Cinnabar," Ash replied quickly as he jumped over the sweep, delivering an quick push to Gary's chest to gain some space, circling for their next attack.

"My little Ashy's growing up," he taunted, before charging with a jump-punch towards his raven-haired opponent, who quickly ducked and grabbed Gary's arm, turning and flipping him onto his back with a grunt.

"You implying something, Oak?" he asked as he offered Gary a hand up.

"Only that you've been spending a lot of time with her lately, and, well, people are talkin'," he said as he stood, gaining Max's interest. "So, anything there?" he asked with a wink.

Ash's face turned as red as an Arcanine. "I don't know what you're talking about, Gary," he lied, feeling like he had just taken a flamethrower attack to the face.

"Come on, Ashy-boy, spill!" he goaded, clearly enjoying the new shades of red Ash's face was turning.

"Yeah, what is up with you two anyways?" Max chimed in, curious about the two of them as well. 'Sure, guys have been interested in May before, but most of them back in Hoenn were annoying nobles like Drew,' he thought to himself as he watched Ash's face continue to impersonate a Razz Berry.

"There's nothing to spill," he replied rather quickly, looking at Pikachu to help him out. Unfortunately for him, the Mouse Pokémon was currently sparring with the newly evolved Umbreon, though Ash thought he saw a smirk on his partners face.

"Come on Ash, I'm not blind, ya know! You've been hanging with her every free moment you get, and I know you've been making an impression on her, right Max?" Gary asked, crossing his arms.

"Uh… How should I know?" he asked the brunette.

Gary facepalmed at this, giving Ash the opportunity to strike back. "How about you and Misty?"

Going board stiff, Gary glanced back at Ash, slightly nervous. "What about us?" he asked, trying to keep his cool.

"Well, you've been spending a lot of time with her, too. Anything going on between you two?" the raven-haired teen asked, turning the question back on Gary.

In all the time Ash had known his best friend, this was possibly the first time he ever saw Gary Oak give up an argument. Sighing, the brunette replied "I don't know, honestly."

Ash's brow furrowed and his mouth hung open a few centimeters. "What?" he asked, not quite believing Gary's answer.

The brunette sighed again before continuing. "Alright, you and I both know that she has a tendency of hitting me more often whenever another girl's around, and you saw for yourself, she almost gave me a concussion when she caught up to us after we left Rota. What am I supposed to think?" he asked, looking uncharacteristically unsure.

Pikachu and Umbreon had since finished their battle, with Pikachu hopping onto Ash's shoulder while Umbreon nuzzled Gary's hand. Both Pokémon were also very interested in the discussion the three teens were having.

"Well, you two grew up together, right?" Max asked, tapping his chin in thought.

"Yeah, her, Ash and I all grew up in Rota until she was eight and we were seven. Her parents were killed in a rockslide, so her and her sisters moved south to Cerulean City to live with their uncle," he explained.

"Well, if you want my opinion, it sounds like she's got a crush on you, Gary," Max told him. "From what she's said, you three were fairly inseparable when you were younger, and despite all the things Ash has done for May, she never really appeared annoyed, at least to me. You, however…"

"Yeah, I so much as look at another girl and she turns the same color as her hair," he replied. "Maybe you're right, Max. What do you think, guys?"

Umbreon was the first to respond, nodding to his trainer. "Umbre, um."

"Well, it would kinda explain why she didn't bash my head into the ground when she caught up with us…" Ash stated after a bit.

"Pika, pikachu chupi," the yellow mouse told him with a nod.

Sighing again, Gary sat down onto the grass. "So, you guys really think she likes me?" he asked, his signature smirk falling into place.

"Seems a logical conclusion to me," Max confirmed. "As for May, I don't know. She's always been more focused on fun than boys."

"So she's had boys after her before?" Ash blurted without thinking. As the two other teens and even the three Pokémon looked at him oddly, he began to feel his face heat up. 'Why did I even ask that, anyways?' he wondered.

"A few," Max replied. "The most annoying was this guy named Drew LaRousse. Apparently his family have been nobles of LaRousse City in Hoenn for generations, and he doesn't ever let you forget it. He was always giving May roses whenever he'd show up, but he was always more interested in proving himself better than everyone," he told them bitterly. "The only others I can think of were Brendan Birch and Sid Shota, but she mostly ignored them, too."

'So she's got at least three nobles interested in her, giving her flowers and all that… What chance have I got, then?' Ash thought dejectedly to himself.

Noticing his pal's reaction, looking depressed, Pikachu decided to give a few words of encouragement. "Pikapi, pikachu pika pi chu kachu," he told him, raising his paw determinedly.

"Pikachu's right, Ash. What have you got to lose? I mean, she's cute, no offense Max."

"None taken."

"Seriously, you've saved her life enough times in the last two weeks to basicly finish your Trials already, you got her that bandana and a bloody Pokémon for crying out loud!" Gary told him with a grin. "She's gotta be at least a little interested, you know girls eat that romantic stuff up for breakfast!"

Ash smiled slightly. "Alright, alright, I guess Pikachu is right," he relenting, causing Gary to glare at his omission. "So, first thing first, how do you feel about all this, Max?" he asked, reaching up to scratch Pikachu under the chin.

"Unlike those stuffed shirts who dad tried to set her up with back in Hoenn, you I can stand. But the point is rather moot, since we're heading to Eterna City soon. And while what I think is irrelevant, seeing as it's her choice and not mine, I think you'd treat her well, so you've got my vote," the sixteen-year old told him. "And who knows," he continued. "If she does decide to stay with you guys, I can always bring the evolution stones back to Hoenn myself."

"See? Times a'tickin', Ashy-boy, and what have you got to lose?" the brunette told him with a slap to the back.

Ash thought about it for a while before nodding with his trademark determined grin. "You're right. What have I got to lose?"

"So May, why the change in bandana?" Dawn asked as the trio of girls, plus Piplup and Bubbles entered the latest shop in their tour of the city.

"Don't know. Just decided to wear it today, being we're in a new region and all," she replied as she checked out a few blouses in the shop, attention focused more on deal finding rather than talking.

"Isn't that the one Ash got you?" Misty asked, holding up a yellow shirt with purple trim to see how it'd look, oblivious to the look May was now giving her.

"Yeah… How did you know that?" she asked, now focused more on her companions than shopping.

"Gary told me he bought a blue bandana for you back in Pewter City. I took a guess and figured that was the one he was talking about," she replied, deciding that yellow and purple did not go together at all.

"It looks great on you," Dawn complimented. "Wonder how much it cost," she continued offhandedly as she continued looking for anything worth her money.

"Seven silver pieces."

Both girls spun to look at the now blushing May. Misty was the first to find her voice again.

"Ash spent seven silver on that for you?" she asked in wonder. "Dang, he must really like you."

This only further reddened the teen as she tried to focus on the clothing, and not the fact that her face likely resembled a Magby. "I wouldn't go that far… After all, we've only known each other for a week or two…" she defended, trying not to make a big deal of it.

"Still, seven silver? Did you ask him for it?" Dawn inquired, now standing near the brunette with a rather mischievous smile.

'Alright, that smile has officially unnerved me...' she thought to herself. "Well, no. I saw it in a booth in the Pewter market, but come on, seven silver? Way too expensive for a bandana, I mean, I got my coat for just two. Ash was with me at the time, we kinda bumped into each other in the marketplace and just started talking, but I'd never ask him for something like that," she told the two girls.

Misty's expression was one of disbelief. "Welp, miracles do apparently exist. Never thought I'd see the day when something other than Pokémon and being an Aura Guardian like his father got through to the Ash, the densest boy on the planet."

"Really?" May asked, frowning slightly.

"May, when we were younger, I had the biggest crush on him for years. I could have worn a sign around my neck that said 'I love you Ash' and he'd have missed it completely. He was that dense," Misty told her with an amused grin, which confused the girl.

"If that's the case, why are you so happy he's supposedly finally interested in and girl and it's not you?" May asked, hoping that this wouldn't put her firmly in the redhead's ire.

She was surprised when she heard her chuckle instead. "I gave up on him years ago. During one visit to Rota, I told him I like him, and he just told me he liked me too, but I could tell it was more of a friend way. I didn't think he'd grasp the concept of more than friends, but I don't think I've ever heard of him buying something like that for someone, especially without being asked or told."

"Sounds like he's sweet on you~," Dawn told her in a singsong voice, much to the brunette's embarrassment.

"Come on, you two, it's not like that. I'm sure it's nothing," she told them, though she was beginning to sound as if she was trying to convince herself more than them.

"Well, what about you? What do you think of him? Or do you already have a boyfriend?" Dawn asked, refusing to let the topic go, much to the brunette's agitation.

"Nosey, aren't we?" she asked indignantly before sighing. "No, I'm not seeing anyone at the moment. A few guys back in Hoenn tried, but I really couldn't see myself settling down with them and their egos…" she explained.

"Still doesn't tell me how you feel about Ash," the blunette prodded, blissfully ignorant of the annoyed stare from both May and Misty that were directed at her.

'Note to self; never tell Dawn my life story,' May thought to herself. "Come on, Dawn, it's nothing!" she tried again, only to be denied again.

"Nope, spill! Come ooooon…" she whined.

"Dawn, is this really necessary?" their redheaded companion asked. "You've gone through this, right? Why pester her so much about it?"

The lack of a defiant answer caused both May and Misty to examine the girl, only to see her poking her index fingers together nervously. "Well… not exactly," she confessed. "I was taken as an apprentice when I was younger, and most guys around my age are…" she paused, searching for the right word. "Let's go with childish," she finally settled on. "And moving around so much like I do means I've got to live that aspect of my life vicariously through you two."

May and Misty blinked at each other. "What do you mean 'two'?" MIsty finally asked cautiously, suddenly worried.

The blunette smiled again, clasping her hands. "Oh, don't worry, I want to know about you and Gary soon, too!" she stated, her cheer back in full force.

Misty, however, was borderline horrified. "WHAT?! Me and Gary?!" she shouted, suddenly looking nervous at being the target in the trios conversation.

May herself looked slightly amused, glad to no longer be the target of the blunette's inquisition.

"Of course you and Gary," the blunette told her, as if it was obvious. "You think I forgot meeting you two in Rota?"

"What happened in Rota?" May asked, having not met them yet.

"I found Ash and Gary sparring in Rota when I met them. Gary introduced himself, and then referred to me as beautiful. Misty promptly knocked him out," Dawn explained with a smirk. "After that, I just kinda noticed that whenever he talked with a girl, Misty would get annoyed. Doesn't take a scholar to put it together," she finished, quite pleased with herself.

Misty, however, was again turning the color of her hair, but not due to anger, but rather embarrassment.

May decided to take her own guess at this. "So, after you gave up on Ash, you started a crush on Gary?" she asked, trying not to provoke the redhead.

Misty sighed. "If I hear either of you repeat any of this, I will find and end you, got it?" she asked the two, with a look in her eyes that said she'd follow through with it. After receiving two mildly terrified nods, she calmed down and relented.

"Yes, I have a bit of a crush on Gary, alright? But you can't tell him that! He'd never let me hear the end of it," she told them, her expression falling. "After all, he probably thinks I'm just some pushy pain in the neck after all the times I've lost my temper with him."

"Aw, come on Mist," Dawn told her. "I'm sure if you asked him out, he'd say yes. After all, you two have been best friends for years."

"I'm not sure about that, Dawn…" Misty replied, still feeling down.

"What have you got to lose?" May asked, causing Misty to look at the brunette. What did she have to lose, after all?

Taking a breath, she nodded. "Alright, maybe you're right. I'll make you a deal, May. If you talk to Ash, I'll talk to Gary."

The brunette's eyes widened slightly. "Uh…" she began, before getting cut off by Dawn.

"What do you have to lose, May? It's obvious you like him, and pretty obvious he likes you too. Besides, Piplup and I can help you! No need to worry!"

"That's when I worry the most…" she replied.

And there you have it, Chapter ten done. I'll be doing the dinner next chapter, along with some new characters being introduced. As always, feedback is encouraged, sorry for the wait, and God bless!