Ladies and gentlemen, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Figure It Out is back! It's been a while, but I'm hoping to finally enter the home stretch with this one! 20 chapters is a big deal (I think), so let's hope it can finish stronger than it started. Here we go!

Author's Note: I'm skipping the rest of the Contest, for those of you who've kept up as well as those readers just joining us. Now that I've got the subplot I wanted resolved dealt with (sort of), it seems pointless to continue.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.

FIGURE IT OUT

CHAPTER 20-CELEBRATING VICTORY

"Altaria, Dragon Rush!"

"Blaziken, Flare Blitz!"

The final of the school's Pokémon Contest had arrived, and May was pitted against a relative newcomer named Jessica. The girl had already beaten Ash convincingly in the semifinals, and her Altaria had given Blaziken a run no-one had anticipated. Both trainers' other Pokémon choices—May's Munchlax and Jessica's Kirlia—had been taken down, leaving May's starter against Jessica's powerful Dragon-type.

The two moves collided in a flash of blue and red-orange light, Blaziken shaking off recoil sparks as she landed. Altaria flew back from the impact, clearly winded, and the tone sounded to end the match. A look at the points totals was all anyone needed to determine the winner.

"And that's it! Looking at the points, it was a very close-run thing, but our Contest Champion for this year is May!" May ran out and hugged her Blaziken, before turning to console her defeated opponent.

"Hey, Jessica, great battle." she said, holding out her hand. "You guys should be proud of the way you battled, it really impressed me."

"Really?" Jessica answered, taking May's hand. "Wow, that means a lot, May. Thank you." The handshake between victor and runner-up brought an official end to the Contest, and May hurried away to join her friends, whom she knew would be waiting for her.

As she exited the tunnel and passed through the staging area, May saw all her friends and their families waiting for her. The first person to reach her was Ash, who kissed her full on the mouth, while Pikachu jumped up in excitement. As they broke apart, she was surrounded by everyone else, who took it in turns to offer congratulations.

"And now, time to celebrate!" Gary called out, surprising everyone. "I mean, it's not every day you see a friend win this Contest."

"A capital idea, Gary." Professor Oak said, nodding in approval. "We could have a small party at my laboratory, if that's alright with everyone."

"Sounds like a plan," Reggie answered, and Paul nodded as well; it beat anything else he could be doing.

"We'll come too, right Mom and Dad?" May looked inquisitively at her parents, who both assented. Max wasn't thrilled, but he decided to go just to avoid being home by himself.

"This'll be a chance for May to hang out with her boyfriend." he teased her, emphasizing the last word with the air of someone with a bad taste in their mouth. Bracing himself for a slap upside the head, he was shocked when none arrived.

"You know what, Max, maybe this is the perfect time. We may have spent some time by ourselves, but now that most of the madness is over with, it's our chance to hang out normally with our friends again." May felt her cheeks grow hot as she said this, and Ash turned aside too, pulling his hat over his eyes.

"Well, you can count me and Ash in!" Delia Ketchum chimed in, breaking the awkward pause. "Why don't I take care of cooking for everyone tonight, and we'll all have a great time!"

"I'll help you, Delia," put in Caroline. "With the amount this lot are bound to eat, we'll need all hands on deck." She looked meaningfully at her daughter, who giggled.

"Alright, that's almost everyone! Dawn, how about you?"

"I wouldn't miss it!" she answered. Turning to Zoey, she asked her rival if she'd come too.

"Of course! It's been a while since we all hung out together." The plan set, the gang all headed home to prepare for the evening.

Ash lay on the couch, flipping through television channels while he waited for the rest of the day to go by. Pikachu had fallen asleep on the arm of the couch, and Ash knew better than to disturb his best pal during his nap. After he settled on the soccer game that was just beginning, he thought about how crazy the past week and a half had been.

He had shocked himself as much as everyone else when he'd finally built up the courage to ask May out; he suspected that much of the surprise was in how long it had taken. May had apparently been dropping hints for a while, but he'd always put two and two together and gotten sixteen. Everyone seemed to be pairing up now; even Paul, the rough-hewn taskmaster, had managed to put aside his differences with Zoey, at least temporarily.

"Can we keep this going?" he asked himself. "It may be early days, but I really hope this togetherness stays. Who knows what might happen if it didn't?" Sighing, he dropped back down onto the couch, hoping that he, like Pikachu, could take a nap before the night's festivities began.

Back at her own house, May had retreated to her room, trying to find an outfit to wear. After what seemed like hours, she settled on a pink shirt and black shorts, and omitted her usual bandanna. She spent the rest of the afternoon either in the shower or doing her hair, all the while wondering what could possibly be next for herself and Ash. She had seen friends go through different relationships; some had burned themselves out quickly, while others never really got going. They would have to make sure they maintained the delicate balance of caution and unbridled affection, which of course was easier said than done.

"Things are changing fast," she thought to herself. "Just a week and a half ago, Ash could barely look me in the eye, and now...now he's my boyfriend. I guess that goes to show you how unpredictable life is." She paused to look at herself in the mirror, smiling at how she looked. "I guess I've got an appearance to keep up, now. If I'm going to be Ash's girlfriend, I'd better look the part." A knock on her bedroom door broke her out of her reverie. She went to open it, surprised to see Dawn standing on the other side, carrying her red winter coat. She was wearing a navy shirt and a white skirt with navy tights underneath, and her expression was one of slight consternation.

"Dawn, what're you doing here? Aren't you heading over to the professor's?"

"There's still time, and I wanted to, you know, talk about some stuff before we headed over."

"What kind of stuff...?" May asked, unsure of her friend's meaning.

"It's just...I'm worried. About the future."

"Why the sudden concern?"

"Because...well, you and Ash just got together, and all our friends are starting to pair off too. I'm afraid that something bad might happen."

"Bad how?" May couldn't understand what was going on here; this was completely out of left field, even for Dawn.

"Well—and don't laugh at me for this, please!—what if you and Ash had a fight and broke up, or any of our other friends went through something like that? I love being a part of this group, and I don't want anything to end that! We're almost like family, and it's...well..." Dawn was now becoming hysterical, and May couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"That couldn't happen, could it?" she thought. "If Ash and I did fight and break up, how would that...no. Don't worry about what might be. Worry about what is."

"Dawn, you have nothing to be afraid of. I don't know what got you worked up like this, but nothing, I repeat, nothing, will sever our group's friendship. Not a fight, not a breakup, not even Drew. We've made it this far. The bond's too strong."

"But just say..."

"No buts. Everything will come as it does, and we'll deal with it." May left the room and headed for the stairs, grabbing her pink fleece jacket as she left the room. Reassured, Dawn followed.

May and Dawn arrived at the lab around 6:30, and Professor Oak let them in with a smile. Zoey was waiting for them in the foyer, and she greeted them warmly.

"Hey, guys, good to see you!" She had abandoned her usual vest and sunglasses, replacing the vest with a dark green shirt. "The boys are out back with Max, and May's mom is helping Ash's mom get the food ready."

"Sounds like it's gonna be a great time." May thought for a moment, then looked at Zoey. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure. What's up?"

"Well, when we were in the tunnel for our contest battle, you were really flustered. Why was that?"

"Oh, uh, you see...didn't I already tell you?" Zoey's sudden defensiveness caught May off-guard a bit.

"You said you got in an argument with Paul? What was it about this time?"

"Who wants to know?" asked Zoey, now turning an impressive shade of crimson. She cast around for something to say, then regained her composure. "Alright, I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone else! Dawn, that goes for you too!"

"Okay," Dawn couldn't understand Zoey's sudden discomfort. "So what did happen?"

"Alright...well, I ran into him, and we were arguing about something—I can't remember what—and the next thing I know I'm kissing the jerk! I don't know what the heck happened, but I still can't believe it!" Dawn and May simply stared, the former trying her hardest not to break out into a fit of giggles.

"That's it? Sounds like you two have sorta put aside your differences."

"As if! He's still a huge jerk, that's never gonna change!"

"How was it?" Dawn interjected, succumbing to her giggle fit. "You must've really liked it if it's got you this riled up."

"Dawn!" May looked at her friend reproachfully, but Zoey shook her head.

"It was...fine. Normal, I guess. Somehow I was able to ignore the smoke on his breath, I don't know how I managed that."

"Sometimes you don't notice certain things in the heat of the moment." May decided not to press the issue further, but instead started walking towards the backyard. "You want to go meet up with the boys?"

"Sure!" Zoey, grateful that her discomfort was over, followed quickly, and Dawn brought up the rear, still giggling madly.

They found the boys throwing a football around outside, with Ash leaning against the fence. When he noticed May, he grinned and signaled for her to come over.

"Hey, May, you're here!" he called. "We've just been killing time till you guys came over."

"I noticed. So, what're we gonna do? I don't know if the food's ready, and it's kinda cold out here."

"We were gonna head down into the basement when everyone got here, so why not go there now?" Gary had walked over just as Paul nearly knocked Max over with a powerful throw. Everyone agreed, and they headed through the vast laboratory until they reached the basement door.

The basement itself was almost as spacious as the lab area. A large flatscreen TV hung on a far wall, while there was a fridge in the corner with a dartboard hanging over it. There were several couches and armchairs in the room, and an empty pool table stood in a side area. Everyone found someplace to sit, with Ash and May sitting on one of the smaller couches. Dawn smirked at the couple, while Gary nodded knowingly. They sat in silence for a few moments, no-one quite sure how to break the pause.

"So...May, congrats again on winning the Contest." Zoey said eventually, hoping to ease the tension.

"Thanks, Zoey," May answered. "It wasn't easy, let me tell you."

"You gave me a heck of a battle," Zoey told her, keeping the conversation going. "You deserved to win it."

"At least you and Ash didn't have to battle, right, May?" Max said from his chair. "That would've been really awkward!" Everyone turned to look at the pair, who flushed and looked away from one another.

"Yeah," Ash said. "Really awkward. Right."

"Enough of that!" Dawn yelled, trying to change the subject. "We're supposed to be having fun, not making things worse! What do you guys want to do?" No-one answered, although a few mumbles along the lines of "who knows?" were audible. "Come on, guys, think of something! How about Truth or Dare?"

"That's a kids' game, Dawn," protested May. "Aren't we a little old for that?"

"No it's not, and we're not! It's perfect! All we have to do is..." At that moment, they heard someone call down that the food was ready, and they rushed up the stairs, eager to enjoy Delia and Caroline's excellent cooking. They all helped themselves to the delectable assortment, and then headed back downstairs to eat and talk.

After everyone had had their fill of food, they continued to sit there, not exactly sure how to proceed. Dawn had suggested five or six different party games, with varying excuses and protests meeting each one.

"Aw, guys! This may be one of the last times we get to do this as a group! Please, just for fun?"

"Dawn...alright, fine, we'll play one game. Everyone okay with that?" May looked around at everyone, who reluctantly assented. "Okay, what do you want to play?"

"Let's go back to my first suggestion! Truth or Dare!"

"If you're gonna do that, I'm going upstairs." Max, not exactly comfortable hanging out with the older group members, had just about had enough of the adolescent hijinks.

"Alright, Max, go ahead. If you feel like coming back, go ahead. This shouldn't take too long." May watched her brother go up the stairway, then turned back to her friends. "Okay, who wants to start?"

"I will!" No-one argued with Dawn; she had been the one to suggest this game, after all. "Alright, who should I ask first...Zoey!" Dawn's rival jumped as the bluenette called her name; this could mean nothing good. "Alright, what'll it be? Truth or Dare?"

"Truth." Zoey answered. She figured since she had asked Dawn to withhold her secret, she couldn't think of anything else to possibly embarrass her.

"Okay, let's see...right! Who was the first boy you had a crush on?"

"Some guy from the Pokémon Trainers' School. It wasn't much, we were only little kids."

"Alright, then, now your turn to ask a question."

"Uh...Gary." The future Researcher smirked.

"Truth."

"Have you kissed Dawn yet?" Everybody turned to stare at Zoey, then Gary, then Dawn, who had turned bright red.

"Not yet. We're getting there, though." Gary winked at Dawn, who sank down into her chair, her blush darkening. "Alright, May, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare." May figured she knew what was coming, but she didn't think the other option was much more appealing.

"Fine. Make out with Ash." Both trainers flushed, turned to stare at Gary, then looked at each other.

"Do we..." Ash started, but May pulled him close and crashed her lips against his before he could react. Unable to protest or pull away, Ash succumbed and continued kissing his girlfriend, ignoring the fact that everyone else was watching them. After about a minute, they broke apart, and looked to Gary for any further reactions.

"That was some kiss," Dawn giggled, her earlier embarrassment clearly forgotten. "You two must really like one another."

"Oh, enough," Zoey interrupted. "I think it's sweet."

"Alright, May, your turn." May turned to Ash, smiling.

"Okay. Ash, Truth or Dare..."

The game ended quickly; having only six people meant they could only keep it up for so long. They decided to watch a movie for the rest of the time, and eventually it came time to go home. The gang thanked Professor Oak for having them over, and went their separate ways. Since most of the adults were gone, Ash asked May if he could walk her home, which she eagerly agreed to. It would give them a chance to talk on the way.

"So," she said as they turned off towards her street, "I guess that big dance is next on our list, right?"

"Yeah," Ash was lost in his own thoughts, not really concentrating on what he was doing. "May, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Ash."

"Why did you react so fast when Gary told you to kiss me? It just seemed weird to me, since he was kinda puttin' us on the spot."

"Well, two reasons. One, I thought any question he'd ask would have something to do with our private lives, and I don't want the details of our relationship, young as it is, to be out in the open."

"And the second?"

"Honestly?"

"Of course," Ash replied as they turned onto May's street and walked toward her house.

"I just really wanted you to kiss me. I guess the part of me that loves the attention and love was strongest at the time." They stopped in front of her house. "Hey, you know this is where we kissed that first time."

"Is it?" Ash asked, scratching his head. "It seems so long ago, now."

"Well, we've got plenty of time." She put a hand on Ash's cheek, and stood on her toes to reach his face, planting a kiss squarely on his lips. "There, that should hold us over, right? See you later, Ash!"

"Yeah...see ya." Ash just stood there dumbfounded as May ran into her house, not fully realizing the thrill he had given her.

And that's it! To be honest, I wasn't sure if this story would make it this far, and after years of not updating I was ready to chuck it in. But I looked, and even though response has been intermittent, I figured I might as well finish it off, even if only to give myself some closure. C'est la vie, huh?

Okay, you ought to know the standard operating procedure around here by now, so please do read and review! If I'm honest, 'tis good to be back!

A/N: I'd also recommend my other main project, Double-J Adventures, which I'm trying to get going as well. Please do check it out!