Chapter 8: Dance Soon
Okay, so I finally made it back to this fanfic. Looking back at the last chapter it seems I had said I was gonna work on my two advanceshipping stories mostly. Unfortunately that didn't happen since I had my usually lax work that involves me practicing my writing keep me busier then usual. Ah well, I did get Advancing through the Ages done. Now I've started a new Advanceshipping fic as well. A Princess and Her Knight, which is a sequel to another story by another author that I made with that author's permission. Well, I will hopefully be able to start posting two chapters a week again soon. Though some might feel I've been rushing. I guess I'm just a fast-paced kind of author. Well, I can edit later to try and improve so feel free to leave me your suggestions and I will consider them.
Ash and his friends made their way through the main city of Rustburo. It was a long walk from the Contest Hall to the main area where the Pokemon Center and Gym were located along with the enormous Devon Corporation. They soon spotted the red roofed building and headed straight for the Pokemon Center.
"Ah! Back to the big city!" May said. "I can't wait to hit the mall and get some new clothes."
"Eh, who cares about clothes?" Ash said. "I'd love to try a burger from here!"
May pouted that he didn't care about clothes.
"So, you don't care what you wear or how you look?"
"Not really," Ash said.
"Now, Ash, come on. Looks are important too," Brock said before leaning in. "Especially if you want to win over a girl."
"Oh. Uh sorry May. I just don't think shopping for clothes is really as important as food. But if you want to do it then that's fine."
May nodded, managing a smile. "Well I do like food as well. Maybe we can try out some restaurants here soon."
They both smiled and blushed at each other.
"I hear there's a real cool trainer school that's right next to the Gym!" Max said.
"Well I'm sure there's plenty for all of us to see while we wait for the Gym Leader to get done with whatever they are doing."
"Yeah. I'd like to challenge them now but Pikachu and Treecko need some more time to perfect their moves," Ash said. "But maybe we can at least visit the Gym and see what its like."
"Well, lets do that tomorrow," Brock said. "I mean with the contest and walking here my feet are a little aching."
"Uh! Don't remind me!" May said as she probably hurt the most.
It was getting late, close to sunset in fact. They had dinner and then Ash went outside to train with Treecko and Pikachu on their new moves.
"Treecko ko ko ko!" Treecko managed to shoot several small beams of light green energy out.
"Chu. Pika!" Pikachu hit the target with his tail but the glow around it faded before he could make impact.
"Still got some work to do, guys," Ash said. "Well, we still got some time before the Gym's take on challengers. We'll find out what's going and when the Leader is accepting challenges then work till then."
…
The next day the group headed down to the Gym and Trainers school. Even though they knew that the Gym Leader was busy with an event coming up they wanted to at least check out the Gym. Befitting its position as a Rock Pokemon Gym the outside of the building was covered in a large rocklike design. Ash and his friends walked up to the door and saw a sign saying…
Currently Not Excepting Challengers Will Be Back In Business-
A date followed. It was just two days away.
"Well, that gives two days to practice our training," Ash said. "Let's see maybe it's still..."
He reached for the door, hoping to at least get a look inside. The door was unlocked, but looking inside they saw an unexpected site. The Gym was rather… heavily decorated with tables, banners reading Rustboro Trainer School Dance Party!
"Whoa!" Ash said. "This looks more like a party house then a Pokemon Gym."
"This must be what's going!" Brock exclaimed. "The Gym Leader must be letting their Gym be used for the school as a party area."
"Yes," a voice said.
The speaker was a young woman with long black hair tied in two pigtails and a large red ribbon on the back of her head. She had red eyes and wore a short knee length blue dress with a tie, and knee length boots.
"Hello, I'm Roxanne," the woman said. "The Rustboro Gym Leader and teacher at the Rustboro Trainer School."
Brock immediately went into girl crazy mode upon seeing the woman. "Ah! Roxanne what a lovely name! It fits you well as you're a rock pokemon trainer just like I was!"
Roxanne sweat dropped at the compliment. "Um… pleased to meet you. You're-
"Brock my dear," Brock said.
"And I'm Ash," Ash said pointing to himself. "And this is my partner Pikachu."
"Pikachu!" the yellow Pokemon greeted.
"Hi, I'm May, this is my little brother Max," May said.
"I see," Roxanne said before looking at Ash. "Hey I recognize you! You came in one of the Top 8 in the Johto Silver Conference!"
"Yeah!" Ash said.
"Well, you have a few fans here at my school," Roxanne said.
"I… do?" Ash was surprised.
"Of course, when someone comes as far as you have in a big tournament, or rather, several big tournaments, people tend to know your name. You also came in as one of the Top 16 in the Indigo League, and won the title of Orange Island Champion."
Ash had almost forgotten about that one.
"Wow. Thanks, I guess. Anyway I came to check out the gym. I know that you're not taking challengers right now but wanted to see anyway except uh-"
Ash gestured to the Gym which was full of the party things.
"Yes, we're having a dance party for our school," Roxanne said. "It's a dance for not only my students but local and passing by trainers as well."
"Wow! So anyone can attend?" May asked.
"Well we have a certain number. But you're in luck. We have room for at least ten more people," Roxanne said.
"I've never been to a dance before," Max said.
"I danced a couple times," Ash said sheepishly.
He remembered that festival he'd gone to with Misty a few years ago after they'd dealt with that Gastly at Maiden Rock in Kanto. They'd had fun. Though Ash wasn't sure this would be exactly the same. He'd never actually danced with a partner before and that had been a group dance. Also, his mind went back to May. If they were going to a dance then maybe he could… ask her to dance with him? Ash wasn't certain.
"Well, I think we need to get some clothes for the dance!" Brock said.
"Yeah. We can't just go dancing looking like this!" May said. "Looks like I'm gonna get my shopping in after all!"
"Looks like," Brock said.
"Wahoo!" May exclaimed.
Ash watched her enthusiasm with a smile of his own.
"Well, here," Roxanne said. "You'll need these if you want to come."
She handed them each a red ticket for the dance.
…
They checked out the trainer school where Max was ecstatic.
"Ah! I can just imagine all the things they're doing in that school," Max said. "Math, science, learning about Pokemon at the same time!"
"I didn't know they taught regular subjects at Pokemon Trainer Schools," Ash said.
"Well yeah you wouldn't know that as you spend all your time traveling and battling," Max said. "Pokemon Schools teach trainers everything they might need for other jobs they might pursue in the future."
"I went to a similar school in Kanto," Brock said. "Back in Pewter City we have a school as well. I took cooking lessons there when I was younger. That's how I learned to make a lot of different foods. Of course, I had a lot of practice at home too."
They looked inside a nearby classroom and students at desks with a teacher in the front giving a lecture of some sort.
"I wonder what he's teaching?"
"Well, we can't just barge in, that would be rude," Brock said.
Someone inside noticed them and pointed to the door. The teacher looked over and Ash saw his mouth fall open as he looked directly at him. The teacher then came to the door.
"Hey there, say aren't you, Ash Ketchum?" the man said. He was an old man with a white mustache.
"Uh, yeah," Ash said. "We were just checking out the school."
"Well, this is an honor!" the unnamed teacher said. "You might have come at a most opportune moment, we could use a guest speaker on the experience of Leagues."
Ash blushed. "Wow really?"
"Yes, my class is the battle class consisting of young teenagers around thirteen. Please come in!"
Ash hesitated but did so. He looked around and saw several boys and girls his own age. One even put her hands together as she saw him.
"Class. It seems we have a lucky star shining on us today. Some of you may recognize this young man as one of the recent participants in the Johto Silver Conference. Ash Ketchum!"
"Wow! This is great!" a male student said.
"Ash, I saw you on TV. You were amazing. You beat a Blastoise with your Charizard. I was so sure you were gonna win the whole thing!" the girl who'd put her hands together said.
"Really, thanks," Ash said with a blush.
May looked at the girl with a frown, sensing a bit of a crush going on.
"Can I get your autograph?" another girl asked.
"Me too!" a boy asked.
Ash looked around and saw many sheets of paper being pulled out of notebooks. For about two minutes he signed his name for at least a dozen kids. One piece of paper even asked if he'd go the upcoming dance with her. Ash didn't know what to say, so he just signed his name like he did on the others.
"Well now that that's done, I think we should all know the secret to how you get to where you've gotten," the teacher said.
"Uh…" Ash looked around.
"What if your secret?" one of the boys asked.
"Secret, uh no secret really," Ash said. "Just train hard, trust in your Pokemon, and never give up!"
He kinda made it up on the spot, though that was the best he could come up with.
"Really?" the first boy that had spoken when they'd entered the classroom asked. "Well, I'd like to test my mettle against you Ash. Would you mind having a battle with me at 3'clock tomorrow?"
Ash looked at him. A boy with auburn hair, freckles, and brown eyes.
"Uh… alright I guess I could some practice before my battle with Roxanne."
They spent about ten more minutes then could finally go.
…
"Uh, having a fanclub is tough," Ash said.
"At least your official fan club, that would be even worse," Brock said.
"Yeah," May said, still frowning a bit.
With their brief trip to school done, everyone headed to the Rustboro shopping center to pick out clothes for the upcoming dance.
May grinned at all the different clothes. Swimsuits, dresses that could look good for the dance in two days, and normal clothes. She looked over the dresses and swimsuits, wanting to replace her old yellow bikini with a newer better one. She also needed a dress for the dance, and maybe…
"Hey, May?" Ash asked.
May looked at him.
"Yes Ash?"
Ash approached her and blushed intensely. "May… would you like to go-"
The words caught in his throat. The nerves seeming to block his voice as he tried to speak. Why couldn't this be as easy as going into another Pokemon battle?
"Go where?" May asked, blushing as well. Was he going to ask her the dance. She hoped so, but at the same time felt nervous about the possibility as well.
"Would you like to-" Ash struggled to speak. "Go to the dance?"
The words finally made their way out and May looked at him, her face turning bright red. For a moment Ash thought for sure that she would say no but then-
"Ash. I'd love to!" May said.
Ash smiled at her.
"But… I want to know," she added. "Is this as friends or… a date?"
Ash clenched his teeth nervously. What should he tell her? That he liked her? What if she didn't feel the same way? But what if she did? If he said as friend then that would probably hurt her feelings.
One way to find out, he supposed.
"What would you prefer?" Ash asked.
"I-" Oh come on May just confess already! A voice in her head said.
"I think I'd prefer a date," May said.
"Really?" Ash asked.
"Yes," May said. "Ash… I need to confess something. Ever since we met, I've… kind of liked you."
Ash gazed at her in shock. "You… have?"
She nodded.
"You know… I actually felt the same way," Ash said. "I thought you were… really pretty. And as we spent time together I saw other things I liked as well. You enjoy food as much as me, you're easier to get along with then Misty, and you have a good heart."
They looked at each other with small smiles and red cheeks. Without thinking they each subconsciously took a step forward so that their faces were only a couple inches apart. Both felt the urge to kiss…
"We're ready!" Max said as he finally found them.
Both Ash and May looked at him and jumped, fearing they'd almost been caught. Of course, both Brock and Max knew that at least one liked the other.
"Oh, uh, okay," Ash said.
Both of them turned away from each other. It was a relief to know they both liked each other finally, but they wouldn't mind taking it just one step further. Ah well, maybe at the dance. And May still needed to pick out her dress!
…
From behind a rack of clothes, a familiar trio in disguise were watching the heroes with wicked smiles.
"Well, it looks like there's some twerp love in the air," Jessie said.
"And the oldest twerp is back," James said.
"That could make things difficult for us," Meowth said.
"Who cares. We never give up remember? That's the Team Rocket way to stardom!" Jessie said. "Alright here's the plan. With this dance coming up we are going to use it as an opportunity to grab Pikachu and any other Pokemon we can get our hands. We've been pursuing the twerp for a long time now and are going to come out on top!"
Okay, so Ash and May have confessed their feelings for each other, but Team Rocket has finally caught up to them! And what sort of things will await them at the dance? Will Ash have a bunch of fangirls after him? Will someone ask May to the dance? Find out next time. Don't know if I can manage to get two chapters in a week but I'll try my best. Now that I'm getting used to my new schedule I can adapt accordingly.