Here's the next part. I wonder how all of you are taking Drew's kiss? I've noticed that some Advanceshippers are pessimistic. Are you all really that concerned about Drew?
Anyway, enjoy chapter 15.
"Pikachu!" Ash called from another room. The Electric-type fell backwards from his window perch, landing on his back. The door next to him opened and May stepped inside. She glanced over and saw the fallen Pokémon, lying on his back.
"Hey, Pikachu," she laughed, "what are you doing on the floor over here?" She picked him up and held him in her arms. Pikachu cooed as May rubbed his head. The coordinator walked into the back room to see Cyndi watching television, blankly flipping through channels. She turned to her right as a delicious scent wafted into the room. She carried Pikachu over to the door and looked into the kitchen. The room has white and blue tile on the floor with a yellow and blue wallpaper. The wallpaper was old, as May could tell from it peeling off certain parts of the wall, mostly toward the ceiling.
"Hey, May," Ash smiled at the rhyme he had come up with. The boy was setting plates at the table. "Did Drew leave?"
"Yeah…" she said, her mind drifting back towards her confrontation with the charming boy.
"Oh…" Ash looked down, picking up a bowl he had sat down, returning it to the cupboard nearby a cooking Raine. "Are we ready to eat, yet?" Ash asked the woman.
"Yes, it looks about done…" she said, turning the heat off of the pot. "Cyndi! Supper's ready!"
The girl wandered back into the room, absently taking a chair close to the door she had just walked in from. Ash walked into the living room to obtain a fourth chair because the table in the kitchen only had three near it. It was a rectangular table, with three chairs on the left side, coming in from the living room. Ash sat his chair across from May, who sat the furthest from the door, with Raine and Cyndi sitting in that order. Raine began to pour the stew she had made into the bowls at the table. After thanking her for feeding them, Ash and May began to eat their meal.
Raine was a good cook. Her stew tasted great and filled the stomachs of the trainers very well. Cyndi got a disgruntled look across her face while her Ash and May complemented the deliciousness of the meal.
"Mom," she asked, "Can we afford this?"
"Hush, Cyndi!" she quieted her daughter. "Don't talk about things like that in front of our guests."
"But Mom," Cyndi became outraged, "you know Dad's been late this week! If we eat all of our food now, then what will we have if it doesn't arrive until next week!"
"Hush!" Raine scolded her child.
"What's wrong?" Ash asked, having stopped eating.
"It's nothing…" Raine tried to dismiss the issue. "May, you're a Pokémon Coordinator, right? How is that working for you?"
May thought for a moment, "Well, I feel like I'm doing well," she said. "I got to both of the Grand Festivals I've tried to enter. I even got a couple rounds into them. But now that their over…" she sighed, "I guess I don't really have a goal right now. I guess I'm glad that Harley made it a contest battle. It gives me a goal, even if it's just for a couple days."
"Bah, give me Gym Battles and league tournaments, any day!" Cyndi scoffed. "Contests are just a hyped up beauty contest!"
May quickly got offended. "Hey, Contests are just as hard as Gym Battles, if not harder!" she snapped. "You have to plan interesting appeals, execute them flawlessly, then you have to battle with style in the second round! Neglecting any one part could make you end up in ruin!"
"Hey, May," Ash laughed, trying to break the tension, "calm down. I know you try your hardest at the contests, and from what I can tell, they are anything but easy. Don't let her get under your skin."
May took in a deep breath. "I've had a hard day today," she sighed.
Cyndi looked curiously at May. "Hey, Mom," she spoke up, "Can May sleep in my room with me tonight?"
"I suppose," Raine said, an eyebrow raised, "but why? You just got in a fight with her?"
"Because I want to have some girl talk with her. I mean, she's the girl closest to Ash. I want to talk to someone who has an inside view of my hero like that."
"Your hero?" May asked.
"I'll explain!" Cyndi stood on her chair. She talked about how she had first seen Ash in the Indigo League, and then heard of him when he beat the leader of the Orange Crew. She told May about seeing Ash live in the Silver Conference. She talked about how she wanted to ask May what it was like at the Evergrande Conference. "I also went to see Ash live at the Battle Dome, when he fought Tucker. I didn't realize we were in the same building, May! I want to hear about the rest of Ash's Battle Frontier matches!"
"Why can't I tell them?" Ash asked, feeling overshadowed.
"Because you're too modest, Ash." Cyndi told him. "You'd make it out to not be such a big deal. Just like when you said that you were glad to get beaten by Harrison and his stupid Blaziken." Cyndi hopped off the chair and turned to May. "Do you wanna see my room?" she asked.
"Sure," May laughed, standing up and following the girl into the other room and up the stairs.
Ash turned to Pikachu, who had barely even eaten any of the Pokémon food Ash had set before him. "Is something up, buddy?" he asked.
Pikachu just continued to stare at May until she disappeared from sight. He knew he would have to tell Ash before the day was over. It was his duty as Ash's best friend to tell Ash what happened. After May disappeared, he turned his attention to his food. He was a hungry Pokémon, after all.
May walked up the wooden stairs and turned right, following the younger girl. She stepped into the room before the younger girl could turn on the light. A quick click from the desk lamp on Cyndi's desk, and the room was brightly illuminated. The room was painted with a faded pink paint and boasted a purple carpet. The bed had pink covers and a fluffy, white pillow. Next to the bed, facing a window, was a small desk. Lots of drawling utensils were strewn across the room. A large bookcase sat opposite the bed on the right side of the room. Filling its shelves were many Pokémon Dolls. "A Pikachu, a Pidgeotto, a Butterfree…" May began. She remembered hearing of these Pokémon before. "Oh, there's a Cyndaquil, and a Totodile!" she continued. "Here's a Treecko, a Taillow, and a Corphish…" she said, coming to a realization. "These are all Ash's Pokémon…" May could point out nearly every one of Ash's captures among the dolls. The only two missing were Sceptile and Aipom. "I guess she doesn't know…" May whispered to herself. To the left of the book case, away from the window, there were some newspaper clippings. "'Local boy reaches top sixteen in first league attempt'… 'Ash does it again! Boy defeats leader of the Orange Crew'… 'Local Trainers show Pallet Pride in Johto Silver Conference'" May was amazed at all of these articles. Cyndi had been following Ash's exploits for a long time. She almost missed the article about Ash losing in the Hoenn League. It was much smaller than the others. May felt something rise in her throat. Ash has done so much, yet he still hasn't reached his goal. And it seems that a lot of the people who cheered him on no longer cared about where he was or how well he did. When she reaches the point where she'd have been traveling along just as long as Ash has been, will there still be people who care about what she does?
On the wall to the right of the book case where some very well done crayon drawings that Cyndi hastily took down. "What are those?" May asked, trying to see the pictures.
"Nothing…" the girl stated as she began pulling them off the walls. Just then she dropped a piece of paper. The paper sailed lazily toward May's feet. She picked it up and looked at it. It featured a couple, dancing. The boy was someone May could very easily identify. Dancing with Ash was a girl who looked about May's age. Her long, dark blue hair gently fell along her back, her head resting against his chest.
Before she could look longer, Cyndi snatched the picture out of her hands. "Don't be so nosey!" she scowled. She quickly rolled up the paper with the others and slid them under her bed.
May giggled. "You have a crush on Ash?" she asked.
Cyndi blushed. "So?" she asked. "It's not like you don't!"
It was May's turn to blush. "What? How do you know?"
Cyndi smiled. "Well, other than you just admitting it," she grinned, "I watched you both in the ice cream parlor. And I heard you whine to him to get him to do something for you."
"Okay," May sat in the chair in front of Cyndi's desk, "I'll admit it to you. I like Ash."
"I knew it!" Cyndi gloated. "I knew you did! Are you two gonna go steady?"
May looked up. "What? You don't know the full situation, do you?"
"What do you mean?" Cyndi was dumbfounded. "You like Ash. It's obvious he likes you, the way he jumps to your defense. I don't see the problem…"
"Well, there's this other guy…" May began.
"Is it that Drake guy?" Cyndi asked. "The one with the green hair."
"His name is Drew!" May practically shouted. She realized what she did and her face turned as red as her blouse. "I like him, too."
"I'd help you," Cyndi started, "but you know who I think you should go with…"
"You think I should go with Drew?" May asked.
"Hell, no!" the girl cussed. "Ash is much better than that Shoe guy!"
"But I thought you liked Ash?" May was furrowed her brown eye brows. "Why would you want me to be with him?"
"I can never be with Ash…" Cyndi looked down. "The age gap is too wide, and besides, I'm content being his fan. But you!" She stood on the bed so she could reach May's shoulders. "Ash has fallen in love with you! And you like him! You're living my dream!"
"Yeah, but right now, Ash and Drew seem to be pulling me into a nightmare…" May sighed.
"Well, tell me how you met Ash, and Drew…" Cyndi sat on the bed. May recounted the start of her adventure. Meeting Ash and Pikachu. Receiving her Torchic. Teaming up with Max and Brock. And becoming inspired to become a coordinator. She told Cyndi briefly of the adventures Ash and she had in Hoenn. She told her about Ash's first two Gym Battles. Then they arrived in Slateport, and May met Drew in her first Pokémon contest. May talked about her defeat, and how they met several times during her Hoenn adventures. She told Cyndi about how she lost in the Grand Festival and Drew's rose.
"Drew sounds like a playboy!" Cyndi spoke up. "I think he's only giving you a rose to seem like the romantic type, but if you where a boy, he'd treat you just as bad as Harley does now, if not worse!"
This was the second time this thought entered May's head. Drew isn't like that, is he? He'd have helped me, even if I was a boy, right?
"And from what I can tell, Ash treats everyone with respect and kindness unless they show him that they don't deserve it by doing bad stuff," Cyndi supported Ash's case.
May thought about this for a moment. Ash was generally easy going, and would go out of his way to help just about anyone. Only when faced by criminals, like the Rockets, the Aquas, or the Magmas did Ash act harshly to them. And it was only after they had done something first.
"I just don't know…" May turned to the window. She looked at the stars and thought of Ash and Drew. "I think we need to head to sleep, soon." May commented. "It's gonna be an early day tomorrow."
Meanwhile, Ash was helping Raine clean up after supper. He washed the bowls out while Raine moved the uneaten portion of the stew into plastic containers to eat as leftovers. She handed them to Ash, who opened up the refrigerator and placed them inside. "Hey, Raine," Ash began, "what was Cyndi talking about?"
"I'll tell you, Ash…" the woman sat down. "My husband works quite a ways away from here. He rarely ever has a time where he can come home. His work keeps him away. But he always manages to send his check home to us. Our store doesn't get much business, so we rely on him sending us that money." She looked out the window to the starry sky. "But for the last few weeks, his checks have been coming later and later. Cyndi and I are having a hard time getting by. I don't know how much longer we can keep the store open…"
"What you all need is some publicity," Ash stated. "If we could some how harness the publicity that Misty's sisters are stirring up for the battle, we may be able to get people to learn about your store!"
"How would we do that?" she asked him.
"I haven't thought that far ahead yet…" Ash admitted.
"You should get some sleep…" Raine placed her hand on Ash's shoulder. "You're going to have an early day tomorrow."
"Yeah," Ash looked down. "I'll go to sleep, now. Thank you for taking May and me in."
"It's alright," Raine assured him, "I know that you'll help us if you can."
Ash took out his sleeping bag and fashioned it into a blanket like he had done so two nights ago. He took off his sweat shirt and left it hanging on the chair he brought back into the living room. "Hey, Pikachu!" Ash shouted. He heard his friend scampering down the stairs into the room. "It's getting late. We've gotta be getting to sleep."
"Pika." The Pokémon interrupted. He had to tell him.
"What is it?" Ash was worried.
"Pikapi, Chuu pikaka Pikachu!" Pikachu, exclaimed.
"What?" Ash shouted in a hushed tone, "Are you sure? Did you see?"
"Pika." he nodded.
Ash growled. "That Drew…" he scowled, "what's he up to…" He sat down and looked at Pikachu. "I wonder, is he really gonna help me, or is he gonna get revenge for beating him the other day?"
Pikachu shrugged. He hopped into Ash's arms, snuggling close to the trainer. "I don't know who I can rely on now, Pikachu…" Ash confided in him, "Misty's turned on us, Drew's trying to use us. I hope Brock and Max'll be on our side. I wonder how everyone in Pallet is handling this…" Ash closed his eyes after that, fading into sleep.
"Ash!" a woman in a pink blouse and blue skirt ran to him, pulling him close.
"Mom?" Ash was confused, "What are you doing here?"
"We heard what nasty things Misty's been saying about you!" Ash's mother cried in her son's hair. "We've come to take you home, away from this place."
"What?" Ash was even more confused. From up the stairs, A man with short hair held May under his arm, easily holding her restrained under one arm. He wore a brown shirt and black jeans. "May!" Ash called out to her.
"Ash, help!" she struggled helplessly.
The man walked up to Ash. His mother had disappeared. "I'm taking May back to Hoenn."
"But why?" Ash asked.
"I heard the things you've done with her. I can't believe you would do such a thing…" His dark eyes focused on Ash in anger. "To think I trusted you…" he pulled his free arm back and punched Ash in the face.
Ash was jolted awake from the events in his nightmare. He looked at the ceiling for a moment, then at the old VCR sitting atop the small television. The LCD displayed 3:03. Turning his head back to the ceiling, he closed his eyes and tried to drift back to sleep. Unfortunately for him, his dreams would continue to be riddled with nightmares. Unlike a certain coordinator's.
"Good evening, m'lady," a boy with black, messy hair bowed before her. As he stood to face her, May took notice of the neat tuxedo that the boy wore. Her eyes looked up to see the smiling face of her friend.
"Ash!" May stood up. She at that point noticed that she was wearing a dress. It was much similar to the one she had worn shortly before her adventure with Lucario and the Regi Pokémon, except that all the red was replaced with green, taking note from her new bandana. "What's going on?" she asked.
Ash's hand extended. "I'm asking you to dance," he said.
"Of course I'd like to dance!" May blushed, taking his hand. He led her to the middle of the full ballroom. He placed his hands on her waist and she tossed her arms onto his shoulders. Together they began to dance. Ash led May in the dance, gazing lovingly into her sapphire eyes. May gazed into his auburn eyes, and felt something begin to well up inside of her. Before she could act, though, a familiar voice called to them.
"May I cut in?" Drew asked Ash, also dressed very neatly in a tuxedo.
"Of course!" Ash smiled, handing him May's hand. Drew placed his hands on May's waist, just as Ash had done, and they began to dance. His emerald eyes captivated her, keeping her from looking anywhere else as they spun. Drew stopped dancing with her and Ash walked up to the pair.
"I love you, May," the boys said simultaneously. They puckered their lips and each planted a sweet, soft kiss on the girl's cheeks.
May looked up from her sleeping bag on the floor to see the bright window. The sun had risen on the other side of the building, but it was already day break. She stood up and began to get dressed. The first day of training had begun.
How did you like that? I'm sorry I couldn't describe May's dress more; I quite frankly don't know what the parts of a dress are called. It's basically her Movie 8 dress, colored green instead of red. Training begins next time, so stay tuned! If your computer requires tuning, that is.
Anyway, I'm headed to college pretty soon, so the next update might take longer to write. Don't think the story's just gonna end, though, I fully intend to finish this. It might just be slowed down. Just hope I get it done soon. I actually hope I can get chapter 16 up before I go. I've also estimated that 25 is about the length it'll take to get to the end of the story. It might be longer, though.