Okay, I can tell all you war mongers that the battle isn't going to start until sometime in Chapter 31. Whatever happened to liking the Shipping fic for the Shipping, and not the Battles?

Meh, I'm ranty. Let's go with Chapter 29.

Ash stood back and tried to take in every detail about what he saw as she stepped down the stairs.

Her feet were now clad in red and black running shoes with white bottoms. She retained the short, black socks from her previous ensemble, as well as the black shorts that hugged her upper legs. Her white skirt had been replaced with a red one, with a white stripe up the center of it all the way to the neck of her red blouse. On her hips hung a new, green pack, replacing the yellow one she started her journey with. Her red blouse ended at her neck, featuring a black collar similar to the red one in her previous fashion statement, although this one was folded down, appearing more formal. This new top had no sleeves, leaving her arms bare up to her gloves. The new gloves still featured black fingers with white palms, but also had a hole in the back, revealing the skin on the back of her hand. The gloves extended further over her wrists, featuring a green ring that matched her new pack. Atop her head, newly cleaned, dried and tied lovingly, was the bandana that Ash had bought for her several days ago.

She stepped off of the bottom step and stood in front of the boy. Pikachu leapt onto Ash's shoulder to get a better view of May's new look. Avoiding eye contact with either of them, she asked, "How do you like it?"

"It's-I-Um-I mean-" Ash stumbled over the words.

"Pika!" Pikachu smiled.

"I think he likes it, sis," Max smiled at Ash's ineptitude.

May giggled at Ash, glad to have the boy's jumbled approval.

"Yes!" Raine cheered. "Now, Ash and May, I need you two to come with me!" She grabbed both of them by their arms and began pulling them up the stairs. Raine turned her head to the other mothers, "You two need to go find something to do. I can handle the next part." She turned to her daughter. "Go get lots of printer paper and color ink cartridges from under the desk up front and come up to my room." Cyndi saluted her mother and ran off.

Raine pulled the couple into her room. A short, blue carpet covered the floor, and along with the purple wall paper, gave the room a chilling feel. While most of the room was taken up by the bed Raine and her husband shared when he was with them, a small computer desk with a printer sat in the corner. Raine began searching though the papers on the desk, looking for something. She reached down and picked a small ball with a cable attached to the back of it off her desk. She quickly booted up her computer and began pounding away at the keyboard. Ash and May watched as a window that showed the palm of Raine's hand appeared on the screen. The woman spun the ball in her hand until the camera's lens focused on Ash and May. The trainers stood bewildered as they saw themselves on the small screen.

"Now, I need you two to pose for me," Raine explained, turning the small camera towards them.

"Pose?" Ash blushed. "Wh-whaddya mean?" May looked away from the boy and blushed as well.

"You two are going to help me advertise the store," Raine smiled. "You did say you'd help if you could, right?"

"I did, didn't I?" Ash sighed. "But why us?"

"With all the publicity at the battle tomorrow," Raine excitedly smiled, "I'd be stupid not to have the people who beat Misty advertise for me!"

"So, what's your plan?" May asked, still not having wrapped her head around the idea.

"I'm going to take some pictures of you two posing together and put them on fliers," Raine explained as Cyndi came into the room carrying lots of paper and a few small boxes. "After the battle, I'll get them distributed, and people will come from all over the city to buy the same outfit that the girl that beat Misty wore!"

"This is all a publicity stunt?" May raised her eyebrow, slightly annoyed due to having been reduced to a marketing tool.

"Yes, but I need you!" Raine grabbed her hands and pleaded. "This is my chance to reinvigorate the store! It's a blessing from the Almighty God!" Raine leapt back and raised her hands into the air.

"But, what if we lose?" May asked.

Before she could follow up, however, Cyndi leapt up. "Hey, don't go into this thinking you're gonna lose!" she shot. "Think positive!"

"Well, I have nothing to lose, really," Raine shrugged. "If you lose, then I'll lose the store, anyway, right? I'll have to leave town."

Ash and May got in a small huddle. "We need to help her, May," Ash reminded her. "Raine's been awfully good to us."

"But I don't really feel comfortable," May sighed. "Someone already tried to take advantage of my body earlier tonight. Now I feel like Raine's asking me to do the same thing."

"If you don't wanna do this," Ash told her, "I'm sure you can back out."

"I'll help Raine," May smiled. "After all, isn't that what you'd do, Ash?"

"Yeah…" he responded absentmindedly. "Wait, why is what I'd do important?"

"If we're boyfriend and girlfriend now," May broke the huddle and wiggled her finger at him, "then we're gonna have to do a lot more stuff together."

"B-boyfriend?" Ash studdered. "Me?"

"Of course!" May smiled.

"Are you two ready?" Raine asked, turning from the computer after having set up the program.

"As we'll ever be…" Ash grumbled, still confused as to what May meant by 'boyfriend.'

"So how are we supposed to pose?" May asked, moving her right index finger to her chin.

Raine stepped over to the couple and moved May so she was standing mostly in front of Ash. She took Ash's arms and placed them around May's midsection. Raine stepped back and looked for a moment, puzzled as to how she could improve it. "No," she told herself, "that should be good enough." She walked over to the computer and began preperations for the picture taking. "Ready in 10…" Raine began the count down.

"So I'm you're boyfriend, now?" Ash whispered into her ear.

"…9…8…7…"

"Well, I thought we were when I said that I loved you," May responded.

"...6…5…4…"

"Well, then I better do something boyfriendish," Ash responded.

"…3…"

Ash moved his face closer to May's and pressed his lips against her cheek.

"…2…"

May began to blush and moved her arm behind Ash's head, placing the palm of her hand on the back of his neck.

"…1…"

They both closed their eyes, the kisser and the kissed, enjoying the intimate moment.

"…there! I got it!" Raine cheered. They opened their eyes and saw the picture of them. Ash held her in his arms while kissing her on the cheek very sweetly, as May's hand disappeared behind their heads.

Ash's stomach let out an audible growl. "I never ate tonight…" Ash moaned, "I was too busy chasing Pikachu and May in the woods…"

"Well, then let your girlfriend fix you something right up!" May smiled, taking him by the hand and leading him out of the room.

"Wait!" Ash tried to halt her. "What if Raine needs our help some more?"

"I've got it," Raine waved them off. "You two have fun."

"Please?" Ash begged as May dragged him out.

May lead him down the stairs and towards the kitchen. Max, Norman and Caroline had set up the couch bed and had fallen asleep upon it. As they turned into the kitchen, May saw Oak sitting at the table, reading a book that had its cover hidden in a layer of newspaper. Delia sat across the table from him, her head lying in her arms, fast asleep.

"Hey, Professor," Ash greeted the man.

Oak quickly slammed the book closed and turned to them. "Oh, hello, Ash, May," he smiled at them. "You two should be getting to sleep soon. You'll have a hard day tomorrow."

"Well, Ash's too hungry to sleep," May giggled, "so I'm gonna try to cook him up something."

"That's very sweet of you, May," the professor smiled. He stood up and began walking out of the room. "I'll leave you two alone," he yawned. "Come with me, Delia," Oak said to her. The sleeping woman stood up and began to walk out of the room. She bumped her face against the wall only once before finding the doorway and leaving the kitchen.

"So, what can I make you?" May giggled.

Ash pondered for a moment. "Well, have you ever made grilled cheese sandwiches before?"

May put a finger to her cheek. "No, but how hard can it be?" she asked. She opened the refrigerator and began to look around. "Hey, there's no cheese in here!"

Ash looked over her shoulder. "Yes, there is," he pointed to it. "It's right there, in the slices."

May picked up a piece of the sliced cheese disdainfully. "This is cheese? It looks like it's sick…"

Ash grumbled. "Well, when I was younger, my mom would always make me a grilled cheese sandwich with sliced cheese."

"My mom used a big wheel of cheddar," May related her experience.

Ash grumbled again. "Well, my Mom couldn't afford expensive cheese, and I got along fine!"

May realized she was upsetting him. "Oh, I'm sorry, Ash," she quickly apologized. "I didn't mean to offend you. I guess I'm a bit spoiled," she sighed. "If this is what you want, then I'll make it for you."

Ash's frown turned back into a smile. "Thanks, May," he told her.

May looked around for the butter and brought it out, as well as getting some of the slices of cheese and bread. Remembering how Ash took offense to her liberal butter usage when she prepared breakfast that day, she used a knife to cut off only a small sliver of butter. She used the sliver to butter the sides of the bread the sandwich would be cooked on. She cut off a slightly larger piece and dropped it into the pan, allowing it to melt. She placed the buttered sandwich into the frying pan.

"So…" Ash tried to make conversation, "what are we supposed to do, now?"

"What do you mean?" May asked, continuing to cook.

"Well, if we're boyfriend and girlfriend," Ash explained, "doesn't that mean things are gonna change between us?"

May thought for a moment. "Well, yeah," she said. "Why shouldn't it?"

"I guess I'm kinda afraid," Ash laughed at himself. "If things start to change too fast, I'm afraid that I'll screw up our relationship and then we couldn't even be friends after that."

"Yeah…" May trailed off, looking out the window. "This is all really kinda new, ya know?"

"Do I ever," Ash smiled to himself. "I've never had a girlfriend before. I wonder how people are gonna expect us to act?"

"They'll probably expect me to be hanging all over you," May laughed, turning around to stand behind where Ash was sitting. She draped her arms around his neck and over his chest. "Y'know, like this."

Ash felt his face turn red. He was determined to turn it around, though. "Y-yeah, and they'd want me to lean back and kiss you." He leaned his chair back to see May's smiling face as she lowered her lips.

Once again, Ash felt this wonderful feeling from deep inside himself engulf him. These feelings of love that he couldn't quite understand became as clear as day when his lips met hers. He wanted May to continue to kiss him for the next few hours.

Unfortunately for him, physics had other plans. The chair Ash leaned back in began to fall further backwards, ripping the youth from his significant other. The back of the chair, along with Ash, hit the ground with a loud crack, sending his hat flying across the ground.

"Oh my gosh!" May panicked. "I'm so sorry!" she began to help him to he feet. "Are you alright?"

Ash rubbed the back of his head and groaned. "Yeah, I'll be alright. I was just getting the hang of this kissing thing, too."

May leaned down and picked up his hat. She stepped over to the refrigerator as Ash still held the back of his head. Opening the freezer, she dropped some ice cubes into his hat and carried it over to him. "Here," she told him. "Hold this to the back of your head to ease the swelling."

Ash held the ice to his bruised scalp. "Thanks, May," he grumbled.

May giggled at his disappointment. The smell of burning bread entered her nose. "The sandwich!" she exclaimed as she turned around. She quickly flipped the sandwich over in the pan to see the mostly blackened side of it. She sighed, disappointed in herself for messing up what seemed like a simple sandwich. "Sorry, Ash," she sighed, "I'll make a new one for you."

"It's okay," Ash laughed, standing up while holding the ice to his head. "I'll still eat it; I'm too hungry to wait for a new one. Besides, it's the thought that counts, right?"

May leaned her back against him as he stood behind her. "I guess so," she thought. "What if something happens between us, Ash?" she asked out of the blue.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked the girl as he wrapped his free arm around her neck.

"I mean, what if we get in an argument and decide that we're gonna break up?" she asked.

"I kinda talked to Max about this earlier," Ash related. "I really hope nothing happens, but if something does, I really hope we can still be friends, May."

"I do, too, Ash," she leaned her head back and looked at him from the top of her eyes. "But I'm afraid that if we go too far and then something happens, we might not be able to be friends."

"Like what happened between you and Drew?" Ash asked her.

"I… I'm not sure I can be his friend anymore…" she thought sadly. "After what he did to me…"

"Drew's afraid of that, too," Ash whispered to her. "He's worried that you'll never forgive him."

"Why should I?" she shouted at Ash, turning to face him with anger in her eyes. "He doesn't deserve forgiveness!"

Ash took her by the hand. "I'm not saying that you have to or should. That's your decision. I was just saying that Drew is worried that you'll never forgive him."

May turned back to the sandwich and flipped it over, checking it. She flipped it back onto the undercooked side. "A-are you going to do something like that, too?" she asked uncertainly, continuing to watch the cooking.

"I promise I'll never hurt you, May," Ash said, smiling yet serious. "And if you ever feel like I'm hurting you, I want you to tell me. I love you too much to want to harm you…" he realized that he had said the 'love' word.

"Do you really love me, Ash?" she asked, continuing to flip the sandwich.

"I… I do, May," he said, uncertain of himself.

"Why do you love me?" she quickly asked.

"Max asked me this one, too," he sighed. "And like I told him. It's a lot of different things. I guess the easy way to say it would be, that I love you for being you."

"Do you love me as much as you love your Pokémon?" she asked.

"What kind of question is that?" Ash blinked.

"When I saw how much compassion you had for Swellow after he hurt you," May swallowed. "I… I got kinda jealous. You said that you loved me, and it seemed to me that you loved Swellow more."

"I guess I do love my Pokémon," Ash said, "and I love you on the same level as them. I'm sorry if that hurts your feelings, May." Ash sighed. "My Pokémon are my partners, and I care about them a lot. In the same way, you're my partner, too, and I love you a lot."

May stopped leaning on Ash and flipped the sandwich. Ash couldn't see her face to gauge her reaction to what he had said. "I think it's done," May said, picking the messy sandwich up and setting it on a plate.

Ash looked at it in horror. On one side, the sandwich was crispy, black, and burnt. On the other, the bread seemed to have melted, and the cheese was sticking out of the side of the torn bread.

"Here ya go, Ash," May smiled, handing him the defective food stuff. "Eat up."

Ash considered what he had just said and the happy, expectant look on the girl's face. Swallowing his pride, he took the sandwich off the plate and took a bite.

The taste was a mixture of buttery, cheesy, and burnt. The buttery and cheesy flavors, however, managed to overpower the burnt flavor. Ash found the sandwich palatable as he scarfed it down, hoping to alleviate his hunger.

"How does it taste?" May asked, a hint of fear in her voice.

Ash managed to swallow the last portion of it. "It was good," he said, hoping that May wouldn't think him dishonest. He really thought it was good. Just not the best thing he had ever eaten.

May walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. "That's really sweet of you, Ash," she whispered. "From how it looked, I thought it would have been terrible. But as long as you like it, that's enough for me." She turned her head and quickly gave him a peck on the cheek that caused them both to blush. "I love you, Ash," she whispered into his ear.

"I think it's time we went to sleep, May," Ash whispered back. "We have a big day, tomorrow. Thank you for the grilled cheese, by the way."

"You're welcome," she smiled, taking his hand as they walked back into the living room.

The scene before them illustrated how late it truly was. Norman, Caroline, and Max still snoozed on the opened couch-bed, while Oak had dozed off in the easy chair. Ash almost stepped on his mother as he walked through the room. It appeared that she was approarching a small wooden chair with the intent of falling asleep in it, but it seemed like she never made it. Seeing that nearly every possible spot in the room was taken, Ash and May quietly tip-toed up the stairs and peeked into Raine's room to spy on the mother.

She had fallen asleep in her chair, nodding only when the nasally voice of her computer informed her that she was out of paper. She snorted at the interruption to her nap, and stood up, walking only a few feet before stumbling into her bed, fast asleep. Deciding to take a different approach, Ash and May turned around as the coordinator led her new boyfriend into Cyndi's room.

The girl was asleep at her desk, with Ash's Pikachu napping on the plush dolls that lined her bookshelf. Ash looked around the dolls and news article, amazed that one little girl could accumulate so much information on him. He picked up the Pidgeot Doll and reminisced about the old friend that he hasn't seen in ages.

"Oh, Ash, look at this!" May whispered loudly to him. The trainer put the doll back down as he turned to May and Cyndi. The coordinator looked over the small girl's shoulder to see that she had been drawing a picture. It wasn't finished, as the girl had fallen asleep in the process, but the subject of her drawing was apparent.

In the drawing, Ash and May stood side by side, holding each other's hands. In front of them stood Max and Cyndi, also holding hands, their poses mirroring the poses the youths who stood above them. Under the girl's face, they could make out Brock's spikey hair, but the drawing of the breeder was unfinished.

"That's so cute," May whispered, indicating her brother and the young girl. "Cyndi likes Max!"

Ash chuckled. "I guess when we taunted them earlier, we weren't completely wrong. May, roll back Cyndi's covers, okay?"

May put on a slightly confused look, but obeyed, and rolled the girl's covers back. Ash bent over and picked Cyndi up, his arms supporting her legs and neck. He placed her on the bed and May, taking initiative, tucked her beneath the covers.

"She looks so peaceful," Ash whispered. "Certainly different from the loud girl we normally deal with."

"Yeah," May smiled. She ran her fingers through the girl's dark blue hair.

"…Mama…" Cyndi muttered in her sleep. She turn over on her side away from the couple as they stood over her.

May let out a short laugh. "Mama, eh?"

"I think you'd make a great mom, May," Ash placed his arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah, but you'd make a better dad," May playfully shoved him. "What with how you baby your Pokémon."

"I guess we'd both make good parents," Ash conceded, laughing.

"We really need to get to sleep," May sighed. "But where are we gonna sleep?"

"There's plenty of floor space here," Ash said, indicating the area around Cyndi's bed. "We could sleep here. I could go get our sleeping bags if you want."

May considered the idea. "Yes to sleeping on the floor in here, no to the sleeping bags. We'll be fine."

Ash and May sat down next to each other. "So…" Ash said, still sitting up, "how are we gonna sleep?"

"Well, how about how we slept against that tree a few days ago?" May asked. She and Ash backed up to the side of Cyndi's bed. Ash placed one of his hands on May's back. May curled up and placed her head in his lap.

"Um, May?" Ash cautioned. "Your head wasn't there that night."

"Maybe, but I want it here now," she snuggled her head against his lap like she did in her dream all those nights ago.

She felt Ash run his fingers though her hair. "I guess if you want, I should be a good boyfriend and let you, huh?"

"Now don't spoil me, Ash," May playfully warned.

"I won't," Ash chuckled. "Good night, May," he whispered, lowering his face to hers. He kissed her rather sloppily just under her ear. Realizing his folly, he chuckled. "I guess I still need practice," he laughed.

"We can work on that tomorrow," May laughed. "G'night, Ash," she smiled at him, closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

Yes, May is now dressed in her Emerald clothes. Although I'm sure nearly all of you guessed that.

How did you like this chapter? I know you all are antsy about getting the battle, but patience is a virtue. And besides, after the battle, the story's pretty much over. I hope you all enjoy it as the story enters the final act.

Everyone, get Pokémon!