Meh, not much to say. Battle offically starts in Ch32. Enjoy the shippiness!
"Like, this is the room!" Lily squealed as she opened the door.
The room was very red. Red carpet, pink walls, even a maroon couch. Ash chuckled at the thought that Misty was giving him a preview of Hell. Team Rocket's here, so I guess that much is right. he laughed to himself.
"I'll come back when the battle's about to begin," Lily smiled, leaving the cheerful group in the room.
As soon as she left, the smile left Ash's face. "Alright, what are you guys doing here?" he asked the Rockets.
"Yeah, you guys are normally up to no good," May snapped at them.
"First off," Jessie cleared her voice, speaking for the trio, "that's a very nice new outfit, twerpette. It almost looks like something I'd like to have someday."
May became flustered with embarrassment at the woman's complement. "R-Raine picked it out for me," she said under her breath.
"Well, tell that Raine that she's got an eye for fashion," James commented. "Outfits that well coordinated are normally the providence of us."
"Second," Jessie continued, "we're here only to support you."
"Wait, that doesn't make any sense," Max pushed his glasses up. "Why would you support us? Don't we blast you off more often than anything?"
"Well, there are a lot of different issues at work here," Jessie explained. "First, we don't really like Harley to begin with. So it's natural that we'd go against him."
"But don't you hate us more?" Brock raised an eyebrow at this rather frivolous answer.
"That's not the point!" James shot back at him.
"Mime, mime!" his Pokémon mimed him.
"It's also a matter of seeing how well your training with us paid off," James continued. "I'm really eager to see what good we've done."
"Good?" Ash and May both asked, still confused over the issue.
"Don't get da wrong idea or nothin'," Meowth stepped forward. "It's just dat we're da only ones who should be harrasin' you twoips and trying to grab Pikachu, not some stupid crowd."
"Is that why you leapt in from the balloon?" Max asked them.
Jessie sighed. "You're smart for a twerp," she commented. "I guess we feel a bit like we've had a hand in this romance," she said. "And you should know by now over all of our encounters about how much of a romantic I am…" she added, blushing.
"Thanks for scaring the crowd, by the way," Ash held out his hand in friendship to Jessie.
She took it and shook firmly. "We're even, due to you saving us from the police."
James looked out the door. "We should get going if we're going to get a good seat," he warned his partners.
Pikachu leapt from Ash's shoulder and stepped to Meowth. "Pika," he said, extending his hand. "Pika pika Pipikachu pika pika!" he smiled at Meowth.
"Thanks, Pikachu," he said, slapping his paw against Pikachu's. "You twoips ain't so bad, either."
With that, the Rockets wished Ash and May good luck, and left to go get a ticket and a seat.
"We should probably get going, too," Brock said to Max.
"I'll be cheering as loud as I can," Max turned to his sister and friend. "And I'll get Cyndi to cheer as well!"
"Thanks, Max," Ash smiled at him.
May kneeled to the ground and gave her little brother a hug. "I'm not going to say this isn't a bit scary, having to go up against a friend like this," she whispered to her brother, "but I know you'll be cheering me on." She shed a few tears into his hair.
"You'll be great, May," he said, encouraging her. "With all the work you and Ash've put in, Misty and Harley won't know what hit 'em!"
"Thanks. I love you, Max." she smiled to him.
Brock took Max by the hand and led him out of the room, leaving his teary eyed sister and his friend to prepare for the battle.
"Are you ready, May?" Ash asked her.
"I-I guess I'm still a little nervous," she smiled, trying to hide her fear. "I mean, I don't even know what Pokémon Misty's gonna use. And I've never had to fight a friend before with the stakes so high."
"We'll win, don't worry," Ash affirmed.
"Pika, pika!" the mouse Pokémon added.
"Thanks, Ash and Pikachu," she smiled at them. She wrapped her arms around Ash and placed her head against his chest. She felt Ash place his arms around her, holding her tightly to him.
"I know you're worried, May," he tried to soothe her. "I kind of am, too. I've never told you about how Gary and me used to get along before we became Pokémon Trainers, did I?"
"No," she whispered.
"Gary and I used to be best buds, back in Pallet," he said, thinking about the past. "We were always playing and having fun together. But one day, Professor Oak came to our class and taught us about becoming Pokémon trainers. After that day, Gary would always be making fun of me and how little I knew about Pokémon. We became rivals soon after that."
"Yeah, but what does this have to do with our current situation?" May asked, her eyes closed as she rested her head against him.
"Gary and I have put the past behind us," Ash nuzzled her head with his. "We're friends again now. And I'm sure that this thing with Misty'll go the same way."
"Oh, Ash…" May looked into his eyes. She leaned in and parted her lips slightly, taking the boy by surprise.
Ash returned the kiss, placing his hands at her hips. He parted his lips as well, and slowly brought his tongue out. May felt him moving, and met him at the edge of her lips. They mingled together, tasting each other. Ash rolled his tongue against the roof of May's mouth, tickling the girl internally. May squealed with delight into Ash's mouth, playfully closing her teeth around his tongue. Ash, controlled only by his love for the girl in his arms, broke their locked lips for a moment for them to catch their breath, and then redoubled his efforts. May's hands moved to the back of his head, pulling on his dark hair as they continued to let loose their passions though their mouths.
They were so involved with each other, that they didn't notice the door open or shut.
"Um, hello?" Ash's concentration was broken by Lily's voice. Ash and May opened their eyes, and saw each other blushing bright red. They stood their, lips still wedged together, and tongues tied. "If you two want to make out, you're going to have to do it later. The battle's almost ready to start. I'll be at the end of the hall, waiting for you two to get done in here." With that, Misty's pink-haired sister stepped out of the room.
Ash and May finally broke their kiss and looked into the corner at a cackling Pikachu. The small Pokémon was doubled over in a corner, laughing at the scene.
"What's so funny, Pikachu?" Ash asked, offended.
May put her hand on his cheek. "Hey, at least he didn't interrupt us," she smiled at him.
"I-I guess that's true…" Ash blushed.
"But, wow," May smiled at him wryly, "who'd have thought you'd be such a great kisser?"
"I think it's just beginner's luck," Ash modestly blushed.
"And I didn't think you'd actually try to kiss me that deeply," May blushed, winking at him.
Ash blushed redder. "I told you that I wanted to," he reminded her. He placed his hands on the sides of her face and smiled.
"Well, as much as I'd enjoy a repeat performance," May smiled, "don't we have a battle to get to?"
"Once more," Ash grinned. "For good luck."
"Alright," she sighed happily, parting her lips again for him as he drew himself closer.
"Ladies and Gentleman!" Daisy announced from the side of the arena. "Welcome to the Cerulean Gym and a very special match today! Please make sure you're on the correct side of the Gym. People here supporting Misty are on the side I'm on, and those supporting the challengers are on the opposite side." The lights began to dim at this time, setting the stage for the coming introductions.
Brock groaned. "Well, that explains why there's hardly anyone over here."
The Gym had been divided down the center, with the pool divided lengthwise. The side with Misty's supporters was filled to the brim, full of energetic fans, and cheering patrons. Tracey sat in the front of the crowd with his pencil and drawing pad, ready to sketch some of the impressive scenes from today's battle.
The most condensed area on the side for Ash and May, however, was the area that Brock, Max, Cyndi, Norman, Caroline, Jessie, James, Meowth, Raine and Joseph sat. There were a few other people around, but the area was populated sparsely, at best.
"And now, let me introduce your champions!" Daisy announceed, her gaze pointing at the northern side of the Gym. A screen unraveled from the ceiling, in preparation to show the points and time limit. "Hailing from the port city of Slateport in the faraway Hoenn Region, we have with us a coordinator of extraordinary talent. His abilities allowed him to reach the top sixteen of the Kanto Grand Festival. Please give a loud Cerulean cheer for- Harley!"
At the mention of his name, Harley stepped out of the door way. He made kissing motions towards the crowd that caused the girls on Misty's side to squeal out. He stepped up close to the pool and turned to the darkness behind him.
"Alright, I'm going to take this into my hands!" Cyndi leapt up and began running to the where the MC stood.
As she ran by, she bumped past a rather deject looking young man. As he stepped into the bleachers, everyone who knew him turned their eyes to him.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" Drew asked.
The handsome coordinator had seen better days. His hair had obviously not been combed. The normally fetching mane now sat tossed about by the wind. Brock could make out various leaves caught in it. Drew's clothes were matted with dirt and mud. His pant legs in particular had soaked in the rain water and dirt. His emerald eyes were tinted red, and they seemed strained and lacking their usual vigor. Brock wasn't sure if they were red due to lack of sleep, or his tears.
"What do you even think you're doing here?" Max spat. "I didn't think you'd ever show your face again after what you did to my sister."
Drew's tired eyes returned to the verge of tears. He desperately tried to fight them back, turning his head from the child while clenching his eyes shut. "B-believe me," he managed to say, breathing rapidly, "I've never regretted anything more than this in my entire life."
Caroline felt a mix of rage and compassion for the defeated young man. Eventually, her mothering side won out. "You can sit next to me, Drew," she said.
"I don't deserve to sit next to the mother of the girl I betrayed," Drew declined her offer.
Max was about to make another remark at him, but he felt his conscience stab at him for even thinking about wanting to kick someone when they're down that low.
Drew shuffled down the bleachers and sat next to Jessie, in front of Brock. The breeder sat next to Max, who was next to Cyndi (before the girl dashed off) and behind James and Meowth. Raine sat next to her daughter's empty seat as her husband wrapped his arm around her shoulders from the other side. Delia nervously gnawed at her fingernails, waiting for Ash and May's turn from behind Brock. Caroline sighed at the apparent scatterbrained mother she was next to, but Norman to her side grinned, awaiting a great battle.
"And, now, I give you a trainer who needs no introduction!" Daisy called to the crowed. "It's my honor to introduce you to our Gym Leader and hostess. Please, give a shout out as loud as you can for Cerulean Gym's very own Misty!"
The red-headed Gym Leader smiled as she stepped out to face the crowd. She wore a different outfit. This one was a yellow sleeveless top on small, blue shorts. As she stepped out, her Azurill danced happily at her feet, before dashing across the Gym and leaping into Daisy's arms. Much of the crowd was hooting and hollering at the arrival of their champion, but some women in the crowd gave a few 'awwws' to Daisy and Misty's Azurill. Misty stood next to Harley and they gave each other an affirmative glance before they turned back to their supporters, incurring more cheers for their cause.
"And now, to introduce the chall-" Daisy began, before the mike was yanked from her hands.
"Not so fast!" Cyndi spoke into the mike she how held. "I'll introduce the next ones!"
"Give that here, you little brat!" Daisy snapped at the little girl.
"Wait!" Misty called to her sister. "Let her do the introductions. I'm sure she'll do a great job." Misty's older sister stood there pouting and holding Azurill as Cyndi smiled at Misty. The Gym Leader winked back at her, giving her the go ahead.
"The first half of the team comes from all the way from the distant Hoenn Region. She's got a pedigree for greatness: Her father is the powerful Gym Leader of Petalburg. Starting her journey with just a Torchic and a dream, this young coordinator dared to be great. In her first attempt at entering a Grand Festival in the Hoenn Region, she collected the five necessary ribbons and made it to the top sixteen, defeating one of her opponents today in the process." As Cyndi added the last part, Harley's face turned red with rage. He tried to keep his cool, and for now it was working. Cyndi grinned as the Cacturne-clad coordinator fumed. She continued. "Then she set her sites on our very own Kanto Grand Festival, and after winning some hotly contested battles, came into the top four in the Grand Festival, even beating Harley again, as well as her rival, a powerful coordinator known as Drew." The crowd let out a long series of gasps, feeling surprised that Misty's opponent would have such great credentials. "Please, it is my pleasure to introduce a rising star in the world of Pokémon Coordinating, as well as one of the greatest coordinators in the Kanto Region! Give it up for – May!"
The crowd erupted into cheers as the green and red clad coordinator ran into the Gym. She smiled and waved to the crowds. Boys from the crowd began whistling at her suggestively, causing her to blush.
"You're looking great, honey!" Caroline shouted to her daughter, unsure of whether or not her shout would make it though to her.
"Win this one for all of us, May!" Max shouted to his sister.
"Knock 'em dead, May!" Raine shouted at the top of her lungs. Joseph raised his eyebrow at his wife's interest in the battle.
May smiled across the pool at Misty and Harley. The Cerulean Gym Leader put a determined smile on her face, but her rival fumed at her from behind the red head.
"And now…" Cyndi began, waiting for the crowd to quiet down, "…her partner. He comes here from the small, humble hamlet of Pallet. This young man has competed in countless battles, relying on his friends and Pokémon to see him through. He has traveled the world with his closest friends. You may know some of them. Brock, the former Gym Leader of the Pewter City Gym. Tracey, assistant to the world famous Professor Oak. May, his team mate today whom I've already introduced, and yes, even Cerulean Gym's Misty. He competed in the Indigo League here in Kanto, taking the top sixteen in his first ever Pokémon League tournament. He then left for the Orange Islands to compete in the Orange League, and left not to long after he began there with the Championship in the Orange League and the winner's trophy. After defeating the expert Johto Gym Leaders, he competed in the Johto League Silver Conference where he took the top eight. But he strived to better himself as a trainer, so with only his starting Pikachu in tow, he journeyed to the Hoenn Region, where, using only said Pikachu and the new Pokémon he caught there, he again took the top eight. Now he's traveling in Kanto again, this time taking part in the arduous Battle Frontier. And he's only one Symbol away from winning, that too."
The crowd whispered amongst themselves. "This guy's been in the Battle Frontier? And he's almost won it?" "Top eight in two leagues? This guy's gonna be awesome!" "I hope he's cute! Pikachu is like the cutest thing ever!"
"It is with great honor that I accept the privilege of calling out such a magnificent Pokémon Trainer. So please, raise your voices as loud as they can! This opportunity comes once in a lifetime, battle fans. Now, let me introduce Pallet Town's very own Ash Ketchum!"
Ash ran out of the door he stood in waving his arms to the crowd and his mother as both began to cheer wildly. Pikachu sat on his shoulder waving as well, smiles on both of their faces. Girls in the crowd began screaming at the top of their lungs as the trainer made his way to May.
"I love you, Ash!" he heard Delia shout above the crowd. "Make your Mommy proud!"
"Good luck, Ash!" Brock shouted to him.
"We all know that you can win this, twerp!" Team Rocket shouted against the cheers and clapping of the crowd.
"Woooobuffet!" he added, popping out of his Pokéball into Drew's lap.
"We're finally here, Ash," May smiled at him.
"Yeah, and now we're going to be able to win this!" Ash grinned back. He turned to his partner. "Pikachu, go sit in the crowd. I'm not going to be able to use you in this."
"Pika!" he acknowledged. He leapt from Ash's shoulder and ran up the bleachers to sit in Delia's lap.
"Take it away, Daisy," Cyndi yelled into the microphone, tossing it back to the Cerulean Sister. The girl ran back to her spot in the bleachers next to Max, ignoring Drew altogether.
"Alright, let's get this battle underway. First, we need judges," she Daisy smiled at the crowd, still clutching Azurill. "Because Cerulean Gym doesn't have a regular judging staff for contests, we're going to appoint a judge, and then each side will be allowed to appoint a judge. Isn't that exciting?"
Ash's allies all began looking at each other. "One of us is going to have to be a judge?" Brock asked.
"Well, I'm sure I could do the job," Max tooted his own horn.
"Yes, but there might be a restriction on tiny twerps judging a competition," James snickered.
"Like you could do better," Max pulled on his ear.
"Hey! What're doing that for?" James shouted as he winced in pain. Brock sat back and snickered.
"First, the judge that will be a representative of neither side. Please welcome Cerulean's own Nurse Joy!" Daisy announced as Joy stepped into the arena, walking past Ash and May. She shot a nasty look at them, and then to Raine in the stands while she walked up to the judging booth set up next to the pool on Misty's side.
"Oh Lord," Raine sighed. "Why does this stuff always happen to me?"
"It's alright," Joseph tried to comfort her. "The other two judges can only be better than her." Cyndi and Max both booed the Nurse as she took her seat in the middle of the panel.
"And now, the adjudicator chosen by Misty and Harley. Please welcome Pallet's very own Professor Samuel Oak!" Daisy announced as the elderly man stepped into the arena amid clapping and cheers.
"Professor?" Ash asked him as he walked by. "Why are you judging for Misty?"
"I was hoping you wouldn't be mad, Ash," Oak sighed. "Misty asked me to be a judge for her, and I couldn't say no to such a rare opportunity."
"I'm not mad, Professor," Ash smiled at the elderly gentleman. "I'm glad we have someone we can rely on since that corrupt Joy is on the panel."
"I'll be as fair and balanced as I can be, I promise you," Oak bowed. He then made his way to the panel, where he sat on Joy's right.
"Why's Professor Oak judging for Misty?" Cyndi asked no one in particular.
"I bet Harley asked Misty to do it," Drew sneered across the Gym at him. "I bet he just wants to get everyone he can to turn on May."
"That's low…" Max growled from behind a hunched over James.
"Quick, take notes," he advised the other Rockets. "This kind of nastiness can come in handy later."
"And now, Ash and May," Daisy called to them, "have you chosen your judge?"
The two trainers got in a quick huddle. "Who are we gonna pick, May?" Ash asked his student.
"Well, why not Raine?" May asked. "She'd be a good counterbalance for Joy, plus she also knows a lot about fashion and stuff, what with being in the clothes business and all."
"Great idea, May," Ash agreed. May blushed and gave his hand a quick squeeze.
Daisy stepped over to them and handed May the mike. "Raine, will you be our judge?" she asked the mother, turning to her.
Raine's grimace from Joy's announcement turned into a wry grin, and then a beaming smile. "Of course!" Raine laughed, stepping down the bleachers. The crowd clapped for the middle aged woman as she walked around the Gym and gave Ash and May a hug when she got to them. "Thank you," she whispered. "I won't let you down."
"We never even thought you would, Raine," Ash smiled.
"Just do as well as we both know you can," May smiled.
Raine nodded and walked over to the judge's panel and sat on Joy's left. "Your little punks are gonna get schooled by Misty," Joy whispered so that only Raine could here.
"We'll see about that after Ash and May clean their clocks," Raine sneered.
Now that all the prebattle preperations are done, we can get to the battle! I hope you all enjoy it.
Now I need to get finished WRITING Chapter 32! Stupid college work is slowing me down...