Okay, I've got news.
Due to college work and other things, I was unable to finish the story by today. But I'm not going to leave you all hanging. Instead of my origonal plan of a really long last chapter, I'm going to split part of what I have off and make it Chapter 34. The true ending should come Friday, but until then, enjoy.
EDIT (18/10/06): I fixed an early scene concerning the Cascade Badge. I musta accedentally deleted it.
As Ash, May and Misty returned to the Gym, they saw the masses leaving the building. As the crowds left the Gym, Raine stood on Norman and Joseph's shoulders promoting her store while the men distributed her flyers. Having been chosen as a judge for this battle made Raine a celebrity. And the maternal shop keep was sure she was going to capitalize on the opportunity. Ash and the girls scanned the crowds for their friends, and saw them all grouped together around the back side of the Gym Building.
"Hey everyone!" Ash said as he and the two girls approached the crowd.
"May!" Max ran up to his sister. May kneeled down and caught her brother in her arms and hugged him. "You were awesome! I would have never thought of doing something like that with Squirtle's Attacks!"
"I have to admit, May," Misty smiled at her, "that was an excellent battle, even if it was under false pretenses."
"Thanks, Misty," May bowed slightly to her friend.
"I guess I should reward someone for the battle," Misty said, reaching into her pocket, "and seeing as Ash already participated in the Kanto League a while back, I figure that I should give it to you, May." Misty pulled a small, blue badge out of her pocket. It had the same color as Misty's eyes, and was shaped as a droplet.
"A Cascade Badge?" Cyndi was in awe. "Wow!"
"I don't think I should," May smiled, trying to wave off the badge. "I mean, it wasn't even an official Gym Battle."
"Go ahead, May," Ash nudged her. "You deserve it after that great battle."
"But still…" May smiled. "I don't think I deserve it."
Misty chuckled. "You must not have been told how Ash got a lot of his Kanto Badges, huh?"
May put on a confused look on her face. She looked over to Ash, who was away who had moved away from the group, crouched over and depressed.
"A Gym Badge doesn't always mean that the trainer defeated the Gym Leader in battle," Brock said, moving into the conversation. "It means the Gym Leader sees the holder as qualified of the Badge."
Ash leapt up, grinning. "See, Misty?" he boasted. "I was qualified of those Badges!"
Misty put a skeptical look on her face. "Yeah, because getting a Gym Leader to laugh makes you qualified of a Badge," she smirked to the boy. Ash became depressed again, and sighed.
May placed her hand on the saddened boy's shoulder. Misty reached down and took the hand from Ash's shoulder and dropped the Cascade Badge into May's hand. "I see you as qualified, May. And even if you don't use it to get into a league, you can hold on to it as a symbol of our friendship, and hopefully as a good memento of the things that happened here."
"When you say it like that," May laughed, "how can I refuse?" May struck a pose and held the Cascade Badge in the air between her thumb and her middle and index fingers. "I got a Cascade Badge!"
"Pi pikachu!" Pikachu leapt from the ground to her shoulder, giving the peace sign. Everyone, including Drew, Tracey, and Team Rocket laughed.
May looked around. "I guess we better go find our parents and stuff, huh?"
"Norman and Professor Oak are helping distribute flyers," Brock laughed. "Raine really wanted to cash in on their star power."
"Where'd my Mom go?" Ash asked, trying to look into the crowd from afar.
"She and Caroline rushed back to the store to run it while my Mom was out here," Cyndi explained, stepping next to Max.
"I guess we all bedda get goin' den," Meowth said to the twerps. "It's been fun hangin' around youse guys, but us bad guys gotta get movin'."
"Wait, Team Rocket," Ash called to them, "can I talk to you guys for a second?"
"What is it, twerp?" Jessie asked him, curious.
"A-actually," he said, turning to the rest of his friends, "can I talk to Team Rocket alone, please?"
"Why'd you wanna do that?" Cyndi raised her eyebrow.
May looked into Ash's eyes to search for a meaning to what he wanted. She smiled and nodded. "That's okay, Ash," she said, grabbing the attention of the group, "I've gotta talk to Drew alone, anyway."
Max was surprised. "You're gonna talk to him alone? Even after what he did?"
Cyndi leapt in. "You're supposed to be Ash's girlfriend! You're not supposed to be talking with every boy in private!" the young girl snapped.
"It's alright," Ash smiled at May. "I know you two have a lot to talk about. And I trust you, May. I know you won't do anything wrong."
"Well, if Ash trusts May," Cyndi smiled to herself, "I guess I do, too." Max sighed at the girl's ability to change sides to suit whichever one Ash was on.
"T-Tracey?" Misty asked, trying her hardest not to be embarrassed, "I think we better talk, too."
Tracey felt his face flush, but he only nodded and began to follow Misty away from the group.
"C'mon, Cyndi and Max," Brock said to them, "let's go find your Norman and Raine." He led the children away.
May stepped up to close to Ash so that only he could hear her whisper. "I'm still kinda scared, Ash," she confided in him.
"You'll be alright, May," he whispered back. "Take Pikachu with you if it makes you feel better. I certainly don't need him around Team Rocket, anyway."
"Thanks, Ash," she gladly took his offer. "You're the best." She turned to the small Pokémon on her shoulder, who nodded in agreement. She walked away from the boy and called Drew as they stepped around the building.
"Now what was so important that you had to talk to us alone, twerp?" Jessie asked him again.
"I wanted to thank you guys," Ash smiled to them.
"Thank us?" James was confused.
"But we was da reason dat you ended up in Cerulean ta start with," Meowth didn't follow, either.
"I've been doing some thinking," Ash explained, "and if you all had never tried to catch Pikachu that day, May and I would never have had the chance to get closer. It's really thanks to you all that everything happened that let me and May fall in love."
Jessie laughed. "Really? We helped you two fall in love?"
"We helped?" James raised his eyebrow.
Meowth put a reserved look on his face. "I guess we helped 'cuz we didn't know dat we was actually helping."
"Wooobuffet!" the cheery Psychic-Type added, popping out of his Pokéball.
Jessie reached into her pocket and pulled out the novel from all those days ago. "How long has it been since I last read from this?" she mused.
James placed his finger to his chin and recollected. "A week tomorrow, I believe," he said.
"Really?" Jessie said. "The last time I read was the day before we kidnapped twerpette."
Ash blinked. "Wow, time flies, huh?" he asked no one in particular.
Jessie turned to Ash. "Anyway, is that all?" she asked, seemingly annoyed.
"I… I guess…" Ash sighed. "It's just that I probably would have lost May if you guys didn't be yourselves. I owe you all a lot."
Jessie turned away from him and motioned to Meowth. "It's nothing, twerp," she said slyly. "I guess it feels good for us to be good guys every once in a while." Meowth produced the controller he used earlier that day, causing their balloon to sail back into view and land behind the trio. Jessie turned back around and stood sternly in front of Ash. "But next time we meet on the road, twerp, we're gonna be after Pikachu again." She stuck her hand out.
Ash gripped it tightly. "The status quo. I wouldn't have it any other way," he smiled to the leader of the trio.
"Jessie, we better get going," James called to her from the balloon. Mime Jr. sat on Wobbuffet's head and called for her as well.
She let go of Ash's hand and leapt into the balloon, which immediately began to sail away. "Looks like Team Rocket gets a peaceful exit this time!" the trio called as their balloon sailed into the sunset.
Ash looked into his hand and saw a small piece of paper that Jessie placed there. He opened it and read it.
Just so you know, the Ruby Knight ended up winning Princess Sapphire's heart in the end.
Jessie
Ash smiled as he folded up the paper and placed it into his pocket for later. Now he needed to go catch up with the rest of his friends while he waited for May and Drew to finish talking.
"So, May," Drew asked as she sat on the concrete barrier in front of the river, "why'd you wanna talk to me?"
"I… I really wanted to ask you why you did it?" she asked him, holding Pikachu protectively in her arms.
"Oh." Drew became quiet. He tried to think. "I… I was feeling jealous of Ash. I'll admit it."
"But that doesn't explain why you did it!" May shot back. Pikachu also chimed in.
"Harley told me that he saw you two sharing food, and I thought that you all might have kissed," Drew half mumbled, ashamed of himself. "I thought that if I could get farther with you than he has, I'd feel better about myself."
"You thought it would make you feel better to assault me?" May hopped down from the wall, becoming irritated with her rival.
"I thought that, but that doesn't mean I think I'm right," Drew admitted. "I'm sorry for what I did, but there's no way I can go back to the past and change what I did." The male coordinator looked down. "I'll have to carry this weight, this sin, with me for the rest of my life. And it tears me up inside because I really loved you, May."
"And I used to love you, Drew," May admitted to him. "But you showed me a part of you that would have broken us up if I had seen it down the line, anyway. I'm with Ash, now, and I see that he's loved me for a long time. I guess I just came to that realization recently, though."
"Pika…" the Electric type cooed softly in her arms.
"Harley did say that the two of you had been spending more time alone together," Drew recalled glumly.
"It was during those times that I saw that Ash can be really loving and romantic," May sighed happily to herself. "He just has a hard time expressing himself to people."
Drew sighed, but smiled. "I'm happy for you, May," he said.
"Thank you, Drew," May said.
"Can we be friends again, May?" Drew asked, slightly afraid.
May thought for a moment. "Of course we can," she reassured him. "I forgive you for what you did, Drew. Even though you can never take it back, I know that you're truly sorry for doing it. We can be friends again." She held out her hand to his. Drew looked at her hand oddly for a moment. Not sure how to do this as he wasn't accustomed to shaking girl's hands, he placed his hand in May's and gripped hard, but not too hard, afraid that he would hurt her again. Pikachu hopped down, and touched their clasped hands with the tip of his tail, showing approval for the mended friendship.
"Thank you, May, Pikachu," Drew smiled, a tear sliding down his face. He quickly shook it off and returned to his patented cool demeanor.
"So, Drew," May asked as Pikachu hopped to her shoulder, "where are you headed now?"
"I've heard that there are contests starting soon in the Johto Region," he said. "I've also heard that Saori will be going there to compete, so I'm going to be following her there so I can try to defeat her."
"Johto, huh?" May looked across the river.
"I'm not gonna ask you to come with me," he said. "You probably want some time to spend with Ash."
"That's true," she said, "but after the Battle Frontier is over, I don't know where we're gonna end up going."
"Follow your heart, May," Drew advised her. "If you love Ash, stay with him. I'm sure if you two talk, you'll be able to choose a new destination together."
"Drew…" May said, looking at him.
"If it helps, I'll spread rumors that you're going to Johto, as well," he said.
"Why?" May was confused. "How would that help?"
"Harley's not gonna let you go so easily," Drew said to her. "If he thinks you're going to Johto, he'll go there and search for you, even if you're not really there."
"You'd do that for me?" she asked.
"After what I did," Drew sighed, "you deserve so much more than what I can do." He looked into the sunset. "I better get going. Ash is probably waiting for you." He began walking away from May, down the path that led out of town.
"Drew!" May called. "One day, we'll have a full Contest Battle, and I'll show you that I really am the better of the two of us!"
The green haired coordinator said nothing, only waving his hand behind him as he walked away. May smiled at him as he left, then began to search for Ash. After all, she was getting hungry, and if she was hungry, she could bet that Ash was, too.
As Ash came around the Gym, he saw that Brock, Max, Cyndi, Raine, Joseph, Norman and Oak all stood in the grass in front of him conversing jollily. He saw Cyndi making a spinning motion as Max ran around her in the same direction. "Augh!" Max shouted. "I can't go on!" He then let out a loud laugh.
"So you all were as impressed with May's battling as I was," he asked the children as he came close.
"It was great!" Max shouted, smiling. "May turned that attack right back on Misty, and she didn't even see it coming until it was too late!"
"It's just what I expected from your pupil, Ash," Cyndi nodded affirmatively.
"Hey, Ash," Brock said as the trainer approached, "we're getting ready to head somewhere for a victory dinner." The breeder looked around. "Hey, where'd everyone else go?"
"Team Rocket left in their balloon recently, and May's still talking to Drew, I guess," Ash said.
"That still leaves Misty and Tracey unaccounted for," Brock noted.
"Here we are!" Misty called from the opening doors of the Gym. She walked out first, and Tracey followed behind her with a renewed sense of vigor. "What are you all standing out here for?"
"We're waiting-" Ash began.
"-for me to get back!" May hopped around the corner with Pikachu on her shoulder.
"Pikapi!" Ash's partner let out as he leapt to his trainer's shoulder.
"Hey, Pikachu," Ash laughed as his partner worked around his head, "you took good care of May, didn't you?"
"Pikapika," the electric Pokémon cooed.
A sound came from Ash and May's stomachs simultaneously. "Heh," Ash laughed, "I guess we're both hungry, huh?"
May smiled and stepped to stand by his side. "Eating is just another thing we can do together as boyfriend and girlfriend," she said slyly to Ash.
"Oh great," Misty sighed. "If she eats like Ash does, there's no place in Cerulean that can feed them both and remain open." The rest of the group laughed at the couple's expense, including Pikachu.
"Not to worry, though," Brock smiled. "We'll just stop by the store on the way back to Raine's and I'll whip up enough that we'll all be able to eat."
After getting the attention of the adults, Ash and May began leading their group back into town. Instead of the treatment that they had received earlier that day from Misty's fans, Ash and May were treated as heroes and cheered on for nobly routing out the evil Harley from Misty's pure Gym.
Ash sighed. "I'm amazed that people can change sides so quickly…"
May walked close to him and took his hand in her own. "At least they're on our side now, right?"
As they passed by the Pokémon Center, a defeated Joy with frazzled pink hair walked out of the center, a bag draped over her shoulder. She reached into her pocket and tossed the keys out at Raine, and then marched off down the road, grumbling.
"I'm kind of depressed that we didn't share any witty banter," Raine sighed, yet pleased with her victory.
"Raine?" Joseph walked up behind her and placed her hand on the mother's shoulder. "Why did Joy give you a key?"
"It's the key to the Pokémon Center, and it belongs to you, now," Raine smiled, putting the key in his hand.
"Why did she give you the key, Raine?" He asked, knowing that Raine just avoided answering it completely.
"B-Because when Ash and May won the battle, Joy agreed to swap Centers with you, so you could work closer to home." Raine smiled happily. "Now you don't have to be gone at the Center for months on end, and we can be a family!"
"Raine, what did you put up so that my cousin would agree to this?" Joseph looked into her eyes. "I know she's not the type to just agree to this kind of thing."
"I wagered the store against the Pokémon Center…" she muttered, slightly ashamed.
"I knew it…" Joseph sighed. "Why did you wager your grandmother's store like that? That's the only home Cyndi has ever known, and you were going to just rip that away from her if they lost the silly battle?"
"It's hard, Joe!" Raine cried. "It's so lonely in our bed every night without you. I have to force myself to sleep, knowing that I'll have to go another day, week, or even month without seeing you! Cyndi has to go another month without seeing her father!" She cried into his chest. "I just wanted us to be together. I didn't care if I lost the store. We were going under as it was. Only because Ash and May won did we pass out those flyers for the store. If not, it wouldn't matter, because I couldn't make another payment, and store would have been repossessed anyway," she sniffed.
Joseph wrapped his arms around his wife. "I understand. I just wish you told me sooner, Raine. That's all."
"Um…" Max smiled, stepping forward. "Won't Joy need Joseph's key to get into her new center?"
"You're right!" Joseph leapt up. He pulled a Pokéball from his coat and tossed it into the air. "Skarmory, I choose you!"
In a flash of light, Raine's Pokémon appeared before the party. She shone her wings in the setting sunlight and let out a shrill "Skyaa!"
"Wait, Joe," Raine stopped him as he approached Skarmory to ride it to his cousin. "I'll deliver the key."
"But why?" He asked. "You've never gotten along with her, and I know you two will end up fighting."
"I feel like I owe her that much," Raine sighed. Turning to her Pokémon and issuing commands like she did when she was 12 years younger, she shouted, "Skarmory! Let's go!"
May saw a renewed vigor in the former coordinator's eyes and spirit as her Pokémon responded. Raine agilely leapt to Skarmory's back and flew down the road to the trudging Pokémon Nurse.
"Is Mom gonna be alright?" Cyndi asked her father as her mother flew in the distance.
"I'm sure," Joseph comforted her. He turned to the large group. "Now, let's all get into the Center and Brock can cook something up for us!" he smiled as he led them into the center.
Now's time for lots of reflection. What did you really enjoy about this story? What didn't you enjoy? What changes would you make to make it better? Those are the kinds of things you need to ask yourself as you review.
Until Friday, see you!