whipped up a powerful burst of wind.

The gust was strong enough to push the magic leaves back at Bayleef. Bayleef jumped back avoiding the leaves. "Nice work May Beautifly is looking really good" Ash said. "I think she's ready for the grand festival" May said. "Nice work Bayleef you've really helped Beautifly" Ash said. Ash and May were training at a small park near the lagoon.

Bayleef tackled Ash and stood over him blushing. "Bay bay" She said. "Well May looks like you'be got some competition" Caroline said. Caroline and Norman were sitting at a table a few feet from May. Norman got up from the table and took out one of his pokeballs.

"Alright May Are you ready for some of my training?" Norman said. May returned beautifly and sent out Blaziken. "Ready if you are" May said. "Go slaking"Norman said as his massive slaking came out and pounded its chest.

"Slaking use slack off" Norman said. "Blaziken dodge it" May said. Blaziken ran toward slaking and then acrobaticly jumped over Slaking. "Slaking use hammer arm" Norman said. "Slaking!" Slaking ran at Blaziken swinging it's arms around.

"Blaziken use high jump kick" May said. Blaziken jumped over Slaking's arms and delivered a powerful kick to his head. Blaziken landed on the other side of slaking and turned to face Slaking. despite the high jump kick Slaking pounded his chest and looked as if he hadn't been hit at all.

"My Slaking is a good a sparring partner because he can take so many hits" Norman said. "Slaking use slack off" Norman said. Slaking ran at Blaziken with surprising speed, "Blaziken dodge it" May said.

Blaziken jumped over Slaking but he got to close to the massive pokemon. Slaking grabbed blaziken by the leg and hurled him to the ground and then lifted him up again. "Quick blaziken use blazekick" May said.

Blaziken delivered a powerful and fiery kick to slaking's head, breaking free of his grip. Blaziken landed in front of Slaking as the massive pokemon turned his head back to blaziken and pounded on his chest.

"Hey guys!" Max shouted. Max and Red walked up to the table Caroline was still sitting at. "The Sootopolis gym is open again. One of Juan's senior students is filling in for him" Max said. "I think Max is ready for his eighth gym battle" Red said. "I really want you guys to see my win my last badge" Max said.

"We'd love see your battle Max but I think May wants to keep training for the grand festival" Norman said. "Aw come on May you haven't seen any of my gym battles" Max said. "Max I'll be there when you compete in the Hoenn league" May said. "Only because Ash is already competing" Max said.

"OK Max if you really want me to come" May started. "No I was only kidding May , If you want to train I understand" Max said. Norman returned his Slaking and left the park with Caroline and Max.

"Alright I think that's enough physical training for now Ash. I want to practice some routines for the performance rounds" May said. "Good idea you're going to want that part down" Ash said. May let out the rest of her pokemon so each one could practice their own routine.

"OK Venusaur your up first, I want you start with razor leaf" May said. Venusaur unleashed a malstrom of leaves into the air. "Ok now use petal dance and sweet scent" May said. Venusaur unleashed hundreds or pink flower petals and a very haunting aroma that made the leaves and petals a little sticky.

"Great now use frenzy plant" May said. "Venusaur!" Venusaur shouted as she stopped the ground and unleashed six massive spiked roots burst out of the ground. When the petals and leaves came in contact with the roots they stuck to the roots. Venasaur positioned the roots around her to make herself look like a giant garded.

"How was that?" May asked. "I thought it was pretty good, though if you want my honest opinion it was kind of simple compared to your usual routines" Ash said. "Well my routine isn't done yet" May said. "Venasaur use solarbeam" May said.

The sun was especially bright out that day,this allowed Venasaur to take in plenty of sunlight and unleash solarbeam immediately. Venasaur shot the solarbeam straight up and the shearing light made all of the leaves and petals shine with multiple colors showing from the sweet scent.

The combination of each move turned venusaur's appearance from a garden to a magical garden. "Pika chu" Pikachu said in wonder. "Well there it is , May you've outdone yourself" Ash said. "Thanks Ash, and thank you for being honest when you saw the first part. If you didn't point out where you saw flaws I wouldn't be able to improve" May said.

"Well I thought your routine was kinda cute, but I wouldn't count on that performance getting you past the preliminaries" A familiar voice said. Ash and May turned to see Harley standing near the table May's parents had sat.

"What do you want Harley" May said. "I just came to see how your training is doing. Apparently not very good" Harley said. "Why don't you come over here and say that" Ash said. "Ha, the little runt is acting like a tough guy how cute" Harley said. He walked over to A May, standing right in front of her.

"If I were you i'd quit while I was ahead, there's no need for you to be humiliated by me at the grand festival" Harley said. "Harley if you haven't noticed I've beaten you in every contest you've faced me in. I'm not afraid of you" May said. "Ha , you should be little girl, I've held back on you every time we've competed in the same contest. But now I think i'll hit you with everything i've got" Harley said.

"We'll just see about that when I win my second grand festival. If you forgot I also beat you when I won the Jhoto grand festival" May said. "Ha , your little luck out five years ago. That means nothing to me" Harley said. "You can act as tough as you want Harley. I know I'm the better coordinator and you're just cocky , self obsessed, creep" May said.

Harley grabbed May by her jaw and leaned in close. "I'd be careful if I were you , little girl, I'm not afraid to play rough with you" Harley said. Ash grabbed Harley's arm and pushed him off May. "This is your last warning Harley, back off" Ash said. "That's it I'm going to teach you some respect punk" Harley said.

Harley swung his right arm at Ash who used his left elbow to knock Harley's arm aside then punched Harley with his right hand. Harley was knocked back and May saw blood coming from his nose. "Little brat, I'm leaving" Harley said holding his right hand over his nose. "Good ridence" Ash said. He turned back to May "May are you alright , he didn't hurt you did he?" Ash said.

"No he just scared me a little, until you kicked his cocky ass" May said smiling. A few yards away the officer Jenny of Sootopolis city was drinking coffee at a table with her husband and his close friend. Jenny's husband and his close friend were both on leave from the Hoenn army. "I think that teenager just assaulted that young man" Jenny's husbands friend said.

Officer Jenny saw everything that had happened and turned her head toward the table. "I didn't see anything" Jenny said before taking a drink from her mug. "That girl looks like she's some coordinator" Jenny's husband said. "You two will still be here for the grand festival I say we should go and see her" Jenny said.

"Think you can get some time off from the police department" Her husband's friend said. "I'm not the only officer here . Besides nothing ever happens in Sootopolis city" Jenny said. May had each of her pokemon go through their routines before taking a rest at the pokemon center.

Her and Ash sat at a table as nurse Joy checked up on their pokemon. "May if you perform in the grand festival like you did in training today you're going to win the grand festival without a doubt" Ash said.

"Thank's Ash, I'm not sure I could have made it this far without you're help" May said. "Don't discredit yourself May. You made it through Jhoto and won all on your own. You're already a great coordinator even without me" Ash said.

"Ash let's face it , everything I ever learned about training pokemon was from you. In fact if it weren't for you I don't think I ever would have learned to even like pokemon" May said. Pikachu lept down from Ash's shoulder and onto the table.

He grabbed Ash's hand and pulled it onto May's then stepped back. "Pikachu" Ash said. Pikachu laughed a little as he saw Ash and May both blush. "So May, we probably still have a while before your family and Red get back. Why not go out and around Sootopolis city" Ash said. "Ash Ketchum are you asking your girlfriend out on a date?" May said.

"You could say that" Ash said still blushing. "It's a date then" May said also blushing. Ash and May both heard a commotion as someone else came into the center. A young man who looked around Ash and May's age came in with several girls around him. "Is it me or does he look familiar" Ash said.

May looked closer past the girls around the young man. "I don't believe it , it's Drew" May said. "Drew?" Ash said. He looked closer and saw she was right. Drew had changed his appearance much since the last time Ash or May had seen him.

Drew's hair was now blue and was long enough to be put into a poneytail. Drew was wearing a blue trench coat like jacket and some small earings. "Calm down girls, you all know I had a hard day of training and my pokemon need some time to rest" Drew said.

Drew placed his six pokeballs on the counter by nurse Joy. When Drew turned away from the counter he saw Ash and May. "Well look whose here" He said. "Ash, May it's so good to see you again" Drew said. "Drew what happened to you" May said.

"Well May when you broke my heart and I finally got over you I decided to reinvent myself. Since then I haven't lost a single contest and I've amassed a number of lovely fans. " Drew said. Drew took out a white rose and tossed it at the four girls.

The four girls all scrambled to catch the rose , some even hit each other to get it. "Oh and I wouldn't plan on winning the grand festival now that I'm entered in May" Drew said."I'll be back later for my pokemon. Let's go girls, it's off to the spa" Drew said as he waked out of the pokemon center with his fans right behind him.

"Wow I didn't think Drew could become a bigger show off punk. Guess I was wrong" Ash said. "I'm really going to enjoy beating him again" May said with much confidence. "That's my girl" Ash said. May blushed a little when Ash said that, "So where should we go tonight?" May asked.

"Well I thought we could ride on Charizard around sunset" Ash said. "That's always a fun time, anything else you want to do?" May said. "I don't know what do you want to do?" Ash said. "Well we could go to the peak overlooking the city, I here there's a very classy restaurant there that overlooks the entire city" May said.

"That sounds great but we still have a few hours before dinner or sunset" Ash said. "That's true, is there anything else you wanted to do?" May said. Ash thought for a moment and then had an idea. "I got it May lets head down to the lagoon and go swimming" Ash said.

"That sounds fun alright lets go" May said. Ash and May went down to a small beach near the docks. The beach was about two miles long and there were dozens of people with their pokemon already at the beach.

Ash and May had changed into their bathing suits in some changing rooms near the bathrooms. "It's nice and sunny out the perfect time to be at the beach" May said. May and Ash had let out all of their pokemon so they could have fun too.

Ash's current pokemon included pikachu, Bayleef, Lucario, Charizard, Swampert, and Garchomp (who he swamped out with the day before). May had her venasaur, Charmander, Glaceon, Beutifly, Blaziken, and vulpix. Ash was laying on a towel with May beside him and her head on his chest.

While the two sun bathed their pokemon enjoyed the beach. Pikachu was playing a game of tag with, Charmander, Vulpix, Bayleef, glaceon, and beautifly. Charmander was currently it and was chasing the others. "No fair , I'm not suppose to be fast until I grow a set of wings" Charmander said as he struggled to catch up.

Charizard was watching him chase after them with Lucario and Blaziken. "I'm tempted to go and help him" Charizard growled. "If you really want to but keep in mind you won't always be around to help him" Lucario said. "After he beat milotic I don't think he needs it anymore" Charizard said. "Charizard when is your own child due anyway?" Lucario asked.

"I don't know really, even Charla isn't sure when our egg will hatch" Charizard said. "Well maybe some day your little charmander will belong to Ash and May's little charmander if you know what i mean" Blaziken said. Charizard and Lucario both turned to Blaziken, "Oh come on we all know that's where they're heading when they get older " Blaziken said. "Yeah, you're probably right" Lucario said.

Venasaur was resting close enough to the water that she felt the water brush up against her. Suddenly she was hit with a piece of mud and she opened her eyes to see swampert out in the deep. Swampert laughed a little and Venasaur angrily launched a few razor leaves at him. Swampert went underwater avoiding the razor leaves.

After Charizard finneshed his game of tag he was standing toward the water with charizard and Garchomp. Charmander unleashed dragon rage at the open lagoon and then turned to Charizard. "Your dragon rage is improving, i'm very proud of you charmander. I really hope my son is just like you" Charziard said pating charmanders head.

"Well if you thought that was an impressive move look at this" Garchomp said. Garhomp gathered up his dragon energy then pointed his mouth straight up and unleashed draco meteor.

The draco meteor flew up and at around a hundred feet it burst into a dozen smaller meteors that flew down into the lagoon. "It's amazing" Charmander said. Many other pokemon and people on the beach saw the draco meteor and were also amazed. "You see what did I tell you" Garchomp said.

"Wait what's it doing?"Charizard said pointing to one of the smaller fragments still falling but toward the beach. The fragment hit the ground and when it impacted it shot up a cloud of sand. Pikachu who was the closest to the impact site heard a shriek of pain. "Guys I think it hit someone" Pikachu said.

"Oh no" Garchomp said. "Come on let's go see if they're hurt" Blaziken said. Pikachu, Charmander, Charizard, Blaziken, Lucario, and Garchomp rushed over to where the draco meteor hit. Pikachu arrived first to see a piplup on the ground with swirly eyes "Ouach" He said.

"May did you hear something like a crash?" Ash said. "Maybe, but I don't feel like investigating remember we're on a date" May said. May got up "Come on it's warm enough to go in the water" May said.

"Piplup is that you?" Pikachu said. Piplup looked up and saw pikachu "Hey is that you pikachu?" He said. "Unless you met another Pikachu in the last five years, yes it's me Ash's pikachu" PIkachu said. "Well It's been a while hasn't it. Wait what was a I hit with?" Piplup said. "Uh, well, Draco metero" Pikachu said.

Piplup looked at up and saw Garchomp. "You! Dam it I should have known that no matter where I go I'm not safe from you!" Piplup said. "Calm down piplup it's been at least five years since it last happened" Garchomp said. "Wait if you're here doesn't that mean" Pikachu started. "Piplup are you ok!" A familiar voice said.

Pikachu and the others looked up to see Dawn standing over piplup. Down saw pikachu and the other pokemon. "Hey wait could that be" Dawn said. "Who is this girl?" Charmander asked. "I don't know let me read her aura" Lucario said. "Guys this is that coordinator that Ash and Brock traveled with in Sinnoh" Pikachu said.

"Yeah I remember her" Blaziken said. PIkachu came closer to Dawn and let her pick him up. "It is you, and that must be May's blaziken. So I guess they're both here can you show me where they are" Dawn said.

Ash and May were still in the water when Dawn discovered Pikachu. "Why haven't we done this beforethe water here is so nice" May said. "I guess we've just been to busy training" Ash said. "Really I guess we just need to cool off" May said. She came up behind Ash and dunked his head under the water.

She laughed a little but stopped when she felt Ash grab her legs and lift her up using his shoulders. Ash Lifted May completely out of the water with her still on his shoulders. Before she could say anything Ash let go of her legs and she fell backwards into the water. When May came back up she said. "Does someone want to be dunked again" .

Swampert burst out of the water tackling both May and Ash under the water. Before the two could respond he knocked them onto his back and jumped out of the water again. Ash and May held on as tight as they could while Swampert continued to swim with incredible speed in the shallows.

"I think your swampert might like this place a little too much" May said. "Oh what you're not having fun" Ash said. "I never said that" May said. When Swampert let them off the two got out of the water and started to dry themselves off. Ash noticed that several of their pokemon were gone. "Hey May where's pikachu and the others?" Ash said.

"You're right charmander and Blaziken are gone too" May said. "Bay Bay" Bayleef said nudging Ash. "Bayleef do you know where they are?" Ash said. Bayleef turned to the east side of the beach where Ash and May saw their pokemon leading someone to them. "There they are and it looks like they've got someone with them" May said.

When Pikachu got close enough Ash lowered his arm so Pikachu could jump onto his shoulder. "Ash it is you" Dawn said. Ash looked back up and saw it was Dawn and her Piplup. "Dawn, woah what are you doing here?" Ash said. "I was wondering the same thing" Dawn said.

"I'm here competeing in the Hoenn league I already have my eight badges. I guess you're here for the Hoenn grand festival" Ash said. "Yeah I got here a few months ago and I've got my five ribbons" Dawn said. "congratulations I guess we'll be competing against each other again" May said.

"Yeah but it won't be easy, I had a hard enough time getting my ribbons here. I'll tell you contests in Hoenn are way harder than ones in Sinnoh" Dawn said. "I think you're just more use to Sinnoh contests" May said. "If I remember right Sinnoh contests focus more on style and glamour than battling" Ash said. "You're right on that Ash" Dawn said.

"So what have you two been doing in the last five years?" Dawn said. "Well I competed in the Jhoto grand festival and managed to win it" May said. " I've been training back at Pallot town for the last few years" Ash said. "Five years of training, you must be an ace trainer by now" Dawn said.

"So what have you been doing?" May asked. "I tried to become a pokemon stylist like I said I would but it turns out it requires more experience as a coordinator than I thought. So I tried competing in the Sinnoh grand festival again but I still couldn't win. So I took a few years off to train with my mom and when I competed in the grand festival for a third time I won" Dawn said.

"Well congratulations" May said. Ash checked the time with his watch and saw it was four. "May it's four we should probably get to the restaurant" Ash said. "Right , well it was nice seeing you again Dawn" May said. "Restaurant , are you two going on a little date" Dawn joked. "Actually yes" Ash said.

"What?" Dawn said. "Oh right we didn't tell you. Ash and I are dating now" May said. "Wait you two are dating when did this happen?" Dawn said. "Back in Rustboro city during the Rustboro contest" Ash said.

"Oh well congratulations" Dawn said. Ash and May had dinner at the restaurant overlooking the city. "So Harley, Dawn, and the new Drew are my rivals in the grand festival" May said. "Well the competition looks tough but you can beat them May I know you can" Ash said. "With you supporting me Ash I think I can beat anyone" May said.

When they finished dinner Ash and May were both on Charizard's back as he flew over the city. "Sootopolis looks so beautiful from up here" May said. "We should enjoy these rides on charizard as much as we can. I get the feeling when his child is born we won't see him very often" Ash said. "You're probably right" May said.

Charizard flew over Sootopolis for another forty minutes while Dawn sat at a café with piplup. Dawn didn't notice charizard over them as she drank some coffee. "I can't believe Ash and May are dating. I guess that means I have to find someone else" Dawn said. "I'll have a small black coffee with just a hint of vanilla" Dawn heard.

She turned to see a young man wearing a blue jacket similar to a trench coat. He had blue hair long enough to be in a short pony tail and had a very cocky expression on his face. The young man sat at the table closest to Dawn and started drinking his coffee. "With the new routine I have planned no one will even stand a chance against me" He said.

"Hey you're in the grand festival too" Dawn said. The young man turned to Dawn "Of course and I'm going to win as well" He said. Piplup didn't like the way he talked and glared at him. "Who are you?" Dawn asked. "I'm the fantastic Drew and who might you be" Drew said. "I'm Dawn I'm also entering the grand festival" Dawn said.

Drew raised one of his eyebrows when he saw piplup. "A piplup you must be from Sinnoh. I always did like Sinnoh contests they have so much more style and art in them than Hoenn contests" Drew said. "Well thanks I think, I'm Dawn" She said.

"Well Dawn if you're entering the grand festival than it should have much more style and art in it. I look forward to seeing your performance" Drew said. He finished his coffee and then left the café. As he left Piplup still didn't like him but Dawn's face was red with emotion. "Wow" She said.

Back above Sootopolis city Ash and May saw the sun set completely. "Well I think it's time we head back to the Brenton Inn before we give my family a scare" May said. "Right" Ash said. Charizard flew down to the Brenton Inn and landed at the entrance. "Thanks for the ride Charizard now get some rest" Ash said returning him.

May put in the keycard to her room and walked in. "There you are where have you been all day?" Max said. "Sorry I didn't get the chance to tell you, Ash and I kinda spent the day together" May said . "How sweet and romantic" Caroline said.

"Well your brother won his gym battle today and has his eighth badge" Norman said. "congratulations Max" May said. "Now I can finally compete in the Hoenn league I'm so excited" Max said. In the other room Ash and Red were talking. "So Ash do you know what you're going to do after the Hoenn league?" Red said.

"Not yet ,but I do know one thing though. Before the Hoenn league ends I need to tell May that I love her" Ash said. "You really love her , well I'm happy for you I only hope that I can find someone like her someday" Red said. An hour later Red and his pikachu were fast asleep. Ash was still awake thinking about May. "I can't put it off much longer, I just need to tell her" Ash said.