Chapter 8
Ash and May slipped into a comfortable routine in the days following their shopping trip. Ash would slip into May's lectures when she was working at the university, and when she wasn't they'd spend most of the day helping train Ash's Pokémon, to ensure they were all in top physical condition in case he called upon them for the battle. With the news about the battle confirmed to the public, the Pokémon League had enforced Ash to temporarily close the gym, which he has asked May to apologise to Max about, as he was well aware the latter still wanted a rematch.
No matter how much she tried, May couldn't get Ash to spill the beans about the team he was going to use. May was very impressed with how diligently Ash trained all his Pokémon, ensuring not one of them was left out, and that he covered all the necessities, including strengthening their resistance to their type weakness.
On this particular day, May was sat in the lounge of Ash's house, taking a breather herself whilst Ash ran his Pokémon through some drills on the other side of the window, with Georgia sat on a deck chair, also shouting encouragement. May took a sip of the beverage Ash had made her whilst he had also taken a brief break from the session.
May couldn't help but be amazed with how confident and poised Ash looked whenever he commanded his Pokémon, during the past few days of training, she couldn't believe the difference in his personality – from the shy man she had met on the speed dating evening, to the powerful, confident Gym Leader, and arguably one of the most powerful trainers in the world. May smirked slightly at that thought, she had learnt an awful lot about the raven haired man in the time since they had first met.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by a knock on the door, causing her to glance towards it, then back at Ash. Noticing that he wasn't aware of the knocking, she got up and walked over. May stood on her tiptoes to peer through the peephole. She smiled as she recognised the pair on the other side.
"Hey guys, how are you?" She asked, opening the door to reveal Brock and Misty. The pair looked a little surprised to see May open the door, and not Ash, but quickly shook off the surprise.
"We're very well thank you, May," Misty answered, as the three stepped inside the house.
"Where's Ash?" Brock asked.
"Outside, getting in some last minute preparation, before we head up to the Indigo Plateau later." Brock smirked at May's answer.
"Of course, what else should I have expected?" He asked rhetorically, rolling his eyes. May and Misty both giggled at Brock's response. "I'll go see if he wants any help," Brock added, wandering over to the back door, then out into the corral.
May smiled in the direction Brock had gone, before glancing back at a smirking Misty. May took a step back from the orange-haired woman in front of her.
"W-What's that look for?" May stammered out, making Misty smirk even more.
"Sooooooo," Misty sang in a teasing tone. "Have you been spending a lot of time at Ash's house?" Misty winked.
May could feel her cheeks warming up as she flustered at Misty's insinuation.
"I may have been," May retorted, crossing her arms and turning her nose up. "But I've been helping him train his Pokémon!"
Misty burst out laughing. "You're so easy to wind up, May." May huffed, and walked over to the sofa, picking up her drink and sitting down. Misty frowned slightly at May's reaction, before following her over and sitting down next to her.
"Hey, I'm sorry, I was just teasing," Misty apologised, placing a hand on May's shoulder. The brunette sighed, placing her glass down and turning to face her friend.
"I know, but it's just..." May replied, trailing off and glancing outside, where she could see Ash, holding Georgia in his arms, animatedly talking to Brock, occasionally glancing in the direction of his training Pokémon.
May sighed again, looking down at the floor.
"What is it, May?" Misty asked. There was a momentary pause before she added, "You know you can tell me anything, right?"
May smiled slightly at Misty, before looking out at the group outside again. Brock and Ash were stood side by side, however Georgia was off playing with some of the Pokémon, who were taking a breather. This time Ash was looking in their direction, and as their eyes met, May felt a spark rush through her body. Ash smiled at her, before waving in her direction. May replied with a bright smile, and a small wave, before turning back to Misty.
"I... I'm pretty sure I'm falling in love with him."
-IBYL-
"They're looking good out there."
Ash smiled as he turned at the sound of Brock's voice.
"Yeah, they've been doing great, really putting in a shift," Ash replied, clasping Brock's outstretched hand in his own, before scooping up Georgia.
"Hey there little Gee, how are you?" Brock asked, ruffling Georgia's hair, causing the girl to giggle.
"I'm good thank you Uncle Brock!" She exclaimed happily. Brock smiled back at his best friend's daughter, before turning his attentions to the father in question.
"Any ideas for your team to face Agatha?" Brock asked, walking up so that he was stood next to Ash, the duo looking out over the corral at the training Pokémon. Ash glanced sideways at him.
"Maybe…" He replied, with a sly wink. Brock smirked at his reply.
"Well it must help having a good knowledge of Agatha's team?" Brock asked. Ash shifted Georgia a little higher in his grip, placing her so she was sat on his right arm, and the girl responded by hooking her arms around her dad's neck.
"Somewhat," Ash replied, with a non-committal shrug. "She's still going to have plenty of surprises up her sleeves."
"Are you planning on using… you-know-who?" Brock asked warily.
The temperature around them dropped slightly, causing Brock to shiver, however, Ash seemed unfazed.
"I don't know…" He replied, keeping his eyes focussed on his Pokémon, his voice sounding distant. "It all depends on what Agatha throws at me, but I trust that the team I select from these can handle it," Ash added, gesturing towards the group in front of them.
"That's the answer I expected," Brock replied, throwing Ash a smile, which the raven-haired Gym Leader returned. Brock's smile turned into a sly one, and Ash gulped, knowing what was coming.
"Hey Georgia, why don't you go play with some of the Pokémon?" Ash suggested, in a nervous tone, placing his daughter back on the ground.
"Okay daddy!" Georgia agreed, running off towards the group. "It's playtime, Pikachu!" She added, jumping in the air slightly as she ran. Ash smiled towards his daughter, before he glanced at Brock, and gulped again at the expression on his friends face.
"Soooooo…" Brock sang in a teasing voice. "Have you been spending much time with May?" He asked, slightly nudging Ash's arm. The latter flushed, and took a step back.
"Yes we have, but she's been helping me prepare, nothing like you're insinuating!" Ash exclaimed, before taking a deep breath and sighing, "It somewhat feels like it's moving… too quickly at times, but at others, I realise just how much I… and Georgia, enjoy having her around," Ash added, turning his head to look back at the house.
He ended up catching May's eye as she looked in their direction, and Ash felt a spark rush through his body. He smiled brightly and waved at the brunette, who shyly returned the gesture.
Brock watched Ash with a surprised expression, he had brought the topic up jokingly, but wasn't expecting such an honest answer.
"Why do you feel like that?" Brock asked softly. Ash turned his gaze back to Brock.
"I don't know, I guess I'm just scared to feel like this again," He replied, with a small shrug. Brock frowned at his response, and paused momentarily, wary of pushing Ash too much. Since Serena's passing, it was very rare to get these moments where Ash would be honest about his feelings.
"Feel like what, mate?" Brock asked, placing a hand on Ash's shoulder.
Ash caught Brock's gaze, and the latter could see the conflict in his friends' eyes.
"To feel in love again."
-IBYL-
Ash pulled the belt around Georgia's waste, slipping the fabric into the buckle, and pulling it tight.
"How's that?" He asked, ensuring that he didn't put the belt on too tight.
"Perfect daddy!" Georgia replied enthusiastically. Ash fastened the belt, before standing upright.
It was the afternoon of Georgia's birthday, two days before Ash's battle with Agatha, and the two were in their hotel room, getting ready for the party that was to be thrown in the large function room off to the side of the building that overlooked the stadium.
Ash had been surprised at how easily he had kept his emotions in check, usually he was a complete mess on Georgia's birthday, as it coincided with Serena's passing. Ash pulled on his suit jacket over the top of his waistcoat, doing the top button up.
"I'm probably okay today because of May…" Ash thought, a small smile crossing his face. He couldn't find the right words to describe how he felt around May, she brought out such intense emotions in him, they almost didn't feel real.
Ash, May and Georgia had spent the day exploring what the Indigo Plateau had to offered. Ash had taken them to his office in the main League Headquarters building, which was where he spent the time doing paperwork whenever he had to deal with an incident. He had also given them a tour around the facilities where he would be battling, showing them the dressing room he'd prepare in, along with walking them onto the battlefield.
The trio had then gone into the shopping district, with Ash treating them to some lunch, followed by ice cream. Before May had exclaimed that she had to make sure she was ready for the party, which Ash had raised an eyebrow at, stating that they still had two hours before they needed to be there.
Ash smiled more at the memories of the day, before smiling down at his birthday girl. The plan was for him, May and Georgia to arrive "fashionably late" so they could ensure all the guests had arrived.
"Are you ready, sweetheart?" Ash asked, bending down so he was at Georgia's eye level.
"Of course, daddy!" Georgia exclaimed, "I can't wait to see May!"
Ash smiled at his daughters' excitement. "Me neither," he said softly, standing up and taking Georgia's hand. "C'mon Pikachu!"
The yellow mouse perked his ears up from Ash's bed, where he had been dozing.
"Pika?" he asked dozily.
"It's party time!" Georgia said, jumping up and down. Pikachu jumped up at Georgia's enthusiasm.
"Pikachu!" he jumped from the bed and onto Ash's shoulder in one swift movement. Ash scratched electric-type's head with his free hand, before the three of them headed out the room, and knocked on May's door. She was staying in the room next door.
"Hang on one second!" Ash heard May's voice call from the other side, and he suddenly found himself getting struck with an intense nervous feeling. His free hand subconsciously rose and started fiddling with his tie, ensuring it was tightened and straight. Ash then ran that hand through his hair, which was in it's usual unruly state. He glanced down at Georgia, who was still holding onto his hand as well as bouncing lightly on her feet, clearly excited about the upcoming party.
Ash's attention was drawn to the door when it swung inwards, revealing a sight that almost had Ash's jaw on the floor. Although he'd seen May wearing her outfit previously, when they'd first bought it at his Aunt Rosa's shop, he couldn't believe just how beautiful she was. He had already accepted that he was very much attracted to May, and acknowledged her looks internally in the past, but he couldn't recall outright telling her. In fact, Ash found himself so awestruck, that he wasn't even aware that Georgia had let go of his hand to go and hug May.
"You look perfect," Ash whispered, quiet enough that the only one who could hear it was Pikachu, perched on his shoulder, who smirked towards his trainer.
May had opened the door feeling incredibly nervous. She was well aware that her and Ash had been spending a lot of time together, and she had long since come to terms and accepted her feelings for Ash, but this would be their first formal date. Sure, they had gone to dinner the night they'd met, but May had gone to the initial speed dating event with the bare minimum of expectations, no matter how much Brock and Misty had tried to convince her it would be worthwhile.
'It's definitely been worthwhile...' May thought to herself with a soft smile.
She was dragged out of her thoughts by a blur of light brown hair, and a pair of small arms wrapping around her waist. Snapping out of her initial shock at Georgia's show of affection, May smiled brightly, and placed a hand on the girls' head.
"Hey there birthday girl!" May exclaimed, a playful tone to her voice. "Are you ready for the party?"
"Hi May! I sure am!" Georgia replied excitedly. May's smile brightened at this, and she shifted her hand from Georgia's head onto her upper back, and she looked up at Ash and ended up almost physically taking a step back away from him.
May had often seen guys 'checking her out.' She was aware that she was a good looking woman, but she had been on the receiving end of many perverted looks, but the look that Ash giving her sent a shiver down her spine. May had never been flustered by the way that someone looked at her, but she felt heat rising to her cheeks at the expression on Ash's face. Unlike the other looks from guys she had received, the look was not one of lust, it was one of... dare May think it... love.
"M-May... you look beautiful," Ash stuttered out, barely above a whisper.
If May wasn't blushing before, she certainly was now.
"You don't look so bad yourself," She said cheekily, trying to conceal the feelings bubbling up inside her, jokingly straightening Ash's tie as she spoke. She glanced up at caught Ash's eyes and was surprised by the sudden closeness, even though she was the one who had closed the gap. Her hand subconsciously rested on Ash's chest and she felt her heart skip a beat. After what seemed like an eternity gazing into each others eyes, they were disrupted by a yellow paw waving in front of their faces.
Ash cleared his throat. "W-we should head down," he stuttered. May nodded slowly, turning around and closing her door. She turned back to Ash and smiled.
"Let's go."
As they set off towards the function room that would be hosting the party, Georgia grabbed onto May's left hand and walked alongside her, causing the brunette Co-ordinator to smile down at the young girl. May glanced to Ash, who was walking on her right, with Pikachu on his right shoulder. He was also smiling at the interaction. At this moment, May decided to test the waters, and slipped her right hand into Ash's left. She saw a flash of surprise cross Ash's face, and her stomach sank, thinking she'd pushed her luck too far. May looked straight ahead of her in an attempt to disguise her disappointment and started to loosen her grip on Ash's hand, but was pleasantly surprised when he readjusted the hold and tightened his grip. May looked back at him and saw an even brighter smile on his face than when Georgia had grabbed May's hand. The latter felt her face heating up again at Ash's expression.
"Daddy, what song are you going to play?" Georgia asked suddenly, once again snapping Ash and May out of the moment they had been having. May was surprised by the question and looked at Ash with an eyebrow raised.
"Well, that was supposed to be a surprise..." Ash said, a small smirk on his face. "So you'll just have to be patient, sweetheart." Georgia seemed to accept this answer as she didn't respond.
"I didn't know you played music? What instrument?" May questioned, the quizzical look still on her face.
"I like to write songs in my spare time, and the guitar," Ash answered, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck with his right hand, feeling foolish for not bringing it up before, considering all the time him and May had been spending together.
"Kept that quiet," May joked, nudging Ash's side with her right elbow. The raven-haired man just grinned and winked at her. They walked the rest of the way to the function room in a comfortable silence. They stopped outside the door, and May could hear chattering and music playing from the other side, and suddenly, she was struck with the nervous feeling again. Again, this was caused by her sudden awareness that, even though they weren't a couple, this was very much one of their first public outings together. This secondary realisation of that fact brought about another realisation, one she had already thought when they had tried on their outfits for the evening.
That they looked like a family.
Ash must've sensed her nerves, or was feeling his own, and squeezed her hand, and shot her a vibrant sideways smile.
"You ready?" He asked softly. May gulped, then nodded.
The function room had a stage at the far end, with an arrangement of instruments set up for a band, although the music currently being played was coming out of speakers placed in each corner of the room, and was obviously pre-recorded, as the instruments on stage were unoccupied. There was a large space in the middle of the room, so that guests could dance. The half nearest the entrance they had come through had been filled with tables and chairs, so the guests could sit and eat. On the sides of the hall were large glass doors, which opened out onto a balcony on their right hand side, facing the stadium. Outside the other glass doors were a large set of staircases, that went down into the hotels exquisite garden – this was were Ash's Pokémon were staying during the build up. All of his Pokémon had been relocated here in preparation, to ensure that Agatha didn't get any clues to the team he was planning to use.
May's eyes darted around the room, there were plenty of people milling around, some in small groups, others in large, and there was a buzz of conversation. She could see Brock and Misty having an animated discussion with Delia and Ash's Aunt Rose – seeing those two in the same room was slightly disorientating, as it showed exactly how alike they looked.
The group of four who had just entered, headed over in that direction, with Georgia letting go of May's hand halfway there and running all the way to Delia. May heard Ash whisper something to Pikachu, who nodded and hopped of his shoulder, running towards the door that led out to where the other Pokémon were.
"Nanny!" Georgia cried, which grabbed Delia's attention, and drew May's back from where she had watched Pikachu go. The latter scooped up the girl and in one motion swung her around and brought her into a hug. May glanced at Ash, and the look of pure love on his face made her heart skip a beat, she could clearly see the interaction made him so happy. She glanced back and caught Misty's eye, who winked at her, gesturing towards their joined hands. May felt her face flush, and was somewhat glad Georgia had run ahead, as it quelled some of the nerves she had.
"Hey guys!" Ash greeted excitedly, as they approached. May was slightly disappointed when he let go of her hand to give everyone a hug, but was snapped out of that when she received a hug of her own from Rose.
"You look gorgeous, May," the older woman said as the two embraced. May could feel her face flushing at the compliment.
"Thank you, Rose, this dress is stunning!" May said, returning a compliment on Rose's work. The latter waved her off.
"It's only as stunning as the person wearing it," Rose winked, and May flushed again.
May was surprised when she felt Ash's hand slip back into hers. She turned to him and saw him smiling brightly.
"C'mon, I've got loads of people to introduce you to," Ash said, beaming at her and slightly tugging her in a direction. May must've looked surprised, or daunted, by this suggestion, as Ash added, "if you want, that is."
"Of course! But I was thinking that we'd only just got here and seen your mother?" May replied, which was her genuine thought process.
"It's fine, May," Ash's mother said, "I wanted to spend some quality time with my granddaughter on her special day!" Delia tapped Georgia on the nose as she spoke, and the girl giggled in response. May smiled, and turned back to Ash.
"Let's go then."
Ash's smile widened, and he guided her around the various tables, and May was introduced to Lorelei, Bruno and Lance, three of the other Kanto Elite Four members, making her wonder where Ash's opponent was.
"Agatha is resting, she's planning on joining us later for a short while, but big events take this out of her," Ash said, as if he had read her mind. The duo were just departing the trio of Elite Four members. Ash guided May towards a red-head who was facing away from them.
"Zoey, I'm glad you could make it!" Ash said, and the red-head turned to face them, and smirked.
"Well, I wouldn't miss it for the world, not like I had a choice," the woman said in a slightly raspy voice. It sounded like she was moaning, but the smirk on her face and the somewhat sarcastic tone told May otherwise. As May observed her features, she was almost certain she'd seen her somewhere before.
"Zoey, this is May," Ash introduced, turning to May who had been stood slightly behind him, "May, this is Zoey, she's also a Co-ordinator, you might have seen or met her on the circuit at some point?" Ash said, his tone suggestive – again, it was almost as if he'd read May's mind.
"That's where I recognised you from," Zoey said, her face lighting up as if she had been having the same internal struggle. "It's a pleasure to finally officially meet the Princess of Hoenn in person." May blushed at the compliment, and shook the hand that Zoey had extended to her as she had been talking.
"It's a pleasure to meet you too," May said shyly, feeling like she would never stop blushing from all the compliments she had received thus far.
"So, where's the lady who brought my wonderful daughter into this world?" Ash asked, glancing around the room, unable to spot the person in question. Zoey smirked and rolled her eyes.
"She said she wasn't happy with her hair," Zoey said bluntly. There was a moment of silence before her and Ash both burst out laughing.
"She never changes," Ash said, after the two had calmed down. "Zoey and I used to travel together in the Sinnoh region, along with her girlfri-"
"Make that fiancée!" Ash was cut off by a voice over his left shoulder, and May glanced in that direction and was pleasantly surprised to see another familiar face.
"Dawn!" May greeted, wandering over to the blue-haired Co-ordinator and embracing her. "It's great to see you again!"
"May! Ash didn't tell me you were going to be here when he sent the invite!" Dawn replied, shooting a glare over May's shoulder at Ash, who sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.
"To be honest with you, Dawn, I didn't organise any of this, or send any of the invites," Ash replied, his voice reflecting his sheepish feeling. "The Pokémon League set everything up, the venue, the accommodation, and the invites."
All three women were surprised to hear this. Then Ash realised what Dawn had said to announce her arrival.
"Fiancée?" He exclaimed. "Congratulations!" Ash individually hugged both Dawn and Zoey, before standing beside May, who had also congratulated the couple, verbally and with a hug each. Almost at the exact same time, both Ash and Dawn slipped their hand into the respective dates'.
"I got fed up of waiting for this one to pop the question," Dawn joked, gesturing towards the red-head beside her who was just grinning. "So I did it myself."
"Hey!" Zoey exclaimed, pretending to be offended. "You said you wanted to try and settle down, with a, in your own words, 'actual' job, and a house, for a few years before thinking about a wedding!"
Dawn blushed as she came to the realisation that Zoey was right. May smiled at the playful nature of their relationship.
"Daddy!"
All four of their attentions were drawn by the birthday girl in blue running over to them and into a side-hug with Ash.
"Hey Georgia, you remember Aunt Dawn and Aunt Zoey, right?" Ash said, somehow managing to pick Georgia up in his left arm, whilst still holding onto May's hand.
"Yeah! I want a cuddle!" Georgia exclaimed, reaching her arms out towards the couple. Zoey took her first for a hug, before passing her over to Dawn, who let the girl rest on her arm.
"It's great to see you again, Georgia," Dawn said happily, placing a kiss on the top of her head.
"You too, Aunt Dawn!"
May glanced at Ash's face again, for some reason, she found it heartwarming and adorable to see his happy reactions to his daughters' interactions with other people.
However, this time, she saw a flash of pain cross his features, but it passed quickly when he noticed her looking at him.
She squeezed his hand, "What's wrong?" She mouthed. Ash smiled sadly at her and squeezed her hand back, seeming to indicate he'd explain later.
"Daddy, it's song time!" Georgia exclaimed from Dawn's arms, gesturing towards the stage. May was pleased to see a smile return to Ash's face.
"Yes, I do believe it's the right time of the proceedings for Ash to show us his hidden talent," An elderly female voice from behind Ash and May said. The duo turned to find Ash's opponent standing there, leaning on her Poké Ball crested walking stick.
"Agatha! It's great to see you!" Ash greeted, before placing a hand lightly on May's back, and turning his head to look at the brunette. "May, this is Agatha, the final member of the Kanto Elite Four." A look of realisation crossed May's face.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Agatha," May greeted politely, walking towards the Elite member and extending her hand. "Ash has spoken very highly of you." Agatha lips quivered into a small smile as she shook May's hand.
"As he has you, my dear." May felt her cheeks flushing again, but Agatha's focus didn't stay on her too long. "It's time for your performance, Mr. Ketchum." Agatha said, turning her attentions to her challenger, the small smile still clearly evident on her face, with Ash retuning a similar gesture.
May observed the interaction with some curiosity. Even though there was an imminent, important battle between the two, it was clear to see that they had a very friendly, but competitive working relationship.
Ash gulped. He wasn't ready for this just yet, he was hoping to delay another half hour or so, just to emotionally prepare.
He was used to performing his songs in front of his nearest and dearest, but the song he was planning to perform meant a lot to him, he was planning on using this opportunity to secretly express his inner feelings.
Fortunately, he was provided with such further distractions, as a pair of voices called out the name of his date for the evening, and the brunette looked shocked to see who it was.
"Mum! Dad!" She exclaimed happily, before rushing over to give them a hug. Ash smiled at the interaction, before turning back to the trio of women he had previously been speaking with.
"I promise I'll play soon, Georgia, just a few people I have to speak to first, okay?" Ash asked his daughter, who nodded in agreement. "Do you want to come and meet them as well?"
"I want to stay with Aunt Dawn for now, daddy." Ash smiled, and tapped Georgia's nose before heading over to where May was conversing animatedly with her parents.
"-and not to mention the facilities there, they've provided me with my own office and I have twenty-four hour access to their Pokémon training centre!"
Ash smiled at May's enthusiasm, and assumed she was describing the University.
"I'm glad that the facilities I provided are to your liking, Miss Maple," Ash joked, stepping aside May, who was opposite her parents.
May jumped as Ash made his presence known, as she had completely forgotten he was their in her shock, and delight at seeing her parents.
"Oh Ash!" She voiced her surprise. "Mum, Dad, this is Ash Ke-"
"It's great to see you again, m'boy," Norman cut her off, stepping forward and shaking Ash's already extended hand, before pulling him into a 'man hug.' May was even more surprised when her mother stepped forward and embraced him as well!
"You're looking very well, Ash," Caroline commented. "And doing very well for yourself too, judging from all this!" She gestured around at the fact that the Pokémon League had organised such a massive party for his daughter.
"Thank you, Mrs. Maple," Ash thanked, bowing slightly at the praise. "How goes the extension to your greenhouse, Mr. Maple?" Ash asked, turning his attention towards the Petalburg City Gym Leader.
May's mouth dropped wide open, she couldn't believe how up-to-date Ash was with the current goings on at her parents, Max had only told her a few days ago that their parents were planning to extend the greenhouse to facilitate more Pokémon, and to allow family friend Professor Birch to access some of the lot to extend his research.
"Ash, please, we've told you so many times it's Caroline and Norman," Caroline commented, whilst smirking somewhat at her daughters expression.
"Excuse me!" May blurted out, turning to face Ash. "How do you know all this? I only found out a few days ago about the extension!" Ash took a step back in surprise at the outburst.
"Umm..." He scratched the back of his head nervously. "Actually, Norman and I stay in fairly regular contact, it was actually him who first made me think about becoming a Gym Leader when I beat him in our rematch," Ash explained, shooting Norman a small smirk at the mention of his victory.
"I will say this until the day I retire, your second fight at my Gym was the most outstanding performance of raw strength and bond between a Pokémon and Trainer, your Pikachu is a fine specimen," Norman commented to Ash, who smiled at the praise, before Norman turned back to May. "Ash even helped take back our Pokémon who got snatched up by some members of Team Rocket, and we were so taken with him that we offered him and his travelling companion a place to stay at the time. I also offered my help to train with him when he qualified for the Hoenn League, not that he needed much help."
May's mouth dropped open. "Team Rocket attacked our house?! How don't I know any of this?"
"Well, you were so busy with your journey in Johto, that it slipped our mind when you got in contact with us, not to mention it wasn't much of an attack, Ash put a stop to them fairly swiftly," Caroline explained. May turned her attentions to Ash.
"And you didn't think any of this was worth mentioning on our date?" She asked. Ash grinned sheepishly, again rubbing the back of his head.
"It slipped my mind," He offered, with a half-hearted shrug. The smile on his face made any negative feelings May fly out of her, and she smiled slightly back, but then what Ash had said to announce his arrival jumped back to the front of her mind.
"What did you mean by the facilities you provided?" She questioned, and once again, Ash had to grin and rub the back of his head sheepishly. There was a fair bit he had failed to bring up with May before.
"I actually helped fund the building of the University, and I was really keen to ensure that the Pokémon side of it had everything the students studying Co-ordinating, Battling, Breeding and Nursing, and lecturers teaching those subjects would need," Ash explained, blushing slightly, uncomfortable with seeming like he was bragging.
"What made you decide to spend your winnings on such a project?" Norman asked, as equally intrigued by Ash's involvement as May was. Ash flushed again, as he didn't want to seem like he was bragging about his accomplishments in the past.
"Well, the victories I had at the Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova and Kalos leagues brought about a lot of interest in Pallet Town, I think the combination of my successes and the fact that Professor Oak is from here turned it into a bit of a hotspot for Kanto," Ash said softly, trying to ensure that he didn't some across as boastful. "So I wanted to make the most of the interest, and to give prospective Co-ordinators, Trainers, Breeders and Doctors growing up in Pallet Town something to give them the best chance at success in their future."
The Maple's all smiled at Ash's explanation, and May felt her heart swell at Ash's generosity, before a thought crossed her mind.
"Ash mentioned that the League arranged all the invitations, do you know why they invited you?" May asked her parents, before a look of shock crossed her face and she quickly waved her hands in front of her face. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, I really am, I'm just curious!" Caroline smiled softly at her flustered daughter.
"Well, Norman was one of many who recommended Ash to be the eighth Kanto Gym Leader when he applied for the post," Caroline explained. May's eyebrows raised in surprise, before she turned to Ash.
"So how does that process work?" She queried.
"The position became available, and I wrote to the League explaining why I'd like the role, and why I believe I'd make a good Gym Leader," Ash started to explain. "Basically like any job application, except I had to specifically detail how I look after and train my Pokémon."
"Once a League reviews that part of an application," Norman took over. "They then send their shortlisted applicants a few scenario questions, for example, what are your responsibilities if you witness a challenger being abusive to their Pokémon, and so on and so forth."
"After that point, they narrow it down, and ask for character references from various Gym Leaders you've faced in the past," Ash followed on. "Fortunately for me, I'd met a fair few people on my travels who were willing to testify for me, and Norman was one of the first on my list." Ash smiled gratefully towards the man in question, who returned with a big smile of his own. May felt a bubbling in her stomach at the interaction between Ash and her parents, she felt proud of how well they all seemed to get on, and it made her realise just how much she wanted something to happen with her and Ash.
She blushed at her own thoughts, before quickly shaking them off and smirking towards Ash, as Georgia's earlier request came to her mind.
"Well, I believe there was something your daughter asked you to do just before my parents arrived, wasn't there?" May said in a teasing tone, tapping her finger on her chin pretending to think. In doing so, she missed the look of panic that flashed across Ash's face.
"So this is it," He thought to himself.
"What was that, Ash?" Caroline asked, snapping the man out of his thoughts.
"I'm going to go and perform one of the songs I've written. I like to write a few in my spare time," Ash replied, answering the unasked question he could sense coming.
"I look forward to seeing, and hearing, it!" Caroline said enthusiastically. Norman nodded in agreement.
"Yes, if your performance is anything like how you perform with your Pokémon, it's going to be a wonderful show."
Ash blushed at the praise, and smiled gratefully, nodding in thanks.
"Okay, I'll see you all a bit later," He said, smiling towards May, who smiled back, before he headed off towards the stage.
"So, you two are dating?" Caroline asked in a teasing tone, one eyebrow slightly raised. May took a step back at the question.
"They might as well be!" A female voice said jokingly from behind May, and she turned slightly to see Delia standing their with Georgia in her arms, having seemingly taken her off of Dawn. "I'm Delia, Ash's mother, and this is his daughter, and the birthday girl, Georgia," Delia introduced them, stepping forward so she was stood next to May. "And I'm assuming from how similar you both look to May, that you're her parents!"
Caroline smiled at the duo. "It's lovely to meet you Georgia, and you too Delia, and you assume correctly, we are May's parents, I'm Caroline, and this is Norman," Caroline replied, before smirking at Delia's comment. "So they might as well be? Is my daughter playing hard to get?"
May's face flushed bright red, she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Oh you should see how they act around each other, Caroline," Delia teased, a vibrant smirk on her face. "They both blush every time they make eye contact, and they've been glued to each others side this evening. But unfortunately, it's my son who's taking his time, as he certainly should've asked by now, May is positively delightful."
If it were even possible for her to go more red, May certainly did.
"That's lovely of you to say, Delia, we're very proud of her," Norman responded, making May surprised at how accepting he was of the two women talking about her love life, ever since her incident with Brendan, Norman had been very protective of her around men. "We absolutely love Ash, and would be very much on board if they get their acts together and start dating."
May's jaw dropped at the fact her dad, Norman Maple, was joining in on the teasing. All three of the parents looked at May and burst out laughing at the expression on her face.
Georgia was in Delia's arms looking perplexed at the laughter.
"But you should see how brilliant May is with this little one," Delia said after the laughter died down, her tone of voice sobering everyone up, as she lifted Georgia slightly in her arms to indicate that was who she was talking about. There was both sadness and delight in her tone, sadness at Serena's fate, but delight at the fact that Georgia seemingly had a motherly figure in her life.
Norman and Caroline looked at each other and smiled at the praise their daughter was receiving.
"If you don't mind us asking where's Georgia's mo-" Caroline started to ask.
"It's complicated!" May blurted out, giving her parents a look that screamed don't you dare ask. Delia smiled gratefully at May, pleased that she had stopped anything being said in front of Georgia, as Ash's mother was well aware of Serena's wish about Georgia not being made aware of what happened until she was old enough to completely understand.
Norman and Caroline shared a surprised look at May's tone, but decided not to press any further at the time, but were surprised when Delia spoke up.
"May, would you mind taking Georgia to the front, so she can get the best view of Ash's performance? I'll answer your parents question." May was shocked that Delia was willing to share the fate of Serena with her parents, but she was touched by it as well.
"O-Of course, Delia, but are you sure Ash won't mind?" May queried, as Georgia happily wriggled out of Delia's grip and into May's outstretched arms.
"I'm sure, as his future in-laws they deserve to know," Delia said in a teasing tone, winking at May. "Go on ahead, we'll catch you up."
May smiled at Delia before heading off to the front of the stage, where she could see that Ash was fiddling with the stand his microphone on, bringing it down to the level where it was right in front of his face, as he was perched on a bar stool.
May reached the front of the stage and Georgia started waving in Ash's direction, but he had turned to pick up an acoustic guitar and hadn't noticed their presence. The stage was roughly six feet high, so May and Georgia were having to tilt their heads to look up at where Ash was.
"Good luck, daddy!" Georgia shouted, making Ash jump slightly, he turned and smiled in their direction, but May could see that it was just to hide his nerves.
"You'll be great, Ash," May added gently, trying to soothe his nerves and offering him a bright smile.
Ash felt his face heat up, and he returned May's smile. His heart beating out of his chest as he prepared.
"Thanks, girls," He said, before he sat down on the stool and rested his left foot on the ridge connecting the stools legs, so his left knee was raised, creating a perch for his guitar to rest on. He cleared his throat into the microphone, to grab everyone else's attention. "Good evening everyone, and thank you all for coming to wish my daughter, Georgia, a happy birthday!" He thanked, gesturing to where Georgia was stood next to May, having hopped out of her arms when Ash cleared his throat. The little girl turned and waved at everyone, making the crowd laugh. People were starting to walk closer to the stage, and May spotted Delia, Norman and Caroline making a beeline towards her, wearing slightly sombre faces, meaning Delia had explained the situation. Caroline swept May up in a hug.
"I'm so proud of you," She whispered into May's ear, making the latter blush again. They were snapped out of their moment by Ash speaking again.
"I am sure that some of you are also here to witness the match between Agatha and myself in a couple of days, and I would like to thank said wonderful woman for helping to organise this event, and would like you to all give her a round of applause for her service to this region," Ash said passionately. There was a large round of applause, and a few whoops, and Ash spotted Agatha in the crowd, smiling in his direction. He saw her wipe a tear from her eye, and knew he'd made the right decision in publicly thanking her. He had been umming and ahhing about making such an announcement, as he wasn't sure whether she'd appreciate the attention, as she had been closed off in the past. But his heart had won over, and wanted the women to know that she was appreciated.
"Some of you know that I like to write songs whenever I have some spare time, and Georgia was quite insistent that I perform one of them," Ash said, after the applause had died down, which caused a ripple of laughter. "So this is one of them, it's called Take on the World."
(I recommend listening to the Amsterdam Acoustic version of Take on the World by You Me At Six - watch?v=HtWq-Xj_zjA)
Ash started to strum on his guitar, and when he sung into the microphone, May felt her heart swoon. His voice was smooth and velvety, but with a huge edge of emotion, like he was living every word he was singing. He played and sung with so much ease that you could've mistaken him for a regular, professional performer. He had his eyes closed as he sung.
Just say the word, we'll take on the world
Just say you're hurt, we'll face the worst
Oh
I can see, see the pain in your eyes
Ash's eyes flicked open, and he caught May's gaze, and she felt her heart rate quicken and her face heat up. Ash had as much emotion showing in his eyes as he was projecting with his voice.
Oh, believe, believe me and I have tried
No, I won't, I won't pretend to know what you've been through
You should know, I wish it was me, not you
And just say the word, we'll take on the world
Just say you're hurt, we'll face the worst
Nobody knows you the way that I know you
Look in my eyes. I will never desert you.
And just say the word, we'll take on the world
May turned to Delia who was stood next to her. "Did he write this for Serena?" She asked quietly, aware of Georgia stood right in front of them. The girl was holding her hands together under her chin, staring up at Ash in adoration, bouncing slightly on her toes in excitement.
Delia smirked slightly at May. "Oh no, I've heard all of Ash's music and this is a new song, he must've written in recently."
May's face heated up again at the insinuating tone in Delia's voice.
And it's the fight, and the fight of our lives
You and I—we were made to thrive
And I am your future, I am your past
Never forget we were built to last
Step out of the shadows and into my life
Silence the voices that haunt you inside
"Do you think he wrote it about me...?" She asked quietly, unable to keep the hope out of her voice. Delia smiled softly at the nervous brunette.
"Who else do you think it's about?" Delia replied softly, wanting May to believe, on her own, that Ash did feel the same way that she did.
And just say the word, we'll take on the world
Just say you're hurt, we'll face the worst
Nobody knows you the way that I know you
Look in my eyes, I will never desert you.
And just say the word, we'll take on the world, we'll take on the world
Ash finished the song, and sat there with his eyes closed for a few moments, incredibly relieved he'd gotten through such an emotional public performance, before loud applause snapped him out of his reverie.
"Thank you all, now, I believe that a couple of friends of mine, Jessie and James, have arranged for a band to play for the rest of the evening," Ash said. "So please, continue to help yourself to food and beverages and enjoy some live music!"
As Ash headed of the stage six people came onto the stage, and picked up various instruments and started to play some backing music that was a good tempo for people to dance to, but not overbearing for those wishing to just sit and converse with fellow guests.
Ash was tackled in a hug as he stepped down off the stage, and smiled down at the top of Georgia's head.
"Thanks daddy, that was a lovely song!" She thanked, as Ash picked her up.
"My pleasure, sweetheart, I'm glad you liked it," Ash smiled at her, as he walked over to where he saw May, Delia, Caroline and Norman standing.
As he approached, he looked up and made eye contact with May, and his heart almost stopped, there was so much emotion in the look she was giving him, her cheeks were tinted pink and her eyes were sparkling lightly with tears.
But she was wearing most beautiful smile he had ever seen, and it made his widen tenfold.
"Hey guys," He said as he approached them.
"Daddy was brilliant!" Georgia exclaimed excitedly from his arms.
"That was a beautiful song, Ash," Caroline commented.
"You have some voice!" Norman added, patting Ash on the shoulder.
"Thank you both," Ash smiled brightly at them, very grateful for their praise.
"Wonderful as usual, Ashy," Delia said, taking Georgia out of Ash's arms, as the little girl had reached towards her. "Interesting new song, though," She winked slyly at him. Ash felt his face heat up.
"Yes, it certainly was interesting," a new voice said from behind Ash.
He turned and his stomach dropped.
Stood behind him was a man and a woman, seemingly in their mid to late 50s, the man had a brown three piece corduroy suit on, with a match bowler hat and a walking stick, a big white moustache matching the colour of his hair, and he spoke with a thick French accent. The woman had brunette hair and was wearing a simple black dress.
"Mr. and Mrs. Yvonne, how lovely to see you," Ash said courteously, bowing slightly before extending his hand to the man.
To May's shock, the man huffed, and completely ignored him.
"I wish we could say the same, considering the circumstances of the day," Mrs. Yvonne said, her tone harsh and her gaze piercing in Ash's direction.
"Nanny! Grandpa!" Georgia waved from Delia's arms, and the penny dropped for May.
These were Serena's parents. The memory of Ash's aura induce vision flickered to May's mind, and she remembered that they had missed Georgia's birth, and subsequently, hadn't been there when Serena had passed away.
To her immense shock, Georgia's grandparents barely even acknowledged her, even though the birthday girl had spoken directly to them.
May glanced at Ash, and could see anger radiating in his eyes, but aside from that, he had somehow kept a calm demeanour.
He turned his head slightly so he was looking at Georgia, and the crestfallen look on her face broke his heart. "Georgia, why don't you go and find Aunt Jessie and Uncle James?"
A bright smile overtook the crestfallen look and she nodded enthusiastically, hopping out of Delia's arms and running off towards the tables.
"I still find it absolutely ridiculous you haven't told the girl the fate of her mother," Mrs. Yvonne stated snobbishly, which was accentuated by her pointing her nose in the air. Ash frowned.
"It was one of Serena's final wishes that she didn't, I think you should respect that," Ash replied, keeping his tone calm, even though he was fuming inside.
"Well, if it wasn't for that girl of yours ours would still be alive."
Ash took a step back as if he'd been slapped. There was a collective gasp from Delia, Caroline and Norman. May couldn't find it in herself to make any noise.
Ash took a deep breath in through his nose and let it out as a sigh.
"Yes, the strain of the birth caused the medical issues that led to Serena's passing, but she wanted Georgia," Ash said, and May was amazed that he was able to keep a level voice. The four bystanders exchanged incredulous looks at the exchange in front of them. "Even though you couldn't be bothered to show up for Georgia's birth, I thought you'd have at least respected your daughter enough to approve of some of her decisions." Ash's tone had an underlying layer of sarcasm to it, but May was only just able to pick up on it.
"Respect her? How dare you!" Mr. Yvonne growled. "You have never been good for her, distracting her with all this Pokémon Showcasing lark rather than taking after her mother."
"You do realise that I just guided her towards what she actually wanted to do, and not what you wanted to force upon her?" Ash asked rhetorically. Serena's parents seemed to ignore his comment.
"And how can you talk about respect when you're flaunting this harlot around on the anniversary of our daughters death?" Mrs. Yvonne said.
"Excuse me?" Ash growled. "Don't you dare talk about anyone that way, let alone May." Ash suddenly became aware of Norman stepping forward to give his verdict on the conversation. Ash placed his hand in front of him as he tried to pass. "Don't, Norman, their not worth the air they breathe."
Ash started to turn around, to walk away from Serena's parents, and tried to guide the other four away but he heard Serena's parents mumble something under their breath.
"What was that?" He asked over his shoulder, giving them a piercing look.
"I bet you're glad she's dead."
Ash's jaw dropped at Mr. Yvonne's comment, and he felt tears start to sting at her eyes.
"She meant everything to me," He could barely squeeze out at a whisper. He could feel emotions building up in his chest, all those familiar feelings of guilt and confusion from when he'd first met May.
"You were never good for her," Mr. Yvonne repeated.
"I always did my best for her, that's more than could be said for you two," Ash shot back. As he turned to fully face them, Mrs. Yvonne stepped forward and slapped him.
Ash recoiled in shock, and brought his hand up to the cheek that had been struck, and he could feel it stinging.
"We never should've let you two travel together," Mrs. Yvonne said. "If we'd have stopped you, she'd still be alive, it's your fault."
The words stung Ash more than the slap. He immediately turned and walked swiftly out of the function room, out of the doors that headed towards the meadow his Pokémon were staying.
"Hmph. Pathetic." Mr. Yvonne said.
May, Caroline and Norman were in absolute shock at what they'd witnessed, so shocked that they hadn't stepped in to do anything. May's heart broke at the look of distress on Ash's face as he had walked away.
"May," Delia's terse voice snapped May out of her thoughts. "Please could you go and check on him?" She asked politely, but May could easily hear the edge of anger in her voice. "I need to make sure that Mr. and Mrs. Yvonne are well aware that they should not talk to anyone this way."
"Are you sure you're okay to deal with them?" May asked, concerned to leave Delia in these awful people's presence. "They're vile!"
Delia turned to look at May, and the latter was shocked at the pure hatred and anger in Ash's mothers' eyes.
"I'm sure," Delia said firmly. "This is the last time they treat Ash like shit, no matter how much he's asked me not to make a big deal out of it, I can't stand it any more. Please check to see he's okay."
May nodded, and hurried in the direction Ash had gone.
"We'll help you escort them out," Caroline offered, as she and Norman stood beside Delia, who smiled gratefully at them.
-IBYL-
May walked out of the doors as quickly as she could manage in her heels. She was met by a sharp breeze as she stepped outside, making her shiver slightly.
She looked out in front of her trying to catch a glimpse of where Ash had gone. In front of her was a huge staircase down to the meadow where she could see various Pokémon of Ash's mulling around, some training, some just resting. To her left and right the balcony extended. As she glanced to her right, she could just about make out a figure leaning on the balcony.
Ash.
She walked swiftly in that direction. As she neared she could see Ash's shoulders heaving up and down, and her heart broke when she heard his sobs.
"Oh Ash," She said softly as she approached. The wind carried her voice to Ash, and he stopped crying momentarily. May stepped up along side him and leaned on the railing, trying to get a look at Ash's face, but he had turned himself slightly away from her.
"I'm sorry," He croaked quietly. May raised her eyebrow in surprise, she certainly wasn't expecting an apology. "I shouldn't have let them get away with calling you that."
Oh. She'd completely forgotten about the insult they'd called her, she was more concerned about Ash.
"Don't worry about it," May assured him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I don't care about anything they have to say. I'm just worried about you."
Ash flinched slightly under her touch, and he breathed out another heavy sigh.
"I wish I could say the same," Ash muttered. "They're right, y'know?" He asked, turning slightly to face May, and the look on his face made her stomach sink. He genuinely believed what they had said.
"That is absolutely not true, Ash," May countered, her tone slightly forceful. "You can't believe what those vile people have to say about you, they're toxic and the fact that they can't see how wonderful you are is their loss."
Ash offered her a sad smile, but he still wasn't convinced. There was a moment of silence where Ash gazed out over the view, and May wasn't sure exactly what to say next.
"She would've beaten the cancer, you know?" Ash said out of the blue. "But the strain of the birth combined with a cancerous cyst on her pancreas ended up killing her. But the chemo was working, she would've made it."
May was surprised that Ash was genuinely believing this.
"Ash, are you seriously considering blaming Georgia's birth for this? You said it yourself, Serena wanted to have a child!" May countered.
"She did, but..." Ash paused.
"I know it's horrible for me to say, but even if Serena had decided to change her mind about Georgia, there's still the possibility that the cancer may have beaten her. Is that a world worth thinking about, where you have neither of them?"
Ash shuddered at that idea. May was right, no matter how heartbroken he had been after Serena's passing, Georgia was a shining light in his life. But the rest of it was so dark so much of the time.
"And..." May hesitated, wondering if now was the right time to bring up what she wanted to say.
"You're right," Ash offered, not realising that May was pausing to build up courage, not for him to agree with her. "Georgia is the light of my life... but... there's still so much darkness in my life, moments where the agony of raising her all alone overtakes me," Ash added quietly, voicing his earlier voice.
May gulped, this was it.
"Hey," She said gently, taking her left hand and reaching round to cup Ash's left cheek and guide his face round to look at her. "You've done brilliantly to raise her all by yourself, but we've said before, you've never given yourself time to grieve, to allow yourself time in the darkness, because letting it happen, and letting it out, is the only way to deal with it."
"And you've been alone to deal with that darkness," May continued. "But not any more, you don't have to suffer alone."
"I'll be your light, led through the darkness," May finished with such purpose and determination, whilst gazing deeply into Ash's eyes with the same intensity.
Ash's mouth dropped open slightly as he realised what May was insinuating.
"She feels the same way about me," He thought happily.
They gazed into each others' eyes for a few moments, before they simultaneously closed the gap.
Their lips met, and sparks rushed through both of their bodies, it was slow, and filled with passion, and all of the emotions the two had shared moments before. May's hands slid up and around Ash's neck, as his wrapped around her waist, and they held each other close.
When they broke apart, they stayed in each others arms, foreheads resting against the others', their noses occasionally brushing.
"This may be forward of me," Ash said quietly, a dazzling smile on his face that made May's heart swoon. "But I have fallen head over heels for you, May Maple."
She swore her heart skipped a beat, and she blushed furiously, matching Ash's brilliant smile.
"That's good," She replied, smirking and winking at Ash, "I may have done the same with you, Ash Ketchum."
The two shared another kiss, before Ash broke the hug, but grabbed May's hand and started heading towards the meadow.
"What are you doing?" May giggled, as they reached the bottom of the stairs and Ash started taking his shoes off. He jumped down onto the grass, and turned, bowing slightly to May.
"Miss Maple, may I have this dance?" He said, gazing up into her eyes, smiling so brightly he almost illuminated the night, and for the umpteenth time, May blushed.
"You certainly may, Mr. Ketchum," She replied playfully, curtseying in his direction, before shuffling her shoes off and stepping onto the grass.
Ash slipped his left hand onto May's waist, and she put her right onto his left shoulder, and they grabbed each others free hands.
May was surprised that they were able to hear the music from where they were. She was shook from that surprise when Ash started leading her in a waltz rhythm, and she was amazed at how flawlessly he moved.
They both laughed as they glided over the freshly cut grass that tickled their feet, all the while looking into each others eyes, feeling almost euphoric.
They came to a stop after a couple of songs to catch their breath, but they stayed in each others arms.
"There's only one thing that could make this more perfect," May commented, after a few moments of silence. Ash cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.
"What's that?"
He got his answer when he heard a little voice shout from the top of the stairs.
"Daddy! May!"
Ash's heart soared as he realised that May had meant Georgia.
"Hey birthday girl! Want to come and dance, barefoot on the grass with May and I?" Ash shouted up to her, and the little girl dashed down the stairs so quickly and excitedly, Ash was scared she might trip.
But in no time, the three of them were twirling and spinning around the meadow, all laughing.
Ash took a step back and watched as May swung Georgia around in the air, and the squeal of delight that came out of his daughter made him wish this moment would never end. He wandered over to the stairs and sat down on one of them, and continued to observe.
"Pikapi!"
Ash was snapped out of his dazed staring by a weight leaping onto his shoulder.
"Hey Pikachu," Ash greeted happily, scratching Pikachu's head and earning a pleased coo.
Pikachu (Look at the pair of them, when are you gonna tell her how you feel?)
Ash smirked at the yellow rodent. "I already have."
Pikachu's jaw dropped, and he looked back and forth between Ash and May, pointing at the two of them at the same time, causing Ash to laugh.
"I know. She feels the same way," Ash smiled brightly. Pikachu snapped out of his shock, and shared Ash's smile, before nuzzling up to his cheek.
Pikachu (It's so good to see you happy again!)
"It's good to feel happy again," Ash replied. The duo spent a few more moments watching May and Georgia twirl and giggle, before the two girls got tired.
Georgia ran over and jumped into Ash's lap, sitting on his right thigh. Pikachu jumped down from his shoulder and into Georgia's lap, and the girl immediately started stroking him in the spots he loved, earning more delighted coos.
May sat down on Ash's left, and smiled at him in a way that sent shivers down his spine. Ash lifted his left arm, placed it around May's waist, and shuffled her across so she was right up against him, and she responded by resting her head on his shoulder.
Ash placed a kiss on the top of Georgia's head, before he then rested his head gently on top of May's.
The quartet were unaware of a group of people congregated at the top of the stairs watching them.
Delia had to wipe a tear from her eye as she watched them.
"I have to say, Brock, Misty, I was a bit sceptical when you told me you thought you had someone who could help him," Delia admitted. "But that woman is absolutely perfect."
The aforementioned couple smiled at Ash's mother. Stood next to them were Norman and Caroline, who had their arms around each other as well.
"We have similar sentiments about Ash," Norman added. "May's had a rough time when it comes to men, but he is exactly what she needs."
Delia felt a wave of pride rush through her.
"And they'll both be perfect for Georgia," Misty said softly, as Brock wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
Even this group were unaware, at this point, of the final individual observing the group of Ash, May, Georgia and Pikachu.
"Lets hope that this gives him everything he needs to be in top form in a couple of days time," Agatha said to herself, grinning at the prospect of their upcoming battle.
EOC
Probably the longest chapter I've ever written, but I'm not that happy with it – I got down all the ideas I wanted for this story/chapter, but not in the way that flows best. I hope you enjoyed reading nonetheless.
A massive shout out to Revenial, who's review and PM gave me the motivation to get cracking with this chapter.
So, Ash and May are finally together, after a nasty confrontation with Serena's parents, who are probably very different from the anime – because I never watched it. If you recall a few chapters ago, during Ash's aura vision, it was hinted at that Serena's parents never approved of her's and Ash's relationship, but it has now been made known just how badly they viewed it.
I'd love to know what you thought of this chapter, and next up, it'll be the build up to Ash and Agatha's bout. I'm severely hoping I don't take this long to upload again, but I have very little free time, working 8-5 Monday to Friday, it's hard to find the motivation and energy, but I really want to get this finished.
Until next time, I've been Advanced Faith. You've been awesome.