Ash grinned mischievously as he and May approached the Kingdom's magnificent castle, still clad in their damp swimsuits.
"So, do you wanna get dressed or... just have lunch in swimsuits?" he teasingly asked. May laughed, the playful glint still present in her eyes.
"I'll probably get changed. You are free to remain shirtless as always."
"Hardy har," Ash chuckled, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. May giggled in response, her laughter filling the air with joy. "For the record, I'm getting dressed too," Ash announced, heading off to his room.
"As you wish," May replied with a smile, dashing off to her own room to change.
Soon, May headed down to the dining hall, ready to join Ash for lunch.
"Boo!" Ash exclaimed, sneaking up on her with a grin. May yelped in surprise before bursting into giggles.
"Hi!"
"Yes! I got you!" Ash exclaimed triumphantly, pulling her into a hug. May laughed happily, returning his embrace with a squeal of delight. Ash smiled warmly at her, his heart full of affection. May pecked his lips affectionately, her smile bright and cheerful.
"So, who's all joining us? Or are you all mine?" May asked with a playful tilt of her head.
"Just best friends," Ash replied, taking her hand and leading her to the dining room. Curiously, May followed Ash into the dining room, wondering who else would be joining them. As they headed inside, her face lit up in a smile as she saw Pikachu and Glaceon already inside.
"Hey, you two," May greeted Glaceon and Pikachu with a smile, running over to hug them both. Pikachu nuzzled her affectionately, while Glaceon smiled warmly at her.
"Never get that cuddly with me..." Ash teased, his cheeks flushing slightly at his own partner.
"I will," May replied with a grin, her eyes sparkling mischievously.
"You do..." Ash admitted, his smile softening. May giggled happily in response.
"It's her birthday. Don't get jealous," Pikachu chimed in with a smile and a nod.
"Oh, hush," Ash replied, rolling his eyes playfully. May laughed at their banter as Glaceon was next to speak up.
"Notice how I didn't engage with an argument?" Glaceon smirked, earning a giggle from May.
"I'll get you two some food," May promised, running off to fetch bowls for Pikachu and Glaceon. She returned shortly thereafter and as Pikachu and Glaceon dug into their meals, May turned to Ash with a smile. "And for us?"
"Pasta," Ash replied with a smile.
"Yay! That's the best!" May exclaimed happily, hugging him tightly. Ash hugged her back, and the girl who brightened his life happily kissed his cheek, her smile radiant with joy.
"Glad you approve," Ash chuckled, his cheeks flushing slightly.
"Absolutely!" May agreed, grabbing his arm and dragging him to the table with a grin.
"Ah!" Ash exclaimed, laughing as he followed her lead, feeling grateful for the love and happiness they shared. May eagerly sat in a chair and served herself a large plate of food, devouring a huge chunk of it in seconds.
"Delicious!" May exclaimed, digging into her meal with gusto. Ash ate from his plate, shielding it as a precaution, earning a giggle from May.
"I know better," Ash teased, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Silly Aura Boy," May giggled, her eyes dancing with mischief.
"I'm just trying to make sure I have a morsel," Ash replied, his tone playful.
"I respect your appetite. I would never steal food from you," May assured him, her smile warm and genuine.
"I got my eyes on you..." Ash warned playfully, his gaze fixed on her. May laughed, her laughter filling the air with joy.
"I always have eyes for you."
"Cheeky," Ash teased, his smile softening.
"I'm still me," May replied with a smile, her eyes sparkling with affection. "I certainly hope that's not an issue," May teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Nah," Ash replied with a smile, his heart full of affection.
"Yay!" May exclaimed happily, finishing her plate and one more in short order.
"Where do you put all that stuff?" Ash asked in amazement. May kissed his cheek affectionately, her smile bright and cheerful.
"Feel free to explore my body and find out," she whispered. Ash blushed bright red, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. May giggled mischievously, as he sighed with a smile.
"I swear you only have two moods..." Ash teased, his smile playful. After a bit more time to eat their fill, Glaceon walked over to May and sat at her partner's feet.
"Good lunch?" May asked.
"The best!" Glaceon replied happily, jumping into May's lap. May giggled and petted Glaceon's fur affectionately. Pikachu hopped onto Ash's head, and he greeted his partner with a smile.
"Hey there."
"Hi!" Pikachu chirped cheerfully.
"Any spoilers about what else he has planned, Pikachu?" May asked playfully.
"Plenty. But none I'll share with you," Pikachu replied with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. May laughed and stuck her tongue out at Pikachu.
"Meanie."
"He better not," Ash added with a playful grin.
"I would never," Pikachu assured them with a smile. May smiled warmly back at Pikachu.
"Well, if we're both done here, should we at least go see what's next?"
"Sure thing." Ash nodded in agreement. Smiling, May got up from the table, and Ash followed suit. Together, they headed outside into the courtyard, ready to embark on the next adventure of the day.
Once the couple arrived outside, Caroline, Max, and Norman stood together in the castle's courtyard as May approached, her smile one of excitement and surprise at the sight of her biological family all together.
"Hi, sweetheart," Caroline greeted, pulling May into a warm hug. "Happy birthday."
"Thanks, Mom." May returned the hug with a smile. Ash smiled softly as he watched the family interaction, feeling grateful to be a part of such a loving moment. Max gave a small smile, while Norman nodded in greeting. "I take it you're all in on Ash's scheme too?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, sweetheart." Caroline chuckled, feigning her ignorance of Ash's plot. "Truth is, your Dad and Max had a little bet going that we just can't seem to solve."
"What kind of bet?" May inquired, her interest piqued.
"A soccer bet!" Max chimed in, his eyes lighting up with excitement.
"What's not to solve there? I always kick your butt. Even when they had me tied up," May replied confidently.
"Max thinks that a 3 against 1 game is enough to beat you," Norman explained with a grin.
"You all want to play me?" May blinked in surprise.
"Well, Dad doesn't think we can win," Max explained.
"Well, at least one of you knows how good I am," May teased with a grin.
"Those are fighting words, honey." Caroline chuckled. "What do you say we put them to the test?"
"You guys are so on!" May exclaimed eagerly, her competitive spirit ignited. "Ash, referee for us, would you?" May requested with a smile as she eagerly took her position on the field opposite her family.
"Sure thing," Ash replied with a nod, taking his position on the sidelines with the ball. "Begin!" he called out, tossing the ball onto the field. May jumped into action, swiftly maneuvering past her Dad and brother as she rushed down the field. "So how long till she crushes them?" Ash asked Glaceon, a playful twinkle in his eye.
"Since there's three of them and she's taking it easy on them, I'll give them about half an hour," Glaceon replied with a smirk.
"Hm... I give them 10 minutes," Ash countered with a smile.
"20!" Pikachu chimed in with a laugh. May kicked the ball with a fraction of her usual strength, easily scoring the first goal within minutes.
"Nicely done!" Ash praised, impressed by May's skill. Caroline chuckled as she retrieved the ball from the net, passing it back to Ash to reset the game.
"One down, four to go," May declared with a grin, her competitive spirit ignited.
"Lucky shot..." Max muttered, trying to save face.
"Mmhm. Sure Max." his sister teased.
"Now now," Ash chided gently, reminding them to keep the game fun. May giggled, feeling exhilarated by the friendly competition. As Ash tossed the ball back into play, May and her family continued their game, laughter and cheers filling the air as they enjoyed a fun-filled match on her special day. May's impressive skills left her family in awe as she effortlessly blocked Max and Norman's attempts to score in her own goal and stole the ball back from them shortly afterwards.
"Here it comes." Glaceon realized as she watched.
"Three…two…one." Ash counted to himself as he watched May seamlessly kick the ball back into the pocket in the top corner of her family's goal.
"Wow. I see why you were the best, sweetheart," Caroline remarked, admiration shining in her eyes.
"Well, someone had to be." May grinned proudly.
"There's a reason it took me multiple years to catch her," Ash chimed in as he picked up the ball and headed back to center field.
"Aw, thanks, My Love." May's smile softened at his words. Ash returned her smile with a soft one of his own as May blew him a kiss. As May and her family returned to the center field as well, Ash announced the score.
"Alright, two-nothing!" May stood ready as Ash tossed the ball back into play. She switched up her approach, backpedaling towards her goal, allowing Max and Norman to move in. Norman kicked the ball towards May, but she jumped and grabbed it, blocking the shot effortlessly.
"No!" Max exclaimed in frustration as May began bouncing the ball on her knee, preparing for her signature shot.
"She's gonna do her favorite shot," Glaceon observed with a hint of amusement. Ash couldn't help but laugh.
"Hey, guys! Quit while you're behind!"
"Oh dear..." Caroline chuckled softly. May hit the ball high into the air and leaped after it, executing a powerful kick that sent it soaring into the goal.
"Two more to go," May announced confidently as she returned to her position.
"Probably gonna have to mercy rule in a second." Ash couldn't help but comment.
"No mercy!" May shook her head playfully. As Ash tossed the ball into play once again, May jumped and nailed a perfect headbutt, sending the ball flying past Max. Max ran after the ball, but May was hot on his heels, quickly overtaking him and snatching the ball away.
"And here it comes," Ash remarked with a grin.
"Which move is next, you think?" Glaceon pondered.
"It's going over Max's head," Ash predicted confidently. Sure enough, May used the toe of her shoe to send the ball rocketing over Max's head before flipping into the air and delivering a perfect kick into the goal.
"Showoff!" Max exclaimed good-naturedly.
"Oh, you want me to show you some real showing off?" May smirked playfully, getting an idea to propose a final challenge. "I get one shot for my final point. If I miss, you guys win."
"Oh, she's going for it," Pikachu remarked excitedly.
"Fine!" Max agreed.
"This even I have to see." Caroline chimed in.
"You're on sweetheart." Norman nodded in agreement, ready to see how the game would conclude. May, in a display of her skill and creativity, executed a move that left her family in awe. As she approached the center field, she rolled the ball under her foot, signaling the start of her final shot.
"Here it comes," Ash remarked, anticipation evident in his voice. Max got into a defensive stance, preparing for whatever May had in store. Meanwhile, May smirked and started bouncing the ball on her knee, gradually increasing the height of each bounce.
"Here we go," Norman commented, watching intently. Caroline nodded, readying herself for the outcome. As May launched the ball high into the air, Max gasped in surprise. But instead of aiming for the goal, May kicked the ball back towards her own goal once she could reach it.
"Huh?" Caroline questioned, confused by May's strategy.
"Wait for it." Glaceon urged them to wait, knowing that May had something up her sleeve. Sure enough, the ball bounced off the metal frame of the goal and deflected into a nearby tree. It ricocheted off the trunk, flew onto the castle roof, rolled down, and fell onto a nearby wheelbarrow before finally landing back on the field in prime position for May. With lightning speed, May kicked the ball so hard that it generated a literal smoke trail as it soared into the goal, perfectly centered between Norman and Max. As the ball found its mark, Max fell backward in surprise, while Norman stumbled in disbelief. Caroline gasped, impressed by May's incredible shot.
"Goal," May announced with a satisfied smile as Ash applauded her achievement. Caroline chuckled softly as she watched the scene unfold.
"Well, congratulations, May. That was most impressive." she congratulated her daughter. Her son, still frozen in shock, lay on the ground without reacting to May's victory.
"I think you broke him," Ash remarked with amusement as he joined the family on the field.
"Doing OK bro?" May asked, walking to him and offering her hand to help him up. But Max remained unresponsive.
"I think we should bring him inside," Norman suggested.
"I'm on it." With a determined tug, May yanked Max up by the collar of his shirt and dragged him indoors. She plopped him down on the foyer couch as their parents and Ash followed them inside.
"Well then." Ash chuckled.
"Thanks, you guys. That was so much fun," May expressed her gratitude.
"I imagine it was," Norman replied.
"I mean, playing with you all—it was really nice to play a family game." Norman, touched by her sentiment, offered a stunned smile, while Caroline smiled softly in response. May turned to Norman, her expression softening. "And actually, before Ash takes me to our next event, can you and I talk for a minute?"
"Of course," Norman agreed, following May into another room for their private conversation. May hesitated for a moment before broaching a delicate topic with Norman.
"So... correct me if I'm wrong here, but... I've noticed that it seems to hurt you when I call Koga 'Father,' right?" Norman's expression softened, though he couldn't quite meet her eyes.
"...It does."
"It also hurts that I haven't called you that... doesn't it?" Norman's silence spoke volumes as he nodded in agreement. Taking a deep breath, May gathered her thoughts. "Well... I thought I should make myself perfectly clear on this question... because I don't want to hurt you."
"Alright…" He offered a tentative nod in response.
"It's just... the last person I called 'Father'... turned out to be the person that hurt me... took everything from me... and hurt people I care about," May explained, her voice trembling with emotion. "And the last thing I want is to do is put you on his level... because you've given me so much... I can't... I can't bring myself to call you by a title that puts you on his level..."
"Oh…" Norman's eyes softened, a flicker of understanding passing between them.
"It's not because I don't see you as my real father... I just think that it's just not enough of a real title... and I don't have another to give you..." May's voice trailed off, her gaze falling to the ground.
"May..." Norman reached out, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.
"So I'm sorry that I've been hurting you... it's not my intention... far from it..." May continued, her voice barely above a whisper. Norman pulled her into a comforting embrace, his arms offering solace in the midst of her turmoil.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Norman reassured her, his voice warm and reassuring. "I'm the one who failed you for so long..."
"You did everything you could…" Tears welled up in May's eyes as she leaned into his embrace, finding solace in his words.
"Be that as it may... it's a lot to expect to be called 'father' when I wasn't for 16 years..." Norman admitted, his voice tinged with regret. May looked up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"I'm hopeful that... someday we can build a real Dad and Daughter relationship..."
"I'd like that…" Norman agreed as his expression softened, a glimmer of hope shining in his eyes. That look seemed to spark something in May as a slow smile graced her face.
"Hey…"
"What is it May…?"
"Maybe that's what I need... not another father... but my Dad..." May whispered, a tentative smile playing at her lips. Norman's heart swelled with emotion as he pulled her into a tighter embrace, the weight of her words sinking in. "I'd like to call you Dad...if that's ok with you…"
"Oh, May..." Norman murmured, his voice choked with emotion. "That's very okay with me…"
"I love you, Dad..." May returned the embrace, feeling a sense of peace wash over her. Norman held her close, tears of joy streaming down his cheeks as he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, wordlessly conveying the depth of his love and gratitude.
To be Continued...