Months after the magical night of Ash's proposal to the Princess, the kingdom was crackling with excitement as the wedding was nearly upon them. As the morning sun cast its warm glow through the windows, Dawn put the finishing touches on May's wedding gown. The fabric shimmered under the light, and May's gasp of delight echoed through the room as she turned to admire herself in the full-length mirror.

"It's beautiful!" May exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"I'm so glad you like it." Dawn grinned, her heart swelling with satisfaction.

"It's perfect," May insisted, moving closer to hug Dawn tightly. "Elegant, but still very me. You're the best, Dawn."

"Yeah, I know," Dawn replied playfully, returning the hug with equal warmth.

"I wish I could show Ash right away. I just know he'd love it too." May giggled, her excitement bubbling over.

"Maybe it's best to wait. You know, bad luck and all." her lady-in-waiting playfully suggested. May chuckled, understanding the superstition.

"I know, I know. But I just wish we could get to the ceremony faster."

"Just don't make yourself frantic. I'm not sure the Kingdom can handle any more ninja energy." Dawn reminded her gently.

"Yeah yeah," May laughed. "Anyway, I gotta run. I wanna make a quick visit to the caves before I go see Ash."

"No problem." Dawn nodded, watching as May hurried off to change. Once alone, she smiled to herself, marveling at her friend's boundless energy and excitement. As May returned to her usual attire and carefully hung the wedding gown back up, she called out to Dawn as she waved.

"Thanks again! I'll see you later!"

"See you," Dawn replied, her smile lingering even after May had left the room. Watching May dart down the hall and leap out of the window with an agile grace that never failed to impress her, Dawn couldn't help but shake her head in wonder. "How does she do it?" she mused aloud, a fond smile playing on her lips.

In the dappled light of the forest, May gracefully navigated from branch to branch until she reached the entrance of the cave, her heart buoyant with anticipation.

"Hello? It's me," she called out softly. From the shadows emerged Kyurem, his icy form glimmering in the dimness. May's smile widened as she approached him, embracing the legendary Pokémon fondly. "Kyurem!"

"May…" The Pokémon nuzzled her affectionately, a silent reassurance of his affection for her.

"How are you doing?" May inquired, her gaze filled with genuine concern.

"Do fine..." Kyurem responded solemnly, though there was still a noticeable strain in his voice. Relieved, May's attention was drawn to a meek figure lying nearby.

"Reshiram?" she gasped, rushing over to the legendary Pokémon's side. The majestic dragon met her gaze, a hint of discomfort in her eyes. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" May's voice trembled with worry. Reshiram shifted uncomfortably, struggling to convey its distress.

"Limp... Stretched..." she answered. May furrowed her brow, trying to make sense of Reshiram's cryptic words.

"Your body feels bad? Stretched?" Reshiram nodded weakly, her breaths labored. "This can't be good," May murmured to herself, a knot of concern tightening in her chest.

"Will be fine…" Kyurem stepped in, trying to dissuade May from doing anything drastic.

"I have to try…" Determined to help, May placed a hand on Reshiram's head, closing her eyes as she attempted to connect with the legendary Pokémon on a deeper level. But as she delved into Reshiram's consciousness, she was overwhelmed by a surge of excruciating pain, as if her very being was being torn apart. Gasping for breath, May gritted her teeth against the agony, pushing herself to continue despite the overwhelming sensation of being forcibly ejected from Reshiram's mind. Suddenly, the force of whatever resistance she had been fighting overwhelmed her and her muscles involuntarily spasmed, causing her to fly backward and away from Reshiram violently. Collapsing against the cold, unforgiving wall of the cave, May's body trembled with exhaustion as she tried to process the ordeal she had just endured. "Ah…!"

"You alright…?!" Kyurem asked, a sense of worry on his face mixed with the fatigue he had already been experiencing. May winced in pain, holding her shoulder as she looked at the white dragon. Reshiram lay still, her eyes filled with a sadness that cut through May's heart like a knife.

"Reshiram…I can't leave you like this," May insisted weakly, her voice strained with emotion. Reshiram shook her head, her expression resigned.

"Go…Leave me..." she told the Princess.

"I can't...I need to help you...all of you…" May's voice came out shaking, but she still forced herself to stand, leaning heavily on the support of the cave wall.

"May…"

"I just need to try again... There has to be something I can do," she whispered, her voice tinged with desperation. "Reshiram please…"

"No..." Reshiram's response was firm. "Can't do anything…"

"But I…" Tears welled in May's eyes as she turned to Kyurem, seeking solace in the presence of her loyal friend. Kyurem nuzzled his head against her cheek, a small effort to comfort her. "There has to be something...anything I can do...she's hurting so badly...and you're still…"

"We handle pain…not your concern…" Kyurem tried to assure her. May sniffled softly and hugged Kyurem's head, holding him close as a few tears ran down her cheeks.

"I love you all so much…" she whispered.

"Love May…" Kyurem responded in kind.

"Will you... at least tell me if things get worse...?" she pleaded softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Will tell…" Kyurem nodded solemnly, his icy gaze filled with understanding. With a heavy heart, May gave Kyurem one final embrace before turning to leave, her steps heavy with sorrow. As she emerged from the cave, Glaceon looked up at her with concern, prompting May to sniffle and wipe away her tears. With a heavy heart, she began the quiet journey back to the castle, her thoughts consumed by the pain of her beloved dragons.

In the castle courtyard, the clashing of swords echoed as Ash sparred with Gary, their movements swift and precise.

"Getting cold feet yet?" Gary teased, his sword flashing in the sunlight. Ash grinned, deflecting Gary's strike with practiced ease.

"About the wedding? No way!"

"Well, you never know. Maybe you're one of those people that start freaking out as their wedding gets closer. And you are marrying a ninja after all." Gary chuckled, his eyes glinting mischievously.

"I've had my heart attacks already," Ash retorted, focusing on his defense.

"Anything left to do or is May in charge of everything?" Gary smirked, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Heh... I mean..." Ash hesitated for a moment, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips. "I did ask you to be my best man on my own didn't I?"

"You did. I just wasn't sure how much involvement the groom actually had." the knight laughed.

"Plenty believe me." Ash sweatdropped. Gary laughed, then started moving to sweep Ash's legs.

"Think fast then!" Ash yelped as he stumbled backward, falling onto his butt as Gary held the sword to his neck, pinning him to the ground with a confident smirk. "Ready to yield to my superior skills?"

"Fat chance," Ash quipped, sweeping Gary's feet from the ground with a swift motion.

"Ah!" Gary yelled as he fell to the ground. Ash got up and chuckled as his friend laughed, dusting off his armor. "Glad to see your skills are still on point too."

"Heh, back at you." Ash chuckled, extending a hand to help Gary up. Gary accepted and got back up, flashing a smile at his friend.

"Want to keep-" his question stopped short as he looked towards the castle gates. "Uh oh."

"Huh?" Ash wondered, following his gaze. Both of their attention was drawn to the castle gate where May entered quietly. Ash's heart sank as he noticed the cut on her arm and the tears staining her cheeks. "May!" Ash exclaimed, rushing to her side. May looked up at the sound of his footsteps, her eyes red and puffy from crying. Ash enveloped her in a tight embrace, his heart aching at the sight of her distress. "What happened!?"

"I don't know... I went to visit the dragons and..." May buried her face against his chest, allowing herself to release a few more tears. "Reshiram was in so much pain...I-I tried to connect my heart to her's but something...something stopped me...it literally threw me across the cave…"

"Oh my gosh…" Ash listened intently as May spoke, his own heart heavy with concern as he noticed the scraps and cuts along her body from the force she described.

"I briefly felt her pain... it was the worst I've ever felt..." May's voice quivered with emotion. "But they told me there was nothing I could do... I feel helpless..."

"Shh... It's going to be okay," Ash whispered soothingly, his arms tightening around her. He held her close, offering what comfort he could as she cried softly into his tunic. May sniffled, her grip on him tightening as she sought solace in his embrace.

"I'm scared... and I want to help but..." she sniffled, cursing herself under her breath as she cried. "Why can't I...? Why I am not enough...?"

"May...don't go there…It's going to be okay..."

"How…? They depend on me…"

"We'll figure this out…" Ash pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, his own fears momentarily forgotten as he focused on comforting her. "I love you," he murmured softly.

"I love you too," May whispered back, her voice barely above a whisper. Gary approached them, his expression somber as he watched the two interact.

"Ash, maybe you should take her inside for now. I can let the royal family know what happened for you." he offered.

"Thanks Gar." Ash nodded gratefully, guiding May towards the castle with a protective arm around her shoulders. May clung to him as they made their way to their bedroom, her tears slowly subsiding as she found refuge in Ash's comforting presence.

The door clicked shut behind them, enclosing Ash and May in a cocoon of privacy within their chambers. With a soft wince, May seated herself on the edge of the bed, her arm throbbing from the impact of her earlier incident.

"I better take a look at that..." Ash murmured, his voice tinged with concern as he reached for her injured arm.

"Okay..." May replied, her expression pained as Ash gently examined the damaged flesh. "I landed on it kinda hard..." May winced, her breath catching in her throat.

"Sorry…" Ash winced in sympathy, his heart aching at the sight of her discomfort. With a gentle touch, he began to channel his Aura, allowing its soothing energy to flow into May's body. May watched in surprise as the glow of Ash's healing energy enveloped her arm, gradually easing the pain and tension. "There..." Ash breathed, his fingers lingering on her skin as the healing process took effect.

"Heh... that's new." May offered him a small smile, her eyes softening with gratitude. Suddenly though, Ash stumbled backward, his strength suddenly failing him as the effects of his actions took their toll. "Ash...?" May gasped, catching him before he could fall onto the bed.

"I'm fine..." Ash reassured her weakly, his voice strained.

"W-What's wrong...?! What happened...?!" she frantically asked, concern etched into her features.

"Aura healing... Heal someone else, by sacrificing part of your life force..." Ash explained, his breaths labored. May's eyes widened in shock, her heart clenching at the realization of the danger Ash had willingly subjected himself to.

"You what?!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with alarm. Ash's gaze softened as he met her eyes.

"I'll be fine... Nothing I can't recover from with a good night's sleep..." he waved off her concerns. May shook her head in disbelief, her arms wrapping tightly around him in a protective embrace.

"You can't just go around doing something that dangerous...!"

"It's fine May... I certainly feel it, but the effects are proportional to how it's used..." Ash assured her, his own arms encircling her in return. Tears welled in May's eyes as she buried her face against his chest, her voice trembling with emotion.

"Please... I don't want more people I care about to get hurt..." Ash's grip tightened around her, his own emotions raw as he struggled to find the right words to ease her fears.

"I won't..."

"Thank you though..." May pulled back slightly, her gaze searching his face for reassurance. Ash offered her a small smile, his fingers brushing against her cheek in a tender gesture of affection. "You're the best... even when you worry me..." May whispered softly, her voice filled with love and gratitude.

"Yeah, I know," Ash replied with a smile, his eyes warm with affection. May chuckled softly, a hint of playfulness returning to her features.

"You're starting to sound like me..."

"Been around you a long time." Ash's smile widened at her words.

"That part I like..." May admitted with a small smile, her heart swelling with affection for the man she loved. Ash's smile softened, his gaze meeting hers with a depth of emotion that took her breath away. Their lips met in a gentle kiss, a silent exchange of love and reassurance that spoke volumes more than words ever could. As they pulled away, May's eyes were filled with determination. "I think... I'm going to continue my research on the dragons... I haven't stopped since Kyurem got sick... but now with Reshiram...I have to double down…"

"That would be wise..." Ash nodded in agreement, his support unwavering. May offered him a small nod, a flicker of hope igniting within her heart.

"I just... I don't know what else I can do..."

"It's okay..." Ash murmured, his fingers gently stroking her arm in a comforting gesture. May sighed softly, leaning into his touch.

"I hope you're right..."

"I love you," Ash whispered, his voice filled with sincerity.

"I love you more," May replied, her eyes shining with affection.

"I love you most," Ash insisted, his lips quirking into a playful grin. May couldn't help but giggle at his words, her heart lightening at his playful banter.

"Not possible..."

"So possible," Ash countered with a grin, his eyes sparkling with mischief. May leaned in for another kiss, and as they lost themselves in each other's embrace, the weight of their worries were momentarily forgotten as their clothes started quickly being discarded. The air between them crackled with anticipation as May straddled Ash's waist, their heated gazes locking in a silent exchange of desire and longing. Ash's heart pounded in his chest as he met May's eyes, his breath catching in his throat at the intensity of the moment. "May…?"

"I just need you right now…I can still feel the troubles of the dragons even from here...please...just to take my mind off it for a time..." she begged.

"...Ok." he nodded. May's lips curved into a sultry smile as she leaned down to capture Ash's mouth in a searing kiss, her hands roaming over his bare chest with a fervent urgency. Ash moaned softly against her lips, his hands trailing down her spine as he pulled her closer, their bodies pressing together in a primal dance of passion and need. With trembling hands, May reached for the waistband of Ash's underwear, her touch sending shivers of anticipation coursing through his body. Ash gasped in surprise as May boldly removed his last garment, her movements confident and determined as she straddled him with a newfound sense of empowerment. With a soft moan, Ash surrendered himself to the intoxicating sensations coursing through his body, his hands finding purchase on May's hips as he pulled her closer, their bodies melding together in a blissful union of love and desire.

To be Continued...