Good Love Charm (Advanceshipping, PG-13)

[Manaphy]

Hello I just spent the past 3 hours reading this entire fanfic and I must say its amazing! You put everything into great detail with also having a great plot! I reallyy hope you continue this! ^^

Oh and if possible I would like to be on the PM list please!

[advance4ev]

Hey there..I've been reading your fic for a while, just didn't have an account at the time and I just want to say..like Manaphy.. they're AMAZING!!!! The plot, the shippyness, you make it seem so real, like the actual series(only with a higher rating)and should definitely become like a movie or something.*Gets Pokemon creator and (attempts to) force them to make this a movie* Congratulations, you just received a new fan to this o^v^o!! Ok, I'm speechless, in a good way.
I'll start reviewing when the next chapter comes.....Aw forget it I'll do a quick one now.

Chapter 14 Review: This is basically going to be rambling by the way. I loved how you did Nico's background story; it kinda shows his reasons behind his actions sorta, kinda.(For some reason the first part reminded me of Aladdin..of course, I watched that today so that could also be it.) Also, Poor Ash !! Blaming himself for May's kidnap, Don't worry Ash you'll save her!! Unless someone wants to put some crazy twistin this fic. And YAY Paul to the rescue, since he kinda gave them a clue(while mocking them)!! Guess he DOES have a heart xD JK JK!!!! And Drew: YOU BETTER GIVE MAY BACK OR ELSE I'M GONNA JUMP INTO YOUR WORLD AND DO SOME VERY MEAN THINGS TO YOU!!!!!!!! ok my anger's out. [I have a feeling about what Nico's plan is(if he even has one..maybe I'm thinking to much) but I have a crazy mind so I'm not going to bother typing it up.]
Wow this was longer than I expected....oops!!

Anyways, I hope I get to see the next chapter soon(not that I wanna rush you or anything) because this fic is filled with 100% of Pure Awesomeness!!!!

[BlazeFusion76]

Perfect just perfect I love this fic,I just hope you havent abonded it,please put me on the pm list.Thank you.

[Typholision 1200]

I've read all the chapters by now and I really love it. It's well-written, but even for me as a German good to understand. What I liked most was how you found a compromise between the "shippyness" and the dramatic scenes. But reading the story I got more and more aggressive. It's because everytime Ash gets closer to May some bad things happen ^^

[XxMays_flowerxX]

Hello! ^.^
wow. I'm just speechless! everything you write flows like a steam! the plot is very genius, and the dicribtion ( sorry can't spell TT__TT) is simply phenomenal! You are my insperation honestly. Before I made an account I would come here everyday to see an other wonderful chapter to be veiwed. I'm so addicted to the drama, and supension has me at the edge of my seat! The character's are all well played. I must say this is a work of art, of an upcoming worldwide novelist.

I must say keep up the good work, and smile. Cause you are loved and inspired by all.
Now I must go. Bye!

[Lexiebee88]

good 1 ive read everything and ive gotta hand it to ya its very good! hurry with the next chapter!!!!!!!!!! love ya!!!!

[DeM0NaRUt0]

Update soon please

[DeM0NaRUt0]

update soon please

[Chaos_Umbreon]

Hi!

This has got to be one of my all time favourite Advanceshipping fics, mainly due to the fact that this fic made me become an Advanceshipper. The way you describe each scene is spectacular and gives a perfect balance of setting, dialogue and emotion. The development of the shipping scenes is in no way forced and flows naturally, and the battle scenes are so well described that you can visualise it like the anime.

Please don't abandon this fic, I don't mind long waits for updates because it just means that the next chapter is going to be even better.

See ya!

[Gazmof]

It's ALIVE!!

Chapter Fifteen:
Homecoming

The loud cries of wild Wingulls circled overhead, as if they were announcing that this was their territory and that soon the land would give way to the vast ocean which stretched beyond for miles and miles. Pikachu watched the bird Pokemon in fascination from atop the safety of its trainer's cap, their circular motions and rhythmic flapping of wings proving almost powerful enough to hypnotise the Electric-type. Though that probably wouldn't have been particularly difficult anyway - Ash and his group had been up for most of the previous night, after all, and it was now fast approaching 9AM.

Officer Jenny and Flint had managed to arrange a meeting for the group with a contact in Canalave City. It was this contact who would not only provide the police boat that they would be using to travel to LaRousse City, but would also be driving it for them, since no-one else in the group knew about nautical navigation or anything that even resembled it.

Ash chuckled to himself a little as he thought of this. Brock was bad enough at directions even with a map; he shuddered to think what he would be like out at sea, with only the ocean winds to guide him.

The young Pokemon trainer was soon snapped out of his thoughts by the loud and tired yawn of their female companion, Dawn. The girl slowly stretched out her arms before rubbing the weariness from her face and doing her best to take control of her deep-blue hair. It had proven to be quite a rush in the morning at the Floaroma Police Station, and the helicopter which had brought them all the way back to Canalave City was on a tight schedule so they couldn't afford to be late.

"You okay, Dawn?" Ash asked the girl, who nodded weakly in reply.

"Yeah." Dawn yawned once more, causing Pikachu to feel even more sleepy. It seemed to be a strange phenomenon regarding this particular Pokemon coordinator - just like her infectiously happy attitude, everything about her seemed contagious. "I should count myself lucky; Nurse Joy told me that if they hadn't given me a dose of Aromatherapy during the night I'd still be sleeping until this evening!"

"Piplup?" the tiny penguin Pokemon chirped curiously at the girl's feet, causing her to beam a tired smile at the creature before picking it up and cradling it in her arms.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Piplup!" she exclaimed, nuzzling the Water-type with her cheek. "So many things happened last night that I haven't even had time to tell you how much I missed you!"

"Piplup Pip." Piplup said understandingly before patting its trainer's face with a small, blue wing in a reassuring manner.

"I'll tell you what," Dawn continued, her trademark smile returning to her face, "when we get back from LaRousse City, I'll make you a whole bunch of your favourite poffins! How does that sound?"

Immediately upon hearing these words Piplup's eyes lit up like bright jewels and it began to twist excitedly in the girl's arms.

"Pip!" it squeaked happily. "Pip Piplup Pip!"

"I take it you like that idea, Piplup!" its trainer giggled, lifting the creature up into the air and twirling on the spot. Ash and Brock both smiled as they watched the girl, but there was one member of their group who seemed less than impressed with her display of affection.

"Will you stop that already?" Paul growled. "It's nauseating to have to stand and watch that fluff."

Dawn's happy smile immediately transformed into an angry scowl. Both she and Piplup glared at the boy, who was, as usual, refusing to make eye contact with anyone.

"What's it got to do with you, anyway?" she snarled. "Why are you even here? It's not like we need your help OR enjoy your company, mister!"

"Hey," Paul countered, turning to face the girl, "if it were up to me I'd already be in Eterna City earning my next Gym badge!"

"So why did you come along for the ride, Paul?" Brock questioned, puzzled by the trainer's logic.

"Flint promised me a battle only on the condition that I look after you clowns while you go play the heroes and rescue your little damsel in distress." Paul explained in a way that was so earnest it quite surprised Brock. "Trust me, I don't want to be here, especially if it means hanging around this annoying girl any longer than I have to."

Ash and Brock both backed away a little as they felt Dawn's anger increase and burn the surrounding area like an aura of fire, her fist clenched and her eyes glowing.

"Annoying girl!?" she screamed, coiling back her fist as if she were getting ready to pummel Paul into oblivion. "I'll show you annoying, you-!!"

"Sorry I'm late!" a girl's voice interrupted the scene, much to Ash, Brock and Pikachu's delight, who had been fearing for Paul's safety.

The group all turned in unison to see the familiar figure of Alisa wandering over to them, a paper bag filled with groceries being cradled in her arms. Brock immediately offered to carry the items for her and soon found himself laden with products. Not that he minded, of course - a gentleman such as himself was always willing to help a pretty lady in need.

"Phew, thanks Brock!" Alisa sighed, stretching her arms in celebration of being free from the burden of her shopping trip. "I think I got everything we'll need for the journey.

"Are you sure you wanna come with us, Alisa?" Ash asked, concern emanating from his voice. "I thought you and your father had a lot of work to do cleaning up the carnival after Team Rocket wrecked the place."

Alisa waved Ash's concerns away before answering.

"Of course I wanna come, Ash!" she explained quite seriously. "It's the least I could do after you rescued everybody's Pokemon!"

The girl paused for a moment to consider something before continuing.

"Besides, I'm worried about May, too. This is all my fault! I feel responsible for having hosted that tournament and putting you guys in harm's way. I need to apologise to her myself."

"You shouldn't blame yourself so much, Alisa." Brock managed to speak up from behind the paper bag that was obscuring much of his view. "There was no way you could have known that Team Rocket would pull a stunt like that during a perfectly innocent contest that you just happened to host."

"Maybe you're right, Brock," Alisa conceded, "but I still want to make sure May's alright. I may not be much of a trainer, but I promise I'll help out in any way I can, you guys!"

"Are you kidding?" Ash laughed. "We'd love to have you with us! The more the merrier, right Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!" the Pokemon sitting atop Ash's cap agreed.

"Hey!" a voice calling from the dockside snapped the group out of their conversation, drawing attention to a sleek-looking boat coloured in blue and white which now floated just beside the edge of the pier. Standing atop it and waving towards the group was a man clad in a dark-blue uniform and wearing what appeared to be a sailor's cap. "Are you the kids I'm here to meet?"

The group made their way across the pier and towards the man until they were finally beside the boat, admiring its impressive form. The man standing just behind the wheel of the craft removed his cap and bowed his head in greeting to Ash and his friends, showing off his tangled mess of black hair and well-tanned skin, presumably caused by his many years of sailing the surrounding oceans.

"Good morning, youngsters!" the man said with a wide smile before replacing his cap and pointing towards the collection of seats which were shaped like booths in a restaurant located towards the rear of the vehicle. "Hop aboard - there's plenty of room."

Ash and the others wasted no time in boarding the vessel, nodding to the man in thanks as they made themselves comfortable and Brock was finally able to rest his arms and lie the bag of groceries just below his seat. Once everyone was settled the captain turned, leaning one arm over the rear of his seat and examining his new passengers closely.

"Name's Officer Carter." he explained, tilting his hat once more to the group. "Heard you kids need a ride to LaRousse City. Officer Jenny informed me of the details. Sounds like you guys have got your work cut out for you!"

Carter then proceeded to face the wheel of the boat once more, turning on the engine and giving it a moment to warm up with a loud roar.

"Beautiful day to be out at sea!" he called out over the noise and confusion of the engine as he made a few last-minute safety checks before pulling away from the pier and heading out into the vast ocean which lay before them. "You guys just sit tight - we'll be there in just a few hours!"

With that knowledge, Ash gazed out across the ocean waves, a determined look in his eyes as Canalave City quickly faded out of view from the southern horizon.

Next stop: LaRousse City...

~*~*~

"Welcome to LaRousse City!" the sound of high-pitched, computerized voices greeted Drew's yacht as it slowly approached the harbour, the strong tug of the ocean waves beginning to subside as the water gave way to raised concrete and steel.

Drew allowed a small smile of satisfaction and accomplishment to cross his face as the floating Block Bots hovered towards him to request identification. Drew raised his passport casually, allowing one of the machine's advanced optical sensors to scan the barcoded information and determine the document's validity.

The Block Bots were the guardians of LaRousse City and epitomised its cutting-edge technology and advanced research in the field of robotics. Though they were much smaller than a traditional portable television, their screens were sharp and colourful, and their built-in hover sensors made them an impressive sight to behold as four small, green cubes followed their every move. The Block Bots were usually relegated to customs and security work, though they also provided numerous informational features to help tourists find their way around the high-tech city. Maps, directions and upcoming weather readings were all built-in as standard on every Block Bot, and it was no wonder they were often considered the city's unofficial mascot.

"Welcome home, Mister Blackthorne!" the robot's speakers emitted a blunt, monotone voice as its screen flashed blue to confirm the passport's approval and the crude image of a smiling face beamed at the man. "I hope you had a pleasant trip!"

Drew didn't answer; after all, he was used to the presence of the Block Bots and had been for quite some time, so he never found them at all unusual, or even very interesting, for that matter. Instead he simply stared up towards the steep hill which dominated this side of the city - the main part of the town was located on the central island which was connected to the mainland by an impressive monorail system, but that wasn't his goal today. All he wanted to do was to get home, and it was just a brief drive further up the hill, on a beautiful spot overlooking the entire bay.

He turned back towards the cabin and glanced at the bed, where his May continued to lie, sleeping peacefully. She was so much easier when she slept, he thought to himself. Come to think of it, May had never seen his home before, and so this would be quite a shock to her. There was no way she could ever think about anyone else after experiencing the luxury which only he could provide.

Nico watched patiently as Drew lifted May up in his arms and carefully stepped off the yacht and onto the waiting pier of the impressive harbour. The boy waited for a moment, glancing around as if he were expecting something to happen. Nico remained still and silent on the rear of the boat for a moment as he attempted to figure out what Drew was doing, but he didn't have to wait long as he saw just off the pier a large, jet-black limousine pull up and a man who looked like a typical butler regally stepped out of the vehicle.

Drew began to approach the man, making his way off the pier and onto the main harbour, prompting Nico to disembark from the boat and carefully creep up behind the boy, doing his best to tune out the noise from the rest of the docks and listen in on their conversation.

"It's good to see you again, Master Drew." the man greeted the boy, bowing graciously. "It's been such a long time since we last saw you. I trust you are doing well?"

"Thank you, Edward." Drew acknowledged the man, then proceeded to present the sleeping form of May to him.

Edward examined the girl for a moment before realising what the young Pokemon coordinator was suggesting.

"Ah, of course!" he exclaimed, taking the girl and looking her up and down. "So this must be the young lady you're so interested in. I must say sir, you have impeccable taste!"

Drew grinned at this comment, then made his way to the passenger's side of the limousine, opening up the door and prompting Edward to place May inside. Edward did as he was silently instructed, giving his best effort to make the girl as comfortable as possible before offering Drew to take a seat beside her.

"Though I must say, Master Drew," Edward explained somewhat nervously, "I'm not entirely sure Lady Elizabeth will approve of her attire."

Drew nodded knowingly at this, folding his arms across his chest and tapping his foot on the floor of the vehicle impatiently.

"That's why I'll leave her to Lucinda once we get to the mansion." he answered. "I'm waiting, Edward."

Edward bowed his head respectfully towards Drew before closing the passenger door and making his way to the driver's seat, quickly starting the engines and pulling away from the dockside. Nico watched the car speed away into the distance and up the hill for a moment before emerging from behind one of the many large cargo crates which lined the dockside.

"Damn." he groaned, then snapped his fingers to summon the attention of the invisible Ghost-type Pokemon that had been following his every move. "Dusknoir, you can cancel the spell now."

"Dusk." the creature replied with an empty, ethereal voice as both it and Nico began to slowly re-materialize into view.

Nico smiled knowingly as his eyes scanned the hill before returning the Ghost-type into its Pokeball and clipping it to his belt.

"I guess we're gonna be doing some walking, huh Drew?" he chuckled to himself. "But first thing's first - it's probably better this way."

Nico's eyes began to scan the perimeter, looking for any kind of map or informational board to welcome first-time visitors to this part of the city. Eventually he found one near the far side of the dock and went to investigate further, his hands casually remaining in his pockets.

"Now then..." he muttered underneath his breath, glancing up and down the board, looking for the universal 'PC' symbol that was usually emblazoned in a bright orange colour. "Where's the nearest Pokemon Center?"

~*~*~

"Land ho!" Carter called out as he began to punch a few additional commands into the control panel of the police boat, the spray of the ocean parting against the force of its hull. "There she is, kids - LaRousse City!"

All of the passengers - with the notable exception of Paul - gasped in awe at the impressive city which came closer and closer with every passing second. Ash and Brock remembered their adventures in LaRousse city well - it was quite an unforgettable story, after all - but the sight of the majestic city rising out of the water was a breathtaking view with a magical aura that could never fade.

Brock smiled to himself as he recalled how many beautiful girls walked the city's streets, though he feared Croagunk's wrath if he were to try and get phone numbers from any of them. Besides, there were important matters to attend to.

"Wow!" Dawn gushed in amazement at the beautiful, crystal-clear waters which were reflected in the huge, sweeping skyscrapers that lined the edge of the bay like an enormous gate welcoming them into new territory. "It's so beautiful!"

"Definitely!" Alisa seconded Dawn's comment. "I never would have imagined anything like this!"

Ash smiled and turned to the two girls in the group.

"Just you wait until you see the city itself!" he laughed excitedly. "You're never gonna believe how incredible that place is!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed, leaping away from Ash and onto the back of Carter's seat to get a closer view of the city.

"I don't mean to darken the mood, you guys, but," Brock began in a serious tone of voice, "shouldn't we come up with a plan or something?"

"You're right, Brock." Dawn acknowledged the Pokemon breeder's suggestion, putting her finger to her cheek and gazing up at the beautiful, clear-blue Hoenn skies which lay above them. "Finding May in a huge city like this could be like finding a needle in a haystack!"

"Not to mention that the city is divided into three separate parts across the bay;" Brock explained gloomily, "there's the two coastal sections and the main island itself."

"That won't be a problem, Brock!" Ash replied, causing the rest of the group to glance over at him, eager to hear his explanation.

Ash shuffled and made himself comfortable in his seat before proceeding with his plan.

"We already figured out that Drew's like a celebrity, right?" he said, removing his cap for a moment to wipe the sweat away from his brow before continuing - he had forgotten how hot it could get in this region. "So all we have to do is ask around and I'm sure we'll find his place! It's probably a cheap tourist trap or something."

"Wow, Ash!" Dawn teased the boy, leaning close to him as she did so. "I never thought I'd see the day you came up with a pretty intelligent plan!"

"Wha!?" Ash growled. "What do you mean by that!?"

"Pika..." Pikachu sighed before making itself comfortable in Brock's lap. Some things never did change, did they?

"Piplup..." Clearly Piplup felt the same way.

Ash and Dawn didn't have time to finish their argument, as Carter's boat wasted no time in pulling up to the pier and dropping them off. Soon the entire group had disembarked, thanking Carter as they went.

"I got nothing to do all day, so I'll probably go do some sightseeing or something." Carter told them. "I'll give you my phone number, but if I don't hear from you I'll expect to meet you back here at seven tonight."

He reached for the vehicle's ignition, finally cutting off the power supply to the engine before glancing over at the group once more.

"How's that sound?"

"That should be perfect, Officer Carter." Ash confirmed, giving him a quick thumbs-up signal. "Thanks for all your help!"

"Ah, don't mention it." Carter replied, stretching a little as he did so. "If it weren't for you guys I'd probably be on coast guard duty right about now, anyway."

He paused for a moment before leaning closer to Ash and Brock before whispering something.

"Just between you and me, those Wingulls ain't too friendly when they think you're trying to invade their territory."

Ash and Brock finished their goodbyes with Carter before making their way down the pier and over towards where Dawn, Paul and Alisa were examining something near the exit to the harbour. It appeared to be a large sign, and on closer inspection Ash determined that it was some kind of large map to help newcomers find their way around this side of the city.

"So if we're here..." Alisa muttered, more to herself than to anyone around her. "That means we just go a few blocks north and we should find the Pokemon Center in no time at all!"

"Alright!" Dawn exclaimed excitedly, pumping her fist in the air and prompting Piplup to do the same with its wing. "Then let's get go-"

Dawn turned around and immediately stumbled into what appeared to be a small, floating television screen with several green cubes trailing it. She took a moment to look at the device before letting out an enormous scream which Paul could've sworn echoed throughout the entire bay.

"Ash!" she yelled, running behind the young trainer and using him as a makeshift shield. "Get that thing away from me!"

"Piplup Piplup!" Piplup yelled at the machine, getting ready to unleash a Bubblebeam attack on it. "Piiiiiip-!"

"Ah, wait Piplup!" Ash called, quickly snatching the Pokemon into his arms and directing the attack away from the floating device. "You don't understand!"

"Pip?" Piplup replied, clearly not very pleased with the current situation.

"These are LaRousse City's Block Bots." Brock explained to the newcomers, motioning towards the example which continued to hover patiently beside him, a bright blue background with a crude, smiling face flickering on its monitor. "They're basically like the security around these parts. They won't hurt you."

He hesitated for a moment as he considered his words and recalled what had happened during their last visit to this city.

"Well, so long as you don't get on their bad side..."

"Piplup..." Piplup sighed as Ash set it back down onto the ground.

"Oh, I see!" Dawn realised, walking back up to the Block Bot - which had now been joined by two other units - and gazing into its screen with curiosity. "Well what do you know? They're actually kind of cute!"

"Piplup!" Piplup squeaked adamantly, clearly offended by its trainer's words.

Dawn nervously waved the little creature's complaints away.

"Oh, they're nowhere near as cute as you though, Piplup!" she insisted, causing the little Pokemon to smile in satisfaction.

"Passports please!" the central Block Bot requested in a typically computerized voice. "If you do not have a LaRousse City passport, please touch the screen at any time!"

"Hey, Brock." Ash turned to his older friend. "Do you still have your old passport from the last time we came here?"

"I'm afraid not, Ash." Brock replied. "But I don't think it'll be a big deal; we can just get some new ones."

"Yeah, you're right, Brock." Ash agreed, turning on the spot and preparing to press his finger against the Block Bot's monitor when suddenly an old image of him wearing a red and black cap with a green Pokeball emblem emblazoned in its centre flashed onto the screen.

"Welcome back, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!" the Block Bot spoke with surprising warmth for a machine. "If you have lost your LaRousse City passport, I can print you a new one!"

"Oh, cool!" Ash stammered, slightly stunned by the computer's memory - he hadn't been here for some time, after all, and yet he was clearly still listed in their database. "Y-yes please, Block Bot!"

The machine paused for a moment, its internal circuitry searching through the wireless database of LaRousse City which only the Block Bots and high-ranking officials were allowed access to. After a few seconds of waiting it emitted a small, red and black card with Ash's old photograph from his previous visit to LaRousse City stamped on it. Ash gratefully accepted the item and looked it up and down, still quite speechless from the realisation that LaRousse City had remembered him after all this time.

"Thank you, Ash Ketchum!" the machine beeped, its screen flashing a green signal of approval. "Please enjoy your visit to LaRousse City!"

Soon all of the members of the group had received their passports and the Block Bots floated back into the many streets and alleyways of the inner city to perform their duties, greeting citizens as they went.

"Well," Ash began, calling the attention of the other members of the team, "I guess we'd better head for the Pokemon Center. That seems as good a place as any to start!"

With this suggestion the group followed Ash's lead, Paul making sure he stayed towards the rear of the group so as not to appear to be a part of their community to passers-by. Dawn noticed this and began to walk slightly slower than the rest of her friends in an effort to check up on the trainer and make sure that he wasn't up to no good.

Soon both Dawn and Paul were walking almost parallel to one another, though Paul hadn't appeared to notice as he was too busy inspecting his new LaRousse City passport that had been given to him by the Block Bots. Dawn took this opportunity to peer over the boy's shoulder, curious about why he would be so fascinated about the document.

"Boy," she began, a slight hint of giggling in her voice as she noticed the glum expression on his passport's photo, "do you even know how to smile, Paul?"

Paul felt his eyebrow twitch in anger at this remark and proceeded to shoot an ominous glare towards the Pokemon coordinator before quickly hiding the passport away in his pocket. Dawn simply smiled mischievously at the boy's response. It was good to get away with making fun of him when she had the chance.

"I don't need to smile for some dumb robot." Paul snapped back, managing to regain his composure as he placed his hands in the pockets of his pants and just stared straight ahead, his eyes closely following where Ash was leading them.

"Maybe you should try it some time," Dawn continued to tease the boy relentlessly, the satisfied smile refusing to fade from her face, "it'd be a new experience for you."

"And maybe you should try wearing a bigger hat." Paul retorted, allowing his lips to curve into a mischievous smile of his own as he spoke. "I think I see a grey hair."

"WHAT!?" Dawn screamed, immediately running her fingers through her hair in a terrified panic before noticing the boy's snickering. "Why, you-!"

Paul gave himself a moment to compose himself before casually continuing as if nothing had ever happened.

"Pathetic." he spoke simply, the apathy that only Paul could show completely flooding his voice. "You really care about something so trivial? You're even more ridiculous than I first thought."

"Um..." Alisa interrupted the argument, a nervous drop of sweat rolling down the side of her face as she stepped between the two of them. "Maybe we should just focus on getting to the Pokemon Center in one piece?"

"Hmph!" Dawn sniffed, turning her head to face the other way and folding her arms defiantly. "I'm sure we'd get there a lot quicker without HIM following us around."

"You know you look just like a Piplup when you do that?" Paul laughed.

"At least I don't look like a Weezing all the time!" Dawn snapped back.

"I'm hurt, Danielle." Paul replied, the sarcasm in his voice on display for all to hear. "Deeply hurt."

"My name is Dawn!!" Dawn growled, ready to punch the boy if he continued for much longer.

Brock sighed, doing his best to avoid the awkward stares of both the citizens and tourists lining the streets who had now stopped and were watching with a strange sense of fascination as Dawn and Paul continue to squabble.

Ash, meanwhile, couldn't hear the argument. Well, he could hear it, but none of it registered in his mind. All he was focused on right now was finding May and rescuing her. And perhaps even teaching Drew a lesson while he was at it. The young Pokemon trainer could feel the energy in the air that surrounded the entire city - she was here and he knew it; he felt it in his blood, like a spiritual connection which bound the two of them forever, and he wouldn't rest until she was safely back in his arms.

"Oh, wow!" Dawn exclaimed, ignoring Paul's remarks as the group turned the corner and entered one of the main shopping districts on this side of the bay.

It was a wonderful scene that would've made a citizen of LaRousse City the envy of everyone in the world. The street stretched out well into the distance, its tiled surface painted in a beautiful, golden colour, reminiscent of the most breathtaking sandy beaches of Hoenn. The buildings were quaint and lively, yet still retaining a thoroughly modern quality, with large, colourful banners and rustic streetlights lining the road, whilst the stores and restaurants on either side were packed with people happily shopping and spending time together without a care of the world. It was as if the incident involving Deoxys and Rayquaza in the past had never happened at all.

"Welcome to West Market Street, visitors!" a Block Bot called out to the group before hovering towards Ash and displaying a list of options on its touch screen. "Would you like to hear some restaurant recommendations?"

"Ah..." Ash stammered uncertainly. Though he had no doubt that this technology was very convenient and beneficial to the people of Larousse City, he couldn't help but feel like he was on another planet whenever he was here. Did people really live like this? And if so, were they really human beings?

"We're looking for the... The Pokemon Center..." Ash spoke up, raising an eyebrow at the device which floated before him as it silently processed his request.

"West Market Street Pokemon Center is located approximately one point four miles east of our current location." the Block Bot responded after a moment's thought, swinging around and motioning in the eastern direction with its four floating cubes which usually trailed behind the machine. "It will be located on your left."

"Ah, thanks!" Ash replied uncertainly to the machine, its screen flickering green - presumably as an indication that he was welcome - before floating away and leaving the group to make their way to the Pokemon Center.

Ash and the others weren't fazed at all by having to walk the distance to the Pokemon Center - as Pokemon trainers they were used to traveling vast distances on foot, and Alisa's life was filled with similar experiences from her travels with the carnival. Even despite this, however, the walk through West Market Street didn't seem boring at all - every new store seemed to bring a new kind of personality to the street, and Dawn and Alisa were both enamoured by the sheer beauty of LaRousse City - no matter where they looked there was no trash or graffiti or any blemishes whatsoever. Trash cans and vending machines were all controlled by computer interfaces similar to the Block Bots and almost everything that could be was automated - even the sidewalks themselves had speed ramps to help aid the travellers as they made their way to the Pokemon Center. Indeed, this truly seemed to be the perfect city.

It was just then that a thought crossed Ash's mind. This really was the perfect city, wasn't it? The perfect place to live... Drew could offer everything a girl like May could ever want and so much more. How was he supposed to compete with something like that? Was there even a point to all this? Would May even WANT him to rescue her?

Ash frowned at this thought, his eyes glancing down to his feet as he watched the moving sidewalk continue to whisk them towards their destination.

"Don't worry, Ash." Brock spoke up, placing a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder upon noticing his sad expression. "We'll find her. I promise."

"What's the point, Brock?" Ash sighed heavily, his eyes now gazing up to the clear blue sky above, where not a single cloud could be seen. "I mean, it's not as if this is a bad place, is it?"

Brock raised an eyebrow at this question, not entirely sure what his friend was trying to get at.

"I mean..." Ash struggled a little with his words, not entirely sure how to express them. "What if she doesn't want us here, Brock? She could be so happy here in this city. It's everything a girl could ever want."

The boy hesitated for a moment before correcting himself.

"No, it's everything she DESERVES!" he continued, unable to force himself to make eye contact with the Pokemon breeder who continued to listen silently to the boy's concerns. "Maybe she was angry at first, but in the long run, don't you think she'd be happier here? Like this?"

A sad thought crossed his mind as he turned from his friend in an effort to hide the depression that was clouding his entire being.

"With him...?"

Brock gave himself a few brief seconds to consider his response. Dawn and Alisa were too busy admiring the sights and sounds of the city to have overheard their conversation, and Paul was standing quite far behind them so he was certain he couldn't hear, nor would he even care to listen.

He hated to see his friend so upset, and Dawn wasn't the only one who had an infectious personality; Ash always managed to cheer people up and win them over to his point of view - even his old rival Gary finally saw the light by the end of their time travelling through the Johto region together. Ash was the kind of guy who didn't deserve to get so upset - he would risk his own life to save someone close to him and wouldn't think twice about it; that was the kind of friend he was, and Brock had always both deeply respected and admired that trait.

The truth was that Brock didn't know all of the answers, no matter how much he would have liked to. But he did know one thing, and that was his friends; be they Ash, Max, Dawn, Misty, or May.

"You're wrong, Ash." Brock spoke firmly but kindly, looking directly at his friend who turned back to face the breeder uncertainly. "I'll admit, May definitely has some expensive tastes, but she knows what money can't buy. And that's love."

"L-love!?" Ash coughed, his eyes widening in surprise at Brock's open usage of the word and a deep blush quickly clouded his face.

"I don't think May could ever love Drew after what he's done." Brock explained. "Kidnapping her and forcing her here against her will? Attacking Dawn with his Pokemon? Come on, Ash; you know May better than that."

Ash was silent for a moment, the laughter and excited chatter of the people in the surrounding area doing little to disturb him from his thoughts. Brock was right - May needed him, and self-pity wasn't going to bring her back.

"Thanks, Brock." he said with a smile. "I can be pretty dense sometimes, can't I?"

Brock couldn't help but laugh at this comment.

"You don't know the half of it, Ash." he chuckled.

Ash smiled to himself, gazing back up at the bright, blue Hoenn sky overhead. He lightly clenched his fist for a moment, making a silent promise to his best friend.

'Just hold on, May.' he thought. 'I promise I'll be there soon.'

~*~*~

"So I see you brought a new toy along with you." the voice of Drew's mother, Elizabeth, reverberated around the exquisitely decorated dining room as Drew entered, acting as casually as usual.

"It's nice to see you too, Mother." Drew commented with dry sarcasm as he approached the table where his mother sat, her fingers gently caressing a glass of red wine. Their eyes made contact across the vast table for a moment before the boy took a seat on the opposite end, waiting for her to continue voicing her unwanted opinions, as he knew she was wont to do.

"Rather plain, isn't she?" Elizabeth continued disapprovingly. "I saw her through the security cameras when Edward brought her in."

She took a sip of wine and then glared at her son who did nothing but stare back blankly in response.

"I always thought I raised you to have better taste, Drew." she sighed. "What could you possibly see in that peasant girl?"

"That peasant girl beat me in the semi-finals of the Kanto Grand Festival." Drew offered, causing Elizabeth to frown.

"So now you have a thing for punishment, do you?" she mocked him openly, then got to her feet, cradling her glass as she gazed out the window behind her and across the bay where the monorail was currently ferrying passengers to the central island of LaRousse City. "I just don't know what to do with you, Drew."

"Whatever." Drew replied, stretching and placing his feet on the table while he played idly with a Pokeball. "It's not like I care about your opinion anyway."

"Are you really so willing to openly blemish the Blackthorne name?" Elizabeth snapped, turning to face her son once more and placing the wine glass on the table before folding her arms somewhat intimidatingly. "After all we've done to help put you where you are today!"

Anyone else would have cowered before her, but Drew remained completely calm, his eyes focusing on the Pokeball that he tossed to and fro between his hands like a bored child.

"I wonder what your father will say..." she continued sadly.

"No-one cares but you, Mother!" Drew growled, getting to his feet and attaching the Pokeball to his belt once more. "Who cares if she doesn't have any money? We have plenty already and it's not like my contest career is going to disappear anytime soon!"

"That's true..." Elizabeth conceded, sitting down once more and doing her best to rearrange the exotic flowers that were sitting in the large, ornate vase just in front of her. "But still, you have to understand, Drew. I don't want to be a mother-in-law to a peasant!"

"Whatever." Drew repeated. "You know you can't stop me so I don't even know why you're bothering to try."

Drew began to make his way towards the exit of the dining room when Elizabeth's voice stopped him.

"You're right, Drew." she admitted. "I know I can't stop you."

Drew turned his head to make eye contact with his mother once again.

"But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

[pokeadvanceshipper]

"So I see you brought a new toy along with you."
lol. long time since a chapter but it's still awesome. keep it up cos i'll be waiting for the next one. can't wait to see what happens when may wakes up ^.^

[Chaos_Umbreon]

Yes! Finally a new chapter, it was worth the wait.

You perfectly captured the essence of LaRousse City with the block-bots, just like the movie. So May hasn't awoken yet, that stun spore must be very powerful, she will definitely be angry and Drew better watch out.

I wonder whether Ash and Nico will meet at the Pokemon Centre and with Alisa there it will make it hard on Nico. I really enjoyed the argument between Dawn and Paul, do I see Ikarishipping! Drew listen to your mother give May back!

Amazing description as always, can't wait to see what happens next and to see Ash kick Drew's ***!

See Ya!

Chaos Out!

[Gaiash]

Another fantastic chapter. I especially liked Ash and Brock's conversation, it was a very interesting look at Brock's perspective on the situation.

[Eon Master]

My first review of this story, but I read it from the beginning when everyone thought it was dying.

Ahh... such a refreshing chapter with the gang in such dire straights. Ash's doubt and hesitation was very nice to see, you've really done a great job developing his personality in areas that have never been explored before in the Anime. Loved the interaction between Dawn and Paul as well, and you hit Paul's apathetic personality right on the head. A Paul clobbering scene might have lightened the mood, so I'm glad that you held off.

Hoping that the next chapter isn't a multi-month project, but I know how it goes, having a fic of my own to maintain. Good luck with your writing.

[crisiscore]

Awesome chapter Gazmof, it was worth the wait.... well kinda ahaha. The chapter was really enjoyable and descriptive. The characters were all very much in character (aside from Drew maybe, i don't think he would kidnap May like that lol) and i loved the interactions between them; Ash confiding in Brock with his worries and the cute interactions between Ash and Dawn, Paul and Dawn, as well as many more. It was also interesting to see the relationship between Drew and his mom. The way he defends May makes you wonder if he really does like her.

Anyway I hope you update soon and maybe next chapter we'll get to see how May is through her perspective and how much she misses Ash Keep up the great work

[Sp1derp1g]

Good chapter, Gaz!
I've recognized this little piece of text from another literary work of art:

"L-love!?" Ash coughed, his eyes widening in surprise at Brock's open usage of the word and a deep blush quickly clouded his face.

JK

Ash having doubts about if he's doing the right thing is good. it kinda "forces" the readers to create an empathic connection with the character.
Again, Great job!

[Gazmof]

Chapter Sixteen:
The Sleeping Princess

"C'mon you piece of crap, hurry up and load already." Nico muttered underneath his breath as he watched a blue progress bar on the screen in front of him slowly increase in size little by little. Clearly bored, he leaned his hand against the wall of the Pokemon Center and drummed his fingers in as rhythmic a fashion as he could muster as he waited for the computer to finally gain access to his personal Pokemon storage system.

Soon enough the boy's patience was rewarded and the screen flickered to life, showing vibrant, three-dimensional images of all of his Pokemon that had been stowed away ever since Nico had become an officially licensed Pokemon trainer.

"Finally." Nico chuckled, a smile crossing his lips as he moved the cursor up and down with his finger to check each creature's statistics. "It's good to see that the league isn't completely up to date; I still have access to these guys."

Nico began to scroll through his boxes, swiping his finger along the display as he debated which Pokemon to withdraw from the system. Time was of the essence, since he had no idea when the Pokemon League would blacklist his account and refuse him access to his Pokemon once the Floaroma Police Station filed the reports about his aid to Team Rocket, but he didn't want to rush things, and wanted to ensure that he had the perfect combination of Pokemon to help him through this coming ordeal. After all, this could be the last time he would have access to them for a very long time.

The Pokemon Center was surprisingly empty considering how busy the streets of LaRousse City were. There were several people using the complimentary PC systems as well as those who had simply brought their laptops to the center to utilize the free wi-fi that was available to all who visited, but there wasn't a large line to the service desk and Nico could see Nurse Joy and her Chansey assistant idly tending to their station behind the desk; always a surefire indication that the Pokemon Center was far from busy.

"Ah, yes..." Nico mused, his eyes brightening as he brought up one Pokemon's details in a small window at the side of the screen. "You'd be perfect, too."

Soon enough Nico had selected five of his Pokemon to withdraw from the PC system, placing all five of the Pokeballs on his belt onto the built-in transportation system beside the computer's monitor and flipping the appropriate switches to begin the transfer process. He gritted his teeth a little as he recalled how he had to abandon his Shiftry back at the carnival in Floaroma Town, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Pokemon League regulations meant that since he currently had six Pokemon withdrawn from the system, even though one of them wasn't physically with him right now, he could only switch what Pokemon he had on him at this very moment. In other words, he could only withdraw five new Pokemon as opposed to the standard six. Some day he would be able to return to Floaroma Town for his Shiftry, but for now that simply wasn't an option; a team of five would have to do.

Within a few moments the five Pokeballs that had been placed on the machine began to glow a bright white and quickly vanished with a surprisingly subdued noise, as if they were carried away by the wind in the blink of an eye. Barely a second had passed before five Pokeballs reappeared in their place, and it was only thanks to the fact that Nico had caught two of the creatures in different kinds of Pokeballs that he could tell that this was in fact the new batch he had requested to be transferred from his storage system.

Nico quickly clipped the five new Pokeballs onto his belt, smiling to himself as he thought of the assembled power of his new team. No matter how much of a great coordinator Drew thought he was, there was no way his meagre Pokemon could stand up to Nico's powerful and well-trained band of fighting machines.

"I always get what I want, Drew." the boy whispered to himself as he began to log out of his Pokemon League account. "Always..."

Nico took another quick glance at the computer station to ensure that he hadn't left anything of value behind, and was about to turn and head out of the door when he suddenly saw the glass panels which led out onto the streets of LaRousse City slide apart, allowing a group of five young trainers to enter the building - Ash, Brock, Dawn, Paul and Alisa.

Immediately the boy's heart jumped and he leapt over into one of the small dining booths beside the window - which fortunately happened to be vacant at the time - and quickly ensured he had his back to the group.

'How the hell did they manage to get here so quickly?' he thought to himself, feeling his heart pounding in his chest as he heard Ash begin to introduce himself to the Nurse Joy behind the counter. 'And why is Alisa with them? If they don't hurry up and get out of my way this is going to really screw up my plans!'

"Say Nurse Joy," Nico could overhear Ash explain to the woman with the soft, pink hair, "do you have any idea where Drew Blackthorne lives?"

"Why of course!" the nurse replied in her usually happy self. It made Nico feel nauseous to even listen to. "Are you members of his fan club?"

"Oh, uh, yeah," Ash managed to lie, though it certainly wasn't a very easy task for him to achieve, "yeah we are. Really big fans!"

"Oh, you simply have to take the tour at the local museum!" Nurse Joy continued, sounding completely awestruck as she spoke. "They even have stock footage of his first Grand Festival match on display! Oh, you'd absolutely love it!"

"Uh, yeah, we're going there tomorrow!" Brock interrupted the woman, causing the rest of the members of the group to stare at him awkwardly. "But we won a free tour of his mansion, you see, and we lost the directions. Since we're new to this town we were hoping that perhaps you could tell us where to go, miss?"

Nurse Joy beamed at the boy, who blushed immediately in response, but did his best not to flirt, as he knew that Croagunk's wrath would make him regret the whole ordeal if he did.

"I'll do even better than that!" the woman proclaimed. "I'll go get you a map!"

With that settled, Nurse Joy headed off into the back room while the five young trainers waited beside the counter, admiring the Pokemon Center as they did so.

Though the designs of Pokemon Centers had become somewhat standardised over the years, LaRousse City's was somewhat different on the inside - first of all, the computers on display were far more advanced and modern than the ones found in the vast majority of Pokemon Centers on the Sinnoh mainland, and the whole "feel" of the building was much more sleek and modern than Ash was used to. Of course it brought back plenty of memories of his adventures here a few years ago, but it was something that was hard to adjust to, even if this was a second visit. Even though he was worried about May, Ash couldn't help but admire the place and feel excited seeing all the different trainers with their Pokemon by their sides.

Once this ordeal was all over he couldn't wait to get back to the Sinnoh League and finally compete in some good, old-fashioned Pokemon battles again. He could imagine it right now - battling in the spotlight amongst the cheers of thousands of adoring fans, and looking over to his corner he would see May smiling her usual, confident smile. That same smile that he had fallen in love with the day they first met. The smile that said to him "you can do it, Ash". It was a beautiful smile that only she had.

'Come on, you idiots!' Nico thought to himself from his solitary booth. 'Hurry up and leave already!'

~*~*~

May was thrilled. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, and the air tasted crisp and refreshing. Anything felt possible on a day like today.

Yes, that's right; it was finally the day she would confess - get it all out into the open. It had been years since she and Ash had first met, and for years she had felt something and ignored it, chalking it up to just simple friendship or confused feelings, but not anymore. Now was the time to do what she should have done all those years ago. Ash wasn't going to make the first move - that was painfully obvious from the start, but yet she kept hoping, in her wistful, childish ways, that one day he would finally get the hint and ask her out to dinner sometime. But of course, that never happened.

And so it was up to May now; the girl he had travelled throughout Hoenn with, casting barely a glance at her each day. It was her time to shine, and she would swallow her feminine pride and tell him how she had been feeling all these years. It was either that, or wait around even longer in the futile hope that one day he would finally wake up and notice all the hints she had been giving him. And that was simply not an option for May.

As she considered these feelings May eventually found herself on top of a hill, with a large, sweeping view of the valley laid out before her. Her eyes lit up as she spotted one house in particular in the small town of Pallet, nestled innocently amongst a quaint street that fit perfectly with the humble appearance of the rest of the town. That was it - the Ketchum household.

Without a moment to spare May excitedly broke into a dash down the hill, unable to contain her excitement as her mind became filled with emotions and thoughts of bliss. May Ketchum - she had always liked the sound of that name.

As she ran towards the house, May's thoughts raced around in her head and showed no sign of stopping. She wondered what her family would say, and laughed as she imagined Brock's reaction. Delia would be pleased, too, of course; the two of them had always gotten along. If Pikachu could talk, it would surely tell them that it was about time. She couldn't wait to tell all of her friends after they finally took that first date.

Speaking of the date, where exactly would Ash take her? She hadn't thought of that yet, but she honestly didn't care where they went, as long as he was with her. That was all that mattered, after all. It had been so long since they had last seen each other, that she was determined not to waste a single second of their time together.

At last she was at the porch, feeling as if she had just run a marathon, yet she wasn't tired at all. Swallowing nervously, she remembered her resolve and firmly pushed her finger on the doorbell. Now it was time to wait.

Slowly the front door opened and sure enough, standing in the entrance, was Ash, smiling that same, confident smile he always had. He was wearing that same, black t-shirt he used to wear under his jacket during their adventures together, and his hair was quite ruffled, with no sign of his trademark cap anywhere to be seen. By the looks of it, he had just crawled out of bed, but May paid no notice to such minor details. All that mattered was that he was here, and now he had nowhere to run.

"Ash!" May greeted the boy exuberantly, as if they hadn't seen each other in years, though she restrained herself enough to stop herself from happily leaping into his arms.

"Oh, hey May!" Ash replied, seemingly unfazed by his friend's enthusiasm. "What are you doing all the way out here in Pallet Town?"

"I came to see you, of course!" May answered right back, unable to stop herself from beaming like a maniac. "And, I came to-"

"Ash, dear?" the voice of a woman called from inside the house. "Who is it?"

"Oh, is your mom home?" May asked, instinctively getting up onto her tiptoes and trying to peer over Ash's shoulder to get a better look at the interior.

"Oh, no, it's just the two of us." Ash assured his friend. "Hey Misty, guess who's here!"

May felt a sudden bolt of lightning strike her heart. Misty? What was she doing here? In Ash's house? With him? ALONE?

"Oh, hi May!" Misty exclaimed, wandering over and standing beside Ash. May's eyes widened as she examined the girl with the bright, orange hair and cerulean blue eyes, their deep shade reminiscent of beautiful oceans. Her hair was flowing down past her shoulders and was still wet from having been washed. Around her body was wrapped a large, white towel, and it was clear that she had just gotten out of the shower. "Long time no see."

"Uh..." May stammered, not entirely sure what to say. "Misty, what are you... Doing here?"

"Huh?" Ash tilted his head as he looked at May with uncertainty, then suddenly smacked his head with the palm of his hand in a playful manner. "Oh, of course! That's right! You were on the contest circuit so we never told you!"

"Told me... What?" May asked, her voice beginning to waver as the happy thoughts that had filled her mind just a few brief moments before their encounter began to suddenly shatter one by one.

"We're married." Misty said bluntly. "It just happened last week; we're sorry we never got around to inviting you to the wedding."

As she said this, Misty reached out and pulled on Ash's arm, bringing him closer to her and laying her head on his shoulder, which he was more than happy to provide.

May could do nothing but stand there and gawk. She could feel the tears welling up inside of her but she refused to let them see her cry.

"We're sorry, May." Ash explained. "But we figured you were so busy with your contests and everything that we didn't want to bother you."

"I..." May whimpered as she stood there, completely frozen. She stared into Ash's eyes. The eyes of the man she thought would be her husband one day. The eyes of a married man. "I... I..."

Suddenly Misty turned, the blunt tone of a ringing telephone calling her attention from inside the house.

"Oh, that'll be your mother, honey." she guessed, tugging on Ash's shoulder in an effort to lead him away from the door. Away from May.

"Oh, right!" Ash grinned, slowly closing the door on May, who continued to stand motionless on the porch. "Thanks for dropping by, May! See you later!"

The door closed, and May finally slumped onto her knees before bursting into tears. She sobbed for what seemed like hours, tears streaming down her face in a never-ending waterfall. She cried until she couldn't hear herself anymore, and slowly her vision blurred into darkness, a cold sensation overwhelming her body as she tried to forget the pain.

~*~*~

May awoke with a gasp, jolting her body upright as she finally came to. Immediately she raised her hand and felt the heat from her forehead pulsing into her skin. Her head was throbbing and it felt as if she had been asleep for days. Maybe she had been.

"Ah, you're finally awake." an unfamiliar voice greeted the young Pokemon coordinator just as she was beginning to get her bearings.

May swiftly looked up to see the form of a middle-aged woman smiling warmly at her from across the room. She had a soft face and a full mess of brown, curly hair which dropped down to her neck. She was quite short; only a few inches taller than five feet, May wagered, and she was dressed in a traditional maid's outfit, with a white apron adding some much-needed contrast to the black which covered the rest of her uniform.

"Who are you?" May asked uncertainly, though she wasn't afraid. If anything she was too groggy to feel fearful right now, and besides, this woman certainly didn't strike her as the evil type. "And... Where am I?"

May glanced around the room as she spoke, doing her best to take in the sights and try to see if she recognised the place. The walls and ceiling were a dark, mahogany texture, and the entire room was filled with matching pieces of furniture: dressers, closets, desks and chairs - even the frame of the large, queen-sized bed on which she lay was identical in style. The carpet beneath them was thick and had a dark-yellow colour, looking like it came right out of a Victorian-era drama. On it were drawn numerous circular patterns in red and gold, and high above the centre of the room hung a large, extravagant-looking chandelier.

Though May couldn't compliment the design of the place it was very clear that the person who maintained it had an exquisite eye for detail - there wasn't a single speck of dust in sight, and on the mantelpiece above the fireplace directly across the room from May were several expensive-looking glass ornaments, as well as a gold clock which looked very old and very valuable. Everything was neatly aligned and clearly well taken care of.

"Don't worry, dear." the woman did her best to keep the girl calm with her soothing voice. "My name's Lucinda, and Master Drew instructed me to take good care of you while you were sleeping."

Immediately at the mention of Drew's name May's eyes widened and she remembered what had happened before she was knocked out by Roselia's Stun Spore. So she was in Drew's home, or at least, one of his holiday villas. But what had happened to Ash and the others? What about Team Rocket?

"You must be hungry." Lucinda continued, kindness radiating from her voice. "Miss May, isn't it? Would you like me to make you some tea?"

"Um..." May stammered, not entirely sure what to say to the woman. She was still so confused. She was worried about her friends and where exactly she was. She knew from the brief period of time that she had dated him in Johto that Drew had a lot more money than she had ever imagined when they first met, and he would often fly to one of his numerous homes on the weekends in-between contests; it was almost impossible to narrow her location down from such limited information.

"Oh, you are just simply adorable." Lucinda commented, wandering closer to the girl and placing a glass of water onto the bedside cabinet next to where she sat. "I can see why the young master has taken such a liking to you."

She paused for a moment before adding something.

"And may I also say that you look simply amazing in that dress. It suits you perfectly!"

"Huh?"

May looked down and gasped as she realised that her standard red outfit was nowhere in sight, and instead she was covered from head to toe in the most stunning dress she had ever seen. It was a light, pastel shade of pink, one that would be appropriate for a wedding dress, and was just as exotic in shape. The light material flowed across her body like a veil, clinging to her upper body and transforming into a large, billowing skirt at her hips which cascaded down to her ankles. Her shoes had been replaced with tall, white heels and around her neck and wrists lay dazzling gold jewelry which must have been worth thousands more than any prize money she had ever won in her life.

Raising her hand to touch her hair, May could also feel a large, golden clip with an enormous ruby etched into it which held her long, brown hair up in place. It was as if she had been dressed ready to go to the most expensive ball in the world.

"Wh-where are my clothes!?" May gasped, her eyes darting wildly around the room as she scrambled off the bed and did her best not to trip over her heels once her feet finally found the floor.

"Now calm down, dear, please." Lucinda suggested, a worried look now spreading across her face. "Your clothes were dirty so Master Drew told me to get you into something more appropriate, that's all."

"Appropriate for what!?" May snapped. "What's going on here!? Where am I and where's Drew?"

"Why, have you forgotten?" Lucinda questioned as she looked the young coordinator up and down, clearly puzzled by her confusion. "You're in LaRousse City, Miss May. Master Drew said you two had been planning a trip here together while you wait for the next contest in Johto to come around."

"What!?" May yelled, her voice rising in intensity from both anger and confusion. Her head was still aching and she wasn't quite able to piece together what had happened. Had she knocked her head when she fell unconscious from the Stun Spore or something? "That's impossible! Drew and I are finished!"

"What?" Lucinda raised an eyebrow at this statement. "But that doesn't make any sense. He said it was all your idea to come and visit, too. I mean, he doesn't normally like to come home, so it certainly couldn't have been his idea. I know how he doesn't tend to get along well with his mother, and his father is always working abroad, so he hardly ever gets to see him..."

May felt the confusion inside of her building and building with every word the woman said, and her headache wasn't helping matters either. She paused for a moment, standing on the spot as she tried her best to straighten out what had happened in her mind. So she was in LaRousse City; that meant she was technically back in Hoenn. Drew had travelled a huge distance to bring her here, and she had to get back to Sinnoh somehow. She had to get back to Ash and the rest of her friends. But where was she supposed to begin?

"Miss May, you should have a drink of water, my dear." Lucinda insisted, picking up the glass she had laid on the cabinet and making her way towards the disoriented girl on the other side of the room.

Suddenly May looked away from her feet and up towards the oncoming woman.

"No!" she yelled as forcefully as she could, then broke into a dash for the nearby door, stumbling slightly as she attempted to balance in her heels and run at the same time.

Before Lucinda could argue May had already bolted through the door and proceeded to dash down the huge, impressive hallway that awaited her outside. From here she could see that she was on the second floor, and to her left was a long, wooden railing which trailed the entire length of the corridor. On her right was a large wall, its monotony broken only by the occasional door and oil painting. At times she would pass large, oak cabinets with sliding glass panels protecting a large array of trophies and ribbons, all presumably Drew's different accomplishments from early on in his coordinating career. May knew that she had no time to admire the scenery, though, however grand it might be. All she knew was that she had to get down onto the ground level somehow, but there was no sign of any staircases nearby, and already the corridor had come to a dead end.

May stopped in her tracks, her eyes darting around wildly as she considered her options. She had no time to waste, and no time to think rationally, either. Immediately she flung open the closest door she could find and charged inside. Doors led to rooms, and rooms led to more doors. Soon she had completely lost all sense of direction and her strategy devolved into simply opening the first door she came across in hopes of finding a staircase.

'This is crazy!' May thought to herself as she made her way into another long corridor, this time with windows to her left granting her a view of a long row of evergreen trees, and yet more doors on her right. 'How can Drew live in a place this big? You'd need a map to even go to the bathroom!'

Finally, her heart still pounding, May reached for another door, hoping and praying that this would lead to the exit. She twisted the golden handle, pushing the exquisitely-crafted door away from her and stepped through the entrance it had now revealed. She walked inside, her legs now growing tired from running, and closed the door behind her, panting slightly from her nonstop sprinting. It was only now that she realised that her ankles had begun to hurt from the combination of sudden running and uncomfortable shoes.

"I am never wearing heels again." she vowed to herself.

It was only now that May realised the room she was standing in was incredibly dark. There were no windows in sight and so she began to fumble around the wall in search of a light switch. Soon enough her fingers reached an outcropping and she flipped the device upwards, suddenly filling the room with the orange haze of incandescent lights from the chandelier above her.

It was a rather small room in contrast to everywhere else she had visited in this mansion, but it was by no means any less grand. It, too, shared the same visual style and decoration that was prevalent throughout Drew's family home, but there was something very different about it, too. There were no traditional, antique-looking ornaments in sight, and a single, twin bed was relegated to the corner nearest the door. The carpet was the same as the one in the room where May had first awoken, and several desks and shelves lined its various walls, each one covered in dozens and dozens of picture frames.

May found herself slowly regaining her composure as she examined the room, and suddenly felt a tickling sensation in her nose. It was no surprise; the entire room was covered in a thick layer of dust, and it seemed as if no-one had entered it in years. Perhaps it was off-limits to the cleaning crew of the house for some reason, but why would that be? May's curiosity quickly got the better of her, and she made her way over to the desk beside the lonely bed.

Holding her breath so that she wouldn't inhale too much dust, she picked up the largest of seven picture frames which crowded the small cabinet. There was hardly enough room for the humble piece of furniture to hold all seven frames, let alone give anyone a good view of what they displayed. Using her finger to wipe away a thick layer of dust which obscured the photograph in her hands, May examined the picture closely, then suddenly let out a gasp.

The frame dropped from her hands and onto the floor, causing a large, crashing sound to escape from beneath May's feet, but to her it sounded like a distant thud of no significance. She stepped backwards away from the frame whose glass had now been shattered, her hands covering her mouth in shock as she looked around the room at the hundreds of eyes all staring down at her.

The dust was thick but there was no mistaking that every picture contained the image of the same young woman; a woman May knew very well. She had long, pink hair which flowed down to the small of her back and bright, blue eyes that sparkled with an inner fire that every one of these photographs had managed to capture. There were pictures of her in casual clothes and there were pictures of her dressed in numerous coordinating outfits. Large photographs, some as tall as four feet, hung from the walls of the room, while the vast majority of the pictures were in small, desktop frames which crowded every piece of furniture in sight. None were knocked over; all were pointed directly towards the bed in the corner of the room; all showing the same confident girl smiling happily.

"Th-these..." May gasped as she turned and examined every corner of the room. "These are all pictures of..."

She swallowed nervously as the pressure of the photographs bore down on her more than the expectations of thousands of fans ever could.

"Solidad..."

~*~*~

*gasp*! Yes, even I'm surprised this chapter was so quick in being written. It was actually a pretty difficult chapter to write, and I know it's shorter than you're probably used to, but this seemed like the logical point to end the chapter, as the next "arc" will be quite long.

I'm pleased with how May's dream sequence turned out; I feel like it gives a nice contrast to May's fears versus Ash's fears in his own dream a few chapters earlier.

I realised that I never responded to the reviews while I was gone, and I'm sorry about that - to be honest I read them so long ago and I completely forgot to respond, so let me answer some right now:

advance4ev:

Hey there..I've been reading your fic for a while, just didn't have an account at the time and I just want to say..like Manaphy.. they're AMAZING!!!! The plot, the shippyness, you make it seem so real, like the actual series(only with a higher rating)and should definitely become like a movie or something.*Gets Pokemon creator and (attempts to) force them to make this a movie* Congratulations, you just received a new fan to this o^v^o!! Ok, I'm speechless, in a good way.

Hey, thanks! It's always really great to hear from a new reader ^^ I'm really pleased you think it's like the actual series, but with a higher rating, because that's exactly what I was going for when writing this, so that's a huge accomplishment. I spent a lot of time when I first started writing this fic watching Movie 9 over and over again because (not only was it a lot of fun to watch, but) it really captured better than any episode, I think, my feelings on Advanceshipping and how cute they are together. I'm aware that these past few chapters haven't had much shippiness in them, but that will be changing very soon, trust me. I just had to set the scene for bigger things, if you will.

Please keep reading and let me know how you think I'm doing! ^^

Manaphy:

Hello I just spent the past 3 hours reading this entire fanfic and I must say its amazing! You put everything into great detail with also having a great plot! I reallyy hope you continue this! ^^

Wow, three hours? ^^; You are a fast reader. But thank you! If I managed to keep you reading for that long then I must have written a really great story. I'll be sure to add you to the PM list!

Typholision 1200:

I've read all the chapters by now and I really love it. It's well-written, but even for me as a German good to understand. What I liked most was how you found a compromise between the "shippyness" and the dramatic scenes. But reading the story I got more and more aggressive. It's because everytime Ash gets closer to May some bad things happen ^^

Thanks so much for your comments! Yes, I love writing cliff-hangers, so sorry about that ^^; But it makes a story much more exciting, I think, and also feels like I'm writing actual "episodes" if I do it that way. I'm so pleased that you find my language easy to understand, even if English isn't you're first! I'd write it in German, too, if I could, but I'd probably make a mess of it, so please keep reading it in English! ^^;;

XxMays_flowerxX:

wow. I'm just speechless! everything you write flows like a steam! the plot is very genius, and the dicribtion ( sorry can't spell TT__TT) is simply phenomenal! You are my insperation honestly. Before I made an account I would come here everyday to see an other wonderful chapter to be veiwed. I'm so addicted to the drama, and supension has me at the edge of my seat! The character's are all well played. I must say this is a work of art, of an upcoming worldwide novelist.

I must say keep up the good work, and smile. Cause you are loved and inspired by all.

Thank you so much! I must admit, I remember first reading your review way back in September one day and I was feeling quite down, but your last words really helped to cheer me up. I'm so pleased that this story is touching people's lives and adding some excitement, so even though there are times when it seems like I'll never finish a chapter I always remember your comment. I will make sure I finish this fic, because I know it means a lot to you all, and it means a lot to me, as well, being my first Advanceshipping fic. Please consider it my gift to the Advanceshipping community! ^^

Chaos_Umbreon:

This has got to be one of my all time favourite Advanceshipping fics, mainly due to the fact that this fic made me become an Advanceshipper. The way you describe each scene is spectacular and gives a perfect balance of setting, dialogue and emotion. The development of the shipping scenes is in no way forced and flows naturally, and the battle scenes are so well described that you can visualise it like the anime.

Thank you very much for really focusing on the aspects you like the most; I'm pleased I'm addressing everything in the right way. Truth be told before I started writing this fic I thought I was terrible at shippy scenes, but this story has made me feel a lot more confident in writing them now. Action scenes are always my favourite ones to write, and sometimes I make them a little too long 'cause I get too into them ^^; I think I've struck a good balance in this fic, and even though these last few chapters have been a bit "low" on both shipping and action counts, I think the next few will begin to make up for that. You need a breather every now and then, right?

I'm also pleased with my LaRousse City description (I watched the movie again a couple of times to really try and get the style of it in my head, especially since it's such a weird city - glad it paid off and someone noticed!).

Eon Master:

Ahh... such a refreshing chapter with the gang in such dire straights. Ash's doubt and hesitation was very nice to see, you've really done a great job developing his personality in areas that have never been explored before in the Anime. Loved the interaction between Dawn and Paul as well, and you hit Paul's apathetic personality right on the head. A Paul clobbering scene might have lightened the mood, so I'm glad that you held off.

To be honest the main reason I didn't write a Paul clobbering scene was because I was too lazy ^^; Also, it would have felt a little too slapstick, especially given Ash's mood at the time, but I did want to poke at Ikarishipping a little bit (sometimes I feel like I'm writing a Multishipping fic, lol). Thanks for reading even when this fic was in the "hybernation" mode!

crisiscore:

Ash confiding in Brock with his worries and the cute interactions between Ash and Dawn, Paul and Dawn, as well as many more. It was also interesting to see the relationship between Drew and his mom. The way he defends May makes you wonder if he really does like her.

Wow, seems that everyone liked that Ash/Brock scene. To be honest, I added it at the last second because the chapter felt "empty" without a little bit of reflection on Ash's part. I'm pleased that it turned out so well!

I know there are lots of other reviews that I'm not personally quoting, but I want to assure you that I do read them all and I love getting them, so please keep them coming and let me know what you like/dislike about the story! Believe it or not, I do take some of your suggestions into consideration when developing the story! Thanks for reading, and I'll be sure to respond to reviews more frequently! Enjoy!

[Chaos_Umbreon]

First Review! XD

Another great chapter, and I was right about Ash and Nico being in the same Pokemon Center, will they team up or fight it out? Should find out in the next chapter. May's dream, what all Advanceshippers fear most Pokeshipping, poor May having her happy mood destroyed because Ash is with Misty.

Finaly May has woken up trapped in Drew's 'castle' awaiting rescue, although I don't think she's completely stranded as the maids don't know the reason behind her being there, and she could get help. An abandoned room with loads of pictures of Solidat, was she Drew's first play thing, and Drew has a museum dedicated to him thats got to be a lot of fame.

Look forward to the next instalment.

See Ya!

Chaos Out!

[Gazmof]

Another great chapter, and I was right about Ash and Nico being in the same Pokemon Center, will they team up or fight it out? Should find out in the next chapter. May's dream, what all Advanceshippers fear most Pokeshipping, poor May having her happy mood destroyed because Ash is with Misty.

Yes, the dream was actually a lot of fun to write in a bad way ^^; I felt really bad for May whilst writing it, but at the same time May's such a great character to write because she's so in touch with her feelings that you can really portray so much with her. She'll be taking a much bigger role in the fic than "damsel in distress" from now on, so I'm looking forward to writing more scenes from her perspective in the future.

Well, if any Pokeshippers have been reading my fic, there's your moment for you ^^;

Truth be told I would have loved to add Misty as a main character to this fic (I think she adds a lot of drama when it comes to Advanceshipping because I personally believe she still has a thing for Ash and so I write her accordingly), but there's only so many characters you can add before a fic starts spiraling out of control. But hey, maybe in the sequel?

Thanks for your review!

[Gazmof]

Chapter Seventeen:
Drew's Pain

May continued to quiver as she stood surrounded in a sea of photographs that stared unrelentingly at the confused coordinator. She backed away from the bed until eventually she felt her back nudge against the wall behind her and she stopped for a moment, her hands resting on the flat, vertical surface as she tried her best to regain her composure.

"This doesn't make any sense!" She whispered to herself uneasily. "Why are there so many photographs of Solidad in this room?"

Suddenly the girl felt her heart leap into her throat as she heard the sound of the door from which she first entered slowly begin to creak open. She quickly began to back away from the door but there was nowhere to run, as that door was the only entrance to the room she was now trapped in.

After what felt like a long, extended pause the door finally swung open and revealed the form of Lucinda, the same maid whom May had awoken to earlier, standing in the doorway.

"Miss May!" She exclaimed, worry clouding her tone of her voice instead of the anger that May had been expecting. "Please calm down!"

May felt her body relax slightly as she began to trust the sincerity ringing in the woman's voice. She stepped out from the far corner of the room, her eyes doing their best to ignore the hundreds of picture frames surrounding the girl from every conceivable angle.

"Oh, dear..." Lucinda mused, glancing around at the room which she seemed to be completely unfamiliar with. "We shouldn't be in here, Miss May. Come on, let me get you something to drink in the dining room."

"What is this place?" May ignored the maid's statement, though it wasn't intended in a rude way. She was morbidly fascinated with the story of this room, and she knew that if she didn't learn its secrets then it would haunt her for months to come every time she thought about Drew.

"This is Master Drew's bedroom, Miss May." Lucinda explained, her eyes darting around from corner to corner as if she was afraid that somebody would overhear them. "We maids aren't allowed to ever come in here."

"What?" May stammered, confused. "But why not?"

Lucinda shook her head a little before answering.

"Master Drew's orders, Miss May." She sighed. "He hasn't been home for years now, so it's become quite dirty, I'm afraid. But Master Drew was always very insistent that nobody was allowed in but him."

"So... What are all these photographs about?" May questioned, her eyes glancing back down to the floor where she had dropped one of the frames.

"I have no idea, miss." Lucinda admitted. "I don't even know who this girl is."

The maid glanced over her shoulder before returning her gaze to May.

"Miss May, please come with me!" She urged the girl, who responded with a puzzled look. "If anyone sees that you-"

"Well, well, well..." The unfamiliar voice of another woman echoed out from the hallway connecting to Drew's bedroom, causing both May and Lucinda to shudder as they heard it creep into the room like a snake slithering from rock to rock. "I thought I heard a commotion up here..."

May watched as the form of a tall, slender woman with long, green hair tumbling down her shoulders walked into view behind the now cowering maid, her hands gently fondling a large and gaudy golden necklace with the most enormous emerald May had ever seen etched into its centre.

"Lady Elizabeth!" Lucinda gasped, turning to face the woman and bowing her head in what seemed like shame.

May glared at the woman who was now examining the young Pokemon coordinator carefully from the hallway, an amused smile painted across her face as she looked the girl up and down. Though May had no idea who the woman was, she could already tell that she wasn't the type that May tended to get along with. Her demeanour and stance simply exuded an arrogance that was beyond words, and her gaze was cold and apathetic. When May began to think of it, however, it reminded her of when she had first met Drew, and slowly she began to realise who exactly was now staring her down.

'Drew's... Mother?' May thought to herself, gritting her teeth slightly as their eye contact was finally broken by the older woman who was now glaring at Lucinda.

"Lucinda!" She barked angrily, removing her hand from her chest and clenching it into a tight fist as it fell down to her side. "You know that this room is off-limits! Why is she in here?"

"I-I'm sorry, Lady Elizabeth..." Lucinda offered, her voice quivering as she spoke in the presence of Drew's mother. "I was just-"

"Be quiet!" Elizabeth snapped, causing Lucinda's words to stop instantly. "Get out of my sight."

With a swift curtsey the maid excused herself from the room and made her way out into the hallway, her desperate need to be formal at all times doing its best to prevent her from breaking into a full sprint as soon as she had exited. May looked on as Elizabeth watched the woman leave from the corner of her eye until finally her gaze fell back onto May once again.

"So we finally meet." Elizabeth chuckled to herself, though May remained silent. She was not entirely sure what to say and the shock from watching Lucinda being dismissed so harshly made words difficult to formulate for the girl.

Elizabeth watched the girl closely, both admiring and despising the determination in her bright, sapphire eyes as she did so.

"Oh?" She mocked, raising her hand to her face as she brushed a loose strand of emerald-green hair back behind her ear. "What's the matter? Have you forgotten how to talk?"

May felt herself flinch a little at this statement, though before she could respond Drew's mother was already continuing with her barrage of insults.

"I see they really went all out trying to dress you up. But a tramp like you could never look natural in such stylish clothes, could you?"

"Excuse me?" May spoke back, unable to help a frown emerge.

"Oh, please don't be offended, little girl!" Elizabeth chuckled to herself, well aware that her smirk was angering May more and more with every passing second. "Some women have it and some don't. It's not your fault that you were born into a peasant family, after all. At least you're trying to make yourself worthy of the Blackthorne name!"

"I don't want to have anything to do with that name!" May snapped back, rather surprised at her own reaction to the woman. She was all alone in a strange mansion, being talked down to by somebody she didn't even know, so perhaps she was justified to be jumpy, she thought.

"Hit a nerve, have I?" Elizabeth smiled yet another irritating smile as she gazed down at the girl, enjoying watching her writhe with anger. "You know I simply don't understand what my son would see in a street girl like you. He has the pick of the world and he chooses you? I wonder where I went wrong..."

The woman sighed a little, raising her right hand and examining her nails idly in the dull light of the dusty bedroom.

"He just doesn't understand that a mother-in-law is supposed to approve of her daughter-in-law, does he?"

May clenched her fists tightly, unable to hold back her anger any longer. It had been a long day, and she was sick and tired of holding back her emotions; bottling them up inside of her until she had an opportunity to be alone at night and let them all out in a flood of tears. She had felt this way since she first arrived in the Johto region to pursue her contest dreams - the feelings of loneliness and isolation and loss of her friends had all caught up with her, and Drew's betrayal had only served to compound her problems even more. What made it worse is that he never even cared; never even admitted any wrongdoing on his part. If he really loved her like he always claimed he had, then he would have understood what he had meant to her, and how exactly his actions had shattered her heart in every conceivable way.

"I wouldn't marry your son if he was the last man on Earth!" The girl yelled at the top of her lungs, her eyes closed as she tried her best to clear away the red haze of anger that clouded her vision.

Elizabeth paused for a moment, not quite able to comprehend what May was saying to her.

"What are you talking about?" She stammered uncertainly, her voice finally wavering as she raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I know exactly why you charmed him! You money-grabbing peasant girls are all the same!"

"If Drew thinks he can buy my love then he doesn't know me at all!" May exclaimed, her eyes glaring straight into Elizabeth's with an unshakeable resolve normally reserved for the grandest of Pokemon contests. "No amount of money in the world would ever make me happy if I was his trophy wife!"

Elizabeth felt a growl in her throat as she considered a way to snap back at the young Pokemon coordinator. Slowly she took a step towards May, but just as she opened her mouth to speak she was interrupted by the voice of a young man standing right outside the door.

"That's enough, mother!" Drew ordered, causing both May and Elizabeth to look over at the boy in surprise. "You've said plenty."

Elizabeth looked down at her son, the anger still evident in her eyes, though it began to wane in his presence. Drew's resolve was firm, however, and he continued to glare at her in a commanding, stoic way, showing no sign of love or compassion for the woman who had raised him from childhood. May couldn't quite believe it, but now she felt even more awkward than she had before as she felt the unsettling emotions exuding from mother and son which now plagued the old, dusty room.

"Drew," Elizabeth spoke up once more, a tone of disbelief ringing in her voice, "you can't seriously believe that this girl has anything to offer? Just look at her!"

May frowned once more as Elizabeth pointed right at her. Drew's eyes followed his mother's finger to May's defiant face, his expression unwavering as he stared down at the girl in a way that May couldn't remember seeing from him before. She felt her heart skip a beat slightly as his eyes surveyed her with a form of mild contempt before glaring back at his mother once again.

"Just go." He said firmly. "This is none of your business."

Elizabeth was about to say something, but quickly changed her mind, glancing over her shoulder towards May one last time before heading out of the bedroom, casting a sharp glare at her son as she did so. Drew ignored the glare and stepped into the room where May was still standing on the opposite side, watching him carefully, a slight panic vibrating through her chest as she heard him push the door closed and the incandescent lights above them seemed to flicker and darken slightly.

He stared at the girl in silence for a moment, and her panic began to slowly morph into anxiety, which in turn evolved into fear. She wanted to run away. She didn't know who he was anymore - all she knew was that she felt unsafe, and the unending sea of photographs which surrounded her from all sides did little to subdue this feeling.

"I've missed you," Drew finally spoke up, his lips curving into a slight smile as he did so, "May Blackthorne."

~*~*~

"Wait..." Dawn stammered as she looked up from the map in her hands to the enormous estate in front of her, and back again, her wide eyes broadcasting her disbelief. "You mean... THIS is Drew's house!?"

The group had finally arrived at their destination: the Blackthorne Estate. Standing before them was an enormous, black gate with ornate letters displaying the name "Blackthorne" at its very top, and with several sturdy bars running down to the paved driveway below. Attached to either side of the gate were long, bricked walls which curved around an enormous garden as far as the eye could see, and just behind the gate itself was a small security building, through the window of which they could see one of Drew's private guards sipping from a cup of coffee whilst reading a newspaper.

Behind the impressive entrance lay a veritable nature reserve - the grounds of the estate stretched out as far as the eye could see, with numerous decorated trees and bushes scattered elegantly throughout the garden, and much of the garden was filled with rose bushes of all kinds of colours and shades. No doubt this was where Drew's love of roses came from, and Ash wondered if perhaps he had even caught Roselia in this very garden - it certainly wasn't an impossibility, given its sheer size.

At the very centre of the garden stood an exquisite mansion which appeared to be much older than every other structure they had encountered in LaRousse City thus far. Though they couldn't make out the details from this distance, had the group been standing closer they would have marveled at its finely-painted off-white walls, and the stunningly beautiful decorated windows which portrayed images of numerous elegant Pokemon of the Hoenn region.

Ash felt his stomach churn slightly at the sight of the estate. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen something so exotic, and it saddened him to think that he couldn't provide this kind of luxury to May. After all, if there was anyone in the world who deserved to live like a queen, it was her.

"It's... Beautiful..." Alisa breathed, completely spellbound.

"I must admit, I never expected anything like this." Brock agreed.

"Must be a pain to get the mail." Paul commented from the back of the group, causing Dawn to cast a sharp glare at him. "What?"

"Well, we'll need a plan to get inside..." Brock mused, rubbing his chin as his eyes surveyed the gate which towered some twelve feet above them. "Do you have any ideas, Ash?"

Brock paused in anticipation of his friend's response, but it never came. Confused, he glanced over his shoulder and was surprised to see the boy standing right beside the intercom that was connected to the right-hand side of the gate, ducking slightly to speak into it.

"Um, excuse me?" Ash began. "We need to get inside to see our friend, please."

"You got a reservation?" The device hissed a distorted and curt voice back at the boy.

"Well, uh, no, not really..." The boy replied uncertainly.

"Then beat it, kid." The intercom crackled again. "This here's private property."

"Pika..." Pikachu sighed from atop the boy's hat as a frown emerged on his face.

"That wasn't exactly what I had in mind, Ash..." Brock groaned as his friend returned to the group, his eyes tracing the ground beneath his feet with bitter disappointment.

As the five trainers began to discuss the different possibilities of gaining access to Drew's estate, they were unaware that they were being watched from the shadows of a nearby collection of trees just across the road from where they stood. Comfortably nestled within the proximity of several shrubs and bushes so as to remain undetected, Nico watched the group plan their next move. He had been following them since they first left the Pokemon Centre, but now he had no further use for them, save perhaps as a minor distraction whilst he infiltrated Drew's mansion.

"Perfect..." He whispered to himself, undaunted by the security which surrounded the estate. Smiling to himself, he turned to face the humanoid creature which stood next to him. "Now it's your turn, Gallade."

Gallade was an interesting Pokemon belonging to both the Psychic and Fighting type categories. It stood at just over five feet tall and possessed a body that was coloured primarily in green and white. A sharp, red protrusion jutted out from its chest and back, and the top of its head was curved upwards like a Sharpedo's rear fin. Its most unusual feature, however, was the fact that Gallade's arms were essentially little more than large swords which emerged from its elbows.

"Search every room until you find her, and bring her back to me." Nico commanded, causing the creature to nod before crossing its arms together.

As Gallade began to focus its mind, several dull lights of multiple colours and hues began to emerge from the Pokemon's body as it slowly became more and more translucent with every passing moment. Then, as quickly as the process had begun, the creature disappeared without a trace, leaving the boy alone to contemplate the smooth execution of his plan.

~*~*~

"What's going on, Drew?" May's voice was firm and unwavering as she looked her former boyfriend square in the eyes. "Why did you bring me all the way here? And why am I wearing..." She paused for a moment to glance back down at the exotic ballroom dress she was wearing. "Why am I wearing THIS?"

Drew simply smiled his traditional smile, closing his eyes as he flipped his lime-green hair back in that trademark fashion that only he could pull off.

"Isn't it obvious, May?" He asked, opening his eyes and looking back at her smugly. "I brought you here to show you how I feel about you. Without any distractions."

"Distractions?" May repeated, her voice showing confusion and wariness at his words.

"Your friends." Drew explained simply as he took a step closer towards the girl, who instinctively backed away but felt the solidity of the bedroom wall push back against her. "I can never get a chance to talk to you without them butting into things that don't concern them."

This comment served only to anger May, who glared at the young coordinator once again. Drew continued to walk towards her, but was suddenly stopped as he felt his foot push against the fallen picture frame which lay in the centre of the room. Slowly he glanced down at the object before kneeling down and picking it up, flipping it over and allowing some of the shattered glass that had collected on its cover to fall to the ground. His smile slowly faded as he stared into the eyes of the girl in the photograph; the girl who had turned his life upside-down in every possible way.

May noticed Drew's sudden change in demeanour and watched him carefully, uncertain of what action she should take. Part of her wanted to leave the room this instant and get out of these ridiculous clothes, but she was also concerned about the boy, and curious about the story behind him and Soledad. Against her better judgment she took a step towards the centre of the room where Drew continued to kneel in silence, his eyes transfixed on the picture frame in his hands.

"Drew...?" She began uncertainly. "What are you-"

"Why did you have to come into this room?" Drew interrupted, refusing to take his eyes off the photograph in front of him.

May stepped back once again, a little taken aback by his sudden reaction.

"Huh?"

"You heard me." Drew continued, his voice suddenly become more guttural, as if he was preparing to growl. He turned his head to face the girl, his emerald eyes staring right at her accusingly. "Why did you have to choose THIS room to run into?"

"What's going on, Drew?" May questioned, trying not to let her fear show through. "Why are there so many pictures of Soledad in this room?"

Drew slowly got to his feet and wandered over to the nearest desk. He carefully placed the damaged picture frame up onto a nearby empty space, shaking away any excess glass from the photograph as he did so.

"Soledad..." He mumbled in a whisper before turning back to face May. "That's none of your business, May."

May frowned at Drew's reaction, watching him carefully as he stared at her from across the room.

"None of my business?" May echoed, her voice showing clear anger at his reaction. "You had a secret shrine to Soledad in your house while we were dating and it's none of my business?"

"You wouldn't understand, May." Drew snapped back, clenching his fist as he did so. The painful memories would always flood back when he came into this room, and that was why he tried to avoid it at all costs. Why did she have to bring him here and drag up the past once again?

"Try me." The girl answered defiantly.

Drew reflected on his feelings for Soledad for a moment; the memories of his past rejections and failures as a coordinator rushing through his mind like a physiological tornado. It was pointless to talk about it, wasn't it? After all, May could never understand what he had been through. And yet, May and Soledad were so very much alike - that was why he had approached May in the first place, after all. The only two coordinators to have ever beaten him in a Grand Festival. Was he destined to lose to them in matters of the heart as well as Pokemon? Is this what they called fate?

"Soledad..." Drew tried to find the words, but they were difficult to grasp; like trying to catch falling leaves that tumbled in a crosswind. "Soledad is..."

May continued to watch the boy as he stared down at the dusty carpet beneath his feet, his mind desperately searching for a way to express the frustrations that he had harboured for so many years.

"Soledad is... My only failure!"

May raised an eyebrow at this as Drew looked back up at her, his expression reminiscent of someone who had been studying for hours on end and could no longer formulate a logical thought process.

"You and her, May..." He continued somewhat frantically. "You and Soledad are the only women I can't understand!"

"Wh-what?" May stammered. "What do you mean?"

"Everyone else..." Drew explained, his voice sounding as if he was about to break down into a flood of tears. "Everyone else would give anything to be with me, but you two...! Why can't you understand that I'm the man that you're supposed to love!?"

Both coordinators were silent for a moment as Drew's voice seemed to echo throughout the room, the sound reflecting off of the glass of the photo frames lined up on every desk and shelf available to them. May's mind considered the boy's words and did her best to make sense of them. It seemed egotistical of Drew to think that way, but perhaps he wasn't far from the truth. After all, anyone who had grown up in a house like this would have had plenty of reasons to think that they were better than the rest of the populace in every possible way - that would be a natural assumption after seeing the contrast in their daily lives. Who was she to judge him?

Suddenly the room was filled with a dull-green light, and the image of a slender, humanoid Pokemon appeared, its dark-green eyes sparkling like well-polished gems under the light of the chandelier which hung from the ceiling. May barely had enough time to catch a glimpse of the creature's long, blade-like arms before she found herself caught in its powerful grasp and the room slowly began to fade out of view.

"Drew!" She cried, reaching out a hand towards the coordinator who lunged towards her.

"May!" Drew yelled, dashing towards the spot where May had once stood, but she was now no longer there. "May!?"

"MAY!!"

~*~*~

This chapter was probably the hardest one I've had to write in the whole fic. It was originally going to be much larger, but I decided to split it up since I feared it would be too much to digest in one go otherwise. I'm aiming to post 18 very shortly - I'm super excited about writing it, and I'll be equally excited to see what everyone thinks of it once it's done ^^ We'll finally settle some old scores...