Shipping:SundaeShipping

undefined SundaeShipping is the belief in a romantic relationship between Harley and Max. The name stems from the fact that Harley bought Max an ice-cream sundae in A Cacturne for the Worse.

Because support is limited, this pairing is frequently criticized, specifically for the age difference between Harley and Max. Despite this, there are a number of fans who choose to pair the characters together, often times for the drama it would undoubtedly ensue with May still in the picture.

Many also tend to believe the two's personalities clash to the point where they are balanced out. Max, being the wiser of the two, has a greater chance of bringing out a lighter side of Harley, who, compared to the boy, is very impulsive and negative. These traits in Harley, however, would also enable him to show Max out of his rigid and often stoic personality, forcing the two to have a very interesting relationship.

Evidence

 * A Cacturne for the Worse
 * After being insulted by 's lack of enthusiasm for his cookies, Harley immediately seeks revenge, and as a result, chooses to use Max at his disposal. The day of the Contest, May, and  are seen worrying about Max, who has yet to show up. Seconds later, both Harley and Max appear, and Harley quickly tells May she shouldn't blame her brother for their lateness. He explains: "I tend to get really nervous before a Contest, so I was having a cup of tea to calm down a little bit when, all of the sudden, I bumped into your little Maximus! And when I learned he was your brother, May, I insisted he come along with me." Max then chimes in with: "And then he bought me this huge ice cream sundae with sprinkles and everything!" While Harley's story is a bit hazy, numerous aspects of it are likely to have sparked the initial interest in the pairing.
 * Harley, well known for being manipulative and deceitful, claims to have found out about Max's relation to May only after Max and him bumped into each other; however, it's more likely Harley already took notice of the boy during his first encounter with May, which is interesting in and of itself.
 * The fact Harley treated Max to an ice cream sundae is among the man's more generous acts, although it is later discovered to be a ploy to get the boy to open up about some of May's weaknesses. Despite this, their off-screen conversation remains very intriguing, as Max claims to have told the embarrassing story of May to make Harley feel better after the man claimed to be afraid of Pokémon.


 * May, We Harley Drew'd Ya!
 * Harley, who is planning to cross-dress as May to humiliate her, wishes to give the girl an explosive black rose as a threat for the upcoming Grand Festival; however, because Max bumps into the cloaked man unknowingly, Harley chooses to give Max the rose, using him to deliver it to May.

Other Hints
Throughout the remaining course of the Advanced Generation, Max continues to be weary of Harley's actions, even when everyone else, May included, chooses to trust the man. While his personal guilt over having May almost lose the Izabe Island Contest is a factor in Max's continual distrust, it can be taken as slightly more personal, as if he felt overly used and humiliated by his decision to open up to a man who actually had no intention of befriending him.

When Harley is around, Max's attention is often on the man, and he later states that he'll never forgive Harley for what he did to his sister even when Brock and Ash seem convinced Harley has changed for the better.

Harley, on the other hand, is quite nonchalant about the fact he used Max, and other times, seems amused to the point where he's comfortable playfully teasing him. On two separate occasions, when Max questions Harley's motives, the man roughly slaps him on the back, as if to let out his frustration that Max has caught onto his antics and is able to read him better than May and her friends.