So, the way this works, May's competing in Johto, just like Drew said he was going to at the end of the Unbeatable Lightness of Seeing. However, the rest of the gang's there too, like, Ash, Brock, and Max. I'm not sure what they're doing. That's irrelevant.
Right, so Solidad may seems sort of kinda maybe out of character, but, honestly, she was barely in the anime. She was in there just enough for us all to know that she's TOTALLY AWESOME. Anyways, she seemed a bit weird and kooky in the anime, so I'm just expanding on that… well, a lot.
It was a beautiful morning in May; the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the Pokemon trainers and friends were out with their Pokemon. All except for one. Well, two.
Brock Slate, former Pewter city gym leader, rock type Pokemon trainer, and aspiring Pokemon doctor was sitting by himself at a computer in the Pokemon center.
That was only a little strange.
He was talking to someone on the video phone, glancing behind himself every so often, as to ensure that no one was listening to him.
That was a little more strange.
Nurse Joy was at her desk, humming to herself and cleaning up the clutter, and Brock wasn't hitting on her. He wasn't talking to her. He wasn't even looking at her.
Now, that was VERY strange.
As we focus more on Brock, we see that he is on the phone with a cute, pink haired girl, and they seemed to be having a serious discussion. Let's dive in, shall we?
"I don't have a problem with May, Solidad," Brock said, "She's like a younger sister to me. However, Drew, frankly, kind of puzzles me. Are you sure he won't get pissed?"
"On the contrary," Solidad said musically, "He's definitely going to get angry. But, we're doing what must be done. Whenever you doubt our cause, just remember-"
"Right," Brock said, nodding, "This is going to come to pass in the future, we're just speeding up the process." Solidad smiled, nodding at him. Brock continued, "Because it's super annoying to see them dancing around each other."
"Because we care about our friends and their happiness," Solidad corrected, giving Brock a reprimanding look.
"Right, that too," Brock grumbled, and then perked up, "Hey, next, we should do Ash and Misty!" he suggested.
Solidad laughed. "Yeah right," she giggled, "Ash and Misty! That's got to be the hardest matchmaking endeavor ever! At least Drew's aware of his feelings for May!"
"Good point," Brock sighed sheepishly, "So, what's our plan?"
"Well, you're all in Goldenrod City, right?" Solidad asked.
"Yeah, we came because May's competing in the Goldenrod contest," Brock answered, looking back nervously again as he said his friend's name. He really couldn't afford to get caught. "And we ran into Drew here as well. Apparently, he came early to get some extra practice in. But," Brock grinned evilly, "We all know it's because he was looking out for a certain brown-haired coordinator from Petelburg."
"You know that's right," Solidad grinned back at him. (Psych! Best TV show evahhh!) "Anyways, this seems to work out well," She continued, looking thoughtful, "I mean, I've already got all five of my ribbons, but I was thinking about coming to Goldenrod anyways, to get some extra shopping done. I'll meet you there, and we can talk strategy!"
"Great," Brock grinned back, "See you soon!"
"Until we meet," Solidad nodded dramatically, and then flashed him a grin.
Then, the screen cut to black and he put the phone down, staring silently at the videophone. Believe it or not, he kind of hated that he got all lovestruck and butterfly-y around Solidad. I mean, he did think she was the most beautiful being ever, and her way with Pokemon was enthralling, but they always were best friends back at Pewter City. He hated that his brain seemed to throw that away whenever they met, and treated her like just another pretty girl.
Brock mused for a while before he caught sight of something in the reflection of the videophone screen. "Nurse Joy!" he screeched, spinning around and making his way towards the woman.
Oh, boy. Here we go.
After Nurse Joy managed to chase the boy away, Brock left the Pokemon Center, his hands in his pockets, whistling merrily, looking like he had NOT just been rejected for the millionth time.
He made his way towards the clearing where he knew his friends would be. I bet Ash would have challenged May, Brock mused as he walked, And judging by the outcome, we've either got an angry May, or a sulking Ash on our hands. Neither is very pleasant.
However, when Brock arrived, he was pleasantly surprised to find neither. In fact, May was in a heated battle.
With Drew.
Brock, to give him credit, was only surprised for a few seconds, after which he made his way to where Ash and Max were watching the battle.
Well, Max was watching the battle. Ash was actually kind of sulking. I guess we do have a sulking Ash on our hands. Brock chuckled to himself.
"What's wrong, buddy?" Brock asked good naturedly, sitting down next to Ash.
"May's battling Drew," he scowled, "Of course, I asked him to battle first, but he wanted to battle May."
Biting back a laugh, Brock clasped his friend's shoulder encouragingly. "Cheer up, Ash," he said, grinning, "I guess you're just not his type." Ash gave him a confused look before turning back to the battle. Brock looked back at the battle for a couple of seconds, before commenting, "Don't they need a referee, though?"
"Yeah," Ash said absent-mindedly before a look of alarm crossed his face and he jumped to his feet, "Ooh, that's supposed to be me!" He hurried over to where May and Drew were standing, and took his position. Brock chuckled and leaned back in his seat.
It didn't take too long after that for the battle to end and, as Max was whooping with excitement, May and Drew joined them, one person sulking, the other gloating. Ash was with them, nodding absently to whatever May was saying.
"Oh, just shut up, January," Drew snapped angrily.
May kept talking as if he had never said anything, "And you were all like, 'alright, December, let's see what you've got,' and then you went, 'Wow, you're using your Skitty? You must be desperate.' And don't think I didn't see all the exasperated looks you gave me when I used assist! And then I won, and your face! Ha!"
"It wasn't all that great," Drew grumbled, crossing his arms, clearly annoyed by all her gloating.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" May said brightly, smirking, "I couldn't hear you over all my winning."
"Wow, May," Brock blinked, "You're really going all-out gloat on this."
"That's because June here hasn't really won anything else before," Drew snipped, "So the one time she does win something's a big deal for her."
"That's not true, and you know it Drew!" May turned on him, her face red with anger, "I mean, I'm pretty sure you were there when I beat you to the ground at the Kanto Grand Festival!"
"Wow, you guys never stop, do you?" Brock heard a voice from behind him. He spun around to see Solidad walking towards them, a small smile on her face. The only thing that stopped him from running up to her in a love-struck daze was May and Drew pushing past him to give her a hug.
Wow, I really need to get over this,Brock shook his head before going to greet Solidad.
Afterwards, Brock and Solidad were sitting in the Pokemon center, Solidad sipping a mug of hot chocolate, and Brock was just watching her.
May and Ash insisted on going to get more food and Drew decided to accompany them, to get May riled up even more. Max decided they needed some adult supervision, so he left with them as well. Leaving Brock and Solidad alone.
"Okay," Solidad said finally, looking up at Brock, "What do we do about project DAML?"
"DAML?" Brock furrowed his eyebrows.
"Drew and May Love," Solidad explained, looking pleased with herself, "I coined the term myself. Thought it was appropriate. I considered putting a copyright on it, but I thought that it could wait until we succeeded."
"Really? So you can just put the letters together like that?" Brock scrunched up his face in confusion, "So, we'd be, like BASL? Basil? Like, a spice? That's weird."
"Brooock," Solidad snapped her fingers in front of his face, "Focus. Plus, that only works if we're together. Now, do you have any ideas for DAML?"
"Do I have any good ideas?" Brock repeated sarcastically, "Of course I do! Don't worry DAML! Brock is here for you!"
"Alright," Solidad looked amused, "Let's hear them."
"Okay," Brock looked serious, "We could lock them in a closet together, and tell them we wouldn't let them out unless they resolve their issues and bring DAML into existence."
"What have you been reading?" Solidad scoffed, "Fanfiction? We need a plan. A proper plan." (Props for the Harry Potter reference? Anyone? Anyone? No? Okay, fine.)
"You want a plan?" Brock said, his eyes narrowing, "We could get everyone to pretend the two of them are invisible for the whole day. We could handcuff them together when they're asleep. We could make May take a math test, and then-"
Solidad put her hand up and stopped Brock from continuing, what I'm sure was, a wonderful new idea. "Okay, this is going to be harder than I thought," She sighed.
SOLIDAD'S POV
Operation DAML, I thought, striding through the Pokemon Center, Plan A.
I met up with Brock at an alcove in the Pokemon Center. "You got the goods?" I whispered harshly, pulling the collar of my shirt so that my face was covered.
"I got the- Solidad? The goods-what?" Brock looked confused, yet slightly amused. He grinned exasperatedly at me and I swear my heart skipped a beat.
It kind of annoyed me when I reacted to Brock in this way. Anyways, back to our plan.
"Come on, partner," I scolded, still in my altered voice, "We're running out of time! Make the exchange!"
Brock rolled his eyes and stepped forwards, pulling a small, glittery, red book that was covered in feathers out of his pocket and making his way across the lobby of the Pokemon center. On the front of the book, in curvy large letters, was written May.
So, Brock'll go and give this book to Drew, I thought gleefully, standing in my hiding spot, And tell him that he found May's diary and Drew should return it to her. Unable to resist, Drewy will read it, and find all the proclamations of love for him that May supposedly wrote in it. It's brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! I cackled. In my mind. I'm not crazy, you know.
"Hey, Drew," Brock called, making the green haired boy turn around sharply and wait for Brock to approach him, "Hey, so I found this, it looks like May's diary, or something. Do you think you could return it to her?"
Drew looked at him suspiciously. "Why can't you give it back to her?" He asked slowly, "Since you're all good friends and everything?"
"Me?" Brock stuttered, thinking wildly, "I- um- of course I can't get it to her! Because, I've got a reason. I have a reason that I can't give it to May. And that reason is that… I've got this meeting I need to get to."
"A meeting?" Drew raised his eyebrows.
"Yes, yes," Brock nodded enthusiastically, seemingly secure in his explanation, "A very important meeting that-" he pretended to just catch sight of the clock above them, "That I'm late for!" He shoved the book into Drew's hands and raced out the Pokemon Center.
I slapped my forehead in exasperation. Brock was just too cute sometimes. Wait, cute? I meant dumb. That's right. Yeah.
Drew was left standing in the middle of the lobby, holding May's 'diary'. I watched as he stared down at it and then started to open it….
Wait. Wait, he's not opening it.
He's walking away with it in his hands.
Oh, going to open it in your room, huh? I thought to myself, grinning, Smart boy.
But, I spoke too soon. I… thought too soon.
Instead, Drew was making his way towards May, who was sitting with Ash, Max and her skitty in front of the fireplace, laughing about something.
He was going to give it to her.
Damn, damn, damn, I thought desperately for a solution, and only one came to mind. So I panicked and hurried over to them.
"Hey, May," Drew said, making her turn to look at him, "I was told this was yours."
May looked down at the book curiously and then back up at Drew. "Drew," she said slowly, "I don't think this is-"
"Mine!" I exclaimed, finally reaching them and snatching the book from Drew's grip. "I-it's mine! Thank god I found it!" As if to emphasize my relief, I gave the book a little hug and kiss, and then gagged as the feathers and glitter almost killed me.
"Yours?" Drew asked skeptically, "Then why does it say 'May' on the front?"
"Um," I looked down at the book to see the treacherous word glaring back at me, "It says May because… that was the month that I bought it in!" I grinned, "And I always wanted to remember that May was the month when me and Toby first met!"
"Who's Toby?" Ash asked, confused.
"Toby's my diary," I gestured towards the book in my arms, "Now, if you'll excuse me, the two of us need to leave. See you later!" I walked off, leaving them all staring after me.
Plan A- complete failure.
Reason: Drew incapability to be un-gentleman-y.
"Okay, this next bit? Foolproof." Brock reassured me as we hid in the bushes outside the Pokemon Center.
Since my plan was a complete failure, Brock decided that the next bit would be his idea. First, we had to borrow one of Ash's Tauros. But, honestly, we could have taken 20 Tauros, and that boy wouldn't have even noticed. Seriously, who needs over 30 Tauros?
Anyways, then we explained to Tauros our plan, and he seemed rather enthusiastic about it.
See, we got Tauros to agree to pretend attack May when Drew's around. So, when May's in danger, Drew would just jump in and save her, making him the knight in shining armor. And then, they would get together and be happy forever and ever.
Apparently, Brock saw this in a movie or something.
It seemed pretty foolproof, though.
"So what about SABL?" Brock asked me when we settling into our hiding place.
"What?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.
"You know, like DAML," Brock explained laboriously, "SABL. It's like 'sable'."
"Oh, god, Brock," I rolled my eyes, "Let's focus on the task at hand."
We crouched in the bushes until we saw May walking out of the Pokemon center, flanked by Drew and Max. Drew had a smirk on his face and was probably saying something snarky, and May was slowly turning red, getting angrier and angrier by the minute. Then, all of a sudden, Drew produced a rose in front of May's face and May's anger seemed to dissipate almost immediately. Max rolled his eyes.
"God what is wrong with them?" I whispered harshly, sitting up to see them better, "They're so completely hopeless!"
"Get down, Solidad," Brock muttered back, "They'll see us." Then, he put his hand on my lower back, and gently pushed me down next to him. I felt tingles do up my spine when he touched me and my face burned.
Stop it, I scolded myself, You're acting like a stupid little girl.
I don't like Brock. I don't. Not even a little bit. Nope. I mean, of course I like him a little bit. Because we were best friends back in Pewter. I mean, I'd like to say that we're still best friends, but it's been like five years since I've spent time with him and who knows who all he's met in his travels.
But I don't like like him. I mean, maybe I was convinced that I was going to marry him before, but that was when I was like 8.
Okay, fine, maybe I do like him. But, honestly, who wouldn't love Brock? He's just the sweetest guy, like, ever, and he really knows how to compliment a girl. Even if he compliments every girl he sees, but that's just kind of cute. And, seriously, what girl wouldn't want a guy who can cook and clean and all that jazz.
But, this is about DAML. Not Bro-dad…? Well, that's a stupid couple's name. Whatever.
Anyways, we waited until May was at an acceptable distance, and then we let go of the Tauros and it charged straight towards her.
As soon as May saw the Tauros, she yelled, "Guys, look out!" And immediately pushed Drew and Max out of the way, leaving herself in front of the rampaging Pokemon.
Then, she quickly called out her Blaziken and sent it out to use overheat. Overheat. It's freaking best move.
So, to no surprise, Tauros was then on the ground, swirls for eyes, and very clearly passed out.
"Good job, Blaziken!" May cheered, as if she had not just almost been killed.
"Wow, May," Max pushed his glassed up, getting up, "That was pretty cool." Both he and Drew came over to stand by May.
"That's a Kanto Pokemon," Drew mused, "I wonder what it's doing here?"
"Well, you wanna catch it May?" Max asked.
"I can catch it?" May asked slowly.
"Well, you did fight it, February," Drew rolled his eyes, "Don't be dim."
I panicked. Seriously, I couldn't let May try to catch Ash's Pokemon. Not that Ash would miss it (cuz seriously, who needs over thirty Tauros), but it wouldn't work, since that Tauros wasn't a wild Pokemon. I couldn't afford to let May or Drew or, god forbid, Max snoop around and figure out our plan.
Before Brock could stop me, I was out of our hiding place and sprinting towards May and Drew.
May glared at Drew. "I knew that, Mr. Rose," she hissed, pulling out a Pokeball, "And you know what? I will catch it, and then it'll be-"
"Mine!" I screeched, coming to a halt in front of them, panting, "That's my Tauros!" I informed them.
"It's… yours?" Drew asked suspiciously.
"Well, of course," I said, flipping my hair, "It's a Kanto Pokemon, and I am from Kanto."
"Well, I've never seen this Pokemon with you before," Drew leaned down to inspect the Tauros. I quickly pulled out Ash's Pokeball and returned it in a burst of red light.
"That's because it's my new Pokemon," I invented wildly, "It was supposed to be my big reveal for the Grand Festival. But," I shook my head sadly, "It looks like this Tauros it having trouble listening to me."
They just stared at me blankly. Drew didn't look very convinced. May did though. She looked concerned and gave me a sympathetic smile. That brightened me up a bit.
"Okay, gotta run!" I said brightly before sprinting away into the thick trees where Brock was still hiding.
Plan B: complete failure
Reason- May has Pokemon too.
I was crouched in an alcove in the Pokemon center, watching May and Drew sit together and chat about something. By the smirk on Drew's face, and the reddening of May's, he was obviously annoying her in some way.
But, no matter.
For I have the foolproof weapon for DAML.
Because I held in my hands at this very moment, two voo-doo dolls, courtesy of Harley. One was dressed as May, and one was dressed as Drew.
"Nowww…." I muttered to myself, holding the dolls carefully, "Kiss!" I smashed the dolls' faces together roughly.
"Umm, Solidad?" I heard a voice behind me say, "What are you doing?"
I spun around to see Brock and Ash standing behind me, the two of them obviously holding in their laughter.
"I-got the- I'm-" I fumbled, searching for an appropriate explanation for what I'm doing, "Well, you see- I just- I got-" I sighed, defeated, "It was Harley's idea," I said weakly, a last effort to make myself seem less strange.
Brock held his hand out demandingly, not saying a single word. I sighed again and placed the two dolls in his hands. He passed them over to Ash, who said, "Alright, I'll go dispose of these somewhere where May and Drew would never find them," and walked off.
"Really, Solidad," Brock reprimanded me, a smile tugging at his lips, "Harley?"
I deliberated for a second before bursting out, "I was desperate, okay? Project DAML is going out the window! Do you know how disheartening it is to have THREE failures in ONE DAY?"
I sunk my hands into my hair, possibly looking quite deranged, "And on top of all that, you keep smiling at me, and touching me, and driving me crazy! And I keep telling myself that you're just a friend, but I just can't help it! And all that stupid talk about our couple's names are just driving me crazy! And sometimes I just want to kiss you and it's all so wrong, and I could just- just-"
I stopped for two reasons. First, I really didn't know what to say after that. I mean, I could just what? I don't know.
The second was that, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, Brock had just wrapped his arms around my waist and roughly jerked me closer to him, and my voice just died in my throat.
He smirked down at me before crashing his lips down on mine.
And, holy mother of God, I was in heaven.
When he finally pulled away from me, he didn't move away, so we were still impossibly close together. "So," he said slowly, looking down at me panting and red face, "What would you say about SolRock? You know, Solidad and bROCK?"
"You know what?" I said breathlessly, wrapping my arms around his neck, "I really couldn't care less." And then, I kissed him again.
Maybe we failed for today. Maybe DAML wasn't born today. Maybe we'll never bring DAML into existence. Maybe it's something natural, something that has to fall into place on its own. Maybe.
Whatever.
There's always tomorrow.
