He hadn't made the best impression on her, even though he tried. His momentary show of rudeness, being offended she wasn't a boy, then trying to repair his mistake by offering to catch her a Pokemon (to impress her, he had to admit) had not gone over well with her. Still, she let it slide.

He, well, Brendan had a crush on her from the second he saw her, though he wasn't aware of it for the longest time. That was the reason for his initial rudeness and his attempts to impress her- his mouth spoke before his brain could think of things to say. He was more cautious in the future, resulting in much stuttering and blushing scarlet around her. Really he'd just made a fool out of himself, but May almost seemed endeared by it, or at least, she didn't mind.

When that girl had stolen his Key Stone, she'd been infuriated on his behalf and the next time he saw her, she had pressed his bracelet back into his hand and locked her gaze with his, informing him that he would never have to worry again. Then she'd smiled brightly and told him they had a date (something that caused him to blush and sputter until she said she was just teasing). They'd watched the Litleonoids together, sitting at opposite ends of the bench, Brendan blushing to himself and glancing at her. Her eyes were alight and he was far too nervous to move closer to her. She'd called it a date, and the word played over and over in his head despite the fact that she was only joking when she said it. It was that which made him realise that maybe he really fancied her (this and Lisia's teasing). After that day, he found he blushed and stammered more easily around her.

Right now Brendan was in Slateport, finishing a contest, swamped by fans expressing their gratitude for such a good show and complimenting him and his Pokemon. May had said she'd try and attend, but not to hold his breath because she would be in Petalburg on business with her dad ("And you know how Dad can be about work"). He was just starting to get disappointed when he heard her voice in his ear.

"I want to show you something," she said, appearing at his side out of nowhere, gripping his hand and pulling him along behind her. He let her do it, gazing at her in the moonlight. She released him when they got out onto Route 110 and were quite alone, the route opening up onto the starry sky above. She ran a little further after letting him go before turning to face him, clasping her hands behind her back and beaming with the brightness of the sun.

"Uh..." Brendan found he said that a lot around her. "What did you want to show me?"

She didn't answer, pulling a flute out of her bag. It was curiously shaped, but when she played it, it sounded much prettier than he'd thought. The tune she played was quite short, but she did a little hopping dance as she played.

(So cute...)

He was practically fascinated by his crush on her now he was aware of it. He watched her tuck the flute away, and hardly a moment later, a beautiful Pokemon approached her. Red as the brightest ruby with white as pure as clouds, a triangle blue as the sky on its chest. Latias. She climbed on her back and offered a hand to Brendan.

"Come on! I still haven't shown you the thing yet!"

"Uh..." Brendan was uneasy about heights. Latias gazed at him with calming gold eyes, and he found himself taking May's offered hand. He got on behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. She smelled weirdly spicy for a girl, but he liked it. Every other girl smelled like flowers, it felt. Of course someone like May would be different.

He clung rather tightly to her when Latias took to the sky rather speedily. May moved and it was a moment before he realised she was Mega-Evolving Latias. As they rode her back.

"Brendan, you're safe, please stop crushing my intestines."

He felt his face turn red and he loosened his grip. "S-sorry."

"There," Latias steadied and levelled out in the air, but Brendan refused to open his eyes (when had he even closed them?). "Oh, come on! You can't see what I wanted to show you like that!"

The fact that she was clearly looking at him made him open his eyes. She had turned to look at him over one shoulder, her eyes shimmering in the starlight. Then he looked around.

Hoenn was beautiful from the air, even if he did have the ominous feeling he was going to fall off Latias to his death. What would his parents say if he just appeared, smushed in a crater?

"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure they won't like me very much anymore," May said, laughing. "Though Mrs Birch might not mind having a Brendan-shaped spot in the garden to plant things in."

Oh, he'd spoken aloud. The blush returned.

"I don't know about that."

"Well, we can always ask. You can just lay in the grass, and we can draw a chalk outline. See how she likes it."

Brendan gave a nervous laugh now.

"Honey Lemon won't drop us. I promise," May rested her hand over his.

"Honey Lemon?"

She ran her hand along Latias' neck. "Honey Lemon."

Brendan rolled his eyes. "You're such a dork."

He instantly worried that he'd offended her, but she giggled. "She seems to like it. I like to think I'm very good at nicknaming my Pokemon."

"Oh yes," Brendan hugged her tighter as Latias began flying slowly around Hoenn. "Very."

"Adelaide is a perfectly good name."

"Adelaide is fine," he said. "It's Applesauce that makes me question your naming skills."

"What's wrong with Applesauce?"

"What's right with it? Ah!" he clung to her as Latias surged forward, twirling through the air. Brendan had tucked his head into her shoulder and his body tensed.

"Sorry!" May exclaimed. "I accidentally gave her the signal to do that. I'm so sorry, Brendan."

"Latiii!"

"She's sorry too... Automatic reation to a nonverbal command. We worked on it for so long, because it's so hard to be heard when you're going fast..."

Brendan relaxed slightly, but kept close to her. He was very, very aware of her hand resting over his. Latias had stopped in the air, waiting for Brendan to calm down. He declined being let back down on the ground. Latias closed her eyes and Brendan felt himself calming down. It was a moment before it dawned on him that she must be using her psychic energy to help him.

"Thanks," he mumbled, reaching around May to stroke the Pokemon's neck in gratitude. Latias replied by a gentle cooing sound.

"The sky looks amazing, too," May said, looking up. "It's so different up here than down below... and it's so different out there."

She was referring to her ride with Rayquaza, something Brendan still thought sounded like a really weird dream despite the fact that he knew full well it was the truth. May was just that amazing.

"I love it up here," May said. "I um... I'm sorry, Brendan."

"What?"

She looked at him. "I was kind of hoping you'd like this as much as I do, but you're afraid of heights, aren't you?"

"I-I-It's n-not like that!" he stammered. She gave him a sceptical smile and Latias began drifting gently downwards, back home towards Littleroot. "May!"

"What?"

"Do you think we could go maybe to my Secret Base?"

"Your Secret Base?" she blinked. "Are you sure? That's really far away."

"Yeah."

"All right..."

When they finally arrived, Brendan could not be more relieved to be back on solid ground, despite being half-convinced the ground would fall away underfoot. Latias took off like a rocket when she dropped them off (and after recieving a rewarding handful of Pokepuffs and pets). May's laughter rang clear off the rocks at the burst of affection from Latias before her takeoff.

They sat together under the tree at the heart of the island there, looking at the still water reflecting the sky above. May sat beside him, her legs curled to one side, shoes off, and leaning on one arm, her body a hair's bredth away from his. The tiny island was entirely isolated, meaning nobody else was around, making it quiet, save for the gentle waves in the distance. This suited Brendan just fine. He glanced at May and found she was gazing at the stars' reflection, which was reflected back in her beautiful storm-coloured eyes.

He really liked her...

She was staring at him expectantly. Brendan gave a start, worried she'd caught him staring. "What?'

"I asked you how your contests are going? Are they all right?"

"Oh! Yes, they are. And you?"

"I can't match you," oh that smile... "But Adelaide continues to surprise people by appearing alongside the likes of Sharpedo, Salamence, Metagross, and Hariyama."

"Well, she is a Plusle. They're not exactly the first Pokemon you think of when given 'Cool' 'Clever' or 'Tough' to think about."

"Says you," May winked. "Adelaide would hate to hear you say that. She's more macho than you are."

She rested her head on his shoulder, making his heart skip a beat. She then giggled and sat up after barely resting her head, and unless he was mistaken, there was a faint pink tinge to her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around her knees, gazing out over the water again.

"You have a really pretty place for you base," she said softly. "I like it here, Brendan."

"Me too," he watched her hair flutter in the soft breeze.

He was so taken with her, something that had never, ever happened before. It had only gotten worse. They'd been best friends for so long now... nearly a year and a half. He was almost afraid to make a move. Not just out of fear of ruining their friendship, but her father was a powerful and difficult gym leader, and May herself was the regional Champion. Which reminded him...

"Why aren't you at the Pokemon League?"

May made a face then sighed. "I don't get to see anyone back home when I'm there, so I kinda left for the night. Really I'm not supposed to be here."

Brendan felt rather guilty all of a sudden. "I-I'm sorry, I should visit."

She tucked her hair back. "Don't worry about it. I mean, I'd love it if you would visit, but you're busy doing your own thing. How is it going, by the way? Following in your dad's footsteps?"

"Pretty good," he said. "Being a Contest Star has been helpful. People from as far as Kalos and Unova come to see me. Can you believe it?"

May smiled. "Well, you are amazing at it. Professor Birch said you were offered a chance to go tour Kanto."

"Oh... yes, I am," he said. "I'll be leaving next week."

"That soon?" was she... disappointed?

"Yeah."

"When will you be back?"

Brendan shrugged. "I don't know yet."

"Oh. Well, good luck. I'm sure you'll be fantastic!"

"Thanks, May. Good luck with the Champion thing."

She laughed. "Thanks. And you do well with your Contest thing."

May got to her feet and brushed sand and grass off her shorts before pulling out the Eon Flute. So it was time to go home then. Understandable, it was probably close to dawn. She didn't seem as cheerful when she called Latias to her, though. Brendan climbed on behind her once more, hugging her waist. May dropped him off in Littleroot, before telling him she had to go back to the League now. He couldn't help it. He pulled her in for a tight hug.

"Come see me before I go, okay? Please, May?"

"I'll try," she said. "Are you taking leave from Slateport?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "At about nine in the morning next Thursday."

"I'll try to be there," what she did next sent a deep blush flaring over his cheeks again. She gave Brendan a swift kiss on the cheek and smiled unblushingly at him. "Good luck out there, if I don't make it. Knock 'em dead, Brendan."