"May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
May the rain fall softly upon your fields until we meet again,
And may Arceus hold you in the hollow of his hand."
"Amen" the small group muttered, followed by their Pokémon's respective calls.
This was Drew's first Pokémon funeral. He hadn't been to a funeral since he was…six. The death of his mother wasn't something he cared to remember, but this funeral was dragging up some long buried emotions. He squeezed May's hand reassuringly, not just for him, but for her.
He felt nauseous.
Pokémon were supposed to live for almost the length of their trainer.
But accidents happen.
"Roserade, use petal dance," Drew said softly as the rose Pokémon unleashed a beautiful flurry of petals that circled the group, then gently floated around the grave of May's Beautifly.
He had arrived last night to the brunette sitting on the floor, cradling her Beautifly. "May?" he asked, rushing towards the brunette, placing a hand on her shoulder.
She turned to him, tears streaming down her face, and he knew.
Beautifly had been ill for quite some time with a mysterious infection. Brock had made a remedy to help soothe her pain, but it was only useful in easing the process. There was no cure.
May drooped her head, tears silently falling from the 24 year olds eyes. "She's gone," May whispered, nearly choking on a sob. Her Beautifly had a good life.
She just wished it never had to end.
May let go of Drew's hand as she treaded towards the grave. She squatted and kissed the ribbon she had been holding the entire time before placing it on the grave site. It was her first ribbon, and she wouldn't have gotten it without Beautifly. She rose slowly. May was so sure she had cried all the tears she could cry last night, but unfortunately, water was still threatening to pour from her already swollen eyes.
As May turned around to greet the audience (including Max, Drew, her parents, and their Pokémon), she pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket. She cleared her throat as she unfolded the eulogy she had written for her deceased companion.
"I'd like to thank you all for coming here today. Beautifly wouldn't be the Pokémon she was without any of you guys."
She pulled a tissue from her pocket and dabbed her eyes.
"Beautifly, you were my second Pokémon ever. When I met you, you were the laziest little Wurmple I have ever met-you'd eat nearly as much as Munchlax, and sleep twice as much." She chuckled a bit, as did her younger brother.
"I remember one of the first times we used Silver Wind; I was so afraid that you were going to blow the beach away." Her parents chuckled, as did Drew. He remembered that day he met May for the first time.
"We were doing our frisbee routine, and then here comes Drew to make fun of my practicing! Neither of us liked Drew very much," May grumbled, smirking towards the emerald haired coordinator. He rolled his eyes at her. "I was 10, May. I was a jerk, and you had a silly routine!"
"And I'll never let you live it down," she replied, smiling softly.
"Anyways, back to Beautifly. Just like Drew to shift the conversation towards him, huh?"
Drew shook his head, letting it go. He wanted to mention that she brought him up, but he knew this wasn't the place or time. When May was nervous or upset, she tended to pick on him more. At this point, he learned some things were better left.
"So, Beautifly. You helped me win my first ribbon ever in the Fallarbor Town Contest, and you were the first wild Pokémon I caught! You changed my life. You served our team well, and-"
May paused, her heart beating so hard she feared it would burst through her chest. Her throat felt like it was closing in upon itself. She looked up at all of her family. Drew, Max, her mom and dad, all of their Pokémon…
One was missing, and it broke her heart all over again.
"-you were one of my best friends." May finally choked out, unable to hold back tears any longer. She clenched her fists to her sides, determined to get through her speech. She had one line left.
Breathe, May.
And all in one breath, she cried "And I love you and will miss you, my best friend, my companion, my beautiful silver wind."
Caroline outstretched her arms towards her heartbroken daughter, which May welcomed gladly. She cried as her mom stroked her hair. "I know baby…" Caroline mumbled.
Eventually, May broke away from her mom and walked toward Drew, who had a beautiful red rose in his hand.
"What's this for?" May sniffed, wiping her sleeve across her face.
Drew turned his head towards the grave, his lips quirking to reveal a sort of grin.
"It's for your Beautifly," he muttered as he squatted, placing the rose on the grave next to the ribbon she had placed moments before.
"I never got a chance to thank her for letting me use her as a lame excuse to get to you." Drew replied as he stood up and put his arm around May's shoulders, kissing the top of her head. "But this time, it's actually for your Beautifly."
May leaned into him, sobbing openly into his chest as he held her close.
After a few moments passed by, she tilted her head up and said "Well, I'm glad I have one of you right now."
She wrapped her arms around him as he smiled, leaning down so their foreheads were touching.
"Me too."