1May happily strolled through the forest brush, seeking a pond or stream in which she could refill her canteen. She had been traveling with her friends, Ash and Brock, along with her younger brother, Max. They had agreed to meet up with her later after she fetched a spot to drink.
Father's Day had passed, and May had gotten her father Norman a quaint box of cologne. He appreciated it greatly, claiming that it would work wonders in wooing his wife. May loved her father dearly, and she knew that she was blessed to have a caring parent like him.
As she came upon a pond of sparkling blue water, she heard the sound of soft whimpering. Turning in the direction of the noise, she saw a young man with flowing violet hair that shone in the sunlight. He dressed like a Cacturne, with a leaf-shaped cap and a short, green jacket with green diamond shapes along the sleeves. He had a matching pair of tight pants and wore a pair of white disco shoes. Under his jacket, he wore a dark blue shirt with a bare midriff. The boy sat by the water, crying.
"Harley?" she spoke, stepping toward the weeping boy.
The teenager looked back at her with a stream of tears flowing from his eyes. His sad expression changed to a furious glare as he saw who it was. Surely, he thought, she had just come to make him feel worse.
"Oh, it's you. What do you want, Miss Tent?" Harley asked, anger in his cracking voice.
"I... just came for some water. Why are you so upset?" she asked, taking a step closer.
"What's it to you?" he asked, wiping the tears from his sparkling eyes.
"Fine! Sorry for asking! I just saw you crying, and I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to make you feel better!" she barked.
"You... you're trying to be nice to me?" he asked.
"I always try to be nice to you, Harley. You're the one who's always trying to sabotage my Pokemon contests." she said.
"Well..." he started, turning towards her and wiping at his eyes, "... if you must know... my Father's Day gift didn't turn out quite as I expected."
"How so?" she asked, taking a seat beside him.
"Yesterday... I got Daddy a Jigglypuff. I'd been trying to capture one for some time, and I figured that it was the perfect gift." he said, huffing as more tears streamed from his eyes, "So when I finally caught one, I gave it to him, and I was so sure he'd like it..."
"But... then, what happened?" May asked in concern.
"He said that the only Father's Day gift he'd ever want from me is the gift of... 'not having a flaming faggot for a son'!" he said, bursting into tears and burying his face in his arms.
May looked at her rival with sympathy. This was no longer the conniving, scheming monster she knew as Harley. In this moment, May could see that Harley was a human being as well. He seemed to be a completely different creature than the manipulative psychopath that had tried to make her slip up so many times in the past. She knew not what to do in this moment, other than to try and comfort the sobbing boy.
"What in the world are you doing?" the flamboyant coordinator asked as May embraced him sympathetically.
"I'm so sorry, Harley..." she said, still hugging him, "... I can't say I know how you feel, but I have a pretty good idea."
She broke the hug and looked to the ground, where she saw a rose. She picked it and handed it to him, causing him to smile slightly. He took it in his hand, wiping away his tears.
"Oh... why... thanks, May, hon. That's... thoughtful of you. It's not quite enough to make me feel much better. Oh, no. But... I appreciate this gesture." he said.
May smiled at the feminine boy beside her. She looked into the water and filled her canteen. Getting up to return to her friends, she turned to Harley to bid him farewell.
"Do you want to come with us? It could make you feel better." she spoke.
"No... I think I'll just stay here a while longer..." he said.
The End...
