May, Ash, Brock and Max had just begun a new journey in the Stardust Region, it was the only one they could agree on as it had both pokemon battles and contests, keeping both trainer and coordinator happy.
Ash's stop came first, and it didn't take him too long to win his first badge, although he learnt quickly that things were a little different in this region. Everyone they came accross seemed to live their life as though they were a movie star, with everything they did being splashed accross the front of tabloid newspapers. Everyone was rather dramatic, and there were a lot of performers about who took part in shows with their pokemon. The gang stopped at a few of them and found they weren't half bad. They would have stayed longer but they needed to get to the next town so that May could register for the contest and get her pass.
It was 3 days after Ash's battle that they reached the pokemon centre at thunder town. May left her 3 travelling companions so that she could register, running towards nurse Joy. "Nurse Joy, could I please get a contest pass for this region? And register for the next contest here?" She asked politely.
Nurse Joy smiled. "Of course. No problem, here's your pass. . . and you're now fully registered for the contest the day after tomorrow." May beamed at her. "Although, I think I should warn you, contests are a little different around these parts."
May tilted her head to the side, a curious look on her face. "What do you mean, Nurse Joy?"
"What I mean is, in order to get through to the second round, you must perform with your pokemon, become part of the act, but still ensure that they are the main focus. Then if you get through you have to sing. Whilst you sing, your pokemon has to perform a routine, but it has to know it perfectly so that they can perform it in time to the music. If not, you have to stop singing to direct it. This looses you a lot of points." Nurse Joy explained.
May looked startled. "Oh no! I'm not ready for that, I've been training for battles, not performances!" she cried.
Nurse Joy gave her a sympathetic look before May turned and ran towards the exit of the Pokemon centre, determined to start practising so that she could win the contest.
Ash, Brock and Max had heard May's cries and watched as she turned on her heel and bolted from the pokemon center, the 3 of them running after her, wanting to make sure that she was alright. They soon found May in a quiet spot behind the pokemon centre, all her pokemon out in front of her. The 3 of them hid and listened to what she was saying.
"Ok guys, listen up. The contests in this region are rather different. For the qualifying round we have to perform together, although I have to make sure that the focus is still on you, and your abilities. Then, if we get through to the next round, I have to sing, whilst you perform a routine on your own that I have taught you, and you have to be in time to the music. It's a lot to do in just 2 days, any of you up for it?" She asked.
The 3 boys exchanged shocked glances, that was an awful lot to do in such a short time, but they knew better than to try and talk May out of something once she had made up her mind. They decided it would be better if they left her to it, not wanting to face her wrath if they were caught spying on her.
May had selected her Squirtle, and the 2 practised for hours, only stopping to eat and sleep. The others were a little concerned, worried that she and squirtle would be in no fit state to compete in the contest, but they kept quiet, not wanting to bring her down. None of them had any idea about what May was going to perform, let alone sing. The only thing she'd told them was that she was going to use Squirtle. For the first time, she hadn't shown any of them her routine, and they wondered if it was because it wasn't perfected yet. They hoped not, as the morning of the contest was soon upon them.
They all walked to the arena together, although at the gates May had to leave them and go backstage so that she and Squirtle could prepare. The first few coordinators went, and she had to admit, they were good, but she was etermined that her and Squirtle would knock 'em dead.
She didn't have long to wait to find out. She soon heard her name being called, and made her way on stage. She released Squirtle and the pair bowed, once to the judges and once to the audience. They then began their routine, which involved May using her skills in gymnastics to dodge Squirtles attacks, although they had agreed to let a couple of them hit her, as they were an effect itself. May stifled the gasp as she felt the ice surround her, freezing her to the bone, but it didn't last long as Squirtle hit the sphere with a water gun and turned it to a beautiful snow like substance which showered down around them, Squirtle landing gracefully on May's shoulder. The pair then took another bow, again one to the judges and another to the audience, as cheers and applause errupted from around her. She saw the shocked faces of her friends in the front row, and couldn't resist a smile. She then made her way back stage so that she could warm up using the blanket she had set aside, which had been warmed up by Blazikin.
There were several more acts after hers until finally all the contestants had had a turn and the judges called an interval so that they could confer and make their dcision on who would go through to the next round.
During the break, Ash, Brock and Max all came backstage and congratulated her on her wonderful performance. They also asked how she was feeling, well aware that taking that ice-beam from Squirtle must have hurt. "Yeah, it hurt a little, and it took a while to convince Squirtle that it was ok to do it, but I don't think the routine would have been complete without it."
They nodded. "So, what are you going to do if you get through?" Ash asked.
May smiled. "Oh, don't worry, Squirtle and I already have a song and routine perfected, don't we Squirtle?" She asked, smiling at her pokemon companion.
"Squir-tle." It nodded, agreeing with her from where he was still perched on her shoulder.
They all laughed. "Ok, well we can't wait to see it. But we'd better be getting back to our seats now, they're about to announce who got through to the next round." They all said 'see you later' and May waved them away so that she and Squirtle could go over things one last time before the announcement was made.
May had come first in the qualifying round, but that meant that she had to wait her turn until last, but she decided to make the most of it and talk through the routine with Squirtle one last time.
Unknown to May, Drew had shown up at the end of the Qualifying round. He had arrived to late to compete in the contest but had heard that May was in it so decided to watch. He had hung out in the doorway to start with, but now was sat next to Ash, waiting for May's turn to come around, all of them curious about what she was going to do.
Some of the performances were awful, either because the coordinator couldn't sing or because the pokemon couldn't remember the routine. It was enough to make both the judges and the audience cringe, and people only applauded at the end because it was over.
Soon it was May's turn, and she returned to the stage, guitar in hand and Squirtle sat on her shoulder. May sat on the edge of the stage, her legs dangling down the side. Squirtle jumped off her shoulder to stand in the middle of the stage. The lights dimmed a little, a large spotlight lighting up the stage area, so that Squirtle was the first thing you saw when you looked, May a little off to the side, just out of the way enough that her face was kept in shadow.
She then began to strum on her guitar, Squirtle begining his routine, covering the stage in ice, allowing it to glide accross the stage in pattern, carving out a guitar with teardrops on it. May began to sing as he did this.
"Drew looks at me,
I fake a smile so he won't see,
That I want and I need him,
Everything that we should be,
I bet she's beautiful,
That girl he talks about,
And she's got everything that I have to live without,
Drew talks to me,
I laugh 'cos it's so damn funny,
When I can't even see,
Anyone when he's with me,
He says he's so in love,
He's finally got it right,
I wonder if he knows he's lla I think about at night,
He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar,
The only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star,
He's the song in the car I keep singing,
Don't know why I do. .. ."
May continued, silencing the audience, the beauty of her voice awing them. Even Max, her brother had never heard her sing and had no idea she was so good.
Drew knew that the song was about him, as far as he was aware, she had never met anyone else named Drew. Plus, when they'd last met he had told her that there was a girl he really liked, although he hadn't quite got around to telling her that she was the girl. He felt a little bad now, hearing the sadness in her voice sounded so out of place. He wanted to make it go away, and decided right then and there, that after the contest was over her was going to tell May how he felt, and hopefully get her to do the same.
Squirtle's movements slowed as May played the last few notes of the song on her guitar. May had been so involved with the song and how it made her feel that she had completely forgotten that she was performing in front of hundreds of people, in front of her friends. She snapped back to her senses as the sound of applause and cheering reached her ears. She glanced over at Squirtle and saw him stil standing in his finishing position in the middle of the stage. She gave him a large smile, which he returned.
May walked into the centre of the stage next to Squirtle and glanced at him before the pair took their bows, smiling, then walking off the stage to the backroom where May received praise from the other contestants, all of them knowing that she would win.
May thanked them all before going to sit down at the back to gather herself before facing her friends and everyone else again. Squirtle sensed her turmoil and jumped onto her lap in an attempt to comfort her. May gave him a reassuring smile.
It was as May looked at Squirtle that she noticed her reflection in the mirror at the side of her. May gasped, "oh no, I was crying?! Oh no, oh no, oh no. I'll never hear the end of it if any of them saw that!" She quickly wiped her face dry and tried to make herself look normal as she waited to hear the judges result.
Meanwhile, out in the stands, Ash, Max and Broch were all looking at Drew, who appeared to be in a stupified state of shock. 'Were those tears on her face? She was crying? Because of me? What have I done?!' He let out a huge sigh before leaning forward and dropping his head into his hands.
The others exchanged glances before Ash decided to break the silence. "Drew? Are you ok?" He knew it was a stupid question, but he couldn't think of anything else to say.
Drew didn't move. "Not exactly. . . I can't believe I made her cry. I thought she would have figured it out. I didn't want to make her sad."
The others heard the tone of despair in his voice, and felt sorry for him. "What's going on exactly? We know that song was about you, but why is she referring to some other girl? I thought you liked May?" Brock asked.
"I do!" He sighed. "At the grande festival the party got a little much and we went for a walk along the beach. It was nice, just the 2 of us, talking instead of arguing. Somehow we got onto the topic of love and past relationships. She told me about Wally and Brandon, and what they had done to her. I wanted to hit them when she told me, but I have no idea who they are. She asked me if I'd ever been out with anyone and I told her that I hadn't. She couldn't believe it. But like told her, I hadn't met the right girl before."
"So does that mean that you have now?" Max interuppted.
A small smile appeared on Drews face as he sat up slightly. "That's exactly what May asked. I told her that I had. I had met the girl of my dreams, and I felt like we shared something. I couldn't imagine my life without her. . .The thing she didn't realise was that SHE was the girl I was talking about. No one else. I couldn't- Since we parted ways at the grande festival I haven't been able to stop thinking about her. She's the reaon I came to this region and not Johto. I thought she would have figured out what I meant by the next time we met, but apparently I was wrong. . . How can I have been so stupid?!" He cursed himself.
"Hey don't blame yourself Drew, you weren't to know she'd take it this way. Although I have to admit that it sure does explain a lot." Ash stated, a glance between his friends confirming his thoughts.
Drew looked up sharply. "What do you mean?" He asked cautiously, knowing that he probably wouldn't like the answer.
"Well, since we left the grande festival to travel here, May's been a little out of sorts. A lot quieter, she goes off by herslef for long periods of time, and when she comes back it always looks like she's been crying. The second time she went off se came back with that guitar, although she wouldn't tell us how she came to get it. We knew she couldn't have brought it as there were no shops close by, but figured maybe she'd brought it off a travellor of had found it or something." Brock explained.
"She doesn't eat as much either. She tries to hide it but I've caught her sneaking her food to her pokemon, and if they won't eat it she gives it to Ash's pokemon, not that that happens often what with Munhlax around." Max expained, causing everyone to smile, all of them knowing what Munchlax's appetitie was like.
No one got the chance to reply to Max's statement as at that moment Obsidian, the MC stepped forward gaining everyone's attention. "It is time to announce the winner of the Thunder town contest!! There was a pause as she collected the envelope from the head judge. "And the winner is . . . May and Squirtle!" There was loud applause as May and Squirtle made theer way back onto the stage, large smiles on their faces, all traces of tears gone. "CONGRATULATIONS!" Obsidian shouted, giving May a large hug and kiss before handing her the beautiful ribbon, which had little bolts of lightning all over it.
"Thank you. Thank you all, I'm really pleased you liked our performance." May bowed before raising the ribbon high in the air, earning loud cheers from the audience.
As soon as she was able to May escaped backstage, where she was congratulated by the other contestants for her performance, so that she could prepare herslef to face her friends and brother, knowing that they would all have something to say about her performance. She only hoped that they hadn't seen her tears, if they had then there would be a lot of awkward questions to answer.
After taking several deep breaths May was just about to head out when she heard someone calling her name, she turned around to find Ash, Brock and Max all waving at her, huge smiles on all of their faces.
"Wow May, you were awsome!" Ash told her.
"Yeah May, I never knew you could sing like that. You're really good." Her brother told her, smiling at her.
"Max is right May, how come you've never sang in front of us before?" Brock asked.
May was suprised that they hadn't said anything about her song. "Oh, well, I used to sing a bit when I was little, but then something happened and I stopped. . . I didn't sing after that until after the grande festival. I met a couple of travellors who told me that the best way to let out your emotions was through music. They taught me a lot and gave me the confidence to start singing again. I guess I didn't sing in front of you in case you though I was stupid or something." She answered, shrugging slightly.
Shock appeared on all three faces. "We'd never make fun of you May." Ash told her, a serious expression on her face.
May smiled. "I know. I was just being silly. It won't happen again." She told them.
"Good, because we liked hearing you sing. It was almost as if we could feel you emotion with the way you sang that song. I bet you could get a record contract easy, you'd be famous." Brock told her.
May smiled. "Thanks Brock, but I don't want to be a singer. I want to be a pokemon Coordinator." She told them.
They all smiled, before Max noticed Drew lurking in the doorway. He gave Ash and Brock a nudge before tilting his head in the direction of the door. They both looked towards the doorway, spotting Drew before making a hasty exit. "Well, we'll leave you to get your stuff together May. We'll meet you back at the pokemon centre ok?" They called, already heading out the door.
"Er, ok." She called after them, wondering why they were in such a hurry to leave. She soon found out though.
May was just heading over to the bench to collect her belongings from where Squirtle and Blazikin were waiting for her when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. May whirled round, having thought that everyone had already left, only to come face to face with Drew, the one person she least wanted to see right now, especially after what she had just sang on stage. She felt the colour drain from her face and her heartbeat quicken. 'What is he doing here? I thought he was going to Johto? Please say he didn't see my performance, that he only just got here.' she pleaded with herself and whatever God could hear her.
"May?" Drew asked, snapping May out of her thoughts.
"Drew, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to Johto?" May asked, confused.
"I was, but then I decided to come here instead, after all, I couldn't leave the one girl I care more about than anyone else in the world, could I?" He saked, smiling slightly.
May's heart sank. "You mean she's in this region too?" She asked, not really wanting to know the answer.
"That's right May." There was a silence as May turned away from him and began to pack her bag again, desperate to keep her face and voice neutral, not wanting to let on how much it hurt her to hear him talk about another girl like that.
"So why aren't you with her?" She asked finally.
Drew noticed the change in her tone of voice and grew worried. 'Maybe the guys were right. I don't think she has figured it out. Oh man, how could I be so stupid. What must she think of me right now? She thinks I'm talking to her about some other girl, she must hate me.' He thought to himself, feeling his guilt swell inside of him. "May I saw your performance. . .That song, did you write it yourself?" He asked.
May just nodded, not trusting her voice.
"May why didn't you tell me how you felt before?" He asked.
She could hear the distress in his voice but couldn't bring herself to look at him. "How could I? I had planned to tell you how I felt at the Grande Festival, but then I got sidetracked on that walk on the beach. It was so beautiful, and for once you weren't making fun of me. I didn't want to ruin it, then before I got the chance to say anything, you told me about that girl you like. How could I tell you how I felt when I knew you felt the same way for someone else? It would only make things awkward between us. I didn't want to do that." She told him, sighing, as she bowed her head gazing at the floor.
Blazikin and Squirtle could sense May's pain and sadness and came towards her, both of them hugging her gently to try and comfort her.
May could feel the tears in the back of her eyes but refused to let them fall, especially with Drew so close.
Drew sighed. "I thought you'd be able to figure it out. That I'd made it obvious, but apparently I didn't." The despondent tone of his voice caused May to turn towards him a little, wondering what he was taling about. "I never meant to hurt you like this May. That's the last thing I'd ever want to do.I love you too much to ever want to do that." He told her.
She could hear the sincererity in his voice, but this only confused her more. She turned fully so that she was facing him. "But what about that girl you told me about? You said that you loved her, you can't love both of us." She told him.
Drew took hold of her hand, pulling her close towards him. "Don't you see May? YOU are the girl I was talking about! I love you so much that you're all I can think about. I haven't stopped thinking about you since that first grande festival, I came to this Region just so that I could be near you!" He told her, desperatly wanting her to understand.
May shook her head. "But why didn't you say?" She asked, struggling to come to terms with what she was hearing.
"I thought you would have realised that I was talking about you May. I though that you would realise that all those roses I gave to you were really for you, not for Beautifly or Evie, or any of your other pokemon." Drew sighed. "I'm so sorry May, I never wanted to hurt you like this. I never wanted to make you cry." He could feel tears wellingup in his own eyes but forced them back, not allowing himself the luxury of crying, it would just make him pathetic.
May was silent for a minute, and Drew feared that she really did hate him for what he had made her feel for all this time. He was just about to let go of her hand and leave when she squeezed his hand, using her other hand to pull his chin up so that she could look into his eyes. He saw the small smile on his face and for a moment, he hoped that everything would be alright. "Drew, I love you, I could never hate you. I admit it did hurt when I thought you were crazy about some other girl, but to hear that all you said was how you feel about me, I can't begin to describe how happy that makes me." She smiled at him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
Drew felt a smile spread over his own face as he pulled her towards him and embraced her tightly, not wanting to let her go. He then leaned back slightly and gazed at her before slowly lowering his head towards hers and capturing her lips in a soft kiss, deepening it when he felt her kiss back.
It was only when the pair pulled apart for air that they realised they were both crying, causing them both to laugh. "God, how emotional are we? Talk about hormonal." May laughed.
Drew smiled at her as he looked into her eyes. "I don't care. I'm just so happy that you feel the same way May, that you don't hate me for what I did to you." He told her.
"Hey, don't get down, I told you it doesn't matter. What matters is that we're here and we're together. Only this time there was no misunderstandings to keep us apart." She smiled at him, gazing into his beautiful eyes, feeling herself getting lost within them.
"There's just one thing I don't quite understand." Drew told her.
"Oh? What's that?" She asked, a little aprehensively.
"Why were you convinced that I was talking about some other girl and not you?" He asked. The question had been bugging him since he had heard her song.
"I guess it's because you could have your pick of whatever girl you wanted. You have thousends of fan girls who would give anything to go out with you. I guess I found it a little hard to believe that you would pick me when you could have your choice of any of the pretties girls in the world." She stated, looking at the floor, unable to meet his eyes.
Drew pulled her chin up so that she was looking at him in the eyes. She saw the stern and serious expression in them and was worried that he was going to reject her for thinking such things. "Never think anything like that again ok? I love you May. Those girls are nothing compared to you, they don't have their own mind, they do whatever I tell them to, it's more annoying than anything, especially as they don't know the meaning of the word 'privacy'. You're nothing like them, and that's what I love aobut you. Besides, to me, you are the most beautiful girl in the world. I couldn't imagine being with anyone else but you, May." He told her, desperate to reassure her that what he was telling her was the truth.
May smiled at him and nodded, understanding what he was saying. "I love you too Drew, and I wouldn't want anyone else, ever!" She told him, throwing her arms around his neck.