Attention! To read this, it's nessacery that you have read my previous contestshipping-stories, or at least "It's Festival Time!", because otherwise you don't know my version of Drew's past and don't probably understant this one so well. But of course, since all of these are same series, it would be nice if you'd had read them all before this :) Notice number 7!
And as I already said in "It's Festival Time!", this is only my version about Drew's past. You may have your own versions, but as long as it's revealed in anime or Pokemon's staff, they're all just as good guesses.
May sat on the rock and admired her ribbon case and her new Chocovine Ribbon, one she had just won that day.
"Whee! My third Sinnoh ribbon!" She smiled. "If this goes on, I have all ribbons before there's even sign of Grand Festival!"
"Sure, whatever", said voice below her. "Just because you won this time doesn't mean you're better."
May looked down to boy who sat next to the rock. "Drew, you are such a party-pooper." Drew chuckled.
Having your number one rival as your boyfriend sometimes does that.
May slid down from the rock. "Let's get back to the Pokémon Center. It's getting bit chilly out here." Drew nodded and stood up.
They stepped into to the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy called them and returned their pokémon.
They were about to go upstairs to their room when they heard male voice calling: "May!"
May turned around and her jaw dropped.
"Dad?"
May ran to the man. It really was her father, Norman, Petalburg City's gym leader.
"Hey there, honey", Norman said and hugged his daughter.
"Why are you at Sinnoh?"
"I have some business here. And you said you're coming to Chocovine Town when you called last time so I though I'd see you here."
May smiled. She turned around and noticed Drew standing little further.
"Just a second, dad. There's someone you have to meet." She went to Drew and pulled him with her.
"You're Drew, I suppose", Norman said. "May has told lot about you. Pleasure to meet you."
"Pleasure is mine", Drew said and shook Norman's hand. May smiled. It seemed her dad already liked Drew.
They went to restaurant's side and sat to one table next to window. Norman ordered them hot chocolates.
"So, dad, what business you have here?" May asked when they got their drinks.
"An old friend of mine asked me to come here and help him with his work", her dad explained.
"An old friend? Who?"
"Oh you don't know him. Last time I met him was long time ago", Norman laughed. "I'm meeting him tomorrow here? Would you two like to join us?"
"Could we? That would be nice!" May said eagerly. "Or… is it okay to you?" She looked at Drew.
"Umm... Sure." May smiled. Norman smiled as well.
"Welcome then." He gulped down rest of his hot chocolate. "Well, I'm off to get some rest. The road was long."
"Yeah. We'll go soon too", May said. Norman stood up and left.
"I knew he would like you", she said to Drew.
"Yeah, who wouldn't?" the boy answered smirking and flicked his hair.
"Yeah, who wouldn't? Not me at least." She kissed his cheek.
"Yeah, not you." Drew pulled her closer and pressed his lips on her head. May giggled.
...
Next morning they made it back to the restaurant.
"I wonder what he's like", May thought aloud. She looked around trying to find her dad. She spotted him from same table they had sat last evening. With him sat man with dark green and short hair. He looked like he was about same age as Norman.
"There they are! Come on." May took Drew's hand and pulled him closer. After few steps he stopped though. May turned to him about to ask why he stopped. But her words were cut off when she saw his face.
"Drew?"
He was staring at two men with death glare.
"I don't think I'm coming after all…"
"Huh? Why not?" May followed his eyes. Just then Norman's friend turned his head to them. May saw his eyes go wide open. Norman also looked at them and waved happily. May waved back.
"That guy with your dad… well, he's MY dad", Drew said.
"Eh?" Before May could say anything else, he turned and rushed away. "Drew, wait!"
"May?" Norman called her. She went to him. "What's wrong? Why were you standing there? And where did Drew run off to?"
"Umm…" May stuttered as she sat down.
"Well May, this is Chuck, the man I told you about yesterday", Norman said. "Chuck, this is my daughter May."
The man smiled. "Nice to meet you. Your father has told about you."
May smiled shyly.
"Can I ask, May? That boy with you just a moment ago... You know him?"
"Yes."
"I see", he smiled. "I think… I do too."
Norman looked at him with asking face.
Chuck looked at Norman. "I've told you. About my past."
Norman nodded. He looked at Chuck for a moment. "You mean… he is…?" Chuck nodded. Norman's mouth dropped. He looked at his daughter. May looked back at him.
Chuck took a photo from his pocket. "I never thought I'd still have chance to see my family again."
"Why this is quite interesting", Norman laughed. "Back at the old days, we playfully planned how our children would one day meet and fall in love, but that it actually happened without us knowing."
Chuck laughed too. "Yes, that's indeed funny."
May smiled. He doesn't seem to be so bad, she thought.
More May talked with Chuck, more she wondered why such a nice man could have done something bad. She understood Drew was mad at him, and thought could he ever forgive his dad.
Later that day May went to look for Drew. She found him sitting at the beach, same spot they had been day before. She sat next to him and pressed her head on his shoulder.
"Are you mad?" She asked after a while.
"To you? No. To him? Yes."
"Can't you forgive him?"
"I'm not the most forgiving type of guy."
May was again quiet for a second. "Do you want to forgive him?"
Drew looked at May for a second. Then he shook his head. "No…" He stood up and walked bit forward. "Why should I? He left and if he wanted to be forgiven, he would have come back."
May also stood up. She was about to says something, but Drew turned around and walked past her.
"Come on, let's go."
May stayed still for a second. Then she went after him.
...
Next day May spent with Drew, though the atmosphere was pretty awkward. At the evening May went to see her dad.
Knock, knock.
Norman opened the door of his room.
"May! What brings you here? …Is something wrong?"
May walked in. "You got a minute?"
"Of course. Sit down."
They sat on the bed. Norman watched May twiddled with her shirt's hem and waited her to talk.
"Well", she finally started. "It's… I'm bit worried…"
"About what?"
"About Drew."
Norman looked surprised. "Why?"
May bit her lip. "He has been all gloomy and grumpy after he saw Chuck… Like when we met. He was just getting better."
Her father looked at her for a moment. "Have you talked about this to him?" May shook her head. "Then maybe you should. I don't know what's the whole reason in those two's past, but if Drew is anything like Chuck, he'll understand."
"You think?"
Norman smiled and nodded. May smiled a bit too. She hugged him.
Next thing May realized was that it was morning and she had somehow blanket on her. She didn't really remember falling asleep.
"Morning", Norman said happily as she sat up.
"Dad!" May looked around.
Norman had to laugh at his daughter's confused look. "You fell asleep yesterday, and we didn't have heart to wake you up."
"We?" She repeated.
"Drew came to look for you after you started snoring", he ignored May's glare, "and since you were sleeping, he said you should stay here. I promised I'll send you back when you wake up."
May got up. "Well, I better go then."
"Okay. See you later."
"See you, dad."
Drew stood up from the bed as May came into their room.
"There you are! I almost got worried since you didn't come back."
May smiled. "Sorry."
Drew gave her a kiss on forehead. Then he looked into eyes for a second. "Is something wrong?"
May doubted. She walked to the nightstand and took her bandana and started to tie it back to her head.
"May?" He put his hand on her shoulder and turned her around. May looked at him.
Then she sighed. "To tell you the truth, I'm worried about you?"
Drew raised his eyebrow. "Me?"
May explained him her reasons. Drew listened her in amazement.
"Was I really that bad?" May nodded. He smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. I just… I got surprised because I saw him here, and it just got me mad…"
May took his hand. "It's okay. It doesn't bother so much anymore now that I've told it." She nuzzled her face to his neck. Drew chuckled. This would mean that problem was solved.
Soon they entered their room and went outside to give their pokémon some fresh air. They found nice park and sat there.
While brushing Glaceon May asked: "Why don't you go talk to him?"
Drew looked at her. She didn't say it straight, but he knew what she meant. "You're not serious, are you?"
May nodded. "Maybe that'd help both of you."
Drew turned back to his pokémon and didn't reply.
"This might be your only chance. You'll regret it later if you don't use it now."
There was silence for a moment. "I'll think about it", Drew said. May nodded.
When they returned to Pokémon Center, they heard familiar voice behind them.
"Hello. May, could I change a word with you?"
They turned and saw Chuck. May felt Drew startle.
"Uh… sure." Chuck smiled and led her back outside. Drew looked behind them.
May and Chuck sat at the bench behind the Center. The man looked to the sky. May wondered what he wanted to talk about.
"I thought this would be easier to do trough you", he finally said. May raised her head. "I'm leaving the town soon, and it would be nice if I could talk to Drew before that. But he doesn't seem to want to come near me so I thought if you could do me a favour."
May blinked. Somehow she had been waiting for that.
"I actually asked that from him already", she said. Chuck looked surprised. "He said he'd think about it…. though he didn't sound very excited."
"I see."
"But I can still try. We're leaving soon too."
"Thank you, May", Chuck smiled.
May found Drew sitting from the cafeteria. She sat opposite of him.
"That was fast", he said.
"Yeah. And uhh..."
"Fine, I'll do it…"
"Huh?"
"Talk to him."
May looked surprised. She hadn't thought it would be this easy.
"But only because you asked", Drew said and made face that meant the conversation was over. May smiled.
"Okay."
She knew everything would be okay.
...
Next day they stopped in front of an old looking apartment. May had asked her dad Chuck's address, and she wanted to walk Drew there (and she thought he was relieved she had asked it herself).
"Well, here we are", she said.
"Mm-m…"
"It'll be fine."
Drew looked at her doubtfully. May smiled and gave him quick kiss.
"Go." She pushed him forward. Drew took few steps. He looked back. May nodded. He nodded back and went in.
Drew stopped at the right door. He hesitated for a while.
"Well, it's no turning back now…"
Ding dong.
"Coming!" Chuck's voice called. The door opened seconds later. "Drew?"
"Hi, dad…"
Chuck blinked few times. Then he smiled. "Come in." He stepped away from the door. Drew came in.
The house had one room and small kitchenette. The room had bed and TV. It seemed Chuck had his all belongings around the floor. Well, at least Drew now knew where he had gotten his bad cleaning zest.
"I'm sorry because of the mess. I don't usually meet anyone here", Chuck said as he passed him. "Would you like to have something to drink?"
"No", Drew replied.
Chuck nodded. He walked to window.
"So, how are your grandparents and sister?" He asked after little while.
"They're fine."
"That's nice to hear. Lily's about 7 years now, right?"
"Mmh…"
Chuck sighed. "It has already been that long time…"
"No one forced you to leave", Drew snorted.
"I know. You can't even imagine how much I regret it."
"If that's so, why didn't you come back? Because you're a coward who's afraid of his kids?"
"You have every right to insult me anyway you want. And I myself too admit I am a coward", Chuck said and turned around. "But let me say this. I did, and still do, love both of you and your mother. But that time my head just didn't work clear."
"Hmh. Yeah right."
"Believe what you want. That's the truth."
"Whatever."
"But tell me. The pokémon egg you got when you were 9. What become of it?" Chuck said.
"I was… Wait. How do YOU know about it?" Drew wondered.
Chuck laughed. "Of course I know. I sent it to you."
Drew looked dumbfounded. "But I got it…"
"From your grandparents, yes. I asked them not to tell it was from me, because I thought you wouldn't want it then", Chuck explained. "I hope you won't start hating your pokémon now that you know."
"No."
"So, what is it?"
Drew was still bit surprised so it took while from him to reply. "It's Roselia."
"Ah! So it hatched into Budew."
Drew nodded.
"Is that all you wanted to say?" He asked.
"There's much I'd like to say and ask, but there isn't enough time", Chuck said.
Drew started to turn back to door. "Well, then I can lea-"
"Wait."
Drew stopped and looked at his dad.
"I just want to say two more things. Actually three", Chuck told. "I'm sorry. And thank you. I hope you can one day forgive me. And maybe we'll see again then."
Drew was taken aback by surprise.
"Uh…" He looked down. "Maybe. Bye" He opened the door and left. Chuck looked behind him. He hoped he had gotten some contact to his son.
When Drew got back down, he leaned his back to wall.
Last time he felt this confused was when he had fell for May, and didn't know how to treat her. Now was same, only that he didn't know weather to think the man upstairs as his father or not.
May sat on the bed in their Pokémon Center room. She was in a doze, and startled when she heard door opening and closing.
"I'm back", Drew said.
May got up. "Welcome back. Well, how did it go?"
"Fine, I guess."
May smiled and hugged him. Drew hugged her back. He was glad May didn't make him tell everything right now. And May knew she would hear it when Drew wanted to tell it.
Next morning they returned the key of their room.
"So you're leaving today too?" Norman asked as they said goodbyes outside.
"Yeah!" May answered. "We need to hurry to next contest."
"I see", he smiled. "Well, good luck for both of you."
"Thanks", May and Drew said.
"And say hi to mom and Max", May told. Norman nodded.
"Good! I made it", said familiar voice. They saw Chuck walking towards them.
"You're all leaving, so I wanted to come say goodbye", he explained. Norman shook hands with him.
"Take care."
"You too." Chuck turned to two kids. "And I wish you both luck for your contests."
"Thank you", May thanked. Chuck looked at Drew. He looked back for a second. Then his face softened a bit and he nodded. Chuck smiled. He waved for them ad Norman drove his car towards harbour and May and Drew left on the road by foot.
"Waah! I can't wait for next contest!" May enthused.
"Well, the news this morning said there's one in Snowpoint City soon", Drew told.
"Snowpoint City!" The town brought back memories for May. She was now really excited. "I wonder if we see any of our rivals there."
"Who knows?"
"Oh, well. Snowpoint City, be prepared, because here we come!" May jumped into air and dashed forward. Drew laughed and ran after her.
How did you like? :3 I've had this idea for long already. I still have few ideas before there's Grand Festival, but as I have said, I'll first want to see anime episodes about Sinnoh Grand Festival so that I can see how it goes. But now I have one longer fanfic project about Beyblade, so I don't know when I'll continue this. I'll try to do bot equally, so don't worry :)