Author's Note: Okay. Chapter Three- Lily centric, May showing up, and the Boyfriend is coming into play. Yeah- this is going to be interesting.

Chapter Three: Silence.

The next day was rather dull to start off, completely relative. Lily's usual grunt of, "Stupid suckish clock," hitting her watch-alarm's button, and yawning had become as routine as Drew coming in, dressed and ready, right as she was just waking up. It wasn't exactly normal for most people- but then, Lily and Drew weren't normal.

"I've got some shopping to do- you need anything?"

"Pink Pokeblock, white ribbons, water, and black yarn." Lily grunted, still trying to wake up.

"All right. Stay out of trouble."

Lily rolled her eyes, watching Drew walk out.

He is so overprotective sometimes.

Forcing herself out of bed, she searched around in her clothes, finding her usual purple T-shirt, black denim vest, and jeans. Pinning her hair up in a white ribbon, she looked around- Not that much to do except train. Which was sort of pointless when half of her Pokemon were still sleeping. Sigh.

Pushing her ribbon into a knot, she headed out- time to explore Oldale Town.

"Ash, come on!" May groaned, slumping over as they continued their trek through Oldale.

"What is it?"

"We've been walking for hours! We need to take a break, The Pokemon Center is right here- besides, our Pokemon need to heal anyways."

"Fine." Just as they'd started in the direction of the Pokemon Center, a sharp thump interrupted them.

"I'm so sorry! That was my fault entirely. Sorry!"

May looked up to see a girl with black hair and medium tan skin, with her bag open, some of its items spilling out. She reached down to help May up, and as soon as she did, she apologized again. "I'm really really-"

"It's okay! You don't have to apologize; I just wasn't watching where I was going… I'm May."

"Lily." The new girl smiled, definitely relieved. Kneeling down, she began collecting the scattered items- a hairbrush, Pokeballs, a wallet, a poke-dex, and a small, white container.

"Um, if it's okay for me to ask, where were you headed?"

Laughing gently, she replied, "Nowhere special. I'm only in Oldale for a week before I have to leave for Rustboro City. Two weeks, if the heat stops the boats."

"Oh!" May exclaimed, "are you a coordinator?"

"The female pride of La Rousse." Lily's smile deepened. "Kidding- I'm not that amazing, but yes."

"Um, if you aren't doing anything, would you like to walk with us around town?" May asked.

After a few arrangements, they set out for the city- and eventually stumbled upon the Contest Hall.

"Oh! My goodness, it's beautiful." May exclaimed, looking upon a building with red-ribbon banners, gold details, and wood-shuttered windows.

Lily exhaled shortly, as though to laugh.

"Yes, it is beautiful… The winner of the 1980 Grand Festival designed after it was held in Oldale. She had quite the eye for color, didn't she?"

"How do you know that?" Max asked, his eyes narrowing a little. Again, Lily smiled.

"Well, I love to read about the past Grand Festival winners- looking at their strategies helps me form my own."

"That's a really smart idea." Brock commented,

"Who was that year's winner?"

"Gabrielle Adams, at age sixteen. She was known for her use of electric and steel Pokemon, forming patterns and effects from lightning. She won in a huge flourish, with silver glitter falling down on the audience, and the judges applauding- She's legendary to Oldale." For a moment, all four of them just stared at her with a blank expression. Finally, Ash managed to say something. "Wow, you know a lot about this."

Lily burst out giggling, her hand over her mouth. "Yes, ten years of research does that to you."

Silence followed, again. "Um, I'm sorry- what did I do?"

And why are they so quiet? It's almost numbing.

"…" Lily didn't realize that they were speaking. Telling her that she didn't do anything wrong- that they just weren't used to seeing someone so dedicated to Coordinating.

She didn't realize any of it. Nothing was there- nothing was real… She'd entered a state of bitter, freezing shock. Reality never existed. Nothing ever did. Nothing ever would.

Nothing.

A sharp throb began pounding against the inside of her temples. Her heart beat- her heartbeat and those throbs were in unison. Their pace quickened- faster and faster, until it was nothing but a dim hum, it's volume steadily increasing.

It grew to be so loud that she couldn't even tell the difference between her heartbeat and her mind.

Everything was a blur- so was the face that stood in the center.

She could only see his eyes- Sharp, calculating, green.

"Lily? Lily?! Lily, are you okay?" May repeated the question several times, waving her hand frantically in front of her eyes. Her glazed-over eyes shut slowly, as her legs collapsed beneath her.

Silence.