Welcome Home ch3: The Opening

Few minutes after leaving the train station, the two young coordinators arrived at the Convention Center, a large and stylish building not bigger than Battle Tower, but still a very tall and impressive place. A big colorful banner with the words "Contest Week" - followed by several small names of pokemon sponsors, organizations and corporations - welcomed the young kids at the crowded entrance.

Their arrival was not only received by that display sign - the entrance was fairly blocked by a concentrated mass of people and pokemon... Trainers showing off their skilled partners, curious citzens from LaRousse intrigued by the large crowd at Convention Center area, street sellers trying to attract potential buyers...

May clinged to Drew's arm, enchanted but also a bit scared of the huge loud mob of pokemon and coordinators bumping into each other. The boy just sighed and kept walking straight forward; following his steps closely, the brunette kept wondering how they would find Solidad in such huge and crowded place...

"I never knew there were so many coordinators around," the girl said in surprise, "I always thought only Pokemon trainers had massive events like this!"

They reached the main event square area after exploring the place for few minutes, checking the minimap from CW passport and getting lost at least twice inside the Convention Center. However, the duo noticed the building was not only already quite full but also getting more and more crowded.

"Drew, we will never find Solidad here..."

"Thanks for the lovely support." The boy flicked his hair, slightly annoyed. He hated to admit how lost he was feeling at that place. "I know, calm down. There must be a way..."

"Yeah but I think we should-..." May stared at the big bright screen above their head; the speakers were announcing something while the display presented some fancy Contest Tournament footage. "What's that?"

Welcome everybody to our Contest Week, the greatest annual event for coordinators from all over the world! My name is Vivian and I am very delighted to be your hostess today! We are very honored to announce the presence of our Top Coordinator of the Year, please welcome...

People started cheering and clapping as the teenagers stared in awe at the close-up of their elegant peached-haired friend smiling and waving to the audience in the main stage.

Solidad from Kanto, Pewter city!

While engulfed by a wave of clapping and whistling sounds, Vivian offered the microphone to the Top Coordinator, who gently thanked the energetic hostess with a small polite nod; she smiled to the camera, adjusting the microphone in her hands.

Thanks, Vivian. Good evening, thank you all for coming to this great event. It's a true honor being here on stage today, I would like to thank the organization and everybody for such dedicated work and support, creating a union between coordinators from all over the continents and...

Still in shock and unable to pay attention at all to the opening speech, the two coordinators unconsciously muttered surprised and confused words in unison. "She..."

"Is it...?"

"What..."

"Oh, Solidad really got me this time..."

"Wow..."

"She won the title of Top Coordinator of the Year?"


"Hon, I am soooo proud and jealous of you! You were simply gorgeous on that stage, super radiant Sol, such a superstar! Just missed super fabulous me by your side to present the most amazing duo speech in the world! Don't you think, don't you think?"

Harley clasped his hands together and jumped around Solidad, who laughed sweetly while trying to tone down his fangirlism - people were getting really scared of his loud screams and odd displays of affection. "Haha, thanks for coming and visiting me backstage! It's good to see you, shall we go to the cafeteria and grab something to drink? Like old times."

"Of course, we got lots of stuff to talk about! Oh my, time to update all juicy gossips and news, show how fantastic our pokemon are now and trade-"

Heeeey, Solidad! Over here!

That voice...

Here, here! Hey, Solidad!

That particularly super cheerful voice... Oh, Miss Tent!

Harley couldn't be wrong, that had to be his Miss Tent!... That unforgettable cute voice was echoing and running into their direction, shouting his friend's name in pure doses of saccharine and rainbows. The purple-haired man suddenly stopped jumping around Solidad and dashed to said target with open arms.

"Honey, come to Papa Harley!"


"Solidaaaaaaaad! Soli... Whaaaa?"

May stopped waving to her friend, blocked by a big purple and dark green blur who grabbed her small body with unmeasurable will and squeezed it in a tight Kangaskhan hug.

"Hnnnghh! He- hea...vy..."

I missed you so much! Oh my Arceus, my little darlings are here!

Collapsing on the floor, the brunette didn't have any words to say about what had just happened, why that heavy thing was on top of her and why it was pinching her cheeks like an overprotective Ursaring mother.

Mayhoneybunnykiiins! We got so much stuff to talk about, join our great hot gossip chat! We were only missing you, sweet honey pie! Oh my, Harley is so happy you're here!

Green hat, purple hair... "Ha-Har...ley? Harley, is that you?"

"The only one!" Harley waved hello to the brunette and blew a kiss to the boy next to them. "Dear Drewdrew, hi! How are you, pretty boy?"

"Get out, creepy." The green-haired boy stared at the purple-haired man with a disgusted face. "Uh... May, are you alright?"

"So dramatic. She's fine, silly boy." Sitting between May and Drew and pretending to forget the whole awkward scene that had just happened between them, the Cacturne Coordinator blew another kiss to the kid, who took it with a serious blank stare.

"Really. No, thank you, Harley. You can take it back."

"I missed you too, little green darling... Not. C'mon, tyrant boy, let me have some May as well!" Hugging the girl again, Harley dramatically covered May with his arms from Drew. "Learn to wait for your time, I have time to love everybody! Learn to share your brown sugar cookie, she's not only yours!"

"Sharing cookies? What the heck are you talking ab-... Wait, what did you call me? You called me a tyrant?" The boy growled in annoyance, bothered with that comment. "A tyrant?"

Harley turned his back to Drew, giving him a 'talk to the hand' gesture. "Tyrant, stalker, bully, I don't care, whatever is your favorite poison. Go cry about your relationship issues with Solidad, gimme some prime time with May, we both got many stuff to talk about and that is only between us!"

"You, you are calling me a bully and stalker? How dare you, you are the one who is..."

"Drew dear, sometimes one fact doesn't exclude the viability of another fact happen... That's called logic, kid." Harley smiled in victory. "If I am mean, that doesn't mean you are a good boy either, you might be the greatest master of evil, you know? The only exception goes to beauty... I am the king of beauty, therefore you are not splendid. I am."

"Hey hey, can I join you three or is the debate too dangerous?" Interrupting the discussion, Solidad also sat on the floor, hugging her legs and holding her laughs. "Hi Drew, hi May! How are you guys? We were going to have some coffee, I am sure you two got lots of stories to tell us since last time we met!"

"Hi, Solidad..." May whimpered, feeling helpless, "I want to get out of this, can we have some coffee like, right now?"

"Hey, congratulations." Drew nodded friendly to his veteran rival but then furrowed his eyebrows in a censoring look. "By the way, how come you're Harley's old friend? Are you in debt with him or something like that?"

Solidad giggled quietly without answering Drew's question; Harley stomped his feet on the floor, very offended by that harsh question. "Are you trying to break my poor beautiful heart? She is my friend as much as you're her friend, green midget!"

May just watched the two coordinators argue with puzzled looks, completely lost in their fight; though, at the same time, it felt good... Traveling together with Drew, Harley and Solidad in Johto's Contest Circuit was an unforgettable experience, many troubles due to clashing personalities but also dozen of adventures and moments of fun.

Like a crazy and unique second family.

She smiled at her friends, happy for their complete reunion.


"Drew, I am so excited! It was so good to see them again, I feel great now..."

"Yeah..." The boy replied, looking up at the sky.

After an evening full of familiar faces, Drew and May decided to leave the Convention Center. The sun had already set down when they left the building; it was time to go back to home.

"Haha, that was a nice start! So many people I know... Solidad, Harley, Grace, Zoey and I think I also saw Brianna in the middle of all that people. I am glad I met so many friends today! I wonder if Dawn will be here? Zoey said she wanted to come to Hoenn after the Sinnoh league..."

"Who's Dawn? Oh, well... I didn't exactly miss Harley but I was glad to see some guys and Solidad. She really deserved that prize, I look forward battling against her in the future..."

"Dawn is Ash and Brock's friend, that one who battled me in the finals of Wallace Cup Contest, remember? Beautiful long blue hair, cute pink dress with red ribbons, very nice Piplup... And yeah, about what you've said, I hope one day we both can be the Top Coordinator of the Year too!" The brunette clenched her fists, feeling her blood burn in determination. "I want to be a legendary coordinator!"

"How cute," Drew raised an eyebrow and flicked the tip of his hair, "keep on dreaming together with Harley, you two get along very well in fantasy land..."

"Hmpf," May rolled her eyes out, "you're just jealous he got nicer with me but didn't get closer to you."

"I don't want him to get closer to me, really..."

"Not jealous?" The girl questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Not even a little bit?"

"Uh. You wish..."

"I don't know, I thought you two were friends..."

Drew looked fixedly at his rival with skeptical eyes. "Your concept of friendship needs some serious rework."

Walking back to the train station, May stopped walking and pulled Drew's jacket gently when they arrived at the station entrance. He looked at her, curious about the gesture. She scratched the back of her head, a bit nervous.

"You're busy tonight?"

The green-haired boy stared at his rival with a slightly curious look.

"Eh?... Not really, I was thinking about going back home, cook dinner and plan our strategy for next two days. I know this Exhibition is just for fun but I am taking this seriously... Why?"

"Great, it's the perfect time to talk about this." The girl smiled sheepily and her eyes sparkled. "It is about the Appeal thing! Are you too tired or can I ask you a favor, please, pretty please?"

"I'm fine and... Maybe," flicking his hair, Drew waited for an explanation - but May didn't answer anything, quietly twirling her hair with one finger, "what kind of favor?"

"Appeal rounds! We need to match each other and our pokemon. Right? Also, their appeals and attacks... And ourselves, so..."

"So...?"

"So! You know... Yeah, that..."

"Eh, that what?" Drew answered in a puzzled tone. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Aww, you know, c'mon... Hmm, you got that stylish black tuxedo and I've got my cute Oasis Princess set, right? They're great costumes, awesome design and style but they don't really match, so... I thought... Maybe... You know..."

Now he knew exactly what she wanted with those weird comments.

"First of all, I refuse to wear any silly Medichan stuff to match you. Second thing, for this exhibition you should worry more about your pokemon, not your own clothing. Third and last, no, I will not carry your shopping-spree fever bags if that's what you're planning to do right now..."

"Pleeease, I promise it will be fast! I am short on money anyway, you won't need to carry a single bag for me, I promise!" Making her best sad puppy face, May clinged to Drew's arm. "Make the PokeMagazine of next month feature you in the fashion pages as the man with the best matching partner!"

The green-haired boy felt a sweat drop appear on his head, speechless.

"Help me choose the perfect dress for the Appeals with your perfect taste in beauty? Show me how cool is the shopping mall? Uh, I don't know, make a girl happy?"

"You only make my life more difficult, don't you?" The rival just muttered something along the lines 'women, so weird' and changed his track, heading to another automatic street. "Follow me. You owe me this one..."

May's eye sparkled in ecstasy. A very happy victory scream echoed through the buildings of LaRousse city.

YESSSSSS!


A/N: OMG Thank you very very much for the feedback! I never imagined I would get more than 5 reviews xD... I feel so honored!

Yeah now that you guys noticed me, I see I messed up Harley's quote (it's been a long time since I watched that episode, sorry!) lol I'll edit that soon. By the way, I know it's not really allowed to keep editing the story after publishing it but I feel it's my obligation to correct these mistakes D: Don't worry, I won't change the plot, it's just some text tweaking ;_; Oh, and my native language is Portuguese! Yeah... Weird, I know. lol

About the plot: I always wondered how Solidad became Harley's friend off-screen before AG series and why these two and Drew were watching, in the same room and apparently together, May compete in Wallace's Contest... I suppose at some point in Johto's journey Harley and May worked on their past issues and fixed (at least a little bit) their relationship? Harley seems to love-hate May so badly! In any scenario I still think Drew wouldn't trust him or approve the fact the two girls like the Cacturne man lol

Next chapter: Just some shopping in LaRousse... Or something more?