NOTE: from now on, I'm only focusing on May and Drew, but if you want Ash/Misty back, just review and say it. Btw, SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING FAST! OKAY! HOPE YOU LIKE THIS CHAPTER. Lol lol lol
DAY FOUR
MAY AND DREW
The four of them searched quickly but carefully for the exit. The rain was merciless and it continued to pour. Since it was already morning, it looked like it was still night time just because of it. The clouds are gray and the sun was barely seen. Their only option to find the exit is to follow their instincts.
May was still down from what happened last night, she was still cold and pale. But it was better than how she was last night. Her head rested securely on Drew's chest. But Drew's problem was that he can't keep up with the rain and carrying May at the same time, but he could manage for now.
Seth's job was easier than his, he didn't have to carry Natalie, and he just needs to assist her.
"I wonder where and when we'll find the exit," Seth said. But Drew didn't answer, he didn't have an answer.
A few minutes later, Natalie started twitching her eyes.
"Natalie?" Seth said. And she raised her head up with a confused look and yawned.
"What happened?" she asks. "I was with May, and the next thing I knew I fell asleep," she rubbed her eyes and took a look at May. She was surprised at what she saw! "Oh my gosh! What happened to her?"
"She drowned in the pool." Drew explained, seriously and straight forwardly. He still had a grudge against Harley.
"That's terrible! It must be so freezing since her are blue, and her skin is cold," Natalie felt her skin and shivered.
"Exactly,"
"Wait, since Natalie's already awake, why isn't May still awake? I'm guessing that Harley dude made them sleep at the same time?" asked Seth.
"Maybe. But if they fell asleep at the same time, May's supposed to be awake by now,"
"Hey, look at that, guys!" Natalie noticed some something that looked like a paper on the ground. She approached it and picked it up. "It looks like a map! But I'm not exactly sure because there's mud all over it and it's wet,"
"Doesn't matter, hand it over," Seth said gently.
He examined the paper and read the letter in bold saying, 'Map of the Labyrinth (by Vincent and Harley)' wow. So Harley and Vincent knows the routes of this labyrinth and knows where the exit it...?
Seth unfolded the paper and saw the map. It was huge, it was the size of a 1/2 illustration board. Drew wished he could hold it and trace some things, but since he's carrying May and all, he can't.
"Try look for the exit," He said.
"I can't, it's all muddy and wet, and the rain's not helping..." complained Seth. He was right, it was hard enough to see here, what more to read?
Drew gently lay May's body on the ground beside him so he could take a look at the map. "Seth, put the map on the ground,"
"But it'll get muddier and it might tear up!"
"Just do it, it's been on the ground before and it still looks kinda neat,"
So he did what was told and put the map on the ground. Drew took a look at the map and tried to find the center, the circled shape and the one where Harley and Vincent showed up. It was pretty easy to find, since it was in the center...
"Here," He pointed at the place and said, "This is where we've been, and we took a left turn after that, a right, left, straight, and right again, so right now we're exactly here," As he remembered what they've been through, he perfectly traced the paths with his pointer, and his memories were pretty sharp. "And now all we have to do is find the exit,"
"I could do that, I can read maps pretty well," Natalie suggested.
Drew nodded and gave her the map. He carried May once again, hoping that she's alright and not having any pains or problems.
Natalie first got a pen from her sling bag and circled the place where they are, are started tracing the pathways on the map with her finger first.
She concentrated on the long maze, and each time she makes the wrong turns she would mutter something.
After minutes of tracing, she finally made the outline and what pathways will lead to the exit! It was hard; imagine having to write something in pouring rain and mud splashing on the paper.
The ink was kind of smudged but still readable, at least for Natalie.
"Looks like a long way out," She said after dong her traces.
"Really? Let me see," Natalie moved over so that Seth could see, it was filled with red markings, it would really take a long time to get out of here, lots of long turns and it's complicated to even follow the markings.
"You're amazing, you know that? I mean, who could read this? And it took you only 8 minutes..." Seth complimented. Natalie smiled at him and thanked him.
"Okay, so since we're here—" she pointed at the circled mark—"we should be turning left on the next split ways." She directed them and she took a lead. The rest of them followed her and hopefully would get out of this mess sooner.
Hours later of walking in hard rain, Natalie stopped her tracks, which made Seth bump into her.
"Ouch. Why'd we stop?" He asked.
"The exit should be exactly here, according to the map," She pointed straight ahead of them and there was nothing but a hedge blocking the way. It was a dead end.
"Um, exactly where?" an impatient Drew asked.
"Here! Just straight ahead of us,"
"Well I don't see anything,"
Natalie touched the hedge with her palms and as soon as she did, it went right through it! "Whoa!"
"Wha—how did that...?" She was speechless, at the other side of the hedge, it was still raining hard, but this time she felt it was colder than where the rest of her body was, and she quickly pulled her hand back and started getting an idea: Natalie put her head in the hedge and took a look at what exactly it is behind that hedge.
To Natalie's surprise, the opposite side was less foggy, but definitely cooler. There were no hedges; it was no longer a maze. She could see clearer now and could see the normal rainforest, no tall hedges and confusing roads.
She finally found the exit to this crazy labyrinth.
The rest of her body followed and went out of the maze, she was free!
Back at the labyrinth with Drew, May, and Seth; they (excluding May) were wondering what it was out there.
"You think it's safe?" Drew asked Seth. But Seth ignored him and quickly followed after Natalie, and there he goes.
He didn't want to stay in this maze, any place was better. So he decided to follow the two of them and went to the other side of this labyrinth.
There Drew's wondering emerald eyes saw Seth and Natalie looking at him and smiling.
"We finally made it out! I can't believe it!" Natalie exclaimed joyfully!
"Yeah, but it's still raining and we need to find shelter."
"... you just had to ruin the good thing, Drew!" Seth teasingly said, smiling and laughing. They were just so happy they're not going to be stuck in that hard and illusion-like maze.
"We're taking off. We've got to find where we left the safety boat and row our way out of this island. It was already such a drag to be stuck in a maze for so long. So, see you, I guess."
"Yeah, Seth's right. I think we have to go separately, since you still need to take care of May and look for your other friends. We've only got one problem left. So see you in the pokemon world!"
Natalie and Seth made their decision and said their good-byes.
"Thank you, for helping us—May and I—get out. We owe it all to you guys, Natalie most especially." Drew thanked them and smiled. They smiled back and said their final good-byes and started running farther away, until Drew couldn't see them.
Now the first thing he has to do is to find shelter and rest there for awhile, and take care of May. He started moving and walked in any direction.
His worried emerald eyes looked far away until its limits, still no sign of caves. He decided to take a rest on a big tree. Only small, dripping raindrops were falling on his head; it was better than the harsh and fat drops from awhile ago.
This could do for awhile... He thought. But he knew he had to get out because their bodies would catch a cold. He had to find a place completely dry and away from the rain. He stood there, thinking of what he can do to help May.
He laid her body gently on the ground, making sure he didn't hurt her. She was shivering so hard.
He thought of what symptoms May had to Hypothermia. And looks like she had most of it... That was it, he thought; they had to find a better shelter as soon as possible so that nothing worse could happen to his companion.
But his legs were aching from walking the whole night last night on the maze; he needed to take care of himself too.
He rested there for about twenty to thirty minutes before scooping May up in his strong arms again and headed for what he thinks he saw.
He ran as fast as he could, dodging all the tree branches blocking his way, not leaving a scratch on both of them.
He finally arrived on the place where he wanted to see: a cave. He was relieved that he finally found one.
Drew went inside, but not too deep inside because it was getting darker and darker when you go little drops of leaks echoing from far away could easily be heard
. He decided to stay in the center part of the cave, laying May's light body gently on the ground.
Drew sat right beside the brunette and got a thermometer in his bag. He placed the small object on May's mouth and checked her temperature: Thirty-five degree Celsius.
It was so low, she never stopped shivering since he got her body out of that cold pool.
With the rain not helping, it made her condition worse... Not to mention her leg.
The boy brushed the bangs covering her closed eyes aside and noticed how beautiful and charming she really was. It seemed like her face blossomed and looked prettier than ever before. He cupped her cheek and felt as cold as ever.
May's shivering became harder and harder, it was like living in an ice-cold place with no warmth at all.
There was a leak on the ceiling of the cave, a drop of water falling down on the brunette's forehead.
Drew notices this and quickly scooped her up once more and moved deeper in the cave, deeper enough to stay far away from the pouring rain and not so deep to see a little light from outside aside from the gray and lonely clouds.
Instead of staying in the middle of the cave, he moved at the side so he could lean on the rough walls.
He puts her down and thought her clothes should be dry as soon as possible to make her condition a little better. He removed her gloves and put it in the pocket of his bag. Drew had an idea, but it went away in a flash: he was supposed to use his Flygon's flamethrower, but since it was too powerful, it'll burn May and send her to flames.
He scowled and frowned as his ideas turned into failures. He wasn't pretty good at thinking things straight when he has a lot on his mind, and most of them filled with thoughts of this brown-haired jolly girl.
That girl shivered and chattered, not feeling any bit of being better. It was just too painful for Drew to watch her suffer like that. It was like all his hopes and dreams were slowly going away the more May looked like she had a hard time.
He read a research once on what to do when you have Hypothermia: he remembered that one of the treatments is to make body contacts... but he realized it would be just... plain wrong.
He watched May grab nothing but air, searching for any source of warmth; she was restless and made a sound like she was in agony.
Her snow white face showed pain, but there was a hint of strength, too.
Her clothes were soaking and cold. But so was Drew's, but he had more concerned for the brunette than himself. It hurt Drew even more to see her in such a bad shape. His sparkling eyes were full of concern and sorrow for her, thinking he was hopeless and helpless.
But his expression changed when he saw a tint of light at the dark side of the cave. The light got bigger and bigger as it approached the two teenagers until it finally reveal itself.
A little Charmander with a small flame ignited at the tip of its tail.
"Char?" The creature wondered suspiciously of who the two figures were doing in this cave. It notices May's shivering and chattering harshly and had an idea. The orange pokemon approached her slowly but surely, until Drew—thinking it would harm her—stood up and got ready to protect the troubled girl.
"Charmander, Char!" Drew understood him completely, feeling uncertain, he went out of Charmander's way and let the pokemon do its job.
It faced back and his tail was now facing May. The light flame giving her warmth and comfort as it went near her body. Close enough to dry her and far enough not to burn her.
The helpful little creature wagged its tail to dry the other parts of her clothes.
Drew watched the scene and was so happy that the pokemon came along and help both his and her problems. He was so thankful and would do anything to pay him back.
As soon as Charmander finished completely drying May, it looked at Drew as if saying, 'It's your turn to be dried up!'
Drew shook his head and smiled at him. "It's really really kind of you, Charmander, but I'll be okay. I need to take care of May first. Thank you for helping us." He continued to smile at it and gave him some pokeblocks and pokemon food indicating his appreciation on healing May.
Charmander took it and went back inside the cave until the light was completely invisible and gone.
The green haired boy grabbed a thin blanket he remembered to pack and wrapped it around May. It wasn't thick, but it'll do for now. Her shivering lessened but she was still chattering.
Drew sat down and leaned on the wall, stretching his legs and laying May's upper body on his arms.
May snuggled in his chest for more of the warmness, which made his face spread a color of pink or in other words, he was blushing.
He felt happy that he could help her, even by just providing a small amount of warmth. The two bodies formed a letter L. Her head lying safely on his chest, Drew caressed May's cheeck to make her feel a bit better. It was like holding a baby. He just wants to hold May tightly and not let anything happen to her.
"It's gonna be okay, May. I'm here, I'll never leave you again," he comfortingly told the sleeping May.
He sighed as his gaze faced the outside of the cave, his green and tired eyes finding nothing but hard pouring rain.
Soon enough, he would also sleep like May.
And he eventually did, resting his head on May's head. Their cheeks brushed against each other and soon, Drew closed his eyes and fell asleep with the girl he loved most, not caring about anything except for her.
May awoke and found where she was. She felt something warm, aside from the blanket, wrapped around her. It was Drew's arms. When she looked up, she saw his head leaned against the wall.
"He did this for me..." She whispered to herself. "Thank you... Drew." She smiled and closed her eyes, leaning on his cradling arms.
She was happy and sad at the same time, which she didn't get at all.
But since she thought about it, she was happy to be with Drew and happy that they were safe and away from the horrible maze. And she felt sad that she had to be such a pain to Drew and giving him a harder time. She sniffed from the coldness, even with the blanket on it was still freezing in her case.
Drew heard her sniff and immediately woke up and looked at the sapphire eyes of May.
"May... Y-you're awake," May nodded and smiled, still resting on his arms. "I'm glad you're okay," Drew said.
The brunette tried to sit up, but failed to do so because her body was still weak from hypothermia.
"Don't. I'll help you up," Drew effortlessly made May sit up and leaned on the wall, as same as his position. But May didn't have enough strength to carry herself from falling, so she slid and landed on Drew's shoulder.
"Oof. Sorry, Drew," She apologized. But he just blushed in return.
He thought about whether to hide his feelings and just tease May, or to just let it slide and hold her hand...
But as usual, he chose to tease her and said, "You should be. I was running in the maze—wait, the maze while the rain was pouring—while carrying your heavy body! Didn't you know how hard that was? It was so troublesome," Not meaning any of those, Drew was even surprised by how he sounded like.
He meant it to be in a teasingly manner, but it came out as an accusation.
The sapphire eyes of May widened and became watery.
"I-i..." But the hurtful words said by the guy she kind of liked changed her mood and replaced it with anger. The word "heavy" and "body" combined just hit her.
'Was he calling me fat?' She thought angrily :(
"I'm already feeling guilty, and you're making it worse... Fine! If I'm such a drag to you—" the short-tempered brunette stood up with struggle, but she managed to stand up with the help of the rocks.
"Wait, May—" Drew also followed her action and began standing up from where he sat comfortably.
"—then maybe we should get out of this dumb rainforest separately." she shouted at a clam Drew standing right in front of her with his hands in his pockets.
Drew thought she was so overreacting, he was only joking around with her. May continues to glare at him and continued "And maybe you should—" but her body was still too weak from her hypothermia issue and the screaming at Drew, and also her leg was still broken; that she collapsed.
"May!" Drew—alert as always—caught May's not-so-heavy body as he described it.
"Stop. I'm fine," But the tired girl didn't SOUND fine. The green haired boy felt a spark of guilt when he said those words to her.
"You're certainly not fine, May. You're still too tired from your issue and not to mention, but your leg is still broken." He insisted her with a gentle tone in his voice.
"I said I'm fine, Drew," As usual, she was stubborn as always.
Drew gave up and just let her go, making sure she was leaning on the cave's wall.
May's lip showed pouting and her eye brows met. "I'm getting out of here." She concluded and limped out of the cave. Drew noticed that the rain lessened, only small and few drops were falling from the not-so-gray clouds; in other words, it was drizzling.
Drew sighed and ran after her, saying "Wait, at least let me assist you,"
The burnette faced him and glared again, "Am I being too much a drag? I hate it. I can take care of myself," she pouted.
But Drew wasn't convinced, he frowned and stared at her with plead in his emerald eyes. And May knows that she actually can't walk by herself with her broken leg. So she finally gave up and said "Fine."
Drew smirked and May put her arms doubtfully around him.
"You're welcome?"
"Well you were the one that offered me!" May was still mad at him for calling a troublesome girl. She felt like she wasn't needed. But hey, it was only one person who said that, right? Wrong. It was one guy, but that certain guy meant a lot to her, so she still can't move on.
But when they were already halfway thru getting out, Drew thought of something, "I think we should stay put and wait for the drizzle to end, who knows it might become a storm or something," he suggested, looking directly at May.
'he has a point' May thought; and besides, her leg still ached from the fall back in the labyrinth. "Fine, but you get to stay at the other end of this cave,"
Drew didn't argue with her, so he put May down and walked by the other side not so far away. There they sat quietly and awkwardly.
May was the first one to break the silence saying, "I'm sorry for overreacting too much awhile ago,"
Drew stopped staring outside and looked at May.
He can see May's embarrassed face, so he grinned at her and accepted her apology with a nod.
He himself apologized to May as well: "I'm also sorry for insulting you or something. 'Didn't think you would take it seriously,"
And with those words coming out form their mouths, they smiled at each other and talked about their journey in this forest so far, and what other things might happen to them.
But their conversation stopped when in the middle of a drizzle, a thunder came by and a lightning lit the whole cave. The sound echoed throughout the whole place and sent chills on May's spine.
"Aahh!" She screamed, obviously feeling deaf by the loud thunder. Drew just laughed silently and chuckled. "Um.. Drew?"
"What?" He asked gently and patiently.
"C-could you... um... well, because... uuhhh..."
"Jeez May, just spit it out already," He laughed at the brunette's nervousness or trouble.
"Can you please stay here beside me?" She told him in a shy way with a light hue of pink spreading across her face while scratching the back of her head. "I mean, you know. I'm kinda scared of thunders whatsoever and—"
"Okay," Drew confirmed and walked over to May.
He sat beside her and stretched one leg while the other one was bent up with his arm rested on it.
May tucked her leg and wrapped her arms around it, her chin resting on it. She was gazing outside, hoping the drizzle would stop or not get stronger. But it as she thought about it, another lightning strikes and the sound follows it.
It made a loud crash and it hit a tree, making it collapse. Right after that, the rain continues to be harder and harder.
"Great! Just when I was wishing the drizzle would stop, it becomes worse!" May complained, cursing at the rain/thunder.
Drew laughed and said, "Looks like mother nature's against you," he punched May on the shoulder lightly, indicating he was teasing her. In return, she stuck her tongue out and rolled her eyes playfully.
They heard something from the outside of the cave. Their heads turned and saw what it was: A Vileplume! It was wet from the rain and found this cave. The pokemon was scared of the two teens, wondering if they were bad or good.
"Hey, there!" May happily greeted it, but the flower pokemon got more scared and panicked.
"Haha! Looks like everything hates you, May,"
May ignored him and gave the pokemon a pokeblock. It seems to see it and approached May. After a few minutes of hesitation, Vileplume finally took it and ate it with a smile on its face.
"See? It doesn't hate me," She smirked at Drew. "Sit here, Vileplume. It's better than staying out there, right? We won't hurt you," May offered, tapping the spot right next to her. Vileplume trusted her and sat there joyfully.
The sweet-scented pokemon seems to notice May's broken leg. "What's wrong?" May asked suspiciously.
"Vileplume!" It pointed at May's leg and told her to stretch it.
"Oh this? It's nothing, really," But Vileplume insisted to heal it. May was getting annoyed, so she stretched her leg and did what was told. The petals on the pokemon's head started giving off something. Something like a move called 'Aromatherapy' It heals other pokemon, aside from itself. It may also work on humans.
Both May and Drew stared in awe, they never knew it could be used on humans, too.
When he/she finished, May stood up and tested her newly fixed leg. She jumped around and laughed with joy, her leg was finally not broken!
"Thank you, Vileplume! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She appreciated the pokemon and hugged it tightly, it could barely breathe! May gave it more pokeblocks together with some pokemon food.
"Nice to see you so hyper again. But you have to rest, May; you're still healing from hypo—"
"Yeah, yeah, I know." May sat down next to Drew again; feeling tired all of a sudden from jumping. The brunette wondered when the storm will stop, not that she didn't want to be with Drew in this cave.
A loud crash passed by again: another lightning. It made May scared again and her heart pumped faster. Without knowing it, she hugged Drew tightly and screamed near his ear.
"Ow! Relax! It's just a lighning!" She realized what she was doing, and quickly let go of Drew and blushed.
"S-sorry... Hehehe,"
Both teens stayed put, watching the endless rain and the merciless thunders. Their eyes gazing outside and looking at the strong wind blowing the trees. They might have to stay here longer than they thought.
Okay I'm done! Please review! And if you want ash and misty back, just say so!:P i didn't know how vileplume sounds like, so i just typed his name. And I'm not sure if AROMATHERAPY works on humans, but in my story, it does :)) XD
I didn't know how to end this chapter, so sorry if it was a bit rushed or something.
Oh yah, it might take me awhile to update after this chapter! More like 2 weeks or so :( ... SO SORRY! :D:P:P see yah then!
PS: please review! :D and tell me if there's something wrong with it or if it needs more drama.
