Chapter Ten - Lucidity
Ash rang the doorbell. There was a quiet chime audible from inside the building.
The group waited for some time. Ash stood at the top of the stoop, with May one step behind him. Bianca was with Rex at the foot of the stairs, an ice pack clutched against her head.
When the door opened, a girl stood in the doorway, wearing a light blue dress and glasses. She appeared to be a few years younger than anyone else present. She did not appear to be pleased to be answering the door.
"Hello?" she said. She raised an eyebrow at Ash. She clearly did not recognize him nor anyone else there, nor was she expecting company.
"Hi, I'm Ash. Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town. We're looking for Fennel. Is this the right place?"
Through the open door, from what Ash could see, every square inch of the room before him was covered in computer parts and other varieties of electronic equipment. There wasn't any furniture to be seen.
The girl sighed.
"Yes," she said, groaning. She turned her head and yelled toward the back of the cluttered room. "Fennel! You've got visitors!"
From within, Ash heard a faint reply.
"Tell them to come in!"
The girl gave everyone a sideways glance.
"Well, you heard her," she said. She stepped inside and held the door open. "Sorry about the mess. Watch your step."
Her advice was well-warranted. Tangled wires lay crossed and knotted all over the floor. There were a few narrow passages through which to walk, and the rest of the room was completely impassable.
Ash looked up at the ceiling. Unidentifiable computer equipment towered over him.
"What is this place?" he said.
The girl, leading the way toward the back of the room, turned back to face him.
"This is my server room," she said.
"Your server room?" said Ash.
"Yep! That's right!" the girl said. "My name is Amanita. I run the Pokemon storage system here in Unova."
Ash stopped in his tracks and took a better look at his surroundings. He saw that everyone else was doing the same. They were inside the nexus of all Pokemon transfer activity in the nation.
"Does that mean that every Pokemon that gets sent through a PC in Unova comes through here?" said May.
"It does," said Amanita. "All the devices you see in here help send Pokemon where they need to go. It takes a lot of power to transfer something as complicated as a Pokemon from one place to another. And if you mess up the routing, it can get sent to the wrong trainer, or worse."
"Worse?" said Ash. "What's worse than sending a Pokemon to the wrong trainer?"
"Data being corrupted, making the Pokemon irretrievable. Or a Pokemon getting sent to more than one place... simultaneously."
"Can that seriously happen?" said Ash. He felt a sick sensation in his stomach.
"It's never happened here in Unova on my watch," said Amanita. "We've never had a Pokemon get lost or corrupted or any other kind of accident, but it can happen. That's why this is my full-time job."
Fennel appeared in the doorway behind Amanita. She was wearing a pair of latex gloves.
"Amanita, are you scaring our guests?" she said.
"I'm not scaring them!" said Amanita. "I'm just being honest about the dangers of my job!"
Fennel gave Amanita a look that smacked of disappointment.
"The detail she's leaving out is that the system has built-in failsafes to ensure that data corruption never happens," said Fennel. "The Pokemon's data is transmitted first and checked for consistency with the original before the hard transfer occurs. If there's a problem, the transfer never happens. The system has operated that way for decades. My sister here just likes to make it sound more dangerous than it really is."
"Your sister?" said May. "But-"
Ash saw May gawking at Fennel and Amanita, and he understood why. There was an undeniable resemblance between the two, but Amanita was young enough to be Fennel's daughter.
"Our parents had us quite a few years apart," said Fennel.
"Since I work independently and have all this equipment, our parents let me live with Fennel here," said Amanita.
Ash Fennel's brow tighten, in contrast to her otherwise serene face.
"Please, come with me into my laboratory," said Fennel. "Musharna and I were able to stabilize Munna."
"That's awesome!" said Ash.
"Thank goodness," said Bianca, still holding the ice pack to her head.
As the group followed Fennel to the rear of the building, where her lab was located, Amanita broke away from them and disappeared into another room. From the brief glimpse Ash caught of the interior, that room was filled with computers, too.
Fennel's lab, on the other hand, seemed to consist of nothing more than a pair of beds and a few monitors hanging on the walls throughout the room. It looked more like a hospital room than a laboratory. Heavily bandaged, Munna lay in one of the beds, and Musharna hovered silently above it. A pink aura of energy surrounded both of them.
"This is your lab?" said Ash.
"It is," said Fennel. "It may not look like much, but this is where Musharna and I conduct our research on Pokemon dreams."
"Pokemon dreams?" said May. "I guess that explains the beds."
"It does," said Fennel. "Most of our research consists of getting Pokemon to fall asleep here in these beds. After they're asleep, Musharna feeds on their dreams. Once Musharna has eaten a dream, it can project it by emitting a substance called Dream Mist - the same Dream Mist you experienced the effects of earlier."
"Wait, what do you mean project it?" said May. "Does that mean that Musharna can show us what Pokemon are dreaming?"
"Yes, it does," said Fennel. "In fact, we're testing a device here that can do what Musharna does, but without Musharna being involved. The device will be able to monitor a Pokemon while it sleeps and record its dreams as if they were a video, showing them to us on a screen."
Ash scratched his head.
"That's really neat and all, but why would you even want to do that?" he said.
"I was wondering the same thing," said May.
"The reason for doing this is to better understand the minds of both Pokemon and people," said Fennel. "Most people don't realize it, but dreams are actually a visual manifestation of our unconscious thoughts."
Ash stared at Fennel, blank. He blinked a few times.
"Um..." he said.
"I guess I should explain, shouldn't I?" said Fennel. "I suppose you've heard the common myth that we only use ten percent of our brains?"
"I don't know about ten percent," said May, "but I do remember it being a low number."
"The number itself doesn't really matter," said Fennel. "The point is that the statement made in that myth isn't quite accurate. While it is true that only a small percentage is being used for conscious thought at any given time, the rest of the brain isn't sitting completely idle. The parts of the brain that aren't being used for conscious thought are actually engaged in subconscious thought almost all the time. Our minds are constantly thinking about things and coming up with ideas, and we aren't aware of any of it. Not until we go to sleep, at least."
"What happens when we go to sleep?" said Ash.
"We dream," said Fennel.
"What does dreaming have to do with this?" said Ash.
"Have you ever wondered what dreams actually are?" said Fennel.
"I guess," said Ash. He shrugged.
"Our dreams are the byproduct of our brains trying to reorganize things," Fennel said. "When we sleep, our bodies undergo all kinds of restorative processes. Tissues mend themselves, repairing little tears. Our cuts and scrapes heal, if only a bit each day. Soreness and fatigue are relieved as our muscles relax. Perhaps most importantly, though, it gives our brain time to sort things out, to make sense of everything going on inside of it. Of course, we aren't conscious when we sleep, so our subconscious thoughts get to sneak up to the surface. As these thoughts emerge, the brain has to try to come to an understanding of them, so it runs through them, like film on a projector. When it does, it results in us seeing the thoughts in the movie-like experience we know as a dream."
Ash stared at Fennel, blank. He blinked a few times.
"So, to summarize," said Fennel, picking up where she left off, "dreams are our brain's attempts to analyze and understand our subconscious thoughts. Everything you've ever seen in a dream is something that was already in your head – you just might not have known it was there."
Ash felt rather uncomfortable at this notion, considering the content of some of his recent dreams. He saw May staring out of the window, looking lost in thought.
"That's pretty weird," said May. "I've never thought of it that way before."
"It's kind of scary, you know?" said Ash.
"It's certainly a heavy concept," said Fennel. "Dreams work the same way for Pokemon, too. To understand their dreams would enable us to communicate with them on a level we've never been able to communicate before. That's the main inspiration in my work. The technology we're working to develop would help us bridge the communication gap that exists between humans and Pokemon."
Ash thought for a moment. He was still stuck on the idea that dreams were things that were already in his head.
"So, when we all saw Ghetsis, was that something those Team Plasma guys had dreamed?" he said. "Was Musharna showing us one of their dreams?"
"That's correct," said Fennel. "Musharna can eat and project human dreams with its Dream Mist, too, although usually we don't do that for ethical reasons."
"Ethical reasons?" said Ash.
"Most people wouldn't be comfortable with having their innermost thoughts revealed like that," said Fennel. "Would you?"
Ash felt his face turn unexpectedly warm. His mind started to race with questions. He saw May still staring out the window. Bianca was at Munna's bedside, face filled with worry. Rex was examining one of the monitors.
There was an extended silence. Ash saw Fennel bite down on her lip.
"My apologies for rambling for so long!" said Fennel. "I didn't mean to lecture you all. It's just an old habit of mine."
"Don't worry about it," said Rex. "It was enlightening. We appreciate your explanation."
"You're very welcome," said Fennel. "After the debacle you all went through, I felt like you all deserved some explanation."
"There's something I still want to know, though," said Rex. "How did you know to come to that place? How did you know what was going on?"
Fennel's serene expression turned into a frown.
"It's... complicated," she said. "The simple version of the story is that a group of Munna and Musharna have inhabited that building ever since the accident that destroyed it, and since my Musharna comes from the group that lives there, it was aware that one of its kin was in danger. But that explanation doesn't paint the full picture."
"An accident destroyed that place?" said Ash. "What happened?"
Fennel sighed.
"Honestly, I wish I knew," she said.
"What do you mean?" said Ash.
Fennel pursed her lips and looked down at her feet.
"It's not easy to explain," said Fennel. "And, well, I'm not very proud of it, either."
Ash opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, Fennel continued.
"The abandoned building you were inside today used to be a chemical plant for an industrial pharmaceutical company, and I worked there when I was just out of college, researching the effects of Dream Mist. We were doing cutting-edge work, really pushing the boundaries of what it was possible to do with the technology of the time. One day, the administration authorized the team I was leading to use an amount of energy for our experiments that we had never used before. When we performed the tests, something went horribly wrong. I still don't understand why exactly it happened, but the Dream Mist sample we were analyzing detonated. The blast took most of the facility with it."
"Was... anyone hurt?" said Ash.
Fennel grimaced.
"Yes, unfortunately," she said. "That was almost ten years ago. The company disbanded its Striaton City branch of operations. I downsized my experiments and moved in here. I've been studying dreams here with Musharna ever since. In that time, the building has crumbled and decayed into the ruin it is today. My experiments with Dream Mist, along with the property's constant state of overgrowth and disrepair, is how the place came to be known as the Dreamyard."
Fennel bowed her head. There was silence. Bianca appeared to be on the verge of sleep, slumped over the edge of Munna's bed.
Ash looked at Fennel, and she met eyes with him.
"We really appreciate all your help," said Ash. "Thank you."
"Of course," said Fennel. "You're welcome, but you don't have to thank me, really. When Musharna and I went to the Dreamyard, it was only because Musharna sensed that Munna was in trouble. I wish I could say that we went there to stop Team Plasma and save you all, but that simply isn't the case."
"There's no need to be humble," said Rex. "Whether you did it on purpose or not, you saved lives today."
"Definitely," said May. "I don't know what we would have done without you."
Fennel smiled in a said sort of way.
"You're too kind," she said.
Bianca raised her head from Munna's bed, looking up at Fennel.
"Thank you..." she said sleepily.
"Certainly," said Fennel.
"...for saving Munna."
Fennel faltered, about to say something before Bianca let her head down again, resting it on the side of the bed.
"My head hurts," said Bianca.
"I think we need to get Bianca back to the Pokemon Center," said Rex. "She needs to rest."
"I understand, but one last thing," said Fennel. She touched Bianca on the shoulder, stirring her from slumber. "Bianca, would you like to take Munna with you on your journey once it gets well again?"
Bianca smiled, her eyes full of sleep.
"I would love that," she said. "Oh, thank you..."
"I think I should be thanking you," said Fennel. "I'll be in touch when Munna is ready to go. Now, I can help show you all to the front door. It's kind of a maze in here, after all."
After navigating the labyrinth of cables and equipment, the group arrived at the front door again, where Fennel gave them an appreciative sendoff. Ash heard Fennel turn the lock behind them. He thought he heard a sigh.
"Hello, Aurea," said Fennel.
Professor Juniper smiled back at her through the video receiver.
"Well hello there!" Professor Juniper said. "I'm surprised to hear from you! Pleasantly surprised, but surprised nonetheless. What has you calling me this evening?"
"I think I just encountered that group of traveling trainers you told me about," said Fennel.
Professor Juniper looked elated.
"Do you mean Ash and his friends?" she said.
"Yes," said Fennel. "There were four of them in total."
"How? What happened? I wouldn't have expected them to run into you!"
Fennel removed her glasses and rubbed her temples with her thumb and forefinger.
"There was an incident in the Dreamyard," she said. "Musharna sensed that there was a Pokemon in danger there, so we went to investigate. I figured it was just a Pokemon that had gotten trapped in the rubble or something minor, but when we arrived, we found a group of henchmen from an organization called Team Plasma savagely beating a Munna for its Dream Mist, and Ash and his friends were caught up in a melee with them. Musharna put a stop to it all by using its Dream Mist to cause a mass hallucination that sent Team Plasma running back to their master."
Professor Juniper looked rather amused.
"That's typical Ash," she said.
"Typical Ash?" said Fennel. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you hardly know him."
"You are correct," said Professor Juniper, "but I told you about my brief encounter with him. If you recall, something quite extraordinary occurred."
"Yes, I remember," said Fennel. "That unusual storm even made the news. But-"
Fennel failed to finish her sentence, instead biting down on her lip and shifting her eyes away.
"But what?" said Professor Juniper.
"I just didn't get the impression there was anything extraordinary about Ash," said Fennel.
"Well, just like you said about me, you only spent a limited amount of time with him. Something extraordinary happened while I was with him, but not while you were. Even though luck seems to follow him, it doesn't mean that unusual things will constantly be happening around him."
"There are people who have been struck by lightning more than once, and we don't say there's anything special about them," said Fennel. "They were just unfortunate. Or fortunate, depending on your point of view."
"You've heard the stories, though," said Juniper. "Oak has record of more than a dozen cases of unusual encounters, and it's not just him. Rowan and Ivy do, too. Perhaps I should contact Birch."
"I know how much this interests and excites you, but even if all those researchers do have stories, they're still just stories," said Fennel. "I don't want to lecture you, but until some kind of plausible underlying factor is discovered, it's all just anecdotal evidence. It's rudimentary and I don't mean to insult you, but correlation does not imply causation."
Professor Juniper sighed.
"You sound just like Oak when I spoke with him," she said.
"I'm sorry," said Fennel. She frowned.
"I just really want there to be something there, you know?" said Professor Juniper. "I want to have found something for once."
"Still no breakthroughs?" said Fennel.
"No," Professor Juniper said. "I know not to get discouraged, but that's much more easily said than done."
"I know you would rather not, but have you considered asking your father for help?"
"The last time I heard from him he was in Aspertia City. I have no clue what he was doing there, but he told me there were some interesting developments and that he would be staying there for a while. With him, that could mean anything."
"Oh..." said Fennel. She looked down at her folded hands. "Well, maybe it would be best for you if you took a break from it. Why not come work with me for a while? I'd love your help. We could really get some good work done together."
Professor Juniper smiled.
"I would love to," she said, "but where would I stay? I know you and Amanita are cramped there as it is."
"I don't know, honestly," said Fennel. "It was just an idea that occurred to me. I hadn't thought it through."
"If you had some more space there, I would do it in a heartbeat," Professor Juniper said. "It's a pity you're stuck there."
"It really is," said Fennel.
"It's despicable how long the Dreamyard litigation has been going on," said Professor Juniper. "I can't believe it still isn't over."
"It's almost done," said Fennel. "We've only got two more court dates, and we should win both of them unless the judge is completely crooked."
"When are those?"
"One is in two months, and the other is in six."
"That's really not so far away."
"It's really not," said Fennel. "I need to start preparing, truthfully."
"Once those are over, you should be done with the case, right?"
"That's right. Then, Amanita and I will finally be able to find a better place than this."
The conversation went silent for a few moments. Fennel bit down on her lip.
"When will we get to see each other again?" she said.
"Soon, I hope," said Professor Juniper.
"Me too."
"I think you're right about me needing a break," said Professor Juniper. "I don't think I can take up your offer to work with you right now, but I might come visit for a few days."
"Soon?" said Fennel.
"Soon," Professor Juniper said, smiling back. "Talk to you later, okay?"
"Okay," said Fennel.
"Bye!"
"Bye."
Pikachu hopped across the counter and onto Ash's arm, reclaiming his spot on Ash's shoulder.
"Thank you for taking care of our Pokemon!" Ash said.
"You're very welcome," said Nurse Joy.
Ash clipped his pokeballs back onto his belt, but May paused as she looked at hers on the counter. There was one missing.
"Where is Blaziken?" said May. "Is he okay?"
"Blaziken will be just fine," said Nurse Joy. "The cuts looked much worse than they actually were. They weren't deep, and there shouldn't be any lasting damage. We're going to keep Blaziken overnight to make sure the wounds knit properly, and he should be good to go tomorrow."
May looked relieved.
"Thank you!" she said. "I was worried. It was really scary when Blaziken got hurt."
"You said that Blaziken punched through a wire mesh glass window, didn't you?"
"That's right," said May. "It looked like our friend Bianca was in trouble and she was trapped inside a room, so Blaziken punched through the glass in the door to try to get it open. It didn't work, though."
"That was quite a dangerous move," Nurse Joy said. "I hope you didn't tell Blaziken to do that."
May shook her head.
"I didn't. Blaziken did it himself when he heard Bianca and thought she was in danger. He was just trying to help."
Nurse Joy smiled.
"If that's the case, it's admirable that your Blaziken would do that. That must have taken a lot of courage. I think you should be happy knowing that you have a Pokemon that cares about you and your friends so much. Although, I wouldn't count on Blaziken trying something like that again. From what I saw in the triage area when Audino was patching Blaziken up, she was giving him quite a stern lecture about how dangerous that was."
"I'm very lucky to have Blaziken as my partner," said May. "We've been through a lot together. Please take good care of him tonight."
"I certainly will," Nurse Joy said, bowing before heading back into the treatment area.
At that, May reattached the rest of her pokeballs to her belt, and she and Ash walked back into the lobby of the Pokemon Center.
"I'm sure that Nurse Joy's right that Blaziken will be okay," Ash said.
May gave him a bittersweet smile.
"Me too," she said.
"What he did for us was really brave," said Ash. "You're totally right that you're lucky to have Blaziken as your partner. He's an awesome Pokemon. You've done a great job training him."
Pikachu voiced his agreement.
"Thanks, you guys," said May.
Ash pulled one of the pokeballs off his belt.
"And you know," he said, "one of these days there's a battle that me and you need to finish!"
"Is that Sceptile's Pokeball?" said May.
Ash nodded, grinning at her.
"Sceptile and Blaziken never got to finish their battle at the contest," he said. "We should settle the score some time."
Ash was pleased to see a look of determination in May's eyes.
"Definitely," said May. "Are you going to keep Sceptile with you, though?"
Ash clipped Sceptile's ball back onto his belt.
"I think so," he said. "I've never tried it before, but I think it might be a good idea to keep some of my more experienced Pokemon with me to help train my newer ones. It's different, but it's worth a shot."
"I think that's a really good idea, actually," said May.
"I'm going to keep Sceptile and Swellow with me for now," said Ash, "but I'm going to send Muk back to Professor Oak. I want to keep a spot on my team open in case I catch anything - just like what you're doing."
May rolled her eyes.
"What can I say? It is a pretty awesome idea," she said.
"I think Muk misses Professor Oak, too," said Ash. "Every time I've seen them on camera, Muk has been hugging him."
May giggled, and she gave Ash an incredulous look.
"I think that's just Muk's personality," she said. "Don't let Muk hug Bianca, though. I think she would faint."
Out in the lobby, the two of them found Rex seated on a bench, gazing at a television monitor. As they approached, he noticed them and rose to his feet.
"Where's Bianca?" said Ash.
"She's in our room. Sleeping, I hope," said Rex. "She really needed to lay down. She needs to rest."
"Did she say if she wanted anything for dinner?" asked May.
"No," said Rex. "I'm not sure she even knows where she is right now. She was really out of it." He paused and gave May an apologetic look. "I had her lay down in the lower bunk. I know that's usually your spot, but there was no way she could get into the top one tonight."
"It's okay," said May. "I understand. I can take the top bunk tonight, no problem."
"So, are we going to get dinner?" said Ash. "I'm super hungry!"
"Yeah, I thought that's what we were doing," said May.
"You two enjoy yourselves this evening," said Rex. "I think I'm going to head out alone."
"Alone?" said Ash. "Why?"
"I was thinking I would go to the pub a few blocks down from here and watch the game," said Rex.
Ash looked up at the screen which Rex had been watching when they entered the lobby. It was showing a preview ad for a baseball game.
"You kids have fun," said Rex. "I'll be back late tonight. See you guys."
Rex waved and then headed out the front doors of the Pokemon Center.
"So, now it's just you and me," said Ash, looking at May.
"That sounds great to me," said May. "We can go get dinner together, just the two of us. It'll be fun!"
The mention of food prompted Ash's stomach to make a loud noise.
"Yes, please," he said, groaning. "I'm starving."
May pulled a guide book out of her bag.
"There are some really cute places around here," she said. "Let's go find one!"
Much later that evening, May found herself settling into the top bunk above Bianca, her dinner settling comfortably in her stomach. Under normal circumstances, she would be in the bottom bunk, but with Bianca incapacitated, that wasn't possible. Climbing wasn't May's thing, but she managed.
Now, May stared at the ceiling as she tried to drift off to sleep, finding it much closer to her face than normal. Across the room, in the other top bunk, Ash was already fast asleep. As satisfying as dinner had been, sleep was still eluding her. She'd had a wonderful time this evening, but at the present moment, with both Ash and Bianca out like rocks, she felt alone. She was growing restless. Her eyes didn't want to cooperate with her. Every time she shut them, a short while later they would spring open again. It was like her brain didn't want her to sleep.
That idea made May think. She recalled what Fennel had told them about dreams and their origins, and how their brains were trying to sort things out. If that was how it worked, then she really needed to sleep well tonight, because with everything that had happened during the day, there was lots to sort out. It made her inability to fall asleep even more frustrating.
More frustrating than her insomnia, though, was the notion that everything in her dreams was something that was already inside her brain. If that was true, what did her dreams say about her?
May found herself walking on a sidewalk. It was a gray, cold, wet day. She knew it was wet because she could feel it on her feet. They were bare.
As she looked down, she saw that most of her body was bare. She had on nothing but a plain white shirt. It was several sizes too large and covered much more of her body than one that fit her properly would, but it was still nowhere near what she would be comfortable wearing in public, let alone in this weather.
She knew where she was. She was in Petalburg City. The trouble, though, was that she was on the opposite side of the city from her home. She had nothing with her at all – not even her usual bag. She couldn't have hailed a taxi or taken a bus even if she wanted to. She had no money.
There was good news, though. Nobody seemed to notice her. It was going to be a long walk, but she could make it home. She moved quickly. The fewer people who saw her, the better. She didn't even want to think about what would happen if a police officer found her. How would she ever be able to explain that to her parents? How do you talk your way out of trouble when you're found half-naked and alone on the other side of the city?
Several cars passed her. The reality began to sink in regarding how long this walk was going to take. It was going to be hours. Up ahead, she noticed a familiar convenience store, one she had visited a few times before. It wasn't like she could get anything, but she felt compelled to stop go inside.
For a moment, May realized that she fell short of the no shirt, no shoes, no service policy posted in the store's window, but she disregarded that concern when she saw all the people there. There were throngs of people all around the store. It looked like there was some kind of event taking place there. There were food vendors on the sidewalk, with lines of people waiting to be served. From what May could see, it all seemed to be free. Free food was of great interest to her.
Just as she was considering if she should get in line, she found her parents among the crowd.
"Ah, there you are!" Caroline said to May as she walked over to her.
May was mortified. The unthinkable was happening. Her parents were going to see her lost and barely clothed. It was going to be the end of her life as she knew it.
Or, at least, she thought it was, until she realized that just like everyone else around, her parents didn't notice, either. Caroline and Norman stood there with her as if there was nothing out of the ordinary at all. May felt her panic turn into immense relief. If there was anyone who could help get her out of this crazy situation, it was them. She would be safe now.
"Are you ready for the gala?" said Caroline.
May had no idea what her mother was talking about. She looked around. It seemed she had misunderstood the situation. These weren't food vendors on the sidewalk at all. They were caterers. This was some kind of formal gathering. They didn't have food carts; they had tables with white tablecloths and fancy heated serving trays. Everyone was dressed well, including the service staff.
Everyone except for her, of course.
May got in line with her parents. Their wait seemed to pass in an instant. Before she knew what was happening, she had a plate full of food and was sitting down with them at a table. There was a stage a short distance away. It looked like the stage set up for someone to come out and speak.
May bit into a slice of bread. It was unbelievably salty.
An unfamiliar figure appeared on the stage and walked up to the podium.
"Good afternoon everyone. I'd like to formally welcome you all to the fifty-ninth annual Coordinators Association Charity Gala."
There was mild applause. May looked around, confused. This was an event for coordinators?
"At this time, we would like to welcome some distinguished guests to the stage."
May continued to look around the tables, becoming more confused by the moment. What distinguished guests could there possibly be here? She didn't recognize anyone.
"Winner of the Kanto Grand Festival, Solidad!"
May wasn't sure how she missed Solidad earlier, but it was her. She looked radiant. May figured she must have had her hair professionally done for her appearance here. The black dress she wore couldn't have fit her more perfectly. She looked flawless.
May shrank in her seat. She was well beneath the dress code for this event.
"Winner of the Johto Grand Festival, Drew!"
May froze. How could she have missed Drew, of all people? How had he missed her? It didn't make sense. However, as she looked down at her bare legs, she was glad they hadn't encountered one another. May knew that if Drew saw her in this situation, he would never let her live it down.
After the initial shock passed, another one hit her. Drew had won the Johto Grand Festival? How had she not heard about this? It was unbelievable, but yet as she watched a sharply-dressed Drew step up to the stage, he had a certain swagger in his step. His body language betrayed the truth.
"Winner of the Sinnoh Grand Festival, Zoey!"
Zoey looked on-point, just as May remembered her. It was no surprise at all to hear that she had won the Sinnoh Grand Festival. It was clear at the Wallace Cup that she was a formidable coordinator. What was surprising to May, though, was to see Zoey in a suit for an event like this. May knew how slight Zoey's figure was. How could she not show it off a little when she got the chance?
"Winner of the Wallace Cup, Dawn!"
Speaking of slight figures, May felt a pang of envy in her stomach the second she laid eyes on Dawn. Her ensemble oozed class. The little black dress she wore showed off plenty of leg, and it was accompanied by black gloves which went up past her elbows. She was sleek. She was elegant. She looked like something from a high fashion magazine. May looked down at her bare legs, far thicker and less shapely than Dawn's. She was the opposite of what Dawn was right now. She was a mess.
"Winner of the Terracotta Contest, Ash!"
May's heart stopped as she watched a tuxedo-clad Ash make his way onto the stage. This wasn't right at all. Nobody had won that contest. They tied for first place. If anything, Ash was only a co-winner. It wasn't even an official contest! Why was he being honored for it? Why wasn't she being recognized for it, too? Why was he standing so close to Dawn on the stage? Why was his arm around her?
"Winner of the Ever Grande Conference, Max!"
Max walked up onto the stage. May sat limp in her chair, stunned. She stopped breathing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her parents jump out of their seats and cheer far louder than anyone else present. May was silent. Max hadn't even been on his journey for a year. How could he have won the Hoenn Pokemon League already? How could he have done it without her knowing about it?
"Isn't this amazing, honey?" Caroline said to May, grabbing her by the shoulders and jostling her in excitement. May looked up at her mother and saw tears streaming down her face. "He's a champion!"
"That's my boy!" Norman said, clapping with tremendous conviction. "He's done this family and the Petalburg Gym proud!"
May felt her eyes start to glaze over. She felt the whole scene start to retreat from her vision, and then her senses slipped away. In a moment's time, what she felt and what she felt like were precisely the same – nothing.