Nine
Present Time Part Two
Masquerain flew faster than he had ever flown before, his love for his master overiding his forgetful tendancies and unfortunatly his sense of distance.
THUD.
He smacked into a pane of glass, orange face flattened by the impact. He blinked as a Beautifly stared solemly back at him. Not just any Beautifly, either.
She cocked her head to one side as he peeled himself off the glass, battering his antenne franticly as he 'signed' for her to open the door. At last she grasped his request, and fairly ripped open the window to tackle him into the floor and tell him ow very much she had missed him, and what an annoying mouse Pikachu was, stupid electric types.
"Mas...Que! " Let me... UP!
He gasped as Beautifly rolled off of him, enthusiasm undaunted. A sleepy May shuffled into the room at that moment. "Masquerain? What are you doing here? "
He blinked. What was he supposed to do again?
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Dragonite was sobbing fitfully as she flew on, Flygon gliding behind her in case the unconcious Drew slid off.
"Dragonite dragon dra goni, ite dra dragonite agon, gon dragon draaaa! " Drew's going to die because of me, everyone will be crying and it'll all be my fault, because I took him away from the hospitaaaal!
Roselia looked up from her master's recovering body. "Rose a rosel, lia sol. " He's getting better, fly steady.
Drew coughed, winced, and sat up. Waving Roselia away, he forced his body to sit up, propping himself up with his arms as Roselia did her best to assist in his recovery with Aromatherapy.
The bleeding from ripped stiches in his chest had stopped, drying blood causing his shirt to stick uncomfortably to the raw flesh. He gasped as a sudden bout of wind caused him to lose his balance, the sudden movements as he scrabbled for a hold tearing the wound open even more.
Quickly, Dragonite and Flygon landed on a small cliff overlooking Fortree, the former laying down and the latter helping his master off.
"I'll be fine.. just let me rest for second. "
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Masquerain was fairly bouncing around with guilt and frusteration as May set about fixing breakfast for him and Beautifly alternating between helping her and subtly preening herself until her wings shone.
What did Roselia tell me to do?! I know it was urgent... ahhhh what was it?
May yelped as Beautifly accidently knocked an unfinished painting to the floor. It was a rose without its stem, the blood red petals alone and starkly beautiful on the white canvas.
Roses...blood...speed... HOLY MOTHER OF MEWTWO!! DREW!!
"MASQUERAAAIIIIIIN!! " He screamed as May picked up the painting, the screech causing her to drop it again. "Masquerain? Are you ok? "
Quickly he flew behind her and shoved her towords the door, telling her all as Beautifly translated at an breakneck pace. The color draining from May's face, she snatched up a pokeball from the belt hanging from the coatrack behind her, just in time remembering to lock the door behind her as she stumbled onto the porch.
Desperatly, she sent out Altaria who gave a keening sound of pain as she flapped her recovering wing. "Please, Altaria, you've got to carry me to Fortree as fast as you can! "
"Tariiiaaa altar. " I'll try May.
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After a minute of rest, Drew was doggedly back on his feet. "Let's go, Dragonite. "
Sniffing the air, Dragonite shook her head firmly. No.
Drew whipped out his pokeball and withdrew her, turning to Flygon. "Come on, then. The sooner we leave, the sooner I can get medical help. "
The green dragon fluttered his rhombus-shaped wings, making a lovely clear note echo across the morning sky. All three paused, feeling the power of the moment.
An unmistakable answering cry rang out, the sound of an Altaria calling out in pain and deparation mingling with a woman's voice carrying the same emotions.
"Altaaaaariiii! "
"Dreeeeew! "
He was frozen to the spot, both by shock and by Roselia's determined hold around his legs. Almost in slow motion the exhausted blue bird and her pale owner landed on the cliff. Instantly, Flygon srpung forward, catching Altaria from falling backwards as May leaped off, fairly throwing herself against Drew as she cried into his bloodied shirt.
"Drew- "
"May- "
He hesitated, and she nodded against his chest for him to continue. "I... since I first... May, I... " How could he tell her how he felt after hiding for so long?
She looked up at him, and awkwardly he blurted out, "Are you happy, May? With Ash, I mean..."
"I'm not with Ash anymore, " she said quietly. "He doesn't love me. " A part of May knew Drew loved her, but...
It isn't true until he says it, she chanted her her mind as she struggled back more tears.
Drew didn't know what to say. He wasn't sorry, he wasn't suprised, he didn't want them to try to get back together, and he couldn't lie to May. Not anymore.
At last he pulled her in, leaning down to whisper words he had wanted to say since he saw her on the beach so long ago, what he had dreamed of saying for decades and wished to hear all his life.
"...I love you, May. "
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I shan't ruin the moment... shan't ruin the moment... shan't ruin the- oh, snap.
See you tommorow with the epilogue.