Chapter 48: Another Surprise!
May and Drew are still on their anniversary picnic date at the gazebo. May had told Drew that she's pregnant and they're both looking forward to being parents.
Their date has been fun. The stars are out, the moon is reflecting on the water surrounding the gazebo, and the food is being eaten while lots of laughter is occurring.
"Okay. Another one." Drew said, reaching forward and grabbing a small strawberry from the bowl in the center.
"Okay. I'm ready." May said.
Drew held the strawberry next to his head. "Here it comes." With a quick flick of the wrist, he threw the strawberry to May in an arch form.
May quickly moved her mouth to the correct position and caught the strawberry in it. Drew and May laughed while she ate that strawberry that she caught.
"You're really good at that." Drew said.
May swallowed the strawberry. "Okay. Your turn." She took a small strawberry from the bowl.
"You know I'm bad at it." Drew said.
"Practice makes perfect."
Drew sighed. "Fine. Throw it."
May brought her hand to the side of her head and she threw the strawberry. Drew opened his mouth and tried catching it, but it hit his cheek and then bounced off and onto the blanket.
May giggled. Drew chuckled. "I told you I'm not as good as you are with catching food in your mouth." Drew said.
"I know...but at least you tried." May said. She paused for a moment before continuing. "I'm having a good time tonight. Are you?"
Drew smiled. "Of course I am. I'm with the love of my life on a special anniversary date. What could be better?"
May smiled shyly. "I guess nothing."
"Correct." Drew said. He placed his hand on May's. "And the news you told me earlier really makes me excited for our future together."
"Me too."
"I'm excited to be a parent, but yet I'm also nervous. Becoming a parent sounds hard."
"It will be hard." May said. "But if anyone can be amazing parents, it's us."
(This song is "Carry On" by Olivia Holt.)
"There's always gonna be some canyon in the way." May sang. "There's always gonna be a river I cannot cross. Somewhere along this path that's chosen me. I know I'm gonna fall down, feel lost, feel weak. But wherever it leads."
"No one said this would ever be easy, my love." May continued. "But I will be by your side when the impossible rises up." Drew smiled. "We will travel this life well worn no matter the cost, no matter how long. We will leave our footprints behind and carry on, carry on, carry on, and carry on."
"Some will write you off before you ever start." May sang. "Some will say the journey's just too hard. Somewhere between right here and the other side. There will be fear and doubt in the deep, dark night. But we will survive."
"No one said this would ever be easy, my love." May continued. "But I will be by your side when the impossible rises up. We will travel this life well worn no matter the cost, no matter how long. We will leave our footprints behind and carry on, carry on, carry on, and carry on."
"We may fall behind, lose miles along this road." May sang. "We will be alright. I will never let you go."
"No one said this would ever be easy, my love." May continued. "But I will be by your side when the impossible rises up. We will travel this life well worn no matter the cost, no matter how long. We will leave our footprints behind and carry on, and carry on." She sang, finishing the song.
"We will carry on." Drew said.
May smiled and nodded. "We will. And we won't be alone to take care of our baby. We'll always be together."
"But what about royal duties?"
"We'll figure it out."
Drew smiled. "So, putting that topic aside…" he turned his head and looked at the stars. "It's a beautiful night out."
May turned her head as well. "It sure is."
Drew looked at May and lifted up her hand. "Come on."
May looked at Drew. "Umm...okay."
They both stood up and Drew walked May to the end of the gazebo where they sat on the bench. They looked up at the stars.
Drew wrapped his arm around May's waist. May scooted closer to him and leaned her head down on his shoulder. Drew held her tightly to him.
"Thank you for the beautiful nighttime date." May said.
"You're welcome." Drew said. "And thank you for being you."
May giggled. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's been a year that we've been married and I just want to thank you for being you. Compassionate, caring, generous, loving...You're so amazing when it came to helping the people and Pokémon that I fell in love with you in the first place."
May blushed. "Well, you're welcome."
"And the person you are now...as Queen...you're incredible. You solved many problems from the people, you helped me have confidence in myself about being King, and everyone loves you on the throne. I can't think of a better person to be Queen. Or to be my wife. I love you, always and forever."
May smiled. "I'm like this because of you."
"What do you mean?"
(This song is "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion.)
"For all those times you stood by me." May sang. "For all the truth that you made me see. For all the joy you brought to my life. For all the wrong that you made right. For every dream you made come true. For all the love I found in you. I'll be forever thankful baby. You're the one who held me up. Never let me fall. You're the one who saw me through, through it all." May lifted her head off of Drew's shoulder and they both looked at each other.
May smiled. "You were my strength when I was weak." May continued. "You were my voice when I couldn't speak. You were my eyes when I couldn't see. You saw the best there was in me. Lifted me up when I couldn't reach. You gave me faith 'cause you believed. I'm everything I am because you loved me." Drew smiled, arm still wrapped around May's waist.
"You gave me wings and made me fly." May sang. "You touched my hand, I could touch the sky. I lost my faith, you gave it back to me. You said no star was out of reach. You stood by me and I stood tall. I had your love, I had it all. I'm grateful for each day you gave me. Maybe I don't know that much. But I know this much is true. I was blessed because I was loved by you."
"You were my strength when I was weak." May continued. "You were my voice when I couldn't speak. You were my eyes when I couldn't see. You saw the best there was in me. Lifted me up when I couldn't reach. You gave me faith 'cause you believed. I'm everything I am because you loved me."
"You were always there for me." May sang. "The tender wind that carried me. A light in the dark," May turned her head and nuzzled it into Drew's neck. "Shining your love into my life." She backed her head away and Drew moved his right hand while May moved her left, meeting their hands in the middle, Drew's over May's. "You've been my inspiration. Through the lies you were the truth." They looked at each other. "My world is a better place because of you."
"You were my strength when I was weak." May continued. "You were my voice when I couldn't speak. You were my eyes when I couldn't see. You saw the best there was in me. Lifted me up when I couldn't reach. You gave me faith 'cause you believed. I'm everything I am because you loved me."
"You were my strength when I was weak." May repeated. "You were my voice when I couldn't speak. You were my eyes when I couldn't see. You saw the best there was in me. Lifted me up when I couldn't reach. You gave me faith 'cause you believed. I'm everything I am because you loved me."
May took her hand out from under Drew's and she brought it to his hair, caressing the side of his head, running her fingers through his hair. "I'm everything I am because you loved me." May sang, finishing the song.
And then they sealed the song with a kiss. Drew had leaned forward and kissed May's soft lips.
When they backed away from each other, they both smiled. "I'm so glad that you love that I made you who you are." Drew said.
"I wouldn't be the great Queen that I am…" she leaned her head back down on Drew's shoulder. "Without the perfect King."
May and Drew looked up at the stars. Their eyes are sparkling in the moonlight. Then they both saw a white streak fly through the sky.
May gasped. "A shooting star."
"Make a wish." Drew said.
May brought her hands together and she closed her eyes. Drew closed his eyes too.
("I wish that Drew and I will be together forever.") May said in her head. ("And that our baby will be beautiful inside and out with the purest of hearts.")
("I wish that the love I share with May will continue getting stronger and stronger.") Drew said in his head. ("And that our baby will be full of life like May is.")
May and Drew both opened their eyes. May took her head off of Drew's shoulder, sitting up straight. Drew brought his hand to his lap from holding May's waist.
May looked at Drew. "Did you wish for anything?"
Drew smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
May furrowed her eyebrows. "I would like to know!"
Drew smiled and glanced at May. "I did. But if I tell you, then it won't come true."
May sighed. "Fine. You're right." She smiled brightly. "I hope my wish comes true."
"I'm sure it will."
May and Drew just flew home on the magic carpet. Two guards at the front doors opened them for May and Drew.
May and Drew entered the castle hand-in-hand after an extremely romantic anniversary date, and they saw that all the lights in the castle were off.
"Drew? Do we ever turn the lights off?" May asked.
"No we don't. I don't see anything." Drew said.
They heard the doors close behind them. At that moment, the lights turned on, and-
"Surprise!" Many voices yelled.
May and Drew saw Kiara, Caroline, Norman, Dahlia, and many other people like lady-in-waitings, maids, and guards standing in front of the stairway. They looked around to see party decorations all around. A party? But why?
"Everyone…" May started. "What is all this?"
"It's a party of course!" Kiara said.
"We know that, but why?" Drew asked.
"Because it's your anniversary!"
"But Drew and I celebrated that on a date." May said.
"No, no, no. Not that anniversary."
May and Drew looked at Kiara in confusion, waiting for her to explain.
Kiara ran to May and Drew, taking her sister's hand. She started pulling May towards everyone else and May pulls Drew with them as well because he's holding May's hand. They stopped in the middle of the entryway, surrounded by their family and staff. Kiara released May's hand and stood in front of May and Drew.
"It's the anniversary of when you both became King and Queen!" Kiara said.
"And so this party is to celebrate one year of King Drew and Queen May ruling Hoenn." Dahlia said.
"Happy anniversary!" Everyone yelled in unison.
May and Drew smiled. "Thanks, everyone." May said.
"So here." Kiara said, pulling out her scepter. She waved it around and a thick colorful book appeared in front of her. She took it and put her scepter away. She held the book out to May. "We made you guys something."
Drew released May's hand and she took the book in both hands. Drew and May read the title.
"Memories of the First Year of Rule." May said. She looked at Drew. "Ready to see what's inside?"
"You bet I am." Drew answered.
They both looked down and May opened the book. She gasped at the pictures she saw. This is definitely a scrapbook because of the glitter, stickers, and colors. And there's pictures of people they helped as King and Queen, special moments like when Drew first received his magical sword, and lots of more things they did in their first year of ruling together. There's also captions underneath the pictures.
"May taught Drew how to ride his Rapidash." May read from the scrapbook. They see a picture of both of them on their Rapidash, smiling at the camera.
"Receiving a magical sword was crazy, but it was all worth it to learn how to use it." Drew read, looking at a picture of him holding up his sword and its jewel glowing brightly.
May turned to a random page. "Helping Kiara and Bradley get back together." May read. Kiara blushed at that.
"Lighting the fireworks for the New Year." Drew read.
May skipped some more pages. "Ice skating in the castle." She read.
Drew skipped a few pages. They're now looking at pictures of everyone who lives and works in the castle. These pages take up the ending pages of the book. There's also words underneath everybody's picture. Words of encouragement or gratitude.
"Kiara wrote, 'May, you are the best sister a girl could ask for. You helped me plenty of times, especially when it came to the Queen of Mean, and I can't thank you enough. And Drew, thank you for taking such good care of May. And you've been an amazing King." May read. She looked up at Kiara.
Kiara smiled. "Read some more."
May looked back down and Drew read something. "I'm glad to have worked for great rulers like you, King Drew and Queen May."
"I wish you both luck in ruling for years to come." May read.
"Never lose hope and faith." Drew read. "You both are amazing rulers and I hope you never think otherwise."
May looked up at everyone. "This is so sweet of all of you."
Drew looked up and May closed the book. "You all made this?" Drew asked. "Everyone in the castle?"
"We sure did." Kiara said. "We wanted you both to know how much you mean to all of us. And everyone in Hoenn."
"Thank you all so much." May said. She hugged the book to her chest. "It really means a lot that you love us as King and Queen."
"We'll continue ruling the best we can." Drew said.
"And we'll keep these memories close to our hearts."