May couldn't breathe. Johto was a beautiful region, and she was only viewing it from a distance. The ferry drew closer and closer to New Bark Town's docks, which were packed with boats and crew. But what attracted May's attention most was the mountain beside them. Its point extended to the clouds, concealed by shadow and fog. What wasn't hidden from sight sparkled in the sunlight.

She will go to that mountain, May vowed to herself. She wanted to see the world? Imagine how much she'd see from up there.

Once the ferry hit metal, May practically ran out of the ship. She waved at every sailor and citizen she passed and explored the streets and avenues. There were more trees than buildings, and the buildings that were present were made of wood and brick. It was different from the modern skyscrapers of Petalburg City, her hometown. However, it was a good kind of different. The kind of different she wanted to explore.

But May had something to do first. She arrived at Johto at one o'clock in the afternoon. Now it was almost three. As soon as she entered the town's pokémon center, she rushed to a computer-phone and dialed her landline. A smile stretched across her face when her family appeared on the screen.

"May!" Caroline sighed. "Thank goodness you're alright."

"Are you alright, May?" Norman asked.

"Yeah," May confirmed slowly, confused by her parents' gravity. "I'm sorry I didn't call sooner. I was exploring the town."

"See, guys, May's fine!" Max threw his hands up on a couch behind his parents. He then drew closer to their home computer. "I don't know why you guys are so worried. How's Johto, May?"

"Johto's beautiful!" May exhaled. "You guys have to come here sometime. It's amazing!"

"We've been there before, May," Caroline placed a hand on Norman's shoulder. "But we know what you mean. Your father and I miss Johto sometimes."

"But we're content here in Hoenn," Norman interjected. "Have you spoken to Professor Elm yet?"

"No, I'm going there later," May answered. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, of course, honey!" Caroline assured. "As long as you're safe, everything will be fine."

"Okay," May nodded. She wasn't convinced but didn't want to press further. If there was nothing to worry about, she wouldn't worry.

"I gotta go train Gallade," Max waved at his sister. "Kick ass, May! We'll be cheering you on from Hoenn!"

"Max!" Caroline scolded, but her son ran off before she could reprimand his language. She shook her head and returned to May. "Excusing your brother's profanity, we will support you, dear. Just tell us if you need anything, and we'll be there for you."

"Literally anything, May," Norman added. "If things get too difficult there, I'll come and bring you home myself."

"Thanks, Dad, but I'll be fine. I promise," May assured. "I love you, guys."

"We love you too, sweetie," Caroline responded. "Take care, okay?"

"I will."

Once the call ended, May contentedly approached the front desk to register for that year's contests. From Hoenn, Norman and Caroline engaged in a pressing conversation.

"She'll be fine, Norman," Caroline assured. "It's been over twenty years. I'm sure that bird has given up its search."

"We don't know that for sure, Caroline," Norman remarked. He raked his scalp. "How could we allow her to go back there?"

"No one has seen it for years," Caroline responded. "And we raised May to be a strong, intelligent woman. She'll take care of herself."

Norman sighed and took his wife's hands. "Let's hope so."

Caroline pulled him into her arms and squeezed.

~.~

Professor Elm's lab wasn't far from the pokémon center. May didn't even need to use a navigation system. The lab was the large building beside a magnificent beach. More importantly, close to the mountain that she aspired to explore.

May was jogging to her destination when a small pink creature intercepted her path. A man with long red hair and a weavile dashed by after, close behind it.

"Give it back!" the man demanded.

May stopped and watched them disappear. The man sounded angry. Whatever that pokémon stole from him was probably very valuable, she guessed. But she didn't have time to keep watching. She had to get to the lab so that she could get to that mountain.

Ten minutes later, May knocked on the lab's front door. The glimmering ocean pulled her into a spell while she waited until a slender man in his fifties opened the door.

"May!" he beamed. "You've grown so much!"

"I-I'm sorry," May blinked. "Have we met before?"

"Yes, but you were a baby, so I wouldn't expect you to remember me," the man offered his hand. "I'm Professor Elm. I was a friend of your parents when they still lived here."

"That's so cool!" May met his handshake. "My parents are friends with two pokémon scientists!"

"Professor Henry Birch being the other one, correct?"

"Yeah!"

"How wonderful!" Elm jeered. "How is he?"

"He's doing alright," May answered. "He told me to give you his best regards."

"I'll give him a call tonight," Elm decided. "In the meantime, why don't you come inside? Let me prepare you for your journey."

Elm's laboratory was significantly different from Birch's. It looked more like a house than an establishment conducting research. A cup of hot chocolate offered by Elm's assistant accentuated that feeling, as did the fireplace in the middle of the office. January began the year with a light layer of snow. But May couldn't feel the frost. She was warmed by her awe and excitement.

"Here's your pokédex, May," Elm handed back her device. "I know pokédexes are obsolete now that almost everything can be done with a smartphone, but I assure you this is more efficient than the app."

"Thanks, Professor," May regarded. "It'll come handy when I meet new pokémon."

"Speaking of pokémon, I'm sorry I can't provide you one today," Elm apologized. "I distributed the last ones I had to new trainers yesterday. There are a lot more of them now than there were before. Though Johto is a bit behind on technological advances, the young still want to make that big decision."

"I don't blame them," May admitted. "I still remember getting my Torchic after graduating from high school. My life wasn't the same after that. I always wanted to travel the world, and having a pokémon made that wish come true."

"Is that so?" Elm grinned.

"Yeah," May nodded. "That's why I was so excited to come to Johto. The first place I want to go to is that mountain over there."

She and Elm wandered to the window displaying her desired destination. The sight of it made Elm frown.

"I wouldn't go there if I were you," he said. "It's very dangerous."

May whipped her head to him. "Huh?"

"That's Mt. Silver," Elm informed. "It used to be a famous tourist attraction, but then people started to disappear out of nowhere. And every time the police show up, nothing can be found. That's why some people think the place is haunted."

May tried her hardest to look concerned, but on the inside, she was tempted more than ever to explore the landmark. A mystery was only a mystery until disproved by fact, and she wasn't going to get the facts by evading the problem. Beauty was always worth the risk. Being a coordinator taught her that.

She and the professor engaged in more friendly conversation until May dismissed herself to venture into the town. Elm made her promise not to go to the mountain, and she pretended to comply just to get him off her back. She dropped off her baggage in her hotel room before heading west.

Imagine what the sunset would look like from Mt. Silver.

~.~

The red-haired man May spotted earlier was known as Silver. He and his companion were pursuing the pink creature—a cleffa—because a special crystal was in the pokémon's hands. As efficient as Silver was in devising tactics, the cleffa was as sharp as he was. She wouldn't fall for his traps. He had to take her down with force.

Silver didn't realize where the cleffa was leading him until a chill ran up his spine. Mt. Silver was looming over him. He didn't believe its curse but knew better than to near it. People had disappeared from the location; that was a fact. But he had no choice. The thief was already ascending the mountain.

His boots might have kept him from slipping, but it wasn't the snowy path that concerned Silver. The winter season was darkening the skies too quickly. Turning around to retrieve the crystal wasn't an option. Too much time would pass, and there was no guarantee that the cleffa would be found again. No, Silver had to keep going. He risked his life to get that gem, and he was going to get it back no matter what the cost.

"Go without me, Weavile," Silver commanded. "We need to get that crystal before the sun sets."

Weavile nodded and sped toward their small but nimble target. Silver followed quickly but not enough to expel excess energy. Although the path was at the bottom of the mountain, it was a long way down. He had to conserve his strength if he were to survive that trip.

~.~

Ahead and higher up than Silver was May. Silver's chase led him in circles before he arrived at the mountain. May went straight there. So far, she wasn't regretting it. She was far from the top yet could see all of New Bark from where she stood.

Hiking uphill was challenging but kept her warm in the lowering temperature. She debated coming back tomorrow to have a whole day to trek but didn't want today's efforts to go to waste. She was going to spend the entire year collecting ribbons and training for the grand festival. Even if she did want to come back, she wouldn't be able to take the time to do so without arousing suspicion. She didn't want anyone to worry about her. A woman almost twenty-five years old deserved more credit than that.

May was about to walk around another loop when a bolt of electricity shot past her face. She leaped back in surprise, and her back hit the snow—knocking the wind out of her. She barely regained herself enough to get up before another one struck her direction. They weren't ordinary bolts, she realized. They were Thunderbolts.

"S-Stop it!" she demanded. "Who's there?"

Another bolt, a stronger one, sent her flying off the mountain. May quickly flailed in the air until the momentum allowed her to grab the edge of the path. There, the snow immediately bit her fingers. May struggled to lift herself back up, but the ice was slippery, and she was losing more and more breaths to cling to the icy surface.

"Help!" she screamed. "Somebody! Please!"

A final Thunderbolt struck her hands, forcing her to let go. May's scream pierced the air until it was as swallowed by a cold river.

~.~

"Vile!"

Silver ran until he spotted Weavile diving into a thin gap on the wall. The pokémon slashed the crevice. Then, the cleffa leaped out from the hole, headbutted him, and skipped down the mountain.

"Damn it!" Silver cursed. "Weavile, go!"

Weavile zoomed past him and continued his pursuit. Silver wanted to follow, but his body suddenly collapsed and didn't move. He was pushing himself too hard. He was tired and not as immune to the cold as Weavile was. But he couldn't stop now. If he did, he wouldn't just lose the crystal; he would lose his father.

Silver grunted and wobbled back to his feet. He would get that crystal again, no matter what. Even if he died trying. There was nothing left. There was nothing else but that.

"Help!"

Silver tensed.

"Somebody! Please!"

He rushed to the edge to see a young woman dangling on a level of land above his. Before he could do anything, a thunderbolt struck her and sent her plummeting into the river below.

"No!" Silver roared.

The river flowed slowly but was cold and a long distance from where the lady had fallen. If the fall didn't kill her, then the temperature and the depth would.

Silver cursed and scanned the area. Something had attacked that woman. It wouldn't be that far of a stretch to say that he could be next. He had to get Weavile and leave. He couldn't see the attacker, nor did he have the time to look for it and fight. But the woman who had fallen into the lake—what would he do about her? He waited for her to resurface from the river, but the water showed no sign of movement from below.

She was going to die there.

Silver didn't know what had come over him. He glided down each steep slope of the mountain until he was at the same level as the river. He ran to where the victim had fallen and dove into the water. The sheer cold of the stream stunned him. He gasped in shock and coughed under the freezing surface. But then he regained the strength to move when he spotted the fallen woman below him. He yanked her up by the arm and dragged her upward. When he broke through the water's surface, he threw the woman onto the soil and struggled to breathe. His throat was hoarse. When the wind blew, he couldn't stop shivering.

But the woman remained immobile. Grunting, Silver pinched the lady's nose and puffed air into her mouth. He performed chest compressions in between, again and again, until the victim's blue lips altered into a shade of purple.

Then the woman trembled beneath him. Silver leaned back so that she could open her eyes and sit up. Her vision was unfocused at first. Then, when it could register what was in front of her, the lady looked into the eyes of a shaking, angry man.

"You, i-idiot!" Silver screamed. He was wet and cold, but that wouldn't stop his fury from blazing.

May flinched in response to his words. Her head was spinning, and the stranger yelling at her wasn't helping. Also, did he just call her an idiot?

"Why a-are you here?" he demanded. "This area i-is restricted!"

"Don't y-yell a-at me!" May barked, her voice cracking from the cold. "You're h-here too!"

"I w-was looking f-for something!" Silver seethed. "But now i-it's gone because of you!"

May gasped and actually looked at him. He was the man chasing the pink creature from earlier! She remembered other things too. Thunderbolts. Losing touch of the ground. The cold air whizzing through her ears. Then every part of her body was constricted by ice. She didn't remember anything after that. She only deduced while being the coldest she had ever been in her life that she had fallen into the river. And if the man yelling at her was just as wet as she was, then that meant that he had saved her from dying there—losing his target in the process.

"I'm sorry," she croaked.

Silver groaned and tossed a rock at the river.

Unable to stand the cold for much longer, May took a poké ball from her pack and shakily held it up. "B-Blaziken, come o-on out!"

A tall, bipedal chicken with flaming wrists shot out from the sphere and materialized behind his trainer. He took the trembling May into his arms and intensified the flames on his wrist. Carefully, however, as not to burn her.

"Can you carry him too, Blaziken?" May pointed to Silver. "We both need to get out of here."

Blaziken looked down at the equally wet redhead before kneeling down. Silver tensed. The last thing he wanted to do was take rides from strangers. But after deciding he didn't want to freeze to death, he allowed the blaze pokémon to carry him on his back.

Two platforms higher than the one May had been on, a yellow mouse gathered static in his cheeks. He waited for another command to attack but surprisingly didn't get one.

"Let them go," a deep, masculine voice directed. "She'll be back."

Dark brown eyes narrowed at May and her companions escaping.

"They always come back."

~.~

The fire and fighting pokémon didn't have to travel far until he and his passengers were at the foot of the mountain path. His body heat evaporated a lot of the water drenching May and Silver's clothing, emanating strings of mist that rose from their bodies. May was more than ready to go back to her hotel. To her amazement, Silver was making his way back up the mountain.

"I need to find my pokémon and the thief," he said. "Now leave."

"Hold on!" May called out. "You're still wet, and it's cold! You'll freeze to death!"

"I've wasted enough time with you," Silver snapped. "Get out!"

His words hurt May, but the coordinator stood her ground. "I'm not going to let you die out there," she said. "You can't save my life, but throw yours away!"

"I said leave!"

The outburst was loud enough for Weavile to find his trainer. He gave May and Blaziken a wary look before regarding his red-haired companion.

"Did you find it?" Silver demanded.

"Weav," Weavile shook his head. He didn't find the cleffa, Silver interpreted. He stopped the search when he realized that his trainer had disappeared.

"Damn it," Silver clenched his fists. He gritted his teeth before kicking the snow behind him. "Damn it!"

"L-Listen."

The man whipped to May. The brunette was trembling now, but for more than one reason.

"After we change clothes," she proposed, "I'll help you find that pokémon."

"I don't need your help."

"Please," May begged, entwining her hands below her chin. "You helped me more than I could ever repay. Now let me help you."

Silver gritted his teeth but considered her words. As much as he preferred to work alone, he did lose the crystal to save her ass. The least she could do was make up for it.

"Fine," the redhead complied. "But make it quick. I want to find that cleffa before the end of this day."

"A cleffa?" May asked. "Is that native to this region?"

"Yeah."

May dug into her bag until she clutched her pokédex. Fortunately, it was waterproof like her phone and was able to describe the pokémon in question.

"Cleffa, the star shape pokémon," it started. "On nights with many shooting stars, cleffa can be seen dancing in a ring. They dance through the night and stop only at the break of day when these pokémon quench their thirst with the morning dew."

"So these pokémon are active at night," May concurred. She looked up at the sky. It was turning dark blue.

"It said a night with shooting stars," Silver remarked. "Do you see shooting stars?"

"They're active at night. That's a start," May stated, irked by his tone. "Let's change quickly. I know someone who can tell us more about this pokémon."

~.~

"You want to know about cleffas?" Elm asked.

"Yes," May confirmed. "One stole something that belongs to him," she gestured to Silver, who was standing beside her, "and we want to find it as soon as possible."

She and Silver have made their way to Professor Elm's office. Silver was evidently hesitant when May guided him to Elm's lab but didn't explain why. Elm also showed discontent with meeting Silver but also offered no exposition for it.

"Stolen, huh?" Elm crossed his arms. "I know how that feels."

"Can you help us or not?" Silver growled.

Elm shot him a glare, which Silver returned, before turning to May. "Well, it's a good thing you got to me before I closed the lab. I'm more than happy to help."

"I'm sorry; have you two met before?" May asked. She wanted to focus on finding the cleffa, but the tension between the professor and her savior was suffocating.

"It doesn't matter," Silver glared harder at the professor. "Time is running out. If you really want to help us, then help!"

"Hey!" May scolded.

"It's fine, May," Elm waved off. He turned back to Silver, to whom his expression became grave. "I'll help you, but on one condition."

"What?"

"You and I are going to have a long chat."

Silver clenched his fists. The last thing he wanted to do was talk to the geezer. But what choice did he have? The man was a pokémon professor. If anybody had information about cleffa, it was him.

"Fine," Silver grunted.

Elm smirked and uncrossed his arms. "Cleffas and their evolutionary forms hang out in a cave not far from the town," he informed. "Your cleffa might be hiding there."

"Where's the cave?" Silver asked.

"There's a hidden passage on the rock behind Lemony Lake. You can sneak in there at about eight o'clock. The moon will be high enough then for the pokémon to start their nightly dancing."

"I thought cleffas only dance when there are shooting stars," May interjected.

"These pokémon like to be active as long as the moon is out," Elm educated. "Especially in the winter when the moon is higher, and the weather is colder. The moon energizes them while their dancing warms them."

"That...makes sense," May nodded. "So, we go there at eight?"

"Yes, and right now, it's...fifteen minutes before eight," Elm checked his watch. "You two might want to get going."

"Thanks so much, Professor!" May bowed cordially.

"You're welcome, May," Elm grinned. "As for you, young man," he pointed at Silver, "come back tomorrow morning."

Silver shot him a final glare before running out the door.

"Thanks again!" May sprinted after him.

When both adults exited the lab, Elm crossed his arms and stared at the exit. He knew of May's situation and anticipated some kind of danger. That particular situation, however, he didn't foresee.

How did a gym leader's daughter get involved with a criminal?

~.~

If the mission wasn't so urgent, May would've reveled at how Lemony Lake looked like it was sprinkled with diamonds. Johto still took her breath away, even if it almost killed her a few hours ago. But she wouldn't tell her parents about that. Elm was the one that worried her. She didn't know how close he was to her parents but had a feeling he was acting as a babysitter for them. One bad word from him, and she was going back to Hoenn.

"H-Hey," May called out to Silver.

"What?"

"Can you do me a favor and not tell Professor Elm we were at Mt. Silver?" she asked. "He knows my parents."

"Fine, whatever," Silver dismissed. "We're here."

Indeed, there was a passage behind Lemony Lake's rock, and it led to a surprisingly vast cavern. Three types of pokémon inside kicked and twirled in what appeared to be a ballroom dance. The full moon glimmered through the opening above them, illuminating the setting with white light.

"There it is!" Silver pointed. Indeed, his thief was dancing in the middle of the ceremony. She raised its possession, a small oval crystal, and waved it in the air. Silver understood then why the cleffa had taken the gem from him. It resembled a miniature moon.

"Is that your crystal?" May asked.

"Yeah," Silver muttered. "Don't tell anyone I have it. Just help me get it back."

"Okay," May complied. "So, how are we getting it?"

"We can't attack because we'd be surrounded," Silver said. "Unless…" he stepped backward and examined the entire rock. It appeared to be dense, but his team was powerful. With their combined strength, they could obliterate the walls and the pokémon inside them. The rock was a little far from town too. Silver should have time to get the crystal back before the citizens realize that they've lost an entire population of their native species.

"Wait, hold on," May stopped his train of thought. "Have you tried asking for it back?"

"Of course I have, dumbass," Silver snapped. "It didn't work."

"Well, did it occur to you that it's because you're an asshole?" May hissed. Silver rolled his eyes, making her fume even more.

"Well, what are you suggesting?" Silver snapped. "You want to ask the cult worshipping my property to nicely return what their leader stole from me?"

"I'll ask," May proposed. "They'll probably kill you if you do it."

"Fine, then go," Silver jerked his head. "But don't expect me to save you when those pests eat you alive."

May stuck out her tongue before slipping inside.

Silver watched the pokémon immediately noticed her presence. Some were surprised, some were delighted, and a few were angry at the intrusion. Silver expected as much. Maybe it wasn't a mistake to save that woman's life. She'd easily distract the vermin while he crushed her and the cult under earthy rubble.

He was going to take out a poké ball when something unexpected happened. Once May got within arm's reach of the thief, the crystal did something he had never seen before.

It started to glow.

Memories flickered in Silver's head.

"What is that, ma'am?"

"It's that bird's crystal. If it is what I think it is, then we're one step closer to finding Giovanni."

The cleffa stepped back, and the crystal dimmed. When she took a step toward May, it lit up again.

"Why? What is it?"

"It's called a purity crystal. It glows in the presence of someone with a pure heart."

Cleffa and her companions cheered when the crystal continued to shine in May's hands. They started to dance again. That time, around the confounded May.

"How is this going to find Giovanni?"

"Giovanni established Team Rocket for the sole purpose of finding the pure-hearted person to defeat him. If we find the one with a pure heart, we'll find him."

Silver tread into the cave, unaware that the pokémon have stopped dancing. His eyes were only on May, who raised the gem to his vision and winked.

The cleffa thief pointed to him and ordered her companions to attack, but the second May told them to stop, they did.

The redhead was in front of May now, staring down at her with a mixture of shock and awe. May waved the crystal at his face hoping to break his blank expression.

"I told you, you just had to ask nicely," she bragged. "Now say 'thank you.'"

She squeaked when her cheek hit his chest. Silver's arms were around her now, awkwardly pulling her toward him.

"Thank you," he whispered. "I...thank you."

May's cheeks flushed. That crystal must've really meant a lot to him if retrieving it got him to behave that way. She didn't know whether to be glad or afraid. Nevertheless, she eventually found his gesture heartwarming. It was a nice contrast to his brash personality. "You're welcome."

~.~

May didn't know how and why she and Silver left without resistance from the cleffa and her pack but didn't care. Their mission was complete; Silver got his crystal back. What she couldn't figure out was why he was eyeing her more than his treasure.

"I know you're thankful and everything," May said as they walked past the lake, "but you're kind of freaking me out with the staring, you know?"

Silver finally realized what he was doing and looked away. "Sorry."

"And now that I think about it," May added, "I don't think I got your name. You heard mine when Professor Elm said it earlier. What's yours?"

Silver gave her a long, careful look. Then, very quietly, he replied with, "Silver."

"What?"

"Silver."

"Like the mountain that almost killed us," May sighed. "But, you're not like the mountain," she beamed at him. "Well, you're kind of like the mountain. You're cold, harsh, and your words bite like frostbite. Hahaha, get it?" When Silver said nothing, she blushed and continued, "Anyway, despite all that, you're better than the mountain. You can be mean sometimes, but on the inside, you're a really nice guy. You almost lost your crystal to save me, after all. I can't thank you enough for that."

"You really believe that, don't you?" Silver asked. "That I'm a nice guy."

"Well, you're not completely nice," May rolled her eyes. "But you can be! Who knows? Maybe you are, and I just don't know it because we just met."

Silver faced the road ahead of them, deep in thought.

"Well, if you need anything else, just let me know, okay?" May offered. "You know where my hotel is. Wait, do you want my number to stay in touch?"

"Where are you going after this?"

"Huh?"

"Are you going to stay in New Bark Town?" Silver inquired.

"I'm going to Cherrygrove City," May answered. "There's a contest there next Friday that I want to compete in."

Silver narrowed his eyes. "Contest?"

"Yeah, I'm a pokémon coordinator," May grinned. "I collect ribbons and compete in grand festivals to become a top coordinator. I've already competed in Hoenn and Kanto. Now I'm in Johto!"

"Are the contests broadcast to the public?"

"Yup! And grand festivals are broadcast around the world!"

May didn't notice it, but Silver's expression completely stilled. "How about you?" she asked. "Where are you going to go?"

"I'd like," Silver paused, "to come with you."

May gaped. "What?"

"I want to see what these contests are about," Silver added. "And you wouldn't have been able to get to any more if I hadn't saved your life, so you owe me."

May blinked once, then twice. She didn't plan on traveling with anyone, much less with Silver. She didn't even think he would be interested in something as grandiose and ostentatious as pokémon coordinating. Nevertheless, she found herself not minding. He was right, after all. She wouldn't have been able to compete or do anything in general if Silver hadn't saved her. All he asked for in return was to know what it was like to be a coordinator. Who knew? Maybe she could hook him to be a coordinator himself.

"Alright!" May pumped a fist in the air. "We can leave tomorrow!"

~.~

Professor Elm wasn't as busy as Silver had hoped. As a matter of fact, the older man was standing at the front of his laboratory. His arms were crossed, and he regarded the redhead with a smug grin.

"I'm impressed you're upholding your part of the deal," Elm commented as he led Silver inside.

"Well, I'm here," Silver huffed. "What do you want?"

"Have a seat."

Silver sat on one of the chairs in the dining area. He leaned back as Elm turned on the coffee machine. The professor offered Silver a cup, but the guest declined and insisted that he got on with their conversation.

Elm frowned and sat across him. "How do you know May?" he inquired.

"Why?"

"Can't I ask?"

"You can, but it's none of your business."

"Alright then," Elm sat straight. "How about this: does May know who you are?"

"Ask her yourself," Silver remarked. "She might tolerate stupid questions like that."

"Don't get smart with me, young man!"

"Then don't get dumb with me, old man."

"Alright, that's it," Elm stood up. "You want to get difficult? Fine, let's get difficult."

Silver smirked as the frustrated scientist stood before him. It was amusing to watch him assert authority he didn't have.

"You're a criminal," Elm stated. "Straight and simple."

"I wanted to give you back the pokémon I stole from you, but you let me keep it," Silver reminded. "You can't call me a criminal if you pardoned my theft."

"Stealing one of my pokémon isn't the only terrible thing you've done," Elm pointed out.

"We've all done terrible things, old man," Silver rebutted. "Don't tell me you're completely innocent."

"I'm not, but at least I'm trying to be," Elm retorted. "And one of the ways I do that is by looking out for my friends' daughter, who managed to get involved with a man with no manners and no regard for anyone or anything but himself!"

Silver almost punched him right then and there. If what the geezer was saying was true, then May would've been dead. The redhead was a lot of things, but he wasn't selfish. "Well, what are you going to do about it?" he stood from his chair. "Tell May's parents about me?"

"I just might," Elm dared, "if it keeps her safe from you."

"Then tell May first," Silver bit back. "Ask for her opinion before assuming she can't make her own decisions.'"

Elm narrowed his eyes. "I will."

Silver stormed out of the laboratory and slammed the door behind him. What a rude bastard, Elm cursed to himself. He couldn't believe he withheld the young man's identity the first time he saw him with May. He'd definitely fix that now.

~.~

Silver waited outside the laboratory until May exited through its front door. She looked at him as if she was analyzing him for the first time and then smiled.

"What?" he asked.

"He told me about what you did back then," May answered. "How you stole a pokémon from his lab."

"Okay?" Silver stepped forward. "And?"

"And how you eventually tried to give it back to him," May added.

"Did he mention that?"

"Only when I asked."

"Alright," Silver crossed his arms. "What do you think?"

"That you were a misguided kid who made up for his mistakes," May tilted her head. "It's not something to keep a grudge over. Everyone has done something bad, so everyone deserves to be forgiven."

Silver's arms relaxed. "You really believe that."

"I do," May nodded. "Which is why I still want you to travel with me. Just don't tell anyone you are. If my parents find out I'm traveling alone with a boy, they'd kill me."

Silver scoffed. "You need to cut the umbilical cord sometime, you know."

May pouted and hit him on the arm. It caught Silver by surprise, but he smirked when a grin spread across May's face.

"Let's just go," she said, walking ahead of him.

Silver tucked his hands into his pockets, a smirk still on his face, and followed.