Chapter 8

Aria's eyes stayed glued to the scene in front of her with a frown wrinkling her forehead, peering into Drew's bedroom with an air of secrecy. Her observant eyes followed his every movement as he shoved his clothes roughly into a suitcase, rather carelessly in her opinion. Gosh, she winced as she imagined the amount of creases that would appear on the clothes afterwards! Drew had been acting seriously weird these past few days, Aria initially brushed it off as stress due to the Grand Festival arriving. But this was something else. Something foreign to her. And it hurt at the fact she couldn't fathom what was going on. His usually calm demeanor was corrupt with a detached coldness she hadn't felt before. Aria disappeared behind the wall as she heard his aggressive steps stomp across the room, wanting her presence to remain unknown. Not that acknowledged her any ways. Who was she to him? Right, a ghost.

Aria closed her eyes, a heart-aching sigh lifted from her lips, hands clasped together tightly on her chest which constricted with grief. He was off to Hoenn all of a sudden and refused to give her the tiniest answer, a brief explanation, a understanding reply. No, all she got was a mumble of excuses. Lies, lies, lies! Lies to her compassionate face, to her sympathetic words, to her fragile feelings.

A lone tear trickled down her cheek leaving a watery streak on her soft skin. Oh Drew, why are you doing this to me?

"So Gary, how did you and May meet?" Norman asked, rather like an interrogation. The clatter of steel cutlery and munching of food filled the air in the large house in Petalburg City.

"Snowpoint City," he answered, confidently keeping eye contact with the man across the dinner table. "I was researching information on the Sinnoh lake trio, and May was-"

"I was lost," she immediately butt in with a sheepish smile. If he parents knew that she almost died in a snow-storm they would never let her out the house again. She could feel Gary smirking beside her as he ate another spoonful of his cereal. "He helped me reached the city."

"So how exactly did you convince my daughter to go along with you?"

"Actually, dad, that was my idea," she piped up. "I wanted to travel with someone."

"Why not that boy you had were so fond of?" Caroline began, racking her brain to remembering a particular name. "Gru?" Irritation was evident in Gary's eyes. So even her parents knew about the guy? How long had May exactly known him for? He quickly suppressed the aggravation that followed the questions.

"Drew and I are friends, Mom," May grumbled. "And he has a girlfriend!" Gary inwardly flinched at the question he'd heard too many times to before.

It didn't help that he could feel Norman's stare burn through his head either, frankly. His turned his attention back to the man, readying himself for another bout of quick-fire questions. The same process that was going on for the last half hour. The eye contact held evenly between the two, as if they were waiting for the other to blink. Gary tried to stay balanced; the stare was carefully tilted between haughtiness and timidness. Music from the wild west when cowboys confronted each other for a shoot-out would be very fitting for the situation right now, Gary thought. The dinner table suddenly silent.

"Hey dad, did you know Ash and Gary are childhood friends?" May let an awkward laugh, praying it would diffuse the tension in the air that was as thick as lead. This seemed to do the trick as Norman blinked in surprise. Caroline put her cup of apple juice down as the image of the raven-haired boy came into mind. Her children's old friend! Ash was such a good boy, surely this must mean Gary Oak is just as sweet if he had a friend like Ash Kechum.

"How delightful, Gary. We had no idea!"

"He was a rival when I challenged gyms in Kanto and Johto," Gary said conversationally. Finally something he could talk about instead of delivering short answers to tight questions.

"You challenged gyms?" Norman asked, his tone full of astonishment.

"Yeah, I competed in the Indigo Plateau and Silver Conferences, but I didn't get... very far." He forced a fake cough, muttering the last part incoherently. His early beginnings as a trainer was sorta embarrassing now he thought back to the time. His lack of success rivalled his immense confidence in his abilities. He realised how childish he used to be, he'd definitely scold himself if he had the chance to give advice to the younger Gary Oak.

"That is still an excellent feat," he exclaimed, impressed. "What encouraged you to change your career path?" Partaking in huge regional conferences where hundreds of elite trainers gathered in gigantic stadium full of numerous spectators and media crew was a far cry from the much calmer and somewhat enigmatic field of research.

May restrained herself from grinned too wide, becoming increasing happy about the fact her father was no longer glaring at Gary to death, instead intrigued by his past. Gary proudly began to explain his story and she watched with her usual curiousity even though she knew what he was going to say. Yet she still loved hearing it.

"Gramps inspired me to contribute to the world of science. As a young boy I was always interested. My father was actually a great pokémon trainer and I guess my mom wanted to follow in my dad's footsteps as well. " Gary paused. "I mainly like making discoveries, like archaeology. When Ash headed to Hoenn, which I presume he met May, I visited different islands studying the foundation of field research, to put it simply."

The sound of footsteps entered the kitchen as Max trudged through the room, a puzzled look on his face, as if he was still thinking about his last week's calculus paper.

"Mom, I had a dream that I met Gary Oak, can you believe that?" he muttered, looking down in thought. "And I didn't even realise it. Arceus, it was so bad." Oh, the shame!

"You remember Gary, but not you're own sister?" May asked all of a sudden, offended. Max looked up an froze as he took in the fact that his parents, May and Gary Oak were all sat around the family table. Gary Oak was in his house.

"Nah, that wasn't a dream," Gary spoke, amused. "Good morning, Max."

"You're here" he squeaked, frozen on the spot.

" Thank your lovely sister," May huffed, annoyed her younger brother practically ignored her. "If it wasn't for me that dream would have never come true."

"I can't believe he's actually dating someone like," Max whispered at her with a incredulous face, "...you."

"What you you mean!?" she yelled, the annoyance only her younger brother could ever pull out of her. "I am perfectly perfect." Her parents laughed as the siblings as Gary smirked at her explosive temper, something he'd only heard about.

"Gary, can I show you my work, please!" Max cried excitedly. "I watch Professor Oak's Talk Show everyday and even on the radio! Sometimes I write stuff on pokémon." He twiddled his fingers behind his back.

"Sure, I love to check it out." Gary sweatdropped at the sudden starstruck expression which appeared on his face, creepily hypnotic.

Woah.

Gary stared incredulously out the car window, his mouth gaping like a flippin' goldeen. The freaking Queens coronation probably had less people than the amount crowded in the city square! This wasn't a welcoming party, it was more like a freaking festival. He turned to May who sat beside him, humming happily.

"Are you kidding me, May?"

She smiled sheepishly. "I may have gotten a tiny bit more popular now I'm also top coordinator." She huffed, "Hoenn folks also love the Oak as well, you know."

"Touché," he conceded, reclining on the leather seat.

As the car came to a halt, May took his hand as they both gave a curt nod; they knew what they would do next, almost mentally communicating. The door opened, the excited cries of people encapsulating them. Hand in hand, they waved at the massive crowd. There must have been hundreds! Photographers hit them with blinding flashes from the cameras as they headed to the stage where the mayor ushered them to. Gary felt May's hand squeeze his harder, involuntarily as random journalists began to bombard them with questions.

"May, what does your father think?"

"Is Gary Oak a rebound?"

"Are you still in love with Drew?"

Gary resisted the severe urge to glare at the intrusive reporters, instead retaining his charming smile. Finally they stood on the stage, listening to the mayor introduce them. The rest of the "little" arrival greeting of the city went smoothly, though Gary opted not to stay too long. He wasn't fond of huge gatherings and boredom reached him fairly quickly in those situations. As May excitedly informed him that she was going to meet an old friend (Molly or Wally, he didn't really remember the name clearly), he decided to explore the outskirts of the city.

The spikey-haired boy stood at the foot of the forest, a notebook in hand, examining the tall trees. The type of wood could attract different pokémon. For instance, Oak trees had a positive correlation with bug-type pokémon, particularly ones which had a cocoon, like metapods. Finally. Gary smiled. Something he enjoyed doing. The cool air and serene silence was a gift to him after scrutinised by judgemental media idiots in hot, suffocating air. Yelling his name, screaming random things, squashed between crowd- Gary silenced his mind instantly. No, he would not focuson that and ruin the goodness that came with the current moment. Silcoons and cascoons wrapped themselves on the branches with silk and a zigzagoon scuttling in the tall grass. Gary shut his notebook and slid it inside the bag around his hip, an eerie feeling that he was being watched stalking him.

Journalists? Or fans? A shady figure proved his suspicion right. The person beside him wore green pants and a large hoodie that concealed his face. He stopped as Gary gave him a sturdy look.

The boy lifted the hood, revealing his sharp features. "Incognito. The reporters don't leave me alone," Drew spoke nonchalantly. " I'm trying to avoid them."

"I heard you were in Sinnoh." It was a statement that had a questioning edge. "And no Aria?"

Drew narrowed his eyes in disdain. "What part of 'trying to avoid' don't you get?" Aria thrived in attention. Drew? Eh, not so much. It was profoundly aggravating now how stark their preferences had become.

"So you left her somewhere else. Not very nice," Gary replied with a mocking smile, though it was it had no evil intention behind it. "Can't imagine why you'd be here, Bru." Gru? Shu? Or was it Frew? Gary never bothered too much with names, especially since it was unlikely he'd meet those people again. Honestly, he wasn't expecting see the green-haired guy until the grand festival.

"Drew," he corrected. "And I came Hoenn to train."

"What a coincidence," was Gary's sardonic remark. Where was this automatic loathing leaking from? Gary's voice was spitting out words on it's own accord, releasing pent-up vindictive hatred he'd bottled up for so long. "May happens to be here too. I suppose you wanted to see her."

Drew glared. He knew Gary. Granted they only met once, but Gary's personality was similar to his in many ways. He knew Oak was smart and not just book-smart. Shrewd would be a fitting adjective. Being close with May (he gritted his teeth), Gary must know about his past with May. Gary had a past of his own Drew knew well enough. Drew knew that the deceptively naïve personality was a pretence. Gary's persona was a fabrication to fool everyone, a well-concocted lie, a wonderful fallacy, to conceal his ugly past.

"Do you think I don't know what your doing?" His voice ominously calm. "You think I don't know your game."

"Game?" Gary stared at him, a sneer in his eyes. "Hey, aren't we playing the same game?"

"You're going to hurt her-"

"And Aria?"

"You don't deserve May," he spat, ignoring Gary's interjection, though it stung him inside. Aria deserved better he knew. Dammit, he knew! But Palermo and his father...never mind. Now was not the time for that worry to invade his head again.

Gary barked a laugh, folding his arms with a smug expression that instantly made him look like his younger self. The show-off that constantly had a posse of cheerleaders following him from city to city. A entourage of beautiful ladies that blew up rumours Gary's mind shut out. "Drew, you ought to stop being so jealous. It's really petty." His tone exuded more arrogance than Drew's very own ego.

"Jealousy?" Drew raised his eyebrow, unaffected. "I know your type. And I know you'll hurt her, Oak."

"My type, eh? Care to elaborate?" His mind was ordering him to stop, to walk away because this argument was fruitless. But his ego shoved the rational voice out the way. He was entering a place he hadn't visited in years.

"Using an innocent person to try building a new reputation to hide your shit because May is gullible. She sees the best in everyone." Drew smirked, in spite of the anger bubbling inside. "Does she know about your playboy rep?" He would rather tell this to May, but he couldn't find her anywhere. And then he spotted Gary. Drew knew he should had ignored him, but his presence was too infuriating to disregard so fast.

The remnants of his short-lived shocked faded away with righteous sense of deep-seated anger. "You believe too much bullshit."

"Pictures don't lie."

Arceus give him the ability to not break him nose, Gary prayed internally. He exhaled a breath of pure ire, refusing to get riled up by the opponent. "Focus on your own girlfriend. And leave my girl alone."

"I care about May. I don't want to see her sad."

"She's happy. I know that for a fact."

His sneaky tone carried suggestive implications. Again, Gary's ego flaunted itself. The permanent smirk on his face suddenly awoke the ferocious monster inhabiting Drew's mind from it's deep sleep. Gushing rage coursed through his veins and a dark cloud fogged his logic, his aggression now the controller of his limbs and jealousy the dictator of his thoughts. With a iron grip he grasped the collars of Gary's jacket and threw him back, colliding with a large woodland tree. Fright and shock erased any vestige of conceit at the powerful assault, recoiling as a sharp pain spread over his back. As his head caught up reality, Gary dodged an incoming kick just in time. A second later and he'd be curled in pain.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" he yelled, more flabbergasted than anything else. "Oh for the love of Mew." Gary side-stepped as Drew leaped viciously forward.

His words fell on deaf ears as he defended himself from the insistent blows. Relentless punches were thrown, each accompanied with a blazing glare from the green-haired boy. A knuckle collided with his face instantly, pushing Gary back roughly, almost tripping over his own foot. The physical pain borne a violent indignation deep in his mind. He crouched to avoid another rapid punch, grabbing a large branch near his foot. With a swift strike on Drew's head, his endlessly wrathful onslaught abruptly stopped as black dots appeared in his vision, his consciousness growing weaker. Drew fell on the ground with a loud thump as Gary wiped the blood leaking from his mouth with his sleeve. He dropped the improvised weapon and panted from the pressure as he stared at Drew viciously. Gary hadn't killed Drew; no blood was seen so he wouldn't have to take him to the hospital. A small art of him whispered that even if he was injured, he would rather leave him for death to come.

"Don't forget about Aria. I hope she's okay with your act." Gary's final words echoed in the emptiness that was wild with rage mere moments ago, in spite knowing full well Drew couldn't hear him.

A vibration in his bag tore his attention away as he switched on the pokégear. May photo flashed under the ID name. Taking a deep breath to regain his composure, he pressed the button.

"Hey May," he greeted cheerfully. As cheerful he could be after a vicious skirmish with her long-time rival who still had feelings for her and almost beat him up while he wanted too write about forest pokémon habitats to show his grandpa in his book. Geez, so much for a quiet observation.

"Gary, where are you?" Her voiced was laced in concern.

"Just at the pokémon centre."

"I've been trying to find you everywhere! Can you come to the city restaurant? We're having dinner with the mayor."

Gary subconsciously touched the sore area on his cheek and winced, no doubt a conspicuous mark blemished his own flawless complexion. "I don't think I'll come, May."

"Why?"

"I'm... going to discuss something with gramps," he lied swiftly for the second time.

"What! My family is here and the mayor, Gary. The mayor! Can't you talk to Professor Oak tomorrow or something? Fix another date. It is really more important than the dinner? You even said-"

"Look, I can't come," he cut her off harshly. Why couldn't she understand such a simple sentence?! He needed some space- hell, if he just didn't want to go, couldn't she respect that? He couldn't give a damn about the mayor. And he certainly did not liked being told where to go like a dog on a leash! "I'm sorry but I'm busy, alright? It's possible dine without me."

"..."

"Tell them I'm sorry for my absence. I'll see you later." Gary pocketed the device in his bag with annoyance, making his way back to the city with a brisk pace, the space between him and a knocked-out Drew increasing. As the sun began to set, the sky turned a mellow shade of orange, pokémon returning to their homes as nocturnals enjoyed their last few hours of sleep.

The breeze's pleasant coolness dissipated, a strange cold swish of winds replacing it.

(Edited slightly)No more sunshine and rainbows. Not much Gary/May interactions but I plan to make up for it. May's POV next chapter now that I'm done with Gary (for now). Prepare for more drama because I don't plan on being too nice with the plot otherwise I'd bore myself eventually. *evil laugh* I didn't want to make anyone OOC so I hope I kinda justified their actions with the description... *coughDrewcoughcough*

I was ill last week so i didn't get time to write/edit and post the chapter which is the reason for my late update. Thank you to the reviewers! Especially with the suggestions and advice. I truly appreciate every single one. Please tell me your thoughts or ideas and drop some constructive criticism if you like. I don't know how long this story will be, but since I inevitably start procrastinating, my estimate is less that 20.