May had forgotten how small Littleroot was.

Even though only three buildings made up the town, she didn't remember them being so close together. This place made Pacifidlog look like a huge city.

Still, it was unsettling how quiet the town was. The last time she was here, there'd been a sea of people covering every inch of land.

She slid off her Salamence's back, and then returned him into his pokéball.

The kitchen light in her house was on, its brightness subdued by the drawn linen curtains. Her mother had bought those curtains after their window had attracted way too many eyes of the general public.

She reached her fist out to knock but stopped herself. Was she really going to knock on her own front door?

She pushed on the handle, and surprisingly, it wasn't locked.

She entered slowly, feeling like a stranger in her own house. The warmth enveloped her like a friendly hug, and the homey smell of her mother's cinnamon candles washed over her in waves of nostalgia.

Nothing had changed. Every piece of furniture was exactly where she'd left it. She felt like she was walking into a memory.

The soles of her shoes made squeaking sounds against the waxed wooden floor.

"Norman?" Caroline called from the living room. "Is that you?"

May flinched at the sound of her mother's voice. Though she'd heard it via pokénav every week for the past two years, it was different hearing it in real life. It sounded softer, somehow. Real. Motherly.

Before May could say anything back, Caroline rounded the corner.

Mother and daughter could do nothing but stare at each other.

Like she had done with Brendan, May marveled at how different Caroline looked. Her brown hair was streaked with thin strands of gray, and the crows' feet lining her eyes were much more prominent. She'd lost a lot of weight; her cheeks had sunken into her face.

It had only been two years, but Caroline looked like she'd aged ten instead.

"May?" Caroline asked. She looked the same way Brendan had - like she didn't believe what she was seeing. "You're here?"

The back of May's eyes burned, and she took a step of her own to meet her mother halfway. "Yeah, Mom."

"Oh, May." Caroline threw her thin arms around the girl's neck. "You've finally come home."

They stood like that for what felt like an eternity. Caroline cried softly, her tears soaking the front of May's shirt. May hugged back, tucking her head between her mother's neck and shoulder. Though she was now an adult, her mother's touch still made her feel secure.

Finally, Caroline pulled back.

"May… we've missed you so much," she said, her voice hitching like she was about to weep again. "I'm so glad you're finally home."

"Me, too."

Caroline mopped at her wet face with the sleeve of her dress. "You should have told us you were coming back."

May rubbed the back of her head. "You're right, I should've called or something. I'm sorry."

"Oh, honey, don't apologize." She reached out to brush May's hair out of her face. "You're finally home. That's all that matters."

May's eyes started to burn again. "Where's Dad?"

"Oh!" Caroline said, as if she'd just remembered the existence of her husband. "He's at the gym – you know how he likes to stay late to help all those students of his. He'll be so excited… I'll go call him now!" She ran into the kitchen.

May loitered around the living room, her view sweeping across the family pictures that were hanging up on the wall. There was one of May as a child, dressed in light blue overalls, looking up at the camera with a wide, baby-toothed smile. There was another one of May with her parents, the three of them squeezed together on a park bench, arms wrapped tightly around each other. This was taken back in Johto, before they'd moved.

Then there was the picture of May right before she'd set out for her journey through Hoenn, holding her Mudkip in one hand and making a peace sign behind its head with the other.

May paused on that last photo. It was like she was looking at another person.

The sound of beating wings and the cry of a Flygon outside caught her attention. A second later, Norman burst through the door.

"Where's May?" he demanded, his deep voice filling the entire house.

She looked at him and raised her hand like a schoolgirl. "Right here, Dad."

He closed the distance between them with broad steps and pulled her in for a hug.

"May," was all he said, his voice just as strong and gruff as she remembered.

Her face was pressed against his shoulder, and all she could smell was that masculine, fatherly scent that she hadn't realized she missed so much; it was a familiar mix of sweat, citrus, and sawdust. She couldn't remember the last time he'd hugged her like this. For a moment, she felt like a little girl again, one who thought that her father could protect her from anything in the whole wide world.

He pushed her away, his huge hands still clasping her by the shoulders.

"It's good to finally see you again, May," he said. Like his daughter, he didn't cry, but his eyes looked a little glassy.

"Thanks, Dad."

Age had been a little kinder to him than it had been to Caroline, but it still looked like he'd aged more than just two years.

His black hair had turned a bit salt-and-pepperish, and his usually shaven jaw was dotted with stubble. He still had those thick, dark eyebrows that made his resting face appear menacing, but May was glad to see that the fire in his eyes had not completely burned out.

He gave her a broad smile that seemed to stretch across his entire face. "My daughter, you have no idea how much I've missed you."

"I missed you too, Dad."

"Look how different you are," he mused, looking her up and down. "The last time I saw you, you were only this tall." He leveled a hand just slightly above his waist.

May knew he was exaggerating but humored him anyway. "Yeah. Growth spurt, maybe."

Norman shook his head in awe. "Two years…"

"And she's finally home," Caroline said as she walked back into the room. "That's all that matters." She kept stealing nervous glances at May, eyeing her like she was afraid any mention of the long absence would prompt her to leave again.

"I won't do it again," May clarified. "Leave home, that is. I'm back for good, so you don't have to worry."

The room went silent for a moment. An air of tense hopefulness settled over them, as if what May had said was simply too good to be true.

Caroline spoke first. "You promise you won't take off again without telling us first?"

"I won't take off again, period," May said. "Like I said, I'm home for good. I'm done running away."

Her dad broke out in a wide grin while her mom looked like she was about to burst into tears again.

May cleared her throat. "There's something else I'd like to say."

They waited, eyes full of patience and anticipation.

She took a deep breath. She knew that the time for apologies had long passed, but that wouldn't stop her from saying them anyway. "I'm sorry for everything I've put you guys through. For all those cameras, and for leaving for two years… I'm sorry. So, so sorry. More than you will ever know."

"You don't have to apologize, May," Norman said while Caroline nodded in agreement. "None of that was your fault."

"Yes it was."

"It wasn't. Apologizing for those stupid cameras – it's not your fault that the whole country loves you. You are my daughter, after all," her father said proudly. "But you had to grow up so fast. If leaving was your solution to finding a bit of peace, then we support it one hundred percent."

"We understand that you did what you needed to do," her mother added, "but I'd rather you didn't do it again. Not without us, that is."

May swallowed hard. She wished she'd told them in person that she was leaving instead of leaving a letter. She knew first-handedly how disappointing it felt to find one, and they deserved better than that.

"Mom, Dad… I don't know what to say. Thank you."

"Come," Norman said, leading the family into the kitchen. "You must be starving. Caroline! What do we have to eat in this house?"

"Uh…" Caroline went to open the fridge. "I can heat up some cold pizza?"

"Hmm." Norman rubbed his chin in contemplation. "How about I just order a fresh one? After all, our daughter's back. It's a special occasion."

Caroline was already handing Norman a phone. "Good idea. Order from Mauville – they make the best pizza."

"That's okay," May said, interrupting them before they could spend twenty pokédollars on food that she wasn't going to eat. "I'm not that hungry, I'm just tired. I might go to bed now, if that's all right."

"Oh," Caroline said, putting down the phone. "Yeah, honey, that's fine. I forgot that you had a long trip."

"Yeah…" As much as May wanted to catch up on things with her family, she really was tired. She yawned for good measure. "We'll have time to talk more tomorrow."

"Of course," Caroline agreed.

"Well… goodnight," she said.

"'Night, May."

"Goodnight, honey. We're glad to have you home."

She started for the stairs leading to her room, feeling the gaze of her parents on her back. They watched her with cautious eyes, like they were afraid she'd burst right out the door and into the night.

She made it upstairs and closed the door upon entering her room. She fumbled blindly for the light switch against the wall and flicked it on.

Like the rest of the house, her room had remained untouched.

Her desk was still there in the corner, a handful of books neatly stacked on its top shelf. In the opposite corner sat the giant Lapras doll she'd gotten for her thirteenth birthday, along with the flat screen T.V. she'd bought for herself three years ago. The clock that hung on her wall was frozen, the big hand on the five and the little one on the seven.

She kicked her shoes off, leaving them strewn across the floor. She didn't care that she was still wearing shorts and a tank top. She was too tired to bother changing into pajamas, and she shuffled to her bed in the corner and flopped onto the mattress. She reached up for the nearby switch and covered the room in darkness.


May remained at home for the next few days, and the hours seemed to stretch longer than ever before now that she wasn't abiding by her daily Pacifidlog schedule. Her father still went to his gym every day, but fortunately came home at reasonable times. Her mother seemed thrilled to have some company at home, not seeming to mind that May wasn't doing much of anything.

In May's mind, she only had a few more days before the Devon party. After that, these days of peaceful lounging would be over. She'd enjoy them now while she could.

"You're going to the Devon party?" her dad asked one night after she'd announced her intention to attend.

"Yes," she said. "This is the perfect way to come back into the public eye."

"Are you sure? There's supposed to be hundreds, if not thousands of people."

"I'm positive. It's not like I can stay hidden forever."

"Do you want me to come?" All gym leaders were invited, but she knew that her dad had never planned on going. He despised parties, but she was very appreciative that he had offered to go anyway.

"That's okay, Dad. I was only going to stay for a few hours."

But as she went to bed the night before the party, she didn't want to go at all. Despite all that Charles had said, she was petrified of what was to come.

She stared up at the ceiling from her bed, the white walls gray under the dim lighting of the half-crescent moon. Her eyes glazed over, and she imagined herself surrounded by dark figures and bright flashes, a prey caught by her predators. In her mind, the circle around her began to close until it was pressed tightly against her body, clinging to her like wet clothes. She couldn't see. She couldn't breathe either, and as her eyes focused back into reality, she realized she was gasping for air.

Her body felt hot and sweaty, and she dumped her covers to the side. She forced herself to breathe in through her nose and out through her mouth until her heart settled in her chest.

She squeezed her eyes shut. All the reasons why she had left in the first place were becoming all too crystal clear, like a dirty window being washed by the rain. It took every fiber of her being to stay lying in bed instead of launching out the front door and high-tailing it back to Pacifidlog.

At the same time, Charles' words still circulated through her head, and she knew that she'd be the lowest of the low if she were to run away again.

Her thoughts had become a pendulum, swinging back and forth between these complex series of emotions until she felt someone shaking her shoulder.

"May," came her mother's voice. "It's two o'clock in the afternoon. You need to get up."

May groaned in response, opening her eyes just enough to see the sunlight filtering through her window.

Somewhere along the night, her thoughts had slipped effortlessly into dreams, and she hadn't even realized that she'd fallen asleep. It certainly didn't feel like she had, and her eyelids were heavy with exhaustion.

Caroline shook her again. "Brendan's here to see you. You didn't tell me that you guys ran into each other at Pacifidlog."

May shouldered away her mother's touch. "Tell him to go away."

"Now that's not very nice," came a man's voice.

May looked over her shoulder and saw that Brendan was standing a few feet away, a grin plastered on his face as he gazed down at her.

Caroline sighed and turned to him. "See if you have any luck getting her out of this bed. I have to run to the store for a bit."

"Roger that."

May heard her mother pace away. Then Brendan's grip was around one of her wrists, hauling her up into a sitting position. Her head bobbed lifelessly atop her shoulders.

"I knew you'd come home," he said, talking as if she wasn't still half-asleep. "I'm pretty persuasive, don't you think?"

Charles was the one who'd given her the push she needed, but she stayed silent.

"So?" Brendan asked excitedly. "You ready to party?"

He released her hand, and she flopped back into the bed and threw the pillow over her face. "No."

"Aw, don't be like that. It'll be great. We'll make sure of it."

She moved the pillow from her face to look up at him. "We'll?"

He grinned. "I did say that I knew someone who could help you prepare for the party, didn't I?"

She raised a brow. "Who is it?"

He seemed to turn a bit pink. "My girlfriend."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Brendan Birch, you have a girlfriend?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah."

"Well, congratulations."

"Thanks."

She sat up, fully awake now. "How long have you two been dating?"

"A year and a half."

"Sounds pretty serious."

"It is. I mean, it gets a little rocky sometimes, 'cause we both have really busy schedules, but it all works out in the end." His face seemed to light up, and she really did feel happy for him.

She got out of bed and stretched her arms over her head. "When is she coming over?"

"I picked her up this morning, and she's been getting ready over at my house ever since. I'd say she should be making her way over here…" He looked at the time on his nav.

Just then, three loud knocks bounced off the front door downstairs.

Brendan looked up. "Right now." He began for the stairs. "Wait here – we'll be right up."

She sat back down on the edge of the bed.

She never would've guessed that Brendan would go and get himself a girlfriend. Not that she thought he'd never stood a chance, he'd just always seemed more focused on things other than dating. Even when she saw him the other day, his attention seemed to be on his work as a pokémon professor. Nonetheless, she was happy that he'd found a serious relationship.

She heard Brendan coming back up the steps, another pair of legs right behind him.

May wrung her hands nervously. It was like she was meeting her sister-in-law.

Brendan appeared in the doorway again. "I'd like you to meet…" He stepped aside, revealing the small figure behind him. "My girlfriend, Lisia."

"Oh my gosh," Lisia said. "May?"

May stood up. "Lisia?"

"Wait." Brendan swiveled his head between the two girls. "You two know each other?"

Years ago, Lisia had tried to recruit May as a Contest star when they ran into each other at Slateport. May was supposed to have been the one-hundredth trainer scouted by Lisia, but she hadn't been too keen with the contest life. The same went for her pokémon. Her Swampert was supposed to have entered a Beauty Contest once, but had taken one look at a Bidoof wearing sparkly blue eye shadow before walking right out of the hall. That was the only time he'd ever disobeyed May, and she couldn't blame him. Her pokémon loved fighting, not wearing tutus and prancing around on a stage.

Nonetheless, she and Lisia had become good friends. Neither had ever had a close girl friend and was inspired by the way the other trained her pokémon. Lisia was awed by May's unwavering tenacity and strength, and May by Lisia's ability to coordinate lethal battle moves into works of art.

She and Lisia had tried to keep in touch, but their fame just hadn't let them.

But here they stood in the same room, seeing each other for the first time in years.

Like Brendan, Lisia had changed a lot. Her mint-green hair was down, no longer styled in a wavy ponytail that made her head look like a music note. In place of her usual two-piece contest outfit was a tight, dark blue mini dress. It was revealing all the same, but made her appear more like an elegant woman rather than a preppy idol.

"You did not tell me that May was your neighbor!" Lisia chastised Brendan before trotting over to the bed, her heels loud against the wood floor. On the way, she tossed the large tote bag she'd been carrying to the floor. "May, I've missed you so much!" She threw her arms around the girl.

"I – I missed you, too," May said. She had not expected any of this.

Some of Brendan's words from a few days ago ran through her mind then.

I've seen how… intense the fame can get, especially when it comes to fans and everything.

Well, that's what contest stars do, and it seems to work.

I, uh, know a few people.

No wonder he'd said all that. He was dating Hoenn's most famous Contest star!

Lisia pulled away. "I can't believe Brendy-boo didn't tell me it was you I was dressing up today!"

May raised her eyebrows. Brendy-boo?

"How was I supposed to know you guys were friends?" Brendan asked, coming to stand over them. "Neither of you has ever even mentioned the other!"

"You could have at least told me that I was helping the champion!"

"I wanted it to be a surprise. It would've been great seeing Hoenn's most famous women meeting each other for the first time, but I had no idea you two were already like this." He twisted his index and middle fingers together.

Lisia turned back to May. "It's been so long since we've last spoken. How was Kalos? I hear the cities are beautiful."

"I wasn't in Kalos…"

"Never mind where she's been, Liz," Brendan interrupted. "Shouldn't you start working your magic?"

"Wait, we're getting ready for the party now?" May asked.

"Yes, we're getting ready now." Brendan dug out his pokénav and shoved it in her face. "Look at the time."

The time read 2:14 p.m., but the party didn't start until six.

"What? We still have four hours." May swatted his arm away.

"Actually, we only have two," Lisia corrected. "Only a select few get to go at four, and that includes us."

"It starts at four?" May repeated. That meant she had two hours less to mentally prepare herself.

"Yes!" Lisia said, jumping up to retrieve her fallen tote bag. "I arrived a little later than planned, so we need to get started right away." She dug into her bag and pulled out a stiff piece of paper. "Here's your invitation – Brendy-boo, put this on her desk please." Then she took May by the shoulders and began pushing her towards the bathroom across the hall. "Go take a shower, and make it quick."

"Alright…"

Hot showers usually filled her with peace and relaxation, but today, she felt like she was burning. She imagined that every drop of water was a camera flash, burning deep into her skin again and again until there was nothing left of her.

The dark thoughts were here to play again, and she pushed them to the back of her mind. She forced Charles' words to play over again and again in her mind like a broken record until she managed to convince herself that this was all for the best.

She inhaled a lungful of steamy air.

Today was a test of courage, and she would pass it. She was the champion, and champions didn't get scared.

Still, the three loud knocks that pounded on the door made her jump.

"May?" Lisia asked. "You almost done? We need to get started on your makeup."

May turned off the water and grabbed the bath towel folded on the sink counter.

"Coming." She wrapped the towel around her body and opened the bathroom door, steam pouring behind her.

She padded into her room but stopped suddenly, remembering that Brendan was still here. As close as she was to him, she wasn't sure that he or his girlfriend would be comfortable with her parading around in nothing but a towel.

Lisia giggled at May's hesitant stance. "Don't worry. Brendy-boo went home."

"Went home?" May asked, moving to sit on the edge of her bed. "Isn't he coming to the party with us?"

"Yes," Lisia replied, reaching into her bag and pulling out a brush and a set of big hair rollers. "But you know guys. They require a lot less time than us gals to get ready. I'm sure Brendy-boo is taking a nap right now as we speak." She began raking the brush through May's hair.

Lisia went quiet, the tip of her tongue sticking out of her mouth as she focused on rolling May's hair up.

May cleared her throat. "Hey, Lisia?"

"Hm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Do you ever get bored?"

"Bored?" Lisia repeated.

"Yeah. Like, with being a Contest star."

"Of course not. Contests are my life. Well, Brendy-boo is, too." She finished rolling the last strand of hair into a curler.

"But you've competed and won so many contests," May pointed out. "Doesn't it all seem repetitive after a while?"

"Sometimes, yeah," Lisia admitted. "But I have this friend named Chaz who's really passionate about contests. His Macherie is really cute, and they're a tough pair to beat. In some categories, Ali and I don't stand a chance against them!" She smiled. "They make me want to work even harder."

Was that why May was bored with the path she'd chosen? Because she didn't have a rival with whom she could butt heads?

"But what about the overall fame?" May tried. "The fans, the paparazzi… does it ever get to you?"

"A little. But in the end, I remember that all the people who surround me just appreciate what I do. It's nice to receive so much support and attention, right?"

Well, she certainly had a different take on fame than May did.

May slumped in her seat. She was hoping that Lisia could relate to her in some way, but it looked like she was on her own. Maybe some people were made for fame. Maybe she wasn't one of them.

She closed her eyes and held her lips tightly shut as Lisia began to dab at her face with foundation. She knew virtually nothing about makeup, the most she'd ever worn being a few coats of mascara and lip-gloss during T.V. interviews. She trusted that Lisia would make her look good, but she grew a bit wary when a black pencil came straight for her eye.

"I won't make you look like a Pancham or anything," Lisia reassured her. "I'm just adding a little wing."

And then she pulled out a stick of red lipstick, so bright that it almost hurt to look at.

"It's so…" May searched her mind for the right word. "Red."

Lisia laughed. "It is, isn't it?"

May pursed her lips. She'd never worn something so dramatic, and she didn't want to make her debut back into society looking like a clown.

"Do you not like it?" Lisia asked, taking note of May's unenthusiastic expression.

"No, no. It's fine. It's just… I've never worn anything like it."

Lisia removed its cap and turned the stick up. "Then you'll be surprised by how good you'll look." She began smoothing it over May's lips. "When you apply makeup, you're supposed to accentuate your best feature. You have great lips, so we're going to bring the focus to them."

"Mm-hm," May said, making sure to keep her lips closed.

"Annnnnd… there." Lisia stepped back to admire her work. "I think it's safe to say you're face is done, and we still have…" She pulled out her nav. "Thirty minutes until we leave."

May stood up. "I guess I'll go get changed then and –"

"Woah, hold on." Lisia pushed her back onto the bed. "What, exactly, do you plan on wearing?"

May thought for a moment. "I don't know. I was just planning on going through my closet to see what still fits me, or I can always borrow something from my mom."

Lisia hissed as if she'd just been scalded. "May, you do realize that this is your first public appearance in like, forever, right?"

"Yeah…"

"So don't you wanna wear something that isn't years old, or from your mother's wardrobe?"

"I guess, but we don't have time to go shopping for anything new."

Lisia grinned. "Right you are, my girl. That's why you so owe me when I show you…" She reached inside the bottom of her tote bag. "This!"

In her hand was a long, skinny dress, colored the same shade of red that May wore on her lips. It was strapless and the skirt brushed the floor, and May realized that it had a slit where her left leg would go.

In Lisia's other hand was a pair of sparkly, gold heels, much higher than the ones Lisia was wearing.

Suddenly, the red lipstick May had worried about being too dramatic seemed very unexciting.

Lisia's looked expectant. "Well? What do you think?"

Instead of saying that the dress was flashier than what she was comfortable with, May simply said, "Thank you very much." It's not like she had anything else to wear, anyway.

Lisia beamed. "You're so welcome. When Brendy-boo told me that I was to help out a fellow woman today, I got the dress made ASAP. Of course, it's made with my measurements, but I'd say we're about the same size." She placed the dress and heels in May's arms and sauntered over to May's wardrobe, opening drawer after drawer until she found a pair of panties. She placed those in May's arms, too. "Put these on."

May looked down at the pile of clothes she held. "You forgot to give me a bra."

"No, I didn't. The dress has one built into it."

"Oh… okay."

"Go and put it on. I can't wait to see what you'll look like!"

"Right." May started for the door.

"Wait, are you going back to the bathroom? Just change here; we're both women. Besides, I don't want you to see what you look like until after I take your hair down."

May sighed. The more time she spent with Lisia, the more she felt like a child.

She put her underwear on underneath her towel, then turned around and let it fall to the floor. She stepped into the dress and shimmied it on, and Lisia moved forward to zip it up. Then she slipped the shoes on, and she took a few test steps to make sure she still knew how to wear heels. They were a little snug on her feet and she foresaw blisters in the near future, but she was at least able to get around in them.

Lisia clapped her hands together. "You look amazing!"

May was doubtful. "You think so?" The slit in the left leg went higher and wider than she'd thought, and she kept moving the skirt over in an attempt to make it look more modest.

"Of course. You're sure to attract a few heads tonight. Now come sit down again. I'll take those rollers out."

May did as she was told, and her hair dropped to her shoulders lock by lock.

By the time the last roller was removed, Brendan had let himself back into the house and was walking through the bedroom door. He wore the same black dress pants and shoes that he'd worn in Pacifidlog, but there was now a black tuxedo jacket in place of the white lab coat.

He raised his eyebrows upon seeing May. "Well done, Liz."

"Thanks, sweetie!"

"Can I go see what I look like now?" May asked.

"Of course!"

She got up and strode into the bathroom, the dress billowing out behind her like the feelers of a Sylveon. She reached for the light switch and faced the mirror.

"How'd I do?" Lisia asked, coming to stand in the doorway.

May could only stare at her reflection.

Her skin tone was even, and her cheekbones were high and bright. Her eyelids were lined with black wings, perfectly symmetrical on either side of her face. It was a simple look, and yet it made her blue eyes appear big and mysterious. But she was most surprised by her lips. The red worked surprisingly well on her face, perfectly outlining her Cupid's bow and making her lips appear full.

Her dress was the same shade of red, and it looked better on her than she'd thought it would. It hugged the curves of her body, and the long skirt made her appear tall and elusive.

Her long, wavy hair framed her face, and it was parted in a way that made a few strands settle over her left eye.

She looked much more mature than what the public last saw her as. No longer was she Hoenn's teenage leader. She was a grown woman now, finally back to face the things that had driven her away.

"You did a great job," she said, turning to Lisia. "Thank you." And she meant it.

"Anything for a fellow woman."

"You guys ready to go?" Brendan asked. "It's about time."

Lisia began hopping up and down. "Yes!"

Brendan began walking down the steps. Lisia quickly followed behind him, lugging her tote bag over her shoulder.

"Oh." He stopped mid-step and Lisia bumped into his back. He looked back at May. "Bring your team."

"My team? Why?"

"Why else? We're flying there."

"Don't worry," Lisia added. "We'll fly slowly so our hair doesn't get messed up."

May stepped into her room, grabbed the small leather bag that held her team and a few other items, and joined the others downstairs.

She looked around the house. "Is my mother still not back from shopping?"

"I didn't hear her come in," Lisia said. "Why? Did you need her for something?"

"No." May strode toward the front door. "I think it's best that she's not here right now, actually. She'd probably want to take a ton of pictures." And May would be getting plenty of that tonight.

She stepped outside, her heels sinking into the soft grass. Brendan and Lisia followed right behind her, and they stopped in the small clearing between her and Brendan's homes.

She released her Salamence at the same time Brendan released his Tropius.

She looked expectantly at Lisia. "Aren't you going to take out your Altaria?"

"Of course not. Ali doesn't know how to use Fly. That move is a waste in Contest Spectaculars. Besides." She wrapped her arms around Brendan's neck, and he turned shiny Gyarados red in response. "This way, I get to ride with Brendy-boo."

"Um… great."

May walked up to her pokémon. She placed her hands around his neck and lifted a leg to climb onto his back. It was a little awkward because of her dress, but she managed to successfully maneuver herself in place.

She looked back and saw that the two Luvdiscs were in their places too, Lisia's arms tightly wrapped around Brendan's waist.

"Let's get this over with," May muttered, prompting her friends to laugh.

She waited until Tropius was off the ground before commanding Salamence to follow. They glided only several feet above the treetops, and they were moving so slowly that the breeze was only a whisper through May's hair.

Salamence grumbled at the slow pace, and May patted him on the neck.

"Oh, look! Look!" Lisia said, excitedly tapping Brendan on the shoulder. "There it is!"

Sure enough, the tall, imperious buildings of Rustboro began to surface over the trees in the distance.

May took a deep breath. She could do this.

The buildings became nearer and nearer until finally, the whole city was in view. May could already see the commotion at Devon. Masses of people were gathered outside its entrance, forming black blobs that sparkled with camera flashes.

Brendan commanded Tropius to land at the city entrance, and May and Salamence followed suit.

They landed, and Brendan helped Lisia down before withdrawing his pokémon. May did the same despite wishing that she could walk in with Salamence at her side, as if he could help her get through the night. But this was one battle that she alone had to deal with.

"Alright." Lisia gathered her friends into a loose triangle formation as if they were a sports team discussing the play of a game. "This is the biggest event of the year, so appearance is everything! May, if my makeup smudges or anything, I need you to pull me aside, but be discreet about it."

"Discreet? How?" she asked.

"You could use a code word or something," Brendan suggested.

"A code word…" Lisia mused. "I like it."

May sighed. "What do you want me to say?"

"How about…" Lisia looked around as if the code word would be floating in the sky. Her eyes snagged on a nearby berry bush. "Razz Berry?"

"Razz Berry's good," Brendan said, though it looked like he was just trying to appease his girlfriend.

"Then it's settled! You hear that, May? If you see me looking less than spectacular, come up to me and say 'Razz Berry.' I'll do the same for you."

May pursed her lips and gave one curt nod. She didn't think going up to anybody and saying "Razz Berry" was in any way discreet, but her friends seemed pretty excited about it.

Lisia adjusted her bag over her shoulder and turned in the direction of the city. "Let's go."

Brendan was walking at Lisia's side in a heartbeat, and May caught up to do the same. The dirt path beneath them quickly paved into stone, and the tall city buildings towered over them.

The path was fenced in by velvet rope, and masses of people stood on the outside. Even the windows of nearby apartments were filled with curious faces, all trying to catch a glimpse of Devon party attendees.

As the trio made their way down the path, the volume of the crowd began to increase. All eyes were focused on Lisia, and they chattered excitedly amongst one another and held out pads of paper and pens for her to sign. She gave in to their desires and glided from side to side, autographing her name with a quick flick of the wrist.

May had been keeping her eyes glued to the ground, standing a little in the back with Brendan. As soon as she gathered the courage to look up, some guy standing nearest to her glanced her way. He scrunched his brows in confusion before tapping his friend on the shoulder and jerking his head in her direction. Despite the cheering around them, they brought their faces close together and began whispering, still keeping their eyes on her. Then a Swanna landed farther up on the path, and they finally looked away to focus on that.

May almost didn't see the woman riding on its back, for her dress blended in perfectly with her pokémon. The skirt appeared to be made entirely out of white feathers, and it ballooned out like a poképuff. The woman blew a few kisses at the crowd before continuing her way down the path.

May recognized her and strode to Lisia's side. "Isn't that Annette Harrison?" The actress starred in hundreds of films.

Lisia gritted her teeth in obvious anger. "Unfortunately."

May didn't ask any further questions.

The change between the civilians and cameramen was quick. Those who were yielding cameras surrounded the Devon gates, and their serious and focused expressions contrasted greatly with the awed and curious ones of the cheering fans.

By the time May and her companions rounded into the gates, all cameras were aimed on Annette. She seemed to enjoy the attention, and she struck a few poses before gracefully disappearing into the building.

The cameras swung around, ready for their next victim, and May swallowed hard as they found their way to her.

At first, all the flashes seemed to be on Lisia. She deliberately slowed down, smiling wide and flipping her hair.

May was beginning to feel at ease. She was being left alone.

And then someone yelled, "Wait a minute. Isn't that Champion May?"

There was a moment of silence as everyone studied her.

Then it was like she was Solar Beamed in the face. She was nearly blinded by the flashes, and she instinctively raised her hand over her eyes. She couldn't see the faces behind the lenses, and it felt like she was being closed in on something that wasn't entirely human.

"Champion May!" someone called from the crowd. "Where have you been these past few years?"

"Is it true that you went to Kalos?" another asked.

"Why'd you run away?"

"Look here! Look here!"

She was living her nightmare all over again.

Despite the blinding brightness, she felt as if she was being pulled under black waters. She didn't know which way to go, which way would give her the air she so desperately needed.

Arms reached out and grabbed hers, forcing her legs to move. She tried to speak, tried to shake off the people who held her, but her mind was thrown into disarray. Her will to face her fears was crumbling to the ground, and all of Charles' words seemed to slip away in the wind.

What had she gotten herself into?

"May!" came a voice, sharp with concern.

She forced her eyes to focus again. Somehow, she was standing inside the building. The lobby was much quieter than it was outside, and the only people around were the receptionist at the front desk and a few security guards standing near the walls. They eyed her with concern, as did Brendan and Lisia, who still had their hands around her arms.

She backed up out of their reach. "I… I'm fine."

Lisia huffed out a breath. "You didn't look so fine back there. Didn't you hear me? I said 'Razz Berry' like, five times."

"Sorry…"

Brendan rubbed the back of his head. "Well, we're here now, right? Let's just… have some fun now. Okay?"

May sucked in a deep breath. She'd failed miserably at her plan to make peace with the fame.

"Quit being a coward," she whispered to herself as she followed her friends across the lobby.

"Here for the party?" the receptionist asked.

"Yes ma'am," Brendan answered.

"May I see your invitations?"

Lisia reached into her bag and pulled out two flat pieces of paper, a golden pokéball-shaped seal in their corners. She slid them across the counter.

May touched Lisia's shoulder. "Lisia, I forgot my invitation."

"Oh, that's okay!" the receptionist quickly said. "You don't need one, Champion May. The president has always spoken fondly of you, and he'll be pleased to know you've stopped by." She gathered the invitations into her hands. "You guys are going to go up the stairs to your right. The party is being held on the second floor."

"Thank you!" Lisia said, already bounding off for the stairs.

As May and Brendan turned to do the same, the receptionist called out, "I-it's nice to see you again, Champion May! I've always been one of your biggest fans!"

The security guards shot her a warning look.

"Th-thank you," May replied, and the receptionist blushed. The security guards relaxed.

"That was almost a disaster," Lisia said as May caught up to her. "I can't believe you forgot your invitation!"

"Sorry…"

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter, does it? You got in!"

"Yeah…" May said, trying to sound enthused.

All the desks and computers that usually occupied the second floor were nowhere to be seen. The spacious room was teeming with chattering partygoers and servants holding trays of drinks, and everyone looked up as the trio walked through the door.

A hush settled over the room, and all conversations were subdued to whispers. Everybody was watching May, not even trying to hide the fact that she was the topic of discussion.

She stood awkwardly in the doorway, wanting to hide underneath the refreshments table by the back wall.

"You always know how to make an entrance, don't you?" came a shrill voice to the side.

May turned her head in time to see a young woman saunter over. Her hairstyle – two buns on the top of the head that tapered off into two long ponytails in the back – was easily recognizable.

May raised her brows in surprise. "Roxanne."

Roxanne stopped in front of her. "I see you're finally back from the dead."

"Yeah…"

"It's about time. Some of my students have been asking me if you'd ever visit us again, and I've never been able to give them a direct answer. You'll visit, right?"

"Of course."

"Good." Roxanne smiled and closed her eyes. "I sometimes remember the day I handed you the Stone Badge. I felt so uplifted from our battle."

"Me too," May said. The Stone Badge had, after all, been her first badge ever.

"Even though I don't stand a chance against you, it would make me happy if we could battle again someday."

"That goes for me, too!" came a man's voice.

A tall, blue-haired man decked out in black-and-orange sports gear suddenly appeared behind Roxanne.

He grinned down at May. "Long time no see, Champ."

Roxanne sighed. "Brawly, didn't anyone tell you that this was a black-tie event?"

"What are you talking about? I'm wearing black, aren't I?" Then back to May, "I didn't even recognize you for a sec. Not until everyone started whispering your name like a mantra or something." His voice was loud and bold, easily overpowering the thin whispers. It only seemed to bring more attention to where May stood, but Brawly didn't seem to notice.

He rested his hands behind his head. "Jeez, how long has it been? I haven't seen you since you challenged the gym, which was ages ago."

"Yes, it's certainly been a while," May agreed, trying to keep her voice low to match the quiet room. "But I'm back now. For good."

"Excellent." His smiled grew a bit reminiscent. "A wave may draw back, but it always returns to shore. A giant wave of a talent like you… I knew you would return eventually."

"Speaking of which, I am a bit curious," Roxanne said. "I'm sure Surfer Dude here is too. So May, would it be rude of me to ask where you've been all this time?"

May stiffened. She should've seen this coming. It was such an obvious question, and yet she'd done nothing to prepare herself for it.

"Wait." Brawly held out a hand. "Don't tell us. You've been in Kalos, haven't you? Or more specifically, Frost Cavern?"

"Um, no…"

"Oh, I see." He nodded slowly, as if he'd been entrusted with a personal secret. "Don't wanna give up your secret training spot, eh? Can't say I blame you. You don't have to worry though – your secret's safe with me!"

Even if that was a secret of hers, he wasn't doing a very good job at keeping it. He was still talking incredibly loud, and by now, nearly everyone in the room had stopped talking altogether to eavesdrop.

"Frost Cavern…?" Roxanne mused. "I suppose it is a rather good training spot, but I'd never be able to withstand the cold for long. How'd you do it?"

"Don't you know where Frost Cavern is?" Brawly asked Roxanne. "Dendemille Town is right there. So it's not like she was camping out in an igloo the whole time." He turned to May. "Right?"

May sighed heavily. She should have remembered how lies spread much faster than the truth, how misinformation was promoted in an attempt to boost social engagement. Oh, the beauty of the media.

Her sigh did not go unnoticed, and Roxanne furrowed her brows in concern. "I'm sorry – I shouldn't have said anything. Are we annoying you?"

"No, you're fine," May assured them. She was grateful for the company, since everyone else was staring at her like she was an escaped criminal. What's more, the two gym leaders seemed to be completely at ease with her, not at all put off by the fact that she'd run away for a few years.

"To be honest, I didn't think I'd see you guys here," she continued.

"Well, it's only natural that I come," Roxanne said. "I only live thirty feet away. But this guy, on the other hand…"

"Where there's a party, there's Brawly," he said proudly, like going to parties was a talent. "I had to come when I heard Devon was throwing one. Of course, I was expecting strobe lights and wild dancing, but this is nice too, I guess."

May looked around the room. "Are there any other gym leaders here?"

Roxanne looked with her. "Flannery was supposed to come, but I don't see her yet. As for everyone else, I can't say, though I imagine they all have relatively busy schedules. How about your dad? Is he coming?"

May shook her head. "No. He becomes very introverted when it comes to these types of things."

"Good 'ol Norman," Brawly said with a shake of the head. Then he looked up and asked, "Why'd everybody stop talking?"

As if they were embarrassed for being called out, some of the onlookers turned away and sipped from their flutes of champagne. Most, however, continued to unashamedly stare in silence.

May fidgeted, feeling entirely responsible for ruining the party-like atmosphere. She looked behind her for Lisia and Brendan, but found that they had somehow disappeared.

She wanted to leave. She wanted to turn on her heel, walk back down the stairs, burst out the doors, and fly away on her pokémon. At the same time, she knew she needed to stay. She'd already made a coward of herself today, and she wasn't eager to do it again.

These people were actors, executives, and CEO's, celebrities in their own right, and yet they watched her warily as if they were a horde of weak pokémon about to be caught.

A memory swept her up then, one that was a few years old. She'd been wandering around the Safari Zone, intrigued by the aspect of catching pokémon without the use of her team. She'd been allowed to toss pokéblocks and creep closer to a potential catch, steadily gaining its trust in order to attain victory. All in all, it was a battle between only her and the wild pokémon.

The situation she was in now wasn't too different. She felt like she was back in the Safari Zone, able to use only her own wit to help her. Though there was no combat involved in a Safari Zone battle, it was still a battle nonetheless. And battling is what she did better than anybody else.

"I'm going to wander for a bit," she said to the gym leaders, excusing herself from the group.

She didn't walk far. There was a man about her age standing just a few feet away, and she figured she'd start with him.

She went over to stand a little more than an arm's length away. The man looked wildly around him, as if he were a cornered Magikarp and she, a hungry Sharpedo.

"Hello," she said simply, in her mind tossing a pokéblock at his feet.

He whipped his head back to face hers, seeming completely surprised that she'd actually spoken to him.

"Uh…" He coughed a few times. "H-hello, Miss Champion."

"Just May is fine," she said, creeping a few inches closer. "What's your name?"

He swallowed hard. "D-Derek, ma'am. I, uh, I work. I work here. At Devon."

"You work here?" she repeated. "Well, congratulations on the company's recent success."

"Th-thank you," he replied. "Though I can't take the credit. I'm just one of the many assistants."

"You're too modest," she said, throwing another pokéblock. "Success is due to the efforts of not just one person, but many. I'm sure you worked just as hard as the President himself to bring this company to where it is today."

Derek shuffled his feet. "You're too kind, Miss Champion."

She crept even closer. "Just May is fine," she said, repeating her earlier words.

Derek flushed and looked down, his eyes landing on her exposed leg before focusing on the floor.

May discreetly looked over his shoulder. About three-dozen people were still staring at her, though their looks seemed less wary and more curious. Perhaps they were beginning to realize that she too, was just a human being, with or without a billion cameras swarming her face.

"Well, Derek," she said. "I'm afraid I have to cut this conversation short. Nonetheless, it was a pleasure meeting you."

She moved on, stepping around him and looking for the next closest person. She risked a look behind her and saw that Derek had quickly collected a small crowd of men around him, all of them talking animatedly and playfully jabbing him in the ribs. It looked like her plan to dispel the dark cloud of tension was beginning to work, and if she'd been in the Safari Zone, she would have just gotten a successful catch.

She wandered around aimlessly, continuing to introduce herself to people who happened to be nearby. Soon enough, people stopped staring at her and started having conversations amongst themselves again. Still, not everyone she talked to was particularly friendly. Some questioned with bitter looks how she'd liked Kalos, one man asking altogether why she'd abandoned the country. In response, she could do nothing but proclaim that despite her long and unannounced absence, she was back.

During her meandering, she searched for Brendan and Lisia. She wondered if they'd left the party without her, and she felt a bit hurt.

But as she neared the back of the room, her gaze fixed on the stairs leading up to the third floor – President Stone's office. Judging from the red velvet rope that blocked the entrance, she didn't think that the party continued up another floor. It couldn't hurt to check, though.

After a quick glance to make sure nobody was watching, she stealthily slipped under the rope and bounced up the stairs.

Right away, it was obvious that the party did not continue here. The sound of talking and clinking glasses resonated behind her from the second floor, but there was nothing but silence on the third.

The lights were off up here, the room awash in an orange glow from the late afternoon sun. The long furniture cast even longer shadows, darkening the room in defined patches.

She wasn't alone, though. Standing in the corner, facing away from her, was a man.

It was the same exact figure she saw many years ago, when she'd climbed down to the lowest floor of Granite Cave. Like now, he'd somehow managed to appear refined, calculated, and calm, even when she couldn't see his face. He was the person she'd looked up to, learned from, grown close to. And despite it being years since she'd last seen him, she felt a pain in her chest, the same kind she'd felt when she found his letter.

She must have made a noise of some sort, a gasp maybe, because he turned around to look right at her.