I'm so grateful for all of the support I've had in writing this story. Here's the next chapter.
I don't own Pokémon
Chapter 1Waiting anxiously in a crowded café, May glanced around at her surroundings. Sure, she had what was arguably some of the best seats, with a window overlooking the harbour, but it was also one of the noisiest. However, if it meant that Harley found her quickly, then so be it. After all, a little part of her was dying to see the extravagant man. She'd missed him, even if she couldn't admit it to him.
How he'd found her in Sootopolis was beyond her, unless Solidad had told him. Considering she'd begged the woman to secrecy after finally acknowledging her disappointment in her current state, May knew the woman wouldn't betray her pleas without good reason.
Recalling the dark façade the eclectic man had sported years ago, it saddened her to realise that this was the first time she'd see the extravagant man in years. Whilst they'd bonded quite a bit over their time in Johto, she still wasn't too sure how to react to his strong persona, especially with the years that had passed since she had last encountered the man. She hadn't meant to lose touch with the two men in their little coordinating family, it had just happened.
Sure enough, a shady character sauntered through the crowd, parting it effortlessly. People seemed to fear him slightly, though the figure didn't seem to notice. He was dressed in a dark purple suit that May soon noticed resembled a Banette. With a weary grimace, she soon realised that the man had ditched his Cacturne suit for a purple version of the intimidating grey pokémon. At least his hat looked like a sleeping hat May had had as a young child. It didn't mean much, but maybe she could steal his hat to sleep in it at night to reminisce her childhood.
'Oh, May, hon! It's so good to see you!' The profligate man called before skipping to her counter. True to his style, he seemed oblivious of the stares he was receiving from the baffled patrons of the café.
'Hi Harley,' May grinned, finding herself unusually eager to see the man.
'It's been so long, I thought you'd died until Solidad corrected me! Even poor Drew feels hopeless without you! Though that really shouldn't surprise anyone, when you think about it,' Harley cried, his large green eyes pouring out giant Totodile tears as his bottom lip trembled.
Knowing Harley, May couldn't be quite sure as to the sincerity of his tears, but she felt flattered all the same.
'Harley, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have disappeared quite so suddenly,' May whispered, staring at the wooden table before her, her shame at losing touch with one of her closest friends filling her. She'd had many dreams about this meeting over the years, had fantasised about various apologies, but none of them had ever seemed good enough to her.
'Hon, why did you disappear? I mean, we both know that after all I've done to you, that I can't really scold you, but it made me feel like I was scum. First you disappear, then Solidad. I can preach all I want about my pain, but that doesn't even begin to compare to how Drew must have felt,' Harley muttered, crossing his arms as his tearful act disappeared in a flash. His countenance was disapproving, but May could see the concern flashing in his gaze as he took a seat opposite her.
'Well, I'm sorry I never told you, but I didn't really know how to. Over the years, I wanted to talk to both you and Drew, but I couldn't figure out what to say. My father wasn't well, so I had to take care of things at home. One thing lead to another, and I soon found years had passed since I last saw you all,' May grimaced anxiously, poking her fingers together sheepishly as she tried and failed to meet the man's gaze.
'And that meant you couldn't contact any of us for how many years why? Hon, we weren't going to bite your head off, and you know it,' Harley continued to press, his tone disbelievingly distant. He glared down at her, apparently unaffected by her sheepish display of guilt.
Glancing at the crowd around them, May muttered, 'I know I was in the wrong, but I couldn't bring myself to tell you. First there was the Grand Festival, which you'd all worked so hard for. I mean, I'd told Solidad, and she lost in the third round. I was watching the whole thing, and even the reporters were saying how strange that was. She was calling me every day, worrying about not just my father, but myself and my family. The only positive thing about that fiasco was that, since I didn't tell either you or Drew, at least I got to see you and Drew fight it off in the final round. I felt terrible knowing Solidad was so concerned for me and my family that she couldn't even think properly to fight. I didn't want to worry you both, and I know I shouldn't have.'
'And why didn't you at least contact us once things were better? You're not in Petalburg anymore, so things must be better, right?' Harley scoffed, his green eyes narrowed in an unforgiving anger May was all too familiar with.
Feeling overwhelmed, May frantically sought her mind for a reasonable excuse. Thankfully, a shadow fell on their table, putting a halt on their conversation and buying May some feeble time.
'Hi, may I take your order please?' A cheerful waitress asked, her black hair pulled back into an elegant bun which failed to mask her beautiful, curly hair.
'I'll have the Benedict Breakfast Supreme and a water, please. I can't talk for the annoying, pipsqueak twerpette before me,' Harley growled, his voice becoming uncharacteristically deep as he sent an ugly glare at May.
Wincing at his clear venom, May smiled nervously up at the young woman, 'Oh, ummm, I'll have the Miltank steak—well done—and an oran berry drink please.'
The waitress' gaze flickered between the two before she pursed her lips and left to process their orders on her system. From her countenance, May had a sneaking suspicion that she did not appreciate either herself or Harley as patrons of the café, though May was too tired from her shift to mention anything to her companion.
'They've been better for about a year now, but I'm still worried about leaving for another region,' May muttered, meeting the purple haired man's gaze as she tried to suppress her tears.
'Hon, your parents are strong enough to look after themselves. Besides, they have friends near home, no? Do you honestly think that they'd want to see you waste your life away for worry of them?' Harley frowned, analysing his nails with feigned nonchalance.
'I suppose I could always ask Steven to look in on them, and Brendan as well,' May muttered, tapping her finger on her lips thoughtfully.
'Boys? Who are these boys?' Harley frowned, focusing his intense gaze upon her, making her feel quite uncomfortable at being analysed so blatantly.
'W-well, Brendan and I have been friends since we were in diapers. He's like the older brother I never had, and he's about as annoying as one too,' May chuckled nervously, though it sounded fake to even her own ears. She'd never seen this protective side of Harley before, and it made her feel a little nervous.
When the man before her didn't respond, arching an expectant eyebrow at her, she knew he wasn't impressed with her response. Knowing he was waiting for further information on the other man, she continued in a quiet voice, 'As for Steven, he's my ex.'
'Hang on, pipsqueak, when did you get the all clear to date anyone?' Harley glowered, a menacing expression filling his face.
With a nervous chuckle, May responded, 'When my dad was in hospital and I found out Drew was with some blonde. I thought it was best for me to get my act together too.'
'Hon, please don't tell me you're talking about those rumours started by The Coordinator!' Harley laughed, all anger clearly forgotten as May sat before him, her expression stunned.
'Ummm,' May muttered, her thoughts reeling though she had no response. Finally she saw the waitress return, and felt grateful when their drinks were brought out before them.
Taking a sip of the calming oran berry juice, its mild flavour tingling her tongue, May responded in what she hoped was a blasé tone, 'Maybe, I don't really remember the details.'
'You're a terrible liar, you know that,' Harley blinked at her before returning to his joyous laughter, attracting the attention of some nearby patrons.
'I never said I was good at it,' she responded with a whine, pouting quite obviously. Changing the topic, she frowned, 'So that means he's not seeing anyone?'
'About as subtle as a sledgehammer,' Harley muttered, rolling his eyes slightly as May stared anxiously down at her lap.
Glaring angrily down at the brunette, Harley retorted snippily, 'Nope, he's been waiting for the right woman, which is more than I can say for you!'
'I'm sorry, I was trying to forget—never mind,' May's heated retort turned into a quiet murmur as she turned her attention to the café, looking for anything to distract the man.
'What were you trying to forget?' The man questioned with a devilish smirk that could rival his Banette's.
Blinking, May considered telling the man that she'd tried to forget the pain caused by seeing Drew with another woman. However, knowing it would only spur the man on, she muttered, 'My father being in hospital, of course.'
To her surprise, Harley muttered something about cookies being equally stubborn. As quickly as his expression was bitter, it became over eager again as he grinned, 'So, you're the only one of us who hasn't reached the acclaimed title. When will our little family go back into the circuit?'
Once again, May was surprised by the turn of the conversation. With a frown, she muttered, 'Harley, I can't.'
'Yes you can, and you will. What's holding you here excluding your suppressed memories of Drew?' The man snapped back as the waitress brought their dinner. He sent a furtive glance at the view of the harbour and glowered, 'This place is a more technologically advanced version of Slateport, and we all know it wants to be a mix of that and LaRousse City, which oh so conveniently is his home town. Now, talk to me.'
There was an awkward pause whilst May waited for the woman to disappear back through the noisy tables.
Once they were safely isolated from unwanted ears, she responded softly, 'I'm scared of it, Harley. I'm out of practice and too old to just go on another journey. Besides, I've got responsibilities now, like my apartment. It's loaned against my name and I can't just abandon it.'
'Nonsense, you're perfectly fine the way you are. Besides, hon, that's why I'm here, to help you. And about that apartment of yours, you can find someone to hire if for sure; Sootopolis is a prime location. What about Steven or Brendan?' Harley waved off in a nonchalant manner, his mouth stuffed to the brim with egg.
'Steven already has an apartment in Sootopolis, his best friend is the gym leader here. As for Brendan, he's always travelling the world for his father's research. I can't spring this on either of them, it's not fair,' May shrugged slightly, really hoping that she found an excuse, any excuse, to stay safe in Sootopolis, even if her job made her miserable. She didn't want to fail again.
'Steven is friends with Juan?' Harley blinked slightly, a bit of egg falling from his mouth.
Wincing at the sight, May cut up a part of her Miltank meat before responding, 'They're probably friends, I'm not too sure. Juan's taken extended leave from the gym because of an ongoing injury he received fighting Team Magma. Wallace is taking his place until he has been fully reinstated by the League.'
'Wallace? As in the Wallace from the Wallace Cup?' Harley almost shrieked, jumping slightly out of his chair in surprise.
Wincing, May almost dropped her steak before she glared at her companion to be silent, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention from the patrons around them. After all, Harley might not live here but she did.
'Yes, they're quite good friends, what of it?' May frowned in response, hoping to find any other topic of conversation, though her brain gave her none. Why would her brain fail her now? Why? Didn't it remember the melodramatic nature of the man before her?
'Hon, what is Steven's surname?' Her friend frowned, his green eyes narrowed in a dangerous anger.
Sheepishly, May mumbled, 'Stone.'
'Are you kidding me?! Why would you pass up the chance to be with him?! I'd want the chance to be with him, the man's a dream boat!' Harley hollered angrily, his egg flying out of his mouth, almost in May's food if she hadn't reacted so quickly to pull it away from his firing range, under the table.
'Man, if I can't have him, give me Wallace, beautiful Wally!' Harley drooled, apparently unaware of the many eyes upon them.
'I'm so sorry for my friend, he's quite flamboyant, I do apologise!' May called, her face flushed a deep red to rival a tamato berry as she shoved her plate back on the table and waved her hands before her in a flabbergasted manner.
'So, why'd you end it?' Harley questioned, ignoring the slowly increasing conversation ebbing through the room.
Swallowing her chips, May muttered, 'We both realised that we weren't meant to be. Sure, we still care for each other, but we're really good friends now, nothing more.'
'What about Wally? Had a chance with him?' Harley wiggled his eyebrows slightly.
Considering her ill friend by that name, May muttered, 'Can you please not call Wallace Wally? I have a close friend by that name and the two are absolutely nothing alike.'
'You know what I mean!' The man snapped irritably. As quickly as his volatile temper rose, he deflated, 'I wonder, when did you become so acquainted with the influential in Hoenn, twerpette?'
'Well, I was a Gym Leader for quite a few years; that gave me quite a chance to meet them. Besides, Steven himself came with Wallace to inspect how I was doing with the gym. We got talking and found we had a lot in common,' May shrugged as she began to focus on her plate once more.
'Interesting,' Harley mused as he considered the way she scoffed down her meal. With a devious smirk, he questioned, 'So how soon will either of them inhabit your apartment?'
'What?' May choked on the last of her steak, struggling to breathe in as the flavour of Topo berry, Rindo berry and Shuca berry assaulted not only her tongue, but also her throat.
'May, I've seen the way you are with most boys, and have heard quite a few rumours. Surely you've noticed the way most of them would do anything for you soon after meeting you? I mean, hon, you're gorgeous,' Harley laughed in disbelief, apparently unaware of May's stubborn innocence.
'Ummm what?' May questioned, her sapphire eyes glaring with unspoken offence at Harley's suddenly amused expression.
'I'll take that as a no. So the rumours about Timmy Grimm and Syd for starters have clearly been forgotten by you. Hon, go call Steven, he'll find someone for in your apartment sooner than I can take a tour of it. You could probably earn quite a bit of money from renting it out at an increased rate as well,' Harley grinned at her, ignoring her disbelieving expression.
'What are you talking about? I'm not renting my apartment out!' The younger of the two glowered back, slamming her hands on the table.
'Hon, I have an indefinite amount of free time, and I will follow you home if I have to. You are joining me on this journey, whether you like it or not. Now, we can do this the easy way—you finding someone to look after your place—or I can drag you kicking and screaming by your hair out of this overpriced city and your apartment will be left desolate, a burden on your wallet,' Harley lectured as he drank his water, his green eyes flashing with an anger May knew all too well.
With a heavy sigh, she responded, 'and what about my job? My family?'
'Your family will understand, after all, your father was the one who contacted Solidad whilst I was visiting her stating that he wanted you to find yourself on another journey. It didn't take much time for me to find out where you were and then to come here,' Harley smirked once more, his tone as smug as ever.
'And my job?' May whispered, gripping onto the straws of desperation. She knew as well as he did that her job left her unfulfilled, resenting humanity and loathing herself.
'Face it, hon, it's a thankless job where all you receive is abuse and peanuts. Is this really what you wanted your future to be like as a child?' Harley responded, once again intent upon his nails.
Hearing the man who'd manipulated her as a young girl reiterate the questions she'd been asking herself, May promptly burst into tears, her shoulders shaking as she hid her face behind her brunette bangs. All of her childhood dreams and hopes had been crushed before she could attain them. Even now, she wasn't sure she could go back to coordinating—her pokémon no longer fought with the beauty and elegance she'd once strived for. Instead, she'd been forced to focus on overall power, only reiterating beauty sometimes.
Feeling something warm around her shoulders, May glanced up to see the blurry outline of her friend wrapping his arms around her.
'Harley, I'm so sorry! I say it every day to people who deserve it much less than you do, and I can't say it enough, but I'm sorry,' May whispered in a strangled voice before rubbing her head into the crook of his neck. The action of just sitting with a friend and crying out her misery made her feel terrible, but his comforting arms around her made her feel strangely safe.
'It's ok, sweetpea, don't think anything of it. All is forgiven, and I'm sure everything will work out all right in the end. After all, you were only considering everyone else around you. However, if you don't take the chances offered to you, you'll never leave your rut,' Harley whispered in her ear before kissing the top of her head. He rubbed her back slightly to appease her, probably hoping to discourage her from more tears.
With a slight shake of her head, May muttered, 'Ok, I'll go wherever you want. Let me make some calls in my apartment.'
'Do you think I'm letting you go home by yourself in such a state?' Harley scowled before pulling his wallet out of a concealed pocket and flicking some money onto the table.
'Let's get out of here, hon,' Harley grinned before pulling her out of the café.
The younger of the two didn't notice a figure in darkness watching them go, their hands in unseen pockets as she called directions to her apartment out for her friend as he rushed ahead.