Hi all,

Hopefully with a new battery in my laptop I'll be able to upload much faster. Also, I'm hoping the finally have a routine in my hectic schedule, so we'll see.

As always, I'm extremely grateful for all favourites, reviews and follows, you're all amazing :)

Chapter 38

Finding herself on a plane mid flight, May glanced at Dawn and Gary, who sat on either side of her. The conditions were cramped, but manageable, and she was grateful that she had her close friend and her cousin with her. Furthermore, she felt reassured that, in her bag was Roserade's pokéball, which Solidad had given to her for company.

'I can't believe I'm going to Kalos!' May grinned as Dawn pressed a few buttons on her Xtransceiver, looking thoroughly bored of the flight already. After all, she'd made the extensive trip to Kalos a few times, and the in-flight entertainment were all films she'd already seen. Even if Dianthe's famous new film, Connected, wasn't something she was interested in. May had a sneaking suspicion that her friend didn't want to become too absorbed in anything lest the Johto woman needed her support, something which May couldn't be more grateful for.

'So you keep telling us,' Dawn mused before she turned her attention to the screen embedded in the seat before her in a ploy to sift through the films again. With a pause, she glanced slyly at May before sending a knowing smile. In a purposefully innocent tone, she continued, 'why did you stay in Sootopolis so long, again?'

'Shut up,' May pouted as Gary chuckled, flicking through a scientific paper.

'Have you got a plan for this Contest?' Gary questioned, scratching his arm slightly as he turned the page.

'Well, Solidad suggested I use Roserade, but I'm not too sure,' May muttered, glancing at her hands slightly. It didn't feel right to her, especially since she couldn't consult Drew. Sure, she wouldn't mind if he used one of her pokémon, but Drew could be… for lack of a better word, funny.

'I think that would be a wonderful idea, assuming Roserade will listen to you,' Dawn beamed enthusiastically as May frowned, unsure if what her friend thought was a good idea actually was.

'So you say, but I can't be sure it's what Roserade would want,' May grimaced at the seat before her.

'Please, we all know that Roserade would be happy to help you. Just ask him,' Gary scoffed, surprising the brunette with his words. The man could be extremely insightful when he wanted to be. The problem was making him want to share his insights, especially with how intrigued he was by his research.

Releasing the grass and poison pokémon from his pokéball, May frowned, 'Roserade, I have a question for you. W—would you be willing to help me get my second ribbon?'

The pokémon glanced from her to her companions before nodding his head eagerly, surprising May as he called his name, jumping into her lap eagerly.

'Really?' May questioned, unable to hide her smile as she wrapped her arms around the pokémon's back, smiling as he nuzzled her side.

'It'll help him keep his mind off his Trainer,' Gary shrugged slightly as Roserade sent May a small smile, pulling away from her as he started calling out his name eagerly.

'Would you want to work with Glaceon or Blaziken?' May questioned as she returned the smile.

Roserade gave her a look, to which she grinned once.

'Right, I'm the Trainer. I was just wondering, since this probably won't happen again, if there was one you preferred,' May chuckled, seeing him roll his eyes at her antics, just like his Trainer would have.

'Well, you'd better get some good ideas going for your appeal. You wouldn't want to let Drew down,' Gary yawned as he placed his head on her shoulder, snuggling in comfortably, almost as if he were a small child.

'Gary, I was going to plan my appeal!' May pouted slightly, noticing Roserade narrow his eyes at Gary's antics, keeping May from reaching into her bag and taking out her PokéNav to take down notes.

'May?' Dawn frowned as her eyes flickered from Gary to her friend then her friend's rival's pokémon. Whilst Gary looked content and May looked flustered, Roserade did not look in the least bit pleased with either of the humans. Dawn was quite honestly dying to make a remark, or even to let out a squeak, but she knew she should behave.

'He sure sleeps easily,' May pouted as she managed to slide out her Xtransceiver from her bag and began to type up ideas for her appeals. She didn't want to use Roserade in the appeal round, despite his obvious experience. Considering the grass and poison dual type's expertise, she thought it would be like a slap in the face for the pokémon. After all, the Appeals Round was something where she didn't just want to honour Drew, but also to show her emotions.

'Is something going on between you two that I should know about?' Dawn whispered to her friend, who almost squealed at the accusation, an unseemly blush filling her cheeks.

'Are you kidding me? Gary and I are interested in other people! Of all people, I would have thought you'd know better than to ask me that!' May scowled as she avoided Roserade's narrowed eyes. She knew she shouldn't lie to her friends, but she couldn't tell them her relations to Gary, it didn't feel right until her blood relatives all knew.

'Right, Drew. How could I possibly forget him with Gary sleeping like an adorable Togepi on your shoulder?' Dawn mused, her voice sounding relieved as she teased the Johto born woman. With a cautious glance at the Kanto man, she continued, 'you might want to ensure that Gary knows that.'

'Trust me, he knows that nothing like that will ever happen between us,' May forced a smile as her cousin murmured something about Leaf.

With a pang, she glanced at her bluenette friend, 'what happened after I left?'

'When?' Dawn questioned, the strain in her voice hinting that she knew exactly when May was talking about. If May had been Iris or Misty, she would have called the Sinnoh woman out on the poor attempt at deceit, though she was much kinder than that.

'In the café,' May responded drily, blinking as Roserade sat in her lap, scowling at the brunet all the same.

'Well, from what Paul said, there was a giant fight where everything just blew up. I don't know the specifics, but I know that Misty was really angry and Gary pretty much said he wanted nothing more to do with Leaf,' Dawn responded sheepishly, trying to appear engrossed in the screen before her as she went through the list of films again.

'He said what?' May gasped, glancing at the man's peaceful expression, unable to fathom just what he'd done for her. Remembering her very first encounter with Gary, she felt a stab of guilt settle in her stomach as she realised just how wrong she was about the man. Hearing him mutter something in his sleep, May was sorely tempted to run a hand through his hair, just like she did for Max when he slept on her shoulder.

'Yes, I know. Whatever he feels for you, May, I just hope that you don't hurt him or Drew. You're skating on thin ice, and no ice type can save you when you fall, no matter how hard they try,' Dawn frowned at her friend, pausing as she glanced at the brunette, her concern evident in her eyes.

'I have no intention of hurting anyone, especially Gary or Drew,' May grimaced as she glanced nervously at the man on her shoulder, her hands busying themselves by tending to Roserade's roses.

Dawn sent her a disbelieving glance before turning her attention away from the screen and onto her PokéNav.

Whilst she hated lying to her friends, May knew that it was the best she could do for her family.