Chapter 62

Hefting her bag on her shoulders, May smiled as Solidad and Harley bid her farewell, Max standing off to the side with Daisy and Gary. She'd finally decided to embark on the rest of her journey. After all, Drew clearly didn't want or need her support, so that was all there was to it. He wasn't going to wait for her, and she wasn't going to wait around for him, not when there were ribbons to be collected.

She'd really needed Steven to remind her of what she should do, else she would have ended up waiting for Drew.

'Message me when you've won that contest,' Solidad whispered before pulling May into a tight hug.

'Shall do,' May grinned back before turning to Harley.

'Oh, hon, I can't believe I'm letting you go so soon. You take care and call me if you need anything! I'll be faster than Alakazam!' Harley cried as he pulled May into an extremely tight hug, acting every part the proud mother he felt entitled to being called.

Blinking back totodile tears, the man continued, 'my baby is all grown up! Soon she'll be a top coordinator too!'

'I don't know about that, but I'll be back before you know it,' May grinned back at the man before turning to her family, knowing that her friend needed space to recollect himself and for her to regain her composure.

No one could make anyone else feel flustered quite like Harley.

'Come give me a hug!' Daisy called, flashing May her pearly whites as she held her arms open in an inviting manner.

With a laugh, May rushed forward, hugging and kissing the woman's cheek before doing the same to Max and Gary.

'Stay safe. You know how to find me if you need any help at all. Any time, any day,' Max whispered to his sister, who grinned at his concern.

'I love you too, little brother! Isn't it cute, he's so concerned for me!' May grinned at Daisy, who chuckled as May pinched the youngest man's cheeks, though he tried to dodge her movements.

'Hey, I'm in the same boat. Anything you need, at all. Day or night, I'll be there, probably with Birch too,' Gary muttered to May, who flushed at the statement, grateful that the others around her hadn't heard his statement.

'Thanks, cousin,' May grinned shyly at the man as Brendan, Orlando, Steven and Wally appeared out of the Pokémon Centre, looking around at the assembled people.

'Oi! Are you trying to sneak off again without saying goodbye to me? Come here, diaper buddy!' Brendan hollered as he held his arms out in an expectant manner, a cheeky grin playing on his lips that May automatically mirrored.

With a small laugh, May ran up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, 'I'll miss you! Tell your father and uncle I said hi.'

'Yeah, yeah, I'll spend some time with your parents too while I'm at it. I'm sure Steven would love to come along with me for that. He's always discussing strategies with your father and updating your mother on the latest pokémon trends,' Brendan said, waving her off as she quickly hugged Orlando, the younger man scowling irritably at his brother who always related to May first.

'Stay safe, May. Don't do what you did for Skitty for anyone else,' Orlando muttered in her ear, his face flushing slightly as he sent her a worried glance.

Seeing his concern, May nodded her head, doing her best to send him a reassuring smile before she was pulled away by Wally, who pulled her into a light hug.

'I'll see you at the Grand Festival or back home,' Wally murmured as he pulled away from her, his emerald eyes flitting from her to his feet.

'Leaving the best for last, are we?' Gary called out loudly, though May sent him a warning glare before she saw Steven Stone standing nearby, his expression filled with only the slightest hint of strain.

With an eager grin, she pulled him into a tight hug, wishing she could explain her relationship with Gary.

'Stay safe, gym leader. I know you have a knack for attracting problems, so remember to look out for yourself and your pokémon. Just… stay safe, be careful and return to Hoenn in one piece,' Steven murmured in her ear, and May felt her cheeks flush at what Steven also implying.

It was an unspoken approval for her to do what she had to in Almia in the face of any difficulty. Given that Almia didn't have their own league and champion, it was a bold statement for him to overstep the boundaries set up by the rangers here.

However, she knew that Steven, like Ash, was aware of her hidden ability to attract problems and react to them in a sometimes-unwise manner, though she always did her best. After all, Drew hadn't been knocked out on Mirage Island because of anything Ash Ketchum had done.

No, that had all been her rotten luck.

'I'll do my best, champion,' May smiled at the man before extrapolating herself from his grip, not seeing the regret which flickered on the man's expression before returning to his habitual stoic expression.

'May, leaving so soon?' Ash's voice called as he and Misty arrived on the scene with Leaf in tow, Red standing beside his cousin, appearing indifferent to his companions and their varying reactions to May.

'Yes, I have to go get more ribbons,' May smiled as she sent an apprehensive glance to her two travelling companions—Iris and Cilan. She didn't know if she could stay much longer, especially with how angry her presence was making Drew.

'I see. Have a safe trip,' Ash murmured as he held his arms out to her.

With a slight chuckle, May hugged the man back, whispering, 'you too, Ketchum.'

The man gave her an affectionate smile as Misty whispered, 'I'll miss you.'

'I know, but we'll always be friends, right?' May winked back, hoping her friend knew the genuine meaning behind her words.

'I love you too, Petalburg,' Misty chuckled before pulling her in a tight hug, all animosity between the two appearing to be forgotten, much to May's relief.

'Cerulean, I'll always be the better leader,' May chuckled in response as she pulled away from the woman, not seeing Leaf's dark glare, which was aimed at her.

'Not if I made champion before you!' Misty retorted with a light laugh.

'That's something I have no intention of becoming any time soon,' May responded, poking her tongue out in disgust, already knowing how the reigning champion of Hoenn would react.

'Gym leader, that's out of your control. All that's waiting is your signature and the process can finally start,' Steven's voice called at her words, though May waved him off, not noticing Misty's confused expression as she glanced from one person to the next.

'So, you'll be heading back to Mount Silver then?' May questioned Red, who blinked at her, appearing surprised to be addressed.

His red eyes flickered to Leaf before he responded, 'I might be interested in entering a few tournaments in the future. Will I see you there?'

'Not until I'm a top coordinator,' May grinned back, ignoring Leaf's angry glare, which she aimed from May to Red, her lips pressed into a thin, hard line.

'I'll be waiting,' Red chuckled before Ash glared, 'hey, that's not fair! You've never ever offered to meet me at a tournament and I'm your cousin!'

'That's not my fault, is it? Maybe you should work on bettering your relationship with each other. You'll notice that I actively talk to my extended family now,' May grinned at the man, enjoying his clear irritation as she heard the growing snickers from those around her.

'You try being related to a reclusive mute that hates society!' Ash snapped back, though it lacked lustre as he glanced with clear apprehension at his cousin.

'Come on, May, or we'll never leave!' Iris hollered at the woman, waving her hand in an irritated fashion.

'She always was impatient,' May mumbled to Misty, who chuckled before verbally indicating her agreement.

'All right, I'm off! See you all, it was nice meeting you, Red, and you Leaf!' May called out before rushing after the two Unovan Trainers, who were walking down the busy road of Vientown.

They hadn't made it out of the town when another shout stopped them in their tracks, the familiar voice of Orlando.

Turning, May was surprised to see Lisia and Wallace, pushing Drew in a wheelchair.

'Drew, you're not supposed to leave the Pokémon Centre!' May called as she rushed over to them.

'I had to see you off, didn't I?' Drew responded, sending her a shy smile that had her heart skipping a beat.

She'd missed seeing him smile like that.

'No, you didn't,' May smiled back, biting her lip uncertainly, wondering what she would do to irritate the man this time.

'Well, I wouldn't be a very good friend if I hadn't been here, would I? I'll work on getting better if you get your third ribbon. Just promise me that you'll Xtransceive me straight away,' Drew smiled at May, who blinked at him.

'I'll do my best, but if anything changes you have someone tell me straight away. No matter where I am, I'll come back for you, and help you walk as soon as the doctor says so. Your health is more important than a ribbon,' May responded, not seeing Lisia nudge Wallace, an eager grin on her face, though the older coordinator seemed unphased by his niece's behaviour.

'Mayyyy, aren't you just a cutie! Oh you're so sweet! Drew, wife her already!' Lisia beamed as she swung her arms around May's slim waist.

Instantly, the two friends blushed as Wallace sighed at his niece's actions, looking chagrined as she beamed eagerly up at her companions.

'May, I do apologise for Lisia's antics, she's quite a fan of you two becoming something more… official,' the man responded in an apologetic tone, his eyes flickering to Steven and back again as Lisia grinned and nodded eagerly at his words, appearing not to notice any need for an apology.

'Please for the love of Arceus, let me have the strength to get through this,' Drew muttered to himself, though May heard him and frowned, wondering what he was referring to.

'May, if you need anything, anything at all, Xtransceive me. I'm here for you, I'm just a short call away, even if I can't use my legs,' Drew said in a louder voice, his emerald eyes imploring her as he twirled a pristine red rose in his hand, seemingly pulling it out of nowhere.

'Right back at you,' May beamed at him as he held the flower out to her, causing her heart to lurch in her throat.

'What's this for?' May questioned, a devious smirk playing on her lips.

Mirroring her expression, Drew retorted, 'for your speech in the Wallace Cup. Congratulations on a ribbon well deserved, even if my pokémon helped you win it.'

'Thank you, Drew, you've really trained Roserade to be amazing,' May mumbled as she sent the man a small, shy smile, taking a moment to smell the sweet fragrance of the rose, not seeing the way Gary and Brendan were snickering behind her, or Steven's stoned, icy expression.

'You should go,' the man responded with a small smile, a clear approval for her to embark.

Nodding her head, May sent him a small smile of her own, twirling the rose in her hands.

This all felt familiar, and May couldn't quite contain her happiness as she turned her eyes onto the last two people.

'Good luck,' Wallace beamed as Lisia winked, 'I'll see you there.'

A/N:

So Lisia ships May x Drew and poor Drew is embarrassed by it. Poor May can be quite thick, can't she!