Hi all,
Here's the latest update for May, Gym Leader. Thank you again for your reviews, favourites and follows :) Sorry it's a bit late.
Chapter 16Waking to the sound of Wingull, it took May a moment to recollect the events of the previous night.
Blinking, she glanced around her current abode to find herself, thankfully, alone.
Her thoughts whirling about her, May tried not to focus on the immense guilt which ate at her. Rather than be a supportive friend to Brawly, she'd done the opposite, abusing him for a shelter as well as her emotional insecurities.
Grimacing, May hurriedly showered and dressed before climbing into the kitchen to see Brawly frying their breakfast.
'Morning, sleepyhead,' the man chuckled comfortably, appearing perfectly at ease with her presence after the events of the previous night.
'Morning yourself,' May responded lamely as she took a seat on the bench top.
Seeing Brawly glance at her face, May tried her best to hide her guilt. Rather than succeed in convincing the man, she saw him sigh and put his spatula down.
'Babe, I'm sorry if my actions last night offended you. I wasn't in the right frame of mind, and having a babe as gorgeous as yourself in my house so soon after Shauna and I ended, well it wasn't the best idea,' Brawly sighed as he walked towards her, rubbing her arms slightly.
'No, I know, and I should apologise myself. I'm sorry, Brawly,' May grimaced as she considered the events, doing her best to suppress them.
'I shouldn't have done it, not until you were comfortably over Stu,' Brawly sighed, his regret surprising the woman, until she registered the error in the name.
With a giggle, she grinned, 'his name is Drew, but I think you're right. Drew or Stu isn't going to come back for me, I should just move on. Thank you, Brawly.'
'No worries, babe. We good?' Brawly blinked at her, surprised by her eager smile.
'Not until I beat the pants off of you!' May grinned back with clear delight.
With a smirk, the man began, 'babe, a stunner like you doesn't need to beat me to get my pa—'
'It's too early for that! I want breakfast first,' May retorted with a heated flush, hoping to Arceus that none of her friends ever heard about it.
'Right,' the man chuckled before turning back to the stove.
Grinning at his back, May couldn't help but feel an appreciation for the man. Sure, his laid back attitude had irritated Ash when they had first met, but it was something she had really come to appreciate in the man. After all, he did care, it was just that he did things his own way, observed things others didn't.
The morning passed by in a blur for May, who found herself laughing at Brawly's jokes and simply enjoying the company of his laid back attitude. Soon enough, she was pocketing her pokémon's pokéballs and walking out of the Pokémon Centre to meet Brawly for their rematch inside the Dewford City Gym. Despite her protests, he'd assured her that he wouldn't accept any other challengers until they had a satisfactory outcome.
Releasing her pokémon, she didn't see Orlando and Wally sneak up on her, admiring the training equipment which was undoubtedly used by Brawly as well as his pokémon.
'Beldum, I'll be using you in this match, as well as you, Blaziken. I need you both to be on your guard, and just follow your instincts. When we're up against someone who relies on instincts, like Brawly, we can't ignore our own,' May said with a small smile, hoping that her Blaziken didn't notice anything out of character for her.
'So, May from Olivine,' Brawly chuckled as his blue eyes focused on May's sapphire.
'Brawly,' May retorted with an arched eyebrow as her pokémon flanked her on either side. She hoped that no one noticed her embarrassed flush at the man's subtle smirk.
'This is a rematch between Gym Leader Brawly from Dewford Gym and Gym Leader May from Petalburg Gym,' Hideki cried, his tone reverberating around the walls.
With an obvious smirk, the Kanto man before her said, 'May, I've been churned in the rough waves of these parts, and I've grown tough using the cave at the outskirts of this town as my training ground, as well as using the equipment in this Gym. So you want to challenge me? Let me see what you're made of!'
'I'll win this time! Beldum, take the stage!' May cried as she saw her latest acquired pokémon levitate towards the area before her.
'Go, Machop!' Brawly cried as he released the pokémon.
As the two pokémon sized each other up, May saw Brawly's eyes linger on the shiny pokémon, whose steel exterior was not like other Beldum.
'My, my, May, it seems that the surf's got a few surprises left for me after all. I didn't think he was serious when he gave you this pokémon, but it looks like I'm wrong. What did you do for Steven to give you this Beldum?' The man mused, his expression becoming unreadable.
'I delivered a letter, you saw as much. I'm not going to start dishing out favours for pokémon,' May shrugged, not registering Brendan's entrance into the room, his windbreaker zipped up so it covered his neck.
'You sure that was all you did? You're a beautiful woman, babe, I wouldn't be surprised if you piqued his interest with that sunny smile of yours,' Brawly chuckled, noticing the way the three men's eyes narrowed in irritation at the remark.
'Enough talk, Beldum, iron defence followed by hold back!' May cried as she flung her arm before her.
'Getting right to the chase, I like it! There's no point in avoiding the storm if you're out at sea,' Brawly chuckled as Machop endured the hit, bracing himself as he had in previous battles.
'Good work, Beldum! Let's try zen headbutt!' May said as her pokémon was covered in an eerie pink glow before its head hit the Machop's side.
'Now wait!' May cried as her thoughts flew to Ash's battle with the man. Recalling the way Machop had abstained for acting, she knew that she had to wait, provoke the usually reactive man into acting.
'What are you playing it?' The man frowned as he considered her motives.
'I don't know, you tell me,' May grinned back as she remembered the way the man had taught her to dance the previous night. She could still remember the way his arms felt around her waist, and she felt that, if she just could provoke him to act, she'd be able to predict his movements.
There was a moment of peace in which neither party moved. Watching the man's confusion grow, May knew that he would fall into her trap—he had to. She was amazed the fighting type had lasted that long against her super effective psychic type.
'Machop, cross chop,' Brawly frowned, his brows knitted in slight frustration.
'Dodge it and use zen headbutt again!' May cried as she watched her pokémon float over its opponent.
Seeing the man hesitate, May knew she'd surprised him—he hadn't expected her to act so quickly, especially with a psychic type move.
Machop braced himself for the move, diminishing the damage as Beldum's eye strained under the physical exertion.
'Dudette, you're fighting differently,' Brawly whistled as May called out, 'use iron head!'
Beldum called out its name before speeding towards Machop.
'Dodge it like a wave!' Brawly cried, his eyes widening in disbelief.
'No you don't! Beldum, you can do it!' May cried out, clenching her fist as she took in a sharp breath.
'Come on, Beldum, slaughter that pokémon!' Orlando growled, causing the woman to blink at him.
'Slaughter? Isn't that a bit violent?' Wally frowned at the man, who waved him off, his eye intent on the match before him.
'Machop is unable to battle, Beldum wins!' Hideki's voice cried, pulling May's attention back into the battle.
'Well, babe, you've surprised me, like you did last night,' Brawly mused as he returned his pokémon.
'All right, we're up, Hariyama!' The man growled before releasing the intimidating fighting type.
'Right, use knock off and arm thrust to make that Beldum history, dude!' Brawly called out, causing May to react, 'iron defence!'
Watching her pokémon's exterior gloss over slightly, May said, 'you're doing extremely well, Beldum!'
'Not for much longer, Hariyama—close combat,' the man grinned as he watched May blink, focusing on the way he licked his lips in a way that was a little too sensual.
With a flush, May responded, 'z-zen headbutt!'
The command came too little too late as the psychic and steel dual type was hit head on by Hariyama's strong fist and leg attacks.
Wincing, May cried out, 'no, Beldum!'
'Don't be stupid!' Brendan's voice snarled, keeping her rooted on the spot. She couldn't rush forward to check on her pokémon now, not if she was going to be taken seriously as a Gym Leader.
'Beldum, return, you were great,' May whispered as she looked at the pokéball. She barely registered Hideki's words before crying out, 'get in there Blaziken, use a combination of sky uppercut and overheat!'
Watching her fire and fighting type encase himself with fire before running forward, May didn't register Brawly's smile at her predictable strategy.
Blinking, she noticed the man's confidence, and snapped, 'stop, Blaziken.'
Her pokémon paused in its movements to turn his eyes to her, its claw aglow with its unused attack whilst its body burned.
Watching Brawly's uncertain stare, May smirked. She waited momentarily, knowing that she had to surprise the man.
Just as he opened his mouth, she called, 'do it for Beldum.'
With a loud cry, her pokémon called out its name before unleashing the Contest-styled attacks.
'Wow, dudette, that's quite impressive, but Hariyama isn't done yet! Hariyama, use vital throw!' Brawly chuckled, his eyes alight with a joy May reciprocated.
'Blaze kick, Blaziken! Show us what that fire spirit in you is all about!' May grinned as she jumped forward, kicking the air out of enjoyment.
Watching the two fighting types collide, May covered her mouth as an explosion filled the room.
'Blaziken!' May yelled, almost tempted to run forward to find her pokémon.
'Hariyama!' Brawly growled as there was a loud thud.
There was a pause in which the others waited, before they were both revealed, huffing an puffing.
'Hariyama vital throw again!' The man persisted as May cried out, 'overheat!'
Hariyama took hold of the fire and fighting type before lunging him away. With an angered cry, Blaziken unleashed a powerful overheat attack.
'Land on your legs, Blaziken! May cried before a loud crash sounded, dust filling the air.
There was a pause, in which May forgot how to breathe. Both pokémon were on the ground, and May was finding it difficult not to show her anxiety.
Watching her Blaziken clamber to his feet, May barely suppressed a smile as the Gym's aid called out, 'Hariyama is unable to battle, Blaziken and May win.'
'What? Dude, that was in three moves!' Brawly gasped before turning his eyes on May's.
The man visibly shook himself before recalling his pokémon. He sent the woman a soft smile before laughing, 'whoa, wow! You made a much bigger splash than expected! Ok you've got me. I can see your talent becoming a giant wave that causes a storm of astonishment for Trainers one day! I look forward to the day where I can surf your giant wave!'
'Thanks Brawly,' May grinned before tackling her starter pokémon in a hug. Burying her face in his neck, she murmured, 'Blaziken, you're the best!'
The man crossed his arms once before letting out a slight chuckle at May's clear elation.
'May from Olivine and Petalburg, that was a good match, babe,' the man mused as he walked towards her.
Recollecting herself, May sent him a small smile, 'sorry, Brawly. That wasn't very professional of me.'
'Babe, you're a Gym Leader, not a robot. Yes, you need to maintain an air of some professionalism, but you shouldn't have to change who you are,' the man chuckled before rubbing her bandana clad head affectionately.
'If you say so,' May grinned back as the three spectators, Brendan, Orlando and Wally, reached them.
'I don't have a doubt that you'll do well, babe. Just remember that you're not alone in this. If you need help for anything with your Gym, you can ask not just myself, but Steven and Roxanne too. Even if you need help with Stu,' the man smiled kindly at her, touching her shoulder gently.
Hearing this, May felt her face flush as she stammered, 't-thank you, Brawly. It means a lot to me.'
'No worries,' the man winked at her.