Hi all,
I'm so sorry this is late! I've been rather busy and lost track of time!
Chapter 18Fiddling with her Xtransceiver, May couldn't help but smile at the message Brawly had sent her. The duo had been becoming increasingly friendly as May informed him hesitantly of her challengers. Whilst she wouldn't have thought the man would care about her, she'd been pleasantly surprised, especially when he was telling her to analyse her battles for mistakes and habits which could affect her later.
Taking a seat on her sofa, May grinned as Solidad uploaded a picture of herself and Harley onto BuzzNav, posing precariously with a Dragonite fossil. Their expressions said enough to May, who felt a stab of disappointment in herself for not talking to Harley.
Rather than dwell on it, she typed a brief message to the Kanto woman before sending it to her personal inbox. Her eyes dwelling on the joy in her friend's faces, May turned her attention to the matter at hand. Her mother had requested she come to Mauville City, and she wasn't too sure if she should contact Mrs Birch and ask for the woman's support. On the one hand, she didn't want to take advantage of the woman who had explicitly told her she would do anything to support them. On the other, she didn't want to surprise her mum with a visitation she hadn't expected.
Her predicament was resolved for her with the sound of a brisk knock on her front door.
Shaking her head, May saw a message on her BuzzNav, a declaration from Misty that Ash Ketchum was dead for not advising her that he and Pikachu had left for a new region. Letting out a slight chuckle, she wrote a hurried response sharing the sentiment before opening the door to reveal Wallace. The man was admiring the plants her Venusaur, Wartortle and Beautifly tended to quite affectionately, almost as though he visited her abode regularly and was doing a routine check on them.
'Wallace!' May gasped before stammering, 't-to what do I owe the pleasure?'
'Champion's orders, I'm afraid. He wanted to check up on how you were so sent me. Besides, I believe his father wanted you to deliver these somewhere. He'll send you instructions via your Xtransceiver,' the man frowned, appearing less than pleased with the idea as he handed her the Devon Parts.
Hearing this, May struggled to contain a shy smile. With clear surprise, she responded, 'they did?'
'Yes, they have both placed great faith in you. Steven mentioned that he gave you a pokémon, is this true?' The man questioned as May's Xtransceiver began to ring.
Seeing the woman hesitate with the device in her hand, the man smiled, 'feel free to answer that, I won't impede on your personal time.'
'T-thank you,' May grimaced before answering the call, 'hello?'
'May, when am I going to see your pretty face, girlfriend?' A feminine voice asked, filled with a grouchy irritation.
Letting out a playful giggle, May grinned, 'hello to you too, Iris. How's Unova? Hoenn's pretty chilly at the moment, so I wouldn't recommend coming here if you want to avoid the ice types.'
'Don't you try and fail to get sassy with me, girlfriend! Besides, I'm thinking of going to Hoenn. At this rate, it might be the fastest way for me to see you!' Iris glowered at the woman, her voice dripping disapproval as surely as Muk oozed poisonous liquids.
'Really?' May questioned, trying, and failing, to keep the elation at this news off her face.
'Yes, besides, who else is going to keep you in line?' Iris chuckled back.
'I don't need anyone to keep me in line! Who do you think you are, Max?' The older woman snarled, much to the delight of her Unovan friend.
'Speaking of Max, how are the family?' The woman questioned with clear concern.
Hearing her question, May hesitated.
'May, don't you dare even think of lying to me now!' Iris hissed down the Xtransceiver as she registered her friend's confusion.
'Mum wants me to go to Mauville City. I don't think I can do this, Iris. The only person who can help me get there is Mrs Birch and we both know just how much I worry the Birches. I've never been all that good with appeasing the Birches,' May whispered, completely forgetting Wallace's presence near her.
'Don't be ridiculous, of course you can,' Iris chided, though May didn't share her enthusiasm.
'No, I can't. Look, I have to go, I'll talk to you later,' May grimaced as she tried to suppress her tears.
'Don't you dare hang up on me, May!' Iris scowled at her friend, who grimaced.
'I'm sorry, I have a rather important guest. I'll talk to you later, Iris,' May responded before ending the conversation, guilt filling her stomach with unease at the prospect of frustrating her friend.
'Do you need a moment of privacy?' The man questioned, his tone guarded as he eyed her evident apprehension.
Sending him a well-practiced smile, May responded, 'no, I'm good thanks.'
'It appears that you and Steven have more in common than I previously thought,' Wallace mused as he considered May's near perfect mask.
'We do?' May questioned, blinking up at him.
'Yes,' the man frowned as he gave her a sceptical glance. In a neutral voice, he said, 'let's get you to Mauville City.'
'What? You'd take me?' May gasped as her eyes widened in disbelief.
'Of course,' the star smirked at her before taking her pokéball belt from on a cupboard and ushering her out of the door.
Seeing the slick convertible outside her house, May didn't have much time to think before she was shepherded in and they were off.
The ride, whilst comfortable, was filled with silence a Wallace contacted various people on his Xtransceiver, his expression impassive.
Reaching the hospital, May clambered out awkwardly before seeing her mother in discussion with Steven.
'Steven?' May frowned as Wallace raised an eyebrow at the man, his lips pursed with the subtlest hint of his vexation.
'Oh, good morning. I wasn't expecting to see you today,' Steven smiled at her, though his eyes were troubled.
Seeing his eyes, as well as her mother's pale face, she frowned, 'what's happened now?'
'Your mother has just had some grieving news. Your aunt and uncle have passed, I'm afraid,' the Champion grimaced as Caroline began to cry.
'What do you mean they passed? What did they pass? Who are they?' May questioned as she felt the blood pulse through her veins, pounding in her ears. Since she was a young girl, she'd always dreamed about having an extended family. She couldn't help but feel herself become faint with the prospect of meeting them at last.
'No, honey, they're dead,' Caroline choked out, her expression filled with such a distraught pain that May felt her own heart lurch in her chest.
'Oh,' May grimaced as she felt her mother's eyes on her. The younger woman didn't react other than to stare down at her feet, her eyes roaming the tiled floor as she considered her mother's words.
'Are you quite all right?' Steven questioned as he touched her arm gently.
Rather than respond, May promptly shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Her mother had never mentioned any extended family to her and to hear of their existence through their death left her feeling extremely confused and uncertain. After all, how was she meant to react to this revelation?
Seeing her mother's tear stained eyes on her, May pressed her lips together and walked out of the hallway. Whilst she wanted to appease her mother's pain, she couldn't deal with it on top of everything else.
Turning a corner, May didn't see the group of nurses walking past, discussing their lunch. Furthermore, she didn't register the awed hush which filled their group as another person rounded the corner, following her movements.
The man nodded briskly at them before standing before the woman who had attracted his attention, his impeccable suit clashing with the hospital's sterile white walls.
With an angry growl, May turned her face from him, blinking back tears of confused frustration and despair. She felt like every time she had a slither of good news, the bad followed. First, there was her dad's treatment, but it wasn't working. Then there was Drew's reappearance, only to have the man be seen on a date. And now she had some news she couldn't handle, the news that was the last blow to her battered and bruised psyche. Finally, finally, she'd heard of the extended family she'd always dreamed about, only to find them deader than a Kabutops in a volcano.
Seeing the Champion's concerned gaze on her, May was sorely tempted to tell him to leave. She didn't want anyone to see her like this, bar perhaps her family or Brendan. They had all seen her at her worst, and wouldn't judge her any more for it. They alone knew just how human she was, whilst others, well, she was scared they would judge her for it.
Feeling her lips begin to tremble at the thought of the man who was practically her family, May let out a shaky breath, struggling against her tears.
Steven hesitated once before placing an awkward arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his chest, the scent of his rawst berry aftershave filling her nostrils.
They didn't say anything, he just held her close as she continued to sob, him rubbing her back slightly.