Hi all,
Here's the latest update for May, Gym Leader. Hope you enjoy :)
Chapter 19Waking to the sound of her Blaziken saying his name, May glanced up at him in confusion. With apprehension, she saw him hold out an empty milk bottle.
Blinking, May took a moment to realise that her pokémon was trying to tell her to go grocery shopping. Sluggishly, she tried to think of the last time she'd gone to the store.
Groaning, she muttered, 'all right, I'll get some milk.'
She rushed through her morning routine before stumbling out of her front door. For her security, she'd pocketed a few of her pokémon just in case. You could never be too certain when you'd need their help, especially since she didn't know if she wanted to be alone or have their company. Since the news Steven had told her, she felt lost.
Without many problems, she managed to buy a few groceries and was walking back home, deep in thought. Whilst she didn't know her extended family, she felt that she should grieve. However, how did one grieve strangers? She felt like a fraud, making a big deal out of something she couldn't even really care about without looking like a diva.
Seeing an image on The Coordinator's page in a nearby news agent, May felt her heart stop. Releasing her Skitty, May whispered instructions to her small pokémon before giving it a purse with just enough coins. Whilst she'd had plenty of warning, May had never believed it to be true. Had he really forgotten her? Was she disposable, an expendable commodity despite his affections?
Swallowing her pride, she tried to walk the remainder of the way home with clear nonchalance, hoping that the tabloid was as fickle as ever. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her stomach was queasy with unease, but she couldn't deny it. For the first time since she'd found out her father was extremely ill, May felt truly uneasy about something that wasn't a serious problem. It was probably a trivial trifle compared to everything else, so why couldn't she get the image out of her head?
Releasing Beautifly and Blaziken, May let out a shaky breath as she unlocked the front door to her home. The two pokémon stared at her with clear concern as she released her other partners inside the foyer. Her actions were haphazard but she couldn't focus.
Hearing their concerned cries, she offered a soft smile, 'guys, I'll let you all out in the garden for now. I'm sure you'll have fun, just try to keep the noise down.'
Offering a half-hearted smile at the resounding cheers of her pokémon, May opened the glass back door to let her pokémon out of the room.
Grimacing, she turned to her two remaining companions, both having remained inside, she could see their sceptical concern for her.
'Blaziken, when Skitty is back, please take the magazine from her and let her out with the others,' May whispered as she sheepishly walked up to her room, knowing her pokémon would try put away the groceries.
Sniffing as she recalled the familiar physique of her rival, May tried to smile, though it fell flat in lieu of recent events. Recalling the expression she'd seen on his face, a cheerful laugh, May couldn't help but feel hollow. Her friends had always told her that his roses had been for her, not her pokémon. They'd always reassured her that he held her in higher regards than just friends, but seeing his elated expression to the unseen blonde woman, May couldn't help but feel that they were all lies.
Realising that her vision had turned blurry, May blinked her sapphire orbs, feeling the tears once again fall.
Feeling Beautifly perch herself on her head, May's voice choked as she questioned, 'how could he do this to me, Beautifly? I know I haven't seen him in a long time, but he's just forgotten me. He never even tried to find me!'
Hearing her pokémon respond in a dejected manner, May tried to calm her breathing in the way Brock had taught her. There was nothing to worry about just yet, Skitty should be arriving any moment now.
Getting her Xtransceiver, May stared at Drew's number, wondering if she should dial it. If she wanted an explanation, the best person to ask would be the man himself. However, what could she say to him?
'Sorry I haven't been there with you for so long. I know we should have caught up after the Grand Festival to congratulate you on your astounding win, and I'm sorry I was too afraid to contact you. By the way, who is this woman on the front of a magazine with you?'
She was clueless, but she wasn't that clueless.
Seeing her door open from the corner of her eye, May turned to see her dual fire and fighting type pokémon enter the room, a magazine curled in his claw. His blue eyes were focused on hers, and he seemed almost hesitant to hand the paper to her.
'Blaziken, it's better I find out now,' May tried to say in a stern tone, though it fell flat, barely coming out in a choked whisper.
Uncertainly, her pokémon walked towards her, handing the paper to her. She could see in his face that the news wouldn't be good, and almost couldn't bring herself to look.
Flicking the paper open and turning to page six, May let out a strangled cry as she saw Drew, the man who was the object of her affections, her first crush, no, her first love, with his arms around some unseen blonde. Her gaze flickering to the other page, May felt something pierce her heart as she saw an image of the two laughing, eating ice cream and also one of the woman dancing with Roserade, who appeared perfectly happy with her. Considering the pokémon's usually stand-offish nature, she knew that the man's relationship with the stranger would be extremely profound.
'Oh no,' May whispered as she hurriedly read the article, which gave her absolutely no details as to who the woman was, or what she was to Drew. However, judging from the images, May knew that whoever she was, she was far more important to her rival than May herself had ever been. He seemed so much more at ease with her than he ever had been with May. All she'd ever been able to elicit from him was anger, scorn and the occasional gentle moment of respect, usually when she herself was at breaking point.
Barely hearing her pokémon as they tried to comfort her, May curled into a ball on her bed and began to cry, not noticing as Blaziken fumbled with her Xtransceiver, accidentally dialling Misty and Iris separately before finally reaching Brendan's number.
She was too distraught to even notice as Blaziken left her room, Beautifly trilling her name in an anxious manner.
'Beautifly, how come he never even thought of calling me? Did I do something wrong?' May whispered as she curled up with the Marill doll she'd received from someone when her family had still lived in Johto far too many years ago. Maybe if she'd stayed there with her mum things would have been different.
'May!' A male voice called, momentarily pulling her out of her thoughts as she noticed her Xtransceiver in her starter pokémon's claw, his expression filled with guilt at being caught red handed.
'Brendan?' May tried to squeak, though her voice broke and sounded completely strangled.
'Groudon, what's happened?' Her childhood friend's voice whispered as she saw him rush into the room, his device in one hand, the magazine in his other. He glanced at her once before crushing her into a tight hug, kissing the top of her head.
'I—he—I, oh Latias, Brendan, he's moved on!' May whispered into her friend's chest as she continued to sob, her voice breaking as Blaziken and Beautifly watched on, unaware of May's other pokémon stood anxiously by the door, having been alarmed by the ruby eyed man's distressed appearance.
Feeling her childhood friend rock her softly, murmuring gentle reassurances near the top of her head, May continued to cry as years of being strong finally caught up to her, her body shaking with an emotion she'd never experienced before.
Waking a few days later, May went through the motions, not noticing as Brendan called some of her friends in a room nearby, Blaziken keeping an eye out to ensure she remained away from the man.
Blinking her sore, dry eyes, May placed food in the various bowls of her pokémon, not registering their distraught expressions at their Trainer's obvious anguish. She didn't even register as her childhood friend returned to the kitchen, his arms crossed as his ruby eyes considered her movements, his lips pressed in a thin line.
They both knew that this was precisely what he'd hoped to avoid whilst Norman was in hospital.