Kanto, Part Two: Pallet Town– In which we shake things up a bit, and our favorite red-clad coordinator gets a fresh start of her own.
Author's notes:
- This is going to be a… *drum roll, please…* MAY POV CHAPTER!
- I know that this is a Drew-centric story and I promise that isn't changing. I just felt like changing things up a little bit for a chapter and trying to incorporate how May made the shift from Hoenn to Kanto when she originally didn't plan on it. We missed that in the canon, because she kind of just randomly pops up in Kanto at Ash's house, so let's quickly cover it here!
- After this, we're jumping right back into canon Drew-centric views and episodes and the contestshipping aspects of this story. If you're wondering why I've somewhat strayed from that with these last few chapters, it's because I really wanted to use this story not only to show us Drew's side in finding his feelings, but I also wanted to highlight Drew's journey, and I've had a lot of fun developing his side of everything (especially his super BFF-adventures with Solidad). And in this instance, I kind of wanted to ease May back into the story, because she's been gone for a while now. But yeah, don't worry; we're going right back into the good stuff, so hang tight for one more chapter. And note that I'm exploring some of May's feelings in this one as well, so this isn't void of contestshipping by any means.
- Mentions of the episodes, "The Scheme Team" and "The Right Place at the Right Mime."
- I have no excuse for why it's taken me so long to update other than I've been so sick and constantly in and out of the hospital since surgery, that I suck and life is ridiculous.
If May was being honest with herself – like, 105-percent-completely-upfront-no-barriers-totally-openly-honest with herself – she had known she wasn't going to win the Grand Festival.
She knew it was a possibility, and that it was a long shot; she knew there had been a small chance that she could have won it all. But she hadn't.
And in the moments after the Grand Festival had ended, she found herself okay with the fact that she had lost.
Not to say she hadn't worked hard all season; she poured her heart and soul into getting to as far as she had. But a part of her knew the second she got paired up with Drew, she was more or less done. She gave it her best and she completely accepted that at the end of the battle, Drew had been the better competitor. She had given it her absolute all, and it was okay.
For the moment, it had been okay.
But then, Drew lost. By the end of the festival, most of her focus had been Drew's defeat, which she found far more devastating than her own. She knew how important to coordinating was to him, and how badly he had wanted to win. It stuck with her, even after they'd had their short discussion on the beach and he'd seemed more or less okay with it all, accepting her main rival's bothered her for reasons she couldn't quite understand.
Her heart was broken for Drew, for reasons she couldn't quite understand.
But there was little time to dwell on it, as the competition her friend Ash had qualified for – the Pokémon League – came up quickly just after the Grand Festival. She did her best to put her strange sadness on hold to support her friend.
And then, she watched Ash face his loss in the Hoenn League Championship.
A striking feeling sank into May's bones as she realized that both their losses meant their time for the competitive seasons was over. The Contest Circuit wouldn't begin again for three months, and the Hoenn League wouldn't reset for two. But that didn't matter.
Ash never competed in the same league twice. He had just gone through all of Hoenn to earn the badges that brought him to Ever Grande City. He wouldn't want to stick around in Hoenn; May knew he wouldn't want to repeat everything he had done over the past few months.
Ash would move on from Hoenn, and she would be stuck waiting to repeat her own journey more or less. It was a difficult pill to swallow.
True, the contest season wouldn't be exactly the same. She'd face new and old rivals, and no two rounds would ever be a repeat. There would be new ribbons to earn and an entirely new season to tackle. She knew for sure she'd eventually run into Drew again as well, which gave her some relief, again, for whatever reason. He had told her he hoped to see her in the next Grand Festival, and she had a knack for running into him at contests throughout that first season. A part of her hoped her luck could stay in tack for the next season. For some reason, seeing Drew seemed like something to look forward to.
But…it just wouldn't be the same without her friends.
Her friends wouldn't be by her side every step of the way as they had been for the previous months. She doubted even her brother would want to travel with her. She knew that, though she loved her little brother, they'd drive each other insane were they to go together and alone.
The life she had known and lived for the better half of the last year was done.
And it was depressing; so, so very depressing.
Would she have fun next contest season? Without a doubt; she loved competing and her whole heart was set on becoming a Top Coordinator some day. She knew she could do it, and she knew she wanted it more than she had wanted anything else in her entire existence. Coordinating had become her passion.
And walking down the route towards Petalburg – her home – seemed all too much like the end.
Their farewell lunch had been so short, May wasn't sure it actually happened.
Honestly, she wasn't sure anything was happening; she felt like she was in a daze and that everything was moving entirely too fast. The world almost seemed to blur around her.
"You'll probably be back in Pallet Town by dinner time!" Max had said to Ash.
"Hope so," Ash replied. "No offense, Brock, but I can't wait to eat some of my mom's cooking."
"I can completely understand," Brock had laughed. "I've had your mom's food before; it beats mine by a long shot."
"No way!" Max shouted in disbelief.
She didn't understand how they all seemed so naturally cheerful. This was their goodbye, after all. Their last meal as a team. The fork in the road where they would separate was just a few short miles away from where they'd settled down.
And no one seemed to be aware that the journey they had embarked on together was about to end.
It made her sad, anxious, sick and an array of other things, but if no one seemed depressed, she wasn't going to kill the mood. She put on a brave face.
"We'll come visit sometime?" May forced the smile on her face as best she could.
But she knew full and well that Ash would probably leave soon after he'd get home, off to another region and another league championship. He'd be off on a new adventure probably before she and her brother stepped through the door of their home.
Next thing any of them knew, Munchlax was devouring their food, and Brock was forced to take out the extra food he had to prepared incase such an event should occur. Forever prepared; that was Brock.
It had only given them a few extra seconds together, but for the first time, May was glad her Munchlax caused any problems.
Ash had put his hand out in the middle of them, Brock placed his hand above, May followed and Max landed on top.
The group of friends stood a the fork in the road. It was here that the road that would force them all to go their separate ways. May and Max would make the short trek to Petalburg, while Brock and Ash would head to Lilycove to hop on the quick ferry ride to Kanto.
This was the moment May had been dreading.
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
May felt as though her heart had broken when they all pulled their hands back. The moment felt so heavy to her, and she watched as her Kanto-based companions easily turned and made their way down the road. Even Max, who had grown just as attached to their little group (if not more than she had) turned away quickly and began marching on the road home.
She took a second, blinked a few times watching Ash and Brock's retreating figures, and wiped at her eyes a bit. Why didn't any of the others seem like they were close to tears?
In that moment, she could practically hear Drew's voice in her head.
"Oh c'mon, May, don't be so whimpy."
It was definitely odd for her, hearing Drew's voice – of all people. But somehow, the moment felt empty without Drew there as well. She and her rival hadn't really shared a proper goodbye like this, and she noted that she felt something wrong with that.
Drew had been a big motivator for her throughout her first contest circuit. Though annoying at times, and sometimes a little rude, she couldn't deny that without him looking out for her in his own weird, Drewish way, she probably wouldn't have made it as far as she did.
She remembered, more than a few occasions, pushing herself to outdo him. And the times she'd been teased by him. And fighting with everything she had to keep him from drowning in those rapids on Mirage Island. And the times he'd given her good, genuinely helpful advice. And the first time he'd ever complimented her. And the time he saved her life from Team Rocket. And the first time he'd given her a rose.
Every time he'd given her a rose.
The roses she still had - unbeknown to anyone - in her travel pack.
They were all dead, having withered from so much time and wear and tear from the journey, but she kept them. It felt wrong to throw them away. Even the ones that were "for Beautifly." They were sentimental to her; they were signs that Drew had been watching her and appreciated her best efforts. The signs that he had noticed her.
Signs that Drew had a heart, and a good one at that, despite his best efforts to hide it from everyone.
She pursed her lips for a moment.
Did she…did she actually miss Drew?
No way…no way! She looked forward to competing against him next season for sure, because he really did fire her up and make her want to do better, but she definitely did not miss him. Especially not now, when she had just had a heart-wrenching goodbye moment with her real friends.
The friends who were slowly getting further away from her with each step they took. Max, too, was getting a little distance as he walked the opposite direction.
It made her feel guilty somehow: to think of Drew in the moment that she was breaking away from the ones who had loved and supported her constantly throughout the last few months.
But she couldn't fight off the thoughts.
She had tons of more memories with her friends from the previous contest season, but for some reason, the memories with Drew were the ones sticking out to her in that moment. Was it because he wasn't there? Could it have been that maybe she had considered herself closer to her rival than she'd ever really given herself the time to think about? Was it because…
"May, hurry up!" Max shouted to her from yards away. "Stop being such a Slowpoke!"
May's head whipped around in his direction and a small smile graced her lips. Leave it to her kid brother to interrupt.
"I'm coming!" she responded, jogging to catch up.
"Home at last!"
They both said it at the exact same time, and Max and May both grinned at each other's perfect timing. Just another "our-sibling-bond-can't-be-broken-even-though-you-drive-me-insane-sometimes" moment for the Maple siblings. There were a lot of those.
The two Maples made sure to wipe their feet on the welcome mats right inside of the entryway. Walking the several miles to make it back home, their shoes were sure to have gathered some dirt and dust along the way, and they were all too aware of their parents' rules about tracking mud. Growing up, it was a lesson they'd learned too many times after playing outside.
"Welcome home, children!" their mother surprised them with her approach.
Their house was the same as it had always been; warm and welcoming. And their mother's presence somehow enhanced those feelings. May threw her arms around her mother as quickly as she could, trying to soak in the moment.
The moment of finally being home after such a long time away.
Yet somehow, the moment felt incomplete. It could have possibly been that she hadn't seen her father yet.
"Dad's car isn't here," May pointed out.
"No, but he'll be back soon," Caroline assured her two children. "I sent him to the grocery store to get some things that I need for dinner!"
Not much time had passed since they'd just shared a meal with Ash and Brock, but her full stomach wasn't why May found herself opposed to eating. It just wasn't going to be the same without their traveling companions. Good thing she had few hours to go before the family dinner; hopefully by then she could force herself to eat.
A few minutes later, the three Maples found themselves in the greenhouse, where Norman let his Pokémon live and play during their off time in between gym battles. Slakoth and Vigoroth looked so happy to see them, and May felt the need to release her own Pokémon team so they could enjoy some much-deserved downtime as well.
"Come out, everyone!" May shouted, lifting her five Pokéballs up in the air.
Combusken, Beautifly, Skitty, Bulbasaur and Munchlax all landed on the ground, and wasted no time in scattering around their surroundings.
Skitty, a normally hyperactive Pokémon, darted for a log bathed in warm sunlight and settled in for a nap. May couldn't recall a time when she saw her Pokémon so instantly settled. Skitty definitely loved it there, and a part of May wondered how she'd be able to get her little kitten Pokémon out of there for training sessions.
Bulbasaur timidly approached some of the flowers growing in the garden and inhaled their sweet fragrances deeply. Beautifly hovered down towards them and chirped happily as well. May knew the large variety of flora and fauna would keep her grass and bug Pokémon busy for hours.
Combusken, always up for a test of his strength, chased the Slakoth and Vigoroth through the bushes and around the trees. The three of them got along surprisingly well running through the lush greenhouse.
"They all look pretty happy," Carolina commented.
Munchlax, naturally, went after the large bowls of food placed in the open. He was devouring the Pokéfood made especially for Norman's team. Max was on him instantly for it.
"Munchlax, stop it!" Max scolded. "That food's only for the Slakoth and the Vigoroth!"
"I'll bet you're both hungry after your long trip," Caroline guessed. "So tell me what you'd like and I'll make it for you."
Her mother's kind offer prompted May to cheer, and it was genuine. May loved Brock's cooking, but her mother definitely made some of her favorite dishes. Max seemed elated, asking for a "million French fries" and whatever else. She wasn't paying attention to him.
She looed back out at her Pokémon, all keeping themselves occupied in the greenhouse and idly wondered what Ash and Brock were up to.
"DAD!" Max practically screamed the second Norman appeared in the doorway.
The three of them had settled into their living room. Caroline had turned on the television but none of them paid attention; Max was too busy filling their mother in on what had happened after they'd said goodbye after the Grand Festival, and May had been interjecting comments and stories from their travels before then every now and then.
Caroline listened intently to her two children go on and on about what they had been up to. She'd missed May and Max terribly while they had been gone, but was overjoyed to hear of the wonderful experiences they'd had. Especially May; her daughter had never liked Pokémon all that much before she'd left, and now May had blossomed into an exceptional young coordinator with a big heart for Pokémon. It was all she'd ever wanted for her daughter: to find happiness.
They were so wrapped up in their conversations, that May and her mother had missed when the door slid open and Norman kicked his shoes off. But Max hadn't, and the young boy jumped up and slammed a hug into her father with so much force, Norman almost dropped the bags full of food he was carrying.
"Hi, son, it's good to see you," Norman laughed, patting Max on the head and looked up. "You too, May. I'm glad you both made it home safely."
"Hey dad!" May jumped up, rushing to hug her father as well.
The two siblings hugged their dad, having not seen him in months. They'd barely gotten to stay in touch over the course of their being away, because Norman seemed to be busy with handling his gym leader duties constantly. But just being there in that moment, locked in a hug with their mother behind them felt great. After so long, the Maple family was back together.
"Welcome home, Norman," Caroline greeted. "I'd come kiss you but it seems our children have you wrapped up tighter than a Seviper's wrap attack."
"You can say that again," Norman laughed. "I can barely breathe right now!"
After a few more moments, May released her father, and Max let go as well. Caroline approached to gather the bags from her husband.
"Thank you for getting these, honey," she said. "I'm going to get started on dinner right now so you three get ready to wash up soon."
"What are we eating?" Norman asked.
"It's a smorgasbord tonight," she responded. "May wants ramen, Max wants hamburgers and I already have a steak ready to go on the grill for you."
"Don't forget my French fries, mom!" Max cheered. "Dad, we have so many stories to tell you!"
"I can't wait to hear them, son," Norman assured his son. "Let's sit down; my feet are killing me; the market was a madhouse today."
May followed her brother and father back to the sofas while her mother continued onward to the kitchen.
"You all take your time and catch up," she said. "I'll let you all know when it's time to eat."
"Thanks, mom," May said.
"Thank you!" Max also threw out. "So dad, I have to tell you about Ash's gym battle in –"
May was overjoyed to have her family back together, and especially to spend time with her father. She, too, felt as though she had a billion stories she wanted to share, but for some reason, she just sat there quietly and listened to her brother speak, throwing in an occasional "yeah" or "it was great" every now and then.
By the time her mother had called them all into the dining room, May hadn't said much of anything, and her father was watching her.
Dinner came and past, Max filling up the entire time with chatter.
Norman and Caroline listened with utter fascination, learning about the incredible adventures their children had embarked on within the last year. May however, found herself somehow uninterested, possibly because she had lived through it, but more likely that reliving all of her experiences in the past year only served as a reminder that there wouldn't be any more adventures with her friends.
They had promised they would all stay in touch, and it had only been a few hours since they'd gone their separate ways, but it wasn't something May was used to. She'd grown so close and so attached to the little family that her and her friends had formed while on the road.
Now sitting here, knowing those times were really over was hard. Earlier, when the end was coming wasn't fun either, but at least they had been together. Now, it was just her, her brother, her parents, and what now seemed to be her boring life in Petalburg until contests started up again.
"Are you guys done with your plates?" Caroline asked, standing up.
"Huh?" Max tripped over his words at the interruption. "Oh, yeah, thanks mom! It was great. But yeah, dad, there was this huge Slaking in Mossdeep when we were there! I bet it wasn't bigger than yours, but boy was it huge!"
"I would have loved to see it," Norman smiled, leaning back while Caroline lifted his plate.
"OH, WAIT!" Max exploded. "I took pictures of it on my PokéNav! Let me go get it!"
With that, Max burst from the room, the sound of his heavy rushed footsteps running up the stairs resounding through the room.
"I can't think of where our son got his ability to talk so much," May's father commented while scratching his head a bit. "Probably from my mother; she definitely likes to talk."
"Norman, we should have them over soon," Caroline said. "I'm sure they'll want to see the kids now that they're back home."
"That sounds about right," Norman agreed. "What do you think of that, May?"
When her name was called, May looked up to face her father. She hadn't been paying attention to the conversation all that much. Her mind was scattered to a lot of different places; what Ash and Brock were doing then, how long she had to wait to start the next contest season, even where Harley was (not that she totally cared).
Norman and Caroline exchanged a look at their daughter's confusion; Norman seemed concerned whereas Caroline looked sympathetic.
"May, honey, how are you feeling?" Caroline asked, taking her near-full plate of food.
"I'm good," she responded, a little confused. "Why?"
"You seem like you're upset about something, sweetie," Caroline pointed out.
"Oh, uh, I'm just tired," May looked back down and stretched a little for emphasis.
Before Norman could press it, Max returned, running at full speed and bounding into his chair. The force of the boy jumping nearly knocked the chair over, but Max seemed either unfazed or he just hadn't noticed.
"Okay, I got it!" Max exclaimed. "Here, dad, check this out!"
Norman politely entertained his son by glancing over a few photos the boy was showing him. But most of his attention was on May, who kept her eyes down. What was bothering his daughter so much?
Perhaps it was her loss at the Grand Festival? He had followed all of her performances during the live broadcast. She had done remarkably well for someone so young and so new to the coordinating world of Pokémon. To think that a year prior, she had hated Pokémon, and now she stood as one of the finalists in her first Grand Festival! That was something to be proud of, certainly.
Maybe what she needed was to get out and enjoy some time somewhere else so she wouldn't be stuck thinking about her loss? That would surely help, and it reminded Norman of something. His eyes darted over to Caroline, and she gently nodded at him.
"And this is from when we were in Lilycove City, over by the–" Max continued to ramble.
"Say, son, aren't you tired from your journey?" Norman suddenly stopped him, needing just a moment of silence so he could really focus on his daughter. "You guys sure did come a long way, and it's getting late. Perhaps it would be best to continue telling me your stories tomorrow?"
"Aw, but dad!" max all but whined. "There's just so much to say! I don't want to wait until morning! I haven't even gotten to the best stories, yet!"
"And I can't wait to hear them, son, but for now, it may be best to go to bed. I do have to open the gym early tomorrow."
Max continued to protest.
"May, you're not tired right?" he whined.
"Actually, I think I am going to bed now," May said. "Thank you for dinner."
"Oh, you're no fun…" Max deadpanned, but began piling his dishes.
May nodded apologetically at her sibling, bid goodnight to her family and wandered up stairs slowly. Her hand dragged on the railing the whole way up, and her parents watched with a mixture of concern and confusion.
There was a dim yellow glow emanating from the green house; both Caroline and Norman could see it seeping through the curtains of their bedroom window.
Neither of them was asleep. They both lied in bed, silently discussing the issue at hand.
"I don't get it," Norman continued. "May's never been one to be so down about anything."
"Well, except for maybe the one time with the Tentacool incident," Caroline pondered. "She held onto that for a few days."
"This is different," Norman shook his head against the pillow. "I can't quite figure it out. Maybe she's still upset over losing out at the Grand Festival."
"I don't think so," Caroline pondered. "I was there with her, and she and I discussed it the night before I came home. She was okay with it; if anything, she was more upset about her friend – what was his name again, Drew – losing. She said although she wanted to win, she gave it her all and she was proud of herself for making it as far as she did.
"I could see it in her eyes; she was genuinely okay. I can't imagine it coming back to bother her like this, weeks later."
Norman sighed and rolled onto his side facing his wife.
"You're right; this is something else," he mused.
Both adults lay still for a while, silently considering other options. Neither of them had ever seen their daughter so depressed, and neither had been so lost as to the reason why.
She'd had a wonderful few months of traveling around with her friends and brother. Every time she called to check in or update them on her progress, she'd always had her usual chipper and upbeat attitude. Nothing could damper her spirits out on the road; she was born to travel and she'd spent a whole year doing just that, while also delving into a new passion and establishing herself as a young, talented coordinator.
After such an incredible year of fun experiences and wonderful memories, how could anyone be so glum?
…After.
AFTER.
It clicked for both Caroline and Norman almost instantly. Caroline's eyes lit up and Norman pursed his lips.
"Her adventure is over for now," Caroline spoke slowly.
"And she has quite a while before the contest season starts up again here in Hoenn," Norman finished.
"That must be it," Caroline continued. "Her adventure was put on hold and she's missing her friends and travels."
"Not to mention, I doubt her friends will be back in Hoenn any time soon," Norman added.
"She seemed so chipper when they both first arrived home this afternoon, but I guess maybe she was just excited to see both of us after a while," Caroline said. "I think after a few hours of being here and settling down, it hit her that she's got some down time before she gets to compete again."
"She really loves coordinating, doesn't she?" Norman questioned.
His wife surprised him by chuckling softly. He eyed her from the side and could see her eyes were distant as she recalled something.
"You should have seen her at the Festival," she breathed. "And I meant really seen her; been there with her. I'm sure watching on the TV was one thing, but to be there and see her drive. It was so thrilling. She was so happy.
"Norman, May loves what she does. I can't even begin to tell you how much she has grown by pursuing coordinating. She's always loved adventure, but I've never seen someone so young have such a passion for something. She was born to work with Pokémon; it just took her a little while to find her fit. But now, she's found it, and I know she's found her niche."
Norman digested her words, thinking carefully. Was he happy for his daughter? Absolutely, but that didn't help her at the moment.
"I know, and I'm glad she's happy, Caroline, but that doesn't fix our current problem," Norman said slowly. "I don't know if you or I can stand to watch her be miserable waiting for the next contest season to start. Even Max will start to go stir crazy eventually."
"You're right," Caroline sighed. "And it's certainly not going to get her out of the greenhouse before the sun rises."
The two fell silent again, trying to think of how to handle the situation. Norman knew his wife was right; he could see it in May's eyes every time she had competed that season, and he was sure to watch every one of her contests. May had a natural gift for coordinating, and it was never more obvious than when he watched her win her first ribbon.
When he watched her accept her prize on stage, and he could see the way her eyes sparkled on the screen of the television they had been watching, he knew that his daughter had finally found her place in the world and a sense of direction in life that people even at his age didn't quite possess.
His daughter had worked hard all throughout the season. Both he and Caroline watched proudly from Petalburg as May made her way across Hoenn, collecting ribbons and bouncing back from hard losses. It was a natural fit for her, and she had more than proved that she had the capability and the grace to pursue this as a professional career.
He couldn't have been prouder of how much she had fallen in love with Pokémon, contests and life.
It was all he'd ever wanted for his first-born.
Knowing they'd have a few months of waiting before May could continue to work for what she wanted more than anything was daunting. There had to be something they could do to make the time go by faster; to help get May to the next start of the next season more quickly.
The next season.
Her next season.
And then, another light bulb went off inside Norman's brain; an option he couldn't believe he hadn't considered. He shot up in bed, wrestling out of the covers and reaching for his slippers. A jolt of energy and an idea fueled him too move all too quickly, and he almost tripped climbing out of the bed.
Contests weren't exclusive to Hoenn anymore; they hadn't been for a few years.
"Norman?" Caroline was concerned, sitting up and watching him frantically reach for the tablet on their dresser.
She hadn't seen Norman move this quickly or this excitedly in years. Something was up.
"I need to search for something," he replied, unlocking the tablet and looking for the internet search app.
Five minutes had passed. It didn't take Norman long to find for the information he'd been searching for. And they'd discussed it and came to the same conclusion just as quickly.
"I think it's a wonderful idea."
"What has she got to lose?"
They smiled and both looked back towards the window, that faint glow still radiating from the green house.
Most of her party was asleep and scattered throughout the greenhouse.
Skitty had claimed a particularly high up tree branch and was curled up comfortably against the tree trunk. Beautifly had dozed off in a small sea of flowers, steadily breathing in the sweet scents which helped her drift off to sleep. Bulbasaur had passed out not too far away from Beautifly, nuzzled up in a small bush. Munchlax, naturally, had chosen to stay strategically by the food bowls, so that when the morning feeding came, he would be the first to know.
Her faithful Combusken had fallen asleep at her side, both of their backs propped up against a fallen log that sat in the middle of the greenhouse. They'd been there for a while.
May looked back and forth between all of her resting Pokémon and smiled a little. Her little family had grown so much over the course of the year, and she loved them all so much, it was almost painful.
When May first entered the greenhouse, all her Pokémon seemed confused to see her. After all, it was dark when she'd come back to see them, and they knew she wasn't there to train. Especially since she was wearing her pajamas instead of her usual attire. When she showed up with her hair down and in a pink jumpsuit covered in little Torchics, they knew something was amiss.
Something was up in the way her eyes held some sense of sadness; her partners could see that.
They all rushed to her the second she'd made it to the center of their new playground.
"How do you guys like the greenhouse?" she'd asked them, sinking down and resting her back against the log in the middle.
Her Pokémon all cheered, telling her they loved the space and all went off to point out their favorite spots. May laughed a little when she could see how happy they were. And it made her smile; if they were going to be here for a few months before the next season started, at least she knew they would enjoy themselves.
"We've got some time in between now and the next contest," she sighed.
All her Pokémon moved closer. Beautifly perched herself atop May's head, Bulbasaur, Skitty and Munchlax sat near her legs and Combusken took a seat next to her, his soft arm rubbing against her. She looked at all of them gratefully.
"Thanks, guys, but it's okay," she told them with a sad smile. "Just know that when next season does come along, we're gonna give it our all!"
They all cheered; they all gave her happy and determined smiles and chirped words of affirmation and encouragement. How May ended up with such a great team, she never would know.
Slowly but surely, they all scattered throughout the shrubbery, only Combusken remained by her side.
Her starter Pokémon was determined not to leave his trainer when he could tell something was off.
He poked her gently with one of his claws, prodding her to talk to him. While he couldn't communicate in a way she could understand, he wanted her to know he was still there and that wasn't going to change.
Still, he knew there wouldn't be much. Combusken understood his trainer very well. A passionate girl with the drive to win more than any others he'd seen. It was what he respected about his trainer; her strong will and even stronger sense of self.
She only looked down at him and shook her head, that strange off smile still in place.
"You don't have to stay right here, Combusken," she told him. "You can go play with everyone else if you want."
His only response was to nudge closer to her side, and she laughed a little.
She wrapped her arm around her first Pokémon, and reminisced about when he was just a little baby Torchic.
Oh, how much they had both grown since their first days together.
May could hear the door to the greenhouse open, and she sighed. She knew it was only a matter of time before her mother noticed her in there and came to check on her. After all, that was what her parents were like– the most caring and loving people she's ever know.
She craned her neck backwards to greet her mother.
"Hi, May," she was surprised to see her father slowly approaching.
Without warning, her father's Vigoroth dashed to his side, and Norman smiled down at his Pokémon. He produced a few small treats from his pocked, and held them out.
"Share these with the others," he stated, handing them over to his eager Pokémon. "You know I don't usually give you treats this late, so I'm trusting you on this."
May watched the scene. Vigoroth nodded intensely and rushed off into the shrubbery as quickly as he'd appeared.
With nothing standing between them, May's father continued to approach her. She rose to her feet when he made it to her, careful not to disturb Combusken's sleeping form.
"Thought you were going to bed, kiddo," Norman reached out his hand and patted her on the head.
"I was," May admitted, smiling and ducking out of the way to fix her hair. "You know I hate when you do that."
"What, this?" he reached for her head again, and she swatted at his hands, laughing a bubbly laugh that made Norman laugh as well. "You used to love it when I would rustle your hair."
"Yeah, when I was like, six, maybe," she dodged to the side.
"Those were the good old days," Norman sighed. "When Max didn't have as nearly big a vocabulary and both my kiddos were always home, waiting for me to get off work so that we could play together."
May frowned a little bit, looking around.
"Well, we'll both be here for a while considering that the next contest season doesn't start for a few months," she said.
Norman's arms fell back at his sides, and he watched his daughter for a moment. That brief moment of happiness had been so fleeting, and while he was thrilled May was here – because he'd missed both his children terribly while they were gone – he knew she couldn't stay there forever. She was growing up, and as much as he hated to admit that as a father, he knew it was something that had to happen. Forward can't be stopped, after all.
"So what's up?" he finally asked. "Why so down, sweetie?"
May tensed a little, and flashed her brightest, fakest smile.
"Nothing!" she chirped. "I just couldn't sleep so I figured I'd come hang out in here for a little while and see how my Pokémon were adjusting to Petalburg. I'm okay, dad, and I'll go back to bed in a few minutes."
"You were never good at lying when you were little and I think you're even worse at it now, May," Norman rolled his eyes and shook his head with a smile playing on his lips.
May frowned.
"It's not a lie," she mumbled, averting her eyes.
"You should really stick to coordinating, kiddo," Norman commented. "You're much better at that than fibbing. Not that I condone fibbing ever, but especially not to me, or your mom. I'm you're father, May. I think I can tell when there's something wrong with my daughter."
May sighed, and still refusing to meet his gaze, she spoke.
"I just can't believe the season's over."
Norman nodded, encouraging her to continue with his silence.
"It's like, I finally find something I love to do, and I'm somewhat okay at doing, and I finally start to like Pokémon, and it all just flew by," she said. "I know there will be more chances and I know I'll get to compete again soon, but it just feels wrong staying here, you know? Like there's so much more out there I haven't done; so may battles I haven't fought and so many combinations I have yet to try and so many ribbons I haven't won.
"I was so happy whenever I was on stage, just me and my Pokémon showcasing what we were good at to the world. And knowing I have to wait so long to feel that way again is tough. I have to wait to see all my friends and rivals again at contests and it kills me knowing that. It sounds kind of petty but…I don't know. I just can't accept that it came and went so fast."
May's hands had balled into fists, and after a few more moments of silence, she finally looked up at her father to see if he had been paying attention.
He had a strange look on his face; one that May had never seen before. It was a mix of empathy and sadness and so many things. It was the most understanding look she'd ever seen, from anyone.
For some Arceus-known reason, her brain decided to remind her of the look Drew gave her that night on the beach, after the Grand Festival. When they stood on the beach together alone, and he told her how well she had done and how much effort he knew she had given her.
Why, in those moments, her brain flashed back to that, she didn't know. She shook her head a little, telling herself she just wanted to relive the season. It had nothing to do with Drew specifically.
Her attention was brought back to her father when he cleared his throat a little.
"I think you forget that at one time, I was your age, on my own journey as well," he told her. "I remember the dread of the off season, when the leagues were closed for a few months and I couldn't stand the thought of having to wait to get back out there. To have that chance to prove myself and show the world what my Pokémon and I could do. Post-season depression is a real ugly thing, May, and a lot of trainers and coordinators feel it. I'm sure your friend Ash feels it, too, when he finishes a season.
"I have watched you grow, not just this past year, but your whole life. From that first day you came into this world, your mother and I have always wanted the best for you, and for you to live a life you created for yourself. You've found that in coordinating, and kiddo, I'll tell ya I'm the damn proudest father in the world having been able to see your successes throughout your first year in this.
"You found something you were 'okay' at? Wrong, May; you are a fantastic coordinator, and this is definitely something you were made for. But I'm right there with ya; I hate knowing that you have to wait to do something you love so much."
May's eyes were bubbling with tears. Norman saw this, and slowly extended his arms out, inviting his daughter in for a hug. She gratefully accepted, and threw herself at her father, squeezing him tightly and silently thanking him that he understood when she was afraid no one else would.
"Your mother and I were talking about this a few minutes ago…" Norman continued.
May looked up at him, confused, her arms still secured around him.
"May, if this is something you truly believe you want as much as we know you do, we agreed that it's time you expanded your horizons a little bit."
"What do you mean, dad?" May asked lowly.
He smiled at her. His beautiful baby girl in his arms. In the moments, he could remember the first time he held her in the hospital.
The nurse gently placed the squirming baby into his arms. He couldn't believe it. He was finally holding his own daughter. He didn't think it was possible to be so in love with anything.
"Arceus, she's so small," he spoke in amazement. "She's so perfect."
"Yes, she is," Caroline agreed from the bed a few feet away, peaking over fondly at her baby.
The two new parents couldn't stop staring at the tiny infant. She'd come about two weeks early. They weren't expecting her until the first week of June.
"We have to settle on a name," Caroline sighed in content, leaning back against the pillows of the bed. "It has to fit her."
Norman stood slowly, making his way to the bed and laid next to his wife, the baby drifting off into sleep only moments after she'd first opened her eyes.
"What name could ever describe this small bundle of perfection?" Norman thought aloud.
"Well, we can't name her perfect, that's for sure," Caroline laughed softly as Norman handed the baby back to her mother. "It sounds too vain."
"Can't help it if we made a perfect kid," Norman shrugged with a smirk. "But what could possibly fit for her?"
"What about May?" Caroline suggested.
"May?"
"May."
"I actually like that," Norman smiled. "May. It fits."
"Our beautiful little girl, May," Caroline cooed. "Oh, May, you're going to do so many wonderful things."
Norman couldn't help but agree.
And true to that day, she had. She had accomplished so many amazing things for someone so young. Her talent and her ambition knew no ends, and Norman could see that since day one.
"Kanto's contests start next week, May," he informed her. "Your mother and I think you should go there and compete."
"Wha– what?" May could hardly believe what she was hearing.
Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think she would get the opportunity to travel to another region to compete in contests, much less have her parents' blessing. Traveling in Hoenn was one thing; it was home and she 'd been through it all dozens of times, traveling with her family for her father's gym leader obligations. It made sense that her parents felt comfortable with her traveling around in her own back yard, and she was never too far away to get their help if she needed it.
But a whole new region? A place she'd never been to before? It was…it was crazy! It was insanity! It was…appealing?
A new contest circuit. A fresh new start she wouldn't have to wait for. A chance to show even more of the world what her Pokémon could do. And another chance at taking home a Top Coordinator title.
The more she thought about it, the more her heart began to soar.
Kanto.
It made sense.
"You deserve the chance to keep on living your dreams," Norman told her, wiping away a stray tear that had cascaded down her face. "You need to go."
"But–but how will I get there?" May almost whispered, the hope in her heart brimming over.
"Your mother and I have already taken care of that," Norman explained. "Your ferry is going to leave at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. I'll be dropping you off at the harbor. Everything is taken care of, May. You just need to decide if you want to do this or not and–"
"OF COURSE I WANT TO DO THIS!" May shouted, the biggest, watery smile plastered on her face.
Norman couldn't help but smile and maybe choke back a few tears himself. The pure elation in his daughter's eyes was proof enough that she needed this, and that he and Caroline had made the right call.
With her shouting, all of May's Pokémon stirred. They made their way to the father and their trainer's emotional hug. May heard the sounds of them approaching, and turned to face them with a huge grin.
"Guy!" she practically sang. "We're hitting the road tomorrow and we're going to compete again!"
All of May's Pokémon cheered along with her. Skitty and Beautifly seemed a little less excited, but they still shared in the joy nonetheless.
May fell to her knees as all her Pokémon hugged her.
Norman's heart swelled at the scene.
May had never run faster in her life.
A smile on here face and a heart full of dreams, she sprinted down Route One, trying to get to Pallet Town as quickly as possible.
This place, this region, it was so different from Hoenn.
And it was so beautiful.
Pokémon she'd never seen before fluttered and rummaged about around her. Was that a Nidoran? That was definitely a Staryu in the pond she'd passed. And that wonderful display of hanging Kakunas! They glistened in the sunlight as they carefully dangled from the trees.
Kanto had an abundance of Pokémon that were exclusive to the region, and she knew it. Seeing them all first hand, living in their natural habitat was exciting to her; a land full of new Pokémon and new possibilities. She wondered which type of Pokémon she could catch and compete with first.
So many incredible opportunities awaited her here.
She still had about a day's journey before she could make it to Ash's hometown, but the adrenaline kept her running.
She'd never felt more alive.
It was nearing mid afternoon in Petalburg, and there was a feeling of stillness at the Maple household.
Max now sat in the midst of his parents' greenhouse, May's Skitty in his lap.
He stroked his sister's kitten Pokémon and starred blankly at the other Pokémon playing about. May's Beautifly hovered a few yards away, inspecting some of his mother's flowers and singing about. Max sighed wistfully as Skitty purred in his lap, soaking up the attention and loving it.
These two Pokémon were the ones May left behind.
Well, they weren't the only ones she'd left behind.
She'd been so brief in her goodbye and it hurt his heart. Sure, he fought with his sister a lot, but he really admired her. He looked up to her. He loved her.
And now she was off to Kanto, to travel around and compete in contests without him traveling with her, like they had been over the last year.
He finally understood that weird sadness May seemed to be feeling when they'd first gotten home. Suddenly the realization that his adventures were over hit him, and the absence of his sister hit him even harder. Now he was trapped in Petalburg, with only May's two Pokémon as a reminder of her missing presence as well as a reminder of the fun they'd all had over the last few months.
He tried not to cry; he really, really did. He tried as best he could, because he was a big boy, and big boys were tough and didn't cry.
But soon he saw a few tears spill onto his arms, and a few sniffles escaping from him.
"It's not fair," he said weakly, drawing the attention of the confused Skitty. "Skitty, it's just not fair that she left us here. And I know you really like it here in Petalburg and in mom and dad's greenhouse, but I just want to go with May to Kanto. And watch her compete in contests and tell her how lame she is for leaving us both behind…"
He stayed there for a few minutes, gently shaking and working to keep the hysterical sobs trapped within him at bay. Skitty tried to rub her head up against his chest in a comforting manner, meowing to him that it would be okay. He appreciated it, but it didn't feel like enough. It just didn't feel right to be there.
Not after everything he'd been through in the last year.
Max couldn't be a trainer yet, and he still had another few years before he would be old enough to register for any region leagues, or owning a Pokémon. Hell, he couldn't even get a pass for contests if he wanted to try that like his sister.
It was his dream: to become a great Pokémon trainer and have his own incredible adventure with friends and compete in a league and eventually conquer a league and take over a gym.
He knew he could and would do those things eventually, but eventually had never seemed so far away.
But adventuring with May and their friends for the last year made it seem all the more closer, like his goals and ambitions were just around the corner. It made him feel like he was his own trainer, living his dream on a journey with his friends. And the experiences he'd had and lessons he'd gathered along the way were invaluable to him. Not being in Kanto and not traveling anymore meant he would miss out on so much.
He wouldn't get to see Ash take on battles and help him plan strategies for his matched. He wouldn't get to see May perform on stage and think on her feet at whatever her contest battles would throw at her. He wouldn't get to see Brock continue to learn about the art of Pokémon breeding and have Brock teach him things as they went along.
It was gone. All of it was done. And Max felt as though he was going to explode, when suddenly…
"Hey son," Norman's voice called out from behind.
Max hadn't heard the door to the green house open, and his father's voice startled him. He jumped a little, and Skitty pounced off his lap, looking between the boy and his father.
"Oh, um, hey, dad!" Max hurriedly answered, hastily wiping away at the tears on his face so his dad wouldn't see he had been crying– big boys definitely didn't cry. "What's–what's up?"
Norman raised an eyebrow at his son's back. Max had refused to turn around and face him with the usual enthusiasm he'd come to know and love from his son. He just sat there, frantically moving his arms and keeping his spot on the ground. It didn't take any effort to deduce from the crack he'd heard in Max's reply to figure out his son had been crying. His youngest was visibly upset and Norman knew what he needed to do.
"Well, I came to ask you that, actually," Norman replied softly, taking a seat on a log next to where his son was sprawled out on the grass.
"Oh, not much," Max replied lamely, still trying to dry that last embarrassing tear drop. "Just, you know, spending time with the Pokémon."
"Right, right," Norman nodded.
He waited a few moments for Max to turn around. Skitty, no longer receiving attention, pounced her way up into the nearest tree, basking in the morning sun's rays. When Skitty reclaimed its spot, the boy finally – albeit slowly – turned to face his father.
"Did you have any plans for today?" Norman asked carefully, not addressing his son's apparent sadness.
"No, not really," Max looked back at the Pokémon scattered throughout the greenhouse. "I was thinking maybe I could give the Pokémon baths today. Now that May's not here to help, someone's gonna have to pick up the slack."
"Sounds fun," Norman nodded, smirking a bit. "But I think I might have something that would interest you a little more."
"Huh? What?"
"Well, it turns out that Professor Birch needs to go to Kanto to hook up with Professor Oak for a research project," Norman baited, watching his son's eyes grow big. "And he told me he's gonna need a little help…"
Max gasped; the chance of being an important role in helping the famous Professor Birch was all too tempting for him. Think of all the things he could learn to help him when he started on his own Pokémon journey in just two years! The two Maple children had visited their father's professor friend numerous times, but aside from May receiving her PokéDex, they'd never been asked to help him out with something.
"He was wondering if you'd be willing to go with him on this little trip," Norman continued.
"OH WOW DAD, REALLY?!" Max exploded. "CAN I REALLY GO?"
"Of course, son," Norman smiled. "Professor Birch is coming to pick you up in an hour. So you'll need to be ready to go when he gets here."
"Oh gosh, dad, this is so awesome!" Max cheered. "Thank you!"
"But there is a catch…"
Max's eyes fell a little, confused and a little apprehensive.
"I need you to do something for me while you're in Kanto," Norman requested.
"Oh, yeah, sure!" Max perked up again. "Anything!"
"Now, your mom and I know that your sister is capable of taking care of herself…"
Max's eyes widened.
No way…
"And we want her to enjoy her journey and her contests…"
Is he saying…
"But, then we got to thinking…"
Do I get to…
"May's not going to have anyone at her contests to cheer her on…"
Is he about to ask me to…
"So we think it'd be best if you went along with your sister and continued on your journey as well."
"DAD, NO WAY!" Max burst into a new round of tears. "ARE YOU FOR REAL?"
"Yes, son. You're mother and I decided this would be best for the both of you, and as long as you want to go, we want you to have the same opportunity as your sister."
"But what if she doesn't want me there?" Max asked, the dreadful thought invading his mind. "She was so quick in rushing out of here and she didn't even say she wanted me to go with her…"
"I think your main concern right now should be packing up, son. Professor Birch will be here in 56 minutes. We'll talk to your sister when you meet up with her in Pallet Town. You just need to get ready to go, and you should probably bring–"
Norman's words were effectively silenced when he son slammed into him, knocking the breath out of his lungs and zipping out of the greenhouse and into their real home without another word.
Norman rubbed his chest and laughed a little.
"I don't remember teaching Max tackle attack."
"Don't forget now, you've all got goals, so work hard to achieve them!" Professor Oak said.
"Right!" The group had responded. "We will, professor!"
May couldn't believe it; in less than her first 24 hours in Kanto, she'd been reunited with Ash and her brother. She'd talked to her parents on the phone and told them she was more than happy to have Max back with her again. She'd met with Misty, the girl Ash had spoken of often and was dying to become friends with. May was also chosen to be the trainer of a rambunctious and adorable Squirtle, who seemed more than eager to join her in the contest circuit when she'd decided Bulbasaur would be happiest if he stayed at Professer Oak's lab.
And best of all, she had been given the opportunity to travel with her friend and brother again.
It was just like old times, and it was almost perfect. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if Brock was there. But beggars couldn't be choosers, and she was more than satisfied with the way things had turned out.
She almost couldn't sleep that final night in Pallet Town.
The group all ended up as Ash's house, and had agreed to leave the next morning. Misty was going to go with them until she got back to her home town.
The seconds ticked by in the dark living room where she and Max had camped out on the floor in sleeping bags. The room almost reminded her of Petalburg; it felt warm and homey.
May was counting the ticks from the clock on the wall. The minutes passed so slowly and all she wanted to do was see the sun rise so they could all get going.
The new region and new promises of adventure awaited.
She tossed and turned in her sleeping bag, letting out a huff that she wasn't asleep yet.
"Hey, May, you awake?" Max whispered.
"Yeah, I am," she whispered back. "I can't sleep; I'm way too excited about tomorrow."
"I know, me too," Max agreed, rolling on his stomach, propping himself up on his elbows and facing her.
"I can't believe we're here," May mirrored his actions.
"I can't believe mom was okay with letting us come here!" Max laughed quietly.
The clock struck a chord, and began to play a vibrant tune, followed by a series of dings. Max and May counted the chimes until they got to 12.
"Ugh, it's only midnight," Max whined. "We're not leaving until nine…"
"Probably more like 10," May agreed. "I'll bet you $10 Ash sleeps in."
"You got it," Max reached out his hand.
Their hands met in the dark and shook a few times before they pulled back.
"We really should try to get some sleep, Max," May sighed, rolling back over on her sleeping back.
"I know," Max yawned.
A silence fell back over the living room. May kept her eyes closed, but her brain was still pumping adrenaline and keeping her awake. Why oh why couldn't it just be time to go, yet?
"Hey, May?" Max whispered again.
"Yeah?"
A pause.
"I think you're going to do really awesome this season."
"Thanks, Max."
His breathing evened out a few minutes after that, and May realized that Max had finally fallen asleep. She hoped the same thing would happen for her soon.
But his small words of encouragement played over in her head, and she smiled in the dark.
She had a good feeling about the season.
She had a good feeling about Kanto.
