Chapter 1: Runaway Princess
"Ya!" May called.
The sound of the hooves on the ground, the wind through their hair, the dust and dirt flying behind them as they run. This is the new life of May, the Princess of Hoenn. She's an 18-year old brunette with blue eyes. 2 years ago, her father, the King, told her that she must choose one of the Princes to marry. He invited many Princes from many other kingdoms to see if they're right to marry his daughter.
May wasn't happy about that one bit. It took awhile, but King Norman finally chose the perfect Prince for May to marry and carry on the line of Royals in Hoenn. May wasn't thrilled about that. And so...she ran away.
She snuck out of her castle in the middle of the night one day after she packed everything she could possibly need to survive on her own. She saddled up her Rapidash and they hit the road. May and Rapidash have been to many places all over the kingdom of Hoenn for the past 2 years.
May wasn't about to marry some Prince. She wanted to be happy with marrying someone. The right one. And marrying someone your parents chose for you...definitely was not right. And she never plans on going home. She's been missing for more than 2 years and she doesn't know how her parents feel about that.
The King and Queen have seen how upset May is with a forced marriage, but there's really nothing they can do. They don't trust commoners to marry their daughter. Only the most noble of Princes for their Princess. But May just couldn't go through with it.
Running away felt wrong at the time, but now…
"WOOOHOOOO!" May yelled with great excitement and laughter afterwards.
It couldn't feel more right.
Princess May's Rapidash is the fastest horse around. And May loves him with all of her heart. She trusts him with her life. They're an unbreakable team.
"Okay. Let's stop here." May said, pulling the rein back. Rapidash slowed down to a walk and then stopped at the river.
May jumped off of Rapidash. "Take a break. You deserve it." Rapidash faced the river and bent his head down, drinking the water. May smiled and sat down on the grass.
May exhaled. "We've been on the road for a long time. We've seen so many places." She laid down on her back, looking up at the blue sky, her arms spread out. "I wonder where we'll go next."
Rapidash lifted his head up and faced May, looking down at her. He neighed.
May smiled and sat up, petting behind Rapidash's ear. "Is the water here good?"
Rapidash neighed happily, saying a yes.
May stood up and walked around Rapidash to the saddle bag. She opened it and took out a water bottle. She then walked to the river, kneeling down. She opened the empty water bottle and dipped it sideways into the water. Once it was full of water, she took it out and closed it. She stood up and put the water bottle back into the saddle bag.
"Well Rapidash, want to relax?" May asked.
Rapidash just walked in a circle in front of May. She did one more circle before lying down on the ground. May laughed.
"I guess you were already thinking that, huh?"
Rapidash closed his eyes and neighed softly.
May kneeled down next to Rapidash and took out an Oran Berry from the saddle bag. She sat down, her back against Rapidash and she ate the Oran Berry.
May yawned. "I guess we'll take a nap." She closed her eyes, leaning against Rapidash.
May awoke 2 hours later. She was lying on the grass. She sat up and rubbed her eyes and then stretched her arms out.
May looked behind her and she saw her Rapidash drinking from the river. May stood up and walked to Rapidash. "Hey. Want to hit the road?"
Rapidash lifted his head up and turned to face May. He neighed happily.
"Great. Let's go." May climbed on Rapidash and gripped the rein. She double tapped her foot on the right side of Rapidash and they started moving.
Rapidash was just walking because that's the signal that May gave it. He started walking along the dirt path.
"So, how was your nap?" May asked.
Rapidash neighed.
"That's good." May said, understanding Rapidash. She reached behind her to the left and opened the saddle bag. She pulled out her phone.
May released the rein completely and looked at her phone after typing something into it. "Let's see...the next town shouldn't be that far from here. We should be there tomorrow."
After an hour of walking, Rapidash neighed, telling May to look at something.
"What is it?" May asked, looking up from her phone. She gasped at what she saw. "Whoa…" she breathed, looking around them.
Flowers. Everywhere they look. They're passing through the dirt path in between two huge flower fields! There's daisies, lilies, daffodils, roses, tulips, and possible every flower in the world.
May looked at her Rapidash. "Hey. You know what I'm thinking?"
Rapidash turned his head slightly and looked up at May. He neighed happily in understanding.
"Great! Let's go."
Rapidash faced forward and walked off of the dirt path and into a flower field. They went further and further into it until they couldn't see the dirt path anymore.
Rapidash stopped walking and May jumped off. "Oh, look!" May pointed. "There's even a little pond here."
Rapidash walked over to the pond and drank from it. May smiled and sat down in the flower field. She started playing a game on her phone for her entertainment.
After a few minutes, Rapidash walked to May and laid down next to her. May put her phone down and pet Rapidash. "I think we might as well sleep here for the night. It's getting dark." Rapidash neighed, agreeing to May.
May and Rapidash relaxed in the field of flowers. They smelled the flowers, played with each other, and had food for supper. May even made a flower crown and placed it on her head. The flower crown has the pattern of red rose, white daisy, pink tulip, purple lily, and repeat.
"How do I look?" May asked.
Rapidash gave the neigh of approval.
"Thanks. I love flowers. They're all so pretty." May said. Rapidash agreed. After a moment, May's smile faded. Rapidash looked at May in confusion.
May opened the saddle bag and pulled something out. A tiara. A golden and really beautiful tiara. She sighed down at it. "Home…" May started. "It was hard to leave my parents and...Princess life."
Rapidash curved his body around May, nuzzling his head into May's arm. May gave a slight smile at Rapidash that quickly faded.
"But I had to go." May said. "I couldn't deal with marrying some random stranger. I deserve to make my own choices. And I decided to leave. My parents tried to control my life and...I couldn't take it." Rapidash neighed sadly. May put the tiara away in the bag and she pet Rapidash. "I'm lucky to have you with me."
At this moment, someone is actually approaching them. Rapidash could hear footsteps, walking through the flower field. Rapidash's ears perked up.
"Rapidash? What's wrong?"
Rapidash focused its attention to one specific spot. May turned and looked in the direction that Rapidash is looking in. "Is there something out there?" May asked.
The footsteps kept coming closer and getting louder. May narrowed her eyes, trying to see who it is.
The footsteps stopped. "Who's there?" May asked.
Rapidash swiftly stood up and ran to where the sounds were coming from.
"Whoa! Calm down." A voice said.
Rapidash was on his hind legs about to crush whoever was there. He brought them down and just glared at something.
May stood up and walked to Rapidash with her phone. She turned on the flashlight and shone it in front of her. She got startled when she saw someone just standing there.
"Umm...who are you?" May asked.
"The name's Drew." He said. "And...who might you be?" Drew has green eyes and hair that May could see while using her flashlight.
"I'm...May." May said. She figures that everyone probably forgot about her since she disappeared 2 years ago.
"Well, it's nice to meet you." Drew said.
"Yeah...you too."
Drew moved his gaze to Rapidash. Rapidash glared at Drew. Drew looked at May. "I don't think your horse likes me very much."
May looked at Rapidash. "He's just being protective. Like my bodyguard." She looked back at Drew.
"He's an excellent guard." Drew said, reaching out his hand to pet Rapidash. Rapidash opened his mouth and Drew quickly pulled his hand back before Rapidash could bite it.
"Rapidash, stop that." May said.
Rapidash bowed his head sadly and backed up, standing behind May.
"It's quite alright." Drew said. "I'm sure I can handle a Pokémon bite."
"Really?" May asked. "Because my Rapidash's teeth are pretty strong." Rapidash showed Drew his teeth as if growling at him.
"You're right. Probably can't handle it." Drew said. "Anyways, what are you two doing out here? In the dark."
"We're staying in this flower field for the night and then we'll reach the next city tomorrow." May answered.
"You two are camping out? The town isn't far from here. I'm sure you'll reach it if you run there on your friend."
May shook her head. "No. It's okay. There's no rush for us to get there."
"But wouldn't you like a bed to sleep on?"
"Sorry. Rapidash doesn't do beds."
Drew chuckled and smirked. "I know that, June. I mean for you."
"What did you call me?" May asked.
"June." He flicked his hair. "Like your new nickname?"
May furrowed her eyebrows. "No. I don't. I'd appreciate it if you used my actual name."
"Sure thing, April."
"Oh, I see. Just calling me the months that aren't May, huh? Well stop that."
"Just answer the question of...wouldn't you want to sleep in a bed?"
"I told you already. Rapidash doesn't do beds."
"And I told you already. I meant what about you?"
May sighed. "My Rapidash doesn't like it in his Pokéball, so we always sleep outside together. I'm pretty sure giant horses aren't allowed in the rooms of the Pokémon Center. We always sleep outside, so we both aren't lonely. That's why we're in no rush to get to town."
"I see…"
"Now, if you'll excuse us, we'll be going to sleep back over here." May turned around and started walking back to the pond. Rapidash gave Drew one last glare before turning around and following May.
("Hmm...I came over here thinking she might be homeless, but,") Drew thought. ("She doesn't look homeless and she seems to be perfectly fine.") He watched as Rapidash laid down on the ground and May reached in the saddle bag and pulled out a blanket. May laid down next to Rapidash and covered herself with the blanket. ("I think I'll keep an eye on them. Just in case.") Drew turned around and walked away to the forest that connects to the flower field.
