Chapter 41: Picnic Date
"Okay genie, don't cause any trouble while I'm gone." Drew said.
"Have fun on your date!" The genie said.
"That's only if she says yes. I have to ask her first."
"But I'm sure she'll agree to a date. Whisper if you need anything." The genie said.
"I will. Carpet." Drew called.
The carpet flew to Drew from across the room and Drew got on it.
"Let's go." Drew said, gripping the front tassels.
Drew flew them to the gazebo where Drew placed the guitar case for May behind a pillar. Drew left Roselia there again to guard the area. Drew also brought a picnic basket and he laid out the picnic blanket in the middle of the gazebo. He placed the basket in the center and got back on the carpet. The carpet then flew to May's balcony where Drew got off.
"Princess!" Drew called.
May walked out to the balcony. "Hi Drew."
"Hello Princess." Drew said.
"I thought we went over this."
"I know. I know. Don't call you Princess." Drew said. "But can't I sometimes?"
"...Oh alright then." May said. "So, are you just here to visit or for something else?"
"Something else." Drew answered. He walked closer to May. "This is the last day I'm staying and I really need to ask you something."
"Okay...what is it?" May asked.
Drew pulled out a rose and held it towards May. "Would you like to go on a date with me?"
May blushed and accepted the rose. "A date? For real?"
"Of course. You see...I wanted to ask you on your birthday, but...things...happened and now I'm asking you now."
"Hmm...I see…" May said as she smelled the rose. "A date with a commoner…"
Drew gulped. He really hoped that May will say yes. This will be his first date ever and he's sharing it with her. The one he loves.
"What do you have planned?" May asked.
"Well...you'll have to find out for yourself." Drew answered.
"A surprise?"
"Something like that."
May smiled. "I love surprises. Let's go!"
"Shouldn't you ask your parents first?" Drew asked.
"Right." May looked back into her room. Dahlia signaled to May that she'll tell May's parents. May looked back at Drew.
"Dahlia is going to tell them." May said.
"Alright then. Ready to go?" Drew asked.
"Ooh! Hold on." May went back into her room and grabbed her scepter. She went back to the balcony.
Drew hopped onto the carpet and helped May onto it. "That scepter is really important to you, isn't it?" Drew asked. Drew started controlling the carpet and they flew away from the castle.
"It sure is." May answered. "I bring it with me everywhere. It makes me feel so happy that my parents would entrust me with one of the oldest and most expensive jewels from the Jewel Room."
"I know you're the right person to take care of it." Drew said.
"Thanks." May said. "Hey, where are you taking me anyway?"
"You'll find out soon. Close your eyes."
"But…" May said.
"I won't let you fall."
May smiled. "Okay then." She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Drew's arm. They flew down to a secluded spot in a huge forest. The carpet made a slow landing on the ground.
"Go ahead and stand up." Drew said. May did as she was told, eyes still closed. Drew stood up after her.
"Now come this way." Drew said. He took May's hand and started leading her somewhere. The carpet followed them.
They came to a stop. "Ready?" Drew asked.
"Mm hm." May nodded.
"Open."
May opened her eyes and looked around. She saw trees and flowers everywhere around a small lake that May and Drew stood on a path to. The lake was surrounding a small island with a gazebo on it.
"Do you like it?" Drew asked.
"It's amazing Drew! How did you find this place?" May asked.
"It's easy with some help from my Flygon. So, how's a little picnic sound?"
"It sounds...perfect." May answered, smiling.
They walked on the path to the gazebo. In the center of the gazebo, there was a picnic blanket already laid out and a picnic basket on it. They sat down on either side of the basket.
May looked around at their surroundings again, admiring nature. Drew took out a bowl of strawberries from the basket.
"What's a picnic without strawberries, am I right?" Drew asked, smiling.
May looked at Drew. "It wouldn't be right." She answered, smiling. She took a strawberry and ate it while admiring the nature around them.
"You really love nature, don't you?" Drew asked.
May looked at Drew. "Of course I do. I love beautiful things like flowers and this place is so pretty!" May exclaimed.
"I'm glad you like it." Drew said. "And I'm also surprised that you actually said yes to going on a date."
"Did you want me to say no?" May questioned.
"No. I just-"
"Hold on. Let me rephrase that. Did you think that I'd say no?" May asked.
"Well…" Drew said. "I just didn't think you'd leave for a date with me because if your parents found out…"
"They won't. Dahlia knows to not tell them that you're a commoner."
"But still," Drew said. "I could get you in a lot of trouble one day."
May reached out and took Drew's hand in hers. "Don't worry about it. If I get in trouble with my parents, then I'm glad I got to spend time with you."
Drew smiled. "Okay then. I'll try not to worry about it too much."
May nodded and let go of Drew's hand to eat more strawberries.
"So, I'm curious about when you said that you can understand Pokémon language." Drew said.
"Well...I don't even know why I'm able to understand Pokémon, but I can. They speak to me and it's like they're not even sounding like Pokémon, they're sounding like people."
"Wow...that's cool." Drew said.
"Yeah. And my lady-in-waiting said that it could be some sort of Princess power like in Disney fairytales."
"Fairytales?"
"You know...the Princess talks to animals in some Disney movies."
"Ohh...right."
"Anyway, wouldn't it be great if we lived in a fairytale?"
"Umm...maybe?"
May exhaled dreamily and stared up into space. "I could speak with animals...there'll be magic...and...happily ever afters."
"You believe in happily ever afters?"
May looked at Drew. "What I want is to live happily with the one who loves me for the inside. That's all I've ever wanted. I want to find my perfect Prince Charming and live happily ever after."
"Well...I'm sure you'll find your Prince." Drew responded, a little sadly.
"Yeah...I'm sure I will too..." May said, staring into Drew's eyes.
They continue staring into the other's eyes for a while. It started to get awkward and Drew was the first to break the silence.
"Want to go for a swim?" Drew asked.
"A swim?" May questioned.
Drew nodded and looked to the side at the water. "Look how clean the water is." May turned her head as well. "It's safe to go swimming in it."
"Umm...I think I'll pass." May said after turning her head back to Drew.
Drew looked at May again. "Why?"
"Well, for one, I'm wearing a dress." May said.
"You can write a note to Dahlia and the carpet could deliver it and bring back your swimsuit. There's actually paper and a pen in the basket."
"Wow, you came prepared." May said. "But for two, I think I'd rather stay up here and umm...eat more strawberries." She said as she took more strawberries and started eating them.
"Okay then." Drew said. "Mind if I go for a swim?"
"Not at all."
Drew stood up and walked to the edge of the island they were on. He then took off his jacket and undershirt and threw them on the ground. May blushed at the sight of Drew without a shirt. He jumped into the water and started swimming around.
May stood up to go watch him swim. She stood at the edge, holding a pillar that's holding up the gazebo. "Wow, he's a good swimmer." May muttered to herself.
Drew saw May standing up and he swam to her. "Are you sure you don't want to come in, the water's great!"
"Uhh...I'm fine watching." May answered.
"Suit yourself." Drew said. He went underwater and swam off.
May smiled as he swam off somewhere, but her smile faded when she thought about something.
(This song is "If Only" from Descendants.)
May watched Drew in the water and she started singing. "A million thoughts in my head, should I let my heart keep listening? Cause up "til now I've walked the line, nothing lost but something missing."
"I can't decide what's wrong, what's right." May sang as she walked to the center of the gazebo. "Which way should I go?"
"If only I knew what my heart was telling me." May sang to no one, but she just looked into space. "Don't know what I'm feeling. Is this just a dream?" May sang with all of her heart. "Ah oh yeah. If only I could read the signs in front of me. I could find a way to who I'm meant to be." May walked to another pillar. "Ah oh, if only. If only. If only."
"Every step, every word, with every hour I am falling in. To something new, something brave, to someone I, I have never been." May looked at Drew as he swam. "I can't decide what's wrong, what's right. Which way should I go?"
May made a swift turn and sang, her voice echoing through the forest. "If only I knew what my heart was telling me. Don't know what I'm feeling. Is this just a dream? Ah oh, yeah." The magic carpet flew around May in circles, causing gusts of wind for her hair to sway and her dress to flow. "If only I could read the signs in front of me." May sang as the carpet stopped circling her. "I could find a way to who I'm meant to be. Ah oh, if only…yeah."
"Am I crazy? Maybe we could happen. Yeah. Will you ever be with me just like a fairytale?" May's voice got softer.
"If only I knew what my heart was telling me." May sang as she lifted up her scepter and looked at the heart jewel. "Don't know what I'm feeling. Is this just a dream?" May got louder again and looked up from the scepter. "Ah oh. If only I could read the signs in front of me. I could find a way to who I'm meant to be. Ah oh." The pink jewel on the scepter glowed, but not as bright as before.
"If only...yeah. If only...yeah. If only...yeah. If only…" May sang softer. "If only…"
May lifted up her scepter again and the glow stopped.
"Hmm…" May hummed as she stared at the heart jewel. She then realized that it was quiet. Too quiet. She looked up and went to the last place where she saw Drew. She didn't see him in the water.
"Drew?" She called. She didn't get a response. She started to get worried that Drew might be drowning at the far side of the lake from where the gazebo is.
May looked down at the water, frightened. She took off her shoes and slowly put a foot into the water. She froze, fear is taking over. May is scared of going in the water. That's why she refused to swim when Drew offered.
May shook her head. "I must." She said confidently. "I need to at least check that he's okay." She proceeded walking in the water.
Her dress is getting soaked, but she continues walking to the far side of the lake. The floor eventually disappeared from under her feet and she struggled to stay floating. May went under and up over and over again, splashing the water harshly. Fear took over again. She was going to drown and she was afraid of that.
("Come on. Swim up!") May thought as she continued splashing the water, struggling to float. May felt someone touch her. She found herself being lifted out of the water and walked back to the picnic blanket.
Drew was holding her bridal style. May was gently placed on the ground and started coughing and shivering. Drew opened the picnic basket and pulled out a towel. He wrapped it around May. He got another towel and started drying himself too.
"You can't swim?" Drew asked.
"No. Why do you think I was drowning out there?" May asked, a bit angrily. Drew shrugged his shoulders.
"I wanted to make sure you were okay!" May yelled.
Drew stared at May after her small outburst. "You thought I was in danger?"
"Yes!" May yelled. "I haven't seen you for a while, so I thought you might be drowning!"
Drew didn't respond right away. He just thought about how May would do something like trying to save him.
"I was worried about you." May said softly, looking down.
"Thank you." Drew said. "You can't swim and yet you still wanted to see if I was safe."
May looked up at him and smiled. "I'd do anything. I just want to make sure you don't leave me. I don't know what I'll ever do if I don't have you with me anymore." May looked down again.
Drew smiled and lifted May's chin up with his pointer finger. "Same goes for you." He said. "I'd do anything to keep you safe. If you were to leave me, not only would I be hurt, but all of Hoenn would be too."
May stared into his eyes and didn't say anything. She just listened to him.
"Please promise me that you won't risk your life to save me again." Drew said with a serious face.
"But Drew-"
"Please May." Drew cut her off. "You mean too much to me. I don't want to lose you."
"I…" May said. She knew that she most likely would end up breaking the promise if she were to promise that, but what would Drew say if she said no?
"I'm sorry Drew, but I can't promise that." May said.
"Why not?" Drew asked.
"I can't make a promise that I can't keep." May answered. "I never break promises, and if I know that I most likely will break that one…"
Drew nodded and pulled his hand back. "I understand. Just...please think before you risk your life again."
May smiled. "I'll try."
Drew returned the smile. "That's all I ask."
They continued drying themselves. May's smile faded and she stopped what she was doing. She gazed downwards.
Drew noticed her frown. "What's wrong?"
"I just…" May started.
"Just?"
"The reason I can't swim is because I'm afraid." May said sadly.
Drew listened to her little story and didn't respond.
"I've always been scared to go swimming ever since I was little." May continued. "Back then, I had a terrible experience swimming. I nearly drowned and once I got saved, I told myself that I will never swim again. Whenever I think of entering a body of water, fear takes over and I can't bring myself to even touch the water with my toes."
"Unless something motivates you to enter." Drew said.
May looked up at Drew. "Huh?" She asked.
"You thought I was in danger and so you entered the water." Drew said. "Something has to motivate you strongly enough." May thought about what Drew is saying. "Something called love."
May blushed and smiled. She picked up her scepter from the ground and the heart jewel started glowing. They both stared at the scepter.
("Love…") May thought. ("I was motivated by love…")
"Hmm...I know the rose is here somewhere…" A female voice said to herself.
Just then, a Beautifly flew to her from the castle.
"Did you find it?" The girl asked.
Beautifly nodded and pointed to the castle.
"You saw it at the castle?" The girl asked. Beautifly nodded. "Well then, looks like we have to sneak in there. This way." She said and she led the way to the side of the castle walls where there's no guards.