I know I have a contestshipping story (Things Money Can't Buy) I need to finish, but I typed a few of these chapters already and want to upload them. Also, this story is set in the Pokemon Universe while my other contestshipping story is not. Enjoy!~
Chapter 1
The brunette woman watches as her students engage in a Pokemon battle. While today normally wouldn't be a day for battling, she got tired of hearing her students complain about how coordinators don't need to know how to battle. Being a very successful coordinator herself, she knows otherwise, which is why she's making her students battle.
"Are we done yet, Ms. Maple?" one of the boys complains once the current battle ends.
Shaking her head, Ms. Maple smiles at them. "We're just getting started."
"If I wanted to be a trainer, I would've gone to Ms. Roxanne's class." a girl groans out loud.
"You can do both." the woman tells them, making the students frown. "Look, you're gonna need to know how to battle, even if you think you don't. When you're on a pokemon journey, there may be bad people, so it's better if you know how to battle." She had explained this to them many times already as well as how training and battling allows Pokemon to learn new moves. It also increases the connection between the trainer and Pokemon, which contributes to better performances.
"Fine." one of the other boys pouts and steps up with a pokeball. "I'll go next."
Grinning at his initiative, Ms. Maple exclaims, "Great! Now who will battle him?"
Hours Later
The brunette enters her apartment after the long day. While she loves being a teacher and educating the next generation about coordinating, something she's passionate about, it can be exhausting. Today especially because battling days really tire her and her Pokemon out since she lets the students use them for battling.
After making dinner and showering, May Maple turns on the news while working on grading her students' papers. She had won the Hoenn Festival at 18 years old, and at 20, she started teaching in Rustboro City, which is also close to her family in Petalburg City. Now, 25 year old May Maple is becoming content with her everyday life.
Even though she does miss traveling at times, she is very interested in helping others accomplish their dreams. The many people who have helped her with her dream of being a Top Coordinator influenced her to pass on the knowledge. Her mother, once a Top Coordinator herself, got May into the competition scene. Her father helps train with her as well as providing battling techniques. Also, her brother Max helps with calculating the perfect timings with her contest moves. Moreover, her rivals and friends have helped her improve a lot too, and she wouldn't be this successful without them.
May smiles at the text that just popped up on her pokenav from Ash. The two are very similar, and May sees him as an older brother. Ash became the Kanto Champion a few years ago and got married to his first traveling partner, Misty Waterflower, shortly after. Misty is still the Cerulean City gym leader. They just had a daughter, so Ash can't stop sending pictures and videos to his friends. May welcomes these cute pictures and videos of Astrid because she loves kids. It's another reason she's a teacher.
Once she rests the pokenav back down after telling Ash how cute Astrid is, May thinks about the rest of her friends. She had met Dawn Berlitz while in Sinnoh once, and the two have shared many coordinator tips with each other throughout the years. Apparently Dawn is dating the Sinnoh Champion Paul Shinji, but from what May's heard about him, he's not a very nice guy. She has no idea how or why Dawn would date someone like that because Dawn is very nice and bubbly. However, the saying goes opposites attract.
Solidad and Harley got married a couple of years ago, and they're currently expecting. May periodically sees them because they're in Hoenn. She also contributes a lot of her success to them, especially Solidad. Harley has since stopped his scheming and cheating coordinator ways, more so after getting together with Solidad. The flamboyant coordinator is apparently the big worrywort about Solidad's pregnancy.
May's childhood friend Brenden Birch has been doing research for his father Professor Birch, so May periodically sees Brenden every couple of years. Despite the lack of communication, May still considers him a great friend. While she traveled with Ash, Brenden was in Kalos because he is a few years older than her. There was a time growing up where she had a huge crush on Brenden, but after traveling around and meeting more people, that crush has since been gone.
"The Johto Top Coordinator, Drew Hayden, has been leading the major fundraiser to help with the disaster in Olivine City. The city is still flooded and without power while hospitals, Pokemon Centers, and authorities are working around the clock…" the rest of the newscast is zoned out as May reflects about her last friend, rival, and crush.
Sighing, she leans back into the couch sadly because she and Drew lost connection when she was 17. May decided to travel Hoenn while Drew went to Johto again. They both had won their festivals, which required them to stay in those regions during their reign. With each of them being successful and strong, they stayed in their positions for years. Over time, they became too busy that the distance caused them to talk less and less.
Once May finally got dethroned, she got offered a position at the new coordinator school in Rustboro City, which she eagerly took. Drew remained in his Johto position, and with May as a year round teacher, she rarely travels. Besides, now it's just too awkward for May to reach out to Drew because he's finally dating that Brianna girl who's had a huge crush on him for years. However, May is happy for her former rival, even if she did have a crush on Drew when they were younger. Being apart for so long, these feelings have since disappeared, but May hasn't found anyone else who interests her since Drew.
Out of everyone she knows, she is the only one who is alone. Even Max has a girlfriend, but May Maple has no one to share her time with. There was a time where May thought she and Drew would always be together, especially after traveling around Johto and Kanto together. However, time has shown that they're not meant to be because May can keep her long-distance friendship with Brenden but not Drew.
Shaking her head as a faint blush tints her cheeks, May tells herself that this is how life is. Everything happens for a reason, like how she met Ash. Or how she suddenly got this teaching job once she lost the Top Coordinator position. Or like how she met Drew due to a frisby on the Slateport City beach. Or like this pokenav call right here from an unknown number.
"Munch?" Munchlax walks into the room to ask his trainer who is just staring at the ringing pokenav.
Sighing, May picks up the call. It could be a parent complaining about how she made their child battle today, which she's had these calls plenty of times before. Because May was wallowing over being alone, she didn't want to make her day worse by listening to a parent berate her once more. Plus, the parents are the worst part of her job.
However, once May answers the call, the female voice on the other end says, "Go to Petalburg City orphanage."
May raises an eyebrow in confusion. Why would she go to the orphanage? Maybe this person has the wrong number. "Who is this?" Instead of an answer, May hears the call end, making her frown. Who the heck just called her? Paying no attention to the obvious mistaken call, May resumes working on her paperwork, grateful for the call distracting her thoughts from a certain green haired man.
Next Day
While her students are taking their weekly Friday quiz, May is grading more papers and working on lesson plans. The life of a teacher is very busy, but it's rewarding. She's had a few students return from their travels to tell her about how her class has helped them immensely. That's all May needs to keep going in this career of hers no matter how difficult the students and parents can be.
May's pokenav rings again, and she sees it is her father. It's been ringing all morning, but he knows she doesn't pick up during school hours. It's very unprofessional; plus, her students are taking a test, so it'd be rude to talk on the phone. Whatever her father needs to tell her can wait until she's on her lunch break, though May is slightly worried in case it's something about her mom or Max.
Turning off the device, May resumes her work. Even though Rustboro is very close to Petalburg, May doesn't visit as often as she should. Max has been traveling a lot too, so she's rarely seen him. He's currently in the Unova region with his girlfriend, Vivi Winstrate. Nevertheless, like with Brenden, May's relationship with her family is still fine with the lack of communication.
It is somewhat estranged between her and Max now because she hasn't spent time with him since they traveled together with Ash. Over time, she and Max spoke less and less, and once he started traveling, they rarely saw each other as they became too caught up in their lives. While May does miss her family, she's grown used to this new adult life of hers, and everyone seems to have moved on with life too. This is her new normal.
These past two days have definitely not been normal, though, with yesterday's battling, the mysterious phone call, and now her father won't stop calling her at work. Up until yesterday, May's life has been very routine; however, little does she know, it's about to get more unexpected.
The door to the classroom swings open as another teacher stands there, making everyone look at her. This teacher's attention is on May, so she walks over to May's desk. "You have a phone call, Ms. Maple." the woman whispers.
Sighing, May replies, "If it's my father, tell him I'll call him during my lunch break."
"He says it's urgent."
"I'm sure it can wait an hour, Mrs. Vix." May smiles. Another reason she's been ignoring her father's calls is because she missed the family dinner last month due to forgetting. Well, she didn't quite forget, but she just didn't want to go without Max. May is tired of just having family time with just her parents when Max isn't there. How can they be considered a family when they're missing a member?
"I think you should take it." Pleads the older teacher, making May inwardly groan.
Standing up, the brunette says, "Can you watch my students until I'm back." Mrs. Vix nods worriedly, and May thanks her before leaving.
Once at the school office, the secretary points to a phone, which May takes. Before clicking the Resume button since her father is on hold, May takes a deep breath as she prepares to make up another excuse to avoid a family meeting. "Hey, dad."
"Why haven't you been picking up?" he exclaims, making May remove the phone from her ear. If he's just going to scold her, she doesn't want any of it right now.
"I'm at work." she tells him matter-of-factly.
Hearing her father groan makes May feel guilty for ignoring him, but he replies, "Come home now."
He knows she's at work. She can't just drop everything because he tells her to. It's not fair, and he should be telling Max this too! "I'm working." She repeats as calmly as she can, mostly because the secretary is a big gossip.
"May Haruka Maple." Her father's stern voice speaks to her. "It's Brenden."
"Is he visiting? I'll see him later then." May shrugs. So this is why her father called her. Her father has always wanted her to date Brenden, especially since Norman and Professor Birch are such good friends. Moreover, her dad has never been a fan of Drew because Norman wants May to be with a trainer, though her mother liked Drew.
After Ash got married to Misty, Norman pushed heavily for May to call Brenden often. Norman would tell her that she already lost one great trainer, so she can't lose another. Obviously, May didn't call Brenden, but this is mostly because he doesn't pick up her calls. He calls her, and with her not doing much, she picks up. Nevertheless, these phone calls from her childhood friend are rare, especially since she hasn't heard from him in over a year.
"I don't want to do this over the phone, May." Norman sighs.
"Me neither, and I'm at work, dad." The woman is very annoyed with this phone call she wishes will just end already, which is why she keeps telling him she's at work. She has other responsibilities that he's unnecessarily distracting her from. Besides, May just doesn't feel comfortable talking to her family anymore. Times have changed them, making it seem like they're just putting on this facade of a family to the world because her dad is a gym leader.
Hearing her father take a shaky deep breath gets May's attention. Why is his breath all shaky? Is he crying? Is mom okay? Max? However, before May can ask, he says, "Brenden's...gone…"
"What do you mean?" May asks with slight concern. If Brenden isn't in town, then he's obviously still traveling, so of course he's gone.
After a brief pause, Norman answers her, "He passed away, May."
Her worst fear of losing someone she cares about has just become a reality. She doesn't even remember the last time she spoke to Brenden, much less what they talked about. How could this happen? It has to be a joke, right? Maybe he's just missing and declared dead, but he's really alive somewhere? The Brenden Birch she knows is a strong trainer who can overcome any danger he encounters, especially with his team of strong Pokemon.
"May?" Her father's voice gets her attention again as May hasn't realized she's started crying. He had been calling her name for some time now, and he grew more concerned when he didn't hear a response.
Furiously wiping the tears away, she takes a deep shaky breath. "I'm coming home."