Chapter 37
"May, can you come down here for a minute?" Caroline calls upstairs. May is currently packing so that she can join her father and brother in Pacifidlog Town.
"I'm almost done!" May yells back. Soon, she grabs her bag and hurries down the stairs. She's ready to go get Kai back, so she packed quickly. What May doesn't expect is the guest downstairs with her mother. "Professor…"
The man is seated on the couch, and May can't read his expression. She knows that he's very important to her family, but he is very against Kai. May isn't in the mood to hear from the Professor about his views on the situation because she knows it's not going to be what she wants to hear. However, she needs to respect the man who is like an uncle to her.
When Professor Birch's calm eyes meet May's, he motions to the couch across from him where Caroline is sitting. "Sit, May."
"I need to go." May informs him. She's pretty sure her mother has already informed him about everything.
"I know, so I won't keep you too long."
May is very nervous. He's so calm. She can't read his expressions or tone. What's going on? "Join us, May." Caroline warmly smiles at her daughter who now reluctantly sighs and sits down.
"Don't be mad at my family. Be mad at me. I got them involved." May hurriedly says.
To her surprise, Professor Birch smiles, although it's a small one. "I'm not mad." He lets out a long breath. "I'll admit, I was furious when I found out what you did a week after Brendan's funeral." Professor Birch's warm eyes meet May's again, and she can see the tears threatening to fall from them. "But I've had years to think. I've been a selfish man."
"No, Professor! You're very kind!" Besides for him being against Kai, May believes Professor Birch is the nicest funniest professor in the world.
"Thank you, May. You're too kind." Professor Birch pulls out a piece of paper from his pocket to place on the coffee table between them. "I was furious the first time I read this letter. However, I've been reading it a lot because it's the last time Brendan spoke to me." May curiously shifts her gaze down to the paper. She reaches out and picks it up.
Hey Dad,
I'm sorry for everything. But you need to know, I'd go through it all over again. The only thing I'd change would be to leave Shelly earlier so that I didn't lose Kai. Kai makes me happy. Now I see why you love being my father. I love being a father too. I know I left because of my love for Shelly, but I stayed with her because of my love for my son, Kai. I know you'll love him a lot when you meet him. I hope you get to meet him some day.
I'm writing to you today because I won't be there when you meet Kai. I've failed you, dad. I failed you, Sceptile, and Kai. I'm just a huge failure with no one left, and everything hurts. It hurts too much living, so I'm going to go away now. I know I left after our huge argument years ago, and I'm sorry, dad, but I'm going to leave you again.
I wish I could've helped you with your research one more time. Or help feed the Pokemon. Or just have a nice dinner with you. Don't worry, dad. I won't be lonely anymore. I'll be with mom. She'll keep me company. You don't need to worry about your delinquent son anymore.
As you can tell, I'm crying a lot right now, so I'm going to end this letter. I don't think I'll be able to see anymore if I keep writing. I just want you to know that I still love you, dad. I love you so much, and I wish I could've told you in person. Don't ever forget how much I love you.
Your son, Brendan
May closes her eyes to trap her tears. "What is it?"
"Brendan's suicide letter. He only wrote one, and it was to me." the Professor stifles a sob. "After I disowned him and left him all alone, he still chose to give me his last words. I'm an awful father!"
"Professor." Caroline reaches out to pat his knee.
"No, Professor. You're a great father." May looks him directly in his tearfilled eyes. "Brendan was the father was because of you! He even said so!" She chokes back a sob. "And I've been with Kai the past few years to know how wonderful of a father Brendan was. I know Brendan got it from you. It's why Brendan gave you his last words!"
Professor Birch wipes at his eyes with tissue Caroline gives him. "I've been very angry, May. I was mad at the world for taking my family away, so I took it out on Kai years ago." He takes a deep shaky breath. "But I've learned that I was really mad at myself. I pushed Brendan away when I could've supported him."
May shakes her head. "Professor-"
However, he puts a hand up to silence her. "Which is why I'm going to try my best to fix everything now." May and Caroline watch the professor pull out a white item from his pocket and place it on the table. "I believe this is yours, May." The young woman picks up the item she instantly recognizes as Brendan's white beanie. "When you bring Kai back, I'd like to meet him."
May meets his warm gaze again where she smiles brightly as she clutches the hat in her arms. "He'd love to meet his grandfather, Professor."
Pacifidlog Town
"'Bout time, sis." Max smirks with his arms crossed over his chest.
Ignoring him, May hugs Vivi. "Vivi! Thanks for your help!" Caroline greets her son and husband before going to Vivi now that May is greeting Norman.
"Hey, May." Norman hugs the girl.
"I'm glad you're okay, dad." She heard about him fighting Archie.
Chuckling, Norman winks at her. "Just because I'm old, it doesn't mean I can't battle, May. I'm still the gym leader."
"I know, dad." she giggles.
Rolling his eyes, Max interrupts everyone's conversations. "Let's rest for tonight and then head out in the morning." As much as May wants to get Kai now, she understands Max is correct. They can't do anything if they're tired.
The few days later, the group has been aimlessly surfing around Route 130. "How come we can't find it?" May asks. Max and Vivi have even flown around above to try and find the island, but nothing shows it exists. The group is currently on a sandbank eating and regrouping.
"How did we find it last time?" Max asks his sister as he thinks.
"Well, Team Rocket blew up the sub." May also thinks.
"You were on Mirage Island before? I thought it was a myth?" Vivi curiously looks at the siblings. She knows Max has had many adventures, so there are some he hasn't told her about yet.
Nodding, Max mentions, "Yeah. Back when we were traveling with Ash."
"And then we woke up and we were separated on the island!" May exclaims as everything is coming back to her. She looks at her parents and Vivi. "We weren't looking for the island. We just accidentally got there!"
Sighing, Max tells her, "That is not helping us, May."
"There has to be a way for Shelly to come and go on the island." Caroline wonders.
May's eyes open wide at this. "Yeah! She's an Aqua Admin!"
Max seems to understand what his sister is getting at, so he grins too. "Submarine."
May nods at her brother while everyone looks at them in confusion. "We're gonna need to dive underwater."
"I heard whirlpools surround the island if people are able to find it." Norman informs them.
Max, though, raises his hand to speak. "Yes, dad, but you forget, May and I have been on the island before."
"By mistake." Vivi mutters, making Max rolls his eyes.
"Trust us! We'll all get there!" May stands up excitedly. "It's going to be a hard journey, but once we're through the whirlpools, we'll be on the island!"
"Why don't we just fly around until we find the whirlpools, and then fly over them to the island?" Vivi suggests.
Max shakes his head. "We've been doing that, Vivi. We've searched this route for days now. I think the only way to get to Mirage Island is what May said."
Caroline seems to understand what her children are getting at. "Since you both got on the island when the submarine crashed in the ocean, then we'll have to get on the island as we are underwater too!"
"Exactly, mom!" May grins. "I'll have Venusaur give us vines to tie to each other so that we don't get separated in the whirlpool."
"Wait. We have to go in the whirlpool?" Vivi nervously asks.
"The whirlpools will take us to the island." Max informs them. "It's the only way. We're gonna feel really dizzy, but we'll get there."
Norman lets out a breath and stands up. "Let's get started." There's no use in trying to come up with another way. They've wasted enough time as is flying and surfing. If May and Max got on the island with the help of the whirlpools in the past, then they'll have to do it again. Norman will not let his children go through this fight alone.
That night, the group has tied vines and ropes around each other, and everyone surfs underwater. Since they aren't too sure what part of Route 130 has the whirlpools, they are just aimlessing swimming around. Eventually, a huge wave starts stirring when May and Wartortle swim deeper into the route. The wave is picking up its current in a circular motion, making the girl face her family and Vivi. She nods at them to indicate that the whirlpool is starting.
Unfortunately for them, the whirlpool is a lot stronger than they anticipated. It breaks the vines and rope, causing everyone to spin separately in it. May struggles to hang onto Wartortle. In the corner of her eye, she spots Norman's hold on Glaceon slipping. This makes May try to reach out and help her father, but the moment she does this, she gets separated from Wartortle. Spinning by herself in the whirlpool, May's head gets very hazy and dizzy. How does Shelly do this all the time? Shelly must have a better way of getting onto the island. Soon, May blacks out from the spinning and rough current.
Hours Later
Coughing up a lot of water, the brunette weakly rolls over in the sand. She groans loudly. This intense sun is making everything very hot. She forces her eyes to open and blink a bit as she adjusts to her new surroundings. Where is she? What happened?
The events of the whirlpool rush back to her, making May sigh. She quickly looks around to see that she's alone on the beach. This is definitely not Pacifidlog Town, so May knows they're on Mirage Island. Finding the strength to stand up, May wobbles towards the forest. She notices that Wartortle's Pokeball is empty because May had lost her in the whirlpool. May hopes to see Wartortle soon or that Wartortle is with her family. Groudon, she hopes her family is okay.
Pulling out her pokenav, May sees she has no signal. Of course she wouldn't. They're on Mirage Island. Everything here is a mystery. "Please be okay, everyone." they had planned in case they all got separated. The first one to find what could be a hideout would send a message to the others in the form of a fire into the sky. May is glad she still has Blaziken's pokeball.
Taking in a few more deep breaths, May tries to find courage to stand straighter. She needs to get Kai. She's already wasted enough time these past few weeks, and she hates it. All she wants is for Kai to come back safely. "Just wait, Kai. I'm coming." He's her family now. He's everyone's family, and they will fight for him.
After traveling through a part of the forest, May finds herself by a cliffside overlooking a river. She pauses to glance down at the river. Not because she thinks Kai will be there, no. She watches the river because it means a lot to her. Feeling an intense ache in her heart, May fights the tears that threaten to fall. Here she is all alone on this mysterious island. While she hopes her family should be somewhere on the island as well, May hasn't ran into any of them yet. She feels just as alone as she felt after Kai left and she left Drew.
Sniffling, May closes her eyes tightly. She needs to focus on Kai right now. Forget about that grasshead who continues to affect her heart without being around her. Drew is in her past now. She made sure of that because she left him this time. Therefore, she needs to accept the fact that he isn't coming back.
More deep breaths calm her down enough to open her eyes again. This river is too painful right now, so May opts to look away. Fortunately for her, she looks away at the right moment, allowing her to quickly jump out of the way of a hydropump attack. When May stops tumbling on the ground, she looks up at her attacker.
"I was wondering when you'd find us." snickers the pinkette, making May grit her teeth.
"Shelly! Where's Kai?"
"Where he belongs!" Shelly swings her arm out towards May. "Crunch!"
May throws out a pokeball. "Leafstorm, Venusaur!" Venusaur's intense grass attack does a lot of damage to Sharpedo. Shelly, though, knows Brendan is a great battler, so her Pokemon are strong enough to battle his. However, Shelly usually lost to him. May is a great trainer, but she's no Brendan; thus, Shelly's Pokemon and May's Pokemon are equally strong.
"Your journey ends here, May!" snickers Shelly.
Furrowing her brows angrily, May replies, "Give back Kai!"
"He's my son."
"You abandoned him!"
"I came back for him." Shelly coolly says. "Ice beam!"
"Solarbeam!" with the sun's intense rays, Venusaur doesn't need a lot of time to charge up. Her solarbeam melts some of Sharpedo's ice beam attack, but both Pokemon are still hit by each attack. They're panting heavily, and May can tell Venusaur is slightly frozen in one leg. "You don't deserve Kai!"
"I birthed him."
"Brendan raised him! Brendan left him in my care!" May glares at Shelly. "Even you called me to get Kai!"
"I was entertaining Brendan's spirit." Shelly nonchalantly shrugs, which irks May more. How can Shelly be so cold to the man who gave up so much for her? The man who killed himself because of her? It's not fair.
Throwing out another Pokeball, May closes her eyes tightly as the tears slip, "Flarethrower!" Life isn't fair. Why is Brendan gone but Shelly is still here? And winning?
With Sharpedo preoccupied with Venusaur, Shelly calls out her Crawdaunt and Walrein. "Get rid of them." She orders the new Pokemon. Walrein uses a protect to avoid the flamethrower attack. All three of Shelly's Pokemon unleash intense Hydropumps on May and her Pokemon.
With Veunsaur being injured, and Blaziken at a type disadvantage, May and her Pokemon get blasted right off the cliff. "Venusaur! Blaziken!" May shouts and returns her worried pokemon. She won't let them get hurt. They already do so much for her. May closes her eyes tightly as she braces for impact. She's survived this fall before, so she hopes to survive it again.
Shelly smirks, but then something catches her eye in the sky. Looking up, she spots a green dragon. "Ice beam!"
"May!" shouts the man on the dragon. When he saw the intense fire, he quickly headed over where he saw May fall over the cliff. With Flygon, he's trying to catch her before she hits the water below.
May opens her eyes at the shout. When she sees Flygon and his trainer, she feels relieved. "Drew!"
Before Drew can say anything else to her, Flygon cries out in pain. The dragon type faints and crashes down the cliff. Drew then notices Flygon's frozen tail. No.
Looking up at the cliff, he spots a pinkette woman smirking down on them as well as a Walrein, Crawdaunt, and Sharpedo. When the woman returns her pokemon and disappears from the edge of the cliff, the man returns Flygon. At least Flygon got him close enough to May. "Grab my hand, May!" He stretches out his arm and she does the same. They manage to hold each other's hands and Drew pulls her close to his chest. His last words before they both crash into the cold river below are, "You're not alone, May."