"Um, ok," I said. I took the book from his, hesitating at first. I blew off the dust and waved my hand on it. When it cleared, I saw on it 'Photo Album Memories'. What did that mean? I slowly opened the cover, revealing a series of pages. Each with pictures on them. On them were younger versions of me. And not just me. Drew and Soladad were there as well, also young. If it weren't for the creepiness right now, I would be wondering how they had cameras during this time period.

"W-What the..."

"Do you remember any of this May?" Drew asked, looking at the photo album by me. I shook my head no, but slowly.

"Was this me before I lost my memories?" I asked.

"Yeah," he replied. I haven't been here since you disappeared. That's probably why I didn't remember it so well when we arrived here.

"Here?" I asked... "How did you find this place before?"

"Not just me," he said. He turned a couple pages. There I saw some pictures of this cave, forest, whatever it was. I was there, and so was Drew. We were running around like little kids, playing with the Pokemon residing there.

"Is that...?"

"Yeah, that's us. Soladad always liked taking pictures," he explained, "This is also where we first met."

My head lifted up and I looked at Drew. His eyes were glued to the pictures.

"How did it happen? Do you remember?" I asked.

--DREW'S POV--

I looked up, trying to remember the day May and I met. Actually being here made me remember it as if it were just yesterday.

"Yeah, I remember very clearly," I said. "Here's how it happened"

-- FLASHBACK/STILL DREW'S POV--

I was only 6. Soladad was already 10. Soladad and I were in our house, doing normal things, helping out our parents around the house. This was when they were still alive. I on the other hand didn't enjoy "cleaning" and "dusting" and cooking", all that junk. I'd rather help out my dad in the fields but my mom says I'm still "too young".

"Come on mom please? I finished all my chores already. And I'm not gonna be working the fields this time," I begged.

"Yeah right," Soladad said, drying the last of the dishes, "Unlike the last time we let you outside and you broke your arm running through the corn fields."

"Who's side are you on anyway?!"

My mother sighed, " Alright Drew, you can go."

"I can?" I asked.

"He can?!" Soladad shouted.

"He can," my mom said, keeping her calm happy face and she continued cooking.

"Alright!" I yelled, punching my fist into the air. Soladad just groaned and slapped her forehead. My Roselia ran up to me, hearing the news.

"Now Soladad, watch Drew ok?" mom said.

"Yeah yeah, I know," she said, "But I'm bringing my camera, incase the little Pokemon trainer gets into a little trouble. Then at least I'll have some proof."

I crossed my arms and glared at her. Even though she was adopted almost a year ago, she's already acting like the boss of me. We ran out of the house as we took a walk down the path.

"Remember Drew, we can't wander too far alright?" Soladad said.

"Oh come on Soladad, so we wander a little farther off the fields. Not like anything will happen to us."

"That's what you said last time," She said, sweatdropping. Eventually we made it to the cliff. There was a rope bridge from one side to the other. Then again there were the stairs carved into the edges of the cliff leading downward. Then there was a stone bridge leading to the other side of the river all the way down. On the other cliff were stairs carved in leading upwards.

"Ok, this is far enough Drew. Let's head back," Soladad said, turning around.

"What no way!" I shouted with Rosellia behind me, "Let's at least go across to the other side, please?"

Soladad groaned again," Alright, alright, but let's take the stair case and the stone bridge."

"That'll take to long. The rope bridge is faster anyway," I said crossing my arms.

"Better safe than sorry Drew," she said, "And I'm not crossing that thing. And you can't go all by yourself. So ha."

"Whatever, I don't care what you say."

"Then I'll go with you," said a girl's voice. We both turned around seeing a brown haired girl with a pink and yellow cloak.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am May. And you are?"

"I'm Drew, and this is my step-sister Soladad."

"Uh, nice to meet you I guess," Soladad said, scratching the back of her neck. "What's a little girl like you doing out here alone?"

"I'm... taking a break from my duties at home," she said in a calm state, "My parents never let me out."

"Really, mine neither," I said taking an interest in this girl.

"A commoner? Really?" May asked, looking at me.

"Yeah, aren't you a commoner too?" Soladad asked.

"Um... you can say I'm of higer class, but ok," May said trying to find the right words," Anyway, I heard you wanted to try and cross the rope bridge."

"Yeah, I am," I said.

"Great, I've always wanted to try and cross it to get to the other side, but I've always been to scared to go alone," she said, twiddling with her fingers.

"Oh really, Soladad didn't you say that I couldn't go alone, hm?" I said with a smirk on my face. Soladad's face fell as she starred at me.

"U-Um, w-well I did say that b-but, um, y-you know-"

"It is nothing Soladad. I'm sure the bridge is as secure as the stone bridge below in the canyon," May said with a smile. Soladad sweatdropped. Comparing the rope bridge to the stone rbidge below, it looked like a Steelix hanging on a thread. Of course we were 6-year-olds and it didn't really occur to us the dangers of a rope bridge, "Drew let's go!"

"Right!"

We both started for the bridge with Rosellia right behind us. Soladad held out her arm stuttering still, trying to keep us from going any farther. While we were halfway across the rope bridge, the boad cracked and fell apart, falling into the river under us. We fell through as well, as if we were flying. Except this could actually kill us.

"Drew! May! Rosellia!" Soladad shouted from up above. All three of us crashed to the blue river. My Rosellia caught hold of land at the side of the canyon and used Vine Whip to pull us out. We both got on dry land as coughed out some water.

"Thanks so much Rsellia," I said, trying to breathe.

"That is a powerful Rosellia you have Drew," May said," I wish I could have a Pokemon."

"Why? Don't you have any?"

She nodded her head no,"My parents don't allow me. They say it's for my own protection. I don't know why though, they have Pokemon of their own. They always says it's because I'm only a kid.

I smiled," That's what my parents say. I want to help out my family by working in the fields with my dad, but my mom says I'm too little. So I don't go out much either."

"To be truthful, I just sneak out of home," May said. We both smiled and laughed, seeing how much we had in common together. Then I noticed a huge cave by the wall.

"Hey May, while we're outside of our homes, why don't we go explore that cave there?" I suggested, pointing at the huge cave entrance. It was still day so it wasn't as dark.

"Alright, let's go!" she said standing up. I expected her to say "No, it's too scary". Most girls didn't really go for the adventurous life, like Soladad for instance. This May girl seemed pretty different. I got up and we walked in. As we went deeper into the cave, it started getting brighter at the end. At the end, our eyes widened. It was a huge oasis. And it was all inside. So much Pokemon I've never seen before. Such a crystal clear lake and tree. Plus at the top was the clear blue sky, as if we were inside a volcano.

"Wow!" May said, looking amazed. "This is like a paradise!"

"But no one in Petalburg knows about this place," I added, just as surprised, "Hey May, why don't we keep this a secret? Just the two of us?"

"Of course! I swear I won't tell anyone." I said.

Then she held up her hand, lifting her pinky, "Pinky promise first."

"Pinky Promise?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's something I learned from a dream I had, about the future. A Pinky Promise is like a special promise between two friends. And they have to keep it, no matter what," I explained. I smiled brightly and I held up my pinky with hers, hooking them together, "Yubikiri genman, uso tsuitara hari senbon nomasu yubi kitta," she chanted, shaking her hand slowly up and down.

"What was that?" I asked.

"It's the language the Pinky Promise was said in my dream," she explained, "In English, it means Pinky promise, if I'm lying, may I be pierced by a thousand needles."

"Well don't worry, this secret's safe with me," I assured her.

With that she made another smile, "We'll be great friends Drew, I know it!"

--END FLASHBACK--

"Wow, so that's how we met as kids?" May asked. I nodded my head.

"Yeah, it was a fun day. I actually made my first friend. And by what I learned, I was your first friend as well."

"Hm... so that was it. Did Soladad ever find out?" she asked, "If she's the ones taking the pics here then she must have found out."

I laughed," Yeah, she found out, by following us. Shortly after we made that Pinky Promise, Soladad ran through the entrance from the cave, all out of breath. Then we had to make her promise not to tell my parents. Of course they never found out."

"Did my parents ever find out?" May aske,d pondering a minute.

"Not as far as I know," I said, "Actually, we didn't find out about your being a princess for a while.

--FLASHBACK--

May and I were inside the cave. May brought chalk with her. We decided to decorate the walls of the cave. May said that it'd look prettier, if that was even a word. But either way, I went along with her. It was a good idea anyway. On the walls we were drawing Pokemon. This was about a wekk after we found out about this place.

"Thanks for helping me out Drew," May said.

"No problem, Rosellia said she wanted to go meet up with you here so I went with her," I said, continuing my drawing.

"Hi May! Drew!" said Soladad's voice. We saw at the entrance of the cave was Soladad, her camera around her next. She took a picture of the both of us drawing, or at least starring at her weirdly and holding a piece of chalk.

I sweatdropped, "Must you always bring your camera?"

"Well duh, these are good memories. You'll thank me for this one day," she said, wagging her finger at me, "So May, where do your parents live?"

I noticed May tense up a bit as she turned around, wearing a nervous grin, "Um, let's say they're constantly busy and I'm constantly under watch. So I sneak out with my cloak."

Of couse we weren't buying it. That wasn't the whole truth. And she could tell, just by looking at us, "Oh fine, I'll tell you," she started. Then she took a huge breath, "My name's Maylin Maple of the Royal Family."

Soladad and I looked at each other for a second, trying to sink in what just happened. She was the princess of Petalburg? This girl? This non-girly girl was the Princess?

"S-Seriously? That's you?" I asked, then again it would make a lot of sense with what she was going through.

"Yes," She said looking down. I know my parents mean a lot, but thy're very over protective of me. I'm never let out of the palace so I take my cloak and sneak out. They never really notice unless I'm out very late.

"Wow," was all I could say.

"U-Uh, d-do you want us to start calling you as such May?-I-I mean, Princess May-" Soladad stuttered. During her days as a child she had a hard time picking out her words.

May giggled," It's ok, you two are my friends. You do not have to call me as such."

I rolled my eyes. Suddenly we could hear another noise. Not me, Soladad, Rosellia, or May.

"Did you hear that guys?" I asked.

"Yeah, I did too." May said, sounding a little scared. She clung to my arm, making me blush. I never blushed before, why now? Rosellia stood in front of us as defence as the figure started walking towards us. When it came out of the shadows, we saw it was just a Torchic. When it chirped and tilted it's head, Soladad and I sweatdropped.

"It was just a Torchic," Soladad and I said simultaneously.

"Aw, how adorable!" May said, picking her up.

"Careful May! Wild Pokemon can be dangerous you know," Soladad warned. this was true. While we were exploring the cave the past week, it took forever for the Pokemon to get used to seeing us humans. But of course, the Torchic did not react to May's touch. I was quite surprised with that.

"So your name is Torchic huh?" May asked, "Well then, how about you be my secret Pokemon? My parents don't have to know about you."

The little orange Pokemon nodded, nuzzling it's head at May. She smiled and hugged it. Then I saw a flash and turned around. Soladadjust took a picture. I starred at her weirdly and she just grinned. This was some Princess alright.

--END FLASHBACK--

"Even then, you were still the same girl you are now," I said, "The Pokemon got along very well with you."

"I can only imagine... such an amazing childhood, away from the city and enjoying life's simplest pleasures," May said, somewhat in a daze, "... How'd it end?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..." May started, "how did I really get in cased in that ice. My grandma wouldn't explain to much of it. I know it involved my mother but that's all I know."

"That day, it was the day of the invasion." I said. I could remember that day just as clearly. It was the last day we ever saw our former king and queen. It was the last day I ever saw my parents. And it was the last day I ever saw May.

--FLASHBACK--

I was running. It was a dark day today. Petalburg was being invaded, by these knights in black armor. I didn't know who they were, but they were killing everyone in the Kingdom. They just broke into my house and got my parents. Soladad and I ran out of the house, with those knights following us with their long blades. Rosellia caught up to us as well.

"Soladad what are we gonna do?" I asked, holding her arm in fear.

"Drew you and Rosellia run, run far away from these knights," she said with a serious face. With that she took out a pokeball from her pockets, throwing it into the air, "Alright Milotic! Help us out!"Out came a beautiful Milotic. Soladad had caught it about a year ago, "Drew I said go!"

I started running the opposite way, Rosellia right by my side. The first thing I knew to go to was the Royal Palace. I needed to make sure May was safe. When I got there, the palace was already in flames. I stood in horror as the flames engulfed the building. I could see May's father, the king, fighting the black knights with his sword. but then he was defeated, falling to the ground, gone. I could only imagine, could May have gone through the same thing just now?

"Help!" yelled May's voice, which snapped me back into reality, "Help! Help!"

I followed May's screaming voice. I arrived at the back of the castle. There I saw May and her mother on the balcony. The couldn't go inside because the building was already burning. "Drew! Help!"

I made a stern face, "Rosellia, I need you to use Magical Leaf." Rosellia starred at me in a strange way, "I know it's an attack, but made it might help May and her mom get down from there."

She nodded positioned her arms in front of the balcony, shooting a Magical Leaf attack. The sparkling leaves went around May and the queen, lifting them into the air. They landed safely down on the ground in front of me. I had no idea Magical Leaf could be used that way.

"May are you alright dear?" the queen asked, stroking her daughter's hair.

May nodded, no longer scarred, "Yes mother."

"And you young man," the queen said, looking at me, "Thank you for saving my daughter and I."

"That's my friend Drew. And his Rosellia," May said.

"Well then, I guess you sneaking out of the palace isn't alwaysa bad thing now is it," her mom said laughing. Suddenly he all heard an explosion, coming from the front of the castle.

"Alright kids, I need you to come with me. We have to hide," the queen said. May and I nodded. We ran to this area and into a cave underground. We thought we were safe for the time being, but then we saw those Black Knights appear before us. That scared the heck out of me May me. The queen stood in front of us as defence.

"Drew! Take my daughter and run! Protect her!" She shouted, taking out two pokeballs. She threw them and appeared two Beautiflies. One stayed by the Queen while the other Beautifly came by us. "Take my Beautifly, you'll need her incase Rosellia tires out."

"But mother-" May started, her eyes watering.

"Hurry!" her mother yelled back.

"May come on! We have to get out of here." I said, clasping my hand in hers. We both started running again, holding hands so we wouldn't be separated. At the end of the cave, we came to a dead end, there was a huge gap of water.

"Oh no, it's a dead end," May said in horror.

I could hear the Black Knights coming, running towards here.

"Man, we don't have much time," I said, "May, you know I promised your mom I'd protect you right?"

"Yes?" she said, looking at me worriedly.

"Then please, forgive me for what I'm about to do," I said, looking down. My eyes were starting to water and I could let May see that," What? Drew I don't get it."

"Rosellia, use Grasswhistle."

Rosellia hesitated at first, but then obeyed my orders. A soothing sound came from Rosellia, heading for May. She then collapsed. I caught her before she could fall. She was asleep. By now I was really crying. I walked into the water and placed her in there. The two Pokemon were really confused with what I was doing.

"Ok, now Beautifly... use Blizzard on May."

She obeyed as a part of the water turned into ice. Inside the ice was May, fast asleep, frozen. Almost like Snow White. She started drifting, out into the water. This way, she could probably survive, rather than be killed by the Royal Knights.

'I'm sorry May... I hope you'll survive'

--END FLASHBACK--