Chapter 15

In place of the door was Harley's Houndoom. At first, May didn't know what to think of it…then Houndoom walked cautiously over to her and Drew.

"What is it doing?" Drew whispered.

"I-I don't know…" May answered as it sniffed her over. 'Don't make a move…' May thought, terrified, as its cold nose touched her. Drew could almost read her mind.

"May…I think it's making sure you're ok," he guessed.

"You think so?" May looked down at the Houndoom who was now smiling, 'Nothing wrong with the girl…' he thought.

Then it was Drew's turn. Houndoom looked sheepishly at Drew as it crept over to him. Out of instinct, Drew cringed when it started to sniff him up and down. Houndoom was having troubles too, he hadn't really wanted to look at what he had done to Drew…but he had no choice.

'I have to make sure Harley didn't do anything else…' Houndoom thought miserably. Realizing that nothing else was wrong, Houndoom wagged his tail and howled with glee. But there was something different about the boy…he could tell.

"Is he d-done?" Drew asked, May just noticed he had had his eyes shut tight; probably out of fear.

May giggled, "Drew I thought you weren't scared of anything!" she said sarcastically. At this, Drew's eyes shot open.

"I-I'm not!" he said, his eyes wide with terror; May did not comment on this flaw in his fib.

"Rar!" Houndoom called, he made a gesture to follow him as he walked out of the shack.

"Ok Drew, do you think you can get up?" May asked.

"Uh…" Drew slowly stood up and nodded "apparently," he added.

"Good!" May said as she happily marched out of the little building. Suddenly, pain seared through Drew's right arm.

"Ow…" Drew whispered.

"What?" May gave him a worried look.

"Huh? Oh, nothing…" Drew mumbled, but May was not totally convinced.

Max sighed, he was getting nervous…he wanted to search for May and Drew…not look out the window. But Nurse Joy was concerned for his safety and he was grateful to that.

"May…Drew…where could you be?" he asked miserably. From close by the pokemon center, a co-ordinater with purple hair and a green outfit mused

"By now the shrimp and Drew should be begging for mercy…it's time I check on my sweetie-tweety Houndoom…" and he walked away.

As May and May and Drew followed Houndoom, more pain seared through Drew's arm. He hid it the best he could, and he hoped it was working.

"Rar!" Houndoom called cheerfully as he stopped at a bush.

"What?" May asked, and then she saw them. "Our pokeballs!" she squealed.

"Huh?" Drew looked over May's shoulder; sure enough, there they were. They were in a sack. Houndoom picked it up and started walking again, so May and Drew followed.

"Hey! We're getting close to the practice field!" May squealed. Drew nodded in agreement; maybe he could make it to the pokemon center…but as they got to the clearing, May ran ahead.

"May slow…" Drew was cut of by pain that seared through him even stronger than the last time. Drew cried out in the fierce pain and May whipped her head around just in time to see him collapse to the ground.

"Drew!" May shrieked, Houndoom was standing near Drew and was so shocked that he dropped the bag. A few pokeballs dropped out. May was about to run over to Drew when she heard a voice behind her.

"I was wondering how long he would last…poor Drew. That's what you get for taking May's side." May froze, she slowly turned around to look straight into the face of Harley.

"What do you want?" May asked angrily, through gritted teeth.

"Nothing," Harley answered "Well, at least, nothing from you." Then he threw a pokeball and a red light revealed Cacturne.

"Houndoom may be a traitor…" Harley added "but my Cacturne is faithful." At this comment, Houndoom shrunk back. Next to him Drew's eyes were on May.

'He wouldn't…' Drew thought angrily.

"Cacturne! Poison sting!" Harley shouted. Millions of needles flew straight at May. May couldn't move…fear forced her to freeze, Harley was striking again.

Something caught Drew's eye, a pokeball had landed next to him. A faint smile crept across his face "May's not going down without a fight…" he mumbled.

Meanwhile…the needles were coming in fast, May shut her eye's tight. They were just seconds away when…

"Roselia Petal Dance!" Drew cried.

"Huh?" May looked up to see Drew's pokemon warding off the Poison Sting in front of her, while behind her Drew dropped the red and white ball and his left hand landed on the ground.

"What the?" Harley was shocked. Roselia whipped her head around to see May instead of Drew, then her eyes landed on her master.

"Rosa!" she shrieked. Drew's words kept playing over and over in May's head…all she had promised him.

"He knew…" she whispered sadly "he knew he was getting worse…and now…I have to prove my promise."

"Rosa?" Roselia looked at May, questioning what to do.

"Are you with me Roselia?" May asked. Roselia nodded and faced Cacturne.

"Razor Leaf!" May cried.