Island Wolf: Hello lovely people, it's update tiiiime! I'm really excited about this chapter because I finally got to include some original material in the second half and I'm very fond of how it turned out. Readers who came over here from Ashes to Ashes will notice that I've changed Maxie's personality somewhat - yes he's still very abrasive at times, but it's more situational than stemming from any sort of true malice and - well you'll see what I mean when you read it. I personally like the way it reads better than the old way I used to write him and makes the relationship progression a little less jarring. But I digress, read ahead and find out for yourselves ;) Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing except this plots *weeps*
Maxie smirked as May's Absol collapsed, struck down by Alexia's unstoppable Fire Blast. Her Altaria had fallen victim to it the match before and despite having fought three battles straight his Ninetails stood with hardly a scratch on her. He could see May's jaw clench as she withdrew her fallen pokémon and she stared hard at the field, obviously weighing her options. He smirked, it had been far too long since he'd seen that kind of desperation – not since their first encounter on Mount Chimney when he'd very nearly overpowered her. Still, the young woman was far from finished he could tell – there was still fire in her eyes. She reached for her belt to select another pokéball, mouth set in a grim, but determined line.
The red and white sphere clattered to the ground as it slipped out of her nerveless fingers. Maxie watched the colour drain from May's face as she froze, rooted to the spot. She blinked slowly, shaking her head, clearly trying to compose herself, but it appeared to do her little good as she started swaying.
"Miss Maple?"
She looked at him with a dazed expression and opened her mouth as if to reply, before her eyes went wide and then rolled back as she crumpled to the ground in a dead feint. Swearing, he dashed across the field and rolled her onto her back. She was white as a sheet and completely unresponsive as he
took her pulse. He was startled to find that her skin ice cold to the touch and her pulse sluggish and weak. He unhooked the small hand-held radio from his belt and switched it on.
"I need a medical team to subbasement arena two, on the double!"
"Yes Sir, team has been dispatched and is moving in on your position."
A few minutes later the elevator doors slid open and two men in white uniforms and a backboard held between them came running. Maxie moved out of the way, allowing the two men to inspect her. "Pulse and respiration weak, core temperature is below normal and dropping, Christ it's like she's hypothermic!"
"She's not getting enough oxygen, her breathing's almost stopped," one of them cursed and placed a bag valve mask over her face, using it to force more air into her lungs. "We need to get her to the infirmary, get the crash cart prepped, at this rate we might lose her."
Without warning May's eyes flew open, but they were not their usual deep, azure colour – they were a pallid, icy blue. She choked and gasped, clawing at the mask on her face. The paramedics attempted to hold her down, but she shrieked and twisted against their hands, thrashing with a violent strength that far belayed her small form. Maxie dropped down beside them and took firm hold of her shoulders, effectively holding her upper half down while the medics held her hips and legs. Pinned beneath the three men she was forced to lay still and look directly up into Maxie's face. Her chest was heaving and she was trembling beneath his hands.
"Miss Maple stop, we are only trying to help you!" he hissed as she screamed again. "Goddammit woman calm down!"
May let out a ragged sob and closed her eyes tightly. Slowly, she stopped struggling against them and her breathing eased. When her eyes opened again they were back to their normal bright, clear blue. "What – what -"
Her voice was hoarse and tears immediately began to well up her in eyes. Maxie frowned and loosed his grip ever so slightly as the medics started checking her vital signs, moving his hands to support her head. She was drenched in a cold sweat, locks of her hair plastered to her forehead. Without even thinking he brushed them aside. "We're still downstairs, you had some sort of fit and passed out. Do you remember anything at all?"
"It was cold, the water was so cold," she whispered, closing her eyes again, but the tears continued to flow. "And the fear -"
"Sir, we need to take her up to the infirmary."
"Right, keep me updated on her condition," Maxie said, moving aside again as they lifted her onto the backboard. "I have to inform Mr. Stone of this development."
With that he left them and beat a hasty exit, taking the lift back up to the office. He sat down and took a deep breath through his nose. Gods above wherever that girl went she dragged a mountain of trouble with her. He combed his fingers through his hair and smoothed down his clothing – he refused to see Steven at anything less than perfectly composed, the little twit was smug enough as it was. Once content with his appearance he quickly opened up the communication line on one of the monitors. After a few moments Steven's image appeared on the screen looking highly bemused "Maxie? What's going on -"
"What's going on is that your compatriot nearly died."
"WHAT!? What the hell happened Maxie, I swear to God if you -"
"I suggest you stop that accusation right there Mr. Stone," Maxie hissed. "She had some sort of medical episode. The physicians are quite baffled, as am I. They're taking her to the infirmary now to run tests."
"How is she?"
"Stable for the moment, but she nearly went into complete respiratory failure. Whatever is happening to her, it's likely very serious."
"Then send her back! She needs a proper medical facility - besides she's no use to you in this state. I can return Tabitha immediately if need be."
"Fine, I'll bring her to Lilycove tomorrow, will that be satisfactory?"
"Yes. Thank you Maxie."
Maxie didn't bother to reply and cut the connection. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Gods be damned, he knew that girl was going to be nothing but a headache. He rose, fishing out a pack of cigarettes from the inside pocket of her coat. He placed one between his lips and lit it as he stepped into the elevator, but didn't select a floor. He stared at the lighter, methodically flipping it open and shut as he mulled over the evening's events. She'd felt so cold when he'd touched her – like a corpse and then she'd looked up at him with those pale, dead looking eyes. He paused when he realized his hands were shaking. He flicked the lighter open again and held his palm over the flame for a few seconds before snapping it shut and pocketing it. He grit his teeth around the cigarette and narrowed his eyes against an unwanted flash of memory.
He'd seen those eyes far too many times before.
In all honesty he'd felt a stab of – well he wasn't quite sure how to label it, when she'd laid there shaking beneath his hands. To see the normally fiery young woman struck down so suddenly...He took another draw from his cigarette, pale smoke curling around his head. He sneered at his own blurry reflection in the steel doors and finally pushed the button for the uppermost floor. Damn, I'm getting soft.
Bright, it was far too bright.
May squinted against the vast expanse of white, desperately trying to gain her bearings. Her head felt like it was going to split in two and the slightest movement sent her stomach rolling into waves of nausea.
"Ah, looks like someone's decided to return to the land of the living."
The face of a middle-aged man with greying brown hair and warm hazel eyes entered her vision. She felt him slide a hand beneath her back as he carefully helped ease her into a sitting position where he proceeded to jot down her vital signs on a clipboard. She grimaced and rubbed at her chest which felt tight and sore.
"What happened?"
"You passed out during your pokémon battle with Mr. Asher," he said as he took her pulse. "I've never seen anything quite like it. You're core temperature dropped at an alarming rate and you very nearly went into respiratory failure."
"Shit," she muttered, rubbing at her temples. "I feel like I got hit by a freight train."
"Not surprising all things considered. Hmm, well everything seems to be stable for the moment, but Mr. Stone as requested your immediately return to Lilycove for proper medical care,"
"You mean I'm going home?"
"That's what it looks like. Things seem to be alright for now – I suggest you go pack. Take it easy though and I want you to come back here if you feel at all out of sorts," he said, extending his hand towards her. "I'm Dr. Scott by the way."
"Thank you, Dr. Scott," she said, shaking his hand. It was a pleasant surprise to be greeted by a member of Maxie's staff who didn't ooze venom. "I'll be sure to check in before I leave."
"Well, on the bright side Gabe we get to sleep without supervision again."
The Mightyena barked before picking up one of her sweaters between his jaws and bringing it over to her. She smiled and plucked the garment from his mouth, scratching him behind the ears. "Good boy. Why don't you go make sure I took everything out of the bathroom?"
The canine barked again and trotted into the washroom and out of sight. May was half-way through folding up the sweater when the door behind her slid open. She swore and tried to turn, but kneeling as she was she only managed to tangle her feet up in the strap of the duffel bag. She fell onto her back with a squeal, glaring at the red-haired man standing at the threshold. Gabriel came running out of the bathroom, growling fiercely though the former crime lord seem to pay him no mind. May rolled her eyes and laid a hand on Gabriel's side, calming him immediately. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
"I've come to fetch you. Upon hearing of your little drama, Mr. Stone has decided to end our little exchange."
"Huzzah."
"Yes," Maxie said dryly as he placed a foot down on the bag strap, effectively keeping her feet entangled and preventing her from rising. "But first I want a little clarification."
May propped herself up on her elbows and wrinkled her nose in a disgruntled manner. How undignified. "It's not like I have a choice now do I."
"Oh good, you're finally catching on," he replied with a smirk. "Right after you came out of that little fit you said something about cold water and fear. What did you mean by that exactly?"
May let herself lie back down and she focused her gaze on the ceiling. She picked at the carpet with her fingernails and frowned. "I'm not sure exactly. I remember looking at you across the arena, everything went out of focus and then it went black. I couldn't really see anything at first, but I remember feeling cold, so damn cold – it was like diving in the trench again all those years ago, but so much worse. Then I saw a light, it was dim but it hurt my eyes all the same. Something grabbed me and I felt -"
She stopped. It was suddenly far too difficult to speak around the lump in her throat and she swallowed thickly.
"I've never felt so fucking terrified in my life."
She lifted herself up again and looked up at him, surprised when she didn't hear a scathing remark. She found him deep in thought, staring at the floor through narrowed eyes. "Um, Maxie? Are you going to let me up?"
That seemed to snap him out of his reverie and he immediately stepped back, allowing her room to sit up and untangle herself. She tossed the rumpled sweater into the duffel bag and zipped it shut.
"Miss Maple...do you think it is possible that what you experienced could have been ay all related to Kyogre?"
She froze and felt the bottom drop out of her stomach. She exhaled heavily and leaned her back against the foot of the bed, pressing her forehead against her knees. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind, but it made a frightening amount of sense. She had forged a bond with one legendary titan – it wasn't unreasonable to think that another would seek her out if it were in distress. "Fuck," she murmured hoarsely as she sat up straight. "I didn't even think about that. If that's true then -"
"Then it's likely Cipher has discovered Kyogre's location, if not captured it already."
May rose, withdrawing Gabriel into his ball and hefting her bag over her shoulder in one fluid motion. She looked at Maxie with a grim expression. "Then we have no time to lose."
"For once I'm inclined to agree."
She followed him to the elevator where they rode it down to one of the lower levels she'd yet to see. She shot him a quizzical look, but he ignored it as the doors slid open. Automatic lights snapped on to reveal long rows of vehicles, everything from militaristic SUVs to flashy sports cards. She followed Maxie to a sleek, black Lexus LFA. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Not red?"
He looked devilishly close to smiling, but said nothing as he produced a set of keys and unlocked the car with the push of a button. Smirking, May jammed her duffel bag into the foot well before climbing into the passenger seat while Maxie started the car. The V10 engine roared to life and he shifted the gears. They sped towards the end the garage where a steel door slid open to grant them passage.
It was snowing again today, not very heavily, but certainly enough to make driving treacherous. Snow covered pine trees rose tall and silent on either side as they took the long, winding road to the valley floor, presumably where they would meet up with the main highway. May fidgeted in her seat. It was dreadfully tense inside the vehicle and the dark forest flanking the narrow road were starting to make her feel claustrophobic. She traced her finger along the edge of the seat belt. "Where are we meeting Steven?"
"Lilycove, at the hotel," Maxie replied tersely, not taking his eyes off of the road. "He was quite incessant on having you back."
"Right," May muttered, the leather upholstery creaking as she shifted in her seat. Maxie appeared to notice her discomfort and smirked nastily.
"Does Mr. Stone unnerve you so?"
"No idea what you're talking about," May replied sullenly, folding her arms over her chest and turning her gaze to the window. They crossed the bridge that spanned the river and left the valley behind, joining up to the main highway that curled along the northern coast. Maxie's smile widened and he gave her a sidelong glance, a wicked gleam in his dark brown eyes.
"Of course you don't," he drawled sarcastically. "You can't tell me you don't see the way he still looks at you, despite your rather ah – messy falling out. You're totally dismissive of him and yet he still tries to shield you from every little danger, trotting at your heels like a good little dog no matter how many times you kick him."
"I don't care."
"Lying does not become you Miss Maple."
She turned to glare at him, but her retort died in her throat when she saw him glance in the rear-view mirror and his sharp features creased in a tight grimace. May looked back and saw a black SUV pull up behind them through the rear windshield, speeding towards them at an unrelenting pace.
"Hm, looks like we've got company. Miss Maple, look under your seat, there should be a black plastic case – I need you to retrieve it."
May frowned, but didn't question him as she reached beneath her seat. Her hand met the handle of the case and she pulled it out and onto her lap. She flicked open the latches and opened it to reveal something that turned her blood to ice water.
In the case, neatly ensconced by ribbed black foam, lay a sleek Beretta M9 semi-automatic handgun with extra ammunition magazines. She turned to stare at Maxie with wide eyes, but he ignored her, steering with one hand whilst grabbing the Beretta with his other.
"Take the wheel for a second," he ordered quietly. May swallowed thickly and reached over, holding the steering wheel with trembling hands while Maxie slid a magazine into the gun and switched the safety off. He took the wheel with one hand again, using the other to hold the gun near his lap. He looked at her for the first time since the SUV had started tailing them. "Don't go panicking on me now Miss Maple. You should realize that not everyone uses pokémon to settle disputes. Keep calm, I need you to watch them, but if I tell you to get down you might want to listen."
Without warning the SUV accelerated, nudging their back bumper and sending a jolt through the car. Maxie growled, struggling to keep them on course. May whimpered and braced her hands against the dashboard. She fought to keep herself from screaming as they were rammed again, forcing Maxie to pull a hasty manoeuvre to keep them on the snow covered road. The SUV moved into the passing lane, accelerating until they were side by side with them.
"Down!" Maxie snarled as the SUV's windows rolled down. May ducked as the fierce tattoo of automatic gunfire erupted overhead over the roaring of the engines. The side windows of their car shattered, showering her in glass and snow. Maxie lifted his head and levelled his gun at the SUV, answering the salvo of bullets with a barrage of his own. The SUV swerved and dropped back to their original position and opened fire again, shattering the rear and front windshields. Maxie swore as one of the bullets grazed the side of his neck, leaving a gruesome red track in its wake. Gritting his teeth he pointed the gun back over his shoulder and fired several answering shots. "Hang on!"
He downshifted and swerved to the right before turning the wheel hard over to the left, forcing them into a terrifying 180 degree turn. He slammed the vehicle in reverse with a mad grin as he fired his gun over the dash, through their window at the oncoming SUV. The tinted windshield shattered and for one brief second she could see the driver - a dark-haired man dressed in black with startlingly blue eyes – before his face was ripped apart by Maxie's bullets in a spray of blood, bone and brain matter. He slumped over the wheel and without its driver the vehicle swerved sharply to the right, slamming into the guardrail where it flipped and rolled violently into the ditch. May barely had time to brace herself before Maxie pulled another heart stopping 180 and pulled them to a stop. He ignored the blood soaking his shirt collar and glanced over at May who still had her hands against the dashboard, trembling from head to toe.
"Are you alright?"
May took one look at the bloodied CEO and screamed, wrenching open the door. She practically fell out of the car in her haste to get away. She pressed herself against the concrete barrier that separated the two sides of the divided highway as he stepped out of the vehicle and walked towards her.
"You fucking lunatic!" she shrieked. "You killed him! You killed that man!"
May whimpered when he seized the front of her coat and roughly hauled her back onto her feet – though the tips of her boots barely touched the ground the way he was holding her. He gave her a hard shake, his features contorted in a snarl. "Pull yourself together girl! I'm sure you recall, but they tried to kill us first! Cipher does not show leniency, they will kill you the first chance they get. We are at war Miss Maple, and you'd best be ready to get your hands dirty if you want to live through it!"
With that he set her down, moving his grip to her upper arms when he realized how badly her legs were shaking. He held her steady until she seemed to regain some strength and escorted her back to the car, wordlessly helping her back inside. She stared at the road ahead, refusing to look at him as he started the car and put it back into gear.
"He wasn't the first man I've killed Miss Maple and he probably won't be the last," he said quietly, turning the car back towards the base.
"You did it without blinking...you just...killed him."
Her voice was barely above a whisper, but he heard it and sighed.
"Yes, I did. I'm not your precious Steven, I don't have his morality. That said I promised not to harm you and I'm a man of my word."
She looked down at her lap at that, sniffing quietly. "So what now?"
"We're obviously being followed – we can't continue on to Lilycove, not unless you want to get shot at again. We'll have to head back to base and report this to Mr. Stone. I fear the enemy has already found us."
May carefully hefted her duffel bag over her shoulder, following Maxie at a distance to the elevator. When she showed reluctance to get inside his temper finally appeared to get the better of him and he grabbed her arm with such harshness she was sure that he was going to leave bruises as he dragged her in. She wrenched herself out of his grasp and stood as far away as the confined space of the lift would allow. Maxie rolled his eyes as he pulled out a black kerchief, carefully dabbing at the wound on his neck. "Miss Maple, considering that I just saved both of our hides I suggest you smarten up."
She glared at him, but made no comment though her eyes lingered on his injury.
The elevator came to a halt and she followed him to the office where he made short work of opening a secure communication channel. Steven's expression went from confusion to intense concern when he saw the blood on Maxie's clothes and May standing meekly in the background.
"What the Hell happened to you?"
"We had a little run in with Cipher on the way to Lilycove," he growled. "We managed to get away, but they aren't pulling any stops Steven – I haven't had to fire a gun in a very long time."
"You were shot at!?" Steven gaped. "Is May alright?"
"I'm fine Steven," she said with a weak smile, "but I think I'm going to have to stay here for the time being."
"Not bloody likely, if they tailed you on the way to Lilycove then they obviously know where you are. Maxie -"
"I know, I'm issuing the movement protocols as soon as this communication is done," Maxie replied. "We'll change facilities tomorrow via airlift."
"Alright, I want regular reports until the move is complete, and May -"
"Will be airlifted to your location, yes."
May scowled at Maxie's back. They were concerned with her safety, she knew that, but gods be damned did they have to talk about her like she wasn't even in the room? Maxie cut the comm line and turned back to May, his expression tight and pained. "Miss Maple I suggest you return to your quarters and get some rest for the time being."
"...Yes Sir."
May stared up at the ceiling, slowly tapping her fingers against the duvet in time to the second hand ticking softly away from the wall clock. The sound of shattering glass and gunfire rattled fiercely in her brain as the image of the driver slumping over the steering column, his face a gaping red ruin replayed over and over. She could pick out every little detail in the memory, the way the blood had splattered against the seat when a bullet went through his eye, the way his forehead had split open and the way his left cheek had been shredded away.
She sat up plucking at a stray thread on the hem of her shirt. Upon returning to her room she'd immediately changed into her flannel pyjama pants and loose grey tank top with the full intention of going to bed. Whenever she shut her eyes, however, all she could see was the driver's face tearing apart again, and again.
"Dammit."
She flung the covers aside and carefully opened the door, peering out into the hallway. Finding it abandoned she padded barefoot to the elevator and selected the uppermost level. What am I doing...The lift slid to a halt and opened to a short corridor that ended in a single door. She stood in front of it, one hand poised to knock. She stood that way for several minutes until her knuckles finally touched the stainless steel.
The door slid open.
"Miss Maple? What in blue blazes are you thinking!?"
He clearly wasn't expecting visitors, dressed down in his slacks and partially unbuttoned shirt. His wound from earlier was now hidden from sight beneath a strip of gauze, though she could still see a few smudges of dried blood on his pale skin – clearly he'd tended to the injury himself. She bit her lip when she saw it; she'd completely forgotten that he'd been hurt. He gaped at her for a few seconds before looking out in the hallway. Seeing nobody else he quickly seized her by the wrist and dragged her into the room. He let her go as soon as she was over the threshold and quickly hit the button to close the door. He stood back, placing his hands on his hips and glared at her through narrowed eyes. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I – I don't know," she stammered. She looked down at her feet and her arms around her torso protectively. "I just can't stop thinking about it. I keep seeing his face, the blood..."
Out of the corner of her eye she saw his stance shift and suddenly his hand was on the small of her back. He steered her towards a couch and forced her to sit down. The beige suede was soft beneath her palms as she pushed herself further back so she could fold her legs up beneath her. He took up a seat opposite to her in a matching chair, gazing at her over the mahogany coffee table between them. "I assume you're referring to the man I shot earlier today."
"...Yes."
"I see," he said quietly. "You'll likely keep thinking about it for a long time, but – eventually it gets easier."
"Does it?" she murmured, half to herself. She looked at him and furrowed her brow. "Maxie, where did you learn to shoot like that?"
He looked startled by her question. "What?"
"Guns are highly restricted in Hoenn; outside law enforcement and the military it's almost impossible to own one. I'm guessing – I'm guessing it was the latter."
"How very...astute of you."
The lapsed into silence and May took the opportunity to observe the room. It was, just as her room had been, tastefully furnished. They appeared to be in a living room like area, though she noted a hallway to her right that likely led to a bedroom. The walls and carpet were the same colour combination as her own living quarters, with suede beige furniture and a fireplace set into the far wall in elegant black marble. The table sported a crystal ash tray containing several cigarette butts and further back behind Maxie she could see a small bar area, the bar top made from the same black marble as the hearth. All in all, very much him.
The man himself seemed distracted, his coffee brown gaze fixed on the fire and May took the rare opportunity to study him. It was very strange seeing him dressed so casually - she'd always seen him in that imposing Magma uniform or the crisp black suit he'd taken to wearing these days, and for once he seemed to be completely relaxed, no tension in his broad shoulders or a sneer on his face. It was a little unsettling - looking at him now, quiet, pensive, and a little disheveled - it was hard to believe that he'd nearly plunged Hoenn into ruin or that she'd watched him killed a man without blinking.
"Drink?"
May blinked and suddenly realized that he'd turned his dark gaze onto her. "Beg pardon?"
"A drink, you look like you could use one."
"Yes," she said with a small smile. When he started to rise however, she put a hand out to stop him. "Actually, may I?"
"By all means."
She rose and padded across the room and behind the bar. She scanned the liquor cabinet and froze when she spotted a particular label on the top shelf. She swore and looked at him over her shoulder. "You – you actually have 50 year old Dalmore!?"
At that Maxie smiled and walked over, taking the decanter out of the cabinet along with two crystal tumblers. He poured out two glasses and handed one to her. She took a sip and closed her eyes, making a noise of pure content as she let the malt roll across her tongue, savouring the earthy taste.
"I never pegged you for a scotch drinker."
"Oh, very much so," she breathed after finally swallowing the liquor. "I can't believe you actually managed to get your hands on a bottle of 50 year old Dalmore – gods above I could barely afford a 12 year old Glenfiddich on my best day."
He gave her an odd half-smile and leaned against the cabinet nursing his drink. May hefted herself up onto the bar top and took another swallow of scotch as she watched him. This was certainly – unexpected. The crimson-haired syndicate leader still had a few enigmas left to him it would seem. One moment he was baring his teeth and tearing her a new one, the next he was pouring her a glass of the most expensive liquor she'd ever had the good fortune to hold, let alone drink. "Jackass," she muttered into her glass, but she felt herself smile all the same.
"I heard that."
She smirked. "Well I've already gotten a glass of scotch out of you so I think we're past the need for pleasantries."
"And there's the famous Maple wit."
She resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him – barely. It was then that she noticed music playing from somewhere in the suite. She listened for a few moments and raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Dick Haymes, that's surprising."
"Not as surprising as your familiarity with him – he's quite a bit before your time."
"I'm a pretty big Peggy Lee fan as well, I'll admit," May replied with a shrug and another drink of scotch. Perhaps it was the alcohol, perhaps it was the strangeness of the situation – perhaps it was both, either way she wasn't sure what thought process caused her to blurt out her next sentence. "You know Maxie, when you aren't screaming at me or muttering death threats you aren't bad company."
Maxie looked startled for a moment and then, dare she say it, somewhat sheepish. "I suppose I should apologize for my earlier conduct."
"Maybe," she said softly, staring into the amber depths of her glass. "At the same time I should've handled the situation better. I thought – I thought I'd gotten so much tougher over the past ten years, but I guess I'm still just a child."
"Not a child," he argued, shaking his head. "Innocent still perhaps, but not a child."
"Careful Maxie, I think you almost paid me a compliment there."
"I'll blame it on good scotch and a stressful day."
May closed her and smiled, listening to the faint sound of the 1940s drifting through the room.
A small cafe, Mam'selle;
a rendezvous, Mam'selle.
The violins were warm and sweet
And so were you, Mam'selle.
"Bow your head and weather the storm."
"Beg pardon?"
"It's just – something my father used to say," May said, blushing. "Every time I'd call him, upset, frustrated, ready to go on a rampage he'd listen to me rant and rave until I'd calmed down and then he'd say those words. Every time."
"I see. Pardon me, but your parents passed away about six years ago now didn't they?"
"Yes, they were on the Moira when she struck the reef off of Sootopolis and capsized. I was staying in Johto at the time," May nodded. "I was on League business and couldn't make it home for Christmas so they decided to come to see me in Goldenrod. They were on their way home when the ship sank. I quit the League not long after that – when I realized that they'd been keeping me in a gilded cage."
Maxie looked like he wanted to say something, but whatever it was he refrained from speaking. He slowly swirled his drink. "Quite the interesting situation we're in wouldn't you say?"
"If you're talking about being on the same side for a change, then yes. What is it that old saying about adversity?"
Maxie smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Adversity makes strange bedfellows?"
"Right," she said and raised her glass with a crooked grin. "To adversity then?"
He stared at her as though she'd gone mad for a moment before conceding with a small smile of his own. He touched the rim of his glass to hers. "To adversity.
And yet I know, Mam'selle
Some day you'll say "Goodbye"
Then violins will cry, and so will I
Mam'selle
The song lyrics are from Dick Haymes' beautiful tune Mam'selle - I'm a huge fan of that era of music and I couldn't resist treating myself by working it in there even if it made things seem gooey as all hell. That said, I regret absolutely nothing ;)