Chapter 4

Hello! I'm baaaaack. Yeah, I know I said there isn't going to be anymore daily updates, but I meant that it wouldn't happen as often. Plus I feel bad for leaving everyone hanging like that. So without further ado, I present 'Chapter 4: Falling Off Ships and Falling In Love'!

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Brendan smiled at how peaceful she looked. 'Even more beautiful in her sleep…' He thought. 'Wait, no, no, no, no, no, no. I can't be thinking stuff like that! May's your friend and that's it. She seemed more interested in that Ash guy at the party anyways.'

Still, he couldn't help but notice how his heart beats faster when he sees her smile. That the mere thought of her being sad brings him pain as well. That he savors every moment he has with her.

'Oh, what the hell. Why not? She's asleep.' He thought. Bending down, he kissed her forehead and said "Goodnight."

Little did Brendan know, as he left May's room and went to join Wally, that May had been pretending to be sleeping the whole time.

And she was smiling.

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May lay in bed awake that night for a long time. Thoughts were racing. Sighs were released. And the Beautiflies had come alive in her stomach. May Maple had been undone by a kiss on the forehead. She finally gave in to the exhaustion at around 12:00am.

When she awoke the next morning, the events of last night were still on her mind. She groggily walked towards her balcony door and stepped outside. After seeing a particularly beautiful sunrise when she was 9, May made it her mission to be there when the sun came up each morning. With all the things that were changing around her, it was comforting to know that the sun will rise and set no matter what happened.

Shivering slightly, May decided to walk down the balcony to get her blood flowing. She past her window and continued walking along the railing. The 'balconies' that branched off of each bedroom was actually one balcony that wrapped around all three rooms. The first room she came to belonged to Wally. It was the white room Brendan had referred to earlier. She tried to see if Wally was still sleeping, but his curtains were closed.

May continued on her 'journey' across the balcony until she reached Brendan's window. Her breath caught. How should she act around him now? Could she really keep a poker face when inside she wanted to confess her feelings? She leaned against the railing and sighed.

Oh yes. During the night, May came to the conclusion that Brendan was more than just a close friend. Much more. She wasn't that dense. And after his bold actions last night, she had a hunch he felt the same. So why couldn't she just walk right into his room and tell him? Well, for one, that would just be plain rude. But besides that. Why couldn't she?

"Don't think too hard, or your brain will explode."

His voice startled her and snapped her out of her trance, causing her to fall backward. Her head collided with a nearby support pole, and May felt a terrible pain at the back of her head. She clutched her wound, and when she brought her right hand back to her face, it had a warm, crimson liquid dripping from it. On instinct she stumbled back, which was unfortunately over the rails of the what was happening, May shut her eyes tight and waited for gravity to take her down to the watery depths below.

An early death, because without her Blastoise, she was as good as gone in those waves.

To die young.

Her body would still be beautiful with her teenage glow at the funeral. No sags, wrinkles, or imperfections.

Ageless.

That is, if they ever found her body.

Did she have any regrets?

'Yes.' She thought sadly, 'Not telling him sooner.'

One…Two…Three… seconds went by. Time seemed to be running in slow motion, and the last thing she saw was the sky. A beautiful auburn, saffron and fuchsia sky, illuminated by the rising sun. The most beautiful sunrise she'd seen in her entire lifetime. Short lifetime, that is.

'Ha, it's ironic; I'm falling off ships and in love.' May thought. She blacked out due to pain. But before she slipped into unconsciousness, she could swear she felt something wrap around her.

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…

…

…

…

May's eyes fluttered open. The two boys breathed a sigh of relief.

Something new came into her field of vision. A handsome face with red eyes, now brimming with worry. Brendan. Her best friend. The boy she thought she had lost forever. The boy she loved—

"You alright?" he asked.

Mays mood changed from pure terror to reassurance in just a matter of seconds. It was one of the many things she loved about Brendan, the way she was always safe around him. She (consciously, this time) wrapped her arms around him, buried her face into his chest, and allowed a few silent tears to run down her cheeks.

"Hey, don't cry. I got you." Brendan reassured her. He didn't like it when May was sad.

May looked up noticed Wally for the first time. He was standing next to Brendan, the same look of concern plastered on his face.

"I'm fine." She reluctantly released her grip on Brendan and stood up. "Really guys, I am." She gave them the biggest smile she could muster at the moment.

"Dammit May! You just fell off the side of a boat and you say you're 'fine?' Do you know—" Wally was interrupted by Brendan's hand being placed on his shoulder. "I'm sorry May, I didn't mean that…"

May walked over and gave Wally a hug. "It's fine. Thanks for being the best friend a girl could ask for." She whispered into his ear.

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Begin Flashback…

A young girl paced back and forth in the room. She was about 6 years
old, and had chestnut-brown hair that was currently tied into two pigtails with ribbons.
Her mother had dressed her in a pink dress that morning, which she was now pulling on
nervously. Her father was going to make his usual trip to a region she couldn't remember
the name of; Hoenee? Herth? Hatten? She didn't know. She knew Daddy had friends in the
mysterious region, and every couple months he would visit them. But this time she had
begged him to take her with him. Anything but being without Daddy .He had agreed,
so here she was now, waiting in the room Daddy had put her in, saying he would
be back soon.

"Daddy's been gone, for like a bazillion hours!" she huffed.

"Now Brendan, Wally, I want you two to behave while Professor Birch attends to his guests." The little girl heard and older woman in her late twenties say.

"Okay Auntie Becca." Two boys, around the girl's age, chimed.

The door closed. The girl in the pink dress decided to go and meet the new visitors, hoping they could help alleviate her boredom.

She rounded a corner and found the two boys with their backs to her. One had green, spiky
hair. Another had short black hair. The black-haired boy was slightly taller than the other, and they
were currently playing with toy trucks on the floor. She chose right now to make her appearance.

"Hello!" A pretty girl appeared from behind the toy chest.

"Umm…Hi?" My friend, Wally, said. He had stood up.

"Hiya!" I said, also standing up.

"What's your name?" the girl asked.

"Wally."

"Brendan." I said.

"My name's May! We're gonna be best friends, I just know it!" she said.

The three new friends played and kept each other company for the rest of the afternoon until their parents came. When it was time to leave, May gave both Brendan and Wally a big hug.

"Thanks for being the best friend a girl could ask for." She said to them both.

End Flashback.

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Eh? Eh? Good, right? I'm proud of this chapter, since it has more action in it. Plus, I included a past memory of May, Brendan, and Wally when they first met. Tell me what you think, though. Did I rush into it? Should I have left out the flashback? Should I have ended it sooner or later? Your feedback helps a lot.

I want to thank everyone (again) for helping me get 120+ hits. I mean, I came into this thing only expecting a few visitors. But I28? People from China and Lithuania? Poland? Indonesia? That's like on the other side of the WORLD. Across OCEANS. I'm so happy! Thank you.

I forgot to answer reviews in my last chapter, so I'll do it now.

x-vatonage-x - This story is definitely going to be Hoennshipping. I hope you're enjoying this as much as I am! And thanks for the cookie. [throws a giant cookie pie] You deserve it ;)

abbi – Yay! A new reviewer! You made my day, abbi. Thanks! And I think Brendan made it out pretty well, if I do say so myself. :)

Thanks to all who reviewed. You don't know how happy I get when I see the review count go up, whether its by one or eleven (yeah, keep dreaming buddy).

If you have the time, please review. That's all I ask.

Have A Nice Day Everyone!

~echic24