Update April 2013: This chapter has been updated and revised from its original version. Past errors have been fixed and adjustments have been made but the plot of the chapter, characters, and events have remained the same.

Here's more proof of my love of the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins...I named the chapter after the second book (no copyright intended!). Yes, I have a slightly unhealthy obsession with it, but hey, it's good and suspenseful literature. Can't blame me, eh? Go read it before the movie comes out in March if you haven't already. As for why this chapter is called "Catching Fire", read on to find out. So, happy reading and please review. :)

Responses to Reviews...
Pear-Shaped: Haha! I'm happy that you wanted this update to go faster. I hope your first day of high school and the rest of your high school years go by smoothly. :)
chocolatehell: OHMYGOSH! I absolutely died when I read that! I remember hearing that before, but actually reading just made it so much funnier. I'll be sure to try and incorporate it into my story sometime in the future. Thanks for the suggestion :)
KK: Haha, it wasn't creepy. I found it funny actually, so no creepiness taken. :)
The Last Poison Apple: Did it really? I'm glad that I was able to perk you up! :D
ginika: Lol! I literally had to sit still and think that line over for a moment when I first heard it before I actually got what it meant! And hah, he's still a jerk. I like the jerk side of him, too, so he's going to have some jerk moments in this story. :) Keep on rambling all you'd like! I like when my reviewers ramble so we have more to talk about. I like communicating with you guys, ya know? :D
EeveeTransformed: Thank you, thank you, thank you! And yes! Cookies for everyone! :D
saratiger: Yeah, I adore Gary. Him and Drew are probably my favorite characters in the entire Pokémon anime! :D
Pokemaster: Lol, aw! I love corny jokes! :D
Sora-May: LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL! I feel bad for your little brother! HAHAHAHA! That's just too funny :D
Claudette14: Same here, I love roses! But orchids are my favorite flowers. Especially the white ones, they're so beautiful! Unfortunately I can never seem to keep them alive... :(Anyways, thank you so much! You're the best! :D
Blademon: I really wish I did now, but unfortunately, it's the summertime for them so Valentine's Day has long been over. Sorry :( But thank you so much! You're so sweet! :)
leontinees: It's not that I don't fancy the pairing, it's just that I've always considered Leaf as a character in the games so I've never really gave her much mind. How about I just insert a cameo for her then? :) But I'm so sorry about that! I always thought that I put that N in there, but I didn't! Sorry! D: Thanks for not flipping on me! :D
Just wondering, are you British by any chance? I've always thought that only British people use "fancy" as a verb. I'll be so jealous if you are and if you live anywhere in England; I absolutely love that country to bits. I'd really like to visit there someday. :P
Chi-Chiwawa: Lol! Thanks very much! :D And yes! May's not going to fall for him that quickly! Where would the fun be in that? The guy's hott, but he's not magically capable of making people fall for him in an instant. ;D
LAPKat: Lol, you made me blush. He wasn't flirting! ;P Anyways, I hope you liked that cookie and here's me throwing two pillows back at you! *throws two pillows* hehehehe ;D P.S. Your name wasn't long (and still isn't) but I'll call you LAPKat from now on if you want me, too. :)
light-chiix3: Hehe, thank you very much. :D
Shadow Lillies: Lol! :D
LoveLoverGrl: Thanks ;D
light-chiix3: It's a very good book! Be sure to read it! I must've read it like ten times already! :D Lol! Thank you so much for all you said in your reviews! And thank you for staying true to your words! :D You may have FIVE cookies for doing that and for understanding the joke even if you did it at the end. ;D Thank you for reading and reviewing!
Jace'sVampiress97: Feel free! You may go ahead and borrow it if you'd like! :D And of course I'd keep the roses! It's always been Drew's signature and will forever be his signature in my stories. :D
Fprmr1: LOL! It's too early for a kiss! Maybe sometime soon? ;D

Love Unexpected chapter 17

Sleep for both Drew and May had gotten very comfortable for them overnight, despite May's previous discomfort. Even if the night air had gotten chilly, she was still able to sleep soundly with the heat that came from Drew's body.

However, at some time or another throughout the night, he still had to drape a blanket over himself and May to block out the cold and retain warmth. The fire had long been extinguished at that point after the logs of wood had been burned away to ashes, so it was necessary.

He was surprised to see how heavy a sleeper May was, though. Even when he had to place her on the ground to retrieve the blanket, she didn't wake. Even when he took her back into his arms, she still didn't wake. As a matter of fact, he was the first one up between the two of them. To his dismay, he woke with a headache.

"May," he whispered, gently jostling her despite the ache in his muscles.

He hated to have to do it, but he didn't want her to have to miss lunch after missing breakfast. If there was anything the girl loved to do more than coordinating, it would be eating. Sometimes he wondered how she managed to stay so skinny.

But Arceus, did she look beautiful in her sleep.

"May," he whispered a little louder than before. "Wake up. It's already afternoon. We need to get up."

The brunette groaned a little before she opened her eyes slightly. When the light blinded her, she groaned again and turned her head to bury her face into Drew's chest. She flinched away a second later as if his body was made of molten lava.

Drew chuckled. "What? Is my hotness too much for you to handle?"

May sat up immediately, putting as much distance between them as their sleeping bags allowed, while she scowled at him for his arrogance.

"As conceited as that is, it's true," she admitted with a scowl. "But I'm not saying that because I think you're good-looking. You're literally hot because you're burning up."

It was Drew's turn to scowl when she said the words to him. As if he didn't believe her, he put a hand to his own forehead to check his temperature. To his surprise, the heat under his palm was above normal.

"Oh, I am burning up," he accepted, slightly shocked.

"Yeah, it's like you caught fire and trapped it inside of you or something."

"I am pretty hot," he noted.

May rolled her eyes at this, knowing very well that he was referring to his looks rather than his body temperature.

"In terms of body temperature, yes. Looks, no," she told him while reaching over for the blanket that was still draped over their legs.

"You're seriously wounding my ego."

"Good. It needs a little deflating," May retorted, standing up and stepping off the sleeping bags as she tucked the newly folded blanket under her arm. "Now, get up off the sleeping bags so we can pack up and head back to the Pokémon Center."

Drew obeyed May's command while muttering curses underneath his breath, but it wasn't because of her insults (he was used to them at that point), it was because of the sudden rush to his head after he stood up. The world felt as if it were spinning and his vision blurred and blacked out in some areas. He had almost fallen over, but he was able to regain his balance in time.

May eyed him with concern.

"Are you okay?" she asked hesitantly, coming up to his side and placing her hand on his arm lightly.

The touch alone was able to make Drew regain his vision. He turned to her to see the worried expression on her face. He smiled lightly before patting her hand reassuringly.

"I'm fine. I just stood up too fast, that's all," he insisted.

May didn't seem too convinced.

"Are you sure?" she catechized.

"Yeah, unless you'd like to share some of this cold with me to make me feel better?"

"How do you share a cold?"

"Like this."

Without another second's warning, Drew began to lean into May while keeping his hand firmly on hers, preventing her from moving away. She eyed him with her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, unsure of his intentions. It wasn't until he began to close his eyes that she realized what he was doing.

He was leaning in to kiss her.

"Uh, I think I'll pass," she blurted, pulling away and putting at least five feet worth of distance between them.

Disappointment washed over Drew, but he made a joke out of the situation by raising his hands up in a mock gesture of surrender.

"Hey, sharing is caring, right?" he offered lightheartedly with a playfully devious smirk.

May simply rolled her eyes and turned away to hide her blush.

Shortly after their almost-kiss, Drew and May headed into the forest and away from the rose field after they packed up their campsite. A fresh red rose was clutched in her hand, a gift from Drew and proof that he was staying true to his words of giving her a rose every day. As romantic as it was, she really wished he wouldn't. It made her feel guilty for not returning his affections for her.

And what was that back at the rose field? He had almost kissed her! Thank Arceus she had pulled away in time, otherwise she would have practically betrayed her feelings for Gary. She needed to keep in mind that she liked Gary.

Gary, Gary, Gary, Gary...she kept repeating over and over in her head to reiterate the reminder that it was Gary Oak whom she liked, not Andrew Hayden. Gary, not Drew. Gary, not Drew. Gary, not...

"Hey May, check it out," Drew suddenly whispered.

May watched him with bemusement as he began to crouch down with every slow and silent step that he took. He waved her over, while gesturing for her to keep quiet with a finger over his mouth. Deciding to go with it, she crept up to a large bush beside him and peered into the small break in the leaves. The first thing she saw in the distance was a small growlithe.

"Oh my gosh," she whispered delightedly in surprise. "It's a growlithe!"

"Sure is—I'm going to catch it. Stay here," Drew declared.

He started to make his way around the bush, causing Growlithe's head to snap up.

May reached out to stop him, but it wasn't because she was afraid he would scare the pokémon off.

"Why do you get to catch it?" she demanded, her voice a hiss. "Why can't I catch it?"

"Because you already have a fire type!" Drew shot back, his voice as much of a hiss as hers.

"So what? Maybe I'll want to be a fire type coordinator someday!"

"There's no such thing!"

"Yes there is!"

"Name one fire type coordinator then!"

"May Maple!" she said assuredly.

"You're not a fire type coordinator if you only have one fire-type!" he insisted.

"Exactly! This is why I need to catch Growlithe!"

"You—hey, where'd Growlithe go?"

Caught up in all of their bickering, they hadn't noticed that Growlithe had noticed them. It was no longer in sight anymore, having vanished faster than the blink of an eye. They almost engaged in another argument over who was to blame for losing Growlithe, until a growl came from behind them.

Snapping their heads around reflexively, they were amazed to find the very same growlithe crouching behind them. Only now, it was beside a vulpix, who was also crouching in the same menacing position as its counterpart. Or rather, the most menacing position as pokémon of their cuteness could manage.

The two pokémon growled.

"Perfect. Now you can get Vulpix and I'll get Growlithe," Drew said, standing up slowly so as not to scare off the pokémon, particularly the growlithe.

The fire type canine pokémon was the perfect addition to his team. Not only would it be his first fire type, but it would also evolve into a fast and powerful pokémon one day if he ever got his hands on a Fire Stone. A pokémon with such finesse as an arcanine would surely do him wonders in contest appeals and battles. He had to have Growlithe.

"That's fine—I was thinking just that," May agreed, while mimicking his actions.

She kept her eyes fixed on the vulpix, whose pupil-less olive-colored eyes glared back at her.

The fire type pokémon was right up her alley. It was adorable, it was beautiful, and it would one day evolve into a gorgeous ninetales, one of her favorite pokémon of all time, if she could find a Fire Stone to expose it to. It would be great if she could capture it.

Just then, the two pokémon darted off in opposite directions. Drew and May instantly gave chase, running off in separate directions in the woods. Drew made sure to call over his shoulder for May to meet him back at the Pokémon Center. His legs kicked off faster after Growlithe when he heard her confirm that she heard him.

Keeping up with the small pokémon was extremely difficult for him, considering the fact that he was still suffering from a fever and headache. He felt dizzy and exhausted, and his legs were already aching, but he persisted.

Halfway into the chase, he realized that Growlithe was running back in the direction of the rose field by the long way. Knowing a shortcut to the field, he took a chance and made a right turn, losing sight of Growlithe but ending up in the field within a minute. He was right in front of Growlithe when the pokémon charged into the field. It skid to a stop in its shock.

Drew smirked at it.

"Nowhere to run Growlithe," he told it, and took the PokéBall containing Roserade out of his jacket pocket.

Enlarging it, he stepped back to provide enough space for the battle that was sure to commence.

Growlithe firmed its stature and readied itself for the rose pokémon that materialized before Drew. Roserade didn't even have time to receive a command from its trainer before Growlithe launched a Flamethrower at it, which it easily dodged.

Drew nodded in approval. He liked a pokémon who knew how to think fast and act even faster.

"Roserade, Magical Leaf!" he commanded.

Leaves in an array of colors fired out from Roserade's roses, cutting through the air in a linear path toward Growlithe. It opened its mouth again to exhale another Flamethrower that burned away many of the leaves before they could even get close to it. The ones that did, it simply dodged by using Agility, running toward Roserade with amazing speed.

Once it got close enough, it exhaled a fiery Heat Wave attack that Roserade narrowly managed to avoid. It followed up with a surprising flying type attack, Aerial Ace, that was actually quick enough to come in contact with Roserade.

Enraged, the grass type pokémon punched the fire type in the face with a Poison Jab attack.

Growlithe merely shook it off.

Drew could hardly believe the battle that he was witnessing between his roserade and the growlithe. The amount of fire power that the little pokémon had was remarkable. Even after suffering blow after blow by Roserade—each more powerful than the previous—it was still holding up well, showing that its endurance level was high and its will to fight was strong.

Everything about it met Drew's expectations: its speed, its accuracy, its variety of attacks, its looks, and more. He just had to have it, no questions asked. Paying closer attention, he gave out commands for his roserade to obey in order to weaken Growlithe, and waited for the perfect time to call out the finishing blow.

When the time came, he called it.

"Energy Ball!"

A dark green orb surrounded by an electrifying white exterior shot forward from one of Roserade's roses. It soared through the air and came in contact with Growlithe's chest before the pokémon could even blink.

It had been caught off guard since it had been recovering from one of Roserade's Petal Dance attacks, so it couldn't think to dodge. The attack hit it with a great impact, making it let out a cry of pain before it fell to the ground.

Drew and Roserade watched it as it struggled to push itself back up on its paws, wincing as the strength it was exerting made its body hurt even more, but it was no use. After pushing for what seemed to be the longest time in its life, it succumbed to the pain and fell back onto the ground, unable to fight any longer.

And when Drew sent the PokéBall flying through the air, it didn't even fight as the red flash engulfed it and claimed it as the newest member to its new trainer's team.

"Lillipup, Shadow Ball!"

Vulpix leapt into the air at the sight of the black and purple orb, and easily smacked it out of the way with an Iron Tail attack, sending it flying back to Lillipup.

After seeing that the ghost type attack had no effect on Lillipup, the vulpix angrily shot a spiraling Fire Spin from its mouth toward its opponent. However, since it was already so weakened by all of Lillipup's previous attacks, the flames had less power and were easily dodged by Lillipup.

"Good job, Lillipup. Now, Take Down!" May commanded.

She watched as her pokémon charged forward, its once cherubic face fixed into a rather serious and determined expression. It slammed into Vulpix, who had retaliated by using Quick Attack. Their two heads bashed into one another, sending each other flying back in the direction that they had come.

Taking the time that Vulpix used to shake off the pain from the impact, May called for the final attack.

"Lillipup, Shadow Ball again!"

Lillipup sent another massive orb of intermingling hues of purple and black like a cannon at Vulpix.

Hearing the whoosh sound of the attack, Vulpix looked up and spat out a huge wad of flames, a Flame Burst attack, to counter.

When the two attacks met at the middle of the field, an eruption of smoke mushroomed into the air, temporarily leaving both sides blind. Using that time, May threw the empty PokéBall in her hand in the direction that she had last seen Vulpix. She waited anxiously before and after the smoke cleared away, hoping that Vulpix hadn't run off.

On the ground a couple of feet in front of her after the smoke cleared, the PokéBall she had thrown was revealed to be wiggling, and the button at the equator, marked by the black stripe, was glowing red. Seconds ticked by—feeling as long as hours—while May watched it do so.

To her utter joy and relief, the sphere stopped wiggling and the button stopped glowing red a minute later, announcing her successful capture of her latest pokémon, Vulpix. She hurried forward and took the PokéBall into her hand, moving it around as if she expected it to disappear at any second. After seeing that it didn't, she smiled and praised her Lillipup, returning it into its PokéBall and heading back to the Pokémon Center.

Drew was already sitting on a couch in the lobby, waiting for her. When she saw his eyes dart in her direction after she entered the building, she wiggled the PokéBall containing her new vulpix in her hand and grinned triumphantly.

Author's Note: Ahhh, two of my favorite fire-type pokémon ever. Do you know why this chapter is called "Catching Fire" now? You should. :) Sorry you didn't get to read much of Lillipup in action. You'll be able to in the next chapter because it's when the contest starts. Yay! :D Hope you enjoyed, please review!