By the time the press conference was being held in the lobby of a hotel close to the Petalburg event center, people had congregated in the lobby where a stand was set for two people. Behind it was a lit blue backdrop with multiple partially transparent gold logo of the BuzzNav News Network.
The main source of news for the Hoenn Republic, it had large stations in every large city with the exception of LaRousse's privately owned broadcasting station.
Off to the side, both May and Ash were getting a briefing from one of the event staff in separate rooms before they were to go out. This news coverage was set to go on live national television, so they wanted them to look good overall.
"Wow," Ash gawked at the crowds outside, with reporters jostling through one another to try and get the closest spot possible for their stations, in the background were multiple lenses of cameras or recording devices, ready to shoot and cover every second, "That's a damn big crowd." He was never one for high profile stuff.
"It's your night," Zack Arron reassured him. He agreed to accompany Ash since Brendan, Damien and Jewell were working another case. Apparently, the latter two were spending a lot of time on such events together recently. "You rescued May Maple who happens to be the eldest child of Norman Maple."
Ash gave him a quizzical look.
"You know? Head of the Maple Software firm? They've been working on advanced electronic programs for the military and they just entered a nice contract with the KJ Federation."
The word of his home country collaborating with the company wasn't news to him, but it also could mean that both he and the firm garnered a lot more attention. Whether it was for the better or worse couldn't be determined.
"They're worth billions of dollars," Zack added, "And when the most skilled soldier that isn't even a native to Hoenn rescues a beautiful daughter like May, the press is going to eat that up like a Mawile. Don't be surprised if you're called by a Mauville fashion modeling agency."
"I'd be rather annoyed," Ash said.
Just in the next room, Norman and Drew were watching as May was escorted towards the chairs where she and Ash would be conducting the interviews. When she had left, both men followed her a bit behind until they could see the room from the side.
Ash arrived onstage, dressed in a black suit jacket and khakis. His hair was neat, compared to the bit of a messy fray it had been when he was in the hospital. He had shaved a little off his sideburns, although a bit of a five o clock shadow still remained. As May sat next to him, he took her outstretched hand and talked to her in a relaxed manner.
Norman however, was far from that feeling. Turning away from that sight, he leaned closer to Drew, "I think it is time we seal the deal with May."
Drew knew immediately what he was talking about and felt his heart begin to race, he also couldn't help but feel a little uneasy when Ash visibly led her to the staging area, "So you're finally giving me permission?"
"Yes. I have something to help you once we leave."
"Is there a reason why you're giving it to me now?"
Norman motioned towards Ash, "I see that he has rubbed off on May. She is taking a liking to him and we have to sever it before it gets out of hand."
"You know," Drew stated, "If he does have an interest in her, it might not be because she's pretty."
He looked over at his protégé, "What do you mean?"
"He could just be after a reward. Chances are when he first rescued her, she probably didn't think he was there to do that and used the card of having a wealthy parent to pay him to return her back home. Kinda egotistical in my eyes, but it might not be a bad idea to give it to him, if that's what he is after."
"Then why would she defend him?"
"No idea," Drew got a little frustrated with a lock of his hair, so he pushed it out of his face, "Still, worth a try."
"Maybe you're right." Norman looked back over at the two of them, "May wouldn't see it if it happened."
On the stand, May could hardly stand the attention. Despite being the daughter of a billionaire, it was usually her father or Drew that took the spotlight from her and dealt with whatever matters that she was in concerned. However this time, she was unable to escape it.
With Ash sitting to her right, his presence was strangely soothing. She began to get a little uneasy, but when he looked over in concern, there was no idea that it was because every minute sitting next to him, she was starting to wonder more and more in fantasies with the handsome Lieutenant.
On the other hand, he was having a hard time focusing on the reporters and their camera crews, as they still moved to try and get good angles at the interviewees. May was dressed in an emerald cocktail dress with a pattern of gems that ran directly down the center. It did nothing to hide her curvy body or her pronounced cleavage. Both things also failed to escape his notice too. Ash was a bit confused on why the formalities in attire, but he brushed it away, thinking it was merely for publicity.
"Just relax May." Ash reassured her, "If they question you with something you don't want to answer in detail, just make it simple and follow it with 'Thanks for asking'"
"Like that one football player that replied Yeah to everything they asked him?"
"That annoys them and it won't make it any easier," Ash chuckled, "Although that would be hella fun."
"It would," May giggled softly, "I'm just glad you're here so that I don't have to die from embarrassment."
"Then we'll die together," He placed a hand over hers, "Just look at me if you don't feel comfortable and I'll take it from there."
"Miss Maple?" One of the reporters began after May selected her over the shouts of journalists and media crews vying for her attention. "What did you think when people with guns began to storm into the stands?"
"I was thinking why would they ruin a perfectly good event to kidnap people?"
"When you were taken hostage, did you have fear of death?"
In May's head, that was probably one of the most stupid questions anyone could have asked. Of course when someone had a gun pointed at them, the fear of being injured or killed was present. "Yes. Thanks for asking."
Another reporter caught Ash's attention since he had a question for him, "You were the first to enter the building after it had been evacuated with warnings from the Syndicate to stay out. Did you ever think the hostages would be killed if you acted?"
"In any hostage rescue scenario, you always have to assume the worst. Dead hostages of course, but you also have to consider the danger to you and your team. Make one mistake and you could have one of your own bleeding out on the floor."
"Did you have confidence in your team to initially rescue the hostages at the center?"
Ash's face gave him a blank stare before replying, "We wouldn't have gone in if I didn't."
"So then what did you think when the hostages weren't there and the kidnappers were gone?"
"I figured that whoever organized the hit planned it quite meticulously and already had an escape plan before they even started. It was well thought out. But what really surprised me is that we ran one of the hostages' phone numbers who pinged their location just hours after they had disappeared."
Again the room was filled with a flurry of questions, directed at both before May selected one.
"When Lieutenant Ketchum rescued you, what happened afterwards?"
May breathed and glanced quickly at Ash. He opened his mouth to reply, but she beat him to it, "After he took care of the two men guarding me, we went to the helicopter sent to pick us up."
She remained silent, so he took over, "After we got out, there was an explosion at the bottom of the ship and another group of men with guns to keep the rest of my team occupied. I realized that we would have to find an alternate way off the ship or both of us would drown."
"You were a Commando for three years," The man said, "Did you have to utilize any of the skills learned through there to ensure a proper rescue?"
"When I rescued May and the chaos happened, she was with me every step of the way on her own."
She looked at him in complete disbelief as if she was the hero of her own rescue.
The rest of the interview went on for another ten minutes, but both could tell they were tiring them out with just regular answers of what had transpired.
Finally one reporter had broken the streak of the events and asked, "Did you or Lieutenant Ketchum fear that you would never make it back?"
"I never doubted him for a second." May looked over at him, dropping to a whisper, "Ash, you saved my life. Even when we swam away, I was scared out of my mind from aggressive Sharpedos, but I lost that fear when I was with you."
"You're a strong person May." Ash told her, "Don't let anyone say otherwise. You did everything right to make sure that you got rescued and back safe. All I did was guiding you." He paused, "And take out the thugs guarding you and shooting open the escape hole."
That got a chuckle from everyone.
"Still," She said. "What you told me on that island, gave me a new insight on my life. It's hard to believe that a few words from a complete stranger that I met eighteen hours ago could be so compelling. I'm starting to wonder; where have you been all these years and why haven't I met you sooner?"
"What did you talk about on the island?" A reporter blurted out. After the question, everyone else chimed in over one another.
May looked over to Ash with an answer to every new question thrown at them, "He told me that I am capable of achieving my dreams, as long as I never take my sight off them and keep moving forward. Nobody has ever told me something like that in a long time."
Pretty much everyone fed off that and began to fire questions left and right. For the rest of the conference, Ash sat back and watched as she took over the remaining time.
May was completely unaware of the proud smile growing on his face.
It was dark when the news stations had started to leave when the conference was deemed adjourned.
Ash had gone home before anyone had a chance to stop him for an exclusive interview and May was escorted out by security with her father and Drew.
Both men stayed a little behind as May got into the car that Norman had ready to take both of them home.
"See what I told you? It's time to seal the deal before it gets out of hand." He gazed at Drew. The glare he had was not directed towards the other man, but rather at the hour of his daughter exchanging words with Ash and the news. Now he was well aware that Ash's influence on May was much more cancerous that he had originally perceived.
His thought drifted back to Drew, maybe Ash's interest in May was only for money. He seemed to have quite an ego, but he was likely making an effort to conceal it. What if this Commando's ego could be put down if a large check was given to him in reward of her safe rescue?
Drew wants to offer Ash a reward for May's rescue. Think he'll take it?
Thanks for reading and reviewing, you give my writing purpose.