Thanks to the people who have followed, reviewed, and favorited this story so far. I enjoy reading your comments and have used it to improve. I mentioned before that I burned out after three straight years of writing fanfiction. I'm just now starting to get into the habit after a much needed break, and hopefully will start updating at a regular pace. I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 5
"I hope things aren't awkward between us." May said to Serena as they walked down the busy streets and entered a boutique just south of Prism Tower.
"No, not at all. Ash explained everything very clearly. He only had good things to say about you." Serena smiled at her.
May blushed lightly while letting Serena and Bonnie walk past her. Once inside, they immediately began ruffling through racks of clothes near the front door. Her eyes wandered among the many dresses while her mind tried to explain exactly why she blushed at hearing Serena's words. Could there be a shred of truth in what she said? What he said contradicted what she told Drew earlier and made her slightly ashamed for badmouthing Ash.
"Excuse me, May..." She felt her dress being tugged and found the little blonde looking up at her.
"Yeah, what is it, Bonnie?"
"Are you happy with Drew?" She rocked on the balls of her feet, waiting for an answer with a wide grin.
"Bonnie, you don't ask people questions like that!" Serena stepped in and gently pulled the little girl away.
May giggled at her bold questions and answered promptly. "Yes, I really am. Why do you ask?"
"Because I see how happy Ash is with Serena and how Drew is with you, and I want my brother to feel the same." She frowned and looked down at the floor.
May felt a bit sad when she said that. It reminded her of Max and how happy he was when she and Ash announced their relationship, and then how upset he got when they broke up. Ash was like a big brother and it probably hurt him more than it did her. It appeared that Max and Bonnie shared the same love for their siblings.
"I'm sure your brother will find a very beautiful girl soon." May assured her.
"She's right. A lot of girls like smart guys and Clemont is a genius." Serena added to cheer the little girl up.
Bonnie only nodded and smiled shortly. "I really hope he does."
They continued shopping for different outfits for the next hour or two. While doing so, Serena asked May what it was like to be in Pokémon Contests and what her training regimen was. She responded with honest answers and not the ones that were often written for her during interviews.
"I lost my first Contest Battle to Drew because I was inexperienced. I didn't know how to battle that much and it affected my performance. What do you think of this one?" She pulled out a pink and black strapless dress and showed it to Serena.
"It's cute. I like the little heart at the center."
"I know, right? Well, anyways, I cried afterwards and promised my Pokémon I'd get better. I felt like I let them down because I was so nervous but you learn from those losses. We kept practicing and practicing whenever we had the time and I won my next Contest." She folded the dress over her forearm and moved along to another rack.
Serena sifted through the abundance of colorful dresses and picked out a few to try on. "How did you get better at battling?"
"I learned everything by watching Ash. He just never gives up, you know, and I wanted my Pokémon to have that same attitude with our Contest." May lowered her gaze at the memories of her travels through Hoenn and smiled fondly. They were more like dreams now, or nightmares depending on her mood, that crept in on certain nights and prevented her sleeping soundly. She shook her head and continued searching for clothes. Those thoughts had to stop or else they'd cause an endless amount of trouble for everyone.
After trying on the clothes they each picked out, and looking for shoes that matched, they purchased their items and headed to an ice cream parlor down the road. May was expecting the day to be more uncomfortable given her involvement with Ash, but her worries were all for naught. His girlfriend was the nicest person she had the pleasure of meeting. He always picked the friendliest people to be around.
The trio sat licking their cones out in the patio of the shop, chatting away like girlfriends do. Every once in a while she caught people staring and pointing at her, but luckily no one came up and disturbed her. She was enjoying the sights and sounds of Lumiose and didn't need crowds of fans groveling over her. The same went for photographers capturing her every move. She could take a bite out of the waffle cone and not have it misconstrued as an eating disorder in the tabloids the next day.
"Bonnie, don't eat it so fast or you'll-"
"Ooww!"
"Get a brain freeze.."
May turned to see the little blonde squeeze her eyes shut and placing her head on the table. She couldn't hold her laugh and made Serena giggle as well at Bonnie's hilarious predicament. No misunderstandings or shortage of fun. She couldn't ask for a better vacation.
Everything in his field of vision was a vivid red, from the furniture to the walls. The elegant wooden base of the walls was the only thing that stood out. He looked around and saw a few people sitting at the bar having a drink. A group of friends sat in a lounge area by the front window and ate some snacks while talking amongst themselves.
The café gave off an eerie vibe, and he would've dismissed dropping by were it not for a recommendation from the concierge of their hotel. He took a seat near the wall, facing the bar, and waited to be tended to by a waitress. Meeting May for drinks before their dinner reservations was starting to feel like a bad idea. He couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, but he scanned the room and didn't see anything that stood out.
'Maybe it won't be so bad,' he thought to himself. The place did appear relatively clean, even a bit romantic with all the red and candlelights hanging around the building. To think just a few hours ago he had a huge argument with May, and now they were back on good terms once again. It was definitely a gift only she could possess that cured all his anger with one look into her sapphire eyes.
It wasn't that he didn't trust May. He just didn't trust her ex being around and trying to jeopardize his relationship. Not that he thought Ash would try such a thing, especially with Serena around.
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"
His attention turned to the tall man in a black suit and extravagant hair standing before him and smiling.
"I'm actually meeting someone."
"Oh, this won't take long." The strange man ignored his remark and plopped down in front of him. "My name's Lysandre, the owner of this cafe." He placed his large hands together on the table and continued to smile.
"Nice to meet you. My name's-"
"Drew, one of Hoenn's top Coordinators and past winner of the Grand Festival. Yes, I know who you are." Lysandre interrupted but kept up his cheery posture that was starting to make him uncomfortable. His eyes darted back and forth between the door and Lysandre and he wondered why May was taking so long to show up.
"You know, Drew, I am a big admirer of your talents. Especially the way your Pokémon stand out during Contests. It is very entertaining, and very beautiful, to see the intimacy between Trainer and Pokémon. I can't stand the thought of the world becoming uglier. I dream of a world where there is no selfishness, no greed."
Drew found the conversation unusual and wasn't sure how to respond, but Lysandre kept on talking.
"You see, people can be divided into two groups. Those who give...and those who take. It's just as how the Kalos region's two Legendary Pokémon gave life and took life."
"Is there a point to this? I'm waiting on someone and she should be here in a few minutes." Drew looked impatiently at his wristwatch in an attempt to get Lysandre to leave him alone.
Lysandre chuckled under his breath and slightly bowed his head. "I want to be a person who gives...but some foolish humans would rather show their strength by taking what isn't theirs. There will be no foolish actions if the number of people and Pokémon do not increase."
With May running late and Lysandre's incoherent babbling, Drew was quickly becoming restless. His fingers tapped impatiently on the rosewood surface, breathing became slightly erratic. He couldn't take another word that came out of his delirious mouth. Yet, Lysandre kept speaking gibberish, but appeared to finally reach a conclusion.
"That being said, the future isn't decided. You can't be sure each day will be like the one before. I'm sorry for keeping you." Lysandre stood up, adjusted his black coat, and pushed in the chair. "Please accept these drinks as my gratitude for listening. It was a pleasure meeting you, Drew." He snapped his long fingers and a waitress in a vibrant red suit and dark sunglasses came in shortly and placed two cups of a foggy liquid on the table.
"Our specialty, on the house. Thank you for visiting Flare Café." The waitress bowed and retreated back to Lysandre's side. He grinned and walked towards the backroom and out of view.
Drew exhaled and closed his eyes momentarily to try and decipher what exactly Lysandre was going on about. A new world, beauty, the future, it all sounded like nonsense. That's the kind of talk you here from the homeless people in the alleys of Lumiose City, not from a sharp-dressed café owner.
That uneasiness made him apprehensive of the mysterious drink in front of him. He grabbed the cup and tilted it carefully to get a good look at its contents. The amber drink swirled around, as did the ice cubes, while he studied the liquid. He slowly brought it up to his nose and caught a whiff of berries and lemons.
"Iced Tea?" He said puzzled. He took a single sip and was perplexed even more. It tasted like regular iced tea available anywhere else. There had to be something else added to make it a specialty. Before he knew, he drank the rest in a few gulps and grabbed the other glass as well.
Drew looked at his watch again while drinking the remaining beverage and continued to wait for his girlfriend.
"Hey, Serena, where do you want to go eat?" Ash called out as he walked out the bathroom, drying his thick hair with one of the hotel's plush towels. "I'm starving after helping Clemont clean his Gym." He placed the damp towel around his neck and walked into their main suite and found Serena sitting on the bed brushing her hair.
"Whatever you want, Ash. It doesn't matter." She looked at him through the hanging mirror on the wall and gave him a smile that put him much more at ease.
"Looks like you're in a better mood. Did you have fun today?" Taking a seat next to her, he wrapped an arm around her waist and smiled back.
Serena stopped brushing and turned to him. "May is such an interesting person and so much fun. Bonnie and I enjoyed spending the day with her. It's too bad she's leaving tomorrow." She grabbed a white bottle of lotion off the nightstand and proceeded to lather her legs under her robe with the cream.
Ash stared mindlessly as she did, going quiet as soon as she stopped speaking. "She's leaving tomorrow?" The sorrowful thoughts came rushing back into his head. Almost immediately did his mood change to one of grief. May was leaving without either of them speaking to each other. He didn't know when he'd get the chance to see her again and to express his remorse.
"She invited all of us for brunch before they do. And I said yes, so we're going."
"Really?" Remorse turned into panic just as quick. The constant change of emotions was doing more harm than good and confused the hell out of him even more. It didn't surprise him that May was the cause of it all. She was the first girl to show any kind of affection towards him and he felt the same way about her. But their relationship felt beyond repair, at least to him. He had no idea what was possibly going through her head.
"Yes 'really'. Why is it hard for you to see her, Ash? She's still one of your friends, isn't she?" Serena shifted her leg underneath the other and turned to face him.
"Of course, but..." He couldn't look into those baby blues and tell her exactly what was on his mind, not yet. But he didn't want to keep being secretive with her. The lies will keep piling up and, eventually, end up destroying their trust.
"But...what?"
Her smile kept him sane. It would be unforgivable to hurt another girl because of his ineptitude with romances. Yet, he had to try to be honest; even if it was sprinkled with a bit of duplicity. "We haven't spoken in years, and she looks so different. I wouldn't know what to say."
She gripped his hand tenderly, soothing the treacherous images invading his mind. "It shouldn't be so difficult, Ash. She didn't have a problem telling us about your time in Hoenn."
"She-she talked about me?" He stared at her in disbelief.
"She spoke very fondly of you, Brock, and her brother. She nearly cried when Pikachu ran up to her." She drew circles with her thumb on his palm, looked over his shoulder at the little yellow mouse resting on their pillows, and rested her chin by his ear.
Ash stared at the navy carpet of the room. After moving on to Sinnoh and burning several bridges of his past, never did he think May would remember him other than the man who broke her heart. To hear Serena say that she thought back on their time together with great regard, gave him a sense of relief he desperately needed. Maybe then could he rid himself of the burden of guilt that's been plaguing his conscience for years.
"It'll be okay. I'll be right there with you." She breathed into his ear, sending calming chills and making him beam at the remarkable woman at his side.
He hugged her tight and kissed her rosy cheek. "Thank you."
Serena continued to recline against him, softly breathing into the crook of his shoulder and neck. He was blessed to have such an understanding and compassionate girlfriend. With her help he was finally getting past the mental block that kept rearing its ugly head at the most peaceful times. He sighed contently and just embraced the loving girl in his arms for as long as he could.
Gruuumble...Gruuumble...
Serena raised her head and broke into a fit of giggles that rang through his ears and caused him to join in. He buried his face against her golden brown hair to stifle the laughs that ruined the moment. Her fingers curled around the nape of his neck and gently pulled him away and bent his head back. She shifted her position and was now nestled firmly on his lap. Luminous blue eyes met his and soon disappeared as heavenly lips found their way onto his. An explosion of total peace and serenity overwhelmed them both, capturing what their relationship symbolized.
"You're everything I could've ever asked for, Serena." His fingers felt the soft cotton of the robe covering her waist as he lost himself in her wondrous eyes and sincere smile hovering over him. Time and time again he found himself feeling guilty for being dishonest with her. She deserved better than a man who was immature at times and tight-lipped about his thoughts.
One thing was for sure, he was glad to have Serena in his life. He kissed her again, quickly this time because hunger was starting to overtake him.
"How about we go to a restaurant tonight? You can wear that new dress you bought."
Serena jumped off the bed and picked up a red bag out of many that were next to the mirror, holding it close to her body. "It's a surprise."
She walked past him towards the bathroom, stopping at the open door only to undo the sash of her robe and letting it fall behind her as she closed the door.
Ash grinned to himself and started to get ready as well. Dropping the towel on the bed, he went over to the dresser and rummaged through the drawers for his clothes. "It's not like I haven't seen it all before." He said loud enough for Serena to hear.
He dressed in a hurry and relaxed on the bed watching television while Serena finished up. It would take at least a half hour until she stepped out, delaying his appetite that kept getting stronger each minute that passed. Flipping channels didn't help with all the fast food commercials in between shows. He switched off the television, instead opting to rest his eyes from a long day at Clemont's Gym and to think of the days ahead of him. It was already planned to meet with May and Drew. What was left was to figure out what he was going to say to her. A rehearsed apology wouldn't suffice. It'd be like parents making their child apologize for doing something wrong. It wouldn't sound genuine.
A loud knock at the door caused him to jerk up and forget about his dilemma for the moment. "I got it." He alerted Serena as he approached the door. He wondered who could be knocking at this time of night. The time was nearing eight o'clock, way late for either Bonnie or Clemont to be checking up on them. It couldn't be the hotel maid or any of the attendants without a call first. Whoever it was he had to be cautious of.
He turned the handle, opening the door marginally to get a good look of the visitor. A girl with curled honey brown locks reaching past her bare shoulders. She had her back to him but could see her beautiful figure in a sleek, black strapless dress. Her arm was raised up around her face. She appeared to be holding back her cries yet he heard the noticeable sound of her whimpers. Only when she turned around did he realize the girl standing before was the one person he could never forget.
"May..."
"Ash...please...help me..."
