I wasn't expecting to take this long finishing this, let alone 2 months on one chapter, but here it is. My updates going forward may be slow at times, but only because I want this story to be great. I am looking forward to this new year and all that it will bring. A few new stories may come, who knows? Stay tuned and enjoy this new chapter for Dying Flames!
Chapter 9
The cold wind picked up as the day wore on, nipping at her face and exposed skin that wasn't covered by a jacket or leggings. She held on tightly to her umbrella to keep it from flying away in the storm. At times it felt like she would be whisked away with how strong the winds were, but thankfully she had a firm grip on the handle. It also helped that Serena held on to her arm as they walked down the empty streets to their next search location. For now it was just the two of them alone, huddled underneath the blue umbrella, searching for the waitress they met the night before. Maybe they could get new information out of her this time around.
An uneventful walk, for the most part. The howling winds made it a slower trek than it should've been. Add in the pouring rain and it was easy to see why no one else was out in the streets. Even with their umbrella to cover them, they were still pelted with freezing drops coming from all sides. Serena was smart enough to bring a scarf and boots to further protect herself from the elements while she was unprepared with only a light jacket to deal with the blistering cold.
Each shop they passed along the way looked so warm that it almost made her take several breaks just to escape the wrath of the storm. They couldn't stop, though, not even for a second. Time was precious and they couldn't afford to get sidetracked no matter how inviting the shops appeared to be. To make sure that didn't happen she sped up and practically pulled Serena along until they reached the intersection with the café right in front of them. Drawing in a quick breath, she looked both ways and walked forward to the odd red building that stood out among the pale and desaturated homes and shops around it.
"Hello, welcome to the Flare Café!" They were greeted immediately by the hostess as they entered the eerie establishment.
Serena unhooked her arm, undid her red scarf, and smiled at the girl. May followed suit and closed her umbrella, dusting off her sleeves from the accrued moisture and wiping her face as well. Just like before, the decor of the building made her uneasy as she walked behind Serena to the counter. She took a quick look around but didn't see anything significant that told her Drew was in the building. The place was nearly empty yet the waitresses were busy cleaning tables and tending to the few customers that were there. She took a seat and waited for the server to notice them.
The waitress from the night before finished wiping a wet glass and gingerly came towards them.
"H-hi there. What can I get for you today?"
"Hi, we were here last night. I was wondering if you have seen the guy we're looking for." Serena handled the conversations seeing as she was friendlier and was able to coax the little information the waitress had. Hopefully she was able to get more.
"I'm s-sorry, you'll have to order something if you want to sit at the counter." She pulled out a small notepad and pen and waited for their order.
Serena turned to her for guidance on what to do. May could tell right away there was something off with the waitress. The stuttering and hesitant movements were a dead giveaway. Her mirrored sunglasses made it hard to read her expressions since all she saw was her own reflection. It was odd to see not just her, but all the crew members wearing the same shades and flaming red pantsuit. The feeling of being watched suddenly crept upon her, like each of the staff members had an eye trained on them and followed their every move.
She simply nodded to tell Serena to play along. It was all they could do at this point.
Serena looked over the menu and quickly picked out the first thing that caught her attention. "I'll have a small latte and a blueberry muffin, please."
"Same for me." Having eaten a big breakfast, May was glad she picked only a muffin as a snack and not one of the specialty foods that were sold.
The waitress furiously jotted down their order, taking the time to write a bit more which only added to her anxiety of being in the shady building. They ordered the same thing, what compelled her to keep writing beyond their order?
"It'll be a few minutes for your lattes." She reached down behind the counter and grabbed two muffins covered tightly in plastic wrap and a huge sticker on top. Before handing them their snack, she tore their order sheet and placed it face down in front of the muffins, turning around quickly to start on their coffee.
May and Serena looked at each other with uncertainty, each of them expecting the other to reach for it and read whatever she wrote down. May looked at the waitress who only poured the steaming coffee from the machine and pulled out ingredients one at a time from the overhead cabinet. She paid no attention to either of them and kept on task.
To her side, she watched as Serena extended an arm and grabbed the paper and flipped it over. Their order was written in red ink at the top, but underneath it was a small block of words written in big red letters. She leaned in closer and read silently with Serena.
This place is bugged. They watch and listen to everything. I can't say anything or they'll take me in the back. My boss met with the man you are searching for and they talked in this room a while ago. He stepped out to the alley and hasn't come back. Whatever you do, stop my boss. He is insane.
Both of the girls were in a stunned silence after reaching the end of the letter. Their hunch turned out to be right. The cafe must have been a front for illegal activities hidden behind whatever the waitress insinuated in her letter. Her uneasiness came back in full force, making her heart beat faster knowing she was being watched from possibly all angles. She and Serena avoided speaking for the moment to keep things a secret. The staff continued their work, but who knew which of them were eavesdropping. Maybe they all were.
"Here are your two lattes. That'll be 7.50, please." She slid the two cups in front of them and went back to work on another order.
Serena pulled out her wallet from her purse and placed two bills on the counter. Out of habit, May unwrapped the muffin and grabbed a good chunk and popped it in her mouth. She chewed on the pieces of blueberry and washed it down with a sip of hot coffee, white foam reaching the tip of her nose as she drank. Despite the decor of the building and haunting atmosphere, the food was surprisingly delicious. Food was often a crutch when she was stressed. It was easily accessible and brought comfort whenever things were too heavy. Even though she already ate breakfast, what was another muffin added on to it? It would calm her down enough to think of the next steps.
"We have to hurry. He might still be in the alley." Serena whispered to her as she scrambled to put her coat back on, not bothering with her food that was beginning to cool down.
May bit another big piece off the muffin and drank a bigger gulp of her latte, slightly burning her tongue in the process, and began gathering her belongings from the empty chair next to her. Dusting the muffin crumbs from her shirt, she put on her coat as well and rose up from her seat to follow Serena. As she did she couldn't help but wonder what Drew was involved in. Judging from the cult-like atmosphere of the building and workers, she could only guess the worst. Whatever the case, their answer may have been out in the storm.
Rain kept pouring down, showing no difference than earlier when they came in. May held the umbrella over their heads while they walked a few steps to their left and stopped short of the entrance to the narrow alley. Fear kept her from looking around the corner. She held her breath the entire time, her whole body shaking from other things besides the fierce winds. The waitress' cryptic words followed her and caused her to worry about Drew's condition. There was no telling what kind of twisted things the owner said to him or if he was tortured the entire night. Her mind kept running through terrifying scenarios, each one worse than the last, which brought her nothing but grief.
"May, did you hear that?" Serena gently nudged her shoulder and tore her away from the sickening thoughts in her head.
She focused her attention back to the task at hand and tried to listen to whatever it was Serena heard.
"It's not like that at all!"
She turned to Serena, who had the same perplexed stare at realizing who was talking. "Is that..Ash?"
They couldn't explain fast enough as to why he was there. His voice came in just loud enough to cut through the pitter-patter of rain hitting the concrete.
"She's my friend and she will always be, but that's it."
Cautiously, they both stepped forward but halted just as quick once the scene before them came into view. Standing a few feet away, drenched from head to toe, were Ash and Drew locked in a standoff. Drew had both hands on his knees with his whole body sagging forward like he was weighed down with rocks in his pockets. Seeing him bent over in obvious pain automatically filled her with dread that Ash may have done something to him. Judging by the hostility that was in the air, and adding in their sketchy past, it wasn't much of a reach to say things turned physical. Drew was laboring to draw in a single breath. His eyes were covered by thick strands of his hair, glued to his face with the pouring rain. It was difficult to tell if he had any bruises or blood anywhere on his body from her position.
Meanwhile Ash stood tall, raindrops bouncing off his hat and running down the tips of his dangling fingers. He wasn't known to have a temper that made fly off the handle, unless he was losing a significant Pokémon battle. No, he wasn't a violent person by nature so he wouldn't strike unless provoked. He also didn't show signs of an altercation taking place, which for the moment brought her relief. It looked more like it was a verbal fight more than anything with how far they were apart. That raised more questions than it answered, though. Why then was Drew wobbling back and forth trying to stand upright?
"You're full of it."
His voice was just as weak as his current stance. Nevertheless it had a powerful impact within her knowing he was in severe pain. Yet he still tried to be strong and never show a sliver of weakness. Pride and arrogance was the biggest issue between the two of them that she never fully understood. Surely her affection towards both of them wasn't the main reason for their disdain towards one another, was it? In their minds it appeared to be, but it had to go deeper than just falling for the same girl. Success? Opposing views on official battles and contest battles, perhaps?
As she tried to solve the issue in her head, Drew swept aside his green locks and raised his voice.
"I see the way she is around you, laughing at every stupid thing you say, blushing whenever she looks at you. You can't tell me you still don't hold any feelings for her."
A shiver ran down her spine upon hearing those words. Likewise, Serena's grip on her arm tightened as they found out the topic of Ash and Drew's disagreement. Stiff as boards they stood next to each other, wondering what sort of response Ash would come up with. From what she remembered while being with him, he wasn't the sharpest in formulating his emotions into words. Being with Serena appeared to change him drastically; something she noticed during their talk the night before. Even though it was dark, she could almost see his eyes light up when he spoke fondly of her. Sure he was still relaxed and humorous, and they had a blast catching up, but the change was extremely noticeable. Like night and day compared to the boy she first met all those years ago.
Seeing him smile alongside Serena filled her with joy for her friend, but also a bit of sadness knowing they once shared that same connection. It shouldn't have. There wasn't a reason for it to bother her at all. Him going out of his way to check on her didn't help keep away the apparent leftover feelings. It somehow struck an ill chord once thought to be severed the day he left. Laying in her bed while he was feet away, staring at nothing but the dark ceiling and occasional blinking light coming in from the outside. As the world slowly faded away and she entered the unknown, for just a short moment, it was almost as if they never broke up. He was back in her life and she didn't want him to leave again.
Ash raised his hand to his face, appearing to wipe his face clean while thinking of a response. "Of course I still love her."
The answer had the opposite effect on her than she thought it would. Her mind went blank, body stung with a sharpness that resembled an electrical shock. The small part of her that held on to a single strand of their love disappeared the moment Serena's hand went limp. She was afraid to turn her head but knew exactly what was happening. Instead she stared ahead and caught a glimpse of Drew grinning at her. Regret for hurting her new friend instantly turned to hatred towards the man smirking and flicking his hair to the side.
Ash wasn't making the situation any better.
"She...She was the best thing to happen to me, but—"
Right away she could tell he was falling into Drew's trap. She honestly didn't know who the man that stood before her was. The Drew she knew would never think of something so vindictive, no matter how awful he was treated. He was ruining two lives with his actions and severely driving a wedge between them in the process.
"Did you hear that, May, Serena?"
His voice was coarse, striking a nerve with her that pushed her past angry. She dug her nails into the hard plastic handle of the umbrella, enough to cause a chipped nail, and rolled her free hand into a tight ball that hung firm at her side. Her attention was so drawn to her crazed boyfriend—and knocking some sense into him—that it took her a minute to notice Ash gawking at her and Serena. Still not being able to face her, she heard Serena stifle her sobs.
May couldn't blame her. What else is one to do when their significant other revealed they still have feelings for their ex, and that ex was standing next to her? Anything she said to remedy the situation wouldn't go over so well. Besides, the only words she could think of at the moment were foul, malicious, and directed at the smug face barely able to stand.
"Serena, I didn't-it's not.." He took a few steps forward as he tried to explain himself, poorly. His dark eyes were pleading for help from outside forces, but none were foolish enough to intervene in such a sensitive matter.
A sick feeling formed in the pit of her stomach realizing just how awful the situation was, and being in the middle of it was beyond terrible. She never intended to cause harm to either Ash or Serena. In the short time she knew her, she found Serena to be caring, friendly, and overall a good friend. Ash was still an important person in her life, though not at the same capacity as when they were younger. The last thing she wanted was to impede in their relationship.
Ash took tentative steps through the puddles, helplessly waving his hands through the air. "Please, let me explain...Serena...Serena!"
In a flash, Serena ran off to the main streets behind them, splashing through the rain puddles that littered the cement road like potholes. Ash stopped and momentarily looked over at Drew. She held her breath hoping Ash wouldn't do something he'd regret. Seconds felt like hours the longer he quietly gazed at the bastard who was ruining his life. She saw his body shaking, angrily and in a position to charge, but he never moved. The dark clouds rolled along and brought a thunderous roar yet he didn't flinch. She was too terrified of his murderous intent to step in. She only saw this in him once before, many moons ago, and she knew better than to get in the way.
He walked a few feet backwards, without taking his threatening stare off Drew, before turning around and running out of the alley after Serena. No words or even a glance as he raced past her. A quick wisp of wind passed through and made her sigh in relief. Things could've turned for the worst had he chosen to attack. A hit or two felt reasonable given the circumstances. Drew fabricated a problem out of assumption and baited Ash into revealing a secret they were never meant to hear.
Now it was her turn to deal with him.
"Why are you doing this, Drew? This isn't who you are!" Her voice came out hoarse with rage, though the downpour lessened the impact slightly. Resentful contemplation kept her from marching forward. Stepping directly in front of him meant dealing with any surprises he had up his sleeve. And with the way he coaxed Ash, for the first time she was afraid to be near him.
"My chest is killing me." Drew tugged on his soaked shirt, pulling it away from his body like it was burning his skin. "I don't know what hurts more, this or your lies." He leisurely rolled his head up from staring at the ground, giving her a clear view of emerald irises swimming in a pool of red.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Confusion began to swirl within her. She couldn't recall an instance where she openly lied to him.
He raised a hand to slick back his hair, a disgusting smile came soon after. "I've seen it all. Don't act like you're innocent in all this." His defeated body managed to stand upright with a few cracks coming from his tired bones.
"In what?! You're not making any sense, Drew!"
She held on tighter to her umbrella, keeping it from flying off with new gusts of winds present. Her shaking was not associated with the current chill in the air. It was caused by the man inching closer and closer to her with zombie-like movements.
"You let him into our room, May." He spoke along the way, eliciting a series of groans with each step. "You were touching and grabbing him whenever you felt like."
Her breath caught in her throat. She tried to remember if she did anything to warrant his accusations, but truth be told she had trouble pinpointing anything that felt odd. As far as she was concerned, it was a regular conversation between old friends. How he became aware of the events was the real question. The constant uncertainty was beginning to give her a headache.
Before she knew it, he was within an arms reach and straining his entire body to look normal.
"I mean, why not sleep with him and get it over with?"
With his smirk, coupled with the impassive delivery, her simmering rage resulted in a thoughtless act that required no explanation. Raising her free hand from its braced position, she opened her palm and delivered a sudden blow to his freezing cheek. It didn't matter who it was, she would never let anyone talk to her in such a derogatory manner.
"I can't believe you would think that of me. You honestly think I'd do such a thing to hurt you?"
His head recoiled but recovered just as fast. He rubbed the underside of his jaw and continued to smile at her. He appeared to show no remorse whatsoever, instead looking like he was about to burst out laughing. "Who knows? You might've enjoyed yourself more with him than me.."
Another strike landed cleanly near the same spot as before. Her hand stung quite a bit from the second hit. In a matter of seconds, she went from never hitting anybody to striking her boyfriend twice. Both times it was well deserved, yet his toxic words were starting to break her down.
"What is the matter with you? Why are you saying these horrible things?"
"The truth hurts, doesn't it?" His expression completely changed. The cocky grin dissolved into a frown, red eyes kept her engaged to his ongoing confession. "He's not over you, you're not over him. Why bother with me at all?"
Vulnerability seeped through the wall guarding his conscience. The deathgrip she had on her umbrella loosened completely, letting it just fall to the ground and exposing herself to the ongoing rain. There was a hint of the real Drew revealing himself. She needed to break through and now was the perfect chance. Raising both hands to his face, gently cupping the sides, she gave her tearful response. "Because..I love you, Drew. You and I have spent so much time together."
She recalled nights before a Contest and how they would simply watch a movie to keep their minds off it. Then she brought up times where one of them fell ill and the other would do their best to provide comfort. While clearing raindrops from his cold cheeks, along with soothing the single red mark on his face, she trusted her words to reach deep inside and pull him out of the strange darkness corrupting his mind.
"We've grown up together. I know this isn't you. You have to fight it." The stinging sensation of fresh tears was slowly matching her eyes to his, chilly drops drenched her outfit in a matter of seconds but it didn't bother her. She felt a small breakdown in his demeanor and offered a sense of encouragement that he was starting to return.
With every passing day she spent with Drew, she realized how important it was to fight for the person you cared about. The lesson came too late to fix her previous relationship. By then Ash was in the Sinnoh region and she began dating Drew. He never gave up hope in being in a relationship with her and in the end it worked out for him. They spent three amazing years falling for each other, building a life together that she didn't want to end. This time around she was the one battling to preserve those memories.
"Please, come back to me..." Shivering and feeling numbness in her feet, she caressed the increasing warmth of his face and bestowed a caring smile to reinforce her love. Any moment now he'd return to his senses, forget all that happened, and they'd be on their plane back to Hoenn.
Cold hands closed over her fingers, a wet forehead gently placed itself against hers. Hope that her words finally penetrated the fog in his mind, was quickly wiped away with his response. "I wish I could believe you," his lowered tone came in loud and clear, "but as long as he's around, I won't ever live up to your expectations."
She found it difficult to look at him once he raised his head and pulled away from her grasp. Tears accompanied the drops of rain that ran down her face.
"I'll always be the guy you settled for when your soul mate left you."
"Th-that's not t-true!" She clung tightly to his chest, pleading her case to him. "P-please, let's g-go home!" Whether he was under the influence of something or not, the impact of his admission was too much for her to handle. It was as if the freezing rain had reached her core and drowned any logic she had left. She couldn't let him go. Her life would fall apart if he left.
"I can't go back. There's a better life waiting for me." He held on to her shoulders and gently pushed her away. Each nudge and little shove tore a new hole in her heart, as if he were tossing her out like the garbage that surrounded them.
She wouldn't give up so easily. "No! Don't leave!" She tugged on the open flaps of his coat, hopelessly slapping his chest to satisfy her frustration. Drew never flinched or even attempted to stop her. His vacant stare remained steady and unblinking on his face. He looked as if he'd fall on top her without warning, but his breath was calm and his grip was starting to loosen.
The metallic door swung open behind him, causing her to lift her eyes past his shoulder and see a short woman step out. Her outfit consisted of a tight, red long sleeved shirt with the collar popped up, and matching red gloves. A red and black skirt was accompanied by orange stockings and red and white high heeled boots. What set her apart from the workers in the café was the short orange hair and the peculiar glasses covering her eyes. They were like something out of a science fiction comic.
"Drew, sweetie, the boss is waiting for us." She teased his name from the doorway, grabbing his attention away from her.
"Sorry, May. If only you had kept your promise." One last gentle rub of her wet hands and a quick kiss on her forehead, he let go and started backing away. "You could've come with me."
Her legs gave way and she landed on the soaked street once he separated. Covering her mouth didn't help stop the stream of tears descending down her numb face.
The girl pushed the door wider as he approached her, brow furrowed and the corners of her mouth came upwards. "Aww, this is so sad. Don't worry, we'll take good care of him." As soon as he was close, she latched on to his arm and flirtatiously rubbed a hand along the length of his chest.
"Don't, DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM!" She was a sobbing mess. Thick hair was plastered around her face, her soaked outfit weighed her down lower than she already was.
"Bye!" The mysterious girl turned one last time and waved her gloved fingers at her. Her wide grin and the back of Drew's head was all she saw before the door closed completely.
"Drew..DREW!"
Her screams rang out throughout the alley in vain. Drew was already out of sight. Ash ran off after Serena. She was all alone, surrounded by puddles and trash, bawling her eyes out. The two people she cared about the most ended up abandoning her with little to no guilt. She was beyond sure she got through to him, but whatever lies he was told seemed to have a tighter grip on his psyche than reality. With what just transpired it was only a matter of time before she joined him in the madness.
The rain traveled down the brick sidewalk. Her wasted tears helped fill the crevices of the interesting mosaic pattern; a beautiful design lost on her due to the ever increasing stress. Lumiose had the most gorgeous walkways even in the dirty alleys of the city. Her fingers traced the gritty material, admiring the craftsmanship of the interesting design.
The icy rain no longer bothered her. She didn't feel anything, really. It was as if she was being shielded by an unknown force. It was dark but it kept the rain away.
"May?! What happened? Are you alright?"
She tore her eyes away from the watery road only to see three blurred figures surrounding her. A heavy coat went over her shoulders and immediately brought warmth to her freezing body. She managed a smile through the exhaustion as she was helped to her feet. The space around her was spinning so fast. Flashes of black arose out of thin air. The blurry faces staring at her became even more unrecognizable. Eventually, the entire area became a big void of nothingness as she collapsed in the arms of her helpers.
