This is definitely not a happy chapter for me. I'm sorry... anyways, I hope this ones a bit more interesting than the earlier chapters.

——

Drew's POV

Why did she leave so fast like that? Was it something I did?

Hmph, what does it matter. She's just
another one of my rivals, if she wants to take a break from contests, then that's her choice. I'll just go to Kanto alone and face off against Solidad and Harley instead. They'll at least have a better chance of defeating me than May ever had.

She's probably going to Hoenn as an excuse to compete there instead of competing against me in Kanto. She was probably afraid of losing to me again so she decided to compete where I wasn't going.

Then I immediately regretted my thoughts. She seemed so truthful when she told me about taking a break. And May almost never lies, plus she's terrible at lying anyway. But I feel like there must be something wrong...

Ever since we got stuck on Mirage island together while separated from May's friends with the Wynaut, I found myself liking May as more than a rival, like a friend and it was quite upsetting to know that she wouldn't be facing off against me in Kanto. That's why I kept having these thoughts, she's a different rival compared to Harley and Solidad...I don't know why.

I sighed as I walked alone through the streets. Although there were so many people around, I found myself feeling quite lonely.

Maybe I should go find May again... But she's probably hurrying off to go eat something, yeah that's what she's doing. I found myself feeling slightly more upset, the more I thought of contests. I should head back to the Pokémon centre and get something to eat.

My thoughts kept coming back to May every time I tried to focus on something in particular. I just knew that there was something wrong.

May's POV

1 day later...

I had just arrived in Petalburg City after travelling back from Sinnoh and it felt good to be back home. Although I felt as though something was missing.

Ignoring that feeling, I tiredly walked up to my doorstep where I knew my family were waiting for my arrival. Opening the door, I breathed in the familiar scent of home. Something I hadn't come to forget over my years of travelling.

It was a comforting feeling to be back at my own house. I could finally be with my family after a long time. With a new found energy, I breathed in.

"MUM, DAD, MAX, IM BACK!" I shouted into the unusually silent household.

My expression immediately changed as a huge grin spread across my face as I saw my mum approach from the living room. All thoughts of the Grand festival vanished as I ran up to my mum and hugged her tightly, feeling happy within her embrace.

"Mum!" I squealed happily.

"I'm so glad you've decided to come home, after so long. You've grown up a lot since I last saw you." She said smiling as she pulled back.

That's when I noticed something. Max hadn't come running down the stairs like he usually would to greet me. Dad was probably at the gym though so that would explain his absence.

But something else was wrong. I stared at my mum for the longest of time before realising. With a gasp, I took in my mums features. Her eyes weren't as bright as they used to be and her hair was all tangled and not taken care of.

There were dark rings surrounding her eyes and they were bloodshot as though she had cried herself dry of tears. Her clothes were all creased and she had started to get wrinkles on her face. This was so unlike mum.

"What's wrong." I asked with worry.

My grin had faded long ago and all feelings of happiness that had welled up inside me had faded. I brought mum into the kitchen and got her a glass of water.

Raising an eyebrow at her, still awaiting an answer, I leaned on the counter and patiently stared at her.

But still my mum was silent not speaking a word.

"Nothing's wrong..." She finally answered.

"Don't you lie to me." I said crossing my arms.

"You won't like what I have to tell you." She sighed, her eyes looking into mine with pure sadness. "I'm sure it would just add onto your troubles."

"What troubles? I have none." I answered in confusion.

"Now you don't lie to me. I know you didn't take your loss to Drew lightly. I may not have been there but I saw you on television. And I know for a fact you were upset about losing once again." She informed me.

"No need to rub it in..." I mumbled, as I recalled memories of my defeat. "Where's Max?" I asked, confused again.

"Oh he's just playing outside with your Pokémon." She smiled reassuringly.

"Thank Arceus! I thought something might've happened." I sighed in relief.

I saw my mum flash me a panicked look before turning back to her usual calm self, although still not quite herself. Deciding it was best to change the topic, I began pondering if my room was still the same as I had left it 7 years ago.

"How's my room?" I asked suddenly.

"The same as it has always been. Messy." She chuckled slightly, lightening the mood.

"Great! I'll be upstairs then if you need me." I clapped my hands together.

"Alright then." She smiled at me.

While I climbed up the stairs, I paused for a second and looked at my mum. The smile that had been there just seconds ago had vanished, replaced with a look of anxiousness. Something was wrong, and I'm going to find out.

By the time dinner was ready, I had gotten changed and into something more casual than what I'd been wearing while travelling in Sinnoh. Heading downstairs, I noticed two things, the table was only set up for two people and both Max and my father were nowhere to be seen.

"Shouldn't Max have come in by now?" I asked.

"About that. May, I have to tell you something extremely important. You might not take this news too well." My mum said nervously.

"Would it explain why you look like a mess?"

"Um sure..."

What could have happened when I was away...?

"So what's the news about." I asked anxiously, not knowing what I was about to hear.

My mum stared down at her serving of food, it was a simple meal, just some pasta with tomato sauce on top with some vegetables surrounding the dish. I too stared down at my meal, while picking at it slightly, as I waited for an answer.

"Hey mum?" Snapping my fingers in front of her face, her head shot up in surprise.

"Oh I'm so sorry May. I forgot what I was saying." She looked away.

"Did you really?" I asked, unconvinced.

"To be completely honest with you, no I have not forgotten, it's just something I don't feel like talking about. But since this is about our family, then I guess I have to tell you." She sighed and stared at me with tired eyes, her age beginning to show.

"About our family? What about it?" I questioned nervously.

"Let me explain to you now then." She paused before taking a deep breath and started speaking again. "Remember before the Grand Festival, you and I talked on the phone?"

"Yes." I replied.

"Well, after that call, I was too excited about you competing that I hadn't noticed the way your father had been acting."

"What do you mean how he was acting?"

"You see, your father has come down with a rare disease. A fatal one." She paused again. I saw small droplets of tears form in her eyes. "He's now in hospital, I've been taking care of the gym while he has been absent. But, the doctors are saying he has a week left. He may be strong, but even he can tell that he's not doing well. Your father is becoming weaker and weaker everyday that passes. I'm beginning to think it will be less than a week before he- before he um... you know..." she trailed off.

I didn't notice I had been crying until mum wiped a tear of my cheek that had slid down my face. It was a cold feeling. I could feel a headache growing. I didn't know what I was feeling right now. I was a week close to losing my dad... a week only? Impossible...

I should never have left on a journey, never started contests. I should have stayed here at home and helped at the gym, take care of my family instead. My heart was racing in panic as I remembered all the happy moments I had spent with my father, all those times I had watched his gym battles. My heart was beating uncontrollably as I felt a panic attack coming, slowly calmng my heart rate down I sat still.

No... this can't be happening.

"NO!" I screamed loudly, pushing my seat backwards. "He can't have a week left! That's not going to happen, my dad is strong and he would never give up. NEVER!" I slammed my fists into the table causing the drinks to spill.

"May, please calm down. He's in a lot of pain, even your father is not stubborn enough to deny that he's not got long in this world." My mother sobbed.

"Why are you giving up so easily? Have you lost all hope already that he even has the slightest chance to survive?!" I shouted in disbelief, how could she be so certain?

"This should never have happened I know but please understand me May, you've got to believe me, he's losing this battle!" My mother urged me.

My tears were rapidly falling down my face uncontrollably. I was a sobbing mess by the end of the night. I ignored my mum as I walked, well more like stomped up to my room. I was trying to stop crying but I just couldn't. I lay down in bed staring at the ceiling for hours, the tears never stopped leaving my eyes, and soon I felt my eyelids grow heavier the more I sobbed on my bed.

"May! How could you lose, AGAIN to Harley?" A certain arrogant voiced grasshead spoke up.

"I don't know! I think I need some time to think about my coordinating!" I pleaded.

"Hmph. Losing so easily? Not what I'd expect from you. I actually thought you had potential. I guess not." He flicked his weird green hair.

"They were right about you," he continued. "You have no style, none. You're just a happy go lucky person who just wishes she could be like us, the real coordinators. You ARE a failure. Even BRIANNA is better than you." Drew finished while walking the other direction. "Don't even try speaking to me ever again, Ms Maple."

His words really struck me, he even compared me to Brianna...

"WAIT DREW NO!" I screamed as he walked off and dropped a wilted rose that had no life or colour left in it I picked it up and the petals began fading one by one. I looked up to see Drew's figure disappearing in the distance.

Then suddenly he faded, only to be replaced by a different person.

"Max?" I asked.

He nodded his head but had no friendliness in his eyes.

"May. I expected more from you! As my older sister, how could you lose the fifth time in a row, TO THE SAME PERSON?! I guess Drew's right after all, you're just a failure." Max snarled. "I don't think I can even call you my sister anymore. I can't have people making fun of me for having a sibling who fails at everything she does."

"But Max?" I whimpered out of surprise. This was not like him at all.

"Go away." He turned his back and faded, just like Drew.

I gasped as I looked up to see my own mum and dad standing there, arms crossed. I could already tell what was coming. It was all written on their faces. Disappointment.

"I have to agree on that one. What happened to you May? I thought you were better than this." My mother Caroline shook her head.

"I thought you never give up. You used to be strong and an amazing coordinator. Now I don't know what to call you. Former coordinator? Or a seventeen year old who can't do anything properly. I don't know." My father Norman said with the disappointment clear in his voice.

They faded in front of me and once again, two other people appeared.

"Ash? Brock? Have you come here to mock me like the others did." I asked sadly.

"Of course we have. I mean, who wouldn't want to talk about such a failed performance out there. What happened to you? This is not the May we journeyed with." Ash crossed his arms in a disappointed manner, just like the others.

"I'm not one for insults, but May, you weren't yourself out there. You should've been better, but you weren't." Brock said sadly.

I was about to speak before everything flashed between my eyes. I was suddenly staring up at a white ceiling. The same ceiling I fell asleep to. The sunlight was quite blinding this morning.

I felt terrible, for screaming at my mum last night, from the dream that implanted bad thoughts into my mind and from the weird feeling I felt within me. Something was still wrong and I needed to find out.

"Honey, you look horrible." My mums voice came from behind me as I was looking at myself in a mirror.

"I could say the same for you." I grumbled, still remembering what she had said in my dream.

"May, I never finished speaking to you last night." She stared at me as if asking if she could carry on.

I nodded.

"Max went missing shortly after your father got sick..."

——

I know I'm a horrible person. So horrible that I made May suffer. And horrible enough to make a horribly written chapter.

I feel like I use the word horrible a bit too much. Eh whatever. And I say 'whatever' too much as well. I'm sorry for my weird ranting. Well it's kind of ranting. Whatever.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you didn't. Feel free to hate on me, and my life, and my book, and my hamster. Okay thanks for reading.

Byeeee

- April

23 jan, 2018