Drew's POV

It's been a week since I last saw May. I called her just this morning at least four times with no success. To be honest, I don't even know why I decided to call her. I had met someone earlier who wanted to see her. At the moment, I was sitting on a bench in Cerulean City where I was waiting to register for the upcoming contest here.

I had awoken early to train my Pokémon and they were currently playing with each other while I sat there watching them. I had a rose in my hands, the same type that I usually handed to May on unexpected occasions. I wonder if she knows what a single rose means yet...

Right now I was just so lost in my thoughts that I didn't realise the rose I had been twirling in my hands had been snatched from me. I didn't even notice my pokemon stop playing to stare at the person in front of me. I finally came back to my senses as I heard someone clear their throat from in front of me.

Hands on her hips, she smiled a smile way to big for her face. Before I could react, she pulled me to my feet and twirled me around like something someone would do to their dance partner. Well, if we were on a dance floor, it would've probably looked normal. But we were on a battlefield. And I tried to speak but I was cut off when she hugged me, suffocating me to be accurate. I watched from over my shoulder to see my pokemon rolling on the ground laughing like psychotic creatures.

"Um hello?" I greeted in more of a question to the person who was squeezing me.

"Oh Mr Drew! I didn't expect to see you here back in Kanto. This is one of my life long dreams to compete against you in a contest. That is if you are competing in this contest. You are aren't you?" She let go of me and looked at me with admiring wide eyes as she flipped her pink hair out of her face. She held the rose I had in my hands before.

"Oh Brianna... of course I'm competing in the contest. I'll be waiting for a good competition. Later!" I cut her off with fake politeness before she could say anymore and ran off with my pokemon trailing after me.

"Oh wait! Mr Drew, could I get your phone number so we can stay in touch later!?" I heard Brianna call to me from behind.

"No can do sorry!" I shouted in reply before she faded into the distance behind me, watching my every movement as I left her standing there.

I stopped at the pokemon centre and stood there panting as I tried to catch my breath. I stared at my pokemon who were doing the same. I then glared at them. Absol just smiled while Roserade burst out laughing. Flygon backed away slowly while Arcanine and Butterfree followed.

"Roserade!" I whined while my Roserade kept on making fun of me with weird actions.

Time skip to the end of the contest

I was in the final round of the contest against Brianna who had shockingly managed to make her way to this point. We were on the battlefield and Brianna looked extremely confident. Maybe over-confident...just like a certain someone I know once was.

"Okay Surskit let's go!" She called.

"Go Masquerain!" I yelled as I sent out the evolved form of her own pokemon.

"Mr Drew! We even have similar pokemon." Brianna gasped excitedly.

"Alright, five minutes on the clock now!" The announcer said. "Let's get busy!"

And that started our match. Although, it was quite easy. I had only lost a sixteenth of my points while Brianna was down to the last quarter of her own points. She was losing horribly. Her Surskit was worn out after a while and ended up taking a powerful silver wind from my own pokemon. I yawned with boredom at the end of the match when I was announced winner of the Cerulean City contest. I collected my ribbon and walked out of the contest hall not to long afterwards.

"Hey Drew, I'm so glad we were able to battle together. And don't you worry, I'm sure we'll see each other in future contests as I am also travelling through Kanto to participate in more contests." I heard Brianna say to me.

I turned around and was attacked in a tight hug that was actually quite uncomfortable.

"Sorry Brianna, but I've got to go." I said arrogantly and walked off.

Usually if this was with May, I would've thrown her a rose, but this is Brianna we're talking about. I don't know why, but I was feeling a bit out of it. May still hadn't answered and I was becoming quite worried.

I decided to leave a voicemail in hopes she would hear it later. After all, a friend always looks out for their friends am I right?

"Hey May. I hope you are doing okay. How is your family? I'm sure you guys are having a lot of fun. And don't get too overconfident with your training airhead. I'll see you back in contests soon." I said into my phone. Then I continued.

"I just arrived in Kanto and I've already competed and won my first contest in Cerulean City. I met someone who wanted to talk to you earlier. Her name was Misty or something. And you don't know how annoyed I am with that Brianna girl. At first she was alright but now she's getting on my nerves. I swear she'll murder me with her tight hugs." I sighed. "Just talk to me later if that's possible. Bye May." I ended the voicemail.

I ended up in the pokemon centre and stayed there for the night. I was deep in thought before going to sleep. I constantly checked my phone to see if I had any answer from my but had no luck with any response. This was unusual.

May's POV

The next few days for me have been horrible. The town was talking about my father way too much for my liking and I had soon gone into a deep depression. With Max gone, there was no light left for this family.

I could tell even my mum felt the same. The gym was going to be shut down temporarily and challengers were forced to come back another time, giving both myself and my mum some time to recover. There was no hope left inside me. Max was probably dead, my dad was already dead, and my mum was going to die from starvation if she kept this up.

I noticed that she hadn't eaten in a while and was becoming thinner everyday that passed. My phone was dead because I wasn't bothered to charge it until today and our fridge was low on food and so was our pantry. I sighed as i curled up in a ball and cried as I stared at the photo album in front of me.

There were pictures of the four of us happily shouting at each other at a water park. Max was jumping in the pool while I was in the middle of shouting at him. Dad was laughing and mum was in the water shouting at Max as well.

Flashback

"MAX I SWEAR IF YOU-" I was soon rudely interrupted by Max cannon-balling into the pool, showering both mum and I in water.

I ended up swallowing some of that water mid-shout and I was fuming in anger. I heard dad erupting in laughter from his seat next to the pool. He then walked up to the edge of the pool and smirked at both my mum and I.

"Norman." My mum warned sternly.

"Sorry dear." He chuckled as he copied Max but as he was heavier, he splashed us all a lot more.

Like father like son.

I grinned as I swam after my little six year old brother who was giggling at me as I tried to catch him.

My mum was laughing as my dad picked her up and threw her in the pool several times.

"This is so much fun!" I cheered and my family joined in, not caring about the other people who stared at us like we were crazy.

End of Flashback

I cried as I remembered that day clearly. The time when the four of us went on many water slides and floated in the lazy river together. Those were amazing times. I wiped my eyes so I wouldn't cry on the photo album and destroy the pages. The next photo was at my first Grand festival here in Hoenn.

There was me, my mum, Ash, Max, Brock and Drew posing for a picture before the festival began. I still can't believe we managed to force Drew to join us.

The next photo was of the four of us, mum, dad, Max and myself, as we were outside the gym. The day dad became gym leader. This was a day before I went to get my torchic from professor birch and the day before I met Ash and Pikachu.

I was holding up a peace sign while Max was grinning like an idiot. Dad was side hugging mum while mum was holding onto Max's shoulders.

Flashback

I can't believe it! Dad was a gym leader now. This is great, now I can tell all my friends about what it's like to be a gym leader and everything. This is exciting.

"Norman, I'm so proud of you." My mum said while she hugged my dad tightly.

"I'm so happy. I have a wonderful family and a wonderful gym to run." My dad said grinning.

"And you're going to be a pokemon trainer soon." Max poked me with envy.

I shivered at the thought of pokemon. "Right. I almost forgot." I said sheepishly.

"Well, that's something we all look forward to. I hope you make great friends and maybe even a boyfriend!" My mum said with joyful eyes.

"MUM!" I groaned and facepalmed myself.

"I wonder what my grandchildren would be like? Hm, maybe they will have unusual coloured hair. My friend's husband had blue hair. Maybe your children will end up with green hair!" My mum exclaimed thoughtfully.

"Now honey, now's not the time for that. We have to celebrate!" My dad stopped her.

"Thank you dad." I said gratefully.

"We'll speak about grandkids after the celebration." Dad said teasingly.

I groaned again and walked away. I explored the gym then we were forced to take a picture outside. But it was still a joyful sight.

"I'm so proud of you dad!" Max and I said at the same time.

"And I'm proud of you two. And your mother of course." My dad grinned at us.

End of Flashback

I closed the photo album not wanting to see anymore photos. It made me miss my father and Max even more as I continued to remember all the memories we shared together. And all the memories we could've continued to make together. But it's too late now.

They're both gone.

—-

Sorry that this chapter didn't really have much. I still feel bad for having Norman pass away.

And I hope May answers Drew soon. SHE SHOULD'VE CHARGED HER PHONE.

Anyways, that was some flashbacks for May and a contest for Drew.

I won't be updating too often because of school but I will continue though.

Bye!

-April

28th Jan, 2018