Chapt1

"A dark dreary mansion could be viewed on top of a hill. It's covered in vines and thorns, and once in a while you could spot two glowing red eyes watching through the window." The old man said in a tired voice with a hint malicious within.

The brunette haired girl listened intently to the tail. Her sapphire eyes filled with curiosity. "Who is it that stares out of the window?" she asked excitedly.

The old man closed his eyes, a tad annoyed at having his story interrupted, but then slowly opened them. He paused for a minute and then began to speak.

"It said that an arrogant Prince once lived there. He was said to be the most handsomest man there ever lived, but he was very proud and rejected every maiden that went to him, deeming them unworthy of him. It is said that one day he even told a faerie that she was not good enough for him either. The faerie, in her rage cast a spell upon him and the castle he lives in. The prince was turned into a horrible looking monster." The man said as he looked at the brunette from the corner of his eyes.

"Wow, I wish things like that were real." The girl said as she got up from the fountain ledge on which she had been sitting on.

"Oh, but it is real my dear, very real." The man said as he reached out a hand to stop her from leaving.

"It would be a lot more exciting if that were true, but I am too old to believe in fairy tales, sir." The girl replied as she turned an left, her blue dress swaying as she did.

"May!!" came a voice from the brunette as she walked, behind her came a small boy around the age of eight. He had dark blue hair and glasses.

May turned around and greeted the small boy, "Hey Max, what's up?" May asked greeting her little brother.

"Dad wants us back home, he said he needs to talk to us." Max said as he panted and caught his breathe.

"Ok, but look!" May said holding up piece of paper. "Another one of your songs?" Max asked already knowing what it was before even reading it, but none the less he took it into his hands and looked at it.

His sister had always loved writing songs, and learning new ones. He had to admit, she was good at singing, but her song writing skills needed work.

"So do you know what he wants to tell us?" May asked her brother as they made their way to gym in their small town. May and Max are the children of the gym leader of the Petalburg Gym. At one point they lived very prosperous lives but soon other events such as the Battle Frontier prompted young trainers to leave gym battles for much bigger events. Petalburg wasn't always a small town with common people, it used to be like one of those bustling cities, but hard times brought it to the state it was in now.

"Dad we're home!" May called out as the two entered. "Hi mom." May said as she smiled at the picture of Caroline, their mother. During the hard times, Caroline had fallen ill and since medical help was hard to come by, she had died quickly.

"Oh, good, there you two are." Norman, their father said as he greeted his children. May looked at her father, he looked much older than he was and he appeared so tired from all the stress of having to put a roof over their heads and bringing food to the table.

"Look you two, there are two things I wanted to talk to you guys about." Norman said as he sat down and his children followed their father's actions.

"First thing is," he began looking at May, "Brendan, the professor's son wishes to marry you, May." Norman paused waiting for May's reply.

"What?!!?! No way, I'm never marrying that jerk! He's so stuck up! UGGG! NO WAY!" May erupted getting up and showing her disapproval.

"Please May, you know his father's wealthy, he'd be able to provide for you at least." Her father pleaded, but May wouldn't see it. Norman smiled at his daughter after some time. "You remind of your mother so much." He said and May quieted down and sat down in defeat.

"Ok, I'll marry him…" she said looking at the wooden floor.

"It's ok princess, I figured you wouldn't want to, and that brings me to my second thing. In order to keep this gym I have to go on a business trip, that means the two of you will be here by yourselves for a while. Don't worry I've left some money and food for the two of you." Norman said taking in a breath.

"How long will you be gone Dad?" Max asked looking up at his dad.

"Atleast a month, but I'm sure May'll take care of you, and don't worry there's enough supplies here to last you more than that." Norman said smiling as Max ran to his arms.

May looked at her brother in her father's lap with her father's hands wrapped around him. She then looked at her father who was looking back at her, she gave him a sad smile and nodded. May understood, and even though her brother was quite mature for his age and understood many things more than May, this was one of those things that May understood because it was her job as the older sister to understand.

"When are you leaving?" May inquired. "Right now, actually." Norman said getting up.

"What?!?! Now?" Max whined as he let go of his father.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go now, I'm only going over to La Rousse City." Norman said as he went outside and his children followed. (I'm making it so that La Rousse Town and Petalburg City are a lot closer than they really are…a lot)

May wrapped her hands around Max as the two watched their father take out a red and white pokeball and release a fire horse pokemon.

"Rapidash and I will be going now." Norman said as he climbed ontop of Rapidash and raced off.

"Come on Max." May said as the two went back inside the gym/house.