Chapter IX—Beginning of a New Journey

Once again May was standing on a beach, but this was the beach of La Rousse. Ash had successfully achieved his symbol; they would be returning to Hoenn next morning before 8am. Would Drew be going too? She wondered to herself. Maybe he won't go to Hoenn…or maybe he's already at Hoenn. She flung a handful of sand into the air. Ash got what he wants again…why can't I just get what I want? But it's just so hard to tell him…

She stroked the rose she had received yesterday against Skitty's soft fur. Somehow, their combined attack against Deoxys struck her…could it have been due to something? She had always heard the saying, "Never underestimate the power of love"…Unexpectedly, another rose landed suddenly on her lap.

"Drew! You haven't gone to Hoenn yet?" May knew who he was even before she turned around.

"Nah, I missed today's ship. Going on tomorrow morning's." Drew looked at her enquiringly. "When're you going?"

"Tomorrow morning's ship too." May had difficulties concealing the excitement in her voice. Drew smirked.

"Why so excited all of a sudden?" he was taunting her.

"Oh, shut up," May snapped an angry retort. "I just can't wait to see Hoenn again," she blurted out the first excuse she could think of. "The sunset there's much nicer."

"Do you know it's the same sunset wherever you see it?" Drew sounded a little disapproving. "By the way, I want to tell you something."

May's heart suddenly started pumping very hard; she looked up hopefully. "What?" She tried to sound casual.

Drew's deep emerald eyes stared hard into May's sapphire ones. "Well, I don't know what made me say it…but…I…" he looked away. "…like you." He could feel his face growing warm, and glimpsed at May's facial expression. It was unreadable. I messed this up now…thanks to Ash…Giving up on his hopes, he walked off. Just then, he felt two arms encircle him. May seemed to be half sobbing with exasperation.

"Do you know how long I've wanted to say that, but did not have the courage? I've been waiting for you to say that too…" May sounded so happy, yet she was still sobbing.

Drew turned around and pulled May into a real embrace. When they finally broke apart, Drew said in a small voice, "Well…see you on the ship tomorrow, then." He smiled warmly, a real smile, not the usual smirk he gave her, before disappearing, like the setting sun.

From afar Ash watched the two, and a stabbing pain suddenly came to his heart as he thought of somebody. Heaving a great sigh, he watched the red fireball dip below the horizon, not knowing that somewhere in Kanto, someone was sharing the same sunset as him.

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A/N: yeah! Finally i pronounce it finished! sigh i had probs uploading...and i know the ending's weird, but i am NOT writing a sequel. On the bright side, i have drafted a new oneshot called "Life of a Pokemon" which is an angst story...i am not good at romance, so this turned all adventure--sided, only a bit of romance at the start and end. I have also started on a space-warp story that is a little based on the original legend of Pokemon about Arseus and stuff, but mostly made up and edited. so do NOT believe in it, just read it as a Fantasy/Action/Adventure and maybe a little Suspense. oh i realised that all separators i typed in weren't visible, sorry about that hehe. --