Something a little different. I quite like this actually...

Unova was beautiful.

So damn beautiful.

Everything seemed new. Everything seemed different.

No-

Everything was different.

XXX

That fateful day had changed her life.

She had witnessed it all.

Her win. Her damn deserved win.

She had witnessed it, right in the Pokecenter on a flat screen two regions away.

"Here you are folks! The newest Top Coordinator of Hoenn, Dawn!"

What hurt wasn't that it only took Dawn her second journey to reach her goal,

What hurt wasn't the fact that she had a lead start on Dawn yet accomplished less,

No, those things didn't hurt.

What hurt was what she felt. Jealously, anger, pain.

In short, she felt like a loser.

XXX

The Casteliacone began to melt in her hands.

Instead of eating it though, she only stared absent minded at the sweet liquid seeping through her fingers. She didn't mind if it melted, after all,

She had gotten used to the taste.

XXX

The second time it happened, it had hurt more than the first.

Then again, maybe it hurt more because instead of watching it two regions away, she had been in it.

She had tried so hard, so very hard yet she had failed again. She had watched as her trusted Pokemon fell to the ground, defeated. She was tired too, her voice hoarse from yelling and her mind aching from trying to strategize, but she still begged Blaziken to get up.

But…even she knew the fire-type wouldn't. Blaziken had accepted defeat. It was just herself who was being stubborn.

"And the new Top Coordinator of Sinnoh is…Serena!"

She had looked up from her fallen Pokemon. Looked up at the girl who had defeated her. Looked up at the girl from Kalos who had became a Coordinator that very year.

Looked up at the rookie who had just been declared the winner.

The girl was beautiful. Perfect. She looked like how a Coordinator should look. She performed like a Coordinator should perform. The dress, the hair, the technique….

Compared to Serena, she was just…plain.

XXX

Café Sonata was always one of those "underground" tourist attractions.

Because of this, the tourists who did stumble into the dimly lit shop usually wanted a "unique" Castelia City experience and ended up staying for way too long. Not that she minded though.

The tourists always left good tips.

XXX

It hurt.

She didn't think it would hurt, but it did.

She had already prepared herself mentally for the apologetic faces, the criticizing media, and the disappointment from her (few) fans,

"It's okay sweetie, you'll get it next time!"

"How did you feel when you realized you lost the chance to be 'Top Coordinator' again?"

"You were my hero, my muse….I used to look up to you."

"Everything's going to be fine, you'll just try harder next time!"

"How does it feel knowing that a girl in her first year of Coordinating managed to win the Ribbon Cup while you still haven't won one in your five?"

"Her? She's not worth it anymore! Those other two though….wow!"

Yes, she had prepared herself. She had been ready…

But nothing had prepared her for his comment.

XXX

Even now, when she remembered his words to her, her eyes would well up with tears. It was weak of her, she knew it was, but still,

She couldn't stop them.

But even now (as she took a deep breathe and tried to recompose herself) she knew why she had done it.

Why she had left.

XXX

The shocked expression on Dawn's face was all the evidence she needed.

She had successfully tricked her.

"Really?" Dawn had said. "Are you sure?"

She had nodded. "I need to help out my dad and I don't know when I can get back to Coordinating. I don't want my team to be bored so…" She had said, giving a grin.

"I want you to Coordinate them for awhile."

XXX

How long ago had that "awhile" been?

Two…Three years?

She counted on her fingers. The days, weeks, and months she had spent here dusting the floors and (now that she was older) managing the bar. She blinked.

Four years.

It had already been four years.

XXX

"You're leaving?"

That was the most shocked she had seen him. Ever.

"Yeah…It's only for a little while though." She had said. "My dad needs an extra pair of hands back at the gym and I want my team to rest a little bit before going to another region."

"Oh."

She could've sworn that he had….relaxed when she had told him her lie. As if he really thought she was just taking a break to help her dad. As if he really thought that she would come back.

"Well…make sure your skills don't get rusty then." He had said, tossing his bangs back. "I would hate to see my rival get eliminated in the first round when she comes back."

Oh how his words cut into her like a knife. Like a dull knife. The words had pierced her heart, but instead of a quick slash of pain they seemed to drag agonizingly slow across her heart.

"Yeah." She had said, giving him her famous, foolish smile. "Don't worry about it Drew."

XXX

It was late.

She wanted to go home.

Or at least, back to the apartment she called "home" located above the café.

She brushed the hair out of her eyes (had it gotten longer?) and continued stacking up the cups. The music had already stopped about an hour ago, and all the tourists had left two hours before that.

She was cleaning up a dirty table when she saw it.

Her picture.

"Coordinators Digest: What Happened to May?"

She promptly threw out the magazine, wiping her hands on her apron as if even touching it made her dirty.

XXX

She had been disappointed that they didn't find out she had "vanished" until six months later.

When she had come across the first newspaper with her face on it, she had quickly ran to the Pokemart, bought a bottle of hair dye, and set to work changing herself.

Her clothes? Black.

Her hair? Blacker.

Her eyes? Now hidden behind a pair of costume glasses.

She had been impressed with how different she managed to make herself look. She almost complemented herself for her own creativity.

Almost.

XXX

She wondered why they didn't sell Casteliacones in the winter.

She had been sitting in the park and watching the snow fall when the thought had struck her.

Maybe they thought that no one would want ice cream when it was below twenty outside. She chuckled to herself.

It was 16 degrees now…..and she wanted ice cream.

XXX

The job had come with her new appearance.

In fact, they hired her on the spot.

It wasn't a bad job either. Sure the pay was low, but the job came with a place to live,

A place to escape to.

So she had accepted.

"Name?" The owner had asked, smiling down at her. She had shrugged.

"Just call me….June."

XXX

She wondered how her brother was. She hadn't seen the boy in four (yes it was four) years.

Was he taller? Taller than her now? Did he still wear glasses? Did her dad finally let him take over the Gym?

Questions….but with no answers. She chuckled.

"Story of my life." She muttered under her breath.

Standing up, she stretched. The season had changed again and the Casteliacones were back on the market. From where she was right now, all she had to do was walk straight and she'd reach the shop. She turned around and began walking, looking forward to the sweet creamy taste of ice cream.

It was when she exited Prime Pier that things went wrong.

So terribly wrong.

XXX

She had been walking, minding her own business, and placing her first foot on concrete when it happened-

She had looked up and saw a Roserade.

Immediately, she panicked.

Roserades weren't native to Unova. Why was it here? Who was it's trainer? Where did it come from?

As the questions swirled her mind, she had moved her gaze next to the Pokemon to its trainer.

It was as if the world stopped moving.

"Drew."

XXX

The name unintentionally, completely 100% by accident, slipped from her mouth. She knew he didn't hear it, it had been said too quietly, but just the fact that she acknowledged him scared her.

She ducked her head (regretting her decision of not putting on a hoodie) and pushed the glasses higher up her face. She walked quickly, hopping that he wouldn't notice her.

"Hey! Café chick!"

She nearly cursed under her breath when she heard someone yelling out to her. She turned and recognized the street dancer who was calling her. He was a regular at the café and they usually exchanged pleasantries (hence the nickname "café chick") Today though….

The street dancer (Edmond she thought his name was) ran up to her and gave her a grin. "Funny seeing you outside." He said, unaware of the dilemma she was in. "I always pictured you as…y'know…stuck in that café."

"Y-yeah w-well…" She said, trying to lower her voice a little and taking quick glances at the green haired Coordinator with his Roserade. "I do go to other places in city." She coughed, trying to think of a way to excuse herself whilst remaining as invisible as possible.

Edmond looked at her, as if he was staring right through her. She tensed under his gaze.

"You okay? It sounds like you caught a cold or something." The sincerity of his question made her feel guilty, a feeling that was familiar and uncomfortable to her.

"I'm fine! I'm fine!" She waved off, still taking quick glances behind the dancer. She began to relax as she watched the Coordinator and his Pokemon turn around and begin walking towards Unity Piers. "I just need some fresh air that's all!" She gave a smile, trying to calm down the man in front of her and her hammering heart in her chest.

Seeing her smile, Edmond seemed to relax. He grinned.

"You're right," He said, his grin stretching from ear to ear. "Fresh air does do wonders for the mind. Better soak some in before you go back to your job May."

Her eyes widened.

It was over the second he said that.

That one joke.

That one "oh-your-named-after-a-month-but-since-we're-friends-I'm-going-to-call-you-by-another-month" joke.

The green haired Coordinator spun around and looked straight at her.

She knew it was over then.

Still…she tried to avoid the inevitable.

She ran away, as fast as she could.

XXX

A microscopic part of her was feeling bad for leaving Edmond just hanging, but her main concern was running and finding a place to hide.

She had spent years in this city trying to get away. Trying to leave her past. She had learned every nook and cranny of the city and had discovered the best places to hide just in case….

Someone came after her.

Which was why it shocked her when Drew found her.

She had had the upper hand. She had thought for sure he would never find her,

But he did.

XXX

"Don't hurt me."

That was the first three words she spoke when he had grabbed onto her arm. No "long time no see!" No "nice seeing you." Not even a regular "hi."

Just, three words, said in a begging voice. A voice that sounded scared.

He was stronger now. Strength (like age) must've occurred to him naturally. He was taller too. Before, their heights were equal, but now…

He looked down at her with piercing green eyes.

She gasped when he pulled her back, expecting a hit or a slap to go across her face and burn her cheek.

Instead, she felt the grip around her arm disappear and two arms circle around her small figure.

"May."

His voice sounded tired….yet relieved. She felt him sob quietly into her hair and the top of her head become slightly wet.

"May…May…" He said, again and again.

And soon, May was crying too.

"Drew….Oh Drew…."

XXX

The walls.

The walls that she had built up, perfected, and polished, came tumbling down in a matter of days.

She cried more tears in that one week she spent with Drew than she had in her four years in Castelia.

She cried, he cried. They talked….they argued…she cried again,

And he had hugged her.

"I'm sorry." Drew kept on saying. "I was a jerk. I was a jerk….I was a jerk. Please don't disappear again."

The words that had pierced her heart all those years ago, the knife that had been lodged in the depths of her emotions, slowly began to work its way out.

"I love you…I love you…Don't leave me again."

XXX

"I'm scared." She whispered to Drew. She was standing right outside the Contest Hall, holding a renewed Contest Pass. "I'm scared."

He smiled at her before taking her free hand and kissing her forehead. "I'm here." He said, making sure she was looking into his eyes. "I won't leave you."

XXX

"I would like to register for the Contest."

"Okay…I'll just need your Contest Pass please."

"Here you go."

"Thank you Miss- Oh my goodness! May!? You're May?!"

"Yup!" May said, smiling a bright, true smile. "That's me."

XXX

Post -Valentine's day angst to those who need a bittersweet story! For someone reason, these slightly darker stories with happy endings have always please me to write. This fic reminds me the other Drew and May fic I wrote called "Moments." I feel equally happy with this one!

Hope you guys' Valentine's was filled with love and candy! Mainly candy though!