I made up the mountain, using the Latin words frigus (cold) and silex silicis (sharp rock or something along those lines). Plus, it sounds cool. Maybe it'll be the name of a character one of these days...
This story has nothing to do with the AMT (Almost Mine Trilogy). Ages: May- 14, Drew- 15.
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Part One
Enigma
"It's freezing here!" May wrapped her coat around her tighter as she trudged up the icy Mount Frilexis, north of Blackthorn City and home to the special pokemon contest called the White Ice Festival. Very few trainers braved the trip up, but May was determined to win the TM Icy Wind for her Altaria. It was three days before the contest and May believed in punctuality. As her father said, if you're early you're on time, if you're on time you're late and if you're late don't go at all.
As last May's feet stepped onto the concrete circle that surrounded the toasty warm Hall, and instantly her feet slipped on the ice. With a gasp of shock, she fell down onto the seat of her thick black snow pants, getting up with nothing bruised but her pride. May took another few steps forward, then her feet shot out from under her again, and she would have fallen into one of the hot water fountains if she had not been caught from behind.
"Easy there, May. " Drew helped her to her feet, emerald eyes sparkling. "You wouldn't want to have come all this way to not even participate. "
"I won't just be participating, DREW, " She huffed as she pulled abruptly out of his arms, her red cheeks having nothing to do with the cold, "I'll be beating your arrogant self and taking home that T-eee! "
May slipped again, this time forward, but strong arms encircled her waist and pulled her upright. "This is called ICE, May. Very slippery stuff. "
His tone was lightly tinged with sarcasm and laced with good natured humor as he offered her his arm. "I'll walk you to the center. Don't want my rival getting hurt before I beat her, now do I? "
She scowled, but didn't pull away this time despite her slight humiliation of having to be WALKED to the Hall. But as time and again she'd start to slip and he'd subtly hold her upright, she began to be grateful for his support. Why he didn't slip, however, remained a mystery for her.
"So, how's the training been going? " May asked, trying to make casual conversation. Drew shrugged one shoulder, the other busy holding May upright as her feet slid around for the umpteenth time.
"I wouldn't call it training when there's not much to improve, " he said, smirking and jerking his head to let the wind flick his hair for him. "You? "
"I'm at the top of my game. " She said, raising her chin up haughtily.
"Really? That's going to make it even more humiliating when I beat you. " They stepped into the doors of the Hall, but Drew didn't let go right away. He did, however, loosen his grip so that May could let go of him whenever, but her hand lingered on his arm, like a bird might stay on a particularly comfortable perch.
"We'll just see about that. " May froze in her tracks when she saw who was standing in the lounge area just inside the Hall.
"Brendan! Max!! " May left a slightly startled Drew behind as she tackled her little brother and addressed the white haired boy. "It's been so long! What'cha doing here? "
"Dad was making me do some errands for him, and since I was already in Johto, I decided to stop by and see you. " Brendan hugged her warmly, planting a swift kiss on her cheek like he always did. "Plus, traveling gets really boring when you've got no one but Pokemon to talk to, so I kidnapped Max to bring along. Oh, hello there. Who's your friend, May? " Brendan had noticed Drew standing a few paces away and looking rather sulky.
"Oh. Drew, this is my neighbor and pain in the butt Brendan. Brendan, this is my rival, Drew. "
The males exchanged cool glances. "So, you must know May very well, am I right, Brendan? " His voice had a very subtle edge to it.
"Yep. " Brendan gave Drew a once over. So this is the Drew Max and Caroline were telling me about... "You been traveling with May? "
"Off and on. "
"Good. She needs someone to look after her when I'm not around. " Brendan beamed at Drew, knowing exactly which buttons to push.
May's eyes danced with fire. "I DO NOT!! "
Max pushed his glasses further up his nose in a smug fashion. "Riiiiight. Remember how you used to be scared of Pokemon? "
"I swear, it's a deadly combination of the three most annoying men in my life! " The brunette snatched a pillow off the couch and screamed into it.
Brendan's eyes flashed with an idea. "Drew, would you help me get some of that complimentary hot chocolate? "
"I'm allergic, " he replied icily. (No pun intended).
"Tea, then. Let's go. " He grabbed the other boy's wrist and drug him off, still smiling even though his gut twisted with apprehension.
"Me and May go way back, " he chattered cheerfully, watching Drew's grip tighten on the Styrofoam cup as hot water was dispensed into it.
"Really, now? " Drew's eyes flicked from the boiling water in his hand to the instantly hated boy standing beside him, and started wondering if he could get away with throwing said liquid in Brendan's face.
The white headed boy knew he was treading extremely dangerous waters. Caroline wanted a boyfriend for May, and by god, she was going to get one. Whether him or Drew didn't matter much to him, his feelings for the brunette could go either way. But he would rather not have someone like Drew as a sworn enemy.
His plan? Get Drew jealous enough to make a move. Failure was an option, but an extremely unpleasant one. To say the least.
"Her mother's quite nice. She seems to like me. I wonder if she thinks I'd make a good boyfriend to May... "
There was a sudden crunching noise as Drew's fingernails burst through the sides of the cup and boiling water began to run down the sides of the cup and around his iron grip. Brendan suppressed a giggle and decided to flee with the three cups of hot chocolate while he still had an unbroken spine.
"Here you go " He passed out the drinks as Drew cleaned up the water mess, making a slight face as he suppressed the pain and rage. If Brendan wants a war, the green haired coordinator mentally swore, he's got one!
"What happened to Drew? " May looked past her friend as Nurse Joy iced Drew's hand in blissful ignorance to his irritation. "Faulty cup, " Brendan quipped.
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It was late afternoon, and May was bored. It was extremely cold here, Brendan was off on an errand for his dad, and Max was training her old Munchlax and his Gallade.
She fell comically onto the couch, and sighed. She didn't like the cold, and would so rather be on Slateport beach, just her and Drew.
Wait...what? She paused in her thoughts. Drew? Never. Just me and Beautifly.
Behind her, she could hear his low voice as he talked to his Roselia. "I know you're cold, but you can do this. "
"Roe rosel seli rosa. " If you say so, but what about Solar Beam? There's no sun!
May got off of the couch, and followed the faint sounds of their voices until she made them out in one of the practice arenas the huge Hall offered. She leaned against the doorway, watching them intently.
"All right, let's try it one more time. Roselia, use Petal Dance and combine it with Stun Spore! "
Pink petals blurred together with sparkling golden dust as the rose Pokemon unleashed her powerful combo attack, filling the air with color.
"Now, hit it with Magical Leaf! "
Tiny sharp green leaves hit the graceful dusted petals, and fragments of the attacks floated down softly.
"Better, but still not perfect. " Drew flicked his hair and glanced over to May. "Like you. I'm flattered you're spying on me, but it's bad to a novice to try to copy a master. "
"I don't need to use any of your moves, Drew. I only came to check you out! "
Too late, she realized what she said and her eyes widened slightly, but Drew took it in stride. "Really now? "
He slipped over to lean on the doorframe across from her. "And do you like what you see? " His eyes flashed, daring her, taunting her almost. It was incredibly se- annoying, May mentally corrected herself.
"I...um...ah... " May was entirely tongue tied. Drew flicked his hair, and walked past, deliberately brushing up against her as he passed and feeling her shiver slightly at his touch. "Later, May. "
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May stabbed viciously at her food with a fork. Max hadn't been feeling well and had gone to bed early in Brendan's room, so she was eating alone in hers, watching a TV program about courtship habits of Bug pokemon. It reminded her of Beautifly, also of Masquerian and naturally, Masquerian's master.
"Master Drew... " she pondered out loud. It had an odd ring to it. Maybe that's how all his pokemon address him as. Snorting, she continued to poke at her food, more bored than hungry for once.
"I'm pretty sure that food's already dead, and if I'm master Drew then would that make you Mistress May? " Drew was leaning over the back of couch, having suddenly appeared beside her. She gasped, and very nearly dropped the still hot noodles onto the floor.
"Wha..What are you doing in my room? And how did you get in? "
He smirked yet again. "There are locks on doors for reasons, May. Use them or it might not be me that comes in here. Thank goodness you don't have any fans. "
"I have fans! Mine just aren't as obsessed as yours! "
"Point made, and taken, " he said, raising his eyebrows briefly for emphasis.
"You still haven't told me what you're doing in here. "
He got up off the back of the couch, and turned neatly to go, flicking a rose over his shoulder as he did so. "For luck. "
"Thanks... " she said. His eyes met hers as he shut the door, and he smiled slightly. A real smile. "You're welcome. "
Drew left, leaving May to twirl the rose between her fingers and ponder the enigma of a green eyed coordinator that toyed with her heartstrings.