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Brendan finds her in the Battle Resort, bronze legs pushing the pedals of her bike hard against the sand. It takes him a minute and a half to catch up to her when she doesn't see him.
When May finally notices, she digs her heels into the sand and skitters to a stop, eyes wide and lips formed into a perfect O (Brendan realizes with painful acuity that same expression still makes his stomach twist, although whether it's from queasiness or longing, he can't decide). She clambers off her bike and grins. "Brendan! So you finally got a ticket to the Battle Resort, too! I was wondering when you would."
He doesn't tell her that he's here under the stipulation of doing field work for his father. Instead, he smiles and nods. "So this is where you've been all this time."
In reality, May has only been here for two and a half months. Still, Brendan feels like much more time has passed between them.
--
She pedals slower while he walks beside her. Brendan lets his toes sink into the sand, squishing the grains between them. "I was wondering why you'd be here for so long, but now I know," he says. "Even the beach in Mossdeep isn't this nice."
May laughs, brushing an errant strand of hair out of her mouth. "I wanted to take it easy for a while. But I've been doing something else here."
Brendan looks at her, then at the back of her bicycle. "I don't suppose it has anything to do with that basket you've got haphazardly stuck on there, does it?"
"Hey, this is a resort island, not Lilycove," May protests. "They don't have a regular store around here. I had to make do with just using my hair ribbons to keep it on. But to answer your question, yes. This batch is almost done, so you'll see shortly!"
Brendan reaches a hand towards the basket, but May playfully swats it away. "No ruining the surprise! Come on, let's keep going."
They continue a short distance in silence. Brendan says, "Everyone's been wondering where you've been, you know."
May looks at him, eyes wide with bewilderment. "What are you talking about? My dad was the one who gave me the ticket here. He didn't say anything to you?"
"No." Brendan omits the fact that up until a couple days ago, he didn't want to ask.
"Oh. Well, sorry about that. I wasn't trying to hide, believe me. Like I said, I just wanted a break from everything, you know? So much has happened since..." May trails off, looking uncomfortable, but Brendan hears the silent answer anyway.
She wedges a foot in white sand and hops off her bike; whatever look of discontentment she had is gone, and her smile is back. "But! Rest assured, I haven't been sitting on my laurels too much. We're almost there."
She leads him to an area clustered with leafy palms, and stops at the edge of the shore. She brings the basket with her as she wades into the shallow water, lowering it in. Brendan edges closer when she opens the lid. At first nothing comes out, but then -
Brendan stares at the mottled fish swimming around her legs. "Feebases?"
May's face splits into a smile, radiant as the sun. "Not just any feebases," she replies with relish. She scoops one up and commands, "Feebas, Mirror Coat!" The feebas in her arms looks momentarily confused, but then a pinkish light bathes it and when it dissipates, its body looks glossy.
"And that's not all!" May says, setting the fish back into the water. "Feebas, use Dragon Breath!" It opens its mouth and a haze of indigo shoots out of it, kicking up sand in its path.
"Egg moves," murmurs Brendan. "No wonder you were here a while."
"They also know Brine and Hypnosis," May tells him, "but that's not why I was here for so long. These guys are literally perfect. I've been breeding them so their stats are flawless."
Brendan has only heard bits and pieces on breeding perfect pokémon from his father, and nothing he said was flattering. He eyes her warily, stomach fluttering. "Like... with really competitive battling?" he asks.
"Yeah! It's really big here on the resort."
"You're not actually going to do that, are you, May?"
"Mmmm, probably not," she answers, and Brendan swallows some of the anxiety rising in his throat. "It's just really fun to breed them. I've gotten a couple offers from people who want to raise them competitively, though."
Brendan looks at the feebases, then back to her. "I'm sure they'll be tough," he finally says, after carefully deliberating his words. "You're a really good trainer now, after all."
May laughs, but it's more nervous than mirthful, scooping up the feebases back into her basket and situating it on the bike. "Oh, I'm not, really I'm not. I just got lucky, is all. But come on, I'll show you the place I've been staying in!"
May hops on her bike and begins to pedal. Brendan lets her get ahead before he starts walking in suit. She doesn't seem to notice he's behind, but it doesn't matter. He's used to it by now.
--
May's suite is situated on the east side of the island, tucked behind several other equally affluent-looking abodes. The bushes of hydrangeas immaculately lining the path to her front door are all cheerful pastels; Brendan wonders if they'll shrivel up and wilt, if he glares at them long enough.
"So do you own this place, then?" he asks, slipping through the front door. The suite is small but lavishly furnished; to his right is a plush front room, with a pristine kitchen behind it. To his left, what he presumes is the master suite, if what he can see behind the cherry wood door is any indication.
"I'm just renting it for now," May calls from behind her bedroom door. "But my neighbors really want me to buy this place. They say they'd love to have me here. In the beginning, I didn't, but now I'm not so sure, you know?"
Brendan pretends he didn't hear that, instead opting to sink into the cream-colored leather couch, absentmindedly rubbing his feet against the plush carpeting. Suddenly he sits up, with startling realization. "May, where is your team?"
May has changed into a pair of fresh capris and a new hair ribbon, settling into the adjacent loveseat with two drinks in her hand after making a quick trip to the kitchen. When she extends one to Brendan, he shakes his head. "My team? They're in Mauville for the day! One of the ladies here gave me a voucher for a free spa day at the massage place, and I decided to use it on my team. I need to go pick them up soon, now that you mention it. Wanna come with me?"
"I'm good," Brendan manages to force out. "I'll be leaving myself shortly, but before I do I need to ask you a favor."
"Of course! What's up?"
Brendan falters. "So... I was only allowed to come here to collect some data for my dad's research. I was wondering when you had a moment... if you could allow me to see Rayquaza."
May's expressions shifts from mild questioning, then surprise, before settling on guilt. "Um. Actually, I... I released Rayquaza," she mumbles.
When he finds the ability to speak again, Brendan echoes her, albeit hollowly. "You... let it go."
"Brendan, I just didn't feel right having it. It's a legendary, I can't keep - "
"But it chose you," he interrupts, the contempt in his voice finally out in the open. "It chose you, May, to help it save the world." He stands up, and his voice becomes louder. "You got to save the entire world from destruction with its help, and now we're never going to see it again in our lifetimes."
May's expression is one of stunned hurt - a look, even in all his anger, Brendan thinks doesn't suit her at all. "Brendan, I don't understand. What does any of that have to do with letting Rayquaza go?" she asks, voice trembling.
"You get to do all of these amazing things," Brendan snarls, "and you get to be good at them too. Do you realize just how many people would love to be like that?"
"Brendan - "
"And champion. Nearly everyone in Hoenn knows who you are now, ever since you beat Steven. The girl from Johto who defeated Hoenn's best."
"Is that what you're so mad about?" May says, angry but voice cracking. "Look, that was the hardest battle in my entire life - way harder than any of the times I fought you! And honestly, if I would have known what being a champion was like, I would have never - "
"Most people can only dream about becoming a good trainer, let alone champion. And here you are, acting like it's such a burden to be one. Do you realize how angry that makes me?"
"I never asked to be a champion and all the stuff that goes with it," May yells, eyes wet, "and I definitely don't want you criticizing me for not acting like how you think I should, just because you weren't able to do it!"
"You're not that great," Brendan spits. "You just lucked out and the people here will see right through you soon enough, May."
"You need to leave, Brendan." May tries to sound hard and livid, but it comes out as a trembling squeak while she quivers. Brendan stares at her: her mouth is closed so hard he can see the outline of her teeth.
"Gladly," he snaps. He slams the door so hard, he can pretend he doesn't hear May begin to sob behind it.
--
"Brendan, dinner is ready!" he can hear his mother call from downstairs.
He doesn't answer. Instead he's intent on ripping apart the stuffed altaria doll May had given him when she was in Lilycove.
"Brendan, you better come downstairs, your dinner is getting cold."
His fingers curl around the thread and it breaks with little resistance when he tugs. He pries a hole in the seam where the neck and body meet.
He can hear footsteps, then a gentle knock on his door. "Brendan, honey? Is everything all right? You haven't said a single word, since you came home from the Battle Resort today."
With a satisfying rip, Brendan tears off the doll's head.
--
--
When May returns to Littleroot a couple days later - a sleek milotic in tow - Brendan doesn't go out of his way to avoid her. He goes into his father's lab, knowing she's there; when he comes in, the happy conversation she's having with his father withers into awkward silence.
"I got the data you wanted for the poochyena distribution out on Route 104," Brendan says to Professor Birch, handing him a well-used notebook. "Oh, and Mom says dinner is gonna be ready in an hour, so plan on being home."
"Thank you, Brendan!" his father responds, grinning. "By the way, did you see May's milotic? Look at how well she raised it."
Brendan meets May's imploring gaze. He notices her eyes look swollen, tired and dull.
"You're simply the best, May," he tells her in the most neutral tone possible, and begins to walk away. If May didn't want to stay, Brendan won't, either.