Coordinator’s Love: The Remake (Part 1) -- Rivalry

Four travelers plodded along the roads of Mauville slowly, without enthusiasm. Well, except for one of them, awaiting her next contest in the nearby Verdanturf City. May.

"Are we there yet?!" the brunette snapped impatiently, filled with eagerness and nervousness to be in her next contest.

"Be patient, we're almost th--" began a raven haired trainer, a yellow mouse perched atop his shoulder.

"I believe we're..." sighed a slit-eyed darker skinned teen.

"Lost," finished May and her black-haired brother clad in green.

May threw her red bandana down on the ground in frustration. "Stupid Ash and his stupid map-reading skills--"

"Cheer!"

"Huh?" The quartet looked around wildly, trying to find the owner of the voice.

"Oh, hello... sorry. I'm looking for Cheer-- that's my Jumpluff. Have you seen her?" A teenaged girl stepped out from behind a bush. Her black hair was messy from crawling around, and it was pulled back in a short ponytail. Her navy school-girl's skirt barely made is past her legs, her crisp white shirt radiant in the sun's light. Sapphires adorned her eyes, and her face was smooth, pale, and clear. At the same time, the slit-eyed trainer's eyes suddenly popped into pink hearts.

"No, sorry," replied chocolate-eyed black-haired trainer named Ash.

"Oh well. I’m Claire, and I recently started my journey with Cheer when she was just a cute pink little Hoppip."

"Hi, I'm May," chirped May.

"I'm, Max," announced her little brother.

"Hi, I'm Ash," said Ash (duh).

Speaking in a low tone, heart-eyed boy whispered, "Hello, lovely lady. I'm Brock, your--"

"All you are is away from her," commented Max bluntly, pulling Brock away from Claire. May chuckled nervously before telling Claire, "Sorry, he has a tendency to do that."

Giggling slightly, Claire replied, "Oh, no biggie. I really don't mind. A boy used to chace after me before I left for Hoenn."

"Wh--?" began Ash before May cut him off with a bonk on the head. "Hey, what was that for?!"

"What he meant to say," growled May angrily, "is 'Wow. That's interesting.'"

As May finished her statement, a blue blob with two pom-pom like cotton balls for hands jumped out of a nearby tree and landed on Claire's shoulder. After petting the strange creature, Claire asked May, "So, where are you going?"

"To Verdanturf!" May exclaimed with gusto.

"For the Contest?" inquired Claire.

"Yeah. How did you--?"

"I am too. Right, Cheer?"

"Jumpluff, jum!" exclaimed the blue blob.

"Well, me and my Beautifly are going. And winning!"

"Don't count on it. Hey, before I leave, do any of you know a coordinator named Drew?"

Her face red with anger, May replied as calmly as she could without rupturing a couple veins, "You mean that obnoxious, self-centered--"

Before anything worse could come out of the brunette's mouth, Ash placed his hand in front of it. "Yes, we do," he said for May.

"Okay. I was just wondering. I'll see you there tomorrow!"

May, having calmed down a bit, replied while waving with the others, "Bye!"

Afternoon transformed into night and into day again. May and the others were at the gigantic Contest Hall, awaiting the begin of the Contest. Seemingly nervous, the red clad brunette's teeth were chattering slightly. Her brother took this in and asked, "Pre-contest jitters?"

"N--no!" May denied.

"Don't worry," said Ash, trying to comfort his friend. "You'll do fine."

"Yeah," added Brock. "He's right."

From another part of the room, a loud voice called, "JUM PLUFF!"

May's attention was immediately riveted towards the noise. Her jaw dropped a mile soon after.
"What is he doing here?!" she thought.
"Hey, look, it's Claire and--" began Max, Brock, and Ash.
The object of May's screaming looked up at her. "Hmm. Look who's here."
"DREW?!?!?"
A smirk formed on the mouth of said coordinator. He brushed his green hair in his Cassanova style and commented blandly, "Isn’t that sweet. You still remember my name." Throwing May a rose and catching her off-guard, he continued, "Don’t get your hopes up; I only came here to see Beautifly."
"Well," snapped May with fury. "Now you can go!"
"Don't think I'm not entered in the Contest, too," replied Drew, half of his smirk still present.
However, Drew had some hidden incentives for entering the Verdanturf Contest as well...

~Bugjen

Written: October 9, 2006.