The Best Nightmare

"Oooh is it the choux from Lumiose's famous bakery? Miette-Puff?"

Serena piped up. When May affirmed by nodding, Serena muttered, "Miette might be a rival but she really does make the best choux."

"Anyways! It was hilarious, it happened so fast. Norman shouted something like 'This thief needs to prove his skills before he can have my daughter!' And in a flash, his Swellow whisked Drew off and dumped him in the greenhouse. How can we miss seeing that? So all of us got onto my Gyarados and rushed to Petalburg."

Iris interjected, "Vigoroth, Slaking... Heck, any pokémon actually! They don't react well to being rudely woken up. How did Drew survive?!"

"By the time we got there, Drew was battling the last Slaking, the 'boss', with his Flygon, while his Absol was handling the remaining few Vigoroths." Dawn paused, giggled, and then continued, "I heard that to this day, Absol still gets a little agitated whenever he sees a Vigoroth. Isn't that right, May?"

"--Ahahaha, yes!" May was laughing almost throughout her friends' recount of the events of that day.

She couldn't believe that her father accepted Drew after that. Well, 'after that' as in, after a few more tests. She's not that dense to believe their trip to Sinnoh's Battle Tower was truly a 'future father-and-son-in-law bonding trip'.

No, she knew he would accept Drew eventually. He was just acting out because he's concerned and worried about her. It was thanks to her family's love, support and guidance that she grew up without lacking in anything.

'Come to think of it, time really flies. I'm about to start my own family. Tomorrow, I'll no longer be--'

"You're really fortunate, May. To have such a loving, protective father."

May was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't register who made that statement. She blinked, and the smiling faces of her friends entered her view.

"Yes, I really do have a wonderful father."

***

"Dad, Mom, Max... How do I look?"

Norman stared, misty-eyed, at May, his beloved daughter. May stood before him in a gorgeous off-shoulder knee-length white dress, naturally ruffled with countless layers of pale white tulle and lace, embroidered with hundreds of crushed petals as it went down. A simple diamond necklace adorned her neck, and similar diamond earrings delicately hung on her ears. Her hair was straightened, with a small part of it braided, and a fresh red rose in full bloom was inserted by her ear. Her outfit was completed with white strappy heels.

Everything he wanted and should say was stuck in his throat. He felt his nose stuffing up, and tears creeping up in his eyes.

"May, you'll come and visit us often right? I'm really happy for my sister! But-- wahhhh!"

"Oh May, my dear, my daughter. You're always beautiful, but even more so today!"

Norman was grateful that at least someone in the family was able to give an appropriate response. Caroline continued to shower May with praises, moving around her to ensure every piece of hair was in place and that nothing was missing. Of course, everything was in place. Dawn, Janet and Savannah did a fantastic job on the makeup and hair.

Sniffing a little, no, a whole lot, Max bent slightly to give one last brush to Absol and Delcatty's fur. He then handed his sister a bouquet of red roses that's tied together with a silvery white ribbon, saying,

"I'm really happy for you, May."

"Thank you."

May was uncharacteristically quiet. For a moment, there was only silence.