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Part I: Expeditions in Johto

- Prologue -

May 20th, 2012. Late Afternoon. Violet City, Johto.

"And now the beautiful Violet Ribbon will be presented to Drew Hayden and his Roselia for their win today!"

Drew accepted the ribbon with grace as cheers muffled around him. The contest MC, Adrienne, pinned the second ribbon onto Roselia, who beamed as she looked up at her trainer. Drew acknowledged his Pokemon with a smile, then closed his eyes and raised the ribbon up in the air with pride. The action prompted the screams of some female audience members, and Adrienne turned to the camera with a final smile.

"And that concludes the Violet City Pokemon Contest! We'll see you next stage!"

The television sounded almost hollow in the quiet locker room. May pulled her bag from a locker, letting out a sigh as she strapped it around her waist. She kept the screen of the TV in the corner of her eye, watching as Drew began to make his way off of the stage. May gripped at the bottom of her shirt.

"Nya?"

The sound caught May's attention, and she looked down to see Skitty pawing at her shin. May smiled slightly at her Pokemon, and bent down on one knee to pat her head.

"I know, I know—you're hungry."

Skitty jumped in affirmation. "Nya!" May slipped an Oran Berry out from her bag, placing it in front of her Pokemon. Skitty munched it up eagerly, licked her lips, and then looked to May expectantly for more.

"You'll have to wait until dinner. You don't want to ruin your appetite," May scolded lightly as she rose to her feet, and Skitty's ears drooped in disappointment.

After the fierce battle Skitty had just fought, she could hardly blame the poor thing. The image of Skitty being pummeled by Roselia's Petal Blizzard as the timer above them struck zero flashed in May's mind, and she pursed her lips.

It was because of her own lack of judgement that they had lost, and she couldn't help but feel guilty. Not only was their timing off, but Drew had caught them off guard with a new attack as well—and in the end, it cost her the match.

It had only been two months since she had last seen Drew in Kanto, and he was already showing that he had new tricks up his sleeve. It was admittedly a little frustrating; even with all of her extra training, she felt as if the gap between herself and Drew hadn't closed much since their previous encounter.

When May looked back up at the TV, she noticed that the image of the contest hall was gone. A reporter sitting in some kind of newsroom was featured instead, and Drew's picture was shown in a box beside the reporter's head.

"With this ribbon, Drew now has two of the five he needs in order to enter the Johto Grand Festival. He's been having a strong start this season, with only—"

May turned away, a huff escaping her as she blocked out the rest of the broadcast. Drew wasn't the only one with two ribbons. Ever since she came to Johto, May had been sure to enter as many contests as she possibly could. She wanted to get herself and her Pokemon into gear with a strong start to the new season, and now that she was travelling alone, she could move quickly from one contest to the next. Their training had been practically non-stop, and they already had two ribbons to show for it, putting her and Drew on equal footing.

So why didn't she feel like it was equal footing?

"After dinner," May spoke up, and Skitty tilted her head, "we'll do some nighttime training. How does that sound?"

Skitty perked up at the mention of training and puffed out her chest confidently. "Nya!"

May gave a satisfied nod, and she adjusted her bag before shutting her locker with determination. The slam of the door was louder than expected, and Skitty jumped up in surprise.

"Making a scene, I see."

May's body went stiff at the voice, but Skitty perked up instantly, chirping a "Nya," as she ran towards the locker room doorway.

Turning around, May saw the rival she had been battling just minutes prior standing several feet away, and she shifted. She wondered how he always seemed to show up just when she was thinking of him.

"Drew," May greeted, her tone tenser than she meant it to be.

Drew seemed to pay her tone no mind, instead offering Skitty a smile as it approached Roselia with excitement. Roselia answered its greeting amicably, and the two huddled together as Drew turned his attention back to May.

"You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye, were you?"

May pursed her lips, unable to tell if Drew's eyes were smug or something else. Either way, she felt just the slightest bit of agitation at his words. Still, she smiled, saying wryly, "I take it you didn't want me to."

Drew coughed at the implication, but he played it off smoothly, offering a shrug. "After a loss like that, I couldn't blame you for running."

"I wasn't running," May spat back dryly. "In fact, I was going to congratulate you." She turned away stubbornly. "But now you can forget it."

Drew chuckled. "I'm flattered." He smiled at her, a smile that made May's stomach tighten. "…It was a good battle."

May swallowed, and she glanced over at him, letting her shoulders lose tension as she dropped the façade. She turned to him fully, a small smile gracing her lips, too.

"Yeah—it was."

The air suddenly felt a bit heavy, though May couldn't quite pin why. The silence that followed was somehow not awkward but not exactly pleasant. Drew was the first to speak, and May felt herself straighten in apprehension when she saw his mouth open.

"I've been seeing you on TV," he began. "You've been entering a lot of contests lately."

He had been watching her. It wasn't surprising to hear that Drew would stay on top of his competition, so she didn't know why the thought made her feel a little dizzy. Perhaps after the promise the two had made when they last parted—that they next time they meet, they would show off their Pokemon in a way no one else could—she felt nervous that he might think she wasn't upholding it. Even with her extra training, she was still the one who lost.

May remembered to breathe again. "Then you must have seen my wins," she said, partly to boast, and partly to gage Drew's thoughts on her performances thus far.

"I did," Drew confirmed, but when he didn't elaborate, May bit her cheek. Drew was usually fast to offer his honest opinion, so when he said nothing, May didn't know what to make of the silence. It left her with a bad taste in her mouth, almost ashamed for bringing up her wins at all, and she turned on her heel to save herself from more embarrassment. After such a loss, maybe he was holding back out of pity, and that was somehow worse than any mean comment he could make.

"Come on, Skitty," May said, and Skitty looked over.

Drew smirked at her. "Don't be like that," he said, catching her attention as she glanced towards him bitterly. "You worked hard for those wins—that much is obvious." He closed his eyes. "It's been a while, you know. No need to be so hostile." May spun around hotly.

"I'm not—"

"Why don't you join me for dinner?"

May's words died in her throat. She had been expecting his usual jabs, so the sudden invitation had left her feeling completely unguarded. She didn't know what to make of the offer—on one hand, it left her feeling anxious that this invitation would let him critique her performances at great length and detail; on the other, her heart fluttered at the thought that the offer was a genuine invitation to catch up and simply talk. Her mind battled between a witty retort of protest and the temptation of food, but May already knew it was a losing battle. Drew's smirk only widened at the confliction in her flustered demeanor, knowing well he'd given her an offer she couldn't refuse.

"Dinner?" she finally repeated, a quiet mumble.

"My treat," Drew offered. "Anywhere you'd like."

May licked her bottom lip, her anger at Drew melting away until she forgot she had been mad at all. Whether this was a trap or not, she couldn't deny that she wanted to spend some time with her rival—even if the loss had been frustrating, she had also felt happy when she saw him. It really had been a while, after all.

She smiled.

"—Then I know the perfect place."

Locating the right restaurant was much harder than expected. It was a hole-in-the-wall type of place, a small ramen shop that May gushed about on their walk over. She had read about it in the Johto guidebook she had picked up upon arriving in the region. It was supposedly small, but had some of the best ramen in all of Johto—she knew she couldn't pass up the opportunity.

After spending nearly an hour of continuously looking up and down from the picture in her book to the surrounding buildings with confused and eager determination, her face finally lit up upon finding her hidden treasure.

It was a small shop squished between brick buildings, looking just passable at best. The sign was faded and missing a letter, while the wall next to the shop was littered with graffiti. Drew showed skepticism, but May only brushed him off, licking her lips before stepping inside.

The inside didn't do it any favors. It was loud and cluttered, steam filling the air from the connecting kitchen and people laughing while they slurped up their bowls. Drew's nose scrunched up in distaste, but May sat down without any hesitation, humming as she began to look over the menu.

"This is really the place you want to eat?" Drew asked, picking up his own menu.

May wagged a knowing finger at him. "Don't judge a book by its cover, right? Places like these are sometimes where you find the best food around!"

Drew's expression faltered at her positive disposition, but May's attention went back to the menu in front of her.

When the waiter came, May ordered two Deluxe Ramen (Drew had stared at her incredulously when she clarified that both were for her), and when the waiter turned to Drew, he insisted that May choose for him.

"Since you are the expert," he had said.

It didn't take long for their food to arrive, and Drew's brows rose in pleasant surprise at the bowl in front of him. But May didn't even notice his change in expression, as her head was already bowed down, slurping up a batch of noodles. She put a hand to her cheek, letting out a dreamy sigh.

"This really hits the spot!"

Within minutes her bowl was already half empty, and she took a sip of her water with equal vigor. Skitty and Roselia were situated underneath the table, stuffing themselves with Pokemon food.

It was when May gulped down the last of her first bowl that Drew decided to break the silence.

"How are you liking Johto so far?"

"Hm?" She put down the napkin she had been wiping her face with. "Oh—I love it!" She smiled. "This actually isn't my first time, though. Before moving to Hoenn, this place was my home!"

Drew placed down his chopsticks. "I didn't know you were from Johto."

"Mm," May nodded. "My family lived in Ecruteak City for a really long time. We moved to Petalburg just before my 10th birthday when my dad was offered the position as Gym Leader there."

"I had no idea," Drew commented, leaning on his fist. "You must know Johto pretty well, then."

May let out a small laugh, waving her hands. "No, not really. I was little, so I was just at home." She glanced at the chefs hard at work behind the counter. "Traveling through it now—it feels brand new to me." She looked back at him. "But that's what makes it fun!"

Drew smiled at her words, but when May looked back at the counter again, her shoulders dropped just the slightest. Looking a bit embarrassed, she scratched the tip of her nose. "It's been a little lonely, though."

Not only had it been two months since May began her new journey, but it had also been two months since she split up from Ash, Brock and Max. She had never been on her own before, and adjusting had been harder than she would have liked to admit. Sometimes she would forget to buy supplies; sometimes she would take the wrong paths; and sometimes she would excitedly point something out only to turn around and remember that no one was there.

Drew's gaze flicked towards the empty seats beside them before focusing back on May. "I take it you and your friends split up?" he inquired, and when May nodded he asked, "How come?"

May shrugged, the tips of her fingers running over the wooden surface of the table. "We just had different paths. Ash wanted to keep competing for badges in Sinnoh, while Brock wanted to stay home in Kanto." She closed her eyes. "And I think I'd go totally crazy if I had to be alone with Max."

Drew chuckled. "I see." He looked at her. "You still have your Pokemon, though. That much hasn't changed."

May blinked, glancing down at Skitty's tail bobbing up and down from under the table. She smiled, lightly nudging her Pokemon affectionately with her foot.

"Mm. You're right."

The same odd, heavy silence returned, and she shifted in her seat uncomfortably. Now that she wasn't stuffing her face, she was able to properly realize that she and Drew were alone. She had been alone with him before, but never like this. She had always had her friends nearby, or a contest to center her attention to. They sat here not as rivals, but as friends, and the sensation felt a bit strange.

It wasn't a bad strange, though.

"May."

May snapped her head up. "H-huh?"

Drew was looking at her questionably. "I asked what you were planning to do next."

"O-oh!" May gave a nervous laugh, embarrassed she had been so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she hadn't even heard Drew speak. She shook it off. "I'll be heading for Azalea Town." She clenched her fist. "There's a contest ribbon there with my name written all over it!"

Drew laughed lightly, and May gave him an accusing look.

"What's so funny?" she challenged.

"Oh, nothing."

May's expression soured before turning her head away with a huff. "Maybe you're just worried I'll pass you. Before you know it, I'll have my third ribbon."

"Careful, May. You've been awfully hasty lately."

May glanced back at him. "What are you talking about?"

Drew closed his eyes. "If you keep entering contests like this left and right, it's inevitable that you'll run yourself and your Pokemon into a burn out." He opened an eye at her. "By spreading yourself so thin, your performances end up suffering because of it."

May's eyebrow twitched. "You seem to be forgetting that I have two ribbons—the same as you, last I checked."

Drew shrugged. "Sure, but you should be grateful for your wins." He tapped the edge of his bowl. "Take your second ribbon, for example: If your Bulbasaur hadn't evolved during the final match, I don't think things would have worked out so well for you."

May pursed her lips, feeling her blood begin to boil. "My Pokemon and I worked hard for those ribbons! Are you saying they weren't deserved?"

"Of course not," Drew said, remaining calm. "It's due to your close bond with your Pokemon and your sharp wit that you were able to pull off some impressive breakthroughs. I give credit where credit is due." He looked at her. "But you've also had luck on your side. It's only a matter of time before that luck runs out."

May's shoulders stiffened at Drew's words, but when she noticed the smug way that he was looking at her, she instantly brushed it off in irritation.

"Shouldn't you be focusing on your own training?" she muttered bitterly.

Drew smirked. "Maybe you're right." He stood up from the table, surprising May. "Proper rest is also important for any coordinator." He looked at Roselia, who perked up and bounced to his side. "I'll be taking my Pokemon to the Pokemon Center now. You should consider doing the same."

May felt her face heat at the implication that she wouldn't. "I was planning to," she said. "I'll be heading over as soon as I finish my meal."

"Only two more bowls, right?"

"One more, thanks."

Drew chuckled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet. "Then this should cover it." He bent over, placing the money on the table, and May felt her breathing stop at his sudden closeness.

"Thanks for the meal," he said, standing back up straight, and May could only blink. "Come on, Roselia." He turned on his heel, and Roselia bowed a goodbye at May before following her trainer. Drew held up a hand as he walked. "Good luck in Azalea Town—I'll be watching."

And then he was gone.

May sat there for a moment, staring at nothing, until she let out a huff and began digging into her second bowl. The noodles had become soggy and the broth was only lukewarm. Drew's words left her feeling flustered, and as she slurped up a noodle, she wondered if there was truth to them. Shaking her head, she gulped down the last of her broth. For now, she would simply put her focus on her training. If Drew would be watching, it just meant that she would have to blow him away.

She blinked, noticing Drew's empty bowl still sitting across from her. She wondered if he had liked it. She paused, realizing that she hadn't even asked. Come to think of it, there were a lot of things she didn't ask. She had no idea where he was going next, or if he liked Johto so far. Slowly putting down her chopsticks, she realized that the two had been rivals for two years now, but that she still knew so little about him. What did he like to do for fun? What kinds of food did he like? What kind of family did he have?

From here on out, she supposed that finding out would just be another one of her expeditions.

…