This one-shot serves as a companion to the Ash Conspiracy, my main fanfic, but of course you don't have to read that to understand this story. Enjoy! Please review so I know what kind of one-shot I should do next, and check out my other stories as well!

Disclaimer: I really, really wish I owned Pokémon.. And yet, I don't. I mean, seriously! All I did was hack the Pokémon Company International's email and spam them for a month with demands that they hand over the copyrights! Is that not asking nicely?!

Anyway, enjoy. ;3

It was late night in Oledale Town. Drew had just arrived from Slateport City, where he had spent the past couple of weeks training for the contest being held there and competing in it. The brand-new ribbon, at home in its case in Drew's jacket pocket, was proof of that.

Now he was back in Hoenn to visit May. When Max started on his journey, May had decided to go with her brother, and called Drew soon after asking him to join them. Drew was already journeying around Hoenn for his second time around, and he decided traveling with May would be okay.

She started out as his rival, and he liked it that way. Then they had gradually become friends, and he enjoyed that, too. They had traveled together in Johto, which had been interesting, and gone their separate ways when she went to Kanto. Now, as they took on the Hoenn Contest challenge again, it would certainly be interesting - to say the least - traveling with May and her little brother. Drew had heard that Max had gotten an Azurill for a starter, and was sure he'd hear the story several times on the journey ahead.

Drew stepped into the Pokémon Center and scanned the lobby. The brunette coordinator he knew so well was nowhere to be seen.

"Boo!" Hands clamped down on Drew's shoulders from behind, and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Augh!" Drew yelped. He whipped around to see a giggling May, her hands over her mouth in a failed attempt to hide her smile, her cheeks flushing pink.

"May!" Drew exclaimed, half annoyed, half excited. May grinned at him and waved her fingers.

"Hi!" A younger male voice piped up. Drew looked down to see Max, an Azurill on his head.

"Nice Mudkip you got there. I must say, though, it looks a bit... odd." Drew smirked at Max, who scowled in response. May laughed it off.

"Oh, don't mind Drew!" May said cheerfully. "He's always like that. Now, can we go eat? I'm starving!"

Ten or so minutes later, they were situated at a table in the Pokémon Center enjoying a hearty meal. May and Max had already had dinner, but that didn't hinder either of their appetites. Drew watched, bemused, as the food disappeared from their plates quicker than a Dodrio could run.

"So, May," Drew began casually. "How is your contest training going?"

May looked away. "Well, see, I..."

"...didn't want to do it without me, because you felt so lost without an experienced coordinator to help?" He finished, half joking. Drew fully expected May to roll her eyes and deny that, but his rival never ceased to surprise him.

"Something like that, I guess," May admitted, blushing.

Drew blinked at May in surprise. Then his expression softened considerably.

"Hey, how about we do a little something tomorrow?" Drew inquired. "Max could train with us, too." He added quickly, knowing May would want to include her brother. Max looked eager at the mention of training.

May looked across the table at him, her eyes glowing with an emotion Drew didn't recognize. Her blush had deepened, and now Drew had an idea of why. "That'd be... really nice," she murmured.

Drew gave May an impish grin and took her hand, somewhat roughly, but clearly meant with a bit of affection. May was surprise by the gesture, but squeezed Drew's hand in return. She grinned.

"Okay, so tomorrow at nine o'clock?" She suggested. Max watched their exchange intently.

Drew nodded. "Perfect."

"Great!" May stood up quite suddenly from her chair, and it flung itself backwards, tripping her up as well so she tumbled to the ground, ending up on her back. "Ow..." May grumbled, sounding considerably more annoyed than before.

Max laughed, and Drew grinned. "May will be May," Drew teased as he helped her up off of the floor, "and thank Arceus that'll never change."

Now that you have read it, please take the time to review! Reviewing means a lot to me so I can see what I did well on and do better in my next oneshot or in the Ash Conspiracy! (my main fanfic - please check it out!) Thanks so much!