To preface this entire thing: When I was between the ages of about 11-14 I wrote so many Contestshipping stories you wouldn't belieeeeeeeeeve it. And at one point in time they were all posted here ... and then I deleted my old account. Anyway, I figured I'd post them all again, this time as one long conglomerate.

So ... you know ... enjoy my really bad pre-teeny writing. :')

Summary: Leave it to a mother to give her daughter some healthy advice on getting out of the house. Though telling May to hang out with Brendan probably wasn't quite as good for Drew's health.

Last Edited: June 16, 2009

Original Publish Date: ?

A Little Push in the Wrong Direction

"May Maple, you have been in this house ever since you got home!" Caroline said, watching her daughter throw a ball or string to her Skitty. May looked up and smiled.

"Sorry Mom. It's just ... I don't have to be in Johto for another few weeks and there isn't much to do here in Petalburg." With that she went back to throwing the ball of string.

Caroline tapped her foot impatiently. The house hadn't been clean since her daughter had returned home, what with all the pokémon hair, fur, and other shed-able coats she couldn't get the broom down fast enough. On top of that she was worried about the lack of fresh air May was receiving. She wasn't lying about May staying inside. She'd only left all of twice in the few weeks that she had been home. Caroline thought for a moment before an idea struck her.

"How about you go and play with that Brendan boy! He's about your age and professor Birch told your father a few days ago that he sent him up here for a week or two to do some research. That's perfect! I'll go call him up and ask him to come get you!" With that Caroline left the room to go make the call.

May looked down at the string then back up at the door her mother had just left through.

"Mom! I don't even know a Brendan!" She yelled, after thinking about her mother's proposition.

"I know honey, your father knows him. He's professor Birch's son, you two will get along great!" Caroline shouted from the other room. . . Oh how wrong she was. . .

May sat out in front of the gym waiting for this Brendan fellow. She wasn't really looking forward to hanging out with a guy she didn't know and from the battles she'd seen of him on T.V. They probably didn't have the same views on pokémon battling and contests. Still, she knew her mother was worried about her lack of a social life, so what harm could a couple of hours with the boy do if it made her mother happy for awhile? Just then Brendan walked up. Smiling, he stood in front of May.

"You must be Brendan." May smiled, standing up.

"Yup, and you're May?" He asked, May nodded. "Nice to meet you." He held out his hand and May shook it.

Drew stood on the border of Petalburg, going over what he was doing ... Not that he hadn't thought it over. He knew what he was doing! He was Drew! He always knew what he was doing ... ! Except for now ... Down at his side was Roselia, she looked up at him with questioning eyes.

"Rose selia?" She asked. Drew sighed.

"I'm going to ask May if she wants to head over to Johto with me." Drew explained. Roselia nodded, and began walking into the city with a smile on her face. "Roselia! What are you doing?!"

"Rose?" She pointed her rosed hands toward a girl running after a boy dressed in red holding a piece of clothing. Drew didn't know who the boy was but he did know the girl was May and the piece of cloth the boy was holding was the bandanna that should have been on May's head. Thinking the boy was a thief Drew looked down at Roselia.

"Roselia, vine whip." He instructed. Roselia smiled, jumping into the air and shooting vines out at the boy, successfully wrapping them around him and sending the bandanna into the air.

May and Brendan looked back to see what had constricted Brendan, then laughed upon seeing the Roselia jumping around and smiling. It wasn't uncommon for a random pokémon to pick fun with people and other pokémon. This Roselia probably just saw them playing and wanted to play, too. May turned away from the Roselia and grabbed her bandanna, putting it back on her head, and walking over to Brendan, who had also turned away from the Roselia and was now trying to untangle himself, sticking her tongue out at him as she did so. Since he was the one that thought it would be fun to see what her hair looked like underneath the piece of cloth.

"Jerk." She said. Brendan laughed, still trying to wiggle out of the vines.

"Hey May." A voice came from behind her. May turned her attention from Brendan to the speaker.

"Oh Drew! Hi!" She blushed. Drew flicked his hair. "I guess that Roselia must be yours then?" She asked, taking another glance at the Roselia who was still dancing around.

"Ya." Drew nodded. Then looked at the boy on the ground with a questioning expression. "Who is he?" Drew asked. May looked back.

"Er, his name is Brendan." May responded, then seeing as how Drew's expression had not changed, she decided to explain. "Long story short, Mom wants me out of the house and Brendan is the one making sure I don't go back in." She explained just as Brendan got off the ground.

"Nice to meet you, name's Brendan." He smiled. Drew could feel a tinge of jealousy spring to his lips and he had to hold back saying something stupid. He couldn't do that.

"Drew." He said instead then turning to May, he smirked. "So your mom got sick of you?" He chuckled.

He watched as her face went from pale to pink to red and at the same time his mouth went from a smirk to a grin.

"NO! She didn't get sick of me. She wanted me to get some fresh air." May retorted, turning away from Drew. "Come on Brendan, lets go do something else." She smirked, grabbing Brendan's forearm and dragging him off.

May wasn't stupid. . .dense, maybe? But not stupid. She knew that getting one rose didn't mean much but getting multiple ones- like Drew gave to her- had to mean more then 'your Beautyfly preformed well.' She also knew Drew better then he thought. She saw how upset he was when Harley hung around her and how he looked almost exactly the same when she and Ash traveled together. So what would he think when she wanted to hang around someone else.

Don't get it wrong though, she liked Drew, a lot. And she wasn't leading Brendan on, he was a nice guy and didn't deserve that, she was just being a friend. And Drew being jealous was just a little bonus.

Drew watched as May and Brendan walked off. And it took several blinks of the eye before reality caught up with him and he walked fast to catch up with the two. He wouldn't run though.

"I'm coming with you two." He stated simply with a smirk when he reached them. "I don't trust this guy." Brendan looked across May to Drew.

"Are all your friends this paranoid about your safety?" He asked.

"No..." May turned to Drew. "Drew why do you care that I'm walking with Brendan?" She asked, a sly edge to her voice. Drew faltered for a second before recovering.

"Because, you're one of the only people worth beating in contests." He smirked.

"Sounds like something someone who could beat me would say! If I remember correctly, I beat you last time." May fumed, pouting. Next to her, Brendan looked on in confusion.

"I've beaten you several times prior."

May huffed, walking faster. Brendan looked over at Drew and cocked an eyebrow before catching up with May. Drew ignored the obvious glance and walked faster as well.

So the day went on like that. Brendan and May would have fun for a little while Drew scowled then Drew and May would argue or have a civilized conversation and Brendan would look on, totally lost. By the end of the day all three were worn out.

It was quickly becoming dark out as the three stopped in front of the PokéCenter, where Brendan was staying. May had offered to walk him back and now he and May were in front of the door saying their goodbyes and Drew could only watch and growl as he saw May and Brendan talking

"Today was ... fun." Brendan chuckled, looking from May to Drew. May turned around and looked at Drew, too.

"Yeah, sorry about him. He can be a bit of jerk sometimes or ... you know, most of the time." May smiled.

"Nah, it's fine. Drew seems like a cool guy. Seems like a good boyfriend, too." Brendan winked, then before May could even argue, he disappeared behind the glass door.

"Er ... " May blinked

"What'd he say?" Drew asked, walking up behind her.

"Nothing ... " May blushed, turning around to start her walk home Drew following closely behind. "So Drew, why did you come all the way to Petalburg?" She asked, looking at him.

"To see if you wanted to come with me next week to Johto." Drew said, no waver in his voice. Because he hadn't been trying to get that out all day and he hadn't been thinking about it since the grand festival and he didn't mind one bit following behind as another guy kept him from talking. Note sarcasm. May's mouth opened, then closed, then opened again, then closed ... again. "It's a yes or no question May." Drew smirked, flicking away some stray emerald hair.

"Oh! Um ... sure." May blushed.

"Good. Then I will see you next week." Drew said, tossing a rose to her before walking off. "For your pokémon of course, I'm sure you've been training them." He explained, not bothering to turn around because, if he did she probably would have seen the blush that appeared because he knew he was lying and that blush would probably tell May that, too. Behind him, May waved holding the rose up to her noses with one hand as she did so.

May was at home at around six that night, and was greeted by a very sparkly home and a very happy mother.
"How was your day with Brendan?" She asked.

"It was interesting. I got his phone number so we can stay in touch and we ran into Drew." May said the last part a little quieter.

"Drew? Isn't he that rival of yours?" May nodded. "Oh, how cute! What did he want?"

"To know if I would got to Johto with him next week and to keep an eye on Brendan apparently."

Caroline laughed.

"Ah, I remember how your father was around all my other boy friends." Caroline giggled. "Well I'm glad you had a fun day with Brendan and Drew." She smiled "Speaking of your father, I'm going to drag him out of the gym for dinner." And with that she left.

It was several minutes later when things clicked in May's head and she discovered her mother had just compared herself and her dad to May and Drew. Her mother who married her father. To her and Drew. May blinked then ran out after her mom.

"Mom!?"