Chapter 1: New Companion

"And the winner is Drew from LaRousse City!"

The audience erupted in applause for the green-haired Coordinator. Everyone heard as he thanked his Pokémon for the hard fought battle against a certain brunette. They both returned their Pokémon and then looked at each other from the opposite sides of the battlefield. May smiled at Drew and then she turned around, walking back to the locker rooms. Drew walked forward to the center of the battlefield and accepted his second Contest ribbon in Johto.

May entered the locker room and immediately saw the eyes of all of the Coordinators on her. She stood there, feeling the gaze of the Coordinators, and feeling awkward that they're just all staring at her. But then-

"You were great out there!"

"Really awesome job!"

"You almost defeated him!"

May gave a small smile to everyone, feeling happy at the praise from fellow Coordinators who competed in the Contest too. She walked forward and sat on a bench and the Coordinators all looked away, continuing whatever it was that they were doing before May got there.

They were right. She did almost defeat Drew in their battle. It's taking longer for her to be defeated by him. All the same, May is really happy that Drew won his second ribbon already. And she really doesn't mind losing to him this time around because…

May looked around her. She saw the Coordinators all talking to their friends and laughing with them. She saw couples hugging. She saw everyone with someone else. And she felt something hurt in her chest. Her heart. She's traveling alone through Johto. And she feels lonely.

She misses when she had her friends always there to congratulate her after winning a Contest. She misses feeling the love from them. She misses having someone there to cheer her up when she's sad after losing. Seeing the other Coordinators talking made her feel more lonely than ever.

She wants her friends. She wants companions. She wants to feel the way she did back in Hoenn and Kanto. Happy. Never lonely. Never alone. Always cheerful.

May felt her eyes get watery. Without a second warning, the tears started rushing out of her eyes and she looked down, crying on her lap. The locker room is now empty because the Coordinators had all left while she was thinking. She's alone. There's no one to comfort her. More tears fell from her eyes.

May heard footsteps coming towards her. She stopped sniffling and didn't bother looking up to see who sat down next to her on the bench. She waited for the person to say something. Anything. Maybe she'll know who it is from the voice.

"You know that the Contest is over, right May?"

And she did.

May mentally gasped. Him. Her green-haired rival. The one who beat her today in the Contest and got his second ribbon before her. He's sitting right next to her and she could feel his gaze on her. She shouldn't cry in front of anyone. Especially him. He's always so strong. If he sees May cry, it'll be the most embarrassing moment in May's entire life. He can't see her cry.

Drew has been waiting for some sort of response from May, but none came. He looked at her in confusion. "May, can you look at me, so I can talk to you?"

May just responded by turning her head further to the left. Drew is on her right, so he's now just staring at her bandana. ("Is she mad at me for beating her?") Drew thought. "May, that's not looking at me. At least speak."

"C-congratulations." Was what May said. Drew could hear that her voice shook when she said that. What Drew still couldn't see was that May had a few tears sliding down her face.

"Thanks." Drew said. "But can you say it to me while looking at me?"

May didn't respond. She felt more tears escape her eyes and she doesn't know why. It could be because she thought about how all of the Coordinators had their friends with them. Or it could be because she feels a little pressured by Drew to speak to him.

After a moment, May finally decided that since Drew doesn't seem like he's going to leave anytime soon, she'll look at him. She slowly turned her head to the right, still looking down. She saw Drew's shirt and then she slowly lifted her head up to meet Drew's eyes.

Drew's eyes widened when he saw May's face. "Why are you-?"

May immediately got up and looked away from Drew, wiping her eyes. She forced herself to smile and she turned around, looking at Drew. "Hi, Drew." She said softly.

"Yeah. Hi." Drew said. ("Why was she crying right now?")

"Well, I better get going." May suddenly said. "The Contest is over, so it's onto the next one for me." She laughed nervously.

Drew watched as May started walking past the bench to the doorway. He stayed staring forward, not moving. He just thought. ("She looked so sad. Could it be because...of my win? Or maybe...she misses her friends.")

Drew no longer heard footsteps from May. He figured that she is now walking down the hall when something clicked. Her sadness. The way her face looked when she cried. That was the first time he ever saw her cry. And he didn't like how she was sad. Her perky attitude was gone. The happy-go-lucky attitude wasn't there. The bright smile that was always on her face was not there. And he wants it to be.

Drew stood up and began to run out of the room and down the hall. He didn't know why he was doing that, but he just had to get to her. Hopefully he can make it on time.

But what will he say when he catches up to her? The only thing he knows is that...he wants to see her smile again. He never wants to see her sad. It's not...her. May is never sad. He wants her to always stay happy. He wants to be her companion.

Drew ran out of the Contest Hall and immediately saw May walking away. "May!" He called.

May heard the voice and she turned around. Drew ran up to her and stopped to catch his breath. "Drew?" She asked. "Is something wrong?"

Drew looked into May's eyes. They stood there, not looking away from the other. Drew knew what he wanted to do.

He took a deep breath. "May." He started. "I want you to travel with me."

May's eyes widened at Drew's words. He said them so simply, but yet, May is at a loss for words. Drew really just asked her to travel with him? Or at least, he half asked. He said it as more of a statement, but he's still waiting for an answer.

May was speechless. Drew definitely did not seem like the person who would ask anyone to travel with him. He never traveled with anyone throughout Hoenn and Kanto, so why now? And why her?

"I…" May said. She continued staring at Drew's face and if she looked really closely, she could swear that she saw his cheeks a little pink. "W-why?" She asked.

Drew composed himself of the small blush that formed on his cheeks. He just shrugged his shoulders, making sure to keep his cool and collected attitude in front of May. "I don't know." He answered. "I just figure that traveling with someone couldn't hurt."

May furrowed her eyebrows. "Oh, is that all?"

"Yes it is." Drew said. "Now, will you travel with me or not?"

May slightly smiled. "Sure, Drew." She answered. She wants friends to be by her side. Even though Drew isn't really considered a 'friend' yet, maybe they can reach that point on a journey together. That's what she hopes for at least.

"Good." Drew said. He then walked past May. "Hurry it up, Slowpoke."

May turned around. "Hey!" She yelled. She caught up to Drew. "I'm not a Slowpoke!"

Drew smirked. "Sure you aren't, June."

"My name is May!" May yelled, red with anger.

Drew just ignored May's correction to him and they continued walking. He was smiling on the inside. This is what he was hoping for. A smile from May when he asked her to travel with him. And an argument when he teased her. And boy did he love teasing her.

They slept in their separate rooms at the Pokemon Center and then they were off together in the morning after breakfast. They were on their way to the next town with May behind Drew.

As they walked, May couldn't help but smile when she looked at Drew's face from a side glance. Drew walks with such confidence. And May liked that he had asked her to travel with him.

As if he felt May staring at him, Drew turned his head and looked back at May. She immediately blushed and looked away. Drew smirked. "I know I'm handsome, but you don't need to stare at me."

"I-I wasn't staring at you." May said.

Drew faced forward. "Sure you weren't."

"Hey! I wasn't!"

"Whatever you say, July."

"My name is May!"

Arguing. Something that happened often between the two. But yet, in a way, May liked arguing with him. And Drew liked teasing her. But why do they like that? They both can't explain it themselves, but maybe this journey can help them answer that question.