"Just because I call you a dumbass doesn't mean you keep doing dumbass things!" shrieks the woman on the other end of the pokenav.
"Hello to you too, Leaf." Drew smirks. He finds himself saying this to his friend a lot lately.
"You resigning is just showing that you're guilty!"
"I know I'm not guilty, and those who matter to me know it too."
"Yes, and the orphanage doesn't know it, so they're still gonna take Kai away!"
Sighing, Drew looks over Flygon's shoulder to see the island they're nearing. "I have another appointment tonight, Leaf. I'll call you when I can."
"Don't you dare hang up on-"
Drew clicks the call to end and smirks as he puts his pokenav away. Bothering Leaf is too much fun, but he prefers to annoy a different brunette woman. "Thanks for the flying today, Flygon." He says to his Pokemon. Flygon will get a well-deserved rest tonight. Plus, Drew is done flying between cities for some time now. He's already said what he wanted to say.
Earlier
"I'm resigning as Johto Top Coordinator."
"Why?"
"Is it because you cheated on Brianna?"
"Do you want to be with May Maple?"
"Who do you love?"
Fighting his annoyance, Drew continues smiling at the crowd. "If you have any questions, please raise your hand." This should be his last press conference, so he may as well answer their many questions. He points to one reporter.
"Are the rumors true?"
"What rumors?" Drew will play dumb. He's learned not to answer ambiguous questions from reporters, else he may give away information they weren't asking about.
"Are you cheating on Brianna?"
"We broke up long before May came to Johto." He lies. "But we didn't want to announce it until the region had recovered from the hurricane. We didn't want to lose focus on Johto's needs." Drew knows that if he portrays himself as someone who cares for the region and its people, then it'll help his case. Plus, that's all he's cared about since the hurricane anyway, so it's not like he's lying, though he is lying about when he and Brianna broke up. "Now, we both decided to go our separate ways, and I wish her nothing but the best."
"Is it because you cheated on her?" someone else asks.
Drew shakes his head. "I have morals and values. I would never cheat on anyone or anything."
"So who is May Maple to you?"
"My friend. We used to be rivals, and we've recently reconnected now that she's in Johto." Before someone else can ask another annoying question, Drew adds, "If there are no more questions about my resignation, then I'll be off." He doesn't need to explain himself any further to these people.
"Why are you resigning?" Someone pipes up quickly as Drew turns away.
Sighing, he turns back to hover over the mic. "I've lost my passion for coordinating." This causes many people to gasp. "I've wanted to quit for a while now, but I stayed for Johto. I have to make sure our region is okay from the hurricane before I leave. Now that the region is mostly recovered, I will be leaving and resigning from my position as Top Coordinator." He then smiles again at the crowd. "Thank you, Johto, for everything. Have a great day, everyone."
Cianwood
As May walks out of the Cianwood grocery store, she is bombarded by reporters, though not as many as Drew. They ask her questions, some are even irate. However, this is why she kept most of her Pokemon on her, like Blaziken who menacingly keeps the people at bay.
Smiling warmly at the reporters, May asks, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Are you Drew's mistress?"
"Are you helping Drew cheat?"
"What are you and Drew?"
"Did you know Drew and Brianna were together?"
May continues with her innocent smile while walking beside Blaziken. "Drew and I are just friends. Coordinating is a female dominated industry, so of course Drew is bound to have female friends, like me, Solidad, Dawn, and Zoey." Of course the media knows who these people are because they're famous, so May doesn't need to say their last names.
"Are you and Drew dating?" someone asks. Drew did just say he and Brianna broke up years ago.
Chuckling, the brunette tries to hide her blush, even though she's been prepared for these questions. "Of course not! We're just friends who used to be rivals. Now that I'm in Johto, we've been reconnecting. We did use to travel together too." She knowingly tells them.
"Do you feel bad for Brianna?"
May obviously does not since Brianna caused this whole mess, but the brunette just smiles warmly. "I feel bad for Brianna and Drew. They're both trying to peacefully move on in their lives, but this senseless drama is interfering with their lives. They've done so much for this region, so they at least deserve some privacy rather than to be reminded of their break up years ago."
"Is it true you have an adopted son?"
Fortunately, Blaziken pushes May discreetly to keep walking to her car, else she would've froze in her tracks. Despite knowing people will ask about Kai, May isn't prepared to bring him into the spotlight. He doesn't deserve to be bothered by something that he didn't cause. "If there are no more questions about me and Drew being friends, then I'll be going."
"How did you and Drew become friends?" May looks at this familiar voice to see Marina from the Cianwood contest committee giving her a subtle thumbs up.
This makes May smile gratefully at her for taking the focus away from Kai. "We met in Slateport City when I was first starting out as a coordinator." The brunette giggles at the memory of how arrogant Drew used to be to her. "He insulted me and my Pokemon, which made me really mad. So when he challenged me to a battle, I had to agree."
"Who won your first battle together?" someone else curiously asks.
Grinning, May recalls the day they met. "That battle was interrupted by Team Rocket. But Drew and I worked together to defeat them, and I guess that was the start of our friendship. If you don't count that as our first battle since Team Rocket interrupted it, then I lost the next day to him in the Slateport City contest."
"You said you and Drew traveled together?"
"Yes, we did. For two years."
"Why'd you stop?"
May fights the urge to frown while thinking about the day Drew suggested they go their separate ways. "We wanted to go to different regions, and we wanted to try traveling alone again. And then we became Top Coordinators, so we never traveled again." May now returns a polite smile to the group. "But we're still great friends. Well, I'll be going now. Thank you for your time."
As she tries to leave, the reporters follow to ask more questions about her and Drew. Some pipe up about Brianna, but fortunately, no one brings up Kai again. May will need to thank Marina later. Of course, there are reporters at May's house when she arrives, though Blaziken does a good job of scaring them away. May left Glaceon and Venusaur to guard the house. Now, Blaziken and Wartortle are helping, which is a pretty easy feat.
Once inside, May pulls out her pokenav to call her partner in crime. "This is annoying." She mutters once he answers.
Chuckling Drew replies, "Don't you miss it?"
"Not at all." May recalls her Top Coordinator days with many press conferences.
"Same." he sighs. Drew is currently in a Cianwood hotel since he and May know they can't be seen together right now. "But are you giving up?"
"Psh!" May exclaims. "As if! Brianna isn't gonna get away with this! No one is taking Kai away!"
"Good." grins the man. "Because this is only phase 1, May. We got more to do."
"I don't wanna involve Kai." Drew and May have been discussing what needs to be done this week for her to keep Kai, but May doesn't like the next step of their plan, even if Kai has agreed to it.
"We both want you to keep Kai. We have to do this. He can wear a hat and hood to hide his identity, but we need to show the world that you're a great caretaker."
"I don't like this, Drew."
"Kai agreed to it. You also know it's the best way." the man knowingly responds.
Sighing, May looks up at her ceiling. "Can I sleep on it?"
"Of course. I don't wanna force you to do anything you don't want to, but this is for Kai." Drew smiles even though she can't see it. "And I'll help you no matter what, May."
With a faint pink blush tinting her cheeks, May says, "You better. You're the reason we're in this mess." Though she is glad Drew had visited her all these times. Despite Brianna's threats, Drew was selfish to see May. This makes the brunette happy because she's missed her friend immensely too. Now, they have to deal with the repercussions of going against Brianna, but May doesn't mind anymore. Seeing all the support she has has really helped make this problem not so bad.
"And once this all dies down, I'll help you raise Kai." Drew offers as his face flushes a bright red. He's grateful this is just a normal call and not a video call.
May, too, is grateful this isn't a videocall because her face is more red than his. "I'd like that." She softly says. Groudon, she's missed Drew. She's missed them overcoming obstacles together. Solving problems together. Supporting each other together. She's missed him so much. It's great to have her best friend back.
Flashback
"Hurry up, Drew!" shouts the young brunette.
"I'm carrying your stuff too!" Drew exclaims back at her.
The two are chasing after Team Rocket who just kidnapped a mother Charizard. Drew and May had been training when they overheard a loud crash and roar. Following the noise, they stumbled upon an injured Charmander, and they watched a Team Rocket jeep speed off with an unconscious Charizard in the back. Currently, Drew is carrying his bag, May's, and the injured Charmander while the brunette is sprinting ahead of him.
"Dragonbreath, Flygon!" orders the green haired boy.
"String shot to slow them down!" May calls as she releases her Beautifly.
"Sludgebomb!" commands one of the grunts to his Weezing.
"No way!" May glares at the jeep and throws out another pokeball. "Protect!"
While Beautifly slows down the vehicle with her stringshot attack, Glaceon protects them from Weezing's sludgebomb. Flygon then paralyzes the Weezing with his dragonbreath attack.
"Flamethrower!" the second grunt commands her Magmar while throwing it out of its Pokeball. The attack makes Beautifly faint while injuring Glaceon.
"Protect!" May calls out her Glaceon again.
Clenching his teeth, Drew releases his Absol. "Waterpulse on Magmar! And then use razorwind to free Charizard!"
"Char!" the little Charmander in his arms weakly looks up at him, which makes Drew smile.
"We'll get your mom back, Charmander."
While May wants to blush at the cute interaction between Drew and Charmander, she knows she needs to focus on this battle. These grunts are a lot stronger than Jessie and James ever were. "Ice beam!"
"Smokescreen!" the panicked grunt commands her Magmar.
With the jeep driving slowly, the icebeam freezes the wheels. Magmar faints from the intense water pulse attack before using his smokescreen. The netting around Charizard is cut, but the firetype is still unconscious. Fortunately, Flygon swoops down to lift her off the jeep.
Smirking at Drew as the grunts flee on foot, May nods along with her rival. "Aurora beam!"
"Water pulse! Dragonbreath!" The attacks send the grunts and their jeep blasting far away.
Once Team Rocket is out of sight, Drew and May rush over to the unconscious Charizard. Drew puts Charmander beside its mother who then quickly hugs her. "We need a revive." mutters the boy. When he feels a sharp tug on his back, he falls to his butt and exclaims, "Hey!"
"Hold still, Drew!" May commands her friend while rifling through her bag he is carrying.
Rolling his eyes, he allows her to order him around this once since it's for Charmander and Charizard. After thanking his Pokemon, Drew returns them. Soon, May pulls out a revive to feed to Charizard.
When the mother wakes up, she spots May and Drew, causing her to furiously roar at them while standing. Drew and Glaceon protectively stand in front of May, but fortunately, Charmander's crying gets Charizard's attention. She listens to her injured Charmander before returning a curious gaze to the humans.
"We have a potion for him too." May shows the potion while referring to Charmander.
The little Charmander runs over to May to get sprayed, and he instantly feels better. He "Charrr"s happily with a grin on his face. This causes Charizard to relax, making Drew let out a relieved breath.
"We're glad you're both okay. Team Rocket shouldn't bother you again, but you should probably go somewhere you're not alone." suggests the boy. Nodding gratefully, Charizard picks up Charmander before flying off.
Drew sighs at the sight of the disappearing Pokemon, so May wraps an arm around his shoulder. "Another day, another good deed! We're a great team, Drew!" she giggles.
Although Drew had grown attached to the little Charmander during that short time together, May always manages to make him feel better. Smirking at her, he flicks his hair. "I know I'm irresistible, but do you constantly have to put your hands on me?"
This makes the brunette release him as she blushes profusely. "You're such a grasshead!"
He chuckles at her outburst and walks off down the route to hide his own faint blush. Drew enjoys his time with May, especially physical contact with her, though he will never let her know this because he doesn't want to ruin their friendship. This is why he had her release him so that she couldn't see his blush. He likes traveling with her, he likes teasing her, and he likes her. However, he won't risk his feelings separating them. Sighing once more, Drew hopes his blush cools down since he hears the footsteps of his crush quickly approaching him from behind.
Flashback Over
"Thanks for helping me, Drew." comes May's exhausted voice.
Smiling weakly, he replies, "What are friends for?"
This makes her giggle as she recalls all the times she and Drew would constantly save someone or something on their journeys. "We've always made a great team."
He blushes slightly at her words because he's also reminded of their journeys. "We're still a team." He tells her. "But we also have Kai, Shay, Pam, George, and even Shane when he comes back."
May grins at his words. Drew always seems to know what to say and when to say it. She really doesn't deserve a friend like him. "Are you sure you don't regret resigning?" When Drew had mentioned it the other day, May was adamantly against it. Why should he sacrifice his title he's worked his whole life for? It's not fair, even if the media is making his life miserable right now.
"I'll never regret it." Drew replies without hesitation. He's been thinking about quitting for a while now, and with the scandal, he hopes his resignation will take attention away from that. "I need a new change in life."
May giggles at this response. "Well, you got it." He's the center of a regional scandal, he's reconnected with an old friend, and he's involved with her adopted child. He's got plenty of new things in his life.
He can't help but chuckle at this. "I hope this new change is permanent."
Blushing, May notices the time. Groudon, Drew has always been very smooth with his words. "See you tomorrow, Drew."
"See ya tomorrow, May." Once the call ends, Drew leans back on his hotel bed.
"Rose?" He looks over at his loyal starter pokemon sitting in the recliner and giving him a knowing smirk.
Rolling his eyes, Drew says, "It's not what you think. We're friends."
"Rose roserade rose!"
"We're just friends, Roserade."
"Rade rose rosa!" she insists.
"I don't still have a crush on May." denies the blushing man who resorts to looking up at his ceiling again.
"Rosa." Roserade shakes her head at him because she knows otherwise. As his starter and his longest companion, she knows Drew the best.
Drew knows he's lying to himself too, but he wants to focus on one problem at a time right now. He needs to help May and Kai stay together. His feelings can wait. Sighing, Drew closes his eyes in exhaustion. This is all so annoying, but he knows he'll go through much worse for May. He'll do anything for May as long as he doesn't ever have to be separated from her again. It's why he relates so well with Kai about not wanting to be away from May. Therefore, Drew will help them stay together, and he hopes to permanently join their team once all of this is over.