"Now come and eat, so we can leave." Dawn called running to the table and sitting down. Paul grunted and Drew shrugged, but both followed. Dawn smiled slightly as the two boys remained separated from the rest of the conversations the rest of the group had.
Paul and Drew had minor input, but whenever they did, someone would get mad. Brock shook his head at the familiar scenes he'd always see. Now he had them all together. All their friends from his previous journeys with Ash.

"Was the soup good?" Brock asked in attempt to stop yet another argument. Max smiled and nodded as he took another huge spoonful.
"Drew Hayden, you are the most self-centered childish boy ever!" May finished taking note of her little brother and Kenny, who didn't seem to be the swearing type.
"Oh joy! I've always wanted to know what you thought of me!" Drew sarcastically sneered as he took his last spoonful of soup.
"This is entertaining…" Paul muttered as he gulped down his soup. Brock sighed and Dawn rolled her eyes. Drew looked peeved off and stood up with his bowl.

"It was pretty good, Brock," Drew complimented. Brock nodded as a thanks. "Now I am leaving to the next town. Try not to take too long getting there or I won't wait up," Drew said in mock politeness.

"We'll note that so next time we won't wait up for you two," May muttered angrily. Drew quirked his eyebrow.

"Care to repeat that Miss Maple?" Drew asked agitated. May rolled her eyes, but before she could retort, Paul spoke up.
"Hey!"
Drew turned around. "What?" Drew asked a bit harsh. Paul stood up.
"Nice soup, Brock," Paul stated before turning to Drew,"And you're not leaving me with Troublesome and her annoying friends." Drew smirked.
"Sure, dude. Hurry up though!" Drew shouted walking away. Paul sighed. He placed the bowl down with Drew's and shrugged.
"Coming," Paul's monotone voice replied as he jogged towards Drew.
"See you guys in the next town!" Max called after the two older boys. In the distance Max could see Drew and Paul nod in response.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Red is the most annoying girl here! She is so stubborn," Drew complained. "But it's so funny seeing her angry!" Drew smirked. Paul rolled his eyes.

"Let's face it, you like Red," Paul shrugged with a smirk. Drew turned away from him to hide a small blush.

"No! I don't. I like Red as much as you like Troublesome," Drew responded cockily. Paul glared at him.

"Troublesome? Never," Paul replied in a serious tone. Drew smirked, knowing he hit a nerve.

"Whatever you say, Paul," Drew waved Paul's response off. Paul lowly growled.

"Damn right," Paul replied. Drew smirked victoriously and the two stayed in silence for a couple minutes.

"The town's not that far," Drew commented, breaking the short silence. Paul nodded in response.
"Yeah. We should be there soon. I can see the town from here, I think," Paul replied. Drew squinted his eyes and leaned his head forward. He nodded slowly.
"You can! Come on; we can make it within an hour or so!" Drew informed Paul as he saw the 'Welcome' sign in the distant.

The group of friends finished in the rest of their meal in almost complete silence. There were little inputs and efforts to start a conversation, but they were all ignored or responded by "Hmm," or "Yeah".
"Well, we should get going," Misty said as she put the last of the dishes in the bag. Brock nodded.
"Yeah. Knowing Drew and Paul, they took this route since it's the closest and it appears to be the fastest," Brock reasoned to no one in particular. Every one nodded in agreement and walked in the vague direction Brock had pointed to.
With every one in their own little group conversation, they didn't realize how slow they were actually going.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

4O Minutes Later

"Go away!" May shouted. Ash pouted slightly. May stopped and faced Ash. "There is no way in this world I would be with you! I Love Drew! Drew! Drew! Drew!" May's image started fading away along with Ash's, but her voice continued to grow louder. "Oh, Drew!" May's voice shouted. Suddenly, Drew came out of his daylight daze.

"Huh?" Drew dumbly replied. May's smile widen as Drew turned to meet her gaze.

"I thought you were ignoring me!" May pouted. Drew rolled his eyes in response.

"I wish I could," Drew snorted as May's glare grew. Drew smirked as his pace quickened.

"Hey! You're so... so... impossible! Argh! Drew Hayden!" May complained as she retreated towards her friends in the back. Brock and Misty shook their heads as May came back for the third time. She failed to engage Drew into a conversation as she'd been trying to do for the past twenty minutes.

"No luck?" Misty asked as she shook her head in an angry pout. Misty sighed as Dawn came with a similar expression. "Same luck with you, I'm guessing?" Misty turned to Dawn. Dawn nodded as she glared slightly ahead in the direction of the lavender-headed boy.

"They're so closed up and mean! I'm not even sure he heard me half the time!" Dawn complained.

"I know right?" May agreed in frustration. Misty held back a laugh.

"Like you two didn't already know that," Misty dismissed the two pouting girls.

Paul walked faster to catch up to Drew. Drew groaned and turned away from Paul's smirking face.

"Shut up. I wasn't thinking anything," Drew replied before Paul had the chance to speak. Paul's smirk grew.

"Right, and I'm jolly old Saint Nick," Paul rolled his eyes. "We're suppose to be best friends. Ever since we met, we've been pretty close, am I right?" Drew half nodded.

"You can't use the best friend crap against me when you're about to make fun of me," Drew told him irritatedly. Paul smirked.

"Okay, okay. I still want to know what you were daydreaming about," Paul answered. Drew sighed.

"Fine! May told Ash she loved me not him," Drew turned so he wouldn't have to face Paul's teasing. Paul stood quiet for a couple moments. Drew slowly turned to see Paul's face. The biggest smirk laid on Paul's face.

"I told you so," Paul replied. He shrugged and looked ahead to see a sign reading 'Welcome'. "Anyway, it looks like we're here. Want to head to the gym with me? We can sign you up for the contest after I get my badge. This way we can avoid Troublesome and Red," Paul suggested. Drew nodded.

"Yeah, but let's go check in the Poke Center first. They might run out of room because of the contest," Drew warned Paul. Paul shook his head as they entered the town.

"No, if they run out of room we can each rent our own hotel rooms. It's the same thing only better," Paul shrugged off Drew's worries. "Plus, a town has never run out of rooms in its Poke Center before," Paul pointed out.

"Yeah, that's true. Anyway, being in the same room with another dude can sometimes be awkward!" Drew shuddered. Paul smirked. "Hey, there's the gym!" Drew pointed out. Paul's face became stone serious.

"Let's get this done and quickly," Paul replied stepping into the gym. Drew nodded in agreement.

May and Dawn gleefully signed into the contest and showed the reception their beautiful badge cases and their ID and poke balls. Misty and Ash sat back as Brock helped Kenny find his ID and badge case. Max simply thought of all possible attacks. He decided to follow Nando's example and be both, a trainer and a coordinator. He, however, decided since it's his first year, he would be a trainer first to see if he likes it or not. May happily agreed, so her little brother wouldn't have too much stress.

"All signed up?" Misty questioned getting up. Ash followed suit. May nodded and Dawn grinned. Kenny soon came behind them.

"Yes, ma'am!" Kenny smiled. Max and Ash jumped up.

"Alright! Now Ash and I can go to our gym battle!" Max gladly announced. May nodded and patted her little brother on his head. Misty giggled at Ash's enthusaism.

"Let's get going. Maybe I can get there before Paul!" Ash remarked. Everyone stopped and looked around.

"Where is Paul?" May asked. Brock turned to Max and Max turned to Misty. Dawn shrugged and Kenny looked around suspiciously.

"And Drew! Where are those two?" Misty questioned. As if on cue, Paul and Drew coolly walked in. Drew walked up to the registration and gave all the information nesscary to sign up for the contest in two days.

"Where were you guys?" May questioned angrily. Paul and Drew turned towards the group. "What? Didn't you notice us when you walked in?" May asked with slight hurt in her voice. Drew smirked. Paul rolled his eyes.

"We were hoping you guys had already left considering the gym leader is leaving on a vacation soon. Paul just got his badge just in time. He's about to leave, you guys should hurry," Drew warned airly. Ash and Max bolted up with worried expression.

"We need to go, everybody!" Ash exclaimed and ran out the building with Max in tow. Misty and Brock sighed.

"Let's go before Ash realizes no one but Max is following him," Misty half laughed. Drew rolled his eyes and walked out of the building in search of the poke center. Paul followed and didn't bother greeting anybody in any sort of way.

"Aren't they charming?" May asked sarcastically. The group went to cheer on Ash and Max, ignoring the two arrogant boys' appearance.

Drew and Paul reached the Poke Center just in time to see the last of the crowd of coordinators and trainers get a room. Drew casually walked up to Nurse Joy.

"Hey, Nurse Joy. Do you happen to have a room opened? Actually, make that three," Drew thought. Paul looked at him curiously. "Might as well get the other guys a room. Right?" Drew asked. Paul shrugged and turned to see Nurse Joy's answer.

"I'm sorry, boys. I need all rooms available. There are so many coordinators in this contest and there are more trainers coming trying to wait out here until the gym leader returns," Nurse Joy explained. She continued, "I can only give you a room based on how many people are present. This way, if I find someone with allot of friends, I can give them a six bed room instead giving a person who's traveling alone that room." Drew nodded.

"Alright, but I suggest you save a six bed room. A boy is coming by with six other people. I'm sure one of the three girls might not mind sharing a bed, but there's still seven of them. Four boys and three girls," Drew informed Nurse Joy. Nurse Joy sighed.

"I guess since you two are here I can simply put a room aside," Nurse Joy smiled. "What's your name? I need to put it under your name since you two came here first." Drew fumbled with his fingers a bit.

"Ash Ketchem. That's the name you should put it under," Drew answered. Paul smirked slightly at his choice of words. Nurse Joy smiled.

"Alright, Andrew. I put down the room as 'taken'," Nurse Joy smiled at Drew's slightly taken back facial expression.

"Thanks," Drew replied. Paul smirked bigger and interrupted before Drew could speak or ask how she knew him.

"Well, we should search for a hotel now. Any suggestions?" Paul asked Nurse Joy smiled.

"Actually, yes. Try Patino's Bed and Breakfast. The service is really great to trainers and coordinators," Nurse Joy smiled. Paul and Drew nodded in thanks. "Just go straight and turn left and it's right by the contest hall!" Nurse Joy called out as the two left.

"Nurse Joy! We belong together. Will you do me the honor of being my beautiful gir- Ahhh!" Brock shrieked as Max pulled his ear towards the waiting area of the Poke Center.

"Sorry about that, miss," Misty sweat dropped. Ash laughed nervously. Nurse Joy smiled warmly at the group of kids.

"Wait, do you guys happen to have someone named Ash Ketchem?" Nurse Joy asked. Misty and May slowly nodded.

"Yeah..." Misty drawled out looking to her right where Ash stood.

"I'm Ash!" Ash greeted. "Why?" he asked curiously. Nurse Joy handed him three room keys.

"Two boys came in earlier and reserved a six bed room under your name since the rooms were filling up quickly. You're lucky they did. The last rooms were just taken before you seven came in," Nurse Joy explained. Misty and Dawn made an 'o' shape with their mouths.

"Well that was nice of them," Dawn announced. Brock nodded in agreement. Kenny rolled his eyes.