"So if you wanna go, then you know oh, we're gonna fight till we do it right, so let's whoa oh, tonight" - Ke$ha "Party At a Rich Dude's House"

7 Slumber Party

The Pokemon Center wasn't too exciting. As expected, a smiling Nurse Joy greeted us, and offered to take care of our Pokemon for the night to make sure they were at their strongest for the big journey. There was only one room, so us guys were forced to sleep on the couches in the lobby.

The girls retreated to their room in a babble of gossip, leaving the five of us to fight over who got the biggest, comfiest couch. Brock used the "I'm the oldest" argument, and Max countered with the "I'm the youngest" response. Then there was the whole "I won't fit on any other couches" routine from Brock, which caused us all to concede to him. This also led to the unspoken decision of lifting Max off of wherever we wanted to sleep and laying him on the armchair that the rest of us wouldn't fit in.

Drew and I fought over the biggest pillow, until Paul stepped in with his murderous glare and took it for himself. He then retreated to the softest looking couch and growled at anyone that came near him.

Finally, after a bit more squabbling, I threatened to tell May some secrets Drew was keeping from her, forcing him to give me the next biggest couch. The pansy. That left our green-haired wimp with his choice of the floor or sharing with Brock.

Yeah, I would've picked the floor, too.

"Hey guys," Max called from his little chair island.

Paul grunted, but I graced him with an answer. "Yeah?" I replied tiredly.

"We have a night without girls!" he cried, as if this were obvious. "Guys only!"

"Alright, Drew, you heard him," Brock called. "Guys only."

A lumpy pillow soared across the room and hit the back of Brock's head. "Shut up, womanizer," he snapped.

"You know, he's right," I said. "We don't have any girls with us. We don't have to censor anything."

"When did Ash learn such big words?" Brock scoffed. Pikachu shocked him for me before curling up and going back to sleep.

Paul groaned. "I don't want to talk," he grumbled. "I want to sleep."

Drew snickered lightly. "He's just worried we'll tell a certain blunette something he doesn't want her to hear," he said, looking at me with a glint of amusement in his eyes. We both looked to Paul for the reaction.

Another pillow flew, this one hitting Drew square in the face. "Troublesome is nothing more than that; troublesome," Paul responded. He rolled over so his back was to us and tugged his blankets around him. "Now go to sleep."

"Who are you, my mom?" I chuckled. "What about you, Drew? Got anything you want to tell us about Bandana?"

I saw the attack coming, and ducked as a pillow whistled past my head. Max laughed. "Admit it, Drew, you're crazy about my sister."

Poor kid got a pillow right in the face; thank God he'd taken off his glasses. It quieted him immediately. "Jeez, man, will you run out of pillows already?" Brock observed, earning himself one in the face.

"When did your aim get so good?" I asked.

To demonstrate, he chucked one at me. I didn't have time to duck, and wound up with a mouthful of pillow. I think that's the most one-sided pillow fight I've ever been in. Drew smirked victoriously and fluffed another pillow as if readying his ammo. "The only pro of being the youngest of nine," he explained.

Brock snapped his fingers to get attention. "Oldest of eleven," he said triumphantly. "I win."

"Only child!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms in the air.

"Youngest of two," Max proclaimed with pride.

We all looked to Paul expectantly. He sighed. "Middle child of five," he said with disinterest.

Drew sat up and put on an expression he thought resembled a psychiatrist. "Now," he said nasally, adjusting his imaginary glasses, "what can we conclude about this, gentlemen?"

"Paul was neglected as a child, causing him to be cold and heartless now, even to the girl he loves," I replied, laughing.

He threw a pillow back towards me, but it landed on Pikachu. This caused the little mouse to leap up from his slumber, his cheeks sparking angrily. "You're one to talk," Paul sneered. "You and Ginger should stop flirting and date already. It's sickening to watch."

My cheeks reddened instantly and I threw myself down on the couch. "Good night," I called, covering my face with the blanket.

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In the lone room down the hall from where the boys were sleeping, the girls were having a conversation all their own.

"So," Dawn began, "when is Ash going to ask you out?" She was delicately painting her nails with a lovely blue that matched her hair and Piplup-adorned pajamas.

Misty blushed profoundly and clutched her pillow. The make-up and nail polish didn't appeal to her in the least. She much preferred to see her nails natural and bare. "What makes you think he would do something like that?" she asked, focusing on the fibers in the carpet.

May snatched a ponytail from Dawn and pulled her hair back. "Cuz he's madly in love with you, that's why," she said. Her pajamas were not nearly as cute as Dawn's, with a red T-shirt worn inside out so the tag wouldn't bother her and pants with flames at the hem.

"He is not!" Misty replied hotly. Her pajama shirt stated that she had won the hundred meter butterfly swim when she was eight, the stamp on it peeling and half gone. She wore a pair of sweats that doubled as warm up clothes after getting out of the pool.

"And how would you know?" replied the blunette. She blew on her nails, attempting to dry them. "I mean, you're crazy about him too, though I can't understand why."

The redhead glared at her. "At least he has personality, unlike your secret crush." She shot a similar look at May. "And he has guts, unlike yours."

"Drew is the bravest, sweetest, and most adorable person I have ever met," May snapped. "He's smart, and he gives me roses. I'd like to see Ash do that, let alone a math problem."

Dawn joined in the jibe. "Exactly! And he's not nearly as gorgeous as Paul."

May stared at her. "Actually, I have to chose Ash in that field. With that scowl he's always got, I just can't see him as cute."

"Ash is going to be Pokemon Master," Misty stated defiantly, as if that right there ended all arguments.

"And Drew is going to be the greatest Coordinator there ever was," May replied. "Paul… well, we don't know about him."

Dawn narrowed her eyes at her drying nails. "If I didn't have polish all over my hands, I would wallop you with a pillow," she growled. "I don't care what Paul is, I'll love him anyways," she finished dreamily.

Misty faked a gag, causing May to laugh. "I can't believe you," Misty snickered. "Dawn, you're so funny, and you don't even know it."

An odd glazed look came over Dawn, something like pain, but in an instant it was gone. "Aw, thanks, Misty!" she exclaimed, smiling. Suddenly, she yawned widely. "Mmkay, guys, I'm going to sleep. Good night." She climbed into one of the beds and seemed to fall asleep instantly.

"Guess I will too," May said. Following Dawn's example, she crawled into the second bed and curled up in the blankets.

Misty took it upon herself to turn off the light, and made her way to her own bed. As she lay there, clutching her pillow, she wished that what her friend's said was true: that Ash loved her in the way she loved him. Was it truly too much to ask? She felt her eyelids growing heavy, and she succumbed to sleep.

*AN: Terribly sorry. It's short, I know, but it was a very difficult chapter to write. The next few chappies are short, actually, so I'm sorry. Since this was so short I updated fast for you guys. :)

Thank you for reading and your reviews are much appreciated. Remember, as long as the U.S. Constitution is in one piece, you can say whatever you want. If you're American, that is. If you're not, I'm sure there's SOMETHING that allows you to freely criticize/compliment a fanfiction story.

Thanks for reading and I'm glad you've come this far! Knowing I have faithful readers brightens my day, every day. ;)*