Journeying Through Johto

Chapter 3: Coordinating Counsel

Hey everyone! Here's another chapter! Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

"Aren't you going to let your friends know you're leaving today?" Drew asked as they parted from the city, following the path that would eventually take them to Goldenrod.

"I did, I exchanged numbers with Luna and let her know I'd see her on the way to Ecruteak." May walked with a skip in her step, smiling brightly at the path ahead, ready for a new journey. She hadn't thought she would have Drew for company but she found it interesting to say the least. He was more reserved than May had thought him to be so she was usually the one to start a conversation. She commented on the different types of pokemon they saw and what she knew about them from Max, trying to avoid getting her facts wrong and occasionally pulling out her pokedex. Every time she made a slip up, Drew would catch it and tease her for still being as clueless about pokemon as she always was. She would get riled up and make an angry retort and they would go back and forth until May wouldn't have any better comebacks to throw his way and they would succumb to silence once more. She couldn't say their bickering was entirely pointless though as she found she was learning new things from Drew about the pokemon they saw around every bend of the road.

When their surroundings weren't the topic of conversation, they talked about coordinating.

"So you've seen Soledad, anyone else we know?" May asked, as dusk fell, the sky painted a periwinkle blue. "Wasn't Harley also coming to Johto? Have you seen him?"

"Thankfully, no. I think I could do without seeing him," Drew said wryly.

"I can agree on that." May shuddered at the thought of him. They walked in silence for some time, the sky eventually turning a Heracross blue. The forest they walked through was silent, except for the occasional hoot of a Noctowl.

"Should we... stop for the night?" Drew asked, uncomfortable. He had never travelled with anyone and through the time he had spent on his own journeys, there was a familiar routine he had fallen into. Now, things would have to change at least a little.

"Yeah, I suppose it's pretty dark now.... and this is a good place to stop." May pointed to a small clearing off the path and made her way over. He nodded, following. An awkward silence hung between them as they busied themselves with preparing to sleep. Drew pulled out a small tent from his bag. He set it up rather quickly, clearly experienced in the task. May pulled out a sleeping bag, throwing it down haphazardly just a few feet away. She pulled her green bandanna off and tucked it into her bag, her hair falling loose. Drew chanced a glance at her after tossing his bag into the tent. He was caught off guard slightly to see her without her bandanna. Her hair shone a chocolate milk colour in the moonlight. He turned away quickly, mumbling a quick "goodnight" before stepping into the tent, the flap falling closed behind him. May didn't have a chance to reply and blinked at the tent flap for a few moments before shrugging and settling into her sleeping bag. She laid awake for some time, thinking about how she was already on her way to the second city for her second contest, how she was here without Ash, Brock, or Max, and how of all the people she expected herself to be travelling with, Drew was not one of them.

        When morning came, it was with heavy reluctance that May opened her eyes to the brightness of the outside world. She had almost forgotten what it felt like. The sun pierced through the cracks between leaves, falling on the grass around her and causing it to gleam as it reflected off the morning dew. As she blinked sleep away, the sudden remembrance of the previous day hit her. She snapped her head to her other side, bolting upright. She relaxed upon seeing that he was there, sitting on a small square of cloth, a picnic blanket, with a boiling kettle just off to the side and a few sandwiches laid out before him. He turned at her sudden movement, the hint of a smile brushing his lips, before he turned back to the kettle and began pouring tea into two cups.