" Hip hip hooray." Drew said sarcastically as he watched Rosellia stitch herself a dress. " I have a Pokemon who loves to stitch."

" Rosellia..."

Drew let out a deep sigh and picked Maril, who was tugging on his pants. " Yes?"

" Maril Maril!"

Drew blinked. " What?"

Maril pointed to her mouth.

" You want food?!"

" Maril Maril!" Maril exclaimed happily.

" But you just ate!"

Maril shot him a disapproving look.

" Sorry sorry!" He sighed. " Fine, I'll get your milk."

He put Maril in a high chair, walked to the kitchen and took out milk formula for Pokemon, water, and a milk bottle. He put the powder and water in a bottle, shook it, and gently let a drop touch his wrist to check the temperature.

" Okay it's ready." He announced as he juggled Maril in one arm and the bottle in the other, walking to the sofa and sitting down before gently putting the nuzzle of the bottle in Maril's mouth. The blue mouse Pokemon lapped the milk happily, and Drew smiled.

Then, as Maril drifted to sleep, the front door opened. Drew quickly put Maril in her bed before running to help May with the groceries.

" Thanks."

" No problem. Did you get the Leachy berries?"

" Yeah I got the letchy berries.

" It's pronounced LEACHY."

" That's what I said."

" Right. Keep dreaming,"

May groaned, and Drew laughed.

" Cheer up, May. I'll make you a chocolate cake." Drew said as he kissed her cheek.

May grinned. " Yeah!"

Drew shook his head fondly. " Hey, where's-"

May threw him a Pokeball. " Flygon's fine. But we need a car."

Drew nodded. " Yeah. We really need one."

" Now all he have to do is turn fifteen and get a driving license."

" No we don't."

" What do you mean?" May looked confused.

" All we need is a beard!"

May gave him a look. " N. O."

Drew rolled his eyes. " Fine. Look at my license."

May raised an eyebrow as Drew pulled out what looked like a homemade driver's license. She snatched it from his hand, studying it with growing disbelief.

"Drew," she said slowly, holding up the card. "What is this?"

Drew grinned smugly, stroking his fake white beard. "It's my license. Look at it-totally legit."

May's eyes narrowed as she looked at the poorly laminated card. It featured a picture of Drew, but his face was barely recognizable under the layers of eyeliner, eyeshadow, and the comically long, fake beard. He was even wearing a monocle.

"Drew," May said, her tone icy. "You look like a villain from a knockoff movie. And your name is listed as 'Sir Drusifer von Fancybeard III.'"

"Classy, isn't it?" Drew said with a wink.

"It's ridiculous!" May snapped. "How on earth did you think this would work?"

"Relax," Drew said, taking the card back. "It's foolproof. Who wouldn't trust Sir Drusifer von Fancybeard III?"

"Anyone with half a brain?" May replied flatly.

Drew waved her off. "You underestimate the power of a good disguise. Watch this." He adjusted the fake beard and struck a dramatic pose. "Good day, fine citizens! I am Sir Drusifer von Fancybeard III, and I humbly request permission to drive this fine motor vehicle!"

May stared at him, deadpan. "You're going to get arrested."

Drew smirked. "Or I'm going to drive us to the store in style."

Before May could protest further, Tessa ran into the room, her eyes lighting up when she saw Drew's new look.

"Uncle Drew!" she squealed. "You look like Santa! Can I sit on your lap?"

Drew blinked, his confidence faltering. "Uh... Santa?"

"Yeah!" Tessa said, climbing onto the couch next to him. "Santa's here early! What did you bring me?"

May snorted, barely holding back laughter. "Yeah, 'Santa.' What did you bring her?"

Drew shot her a glare. "I brought her... the gift of imagination!"

Tessa frowned. "I wanted a doll."

Drew sighed. "Right. I'll get you one later, okay?"

Tessa nodded, satisfied, before running off. May crossed her arms, smirking. "So, Santa, what's the plan now?"

Drew rubbed the bridge of his nose. "The plan is to retire from this nonsense and maybe bake that chocolate cake I promised."

May laughed, reaching up to tug the fake beard off his face. "Good idea. But lose the beard. You're a terrible Santa."

"Noted," Drew muttered, but he couldn't hide the grin creeping onto his face.

A loud knock echoed through the house. Drew sighed, brushing off the last bits of fake beard fuzz, and walked to the door. When he opened it, a tall woman with auburn hair and a warm smile stood on the porch.

"Hi, Drew," the woman said cheerfully. "I'm here to pick up my little troublemakers."

"Hey, Mary," Drew replied, stepping aside to let her in. "Come on in."

Before Mary could take another step, Tessa and Lily bolted out of the living room, squealing with excitement.

"Mommy!" Tessa cried, throwing herself at Mary's legs.

Lily followed behind, slightly more composed but still beaming. "Hi, Mom."

Mary knelt to hug her girls, ruffling Tessa's hair and giving Lily a quick kiss on the forehead. "Have you two been good?"

Tessa grinned. "We got Aunt May and Uncle Drew married!"

Mary blinked, straightening up. "What now?"

Drew coughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh... yeah. About that..."

"They weren't acting like a real couple, so I made them!" Lily said matter-of-factly, crossing her arms. "They even kissed."

May appeared from the kitchen, holding a grocery bag. "Oh no, no, no. Don't listen to them, Mary. It was all Lily's very creative idea."

Mary raised an eyebrow. "Creative, huh?"

"More like extreme," Drew muttered under his breath.

Mary chuckled, shaking her head. "Sounds like my girls. I hope they weren't too much trouble."

"Nothing we couldn't handle," Drew replied, though his tone suggested he was relieved the ordeal was over.

"Next time, though," May added, "maybe you could explain to them what's appropriate and what's not. Like forcing a wedding."

Mary laughed. "I'll have a talk with them, don't worry." She turned to Lily and Tessa. "Say thank you to Aunt May and Uncle Drew for babysitting."

"Thank you!" Tessa chirped, giving them a big wave.

"Thanks," Lily said, though her smirk suggested she was still proud of her antics.

As Mary gathered her girls and headed for the door, she glanced back at May and Drew. "By the way, you two do make a cute couple. Maybe Lily's on to something."

May's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?!"

Drew smirked, leaning casually against the doorframe. "Hear that, May? We're a 'cute couple.'"

"Don't you start," May snapped, her cheeks turning bright red.

Mary laughed as she ushered her daughters out the door. "Take care, you two. And thanks again!"

As the door closed, Drew turned to May, grinning. "Well, that was fun."

May glared at him. "You owe me so much chocolate cake for this."

Drew laughed. "Deal."

As Drew closed the door behind Mary and the kids, Roselia strutted into the room, wearing a pair of tiny sunglasses perched confidently on her face.

Drew raised an eyebrow, his smirk returning. "Well, well, if it isn't my personal chauffeur. My new car must be here!"

Roselia gave a dramatic spin and struck a pose, as if to confirm Drew's words.

"What new car?" May asked, walking into the room with Marill cradled in her arms.

"You'll see," Drew said, practically buzzing with excitement. He threw the door open and bolted outside, Roselia following him like a VIP bodyguard.

Curious, May followed behind, adjusting Marill on her hip. As she stepped outside, her jaw dropped.

Parked in the driveway was a sleek, purple sports car with glossy, metallic paint that shimmered in the sunlight. The car's elegant curves and intricate detailing screamed luxury, and the personalized license plate read "ROSÉ 1."

"Drew..." May said, struggling to find words. "What. Is. This?"

Drew turned around, spreading his arms as if showing off a prized trophy. "My new car! Isn't it beautiful?"

"It's... purple," May stammered, still gaping. "And it looks ridiculously expensive."

"Well, of course," Drew said, patting the hood of the car. "I can't just drive around in anything. I'm a celebrity, you know."

May groaned. "Drew, this is overkill. Why do you even need something this flashy?"

"Because I can." Drew smirked. "Come on, May, live a little."

Marill, now awake and curious, wriggled in May's arms and pointed at the car. "Maril! Maril!"

"See?" Drew said, opening the passenger door with a flourish. "Even Marill approves. Come on, I'll give you a ride."

May gave him a skeptical look. "I'm not getting in that thing. It probably costs more than my house."

"Relax," Drew said, waving her concerns off. "It's insured. And besides, I'm an excellent driver."

"You can barely navigate a bike trail without getting lost," May countered, but her curiosity got the better of her, and she cautiously approached the car.

"Fine," she muttered, strapping Marill into the car seat Drew had already installed in the back. "But if you scratch this thing, you're explaining it to your insurance company."

Drew chuckled as he slid into the driver's seat. "Noted. Now hold on tight, May. This ride is about to be legendary."

May sighed as she buckled in, muttering under her breath. "Why do I let you talk me into these things?"

Roselia hopped into the car as well, still wearing her sunglasses and looking like she owned the place. Drew started the engine, which purred to life with an impressive roar.

May couldn't help but smile despite herself. "Okay, I'll admit it. It does look cool."

"Cool?" Drew said, flashing her a grin. "It's phenomenal."

As they sped off down the road, May couldn't help but wonder how life with Drew had turned into such a wild ride-both figuratively and literally.

When they pulled back into the driveway, Marill wriggled impatiently in her car seat. As soon as Drew unbuckled her, the little Pokémon darted toward the house, babbling excitedly.

"Where's she going in such a hurry?" Drew asked, locking the car.

"To the Pokémon room," May replied, picking up a stray grocery bag they'd left earlier. "She's probably heading straight for her favorite plush pile."

"Fair enough," Drew said, strolling toward the door. "Now, let's talk food. Time to make lunch! What are you in the mood for?"

May shot him a pointed look as she set the bag on the counter. "I don't want lunch. I want my cake."

Drew blinked. "Cake? For lunch?"

"Yes, cake," May said with mock seriousness, crossing her arms. "You promised, and after everything I've been through today, I deserve cake."

Drew sighed dramatically but couldn't hide the grin tugging at his lips. "Fine, cake it is. But don't blame me if you end up in a sugar coma."

May grinned triumphantly, pulling a stool up to the counter. "I'll take that risk. Now, get baking, Chef Drew."

Drew rolled up his sleeves with exaggerated flair. "Alright, watch and learn. This cake is going to be legendary."

"You keep using that word," May teased. "Let's see if you can live up to it."

As Drew began measuring out ingredients and preheating the oven, Roselia wandered into the kitchen, still wearing her sunglasses. She took one look at Drew's setup and nodded approvingly before hopping onto a stool to supervise.

"Great," Drew muttered. "Now I've got two critics."

"Three," May said, resting her chin in her hands. "Marill will smell the cake eventually, and you know she's going to want a slice."

Drew smirked. "Then I'd better make it extra good, huh?"

As he whisked together batter and May stole spoonfuls when she thought he wasn't looking, the kitchen filled with the scent of chocolate. Drew might have been a little over-the-top most of the time, but when it came to baking, May had to admit-he was a pro.

As Drew slid the cake into the oven and set the timer, May's phone buzzed on the counter. She wiped her hands on a dish towel and picked it up, glancing at the screen.

"It's my mom," she said, looking at Drew.

"Good luck," Drew teased. "I'll just be here, perfecting my icing game."

May rolled her eyes and answered the call. "Hi, Mom."

Her mother's cheerful voice rang out on the other end. "Hello, May! How's your house coming along? Are you settling in okay?"

May sighed, glancing over at Drew, who was now humming to himself as he mixed frosting. "Mom, it's not just my house. It's Drew's too."

Her mom gasped dramatically. "Oh, yes, of course! How is your husband, anyway? Is he taking good care of you?"

May nearly dropped the phone. "H-Husband?! Mom, Drew's not my-"

"And how's your baby, Marill?" her mom continued, ignoring May's flustered tone. "You sounded so happy last time we talked. I'm glad everything's going so well for your little family!"

May stared at Drew, who was now smirking as he clearly overheard the conversation. He leaned casually against the counter and whispered, "Go on, tell her how great your husband is."

May shot him a glare, her face burning. "Mom, Drew isn't-Marill isn't-" She groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Drew's not my husband, and Marill isn't our baby. She's just... a Pokémon!"

"Oh, nonsense, dear," her mom replied breezily. "You sound so defensive. It's okay to admit you're happy!"

May gritted her teeth as Drew stifled a laugh in the background. "Mom, I-"

"Put Drew on the phone!" her mom interrupted.

May blinked. "What? Why?"

"I want to hear from my son-in-law," her mom said cheerfully.

Drew's grin widened as May reluctantly handed him the phone. "She wants to talk to you," May muttered, her tone laced with annoyance.

Drew took the phone with a theatrical bow. "Hello, Mrs. Maple! This is your very devoted son-in-law."

May's mom laughed on the other end. "Drew, it's so nice to hear from you! How are things at home?"

"Wonderful," Drew replied, throwing May a teasing glance. "Your daughter is a delight, and Marill is an absolute angel. I couldn't ask for more."

May groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I'm going to regret this forever," she muttered.

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that!" her mom said happily. "I just know you two will make such a wonderful family."

"Thank you, Mrs. Maple," Drew said, his voice dripping with faux sincerity. "We're doing our best!"

May finally snatched the phone back. "Okay, Mom, we have to go. The cake's almost done, and I need to supervise Drew."

"Alright, dear," her mom replied. "Give Marill a kiss for me! And tell Drew to keep up the good work as a husband!"

May hung up before her mom could say anything else. She turned to Drew, who was now laughing uncontrollably.

"Not. A. Word," she snapped, her face bright red.

Drew grinned. "Too late, wifey."

The timer dinged, signaling the cake was ready. Drew slipped on oven mitts, carefully pulled the cake out, and set it on the counter to cool. May, unable to wait, immediately grabbed a knife, cut a slice, and took a huge bite.

"Finally," she sighed contentedly. "This is amazing. You're forgiven for everything today."

Drew smirked. "See? I told you it would be legendary."

But as they enjoyed their brief moment of peace, a strange realization dawned on them.

"Wait," May said, glancing around the kitchen. "It's too quiet."

Drew paused mid-bite. "Yeah... Where's Marill?"

Before either could move, Butterfree and Masquerain came flying into the kitchen, their wings flapping wildly as if trying to get their attention.

"What's going on?" May asked, watching as Glaceon padded in right behind them, looking unusually concerned.

Dread filled her stomach as she quickly pieced it together. "Marill. Where's Marill?!"

Drew's eyes widened. "She was in the Pokémon room earlier!"

They both bolted from the kitchen, frantically searching the house. When they didn't find Marill inside, they ran outside, their Pokémon trailing behind.

"Marill!" May called, panic rising in her voice.

"Over here!" Drew shouted, pointing toward the garden.

They skidded to a halt to find Marill, her tiny body buried face-first in the dirt of May's carefully tended flowerbed. The little Pokémon's blue tail stuck straight up, wiggling as she tried to dig deeper.

"Marill!" May cried, running over. "What are you doing?!"

Drew carefully pulled the Pokémon out of the soil, dirt clinging to her face and paws. Marill blinked up at him for a moment, then her lips quivered.

And then she burst into tears.

"Wahhh! Maril! Maril!"

"Great," Drew muttered, cradling the bawling Pokémon. "She's fine physically, just covered in dirt. But emotionally? A total wreck."

May bit her lip, brushing some of the dirt off Marill's fur. "Shh, it's okay. You're fine now."

But Marill wasn't having it. Her wails grew louder, and Drew winced, holding her out at arm's length. "She's got lungs, I'll give her that."

"Don't just hold her like that!" May scolded. "Comfort her!"

Drew sighed, bringing Marill closer and patting her awkwardly. "Uh... there, there? You're okay now."

Marill sniffled, burying her face into Drew's shirt, leaving a smear of dirt behind.

May snickered despite the situation. "Looks like she feels better already. Guess you're the Marill whisperer."

Drew rolled his eyes. "Great. And now I'm filthy, too."

"Welcome to parenthood," May teased, grabbing a cloth to wipe Marill's face. "Next time, keep a closer eye on your 'baby.'"

Drew groaned. "Not funny."

But as Marill's cries softened, both of them couldn't help but feel a strange sense of relief. Even if life was chaotic, at least they were in it together.

As Drew finally got Marill cleaned up and calmed down, the front door creaked open. Max strolled in, looking smug, with a Poliwag happily bouncing along behind him.

May turned toward the door, narrowing her eyes. "Well, well, look who it is. Hello, Max. Where'd you get that Poliwag from?"

Max gave her an innocent smile, one that May knew all too well meant trouble. "Oh, you know... somewhere."

Drew raised an eyebrow. "Somewhere? That's specific."

Ignoring Drew, Max grinned and held up a Pokéball. "But that's not all. Check this out!" He pressed the button on the Pokéball, and a red beam shot out, recalling Poliwag.

May blinked in shock. "Wait... you caught Poliwag?!"

Max puffed out his chest proudly. "Yep! It's my very first catch. Pretty cool, huh?"

"You caught a Pokémon without telling me?" May exclaimed, hands on her hips.

"Why do I need your permission?" Max shot back, crossing his arms. "I'm old enough to handle it."

"Old enough? You're not even old enough to battle officially!" May retorted, her voice rising.

"Relax, May," Drew interjected, smirking. "At least he's doing something productive. You should be proud-your little brother's growing up."

May shot Drew a glare before turning back to Max. "Okay, fine. Where did you find it?"

"In the pond near the edge of town," Max said, shrugging. "Poliwag and I just clicked. It didn't even put up much of a fight."

"Sounds like Poliwag took pity on you," Drew teased.

Max ignored him, holding his Pokéball close. "Anyway, Poliwag's mine now. And when I'm ready, I'll be a great trainer-better than you, May!"

"Better than me?" May scoffed. "We'll see about that."

Drew chuckled, leaning back against the counter. "Looks like your brother's got some confidence. Maybe he will give you a run for your money."

May groaned, throwing her hands up. "I don't need both of you ganging up on me!"

"Don't worry," Drew said, smirking. "You'll always be the queen of drama around here."

Max laughed as May glared at them both. "I can't wait to see her face when I catch something even cooler!"

"You wish!" May snapped, but she couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. As much as Max annoyed her, she was secretly proud of him for taking the first step toward becoming a trainer.

Max smirked, clearly enjoying the attention. "Oh yeah," he added casually, flipping his hair dramatically. "By the way, I also caught an Umbreon, Vaporeon, Leafeon, Espeon, Totodile, Mudkip, Piplup, Sobble, and an Oshawott."

May froze, her jaw dropping. "WHAT?! Are you serious?!"

Max shrugged, pulling out several Pokéballs from his bag and holding them up. "Completely. Wanna see?"

May staggered, clutching the edge of the counter for support. "How-when-how did you even manage that?! That's nine Pokémon!"

Drew burst out laughing. "Guess your little brother's a prodigy, huh? He's out here building an entire team and backups."

May ignored him, her face pale. "Max, do you have any idea how much work it takes to care for that many Pokémon? And where are they even staying?!"

"Relax," Max said, waving her off. "I have a system. Some of them are back at Professor Birch's lab, and the rest are here with me. I've got it under control."

May groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I can't believe this. You've caught more Pokémon in one day than I did in my first year."

"Don't feel bad," Max said, patting her on the shoulder. "Not everyone can be as amazing as me."

May glared at him. "Don't push it, Max."

Drew, still chuckling, crossed his arms. "So, what's your plan with all these Pokémon, kid? You starting your own Pokémon League?"

Max grinned. "Nope. I'm just proving that I'm ready to be a real trainer. And I think I'm off to a pretty great start."

May shook her head, feeling a headache coming on. "Great. Now I'm going to have to deal with a younger brother who thinks he's better than me and a house full of Pokémon."

Drew leaned over, smirking. "Welcome to your life, May. It's going to be fun."

May glared at him, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, yeah. Tons of fun."

As May tried to process Max's ridiculous new collection of Pokémon, Umbreon, Vaporeon, Leafeon, and Espeon suddenly appeared from various parts of the house and yard.

They ran straight to Max, surrounding him and nuzzling him affectionately. Umbreon rubbed its head against his leg, Vaporeon curled up by his feet, Leafeon hopped into his arms, and Espeon leaned against his shoulder.

May groaned, rubbing her temples. "Unbelievable. How do they all love you this much already?!"

"What can I say?" Max replied smugly, petting each of them in turn. "I've got a way with Pokémon."

Drew, watching the scene unfold, gave a low whistle. "I gotta admit, they're loyal. Maybe Max is actually good at this."

May shot him a glare. "You're not helping."

Before she could say more, her phone rang again. She hesitated for a moment before answering, already dreading what was coming. "Hello?"

Norman's familiar voice came through, cheerful as ever. "Hi, May! How's everything going over there? How's your brother?"

May sighed, throwing a glance at Max, who was now happily surrounded by all his Pokémon. "Oh, Max is fine. Too fine, if you ask me. He's apparently caught half the Pokémon in Hoenn."

"Really? That's great!" Norman said proudly. "I knew he had potential."

May rolled her eyes. "You would think that."

"And how's your husband?" Norman asked.

May nearly dropped the phone, her face heating up. "Dad! Drew's not my husband!"

Drew, who had obviously overheard, gave her a smug grin and whispered, "Here we go again."

Norman chuckled. "Alright, alright. How's Drew, then?"

"He's fine," May said through gritted teeth. "Making cake. Teasing me. You know, the usual."

"Sounds like he's fitting right in," Norman said. "You let me know if he's slacking off."

"Oh, don't worry," May replied sarcastically. "I'll keep him in line."

Drew leaned closer, smirking. "I'd love to see you try."

May hung up the phone with a groan, glaring at both Max and Drew. "Why does everyone in my family act like my life is a sitcom?"

Max grinned. "Maybe because it is."

May threw a pillow at him. "Keep it up, and you'll be babysitting all your Pokémon and Marill for the rest of the day."

Drew laughed as Max ducked the pillow. "Face it, May. You're stuck with us."

May flopped onto the couch, groaning. "Why me?"