Pairings: Drew x May, Harley x Solidad and other special surprises
Timeline: The cast you know and love are now in their twenties; prepare for adulthood worries.
Warnings: Mild sexual suggestions and other minor adult things.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon
Author's Note: I cannot believe it, Contestshippers, I've somehow crawled back into the Pokémon fandom and the Contestshipping one as well. Damn did I miss that childhood nostalgia… No promises, but I have high hopes for this one. Anyways, enjoy!
.X.
Pokémon Coordinators from all over the globe flock to Hoenn. It's an international phenomenon. Slateport City quickly climbed the charts as the most visited – and popular – city in all of Hoenn.
How? Why, because one day, while lying in bed, an idea struck the most brilliant of them all. She sat up with a glint in her eyes and pure determination running through her soul. She was going to set up a school where Coordinators of all ages could come to learn how to conquer Grand Festivals. She knew just who to enlist…
Of course, the school had no name yet – nor did it have many sponsors for that matter. This didn't hinder her. She built it up with blood, sweat and tears along with the aid of her friends.
She called it her 'pet project.'
.X.
May shifts eagerly from foot to foot as she observes students of all ages file into the courtyard. She's poured many sleepless nights and exhausting years into this project. It's finally complete…
Only a handful of Coordinators who sent in their applications were accepted. In May's opinion, this isn't quite fair, but it's not her school to decide. The ones that have been recognized though are the ones with potential to mould into future Ribbon Cup winners.
"Someone looks excited," Drew says, eyeing her. He's neither cocky nor mocking. Just… Drew.
May nods, "It's hard not to be. After all this time, it's ready." She squeals a little and Drew rolls his eyes.
"Or we're just making it harder for ourselves. We're basically feeding these little bloodsuckers all the knowledge they need to beat us in Grand Festivals. That's like handing the executioner the axe," he says. May punches him as discreetly as she can manage.
"You're being so morbid," she complains. "You're such a liar. I know you wanted to do this more than I did back when Solidad proposed the idea to us." Drew scratches the back of his head, attempting to come up with a fancy retort.
"Now, now you two," Harley scolds, waggling his finger at the bickering adults, "come off it. We're supposed to be shaping young minds not setting poor examples."
Drew snorts, "Like you're one to talk, Harley. You're the poster child of bad sportsmen ship." Harley huffs indigently and May barely conceals her giggle.
Beyond their initial teasing, they have – unfortunately in Drew's words – grown closer during these years while working on the school. Even May has to begrudgingly admit she doesn't mind Harley's company now.
Solidad strolls onto the stage, winking at the three, the rest of the teachers tagging along with her. May waves to the pink haired woman.
The gates shudder closed, the last of the students within the walls. Coordinators who didn't make the cut hang outside the brick wall, shooting jealous daggers at those inside. Envy didn't get you anywhere in this business.
"Welcome," Solidad greets after tapping on the microphone a few times, "and I do hope none of you are too overwhelmed by the immensity of the school. Remember, now is not the time to use the bathroom. There is a time and a place for everything." A collective laugh rang out through the courtyard.
She sweeps her hand with a flourish, "Opening ceremonies will be swift, after all I'm sure you're all dying to get inside and explore; I know I was." She presses a button on the podium and steps back. The podium sinks into the ground and Solidad accepts the handheld microphone from Robert. "So, as an introduction to just what you've gotten yourself into, I present Adviser Drew and Adviser May!" Solidad gestures to the two she picked for the opening ceremonies.
"Roserade, petal dance!" Drew throws his pokeball up in the air.
At this same moment, May tosses her own pokeball, "Beautifly, blow that petal dance away with your silver wind!" Their Pokémon burst from the balls, preforming the attacks demanded of them. Beautifly's silver wind spread the pink petals over top of the student's heads. Sparkles flitter to the ground. May smiles quickly at Drew. It took them days before they could finally work in sync. Drew flicks his hair.
"Use Psychic on the petals, Beautifly," May commands smoothly. The flowers are frozen in mid-air, suspended by the purplish beam.
"Solar beam," Drew says. Roserade aims for the sun, it's flower hand glowing white. Here comes the finale…
May claps and Beautifly cries out, powering up the psychic. The petals shatter into sparkles at the very moment Roserade's solar beam fires. It hits the sun almost instantaneously and orange glitter cascades down. The audience erupts in cheers. Both Drew and May bowed along with their Pokémon.
They return their Pokémon and fall back to let Solidad have the spot light once again. May's breathless from the exhilaration from the showcase. Drew mouths the words, could have been better, to May and she sighs, mentally giving him the finger.
"Wasn't that just thrilling?" Solidad questions once the attention is back on her. "Once you step passed these doors, you'll be learning from the best, and most experienced. If you think you can handle it, I welcome you to Hoenn's Coordinating Academy."
.X.
May jumps up to sit on her desk, crossing her legs. She scrutinized her first class. The thirteen year olds sat prim and proper, all with their notebooks open and ready for action. She refrained from saying anything, yet. A few kids shift nervously. Who wouldn't?
Behind her, instead of a chalk board is a glass case. Displayed in the case are every single ribbon May has won and three ribbon cups. All of her hard work is featured for all to see. Each classroom is like this, too. It's to show the student's winning the Grand Festival isn't impossible and this is what they can strive for. Or at least in Solidad's opinion.
"Have any of you ever been in a situation where the combinations you came up with are causing you to lose points?" she asks. A few nods. "How about running out of ideas before the clock has run out?" This gets everyone nodding.
May pulls a pokeball from her belt, "I've been in those before too. So that's why Soli—Headmistress Solidad said I should do this. Help kids come up with on the spot combinations and other unruly things."
A hand shoots up. May points to the boy. "Um… Advisor May, what does that mean exactly."
"It means I'm going to throw wave after wave of attacks at you. You and your Pokémon have to figure out a way to stop me," she says, grinning. "Who wants to go first?"
.X.
May sits down next to Drew, sipping her tea. He runs his fingers through his chartreuse hair, sparing her a glance. Currently, they're in the faculty dorm. Everyone stays on the school grounds during the few months the school is open before the students have a chance to go out and test their abilities by winning contents.
He frowns, stabbing a piece of broccoli with his fork, "Did you seriously use your Blaziken on a bunch of thirteen year olds until they cried?"
She chuckles timidly, "Um… No." Drew arches his eyebrow. "Okay, fine. I did. But Timothy did end up making this amazing combination so it all worked out."
"Right," he says sarcastically.
May sets her tea down, rather hard and sticks her tongue out at him, "Don't be such a jerk, grass stain. Kids love me."
"Who are you calling grass stain?" he retorts. "Don't be getting all high and mighty or I might just have to kick you down off your horse."
She steels herself, "Is that a challenge, Drew?" They're nose to nose.
He smirks, "It's not a challenge if I know I can win, May." The brunette narrows her eyes, licking her lips. The familiar tension between the two of them returned.
May jabs him with her finger. He takes her wrist, drawing her closer. The tension crackles. She can't wait to whoop his ass in a battle. Maybe then he'd show her some respect.
"And then I said to the man, oh you did not just compare my cookies to Mr. Mime's. Bring it on, bitch. He then proceeded to—Holy Mother of Arceus, did we interrupt something?" Harley exclaims.
As if just suddenly realising the compromising position she and Drew are in, jerks away, tumbling off the stool. Drew's face goes about fifty shades of red.
Solidad's grinning along with Harley, nudging him, "I knew it was only a matter of time."
"N—nothing happened!" May says, flushing. Her heart is pounding in her chest.
Harley places his hands on his hips, "The looks on both of your faces tells me different, hon. What a steamy affair!"
"Don't be ridiculous," Drew scoffs, "like I'd ever have an affair with her." His red face is less than convincing.
May glowers at him, "Oh well screw you too, grass stain. I'd rather be with a tree stump than you. At least it'd be fun to talk to." Harley and Solidad exchange awkward glances.
Drew flicks his hair and drops a rose on her lap, "Well when you figure out the tree stump won't please you in anyway, I'll be here waiting for you to admit your undying love for me." He walks away, presumably to his room. May holds the rose, stunned, before she leaps to her feet to stalk after him.
"Excuse me? I think you're in love with me!" she yells, running down the hallway.
Solidad represses a laugh. Harley rolls his eyes, "Arceus, those too are more see-through than glass…"
The pinkette nods in agreement. An idea strikes her. Maybe this could be her new project.
.X.
Excuses for the errors. I want to put this up and I'll edit it later. Anyways, I hope you liked chapter one of Pet Project and please don't hesitate to tell me what you think and if there's anything you think I need to fix. I'll take the criticism and apply it to the story. Thanks for reading!
~Emerald~