AN- This story with mostly focus on May, but I might occasionally do a chapter in the PoV of Dawn (and Misty like once).

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot. Pairings are as follows:

For May: Hoennshipping vs. Advanceshipping with small hints at other pairs.

For Dawn: Twinleafshipping (in this fic, the rival in Diamond/Pearl will be named Damion) vs. Belleshipping.

Enjoy the first chapter!

Edit: So, I was all set and ready to stamp "discontinued" on the summary, but then I actually went and read through what I've got, and… I remember how much I liked it originally. So, I'm continuing it, but not before making some serious changes to the chapters already here. It's been like a year (maybe two) since I worked on this, and I know I've improved some, so I'm upping the quality of previous chapters. For older fans of this fic, I highly suggest you reread, as there is likely added content.

Prologue: Before School

My parents once told me that to succeed in life, I needed brains, brawn, beauty, and the ability to distinguish right from wrong. Heh. That's perfect because I've got all four of, no wait, three of… no, that's still not right. Okay, okay. I have two of the four necessary qualities in making a good living for myself… sort of. I'm lacking in physical strength, and I'm not exactly what one would call smart. Don't get me wrong, I'm not dumb. I'm just not as smart as I could be, that's all. Well, at least I have the other two qualities. I know what's right and what's wrong… most of the time, anyway. When it really counts, I think I have that quality. I just tend to make mistakes on littler things, is all…

Smiling evilly down at my little brother, I snatch the game he's playing. He looks up at me and glares before trying to grab back his game. I hold it just out of his reach.

"Hey! Give it back, May!"

"No, I don't think I will. After all, I want to play…" I glance at the name of the game and raise an eyebrow. "…Pokémon, too! Let me play for a little, okay?" He tries reaching for the game one last time before giving up and pouting.

"…Whatever. Do what you want." I grin. Score! I win again! Yeah, I always do what's right… except when it comes to picking on my brother. I just can't resist. Content with the knowledge that I had gotten hold of the game, I snuggle into the car seat – which isn't actually very comfortable – and start to play. I frowned when, moments later, I got defeated by some stupid trainer on the game. Really, it was all the game's fault. I was stuck using some weird creature with horrible moves and a type disadvantage, while the other guy had this awesome one that totally kicked ass.

Glancing up, I see my mother roll her eyes at me through the mirror in the front seat. "May, give the game back to your brother."

I sigh. "Yes, mom." I toss the game onto Max's lap before turning and looking out the window.

I could see wildlife in the forest to the side of the road, and the trees were skipping by quickly as the car sped on. Its destination: Goldenrod University. It makes me smile just thinking of the place. Goldenrod University is a small college in Goldenrod City of the Johto region. It's where I, a nineteen year-old girl from Hoenn, am planning to go to college. I'm the only one from Petalburg who decided to go there, so I'm a little nervous, but totally excited, too. It's supposed to be this really great college, with a good reputation and great food, so I'm looking forward to it. Plus, it'll be the first time I've been off on my own, which is something I've always looked forward to. I'm hoping to explore more of the Johto region while I'm here, actually. I love traveling. It's actually my dream to travel all over the world and see amazing things.

Oh, I can't wait to see what awaits me. All the different customs and cultures, plus all the cool clothes and food! I know that I'm probably grinning like an idiot, but can't bring myself to care.

"Hey, are you alive in there? Hello, it's time to come back down to earth, May." Max smirks at me. "After all, you can't live on planet weirdo forever…"

I cringe slightly before turning and glaring at my idiot of a brother, resisting the temptation to smack him. Yeah, it should be obvious by now, but I don't really get along very well with him, and I'm almost sure he returns the resentment. Still, I do love my brother, and the rest of my family, I just have an odd way of showing it. Sighing, I ignore him in favor of something else.

"Dad, how close are we?"

He smiles at me from behind the wheel. "Well sweetie, we're almost past Ilex Forest, so we'll be in Goldenrod in about ten minutes. Are you excited?"

I beam at him, though I'm inwardly cringing. I really need to find a delicate way to tell him that he can never call me that again, especially in public. "Oh, definitely! I can't wait to check out my dorm and meet my roommates! Oh, and I've heard the campus is supposed to be pretty impressive, too! Not to mention, the mall in Goldenrod is like one of the best! I can't wait to go shopping there…"

I see him wince and realize what he's thinking instantly: Oh, yes, I'm happy to know she'll be happy, but does she have to shop so much? She's burning a hole in my pocket! I blow on a piece of my hair – it's kind of a bad habit for me – before sighing again.

"Why are you worried about money? Dad, you've got a really good, high-paying, job that you love, so what's there to worry about?"

My dad's into politics. He's actually the mayor of Petalburg City. Not much happens there, so he also has a side job. He's a professor over at the college in Rustboro City. Rustboro University is actually a school that specializes in politics, so a lot of people with dreams of being high-ranking officials of the region go there. It was his job there that actually made me my first friend. Her name's Roxanne and she's the daughter of the mayor of Rustboro. I've been friends with her since we met as kids when her dad hired mine at the university. That was nine years ago, and now Roxanne is studying to become the next mayor of Rustboro. When she graduates this year, she plans to go to the Rustboro University. I can't even imagine how weird it'll be, my dad teaching my best friend.

My dad sighs. "It's not that we have a shortage on money, it's just that I don't like the fact that you waste so much of it on useless things such as makeup and clothes."

My mother frowns and begins a counterattack immediately. "Norman dear, those things you mentioned aren't useless at all. Maybe they seem that way to you, but girls are different, and require things such as expensive makeup and pretty clothes. It helps them feel good, and it makes them feel beautiful. Right, May?"

I squeak out a yes, not really wanting to be drawn into the debate sure to follow.

Dad refutes, "Caroline, I think that you're wrong. Our May is beautiful as she is, and doesn't require nice clothes to be that way. Besides, who needs make-up when you've got a pretty face like hers? It's beautiful, and all-natural!"

Mom jumps to point out the flaws in his argument. "Dear, she's got nice clothes on now. And she is wearing make-up."

Dad blanches, shocked, before whipping around to get a close look at me. "What? Is she really? I can't tell at all…"

Mom smiles, and I roll my eyes, knowing that she's inwardly celebrating at having won that little dispute. "That's because when you put on makeup well enough, you can't even tell it's on. Experts like May and I can make ourselves prettier, while still looking natural."

I hold back a few giggles as Dad grumbles before turning his eyes back to the road. I could hear Max snickering beside me. I light up as I see the city come into view. Just a few more minutes, and I'll be there!

I believe I stated earlier that I have two of the four necessary qualities to make a good living for myself. Stepping out onto the campus of Goldenrod University, I smile as I see a few boys already looking my way. With pretty brunette colored hair that frames my face, deep blue eyes, and a curvy figure, I know I'm beautiful.

…Okay, so maybe 'beautiful' isn't quite the correct term for me. To be truly beautiful, you've gotta have grace and elegance, of which I'm unfortunate enough to lack both. I'm kind of a klutz – by which I mean that I will invariably fall down every flight of stairs I deign to get on, and will also randomly trip over my own feet. I suppose 'really cute' is a better way of categorizing my looks. Either way, I know I look good, and that's what matters. I hear the car doors slam behind me, indicating that the rest of my family has gotten out of the car as well.

Max comes up beside me. "We're finally here! It sure feels like it took forever, though."

I smile down at him and muss his hair. "That's 'cause it did."

My parents come up behind me and Dad puts a hand on my shoulder. "The place looks pretty good."

Mom smiles at how he says it in such a blasé fashion. "It looks better than good. If ever there was a place fitting for our May, it's here!"

I immediately fight down a blush, embarrassed by their words. "Uh… right. So, I'm gonna go check out my room, okay? You guys can just… go check out the rest of the campus. We'll meet back here later."

My parents – okay, my dad –frowned, worried. "Are you sure you want to go alone? Can you handle your bag? It's pretty heavy…"

Okay, now they're just being ridiculous. I've done some dumb things in the past, but I think I know well enough not to pack my bag to the point where I can't carry it. I mean, how stupid would that be?

"I'll be fine. Just go, okay? We'll meet back here in… about an hour. Then you guys can tell me goodbye and leave."

They nod in unison, and Mom in particular feels the need to give me a hug right now. "Okay. We'll see you later, sweetie!" I blush furiously at both the unexpected contact – and in front of so many people, too! – and the use of that horrid nickname again.

The first thing I notice is the grass. It's so green! Now, the Hoenn region is known for having healthy and beautiful nature everywhere you look, but I honestly didn't expect such a pretty sight here in Johto. And in a bustling city, no less! There are trees here and there, with most all of them shading other students.

Spotting something else, my eyes light up. Cool! A fountain! The fountain is probably about eight feet in diameter, and has two entangled fish spouting water from the center. If I squint hard enough, I can even see coins in it! I'm gonna have to remember to try out the "toss a penny over your shoulder and make a wish" thing later…

There were people everywhere. On the steps, under trees, near the dorms, and… a few feet away… staring right at me. I glance around nervously, uncomfortable at the sudden attention.

There are three people standing around in the entrance with me – I note with surprise that all three are boys. Only two of them are actually paying me any mind, though.

The first is a – cute! – boy with light brown hair that spikes up. His eyes are a sort of teal color that is actually very attractive, but the expression on his face turns me off. He's got that superior, "I am better than thou" thing going on. He's also glaring at me. For no reason. Maybe I should just leave him alone…

The second person I turned my attention to was, thankfully, not nearly so intimidating – but he wasn't nearly as good looking, either. He's got dark skin and even darker hair that is short and spiked. His eyes are pretty unusual in that he doesn't seem to have them. In their place are two slits. Where could he possibly be from to have such weird eyes?It's hard to tell, but I get the feeling that he is, erm… "admiring" me. I'm definitely gonna leave him alone!

Finally, boy number three is the one not staring at me. He's got purple hair that falls to about his chin, and has his arms crossed. Since he's not facing me, that's really all I can tell about him. But he does have this kind of scary aura about him… You know what? I think I'll just ignore all three of them.

This thought firmly in my head, I bend down and pick up my bag. TUG. Er… try to, anyway. I blink in shock at my bag and note that it hadn't budged an inch. Just great… Gritting my teeth, I put all my effort into it and try to lift the bag again.

TUG, TUG. PULL. With literally every ounce of my strength, the bag slowly lifts off the ground. I smile. Yes! Now… how am I gonna get this to my room? My strength, of course, chooses then and there to give out, sending my bag crashing back to the ground, me in tow.

"Whoa!" I get back up a moment later, rubbing my sore head and pouting.

Boy 1 is watching me in amusement, a smirk on his face. Jerk…

Boy 2 is instead looking at me with concern in his slits (how I saw the emotion in them is actually beyond me), clearly pondering over whether or not to come to my aid. I'm fine, thanks.

Lastly, Boy 3 is finally looking my way as well. The only expression in his eyes is that of indifference. He is the epitome of "I don't care". Uh…

I look between the three, as my mind comes to a sad resolution. Whether I like it or not, the only way this bag is getting anywhere is if one of these boys helps me out. The question is, which one should I ask? I really rather not talk to all three of them, but…

I pick what I hope to be the lesser of three evils – he's not – in Mr. I-don't-care. He scowls as I approach him. "What?"

I flinch slightly, but don't back down. "Uh, sorry to bother you, but I'm new here, and I kinda sorta… packed my bag to heavy for me to carry. Would you please help me carry it to my room?"

He forgoes indifference for jerkass-ness and glares. "No. Why should I help you out? You're just another pathetic new girl in the place. Get some other loser to help you." That said, he walks off.

I glare back, wishing I could give him a scathing reply, but settling for sticking my tongue out at him. Well, at least now I know what color his eyes are… They're black, like his heart!

Turning around, I see Guy 1 snickering at me, condescendence in his eyes. I stick my tongue out at him, too, but it only results in making his snickers increase. I cross my arms and pout. Isn't there anyone who can help me?

An answer from hell comes in the form of Guy 2. He clears his throat before walking up to me. I stare at him cautiously, not sure what to think. "Need some help?"

I blink in confusion, but then offer a small smile. "Uh, yeah, actually. Would you…?"

He grins. "Sure thing! I'd do anything to help a girl as cute as you! Say, are you interested in maybe getting a bite to eat together later? I could cook us a romantic meal…"

I recoil instantaneously. I knew it! "Um, sorry, but I'm not interested. You're not really my type."

He sighs. "Aw, well. It happens. You know, you're the fourth girl today to reject me."

I take pity on the poor guy and pat his shoulder."Well… don't worry! I'm sure there's a girl out there for you somewhere! You just haven't found her yet. It, uh, also doesn't help that you're so intense about it…"

He looks up at me from where he'd been staring at his feet, suddenly hopeful. "You think so?"

I give him an encouraging nod. "I know so. In fact, I'd be willing to help you out if you helped me." I resist the urge to clap my hands over my mouth, cursing myself for letting the words spill out.

"Huh?"

I sigh in exasperation, both at this guy's apparent idiocy, and at my own stupid mistake. Too late to turn back now. "I mean, where I'm from, I'm kinda known as a matchmaker, and I'd be totally willing to help you find a girlfriend if you'd just help me get this stuff to my room." Actually, I'd rather not help you, but I will because I said so. Why is it that I'm already making my new life revolve around others? College was supposed to be about me, darn it!

His answer is automatic: He grins at me maniacally before leaning back down and hefting my bag off the ground with ease. Whoa! He did that so easily! He grabs my arm with his free hand.

"Well what are we waiting for? Where's your dorm room? Let's go!"

I can't help but giggle at his enthusiasm before pulling out the campus map. Glancing between it and the dorms themselves, I grit my teeth. Uh… which way is my dorm again…? Hoping for the best, I take one final look at the confounding map before pointing.

"My dorm's that way!"

Boy 2, whose name I still don't know, looked over to the dorm I'd randomly pointed at and frowned. "Mason Dorm? Huh, that's odd… Not many new kids get sent there…" He brightened suddenly. "Actually, that's the dorm I'm in. That means we'll be spending a lot of time together! Isn't that great?"

I inwardly cringed. "Yeah…" Uh oh. Not only did I accidentally give him the wrong dorm, he thinks we're gonna be all buddy-buddy…

"Oh, I just realized. I haven't introduced myself, have I? The name's Brock. Nice to meet you…"

Despite my inner panic, I forced a smile. "May. May Maple. So, what, do you not have a last name?"

He chuckles. "Of course I've got a last name. Everyone does. I just happen to never use mine." He shifted the bag into a more comfortable position on his shoulder, but then some of my papers fell out. "Oh, sorry about that! Let me just pick those up for you…" He trailed off as he got a look at the papers. "Uh, May? According to these papers, you're supposed to be in the Heathrow Dorm."

I blushed and stole a quick look to the side.

As Brock and I had yet to move from where he'd walked up to me, Boy 1 was still there within earshot of the whole conversation. The moment Brock had spoken, he'd burst out laughing, obviously having figured out what Brock hadn't yet. I glare furiously at him, deciding instantly that a better name for him would be "The Brat".

Brock raised his eyebrows before finally realizing it himself. "You can't read the map, can you." He didn't even question it, just stated it flatly. I flinched, hearing The Brat's laughter increase.

"Well…"

"Why didn't you just tell me? It would've saved you from this embarrassment."

I huffed. "Well, I didn't want you or anybody else thinking I was dumb, 'cause I'm NOT!" I delivered the last line while glaring daggers at The Brat. "I'm just not very good at geography and reading maps, that's all…" I'm just not good at geography in general, actually. Put me in a new place – like here, for instance – and I'd be lost instantly! Not that anyone needs to know that…

Brock sighs, but I do catch an amused inflection to it. "It's okay, I don't mind. Now…" He turns in the complete opposite direction, and I do a 180 to stay with him. "Your dorm is that way."

"…" Thank god there's no mirror around. I probably look like a tomato from all this humiliation! Man, not only was I off, I wasn't even close!

We start walking away, but both end up turning back a moment later upon hearing shouts. A black haired boy with a baseball cap on is running up to The Brat and just generally making a ruckus.

"GARY! I didn't know you were coming here! What a shock!"

The Brat – or Gary, as he's apparently called – smirked."I'm not surprised, Ashy-boy. You don't know very much, so anything new must come as a shock. Not to mention, you're late, like always."

I have to raise an eyebrow at the name. Uh… Ashy-boy? What's up with that?

The black haired guy – I'm just guessing his name is Ash, based off of The Brat's, whose name I refuse to use, nickname – scowls. "Aw, what do you know, anyway?"

At this point, Brock cuts in, so I can no longer hear the two argue. "Heh. Those two. Always fighting. They sure haven't changed."

I whip around and stare at him, mouth agape. "Wait! You know them?"

He stares down at me, acting as if it were no big deal. "Yeah. I've been friends with Ash for years. He and Gary have been rivals since before even that. It's funny, really. Wherever one goes, the other appears."

I frowned, processing the information. "Hmm."

The rest of the trip to my dorm was spent in silence, with the occasional angry scream from Ash a little ways away being heard.

Standing next to me right outside my new room, Brock frowned. I did, too, if for no other reason than that I wanted to know what was up with him.

"Room 42. I feel sorry for you, May. You have to put up with them."

At his words, felt a chill go down my spine. "Who's 'them', Brock? They can't be too terrible, right?"

His only response was to shake his head. The people inside the room were becoming more and more ominous by the second. "They're two troublemakers. They're best friends who go and do everything together. They're supposedly crazy. I've actually only heard about them, myself, never met them in person. Still, everything I've heard was pretty bad. The only good thing about them is the fact that they're…" He trailed off as the door opened to reveal two girls about my age, both staring curiously at us. Brock went starry-eyed. "…Cute!"

I catch on to what he's about to do immediately. Before he has the chance to be overly romantic and gushy with my new roommates, I latch onto his arm and yank him backwards. Oh, no you don't! You are not ruining my meeting with them just because you flirt with any girl that moves! Besides, you'd fail anyway… probably.

"…And so not right for you! Trust me, Brock. I can tell that, just by looking at them, they're not right for you. Neither one of them is your match, so you can just go on back to your dorm, okay? I think I can handle my bag from here."

He pouts. "…Are you sure?"

Sadly, I recognize that he's inquiring about the former statement, not the latter. What a one-track mind… "Yes, I'm sure. About all of it. You can go now, Brock. I'll, uh… meet you tomorrow and we can start our search for your perfect girl, 'kay?"

He nods before giving one last longing look in the girl's direction and leaving. Sighing, I turn back to get a better look at my soon-to-be roommates.

The first of the two has… pink… hair that frames her face and spikes out to the side at the end. Her eyes appear to be a caramel(ish) color and she has very fair skin. She appears to be just a bit taller than me, and she's frowning slightly, pink lips curled in a pout-like way.

The second girl seemed much more accepting of me being here. Her hair was a slightly orange tinted blonde, and she also has caramel colored eyes. Her skin is even paler than her friend's, and she was just a bit shorter, too. She was smiling warmly at me with her ruby-red lips, but I could tell she was curious.

The pink haired one cleared her throat before smiling and sticking out a hand. "Hi! I don't know who you are or why you're here, but I'm Whitney! This here is my friend Mary! What do you want?"

Mary looked – rightly – appalled at Whitney's words. "Don't be so rude! I'm sure she's got a reason for being here…" She suddenly brightened, as if struck by an idea. "Oh! You're our new roommate, correct?"

I smile nervously. Brock was right, they're a bit… unusual. "Uh, yeah. I'm May Maple." I glanced between the two girls, both of which had offered me a hand to shake, before smiling. I proceeded to give one arm to each of them and shook hands. "It's nice to meet you."

The two smiled back. Mary continued on, "Right! So, is that your bag over there? It looks pretty big…"

"It is. I accidentally packed it a little too much… Could you guys help me out?"

The girls smiled at each other before carefully lifting my bag, one on each side. They lead me to a small room with a bunk bed.

"Which one do you want?"

"Um… top."

Whitney grins, although she seems a bit too eager, if you ask me. "Top it is! Mary, on the count of three, you know what to do. I'll start. One!"

The two started swinging their arms and the bag. Mary smiled nervously at me, which made me worry just a bit. "Two."

The two girls – okay, mostly Whitney – grinned like maniacs, which made me worry just a lot. "Three! Heave, ho!"

In swift unison, they tossed my bag onto the top bunk, where it landed with a thud. I flinched as I was almost sure I heard something crack or break in the bag.

Whitney smiled before grabbing my arm and dragging me out to the main room to sit on the couch, Mary following behind. "You can unpack later. Let's get to know each other now!"

I glanced nervously between the two of them. On my left, Mary looked unhappy at her friend's attitude and way of doing things, but had seemingly given up on trying to fix it. To my right, Whitney was grinning cheerily at me, oblivious to how much her intensity was kinda scaring me. Again, I thought that maybe Brock had been right. Whitney at least fit the description. She just seemed to be a troublemaker and was a bit of a loon, that's for sure. Mary just went along with whatever she did, apparently.

The two looked at my expression and frowned. "We know what you're thinking. I bet you've heard the rumors about us, right? Well, don't believe them, 'cause they're wrong!"

Mary looked sympathetically at her friend. "Whitney's right, May. Those rumors are cold and cruel to us, but they're untrue most of all. We're not crazy, and we certainly don't go looking for trouble."

Whitney brightened. "Right! We go looking for adventure and fun!"

Mary rolled her eyes. "Or rather, she does, and I go along. I get the feeling her aggressive and passionate nature was sort of scaring you, but that's just how she is. Please, May. Give us a chance as roommates, okay?"

Looking between the two, I caved. I'm still not sure what to think, but… I want to give this a try. "Okay. I'm not sure if it's permanent or not, but at least for now, I'll stay."

Whitney gave me quite a shock when, moments later, she threw her arms around me in a tight hug, all with Mary looking on and smiling softly. "Great! Welcome, roomie!"

I frowned a minute later and bit my lip in confusion as a realization struck me. "So, wait. You two were here last year, too, right? How come you don't already have roommates?"

My question caused a rather odd reaction from the two of them. Whitney blushed furiously, and Mary just sighed. "Well you see, May. It was all Whitney's fault, really. Last year, back when we had roommates, she got this brilliant idea to have an all-night party with just the four of us. It started out okay, but then started escalating out of control until…"

It was at this point that I inadvertently started to zone out. I could sort of guess what had happened, anyway. It really did seem that trouble followed the two. They don't go looking for trouble, it goes looking for them! I started to glance around the room, observing it.

The living room was probably only about the size of my bedroom back home. It was pretty small for a living room, but still far bigger than the two bedrooms. Speaking of bedrooms, what's theirs like? I looked to their room, only to see a door blocking my view. Talk about the unreveal. Sighing, I turned back to my examination.

There was a couch in the center, the one all three of us were sitting on, and two recliners off in different corners. A slim black wide-screen TV sat about six feet in front of the couch positioned just-so in a way that let people from the chairs or the sofa see what it was playing. I glanced once more at the door leading to their little bedroom. I honestly don't know why I kept looking at it. Something about their room bothered me, but I couldn't figure out what. The door was cracked open, but I couldn't see inside. I could swear I saw something walk by the door, but it was gone the moment I noticed it.

"…And that's the story! Pretty wild, huh?" I whipped back around to face Mary. She was giving me a pointed look, indicating that while she knew I hadn't been paying attention, I should play along.

Fighting back embarrassment, I manage to say, "Uh, yeah! Sounds that way to me…" Finally, the light I'd been waiting for clicked on. I looked between my room and theirs once more just to make sure. "Why do you guys have a door, but I don't?"

Mary colored slightly at the question. "Oh, that… Well, it's for privacy. You know, so she and I can have… best-friend time…" I stared at her, cynical. "It was Whitney's idea…"

Ah, no wonder… I giggled.

Whitney sighed before giving me a cold look. "Just so you know, we like our privacy a lot. No one is allowed into our room until they've knocked or spoken or something, and one of us has answered, alright? Keep that in mind, you can't go in their without our consent." Suddenly fearful, I nodded quickly. Whitney's smile returned immediately. "Good! As long as you remember that rule, we'll get along fine!"

I glanced back at my room, eager to change the subject. "So, who's gonna get the bottom bunk in my room?"

The two shrugged. "We don't know her name yet. She's supposedly from far away, and she won't be arriving until, like, the day school starts. I heard she's from Sinnoh."

"Sinnoh? Really? Cool! I can't wait to meet her…" The moment the words left me, a small noise distracted me. "What's that sound?"

Listening carefully, I pointed. "It's coming from over there!" We all looked to see… the door to their bedroom. The two girls looked at each other, frantic, before racing over and putting themselves in front of the door.

"What sound? There is no sound! You need to get your hearing checked…"

"Myah."

I perked up. "That sounded like a kitty!"

The two girls rushed to shut the door, but it was too late. The creature on the other side had pawed the door open enough to the point where it had managed to squeeze through. The creature leaped out in front of me, staring like only a cute little animal could. I was down on my knees beside it in a second. "It's so CUTE! Aw, aren't you just the sweetest little thing? Yes you are, oh yes you are!"

One day, I was sure to look back on this day in total humiliation. As anyone could see, I have a total weakness for kittens. I pet it gently, intrigued by its oddly colored fur.

It was easily the most unique cat I'd ever seen, with a body of orange(ish) yellow colored fur from the stomach down, plus on its face. Still, what intrigued me more was the fur above the stomach. It was a purplish pink color, which I'd never seen on another animal before. Not to mention, its tail had what almost looked like three little mini tails sprouting from it. The kitten purred and rubbed against my leg gently.

"Well, I guess we've been caught." I looked up to see the two girls hovering over me, both slightly fearful. "This is our kitten, Skitty. She's a really rare breed from far away, and it cost a lot of money to buy her. So when we did, we couldn't bear to leave her! We took her along with us. It's… kinda against the rules to have pets. You won't tell anyone, right?"

I shook my head and smiled, vaguely aware that within an hour of meeting them, my roommates already had me breaking rules, but couldn't bring myself to care. "Of course I won't tell anyone! I love cats, too. So do guys like share the kitten then?"

Whitney grinned. "Well, she actually belongs to Mary. Skitty was my birthday gift to her, and she brought her with her to college."

I nodded, and again something clicked. "I get it now! That's why your privacy is so important, right? So you can keep Skitty a secret?"

Mary reddened slightly before nodding. "Um… yeah. Let's go with that."

Whitney smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "But even now that you know, we'd appreciate it if you'd still follow that rule, 'kay?"

"A-alright…" I don't get it, but whatever…

The girls smiled, and Mary's color returned to normal. "Wow, time's just been flying! You've been here for about forty minutes already."

I paled. "Forty minutes?" Let's see, that plus all the time I spent getting here equals… "Oh, no! I'm totally late! Sorry to rush out like this guys, but my family's expecting me! Later!" I waved before rushing past them, already knowing how my family would react to me being late. Reaching the elevator, I pressed the down button swiftly. When waiting for a good ten seconds yielded no change, I gave up and began to race down the nearby stairwell.

No one else was around, so, to relieve some steam, I shouted, "Oh, just great! I'm so late! Dad and Max are so gonna chew me out for this! Mom's going to be disappointed 'cause after all this time, I still can't show up on time to anything, and – just – ooh! I'm late, I'm late, I am so LATE!"

When I reached the last floor, still sprinting, despite the circumstances, I couldn't help but celebrate. Only like three steps left! I'll make it down an entire set of stairs without tripping for once!

Of course, irony, being the cruel bitch it is, chose that moment to strike me, as my foot missed the intended step and instead landed precariously on the one below it, throwing me off balance.

To make matters worse, I couldn't have just fell on my butt, no, there had to be a person there who I landed on. I sent us both tumbling to the floor, him hitting the ground hard, and me landing on him with an, "Oomph!"

As he groaned in pain beneath me, I hurried to disentangle myself. As bad of me as it was, I had to leave him there and get going. I'm late enough as it is! "I'm sorry!" I called behind me. "I would help you up, but I'm really, really LATE!"

Just before the door slammed shut behind me, I heard him shout, "Yeah, I know! I heard you screaming from way down here! Watch where you're going from now on, you klutz!" Even in my panic, I couldn't help but blush in mortification at his words as I rushed out of the dorm and towards the gates. Stupid! I can't believe I was dumb enough to shout like that… I should've known someone would hear me… Still, did he have to be so rude?

Of course, admittedly, it was all my fault, and we both knew it. But that still doesn't give him an excuse to act that way. Hmph! He's probably one of those preppy guys who thinks that he's all that. I mean, who dyes his hair white?

I sighed and finally slowed down as I saw my family waiting impatiently for me by the gates. Once they noticed me, they began to walk over.

Max frowned. "Geez, May! You're fifteen minutes late! I knew you were slow, but this…"

I scowled before swatting my brother. "Oh, shut up! I was busy. Mom, Dad, sorry I'm late. I was actually getting to know my roommates, and we sorta lost track of time…"

My parents sighed before my mother smiled. "It's okay, May. We understand. And we're happy to know you're already making friends. And besides, you wouldn't be you if you weren't late!"

Dad put a hand on my shoulder, like he always seems to do. "Still, I don't like the idea of leaving our little girl here by herself. May, are you sure you don't want to go to college somewhere closer to home?"

I roll my eyes. Is he seriously still trying to get me to Rustboro University? I guess I really do get my stubborn streak from him… "Yes, Dad. I'm sure. I'll be fine here. Besides, I'm not alone, I've got friends. What I'm more worried about is you guys. However will you live without me?"

The mood was just so serious, that I couldn't help but to try lighten it up. I hate serious moments.

Max smirked at me. "Much better, that's how."

Of course, our parents looked scandalized at his words. But I smiled. I know that really, he wants to keep things light-hearted, too. He hates serious moments even more than I do.

Just for a moment, I give in to emotion and bend down and hug him. "Aw, I love you too, Max."

He stiffened awkwardly, clearly having not expected that, but then hesitantly returned the hug. "…I'll miss you…" He whispered. I smiled gently before giving him a kiss on the forehead.

Sometimes, I love being his sister. "I'll miss you too, Max. After all…"

I stood up and mussed his hair again, to which he squawked, "Hey!"

"…Who else will I have to tease now?"

He glared and stuck out his tongue. I returned the action. "…You're not nice, May." Sometimes, I love being his sister. …Other times, I wish I was an only child. Luckily, this was a former moment, not a latter.

My parents both took turns hugging me. The four of us stood at the gate, them not really wanting to leave me, and me not sure of what to do.

Finally, my father cleared his throat. "Well, it's high time we got going. We'll all miss you tremendously May, but if this is what you really want…"

"And it is." I had to cut in.

"…Then we'll let you be. I wish you good luck, sweetie. Come home every chance you get, okay?"

I nodded. "I will."

Mom went all teary-eyed before throwing her arms around me one last time. "Oh, my baby's grown up! We love you, darling! Remember to take care of yourself and have fun, okay?"

I nodded once more, trying not to break out into tears myself. "Okay, Mom. Goodbye."

As the slowly piled back into the car, and then drove away… I watched it all. I stood there watching until I couldn't see them anymore.

I wiped the lone tear that had managed to escape and headed off towards my dorm. Sure I would miss my family terribly, but this is the start of my journey. A whole new world awaits me!

I reached my room ten minutes later and stopped to tell my roommates I was back before going into my new – soon to be shared – bedroom. As I began unpacking my bags, only one thought crossed my mind:

School starts in one week.

AN-Whitney and Mary are based off of the manga, in which Whitney is a tad out there, and she and Mary are best friends. I tried to imply that the two are actually more than friends without outright stating it, here, too. That way, those that don't like it can ignore it if they want to. And I know that Brendan doesn't have white hair, but May only glimpsed him, remember… Reviews are appreciated!