Grumbling as she tumbled out of the airport, she leaned on her carry-on suitcase for a short quick breather, "Out of all the places, Kalos…" She mumbled to herself, "this school better be worth the twelve-hour flight."
May Maple had been accepted into this new academy as well. She wasn't as ecstatic as Leaf was nor as reluctant as Dawn, she could be considered a happy medium. May applied thinking it was going to be a long shot in getting accepted, but she was proven wrong when the mail came and it was a one-way ticket to the academy two regions away. Completely shocked, the brunette tried to consider all her options. Stay; please her family side of her life, to continue on living with loved ones and knowing everything that is going on, having everyone know her and her future mapped out with days that just repeat, a simple life. Or leave; meet new friends! Maybe even rekindle with past flames, go on adventures, try things her parents would have flipped out for.
And if she was going to be completely honest, she made the decision with the flip of a coin.
Obviously, she was going to miss her family, but she knew for a fact, that there was no way Drew Hayden could follow her all the way here.
"Um, Ms. Maple,"
May's thoughts were cut short when she herds the voice next to her, "Yes Bill?"
"How much longer do I have to hold onto your stuff?" He questioned but he quickly added on, "Not to be rude or anything," That was when she realized he was struggling to balance boxes on top of her suitcases along with her pillow.
Feeling guilty she reassured him, "Okay, um, give me one second! You don't have to keep holding on to those, put them off to the side," She helped him balance them on the ground, "Let me catch a cab, but please don't drop any of them!"
Bill was sent with May in request of her father. He could be considered as help, but he was more of an escort since May had a tendency to get lost along with being occasionally helpless when she thinks she can handle everything.
Shoving all of her luggage successfully in the cab —with the help of Bill and the cab driver— they headed off to May's new adventure.
"Whatcha looking at loser?" Barry slung his arm around Dawn's shoulder as he stared out the window trying to spot what his friend was staring at. Dawn only shook her head, dismissing her previous thought. 'I thought I saw May…'
"Alright I think I have everything guys!" A guy with a beret walked up to them dragging two carts full of luggage, most containing Dawn's items.
"Thanks Lucas!" Dawn smiled along with Barry. Lucas used to be their neighbor when they were little until he moved over to Sunnyshore. They rekindled at the layover stop in Sunnyshore and they've been catching up ever since.
Dawn continued to look around. Everything was so new, so high-tech and just so different. There were no familiar faces, everything was out of her control and she didn't really like that feeling. That was until she heard her name being called by two people who sound oh so familiar.
Turning around her eyes brightened, "Leaf! Ash!" dropping all of her belongings she ran straight for them. Her friends her mom has told her countless of times that she should let them go because of the long distance. Her friends who she would spend hours on the phone with at a time just to hear stories that go on in Kanto that would most likely never happen in Sinnoh.
Dawn squeezed Leaf, she hasn't seen her in two years since Leaf visited Sinnoh for one of Professor Oak's summer camps. "Oh my God how have you been? Why are you here?"
"I've been doing good!" Leaf pulled away giving a quick glance to Ash, "We're here for school actually, how about—"
"Oakwood Academy?" Dawn gasped holding on Leaf's hand in excitement.
Leaf gave Ash a quick side-eyed glance, "Yeah... how did you—"
"I'm here for the academy too!"
"No way!" Leaf almost screamed, but she restrained herself as she hugged Dawn again.
Back in camp the two plus May were the best of friends. They would always somehow end up in the same cabin each year so there was no doubt about them becoming close.
Pulling away from her, she turned to Ash who gave her a genuine smile. Dawn hates admitting to herself that she had a huge crush on him. She was too scared to tell Leaf about it since she knew Leaf couldn't hide anything from Ash of all people. Since its been years since they've last seen each other, she convinced herself that it was a silly middle school summer crush. But here they are, about four years later, starting their third year of high school in a new place and she's still getting that feeling in her chest. The intense heart beating, being unable to steady her hands or knees when he's around her. her breath always shaking. It was only around him and she hated that.
"Well I am just shocked," Ash shook his head in disappointment catching Dawn off guard, "Your best guy friend doesn't even get one hug? Tragic!" He laid his hand over his heart, feigning sadness.
She gave a small laugh at Ash's over-dramatic gesture, but gave him one just to make him feel better… and herself.
Leaf watched her two closest friends hug and have a conversation, she couldn't help but smile at the sight. She didn't know about anyone else, but she could see definite chemistry between the two of them, ever since the first year of camp when May had accidentally tripped and her food went all over Dawn's head and Ash stayed with her to help clean up. It was obvious that Dawn was extremely touched and it was evident that Ash cared about her even though they've only known for a week.
"Still like her?" Leaf heard from behind her. She raised an eyebrow at nobody in particular; brushing the strands of hair away from her ear she continued to listen on.
"I thought I to over her, but running into her here? This has got to mean something Barry," Lucas whispered —not that quietly if Leaf might say— to the blond.
"Well looks like you've got some competition buddy," Barry chuckled, "from what I've heard, Ash is 'the sweetest guy but also the most oblivious guy to ever walk the earth'. Can you beat that?"
"I don't think he's competition man, if anything he's just a roadblock that I can easily get around," Lucas said confidently.
Leaf's jaw dropped from hearing this. She hasn't even properly met the guy and she's already thinking about punching him where it hurts. Turning on her heal, she casually walked up to the two guys who were having their "private" conversation.
"Hi, I don't think we've properly met," She gave a friendly greeting, "I'm Leaf Green —yeah, yeah, I know, leaves are green— anyways, I know your name is Barry, Dawn has told me so much about you!" Then she turned to look at Lucas. Her smile faltered a bit as she looked him up and down trying to give him a disapproving vibe; it worked. "But I don't know you… I don't think Dawn has mentioned you at all?"
That definitely struck a chord. His jaw slacked and gave an uneasy glance towards Dawn who was still occupied with Ash. Barry covered him mouth, trying really hard to contain his laugh.
"I'm Lucas, I'm one of Dawn's good friends since childhood," He answered a bit bitterly.
"Obviously not good enough since I've never heard of you…" She trailed off looking away from him.
Barry couldn't hold it in anymore, his face was turning red from restraint. Moving his hand away from his mouth, he began cracking up. Lucas turned to him giving his friend a disapproving look but it wasn't good enough for him to stop laughing. Giving up on trying to get Barry to stop laughing, he turned back to face Leaf who was examining her nails as if she wasn't the cause of Barry's current state.
"Do you have a problem with me or something? 'Cause I don't even know you?" He looked down at her and squinted.
"Yeah, I got a problem," She said without batting an eyelash. This caught him off guard since he wasn't expecting her to be so upfront. "Your little childhood crush isn't going to convince Dawn that you're the better choice, so how dare you think that you are entitled to be her boyfriend when clearly you haven't been around lately. Also, my best friend is not the road block in this situation, it appears that you and your stupid little hat are going to be."
Lucas took a step back, a little overwhelmed at what just happened. A girl he just met had just called him out, stepped on his hopes and offended his style in less than thirty seconds. He was impressed but mostly terrified.
In an attempt to keep his pride in check her retorted, "What are you gonna do about it? You're just a girl. A short, little brunette who's probably all talk. So, run along and curl your eyelashes."
"Dude!" Barry stopped laughing and gave him a disapproving look. If there was anything Barry disapproved of was looking down on women.
Leaf clenched her jaw, her eye twitched in anger, "You think I'm all talk?" She took a step towards him, his smile slowly fading.
"You're so right." she stepped forward causing him to step back, "It's not like I was raised by a single dad and two older brothers. It's not like my dad is a kick boxing instructor and has been training me since I was nine. It's not like the two closest people to me are guys and both of them —one more than the other— are scared of me."
She took another step forward while he stepped back again. He looked passed her, giving Barry a wide-eyed look. From his reaction, Barry probably told him he was on his own. Then Leaf stomped her foot forward, as if she was about to swing at him, causing him to flinch so hard that he stumbled back onto the luggage behind him and bringing them down with him.
"Try me one more time and I swear it won't be a fake out next time," Leaf threatened.
"Oh my God Lucas!" Dawn and Ash ran over to him, helping him up, "What happened?"
"I don't know, he was just trying to look inside one of those boxes and when I asked what he was doing he got all jumpy and lost his balance," Leaf lied.
"Lucas! Why were you looking through my stuff?" Dawn gave him an astounded look while Ash looked on, confused.
"I- No! I- She—" Lucas pointed to Leaf who was texting away on her phone. Kanto girls are a lot different than Sinnoh girls.
Dawn rolled her eyes as she began to put back all the boxes back onto the cart with the help of Ash and Barry. Lucas glared at Leaf, who in return gave an innocent smile and repeated on of her favorite quotes, "Don't mess with a Green."