AN: Welp, thanks you guys! I am happy with all the feedback! Also, I know a lot of people want pairings (as I can see from all the reviews asking for them haha). I heard all of you loud and clear, and I plan to take all your suggestions into consideration! Like I said in the summary, it will have multiple pairings (a lot of them might seem subtle at first), so I plan to find a way to weave all of your suggestions together. What I'm thinking is hard to explain, but just know I heard all of you and hope to do something with everyone's suggestions! But like I said, I want this to be humor and friendship and sports first, so when I do add different pairings, like I said, it'll be subtle (sometimes not so much). Also, I will say if there is an end game pairing, it's narrowed down between Pearl, Advance, Contest, or Amour. However, I am going to add a lot of funny pairings stuff in between that's not with these, just to be warned. I don't know if any of this makes sense to be honest haha. But anyways, I hope you guys enjoy!

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Count: 3048

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Chapter 3:
Board

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May was extremely bored.

Like, really bored.

She frowned.

"What am I supposed to do while Ash is at practice? Just wait at school doing nothing?" May wondered as she lay splayed on the grass. May turned to her side to eye Dawn curiously.

"Dawn, can you stay with me afterschool until Ash gets there for our practice?" May asked. Dawn frowned, shaking her head no.

"Sorry, I can't. Actually, I guess now is as good a time as any to give you the news: I made the cheerleading team!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Congratulations! I knew you could do it!" May congratulated, hugging Dawn.

"So that means I won't be able to stay with you. I actually start cheerleading practice tomorrow!" May nodded.

"That means we can hang out for today, right?"

"Well, I actually have to go to the nurse's office for a check up to make sure I'm good to go for cheerleading," Dawn explained. May sighed.

"Well, that's good that you made the team and you're getting everything sorted out! But that's a bummer you won't be able to hang out with me. What am I supposed to do till then?" May asked, a bit dejected.

"I mean… you could practice yourself. Or find a different afterschool activity," Dawn suggested, shrugging. May's face brightened at the idea.

"That's a great idea! Quest to find another afterschool activity begins… now!" She announced, getting up and running back to the school.

"May… wait up!" Dawn called, wondering why she decided to run now of all times.

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Art Club

May sulked, looking at her canvas that was rather bland. All she decided to paint was a stick figure woman a mediocre sun, and a single green line she called grass.

A painter, May was not.

"Out of all the clubs I find, why one that I know I'm not good at?" May asked herself. Countless projects and bad elementary (and middle school) drawings said enough about her skills in the arts.

One thing was for certain, she was not going to be a starving artist.

Probably just starving.

But May wasn't thinking about that right now.

She yelped a bit when she felt someone place their hand on her shoulder. She turned to see a boy with a gentle smile on his face.

"Sorry if I scared you. I couldn't help but overhear, but there are other things besides sketching, you know," a boy she was not familiar with said. "There are different kinds of art: sculpting, painting, 'modern art'… maybe you might want to try that?"

"Well, I'm not too good at any. Believe me, I tried them all," May politely explained. "But thanks."

"If anything, we have art lessons every Monday if you would like to stop by for that. It will be a lot of fun and you really learn a lot. You will be good in no time! Anyone can learn. Oh, and I'm Tracey by the way," Tracey added, taking his hand out to shake hers. May smiled, taking his hand.

"I'll see if I can, thanks, Tracey! I'm May!" May greeted back. She continued to smile until Tracey walked back to his seat.

May grinned as she snuck out of the art room.

Yeah, maybe she'll come back on Monday.

Or maybe not.

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Tai Kwan Do

"What was I thinking!? Forget this, I'm out of here!"

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Culinary club

"Hey, this isn't so bad, this will be fun to try. I love cooking too!" May exclaimed, forgetting the fact that the last time she helped out in the kitchen, she nearly burned the kitchen down. Someone tapped her shoulder and she jumped a bit. May's eyebrow twitched, wondering what it was with people sneaking up on her all of a sudden.

"Hi, I'm new to this club too. I'm Serena!"

"I'm May, nice to meet you!"

"Likewise. So what are you thinking of making?" Serena wondered. May shrugged.

"No idea, to be honest. I'm really new to this. Well, I mean I help my mom around the house, but other than that, I haven't cooked much." Serena nodded. May didn't noticed someone was behind her.

"I couldn't help but overhear," someone interjected. "But you should start off easy with a cake or cookies. Those are always fun."

"That's a good idea, Brock," Serena said.

"Nice to see you here, Serena. And what's your name?" Brock asked, turning to May. May smiled.

"I'm May. Thanks for the suggestion," May said.

"Well, if you need any help, I'll be over there, I need to finish up the goodies I've been baking. I'll be back though," Brock said before heading back to his side.

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May looked around, watching everyone know what they were doing. She frowned.

"Oh man, I wish I knew what to do," May said.

"Hey, don't worry if you're not the best right now. We all have to start somewhere." Serena grabbed an index card. "Why don't you try baking cookies? Here's the recipe!" Serena said. May smiled gratefully.

"Thank you so much!" As May started adding the ingredients into a bowl, she looked over to Serena stirring something up. She was amazed by the way she was able to cook so well.

"You're so good at this! Are you sure you're new here?" May questioned her suspiciously.

"Well, I've been cooking before. I would have come here sooner if I wasn't racing all the time," Serena began.

"You're on the track team?"

"Yup! But- between you and me, I hate it! So… a friend, talked me into ditching track," Serena explained. May smiled, and then thought of her own running regimen. She sulked.

I wish there was a way to get out of running too, she couldn't help but think. She shook that thought away, realizing that was no way to keep thinking. She had to remember her goals: crush Drew.

"Would anyone like some of these pastries I made?" a boy named Brock asked. He made his way towards May, offering some.

Her mind wandered to the pastries in front of her, completely forgetting her previous train of thought.

"But in the meantime, don't mind if I do!" May exclaimed, plucking a treat Brock offered from the platter.

"I see you like my desserts," Brock said, smiling.

"You bet I do! They're delicious!" May exclaimed.

"Why thank you! You can have more if you like," Brock offered. May's eyes light up, feeling as though she was in heaven.

May smiled, "I think I'm going to love this one!" And so, May continued to look at the recipe and try her best to make the most delicious cookies she can!

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"Oh no," May whispered to herself, panicked. She had a ringing in her ear, and that was from the sound of the school alarm.

"Okay, okay, everyone stay calm, let's evacuate calmly!" Brock shouted in hopes they could hear him over the alarm. Everyone rushed out the kitchen, afraid. Brock quickly grabbed the fire extinguisher and used it to stop the flames. He sighed, thankful that the only thing that took the brunt of the flames was the oven.

"Woops," May thought, biting her bottom lip as she thought back to what happened in the kitchen. She was glad everyone was safe.

She didn't think she'd burn the kitchen down… again.

"Uhm, sorry you guys. I thought I set it for 30 minutes," she said to the culinary club. She frowned. "I was being careless." And May loved the delicious treats everyone shared, too. However, the students apart of the culinary club must have been incredibly accepting and understanding, for they simply smiled and laughed.

"Don't worry, it should be fine. That oven is the oldest one anyways. We need to replace it," Brock said reassuringly.

"But… maybe this isn't for me after all," May thought, realizing the trouble she caused everyone here. And to think, she thought she was beginning to find her niche.

"I guess I'll try again tomorrow…"

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Today's practice made May fall to the ground by the end of it, her legs sore after another strenuous basketball drill. This time they were working on her agility.

"This is torture," May heaved, exhausted.

"Hey, you're doing really well! Don't give up, you got this!" Ash reassured and tried to cheer her up. He extended his hand for her to take.

"I wish. Why does it feel like I'm not getting any good?" May asked with concern.

"Maybe because it's barely been a week," Ash reasoned, laughing at her ridiculousness. May sighed.

"I guess. But do you think I'll be good in time for try-outs?" May asked. Ash grinned. "I barely even dribbled a basketball yet."

"Well, it's barely been a week. It's only the third day! Plus, you don't finish your warm ups in time. Don't worry, you will be great I'm sure! I noticed that the practices we've had really improved your stamina! You just can't give up, May!" Ash said inspiringly.

"Thanks, Ash." May sighed, grabbing her backpack and walking home.

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That night, May was rather quiet at dinner. Her parents looked at each other with concern. Usually, May was the most talkative. Tonight, she seemed way too quiet. Her appetite was not as big as usual, either. She only picked at her food.

"Is something wrong, Honey?" her dad asked.

"Yeah, you seem more quiet than usual," Caroline added.

"Also, you are coming home later and later from school," Max continued. May sheepishly laughed.

"It's nothing, it's nothing!" May reassured. "It's just, I'm thinking of joining the basketball team is all," May said nervously.

"You…. Playing a sport?" Max asked incredulously. They all looked at her with confusion. Max especially looked confused, before bursting out into fits of laughter.

"Honey, you never showed any interest in sports before… is it for a boy? Do you have a crush?" Caroline teased.

May blushed, "Mom! No way! I just want to do more stuff is all! I am even planning to join another afterschool activity! I was considering art or culinary club, but I still need to find something."

"Wow, that's great you're getting involved, May!" Norman said. "Hey, you know, if you need some help, you know your old man can help you out!"

"Gee, thanks Dad. But I am already getting help afterschool." May couldn't help but think how long it's been since her dad played basketball.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure!" May laughed. She sighed, ready to finish her homework before getting to bed. May brought her fingers to form a square and had them over her eye.

"And so, the journey continues with May's Expedition! Will May find the perfect afterschool club? Only tomorrow will tell!" May announced.

"Wow, what a dweeb," Max said from her door.

"Hey, get out!" she yelled before throwing a pillow at him. Max closed the door before it hit him. She sighed, shaking her head at her little brother before she got ready for bed.

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Swim Team

It was a new day, and May was planning to test her luck by going to more clubs. She was in a one piece swimming suit and a towel wrapped around her torso.

May looked over to the pool, excited to start. She looked over to the pool and saw a girl with fiery orange hair. May watched as she dived in and began moving through the water.

"She's… amazing," May complimented, her eyes following Misty's quick and elegant movements in the water. If she didn't know any better, she would mistake her for a mermaid.

"Wow, maybe I can get that good," May said to herself. She moved to the end of the pool where the swim team's coach was.

"Hello, I'm May Maple and I'm ready to be a part of the swim team!" May announced.

"How fast are you?" the coach asked.

"Um, fast? I'm not sure," May admitted, sheepishly chuckling.

"Well then, let's get you ready to try out then, let's hope you're good." The coach was intimidating May. She gulped, afraid of the scary coach.

"T-try out?" May stuttered. Her bubbly attitude quickly deflated at those words. She began to sulk. "You know, actually, I think I got the wrong team, I meant to try out for the… Urhm, bowling team!" she continued to laugh all the way to the locker room, with the coach looking extremely confused.

In the locker room, May frowned as she took a moment to ponder of what she was to do now.

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Nature Club

May tilted her head, confused.

"I don't get it. You just climb trees?" May wondered. Iris shrugged.

"I was forced into joining a club, so I figured I'd make my own club," Iris said, smirking as she closed her eyes and laid down.

"Hey, I can get used to this," May said as she laid down under the shade of the tree.

"Although… I didn't think anyone else would join…" Iris said aloud, looking at May pressingly. May frowned, feeling the tension.

"Okay, okay, I can take a hint." May sighed, hoping to find a new club.

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Dodge ball

"This… was… a bad idea!" May shouted before she got hit in the head.

May cried, "Why do I always get hit in the head?"

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Dawn was a bit embarrassed at tryouts.

She loved cheerleading. It was fun and felt like gymnastics in a way, but cheerleading involved more team effort and she loved cheering people up. But she didn't know they would have practice right next to the boys practice!

If she messed up, they could potentially see. If she falls on her butt, they could start laughing.

Dawn did not like the sound of that, especially in front of the major athletes.

"No need to worry," she whispered to herself, closing her eyes to get rid of such thoughts.

However, what happened in practice today was unexpected.

Dawn's eyebrow twitched.

"Are we… really here to cheer Gary?" she wondered, more than a bit annoyed.

She was a bit relieved, for herself, that she would never fangirl like them for someone like Gary. At the very least, if she ever did, she would do it a little more covertly, and not for Gary, of all people. She didn't know him personally, but she had heard many stories from numerous girls about how much of a player he was.

She watched them cheer for Gary instead of practice. She looked over, and she was surprise to see Gary Oak was actually staring at her. His features, she had to admit, justified – a little bit –why they would easily fell for him.

However, that didn't justify why they would be cheering so much for one guy.

Gary smirked, walking over to her.

"Hey, you're new, aren't you? And you're not all over me. We can fix that, if you want. Here, I'll let you give me your number since you're very pretty," Gary said with a charming smile.

Dawn was not amused, nor fazed by his attempt to ask her out.

"Who said I want to give you my number?" She glared at the boy, crossing her arms. She was beginning to suspect what she thought was true: the top athletes all were amazing at sports, but have fatal flaws. She suspected this must be Gary's: lame pickup lines. At least, to her. The other cheerleaders were gushing at every word he said.

"You don't like compliments?" he asked. "Because I'm not a photographer, but I can picture me and you together." When Gary said that, Dawn couldn't help but cringe. "Geez, that didn't work? You must be something special," Gary chuckled. Dawn couldn't help but think it wasn't something else, his pickup line was just incredibly lame. Was that apart of his plan? Dawn made no effort to laugh with him. Gary shrugged. "I mean, we should definitely get to know each other, seeing as you're new to the team and all."

"Give it a rest, Gary," a familiar voice interjected. Gary sighed, his eyebrow twitching at Ash in back of him, interrupting.

"Ashy-boy, grownups are talking so why don't you just mind your own business."

"Why don't you know when to give it up? She's not falling for your dumb pickup lines," Ash countered. Dawn giggled, relieved that she wasn't the only one who found his lines falling short. Gary sighed, looking rather annoyed. He turned towards Ash, ready to get in a fight if need be.

"Look-"

"Gary! Ash! Why am I hearing your mouths moving and not your feet? Get over here and give me 20!" their coach yelled from the distance. Gary glared at Ash.

"Thanks for nothing, Ashy-boy. I'll see you again, Missy," and Gary ran back to the coach.

"Hey, thanks for that," Dawn said gratefully. Ash grinned.

"No problem! Gary's not so bad once you get to know him, he just comes off strong at first," Ash explained. "But hopefully he doesn't bother you again. I got to go, good luck!" Ash waved goodbye before running back to his team.

Dawn gently smiled, thankful for one Ash Ketchum.

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After practice, Ash hurried to the basketball courts outside. He arrived to find an exhausted May. He was shocked.

"Hey, did you start practice without me? Wow, I'm actually impressed!" Ash said, giving her a thumbs up. He never expected her to practice on her own. May sheepishly chuckled, wishing she actually did end up practicing.

"Actually," she paused, twiddling her fingers. "I've been looking for an after school activity because boy, waiting for you sucks so much! I have been looking and looking for different clubs that are good! But I don't know any good ones! All the ones I tried are just not for me." Ash's eyebrow rose.

"Uuuuh, May? Why don't you just check the bulletin board?" Ash wondered, confused.

"Wait, there's a bulletin board? I didn't realize there was one!" May laughed cheekily. Ash sweat-dropped.

"May… you're really weird," Ash couldn't help but admit.

May giggled, "Well, who's worried about that? I'll look into that whole bulletin board thing tomorrow! Let's just focus on practice!" Ash nodded, happy that she seemed more motivated.

Either way, May continued to work hard, counting down the days till tryouts.

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AN: Woohoo! Another chapter down! I want to apologize for the short chapter, the next one will be longer. It's just when I was planning these chapters out, I didn't think everything I wanted to write would be short haha. Plus I wanted to introduce more characters in this chapter. Next one will be longer!