Sorry! I've been inactive for so long D: Idk if anyone is still reading this lol. If anyone is, thank you!

You don't have to reread the prologue, but I edited it: added more content to the chapter, tried to round it out a little more, and changed the song. I hope you guys think the song fits it well? Anyway, just saying xD

Quick disclaimer: the eight will be involved in lots of activities, and I don't know much about all the instruments and sports they play. So, forgive me if I get terminology or descriptions wrong, and feel free to correct me - I'd love suggestions and insight!

Btw, I introduce Gary's older sister, whose canon names are Daisy or May. Since both of those two characters will be in this story, I've decided to go with Daisy Oak (as Daisy Waterflower will be less prominent than May Maple). I'll try to make it obvious who is who. Also, I made her six years older than Gary as she'll play a supporting role who gives advice, and there's no canon age for her that I could find.

CHAPTER ONE

Story to Tell

Now the funny thing about, ain't a story without it, the story is mine.

And I wish you could say, that it ended just fine.

We all have a story to tell.

Whether we whisper or yell.

We all have a story, of adolescence and all its glory.

"Betcha I'm better than you at soccer," six-year-old Gary Oak challenged his best friend and rival, Ash Ketchum. They were in Ash's mother Delia's van, on their way home from soccer practice.

"Nuh-uh! I'm betterer!" Ash fought back, glaring.

"That's not a word," Gary said loftily, leaning back in his seat and smirking at Ash's reddening face.

"Oh yeah? Who says?" Ash demanded.

"Gramps says so, and he's a college professor," Gary bragged in reply. He wasn't exactly sure what the title 'college professor' entailed; he only knew it was a high teaching position and lorded it over anyone he could. He also left out the fact that he himself had used "betterer" in the house and was told off for saying so.

Ash spluttered, but even he couldn't argue with that. Everyone knew that Professor Samuel Oak was extraordinarily intelligent and had contributed much to science. He taught at Kanto Elite, the most prestigious university around, and made a lot of money.

"T-then I challenge you to a match!" Ash declared, recovering from his word mishap with the resiliency of a, well, soccer ball. "When we get to your house, let's play, one-on-one!"

Gary shrugged carelessly, feigning a yawn. "Sure, Ashy-boy." He grinned as Ash made a face at his superior attitude and disliked nickname.

In the driver's seat, Delia laughed at the boys' exchange.

Once they arrived at the Oak residence, a medium-sized painted white house with a wide porch, Delia parked the car and watched with amusement as the two boys darted out and headed towards the side garden, where two opposing goals and a soccer ball were already set up.

On the porch swing was Gary's older sister, twelve-year-old Daisy, reading a thick novel and sipping from a tall glass of iced green tea. Her straight brown hair was parted to the right, bangs hiding that side of her face. She wore a green tank top over faded jean shorts and white flip flops. Daisy looked up at Delia's arrival and flashed a bright smile.

"Hi Mrs. Ketchum!" Daisy said cheerfully. She paused the swinging of the porch swing with her feet and closed her book. "Would you like something to drink? It's really hot out here!" Before Delia could respond, Daisy was up and running into the house, returning in thirty seconds with an identical glass of ice tea.

"Thanks, Daisy!" Delia smiled back pleasantly. "I really appreciate it the drink."

The two of them watched Gary and Ash bicker as they kicked the ball back and forth, with the occasional goal on both sides. Daisy soon returned to reading, and Delia took a seat next to her, content with watching her son.

"I win!" Gary gloated, throwing his arms up in a victory pose as he danced around.

"Again!" Ash challenged, his brown eyes burning with determination. Gary rolled his eyes but obliged, kicking the ball up with his foot.

"I'm still going to beat you," he notified Ash arrogantly.

"Can I play?"

All four of them looked up in surprise at the new girl's voice. Sitting on the fence of the Oak residence was a skinny young girl about the boys' age, with long straight brown hair and mischievous green eyes. She wore a black shirt and white shorts over light green sneakers.

"Who are you?" Ash asked curiously. "Are you new here?"

"I'm Leaf Green," the girl introduced herself. She jumped off the fence and walked towards them. "I just moved here with my momma and daddy." A shadow crossed her expression at the mention of her parents, but she quickly shook it off and smiled innocently at them.

"Nice to meet you, Leaf!" Daisy came towards her and held out her hand to shake. Leaf shook it solemnly, her eyes dancing. "I'm Daisy Oak, and this is my baby brother Gary. That's Ash Ketchum, and his mother Delia."

"I'm not your baby brother," Gary muttered obstinately. Daisy ruffled his spiky hair cheerfully and he ducked away, his face reddening.

"Can I play?" Leaf asked again.

"Sure!" Ash moved to the side. "You beat Gary, and I'll be your bestest friend ever!"

"Bestest isn't a word either," Gary grumbled, but he kicked the ball at Leaf. "I'll go easy on you," he promised. "But don't cry when you lose!"

The brunette flashed him a confident smile. "I won't cry," she replied, dribbling the ball between her feet easily as she waited for the go-ahead to start.

Ash cheered for Leaf as she began running, Daisy joining in. Gary glared at them before racing to intercept the ball. To his surprise, he found himself playing defense more often than offense in their quick game. Leaf was good, feinting to one side and then diving to the other before he could recover. Her kicks were short and precise, tripping him up every time he felt he had the advantage. Gary stopped going "easy" and narrowed his eyes as he concentrated harder, not wanting some girl he barely knew to get the first goal.

"Go Leaf! Go Leaf!" Ash yelled, pumping his fist in the air and jumping up and down as Leaf moved closer and closer toward Gary's goal. Her expression was fierce as she evaded his attempts to steal the ball, then kicked hard.

Gary watched, feeling the soccer ball move in slow motion as it arced up and fell towards his goal. Time sped up again as it crashed against the net and rolled back.

"You did it!" Daisy cheered, laughing.

In utter astonishment, Gary stared at the soccer ball in his goal. No one had ever beaten him that easily. Much less a girl.

Leaf was breathing hard, but when she saw Gary looking at her, she made a face and stuck her tongue out at him. He glared at her, and she smirked back.

"That was awesome!" Ash exclaimed, running towards her and grinning. "You're so good! Wow! You're better than Gary! I'm your bestest friend now!" He was exuberant and was all over her, amazed at her. Daisy joined him, giving Leaf a hug and a smile as she talked excitedly.

With every word they spoke, Gary's jealousy grew. Who did she think she was, upstaging him like that? Leaf wasn't that great! She'd only gotten lucky. There was no way he could've been beaten by some girl.

Leaf seemed to pick up on his thoughts while he raged, and scowled at him so ferociously Gary was convinced the sweet innocent act she had on was just that, an act. Daisy and Ash didn't notice, preoccupied with praising her masterful evasion of Gary's once-believed expertise.

Oh, it's on, he thought furiously.

A few days later, Gary's anger only intensified as Leaf and Daisy grew closer. Leaf would come over almost everyday after school to talk to Daisy, and the two girls would listen to music or play with their hair, and since Leaf was "extremely intelligent for her age" - quote Daisy - his older sister would often tutor Leaf in subjects to bring her ahead of the class. Gary hated Leaf more and more every day.

One day, Gary bumped into Leaf as he ran up the stairs. They both fell backwards, yelping as they clutched their foreheads where they'd collided.

"What was that for?" Gary demanded, wincing. He looked up to see Leaf's long hair braided down one side and she was wearing one of Daisy's old dresses, in a flowery yellow color. "You look weird," he told her bluntly. "Did you steal that from my sister?"

Leaf glared at him. "Daisy gave it to me."

"What? Why are you even here?"

"I invited her over, Gary." Daisy emerged from her room, her hair also intricately styled. "Did you need something?"

"Not anymore," her little brother grumbled, picking himself up and stomping angrily into his room.

The next time Leaf came over, Gary waited patiently next to his sister's door for it to open. Leaf walked out, this time with her hair in curls, only to trip and fall flat on the ground, face-first in a bucket of milk.

"Gary!" Leaf wailed, and Gary darted away to hide in his room before Daisy or his grandfather could catch and punish him.

Every time Leaf visited Daisy, Gary would come up with various pranks to make Leaf's life hell. They ranged from the typical bucket of water on doorway trick to stranger ones such as slathering butter all over Leaf's designated brush. The pranks at home finally ended when Daisy ended up in one, and the enraged older sister chased Gary around until he pleaded for mercy and promised to stop tormenting Leaf in the house.

Leaf got him back, with occasional assistance from Daisy and even Professor Oak - salt in his water daily for a month, all of Gary's favorite snacks replaced with healthy choices, gushy notes in his lunch for a week to embarrass him at school, switching out Gary's wardrobe with clothes that were several sizes too big.

Ash refused to hang out with Gary at the Oak residence after being caught in an elaborate trap Leaf had set up the minute the two boys walked through the door. For a six-year-old, Leaf had the mind of an evil genius. The second the door opened, ice-cold water splashed down on their heads. A fan, triggered by tripwire, blew sticky feathers all over them. The floor was scattered with Gary's favorite Legos, providing a few feet of painful steps as they staggered around trying to escape the cold and feathers.

"Next time we hang out, come over to my house," Ash grumbled as he tried to wash feathers out of his black hair. Was that honey?

"I'll come over every day," Gary promised, shivering as he pulled on a dry t-shirt three sizes too big. His mood had grown increasingly sour over the months of constant tricks. He couldn't even go to bed without finding something to make him scream with frustration - that morning he'd woken up with I got you! -L written all over his arms in permanent marker. And he couldn't do anything in return because of that stupid promise he'd made to his sister, who was always on Leaf's side. Gary vowed to himself that he would make Leaf miserable for the rest of his life.

The said six-year-old brunette giggled devilishly as she listened in on the two boys' conversation. She felt slightly guilty that Ash had been caught in the prank, but she knew Ash would forgive her. He always did, and it drove Gary crazy.

Her grin faded as she glanced at the clock. It was time for her to go home.

"Do you have to go now, Leaf?" Daisy pulled the younger girl into a hug. She knew about Leaf's trouble at home, but was powerless to stop it besides spending time with the little girl. Daisy felt bad that in the process, Gary believed Daisy didn't love him as much anymore, but she knew that Leaf needed her support far more than Gary did.

Leaf nodded, squeezing her green eyes shut as she hugged Daisy back. Then she pulled away and waved goodbye, faking a smile that fooled no one. She let herself out, and walked home, dreading every step of the way.

She let herself into the back door, trying to be as quiet as possible to avoid her parents noticing. Relieved no one saw her, she dashed into her room and shut the door.

Downstairs, glass shattered, and the screaming began.

Moments captured in time:

Gary and Ash at their first soccer match, both in their uniforms, expressions intent on winning. Next to it, a tear-streaked Daisy holding Leaf as the younger girl cried her heart out.

"Watch me, Leona!" Six-year-old Dawn Berlitz squealed, and redheaded Leona Abbey turned from her sand mountain to watch her best friend hanging upside down on the playground bars, four feet off the ground.

"Whoa!" Leona exclaimed, her dark green eyes wide with amazement. "How do you do that?"

"It's easy!" Dawn let go of the bar with her hands, able to suspend herself with just her legs. She held her pink shirt up to make sure it wouldn't fall, silently thanking her mom Johanna that she was wearing pants instead of a skirt. She'd wanted to do this trick for days!

It was a sunny day, and they were outside during their first recess. Leona had chosen to

"Don't fall!" Leona cried worriedly, running over to the bar and holding up her little arms to catch her friend.

"I won't fall," Dawn scoffed, swinging back and forth. "Move back, I'm going to jump off!"

Horror flashed in Leona's eyes. "Are you sure? What if you hurt yourself?"

"No need to worry!" Dawn grabbed a hold of the bar with both hands and prepared to swing herself off the bars, a feat she'd never done before but was eager to. "I'll be fine! Step back please!"

Leona took a few steps away, worried. "Just be careful." She didn't look convinced when Dawn insisted that she'd be fine, and her brow furrowed further as Dawn began spinning, preparing to flip herself off the bars.

Dawn executed the jump perfectly, landing lightly on both feet and throwing her arms up in triumph. "Ta-da!" she exclaimed cheerfully. She glanced at her best friend, waiting for praise, and did a double-take at Leona's wide, terrified eyes. "Uh, what did I do now?"

"T-there's a b-bee climbing up your l-legs!" Leona stammered, hand flying to her mouth to hide her shock. Dawn's head snapped down immediately.

"What?"

Suddenly, it felt as if a white-hot needle had just pierced her calf, and Dawn screamed. Leona rushed towards her, Dawn's pain breaking her out of her panic. "Oh no!" Leona cried. She frantically waved over a playground monitor. "Help! Dawn got stung by a bee!" Dawn started to cry, the pain overwhelming. The teacher extended her hand, telling the tearful six-year-old to hold on. Together, Leona trailing after them, they headed towards the nurse's office, Dawn limping the entire way as she sniffled and wiped away her tears.

Upon arrival, the bell rang, and the teacher ushered Leona off to class. The nurse was kind to Dawn, chuckling as she used tweezers to remove the stinger. While she was doing so, Dawn heard a buzzing next to her ear, but thought nothing of it until the nurse straightened, having successfully taken out the stinger.

"Oh my," Nurse Joy said in surprise, and Dawn flinched as the buzzing continued. Did her hair just move? "There's another bee stuck in your hair!"

"Get it out! Get it out!" Dawn shrieked, jumping up off the bed. Then she screamed louder as her leg protested. "Please!"

Nurse Joy grabbed two paper cups and managed to trap the bee inside. Held up to the light, Nurse Joy showed the silhouette of the bee to Dawn. "Look, there it is. And since it's alive, that can't have been the bee that stung you." She laughed again as she called one of the office attendants to bring the bee outside.

Dawn was secretly satisfied to hear that the bee who had stung her was dead.

"I bet bees think you're really sweet, if two of them were near you," Nurse Joy remarked, opening a mini fridge to scoop out some ice. She turned back around and handed Dawn an ice pack wrapped in a paper towel. "Here, that's to stop the pain and swelling. Hold it there for ten minutes at a time." Dawn accepted the ice gratefully, holding it against the bee sting.

After fifteen minutes, Nurse Joy sent Dawn back to class with a new ice pack and a note. "Goodbye, honey!" she called cheerfully as Dawn limped out of the office. Dawn giggled at her new nickname, then sobered as she realized she was heading back to class in time for the next math lesson.

Her teacher was glaring at the class when Dawn entered the room, and Dawn edged towards the front awkwardly. "Um, I have a note from the office," Dawn said hesitantly. Her teacher took it without a word, and Dawn all but ran to her seat.

"What happened to you?" Dawn's other best friend, Ursula, stared in shock at the ice pack Dawn held to her leg. "It's bigger than your head!"

"I got stung by a bee," Dawn muttered, cringing.

"I guess that just means you're sweet as honey," Ursula joked, before filling Dawn in on what she'd missed.

"Girls! What did I just say?" their teacher demanded, interrupting Dawn's impromptu math lesson.

"I'm telling Dawn what you told us," Ursula answered smugly. "She wasn't here, and I'm being a good friend. Am I in trouble?"

The teacher fumed, but Ursula's smart mouth was renown across all of the first grade teachers. The six year old girl with peach-colored curls always had a witty comeback, and Dawn adored her for that. Ursula always defended her friends, and had been Dawn's best defendant against the bullies who would taunt the latter.

After school ended, Dawn waved goodbye to Leona and ran to her mother's car. Johanna smiled at her daughter as she climbed into the backseat.

"How was your day today?" the doting mother asked cheerfully.

"I got stung by a bee!" Dawn announced. "It hurt really bad! And there was another bee who buzzed in my hair, and the nurse called me sweet like honey, and she said that's why the bees liked me, and now I'm scared of bees. Can I take a shower when I get home? I don't want to be like honey. I don't want more bee stings. Please?"

The little blue-haired girl continued to regale her mother with dramatized tales all the way home.

Later that week, Dawn was in a ballet studio, performing complicated stretches for a six year old. She was surrounded by other five and six year old girls all stretching, dressed in leotards and tights, quiet as mice. Their ballet instructor was extremely strict, and made every little girl follow her direction to the letter.

"To your positions, girls!"

Dawn darted up to her place at the barre, and made eye contact with Ursula beside her. They exchanged the smallest of smiles before turning their attention to their lesson for the day.

Dawn in a sparkling pink tutu standing arm in arm with Ursula in the same ensemble. Another was Dawn and Leona, shrieking excitedly as they raced towards the camera in adorably patterned swimsuits.

"Give it up for the Nereid Trio!" an MC shouted at the crowd. A loud cheer erupted in response.

Misty sat on a comfortable couch backstage, focusing on writing down the next few words as carefully as a six year old could. She was doing her homework, writing a paragraph according to the prompt of "When I grow up, I want to be…"

"Misty, do you want anything to eat?" a crew member prompted, waiting patiently. "Or something to drink? The show will last another few hours."

"No, thank you." The orange-haired girl continued writing. "I want to finish my homework first."

The crew member shrugged and walked away, shaking her head at Misty's oddity.

Misty Waterflower was the youngest sister of the popular girl band, the Nereid Trio. Often overlooked because of her elder sisters' fame, the little redhead was quiet and focused mostly on her schoolwork. Her hobbies were mild and unnoticeable - writing, exploring the vast grounds of the Waterflower estate, and swimming. No one really paid attention to Misty, and the little girl was more mature and independent than others her age.

She finished her sheet of homework and placed it into a folder. With nothing left to do, she leaned back and listened to her sisters' set continue on, upbeat pop music drowning out screaming fans' singing along.

Misty seated on a tall chair next to three tall, beautiful young women - one with curling blonde hair, another with straight indigo locks, and the last with wavy pink tresses. Another depicted the redhead, gleefully chasing a small golden retriever.

"Come on, Paul!" A tall seventeen-year-old boy was gesturing wildly with one hand, the other holding onto a camera. "Smile!"

"I don't want to," Paul said petulantly. He'd been forced to perch on a stone bench in their garden, surrounded by bright flowers tended to by their aunt, by his older brother. Reggie had insisted on making memories, and claimed the "light was just right" and the flowers were in "perfect bloom," whatever that meant.

"If you say so," Reggie sighed, sounding resigned. He set down the camera next to Paul on the bench, and looked dejected. Paul's eyes narrowed. Reggie was up to something. "I'll bring out some food for a picnic, how about that?" Despite his suspicions, and his acclaimed dislike for everything in the world (in fact, Paul adored his older brother, but would never admit it), Paul had to agree Reggie had a talent for cooking.

"Fine."

Reggie darted into the house, and then Paul heard a short bark. The six year old - usually so reserved, emotionless, and cautious - darted up from the bench immediately. Excitement glimmered in his obsidian eyes, and the child held his breath, hardly daring to hope.

Just a minute later, Reggie emerged, holding a picnic basket. The violet-haired boy took in his brother's barely contained elation and laughed. "I know you didn't want to move here, but I got you a companion." He lifted the picnic basket lid and out leaped an adorable, energetic puppy. "It's a hybrid, a Pomeranian Husky," Reggie explained, but realized his words fell on deaf ears.

His little brother had his arms around the puppy, face buried in the fluffy fur. Paul was laughing excitedly. Joy and excitement transformed the sullen six year old's face into the epitome of happiness. Reggie smiled. Then he realized something and grabbed his camera.

"Oh, this is perfect!"

Paul and Reggie posed next to their parents: tall, imposing figures with stern expressions (the only one smiling was Reggie). The other displayed Paul, laughing as he hugged a joyfully barking puppy.

A little boy with messy light green hair was seated outside of a hospital room, feet kicking against the uncomfortable plastic chair. He was focused on a game device in his hands.

Nurses and doctors passed him in a flurry of urgency, darting into patients' rooms and occasionally whispering in hushed tones. The little boy remained oblivious. Inside the room he was outside of, voices inside were easily heard.

"What do we tell him?" someone inside murmured.

"Will he understand?" another asked, sounding sympathetic.

The little boy kept his eyes on his game, but the image was a blur. Tears slid down his face.

Oh, happily ever after, wouldn't you know, wouldn't you know.

Oh, skip to the ending, who'd like to know, I'd like to know.

Author of the moment, can you tell me,

Do I end up, do I end up happy?

~ "Happily Ever After", He Is We

Lol that took forever D: Sorry again for the long wait.

Tell me what you think!