Hello everyone! New chapter time!

I guess I should say sorry. I knew beforehand that I wasn't going to be able to update during the weekend because I was going out-of-town for a few days, but I forgot to mention that last chapter. I tried to finish this chapter to post it before I left, but even though it was nearly complete, it still wasn't finished, so I couldn't update. Sorry to keep you guys waiting.

Okay, remember how I said I'm not accepting any more suggestions for a while? Well, I think I can start accepting again. I'm still not done with the list I already have, but I think I'll be able to manage. Just as long as the same person doesn't give more than one at once.

On with the chapter! Happy reading!

Today's topic was suggested by Pika-Bones!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon in any way, shape or size!

The Origins Of May's Expeditions

(Summer after) Kindergarten

May (6), Gary (6), Leaf (6), Ash (6)

When May went to the park to meet up with three of her friends, she wore a proud smile on her face. Gary, Leaf and Ash weren't her only friends (she had two more), but the other two hadn't been able to make it. But as the park was near the other three's neighbourhood, there was no surprise they would be able to come with ease. Even though the whole group wasn't there, May couldn't wait to show off her new special toy!

As her mother, Caroline, began conversing with her friend Ash's mother, Delia, she ran up to her five friends, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Look!" she said to them delightedly. She held something up. "It's a camera!"

The others examined it interestedly. It was a shiny red camera that hung around her neck by a green cord. It wasn't real, but they had to admit: it looked very nice!

"Can we all play with it?" Ash asked enthusiastically.

"Um, okay, but I want to wear it." May held her head up high. "I know! We can play explorers. Daddy watches some explorer shows on TV, and in them, there are people with cameras and hats who go to lots of cool places, and see lots of different jungles and caves and Pokemon."

"You have a camera, and your band-na is like a hat," Leaf pointed out.

"Then I get to be the leader," May announced. It only seemed fair, as she was the closest to looking like a real explorer. However, Gary was opposed to the idea.

"That's not fair," he said, folding his arms. "I want to be the leader! Why can't I be him?"

"'Cause it was my idea, and it's my camera!"

"We can take turns," Ash suggested, his eyes on the red toy. "That way, we can all get to be the leader with the camera." In truth, he just really wanted to play with the camera as well. He wasn't too concerned about taking turns.

"But I don't wanna take turns. It's my camera, and I want to keep it with me. Mommy said I should, or else it might get lost."

"You have to share," Leaf reminded her. "Whenever you have a toy, you have to share. That's what the teachers say at school."

May hesitated. Yes, that was what her kindergarten teacher, Ms. Kelly, used to say. But... that was for the school's toys. The camera was hers, so she didn't have to hand it over to the others. Right?

"Yes!" Gary agreed with Leaf instantly. "If you don't share, I'll tell your mom."

"B-but—!" May was running out of arguments. It was her new special toy, but she was afraid her friends might accidentally ruin it! She really didn't want it to leave her care. However, with all her friends' reasoning, and the way they were watching her, it made her feel guilty for not letting them play with it as well.

"Okay," May finally conceded reluctantly. "But you have to take really good care of it. Promise?"

"Yes! We promise!"

"Okay…"

"Give it to me," Gary demanded. "I'm gonna be the leader."

"But what about me?" Ash chimed in. "I asked if we could play with it first!"

"It's May's, so she gets to choose," Leaf said wisely. All eyes turned to her, watching her intently.

"Um, can I be the leader first? And then I can give it to someone else later."

The others agreed, with Leaf hushing Gary when he was about to complain about unfairness. The four played explorers, pretending the playground equipment was a jungle, where they followed May as she ran around, swinging through trees (small Aipom-bars made for kids their age), being washed down waterfalls (slides), and avoiding quicksand (the playground sand). After a while, though, Gary's impatience wore down.

"Okay, it's my turn now," he declared.

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "You've been the leader for a very long time. Can I try now?"

"I asked first," Gary argued.

"Gary, Ash! Remember? May's gonna choose," Leaf reminded them.

"Oh, um," May didn't want to give up her camera just yet. But it didn't feel like she had a choice. "Leaf can have it. She can be the leader."

"Why her?" Gary whined. "That's not fair!"

"Yes it is. She chose me." Leaf grinned at him smugly as she took the camera from her friend and wore it around her neck.

Leaf acted as the leader until Ash asked if he could get a chance. Leaf agreed, handing him May's toy, as May watched nervously. She was finding it hard to have fun, since she always had her eye on the camera, as she did not want it to get lost or broken.

Ash led them for a while, but his turn didn't last as long as May's and Leaf's, because his mother called, saying it was time to go. May's mother called her as well.

"Bye," Ash said, handing the precious camera back to May. He, along with Leaf (since he, Gary and Leaf had all been brought to the park by Delia), ran over to his mother. Gary, however, sourly turned to May.

"I didn't get a chance," he told her.

"Maybe next time," May reassured him. Though she was planning not to bring her camera with her again, since her friends would make her give it to them.

"What if you forget it next time?"

"I'll try not to."

"But it's not fair! Leaf and Ash got a turn. I want one too."

"Maybe you'll get it next time."

"But they got turns today. I want a turn today too."

"But I need to go home right now…"

"I know! Can I borrow it?"

"What? Borrow my camera?"

"Yes! I'll give it back the next time I see you, and I can play with it at home today."

"No, you can't!"

"Why? You're being unfair! I asked first, but you didn't give me a turn at all."

"But…"

"Hmph! You're not being a good friend." Gary folded his arms and turned away. May was overcome with shame. Gary was her best friend, and yet she didn't trust him! She shouldn't make him unhappy like that.

"O-okay…" May said finally. "Pinky-promise that you won't ruin it, and you'll give it back."

"Okay!" Both locked pinkies, and soon, May was watching the spiky-haired boy walk away with her beloved red camera.

"What are you watching, Daddy?" May asked as she came into the family room, where her father was sitting on the couch, watching television.

"It's called 'The Expeditions of The Adventure Squad'," her father answered. "There is a group of people who travel together on expeditions, exploring many different places and having many adventures."

She knew of this show. Her father watched it often. But there was one thing that puzzled her. "What's an ex-dishun?"

"An expedition is like an adventure or voyage a group of people make for a specific reason, like to explore a certain place."

May herself couldn't wait until she was old enough to go on a journey. It would be just as if she were an explorer too! She would travel the world, going through many different places, and meeting many people. And trying different foods, like noodles, as well! Yes, she would be one of the best adventurers, and her ex-dishuns (or whatever her father had said) would be known by all! In fact, she was already a step closer to this dream, with the new (toy) camera she had acquired.

But with a pang, she remembered something. She didn't have her camera with her right now; Gary did. And she wouldn't get it back until the next time she saw him. Probably. But… he would bring it, right? After all, he had pinky-promised!

Nevertheless, she found herself missing that red camera immensely. She hoped they would meet again soon.

May was waiting impatiently at the park. She knew Gary, Ash and Leaf would show up eventually. She had begged her mother to bring her here to play with those three, although her actual goal was to get her camera back from Gary. He had had it long enough! She wanted it back, and he had better have it!

"Hi, May," Ash greeted cheerfully as he and the other two ran up to her. However, he was ignored, as May immediately turned to the spiky-haired boy.

"Gary, I want my camera back," she demanded.

Gary began looking a bit nervous. "W-what?"

"My camera! You borrowed it, and you said you would give it back. You didn't forget it, right?"

"N-no…"

"Where is it?"

"Um…"

"Gary, you didn't lose it, did you? You said you would take good care of it. You pinky-promised!" Gary hung his head, ashamed.

"I-I didn't lose it, May. I did, but I found it."

"That's okay. Where is it, then? I want it back."

"I was playing with it at my grandpa's lab. I was playing explorer outside on the Pokemon ranch, but then I dropped it. And then I found it..."

"You already said that. Where is it?"

"May, when I found it… it was broken. I think a Pokemon stepped on it. It's completely broken now."

May stared at the boy with unbelieving eyes. Had she just heard what she thought she'd heard? She was stunned! Her special, new toy had been totally destroyed! She hadn't even gotten to play with it enough, not to mention that she hadn't even showed it to Drew and Paul yet.

She felt tears sting her eyes. Her new toy! She hadn't even want to give it to her friends, but they pushed her into it! And now, she paid the price.

"I'm sorry…," Gary muttered, apologizing sincerely, his face slathered with guilt. He hadn't meant for that to happen. He had just liked it so much, but really, it was May's. He should have been more responsible.

"We're sorry too," Leaf said sorrowfully. "We shouldn't have made you given it to us. It was yours, and if we'd accidentally broken it, it wouldn't have been fair at all, because you hadn't wanted to give it to us. But you did, and now it's ruined."

"Yeah," Ash agreed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I just really wanted to play with it, so I said you had to share so I would get to. But it was yours, and you wanted to play with it too. You were being a great friend, sharing it even though you didn't want. But we weren't being such great friends to you."

"It's okay," May managed to choke out. She quickly dabbed her eyes with her hand to stop her tears from running.

The three were clearly feeling very bad about it. It was there own selfishness that was making their friend upset.

"Um... do you want to play explorers again?" Gary asked hesitantly. "You can be the leader the whole time if you want."

"N-no thank you. I don't want to play explorers without my camera."

"But why? You're a great explorer, and it's still fun!"

"But I don't even have my camera…"

"Yes you do!" Gary began sounding eager.

"I do?"

"Yeah! My sister showed me how to make a camera with my hands. I can show you!"

Gary enthusiastically ran up to his friend. He connected his thumbs to the index fingers of the opposite hand, forming a rectangle.

"See?" he said, looking through the opening. "It's like a camera!"

May mimicked him, and held her camera up to her face. She frowned.

"It's not really like a camera. It's not red, and where is the button that takes a picture?"

Gary's expression faltered, and he lowered his hands, disappointed. Of course he wouldn't be able to replace May's real camera. Using your hands wasn't nearly as special. He would just have to buy a new one for her.

"Click," May said suddenly. She was grinning now, with her 'camera' pointed at a tree nearby. She giggled. "I took a picture of that tree!"

"Show me!" Leaf ran up to her. Ash did too, though it seemed he was less certain about how she had taken the picture. May proudly held her 'camera' back to show Leaf the imaginary photograph, which Leaf pretended she saw and admired, while Ash just stood confusedly.

"Now, it's a video camera," May announced. "Explorers always have cameras with them on their ex-dishuns!" At least they did on TV.

"What's an ex-dishun?" Ash questioned.

"It's an adventure," May explained briefly, unable to recall everything her father had said. She moved her 'video camera' around to 'record' her surroundings. She began the commentary the same way the Adventure Squad did in the show her daddy watched.

"This is May's Ex-dishuns! Today, I'm gonna go through the jungle with my friends Ash, Leaf, and Gary. Come on, let's go find treasure!"

She ran on ahead, with Ash and Leaf close behind. She stopped once to gesture to Gary to follow as well, to which he complied without hesitation.

And thus, the group went off on their voyages. And this time, May had absolutely no worries about sharing the leader role with her friends. As the days passed, the group moved on, and they became more interested in playing games other than explorers. But for May, she always had her 'camera' ready for all of her ex-dishuns!

Done! And thus began May's Expeditions!

I'll try to get the next chapter posted soon. I'll see how long it takes me to write it out.

Also, thanks for ideas for Drew's butler's name! Hm, now which name to choose... I'll try to have his name thought out by the next time he appears.

Please review, and thanks for reading!

Bye bye for now! Have a fantastic day, and smile all the way! :)