A/N: Thank you for making it to chapter 3!
Chapter 3: Officers and Clubs
"It has been a week since school started, so I assume you've gotten to know your classmates well enough to decide who can represent you and handle key positions," Chrysa, the blue-haired homeroom teacher of Class 1-2 announced, her tone calm but firm. "Even if you haven't, you'll still need to select your class officers today."
Ash silently hoped he hadn't done anything noteworthy over the past week that might get him nominated. He wasn't interested in responsibilities that could eat into his free time. Thinking back, all he had done was fairly average—he answered questions when called on, got most of them right, except for a few misses in Algebra, but nothing that would make him stand out. Meanwhile, the classroom buzzed with excitement as his classmates chatted about whom they might nominate or vote for.
"We will elect six positions: Class Representative, Vice Class Representative, Secretary, Treasurer, and two Sergeants-at-Arms—one male, one female," Chrysa explained, writing the roles neatly on the blackboard. "Let's begin with the Class Representative. This person will attend meetings if necessary, be the first to receive school-related information, and ensure the class stays united and follows school rules. If you wish to nominate someone, raise your hand."
Ash watched as two familiar names came up almost immediately—Gary and Goh. They were among the most active students in class, frequently answering questions, so it wasn't surprising they had caught the attention of their peers. He sighed quietly, shaking his head in disappointment as he noticed some of the boys in class placing bets on the outcome.
"If there are no more nominations, we'll proceed to voting. You may vote only once," Chrysa said. "Raise your hand if you're voting for Gary." She began counting the raised hands and jotted down the number. With only 30 students in the class, it would be clear who won if there were just two candidates. "Now, those voting for Goh, raise your hand." Again, she tallied the votes, then turned back to the class with a small pause to build suspense.
"Gary has 17 votes, while Goh has 13," she announced. "That makes Gary the elected Class Representative."
The reaction was instant—some girls squealed with excitement, while a few boys groaned, either out of dislike for Gary or frustration over losing their bets.
"Next, we'll elect the Vice Class Representative. Nominations, please."
This time, Goh was nominated again, and this time he won, securing the second-highest position. The process of nominating and voting continued until all six class officers were chosen.
"All elected officers, please come to the front and stand beside me," the teacher instructed. "Line up from right to left, in the order of your positions."
She stepped to the far right, near her desk, giving space for the six students to arrange themselves. Goh stood next to Gary, his expression neutral except for a brief frown. It wasn't losing to Gary that annoyed him, but rather Gary's attitude toward his close friend, Ash, over the past week.
Gary, on the other hand, seemed unfazed by Goh's reaction. He stood confidently, his chest puffed out and a proud smile on his face. He scanned the room, smirking at Ash, but his smirk faltered slightly when he realized Ash wasn't looking at him. Ash, as usual, seemed completely uninterested, his gaze fixed on the other elected officers instead.
"Class 1-2, these are your elected officers," Chrysa began, gesturing toward the lineup. "Class Representative, Gary Oak. Vice Class Representative, Goh Walker. Secretary, Dawn Berlitz. Treasurer, Serena Yvonne. Male Sergeant-at-Arms, Kenny Kengo. Female Sergeant-at-Arms, Misty Waterflower. Please respect their authority and listen to what they have to say. However, if any of them overstep their boundaries, don't hesitate to inform me."
Turning to the newly elected officers, the teacher added, "You'll find detailed information about your duties in your student handbooks. If you have any questions or need clarification, feel free to ask me."
The officers took a moment to thank the class before returning to their seats.
"Now, let's talk about school clubs," Chrysa said, shifting topics. She handed a stack of papers to the students in the front row. "Take one and pass the rest back."
The students complied, each taking a sheet and passing the stack to the person behind them.
"As you can see, this is a list of clubs you can join, along with brief descriptions of their activities," the teacher explained. "When you're dismissed later, I suggest visiting the Clubs' Building to learn more about them. Joining a club is optional, not mandatory."
:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*
"What a pleasure to have you join us for lunch, Mr. Vice Representative," Ash said with a mock bow, smirking as Goh plopped into the temporarily vacant chair in front of him.
"Since when did you start talking like Chloe?" Goh grumbled, flipping open his lunchbox.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Chloe shot him a glare, but the two boys simply chuckled and began eating.
The three preteens still preferred having lunch in their classroom rather than braving the noisy, crowded cafeteria.
"There's not much to do as a Vice Representative," Goh muttered between bites. "I'm basically just a stand-in for Gary if he's ever unavailable. And honestly, it's not like we're a bunch of little kids who need constant supervision. Being an officer isn't all that special."
Chloe and Ash exchanged a look, both silently thinking the same thing: Goh kind of is a small kid.
"What's with that look?" Goh asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes at the two.
"Excuse me, may I join you guys?"
The interruption came from a dark blue-haired girl who stood nearby, her lunch in hand. Her question saved Ash and Chloe from having to respond to Goh.
"Oh, if it isn't Miss Secretary," Chloe teased, gesturing dramatically toward the empty seat. "Of course, you may. It'll be our pleasure."
Ash chuckled as Goh muttered under his breath, "That's exactly the kind of talk I was talking about."
"Geez, thanks," the girl replied, her tone tinged with sarcasm. She pulled up a chair with some effort and turned it to face Chloe before placing her lunch on the table. Then, looking at the two boys, she introduced herself. "I'm Dawn, nice to meet you."
They clearly already knew her name—she was an officer, after all—but this was the first time she'd spoken to them, and she felt it was polite to introduce herself properly.
Ash and Goh introduced themselves in return, and the four of them began eating together.
"Have you guys decided which club to join?" Ash asked after finishing his meal.
"I'm not joining any," Chloe replied, her voice flat as usual. "I'd rather head straight home after class." She punctuated her statement with a sip from her juice box.
"I like designing clothes, but I'm terrible at sewing," Dawn admitted, her tone brightening with excitement. "So, I'm planning to join the sewing club to work on my skills. That's one step closer to becoming a top coordinator!"
"There's no Mew-related club, so I'll pass too," Goh grumbled, looking disappointed.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Your obsession with Mew is getting old."
"There is a Pokémon Research Club, though," Ash pointed out. "Why not give that a try?"
"And do what? Research random Pokémon I don't care about? No thanks. Mew's all I want," Goh said, completely missing the point.
"Well," Ash began, leaning forward slightly, "it's said that Mew's DNA contains the genetic blueprint of every existing Pokémon species. If you want to find Mew, maybe it'd help to understand as many Pokémon as possible on a personal level. It'd be like piecing Mew together bit by bit. Just an idea."
The other three stared at him, their expressions shifting to varying degrees of realization and understanding.
"Wow! Thanks for the idea, Ash!" Goh exclaimed, suddenly brimming with energy now that he'd finished eating. "Why didn't I think of that?"
"You really want me to answer that?" Chloe quipped, her tone dripping with sass.
Ash and Dawn burst into laughter, and after a moment, even Goh joined in. He glared at Chloe briefly but couldn't hold back his own chuckles.
In the lighthearted atmosphere, none of them remembered to ask Ash which club he planned to join.
:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*
"What's taking her so long?" muttered a dark auburn-haired boy, his black eyes fixed on the cafeteria's entrance as he waited for a certain girl to appear.
"Are you sure Dawn's going to eat here, Kenny?" Gary asked, his tone barely hiding his irritation. "As your Class Representative, I want to get to know my fellow officers so we can work together."
"She always does. I mean, I've seen her eat here every day last week," Kenny replied, his gaze still glued to the door.
"Wait, what?" Gary raised an eyebrow, looking at him incredulously. "So, you didn't actually ask her to come? You're just assuming she'll show up like usual?" He sighed, shaking his head. "Never mind, there's always next time."
"I appreciate your effort, Gary, but aren't you being a little too serious about this?" Misty chimed in, arms crossed as she tapped her finger against her arm.
She and Serena had been sitting at another table earlier before Gary had invited them to join him and Kenny at this larger one.
"And the Vice Representative isn't here either," Misty added. "Goh always eats in class with his friends."
"I'll just get everyone's contacts and add them to the group chat later," Gary shrugged, brushing it off. "Now, as I was saying, we need to establish class funds for future activities." He looked pointedly at Kenny, Serena, and Misty. "Do you all agree with that?"
The other three nodded in unison, taking bites of their lunches.
"Okay," Gary continued, leaning forward slightly. "I'll announce it to the class later, before dismissal. We'll do weekly collections. Misty and Kenny, you'll be in charge of gathering the contributions and handing the total amount to Serena. Serena, you'll manage the records. Make sure to document who contributed and how much. Work together on this."
The three officers exchanged glances, impressed by Gary's organized approach. It shouldn't have been surprising—this method was outlined in the student handbook—but coming from Gary, who often leaned toward arrogance, it was unexpected.
Once they finished their meals and Gary had no more topics to discuss, Kenny excused himself and made his way back to the classroom.
There, he spotted the girl he'd been waiting for. Dawn was sitting with three others, laughing at a story the raven-haired boy was animatedly sharing. Kenny slipped quietly into his chair, watching the group from across the room.
Or, more accurately, he was watching Dawn. Her cheerful voice, her bright laughter—it all felt so familiar.
She's always like this, Kenny thought to himself, his mind drifting to memories of their time in Twinleaf Town Elementary School. Dawn had always been nice to everyone, always ready to make others laugh or smile.
She's always nice to everyone, he thought again, but this time a frown formed on his face. I don't like that. I want her to talk to me more than anyone else, to smile with me. Only me.
His mind shifted to memories of happier times, of him laughing with Dawn, joking with her—and then to the times he had teased her, earning only her irritation.
I'll get her attention back, he resolved, a mix of determination and frustration filling his chest. Whether it's in a good way… or a bad one.
But as that last thought crossed his mind, Kenny shook his head. No, that's not right. Surely he wouldn't want to make a bad impression just to win her attention, right? He'd tried that before in their elementary days, and it had backfired spectacularly—her avoiding him had been proof enough of that.
Still, the thought lingered, faint but persistent, as he sat quietly, listening to Dawn's laughter fill the room.
:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*
"That's all, ma'am," Gary said, bowing respectfully to his homeroom teacher before heading back to his seat. He'd just finished explaining the plans for raising class funds to his classmates.
"Alright then. Group 2 is on cleaning duty today, so please stay and clean the room. The rest of you are free to go," their homeroom teacher announced.
"Are you sure you're not going to check out the Clubs' Building?" Dawn asked, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.
"Yes. I'll be heading home," Chloe replied nonchalantly, standing up and preparing to leave.
"How about you, Ash?" Goh approached them, having overheard the girls' short conversation.
"I'll be heading home too. I've got some things to take care of," Ash answered.
Goh looked slightly disappointed but nodded. "See you tomorrow, then." He turned back to Dawn with a hopeful expression. "Wanna head to the Clubs' Building together?"
"Sure," Dawn agreed, smiling. She waved at Chloe and Ash as she and Goh left the classroom. "Bye! Take care."
"Bye/You too," Ash and Chloe replied, their voices overlapping. They turned to each other and spoke in unison again: "Let's go?"
That made both of them laugh.
"I didn't expect there wasn't a single club that interested you," Chloe commented as they walked side by side. "I thought you'd join the Pokémon Research Club with Goh."
"Yeah, that would've been nice," Ash admitted. "But I've got house chores to do."
Chloe blinked, surprised. She had never heard Goh or any other boy mention house chores as a priority over hobbies or personal interests. Okay, maybe she was exaggerating, but still—it caught her off guard.
"You're serious, right?" she asked, then immediately bit her lip, feeling guilty for the unintended sass.
Ash just chuckled. "I just want to help my mom, that's all."
They walked in companionable silence after that, their eyes taking in the colorful streets of Vermilion City. Before long, they reached the familiar corner where Magnemite Street and Voltorb Street intersected.
"See you tomorrow," Chloe said as they parted ways.
"See you," Ash replied, heading toward his home.
Ash's house stood neatly between an apartment and an office building, with a couple of meters of space on either side acting as emergency pathways. The modest structure featured brown double doors framed in wood, with transparent glass panels that gave it a welcoming feel. A small sign reading "Open" hung on the inside of the right door's glass panel.
Outside, a small advertising stand displayed posters on both sides that read: "Ketchum's Eatery: 10 AM–6 PM, Monday–Saturday."
Ash entered through one of the doors, the soft chime of the bell signaling his arrival. Inside, three tables were currently occupied by customers enjoying their meals. Ash made his way to the back of the eatery and smiled at the blue-haired woman behind the counter. She's a friend of his mother she hired to help out here in the eatery.
"Welcome home, Ash," she greeted warmly, returning his smile. She leaned casually against the wall near a sign that read, "Pay As You Order." Her blue eyes held a familiar motherly gaze.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Johanna," Ash replied, waving as he set his backpack down behind the counter.
His eyes then drifted to his mother, who was seated at the kitchen table with a pen and notepad in hand.
"How's it going, Mom?" he asked, walking over.
Delia looked up and smiled. "Oh, Ash! I'm just doing some inventory. How was your day?"
"Great! We learned about the Pidgey family's anatomy today," Ash said enthusiastically, his voice taking on a childish excitement. "It was really interesting!" He then glanced at the analog wall clock, which read 3:30 PM—plenty of time before the eatery's closing at 6 PM. "Is there anything I can help with?"
."I'm glad you're enjoying your lessons," Delia chuckled at his energy. "Mimey's handling the dishes. You can wipe down the empty tables and chairs while you wait for the customers to leave. Then you can take their plates," she instructed cheerfully, turning her attention back to her inventory.
Without hesitation, Ash grabbed a clean microfiber cloth and a spray bottle filled with a soap-and-water mixture.
"Delia, you're so lucky to have such a good and obedient son," Johanna remarked, resting her elbows on the counter as she watched Ash work.
"Thanks," Delia replied with a proud smile. "You're lucky too—you've got such a sweet and adorable daughter," she added, recalling the photos Johanna had shown her the other day. "She's a first-year at the same school as Ash, right?"
"Yes. I wonder if they know each other. If they do, I hope she picks up some of Ash's obedience and reliability," Johanna joked. She made a mental note to ask Ash later if he had met her daughter.
:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*
"Ah-choo!" Dawn sneezed, momentarily pulling her hands away from the sewing machine. She reached for her handkerchief to wipe her nose but found nothing there. Relieved, she set the handkerchief aside and resumed her work.
The Sewing Club room buzzed with activity, the sound of sewing machines filling the air. Dawn focused on the practice piece of fabric she'd been given, concentrating on her technique alongside a dozen other students.
:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*
A/N: Please tell me your honest opinions and suggestions by leaving a comment!
Thanks again!
- Areyem Meyera