Mandatory disclaimer: I didn't own the 'car 2 go' that May crashed in the second chapter, but if the insurance company needs someone to give money to, I'd be willing to shoulder that responsibility.

第１章 (Chapter One) 騒音公害 (Noise Pollution)

The small coffeehouse by the Lumiose train station had always been a place of great relaxation for Dawn. With its french-styled doors, continuous pratter of two furosha, and smell of freshly ground beans, it was definitely a hole-in-the-wall, once-in-a-lifetime find.

Wait.

What?

Feeling a shiver go up her spine, she froze and took a moment to reevaluate that thought.

'Furosha?'

Since when had there been homeless dudes just camping out on her employer's ¥ 50,000 sofa?! Sure, everyone came to piggy-back off of their free WIFI but still, at least those people paid.

Without buying, without asking, and certainly without showering first, they had brought in a plethora of office supplies and oddities and were sprawled on the couch, plugging away at their devices. The one with a mop of messy black hair had finally had enough and fell back, hair flopping in front of his eyes as his cheeks puffed out.

"I've had enough, this is boring. When are you going to take me clubbing like you promised?"

"Hurry up, moron, we have a business to run," The other one muttered, blue eyes never leaving his own outdated, clunky "computer of the future".

"Never trust Bell for good electronics," Dawn found herself commenting before the grunt of her manager, just back from unloading the deliveries, snapped her out of it. Setting down the grinder, she straightened her apron and cheerfully decorated name tag before attempting to burst dramatically from behind the counter. Unfortunately, this is a comedy, not a crime drama, and she forgot the door swung the other way.

"Oof!"

'Get it together, Dawn!"

"Excuse me, you need to leave," She said, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she tried to rescue the remains of her dignity.

"Why?"

Eyes flicking up to examine her before returning to the computer, it was the brunette who had answered.

Dawn huffed and stamped her foot out of habit, unused to such treatment. Being born into a relatively well-off family (that term applied loosely, she was far from just "relatively"), she was always a big deal and others usually dropped everything to listen to her. As a daddy's girl, especially with who her father was, she was no joke.

"Why? WHY?!" She nearly shrieked, taking several moments to calm herself before continuing.

"You need to buy something, we aren't a homeless shelter."

Ouch.

Okay, that might've been a bit much but for Christ's sake, she had already had it up to her eyebrows with her manager's shit and she didn't have anymore room for anyone else.

The brunette raised a small sample cup like a salute, a tiny puddle of their free creamer resting at the bottom.

"I made myself chocolate milk from your little stand over there."

'Breath in, breath out. Breath in, breath out.'

"That…doesn't...count… The milk and chocolate powder are for paying customers only." She fought hard to not slug the man but knew she'd probably do little more than scratch him.

"My presence in your puny mortal life should be enough payment," He scoffed, a smug smirk plastered on his insufferably handsome face.

Oh screw it, a scratch was better than nothing and she'd cover him in scratches by the time she was done. In fact- "Just stop it, Berlitz."

Paul, already done with stacking the bags, had come out to see what the commotion was about and couldn't help the sigh when he saw who had started it.

'Of course it was Dawn. '

"See, Manager Dude's alright with-" The annoying one who had whined earlier started before he was cut off by Paul.

"Not really. Hand over your wallets and do it quickly, the toilets need plunging and I'm sure they'd make better company than you two."

Dawn chuckled and stuck her nose up a bit, feeling as if she was finally victorious before Paul turned to face her again. "Troublesome, what've I told you about your work ethic? Get back to work, our regulars will be here in a few minutes."

Hand lightly patting her head as he walked towards the bathroom, the mens' wallets (reluctantly handed over while Dawn mentally patted herself on the back) in hand, Paul still kept his usual frown on but that didn't discourage the grin that split Dawn's face. Sure, he was a hard boss and emotionally stagnant but sometimes, on rare occasions, he could be her favorite person.

She sent the two "homeless" men one last triumphant look before stalking back behind the counter to continue brewing. The electronic beep of her watch's alarm drew her smile even wider as she began to work faster in anticipation, counting down the minutes until her best friend, and regular at the shop, showed up for her daily brew.

"Excuse me?"

"Yes?!" Dawn nearly jumped the counter then instantly drooped in disappointment. "Oh. It's you. What do you need?"

It was the cocky git from before.

He shot her an award-winning smile with his perfectly straight, white teeth.

Oh how she wanted to punch them crooked and bloody.

"Can I have two iced lattes, please?"

"Have a credit card, sir?" She gritted her own vaguely askew but pearly teeth, trying to resist the temptation of beating him.

He slid a shining gold rectangle of plastic across the counter with another smile and leaned forward a bit, "Certainly, Mam."

Dawn snatched up the card with a glare and checked the name as she swiped it.

'Gary Oak? Gary Oak as in...'

She squeaked and nearly dropped it as she handed it back. "Your grandfather...wouldn't be the famous…Professor Oak….would it?"

Shrugging, Gary moved aside to examine the freshly baked cookies on display before replying, "Yes. He's also the reason Ash and I have decided to show up at your...quaint...little shop to pull all-nighters helping sort data."

"Doesn't he have offices in all the major regions, though? Why send you here?" As her curiosity won her over, Dawn had forgotten her previous animosity as she poured the ice into his cup before sealing it with a snap.

"Yeah, he does, but it's more fun keeping him in the dark freaking out until we suddenly reappear with everything done. Thanks for the drink by the way, Miss Dawn," He said with a smirk, grasping the drinks and heading back to his seat.

He was the devil.

Actually, no, she worked for the devil.

Gary was on a whole new level.

12:30

It was rush hour.

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