Chapter 2
The emptiness of his routine was starting to eat away at him. It would mean nothing in the long run.
Finish the tasks that he received...don't cause trouble. That was the golden rule.
He heard that was the best way to get on the good side of the staff.
But the question remained…why was he here again?
The bell chimed and Dawn blinked.
"Au revoir mes etudiants!" Fantina called out as she waved to her students.
Dawn took a glance around the room and watched as her classmates picked up their bags and left. Then the realization set in that her second period class was over, and she didn't hear a word that Fantina said. With any luck, Fantina likely repeated most of which she said during her earlier class, with a few modifications for the subject change. Either way, Dawn was certain that she could survive without knowing what Fantina discussed.
Dawn put her thoughts aside and turned around in search of Ash Ketchum. He was approaching her with his backpack slung over one shoulder.
"Oh, sorry," Dawn apologized as she rushed to gather her belongings. "Are you ready to go?"
"Mhmm," He hummed. "No need to rush for me."
Once Dawn was set, she took on her role as Ash's guide and their journey through the school began. The school was divided into sections based on the subjects taught. The basement level was used for performing and fine arts classes. The ground floor was the largest, featuring academic courses such as science, math, literature, and history. There was the second and third floor, but since Ash didn't have any classes there, Dawn didn't devote any time to them.
"This is such a comfortable schedule, Ash," Dawn remarked as she looked over his schedule. He only had four classes, all of which took place on the basement or ground floor.
Ash didn't respond to Dawn's comment. Instead, his focus was on the students that they passed in the halls. Their discussions would pause and their gaze would shift to Dawn. As they ascended a stairwell to return to the ground floor, a pair of girls stopped Dawn to speak…more like, demand to know if she was alright. It was then that Ash realized that in the two hours since the events before school started, word of his actions spread throughout the student body. However, it appeared as though they lacked a description of Dawn's savior since the girls paid no mind to Ash.
"I'm totally fine," Dawn insisted as she tried to usher them away. It took a little more convincing, a show of a fist pump from Dawn before they finally left her and Ash.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Ash asked her. He saw her wince during that display, and even now, Dawn was biting on her lower lip as she held her right arm.
Dawn forced a smile for him. "I wasn't thinking," She answered. "I would've used my left arm if I gave myself a chance to think."
"We can head to the nurse's office," Ash began.
"Nope," Dawn interjected and she echoed the proclamation she gave a few moments ago. "I'm totally fine!"
Ash put his hands up. "Alright, you said it," Ash said and dropped the subject.
Soon enough, they were standing in front of Ash's third period literature class where Dawn offered some brief insights into his instructor, Mr. Shelby.
"Mr. Shelby is pretty easy going, I had him as a freshman and then again as a junior," Dawn explained as Ash peered into the classroom. There was an older gentleman with a large mustache seated at the desk in the corner, his nose buried in a book. "He's an open book," Dawn remarked with a laugh. "So, I don't think there are any secrets about him you might want to know that he won't tell you himself."
Ash shrugged his shoulders before he looked back to Dawn.
"What? Not a fan of reading?" Dawn asked with a giggle.
"Uh…it's not my strongest point," Ash answered weakly.
"I'm not huge on reading old books and dramas from the renaissance," She added. "There's no shame in that."
"I wouldn't say I'm ashamed," Ash said as he scratched at the back of his neck.
She tilted her head as she looked at him. "So, what's the matter then?" Dawn asked him.
Ash shook his head and waved off her question. He reminded her that she also had to get to class, and they parted ways from there with the agreement that Dawn would meet him after their third period class.
As Dawn began to travel down the corridor, an arm encompassed her shoulders and she was pulled into an embrace. Out of the corner of her eyes, Dawn could see a familiar head of orange hair which meant there could only be one possible culprit.
"Zoey!" Dawn exclaimed as her friend released her.
Zoey took a step and gave Dawn a toothy grin. "Who was that guy you were-oh my gosh, what happened to you?!" Zoey exclaimed as she got a look at the bandages on Dawn's arm.
Dawn raised her brow. "Everyone's been talking about it," She noted.
"I just got here, I came in late since my classes don't start until third period," Zoey explained before she leaned closer to Dawn. "Fill me in!"
Dawn retold the events that unfolded before the school day began. Her heart tightened as she thought about the car barreling toward her, but she managed to swallow her apprehension and share the entire story.
"Whoa, that's intense," Zoey muttered. "I'm glad you're alright though. Don't forget, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for ya."
"Thanks, Zoey, appreciate it!"
The bell chimed and the movement in the hallway intensified as everyone rushed to their rooms.
Zoey and Dawn agreed to talk later, and with a wave, they went their separate ways. Dawn was among the last to arrive and her instructor, Ms. Anna, welcomed Dawn with a slow clap. "Just in time," she remarked.
"Sorry, it won't happen again," Dawn promised her.
"Now Ms. Maple, would you mind putting your feet on the floor where they belong?" Ms. Anna asked as she looked at the brunette seated in the second row. When Dawn turned, she found May seated sideways to prop her feet up on the adjacent desk. May offered a grin reply as she complied. Dawn stifled a laugh as she approached the desk that May reserved just for her, and she took a seat beside her best friend.
"You owe me big time," May said as Dawn settled into her seat. "It took a lot of work to keep those losers in the back from taking this seat," May announced as she looked back at a trio of guys who each made a request to sit next to her earlier. She stuck her tongue out at them, and they returned the gesture with sneers of their own.
Anna cleared her throat and called for the attention of her students. "Good morning class," She began as she took her place behind the podium at the front of the room. "To start, I want to congratulate you all on making it to your senior year. This is going to be an exciting year as we examine all of the future avenues that could be open to you."
Dawn cracked open her notebook book as Anna spoke, and she started a doodle on the top right corner of the page. Art, fashion, literature…it didn't matter what subject the teacher taught, all of them gave the same welcome back speech on the first day. For seniors, this speech came coupled with the constant reminder that this year they would explore what career they would pursue, or if they would enter higher education. In the end, it all served as a constant reminder that they were almost adults.
Ten minutes into their class, Anna was interrupted by a knock on the door. Waiting there was a lanky young man, weighed down by the instrument cases he held. A violin case in one hand a guitar case in the other.
"Nando, you're late," Anna stated as she welcomed him into the room.
"My apologies, I was trying to drop these off at the music room before third period, but Mr. Juan is running late today so his room was still locked," Nando explained.
Anna pinched the bridge of her nose. "Of course, Juan would be late on the first day," She muttered. "That's the logical thing to do as a teacher," Anna shook her head as she motioned to the empty desk near the front. "Have a seat, Nando. I'll be lenient today, but be punctual going forward because I won't always be so forgiving."
"Yes, I understand," Nando said as he bowed to her. "I can't you how grateful I am for your mercy. I will do my utmost to follow the rules you have set from this day forward."
Anna rolled her eyes, and her actions were mirrored by Dawn and May. Anyone familiar with Nando knew that he would use charm to escape dire straits and he wasn't wasting any time putting that quality to use as a high school senior.
"Now, let's continue from where we left off," Anna said as Nando occupied the seat she motioned to.
Nando was two rows over from Dawn, but once he was settled, he leaned back into his seat and looked in her direction. Their eyes met and Nando raised his brow. Dawn returned the gesture with a wink, a promise for them to meet after class.
Dawn couldn't wait to speak with one of her closest friends, Nando. After all, he went away for the summer and there was no contact between them.
Once the bell rang, Anna's class didn't spare a moment as they rushed out of the room. The exception to this was Dawn, May, and Nando.
"Nando!" The girls exclaimed together.
Nando gave them a short bow as a greeting. "It's been too long," he said to them.
"It's good to have you back," Dawn remarked.
"Glad to be back," Nando continued. "It was real nippy in Snowpoint City, even in the summer." His comment earned a giggle from May, and Nando furrowed his brow. "You got a joke, May?"
"What's with the accent, Nando?" May asked in return.
"Accent?" Nando repeated, and then he narrowed his eyes. "I don't have an accent."
"She's not lying," Dawn interjected. "It's nothing crazy, but you're definitely talking a little weird."
"Two months in Sinnoh really did a number on you, huh?" May asked as she stuck her tongue out.
"Very funny," Nando sneered at her. "If you have more jokes, I'd keep em' to yourself. Otherwise, I won't invite you to any of my recitals this year."
May's expression shattered and she clapped her hands together. "Have mercy Nando, it was just a little fun, that's all!"
Dawn giggled as Nando turned his nose upward. Nando was a 'showstopper' whenever he performed, something you couldn't miss. To have your invitation withdrawn was a fate worse than death…at least while they were in high school.
As the first students of Anna's next class arrived, the trio decided to move their conversation to the halls.
"So, what's the deal Nando, you can't answer one phone call while you're on vacation?" May asked him.
"I wasn't on vacation," Nando retorted. "I explained this before I left. I went to Sinnoh to study under my uncle. I wasn't frolicking on the beach every day like you."
May scoffed. "I wasn't frolicking!" she protested.
"That aside," Nando looked back to Dawn and pointed to her bandaged arm. "What happened to you?"
Dawn gave a weak laugh. "Well, you see…" Dawn trailed off, which allowed May to jump in.
"She almost got hit by a car this morning," May declared as she set the scene. "There she was…paralyzed with fear and a car barreling toward her! But at the last possible moment, this guy wearing a cape drops down in between Dawn and…"
"He was not wearing a cape, May!" Dawn cut in.
"Yeah, whatever," May shoved Dawn's input aside and continued. "He drops down between Dawn and the car and with one hand, he stops it dead in its tracks, saving Dawn in epic fashion!"
At first, Nando's eyes were wide and he chewed on his lips. However, as May's retelling continued, it turned to a deadpan. The mere mention of a cape caused the story to lose all of its credibility, and of course, Dawn's denounced the tale and ordered May to never tell it again.
"That's not how it went at all Nando," Dawn insisted. "Just forget everything May said."
Dawn offered a proper retelling, though May contested the story with a proclamation that her 'version' was better.
"So, who was the hero? Was he a student, or a teacher?" Nando inquired.
Dawn's eyes widened as she thought of Ash. "Oh my gosh, I forgot about him!" Dawn went scrambling between students, which left one option of May and Nando. They pursued.
They reached the entrance to Mr. Shelby's classroom, and they found Dawn there speaking with a guy. Nando looked to May for an explanation.
"That's Ash, the guy who saved her," May stated. "He's a new student, so Dawn is helping him find his classes today."
Nando took a moment to study Ash, and then he focused on Dawn. She did most of the talking, but when Ash spoke, she listened intently, with a level of interest that she didn't give to too many people. Ash captured her attention.
Something like that should be expected since he saved her life.
Nando pursed his lips and shook his head. He didn't want his thoughts to wander.
Dawn led Ash over to Nando and May. "Ash, this is May," Dawn began as she introduced them. "She was in our art class earlier."
May offered a wave and Ash nodded in return.
"And this guy here is Nando," Dawn went on. "I thought it might be helpful to know a few people since you're new here."
"Thanks," Ash said. "But like I keep saying, you don't have to go through all of this for me."
"Oh, come on, Ash," Dawn exclaimed. "Don't be such a sourpuss. We all have fourth period together, so it'll be good for you to know someone in the class with you."
May stifled a laugh as she saw that Ash's attempt to dissuade Dawn's kindness fell on deaf ears. He briefly made eye contact with May who seemed to understand, and Ash didn't bother to fight it anymore from there. Together, the group of four made their way to fourth period class.
Dawn spent the trip talking to Ash, so Nando slowed his pace to fall behind the group slightly. May noticed and did the same to speak with him.
"What's the matter?" May asked him.
Nando nodded toward Ash. "What do you think of him?"
May shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I just met him too," She answered.
Nando frowned, though he quickly fixed his expression as he saw the smile on Dawn's face. He just finished wrestling with these thoughts a minute ago, but he couldn't help but wonder why an impassive person like Ash had such a strong grip on Dawn's attention.
"Perhaps…Dawn sees something that we don't," Nando reasoned.
May chuckled at Nando's conclusion. "What else is new? Dawn is always seeing stuff in her own weird way, so I'm just gonna go with the flow."
For his fourth period history class, Ash found himself under the tutelage of an elderly woman who introduced herself as Ms. Abigail. As seniors, Abigail explained that they would be stepping out in the world within the next twelve months, and soon their actions would affect the world around them. To make the best decisions, it was important to look back at the past to see what led to success and failure.
They would delve into ancient cultures and civilizations to see if they had the answers needed for modern reforms. Abagail was a historian, and she demonstrated some of her knowledge for them. She carefully retold the tale of the once great Sootopolitans and their demise caused by the dormant volcano that those people dwelled within. Then there was the Samiya and the People of the Water, a maritime civilization that was engulfed by the turbulent waters of the Hoenn region.
While Ash enjoyed Abagail's fantastic storytelling, he knew that some of that history was obscured. Both of those ancient cultures appeared to have died out because of natural phenomena. Ash believed otherwise…that those cultures still had a heartbeat.
How? Because of Pokemon.
Despite how well she held her class attention at first, Abagail eventually turned her attention back to her class syllabus and everyone found a way to occupy themselves. Dawn, May, and Nando began to pass notes, and after some time, Ash received a little slip of paper from Dawn. There was a circle at the center of it, and she made a request that he draw a face within it.
He spent two minutes on his drawing before he returned the paper to her. When she opened it, her cheeks puffed out as she fought to contain her laughter. May and Nando wanted to see what he did, but Dawn waved off their questions, and this remained secret between them.
In time, their class came to an end, and the group of four went to the gymnasium for their next class. Fortunately, since it was the first day, they weren't expected to take part in any activities, much to Nando's relief.
"What? You don't like gym class?" Ash asked him.
"I detest it," Nando muttered.
Ash kept a straight face, even though he wanted to frown. Considering Nando's height, it was a waste that he didn't play any sports. But when Ash looked to the instrument cases that Nando seemed to be struggling with, he felt safe to assume that Nando's body was built like a musician, and a wiry frame wouldn't do him any favors as an athlete.
Dawn, May, and Nando took their seats on the bleachers against the far wall of the gym and watched as a group of guys organized a game of basketball. Ash didn't hesitate to join, though he was among the last to be selected. Nando couldn't help but notice that Dawn was actively watching the game, and she knew nothing about sports. Part of him was waiting for her to ask something along the lines of, 'did Ash score a home run yet?' Thankfully, Dawn didn't pose such a question as she observed.
As the new kid, Ash didn't receive the ball often. He had to take advantage of the opportunities as they came. Ash clapped his hands to call for the ball as he found himself in open space. To his delight, the pass came immediately and Ash didn't hesitate to shoot. Dawn's head followed the arch of the ball as it went up and then down. It clanked off the backside of the rim, and the ball was collected by the opposing team.
"Sorry," Ash apologized as his team switched to defense
"Aww, I thought he'd make that one," May noted.
"So why are they changing sides all the time? Couldn't they just play at one hoop?" Dawn asked as she looked at May.
"I mean, they can," May answered. "But they're playing full-court like the pros."
"If you ask me, that's way too much running," Nando interjected and Dawn stifled a laugh.
Nando felt tired just watching Ash run up and down the court, especially since Ash hardly got to touch the ball. When class ended, Ash returned to the trio to collect his bag from the bleachers. They could hear him make a few comments about a 'ball hog' and it didn't take them more than a moment to make the connection. None of them bothered to pry as they were ushered out of the gym for the next class to come in.
"Well, at least we have lunch now," Dawn pointed out as they left the gym.
"Ah, I have a special treat for the two of you," Nando proclaimed. May and Dawn shared a glance and grinned. A gift from Nando could only mean one thing!
"To the cafeteria!" May declared as she took the lead.
Dawn noticed that Ash was lagging behind them. "Ash, are you coming?" She called out to him.
"I think I'm going to skip lunch," Ash said as he gave his stomach a pat. "Big breakfast."
"Do you at least want to sit with us?" Dawn continued.
Ash shook his head. "Nando said he's got a present for the two of you. I don't want to intrude."
"Oh, that was my mistake Ash, you're free to join us," Nando corrected himself.
"Look…it's not you guys, I just want a little space for a while," Ash explained. "I worked up a sweat from that game. You probably don't want to be around me."
"Do you at least want directions to your next class?" Dawn wouldn't give up and Ash knew what he had to do.
"Don't worry, I'm good," Ash assured her. "I'll see you guys later…or tomorrow!"
He waved and then departed in the opposite direction. He vanished into the hallway traffic and Dawn frowned as she turned back to May and Nando.
"Aww, don't get down on yourself, Dawn," May said to console her friend.
"Was I doing too much?" Dawn asked her.
"Maybe," May said simply. "It might have been a little much for him. Like he said, just give him some space."
"He'll come around," Nando added. "But in the meantime, how about something to take your mind off of it."
Nando's suggestion caused Dawn's expression to brighten. "Onward!"
Together they ventured to the cafeteria, and since they were among the earliest to arrive, they could take one of the tables at the small outside seating area. It was a round table with an umbrella mounted in the center to shield them from the sun. Once they claimed their table, Dawn and May went back inside to purchase their lunch. The process didn't take long, and they returned to find Nando tuning his violin.
"So, what do you have for us, Nando?" May asked as she and Dawn set down their meals. At the sight of their violin, they could safely assume that their gift would be the sound of music.
Nando was better known as North Vermilion High's resident musical genius. In fact, even that seemed like an understatement once you heard him play. Any instrument that he touched; he could play. With such immense talent, the world of music and performing was waiting for his graduation to pluck him from Vermilion City.
"Did you write anything knew while you were in Sinnoh?" May inquired.
"Certainly," Nando answered as he set his violin on his shoulder and placed his chin on the rest. He raised his bow and set it against the string. With a quick breath, he played through a scale to check his sound. Once he felt comfortable, Nando paused for a moment as he thought of the opening notes of his song.
He began. His notes were soft and low, but they snatched the girls from their seats. They were no longer in the schoolyard, but the dense foliage of the forests outside of Eterna City. His cadence echoed through the quiet woods, and the girls followed the sound until they found a house, with a balcony on the second floor. There they could see Nando, tirelessly playing his violin under the moonlight. The slow, sorrowful notes filled them with Nando's loneliness as he practiced day and night.
Then the pace picked up, his notes grew higher. Sunlight pierced through the canopy of the trees, and the darkness of night faded. Rays of sunlight lit the stage that Nando stood on, and a gust of wind cut through the area that filled the scenery with flower petals. Despite the lack of company as he practiced, Nando knew he was never truly alone. Not as long as he had his music. It satisfied his lonesome soul!
As his song concluded, the girls were returned to their seats outside of the cafeteria. They inhaled sharply as Nando set his violin on his lap and waited for their critique. May opened her mouth.
"Holy crap, you get better every time I hear you play!"
May and Dawn turned their heads and saw that a small audience gathered behind them to listen as Nando played. They began to cheer for him, and Nando waved in response. Soon enough, empty stomachs prevailed and the group dispersed which allowed the trio to speak amongst themselves.
"What did you think?" Nando asked them earnestly.
"That was amazing!" May declared as she clapped her hands together.
"It was breathtaking, Nando," Dawn added. "I still don't understand how you do it."
"It's never easy," Nando muttered before he put on a smile. "The time I spent with my uncle was eye-opening…we traveled all over Sinnoh and I played in all sorts of environments."
He played the guitar on the streets of Jubilife City, the cello in a small café outside of Solaceon Town, and performed with his violin in the concert hall of Veilstone City. It was a lot to take in, but that little journey was showing its results already.
When eighth period started, Ash was seated on the low wall that traced the perimeter of the school property. On his lap was a sketchpad and in one hand was a pencil. His other arm was fully extended, and perched on the palm of his hand was a Pidgey.
Originally, Ash came out here to get some fresh air, but while he was sitting on the wall, a Pidgey landed on top of his cap and got comfortable. She chirped happily, and when Ash offered his hand to her, she didn't hesitate to set up shop there. Ash decided to use the opportunity to get a quick sketch of Pidgey, but that quick sketch became a 'complete one.'
Ash was grateful for Pidgey's cooperation. Outside of the Pokemon that lived with him, he didn't get to sketch Pokemon as a live subject. It was fun watching Pidgey's actions, the constant checks of her surroundings, and occasionally ruffling the feathers of her wings. They would even make eye contact from time to time, and Pidgey would fearlessly peer into his eyes.
"Nice," Ash remarked as he added the finishing touches on Pidgey's wings. "Thank you so much, Pidgey," Ash said as he raised his hand, and Pidgey chirped before she took flight. Ash watched her go before he looked back down at his sketch with a grin. He was glad to have captured Pidgey on paper, and it only took him… "An hour and a half!"
He missed all of sixth and seventh period sketching outside! How did he manage to do that?!
In that time, he faintly remembered the chatter of other students outside. Perhaps it wasn't uncommon for them to sit outside during a free period. With a groan, he palmed his forehead and searched his bag for his schedule. Fortunately, sixth period was his lunch which was no big deal, but his seventh period class was a…math course. Well, if it was anything like his other classes, he didn't miss anything of importance. He would be sure to apologize profusely to that teacher once he met them properly next week.
And his last class of the day was…nothing. He was done. Math was his last academic course, and he had two more free periods to conclude his day. Since Ash spend the last two class periods outside, he figured it might be better to head indoors. According to Dawn, the best place to hang out during a free period was the library, though she warned him that the librarian wasn't always the nicest faculty member.
Ash decided that he would try his luck elsewhere, a room he was slightly familiar with. With his sketchbook in hand, he returned to the basement in search of Fantina's room. It took some time as he retraced his steps, but Ash found his way to her classroom. The door was open, and Ash poked his head to see if she had a class. Fortunately, the room was empty except for Fantina and a single student…Dawn.
They were both in the back of the classroom, positioned in front of an easel and canvas. Their backs were turned to Ash, and he could faintly hear their discussion about a horizon point. Then Dawn began to work, dabbing her brush on the wooden palette she held. Ash decided to enter the room now, and the shuffle of his footsteps was only heard by Fantina.
She looked back at him and raised her brow. She offered a smile and a wave but said nothing. Ash was grateful, though his interest was piqued. What was Dawn working on?
He set down his back and approached. Dawn was busy swiping away at the canvas, applying another layer of blue hues as her background. She wasn't much of a painter, but Fantina always advised her to explore all of the artistic mediums if she wanted to be a designer. Dawn needed to be able to visualize what she wanted to make, and then turn that vision into a reality.
Dawn paused momentarily as she studied the canvas. She closed one eye and raised her paintbrush to create the horizon line she discussed with Fantina earlier. With that in mind, she adjusted her tones and applies another layer of paint.
Ash raised his brow as he observed Dawn work, and he raised his brow as her pace quickened. She attacked the canvas as the vision in her mind was given life on the canvas. Ash placed himself outside of Dawn's field of vision and dropped down to the floor with his sketchbook in his lap. Fantina approached Ash and circled behind him to take a look at his work. He quickly got her basic features down onto the paper, but then he added a new detail.
Fantina circled him to take a peek at his work, and a smile crept up on her face. Dawn's appearance was rough, but it placed the focus on the addition Ash made. A pair of wings gracefully spread out from her back, and as he continued to look from Dawn to his sketchbook, he refined the details of the wings. It had a light source and proper shading, almost as if…he could see those wings.
The scratch of a pencil against the paper and the smear of paint was all Fantina could hear as she watched her students. She grinned, but that bliss was brought to an end by the blare of a ringtone. It snapped Dawn out of her trance as she recognized the sound, and she blinked. As she turned in search of her backpack, she saw none other than Ash Ketchum seated nearby.
"Ash?" She exclaimed as their gaze met. In response, he gave her a two-fingered salute, and then he looked back to his sketch. Dawn opened her mouth to continue, but her ringtone started from the beginning and she focused on that instead. Her bag was nearby with her phone screeching within it. Once Dawn had her hands on her phone, she saw that it was a call from her mother. "What's up mom?"
As Dawn became absorbed in her conversation, Fantina used the opportunity to speak with Ash. "Monsieur?" She began, and Ash looked up to her in question.
"That's me, right?" He asked in return.
"Monsieur is a man, a 'sir,'" Fantina explained as she tilted her head. "Are you not a sir?"
Ash nodded now that he understood. "Yeah, I'm a mon-sieur," He repeated back to her.
"Good," Fantina smiled for him as she pointed to his sketch. "Now, what inspired this?"
"Oh…uh," Ash stammered for a moment as he looked down to his work, then he shrugged before he answered. "I was watching Dawn and it just…sorta came to me."
"I see," Fantina noted as she touched her chin. Fantina wondered why he focused on the wings as opposed to Dawn, but before she could ask, their attention was drawn to Dawn.
"Aww, man!" Dawn exclaimed as she tucked her phone back into her bag.
"What's the matter?" Fantina inquired.
"My mom can't pick me up from school today, so I don't have a ride home," Dawn explained as she placed her hands on her hips. Normally she could've asked May or Zoey for a ride home, but May lacked her vehicle and Zoey already left for the day. She didn't have anyone else that she could turn to, at least not on the first day of school. "Crap, what am I going to do?"
"Isn't there a school bus that can take you home?" Ash asked her.
Dawn felt her cheeks grow warm. "Well, uh, I don't think the school bus goes out to where I live," she replied.
"What about the city bus then?" Ash continued.
Dawn bit down on her lower lip. "Okay…I've never been on…a bus," Dawn confessed.
Her cheeks became bright red as Ash just stared at her…then he posed the obvious question. "How have you never been on a bus?"
"I always get rides," Dawn retorted with a pout.
Fantina interrupted their back and forth. "Ash, do you take the autobus?"
"Y-yeah," Ash replied after a brief hesitation. "All the time."
"Parfait! Monsieur…" Fantina motioned to Ash first, then to Dawn. "Will accompany mademoiselle to her home."
Despite her thick accent, Ash understood the gist of what Fantina was saying.
"Hold on a second," Ash began. "I'm not sure if I can do that."
Fantina frowned at him. "It's only proper for a monsieur to escort a mademoiselle to her home, especially in her hour of need," Fantina reasoned with him. Dawn couldn't bear to look at them. Her face was on fire, and Fantina felt a tickle of guilt on her neck for causing Dawn further embarrassment. But she was certain that it would convince Ash to act. "Are you a true gentleman?"
Ash looked from Fantina to Dawn. She peeked at him first and then held eye contact. Her eyes were large, begging him to make this end. There was only one way to do this. Ash gave a sigh of defeat as he recalled a lesson that he learned at home. Never upset a woman.
"Fine, I'll get her home," Ash stated.
With the agreement in place, Dawn approached Ash and whispered an apology for how he was dragged into this. He said it was no problem, and instead focused on the task at hand.
"So, where do you live?" Ash asked her.
"On the east side," Dawn replied.
Ash nearly dropped his pencil and his eye twitched. "When you say that, you mean…" Ash trailed off as he recalled the view times he ventured into the 'east side' of Vermilion City. The richest part of the city, and likely all of Kanto. Huge properties, massive estates, glittering roadways.
"The east side," Dawn repeated.
Ash shrugged his shoulders. That explained how she never rode on a bus.
"I have to get to my job by three o'clock, so we'll have to leave now for me to get across town and back," Ash explained and Dawn began to move, perhaps faster than she should have. Dawn returned to her easel to take her canvas off of it with one hand. However, as she turned away from it, her foot got caught on the legs of the easel and she lost her footing.
Dawn went stumbling toward Ash, a paint palette in one hand and a canvas with wet paint in the other. She couldn't even brace her fall with both her hands occupied, so Ash sat right there and accepted his fate. His shirt took the brunt of the blow, once a solid black, but now resembling a little girl's fantasy of rainbows.
With a gasp, Dawn took a quick step back from Ash and dropped everything she held. The palette and canvas rattled against the floor as she raised her hands to cover her mouth.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, Ash!" She exclaimed.
"Are you alright?" Fantina asked as Ash stood up.
Dawn took another step toward him, but Ash put out a hand to stop her. "This is nothing," He stated. "I was going to switch to my uniform anyway."
Ash went to the desk where he left his bag, and without much thought, he pulled off the black t-shirt he wore. Dawn looked away at first and decided to occupy the time by picking up everything that she managed to drop. As she did so, he couldn't help but take a peek at Ash, and then she realized there was no need to turn away. Ash wore an additional shirt under his t-shirt, and this was soon concealed by the green shirt he removed from his bag. He pulled at the sleeves while Dawn read the logo on the front of his shirt. 'Arts and Crafts.'
"You work in an art store?" Dawn asked him.
"Yup," Ash answered with a nod as he then returned to help Dawn clean up. "It's near where I live."
However, Fantina stepped between them. "You two go ahead, I can clean this up," she said to them. "I'll see both of you next week!"
"Thank you, Ms. Fantina!" Dawn said as she and Ash collected their bags. Before they could leave, Fantina swiped Ash's sketchbook from his hands.
"What are you doing?" Ash asked her.
"I want to see more of your work, monsieur," Fantina stated. "I will return this to you on Monday."
Ash opened his mouth to protest, but Dawn reminded him that he said they needed to leave immediately. With a grumble, Ash said farewell to his teacher and they left.
Fantina turned back to the mess Dawn left her and a chuckle escaped her lips. While Fantina wouldn't say it openly, Dawn was her favorite student. That was thanks in no small part to Dawn's patience with Fantina during her first year as a teacher at North Vermilion High. Fantina was raised in Kalos and studied abroad in Sinnoh. She spoke French all her life, and it wasn't until she received her current job that she started to learn English.
Her first year as a teacher here was rough, to say the least. She struggled to communicate clearly with her students, to the point where a running joke was that she should've been the French teacher as opposed to art. All that aside, Dawn was among the few that weren't bothered by the language barrier. Rather, she viewed it as an opportunity to learn something else from Fantina beyond the fine arts. Dawn didn't know it, but she offered Fantina a little peace of mind during her early teaching career, considering this was the year that they would part ways, Fantina wanted to give Dawn a proper send-off as thanks.
With the remains of Dawn's accident now gone, Fantina returned to her desk where she left Ash's sketchbook. She still had one more class to teach today, but she would use what was left of her intermission to look at some of Ash's work. As expected, his sketchbook was filled to the brim, so she went to his most recent drawing, the pencil sketch of Dawn. Fantina propped up her chin on one as she studied his work.
The detail he added to the wings that extended from Dawn's back was magnificent! His skill with was pencil was clear! Fantina went back one page, and she raised an eyebrow as she saw the sketch of a Pidgey within his hands. Pidgey's neck was raised as if she spotted something of interest. Ash even captured part of his reflection within her eyes.
"Magnifique," Fantina remarked in a whisper.
The next picture she saw was of a sleeping Pikachu. The small creature rested on a cushion that matched his size. There were several sketches of Pikachu in various poses, to the point where Fantina could safely conclude that Ash lived with this Pikachu. Or at least, that seemed more likely than Ash drawing Pikachu this well using references from the internet.
Soon enough, Fantina began to find portraits of people. Page after page of the same three people. A woman, a young girl, and a toddler. Could this be his family? Regardless of his subject, Ash's work was astonishing!
Fantina pursed her lips and leaned back into her seat. Between Dawn and this talented new student, she was certain that this year would be interesting. She couldn't wait to see what sort of pieces they would produce in this classroom.
The bus arrived ten minutes after Ash and Dawn got settled on the bench at the stop. It was nearly empty, so they occupied a pair of seats in the back. Dawn leaned against the window and watched as the streets of Vermilion City passed by. Despite her efforts to distract herself, her eyes still wandered back to Ash who was seated beside her. He continued to nod off in his seat in a losing battle against his drowsiness.
"Are you okay, Ash?" Dawn asked him.
His head snapped upward as he checked to see if they were at their stop. "Ah…uh, I'm fine," He replied as he shook his head. "I always get sleepy when I ride the bus. It's a curse."
Dawn giggled after he mumbled the last part. "You know, my dad is the same," Dawn pointed out. "But if he has someone to talk to, then he's alright."
"Yeah, it helps," Ash agreed.
Dawn raised her brow and took that as an invitation to continue with the conversation. "So, do you have a driver's license?"
"I do," Ash answered.
"But no car," Dawn concluded and he nodded. "Why not?"
"Cars are expensive," he said simply.
"But you have a job," Dawn noted. "If you save up half the money, couldn't your parents cover the other half of it for you?"
It was an innocent question but it triggered a narrow gaze from Ash. He drew in a deep breath and shut his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he hid everything behind a neutral expression.
"Cars are expensive, let's just leave it at that," Ash repeated as he folded his arms in front of his chest.
Dawn opened her mouth to explain herself, but she quickly swallowed her words. Of course, she didn't mean to irritate or offend him, but as she thought about it, she only knew Ash for a day and she spent most of it imposing her will upon him.
She was the idiot standing in the middle of the road that needed to be saved by him. She was the klutz that made a mess of his shirt with paint. She was the one who needed a guide to get home using public transit.
"Oh my god, you must think I'm annoying," Dawn said, and she blushed as she realized that thought exited her mouth.
"What?" Ash asked as he looked at her, his brow wrinkled.
Dawn gave a weak laugh at first. "I was just thinking…you hardly know me, but you spent the whole day getting dragged everywhere by me. I think you deserve an apology for everything I put you through today," She looked at him directly now. "I hope I haven't been too much of a bother, but if I have been, I'm sorry, Ash."
"Don't get so uptight, I never said I wasn't having a good time," Ash replied as he showed her a smile. "I should apologize too. You stepped on a bit of a landmine, but it wasn't right of me to get all huffy."
"A landmine?" Dawn repeated in question.
"Money is a sore spot for me," Ash replied, though he doubted that she could understand. She did try to pay the bus driver with a twenty-dollar bill. If she lived on the east side of Vermilion City, money was probably an afterthought to Dawn and her family.
"Is there like…anything I could help with?" She offered tentatively.
Ash snorted. "I appreciate it, but no thanks. I'll manage," Ash said as he waved off her offer. He wasn't sure if her generosity was real, or if she was clueless enough to give money to a total stranger. And he wasn't the type to test someone's character in such a fashion.
"Alright then," Dawn said with a shrug. Then she perked up. "That's right, I saw that sketch you did at the end of first period! You're so good!"
Ash looked away. "I'm nothing special," he responded.
"Yes, yes you are," Dawn insisted.
"No, I'm really not," Ash fired back.
Dawn groaned, tempted to pull at her hair. She couldn't understand why Ash hated attention so much. He didn't want any credit when it came to saving her life, and now he wouldn't even acknowledge his own talent.
"Well, maybe you're not that good, but you've definitely got a great pair of eyes," Dawn replied.
"A good pair of eyes?" Ash questioned, but Dawn paid him no mind as she opened her backpack to retrieve her sketchbook.
"Can you look at some of my sketches and tell me what you think?" She requested as she placed the book in his lap.
"Why me?"
"Because…all summer I worked by myself. I want to hear different opinions about my work. Criticism will help me improve, plus I think your opinion will be worthwhile to hear," She winked at him. "Even if you don't think it's anything special."
Ash felt his cheeks heat up, and he cleared his throat before he opened her sketchbook.
Dawn watched nervously as he flipped through a few pages before he settled on one to observe. It was one of her dress designs, and he remained on that page for quite a bit of time. Finally, he moved on to another one, but he remained completely silent. It was practically killing her! She wanted to know if he loved it or hated it. What he really thought of her work. After seeing just one of his sketches, Dawn was certain that Ash could offer some valuable insights.
Ash slid further down into his seat and chewed on his bottom lip. Her work was solid. She had skill. But what she lacked was…an edge. Her work was very safe.
"It's…nice," Ash finally said something.
"And…?" Dawn leaned forward as a gesture for him to continue.
"And…are you sure you want to know?" Ash asked her.
She didn't like the sound of his voice as he posed this question. But she wouldn't let that stop her. "Yeah, I really do," Dawn said sternly.
Ash took a breath. "Honestly, this feels like I'm looking at the work of a skilled seventh-grader," Ash said slowly.
Dawn kept a straight face. "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean, you clearly have talent, but I kind of get the impression that you," Ash paused to select his words. "Haven't been exposed to too much. Kind of like…you grew up in a box."
"What?" Dawn exclaimed with a grown.
"What I'm saying is that your work doesn't really have its own personality yet," Ash explained while he mentally thumped his head for not starting with this. "You know, like how a writer has to find his voice, or a musician has their own style. You haven't found that yet."
Dawn lowered her shoulders as she digested Ash's comments. She was perplexed by this guy who sat next to her.
After two months of working privately during summer vacation, Dawn felt like her work stagnated. She couldn't understand why it felt like she wasn't getting any better and she even concluded that she might have peaked as an artist. Yet…it only took Ash a few minutes to point out something she didn't even think about. She still had room to grow. A lot of room.
Dawn opened her mouth to speak a few times, but she couldn't find the words.
"Are you okay?" Ash asked.
There was no answer. Ash felt his chest tighten as he thought of her apology earlier. They got off on the wrong foot, and it seemed like they continued to step on each other's toes at every opportunity. While he wanted to clarify his choice of words, Ash also feared the thought of putting his foot even further into his mouth and he decided to remain silent. Hopefully one of them would figure out what to say later on.
"Next stop, Diglett's Boulevard!" The automated voice declared over the intercom. That was Dawn's stop.
Soon enough, the duo found themselves stepping off of the bus and onto the entry point of Dawn's neighborhood. As the bus pulled away, Ash took a gander at the area with wide eyes. The closest house sat at the center of a gated area, the lawn was well kept, and marble statues lined the twisting driveway that led up to the estate. Ash couldn't even begin to understand how one family, or even one person, could afford to live in a house that big.
Dawn took the lead as they traveled into Diglett's Boulevard, and Ash followed a few paces behind. The silence that started on the bus continued until they finally arrived at Dawn's home. When Dawn stopped in front of the gate, she approached a small speaker mounted on the stone column.
"Hello?" A man said after a few moments.
"Darach, it's me, Dawn," she said flatly.
"Ah, Miss Dawn, you're home early," He remarked. There was a click, and the gates parted to let Dawn in. She looked back to Ash and offered a small wave before they parted ways.
7:15pm.
The skies were dim as the sun sunk into the horizon, but Ash was at the starting point of his journey for the weekend. With his hands in his pockets and a Pokemon within his backpack, Ash traveled through the streets of northern Vermilion City.
Usually, Ash would head home after his four-hour shift at work, but this was the first weekend of the month, which led to a different set of activities for him. His destination was Sunset Park, which was right across the street. He could hear the shouts of the children playing as they enjoyed their last few minutes there since it was almost time for supper.
As he arrived at the entrance to the park, Ash looked upward as the street lights turned on. It was an odd mixture of light since the skies weren't totally dark. That was a signal to the parents present in the park as they gave the call to the children that it was time to head home. Ash chuckled as he heard the dismay in the voice of the kids as they complied with their directions. Ash followed the concrete pathway through the park, heading toward the center of the area that was used more by joggers and couples as opposed to children.
As he passed a fountain, he spotted a woman seated alone on a bench of almost a dozen Pidgey around her. She tossed some sunflower seeds to the Pokemon and giggled as they chirped with delight. Ash stepped off the pathway to avoid disturbing the Pidgey and the 'bird lady.' She looked up to him as he passed, and their eyes met briefly. She mouthed a 'thank you' and Ash nodded before he continued on his way.
In time, Ash arrived at his meeting spot. A park bench beside a lamp that was tagged with red spray paint. Seated at this bench was the man he was looking for. He wore a black ivy cap, and his phone was in hand to keep track of the time.
Ash took a seat on the other end of the bench and offered a small wave to him.
He looked at Ash out of the corner of his eye. "You the kid?"
Ash responded by pulling down the collar of his shirt to reveal a red neckerchief. The man did the same and they shared a nod.
"So, what are we doing this weekend?" Ash asked him.
"It's a big job this weekend. We got a tip that there's a shipment we want to intercept at the shipyards. The payout is going to be real good if we get the job done right," The man explained.
Ash smiled. "I like the sound of that."
A/N Update
Goodness, gracious! Reading stuff from five years ago has me asking myself what I was thinking back then! That thought aside, revisiting these old chapters has been fun. I've gotten to see how I've improved as I worked on this project, and giving these chapters a bit of a facelift helps whenever I hit a wall with writer's block.
This was also the chapter where my beta reader MjrGenMatt joined the crew! A special thanks to him for coming aboard. He's been such a big help writing this, so many thanks to him for his support!