AOF: Alternate chapter title: "In Which Riley Learns Handbrakes Are Indeed A Thing".

Amber.

The Next Morning.

"Are you sure you guys can't come with us?"

Tess shook her head with a sad smile. "Sorry, Amber...Volkner wants to stay a few extra days and train with Aaron. Go figure."

The next morning, me, Riley, and Dee were southbound for Hearthome City. Volkner, Flint, and Tess would have come with us, but Volkner wanted to stay for a little extra training with Aaron. Even then, he didn't see us off; he wanted to ask Aaron's permission.

Flint rolled his eyes. "Which is pretty stupid, to me," He butted in, sounding a little bitter. "I mean, why bother staying with that butthead gym leader? As if Volkner and Pikachu ain't strong enough as is. He could tackle the Lily of the Valley Conference right now, the showoff."

Tess raised her eyebrows. It looked like this was a pretty recently opened wound with Flint.

"We'll, um, meet up with you guys again in Hearthome City," Riley quickly added. "Sound good?"

"Sounds great to me!" Dee answered.

Tess smiled. "Perfect. Okay, you guys've gotta get going...we'll meet up in Hearthome. Okay. Bye. Love you, Dee."

Dee waved as we turned to leave. "Love you too, Tessie! Flint, take care of her!"

On Route 206.

"Okay...the map says we're close to a rental bicycle route...that should cut the walk to Hearthome down to about...two and a half days. At most."

Astro whistled. "Sweet. You know how to ride a bike?"

"No." Riley closed and pocketed his Town Map. "But, it can't be too hard if six year olds can learn it."

Dee burst out laughing. "You don't know how to ride a bike? The hell, you grow up under a rock? What kid can't ride a bike?"

I elbowed her. "Don't be an ass, Dee-Dee. We'll teach Riley."

Dee pouted, while Riley gave her a look my three year old sister would give our brother when she gets the most cookies to eat.

The building to rent bicycles was only a little further up the road. It was a house-sized metallic building with the sign "Cycling Road Rentals". Under that, it read "20$ per bike".

I raised my eyebrows. "Dee, spot me some money?"

Astro scoffed. "You're that broke?"

"Well, a little hog kept asking me to buy him sweets in Eterna-!"

"I'll pay for you, Amb," Riley muttered. He took out his wallet.

Dee whistled. "Color me surprised. Maybe chivalry ain't dead."

Riley handed me three tens, and we went inside. There was a man behind the counter, and behind there, two racks with about twenty bikes each. They all, thankfully, had baskets.

"Good mornin', kids!" The man behind the counter chirped. "Lookin' to rent some bikes, I guess?"

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

I rented a yellow one, Riley got blue, and Dee chose green. The counter guy took our money, and gave us each a ticket stub.

"Make sure to give those to the other guy," He advised.

We went outside with our bikes, Riley looking a little nervous. Riolu tugged at his jeans leg.

"Huh?" He looked down at Riolu.

"Hyough," Riolu warbled, pointing at the basket on Riley's bike.

"Not now. After I learn how to ride."

Dee stood her bike up, sighing impatiently. "Amber, could you hurry this lesson up? I'm ready to hit the road."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah." I nodded to Riley, standing my bike up. "You. Get on. But don't go off yet."

Riley gulped, getting on the bike. He gripped the handlebars. "Like this?"

"Yeah."

Dee snickered, and walked over to Astro. "This oughta be good, Azzy."

"Yeah. Riolu, come over here." He must not have wanted Riolu so close to us.

Riolu joined them at the side of the dirt road, sitting.

I rolled my eyes. "Ignore them."

"I make it a habit."

"Okay, lean over on one foot, and put the other on the pedal," I instructed.

Riley nodded and did as I said, but then started trying to pedal with that foot. I pulled him back when he moved.

"No, did I say to push?" I asked.

He blushed. "Sorry."

"Pedal backwards," I told him. "Get it in a good position to kick off and pedal."

Riley pedaled backwards, slowly, until that pedal was facing upwards.

"Good so far." I reached around him, and grabbed the handlebars from behind. "Okay, I'll keep you balanced. Put your other foot on the other pedal."

"Ah...o-okay." He did what I told him to, and I saw his ears were bright red.

"Doin' good so far, Riles!" Astro called from behind us.

I grunted, holding Riley steady. "Okay, I'm gonna push you. When I let go, just keep balanced and don't stop pedaling. Use the handbrakes to stop."

"Handbrakes to stop," He mimicked. "Got it.

"Okay...now." I pushed him for a few feet, then let go.

Riley didn't make it five feet before crashing, and shouting some pretty choice curse words as the bike fell on him. Even Dee flinched.

As her and Astro laughed their asses off. I wanted to punch them, and it looked like Riolu did, too.

I jumped. "Hang on!" I got the bike off and helped him up.

Riley groaned. "Gooood...I suck. And my leg's scraped."

"That's alright. You're not bleeding. Come on, get back up on it, Riles. We'll stop if you hurt yourself too bad."

That was the same speech I'd given Max when teaching him. If Riley knew I was treating him like a seven year old, he would have died. He would have just died on the spot.

Riley lost balance and fell a few more times, but he still got back up and tried again. It was almost admirable, especially with Dee and Astro heckling him a few feet away.

Finally, before pushing Riley off again for the umpteenth time, I snapped.

I turned around to them and glared, and growled, "Astro Daniels and Deadra Thompson. I swear to God. If you do not cut the crap, I will put Riley on tge back of my bike, and we will leave your asses."

Dee and Astro went silent. Then, Astro challenged me with a "You wouldn't!"

I kept glaring, until Riley coughed and added in, "Actually, I think I'm starting to get it, Amber. Leggo and lemme try by myself."

Riley put one foot on the higher pedal and, with a grunt, pushed off with his other foot and started pedaling.

He started riding around. After an hour and a half, Riley actually managed to ride a bike by himself.

"Riley, you're gonna-God! Apply the handdbrake, you dumb broad!"

"Crap, crap, crap, crap! CRAP!"

...Before he applied the handbrakes too late and wiped out. On a tree.