Chapter 5: Fruitful Endeavors
The Sinnoh Sun beat down relentlessly, its searing rays casting a sweltering heat over the landscape.
The scorching heat stood in stark contrast to the constant snowfall of Twinleaf. Dawn wasn't used to such heat, not to mention she was dressed in clothes more suited for colder weather.
As Dawn made her way towards Jubilife City, her first stop on her quest to become a Pokémon Master, the deep forest stretching out from Sandgem seemed especially endless and daunting.
The forest was dense with tall trees blocking out some of the ever-hot sunlight. The ground was covered in thick undergrowth, which made it difficult to see far ahead. The air was filled with the sounds of Pokémon and the rustling of leaves.
Dawn had been trudging through the woods for over 24 hours now, her exhaustion weighing heavy on her shoulders, coupled with hunger gnawing at her stomach, if only she had stocked on food while she was in Sandgem.
Exhausted and unable to go any further, Dawn collapsed onto the forest floor. Beads of sweat rolled down her face as she panted heavily, the strain of her journey clearly taking its toll.
"That's it," Dawn gasped between heavy breaths, her stomach growling in protest. "I can't take another step. I need food, fast!"
Dawn looked up at the sky, watching a flock of Starly soaring gracefully above. The Starly swooped and glided through the air, their wings beating rhythmically as they danced across the sky.
The girl sat up, brushing the dirt from her clothes. "If only I was born a Starly," she murmured, watching the Pokémon swoop effortlessly above. "I'd easily be able to fly to Jubilife right now. I bet they have good food over there. I mean, it is a city, right?"
Dawn's mind began to race, she remembered the one person she was racing with to Sandgem.
I wonder where Barry is now? Dawn mused, her mind drifting to her best friend and rival. What if he's already in Jubilife? I can't let him beat me, but, I'm so hungry... Her stomach growled again.
As Dawn continued to lay there aimlessly staring into the sky, something caught her eye. There, hidden in the green leaves hung a single apple, glistening in the sunlight. Her heart raced as she fixed her gaze on it, the sight of the fruit igniting hope within her.
The girl sprang to her feet, excitement coursing through her veins. "I just hit the jackpot!" she screamed, almost like she had completely banished the fatigue she was just feeling.
Dawn crossed her arms as she stared up at the apple. "Let's see," she muttered aloud. "I can't climb a tree to save my life. How the heck am I supposed to reach that?"
Her eyes lit up as the answer became obvious. "I forgot, I don't need to actually know how to climb a tree," she said, reaching out for a Poké Ball. "After all, I got someone who can easily do it for me!" With a confident smile, she effortlessly tossed the ball into the air.
"Char, Chimchar!" Dawn's starter Pokémon screeched as he materialized from the flash of red light. Chimchar looked towards his trainer, his head tilted slightly and a puzzled look on his face.
"Alrighty, Chimchar!" Dawn's face glistened with excitement, she pointed towards the apple in the tree, instructing, "Go climb that tree and fetch me that apple!"
Chimchar remained motionless as he stared absentmindedly at Dawn, causing her smile to falter ever-so-slightly.
Dawn cleared her throat, trying a different approach. "Look, I'm hungry, and I bet you are too," she said, trying a different pitch. "We can share that apple up there. It's not much, but it'll tide us over until we reach Jubilife."
Chimchar glanced back at the tree. It wasn't too tall, and he could easily climb it in a flash. Besides, he was feeling a bit hungry himself.
The fire-type suddenly let out a fake yawn, flopping onto the ground as if trying to feign sleep. As usual, he paid no attention to Dawn, much to her irritation.
Dawn clasped her hands together pleading with her Pokémon. "Can't you just once do me this small favor, please? Maybe you're not hungry, but I'm starving here!"
Chimchar began fake snoring, clearly uninterested in his trainer's pleas. Dawn sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping in disappointment as she realized Chimchar wasn't going to help her.
Once again, Dawn's stomach growled loudly, urging her to eat something. She raised her head, her eyes fixed on the apple dangling tantalizingly from the tree, just out of her reach. Its red skin gleamed in the sunlight, mocking her hunger from what seemed like a considerable distance away.
Dawn's gaze shifted to Chimchar, who continued to pretend to sleep. "Fine," she muttered, her resolve growing. "I don't need your help. I'll get that apple all on my own!"
Chimchar's eyes cracked open slightly, caught off guard by the conviction in Dawn's voice.
Dawn approached the tree with determination, her eyes glued on the apple dangling just out of reach. With a deep breath she reached out and grasped the lowest branch, pulling herself up with all her strength.
As she climbed higher, her heart pounded in her chest, each movement fraught with tension. But the higher she got, her lack of skill quickly became more and more apparent. With a grasp, she lost her footing and fell backward landing hard on the ground below.
"Ouch, that hurt..." Dawn winced, feeling as if she'd just been tossed around in a washing machine. Rubbing her sore back, she grimaced at the ache radiating through her body.
Chimchar's laughter bubbled up as he watched Dawn's failed attempt with amusement glinting in his eyes.
Dawn shot a glare at Chimchar with frustration boiling beneath her skin. "It's not funny! Quit laughing!" she scolded but Chimchar remained unfazed, his laughter echoing through the forest.
The trainer rose to her feet, brushing some dirt off her clothes. Chimchar's behavior, she couldn't read him at all. It was like the Pokémon didn't care at all about her well-being, and yet, he chose to accompany her on this journey, instead of staying behind with Professor Rowan.
Dawn scanned the area around her, and her eyes caught notice of a thick vine trailing off in the distance. She dashed towards it, her heart pounding with excitement.
Chimchar's laughter ceased as he observed another daring attempt from his trainer to reach the apple. His eyes widened in surprise, almost as if he was starting to feel concern.
With a determined glint in her eye, Dawn took hold of the vine tightly, her heart pounding with adrenaline as she prepared to swing to the top of the tree. With a swift push, she launched herself into the air, her body soaring upwards with momentum.
For a brief moment, she felt the exhilarating sensation of flight as she reached for the elusive apple.
But reality came crashing down as she foolishly misjudged the trajectory, slamming face-first into the trunk of the tree. Pain coursed through her body as she stumbled backward losing her grip on the vine and tumbling to the ground once more.
Dawn's scream pierced through the air as she crashed against the forest floor, the impact jolting her body with far more pain than the smack against the tree did. She laid there, stunned for a moment, with a reddish rash blooming across her face.
Chimchar paused for a moment, before a wide grin formed upon his face. His laugher escalated into a full-blown fit of hysterics, doubling over as he struggled to contain his amusement at the misfortune of his trainer.
Dawn winced as she sat up, gingerly rubbing the rash on her face from the impact. It hurt twice as much as her previous crash did.
Once more, with determination fueling her every action, Dawn slowly rose to her feet, her empty stomach groaning loudly with hunger. Dawn returned her gaze to the apple, dangling tantalizingly from the tree branch above.
As Dawn took a step forward, her foot landed squarely on a Y-shaped tree branch, causing her to halt abruptly for a moment.
"H-hold on a minute," she muttered, eyeing the branch with sudden inspiration. Although it was small, it gave her an idea.
She knelt down, her fingers wrapping around the Y-shaped stick with an artistic look on her face. Next, she retrieved the vine she had swung on earlier, taking a piece of it along with strips of tough bark to complete her impromptu project.
For the next five minutes or so, Dawn worked diligently with her back turned to her starter. Though Chimchar acted like he had zero interest, his curiosity betrayed stolen glances, he couldn't help but wonder what it was Dawn was doing.
Finally, a triumphant smile crept across Dawn's face. "Ta-da!" she exclaimed, spinning around to reveal her handcrafted creation: a newly made slingshot.
"Char?" Chimchar cried, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. He had no idea his trainer could be so creative, even if the slingshot she created totally left a lot to be desired.
Dawn giggles bubbled up as she saw Chimchar's amazed expression. "Well, you see," she began, "I used some branch I just happened to step on. Then, I gathered some bark to make the grip, and I used that vine I swung from earlier as the elastic! So, how do you like it?"
Chimchar's awe dissolved into a pout as he turned away from Dawn. "Chim," he grumbled with a nonchalant shrug, trying to maintain his cool demeanor.
Dawn's smile widened into a determined grin. "Keep doubting me," she declared, her voice filled with unwavering confidence, "you'll only make me more motivated to prove you wrong!"
The girl swiftly snatched a pebble from the ground. With a flick of her wrist, she propelled the pebble forward, sending it hurtling through the air towards the dangling apple, but the pebble sailed wide, missing its mark by a significant margin,
"Darn, I missed," Dawn muttered in frustration, her determination undiminished as she reached for another pebble, refusing to admit defeat.
With another launch from her slingshot, the projectile flew through the air with promising accuracy, missing the apple by barely an inch, teasing her with near success.
Frustration gnawed at Dawn as she grappled with the maddening proximity of the apple. It was so close, yet so far at the same time. Each missed shot compounded her exasperation, despite her relentless efforts to hit her mark, only one managed to graze the apple, and it didn't even do much.
With each feeble attempt Dawn made, Chimchar's hardened expression began to soften imperceptibly. Although he wouldn't let Dawn notice, something about her tireless efforts began to move him. Despite the futility of her actions, he found himself silently admiring her resolve.
The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a warm and golden glow that slowly deepened into hues of orange and pink.
Hours had slipped by since Dawn began her relentless attempts at getting the apple. And yet, nothing had changed—the apple still dangled out of the girl's reach, almost as if it was teasing and mocking her.
Exhausted, Dawn collapsed once more with her body hitting the ground with a thud. She lay on her back, panting heavily, sweat streaming down her face and soaking her clothes.
She wasn't even thinking about her hunger anymore, she completely forgot about it. All that mattered to her, the only thing that rested on her mind, was reaching that apple and holding it close; to her it was symbolic of far more than just a mere fruit.
It had been so long since she last got even a wink of sleep, despite the apple being the only thing that mattered to her, she couldn't help herself. Her eyelids grew heavy, and her blinks became slower and longer. Moments later, her eyes closed for the last time, and she finally drifted into sleep.
Chimchar had been watching Dawn's continuous fails for far too long now. The hardened gaze and resentment he felt for Dawn had faded long ago. With his trainer asleep, he finally turned towards her. She laid peacefully on her back, her chest rising and falling in a steady motion. Beside her, the makeshift slingshot she had made, which was clearly beginning to wither.
The fire-type slowly rose to his feet, careful not to awaken his trainer. With a final glance at Dawn, he scaled the tree effortlessly, reaching the top branch in the blink of an eye, faster than a bead of sweat from Dawn's brow could hit the ground.
Chimchar moved with calculated steps along the slender branch. With a steady hand, he reached out, his arm extending towards the apple drooping just out of reach.
It was clear to him that getting the apple meant far more to Dawn than it initially did, so he'd slowly leave it by her side, making it seem like it was her effort that caused the apple to fall, and not his whim.
Chimchar's hand hovered over the fruit poised to claim it, when a voice from below caught his attention. The Pokémon glanced downward, it was Dawn lying below, her eyes wide open, fixated directly on him. He was caught red-handed.
"Don't do it, Chimchar," Dawn muttered in a mellow tone, the resolve in her voice still present. "I'm going to be the one to take that apple. I don't need your sympathy."
"C-Chim, Chim!" Chimchar pleaded, but Dawn simply shook her head, unmoved by his plea.
Dawn slowly got up, her movements sluggish and unsteady. Every muscle in her body ached with exhaustion, and her limbs felt heavier than lead. Weakness washed over her in waves, threatening to pull her back down to the ground with each faltering step.
Dawn panted heavily, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as she struggled to regain her composure. With labored exhales, she muttered, "Barry, he..."
A tiny figure stood with her back to a tree, clutching its rough bark tightly as the tears she tried to hold back rolled down her cheeks.
It was Twinleaf, of course, right at the edge of town. In front of the girl, loomed four boys, around her age if not older, each much larger than her while sporting far less friendly demeanors. They towered over the girl, their mocking laughter ringing in her ears as they taunted her mercilessly.
The main boy sneered, disdain coloring his voice. "Dawn, Dawn, Dawn... it's a sad thought, really," he mocked, "to think you actually believe you have what it takes to become a trainer."
The other three boys joined in, their laughter harsh and mocking. "Yeah, Dawn," one jeered, "you'll never make it!" Another chimed in, "Stick to playing with dolls!" The third boy added with a smirk, "A Pokémon Trainer? You? What a joke!" Their taunts echoed around, each word stinging more than the last.
The tears Dawn was trying to hold back finally spilled down her cheeks as she began to cry, unable to hold back her emotions any longer. At just 4-years old, the cruel words cut deeply. She couldn't help but feel small and helpless.
Her small shoulders shook with each cry, she tried to stifle the sound by pressing her trembling hands to her mouth. As she cried, it almost felt like the word around her was beginning to close in on her.
Their twisted taunts were clearly getting to her, until she heard an unfamiliar voice call out to her. Dawn and the boys turned their heads, startled by the unexpected interruption.
Dawn's tear-streaked face showed a glimmer of hope, while the boy's expressions shifted from amusement to confusion as they looked over their shoulders.
Standing behind them was a boy with wild, spiky blond hair and bright, determined eyes. He wore a white polo shirt under an orange jacket, and blue jeans. His gaze was firm and unwavering, clearly not afraid of the bullies at all. He looked to also be Dawn's age, maybe a year older.
Dawn didn't recognize him; she couldn't tell if she'd even seen his face around town before. She'd assume the same went for him, too. And yet, here the boy was, sticking up for her.
The kid took a step forward, leaving an imprint of his foot on the snow. "You four... if you don't leave the girl alone, I'm gonna fine you guys. Can't you see she's crying?" His voice was firm and resolute, like he had some authority to his name.
The boys exchanged curious glances, their initial surprise giving away to hilarity. Moments later, they burst into laughter, their mocking tones returning as they dismissed the boy's threat.
Their laughter grew louder, ringing out through the scene. "Fine us? Really?" one of them mocked, clutching his stomach. "What are you, the principal?" another jeered. "Yeah, who do you think you are?" the third boy added.
The defiant boy suddenly raised his fists, his stance shifting into a ready position. "Get the h-e-double hockey sticks out of here! I'll have you guys know I'm a blue belt in karate!"
Dawn took a cautious step back, retreating behind the safety of the tree. She hugged the tree as she slowly peeked her head from behind the bark, her gaze fixed on the curious boy who was now prepared to fight for her.
The bully in the middle flashed a cocky smile. "Oh, I see. So, you wanna get clobbered by yours truly, huh?" he taunted, a smug look on his face as he squared up, not at all intimidated of his opponent and his "karate".
"Bring it on yo—" Before the blond boy could even finish with his sentence, he was struck across the face with a mean left hook. The punch connected with a sharp crack, sending him staggering backward.
Dawn let out a gasp, her eyes widened in shock at the sudden violence unfolding before her. She couldn't imagine being hit with a punch that hard.
The gutsy boy in orange charged forward with a sharp yell, attempting to tackle his opponent head-on. However, despite his effort, he barely managed to budge the brute. The bully gave a glance towards his friends, letting out a short chuckle before giving a swift kick to the gut at his opponent, sending the boy in orange tumbling into the snow.
The poor kid laid sprawled on the ground; his arms wrapped tightly around his midsection as he clenched his gut in pain. He looked up towards his opponent, his voice shaky with defiance. "I-is that the best you go—" Before he could even finish his taunt, the boy was shut up by another kick to the stomach.
The force of the blow sent him sprawling in the opposite direction. The bully pounced on Barry, his fist held high as he unleashed another vicious punch to the face. The blow landing with a resounding thud that caused Dawn to close her eyes and turn her face away.
She could no longer bear to watch. Whoever the boy was, bravely sticking up for her, he was clearly out of his league. She couldn't stomach the sight of him getting pummeled, yet she couldn't intervene either. She'd never felt so useless before in her life.
The bully continued his assault, raining down what felt like a barrage of punches upon his helpless victim's face. Each blow landed with a sickening thud; the sharp cracks of bone meeting flesh were enough to make Dawn squirm.
The boys surrounding the scene began to cheer on their friend, their voices blending into a chorus of encouragement.
Finally, unable to stand idly by any longer, Dawn reached down and grabbed a pebble off the floor. She hurled it over, the projectile finding its mark and striking the bully on the head.
The boy's cheering suddenly hushed into silence, their jubilant voices replaced by an eerie quiet. Slowly, they turned around, fixating their gaze on Dawn, who now stood defiantly in front of the tree.
"You guys didn't hear? The champion of the Sinnoh Region is a woman now!" Dawn declared boldly, trying her best to suppress her fear. "I will become a Pokémon Trainer! And you jerks are gonna leave this place, and not lay another finger on that boy!"
The bully slowly rose from over his flattened opponent, he turned around, staring at Dawn with a death glare.
"I don't care if you're a girl," the boy said, his voice dripping with malice as he cracked his knuckles. "If you want a beating like your friend here, then that's fine by me."
The boy took a menacing step forward, his aggressive posture causing Dawn's resolve to waver. Fear gripped her once again as she realized she, too, was about to face his wrath.
Before he could take another step, a weak grasp enveloped his leg. Startled, he swung his head around to see the boy he had just beaten, his grip feeble but determined, clinging to his leg.
The poor boy's face was marked with a black eye, and some blood trinkling from his nose. Despite the fact he was weak, his resolve didn't waver, he was still ready to fight. Panting heavily, he looked up at the bully, his voice strained yet strong. "Where do you think... you're going?"
The bully gave a smug smirk, his lips curling into a malicious grin. "Fine, I'll finish you off first, then your little girlfriend," he taunted, raising his leg threateningly over his opponent's face.
A single tear rolled down Dawn's face as she turned away, unable to bear witness to what was about to happen. However, she didn't hear the sound of a stomp which she dreadfully anticipated. Open her eyes, she saw a tall man holding up the boy by the back of his shift, forcibly pulling him away from the boy lying flat on the ground.
"Y-you wanna piece of me too!? Lemme go!" The bully cried out, his bravado crumbling in the face of the imposing man's strength. Honoring the request, the man effortlessly tossed the kid aside, sending him crashing face-first into the snow.
The man had striking orange eyes that seemed to gaze into the soul of the four brats. His yellow hair framed his face, he wore a formal outfit, consisting of a green dress shirt paired with a black tie. Over his attire, he sported a long black trench coat, its fabric billowing slightly in the cold breeze as he moved.
The bully looked up towards the man, his surprise evident in the widening of his eyes and the slackening of his jaw. He recognized the towering adult who stood before him, and he couldn't be more shocked.
"Y-you're!" The boy stammered, pointing with a shaky finger. "P-Palmer Pearl, of the Battle Frontier!" His voice quivered, both awe and fear coloring his tone.
The man took a strong step forward, his figure oozing dominance as he loomed over the four boys. "I feel bad for your parents, having good-for-nothing worthless kids like you lot," he declared, his voice firm and unwavering. "Listen, no one lays a hand on my son. I don't care if you're children; I'll do whatever it takes to defend my boy. Plus, you were actually gonna attack that poor girl over there, you can't call yourselves men."
The bully was once again hit with another realization, his elongated finger trembling as it shifted towards the boy on the floor who slowly began to get up. "Y-you, you're seriously Pearl's son!?"
The boy weakly stood up from behind his father, his voice still strong despite his weakness. "Dad, this has nothing to do with you," he insisted, his words strained. "Stay out of this. If you don't, I'm gonna fine you for every last cent you own."
Palmer ignored his son's protests, his glare passing along the four boys. The brats wasted no time in heeding his warning; with a quick glance over their shoulders, they turned and dashed away, their hurried footsteps echoing in the snow.
As they scurried out of there, they ran straight past Dawn, who stood simply awestruck by the sudden turn of events.
Palmer let out a heavy sigh, he finally turned towards his son. Kneeling down, he positioned himself so their faces were level with each other. "You were outmatched, and yet you did everything in your power to defend that girl, huh?" Palmer said softly, placing his hand on his son's hair. "I'm proud of you. You're a hero."
The boy turned his face away from his dad, his voice defensive as he sought to salvage his wounded pride. "I-I could've beaten them," he insisted, frustration in his voice. "I was just feeling them out, that's all. I didn't need your help."
Palmer smiled, "That gutsiness of yours," he mused, his tone tinged with admiration. "I wonder if you get that from me... or your mother?" However, his smile faltered, and a look of concern creased his brow as he began to fret.
"Crap, Gilda! If she looks at your face, she's gonna kill me!" Palmer exclaimed, his demeanor suddenly shifting from cool to goofy, at least in Dawn's eyes. "We've got to go now! Makeup, I need to get some makeup on your face. She can't find out this happened to you under my watch!"
Palmer grabbed his son's hand, beginning to walk away from the scene. Dawn gasped, her voice echoing through the tense silence as she cried out, "Wait!"
Both the man and his son turned around halting in place. Dawn's eyes locked with the boy's before her, with a thankful look on her face.
"D-Dawn. My name's Dawn Platinum," she said, her voice trembling slightly as she introduced herself. "Thanks for helping me... so, what's your name anyway?"
The boy turned towards Dawn, a weary but genuine smile forming across his bruised face. "The name's..."
"Barry..." Dawn muttered, her gaze lingering on the apple dangling from the tree above. "He never wavers. He's never given up once in his life. He's always been like that—his gutsiness, and the will to stand back up, even after being knocked down."
Chimchar looked down towards his trainer, he could respect her resolve. But he couldn't bear to watch her suffer anymore. It wasn't funny anymore. Ignoring her plea, his outstretched arm began to reach even closer to the apple, intending on giving it to her, despite her resolve.
"Still, you refuse to listen to me, huh," Dawn said softly, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Well do what you want... since it's clear you still don't respect me at all."
The Chimp Pokémon dropped his arm, his gaze shifting back down towards Dawn with a pleading expression. "Char, Chimchar, Char!" he began to plead, his voice filled with desperation.
However, Dawn remained resolute, the conviction in her eyes unyielding as she met Chimchar's whimpering gaze with a firm gaze.
"Step aside, Chimchar, please..." Dawn's voice was gentle yet firm, her words causing the fire-type's heart to sink.
Chimchar gave a quick nod of his head, for once acknowledging his trainer's request, before gracefully jumping from the branch and landing on the forest floor below. He couldn't even bring himself to meet Dawn's eyes, how could he, after all, he felt like it was all his fault.
Dawn returned her gaze towards the apple, her thoughts drifting back to her best friend. Barry, I wonder what you'd think of me now... she wondered, a sense of introspection washing over her as she grasped a pebble off the ground.
In one swift motion, she hurled the rock towards the apple, her breath catching in her throat as it sailed through the air. Time seemed to stand still as the pebble made contact with the stubborn apple, a tense silence enveloping the forest.
Chimchar watched with bated breath, his eyes wide with anticipation as the rock was actually managing to close in on its target. His heart raced alongside Dawn's; his own hopes pinned on the success of her hopeful throw.
And then, with a sudden crack, the apple finally fell shattering the stillness and bringing a wave of relief which washed over Dawn. Chimchar's eyes widened in utter astonishment, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
The apple landed on the dirt in front of Dawn, who stood in place as motionless as a statue. Her breath caught in her throat as she struggled to comprehend what she had just accomplished.
Finally, a smile began to spread across her face. With a burst of energy, she swooped down, scooping the apple off the ground in one swift motion. She leaped into the air, her heart soaring with the thrill of triumph.
"I did it, I actually did it!" Dawn cried out, her voice ringing with unrestrained joy as she jumped up and down in excitement. "I'm amazing, I can't believe I actually did it!"
A tear began to well up in Chimchar's eyes, the fire-type turned away from his trainer, he raised a paw to his face, wiping away the tear before it could reveal his vulnerability.
Dawn gazed at the apple in her hand, from close, it didn't look like much, but it didn't matter, she earned it. Sure, it wasn't a game-changing accomplishment, but in that moment, it meant more to her than anything.
She looked at Chimchar, a kind look on her face. "Alright, I guess we'd better share this, huh," she said, extending the apple towards her Pokémon. But before she could move a muscle, a sudden gust of wind swept through the forest, rustling the leaves and causing the branches to sway.
"W-what the?" Dawn uttered in shock, disbelief marking her tone as a sudden blur passed by, moving swiftly above her outstretched arm, leaving her palms feeling lighter.
Both Dawn and Chimchar twisted around, their attention drawn to the sight in front of them. There, before them, stood a funny-looking Starly, its wings dangling awkwardly behind it as it ran with remarkable speed, an apple resting triumphantly in its beak.
Dawn looked down at her palm, her heart sinking as she realized the apple she had worked so hard to obtain was no longer in her clutches. "Oh, you didn't!" she yelled, her voice filled with anger.
The Starly gave one last look back, a cocky gleam in its eye, before darting out of sight, within its possession, an apple.
Looking back, maybe I could've changed young Dawn and Barry's dialogue, to make them sound younger since they're 4 and 5 in that scene, but yeah, I'm kinda too lazy to do that, so this is this chapter!
I haven't eaten in 3 days, I can relate to Dawn a bit, anyways, I know this chapter may come off as filler, but I loved writing every bit of it. I think that flashback really gave away a lot about Dawn and Barry's characters, but anyway.
Imma eat some tofu, fun fact about me, I'm vegan, so yeah, I'm gonna eat dinner and then hibernate for 10 years.
—yonas813, out.