A/N: Thank you for your continued interest in the story.

Chapter 2: First Lunch Twogether

After all the introductions were finished, their homeroom teacher distributed their school IDs, showing them the pictures that had been taken about a month ago when they enrolled.

Ash squinted at his ID, trying to figure out why something felt off about his photo. His eyes widened as he realized the issue. "I'm missing the birthmarks on my cheeks!" he thought, staring at the picture where the lightning-bolt-shaped marks on his cheeks were absent. "It must be some kind of filter they used," he concluded, overhearing his classmates comment on how their photos made their skin look smoother. At least his name was spelled correctly, which was some consolation.

He glanced at the largest text on his ID: Class 1-2. It stood for First Year, Section 2, the second-highest class out of more than 30 sections in their grade.

His inspection was interrupted when their homeroom teacher instructed them to put on their IDs, leave their bags, and follow her to the multipurpose gym.

Inside the gym, Ash noticed some students were already standing in neat rows and columns, arranged within outlined squares on the floor. Following instructions, his class formed similar rows, with the boys standing on the left and the girls on the right.

At the front of the gym stood a small stage with a podium in the center. On either side of the podium was a line of chairs occupied by people Ash assumed to be school officials. Once the incoming students were settled and no more classes seemed to be entering, a man stepped up to the podium.

"Good morning, dear students and teachers," he began. "Welcome to this school year. I am the school principal. My name is…"

The principal introduced himself and explained the school's mission and vision. It was a typical welcome ceremony for both new and returning students.

Most of the students appeared disinterested. Ash figured it wouldn't be surprising if most of them forgot almost everything said during the event—if not all of it—by the end of the day. Having already read through the student handbook, Ash recognized much of what the principal said. However, he did note a few personal anecdotes from some teachers about the importance of education.

The ceremony lasted less than ten minutes before the homeroom teachers led their classes back to their respective classrooms to begin their lessons. The time spent in the gym had cut into their first period.

The morning subjects were nothing particularly remarkable. The day began with mandatory Algebra taught by their homeroom teacher, followed by Physical Science, History, Livelihood, and Health Education.

Each teacher introduced their respective subject and outlined the curriculum for the year. While Ash couldn't quite see how Algebra or History would help him in Pokémon training, he resolved to pay attention anyway. Better to have knowledge you don't need than to need knowledge you don't have, he reasoned.

Each subject lasted a full hour, giving them plenty of time to absorb the material being presented. Still, Ash couldn't help but feel that the morning had dragged on slightly.

It was now 11 in the morning. As early as it might seem, this marked the start of their lunch break, which would last for an hour before the more Pokémon-oriented subjects of their class began.

Students began chatting with those they already knew from elementary school or had met previously, splitting Class 1-2 into smaller groups. Some planned to eat in the cafeteria, while others chose to stay and eat in the classroom. A few students who had just met earlier that morning decided to hang out and get to know each other better.

Meanwhile, a girl glanced at Ash again, her expression puzzled. She couldn't help but wonder who this boy was. There was something familiar about him that her mind seemed determined to grasp, but she just couldn't figure out what it was. The answer felt close, just out of reach.

"Hey, Serena, let's go," called an orange-haired girl, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Serena nodded, clutching a small, picnic basket-like lunch container in her hand. Without another glance in Ash's direction, she and the orange-haired girl left the classroom.

Ash, on the other hand, had no reason to leave. He pulled out the lunchbox and thermos bottle his mother had packed for him earlier that morning and decided to stay at his table to eat.

At that moment, someone called out to him.

"Hey, your name is Ash, right?"

Looking up, Ash saw the boy who had bumped into him earlier that morning.

Ash nodded. "And you're Goh, correct?"

"Yeah!" Goh nodded back enthusiastically, clearly pleased. He assumed his introduction earlier had left a big impression. Unbeknownst to him, Ash had remembered him more for the hallway incident than anything else.

"That's Chloe," Goh continued, gesturing with his left hand toward the girl seated next to Ash. "You probably know each other already."

Chloe scoffed, rolling her eyes. "How do you think we'd know each other? From the class introductions or because of your recklessness?" she snapped as she opened her bag to grab her lunch and drink.

"Come on, are you still stuck on that? Can't the three of us just eat in harmony?" Goh asked, almost pleading, as he slid into the empty seat across from Ash. Without waiting for an invitation, he opened his lunchbox and plopped it onto the little available space on Ash's table.

Ash blinked in surprise at the bold move but decided to let it go. Goh clearly wasn't the type to ask permission.

Just then, Ash noticed something strange. The girl to his right had gone completely still, staring blankly into her open bag with a deadpan expression.

His eyebrows furrowed. "…Did you—"

"…forget your lunch?" Goh finished, half-laughing before Ash could.

Chloe's eye twitched. "Who do you think barged into my house this morning, rushing me so much that I forgot to pack my lunch?" she shot back, her tone sharp.

Though she knew it was ultimately her fault for forgetting, she couldn't help but vent her frustration. To make matters worse, she hadn't brought much money with her, assuming she wouldn't need it.

Chloe sighed, resigning herself to her fate. There was no way she'd be eating lunch today.

Ash wanted to help Chloe, but he was in the same financial situation as her. He had only brought enough money to buy an extra drink, just in case his thermos bottle wasn't enough. He hadn't expected any school-related expenses on the first day. Besides, he wasn't the type to spend money on random things. Judging by Goh's similarly helpless expression, Ash guessed he was in the same boat. At least they'd all learned an important lesson—always carry some extra cash, just in case.

Thinking quickly, Ash opened his lunchbox and began transferring half of its contents onto the inside of its lid using his fork. "Here, you can have this," he said, smiling at Chloe. "My mom always packs a little more than I can eat. She says I need extra energy for school."

Before Chloe could protest, he placed his now half-empty lunchbox on her desk, along with his only spoon, still wrapped neatly in a napkin.

His makeshift plate, containing the remaining half of his food, sat on his own desk. Ash only had a fork now, but he didn't mind. Eating with just a fork might be a little tricky, but he saw it as a small challenge—something he might have to deal with in the wild someday.

"Wait, I'll go buy you a drink!" Goh announced suddenly, dashing out of the room without waiting for Chloe to refuse his help.

Chloe blinked in surprise before looking down at the lunchbox on her desk. "Thanks a lot, Ash," she said, a sincere smile forming on her face. She understood Goh helping her—after all, they were childhood friends, even if he had laughed at her earlier. But Ash? She had only met him a few hours ago, yet he was going out of his way to share his lunch with her.

Although he had claimed his mom packed a little extra, Chloe doubted it was meant to feed two people. The thought made her cheeks flush with embarrassment. She stared at the lunchbox, avoiding eye contact with Ash as they waited for Goh to return so they could eat together.

Meanwhile, Ash was struggling. His stomach growled, and he had to swallow a lump of saliva as he resisted the urge to dig into his food. Technically, he hadn't agreed to wait for Goh, but the way things had played out, it felt like an unspoken agreement. To distract himself, he turned to Chloe.

"You're still trying to figure out what you want to do in the future, right?" he asked. Her introduction during class was one of the few he remembered, mostly because her seat was next to his.

"…Yeah," Chloe confirmed. Then, as if to change the subject and distract herself from her earlier embarrassment, she asked, "Do you know Professor Cerise?"

Ash perked up at the name. "Yes! I've read some of his research and watched documentaries about him." He didn't even need to think hard to recall the professor. "Wait, isn't your last name Cerise too? Are you related to him by any chance?"

Chloe nodded almost mechanically. "He's my father."

"Wow, that's awesome!" Ash's eyes lit up with excitement. "One of my study goals is to visit his lab here in Vermilion someday. I'd love to learn from him in person!"

Chloe stared blankly at him. It was the same reaction she always got when people found out about her father. Then, in an almost monotone voice, she asked, "So, what do you think I should do in the future?" She braced herself for the usual response—that she should follow in her father's footsteps and become a Pokémon Professor.

Ash surprised her. "You can be whatever you want," he said. "We still have three years to learn before we get our trainer's licenses. You can use that time to figure things out, right? And even if you don't know by then, you can try out different things until you find what you're really passionate about. I think if you focus on understanding Pokémon while learning more about yourself, something good will come from it. No—not just maybe. I'm sure of it!"

He finished with a bright smile, even if he felt his words were a bit vague. He had simply spoken from the heart.

Chloe blinked in surprise, feeling as though a heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She had never talked to Goh about her goals—she had always feared he would echo what everyone else said about her becoming a Pokémon Professor. But somehow, she'd managed to open up to Ash.

Perhaps it was because she'd only just met him and didn't care as much about his opinion—or so she thought. Yet his unexpected response felt like the most satisfying and relieving answer she had ever received. For the first time, Chloe felt like she could take her time figuring things out. She smiled to herself, realizing that she actually wanted to do just that.

It was then that Goh finally returned, his face glistening with sweat. He held up a can of cherry-flavored soda and placed it on Chloe's desk before collapsing back into his temporary seat in front of Ash. Taking a long gulp from his bottle of lime juice, he sighed in relief.

"Thanks, Goh," Chloe said sincerely, matching the tone she had used to thank Ash earlier. Though the drink wasn't her favorite, she appreciated the gesture. "Not really my taste, though," she added with a playful smirk.

Goh rolled his eyes, unfazed. He knew she was just messing with him. Without missing a beat, he opened his lunchbox and slid it toward Ash and Chloe, offering to share some of his food.

"Let's eat!" he declared cheerfully, completely brushing off Chloe's teasing as they all settled in to enjoy their meal together.

･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*

In the cafeteria, an orange-haired girl gritted her teeth in frustration as the vending machine rejected her pokédollar bill for the third time.

"Err… you're Misty, right? Looks like you're having some trouble," a male voice pointed out. Misty turned to see a boy from her class standing nearby.

"I'm Goh. We're in the same class," he introduced himself, gesturing to the vending machine. "You might want to flatten your bill a little. Try running it against the corner of the machine—it usually works for me."

Misty blinked, recalling the trick she'd seen on TV before. "'Kay, I'll try it."

As she began carefully smoothing her bill against the edge of the machine, Goh hesitated before asking, "While you do that… can I go ahead and buy my drink?" His hopeful tone made it clear he was in a bit of a rush.

Misty shrugged without looking at him, focused on her task. "Sure."

"Thanks! My friends are waiting for me back in the classroom," Goh said cheerfully as he inserted his pokédollar without a hitch and selected his drink.

"Just don't take the Cherry Soda," Misty added, her eyes still on her task.

There was no response from Goh. Instead, she heard the unmistakable clunk of the machine dispensing a drink. Looking up, she saw him holding the last can of cherry soda with an awkward smile plastered on his face.

"…Why you!" Misty's voice was low, but the irritation was unmistakable.

Goh immediately stepped back, holding the can like it was a fragile artifact. "Sorry!" he yelped before darting out of the cafeteria at full speed.

Moments later, Misty returned to her table with Serena, now holding a box of orange juice.

"What's wrong?" Serena asked, noticing her friend's slightly sour expression.

"This guy from our class beat me to my preferred flavor," Misty grumbled, placing the juice box on the table.

Serena glanced at the juice and raised an eyebrow. "Isn't orange your favorite?"

"Yeah, but not for this brand," Misty sighed, shaking her head. "Anyway, let's eat! I've been waiting to try those macarons you baked last night!"

Serena's face lit up as she opened a small container and pushed it toward Misty. "Tada! Eat as much as you want!"

"With pleasure," Misty replied, wasting no time grabbing one of the colorful sandwich cookies. Closing her eyes, she savored the delicate sweetness melting in her mouth. "These are delicious, Serena," she praised, quickly taking another bite. "You're amazing at baking. I'm so glad I get to have you as my roommate!"

Serena smiled warmly. "I'm glad to have you too. You practically did all the heavy lifting when I moved into the apartment."

"I just have experience with physical stuff," Misty said, her eyebrow twitching slightly as she remembered her sisters in Cerulean City constantly assigning her chores. She took a sip of her juice before changing the subject. "So, what's Kalos like?"

Serena's smile softened, her mind drifting to memories of her home region. "It's beautiful," she said. "The architecture, the food, the people… It's hard not to fall in love with it. Every town feels like a postcard."

"That sounds incredible," Misty replied, intrigued. "What's the food like? Anything I should try if I ever visit?"

"Oh, you'd love the pastries," Serena said enthusiastically. "Croissants, éclairs, tarts… And don't even get me started on the poképuffs! They're not just for pokémon, you know—they're amazing for trainers too."

"Croissants and poképuffs, huh? I'll add those to my bucket list," Misty said, smiling.

The two girls continued chatting about Kalos, sharing stories and laughter as their bond grew stronger over the simple joy of good food and good company.

:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ

After their satisfying lunch, the two girls were on their way back to their classroom.

"We have P.E. next, right?" Serena asked, glancing at Misty.

Misty nodded simply as they entered the room. The two exchanged smiles before heading to their respective seats.

As Serena approached her desk, she caught sight of Chloe handing Ash an empty lunchbox with a used spoon inside. Curious, Serena paused for a moment, her eyes subtly following the interaction. Standing with her head slightly lowered, she placed her macaron container back into her bag, stealing a glance at Ash from the corner of her eye. Once seated, however, her view of him was completely blocked by Chloe, who sat directly in front of her.

"Thanks again, Ash," Chloe said sincerely. "I'll make sure not to forget my lunch tomorrow. I'll share some with you in return."

"You don't have to. It's fine," Ash replied with a dismissive wave, not wanting Chloe to feel obligated over something he considered a small favor.

"I can have some too, right? I miss your mom's cooking, you know!" Goh chimed in, grinning. Chloe couldn't deny his request, especially since he had shared some of his food with her earlier.

Expecting no objections, Goh turned to Ash. "Wanna go to the comfort room?"

Ash considered the suggestion and nodded. Stretching his shoulders, he stood up, feeling the strain in his back and knees from sitting too long. The two boys quickly disappeared into the bustling hallway, blending into the flow of students.

Serena, meanwhile, replayed what she had just witnessed. With the information she had gathered, it wasn't hard to deduce what had happened: Chloe had forgotten her lunch, and Ash had shared his with her. There was absolutely nothing unusual or wrong about it.

'Why am I even thinking about this?' Serena questioned herself. 'It's not like it has anything to do with me. They're just friends helping each other, like how Misty and I do.'

She told herself that was the end of it, shaking off the odd, fleeting feelings of curiosity or concern. With a quiet sigh, she turned her attention to her school tablet, focusing on preparing for the next class.

:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*

Ash exhaled deeply, placing his hands on his waist as he twisted his back first clockwise and then counterclockwise. He and Goh had just exited the comfort room, and the brief stretch was much needed after sitting through most of the day.

"Getting old, Ashy boy? Or should I call you Grampy Ash?"

Ash froze for a split second before resuming his steady pace as if he hadn't heard a thing. He didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. That voice was unmistakable.

Goh, however, turned his head slightly to confirm his suspicions. As expected, it was Gary Oak, the auburn-haired kid from their class. Gary, who stood at 5 feet 4 inches, towered over Ash and Goh, who were 5 feet, and 4 feet 11 inches, respectively.

Gary smirked, clearly enjoying the jab, but his amusement faded when Ash didn't react. Instead, Ash kept walking without so much as a glance in his direction.

Goh frowned briefly in Gary's direction but quickly caught up with Ash. "What's up with you two?"

Ash sighed, running a hand through his raven hair as he dredged up old memories. "It's nothing special. We're both from Pallet Town and went to the only school there. We were good friends up until about 5th grade."

"What happened?" Goh asked, curious.

Ash shrugged slightly. "That's when he started being… different. Too competitive and aggressive about everything—sports, street games, Pokémon trivia, video games, schoolwork—you name it. And no matter how hard we tried, we almost always ended up tying. Neither of us could pull ahead."

Ash paused briefly, glancing at Goh. "But Gary didn't want to tie. He wanted to win, to be way ahead. So he started calling me names and doing whatever he could to make me lose focus. I tried to shrug it off, but by the end of 6th grade, I'd had enough. I decided to ignore him for good."

"What a jerk!" Goh exclaimed, clearly annoyed on Ash's behalf.

Ash offered a small shrug, his voice calm. "That's just my version of the story. I'm not saying I left anything out, but… I want to believe he has his reasons for being like that. Maybe he just wanted to push himself to improve. That I can understand."

Goh gave Ash a look that could only be described as disbelief, as though he'd suddenly grown a second head. "You're seriously giving him that much benefit of the doubt?"

Ash chuckled softly, shaking his head. "What can I say? I'd rather focus on the future than hold on to the past."

The conversation ended as they returned to their classroom and took their respective seats.

Misty, who noticed Goh walk past her, briefly narrowed her eyes at him. She hadn't forgotten the vending machine incident in the cafeteria. However, as quickly as the glare appeared, she blinked and looked away. She decided there was no use holding a grudge over something so petty.

Satisfied with the result of her inner debate, Misty decided to let the matter slide and focused on her tablet. Goh, oblivious to her fleeting glare, leaned over to Ash, whispering something about how cool it would be to visit a Pokémon lab together someday.

The classroom buzzed as students gradually settled down, waiting for the teacher to arrive. It was only the first day, but the little moments and interactions already hinted at how their dynamics might evolve over the school year.

:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*

Ash walked out of the changing room and joined his classmates on the polished floor of the multipurpose gym. They were now dressed in their P.E. uniforms, which matched the design of their regular ones: slightly loose white T-shirts paired with dark blue jogging pants. Their shoes remained the same—designed by the school for maximum comfort and movement.

"Normally, exercising during the noontime heat would do more harm than good," their P.E. teacher, a man in his mid-thirties, began as he addressed the class. "But lucky for you, we've got the A.C. running to keep things cool." He was dressed in a green sweater and jogging pants, his neat, shiny bowl-cut hair glinting under the gym lights. "As Pokémon trainers, you'll need to build good physical capabilities to survive in the wild—especially if you're the type to walk through woods and wilderness rather than taking a bus. Since it's your first day, we'll do some tests to record your current abilities. By the end of the year, we'll see how much you've improved."

A chorus of groans came from the girls, Serena included, as they worried about these activities bulking up their muscles. Ash, on the other hand, grinned with excitement, sharing the enthusiasm of most of the boys. Even Misty seemed eager.

The teacher, noticing the girls' concerns, gave a reassuring smile. "Don't worry—you don't need to bulk up unless you want to. These exercises are about staying fit, not gaining weight or building excessive muscle."

He continued, "Now, pick a partner of the same gender and come get a stopwatch from me. You'll use it to record your partner's times."

"Wanna partner up?" Goh asked Ash.

"Sure," Ash replied, and the two collected their stopwatch along with the others. Misty paired up with Serena, while Chloe teamed with a dark blue-haired girl.

The tests included typical P.E. activities like the 100-meter dash, push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups. Everyone was too focused on their own performance to compare themselves with others. But the coach, with his trained eye and better vantage point, took note of the standouts. Three students performed exceptionally well: Ash and Gary for the boys, and Misty for the girls.

"Good job, everyone," the coach said after the tests were completed. "Return your stopwatches and your recorded results." The students handed in their papers, which the coach slid into a green folder. "In future classes, we'll focus on improving your stamina. You'll need it for your journeys. Occasionally, we'll also have activities involving school Pokémon—like riding them, lifting objects, and more."

This news excited most of the students, though Chloe's expression remained neutral. She preferred learning through books over hands-on interaction. Serena, meanwhile, let out a soft groan, muttering something about Rhyhorn racing.

"That's it for today. Go change back into your regular uniforms and return to your homeroom," the coach instructed before taking a seat on the bench to wait for the next class.

"Good job not giving up on that last test, Goh," Ash said, patting his friend on the back as they walked toward the boys' changing room.

"Thanks. You did amazing, though. I felt like a slakoth next to you in the 100-meter dash. And don't even get me started on the push-ups. I was basically a caterpie," Goh said, still panting.

Ash chuckled. "I guess growing up in the countryside has its perks," he said modestly, though he couldn't deny he had outperformed his friend. Goh wasn't bad—he could probably outrun a growlithe if he needed to—but Ash was just faster.

The next subject was PHA (Pokémon Health and Anatomy), where the class studied the Bulbasaur evolutionary line. The teacher introduced them to the detailed body structure of the Pokémon and explained how to treat injuries. They went over muscles, bones, and nearly everything discovered by researchers and professors around the world. The teacher also mentioned that over the next three years, they'd cover all recorded Pokémon in this subject.

The last subject of the day was Pokémon Training. The lesson focused on type advantages, disadvantages, and basic Pokémon statistics. The curriculum was designed to start with the fundamentals, but the teacher assured them that their studies would become more detailed and engaging as the months went on.

By 3 p.m., the school day had ended. Their homeroom teacher returned to assign cleaning duties to some students while dismissing the others.

Ash adjusted his backpack and rolled his shoulders before turning to Chloe. "Bye," he said simply.

She nodded in response, and Ash made his way out of the room.

"Hey," Goh called out from the hallway, waiting for him. "Let's wait for Chloe."

"Uh, okay," Ash agreed, leaning against the wall as he absentmindedly watched the students pass by.

Inside the classroom, Chloe walked over to a blue-eyed girl with dark blue hair that reached her mid-back. "See you tomorrow, Dawn," she said to her P.E. partner.

Dawn turned away from the window she was cleaning and smiled. "See you, Chloe!"

With that, Chloe left the room and spotted Goh waving at her. She wasn't surprised he had waited for her, but she hadn't expected him to rope Ash into waiting as well.

"Let's go," Goh said, getting Ash's attention. He led the way while Chloe and Ash walked side by side behind him.

As they navigated through the crowded hallways, the rush of students occasionally caused Chloe and Ash's shoulders to bump for a brief moment. Neither seemed to acknowledge it—they both knew it was bound to happen in a packed crowd.

At the school gates, Ash turned to the two. "Which way are you guys heading? I'm going this way." He pointed to the right.

"Same," Chloe replied, nudging Goh to keep walking.

The three headed down the road together, their conversation naturally turning to the Bulbasaur anatomy lesson. As they walked toward the busy streets of Vermilion City, they reached the corner of Magnemite Street and Voltorb Street.

"I'll be crossing here," Ash said, gesturing to the street ahead. "What about you guys?"

"We're heading that way." Goh pointed toward Voltorb Street. "Chloe and I are neighbors."

"Got it. See you tomorrow, and thanks for today!" Ash waved as he turned to cross.

"See you! Thanks too!" Chloe and Goh replied in unison.

With that, Ash parted ways with them, heading off in his own direction.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! For those waiting for some action, don't worry—it's coming in future chapters. Right now, I'm focusing on making Ash's school life feel natural and grounded. I hope it's not dragging on too much, but please let me know what you think! Suggestions are always welcome. Thanks for reading!

- Areyem Meyera.