A/N: Congrats and thank you for making it this far! Well, it's not that far yet into the story, but you know what I mean.

Chapter 5: Got Myself Two New Wheels

Ash stood next to the guard who was overseeing the line of students scanning their IDs. "Sir, I'm the student who requested the CCTV footage of my bicycle last Friday."

"Ah, yes. Ash, right?" The guard's eyes stayed on the entering students, now including Chloe, Goh, and Dawn. The trio noticed Ash standing by the guard, and Chloe led the other two to wait under a nearby tree, filling them in on what had happened to Ash's bike tires.

"Yes, sir," Ash confirmed. "I'm just checking for any updates on the footage."

"The report's been submitted to the person in charge of the cameras. He'll be reviewing the footage this morning," the guard explained. "The CCTV room is next to the counselor's office in the main building. You can check there after classes."

"Thank you, sir," Ash said with a respectful bow.

"Don't mention it," the guard replied, sparing him a small smile before returning his attention to the line of students.

As Ash joined his friends under the tree, Goh was quick to ask, "Any news?"

"The footage is being reviewed now. They told me to check back after class," Ash explained.

"I hope they find out who did it," Dawn said with a small frown. She knew how much Ash treasured the bike his mother had given him.

"Yeah. Let's go," Ash said, motioning for the group to head to class. Just as they began to walk, someone called out to them.

"Good morning, guys!"

The group turned to see Kenny approaching with a wide smile. He was pushing a brand-new green bicycle, his matching green helmet perched on his head.

"Good morning, Kenny," Goh greeted as Chloe and Ash gave him a polite nod. Dawn, on the other hand, forced a blank expression, keeping her thoughts to herself.

"Nice bike," Goh added. "Looks new."

"It is," Kenny replied, clearly proud. He turned his gaze to Dawn. "I just bought it this Saturday." After a pause, he added, "So, Dee...Dawn, how about I give you a ride home later? We could stop by a cake shop or something—my treat. We haven't hung out since elementary, and I thought it'd be nice to catch up." He mentally slapped his forehead for almost calling her some weird nickname.

Dawn blinked, visibly uncomfortable as Kenny continued, "I even brought a spare helmet for you." He gestured to the pink helmet secured to his bike's pillion seat. His smile wavered slightly when she didn't immediately respond.

"Sorry, Kenny," Dawn replied, forcing a smile. "I have club activities today, so I don't know what time I'll be heading home." Her hands clenched tightly at her sides, hoping he would drop the subject. Chloe's sharp eyes didn't miss her discomfort.

Kenny's smile faltered for a second before he quickly recovered. "No worries. I have club activities too. Whoever gets dismissed first can just wait here by the tree or the gates."

"Ash is giving her a ride later," Chloe interjected smoothly, her eyes locking onto Ash's, silently urging him to go along with her plan.

Kenny blinked, confused, as the others turned to Ash. "He owes her," Chloe added before Ash could say anything. "He lost a dare last Friday after scoring lower on the weekly test. The deal was that he'd give her daily rides to and from her place."

"Exactly!" Goh chimed in, catching on. "It's the rules of the dare. No backing out now, Ash."

Ash hesitated, scratching his cheek awkwardly. He had no clue what they were talking about, but decided to play along for now. "Uh… yeah, I remember now." He forced a sheepish laugh. "Guess I don't have a choice."

Dawn smiled at her friends' quick thinking, her previous unease melting away. "Right. So you better pick me up later, Ash!" She turned to Kenny with an apologetic look. "Thanks for the offer, but I already have plans with Ash. See you in class."

"…No problem," Kenny muttered, his cheerful demeanor cracking slightly as the group walked off. His hands gripped the handlebars of his bike tightly, his knuckles white with tension. He stared after them, the frustration simmering under his otherwise blank expression.

"What's the point of buying this bike if she won't ride it with me?" Kenny whispered to himself bitterly. His gaze shifted to the pink helmet on the seat. "I even borrowed his money for this."

He gritted his teeth, his steps heavy as he pushed his bike toward the rack. He didn't know who he was angrier at—Dawn for rejecting him, Ash for getting in the way, or himself for letting it happen. One thing was clear: all his efforts had been for nothing.

:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*

"What was that all about?" Ash asked, a confused look on his face as they walked toward their classroom building. He and Goh were a few steps ahead of the two girls.

Chloe slid her arm around Dawn's waist, closing the distance between them and the boys to make their conversation more private. "Before we get to that, mind telling us what's going on with you and Kenny, Dawn?" Chloe asked, her tone gentle but curious. She had noticed how awkward Dawn always seemed around him. Her reaction earlier was just the latest example.

Dawn sighed and took a deep breath. "Long story short," she began, "Kenny and I are from the same town in Sinnoh—Twinleaf. We went to the same kindergarten and elementary school. You know how kids are, right? We all made silly mistakes, like wearing mismatched socks or getting messy during activities. Kenny was the one who teased me the most about stuff like that. And it wasn't just harmless jokes—sometimes he got others to join in too."

Her voice wavered slightly, but she kept going. "Even in our final year of elementary, when everyone else had grown out of it, he kept at it. He gave me this stupid nickname, 'Dee Dee.' It started after an accident I had with some Electric Pokémon. My hair got all frizzy and sparkly, and he thought it was hilarious."

"'Dee Dee'? What does that even mean?" Ash and Goh asked at the same time, both looking equally puzzled.

"It stands for 'Diamond Dandruff.' I know it doesn't make much sense," Dawn admitted with a sigh. "But it stuck, and he wouldn't let it go. That's why I feel so uneasy around him. I'm always afraid he's going to bring it up in front of you guys."

Chloe, however, had a different perspective. "Honestly, Dawn? I think he likes you. You know, the cliche of teasing to get attention. It's immature, sure, but it's a thing."

Ash's brow furrowed even more. "Wait, what? That doesn't make any sense! Kenny talks to a lot of people in class, and he doesn't tease them. Why would he pick on Dawn if he likes her? Isn't that kind of… backwards?"

That comment nearly made Goh trip over his own feet. The shorter boy coughed awkwardly, trying to suppress a laugh. "Ash, sometimes I think the only thing you understand is Pokémon."

"Let's not get sidetracked, okay?" Chloe said with a small sigh, though she was just as surprised as Goh by Ash's innocence. Turning back to Dawn, she pressed gently, "What do you think, Dawn? Do you think Kenny likes you?"

Dawn hesitated for a moment before shaking her head firmly. "Even if he does, I don't feel the same way. If he ever brings it up, I'll make that clear to him."

"Fair enough," Goh muttered, his expression twisting into a slight grimace. He wasn't particularly fond of the topic.

"Okay, back to your question, Ash," Chloe said, looking at him with an amused smile. "I made up that story about you losing a bet and picking Dawn up because I could tell she was uncomfortable. Goh just played along."

Ash let out a sigh of relief, his shoulders visibly relaxing. "Oh, thank Arceus. I thought I'd forgotten about some random bet."

That comment was enough to make Goh stumble forward, nearly landing face-first on the ground. Chloe and Dawn exchanged bewildered looks before bursting into laughter.

Dawn smiled gratefully at her friends. "You don't have to pick me up later, Ash. I don't want to bother you by making you leave your house just to come back here for me. If Kenny finds out you're not picking me up, I'll just talk to him myself. Don't worry about it. And your bike tires are flat, right?"

"Yeah, they are," Ash admitted with a shrug. "I dropped it off at the bike shop over the weekend. I asked them to switch the tires to tubeless. I'm picking it up later."

"Tubeless?" Goh repeated, blinking in confusion. "No idea what that means, but… sounds fancy."

"It's not a big deal," Ash chuckled as they reached their classroom. "Just makes the tires harder to puncture."

The group settled into their seats, waiting for their homeroom teacher. Goh wanted to go over to Ash's desk, but one of their classmates called him over to help with some algebra problems.

Ash, meanwhile, reached into his bag and pulled something out. He walked over to Dawn's desk and held it out to her. "Thanks for this," he said, handing her the handkerchief she had lent him last week. "I washed it myself."

Dawn accepted the handkerchief and gave it a playful sniff. "Smells like regular detergent, but it's clean enough," she teased lightly.

"Here," Chloe chimed in, handing Dawn a small spray bottle of cologne. "For a more pleasant fragrance."

Dawn laughed and gave the handkerchief a few sprays. "There. Much better."

Ash groaned, throwing his hands up in mock frustration. "Come on! If I'd known you'd nitpick, I would've washed it with a whole bottle of cologne!"

Their laughter filled the room, drawing a curious glance from Serena, who was seated nearby. She watched the three friends for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly as a thought crossed her mind.

'Ash… and the handkerchief,' she mused, her gaze instinctively dropping to her left knee as if looking for any...injury?

Her chest tightened, and her eyes widened as memory rushed over her.

:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*

Class 1-2 stood eagerly on one of the school's small battlefields, preparing for their final subject of the day: Pokémon Training. The energy in the air was palpable as their teacher addressed them.

"As I mentioned last time, today's lesson will be different. We're putting your learning to the test with an actual Pokémon battle," he announced. The class buzzed with excitement, particularly Ash, who felt a jolt of adrenaline at the prospect. "I've got enough Pokéballs here to lend each of you a Pokémon. These are school Pokémon, trained to be friendly and to follow commands… mostly," he added with a small, knowing smirk, his voice dropping slightly. While the Pokémon weren't dangerous, some were known to be a bit temperamental. "Each of you will draw a Pokéball and scan it with this device." He pointed to a small machine next to the box of Pokéballs. "It'll print out a slip showing which Pokémon you've got and its moves. You'll also draw a number from this bowl to determine your match-up. Battles will be one-on-one with a three-minute time limit. Now hurry and form a line—we've got no time to waste."

The class shuffled into a line, and soon Ash found himself standing beside Goh, curiosity brimming in his eyes.

"What Pokémon did you get, Goh?" Ash asked, glancing over.

"A Caterpie," Goh answered flatly, holding up the paper slip with a half-hearted shrug. "And I'm match number eight. What about you?"

Ash gave his Pokéball a light toss, releasing its contents in a flash of white light. "Watch and see," he replied with a grin. The light materialized into a small, worm-like creature with brown skin, pink nose and nubs, and white stingers on its head and tail.

"Weeeee!" the Pokémon chirped.

Ash looked it over, pleased. "A Weedle. And my match number is 7," he said proudly.

Before he could say more, a familiar, mocking voice rang out.

"Seriously? A Weedle?" Gary Oak sneered, his arms crossed as he approached. "That's your big reveal? That's the perfect Pokémon for someone like you—weak and useless. A wannabe trainer and his pathetic wannabe battler."

Ash stiffened. He had tried to ignore Gary for weeks, but this taunt struck a nerve. It wasn't just about him this time—Gary was insulting the Weedle, too. The little Pokémon seemed to pick up on it, its head drooping slightly.

Ash scooped it into his arms, carefully avoiding its stingers, and gave it a reassuring pat. "Don't listen to him, Weedle. We'll show them what we're made of, right?" His voice was firm but kind, and the Weedle chirped in response, seemingly encouraged.

Gary smirked, flicking his hair with a scoff. "We'll see, Ashy-boy. This should be good for a laugh." He wandered off, surveying the other students' Pokémon with mild interest. He noted that all the Pokémon assigned to their class were basic-level, likely weaker options saved for first-years. The higher staged pokemon were probably reserved for the 2nd year and 3rd year students.

"Alright," the teacher called out. "If your number is in red, head to the red corner. If it's in blue, go to the blue corner. Line up in numerical order."

Ash joined the blue corner, standing beside Chloe, Dawn, and Garry. Across the field, Goh was in the red corner along with Kenny.

Goh then noticed Kenny switching numbers with another student. Goh raised an eyebrow, piecing together Kenny's intentions. Since they were instructed to form a line in order of their drawn number, it was easy to tell who they would be facing from the other corner. By now, it was clear that Kenny had deliberately positioned himself to battle Ash.

The matches began, with students from other classes gathering to watch. Among the spectators, two Journalism Club members stood near the sidelines. One was a third-year student with midnight green hair and sharp black eyes, recording the scene on his phone.

"Always be ready to capture something potentially interesting, Trevor," Conway, the club president, said, adjusting his glasses. "If it turns out to be nothing, you can always delete it later."

"Got it, President," replied Trevor, a first-year with orange hair and gray eyes. He raised his phone, ready to snap photos.

Back on the field, Dawn's battle had just concluded, ending in a draw after both Pokémon missed most of their attacks. She stepped out of the trainer's box, raising her hand to high-five Ash as he prepared to take her place.

"Do your best out there, Ash!" she said with an encouraging smile.

"Thanks, Dawn," Ash replied, matching her energy as their hands connected.

From the red corner, Kenny clenched his fists at the sight, jealousy twisting his expression. His carefully thought-out strategies were slipping away, clouded by frustration.

"Release your Pokémon," the teacher instructed as Ash and Kenny stepped into their respective trainer boxes. Both complied, tossing their Pokéballs into the air.

Kenny's Pokémon materialized first in a flash of light—a Spearow, its brown feathers sleek and its red wings sharp in the sunlight.

Ash's Weedle appeared next, chirping with determination. The crowd murmured; Spearow was clearly the stronger option, with a significant type advantage over Ash's Weedle. Many spectators expected a quick and one-sided battle. Even Ash's friends couldn't help but feel concerned.

"Begin!" the teacher announced, signaling the start of the match."

Smirking to himself, feeling confident that he had the battle under control, Kenny threw his right arm forward. "Spearow, use Leer!"

As the name suggested, Spearow glared fiercely at its target, sending a ray of red light in an attempt to lower its physical defense.

"Weedle, wrap yourself with String Shot!" Ash commanded, trusting his temporary Pokémon. The command caused Weedle to hesitate, looking confused for a split second. But the Pokémon could feel the boy's trust and decided to return it. In that brief instant, Weedle obeyed, wrapping itself in a protective cocoon of string that shielded it from the Leer attack.

"What's Ashy boy doing? He protected his Caterpie from Leer, but now he's practically made it immobile," Gary scoffed, clearly enjoying the scene.

"Yeah, I thought he was smart, but turns out he's just stupid," a male student in the blue corner muttered, rolling his eyes as he waited for his turn.

Chloe was about to speak up in Ash's defense, but Gary beat her to it. "Call him stupid again, and I'll show you how stupid I can be," Gary's voice was flat, his eyes never leaving the battle. The threat was subtle, but the message was clear—no one would insult Ash while Gary was around. It was odd because Gary himself often did the same thing.

"You're making my victory even easier than it already is, Ash," Kenny taunted, his confidence growing. "Spearow, use Peck until it faints!"

"Roll to the side and keep going!" Ash ordered, staying calm and collected.

Despite being unable to see clearly due to the cocoon, Weedle trusted Ash completely. It rolled quickly to the side, moving as fast as it could, dirt sticking to the string-shot-cocoon. Spearow's beak missed its target and slammed into the ground, kicking up dust in the process. The bird flapped its wings to blow the dust away as it searched for the bug-type. However, the cocooned Weedle had already blended into the field, camouflaged by the dirt-covered sticky cocoon.

"Stop and crouch," Ash instructed, his voice calm and precise.

Weedle obeyed, crouching down to rest for a moment. The audience could see the makeshift camouflage was effective, enough to confuse Spearow. But anyone focusing enough could still spot the distinct shape of the cocoon.

"Didn't I tell you to use Peck until it faints?!" Kenny shouted, growing frustrated. He hadn't expected the battle to last this long. Spearow finally managed to spot the cocoon and swooped down to attack.

"Turn a bit to the left," Ash ordered, pointing with his finger, even though he knew Weedle couldn't see him. Weedle responded instinctively, somehow positioning itself in the right direction to face Spearow.

"Now, jump forward with everything you've got!" Ash commanded excitedly.

With the force of a compressed spring, Weedle shot forward, slamming into Spearow with a surprising amount of power. The extra weight of the dirt and cocoon, combined with Weedle's momentum, sent Spearow flying backward. The bird cried out in pain as it skidded across the battlefield. The cocoon absorbed most of the impact, protecting Weedle inside.

"Get up!" Kenny ordered, his voice tinged with desperation.

"Use Poison Sting to break free!" Ash instructed, his eyes glinting with excitement.

Spearow struggled to regain its footing, but Weedle was quick to act. It fired a barrage of poisonous purple needles from its mouth, breaking through the cocoon from the inside. Weedle emerged, unharmed. "Use your strongest Poison Sting, aim for Spearow!" Ash called out, a wide grin spreading across his face.

Spearow, now back on its talons, flapped its wings in an attempt to fly out of range. "Fly to dodge!" Kenny commanded, desperate for a way to avoid the incoming attack.

But Spearow flinched as its left wing refused to cooperate, the pain too great. It was an easy target for Weedle's relentless barrage of Poison Sting. The purple needles hit Spearow one after another, until the bird was completely surrounded by a faint purple smoke.

The smoke lingered for a few moments before clearing, revealing a fainted Spearow, crumpled on the ground.

"Spearow is unable to battle! Ash and Weedle win!" The teacher announced, breaking the stunned silence of the crowd. Whispers spread through the onlookers as they processed the surprising outcome and Ash's unconventional strategy.

"Good job, Weedle!" Ash praised his temporary Pokémon, who crawled to his feet and rubbed its head against Ash's leg. Ash patted its head, smiling proudly, before returning it to its Pokéball.

He turned to thank Kenny for the battle, but the other boy was already storming off the field, his face twisted in frustration. Goh quickly took his place in the trainer's box.

"Not bad, Ash," Gary smirked from the sidelines, his tone mocking yet laced with a hint of respect.

Ash, still basking in the thrill of his victory, gave a small nod in response. "You better watch so I can show you what a real battle is," Gary added, his challenge clear.

Ash didn't respond, choosing instead to walk over to join his blue-haired friend, Dawn, on the sideline.

"That was awesome, Ash! I honestly thought you were going to lose. Sorry, hehe," Dawn grinned, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Thanks. Weedle did great," Ash replied, his voice full of pride. "It's all thanks to it."

"You both did great!" Chloe chimed in, giving him a thumbs up.

Ash smiled, feeling a sense of satisfaction. As the other battles continued, the students couldn't help but discuss Ash's surprising strategy and how they hadn't expected the outcome.

The two watched as Gary issued his command to a brown and cream-colored bird Pokémon. "Pidgey, use Tackle!" The bird flew directly at Goh's green and tan, worm-like Pokémon, which trembled as it awaited its trainer's order.

On the opposite sideline from Ash and Dawn, Conway grinned. "I told you so, Trevor," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "Who would've thought that such a unique battle would come from a first-year student's training match?" He was, of course, referring to Ash's unexpected defeat of Kenny, especially considering the difference in the Pokémon they had.

"Yes, Club President Conway," Trevor replied, his tone formal. "I also managed to take some good photos."

The battle raged on, with Goh attempting to replicate Ash's strategy, but it quickly became clear that his attempt was failing. His Caterpie simply couldn't execute the commands as Ash's Weedle had. Not that it had much of a chance. Pidgey was so fast that Caterpie took multiple Tackles in quick succession and was quickly fainted. Goh let out an exaggerated sigh, muttering about how little he enjoyed the battle.

Gary, standing confidently with his arms crossed, couldn't help but smirk. "That's how it's done," he said, clearly comparing his performance to the previous battle.

As the rest of the class wrapped up their matches, Chloe also found herself on the losing side. Ash thanked his temporary Weedle one final time before he and his classmates were instructed to return their Pokéballs and head out for the day.

:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*

"I wish every lesson in this subject was a Pokémon battle," Ash said, still reflecting on the exciting matches earlier. "I kinda miss that Weedle. It was so cool!" he added with a grin.

"Well, easy for you to say, you won," Goh muttered, sounding a bit defeated. "I feel bad for that Caterpie. I basically let it get pummeled by Gary's Pidgey."

"I'm sure the Breeder's Club will take good care of them," Chloe reassured him. "And honestly, I prefer the normal lessons where we just learn about Pokémon from the textbooks."

"I'm hoping that next time we'll get to do Pokémon Contest training!" Dawn exclaimed, her fist pumping the air in excitement. "Maybe I should start making a dress already!"

"We'll head out now," Goh said, waving as he and Dawn walked toward the club building, while Ash and Chloe turned toward the CCTV monitoring room.

:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ:

"Come in," a voice called from behind the door after Ash knocked a few times. He pushed the door open and entered with Chloe, both immediately greeted by the sight of three massive monitors, each displaying multiple angles and views of various areas around the school.

"What is it?" The man, sitting in an office chair, asked without turning around. He swiveled the chair to face them, a cup of coffee in one hand.

"I'm Ash…" Ash began.

"Okay then," the man interrupted, recognizing the name from his report. He turned back toward his desk, cluttered with buttons, switches, and a PC. "There," he said simply, pointing at a monitor showing the current view of the bike racks. Pressing a few buttons, the monitor flickered briefly before the feed switched to that of last Friday.

"There it is," Ash whispered to Chloe as he spotted his bike.

The man looked down at his notes and typed the corresponding time into his computer. The screen froze for a brief moment before jumping to 11:33 am. A boy with dark auburn hair appeared, approaching Ash's bike. His back was to the camera, and he held what seemed to be a towel in his right hand. He kneeled beside the bike, wiping the back tire with the towel while his other hand pulled something out of his pocket. His body obstructed the camera's view of what he was doing, but Ash and Chloe watched closely. After doing the same to the second tire, the boy stood up and twirled the towel in the air as he casually placed the object back into his pocket. He turned and walked off, disappearing from view. The video paused.

The man zoomed in on the boy's face and turned to Ash. "Do you know him?"

Ash and Chloe stared at the pixelated image on the screen, their disbelief palpable. Although the image was blurry from the zoom, the camera's resolution was enough for them to recognize the face. Dark auburn hair and black eyes. Ash and Chloe both knew two people with those features: Kenny and Gary. But one had a lighter shade of auburn hair.

"Yes," Chloe answered, breaking the silence as Ash stood frozen, still processing the realization.

The man played the footage again and explained what had happened. "Here, the boy approaches your bike, pretends to clean the tires with the towel while discreetly stabbing or slashing them with what I assume is a cutter. He then stands, twirls the towel as if nothing unusual happened, and walks off as though it's a regular routine. Clever cover-up, but a bit obvious when you pay attention."

The man chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee before leaning back in his chair. "I already did a bit of digging into the records, inputted his hair color, and found his identity. I've notified the school counselor about this incident, forwarded the kid's information, and sent him a copy of the footage." He gave Ash and Chloe a bored look, as if his job was already done. "Anything else you need?"

Ash couldn't deny it any longer, and a flash of anger briefly crossed his face. He quickly shook it off, trying to compose himself. "What happens to him now?"

The man shrugged nonchalantly. "The counselor will handle it. He'll talk to the kid's parents, there will probably be a suspension, and of course, he'll have to pay for the damage." He leaned back in his chair, a bored expression on his face. "Anything else?"

"No, thank you for your help, sir," Ash said, bowing his head respectfully. He and Chloe left the room, the door clicking softly behind them.

"Finally!" The man exclaimed as soon as the door closed. He grabbed his phone, face down on the table, and flipped it over to reveal a game over screen with a banner reading, "Defeat!" He groaned and slouched further into his chair, putting his feet up on the table. With a sigh, he started a new match search.

:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*

"Don't tell anyone about this yet, okay?" Ash asked, his voice low as he walked beside Chloe. He wasn't particularly close to the person responsible, but they were still classmates, and he didn't want to spread any bad news about him. He'd deal with it personally when he had the chance. It was disheartening to think that one of his classmates had done something like this to him. He couldn't figure out any reason for the culprit's actions. The only explanation that made sense to him was that it had to be a coincidence. Yeah, that was it. He told himself that, and it was easier to accept that way.

"You think Goh and Dawn won't insist on knowing who did it?" Chloe asked, already knowing the answer.

Ash sighed. "Okay, we can tell them… Just them." He figured the school counselor would handle the incident, and there was no need to spread it further.

"There's no reason to tell anyone else," Chloe pointed out. "The culprit's friends might want to know, but it's not their place to hear about it."

"I'll go this way to the bike shop to pick up my bike," Ash said, pointing toward the other side of Magnimite Street. "See you tomorrow."

"Okay, bye," Chloe called out, waving as Ash crossed the street and turned the corner onto Pichu Street, heading to the bike shop. He quickened his pace, eager to get his bike back.

:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*

Ash rode his now-fixed bike down the street, stopping beside his house before turning into the alley. He opened the side door with his key—an entrance that led straight into the kitchen, also serving as an emergency exit. He wheeled his bike inside and parked it beside the free wall.

"Welcome home, Ash!" His mom greeted him, smiling as she noticed his fixed bike. "Any updates on the CCTV footage?"

"Yes, I'll tell you later, Mom. Anyway, what can I do?" Ash asked, following his usual routine when returning home. He looked at the analog wall clock, noting the time left, but it wasn't just about closing time today.

Delia wiped her hands with a towel. "Just the usual, and help Mimey with the dishes, okay?"

"Got it, Mom." Ash dropped his bag under the counter and walked over. "Hello, Miss Johanna," he greeted the dark-haired woman as she finished giving a customer their change and receipt.

"Hi, Ash," Johanna replied, flashing him a quick smile before heading to the kitchen to prepare the next customer's order.

:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*

"You're so good at sewing elastic casing, Dawn," a female student praised as they walked together.

"Thanks! But you're the best at sewing invisible zippers," Dawn replied with a grin, the two of them chatting as they made their way out of the gates.

"Bye, Dawn," the girl called out, turning to the left while Dawn turned right.

Dawn froze when she saw a male student standing in front of her, his back leaning against the wall with a bike beside him. He perked up when he noticed her and pulled off his helmet. "Hey, Dawn."

"Hi, Ke-ke…" Dawn stammered before catching herself. "Why are you here, Ketchum?" she asked, scolding him in a playful yet stern tone.

Ash scratched the back of his head. "I came to pick you up, Berlitz," he said, grinning and using her surname in return.

"I told you, you don't have to," Dawn replied, her tone light but still carrying that scolding edge. "I really don't want to bother you."

"You'll be bothering me if you don't let me give you a ride home." Ash's smile widened as he wheeled his bike around to face the right way. "Let's go." He hopped onto his bike, waiting for her.

Dawn couldn't help but smile back, feeling the warmth of the gesture.

Ash noticed the bike shake slightly as she climbed on. "You ready?" he asked, checking that she was seated safely.

Dawn wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning in comfortably. "Yes, no need to worry." And with that, they were off, enjoying the slow ride through the bustling streets of Vermilion.

Ash stopped at the bike shop they'd visited earlier. "Let's get you a helmet. I was going to buy you one earlier, but I didn't know what color you'd like."

"A helmet? What for?" Dawn asked, though she already had a feeling.

"For you to wear daily," Ash explained as he chained his bike to a bike rack.

Dawn didn't argue, following him inside as Ash led her past the rows of bicycles and parts. He took her straight to the helmets and started having her try some on.

"Are there any helmets with snowflakes on them?" she asked, scanning the shelves.

"Just pick a color, okay? You can add stickers later if you want," Ash said, arms crossed, though his tone was far from annoyed. He just wanted her to decide quickly.

Dawn puffed out her cheeks and grabbed a white helmet. "Finally," Ash muttered, leading her to the counter.

"I'll pay for it tomorrow," Dawn said, putting the helmet on her head as they left the shop.

"There's no need for that," Ash protested with a small laugh. "I was planning to buy an extra helmet anyway, just in case I ever need to give someone a ride. But sure, if you want to, you can add some stickers later."

Dawn frowned slightly, not liking that Ash was doing so much for her. What was this all about? But she pushed the thought away and asked, "Before you take me home, do you want to grab something to eat? It's my treat, and don't you dare say no."

"Okay, I know a place," Ash chuckled, happy to go along with her offer.

:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*

"Thank you! Please come again!" Delia waved as a group of customers left her eatery, the last of the dinner rush for the night. With only thirty minutes left before closing, she decided to call it a day and turned the door sign to "Closed." She and Johanna sat at the kitchen table, sipping coffee that Mr. Mime had thoughtfully poured for them. The service door creaked open, and Ash entered with his bike, followed closely by a girl with dark blue hair.

"I'm back, Mom. I brought a friend," Ash said, stepping aside to reveal his friend.

"Dawn?"

"Mom?"

"Oh my…"

"Mime…"

:･ﾟ(ꈍᴗꈍ)･ﾟ*

A/N: Thanks for reading the whole chapter and not dropping it midway!

I'm ready for criticism so please do let me know what you think! Thanks again!

-Areyem Meyera