A/N

Re-telling Ash's journey has been such a hot topic around here lately that I thought I'd do something different. Like way different.

So here's your forewarning, this AU is absolutely enormous. But rather than talk about all of the things that are different in an author's note, I'll just flesh out my story and let it do the talking.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing at all.

So, with that, you may read.

Chapter 1

We all have a pair of wings.

Big or small, they're all the same.

Our wings take us to new heights, to our goals, our hopes…our dreams.

But then there's those of us who can't take flight. Their wings are bound up. They're stuffed into cages.

So, they raise their voices and await the day that they too, can take flight.

-X-X-X-X-X-

One choice, made in the fraction of a second. Thoughtless or premeditated, you did something.

Was it significant? Now that's the question.

To be honest, you won't really know. It's not until you're staring at the results of said decision that you finally realize what you've done.

With a glance around the barren walls of his room, this young man knew he could've made a better choice somewhere down the line. He sighed and readjusted himself on the stiff mattress which groaned in protest.

Now he had all the time in the world to figure out how he ended up here.

Friday, September 2nd

Darach was a very proud man, even if he didn't show in his stoicism. He loved his profession of serving people. It brought him a sense of satisfaction that was unlike anything else he experienced. In the household he was responsible for, he was often the first rise and prepare the first day of the meal for the family. Today was no exception to this routine.

He completed his first task of the day early, affording him some time to sit at the head of the dining room table and read the morning paper. Quietly skimming over the cover article, Darach raised his eyebrows.

Yet another story about the growing concerns related to violence and Pokemon, both of which seemed to come hand in hand. The article was covering the aftermath of a Pokemon battle that took place downtown in the shipyards, causing some considerable damage to one of the cranes on the docks. The image for the cover article showed the remains of the collapsed crane along with a handful of investigators.

Darach often wondered what sparked these Pokemon battles, and how these creatures could be so reckless that they damaged their surroundings. With the powers they possessed, he would imagine that they would be able to exercise proper restraint and self-control. However, that clearly wasn't the case based on the damage done in the picture.

Hearing some footsteps from above, Darach promptly folded the newspaper he held as his leisure time was coming to an end. He rose from his seat and approached the island at the center of the kitchen to wait for his company. After a few moments, a young blue haired beauty entered the kitchen and greeted him.

"Good morning Miss Dawn," Darach said politely, giving her a small and respectful bow.

"Good morning Darach." She replied with a grateful nod. She quickly followed this action by striking a pose, using one hand to flip her hair extravagantly as though she were modeling. "What do you think of this outfit?"

"Now Miss Dawn, you know our opinions differ greatly when it comes to the matter of dress and grooming." Darach pointed out to her in response.

"And that's exactly why I want to hear it. As a designer, I need to hear other opinions to see how they can influence my work." Dawn explained to him as she struck another pose for him. "So, come on tell me what you think."

With a disgruntled sigh, Darach studied her idly. Her clothes were nothing out of the ordinary, at least for her. A bright blouse tucked into a pair of designer denim jeans.

"I suppose it's...appropriate for your first day of school. It should give a good first impression to your mentors and peers." Darach stated, and Dawn smiled contently. Darach sighed inwardly, glad that he said enough to satisfy her.

"Why thank you Darach." Dawn said kindly as she joined him by the island, heading straight for the glass jar of lollipops.

"What have I told you about sweets in the morning Miss Dawn?" Darach asked her after she popped off the lid, reaching into the jar to snatch a pair for herself.

"They're just a treat for later, geez Darach." Dawn replied exasperatedly as she tucked them into her pocket. Taking a quick glance around the kitchen, Dawn noticed that someone was missing. "Did dad leave for work already?"

"Yes, Mr. Berlitz left about twenty minutes ago." Darach revealed as Dawn eyed the newspaper he placed on the counter.

"Dad's not happy about that huh?" Dawn commented as she motioned toward the paper.

"He was..." Darach trailed off, recalling how irate the man was after seeing the article earlier this morning. "Less than pleased."

"Well at least no one got hurt, right?" Dawn inquired, receiving a nod from Darach.

"There was no one manning that particular dock last night, so thankfully no one was hurt when the crane was damaged," Darach explained, paraphrasing what he read earlier.

"Are you two talking about the news article from yesterday?" A woman in her late thirties asked as she entered the kitchen. She was sporting some royal blue hair like her daughter.

"Ah, Madam Johanna, good morning again." Darach said, bowing to the woman.

"Yeah mom, Darach was telling me how upset dad was." Dawn explained to her mother who gave a nod of agreement. She was been up earlier to see a portion of his reaction. Johanna joined them at the island, immediately reaching into the jar of lollipops to take a few for herself.

"Madam, sweets in the morning?" Darach asked her, one eyebrow raised.

"Oh, shut it Darach you know they're for later today." Johanna snapped at him, earning a snort from the butler.

The women of this house had an insatiable sweet tooth, and they spared no expense trying to satisfy their cravings. Oddly enough, neither of them experienced the consequences of eating so many sweets. Their teeth were in perfect condition.

"Are you ready to go Dawn?" Her mother asked as she tucked her treats into her pocketbook.

"I'm ready when you are." Dawn replied.

"Great, let's go then. The car is in the driveway already." Johanna stated as the two of them left the kitchen, giving Darach a wave on their way out.

Darach waited a few moments, listening as their footsteps faded. After a few moments, he set his gaze on the lollipop jar, scanning its contents. Soon enough his eyes settled on a green wrap near the bottom, his favorite. Digging down into the jar to retrieve his treat, Darach remained unaware of the pair of eyes that were watching him.

Johanna and Dawn stood right outside the kitchen, peeking through the archway to see Darach holding the jar in one hand as he rummaged through its contents.

"I knew it was him." Dawn whispered to her mother as she glanced at the woman. Her mother winked at her, beginning a countdown for Dawn on one her hand. Dawn suppressed her urge to giggle before the countdown was completed and her mother opened her mouth.

"Darach!" She barked suddenly, startling the butler in the kitchen. This was immediately followed by the sound of glass shattering against the floor. "Darach, what was that?"

"No-nothing Madam!" Darach replied in a panicked voice as he rushed off to retrieve a broom and dustpan.

Dawn and Johanna fought hard to contain their laughter until they reached the foyer.

"I knew it - I knew it had to be Darach taking all the green ones." Dawn replied as she slipped into her sneakers and snatched her backpack from the coat rack. With this being the first day she had next to nothing to carry, which was just the way she liked it.

"Well, that's one mystery solved." Johanna noted as she opened up the front door. Together they stepped outside and followed the stone pathway to their driveway where a bright red convertible was waiting for them.

"Mom, can I drive?" Dawn asked earnestly, a look of hope in her eyes.

"Dawn, your father and I have told you this already 'after you graduate, we'll consider it.'" Her mother responded, and Dawn deflated.

"But mom~, all of my friend have been driving since our junior year. I'm a senior now and I'm honestly like, the only person who's not driving yet." Dawn whined with a pout, but this didn't bother her mother in the slightest.

"We've already given you an answer Dawn, just bear with it. It's one more year." Johanna said as she opened the driver's door and took her seat behind the wheel.

"A whole year?" Dawn exclaimed, causing her mother to cringe.

"Dawn, stop being dramatic and get in the car." Johanna stated, tapping the empty passenger seat beside her.

"I'm not being dramatic. I'm being realistic. What eighteen-year-old do you know that isn't driving?" Dawn asked her as she traveled around the car to the passenger side.

"I know you, don't I?" Her mother asked once Dawn was seated, shooting Dawn a smirk. Dawn huffed, her cheeks turning pink. "Besides, you're the only eighteen-year-old that I need to know."

Dawn sighed exasperatedly as she buckled her seat belt. If there was any conceivable way to convince her parents to change this decision, Dawn hadn't thought of it yet. She did everything she possibly could to prove that she was ready, but nothing seemed to satisfy them.

"But why mom? It's not like I'm irresponsible or anything. I get good grades, I never break curfew." Dawn pointed out, trying to reason with her mother who shifted the car into the reverse, beginning to back down their driveway.

"Dawn, you know what I'm going to say." Johanna stated as they reached the gates which opened up as the car passed one of the sensors, letting them out into the wide street recognized as Diglett's Boulevard.

"But mom!"

Johanna turned on the radio and cranked up the volume, drowning out Dawn as she whined. Swinging out onto the street, Johanna waited for the gates to their home to close. She spent this time eyeing the golden plaque that was mounted on the stone columns of the gate. The sparkling plaque read 'Berlitz', the family that currently owned this large estate.

Glittering beaches, bustling businesses, famous landmarks, fabulous weather, a cultural hub. All of this was Vermilion City and the best part? It was like that all year, every year. While this might not have been the biggest reason people came to Vermilion City, there were also many renowned schools of the arts, and the public-school system played its part in preparing the youth to enter these institutes.

North Vermilion High did just so. It was quite a large school servicing the youth of the northern and eastern portions of the city, but its location left a lot to be desired. The large school found itself in a cluttered cul-de-sac where parking was tight and first come first served. Dropping off students was rough, and often took time if you came during the fifteen-minute rush right before classes started.

Having done this for three years already, Johanna and Dawn knew to come early, allowing them to find an open parking spot. At least Dawn could start off her 'last' first day of school without any hassle.

"Do you have lunch money?" Johanna asked, receiving a nod from Dawn. "And did you bring the supplies you need for today?"

"Mom, we've been over this already. I've got everything I need." Dawn replied as she opened the door to step out.

"I'm just making sure Dawn. I wouldn't want you to have to call me to bring you something like last year." Johanna shot back, flashing Dawn a grin.

"That was only because I tried to leave extra early with dad." Dawn explained.

"And you learned your lesson huh?"

"Yup. Don't ever leave with dad." Dawn said as she shut the door, leaving her chuckling mother in the car. Dawn looked across the street where she saw some of her fellow peers seated on the low wall that surrounded the campus.

Dawn spared her mother wave as she stepped off the sidewalk, making her way across the street. As she did so, Johanna lowered the window on the driver's side with a mischievous grin.

"Have a good day sweetie, and don't forget that I love you!" Johanna hollered, causing Dawn to flush red as she froze in the middle of the street.

"Mom!" Dawn shrieked, making a one-eighty in the middle of the road. She wanted a strong start to her senior year at North Vermilion High, and that didn't involve having some of the nearby students snickering at her mother's antics. In response to Dawn's exclamation, Johanna gave her daughter a broad smile.

A car horn blared and instinctively, Johanna glanced into the side mirror. Her eyes widen at the sight of a car racing toward Dawn.

Dawn's head snapped to the side to see a panicked driver screaming for her to move. Her feet remained frozen in place as if they were encased in cement. The students watching Dawn jumped to their feet, calling out to her as they spotted the approaching car.

Johanna opened her mouth to scream her daughter's name, but her voice got caught in her throat. She reached for the door handle, but Johanna felt her heart sink as she realized that there as no possible way to get to her daughter in time. Suddenly her car dipped forward in response to something weighty landing on the hood. Out of the corner of her eye, Johanna saw a young man lunge off of her car, throwing himself at Dawn who stood paralyzed in the middle of the road.

Dawn yelped as she was struck by a body, knocking her out of the path of the car which raced passed past them. She landed on her side, wincing as she felt her forearm slide against the grainy concrete surface, shredding her skin. Dawn was completely disoriented as she remained on the ground, her head spinning from the sudden panic and movement. Finally, she opened her eyes and the haze in her vision retreated. The first thing she saw was a guy lying on the ground beside her.

He rested on his back, but his head was turned to face her. Dawn didn't quite understand what happened, but their eyes met and they became fixated on one another. Dawn blinked hard as she stared at this boy. He began to speak to her, but Dawn could hardly make out what he was saying. Her ears were ringing, which left her to struggle in an attempt to read his lips.

Johanna stared at the scene, awestruck at the heroics of this young man. It was like a scene in a movie where the hero appears at the last possible moment! Inhaling deeply, Johanna realized that she was holding her breath. She embraced this feeling of relief, glad to know that her daughter walked away from this event unscathed. Johanna wasn't the only person who was relieved. The other students that saw this event unfold were beginning to cheer, rushing over to check on Dawn and her savior.

This was short-lived, however as everyone was brought back down to earth. A loud crunch sent a chill down everyone's spine as the same car that narrowly missed Dawn now crashed into the tree located at the center of the cul-de-sac ahead of them. The students became divided, some of them rushing to check on the driver of the car while others took out their phones to call emergency services.

Dawn found herself being showered with questions and concerns as the other students helped her to her feet. The bluenette was at loss for words. The panic and shock that she could've been killed finally set in, and she was unable to form a proper sentence.

Within minutes, a pair of officers, an ambulance, and the paramedics were on the scene. The student driving the car had been rushed to the hospital, while Dawn was examined by a pair of pink haired women.

"How are you feeling Dawn?" Nurse Joy, the school nurse asked her as the other woman wrapped her left forearm in gauze.

"I'm not really sure. I'm seeing two of you right now." Dawn remarked, getting a laugh out of the duo.

"This is one of my older sisters Dawn." Nurse Joy explained as she motioned to the paramedic. Dawn raised an eyebrow as she looked from one Joy to the next.

"I know you said that you look like your sisters, but this is ridiculous." Dawn noted as the two of them stepped back, motioning for Dawn to stand up.

"I want you to take a few steps forward Dawn." The paramedic Joy said. Dawn did as she was told, moving comfortably.

"Alright, everything checks out Dawn. You're just fine." They declared with bright smiles, then they motioned for Johanna to join them. Dawn couldn't even get a word out to her mother before she was crushed in a hug.

"I was so worried Dawn." Johanna said softly before releasing her hold on Dawn.

"They said I'm fine mom, some bumps, and bruises that's all." Dawn replied as she showed her mother the bandage on her arm as proof that team Joy had both treated and cleared her to continue her day.

"And just so you know Dawn, that is why I won't let you drive," Johanna said as she pointed to the wreckage down the street. There was a tow truck already working on removing the totaled car from the scene. "His brakes failed, and he couldn't stop to save you, or himself."

Dawn silent observed the crash site, refusing to change her expression. She wouldn't give her mother the satisfaction of knowing that her desire to drive waned after this accident.

"Have you seen the guy who pushed me out of the way?" Dawn asked curiously.

This question caused Johanna to frown. Amidst all of the chaos after the crash, the boy who saved Dawn disappeared without a word, escaping a checkup from the paramedics as well. There wasn't a single sighting of the unsung hero.

"No, he's gone. But if you run into him today Dawn, make sure you thank him properly. Invite him to dinner, or anything he wants." Johanna said and Dawn nodded in agreement.

"Okay mom, classes are going to be starting soon so I'm going to get going." Dawn said as she took a step away from her mother, but Johanna grabbed Dawn's unharmed forearm.

"Are you absolutely sure that you're okay sweetie?" Johanna asked her tenderly, almost as if to invite Dawn to remain home for the day. Dawn merely smiled at her mother in response.

"Mom, I promise you, I'm totally fine. There-no-need-to-worry." Dawn proclaimed, stressing each word. This was a phrase she learned from her father during childhood, and it became a catchphrase of sorts for her. Johanna exhaled deeply, giving her daughter one last chance to opt out of her school day, but Dawn remained firm. Returning her daughter's smile, Johanna accepted Dawn's self-assurance and released her grip.

"I was just making sure, have a good day."

Moving through the halls to the main stairway of the school, Dawn discovered that the news about the accident had already spread around the school. Several students who she knew well came to check on her as she made the trip to her first period class. From the seniors that she knew for years, to some of the new freshmen she didn't recognize.

"Dawn!" A voice cried out, causing Dawn to turn away from the group she been speaking with. Searching for this familiar voice, Dawn spotted a brunette with her signature red bandana rushing toward her.

"May!" Dawn exclaimed at the sight of a close friend who latched herself onto Dawn in a bone-crushing hug.

"Someone told me that an ambulance came for you and I freaked out!" May explained, shaking Dawn a bit in this one-sided embrace.

"Sheesh May, I'm good, I'm good." Dawn insisted to get May to release her. "But who told you that?"

"Like two minutes ago I was in the cafeteria and this guy came through saying there was a car accident outside. He said a blue haired girl got hit, and I only know one girl with blue hair." May said as she leaned toward Dawn. "Fill me in already, what happened?"

"Well..." Dawn tried to recount the tale for May, but as she recalled the instant where the car hurtling toward her, Dawn inhaled sharply. The mere thought terrified her, and as she looked down at her hands she noticed that they were trembling. Witnessing her friend's hesitation, May knew it was best to drop the subject.

"Too soon?" May asked her, getting a nod from Dawn. "No worries. Did you bring your schedule?"

"Y-Yeah." Dawn said slowly, shaking her head a bit to dispel any thoughts surrounding the events earlier. Focused on May's question, Dawn removed her backpack to retrieve a folder she kept within it. Tucked into this folder was a sheet of paper which she passed to May, allowing the brunette to scan it briefly.

The two of them were practically inseparable since meeting in grade school. Every year they shared a number of classes together, and judging by the way May squealed, Dawn could assume that this pattern would continue in their final year.

"We have first, third and fourth period together!" She exclaimed. "Plus, gym and a free period...and lunch! This year is going to be awe-some!"

"And the best part is that we can start every day with Ms. Fantina." Dawn added, and May made a face in response.

"I haven't been in her class since I was a sophomore. Has she gotten any better at speaking English?" May asked, recalling her second year of high school. It took a miracle, and then some help from Dawn to pass Fantina's art class since May couldn't understand the woman back then.

"She's gotten so much better since then. You have no idea." Dawn replied. "She speaks more English than French now. Not to mention she said she would spend the summer practicing, so who knows how good she is."

"Well as long as she tells me my homework in English, it doesn't matter to me." May stated, earning a chuckle from Dawn. With their destination in mind, Dawn and May began their trip down to the basement level of the school where the art classes were located.

"How was your summer, tell me about Hoenn?" Dawn inquired, much to May's delight.

"It was, ama-zing!" She declared with rosy cheeks, eager to give Dawn all of the details. "I spent two months in Lilycove City, and those were the best two months of my life! The restaurants were great, the beaches were beautiful and to top it all off, Drew was there on vacation too!"

"No way! How did that happen?"

"Apparently Drew's mom works for the same firm that my dad works in or something like that," May explained, but she waved it off. This detail didn't matter much to her. "Anyway, I got to go out to dinner with Drew, twice! It was more a family thing though because our parents had to talk business, but after the second dinner the two of us went out for a walk on the beach together. It was the best! And then Drew said he wanted to hang out with me some more back in Vermilion City."

Dawn clapped happily for May's accomplishment, causing the brunette to blush.

Drew was the school's green haired heartthrob with his fair share of admirers. May fell into that category, although she wasn't satisfied with this.

"And what about your summer Dawn? Did you finally convince your parents to let you start driving?" May asked, shifting the focus to Dawn. This caused the bluenette to sigh.

"They still said no. Even this morning my mom gave me a big fat N-O." Dawn replied in a sullen matter. "Although I can live with it after this morning."

"Yeah, I can understand that. Don't forget, I can give you a ride if you ever need one...well, once my parents give me my car back."

Dawn couldn't help but chuckle at May's offer, causing May to frown at her.

"What's so funny?" May questioned.

"Let's be real here May, you're not going to get your car back any time soon."

"Why not?" May asked, feigning a hurt expression.

"You and I both know why. So, stop giving me that lame story." Dawn said as she raised a brow at May.

"For the last time Dawn, I had nothing to do with those parking tickets!" May practically shouted before placing her hands over her mouth, realizing that she blasted this information right in front of her peers. Many of their conversations came to an abrupt stop as some of them shot a questioning glance at May. The brunette could only try to laugh it off, waving to a couple of the other students before she motioned for Dawn to follow her as she sped up their walking pace.

"Smooth May. It's a good thing Drew wasn't here to hear that one." Dawn pointed out to her.

"I would've died of embarrassment." May admitted, trying to imagine how she would explain this to Drew.

The two of them arrived at the entrance to their first period class. Dawn looked at the familiar entryway to her favorite classroom in the whole building. She couldn't count how many hours she spent working in there during and after school. Stepping in, Dawn immediately spotted the woman clothed in an extravagant spaghetti strap sundress with her purple hair tied up into four large buns.

Fantina was busy speaking to a group of three students, and Dawn couldn't help but admire how elegant she was. There was never a moment where she wasn't poised and under control. Her actions, speech, and gestures were all so smooth, even when no one could understand her heavy French accent.

"Ms. Fantina!" Dawn called out as she waved to her favorite teacher. Fantina looked up, and upon catching sight of Dawn, smiled brightly.

"Dawn, mon amie!" Fantina exclaimed before apologizing to the students she was talking with, promising them that she would return. Fantina then came over to Dawn and May at the entrance to her room, greeting them warmly. "It's so good to see you again. I hope you spent your summer working as hard as you did in my class."

"Of course, I did. I can't wait to show you some of the designs and sketches I've been working on." Dawn said, getting an excited nod from Fantina. "And I see you've been practicing your English."

"Certainly. I hate having a language barrier between myself and mes étudiants." Fantina stated before covering her mouth with a small gasp. "Pardon, a bit of French still escapes every now and then."

"Well, it beats the first year you were here. I had no clue what you were saying most of the time." May pointed out, earning a chuckle from Fantina.

"I won't deny it was rough back then May, but hopefully your experience in my classroom will be much...um, smoother this year," Fantina said, recalling that May struggled in her class three years ago. "But I'm very happy that you're willing to give me a second chance."

May flashed her a smile before the bell chimed, signaling that there were four minutes left before class would begin.

"Ah, we'll speak again later. Find a seat you two." Fantina said as she motioned for them to begin moving. Dawn and May gave a soft laugh as they watched Fantina positioned herself by the entrance of the room where she began to excitedly greet her students to their first period painting and drawing class.

Dawn had already taken this course in her junior year, so this year she was retaking it purely for the free time to practice. May, on the other hand, was searching for a class to take it easy in, and there was no better place than an art class, not to mention Dawn was there as well. Soon enough, the class began with Dawn and May seated toward the front of the room. Fantina started out by introducing herself as she handed out some blank papers and pencils, encouraging her students to sketch as went over the expectations of this course.

"Hey Dawn, check this out." May said as she slid her paper over to Dawn, having finished her sketch about ten minutes into the class period.

"What the heck is it?" Dawn asked after examining the picture for a few moments. She even went as far as turning the paper upside down in an effort to figure out what May had drawn.

"It's the new purse I bought over the summer," May stated as she turned her sketch upright for Dawn who still couldn't see it. "Can't you tell?"

"…No." Dawn said quite bluntly.

"Well, I'm just, out of practice." May retorted through pursed lips.

"Yeah, whatever you want to call it May." Dawn said with a giggle. May was never much of an artist, and it was clear to Dawn that she wasn't going to be one either. But she did appreciate May's effort.

The door to the room opened up, gaining the attention of the entire class. Sabrina, one of the school's guidance counselors, entered the room followed by a dark haired young man. Hearing a gasp from Dawn, May glanced at her friend who became frozen in her seat.

"What's the matter, Dawn?" May whispered to her.

"That's…That's the guy that saved me this morning." Dawn responded.

"Saved you?" May repeated. Taking a deep breath, Dawn filled in the pieces for May, informing her of what took place outside of the school earlier this morning. As she stared her story, Sabrina and Dawn's savior approached Fantina, speaking with her quietly. "Whoa, so that's what happened this morning?"

Dawn gave her a nod before Fantina called for everyone's attention.

"Présentez-vous." Fantina said brightly to the young man, but he furrowed his brow in response.

"What?" He said, confusion evident on his face.

"It's French. She wants you to introduce yourself." Dawn jumped in with no hesitation before even Fantina could correct herself. Fantina always had the students introduce themselves to the class at the start of each year, and there would be no exceptions this year.

"Oh." He said after glancing at Dawn. He then looked out at the rest of the students that filled the room, all of which were observing him with mild interest. "Uh, let's see. My name is Ash Ketchum, I'm almost eighteen years old and I just transferred to this school. I hope we all get along well."

Short, sweet and to the point. Ash turned to Sabrina to thank her for helping him find his class. Then he made his way to the back of the room, taking a seat where he some separation from the other students.

"So that's him?" May asked once again as she looked back at Ash. He was pretty good looking actually. "So, what are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he saved your life. Aren't you at least going to thank him?"

"Obviously I'm going to do that. My mom told me that I should invite him over for dinner, but do you think that's enough?" Dawn asked her.

"I don't know, no one has ever saved my life before," May said, causing Dawn to roll her eyes. "But I think you should start by talking to him. Oh oh, and since he's new, you can help him find his next class."

"That's a good idea May."

"Yeah I know, I'm full of them." May said proudly. Dawn gave her friend a narrow glance before shaking her head.

Once the bell chimed again at the end of class, Dawn rose from her seat to approach Ash. She walked over to him tentatively since he was hunched over his desk, scribbling away on the sketch paper Fantina gave him. Standing over him, Dawn was completely silent as she looked down at what he had drawn, and her jaw almost dropped to the floor at what he managed to draw in almost half a class period.

Everything in his line of sight was down on the paper. It was incredibly rough, but Dawn could clearly make out each of the students that were seated in front of him. She saw Fantina standing at the front of the class reading her syllabus to them. She even found May and herself near the front of the room, and above her head, he had written 'translator.' Dawn stifled a laugh at this, but it was still enough to gain Ash's attention as he looked up from his drawing.

Their eyes met once again, and silence ensued.

"Can I help you?" Ash asked after a few moments, breaking the silence between them. This snapped Dawn out of her thoughts as she gave a small laugh.

"Sorry, uh hi Ash, I just um…my name is Dawn." Dawn stated, finally regaining her composure. "And I wanted to thank you for this morning."

Ash only shrugged, returning his gaze to his sketch.

"It's no big deal." He said softly.

"Are you…joking right now?" Dawn asked him. "You saved my life. That's a pretty big deal to me."

"Anyone in the same position as me would've done the same thing." Ash stated.

"Still, we can't ignore the fact that you saved me." Dawn continued. "I owe you big time, so at least let me invite you to dinner with my family."

"Not interested." Ash replied, and this gained a huff from Dawn now.

It almost seemed like he didn't like the attention. Glancing around for a moment, Dawn realized that he had disappeared right after rescuing her this morning, and here in class he had gone out of his way to separate himself from the rest of the students.

"You don't like to stand out much, do you?" Dawn asked him. This gained a snort from him as he put his pencil down and looked up at her again.

"I'm in a new place with new people. I don't see much of reason to stand out right now." He stated.

"You're clearly off to a good start after saving me. Half the school is talking about you." Dawn pointed out with a small smirk. He shrugged his shoulders in response.

"By lunchtime, no one is going to remember." He replied, waving off any further comments Dawn could make. She gave him a small frown.

"So, you don't want to stand out." She concluded. "Is that why you left so fast this morning."

He gave a nod.

"Then that means no one checked to see if you were okay." Dawn went on.

"Why would they need to check on me? I wasn't in any danger, and I didn't get hurt. As you can see, I'm completely fine." Ash said. Then he pointed at her. "A better question is, are you okay?"

"Well, 'as you can see, I'm completely fine.'" Dawn said, parroting his response to her as she spun around, showing that she was okay. Seeing him look at her with raised eyebrows, Dawn shot him a small smile and pointed at him. "Thanks to you."

"And here we go again." He muttered, lowering his shoulders a bit.

"Okay, okay. How about this, let me see your schedule and I'll help you find your classes today since you're new." Dawn suggested.

"And you'll forget about everything that happened earlier?" Ash asked her in return.

"That's not going to happen, but I guess I won't bring it up anymore if that's what you want."

"Alright, that sounds fair." Ash said as he dug into his backpack in search of his schedule. Receiving the sheet of paper from Ash, Dawn looked it over and discovered that they had a few classes together.

"You're free during second period. Do you know what to do during a free period?" Dawn asked him, causing Ash to look up in thought.

"I mean, I can do anything right?" He asked her, getting a nod from her. He looked around the room for a few moments, nodding slowly after a few moments. "Maybe I'll stay here. I kinda like it."

"That's perfect then. I have fashion and design here during second period, so I'll meet you after class." Dawn said, earning a nod from Ash. She then extended a hand toward him. "It was nice meeting you, Ash."

Ash looked at her hand for a moment, and the raised a closed fist in response, motioning for her to bump fists with him. Dawn laughed a little as she complied.

"Same to you, Dawn."

A/N

And that concludes the first chapter, hope you enjoyed it!

Please give me some feedback! This isn't my first project, and I'm looking to improve over the course of this work.

First thing, this is an AU. I'm repeating it just to make sure everyone knows. And even though they're in high school, this is NOT a high school fic either. I've put a big spin on the Pokemon world, so there are lots of differences compared to what you're accustomed to. I've revamped the history and made a few of my events as well, all of which you'll see at some point down the road.

I can say this much. Ash is in for a VERY long journey, and I really hope you stick around to see this through.

I loved Pokemon in my childhood, never missed a game until Gen 5. Black and White 2 is where my career as a trainer ended though. I won't say I outgrew the franchise, but I tried to drop Pokemon cold turkey for various reasons. I found some success for a little while until I heard about Pokemon XY & Z, the anime. So many people were telling me how great it was, so I took a peek, got hooked, and now I'm right back to being a little Pokemon nerd. Unfortunately, I don't see myself picking up any of the games, so I know very little about Gen 6 beyond the anime, and I know nothing about Gen 7. So please forgive me for my lack of knowledge. Like for example, I recently found out that Fairy type is a thing now?! So yeah, please go easy on me.

This story was inspired by so many different sources, from books, movies, poems, and performances. I fully intend to respect my sources as I go, and I really hope you guys enjoy this fic as it progresses.

Anyway, thanks for reading and any support. And I hope I'll see you again at the end of the second chapter.

UPDATE 5/29/18

Wow, times flies! I can say without a doubt now that this story is going to be absolutely MASSIVE! I know the high school setting turned away a few people, but I will state again that this is NOT a high school fic. Is it a journey fic? Well, I'm not really sure if I can call it that because it doesn't fit the usual premise you see in a journey fic. As I've said before, I don't want to say what I've changed, you've got to read it to find out.

What I can say about my premise is that I want this story to feel real. Being a Pokemon trainer is more than just running around collecting Gym Badges, its a test of conviction, courage, and willpower. Things won't always go smoothly, and I'm hoping to show that here. The Pokemon world that we love, but with a hard splash of real life.

Anyway, that's enough yammering out of me. I'm really excited about the upcoming chapters and I really hope that you give this story a fair chance. If you last through the long haul I'm feeling pretty confident saying you'll be impressed...and if you're not, oh well, I'm glad you read this anyway! :P