Ash sat up suddenly, a gleam of determination in his eyes. "Okay, Misty. If we can’t bake one from scratch, we can buy a cake and make it look homemade. Just a little frosting touch-up. No one will know!"

Misty raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying we’re going to cheat?"

Ash grinned sheepishly. "It’s not cheating, it’s… improvising!"

Misty sighed and grabbed Togepi. “Fine, but we’re not just buying one. I still want to bake something. Maybe we can get inspiration at the cake shop.”

Ash blinked. “Inspiration? Misty, you don’t even know how to crack an egg.”

“Details!” she shot back, already grabbing her bag. “Let’s go before your mom figures us out.”

The two of them power-walked through town toward the local bakery, Togepi nestled happily in Misty’s arms and Pikachu perched on Ash’s shoulder.

“Can’t we just take a bus?” Ash grumbled. “It’s hot out here.”

Misty rolled her eyes. “Ash, we’re saving every penny we can. No rides, no shortcuts.”

Fifteen minutes later, they were staring through the cake shop’s giant window, their jaws practically on the ground. Rows and rows of perfectly frosted cakes sat on display, each more elaborate than the last. There were towering tiers, colorful cupcakes, and cakes shaped like Poké Balls.

“See? Inspiration!” Misty said proudly, though her voice wavered. “This… doesn’t look that hard.”

Ash side-eyed her. “Really? Because that one looks like it belongs in a museum.”

Misty took a deep breath. “We just need to buy something simple and add our own spin.”

After an hour of pointing, debating, and staring at price tags, they finally chose a small, plain vanilla cake. “This one’s perfect,” Misty said. “Basic, cheap, and we can still decorate it at home.”

They paid quickly and left, the boxed cake balanced precariously in Ash’s hands.

“We did it!” Ash grinned. “We’re geniuses!”

“Careful, Ash, don’t—” Misty’s warning came too late.

Ash stumbled over the curb, the box tilting wildly.

“NOOOO!” Misty shrieked as she lunged to save it.

Ash regained his balance just in time, the cake wobbling but miraculously intact. He looked at Misty and exhaled in relief. “I am never walking with a cake again.”

Misty glared at him. “Next time, we’re learning to drive.”

“Deal,” Ash muttered as Pikachu snickered on his shoulder.

Back at home, the two of them stared at the plain cake sitting on the table.

“Okay,” Misty clapped her hands. “We just need to make it look homemade. Let’s frost it!”

“What does frosting even mean?” Ash asked, pulling out a spoon.

Misty froze. “...You don’t just smear it on?”

Ash shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out.”

Fifteen minutes later, the kitchen was a disaster zone. The cake was covered in uneven globs of frosting, half the sprinkles were on the floor, and Togepi was giggling as it played with frosting-covered utensils.

Ash stared at their creation in horror. “Misty, we’ve created a monster.”

Misty groaned, sinking into a chair. “This isn’t a cake. It’s… it’s a Pokémon battle gone wrong.”

Suddenly, they heard Delia’s voice from the hall. “Kids? Is the cake ready?”

“Uh—!” Ash panicked.

Misty grabbed a handful of frosting and splattered it on top, hiding any flaws. “It’s fine! It’s fine!”

Delia walked in, smiling warmly. “Oh, that looks… unique.”

“Homemade touch!” Misty said nervously, hiding a frosting-covered spoon behind her back.

Ash plastered on a smile. “Yep! Nothing says ‘love’ like a cake that’s... memorable.”

Delia chuckled. “Well, I appreciate the effort.”

As she left, Misty dropped her face onto the table. “Next time, Ash… next time we drive and learn how to bake.”

Ash sighed, his head resting in his hands. “Agreed. And I’m putting Siri on cake tutorials first thing tomorrow.”