Extending a Hand

"Hoo..." Late at night, Dash decided to run with more freedom. Without much thought, he covered a considerable distance until he reached a park that was quite deserted, except for a few kids who seemed to be playing. The place was extremely quiet, making it a perfect spot for training. While occasional issues could arise due to bad luck, this wasn't a hotspot for criminal activity, thanks to occasional police visits.

Dash stopped, removing his headphones, and suddenly noticed a boy dressed as a squirrel standing alone. It was quite an unusual costume; he wasn't entirely dressed as a squirrel but had a robe around him and a rather peculiar hat.

When Dash saw the boy giving him a discreet look, he asked, "Is that Alvin and the Chipmunks cosplay?"

The boy looked confused before responding, "No, this is Dr. Scribble Bottoms."

"And what is that? Lately, it seems like TV shows have been getting weirder. I've never heard of something so bizarre before. It should be from an MMORPG." Dash shook his head as he pulled his hoodie back on.

"That's..." Kenny, dressed this way for an invited meeting, fell silent, seeing Dash's indifference, and continued waiting.

However, at that moment, from behind some bushes, a group of four boys emerged, with one recording.

"Stalkers?" Dash raised his eyebrows, stretching his muscles without paying attention to the boy in the squirrel costume, facing a typical bullying scenario.

"Look at him, everyone; look at that loser."

"Hahaha!"

"You have to post it!"

Kenny, hearing that he was about to be exposed on social media, reached for the boy's phone that was recording and shouted, "No, don't do it!"

Crack!

Because Kenny reached out to avoid being recorded, the boy's phone fell to the ground, and the screen apparently broke upon impact.

"Ohhhhhh!"

"He broke your phone!"

"Are you going to let him get away with it?"

"I didn't want to break it... All of you behave like real idiots," Kenny said, looking at the group of boys who always bothered him.

"What did you call us?"

Dash watched as the four boys surrounded Kenny to attack him. This was the perfect situation Dash would have found himself in during his youth if he hadn't reacted harshly to the slightest hint of intimidation. Now, Dash was waiting for Kenny to defend himself and start breaking noses, but he noticed Antony among the bullies and was surprised to see him there.

"This is much more interesting..." Dash completely turned off the music in his headphones and focused on the scene with much more attention.

Who would have thought? Now, Daniel's son is one of the cowards bullying another kid.

"Come on, LaRusso, it's time to show something of what you know." The blond-haired boy looked at Antony, expecting him to do something.

At that moment, Antony hesitated because he didn't want to be doing this, especially with a boy who had chosen to be happy rather than fit into a social circle. But at that moment, he knew that if he didn't show something, he would be the next one to be bullied.

Therefore, looking at Kenny, who was being held by two of those he considered his friends, he raised his fist, and Antony prepared to attack him. But just as he was about to throw the punch, a figure appeared by his side and held his arm.

"Isn't it too cowardly to attack a kid, especially the four of you against one?"

"Who the hell are you?"

"Get out of here, you damn bastard."

Dash opened his eyes, knowing he had been left without parents in one of these dull towns, so he said, "You should consider leaving this place right now. Don't cause more trouble and leave the kid alone."

When everyone heard Dash's cold tone, they backed off. Kenny, who had been released, didn't say anything and stood still as if fearing Dash would get angry.

Just as Antony was about to leave, Dash stopped him and asked, "Does your family know that you intimidate a kid along with those you consider your friends?"

"It's not what it looks like." Antony hesitated about what to say, not expecting the hooded boy to be Dash, whom he admired a bit.

"It's exactly what it seemed," Kenny said as he picked up the squirrel tail that had been torn from his costume.

Dash sighed and said, "Come with me, you two. The rest can go to hell."