Hi, welcome to my first one-shot. The characters might be a little bit OOC, but I hope you enjoy it anyway ;))

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokémon [the game and anime] or any of the characters in it

Ash, Brock and Dawn continue their travels through the Sinnoh region, and Ash, being Ash, was very excited for when they would arrive to the next city; so he could win another gym badge.

"Brock, what type of gym is the next one?" Ash asked Brock, the rock type gym leader.

"Well, I don't know, Ash, but you've got to be prepared. Whether it's a water, fire, rock, dragon, or an electric type gym, you need to be ready for anything. And that is a skill you will need to be able to win the Sinnoh league," Replied Brock.

"Okay dad," The raven haired trainer said in a sarcastic tone, before turning his head to his other travelling companion, Dawn, "So, Dawn, do you wanna battle later? You could help me train!"

"Umm.. Ash, I would love to," she said, emphasising the word love, "but.. I have to practice a routine with Piplup,"

Dawn lied. She didn't need to practice at all, she already knew exactly what she wanted to do; and her, and her pokemon, had already mastered it.

"Okay... that's a shame, but I can totally train with Brock, right?" he said while giving the gym leader a determined look.

"Right. We should be arriving to the city in about 5 minutes, then we can start your training," informed Brock.

"Awesome!" the young trainer exclaimed, while pumping his fist into the air, "Come on Pikachu! We can make it there in 2 minutes! I'll race you there!" The electric type pokemon jumped off his trainer's shoulder and started racing him towards the city, which was now in sight.

"Hey guys! Wait up!" Shouted Brock, trying to keep up with the two.

Dawn sighed, as she watched the 3 run as fast as they could.

"Pip-Piplup?" The water type pokemon asked its trainer.

"No Piplup, I don't feel like running today.." Dawn replied as she looked away from her pokemon, Piplup, who clearly noticed something was wrong.

"Lup, Piplup," It asked with concern.

"Nothing's wrong Piplup... I just have a lot on my mind right now," The blue haired girl tried to fake a smile.

Her pokemon figured out exactly what was wrong with Dawn and smirked at her, "Piplup?"

The pokemon coordinator flushed a shade of crimson, "N-no! What makes you think that!? I'm NOT thinking about Paul... why would I?"

"Piplup, Piplup" the pokemon said, making its trainer blush more.

"I DO NOT LIKE PAUL!" She shouted, causing many bird pokemon around her to fly out of the trees they were sitting in.

Piplup knew its trainer very well, since that was exactly what Dawn was thinking about.

Unlike Paul, Ash was very immature. The raven haired boy tended to get on Dawn's nerves; and quite often, they would get into arguments.

After their encounter with Paul, a pokemon trainer about a year older than Dawn, the bluenette couldn't stop thinking about him. The way his purple hair just so messily sat on his head, the way he beat Ash in their pokemon battle, seemingly not trying at all; Paul was the only thing on her mind, and recently, her pokemon Piplup had been noticing it.

"Pip-Piplup, Pip," the pokemon said once again.

"Fine, you got me, maybe I like him a little bit," She admitted sheepishly, "but, I guess there isn't really any point in doing so, because he doesn't seem to have those emotions within him,"

"Lup-Pip?" Her pokemon replied slightly concerned.

Dawn turned her head to her pokemon, looking it into it's eyes, "Look Piplup, I understand you're trying to help, but there is no point. I don't have a chance with Paul, I don't think I ever will... For now, we need to focus on what's happening right now... I think Ash and the others are already at the city, let's catch up with them,"

The two picked up their pace, and after a minute, they arrived at the town, to see Ash and Brock standing outside the pokemon center, waiting for them.

"Took you long enough!" Complained Ash.

"I'M HERE OKAY!?" she snapped.

"Geez, calm down, you didn't-"

"Don't tell me to calm down ASH!" she interrupted.

"Okay guys, how about we get some food," Brock said, trying to pull the two apart.

"Yeah!" The young trainer enthused, while completely forgetting the row he had with Dawn, just seconds ago.

"Sure, whatever," The girl mumbled.

Ash decided to have everything on the menu, and was shoving down all the food given to him, Brock was flirting with the waitress, and Dawn, was sitting at the corner of the table, on her phone.

She scrolled through her instagram feed, and saw a recent post from Paul. It was of his 7th gym badge; Ash had only 4.

'Where did you win that badge?' She commented.

'Hearthome city. What's it to you?' he replied.

'I was just curious' she commented back, before shutting off her phone.

Soon after, she received a notification. It was from Paul.

Paul: Hello Troublesome

Dawn sighed, and opened her phone.

Dawn: My name is Dawn, not Troublesome

Paul: I don't care

Dawn: Of course you don't

Paul: What's that supposed to mean?

Dawn: Nothing. Are you still in Hearthome?

Paul: Yeah, Why?

Dawn: I just got there, Ash wants to challenge the gym

Paul: Why does he even bother trying? He doesn't stand a chance in the league, especially with me in it.

Dawn: I get what your saying. I'm starting to get a bit sick of him, do you wanna meet up later?

Paul: I'm not gonna waste my time on you, Troublesome

Dawn: Oh whatever Paul. You really annoy me sometimes. Maybe even more than Ash

Paul: Ugh fine. I will go. Just make it snappy

Dawn: Cool, meet me outside the pokemon center around 8 o'clock.

Paul: Whatever

Dawn smiled as she put her phone in her pocket.

~LATER THAT DAY~

Ash had been annoying Dawn more and more throughout the day.

"Guys please, you've been arguing all day. Can we just get to the pokemon center so we can find a room to stay in, already?" Brock pleaded, as two continued to argue.

"I don't know? Why don't you ask Ash," Dawn barked.

"'Me? You're the one who's always so moody!" He barked back.

"IF I'M SO MOODY THEN WHY THE HELL ARE YOU TRAVELLING WITH ME?" she yelled, before storming off.

"Dawn! Wait!" Brock shouted.

"Let her leave, it's not like anyone's gonna miss her," Ash hissed, as he walked the opposite direction the pokemon coordinator did.

Brock sighed as he watch his two friends part ways. "Those two sometimes!"

"Piplup?" the pokemon asked, as its trainer was aggressively stomping down the road.

"I'M FINE PIPLUP!" she snapped back.

"You don't seem fine," A familiar raspy voice interrupted from behind.

Dawn suddenly felt a chill run down her spine as she turned a bright pink, "P-Paul..?"

"Yes, Troublesome?" Paul asked.

"W-what are you doing here?" She queried, flustered.

"What am I doing here? You were the one who made me come here in the first place!" said the periwinkle haired trainer.

"Here..?" Dawn looked around in realisation. "I walked all the way to the pokemon center..!"

"I've been waiting for you for ages!" He complained.

"Ages?" Dawn pulled her phone out of her pocket and looked at the time, it read 8:45 "Oh shoot! I'm so sorry Paul! I completely forgot I asked you to meet me here!"

"Whatever. I shouldn't have waisted my time on you in the first place," Paul said emotionless.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting, please forgive me!" She pleaded.

He sighed, "Don't bother me again. I can't believe I decided to wait for you, an immature nuisance that only thinks about herself! I guess that's why you travel with Ash, your exactly like eachother,"

Dawn could feel her eyes begin to sting, as waves of tears trickled down her face. Her throat wasn't allowing any words to leave her mouth, she was speechless. She was heartbroken. The blunette ran as fast as she could away from Paul; she didn't have a clue to where she was going, but she kept running, it was like her feet had a mind of their own.

The sound of the sweet girl's unbearable crying was ringing around in his ears. A knot began to build up in his stomach, perhaps he was too hash on her? He didn't know why he felt so guilty. He never experienced guilt before. It was all new to him.

Why Dawn? Why was that troublesome girl bringing out this side of him? He didn't know. He didn't care. All he knew was he couldn't bare to see Dawn in the state she was in.

"AHHHHH!" A loud scream could be heard heard from the distance.

"Dawn..?" Paul muttered to himself.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" The voice could be heard again, much louder than before.

"Troublesome..." The purple haired trainer reassured himself.

He ran as fast as he could, towards the worrying screams coming from the nearby forest.

There she was, the blue haired coordinator, lying on the floor, surrounded by hundreds of Beedrill.

"P-paul?" She began, " W-what are y-you doin here? I thought you didn't want anything to do with me," she stuttered.

"Never mind what I said earlier," The boy grabbed one of his pokeballs and threw it to the ground, releasing a blue light, along with his pokemon, Electabuzz, "Electabuzz, use Thunderbolt!" The pokemon obeyed its trainer, and sent a shock off electricity at all the beedrills, causing them all to faint.

"Thank you for saving me!" Dawn said, while throwing herself onto Paul, and pulling him into a tight hug.

He was surprised by the girl's sudden reaction, after all he had said to her earlier she was still showing her compassion, "I'm sorry for what I said about you. I didn't mean any of it,"

A tint of pink appeared on Dawn's cheeks, she never thought Paul had emotions within him. Her arms, which freely wrapped around him began to play with his mauve hair.

"I..I didn't want to lose you, Dawn. I don't know what I'd do if..." his voice cracked and he started to let out a tear.

"I love you Paul," The girl managed to say, while a wave of tears trickled down her face. She leant closer towards him, kissing him softly on the lips.

As the two broke the kiss, Paul whispered back, "I've always loved you. I've been trying to push these feelings aside ever since I met you, but now... I just can't anymore," he kissed her once again, passionately.