"Charizard is unable to battle, Cynthia remains the reigning champion of the Sinnoh Pokémon league." These words rang through Ash's head like nails on a chalk board. Ash was in utter shock and just kept repeating the words of the official over and over again in his head until he finally fell to his knees in realization of what had just happened. After nearly two years of training and traveling through Sinnoh and to lose right at the end was to much for him to handle. Shortly after this dawn came running from the stands and wrapped her arms around Ash in a desperate attempt to console the broken trainer.

"Ash don't let this battle get to you there will be other battles and championships to win!" Dawn said trying her very hardest to console the young trainer but to no avail.

"Ash listen to Dawn you have great potential to become a much greater trainer than this world had ever seen this is only going to make you stronger in the end." Cynthia had notice how crushed her friend was after his defeat.

Ash stood up and whipped the tears from his checks and look at Cynthia and Dawn and managed to crack a smile.

"Thank you, I know this is hard for me to swallow but I will have to take this loss and just simply do twice as well next time around." Ash said in a broken voice for he was still very shaken up over what had just transpired

After a few moments ash walked over and hugged Cynthia thanking her again for the battle and saying his goodbyes well aware they would meet each other again, weather as friends or opponents, he knew this was defiantly not the last time he would be seeing the pretty blonde's face again. At this point Ash began to make his way out of the battle arena and meet his friends outside, Dawn had decided to give the young raven haired trainer and the great champion some time to talk before they parted ways so she had went outside with Brock to wait for Ash. When ash finally made his way out of the arena Dawn had flung herself around him and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"Dawn… ease up a bit….I… cant brea….th." ash said trying to catch his breath.

Dawn blushed slightly as she eased up her grip and looked at Ash to find tears still coming down his cheeks. Dawn the precieded to clean the tears of ashes face before letting go of him.

"Sorry, I just want you to know how much I support you." Dawn said sheepishly

"It's fine and thank you, it does make me feel better that your still here with me!" Ash said to Dawn in a reassuring voice.

"Ash don't let this match get in your head you put up a great fight you were amazing out their!" Dawn said in an attempt to lift Ashes spirits.

Ash looked up at Dawn and then their eyes meet for a good while. The two stood there and stared at each other for about a minuet until brock broke the silence.

"Ash, Dawn is right you did a great job and to come as far as you did is an amazing accomplishment Cynthia is one of the strongest trainers in all the regions and you had her down to her last whim that is an accomplishment in itself."

Ash and Dawn broke their gaze both slightly blushing when brock had said this.

"Thanks man it means a lot!" Ash said now feeling a little less down.

"so what are you going to do now Ash?" Dawn asked

"Well I think I'm going to head back to the Kanto region and go home for a few weeks then I might try go for a new region before I come back and battle Cynthia again. You're welcome to come along if you want Dawn and Brock you know you can always travel with me!" Ash said now ready for his next adventure.

"That would be awesome I've been dying to get out of Sinnoh and I always wanted to see where u came from!" Dawn said enthusiastically.

"great! But what about your contest?" Ash said

"oh yeah….." dawn said "ok I guess I'll stay because I really want to compete in the grand festival! But promise you will call me when you get a chance!"

"Of course I will!" Ash said

"Well can I at least come with you two to the dock so I can say bye?" Dawn asked

"Of course you can!" ash said

Dawn instantly cheered up a lot knowing she would at least have a few more hours with Ash.

Ash

The boy who helped her become who she is today. The one guy who always protected her and always cared for her. Dawn was sad that they had to say goodbye and she wished she could go with him but she had to finish and compete in the grand festival, which wasn't for another month. As Dawn, Ash, and Brock made their way to the dock to catch the ferry over to Kanto Dawns emotions began to over boil and she was realizing that they one guy she cared for was about to leave. When they reached the dock Dawn held back here tears while she gave her goodbyes to Brock. It wasn't until she went to say her goodbyes to Ash she finally broke down and wrapped her arms around Ash and began to cry on his shoulder.

"Promise me you will come visit one day Ash, I really don't want you to go!" Dawn said now baling on Ash.

"Of course I will Dawn and I'll never forget you!" Ash said rubbing Dawn's back in an attempt to console her slightly.

"Thanks Ash, well I guess this is goodbye." Dawn said forcing a smile through her tears.

"No, we will see each other again" ash said whipping the tears from Dawns cheek, "I promise".

Dawn and Ash said their final goodbyes as Ash and Brock boarded the Ferry to Kanto. After a few hours it was around 11pm and Ash found himself unable to sleep so he found his way out to the railing and watched the waves roll as he thought about Dawn.

Dawn

Ash couldn't understand why he couldn't get her mind off her. Now Ash was by no means stupid, but when it came to women he was an utter dipshit. All Ash could think was how amazing Dawn was and how he could never keep his eyes off her. He wasn't sure what all this what but he felt depressed now that they were no longer together.

"you alright Ash." Said Brock who was wondering the Boat looking for women and noticed his longtime friend was struggling with something.

"I just can't get my mind off Dawn and I don't know why." Ash said in a slightly depressed voice.

"Ash, you are one of the greatest trainers I know but when it comes to everything else you can be quite a dumbass." Brock said laughing in the proses.

"what?" Ash said confused as to what the older breeder was talking about.

"it's obvious you have feelings for Dawn and it always has been now you are starting to see them that she isn't here with you." Brock said, "Id even venture to say that you are in love with her!"

"What… I'm not… Dawn… uh?" Ash said not able to form a sentence

"Ash it's perfectly normal you two were great together and she was always there for you and you for her, I knew it was only a matter of time before you realized how much you cared for her!" Brock said patting the young trainer on the back reassuringly.

"Well now what do I do? She's still back in Sinnoh and now im on my way back to Kanto?" Ash pleaded

"Honestly Ash I'm not the best at relationship advice but I know someone who is." Brock said

"your not talking about..?" Ash said.

"yes Ash when we get back to Kanto you need to call may, her and Dawn are best friends and she is the best person to go to and I know she would love to help you." Brock said

Ash knew brock was right and though he didn't have a problem calling May in fact he loved to talk to her but he was just hesitant on asking her for relationship advice in fear she might tell Dawn something.

"I guess your right Brock, I'll call her when I get back to pallet and see what she thinks." Ash said.

Both Ash and Brock returned to their rooms to get some rest for the day ahead of them.

Twin leaf town – Sinnoh

"he's gone mom and now there's nothing I can do about it!" Dawn said crying in her mother's arms.

"Dawn I know you cared for him but their will be other guys." Her mother said in an attempt to comfort her daughter.

"NO! Ash was different!" Dawn exclaimed, "Why can't I stop thinking about him?"

"Well if I must say so myself I do think you love him." Her mother said

Dawn froze for a minuet not knowing what to think. She knew she cared for Ash but she never thought she loved him. Sure she had spent many a night thinking about him but was it possible she loved him. She began to think deeply and remembered all the times she was mesmerized by him. She remembered all his cute little quirks that made her like him all the more. After a while she realized her mom was right. She loved Ash and never knew and now he was gone and there was nothing she could do about it. After this realization she began to sob on her mother's shoulder.

"I love him and now he's gone!" Dawn cried.

Dawn's mother simply sat and comforted her daughter as best she could know she would not be able to console her completely. After a while Dawn eventually fell asleep and Johanna placed her down on her bed and tucked her in hoping that everything would work out for her daughter.