Happy PearlShipping Day everyone! :)

I wrote this one-shot for something we did on the PearlShipping forum at Serebii, so this has been occupying my writing time. xD.

Enjoy! :)

It wasn't an awfully warm evening as Ash, Dawn, and Brock settled down to make camp and eat dinner. It was the kind of balmy evening that one would imagine sitting out on a porch and sipping lemonade to. A light breeze wafted through the air, making it almost cold if you weren't moving around. The trees surrounding the small clearing that they had chosen blocked out any sight or a city or road, giving a feeling of being totally immersed in nature.

Ash was deeper into the forest, and had found a smaller clearing near a river. He and Gible were training there while they waited for dinner. Ash didn't particularly want to help out with cooking dinner, but felt a little guilty sitting around and waiting, so he went off to train, leaving his other Pokemon with Dawn and her Pokemon.

Brock was cooking as usual. He had suspended a multitude of pots with tree branches and hung them over a large fire. Ash's Infernape had created and was regulating the fire. Dawn's Cyndaquil was eagerly trying to help, but Cyndaquil spent more time being saved by Infernape than helping. Brock split time between regulating the pots and searching through his backpack for more food. They were about to reach another city, so Brock felt there was no harm in using everything left. Finding some potatoes, he turned to Dawn and asked, "Dawn, could you check on the pots?"

Dawn was setting the table and had laid out the Pokemon's food and bowls when Brock made his request. She nodded, and walked over to the pots. Looking into the first one, she noticed that the food in it still had awhile to go. She stirred it for awhile, then walked over to the other pots. Looking into the second pot, she noticed that it wasn't boiling like the others, and asked Infernape to heat it back up.

But, before she could withdraw her face from the pot, Infernape shot a Flamethrower at the logs beneath the pot, sending a huge plume of steam straight into Dawn's face. She recoiled quickly, tripping and falling onto her back. Infernape scratched its head sheepishly, but Dawn, recovering from the shock of the sudden heat, just laughed and said, "That was my fault," and went to find a towel.

She found one in her pack and wiped her face clean of sweat and looked over at the pots again. She noticed that there was more food in the pots than there was food in the Pokemon's bowls and laughed. "I guess that's just what we need for Ash."

As she thought about Ash, she felt her face get warm again, but it was different than the time before. She reached her hand up to her cheek. It didn't feel warm. Then she realized: She was blushing.

She sighed. "Why would I think that about Ash? Do I like him?"

She pondered the question. "When I was younger, I used to read about coordinators like Wallace in magazines and get crushes on them, but that's nothing like this. I just want to be around Ash, he makes me feel good, and he's so cute too. I wonder what he thinks about me…"

She was torn from her musings as Brock walked over with a handful of chopped potatoes. "Hey Dawn, something wrong? Do you feel alright? Your face is all red."

Dawn blinked a few times then quickly rearranged her face into a smile. "Oh yeah, I'm fine. No need to worry right?"

She grinned. Brock looked nonplussed. "Right… The soups are almost done, could you run and get Ash?"

"Sure!" said Dawn enthusiastically, "Come on Piplup!"

Brock raised an eyebrow, "Do you know where he is?"

"Sure thing! No need to worry!"

Brock started to say something else, but Dawn turned and ran off towards the forest.

Brock shrugged, and turned back to the pots.

In his clearing, Ash had released Gible with the intention of training him, but it hadn't come to much. Upon being released, Gible had gone on to chew on nearly everything in the clearing and had moved on to gnawing the trees on the fringe of the clearing. Ash sighed and decided to let Gible have his fun. He found a tree stump and thought about one thing and one thing only, Dawn.

He had figured out that he liked Dawn a few days prior. He had realized that it was either that or he was allergic to something she was wearing. So he went to Brock for advice, and asked what he thought was a safe question.

"Brock, what exactly happens to you when you see Nurse Joy?" Ash asked.

If Brock was a little startled or confused by the question, he didn't show it. "Hmm.. It's kind of hard to explain. I get a tingly feeling in the pit of my stomach, my face heats up, and I… Well, actually I'm not sure Ash. I get so ecstatic that I lose control of myself after awhile."

Ash looked thoughtful for a little while. Then he thanked Brock and returned to training. That night, he and Pikachu had had a heated discussion on whether or not he liked Dawn. While Ash knew that he did, especially with Brock's "symptoms list" ringing in his ears, he wasn't sure whether he wanted to admit it. Most of all, he was afraid of failure, of being rejected. He had been in denial since then. Pikachu had not failed to remind him every waking moment, but Ash stood pat, feigning indifference.

Ash just sat on the stump, thinking. Pikachu walked over and sat in Ash's lap. Pikachu knew what Ash was thinking, but made no comment. Ash looked down at Pikachu and absentmindedly began to stroke his fur. "What do I really think of Dawn?"

"Well… She's pretty, she's confident, she's a great friend, she's funny, she's… Everything!"

Ash sighed. Well, if he was here, might as well train. Pikachu sensed what Ash was thinking and climbed up to his shoulder as he ran to go pull Gible off another tree.

As Dawn ran into the forest, it occurred to her that she actually had no idea where exactly Ash and the Pokemon were, but she figured it wouldn't be too hard to find him.

But, after what felt like hours, she thought to herself, "Me and my big mouth!" She had not seen anything but trees, trees, and more trees. Twice she had returned to the campsite by accident. Finally, she reached the foot of a hill. "I suppose if I got to the top, I might be able to see Ash."

After stopping for awhile to give Piplup some water, she began to walk up the hill. After realizing Piplup was too tired to continue walking, she picked him up and carried him in her arms. Eventually she reached the top, and discovered she could see the clearing where they had set up camp. She could also see a river that wound its way through the forest. She pulled out the towel again and wiped her face, she felt like she was inside of a furnace. She still couldn't see Ash.

She looked up towards the sky and yelled out of desperation, "Ash! If you can hear me, give some sort of signal!"

As if on cue, a large orange sphere of energy rose from the forest below, near the river. Dawn watched its steady flight upwards before it reached its apex and with a small pop, began to hurtle back down towards the ground. Piplup squealed with fear, but the orange sphere disappeared back into the forest from where it came.

"I never thought I'd be glad to see Draco Meteor," thought Dawn with a laugh. Piplup sighed with relief.

She ran back into the forest, and began to follow the river. After awhile, she stopped to wipe her face again. "Where are they? It didn't look this far from the hill." She was about to call out again, but then she heard a welcome voice.

"Ahhhhh!"

She peeked over a bush and saw Ash running away from another Draco Meteor. Gible was just sitting in the middle of the clearing, watching dumbly. Pikachu was cowering under some bushes at the edge of the clearing. Ash ran towards the treeline, but then the Draco Meteor hit him in the back and he flew into the tree.

Dawn ran over. "Ash! Are you alright?"

Ash had swirls in his eyes. "I-I'm fine thanks. N-no drink for me... Ahh…"

Piplup looked sympathetic. "Pip Pip-luup…."

Dawn set Piplup down and held out her hand to Ash.

Ash looked confused for a few seconds, Dawn swore she could almost hear the gears turning in his head. Then he reached out, grasped Dawn's hand, and, looking confused, shook it.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Ash, I'm helping you up."

Ash's confusion cleared instantly. "Oh! I get it."

He held her hand again and she and Piplup pulled him up.

After he resumed a standing position, they held hands for a few brief seconds longer before they locked eyes, both reddened and released each other.

"Well, that was embarrassing. But he didn't seem unhappy. I guess I can hope."

"There it goes again. She helps me up and I get that stomach feeling. If only she knew..."

As they stood there awkwardly, Pikachu looked knowledgeably at the two of them, smirking slightly. Unbeknownst to the group, they were being watched by others too.

"Hey, it looks like the twerp and the twerpette are having some issues," said Meowth, looking through his Team Rocket binoculars.

"Let me see," said Jessie, snatching the binoculars and ignoring Meowth's protests. "Hmm.." She watched them sit there, red-faced, not saying anything, and grinned. "You can tell it all by looking at them. The blushing, the embarrassment, the denials…. Ahh… I remember that…"

Jessie smiled. "Young love."

James gave a noncommittal shrug. "Since when did you know about love?"

Jessie struck a pose and said, "It's all part of being an actress and a top coordinator. If you're like me you pick up those things."

James and Meowth sweatdropped as Jessie went on about her "knowledge".

After awhile, James cut in and said, "Well, that's their business. Aren't we supposed to be snatching Pikachu?"

Jessie stopped abruptly, glared at him, and yelled, "DON'T INTERRUPT ME!" Then she continued her spiel.

Pikachu smiled complacently at Ash and Dawn, who were still staring awkwardly at each other.

Ash broke the silence first. "Umm.. Dawn? Why did you come out here anyway?"

"Oh.. Uh, dinner's ready."

"Oh. Well…" Ash paused, "Should we head back then?"

"Yeah… But I like it out here. Can't we stay a little longer?"

In truth, Dawn just wanted some time alone with Ash. Ash didn't need much convincing, and they sat on another tree stump together, watching the sky and the clouds.

Team Rocket was still watching, distracted from their pursuits by Jessie's ramblings and curiosity about what Ash and Dawn were talking about.

They watched as Ash fidgeted nervously, trying to think whether or not to ask Dawn what she felt.

"He's thinking of whether or not to ask her," said Jessie knowledgably. She paused.

"James."

"Mm..?"

"I bet you this bottle cap that he'll ask her." James looked at it and almost fell out of the tree they were in. "Does she know what that is? That's one of the Holy Grails of Kanto bottle cap collecting! I wonder where she got it."

He grinned. "I can't pass up on this!"

"You're on!"

Ash turned on the stump, switching his feet from one position to the other, looking at his hands, and twisting his cap. Dawn watched him for a little while, almost deciding to ask if he was nervous about something, but then decided not to, realizing she was a little nervous herself. They didn't get alone time like this often, and she couldn't even think of anything to say.

Ash spoke first. "D-Dawn?"

"Yes Ash?"

"Um.. I just wanted to tell you."

Dawn's hopes rose slightly, but she wasn't sure. "Yes?"

Ash's brown eyes stared into Dawn's blue ones. "I think… I…"

He paused again. "Why can't I just say it?"

He blushed slightly. "My cheeks are warm… Again.."

He felt Dawn's arm slide its way around his shoulders. He was slightly startled but stayed put. Dawn took it as an encouraging sign that he didn't jump up and run away screaming. "A-Ash? Is everything alright?" she asked in a low voice, as if not to scare him.

Ash nodded. "Just thinking."

He gave a weak smile. Dawn decided not to press the issue and Ash was grateful. Together they sat for some time in silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

"Ugh, you win." Jessie put down the binoculars in disgust and pressed the bottle cap into James' hand.

James gave a high pitched squeal of delight, his eyes glazing over. Meowth and Jessie had to keep him from jumping out of the tree. They shook their heads and shared a glance. "Hopeless…." Then they turned and resumed spying through the binoculars.

Dawn tentatively lowered her head onto Ash's shoulder, nestling her head next to his. Ash blushed furiously, but did not pull away, his complexion rapidly approaching that of an over ripe tomato. He was pleased that in her position, Dawn could not see his face.

Dawn was thinking the exact same thing. "My face is so warm, I wouldn't be surprised if he could feel it…"

Pikachu grinned and turned towards Piplup. "Pika Pika, Pikachu?"

Piplup did not answer, as he was keeping a wary eye on Gible, who was staring vacantly into space.

As Pikachu tried to get Piplup's attention, Jessie said, "That is it."

Meowth looked at her, confused. "What is?"

"We're going to accomplish what we came for, and more."

Meowth looked nervous. "That means we're going to capture Pikachu, but what's the more?"

By this time, even James was curious enough to stop fawning over his bottle cap. "Yeah, what's the more?"

"We're going to make sure the twerps know how they feel about each other."

James and Meowth were stunned. "Since when did she want to help others?"

James spoke first. "Um… Wouldn't that be helping them?"

Jessie laughed. "It'll distract them from their Pokemon. Just follow my lead."

Pikachu had since managed to get Piplup's attention and convince him that Gible wasn't going to hurt him. He gestured towards Ash and Dawn, still in the same positions as before. Their blushes had faded slightly, but then Dawn shifted slightly, and Ash, as if just realizing she was still there, reddened again.

Pikachu and Piplup laughed together, watching their trainers. They did not notice the two mechanical arms streaking towards them, but Gible, who had been consuming nearby shrubs and bushes, noticed. Gible stood there dumbly, then did the only thing that really came to mind, and shot a Draco Meteor towards the sky.

Piplup, recognizing the familiar sound, and associating it with death, destruction and all means of unpleasantries, began to run. Pikachu, not understanding Piplup's fear, turned around towards Gible, but had no time to escape when he saw what was headed for him.

The mechanical arm snatched up Pikachu, and another caught the freeing Piplup. Gible just looked skywards, watching as the Draco Meteor descended towards Ash and Dawn. Another mechanical arm grabbed Gible as well.

Neither Ash nor Dawn had noticed Team Rocket's arrival yet. Dawn looked up towards Ash. "Oh by the way, what was it that you were trying to tell me earlier?"

Ash's eyes widened slightly. He had hoped she had forgotten. "Uh…"

He was saved from answering when the Draco Meteor came down near him and he and Dawn were blasted off the tree stump. Suddenly they heard the cries of Pikachu, Piplup, and Gible.

Ash and Dawn turned around only to see a balloon float out of the treeline, with mechanical arms holding Pikachu, Piplup, and Gible. They looked up, and saw the familiar, but unwelcome sight of the Meowth balloon.

"Team Rocket!" they said together.

"Listen, are those some romantically troubled twerps I hear?"

"Don't think we didn't notice, we're observant I fear."

"On the wind!"

"Past the stars!"

"In your ear!"

"Watching you mumble, with a red-cheeked face."

"Interrupting your moments, with style and grace!"

"We know that it's love, it's quite plain to see."

"You might as well admit it, you'll feel quite free!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Meowth, now that's a name!"

"Putting twerpish lovebirds, in their place."

"We're Team Rocket…"

"In your face!"

"Wobbuffetttttt!"

Ash and Dawn looked confused. Pikachu and Piplup, despite being captured, smirked together. "What's that about love?" asked Ash.

Jessie sighed. "The ignorance of twerps…"

Jessie sighed again. "I guess I have to explain…"

Meowth tugged at Jessie's skirt. "We should really just leave now…"

Jessie turned towards him angrily. "We haven't finished the first part of the plan."

"But…"

"NO BUTS. I STARTED SOMETHING, I'M GOING TO FINISH IT."

Meowth opened his mouth to argue but James slapped a hand over his mouth and whispered, "Don't say anything, Jess will just get more angry…"

Jessie seemed pleased that James was "on her side" and turned back to Ash and Dawn, who had sweatdropped listening to the argument.

Ash said, "We don't have time for this." He reached towards his belt and grabbed one of the Poke Balls there. "Buizel! I choose you!"

He threw the Poke Ball forward, but it hit the ground and just rolled into a ditch. Ash suddenly remembered he had left his Pokemon back at the campsite.

"Okay twerp, you're at our mercy. Now you must listen. Or we'll hurt Pikachu and Piplup."

Ash and Dawn sighed resignedly. "Do we have to?"

"YES."

"Okay…"

Jessie said, "Okay. We've noticed that there's something going on between you two."

Ash opened his mouth to say something, but he noticed James in the balloon moving a finger across his neck with a scared look towards Jessie and Ash decided to remain quiet.

The balloon landed, not relinquishing its hold on the three Pokemon. Pikachu and Piplup seemed somewhat interested in what Jessie had to say, Gible seemed more interested in the mechanical hand, and was gnawing contentedly on it.

Jessie looked around, noticing the silence, but shrugged and continued. "We," she extended her hands in a broad circle which encompassed James and Meowth, who looked frightened, "Are under the belief that you two twerps have a thing for each other."

Dawn looked at Ash, wondering. Ash looked merely confused. "Something for each other… Like a gift?"

Jessie facepalmed. James sighed. Meowth muttered, "The twerp is worse than I thought."

James said, "No, like an interest. In each other."

Ash and Dawn looked at each other.

Dawn suddenly understood. She tilted her head down slightly, as thoughts raced through her head. "How did they figure it out? Was it a guess? Does Ash know?"

She looked at him. He still looked confused. He was either extremely dense or good at faking it.

Ash had, in fact, grasped the concept by this time, but was still in denial. "An interest in Dawn?" He began to scrutinize her face. "Why? Is she wearing something new?"

Dawn was relieved, but also almost disappointed. Team Rocket had presented an excellent opportunity to express feelings without it being obvious.

Jessie lost it.

"NO!" she screamed. "I'M SAYING YOU LOVE HER!"

Ash and Dawn jumped at the sudden outburst. Then Jessie grinned. "Well, now that we've gotten that over with, we're going to leave with your Pokemon now."

The balloon slowly began to lift off. Ash and Dawn ran over to the balloon, but by the time they reached it, it was just out of range. Jessie stuck out her tongue. "Have fun together twerps!"

Ash looked up, and noticing that the arms were holding the Pokemon beneath the balloon, yelled out, "Gible! Use Draco Meteor!"

Gible shot an orange sphere of energy into the air.

"Um, Meowth," said James nervously, "Do we have protection against that?"

"Nope!" said Meowth, "But as I seem to recall, that attack is more harmless than a sleeping twerp. It's just a common garden variety meteor."

The three Rockets watched the orange sphere's flight up. Then it dawned on them.

"Meowth, you do know what happens when a meteor COMES DOWN, right?"

"Uh, hehe…"

The Draco Meteor, upon reaching its apex, returned to form, attempting to head straight for Piplup. The problem was the Draco Meteor failed to take into account silly things like obstructions, such as three screaming Team Rocket field agents, and slammed into the top of the balloon, puncturing a Wailmer-sized hole in it.

The force of the impact sent the balloon plummeting towards the ground, before the tattered material that remained caught the air, and serving as a rudimentary parachute, slowed the descent slightly before the balloon hit the ground.

The speed of impact was still great enough to jar the mechanical arms, and the three Pokemon were freed.

Pikachu and Piplup ran over to their trainers. Gible just stood, confusedly in the rubble of the balloon, before realizing that the balloon was a material it had never tasted before. Ash sighed and recalled Gible as it began to chew on the balloon.

Ash looked at Dawn, who nodded. "Ready Pikachu?"

"Ready Piplup?"

Both Pokemon nodded and faced the balloon.

"Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!"

"Piplup! Bubblebeam!"

Pikachu jumped into the air, spun, then released a powerful current of electricity towards the balloon. Piplup leaned back, screwing up his eyes as if he had a stomachache, then thrust his head and upper body forward, expelling a large number of bubbles towards the balloon.

Jessie, James, and Meowth had finally picked their way out of the rubble, and stuck their heads up, only to see the oncoming Bubblebeam and Thunderbolt. "Here we go again…"

The electricity and rush of water collided simultaneously, shorting out the mechanism in the balloon, then reacting with it, causing an explosion and, sending Jessie, James, and Meowth flying into the air.

Jessie glared at James. "See James? This is why I always tell you it's not worth it to try to do good things."

James sighed. "For the record, trying to steal their Pokemon kind of evens it out…"

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" Jessie yelled.

"It doesn't matter," said Meowth, "Because we're blasting off again!"

Ash and Dawn watched Team Rocket ascend into the sky until they disappeared from view.

They both stared at each other awkwardly, thinking about what Team Rocket had said, before Ash said, "Well… We should be heading back. I bet Brock's getting worried."

Dawn nodded and they began to walk back through the forest.

After they crossed over the river, a question came back to Dawn. "Hey Ash?"

"Yep?"

"What was it you were going to ask me earlier?"

Ash continued walking without answering for awhile. Team Rocket's appearance and subsequent words had given Ash a marginal amount of confidence, and he felt that it was a good a time as any.

"Well, remember what Team Rocket said?"

Dawn felt her hopes rising again. "Yeah. Why?"

Ash looked at Dawn, she seemed unusually happy, he thought, as if she was expecting something. "I wonder if she knows already…"

Ash didn't answer right away, and Dawn felt her hopes become slightly tempered.

"I…" Ash paused, trying to figure out a way to say it, "I think I agree with them."

Dawn was stunned. She continued walking, almost tripping on logs or protruding roots several times, not paying much attention to where she was stepping. She decided to figure out whether or not she had heard him wrong and said, "W-what?"

Ash winced. It had been hard enough saying it the first time.

"I said I think I agree with them."

Ash paused, letting it sink in for a bit. Then, just as Dawn was about to open her mouth to say something, Ash said, "Dawn, I think I love you."

Whatever Dawn had been about to say caught in her throat, and she just opened and closed her mouth rapidly.

Ash sighed to himself. "I just wanted to let you know. If you don't feel the same way, that's fine. I just want to let you know that I think that you're awesome, and very pretty, and one of the best people I've ever met."

Ash continued on towards the campsite, mortified, and resolved to hide in his tent and bury himself under pillows as soon as he got back.

Dawn was still shocked. "Did he really say all that?" She watched Ash walk away, dejectedly. "Oh no! He probably thinks I don't like him back. I have to tell him somehow."

Dawn ran to catch up with Ash. He had just reached the edge of the clearing when Dawn caught up to him. Brock noticed them approaching from afar, and walked out to greet them, intending to ask them where the heck they had been for the last hour.

Dawn caught up to Ash and put a hand on his shoulder.

Ash jumped slightly, he had not heard Dawn approach. He stopped abruptly, waiting for her to speak.

"Ash…" she said, softly.

He turned to face her. She looked at him, pleading with her eyes. "I just wanted you to know. I feel the same way, I really do."

Before Ash could respond, or even think about what Dawn had said, she slid one hand behind his head, leaned in, and kissed him.

It was a short kiss, Dawn's lips leaving his a few seconds after they touched. Dawn looked at Ash, smiling nervously. Ash was still in shock. "What did she say? Did she just kiss me? Oh my…"

Ash stood there, stock-still, for a few seconds, making Dawn nervous. "Was that too much? Should I have not done that?"

But then Ash leaned in and kissed her back, closing his eyes and running one hand through her hair and putting one arm around her waist. Dawn responded with enthusiasm, tilting her head and putting both hands behind Ash's head. Together they stayed in this position, with feelings of pure happiness, like there was nothing else in the world. Then they broke apart, staring into each other's eyes, wordlessly conveying their emotions to each other.

They stayed in that position for awhile, but then Brock, who had walked over and seen the whole thing, cleared his throat loudly, causing the two to jump apart. There was silence as Brock stared at them, and they stared back. Then Ash laughed nervously, and with his arm still around Dawn, said, "Hey Brock. What's up?"

Brock shook his head slightly, then started clapping. Pikachu and Piplup joined him. Ash and Dawn blushed, but then grinned at each other and kissed again.

Brock just rolled his eyes and said, "Dinner's been ready for an hour. I'm going to have to reheat it."

Dawn said, "That's fine. I'm not hungry yet anyway."

After Brock had Cyndaquil and Infernape help relight the fires, Brock sat down with Ash and Dawn at the table and said, "Well, it's about time! I've been expecting that."

Ash looked surprised. "Really?"

Brock grinned. "Yeah, I thought it was pretty obvious. I wanted you two to figure it out yourselves though. What brought that on?"

Ash and Dawn looked at each other. "Well, it's Team Rocket's fault really…"

Brock laughed. "Rocket science huh? Do explain."

Ash looked at Dawn, then leaned back and grinned, his hands behind his head. "It's a long story."

Dawn began, "Well, when I went to go find Ash in the forest…"

Thanks for reading. Perhaps I'll get around to updating the other story now.. xD.

Please feel free to voice your opinions, it's always welcomed.

Cheers!