Empty-Eyes: *sniff* not even one…not even one measly review!!! C'mon, people, where's the love??

Dawn: I think you're over reacting a bit...^_^;

Empty-Eyes: *yelling at ocean* REVIEW, DAMMIT!

Dawn: Eh-heh-heh-heh! ^_^; Empty-Eyed dreamer does not own pokemon!

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The young coordinator had stopped skipping after being called "Dora". She had almost immediately given up in the futile attempt of trying to get him to call her "Dawn".

So instead she walked alongside him, fuming quietly.

Of course, she could be kept silent for only so long.

Dawn noticed out of the corner of her eye a quaint-looking old-fashioned store. It looked like something out of a fairytale, with white trim, wide open shutters and flower boxes in each window sill. The sign above the door had a picture of some Pokémon eating sweets from a heart-shaped box.

She immediately recognized the name of the shoppe.

"OMGZ!!! CHOCOMON!!" Dawn screamed!!

"What nonsense are you spewing now woman?" Paul glared at her for disturbing the moment of peace.

"Chocomon is only the most famous candy shoppe ever! They say that even legendary Pokémon like their chocolate!" the bluette stated as if it was the most common knowledge in the history of common knowledge.

Paul, however, was not exactly the most well-informed person.

"Hmmph. Never heard of it. What's the big deal anyway? It's just a dumb candy store."

Dawn's eye twitched.

"JUST a candy store? Who are you kidding?" she scolded. About to go into a rant, she stopped. A small smile spread across her face as an idea came to her head.

Paul stared as she spun around on her heel and entered the candy store.

Thinking better about trying to ditch her then and there, he decided to sit on a bench and wait. And wait. And wait.

Sheesh. What's taking her so long?

The purple-haired trainer began to doze off in the sun.

Suddenly, something small and round was shoved into his mouth.

He opened his eyes and saw Dawn standing a few feet in front of him, a bag in one hand, the other hand withdrawing from his face. She was smiling.

"What. Did. You. Put. In. My. Mouth." Paul said slowly, giving her one of his trademark death-glares.

Dawn burst out laughing.

"Y-y-you're face…is….hilarious!!" Clutching her stomach, she almost fell to the ground she was laughing so hard.

Paul was in zero-tolerance mode. He grabbed the front of her shirt roughly and asked her again.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST MAKE ME EAT?"

Dawn wasn't expecting him to react so violently, but she kept laughing.

"It's just a caramel silly!" she wiped a tear from her eye. Woo! That was funny! I didn't know he had emotions other than "jerky" and "quiet"!

Paul looked down at the bag in her hand. It did indeed say "Caramels". He moved the candy in his mouth around with his tongue. It had started to melt in his mouth, leaving a warm, sweet flavour.

This is actually pretty good. No, it's really good! But I'm not about to thank her for it.

"Umm...Paul?"

Dawn's voice brought him out of his thoughts once again.

"Could you please let go of my shirt?"

He realised he was still holding on to her, and immediately released his grasp.

"Thanks. You didn't have to grab on to me like that y'know. People might get the wrong idea." she taunted him.

"Hmmph. You wish." Once again replacing his cold exterior, he continued walking, absentmindedly grabbing a handful of caramels from the bag Dawn was carrying.

"Wow! I guess you really like these!" Dawn stated happily.

It was true. He was beginning to like the little round candies more and more. In fact, he had never had candy in such large amounts before.

And he had never had a sugar rush either.

I...Feel…tingly…brain…losing…control…want...more...CANDY!!!

Dawn was oblivious to Paul's growing hyperness. She reached into the bag of caramels and plopped one onto the tip of her tongue, balancing it there.

She noticed that Paul had stopped walking and was staring at her strangely.

She raised an eyebrow, the candy balanced on her tongue making it hard for her to talk. "What do you want?" the bluette said with difficulty.

"That's mine." Said Paul simply. "I want that candy."

"Ehh? What do you mea-" her question was cut off as Paul quickly removed the candy from her mouth.

With his tongue.

"Yumm." Said the very out of character Paul as he sucked on the candy. Then he received a well placed round-house kick to the face.

"PERVERT!! YOU WEIRD OOC PERVERT!!!" screamed Dawn as she prepared to deliver another kick. Paul grabbed her foot right before it hit him, and while she was immobilized he stole the bag of caramels from her hand.

"MWA-HA-HA!" he shouted, "Now I can have all of the preciousess!" He started to sprint away.

"Come back here jerk!" the flustered Dawn yelled.

And so began the chase.

Paul, who normally wouldn't have been caught dead doing anything he had just done, was super-charged on sugar, which made him three times faster, and Dawn was fuelled on rage. Pure rage.

They ran outside the city limits, and into a nearby valley, Paul laughing maniacally the whole way. Dawn was about ready to give up until she remembered how much those candies had cost.

She sprinted forward with a new energy, and managed to almost catch up to him, but then she tripped over a root, knocking into Paul, and causing them both to tumble down a small hill and into a nearby river.

The shock of the ice-cold water brought Paul out of his candy-induced craze.

He dragged himself out of the water and collapsed on the riverbank, panting heavily.

Dawn soon followed.

"What was that all about??!!?!?!" she asked once she had caught her breath.

"Hmmph. It's your fault for purchasing those hell-spawned candies." The purple-haired boy retorted tiredly.

He sighed and waited for the yelling match to begin.

Instead, Dawn surprised him by apologizing.

"You're right. I'm sorry. I really can't do anything right." She looked down at the ground and sighed. "Maybe that's why Ash and Brock ditched me."

Paul stared at her in confusion. This didn't seem like her. She genuinely seemed to believe that she was a failure.

He narrowed his eyes.

"You will always be a failure if you tell yourself you are. You have to know that although you might make mistakes sometimes, there will always be time to succeed as well. As far as you know, the only person who thinks you are a failure is yourself. Don't think that just because you think you suck you really do. Don't let yourself believe that."

Dawn lifted her head in shock. Paul was looking away, refusing to meet her gaze. That was really intense! Could that have been his way of telling me to cheer up?

She smiled.

"You're right! I should have more confidence in myself. Thanks Paul."

He glanced sideways at her.

"Hmmph. Whatever. Let's get back to town."

The bluette stood up and looked around.

"Umm….which way was town again?" she laughed nervously and rubbed the back of her head.

"Uggh. Useless girl. We came from that way……." At that moment, Paul realized that he had no idea where they were. That fall must have made me lose my sense of direction…..

Dawn glared at him. "You don't have any idea where we are either, do you? Now who's useless?

A vein popped up on Paul's forehead. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. For now let's follow the direction the rivers flowing."

He give her time to respond, just started walking with the river.

Dawn didn't feel like arguing, so she just sighed and walked alongside him in silence.

They strolled by the riverside as the sun began to set. The female coordinator looked up into the distance.

"We ran a long way, huh?"

Dawn stared at Paul in surprise. Had he actually spoken to her?

"Didn't you hear me? God, you're so thick."

Her temper snapped so quickly, you could practically hear it.

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN, JERK??!!" she shoved him harshly.

"Hey! Watch who you're shoving!"

"I will if you watch your tongue!"

"I don't have to be polite to you!"

"Yeah, well why don't you go fall into the river!"

"How about you fall into the river!"

"How about you shut up!"

"How about you screw off?"

Each time one of them made a comment, they would shove the other. That is until Dawn, who was the closest to the now deep and rushing river, slipped and began to slide off the small ledge.

"Aah!" she grabbed Paul as a last resort to save herself, but it was no use. She and Paul tumbled into the dark water. They sank for a few moments, but then resurfaced, gasping for air.

Dawn held tightly on to Paul as they were swept down the river. Why is the water moving so fast? That doesn't make any sense! Unless…this river ends in a waterfall!

"Paul! I think there might be a-" her shouts were cut off by the purple haired boy.

"I know! Hold your breath before you hit the water!"

She nodded as the edge of the precipice loomed into view.

Dawn couldn't help screaming before they were thrown over the waterfall and into the air.

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Empty-Eyes: Yay! Angsty ppl! And waterfalls! Hmm…..according to Microsoft word "yay" isn't a word….and yet they know Pokémon is….strange…..I smell a conspiracy! And also popcorn!

Dawn: Why did you make Paul so OOC?

Empty-Eyes: Because I'm the authoress and I say Paul needs the occasional sugar rush!

Paul: Weirdo.