Hey guys, it's been some time hasn't it? A week? -_-'

Anyway, I have a request…please read the Author's note at the end because it's concerning the story. If you can, don't skip it. :D

I solemnly swear that I do not own Pokémon.

~oOo~

~ The Dawn in My Life ~

~oOo~

Chapter 3: The Trio of Everlasting Doom

~oOo~

We were still travelling through the forests a few days later. Troublesome wasn't as annoying as I thought…

I thought she would crib and cry, and pout and whine…but she really did mature in the past few years.

She kept her word and still followed my 'conditions', even though this time it was me travelling with her, not the other way around…

Wait…I'm travelling with her?

No, I refuse to believe that. Anyway, I was going to watch the Grand Festival, wasn't I?

Coming back to my earlier point, it was becoming progressively harder to push her buttons. Probably because most of the time she was in deep thought…

One such day, while we were walking, she was even more unnaturally quiet.

"YES! THAT'S IT!"

If my personality wasn't like what it was, I would've jumped five feet into the air.

"Sorry Paul. It's just that…I've thought of a perfect appeal for the Festival!"

I nodded.

"If you don't mind, could we stop here for some time? I'd like to try it out."

I could see the determination in those beautiful azure eyes. Till now she hadn't asked and we used to stop for my training, the time in which she too trained…but even though I'm cold, I did feel a bit guilty because we were going for her dumb Festival…

I snapped out of it and nodded again. Then I went to the nearest tree and rested my back against it, waiting…really I'm going too soft…

I barely looked towards where she was practicing. I just closed my eyes, slid down the tree and stayed there…until…

"Mamoswine, Ice Shard!"

"Mammo!"

"Good, now eat it!"

WHAT?

My eyes shot open as I turned to look at the big beast covered with spiky ice crystals.

"Now, another Ice Shard!"

Is it just me or it looked more powerful than a normal one?

"Break it and blow!"

The Pokémon then proceeded to break the globe of ice with its tusks and sent it flying towards a Piplup, her Piplup, who then got surrounded by the swirling bits of ice.

For the first time in my life, I was paying full attention to a Contest practice…

"Bubble Beam!"

I looked in amazement as that blue penguin spun around creating a mass –no, a fort- of bubbles which was still surrounded by that ice.

"Now Piplup!"

With the momentum of that spinning, the Pokémon jumped out and landed smoothly on her Mamoswine's head. But what I saw stunned me…

A sparkling fort of ice, with bubbles encased in it, stood before me.

It wasn't only that dome…it was the strategy behind it and the way she used her Pokémon that amazed me.

"Great job, you two! Now we just need to perfect the timing a little more…"

I stared in awe as she trailed off.

Little did I know, I was in for an even bigger shock…

...

"Paul?"

"What?" I said, irritated. I had composed myself by then and had gone back to sitting idly under that tree.

"I challenge you. Double battle."

"Why bother? You're a Coordinator. You'll definitely lose," I scoffed, though now there was a tinge of doubt because I'd realized that Contest moves are tricky and can fool you.

"I want to practice for the Grand Festival. So will you?" I noticed that her fists were clenched.

"Fine, if that's what you want," I sneered.

"Thanks Paul," she said quietly.

Shit. It is getting more and more harder to rile her up.

Reggie snickered as he read that last line.

...

"You know the rules, so let's begin!

"Mamoswine, Quilava, spotlight!"

I quickly pulled out two Pokéballs and threw them.

"Torterra, Electivire, stand by for battle!

"You can have the first move," I said, smirking.

"Quilava, Flame Wheel! Mamoswine, Take Down!" she shouted.

I smirked again. As if basic attacks like that could defeat my Pokémon…

"Electivire, Protect," I commanded, to see both my Pokémon encased in a green sphere.

"Quilava, Swift! Mamoswine, Hidden Power!"

"Dodge and use Brick Break and Crunch," I said, bored.

"Dodge and use your Flame-Ice Combo!" she yelled.

What the heck is that? My eyes widened as I saw her Mamoswine starting to charge up a second Ice Shard after 'eating' one. But before anything could happen, there was smoke all over.

"What the hell is going on?" I shouted, irritated.

"Listen, is that a voice I hear?"

"It's speaking to me loud and clear!"

I mentally face-palmed. Great…those buffoons. Could this day get any worse?

"We're Team Rocket…"

"…and we're in your face!"

I rolled my eyes at their lame motto and pulled out a third Pokéball…when I heard a scream.

It was her.

"Honchkrow, blow away that smoke," I yelled, slightly desperate, throwing the Pokéball into the smoke enveloping all of us.

But as the smoke cleared, there was nothing where she had been standing earlier. But when I looked around, I could see Pokéballs scattered all around and her Mamoswine and Quilava knocked out.

"Honchkrow, look for those maniacs," I said, without wasting any time.

"Krow!" With that, it flew away, leaving me to return the Pokémon outside into their respective Pokéballs and scoop up the remaining Pokéballs.

Why are you so troublesome…

"Rawr!"

"Pip pip piplup piplup!"

"Terra! Torterra!"

Reggie closed his eyes and shook his head tiredly. Torterra will handle it, he thought.

With the help of Honchkrow, I found those blithering idiots. But I couldn't see her anywhere…

I then decided to eavesdrop on those fools instead. They were muttering about getting hold of 'his' Pokémon and that it was a pity that 'that girl' had dropped all her Pokéballs and that it would have been even better to get them too.

"But what about the 'bait'? Now that that twoipette escaped, how will we get a hold of that cold twoip's Pokémon?" A nasal voice rang out, presumably belonging to that Meowth.

There were so many questions exploding in my mind, one of the foremost being: Why weren't they hunting down Ketchum instead?

But the most important one was: Where was she?

Suddenly, I saw them get into their stupid balloon and fly away. I followed as fast as I could.

...

After some time, they stopped near a cliff screaming, "Aha! We found you!"

"Get lost, Team Rocket! I won't let you get our Pokémon!" I saw her screech.

But as I saw a mechanical arm try to grab at her, I forgot everything else as I ran to stand in front of her.

"Paul?"

I paid no attention to her as I got out Electivire to use Protect.

"Now Thunder!"

With a huge blast, the lunatic trio was blasted off. But what I hadn't noticed was that we were near the edge of the cliff…

The blast threw us backward. Luckily, I was able to recall Electivire.

"Paul! Look out!"

And then there was nothing but darkness…

~oOo~

Hmm…this is longer than the last chapter. And there's a cliffy. Literally too! Yay! :D

It's a bit rushed because I have to leave in 5 minutes and I'm not ready yet! -_-'

Sorry about the pathetic battling and coordinating stuff. ;_;

Okay, there are some things I'd like to get straight here…this story was originally a one-shot, but I'm extending the whole thing. So I'll probably be going back to slightly edit the earlier chapters to fit. I'll tell you guys when I do that.

Also, you may notice in this chapter (and the next one or few probably) that it is getting into the "depth of the scene", if you know what I mean. There are/will be subtle tense changes too. That's because I'm making it to seem like we're going "into" the memories, especially the important ones.

Okay, 'nuff said. It'll become too much of a spoiler otherwise. Check out the next chapter's Author's notes too to make it clearer, when I put it out.

I hope you guys understood what I'm trying to say…'cause I'm not very good at describing stuff like that! -_-; If you don't, then ask me and I'll reply!

Well then, review, because I'm still having Misty's mallet. Just kidding! Hope you liked the chapter and are liking the story! :D