COPYRIGHT NOTE: I don't own Pokemon / Pocket Monsters, or the song "Calling Dr. Love" performed by KISS.

COMMENTS: So now, a raise of hands: who thinks Buneary's team-up with Team Rocket will work? *crickets chirp* Who thinks there will actually be Pearlshipping in this story? *uncertain silence* Who thinks Aiselne should shut up so viewers can read Ch.4 and find out for themselves? *everybody raises hands vociferously*

Okay, okay! Onto Ch.4!

Cupid Wears Buneary Ears

Aiselne Phoenix

Chapter Four ~ * ~ (Not Quite) Love Confessions ~ * ~

"... 'You are kool. You are pretty. Your very nice. You are confidint. You are fun to be with. Your a good coordinater. You have nice hare. You have nice Pokemon. You are pretty'..."

One navy eyebrow rose when Dawn paused from reading aloud. Within the privacy of her tent, the coordinator required a double-take. It seemed all Dawn did was double-take today's events.

Yet, the random letter she found conveniently atop her sleeping bag's pillow was the pièce de résistance. Being the owner and most frequent user of the tent, Dawn was well aware that the envelope was not present earlier. Wherever it came from, and however it reached her tent, Dawn did not know. Furthermore, the letter's pink envelope was sealed with a classic shiny red heart sticker. Any self-respecting soap opera fan like Dawn knew "what" she was reading.

A…a love letter? I got a love letter? That never meant she had to believe this moment to be true, though.

The letter was addressed to her, so the girl nervously read. As dumbstruck as she felt, Dawn somehow noticed the letter's reiteration of the compliment, "You are pretty." The person already said that. Nevertheless, she shrugged and decided to consider the repetition as a reinforced compliment. "'Your an awesome girl. I really like you. Do you like me? Meet me at the Kelpsy grove by seven o'clock and let me no.'"

Dawn blinked again, translating the poorly-written message. She was unsure if she was more shocked by the fact that she just read the letter's first sentence that contained more than five words...

...Or the fact that the last line read, "'Yours truly'..."

She had to do a double-take. "...'Ash'?"

The letter slipped out of Dawn's fingers a second later, floating downward to rest atop her lap. All the while, her blue eyes remained fixated on the message, glued to the name at the bottom of the sheet. Dawn could not believe what she was reading.

Oh my word... Dawn's mind raced as her head spun thanks to the overwhelming letter. No…'LOVE' letter! The most frequent type of letters Dawn received were e-mails from Johanna sending maternal love to her traveling daughter. Sometimes Professor Rowan and a few coordinator friends wrote to Dawn, but safe to say, Dawn was not accustomed to getting love letters. Even Kenny never wrote her a love letter…Er, not that I'd ever WANT a love letter from an immature guy like him, of course. Haha! I'd prefer a love letter written by somebody with a tad more intellect.

Well, Ash Ketchum may not be a prime example of brilliance, but… Waitasecond! ASH wrote me this letter! Her eyes bugged and jaw dropping, Dawn blinked incessantly to ensure her vision worked properly. But no matter how many times she blinked, the chicken-scratched signature remained consistent.

Yours truly,

Ash.

Dawn swallowed, feeling the lump plummet to her stomach. All of a sudden, Buneary's crazy Ice Beams seemed very insignificant compared to the bomb dropped onto the coordinator's pillow. But whether Dawn believed it or not, Ash had wrote this letter to her…and more specifically, he confessed his feelings to her!

Ash likes me?

Almost every girl dreams of the day she would receive her first love letter. However, before Dawn could act blushy, gushy, and faint with glee, reality smacked her upside the head.

Ash likes…me? ME?

No, that can't be right, Dawn hated to admit, trying to piece together this nonsensical puzzle. After all, Ash likes Misty…doesn't he? Last night he was all embarrassed and blushing when Brock and I teased him about liking Misty. Why would Ash act that way about Misty...if he really likes ME? It doesn't make sense!

Then again, most of today's fiascos were a far cry from making sense. Still, Dawn was 99% positive that Ash harbored feelings for Misty. The navy-haired romantic prided herself in thinking she could read the signs of a person in love. Ash Ketchum's middle name certainly was not "discreet," so Dawn doubted Ash could fool her. Surely Ash crushed Misty.

However, if such were the case, then Dawn could only wonder, What's the deal with this love letter? It was not April Fool's Day, so Dawn doubted this was a gag. In the event the letter was indeed a joke, Dawn did not find it very funny. Preschool Leona once sent Dee-Dee a fake love letter, supposedly from Kenny, and Dawn was very upset to learn it was a joke. Though, I don't know 'why' I was so upset, Dawn recalled with a shrug. As if I'd ever want a REAL love letter from Kenny! But the bottom line was that fake love letters were downright cruel, and more importantly, Ash was not the type of person to pull such a gag. Sure, the boy was mischievous, but Ash was not mean. Sending fake love letters was a sick idea people like Team Rocket would try, not Ash Ketchum.

But…if Ash does like Misty…and this letter is NOT a joke, then…

…Then…aaargh! I don't understand this at all!

Dawn was getting frustrated. Was it possible that Ash liked Misty and Dawn? Considering the boy's less-than-impressive romance-résumé, it was highly doubtful that Ash could handle one girlfriend, never mind multiple girlfriends! He was not that type of guy, anyway. It also seemed too far-fetched to believe Ash wrote this letter to offset last night's Misty-torment, to somehow "prove" that he did not like the redhead after all. Ash was not that conniving, nor did he strike Dawn as bold enough to write a love letter in the first place. Surely if Ash liked Dawn, he would act as sheepish as he behaved last night by the campfire…right?

On the other hand, Ash did deny feelings for Misty…

"Hehe, you do like her, don't you, Ash?"

"Yeah riiight, Dawn! It's not like that, trust me."

…But Ash was just avoiding the topic, poorly attempting to hide his feelings.

…Right?

Dawn's debate was making zero leeway, just intensifying her newfound headache. Certainly, there had to be a logical explanation for this love letter! However, both sides of the equation failed to balance. Obviously, one of two scenarios was a lie: either Ash lied about his feelings for Misty, or he lied about his feelings for Dawn. Him liking both girls was unlikely, though Dawn supposed there might be a possibility that Ash harbored feelings for neither girl, too. But Ash was definitely not the type of boy to play-on girls, so Dawn figured he must crush one of the two female candidates. Misty or Dawn; the challenge was to unearth which girl Ash Ketchum truly fancied.

And I call myself a romantic, Dawn moped, running a hand through navy bangs. The more she tried to solve this puzzle, the more confused she became. Soap operas and chick flicks always muddled romance, but Dawn assumed the writers over-complicated matters for the sake of juicy drama. She hardly expected real-life romance to be so painstakingly head-scratching! Never before did Dawn consider Ash enigmatic, either. The boy wore his heart on his sleeve! No doubt, if Ash liked Dawn, Dawn would have noticed by now…right?

"People express their love in unique ways," thus spoke Dawn.

Perhaps she was getting ahead of herself. Yes, she knew Ash very well, but it was true that Dawn had not known Ash for as long as Brock and other people. Was it premature of Dawn to claim she knew Ash well enough to know exactly how he handled romance? After all, Ash's behavior during the Misty-teasing unveiled sides of the boy Dawn had never seen before. Who was Dawn to call herself an Ash-expert?

But even if… pondered Dawn, Hypothetically, if Ash's behavior from last night were just some cover-up, would Brock go along with it, too? After all, Brock seemed pretty convinced that Ash liked Misty. But Brock and Ash were like brothers, and brothers underwent cooperative pranks to fool parents and sisters. Dawn knew Ash and Brock considered her a sister figure, just like the boys dubbed each other brother figures. Brothers helped each other, too, and if Ash had trouble with relationships, Brock would eagerly assist. But would Brock really conspire with Ash just to fool Dawn?

Maybe they would conspire…that is, if Ash really liked me.

It did seem unrealistic and uncharacteristic for Ash and Brock to undergo elaborate measures to keep secrets from Dawn. The boys were trustworthy. But better than anyone, Dawn knew people do weird things for the sake of love, and for the sake of hiding love. Ling-winded procrastination and secrecy was never out of the question for Dee-Dee…

Biting her lip, Dawn sighed. She lost count of the ways she avoided Leona's crazy "Dawn likes Kenny" accusations. Once, Dawn asked Johanna to intentionally gossip to Leona's mother about some "'other boy' Dawn likes," just to throw Leona off the trail. When that plan failed, Dawn tried whatever means necessary to disprove the Kenny-crush. She sat next to other boys on the school bus, chose other boys as her partners in gym class; generally avoided Kenny like a plague. Dawn's scheme nearly worked, too. Alas, her heartstrings were yanked every time she saw Kenny's disappointed face upon realizing Dee-Dee wanted nothing to do with him. Regardless of Leona's jokes, Dawn refused to jeopardize her relationship with Kenny…that is, her friendship-relationship with Kenny, of course! Really!

Dawn sighed again, longer and deeper.

Who was she kidding?

Not able to throw stones, Dawn reconsidered Ash's manners from the past twelve hours. Was it so hard to believe that Ash's behavior last night might be a diversion? For Ash to pretend he liked Misty was no different than Dawn pretending she liked other boys aside Kenny. Dawn always attempted to throw Leona off her trail, and Ash could be doing the same to Dawn. Brock did claim that the confession of one's feelings is the most challenging hurdle to overcome.

Maybe Ash was having such a hard time admitting his feelings for me...that he pretended to like another girl instead. Come to think of it, regardless of the Misty topic, Ash was acting embarrassed...in front of Dawn. Maybe he was not blushing because of Misty, but because of Dawn! After all, Ash never did come out and say he ACTUALLY LIKES Misty.

Yet, Dawn's eyes widened upon peering down at the letter on her lap. Ash was very open about his feelings in this love letter.

Brock did say he wanted to help Ash prepare for admitting his feelings. If Misty was just a cover-up, then maybe Brock intended to help Ash prepare to confess his feelings to Dawn! The love letter was the end result. Although Ash's means of confessing to Dawn were odd and outrageous, this would not be the first (or last) time Ash Ketchum did something butt-backwards. Thus, the Misty cover-up was the only halfway-feasible explanation for Dawn's love letter. Given the choice between Ash pulling a cruel joke on Dawn, and Ash taking the long-road to romance, Dawn had to believe the latter.

The more she thought about it, the more her head spun, and more pieces warped into place.

Maybe Ash does like me.

Last night could have been a turning point, one that brought Ash out of his shell. He needed a push to confess his feelings, which would explain why Dawn got his letter. All he needed was a little incentive. She could not help but smile sweetly, recalling how Ash behaved last night. Dawn never had a boy blush like that for her, not even Kenny. And she still believed Ash looked sweet when he blushed, And it was all for me.

Ash likes me!

However, before she could venture into fantasyland, Dawn did a reality check, grabbing the letter for scrutinizing. One thing was for sure, sweetness or not, Ash could not write to save his life! His handwriting was sloppy and barely readable, though Dawn knew many boys best wrote in chicken scratch. Brock's penmanship was better, but he was far from a calligrapher, and Kenny's writing was a cross between Brock's and Ash's. Plus, Ash's spelling and grammar were atrocious! Apparently, Ash Ketchum was not the next William Shakespeare.

Still… Dawn had to admit, rereading Ash's poorly-written love letter. Shakespeare or not, Ash writes with his heart. That mattered most to Dawn. Plain and simple, Ash liked Dawn, and he also liked many aspects about her. Simplicity can be just as effective as a thousand eloquent words.

Elementary writing and lousy handwriting aside, Dawn had to admit Ash's letter was undeniably sweet. I never knew he felt this way about me, she giggled, holding the letter to her chest. She was surprised how fast her heart beat, as though it could explode just by her thinking about what the letter admitted. I mean, Ash and I have only known each other for a short time. And yet...he really likes me!

But now one question remained:

Did Dawn like Ash?

Closing navy eyes, Dawn deeply pondered. I've never really stopped to think about how I've felt about Ash. Come to think of it, there aren't too many guys I know well, anyway. Most guys my age are just starting to exit the koodies stage, and I don't want to get involved with a guy who's 'too' old, either.

Nando is admirable, charming, and definitely mature. It must be soo romantic to date a real troubadour! He plays the harp so enchantingly, and his Pokemon skills are amazing! Talk about multi-talented. I know I could learn so much from him. Still, I kinda' wish Nando wasn't so much older, cause' I'm sure he could make a woman very happy.

The same applies to Brock, too. If he takes care of a girl like he takes care of me, Ash, and our Pokemon, someday Brock is sure to be a terrific husband, and even father. But until then, the guy seriously needs to sic a fire hose on his hormones! Whenever that materializes, I know Brock will become an excellent boyfriend. I just think he's too old to become MY boyfriend. I'd feel more comfortable with a boy closer to my age.

I suppose Paul is closer to my age, but heavens knows what crawled up his butt and died! That guy's got serious attitude issues! And the way he treats Pokemon so cruelly, especially poor Chimchar, I can't blame Ash for losing his temper in Paul's presence. If Paul's treatment of Pokemon is any indication of how he'd treat a girlfriend, I wouldn't be surprised if Paul abandoned a girl in the woods! Jerk! He makes me so mad!

Conway is way more tolerable than Paul, and he's closer to my age, too. The guy is a little nerdy and creepy sometimes, but like Nando, I know Conway could teach me some valuable Pokemon techniques. But we never spent enough time together to really get to know one another. Conway and I were randomly paired for the Pokemon tag-battle competition, but it was a 'computer' that paired us, not cupid! Beyond Pokemon competitions, I don't even know if Conway and I have anything more in common. Not exactly the foundation for the ideal relationship, huh?

Trimming the list of potential boyfriends, Dawn then came to one other candidate.

…But no! If I told Leona once, I told her a thousand times! Kenny and I are just friends! REALLY!

Last but not least, there was Ash, the boy who sent me this letter in the first place. Dawn smiled, glancing back at the not-so-eloquently-written-but-still-very-flattering love letter. He's closer to my age, and...I guess we have a lot in common, too. We're both confident in ourselves, and come to think of it, he's been saying "no need to worry" a lot since I showed up. I guess we're both a tad reckless, though I think Ash has me beat on recklessness. He's not a coordinator, but he's participated in a few contests. We've inspired each other's techniques, too, and my spinning-dodge attack inspired Ash's winning of the Orreburg Gym badge. Was there not a saying; "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?"

Truly and honestly thinking back, maybe the signs of Ash's affections for Dawn dated much further back than today. Ash was the person who initially insisted she join his Pokemon quest. Dawn admitted she partially invited herself along for the ride to Jubilife City, but nevertheless, Ash happily welcomed the newbie with open arms. Originally, Dawn believed Ash invited her because he felt indebted after Dawn rescued Pikachu from Team Rocket (that, and the fact that Ash might have felt guilty for Pikachu frying her bike, something Dawn learned he had a nasty habit of doing).

Maybe there was much more to Ash's welcome than Dawn knew. Granted, Dawn and Ash never knew each other until she set out on her journey, but maybe it was the classic "love at first sight" situation. As a romantic, Dawn did believe in romance clichés, even if the rational side of her brain begged to differ. Perhaps Dawn had such an intense first impression on Ash that he began to harbor affections the moment they met. Over time, Ash's feelings deepened from appreciation, to friendship, to more. Or perhaps, him and her were fated to fall in love. When Dawn first found the wounded Pikachu, perhaps the situation was a sign from the gods that she and Ash were destined to meet. It was inadvertently thanks to Pikachu that the trainer and coordinator met in the first place. Maybe everything in their lives built to that one moment when paths could cross.

Come to think of it, even Buneary, one of Dawn's own Pokemon, liked Pikachu, one of Ash's Pokemon. Could that be another sign that Dawn and Ash were meant for each other? Brock did seem to believe that if two Pokemon fell in love, their trainers might fall in love as well. But Brock was just being idealistic…right?

Despite over-analyzing the situation, Dawn did realize one clear-cut fact. Technically, it did not matter if Ash liked Dawn. It did not matter if their meeting was predestined from birth, either. Nothing mattered if Dawn failed to return Ash's feelings!

DO I like Ash?

In retrospect, Ash was the first boy she met with whom Dawn had anything in common. Although they had their moments of disagreeing, for the most part, she and Ash got along very well. They were close enough to be siblings, but were they close enough to be boyfriend and girlfriend? Ash obviously admired and liked Dawn, but…

"Haha! Dawn, you're blushing! I knew it! 'Dee-Dee and Kenny sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G'!"

Dawn blushed as though she were back in preschool. Who was she kidding?

"'I really like you. Do you like me? Meet me at the Kelpsy grove by seven o'clock and let me no.'"

What was Dawn to do?

Whatever the decision, as Dawn peered down at the pink Poketch on her wrist, the girl knew she needed to make a decision by seven o'clock.

D-D-DAWN LIKES ME?

Under the circumstances, Ash would have vocally screamed that last exclamation, bug-eyed and hitting the ceiling (had there been a ceiling for him to hit in the forest, that is). Unfortunately, the boy could only shriek in his mind, because the second he opened his big mouth, Ash promptly choked on his candy bar.

Thank goodness Pikachu was nearby, immediately leaping to action and vigorously patting his coughing master's back. When pounding failed to dislodge the candy (or perhaps made matters worse), Pikachu resorted to Plan B. No time to spare saving his blue-faced Pikapi's life, the mouse's tail illuminated silver and launched an Iron Tail. The backblow shoved the convulsing Ash forward, face-first into the grass, thereafter the dangerous chocolate flew out of his mouth. But to Pikachu's unparalleled relief, Ash managed to pull himself back to his knees after a brief hacking fit. Tragedy averted!

Regaining himself, Ash wiped his mouth of grass, dirt, and chocolate-tinged saliva. "Uurgh…thanks, Pikachu," he wearily replied, rubbing his spine where Pikachu's homemade remedy hit home. Well, at least Pikachu's Iron Tail was getting much more powerful, though Ash wished he was not the test subject for Pikachu's attacks today. Which was worse: ironically choking to death via his favorite candy, or suffering spinal paralysis via his favorite Pokemon's Iron Tail? But tragedy averted, Ash counted his blessings, coughing sporadically in-between nursing his achy back. He appreciated Pikachu's help, but Ash could have sworn he almost felt a dent in his lower back, too. "…I think."

"Pikachu!" the mouse squeaked merrily, giving his dear Pikapi a relieved hug.

The show over, Ash and Pikachu parted and resumed their break time. Although the mouse eagerly licked his ketchup bottle like an ice cream cone, Ash was less enthusiastic to return to food (for once in his life). After nearly choking to death via chocolate, Ash figured it best to save the remainder of his candy bar for later. Of course, perhaps the choking fiasco would not have happened if a.) Ash did not attempt to scarf his food down in one bite, and b.) had Ash not been eating whilst reading the letter which accompanied the mysterious candy.

By mid-afternoon, after resumed training, the boy and his Pikachu had retreated to a nearby stream. Both trainer and Pokemon needed a change in scenery, far away from the twerps' chaotic campsite. Pikachu could no longer tolerate the palpable tension left after Buneary's disappearance. Likewise, Ash still avoided Brock's "Misty sessions," the boy fearing he may lose his sanity if he heard Brock sing, "'They call me Dr. Love,'" one more time. After freshening up, Ash and Pikachu enjoyed a quick snack; Pikachu with his precious ketchup bottle, and Ash with a scrumptious dark chocolate bar.

Come to think of it... Ash pondered, picking up the untouched portion of the candy bar he found in his backpack. True, Ash always kept a small stash of goodies hidden in his bag, treats for both himself and his Pokemon. Naturally, Pikachu called dibs on a small ketchup bottle, and Ash claimed anything chocolate-related. In fact, the boy's chocolate-love was the reason why Ash's backpack rarely contained any chocolate in the first place. The confectionary delight never lasted long under Ash Ketchum's watch. Thus, it was quite a glorious surprise for Ash to have found the chocolate bar, as if angels rewarded him! But after his near-death experience with the said candy, Ash finally came back down to earth and realized, Where DID this come from, anyway? True, Ash was not the most observant of people to grace…anywhere, but when it came to food Ash was quite sharp.

Even odder, a mysterious pink paper had been tied to the candy bar's wrapper. It was a letter, written in fairly delicate handwriting and exquisite grammar. Unfortunately, half of the message's words flew over Ash's head: "benevolent," "resolute," and he was not sure if "empathetic" was a compliment or another way of saying plain old "pathetic." (Unbeknownst to Ash, feministic Jessie assumed Dawn's writing skills left a little more to be desired than Ash's). Moreover, all of these words were used to describe Ash! He made a mental note to purchase a dictionary in the next town, just to translate what Dawn was actually trying to tell him.

Dawn...

That was the biggest shocker of all. Of all people, Dawn wrote the letter to Ash. The letter was not just any humdrum letter, either. A…a love letter? Even someone as dense as Ash knew that. And for all of the message's fancy words, he did manage to understand the punch line:

"I like you, Ash."

Hence, Ash gagged on the candy he ate. Maybe he should have finished eating before he read the letter. Delia never approved of Ash reading at the dinner table, not that Ash did a large amount of reading to begin with. Besides, why waste time reading when food is far more appealing? But his mind was wandering again, and now was not the time to ramble. Ash kept re-reading the letter, scrutinizing the "I like you, Ash" line to make sure his eyes were not playing tricks.

Dawn...really likes me! Why else would she have written that love letter and sent him the chocolate bar? (Unbeknownst to Ash, Jessie worked under the assumption, "the fastest way to a man's heart is through his stomach"). There was no reason for a girl like Dawn to pull a dumb joke on Ash. People like Team Rocket were tricksters. Admittedly, even Ash played his share of jokes when he was younger, usually being partners in crime with Gary Oak. But Ash considered himself more of a trickster than Dawn could ever become!

But if the gift was not a joke, then Dawn really LIKES me. Since when did Dawn like Ash? Well, she obviously developed feelings sometime since Ash and her first met, but when exactly did the signs surface? Ash always figured people in love acted like Brock: goofy, proposing to the person of their desires, sharing kissy-kissy mush, and generally being excessively obvious (and obnoxious). But that was how Brock handled romance, and who said Dawn was identical? The opposite sex was an entirely different universe to Ash Ketchum!

Maybe Dawn's been keeping her feelings secretive all this time, maybe since we first met, the black-haired boy pondered, absentmindedly rubbing his chin. Come to think of it, Dawn seemed quite eager to join Ash's Pokemon quest. Back then, Ash just believed the newbie coordinator tagged along to visit the Jubilife Pokemon Contest, but maybe Dawn's secretive intentions were deeper. After all, there was no law mandating people in love must behave as self-evident as Brock. And speaking of whom, it was the self-proclaimed Love Doctor who claimed admitting one's feelings was the greatest challenge. Since Day 1, what if Dawn secretly harbored feelings for Ash, and did not muster the courage to confess until now? That's gotta' be it!

Then Ash blinked, for a moment estranged by how...positive he sounded by that last observation. Who was he to know about love? Who was he to know what it was like to hoard feelings for someone since the first day they met? Who was he to know what it was like to stubbornly keep his feelings hidden from her? Who was he to know what it was like to constantly miss her, to think about her everyday, to remember how they used to argue, and how her red-haired temper both irritated and intoxicated him–?

Then Ash blinked again, and a very awkward silence swept through the clearing. For some reason, Ash noticed Pikachu's eyes on him, narrowed knowingly with a wide grin on the mouse's lips. Pikachu was not an expert at love, either, but the mouse was smart enough to know "that look" on Pikapi's rosy face. Only one person in the whole wide world could make Ash Ketchum blush that fervently.

Pikachupi.

It was very amazing how a Pokemon and its trainer could know exactly what the other was thinking. Very fascinating, very enlightening, very...

…And very embarrassing!

Pikachu snickered, wondering which was a brighter red: ketchup, Pikachupi's hair, or Pikapi's face?

"...W-what?" Ash innocently inquired in a stammer, his current surroundings getting a bit warmer than he last noticed. Sometimes, being on the same wavelength as his Pokemon had its downfalls, especially when a certain electric mouse knew precisely what, or whom, Ash was thinking about. Attempting to dodge the bullet, the boy timidly scratched the back of his neck. "Why're you looking at me that way?"

Boasting his own romance issues today, Pikachu decided to keep his opinions to himself. Still, Ash's reaction to his Pokemon's silent interrogation was comical. Seriously, did Pikapi really think his love interest was some big secret?

Pikachu's silence offered little comfort to Ash, though it was no worse than the new revelation that slammed into his back like another Iron Tail.

Dawn likes me.

But...

Pursing lips, the young boy dipped his head somewhat regretfully.

...I...I don't like her.

Could he tell her? If Ash told Dawn he did not like her, Dawn would most likely ask whom did he like? And if he had to answer, then Dawn would know the truth...and would probably tell everyone else that Ash honestly loved...

But even worse than that, If I tell Dawn I don't return her feelings... Ash paused, biting his lip guiltily. Then...she'll be hurt. Just because I don't like her, doesn't mean I don't like her.

He paused, realizing the incredibly stupid thing he just thought, and rewarded himself a mental slap. I mean, just because I don't...'like' her, like she likes me...uh, doesn't mean I don't care about her. Miraculously, Ash was finally starting to make more sense to himself. Dawn is one of my best friends, and I don't want to hurt her.

But then...what CAN I do? Should I lie and say I DO like her? Even Ash was smart enough to know that idea was cruel. He was always told, "honesty was the best policy," even though the truth can hurt more than a lie. But...even if I DO tell Dawn the truth...what if she hates me? I may not...'love' her, but I don't want to lose her, either.

He did not want to break Dawn's heart, but Ash soon realized that he was destined to "hurt" her, one way or another. Either Ash would break Dawn's heart via not returning her feelings, or via lying and pretending to return her feelings. Neither was appealing, though the first option was the most honest. At least, if I tell her the truth...in the long run, it'll probably be for the best.

Scrutinizing Dawn's letter again, Ash noted the final line:

"P.S. Meet me at the Kelpsy grove at seven o'clock and tell me how you feel. P.S.S. Could you please bring Pikachu, too?"

Ash knew where those Kelpsy grew, since it was the grove he and Pikachu trained before the first Ice Beam episode. The area was beautiful, lined with large Kepsy bushes, fully-bloomed with massive peach-colored flowers. The large blade-like petals swayed daintily in the breeze, and the sweet fragrances were aromatic. Ash imaged the grove would look highly romantic at nighttime, especially with the glowing stars and moon suspended overhead. Dawn had good taste in picking a location for two lovers.

Too bad the romantic mood would be shattered once Ash broke Dawn's heart.

Sighing loudly, Ash turned back to his ketchup-preoccupied Pikachu. "I'm really up the creek this time, aren't I, buddy?"

Pikachu almost made another tease, but failed. His ketchup-licking ceased once an image of Buneary seeped back into his thoughts. Pikachu still had yet to formulate a plan to help the bunny. But Pikapi always came first in Pikachu's life, so the mouse tried to concoct a way to help Ash. Yet, how could Pikachu give Ash romance-pointers when the mouse was equally helpless? Why in Ho-Oh's name did love have to be so complicated?

"Pikapi, chu kapichu," Pikachu softly admitted, which Ash easily translated.

You me both, Pikapi.

To Be Continued…

A/N: Ash's near-death by chocolate. Heh, I suppose it wouldn't be an Aiselne-story if I didn't (almost) send Ash to the hospital. *Aiselne the meanie* I suppose I owe the kid another candy bar, huh?

Anyhoo, the next chapter should be fun: Ash and Dawn's momentous encounter! How will the boy and girl break the news to each other? Will Dawn ever stop kidding herself? Does Buneary have any hope for success? Will Pikachu solve the mystery that is romance? Will Team Rocket's blackmail work? Will Brock ever realize he's no Casanova? Will Aiselne ever be nice to Ash? And will the idiot authoress quit her rhetorical questions, already? All this and more, next time!