A/N: I'm sorry for the late update. I had writer's block! I'm not sure whether or not that this chapter's up to snuff but you guys would tell me, right? Hopefully it's not loaded with mistakes.

Nartog - I'm still used to 'Chris'. :O But have fun on your vacation. The story will still be here when you get back.
Yasetsu - I update too slow for this to be a walk-through! But thanks for reading anyway. ^__^
Nhame - I like strawberry myself. ;) I'm not too sure about a Ranger fic though. I don't know enough!
Miko - Thanks for the feedback, it helps! I was thinking about a Starly but that seems so ordinary--I had something better in mind but it'll take some time. :D
Shadowblack & Ms. Account - The two of you are super awesome. X3 Thanks for pointing out my writing boo-boos. I tried to fix everything as best as I could but be sure to tell me if something's not up to scratch. Good thing you two pay attention!
Blue Masquerade - Glad you liked it & thanks for the review! :3


Chapter 5

"Okay, calm down. You can find her again."

Dawn breathed in. After realizing that she was holding onto something that did not belong to her—that she had no idea how to deal with, she desperately searched for its owner. She had tried looking for the said owner, but the older woman had vanished without a trace. Dawn had spent nearly two hours trying to find her. She paid a visit to the places that they had passed by earlier, but to no avail. Now she was left feeling rather upset, with the egg held tightly in her arms. It did not feel like a burden but rather a treasure; something far too delicate for her to handle.

At the moment, the fourteen-year-old was resting on a bench by the bicycle shop, the egg sitting in her lap. She studied it for awhile, examining the red and blue patterns across the white surface. She never even told me what this little guy was! But…what will happen if I can't find her again? I don't know the first thing about eggs! …Well, I know the basics from school but—that's not the point! That was right. She could not keep the egg since she was not its proper owner. Geez…it's like she disappeared or something…

"Huh? It's you!"

Dawn looked up at the sudden voice. It was that little boy from before. He was wearing a blue cap with shorts that matched it. He came from the shop; when he saw her, he took a seat beside the older girl.

"What are you doing here? Did you find Mr. Rickshaw?"

Dawn shook her head. "I'm sorry, no." At her words, the boy's face fell so she added, "But don't worry! I'll get him back for you."

"How're you gonna do that?" The boy asked, skeptically. "You're not that much bigger than me."

Dawn's eye slightly twitched. "I'm fourteen! How old are you?"

"Ten," He answered proudly. "And I'm turning eleven next month!"

"That still makes me older than you," She stated in an as-matter-of-fact tone.

The boy pursed his lip. "So?"

Dawn patted his head. "I said that I'd help you so I will!"

"…Okay," He replied, sounding a little bit more reassured. He looked at the object settled in her arms. "What's that?"

Dawn held it up slightly. "This? It's a Pokémon egg, ever seen one before?" The boy shook his head. She paused for a moment. "Or better yet, have you seen that person I was with this morning?"

"Was she your tutor?"

"Eh…no. My teacher was a man—wait a minute, answer my question!"

The ten-year-old scratched his head. "She stopped by and asked me questions too."

He got her attention. "What kind of questions? Where did she go?"

"It was about Mr. Rickshaw. I kind of forgot," He replied. "I don't know where she went."

Dawn sighed. "Oh well, thanks then…"

"You're not gonna ask me anything?"

"No, you already told me everything when we first met," She answered.

"Oh."

The two of them sat quietly for a moment before the boy decided to break the silence. It kind of took her by surprise.

"I wish I had a Pokémon…" He murmured.

"You don't have one?" She inquired.

The boy shook his head slowly. "Mommy said that I have to help her work since daddy's not here."

"…" Dawn listened to him silently.

He was talking to his knees. "Mr. Rickshaw said that when I turn eleven, he'll give me a bike so I can go wherever I want." His fists balled up and he looked her in the eye. His tone was desperate. "You have to help him! If he can come back, the bike won't even matter!"

Dawn got to her feet, her eyes toward the ground. The boy watched her with a sense of despair. He had no else to turn to. The police had decided to turn a blind eye to Team Galactic activity in the area for awhile now—and it was not about to change. He was afraid. He hated to admit it, but it was true. He had told himself many times over that if he had a Pokémon, he would save his boss himself but he knew that that wasn't the case. It was his mom's fault! If she hadn't—

"Don't worry," She said with a light smile. "I know."

With that said, he watched as the navy-haired girl turned and walked away. However, instead of feeling sad, he actually felt relieved. Mr. Rickshaw…

A little ways from the shop, Dawn looked down at the egg in her arms. Coming to a decision, she pulled out her spare white scarf and carefully wrapped it around the egg before stowing it into her bag. She had to put that aside for now. At the moment, she needed to get stronger—fast. Maybe she hardly knew what she was getting herself into, because she was incapable of doing something; however, she understood that she couldn't just stand by and do nothing either. She was not doing this because she felt like it was a civil duty—that she had to do it; it was rather that she wanted to do it. The reason…

Making up her mind, Dawn quickly found her first opponent. She would battle all the Trainers she could until it was time.

***

Cheryl stood by the entrance of the Gym, her eyes scanning the women inside. Her expression fell. "Odd, she's not here either."

"Huh! I didn't think that you'd be the one to come here for a challenge!"

The emerald-haired woman turned to the speaker, who had just exited through the sliding doors. "Gardenia. Oh, I'm not here to battle."

"Aw, I was getting kinda bored," replied the twenty-year-old. "No challengers today."

Cheryl tapped her chin. "Hm…I thought that Dawn would show up. I haven't seen her all day! She left rather early."

"Is that so? That's what I thought but sorry, I haven't seen the kid either!" The Gym Leader answered with a shrug. "Why are you looking for her?"

"I thought that I would show her around but she was gone when I woke up," explained Cheryl. "I was hoping to find her here."

"Eh? Are you two going out?"

Both Cheryl and Gardenia turned; speak of the devil! Dawn was standing a little ways behind them. Cheryl looked elsewhere, slightly abashed. Gardenia laughed.

"Of course not, I was just asking Gardenia if she has seen you today."

"I'm sure that's not what she meant."

Dawn scratched her head. "Huh?"

"Ha, ha, don't worry about it!" The Gym Leader answered lightly. "Where were you all day? I thought you'd show up first thing in the morning!"

Cheryl examined the younger girl. "I was going to show you around but you left so early! And without breakfast too…"

"Er, well…I thought that I'd walk around and see things on my own," Dawn replied. "I didn't want to disturb you." She also added, "Besides, I met someone that helped me out, it's fine! Oh, but I think I am ready for the challenge now."

The green-haired woman listened quietly. Dawn managed to grab Gardenia's interest again at the mention of the challenge.

"Alright, that's what I've been waiting to hear!" She exclaimed. "But we'll find out how ready you are in a minute; you have to beat all of the other Trainers in my Gym before you can face me."

The younger girl faltered slightly but regained her usual demeanor quickly. "Okay, no problem. I've been practicing too!"

All three of them entered the building. Inside was much more impressive than Dawn had ever imagined. It was not just a plain old room; it was almost like being outdoors. There was grass, trees, flowers, you name it. In the center was a giant garden; there were stairs leading to a mechanical walkway above the flowers designed to look like leaves. The whole structure seemed to be some sort of clock. Along certain areas of the Gym were water fountains.

"Pretty cool right?" said Gardenia proudly. "I designed it myself! Er, well, I came up with most of the idea anyway…"

Cheryl laughed. "Well, why don't you get started, Dawn? We'll watch you."

"I'll be there," Gardenia explained, pointing beyond the 12 o'clock platform. "And I don't want Cheryl here to give you advice so she'll be coming with me."

It was Dawn's turn to laugh. "I understand…"

Much to Cheryl's chagrin, the Gym Leader whisked her away behind one of the fountains, leaving Dawn to face the stairs alone. Well, let's start! If I can do this then I'll have no problem with those Galactic Guys… She locked eyes with another girl who stood by the first set of stairs. The girl smirked, which signaled that she got the message that Dawn wanted a battle.

The girl sent out a magenta-colored Pokémon that resembled a fruit. Dawn decided to go with Shinx.

"You can't beat my Cherubi with just that!"

"We'll see, won't we?"

Thankfully, Dawn was able to prove the girl wrong. Not only did Shinx defeat Cherubi, but also the girl's Roselia as well. However, it was not without injuries; her Shinx was now poisoned. Glad that she had decided to stop by the Poké Mart before going to the Gym, Dawn took out small spray bottle.

"Good job, Shinx," She said, stroking the creature's head as she held up the bottle. "Just hold—still!"

The idea of being sprayed with some odd liquid was not very appealing, causing Shinx to struggle in an attempt to break free of Dawn's grasp. She felt her cheeks redden considerably. She knew that other Trainers, even worse—Gardenia and Cheryl were watching. The girl who she had battled earlier was stifling a laugh.

"Shinx…!" She hissed, holding the bottle in one hand while the other was locked around the Pokémon's paw. "Can't you be good!? I'm trying to help you!"

The creature looked at the bottle disdainfully; it was still attempting to break free. It was feeling rather ill at the moment but the bottle seemed worse. Dawn sighed, letting go at last, surprising it.

"We're being laughed at and you're poisoned!" She said heatedly.

Shinx examined its owner curiously. She seemed to be distressed. The penguin had said earlier that it was making her look like an idiot back in Eterna Forest. Piplup had also said that if Dawn looked like an idiot, it reflected on her Pokémon. Was this one of those times?

To Dawn surprise—or rather gratefulness, Shinx decided to sit still; it made a noise to get her attention, which made it rather hard for her to stay irritated after hearing. She held out the bottle again. This time, Shinx allowed her to use the Antidote without a fuss.

"Phew, good boy…" She sighed. "Don't you feel better?"

Both Pokémon and Trainer seemed much happier afterward. Dawn returned the feline back into its ball before continuing up the stairs. The girl was looking at her with amusement; it made her feel somewhat embarrassed but she did her best to get over it.

Her next opponent was an older woman. She sent out three Budews, but Dawn managed to defeat one of them with Shinx and surprisingly—two with Piplup, despite the type disadvantage. I thought I'd have some trouble with Grass types! Don't think that I didn't prepare! She had been focusing on Piplup's speed and agility ever since she found that Eterna City's Gym Leader was a Grass type user. Her ace was Piplup's ability to use Peck; as long as it struck first, she would be able to win. It worked so far.

However, the third Trainer proved to be better than the first two, even if she only had one Pokémon. The woman's Roselia put up a rather difficult fight. It made it clear to Dawn that she couldn't keep going with her strategy if she wanted to beat the Gym Leader. The Roselia had nearly knocked Piplup out, causing Dawn to have to rely on her Shinx in order to win.

"Oh, I didn't think that I'd lose."

"It wasn't easy to win…"

As she took her prize money and walked toward the next platform, Dawn quickly brushed it off. She convinced herself that she was able to win. She just had to use a few Potions before hand that was all. Atop the platform, Gardenia was standing in her spot, ready for the battle. Cheryl stood behind the white line; apparently, the twenty-year-old had decided to use her as a make-shift referee.

"Can you beat me before dinner time I wonder?"

Dawn smiled. "I'll try for all of our sakes."

"Hm! Go Cherrim!" Gardenia cried, sending out pink creature that resembled a flower. "What'll it be, Dawn?"

The navy-haired girl decided to go with Shinx first. "Okay, I'm ready!"

"Cherrim, use Magical Leaf!"

At her command the flower creature released a barrage of glowing leaves toward the Pokémon before it. Dawn swallowed. It seemed rather difficult to dodge, as it was coming by so quickly; however, by some stroke of luck, Shinx managed to avoid the brunt of it, even if it still received damage.

"Use Leer, then Tackle!"

The feline did as it was told, sending a firm glare at the Cherrim before charging toward it. Gardenia smirked, issuing out a command for Grass Knot. All of a sudden, a vine shot up from the ground, snaring Shinx's feet and bringing it to the ground. The vine was gone as Shinx struggled to stand but in its place were numerous green shoots.

"That's Leech Seed…" muttered Dawn. "Not good."

The greenery quickly made its way along Shinx's body, despite the effort by the Pokémon to break free. Shinx cringed as the shoots sapped its health, sending it to the enemy Cherrim.

"Use Charge, Shinx!" Dawn cried.

Gardenia did nothing. She chose to watch. Following Dawn's command, Shinx focused it energy; doing so made it slightly more difficult for the plants to draw away its health. It anticipated what came next—and it was correct.

"Spark!"

With a burst of electric sparks, Shinx managed to fry the shoots off of its body. The two Pokémon were now faced against each other once again. Shinx was breathing heavily and Dawn looked serious. Gardenia on the other hand, still appeared calm with a smile on her face; her demeanor was reflected in her Pokémon as well.

"Magical Leaf."

Once again, Shinx made an attempt to dodge but it wasn't quite as lucky. The Cherrim's attack hit with full force, sending the feline to the floor. Dawn looked at it desperately as it tried to get to its feet but her Shinx ended up falling back down.

"Shinx is unable to battle. Cherrim wins," said Cheryl, waving a flag.

Dawn exhaled, "Return!"

"Good job, Cherrim," said Gardenia, crossing her arms. "I hope you're not saving any of your Pokémon for later—'cause now's the time to bring 'em out!"

Cheryl looked at Dawn. She knew that the fourteen-year-old only had two Pokémon—both of which are ineffective against Grass types. It didn't look promising.

Dawn breathed in. She would try. "Nope, this is the last one—Piplup, I choose you!"

With a flash of light, the blue penguin was present. It looked just as determined as its master did. Gardenia's smile widened. She had watched Dawn battle with the other Trainers; it seemed almost impossible for her to make it here at all! First, she had not yet earned the Coal Badge. Second, she had only two Pokémon. Third, they were at a type disadvantage. And yet, here we are!

"You may be interesting, but that won't let you win!" The Gym Leader exclaimed.

"I still want to go as far as I can!" Dawn answered firmly.

Gardenia smiled, returning her Cherrim back into its ball. "Then I'll give you a surprise."

Taking out another Poké Ball, the Gym Leader called out her third Pokémon. Standing before Piplup was the final evolution of a Budew, Roserade. Cheryl looked at Gardenia incredulously. Roserade was supposedly her best Pokémon; she was going to use it on Dawn and Piplup?

"Match, begin…"

"Piplup, Bubble!"

"Roserade, Magical Leaf!"

As the barrage of leaves met with the bubbles, both attacks created a miniature explosion; though, Magical Leaf followed through easily, blowing past the bubbles and striking hard. When the debris began to clear however, Piplup was not there, it had already made its way near the plant creature.

Gardenia was mildly impressed. A cover up… "Fast, but that's not gonna be enough!"

As Piplup went for a Peck, Roserade gave it a face full of yellow-orange spores, making its body go numb. Paralysis! Dawn thought with a feeling of dread. Gardenia took the opportunity to call out Magical Leaf again. Like with her Shinx, the leaves hit their target the second time around. Piplup fell to the floor, knocked out.

"…Match over. The winner is the Gym Leader," said Cheryl slowly.

Satisfied, Gardenia called Roserade back into its ball. Dawn did the same with Piplup. Her expression was of one filled with disappointment. Both Gardenia and Cheryl made their way toward the younger girl.

"Um, cheer up, Dawn. You did well," Cheryl began. "You can try again."

"That's right! Losing helps you understand your weaknesses better," added Gardenia.

The fourteen-year-old breathed in and nodded. She looked the Gym Leader in the eye, her expression firm. "I'll definitely be back, and I will win the next time around—type won't matter!"

Gardenia was genuinely surprised at Dawn's comment and was only more so when the girl gave her slight bow before running from the platform. Both she and Cheryl watched as the younger girl went through the sliding doors in a hurry. She glanced sideways toward the emerald-haired woman.

"Keep an eye on her, will you?" She began with a smile. "I want to see her live up to those words."

***

"Your Pokémon are all healed. We hope to see you again!"

"Thank you…"

Dawn sighed wearily. If she couldn't beat Gardenia, what chance would she have against Team Galactic? It was supposed to be a test and she failed! She shook her head. That wouldn't stop her! She wanted to aim for the top so losing was a given; however, it also meant that she would have to fight against the odds in order to succeed. She had one thing that losing wouldn't change—as strange as it was: confidence. Dawn had always believed in her capabilities and acknowledged her weaknesses. She never let herself get caught up in either one alone. Losing was part of her quest to improve. Perseverance was her companion.

"Right! I'll still do it, no matter what!" She decided, taking up her bag and leaving.

It was nighttime. After her battle, Dawn healed her Pokémon at the Center and restocked on supplies. She still intended to keep her promise and get the bicycle shop owner back safely. She considered going to the police but she remembered what Cheryl had said about them being cozy with Team Galactic. Dawn also thought about asking Gardenia for help, but remembered how busy the twenty-year-old said she was. Besides, it was a little odd to ask her now, considering recent events. Oh…I forgot to give her money after I lost… I ended up spending it on supplies! Dawn thought sullenly. She was definitely not going to ask Gardenia for any favors any time soon.

At the moment, she was sitting at a café that she had visited earlier with that one blonde woman, eating a sandwich. The sudden thought of the woman reminded her that she also needed to return the Pokémon egg. It was still bound and settled in her bag. Dawn unzipped it and touched the egg; even if it was wrapped with her scarf, she could feel its warmth. Well, this can come after I save Mr. Rickshaw. She decided, cleaning up her stuff.

She would wait. The café was situated a little ways from the Eterna Galactic Building. It needed to be a bit later before she could operate. A boring hour passed by. Geez…stake outs are so b— Her thoughts were interrupted by a helicopter from atop the building taking off to the sky. A few people looked up at it as it flew but Dawn wasn't interested. Something—someone else caught her attention. Amongst the crowd was a woman that stood out to her. She appeared to be watching the helicopter intently. Dawn got to her feet. It's her! Wait…what's she…? Oh no! The navy-haired girl ran toward the woman as she pulled out a Poké Ball; it seemed as if she was about to leave and go after the chopper.

Dawn pushed her way through the crowd, earning herself scowls and glares but she ignored them. I won't make it— Doing the only thing she could think of, Dawn grabbed her bag and tossed it high into the air toward the blonde. Not only did it get people to move out of the way, but also the woman's attention as well. Oh no, it's going to—

"What's this…?"

Cynthia managed to catch the object lightly before it hit the floor. Her eyes searched for the owner of the bag and they locked on to the girl from this morning. She ran up to Cynthia breathlessly, giving out her thanks.

"T-that's mine."

The older woman sighed, handing the bag over. "Dawn, right?"

"…Yes…" She replied slowly. The woman didn't seem to be in the best of moods at the moment. "I'm just—"

Cynthia interrupted. "I'm sorry; I'm really busy right now."

She turned to leave; mingling with crowd was surprisingly easy for her. However, as she hurried away, a sudden thought came to her mind. That meeting…it's just like—ah. I'm an idiot.Way to go… She sighed, moving through the passers-by. Cynthia spun around, searching for the younger girl again. Ironically, she was unable to locate her. Finding a person a head or two shorter than the people in this crowd was fairly difficult.

Not too far away, Dawn was feeling rather frustrated. She didn't even hear me out! …Fine, I'll keep this then! She decided. Time to do what I came to do. She was next to the Team Galactic building so she decided to follow through with her plan. Dawn took note of the guards at the front and did her best to stay clear of them. She climbed over the fence; it was low so it wasn't very difficult. Making her way to some thick shrubs and bushes, Dawn sat quietly, examining the two goons stationed at the front. The grounds were fairly large. Smiling, she navigated herself toward the back of the building, using the vegetation as her guise. However, her journey was cut short when she realized that there were guards back there as well. Retreat!

Dawn got away from the back entrance and situated herself next to a large tree behind some of the bushes. Getting a better look at the layout made things seem a lot more difficult. There were a few goons patrolling through the grounds, not just stationed idly. I'm not a real secret agent! How am I going to get through? She thought, biting her lower lip. Before she could come to a conclusion, she felt someone grab her from behind and cover her mouth. A flood of fear went through her, reminding her of the incident in Jubilife.

"Shh, don't move."

The fourteen-year-old lessened her struggling. Her captor seemed to be too soft and delicate to be a threat. When the abductor held her against her chest to keep her still, Dawn realized who it was.

Once she had stopped moving, Cynthia slowly relinquished her hold on the younger girl. She sighed as the patrol guard continued on his way. Dawn turned to face her directly, apparently very surprised at the sudden turn of events.

"What are you doing here?" They both whispered at the same time. There was a pause.

Cynthia shut her eyes briefly. "You first."

"…It's private."

"Ha…odd. That's my reason."

Both stared at each other for a moment, at a loss of how to deal with the current situation. Dawn decided to break the silence this time around.

"I need to tell you something later. Can you not run away?"

Cynthia kept quiet for a bit before answering, "…I think I already have an idea."

The navy-haired-girl swallowed. "But it has to wait. I have to do this."

"No. Come with me right now," Cynthia insisted, holding the younger girl by the forearm. "We need to leave."

Dawn resisted. "Wait, this is important! Let go—"

Before Cynthia could answer, a light was being shown into her eyes. She held up her hand to shield it out and saw that that the owner of the flashlight was male goon. He was smirking at them maliciously. Dawn froze at the light behind her back. The blonde woman's expression told her that it wasn't anything good.

"Well, well! What are you ladies doing here so late at—" He began.

A Poké Ball was tossed up before his face. "Piplup, use pound!"

Before he could finish his sentence, the ball released a Pokémon. The little penguin then delivered a blow to the man's head that sent him to the floor. Dawn caught the ball and got to her feet. More guards were coming soon. She looked down at Cynthia, who was still crouched on the ground.

"Here, come on! There's no time to explain!" She said, holding out her hand.

The older woman was mildly surprised but she took it. Dawn ordered Piplup to use Bubble as the Galactic goons ran toward them. The attack managed to slow them down. It was their chance to escape. Dragging Cynthia along, she ran toward the fence. However, the fence gave a click and slid, growing far too tall to scale. Dawn looked back at the guards. They were trapped!

Cynthia smiled. "Let me take if from here."

Tossing up a Poké Ball of her own, she sent out a great white creature. Mounting it quickly, Cynthia pulled Dawn on board. The Pokémon rose slowly as the guards approached but took to the skies an instant later. The goons sent out a group of Zubats and began to shout out attacks and orders. Dawn hung on to the older woman while Piplup clung atop her head.

"Psychic," The blonde said simply.

Suddenly, the guards froze and their Pokémon paused, unsure of what to do. Smiling, Cynthia commanded Togekiss to fly away. Soon they were high in the air, out of sight. Instead of feeling relieved, Dawn was panicking. She could barely see the ground! The Champion glanced back, upon realizing that the girl was holding on to her far more tightly than she would have liked.

"Are you alright?" She inquired.

Dawn shielded her face against the blonde's back. "Can we…just go down…?"

Afraid of heights? Cynthia pondered. However, they were back on the ground a few moments later, atop the slopes overlooking the city. Cynthia glanced back over her shoulder again at the younger girl. Dawn stayed put for a moment but once she realized that her feet were able to touch the ground, she got off promptly. Piplup seemed to be mirroring her actions, hanging on to her head for its life.

"Its okay, Piplup. We're back," She said with reassurance. She was still catching her breath.

Cynthia got off as well, patting Togekiss gently before returning it back into its ball. She turned back to the navy-haired girl. "Would you mind explaining…?"

"…I'm not very good with heights…" She admitted quietly, holding Piplup in her arms. Her gaze was elsewhere.

The blonde laughed. "That's not what I meant. I can already tell that much on my own."

Dawn looked back at the older woman, embarrassed. "W-well then I guess you mean the sneaking around…?"

"Mm. Why were you doing that?"

"…I promised the boy from earlier that I'd try and help him get his boss back," Dawn explained carefully. "But it seems like I was just being silly…"

Cynthia said nothing. Instead, she looked back at the Eterna Galactic Building from above. Guards were running around trying to figure out what had happened, but things seemed to be settling back down again. They must have not been very threatening. She turned back to the shorter girl and gave her a pat on the head.

"Just go back home," She said lightly. "I'll take care of it."

Cynthia turned to leave but felt a tug at her sleeve. Dawn looked into her eyes firmly. "No, I already told him that it was a promise! And if anything…I want to at least try."

The Champion studied the navy-haired girl for a moment. Does she have any idea what she's saying…? Cynthia smiled faintly, pulling Dawn's hand away. Her action brought alarm to the younger girl's features; however, it disappeared once she spoke.

"Okay."

Dawn's eyes lit up. "So you'll help me?"

"Mm. I'll do whatever you want," answered the blonde lightly.

Her usual demeanor returning, Dawn thought of what to do next. Getting help from Cynthia wasn't an option that had come to mind before. However, with the woman's aid, she was sure that it wouldn't be difficult for them to help Mr. Rickshaw. The next step would be figuring out what to do…

"But that means that you'll have to listen to me," Cynthia added abruptly.

It brought Dawn back to reality. "Hey…"

"Deal?" She said, extending her hand.

The younger girl took it in a half-hearted hand shake. "…Deal…"

"Fu, fu…good. Now, come with me," Cynthia began. "And return your Piplup back into its ball, will you?"

Dawn did as she was told and followed the older woman down the slopes. She was glad that they were taking this route instead of the aerial one. They walked quietly for a moment before something came to Dawn's mind.

"Why were you there?" She asked curiously.

Cynthia glanced at her with a light smile. "I wanted to see you of course."

Dawn blinked, faltering slightly but she managed to keep her composure. "That's a lie. You didn't want to see me before."

"Hm…that reminds me, I do now."

Dawn also remembered why she had called out to the blonde before. She looked back into her bag and pulled out the egg that she had wrapped up in her scarf. She held it out to Cynthia, who paused.

"Here, you forgot it earlier," The fourteen-year-old explained. "I just wanted to give it back to you."

Instead of taking it though, Cynthia simply stood and examined it. Dawn tilted her head, studying the older woman's expression. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking about. Finally, it seemed as if she came to a conclusion.

"Keep it."

"W-what?"

Cynthia readjusted her glasses. "You'd be doing me a favor actually. I don't mind."

"Uh, but…I don't know if I—" The younger girl began, looking at the egg now.

Cynthia smiled. "Think of it as a gift then. I hope you will take it as a symbol of our new found friendship."

Dawn looked at the blonde incredulously. She sounds like she's teasing me… However, the older woman did seem as if she was sincere about giving the egg to Dawn. Well…I don't think that it's too much of a problem…

"Please?" Cynthia inquired innocently. Her tone made it difficult to refuse.

"O-okay, I'll take good care of it…" Dawn answered, looking away. She quickly tucked the egg back into her bag.

Satisfied, Cynthia beckoned the younger girl to follow. Once they were back in the city, Dawn looked back up at the taller woman with curiosity.

"You still didn't tell me why you were really there," She began. "And you didn't say where we were going next."

The blonde glanced at her briefly before continuing to walk. "You didn't ask."

"…Okay, you don't have to tell me the first one if you don't want to," She answered, following the woman. "But I do want to know what the plan is! We're partners, remember?"

Cynthia laughed shortly. "Alright, 'partner'. We're going to pay the Gym Leader a visit."

At the mention of Gardenia, Dawn faltered. She steered herself in front of the blonde and held out her arms to stop her from going further. "W-wait! Why?"

"Its part of the plan, silly," She replied. "Is there something wrong?"

Dawn bit her lower lip. "Well…I…"

"If you don't say it then I won't know," said the older woman lightly.

Deciding to get to the point, Dawn explained about her loss at the Gym and the money that she had forgotten to pay Gardenia. Once she was finished with her story, Cynthia looked thoroughly amused.

"Aw, quit laughing at me!" The fourteen-year-old cried, her ears growing warm. "I know it's—"

"No, no. I'm not," Cynthia replied. "I can't take care of your loss—you'd have to do that yourself, but I can deal with the money. Consider it payment for taking care of the egg."

"I can't do that! Mom said—"

The blonde patted her on the head again. "But now you're listening to what I say, remember? We're partners so you'd have to keep your end of the deal!"

"…Okay…"

"Good! Now let's keep going. It's getting rather late."

Dawn continued after her once again. It was only the second time that she saw this woman but she already found it hard to go against what she said. This is for helping Mr. Rickshaw! Dawn convinced herself. However, as they stood before the entrance to the Gym, Dawn wasn't quite sure.

"Why don't you wait out here? I promise I won't be long," The older woman suggested.

Dawn nodded. "Mm."

She watched as Cynthia entered the building and quietly found herself a seat at a nearby bench. Sitting there, she suddenly remembered about Cheryl. Oh no! It is getting late! I can't go back there now! …Way to go, Dawn… She didn't know how long she sat there in her state of self-loathing but it helped her doze off. By the time she woke up again, Cynthia was standing before her.

"Are you really that tired? It's only 2:06."

Dawn rubbed her eyes groggily. "I was totally exhausted from yesterday and I still got up early today. And today wasn't exactly all fun either…"

Cynthia laughed. "Well, I guess it's time to go to bed. Where are you staying?"

"…I was at the condos with a friend's relative…" She answered slowly. "But I don't want to disturb them now…" Before the older woman could make a suggestion, Dawn quickly added, "Oh, but I think I'll be fine so you don't need to worry!"

A bit surprised at the girl's sudden burst of energy, Cynthia said nothing at first. However, a smile spread across her face afterward. "Well, if that's so then I guess I'll head off."

"Um, what about…?"

"Don't worry about it. I took care of everything. Just go to the Cycle Shop in the morning," The blonde explained. "Relax."

Dawn smiled in relief. She truly felt grateful. "Thank you so much…! I'll…pay you back some how—count on it!"

"I don't mind," Cynthia answered lightly. "Just make sure you take good care of that egg for me."

The navy-haired girl nodded. "I will. Thanks again, Cynthia."

With a wave, Dawn was off, leaving the older woman to stand by the bench alone. Cynthia watched as she disappeared across the street. She smiled to herself. Despite the fact that she wasn't able to catch up with Cyrus and do what she had intended to do, she felt far more relaxed than she ought to. She glanced back at the Gym before turning to leave. Sorry, Gardenia. Pushing up her glasses, Cynthia made her way back to Eterna Condominiums.

As she passed by one of the rooms on her way to her own room, she heard a familiar voice. It sounded as if Dawn was apologizing to someone. Cynthia laughed, entering her room. I thought so.

Inside the room a couple of doors down, Dawn was bowing her head to Cheryl, doing her best to explain. The emerald-haired woman was trying to reassure the younger girl that it was alright and that it was only important that Dawn came back safely.

"Even so—" The fourteen-year-old began.

Cheryl shook her head. "Just get some rest, Dawn. You're making it more difficult!"

"Sorry…" She murmured.

Bidding the older woman a good night, as she left, Dawn fell back down on the couch. She found it rather hard to feel guilty at the moment because she was so tired; so instead, she just fell asleep without a further thought.

A/N: Aaaaand that's a wrap. I'll try to update soon, promise--but it could take awhile. Things are still sketchy so I have to figure it all out before I write. :/ As usual, I hope that you'll give me any pointers/corrections where it's appropriate; they'll be appreciated. BTW, I just threw the Gym match in this chapter for good measure 'cause I wasn't exactly sure how everything else would turn out. :P

Next: It's time to backtrack to Floaroma. This time, Dawn's not without a traveling companion but things turn out differently than initially intended.