A Confession Gone Awry (A/N: This is the same story as 'Overcoming the Odds')

May Maple's mistress Kelly Mordetsky sends her over the sexual edge by sending the younger girl a nude photo of herself after she finishes her morning workout. May masturbates to the photo in the bathroom, and screams loud enough to wake up her boyfriend Drew. Fearing that she might have woken up Drew and he heard the name Kelly, May spins the screaming, and makes up an alibi saying that she had muscle cramps from her morning workout.

Zoey and Dawn confront Dawn's mother Johanna, who after many tears and heartaches and a long talk with the two girls finally comes around to accepting that her daughter is a lesbian, and the relationship that she has with Zoey. Johanna catches Dawn in her room smoking, which she has done for well over a year. Johanna then makes it absolutely clear to her daughter and her girlfriend that her main concern has always been the media's perception of the kiss, and shows evidence of this by watching news coverage of the kiss. Dawn is brought to tears, and Zoey essentially suggests that they hide out with her family on vacation in the Seafoam islands.

NOTE: Folks, this update contains the most canon names (and nicknames) to the story since chapter two. They are mostly members of Zoey's family, but there is another name added in the mix. Can you guess who it is? Ages are also included.

Adam Samuel "Adman" Neale (Zoey's father, 49)

Josephine Alice Baker "Jo-Jo" Neale (Zoey's mother, 50)

Rebecca Rochelle "Rocky" Neale (Zoey's older sister, 24)

Kevin Christopher "K.C." Neale (Zoey's older brother, 21)

Cornelius Michael Daniel "Corey" Neale (Zoey's younger brother, 14)

Michelle Aubrey "Mikey" Neale (Zoey's younger sister and Corey's twin sister, 14)

William Paul Percival Warrick, 17

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokémon, a creation of one Satoshi Tajiri, and is produced domestically (in the United States) by Pokémon USA/TAJ/The Pokémon Company, and internationally by Shogakukan and OLM. I personally own nothing and make nothing by writing this. Please do not flame.

(Chapter 7- Vacation Part 1: Family Does Matter)


"We don't need this type of filth on television," says yet another one of the 'concerned citizens' reacting to the on screen kiss, which is already being labeled by television newscasts as 'Kissgate'. Drew Roderick is sitting in the family room along with Max Maple watching the 9am morning news broadcast in a format that is similar to the Today Show.

"God," Drew sympathetically says. "You gotta feel for Dawn and Zoey, Max. They didn't ask for any of this. And to be a teenager in love and in front of the microscope on top of it? Hell, I wouldn't wish this on my own worst enemy!"

"That's why I wished them good luck before they left for…wherever they are now," Max adds. "I knew that it wouldn't be easy for them to weather this storm, but by no means would I call their love…filth. That's just bullshit."

"Hey," Norman says, coming out of the kitchen of the Maple home, lightly slapping Max on the back of his head. "Watch your language, Max." Norman then gets a good look at the television, and sees the Dawn and Zoey kiss, and turns away in disgust.

"Kids, how could you possibly condone that garbage?" Norman sincerely asks.

"Dad," Max defends, "Dawn and Zoey are good friends of ours…"

"You're actually friends with those…perverts, Max?" Norman inquires.

"They aren't perverts, dad!" Max answers. "They are in love, just like May and Drew, just…different."

"Bull, Max!" Norman overrides.

"What's the matter, dad?" May says coming into the family room and sitting down with Drew.

"Max is trying to legitimize this…debacle and abomination between Dawn and Zoey. Honestly, has that redhead no shame whatsoever?" Norman rhetorically asks. "Gays and lesbians are destroying families and the family unit all over the world, but we can all do our part to stay a strong family unit without the help of radicals that would rather pander to these special interests."

Norman continues, pointing at the screen which is showing footage from the Grand Festival trophy ceremony, where Dawn and Zoey are shown holding hands with affection. "That…behavior might be accepted out there in the world, but if I have anything to say about it, Dawn, Zoey and any other queers, faggots and dykes will have no place whatsoever in my house. Is that understood, you two? I know I don't have to worry about you, May, but Max apparently is on this rebellious kick in an attempt to defend people that quite frankly should be shunned for their actions."

"But, dad…"

"No buts, son!" Norman retorts. "The subject and this conversation are both closed," he concludes, as he goes back into the kitchen. When he is out of hearing, Drew asks Max in his ear, "What in the world is up with your dad?"

Max whispers back to Drew, saying "Mom and dad don't take too kindly to…people who bat for the other team, if you know what I mean."

May is not paying attention to Max and Drew's conversation whatsoever, as her thoughts are clouded with nearly being caught masturbating to her female lover, Kelly, and hearing her father lay down the line concerning that type of behavior in his house.

'Oh, dad,' May thinks, 'I wish you could understand. God, I wish that everyone could understand that I'm just trying to figure out my life, and just what the people in it mean to me. I don't mean to break hearts and I'm not a bad person. Gays, lesbians, and bisexuals aren't bad people, either. I'm just doing…bad things.' To this, May puts her head down for just a second before she tries to quell her sadness by looking at the television once again. The reporters are now focusing on a new story that deals with the Grand Festival, and surprise! This upcoming report has nothing to with Dawn and/or Zoey.

"In the midst of the controversy that surrounds the girl on girl kiss between the giver Zoey D. Neale and the receiver Dawn Berlitz," the anchorman begins, "there was an incredible Kanto Grand Festival final battle which involved May Maple and Dawn Berlitz. May Maple was declared the winner of the bout after the judges debated the results of the final for well over 20 minutes. However, another individual who had his eye on the bout says that the results of the final are not correct, and that the declared winner of the Grand Festival should be different."

The film then switches to Ash Ketchum's comments after the battle, where he gives credible evidence to suggest that the rightful winner of the final should be Dawn Berlitz and not May Maple. May sees all of this occur on the screen, and she becomes absolutely livid, as she is literally shaking in anger. She is pissed, and this does not go unnoticed by Drew and Max sitting on the opposite direction of May.

Finally, something breaks inside of her head, and causes May to snap. "You mother fucking son of a bitch!" May screams as she gets up from the couch and falls to the floor, pounding the hardwood flooring inside of the family room. Drew and Max immediately jump up from their seats and tend to their girlfriend/sister. "You goddamn cunt! You fucking cocksucker! How the fuck could you say I didn't win, Ash Ketchum? Mother Fucker, I won fair and square!"

"May, what the fuck?" Max says, hysterically. "What happened? Settle down, for fuck's sake!"

"May, calm down, please!" Drew asserts, trying to settle her girlfriend. "Look, Ash just gave his opinion! It's not as if they're gonna take it as gospel!"

"And folks, we have breaking news to report on this story," the anchorman continues, as May stops her screaming tirade for a moment. "We've just been informed by the offices of Mr. Raoul Contesta, the director of Pokémon contests, who has told the networks in a press release that they are going to keep the five judges, including him, in the Indigo Plateau area, as the footage will officially be reviewed by them both individually and collectively to find out the true results of the Grand Festival final."

"The offices of Mr. Contesta continued their press release, saying that a copy of the footage will also be taken to the head offices of Pokémon contests in the Kanto region, which is located in Saffron City, to be reviewed by the members of that particular board for any further information to be dissected from the contents of the battle. This network will continue to provide updates on this developing story as they become available." Max then turns the TV off, knowing that the images are only making May very upset.

May then goes from sheer anger to sadness, as she slowly transitions from pounding the hardwood floor to holding her head in her hands and wailing like a child.

"He's trying to take it from me, Drew!" May says like a blubbering child. "The son of a bitch is trying to take what I've worked so fucking hard for over the last 10 years! I won't give him the fucking satisfaction, you understand me? God, I…I just wanna hurt him! I just wanna ring that cunt's neck so badly, and watch the life seep out if his body. I hate him. I HATE HIM!!"

"May!" Drew exclaims to his girlfriend, "I'll say it again; he's just giving his opinion, and that's what he was paid to do was tell people what's on his mind. He doesn't want to sabotage you! He's your friend. He's our friend!"

"That's no fucking friend of mine!" May responds. "I hate that son of a bitch!"

"Don't say that, May!" Max retorts, almost in tears. "God Drew, what the fuck are we gonna do?"

"I don't know, Max," Drew admits, with his voice breaking. "I'm scared. May? Honey? Listen to me," he says, attempting to console his girlfriend by hugging her tightly. "Listen to me. You don't hate Ash Ketchum."

"LIAR!" May screams, as Norman and Caroline run into the room mere seconds afterwards to see the sight of their only daughter screaming and crying on the floor while being held by Drew and consoled by her younger brother.

"What in the world is going on here?" Caroline asks. "What's the deal with all the screaming, and why is May on the floor crying?" she continues, going over to join Drew and Max in an attempt to console May. Norman quickly follows in his wife's footsteps.

"She saw Ash's comments on the TV," Drew explains to the Maple parents. "The ones where he said that he didn't think that May actually won the Grand Festival, and…she just lost it. I'm trying to explain to her that that was just Ash talking, and it wasn't meant as a personal slight in her direction."

"Look, May," Norman says to her daughter, "you just have to have faith that this whole thing will blow over. You are the Grand Festival champ right now, and in my mind, nothing will change that."

"I know that, dad," May says, really in an attempt to get her loved ones off of her back. She is still in tears, crying and blubbering as she says the words 'Ash Ketchum' and 'hate' almost as if she was in a trance. In the midst of this confusion, a knock on the front door of the Maple house grabs the attention of all the people inside of the house.

"Drew," Norman tells his daughter's boyfriend, "could you tell whoever that is at the door that now is not a good time, please?"

"Certainly, Mr. Maple," Drew answers, as he goes to the window next to the front door and surprisingly sees a long black limousine outside. Drew quickly goes to open the door and finds…

"Kelly?"

Kelly is shocked to find the door open and May's boyfriend Drew on the other end. So much so that she does not respond to his greeting for almost five seconds. Drew doesn't scold her for this as he too is shocked to see the coordinator turned businesswoman at the doorstep.

"I'm sorry. Drew?" Kelly had planned on surprising her secret lover May by paying her a visit while she was home. Kelly had caught May at a near perfect time earlier, as she e-mailed the girl a very sexual picture of herself, along with a letter of congratulations while she was occupied with her morning workout. The e-mail was somewhat of a red herring to make her think that Kelly would get back with May or vice versa to work out a future date so that Kelly could come over for a visit, and maybe some fun.

"Hey! How've you been?" Drew says, pulling the purple haired coordinator in for a hug. Kelly finally loses her look of shock and reluctantly returns the hug.

"I've been…taking care of myself as best as I can, Drew," Kelly answers slowly.

"Truth be told, I'm really glad you're here. May's been a real mess for the last several minutes, and none of us know why."

"Why?" Kelly asks, suddenly concerned for her lover. "What happened?"

"It had to do with some comments that Ash Ketchum made about how he thought that May didn't really win the Grand Festival. Her family and I have been at a loss trying to figure out what to do. You're one of her best friends. Maybe you can help cheer her up. Come on in."

Kelly is led into the entrance of the living room by Drew. "Hey May," Drew calls out. "Someone is here that can help you cheer up."

"Who?" She asks in a whisper while still shaking.

"Kelly? Come on in here!" Drew says and sure enough, the purple haired girl comes out from hiding and reveals herself to May. Seeing Kelly inside of her house caused May to snap.

"AHHH!! NOOO!!" she screams in an absolutely terrified state. Confronted with the one person that she would say knows her inside and out, and the one person that could cause her to lose her boyfriend and family was just too much for the Maple girl to handle.

"Oh God, no!" May communicates while wailing. "I can't lose my family! I don't wanna lose my family! Damn you, Ash Ketchum! Damn you to hell! This is your fucking fault! I hope you're proud of yourself, mother fucker!"

"What is she talking about, Norman? What does she mean when she says, 'I can't lose my family'?" Drew asks.

"I don't know. I don't know!" Norman replies, not caring that Drew didn't use honorifics.

Her friends and relatives try everything to try and calm her down, but nothing they can do or say has been effective on May. After about two minutes, May begins to uncontrollably shake and convulse, and Norman begs someone to "Call 911!" as he goes to hold her daughter's hand and keep her from flailing out in her mysterious convulsion. Drew hurries to the telephone and makes the call to have an ambulance come to the Maple house to assist the ill Grand Festival champion.


At about 1pm on Monday afternoon, Dawn walks out of the front porch of the house carrying the last two of her many bags to the trunk of the Ferrari F430, located on the front of the vehicle. Johanna is already outside with Zoey to make sure that the trunk is not overstocked with too much junk like she tried when she first started her journey six years ago.

"All set to go, dear?" Johanna asks.

"Yeah, mom," Dawn answers. Johanna holds her daughter by the shoulders and gets her to look her square in the eyes.

"Now listen to me, in all seriousness, Dawn," Johanna begins. "You've got one or two weeks to not only meet with the Neale family, but to truly bond with Zoey and get to know her at that…extra special level. Have fun. Stay safe—both of you, and remember," Johanna starts to tear up.

"Oh mom," Dawn says before she goes to pull her mother into a big hug. "Don't worry. I'll be in good hands."

"Dawn…" Johanna begins.

"I know. I know, mom. It's when I say don't worry that you worry the most, but this time, I mean it."

"Remember that I love you unconditionally, Dawn," Johanna concludes while still in an embrace with her daughter.

Zoey comes close to the pair, and says, "That makes two of us, Dawn. Mind if I join in?"

Johanna sees the genuine concern in the eyes of Zoey, and silently signals that it's okay for Zoey to join them in what is now a group hug. After a while, the two let go of each other, and Johanna gives her daughter a kiss before Dawn goes to the passenger's door of the luxury sports car. Johanna and Zoey are now outside of the car by themselves.

"Take care of my girl, okay Zoey?" Johanna says, bringing out her right hand. Zoey returns the gesture in kind, as the pair shake hands.

"Yes, ma'am," Zoey says, as Johanna surprisingly comes close to Zoey and gives her a kiss on her left cheek. Zoey touches the cheek, and looks at Johanna, as she begins to turn a noticeable red, much like her signature hair.

"Johanna?" Zoey questions.

"What?" Johanna inquires. "You did idolize me growing up. Are you sure you didn't have a crush on me then?"

Zoey shakes her head, and says, "I'm not gonna answer that. Good-bye Johanna," Zoey says as she goes to leave for the front driver's side of her Ferrari. Zoey says before entering the car, not turning to face Johanna, "I won't lie. I've always thought you were very sexy, even before I knew what that meant, but…" she says, turning to Johanna, "I've already got my girl." Zoey flashes the older woman a smile, puts her sunglasses, then opens the door, and gets into the car, closes it, turns on the ignition and drives off to Snowpoint City.

Johanna then says, as the Ferrari drives off into the distance, "Godspeed, you two," as she heads into her home once more.


The drive to Snowpoint City takes nearly four hours, and Dawn fell asleep after about the third hour.

"Hey, Dawn," Zoey says, waking up her girlfriend, "We're almost here."

Dawn shakes the sleep out of her eyes. "We are?"

"Yes indeed. I called ahead, so my parents know that we're on our way. There's…one problem, though."

"What's that?" Dawn asks, curiously.

"My parents, and as far as I know the other members of my family know that you are coming with me on this trip as a friend, but…"

"They don't know that you and I are girlfriends, right?"

"Exactly," Zoey answers. "Dinner tonight is gonna be…mom buying something like four extra-large pizzas, and the whole family is just gonna pig out before we take off early Tuesday morning for the Seafoam Islands."

"My plan is that we'll break it to them either during or after dinner, but not before, because I don't know when the rest of the family is gonna show up. My younger brother Corey could be playing video games with his friends one last time before we take off, and Mikey, well…it's hard to say how Mikey might be spending this last afternoon. She could be playing soccer, or street hockey, or…"

"Wait. Time out," Dawn says, making the 'T' symbol. "Mikey is a girl?"

As Zoey explains, "Her real name is Michelle, but the only people that call her that are people with a death wish. May I ask you something, Dawn?" Dawn nods in a silent 'yes'. "Would you consider me a tomboy?"

Dawn chuckles lightly. "Zoey. Have you checked yourself in the mirror in the last six years or so? You wear tuxedos to contests; most of the time you dress like a guy, and…fuck yeah! You are a tomboy!"

"Get that out of your system before you go to my parent's house. The language, that is," Zoey warns. "Well, I might consider myself a tomboy, but I can't hold a birthday candle to Mikey. She is the biggest tomboy that has or will ever exist. I swear to God, if she can ever find a guy to marry her, he'll be the one that will wear the dress."

"Come on," Dawn says, not believing Zoey's story.

"It's true. I think the last time she wore a dress was at the behest of my mother when she and dad got their vows renewed, and this was about seven years ago. The girl is a huge jock, too. She plays every sport imaginable, and beats all of the boy's asses in them to boot." Zoey immediately notices the turnoff into the neighborhood where her parents live, and makes a left turn. "Just about two more minutes to go, and you get to meet the family. You remember my mom, right? She was there when I won my first Grand Festival."

"Jo-Jo Neale?" Dawn inquires.

"That's her."

"Question, though," Dawn wonders. "Why did you call your father 'Adman' on the phone?" Zoey sees that she is getting closer to the destination, and she tells Dawn, "Well, why don't you ask him yourself? We're here." Dawn takes a look at the large house that Zoey's parents own, that dwarfs her humble abode by comparison. Zoey parks the Ferrari into the three car garage right next to the Neale's yellow Hummer H2, which is loaded with several bags on its roof top. Zoey and Dawn exit the car, and enter the house in the garage door, foregoing removing any luggage of Dawn's from the trunk of the vehicle, located on the front of the car.

As Zoey checks the door to see if it's locked or not, she finds that the door is indeed unlocked. Zoey opens the door and signals for Dawn to enter the house first with Zoey soon to follow behind her. Upon entering the house, Zoey is encountered by two faces that she had a feeling she would see running about the house in great commotion.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Zoey says.

"Zoey!" they say, as Zoey runs to both of her parents, who interrupt whatever it was they were doing. Zoey gives each one a big hug, and Jo-Jo being the first, and Adman the next to get a hug from his daughter.

"Ohh, it's so good to see you both!" Zoey says. "I have so much to tell you all--everyone." Zoey then turns to Dawn's direction, and signals her to come forward. "Mom? Dad? This is Dawn Berlitz, the girl that beat me in the semifinals of the Grand Festival yesterday, though she did lose the finals in quite a close match. Dawn? These are my parents. This is my father Adam Neale; close friends call him 'Adman'. He works for the Silph Company as an advertising executive, and that's my mother, who you have met in the past. She's Josephine Neale, but you already know her as Jo-Jo the schoolteacher."

Dawn steps forward to shake the hands of her girlfriend's parents, and tells them "It's a pleasure to meet you both. Even though Zoey and I don't travel together, she has said very much about you two."

"Say. What's the commotion going on here…" says a voice that enters into the family room after hearing a conversation between several people. It is the Neale family's oldest son, Kevin Neale, also known as K.C., who spots his younger sister in the room. That much he expected, but what he did not expect to see was Dawn Berlitz standing right next to her. He, unlike his parents and possibly his other siblings as well, knew about the controversy that surrounded the two girls over the last day or so.

"Zoey?" K.C. says, as he walks up to his sister, and gives her a hug.

"How've you been, K.C.?" she asks, returning the gesture.

K.C. comes down to his sister's level and plainly whispers in her ear, "What the heck is she doing here?"

"I'll explain everything during dinner tonight, all right?" Zoey answers with her own whisper. She continues, saying "Now everyone is gonna be at dinner tonight as far as you know, right?"

K.C. does not whisper this part into Zoey's ear, only saying 'yes' out loud. Zoey tells Dawn that the young man is his older brother.

"Where are the twins, mom?" Zoey inquires. "Are they gonna be joining us for our last dinner before we take off?

"Yeah…Domi. They should be here any minute now," Jo-Jo says. Zoey rolls her eyes.

"Mom, you know I don't like it when you or anyone else for that matter calls me that!" Zoey says, whining.

"Domi, Zoey?" Dawn asks, while chuckling.

As Zoey explains, "Mom thinks that all of her children should have nicknames, and that just happens to be mine, but only my family calls me by my nickname."

"But I don't get it," Dawn honestly admits. "I understand K.C. from Kevin, and Mikey from Michelle, but…where does Domi come from?"

"It comes from my middle name, Domenica, Dawn," Zoey says, with that all she seemingly wants to reveal about her nickname origin.

"Oh," Dawn exclaims. "Kind of like Rachael Ray, right?"

"Maybe," another voice says, this time coming from another hallway, "but don't ask Zoey to prepare a full meal in 30 minutes or less. It'll take six hours, and the house will have burnt down." Zoey gets a look at the person coming out of the other hallway, and could not believe her eyes.

"No!" Zoey says in absolute disbelief. She runs up to the figure at the front door, and says "Rocky?"

"Hey, sis!" Zoey literally jumps into her older sister's arms, and gets caught in a huge bear hug from the oldest Neale sibling Rebecca 'Rocky' Neale. "Does this mean that you're joining us on vacation?" Rocky gives Zoey a nod.

"Awesome!" Zoey says with excitement as she pulls Rocky into the living room. "Dawn, this is my oldest sister, Rocky. Rocky, this is my friend, Dawn. She's gonna be vacationing with us for the next week or so."

As Dawn shakes Rocky's hand, she remembers just where she has seen Rocky from in the past. "Hi there. Don't you work for 'Pokémon Coordinator's Weekly' magazine?"

"Yes, I do," Rocky answers, trying to find out in her head why Zoey would invite Dawn to vacation with the rest of the family.

"I remember that they did a special a few years back on second generation coordinators, and I was interviewed by some people at your magazine," Dawn recollects.

"Hey, could someone explain to me why a pizza delivery guy just pulled up to our house with five pizzas?" yet another voice calls, coming in from outside. It was one of the twins, Cornelius "Corey" Neale, who was wearing a hat, cargo shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, and was the only member of the family that wore glasses.

"More introductions, I suppose," Zoey thinks out loud. "Dawn, meet my younger brother Corey. Corey, this is my good friend, Dawn. She's going on vacation with us this year." While doing the introduction, the pizza deliverer came to the front door, and Jo-Jo paid the man, giving him a very healthy tip of 20.

"Hi there, Corey," Dawn says, giving Corey a handshake.

"Wow!" Corey says. "I hope you don't mind me saying this Dawn, but you're quite cute. I'm glad you're gonna be on vacation with us. Zoey's said quite a lot about you over the phone."

Zoey twitched when she heard her brother call her girlfriend 'cute', and when she saw that Corey and Dawn were still shaking hands, and Corey was giving off a flirtatious glance to the Twinleaf native, Zoey stopped the madness with an inconspicuous 'ahem'. Dawn and Corey halted their glazes towards each other and turned to Zoey while still in a handshake. Dawn, by simply looking into the eyes of Zoey could tell what was up and immediately let go of the handshake with Corey.

"Okay, kids," Jo-Jo says, regaining control. "I called you all here to come at about 5:30 pm, and just about everyone is here, so all of you go wash your hands and we'll sit down to eat, okay?"

"Mom," Rocky asks, curiously, "what about Mikey? Where is she?" Zoey and the other Neale siblings also question the location of the youngest member of the Neale family by about three minutes, as Corey and Mikey are twins. Those questions are answered as everyone inside of the house hears a very loud and drawn out call of 'Geronimo!' from outside.

Every member of the Neale family, including Dawn goes outside and witnesses it. The youngest Neale is outside on her skateboard, and going downhill. The only problem with this scenario is that she is skateboarding while she is in a handstand position with the board and Mikey in quick motion. Even though this is a very dangerous activity, she is not scared, wearing along with all of the recommended safety equipment, a big, big smile. When she makes it halfway down the paved hill, she falls off of the skateboard, and rolls through the remainder of the hill, tumbling about 30-40 times, before she stops at the driveway of her house.

Jo-Jo and Adman are not surprised, but then again, Mikey has done much crazier stunts than a handstand on a skateboard. Rocky and K.C. are failing in their attempt to not giggle like an infant that apparently saw something amusing. They wonder what she will think of next, and what type of injuries she will suffer because of it.

Mikey is scraped and somewhat bloodied, but after a moment to collect herself, Mikey stands up and gives a peace sign to the expanded audience before she notices new and familiar faces.

"Zoey?" a noticeably deep voice says, "Oh my God! How are you doing, sis?" she continues, and just like mom, dad, K.C., and Rocky before her, Zoey gets a hug from her sibling.

'Mikey gives the most rib crushing hugs of them all,' Zoey thinks. Zoey may be larger than the average girl her age at five feet and eight inches tall, but much like her childhood girlfriend May, she cannot compare to her sister, who is just below 5'11" tall, even though she is only 14 years old.

While May has a body more suited for Miss Olympia, Mikey Neale is the epitome of an athlete. She is significantly slimmer, and while less muscularly defined, she is more toned and lengthy for athletic competition.

"I'm all right, Mikey. Listen," Zoey says, mostly to get the attention of her affectionate sister. She points to Dawn, and signals her to come over. "That's Dawn Berlitz. She's gonna be vacationing with us."

"Oh yeah!" Mikey remembers, shaking Dawn's hand. "I've seen you in Pokémon contests several times. That's all right and everything, but I'm more of a gym battles type myself."

"Well, why aren't you out there on your own journey like Zoey and I?" Dawn asks.

"Two reasons, actually," Mikey admits. "I'm banned from training Pokémon until I turn Zoey's age due to an incident with a Western Shellos when I was eight years old. You see, I was quite the hyperactive child at the time, and I accidentally stretched it too far, and it suffered some severe injuries, so I was banned due to negligence. The Shellos is in good hands, though. Right Zoey?"

"Shellos, curtain!" is all that Zoey says, as sure enough out comes from her pokeball a pink (Western) Shellos which can stretch to unimaginable distances.

"That's right, Mikey. The family took care of Shellos until it was time for me to go on my own journey."

"So, that explains how Shellos can stretch to great distances," Dawn says as Zoey recalls Shellos back into its pokeball. "But what's the other reason why you aren't training. You did say there were two."

"Mom and dad said," Mikey begins, "that I could either participate in team sports or battling, and I love sports, you know? I'm not gonna give up kicking boy's butts on the soccer field that easily. Just seeing them cry to their mommies gives me a huge…I love it, you know?"

"All right, kids," Adman says while inside of the front door of the house calling out to all of his siblings and Dawn to inform them that, "dinner is ready. Come inside, and let's eat, and then we can finalize our packing process." Everyone with the exception of both Dawn and Zoey go right inside to eat.

Zoey tells Dawn, "I think that K.C. has a feeling that we are more than just friends. He probably saw our kiss, and wanted to get to the bottom of why you are here."

"I got that same feeling looking at Rocky in particular," Dawn admits. "The fact that her work deals almost exclusively in coordinating makes me wonder, too."

Zoey sighs. "We're just gonna have to break the news to mom, dad and the others tonight. I'm antsy just thinking about it, but the blow should be softened in this case, because everyone already knows that I'm a lesbian."

"Hey, Dawn! Zoey!" Corey calls from the front door. "Don't be shy! There's plenty to go around. Come on in!" Dawn walks to the door, which is opened by Corey so that she can enter in. Dawn thanks him by patting his hair. Corey goes back into the kitchen grinning like a Cheshire cat once Dawn has passed, leaving Zoey to have to open her own door.

"Some gentleman," Zoey scowls as she goes to the bathroom to wash her hands for the upcoming dinner.


After about five minutes or so, all seven members of the Neale family and Dawn are well in the process of chowing down on pizzas with toppings such as the always reliable pepperoni (Jo-Jo and Mikey's favorite), the scintillating and spicy sausage (K.C.'s favorite), the refined and defined vegetarian (Rocky's favorite), the bold, bulky and piled meat lover's (Adman's favorite) and finally, because you can never have too much of a good thing, there is Zoey's (and as she would come to find out, Dawn's) favorite, extra cheese.

Conversations between all of the various parties bounded together by blood are taking place. Some of great importance, such as what to do during the vacation, and some idle chatter such as Mikey bragging to Corey and K.C. about how she scored five goals in soccer against an all boy's team. But one conversation in particular is very heated, though nobody else at the table really notices it.

Girlfriends Dawn and Zoey are sitting next to each other, debating back and forth about how they can break the news to the rest of the Neale family that they are not friends rather they are really a couple. The two are whispering suggestions back and forth.

Zoey says that 'We should just tell them. Don't beat around the bush, don't allude and don't stall. Just tell them, and I know they'll understand.' After some convincing, Dawn finally agrees, but the back and forth conversation has finally attracted an audience in Jo-Jo and Adman.

"Having a nice conversation, girls?" Adman asks. Dawn and Zoey turn to the family patriarch and nervously chuckle. They silently decide to end whatever speculation that might have existed in the minds of the Neale family.

"Umm…" Zoey begins. "Mom? Dad? Everyone? Dawn and I have something important to tell you. I…sort of lied to you when I said that I was bringing a friend with us on vacation."

"What do you mean, Zoey?" Jo-Jo asks. "Dawn isn't a friend of yours?"

"No. That's not it," Zoey says beginning the clarification process. "Dawn is a friend, but to me…Dawn is much, much more than just a friend." Adman, along with the rest of the Neale family is really starting to hang on the words that Zoey is speaking.

"Everyone here already knows that I am a lesbian, right?" Zoey's family members either nod or say 'yes' to the posed question. "Well Dawn is here because she needed to lay low after an incident before the Grand Festival Final yesterday when I, well…it's kinda hard to say, to be honest."

"Zoey?" Dawn asks. "Maybe instead of telling them, we should show them," she says, smiling and raising her eyebrows.

"Okay, everyone," Zoey calmly speaks. "The reason Dawn is here with me is because," Zoey and Dawn come together for the first time in a while (to them, though; It had only been about six hours or so) and they passionately kiss, though restrain themselves as they are in the presence of watchful eyes. Neither Dawn nor Zoey look at the Neale family's faces while they kiss, but if they did, they would see looks of shock, indifference, happiness, and disappointment. Once the couple ended their kiss, they looked to the Neale family and said…

"We're girlfriends," in unison. Zoey takes a hold of Dawn's near hand and continues, saying, "We're in love with each other. I told Dawn that I loved her right before the Grand Festival on air, and…not too many people were pleased that I did that. Dawn was pretty upset to see news coverage that called the confession a disgrace, so after some time I suggested that she come with us and get away from everything in the hopes that the media coverage would ebb. And…that's all I've got to say."

For a few seconds, everyone in the Neale family is speechless, until Corey finally breaks the silence, saying "Aww, man! Why are all the good ones always gay…or taken, or gay and taken?" Zoey can only laugh nervously at her younger brother's lack of a love life.


A/N: You know how Corey feels about it (yes, he does have a crush on Dawn, and no that is not the last you'll see of it), but what about the rest of the family? Remember those emotions of shock, indifference, happiness and disappointment? Try and guess which parents and siblings feel like that. You'll find out in the next chapter, as the Neale family takes off for vacation!

And with May hospitalized and her family, boyfriend and mistress there, the many elements could play out to be combustible, but would you believe that it's Max who has to deal head on with issues of his own? And what happens when the main players (Ash, Dawn, Zoey, et al.) find out about May's hospitalization?

Find out on the next chapter of the story formerly known as 'Overcoming the Odds', now known as 'A Confession Gone Awry'!