...Normally I take this time to wax philosophical about something that relates to love, and all the different ways that it can be felt. I do have something more to add on that subject, but I suspect that it would violate some sort of agreement that I made with the site. And I don't want to do that. So how about I stop wasting your time, and just get back to the story.
Ash grinned as memories of his final battle with Paul and his battle with Elesa flashed through his mind. That should do it. "Pikachu, aim a Thunderbolt straight at the ground. Give it all you got." Pikachu glanced at him. "Pika pika?" (That again?) The electric Pokemon blinked as a thought occurred to him. "Piiiiiiika." (Ohhhhhhh.) Grinning, he leaped into the air, clenched his electric sacs, and blasted the ground. The powerful bolt split the ground, ripping chunks of earth free, creating several trenches in the ground. Landing in one of them, he crouched low and waited.
Max raised an eyebrow. "Uh, okay. I guess that's a good way to dodge." Green light enveloped Pikachu, who allowed himself to be immobilized. Golett shot free of his own prison, carving a short turn and shot back towards Pikachu. As he encountered the trenches created by Pikachu's Thunderbolt, he bounced and shuddered, passing harmlessly over Pikachu's head.
Ash grinned. "Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Freed from the light that had restrained him, Pikachu jumped out of the trench and swung his metal-coated tail around, smashing into the spinning Golett like a bat. The impact, combined with his own momentum, broke Golett free from his No Guard trap, sending him speeding uncontrollably into a tree. The impact shook the tree, and Golett came to a stop, sprawled almost upside down. A grating sound filled the air, and Ash guessed that Golett didn't appreciate the speed boost.
Max growled. "Gee, thanks for that, Ash. Golett, Dynamic Punch!" Red light coated Golett's fist as he clambered to his feet and started forward.
Ash thrust out his hand. "Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Pikachu crouched and shot forward. Golett froze as green light enveloped him, leaving him precariously balanced on one foot. Pikachu raced towards the Automaton Pokemon, leaving a trail of white light behind him.
Iris frowned. "But, Quick Attack won't do anything. Golett's a ghost type, and Quick Attack's a normal type attack."
Dawn grinned. "Ash knows that. Haven't you noticed the position that Golett takes every time he expects an attack?"
Cilan looked at the frozen Golett, then smiled. "Right, he braces himself to receive it, because he knows his ability will prevent him from trying to dodge or block. But right now, Golett isn't braced, because he and Max both expected to be able to attack right now. Ash used Quick Attack to move first, taking Golett by surprise and leaving him vulnerable to the one attack that can do damage."
Dawn nodded. "Ash just needed to make sure that Pikachu didn't get hit by Rollout, so he had Pikachu break up the ground with Thunderbolt to provide cover, turning the battlefield against Max. It's something he's done before."
Ash grinned as the gap between Golett and Pikachu narrowed. "Okay buddy, now, Iron Tail!" Pikachu jumped up towards Golett's face as his tail became covered in a silvery metallic sheen, then hurled himself into a backflip. His steel hard tail swung upwards in a savage uppercut, landing solidly on Golett's face. The force of the impact upset Golett's precarious balance, knocking him backwards and sending his head into the tree behind him.
Max stared in frustrated surprise. "Come on, Golett, get up! You can do it!"
The green light that filtered from inside Golett's body flashed for a moment, then grew dim. Golett didn't move.
Professor Juniper raised her hand. "Golett is unable to battle, making Pikachu the winner."
Max sighed. "Every time. Why did I think that this time would be any different." He knelt next to Golett and patted the Automaton Pokemon's head. "You did a great job, Golett. You get some rest." The glowing light of Golett's eyes blinked out, though the holes around his arms and legs remained glowing. Max guessed that Golett had simply decided to sleep where he was. Sighing again, he got to his feet. "Well Ralts, looks like it's you and me. Think we're up for it?"
Ralts briefly teleported to his shoulder, hugging his head. "Ralts ra ra ral." (We're always ready.) She teleported to the broken battlefield, her gaze masked by her hair. Pikachu smiled with determination. "Pika pikachu!" (No holding back!)
Max widened his stance. "Ralts, Safeguard." A glittering shield formed around Ralts, her eyes glowing a dim green.
Ash grinned. "Now we're getting somewhere, Pikachu. Let's keep our momentum going, and introduce Ralts to our full power. Thunderbolt!" Crouching, Pikachu sent a crackling bolt towards Ralts.
Max threw out his hand. "Block it with Psychic!" Ralts held out her own hands, the air in front of her shimmering. The bolt of electricity blasted through the Safeguard shield, throwing out streaks of energy as it collided with the wall of psychic energy Ralts had created. Ralts shuddered slightly. I don't know how many of those I can stop. Pikachu is very powerful, and has had much more practice at breaking through defenses than I have at making them.
Ash smiled. "Electroball!" Pikachu jumped into the air as electricity coated his tail, forming a crackling orb of energy. Spinning around in the air, he flung the orb at Ralts.
Max gritted his teeth. "Match it with Energy Ball!" Ralts fired her own green orb of energy into the air. The two attacks collided, fused for a moment, and then exploded, generating a large cloud of smoke. Max smiled. "Now! Focus, and use Psychic!" Ralts concentrated, searching for the emotions that she knew belonged to Pikachu. Finding them, she stretched out with her mind and seized him.
Pikachu jerked in surprise as blue light surrounded him. With a cry, he flipped upside down, spun around rapidly, and then grunted as he smacked headfirst into the ground. Ash clenched his fist. "Pikachu, no!" Slowly, Pikachu managed to push himself up, swaying dizzily. "Piiiiiiiiiiika, pikachuuuuuuuuuuu." (Uhhhhhhh, stop the room, I want to get off.) Turning in a circle, he collapsed onto his back.
Professor Juniper raised her hand. "Pikachu is unable to battle. Ralts is the winner."
Ash rushed over to his partner, cradling the electric type in his hands. "Pikachu, you okay?" Pikachu opened his eyes, staring in confusion. "Pikapi, pikapika pichu, pikapika?" (Ash, you're spinning, why are you spinning?) Ash smiled as he carried his partner over to the fire. "You did awesome, buddy. Just take a good rest."
Buneary immediately hopped next to Pikachu, fussing over him as she made him comfortable. Ash smiled as he watched for a moment, then turned and grinned at Dawn. "I got this."
Stepping back onto the dark battlefield, Ash smiled at his remaining Pokemon. "You ready Scraggy?" Scraggy clenched his 'pants' and nodded his domed head. "Scraggy scrag!" (I can handle her.) Ash grinned. "I know you can. Let's go." Running onto the field, Scraggy glared across at the ghostly figure of Ralts.
Ralts shivered. This is wrong. Max frowned. "Huh? What's wrong Ralts?" He's not there Max.
Ash smiled. "Scraggy, use Leer." Scraggy fearlessly stepped up in front of Ralts, narrowing his eyes with a piercing stare.
Ralts broke out in a cold sweat. This isn't right. He's not there. I can't sense him, I can't sense him at all. He's not there! Max frowned. "It's okay, Ralts. Try a Psychic." Shaking herself, Ralts concentrated as her eyes glowed blue. Blue light surrounded Scraggy, who looked at himself curiously.
Ash grinned. "Sorry Max. Scraggy is a fighting and dark type, which means psychic type attacks can't do anything to him. Scraggy, Headbutt!" Jumping forward, Scraggy rammed his head straight into Ralts's, knocking her backwards.
Rubbing her head in pain, Ralts pushed herself up. I don't know what to do, Max. Max gritted his teeth. "Alright, so Psychic won't do anything, and the only other attack that we can use that will do damage is Energy Ball." He grinned sheepishly. "Guess now I know how you felt when Pikachu battled Golett, huh."
Ash grinned back. "Those battles are awesome too. When you can't find an obvious way to win, you gotta improvise."
Max smiled. "Okay then. Ralts, Energy Ball!" Crossing her arms, Ralts gathered energy from her surroundings between her arms and chest. The glittering orb of energy shot towards Scraggy.
Ash smiled. "Scraggy, block it." Scraggy watched the orb as it speed towards him, and pulled up his leathery 'pants', nearly covering his entire body, and braced himself. The Energy Ball crashed into the thick layer of skin, exploding into a large cloud of smoke. As the smoke dissipated, Scraggy lowered his pants, smirking at Ralts. "Scrag scraggy scrag." (That the best you got?) Ash chuckled. "Scraggy's taken a lot worse hits than that with his pants, Max. Scraggy, try a Focus Blast!" Placing his hands together, Scraggy concentrated hard, and a orb of blue light formed between his palms, rapidly growing larger.
Iris smiled. "Well, at least forming the Focus Blast is becoming a lot smoother."
Thrusting his hands forward, Scraggy shot the Focus Blast at Ralts. The ball of energy raced forward, then took a sharp turn and spiralled into the air, finally exploding.
Ralts tilted her head so far back, trying to keep sight of the Focus Blast, that she lost her balance and fell onto her back. "Ral ra ra ralralts? Ral ra." (Was that a joke? I can't tell.)
Ash sighed. "Still haven't managed to get it. Okay Scraggy, High Jump Kick!" Jumping into the air, Scraggy front flipped and descended like a meteor, his knee glowing brightly. Ralts's eyes widened, and she scrambled to avoid the incoming attack, but failed to move fast enough. Scraggy smashed into her body knee first, driving the air from her lungs and embedding her in the ground.
Max nearly screamed. "Ralts!"
Scraggy jumped out of the small crater, a satisfied smile on his face. Ralts laid in the crater, a dazed look half visible on her face.
Professor Juniper raised her hand. "Ralts is unable to battle, Scraggy is the winner, and Ash wins the match."
Max rushed out to the battlefield. "Ralts, are you okay? I'm so sorry, I must have froze or something." Ralts shivered slightly. I...I'll be fine, once I get out of this hole. Scraggy as a pointy knee.
Scraggy stepped up to the crater and held out his hand. "Scrag." (Here.)
Ralts looked up at him in confusion. "Ral?" (Huh?) She hesitated for a moment, then managed to raise her arm and take Scraggy's hand.
Scraggy grunted, and pulled backwards with a gentle heave. Ralts slid out of the crater, and Scraggy dusted her off. "Scraggy scrag, scra scraggy gy." (That was fun, we should do it again sometime.) He smiled at her.
Ralts looked at him cautiously, then smiled. "Ralral." (Yes, lets.) With a flash of light, she teleported onto Max's back, wrapping her arms around his neck. He's not as scary as I thought. He's nice.
Dawn smiled. "Max put up a good fight, but Ash has loads more experience than him. Plus, he's had lots of practice getting out tight spots like that."
Cilan nodded. "That is true. Overcoming adversity is one of Ash's special talents."
Ash and Max sat down next to the fire, and Ash grinned at Dawn. "Told ya I had it."
Dawn smiled warmly back at him. "I never doubted that you did."
Hours later, long after dinner had been served and the moon was high in the sky, painting the landscape with a faint silver light, the group remained around the camp fire. The bulk of the reason was Iris's demands to know how Ash got Gible, which grew into stories of his journey through Sinnoh, which in turn came to Hoenn, and at last Dawn's and Max's own travels and events after going on their own.
Throughout the conversations, Ash found it increasingly difficult to keep his eyes off of Dawn. He marvelled at the way that the firelight seemed to play on her skin, and the way her dark hair framed her face.
He sighed as opened a bag of Pokemon food and handed a piece to Pachirisu, who had been begging for food all night. I just don't understand it. I'm happy that she's here, but now I'm even more distracted than before.
Dawn studied his face, suddenly concerned with his serious expression. What is he thinking? I've haven't seen him so despondent since his battle with Paul at Lake Acuity. She sighed as folded her hands and stared into the glimmering coals of the dying fire, where Quilava had chosen to curl up for sleep. Oh, Ash, why can't I tell you what I feel. You're always with the others, and I can't figure out whether you feel the same or not. A yawn took her by surprise. "Wow, it's really late." Another day without a word.
Cilan glanced up at the sky. "It is awfully dark, and we've still got a long ways to go to get to Undella Town." He turned to Professor Juniper, who was intently watching Quilava. "Professor, would you mind if I asked why you are heading to the World Tournament?"
Iris stifled her own yawn. "Yeah. Is it because of all the new Pokemon you'll get to see?"
Juniper smiled as she turned her attention to the pair. "Kind of. You've heard of C-Gear, the company that manufactures Cross Transceivers, right?"
Cilan nodded, while Iris desperately tried to keep her eyes open.
Juniper continued. "Well, C-Gear and Silph Co., a company based in the Kanto region, are partnering with a group of independent programmers, engineers, technicians, as well as all of the regional Professors to create a new Pokeball Transfer System. Up until now, Trainers from other regions that came to Unova only had access to what Pokemon they had brought with them, and what Pokemon they had caught in Unova, and vise versa. Unova isn't connected to the same system as Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh are. But this new system is looking to change that, and it's a project that the two companies have been working on for some time. I'm technically not supposed to tell all of you this, but the finished project is supposed to be completed and unveiled at the World Tournament."
Dawn smiled at Ash. "Wow, that that means that you'll be able to use Pokemon other than what you've caught here, a chance to show all the Pokemon you've met and become friends with over your journey, like you did at the Sinnoh League."
Ash nodded, oddly quiet. I don't understand what I'm feeling. This is just too weird.
Dawn frowned and waved at him. "Ash? Helloooo? Still with us?"
He jerked. "Yeah, just, kinda tired, that's all. I should probably get some sleep." Standing up, he made his way over to his sleeping bag and crawled inside, leaving most of his outer clothing in a pile next to him. Pikachu crawled up onto the pile and curled up, almost instantly asleep.
Cilan smiled. "Well, if Ash and Pikachu are tired, then I guess it is way past time for the rest of us to get some sleep. Besides, if we stay up any more, Iris is going to fall into the fire." He glanced at the girl sitting next to him. "Iris?"
The dragon trainer was snoring quietly, already fallen asleep. Professor Juniper smiled. "I guess that confirms it. Time for bed."
Dawn gave one last glance at Ash as she climbed into her own sleeping bag. Something is wrong, I can feel it. I wish I could help you, Ash.
Dawn looked around her in the darkness. She couldn't see anything, couldn't hear anything but the sound of the blood pumping through her ears. Growing frightened, she cried out. Ash! Piplup! Pikachu! Everyone, where are you! The only answer was the echo of her own voice.
Suddenly, a light glimmered in the distance. She turned towards it, wondering what it was. A voice reached her ears, echoing along the distance. Dawn! Dawn, where are you! She grew excited. Ash! Ash, I'm here! She caught sight of him, running towards her. Pumping her legs against a ground she could not see, she ran towards him.
As they grew closer together, her heart beat faster and harder against her ribs, until she felt like it might burst out of her chest. She could see a determined look on Ash's face. Dawn! Where are you, say something! I'm here! I'm right in front of you! She slowed to a stop, then flinched as he ran straight through her. Whirling around in surprise, she stared at Ash's back, who had stopped as well. He looked around, frustration and desperation stamped across his features. Come on, where is she? Why? Why couldn't I tell her? She looked at his back in equal desperation. I'm right here. What couldn't you tell me? She lunged forward, but her hand passed through his body, like she was a ghost. Nearly sobbing, she watched him run away.
Dawn awoke with a startled gasp, sitting bolt up straight. Panting, she stared into the darkness of the trees, pressing her hand to her chest. Beneath the thin fabric of her night shirt, she could feel her heart hammering, like it was trying to escape a prison.
"Pip?" (Dawn?) Dawn turned to her side, and saw Piplup blearily looking up at her. She smiled. "It's okay, Piplup. Just a bad dream. Go back to sleep." Piplup blinked for a moment, then closed his eyes and returned to his own, more cheerful dreams.
Sighing, Dawn shook her head. "What was that about?" she whispered to herself. She looked around the camp to see if she had awoken anyone else, then stopped as her eyes saw Ash's empty sleeping bag. Pikachu was curled up inside Ash's hat, his tail sticking out at an angle as he slept. The pile of clothes that he had first slept on had vanished. Ash himself was nowhere to be seen.
Fear and concern invaded Dawn's mind, and she forced herself to take a breath. "He probably just took a walk. All of his stuff is still here, and Ash would never abandon his Pokemon." Grabbing her own clothes, she quickly changed inside her sleeping bag, then slid out and made her way to Ash's sleeping bag, taking care not to wake anyone else.
Noticing a set of foot prints leading away, she followed them to the edge of the camp, then stared into the forest. "Where did you go, Ash. What are you thinking." Looking up at the sky, she noticed that it had become lighter. Climbing up one of the trees, she looked around and noticed the brightening horizon. She squinted, and noticed a cliff side not far from the camp.
A memory flashed through her mind, of their second time at Lake Valour, for the Sinnoh Grand Festival.
Dawn was sitting on the shore of the lake, watching as the distant horizon grew brighter and brighter. Today was the Grand Festival Finals, and Dawn couldn't help but worry about her upcoming match against Zoey.
Footsteps caused her to turn around, and she smiled as she saw Ash approaching. "Hi, what are you doing up?"
Ash grinned at her. "I could ask you the same thing, but I think I can guess the answer. Worrying about your match?"
Dawn smiled as he sat down next to her, and she poked the sand with her foot. "Yeah. I've been waiting for a moment like this my whole life, and now that it's here, I'm kinda stuck. I keep thinking that something is going to go wrong, that I'll choke or something."
Ash smiled as he studied the water. "I don't suppose that it would reassure you to know that everyone gets those worries, would it?"
Dawn gave him a look. "You don't. I've never seen you worry over a Gym battle."
Ash chuckled. "Naw, Gym battles are easy. It's like when you do a normal Contest. Eventually, you realize it's not worth worrying over. League battles are when I get antsy."
She stared at him. "I don't believe that. You never get nervous."
Ash laughed. "I do. It's bigger when you're in a tournament like that. Everything is bigger. You're competing against hundreds of other Trainers, each of them incredibly tough, who fought hard to get where they are, and you wonder if you're good enough."
Dawn looked at him in wonder. "Yeah. That's exactly how I feel. I mean, all those other Coordinators, they fought tooth and nail to get here, and here I am in the finals, and I don't know if I can do it. And on top of that, I'm going up against Zoey, who I know is insanely talented, and she's my friend."
Ash clapped her on the shoulder. "What if I let you in on a secret?"
She glanced at him. "What?"
He grinned at her. "Back when I was in Kanto, I battled against a guy named Ritchie."
She frowned at him. "You told me this already. You lost because Charizard didn't listen to you."
Ash nodded. "Here's the part that I didn't tell you. Ritchie and I had met just after I got to the Indigo League Tournament. We were really alike, both really passionate about battles. I was looking forward to battling him." He winked at her. "And the night before the match, I panicked."
Dawn stared at him in surprise. "Really?"
He nodded. "When I was competing in the Silver League Tournament in Johto, I battled against Gary. And the night before the match, I panicked. Ever Grande League Tournament, Hoenn, Morrison, panicked the night before."
Dawn could hardly believe what she was hearing. "Every time?"
Ash nodded. "Yep. Every time." He turned back to the lake. "It's scary when you're in a big competition, and you're going up against your rival. But every time I woke up in a sweat, I would watch the sunrise. And as I watched it, I realized that I wasn't just going up against my rival. I was battling with my friend." He turned and winked at her again. "It really hit me in Hoenn. At the start of my match with Morrison, he wasn't doing so well. I realized that he didn't want to fight me, because we were friends. So, right there on the battlefield, I told him that, no matter what happened, we would stay friends, so we should give it our all. It helped him focus, and we had a really fun battle."
He placed his arm around her shoulders. "What I'm trying to say is, don't worry about the match. Focus on the fact that you're battling with Zoey, that even if you win, or she wins, that you'll always be friends, so why not give it your all, and have a blast while you're at it."
Dawn smiled, and laid her head on his shoulder. "Ya know, that kinda makes sense." She grinned up at him. "Thanks Ash."
He smiled and squeezed her with his arm. "You're my friend, Dawn. I'm always gonna be here to help you out." He grinned at her. "And hey, I'll make you a bet. We get to the Lily of the Valley League Tournament, the night before my battle with Paul, I'm gonna panic again."
Dawn laughed. "In that case, I will see you on some rooftop, watching the sunrise."
Ash chuckled. "Deal."
Dawn sighed happily as she raised her head. "Ash? Really, thank you. I needed this."
Ash pulled his arm from around her shoulders, smiling as the sun broke over the horizon. "Of course. No need to worry, right?"
Dawn grinned. "Right."
Dawn sighed as she looked at the encroaching sunrise and the cliff side. "As good a place to start as any."
Ash was sitting against a tree when Dawn found him. He was looking up at the sky, something that he hadn't done in a few days since Dawn and Max had joined them. But tonight, he had just needed some space to think.
Dawn hesitated nearby, watching the shape of the boy she loved illuminated in the waning moonlight and waxing sunlight. She looked towards the horizon, which was painted with bands of red, orange, and gold. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward.
"Ash?"
He jerked, turning around to see her. "Dawn! Hi. I didn't hear you coming." He frowned. "Is something wrong?"
Dawn shook her head. "No, everything's fine. I didn't see you when I woke up, and you're not usually up this early, so I wondered if something might be wrong."
Ash shook his head as he turned back to watching the impending sunrise. "Nah, I'm good. I've just been doing some thinking, that's all."
Dawn smiled as she walked closer. "Would you mind if I thought with you?"
Ash grinned as he shifted over. "No, that's fine. I'd appreciate it, actually."
Dawn sat down next to him. The ground was cold against her skin, and she realized that a short skirt was not the best thing to wear in the early morning. "So, what were you thinking about?"
He sighed. Maybe why I can't seem to concentrate around you? "Just, my journey. The things I've seen and done, people I've met. I realized that, I've probably seen more things than most people have seen in their life times. It's hard to believe that I've been so lucky."
Dawn smiled as she inched a little closer. "I know what you mean. Seeing Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Arceus, Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf, Suicune, Rakou, Entei, Celebi, it's amazing really."
Ash nodded. "And not just them. Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Lugia, Ho-oh, Groudon, Kyogre, Rayquaza, Deoxys, the Regi's, Jirachi, Manaphy, Mew, even Mewtwo. Most people don't get to see them ever, and I've seen some of them multiple times. And now, I've seen Zekrom and Reshiram, and Tornadus, Thunderus, and Landorus. How many legendaries can there be in the world? And why do I get to see so many of them?"
He fell silent, gazing up at the lightening sky. Most of it didn't make sense to him. And he didn't know if he wanted it to make sense.
Dawn turned and looked at him. She found herself examining his face, the way that the light seemed to accent his features. Her eyes were drawn to his, noting how his soft brown eyes seemed equally kind yet serious. She searched for something in them, searched for the fire that she always remembered being there.
She could see the sparks, but the fire had burned low.
She swallowed nervously. "Ash?"
He turned and looked at her. "Yeah?"
She averted her eyes, turning to look at the horizon. "I've been thinking too. About my journey. Not so much the things I've done, though that has been amazing, but more about the people I've met."
Ash frowned slightly. "Okay?"
She pulled nervously at her skirt. "I've met a lot of people. I mean, there's Zoey, who I think is one of my closest friends. Paul, jerk that he is. Reggie, Brock, Ursula, Conway," she shivered slightly, "creep that he is, Maylene, all the gym leaders really. Cynthia, May, Max, Nando." She turned and looked at Ash.
"You."
Ash leaned back to get a better look at Dawn. There was something different about her. "Dawn, are you okay?"
She nodded. "Yeah, no need to worry. It's just, there's so many people. And, I think they've all changed me. I'm not the same person that I was when I first started out. Maybe I've grown. For the better. You know?" Dawn looked at him hopefully.
Ash paused. "Yeah." He nodded. "I understand. I'm not the same person I was when I started either. I mean, I can recognize him, but, now, I'm so much more than that."
Dawn smiled. "And, I've been thinking about how I've changed. Who had the greatest effect on me."
Ash smiled back. "And whose that?"
Dawn's smile turned shy. "You, Ash."
That startled him. "Me?"
Dawn nodded, hoping that she wasn't about to scare him away. "It's just, you've taught me, and shown me, a lot. I don't know if I would be the person that I am now without you. I just, wanted you to know, and to thank you. For everything."
Ash turned and looked at the ground. Whoa. "You really mean that?"
Dawn nodded. "I do."
He turned and looked at her, a smile spreading across his face. "Well, you're welcome Dawn. I wouldn't have had it any other way."
Dawn smiled as her heart soared. She had to say it now. "And, Ash, there's something else."
He frowned. "What?"
Dawn looked down at her lap, plucking at her skirt. "It's kind of why I'm here. After you and Brock left, a few weeks maybe, I left to compete in contests in Hoenn. I was so excited. But, when I got there, I didn't do well at all." She paused as tears started to form in her eyes. Ash looked at her worriedly.
"I just couldn't concentrate. None of my ideas for appeals were working, I couldn't even get through some of the entry rounds in some cases. It was like in Sinnoh, when I was in that slump."
Ash placed his hand on her shoulder. "So, what, you wanted my advice? Dawn, you could have just called me. You didn't need to come all the way here."
Dawn nodded, brushing the tears from her eyes, hoping that he hadn't seen them. "It's not that. As I got worse, I started thinking more about you. The things we had done together. I started wondering where you were, who you were with, what you were doing. And, as I was thinking, I realized something."
Ash leaned over, trying to look at her face. "What?"
She raised her head and looked at him. "I realized that, without you, I'm good. I can do appeals, I can do battles. But, I'm better with you. When I think about you, when I'm with you, everything just goes better. I learned a lot from you Ash. I learned how to adapt strategies, how to care for my Pokemon. And, I'm just a better person when I'm with you."
Ash frowned. "Dawn, what are you saying?"
Dawn took a deep breath. "That I...I..." Fuck, why can't I say it! "...I...love...you."
Ash froze. He wasn't sure that he had heard her correctly.
Dawn shivered slightly. "I love you, Ash. I think I've loved you from the moment I met you, that day when I saw you save Pikachu from Team Rocket. I can't stop thinking about you, Ash. I love you."
Ash turned and looked at the ground. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do.
Dawn looked at him desperately, and her heart plummeted. He didn't understand. "Ash?"
He didn't move.
Dawn blinked as fresh tears formed in her eyes. She understood. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. I'll go." She got to her feet and ran back towards the camp.
Ash remained sitting. "She loves me." he whispered. He turned and looked in the direction that she had ran. "Love."
As he thought, and pondered, something in his mind clicked. Everything he had been feeling, everything he had been thinking about, suddenly made sense. Not completely, he was still very confused about some things. But he suddenly understood what he was feeling.
Cilan stretched out as he slipped from his sleeping bag. He smiled as he watched the others awaken. "Ah, an excellent night's rest. Good morning everyone."
Iris glared at him with sleep filled eyes. "Sure. Remind me never to stay up so late with you around. A girl does need her sleep you know."
Max glanced around the camp. "Hey, where's Ash? And Dawn?"
Dawn stumbled and ran, desperately trying to stop her tears from falling. She had laid her heart out, and he hadn't taken it.
She stopped next to a tree, leaning against it as her tears spilled over, tracing wet tracks down her face. Now she knew how Kenny had felt after she had beaten him.
She froze when she felt a gloved hand on her shoulder. Slowly, she turned around.
Ash stood in front of her. He gazed at her, and clasped both her shoulders in his hands. Dawn's heart sped up as he simply looked at her.
Finally, he spoke. "You want to know the truth, Dawn?"
She nodded.
He glanced off to the side, then back at her. "The truth is, I've been having problems of my own recently. I haven't been able to train very well. I've been distracted." His hands slid down her arms, making her shiver. He clasped her hands. "And you know what's been distracting me?"
She shook her head, unable to speak.
He gazed into her eyes, the deep, dark blue pools that so many times before had calmed him, given him solace. "You."
Dawn's heart stopped.
Ash sighed, his hands slipping lower to clasp her waist. Her hands instinctively slid up to his wrists, simply holding him. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you either, Dawn. I don't know when it started, but every thought, every idea, somehow turns to you. You learned a lot from me? I learned a lot from you. You showed me how things are never as bad as they seem. That there is always a way. You showed me new ways to train, to fight, to live."
Through out it all, Ash had been unconsciously moving closer to her. She found her back pressed against the tree, the bark cool and rough. His hands were firm on her hips, trapping her between his body and the tree. His head slowly moved closer to hers, until they were mere inches apart.
Ash didn't know what he was doing. He was running on pure instinct, his body moving on its own accord. All he knew was that his heart was pounding a rhythm that it hadn't before, that his attention was entirely focused on the girl in front of him. Her eyes were wide, drawing him into their cool, inviting depths. He wanted to lose himself in them, but his heart and mind had other plans.
"The truth, Dawn, is that I love you. I don't know how it started. I couldn't tell you if I tried. But I understand it now. I love you, Dawn."
Inch by inch, breath by breath, moment by moment, their heads drew closer together. Dawn couldn't move, didn't want to. Slowly, her eyes drifted closed, her hands sliding up his arms, twining around his neck. Ash's hands wrapped around her waist as he drew closer, until he held her firmly against his body, lightly pressing her against the tree. He had no intention of going anywhere. His eyes closed, and his head tilted slightly.
Their lips met, and Dawn's heart began crashing against her ribs, as if trying to escape and merge with Ash's. His lips were warm and firm against hers, insistent but not pressing. She pulled him tighter, suddenly craving his touch. She loved him, the feel of his lips against hers, the feel of his body enveloping hers in a warm, strong embrace that promised to never let her go. She could feel the wild rhythm of his heart beating through their chests, syncing with hers like two drums playing the same beat.
Inside her mind, she briefly compared Ash's kiss to Kenny's. Kenny had been rushed, desperate. Ash was firm, yet gentle, assured despite his inexperience. She found that she infinitely preferred him to Kenny.
Ash was so deep into unfamiliar territory, if he hadn't been so caught up in the moment, he would have panicked. As it was, his mind was on the verge of total shut down. Dawn's lips were soft and gentle, her arms pulling him closer. The feeling spreading through him was utterly indescribable.
Not too far off, Ralts was chewing a piece of Pokemon food that Cilan had prepared, when she froze and dropped it. The sun broke over the treeline, filling the camp with golden light.
Max noticed, and looked at her in concern. "Ralts? What is it?" He placed a hand on her head, and found that it was rapidly growing warmer, almost hot. "Ralts? What's wrong!"
Iris and Cilan looked over, and Ralts suddenly began vibrating slightly. "Is she okay?" Cilan asked.
Max knelt in front of his partner worriedly. "I don't know. Ralts, tell me something!"
It's good! Everyone blinked at the mental voice. The emotions! They're good. So good! They're so warm, like a fire that doesn't burn! I feel so warm, so strong! Somewhere, they feel really good! It's so happy! I can't, I think...
Ralts suddenly glowed brightly, enveloped in a pure white light. Max stepped backwards in surprise.
Waves of energy began to drift and flow around her body, and Ralts began growing in size, nearly doubling in height. The horns on her head shifted, moving from the front and back of her head to either side, growing more curved as her head widened. Her hair parted and grew longer, falling down either side of her face, revealing her glowing red eyes. The loose skin around the bottom of her body split into sections and raised upwards, forming something similar to a ballerina's dress and revealing a pair of long, thin legs. Her arms grew longer, curving into a gentle semi-circle.
The light that enveloped her body began to fade, and the energy dissipated. Max stared at his partner in awe.
The new Pokemon smiled in sheer joy. "Kirlia!" (Whoa!) She suddenly threw herself into a spin, rotating rapidly on one narrow foot. She stopped, and laughed. "Kir kirlia!" (I can't believe it!) She threw herself at Max, wrapping the stunned boy in a hug.
Max. I'm so happy. I've never felt this happy before! I'm filled with energy. I feel like I could dance forever!
She let him go and jumped backwards, landing daintily on her feet. She started spinning and whirling around the camp, her high pitched laugh ringing through the air.
Within the shadows of the trees, Ash and Dawn were still locked in their embrace, completely oblivious to their surroundings. The sunlight managed to pierce the shaded forest, illuminating the pair in the golden light of the sunrise.
Finally, their lungs demand for air proved too great, and the pair reluctantly separated, albeit only a few breaths apart. Both were breathing hard when they opened their eyes, gazing at each other in wonder.
Ash was the first to speak. "Whoa."
Dawn giggled, though she wasn't sure why the word was so funny. "That was..." words failed her, "...nice."
Ash nodded. "Yeah."
Dawn gazed deep into his brown eyes. It was like looking into the warm earth itself, a familiar friendly fire. "Have you ever done that before?"
Ash blushed slightly. "Kinda. When I was in Alto Mare, a girl kissed me on the cheek."
Dawn stared at him. "Really?"
Ash looked down. "But, I don't know if it was really her. While I was there, I met this Latias that kind of had a crush on me, and she liked to change her appearance so that she looked like this girl. Plus, it was on the cheek, so it doesn't really count. What about you?"
Dawn glanced down as well, their foreheads resting against each other. "Just before Max and I left Hoenn, I ran into Kenny. He kissed me, and told me he loved me."
Ash raised his head and looked at her in confusion. "What did you do?"
Dawn smiled as she looked up. "I gave him a shove, and then thrashed him in a battle. I think I may have broken his heart." Her face turned sad. Despite what he had done, Kenny was still her friend.
Ash pondered that. "Oh." He thought for a moment, looking at her. Within seconds, he had totally forgotten about Kenny. He was completely absorbed in looking at Dawn.
"You know, you look beautiful." He said simply.
Dawn looked at him, her eyes shining. "You think so?"
Ash nodded, smiling. "Yeah. I mean it."
Dawn smiled, and laid her head on his shoulder. He turned both of them around, leaning against the tree as he held her tightly. Finally, she looked up at him.
"Ash, where do we go from here?" she asked.
He looked at her. "What do you mean?"
She looked at his chest, then back into his eyes. "With us. What are we going to do? Do we tell anyone? I mean, I have to tell my mom, and your mom should know too. But what about Brock? And Max, Cilan and Iris? They'll be sure to notice something. Where do we go from here?"
Ash thought for a moment. "We do what we've always done. We'll go back to camp, and if somebody says something, we'll tell them the truth. Plain, and simple. Eventually, we'll tell everyone else. And we'll go forward, just like we did in Sinnoh. We'll figure it out." He smiled. "No need to worry, right?"
Dawn smiled. "Right. Sounds good to me." She looked at him hopefully. "But, do we have to go back to camp right now?"
Ash chuckled. "No, not yet. I'm kind of new to this. And you know me, constantly training." He kissed her again, and she pulled herself closer to him.
Cilan glanced around with concern. I wonder if something happened. Kirlia said that she could sense positive emotions, but they could have been outside her range. He frowned. I wonder what her range is. A thought suddenly occurred to him. Unless, maybe. He looked at the spinning Kirlia, who almost seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. She was juggling Pachirisu, Axew, and Pansage with her Psychic, laughing the whole while. Perhaps Ash was able to figure out what he was feeling. And maybe he also found his feelings reciprocated.
Iris caught a motion out of the corner of her eye, and looked up. "Well, look who's back. Where did you two wander off to?"
Ash and Dawn smiled sheepishly as they walked out of the trees. "We were just talking." Dawn answered.
Cilan raised an eyebrow as he saw Dawn's hand slip into Ash's, and also noticed how close they were walking together. He smiled. I see. So this is a happy occasion.
Blue light surrounded both of Trainer and Coordinator, and they gave a startled exclamation as they rose into the air, Dawn's hand clapping tighter around Ash's who squeezed hers in reassurance. Kirlia leaped in front of them, spinning happily.
You did it! You are each other. I can see your emotions, they flow so strongly, like a river of happiness! Thank you! Thank you so much! I never thought anyone could feel like this!
Ash smiled widely at the newly evolved Pokemon. "You evolved, Ralts? That's awesome." A thought suddenly occurred to him, and both he and Dawn blushed. "So, you felt us, huh?" Dawn smiled awkwardly.
Max grinned at the embarrassed pair. Looks like Dawn finally fessed up. And I'm guessing that Ash figured his own stuff out. I wonder who said it first. "Seeing Ralts evolve into Kirlia was pretty cool, and I guess that we have you two to thank for it."
Iris gave them a strange look as Kirlia set them on the ground. "You sure all you did was just talk?"
Ash grinned at her, then leaned over and kissed Dawn's cheek. "Yeah. Why do you ask?" Dawn smiled warmly, and planted a return kiss right on his lips, causing Iris's eyes to nearly bulge out of her sockets.
Professor Juniper sighed in both happiness and resignation. Now she was going to have to keep an eye on them. "Alright, enough questions, get over here. We've been waiting for you so we can have breakfast."
Pikachu and Piplup glanced at each other as Ash and Dawn sat next each other by the now dead fire, smiled, and raised their respective paw and wing in a high-five.
At last, we have come to the climax! Ain't love just grand? I hope you all had as much fun reading this as I had writing it. I will keep this listed as Incomplete, because I am thinking that I may move on to the World Cup, for that will give me a chance to see what mischief our two lovers can get up to. I already have some ideas for a second climax, and if the result is any bit as glorious as I can see, you will love it. I may end up having to bump up the rating to an M to do all that I want, just to be on the safe side, but rest assured, it will be readable for most people. I don't want to get kicked off here.
