Chapter 10: The Consequences of Her Actions

Nurse Joy was at her desk having just finished a few Pokémon examinations when she saw Misty approaching. Seeing the redhead made the Pokémon nurse remember what Ash had told her earlier.

"Hi, Nurse Joy," Misty said. She immediately noticed that Misty's voice was lacking the cheerfulness that it usually held.

"Hello, Misty," she replied. "How are you doing?"

"I'd be doing a lot better if I hadn't lost," Misty said.

"Yes, Ash told me about that," the nurse replied. Misty figured that Ash had said something about the battle to her, but she wasn't sure just how much he told her.

"Listen, you can't let one loss get to you," Nurse Joy said. "I know you'll bounce back. After all, you've got a great boyfriend to support you."

"Yeah," Misty said. "Ash must not have told her everything." While Misty was lost in thought Nurse Joy remembered that she brought Elektra in earlier.

"By the way, your Pikachu is still resting," she said. "Do you want me to get her for you?"

"No, that's fine," Misty said. "If she's still resting then I don't want to disturb her."

"Alright then," Nurse Joy said. "I'll contact you when she wakes up."

"Actually, could I get you to look after her for a little while longer?" Misty asked.

"Of course, but why?" Nurse Joy asked.

"I just… need some time along to think," Misty replied. And with that Misty walked out of the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy was worried about her, but she couldn't leave the Center unattended. She could only hope that Misty worked out her problems. In another part of the main lobby Dawn watched as Misty left. Seeing the sad expression on her face filled Dawn with much guilt, but just like last time she pushed it to the back of her mind, instead focusing on what was to come.

"Alright, now to go claim my prize," she said. With Misty gone Dawn headed to the back rooms where she would claim Ash as her own. But as she left two other figures, a man and a woman, left the Pokémon Center following Misty.

Ash hadn't moved or said anything since Misty left. His tears had stopped flowing, possibly due to the fact he had no more tears to shed. His Pokémon, Pikachu and Luxray, had exhausted all options to get Ash to snap out of his current state. They both knew that the only one who could do anything for him was Misty, and she was preparing to leave and head back to Hoenn.

"Chu Pikapi (Oh Ash)," Pikachu said. Out of all of Ash's Pokémon he knew him the best, and he knew how this would affect him.

"Lux Ray Ray Lux? (What do we do?)" Luxray asked.

"Pi Pika Pi Ka Chu (There's nothing we can do)," Pikachu replied. "Pika Pikachupi Pi Ka Chu Pi Ka (Only Misty can help him now)." As the two of them worried about their distraught trainer the door to their room opened. Pikachu and Luxray looked up, hoping that it was Misty returning.

"Hi there!" Dawn said as she entered. Ash never moved while Pikachu and Luxray glared with as much anger as they could at her. Dawn didn't seem to notice as she entered the room and sat down next to Ash on the bed.

"So, now that we're going out what should we do first?" Dawn asked, as cheerful as she could be. Ash continued to sit there, not moving or saying anything.

"Hey. Did you hear me?" Dawn asked. Again Ash didn't acknowledge her.

"Come on, Ash. Speak to me," she said. "I know you're still upset about Misty, but you've got to look past that. We've got a future ahead of us that…"

"No, we don't," Ash said. Everyone looked at him.

"What do you mean?" Dawn asked.

"I mean we don't have a future together, we never did and we never will," Ash said.

"What, of course we do," Dawn replied. "I mean, now that Misty's out of the picture we can…"

"You just don't get it, do you!" Ash yelled, finally getting up from the bed. "Misty is the only girl I have ever loved and the only one I ever will love!"

"But she's not with you anymore," Dawn said. "I won the battle so now you can be with me."

"But I don't want to be with you!" Ash replied. "Why is that so hard for you to understand? Misty is who I want to be with, not you!"

"But why? What's so special about her" Dawn demanded.

"Let's see… where do I start!" Ash replied. "She's a kind a caring person, she's great with Pokémon, she has a wonderful personality, she's beautiful beyond words, she knows me better than anyone else besides my own mother… I could go of for hours!"

"Well, all that aside, I'm here and she's not!" Dawn said. "You're just going to have to accept that!"

"I will NOT accept it!" Ash replied.

"You don't have a choice!" Dawn said. "We had an agreement and now it's time for you to own up to it!"

"That's where you're wrong!" Ash replied. "You and Misty had the agreement! I didn't agree to anything!"

"You're not making this easy, Ash!" Dawn yelled.

"Why should I?" Ash replied. While the two trainers argued back and forth Pikachu and Luxray looked on. They had seen Ash get angry before, but this was far and beyond anything they had seen out of him before.

"Lux Ray Ray Luxluxray Lux Luxray Lux Ray Lux (This is the angriest I've ever seen him get)," Luxray said.

"Chu Pikachupi Pi Pikachu Pikapi Pi Chu Pika Pikachu (When Misty is involved Ash can get very passionate)," Pikachu said.

"Come on, Ash! It'll be a lot easier if you just accept the fact that I'm here and Misty isn't!" Dawn said.

"No, it'll be easier if you accept the fact that no matter what you say I will always love Misty!" Ash replied.

"But she isn't here!" Dawn argued.

"I know, and it's all your fault!" Ash said. "You know what, I think it's time you left!"

"What?" Dawn asked.

"You heard me! I want you to get out!" Ash said. Pikachu and Luxray growled at her, feeling the same way Ash did.

"Oh no, you're not getting rid of me that easily, Ash Ketchum!" Dawn replied.

"I'm not in the mood for your attitude, Dawn!" Ash said.

"Well you're just going to have to deal with me and my attitude because I'm not going anywhere!" Dawn said. To enforce her point she stomped her foot. Unfortunately she stomped a bit too hard and shook the nightstand she was standing next to, causing her backpack which she placed there earlier to fall to the floor.

"See what you made me do? Now my backpack is…" She stopped herself when she realized what had just happened. As a result of the fall some of the contents of her backpack had fallen out, including a suspicious manila folder.

"Oh no," she said to herself. Ash, Pikachu and Luxray saw her looking down and followed her gaze down to the manila folder.

"What the?" Ash said. Dawn saw where he was looking and made a move to grab the folder.

"Pikachu, grab that folder!" Ash said. Using his Agility for a burst of speed Pikachu grabbed the folder before Dawn.

"Hey! Give me that!" she yelled. She made a move towards Pikachu but Luxray cut her off. With Luxray blocking her path she could only watch as Pikachu gave Ash the manila folder.

"Now, let's see what's in this," he said. He opened the manila folder. Pikachu was on his shoulder so he could see, and Luxray had jumped on the bed behind Ash so he could see. Dawn closed her eyes, not wanting to see Ash's reaction to the contents of the folder. She heard him gasp and immediately knew he saw what was inside.

"Pi Ka! (No Way!)"

"R-Ray… (T-That's…) Taking a chance Dawn opened her eyes and looked at Ash. His mouth was hanging open as he stared at what was inside the folder. He reached inside and took whatever it was out, dropping the empty folder. As he and his Pokémon continued to stare his facial expression went from shock to anger. He looked up and glared at Dawn, his Pokémon mirroring his actions.

"Dawn… you had better have a good explanation as to where you got this," he said. He showed her what he was holding, though she already knew what it was. In Ash's hand were pictures of him and her hugging right after he rescued her from the rogue Tentacruel. Right at that moment one thought went through Dawn's mind.

Busted…

Things seemed to be going perfectly for Dawn, but now it appears as though everything is backfiring on her. Now that Ash has discovered the pictures in her possession what will she tell him? What can she tell him? And how will Ash react? Find out in the next chapter of Sinnoh League: Trials of the Heart!

Please review