Ash

Ash picked up the phone and held it to his ear. "Sup?"

"Ash, this is Conway,"

"Yes?" Ash raised his eyebrow. He looked at the screen. "What do you want?"

"It's about Pikachu,"

Ash practically jumped on the screen. "What? What happened?"

Conway's evil laugh struck Ash into shock. "He's fine. Well, he's probably gone crazier than you-"

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Ash screamed at the image of Conway. "Just say it!"

"Oh, nothing," Conway's smirk gave away that he was lying.

"Zut," Ash muttered to himself.

Conway chuckled. It still sounded evil. "Did you just say 'damn it' in French?"

"Yes!" Ash yelled. "Tell me what is wrong with Pikachu!"

"He's with Paul and Dawn. They're in Pettleburg. Pikachu chose to travel with Paul as his master. Pikachu doesn't seem to be shaken up anymore, he has forgotten all about it," Conway lowered his head and glared at the screen. "Forgotten all about you,"

Conway hung up. Ash yelled curses and slammed the Phone on the hook. "Good thing I didn't get on the boat yet!" he said as he ran out of the Pokemon center that was at the docks. As he entered the forest, he heard the horn of the ship that was supposed to take him back to Kanto. He hesitated, but shook his head. "Pikachu," he muttered. He fell to his knees. "I'm sorry!"

Dawn

Dawn stretched her arms out. "Paul?" she yawned.

Paul grunted into his pillow. "Huh?"

Dawn sat up. "Rise and shine," she said groggily.

"You don't sound, risen and shining. Let me sleep," Paul turned his back on Dawn.

Dawn threw a pillow at him. "We are going to miss Barry's battle!"

The door opened. May walked in with two cups in her hand. "Too late. They were battling before any of us woke up. Barry left us, too," she handed Dawn the cup. "It's hot chocolate. I love to start my day of with sugar!"

Dawn took the cup and smiled. "Thanks May. Paul, you want some?"

"I hate chocolate," it was the only answer she got before she heard snoring.

May giggled. "I thought so. This cup is for me anyway," May held the cup to her lips and drank some.

"Pika pi?" Pikachu scurried up to May.

"Oh no," May held the cup away from Pikachu. "I heard about the time you had that coffee! Who knows how you will react to this?"

"Oh!" Dawn held her cup to Pikachu. "Drink it! This will be fun!"

Pikachu quickly sipped from the cup. His eyes got wide and he stared into space. The next thing Dawn knew, Pikachu was bouncing off the walls.

Literally.

"Pika! Pika! Pikachu!" he said as he bounced from one wall to the other. He jumped to the ceiling, rebounded from it and landed right on Paul's head.

Paul sat up almost instantly. He looked around, searching the entire room, when his eyes finally landed on the hyper Pikachu bouncing from wall to wall.

May dodged a hit to the back while Dawn ducked to escape a direct blow to the head. Paul stood up and held up Pikachu's Pokeball. "Keep it up and I'll put you in here," he threatened.

Pikachu stopped immediately, looking at the Pokeball with terrified eyes. Dawn huffed and picked up Pikachu. "Don't do that! Pikachu hates his Pokeball! And I gave him the sugar, so you shouldn't blame Pikachu for something that is my fault!"

Paul placed the Pokeball down. He turned his back on Dawn and got back into the bed. Dawn rolled her eyes and stomped out of the room with Pikachu in her arms. May soon followed. "Wow, is it over already?"

"Huh?" Dawn turned on her heels to give a questionable stare to her best friend.

"Um," May poked her fingers together. "Two things. 1, Pikachu's hyper-ness. 2, you and Paul?"

She ended it in a question so that Dawn could clarify. Dawn smiled nonchalantly. "Paul and I are not breaking up over a small fight. Paul didn't know that about Pikachu, now he does. People learn from their mistakes," Dawn looked out a window that lead to the backyard. She looked up to the clear blue sky with white puffy clouds that were dotted here and there. She took a deep breath. "The way Paul learns is like a small arrogant child, you have to yell in his ear to make him listen to you,"

May immediately laughed. "That's Paul for you,"

Dawn sighed. "Yeah,"

They could hear the door open. "Hey May," Drew's voice was heard. "We have a few guest,"

"Really?" May asked. "Who?"

"Come out and see,"

May shot a questionable look at Dawn, and Dawn shrugged. May started to walk towards the door with Dawn at her tail.

As they exited the house, May and Dawn's faces grew smiles. At the same time they yelled, "Savannah, Conner, Michel!" and ran to hug their young friends.

"May, Dawn!" they cried as they hugged them back. They all started to laugh as the bear hug turned into a dog pile. Once everyone got untangled, the chattering began.

"Dawn!" Savannah complained. "You promised me an internship!"

Dawn gulped. "I-"

"Can you please, please, please ask Paul if he could teach me how to become a great Pokemon trainer like him?" Conner begged at Dawn's feet.

"But I-"

"I'm here for an interview," Everyone turned their attention to Michel. He had a notepad and pen in his hand and a camera around his neck. "Dad liked my last story so much that he wanted me to get another one of all of you. What are you doing, are all of you traveling in a pack, are you all related?" he explained using hand motions here and there. "We want the story behind this group of teens!"

"That," Dawn began. "I have no problem with!"

"Was the story really that good?" Drew asked. Immediately a magazine appeared in Drew's hand.

"This is the last issue," Michel stated proudly. "I designed it, and wrote the story,"

Dawn and May crowded around Drew to get a better look of the issue. The main picture was an awesome shot of Drew Kissing May. It was taken at a sort downwards pointing up at an angle. You could see the flashes of other cameras in the background, but in the picture it looked like fireworks had been shot off during the kiss. It was a truly amazing picture.

Below that picture, there was a cut out section that had the group picture in it. Everyone was smiling, except Paul, he never smiles.

Pikachu jumped on Drew's shoulder and Drew cleared his throat. "'Drew Hayden, a top coordinator from LaRousse City, stunned not only the entire party, but the entire world, with his declaration of love towards May Maple, from Pettleburg City. Drew Hayden had claimed to Wallace that he had a special surprise for an extraordinary someone, and that he would reveal it to the world when accepting his prize. Half of the girls nearly fainted when Drew planted a romantic kiss after his announcement. Female coordinators are saying 'I can't believe he's not single anymore!''" Drew smirked cockily and flipped his hair. "Yeah, I can barely believe I'm not single as well,"

May rolled her eyes. She grabbed the back of his head and made him look at the magazine again. Drew rolled his eyes before he began reading again. He started reading the section around the group picture. "'Drew Hayden and May Maple arrived to the party in a group. Among them are Dawn Berlitz, Barry Davis, and Paul Shinji with their Pokemon, Ralts, Glaceon, Absol, and Pikachu. Dawn, Paul, and Barry are from different regions, looking to succeed in Hoenn as they did in Sinnoh,'"

"What are you doing?" Paul's voice made Everyone's heads pop up from the magazine. It was then that Dawn realized she was leaning on Drew's back. She raised herself up and walked towards Paul. "WE made the cover of 'Coordinator's Today!'. We were reading the article that Michel made,"

Paul looked towards the triplets. "You go everywhere together?"

"Yep," They answered at once.

"Hm,"

"Paul," Dawn smiled admirably to him. "Michel wants to interview us," Dawn turned to Michel to show him her smile. She caught the eyes of Conner, who was giving her a pleading look. She gulped and rushed out in a whisper. "And Conner wants to train with you,"

Paul raised an eyebrow. "He has a Pokemon?"

"Yes," Conner held up a Pokeball. "I do!"

Paul grabbed his Pokeball. "Quick round. One on one,"

"Alright!" Conner jumped in the air.

"You can use Dad's gym," May recommended.

"Sure," Conner said, his exhilaration was obvious in his tone.

Dawn followed everyone into the gym, smiling as she sat on the sidelines. An idea quickly popped into her head. "May," She whispered to her friend. "I'll be right back. Don't start without me," and Grabbed Savannah's hand and ran from the gym.

Paul

"Where are you going?" Paul asked, Emotion untraceable in his voice.

"Be right back! Don't start without us!" Dawn yelled as she exited the gym. Paul saw May and Drew give each other questionable looks. They had no idea what she was doing either.

"Can we still bring out our Pokemon?" Conner asked, gripping his Pokeball.

Paul raised his Pokeball. "Poochyena, stand by for battle," out of the red light, Poochyena appeared. Instantly Poochyena started to growl at the person on the opposite side of the field.

Conner smiled. He threw his Pokeball into the air. "Ninjask, give it your all!" Then out of the red light appeared a Ninjask. It hovered for a second, but then it started to move rapidly from left to right, up to down, showing off its speed.

"Back!" Dawn's voice appeared from the back of the gym. Dawn and Savannah stepped into view.

Dawn was wearing a cheer leading outfit. It was dark blue; it had a red glittery pattern of zigzags on the rims. She held blue and red pompoms in both her hand and Kirlia had a matching outfit, but it wasn't a skirt. It was like little pants and a sweater. Savannah was wearing one that appeared to be Dawn's old cheer outfit, only that it fit Savannah. Next to Savannah was a small Pokemon. Paul pulled out his Pokedex.

The Monotone recorded voice said, "Igglybuff, the Balloon Pokémon. Igglybuff's resilient body allows it to bounce endlessly once it's been put in motion," Savannah turned to her Igglybuff and smiled vibrantly.

Dawn looked at Conner's Pokemon. "Wow!" she said before pulling out her Pokedex.

The monotone recorded voice said, "Ninjask, the Ninja Pokémon. Ninjask moves around at such a high speed that it cannot be seen, even while its crying can be clearly heard. For that reason, this Pokemon was long believed to be invisible,"

"Amazing," Dawn said smiling to Conner. She held up her Pompoms. "Sorry Conner, I'm cheering for Paul. His Poochyena was great, but he needs this enthusiasm,"

"It's okay," Conner smirked. "Cheer for your boyfriend,"

Dawn merely stuck her nose in the air and walked over to Paul's side of the field. Savannah stood by her brother and cheered for Conner.

Drew was going to tell when to start. Dawn quickly cheered. "You can do it, Poochyena!" Paul looked at Poochyena's body tense, as if he was more confident to win.

Drew quickly yelled, "Begin!"

And the battle was on. Conner started First. "Ninjask, Bug Bite!" Ninjask moved with speed that caused Poochyena to panick, yet Paul kept his cool. Poochyena could sense Paul, so he calmed down right before Paul made his move.

"Poochyena, Bite," When Ninjask appeared right in front of Poochyena, he launch and bit the bugs head.

"Ninjask!" Conner cried out. He quickly thought of a move. "Use Harden!" Ninjask used the move, hardening himself and protected it from anymore pressure from the bite.

Paul glared. "Use Crunch," Poochyena bit harder, and it was obvious that Ninjask could feel the pain.

"Ninjask get out of there!" Conner commanded. Ninjask jerked away with all his might and left Poochyena's crunch. Conner smirked. "Fury Swipes!" Ninjask flew forward, slashing at Poochyena, who fell on the ground after the third hit.

Dawn and Kirlia could be heard cheering. "Poochyena! Poochyena!" over and over. Poochyena struggled to get up, but managed.

Paul took the opportunity he had. Conner was distracted with whether Poochyena was okay or not. He made his move. "Takedown!" Conner gasped as Poochyena regained full composer and charged at Ninjask, knocking it to the ground unable to battle.

"Ninjask!" Conner ran onto the battle field and held his Pokemon in his arms. Ninjask opened his eyes and frowned. Conner smiled sadly. "It's okay, Ninjask. You battled great," Conner took his Pokeball and returned Ninjask. He looked up to Paul. "Thanks for the battle. That was great X.P.,"

Paul turned away like he always did, but he didn't say his usual 'Your Pokemon are weak' thing. Dawn liked these kids, and if she heard him say that, he would be in a big dilemma. 'I already fought with her once today, better not try for twice,'

"Can I start with the interviews now?" Michel stated impatiently. Dawn giggled. "Sure,"

Dawn

"Dinner time," Mrs. Maple called from the house. Everyone filed into the house and to the table. Savannah, Conner, and Michel would be joining them for Dinner that night.

Dawn smiled when she saw Pikachu jump on Paul's shoulder. "Pika pi?" Pikachu asked, giving his most powerful'I'm sorry' look. Paul shrugged slightly, which cause Pikachu to cheer and rub his cheek into Paul's. Paul looked a little shocked by the action, but got over it when the food was placed onto the table.

"Oh, mom," May's mouth started to water. "I just love you so much!"

Dawn stared, wide eyed, at the food in front of her. But one thing stood out from the rest. To Dawn, I seemed like a light from heaven was shining down brightest on this food. It was illuminating the bowl with a glorious power that made Dawn almost drool. "RAMEN!" She screamed as she grabbed the bowl from its spot on the table and dumped almost the whole thing into her bowl.

May was laughing so hard her chair fell backwards. Drew was staring at her like she was an alien from the far corners of the galaxy, and Paul had a smirk on his face.

"Y-you are just like me!" May cried and she wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes.

"She is worst than you," Drew pointed at Dawn, staring at her with huge eyes.

Dawn frowned. "It's not polite to stare," just then, Dawn felt a pair of eyes on her. At first, she thought it was Paul, trying to bug her. Yet, when she looked at Paul, he was eating. She looked at May, but she was still on the floor. She looked at Drew; he had gotten the message. She looked at the triplets; they were poking each other. She looked at Max; he was looking at some device. She looked at May's parents; they were eating in peace.

Who was staring at her?

That's when she got the urge to look behind May and Drew and outside the window. And there was a dark figure outlined in the darkness, staring straight at Dawn.