"God, I miss you, Brock..." Dawn sighed to herself as she walked home. "It only has been a week and I am sick for you. What am I going to do? I guess we really weren' destined to be together because we will never see each other." Suddenly a big blast of smoke filled the air. Dawn coughed hard from it, and suddenly she gasped in surprise, knowing who it was that caused it.
"It can't be!!" Dawn shouted. A man came out of smoke, accompanied by a young woman her age. Mr. Riley was back, when he had promised to never return. "Riley, I thought I told you to leave Affron City and never return!"
"I lied...so what?" He replied, coldly.
"Than face the consequences! I will rip you apart with my own bare hands!" Dawn said, getting into her fighting stance. She aimed a powerful fireball at him and the women got in front of it and deflected it back at Dawn. She moved quickly out of the way, just barely missing. Riley laughed evily.
"Using my own strength is SO...unimaginative. I decided to have someone do my own work this time. Meet Demona, my beautiful pet. And MY name isn't MR. Riley anymore...it's Darkstalker."
"You are so lazy!" Dawn replied to him. "You and me have a score to settle. Not between me and psycho-women here!"
"I wanted to see how your strength matches up with Demona. Once you're weak and out of the way, I will take out Affron City out of revenge, starting with your family...and I will make you watch every precious second of their death hour."
"You will not harm anyone! I will not allow it." Dawn said angrilly.
"Than perhaps I should start with someone that's more into your heart...Oh, what was his name? Oh yes! I remember! His name was Brock, wasn't it?"
"Don't you ever touch him! This isn't suppose to deal with him. So leave him alone!"
"Oh! Touchy, aren't we?" He asked.
"Oh, you better believe it!" Dawn said, coming toward Riley(erhem! I mean, Darkstalker), just about to tackle him. Demona got into the way and slammed her down onto the ground.
"You aren't so tough as that last time we met, are you? You aren't so big now? Like I said before...Life is hard. And you're always going to meet someone who is over you...someone that can beat you." Dawn stepped back.
"I can agree with that! I am above you both!" Dawn said and she slammed her fist into the ground, creating a huge barrier around the city and knocking Demona and Darkstalker out of the area, just outside of the city. Darkstalker ordered Demona to break open the shield with her most strongest attack. She tried, and yet it failed. Trying everything that she could, and it never worked. Dawn fell to her knees...panting and wheezing hard. She looked up at them with a small grin.
"Now you can't harm anyone! Not as long as this barrier is here protecting the city." Dawn inhaled and exhaled constantly.
"Don't worry...There are other things we can do to make you suffer." Darkstalker grinned and they both disappeared. Just then, Dawn thought of something and it clicked. Oh NO! She thought, fearfully. They're going to get Brock!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Brock...?" A female voice called out to him. Brock looked around in the dark, not being able to see a thing.
"Wh..who's there?" He asked. He tried to grope his way around, but there was nothing in sight.
"My love...come back to me....I need you....help me.." The voice said.
"Dawn...? Dawn, is that you? What's wrong" He asked, becoming familiar with the tone.
"I need you....Brock...so powerless....help..me..." The voice fainted out.
"Dawn? Come out and let me see you." Brock said, but there was no answer. Instead, an illusion was shown. It was a picture of Affron City at night when the stars were bright and there was a full moon and a little girl by a lamp post, just laying there, helpless. Brock was confused at the picture, not knowing what was going on. "What are you trying to show me, Dawn?" The girl looked up and tried to get up, leaning herself against the post. It was Dawn, weak for some odd reason.
"Weak...used magic...to protect...Affron City..." She managed to say faintly.
"Dawn...? Why? Protect from what? I don't understand. Why did you use this illusion? Are you trying to connect with me telepathically?"
"Riley...is after me...I am shielding...Affron from him...need help...so weak....stay away from girl... very dangerous..." Dawn said, trying to show a picture of her and suddenly everything went black.
"Dawn!! Come back! Let me help!!!" Brock said and suddenly he woke up with startled expression when he saw that Ash was trying to wake him up. "C'mon, Brock. You've slept long enough." Brock sat up and held his head.
"Is something the matter, Brock?" Misty asked.
"Dawn...I think that there's something wrong with her." Brock said.
"Brock, it's been a week since you've been apart...I think you miss her A LOT." Misty replied.
"No, I'm serious. I had a dream and she told me that she was in trouble and I had to stay away from some girl."
"Really? A girl?" Ash asked, interested. "Oh, than we might as well stay away from Misty than! Misty must be REALLY dangerous!" Misty wasn't at all amused and she whacked him upside the head. "See?" He grunted and she hit once more.
"I don't think that Misty is the girl.." Brock thought aloud.
"Well, like you said, it was a dream." Ash said, trying to recooperate from the injury. "It probably didn't mean anything."
"It did. I remember Dawn telling me she is telepathic and she was probably trying to reach to me."
"We've got more important things to worry about, right now, Brock. Some dream of yours can't stop us from trying to keep moving. It's not like we can go back to Affron City when we're halfway onto the next town just to check on Dawn because of a hunch." Misty explained.
"Maybe you are right, Misty. She's probably okay." Brock said, feeling a little bit relieved and the three walked on to the next town.
*~*~*Meanwhile~*~*~
Dawn stood up, weak from her attempt to contact Brock.
"I don't think I got to Brock clearly enough." She said to herself. "If Demona gets to him, than I don't know what I'd do. Rileys' up to something...I can feel it. He may have said yes to what I told him to do, but he may have lied to me to get out of his little scrape. Now he knows I have a weak spot, he'll go for it...and that's Brock. I will not have Demona get to Brock...not if I have to help it. This shield can hold for a while until I get back. I'm going to find Demona before she even gets her hands on him. I have no choice but to leave. I'm not strong enough to teleport myself there so I'll have to do it the old-fashion way: walk. She used a little bit of magic, just enough though, for her black cloak and put it on herself.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"What do you mean all the hotels are closed up?" Ash asked, furious. "I'm sorry sir, but everything is booked up for the next week." The clerk said apologetically.
"We have no choice but sleep at the Pokémon Center...again." Ash groaned, coming to a sad decision. Misty looked like she was going to have a spaz attack. "Wha?! No way! I am NOT, I repeat, NOT going to sleep there!"
"We can't do anything about it, Misty. Like Ash said, we have no choice." Brock said.
"Are you looking for an open hotel?" A women asked from behind. They turned around to see a girl with somewhat long green hair and small glasses. She was a pair of flares and a belly t-shirt.
"Yes...Could you tell us where exactly we can find a hotel that actually has a empty room?" Misty asked, eagerly.
"I own one just down the street from here. My name is Diane. I take in people for free if they can't get a room." She said.
"For free??? That's great!" Ash said.
"Please, follow me. I'll show you to it." She said and led them a couple buildings down. When they got into the hotel, they were filled with amazement. The room was so neatly done and it seemed fancy. It seemed too good to be true that it was free. Diane went behind the front desk and waited for them to stop gazing and check themselves in. Ash went up to her and waited.
"So, how long will you be here?" She asked politely. "About 2 1/2 days."
"All right. If you need more time to stay here, you are welcome."
"Thank you." The three said at once and they were shown to their rooms, each one getting their own separate rooms. Brock set his backpack down and took out a few things, one of them being Dawn's picture. He looked at it and just smiled. Maybe I am over-reacting. I just miss Dawn and i'm trying to think up reasons to go back. That thing was just a dream. Just then, Diane came in.
"Anything you need sir?" She asked. Brock shook his head.
"No thank you, miss...I am quite fine right now." He said.
"Diane..." She said, correcting him for calling her 'miss'.
"Brock." He replied.
"Nice to meet you, Brock. You know, you're the cutest one here that I have ever met." Brock than had a flashback of the party he went to when he first met Dawn. "Hmm....You know, you're practically the cutest one here. Wait a minute. You're the guy I saw at the Pokémon Center earlier today." She said finally. "Dance with me?" Brock was too stunned by her beauty. She put her hands on her hips.
"Oh, I get it...You'll only dance with a girl you like, right?" The girl asked. "All right then...Look into my eyes...You-are-going-to-like-me... You-are-going-to-like-me....Did it work?" She said as she began to a fake hypnotism. Brock finally snapped back to the present and looked at Diane.
"Is something wrong, Brock?" She asked.
"...No, nothing at all. I'm fine." Brock replied, trying to get back to his senses.
"All right. I'll be downstairs in the lobby if you need anything." Diane said and left the room, closing the door after her. Brock sighed in relief. God, that really was wierd, Brock thought. I must be losing it. Maybe I need some sleep. We've been walking all day so maybe I just need some shut eye.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dawn walked for hours, feeling like it was never going to end. She knew she had to do this. If she didn't get there in time, who knows what might happen. Still, her strength was down and she wasn't able to perform any magic to help herself. What if I can't find Brock? She thought constantly. I'll never forgive myself if anything happens to Brock or anyone else. Just to see Brock once more is something I have longed for. I know it's only been a week, but it has torn me apart. I want to be with Brock again...Just to spend one night with him alone would be a dream for me...Nothing would go wrong...everything just perfect....just perfect.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Morning sunshine!" Diane said cheerfully.
"wh, what?" Brock asked, half-awake.
"C'mon, Brock. Get out of bed and enjoy the morning!" Brock turned over on his bed to go get the clock on the nightstand. He managed to grab hold of it and finally got his vision focused to see that it was 6:45 a.m.
"It's quater to seven. I sleep in. I enjoy my mornings by doing so." Brock said and put the covers over his head. Diane shook her head in disbelief and pulled th sheets off the bed. Brock shivered for a moment, only because he was in his boxers and he had no shirt on.
"Oh, no you don't, sleepy head!" She said with a grin. Brock sat up and looked at her.
"Is this what you do for all of your cutomers?" He asked.
"Only the cute ones." She replied. "Now c'mon! I want to show you around town!" Just as she was about to leave, Brock said, "I would love to, but I have to get changed first, because, as you can see..." Diane looked at his chest and boxers, surveying how muscular he is.
"All right, I'll wait outside." She said. Brock got out of bed and put on some normal, casual clothes and left his room. He found Diane waiting for him. "2 qustions: Aren't Ash and Misty coming? And the other is, don't you have work?"
"Answer to the first one: No, because I wanted to get to know you better, and answer to the second question: I am off for the day and am able to do what I want until I go back."
"Oh, I see." Brock said.
"How about you and I go shopping?"
"Umm...okay." Brock said, hesitant. They walked downstairs and outside. They came to a couple stores and really didn't see anything until they came to a jewlery store, Diane went to go talk to someone about some bargains on some jewlery while Brock looked around. Suddenly, Brock noticed a pair of two rings. One was a guy-sized ring and the other was a womens'. They each had a a white diamond. They were both very gorgeous rings.
"Ahh, the Angels' rings. The very finest and the most popular. Very catchy, isn't it young man?" A man asked as he explained what the two rings were.
"Very," He replied as he still looked at it. "How much is the two?"
"They are $900." The man answered. A sweatdrop appeared on Brock.
"$900 is a little bit out of my price range." He said, hesitating.
"Well, let me make a deal with you, young man." He said. "Is it for that girl over there?" they both looked at Diane. Brock shook his head vigorously.
"No...She's just someone I know. It would be for someone special to me."
"Ahh...I'll give it to you for...$200? I know that seems like I am really slashing the price, but I think you and this girl seem like you really care for each other and you would even buy this for her. Is she special to you?"
"More than anything."
"All right. $200 dollars and that is my final offer."
"Deal!" Brock said, happily. Dawn is going to absolutely love this ring, he thought to himself.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dawn was becoming irritable and restless. She was now at the point where she could collapse at any moment. This is such a drag, she thought. I know walking is good exercise for you, but this is rediculous. And it is taking me forever to get to the next town. Oh, I hope Brock is all right. Suddenly, a buncha guys came walking over to her. They looked like they were in some kind of gang. The head leader was on a motorcycle.
"Goin' my way, sugar?" The leader asked. "My name is Thunder."
"Excuse me, I have no time for this..." Dawn said as she tried to pass, but the men kept her in a circle so she couldn't go anywhere.
"Kinda late for little girls to be roamin' about here all alone...." One chuckled. Thunder got off his bike and got closer to her.
"Look, fellas..." Dawn began, trying to keep her cool. "I have had a long two days of walking. Let me pass right now or you're gonna be sorry."
"You know, baby? I love your little attitude. You turn me on all over!!!" He said as he forced her into a hug, trying to kiss her. Dawn tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let go, so what she did was she kneed him hard in the crotch. He stepped back a couple steps, feeling the pain rush through him. The other men were surprised and whispering.
"I told you not to cross me." She said. Thunder stood up and charged at her, just about to tackle her downward. Dawn went with the fall and flipped him into some guys. She ran to the motorcycle, thinking she might have a chance to get out of there, and it would be a lot faster to get to town, but two guys stood in front of her path to the motorcycle. Dawn ran up to one and one guy she stepped onto his back while he tried to get up and grabbed a hold of one of the guys' shirts, twisting herself in the air, putting her foot onto his back, and pulling him with her downwards and flipped him onto the ground. The other threw out some hooks and uppercuts, but Dawn blocked and got him out of the way by kicking him into some other men. Dawn hopped onto the motorcycle quickly, turned it on and dorve off as fast as she could. When she was far enough away, she saw that Thunder looked really ticked at all the gang because now his bike was lost. Dawn turned back to the road and grabbed the helmet that was hanging from the side and put it on her head, now being able to get to the next town as fast as she could at top speed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Brock and Diane came back to the hotel later on that day, later at night. Just as Ash and Misty were walking down the steps of the lobby, Diane quickly put her hand in his, to make it look like something to the two. Brock felt a slight of discomfort. Both Ash and Misty stared in a bit of surprise and confusion.
"Brock...you're back." Misty said. Diane turned to Brock and smiled.
"Well, I had a great time today...let's do it some other time, okay?" She said to him and kissed him on the cheek, walking away. Ash looked at him with a somewhat angry tone.
"Brock..." Ash announced. "My room..Now!" He tugged him upstairs with Misty tagging along. They all got into his room and he closed the door behind him so no one could hear their conversation. "What is the matter with you, Brock?"
"What?" He asked.
"You came into the hotel hand in hand with Diane...what's wrong with this picture? Have you forgotten someone that you kept raving about all week saying you can't eat, sleep or anything? The girl back in Affron City?"
"Ash, I haven't forgotten Dawn...why would I? I have no interest of going out with Diane. Sure, she's nice and all, but no one can ever compare to Dawn." Brock replied.
"Than explain the holding of the hands."
"Diane did that...Just all of a sudden she clamped her hand into mine. I felt uncomfortable because it didn't seem right. And the kiss meant nothing to me...Did you see me blush and go nuts over her?"
"Well, no."
"Exactly. And do you know why? Because I love Dawn. And because I love her so much, I got her this..." He said and held out a little box. Misty took hold of it and opened it up and gasped. Ash took a look at it and his mouth dropped open fast.
"Brock, This is...WOW!! I didn't even think you were serious yet, but an engagement ring? Are you even ready?" Misty asked.
"Marriage? No, no, no...this is a ring for a special occasion between Dawn and I. I can't tell you what it's for because it's a secret."
"Oh, you can tell me, Brock!" Misty persisted.
"...Before we left Affron City, like the night before, I made a promise to Dawn about that I would always love her forever, no matter where I'd be. This ring is to seal it off, and to finish it with a kiss." Brock said, proud.
"Awwww.....how romantic." Misty said.
"I would never do anything to hurt Dawn in any way what so ever...and if you'll excuse me. I'm going to call Dawn right now and go sweet talk to her." Brock said and left the room.
"I wish I had a guy like that. One who was so sweet and gentle..." Misty said, drifting away from reality.
"I hate to disappoint you Misty, but this guy must be able really desperate to go out with you. I pity the fool who gets hooked up with you..." Ash said. Suddenly, Misty became angry and kicked him to the wall.
Meanwhile, Brock had gotten into his room and he laid down on the bed and put the phone on his stomach. He picked it up and dialed Dawn's phone number. I can't wait to hear her voice, he thought to himself. Suddenly the phone picked up and the person who was on the phone was sounding like she was having a panic attack.
"HELLO??? HELLO???" A female voice anwsered as she sounded like she was shaking.
"Hi, is Dawn there?" Brock asked, sounding a bit suspicious.
"She isn't here! She hasn't been here for two days." Brock's expression turned serious and concerned.
"What do you mean she isn't there? Who is this?"
"This is Tammy!"
"Tammy, it's me, Brock. Are you okay? What's going on?"
"Oh, Brock. I thought she went to go find you so she can stay with you on your journeys but it seems like that she isn't there either! And just to top it off, there is a big blue thing surronding our whole city and no one can get in or out. Oh, Brock! I am so scared! What if something happens to Dawn??!! I will never forgive myself ever!" Tammy sobbed.
"Don't worry. Dawn is going to be all right. I'll go out and scout the area to see if she just got here. How are your parents?"
"They are worried...They are trying to stay calm, but they can't. What if one of them has a nervous break-down???"
"Don't say that, Tammy. Just think positive. I'll find Dawn and I'll let you know on anything, okay?"
"All right, Brock. I'm counting on you." Tammy sniffed. They both said goodbye to each other and hung up. Brock got up from his bed and went to go leave and tell Ash and Misty where he was going. They understood and Brock set off on the beginning of his search.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Good," Dawn said as she saw a top of a building. "I'm almost there. I hope nothing has happened yet. Suddenly she heard some more motorcycles. She turned around to see that the gang looked mad and they were chasing right after her. "Oh, great. This is what I need. A bunch of numbkulls on my butt to add to my day. Well, better give them a fast playing performance." She took her motorcycle onto the freeway, knowing that would lead them away from the city, but she had an idea of how to lose them and how to get to where she was going(pretty neat, huh?).
She saw a truck that was heading in the same direction that she was so she rolled herself on. Dawn stopped the motorcycle and let some others that fit on. She kicked one back onto the road and the other tried to fight her while he was still on the bike but his balance wasn't good enough so he fell off as well. She got back onto her bike and as soon as the time came, Dawn jumped off, keeping her motorcycle on a well balanced area as she slid on a slanted pavement that held up part of the top high way and was able to make it. Other motorcyclists followed but fell off and landed in the water that was on the side. Dawn kept going and turned around to see that they weren' following her anymore. She got back onto her original road and kept going when she turned back around she saw that she was about to hit a person. She sharply turned the motorcycle and fell right off it, hitting a tree. She got up slowly, rubbing her back in pain. Just then, the gang cam back and stopped right by her.
"Awwww...." Thunder said. "The little girl had an accident."
"Let's put a smile on her face." One said, pulling out a pocket knife. Dawn pulled off her helmet and looked at them in anger.
