All four of us return to the Pokémon Center by the late afternoon and gather back into Wes' room to update one another. Dawn and Nate are the first to do so. That Nate managed to get the sponsorship is good news. What Dawn says, much less so.

"He knew?" I ask in disbelief. "How?"

"I don't know," Dawn groans, a frown set on her face. "I have to guess he heard from Jupiter and figured I'd come here."

"Or perhaps he genuinely recognized your name and what he said is the truth?" Wes chimes in. "Have you thought of that?"

Dawn shoots him a glare. I arch an eyebrow instead. Why is he defending him now?

After that, it's my and Wes' turn. And unsurprisingly, Dawn is not too thrilled about a specific detail.

"Can you explain to me why you didn't bring up our suspicions about Tabitha when the Gym leader said he's involved in this?" she asks as she massages the bridge of her nose.

A good question I also asked once we got Roxie off our backs. One he deflected with a 'later'. But not this time.

"It's simple," he says, smirking. "If he really is in league with Plasma, this plan not working will be the proof we need."

"And if that's the case, we won't be able to correct the damage!" Dawn protests.

He shrugs. "Why not? We'll be on top of him before he can escape and all will be well."

"No it won't!" Dawn all but shouts. "His accomplices may escape! And then we won't be able to free the Pokémon they captured."

Wes merely shrugs. "I suppose that will teach the shorty not to put her mons on the line like this."

Oh you…

At that reply, Dawn's hands clench in her lap and her face contorts into a multitude of grimaces in quick succession. And after that, to my bewilderment, she shoots up on her feet and storms out of the room, my gaze following her all the way.

I shake my head when she's no longer in sight. "Bravo," I groan at Wes, even if I don't turn to him. "Absolutely bravo."

I don't stick around to hear whatever witty remark he's got up his sleeves. I just go after Dawn.

Chasing Dawn proves to be easier said than done, as she sprints down the stairs and out of the Pokémon Center with a surprising speed I have difficulties keeping up with.

Thankfully, once she's out of the Center, she stops in her tracks. Less thankfully, her gaze keeps going from one alley to the next, as if looking for something.

"Dawn," I say once I've caught up to her. "What are you doing?"

She doesn't turn around at my words. Nor as she asks, "Where's the Ranger Base?"

I am taken aback by that question. "The Ranger Base? Why do you ask?"

"Just answer me!" she snaps, still without turning.

"Not until you tell me what you're going to do!"

This time, Dawn doesn't reply right away. She still doesn't look at me, but I see her head tipping downward. When she raises it again, she declares, "I'm going to meet with this Summer Brisa."

"What? Why?"

"To tell her who Tabitha really is. I'm not going to wait for Wes' games."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

I rush to her side, grab her by the shoulders and turn her to face me. Her reddened eyes stare into my face with a glare that could pierce concrete.

"Stop and think," I tell her. "How are you going to prove it?"

"The same way I convinced that arrogant know-it-all," she hisses. "Brendan's words will be the proof."

Before today, I would have agreed. But now…

"You have seen how Tabitha was able to deflect whatever you could have used to interrogate him. Don't you think he'll be prepared for that as well?"

"Then I'll think of something else! I'm not going to let Wes' stupid plan put others at risk!" She takes another breath before saying her next piece. "I'm not going to let his stupid plan have another trainer suffer being separated from her Pokémon."

Uh-oh, that's what this is really about?

Dawn tries to break free of my hold. "Let me go!"

I hold tight to her. "No, listen-!"

The next thing I know, a knee connects with my gut. I stumble backward as my hands let go of Dawn's shoulders to try to massage my gut.

"Fine," she growls. "If you don't want to help, I'll find it myself!"

She then storms off into a random alley. If it's the one leading to the Ranger Base, I have no idea right now. All I know is I soldier through the pain and grab her wrist before she can get away. "Stop and-!"

Before I can finish, her wrist slips out of my grab, and then she spins on herself, her trenchcoat twirling as she prepares a kick. My head instantly goes to all my years of training, and on instinct I clench both of my hands. One arm goes to my side, the other meets Dawn's kick.

The bluenette's eyes widen at the sight of it. Before anything can be said or done, she retracts her leg and steps back from me.

When next she speaks, her eyes furrow. "Let me go or we're going to have a problem."

"Sorry, but I won't," I tell her. "You are enraged and you're going to do either something stupid or that you'll regret. Or both. And I won't let you."

She purses her lips. "Fine. Have it your way."

With a speed I was not expecting from her, Dawn charges at me, both arms raised with her hands clenched into fists. Her technique is nothing to write home about, as her punches are so telegraphed that even I am able to parry them. Although the strength she puts behind them is nothing to scoff at. She's not bad at improvising either, as at one point she fakes one attack and I fall for it, leaving enough of an opening for her to tackle me. And as she does so, I lose my footing and we both fall to the ground.

I try to roll away from her and get back up, but she grabs me by a wrist and pulls me back to herself. She then tries to grab me with her other hand, but this time I'm able to intercept it with my free one.

Of course, that leaves us in a stalemate of one trying to slip out of the other's grip, even rolling over each other in our attempts to budge free. And that rolling ends with Dawn laid right on top of me. She still tries to break free, and even just stand up, but my grip doesn't relent. Nor does hers, as she uses her weight to keep me pinned down beneath her.

And now our legs are tangled with the other's. Now our bodies are pressed against each other. Now I can feel for myself the raising and falling of her chest as she breathes. Now our heads are closer than they've ever been and I can see her normally beautiful face turned into a snarl as her blue hair caresses my face.

And with all of that happening, the two of us just stare into each other's eyes, blue pupils meeting brown.

I'm not sure what happens next. All I know is that at the same time as Dawn's face starts relaxing, I let go of my grip on her wrist. As does hers on mine.

She doesn't try to get up. Nor do I try to push her off. Instead, our hands reach for each other's faces and caress them.

And not long after that, our heads reach forward and our lips connect.

The sensation of warmth that instantly forms on my face and then spreads all over my body is...unlike anything I've felt before. But it's good. Very good. I feel the urge to keep Dawn as close to me as possible, my arms reaching behind her back as they wrap around her. Dawn also wraps hers around me, and our legs wrap together.

As that happens, our kiss continues. Something that started off as just little more than lips pressing together, proceeds into a crescendo of passion as we put more into it and our tongues soon join the mix.

But the abrupt sound of thunder brings me back to reality. Our lips pull away, breaking our kiss, and we both turn our heads upward, where dark clouds have gathered. Dark clouds that soon release water.

As the rain lands on us and dampens our clothes, Dawn and I go back to staring each other in the eyes. As we do so, though, I see Dawn blush and I feel a sense of warmth spreading over my cheeks.

I...she...we…

"Perhaps we...should go back to the Center?" Dawn tentatively asks.

"...agreed."

Despite being not too far from the Pokémon Center, the rain comes down so heavy that by the time we get back inside we're already drenched. As such, we agree to head back to our rooms.

And to reconvene after a shower to talk about...that.

As I get out of the shower - without any unexpected visitor this time, thankfully - I am met by the sight of my three Pokémon waiting for me just outside. Leonie has her arms crossed and is smirking at me. Seteth is staring at me blankly, but with the notebook and pen at the ready. Annette is giving me thumbs up with one of the broadest smiles I've ever seen on her face.

"What?" I sigh.

Seteth sends the notebook over to me.

Congratulations.

I turn to him with a half-lidded look. He winces at that. Leonie snickers. And Annette asks a confused "Ra".

Did I say something wrong?

"We only kissed so far," I tell Seteth. "We haven't...agreed on anything yet. And we were fighting before that. Hardly anything to give congratulations about."

"Hera?" Leonie intervenes. "Hera, heracros cros. Hera cros."

Both Annette and Seteth look at her awkwardly. I quirk an eyebrow at the Sigilyph. "Translation?"

Short version or long one?

I let out a sigh. "The one I want to hear."

Seteth hesitates this time before he writes down again.

Fighting is standard procedure for Heracrosses mating season.

I massage the bridge of my nose at that answer.

"Things between humans are different, Leonie," I tell the tall beetle. "I don't suppose 'mating season' for Heracrosses is more than a one-off stand?"

"Heracros, hera."

Sometimes they are. Sometimes they are more long-term.

For fuck's sake…

"Mara ra!" Annette then intervenes.

The same is true for Maracti.

"Ra, mara ra ractus ra."

Most of them gather and meet only for mating season, but some choose to become life-long partners.

Thanks for making this even more awkward, Annie.

If it is any help, Sigilyphs don't even have a mating season.

We only select a partner to live out our days with.

Somebody kill me now, this can't be seriously happening.

The only mating we do is to procreate offsprings to continue our legacy.

As if this couldn't get any worse.

"Alright, alright," I tell them. "You've all made your points. Just stop, please."

Thankfully they heed my words and stop talking after that. Or in Seteth's case, writing.

I swear, if someone had told me that one day I would be talking about relationships with Pokémon, I would have laughed in their faces.

After that conversation, I step out of my room, making sure to leave Annette, Seteth and Leonie inside as I close it. And as I glance toward Dawn's room, I find her also outside doing the same, the Poké Balls she'd normally have by her waist nowhere to be seen.

It isn't long before she turns in my direction and our gazes meet. And we hesitate for a moment before walking to one another. But still, neither opens their mouth just yet.

"So…" Dawn tentatively says as her hands wrap behind her back. "Where do you suggest we go to...you know."

I suppress a gulp. "How about the bar downstairs?"

"Yeah, that sounds...fine."

We don't say much else to each other after that on our way to the elevator. Although, as we wait for it, Dawn tries to break the ice.

"If I may ask, how did you learn karate?"

I turn to her and arch an eyebrow. "Excuse?"

"That stance you took," she explains. "In the years after quitting the League, Maylene taught me a bit of martial arts. Karate was one of the disciplines she practiced in. But how could you know it?"

I purse my lips embarrassedly. "Would you believe me if I told you it exists in my world too?"

"Really?" she asks me. "That's weird. How could two worlds have the exact same martial art?"

I shrug. "I have no idea."

After that, from the moment the elevator arrives to when we actually sit and order some berry juice, we do not exchange any other word, or even look each other in the eye, as a tense silence lingers between us.

"So…" we both try to start.

"That happened."

"Yeah."

And it's back to silence. One that persists even when the juices we ordered arrive.

I...suppose I should be the one to start explaining. I was the one who first walked on the other almost naked. But how do I do that?

"I apologize in advance," I say, causing Dawn's head to perk up. "I'm not usually one to mince words, so I hope you're fine if I'm direct."

She nods to me. "Go ahead," she adds solemnly.

I nod back. And then I take a deep breath before talking again. "I like you. I don't know when that began or why. But I do know it has been for some time now and I only figured it out when we arrived here in Virbank."

Her eyes widen.

"Ever since I've arrived in this world, you have always been there with me, always a guide for me in this world I knew barely from games that didn't do a good job at depicting it." She makes to open her mouth. "I know it started because it was your job, but you went even beyond that. You could have left me to figure out how to train Annete by myself, but you didn't. That day in Castelia after we met Mister Black, you could have left me in my room to mope alone, but you didn't. You could have set out to find your Pokémon on your own and leave Nate and I on our own, but you didn't."

Dawn doesn't say anything to that.

"I'm sorry. I know you don't feel that way with me. I never meant to make you uncomfortable or come across as a creep. I just-"

"You didn't."

I blink at her after she says that. "What do you mean?"

A tiny smile comes to her face, though it doesn't feel entirely genuine. "I returned that kiss out there, didn't I?"

...that's right. She did.

"So...are you saying you feel the same way about me?"

If it's true, I can hardly believe it. I'm not an attractive person, or clever or anything else that could be considered attractive. What would she even see in me?

Dawn's smile drops. "That's...complicated."

I furrow my brow. "Complicated? How?"

It is now her turn to take a deep breath. "My first instinct would be to tell you that I do. You have been there for me at my lowest points, trying to comfort me and have me go on, far more often than I've been for you. But considering my past experiences, I don't know if my feelings are what we think they are."

Her past experiences? Her feelings not what we think they are? "What are you talking about?"

She chews on her lips for a bit before saying. "You are familiar with Cynthia and how she was part of my Gym challenge, right?"

I nod. "Yes, I do." Not sure how that's important though.

"I mean really familiar? Like, what I thought of her at the time?"

Uh…"No?"

"Well," she nervously twirls a lock of her hair, "it was during my Gym challenge that I…I started thinking of her the same way as I do...you right now."

My eyebrows shoot up to leave more room for my eyes to widen. "You what?!"

Dawn lets out an exasperated huff. "I grew a crush on her. Is that clearer?"

I...have absolutely no idea what to say to that. On the one hand, Cynthia is a beauty so it would make sense for Dawn to fall for her. On the other, knowing that my 'competition' - when did I start thinking like that? - is her is just...I don't know.

"What came of it?" I opt to ask her.

Dawn lowers her head. "Not long after becoming the Champion, I confessed my feelings to her. But the response she gave me amounted to 'I'm flattered you think of me that way. But I see you only as a little sister'."

What? Holy crap…

"And the thing is, she was right to think like that."

Uh?

"I think the main reason she saw me like that was because she was a mentor of sorts to me. Always trying to be supportive and nice and motivating me to never give up. And what I felt toward her wasn't true love but admiration mixed with the fact she-"

She suddenly cuts herself off and blushes. "Well...you know."

I can't suppress a grin. "Yeah."

Dawn waits for her blush to go away before speaking again. "The thing is, I feel that the same might be happening with you. I feel that I'm mistaking my appreciation for what you've done for me for infatuation."

I widen my eyes again. "What makes you say that?" No way a fat guy can compete with a lean woman with majestic attire and hair on the attractiveness factor.

She takes a deep breath and then furrows her brow. "Because, as much as I appreciate you trying to help me out, I can't ignore how much I find your attitude irritating sometimes."

Oh...yeah.

"You mean my temper, don't you?"

"Not just that, but also how prideful you act sometimes. Like when we first met Nate or when I headed for Nuvema. Both times you were acting like you knew best, with no attempt to seek common ground with the other."

My gaze falls after she says that.

"I...don't do it because I want to be an asshole," I begin. "All my life I've felt like I couldn't do anything right. I told you before about my experience with university, but that was only the most recent example. That even here I'm still as much of an inept as anywhere else...it irritates me. A lot."

I feel Dawn's hand reach to my shoulder. I look up to her, and see her frown has given way to a compassionate expression.

"You are not an inept," she gently says. "You wouldn't have won against Burgh at the first try if you were. And relying on the others doesn't mean you can't do anything right. Realizing when you need others' help is in and of itself its own strength."

There isn't much I can say to that. The best I can do is giving her a small understanding smile.

She smiles back and nods. "Good." She then retracts her hand and her smile drops. "Still, do you see why I'm not sure what I feel for you is genuine attraction?"

I have to purse my lips in thought as I measure my next words.

"That might be the case," I concede. "But having issues with a person doesn't automatically mean you feel no attraction." I make sure to keep my gaze focused on her face. "You once told me you realized your attempts to keep your problems to yourself was what drove you away from most of your friends. When I saw you reuniting with May, I thought you'd try to remedy that." I arch an eyebrow. "But you didn't, did you?"

She frowns. "What do you mean?"

"When we first realized Rosa could be a target of Team Plasma's, you decided to set out and find more information on her on your own," I reply. "And you didn't tell me or Nate of your suspicious of Tabitha until after you had Brendan's confirmation."

Dawn's mouth falls agape. "I...you two had a Gym to challenge and I didn't...want to burden…"

She's ultimately unable to finish that phrase.

"You would not be burdening us," I tell her. "The three of us are in this together now. And as you just said, realizing when you need others' help is in and of itself its own strength."

She lets out a huff and then massages the bridge of her nose. "This has got to be the fastest time in history that someone's words have been turned against them."

No arguments there.

"But still, do you see my point?" I continue. "Being annoyed by someone's behavior is not a sign what you feel is not genuine. If anything, it's more likely to be the opposite."

Dawn lowers her head for an instant as she focuses on her still full drink.

"So," she then says, "where does that leave us?"

"I...do not know. But."

In what must be the most brain-dead move I've ever done, my hand gets closer to her side of the table. Dawn's gaze turns to it.

"But I would like to find out. With you."

The bluenette raises her confused face to look at me. After a bit, she smiles at me. And as she does that, her own hand brushes with mine. Our fingers quickly follow as they wrap with one another.

Neither of our smiles break while that happens.

[Wes]

While the two love birds are busy chasing each other and Bushead goes to his room, I take the chance to glance at my phone. And as it turns out, there is a message for me.

Ottavio: How did it go with the rangers?

Wes: it went exactly as I'd hoped. the faller connected the dots for them

Wes: didn't tell me the pokemon were the kid's, though

Ottavio: What kid?

Wes: y'know the white-haired shrimp

Ottavio: Do you mean the Gym leader? I'm pretty sure I mentioned her.

Wes: not that she was a kid, ya didn't

Ottavio: That is besides the point. Plus, she's twenty. An adult under all points of view.

Wes: fine

Wes: anyway, how'd it go with hikari?

Tabitha takes a moment to answer this time.

Ottavio: It could have gone better.

Ottavio: I asked her to speak in private and talked frankly with her.

Wes: bad move

Ottavio: I didn't openly admit who I am, don't worry.

Ottavio: But either way, she didn't take too kindly to what I had to say.

Wes: told ya the goody-two-shoes wouldn't understand

I become slightly alarmed when he doesn't answer at all after that.

Wes: hey?

Ottavio: Yes?

Wes: ya alright there?

Ottavio: I am just thinking about something she told me.

Wes: ignore her. she has never been on the wrong side of the law. we have

Ottavio: I suppose you are right.

Ottavio: Anyway, what did the ranger say about the plan? Did she agree?

Wes: oh, she did. now it's up to ya and the shorty

Ottavio: And you can assure me that Catcher will make good on his word?

Wes: hell yeah. he put in a good word for a crook seeking atonement that had done worse. much worse

Ottavio: It's what the International Police will let him do that worries me.

Wes: that…will depend on how quietly your ex will come. but he will find a way. he's already going behind his bosses back by working with you, remember?

Ottavio: I suppose you are right.

Ottavio: Also, she's not my ex. We never were a couple.

Wes: sure, sure

Wes: anyway, you just worry about the salandits, ok? i will take care of the rest

Ottavio: Yes, of course. As you say.

Yeah, that happened. As I said, I'm not a fan of slow burns, but I hope I didn't botch it here. You guys feel free to let me know what you think in the reviews.

Thanks to Softandhappy and Sushion (aka Bunni) for betareading. You can find us at the Fanfiction Treehouse discord server at: 9XG3U7a

See you all next time!