The hectic trip back home from the harbor where Glaceon stopped some gigantic boulder on her own she looked from the top of a building in the shadows seeing how she moved. With the amount of risk she showed by making a whole pile of containers collapse on the rolling thing barely making it out without being crushed Dawn could not be impressed more.
Dawn finally could see her house coming into view. Looking around the streets were still empty with no one around to see or hear her enter her room window. Jumping on the roof of her house Dawn entered through her window. She reached to her left ear and unclipped the black and yellow earring. Putting it on her nightstand her hair and eyes changed back to the ones she was born with. She took off her outfit and switched to her pajama's.
Her stomach growling over the appetite she worked up over the evening she wanted to have a bite before going to bed. It be strange to eat breakfast just before going to bed but it's a thing she knows she has to get used too. She went downstairs leaving her spirit behind who spoke up just before she reached the door.
"You know I'm here for you."
Thinking Dawn had her confidence shot Umbreon tried giving her support. Seeing someone a bit more experience than her jumping in without a second thought might make her realize that doing simple gymnastics isn't enough to gather the courage for a fight.
"Thanks Umbreon." She smiled at the gemstone with droopy eyes. Going downstairs she could see her mother in her nightgown watching TV. As Dawn suspected the hot topic on the news was the fight in the harbor.
"Morning mom."
Seeing her droopy eyes Johanna immediately checked her over for any bruises. Johanna relieved because there were no scratches on her face or the rest of her body so she was not in the middle of things despite knowing Umbreon took her there for training.
"I met Glaceon. I followed her around but kept my distance as Umbreon told me too. I didn't fight like you wanted." Dawn maintaining the promise to stay out of trouble Johanna sighed relief. At least Dawn's first night went as well as she could expect without any injury.
"And how was it?" Surprisingly not hearing the spirit her family bonded with Johanna asked her daughter on where Umbreon is.
"I took her off. I know the sibling rivalry they have going on now and I don't want to upset her thinking Glaceon is cooler."
"Cooler?" At the sound of an ice pun she was afraid the ice user rubbed a bit off on her for the wrong reasons. Dawn despite being sleepy burst with excitement.
"She was incredible! Seeing what she can do I know I have to work a lot harder than I did! What I'm doing now isn't enough!"
"How about you tell me over some food?"
Dawn told her the full experience. Johanna listening in to the action that occurred Dawn wasn't exactly sounding scared. Maybe she should've trusted her little girl more when it came to inheriting the earring and not waiting as long as she did.
"So I guess it's more training at Lila's office?" With the realization the former model was thinking that Dawn would spend even more time at her best friends office.
"I got a better idea." Dawn got up from the table already thinking about what she's going to do when she wakes up. Going to sleep she needed to sleep through the day because the next night she was going to get up early for school again. There was something she needed to do for her development as a hero and only one person can help her with it.
Ash needed some hours to catch up on his night rest so he told his mom he went to bed early. With it not even being 8pm he already was laying in his bed with the lights out. He could feel his body slowly shutting down. He planned to talk to May about meeting Riley and the stunt she pulled in the docks. Preparing for a long day just in case something happened again and the three needed to go out fighting he went early so he can beat the morning.
Thinking back to the small conversation on text he had with the brunette over her antics.
"I've read about that ice user in the docks. Wonder why she didn't ask the other guy for help. I thought they worked together."
"Sorry. But I needed to do this."
"Anyway. What's important is that you and her stopped it."
"She says thank you for including her."
"He said he wants to meet you. After school tomorrow, I'll give you the address later."
"Thanks Ash. See you tomorrow!"
Just before he shut his phone off it beeped with his ringtone. Seeing a new message coming from Dawn pop up on screen he opened it.
"Can I come over tonight? It's urgent."
His next text mirrored his thoughts.
"Why not tell me what's wrong now if it's urgent?" Since they have school again he wanted to make it short.
"It's important."
"So just tell me." Focusing on Dawn alone Ash didn't like her latest response.
"It's a surprise." The message attached with a figure that stuck its tongue out it was meant to be playful but Ash interpreted it in the wrong way.
"Not in the mood for games Deedee."
Ash always sparsely used her nickname knowing she hated it. He only used it if he needed to draw her attention or if he really needed something from her fast. In an attempt for the girl to get to the point already so he can sleep.
"I rather tell you alone in person." Dodging the subject again he was tired of her games. It wasn't important at all.
"So tell me tomorrow. Night Dawn." Attaching a sleeping icon to tell her he was done he turned off his phone for good measure before falling asleep. He was expecting a better judgement from her. Closing his eyes it didn't take long for him to start snoring.
"He snuck into my room so many times it's time to return the favor. I can't wait to see his face when I tell him."
In the middle of the night Dawn was walking to Ash's house. Having the idea of returning the favor of sneaking into his room she was pretty excited to pull off this stunt. Nobody was in the street outside where he lived so she had no issue of being asked what a girl her age was doing out so late.
"It's your call. If you trust him enough to keep it a secret then fine. So how are you going to enter his house? The chimney?"
"I need to wear these clothes to school. I can't climb through the chimney. I'll just go through his window."
Standing in front of his house Dawn took a deep breath. Not having any doubts about this she needed to tell him because she wanted his help getting this crime fighting thing in a short amount of time. The chance to turn around gone she checked the neighborhood if it was still empty.
To her luck it was and she jumped up on the slanted roof of his house. Her agility and everything else increased even without tapping into the earrings full power Dawn learned that the supernatural agility and reflexes can be accessed just as long as she's wearing it. For the hiding in shadow power she did have to change her eyes and hair to her ancestors.
Trying to slide his window open it wouldn't budge. Her planning of sneaking in falling through she wasn't going to wait till he woke up and get seen on his roof by someone walking their dog early.
"Transform." Umbreon had never given her a reason to distrust her so she did. Touching the earring on her left lobe Dawn's changed partially into her alter ego without her costume.
"See your shadow inside his room? Move your hand's shadow to the window and unlock it. It's something I came up with for battle. You can manipulate your own shadow to pick up objects and other things. Or trip and push over enemies if they run into the cast of it."
"Why didn't you tell me we can do this?"
"One thing at a time. This is an incredibly advanced technique only a few of my hosts mastered. You haven't even passed the basics yet."
It's a method Umbreon developed since all her sisters had an ability that helps them in battle while she was more focused on stealth. Using the cast of her hand that was made against his closed curtains she fidgeted a bit with her movements till she got a clue on how the shadow reacted in the light, she reached for the lock on his window and opened it.
Sliding it open slowly not to make much noise she stepped inside his room careful not to step on anything that might trigger a sound.
The method of having incredibly light steps being taught to her Dawn slowly went to his bed. Turning her hair and eyes normal again to make him not at see her as a stranger who invaded his house. The last person who did was used to create a hole in his garden.
"So how are you going to wake him up?"
"Wake up sleepyhead." Dawn nudged him gently in the shoulder. This didn't work so she removed his sheets to get a better effect and tickle a part of his body to wake him up but was stunned at the sight of it.
Dawn could see his upper body being bare and out of interest looked over him checking him out. His stomach already forming a six pack of sort the girl stared at them. Ash was the owner of a body that every girl in school would like to look at and most boys be envious of. Feeling herself getting warm just staring at his pecs she never noticed just how much in shape he really is.
"Don't you wear a shirt in bed?!" Dawn telling him to dress properly he finally woke up feeling a bit chilly. Opening his eyes the first thing he saw was the red face of his best friend.
"Hey Dawn. What's up?" She composed herself while he took it normal like having someone in your room this early in the morning.
"You woke him from his deep sleep. It might take a while before…"
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT…" Dawn quickly jumped on him and covered his mouth. With so much force he fell back on his bed backwards and she sat on him putting her hand over his mouth gagging him.
"his brain catches up."
"Be quiet." Using her free hand to shudh her own lips she told him to keep it down.
"Ash!? Everything ok?" Hearing the worried voice of his mom Ash didn't wanted to have see him in this position and think the wrong thing.
"Just a nightmare. I'm fine."
"A nightmare?" A vein popping out of her forehead she took her hands on his face and moved his lips all around painfully telling him to stay quiet. The nerve of him saying she's a nightmare wasn't let off that easy in the future.
"Go back to sleep dear! Try and get your rest!" His mother not to worried knowing her boy can handle himself went silent again.
"You promise not to yell anymore?" He nodded yes. Removing her hand she got off him. He sat up and checked the clock. Rubbing his eyes to get the sleep out of them his brain finally booted up to have a proper talk.
"How did you get in here?"
"I snuck in through the window."
"How? It's 4:30. And all the doors and windows are sealed these days. There's no way to get in without breaking the doors or breaking the glass." Looking at his window the lock was off. He was certain he locked and checked everything before going to bed so it was strange how she climbed through it which left him with a new question.
"How did you get up there?"
"Well, you see."
"Just tell him. That's what you came for." Umbreon saying to stop beating around the bush and just get it over with.
"You woke me up at this hour for a ventriloquist act?"
"Ventriloquist?"
"I heard a voice but your lips weren't moving. That's ventriloquism right? So where's the puppet?" Dawn lost for words that he seemed to hear her partner perfectly. She was under the impression only long lost relatives can communicate with her spirit.
"I'm Umbreon." Introducing herself to the boy heard a name close to hers earlier.
"Wait? Umbreon? As in the eon at the end is also Glaceon?"
Dawn speechless the spirit finally told her the big shock.
"Surprise! Aura guardians can hear us."
"He does!?"
"Aura guardians can hear us?" Remembering the near exact phrasing that happened when May was around to tell her big secret Ash could not be quiet even if he wanted to be.
"You're one too!?"
Nice way to spoil the surprise Umbreon.
Anyway this story will slow down even more with updates since I'm currently working on the ending of GS ball unlocked. That thing has been my baby for three years and I want it to have a proper ending.
See you around.