Supplements for the Heart

by stringdog

Not all events can make it into the main story. Some just don't fit or add enough to the plot to merit inclusion. This doesn't mean that they shouldn't be told. Here is a collection of events that occur during 'Dreams Come From the Heart' that didn't make the cut but do supplement the series in some way. A fun, lighthearted, pearlshipping collection set during the Hearts Series.

4. Post Contest Talk

Here is the fourth Supplement for the Heart, released at the right time in the Heart Series timeline. The events of this Supplement take place immediately after the events of Part XXIV and a day before the events of XXV which will be out by the end of the week. The premise of this Supplement centers around Dawn talking with Emily, an OC coordinator who appeared at the end of Part XXIV. Emily was suggested by the user KJC71790 and is based (appearance and personality) off Ochaco Uraraka from My Hero Academia though her anime style for anyone wanting to picture her will be in line with Pokemon's circa DP series and not My Hero Academia. She has been approved and meets my requirements for an OC as laid out in the note before Part XVI of Dreams Come From the Heart. The reason for this Supplement is to flesh out her character more as well as to show Dawn's own growth as she matures from a rookie coordinator back in DP into a veteran on the circuit and a mentor to current rookies, mainly Emily who impressed her. There will be a handful of supplements around the Contest chapters in Dreams that address Dawn and Emily's growing mentor/mentee relationship. As this is an OC and a distraction from the main plot lines chapters like this will be in the Supplement though will be useful whenever Emily appears in the main series. Anyway, there were no questions in regards to the Supplement since the last one dropped so that is all for this note, please relax and enjoy the latest Supplement for the Heart: Post Contest Talk.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

Post Contest Talk

"Emily, sorry that took a little longer than expected." Dawn said to the brunette as she approached her in the coordinators' waiting room after the ceremony was over, Piplup in her arms as always his ego inflated after the win. "These things occasionally take longer than you would think. I first want to congratulate you again on making the finals of your first contest."

The new coordinator looked up as Dawn approached her. She had clearly been deep in thought, or spaced out Dawn wasn't sure, with her Clefairy in its Poke Ball on her lap while Dawn had been receiving her ribbon and answering a few questions. Well that and being congratulated by Ash of course.

Now it was after the ribbon presentation and most of the crowd had left the arena. Dawn had had her moment with Ash, naturally making sure that it was in front of Misty , before she retired to get her stuff and talk to Emily after the Contest as she had promised She knew what the other girl was going through, Dawn remembered her own debut as a rookie well, and wanted to be some help to her.

Ash had understood and headed back with Misty to her place to set prepare dinner for a relaxing night in. Misty had been more than happy to have Ash for a moment alone though Dawn's glare was enough to keep the redhead from doing anything too annoying, hopefully. Instead Misty had asked about Palpitoad so that was a good distraction for them given the Unova Pokémon's type combination.

In the meantime Dawn was going to talk to the new coordinator on the scene who had impressed her in reaching the finals of her first ever Contest. Emily had promise so long as it was properly nurtured and Dawn wanted to give her some any encouragement she could. There was a chance that Emily would emerge as a rival by the end of the year and Dawn would rather have a rival like Zoey rather than Ursula.

"Yeah." Emily said snapping back to it when Dawn spoke to her. "Thanks Dawn, it means a lot coming from you. It was an honor to face you in the contest."

"I am just another coordinator, nothing more nothing less." Dawn said with a smile as she sat down next to Emily. "Today was just my day, next time it might be yours. I am sure that we will meet again on the circuit and I can tell that you have what it takes to reach the Grand Festival if you keep your training up. I figured that I would come and chat with you after our final to learn a bit more about you and how you ended up down this path."

"Really?" Emily asked sounding surprised at Dawn's reason for talking. "I, I wasn't expecting that to be why you wanted to talk with me but yeah I would love to chat with you some more. I am a little new to this who coordinator thing as you can probably tell so I could use the advice and guidance from a seasoned veteran like yourself."

"Seasoned, yeah you could say that." Dawn said with a smile realizing just how much experience she had when it came to Contests. "I have been in many Contests in my life, more than I can count off the top of my head, and my mom is a Top Coordinator so I know the life. It was because of her that I got into coordinating to begin with. She was my role model growing up, because of her I always wanted to be one."

"That's so cool." Emily said. "So you knew from the start that being a Top Coordinator was your dream."

"Yeah I did." Dawn said with a nod. "It was almost a given growing up with my mom but she never forced it on me, it was my own choice in the end. I admit that it was harder than I thought and as such I have had my doubts early on. I failed to advance past the appeals twice in two of the three Contests I entered after winning my first ribbon but in the end I found the motivation I needed to get back into it."

"What happened?" Emily asked curiously. "I, I only know of your talents from the Grand Festivals and Wallace Cups you have been in as that's all I got back at home. I didn't see any of the regional contests you were in because well they only show Kanto Contests here. I know you swept the scene in Johto from your profile during that Grand Festival but Sinnoh is a little vague."

"I won't go into too many details right now but it was a rollercoaster." Dawn admitted. "One day, when we have more time, I will tell you all about it but suffice it to say that I made a few mistakes when I shouldn't have and almost quit because of my failures. Thankfully I was traveling with Ash."

"Your boyfriend, right?" Emily asked. "You said that was his name during the final but I admit I don't know anything about him. I only know about you from your performances in Grand Festivals and I take it that he's not a coordinator."

"No Ash isn't a coordinator though he has competed in two Contests." Dawn said shaking her head. "Ash is a typical trainer. He challenges gyms, earns badges and enters the conferences. His dream is to become a Pokémon Master and he's dedicated to it."

"Wow sounds like an intense person." Emily said which Dawn nodded at.

"It is one of the reasons why I love him." Dawn said. "His dedication and drive are second to none and he always strives to not only be the best himself but bring it out in others, both people and Pokémon."

"I see, must make his a great boyfriend back when you were starting out." Emily said. "Having someone like that in your corner is really useful."

"He's a great boyfriend but the whole dating thing is actually a recent development for us, back when I was a rookie he was just my friend and traveling companion." Dawn said to which Emily raised a knowing eyebrow at here and Dawn sighed. "Alright and I had an unacknowledged crush on Ash back when I was in my funk but that's beside the point."

"Thought so." Emily side with a wide smile. "You speak of him as if you have been in love with him for years."

"While I only realized that about 6 months ago you aren't wrong." Dawn said smiling herself at the thought of her feelings for Ash. "Ash is a unique man unlike any I have ever met. He's kind, compassionate, driven and resilient. No matter how many times he got knocked down on his quest he always gets back up again, fighting harder than before. I saw that first hand and after a little break, a gym battle that was more to help the gym leader than me, and a victory in the Wallace Cup I was back in my grove. I paid it back to Ash later when he reached his lowest and needed me and I've never looked back."

"Yeah the one Contest we got that wasn't regional or a Grand Festival was the Wallace Cup." Emily said. "They air that all over because of how important it is as a Contest so I've seen the last two. That's when I first noticed you as a coordinator because you won it the first time I watched it. I didn't know that it was your return so to speak."

"Yeah it was basically my make or break Contest." Dawn said remembering how much doubt she had back then. "I was so nervous to start out but in the end I rediscovered my passion for Contests. I ended up winning it, over my new friend May who was in town for the Contest and who has traveled with Ash herself, so it was a fitting final for us. It helped restore my confidence in myself and earned me my second ribbon. I won 3 of my next 4 contests to qualify for the Sinnoh Grand Festival where I only just lost to my best friend Zoey in the final."

"I saw that, it was brutal." Emily said her voice heavy with sympathy. "And the same happened to you in Johto right? I remember watching you win the Wallace Cup again, over that May girl for a second time, and then you lost in the last second of the final."

"Yeah Johto was tough." Dawn admitted sadly. "I had gone to compete in the Wallace Cup after meeting Ash by accident while visiting Unova. It was on the flight to Johto that I realized I loved him. I used that to get me to the Johto Grand Festival and win. Had it been anyone but Ursula, my negative rival, I may have won but she got into my head. I think if I had 5 more seconds I would have won but I was so focused on Ursula that I mismanaged my time."

"Sounds like a bad time to make that mistake." Emily said. "Not what I would expect from you."

"Anyone can make a mistake like that, especially when they let their rival into their head." Dawn said with a sigh. "It was a mistake I shouldn't have made and one I will learn from. That defeat almost broke me though. I probably would have retired from coordinating after some thought but then Ash surprised me on the way back to the dressing room. He'd come to see me and well that was when we realized we both felt the same way."

"Cute." Emily said her smile back by the end of Dawn's tale. "And now you're on the Kanto Circuit rather than quitting."

"Yup and I intend to win it all this time." Dawn said firmly. "Two losses in Grand Festival finals is tough but I will overcome it."

"Well I will have to have something to say to that." Emily replied teasingly. "I may be a rookie but I don't intend to lose either."

"I expect no less from someone who wants to win, show no fear against any opposition." Dawn said encouragingly. "So what is your story? How'd you end up a coordinator of all things? I was basically destined for it but my path is not the normal one most people take."

"It was kinda by accident really." Emily admitted looking away from Dawn as she spoke. "My dad used to own a construction company out in Celadon City but times got tough and the company went under back when I was 5 so we had to move. He decided he wanted a fresh start somewhere new and quieter so we moved to a cabin on the base of Mt. Moon nearby."

"That sounds like a pretty extreme change." Dawn said a little surprised. "I don't know Celadon as Ash hasn't taken me there yet but I know it's a big city. I doubt this Mt. Moon, something I am going to have to ask Ash about, is nothing like Celadon."

"It was a big change but Dad wanted it.." Emily said with a shrug. "My family is still in construction and owns a small company that services Mt. Moon and the surrounding area but its barely scraping by. All my life I just want to do something that would make me a lot of money so that I could help my family out and make their lives easier after everything they have done for me. That is basically challenging gyms and leagues or entering Contests as a coordinator for someone in our age range. Course all this is only if you have the talent with Pokémon and I think I do."

"Well your Clefairy is well trained." Dawn said smiling at Emily and showing the younger girl that she supported her "Is she your first Pokémon?"

"Yeah and the only so far." Emily admitted. "But I know the kind of Pokémon that I want and will go after once I leave Cerulean. As for Clefairy, I found her a few years back though she was a Cleffa at the time. I tried to find her mom but it appeared she was abandoned or something bad had happened, I am not sure. As a result she bonded with me so I raised her. When I was old enough I got a Poke Ball from my dad and she let me catch her. Then I let her out for the first time she immediately evolved into Clefairy and we've been together ever since."

"She's the perfect contest Pokémon." Dawn said. "Cute and adorable for the appeals with a good range of moves for the battles. A solid starter for a new coordinator."

"Yeah that's why I felt contests were more my speed." Emily said. "Trainer battles just don't appeal to me right now but I think contests are cool. Plus I always enjoyed watching them over the league matches on TV because they just looked nicer and cuter. So when I set out on my journey last month I knew I wanted to be a Top Coordinator and then I can help my parents have an easier life. I came here right away because it was the first Contest location of the season and close to my home so it made the most sense. I was honestly surprised I got to the finals on my first go."

"It shows that you have what it takes to win a Contest." Dawn said and meant it, not all coordinators had what it took to win but she felt that Emily did. "I only made it to the semis my first time out though I did win my second Contest."

"Wow really?" Emily asked her eyes wide at that. "Thanks, it means a lot coming from you. Yeah I want to train some more and get better for the next Contest I plan on entering. This is my rookie year so I intend to enter as many as possible until either I have all 5 ribbons that I need or the season is over."

"I suggest expanding your roster a little then." Dawn pointed out and Emily nodded. "As comfortable as you may be with Clefairy you will need some versatility to take your game to the next level. I always mix it up, even risk losing to give my newer Pokémon a chance at times because that is the only way they will learn and grow."

"I will." Emily said nodding furiously. "I am actually heading out tomorrow to Saffron City, I like to be near my Contests in advance so I can focus on training. I am hoping to enter the Saffron Contest being held there in a few weeks and I want to find a Snubbull or a Jigglypuff before I enter it."

"Small, cute and pink." Dawn said approvingly. "I see you have a particular style in your Pokémon."

"Yeah but they also have power of their own that few realize I feel." Emily said. "I like them for their looks and the versatility of moves they can learn. I know they're all normal types but well they are still the kind I want get. I will branch out a bit once I get my feet under me but for now those are my targets."

"I have always favored small and cute in my roster." Dawn said holding up Piplup who had fallen asleep in her arms during their conversation. "Piplup was my starter Pokémon and doesn't want to evolve because of how we met. As such he has an Everstone to prevent evolution though he has the experience to evolve if he wanted. From then on most of my early Pokémon were small and cute."

"Except that Mamoswine." Emily pointed out. "That is not a small and cute Pokémon, even if he is cute in his own right."

"Yeah well he is an exception." Dawn admitted. "I caught him as a Swinub so he started out small and cute. Then he evolved into Piloswine to save me from a group of Pokémon thieves called Team Rocket. Turns out that after he evolved he learned Ancient Power which is the trigger move that evolves Piloswine into Mamoswine so he evolved again a few days later. Right before he evolved into Mamoswine he had stopped listening to me. It made training him hard to do."

"How did you manage to train him?" Emily asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

"Patience, perseverance and a little luck." Dawn said. "He was injured by an Aggron I had sent him out to protect me against and was clearly embarrassed by it. I didn't mind and I nursed him back to health showing him how much he meant to me regardless of his attitude. That is what did it in the end for me. He still has a little rebellious streak, especially when he's frustrated, but he's my protector and powerhouse and loves that role. I suggest having at least one Pokémon that is fully evolved and naturally powerful as it will help."

"I will take that under advisement." Emily said with a nod. "Thanks for all this help by the way."

"Just helping out." Dawn said with a smile. "Passing on what I know to the next wave of coordinators and all that. I had help like this back when I started out and I like to pay it forward. Plus I will be in Saffron as well."

"You will be?" Emily asked sounding both giddy and nervous at that. "For the Contest?"

"That and Ash's gym challenge against the Saffron Gym Leader." Dawn said with a nod. "We won't be there for a little while, likely not until few days before as we have to hit Vermillion City first, but we will be there. We have a few days here before we head out to continue our journey through Kanto."

"You mentioned that Ash is a typical gym trainer." Emily said and Dawn had to give it to the girl she picked things up quick which was a good sign. "And he's challenging the gyms here while you compete in Contests, right?"

"Kinda, that is what we did in Sinnoh." Dawn said. "But that's not the exact plan here."

"What do you mean?" Emily asked confused. "If he is a gym trainer then he needs to beat the gym leaders here and earn 8 badges to enter the Indigo League. I may not be going down that route but even I know that."

"Well you see, Ash isn't from Sinnoh like me, he's from Pallet Town." Dawn said and Emily suddenly realized what that meant as her eyes went wide. "Yeah he has gotten all the badges from Kanto already doing so back when he was 10. In fact Ash has already gotten 8 badges from 5 different regions; Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova in that order."

"Wow so he must be a good trainer." Emily said clearly impressed at Dawn's boyfriend's achievements. "That takes a lot of time and skill to accomplish."

"He's amazing." Dawn said with a starry-eyed look that she didn't realize she had. "But then again I am biased."

"I can tell." Emily said with a laugh that brought Dawn back to reality with a furious blush. "So if he already has the badges he needs then what is he doing challenging gyms here?"

"Practicing for the Indigo League." Dawn answered. "Ash has formally challenged all 8 gym leaders to full 6 on 6 battles in order to prepare for the Indigo League, which he is registered for and will enter when it starts after the Grand Festival. He already has the badges but he needs to stay in shape so he needs the practice. This way he can train while I compete in contests and see his home region with him. It's a win win for us."

"I see." Emily said. "So how is that going for him?"

"Good." Dawn said happily. "He's beaten the Pewter City Gym leader who's elder brother Brock traveled with us when we were in Sinnoh. Next up is Misty here in Cerulean and they are facing off tomorrow. That is one I cannot wait for. It will be an epic battle that I want him to dominate in."

"Does he know her then?" Emily asked and Dawn tried to control her emotions given Ash's history with Misty, even if it was purely platonic the redhead's jealousy could be infectious. "Cos I noticed she was next to him in the crowd when you blew him a kiss. They were very clear who Misty is and even without that I would be able to recognize her, she is the nearest Gym Leader to me."

"Yes they know each other." Dawn said trying to keep her tone measured as best she could remembering that her and Misty were friendly with each other after everything. "Misty is Ash's oldest and probably second closest friend and a former traveling companion of his. They traveled together for 3 years and in two regions, plus the Orange Islands, before she became the gym leader in her hometown after her sisters dumped it on her."

"Why do I get the feeling that that isn't everything you know about Misty." Emily said narrowing her eyes slightly at Dawn. "She likes him, doesn't she?"

"Very much." Dawn said with a sigh. "As much as I do in fact if not more given the fact that she fell for Ash before I even met him. It was point of contention between us when we first met given how it was after Ash and I started dating. Let's just say that our first meeting didn't go so well. I am amazed the gym was still standing when we were done."

"Wait that was you?" Emily said amazed causing Dawn to blink.

"What was me?" Dawn asked confused.

"Back when I first got here a little over a month ago the gym was still closed for repairs." Emily said. "I asked around and found out that it was because Misty and some challenger had a huge battle that destroyed or damaged most of the roof and made it unstable. Something about a powerful Hyper Beam cutting into the sky that most of the city saw though I doubt that the reports on a Gyarados being thrown into a ceiling are exaggerated. I don't even know how that is possible to begin with."

"Oh it's possible seeing as I was the one who managed it." Dawn said causing Emily to gasp in shock. "It takes a fully evolved Pokémon and a lot of power but it can be done. It isn't something I will forget anytime soon. That and the effect dropping said Gyarados 30 feet into a pool. There is only so much water in a pool."

"I can't even begin to imagine it." Emily said amazed. "It is something that I feel has to be seen to be believed. I also heard that Misty almost put a Pokémon through a wall with her Gyarados."

"Piplup!" Piplup yelled waking up and glaring at Dawn at that. "Pip, Piplup."

"Yeah that happened as well." Dawn admitted as Piplup leapt off her lap and walked off to wait away from Dawn. "To Piplup. I, er, goaded Misty a little and dared her to use her best as her last Pokémon and she didn't disappoint. Unfortunately Piplup was the one who suffered because of me."

"But you beat her in the end." Emily said. "At least if my math is right you have."

"Yeah I did." Dawn said pulling out her new ribbon case and opening it to show the Cerulean Ribbon and the Cascade Badge next to each other in it. "Misty didn't have the best reaction to me and my status as Ash's girlfriend. Suffice it to say I, er, rose to her anger. I ended up challenging her to an official gym battle. I won and she finally accepted me because of it, in her own way. I wouldn't say we're friends yet but we are friendly and that is a start. She's important to Ash so I know I can't alienate her."

"I see." Emily said with a nod. "I can respect that. I have never been in that situation but I can see how jealousy might affect people."

"Yeah as silly as it sounds I will defend my right to Ash against any challenger." Dawn said with a little embarrassment. "I think meeting Misty as the first girl who has a crush on Ash after I started dating him didn't help at all. If I had met the other one I know of first then it may have been different but alas not so. I have met two now but I know there will be more, Ash is just that kinda guy to accidentally get a girl to fall for him because of who he is. I should know, I am one of those girls."

"Well that battle with Misty is well known here." Emily said. "Though she won't say who it was against or why it got so out of control."

"Given what it was really about and the fact that neither of us were at our best, far from it in fact, it's probably the right call." Dawn said. "But it is history now. Tomorrow Ash faces Misty in his own challenge and I am so looking forward to watching that even if I am sure that Misty has something in store to piss me off."

"I can see why you are looking forward to it." Emily said. "And then you said you are going to Vermillion City."

"Yeah to face the leader there." Dawn said with a nod. "After that it's the Saffron Contest and then the Gym Leader there just as we did in Cerulean. After that we aren't sure but we will decide nearer the time."

"Well I for one am looking forward to the Saffron Contest." Emily said getting to her feet. "But as nice and needed as this has been Dawn, and I look forward to talking and learning from you more, I really must get going. Clefairy needs to see Nurse Joy and I need to crash for the day. After that I have to leave Cerulean. I have training to do for our next Contest battle."

"I look forward to it." Dawn said raising and offering her hand to Emily again who shook it. "Until we meet again."

"Until Saffron." Emily said before turning and leaving the room.

Dawn smiled. She liked the new coordinator and could tell that she would be a rival down the road once she got a few wins under her belt and developed her style some more. It was going to be fun watching Emily grow on the circuit and face her again and again over the year. Though that could wait, Dawn had more important things to do now.

Going to Piplup and giving him a poffin to cheer him up after being reminded of his match against Misty's Gyarados, Dawn picked him up and headed to the exit. She had to go find her boyfriend, her rival and then make said rival envious. After that it was just waiting until the match tomorrow. Dawn couldn't wait to see Ash beat Misty. With that, Dawn smiled and left the dressing room, one Contest Ribbon under belt and her confidence high, she only 4 more ribbons to enter the Grand Festival. This time she would win it, Dawn was certain of that.

There really isn't much more to day after this Supplement as I feel the Supplement says enough about the start of Dawn and Emily's relationship, one that I hope continue slowly developing over time. All I have to say is that the next Supplement will be between Parts XXV and XXVI and another Supplement (with the return of an old character of the day) will come out between Parts XXVI and XXVII. In addition I am hoping to soon have the next story in Brock's spinoff 'Luck Strikes the Heart' soon. However, that is all for this short post part note. As always please favorite and follow both me and this story to keep abreast with new releases and keep the reviews coming. Until next time.

Stringdog