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.

6. A Brief Return To School

Here is the sixth Supplement for the Heart, released at the right time within the Heart Series timeline. The events of this Supplement take place between the events of Parts XXVI and XXVII when Ash and Dawn get sidetracked on the way to Vermilion City. This is the first Supplement that was the result of a request for a character for the anime's return, this one by KJC71790. That character, who I have taken a little leeway with regarding what she's been up too between appearances, is a character of the day from the ninth ever episode of Pokemon back in 1998 so has only ever appeared in one episode of Pokemon. As this is a side adventure along the way of the main story this is in the Supplement and will serve as a litmus test for future, similar, requests down the road for other characters of the day to return for oneshot side adventures. That is all I have for the admistrative stuff but there was one review question that I will answer now.

Will Ash get Haunter, Primeape, Squirtle, and Lapras back? So the first thing to clarify is the confusion over Haunter's status. According to the canon I can find, Ash never actual caught Haunter officially, rather Haunter just joined him as a traveling companion. According to the canon, ghost type was the last Pokemon type Ash ever caught, doing so in the 1,101st episode of the anime. That is not to say that Haunter may or may not reappear in the series, for that y'all will have to wait and see, but if he were to catch it it would be a first time catch rather than getting it back. As for all other Pokemon that Ash has either released or has in training elsewhere at this point in the timeline, one more besides Pidgeot will return but I will not say which one it is, for that y'all will have to wait and see.

Anyway, that is all for the long pre Supplement note, anything else will be addressed at the end. Now it is time to sit back, relax and enjoy the latest Supplement for the Heart: A Brief Return To School.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

A Brief Return To School

"Um Ash, is there a school or something near here?" Dawn asked with a puzzled look as the young couple walked towards Vermilion City. "Cos we are in the middle of nowhere so this makes no sense."

"Huh?" Ash asked confused and looking around to see what Dawn was asking about. "What?"

Ash had been so in deep in thought about his upcoming battle with Surge and what strategy he wanted to use that he hadn't really been paying attention to where they were walking other than to make sure that they weren't lost. They were following the route that Ash had traveled back during his first ever journey and at the moment they were on a walking through a forest lunch when they would break, make food, and train afterwards.

Ash was currently on autopilot. As such he was just holding Dawn's hand, enjoying the walk, and thinking what he should do when it came to facing Surge. Hopefully he didn't get too distracted or else they might get lost.

That was why Ash hadn't been looking around while the walked toward Vermilion City. He was too busy trying to figure out how he was going to use some of his team in his upcoming battle with Surge without relying too much on Palpitoad to carry him against the electric type gym leader.

Snapping out of his thoughts and looking up at Dawn's words, Ash noticed that they were coming out of the forest they had been in and approaching a large, fancy building that looked family to Ash. It tickled something in the back of his mind as if he had been here before. Focusing Ash took in what he was seeing.

Gathered in the grounds in front of the main entrance to the school and next to a large pool were a group of kids who looked to be between the ages of 10 and 13 if Ash had to roughly guess. They were about evenly split between boys and girls in the group and all wore a similar uniform.

The boys were in blue blazers, yellow shirts, ties and short blue shorts with high white socks and black leather shoes. The girls wore blue short skirts roughly the same length as Dawn's, white short sleeved blouses with red ribbons at their necks, blue waistcoats, and knee-high white socks with formal black shoes. It was clearly the uniform of an elite private school.

The group was gathered outside with Pokémon and watching two of their number engage in practice battle with each other. The battle was between a girl with a Cubone and boy with a Weepinbell and they seemed to be rather well matched in the battle. The whole scene brought back an old memory from Ash's earliest days as a trainer. It was of a young boy, a gorgeous girl, and an elite private school in the middle of nowhere that was an alternative to being a trainer.

"Yeah we are at a school right now." Ash said as it all came back to him as if it was yesterday, minus precise names of the kids they had interacted with last time he was here. "I remember this place. I've been here once before."

"You have?" Dawn said as they stopped and just watched the battle from afar hoping that they weren't trespassing on the school's grounds. "Was it during your first journey?"

"Yeah it was." Ash said thinking back on the last time he was here with nostalgia. "I was with Brock and Misty at the time as it was early on in my journey to become a Pokémon Master and we came across a bunch of kids in the forest here. A group of older boys had a younger boy, Jim, John, Joe, Jack, I can't recall his name off the top of my head it was 6 years ago, on a treadmill asking him questions. Whenever he got one wrong they made him run faster. That's how we came across this place. I, er, think we were lost at the time."

"That sounds awful." Dawn said aghast deciding to ignore the lost part and hoping they weren't lost again. "That's straight up bullying."

"It was so we helped him out as best we could but it was allowed at the time I think." Ash said scrunching his face as he thought back on the day, his memory foggy on the finite details. "Whatever the case, when it was done we talked with him and he told us about this place. It was something we didn't expect to find out here and something that both me and Misty didn't agree with I believe."

"Care to explain." Dawn said questioningly hoping her tone indicated that Ash could be in dangerous waters with his girlfriend if he over praised her rival in front of her. "I am curious about this as I don't think we have one in Sinnoh or if we do I have never heard of it."

"It's called Pokémon Tech, I'm sure of it." Ash said remembering the name of the school and completely missing Dawn's tone but he was now focused on the school so he didn't continue to talk about Misty. "It is an elite, private, and very expensive school for kids that serves as an alternative path to the Indigo Conference than the standard path trainer has to take. It has all they need to learn and state of the art equipment and technology if I recall correctly."

"A different path?" Dawn asked confused. "I thought there was only one path, one that all regions seem to follow, and that is via the gyms. A trainer has to earn 8 badges and then you are allowed to enter the Conference that that region has."

"That's what I thought at the time but this is apparently an exception." Ash recalled. "At Pokémon Tech, students receive the very best education and training in Pokémon in one location and they have a series of tests that they have to pass to get in and advance."

"Tests?" Dawn asked her confusion only growing. "None of this is making any sense to me."

"Yeah I didn't get that part either." Ash admitted. "I do remember that the boy said that there are levels which I think that represent badges. The people we met were beginners which is equivalent to having 2 badges, the number I had at the time. Each level adds 2 badges to their equivalent trainer standing until they graduate at the same level as a trainer with 8 badges. After that they can enter the League automatically."

"That sounds wrong." Dawn said as she thought on Ash's words. "Like it takes away all the important growth a trainer gets from his or her journey with their Pokémon. The way you grow from battles, catching Pokémon, winning gym badges, contests or whatever you do is irreplaceable. There is a bond formed with your Pokémon that is unbreakable by the end. I know I wouldn't have done as well as I have done at the Grand Festivals if it wasn't for the journeys I have been on. Well and you of course, you are a big reason for the coordinator I have become my love."

"Yeah same, being friends with your Pokémon and growing with them through a journey is part of how you grow as a trainer." Ash said with a nod not picking up on Dawn's attempt to be sweet, he would pay for that later he just didn't know it yet. "That's what we said to them when we were here but at first he wouldn't listen. Then Misty won a battle against the boy's Weepinbell with her Starmie, a disadvantage for her, to show him he was wrong."

"Why would people do this though?" Dawn asked still not understanding and ignoring the Misty reference, it had been back when Ash was traveling with her so it made sense to reference her. "That's what I'm not getting."

"Various reasons I believe." Ash said. "For some I think it is unfeasible to travel all the time the way we do, for some they don't want to or are too scared to, and for some their parents make them come here. I disagreed. We ended up spending a day or so here dealing with the boy and some really stuck up, beautiful, popular girl who was the top of his class and a bully to him. It was an odd day but there was a lot of learning that went into it for all of us. In the end I think we made some progress with them before we left."

"What happened?" Dawn asked more curious about learning about Ash's past than what had actually happened here, especially Ash's reference to a girl's beauty, something Ash never did other than with her and even then only after he finally realized what feelings were. "When you were here that is?"

"Pretty much the usual that happens to me whenever I end up somewhere." Ash said with a shrug. "The boy showed us around the place and explained it to us. The girl wasn't pleasant and angered Misty into battling her."

"That's not hard to do given Misty's temper." Dawn pointed out under her breath. "It's also annoyingly infectious."

"She beat Misty despite Misty having a type advantage I believe." Ash continued not hearing Dawn's comment. "Then I faced her with Pikachu and won in a very unconventional manner against a Cubone I believe. That got through to her and she realized there was more to training then just studying here and the boy decided that it was better to go on his own journey and left the school. Team Rocket also showed up as always and we beat them as well but I can't recall how they played into it, I just know they were there."

"I see yeah that is the usual for you." Dawn agreed with a smile. "Not exactly the same as we have had but very similar. Same shit, different setting."

"Yeah just the kinda things that happen on a journey." Ash said and Dawn nodded. "It is what makes a journey a journey though, all the new friends you make on it."

Just then the boy with the Weepinbell landed a Razor Leaf on the Cubone breaking them from their conversation and drawing their attention back to the practice the battle. The Cubone was blown backwards and crashed to the ground, swirls for eyes and the battle ended. It was over so Ash and Dawn were about to move on when a voice that Ash had heard before spoke and Ash stopped in his tracks.

"Well done, now can someone here tell me why Weepinbell won?" A soft feminine voice asked as the Pokémon were recalled to their respective Poke Balls. "Or why Cubone lost?"

"Because Weepinbell is a grass type which has an advantage on a ground type Pokémon like Cubone." One of the boys in the group ventured. "Type advantages are key to a Pokémon battle. If you have one you will likely win."

"Half right." The woman said kindly. "There is a type advantage but the key in this battle was the move in question and not the Pokémon doing it. Remember class, moves have types as well and Razor Leaf is a grass type move and as such the move was super effective against Cubone because Cubone is a ground type. Type advantages of the Pokémon alone are not enough because a Pokémon can learn more than just moves with the same type or types as the Pokémon in question."

"They're not?" The boy who had answered the question asked confusion in his voice.

"No, I learned this the hard way when I was your age." The teacher answered. "I was in you place as a beginner back then when some trainer from Pallet Town showed up and beat my Cubone with a Pikachu, an electric type that is weak against ground types. Back then I thought Pikachus were no good in battle but only good as pets for little girls. I certainly thought it wouldn't win against a ground type. I lost and since then I have learned that there is more to battling than just type advantages and classroom learning. Nothing can ever replicate or replace actual experience, remember that class."

"Yes Miss Giselle." The students said in unision.

"Ash, that sounds a lot like you." Dawn whispered to her boyfriend amazed at the story. "Right down to the letter."

"Yeah it was me." Ash said as it all came back to him in a flash, the teacher's name triggering the full memory. "Giselle, that was the name of the girl I mentioned. She was top of the beginner class and stunningly beautiful. Even I found her attractive and until you I hadn't even thought about any other woman in that way, at least consciously. She was also a bully, extremely arrogant, expected everything to be handed to her, and looked down on everyone. It wasn't until I beat her that she finally began to see things my way. I never knew what happened to her afterwards though as I had no way to follow up but such is the nature of people you meet on a journey."

"A Pikachu beat you Miss Giselle?" A girl in the class asked and Ash and Dawn looked back to the group though Dawn was torn between Ash complementing another girl and his oblivious cuteness by complimenting her as well. "But don't electric type move not affect ground types?"

"He did." The teacher, Miss Giselle as they called her, said. "The boy who was his trainer, and Pikachu is a Pokémon with a gender difference so I know It was a male Pikachu but we will cover that in a later class, had just shown up out of nowhere. They had helped out a boy called Joe who I am ashamed to admit I bullied back then and were telling him about being a trainer."

"What happened Miss Giselle?" An unidentifiable student asked curiously.

"Well the trainer was traveling with this angry, boyish, redhead who didn't like me at all but who I beat with my Graveler against her Starmie." Miss Giselle said and Dawn at least agreed with her assessment of Misty though seeing Misty's assets confirmed that she wasn't boyish to Dawn. "Then he beat my Cubone and showed me that there was more to training than what I had originally thought. It is why I incorporate as much experience as possible into my classes."

"So it was like that Pikachu over there Miss Giselle." Another student said pointing up and Ash and Dawn realized that they had been seen creepily watching them and blushing in embarrassment at being caught. "The one that boy in the hat has on his shoulder."

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked confused.

"Huh, let me see." The teacher said and she stepped forward and as soon as Ash saw her he knew at once that it was the same girl as before, it was the same Giselle he'd beaten when he was last here.

The woman who stepped forward was as gorgeous as he remembered, though he found Dawn more beautiful. Giselle was about Ash's height with a quintessential hourglass figure that showed off an impressive bust and long legs. Her hair was long, all the way down to her knees, glossy and brown and well-manicured in a way that Dawn had to respect. It also framed her heart shaped face perfectly just as it had 6 years ago when Ash had last seen her. Even her clothes were similar after all these years.

Giselle wore a similar outfit to the students except hers was a slightly different shade of blue and she had accessorized it differently to show her personal experiences. At her throat, instead of the red ribbon thing all the girls at the school wore, Giselle had what looked like a Contest Ribbon from Hoenn there that somehow worked for her. She was also wearing a sash like belt around her small waist. On one side, resting on her hip was 3 Poke Balls, on the other was a large silver keyring with 3 ornate golden keys that seemed to have no practical purpose but that Dawn and Ash assumed had some significance to Giselle

All in all Ash thought that she was even more beautiful than before seeing as she had grown up since he had last seen her. Dawn, however, was instantly jealous of this woman and held Ash's hand a little tighter out of reflex hoping that this wouldn't devolve like it had with Misty or present another rival to her like Angie.

"Well I never, class is dismissed but stay in the courtyard as you may learn something in a bit." Giselle said with a smile as she approached them looking at Ash and Pikachu and ignoring Dawn all together. "It really is you isn't it. I never thought I would see you again but I would remember that Pikachu and style anywhere, even if it a little different to last time. Not a good style in my opinion but I have learned that everyone has their own preferences, even if they aren't at my high level of fashion."

"You remember me?" Ash asked confused. "I could barely remember you Giselle. You were more just a memory until I heard your name and it all clicked."

"How can I forget the boy that changed my life." Giselle said as she reached them, followed by the kids who were curious but keeping a respectful distance "If it wasn't for you Ash I would still be some stuck up, spoilt, rich, little brat who thought the whole world revolved around her. Thanks to you showing me that there was more to Pokémon than what I had thought by putting me in my place I saw the world in a different light. Course there were other factors after you left but you were the start."

"Er your welcome." Ash said before Giselle suddenly hugged him, forcing Dawn away and causing the Sinnoh girl to go white and then red in rage that was nearing Misty level as Ash awkwardly hugged her back. "I was just being myself I think."

"I never expected I'd get to thank you for what you did but now I can." Giselle said taking a step back and finally looking at Dawn before offering her hand to the blue-haired coordinator. "And you must be Ash's girlfriend, sorry for forcing you away but I had to address Ash first. I gotta admit, you are much cuter and better dressed than that angry redhead he was with last time."

"I am." Dawn said taking the other girl's manicured, soft hand in hers and down a lot because she insulted Misty. "I'm Dawn, though the whole girlfriend thing was a more recent development. I met Ash when he came to my home region and I traveled with him there for a year. We went our separate ways after that but a brief, chance, meeting in Unova reminded us that we shouldn't be apart so when our respective journeys were done we met up again in Johto."

"You're from Sinnoh, right?" Giselle asked and Dawn nodded retaking Ash's hand now that they were no longer in each other's personal spaces. "I thought so, the Piplup on your head gave it away. Your starter I take it?"

"Piplup." Piplup said helpfully with a smile from his favorite perch on Dawn's head.

"He is." Dawn confirmed. "I got him on my first day as a trainer few years back."

"And he hasn't evolved?" Giselle asked confused.

"He doesn't want to." Dawn said and Piplup shook his head emphatically to help Dawn make her point. "He has an Everstone to prevent it as he was exhausting himself when he was forcing himself to not evolve before."

"I see." Giselle said still a little confused. "I guess some Pokémon just don't want to evolve."

"All Pokémon are different and there will always be some who don't want to evolve for whatever reason." Ash said helpfully. "Pikachu is another one though with him it is easier to prevent as he needs a stone to evolve."

"Pikachu." Pikachu said happily from Ash's shoulder.

"Ah ok." Giselle said. "Well Ash, what have you been up too since you were last here? It has been several years since I was a beginner and you a rookie trainer on his first journey. I take it you made it to the Indigo Conference in the end."

"I did." Ash said with a nod. "I made it to the last 16 there before I lost. After that I spent a year traveling through the Orange islands, a year in Johto, then one year in Hoenn, Sinnoh and most recently Unova. The only break was a year back here in Kanto challenging and beating the Battle Frontier between my years in Hoenn and Sinnoh."

"Sounds like you are still trying to become a master." Giselle said with a small smile. "Not that I'm surprised, your passion and drive were what made you stand out. How did that go in the other regions?"

"I won in the Orange Islands but that isn't an official League with a championship conference." Ash said. "As for the others, I was top 8 in Johto, Hoenn and Unova and top 4 in Sinnoh which is still my best performance to date. I'm taking the year off to train hard in Kanto while Dawn competes in the Contest Circuit here and then reentering the Indigo Conference when it starts at the end of the year for a second go around."

"I see, an interesting strategy but one that many trainers take, I will have to follow your progress." Giselle said before turning to Dawn. "So you are a coordinator then? I'll admit that makes more sense than you being a typical trainer, you have the air of a coordinator to you."

"I am." Dawn confirmed not entirely surprised that Giselle had recognized it, Dawn didn't try to hide her trainer class. "I have competed in both the Sinnoh and Johto circuits over the last two years but I lost in the finals of both Grand Festivals. Now it is time to challenge the Kanto circuit."

"I have tried coordinating a little in my time, it is fun and worth trying for those who prefer style and grace to raw power." Giselle said before gesturing to their hands. "If you met Ash in Sinnoh then is that how this happened?"

"Ash and I did traveled together in Sinnoh but circumstances prevented us from continuing together once the League Conference was over." Dawn said with a little sadness at the memory. "We met up again in Unova about 6 months ago but that too was only briefly and by chance through a mutual friend. It was after we separated again we realized we liked each other. Well Ash realized, I already knew just not how deeply."

"Typical guy." Giselle said shaking her head and Dawn chuckled in agreement. "They never realized do they."

"So true, especially for Ash." Dawn said in a teasing tone. "I am learning that I have a few more rivals now that I am his girlfriend, though he will have his own rivals in time as well."

"Like that angry redhead?" Giselle asked. "She was so into Ash when we met so I can't see her not being upset now that you are dating him."

"Wait Misty liked me back then?" Ash asked amazed and Giselle just nodded with a sigh.

"Oh yeah it was painfully obvious to me." Giselle said with a light titter of a laugh. "Your little crush on me, which I noticed but never reciprocated because I thought you were beneath me back then, was enough to show me that Misty liked you. The jealous rage she had was palpable. It might even have been what made her realize she actually had a crush as it is often those things that cause it but who knows."

"I certainly know her rage well." Dawn said darkly though it wasn't only about Misty, she had her own shame at how she'd reacted to meeting Misty as well. "I saw it firsthand and, er, reciprocated in kind."

"A perfectly rational response to a challenge from a rival female." Giselle said as if it was nothing. "I have seen it many times in my life, often directed at me though more because of someone's crush crushing on me. However, if you weren't with Ash when he was in Sinnoh or Unova, how did you two finally realize you liked each other."

"Ash came all the way to Johto to see me in the Grand Festival there." Dawn explained glad to get back onto a topic that always made her heart flutter. "I hadn't intended on competing in the Circuit there, in fact I only had 3 months to get the 4 ribbons I needed after I won the Wallace Cup again which had been the only reason I was going there in the first place. However I decided to go for it because it is my passion and Ash would want me to follow it. I managed to get the 4 ribbons in time and was going to go to Ash when it was done but he beat me to it. Showed up and comforted me after my loss in the finals and well that's how it began. That was a few months back and we've been together ever since."

"Probably an oversimplification but sweet nonetheless." Giselle said with a smile. "Almost like a fairytale. So what have you two been up too since you became official?"

"I took Dawn to Pallet Town at last to meet my mom as she was the only traveling companion of mine who hasn't been there." Ash said. "Along the way we had an adventure while we were in Cerulean City."

"I beat Misty in a Gym Battle." Dawn said simply while Piplup involuntarily shuddered at the memory on her head. "She found out about us and it was her first introduction to me at the time and well neither of us handled that situation well. The only way we could realistically deal with it was to battle and work our issues out that way."

"Yes that." Ash said remembering that destructive and revealing confrontation well. "And then it was back to Pallet Town after a brief stop to see our friend Brock in Pewter City. We spent a few weeks there, I had my birthday which was a big party Dawn and my mom surprised me with, and then we began traveling again. I am challenging all the gyms to full 6 on 6 battles for practice while Dawn is competing in Contests along the way to qualify for the Kanto Grand Festival."

"I already have one ribbon from the Cerulean Contest and Ash has won his first two gym battles." Dawn said with a smile. "Though of course they were for practice as he already has the badges now it is on to Vermilion City for Ash's next battle. After that we head to Saffron City for the Contest and gym there."

"I see well that does sound like a fun plan." Giselle said after a moment. "I will have to watch you on TV, both of you, when the competitions are on of course as I don't have the time to watch standard Contests."

"Well what about you?" Ash asked shifting focus now that he had Dawn had explained what they had done and were currently up to. "What have you been up too since I last saw you? As I recall you were top of your beginner class when I was here and likely set to graduate in time for the Indigo Conference."

"Alas I didn't graduate in time." Giselle said with a sigh. "I had to repeat the advance class as I failed it by underestimating it. It worked out in the end as it helped remind me what you had been saying when you accidentally visited, there was more to Pokémon than books alone."

"But I take it you did graduate in the end." Ash said and Giselle nodded. "And then it was the Indigo Conference right?"

"It was." Giselle said. "It was the year after you would have competed in it. I graduated with months to spare but despite the time to prepare it was still a wakeup call when I did compete in it."

"What happened?" Ash asked curious to learn how Giselle had done.

"I got to the last round of the preliminaries before the full battles when Joe was drawn as my opponent." Giselle said and the way she had said his name made Ash realize that Joe had been the boy they had helped. "He had been traveling Kanto since he left here and taking his time to make up for not starting his journey sooner so we both entered the Conference at the same time. We faced off in the last 32, the last time it was a 3 on 3 battle."

"And you lost that battle." Ash said picking up on Giselle's tone. "Despite never losing to him before if I recall."

"Correct." Giselle said with a nod. "He was just better prepared, knew more, had more practical experience and as such easily handled my team. It made me realize that I really needed to go on a journey of my own or else I'd never truly grow, so I did."

"You went off by yourself after your loss?" Ash asked.

"Not right away, I stayed to watch Joe lose in the next round but then I left." Giselle said remembering it well. "We spoke about traveling together to make up for what had happened between us here but he was heading to Sinnoh to challenge the gyms there. Meanwhile I had decided that I wasn't going to challenge gyms, at least not yet, but rather grow as a person and try other pursuits to see if I could find my true passion."

"Like Contests." Dawn said nodding at the ribbon at Giselle's throat. "That is a Contest Ribbon, by the looks of it from Hoenn though that is the one region I have yet to compete in so I can't say for sure."

"Correct, trust a coordinator to know that." Giselle said with a light laugh. "I went to Hoenn because that is where Contests began and I felt that it would be fun to try my hand at coordinating and in the place where it was invented no less. I had read about it while here so I figured it wouldn't be hard as it wasn't about strength but style but I was wrong. It was a lot harder than I had thought."

"Yeah I have tried it a few times and never gotten the hand of it." Ash admitted. "It's too technical for me. Dawn is amazing at it though; it is what she was born to do. Her mother is a former Top Coordinator back in Sinnoh so she has it in her blood."

"Thanks, it was my dream to be a coordinator from a young age." Dawn said blushing at Ash's praise. "But even I struggled at first. Books and even practice with a Top Coordinator isn't enough to prepare you for the real thing."

"So true." Giselle agreed. "I lost my first 3 attempts before finally winning a Contest. That is the ribbon on I wear now, it is a symbol of what I achieved on my first true journey. After that I got the hang of them more."

"So did you make it to the Hoenn Grand Festival?" Dawn asked and Giselle nodded.

"I did, about a year after I was in the Indigo Conference." Giselle said proudly. "I got my 5th ribbon in my 11th contest and just in time for the Grand Festival. I got past the two appeal rounds but lost the first battle round so I was in the top 32 there. It was fun but I wasn't done yet, there was still more to see and experience."

"So you left Hoenn?" Ash asked. "And competed somewhere else."

"I did move on from Hoenn." Giselle confirmed. "But not to compete as a coordinator, those days were now behind me. I had done what I had planned to do in Hoenn so I was ready for my next challenge and that wasn't in Hoenn. There was only one region where I could go for that challenge."

"Where was it?" Dawn asked.

"Kalos." Giselle said to their surprise.

"Why Kalos?" Ash asked. "I know little about it but a good friend of ours is there right now helping set up a Contest Circuit there so I am interested in learning more about it."

"I can see Kalos liking contests as it is similar, if more inclusive, then their own regional competition." Giselle said. "Which is why I went there in fact. I had read about it while studying here and wanted to try it out as part of my own personal journey and well I had the requirements to enter."

"What do they do in Kalos?" Ash asked curious.

"Requirements?" Dawn asked. "There are special requirements out there?"

"Tits and a pussy." Giselle said bluntly shocking Ash and Dawn at her words so Giselle explained more. "Kalos has a gender specific competition called Pokémon Showcases where only female trainers, known as Pokémon Performers, are allowed to compete in a two round competition. It is designed to showcase the partnership between Pokémon and trainer that transcends battling. The first round is a theme round and is always different. It can be anything from baking Pokémon treats to a Pokémon knowledge quiz to Rhyhorn wrangling and many other things as well. The second round is a freestyle round similar to an appeal round and then the audience votes on the winner."

"Sounds interesting." Dawn admitted though Ash disagreed but he was a battler so it wasn't his thing, not that he as a male could compete in it regardless. "So you went to Kalos for that?"

"I did." Giselle said patting the three keys on her hip. "A Showcase winner receives a Princess Key when they win and these are the ones I got. Once you win 3 Princess Keys in Rookie Class Pokémon Showcases you can enter the Master Class Tournament at the end of the year. I won my 3 keys but it was harder than contests as I was so used to battling and the first stage usually got me."

"But clearly you managed it." Dawn pointed out. "You got 3 keys."

"I did but it took me 8 Showcases to get my 3 keys." Giselle admitted "The Master Class Tournament is different and has no theme round, it is all freestyle rounds with limits on the number of Pokémon you can use. I didn't advance past the first round but it was worth it and I keep the keys on me at all times to remind me of my journey and experiences out there."

"So that is what, almost 4 years or so after we met." Ash said trying to think. "Give or take a year."

"One more year to finish here after the year we met, one year as a coordinator in Hoenn, and one as a performer in Kalos." Giselle counting on her fingers. "Yeah sounds about right."

"So what about the next 3 years?" Ash asked. "It has been over 6 since I was here, almost 7 as this is the 7th year since I began my journey so you must have been doing something in that time frame."

"I only spent one more year on my own journey and that was to do what I hadn't in Kanto." Giselle said. "Challenge a region's gyms and then enter the League there."

"Did you return here for that?" Ash ask. "Or go somewhere else?"

"Somewhere else as I am still automatically eligible in Kanto because of my Pokémon Tech degree." Giselle said. "I was already off this content at the time being in Kalos and as I do not expect to travel again I wanted to see one more of the far-flung regions before I returned so I decided to head to Unova and challenge the gyms there. I got my 8 badges, it was the easiest of all my trips as I was returning to what I was trained form and frankly was best at, before I enter the Vertress Conference there."

"How far did you get?" Ash asked. "In Vertress that is."

"Same as you, quarters." Giselle said simply. "I was good but even then I wasn't the best around. That was when I decided it was time to retire from training full time rather than continue traveling. I had accomplished all I had wanted to accomplish; I had seen the world, experienced various pursuits and I had grown into a much better person. I doubt none of this would have been possible without your arrival here Ash. That was what woke me up and made me realize that I wasn't the center of the universe, it was the start of multiple humbling moments for me."

"Ash is something else." Dawn said lovingly. "He always makes an impact on anyone he meets, no matter how brief that meeting was."

"That he is." Giselle agreed. "You are lucky to land a man like that, many will want what you have if they knew just how special Ash is and I didn't even fall for him and I know it."

"Oh I know and I don't intend on letting him go." Dawn said with a smile at Ash. "I will take on any who try."

"So after you were done in Unova, you returned here?" Ash asked completely clueless to the praise he was getting causing both girls to blanch at it.

"I did, I decided it was time to give back to the school I had begun at." Giselle said recovering faster than Dawn. "I know you don't think highly of Pokémon Tech and I realize now that it isn't for everyone but there are some here who it is good for. I wanted to be there to help them educate and show them that there was more to the world after they graduated and that experience and traveling was just as important as classroom learning."

"That is good, give them another perspective to the world." Dawn said finally recovering from her boyfriend's adorable cluelessness and thinking on it. "Show them that school isn't everything for them."

"Correct Dawn." Giselle said with a nod. "I started as a teaching assistant my first year but this year they promoted me to full time teacher of one of the beginner classes but it will be a few years until I can teach the higher level classes. Still, it is a lot of fun and I really enjoy it."

"I can tell." Ash said as the kids were all still hanging back and waiting for Giselle to return while also trying to listen to the conversation. "I think the kids want you back so we will get going but it has been great catching up."

"Huh?" Giselle asked turning and seeing the kids were all paying attention to them then turning back to Ash and Dawn with a gleam in her eyes at a sudden idea she'd had. "Actually, if you two could stay for a little, would you be willing to help me out with a little demonstration for the class. This could be a great learning experience for them and I would be remiss in my duties as a teacher to not capitalize on this."

"Demonstration?" Dawn asked confused.

"Yeah, it would be great to show them how a trainer who has competed in multiple League Conference battles." Giselle said. "As well as a decorated coordinator with at least 11 ribbons and two Grand Festival final appearances battles as well."

"What do you propose?" Ash asked sensing a battle and getting excited for it, he never turned down a battle. "I am definitely game."

"What do you think?" Giselle said with a grin at them. "I want to battle both of you in front of my class and I want to battle both of you at the same time."

"Wait really?" Dawn asked confused. "As in a 2 on one battle?"

"Of a sorts." Giselle said as she explained her idea. "I will use two of my Pokémon while you two use one each, preferably your Pikachu and Piplup as they are already out and it will help with the demonstration I have in mind but up to you. However, I want Dawn to try and use coordinator moves if possible but I understand that it isn't easy in this setting."

"I think we are in synch enough to help." Ash said looking at his girlfriend who nodded back with a grin knowing that she couldn't stop Ash from his passion and letting it wash over her as well. "Very well, we accept and will use our starter Pokémon."

"Yay!" Giselle said happily before turning back to the class and leading them to the kids who had been not so subtly trying to listen to them. "Alright class I have a really special treat for you today."

"You do Miss Giselle." They said in unison.

"I do." Giselle said as she introduced Ash and Dawn. "I would like you all to meet Ash, the trainer with the Pikachu I was mentioning earlier who many years ago made me realize that there was more to training then just books and simulations here. It is purely coincidental that he is here right now as he and his girlfriend Dawn, who is an accomplished coordinator from the Sinnoh region, are passing through on the way to Vermilion City. They have agreed to help me in a special demonstration for you."

"Really?" One of the kids asked amazed.

"What is it?" Another asked excited.

"Tell us Miss Giselle." A third demanded

"Calm down class, this is a special treat so please be respectful as students of Pokémon Tech should be." Giselle said instantly quieting the class before she led them to the training area from earlier and walked to one end, turned and faced Ash and Dawn. "Because today I will be the one to battle and I will be battle both Ash and Dawn at the same time. You will get to see both a double Pokémon battle as I will use two Pokémon to one from each of them, and how a coordinator battles as Dawn will try her best to use that technique."

The kids stood in stunned amazement for a moment before they all began cheering at their luck. The chance to see an actual battle between real trainers who could face off with Miss Giselle was something special, especially as they'd never seen their teacher actually battle before. They quickly got to the spectator side and eagerly waited for the battle eagerly while Ash and Dawn took their spots.

"Pikachu, you're up." Ash said to his constant partner. "You're fighting with Piplup so you already you two know each other well which is key in a double battle."

"Pika, pi." Pikachu said happily as he leapt off Ash's shoulder and took his place in front of Ash.

"Pip, Piplup." Piplup said as he stood on Dawn's head before jumping off in a graceful, spinning, forward flip to land in front of his trainer to cheers from the crowd which he then bowed to them while Dawn groaned at the fueling of Piplup's massive ego.

"I see that Piplup is truly a coordinator's Pokémon." Giselle said as she took two Poke Balls from her waist. "This will be fun. Golem, Marowak come on out."

Giselle threw the balls into the air at the same time so that they burst open in unison. The first Pokémon to form was the giant boulder with stubby legs, arms and a face that was a Golem, just like the one Forrest had used in his battle against Ash. The second Pokémon, however, was a meter-tall bipedal brown Pokémon with a skull covering its face and a bone club in its right hand. Ash remembered that when he had first met Giselle she had had a Graveler and a Cubone so it looked like they had both evolved in the years since.

"What is that Pokémon?" Dawn asked herself, pulling out her pokedex and pointing it at the Marowak. "I've never seen it before."

"Marowak, the Bone Keeper Pokémon and the evolved form of Cubone." The pokedex chimed helpfull. "From its birth, this savage Pokémon constantly holds bones. It is skilled in using them as weapons."

"Ground type." Dawn muttered with a smile as she looked at the data the pokedex was providing, her and Piplup were going to handle this with ease. "And Golem is a rock and ground type, this will be fun."

"Are those the same as last time I was here?" Ash asked not hearing Dawn's murmurings.

"Yup, both have evolved since you we met but after so many years that is to be expected in most cases." Giselle confirmed. "So I guess the rules are simple for this battle. We will have a 5 minute clock as it would be in a Contest but we are going for knock outs while Dawn hopefully shows off contest styles in the process. Work for you two?"

"Works for us." Ash said and Dawn nodded her agreement as she got into the zone for the impromptu tag battle.

"Alright, someone let me know when 5 minutes are up." Giselle called and one of the students pulled out an electronic watch and nodded at her. "Ok let's begin!"

With that the battle began with less fanfare than usual though that was likely due to the lack of a ref. As such the start was a little slow as they gaged their opponents while waiting for someone to make the opening move.

"Marowak, Golem, keep on your toes." Giselle said breaking the silence. "That Pikachu is better than it seems but it is limited against you two to any non-electric type moves it knows. It's that Piplup you really have to worry about as it's a water type. Marowak use Bone Rush on Pikachu, Golem, Rock Slide on Piplup."

"Dawn, go defensive and follow my lead." Ash said instantly getting into the battle and taking charge. "Pikachu, dodge that attack with Quick Attack and then charge forward. Trust me buddy."

"Got it." Dawn said trusting Ash implicitly, after all their time together she knew to trust her boyfriend's battle instincts. "Piplup, use a Bubble Beam counter shield to defend yourself."

Giselle was confused but pushed it to the back of her mind as she focused on her own Pokémon. She wanted to use speed to win this battle and show the kids that there was a way to counter a water type with a rock and ground types despite Piplup's clear advantage over them. She hadn't faced Ash in years but she knew forgot just how unorthodox he was. However, she wasn't ready for what was coming.

Pikachu and Marowak charged at each other at full speed. Marowak raised its bone ready to deal the powerful ground type attack on Pikachu just before Pikachu's Quick Attack hit when Pikachu kicked into high gear and activated his Quick Attack to complete the dodge. Pikachu shot to the side and past Marowak who swung its club at nothing, a look of confusion in its eyes now that its opponent was nowhere to be seen. It was one that was about to be ended.

This was because of what Piplup and Golem had been up to while Marowak was attacking Pikachu. Golem had slammed its stubby foot into the ground and called up a series of rocks that it had then thrown at Piplup. However Piplup had countered by leaping into his air, spinning as he did, and sending out a stream of bubbles that took the form a shield around him.

The rocks slammed into the shield and shattered in explosions that sent debris all over the makeshift battlefield. When the dust settled it was clear that nothing had struck the Penguin Pokémon as Giselle gritted her teeth in shock but that was only the start of the surprises. Dawn had known that Ash was switching their targets as soon as he had ordered Pikachu to dodge with Quick Attack. Dawn was totally in synch with her boyfriend in that. She couldn't explain it but she knew what Ash wanted and acted at once.

"Piplup, use Hydro Pump on Marowak, now!" Dawn yelled before Piplup had even landed and right as Marowak was looking around in confusion at where Pikachu had been a moment before he had dodged with Quick Attack.

"Piplup!" Piplup yelled opening his beak wide and sending out the powerful water attack right at the distracted Pokémon.

Marowak had just understood that its target was gone when it saw the attack coming too late to dodge it. The high-powered jet of water slammed into its face at full speed. The super effective attack blasted Marowak back head over heels before it crashed to the ground and rolled towards Giselle, badly damaged but still in there as it slowly got up to one knee, its jaw clenched in anger.

Meanwhile, Pikachu had understood what Ash had wanted and was running at a confused Golem who had seen its friend and partner suddenly hit by a powerful attack from the small bird thing that Golem was supposed to be fighting not Marowak. It didn't see Pikachu charging down on it until too late.

"Now Pikachu, Iron Tail." Ash ordered with a smile as his plan was working perfectly.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu yelled jumping up and turning his tail to steel.

The Mouse Pokémon then flipped in the air in his signature way and brought the steel type move down right onto Golem's head. The blow took the Megaton Pokémon by surprise and drove it face first into the ground with a grunt that kicked up a lot of dust. Pikachu assumed that the super effective move was enough to take down the Pokémon and leapt away to face Marowak who had just gotten to its feet not noticing that Golem wasn't out of the fight just yet.

"Damn that was good." Giselle muttered as the kids looked at the battle in amazement and stunned silence, eyes wide or jaws slack at the teamwork of Ash and Dawn. "Marowak Bonemerang on Pikachu. We can still take it out. Golem, Earthquake! We have to go for broke now."

"Damn I thought that Golem was done for, it must have Sturdy as its ability." Ash muttered before barking orders. "Dawn deal with it, Pikachu close the distance on Marowak with Quick Attack and then beat it like last time."

"Pikachu." Pikachu confirmed as he ran at full speed at Marowak trusting Piplup to handle the somehow still standing Golem.

"On it." Dawn said focusing on the Golem. "Piplup, Ice Beam on Golem now!"

What happened next happened so fast it was almost impossible to see. Almost. They were just able to make out what happened and it was something spectacular that the whole class wouldn't be forgetting anytime soon.

A weakened and slower than usual Golem raised its fists to bring them down on the ground in an Earthquake attack just as Piplup formed the ice in his beak and sent out the ice type attack. The attack streaked across the battlefield and struck Golem on the crown of its head just as its fists made contact with the ground.

The result was a massive, dusty, explosion that shook the ground and knocked Piplup painfully onto his ass before he rolled backwards and came to a stop at Dawn's feet. When the dust had settled Golem lay in a small crate on its side, swirls for eyes while Piplup stood up proud that he had won again. That wasn't the only thing going on though.

Pikachu had been running at Marowak as the Bone Keeper Pokémon threw its bone at him. Pikachu leapt up high and hurdled the bone as it reached him, barely clearing it but his agility made it possible, and avoiding Golem's partial Earthquake attack in the process. Pikachu landed and kept running at Marowak at full speed with nothing between the two Pokémon.

The other Pokémon just had a smirk on its face as Pikachu neared it knowing that the Bonemerang attack struck twice, once on the way out and once on its way back to its owner. Marowak knew that it would hit Pikachu in the ass before Pikachu hit with its Quick Attack doing a lot of damage in the process. Unfortunately for Marowak, Pikachu did know this.

Pikachu felt the bone coming back and at the last minute he leapt again, this time over the head of Marowak. Marowak lent back and looked up at Pikachu with a confused look and all Pikachu did was wink at it and gesture behind him with his tail. Marowak looked back and went bug eyed as its own bone flew at it and struck it in the face, again.

Marowak was thrown back as Pikachu cleared the area with ease and landed hard on its back. Marowak lay spread eagled on the ground, its bone off to one side, and swirls for eyes. It was over. Ash and Dawn had won and it had only taken them 3 minutes to do so.

By this time the entire class had their jaws on the floor as Ash and Dawn congratulated their Pokémon while Giselle returned her own smiling despite her loss. It had not been what they were expecting and showed them just how much there was to learn that the classroom couldn't teach, as Miss Giselle was constantly telling them. It was going to be a long road to become a master.

"Well done you two." Giselle said with a smile at her Poke Balls. "It has been too long since we last battled together, we are out of practice. Sorry Marowak, we fell for that move again. That Pikachu is really something else."

"That was amazing." One of the kids said breaking the silence as they all came over to congratulate Ash and Dawn. "I've never seen a battle like that."

"Can we see Pikachu and Piplup?" One girl asked looking wide eyed at the cute and powerful Pokémon.

"Do you have other Pokémon?" Another asked.

"How did you manage that?" A third said.

"Children." Giselle called out in her teache voice to get their attention while putting away her Poke Balls. "Please stop mobbing Ash and Dawn, I am sure that they will stay for the rest of the day and help out if you ask politely."

"Please." The kids said to them in unison. "Please stay."

"Can we?" Ash asked Dawn. "I would like to and you know how much I like to help out young trainers in need of advice."

"We can but we will probably have to spend tomorrow walking to Vermilion to make up for the lost time." Dawn said with a smile knowing that she couldn't stop Ash anyway and not wanting to regardless. "But let's let Giselle finish up first before we do anything. This was still a demonstration for their benefit, they should learn from it first."

"Thank you two." Giselle said gratefully before turning to her students. "Alright who can tell me why I lost that battle?"

"Because it was two on one." One of them said confidently. "That made the battle harder for you as you have to direct two Pokémon to one for each of them."

"It does but that wasn't entirely it." Giselle said shaking her head. "Facing two on one happens either in double battles or in some gyms, like the Mossdeep City Gym out in Hoenn where two leaders. It is something that you have to train for so while it is easier for them, it wasn't the sole reason. Can anyone tell me what the main reason was for my loss?"

"Teamwork." One of the boys said nervously after the class paused to think on it. "I noticed that Pikachu and Piplup, and their trainers, were working as a team and taking the fight to you, adjusting and changing based off what was going on as they went. The switched targets multiple times without hesitation or confusion while you were focused on each Pokémon individually rather than as a team. As soon as they had you on the back foot you were done for."

"Correct and an astute analysis." Giselle said with a nod at the boy who while shy and nervous was the top of the class so she'd expected him to get it. "Even though I should have the teamwork advantage as my Pokémon know each other very well and Ash and Dawn had to coordinate together rather than as one, they were the better team. It is clear that they know each other well and trust the other implicitly, I mean they are a couple so that helps but it isn't everything. Pikachu and Piplup have clearly fought together many times as well and have a friendship that works well for them. They were in perfect harmony and used Piplup's advantages to overcome Pikachu's weaknesses."

"That and Ash taught his Pikachu a steel type move." A girl observed. "You told us earlier that moves are as important as the Pokémon type so I paid attention to them when I noticed that Pikachu was up against multiple disadvantages. If I recall correctly, steel type moves are super effective against a Pokémon of Golem's typing and allows for Pikachu to have some chance despite a type disadvantage."

"Well observed." Giselle praised her student proud that she had listened and observed so well. "You remembered earlier and applied it to this battle, well done. It is recommended that trainers try and teach their Pokémon at least one or two moves that aren't their type as it gives that Pokémon a wider range of skills and makes them harder to beat. A Pokémon like Pikachu has a type disadvantage against Golem because electric types are weak against ground types but Ash countered for it by having Pikachu learn a steel type move like Iron Tail."

"Giselle is right, that is exactly why I taught Pikachu Iron Tail." Ash said stepping in to give his own advice. "I was about to face a rock type gym in Hoenn for my first badge there but I didn't have much of chance with Pikachu. I needed an edge and Pikachu gave it to me with Iron Tail. However, as you will learn, only certain Pokémon can learn certain moves so know that ahead of time."

"Ash is right but we will address that later in the semester." Giselle said before asking. "Is there anything else that you noticed in that battle?"

"Yeah I noticed something." A boy said looking at Dawn. "Was that an offensive move you used to defend at the start? If so how and why did you use it?"

"It was." Dawn confirmed. "We call the technique a counter shield when it is used. I accidentally created it in a Contest final in the Celestic Town Contest back in Sinnoh. Ash saw it and was inspired to adapt it as a way to defend against Hypnosis that Fantasa, a ghost type gym leader in Sinnoh who Ash was about to face again, liked to use. After that we worked together to perfect it and have used it many times. I used it to start the battle because it would protect Piplup while opening him up to attack Marowak and show off what I use in Contests on top of that. I could tell that was what Ash wanted me to do, I just played off it."

"How did you know?" A different boy asked confusion in his voice. "That that is what Ash wanted that."

"Well I didn't know exactly what Ash wanted but I know Ash and I trust him." Dawn said with a smile. "We have been through a lot together so we know each other really well. When Ash told me to stay back I had a feeling that he was going to go after Golem rather than engage the Marowak as Giselle clearly wanted so I decided to attack Marowak if the opening presented itself. We had the edge because of Piplup being a water type and from then on it was just instinct for us."

"That shows the strength of teamwork and knowing your partner well." Giselle said. "This may not always be the case which is way tag battles, as they are often called, can be interesting but when you truly know your partner they can be tough to beat. Now is there anything else you would like to ask them?"

"Can we see all your Pokémon now?" One of the girls asked saying the question they all clearly wanted to ask.

"If it is ok with Giselle and she's done with the debrief then we can." Ash said and Giselle nodded her approval to them. "Then I suggest you all take a step back. Dawn has a big Pokémon on her that will need a little space to come out and I suggest care with him. I also need some space as well but not as much."

"Do as they say." Giselle warned and the kids seriously took a step back. "You never know what Pokémon someone might have and as you know there are plenty of large Pokémon that need space. Dawn may be cute and a girly girl like me but for all we know she could have a…"

"Mamoswine!" Dawn said happily sending up the ball of her tank seizing her opening to surprise them. "Come on out."

"Mamo!" Mamoswine bellowed as he materialized in front and the kids gasped in surprise at the large ice and ground type now standing next to Dawn.

"A Mamoswine." Giselle said as surprised as the kids were at the Pokémon's appearance, it wasn't one she expected Dawn to have. "Yeah that Pokémon will need space and care. Alright looks like there are going to be some good learning today class. Mamoswine is a rare Pokémon so this is really a treat for you to see and interact with one like this."

"Well wait until you see the others." Dawn said throwing up the other 4 balls. "Come on out!"

Buneary, Gloom, Pinsir, and Eevee all materialized much to everyone's joy and surprise at what they were seeing. The biggest surprise of all was the Eevee though. None of them, not even Giselle, had seen a shiny Eevee.

"Wow, we are in for a truly special class today." Giselle said making sure the kids stayed back until it was time. "Dawn, that is a really rare Eevee you have there."

"Yeah she's one of a kind." Dawn said proudly causing Giselle to gasp in shock. "What?"

"That Eevee is female?" Giselle asked.

"Yeah we found out when I used her Attract in a training battle against Ash's Palpitoad the other day." Dawn said with a shrug. "It infatuated Palpitoad who Ash knows is male so that meant that Eevee is female given the nature of Attract. Well that and she is always flirting with Pikachu who we know is male as well."

As if on cue, both Eevee and Buneary had made their way to Pikachu and were flirting with him shamelessly in front of everyone. Pikachu was trying to get away from them but failing as he was stuck between the two waring females.

"You do know that about 88% of all Eevees are male, right?" Giselle asked and Dawn shook her head at that, she didn't know but then again she never really paid attention to the gender ratios of Pokémon as until getting Eevee Dawn had never had a Pokémon with a gender based attack or ability. "Well for some reason they are so that Eevee being female really is potentially one of a kind. You are really lucky to have it."

"Thanks." Dawn said unable to really process what Giselle was telling her. "I am happy I got her regardless of rarity. It was an accident that we came across her but after helping her out she let me try and catch her. As you can tell it was successful and she has been great for the team. I can't wait to use her in a Contest."

"She'll do great I can tell." Giselle said turning to Ash. "Alright Ash, your turn, let's see your Pokémon."

"Alright, come on out guys." Ash said throwing his Poke Balls into the air. "Time to help us in some teaching."

Again there were gasps at the Pokémon that appeared though this time it was at the fact that Ash had Pokémon with him that didn't live on the continent so none of them had ever seen a Pokémon like Palpitoad. At once the kids began to come forward but Giselle chided them and then began the lesson. This was not playtime with Pokémon, it was a school so it was time to learn about these Pokémon. Ash and Dawn would just help them today.

The rest of the day passed in a blur as Ash and Dawn helped out Giselle and imparted whatever knowledge they could on the kids, all of whom were eager to learn as much as they could from the experienced trainers. By the end of the day they were a hit with everyone. The kids, and even Giselle, were begging them to come back and see them again.

Ash and Dawn promised that they would try to visit again as they took their leave, planning on camping out in the woods before heading on to try and reach Vermilion tomorrow. It had been a fun day and a great break from their usual training, one that both knew from their journeys was always needed. However, that break was over and it was time to get back in the zone. Soon Ash would be facing Lt. Surge in a full battle and they had to be ready.

Dreams never slept, and neither teen were going to let them end no matter what. They would be ready and face everything the world threw at them head on. Their next trial was on the horizon and they knew that it was going to be epic. They couldn't' wait.

Well there it is, the first true side adventure for Ash and Dawn along with the return of the only confirmed crush Ash has ever had in Giselle from Pokemon Tech way back in the day, with a lot of leeway to flesh out what Giselle has been up too over the last few years as the canon on her is sparse at best. This is a true side adventure similar to the many that occur in the anime and has no real bearing on the actual story but does show what kind of things Ash and Dawn get up to while they are traveling between places. I can't put things like this in the main series as it would detract from the story and just make it longer and harder to manage but they can go into the Supplement upon request. This will be especially useful for characters of the day from the anime getting a second spotlight with Ash as characters of the Supplement where they can have a story with Ash on the side. Giselle is just the first though two more characters of the day are set to appear in Dreams. As with their roles in the anime, these characters almost certainly will not reappear unless absolutely necessary or there is massive support for a return. The last thing to mention is that the next Supplement is not scheduled for release until after Part XXVIII and before Part XXIX but more on that nearer the time. Anyway that is all for this longer than average Supplement, as always please continue favorite and follow both me and this story to keep abreast with new releases and keep the reviews coming. Until next time.

Stringdog