Chapter 7
Dawn sat through her art class with her head in the clouds, going through various scenarios of attempting to ask Ash out on a date. She didn't have any dating experience, to say the least. A few guys had approached her in the past, but she had always turned down their offers. Not to mention Dawn always thought it was up to the guys to make arrangements for a date, but now she found herself in their role for May's sake and she couldn't even imagine how she would do this.
Would the direct approach work?
Or perhaps maybe a little bribe was in order?
Ash was an artist though, so she could always do something creative…
The possibilities were endless, but for some reason, Dawn only saw herself getting rejected in the end. Her chest became tight with each thought of Ash turning her down, and this left her to wonder if all guys felt like this trying to ask someone out on a date.
Dawn snapped out of her thoughts as the bell chimed, ending first period. She didn't even realize that she had spent the entire class thinking rather than working. With a sigh, she rolled her eyes before looking toward May as she packed up her belongings.
"May?" Dawn whispered to her friend.
"Hmm?"
"I have no idea how to ask him." Dawn admitted, earning a small snort from May.
"It's easy Dawn." May said, causing the bluenette to deadpan.
"Didn't you make up a story just to ask Drew out?" Dawn asked her in return. May opened her mouth to speak but remained silent. Then she just motioned for Dawn to follow her as she rose from her desk, heading toward the back of the room where Ash was located.
"Hey Ash, I've got a little proposition for you." May stated as she leaned over him, causing him to look up at her with raised eyebrows.
"Uh okay? What is it?" He asked tentatively. May hadn't even greeted him; she just got straight down to business.
"Dawn and I made plans for a double date this Saturday. I have Drew as my date, but the guy Dawn was taking bailed on us. Would you mind filling in for him?" May explained, causing Ash to take a glance at Dawn who stood beside May.
Dawn could only stare at May though, amazed that she continued to twist this story to make this double date happen.
"We'll cover your meal and everything. All we need is your, illustrious presence." May said to him with a grin.
Ash snickered at this as he leaned back into his seat.
"When you put it that way, how could I say no?" Ash said before giving them a nod. "Yeah, I'll go."
"Perfect, I'll fill you in on the rest of the details this Friday m'kay." May said as she nodded, leaving Dawn absolutely stupefied. Dawn had spent the last forty minutes trying to come up with a decent way to pose this question to Ash, and in forty seconds May got it done. If it was so easy for her to ask Ash out, why couldn't she do the same thing with Drew?
"I'll be looking forward to this," Ash said to Dawn, causing her cheeks to redden a bit. "Do you know what May has planned?"
"I think I'm going to find out the same time as you." Dawn replied with a small chuckle.
Thursday, September 15th
It was lunchtime and Dawn, May and Nando were seated outside of the cafeteria, shielded from the sunlight by an umbrella mounted at the center of their table.
"So Dawn, I think I'm done putting the finishing touches on our plans for Saturday." May proclaimed, earning everyone's attention.
"Oh my, what kind of trouble are you getting into this weekend May?" Nando asked with a sly smirk. May blew a raspberry at him in response.
"I don't know what you're talking about," May stated with a scoff, flipping her hair with one hand. "I've never gotten into any trouble in my life."
"Really?" Nando said, looking at her expectantly. "A little bird told me something about a ton of parking tickets you racked up this summer."
May blushed hard now, her composure vanishing almost instantly.
"It was only a few~!" She protested.
"May, the glove compartment in your car practically exploded when you opened it. There was a lot more than a few." Dawn pointed out.
"Ugh, where's my best friend when I need her?!" May exclaimed, earning a laugh from Dawn. "Whatever! None of that even matters! Don't you want to hear about Saturday Dawn?"
"Of course I do, so long as you're not driving me anywhere." Dawn replied, causing Nando to stifle a laugh. He then raised a hand to high five Dawn as May looked at them incredulously.
"Let's keep things civil or I might find someone to replace you as Ash's date. We'll see who's laughing then." May retorted.
"You wouldn't even think of it." Dawn challenged her.
"Don't tempt me." May responded, wagging a finger at Dawn.
"What are you two going to be doing with Ash?" Nando asked curiously, leaning forward in his seat.
"We've got a double date with Ash and Drew this Saturday." May revealed to him, and Nando's mouth hung open for just a moment. He quickly caught himself and his brief lack of composure went unnoticed by the girls.
"It was…a spur of the moment kind of thing." Dawn added, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm really there to give May support."
Remembering that Drew had been May's heartthrob, Nando couldn't help but smile faintly at her since she had finally mustered the courage to ask him on a date.
"So you finally spoke to him?" Nando asked her, receiving a nod from the brunette.
"Yeah. I gave Ash a ride to his job earlier this week and we talked…a lot." She explained to him. "It helped me put some things in perspective. I went to Drew's house and asked him out on a date, and I figured I might as well bring some friends along. So Ash and Dawn are my plus two."
Nando felt his chest tighten a bit at this statement as several thoughts flashed through his mind. What in the world made May choose Ash of all people to be Dawn's date? Was one conversation with Ash really enough for May to make this decision?
'Why would she pick Ash to accompany Dawn instead of me?' Nando asked himself before blinking hard. Shoving this thought to the back of his mind though, Nando then adjusted his focus to the subject at hand and posed a new question for the girls. "I haven't really had a chance to speak with Ash, but uh…what do you two think of him?"
"He's actually pretty cool Nando," May stated, cutting off Dawn before she could give her input. "I had no idea he was so down to earth. But at the same time, after you talk to him for a while, you just feel kind of…inspired to do something with yourself."
Nando straightened up in his seat. That was high praise coming from May. As much as May tried to dismiss it, it was no secret that she was indecisive. If Ash was 'inspiring' her to take action, there was certainly more to his character than Nando had first thought.
"Yeah, I really like the way you put it May." Dawn said with a nod of agreement. She had been trying to find the best way to describe what it was like when she was around Ash. Now she had that word.
Inspiring.
Nando took a moment to study the expression on each of them. They had both stopped as if to admire Ash even though he wasn't present. Shaking his head a bit, Nando decided to move the conversation along now since they had veered off topic a few times now.
"So what are you plans for this weekend?" Nando asked again.
"Saturday, right." May began as her focus returned. "So this is how it's going to go down."
May waved her hands through the air as if to set the scene for them.
"We'll meet at my parent's beach house and the skies will be clear. We'll all go down onto the beach in the early afternoon, and at a pier will be a speedboat to take us parasailing in pairs. As the sun sets on the horizon, Drew and I will be together admiring it. Then he'll look into my gorgeous eyes and fall in love with me on the spot!" May exclaimed as she looked up gleefully.
Dawn and Nando deadpanned.
"May I think you've been watching too many romantic comedies." Nando commented.
"You can't blame a girl for dreaming." May shot back at him.
"So your parents are cool with us using their beach house?" Dawn inquired.
"Yup, they okay'd everything already. We'll even have a chef there to make us a late lunch or early dinner, plus a driver for the speed boat." May explained, leaving Dawn impressed.
"Well excuse me. May's pulling out all the stops for this one." Dawn said playfully.
"I can't hold anything back. So wish me luck Nando." May said as she looked toward him. Nando gave her a small smile to assure her that everything would go as she hoped. "And Dawn, be there early Saturday so we can check out each other's swimsuits."
"Wow, you're covering every little detail huh?" Dawn asked her, and May gave her an earnest nod.
"This is going to be special! So let's make something great happen Dawn." She said raising her hand for a high five. Dawn laughed at May's enthusiasm and slapped her hand, eager to see how this date would play out as well.
This was a great opportunity for her to get to know Ash better. There were so many questions she had, and now the perfect setting had been arranged for her. She wouldn't let this go to waste.
Saturday, September 17th
Johanna couldn't dispel the butterflies in her stomach as she put her car in park, glancing toward the glistening beach house that belonged to May's father. She knew the Maples very well. Their daughters had been two peas in a pod since grade school, so Johanna had no problem with allowing Dawn to spend the day with May on the beach.
Dawn had revealed to her that they had invited a pair of boys to keep them company. In all of her years in school, Dawn had never really had much of an interest in the boys she had met. She only interacted with a select few guys, such as Nando who Johanna was also well aquatinted with. For a change though, it seemed as though a boy had captured her attention completely.
Dawn was actually blushing as she tried to explain her plans to Johanna earlier this morning. Now looking at her daughter as she stepped out of the passenger side of the car, Johanna could barely stop the corners of her lips from curving upward.
Her daughter had always been so focused, ever since she was young. Once she set her sights on something, she devoted all of her effort to it. It was refreshing to see Dawn shift her focus to something a little more easy-going.
"Alright Dawn, no trouble now." Johanna said to her daughter as she retrieved her bag from the backseat of the car.
"Of course mom, we're not going to be doing anything stupid." Dawn replied pointedly to assure her mother that there were no unusual arrangements.
"Alright. Do you need me to pick you up later?"
"Nope, May's going to give me a ride home."
"She got her car back?" Johanna asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Wow, it's like no one can believe it." Dawn noted with a laugh.
"Well, I just thought with all of those parking tickets that-"
"Wait you know about those?" Dawn interjected, causing her mother to reach for her phone that was resting on the dashboard.
"Yeah, Caroline sent me a picture of when she and Norman found them." Johanna replied as she turned her phone to Dawn, showing her a picture of the tickets that May had racked up. Dawn burst into a fit of laughter at the sight of this.
"I'll see you later tonight. Don't save anything from dinner for me though." Dawn said with a smile as she hoisted her backpack onto one shoulder and shut the back door. She then gave her mother one last wave before she approached the entrance of the beach house.
Johanna laughed inwardly as she watched her daughter. Dawn always had a bright and cheery personality, but Dawn's happiness felt even more genuine right now. Almost as if she had found some sort of magic. Perhaps that boy she was meeting today. Whatever it was, Johanna was glad to see her daughter enjoying herself like this.
Releasing the parking brake, Johanna swung around the roundabout that led up to the house, beginning her ride back home.
After ringing the doorbell, Dawn only had a wait a few moments before the door opened, revealing May in a green two-piece swimsuit, posing for her with a peace sign.
"You put your hair up May!" Dawn exclaimed upon spotting May's high ponytail. May had pulled back all of her hair, even the long bangs that framed her face. "You look so cute!"
"Oh thank you, thank you," May said, turning around to wave as though she was being photographed. "I know I'm wonderful, you don't have to remind me."
"Way to kill it May." Dawn said in a deadpan as she brushed past her friend, entering the home that May's family owned.
It was spacious and secluded from the public areas of the beaches on the southern tip of Vermilion City.
"You know May I've been meaning to ask you this. Why does your family rent a beach house in the same city you guys are living in?" Dawn inquired as she looked back at her friend who had followed her into the living room.
"Well actually, this is more like my dad's backup house. If he does something stupid and gets kicked out by mom, this is where he'll hide for a couple of days until she cools off." May explained with a sheepish laugh.
"What could make your mom that angry?"
"Oh, a couple of things. Like the time he forgot their twentieth anniversary…" May trailed off, deciding that it was best not to delve too deep into this subject. "Anyway~, let me see your swimsuit. It's only one o'clock so the guys won't be here for at least half an hour."
"Alright, just don't say anything embarrassing May."
"No promises, but I'll be outside when you're ready."
Dawn stepped out onto the back porch of the house, placing a hand on her forehead to block the sun above her so that she could take in the scenery. It was beautiful.
The ocean water was sparkling under the sunlight, with palm trees dotting the property line. It was like a scene straight out of a movie. This small perfect beach was for them alone.
Approaching the edge of the porch, Dawn placed her hands on the banister as she peered out at the beach. It was almost surreal how perfect it all looked.
"Whoo~, look at you!" May hollered at Dawn, snapping her out of her little daze. Looking down, Dawn spotted May standing just beneath the porch, struggling to drag a pair of umbrellas, blankets and a drink cooler further out onto the beach. Obviously, May had dropped everything to admire Dawn's attire though.
Dawn wore a bright blue two-piece swimsuit with her hair tied up into a bun and a sarong wrap around her waist. May gave her a thumbs up and a grin of approval, which Dawn returned.
"What are you doing down there May?" Dawn asked as she watched May return to her struggle.
"I wanted to set up the blankets and umbrellas before they got here!" May answered causing Dawn to wrinkle her forehead.
"Leave that for the boys. I'm sure they'll need something to do." Dawn replied as she quickly skipped down the staircase, joining May on the white sand.
"You're absolutely right Dawn, good call," May stated as she dropped everything a second time. Ash and Drew would make quick work of this. "I'll go check on the driver to see when he'll be ready for us."
Dawn cracked a smile at May as she ventured down to the water where a small wooden dock was located with the boat waiting for them. The brunette began to speak animatedly to the driver who was performing his final check of the watercraft.
Hearing the doorbell chime from inside the house, Dawn realized that was her cue since May was busy. Dashing up onto the porch, she dusted off her feet before she went into the house to answer the door. Opening up the entrance she found none other than Ash Ketchum waiting outside in a white t-shirt and cargo shorts. For a change though, Ash wore a red and white cap on his head with an incomplete green triangle on it. Ash shot her a grin as their eyes met.
"Hey Dawn, this is a nice place you got here." He commented as she stepped aside, inviting him in.
"It's not mine. May's family owns it." Dawn replied. Ash gave her a nod as before she guided him into the living room where he could set down his belongings. "There's a bathroom down the hall if you want to change."
"Nice, thanks." Ash said as he began to rummage through his backpack to retrieve his swim trunks.
Ash could hardly control the grin on his face as he pulled out his trunks. Yesterday May had been giving him the information about where to meet and at what time for their plans today, and she went through a lot of trouble trying to keep everything secret. She caught herself multiple times, but in the end, she still spoiled the secret by telling him to make sure he brought swim trunks. This left Ash excited though since he only went to the beach once in a blue moon. Now though he would have the privilege of using a private beach, so he couldn't wait!
Returning in his swim trunks and t-shirt now, Ash spotted Dawn standing out on the porch. Stepping out there to join her, Ash marveled at the incredible view they had which quickly earned Dawn's attention.
"What do you think?" Dawn asked him, watching as a wide smile formed on his face.
"This is amazing." He replied as he raised his arms, stretching them out a bit.
"Just a forewarning, May is going to put you to work as soon as she sees you." Dawn informed him, and Ash tilted his head in confusion.
"Wait, she invited me here to put me to work?" Ash asked in return, but as Dawn opened her mouth to reply, May caught sight of Ash on the porch.
"Ash!" She bellowed from the beach below. She waved both her arms to get his attention. "Get your butt down here!"
"I hope I'm getting paid for this." Ash muttered, getting a laugh from Dawn as he went down the staircase where May was waiting for him.
"I'm so glad you could make it Ash, but I have a little problem that I need your muscles to take care of." May said as she tapped his bicep as if to gauge his strength.
"Uh sure, what is it?"
"Under the porch, you'll find some blankets, umbrellas and a drink cooler. Get all of that stuff out on the beach for us ASAP. " May said as she pointed to the items that were leaning against the staircase. Ash looked at her for a moment, so May clapped her hands in response. "Let's get moving. We're treating you to dinner after all. Not to mention you have Dawn all to yourself."
Ash rolled his eyes with a small chuckle before he collected all of the items in his arms and jogged further out onto the beach with them. While Ash made quick work of the task May had given him, the brunette joined Dawn up on the porch. Watching her friend for a moment, May could see that her eyes were fixated on Ash, following his every movement.
"Sheesh, Dawn quit drooling." May said and Dawn's head snapped to the side to give May a narrow stare.
"I was not!" She protested.
"Says you." May retorted.
"May!" Dawn said sharply, causing her to laugh.
"Hey Dawn, listen to this," May whispered before she cupped her hands around her mouth. "Ash! Each umbrella gets a pair of blankets! If you want to you can set up the ones for you and Dawn extra close!"
"May!" Dawn practically shouted as she slapped her hand over May's mouth. Her friend only giggled in response, finding Dawn's embarrassment more than amusing. The doorbell chimed again, getting a gasp from May.
"Let's go!" May shouted in an effort to hype herself up. Then she darted off into the house, leaving Dawn alone on the porch to laugh her May's excitement. Dawn wasn't alone for long though since Ash was already coming back up the staircase.
"Is she always like this?" He asked Dawn once he was standing beside her. May was quite a curious character to him. Nothing about her made any sense to him.
"Yeah, kind of. She's had the biggest crush on Drew for ages, so this is a pretty big step for her." Dawn revealed, and Ash smiled softly at this. His little talk with May might have actually stuck with her.
"Well, I'm rooting for her then." Ash said before May returned, leading Drew by the hand out onto the porch. Dawn raised her eyebrows at the sight of May holding Drew's hand, but she didn't make much of it as May began to introduce everyone.
"Alright, we've got everyone here now," May exclaimed as she motioned to the group of four. "I don't know if you guys have met yet."
May motioned to Ash and Drew with each of her hands, and the two of them took a step toward each other.
"Nice to meet ya." Drew said as he extended a closed fist toward Ash who smirked a bit. They bumped fists and gave each other a nod leaving the girls to wonder if they might have been communicating telepathically.
"And this is Dawn." May added, directing his attention to her blue-haired friend.
"Oh yeah, I've seen Dawn around at school. I don't think we've ever had any classes together though." Drew replied as he bumped fists with Dawn as well.
"I don't think so now that you mention it. But hey, you're here now aren't cha?" Dawn said in response, and Drew gave her a nod of agreement.
"I have to let the chef know in advance to prepare for us, so when do you guys want to eat?" May asked the group.
"Heck I'll eat right now." Ash said with a laugh. The others shared in his laughter, but they all agreed to eat later on. May then led them down to the dock for everyone to take a closer look at some of the activities she had planned, and the boys were very impressed.
"Dang May, you really know how to treat people." Drew noted, getting a blush of embarrassment from her.
"What can I say, hospitality is my specialty." She said cutely.
"Can we try out parasailing right now?" Drew asked, getting an immediate nod from May.
"Of course, let's do it!" She replied as she motioned to the driver that they would be going now. As the driver began to show Drew and May how to strap themselves into the seat, Ash and Dawn were left to decide how they would pass the time.
"What do you want to do?" Ash asked her, and she stuck her tongue out at him.
"I was going to ask that." She muttered. "But uh…I guess I'll just go sit back for now."
"Eh, I'll keep you company then." Ash said, earning a 'thanks' from Dawn as they ventured over to the blankets and umbrella Ash had set up a few minutes ago. Soon enough the two of them were seated under the shade of the umbrella and although Ash hadn't taken May's suggestion to heart, Dawn couldn't help but notice that they were still kind of close together. Ash didn't seem to mind though as he laid back on the blanket beside her.
"So Dawn, are you going to try out parasailing later on?" Ash asked as he rolled onto his side to look at her.
"I'm a little nervous actually." She admitted. "I've never done anything like that before."
"Neither have I…so I guess that means we have to do it. There's a first time for everything after all." Ash said, and Dawn nodded a bit in agreement.
Silence then set in between them as Dawn sat back, watching as May and Drew finished strapping themselves into the chair with a parachute tied to the back of it. They signaled the driver, and then the speed boat roared to life. It raced out into the water, hoisting Drew and May into the air. They could hear May all the way back here as she screamed, earning a laugh from the duo.
"So Ash, can I ask you something?"
Ash perked up at this, glad that a conversation was starting.
"I don't see why not." He responded.
"I heard that you wanted to be a Pokemon trainer. Is that true?"
Ash remained silent for a moment. He knew that Dawn would ask him about this at some point. After all, she had been there the night they had seen N and Sydney have a Pokemon battle. Settling onto his back now, he pulled his cap down onto his forehead, using the visor to hide his eyes from her.
"Yeah…I do." He stated.
"But why? You know Pokemon are dangerous, right?" Dawn asked, causing him to sigh deeply.
"What makes you say they're dangerous?" Ash asked her in return.
"Are you kidding me right now Ash? Just look at the news. Like every three or four days there's a story about some thugs with Pokemon vandalizing some part of the city." Dawn pointed out to him. "And that's just in Vermilion City."
"Pokemon will reflect their trainers…unfortunately." Ash paused, frowning for a bit. "If their trainer is a brute, then that Pokemon will act accordingly."
"I don't know Ash. I mean, don't you think there's a reason people separated themselves from Pokemon?"
"For all you know Dawn, the Pokemon may have left us. We build skyscrapers and drive cars everywhere. Who knows if the Pokemon want to live in the environment we've built." Ash pointed out.
"It sounds to me like our cities protect us from Pokemon Ash. There's no telling what life would be like if Pokemon ran wild through the places we live in." Dawn explained, causing him to lift up his cap so that he could look at her.
"Alright then Dawn, what do think life would be like if we had to live with Pokemon?" Ash inquired. Dawn stopped herself from responding immediately, using this opportunity to think about what it might have been like.
All the news reports she had seen concerning Pokemon always showed scenes of panic and chaos. Only a few Pokemon were capable of causing total mayhem in a small area…so if they lived with thousands of Pokemon, Dawn could only see pandemonium as the end result.
"It wouldn't work." Dawn stated, shaking her head a bit and that was all Ash needed to hear though.
He was seated upright now, adjusting his cap on his head with a small smile.
When Drew and May returned from their ride, Ash and Dawn were waiting for them on the dock, ready to have their first parasailing experience.
"Oh my god, that was amazing!" May squealed as she and Drew unstrapped themselves from the double seat so that they could climb out onto the dock. Drew was the first to do so before he offered May a hand to help her out.
"Definitely," Drew added. "That view was incredible. Do you want to take another ride later May?"
"Of course Drew." She replied before they stepped aside, allowing Ash and Dawn to take their seats.
"Have fun you two." Drew said with a wave as he and May began to head back to the beach, leaving Ash and Dawn alone.
Dawn was slightly unnerved as she locked in the restraints around her torso. Ash had become pretty quiet for the last several minutes, and she wasn't sure if what she had said might have upset him. That was the last thing she wanted considering what Cassidy had shared with her about Ash and Serena's previous relationship.
The best course of action was just to talk with Ash though. He might have been stubborn, but Dawn was sure that he wouldn't become petty over a comment she made, especially since he had asked for it.
"Um…Ash?" Dawn said.
"Hmm?"
"You're not mad or anything…are you?" Dawn asked him softly as they finished adjusting in their seats.
"Mad?" Ash wrinkled his forehead as he looked at her. "Why would I be mad?"
"Well, you haven't said much in a while now. I just wanted to make sure I didn't offend you earlier." Dawn explained, causing him to chuckle a bit.
"Dawn, everyone has an opinion. I have no control over that." He said simply. "What I can do, is try to change your opinion though."
He was smiling as he said that, the same smile that Dawn had seen him wear around his friends at the subway station last week.
"Alright, everything looks good." The driver noted as he gave their restraints one final check. He then pointed to Ash's cap. "Are you sure you want to wear that hat? There's no way it'll stay on your head out there."
"No worries man, it'll be fine." Ash said as he gave the driver a thumbs up. The driver shrugged his shoulders before returning the gesture, then he went to his seat behind the steering wheel and stepped on the throttle a few times. The boat roared before surging forward. Ash and Dawn had a moment to brace themselves before the chair was yanked out onto the water, skating across the surface as the parachute opened up. Dawn shrieked as they rose into the air, soaring over the ocean now.
"WHOO~!" Ash screamed as he looked around. He could see everything from up here. The beaches that stretched out across the southern tip of Vermilion City and if he looked in the opposite direction, he saw the vast ocean that seemed go on forever. "This is amazing!"
Looking at Dawn now, Ash realized that she was latched onto his arm, her eyes tightly shut. She had yet to open her eyes since they had gotten airborne, and she was missing everything!
"Dawn, open your eyes. You gotta see this!" Ash said to her, nudging her a bit with his arm. Dawn only grasped his arm tighter, shaking her head. "Come on Dawn, if you don't see this yourself what are you going to tell May and Drew? That you were too big a chicken to look around?"
"I am not a chicken," Dawn stated indignantly as she opened just one eye, taking a peek at her surroundings. Needless to say, she had both her eyes open in an instant to take in this breathtaking scenery. "…Wow."
"Hmm, look at that." Ash said as he looked down beneath them. Below the surface of the water, he could see a couple of Mantine following the trail that the speedboat was leaving the water.
"What are they doing?" Dawn asked as she spotted what Ash was looking at.
"How about we find out?" Ash suggested, causing Dawn's eyes to widen as he began to release the restraints that held him to the chair.
"Ash, are you crazy!" She hollered at him.
"Dawn, jump with me." He said to her.
"No way!" She exclaimed. "We'll definitely get hurt, possibly worse if we jump."
"No, we won't."
Dawn opened her mouth to continue protesting, but she looked into Ash's eyes and swallowed her initial response.
"How do you know?" She asked him.
"You just have to trust me."
Never…not once in a million years would Dawn have ever considered doing something like this. Yet the moment she looked into Ash's eyes, it was like she had been put at ease. Somehow, someway, Ash made it feel like this idea of his wasn't as crazy as it sounded.
Dawn gulped and then nodded to him. Together they released her restraints as well, and then Ash extended an opened hand to her. She placed her hand in his and leaned forward. Dawn screamed as she and Ash slid out of the chair, holding hands as they began to descend toward the water below. Feeling her heart jump into her throat, Dawn shut her eyes as the water drew close, bracing herself for impact. Ash, on the other hand, kept his eyes wide open, allowing him to see as the water parted beneath them, revealing one of the Mantine's that had been following the speedboat.
There was a gust of wind, and Dawn was certain her hair tie had been lost as her long locks whipped about. Suddenly though, her freefall came to an immediate halt and she felt something soft and smooth beneath her. Opening her eyes slowly tentatively for the second time in the span of a few minutes, Dawn had to tuck the hair in front of her face behind her ears before she discovered that she was resting on the back of a Mantine with Ash beside her. His hat was gone now, but he didn't seem to mind at all now as he was absolutely enthralled with Mantine.
"Thanks, Mantine!" Ash said as he ran his hand across the slick back of the water Pokemon.
Dawn remained silent, speechless in fact. She couldn't find the words to describe what had just taken place.
Did Ash know that the Mantine would cushion their fall? How did he know that?
"Pokemon will reflect their trainers…"
This Mantine didn't have a trainer though…so did that mean it was friendly, to begin with?
Mantine gave a shout of delight, slapping the surface of the water with her wings. There was a splash behind them, causing both Ash and Dawn to turn around where they found a smaller version of Mantine hopping toward them. On her head was Ash's cap, and she was smiling brightly at them.
"Whoa, a Mantyke!" Ash noted as the small Pokemon approached him, returning his cap. "Thank you so much. I lost it on the trip down so I didn't think I would find it again."
"Man-tyke!" She said happily as Ash took his cap and donned it once again. He then fearlessly reached toward Mantyke and placed a hand on top of her head as a greeting. She smiled up at Ash before looking toward Dawn, and without a thought, she approached Dawn next. Dawn seemed slightly unnerved, but she couldn't deny how cute Mantyke was. Slowly she reached out toward Mantyke and the Pokemon met her halfway almost surprising the bluenette. She gave an affectionate coo and Dawn was put at ease.
"Whoa…" Was all she managed to say before Ash heard the speed boat coming toward them. Mantine descended down into the water, and Mantyke quickly followed her, leaving Ash and Dawn afloat in the water. As the speedboat pulled up alongside them, they were greeted by an irate driver.
"Are the two of you frickin' crazy?! You could've killed yourselves pulling a stunt like that!" He barked at them, extending a hand toward Dawn to help her back into the boat. Dawn swallowed a gasp though as Mantine came up beneath her, lifting her up so that she could climb into the boat with ease. The driver was a bit startled, wondering why Dawn was so light. Then he reached for Ash and was startled to see a large shadow looming beneath him in the water. "Ah, AH!"
The driver stumbled and fell back into the boat, so Mantine gave Ash a boost into the boat as well, earning a thanks from the raven-haired young man. The driver stared at Ash incredulously as he finished climbing into the boat.
"Wha-What was that?!" He exclaimed as he came back to the edge of the boat, peering over the edge in search of the shadow.
"It was a Pokemon." Ash noted, but the driver didn't relax at this.
"Ugh, let's just get back to the shore." He stated, returning to his seat behind the steering wheel.
Any discussion on the return trip was monopolized by the driver of the boat as he berated the two of them for jumping from the seat. Ash quickly took the brunt of the blame, insisting that he talked Dawn into doing it with him and telling the driver that if he should be upset with anyone, it should be Ash. In the end, the driver stated that he wouldn't be willing to take Ash back out for a second trip, and Ash only shrugged his shoulders at this.
Dawn was watching Ash the entire time, and after a while, they finally made eye contact. Briefly, Ash raised his eyebrows at her before looking back out at the ocean to the south.
When they arrived at the dock, Drew and May were waiting for them there. They had seen Ash and Dawn jump from their seats and were anxiously waiting to see if their friends were okay.
"What happened out there you guys?" May asked as she and Drew began to hound Ash and Dawn.
"I was feeling a little crazy, so I asked Dawn if she wanted to jump." Ash explained casually as though it were nothing serious.
"Dang man, you're insane." Drew commented. He had thought that something had caused them to fall out of the seat. He never would've guessed that they had actually jumped from it.
"And you actually went along with it Dawn?" May exclaimed as she looked toward her friend who had a hand on her chest. It hadn't been too long since the drop, so her heart was still racing from the adrenaline rush.
"I guess…I was feeling a little crazy too." She replied with a small laugh.
"But you guys were way up there, how did you not get hurt from that fall?" Drew asked curiously as he and Ash began to walk toward the umbrellas and blankets that had been set up.
"Well actually-" As Ash began to retell the tale for Drew; May took Dawn by the wrist and began walking further down the beach to separate them from the boys.
"What's the matter May?" Dawn asked once May came to a stop. Now that they had some distance from the boys, May looked at Dawn with one brow raised and her lips curved upward. "What's with that look May?"
"Dawn, you never, and I mean, never do crazy crap like that." May pointed out to her. "Do you like him that much?"
Dawn's cheeks turned bright red at this question.
"What are you talking about May?"
"Dawn I tell you this all the time. There's a reason my mom loves you so much. She keeps telling me that you're levelheaded and you'll keep me out of trouble. And you know what, I actually agree with her. So either you have some crazy side you've been hiding from me, or someone's got your heart on a string." May said, giving Dawn a sly glance.
Did she like Ash? Dawn had asked herself this already, but she had yet to have a concrete answer that she could settle on. The funny thing was that it seemed like everyone else knew the answer.
What was it about Ash that made him stand out compared to every other guy she met?
Was it…his unwavering determination…?
She had seen this from him on numerous occasions already, but she couldn't deny how attractive he seemed when demonstrating this quality. Even with the comments she had made about Pokemon, he didn't lash out at her…in fact, that only seemed to fire him up. He was even willing to put himself at risk to show her what Pokemon were truly like. Dawn couldn't think of another person that would go to such lengths.
"Dude that is one handsome sandwich!" Drew exclaimed as he received his beautifully crafted submarine sandwich from the chef.
"Glad you think so." The chef replied with a chuckle as he bowed to the group of four that were seated around the island at the center of the kitchen.
Each of them had ordered a sandwich from the chef who had been astonished by their choice. He was fully capable of preparing some of the best gourmet meals, but he wouldn't complain about their choices.
"If you all need anything else, don't hesitate to call." The chef added after pouring each of them a glass of iced tea. Giving them a smile before he left, the group was left to chat quietly as they ate.
"Hey Drew, do you want to join me on the porch?" May asked him curiously. Drew glanced at her and noticed that she was motioning toward Ash and Dawn with her head. He then understood what May was getting at and gave her a nod.
"Yeah, I don't see why not." He replied as he picked up his plate and drink.
As May did the same, she gave Dawn a small wink before they left her and Ash alone in the kitchen.
"Alone again," Ash noted while Dawn cast a halfhearted glare a May's back as she left them. "You'd almost think May was trying to set us up together."
Dawn remained silent though, trying to gather her thoughts.
"That reminds me, who's the guy I was lucky enough to replace today?" Ash inquired, causing Dawn to furrow her brow for a moment.
"Huh?" Dawn replied then her eye widen momentarily as she remembered how the arrangements had been made for today to take place. "Oh right…it was um…"
Dawn trailed off after a moment. She had forgotten about the story that had been made up for both of the boys they had invited. Shaking her head, Dawn decided that now was the best time to drop this façade.
"You know Ash, that was just a story we made up." Dawn stated, and Ash raised a brow at her now. "May kind of chickened out when she was asking Drew out on this date. So she made up this story that I had a date with you, but that she had to bring someone to make it a double date. That's how she got Drew to agree."
"…And then you didn't actually have a date. So you…asked me." Ash concluded, filling in the gaps. Dawn gave him a nod and Ash began to laugh. "So she didn't invite me for my 'illustrious presence?'"
Dawn stifled a laugh, recalling that May had described Ash as such to convince him to come.
"Oh well, I wouldn't say that. After spending the afternoon with you I can safely say that I had a good time with you." Dawn commented, and the emphasis on 'safely' reminded Ash of their reckless jump.
"I hope that jump we did earlier didn't scare you too much."
"My heart was in my throat," Dawn stated. "And then we landed on the back of that Pokemon, I thought I was going to die. But it didn't take me long to realize that…I had nothing to fear about them."
Ash placed his elbow on the countertop and hid his mouth behind his hand, watching Dawn closely as she spoke. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold back a smile, so the least he could do was keep it covered for now.
"I've never been that close to a Pokemon…and I've never touched one of them either. It was weird being so close to them because…well, I dunno how to explain it really. Kind of like…I felt what you were talking about earlier. Once I relaxed, I felt them relax with me." Dawn explained, looking up as she pieced together her thoughts. "It was like I connected with them for a just a moment and it was…it was incredible."
"I'm glad you got to experience that." Ash said as he moved his hand and beamed at her.
"Is that why you want to become a Pokemon trainer? Because you know that the Pokemon aren't like how everyone says they are?" Dawn asked him, causing his smile to fade quickly. He looked away from her now, looking out the window of the kitchen.
"It's not that simple." He began. "Everyone's perception of Pokemon is all messed up. Most people agree that they're dangerous. That they team up with thugs to cause trouble and hurt innocent people."
Ash took a moment, recalling the times he had had this discussion with other people.
"This stuff makes my blood boil. Pokemon don't even get a fair chance to show their true colors. The media paints them as these ferocious creatures that try to slaughter any and everything if given the chance," Ash explained as he shook his head slowly. "None of them are like that though. They're intelligent, they have families and communities. They protect their young until they're ready to live on their own, and they even respect their fellow Pokemon who pass away. But no one knows about any of this stuff because the only time you'll see Pokemon in the spotlight if something bad happens. I want to change that…"
Dawn felt a twinge of guilt in her heart. She had been no different from the general public. She had been afraid of Pokemon, she had never gotten close to one, and she had most certainly been caught up in the way the media portrayed them.
"But…how are you going to do that?" She asked him, causing Ash to look at her again.
"I don't know yet." Ash said as he shrugged his shoulders, but his eyes were burning once again. "All I know is that becoming a trainer is a step in the right direction."
Johanna had been anxious the last time her daughter had stepped out of her convertible today, but now she found herself struggling to suppress a huge smile.
Dawn had called her out of the blue to tell her that she and a friend needed a ride because May had 'prior commitments.' Arriving at the beach house, Johanna found Dawn speaking animatedly with the same raven-haired young man that had saved her on her first-day school. Johanna thought that this would have been her opportunity to thank him face to face for his heroics. However, this only remained a thought.
Ash and Dawn conversed all the way back to Ash's home. There wasn't a moment of silence between them as they spoke in the back of Johanna's car. Looking at her daughter in the rearview mirror occasionally, Johanna could see that her daughter was practically glowing as she spoke with Ash.
"That's my place coming up on the right," Ash said as he pointed out his home to Johanna. "You can park right in front of it."
"Mom, do you mind if I go in for a few minutes. Ash has a few paintings he wants me to see." Dawn explained to her mother as she came to a stop in front of Ash's home.
"Just for a few minutes Dawn. Darach has dinner waiting for me." Johanna said to her in reply.
"Thanks, mom, I won't be long." Dawn said as she and Ash climbed out of the back of her car. Retrieving his bags from the trunk, Ash then led Dawn up to the front door of his home. Knocking on the door, it was opened up a few moments later to reveal Cassidy who smiled warmly at Ash.
"Well, it looks like you had a good time Ash." She noted before her gaze settled on Dawn. "And who might this be?"
Dawn furrowed her brow as she looked at Cassidy.
"Cassidy, this is a new friend I made at school. Her name's Dawn." Ash said as he looked back at Dawn. When Ash turned to look at Dawn, Cassidy gave Dawn a wink and motioned for her to go along with it.
"Uh, nice to meet you." Dawn said as Cassidy invited them in.
"Can you wait here for a second Dawn?" He said, and she nodded. Ash went down the corridor, entering the kitchen where Dawn could hear the shouts of the two girls in there that were having dinner.
"Thanks for going along with that Dawn," Cassidy said now that it was just the two of them. It was then that Dawn realized that as far as Ash knew, this was the first time she had visited his home. "Is that your mother?"
Cassidy was looking out the front door, studying the blue-haired woman that was seated in the car outside.
"Ye-up."
"Ash will be back in a moment." Cassidy said before she went down the stairs to introduce herself to Johanna.
Watching as the two of them began to talk, Dawn's attention returned to the corridor where she saw Ash coming back to her.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." He said as he motioned for her to follow him upstairs. "My Pikachu should be upstairs; I have a little spot for it outside of my room."
Dawn felt her heartbeat speed up at the prospect of meeting another Pokemon today. Her encounter with Mantine and Mantyke had been short, but it left her curious and she wanted to satisfy this sudden interest. When Ash had told her she could meet another Pokemon, Dawn was astonished to learn that he was actually in possession of one. It all made sense though. No wonder Ash was so comfortable around Mantine and Mantyke. He was always around Pokemon, and that explained why he wanted to change things for them.
Reaching the second floor, Ash led Dawn down a long hallway and near the end of the corridor she saw a cushion beside a door with a creature resting on top of it. His ears perked up at the sound of their footsteps, causing him to rise from the cushion to check who was approaching. Spotting Ash, Pikachu jumped to his feet and darted down the hall, pouncing at Ash who caught him easily.
"Pika!" He proclaimed as he snuggled into Ash's chest.
"Yeah, it's been a long day," Ash replied as he held Pikachu for a few moments. Once Pikachu finished greeting Ash, he climbed onto Ash's shoulder where he now focused on Dawn, studying her intently. Lots of new people had been coming over to their house recently, and Pikachu was trying to become aquatinted with all of them. "Pikachu, this is one of my new friends. Her name is Dawn."
"Pika-chu." He said, extending one of his small paws toward her. Dawn stared at the small Pokemon in shock for a moment. He was actually trying to shake hands with her, although his tiny paw couldn't compare to the size of her hand.
"It's nice to meet you…Pikachu." Dawn said softly as she accepted his gesture. Pikachu beamed brightly at her, and this seemed to melt away any doubts Dawn might have had. Pikachu was just so adorable! "Oh, you're such a cutie!"
"Pika!" He exclaimed, hopping onto her shoulder now where Dawn didn't waste this opportunity to place her hand on Pikachu's head, scratching him softly which gained a content 'Chaaa' from Pikachu.
"So how did you get Pikachu?" Dawn asked Ash as he opened up the door to his room.
"When I turned five. Pikachu's been through everything with me." Ash replied as they stepped into his room, and Dawn's focus shifted from Pikachu to the contents of Ash's room. She was left speechless at the sight of all the paints and sketches that were scattered on the floor or leaning against the wall. Dozens of them!
"Ash, don't tell me you did all of these?" Dawn exclaimed as she kneeled down to examine the closest one.
"Yeah, but all of these are from a while ago. I haven't been painting or drawing much recently." Ash responded.
"This is incredible." Dawn noted softly as she looked around at the other pieces of artwork. Glancing from one to the next, Dawn could see that none of these were done on a whim. He poured everything he had into his work.
Looking toward Ash now, Dawn watched as she approached the only window in his room and unlocked it, raising it to let some fresh air into the room. Dawn tilted her head, wondering how Ash could be so talented and have no intention of trying to use these talents. She could understand his earlier discouragement, but his talent was evident in his work. He couldn't just give up on all of this!
"Ash, why don't you want to become an artist?" She asked him suddenly. She wanted to hear what Ash would say. He sighed though, leaning on the windowsill as he peered out into the street in front of his home.
"I wanted to…at one point." Ash began, shrugging his shoulders. He kept his back to her though, even as he continued speaking. "I told you this already, but I want to change how people view Pokemon. I don't think I'll be able to do that as an artist."
"You can't say that!" Dawn almost barked at him. She paused for a moment, surprised that she had become so outspoken for a moment. Dialing back the volume of her voice, she continued with her stance on the matter. "Art is a form of communication. You can spread messages and ideas all over the place through art. You're so talented Ash that I'm sure you can get your message across to people. I'm sure you'll find a way."
"It's not that easy Dawn. Everyone has been…brainwashed into believing Pokemon are dangerous. I don't want to sound like I'm downplaying what artists do though, I have the utmost respect for them…but getting a few pictures and paintings into a gallery to try and spread the word-" Ash sighed again, shaking his head. "-that isn't going work."
Pikachu jumped down from Dawn's shoulder, scampering over to his trainer where he climbed back onto Ash's shoulder.
"If I really want to make a difference, I have to do something big…no, huge." Ash stated, a smile forming on his face. He turned a bit, glancing back at Dawn. As he did so, the setting sun almost blinded Dawn since Ash had been blocking it. Raising a hand to block it, Dawn's eyes widen a bit as she looked at Ash. He was…sparkling in the sunlight. It was almost, magical.
"Me and Pikachu, we'll find a way to show everyone that we can live with Pokemon," Ash stated, giving a nod to his partner. "Right Pikachu?"
"Pika!"
"Becoming a Pokemon trainer is going to take him down a dark path, and if he commits to it, he won't turn back. So please, help him to see that there are other things that he can do with himself."
Remembering Cassidy's words to her, Dawn found that whatever resolve she had was fading. She didn't know if she had it in her heart to oppose Ash's dream.
A/N
I'm glad that I'm finally uploading this chapter. I've been dying to start tackling some of the major conflicts in this story. These two chapters (Perspective I & II) went into the opinions and viewpoints people have with regards to Pokemon in this story. As I've said before, I'm trying to put a different spin on the issues in the Pokemon world and I hope that you all are enjoying them as we keep progressing.
I have to give a shout out to my beta-reader MjrGenMatt for his help. He likes to say that his contributions are minimal but he's being too modest. Also a thanks to our new followers, I hope you're enjoying everything up until this point. There are big plans going forward that I can't wait to get to!
Thanks again everyone, and I hope you have a wonderful day!