Chapter 3: towards one's future
There was a reviewer that said that Ash wasn't meant to like a girl this early, well that is what some of the flashbacks are for, in the story Ash and Leaf have known one another for some time, so there is nothing wrong with it.
Walking to the eastern end of the massive City Leaf looked back and started to wonder whether she will meet Ash during her journey, it was time for her to start a new chapter in her life, "this is where I restart everything, I will grow stronger no matter what," Leaf declared while Dawn looked on with a proud smile on her face, the two girls walked towards the exit with a sense of adventure on their minds, wanting to put the past behind them, 'once I am done here, I have something to prove to some at home, that's right Misty, I will defeat you to prove that I am worthy or being with Ash,' Leaf thought to herself determined to right the wrongs that were done to her in the past.
"You know Leaf, if we take the eastern roads we might be able to get your first badge, plus I heard that there is a nice field of flowers there," Dawn stated while thinking about the next course of action. The two friends continued on towards the first gym in a hurry to catch up to Ash, the weather remained beautiful and breeze gentle, "hey Leaf, why not capture a few pokemon, I will help you out," Dawn assured the young trainer with a proud smile.
"Thanks Dawn, but I need to get stronger on my own two feet, I want to prove to Ash, that not only am I a worthy rival, but a person he can count on," Leaf told her friend with a firm conviction, she walked ahead leaving Dawn to think about her friend who was determined to be with Ash, "come on Dawn, we need to catch up with Ash," Leaf told her friend sternly.
Dawn nodded and walked up to the brunette quietly, "you know, you only have two pokemon, so catching at least four more pokemon would be a great idea," Dawn suggested quickly as she walked out of the city.
"I know Dawn, but I want to take my time," Leaf replied to her friend quietly.
Dawn shrugged her shoulders in disbelief, shaking her head as her friend walked ahead of her, "you don't have all the time in the world, you only have five months, you want to battle Ash in the Kalos League and yet you don't want to capture four more pokemon," Dawn complained while approaching her school friend.
"I just want to catch up with him," Leaf retorted, clenching her fists, she stopped in the middle of the field with Dawn standing back with a sigh.
Dawn sighed concerned with her friends attitude, "Leaf, I know you haven't had a perfect life, I admit me and my friends were the cause of that," Dawn replied before being stopped by the younger trainer.
Leaf shook her head and smiled at the bluenette, "no Dawn it isn't the fault of any of you, maybe I have hidden too much from you and Ash," Leaf replied with a saddened smile, she looked at the ground with tears starting to roll down her face.
"What do you mean Leaf?" Dawn asked with slight irritation.
"You do know I have never said anything about my parents right?" Leaf asked her friend in reply. Leaf looked back to see Dawn nodding, she looked up to the sky and exhaled heavily, "I never knew my parents Dawn," Leaf replied sadly as she looked towards the mysterious pokemon, a small pokemon holding a red flower.
"Leaf, what are you talking about?" Dawn questioned the brunette, she turned to see the numerous pokemon of the region that surrounded them, some hovering just meters in front and holding flowers of different colors. Dawn noticed that there was something about Leaf that was never told to her, "Leaf, come on I am your best friend, I should know what's going on," Dawn reminded her friend with a gentle smile.
"Dawn, I have been alone for a long time, I know I was adopted but professor Oak would never tell me I was," Leaf professed solemnly as she walked ahead of her bluenette friend, towards the patch of flowers. Leaf looked at the small pokemon and started to think about the positives in the past, "it might have been tough Dawn, but over time I began to realise that I have an amazing bunch of friends," Leaf fondly stated while looking back to her rival.
"That's awesome to hear Leaf," Dawn retorted with great joy.
Leaf pulled out her pokeball and called out her Charmander, "Ash gave me this pokemon, as a way of cheering me up as well, I guess he sort of knew what I was going through," Leaf pointed out as she pet her fire type pokemon on the head.
"He does Leaf, for a while he only had his mother, but the truth is, he never really saw much of his father," Dawn explained to her friend quietly.
"How do you even know that? Not even May or Misty knew that," Leaf questioned the Sinnoh native.
Dawn smiled fondly as she remembered asking Ash about his father, "he told me about it, the others asked him, but he had always considered me his closest friend," Dawn professed with a smile as she started to think back about their time in pokemon school, "I also didn't know much about my father Leaf, so I could relate to Ash on that level," Dawn explained her similarities to Leaf.
"So you and Ash are really close, I remember seeing Misty really angry one day, she was looking around the corner wanting to talk to Ash," Leaf pointed out sadly.
Dawn shrugged her shoulders and started to sigh, "even though Misty is a friend, she got really jealous of any girl who would talk to Ash, from what I remember, she was more jealous of you and me than she was with May," Dawn explained sadly, thinking back to when they were at school together, the day both her and Misty were both suspended for a fight over Ash.
(Flashback)
"You stay away from Ash, he belongs to me," Misty ordered Dawn before pushing her back agains the wall.
"Why should I? he is my friend and I have every right to hang out with him," Dawn replied courageously, she stood her ground while Misty glared at her, "Ash and I have been friends for a very long time, so you have no right to tell me what I can and cannot do," Dawn pushed Misty back to a wall behind her.
Misty looked at the ground and grew angry, "you didn't just push me did you?" Misty asked furiously. She rushed towards Dawn and tackled her to the ground.
"Get off of me!" Dawn demanded and without thinking, she had swung her hand slapping Misty as hard as she could muster. Misty fell off from the force of the hit, with her eyes widened, Dawn got back up and turned around, "I have no intention of fighting over Ash, he will make the choice on his own, and personally, knowing Ash, I think he will choose Leaf over you," Dawn said with a smirk, she started to walk off, but before she could turn the corner Misty pushed her against the wall in front of an approaching teacher.
"You bitch, I will never let anyone go out with Ash, the most popular boy in school should be going out with the most popular girl!" Misty yelled as she started hitting Dawn without second thought.
Dawn cleaned up some of the blood from her lips and before the teacher could stop them, Dawn bent her arm and elbowed Misty's face as hard as she could in order to defend herself from the angry teen, "I pity you Misty, you let your status in society cloud your vision, I personally don't care how popular Ash is, I like him for who he is, and I am certain Leaf does as well," Dawn told Misty who was now looking up at Dawn with fear etched on her face, seeing a couple of her teeth on the ground.
"You two, come with me to see the principle," the teacher instructed the two girls, disappointed at the two of them, "Dawn, I am disappointed in you, I would have expected a little better from you," the teacher explained.
"I regret nothing," Dawn replied without hesitation.
Misty looked away not feeling an ounce of shame, "well don't expect any apologies from me," Misty barked back while holding her cheek and rubbing the place Dawn elbowed her.
Moments later Dawn and Misty were talking to the principle, "you know Dawn I am a little disappointed, that you of all people get into a fight, and knowing that it has everything to do with Ash, I am afraid I am going to have to suspend you for a few days," the principle told the bluenette with a heavy heart.
"Okay, I accept my punishment," Dawn replied with a nod, she waited for Misty to respond.
Misty smirked at other girl, "you got suspended," Misty teased the bluenette.
"Misty, personally I cannot stand you," Dawn replied with her eyes closed.
"Misty, since you started the fight, you will be missing a week from school, rightfully since you do have a bad record here, I should be expelling you, but the next time you act in any way like that, you will be expelled," the principle threatened the red head with a serious expression.
"Misty, there will come a day when you have to grow up, I certainly hope it isn't too far off either, because if you don't grow up, you will end up with no friends, and any chance of you going out with Ash, well that will never happen, if you don't grow up," Dawn gave Misty an ultimatum as she walked out of the office to get her bag and serve her suspension.
(Return from the flashback)
"Yeah that was after I asked Ash about his father, Misty thought I was asking him out," Dawn said with a frown.
"I want to battle Misty, not over Ash, but to prove that I am a capable trainer, she teased me a lot for having a Charmander," Leaf sighed as she remembered the red head aiming a water type attack at her pokemon's tail, "she even ordered her Staryu, to use Water Gun on my Charmander's tail," Leaf said with a frown. "I recalled it, but was ridiculed by Misty," Leaf professed softly.
"Yeah, Misty can be like that, generally she is a nice person, but she lets her feelings get a hold of her too often," Dawn replied as the sky started to darken, she started to walk as she shook her head once more, "she even got expelled three months later," Dawn pointed out with a frown.
"Why?" Leaf enquired.
"Well let's just say there is a second one of me," Dawn replied with a cheeky grin, "she is also really good friends with Ash as well as me," Dawn explained as her grin got wider, "and did mention she is a princess from my home region?" Dawn enquired as the brunette shook her head in curiosity, "yep there were times when we traded places because we both look alike," Dawn explained the situation from the past.
"What happened?" Leaf asked, she quickly remembered the time Ash had helped the bluentte out, "you were known for standing up for yourself against Misty, even May did on numerous occasions, but one time it was Ash that was helping you out," Leaf pointed out with a perplexed expression, thinking back about the black eye the doppelganger was given by Misty.
"Yeah, when I saw that, I had to stay a princess for at least a week, while Ash was making sure Princess Salvia's identity remained a secret," Dawn giggled as she continued down the road towards the major City. "Don't get me wrong I really liked, I even showed off my royal dress in front of Ash," Dawn joked to her friend.
Leaf started laughing at the past actions of her best friend, "yeah you're the only one that would do such a thing, I bet he really liked it too," Leaf laughed back.
"Oh you should have been there, his face was like a tomato," Dawn replied as the two girls laughed even more at the expense of Ash, "hey I have an idea," Dawn suggested as she clapped her hands together.
"Let me guess, we both dress up as princesses?" Leaf enquired.
Dawn nodded with a cheeky grin before returning her gaze back to the sky. "Come on Leaf, we better head off towards Santelune City," Dawn told Leaf with a smile, wanting to avoid the question.
(Near Anistar City)
Ash was sitting under the stars thinking about the journey he had so far, looking at the six badges he had won so far, "Ash, the air is starting to get a little cold," Brock told his long-time friend.
Ash pulled out a photo and started to think about the times he had in school, "I will be there soon Brock," Ash replied, smiling all the while thinking about the days he had spent with people who would become his rival, 'this is annoying, Misty is a great person, but she tends to get jealous if I talk to another girl, I cannot have that, but Leaf and Dawn never forced themselves onto me, they even gave me breathing space when I needed to think,' Ash thought while looking up to the stars, he petted his starter pokemon on the head and chuckled for a split second.
"Ash, hurry up," Shauna called Ash back to the camp.
Ash got back up and started to walk back to the camp, "Shauna is a sweet girl, but I think she is a little too young for me," Ash reminded himself thinking about Shauna's way of talking around him.
Brock was standing outside of his tent to see Ash with the pictures in his hands, "thinking about the past are we old friend?" Brock asked the trainer with a grin.
"Yeah, you could say that Brock," Ash replied before putting the photos back into his backpack, "you know during this entire journey so far I have been thinking a lot," Ash admitted as his partner pokemon entering his tent.
"Ash I know you have turned Misty down a fair bit, but I have noticed one major detail, you have not once turned Leaf or Dawn down," Brock stated as he crossed his arms.
"Yeah, you're right, but then again, I don't want to hurt those two either," Ash replied as Brock looked at his friend with a disappointed expression. "I want to have a little break, if I win those two badges too soon, I will get bored," Ash complained about the speed of his journey in the Kalos region.
"Plus Professor Oak has told me that Dawn and Leaf are in the Kalos region, with Leaf wanting to win badges to catch with me," Ash explained the situation to his old friend. Ash opened up his tent and started to smirk, "you know buddy…." Ash started as he turned his attention to his partner pokemon, he started to fall asleep wondering what the other reasons were, "I am not as dense as people think I am, I have grown up over the years, so I cannot be that child I once was," Ash whispered to his partner pokemon as he started to nod off to dream land.
Brock was sitting outside the tent looking at the night sky, "I know that Ash is having a hard time, I guess it has something to do with Dawn and Leaf," Brock commented as he watched the roaring fire, crackle and leap into the air, "he doesn't want to hurt them," Brock reminded himself while thinking about the last few days at the Pokemon School.
(Later that night Santelune City)
Leaf looked up to the night sky in her nightgown, thinking about the past, the lights of the city shone brightly preventing the brunette from seeing the stars that would normally blanket the sky, "Leaf, what are you still doing up? You need to get some sleep, tomorrow is your gym battle," Dawn stated with great worry, she grabbed Leaf's arm, but the girl refused to budge.
Leaf looked towards the gym building which was closed, "can I ask you something Dawn?" Leaf asked the bluenette.
"What is Leaf?" Dawn asked in response.
"You have travelled with Ash before, you have seen him battle against gym leaders before," Leaf explained the past adventures Dawn had taken with Ash, Dawn nodded and waited for the question, "what are gym battles like?" Leaf asked the more experienced trainer.
"Well, I have had one gym battle, it was really exciting, but Ash, he is able to bring the best out of any pokemon that comes into his care," Dawn explained the calmly, "now Leaf, you need to come inside, I would hate for you to get sick," Dawn instructed the younger girl with a frown.
Leaf looked at the ground and started to re-enter the Pokemon Centre, 'both Ash and Dawn have always shown concern for me, they have always stood up for me, and yet, I was never strong enough to stand up for them when they needed me to back them up,' Leaf thought to herself as Dawn started to push her into the building, "Dawn, do you think I am a strong person?" Leaf asked her best friend.
"Yeah, of course, it takes more than muscles to be a strong person Leaf, it comes from the heart and mind," Dawn told her friend wisely, "neither of which Ash has," Dawn laughed for a moment, thinking about the time he dumped Misty in front of the entire school body, "I am certain you remember that time," Dawn acknowledged.
"What time Dawn?" Leaf asked quietly.
"No forget it Leaf, you need to rest up, I need to make a call," Dawn told the brunette before heading towards the phone.
Dawn walked up to the phone and started pressing the numbers, "Dawn, how long has it been since you last called your mother?" another woman with blue hair asked her daughter, visibly upset about how Dawn could forget her own mother.
"Oh come on mom, I am helping my best friend out, I didn't forget about you," Dawn replied, feeling slightly embarrassed by her mother's disappointment.
"Helping Leaf out again are you?" Johanna asked her daughter.
"Yes mom I am," Dawn replied proudly.
"Don't you think she should get stronger on her own without relying on her friends all the time?" Johanna asked her daughter.
Meanwhile Lead was standing around the corner listening to the conversation between the mother and daughter, "am I really relying too much on Ash and Dawn?" Leaf whispered in shock, "all my friends have always looked out for me," Leaf admitted with a saddened expression.
"Mom, Leaf has been my best friend for a long time, why should I abandon her?" Dawn asked her mother in disappointment.
"Dawn, I know Leaf is your best friend, but you still cannot answer my question," Johanna replied with a frown.
"Leaf is strong with her friends being around her, she even saved my life one mom, so how can I forget that?" Dawn debated her mother's point about Leaf, "I am helping Leaf, because I can teach her about training pokmon," Dawn enforced her choice, "plus I want to be in the Kalos region to see what it's like as well, so we both end up in a winning situation," Dawn advised her mother.
Leaf continued to listen in on the conversation, she turned around thinking about her past, she looked over her shoulder and shook her head, "they are always looking out for me, yet when it comes to them needing my help, I prove too weak," Leaf kept reminding herself as she started walking towards her room. The main foyer was silent allowing Leaf's thoughts to ring loudly, she turned to see the bluenette still talking to her mother but now she was angered by something her mother said, 'I wish I had something like that, parents to argue with and to talk to when I felt down,' Leaf sighed, smiling at her best friend.
(The next day)
Leaf was still in bed sleeping, forcing her to wake a loud knocking on the door to her room, "Leaf, you need to battle the gym leader today," Dawn stated while trying to wake up her friend.
Leaf woke up her hair a mess from the night's sleep, a tired expression was on her face, she let out a long yawn, "oh right I begin my challenge today," Leaf replied as she slowly climbed out of her bed. The brunette stretched out her arms and looked in the mirror, she let out a loud scream at the mess that her hair was in.
"Leaf, what's the matter?" Dawn replied to the scream.
"My hair it's a mess!" Leaf yelled out in horror.
Dawn sighed and opened the door, "you know Leaf, I could help you out," Dawn suggested with a smile, she took her friends brush and called for her starter pokemon, "alright Piplup use Bubble," Dawn ordered her pokemon.
"Um Dawn; is that such a good idea?" Leaf asked her friend with a nervous tone. Piplup fired a burst of bubbles filling the room up, Dawn started brushing her friends hair expertly, "wow, when did you come up with such an idea?" Leaf questioned Dawn as she watched her friend brush her hair.
"Yeah bed hair is a really bad thing, hey if you suffer through that just let Piplup use Bubble and everything will work out just fine afterwards," Dawn replied to her friend, finishing her job with Leaf's hair.
"Thanks Dawn," Leaf thanked her friend.
Moments later Leaf had emerged from her room, greeting Dawn and started to leave the now busy Pokemon Centre. "you know Leaf, I have been thinking about something," Dawn commented but stopped when noticing the saddened expression on her friend, "what is it Leaf?" Dawn enquired gently.
"It's nothing Dawn, I am a little nervous about battling the gym leader, that's all," Leaf replied to her friend trying to smile at her, but having a hard time to express what she had heard the previous night, Leaf decided to keep it to herself and walked ahead to face the gym leader, "come on Dawn, we don't have all day," Leaf remarked before exiting the Pokemon Centre.
(Near Anistar City)
Ash looked at the photo thinking about his days before becoming a trainer, ignoring the young girl sitting next to him he looked at his partner pokemon and placed the picture back into his pocket. "Brock, I think we should have a couple of days break, I need to think about something," Ash admitted, finishing his breakfast and getting up to clean the dishes.
Shauna walked up to Ash and tilted her head, "so Ash, what's the matter?" Shauna asked her crush with an innocent smile.
"Shauna, don't worry about it," Ash replied as he took the younger girls plate and cleaned it up for her.
Shauna walked around and made eye contact with Ash, "come on Ash, we have been traveling for nearly a year, I should know that something isn't right," Shauna informed Ash, angry at him for keeping a secret from her.
Ash put the plates down and cleaned the rest of the dishes, "Shauna, let it rest," Ash informed the young girl calmly.
Shauna shook her head and hit the portable sink, "not a chance Ash, sometimes you need to tell people what is on your mind, it will make you feel better," Shauna explained to Ash, he stepped back in shock remembering the words of Dawn when he was at school before he dumped Misty for her actions against his friends.
Ash started to laugh while thinking about, "you know, a friend of mine said the exact same thing five years ago," Ash replied much to Shauna's surprise, "she is a really nice person, much like… no forget it you will meet them soon anyway," Ash informed the young girl who was puzzled at the trainer's response.
"You know, he has a lot on his mind, we have been traveling for a while now," Brock informed the girl with a smile.
"Yeah I know," Shauna replied while watching Ash packing his tent up, 'what is he hiding?' Shauna asked herself, walking to her tent to pack it up looking back to see Ash finishing his job and started to approach her to help her with packing her tent, "thanks Ash, I am still struggling to learn about putting up a tent and packing it away," Shauna admitted her own problems to Ash.
"Don't worry too much Shauna, I am happy to help you out," Ash replied, the two worked together to pack the last tent away, Shauna turned her attention to Ash and smiled softly at him, "there I have finished," Ash remarked while Shauna looked away with her face turning a little red from being close to Ash.
'It has been nearly a year, I guess, I have learned to love Ash more,' Shauna admitted to herself, her heart racing, but feeling nervous as to what to say to him, but was noticed by the much older traveling companion, she picked up her back and walked ahead of the other two not wanting to divulge her own feelings around them, 'I will say something a little later on,' Shauna resolved fondly looking towards Ash.
Sorry this took a little longer, I want to make things interesting, and I sort of need to develop the girls a bit in this story, but I have chosen to have this story with multiple endings, most likely will be done in long one-shots as well, with a really rather cheeky one-shot, that I have never done before.
Next up chapter 4: Spring Leaf.
I had worked on this chapter a while ago, but didn't have the chance to release it earlier, so here it is, I am also almost done with Almost Easy 2's next chapter as well and will do what I can to release that chapter by the end of the week.