Disclaimer: I still don't own Pokémon. Too tired to try to be clever.
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Paul and Dawn arrived at the resort on Lake Valor a few minutes before eight o'clock. A valet took Paul's car, and Paul and Dawn walked up a flight of steps and continued to the world-famous restaurant.
"Hello, sir," the maitre d' greeted Paul. "Oh, my. I didn't think you would bring a lady friend..."
Paul glared at the man. Dawn smiled radiantly at the maitre d'.
"Just let us in, alright?" Paul said gruffly. The maitre d' stood aside, seeming slightly dazzled by Dawn's smile.
"You didn't need to be so rude to him," Dawn hissed. Paul glanced at her, annoyed.
"Whatever. So, tonight's basically a dinner thing for the Champions of the various regions, and a few select people that are favorites to defeat this year's Champions," Paul explained in a hushed tone. "So –"
"You're a favorite to beat Cynthia?" Dawn whispered, impressed. Paul nodded curtly.
"As I was saying... Try not to embarrass me. This is big for my future."
"Then why did you even bring me?" Dawn asked candidly. Paul rolled his eyes.
"I needed to bring someone so that I can prove that I'll be a good Champion," Paul said shortly. Dawn looked confused. "People are apparently more likely to respect a Champion that... Well, is married. Or at least is dating someone. Don't ask me why."
Dawn snorted. Paul glared at her.
"So, that's what I'm supposed to be?" Dawn giggled.
"Will you shut up?" Paul hissed. "People are looking."
"It's good for your image," Dawn said, still giggling. "If you can make me laugh, it shows I'm comfortable around you. Idiot. Don't you know anything about being a human?"
Paul shrugged. "If you help me tonight, I'll help you out with your mom. Try to make her buy it and crap."
"Deal," Dawn smiled. "So, follow my lead, and I can make them think we're actually dating. Just don't freak out and be all... Paul."
Paul exhaled and rolled his eyes. He was going to get a migraine from all the eye-rolling he was bound to do tonight with this girl around. He almost yanked his arm away when he felt Dawn slide her arms through his. Keep your cool, she's helping you, Paul reminded himself. They walked arm in arm towards the table that sat Lance, Wallace, Steven, Cynthia, and their dates. Lance was sitting with a pretty young girl with long blonde hair, and was whispering something in her ear, which made her blush. Wallace was deep in conversation with a serious-looking woman with lavender hair, whom Paul recognized as Winona, the Gym Leader of Fortree City in Hoenn. Steven was talking to a younger man with black hair, and Cynthia broke off her conversation with a young blonde man to greet Paul.
"Hello, Paul, it's wonderful to see you here," Cynthia said warmly. She stood and shook his hand. Her eyes slid from Paul to Dawn. "And... Is that Dawn? I didn't know you would be coming. It's been a very long time."
Dawn grinned. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Cynthia."
Cynthia smiled and nodded. "I'm so pleased to see you here. Are you and Paul... ?"
Paul opened his mouth to answer, but Dawn beat him to it.
"Yeah," Dawn answered. She leaned against Paul and laid her head on his shoulder. Paul glanced at her as though she'd lost her mind. Again. "For seven months now."
"Really?" Cynthia sounded surprised. She looked at Paul. "You never mentioned you had a girlfriend, Paul."
"We don't like to make a big deal out of it," Dawn shrugged, her head leaving Paul's shoulder. "I mean, neither of us really need more publicity."
Cynthia laughed. "I supposed that's true. I saw your exhibition this afternoon. Very impressive."
"Thanks!" Dawn said, beaming. "And I'd love to talk to you about it sometime. But, tonight's really about Paul, so it'll have to wait."
Paul was impressed against his will. She'd explained to Cynthia why Paul had never mentioned Dawn plausibly, and had shifted the conversation back to Paul effortlessly.
"Of course," Cynthia intoned, smiling at Paul again. "Well, let me make some quick introductions. . . This is Pearl, with me."
The boy was several years younger than Cynthia, but still older than Paul or Dawn. He nodded once.
"The man with Steven is Ruby," Cynthia continued, pointing out the man with black hair. Ruby's eyes left Steven and he waved at Paul and Dawn, who waved back. (Well, Dawn waved back. Paul nodded.) "That's Winona, over there with Wallace." Winona smiled at them, and Dawn smiled back. "And finally, that's Yellow, with Lance." The blonde girl was so preoccupied with whatever Lance was saying to her she didn't look up. Dawn giggled. "So far, no one else has arrived. Why don't you two sit down here with Pearl and myself?"
They obliged, and Dawn immediately engaged Pearl in a conversation, leaving Paul free to talk with Cynthia.
Thank Arceus I brought that irritating girl. Paul thought before spending nearly the entire night speaking with Cynthia.
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Before long, it was a quarter to midnight. Every guest, save Paul and Dawn, had left. Dawn and Pearl had left the table more than an hour ago at Dawn's suggestion, when it became obvious that their dates weren't going to be paying them any attention. Lance and Yellow had disappeared long ago, and Wallace and Winona were strolling through Lake Valor's Resort. Ruby had left his date to talk excitedly with Dawn about her outfit and about Contests, but had returned to Steven and the two had departed thirty minutes ago.
"How much can two people talk about one battle?" Pearl asked Dawn grumpily. Dawn's eyes flickered back to Paul and Cynthia, who were still discussing their most recent battle.
"Well, Paul really wants to beat Cynthia this year," Dawn yawned. "I think he's doing whatever he can to get an edge."
"I hope he does beat her," Pearl said, surprising Dawn. "It's hard... I never really get to see Cynthia... Once she's not Champion, I'll have more time with her. Which sounds bad, and I know I should be supportive, but I have for a long time."
"I get it," Dawn said. She glanced back at Paul and Cynthia, before adding in an undertone, "Want me to get him and go?"
"That would be great," Pearl said gratefully. Dawn smiled and went back to the table.
"Honey?" Dawn asked, placing her hand on Paul's shoulder. He glared up at her. "You almost ready to go? It's almost midnight."
"So?" Paul asked.
"We should get going too, Cynthia," Pearl murmured, pulling Cynthia up. She leaned against him and took his hand.
"I enjoyed our chat, Paul," Cynthia said, holding out her free hand to shake his. Paul stood and shook her hand.
"Thank you for having me," Paul said. Dawn's nails bit into his shoulder, and he quickly corrected himself. "Us, here for dinner."
"Our pleasure," Pearl said. "It was nice talking to you, Dawn. I hope to stay in touch with you."
"So do I, Pearl," Dawn smiled. "I'm sure I'll see you at Paul and Cynthia's next battle, at least. It was great to see you again, too, Cynthia."
"The two of you make a lovely couple," Cynthia commented. Pearl nodded. "I'm glad you've found someone like her, Paul."
Paul nodded. Dawn watched him out of the corner of her eye.
"Until we meet again," Cynthia said, before she allowed Pearl to lead her out of the restaurant.
"Why'd you do that?" Paul snapped. Dawn glared at him.
"Are you kidding me? You've been talking nonstop about your last battles with her for almost four hours. I kept Pearl – and anyone else who might've interfered with your conversation – totally occupied the entire evening. If you've got anything to say to me, it better be 'thank you,'" Dawn retorted.
"Fine, whatever," Paul said. "Let's go. I need to get you back to your place before I can go home to Veilstone."
Dawn accepted that that was the best she was going to get out of him, and followed him out of the restaurant. On the entire ride home, she chattered about the people she'd talked to that night, including another trainer supposedly a favorite to defeat Cynthia.
"He was hard to distract," Dawn mused. "He really wanted to talk to Cynthia, too... Have you ever heard of him? His name's Harrison... Harrison Something."
"Yeah, I've heard of him," Paul said shortly. "He's a good trainer. Beat your little friend in the Silver Conference nine years ago."
"He beat Ash?" Dawn gasped. "He must be good, then."
"Not really," Paul said snidely. "Ash isn't a very good trainer."
"Yes he is!" Dawn snapped.
"Whatever."
"You know, I think that if you and Ash –"
"Do you ever stop talking?" Paul questioned. Dawn looked offended.
"No," Dawn answered. "So, get used to it."
"Why should I?"
"Because you still need to go meet my mother tomorrow," Dawn reminded him. Paul groaned. "After that, I don't care what you do."
"We're back at your place," Paul said suddenly, screeching his car to a stop. Dawn slammed into her seatbelt painfully.
"Jerk," Dawn grumbled. "Look, pick me up around ten. We'll drive to Twinleaf, talk to my mom for a few hours, and come back. Then, we'll be done."
"What's your number?" Paul asked, pulling a high-tech pokégear out of his pocket.
"Why do you want to know?" Dawn asked.
"So I can call you and tell you when I'm coming over tomorrow," Paul rolled his eyes. Dawn told him her number. He entered into his phone, and then dropped his pokégear on the dashboard.
"I'll see you tomorrow, then," Dawn said.
"Just get out of the car," Paul told her. "I still need to drive back to Veilstone."
"Ugh, you're such a pain in the ass," Dawn exploded, getting out of the car and slamming the door behind her. The car screeched away. Dawn rolled her eyes and stomped up to her apartment.
She smiled at he Pokémon, snoozing in various places around her apartment that they had claimed as 'theirs.' Pachirisu was curled up in the empty fruit bowl on the counter. Togekiss slept on a towel on the top of the refrigerator. Lopunny was stretched out on the couch next to Quilava. Mamoswine slept on the floor, and Piplup was curled up beside the giant Pokémon.
Dawn tiptoed to her bedroom, not wanting to wake up any of her Pokémon. She entered her closet and hung up her dress. She kicked off her heels and pulled on a pair of dark blue shorts and a light blue shirt. She crawled into her bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
- / - / - / -
Paul arrived at his brother's house in Veilstone a little before one in the morning. He wasn't really tired, but he had nothing better to do right now. With any luck, Reggie would be asleep, and Paul could sneak to his room without being noticed. He unlocked the front door, but luck was not with him tonight. Reggie was in the kitchen, making poffins.
"Hey, little brother," Reggie called. Paul groaned and walked to the kitchen. "How was your fancy party with all the Champions?"
"It was fine," Paul said dully. He pulled out a chair and sat down. "I got to talk to Cynthia all night. . . I think I got some good new strategies to try."
"All night?" Reggie asked. "No one else wanted to talk to her?"
"They did," Paul said smugly. "But Dawn distracted them, so Cynthia only talked to me."
"Wait," Reggie said, leaning against the counter and facing Paul. Paul squeezed his eyes shut. Crap, I mentioned that stupid girl. "Dawn? That sounds like a girl."
"She is, moron," Paul said, trying to play it cool.
"Was she your date?"
"Uh...," Paul mumbled. "Yes?"
"All right, man!" Reggie congratulated. Then he paused, a thought occurring to him. "Wait. . . Dawn? The Coordinator? That girl that used to travel with Ash and Brock?"
Paul nodded at the table, cursing himself for letting it slip. Reggie was never going to let this go.
"Wow, little brother," Reggie let out a low whistle. "She's pretty. You sure are lucky. She's got practically half the guys in Sinnoh on her tail."
Really? Paul was interested by this information. And, too be honest, a little irritated by it. Then why is she lying to her mom? Why not just date some lovesick idiot?
"Hmm," Paul hummed. Reggie shook his head.
"You don't know a good thing when you have it, Paul," Reggie sighed. "Dawn could be the best thing that ever happens to you."
Or not. She was only helping me tonight so that she can tell her mom she's got a boyfriend. It's only til tomorrow. Thank Arceus. Weird, though, that Reggie and Cynthia think the same thing about her...
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