In this chapter... all heck breaks loose. Have fun!

-RD :)

Dawn's Diary

Chapter Twelve

.x.x.x.

"Hey, Dawn, do you wanna fill out this paper for me?" Ash asked happily. Almost too happily… But it was Ash, and he was usually happy. Dawn shrugged and took the paper.

"A-a compatibility test?" Her face got really red. What was this?

"Yeah. I thought it would be fun to take one. Me and Brock are taking it too. Just to see what our type of person is."

"How do you score it?"

"You enter your answers in this website. Me and Brock can do that for you. Just answer those questions." As Ash walked away, he smiled. That had been much easier than he had originally thought. Operation Hook Up Dawn was going great!

Dawn scratched her head with the pencil. That was kind of odd for Ash to ask her to take a test like this. It wasn't like she liked him or anything… she liked Paul. But if Ash knew that, he might get mad… Still, the whole time she filled out that test, Dawn thought of Paul as the kind of boy she looked for. Because he was the only boy she was looking for.

"I feel like Team Rocket," Ash whined as he adjusted the sunglasses on his head. After Dawn had taken her test, they put on their disguises and went to go find Paul. They had no idea where he would be, but they guessed that the best place to look would be the Pokémon Center lobby, because if he was training, he'd come in there eventually. Ash and Brock eventually settled at one of the lobby's tables and just waited for Paul to show up. "How do we know that Paul is gonna come into the Pokémon Center anyway?"

"This stuff always works on TV."

Ash sighed and placed his head on the table. "Paul's gonna recognize- Umph!" Brock clasped his hand over the young Trainer's mouth.

"Shhh! Here he comes!" The two put on their sunglasses and fake mustaches they had bought at the costume store. Behind the glasses, they watched as Paul went up to talk to Nurse Joy, probably to get her to heal one of his Pokémon.

Just as the two were about to get up from their seats, two hands came down on their shoulders.

"AH!" they yelled in surprise. They turned around to see Barry looking at them.

"What are you guys doing?"

"Shh," Ash said. "We're stalking Paul."

"Dawn has a crush on him," Brock added, "and we're trying, hopefully, to hook her up with him."

"Dawn has a crush on Paul?" Barry asked, wide-eyed.

"Yep."

"Well, that makes sense. Paul is fantastic! He's such a strong Trainer that any girl would love him!" Ash and Brock gaped at Barry. That was kinda awkward there. "Hey, can I join you guys?" Barry asked after about thirty seconds of awkward silence.

"Why?" asked Ash, wondering why anyone would - other than himself and Brock, of course - willingly take up such a ridiculous mission.

"Because I wanna help Dawn! Plus, I'm still mad at Paul for blowing me off. I must get revenge!" Barry yelled, pumping a fist.

The two shrugged, thinking revenge was a legitimate enough reason for someone to join them. Brock handed him a pair of sunglasses and a mustache. "Welcome to the club."

After Barry had returned from the bathroom to put on his disguise, Ash and Brock briefed him on the plan.

"We're trying to get Paul to take this compatibility test. That way, he'll see he's meant for Dawn, and she'll see that she's meant for him," Brock explained.

"But we're planning to rig it so they match up if they don't on their own," added Ash. "We don't think we'll have to because they're total opposites, and opposites attract."

"Ah, like magnets," said Barry, stroking his fake mustache. "I agree."

"So, that's the plan."

"Hey, maybe to pay for that fine he owes me, Paul can take the test!" Ash and Brock sweat dropped.

"Um, Barry?" Ask began. "No one takes your fines seriously."

"Ever," Brock added.

"Nope."

"WHAT?" Barry exclaimed. "Aw, man. Guess we can't use that."

"We could say if he takes the test, we'll help homeless Pokémon find homes!"

"Ash, Paul probably doesn't care about homeless Pokémon."

"Oh yeah." Ash placed a hand to his chin and began to think. "We could pay him."

"We could tell him it's a test to see how ready you are for the Sinnoh League!" Barry suggested.

"But it's about love," pointed out Brock.

"We could say that to do well in the league, you need to be able to handle emotional and romantic distractions."

Ash smiled. "You know, that just might work!"