People actually like my nonsense. Thus, I am obligated to write more. :)
Enjoy!
- RD :)
Dawn's Diary
Chapter Nineteen
.x.x.x.
"Scarf Dude to Pika-Pal. Pika-Pal, do you copy?"
"I hear ya, Scarf Dude. What about Bronix?"
"Bronix is here. I have visual on the HUD."
Apparently, after their little excursion in the woods, Paul realized that he could actually stand Dawn better than he could stand Ash or Brock. Because of that, he didn't mind her sitting with him in the Pokémon Center as they discussed battle strategies. To Paul's surprise, Dawn wasn't completely stupid and could actually carry on a good conversation. He could hardly believe it, but after having had such a weird day a few days before, the fact that Dawn was interesting was the smallest of the oddities he had encountered lately.
Of course, if Paul had known the extent of the HUD operation, he might have added a lot of things to the list of oddities in his life.
It hadn't been too bad when Dawn had walked up to him. Though they had only looked at each other awkwardly the day before, she actually made a move to interact with him. That was a shock by itself, but the bigger shock was what came afterward. She just politely asked if they could talk, and she didn't run her mouth as much. She even listened.
One odd thing he didn't know about was the fact that Brock was hiding poorly behind a potted plant and spying on him with binoculars. The HUD had moved into its next phase. With the plethora of information that the HUD had received, courtesy of their newest member, Reggie, they could make a better and more accurate plan for getting Paul to like Dawn.
Their information was something like this: they knew that Dawn liked Paul, and they knew that Paul was capable of liking Dawn, and at least didn't seem to dislike her. According to Reggie, Paul had been a very happy kid, but family complications had ruined that entirely. Then, Reggie had become a Trainer, but had given up when he reached an obstacle he couldn't beat. Paul had been so disappointed and angry that he became the way he was now. The hope that Reggie and the rest of the HUD had was that someday, Paul would be able to get back to the way he was before and be happy, preferably with Dawn.
But of course, this hope could not come true by any normal means, since the members of the HUD were totally ridiculous people. It was possible, seeing that Dawn and Paul were talking now, that Operation HUD might happen on its own. But that would not be accepted by the HUD members, because they were way too into it now. Rather than being reasonable, they liked to use methods of espionage and corny disguises better.
Speaking of corny disguises, Brock was wearing a ninja suit. The rest of the HUD members were as well, including Pikachu but not Reggie, and it was a big part of their plan, which was about to start in,
3. "Bronix, are you ready?"
2. "Ready, Pika-Pal. Is Scarf Dude in position?"
1. "All set! Let's get this show on the road!"
Now.
Brock took off running for Dawn and Paul's table. Just as fast as he had shown up, he was gone. But not without Piplup!
"Thief!" Dawn screamed. "Give me back my Piplup!" She got up to chase after the Piplup-snatcher, but she experienced a temporary lapse in coordination and she tripped and fell.
Paul sighed as he looked at the utterly pitiful-looking girl on the ground before him. "Come on," he said, offering her a hand up. "Let's go."
"You're going to help me?" Dawn asked in surprise as her little Paul-loving self was squealing on the inside.
"It's no big deal," he said, looking away and trying to be cool.
"Okay."
Thus, the two took off to solve the Case of the Piplup-Snatcher – Dawn made up the name. And even though her most beloved companion had just been stolen, she couldn't help but feel excited.