"Thoughts"

Chapter 4: An Unwanted Guest

"Dawn look out!"

Dawn looks up to see a Shadow Ball heading her way.

"Whoa!"
"Chim…Char!"

Dawn moved back a few steps as Ember and the Shadow Ball collided. Dawn looks down to see Chimchar landing on the ground. The chimp pokemon gave the dark pokemon a glare. Piplup, Buizel, Murkrow, and Pikachu ran/flew beside Chimchar to help him fight Houndoom. Buneary ran over to her trainer to see if she was ok.

"Dawn, are you ok?" Ash asked as he and Brock ran over to her.
"I'm fine"

"Hound…doom!"
"Pip…Lup!"
"Bui…Zel!"

Flamethrower collided with BubbleBeam and Water Pulse. As the attacks collided the area was covered by fog.

"Ash, Dawn, stay close!" Brock yelled out as he dodged a Shadow Ball.

Dawn looks around and yells out,

"Murkrow, can you clear this fog?"

The darkness pokemon nods his head and flaps it's wings to blow away the fog. Once the fog disappears they don't see Houndoom anywhere, instead there was a pokeball on the ground.

"Where'd that pokeball come from?" Ash questioned.
"Elekid Ele"

The group turned their heads to see Paul and Elekid. Paul placed the grocery bags, which he was carrying, down onto the floor. Paul walked over to the pokeball and picks it up as he took out his Pokedex. He opens the Pokedex and checks Houndoom's stats. Paul stared at the screen for several minutes and soon puts his Pokedex away.

"Here" Paul said as he gave the pokeball to Dawn.
"Huh?"
"I already have a fire pokemon" Paul pointed out as he motioned towards Chimchar.

Dawn stared at the pokeball then looked up and gave Paul a smile as she hugged him.

"Thank you so much Paul!"

Brock smirked as he watched Paul turn slightly red. Dawn pulled away and threw the pokeball into the air.

"Come on out, Houndoom!"
"Houndoom!"

The dark pokemon looks over to Dawn and gave her a smile.

"Hound"

Buizel and Torterra just nodded their heads while the other pokemon introduced themselves to Houndoom. Paul then sent Ash a glare and said,

"Shouldn't you be leaving?"
"We can stay here as long as we want!" Ash replied angrily
"Hey Ash didn't you say you're gonna have a rematch with Roark?"
"Huh? Um…yeah why?"

Dawn smiled then turned to Paul.

"Paul can we stay and watch his match?"

Brock smirked.

"This should be interesting"

"Why should we watch the loser?"
"Because I want to see his cute little Pikachu in action!" Dawn answered as she pets Pikachu, who had jumped into her arms.

Pikachu shivered as he felt glares. He sees that Paul and the other pokemon were glaring at it. (Except Houndoom & Buneary)

"Please Paul!"
"…Fine"

A Rampardos fell to the floor as Turtwig's Razor Leaf lands a direct hit.

"Rampardos is unable to battle! Turtwig wins! The victory goes to Ash of Pallet Town!" the referee yelled out.

"Alright we did it you guys!"
"Pika!"
"Aipom Pom!"
"Turtwig Tur!"
Ash smirked and shoved his newly obtained Coal Badge in Paul's face.
"Thought I couldn't do it right?"
"You're right, I didn't"

Several hours later, the group is in the Pokemon Center. Their pokemon were outside eating or playing in the moonlight. Ash smirked and shoved his newly obtained Coal Badge in Paul's face.

"Thought I couldn't do it right?"
"You're right, I didn't"
"Why you!"

Dawn, Brock, and all the pokemon sweat dropped.

"So where are you two heading next?" Brock asked
"Secret" Paul replied
"Huh? Why can't you tell us?" Ash exclaimed,
"He means we're going to Secret Town" Dawn said
"Secret Town?" Ash questioned, "Why is it called Secret Town?"

Brock took out his guidebook and begins flipping through pages.

"Here it is! It says it's called Secret Town because of the mysteries that surround to town."
"Why are you guys going there?"
"There's a contest there!" Dawn answered happily
"That's right, I forgot your a coordinator"
"Yup! And that's where you're gonna make your debut Houndoom!"
"Houndoom! Hound!"

Ash smiled,

"Man I remember being in contests! They sure were a blast"
"Right!"

Paul noticed that Ash and Dawn were connecting and growls inwardly. He left the Pokemon Center with his pokemon right behind him. Paul looks over his shoulder and calls out,

"Let's go Dawn"
"Huh? Hey! Paul wait up!" Dawn exclaimed as she runs after Paul with her pokemon right behind her.
"We'll see you in Eterna City" Brock called out
"Till then! See ya!" Ash waved
"Bye guys!"

Paul and Dawn left the Pokemon Center. Dawn runs up to Paul, who was a little far ahead. She walks in front of Paul and turns so she's walking backwards in front of Paul.

"What was that about Paul?"

"Paul? Hello? Earth to Paul! Are you th-"
"I was jealous ok!" Paul shouted as he stopped walking
"Jealous?" Dawn titled her head to the side she soon lets out a soft giggle.

Paul gave Dawn a soft glare as she giggled.

"What are you laughing at?"
"You!"
"Me?"
"I'm laughing at the fact that you," Dawn stands on her toes and kisses Paul on the cheek, "would think I would like someone else when I have you!"

Paul stood there for a while as Dawn skipped down the path. He soon smirked and walks after her.

"I knew those two were hiding something!" Brock thought

The former gym leader watched the whole scene unfold from the window he and Ash sat beside.

"Let's see how Paul reacts when he sees Dawn's attention on some else"

Brock turned to Ash,

"Hey Ash why don't we go to Secret Town with Paul and Dawn?"
"What? Why? I want to get my second badge before Paul!"
"Pika!"
"But Ash there's a lot of rare pokemon on the way to Secret Town" Brock reasoned as he looks in the guidebook
"Then why are we still here! Let's go you guys"

Ash and Brock recalled their pokemon and ran after the couple.

"Dawn! Paul! Wait up!"

"So after your contest we go straight to Eterna City" Paul stated
"Can't we stay for an extra night?" Dawn pleaded
"Maybe" Paul smirked

Dawn sighed,

"That's a no"

Buneary hid it's giggles behind it's paws. Suddenly Torterra, Elekid, Buizel, and Houndoom sharply turned their heads towards a near by bush and fired their attacks.

"Tor...Terra!"
"Ele...Kid!"
"Bui...Zel!"
"Hound...Doom!"

Leaf Storm, Thunder, Water Pulse, and Flamethrower hits the bush but their target jumps to avoid any damage. The figure lands on a near by tree branch.

"!"
"What the!"

The silhouette looked like an overgrown frog. Dawn shivered and hid behind Paul as silhouette's bright intimidating yellow eyes glared at her with it's snake-like pupils. Dawn looks closer and sees that the silhouette's arms were similar to Elekid's the only differance was that there was a large claw on the back of each hand. From the corner of Paul's eyes he sees Dawn holding tightly onto the back of his sweater as she buried her face into the back of his chest. Paul looks over to the other pokemon,

"Chimchar, Flamethrower! Murkrow, Shadow Ball!"
"Chim...Char!"
"Mur...Krow!"

The figure dodges the attacks and lands in the moonlight to let Paul see it. Paul pulls out his Pokedex and points and the frog like creature.

"Toxicroak, the Toxic Mouth Pokemon. Toxicroak is the evolved form of Croagunk. It has a poison sac at its throat. When it croaks, the stored poison is churned for greater potency."

Paul growled,

"This isn't good! We have to get out of here"

"Dawn! Paul! Wait up!"

Everyone turns their heads to see Ash, Brock, and Pikachu running towards them.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
"Pika-Chuuuu!"

Toxicroak jumps in the air to dodge the Thunderbolt. Toxicroak took in a deep breath and then,

"Toxic...Croak!"

Black sludge came down on them.

"Toxicroak's Sludge Bomb!" Brock yelled out
"Elekid use Protect!"
"Elekid Ele!"

Soon the group was surrounded by a green barrier. None of the Sludge Bombs land on them. As soon as Protect faded Dawn and Paul yelled out,

"Chimchar-"
"Houndoom-"
"Flamethrower!"

Both fire pokemon sent the opponent intense flames. Toxicroak drew it's right arm back and as it did it's hand glowed purple. It then trusted the arm forward to counter the Flamethrower. The flames soon diappeared. Paul turns his head to Dawn and gives a slight nod, which Dawn returns.

"Chimchar, Fire Spin!"
"Piplup, Whirlpool!"

"Piplup Pip"

Toxicroak found that it was immobilized by Whirlpool. (Like Lucario when Dawn fought Maylene)

"Chim..."

Toxicroak looks up to the sky to see Chimchar on Murkrow's back. Toxicroak's eyes widen as it noticed flames where forming in the fire pokemon's mouth.

"Char!"

Fire Spin crashed down onto Toxicroak, who was still trapped by Whirlpool. Ash, Pikachu, and Brock watch in amazement as they pulled off a combination attack. Dawn sees their looks and gave them a wink.

"It's not over yet, boys! Ready Paul?"

Paul gave her a nod.

"Buizel, Water Pulse!"
"Elekid, Thunder!"

Both pokemon jumped high into the air so that they were above Chimchar and Murkrow. The two powerhouses gave each other a smirk and fired their respectable attacks.

"Bui...Zel!"
"Ele..Kid!"

Toxicroak watched as Water Pulse was turns into a million drops of water as Thunder hits the sphere of water. Before Toxicroak could figure out what was happening electrity was traveling the Whirlpool straight towards it.

"TOXICROAK!" it yelled out in pain

Toxicroak took a few steps back after Whirlpool faded. It was obviously paralyzed. Paul smirked as he realized this fact.

"Torterra, Hyper Beam!"
"Tor...Terra!"

Toxicroak's eyes suddenly opened and it jumped out of the way.

"How is it still moving?" Brock shouted

Toxicroak gave them one last glare and ran off.

"So why did you guys come after us?" Dawn asked

The group had returned to the Pokemon Center and decided to spend the night there. All the pokemon, except Pikachu, Piplup, Buizel, and Buneary, were returned to their pokeballs. They were currently in the room Ash and Brock were staying in. Pikachu was on Ash's lap, Buneary sat on the Dawn's lap, Buizel was leaning against the wall with it's arms crossed over it's chest, and Piplup was lying on it's stomach on Dawn's head. Ash and Brock sat on one bed, Dawn on the other while Paul was leaning against the wall closest to Dawn.

"We wanted to go with you guys to Secret Town" Ash replied happily

Brock swore he saw Paul's eyebrow tiwtch slightly.

"Why should we let a loser like you come with us?" Paul asked
"Bui Bui" Buizel said nodding it's head
"Come on Paul lighten up!" Dawn exclaimed
"Bun Buneary!"

Both Paul and Buizel gave Ash and Pikachu a glare.

"...Fine"