"Thoughts"
"A pokemon speaking through telepathy"

Chapter 7: The Past's Spirit

"Buizel Water Pulse! Buneary Ice Beam!"
"Bui Bui!"

Buizel formed the sphere water attack in between its paws then slammed it down onto the floor. The water splashed all around Buizel and Buneary, who was standing behind him.

"Bun! Bun!"

Buneary opened her mouth and an icy beam was shot towards the descending waves. The water soon froze into what seemed like an icy cliff that glittered.

"Buneary Bun!" the rabbit pokemon said as she landed on one of the frosty ledges.
"Buizel" Buizel said simply as he watched the rabbit

Dawn giggled to herself as she watched the two pokemon start a conversation, "It's a good thing I decided to pair these two for the performance round!" Dawn turned to Houndoom and Gardevoir, who stood a few feet away as to not get hit by the water, "Houndoom, Gardevoir, it's time for your practice!"

"Hound!"
"Coming!"

The pokemon replied as they ran over to their trainer while Buneary and Buizel walked off somewhere.

"Come on you guys! We gotta keep training!" Ash shouted to his pokemon as he punched the skies
"Pika!"
"Star!"
"Turtwig Tur!"
"Pom Pom!"

With that Ash and his pokemon ran off for some training. Paul stood a few feet away leaning against a tree, "Why am I with these idiots? Dawn just wanted to train in privacy!"

"So, Paul"

The said trainer turned his head to Brock, "What?" he asked coldly

"I've been wondering…How are you and Dawn traveling together?"

The question caught Paul off guard, "Why ask?"
"I don't know it's just…you and Dawn are so different. She's all happy and bubbly, while you're cold and a bit ruthless"
"What's your point?" Paul was now losing his patience
"Well when people who are polar opposites meet they do nothing but argue, yet you and Dawn…are an item am I right?"
"How'd you?" Paul questioned as he glared at the older trainer

Brock smirked, "I saw what happened a few nights ago when you and Dawn left the Pokemon Center. So, now answer my question, How are you and Dawn traveling together?"

"It happened 4 years ago right after we choose our starter pokemon," Paul began, seeing no harm in telling the wiser of the group, "we ran into some problems"
"Problems?"
"Well…"

~Flashback Begins~

"Come on Paul! I wanna see Lake Verity already!" A ten-year old Dawn shouted
"Alright! Alright!" An eleven-year old Paul shouted back, "Why are you so excited to go there anyway? We've been there a million times!"

Dawn giggled, "Yeah but this time Piplup and Turtwig are with us!"
"Piplup Pip!" the penguin pokemon in Dawn's arms said happily
"Turtwig!"

Paul looked down to his feet to see the tiny leaf pokemon was snuggling up to his leg. Paul gave it a smile, picks it up, and runs after Dawn. As Lake Verity came into view Paul noticed a man standing at the lakefront. Paul raised an eyebrow as he sees the man, "This guy has blue hair?"

The blue haired man turned to see Dawn and Paul approaching him.

"What's this? Two new Pokemon Trainers?"
"Yup! We started today!" Dawn replied happily
"Piplup!"
"And it seems you are already very close to your pokemon" the man says as he watched Dawn petting Piplup
"That's right" Paul answered

The man smirked, "How pathetic"
"What was that!" Dawn shouted
"Piplup!"
"Tur!"

Paul simply gave the older man a glare but it soon hardened as he spoke again, "Only weak trainers show compassion to their pokemon. Trainers are the masters and pokemon are the servants and they should know their place is behind us not beside us!"

"Take that back!" Paul demanded
"And what are you gonna do about it boy?"
"A battle!"
"Battle?" the man chuckled, "This should be amusing. Sneasel"

Paul watched as a weasel like pokemon materialized from the pokeball that was thrown. Paul looked over to Turtwig, "Ready for your first battle?" "Turtwig Tur!" the pokemon said as it ran into position.

"Ice Punch" the man said indifferently
"Razor Leaf!" Paul commanded

"Tur-"
"Sneasel! Snea!"

Before Turtwig could even attempt to perform the command it was knocked out and landed at Paul's feet.

"Turtwig!" Paul shouted as he ran over to the pokemon, "Are you alright?"

The man huffed, "I've grown tired of this, Sneasel get rid of them!"

"Sneasel!"

The pokemon lunged forward with Slash.

"Paul!"

Paul's eye widened as he recognized the voice. "Dawn! Oh no! I forgot she was here!"

"Dawn get out off here!"
"No!" Dawn responded as she latched onto the boy, tears streaming down her cheeks, "I won't leave you!" With that said Dawn pushed Paul out of the way, receiving the Slash attack.

"Dawn!" Paul ran over to check if she was alright. He was relieved to find that she was merely unconscious.

"Piplup Pip!" the penguin pokemon stood in front of the kids.

"How pathetic! Emotions do nothing but eat away at your judgment and any strength you've once possessed. Sneasel finish the job!"

"Sneasel! Sne-"

The charging pokemon stopped as it noticed a bright light coming from the lake. Paul's eyes widened, as he was something emerge from center of Lake Verity. It was a small, gray, fairy-like pokemon. It has two tails that each have a red jewel on them. It had a pinkish face with four long, drooping attachments and another red gem on its forehead.

"Mesprit Mes!" the pokemon said as it opened its mouth and countless stars rained down on the blue haired man and his pokemon. Soon Mesprit's eyes gave off a blue glow, then the man and Sneasel were thrown off into the distance.

The pokemon then flew over to Dawn and Paul. Paul pulled the unconscious girl closer as his newly awakened Turtwig and her Piplup stood ready to defend their trainers if need be. Mesprit looks over to Paul gave a giggle then spoke to him telepathically, "You must love her correct?" "Um…yeah" "Don't worry I'll heal her! After all she's from Twinleaf Town, she's under my watch!"

Mesprit's eyes went aglow once more and soon the wounds on Dawn's body disappeared. "There you go human!"

Mesprit flew off and was about to return to her hiding place within the lake when, "Wait!"

The fairy-like pokemon turned to Paul, "Yes?"

"Can you…Can you please erase Dawn's memory of this?"
"Erase her memories?"
"Please! I…I don't want her to remember this!"
"I'm sorry to say but I cannot do that" Mesprit replied shaking her head
"Why not?" Paul demanded.

Piplup and Turtwig were also shouting at the psychic pokemon.

"It's not within my powers. But there is someone who can erase her memories"
"Who! Please take me to him!"
"Uxie. He will be able to but he won't grant your wish without a price"
"I'll do it! I'll pay the price! No matter what it is!"

Mesprit nodded her head, "If that is what you truly desire!"

A flash of light soon covered Paul, Dawn, Piplup, Turtwig, and Mesprit. Once the light vanished they were no longer there.

~End of Flashback~

"Wow…" Brock managed to say, "So what was the price you had to pay?"

Paul looked away, "None of you business"
"Don't want to tell me huh?"

"Hey Paul!"

Both Paul and Brock turn their heads to Ash, who had just returned from training.

"Paul, my pokemon and I are ready for a rematch!"
"Why would I battle a loser?"
"Bui Bui!"

Paul slightly turns his head to his side, "You finished training already?"

"Bui!" the newly arrived pokemon said as it came out from the bushes with Buneary by his side. Buizel walks over to Paul, "Bui Bui Buizel Zel!"

"So you wanna battle the loser Pikachu?"
"Bui!"
"Hey! Don't call Pikachu loser!" All of Ash's pokemon agreed, "I wonder what Dawn sees in you! You're no good for her!"

Brock raised an eyebrow, "Guess that means he didn't hear the story"

"You don't know anything about Dawn" Paul said coldly as he gave Ash a glare
"Maybe but I do know she deserves someone better then you!"
"Why you!"

A red beam from Paul's belt shot out and forms Gallade, "Master Paul, allow me to battle at your side, to show him his place!"
"Bui Bui!"

Paul smirks, "So you both wanna battle huh? Fine, a double battle then!"
"Fine by me!" Ash replied, "Pikachu! Turtwig! I choose you!"

Brock sighed, "Alright, a double battle with no time limit! First trainer to lose both of their pokemon loses! Begin!"

"Pikachu Thunderbolt on Gallade! And Turtwig use Razor Leaf on Buizel!"
"Buizel Water Gun! Gallade Psycho Cut!"

"Pika…Chuuuu!"
"Tur…Twig!"
"Bui…Bui!"
"As you command!"

Electricity connects with psychicblade while razor-sharp leaves connect with high-pressured water.

"Push back" Paul said simply, but Brock could hear the venom in his voice and so did Gallade and Buizel, but unlike Brock, they knew why and it only fueled them to carry out his order.

"Take this!"
"Buizel Zel!"

"Pika!"
"Turt!"

Pikachu and Turtwig fell back as the attacks landed a clean hit, but the two pokemon soon got back on their feet.

"Pikachu!"
"Turtwig Tur!"

"Alright you guys! Pikachu use-" Ash didn't get a chance to finish since Paul shouted over him, "Finish it!"

"With pleasure!"
"Bui!"

Gallade and Buizel ended the battle with a combination attack of Shadow Ball and Water Pulse. Both spheres knocked out their opponents.

"That's it!" Brock called out, "The battle goes to Paul!"

"Bun! Buneary!" Buneary cheered as it jumped up and down joyfully. She then gives Buizel a hug from behind.

"Bui?"
"Buneary!"
"Buizel Zel"
"Bun!"
"Pika Pi!"

Both Buizel and Buneary turned to Pikachu, who was running over to congratulate Buizel. Pikachu offered its paw to the water pokemon to shake, but Buizel simply crossed its arms over its chest and looks away.

"Pika?"
"Buneary!"
"Pikachu!"
"Bun!"

Buneary shakes paws with Pikachu, which angers Buizel greatly. Ash looks over to Paul, "I think Dawn should travel with us and not someone as heartless as you!"

Gallade glowered at Ash; meanwhile Buizel was doing the same thing. Paul walked off, choosing to ignore the comment made but its not to say it wasn't in his head, "Gallade, Buizel, Buneary, lets go!"

Gallade wordlessly followed its trainer; Buizel was about to follow when it notices Pikachu and Buneary were flirting with each other.

"Buizel!" it murmured irritably under its breath. Buizel walks over to Buneary, picks her up and walks after the purple-headed trainer, all the while trying to ignore the blush creping up to its cheeks. Buneary was also blushing, but she didn't want Buizel to see so she buries her face into his chest since he was carrying her bridal style.

"Pika?" the electric mouse wondered as they disappeared

"That Paul!" Ash growled
"Ash!"

Ash turned to the older trainer, "Yeah Brock?"
"Did you notice?"
"Notice? Notice what?"

Ash and his pokemon began thinking of what Brock was talking about.

"I mean Buizel! It's Dawn's pokemon, a contest pokemon, yet it was able to battle brilliantly without showing of any of its moves or itself. Dawn did mention that she won 2 of her 3 ribbons thanks to Buizel"
"Now that you mention it…Buizel did seem to enjoy the battle"

Brock looks over to Aipom, "Kind of like your Aipom with contests"
"Your right" Ash replied as he picked Aipom up

"Alright Piplup BubbleBeam! Houndoom Flamethrower!" Dawn ordered

Piplup and Houndoom stood side by side with Dawn a few feet behind while Gardevoir and Elekid stood on the opposite side of the field.

"Pip…Lup!"
"Hound…Doom!"

Both attacks flew to the pokemon but she stood her ground. Gardevoir's eyes went aglow soon a blinding light covered the area.

"Flash!" Dawn thought as she shielded her eyes

Piplup and Houndoom stopped their attacks as they were blinded.

"Ele!" the electric pokemon charged towards Houndoom with its right arm glowing brightly using Flash as a cover.

"Elekid!"
"Hound!"

Houndoom fell a few feet away the attack was super effective. Elekid looks over to Piplup, who was still covering its eyes, then lunched a Thunderbolt at the penguinpokemon. Once Flash wore off, Dawn notices Houndoom and Piplup were struggling to get up.

"Oh! If this was a contest we'd lost already!"

Piplup and Houndoom looked down defeated as a sad aura surrounded them.

"Piplup…"
"Houndoom…"

"Ah! No! That's not what I meant you guys! We just need to keep practicing!" Dawn panicked

Gardevoir giggled, "It sure is lively around here"

Meanwhile Paul and the pokemon have just arrived to see Dawn cheering up her pokemon. Gallade runs over to Gardevoir, while Buizel and Buneary walk over to their trainer. Paul looks up to the sky and sees the sun going down while the moon was just now coming up, "It's the night of the full moon tonight…"

Piplup and the other pokemon sees Paul and shares the same thoughts he did, and the penguin pokemon knew Torterra was having the same thoughts despite it being inside its pokeball.

AN: Ok I combined both choice 1 & 2 in this chapter! Thank you for all the nice review and favorites! Hope you liked the chapter!