Hello!!...

I-GOT-MORE-REVEIWS!!!!!

I don't own any of the characters or Pokemon altogether. That goes for any chappies I forgot…so please don't sue

UNEXPECTED LOVE

It had been three weeks and Paul and Dawn had just gone back to way they used to act. But neither of them had forgotten. The only difference was that Paul was acting…kinder then before. Sometimes he would try to talk to her. He was clever; he would ask her in ways so that sometimes she couldn't even tell what he was asking and on numerous times she almost did tell him. But it wasn't because of that.

It was because for some reason, Paul made her feel calm. When he flashed a rare smile at one of her nervous spur of the moment jokes or comments, her heart would do strange flip flops, no matter how hard she tried or how much she would tell it not to. It always did.

But she hated it; Dawn didn't want her heart to do anything for him. She didn't want to trust him. And she was determined to make sure she didn't. Especially not him, the type of person he was now.

The next stop was Hatsumi town where Dawns next Pokemon contest was to be. She still hadn't told Paul yet, because the last contest he went to Paul had just said it was 'a total waste of time', and she didn't want him to just shoot down her idea to stoop for a bit so she could compete. Knowing him he would want to keep going so that he could get to his gym battle.

When Dawn was travelling with Ash and Brock, they would always stop for her, it was one of the many reasons that she wanted to go back to them. At least she wasn't always fighting herself and her feelings when she was with them.

"Were here" Paul's voice broke through her thoughts as she looked up and gasped in delight. "Wow! It's so cute" she squealed. Paul raised his eyebrow "it's just a town" he said.

She smiled "it is just a town, but look at it, look around it, its beautiful"

Paul looked, now that he was bothering to look at it for real, it was sort of cute-ish in a way. The town was small and all the houses were done in a way that the whole town was in a circle.

In the centre of the town was a huge building that was painted in many beautiful colours. But it was around the town that was the best. Roving hills covered in fresh grass and millions of coloured flowers and fruit trees. On the side was a wide beautiful lake.

Dawn ran up to it and giggled in glee as she ran her hands through the clear blue water. Paul watched the scene, a smile threatening to play on his face. Dawn was so beautiful. With the evening sunset's light glinting on her hair and her deep blue eyes reflecting off the water she looked like something from out of a photograph, it was hard not to.

Suddenly he looked to the side and saw something rustling in the bushes. "Dawn!" he called. Dawn rushed over "what is it?" she asked. Then she noticed the rustling also. "W-what is it?" she squeaked, scared out of her mind. Maybe it was a wild Pokemon that was planning on eating them?

Paul shrugged carelessly "who knows" he was just about to move away when a twig snapped from inside the bush "KYAAAAAAAAAAA" Dawn screamed and instinctively grabbed onto Paul.

His face instantly broke out into a blush, it was getting harder to control them but at least it was only faint, so dawn couldn't see. Not like she would notice, even if it's a full blown blush. Her face was too buried in his chest, she wouldn't notice much.

The rustling got louder as the thing got closer and dawn clutched harder. Then suddenly, "Espi" called out a really cute high pitched voice.

Dawn turned, to see a purple cat like Pokemon limping out of the bushes. "It's an Espeon" Paul said as dawn let go of him. She paused for a minute before crying out "it's so cute!"

Paul sweat dropped "you think everything it cute" he sighed annoyed.

Dawn bent down to stroke the fragile Pokemon when it suddenly sagged into her arms unconscious. "PAUL! HELP!!" Paul rushed to her side to see Dawn cradling the Espeon in her arms "Espeon just collapsed, and it has a fever, I think it's sick" she cried out worriedly.

Paul was just about to shrug and say 'so? Just leave it, it's not our problem' until he looked into her eyes. She was scared, no, terrified was the best word. Her eyes were exactly like the time when she was reacting to the thunder storm.

She was so scared she was crying. Then he remembered how she acted when he once insulted Pokemon, she was crying then too 'dose she really love Pokemon this much?' he thought.

Paul was smart enough to know that his snide remarks weren't for now. Now, dawn and the Pokemon in her arms needed his help. "Hold on" he grunted, taking of his jacked and covering the Pokemon. "There's sure to be a Pokemon centre in town" he draped his arm over dawn "lets go".

Dawn sniffed and nodded as she ran with him all the way into town.


"Espeon was famished and was suffering with extreme fatigue" listed Nurse Joy to Paul. "It was such a good thing that the two of you found it now, at this stage. It its state had gotten any worse then I don't know what would have happened" she sighed thankfully.

Paul nodded, not really that bothered about the Pokemon. "And how is Dawn?" he asked concerned. Nurse Joys face instantly changed to an expression of tenderness

"Dawns been sitting by Espeon the whole time, she never leaves its side and if it starts to get distressed by pain she is always there to sooth it" she smiled "it's so nice to see someone so dedicated to Pokemon. She must have a lot of fun battling"

That perked Paul's ears "why do you say that?" he asked. But before nurse joy could answer, Dawn called out in a loud voice "PAUL! NURSE JOY! COME QUICKLY! ESPEON'S WAKING UP!!"

They both ran into the room where Espeon had pulled itself up and out of its bed, and was now cuddling up into Dawns arms, rubbing its face against her cheek affectionately. Nurse Joy laughed happily. "Looks like that Espeon knows that you saved it and she's taken a liking to you" she said smiling.

"I think your right" Dawn giggled. Paul watched the scene from the side. Dawn was cradling the Pokemon like a new born baby with such a happy expression, that he couldn't tear his eyes awa from her face. 'Just a few seconds ago she was crying' Paul mused 'but now she looks like she's just been given the world on a plate' and it was all because the Pokemon got better. She was crying before because it was sick?

Paul couldn't understand why a Pokemon could affect someone so much, they were just creatures used for battle (A/N what an idiot) it didn't make any sense.

"Paul!" Dawn called and Paul looked up at her. She had stood up and the Espeon who was also up and sitting by her feet. "She recovered so quickly, give it a couple of days and she will be back full strength" said nurse Joy approvingly. She turned to Dawn, you nursed it really well."


Dawn was so relived that Espeon was ok, seeing it sick like that reminded her how much she loved Pokemon. It had been three days now and Espeon was ready to release it the wild.

It was morning and Nurse Joy had allowed Paul and Dawn to take it. Dawn placed the Pokemon down, waved good bye, and walked away. "Uhh, Dawn" Paul called out to her "you may want to look behind you".

Dawn turned, to see Espeon trotting after. "No Espeon" she picked it up and took it back "you stay here, Im going" and she tried to leave again. But Paul only called out again "nope, try again" he said, sounding board. She turned and sure enough Espeon was following her again.

"Ok, this is getting annoying" Paul sighed exasperated. He tossed a poke-ball into the air; it bounced against Espeon's head and captured the Pokemon. "Paul!!!" Dawn cried out angrily, but Paul ignored her as he scanned the poke-ball under his poke-dex: "Espeon the sun Pokemon, Espeon can use the gem in the centre of its forehead, the forked tail and its fur to read air currants to tell the feature moves of its opponents" it read out, then it listed the moved that it could use.

"Wow!" Paul murmured surprised "it's powerful. Can use: Shadow ball, Zap cannon, Swift, Illusion, Iron tail, Trap, psychic and lots of other moves." He paused.


Dawn wanted to yell at him, to tell him to release Espeon right now! But her curiosity got the better of her "Illusion? Trap? I've never herd of those moves before" she asked puzzled.

Paul typed on his poke-dex "Illusion; it's a move that makes something appear to change shape; good move to use if you want to disguise a move, fling rocks at your opponent and it could disguise it as bubbles. And Trap; It, true to its name, traps your opponent and any of its moves in a coloured bubble. Both these moves are really rare and can affect a Pokemon's attacks as well"

That did it, dawn was terrified that Paul would keep the Espeon, and why wouldn't he? It was just like he said. Espeon was so strong and she had some rare moves, he was sure to keep it.

But then Paul did the impossible, he reached out and handed the poke-ball to her "here"

Dawn stared only stared at his hand, not taking the poke-ball, and it was starting to get annoying. What did she think? That he was going to keep the Pokemon? He could do some nice things in once in a while, when he wanted to. And after seeing how much she loved that Espeon, he would never be able to take it away from her now.

"Here" he repeated "If I wait for you to catch it, then we will be here forever"

Dawn looked up at him "d-don't you want it?" she asked. Paul raised his eyebrow "don't you want it for your up-coming contest?" he retaliated.

Dawn gasped and Paul smiled "you didn't think I knew, but I saw a poster in the Pokemon centre. Aren't you going to enter?"

Dawn shook her head "I didn't think you'd wait for me" she said looking down. Paul thought for a moment "when is it" he asked "a week from now" she replied. Paul shrugged "we can wait for a while". Her head snapped up "what!"

"I was planning on doing some training anyway, so we can stay for a while". He repeated. Dawn took the poke-ball still not believing the whole thing. But then suddenly she looked up and smiled widely "thank you!" she cried and spontaneously glomped him before running off, leaving Paul with his heart needing another speeding ticket.


For the past week Dawn had spent almost every minute with Espeon. She would wake up early in the morning, train half the day, play for the other half and then train some more, and now on the night before the contest she was nervous.

Dawn sat out by the lake by the Pokemon centre, with all her Pokemon out of their poke-balls and her Espeon on her lap. All together there was her Piplup, her Swinub, her Buneary, her Pachirisu, her Espeon and her Ambipom. They were busy eating the poffins she had put out for them while she brushed Espeon's fur. The sun Pokemon purred in delight.

Dawn sighed, "What's wrong with you?" someone asked. Dawn turned to see Paul walking up to her and sitting in one of the chairs. "Nothing" she said, and then sighed again. Paul raised an eyebrow.

"If your going to sigh all afternoon, then you'd better start talking and tell me the truth, because Im gonna be out here a while and I don't want you sighing all night"

Dawn laughed and sighed again "it's a lovely night" she said finally said, why don't you let your Pokemon out for a while?" Paul looked uncomfortable "I don't usually do that, I don't usually bring my Pokemon out unless there fighting, training or being checked over at the Pokemon centre". Dawn smiled "then why try something new?" she asked.

Paul still looked unsure "come on" she joked "its not gonna hurt anybody to let them out" after some time, Paul shrugged and took out his poke-balls "why not" he murmured "Stand by!" he called out as he threw up his poke-balls and let out the Pokemon within.

Paul had a Weavile, an Electabuzz, a Gliscor, an Ursaring, a Magmar and his Torterra. The Pokemon looked puzzled but Paul only nodded at them. They still looked confused until dawn cried "No need to worry" she said smiling "I convinced him to let you guys have a little break" she turned to him "right?"

Paul wanted to counter her with a 'who convinced who to do what? I never said anything' he usually did. But Dawn was looking at him with such a happy and expecting expression that he was having trouble not to blush.

Luckily he kept his face stony and only grunted a "do as you like" to his Pokemon. But that was as good as they would get, so they filed out and…you know…mingled.

By the end of fifteen minutes they had already become friend with Dawns Pokemon. Espeon had jumped out her arms and was now chasing its tail cutely. Dawn giggled in glee and Paul just watched her.

She looked cute herself, with her hair without the yellow buttons and done up in a scruffy, high ponytail and her eyes were sparkling again. The moonlight really brought out the aqua-marine ring in her eyes.

Paul allowed himself a small smile. It was funny, Paul thought back to a time long ago where he didn't even know her name! She was always just troublesome to him, the girl who travelled with the stupid boy.

And now, he was in love with her!, in love enough to notice such little things about her like the aqua-marine ring by the pupils and how she had a habit of saying 'no need to worry' and how he always had the weirdest urge to react how the stupid boy always did and reply 'that's when I worry the most'. But it was these little things that made up Dawn, and he liked her this way.

He was even starting to get used to the weird annoying parts about her like how she would always have to look her best and how much she needlessly cared for her Pokemon. But the most annoying thing was how she still refused to admit to the attraction between them and stop being stupid. But it didn't matter, he would get there in the end, he always got what he wanted.

"So are you going to tell me why you look so depressed?" he asked "and no avoiding the question"

Dawns shoulders instantly sagged and she sighed again before she admitted "Im nervous". "Why" Paul asked curiously.

"Well…It's been a while since I've won a contest and I really want to win this one…but Im not sure Im good enough" she confessed

Paul scoffed "I don't see what you're scared of, contests seem really easy…"

"take that back!" dawn yelled jumping out of her chair "there's so much more to contests then that. You have to make your moves seen beautiful and powerful at the same time, it's not straight forward like a gym battle. You could even loose points if you opponent dodges! One mistake and you go home and…"

"I get it" Paul cried lifting up his hands in defeat while trying to keep the smirk of his face. "Sorry"

Dawn flopped back into her chair and breathed out "Im sorry to, for flipping out like that, I…it's just that contests are really important to me"

"Why?" Paul asked still curious. Dawn smiled and looked up at the sky "my mom was a famous coordinator. I want to do as well as her so that she can be proud of me." She paused "that was my initial reason for contests, but as time went by I just fell in love with them. The excitement, the beauty, the way you make your Pokemon sparkle in the most unexpected was and how the crowd appreciates it" she smiled "I just love contests" she sighed "and I really want to do well in them".

Paul sighed too "I can understand that" he said. Dawn turned to him. "My big brother battled in so many Pokemon leagues and won two! He beat the battle frontier and the orange league and all my life people have always said to me' 'you must be so proud of your older brother'" dawn listened and Paul continued. "And even though I was proud, I was also annoyed. I want to step out of my brother's shadow and be the best"

He paused "I want only the strongest and the best; I have neither need nor patience of weakness and laziness"

Dawn nodded "that makes sense" she said "is that the reason why you treat you Pokemon so harshly? Because you want them to be strong?" At that, all Paul's Pokemon looked up at them.

Paul shrugged "I guess so. I don't want weak Pokemon, but if I act kind to them, even once in a while, then they will get to cocky and lazy"

"Or they will get even stronger under your caring influence" dawn interrupted "you never know until you try"

Paul only shrugged again, "maybe", all of a sudden Paul smiled, not a smirk or a concealed smile, But a real smile, and a small laugh.

And then something happened. The moon hit Paul in a strange way that seemed to make him glow. His smile looked so beautiful that dawn couldn't look away; the whole thing was almost…mystical.

Suddenly Paul raised his hand at Dawn. "W-what are you doing" she stammered. "Hold still" said Paul gruffly. He reached forward and brushed down a couple of loose strands of Dawns hair till it was smooth "there" he breathed out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, satisfied "now everything's perfect" it was then when they both realized how close their faces were.

At that moment, dawn forgot all her prerogatives on her feelings for Paul, the fact that she was determined for there to be no feelings, except probably a mild friendship. Only that mild friendship was getting stronger every minute she spent with him, and it was at its strongest right now.

For a second, memories of their last kiss passed over her mind, and she thought, 'what if I was to kiss him now? Would that be such a bad thing?' Sub-consciously, they both felt themselves leaning closer and closer until they were only centimetres away from each other. Paul leaned in and nearly kissed her, until…

"WOW!!! YOU'RE PAUL SHINJI!!!"

Paul and Dawn jumped apart from each other and looked up at a girl who was fast approaching the two.

She had long bright red hair tied up in two high pig-tails and had bright green eyes. She was wearing a short pink mini-skirt and a long black and white shirt draping over her skirt as well as a black waist coat and yellow sandals. She was a stunning beauty (despite the Goth look).

She grabbed Paul's hand and started shaking it enthusiastically "I saw you on TV in the Pokemon laugh in Jhoto (is that how its spelt?), you were amazing, even though Im into Pokemon contests, I was still amazed by your battle…"

Paul just stared at her, not really sure how to react, this was a first. He looked over at Dawn who was watching with an amused expression on her face.

He tuned back in to the strange girls speech, she was still holding onto his hand "…and on the day you lost that battle I was heartbroken, but you kept your calm and didn't react, I thought you were so cool…" Paul remembered that day, to tell the truth, the only thing that was keeping the anger of his face was that fact that there were over 4 million people watching. "…and it was there, on that day where I fell in love with you"

That caught Paul's attention "What!!" Paul said seriously surprised. The girl nodded "yep, all my friends told me it was a doomed love, because you were famous. But fate made it so we finally met, it must be destiny. Im even more in love with you now" she squealed "isn't that great?"

It was not great, Paul wanted to hit her, he wanted to yell in her face to let him go and never appear in front of him again. But years of practice helped him keep calm. "Who the heck are you?" he asked.

The girl had the grace to blush as she abruptly let go of Paul's hand "oh…I feel embarrassed, confessing to you out of the blue, and with out even introducing myself" she brushed of the ruffles on her skirt and smiled "my name is Ren Kinimoto, and I want to be your girlfriend"

"No" Paul said automatically. He risked a glance at Dawn who to her credit looked just as surprised as Paul.

"W-why" the girl asked shocked "is there someone else?" an image of Dawn passed over Paul's mind and he nearly blushed, but managed to keep his face hard as he just shrugged.

"Wait, are you entering the contest too?" Dawn suddenly asked. Ren looked at Dawn, only just noticing that she was there "and who are you?" she asked rudely. Suddenly Paul wanted to hit her even more. But Dawn didn't seem to notice her rudeness, or if she did then she was hiding it well.

"My names Dawn Hikari, Im entering the contest too" she grinned.

"Then wipe that grin off your face Hikari, because in the end, Im gonna win in front of my beloved Shin-kun." Ren yelled and then she turned and blew a kiss to Paul "see you tomorrow sweetie" she said sickly sweetly before disappearing and leaving Paul and Dawn confused and…slightly disturbed in her tracks.

"What…was…that" Paul said stunned for the first time. "I think you just got confessed to by a really cute girl" Dawn giggled.

"Why in the world are you laughing" Paul asked still half stunned.

Dawn had burst out laughing now "b-because your face hilarious" she gasped "most boys would be happy to be confessed to by such a beautiful girl, but your face"

Paul grunted "maybe she isn't the one who I want to confess to me" he said

Dawn immediately stopped laughing, and stared at him taken aback. Their eyes met and her heart sped up, until Paul looked away. He called back his Pokemon and walked off. But not before saying "good luck in the contest, ill be watching" he smiled again and left.

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A NEW RIVAL FOR PAULS LOVE HAS ENTERED THE FRAY

WHAT WILL DAWN DO NOW????

WILL SHE GIVE UP ON HER STUPID RESOLVE AND GIVE INTO HER FEELINGS?

AND WILL SHE BEAT REN AND WIN HER CONTEST WITH Espeon?

READ AND REVIEW TO FIND OUT

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