Ok, I'm real sorry for not updating lately.... It's just that I'm a procrastinator. XD I get real lazy real fast and tend to forget about my fics.... So, anyway, here's Ch. 3!
ShadowVulpine: I know what Lagomorphshipping is. n_n I was planning on adding it in here as well! =) -hugs-
hailme786: Wow! Thank you for your review! I hope you do review every chapter. ^^ I'll be seeing you in the near future! -hugs-
Also, hugs for all of you kind reviewers for... well, reviewing! :3 -hugs-
Disclaimer: Crap... I forgot the disclaimer for the last 2 chapters... I don't own anything.
EDITED: Yup. I edited this chapter as well. xD You'll probably see the differences, a few here and there. Enjoy!
.:Chapter 3:.
Saying "Hello!" a Second Time
Ash was running at top speed, chasing after the sly Pikachu that got out of his grasp.
"Get back here, Pikachu!" he semi-laughed out. Pikachu was running to the castle that was off in the distance and started to slow down due to speed differences between him and his trainer.
Ash caught up and bended over because of his exhaustiveness from running. "Jeez... Pikachu... you're fast," he said in between pants before sitting down to take a breather. When he was finally able to speak with ease again, he said, " Alright, Pikachu! Let's go to the Battle Castle right now! That little exercise you gave me brought the spirit inside me back to life and now, it wants to battle!" He said, raising is fist in the air. Ash then started running ahead of Pikachu towards the Battle Castle.
Pikachu decided to let Ash take the lead this time. He knew that he can beat his trainer any day when it came to running. But, he suddenly changed his mind after he faintly heard his trainer yell something from ahead of him.
"Last one there's a Stunky...!" Ash yelled over his shoulder as the sound faded the farther he ran.
Dawn was jogging ahead with her partner, Piplup, waddling right beside her. She looked down and fondly smiled at her first Pokemon giving enthusiasm towards getting to the Battle Castle. Soon, she would be there...
Running along the island's dock made her more excited and energetic, loving the scent of the ocean wafting through her nose. She always loved the ocean – and water types. It always relaxed her when she felt nervous or tensed. Dawn slowed down her pace as her thoughts wandered off to a memory she had when she was still traveling with Ash and Brock...
.:Flashback:.
It was the day before her Grand Festival performance and Dawn wasn't really feeling like her perky, usual self. Looking at her set of five ribbons and her mom's treasured ribbon, she didn't know if this was enough for her to compete.
Dawn was standing on the railing of Lake Valor due to the fact that the Grand Festival was being held were the last Wallace Cup took place. She was looking at her reflection through the water and allowing the breeze to let her hair flow a little. She didn't mind. As long as the smell of the lake's water took her away from her anxiety, everything around her didn't really matter. Thinking back to all her victories and losses, she wonders 'Do I deserve to be here?'. Often she'd console to her Pokemon for help before a very nerve-racking contest, contest battle, or appeal. But, this time, she didn't want her Pokemon to feel the pressure of knowing that their trainer is feeling more scared than usual.
Looking up, she saw the reflection of the moon mirroring off the lake's surface, casting a beautiful blue glow around her. She felt... relaxed being here. Like there's nothing to be afraid of. Suddenly, she felt her face getting wet. 'A-am I... crying?' she thought to herself as realization hit her – she was crying. Dawn put her hands to her face and started sobbing quietly.
'Why am I crying? I-I should stay strong! ...But...' She couldn't complete her thought as a familiar voice came from behind her.
"Dawn?"
Dawn turned around when she heard the voice. "A-A-Ash! W-what are y-you doing here?" she stammered, trying to hide her crying. She failed.
"Why are you crying? Are you hurt? Do you have something in your eye?" he asked in a worried tone. Dawn flinched at his denseness for not noticing her insecurity earlier.
Dawn quickly dried her eyes and smiled at him. "Y-yeah. It's just some dirt..." she mumbled with a touch of sadness in her voice.
Ash looked at her, trying to figure her out. Dawn had red puffy eyes, indicating that it was something more than a piece of dirt in them. Her eyes were downcast with worry swimming in them. She really was crying.
Ash reached out and pulled her into a hug. Dawn was taken back by this and only managed to stutter out, " W-w-w-what are you doing?" while blushing furiously.
"No need to worry, Dawn. If you're feeling worried about the Grand Festival, don't. You've got all of us with you here to cheer you on! If anyone should feel worried here, it's those other contestants." Ash whispered to her with a bit of redness on his cheek for hugging a girl. Hugging Dawn to be exact.
Dawn was speechless. There they were, two people, hugging close to each other in front of a beautiful lake. Dawn returned the hug quickly before letting go. For a second, Ash's face showed loss before quickly turning into a confident grin. Dawn blushed after noticing the close proximity of their faces; " Th-thanks, Ash! You really gave me confidence to do great in the Grand Festival. I know that with you – and Brock as well as the rest of the Pokemon - everything is going to be alright for me," She then put on her 'no need to worry' smile and proceeded to walk back to the Pokemon Center with Ash next to her.
::End Flashback::
She let out a sigh, wishing to be with Ash, when she noticed that she was close to the Battle Castle. Her face changed to delight as she decided to pick up the pace and start running. Piplup was running as fast as he could alongside her, trying to not be left back.
"Look, Piplup! We're almost there!" Dawn happily cheered as the doors were to her right side in a close distance.
"Piplup!"
"Alright, Pikachu! All we have to do is turn around this corner and-"
Crash!
"..Ow... What hit me...?" Ash said while trying to figure out what just happened. He remembered running, turning the corner, and crashed into something that was a reddish pink blur, and fell to the ground...
Ash looked up only to see a face full of shock mirror his. She had a familiar white beanie on and familiar blue hair put in a familiar hair style. Alongside her was a all-to familiar Piplup with the look of sheer joy as he recognized Ash and Pikachu.
"Ash?!" Dawn shrieked in both shock and surprise, and with joy inside her.
"...Dawn?" Ash managed to reply as he was still dumbfounded as to why Dawn was there.
"Oh, Ash! I had no idea you were here! Come here, you!" Without warning, she got down to her knees and hugged the very embarrassed Ash. His face must have had fifty different shades of red and nearly fainted from how tightly she was hugging him. What made it more awkward was the fact that she knocked him down in the process and now, she had him in a tight hug with her on top of him. He could faintly hear the snickers of the passing trainers and from Pikachu and Piplup...
"U-Uhh, D-Dawn?" Ash stammered, noticing how much attention they're getting. "I think you can let go of me now..." As much as he loved her hugging him, he could feel himself getting ready to pass out. Dawn got off of him and had a very red face with an embarrassed expression as well.
"S-sorry," she said. As quickly after she said that, her face showed absolute happiness. "Wow, Ash! I can't believe you're here! Are you here for the Battle facilities, too?" she asked in wonder, wanting to know what the boy of her dreams is doing at the same island she was.
Ash then remembered that she was talking to him as his brain was still processing all that happened. He was still staring at Dawn, who seemed to be waiting for something. Then he realized that she was talking to him. "Uh...I-I'm sorry! Come again?" he said in embarrassment for staring at Dawn AND not noticing when she was talking to him.
"Oh, Ash. You can be so dense sometimes!" she said with a giggle. Ash's face reddened even more as she said this. "I asked you why you're here. Are you going to the facilities here, too?"
"Oh! Yeah, that's why I'm here," Ash said proudly and confidently. "Wait, why did you say, 'too'?"
Dawn giggled again. "Well, that's the reason why I'm here as well. I'm going to complete the Battle Frontier, too," she said with a confident smile. Ash's face showed surprise as he found out Dawn's intentions for being at the Battle Frontier.
"Really?! That's great, Dawn!" Ash replied. Pikachu and Piplup chose this time to jump up in their trainer's arms and say hi to their traveling partners again.
"Piplup!" Piplup chirped to Ash, holding out his fin.
"Great to see you, too, Piplup!" Ash greeted, taking in Piplup's fin in his own hand to shake. "Are you driving Dawn crazy again? It looks like it, hehe." Ash said teasingly. Piplup blushed a little and turned his head a different way, giving a little pout.
Pikachu took this time to jump onto Dawn's shoulder and rub against her cheek affectionately. "Pika~!" Pikachu squealed in delight to see his master's crush again. Dawn only giggled and scratched his head in reply.
"I missed you, too, Pikachu," she said. Suddenly, she remembered something. "Oh! Pikachu, do you want to see someone who's been dying to see you again?" Dawn said with a smirk and pulled out a Pokeball.
"Pika?" Before Pikachu could even guess who it was, an over excited Buneary ran (or hopped) up to him and pulled him into a loving hug. Buneary cried tears of joy as Pikachu blushed in embarrassment, now knowing the feeling Ash had when Dawn grabbed him into a hug.
Ash and Dawn looked at their Pokemon in amusement as Piplup was having a snickering fit in Dawn's arms.
"So," Ash said, trying to muster up some words to get Dawn's attention. Dawn immediately focused her whole attention on him to see what's he going to say. "you want to go in the Battle Castle with me to try and earn our first seal? After all, we're going to travel together again, right?" Ash asked with a hopeful tone behind his voice.
Dawn's face lit up at the offer an just couldn't say no. "Of course we're going to travel together, Ash! Why wouldn't we?"
Ash put on the biggest grin he's made since he won the Sinnoh League and agreed with her. They walked in, side-by-side with their Pokemon into the Battle Castle where they are going for their first Commemorative Seal, together.
Well, there you have it! Ash and Dawn have officially met up with each other. -cheers!-
I felt this chappie was way longer than my last 2. Yay! =]
I hope you guys review! Hopefully, I get as much as 10 reviews (or at least). That's kinda my goal. ^^; I don't mind if my goal doesn't reach that, though. Please, R&R! :3 See ya guys (and gals) next chapter! ;D
