A/N: Yes, it is another chapter! :D Despite being busy with NaNoWriMo, I still managed to get this down. Thank you so very much for all your support so far – especially to those great people who reviewed – and please enjoy this one! :)

To Guest: Thank you very much for your review! I'm sorry you thought it was too short, this one isn't really much longer, but it does have more plot development. You were right, last chapter was kind of a filler, I'll pay more attention to it. Thank you for reviewing and I hope you like this one!

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or the picture used as cover.

Leave It To Brocko

Chapter 21

"Brock, could you be the referee for our battle? Please?"

Ash's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I looked up from the waves I had been watching. They weren't really all that interesting, just straight waves caused by the boat cutting through the water, but it was nice to have my mind focused on nothing for a moment.

"Huh, what?" I responded automatically. I had heard what he had said, but it hadn't really registered.

"Could you be the referee for our battle?" he repeated, the slight impatience in his voice coming from the fact that he was eager to start battling, not that I was reacting so slow.

"Oh-"

"I can be the referee," Leaf offered, interrupting my answer of 'Of course, let's get started.' Or well, that's probably what would've been my answer.

"I've been meaning to practice that," she explained, and shot me a small smile. "If Brock doesn't mind, of course."

"Oh no, go ahead." I waved vaguely to indicate that it was okay. In fact, it would be nice to see a battle where I could actually cheer for Ash without feeling guilty.

"Great! Thanks Leaf, c'mon!" And with that, Ash pulled Leaf with him to the center of the deck, leaving me and Gary – who had somehow ended up here too – standing in silence. He motioned with his head as if to ask whether I was going to follow them, and I nodded, before making my way after him.

Dawn, Misty and Paul had been on the other side of the ship, with Misty watching the waters just like I had been doing – although she was undoubtedly paying a whole lot more attention than I had done, intent as she was on seeing new Water Pokémon, and Dawn sitting cross-legged on the ground next to Misty's legs, with Buneary and the Egg on her lap, all ready and set to watch the upcoming battle.

Paul was already standing in the center of the deck, calm and collected yet obviously prepared for the battle.

The rest of the deck was quite empty – there weren't many people on this ship to start with – and so it would do as a makeshift battlefield. Two young Trainers were sitting against the railing, talking amongst themselves, and on the far end of the deck, there was a young couple and their rather ugly child.

As Ash took his position on the opposite of Paul, I realized that I might have overlooked on teensy tiny thing.

They were going to have a battle on a ship. And not just a battle, but a full-blown, adrenaline-racing-through-your-veins kind of battle. And not just a ship, but a small, very breakable ship on the middle of the ocean.

This was not a good idea.

But no one else seemed to notice or to care, and Leaf took her position in the middle of the 'battle area', while Paul and Ash positioned themselves on either ends.

"Have you already decided what battle it's going to be?" Leaf asked them, and Misty turned away from the railing to look at the event, while Gary sat down on the ground and Dawn settled down a bit more comfortably to watch the battle.

Was I the only one thinking it was stupid to battle on a small ship...?

"Six on six!" Ash grinned enthusiastically, and Paul gave a single nod in confirmation.

Okay, now I really had to step in. "Six on six? Wouldn't it be better one on one...? It's probably a whole lot safer..."

Ash seemed to consider this, and Paul's expression remained blank.

"Well, okay," Ash finally conceded, though he sounded quite disappointed. "You're probably right."

Paul nodded again, and Leaf yelled, "Alright, an one on one battle then! Each trainer will use one Pokémon each. The battle is over when one Pokémon is unable to continue battling, is that understood?"

The purple-haired boy grunted something, and Ash answered enthusiastically. "Yes! Pikachu, I choose you!"

The yellow Pokémon jumped from his shoulder, his cheeks sparkling with electricity.

"Torterra, stand by for battle!" Paul called out his starter Pokémon, and the ship trembled noticeably when the huge Pokémon appeared.

This idea was getting worse and worse with each passing second. The ship wouldn't be able to handle the battle, we would end up in the cold sea, and if, by some miracle, we survived, we still wouldn't be in Hoenn.

Man, this idea really sucks. I was about to point this out when someone else beat me to it.

"Not here, not here!" The small captain came running up the deck, looking panicked at the two Pokémon. "Are you crazy?! Battling on a ship?"

He shot Ash and Paul a nasty glare. "Put that Torterra away, it's bringing the ship off balance. Dear Arceus, don't you have common sense? I did tell you guys which Pokémon were allowed out and which weren't, right?"

Silence met his question, and he slapped his forehead. "Well, you're still expected to use your common sense! Kids these days don't have a grain of intellect left these days, Mew…" he trailed off in a mutter. "Now- oh good, you put the Torterra away. It can't come out again, understood?"

Paul glared at the man, and the captain took it as a confirmation, turning to Ash. "The Pikachu can stay, and what other Pokémon do you have?"

And so we lost half an hour of precious time being lectured by the captain about which Pokémon were allowed and which weren't.

But at least the ship wasn't broken, we weren't lying around in the cold sea and we were still well on our way to Hoenn. Misty had resumed her staring at the water, with Ash – annoyed at the lack of the battle but pacified by Paul's promise of a battle when we arrived in Hoenn – quickly joining her, and Gary had struck up a conversation with Leaf. Dawn was sitting on the ground, just getting the Egg and Buneary out.

Paul had sat down on one of the chairs with a book, and I settled myself next to him. I watched how Ash was busy annoying Misty, who had let out some of her Pokémon, and felt myself smiling when I saw Misty retaliate like she always used to do. And as Gary and Leaf seemed to be getting on well too, I allowed myself a small moment of pride that everything was going well.

I saw Paul move from the corner of my eyes, and then Weavile was released. That was strange, I hadn't heard Dawn say anything at all- and now she was smiling gratefully at him. Had he released Weavile without any prompting from Dawn?

Wow, Paul must be really improving his people skills.

I glanced at him from the corners of my eyes again. He was holding a book, but he wasn't reading, but instead watching his Pokémon intently. I had no idea what he was looking for – signs of weaknesses, perhaps? Or just curious to see how his Weavile would act around other Pokémon?

Weavile was talking to Buneary, holding the Egg, and they almost seemed to have a serious conversation. Dawn, too, was following their interactions. She then asked Weavile something, who nodded enthusiastically. Dawn smiled, and Buneary joined in, seemingly asking more questions, and I could only guess what they were talking about.

Dawn just smiled and nodded, not seeming to understand it either, and Paul was still watching them. Which was rather interesting, that Paul was still concerning himself with whatever was going on with the Pokémon. Dawn took something out of her bag, some Pokémon sweets I think, and Weavile looked questioningly at his trainer. Paul shifted his attention to Weavile, gave a short nod, and the Weavile happily accepted the treats.

Wait...

Dawn looked at Paul curiously, but had he just been watching unashamedly, now he was pointedly looking at his book. That was… strange. Surely he wouldn't be embarrassed to be caught watching his own Pokémon… but this was Paul, perhaps he didn't want Dawn to think he was showing signs of weaknesses…?

Something didn't add up here, it was not in Paul's character to be embarrassed that easily.

I waited patiently, and soon enough Paul's attention drifted away from his book again. Dawn was playing with Buneary, with Weavile was looking on curiously – probably unfamiliar with the concept of games – but my attention was on Paul. I followed his gaze-

I blinked. I must be doing something wrong, this couldn't be right.

I tried again, following his line of sight, only to come to the same conclusion.

Paul wasn't looking at Weavile. He wasn't looking at the Egg either, or even at Buneary.

Paul was watching Dawn.

How… odd.

It didn't make sense. Paul looking at Dawn? Why would he do that? Yes, I know he's a teenage boy and that they're meant to look at girls – but this was Paul. Paul. He didn't do average teenage boys things, like staring at girls. And especially not at Dawn.

Did he?

I checked just one more time, just to be sure, and yes, he was still looking at her.

Very odd indeed. And very interesting. I smirked.

"She's something, isn't she?" I spoke up, and if I hadn't been paying close attention I wouldn't have noticed, but Paul seemed to flinch just a tad bit.

"She's annoying."

"She's just really passionate," I replied, chuckling lightly. "She loves her Pokémon very much, and sometimes goes to extremes when it comes to them. She means well."

Paul made a noncommittal sound, which wasn't outright disagreement.

"Yeah, she really is something…" I trailed off, seeing Paul shift uncomfortably from the corner of my eyes.

"I'm going inside," he said bluntly, standing up immediately. Weavile looked confused as his trainer left, but was quickly distracted by Buneary, and Dawn almost looked disappointed.

Which was rather odd too…

Closing my eyes, I settled back in my chair, intent on mulling over this while enjoying the sun. Paul had been staring at Dawn. Dawn had looked disappointed when Paul left. She had blushed with the whole pregnancy-ordeal, but that was to be expected. She had hugged him, but that could be blamed on her enthusiasm... But still, some gut feeling was telling me I was on the right track.

There was something going on between Dawn and Paul.

I opened my eyes again, smiling. I didn't have enough proof yet, but my gut feeling was telling me that I was right. Still, for now, I'd keep my mouth shut. Not to mention that Paul was ridiculously difficult to talk to, even about non-personal topics, and Dawn… well, I would talk to Dawn whenever I noticed something else. At least she would be more inclined to talk about things like that than Paul.

I glanced back across the deck. Misty and Ash were still watching the sea, Leaf and Gary were still talking, Dawn had gone back to playing with Buneary and Weavile, and really, everything was calm for a change. The two trainers that had been sitting here on the deck had gone inside as well, and the young couple with the ugly child was still on the other side, talking conspiringly.

Wait, what? I shook my head, mentally chastising myself. I didn't even know those people and I was already thinking badly of them. I didn't even know them!

I didn't… right?

I blinked, something pulling my attention back to the three of them. Something... there was this feeling, I couldn't pinpoint it, but it drew my attention back to them. Some feeling was telling me…

Did they seem familiar? The child was small, had a mob of shiny blond hair – as if it were a wig, a little voice in my head whispered – and a strangely colored skin, yellowish pale. And it almost seemed as if it had a moustache, or whiskers, but that was just ridiculous.

The woman had her magenta hair tied in a bun, most of her face hidden behind big fancy sunglasses and a straw-hat. She looked like she was going on holiday, while strangely enough, the man was dressed more businesslike. A small leather hat on lavender hair, rectangular glasses and a black tie made him quite the opposite of the woman who I assumed to be his wife.

How… strange…

Where could I possibly know them from? No one I knew would wear such outrageous clothing, only Team Rocket used those… as… disguises…

Oh.

Brocko, you're being rather slow today, aren't you?

A/N: Thank you for reading! We have some IkariShipping hints, and now Team Rocket enters the picture once again *dum dum DUUUM*

Ah, anyway, despite my busyness with NaNoWriMo – it's going really, really well by the way – I think I should have an update ready in two weeks. So yes, hopefully see you all then!

And please, do leave me a review… Please?

Thank you!

Recommendations:

Pokémon: The Language of Mistynese by Warlordess. A short multi-chapter, about Ash trying to understand Misty with the help of a book from Brock. And Misty becoming very confused by Ash's sudden tact and helpfulness. Funny and cute, and definitely worth a read!

Pokémon: The Legend of the Sky Cat by Kissy Fishy. A long, complicated, well thought-out, in-character, romantic, exciting, adventurous, funny, and just really great multi-chaptered story. And it's finished too! I really should reread it, it's a great story, so go check it out! Contains Poke, Contest and Ikari :)

Jimmy Neutron: Shut Me Up by Jaztaz. How do you shut up a girl when's she's yelling at you? Yeah, I think you can think guess what happens XD A funny and fluffy Jimmy and Cindy one-shot, so if you like that pairing, go check it out ;)