"Hi Zoey, what are you doing here?" Dawn happened to stumble upon her in the Solaceon Ruins.
"Oh, I heard that Evolution Stones could be found here. I wanted to see if I could evolve my Eeevee, my Misdreavus and my Kirlia." Zoey said.
"What a coincidence, I wanted to do that too." Dawn noted.
"Oh, neat. And…I see you got an addition to the team." Zoey also noticed Dawn had a Togepi in a baby carrier on her.
"Yeah, her name is Tune. She only hatched yesterday but if something were to happen to her, I'd kill myself and then nuke the whole region." Dawn noted.
"I'd do the same if something were to happen to Cheery." Zoey also had a baby carrier, which held a Happiny.
"Oh, where did you get her?" Dawn asked.
"Shortly after leaving Hearthome a guy gave it to me. Between that and the Togepi you have, they really hand out Pokémon Eggs like its nothing. I wonder what's next?" Zoey wondered. At Iron Island a certain Aura Guardian sneezed for some reason.
"We could look after Stones together." Dawn said.
"It's a date! I mean not like a date-date, but…friends hanging out…just looking for Stones." Zoey said.
"Er…right." Dawn said. They decide to not acknowledge the awkwardness.
They would look up for evolution stones for hours until they found a few. "I got a Leaf Stone!" Zoey said.
"I got an Ice Stone." Dawn said.
"Whoa, didn't know they could be found here. Normally it is only Water, Electric, Grass and Fire Stones. If other Stones are to be found here, I could get a Dusk or Dawn Stone for my Misdreavus and Kirlia." Zoey said.
"Maybe it is a one percent chance or something. So what do you say, we try out the Stones?" Dawn asked.
"Sure. That is, if they're ok with the evolutions." Dawn said. Both Eevees yipped happily. "Ok, on three."
"One, two three!" both of them said as they put the evolution stones to their Eevee's foreheads. Both started to glow as they grew in size and shifted. Dawn's Eevee changed into a Glaceon and Zoey's to a Leafeon. The Evolution Stones then lost their luster and turned into colorless crystals, looking no different from glass.
"Oh, you look so beautiful." Dawn said as she pets her Glaceon whom chirped happily. "And I finally have a name for you now, Skadi!" the Glaceon chirped happily with her new name.
"You're looking great." Zoey said as she pets her Leafeon. "And I think you need a name too…I'll call you Aloe." Aloe purred in approval at her new name.
Then Aloe noticed Skadi and…she looked beautiful and elegant and the grassy Eevee found herself flustered. The Glaceon also seemed to carry herself differently, with more poise with elegance…Oh, she was coming her way. Aloe didn't know what to do…until Skadi started to paw at her leafy bangs, showing she had barely changed at all.
"Did anyone see an Ice Stone? I brought one from home but I lost it!" another trainer with a Galarian accent called out as he looked around the Tunnels.
"Oh…" Dawn said as she put the inactive Ice Stone away and decided to get out of there. Zoey had no blame but decided to follow suit.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kentaro the Monferno and a Lucario charged at each other. Monferno's fist on fire and Lucario's paw glowing with aura as they charged at each other, crossed one another and end up back to back. Kentaro panted and dropped on his knees. The Lucario turned around…but soon he flinched and fell on his back, out cold. "Lucario is unable to battle. Challenger Dawn Berlitz wins!"
"That was a good battle, Dawn." Maylene said. The young gym leader took out a badge and a TM. "And I don't feel bad about this loss."
"Well to be fair, it was Paul. And I know what it's like to have that guy bring you down." Dawn said as she made an expression that was similar to Paul. "Look at me. I am strong, all other people are weak losers. I do not know what a smile is!"
Maylene busted out in laughter. Another person, a young man whom had served as the referee for that day, spoke up. "I shouldn't be finding this funny since it's my brother but…"
"You got to admit your brother is a piece of work, Reggie." Dawn noted. "How the two of you are related is beyond me."
"We are different and Paul is…troubled and complicated." Reggie said. "Not that I have approved of him tearing down Maylene verbally like that."
"Thanks for keeping my spirits up by the way. I needed the help. I feel more lively then ever." Maylene said as she pumped her fists.
"I've been where you were, so how could I not help you?" Dawn noted.
"Probably should return my girlfriend's calls, I must have worried her with my lack of response. She'll probably give me an earful for not telling her sooner." Maylene said.
"Girlfriend? So you and Reggie are not…?" Dawn asked.
"Oh no, he's like a brother to me. I mean when we were younger we tried to kiss but that's how I figured out that I don't like boys like that." Maylene said.
"It felt like kissing my sister." Reggie said.
"Ah, ok. I'm sorry. So, whose the lucky lady?" Dawn asked.
"She's a fellow Gym Leader in Snowpoint." Maylene said. For her, I weather any snowstorm to go visit her."
"And she gave you a bollocking for it, you could just use the Pokétch app that summons Staraptors." Reggie said. "Last time you got such a nasty cold and she nursed you back to health." Maylene blushed.
"That's adorable. Don't deliberately get sick though, you don't need that to have her attention." Dawn said.
"I guess. So how are things between you and your girlfriend?" Maylene asked.
"Girlfriend? I don't have a girlfriend?" Dawn asked.
"How about that Zoey girl?" Reggie said. "I thought you two were." Reggie said as he waved his hand.
"Oh, we are friends and contest rivals but I…" Dawn said as she suddenly stopped and looked pensive.
"Oh, I recognize that look. Maylene had it too when she realize she loved Candice. I call it 'the lez disaster realization face'." Reggie said.
"No it can't…" Dawn said. "I am Dawn Berlitz. I am a master strategist and coordinator. I am not obvious, I…"
"Oh, you got some ice cream on your face, Dawn…" a past Zoey said as she brushed her finger across Dawn's cheek, to wipe off the bit of ice cream and then put it in her mouth. Dawn remembered a tingle down her spine.
"You look cold. Here, take my hands so they can warm up." Zoey said as she took her hands. Her hands were soft.
Then there was that time at the Veilstone shopping center. "I picked this bikini out for when we were to reach Sunnyshore and have a beach day. How do I look?" Dawn had blanked out after that.
"Dialga on a stick!" Dawn exclaimed as she blushed and held her head.
"You also held your head like that when the penny dropped." Reggie said to Maylene.
"You are never going to let me live it down, do you?" Maylene sighed.
"Never." Reggie said with a smirk.
"I am going to tease you when you get a boyfriend, girlfriend or nobifriend." Maylene said.
"That's fair." Reggie said. "Wonder if her crush is also a disaster."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"…and after that she regained her spark. You know I missed seeing that spark in her eyes. And she smiled again. She actually has a pretty smile. And those sparks in her eyes I talked about, they ignite in a flame when she gets into the Zone." Zoey said to one of her friends (she had a life and friend group outside of Dawn).
A girl in Gothic Lolita gear took a sip of her tea. Her big fluffy Arcanine was sleeping cutely next to them on the ground. She smacked her lips and said. "…you got a crush." Marley said softly.
"What? But I…I mean, Dawn is great but it's not like she's on my mind all the time or I daydream about her…" Zoey blushed but suddenly her mind wandered to a fantasy and Dawn's voice sounded in her mind.
"Hi Zoey, want to apply this lotion to my back?"
"Palkia on a stick!" Zoey said as she realized.
Marley just sipped her tea again. "Told you so."
Zoey buried her face in her hands. "What am I going to do?"
"Go get her." Marley noted. She took another sip, smacked her lips, and decided to add another spoonful of sugar to her tea.
"I can't do that. I mean, it would be so awkward and I'm not sure she…I dunno…oh man!" Zoey faceplanted on the table.
The waiter came by. "Is there anything else you girls want?" he asked.
"More tea, please." Marley noted. "Some biscuits for Arcee." She said as she pets her Arcanine. "And some professional help for my friend." Zoey let out a muffled groan.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Barry walked out of a Pokémart in Pastoria and Dawn ran up to him. "Hey Dawn, what…"
"Barry, I am crushing on Zoey!" Dawn said.
"Oh, so you figured it out?" Barry noted.
"What? You knew?" Dawn asked.
"Dawn, I'm obvious, I know that…But even I saw it and romance is the only thing you're more obvious in then me." Barry replied.
"Oh my gosh." Dawn said, her voice now sounding monotone as if she emotionally shut down.
"Well, if you are done having your gay panic, you know there is a Gym right? Want to vent a bit by beating on the Gym Leader?" Barry suggested.
"Yes!" Dawn said.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Welcome challenger!" Crasher Wake said as he made a pose while flexing his arms. "You have entered the domain of Crasher Wake! Crasher Wake is wild like a tsunami, inescapable like a whirlpool, strong like a tidal wave…"
"Can we just get to fighting please?" Dawn asked in a monotone.
Crasher Wake pouted. "Just suck the fun right out of it, will you." He brought out his Gyarados, his Floatzel and his Quagsire. "Make your move!"
Dawn just threw two Pokéballs and out came her Roselia Roselinka, and Valerie, now evolved into a Luxray. "Nuke him!"
"What?" Crasher Wake asked. All he remembered was a flash. Then his Pokémon were on the ground and rose petals were flying through the air. "What…the…Distortion…" Crasher Wake blinked.
"Arceus above! Dawn, I said use a Gym Battle to get your mind of things, I didn't say a massacre!" Barry said. "Dudette, you are scaring me…you are making me act like the sane one…You know how tiring and weird that is?" Barry said as he approached Dawn.
He then turned to Crasher Wake. "By the way, huge fan of you Mr. Wake. You're like my fav wrestler and I'm sorry about my friend. She is working out some stuff. Can I have an autograph?"
Crasher Wake pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just give me the damn autograph book and get your friend out of here."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"This is the Great Marsh. Pokémon catching. You just throw the balls at the mons, you don't let your mons go wild." Barry said. "That should be less intense." Barry had a bucket of Safari Balls. "You want to get a few mons, there are both cute and strong mons in here…"
Dawn then suddenly jerked, and started grabbing the balls from the buckets and throw them like cannonballs and screaming on top of her lungs. Not only did she throw the balls all over the marsh, but some were yeeted out of bounds and captured Pokémon on the routes surrounding Pastoria and even a quarter of the Marsh that was closed off to trainers that weren't champion level and had unique mon. The ones that didn't catch impacted greatly and caused dust clouds or huge splashes when they impacted. Some had even embedded themselves in tree trunks.
"…I guess that is a record." Barry said baffled. "You know, there is a Contest in town. Contests aren't that intense, they are for spectacles, they don't include violence…that should be good to take your mind off without you…" Barry noted.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dawn was from head to toe in punkish rocker gear, her hair up and wild and face paints as she roared and Kentaro had set up a fiery curtain behind her while he also used Leer behind it and now the fiery curtain projected a scary fiery monkey face. It was so unlike Dawn but it looked incredibly metal. And the crowd did love it but…
"Damn! This is a contest, how does she even…" Barry said as he buried his face in his hands. "It was a good idea, I thought. I tried using my brain. I'm sorry brain for otherwise bumping my head into things."
"You know her?" the girl next to him asked. It was the Goth Lolita girl Marley. She was sipping some tea.
"She's my best friend and she is going through some problems with her feelings. I thought she'd better vent but everything from Gyms to the Great Marsh and now this but she overdoes it and she's out of control and now…" Barry said.
"Welcome to the club, bub!" Marley said as she sipped her tea again.
"Oh?" Barry noted.
"My bestie also has love problems." Marley said.
"Oh, how did she deal with it?" Barry asks.
"I AM GOING TO CONTEST THE S*** OUT OF THIS!"
"It is on fire…why? You don't have Fire Pokémon or Fire moves."
"Not much better then yours." Marley said as she sipped that tea again. "Zoey is intense even if not emotional so when this happened…"
"Wait, Zoey? You're Zoey's bestie?" Barry asked.
"Yes? Why…oh, does that mean that girl is Dawn? I never saw her before…so your idiot is the one whom loves my idiot." Marley said.
"I am supposed to be the idiot. But I have been trying to act sane and rational through all this and I am not good at this." Barry said.
"I was wrong, you are both idiots." Marley huffed.
"Fair enough. Where did you get that tea? I thought they didn't serve tea here."
"Bitch, if I want my tea, I get my tea." Marley said.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Oh, hi Dawn…you were…really fired up earlier today." Zoey said as she and Dawn met up in the changing room at the Contest Hall. "New look?"
"Not my usual one, I admit. Just trying a bit of something…" Dawn said as she put the tips of her index fingers together. "Yours was ok too, still quite odd…how did you do the lightning, I'm pretty sure none of your mons are electric or know electric moves."
"I don't know either, it got out of hand, I just rolled with it. Fake it until you make it." Zoey admitted.
"Still impressive." Dawn noted.
"Thanks you were great too…I mean your performance was great. You too but…" Zoey said.
"Oh, you're great too." Dawn said. "Thanks."
The two stopped talking and just stood there awkwardly. Dawn fumbled a bit, grinding the tip of her left boot onto the ground as she looked down. Zoey whistled for a bit as she rubbed the back of her head.
"You two suck at this!" a dry monotone voice sounded. Marley had come from behind a row of lockers, along with Barry.
"Hi Dawn. Sorry we, er…we saw you and didn't want to be rude and interject…" Barry said.
"We were spying on you." Marley said bluntly. "Because you two are disasters whom can't spit it out."
"I know by now it's your thing, but do you have to spell it out like that. We could have given them a nudge?" Barry argued.
"These two? They are so thick that only if we spell it out for them straight that they'd understand it." Marley said. "By the way, I'm Marley. Zoey's friend. Nice to meet you Dawn."
"Friend? Like…" Dawn asked.
"Just friends. Unlike this disaster, I'm straight as uncooked spaghetti." Marley sipped her tea. "Don't you dare do the 'until it gets hot and wet' jokes."
"Man, you do not mince words." Dawn noted.
"Yeah, she's like that since forever." Zoey said. "But its helpful for someone to give things to me straight instead of being overly careful."
"I like her dress." Dawn noted.
"Thanks. It's based on a Pokémon whom saved me in Unova. I hope to go back and catch it one day." Marley said. "I normally like fast Pokémon, but I want that one too."
"Hope your taste in partners isn't the same because otherwise you'll be disappointed later in life." Dawn joked.
"I walked into that one." Marley said.
"Wait, why did you try to speak to us again, Marls?" Zoey said.
"Because you two like each other, you are too awkward to say yourself, so I have to help you otherwise you'll keep dancing around each other than a pair of drunk Spinda."
"Ouch. That's harsh." Zoey said.
"But fair." Dawn noted.
Then the two eyes' went wide. "Wait…" they said simultaneously and turned to each other. "You…me…" they pointed at themselves and each other, and started turning red and pointing and babbling and waving their arms.
"Ok, we got one step further, but they are still in disaster mode." Barry said.
"Allow me!" Marley said as she went over to them and cleared her throat. "SILENCE!" the two stopped.
"I reserved at the Grand Lake hotel Restaurant. You two are going there at seven o'clock PM. I know you have both nice outfits for your contests which will also double as cute dating outfits. You will have a good time. Good I nipped that in the bud before it become a long and drawn out love disaster. You're welcome." Marley said as she turned around and left.
Dawn and Zoey blinked and looked at each other. "So…we going?" Dawn asked.
"I guess it's a date. Not a date-date…oh wait, yes it's a date-date. So yes." Zoey said.
"Did she really need to…" Dawn began.
"Yes. Yes she did. Otherwise we'd never get there." Zoey said. "Not what I imagined but…"
"I learned that sometimes things in life don't go according to plan. I guess I'll take it." Dawn said. "So, see you at seven?"
"Yeah, sure…it's cool." Zoey said.
"I wonder where she got that tea?" Dawn wondered to herself.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dawn and Zoey had picked out some nice outfits. And they were sitting at the table in the hotel restaurant. They were just looking at their menus, sneaking glances over the menus at each other. "So…any idea for a drink?"
"I check these cocktails and one says 'virgin mojito'. What kind of name is that? Do you need to not have bedded anyone before to drink it?" Zoey asked.
"I think it means alcohol free. We're still not of legal drinking age so we may want to try these 'virgin drinks'." Dawn noted.
"Oh…what about Filet Mignon? What's that?" Zoey asked.
"Basically fancy steak." Dawn said.
"I love steak…and white chocolate soufflé? Isn't white chocolate basically vanilla?" Zoey asked.
"Nah, white chocolate is not even real chocolate, its basically cocoa butter. It's not my thing but you can try…The tarte tatin sounds good. It's a tiny pie or pastry." Dawn said.
"You know a lot about this." Zoey noted.
"My parents tend to do fine dining." Dawn said. "You know, it isn't as much a date as the two of us hanging out like usual. Just…a bit fancier."
"My parents said that every good romantic relationship starts with a base in friendship. So maybe dating is hanging out but a bit more…I dunno, hand holding and such?" Zoey said.
"I had ideas of romance before but I didn't know what to do when it came that far. I'm a better fighter and coordinator then I'm a romantic." Dawn said.
"No rush…I mean, we just are getting started, right?" Zoey said. "We can do this at our own pace. At least we know that we…we do like each other."
"We do…" Dawn said. She moved a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Crazy performances we did today, huh?"
"Yeah…I'm lucky I didn't blow the fuses in the contest hall with that stint." Zoey noted.
"You know, if you wanted sparks to fly, I would have shown you a good time." Dawn said. She puts her hands to her mouth and blushed. "Why did I say that?"
Zoey couldn't help but laugh. "Did you just try a corny pickup line?"
"Maybe?" Dawn said as she rubbed the back of her head. Zoey laughed harder but eventually joined in. "I feel stupid."
"I think it's cute." Zoey said.
"Seems wooing is not one of my talents." Dawn said.
"Doesn't have to be. You got enough of your other talents. I mean you are ready to conquer any challenge, multiple with both contests and gyms…there is no mountain high enough. You don't think twice at pursuing that challenge." Zoey said.
Dawn blushed. "It got rough for a few moments though. I had lost confidence for a little bit but…you, you carry yourself with such great confidence, all the time."
"Er…I'm not as confident as I appear sometimes." Zoey said. "I have to look confident since I'm among big contest stars. Like you, I can tell you inherited your family's talents."
"Having famous parents means there are expectations people have of me. And…expectations I set myself." Dawn said.
"Me too. Not about my parents but…In the Contest World I can't believe that people think I shouldn't win ribbons because my performance and garderobe isn't feminine enough. Nothing wrong with being a tomboy? I mean gender stereotypes should be dying by now?" Zoey said.
"I think the suits…suit you." Dawn said. "This is rather nice."
"Yeah…" Zoey noted as he looked at the menu again. "I think I'll go for that Tittin' Tart…Tirt Totin…fancy little pie and that steak."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Zoey and Dawn went to the PokéCenter where they had their rooms for the night. "This is my room." Dawn said. "Thanks for the dinner."
"It's Marley whom arranged it. But…thanks for the good time. Er…I'll be calling you?" Zoey said.
"Or I may call you." Dawn said. "Have a good night."
"You too." Zoey said. They looked at each other eyes for a bit, and held their hands; But they wouldn't kiss just yet. They were still too awkward and too early for them. But they would get there. They at least had a good night.
Though tonight, both girls would have some very nice dreams.
TO BE CONTINUED
NOTES
Didn't intend to get in so much fluff and disaster gay. But it's so fun to write.
I hence had to shorten the gym battle and...I wanted to put in the confrontation with Cyrus at Celestic Town down but it's best if I cut off where I did.
Unlike Nemona and Juliana whom are straightforward adn attuned, Dawn and Zoey take it slower because for all their confidence they still don't know how to treat their new relationship. But they are happy for now.
I didn't want to relegate Marley whom is a postgame character to a minor role so I made her the Barry to Zoey. Only she is a blunt snarky goth here.
I may have done a few quips and jokes based on Dragonball Abridged. Because why not?
And the Eeveelutions both own are just as gay for each other as their trainers.
Skadi is a Norse goddess of skiing, and Aloe comes form Aloe Vera.