Cowering away like this wasn't like him.

Team Rocket. Five different regional Pokémon Leagues. Criminal organizations. Staring down divine Pokémon that many believed to be myth. Any and all of them, he'd run at headfirst. Ash Ketchum knew no fear that he wouldn't stomp over, if anything important was on the line.

Yet, here he was, in the Pokémon Center, huddled away at the video phone furthest from any observers. Praying that no one so much as looked his way. He anxiously drummed his fingers on the desktop supporting Kalos's rather eccentric-looking machines. Had they always looked like old-time gizmos, stylized for new technology? Science was really amazing.

"...This is stupid," Ash sighed. His mind was on a rapid, directionless stream of consciousness, doing absolutely anything to procrastinate, and not think about why he was here. In a moment of weakness, he started to get up from his seat to leave and turn tail.

"Pikapi."

He froze. He didn't even have to look back to know that his partner was there, on the next seat over, staring a hole into the back of his head. Giving him that token judgmental stare that only Peeks seemed to be capable of with his black, beady eyes. Peeks was his conscience, and his courage. Speaking his name had said everything he needed to.

'Sit your ass right back down, this instant.'

"Alright, alright…" Ash groaned, and plopped himself back onto the red, faux-leather cushion. "You really can be a goody two-shoes, you know that?"

Peeks smirked and tilted his head, as if to say 'where do you think I learned it?'

Ash laughed weakly, shaking his head. "Thanks, Buddy… Alright. Guess I still gotta do this."

What was plaguing him, exactly? Well, the answer wasn't 'what,' but 'who.' Over in a far corner of the Pokémon Center, Ash's companion, Serena, was busy entertaining his other companion, Bonnie, while the fourth among them, Clemont, seemed to be toggling with some new invention.

All of them were dear friends of his, sure. But the honey blonde held his gaze like an Arbok's unforgiving Wrap attack. There was just… something about her. The way she'd quietly scorn or swear when she was frustrated, however progressively rare that was becoming, now. Her determination to find a dream and seize it, now that she had one. The bouncing of her wavy locks when she moved about…

"Fuck," Ash muttered under his breath.

He'd been doing his best to put it off and bury it all, he really had. But his heart pounding around her was becoming increasingly common, to the point where Peeks had noticed and confronted him about it. As far as he'd been in denial, he couldn't hide from it, now. He definitely liked Serena.

Beyond being a friend, or even a close friend. He knew the heart racing and sweaty palms that came with this sort of thing. He liked her, romantically, and he was at least halfway sure that she harbored similar feelings, for every time Miette teased her, or every time she'd turn red as a Tamato berry around him.

What was the problem of it all, then? Well, it was the person whose number he was dialing in, right now. Someone he'd already committed himself to. His long-time traveling partner, and talented Coordinator, whose spirit, funny mannerisms, and stunning looks had already won him over. The young woman he'd bore his soul to, many times over. Ash was already seeing-

"Ash!" On the screen, a fair-skinned, blue-haired teenager appeared. Her eyes grew wide, shining with the ocean-blue exuberance he was so fond of. Upon seeing him, her face lit up like it always did, and she leaned towards the monitor. "Talk about a surprise, haha!"

She wore the most recent ensemble she'd picked up; a black, short-sleeved blazer, with a hot pink undershirt and white tie beneath it, and her hair fixed beneath a black headband. It was the same color scheme she'd always sported, with a new mature, business-like spin.

It was Dawn.

"Aha, yeah…!" Ash laughed out, forcing a smile, even as his heart crumbled upon seeing her face. This just got a whole lot harder. "Good to see you, Dawn…"

"Let me guess. You saw my last Contest?" She giggled, pulling out her ribbon case. She flashed her latest ribbon; one he recognized as the Solaceon Ribbon. "Check it out! Two ribbons down, and only three to go!"

"I didn't get the chance, yet," Ash said apologetically. "But hey, congratulations! I knew you could."

"You really should," Dawn pouted, her cheek puffing out a little in that cute way she always did. "But, I bet you're busy collecting badges of your own, aren't you?"

"Not just badges, apparently," Ash muttered.

"What?" Dawn asked.

"Nothing!" Ash blurted out abruptly.

Dawn tilted her head, but didn't press further. "Hey, so if you didn't see my Contest, what's the occasion, anyway? Not that I'm not happy to just talk to you or anything," she joked, smiling sweetly.

Ho-oh, give him strength.

"No, you too! There's just…" Ash swallowed heavily. "There's… something I needed to talk to you about."

"There is?" Dawn asked, blinking. "Well, shoot! I'm all ears, Ash."

Fighting an ever-increasing sense of dread and a racing heart, Ash exhaled heavily. "Just… something I think you should know. You have every right to get mad, and I'll totally understand if you do…! But, we agreed a long time ago that we should always be honest with each other, right? We don't keep secrets."

Dawn frowned, but the inevitable fury and hurt he expected from her wasn't there, yet. She more so just looked concerned. "Yeah? We did promise that, Ash. Back on Cinnabar. Whatever it is, I'd definitely rather hear the truth than not."

"...Right." Ash pursed his lips. He felt the gentle pat of Peeks's tail against his side, and took it as his strength. "...So you know the people I've been traveling with. Remember Serena?"

"Serena? Kind of." Dawn tapped her chin. "I've heard the name, but I don't think I've seen her, yet. Why?" Dawn gasped, and Ash braced for the worst. "Has she done something to upset you!? Look, Ash, if you need me to, you can sit her right down here, and I'll give her a piece of my mind!"

…Why was Dawn like this. Why was she. Why was she so good.

She didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve her.

"No, no, she didn't! It's… it's all my fault," he said. He saw the confusion on Dawn's face, and continued, not wanting to lead her on any further. "We've been traveling together for a while, now, and…" He looked over towards the group. Having asked for his privacy, they'd left him alone, and didn't seem to be paying attention.

"...And I think I like her," he whispered, so that only Dawn and Peeks could hear. "Like, like like her.I was in hard denial, and I really wanted to be sure, but… I'm sorry, Dawn." Ash bowed his head in apology. "My conscience couldn't take it. I had to tell you the truth. I totally get it if you hate-"

"Let me see her."

"...Come again?" Ash sat back up.

Dawn's expression was unreadable. "Call her over, and let me see her for myself."

"Dawn, no!" Ash protested. "None of this is her fault, it's all on me. So please, don't-"

"I want to see her with my own eyes, Ash!"

He winced. He had a very, very bad feeling about this. But, he owed Dawn this much, at least, really. "...Alright. But, please don't do anything rash." He got up from the video phone before she could answer that request, and walked a little closer so that he'd be in earshot.

"Serena!" He called out, waving to the group.

The Performer turned around, tilting her head at Ash.

Reluctantly, he gestured for her to come closer.

Serena crossed the Pokémon Center, navigating around strangers to come meet him. "What's up, Ash? Is something wrong?"

'More than I could tell you,' he wanted to say. "Could you come meet me on the video phone for a sec? It won't be long." He prayed it wouldn't be.

"Um… sure." Serena blinked twice, looking extremely perplexed. But, she had no reason to decline, so she followed him back on what perhaps felt like the longest walk of his life.

Ash fought his nerves, and sat back down in front of the screen. Peeks scooted over to make room.

Serena, meanwhile, opted to stay standing, leaning down to meet the screen. "Um, hello?" She asked, making eye contact with the blue-haired girl on the opposite end of the screen. Ash was sure that Serena, too, swallowed heavily when she saw Dawn. "You must be one of Ash's friends…?" She cleared her throat politely. "It's nice to meet you…!"

Dawn stared at Serena for what felt like a good year, from Ash's perspective. Without a word.

"Uh… Dawn?" Ash prompted. "This is Serena. My friend who I told you about." From Serena's perspective, perhaps it was just a polite introduction. From his, an admission of guilt.

"...Oh, I get it now," Dawn finally said.

"Huh?" Serena asked, frowning.

"Dawn…" Ash pleaded, if only in one word.

Suddenly, Dawn was beaming. "She's cute!"

"Huh!?" Ash exclaimed.

"E-excuse me!?" Serena squeaked out.

"Oh, yeah! I can totally see what Ash sees in you, now," Dawn said, grinning. In perhaps the plot twist of the fucking century, she didn't look remotely upset, or even perturbed. "If she's as talented as you've said, Ash, then you've hit the dang jackpot!"

"I…. uh." Ash wasn't sure what feeling to focus on: the complete bewilderment, the crashing wave of relief, or the cold, creeping mortifying feeling that Dawn had just thrown at them. Or, maybe it was the scathing heat filling his cheeks right now, that were certainly a strong ruddy red.

"Dawn! Are you ready? We're heading out!" A voice that only Ash recognized as Zoey's could be heard from offscreen.

"Yeah, yeah! Coming!" Dawn called out. She then turned back to the camera with her trademark smile. "Sorry, guys, I've got to get going. Catch you later! Nice to meet you, Serena!" She waved to the duo, before the screen went dark.

What in the (hell) had just happened?

Ash slowly, and stiffly turned his gaze towards Serena, who he'd just thrown into whatever that was. Her eyes were wider than saucers, her lips pursed into a thin line, and she was perhaps so red that it would make a Charmeleon's complexion feel inadequate.

"W… wha…" Serena forced out.

"A.. ha ha… she's…!" Ash plastered on a grin.

He'd gone into this call, today, thinking that he'd owed Dawn an explanation. But, by the rule of all things Dawn, she'd reminded him to expect the unexpected with her. Serena was now the one he owed an explanation.

Ash saw Peeks's sympathetic expression, and swallowed heavily.

This was just another one of those bewildering, possibly world-ending situations that Ash Ketchum was destined to walk into around every corner.