This is super late. Ao3 did see this first, and I apologize for that. I've been drowning with work and life, but I will be posting the next chapter very, very soon!

So happy we've made it to Part 5. Probably my most favorite part in the whole story. I hope you all come to love it in the coming months as much as I do! Quite a bit of romance and drama upcoming!

Thank you all as always for the love and support!

Part V: Between Beauty and Nobility

21. A Step Forward

Dawn gazes out the window of the plane, her thoughts drifting back to the farewell at the airport. Misty's cheerful voice echoes in her mind, a mix of warmth and playful teasing.

"Safe travels!" Misty called out, waving enthusiastically. Her eyes twinkled mischievously as she added, "Take care of each other . . ." Her voice lowered only enough for Dawn to hear. "Especially you, Dawn."

A blush creeped up Dawn's cheeks at Misty's words at the time, thinking of a few nights ago, when Dawn had kissed Paul and walked hand-and-hand with him back to the Pokémon Center. Now, as the plane ascends, she can't help but reflect on how much she truly does like Paul.

At that time, she was so emotionally charged with the grief of him leaving her, and then the adrenaline of chasing after the mega stone, that she did not properly register his declaration of feelings for her.

Her cheeks redden, and she is grateful that her face is turned away from Paul's at the moment.

"I . . . I care about you, too."

The words replay in her head a few times.

Her heart swells with affection as she turns her gaze from the clouds to Paul, who is quietly watching the plane's path on the in-flight entertainment screen.

"So, what's the plan for Kalos?" Dawn asks, breaking the comfortable silence.

Paul shrugs nonchalantly. "The usual. Fight gym leaders, participate in the Lumiose Conference." He pauses, before adding, "And train for Brandon."

Dawn's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, but she decides not to press further. She can see a seriousness in his eyes that tells her it's still a sensitive subject.

He shifts his gaze to her. "What about you, Dawn? Kalos doesn't hold Pokémon Contests."

"I think . . ." she begins, her voice filled with both excitement and uncertainty, "I'm going to try attending the fashion workshops and enter those performance competitions Misty was telling me about."

Paul nods thoughtfully, a hint of approval in his eyes. "Cool."

Silence falls over them, and Dawn's thoughts drift to the possibility of parting ways again. Is that why Paul is so silent? The thought of separation stings a little, especially since she finally has him back, but she finds comfort in remembering the promise he made to her a few nights ago: he's not going anywhere from her life.

Her eyes grow heavy, and as she drifts into sleep, she just barely registers the fact that her head has fallen onto Paul's shoulder. Paul glances at her, a small smile playing on his lips as he adjusts slightly to make her more comfortable.

The plane continues its journey, carrying them towards new adventures in Kalos.

.

After a long day of traveling, Dawn and Paul finally reach their room at the Lumiose City Pokémon Center. The spacious room is bathed in a soft magenta glow, making it feel both welcoming and relaxing. A bunk bed stands against one wall, providing a comfortable place for them to rest.

To neither of their surprise, Dawn calls the top bunk. "Top bunk's mine!" she declares with a playful grin.

Paul just nods, a small smirk on his lips. "Sure, all yours."

Dawn excuses herself to make a call to her mom. She also makes a mental note to get in touch with Lila, who apparently is also in Kalos to attend some PokéStylist seminars.

Later, on her way back to the room from the calls, Dawn walks through the Pokémon Center, murmuring to herself about finding the Sycamore Pokémon Lab. By sheer coincidence, at that moment, she happens to notice a newspaper on a nearby table.

She stops to examine the front-page feature and stares at the slightly blurry and cropped photo with Ash, Professor Sycamore, and two other people. The photo's quality is poor, but she can make out enough details. The caption underneath the photo names the tall, young man with spiky black hair and a determined expression as Alain. Serena, standing next to him, has honey-blonde hair and a warm smile, exuding confidence and grace.

Above the photo, the headline reads that they've been honored by the Kalos region for saving it from the clutches of Team Flare (Dawn rolls her eyes at that - truly, every region seems to have their own evil team, though this one seems to have a particularly gaudy, outdated sense of style). It also mentions that Alain won the Lumiose Conference, with Ash as the runner-up.

Dawn sighs, feeling a mix of pride for her friend and disappointment at having missed the event. She grabs the newspaper and heads back to their room.

"Paul, look at this," she says, handing him the paper. "It looks like we just missed Ash and the Lumiose Conference."

Paul curses under his breath. "I'll have to wait until next year for the conference then," he sighs, clearly disappointed. His eyes scan the article, and he nods impressively. "Damn. Runner-up."

"And that means Ash probably moved on to another region, knowing him," Dawn adds, a hint of sadness in her voice. "Always moving forward."

Paul nods, his expression contemplative. "Hmm."

Dawn sits on the edge of the bed, the newspaper still in her hands. "It's a shame we missed him. It would have been great to catch up."

Paul sits beside her, a thoughtful look on his face. "Eventually we will. For now, we focus on our own goals."

Dawn smiles at his words, feeling a renewed sense of determination. "You're right. We have our own paths to follow."

.

It's morning now. Dawn and Paul have plans to explore the city a little more – though, Paul only agreed to come along to locate the gym. Whatever the case may be, Dawn is happy to get the opportunity to spend some time with him.

Dawn brushes through her hair, humming a tune from a Kalosian song she remembers from her childhood.

While she's busy with her hair, Paul steps out of the shower and moves next to her, a towel draped around his neck. Dawn can't help but stare at him through the mirror. His hair is dripping wet, his mauve bangs swept across his forehead.

Dawn glances at him and comments, "Your hair's gotten long," making a mental note to find a hair salon. She turns around to pack her brush in her hand, when Paul grabs her hand and pulls her back towards him.

She blinks in surprise at the sudden action and looks up to see a mischievous glint in his eyes, suddenly unable to breathe. "Paul, w-what's wrong?"

"You're right. My hair has gotten long."

As if to prove his point, Paul playfully shakes his wet hair in Dawn's direction, causing droplets of water to fly at her face. She instinctively moves her head back, recoiling to avoid the droplets.

"Hey!" she calls out in surprise, trying to pull herself away with a giggle. "What was that for?"

In response, Paul moves his head a little closer to her, tugging her a bit more towards him, and does the motion again, smirking. Dawn laughs again, moving her head away and closing her eyes to avoid the water.

"Paul!" she nearly whines. "If my hair frizzes, I'll have to get Piplup to . . ." She trails off as her head turns to face him again and she opens her eyes.

His face is much closer to hers now, his eyes focused on her lips. Her breathing becomes heavier as he moves closer, and her lids close slightly. His breath is warm against her lips, reminding her of the unspoken kiss they shared a few nights ago in Kanto.

Dawn involuntarily takes a step closer to him but stumbles on air, gasping and grabbing onto him, breaking the trance. He immediately moves to catch her as well.

They stand like that for a moment, until she realizes how close they are and how Paul still hasn't pulled away, his hands curled around her.

"You okay?" he asks, his voice low, as he steadies her.

She nods, though her cheeks feel like they're on fire and her head's spinning. "Yeah."

They stand there for a few moments, Paul looking at her intensely. Dawn finally breaks the silence with whatever thought her mind can grasp at. "Um . . . so are you planning on getting a haircut?" she asks breathlessly.

Paul smirks roguishly, his hands pulling her even closer to him. "I don't know. I kind of like my long hair now."

Whatever thought her mind produced gets stuck in her throat. "O-Oh," she replies shyly. She tries to look away from his stormy eyes, clouded with some emotion she can't decipher, but feels locked into his smoldering gaze.

"Come on," he says, his voice gentle but firm. "We have to get going."

She lets out a shaky breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Uh, where are we going?"

With an eyebrow raised and that wicked glint still in his eyes, he asks, "Didn't you want to go sightseeing?"

"O-Oh, yeah!" She nearly forgot. Damn Paul and his pretty eyes.

"Then, let's go." Paul lets go of her hands and moves to dry his hair with his towel.

Meanwhile, Dawn scrambles to pack her hairbrush away and fumbles to grab money from her bag, all panicky and blushing.

From the other side of the room, Piplup silently sighs to himself as he watches them both, and shakes his head.

.

Paul and Dawn arrive at Prism Tower, a grand structure gleaming in the morning light. As they get closer, they see the sign and realize it doubles as a gym.

Paul turns to Dawn, who is looking up at the tower in awe. "I'm going inside to check it out and schedule a battle with the gym leader."

"I'll meet you inside," Dawn replies, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "I want to look at the tower for a few minutes."

Paul nods. "See you inside," he says, before disappearing into the entrance of the tower.

As Dawn strolls through the park, taking in the vibrant scenery, she runs into a young girl with bright blonde hair and an enthusiastic smile.

"Hi!" the girl chirps, tugging at Dawn's skirt. "Are you waiting for someone?"

"Yeah," Dawn smiles back, leaning down. "My friend is going to battle the gym leader. I'm going inside to see him soon."

The girl's eyes light up with pride. "The gym leader is my brother! Would you like to marry him?"

Dawn laughs nervously, waving her hands. "Oh, no, no."

"Are you sure?" the girl persists, bouncing up and down. "He's really nice!"

"Ah, I am sure, I promise."

The girl frowns momentarily, but grabs her hand, pulling her towards the gym. "Come on, I'll show you inside!" she says excitedly, her disappointment forgotten.

Dawn follows her new friend into the gym, where she finds Paul with a badge in hand, and another device being handed to him by a young, blond man with glasses and a gadget-laden backpack.

"You battled him already?" Dawn asks, her eyes wide with surprise, as the girl moves to the man, presumably the gym leader, and begins whispering to him.

Paul nods, a satisfied smirk on his face. "Yeah, it was quick."

The gym leader steps forward with a friendly smile. "I'm Clemont, and this is my sister, Bonnie." Clemont extends his hand towards Dawn. "It's nice to meet you. You must be Dawn. I see you've already met Bonnie."

Dawn shakes his hand, smiling warmly. "Yes, that's right. It's great to meet you too, Clemont."

Bonnie, not wanting to be left out, tugs on Paul's arm. "Hi! I'm Bonnie. Are you Dawn's friend?"

Paul nods, his usual stoic expression softening slightly. "Yeah, I'm Paul."

Bonnie beams up at him. "You're really strong! My brother said you battled him and got a badge."

Paul nods again, a hint of pride in his eyes. "That's right."

Dawn's eyes fall on the device in Paul's hand. "What's that?" she asks, curious.

Clemont answers, "It's a Holocaster, a communication device." He appears to be sheepish as he pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry, we're running low on supplies, so I don't have any more to give."

Dawn nods in understanding. "No need to worry!" Her PokéNav Plus could not catch any network in Unova, Johto, or Kanto, but she wonders if it will work here in Kalos and makes a mental note to try later.

Bonnie, always full of energy, tugs on Dawn's arm again. "Are you sure you don't want to marry my brother?"

Before Dawn can respond, Clemont - Bonnie's older brother and the gym leader - looks on with a sheepish expression, his glasses slipping slightly as he pushes them back up the bridge of his nose.

"Bonnie! Stop asking people that," Clemont groans, his voice gentle but tinged with exasperation. "You can't just . . . ask strangers to marry me!"

After a sheepish chuckle, Dawn asks Clemont, "Can you give us directions to the Sycamore Pokémon Lab?"

Clemont looks apologetic. "Professor Sycamore isn't in the city right now."

Dawn's shoulders slump slightly in disappointment. Paul notices and gives her a questioning glance.

"How about directions to the nearest boutique then?" Dawn quickly suggests, her voice tinged with hope.

Clemont and Bonnie provide the directions, and she thanks them warmly.

As they bid Clemont and Bonnie goodbye and step outside the gym, Paul turns to Dawn with a teasing glint in his eyes. "So, you're going to marry that gym leader, huh?"

Dawn's cheeks flush a deep red as she waves her hands frantically. "No, no! It's all a misunderstanding!"

Paul chuckles, a rare sound that makes Dawn's heart skip a beat. They continue their walk through Lumiose City, the bright morning sun casting a warm glow over them as they enjoy the vibrant city and each other's company.

Once they reach the shopping boulevard, Dawn and Paul walk past various stores, each showcasing an array of fashionable clothing, accessories, and more. As they pass by a jewelry shop, Dawn notices Paul particularly glancing at the display with a curious expression. She finds it strange, having never pegged Paul as someone who'd be interested in jewelry. For a brief moment, she wonders if he's looking at it for her, but quickly banishes the thought, chiding herself for being silly. Paul wouldn't . . . would he?

They continue exploring the boulevard, both eventually picking out clothing suited for the colder, winter weather. Dawn has observed that Paul prefers colder climates to hot ones, so she insists he adds a light, olive colored parka with a faux fur hood trim to his outfit for a little flare - surely, he would be more agreeable if he is dressing for his ideal weather. Paul complies, though with a bit of reluctance.

Dawn also selects a completely new outfit for herself, enjoying the chance to change her look.

As Dawn steps out of the dressing room in her new outfit, she gives herself a quick twirl in front of the mirror, watching the fabric of the pink corduroy dress flare out slightly. She frowns, her mind wandering back to when she used to dream of designing her own clothes for moments like this. She sighs wistfully, brushing a hand over the beige parka she's chosen to pair with the dress. Maybe one day, she thinks.

But as she turns back towards Paul, she's surprised to catch him staring at her - his expression less stoic than usual. For a second, she swears he's caught off guard, his eyes tracing over the outfit with something like admiration. When she meets his gaze, he quickly shifts his focus and clears his throat.

"What's wrong? Does it look bad?" she asks, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

Paul shakes his head. "No," he mutters, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "It . . . it suits you."

The simplicity of the words leaves her momentarily breathless. It's a rare compliment, and the faint color that rises to his cheeks doesn't escape her notice. She smiles softly, feeling her heart flutter.

Feeling a bit self-conscious but pleased with his compliment, Dawn decides to buy their outfits. However, seeing the cost, Paul steps in and insists on paying for this one, as she has already spent a lot of money on their other purchases.

As they walk out of the store with their new clothes in tow, Dawn hands Paul a small pack of hair ties.

"Your hair's getting pretty long. If you're waiting to get a haircut, you should at least tie it up for now," she suggests playfully.

Paul groans, looking at the ties with distaste. "I'm gonna look like Reggie."

"Of course you will," she teases, a mischievous glint in her eye. "You're his brother!"

Paul tries to tie his hair twice, but each time, the band snaps in his hands. Frustration begins to show on his face as Dawn laughs at both his efforts and the relatability.

"Ugh, you do it!" he growls in exasperation, handing her the hair tie.

Dawn giggles again and steps behind him, her hands gently gathering his hair. "Okay, okay. Stay still."

He turns his back to her, and she stretches up on her toes to deftly tie his hair into a low ponytail.

"There," she says, finishing with a satisfied nod as she admires her work. "You look great."

Paul glances at his reflection in a nearby window, his expression a mix between mild annoyance and reluctant acceptance. "I don't know . . ."

"Well, I really like it."

Paul shrugs. "If you say so."

To Dawn's delight, she catches a glimpse of a small, fleeting smile on his face in the window reflection.