Chapter Six

At the break of dawn, Piplup began pecking at its trainer's arm in a gentle attempt to wake her up. When that didn't work, the tiny penguin's eyes narrowed in determination. There was only one thing left to do. Taking drastic measures, it puffed out its chest and fired a Bubblebeam right at her face.

Dawn shot up with a startled scream, flinging her arms over her head to shield herself from the unexpected barrage. "What was that for?!" she gasped, wiping water from her eyes.

Piplup hopped up and down, flapping its tiny wings and chirping loudly, its eyes wide with urgency.

Dawn blinked, her mind still foggy from sleep—until it hit her. The race.

Her eyes widened. "Oh no, we're gonna be late!"

Before bed, she had told Piplup they needed to wake up early to get ahead of Alain for the race to Lumiose. And now she was running late!

She sprang from the bed, adrenaline kicking in as she scrambled to get dressed. "Alright, Piplup, we've got this!" Dawn shouted, yanking her bag over her shoulder with one hand and scooping up Piplup with the other.

Determined not to lose the first round of this race, she bolted down the hallway toward the Pokémon Centre's entrance, the spirit of competition already burning bright in her chest.

Dawn burst through the Pokémon Centre's doors, ready to brag about being the first one outside—only to skid to a halt.

Standing in the early morning light, leaning casually against Charizard with his arms crossed, was Alain. His eyes met hers, and there was a flicker of amusement in them as if he had been waiting for this exact moment. Charizard, equally nonchalant, gave a snort of smoke from its nostrils, clearly unimpressed by Dawn's grand entrance.

Dawn's heart sank, but only for a moment. She quickly replaced her surprise with a smirk. "I see you're trying to act all cool like you've been here for hours. You didn't fool me. I bet you only just got out here!"

Alain raised an eyebrow, still leaning against Charizard. "If that helps you feel better, sure. We'll go with that."

Dawn scoffed, clutching Piplup tighter. "Don't think you've got this race in the bag, mister! Togekiss and I are gonna fly circles around you and Charizard!"

Alain gave a half-smile, pushing himself off Charizard. "We'll see."

With that, Dawn tossed Piplup up onto her shoulder and pulled out Togekiss' Pokéball. "Alright, time to soar, Togekiss!"

In a flash of light, Togekiss appeared, spreading its elegant wings with a graceful cry. Dawn leaped up onto Togekiss' back, her eyes gleaming with competitive energy.

Alain, unfazed, climbed up onto Charizard's back. "Ready when you are."

Charizard flared its wings, the sunlight catching the sharp edges of its powerful frame.

Dawn pointed dramatically toward the horizon. "First one to the gates of Lumiose City wins! And I'll give you a head start since I'm feeling generous."

Alain smirked. "I don't need your pity. Let's go!"

With a burst of energy, both Pokémon took off into the sky. Dawn clung tightly to Togekiss, the wind whipping through her hair as they soared upward. She glanced back to see Charizard climbing fast, Alain's usual cool expression set in determination.

"You better pick up the pace, Alain, or you'll be eating my dust!" Dawn called over her shoulder, laughing.

Alain's voice reached her, calm but with a hint of challenge. "We're just getting started."

Charizard let out a roar, its wings beating faster as it began to gain on Togekiss. Dawn narrowed her eyes and leaned closer to Togekiss' ear.

"Come on, Togekiss! We've got to show them what we're made of!"

Togekiss gave a soft cry and accelerated, the two soaring side by side as the trees and fields below them became a blur.

Dawn grinned. "What's the matter, Alain? Scared you might lose?"

Alain glanced over, his expression unchanged. "You talk a lot for someone who's only winning by half an inch."

Dawn gasped dramatically. "Oh, it's on now!"

She gave Togekiss a small tap, and they surged forward with a burst of speed. Charizard wasn't far behind, but Dawn could feel the wind at her back, confidence swelling in her chest. Lumiose City was already visible in the distance, its shining towers gleaming under the rising sun.

"Better keep up, or I'll—"

Suddenly, a shadow passed over her. Dawn looked up just in time to see Charizard swoop overhead, Alain giving her a small salute as they overtook her.

Her jaw dropped. "What?! How did you—? No way!"

Alain's voice drifted back toward her, calm as ever. "I told you, we're just getting started."

Dawn gritted her teeth, the fire of competition burning even hotter now. "Togekiss, let's show them what speed really looks like!"

Togekiss responded with a joyful cry, dipping into a dive before shooting upward, gaining altitude fast. Dawn glanced to the side and saw Alain glancing her way, the two of them neck-and-neck as they approached the gates of Lumiose.

"Not bad, but we're not done yet!" Alain called.

Dawn couldn't help but laugh. "You're going down, Alain!"

With the gates of Lumiose City just ahead, both Alain and Dawn pushed their Pokémon to the limit. Charizard, muscles straining, let out a fierce roar, wings beating with all its might. Meanwhile, Togekiss, calm and collected, soared gracefully through the air, catching a favorable breeze.

"We're almost there, Charizard! Let's go!" Alain urged, determination lighting his eyes.

"Come on, Togekiss! Show them what you've got!" Dawn yelled, clinging to Togekiss's back as they glided effortlessly.

The finish line—marked by the towering gates—drew closer. Alain's competitive side kicked in hard, and for a moment, it looked like Charizard might just close the gap. But as they neared the final stretch, Togekiss pulled ahead, its natural aerial grace outmatching Charizard's raw power.

In one smooth swoop, Togekiss touched down first, its feet barely making a sound as they hit the ground. Charizard landed moments after, skidding on the cobbled path, sending up a puff of dust.

Dawn pumped her fist in the air, nearly hopping off Togekiss in her excitement. "Yes! We did it, Togekiss! We won!"

Togekiss cooed softly, clearly pleased with itself, while Dawn hugged its neck. Alain hopped off Charizard, staring in disbelief, his hands on his hips.

"You... actually won?" he said, blinking as if the idea took a second to sink in.

Dawn grinned, hands on her hips. "Well, yeah! Didn't you know? Togekiss is built for speed in the air."

Alain gave Charizard a glance. "I knew they were fast, but I didn't expect that much of a gap."

"Face it, Alain—you underestimated us," she teased. "But I don't blame you. Togekiss's first trainer was the Princess of Sinnoh herself. So, you know, it's got a bit of royal flair."

Alain's eyebrows raised. "The Princess of Sinnoh?"

"Yup!" Dawn smirked, clearly enjoying this moment. "Togekiss was raised by Princess Salvia. I've got high standards to live up to, so naturally, we had to pull out all the stops."

Alain crossed his arms, clearly processing that. "No wonder you won," he said, casting Togekiss an appraising glance. "Looks like I had no chance."

Dawn gave a playful shrug. "Well, I did try to warn you."

Alain shook his head, smiling despite himself. "I've gotta admit... I didn't think flying against Togekiss would be that tough."

Dawn gave a lighthearted laugh. "It's not all about brute strength, you know. Sometimes it's about grace and strategy. You can't just barrel through everything."

"Don't get cocky now. I was holding back," Alain quipped, a rare grin creeping onto his face.

"Sure you were," Dawn teased, poking him in the arm. "We both know Togekiss wiped the floor with Charizard."

Charizard, hearing this, let out an indignant huff. Alain raised an eyebrow. "Careful what you say. Charizard doesn't take losing lightly."

Dawn chuckled. "Neither does Togekiss. She was in it to win it from the start." Then she winked. "How does it feel to be second place?"

Alain scoffed but couldn't help the small smirk tugging at his lips. "It's just one race. Next time, Charizard and I will be ready."

"Sure, sure," Dawn said, pretending to stretch. "Anytime you want a rematch, just let me know."

Alain extended a hand to her, shaking his head as he said, "Alright, Dawn. Next time, no holding back."

She took his hand and shook it firmly, her grin widening. "Deal."

As the two of them turned toward the city gates, with their Pokémon trailing behind, the atmosphere felt lighter. They'd both had fun, and the spirit of competition between them only seemed to spark more energy. Dawn couldn't help but throw one last playful jab.

"I'm just saying," she mused, hands behind her head. "Maybe next time, you should take flying lessons from me."

Alain chuckled softly. "Flying lessons, huh?"

"Yup! I could teach you how to fly with style."

Alain rolled his eyes but smiled as they walked on. "We'll see about that."

As Alain and Dawn walked toward the city gates, laughing and playfully teasing each other, a pair of eyes watched from one of the upper windows of the Lumiose City Pokémon Lab.

Professor Sycamore, leaning casually against the frame, couldn't help but smile at the sight below. His eyes lingered on Alain, who was laughing—a rare sight for someone so serious and stoic most of the time. But here he was, completely at ease, sharing jokes and friendly banter with a girl the professor had never met before.

"Alain, laughing?" Sycamore murmured to himself, shaking his head in amused disbelief. "Now that's something I didn't expect to see today."

He watched as Alain subtly slowed his pace, gesturing toward the door of the Pokémon Lab with a respectful nod. Dawn, still animated from the victory, glanced up at him with a bright smile, and Alain—ever the gentleman—walked slightly ahead to open the door for her.

Sycamore raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Well, well... Looks like Alain's manners are in full effect today."

The professor's eyes flicked between the two of them, noting how Alain's usual guarded demeanor seemed to soften around Dawn. There was something different about the way he interacted with her—almost as if she brought out a side of him that was long buried.

Sycamore chuckled to himself. "He must already have a thing for her."

There was no denying the connection between them, and it warmed Sycamore's heart to see Alain like this, especially after all the hardships and battles he'd faced over the years. A friend like Dawn seemed to bring him some much-needed balance.

"Well, I can't wait to meet this girl," he thought, stepping back from the window as Alain held the door open for Dawn, leading her inside with a small, but genuine smile. Sycamore's mind was already racing with curiosity. "Anyone who can get Alain to smile like that is definitely someone worth knowing."

As they entered the lab, Alain and Dawn were still chatting animatedly, their bond evident in the way they interacted. Sycamore could hear their voices carrying through the halls, and he couldn't help but feel happy for Alain. It seemed like, for the first time in a long while, Alain was letting himself relax—maybe even have a little fun.

Sycamore glanced at the door once more before heading down to greet them. The smile on his face lingered, filled with genuine happiness for his former pupil.

"Looks like today's going to be more interesting than I thought," he mused, making his way toward the entrance.