Chapter 14

The morning sunlight trickled through the towering stones of the ancient ruins, casting soft, golden light on Alain and Dawn as they released their Pokémon. Dawn glanced at her Pokémon, her eyes bright with determination. "Alright, everyone, keep your eyes peeled! Anything that seems even a little unusual, bring it over here!" "Keep an eye out for anything glowing faintly," Alain instructed, his voice calm but purposeful.

The Pokémon set off to inspect every nook and crevice, while Alain and Dawn split up, scanning the ground and walls of the ruins' interior. Charizard, Greninja, Gallade, Bisharp, Absol, and Charcadet stretched and moved with purpose around Alain, while Dawn's team—Piplup, Lopunny, and her other companions—explored the ruins with eager curiosity.

Charizard sniffed around a large stone pillar, while Lopunny hopped delicately between smaller rocks, her ears alert for any sign of something unusual. Gallade moved with precision, its bladed arms slicing away overgrown vines that obscured potential hiding spots. Bisharp took a similar approach, its metallic limbs glinting in the sunlight as it chipped away at rocky surfaces.

Greninja was a blur of movement, darting between shadows and occasionally using a precise Water Shuriken to loosen stones from crevices. Charcadet, not to be outdone, emitted small bursts of fire to illuminate darker areas, inspecting every corner with youthful enthusiasm.
Nearby, Fennekin darted over to Absol, deciding to help by digging its small paws into the earth.

Then there was Pachirisu.

Rather than focusing on the task at hand, the little electric squirrel darted around the ruins, tail puffed with excitement as it tried to coax the others into playing. It raced circles around Gallade, who simply sidestepped with a long-suffering sigh.

"Pachirisu, come on!" Dawn called, trying to suppress a laugh as the mischievous Pokémon began hopping in front of Bisharp, chittering excitedly.

Bisharp, ever the stoic, stood motionless, its red eyes narrowing slightly in exasperation. When Pachirisu leaped up and batted at Bisharp's arm, Bisharp raised it out of reach with the grace of someone enduring a persistent pest.

Dawn shook her head, hands on her hips. "You're supposed to be helping, not bothering everyone!"

Pachirisu responded with an energetic squeak before zipping over to Charizard, who was floating just above the ground. Charizard gave a patient trill as Pachirisu climbed onto its back and balanced precariously on one of its wings, squealing with delight.

Alain glanced over, his expression neutral but his voice tinged with amusement. "You're running a daycare, not a search team."

Dawn rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her grin. "It's called keeping morale up."

"I'm sure Bisharp feels very motivated," Alain said dryly, as his Bisharp shot Pachirisu a sharp glare before continuing to chip away at the stones.

As if realizing it wasn't getting the reaction it wanted, Pachirisu bounded over to Charcadet, who was lighting up a shadowed crevice. With a mischievous glint in its eye, Pachirisu flicked its tail, sending a small jolt of electricity crackling toward the flames.
Charcadet jumped, startled, and spun around to glare at Pachirisu, its tiny fists igniting briefly in frustration.

"Pachirisu!" Dawn scolded, rushing over to scoop up the offending Pokémon. "That's enough. You're going to get in trouble with everyone if you keep this up."

Pachirisu squirmed in her arms, its tail puffed and twitching as if to say it had only been trying to have fun.

"You're lucky you're cute," Dawn muttered, setting it back on the ground with a firm look. "Now go help Fennekin, okay? No more pranks."

Pachirisu gave an exaggerated sigh before scampering off toward Fennekin, who glanced up warily but quickly returned to sniffing the ground. Dawn shook her head, laughing softly.

Meanwhile, Bisharp froze, its attention fixed on a cluster of rocks. A flash of light caught Alain's attention, and his Bisharp stepped back, revealing a crystalline, faintly pink stone nestled among the rocks.

"Dawn," he called, holding the stone up.

Dawn's eyes lit up as she rushed over. "That's beautiful!" She knelt beside Lopunny, who immediately perked up, its eyes fixed on the stone. A ripple of energy seemed to pass between them.

"It's reacting. This one's meant for her," Alain noted, observing the connection.

Dawn's excitement bubbled over as she carefully picked up the stone, feeling its warmth pulse in her hands. "Oh my gosh, Lopunny! This is it! This is ours!" She looked up at Alain, her eyes shining. "We're going to Mega Evolve together!"

Alain allowed a small smile to curve his lips. "You've got the stone. Now you just need the right tools to unlock its power."

Dawn tilted her head. "The Mega Ring, right? You mentioned that before. Where do we even get one?"

"There's a shop in town that specializes in battle gear," Alain said, straightening up. "They should have what you need."

Without hesitation, Dawn grabbed Alain's wrist, her enthusiasm spilling over. "Don't just stand there—let's get going!"

The town they arrived in was lively and bustling, with cobblestone streets and charming little shops lining the roads. The air was filled with the sweet scent of fresh bread and the rich aroma of coffee brewing from nearby cafés. Dawn looked around, her face lighting up at the sight of colourful displays, pastries, and vendors selling everything from handmade Poké Balls to delicate jewellery.

"This place is adorable!" she exclaimed, grabbing Alain's arm and pointing at a flower stall, where petals in every shade of pink and violet fluttered in the breeze. "Look at those roses! And… oh my gosh, those pastries! They look delicious."

Alain chuckled, his usual seriousness softening as he glanced at her with a fond, albeit amused, expression. "Do you remember what we came here for?"

With a determined grin, Dawn began to defend herself. "Of course I…" Her eyes widened as she came across a stall selling Pokétch applications, her face lighting up as she darted toward it. Alain couldn't help but chuckle, watching her sprint away.

"Typical," he muttered to himself, smiling as he followed her through the maze of stalls.

They approached a shop with a sign reading Battle Gear Emporium, its windows filled with gleaming rings, bracelets, and other accessories that caught the sunlight. Just as they reached the door, a voice called out from behind.

"Well, well! Dawn, is that really you?"

Dawn spun around, her eyes widening as she saw Zoey standing there, hands on her hips, a mischievous grin on her face. "Zoey! What are you doing here?" Dawn exclaimed, rushing over to hug her friend. The warmth of the embrace felt like a comforting reminder of their past battles.

Zoey hugged her back, laughing. "Couldn't resist the adventure! I'm here for a few contests and to explore Hoenn a bit. But I never expected to run into you here. I guess our next contest battle will be much sooner than I expected."

"Actually, I'm not here for contests." Dawn said sounding sheepish

Zoey was taken aback, her brows furrowing. She blinked a few times before starting to laugh. "Good one, Dawn."

Alain, sensing the girls had a lot to talk about, decided to take his chance to escape. "Dawn, I'm going on ahead. I'll find you later."

Zoey waited until Alain was out of earshot before resuming their conversation. "Alright, spill. Who is Mr. tall, dark, and handsome?"

"He is, isn't he?" Dawn giggled, her cheeks flushed with a mixture of affection and embarrassment.

"You're totally smitten. I get it. I can see how a girl could get distracted from contests. So, is he your boyfriend?"

"Yeah, I mean, I think so."

Zoey raised an eyebrow, sceptical. "You think so? How could you not know?"
"Well, we haven't exactly talked about it."

"But something did happen?" Zoey shot back, her tone more knowing now. Dawn blushed and became flustered, the memory still fresh in her mind. "Aha! I knew it. Alright, I need details."

"His name's Alain. He's Professor Sycamore's assistant."

"Wait, isn't he the Professor in Kalos?"

"You're right. I went there to see the Pokémon performance, and Professor Rowan needed something delivered to Professor Sycamore, so I had to stop by his lab first. That's how I met Alain."

"I don't know what I'm more jealous of—the performance or the chance encounter. Good for you, Dawn. I never pictured you with the strong, silent type."

"He's surprisingly sweet underneath it all."

"He must be. I can't imagine you settling for anything less than Prince Charming," Zoey teased.

"There's nothing wrong with having high standards," Dawn retorted in a light tone, feeling more at ease now.

"With that attitude, I have no doubt we'll meet in the finals of a Grand Festival again."
"Just because I'm not competing in contests right now doesn't mean I'm slacking off," Dawn declared, determination in her eyes.

"Glad to hear it. Can't have my rival falling behind. I don't think I've decided to take it easy now that I'm a Top Coordinator. I plan to stay on top," Zoey replied, matching Dawn's energy.

"Well, don't get too comfortable up there. I'm coming for you."

They both stared intensely into each other's eyes, showing their determination, and nodded their heads in mutual understanding.

"Well, that's things between us sorted. What about you and Kenny?" Zoey pried.

Dawn was taken aback by the comment. "Wha… what do you mean?"

"Come on, I've seen the way he looked at you. Don't tell me you don't know he likes you. Does he know about Alain?"

"Wow, you're a lot more observant than I give you credit for. I know he likes me. I just hoped he would've gotten over me by now," Dawn said, her voice tinged with sadness.

Zoey raised an eyebrow. "So, something happened… very recently."

"He was there at the Pokémon Performance, and let's just say it was pretty clear he wasn't over me."

"But does he know about Alain?" She questioned

"Kinda. They met each other, but that was before anything happened between us, so I don't know what he made of that."

"I think you and Alain need to figure things out between you, and next time you see Kenny, you need to let him know. Hopefully, that'll help him start moving on."

Dawn hung her head and let out a groan. "Ugh, I know. It's just all so awkward and uncomfortable."

"Now, Dawn, don't get like that," Zoey said gently, with a tiny smile, bringing back all the memories of Dawn's depressive states.

At that moment, Alain stepped out of the shop, holding a small box with the Mega Ring inside. He handed it to Dawn, nodding approvingly. "Here. It should fit you well."

Dawn's eyes sparkled as she took the box, opening it carefully to reveal the Mega Ring. "Oh, Alain… thank you! This is amazing." She looked up at him, her face glowing with gratitude. "I can't wait to see what Lopunny and I can do with this."

Alain smiled, his gaze steady. "I know you'll make the most of it."

Taken aback at first by the sight of the Mega Ring, Zoey realized her training was only to maintain her level rather than elevate it. She watched the exchange, grinning as she observed the unspoken connection between the two.

"Alright, Dawn, I won't keep you from your training. But don't think you're off the hook! Next time I see you, we're battling—and I want to see what you and Lopunny can really do with that Mega Ring."

Dawn laughed, giving her friend a playful salute. "You got it, Zoey! I'll be ready for you."
Zoey winked at her. "Good. And hey, Alain," she added, turning to him, "take good care of her. She's a handful."

Alain nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. "I'll try my best."

With a wave, Zoey headed off down the street, leaving Dawn and Alain standing together.

Dawn turned to Alain, holding up the Mega Ring with a determined smile. "Alright, Alain. I'm ready. Let's go train."

Alain's gaze softened, a hint of pride in his eyes. "It's almost strange seeing you so focused."

Alain reached into his pocket and threw Charizard's Pokéball. "Alright, Charizard, let's fly somewhere and start training." He jumped on Charizard's back and turned to face Dawn.

"Are you ready?" He said as he held his hand out

Dawn nodded eagerly and grabbed his hand, determination radiating from her. "Let's do this."

As Charizard launched into the sky, Dawn's heart swelled with excitement and anticipation, knowing this was just the beginning of something big.