Author's Note:

Here we are with the Pearlshipping oneshot. So for those of you who don't know, I made a bet last week on Twitter...and lost. So, the condition was, that I would write a Pearlshipping oneshot. "Oh how dreadful!" you might say. But actually...little did you know...I used to be a pearlshipper. I actually enjoyed this quite a lot. Now obviously amourshipping is my thing, but...this was still pretty fun.

So...if you are an amourshipper who hates Pearlshipping, I'd recommend you not read this, because it will not make you happy. And for those pearlshippers who hate Lumiose University for being an amourshipping story...well...here you go.

So this story is set during the final episode of Dawn's Unova cameo. It uses a lot of the same dialogue, but of course, I've added in some emotions and tweaked a couple of things. I suppose it's necessary to say I don't own Pokemon. I wish I did, but I don't. Water type moves would actually overpower fire type moves if I did...but whatever. Off to the story.

No Need to Worry:

Ash gritted his teeth, seeing how exhausted Pignite was. Despite their type advantage over Trip and his Serperior, the fire type was struggling, unable to land a single hit on Trip's speedy grass type. Why are we struggling so much? Ash thought, glancing around the field, trying to spot some kind of way he could use it to his advantage.

His eyes drifted over to his friends, Iris, Cilan and Dawn. They all watched on in concern, seeing that Ash was in a tough spot. What do I do? Ash asked himself, noticing as Dawn's eyes shifted from Pignite to him. He got lost for a moment, staring at the blue-haired Coordinator, who had been so supportive of him throughout his Sinnoh journey. He felt kind of embarrassed that she was seeing this. This wasn't him. He never would've battled like this in Sinnoh. He'd been letting Trip dictate the match. He was letting Trip do what Paul did to him.

Ash narrowed his eyes, looking back towards the panting Pignite. They had to do this. Serperior was fast, sure, but it was still a grass type. If they could land a powerful fire attack, they'd be in a position to win this match, and win the Junior Cup. Ash wasn't going to let Dawn see him lose like this. He wanted to show her just what his Unova Pokemon could do.

"Okay, Pignite, let's wrap this up!" Ash yelled, clenching his fists and looking straight ahead at Trip and his Serperior.

"Pignite!" Pignite called back, still breathing heavily, but bracing himself to try another attack, glaring ahead at Trip's Serperior. He could sense the urgency in his trainer's voice. He knew how badly Ash wanted to win this battle.

Ash turned his body, thrusting his arm forward, his palm facing outward. "Finish this by using Fire Pledge!" he yelled confidently, casting a quick glance over to Dawn and the others before watching Pignite jump up, fire coming out of his nose.

"Piiig NITE!" Pignite shouted, coming back down and slamming a fist hard into the ground. The large pillars of fire shot up in a line, going straight for Serperior, who didn't even move. Then, a moment later, the pillars had circled the Regal Pokemon, beginning to expand. Ash smirked, sure that he and Pignite had trapped it.

A moment later, he was proved wrong, though, as suddenly, the grass-snake appeared in front of the now massive pillar of flames. "Serrr!" it shouted in glee, looking at confidently towards the shocked Ash and Pignite.

"Look at that!" Ash shouted in shock, while Pignite backed up a step from the surprise.

"Frenzy Plant, let's go!" Trip yelled, narrowing his eyes, looking like he knew his victory was about to come.

Serperior straightened out, aiming its tail out in front of itself. "Serrr PERIOR!" it shouted loudly, bringing its tail up, and then slamming the tip into the ground in front of it, driving it deep inside. Ash tensed up as he saw the ground beginning to shake. Then, a moment later, thick, thorny vines began shooting out of the ground, swinging around and heading straight for Pignite. Ash could do nothing as he watched the vine slam into the stunned Pignite.

"Niiite! Pig!" Pignite yelled, as he was struck hard once from the left and then from the right. He was sent flying backwards, landing hard on his back, a small cloud of dust shooting up from the impact. Ash could see he wasn't getting up, feeling a pit in his stomach as he looked towards the referee.

"Pignite is unable to continue! Serperior wins!" the referee called out, as the screen showing Ash's and Trip's pictures lit up, Ash's picture disappearing as "Winner" was displayed under Trip's. The crowd cheered loudly as Trip was declared the Champion.

"Pignite, return," Ash called out, as he raised his pokeball and the red beam of light connected with the still form of Pignite, before recalling him to his pokeball. "Thanks," Ash said, forcing a smile, "you really gave it everything you've got." He then put the pokeball away and looked at the ground sadly. He gritted his teeth in frustration. He'd lost...again.

Ash glanced back over to his friends again as the commentator talked about the "dominant" victory that Trip had accomplished. Iris and Cilan were politely clapping, although they looked disappointed as they watched the Unova Champion, Alder, speaking. Dawn, however, was looking at Ash. When his eyes met hers, she gave a small smile. No need to worry, she mouthed, giving him a small wink, before looking towards Alder as well.

Ash suddenly felt his cheeks heat up and a strange feeling in his stomach. It was similar to the nervousness he'd felt during the battle, but in a way, he kind of liked this feeling. It was somewhat exciting, and made his heart skip a beat. A small smile came to his face as he looked away and listened to Alder. He still felt the sting of defeat, but he was glad he had friends to support him. Especially a friend like Dawn.

A few minutes later, after the commentator and Alder had wrapped up their discussion on the match and the tournament, the ceremony to celebrate Trip's victory began, and Ash stood off to the side with his friends to watch it.

"Now it's time for our winner, Trip, to receive the Junior Cup Trophy from Alder!" the commentator called out, as Alder began walking up to Trip, the golden trophy in his hands as he stepped in front of the podium.

"Congratulations!" Alder said happily, as he held the trophy out to Trip. Ash clenched his fists as he watched, imagining himself up there, receiving the trophy from the Champion.

"Thank you so very much!" Trip replied proudly, reaching out and taking the trophy.

"And with that, Trip also earns the privilege of challenging Alder to a battle!" the commentator announced, making Ash wince. He really would've liked that chance. He looked away for a moment, hoping his friends wouldn't see the frustration on his face, though when he glanced back, he could see Dawn casting a quizzical look over at him.

"You were excellent! I look forward to our battle!" Alder said to Trip, making Ash wince once again. I really wanted that battle. I wanted to show everyone I could beat Trip. I wanted to show Dawn how hard I've trained. She's going to think I'm a loser. I'm nothing like I was back in Sinnoh.

"I'm right with you. Alder sir," Trip answered with a confident smirk, frustrating Ash just a little bit more. If only he'd tried harder. He'd let his Pokemon down. He'd let his friends down.

As the ceremony concluded, Ash couldn't hold back any longer. He sighed, rubbing the back of his and looking down at the ground. "Aw man...after I made it all the way to the finals..." he said dejectedly.

"Ash, you battled really well," Cilan said, smiling down at the raven-haired trainer. "Serperior's speed was just too much. All that spice was difficult to digest." Ash appreciated the words from Cilan, but hearing about Trip's great Pokemon didn't exactly make him feel better. But then Dawn spoke up, and Ash glanced up, looking at her, smiling at him.

"But Pignite sure showed everyone its courage and strength!" she said, holding up a fist as if to accentuate her point.

"Piplup piplup!" Piplup called out happily in agreement, quickly followed by Iris' Axew, and then Pikachu.

"Lo metta!" came a voice in Ash's ear, and he glanced up and smiled, seeing the Mythical Pokemon, Meloetta, who'd been following him and his friends around for a while now.

His friends' support was definitely helping, and Ash knew he had to lighten up. At least for their sake and his Pokemon's sake. "Right!" he said confidently, smiling and holding up his fists. "We're gonna get stronger and stronger, and then next time, we'll beat Serperior!"

"Now that's the Ash I know!" Dawn said happily, smiling brightly at him, making him feel that strange feeling in his stomach again.

"Dawn is right!" Iris chimed in, nodding in agreement.

Ash was about to answer, but in that moment, the commentator's voice blared through the speaker. "All right! It's time for the battle you've been waiting for! The match between our Junior Cup Winner, Trip, versus the Champion of the Unova region, Alder!"

Ash and his friends made their way forward to go and watch. He expected Alder to win, but that didn't mean Ash couldn't learn anything from the battle. Like he'd said, he would get stronger and stronger, and next time, they would beat Serperior. And like Dawn had said, that was the Ash she knew.

The result was, as expected, a victory for Alder in dominant fashion. However, as both Alder and Ash had pointed out, Trip had managed to display his battling skills quite well. Dawn was slightly worried as she thought about that, while Iris and Cilan said goodbye to their rivals outside of the arena. She knew Ash had been having a tough time with this guy, and she hated seeing him struggle. He'd looked so disappointed after his battle. But, as she'd told Ash, his Pokemon had showed their strength and courage, and she knew that just as he'd done with Paul, he would bounce back and win in their next meeting. She just wished she'd be able to see it. She missed the days of travelling with Ash, and seeing him again, spending all this time with him lately, she wished those days would return. She missed seeing him every day, smiling at her, supporting her...

The sight of an orange jacket moving past her and her friends distracted Dawn from her thoughts, and she looked up, noticing that it was Trip, walking past with his head bowed down. "It's Trip," she said, catching Ash's attention.

"Huh?" he said, making Dawn smirk as she saw his clueless look.

Pikachu reacted quickly enough, though, jumping off of Ash's shoulder and running ahead to Trip. "Pi pi pi pika!" he called out, coming to a stop behind Trip, as the latter turned around. Dawn and the others quickly ran up as well, Ash going ahead.

"Alder's amazing, don't you think?" he asked Trip excitedly. Dawn smiled, admiring his good sportsmanship. He may have been disappointed by his loss, but he wouldn't let that get in the way of his friendly nature.

"Yeah, he's something all right," Trip answered, smiling. "I'm really glad I was able to battle him."

"So we'll see you at the Unova League, won't we?" Ash asked, holding a fist up confidently, looking battle-ready.

"Right," Trip said simply, turning around and walking away.

"Is it me, or is Trip different?" Iris asked, looking stunned as she watched Trip walking away.

"Perhaps," Cilan said, watching a moment before turning back to the group. "I'm sure after watching today's battle, Trip's going to come back even stronger."

Dawn smiled, looking at Ash, hoping to see him get fired up like that. "You'd better train harder than ever!" she told him.

"You bet!" he answered, pumping his fist in excitement. His confident smile almost made Dawn want to jump in joy, but she managed to stop herself as something shimmered in front of them.

A moment later, and Meloetta was there. "La me!" she said happily, looking at Ash.

"What did you think of all the battling?" Ash asked the Mythical Pokemon, smiling up at her.

"Melo letta!" she answered, dancing through the air and floating upwards.

"Meloetta looks happy!" Iris noted, as they watched the Mythical Pokemon flying around joyfully.

As they watched Meloetta, Dawn's mind began to wander again. With the Junior Cup now over, her time here in Unova was coming to an end. Her gaze drifted from Meloetta, and the Coordinator watched Ash as he stared up at the Mythical Pokemon. She already missed him, and she hadn't even left yet. She knew she had to go, but that didn't stop the pain she felt. It almost hurt more than when Ash had left Sinnoh with Brock. Seeing him again here in Unova just brought back all those memories of their journey together.

She looked down at Piplup in her arms, glad that he was focused on Meloetta as well, knowing that he would pick up on her sadness if he was paying attention. She didn't really feel like explaining it to him, though, worried that he'd tell Pikachu, who would find a way to tell Ash. But tell him what? Why was it that she would miss him so much? Why was it that she couldn't stop thinking about those times when she put on her cheerleader outfit and cheered him on in his gym battles? Why was it that she couldn't stop thinking about him cheering her on for her contests? And why was it that she couldn't stop thinking about that last high five in front of that boat that took him away to Kanto? That high five, their little symbol of their support for each other, that had lasted just a little longer than usual, as she'd looked into his eyes.

The sound of running, and the sight of Meloetta disappearing out of the corner of her eye, snapped Dawn out of her thoughts once more. She glanced up, seeing a boy and his Riolu running towards them. As the boy came to a stop in front of Ash, Dawn watched the latter as he greeted the newcomer. Was there really no need to worry? Because...the thought of leaving him made her worry.

That night, after arriving back at Cynthia's villa, the group exited the car, stretching their limbs after the exhausting day. Ash was feeling a little restless after all the battling, and then getting stuck in a car while they drove back. He could see the others were feeling the same.

He stretched out as they stood in front of the villa, sighing contentedly. "Ah, we're finally here!"

"Pika!" Pikachu added happily.

"You must all be exhausted," Jervis, the butler of the villa said, smiling at the group. "I'm sure you'll sleep quite well tonight," he added with a laugh.

Before Ash could tell him how full of energy he still was, they were interrupted as a mystical voice could be heard around them. "Me lele le lele leee," Meloetta sang, the Mythical Pokemon's voice calming Ash's restlessness a bit.

"It's Meloetta," Iris noted, as they looked up towards the Mythical Pokemon, who continued to sing.

As they watched Meloetta, floating up high in the sky, Ash marvelled at the sound of the song she sang. It somehow made him appreciate all the beauty of his surroundings. The pink-orange glow of the sunset in the sky, the tall trees surrounding the villa, the villa itself. His eyes then caught something else. Blue hair, a white beanie, a red scarf, a black tank top, a pink skirt and pink boots.

He quickly shook his head, getting himself out of his daze, and looked back up at Meloetta as she sang. "What an awesome song," he whispered, watching in amazement, Pikachu murmuring in agreement from his shoulder.

Ash slowly made his way forward, standing next to Dawn as they watched and listened to Meloetta singing. Again, the song seemed to draw his eyes towards the Coordinator, this time, making him focus on her dark blue eyes. He saw her starting to look over at him and he quickly looked away, feeling his cheeks burning a little. As he looked back up at Meloetta, he had to fight the temptation to look back over to Dawn. His eyes just kept getting drawn to her. He noticed that she seemed to be deep in thought, and wondered if something was troubling her.

"It looks like Meloetta is singing out towards the sea," Iris said, distracting Ash from his thoughts. "I wonder why."

"Perhaps the sea is its home," Cilan suggested.

"Really?" Ash asked, turning to look at the Pokemon Connoisseur. Before Cilan could answer, Meloetta finished her song, and then slowly drifted down to hover in front of the group. "Hey Meloetta, do you come from the sea?" Ash asked her.

Meloetta tilted up her head, turning and drifting away, smiling. "La metta!" she chirped out.

Iris laughed at that. "It's a secret!" she realized, as they all watched Meloetta float away.

Ash smiled at that, watching Meloetta glancing back mischievously, clearly enjoying having them play the guessing game. He heard a couple of chuckles from Iris and Cilan, but nothing from Dawn, and he looked over at her, wondering if she was going to say something. He frowned as he looked at her, noticing a sad look in her eyes as she stared down at Piplup in her arms.

"I think it's time we got on our way in the morning," she said slowly, smiling sadly, avoiding eye contact with the others as they all looked at her in surprise. She turned her head slightly away from Ash, almost like she was trying to avoid looking at him in particular.

"So are you two heading back to Sinnoh?" Iris asked, as Dawn turned to face her.

"No, Johto," she answered, before staring up at the sky. Her eyes reflected the pink-orange light, and once again, Ash lost himself as he stared at them, his heart speeding up a little. "There's a contest being held there soon."

Ash smiled as he realized what Dawn must have been talking about, and despite his disappointment that she'd be leaving, he couldn't help but feel excited for her, knowing that she'd probably have a great time competing in it. "The Wallace Cup!" he shouted in excitement, remembering when it had been hosted in Sinnoh, and how he had competed in it alongside Buizel, while Dawn, and their friends May and Zoey had also participated. He knew Dawn would do well, remembering how she'd managed to defeat May in the finals the last time.

"Yeah," Dawn said, nodding and walking ahead a few steps, still looking like she was avoiding eye contact. "It's in the Johto region this year," she explained as she turned around, keeping her eyes low, still avoiding eye contact. "We need to start getting ready. Piplup and all of us."

"What's the Wallace Cup?" Iris asked, looking perplexed.

Dawn smiled, eyes lighting up as she began to answer. "There's an amazing Pokemon Coordinator named Wallace." She then looked back up into the sky, as though seeing the performances of Wallace right before her. "The Wallace Cup is a special Contest he hosts every year. The location changes each time the event is held, but each and every Grand Festival recognizes the Wallace Cup Ribbon!" Her eyes then went back down as she looked at Piplup, who looked a little surprised as he looked up at his trainer. "I wanna use everything we've learned from our Unova journey in our Contest performances."

"Piplup!" Piplup cheered, clearly liking the sound of that.

Ash felt a pit in his stomach once again, looking at Dawn and imagining having to say goodbye to her once again. Why did this seem so much harder than the last time? He took a deep breath, forcing a smile onto his face. "You're gonna do great! You'll be a Top Coordinator!" he told her, meaning everything he was saying. He knew she had it in her, and he'd support her no matter where he was.

Dawn finally glanced up at that, and for a moment, her eyes met Ash's. It almost felt like time had frozen in that moment, and Ash felt the urge to speak up once more. He didn't know what he wanted to say, but he knew he wanted to say more. And for some reason, he had a feeling Dawn wanted to say more as well.

"You know...I'm kind of sad," Iris said, interrupting the little moment, Axew whimpering in agreement at her words.

"We're sorry you have to go," Cilan added, smiling sadly.

Dawn then fixed a confident smile to her face, looking at each member of the group, before resting her eyes back on Ash. "But I'm sure I'll see you soon!"

"Hold on!" Ash said, a bit louder than he'd meant to because of his excitement, as an idea came to him. It was something that always helped him figure things out, and maybe it would help him figure out what else he needed to say to Dawn. He took a step forward, holding up a fist. "Before you go, let's have a battle! Please!"

Dawn looked shock at that, leaning forward, confusion in her eyes. "Huh? A battle?"

"With me!" Ash said, looking her in the eyes. "You battled Cilan, and then Iris at the Junior Cup." He clenched his fists, wondering if this was why he was so wound up about Dawn. "And I'm the only one who hasn't had a chance to battle you."

"Pika pika!" Pikachu shouted in agreement, clearly interested in a battle as well.

Dawn smiled, looking down at Piplup. "Right! Let's do it!" she agreed, as Piplup gave a little cheer.

A few minutes later, Dawn and Ash were standing at opposite ends of the little battlefield outside of the villa, each ready for their battle. Jervis was at the centre sideline, acting as referee, while Iris, Cilan and Cynthia stood on the sidelines, just to watch.

Dawn smiled as she looked across the battlefield at Ash, who was saying a few quick words to Pikachu. She'd been feeling so down about leaving everyone, leaving Ash in particular, and he'd come up with the perfect way to say goodbye. They both loved battling, and it would almost be like their old days of training with each other. And maybe this would help clear her head. She felt like she wanted to say more to Ash, but her mind kept getting so fuzzy every time they spoke. Especially today.

She took a deep breath, deciding it was time to start the battle. Ash stood up straight, nodding to signal that he was ready to get started as well. "It's one on one," Dawn called out, "and it'll be over when one side is unable to continue."

"You got it!" Ash shouted confidently. "Okay, let's see," he said, somewhat mysteriously, before smirking and turning his body so his right shoulder aimed straight ahead. "Pikachu, I choose you!" he shouted, the electric mouse leaping off of his shoulder.

It wasn't a surprise to Dawn, and she smiled at the determination in Pikachu's eyes. "Well in that case-" she started, before being interrupted by Piplup jumping forward excitedly.

"Pip pip pip piplup!" he shouted, flapping away with his flippers.

Dawn glanced down at him in surprise, before continuing. "I'll use this!" she said, pulling out a pokeball. "Quilava! Spot...light!" she sang out, doing a little twirl as she did so and tossing the pokeball up into the air. As it flashed open and revealed the Volcano Pokemon, Dawn looked across to Ash, surprised to see him looking somewhat dazed as he looked back at her. She shook her head, bringing her attention back to Quilava, seeing Piplup falling over in front of him. "Sorry Piplup," she said, giving him a sympathetic smile as he slowly waddled off the battlefield. "I'm afraid Pikachu's electric type moves are just way too effective on you."

"All right, it's Pikachu versus Quilava!" Jervis suddenly yelled, getting both Ash and Dawn to look up at him. "Ready...set..." he said, holding his arms down, before bringing them up quickly and shouting, "battle begin!"

"We'll start this thing out with Quick Attack!" Ash ordered quickly, punching the air as he made the order, Pikachu responding immediately as he began running forward.

"Okay Quilava, use Swift!" Dawn shouted back, not ready to give Ash an easy first attack.

"Quiiilava!" Quilava cried out, jumping into the air and opening its mouth, golden stars quickly shooting out of it.

Pikachu just managed to dodge the attack, though, ducking and spinning through the stars and heading straight for Quilava. Dawn didn't need to order her fire type to dodge, though, as it quickly leaped up, narrowly avoiding Pikachu.

"Now Flame Wheel!" Dawn ordered, smiling as she saw Quilava preparing the attack in midair, fire shooting out of its head and seemingly going over its whole body as it spun forward, spinning quickly as it approached Pikachu.

"Dodge it!" Ash shouted quickly, Pikachu quickly leaping back at the order. "Electro-Ball!" he ordered quickly, as Quilava landed.

"Flamethrower!" Dawn countered.

Both Pokemon leaped into the air, Pikachu quickly charging up a sphere of electricity in his tail and launching it forth and Quilava unleashing a jet of flames in the opposite direction. The attacks exploded against each other, smoke immediately shooting into the air.

"Your Quilava's awesome!" Ash called out to Dawn as the smoke settled. She felt her heart skip a beat at the compliment, but quickly brought her attention back to the battle, not wanting to get distracted.

"So is Pikachu!" Dawn called back. "Can't let my guard down."

They both paused a moment, after Ash ordered a quick Thunderbolt which was quickly dodged by Quilava. Locking eyes from across the battlefield, Dawn was almost sure she could see a hint of sadness in Ash's eyes. She could hear Iris and Cilan commenting on the battle, and wondered if they noticed it as well. Of course, she knew that she probably had the same look in her eyes, based on how she was feeling. She didn't want this to end. It was just like the good old days with Ash back in Sinnoh.

Ash must have realized they'd been stopped for a while, so he quickly smirked and made his next order. "All right, now use Iron Tail!"

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted, straightening out his tail as a silvery gleam passed over it.

"Flamethrower!" Dawn countered, pointing ahead with the order.

"Quilava!" Quilava shouted, inhaling deeply and then unleashing the jet of flames as Pikachu approached with his metallic tail. It struck the electric mouse hard, sending him back and spinning to the ground, crying out in pain as the flames covered his body. He quickly shook them off as he landed, watching Quilava carefully.

As the battle continued, Dawn could see both Pikachu and Quilava putting more and more effort into their attacks. Before too long, it was becoming one of the most intense battles Dawn had ever been a part of. She didn't even think she'd put this much effort into her battle with Zoey at the Sinnoh Grand Festival. Something was drawing more power out of her and Quilava than she'd ever known she'd had.

Of course, she knew why. As she watched Pikachu deflecting the golden stars of Swift with Iron Tail, Dawn knew that nobody could have given her the strength that Ash had given her. She was stronger because of his support, his confidence, his love.

Love? Was that any part of this? In what way? Dawn shook her head, quickly ordering a Flamethrower for Quilava to counter a Thunderbolt from Pikachu. She was so distracted. I need to just enjoy this battle. It's supposed to clear my head, not fog it up more.

After a few more attacks were exchanged, neither side letting up, Dawn could see that this battle was going nowhere. They were even. Well, maybe they weren't even, but they were at least close enough that this battle could be going on for much longer before a victor was decided. Ash seemed perfectly willing to continue, though, thrusting his arm forward and ordering his next attack. "All right, Quick Attack!"

"Use Flame Wheel!" Dawn countered, smiling as she made the order. She again looked across at Ash as their Pokemon approached each other, Pikachu covered in a white aura, while Quilava spun forward, engulfed by flames. He looked so happy. It was a sight that Dawn always loved seeing while they had been travelling together.

An explosion at the centre of the battlefield snapped her attention away from Ash, and she looked to see Quilava and Pikachu skidding backwards from the impact, breathing heavily. Dawn smiled, seeing Pikachu's determined look as he nodded at Quilava, showing that he was enjoying this battle just as much as his trainer. They were both ready for more.

"That's it!" came the sudden call from Cynthia, stunning both Dawn and Ash as they looked to see the Sinnoh Champion with her arm raised up.

"I declare this battle a draw," Jervis concluded, bowing his head, showing his agreement with Cynthia's decision.

"Excellent! Brilliant battling," the smiling Cynthia said as she walked forward and onto the battlefield, looking between both trainers. "I couldn't begin to tell you who won."

Dawn looked over at Ash, wondering if he would be disappointed that their battle had ended, but she saw him running forward to Pikachu, smiling at the electric mouse. "Cynthia thought we were great!" he said happily.

"Pikachuuu!" Pikachu squeaked happily, leaping into his trainer's arms.

Dawn smiled at the sight and then made her way over to Quilava, kneeling in front of the Volcano Pokemon. "Wow Quilava, you battled really well," she said happily.

"Quilava!" Quilava exclaimed, smiling and jumping up to nuzzle her, Piplup hopping forward and shouting in agreement. A few seconds later, and Pikachu was there as well, shouting out in glee, clearly quite happy with the battle they'd had.

As the Pokemon began to murmur to each other, Dawn glanced up to see Ash looking at them, smiling, but the smile clearly not reaching his eyes. He didn't even hide the fact that he was watching her, and in that moment, Dawn knew that he was just as sad about her coming departure as she was. Their time together here in Unova, despite being so brief, had reminded them of the close bond that they had shared back in Sinnoh. Perhaps it had even made them realize that they were closer. That there was so much left unsaid between the two. So much that they hadn't understood before, that they were beginning to understand now.

He suddenly turned, walking away, ignoring Cynthia, Iris and Cilan as they all called out to him. Dawn wanted to run out to him as well, but before she could, she noticed Jervis stepping around a confused Iris and Cilan, following Ash as he walked into the forest. Oh Ash...

Why does she have to go? Ash thought as he walked into the forest, not even watching where he was going. I don't want to say goodbye again.

Ash walked on for a few minutes, just staring at the ground, hands in his pockets. The pit in his stomach wasn't going away now, and the more he thought about Dawn, the worse it got. He felt like he was losing to Trip again...and again...and again. It just got worse and worse. And he couldn't help but think of the girl that was making him feel this way. He couldn't get those blue eyes and bright smile out of his mind.

No need to worry, he tried to tell himself, smiling at the thought for just a moment, before frowning again. That's when I worry the most.

"Mr. Ketchum! Mr. Ketchum would you please hold on for a moment!" a voice called out from behind Ash, and he turned around, shocked to see Jervis approaching him. The old butler was panting a little, and Ash immediately felt guilty, wondering if the man had been sent to search for him.

"Are you all right?" Ash asked, turning around and walking up to Jervis as the butler stopped, breathing heavily.

"Oh yes...I'm quite all right," Jervis assured Ash, smiling as he stood up straight. "I'm in better shape than you might think."

Ash nodded, looking around to see if any of the others had come with Jervis. "Did you come out here by yourself?" The butler nodded, giving Ash a knowing look. "Why?"

"Well, Ash, I was going to ask you the same thing," Jervis said, smirking. "However, I believe I might know the answer to my question already, considering the way you were looking at your friend Dawn throughout your battle. Well, throughout the whole time that she has been here, actually."

Ash narrowed his eyes and looked away, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Ash, I understand how you are feeling. Believe or not, I was once a young man as well. I was not always an old butler," Jervis said, laughing a little. "I can see the obvious. You and Dawn...there is a lot more there than a simple friendship."

"Well yeah," Ash said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Dawn and I aren't just friends. Dawn and I are best friends."

Jervis nodded, looking up at the sky, which was now growing a little bit darker as the sun continued to creep down. "Are you sure it is not even more than that, Mr. Ketchum? Tell me, what does your heart do when you look at Dawn?"

Ash was somewhat hesitant to answer that, as he some part of him knew that it wasn't exactly normal. "It...um...well it seems to beat a bit faster."

"Hmm..." Jervis smiled, keeping his gaze aimed up at the sky. "And another thing, Mr. Ketchum, when you look at her, can you not help but smile?"

Ash felt his cheeks heating up a bit, and he was almost tempted to just walk away again, just to avoid these questions. Although...some part of him wanted to answer these questions. Maybe he could get some kind of answer to what he was feeling. "Yeah...when I look at her, I can't help but smile," he mumbled.

"Interesting," Jervis murmured, chuckling a little, but still keeping his gaze turned upward. "Now Ash, one more thing. Would you tell me, when you lost your battle today in the Junior Cup, who was it that you looked to first, after your Pokemon? And who was it that looked to you first?"

"Dawn..." Ash said quietly. "Dawn has always supported me, ever since we started travelling together. She even put on a cheerleader outfit during my gym battles, and put on a circus for me when I lost a big battle with my rival, Paul."

"And I assume you supported her as well?" Jervis asked, although Ash was sure he knew the answer to that already.

"Of course I did. I never stopped supporting her. I never will," Ash said seriously.

"Ash," Jervis said, slowly lowering his gaze, and looking at the raven-haired trainer, "don't let Dawn leave without telling her how you feel."

Early the next morning, the group was making their way to the edge of the dock where Dawn would be boarding her seaplane to Blackthorn City in the Johto region. Dawn and Iris were at the back of the group, Cynthia and Jarvis in front of them, and Ash and Cilan were at the front. It was quite a nice day out, with the sun shining brightly, and the sky bright blue, just like Ash's jacket. Dawn blinked in confusion at the thought, realizing that her mind had wandered to Ash for what was probably the hundredth time that morning.

She bit her lip as she stared ahead at Ash, who seemed to be describing a battle to Cilan while they walked, looking quite enthusiastic. Dawn couldn't help but let a sigh escape as she watched him, wondering just when she'd be able to see that carefree smile and enthusiastic spirit again. She felt quite sad as she thought about it, remembering how he'd wandered off after their battle last night. He'd barely talked to her since then, avoiding eye contact every time she'd managed to get him to speak to her. Of course, she'd done the same when she'd told everyone she was leaving, so she couldn't really blame him. Maybe he was just mad that she hadn't told him.

"Wondering about Ash, huh?" Iris asked, nudging Dawn and snapping her out of her thoughts. "He's such a kid, isn't he?"

"No...I don't think so," Dawn said, looking back towards him, doing her best to stop her lip from quivering. "He's the most amazing person I know."

"I'm just kidding," Iris told her, laughing. "I know how you feel about him. It's pretty obvious. Both of you are obvious. Well, I guess I should say...both of you are such kids!"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Dawn asked, stopping and staring at Iris in confusion. She glanced down at Piplup in her arms, noticing that he looked just as confused, but she decided this wasn't a conversation he needed to be a part of. She placed him down on the ground and pointed ahead. "Piplup, can you let Pikachu know we'll be there in a second?" The Penguin Pokemon nodded before turning and waddling off. Dawn knew he wanted to know what was going on, but she was glad he was respecting her privacy. When he had run ahead far enough, Dawn turned back to face Iris, waiting for her answer.

"Well...you like Ash, don't you?" Iris asked, looking a little nervous about bringing this up.

"Of course I like Ash! Don't you like Ash?" Dawn asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Yeah, I like him, but you know...I don't like like him," Iris muttered, raising an eyebrow as Dawn continued to stare at her in confusion. "Wow, and I thought it was just guys that were dense. Dawn, you look at him like he's saved the world."

"Well...he actually has," Dawn answered, shrugging.

"Okay...well you know what I mean," Iris said, rolling her eyes. "You look at him like..." she bit her lip as she thought, clearly trying to think of the right words, but lost on what to say. Finally, she gave up and just looked at Dawn seriously. "You love him, okay? It's pretty darn obvious. And he loves you too."

"Hey!" Dawn argued, narrowing her eyes as she prepared to defend herself. "I don't..." She trailed off, looking ahead to where the others were waiting, noticing Ash looking back at her. Again, her heart started to beat faster, and she felt butterflies dancing in her stomach. She felt her cheeks heating up, and looked at Iris, hoping she hadn't noticed either her look towards Ash, or her cheeks. Unfortunately, she seemed to have noticed both.

"See? Like I said, it's pretty darn obvious. You're such kids!" Iris said, laughing as Dawn's cheeks heated up more, and she knew her face was probably as red as a Tamato Berry.

Dawn felt the urge to argue, but as she thought about it, she couldn't deny that Iris was right. It was "pretty darn obvious" like she'd said. Ash had been on Dawn's mind pretty much the whole time she'd been here in Unova, and it wasn't like she hadn't thought of him after he'd left Sinnoh, and while she'd been in Hoenn. He'd been her teacher, her idol, her friend, her best friend and her number one fan. "Pretty darn obvious...yeah," she whispered, looking down sadly. "And now it's too late."

"What is it that you always say?" Iris asked, looking up thoughtfully. "Don't worry about it...no...never any worries...no not that either...um...oh yeah! No need to worry!"

"I'm about to get on a plane to the Johto region. It's not like I've got any chance for a relationship," Dawn pointed out.

"That doesn't mean you can't tell him how you feel," Iris argued, taking hold of Dawn's shoulder. "You have to tell him, Dawn. He feels the same. I'm sure of it! You don't want him to go meeting up with some girl in some place like the Kalos region or something. Make your move now!"

Dawn laughed at that. "Don't be ridiculous. Ash has never been to Kalos."

"You never know where he'll be going next," Iris pointed out. "Trust me, Dawn. Tell him how you feel. He feels the same."

Dawn nodded, glancing back over to Ash, who was now waving over to the two girls. "All right...I'll try."

"That's it!" Iris said happily, jumping up a little in joy. "Oh this will be so cute! It'll be like a movie."

Dawn shook her head in amusement, and then the two girls started making their way down towards the rest of the group, jogging as they got close. When they made it, Dawn could see someone collecting tickets and quickly handed hers in, before returning to the group, bracing herself for the goodbyes, picking up Piplup as she did so, glad to have him for support. This was going to be painful. But maybe...just maybe...it wouldn't be too painful.

"Dawn," Ash said, as the Coordinator faced the group. She smiled at the raven-haired trainer, happy to see the confident smile back on his face. She didn't even try to hide her face as she felt the heat rise to her cheeks. Iris is right, she told herself, as she looked straight into Ash's brown eyes. She's one hundred percent right. "Lots of luck in the Wallace Cup," he said, holding up a fist. "And make sure you win it no matter what!"

"Piii ka!" Pikachu echoed, punching the air with his little paw.

"No need to worry!" Dawn told him confidently, smiling back. She thought she could see just the tiniest hint of pink coming to Ash's cheeks, and wondered if perhaps Iris was right about him as well. "And good luck to you at the Unova League," she said, thinking of his battle with Trip, and knowing in her heart that he would be able to bounce back and beat that Serperior.

"Thanks," Ash said, looking a little awkward, but managing to keep eye contact. "I'll do my best."

Dawn then turned to Iris, exchanging a knowing look with the girl. "And Iris, I hope you and Dragonite grow closer and closer."

Iris smiled at that, and narrowed her eyes as she looked back confidently. "Thanks Dawn! And I'll be a Dragon Master, just you wait!" she assured the Coordinator, Axew shouting in agreement from her shoulder.

Dawn nodded, knowing that her new friend would do just fine with an attitude like that. The Coordinator then glanced around the group once again, before speaking once more. "I promise I'll let you know how the Wallace Cup turns out," she told them all, although she looked at Ash as she finished, hoping her words would tell him that they'd still see each other again.

"Great!" he said happily, leaning forward in excitement. "Now don't forget!"

Dawn smiled, before turning to Cynthia and bowing her head a little. "Cynthia, thank you for everything you did for us." Dawn then raised her head, smiling up at the Sinnoh Champion. "See you back in Sinnoh!"

"Right," Cynthia said, with a small nod, smiling. "And please be sure to give Wallace my regards."

"Right!" Dawn assured her, nodding as well. She then looked up, glancing around curiously, realizing that someone was missing. "Do you know where Meloetta went?" she asked, turning to Ash.

"I know it was here a minute ago," Ash said, looking around. He then smiled, putting his hands on his hips. "Meloetta's gotta be around," he said confidently, just as the Mythical Pokemon appeared right before him.

"Me le!" Meloetta said happily, smiling happily at Dawn. She cast a quick glance back at Ash, and then looked at Dawn curiously, and in that moment, Dawn knew that Iris wasn't the only one to have noticed something.

She ignored it for the moment, though, and just smiled at Meloetta, a little sadly. "Meloetta, bye! Take care of yourself."

Dawn was about to say more, but she could feel Piplup shaking in her arms, and looked down to see him looking like he was about to cry. "Piiip lup!" he squeaked out.

Suddenly, a light flashed from a pokeball at Ash's belt, and Dawn glanced down to see his Oshawott stepping forward, looking at Meloetta and then Piplup. "Oshawott!" he said, looking up at Piplup.

Piplup then leaped out of Dawn's arm, landing a couple of feet in front of Oshawott. "Piiip luuup!" he answered, the two seemingly glaring at each other.

Dawn and the others watched in stunned silence, both worried and fascinated by the scene in front of them. Piplup and Oshawott hadn't been getting along too well since they'd met, so nobody knew what was about to happen here. They continued to glare, Dawn noticing as Oshawott bowed his head lower, eyes narrowing and his jaw clenched. From behind, she could see Piplup tensing up more as well, and assumed the same was happening with him.

Then, amazingly enough, Oshawott's gaze softened, and tears came to his eyes. A moment later, Piplup's body relaxed as well. They looked at each other for another few seconds, and then rushed forward, embracing each other, sobbing into each others' shoulders before quickly taking a step back, looking seriously at one another again.

"Pip luuup," Piplup said, waving his flipper up and down.

"Osha oshawott," Oshawott answered with a nod, Meloetta smiling down at both of them.

It was bizarre, but the scene warmed Dawn's heart, and she looked over to Ash, locking eyes with him, knowing he was just as happy to see their two Pokemon parting on good terms. She felt her heart racing as she looked at him, knowing that her time was running out, hearing as a flight attendant called for a few people at the end of the dock to hurry as they ran towards the plane.

She didn't have the nerve to do anything, though. She was too scared. All she could do was look at him. The boy she...loved.

"Dawn..." Iris whispered, catching Dawn's attention. She raised her eyebrows, nodding to Ash.

The Coordinator nodded, managing to take one step forward as she looked back at Ash, surprised to see Jervis giving him a nudge. She narrowed her eyes in confusion, watching as Ash nodded, seemingly bracing himself as he too took a step forward, Pikachu scurrying off his shoulder as though sensing this was somewhat private, although that didn't stop everyone from still watching.

"I'm really going to miss you, Dawn," Ash said, looking at Dawn sadly. "I want you to be happy, though. I want you to achieve your dream."

"And I want you to do the same," Dawn replied, smiling, feeling her heart picking up speed again.

"You have a pretty smile," Ash whispered quietly, although somehow, everyone seemed to hear it, everyone but Jervis gasping in shock. Ash ignored it, though, continuing, taking another step forward. "Even though you won't be here, I'll think of you when I'm battling, because I know you'll still be out there supporting me, just like I'll be here, supporting you."

"Ash..." Dawn's voice shook, not knowing what to say. Her hands were shaking, no, her whole body was shaking. She felt kind of weak, but in a good way. She couldn't help but smile wider as Ash continued to speak.

"Our journey isn't over yet. I won't let it be over yet." Ash's voice shook a bit as he said those words, and Dawn could tell she wasn't the only nervous one. "We'll see each other again. Really soon."

"I know we will," Dawn finally said, feeling as though her heart was beating a million times a second. "I have to see you again, Ash. I have to see you again...because..." She blinked back tears, finally looking away in shame as she couldn't finish saying it. She'd lost her nerve. "G-goodbye," she muttered, quickly turning around. Her eyes were watering and she walked quickly, desperate to get on the plane before she started crying.

She could hear her friends calling out to her, but she ignored them, stepping onto the platform, preparing to walk onto the plane and leave them, seeing Piplup skidding to a stop in front of her. "Dawn!" a voice yelled from behind her, and she stopped, staring at Piplup in front of her, seeing him spreading out his flippers like he was blocking her from getting by.

"I'm sorry, Ash," she said quietly, not turning around. "I...have to go."

"Not before one last high five."

"Huh?" She couldn't help but smile at that, noticing as Piplup looked past her, eyes moving up as he followed something. Dawn took a deep breath, slowly turning around, following Piplup's eyes towards Ash's raised hand up above her. Her eyes then drifted down, seeing Ash smiling back at her. They looked at one another for a few moments, before Ash nodded up to his hand. Getting the message, Dawn slowly raised her own, and he clapped it against his, laughing at their old little ritual. However, Ash was changing it up just a little bit.

She gasped, as Ash suddenly intertwined their fingers, locking her hand to his. He then slowly brought their hands down as she looked back at him, a blank and confused look on her face. Then, slowly, very slowly, Ash took one small step forward. And then another, their stretched out arms getting closer and closer as he approached.

"We'll see each other again soon," he said again, reaching up with his free hand and lightly brushing a strand of hair from Dawn's cheek. "I get it now. I know how I feel. And...I think you feel the same way."

"I do," Dawn whispered, a small smile coming to her face. "I love you, Ash."

"I love you too," he told her, sounding more confident in saying those words, than he did whenever he declared he was going to win a battle.

Slowly, they both leaned forward, lost in each others' eyes. For a moment, they stood there, their foreheads resting against each other, noses lightly touching. Then, their eyes slowly shut as they tilted their heads, leaning forward just a little more.

When Dawn felt their lips brush against one another, she felt a tingling sensation, which only intensified as they pressed together more. As she moved her lips over Ash's, she could feel it from the tips of her toes, to the top of her head. Those butterflies were back again, but they were more than welcome.

Dawn reached up with her free hand, her left one still locked with Ash's. She cupped his cheek, pulling him closer, kissing him more passionately as he did the same. She could have won five Grand Festivals and she didn't know if she could've been any happier in that moment.

But eventually, the two of them needed to breathe, and they broke apart, taking a small, awkward step back from one another, releasing their handhold as well, each smiling in slight embarrassment, knowing that not only their friends had seen that, but many strangers as well. Dawn felt her cheeks burning up as she could see a large group of people standing a few feet away from the plane, staring at them.

"Hey!" a voice suddenly yelled, causing both Dawn and Ash to look over, seeing Iris glaring at the group of people. "How about a little privacy?!" she yelled, causing the group to quickly turn away.

Dawn quickly smiled at Iris to signal her thanks, and then looked back at Ash. "I guess it's time to go," she said sadly, reaching out with both hands and taking his in hers. "But...we will see each other again. Soon."

Ash nodded, jaw clenched, almost like he couldn't bring himself to say anything else. Dawn gave him one last sad smile, she leaned forward, and kissed him on the cheek.

"No need to worry!" she told him, seeing Ash smiling widely as he heard her. "Yup. No need to worry! Take care and I'll see you soon, Dawn!" he replied, giving her a hug which she gladly returned.

She then turned around, walking into the plane with Piplup. Once she was seated, taking her spot next to a window, Dawn realized that she'd caused a delay, as the plane immediately started up. Her eyes widened, hoping that her friends wouldn't be distracted, and she looked out her window. She sighed in relief, seeing them all at the edge of the dock as the seaplane slowly began to drift forward.

She could see Jervis and Cynthia, each smiling and giving a small wave each. She could see Cilan, holding a finger up to the air, and she knew that he was somehow trying to tell her that he thought she and Ash were a "nice recipe" or something. Then there was Iris, giving a thumbs and seemingly celebrating, causing Dawn to laugh a little. And finally, just as the plane began to lift up into the air, Dawn could see Ash, finally waving up to her. She smiled and waved back together with Piplup.

Dawn didn't look away until they were completely out of sight. When it entered the clouds, she closed her window and sat back in her seat, Piplup resting comfortably in her lap. She was sad, of course, that she had left Ash. But...she knew they would be together again. She knew they were still supporting each other. And, above all else, she knew that she loved him, and that he loved her.

There was no need to worry.

Author's Note:

And that's that. Again, I must say I enjoyed writing this. I went a little insane with the awkwardness of my lemon, but I liked going back to the innocent romance and it brought me back to sanity. And I must admit...a small part of me still enjoys this ship.

Congratulations Jagulov. Maybe more bets are in store for the future.