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Snowbelle City was quiet that night. The snow was falling outside from the surrounding trees, and the stars shone bright in the sky. The lack of clouds allowed the stars to light up the City.
Inside the Pokémon Center, Ash sat at a table by the window. His body sprawled out in the chair as he stared at the ceiling in concentration. His face was half-lit by the soft glow of the bright stars shining outside the window. His eyes shifted to the window where the snow fell in slow, drifting spirals from the trees.
“Come on, come on, come on…” he muttered to himself, growing more frustrated than before. “There has to be a way to counter Wulfric’s Avalugg.”
The most embarrassing part was that Ash didn’t even have a clue what Wulfric’s ace could be. He hadn’t even gotten to that point. Today was about strategizing.
The group he was traveling with had dispersed entirely by this point. Clemont had gone outside work with some gadget, Bonnie was long asleep in their room, and Serena had gone directly to the room after their argument without saying a word to anyone.
The argument in question wasn’t a shouting match. It was just one of those moments when Ash felt that Serena was being overbearing. She was trying to place herself in situations that she had no clue about.
She had told him that he wasn’t the ‘real’ Ash, and he didn’t know what that meant. Of course, he had turned back to tell her that she didn’t understand.
Upon thinking of the hurt on her face, he wasn’t sure who had been right. She was able to snap him out of his hurt ego and focus on his Pokémon.
The adventure that ensued after that was unexpected, as Geninja had disappeared. It seemed that they both felt doubtful after the battle with Wulfric, but Ash and Geninja were able to master their Ash-Greninja evolution. It pulled them closer together, making him one with his Pokémon.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to get Serena alone to apologize to her. He felt bad because part of him did feel that she was overbearing, but if she hadn't, who knows how long it would have taken for Ash to realize that Greninja left because of its own doubts.
He sighed, tossing random words around in his head. “Iron Tail,” “Fire Punch,” “Agility”, all ideas he’d already tried. Maybe he should switch up the Pokémon?
Then the front doors slid open with a soft whoosh, letting in a swirl of cold air and the sound of laughter.
Ash didn’t look up until he heard the voices. One voice in particular that was bright and warm in a way that didn’t match the snow at all had caught his attention.
“I told you, Candice, Zoey’s just saying that because she’s jealous that my Mamoswine is stronger than her Glameow!”
Ash froze. That playful voice… it sounded like-
“Dawn?” he whispered to himself.
He looked up to see that it was, in fact, who the voice belonged to. Alongside her were Zoey, Dawn’s rival, and Candice, the Spowpoint City Gym Leader.
“Mamoswine is made for this weather! You just had an extra edge over me and Glameow!” Zoey argued lightly.
“Ice types are just too strong, Zoey. You wouldn’t have been able to handle Mamoswine in normal weather.” Candice teased.
Candice then looked over and saw Ash sitting at the table next to the window.
“No way! Is that Ash?” She grabbed Zoey and Dawn’s attention.
The bluenette turned toward him, her scarf still dusted with snowflakes, and her eyes widened in delight. Her smile grew even more.
“Ash! No way!”
The next thing he knew, she was right in front of him. He could feel the energy flowing from her body, full of curiosity and excitement.
“It’s been forever!”
“Yeah,” he said, standing up, a grin tugging at his lips despite the fog in his chest. “It seems like it’s been too long.”
“Wayyy too long.” She gave him a playful nudge. “Still chasing badges, I see?”
Ash laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Guilty as charged.”
Candice and Zoey followed behind, both waving.
“Look who fate decided to throw together again,” Zoey teased. “It’s been a long time since you two have seen each other, huh?”
“We saw each other in Unova a couple of years ago,” Ash said, scratching the bottom of his nose. “What are you guys doing here?”
Candice smiled and spoke before anyone else.
“We’re heading up to Wulfric’s gym tomorrow morning, actually. I promised to show Dawn the arena, and Wulfric and I usually spar with our Pokémon. What about you?”
Ash’s head perked up at that.
“You know Wulfric?” He began to frown in slight embarrassment, “I’m here attempting to get my final gym badge, but he blew my team away. I’m strategizing.”
Candice chuckled.
“Of course I know him. We’re both prominent Ice Type Gym Leaders. I’ve battled him plenty of times. He’s tough, but his strategy’s not unbeatable.”
Ash’s eyes lit up, but Zoey cut in with a smirk.
“You better not go begging Candice for tips, Ash. You’ve gotta earn this badge yourself.”
Dawn glanced between them, thoughtful. Then she softly made a suggestion.
“Maybe I could help?”
“What?! What about Candice’s battle tomorrow?!” Zoey interrupted.
“Yeah! You were excited to see the gym!” Candice jumped in.
“I haven’t watched Ash battle in a long time and if we are staying for a few days, maybe you could show me during Ash’s battle and introduce Wulfric and I before?” Dawn spoke.
The girls thought for a moment before agreeing.
Ash blinked. Would it be like old times? He’d thought to himself. Part of his heart lifted at the thought; he knew that his crush on her was making its way back to the surface.
“You’d help me train?”
“You helped me back in Sinnoh. So no need to worry!” She said with a broad smile.
The next morning, Ash woke up before anyone would notice and immediately got ready to meet Dawn.
Luckily for him, no one was awake to ask where he was going. Pikachu and Ash snuck out quietly without being detected.
They met out in a snowfield that Candice had shown Dawn the day before. The sunlight bounced off the snow so brightly it hurt Ash’s eyes. Pikachu stretched and released some sparks beside Ash while Dawn released her team. She was going to use Buneary, Piplup, and Mamoswine.
“Ready?” she called, cheeks flushed from the cold.
Ash grinned, eyes fierce again for another battle.
“Let’s do this!”
The training was rigorous. Wulfric’s ice-types were bulky and calculated. Every move was designed to wear down opponents. Dawn wanted to simulate the battle style as Candice had explained it to her. The primary goal was straightforward: to help Ash’s team adapt to the shifting ice terrain and unpredictable weather tactics.
Hours passed with constant strategizing, arguments over strategy, playful banter, and laughter until the sky began to darken.
Greninja, Talonflame, and Pikachu were exhausted. Throughout the day, they took breaks to catch up and allow their Pokémon to get to know one another.
Now, Ash’s muscles ached, but his heart felt lighter. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed this. He missed her.
He had missed her competitive spark that always inspired him to push beyond his limits. Her playful attitude always cheered him up when he got too serious. He thought of how he always wanted to make her laugh. He even thought of the way she believed in him. It was never because he always won, but because he always tried. He was happy that that had always been enough for her to accept him.
When they finally stopped, they went into the Pokémon Center to warm up. They both found an unoccupied couch in the lobby. Ash plopped down, and Dawn sat beside him. Piplup fell asleep as soon as he hit the couch. Dawn took off her coat and draped it over Pikachu as he curled up next to the penguin Pokémon.
She turned to look at Ash. He looked back at her and smiled. He looked carefree with a hint of mischief in his eyes as he looked back at her.
“You look better,” Dawn said quietly, brushing her hair from her face.
Ash blinked in confusion.
“Better? What do you mean?”
She smiled. Of course, he’d be too dense to realize what she was talking about.
“You looked tense last night. Like you were overthinking something simple.” She said honestly.
He looked down at his hands. He clenched and unclenched them to ease himself.
“Well, obviously, I was thinking about the battle. But yesterday, one of my traveling partners, Serena, and I got into an argument.”
“Ah,” she said, understandably. “Was it about your battle with Wulfric?”
“Not just that. I lost twice in a row, and I’ll be honest. I have been taking it too personally. She tried to tell me that she had felt the same way after losing her first showcase… I kind of snapped and told her she doesn’t get it.”
There was a pause. Dawn waited for him to continue.
“Showcases are not the same as gym battles. On top of that, my Pokémon and I got a hard beating from my rival here, his name’s Saywer. He already had eight badges, and I guess I was just embarrassed by it. My battle with Wulfric just added insult to injury, and I took it out on her yesterday.”
“Was it like when you lost to Paul?” She asked.
Ash turned to look at her. He saw no judgment in her eyes.
“Yeah, but Sawyer isn’t like that. I wish I had a better explanation, but that’s really all there is.”
“Well, to be fair, you sound like you were being a major jerk to Serena. She was probably like me when you fought Paul and he bashed you about it. She just wants to help you.”
“Yeah, I know,” Ash said, putting his head in his hands. “I feel terrible about it. It also makes me feel bad because if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have realized that my Greninja had run away. It was feeling down on itself as well. Luckily, we found it, and we were able to push through our insecurities about the battles.”
“I’m happy that you were able to find Greninja. With the whole Serena thing, I, luckily, had Brock. Brock also knows that you have boundaries. Did you ever set them up with your new traveling partners?”
That took Ash by surprise.
“No?”
She smiled again, a small, understanding smile. “You were wrong to yell at her, but you also should have let her know that you needed space. It’s not her fault that she didn’t know.”
Ash nodded his head in agreement. His body tensed as he felt Dawn’s hand on his shoulder.
“But you need to learn that it’s okay to let people in, too. You don’t have to carry all that frustration alone.”
The Pokémon Center’s fireplace burned quietly in front of them. For a long moment, Ash said nothing; he just watched her. He was partially mesmerized by the flickering of the fire in her eyes.
He felt as if he were being drawn to her. He had the feeling in Sinnoh, a little bit stronger in Unova, but now it was much stronger. He felt as if he needed to get closer to her.
Finally, he smiled a genuine smile. He was really happy with her unannounced arrival.
“You always know what to say.”
She laughed lightly.
“I guess I’ve picked up a few new skills since Sinnoh.”
Pikachu stirred, letting out a soft “Pika…” before curling back up.
They sat there until the outside world appeared to be pitch black outside. They could barely see the streetlights flicker on.
And for the first time in days, Ash felt at ease. He laid his head back and looked at Dawn’s concerned face.
“You look tired. You should go to bed! You need to rest for your battle tomorrow!”
As they stood up, Dawn picked up her coat, despite their Pokémon’s protests.
Dawn looked at Ash as he wiped sleep out of his eyes and spoke.
“Just promise me that you will win tomorrow, okay? I think Zoey and Candice would like to watch it, so would I.”
Ash chuckled, feeling delighted at the thought of having more people to support him.
“Deal. But next time I see you, you owe me a battle.”
She laughed, the sound echoing softly in the Pokémon Center’s lobby.
“Some things never change. However, I think it’ll be you who owes me a battle.”
They then began walking to their rooms. They were just a few rooms apart. Ash began to internally panic as they got closer to her room. While he was with her, the ache of his losses, his doubts, and even his argument with Serena all melted away into something quiet and warm.
He was addicted to being near her. But for now, he also wanted to go to sleep and wake up sooner so she could take away his pain again.
As Ash walked into the room, he saw that Serena was the only person awake.
“Hey.” She said softly. “Where have you been? We were worried about you.”
“Hey, Serena.” He cringed at his awkward tone. “Look, I’m sorry. I probably should have told you that I needed to be alone. You didn’t deserve to be yelled at. I will let you know in the future if I need time alone, so that I don’t blow up like that again.”
She brightened at that.
“Thank you, Ash. I really appreciate your apology.” She sat for a second before lightly reapproaching the topic. “So, where were you today?”
Ash smiled widely at that.
“I actually ran into some old friends from Sinnoh yesterday. My old travel buddy helped me train my Pokémon today. She has a few Pokémon with ice-type moves.” Ash smiled even wider, growing excited. “Which was great, she talked to our other friend, who regularly battles with Wulfric, and she made a strategy to help my Pokémon adapt to Wulfric’s battle style!”
At the end of it, he spoke in a regular tone, and Serena was afraid that he had woken the siblings.
“Ash, that’s great! But for now, could we go to sleep?” They heard Bonnie say.
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that,” Ash said, scratching the back of his head.
The next morning, Snowbelle City was alive with bright sunlight. The air was so cold that breath turned into small crystals in the air.
Inside the Pokémon Gym, the icy arena glittered like a frozen dream; pillars of ice standing tall, mirrors of blue and white stretching as far as the eye could see.
Wulfric sat in his throne across the ice field, his arms crossed as he looked at Ash’s calm demeanor.
“You’ve trained hard, I can tell,” he said, voice deep and calm. “I have heard from Candice that you are a worthy opponent. Let’s see if your spirit can handle the cold.”
Ash grinned, tightening his cap on his head. “You bet it can!”
Pikachu leapt off his shoulder, sparks dancing lightly in the air.
From the viewing stands, Clemont and Bonnie stood bundled in sweaters and scarves. Serena was beside them, quieter than usual, but just as clothed. She had been grateful to talk to Ash last night; her eyes watched over him carefully.
And just before the match began, the doors swung open on the other side of the stadium. Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena could barely make out the sight of three women rushing in.
“Sorry, we’re late, Ash! Dawn didn’t want to wake up.” The redhead one yelled from the stands.
“Sorry, Ash! But it’s better late than never, am I right?!” The one with blue hair said.
“Come on, Ash! I told Wulfric good things about you! Don’t let me down!” The black haired one said.
Ash turned back to Wulfric with a broader grin.
“Now that everyone’s here, I’m ready to go!”
Then the match began.
Bergmite was Wulfric’s first Pokémon. The small Pokémon chirped. However, Ash knew better than to underestimate Wulfric.
Ash opened with Pikachu, who was ready for anything.
“Let the battle begin!”
“Pikachu! Let's kick this off with an electro ball!”
Bergmite dodged the attack with ease.
“I knew that Bergmite would slide,” Ash spoke to himself.
“Bergmite, use icy wind!”
“Pikachu, look out!”
However, when Pikachu dodged the attack, the Bergmite aimed the attack in the air. The attack landed successfully, freezing the lower half of Pikachu’s body.
After a lot of nagging, Bonnie eventually convinced Serena and Clemont to join the other three women.
“Hello!” Bonnie greeted them cheerfully.
Two of the three women looked at her.
“Hey there!” The redhead said.
“Hi!” The black haired girl said.
Clemont and Serena noticed that the Bluenette hadn’t even seen them. She seemed focused on the beginning of Ash’s battle. She had a Piplup in her arms, and it looked like she was biting her lips.
“Who are you, and how do you guys know Ash?” Bonnie continued.
The two girls looked at each other.
“Ash used to travel with Dawn here in Sinnoh.” The redhead pointed at the bluenette. “My name’s Zoey, I’m Dawn’s rival in Pokémon Contests. Candice here is actually the Snowpoint City Gym leader, so she’s battled Ash before.”
Immediately, Bonnie got on one knee before Candice.
“You’re pretty and a gym leader! My brother is a gym leader too! Would you please take care of my brother-?!”
Clemont had picked her up with his Aipom arm and profusely apologized.
Serena had quietly introduced herself before looking out at the field. At that point, everyone had seen that Pikachu was struggling with a quick attack.
“What’s wrong with Pikachu?” Bonnie asked.
However, before Clemont could answer, Dawn beat him to it.
“Bergmite’s icy wind is freezing Pikachu’s lower body, making it harder for Pikachu to move around.”
Dawn was a little frustrated; they had spent all day trying to prevent this situation from happening. However, she had to admit that practice is different from a real battle. She just hoped that Ash would find a way to fix this fast.
Ash could see that Pikachu was struggling to keep up with Bergmite. A thought came to his mind.
“Pikachu, use Thunderbolt.”
Pikachu followed the orders and landed a direct hit. Luckily for him and Ash, the electricity melted the frost around Pikachu’s legs.
Ash smiled as he heard a ‘Yes!’ from the stands and knew it was Dawn.
The battle continued, with Pikachu and Bergmite landing hits on each other until Bergmite eventually fainted.
“Awesome! One down, two to go!” Dawn cheered.
Serena observed the other girl. All the women they had just met seemed experienced; however, Dawn seemed particularly invested in Ash’s battle. It then occurred to her that Dawn was the one who had trained with Ash all day the previous day.
“Yay, Pikachu!” Serena heard Bonnie yell beside her.
Serena smiled to herself.
“He seems different from before.” She heard Clemont comment.
“Yeah! Ash is back, the Ash that I know.”
“Ash!” Dawn yelled, grabbing his attention. “This is the first one; you still have two more! Use our practice!”
Ash gave her a smile and a thumbs-up.
Then Wulfric sent out his Avulugg.
Pikachu was able to land a few good hits on Avulugg before Wulfric was able to knock out the electric mouse Pokémon.
“You did great out there, buddy. Thank you.” Ash told his buddy.
His next Pokémon was Talonflame.
“Talonflame! Let's show him some heat! Flame Charge!”
The clash of heat and Avalugg’s ice-type moves filled the air with steam; shards of frost began to scatter like diamonds. Talonflame was able to break through the counter and hit Avulugg. Avalugg endured it; its defense seemed nearly unshakable.
Wulfric’s calm voice carried through the cold. “Avalugg, Stone Edge”
Talonflame had dodged all of the boulders that rose from the ground. Ash then commanded Talonflame to use Steel Wing.
“Wow! That steel wing looks strong!” Candice complimented.
“Yeah, we worked on how we could maximize damage, while adapting to Wulfric’s ice attacks.”
“Wulfric’s a tough opponent; I would consider him my mentor,” Candice said. “Hopefully your guys’ training will be enough to pull Ash through.”
“It will be,” Dawn said confidently.
“Candice actually lost to Wulfric yesterday during their spar.” Zoey piped up.
“Well, he was showing me his mega-evolved Abomasnow during the battle. It was a little too difficult for my own Abomasnow.”
That caught Dawn off guard.
“Mega evolved?” She questioned.
“It’s when a Pokémon and trainer have a really strong bond, and they can use a stone to evolve their Pokémon temporarily! It’s so cool!” Bonnie jumped into the conversation.
“Yeah, it was pretty insane to see in person. I bet it would be awesome to use as a contest strategy.”
“Of course you would think that, Zoey,” Dawn said with a smirk.
“You’re sure, right?” Zoey smiled back bashfully.
Wulfric then called Avulugg to use Avalanche; unfortunately, Ash’s Talonflame was caught right in the middle of the counterattack. It was a storm of ice and snow that crashed against Talonflame.
Serena winced. “Oh no… that looked like it hurt,” she murmured.
Dawn threw her hand up in front of Serena, as if telling her to wait for the judgment.
“He will adapt. This is exactly what we worked on all of yesterday.”
Sure enough, Ash told Talonflame to use Flame Charge to melt the ice and snow around it. Once Talonflame warmed up, it charged its move and crashed against Avulugg. Talonflame soared away, as Avulugg remained stationary from fainting.
Serena was shocked. Ash was really fighting hard in this battle. Something had changed since yesterday, she felt happiness well in her as she saw the Ash that she loved out on the field.
“Yes! Ash and Talonflame took out Avulugg! They still have one more Pokémon to go!” Bonnie cheered.
“I don’t know Bonnie.” Candice cut her off. “Mega-Abomasnow is something else.”
Serena had no idea how to feel about the black haired girl’s comments. Serena understood that the girl was a gym leader, discussing logistics, but she didn’t like the doubt she had about Ash.
“No need to worry,” Dawn said. “If there’s one thing I know about Ash, it’s that he’ll never give up and will go out fighting.”
Serena smiled at the comment. It seemed that he had the same attitude while in Sinnoh, which was endearing. Dawn then cut off her thoughts by cheering for Ash louder than everyone else.
She felt her heart stutter as Ash immediately looked to the stands and gave Dawn a smile that she had never seen before. The smile was soft and admiring, with even a sparkle in his eyes. Ash gave a thumbs-up to the stands.
“Still looks like he thinks the world of you, Dawn.” Serena heard Zoey say.
Serena turned her head to see Dawn punch Zoey in the shoulder and give her a stern look.
“Guys, how many times do I need to tell you, guys? We’re friends.” She argued.
“Could’ve fooled me,” Candice said, joking with a grin.
“No way!” Bonnie yelled, and Clemont told Bonnie to hush before Ash could hear.
The rest of the battle was fierce. Abomasnow was quicker than the Avulugg and powerful; it was able to knock out Talonflame with a wood hammer.
Ash then sent out Greninja. Greninja was able to land two good hits on Abomasnow before a powerful Wood Hammer attacked it.
Eventually, Ash was ready to join together with Greninja.
Dawn was confused when she heard Ash command, “Together!”
She looked at Candice.
“Is that a move? I didn’t hear Ash practice with it yesterday?”
“Ash and Greninja have their own mega evolution!” Clemont said.
Dawn was taken by surprise.
“Really?!”
Then Greninja evolved. Zoey, Candice, and Dawn watched in amazement.
“Wait… but he didn’t use a mega stone?” Candice questioned.
“It’s a long story, but Ash and Greninja have such a strong bond that they can evolve. It’s really fascinating.” Clemont said.
“Greninja also looks super cool when it evolves!”
Dawn looked at Ash and felt pride rush through her body. Ash had clearly worked hard with his Pokémon, and it was a relief that he still had close relationships with all of them.
It was the one thing she admired about him. He always put his Pokémon first; if this type of connection were possible, she knew that he would eventually form a bond with a Pokémon. There was also no doubt that Pikachu would have this ability if it were fully evolved. It was impressive, and she took pride in him.
“They look so great together!” Serena said next to her.
“Yeah, they look a lot more powerful than before,” Dawn commented. “Ash will definitely pull through.”
The battle was furious. Greninja dealt a lot of damage to Abomasnow. Wulfric seemed to be happy with the strength that Ash and Greninja were exhibiting in the battle.
Dawn had seen Ash battle countless times, but this? This was something else! The way his focus sharpened, the way Greninja mirrored his every motion. The battle was beautiful, raw, and alive.
The duo demonstrated control, strength, and trust in one another. However, Dawn was not the only one to be excited about the battle.
Then Wulfric called upon his ace to Mega Evolve, heating the battle even more. The gym shook as snow swirled into a blizzard.
Dawn’s breath caught multiple times throughout the battle. It reminded her of why she’d admired him since they’d met.
The final clash came in a burst of water and ice, the sound echoing through the entire gym. When the mist cleared, Wulfric’s Mega Abomasnow was down.
“Abomasnow is down! That makes Greninja the winner! That means that this match goes to Ash Ketchum, the challenger! The referee’s voice rang out, and the group erupted.
Ash fell to his knees, panting, grinning from ear to ear. Pikachu leapt into his arms, squeaking in delight.
Dawn clapped and screamed, her heart warm with pride; however, she felt as if it wasn’t just pride alone.
There was something else that was deep, stronger than the adoration and appreciation that she felt for the other trainer.
As Ash stood outside the gym’s battle room, he stared at the badge gleaming in his hand.
He heard footsteps approaching and looked up to see Serena approaching first.
“Congratulations,” she said softly. “You’re Pokémon were amazing out there.”
He smiled, scratching the back of his head.
“Thanks, if it weren’t for my friend, Dawn, we probably would have had a lot more trouble.”
There was an awkward pause between them.
“You were amazing,” she said after a moment. “I mean it.”
Ash’s grin softened.
“Thanks, Serena. I really appreciate it.”
Her smile brightened significantly at him.
“You’ve got a lot of people who believe in you and want to help. That includes me, too, got it?”
Hoping that he would understand her message, she turned around to see Clemont and Bonnie approaching.
“Great job, Ash! You were so cool!” Bonnie yelled as she ran up to the two.
“Your strategy was effective! I couldn’t pull my eyes away if I wanted to!”
“Thanks, guys!” Ash chuckled, scratching the back of his neck.
The group was about to exit the gym until Ash realized that he hadn’t seen Dawn!
“Wait! I have someone that I need to thank!”
Clemont turned around to tell Ash.
“Oh, she told us that she’d meet with you back at the Pokémon Center.” Ash gave him a confused look. “You’re talking about Dawn, right?”
The group then continued to walk out to the Pokémon Center. Ash trailed behind the group, staring at his newest badge.
He thought about how he had overcome one of his greatest heartbreaks. His losing streak had really hurt him. He then thought of Dawn, and it brought a smile to his face.
He was happy to have spent the entire day with her. She gave him strength when he had needed it the most. He had to admit to himself that he was also very attracted to her. Ash felt as if whenever he was around her, he was a planet circling a sun. He was drawn to her.
Ash had never felt so lucky over such a slight chance encounter. Especially since he had realized his feelings for her in Unova, he was even more fortunate to have not tripped up miserably in front of her for the past few days. He had been calm and collected.
Until, in front of him, Serena spoke in a soft voice.
“She’s a good friend.”
The comment surprised Ash. His head shot up to meet her eyes. She looked at him with sympathy and something that looked like pain.
Of course, Serena must have seen the look on his face. He was probably staring at the badge yearningly, rather than with pride. Ash looked back down at his new badge, turning it over a few times before answering.
“Yeah, she is. Sometimes, it’s like she’s the only one who gets me. Who understands the work that I put in, the pain of losing something that I worked so hard to achieve, even the insecurities of trying to achieve a goal that seems light years away?”
They walked together through the snow-lined streets, neither speaking for a while. The sound of their boots crunching softly filled the silence.
Serena was absorbing his words and couldn’t help but feel the swirl of jealousy, guilt, and understanding in her stomach. She had loved Ash since that children’s camp. However, now they were adults, and she had to deal with the fact that she would be heartbroken by her first love.
“You know, when she traveled with me in Sinnoh, we always worked together. We trained together for each gym battle and contest. I like to think that I wouldn’t be where I am without her help and insights.”
He held the badge to Serena. She was silent as she took it and held it.
“I don’t even just mean this badge; she supported me in Sinnoh and helped me gain some flair back in Unova.” He stopped and turned back to the Gym, where she supposedly was with Zoey and Candice. “Is it wrong to say that she’s my best friend? That I’ve come to value her friendship over others? I mean… I know that I have romantic feelings for her, but I have this guilt that I’m putting her on a pedestal above my other friends.
That had broken Serena. She wanted to tell him that it was a bad thing, but that would be unfair and immature. She wanted Ash to be happy, and she shouldn’t hold him back. Regardless, should she really tell him it was bad when she has valued his friendship above others? It was unfair to him.
Reluctantly, she sighed and tried to calm her breaking heart.
“No, there is nothing wrong with that. It’s completely natural.” She told him.
He smiled at her again. She now knew that this was his regular friendly smile, something that was not directed at a lover.
“I feel bad about it.” He admits. “But whenever she’s around, I feel whole. She makes me feel like I can do anything in the world.”
Serena knew that feeling. That was how Ash had made her feel.
“I know how that feels.” She commented with a slight chuckle to hide the hurt.
“You’ve been in love before?” Ash questioned her. Her heart sped.
“Yes.” She answered.
“He’s a fortunate guy, Serena. I hope that you’re able to be happy.”
“Yeah. Me too.” She answered, knowing that she shouldn’t let him in on all of the details.
By the time they all returned to the lobby, Clemont and Bonnie had made their way to the room.
“Go on ahead, Serena. I’m just going to wait for Dawn.” Ash suggested.
She was about to follow the suggestion, but she turned to him just before leaving.
“You should tell her before she leaves.”
Then Serena went to the room. She needed time to recover and be away from him. She wouldn’t let her feelings ruin their friendship.
Ash sat in the lobby for about 20 minutes before Dawn walked in alone. The entire time, he brainstormed on what he should say to her. He beamed as he saw a smile form on her face at the sight of him.
She raised her hand and received a high five. She then shook his shoulders, and Pikachu took the opportunity to hop away.
“That was AMAZING! It was the most inspiring battle I’ve seen in a long time!” She stopped shaking his shoulders. “I told you that there was no need to worry! Pikachu! You were so amazing as well.”
Dawn bent down to pet Pikachu, who squealed in delight. She then picked up the Pokémon and continued talking to Ash.
Their conversation then shifted to his other Kalos battles, her contests, their wins and losses, and their adventures. By the time they had been growing more tired, Ash looked and saw that the sun was getting ready to set.
A quiet part of him began to panic as he realized that he did not have much time with her. She had told him earlier in the conversation that she was leaving for Hearthome City the next day for a fashion shoot. Serena’s comment also rang in the back of his mind.
Ash knew that it was now or never, and he’d have to tell her about his feelings. They were 21 years old, and she wouldn’t be single forever, even though he didn’t know that she was single to begin with. All he knew was that it would hurt later if he missed out on a perfect opportunity such as this.
“Do you want to go for a walk?” He asked nervously, he was happy to see her already bright demeanor shine more at the question.
Both of them then gave their Pokémon to Nurse Joy to check out before they travelled the next day.
They walked outside for a while in silence. Dawn seemed content just listening to the wind, chirping Pokémon, and the people around them.
Ash, on the other hand, was overthinking what he should say. He didn’t know if he wanted to hint at his feelings to her or just come out with it. Which one would have bigger consequences if she didn’t feel the same?
Eventually, Ash was snapped out of his thoughts when Dawn spoke up again.
“You know the feeling when you battle, it’s like you become part of the world around you? Like, everything clicks? The way that you can synchronize with your Pokémon to create art in the form of battling? I saw that in your battle today, and it was amazing.”
Ash smiled faintly. “I just listen to what my Pokémon feel. That’s all.”
“That’s why it works for you,” she said gently. “You don’t just command them. You connect with them on a personal level. I don’t think I’ve ever met a trainer as inspiring as you are.”
He stopped in his tracks and looked at her, really looked at her. He saw how the sunset reflected in her eyes, soft and pink and gold.
To him, she looked like an angel. A gift from God and Arceus. He felt a lump in his throat at the sight.
“Well, I wouldn’t have gotten here if it wasn’t for you,” he said, scratching behind his head. “I really couldn’t have done this without you.”
She smiled, cheeks pink from the cold.
“You would have figured it out. You always do, that’s one of your best qualities. You never give up.”
“Maybe,” he said, grinning a little. “But it was easier with you here.”
Their eyes met. Amber meets ocean blue. Ash felt as if he hadn’t said anything then; maybe he’d lose her. A small part of him also didn’t want to ruin the moment.
Ash’s face grew hot as she continued staring at him intensely. He felt as if she were looking for an answer to a question.
Then a snowflake landed on Dawn’s nose, drawing her attention away. She laughed softly, brushing it away.
“Guess Snowbelle’s not done with this weather yet,” she said.
“Guess not,” he replied, smiling nervously.
“I’m starting to get cold! We should probably head back in.” She suggested.
This was his last chance; the train appeared to be boarding, and he was still trying to figure out what to do.
“Hey, Dawn?” He waited until she looked at him. “Can I talk to you about something personal?”
Dawn seemed surprised and then concerned by Ash’s demeanor. He was acting oddly throughout the entire walk.
“Of course, you can tell me anything, Ash. You know that I will never judge you.”
Ash turned his eyes to focus on the ground.
“I’m afraid you might this time, but I feel like I really need to tell you what’s been on my mind.”
“Go on,” Dawn said softly.
“Ever since I left Sinnoh, I felt like I was missing something. Unova seemed like such a decline, and I felt stumped. Then you were at Cynthia’s villa for a few weeks, and it felt like everything was the way that it was meant to be. After you left, I felt rejuvenated for a while. Then I kinda got blown out of the Unova League.”
“Ash, all of us have our rough patches.” Dawn placed her hand on his shoulders. “If this is what you’re worried about, you just need to find that same passion that you had in Sinnoh.”
“It’s not about the leagues.” Ash’s voice tremored. “What I’m about to tell you. It has nothing to do with the leagues, more about my feelings.”
That took Dawn by surprise. Ash never talked about his feelings. He’d comforted her in the past when she was down on herself, but he had never really gone to her with this sort of manner.
She waited for him to continue, but when he didn’t, she began to worry a little more.
“What is it? You can tell me anything. You know that.”
Ash paused. He was wondering if he should rip the band-aid off or continue with his current strategy. However, the strategy he was using was making her think that it was about his doubts on his journey, rather than acknowledging his feelings for her.
He decided the band-aid needed to come off before she got the wrong idea again.
“Whenever I’m with you, I feel like I can do anything. You make me feel strong and confident. When we traveled together, I don’t think I ever connected to someone as much as I connected to you.”
Dawn was surprised by this. Was he implying what she thought he was? Should she pinch herself?
She had always known that she looked up to Ash and admired him throughout their journeys, but she never knew if he felt the same way.
“What do you mean?” Dawn said, hoping that Ash was being romantic.
“Dawn, I really think that I love you. Not as a friend, but more. I’ve never felt my heart race with anyone but you. Even when I look at you, you seem to block everything out, and all I’m focused on is you.”
Dawn felt her breath catch as he talked more and more.
“I’ve never felt this kind of love before. All I know is that when we were separated, I missed you like crazy. I missed you more than any of my other friends. I actually didn’t realize until Unova that I valued you more than anyone in my life besides my own mother.”
At that point, Dawn was almost in tears. She felt the same way. The importance of their friendship and the harsh feelings that plagued her when they went their separate ways. She was snapped out of her thoughts when Ash spoke again.
“Dawn? Can you please say something? Look, if you feel awkward about this, it’s fine. I’ll try my best to get rid of them-“
She stopped him with a quick kiss that stunned him. She pulled away, her hands resting on his cheeks.
“You have no idea how much I appreciate you telling me this. I feel the same way.”
Ash was taken aback; his heart was still pounding from the kiss. He was sure he might have a heart attack.
“Seriously?”
She laughed and nodded her head.
“Ash, when we traveled together, I slowly fell in love with you over the course of 3 years. We were so young and had our own dreams ahead of us. When we went our separate ways, I was partially devastated.”
Both young adults stood in the slow-falling snow, soaking in what had been said to each of them. Ash then couldn’t contain himself and picked up Dawn and spun her around. She kicked her legs and laughed.
“I felt the same way,” Ash said, still in disbelief that Dawn had felt the same way. “Will you consider traveling with me? I don’t want you to leave.”
Dawn frowned, and Ash felt his heart break.
“Unfortunately, I have obligations to Hermione in Hearthome City.” She then lifted a smile to him. “But I will come to the Lumiose Conference!”
“I’m going to win the whole thing with you by my side.”
“I think your ego may be bigger than my own,” Dawn said, as she pulled his hat down to block his vision.
She then ran back towards the Pokémon Center, Ash not too far behind her. The snow was still falling; the city was now dark, with only streetlights shining. The streets were not quiet as Ash and Dawn raced through them. Both were yelling and laughing.
As they reached the Pokémon Center, Ash lightly tugged on Dawn’s arm to get her attention. She turned her head and was immediately met with a kiss. She returned it.
The kiss was slow and heartfelt. She melted under his touch and couldn’t help but get closer.
When they pulled apart, Ash’s face was so red that Dawn thought he was having a fever. She began to pester him about staying out in the cold, fearing he might catch a cold.
“No, I’m just so in love with you that I feel my entire body heat up when I’m around you. I have too many emotions.”
She laughed at that; Ash had been dense in the past with romance. It was clear that he was inexperienced with feelings. She was surprised he said it again.
“I love you too. Now we both have to go to our rooms. It was really great to see you, Ash.”
Ash’s face fell a little bit.
“I really don’t want this to end.”
Dawn sighed in response. The fact that she was leaving Kalos began to weigh on her as well.
“Me neither. However, we will see each other soon. I’ll make sure of it.”
Ash lit up. Maybe when they reunited, they could travel more together.
“Yeah, I can’t wait for you to watch my Pokémon and me in the Lumiose Conference!”
“You know, Ash. It can be a two-way street.” He turned his head in confusion in response. “You can come visit me, as well.”
Ash felt embarrassed that he hadn’t even thought of that. He kicked himself for unknowingly putting all of the pressure on Dawn.
“Of course! Just let me know when your contests are, I’ll try to be there.”
“Good.” Dawn then frowned. “I gotta go to bed now. The girls and I are taking an early flight. Good night, Ash. I’ll see you around.”
“Don’t forget about me.” He blurted as she began to walk into the Pokémon Center. “Please?”
Dawn smiled at him, and he felt his heart race again; his cheeks began to flush.
“Never. How could I?”
With that, she walked into the Center to get some rest, and Ash stayed outside. He wanted to cool his feelings and calm down before going to his room. He was more than happy that he acted on Serena’s suggestion.