.

-Prologue-

May 1st, 2021. Afternoon. Hearthome City, Sinnoh.

"Contest Scouting?"

Dew painted the grass outside, shining white in the spring sun. The soft breeze from the window smelt like flowers and rain, and Dawn took a deep breath, her body light and fuzzy. Zoey stretched on the sofa, and Piplup sat pressed between the two with a plate of poffins in hand.

"Yeah," Zoey responded. She leaned back against the cushions. "You know, traveling around and scouting young trainers to compete in Pokemon Contests. The APC called and asked me if I'd be interested in the job a few days ago." She closed her eyes thoughtfully. "But I don't know if I should take it."

Dawn blinked in surprise. "How come?" she asked, setting down a tea tray on the coffee table. "It sounds totally perfect for you!" She offered Zoey a smile and sat down beside her. "I mean, isn't this a huge opportunity?"

Zoey picked up a teacup from the tray and let out a sigh. "Opportunity or not, the job requires a lot of traveling." She raised the cup to her lips. "Candice needs me around Snowpoint for the school," she explained, referring to the teaching opportunity Candice had offered to her a year prior. "There aren't many coordinators all the way up there, you know."

"And what does Candice think of all this?"

Zoey faltered. She shot Dawn a glance, and Dawn raised an eyebrow as she lifted her own tea cup. Zoey averted her gaze with a huff, her cheeks dusting red.

"…I haven't exactly told her yet."

"Zoey!" Dawn snapped with a disapproving glare.

"She's been busy!" Zoey defended. "I just haven't found the right time."

Dawn's expression didn't change, unconvinced as she stared her friend down with her arms tightly crossed over her chest. Zoey bit her lip, and her eye twitched before she let out a scowl and waved Dawn away with her hand.

"All right, all right!" Zoey groaned. "But you know how Candice can get. If I tell her, she's not going to give me any choice—she'll drag me to the APC office for that interview if she has to." She sank into the sofa, and Dawn couldn't help but show a small smile as she imagined Candice pushing Zoey through the double doors of the contest hall. "I just need more time to think it over."

Dawn's eyes flicked to Piplup, who simply shrugged in response before stuffing his face with more poffins, while Zoey kept her gaze stubbornly on the wall.

Dawn could only sigh at the sight. "Well, if you say so," she said in resignation, and Zoey perked up. Dawn then cracked a knowing smile and closed her eyes. "But if you want my opinion, I say give it a shot! You're always complaining about sitting around, aren't you?"

Zoey deadpanned and sipped her tea in aversion, only bothering to muster a low grunt in response. Dawn laughed lightly and took a sip of her own tea to indicate that she the topic would be dropped.

"Enough about me," Zoey said suddenly, catching Dawn's attention. She became sly, asking, "How's work with the ice queen been?"

Dawn almost choked on her tea. She coughed before letting out a frustrated breath. "I wish you wouldn't call her that—she's my boss."

"I was referring to Ursula."

Dawn inhaled sharply, and Zoey smirked at her misstep. Dawn's face went red in embarrassment, and she lifted her tea cup to her mouth shyly. "O-oh..!" she stammered.

Under terrible fate, Ursula and Dawn were both offered a job to work in one of the most respected boutiques of Hearthome City. Ursula dazzled the town with her flashy designs and high class attitude, and Dawn at times felt as though she stood in the shadows of her coworkers and boss who stood on pedestals against the sun. Biting her lip, Dawn cleared her throat in annoyance.

"You could have been more specific," she muttered bitterly.

"Hey, you said it, not me," Zoey chuckled, and Dawn felt a blush creep up her neck. Picking up her tea cup, Zoey looked at her from the corner of her eye. "But don't leave me hanging—I want to know all the details."

Dawn narrowed her eyes at Zoey, and she puffed her cheeks a bit before letting out all the air with a sigh of defeat. "It's been fine," she replied simply. She glanced down at her reflection in her tea cup.

Zoey watched carefully. "Exhausting?"

"Something like that."

Exhausting was an understatement. A year ago, Dawn had been offered a job from Lila Kether, an old rival and friend of her mother's who was now a famous Poke Stylist. The two had met before at a contest, and Dawn kept in touch with her when she became serious about Poke Styling. When Lila planned to open a new branch of her shop in Hearthome City, Johanna had mentioned to her that Dawn was looking for work, and that afternoon Dawn received a phone call. She felt her knees go weak when she entered the boutique for the first time, the designs in her head painted vividly in her mind on the blank mannequins in the shop windows.

A year later, she felt like she was still standing in the shop's entrance, everyone ahead of her and her feet swallowed and stuck to the ground.

Lila was hard on her. She pushed her and often pressed her to her limit. She shined the spotlight into Dawn's eyes, but Dawn closed her eyes tightly, blinded. Dawn's back ached as she hunched over her sewing machine night after night, loose paper scattered around her feet.

And when Dawn would enter the shop the next morning, the mannequins would be wearing Ursula's designs or anyone else's but hers.

"Look on the bright side," Zoey spoke up, and Dawn snapped from her thoughts. "At least you're getting your name out there, right?" She offered Dawn a smile. "I know it's not easy, but working for Lila Kether is a great way to show off your designs. She's a pretty big name in the Poke Styling community, right?"

"I know," Dawn sighed. "But I feel like my name is totally buried." She let out a groan before learning back and rubbing her face. "Maybe I bit off more than I could chew when I took this job…"

"Don't be so hard on yourself—everyone goes through rough patches," Zoey dismissed before teasingly flicking Dawn's forehead with her index finger. "Whatever happened to 'no need to worry'?"

Dawn pushed Zoey's hand away, and she pursed her lips into a hard line. "Only a few of my designs have ever been featured—a little worry is called for." She averted her gaze, watching Piplup as he gobbled down the last of his poffins. "If I want to open my own boutique someday, then I need to make things that people will actually want to buy. If my own boss doesn't even like what I have to offer, then what are potential customers gonna think?"

"You wanna know what I think?" Zoey asked. "I think you're thinking too much."

Dawn glowered at her. "Zoey! I'm serious!"

"I am too," Zoey continued before leaning forward and picking up the television remote off of the coffee table. "And there's no better way to take your mind off things than with some senseless television," she said, pressing the red power button on the remote.

"Some support you are," Dawn mumbled.

"I am being supportive," Zoey retorted as she flipped through the stations. "After all, someone has to make sure that you—"

Dawn watched the TV dully, the smiling faces on screen somehow making her feel worse inside. A flash of gold lit up through the changing channels, and the sight caused Dawn to sit up in alarm.

"Wait!" Dawn breathed, waving her hand for Zoey to stop. "Go back!"

Zoey stopped abruptly. "Huh?" Returning her attention to the television, she flipped back to the previous station. The screen flashed with fire and smoke, the camera focused on a woman with hair that shined gold in the sun. "Oh, this must be a Champion League match," Zoey noted with a low whistle. "Someone actually made it all the way to Cynthia, huh? Pretty impressive."

Dawn's eyes were elsewhere. Across from Cynthia, a boy with hard and unwavering eyes stared into the battlefield, and Dawn watched carefully as an Electivire pierced through the smoke with a Brick Break. Gasping in realization, Dawn's mouth fell open.

"That's Paul…!"

Zoey gave Dawn an odd look. "Who?"

Dawn kept her eyes on the screen. "Paul! Paul Rebolledo!" she exclaimed. She flicked her gaze towards Zoey before returning her focus back to the TV. "You remember him, don't you? Back when I traveled with Ash—they were rivals. You met him in Snowpoint City."

Confusion painted over Zoey's face as she raked through her memory in attempt to find the name 'Paul Rebolledo'. Hitting her like a brick, she gawked, pointing a finger at Dawn. "Wait! You mean that grouchy kid who challenged the Pyramid King?! That Paul?!"

"Yeah!" Dawn confirmed with a nod. She didn't turn her head away, her brows furrowing together as Electivire used Protect, blocking Garchomp's Fire Blast attack. "I always wondered what ever happened to him," she mused aloud. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that he made it all the way to the Champion League, though—he was such a strong trainer, even back then."

An image of fire and lightening striking together in a crash of raw power flashed into Dawn's mind. Paul was in the back of her mind, a distant memory in her past—but his battle with Ash burst in color through her body, as if no time had passed at all.

After a beat of thoughtful silence, Zoey let out a scoff. "Powerful trainer or not, there's no way he stands a chance against the Champion," she said with a twinge of annoyance in her tone. "She's been undefeated for over 10 years."

Dawn glanced over at Zoey, remembering her friend's first meeting with Paul. She wasn't surprised that Zoey might still hold resentment of him, the bitter feeling remembered when seeing his face. That was almost ten years ago.

Dawn wondered what Paul must have been like after all of those years.

"For those of you who are just joining us now, we're here in Hearthome City for this heated Champion League match-up between our Sinnoh League Champion, Cynthia Jenness and challenger Paul Rebolledo of Veilstone City," the voice of the battle commentator spoke through the television speakers. "Cynthia is down to her final Pokemon, while Paul still has two Pokemon left! Could this be the end of the road for our long-time Champion!?"

"Electivire, use Brick Break again!" Paul called to his Pokemon.

"Elect!" Electivire cried before his fist lit up in a white glow, and his body charged directly towards Garchomp.

"Dodge, Garchomp!" Cynthia ordered.

Garchomp growled before attempting to leap into the air, but it was too late. Electivire pounded his fist into her gut, and she fell to the ground, collapsing to her knees in a struggle.

"And Garchomp takes the hit!" the commentator boomed. "Things aren't looking too good! Just how is the Champion going to pull this together?"

Cynthia closed her eyes and smiled, letting a small, thoughtful hum escape from her throat. "Well, Garchomp, it appears that you've reached your limit," she started, and Dawn watched as she slowly pulled her hand from the inside of her pocket. "Maybe now it's time for us to truly get serious." Cynthia raised her hand in front of her face, and the camera caught sight of a gleaming, round gem attached to the ring on her finger.

The camera flashed back to Paul, who stared with focused eyes, as if he had been waiting for this very moment.

Dawn gasped. "That's a Key Stone!"

Zoey cracked a grin as she leaned forward in her seat. "Yeah—the Champion's trump card!"

Garchomp glanced back to her trainer with trusting eyes. With a nod, she puffed out her chest and let out a powerful, "Gar!"

The crowd went wild as Cynthia raised her hand to the sky. "Garchomp!" she began, pushing her palm out in front of her. "Respond to my heart and Mega Evolve!"

The stone on her finger began to shine brightly against the sun, the Mega Stone attached to the collar around Garchomp's neck glowing the same color. Garchomp's body lit up in a blue light, shifting and twisting shape. A double helix in rainbow colors painted itself in the air, and Garchomp let out a fierce roar as the light burst from its body. Mega Garchomp stood in the clearing smoke, and the crowd screamed out the breath it had been holding.

"And there it is! The moment we've all been waiting for! The Champion's Mega Garchomp has taken the battlefield!" the commentator yelled excitedly into his microphone. "We have an entirely new battle in front of us now!"

Dawn stared in awe, her heart still. She knew the Champion could use Mega Evolution, but this was the first time she had seen it with her own eyes. "Mega Garchomp…" she murmured.

Zoey shrugged. "Now that Cynthia's got her mega out, this battle will be over in no time flat."

"Garchomp, use Stone Edge!"

"Gar!" Garchomp crouched her body, and scattered rocks began to form in a ring around her body. She then straightened herself out with a jolt, letting out a roar and firing the stones his way.

"Electivire, dodge it!" Paul ordered, swiping an arm in front of him.

Electivire let out a grunt as he attempted to jump out of the way, but his speed was no match for Garchomp's as the large stones hurdled into his body. "Elect!" Electivire cried out in pain as he shot backwards, and he crashed hard into the stadium walls. Paul's face lost color as he watched his Pokemon slump to the ground, unconscious.

Raising a red flag into the air, the referee pointed it towards Electivire. "Electivire is unable to battle!" he declared. He then raised the green flag he held in his other hand to Garchomp. "Garchomp wins!"

The crowd cheered loudly as the commentator said, "And Electivire goes down after just one hit from Mega Garchomp! This is what the power of Mega Evolution looks like, everyone!"

"What'd I say?" Zoey said. She leaned back as she kicked her feet up on Dawn's coffee table. "I told you it'd be quick."

"But Paul still has one more Pokemon left," Dawn noted. She knitted her brows together as she watched Paul return Electivire to his Poke Ball. "He can still win."

Paul tossed his final Poke Ball into the air, his body tense. "Torterra, standby for battle!"

The Poke Ball opened, and Paul's massive Continent Pokemon burst from white light as it slammed onto the field. He let out a loud "Terra!" as he stomped his foot against the ground.

Dawn could have sworn she saw Cynthia smile, and she suddenly remembered the battle Cynthia and Paul had ten years ago, that very same Torterra from back standing across from her once more.

"And Paul sends out Torterra, his final Pokemon! This is it, folks! The final clash! Will Paul be able to claim the Champion title? Or will Cynthia remain undefeated?!"

Paul was quick to jump into action. "Torterra, use Earthquake!"

Letting out a loud, "Tooor!", Torterra raised himself back onto his hind legs before crashing back into the ground, the earth shaking and splitting into cracks that shot towards Garchomp. Garchomp jumped back, but stumbled from the ground's vibrations before taking a knee.

Cynthia didn't falter. "Garchomp, use Draco Meteor!"

Quickly opening her eyes, Garchomp lifted her head to the sky. Her body's center began to glow, a bright orange ball spilling from her open mouth. A moment later, the ball shot into the air like fireworks that rained fire to the ground. Torterra took several hits from the falling meteors, and he took a step back in a struggle.

Paul scowled. "Torterra, shake it off and use Giga Drain!"

Breathing heavily, Torterra shook off its exhaustion, and the rock spikes protruding from its back began to glow green. Three beams of energy then extended from their tips before hurdling straight for Garchomp.

"Fire Blast!" Cynthia called without hesitation.

Obeying orders, Garchomp took a deep breath before exhaling a large blast of fire that cut straight through Torterra's oncoming Giga Drain. The green rays burst and Torterra was engulfed in flames, yelling out as it suffered from a burn.

"Incredible!" The commentator boomed. "Even though Garchomp's special attack was sharply reduced from Draco Meteor, its Fire Blast attack was still able to pack a punch! This is what Mega Evolution can do!"

The camera returned its focus to Paul, his teeth gritted in frustration. Becoming firm, he pressed his mouth into a hard line. "Then it looks like we're going to have to finish this in one shot," he decided. "Torterra, use Frenzy Plant!"

Torterra was weak, but he managed to stand firm. "Torterra!" His body began to glow a faint green, and he rose onto his hind legs once more before slamming them to the ground. The earth cracked, and spiked vines crashed up through the ground.

Cynthia stood unmoving. She stared directly into the attack as if it was a mere inconvenience. "Garchomp, go right through that with Dragon Rush!"

Dawn watched as Paul froze. Garchomp leapt into the air, her body encasing itself in a blue light. She dived down, cutting through all of the spiked roots and ramming head-first into Torterra. The camera shook from the impact as the screen filled with dust.

Dawn and Zoey sat wordlessly, Dawn's heart in her head the only sound in the room. The camera was dark and fuzzy, and Dawn held her breath. A black shadow came through the clearing dust, and Garchomp stood over Torterra collapsed on the ground.

The referee raised his red flag into the air and pointed it towards Torterra. "Torterra is unable to battle!" He then raised his green flag, pointing it towards Cynthia and Garchomp. "Therefore, the match goes to Champion Cynthia Jenness and her Garchomp!"

The crowd burst into excitement as Cynthia closed her eyes and held a hand into the air. Garchomp let out a triumphant cry before her body began to glow and shift back to its normal form.

"And that's it, ladies and gentlemen!" the commentator enthused. "Cynthia, our Sinnoh League Champion, remains undefeated! Paul and his Pokemon were just no match for the power of Mega Garchomp!"

Dawn started at the television screen, the battle replaying over and over in her mind as it soaked into her body. "Wow…"

"Cynthia is really something else," Zoey said. She stretched her arms before folding them behind her head, her eyes then closing as her lips twitched with a satisfied smirk. "I told you he didn't stand a chance. As soon as the Champion Mega Evolved, the match was decided—that's just the power of Mega Evolution for ya."

Dawn didn't say anything, watching as Paul as he returned Torterra to his Poke Ball. She studied him, unable to get a proper read on his expression.

She wondered what he was feeling, what was going through his head.

The camera then showed Cynthia waving to the crowd, her Garchomp beside her. And in that moment, Dawn found her fingertips grazing over the round stone that she had hanging from her own wrist.

May 14th, 2021. Afternoon. Hearthome City, Sinnoh.

Dawn glanced down at the basket in her hands apprehensively as she walked down the hall of her apartment building. Piplup hung onto her shoulder, stretching his fin towards the basket in secrecy.

A neighbor of hers had stopped by her apartment earlier that morning to borrow a poffin recipe. She had mentioned in passing that a new neighbor had moved into the building.

"He moved into 304 a few days ago," she had told Dawn with a wink. "He seems pretty quiet—but he's not bad to look at, if you know what I mean."

It was strange. It was always noisy when someone moved in, the sound of shuffles and bangs seeping through the walls from the hallway.

But it had been quiet, as if no one had moved in at all.

"What if they don't have a sweet tooth?" she worried. "Maybe I should have brought berries instead."

Piplup paid her no attention, his focus on the cookies. His foot then slipped in his struggle, and he gasped before tumbling forward and falling to the ground with a hard thud. Dawn squeaked in alarm, and she quickly looked down at her Pokemon hunched over on the ground.

"Piplup!" Dawn scolded. She placed her hands on her hips and Piplup eyed up at her through his fins, a big red bump on his forehead. "Didn't I tell you to be on your best behavior?"

"Pip…" he muttered bitterly, dusting himself off.

Dawn sighed, and she shifted her basket into one hand as she bent over and picked him back up. "Now stay put," she said sternly, and Piplup slumped in her arms. Dawn shook her head before standing back up straight. She paused in realization that she was standing in front of the door at the end of the hallway.

'304'

"Oh!" Dawn blinked in surprise, and Piplup climbed back onto the back of her shoulder. "This is it!" She looked up and down the hallway before taking a deep breath and rapping her knuckles against the door.

Nothing.

Pursing her lips, she knocked again. Still nothing. She stood in place for a moment, wondering if he wasn't in. She eyed down at her basket, and she debated if she should just leave it at the foot of the door. Giving herself a nod, she bent down to place the basket on the ground when the door suddenly opened.

Dawn let out a noise in her throat before snapping her head up. "O-oh, I'm sorry!" she apologized. She collected herself as she stood up straight. "I just heard that I had a new neighbor, so I thought I would stop by and—!" She paused. The man that stood before her towered over her as he watched her with cold, gray eyes. Dawn's mouth gaped open, her words falling back into her throat.

"Paul…?"

Piplup's jaw dropped open, and Paul simply stared without saying a word. He looked her over once and then again. Dawn felt herself tense when he looked her in the eye.

"…Do I know you?"

Dawn blinked a few times, caught off guard. Of course he wouldn't remember her. Shaking the thought away, she said, "O-oh, I'm Dawn!" She raised a finger to point to herself. "Dawn Berlitz! I was traveling with Ash Ketchum when he competed in the Sinnoh League! Remember?"

Paul's interest appeared to be caught, and he flicked his gaze towards Dawn. "...Ash?"

Dawn's face brightened. "Yeah!" When he didn't respond, she narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "You do remember him, don't you?"

Paul ignored her and slipped his hands into his pockets. "Did you want something?"

Dawn pursed her lips into a hard line and glanced down at Piplup, whose feathers were ruffled in irritation. Inhaling slowly, Dawn let herself simmer down. "Well..." she started, and her eyes trailed to the basket she held in her hands. "It's like I was saying before—I heard that you just moved in, so..." Lifting her hands, she held out the basket to him and offered a smile. "I thought I would bring you a little welcome gift!"

Paul shifted his eyes back to the basket. He stared before letting out an, "Oh," and taking the basket from her grasp.

Piplup glared daggers and Dawn just stood there, waiting. Twitching, Dawn placed her hands firmly on her hips. "You know, a thank you or something would be appreciated."

Paul brushed her off. "Is that all you came here for?"

Becoming flustered, Dawn's face went red. "Well... I mean...!" she stammered before letting out a huff. "You haven't changed a bit, have you? Is it really so hard to have some manners?"

"Thanks for the cookies," Paul said flatly as he began to shut the door.

Catching sight of the door closing on her, Dawn let out an abrupt gasp and held out a hand to stop him. "Ah, wait!"

Taken aback, Paul paused and looked at her expectantly.

She almost hadn't expected him to stop—so when he did, Dawn was at a loss. She stood frozen, her hand still held out in front of her. Letting out a quick inhale, she put it down and straightened herself out. She wasn't sure why she had told him to wait, but she didn't want to look stupid. Taking a moment to compose herself, Dawn put a hand to her mouth and coughed before glancing up at him. "...I saw your battle against Cynthia."

For a moment, Paul said nothing, and Dawn couldn't see if there was any kind of change in his expression. "…I see."

Dawn smiled just the slightest and decided to press forward. "Your Pokemon seemed like they were really strong!" She hesitated before frowning. "But... I'm sorry that you lost."

Paul averted his gaze, his face darkening, and Dawn felt herself tense. She suddenly felt stupid, painfully realizing that she could have just torn open still fresh wounds.

But Paul only closed his eyes. "It just meant I wasn't strong enough," he said simply.

Dawn blinked in surprise before turning her head to him. He didn't look at her and she shifted her weight onto her left hip. "...I guess that sounds like something I would have expected you to say," she admitted.

Paul glanced at her, his eyes unwavering. Silence filled the air, heavy and suffocating, a painful feeling of awkwardness dripping between them. Dawn shifted and opened her mouth to speak, but Paul suddenly spoke up.

"I have to go." He glanced down at the cookies he held in his hands one last time before offering her a small nod. "Thank you again."

And that was that. The door closed, and Dawn heard the lock click on the other side. She just stood there, as if she was in some kind of dream or illusion. Staring at the door, her face heated up as she let out a scowl.

"The nerve of him! Shutting the door on a guest like that!"

"Pip! Lup Piplup!" Piplup said in agreement, waving his fin angrily at the closed door.

Pursing her lips, Dawn glared at the door a moment longer before closing her eyes and sighing in defeat. "…Well, I guess that didn't go exactly as we planned," she drawled. She turned on her heel and began making her way back down the hall.

Piplup turned his head away stubbornly and Dawn couldn't help but smile at him. She stopped at her door and reached for her door handle, but her hand suddenly stilled in air.

She glanced back over towards apartment 304. She stared one last time before she pushed her own door open and stepped inside.

…