Author: BebePanda401\
Story Title: Parting Gift
Rating: 'T'
Warnings: None, I guess.
A/N: Well, I haven't written about 'Pearlshipping' in a while, have I? I'm not writing about that today. This is a friendship story, but I guess you can take it both ways. I am writing the sequel to 'Dust Cloud', don't you guys worry about that. I always imagined that Dawn would send something to Ash and vice-versa, so here is a small drabble on both of those gifts being received ^^ Please, no bashing on other pairings. I actually like Pokeshipping, and for one- I think it's going to become canon. But I also believe that Dawn is Ash's best friend, not Misty. So yeah. Personal opinion, no bashing please ^^ I do wish they were older than ten years old though...seems a little creepy for a ten year old to travel alone...so I decided to make them older in this story. ^^

Ages: Dawn (14), Ash (14), Brock (17).

~Parting Gift~

As Dawn found herself in the first Pokemon center that she could find, she sat down in her room.

Stretching back onto the mist of white sheets and fluffed up pillows and ignoring the feeling of excitement building up and brewing in her gut, she began to reminisce the previous six months that she had spent travelling with her two previous friends, Ash and Brock. She began to remember the hard times, the funny times, the frightening times...all of it, she still remembered. Her memories of her adventures exploring her home region, she knew that she would never forget.

After all, they were close to her heart. They would always be close to her heart. In a way, she felt closer to them than her two childhood friends, Kenny and Leona. Not for the fact that she loved them romantically- she was only fourteen, after all. She didn't want to love, like, or anything like that- until she had achieved her dreams. Or at least came close to her dreams anyway.

No, she felt closer to them...because they had gotten to know her current self.

How she was right then, right now.

And she couldn't help but miss them, with all of her heart. She missed Ash especially. Although did miss Brock- there was no doubt in her mind that he was like an older brother to her, teaching her how to save Pokemon and people with medical aid- she felt closer to Ash, due to going through all of that teaching together. They grew together, in those months that they had spent travelling. She had been fourteen when she started her journey, he had been twelve- spending a little more on his journey time than her.

And he had been fourteen when he had first met her- in the age where your emotions ran wild. But together, they managed to over come all those hormonal feelings and stressful emotions. They had gotten a lot more stronger as they both grew up together. They grew together.

Growing with someone, then when they leave you- it tears you apart.

But then suddenly, in the centre of all her sadness, it broke apart with a sudden wave of disturbance, when a small, soft and gentle knock at the door could be heard. Sitting up, she continued to stare blankly and blink at the door with her cobalt-blue eyes, until a motherly-kind of voice also tore through her confusion.

"Dawn? A package has come for you, are you still awake?"

Straying away from the bed, she opened the white-painted door, and saw a familiar pink-haired nurse, with a familiar soft and caring smile. As Nurse Joy was handing the young, blue-hair coloured girl the brown parcel, Dawn's curiosity for the sender grew.

"Who is it from?" The nurse shook her head.

"I'm not sure. It didn't say, and they said not to describe what they looked like when it was posted. Oh, please excuse me, I must go now." As Dawn stood there, quite confused, the Nurse bowed and excused herself as she was called for medical aid. From where she was standing it sort of sounded like a young male's voice coming from down the white-painted hallway. Dawn slowly closed the door, still staring wide-eyed at the package which was placed in her hands.

Sitting down on the bed, the brown-wrapped parcel landed with a soft 'thud' against the clean white sheets of the bed. She scoured the parcel, in any hopes of identification as to who the sender might be. But it was to no avail, there was no sign of identification present almost anywhere. Sighing slightly, she tore off the paper, and was surprised at what she saw.

A...hat?

No, this hat was...!

Ash!

Jolting upright, Dawn's crystal eyes widened. It was crisp and clean, just like the day he had left. Ash always treasured his hat, so why would he send it to her? Unless it was his Mother whom had sent it, but she highly doubted it. The wrapping of the parcel didn't have the women's touch. It was rushed, like a child would do.

Then, a small note fell out. Picking it up, Dawn read it's contents:

'Dear Dee-dee,

I just wanted to give you a small reminder of our journey.
Please don't think I didn't have fun- I did, really!
And I know this isn't exactly 'girly' or what ever...
...But there's no need to worry any more, is there?

-Ash. (P.S: Pikachu actually misses Buneary!)

Dawn wiped her eyes after reading it. The ice-crystal eyes were begining to melt away, along with her worries and misery for leaving her two closest friends from those few weeks ago. She was picking up the pieces of her broken heart- and Ash had helped her. Brock had helped her. Kenny and Leona as well...

...Everyone had helped her.

"Thank-you...everyone."

~Arrival Present~

Ash smiled, as he had previously received his new hat from his dearly beloved Mother.

After he had sent his old hat to Dawn, a feeling of happiness and charity had continued to grace the fourteen year old boy's soul. She was no doubt, his best female friend so far. Although Misty had been his first female friend...he somehow felt closer to Dawn. Maybe it was the similarities that the two of them bore, or perhaps it was just that he had also reassured in his own strength from the begining, similar to how she did- and then grew up more as time went on.

He didn't know. But he knew he didn't love her like that- why love someone when you are so young? It was a time to discover your dreams, live happily and go shining towards the future! Stretching back against that old willow tree that himself and his Father had visited so many times with that Ponyta, his amber eyes gazed up at the night sky.

Were his friends under the same sky, wishing like he was?

Were they achieving their dreams, or...

...Ash nearly laughed at how mature he was becoming. Once the childish twelve year old, he was saddened when the bar was raised to fourteen to start a Pokemon journey. But that was okay- (for one, he was fourteen now) after Team Galactic, the people in power had a reason to worry. The world was becoming more and more dangerous, and quite frankly, scaring him to the core.

But he wouldn't back down. Not yet. Not when he had to catch up to his Father. And although his missed Dawn, Misty and everyone else, he knew that he would always remember them. Even if they would never see each other for a long time...he would always have the memories of their travels together. And yet...he didn't really have anything to remember Dawn by, aside those memoirs of a blissful childhood travel.

-Well, until now.

"Ash! Ash, are you out here?" Ash turned around, to see his Mother holding a white envelope, running toward him. Removing himself from his laid-back position against the weeping willow branches, he rotated himself to face her. He smiled lightly again.

"Hey Mom, are you okay? What's up?" The Mother turned to face her son, finally catching her breath. It was easy to tell that she was not as young as she once was- but she was still trying to stay healthy for her son's sake. She nodded finally, and handed her son the envelope.

"Your friend sent that to you. I would open it right now, if I were you. I'll be back in the house- don't stay out too late, okay?" And as those brief words were exchanged, she ran off, leaving Ash partially stunned. As he glanced at the evelope, he could tell something was inside of it. Maybe not big or anything...but something was inside of it.

Tearing the envelope open, he pulled out the object. At first feel, it was a metallic sense, with...a ribbon attached? No...it couldn't be, could it? And as it was revealed...Dawn's first ribbon. A little worn down and beaten, Ash nearly fell over from seeing it's presence for the first time. And then he noticed a small letter attached inside as well... pulling it out, he recognized the handwriting right away.

'Dear Ash,

Thank-you so much for your hat. And I didn't mind it- I wear it when I'm jogging.
Your words meant a lot to me, and I have no need to worry now either.
Take this ribbon, so at least have some memory of me, okay?
Don't forget me now! We will meet again! You, me, Brock, and everyone else!
We'll have a big party! And you will find your Father! You'd better!

-Dawn (P.S: REALLY? Buneary REALLY misses Pikachu as well ^^)

...

How did she do it?

He would try to keep that promise, but it was no guarantee. How come every time he felt lonely, she managed to make him feel better? It wasn't love or anything, but she was an incredible person. He wholeheartedly missed her, but he now felt better. And maybe one day, that big party would happen. Maybe one day, he would defeat his Father- in more ways than one.

There were so many questions he wanted answers to. So few answers, yet he felt, with those encouraging words, he could strive toward that goal. And after he had defeated who ever was in his way, maybe he could someday learn the true meaning of becoming a Pokemon Master, and what it is like to protect something with all of your heart. He was still a child, but had so much to learn about the world.

There was only one way to find out, after all.

Gripping the ribbon tightly, he looked to the stars again, smiling again.

"Thanks Dawn. We will meet again. As will we all."

The stars tonight somehow seemed to radiate more.

A/N: Whoa! That was a good two drabbles, if I do say so myself ^^ I love the friendship between these two so much. Take it as a romantic turn if you will, but that is not how I intended it to be at all ^^ We need more friendship stories on this site! It's either romance...*shiver* lemons, or death. WE NEED FRIENDSHIPPY LOVE PEOPLE! And family. And spiritual. And...*rambles* Please review!