The sun had already started to shine on the Hoenn region. While some people had started their day to day activities, a young girl with brown hair was still deep asleep in her bed.

Checking her surroundings she saw that everything was still there. Her blue haired roommate was up since her bed was empty and all her belongings gone. Her own stuff still in the right place from the night before May noticed there was something off. Right next to her fanny pack was a green envelop with her name on it. Interested in the small piece of paper she tore the letter open and read the note inside it.

"Hi May darling,

It's me! You favorite Cacturne dressed Coordinator!"

"Well. What better way to start the morning?" Her voice dripping with sarcasm. May would rather wake up finding out there's no food than seeing something related to the unfriendly Coordinator. Still she continued to read it out interest. What did he want from her?

Maybe finally an apology.

"You might be wondering why exactly why I always made things difficult for you. Well, It's because I'm crushing on you for the longest time."

It was a good thing her stomach was empty because the need to gag started to become prevalent over the brunette. The more lines she read the more disturbed she became. Every line a sweet remark in a vague attempt to woo her. Her complete dislike for him overpowering anything positive that might come from him.

"Lots of love from me. I want my kiss next time I see you."

"I'm still dreaming cause this is a nightmare!" Pinching herself on the cheek she felt it hurt. Rubbing her eyes she noted a messy hand writing at the bottom compared to the other text in the letter.

"PS: That's for making fun of me and Dawn. ^_^"

A vein started to pop on her forehead. Furious someone would leave a love letter addressed to her signed with a name of a guy she hated. And May knew exactly who to look for to take her anger out on.

"Ash Ketchum!"

Her yell echoed through the Pokémon Center. Hearing it while Ash was still busy eating his breakfast, he stopped for a minute and showed Dawn a grin. Apparently he planned for her to wake up like this. Dawn had no idea what he planned so was dying to know his little prank and why he asked her to leave early that her friend would be left alone.

"Remember that guy Harley? The one May beat in the Grand Festival?"

Telling her about all the times during his journey with the brunette how many times he tried to double cross her. Even going as far to borrowing his Pokémon to a fellow competitor just to make sure May wouldn't qualify for a Grand Festival. Dawn commented he was a pretty evil guy to do things like that.

"Not as evil as the prank I played on her." Going into details Dawn and Piplup couldn't believe he thought up something like that.

"You did what?!"

On Dawn's cue May stormed inside the cafeteria where the couple was having breakfast. May 's face was more red than the outfit she used to wear in her Hoenn journey. Slamming her hands on the table she caused a scene in the cafeteria. Scolding him for his cruel prank Dawn started to take pity on Ash. Surely May deserved a bit of payback for her teasing but Dawn needed to bail Ash out before things would escalate between the two of them.

"We got breakfast for you." Taking the brunette out of her tirade May sat down and devoured the contents on the plate still annoyed. Being angry this early in the morning would make you hungry.

Seemingly calmed down a bit May listened to Ash's apology. The brunette realized she might have gone a bit overboard.

"No. I got what was coming. I shouldn't have teased you that much." Hindsight is twenty twenty. When May would get a boyfriend of her own one day than her little brother Max would provide all the teasing she could handle. Guess even a nice guy like Ash had his limits.

"I'm still sorry." Ash again apologized.

"You got me good though." His prank clearly had the desired effect.

"If he addressed it as Drew I might've believed it." It's been forever since May has seen her first real rival. His little rose giving may have been charming at first but May discovered it was just his way of motivating her.

"It's fine. Just don't do anything like that ever again." He took May's warning to heart. The trio ate in peace and eventually left the Pokémon Center going to the harbor area in Lilycove City.

"So what's going to be your next move?" Dawn wanted to know what May's next step was going to be. What would be the next step for someone who is a Top Coordinator?

"I'm going back home to Petalburg City. I'm going to recharge a bit and then set out for the Contest circuit in Sinnoh."

May hadn't gone through Sinnoh yet for her Contests. Knowing that Dawn came from Sinnoh May knew there were a whole bunch of top class Coordinators waiting for her there. Because the next time a Wallace Cup came up and Lisia would enter, she will be the one to win the Wallace ribbon.

"My home region. You're going to love it there." Dawn told May there were so many places she had to visit as a fellow Coordinator. Going down the list May made a mental note to visit them all. Only having visited a small batch before, this time it was the turn for the whole region.

"Good luck May." It was nice to see his old companion again. May hasn't changed all too much since the last time they met in Sinnoh.

"Thanks Ash. You take care too." Forever thanking the boy who showed her how great Pokémon really are. If you told her younger self she would turn out to be one of the best trainers in an area of raising them she would've laughed and waved it off. Maybe one day she would gather up the courage to tell him and her family the truth.

"Thanks for all the hours in Pallet Town." Training with the pair was a lot of fun for her. Picking all sort of new hints and tricks from Ash's Pokémon at the lab she might incorporate in her future appeals. Ash was the base for her style when May started taking Contests seriously. Developing her own style since then May still went back to the core when needed.

"You'll watch out for them Pikachu?" The small mouse jumped from Ash's shoulder and nuzzled with May. She was going to miss the small Pokémon. Ash and him were inseparable since day one. Awful memories of Team Rocket trying to steal his best friend again resurfaced. Thanking her lucky stars she didn't run into them again.

The ferry that would set sail to Petalburg City sounded it's horn. The time to say goodbye, for now.

"That's my ride. Guess I really have to go now." Sad she had to leave Ash and Dawn behind again. Putting Pikachu in his rightful place on Ash's shoulder. But knowing that one day they will meet again. It only was a question of when.

"Take care you two!" Running trying to catch it, she hoped to have just made it.

"No need to worry! We will!" Yelling after the running brunette May made it just in time. The ferry slowly made its way to the horizon with May waving goodbye to her friends. After the brunette disappeared from view there was a new a question lingering in their minds.

"So what now?" Dawn mastered Mega Evolution, the Wallace Cup is over and the couple were at a crossroads. Neither have thought that far ahead yet. The Wallace Cup and Mega Lopunny issues resolved what was there to do now? Ash extremely nervous decided to take the plunge.

"You want to compete in one?"

"In what?" Confused what her boyfriend meant he told her what he meant.

"May told me about Double Contests."

"Of course!" Dawn yelled filled with enthusiasm. The response shook him a bit. If she was this excited why didn't she ask him sooner? A question he did ask her.

"I didn't want to bother you with that till later. One thing at a time Ash." Dawn told him that she wanted to concentrate on Mega Lopunny first before thinking about her future plans. Speaking of future plans.

"What's your next journey?" Ash asked Dawn. Again a separation or was it possible to stay together a bit longer?

"I want to stay in Hoenn." Dawn made her plans known. After her loss against the Contest Idol yesterday Dawn already had made up her mind.

"Even if I got a good start with Mega Lopunny I still want to compete in Contests with more Mega Pokémon. Hoenn is a region I haven't travelled through yet and I want to see what kind of Pokémon live here." The work of a top Coordinator is never done it seems. Eager to put her name on the Grand Festival trophy here.

"What about you?" Raising his head looking to the sky, Ash didn't know yet.

"Let's do the Double Contest first. After that I might see what might come my way."

No new region. No new challenge. For a lack of a better term he was stuck. He would love to be travelling with Dawn again but what was there to do for him after they competed in the Double Contest? Already collected all the badges there was not much to do for now.

"If it makes you feel better, I know something we can do now." Both arms crossed behind her back she leaned forward a bit with a big smile on her face. He'd seen that expression before and was instantly hooked.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Again. I appreciate all the time you gave up for me. So how about I treat you to dinner?" Not one to say no to food there was something contradicting in Ash's brain.

"Isn't it the guy's job to buy dinner for his girl?" Dawn smirked at the end of that line.

"His girl. He actually called me his girl!" More than clear she had him hook, line and sinker. Deserving a better reward just for knowing common courtesy. The raven haired boy was all new to this but the blue haired girl knew he was really trying to master this whole dating thing with her.

On their way to the restaurant Dawn held Ash's hand walking through town. Since the spilling of their relationship in the dressing room for the Wallace Cup, the hiding of it made little sense. Surely someone would spill the beans sooner or later so the girl might as well go for it.

"Uh Dawn? What about our agreement?" From reading his face Dawn could tell he was nervous. Not feeling comfortable enough yet to do this in public with her. Realizing she might've rushed it, she let him go and apologized. Reminding herself of her mother's words that while in a relationship compromises had to be made. If Ash wasn't ready yet then she just had to bring up the patience needed.

"We've got the time. I hope." But Dawn was also fearing the moment they would be apart again. Spending these last few weeks training with Ash and exploring the relationship's limits were some of the best yet. But Dawn wanted to know more and see just how far she could take it without him being too uncomfortable.

So during dinner they made the starting steps for Dawn's Hoenn journey. They would take the ferry to Slateport City and from there take another one to Dewford Town. The small island village was going to be the scene of Dawn's next shot at winning her first Ribbon in Hoenn. After that another ferry to the mainland and through Rustboro City where the Double Contest will be held. This gave Ash the time to brush up on his appeals and coordinate his and Dawn's acts simultaneously.

After that?

Ash hoped he would find something to do after his Double Contest with Dawn. Preferably while still travelling with her afterwards.

For now they'll just enjoy the time they have left. And making every moment count was exactly what they would do.

So the first multi chapter story I finished. The end of an era.

And all because I wanted Dawn to have a Mega Pokémon for the next big tale I've got planned. I've already got Ash's part all figured out. He just needs to wait a bit longer.

Now to get working on the sequel. OC's in particular. I need a fair bunch for what I've got in store.

With GS ball unlocked I wrote myself in a couple of corners leaving scenario's for plot twists as plot holes considering the powers I'm giving him in that in the long run. Anyway I need some time to get some things in order and finish up the storyboard. And to make a buffer for a few chapters. So it will take some time before you see that one appear.

See you around, eventually.