Author's Note:

Here is the third rewrite of The Kids Are Alright. I have NOW rewritten Chapters 1, 2 and 3. I know that the time passed since I have updated has made this story stuck in the past, but I will continue to finish it, hopefully sooner rather than later.

This chapter, once again, changes POV.
Chapter 1 was Ash.
Chapter 2 was Omniscient Narrator.
And Chapter 3 is Dawn.

The italics indicate Dawn's Flashbacks. Think of it as: Daydreaming in real time with the writing. I cleaned them up and made them easier to understand. Also a good chunk of time has once again passed since Chapter 2. I hope you guys enjoy it and let me know how the rewrites are coming. Thank you.

P.S. I started writing this story around half way through the Diamond/Pearl Series, so bear with me as im writing from where I've left off.
_

February 6th Part I - Chapter 3

I awoke. The night air was humid and my mouth was dry. My mind was completely blank. For that moment, I couldn't remember a thing. Where was I? For that matter, who was I? It was an intense feeling that I couldn't explain. It felt so breathtaking. No troubles, no problems and no anguish. For those ten seconds I wasn't anyone. My arms quivered beside me but I wasn't scared. I was just a stranger, to myself.

I sat up, leaning back on my arms and I turned my head from side to side, gathering in what I could to help solve this mystery. It was early in the morning, not even the sun had risen all the way yet. The wind was cold, but the air on the ground was so warm. The tent door was slightly open and the walls fluttered gently as the morning breeze hit from the outside where it blew calmly through the soaring tree branches. The warm aroma laced itself around me and ran profoundly into its untouched home. One or two leaves drifted to the ground. But one stunning and vibrant emerald one fell next to a snoozing Pokémon trainer.

I could see him as I walked down the hill toward the river. Piplup was the one that had pointed him out to me. It was Ash. His left arm was resting underneath his head, while his hair blew gently on and off his face. His right leg was bent and stood instead of lying down like the other.

What really surprised me though was the person that lay on his right. It was May, a friend of ours who I hadn't seen since we both competed in the Wallace Cup a while ago. She lay inches away from Ash, her hands barely grasping onto his arm above her head. The cool breeze hadn't seemed to bother them much. I wondered how long they had been out here, all night could it be?

May was still lying where I had seen her last: sleeping peacefully next to me, with her Glaceon sleeping beside her. I lay my head back down next to hers. She whispered silently as she slept, brushing away the occasional lock of hair that fell on her nose.

As I watched her sleeping, those thoughts and images came back to me. I wondered how long they had been out here, all night could it be? How did they get out here in the first place, did they want to be alone? It was growing into what I feared the most. Since that day, I couldn't close my eyes without seeing them like that.

I know these kinds of feelings come from more things unsaid than what we actually say, but is there anything at all with having a boy and a girl sleeping next to each other? Why is it usually me who notices these things? She must see it too, something, anything at all. No one can be as close as they are without having something between them.

Despite everything, she's one of my friends and I shouldn't be suspicious of her. This is just giving me a lot more to think about. Maybe I was being inconsiderate. I knew I couldn't be making anything better by feeling this way. Ash is really special to us both, to everyone really.

Anyways, it was still too early to get dressed. Five or six it must've been. It couldn't have been later than that. My legs shivered and I pulled the green blanket I had around me closer. This kind of weather was not meant for us. But we would all have to make do with what we had.

My thoughts stopped for a minute and I closed my eyes. I could hear May breathing softly behind me, the sounds of the fields, the roaring of the clouds, and the distant gushing waterfall roaring from overhead. The giant water wheel turned and a single Butterfree glistened as it flew out from beneath the water and out of the falls grasp. The boat came to a stop just underneath it and a few minutes later it departed from the Sinnoh league island and returned to Sunnyshore City from where it came. The Sinnoh conference island swarmed with trainers from all across the region. I've never seen a Pokémon conference so full and overcrowded like this before.

The endless fields of grass swayed in the wind, as the shadow surrounding the cathedral that was going to house the Sinnoh conference battles walked upon the pale afternoon pastures. They were long and untamed, sitting and waiting to be cared for, adored, to achieve some sort attention- from him.

I guess my mind was wandering as well. I couldn't think about something for two seconds without having it come back to him in the end.

His mind was focused on the carelessness of the situation. Distracted long enough to grasp his mind around our mistake; a side so caring and idealistic. By the time we had noticed, we were already too far away.

I sat on the edge of the pier, dangling my legs across the edge and waving back to the fading boat. The winds were fiercer on the island. I brought my knees close to me and wrapped my arms around them, lonely minded and empty handed.

"I don't see why we couldn't have gone back with the boat. We don't have any of our things here with us. How were we supposed to know that the bags didn't belong there?"

"I'm sorry sir. But all travelers must stay on the island until further notice. The opening ceremonies of the competitions will start tomorrow and even with our most careful supervision, people still manage to get lost out here. And on top of that sir, the island is almost full and we're still weeks away from the final rounds and the Elite Four battles at that. We're at our fullest capacity. Your bags will still be there by the end of it all, I promise. With the opening ceremonies; you'll have your hands full."

"What are supposed to do until then? The Pokémon Center in Sunnyshore was even filled, what do you expect we should do here?"

Oh Ash just let it go. We'll be fine. I trust you.

"I don't know what to suggest sir. Perhaps one of your friends could let you borrow some of their equipment or wait until the PokèMart receives more supplies, until then-"

I didn't stick around to hear the rest; I wanted some peace and quiet time, so I decided to leave the pier. But as soon as I stood up, I realized I wouldn't get any peace and quiet anywhere around here for the next several weeks. I looked down and brushed with my foot the dirt from the wooden planks of the pier down into the water. They spread themselves out from where they landed and swam away into their own paths as they sank deeply into the sea.

The boards creaked under my feet as the final passenger walked off the dock. I could feel their footsteps vibrate through the pier, surging from their steps down to my own. I turned back, to stop and stare at the remaining wanderer.

He held the strap of his backpack in place with his hand. His lavender hair blew back to reveal his droning expression as his eyes frowned. He gazed in disgust at the over occupied island.

"Paul," I whispered. His eyes rolled to my direction and he walked off, mumbling something I didn't catch.

If it wasn't for the situation I was having myself, I would've frowned at his constant grumbling but now I found myself agreeing with him. I was hoping this could've been a more private place for us.

Shaking his head, Paul walked off the dock; in desperation, to the only people in his sight who I think he knew: Ash and Brock. "Hey, do you two have any idea what the situation is around here?" He asked them.

We were in the exact same position as you Paul. Emptyhanded, on our own, without knowledge of our surroundings and in the midst of the hundreds of sleeping Pokémon trainers whose undertone crept around us like a distressing and calming haze.

They woke me from my dream. Their shoes squished underneath the morning dew of the grasses just outside the tent. Everyone else was starting to wake up by now. If they hadn't woke me up, it would've still been yesterday.

I had slept in my traveling clothes last night. I didn't even want to take off my hat and scarf. It was cold whenever the wind blew and shook the tent. I missed the beaches of Sunnyshore. At least they had a beach to enjoy. This island had nothing but cliffs all around. It wasn't very pretty at all. Besides the long grass, thick forests, crazy weather and frightening cathedral, it just didn't seem at all like a celebration would take place here later tonight. The opening ceremonies, it was so much to think of.

I didn't want to open my eyes but I finally did. The light from the sun was now coming in through the thin walls around us. No one would be out right now; maybe we could get some training in before breakfast; if we could find breakfast that is. Ash and I had a lot of training to do. We'd taken the last few days off but now we really had to buckle down.

Even though I was wishing for the thought to disappear on its own, I was hoping May would join us too, if she wanted. I knew she had a lot of preparing to do. With all of her previous experiences in the Grand Festival, I hoping she could give me some advice to help me out. I told her all about how I was able to get my fifth and final ribbon and how the Grand Festival here was just around the corner. I wondered about her, if she was able to make it to Grand Festival in Johto. That's how it all started.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," she said happily. I was glad she had come over to keep me company. I was starting to feel more relaxed. "Ash's battles are coming soon and I couldn't miss out on watching him battle. Also I thought I'd try out for the contests here in the Sinnoh region."

"What about your contests in Johto?" I asked her.

"Oh, those are in the past Dawn. I did get my five ribbons, but I wasn't able to win at the Grand Festival again."

"Oh, so you're going to try your luck at the Sinnoh contests now huh? The contests here are different from the ones in Kanto and Johto you know."

"Yeah I know, I mean I've been thinking about our match at the Wallace Cup Dawn and to tell you the truth, I was lucky enough to even be runner-up."

I stared at her in bewilderment. "What are you talking about May, if anyone was lucky, it was me. I mean, going up against such an experienced coordinator like you,"

She smiled. "Dawn, that day you really gave me a battle that I'll never forget. I wouldn't be surprised if you actually went all the way to the top in the Sinnoh Grand Festival this year."

"You really think so May? It's only my first one."

"Yeah, I really think you have what it takes to go all the way and I'll be here to help you out until you get there." She smiled again. She really had a way of making any one smile; her and Ash both.

"Thanks May," I smiled back. I never felt like I trusted someone as much as I did her at that moment. I was getting this strange feeling that I usually only got around one other person. "Um actually... I have a one more thing that I was hoping to talk to you about May."

"Oh yeah, what is it Dawn?"

"It's just that," I gently bit my lip, "that night, were you and Ash really so wiped out that you guys couldn't make it back to the camp site?"

She blushed, "Oh um, well we found each other down at the Pokémon Center and we just sorta caught up and I guess sleep must've hit us pretty hard and we just slept under that tree where you found us, that's all."

"Oh, so I bet you guys had lots of fun that night right?" I noticed she turned her face away from me as I said that, her lips twisted and her face, deeply colored, glowed in the sun. "Since we last saw each other, lots of things have changed." I quickly said, "I wouldn't be surprised if you guys spent the whole night talking."

"Oh, yeah," she looked back at me, studying me carefully before she replied "Yeah, we talked a lot" she smiled again.

"Or why May, did something else happen between you and Ash?" I teased.

"No, No, No," she shook her hands nervously, "we talked and just camped out under the stars that's it. It was really beautiful and really unlike Ash too."

"Yeah, doesn't sound like Ash does it? Did you ask him to or-"

"No, it was his idea." May stood up and leaned against the railing, overlooking the island cliffs beside me. As I looked over at her, her eyes weren't concentrating on our conversation anymore. They seemed cloudy, as if they were looking back, remembering almost, as if having a life of their own. "He just looked out the window and said let's go outside. We stayed out there and fell asleep." She said softly.

"His idea," I whispered. "I never would've guessed-"

"God, everyone around here is useless!"

I tensed up. His voice sounded closer than I thought it was. We looked back and Paul walked back angrily toward where I had saw him get off the boat earlier. He walked with his head down as he sulked; his violet hair covered most of his rugged face.

"What's his problem?" May asked surprised.

"He's usually like that May," I sighed.

He looked up at us, frowning. "I won't even bother asking you two."

"About what?" May asked him, confused.

"On what the deal around here is exactly. There's no room at the Pokémon Center and everyone is crowding around out here."

"The trainers are all taking the best camping spots for tonight," I told him. "Since they can't exactly crowd everyone into the Pokémon Center here."

"I know that," He snapped, "poorly organized crap if you asked me."

I could feel my face tightening and my forehead warming with beads of frustration. Why did he have to be like this? "Why, didn't you bring a tent Paul?" I asked him.

"Of course I brought a tent. I'm always prepared. Why, didn't you?"

"Uh not exactly," May replied, scratching the back of her head anxiously. "We kinda lost our luggage."

"How pathetic" he sneered. "I guess you guys are on your own now."

He turned his back toward us. Paul walked a few steps to the railing of the boarding plank, when suddenly he stopped and looked at us. I didn't recognize him then for that moment; the unwholesome atmosphere around his pupils had disappeared, replaced with an almost sympathetic quality radiating from his violet eyes.

"How could you two stand being around them?" he asked "They're both so childish."

He meant Ash and Brock. I admit, the situation was childish, but it wasn't their entire fault, it was all of ours. He always blamed everything on them. Paul should take a good hard look at himself once in a while. "Hey, they're our friends and we'd stick by them no matter what. Besides we all lost our luggage. It's not their fault." He was really starting to get on my nerves.

"Hmph," He turned away from us again. His head turned toward the ocean and his hair sparkled up against his cheek. For a second, he could almost be handsome.

"You know Paul, what you could really use is a girlfriend. Maybe that would soften you up."

"What?" His eyes were wide, confused with disgust. That's the reaction I wanted from him. I smirked at him and out of spontaneity, I kept at it.

"I bet if you got one kiss from a girl who really liked you, I bet you'd change your mind." I winked at him.

"Oh please, I-"

"Hey Paul!" Ash yelled. He and Brock were running up to meet us.

"Wonderful," Paul sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets as Ash ran up to him.

"Why'd you run off like that?" Ash asked him, stopping in front of him to catch his breath.

"Pika Pikachu," Pikachu tensely questioned him as well from Ash's shoulder.

"Because all of you are getting me nowhere fast,"

Ash sighed, a silence burst out from them both as their eyes met each other's. "Hey, you know, you've still got all of your stuff together; maybe... you could help us out?" Ash suggested. It was a long shot; I doubted Paul would ever try and help us.

"Why would I do that?" He looked over at May and I. His scowl disappeared, his eyes lightened and the creases of his frown relaxed to smooth his skin. The look I had seen before had come back again. "Well," he began, "what's your guy's problem anyhow? Did you manage to lose all of your stuff?"

"Yeah that's it," Ash nervously chuckled, "and we were wondering-"

"Here," he threw his backpack towards us, landing at our feet. "I can survive the night. I can understand if you guys can't. Besides, the girls shouldn't have to suffer because you guys are irresponsible." Before we could look up from where the bag had dropped, he had already left.

"Uh, Thanks Paul" Ash stammered, bending over to pick up the backpack. "I wasn't expecting that...What exactly did we say to convince him again?"

"I don't think we said anything really," Brock replied.

"No," I sighed. I caught the sight of him as we walked on. He was still watching us, with a blunt look in his eyes but a considerate striking look on the rest of his face. Paul didn't say anything else to us since then and when he realized I was looking at him, he bent down and disappeared once again. "We didn't say a thing."

That was yesterday. It all happened yesterday actually. I still can't believe Paul did that for us. In just yesterday, we had left Sunnyshore City and arrived on the island, lost our luggage, watched as Paul came to help us for the first time and survived the first of many nights here; so much already.

And that night, last night, for the first time in a long time we were all together. The four of us and our Pokémon were curled up together. I was drifting in and out of sleep as I continued thikning. So I stayed awake, watching my friends as they slept comfortably.

Brock had curled up at our feet. His Happiny woke during the night, whimpering and nudging into his arm. Brock woke up and hugged her closely and she didn't fuss anymore. May was lying behind me. She had released her Glaceon from her Pokèball and was sleeping next to her. And Ash was snoring peacefully in front of me; his arms were wrapped around Pikachu. Pikachu was fidgeting all through the night. Ash must've had his arms around him too tight. I guess Pikachu had the same thought as I did: perhaps on any other night, except for this one; it would have been a dream to be in his arms.

Why did every train of thought have to end with him? This was becoming unbearable. What I thought I do, right at that moment, I would tell him how I felt about him and that would be it. And then maybe we could all rest easier. Or at least maybe I would.

I started to get up so I could tell him. But I stopped myself, inches away from what I thought was his shoulder. I didn't wake him. I just lay back down. It didn't occur to me that if I would've told him, it really wouldn't have made much of a difference.

I'd tried yesterday but, somehow or another, I didn't make much of an impression. Sometimes I can be really cheerful when I want to, but when something's really bothering me, I get nervous and shy. All of us have our worries; and we probably still do. But I couldn't help wanting to overcome this one. I didn't now, if you really want to know.

I lay back down and pulled my arm out from under me. I rolled over and clicked the side button on my Pokètch to the clock application. Three minutes to seven, it said. 6:57. I thought as soon as it was seven, I'd get up and look for breakfast. Maybe the Pokémon Center would decide to give out food to the visitors or maybe there would be berries growing on some of the trees around here. I usually never ate much, but just thinking about it made me really hungry.

I didn't think about food too much after that. I knew I'd probably have to wait until Ash, Brock and May woke up so we could go out and search. Not that I couldn't go on my own but I'd prefer having everyone there, if case we did find something we could all share.

The cold winds were starting to die down. I didn't remember until now that it was probably colder than it was yesterday because of the rain storm last night. It wasn't as brutal where we were as it was on other parts of the island. While I was staying up, I could see the lightning come down from the clouds and hit the trees on the other side of the island; while all we got was a light drizzle.

I felt really bad for the people out there. There were most likely other trainers stuck just like us. Now that I think back though, it didn't even seem as though it would rain yesterday. The weather around here was unpredictable. The sky could've been blue or grey and then the next day there would be a huge snow storm that covered everything as far as I could see.

But I'd probably just hadn't paid any attention to the sky or anything. I was still slightly worried. After Paul gave us his things we just wandered around, wondering what to do next. "What are we going to do now that our bags are gone?" I remembered saying. "We have none of our supplies, none of our food...none of my clothes." I figured I was the one who was killing herself most over our missing stuff. Maybe it hadn't hit them as fast as it did me, but everything of ours was gone. It's as if we walked out of the house without any shoes on.

"Piplup," he sighed, his wings gently wrapped around my head.

"We'll figure something out Dawn." Brock responded.

"Yeah but Brock we don't even have our sleeping bags," Ash said to him, "just the blankets they let us have from the boat...and the stuff Paul let us have." He took off his hat, carefully rotating it around through his fingers. He smiled before he put his hat back on his head. "Other than that, we're really going to have to rough it out here these next few days."

Ash had already checked Paul's bag. There was a tent, some Pokémon food, a map of the island and some other odds and ends Paul had come across on his journey. The supplies, other than the tent and map, would probably last us less than a few days.

"We could always get food from the Pokémon Center," Brock stared back at the building just above the caverns of Victory Road, which loomed in the shadow of the battle conference palace. "But who really knows if there will be enough for everyone."

"No need to worry," May smiled at us. "I always keep one or two extra little snacks in my pack." Hey, that's what I usually said. May seemed to be the optimistic one today. She dug around at her pack that she held around her waist, stopping with a look of shock on her face. "Uh..."

"What is it May?" I asked her.

"Is chewing gum and my last chocolate chip cookie good for the entire week?" she chuckled timidly.

I sighed, grinning at her amusing effort. "It was a nice try May, I guess it's the thought that really counts." I assured her.

"Yeah, thanks anyway" Ash came in between us, resting his arms on our shoulders. "Uh hey May, now that you mention it, can I have that cookie?"

"No way, Ash Ketchum, this is my cookie." She slipped out of his arms and ran off. Pikachu leapt off of Ash's shoulder and onto mine as he ran off in pursuit.

"You said you would share!"

"No I didn't!"

"Hey you two, don't wander off!" Brock yelled out to them.

"Pika Pika Pi!"

"We won't!" was their reply.

I watched as Ash desperately made a grab for the cookie but missed, rolling on the grass next to a hill that overlooked us.

"Come on Ash, you'll have to try harder than that." May giggled, teasingly waving the cookie in front of him.

"No fair, you're cheating!" He growled lightly.

"How am I cheating?"

"You know chasing anyone around a hill is hard, climbing up and down; it's a tough workout."

"I think you're just getting lazy Ash Ketchum," She stuck her tongue out at him.

"I'll show you lazy, gimmie that cookie!"

Look at those two, I thought. They were both so comfortable running around after each other. It was just a cookie. But then again, was it really about the cookie?

Ash made another grab for the cookie but his arms wrapped around May's waist and he pulled her to the ground. They rolled down the hill, with May landing on top of him, again.

"Ash, are you ok?" she asked him.

He opened his eyes "Yeah," he nodded, "Where's the cookie?" He sat up, looking to his sides as May got off of him and sat on her knees at the edge of the hill.

Ash stood up and looked down, searching for the wayward cookie on the ground. I started to giggle. "There it is," I said. The cookie was crushed on his back; crumbs flickered down his jacket as it slid down to the ground.

"Aw man," he sighed, picking the cookie flakes off his back, "after all that trouble." He lay back down on the grass. Pikachu leapt down onto his chest. Ash had a smile on his face, almost as if the cookie hadn't meant anything to him at all.

As he lay back down, a sharp beam of light hit my eye. My hands went up instantly to cover my face. The heat of the light died down and I peeked through my fingers. It came from the very top of the hill.

The reflection was coming from a metal pipe, holding in between it a pair of swings. Further away a smallish playground loomed in the foreground. It looked incredibly enchanting and hypnotic; before I really knew what was happening, I was racing to the top of the hill.

"Piplup?" He jumped down from my head and watched as I climbed up the grassy hill.

"I'll race you to the top Piplup!" I yelled back to him.

At the very top is where they all were. Suddenly it brought back memories of Twinleaf Town. The areas that went unexplored before my friends and I discovered them, and the question that we asked each other: Who put them there in the first place and would they be there forever?

Once we had found a secret playground that was hiding in the trees and vines just on the edge of Lake Verity; our very own playground for us to play on. The one back home was far away, but this one was just as amazing.

In the middle, was a jungle gym that reached just over my head. Though, I could've sworn they used to make them much bigger. Honey shaded picnic tables rested underneath a pair of trees and a pair of strawberry colored swings were waving to us on the left.

They were the ones I wanted. I ran happily and jumped onto the nearest swing that I could. My knees grazed across the seat, and I quickly grabbed the rope at my sides. I held my balance and the rush of energy I had pushed me forward.

"Piplup, Piplup!" Piplup jumped up and down on the ground next to me as he finished racing to the top. He wanted his own chance to enjoy the ride. I stopped and picked him up, holding him close as I sat back down. I closed my eyes and gently rocked us back and forth.

"Isn't this fun Piplup?"

"Piplup, Piplup" He happily raised his wings.

"Hey Dawn, wait for us!" I heard May call out. I hadn't realized that they were following me.

"Wait Dawn," I heard Ash yell out unexpectedly. "Don't move!"

"Huh, why Ash?" I tensed up and waited for whatever was coming. I swear when I felt his hands on my back, I nearly jumped out of the swing.

"Hang on," he said. Inch by inch we rose higher and higher. The wind pressed against my nose, sending my hair falling over my eyes every time I went backward. His hands still remained on my back, "You looked like you could use a push." He said chuckling.

"This is so much fun," I told him through bursts of laughter. I could see the entire island whenever I swung forward. All of the dense undergrowth of the forest, the grassy meadows and the rocky cliffs.

I noticed that on any open field, any that I could find, I could see every other trainer already beginning to train. I knew that most of them had only just arrived on the island with us today and it was getting later by the minute. One attack followed another, before a quick change of strategy for a well rounded Pokémon practice battle.

I wondered why they couldn't just wait until tomorrow. They had the whole day tomorrow to practice. From what I had heard from the island director on the docks, the opening ceremonies weren't until tomorrow evening and the battles would take place shortly the morning after. In a way I suppose, time was against them all, against Paul, and against Ash.

"Hey, Dawn, May, Brock, look at us!"

"Pika Pika!"

"Huh?" I looked up. Ash and Pikachu had climbed to the top of the jungle gym and were balancing themselves as they walked across the poles that ran over the entire thing. What was he doing up there? Shouldn't he be training? He could get hurt.

"Ash, be careful!" May called out to him.

"Don't worry May, I got it under control." He assured her, waving her off casually. She just shook her head.

Ash didn't seem too worried about not training. He was having the time of his life up there. I don't think it was anyone else but us who weren't training. I bet the other trainers could probably see us; we were on the highest hill around here. I wondered, what did they think of us, did they think we were amateurs for coming up here in the first place? None of us seemed to think so. We were having fun.

"Ash, you want to help me out?" Brock called to him. He had pulled out one of the small portable maps that Paul had in his backpack. It showed the entire island and all of its landmarks.

"I'll be right down Brock." Ash replied. He jumped off, landing in the sand below on his knees and ran over to one of the picnic tables where Brock was sitting and helped him unfold the map. Pikachu leapt off his shoulder to the table, as the three of them peered down at the map.

Brock took turns between looking at the map and the island. "If we hurry," he said earnestly, "we could still manage to a get a good spot before everyone else settles down for the night."

Ash looked up at him, "But Brock what about food for tomorrow and everything else?"

"We should focus on tonight first Ash, I mean we've just got here, let's take it slow."

"Yeah but what about the girls, they'll be hungry by tomorrow."

"We'll think of something Ash, don't worry." Brock assured him, without a gesture of doubt in his voice.

"Okay," Ash sighed, his sense of urgency fell on deaf ears.

I listened to them bicker as I sat in the swing, this time about the campsite. Ash finally mentioned his need to train before tomorrow and suggested a clean and open field next to the campsite. Brock agreed but advised him not get his hopes up, in case all of the spots were taken by now.

During some point in time while I was listening to them, May came by and sat in the swing next to mine. I hadn't noticed. She wanted to talk more, I could tell. "Hey Dawn?" she said, looking over at me, but I still didn't look. I didn't really want to. Through the corner of my eye I could see her looking back and forth between Ash and I.

"Dawn," she said again tugging on my shirt.

Finally I looked over at her. I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. "What is it May?" I said.

"Are you ok? You've been staring at Ash and Brock for awhile now." May was giving me a really long glance. All I could do was just look back at her, not knowing what to say or how to explain myself at all.

"Um, yeah, I was just thinking, again."

"You still worried about what's going to happen the next few days?"

"No, I know we'll be ok." I smiled at her and she smiled back.

We gently swayed in our swings together for a while longer. She really wanted to know why I was staring at the boys for so long, but she didn't get too far. Finally Ash and Brock stood up, Brock seemed content but Ash looked exhausted. His hands were grasping at his hat and hair.

Brock just smiled, and put a hand on Ash's shoulder and said to him something that I couldn't hear. Ash nodded and pushed his hair away from his face, he looked slightly better. At least there was another genuine smile back on his face.

"Hey May, Dawn, " Brock waved to us, "Ash and I found a spot to stay for the night, we're heading over there now!"

"Ok Brock, we're coming!" May stood up; dusting off her lap and quickly running her hands down her legs and back up. "Come on Dawn, let's go."

"Oh yeah, ok I'm coming." I stood up and followed them. Brock picked up Paul's backpack that Ash had left by the jungle gym and strolled down the hill; May ran and caught up with him, following him close behind.

"So how far is this place you guys found?" She asked him curiously.

"Not too far," Brock answered, "it's just past the bottom of the hill, next to the entrance of Victory Road. We couldn't really find any other open fields close by. "

I started after them. I hadn't taken more than a few steps when I noticed that Ash wasn't following. When I turned back he was still sitting down. He stood up and stretched when he noticed I was looking at him, hoping to make it seem as if he was on his way.

I knew something was still up about him. I laced my fingers behind my back and casually walked up to him. I don't why but as I approached him closer, I started getting really nervous again. Whenever the wind blew, I began to shiver uncontrollably.

I stood next to him. I was going to ask him if he was coming with us or not but my mind went blank. I was standing with my mouth open, not knowing what to say. Ash probably thought I had something really astounding to say, but when nothing came to mind, it only made him laugh.

"The breeze up here, sure feels good, doesn't it Dawn?" he said.

"Yeah, it sure does Ash," I replied, trying to hide the fact that I was still shivering. "Are- are you coming with us to the campsite or-?" My words tripped and stumbled across my lips. I was really nervous. I didn't know why.

"Yeah, I was just coming." He nodded gradually, "Hey Dawn, are you ok? I mean, how are you feeling, is everything good?"

"Oh yeah, everything's fine Ash, thank you," He was just as nervous as I was. I doubted that it could've been over the same reason, although I really hoped it was. "Come on, we'd better-Ahh!" The reflection hit me without warning and blinded me for a second. My hands shot up to protect my eyes. I cried in shock, rubbing my fists into my eyes hoping to get the feeling away. How many times was this going to happen today I thought?

"Dawn what- Ahh Hey! What is that?" The brightness hit him too. I was still rubbing my eyes but I felt him digging around next to my legs.

"What are you doing Ash?" Red little triangles floated in and out of my eyes. As they started to fade, Ash made a short cry of achievement.

"I got it!" As he lifted up his hand, I could see pinched between his fingers, a really beautiful shimmering sapphire colored stone. Someone must've dropped it. I couldn't believe that something so beautiful could be found, just like that.

"Oh wow Ash, it's so pretty."

"Do you like it Dawn?"

"Yeah," I nodded in reply "I wish I would've found it."

"Well- you did, if the light hadn't hit your eye, then I wouldn't have picked it up. I think you should keep it."

"No Ash, it's yours really."

"Uh... Well alright," He grinned. "But if you insist that it's mine, then I can do whatever I want with it and I want to give it to you."

"Ash, but-"

"Here Dawn," He put the rock in my hand and gently closed my fingers around it, his own fingers wrapped around mine. "It's a gift for you. I usually never give my friends gifts, except for maybe on holidays."

"Thank you." I sighed, smiling to myself, opening my hand to see the stone glitter in the sunlight. Its beams of sapphire light glowed onto our cheeks.

"You're welcome, don't lose it," He told me.

I looked at him, "How come?"

"In case something ever happened, at least you would still have one thing that I gave to you." He shrugged, looking down he noticed he still had his hands over mine, quickly he let them go. His mouth was slightly open. "Uh..." He hesitated.

I smiled and quickly I said, "Okay, I won't. I promise I won't Ash, thanks." This was unlike him; first it was his and May's late night venture and now this. Even though it was just a rock, it was very pretty and it was from him. I'll treasure it forever. I still have it too.

He nodded, "You're welcome Dawn." He sighed happily, his hand grasped at the back of his head, before he gently stuck them into his pockets. His hair blew back against him as he stared out toward the sea. Little points of blue were in his eyes from the light of the ocean.

Suddenly, his eyes darted to the ground, and he knelt down. His fingertips dug into the small gravel patches where we found the stone. He picked up a gravel piece and examined it closely. "Not even close," He whispered and he threw it across his shoulder.

I watched him for a little; he kept picking up a different rock and throwing it back each time. "Hey Ash," I asked him, "what are you doing?"

He picked up another rock, "Looking to see if there's another stone like yours, nope." He threw that one too.

"Oh," How odd. Why would he be looking for another one? I thought it was just for me.

Ash looked up at me, as if he had read my mind. I wasn't sure if I had said that out loud or not. I could feel my face beginning to light up. "But it's not because I want one for myself Dawn." He answered as he picked up another.

"Oh... who's it for then, May? She'd want a red one...or maybe a green one." I wasn't too sure which color was May's favorite. "Do you know which is May's favorite color Ash?"

"Well, actually..." He began, but then he stopped. "Um, yeah she would want a red one."

"Actually what, was it for someone else?"

"No, I just wanted to see if yours was the only one that looked like that, the only one of its kind." He stood up and opened my palm again, gently caressing the stone in my hand with the tip of his finger.

This- this was probably one of his ways of telling me, of telling me how special I was to him. How he sets me apart from everyone else and how we need each other. This was as good as any chance to tell him, I knew I had to take my shot and quickly. I wanted to say, 'Ash, you don't how much you mean to me. I know you mean a lot to everyone, but I care about you in a different way, a special way.'

But instead, all that came out was, "Ash… You didn't have to."

"I wanted to Dawn, I really did." I could feel him start to reach for my hand again. I could sense the warmth from his body come around me as I closed my eyes. I had to; I just had to tell him.

"Hey you Slowpokes, come on! Don't get left behind."

"We're coming May!" I heard him yell back. "Come on Dawn, it's starting to get dark, we should hurry."

When I opened my eyes he was gone. He was on his way down to meet Brock and May. This time I was the one left behind.

"Hey look!" I heard May shout, her hand shot out of her pack and into the air. "I still have another cookie left!"

"That one's mine this time May!"

"No it isn't Ash!"

I traced their movements as they chased each other back and forth toward the campsite. When I thought I could finally walk again, from the numbness and disillusionment that my body had felt, I followed them down.

Every time I thought I had made a small step, she leapt forward and overtook me. I guess in some competitions I'd have the upper hand but in this one, she was clearly the winner.

Sometimes, as I look down, down towards where everyone is training and running around with their Pokémon, training and competing against each other, I still look back toward the hill. The one with the swings and everything. And every day is just like then, the sun, the sky and everything is like yesterday. But since then I've seen no one else go up there. We were the only ones.

My Pokètch beeped. It was seven o'clock already. Because I promised myself I would, I got up and stretched. This time I would wake Ash up, but not for the reason that I really wanted to wake him for.

I reached across and tapped him on the shoulder, only while I was trying to wake him I was thinking about something else. Yesterday actually, when I was in the swing and his arms were pushing me higher and higher. They couldn't have worked without the other. At least for that moment; we did need each other. We really did. That was something.

I don't really feel too good talking about him like this anymore. Maybe this would be the end of my constant fixation with him. Maybe I would give him up to May this time. Maybe I would let them be happy. And maybe, time and the island would heal all wounds. Maybe, just maybe though.

The hesitant feeling I had came around again. I sat up and noticed it wasn't Ash's shoulder I was tapping. It wasn't anyone's shoulder really. He wasn't there and neither was Brock. They weren't there. They were nowhere to be found.

The tent wall fluttered and the door flew open as it once did before and the mist of the waterfall blew in and tickled my face. Far away, the sun would awaken the rest of the stranded competitors from their beds, caught in the shadows of the dark cathedral of the Sinnoh Conference.