A/N: Ah, sorry for not updating as quickly. I wasn't quite sure where I wanted this chapter to go. I'll definitely try to make improvements in the future, like when it comes to planning things out and grammar. If you have any in depth questions or suggestions, feel free to message me. I could actually use the advice. Anyway, enjoy!

pkmnshipfan: Thanks for the input! Hopefully you'll like this chapter. Oh, I'm also glad you mentioned Eevee. I would've totally forgotten!
Nhame: Nice of you to stop by!
Berry-chan: Glad you liked the previous chappy! It'd be harder for Dawn to get Cynthia, but maybe you'll enjoy the bit in this chapter?
CladInPink: Ha, Steven is necessary for now but that'll definitely change in the future!
Magmarashi: Oh, your comments mean a lot, thanks. I try to write so that you can visualize it, so I'm glad you think so.
Sora-Hikari: I don't watch the show anymore either so my knowledge of Zoey comes mostly from fan stuff. And contests are a little iffy but I'll give it a try anyway.
darkness fear: Well, thanks for deciding to review! It's nice to be appreciated.
Hello Moto: Thank you for saying that! I strive to write the characters properly.
Dux: Ack, thanks for pointing that out! And this chapter is more character interaction than anything, so drama is aplenty. Oh, and I actually think writing Fantina is super fun.
Regret: Lol. You really are a total fan-girl, aren't you?
Yasetsu: Funny thing is, I never really liked Togepi! Uh, but thanks for reviewing.
Joukai: You are the awesomest person ever. I know I'm really careless when I type so I really needed someone to be thorough. I'll do my best to improve, but I plan to go back at the end when I'm done with the fic and fix everything up then. For now, I just need input and corrections, things like that. It'd be great if you'd continue looking for things like that. Ah, your praise is also meaningful. Thank you or that. OH. I don't watch the show so I was curious as to who Ursala was. Checked her out and thought she was totally cool, so I'll chalk that up as a 'maybe'. Love square reminds me of Korean dramas.
ch3lsk0: Thanks for reviewing! I'm happy that you like everything so far. The time that they've been going together is a bit sketchy though. I don't want to get too technical about it!
Passerby: Ooh, thank you for you input. I'm not afraid to take crique one bit, so it's a-ok. In fact, it's helpful! Anyway, love pentagon? That's a new one! Lol. But rest assured. There will be romantic conflict AND GlistenShipping.
shirai/Biri-Biri: Thanks for deciding to review. It's nice to know!
ElectricSpectre: Hope you like this chapter then!
Jesus: Ha, oh man. Thanks a lot, Jesus. Your review reminded me of my sacred duty. Lol. And I was totally crazy for HG/SS. You know it!
Anon-user: I'll call you that 'cause it's shorter! But uh yeah, I want to have decent amount for each chapter since I don't update frequently. At first I usually wrote about 5000-7000 I think, but the later chapters are well above that. I actually might be able to update more, but I'm a huge procrastinator so I'll probably be suffering a whole lot if I did that. But I refuse to give up on something I like, so don't worry! Oh, Gardenia & Cheryl? *winks at Dux* I'll leave it up to the reader to think what happened after. I probably won't work with them until much later.

Chapter 13

Johanna smiled. "Hello, dear."

"Oh, you two are related!" the woman exclaimed. "Why, isn't that just perfect?"

Dawn was still awestruck. "W-what are you doing here!?"

"Well, after you left I grew so bored all by myself," Johanna explained. "I felt a little nostalgic—I being an ex-Coordinator and all—seeing you start your journey brought back a few old memories."

"Oh yes, that's right! Your mother was a brilliant Coordinator!" The contest hall judge gave Dawn a wink. "Let's hope it runs in the family, hm?"

"Er…" Dawn couldn't quite come up with the right words. "What about the house?"

Johanna waved her hand impatiently. "Oh don't fret over such a silly thing. I've asked our lovely neighbor to take care of it. Besides, I'll only be gone for a few days."

"Pearl's mom…" Dawn repeated slowly. She eventually got over the shock, deciding to give her mother a proper greeting. "Anyway, it's nice to see you! I really did miss you, honest!"

Johanna beamed, meeting the younger girl in a hug. "Of course, dear. I've missed you a lot too." Pulling away, she examined her daughter. "You'll tell me what's been going on, won't you?"

At the mention of her recent activities, Dawn automatically looked for Cynthia. However, the blonde seemed to have vanished. She quickly realized that Cynthia must have taken the opportunity while she was gawking over her mom to disappear. Er…maybe that's a good thing… After what happened earlier, Dawn couldn't imagine her mother's reaction if she saw 'Steven'. It was one thing for everyone else to jump to conclusions, but with her mom, it was on an entirely whole new level. Parents usually didn't react well against strangers and their children. It was natural. Besides, she was positive that her mother wouldn't approve of her hanging around someone older and male and that. Though to make matters worse, the other woman had to put her two cents in.

"Oh, are you looking for that man you were with?" She looked interested. "I saw him with you when you went in!"

As expected, Johanna's voice grew sharper, making Dawn cringe. "A man…?"

"Um…it's really not like that, mom…" she began, hoping for the best. "Steven's just a friend. He's been helping me out a whole lot and—"

Johanna cut her off. "You mean you've been traveling with him?"

"I hope that's not a problem."

Three sets of eyes focused on the blonde who had just approached. Dawn didn't know whether to be relieved or anxious. This could either go very well or very bad, see. While the contest judge smiled away, Johanna was examining every inch of the newcomer. It was her job as a single parent to make sure that her only daughter wasn't in any sort of danger. The man—boy more like it—seemed clean and non-threatening at a glance. In her opinion, those were the ones women had to look out for. Johanna knew well enough not to go by appearances alone. After all, the blonde seemed like he had something to hide. It was a bit hard to explain, but it was simply the feeling she got when she looked him in the eyes. Call it women's intuition if you will. In any case, secrets were very good for raising suspicion.

"And what is your name, young man?"

The blonde smiled slightly. "It's Steven…ma'm."

Dawn held her breath for a moment. There was tension in the air, no doubt about it. The only one who seemed incapable of sensing that was the contest judge. Though much to Dawn's relief, after a brief silent duel with their eyes, Johanna and 'Steven' had reached some sort of agreement. Of course, that didn't mean things were a-okay just yet. This was probably just Round 1.

"You must tell me more about yourself," said the navy-haired woman. "I should thank you for taking care of Dawn all this time."

Cynthia remained even, despite the mild tone in the older female's voice. "I wouldn't mind." She did her best impression of Lucian. "And Dawn has been an excellent traveling companion. I've actually learned quite a lot from her too."

"I'm glad she hasn't done anything embarrassing," Johanna answered, earning a disdainful look from her daughter. "You should join us for dinner tonight and we'll talk."

Putting on one of her usual smiles, Cynthia nodded. "Thanks, I'll try not to be a bother."

"Oh, doesn't that sound like fun!" the contest hall judge beamed. "I—"

"Jupiter?!"

All three older women turned to Dawn for her abrupt outburst, but she was hardly paying attention. The moment she looked elsewhere, someone had caught her eye. The woman was dressed in a magnificent sparkling dress, with long gloves extending up to her elbows. Her most notable feature though, was her crazy hairdo, the same color as what she was wearing. The first thing Dawn thought of was the Team Galactic Commander she had met back in Eterna City. After all, how many people ran around with hair like that? Even if they weren't the same person, surely they were related!

Apparently, Cynthia thought otherwise. While Johanna and the judge blinked at Dawn in confusion, she chose to brief the younger girl in. "I get how you'd make that mistake," she laughed shortly. "But that's Hearthome City's Gym Leader."

"Er…I just thought…" Dawn frowned. They still seemed to be related in her opinion.

As if waiting for her cue, the said Gym Leader chose this moment to saunter over to the foursome. Dawn's second impression of this woman was that she was someone very vain. This time, she wasn't proven wrong. Everything about the violet-haired female was flashy; from her hairdo to her gaudy dress. When she spoke, it was clear that she was not a native. While the woman could still make up coherent sentences and be understood, there was no hiding her foreign accent.

"Oh, ho, ho! Is this your first time here, little girl?" she smiled. "I could not help but hear your sudden cry of excitement."

Dawn scratched her head. That was hardly from excitement. "Um, it is actually."

"Then you must be planning on entering the contests, non?" The woman brushed her bangs slightly with her gloved hand. "I hope you enjoy yourself! Fantina always does."

"Fantina…?" Dawn repeated.

The contest hall judge laughed. "Oh, Fantina is wonderful! She doesn't just battle, she fights with elegance!"

"Vous êtes trop gentil! I see my reputation has preceded me!" said the Gym Leader dramatically, placing a hand to her face briefly. "Oui, I am Fantina! You may challenge me but you must grow stronger or you will not have a chance! I bid you adieu for now!"

With an elegant sweep of her gown, Fantina turned on her heel and glided out of the contest hall, leaving Dawn completely awestruck. What could she say? She was at an utter loss for words. The woman clearly moved to the beat of her own drum. I'm going to…battle her, right…? Now she learned not to anticipate what Gym Leaders were like. Her old perception of them—serious, hard-working, intimidating—was completely off. So far, none of them were like that! She turned to Cynthia and her mother for a moment; the blonde was resisting the urge to laugh, while her mom appeared mildly amused. Again, the only person who was oblivious to the goings on was the contest hall judge.

"Oh you know that Fantina," she chuckled. "Always the diva! But we do enjoy having a character like her around!" She looked at Dawn brightly. "You will be competing, won't you?"

The younger girl nodded. "Un, I definitely want to try!"

"Not in those clothes you won't," her mother interrupted. "We'll have to do some shopping."

The contest judge seemed delighted. "Goodness, how fun! We'll make sure you look your best!" However, her expression suddenly faltered. "…Oh drat. Johanna, I'd love to go with you but I just remembered I had a few things to take care of."

"Its fine, it'll give us some mother-daughter time," replied the middle-aged woman. "You had better get going, Marian."

As her mother said good-bye to the judge, Dawn turned to Cynthia. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Um…so I guess this means…"

"Just go on ahead," the blonde answered. "I'll meet up with you later anyway." Seeing as how Johanna was starting to look over, she decided to leave. "Pick out something nice and show me after," Cynthia added with a wink.

Almost by reflex, Dawn smiled, though she was slightly embarrassed. However, upon feeling her mother's gaze on her back, she quickly wiped the expression off her face. Turning to look her mom in the eye, she put on a different smile, hoping that it translated as innocent. Johanna wasn't about to take any of it, but eventually broke down. She would definitely grill her daughter later after dinner about this Steven boy. For now, she really did just want to enjoy a shopping trip with the fourteen-year-old.

"I'm paying…?" Dawn inquired jokingly.

Johanna held her by the arm as they went outside. She was all smiles. "Of course, dear."

***

As they walked into a particularly expensive-looking boutique, Dawn sincerely hoped that that was not going to be the case. She had to be a little thrifty; after all, her funds were not used only on herself anymore but also on her Pokémon. As much as she'd have dearly loved to go on a wild shopping spree, she knew that she had to resist. However, as they passed down the aisles of various outfits, she felt her resolve waver. Dresses of different colors and styles hung on the racks, shoes of all shapes and sizes were on display, and all sorts of accessories lined the shelves. Self-control might be a little hard… She was already ogling at all the temptations. Hey! That's just my color! Ooh, and that one is— Wait, no! Dawn shook herself out of it. She knew that she was doing what Gardenia did when it came to plants. I can't! I…

"Hikari, why don't you pick out a few things?" Johanna suggested. Smiling, she also pulled out a credit card. "You don't have to hold back."

Er…you heard her! She told me to! Dawn quickly threw her arms around her mother in a tight hug. "Oh, thank you so much!"

In no less than a second, she was off and running, all discretion set aside. Johanna smiled. Sure she might regret this decision later, but it was worth seeing her daughter happy. It had been awhile since they've seen one another. Besides, she wanted Dawn to look her best if she was going to compete in a Pokémon Contest. Johanna preferred coordinating to battling, so she was a little disappointed when Dawn chose to go after Gym Badges instead of Contest Ribbons. While she was going to support her daughter either way, she wasn't about to give up the chance to show Dawn the highlights of coordinating. Walking down the aisles, she watched as the fourteen-year-old started to browse. Despite their age difference, Johanna knew her daughter's tastes quite well. Upon choosing a few items, she presented them to the navy-haired girl.

"Dear, how about something like this?"

Dawn looked at her mother brightly. "Okay, I'll try them on! I'll be in the changing rooms!"

Johanna smiled. "I'll stay here and see if I can find anything else you might like."

With a nod, Dawn sped off to the other side of the boutique. Choosing a free stall, she promptly closed the curtain before slipping out of her clothes and into a dress. The first one was primarily light blue and white. It had a few slight ruffle designs and lace here and there that made it seem Victorian inspired. Dawn looked at herself in the mirror. Not bad… With some accessories, I think it'll be even better! Taking the outfit off, she turned to the next one. It mostly black, white, and silver; much simpler than the first, consisting of vertical stripes. Upon trying it on, she frowned. Hm…it's not my thing. Removing it, she looked curiously at the last one. Um, really, mom? The dress was quite fancy; it had all sorts of odd patterns in red, white, and black. Dawn was reminded of hearts for some reason. What was that story again? Something about a girl named Alice? Against her better judgment, she decided to put the thing on. Sort of too fancy! She examined her reflection. Red wasn't quite her color, as it didn't go too well with her hair, but the dress itself wasn't that bad. I don't think it really suits me though… Deciding to take it off before she felt even more silly, Dawn grew a bit irritated when the dress started being difficult. For one thing, she couldn't quite reach the back very well; it made her wonder how she had gotten it on in the first place. Much to her disdain, she felt her hair get caught as she struggled. Of all the things to happen! She peeked out from behind the curtain. Unfortunately, her mother was nowhere nearby so there was no way that she could come to the rescue.

"Are you okay?"

Dawn nearly jumped at the sudden voice. It came from the changing stall beside her. She debated on answering, but chose to reply out of politeness. "Well—"

"Sorry, it just sounded like you were having a hard time," said the female.

Sighing, Dawn decided that it wouldn't do her any good to stand here waiting, while her hair was caught. Hey, it hurts! "U-um…do you think you can help me out?"

"What's wrong?"

A tinge of pink appeared on her face. "…My hair got caught in the zipper—"

"No problem, just hold on."

Dawn turned around, her face directed toward the wall; she didn't want to look the other girl in the eye. This was embarrassing! As she heard the curtain shift, she did her best to seem nonchalant. "Um, thanks… This really doesn't happen often! I don't know why I put this on in the first place—"

The stranger laughed slightly as she freed Dawn from her predicament. "It's not a big deal! That's why I don't bother with dresses and long hair. It's too much of a hassle."

Feeling better, Dawn slowly turned around to face her savior. "You really think so?" She was curious as to why the other girl looked at her with such surprise. "Er, are you alright?"

The girl was around her age. She had short, semi-messy orange-colored hair and dark red eyes. What Dawn found odd was the fact that she was dressed in a light blue suit. She seemed more like a boy than a girl. Probably the only thing that gave her gender away was her softer facial features. If it weren't for that then Dawn would surely have thought that she was a boy; well, a pretty boy anyway. However, the androgynous girl didn't seem to be paying attention to what Dawn was saying at the moment. There was an odd look in her eyes that Dawn couldn't quite figure out.

"Um…hello?" She waved a hand slightly in front of her companion.

The girl still looked at her fixedly. "…Hikari…?"

Dawn was taken aback from being addressed so personally by a stranger. The only people called her that nowadays was her mother and Pearl. "H-how do you know that?"

"Gosh, it's only been…six years, I think?" The short-haired girl smiled. "You've really forgotten me already?"

Dawn examined the slightly taller girl thoughtfully. She really did seem familiar. The more she looked at the red-head, the stronger that feeling became. A scene popped up in her mind. It was an afternoon in Twinleaf Town. Her mother was standing a little ways behind her with a sad smile on her face. Dawn was eight years old back then. Pearl was beside her, trying to keep himself from crying. She was sniffling, with tears flowing freely down her cheeks. With them was a girl in a t-shirt and capris; she wasn't crying, but she definitely wasn't happy. She did her best to comfort eight-year-old Dawn. That worked for awhile, but when it came time for her to leave, even Pearl started to break down. They both watched as the girl went into the car with her parents and disappeared down the road. How could she forget that of all things? The three of them were best friends, weren't they? I'm such an idiot… Dawn felt a sudden rush of emotion. Her immediate reaction was to throw her arms over the other girl's shoulders.

"Nozomi!"

The sudden gesture nearly knocked Zoey over, but she managed to keep her balance. She held the navy-haired girl by the shoulders and pulled away with a smile. "Took you long enough!"

Dawn was overjoyed. She still clung to her old friend. "I'm sorry! It's been so long since I've seen you! You look so different!"

"My hair's a little shorter and I've grown a few feet," Zoey answered. "You're the one who looks different!"

Dawn smiled but said nothing in return, earning herself a curious look from the red-head. Instead, she quickly pulled Zoey into another hug. "Oh, I'm just so excited to see you again!" She laughed. "I guess I'm not sure what to say."

Zoey couldn't help but laugh as well. She was glad that the fourteen-year-old hadn't changed. "This is fine too actually."

Suddenly feeling embarrassed, Dawn stepped back. "Oh no! Of all the ways to meet…you just had to see me like that!"

"It's not a big deal," Zoey laughed. "And it was because you got your hair caught that found you. And I think that's what matters most."

"Nozomi…"

The red-head smiled. "Tell you what, why don't we change and talk outside? It's a little cramped in here, don't you think?"

Coming to her senses, Dawn looked around for a second. "Oh, right. We should!"

After Zoey closed the curtain behind her as she left, Dawn got out of her dress as quickly as she could. Clothes were the last thing on her mind right now, surprisingly enough. Throwing her usual ensemble on, she gathered up the dresses and went outside. Despite her rush, Zoey still beat her. The red-head was already up at the front counter, paying for her things. As Dawn trotted out, her mother stopped her and held up another dress. It was pink, white, and red, adorned with little ribbons here and there. It was perfect! Well, she didn't want to think too hard about this one. What she really wanted was to talk to Zoey.

"That's great, mom! Thank you!"

Johanna was surprised. "You're not going to look at anything else?"

"Un, I'll go pay for it!" Dawn traded the dress in her mother's arms for the three she was holding. Before rushing toward the cashier however, she ended up taking the blue dress with her. "Er, sorry. I actually want this one too…"

Shaking her head slightly, Johanna watched as her daughter ran off. The navy-haired girl was always keeping herself busy. She just wondered what it was this time. Either way, Johanna figured that her daughter wasn't about to accompany her any further. She found the reason; she guessed that the red-head was a friend. In any case, she seemed better than the blonde man from before. She would still have to ask the younger girl about that. There was no escaping it…

At the moment Dawn didn't give her mother much attention. When she caught up to Zoey, she was all smiles. The other girl had just finished with her purchase.

"You ready? I'll wait outside, okay?" She waved slightly before going through the sliding glass doors.

Dawn placed the two outfits on the countertop and waited for the cashier to do her job. She lit up as her mother approached her. "Oh mom, I have to—"

"I know," Johanna replied. "Go and have fun. I'll take your things back to the hotel. I'll be in room 460, so come find me when you're done."

Brightening up considerably, she gave the middle-aged woman a brief hug. "You're the best!"

Upon exiting the boutique, Dawn found Zoey waiting for her just outside. The short-haired girl smiled. "So where do you want to go?"

"Wanna walk around?" Dawn suggested. "We can talk along the way!"

"Sounds good," replied Zoey as they made their way down the side walk. "…How've you been all this time? You finally decided to leave school?"

Dawn nodded. "Mm! Pearl and I started about a month ago, I think. It took awhile, but now we're Trainers! You wouldn't believe it. You know Prof. Rowan? He was the one who decided to give us both Pokémon."

"Huh, really?" Zoey inquired her in surprise. "Just like that?"

"Yeah, it's amazing, isn't it?" Dawn tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I guess we were just in the right place at the right time. We got lucky." A sudden thought occurred to her and she pulled out her Poké Dex. "But see this thing here? He's asked us to travel around and record data on any Pokémon we see along the way."

Zoey was impressed. "Wow, to think that the famous researcher is asking you to help him! You've gone a long way from being a sheltered princess."

"W-what? My mom was just a little overprotective that's all!" Dawn replied defensively.

The red-head laughed. "I know, I was only joking!"

"Well, what about you?" Dawn asked curiously. "…What did you do after you moved? You said that you were going to be a top Pokémon Coordinator, weren't you?"

Zoey smiled in response. "That's right. I'm aiming to be the best in Sinnoh." She looked sideways at her companion. "Now that you have Pokémon, are you doing the same?"

"I think I'd like to try coordinating," said Dawn thoughtfully. "But I'm also taking on the Pokémon League challenge!"

"As in you're going after the Gym Badges?" Zoey began. "So you plan to do both?"

Nodding, Dawn answered, "Why not? I want to!"

"I think it'd be a lot easier if you chose one of them and stuck with it," said Zoey, placing her hands into her pockets. "It's hard to be both a Trainer and a Coordinator."

Dawn frowned slightly. "Maybe, but I can try, right? You never know!"

"In my opinion, your focus is divided," Zoey replied, shrugging. "How can you be really serious about both? That could be the difference in being successful."

A little miffed, Dawn thought of something. "Are you going to compete at the Contest Hall?"

"…Yeah, that's why I'm here," the red-head answered. She was curious at the look in the other girl's eyes. "Why?"

"I'll see you in the finals!" Dawn declared confidently. "I bet I can prove you wrong!"

Zoey grinned. "Is that so? And how long have you been coordinating?"

Dawn's expression faltered slightly, but she managed to appear nonchalant. "Well, I have beginner's luck on my side." She also couldn't help but think, And Cynthia! If the blonde was as good at coordinating as she was at battling, Dawn had nothing to fear. "And I've been told that I'm a quick learner!"

"Alright, you're on," said Zoey, smirking. "When you make it to the finals, I'll give you my special poffin recipe."

Dawn was grateful that the red-head had confidence in her. However, what she mentioned was strange. Dawn tilted her head slightly. "Poffin…?"

"Ha, ha…don't tell me you don't know what that is," Zoey laughed. At the navy-haired girl's expression, she decided to explain. "It's a pastry that you can feed to your Pokémon. You'll need them if you want to be a good Coordinator."

Dawn immediately grew interested. "Oh, I've never made one before! Can you teach me?"

"Sure! I know just the place," said Zoey, leading the way down the street. "It'll be a good experience!"

Passing by the local Poké Mart, they were soon in front of a building called the Poffin House. Zoey showed Dawn inside. The first thing that hit her was the mixture of different aromas. Everyone was using a stove to make mid-sized colored pastries. They were adding in berries of all sorts; Dawn recognized most of them, but a few looked a bit foreign. For one thing, the Pokémon that were fed the cakes seemed delighted. Dawn couldn't wait to give it a try. She wasn't bad at cooking, so she figured it wouldn't be too hard.

"C'mon, let's get go," said Zoey, pulling Dawn over to a free stove top. She took out a few things from her bag, namely a small pot and a stirring spoon. "Okay, so you'll need these," she explained as she took out a bag of flour and a bottle of water. "Oh, and berries too of course."

"That's it?" Dawn inquired.

Zoey laughed. "You make it sound like you've done this all your life!"

"Nothing to it, right?" Dawn smiled.

Laughing, Zoey continued. "Alright, so you just gotta add the ingredients, turn on the heat, and stir. Why don't you give it a try, Miss Confident?"

There was no stopping her. Pulling up her sleeves, Dawn quickly plopped the items in the pot. She gave the mixture a stir and continued to do so for a few more minutes. It was a bit difficult at first. The contents were hard to work with, but as she continued, the task grew easier. Once or twice she was worried that it might burn, but with Zoey's minor assistance, things turned out alright. Eventually, she was finished with a plateful of off-color pink poffins.

"Um, you don't think they're that bad, right?"

Zoey shrugged. "Only one way to find out! Give your Pokémon a few and see what they think."

Nodding, Dawn sent out all four. She prayed that Luxio was going to behave for once. Ponyta wasn't a problem; it simply looked around a few times before returning its attention to her. Piplup seemed to catch her drift, as it decided to keep close to the electric Pokémon and keep an eye on the feline. Togepi gave her a happy chirp, prompting her to pick it up.

"Okay, you guys! Why don't you try them?" Dawn began brightly. "They're poffins I made!"

Luxio sniffed one of the pastries first before chomping down on one and eating it whole. It didn't seem too keen on the taste, but at least it didn't hate the thing. Ponyta had more or less of the same reaction, except for the fact that it decided to eat more slowly. Piplup ate the poffin thoughtfully, but failed to give Dawn the reaction she was hoping for. It seemed that all of her Pokémon could care less about her poffins. Treats were supposed to be delicious! Here they were just eating it like it was cabbage or something; nothing special. However, Togepi made her day. She couldn't tell if it was just because the egg Pokémon was always happy, but it seemed to enjoy the flavor. Togepi ate all of the portions she fed it quickly.

"…At least one of them likes it!" Dawn laughed.

Zoey smiled. "I'm sure you'll get better with practice. You have to find the right recipe for each Pokémon." She examined Dawn's team with interest. "It looks like you've got a good variety!"

"You think so?" Dawn smiled. "Ooh, how about your Pokémon? Want to introduce me to them?"

"Sure," Zoey replied, sending out her own partners.

There were six Pokémon total. Dawn immediately pulled out her Poké Dex. It told her that the four she wasn't familiar with was a Misdreavus, Finneon, Kirlia, and Leafeon. She recognized the pink slug-like creature as a Shellos and the grey feline as a Glameow. The cat Pokémon brushed up against its owner's leg before sitting proudly beside her. Shellos and Misdreavus seemed far more interested in the other things that were going on around the place, while Kirlia and Leafeon chose to keep quiet. Finneon was curious at the other Pokémon nearby, but as it couldn't quite move, it opted to watching instead.

"Wow, you already have six!" Dawn exclaimed. "And they all look strong!"

"Don't sweat it," said Zoey, patting Glameow on the head. "I did start off earlier than you and Pearl. You'll catch more Pokémon eventually!"

Dawn seemed even more excited. "Just wait, Zoey! I'll catch up before you know it!"

"I believe you," the red-head smiled. Calling her Pokémon back into their balls, she waited for Dawn to do the same before continuing. "Now why don't we get something to eat? It'll be my treat."

"Eh? But—"

Zoey cut her off. "Nope, I'll pay. You can take it next time!"

"Well, if you put it that way then…" Dawn scratched her head.

"Oh c'mon! Let's just go!" Zoey grinned. Taking the navy-haired girl by the arm, she dragged Dawn outside. "It's about noon right now, let's grab some lunch."

Choosing a nearby noodle shop, the pair settled down at a table. While they ate, Dawn mostly listened to Zoey tell her what she was up to after she moved away. She didn't mind; the red-head's stories were interesting. It showed her that she still had a long way to go and plenty to see. Apparently, Zoey had been to many cities throughout Sinnoh, taking part in different Pokémon Contests. So far, she had won five Ribbons, which she was proud to show Dawn. Her aim was to win another one in Hearthome City. Instead of feeling intimidated, Dawn was only more eager to try coordinating for herself. Zoey agreed to give her a few tips and pointers at the Contest Hall after lunch, since it had a practicing area. The duo didn't take long to finish. They were back in no time.

"So first things first," Zoey began. "You have to choose the Pokémon you want to use."

Dawn considered her options. Togepi was out of the question. Luxio was probably not the greatest choice either, so she also didn't count it. That left her with Piplup and Ponyta. In that case, she decided to go the water Pokémon instead, since they had spent more time training together. Sending Piplup out, she turned back to her friend.

The red-head laughed slightly. "Good, now you just have to work on a better entrance!"

"Entrance…?" Dawn repeated.

Zoey nodded. "You can't just throw the ball and have your Pokémon come out. You have to give it some flair!" She took out a Poké Ball, spun it around shortly on her finger, and tossed it upward. "Here, watch! Glameow, use Shock Wave!"

As the sphere opened, Glameow flew out in an aerial somersault, emitting blue sparks as it did. Landing gracefully on its paws, the feline let out a burst of electricity; the bolts rolled down its form harmlessly, onto the ground in a circular pattern. The cat Pokémon made a triumphant noise, as if to announce its presence. Dawn was left awestruck. Coordinating was definitely a lot more different than battling. She was really going to have to try if she wanted to reach the finals. Maybe I got a little ahead of myself… She shook herself out of it. No, she still wanted to give it a shot. Hey, she was willing to learn!

"Your Pokémon's entrance is important, don't forget that!" Zoey instructed. "Appeals are all about looking graceful. The stronger Pokémon doesn't always win!"

Dawn nodded slowly. "Okay, I think I understand…sort of."

"I guess you can think of it like a battle," continued Zoey. "But instead of fighting until either Pokémon is unconscious, contests run on points and time." She crossed her arms. "You don't just attack each other. You have to come up with ways to appeal to the audience and outshine your opponent."

Dawn eventually got the idea. "So basically your Pokémon has to look better, right? The both of you have to compete for attention."

"More or less, yeah," Zoey agreed. "It's all about dazzling your foe!"

Dawn turned to Piplup with determination. "Easy, right?"

***

On the other hand, Cynthia also had a chance to meet up with a familiar face. However, it wasn't exactly who she was hoping to see. Well, at first she couldn't tell that it was him; after all, it was a woman with a baby carriage. How was she supposed to know that that was Looker pushing an empty stroller? Anyway, he approached her very casually. She had her suspicions at first, but eventually realized that the 'mother' was really a man. It didn't take her very long afterward to figure out that it was the strange detective. At the moment, they were walking together down the street, talking. So far, she briefed him in on the events that occurred in Eterna City, while he told Cynthia what she missed while she was in Mt. Coronet. Apparently, Team Galactic had begun to act once more. Their latest scheme was supposed to take place in Pastoria City, but the details were a bit sketchy. For some reason, Looker seemed a bit off as well. He wasn't as well-informed as she had thought. He was also extremely tired; she knew that look anywhere. However, Cynthia chose not to press any questions; she was also guilty of hiding something after all; namely the fact that she was getting a fourteen-year-old girl involved with Team Galactic. They were probably better off keeping their secrets to themselves for now.

"Anyway, so you plan to head over there?" she asked him. "To Pastoria City?"

Looker nodded. "I must! We don't know how dangerous this can be!"

"So you think Valley Windworks was just the warm-up?"

The detective looked grim. "Mm. They're getting more and more aggressive. I have to find a way to stop them soon!"

Cynthia grew serious. "That means Cyrus is starting to care less about keeping a clean image… He's probably close to getting what he wants." She glanced sideways at Looker. "But can't you use this reason to press charges now?"

He averted his gaze. "We can't, not without 100% concrete evidence. If we mess up then we might not get everything!"

"So you want to know all of it?" Cynthia inquired. "That's not going to be easy. You'd have to infiltrate their head quarters." She also added, "Or you could wait until Cyrus shows his true colors. Everyone will see the threat by then."

Looker shook his head. "I want to stop it from getting that far! The results could be catastrophic! Please understand, Miss Champion! The leader of Team Galactic is a very dangerous man!"

Cynthia exhaled. "You don't need to tell me that. I already know what he's like."

"How—"

"He used to work for my grandmother at the research center when I was younger," the blonde explained. "When I left to become a Trainer, he helped her out a lot. After awhile I came back to visit, but he wasn't the same. My grandmother might not have realized it, but Cyrus wasn't really who she thought he was." Her expression was distant. "A few things happened and it didn't end well." She glanced over at him. "Cyrus left of course."

Looker took in the information with surprise. He didn't expect the Champion to tell him something like that. She didn't seem like the type to get personal. He cleared his throat. "Ah, in any case, Miss Champion…perhaps you should go with me this time. I could use the help."

It was not quite the thing Cynthia wanted to hear. If they were splitting up then it was fine, but here he was, asking her directly to accompany him. That left her with no pretense to take Dawn along. After all, this was most definitely a serious operation. It wouldn't look very good if he found out that she was getting an innocent person involved. No, in all honesty, it was best if she left Dawn to her own devices from here on. The fourteen-year-old was capable of traveling on her own now; she wasn't useless. Dragging her along only meant bringing her deeper into the mess. Cynthia was positive that she didn't want to put the younger girl in any danger. Nevertheless, there was something odd within her that was saying otherwise. If she walked out now, who knew if she could find her again? Sure, Dawn was taking on the Pokémon League Challenge, but it wasn't the same. Traveling with her was the most fun that Cynthia had had for awhile. She didn't want to lose that. It was something she was much more concerned about. I think…my selfishness has reached a new high… She smiled faintly.

"Miss Champion…?"

Cynthia looked the detective in the eyes. "I'll give you an answer tomorrow."

"E-er, excuse me?" Looker blinked.

She remained undeterred. "I'll call you tomorrow and tell you. You can go on ahead if you'd like."

Looker cleared his throat again. "Now, Miss Champion…please be reasonable! I—"

"I know this is serious," interrupted Cynthia. Her tone was firm. "And I'm still helping you. Just give me until tomorrow. Please."

He examined her for a moment before sighing. "…Y-yes. I will head over there first… Er, I do hope to see you eventually."

Cynthia put on a smile. "Thank you." As they turned to go their separate ways, she paused to call back out to him. "And it's Steven, if you don't mind. Stop calling me something else or I won't show up!"

Looker scratched his head, grinning sheepishly. She really does seem to hate the title, doesn't she? He watched as the Champion walked off, disappearing behind the corner. Handsome sighed. This wasn't going to be an easy task. It wasn't just about gathering evidence; he was also taking direct action. He needed to prevent Team Galactic's plans from succeeding. By the time people are alerted, it might already be too late. For one thing, he didn't know how far along Team Galactic was. The situation in Pastoria City could easily get out of hand. He needed to hurry.

Cynthia stood with her back against the corner wall, examining Looker thoughtfully. He was definitely serious. She couldn't leave him hanging. I…better find her. Turning, she headed down the streets toward the boutique. Hopefully, Dawn was still there. Regardless of her mother's presence or not, Cynthia aimed to get a conversation alone with the younger girl. If she had to tell the truth, then she would. It was that simple. However, that didn't make it any easier. She was certainly not looking forward to doing so. Maybe that was why she was privately glad when she couldn't find Dawn at the store. Upon asking the cashier about the girl, she found that Dawn had already left awhile ago with a friend. Luckily, her mother was also nowhere in sight. Now Cynthia had to wander around, searching half-heartedly for the fourteen-year-old. She wasn't quite sure how to react when she did come across the younger girl.

Dawn was coming out of the Contest Hall with Zoey. The two of them were in a deep conversation about coordinating. All the same, the navy-haired girl managed to catch Cynthia before she could do anything else. She waved over to the blonde as a reflex, earning herself a curious look from her friend. Cynthia didn't really have a choice but to wave back, as Dawn was already trotting over. She looked as excited as ever.

"Where've you been?" she asked. Before Cynthia could answer, she pulled Zoey over. "I went shopping with my mom but I ran into my friend instead!"

The red-head extended her hand. "Ah, hey, I'm Zoey. Nice to meet you."

"…Steven. Likewise," Cynthia replied, taking the handshake. She cleared her throat. It sounded somewhat odd. Not right now…

Fortunately, Dawn seemed to catch on. She quickly grabbed Cynthia by the arm. "Oh! Um, I have to tell him something for a second, okay? Can you wait here for a sec?"

Zoey looked at the pair of them oddly but didn't question the request. "…Uh, okay…"

Walking a little ways out of view, Dawn turned to the blonde. "There, drink some quick!" When Cynthia stood still, she was a bit confused. "What's wrong?"

"…Oh, sorry. I'm just a little tired," Cynthia answered in her own voice. "Do you think I can talk to you later?" She mustered up a smile. "Or is your mom going to play chaperone the whole time?"

Dawn laughed slightly. "Well…I don't know. I don't think she likes 'Steven' very much." She suddenly had an idea. "Oh, I got it! Zoey's going to have dinner with us too! How 'bout I ask her to put in a few good words? Mom knows her!"

"…Though for that to work you'd have to convince your friend I'm not a jerk first," said Cynthia with mild amusement.

Dawn stuck her tongue out. "That'll be hard!"

"You like me anyway," replied Cynthia, making the younger girl feel somewhat embarrassed. "I'm fine with just that."

Growing slightly pink, Dawn looked elsewhere. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were flirting…"

The blonde peered over her shoulder. "Oh? Is it working?"

"N-no way!" Dawn cried defensively, turning away. "You always mess around with me, that's all!"

Cynthia smiled faintly as she spoke to the younger girl's back. "…Maybe…but you don't think it can get serious?"

"…H-huh?"

Dawn felt Cynthia pat her on the head as she headed back toward Zoey's direction. The blonde was laughing. Ooh…she did it again! As Cynthia headed on, Dawn ran after her, giving the older woman a couple of smacks.

Zoey wasn't sure what to make of the situation. Dawn seemed to be fairly close to this 'Steven' guy, despite the fact that he seemed older. It was natural for her to be suspicious of him, but at least Dawn seemed like she was having fun. Either way, she wasn't about to let her guard down. There was something about this man that seemed to tick her off.

"Sorry it took so long," Dawn began. "Anyway, he's going to dinner with us."

Zoey wasn't surprised. "Then we better head back to the hotel and clean up. Don't want to make your mom wait, right?"

"That's true," Cynthia agreed. She turned to Dawn. "I figured you were staying with your mother so I didn't check out a room for you."

The fourteen-year-old shook her head. "It's okay." She laughed, "I don't think she'll let me stay with you anyway!"

"You two traveled together?" Zoey inquired. Yeah, that bit of news was surprising.

Dawn nodded, which Cynthia found amusing. "Un! Sh—he's been helping out a lot! If it wasn't for Steven I'd probably be really far behind."

"Don't be silly," the blonde replied; though Cynthia really was grateful for what the younger girl said. "You're a natural Trainer. That's why I wanted to help you get even better."

"Ah, so you're a Trainer too, aren't you?" said Zoey.

Cynthia put on one of her usual smiles. "That's right."

There was an odd feeling of tension hanging between the two of them. Neither could figure out why that was, but the only one who seemed oblivious to it was Dawn. The trio headed over to the hotel, exchanging mild comments and small talk along the way. Zoey and Cynthia talked to one another more than they really needed to. The younger girl was doing it mainly to see what 'Steven' was like; so far, she didn't find him likeable in any way. Then again, it was just a ten minute walk. Cynthia was doing more or less the same. She was curious as to how the red-head knew Dawn; though she doubted that she wanted to just out of simple curiosity. Dawn was literally in the middle. She talked when it was necessary, but for the most part, she was just enjoying the company. They continued that way until they got out of the elevator. Strangely enough, they were all on the same floor. While Dawn was happy, Cynthia and Zoey found it ironic.

"Okay, we'll meet up at six," said Dawn, standing before her mother's room.

Cynthia smiled. "Feel free to stop by earlier."

"That sounds great, thanks," Zoey replied, knowing full well that Steven didn't mean that to her.

Before Cynthia could reply, the door opened to reveal Johanna. "There you are, dear. It was about time!"

"Er…sorry, mom," Dawn began sheepishly. However, she quickly grabbed Zoey and pulled her over. "It's because I ran into Zoey! You remember her, don't you?"

Johanna's eyes widened. "Oh, it is little Nozomi, isn't it? My goodness! How have you been, dear? It's been ages since we've last seen you!"

The red-head smiled. "I'm more or less the same. It's nice to you both again!"

"Oh I remember the day you had to move," Johanna chuckled. "Hikari cried from sun up 'til sun down. Mind you, little Jun was no different. He was just better at hiding it!"

Dawn instantly grew red. She looked apprehensively at her mother for calling her that in front of Cynthia. Well, and for mentioning the crying bit. She even dragged Pearl into it! "Mom! Not now! We have to prepare for dinner, remember?"

Johanna smiled. "I understand. Don't worry." She looked up at Zoey and gave her a wink. "We'll continue teasing her later."

"M-mom!" Dawn cried sharply. She was resisting the urge to shove her mother through the door.

Finally taking her daughter's hint, Johanna disappeared into the room, leaving Dawn thoroughly embarrassed in front of Zoey and Cynthia. Much to her relief, Cynthia chose not to say or do anything except smile before entering her own room. On the other hand, Zoey wasn't as merciful.

"Uh, is that true? You and Pearl cried a lot?"

Dawn stared at her shoes and nodded. "Of course we did… We were best friends…"

"You mean we still are," Zoey corrected, making her look back up with a smile. "Just wait until I find him. He won't hear the end of this!"

Dawn laughed. "Oh c'mon! We were both really sad, you know! But Jun had to be the boy, so he didn't want to cry in front of me."

"Before we get tempted to talk about him, why don't we get cleaned up?" suggested Zoey with a smile. "Sounds like a good dinner topic."

"Un, see you at dinner then!"

***

Despite the fact that she thought it was going to be a bad idea, Cynthia decided to attend anyway. Though as she had expected, she felt outside of the loop half the time. After all, she had only known the navy-haired girl for around a month; even if Dawn was the only person she really talked to over the past thirty days, it didn't measure up to her history with Zoey. Judging by the stories that were being exchanged, they were part of a trio, along with the boy named Pearl. Zoey had to move away when they were eight and eventually went on to become a Pokémon Coordinator. Because of her traveling, she was out of touch with the other two. Cynthia imagined that they must have been close friends though. Johanna treated the red-head almost like a second daughter and Dawn looked delighted throughout the entire meal. Cynthia supposed the bright side was that the middle-aged woman was too distracted to grill her about traveling with Dawn, but the distance she was feeling from the setting was starting to get to her. It made her think about her own family and friends in Celestic Town. She remembered what she had told Looker earlier about her grandmother and Cyrus. Since becoming the Champion, she had only visited twice. Hearing Dawn talk about her hometown almost made Cynthia feel like going back to Celestic.

"Ne…Steven. Are you okay?"

The blonde snapped out of her reverie, looking up to see that all three females were watching her. She smiled automatically. "I'm fine! I guess I'm just more tired than I thought. Sorry for not saying much. I don't want to intrude on your personal time."

"Well, now that we're on the subject," said Johanna. "Why don't you tell me more about yourself? I heard that you've been helping Dawn, haven't you?"

Cynthia shook her head slightly. "I'm just a Trainer, that's all. We met in Eterna City. Since Dawn is doing me a favor, I wanted to give her bit of advice when it comes to battling."

"What kind of favor?" Zoey interjected. She scratched her head. The question just sort of came out on its own.

Cynthia smiled. "Why don't you show them, Dawn?"

The fourteen-year-old blinked. Eventually, she realized what Cynthia meant. With a smile, she took out a Poké Ball and opened it, revealing the creature inside. "Cy—I mean Steven—gave me an egg! Isn't that amazing? This little guy hatched not too long ago! You saw him earlier, Zoey!"

"Oh my, that's a Togepi, isn't it?" said Johanna, impressed. "You know they're quite rare, don't you?"

Cynthia nodded. "That may be so, but I really had no means of caring for it on my own. I just thought Togepi would be better off with Dawn."

Johanna smiled, peering over at the small Pokémon. "He's cute. Make sure you take good care of him, dear."

"Of course I will!" Dawn exclaimed.

Zoey examined Togepi curiously. "Do you think we can hold him?"

"Er…I'm not sure," Dawn began uncertainly. "Togepi gets really scared! Steven said he'll grow out of it later, but I don't know about right now! You know, unless you want to see him have a fit!"

Zoey laughed slightly. "Ha, ha, that's true."

"You seem to know your stuff, don't you?" Johanna began, turning to Cynthia. "But you still look so young."

Cynthia moved her bangs out her eyes. "I'm only twenty-two, ma'm. I still have a lot to learn."

A smile appeared on Johanna's face. "Either way, thank you for helping my daughter."

"So do you two plan to keep on traveling together?" Zoey asked. "Dawn's going to different cities to battle Gyms, right? Isn't it a little inconvenient sometimes?"

At the mention of that, Cynthia felt her implanted smile fade. "You're right…" She quickly pulled herself together though, ignoring the look Dawn just gave her. "That's why I'm glad she had a chance to catch up with you both again. I'll feel much better heading on alone."

Dawn looked at the blonde incredulously. "W-wait, you're not going to…you know…anymore?"

Cynthia turned to the younger girl. "I just got a call from a friend of mine. He invited me to Pastoria City."

"Oh, to visit the Great Marsh?" Zoey inquired. "I heard that something special was gonna happen."

Cynthia smiled. "That's right."

"B-but what about—" Dawn began.

"I'm sure you'll be fine. Good luck on your Gym Battle, alright?" Cynthia interrupted. "Just remember what we practiced and Fantina shouldn't be too much of a problem."

Though unhappy, Dawn figured that it'd be best if she went along with the blonde for now. Maybe it's something she'll tell me later… "Un…don't worry."

"Goodness, you should get to bed soon," said Johanna. "Even your Pokémon is tired! And you two have been traveling all morning, you must be exhausted."

Dawn looked down to find that Togepi was dozing off in her arms. "Er, yeah. I guess you're right."

Cynthia got to her feet first. "Well then, thank you for the dinner. I can take the bill."

"Oh no, we can't let you do that!" Johanna protested.

Zoey cut in. "Don't worry, Steven and I can split it."

Cynthia smiled with a nod, thanking the red-head for the assist. "You and Dawn can go on ahead."

"I can tell when I'm being ganged up on," Johanna replied. However, she was grateful all the same. "But I do thank you. Come, Dawn."

She motioned for the younger girl, but as they started to leave, Dawn went back. Her expression was a mixture of seriousness and awkwardness as she faced the blonde. "I-I still want to talk to you."

Cynthia blinked in surprise at first, but eventually smiled. "So do I."

"Um, I'll come by later then!" Dawn replied, brightening. "C'mon, mom! See you tomorrow, Zoey!"

Moving past her mother, and toward the restaurant's exit, she waved back. Johanna looked thoughtful. She bid the other two another good-bye before following her daughter out the door. Once they were out of sight, Zoey turned to Cynthia immediately. She looked completely solemn, which took the blonde by surprise. Somehow, Cynthia knew that this wasn't about paying the bill.

"Who are you, really?" She asked frankly. "If you think you can do anything to Dawn, I'm not going to stand around!"

Cynthia was impressed. This girl was not much taller than Dawn was; they were the same age. It took a lot of courage for the red-head to confront her like this. So she likes to get to the point. There was no room for false smiles now. "All I want to say is this: I don't want to see her in any sort of danger as much as you do."

Zoey examined the blonde. His tone was firm and his expression was equally serious as hers. He seemed to have lowered his facade. "…I…I still don't trust you…but I'll believe that much."

"You're a good friend," Cynthia replied. "Why don't you go along with her? She could use the company."

Zoey placed her hands into her pockets. "I don't know if our goals are the same." She continued when the blond gave her a curious look. "I'm a coordinator so our destinations aren't always fitting. She's not serious about it, I know. I'm sure she prefers battling."

"Well, I understand what you mean," answered Cynthia. "But I'll tell you now; it's a lot harder to find a real friend than it is to win a Badge or a Ribbon. Opportunities aren't always going to be there."

"I'll…be sure to keep that in mind," Zoey replied slowly.

Smiling once more, Cynthia paid her half of the bill before leaving. "Have fun! Oh, and nice to meet you."

And on goes the mask. Zoey nodded in response as she watched the man exit the restaurant. She sighed and decided to follow suit. So far it had been a crazy day. She never expected to see her old friend again. The blonde's words came to her mind. He was serious, wasn't he? It didn't seem like he was just saying that. Maybe I should see if I can go with her. Scratching her head, Zoey headed back to the hotel. I have to think about it…

Back inside their own room, Johanna finally decided to get the truth out of her daughter. While her opinion of Steven had changed, she still knew that he was hiding something. She hadn't lived all these years for nothing. Johanna simply didn't want her daughter to be deceived. However, Dawn found it difficult to come clean. As much as she'd have liked to tell her mother everything, she didn't want to risk letting her know about Cynthia's real identity. After all, secret agents were called 'secret' for a reason. Besides, she was positive that her mother didn't like the idea of her running around with Cynthia and getting in trouble; with Team Galactic no less.

"Dear, you need to be careful," said Johanna. "I'm just worried about you, that's all."

Dawn nodded. "Don't worry, mom. I know that!

"That man…he's not telling you the truth," Johanna continued. "Don't be surprised when you find out what it is."

I already know! Dawn thought. She found it kind of ironic really. "I understand. I'll always be careful."

With that said she kissed her mother good-night and watched as the middle-aged woman climbed onto the second bed. Dawn did the same for the most part. She changed into her pajamas in order to make it look convincing, but she had no intention of sleeping just yet. She was going to see Cynthia now, not tomorrow morning. A part of her was worried that by then it might be too late. Sometimes it was hard to tell if the blonde meant what she said. Dawn waited patiently (as patiently as she could anyway) until she was positive that her mother was deeply asleep. She just hoped that Cynthia was still awake. I better hurry… Creeping out of bed quietly, she pulled on her outer coat and grabbed a pair of bathroom slippers. Coincidently, they both matched with the rest of her pajamas. Er, that's not important! Dawn unlocked the door silently and stepped out into the hall. She was glad that she didn't have to go very far to reach Cynthia's room; not only because of what she was wearing, but also because it was colder out here than she thought. Once, twice, three times she knocked. Please be awake! There was a moment of silence before she heard anything.

"Dawn?"

Her heart leapt as the blonde opened the door. "Cynthia! Can I come in?"

"…Of course," Cynthia replied, stepping aside for the younger girl to step inside.

Dawn made her way across the room and took a seat on the free bed. Apparently, Cynthia had been watching TV all this time. She looked over at the older woman as she grabbed a light robe to cover herself with. Dawn examined her pink patterned pajamas and felt a bit silly compared to Cynthia and her black camisole. Real mature! She thought with a sigh. However, the thought was pushed out of her mind as the blonde sat down opposite her on the other bed.

"So, what is it?" She inquired, crossing one leg over the other.

"Er, how come you still keep your hair up even when you're going to sleep?" Dawn blurted out. That was definitely not what she was here to ask.

Nevertheless, her comment seemed to ease the tension in Cynthia's face. "I think you've asked me that before in Mt. Coronet."

"Oh, you said you just wanted to, right?" said Dawn, recalling her words.

Cynthia laughed. "Mm-hm. Now that that's been cleared up, you can sleep easy, right?"

"N-no! I wasn't here to talk to you about that!" Dawn answered quickly. She grew a bit nervous. "I…I wanted to know if what you said at dinner was true."

Cynthia leaned back, supporting herself with her hands. "It is."

"You're leaving me?"

"Well, we were never together in the first place, see…"

Dawn ignored the blonde's joke. "You know what I mean! It's about Team Galactic, isn't it? Something's happening in Pastoria City!"

Cynthia smiled slightly. "Sometimes you're a bit too perceptive…but yes. He told me to meet him there. I can't bring you along for this one."

As childish as it felt, she had to ask, "Why not? I've gotten stronger, haven't I? You said so yourself!"

"I know, and you have," Cynthia replied. "But you really still only have two Gym Badges and that's not really even the problem. This could get out of control and I don't want you to be there if it happens."

Dawn had half a mind to argue her case, but there was something about the older woman's expression that made her decide not to. Cynthia seemed like she had a lot to say but was unable to do so. She figured that it was hard for the blonde to drag her along this far anyway. She should have known that this was going to happen sooner or later. Dawn just hadn't expected that it would bother her this much.

"So…does that mean we won't see each other for good?"

Cynthia frowned. "Of course not."

"But if you work for the International Police, what are the chances of finding you again?"

Cynthia sat back properly. "You'd be surprised how far chance can get you." She smiled. "Are you that devastated?"

Dawn looked at the TV, slightly embarrassed. "You have to tease me even now? I really will miss tagging along with you, you know. Even if you force me to fly and get me into trouble and—"

"I get the idea," Cynthia replied with amusement. "If it makes you feel better, why don't I give you a call everyday?"

Dawn turned back to her. "Really?"

"Sure, I don't mind," answered Cynthia. "So you won't have to cry."

Dawn turned pink. "I-I'm not going to cry over something like this!"

Laughing, Cynthia gave the younger girl a pat on the head. "Well, you don't have to do it in front of me."

"I am so not going to cry!" said Dawn. "And you're not getting rid of me that easily!"

Cynthia looked at her curiously. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just wait and see."

Cynthia smiled. "I'll look forward to it."

As silence followed, Dawn got distracted by the TV instead. It was a show that analyzed the battling techniques of top-class Trainers. At the moment, it was a special about the Pokémon League. On screen was a green-haired boy of about eighteen years old. His Pokémon was a violet, scorpion-like creature called Drapion. It was facing off against a dragon Pokémon that was similar to a Gible; Dawn heard the announcer say that it was called a Garchomp. However, before she could see who it was that the boy was battling, Cynthia turned off the TV.

"Hey! I was watching that!"

Cynthia was about to respond with, "you can watch in your own room," but quickly decided against it. "But I thought you were here to talk to me."

Dawn sighed. "Oh alright…"

"Why don't you stay the night?" Cynthia suggested. She meant it as a joke more than anything else. "It could be our first time together in a proper bed!"

Nevertheless, it got her the response she wanted. Dawn quickly grew embarrassed. "And let my mom think that we're doing something weird? No way!"

"Oh that reminds me," Cynthia continued. "This morning when I asked you if I could kiss you—"

"Pretend to kiss me," Dawn corrected. She was starting to turn pink again.

Cynthia smiled. "Pretend, then. Anyway, how come your first reaction wasn't 'why' but 'where' instead?"

Reddening considerably, Dawn grabbed a nearby pillow and flung it at the blonde. "I-it was a slip of tongue! It's your fault for saying that all of a sudden!"

"It was the best thing I thought of then," Cynthia laughed, blocking the shot. "Besides, I didn't actually do it."

Dawn stared at the wall. "W-why?"

"Well, I thought you'd get angry," Cynthia answered with shrug. "Don't tell me you really wanted me to."

"Okay, now you're just asking for it," Dawn began, holding up another pillow threateningly.

Cynthia smirked. "You know, having a pillow fight isn't going to help your situation."

With a sigh, Dawn fell onto the spare bed, her face still warm. "Gosh, I can't believe this is what I'm going to miss."

"Aw, how cute," Cynthia laughed. She lay back on her own bed, so that she was eye-level with the younger girl. "I'll miss you too, since I won't have anyone to tease anymore."

"…Don't you do that to everyone?" Dawn began dully. "It's hard to tell if you're serious or not."

Cynthia smiled. "Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment!" Dawn replied with a laugh.

"Well, how do you know I'm not serious?" Cynthia countered.

Dawn looked thoughtful. "Hm…I dunno." She suddenly remembered what Cynthia had said earlier about the same thing. Maybe…no. That can't be, right? "I told you I don't really think about it. You know, that sort of thing."

"I'm glad it's just me then," the blonde answered.

Dawn sat up slowly. "What do you mean…?"

It was Cynthia's turn to grow warm. She chose to roll over the other side of her bed and hold onto a pillow instead of reply. Interested, Dawn hopped over next to the blonde and sat down. She gave the older woman a poke.

"Oh c'mon! This is just getting good!"

Cynthia got up and turned to the younger girl. "Aren't you tired?"

"Oh no you don't," Dawn grinned. "I'm not leaving until you tell me!"

Cynthia looked at her for a moment. The atmosphere was getting a bit too much for her; it was starting to make her feel strange. While the navy-haired girl seemed oblivious to it, she minded their position very much. And that's not good. A plan came to mind.

"Well then, I guess you'll just have to sleep here for the night," she replied with a smirk. "Who knows what your mom and your friend might think."

Dawn pursed her lower lip. "Hey, that's not fair at all…"

"So what's it going to be?" Cynthia crossed her arms.

Sighing, Dawn got off the bed and put on her slippers again. "Okay fine, but don't think I'm letting this go!"

Following the younger girl outside, Cynthia chose to accompany her back to her room. It is a bit cold out here… She thought as she stood by the door. "Well, good-night then," she said, though before she could walk away, Dawn caught her in a hug. Surprised, Cynthia looked down. "What was that for?"

"I figured I'd give you one now," Dawn replied easily. She was glad when she saw some color reach the older woman's face. "You don't want to?"

Cynthia cleared her throat slightly. "I'm just glad you didn't try this back in the room…"

"Eh, why…?"

"Nothing."

Dawn laughed. "So…"

"You could've done that tomorrow, you know," Cynthia pointed out. "We're disturbing the other guests."

"Oh, right!" said Dawn, lowering her voice. Nevertheless, she smiled. "But…I really wanted to say good-bye to Cynthia not Steven. I'll see him tomorrow, but not her."

Somehow I wish you didn't say that… Cynthia thought wistfully; though she was very happy to hear that. "You really know how to make it hard to leave, don't you?"

"I do mean it though," said Dawn honestly. "I kinda wish you weren't a secret agent."

Cynthia looked down the hall. "Mm…I kind of regret lying now, myself…"

"Oh, don't worry about it," Dawn began brightly. "Just do your job! You said to believe in chance, right? You'll see me again before you know it."

Cynthia smiled. "Count on it."

A/N: This was somewhat of a difficult chapter to write, but that's probably because I haven't planned things out very well. If anyone can provide an indepth outlne of Platinum then it'd be great. I do try looking things up but the more specific events aren't available unless you play the game. Anyway, I'm always trying to improve so feel free to make suggestions!

Next: Things in Hearthome City come to an unexpected end, Dawn gets a new companion, and Cynthia is bored out of her mind. Has Team Galactic finally decided to strike?