I have betrayed you guys. Ugh. I'm sorry readers! It's been so long. Well, this is a slightly longer chapter, so I can kind of make it up to you guys. Hopefully, I can get back into updating. I'm really sorry for not doing that lately. I've been so busy... but now I might update a bit. Spring break, ya know. Yet... I'm going to Orlando in a few days. Ugh. Sorry for mistakes, I just wanna update!

So, what's happened? They had that weird run-in with Darkrai, Misty's had this weird vision, and May almost drowned in hers? Seeing a pattern of red eyes? And, now Dawn's had a much more affecting nightmare than the others. What will happen, and... what will be born from the aftermath?

Of the Mind

Pain of mind is worse than pain of body. ~Latin Proverb

"Little girl... weak, foolish little girl," a voice crooned.

(You're making yourself an even easier target.)

"Rest, sweet child..."

(Come with me, slip into a prison that you can't escape. Your own.)

"Pleasant... Nightmares."

(...Help me.)

"May...? May!"

Still tired from having woken up in the early morning, said girl ignored the voice tiredly. But apparently, the voice was as stubborn as her. She let out a small squeak as Misty dragged her into the hallway.

"Misty, it's so early! I can barely think! What-"

She was shushed with a hand covering her mouth. "I... I think we both need to work on a few things today."

"What?", She exclaimed, suddenly excited. "You mean you're gonna tell Ash you lo-?"

"SHH! Yes, yes I will! B-but you need to tell Drew you like him too!", Misty stammered, blushing.

"I... okay. Where are the guys?"

"Paul's asleep. The other guys are getting some air. Calming down from this morning," Misty explained.

May nodded, telling herself she needed to get it over with anyway. With the events going around, how could she be sure how many more chances she'd have at this? Now it was just not a normal thing to protest so immaturely. She'd have to admit her feelings. And so would Misty. It's not like it would have an effect on the others, right?

...Right?

Searching, the redhead found her target walking around Pallet aimlessly. Misty approached Ash quickly, determined to get this out as fast she possibly could. Swallowing her last ounce of pride, she stepped forward.

"Ash! I gotta tell you something!", she yelled.

Ash stared at her, waiting. "Yeah, Mist?"

Her heart fluttered at the gentle, slightly confused tone and the use of her nickname. But she mustn't give up now.

"I," she started. Taking a deep breath and steeling herself, she blurted, "I like you!"

Raising an eyebrow in bemusement, Ash only mumbled, "I like you too, Mist."

Startled and angry, she raised her hands, waving them frantically.

"No, not like that! I mean... I like like you. In a... in a romantic way.", she forced out in embarrassment.

He blushed, smiling and rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "I...I know...?"

"Oh," Misty mumbled. "O-okay."

The boy quickly pecked her cheek before turning away and pretending like nothing happened. The walk was continued in a dazed silence.

Paul woke with a start, his head lifting off the pillow instantly. He looked around, and squinted at the bright light of a clock. It was about two in the morning. He'd only slept for about an hour, a pale light streaming through the windows of the room he'd fallen asleep in. He rubbed his eyes groggily as he checked out the house. It seemed as though nobody was awake, or even home. Strange. He remembered Dawn.

Quietly, as to not wake the others if they still were there, he padded up the stairs to Delia's room. Dawn had been sent there for the night to recover as it was a relaxing environment. He lightly pushed open the door, and peeked inside. Then he exhaled quietly, a whoosh of air leaving his lungs as his breath was taken away from him.

There were a few things Paul would never admit.

Yet at that moment, he knew it was impossible to say otherwise.

He was left completely breathless.

The room was bathed in the milky, white light of a full moon, allowing him to see easily in the semi-darkness. The furniture looked grand, majestic, like the inside of a castle. And in the middle, a huge canopy bed holding the princess. Thin curtains fluttered in the breeze of an open window, and white sheets covered the sleeping girl. Her small, pale face contrasted with the midnight blue of her hair, making her look delicate, dainty even. The moonlight seemed to encircle her, giving her a fond embrace of light. The wind blew at the canopy in paths around her, yet dared not touch her form and wake her.

She looked like an angel.

As he stepped closer to her, he noticed a faint blush on her cheeks. Sitting down beside her on the bed, he saw her nose crinkle slightly in discomfort, and placed a hand on her forehead, only to flinch away. She was burning up. He went to the bathroom to find a washcloth, dampened it, and came back to lay it on her forehead. Paul couldn't help but let his hand trail down the side of her face as he pulled it away.

He looked away, cursing himself for being so soft. His brother Reggie had once suspected Paul had feelings for her, but only recently had he begun to realize how differently he thought of Dawn than other girls. Because she was different. So wonderfully different...

In his peripheral vision, Dawn's hand gave a twitch, bringing him out of his thoughts. He laid his hand on her own, only to find that, strangely, it was freezing. Clasping it in his own hands, he tried to warm it up.

Her hand snapped onto his.

Jumping, he tried to figure out why she suddenly clutched onto him. Dawn wore a pained expression, and squirmed as if she were... struggling.

She was trying to tell him something.

He quickly grabbed her hand again, and broke the calm silence with a voice of desperation.

"Transcend the Confines of Time And Space."

Accomplished sigh. As I got to the Paul ans Dawn scene, something just clicked. Literally, I decided to move the May and Drew to next chapter so I'd have more room to write without making it a novel. I haven't felt that inspired in a while. :D

I want to know... has my absence from writing, well, more like my huge amount of time spent thinking, changed my writing style?

I don't know. Review?

-Pancake :)